cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery Utilizing Spinal Anesthesia Tetracaine Versus Tetracaine and Procaine

Twenty-one parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery were studied in a randomized double-blind fashion. Ten received a mixture of tetracaine 1% diluted with an equal volume of dextrose 10% in water, and 11 received tetracaine 1% diluted with an equal volume of procaine 10%. Significantly higher sensory anesthesia levels occurred in the parturients who received tetracaine and procaine. The quality of sensory anesthesia was also improved in the latter group as demonstrated by the significantly lower use of intraoperative narcotic supplementation. There were no differences in the duration of motor or sensory block, the incidence of hypotension, Apgar scores, or blood gases between the groups.
Targeting cancer stem cells in squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly aggressive tumor and the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Current treatment strategies for HNSCC are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or combinatorial therapies. However, the overall 5-year survival rate of HNSCC patients remains at about 50%. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small population among tumor cells, are able to self-renew and differentiate into different tumor cell types in a hierarchical manner, similar to normal tissue. In HNSCC, CSCs are proposed to be responsible for tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence. In this review, we discuss the molecular and cellular characteristics of CSCs in HNSCC. We summarize current approaches used in the literature for identification of HNSCC CSCs, and mechanisms required for CSC regulation. We also highlight the role of CSCs in treatment failure and therapeutic targeting options for eliminating CSCs in HNSCC.
Perspectives on trauma and the design of a technology-based trauma-informed intervention for women receiving medications for addiction treatment in community-based settings.

Abstract Background Despite national calls to develop gender-specific interventions for women with opioid use disorder (OUD) with co-occurring trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, there remains a dearth of research on what modalities or treatment components would be most feasible for this population. This study interviewed women with OUD receiving medication assisted treatment and addiction treatment providers to explore (a) experiences of barriers to receiving trauma treatment, and (b) both the perceptions and desired design of a prospective technology-delivered, trauma-informed treatment for women with OUD. Methods Women with lifetime OUD (n = 11) and providers (n = 5) at two community substance use clinics completed semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed in NVivo v11 using a grounded theory approach. Women also completed a demographic form and clinical measures. Results Clients were primarily women with children reporting histories of multiple trauma exposures, high PTSD symptoms, and polysubstance use. Two themes emerged among clients and one among providers regarding barriers to trauma treatment. Regarding the feasibility and desired attributes of a technology-based intervention, six themes emerged among clients and providers, respectively. Conclusions Themes suggest a high interest by clients and providers for a technology-delivered, trauma informed treatment available by smartphone. Utilizing technology as an adjunct to care, without reducing face-to-face therapy, was important to both clients and providers.
Predicting diabetes clinical outcomes using longitudinal risk factor trajectories

The ubiquity of electronic health records (EHR) offers an opportunity to observe trajectories of laboratory results and vital signs over long periods of time. This study assessed the value of risk factor trajectories available in the electronic health record to predict incident type 2 diabetes. Analysis was based on a large 13-year retrospective cohort of 71,545 adult, non-diabetic patients with baseline in 2005 and median follow-up time of 8 years. The trajectories of fasting plasma glucose, lipids, BMI and blood pressure were computed over three time frames (2000–2001, 2002–2003, 2004) before baseline. A novel method, Cumulative Exposure (CE), was developed and evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression to assess risk of incident type 2 diabetes. We used the Framingham Diabetes Risk Scoring (FDRS) Model as control. The new model outperformed the FDRS Model (.802 vs .660; p-values <2e-16). Cumulative exposure measured over different periods showed that even short episodes of hyperglycemia increase the risk of developing diabetes. Returning to normoglycemia moderates the risk, but does not fully eliminate it. The longer an individual maintains glycemic control after a hyperglycemic episode, the lower the subsequent risk of diabetes. Incorporating risk factor trajectories substantially increases the ability of clinical decision support risk models to predict onset of type 2 diabetes and provides information about how risk changes over time.
Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution and Oxidation with Rhenium Tris(thiolate) Complexes: A Competition between Rhenium and Sulfur for Electrons and Protons

Recent electrochemical experiments reveal that the rhenium-tris(thiolate) [ReL3] (L = DPPBT = diphenylphosphinobenzenethiolate, a noninnocent ligand) complex catalytically reduces protons and oxidi...
Paired air-water annual temperature patterns reveal hydrogeological controls on stream thermal regimes at watershed to continental scales

