cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of textural parameters on detrital-zircon age spectra with application to provenance and paleogeography during the Ediacaran–Terreneuvian of southwestern Laurentia

Multiple sedimentary structures of different scales and representative of various flow conditions were sampled from single, sand-dominated, fluvial channels in the Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran) upper member of the Stirling Quartzite and the Cambrian (Terreneuvian) middle member of the Wood Canyon Formation. Sampling was designed to determine if sorting of detrital-zircon populations by their textural properties affects detrital-zircon age spectra in fluvial sandstones. Grain sizes of the sampled host sandstones range from fine to coarse sand, and sorting ranges from moderately well to poorly sorted. Four Wood Canyon Formation samples contain detrital-zircon grains of similar size, whereas detrital zircons in samples of the Stirling Quartzite differ greatly in size between two samples. Paired Kolmogorov-Smirnov, overlap, and likeness statistical tests demonstrate that all samples from each channel are similar. Comparing size, sphericity, and roundness of detrital-zircon grains to their ages yielded no linear correlation. Sorting of sediments by their textural properties did not affect detrital-zircon age spectra in either unit. In this study, different sedimentary structures within a single fluvial channel do not control the age distribution of detrital zircons. Furthermore, the two braidplain systems (Wood Canyon Formation, Stirling Quartzite) have substantially different detrital-zircon age spectra, indicating that the fluvial environment in general is not responsible for selecting specific age populations. The dominant ca. 1.1 Ga Grenvillian peak in the middle member Wood Canyon Formation results from provenance, not sampling bias. Uplift and erosion of Grenvillian rocks along the Ouachita rift flank during the earliest Cambrian may have generated a pulse of sediment that entered a northwestward-flowing braidplain.
Rationalization, Development, and Implementation of a Preoperative Diabetes Optimization Program Designed to Improve Perioperative Outcomes and Reduce Cost

Diabetes is an increasingly common medical condition affecting ∼29 million people (8 million of whom are undiagnosed), or 9% of the U.S. population. The estimated health expenditures to prevent and treat diabetes and associated direct and indirect complications totaled $245 billion in 2012, and this cost is on a trajectory to double by 2030 (1,2). An estimated 25% of patients with diabetes will require surgery (3). Twenty-eight percent of patients with diabetes are unaware that they have the disease (2). Furthermore, 5–10% of patients presenting for surgery are found to have previously unrecognized diabetes (4,5). This is particularly important because patients who are unaware of their diabetes have higher preoperative blood glucose levels (4) and a higher risk of perioperative mortality compared to patients who are aware of their diabetes (5). Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for postoperative infection, acute renal failure, ileus, and prolonged hospital stay (6–9). Poor preoperative glycemic control portends poor intraoperative glycemic control, which is an established risk factor for perioperative morbidity (10,11). Surgical patients with perioperative hyperglycemia (with and without underlying diabetes) have a greater risk for infection and related adverse outcomes after surgery compared to patients without hyperglycemia. Patients with diabetes are more prone to these surgical complications due to the microangiopathy (e.g., nephropathy and neuropathy) and macroangiopathy (e.g., atherosclerosis) intrinsic to the disease and also have mortality rates significantly greater than those of patients without diabetes (12–16). When patients with poorly controlled diabetes present for surgery, they impose a significant financial health resource burden, including prolonged ventilator dependence, longer hospital stay, and greater postoperative loss of productivity. As the prevalence of diabetes increases, optimal screening, management, and timing of elective surgery for patients with diabetes has become a matter of increasing …
Using Satellite Imagery to Examine the Relationship between Surface-Water Dynamics of the Salt Lakes of Western Texas and Ogallala Aquifer Depletion

We used Landsat imagery to examine surface-water dynamics over the past 27 years in 39 salt lakes (salinas) of the Southern High Plains of the U.S. These groundwater- and precipitation-fed wetlands are regionally unique habitats with high salt concentrations and halophytic biota that may be vulnerable to hydrological changes from groundwater extraction for agriculture coupled with drought. We documented amounts and occurrences of water within the 39 salinas, comparing summer and winter (representing periods of high and low groundwater demand, respectively) in 1986–2013. During this span in our study area, total and irrigated cropland acreage increased, and the saturated thickness of the Ogallala Aquifer decreased by ~18.3%. There was variation in inundation frequency by salina, with two never holding water during our study. A third of the salinas went dry at least once, slightly more in summer than winter. Occurrence of water was not simply a function of basin size or to depth to the aquifer. These wetlands are being impacted by human changes to the landscape that are diminishing groundwater inputs, effectively creating novel wetlands that are now primarily supplied by precipitation rather than groundwater, with altered hydrological and ecological traits that may exacerbate regional vulnerability to climate change.
A Hand-Held Optical Coherence Tomography and Vibrometry Device for Human Inner Ear Imaging with Subnanometer Sensitivity to Vibration