Abstract Despite decades of research into air and stream temperature dynamics, paired air-water annual temperature signals have been underutilized to characterize watershed processes. Annual stream temperature dynamics are useful in classifying fundamental thermal regimes and can enhance process-based interpretation of stream temperature controls, including deep and shallow groundwater discharge, when paired with air signals. In this study, we investigated multi-scale variability in annual paired air-water temperature patterns using sine-wave linear regressions of multi-year daily temperature data from streams of various sizes. A total of 311 sites from two spatially intensive regional datasets (Shenandoah National Park and Olympic Experimental State Forest) and a spatially extensive national dataset spanning the contiguous United States (U.S. Geological Survey gages) were evaluated. We calculated three annual air-water thermal metrics (mean ratio, phase lag, and amplitude ratio) to deduce the influence of groundwater and other watershed processes on stream thermal regimes at multiple spatial scales. Site-specific values of the three annual air-water thermal metrics ranged from 0.69 to 5.29 (mean ratio), −9 to 40 days (phase lag), and 0.29 to 1.12 (amplitude ratio). Regional patterns in the annual thermal metrics revealed persistent yet spatially variable influences of shallow groundwater discharge and high levels of thermal variability within watersheds, indicating the importance of local hydrogeological controls on stream temperature. Furthermore, annual thermal metric patterns from the regional datasets were generally concordant with the national dataset suggesting the utility of these annual thermal metrics for analysis at multiple scales. Analysis of the national dataset showed that previously defined thermal regimes based on water temperature alone could be further refined using air-water metrics and these metrics were related to physiographic watershed characteristics such as contributing area, elevation, and slope. This research demonstrates the importance of spatial scale and heterogeneity for inferring hydrological process in streams and provides guidance for the interpretation of annual air-water temperature metrics that can be efficiently applied to the growing database of multi-year temperature records. Results from this research can aid in the prediction of future thermal habitat suitability for coldwater-adapted species at ecologically and management-relevant spatial scales with readily available data.
Lab-Based and Self-Reported Indices of Fitness Show Lowered Fitness and Insight into Fitness in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis

Introduction: Exercise is a promising intervention for clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR) populations, who have attenuated positive symptoms, but evidence suggests that these youth may require tailored exercise interventions. Presently, the scope of the problem is unknown, as these youth may not be reliable reporters on fitness. This issue is compounded by the fact that there have been no investigations that utilized a formal fitness assessment in this critical population. The present study aims to determine the level of fitness in CHR youth with lab-based measures, test how effectively self-report measures characterize objective fitness indices, and explore clinical factors that may be interrupting reliable self-report- an important tool if these interventions are to be taken to scale. Methods: Forty CHR individuals completed an exercise survey and lab-based indices of fitness (i.e., VO2max and BMI). Forty healthy volunteers completed lab indices of fitness and a structured clinical interview ruling out the presence of psychiatric illness. Results: CHR youth showed greater BMI and lower VO2max compared to healthy volunteers. In the CHR group, abstract self-report items (perceived fitness) did not reflect lab indices of fitness, whereas specific exercise behaviors (intensity of exercise) showed stronger correlations with laboratory-based fitness measurements. Exploratory analyses suggested that positive symptoms involving grandiosity, and negative symptoms such as avolition, correlated with discrepancy between self-perception and laboratory findings of fitness. Discussion: Results suggest that CHR individuals are less objectively fit than matched controls, and that it will be important to consider unique population characteristics when weighing self-report data.
From hogs to HABs: impacts of industrial farming in the US on nitrogen and phosphorus and greenhouse gas pollution.

Nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions related to crop agriculture and confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the US have changed substantially in recent years, in amounts and forms. This review is intended to provide a broad view of how nutrient inputs-from fertilizer and CAFOs-as well as atmospheric NH3 and greenhouse gas emissions, are changing regionally within the US and how these changes compare with nutrient inputs from human wastewater. Use of commercial nitrogen (N) fertilizer in the US, which now exceeds 12,000,000 metric tonnes (MT) continues to increase, at a rate of 60,000 MT per year, while that of phosphorus (P) has remained nearly constant over the past decade at around 1,800,000 MT. The number of CAFOs in the US has increased nearly 10% since 2012, driven largely by a near 13% increase in hog production. The annualized inventory of cattle, dairy cows, hogs, broiler chickens and turkeys is approximately 8.7 billion, but CAFOs are highly regionally concentrated by animal sector. Country-wide, N applied by fertilizer is about threefold greater than manure N inputs, but for P these inputs are more comparable. Total manure inputs now exceed 4,000,000 MT as N and 1,400,000 MT as P. For both N and P, inputs and proportions vary widely by US region. The waste from hog and dairy operations is mainly held in open lagoons that contribute to NH3 and greenhouse gas (as CH4 and N2O) emissions. Emissions of NH3 from animal waste in 2019 were estimated at > 4,500,000 MT. Emissions of CH4 from manure management increased 66% from 1990 to 2017 (that from dairy increased 134%, cattle 9.6%, hogs 29% and poultry 3%), while those of N2O increased 34% over the same time period (dairy 15%, cattle 46%, hogs 58%, and poultry 14%). Waste from CAFOs contribute substantially to nutrient pollution when spread on fields, often at higher N and P application rates than those of commercial fertilizer. Managing the runoff associated with fertilizer use has improved with best management practices, but reducing the growing waste from CAFO operations is essential if eutrophication and its effects on fresh and marine waters-namely hypoxia and harmful algal blooms (HABs)-are to be reduced.
Red Blood Cell Membrane Defects