We are developing endoscopic OCT to visualize the morphology and functional vibratory response of the human inner ear through the round window. Preliminary results show good image quality with 41±21 pm sensitivity on piezo element while hand-held.
Enhancing Student Engagement: Innovative Strategies for Intentional Learning

Abstract Aim This paper presents four innovative teaching modalities conceptually designed and adherent to National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) indicators. Background Nurse education has received ‘calls’ for transformation, demanding a pedagogical refocus that better equips the future workforce. A key aspect is the need to actively engage students in learning, an approach shown to improve outcomes. Method Four innovative teaching modalities were incorporated into a baccalaureate curriculum, aligned to the NSSE indicators, and targeted an area of the curriculum where active student participation had the potential to improve the learning experience. Results The four modalities: Theater of the Oppressed; Simulation as a Clinical Site for Active Engagement; Legal Simulation; and Creating Student Researchers were introduced at key stages in the curriculum and covered sophomore to senior levels. Conclusion NSSE can be utilized to provide a robust framework on which to plan and deliver educational opportunities that support meaningful, student-centered participation.
David Oliver: Health tourism, immigration, and the NHS

Results from a pilot scheme designed to clamp down on “health tourism” were reported by the London Evening Standard last month.1 As part of the scheme, which ran in 18 hospitals (11 in Greater London) over two months in autumn 2017, patients were required to show two forms of ID to prove that they were eligible for free NHS treatment. Checks carried out on 8894 patients found only 50 who were not eligible for free NHS treatment. Overseas visitors are already eligible for free emergency care, and we have reciprocal arrangements with other EU countries for reimbursing healthcare costs, although the Public Accounts Committee did criticise the NHS in 2017 for a “chaotic approach” to chasing reimbursement from EU countries.2 One …
Sex Role Change and Autonomy

When philosophers talk about practical issues in public, the situation sometimes seems to me comparable to that of a clergyman trying to deliver a sermon after his false teeth have fallen out-everyone pays respectful attention, but no one knows what was said. Though I am told it is wrong to disappoint expectations, my chief objective is to lend some clarity to thinking about sex roles changes and the evaluation of them. I want to clarify the nature of sex roles, the sorts of changes they can undergo, and the sorts of values that are at stake. I am especially concerned with such values as freedom and equality, which, I shall maintain, are embodied in the notion of being an autonomous person. It is these values, I believe, that are appealed to when it is said that present-day sex role changes have aided the liberation of women, and that this is a good thing. While I agree with this assessment, I think that the points I make concerning autonomy can provide a basis for evaluating sex role changes, and will lead to the conclusion that not all sex role changes are truly liberating.
Chronic Kidney Disease: Definitions and General Approach

A 59-year-old lady is seen by her family practitioner for a routine health evaluation. She has a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, and gout of more than 10 years duration. She reports fatigue, decrease appetite, and lower extremity edema for the last few months. The patient’s current medications include atenolol 50 mg daily, Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg daily, and metformin 1,000 mg twice daily. She smokes one pack of cigarettes daily. Examination: Weight—60 kg, pulse—78, and BP—176/96 mmHg. She has no periorbital edema. Fundoscopic exam reveals arterio-venous nicking and scattered cotton wool exudates. JVD is 8 cm at 30°, lungs are clear to auscultation, and heart sounds regular. There are no abdominal masses, and lower extremities show diminished peripheral pulses and trace pedal edema. Current labs are normal except for a serum creatinine of 2.0 mg/dl.
Recursive cumulative meta-analysis: a diagnostic for the evolution of total randomized evidence from group and individual patient data.

Meta-analyses of randomized evidence may include published, unpublished, and updated data in an ongoing estimation process that continuously accommodates more data. Synthesis may be performed either with group data or with meta-analysis of individual patient data (MIPD). Although MIPD with updated data is considered the gold standard of evidence, there is a need for a careful study of the impact different sources of data have on a meta-analysis and of the change in the treatment effect estimates over sequential information steps. Unpublished data and late-appearing data may be different from early-appearing data. Updated information after the end of the main study follow-up may be affected by cross-overs, missing information, and unblinding. The estimated treatment effect may thus depend on the completeness and updating of the available evidence. To address these issues, we present recursive cumulative meta-analysis (RCM) as an extension of cumulative meta-analysis. Recursive cumulative meta-analysis is based on the principle of recalculating the results of a cumulative meta-analysis with each new or updated piece of information and focuses on the evolution of the treatment effect as a more complete and updated picture of the evidence becomes available. An examination of the perturbations of the cumulative treatment effect over sequential information steps may signal the presence of bias or heterogeneity in a meta-analysis. Recursive cumulative meta-analysis may suggest whether there is a true underlying treatment effect to which the meta-analysis is converging and how treatment effects are sequentially altered by new or modified evidence. The method is illustrated with an example from the conduct of an MIPD on acyclovir in human immunodeficiency virus infection. The relative strengths and limitations of both meta-analysis of group data and MIPD are discussed through the RCM perspective.
High resolution spectroscopy and plasma diagnostics of supernova remnants

The MIT group has used data from the Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer on the Einstein Observatory to perform plasma diagnostics of four supernova remnants (SNRs), the Cygnus Loop, Puppis A, N132D, and Cas A. The ratio of luminosities of the forbidden line to resonance line of He-like ions of oxygen and neon allow us to show that all four SNRs depart from ionization equilibrium in that they are under-ionized for their electron temperatures. Thus despite the fact that their ages range from 300 yr to 20,000 yr, all four SNRs are still ionizing and, in that sense, are still young. We derive values of ionization time and electron temperature for one or more components in each remnant. The agreement between these values and those deduced by others using entirely different means (e.g. broad-band spectroscopy or imaging) gives us confidence in the reliability of the diagnostics. Two of the SNRs, Puppis A and N132D, show evidence for an overabundance of oxygen by factors of three or more. These results, based on a handful of weak lines, show the great promise of the much more powerful future spectroscopy missions for revealing detailed information about astrophysical plasmas.
Abstract 17: Stroke Alerts in Hospitalized Children

Introduction: At our institution, the pediatric stroke alert activations started in April 2011 to allow for rapid evaluation and imaging of children presenting within 48 hours with acute stroke sym...
Evaluation of a simplified soil constitutive model considering implied strength and pore-water pressure generation for one-dimensional (1D) seismic site response

Pore-water pressure (PWP) generation can lead to soil softening and liquefaction of sandy soils during earthquakes, with potential influence on site response and seismic design. The authors evaluat...
La Partie émergée de l’iceberg : Frédéric Beigbeder

AbstractEven before publishing his first novel in 1990, the writer, literary critic, publisher, writer-editor for the advertising agency Young and Rubicam, and French filmmaker, Frederic Beigbeder,...
Muscle force is modulated by internal pressure

Fluid pressure is generated in muscle during normal activity (1). This “intramuscular pressure” is correlated with the development of force during muscle contraction, but it is rarely considered in models of muscle function and its implications for muscle performance in vivo are unknown. Sleboda and Roberts (2) show that intramuscular pressure is not simply an indication of muscle activity; it also directly influences contractile force. While previous studies have shown that constraints that impede lateral bulging of muscle can reduce force and work (3, 4), Sleboda and Roberts’ (2) study examines the implications of a radial constraint that actually exerts force and does work on the muscle during contraction. Sleboda and Roberts (2) report the unexpected result that intramuscular pressure modulates force in a length-dependent manner; increased intramuscular pressure decreases force at short muscle lengths but increases force at long muscle lengths. Sleboda and Roberts (2) tested a potential mechanism of transduction of this pressure using water-filled silicone cylindrical models wound with relatively inextensible helical threads. The orientation of the threads in the models mimics what has been observed previously in muscle extracellular matrix, which includes the connective tissues and especially the collagen fibers that wrap muscle fibers and groups of muscle fibers. Pressurization experiments on the models, analogous to those performed on the muscle, suggest that the forces transmitted to the extracellular matrix from intramuscular pressure may be an unrecognized, but important determinant of muscle force in the whole animal. For their experiments, Sleboda and Roberts (2) used isolated muscles from bullfrogs. Skeletal muscles typically produce maximum force at an intermediate length, denoted L, with lower forces produced at longer lengths and at shorter lengths (5). To allow comparison between muscles this “length–force relationship,” and thus L, was determined for each muscle by testing … [↵][1]1Email: billkier{at}bio.unc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Automated 4-D myocardial nuclei segmentation method to quantify cardiac contractility for understanding Notch signaling during development (Conference Presentation)

Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved mechanoresponsive pathway that decides cell fate during developmental process. However, it is not clearly known whether cardiac contraction mediates Notch signaling during the development of the heart. In this study, we have developed a method of segmenting cardiomyocyte nuclei as markers to quantify the contractility of the heart on the basis of an improved Watershed segmentation technique using the Hessian Blob Algorithm. This method provides robust performance for a 4-D (3-D + time) region of interest (ROI) that we are interested in analyzing. Furthermore, we have overcome poor contrast and lack of detail due to refractive index mismatch between different media present in the light propagation path while taking images from LSFM. After image acquisition, we performed pre-processing using a dehazed PSF for deconvolution as the dehazing operation restores the light intensity of corrected PSF. To make the entire process automated, we used a pre-defined feature matching algorithm, whereby the user simply has to crop out a reference ROI, after which the algorithm will automatically segment the ROI from successive frames based on the reference frame. By the aforementioned processes, we have imaged tg(cmlc2:gfp-nuc) zebrafish to visualize and track nuclei of individual cardiomyocytes to quantify the contractility of the heart. To understand the contractility-mediated Notch signaling in cardiac development, tg(tp-1:gfp) has been used with pharmacologic treatments of isoproterenol and metoprolol to increase and decrease cardiac contractility respectively. Our image processing pipeline provided accurate quantification of understanding the heart development between Notch signaling and contractility.
Clinical application of exhaled nitric oxide in children with upper airway diseases