The red blood cell membrane is a critical component to red cell structure and function. Inherited disorders of the red cell membrane can include both membrane structure defects, as in hereditary spherocytosis and hereditary elliptocytosis, or altered membrane ion transport, as in hereditary stomatocytosis. Defects within the membrane lead to red cell injury or destruction, often accompanied by a transformation to abnormal red cell morphology. These disorders are an important cause of both chronic and episodic hemolytic anemia and are often accompanied by signs and symptoms of hemolysis such as jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, cholelithiasis, and splenomegaly. Individuals with red cell membrane disorders may be asymptomatic or may require episodic or chronic transfusions, folic acid supplementation, or even splenectomy in certain situations. This chapter will review the pathophysiology of these disorders as well as their diagnosis and clinical management, including the recognition and management of hemolytic anemia.
A New Species of Spintherophyta Dejean, 1836 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) from the California Channel Islands, USA

Spintherophyta punctum Gilbert and Clark, new species, is described from Santa Rosa Island, an island of the Channel Islands in California, USA. Adults have been associated with willow (Salix L., Salicaceae). Illustrations of the adult, including the aedeagus, are provided. A diagnostic key is provided to facilitate identification of species of Spintherophyta from the USA.
Oral β-Lactam Antibiotics vs Fluoroquinolones or Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole for Definitive Treatment of Enterobacterales Bacteremia From a Urine Source.

Importance Oral β-lactam antibiotics are traditionally not recommended to treat Enterobacterales bacteremia because of concerns over subtherapeutic serum concentrations, but there is a lack of outcomes data, specifically after initial treatment with parenteral antibiotics. Given the limited data and increasing limitations of fluoroquinolones or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), oral β-lactam antibiotics may be a valuable additional treatment option. Objective To compare definitive therapy with oral β-lactam antibiotics vs fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX for Enterobacterales bacteremia from a suspected urine source. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 1, 2007, to September 30, 2015, at 114 Veterans Affairs hospitals among 4089 adults withEscherichia coli,Klebsiellaspp, orProteusspp bacteremia and matching urine culture results. Additional inclusion criteria were receipt of active parenteral antibiotic(s) followed by conversion to an oral antibiotic. Exclusion criteria were previous Enterobacterales bacteremia, urologic abscess, or chronic prostatitis. Data were analyzed from April 15, 2019, to July 26, 2020. Exposures Conversion of therapy to an oral β-lactam antibiotic vs fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX after 1 to 5 days of parenteral antibiotics. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was a composite of either 30-day all-cause mortality or 30-day recurrent bacteremia. Propensity-based overlap weights were used to adjust for differences between groups. Log binomial regression models were used to estimate adjusted relative risks (aRRs) and adjusted risk differences (aRDs). Results Of the 4089 eligible patients (3731 men [91.2%]; median age, 71 years [interquartile range, 63-81 years]), 955 received an oral β-lactam antibiotic, and 3134 received fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX. The primary outcome occurred for 42 patients (4.4%) who received β-lactam antibiotics and 94 patients (3.0%) who received fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX (aRD, 0.99% [95% CI, −0.42% to 2.40%]; aRR, 1.31 [95% CI, 0.87-1.95]). Mortality rates were 3.0% (n = 29) for patients receiving β-lactam antibiotics vs 2.6% (n = 82) for those receiving fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX (aRD, 0.06% [95% CI, −1.13% to 1.26%]; aRR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.67-1.56]). Recurrent bacteremia rates were 1.5% (n = 14) among those receiving β-lactam antibiotics vs 0.4% (n = 12) among those receiving fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX (aRD, 1.03% [95% CI, 0.24%-1.82%]; aRR, 3.43 [95% CI, 0.42-27.90]). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of adults withE coli,Klebsiellaspp, orProteusspp bacteremia from a suspected urine source, the relative risk of recurrent bacteremia was not significantly higher with β-lactam antibiotics compared with fluoroquinolones or TMP-SMX, and the absolute risk and risk difference were small (ie,
Examining the Outcomes of the InsideOut Dad Fatherhood Education Program for Incarcerated Minority Fathers

Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examined the outcomes and experiences of incarcerated minority fathers (N = 713) who participated in InsideOut Dad, a widely used, corrections-based fathe...
Perverse Witness: The Role of Photography and Shock Compulsion in Contemporary Trauma Discourse