The exhaled air of healthy people contains nitric oxide.Under the physiological condition, nasal nitric oxide(NNO) comes primarily from the sinuses, a little is produced in the nasal mucosa.Fractional exhaled nitric oxide is mainly from the trachea and bronchus.When airway diseases occur, it can influence the concentration of exhaled nitric oxide.Therefore, with the continuous improvement of technology in recent years, the measurement of NNO has been widely used in upper airway diseases of children.It is characteristics of quantitative, non-invasive, simple and safe.This article reviews the measurement methods of NNO and its clinical application in children upper airway diseases such as rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps and adenoid hypertrophy. Key words: Exhaled nitric oxide; Upper airway disease; Child
The grim reaper evading modern medicine: aspergillosis, adenovirus, and Hodgkin lymphoma.

Illustrative cases of diseases that are difficult to suspect and diagnose can serve as useful reminders. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and adenovirus hepatitis are two such diseases, both revealed by autopsy in this case of Hodgkin lymphoma refractory to chemotherapy treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation complicated by these two fatal infections. This patient was cured of Hodgkin lymphoma, Clostridioides difficile colitis and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura using the marvels of modern medicine. This case illustrates many features of aspergillosis and adenovirus hepatitis, shows the value of autopsy in revealing diagnoses, and illustrates the limits of modern medicine, which should serve as a mental spur in our efforts to advance medical science, to try to defeat the numerous demons of disease, who seem to keep outwitting us.
Malpractice trends in shoulder and elbow surgery.

Background Medical malpractice is a very common occurrence that many medical providers will have to face; approximately 17,000 medical malpractice cases are filed in the United States each year, and more than 99% of all surgeons are faced with at least 1 instance of malpractice litigation throughout their careers. Malpractice litigation also carries a major economic weight, with medical malpractice spending resulting in an aggregate expenditure of nearly $60 billion annually in the United States. Orthopedic surgery is one of the most common subspecialties involved in malpractice claims. Currently, there are no comprehensive studies examining malpractice lawsuits within shoulder and elbow surgery. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to examine trends in malpractice claims in shoulder and elbow surgery. Methods The Westlaw online legal database was queried in order to identify state and federal jury verdicts and settlements pertaining to shoulder and elbow surgery from 2010-2020. Only cases involving medical malpractice in which an orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeon was a named defendant were included for analysis. All available details pertaining to the cases were collected. This included plaintiff demographic and geographic data. Details regarding the cases were also collected, such as anatomic location, pathology, complications, and case outcomes. Results Twenty-five malpractice lawsuits pertaining to orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgery were identified. Most plaintiffs in these cases were adult men, and the majority of cases were filed in the Southwest (28%) and Midwest (28%) regions of the United States. The most common anatomic region involved in claims was the rotator cuff (32%), followed by the glenohumeral joint (20%). The majority of these claims involved surgery (56%). Pain of mechanical nature was the most common complication seen in claims (56%). The jury ruled in favor of the defendant surgeon in most cases (80%). Discussion This is the first study that comprehensively examines the full scope of orthopedic shoulder and elbow malpractice claims across the United States. The most common complaint that plaintiffs reported at the time of litigation was residual pain after treatment due to a mechanical etiology, followed by complaints of nerve damage. A large portion of claims resulted after nonoperative treatment. A better understanding of the trends within malpractice claims is crucial to developing strategies for prevention.
Frequent Mass Movements from Glacial and Lahar Terraces, Controlled by Both Hillslope Characteristics and Fluvial Erosion, are an Important Sediment Source to Puget Sound Rivers

Mass movements from glacial and lahar terraces in the middle and lower reaches of rivers draining the Washington Cascade Range to Puget Sound may represent a substantial portion of those rivers’ sediment supply and pose significant mass movement hazards. However, the quantitative importance of this sediment source is unknown, and the magnitudes, spatial distribution, styles, and controls of these mass movements have only been characterized over limited spatial and temporal extents. We used repeat LiDAR elevation data, aerial imagery, and well logs to quantify and characterize terrace sediment delivery in nine major watersheds over a median period of 12 years. In the 1946 river kilometers for which repeat LiDAR was available (71% of the 2736 total river kilometers flanked by terraces), mass movements eroded 853,300 ± 19,500 m3/yr. This sediment source is low in river networks, well connected to streams, has a substantial coarse-grained and durable component, and is dominated by frequent, relatively small mass movements, all of which increase its significance to sedimentation in developed, lowland reaches. However, rates of terrace sediment delivery vary between basins and between adjacent terraces, which are stratigraphically laterally heterogeneous. While lateral fluvial erosion is usually necessary to initiate terrace mass movements, fluvial characteristics and terrace stratigraphy poorly predict erosion volume, which is better predicted by hillslope geometry and mass movement style. Effective management of sedimentation and mass movement hazard should acknowledge the importance of terrace sediment delivery and the variability between and within watersheds in sediment influx, sediment characteristics, and failure mechanisms.
The First Amendment as Criminal Procedure

This Article explores the relationship between the First Amendment and criminal procedure. These two domains of constitutional law have long existed as separate worlds, rarely interacting with each other despite the fact that many instances of government information gathering can implicate First Amendment freedoms of speech, association, and religion. The Fourth and Fifth Amendments used to provide considerable protection for First Amendment interests, as in the famous 1886 case Boyd v. United States, in which the Supreme Court held that the government was prohibited from seizing a person's private papers. Over time, however, Fourth and Fifth Amendment protection has shifted, and countless searches and seizures involving people's private papers, the books they read, the websites they surf, and the pen names they use when writing anonymously now fall completely outside the protection of constitutional criminal procedure. Professor Solove argues that the First Amendment should protect against government information gathering that implicates First Amendment interests. He contends that there are doctrinal, historical, and normative justifications for developing what he calls "First Amendment criminal procedure." Solove sets forth an approach for determining when certain instances of government information gathering fall within the regulatory domain of the First Amendment and what level of protection the First Amendment should provide.
Fyn kinase regulates microglial neuroinflammatory responses in cell culture and animal models of Parkinson’s disease (1055.7)

Sustained neuroinflammation is recognized as a key pathophysiological contributor to many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Resident brain microglia mediate chronic neuroinflammation through the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Identifying the key molecular signaling events perpetuating microglial activation could unravel novel mechanisms underlying glial-neuronal interactions that contribute to persistent inflammation and progressive neurodegeneration in PD. In the present study, we examined the role that Fyn, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, plays in microglial activation in cell culture and animal models of PD. First, we show that the known inflammogen LPS (lipopolysaccharide) rapidly activated Fyn kinase, as measured by Fyn-Y416 phosphorylation and Fyn kinase assays in the BV2 microglial cell line as well as in primary microglia. Notably, immunocytochemical studies revealed that activated Fyn is preferentially localized to the microglial membrane per...
Syntheses and Characterizations of (n 5-C5R5)Re(CO)2L, Where R = H, Ch3, and L = PMe3, PMe2Ph, PMePh2, PPh3

Abstract The eight very useful (χ5-C5R5)Re(CO)2L complexes, where R = H, CH3 and L = PMe3, PMe2Ph, PMePh2, PPh3, were prepared by the UV photolysis of (χ5-C5R5)Re(CO)3 in THF solvent in the presence of the phosphine. The complexes were characterized by their v(CO) and 1H NMR spectra.
Cerebrospinal fluid sphingolipids and acid sphingomyelinase change with beta amyloid levels in Alzheimer’s disease (576.5)

Background: Sphingolipids (SP) and sphingomyelinase (SMase) play a role in amyloid processing. Thus, their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels may change with beta amyloid concentration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we identified SP classes and species in two CSF fractions: nanometer-sized particles (NP) representative of brain membrane metabolism and the NP-depleted supernatant fluid (SF) representative of interstitial metabolism. We compared SP levels and SMase activity between 70 cognitively healthy CH study participants, 40 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 29 with probable AD. Results: CSF fractions are differentially enriched with the SP classes and molecular species. In AD, SP metabolism was altered in both CSF fractions. The NP fraction had the greatest change in sphingomyelin (SM) species: concentrations of three species [SM(34:2), SM(34:1), SM(35:1)] were lower in AD and three [SM(34:2), SM(40:1), SM(41:2)] were lowe...
Unraveling the energy dependence in large ΔE (V→RT) energy transfer: Separation of ΔE and probability in the collisional relaxation of highly vibrationally excited pyrazine (Evib=36 000 to 41 000 cm−1) by CO2