In this work, I interrogate society’s overwhelming entrenchment in what Hal Foster terms ‘trauma discourse’, in which he claims that trauma becomes the arbiter of the real. In this dynamic, the camera arts (i.e. documentary photography and video) occupy an elevated status in their abilities to ‘capture’ the real. Drawing on Judith Butler’s text Frames of War and Susan Sontag’s On Photography, I outline two central planks of my argument. First, I address how photography visually augments shared notions of reality and meaning through photography’s indexical relationship to the real. Second, I address the temporal registers of photography as ‘punctum’ and an ongoing past. Photography, in its temporal and contextual properties, palpably molds dominant discursive mentalities. A noted concern of photographic theory is the effect of images of atrocities becoming banal. If the real is what is traumatic, and the veracity of the real is found in photographic representation, then there is a ratcheting up of the demand for shock, for trauma, as confirmation of the real. This creates a perverse desire to witness the world’s atrocities in order to fetishize the proliferation of ever more horrific images, which it justifies through a disavowal of censorship. The central claim of this article is that society’s current relationship to the explosive production and dissemination of shocking photographic images is indicative of the dialectical movement of trauma-discourse.
Intra-Datacenter Network Architectures

This Handbook chapter provides an overview of existing interconnection topologies and architectures for large-scale cloud computing systems. We discuss (a) tree-based solutions (also referred to as indirect topologies in this chapter), largely adopted in most of today's data center systems, as well as (b) directly connected topologies, such as full mesh (all-to-all), flattened butterfly, and HyperX. This chapter also touches upon some emerging interconnect solutions enabled by recent advances in photonic integrated technologies and switches, while more details about these aspects can be found in the Handbook Chaps. 21, 24, and 25.
Ethics: My Own Perspective

People can hold deeply-held beliefs about why their particular moral choice is best; but, it is always essential to justify why one thinks a decision is right and another is wrong. Considering ethical predicaments from a variety of different perspectives will profit all.
Fossil fishes from a lag deposit within the Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale in New Mexico, USA, with comments on correlative Turonian–Coniacian time-transgressive lags in the Western Interior Seaway of North America

Abstract A lag deposit between the Tocito Sandstone and Mulatto Tongue of the Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale in Sandoval County, New Mexico, USA, contains a fossil assemblage of late Turonian–early Coniacian chondrichthyans and osteichthyans. This assemblage consists primarily of isolated teeth that derive from at least 26 taxa including: Meristodonoides sp.; Ptychodus mortoni; P. mammillaris; Scapanorhyncus raphiodon; Protolamna sp.; Cretodus cf. C. semiplicatus; Cretodus sp.; Cretalamna “appendiculata”; cf. Eostriatolamia tenuiplicatus; Archaeolamna cf. A. kopingensis; Squalicorax cf. S. falcatus; S. deckeri; Squalicorax sp.; Paranomotodon(?) sp.; Rhinobatos lobatus; Ptychotrygon triangularis; Texatrygon hooveri; Pseudohypolophus mcnultyi; Ischyrhiza mira; Chondrichthyes indet.; Micropycnodon cf. M. kansasensis; Pycnodontiformes indet.; Aspidorhynchidae indet.; Protosphyraena sp.; and Enchodus cf. E. gladiolus. The lag deposit formed along a series of outer shoreface and discontinuous sandbars in the southeastern corner of the San Juan Basin during eustatic sea-level fluctuation herein referred to as the Turonian–Coniacian Time Transgressive (TCTT) Event. This sea-level event and the concentration of fish remains into a lag deposit is also recorded at several other states within the Western Interior Seaway of North America. These stratigraphic properties have correlative potential across basins and states and provide a framework by which regional and eustatic sea-level events can be interpreted. Differences in coeval faunas found within these TCTT lags are bathymetrically controlled, related to the degree of taphonomic reworking, and proximity of the ancestral shoreline.
Supporting Mobility Planning in Small Cities and Communities with Low-power, Machine Learning Based Sensing

Abstract Cities and communities around the country have very limited resources to invest in projects that go beyond supporting their traditional operational needs. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to encounter cases where these limited resources are employed in large "smart city" projects that have little or no impact on the social good of the community. On the other hand, the work in this article considers specific needs and financial limitations of suburban or rural communities in the mobility sector. This article presents the work in the design, test and performance evaluation of a low-cost, machine learning based, solution for distributed monitoring of the use of public transit in small communities. The proposed solution utilizes a low-resolution infrared array, that provides non-personally identifiable information coupled with a low-power deep learning module. We also compare the machine-based solution to a traditional algorithmic approach. We believe the solution allows small communities, with limited resources, to collect near real-time data that can be employed for evidence-based decisions of coverage and frequency in public transit. The successful collection of this kind of mobility data is vital for small communities as this is needed to support grant applications that are increasingly commonly used to improve public transit or other mobility modes.
Cognitive and Behavioral Domains That Reliably Differentiate Normal Aging and Dementia in Down Syndrome