The energy dependence of collisional relaxation of highly vibrationally excited pyrazine through collisions with CO2 has been investigated for pyrazine vibrational energies Evib=36 000–41 000 cm−1. Highly excited pyrazine was prepared by absorption of tunable pulsed UV laser light at four wavelengths between 251 and 271 nm. Data for pyrazine excitation at 246 and 266 nm have been published previously and are included with the data presented here. We have used high resolution transient absorption spectroscopy to measure nascent distributions of rotational and translational energy gain in CO2 molecules in their ground vibrationless (0000) state that are populated through collisions with excited pyrazine molecules. Our results reveal that substantial amounts of rotational and translational energy are imparted to CO2(0000) molecules for all pyrazine energies studied and that the magnitude of this energy changes very little for a 13% change in the pyrazine vibrational energy. In contrast, state-resolved rates ...
Enumeration of Antigen-Presenting Cells in Mice Infected with Sendai Virus

Substantial progress has been made in understanding Ag presentation to T cells; however, relatively little is known about the location and frequency of cells presenting viral Ags during a viral infection. Here, we took advantage of a highly sensitive system using lacZ-inducible T cell hybridomas to enumerate APCs during the course of respiratory Sendai virus infection in mice. Using lacZ-inducible T cell hybridomas specific for the immunodominant hemagglutinin-neuraminidase HN421-436/I-Ab and nucleoprotein NP324-332/Kb epitopes, we detected APCs in draining mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs), in cervical lymph nodes, and also in the spleen. HN421-436/I-Ab- and NP324-332/Kb-presenting cells were readily detectable between days 3 and 9 postinfection, with more APCs present in the MLN than in the cervical lymph nodes. Interestingly, no infectious virus was detected in lymphoid tissue beyond day 6, suggesting that a depot of noninfectious viral Ag survives, in some form, for 2-3 days after viral clearance. Fractionation of the MLN demonstrated that APC frequency was enriched in dendritic cells and macrophages but depleted in the B cell population, suggesting that B cells do not form a large population of APCs during the primary response to this virus.
On the absence of superconductivity in Gd2−xCexCuO4

Abstract Although electron-doped superconductivity is readily achieved in Ln 2− x Ce x CuO 4 for Ln=(La, Nd), Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu, the Ln=Gd member remains to be a notable exception in the series. Whether or not the weak ferromagnetism observed in Gd 2− x Ce x CuO 4 is responsible for the suppression of superconductivity needs to be clarified. A systematic investigation of the Ln 2− x Ce x CuO 4 phases reveal that the absence of superconductivity in Gd 2− x Ce x CuO 4 is due to an inability, arising from a smaller lattice parameter, to achieve (i) the required electron concentration and (ii) a uniform oxygen coordination around the Cu atoms, and not necessarily due to the weak ferromagnetism. The difficulties to achieve bulk superconductivity in (La, Gd) 2− x Ce x CuO 4 phases-which do not have weak ferromagnetism-support this assertion.
A blow-up result for a nonlinear wave equation with damping: The critical case

Abstract Using a different and much shorter approach, we prove a blow-up result which is more general than the interesting blow-up result of G. Todorova and B. Yordanov concerning a nonlinear wave equation with a damping term. We also show that the critical exponent belongs to the blow-up case. This problem had been left open by these authors.
Role of GTP hydrolysis in microtubule dynamics: information from a slowly hydrolyzable analogue, GMPCPP.

Abstract The role of GTP hydrolysis in microtubule dynamics has been reinvestigated using an analogue of GTP, guanylyl-(alpha, beta)-methylene-diphosphonate (GMPCPP). This analogue binds to the tubulin exchangeable nucleotide binding site (E-site) with an affinity four to eightfold lower than GTP and promotes the polymerization of normal microtubules. The polymerization rate of microtubules with GMPCPP-tubulin is very similar to that of GTP-tubulin. However, in contrast to microtubules polymerized with GTP, GMPCPP-microtubules do not depolymerize rapidly after isothermal dilution. The depolymerization rate of GMPCPP-microtubules is 0.1 s-1 compared with 500 s-1 for GDP-microtubules. GMPCPP also completely suppresses dynamic instability. Contrary to previous work, we find that the beta--gamma bond of GMPCPP is hydrolyzed extremely slowly after incorporation into the microtubule lattice, with a rate constant of 4 x 10(-7) s-1. Because GMPCPP hydrolysis is negligible over the course of a polymerization experiment, it can be used to test the role of hydrolysis in microtubule dynamics. Our results provide strong new evidence for the idea that GTP hydrolysis by tubulin is not required for normal polymerization but is essential for depolymerization and thus for dynamic instability. Because GMPCPP strongly promotes spontaneous nucleation of microtubules, we propose that GTP hydrolysis by tubulin also plays the important biological role of inhibiting spontaneous microtubule nucleation.
Outcomes for untreated individuals involved in randomized trials of alcohol treatment.