Primary care integration of Down syndrome (DS)-specific dementia screening is strongly advised. The current study employed principal components analysis (PCA) and classification and regression tree (CART) analyses to identify an abbreviated battery for dementia classification. Scale- and subscale-level scores from 141 participants (no dementia n = 68; probable Alzheimer's disease n = 73), for the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB), Dementia Scale for People with Learning Disabilities (DLD), and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Second Edition (Vineland-II) were analyzed. Two principle components (PC1, PC2) were identified with the odds of a probable dementia diagnosis increasing 2.54 times per PC1 unit increase and by 3.73 times per PC2 unit increase. CART analysis identified that the DLD sum of cognitive scores (SCS < 35 raw) and Vineland-II community subdomain (<36 raw) scores best classified dementia. No significant difference in the PCA versus CART area under the curve (AUC) was noted (D(65.196) = -0.57683; p = 0.57; PCA AUC = 0.87; CART AUC = 0.91). The PCA sensitivity was 80% and specificity was 70%; CART was 100% and specificity was 81%. These results support an abbreviated dementia screening battery to identify at-risk individuals with DS in primary care settings to guide specialized diagnostic referral.
Is Digitalization Driving Domestic Inflation

This paper examines the extent to which digitalization-measured by a new proxy based on IP addresses allocations per country-has influenced inflation dynamics in a sample of 36 advanced and emerging economies over 2000-2017. Phillips curve estimates show that digitalization has a statistically significant negative effect on inflation in the short run. Its economic impact is not large but has increased since 2012 and mainly operates through a cost/competition channel. Principal components and cointegration analysis further suggest digitalization is a key driver of lower trend inflation.
Bridge Load Models and Truck Weight Regulations

Historically, truck regulations have instituted control on axle and gross weights with bridge formulas based on limiting nominal stresses in certain types of bridges. These stress limitations do not usually lead to consistent or defensible safety levels and further ignore the cost impact of the weight regulation on all highway systems. This paper illustrates how new truck weight regulations can be developed which balance economy and provide acceptable safety levels. Target safety levels are derived from existing AASHTO bridge evaluation and rating procedures which have shown adequate performance safety levels. Reliability indices are used to relate the statistics on existing and proposed truck weight regulations and the dynamic behavior and resistance variables of existing bridges, bridge costs associated with new truck weight regulations are presented. These costs have been estimated by using the bridge inventory data of the Federal Highway Administration and statistics established for bridge capacity rating, span, material type and geometry.
70S-RNS enthaltende Partikel in menschlichen Leukämien

Es ist bekannt, dasRNS-Tumorviren in einer Reihe von Tieren wie Huhnern [1], Mausen [2], Katzen [3] usw. Leukamien und Lymphome hervorrufen. Der Beweis fur die kausale Rolle dieser Viren ist bei Tieren verhaltnismasig einfach zu erbringen. Zellfreie Extrakte von erkrankten Tieren werden in gesunde Tiere injiziert und rufen dort die betreffende Krankheit hervor. Beim Menschen ist diese Art der Beweisfuhrung aus verstandlichen Grunden nicht moglich. Indirekte Evidenz mus zusammengetragen werden, um die Atiologie menschlicher Malignome mit ihren Implikationen fur Prophylaxe und Therapie zu klaren.
Bryophyte floras of tropical Pacific islands

A review of the status of bryological research in each of the nations, states or governmental units of southern Melanesia, Micronesia and tropical Polynesia shows the imperfect state of knowledge about the Pacific tropical islands. Best known overall are Hawaii and Micronesia with Wallis and Futuna, the Marquesas and the high mountains of Fiji seeming to be the least known potentially species rich areas. Involvement of residents from Pacific islands in botanical study and preservation of ecosystems should be encouraged by tropical bryologists.
Strategic Interactions in Two-Sided Market Oligopolies

Strategic interactions between two-sided platforms depend not only on whether their decision variables are strategic complements or substitutes as for one-sided firms, but also - and crucially so - on whether or not the platforms subsidize one side of the market in equilibrium. For example, with prices being strategic complements across platforms, we show that a cost-reducing investment by one firm may have a positive effect on its rival's profits and a negative effect on its own profits when one side is subsidized in equilibrium. By contrast, if platforms make positive margins on both sides, the same investment has the regular, expected effects. Our analysis implies that the strategy space and the logic of competitive advantage are fundamentally different in two-sided markets relative to one-sided markets.
PIF1 is regulated by light‐mediated degradation through the ubiquitin‐26S proteasome pathway to optimize photomorphogenesis of seedlings in Arabidopsis

Summary Light signals perceived by the phytochrome (phy) family of sensory photoreceptors control multiple aspects of plant development. Recently, PIF1, a phy-interacting basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, has been shown to negatively regulate facets of the photomorphogenesis of seedlings. Moreover, the transcriptional activation activity of PIF1 is reduced in a phy-dependent manner. In this study we use the luciferase (LUC) activity of the LUC–PIF1 fusion protein as an indicator of the stability of PIF1 in various light conditions. We found that the activity of LUC–PIF1 in both transient and stable transgenic lines is rapidly reduced in light, while the LUC-only control is stable under the same conditions, suggesting that PIF1 is degraded in response to light. Fluence-rate response curves indicate that PIF1 degradation is very sensitive to the quality and quantity of light. The half-life of PIF1 is about 16 min under 10 μmol m−2 sec−1 red light. PIF1 reaccumulates in the subsequent dark period after light-induced degradation, signifying that PIF1 not only functions in the dark and during the transition from etiolated to de-etiolated growth, but may also function during diurnal cycles. Inhibitors of the 26S proteasome increased the stability of PIF1, indicating that degradation of PIF1 is mediated by the ubiquitin-26S proteasome pathway. Further, de novo protein synthesis is not required for degradation of PIF1, as the presence of cycloheximide does not prevent degradation of PIF1 in the light. Taken together, these results suggest that the light signals perceived by phys induce the degradation of PIF1 and other phy-interacting factors to optimize photomorphogenesis.
Laser desorption mass spectrometry.

Abstract The examples presented indicate that MALDI-MS is a useful tool for evaluating the progress of peptide synthesis at all the necessary levels: automated assembly, cleavage and deprotection chemistries, RP-HPLC analyses and purifications, and structural validation of the final product. The technique, if judiciously applied, permits the evaluation of complex peptide mixtures and often provides a semiquantitative overview. We have found that the availability of this method has enabled the provision of high-quality peptide reagents for use in the local research environment. The integration of this methodology into our peptide synthesis facility has also enabled and encouraged us to undertake more challenging synthetic problems such as phosphopeptide synthesis, peptide cyclizations, and peptide modification chemistries that would nto ordinarily be offered if the laboratory lacked this technology. MALDI-MS is one of the more versatile and readily integrable mass spectrometric methods that can be incorporated into the average peptide synthesis laboratory.
Meta-classifiers and selective superiority

Given that no one classification method is the best in all tasks, a variety of approaches have evolved to prevent poor performance due to mismatch of capabilities. One approach to overcome this problem is to determine when a method may be appropriate for a given problem. A second, more popular approach is to combine the capabilities of two or more classification methods. This paper provides some evidence that the combining of classifiers can yield more robust solutions.
Filter Enhanced Visual Acuity in a Case of Central Cone-Rod Dystrophy

Visual acuity and overall visual performance for a 51-year-old male with central cone-rod dystrophy was significantly enhanced when employing cutoff filters in conjunction with best spectacle correction as compared to best spectacle correction alone (20/200 vs. 12.5/200). Contact lens correction with a very similar filter further enhanced visual acuity and performance (20/80). Possible physiological explanations are discussed.
Conceptions of information as evidence. Sponsored by SIG HFIS

The concepts of evidence and information are both central to the theory and practice of many fields. Among different fields, however, there is little explicit consensus on the nature of the relationship between the two concepts. One of the tasks of information studies is to explore and evaluate conceptions of information as evidence.
A fifth-order family of modified Newton methods

Addition of a correction term every other Newton iteration provides a fifth-order method for finding simple zeros of nonlinear functions. A two-parameter family of such methods is developed. Each family member requires the given function and its derivative to be evaluated at two points per step.
The vulnerability of vote assignments

In a faulty distributed system, voting is commonly used to achieve mutual exclusion among groups of nodes. Each node is assigned a number of votes, and any group with a majority of votes can perform the critical operations. Vote assignments can have a significant impact on system reliability, and in this paper we study the vote assignment problem. To compare vote assignments we define two deterministic measures, node and edge vulnerability. We present various properties of these measures and discuss how they can be computed. For these measures we discuss the selection of the best assignment and propose heuristics to identify good candidate assignments.
Slowing the Growth of Health Care Costs — Learning from International Experience

The United States spends twice per capita what other major industrialized countries spend on health care. Karen Davis writes that a series of coordinated policy changes has the potential to substantially bend the curve of projected health care spending.
A dynamic metric for NEO hazard mitigation.

: A dynamic metric for near-Earth object (NEO) hazard mitigation quantifies threats from potential NEO impacts with Earth in terms of energy required to perturb threatening NEO orbits to avoid collision. The required energy is based on NEO mass, anticipated velocity change to avoid collision, and the momentum coupling coefficient.
Cognitive Performance in the 12-Week-Old Infant: The Effects of Birth Order, Birth Spacing, Sex, and Social Class.

Twelve-week-old infants were given a battery of perceptual-cognitive tasks. These tasks included the Corman-Escalona Scales of Object Permanence, the Mental Development Index of the Bayley Scales, and an attention task measuring habituation and dishabituation. The data failed to show any sex or social class differences, although the MDI was affected by birth order with first borns showing superior performance. In general these three measures of perceptual-cognitive ability were unrelated. These data are used to question the notion of a “g” factor in infancy and therefore the usefulness of a test of infant intelligence.
Polynomials in the components of a single SU(2) tensor — a new recursion technique