Summarizing the relative effects of different treatments for alcohol use disorders is challenging because there is no standard treatment against which experimental treatments can be contrasted and comparisons to no-treatment control groups are rare. As alternative reference points, we examined outcomes and improvement for untreated participants (i.e., those in wait-list, no-treatment, and placebo conditions) in randomized trials of alcohol treatment over the last three decades. At followup, the average abstinence rate was 21% (n = 17 studies) and the mean level of alcohol consumption was 31 drinks per week (n = 29 studies). The reduction in drinking from baseline was .19 of a SD unit, or a 14% decrease from a baseline mean of 37 drinks per week (n = 17 studies). These values provide approximations of success and improvement that an active treatment for alcohol use disorders should surpass to be considered more beneficial than no treatment.
Issues in the design and interpretation of antifungal drug trials in the critically ill.

Purpose of review Invasive fungal infections, such as invasive candidiasis and aspergillosis, are increasingly important in the critical care setting. This review will focus on clinical trials of antifungals in this setting and the methodological issues surrounding them. Recent findings Critically ill patients have traditionally only comprised a fraction of the patients enrolled in clinical trials exploring antifungal use, but recently a few clinical trials with specific therapeutic approaches have focused on this subpopulation. Increased mortality and problems with diagnosis have fostered the development of new management strategies, such as prophylaxis, pre-emptive treatment, and empirical antifungal therapy. Summary Although there are limited data supporting preventive and early therapeutic strategies, their use is recommended in highly selected patients and settings. Although critically ill patients are under-represented in clinical trials of antifungals conducted for the purpose of licensing, most experts agree that it is reasonable to extrapolate from these data until specific trials are conducted.
Predicting vowel and consonant confusions using signal processing techniques

Abstract In this study, signal processing techniques were developed to measure similarities between speech tokens processed by acoustic models for the purpose of predicting patterns of vowel and consonant confusions. Three signal processing methods were developed for predicting trends in vowel and consonant confusion matrices. Confusion prediction could have important implications in designing speech processors and noise mitigation algorithms by identifying potentially problematic token confusions. The results of the prediction performance tests indicate that signal processing techniques utilizing the spectral representation of the speech waveform can forecast trends in token confusion.
ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL FUNDS RATE CHANGES AND VARIANCE PATTERNS

We analyze Fed funds rate changes in GARCH-in-mean (GARCH-M) models and find that daily rate change and variance patterns differ with the timing of the rate observation, but that all patterns are generally consistent with optimal reserve account management. We also find that Fed funds daily and intraday variances exhibit trends and persistence, and that daily variance effects differ when using marginal rates versus daily weighted average rates. Furthermore, we find that conditional variances do not provide information about daily or intraday rate changes. Our results provide support for the use of GARCH models for studies on other financial assets. JEL classification: G21, G28
Chronic monotherapy with rosuvastatin prevents progressive left ventricular dysfunction and remodeling in dogs with heart failure.

Objectives This study examined the effects of long-term monotherapy with rosuvastatin (RSV) on the progression of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and remodeling in dogs with heart failure (HF). Background 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors or “statins” possess other noncholesterol-lowering properties that include inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines, attenuating LV hypertrophy, and stimulating the release of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs). Methods Twenty-one dogs with microembolization-induced HF were randomized to 3 months oral monotherapy with low-dose (LD) RSV (0.5 mg/kg once daily, n = 7), high-dose (HD) RSV (3.0 mg/kg once daily, n = 7), or to no therapy (control group, n = 7). The change (Δ) from pre- to post-therapy (treatment effect) in LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) and ejection fraction (EF) was measured. Protein level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in LV tissue and the number of circulating Sca-1–positive BMSCs was also determined. Blood and LV tissue from 6 normal dogs was obtained and used for comparison. Results There were no differences in ΔEDV, ΔESV, and ΔEF between control group and LD RSV. In contrast, ΔEDV and ΔESV were significantly lower, and ΔEF was significantly higher in HD RSV compared with control group. High-dose, but not LD, RSV also normalized protein levels of TNF-α and was associated with a significant increase in the number of circulating BMSCs. Conclusions In dogs with HF, chronic therapy with HD RSV prevents progressive LV dysfunction and dilation. This benefit may be partly derived from normalization of TNF-α expression and partly from increased mobilization of BMSCs.
Infrared beam combination at the CHARA array

The CHARA Array consists of six 1-meter telescopes. The telescopes are at fixed positions laid out in a Y-shaped pattern, where the longest available baseline is 330 meters. The resolving power of this interferometric array operating at visible and short infrared wavelengths is better than one milli-arcsecond. The current infrared beam combination system is capable of combining the light from any two of the six telescopes in the array. With the existing infrared beam combination and detection system, we routinely observe in K and H band, where our magnitude limit is 6.
Prep1/Pbx2 complexes regulate CCL2 expression through the −2578 guanine polymorphism