Abstract Generating functions F L for this determination of the irreducible representations of SU(2) contained in the symmetric tensor product of an arbitrary number of copies of a given representation ( L ) of SU(2) are studied. A recursion procedure is obtained which relates the generating function F L to F L −2 and additional techniques for implementing the procedure are discussed. Similar procedures have proved useful in the evaluation of other generating functions.
Sclerosing Osteomyelitis and Actinomyces naeslundii Infection of Surrounding Tissues

We present the case of a young man with chronic Actinomyces naeslundii infection in the lower leg who underwent a below-the-knee amputation after unsuccessful attempts at diagnosing and eradicating the infection. Actinomycetic organisms from environmental sources can engender a dense fibrotic tissue response without fistulae. Such a response led to a painful, sclerosing, nonsuppurative infection of the bone and surrounding tissues in our patient. This clinical picture, at least the bony and periosteal reaction, was compatible with Garre's osteomyelitis.
Structural features of the terminal loop region of frog retinal rod outer segment disk membranes: III. Implications of the terminal loop complex for disk morphogenesis, membrane fusion, and cell surface interactions.

The perimeter of rod outer segment (ROS) disks displays a two-dimensional lattice of components referred to as the terminal loop complex (Corless, Fetter, Zampighi, Costello, and Wall-Buford: J. Comp. Neurol 257: 9–23, '87b). We take the view that this pattern of structural organization reflects the mechanism(s) whereby the disk perimeter is defined and constructed. Herein we develop and partially evaluate a generalized template mechanism of disk perimeter development, to account for the structure and the axial alignment of both marginal and incisural domains. Components of the terminal loop complex are conceived as the morphogens that determine the location and guide the differentiation of the disk perimeter. Briefly, we postulate that transmembranous components of the terminal loop complex are present within the reflection of plasmalemma that forms the base of the rod outer segment. These components interact with the cytoplasmic template provided by the perimeter lattice present along the lower surface of the most basal disk, thereby propagating the lattice and creating an extracellular template. The latter is then available to interact with corresponding elements distributed, within the apical surface of the adjacent disk precursor evagination. The progressive interaction and alignment of these extracellular domains form the scaffolding that guides the restructuring of the plasmalemma, to form the mature disk margin topology. Successive repetitions of this process are seen to produce an axial stacking of disks whose perimeters are aligned and ensheathed by a two-dimensional net. Several predictions of the model are developed and evaluated.
CHARACTERISTICS OF JUICE, PUREE AND WHOLE TOMATOES PROCESSED FROM NOR HYBRID FRUITS

Chemical and physical properties of processed tomato products from Heinz(H) 1439 and H1439 ×nor fruits were examined. Levels of total solids and viscosity were enhanced while pH was reduced in juice and puree made from nor hybrid fruits. Increased levels of pectic substances, especially those solubilized by sodium hexametaphosphate, contributed to the elevated total solids content and viscosity of juice and puree. Levels of citric acid were similar in juice from both genotypes. Malic acid content in juice from nor hybrid fruits was more than twice that contained in its homozygous counterpart. While red color was less in nor hybrid whole canned tomatoes as indicated from CDM values, sensory evaluations for color were nonsignificant. Tomatidine levels were reduced in juice from nor hybrid fruits while no differences in phenolic levels were detected between the two genotypes. Weight loss was reduced and shear values enhanced in whole canned tomatoes of the nor hybrid genotype which might be attributed to enhanced levels of pectic substances. Utilization of nor hybrid fruits for processed tomato products appears to provide certain improvements in quality, especially total solids and viscosity, without detrimentally influencing other attributes.
PDZ interactions regulate rapid turnover of the scaffolding protein EBP50 in microvilli

Scaffolding proteins containing PDZ (postsynaptic density 95/discs large/zonula occludens-1) domains are believed to provide relatively stable linkages between components of macromolecular complexes and in some cases to bridge to the actin cytoskeleton. The microvillar scaffolding protein EBP50 (ERM-binding phosphoprotein of 50 kD), consisting of two PDZ domains and an ezrin-binding site, retains specific proteins in microvilli and is necessary for microvillar biogenesis. Our analysis of the dynamics of microvillar proteins in vivo indicated that ezrin and microvillar membrane proteins had dynamics consistent with actin treadmilling and microvillar lifetimes. However, EBP50 was highly dynamic, turning over within seconds. EBP50 turnover was reduced by mutations that inactivate its PDZ domains and was enhanced by protein kinase C phosphorylation. Using a novel in vitro photoactivation fluorescence assay, the EBP50–ezrin interaction was shown to have a slow off-rate that was dramatically enhanced in a PDZ-regulated manner by addition of cell extract to near in vivo levels. Thus, the linking of relatively stable microvillar components can be mediated by surprisingly dynamic EBP50, a finding that may have important ramifications for other scaffolding proteins.
Molecular and immunological evidence of oral Treponema in the human brain and their association with Alzheimer's disease

The purpose of this investigation was to use molecular and immunological techniques to determine whether oral Treponema infected the human brain. Pieces of frontal lobe cortex from 34 subjects were analyzed with species-specific PCR and monoclonal antibodies. PCR detected Treponema in 14/16 Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 4/18 non-AD donors (P < 0.001), and AD specimens had more Treponema species than controls (P < 0.001). PCR also detected Treponema in trigeminal ganglia from three AD and two control donors. Cortex from 15/16 AD subjects and 6/18 controls contained Treponema pectinovorum and/or Treponema socranskii species-specific antigens (P < 0.01). T. pectinovorum and/or T. socranskii antigens were also found in trigeminal ganglia and pons from four embalmed cadavers, and 2/4 cadavers also had Treponema in the hippocampus. These findings suggest that oral Treponema may infect the brain via branches of the trigeminal nerve.
‘Too many girls, too much dowry’: son preference and daughter aversion in rural Tamil Nadu, India

The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has experienced a dramatic decline in fertility, accompanied by a trend of increased son preference. This paper reports on findings from qualitative interviews with women in rural villages about their fertility decision-making. Specifically addressed are the reasons behind increasing son preference and the consequences of this change. Findings suggest that daughter aversion, fuelled primarily by the perceived economic burden of daughters due to the proliferation of dowry, is playing a larger role in fertility decision-making than son preference. The desire for a son is often trumped by the worry over having many daughters. Women use various means of controlling the sex of their children, which in this study appear to be primarily female infanticide. It is important to distinguish between son preference and daughter aversion and to examine repercussions of low fertility within this setting.
An electroluminescent-piezoelectric flat-panel display device

Abstract A flat-panel, line display consisting of electroluminescent ZnSCu phosphors (EL) adjacent to piezoelectric voltage transformer elements (PE) has been fabricated to provide a controlled-movement luminescent light spot. Electroluminescence is excited by the electric fields generated at the surface of a piezoelectric element driven at its resonant frequency. The display is made up of thirty PE-EL units connected electrically in parallel, each unit resonating at a different frequency. Movement of the light spot over the face of the display is produced by frequency modulation of the voltages applied to the piezoelectric array, in the manner of a sweep frequency. Synchronized amplitude modulation permits the light spot to be localized and its movement to be controlled. The display has a sweep frequency range extending from 30 to 60 kc/s. PE-EL units under continuous operation generate 40 ft lamberts at 8·8 Vrms, and can generate over 100 ft lamberts by overdriving at 40Vrms. In sweep operation at 100 c/s, the light output is 40 ft lamberts at 35 Vrms. Power consumption in this mode is less than 10 mW. EL fatigue is analyzed and minimized in this display sweep technique.
Prevalence of atherothrombotic brain infarction and extracranial carotid arterial disease, and their association in elderly blacks, Hispanics and whites.

Abstract Black men are 2.5 times as likely to die of stroke as white men. 1 Black women are 2.4 times as likely to die of stroke as white women. 1 In Los Angeles County, stroke accounted for a greater percentage of the deaths from cardiovascular disease among blacks and Hispanics than among non-Hispanic whites and Asians. 2 Elderly blacks have a higher prevalence of atherothrombotic brain infarction (ABI) than elderly whites or Hispanics. 3 Patients with extracranial carotid arterial disease (ECAD) diagnosed by carotid duplex ultrasonography have at follow-up an increased incidence of ABI. 4–8 We are reporting data from a prospective study investigating the prevalence of ECAD with 40 to 100% arterial luminal diameter decrease and of ABI, and their association in 1,063 elderly blacks, Hispanics and whites.
A general statistical model for computer experiments with time series output

Abstract Manufacturing processes increasingly rely on computer experimentation as a substitute for costly physical experimentation. However, computer experimentation may not be very efficient because it often relies on computationally intensive simulation (or computer) models. To address this computational problem, this paper proposes a general statistical model as a computationally fast approximation for computer models with time series output. More precisely, the statistical models will be regression models with input-dependent design matrix and input-correlated errors. An example from the automotive industry will be used to illustrate the methodology.
On determining ice accumulation rates in the past 40,000 years using in situ cosmogenic 14C

Radiocarbon is produced in situ in ice by nuclear spallations of oxygen by cosmic ray neutrons. As the firn accumulates, it acquires a predictable concentration of in situ C-14, inversely proportional to the rate of accumulation. Most of this production occurs when the amount of overlying ice is less than (2-3) Lambda, where lambda is the absorption mean free path for cosmic radiation in ice, about 150 g/sq cm, i.e. within the top 10 m. In most accumulation areas, this is firn. In situ produced C-14 is added to the firn as it accumulates, and is not expected to be lost by diffusion. During the firn-ice transition, atmospheric CO2 is trapped, adding (C-14)02 to the ice. The signature of in situ C-14 is however not obliterated since about 60 percent of in situ C-14 is instantly oxidized to (C-14)O in the ice. The results available to date are discussed, and it is proposed that this in situ (C-14)O can be used to determine ice accumulation rates back to 40,000 yrs in the past.