CC-chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) is the major chemoattractant protein that recruits monocytes to sites of inflammation and increased expression of CCL2 is associated with numerous inflammatory diseases including human immunodeficiency virus-associated dementia (HIV-D). The −2578 guanine polymorphism in the CCL2 promoter has been associated with increased expression of CCL2 as well as pathogenesis of HIV-D; however, the molecular mechanism of regulation is unknown. We propose a molecular model for −2578G regulated CCL2 expression in astrocytes, which are major producers of CCL2 in the brain. The −2578G polymorphism creates a consensus binding site for the transcriptional regulator Prep1, which along with binding partner Pbx2, preferentially binds the −2578G allele. CCL2 promoters harboring the G allele under unstimulated conditions exhibit a lower basal activity compared to the ancestral A allele. Upon IL-1β stimulation, Prep1/Pbx2 complexes maintain the ability to bind −2578G alleles, yet transcription levels from promoters that harbor the A allele or G allele are equally activated, suggesting that the −2578 region does not influence CCL2 transcription under pro-inflammatory conditions. Therefore, promoters that harbor the −2578G allele undergo a higher fold induction and by extension, individuals homozygous for −2578G would be expected to exhibit hyper-responsive CCL2 phenotypes during periods of inflammation.
Advances in spreadsheet and database training: Editorial

Abstract This special section of the Journal of Business Research includes papers on advances in teaching spreadsheet and database software. After a blind review process, four papers were accepted for the special section. Other papers examine whether database instruction can assist with transferring problem-solving skills from one setting to another, incorporating spreadsheet training in the marketing curriculum, using spreadsheets for exploratory data analysis, and using spreadsheets as a decision support system. The authors of each paper discuss the implications for the university business curriculum.
The effect of photosynthesis inhibitors on oxygen evolution and fluorescence of illuminated Chlorella.

Abstract Photosynthesis inhibitors, like symmetrical triazines, substituted ureas, and anilides, are able to stop oxygen evolution from illuminated Chlorella and cause a stimulation in fluorescence. These two phenomena seem to be inter-related as shown by partial inhibition studies. The exception to the rule was found to be cyanide which inhibited oxygen evolution but had no effect on fluorescence intensity.
Lung correction factors for 45-MV x-ray therapy.

The degree of dose perturbation produced by lung‐equivalent material exposed in a 45‐MV x‐ray beam was determined as a function of beam size, chest wall thickness, and lung thickness. It was found that the dose levels in the distal portion of the lung were increased above that measured in a water phantom. However, a significant portion of the lung received less dose than that observed at the same depth in a water phantom. An examination of the dose levels beyond lung and in the chest wall was also made.
Cell-free Fetal DNA in Maternal Plasma: Progress and Potential

Since the discovery of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in peripheral maternal blood a decade ago, advances have been made in the identification and clinical application of these segments. Most studies of cffDNA have focused on using the segments for sex determination and fetal Rh genotyping, employing differences in genomic DNA between mother and fetus. Research has shifted toward targeting cffDNA for noninvasive aneuploidy detection. Over the last decade, a tremendous volume of research has focused on advancing the understanding of cffDNA structure, function, and detection. Despite this growing body of evidence, gaps in understanding of the biology of cffDNA and challenges in its isolation, enrichment, and processing have limited clinical applications in noninvasive prenatal diagnosis.
The organization as a context for leadership theory: A multilevel approach

Abstract This paper takes an organizational rather than an individual or group perspective on leadership. It sets the contingency approaches of Fielder (1987), Fielder and Garcia (1987), and House (1971) into the context of an extended contingency model of organizations advanced by Tosi (1992). The theoretical and empirical issues that arise with this broader perspective are discussed. There is also a treatment of how leadership substitutes (Kerry & Jermier, 1978) differ between classes of organizations.
Chemotherapy in brain metastases

The use OF chemotherapy to treat patients with brain metastases has been viewed historically with skepticism. To date, a survival benefit has not been demonstrated with the use of systemic chemotherapy in patients with brain metastases. However, the introduction of novel agents and delivery techniques warrants a reexamination of the role of systemic chemotherapy in the management of brain metastases. Temozolomide has shown encouraging results in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer, and implanted carmustine wafers have demonstrated excellent local tumor control rates. This review discusses clinical data from the past decade with emphasis on trial design, tumor histology, available agents, and multimodality strategies. In addition, delivery techniques that circumvent the blood-brain barrier are reviewed. Although chemotherapy is usually used as a salvage therapy, it may be considered for use in selected patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases. To better evaluate chemotherapy in brain metastases, future trials should evaluate novel agents in the preirradiation setting. Enhanced regional delivery methods warrant further investigation, and Phase III trials of current regimens stratified by histology and by prognostic factors will establish the role of specific chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of patients with brain metastases.
Fluorometric Analysis of Endocytosis and Lysosomal Proteolysis in the Rat Visceral Yolk Sac During Whole Embryo Culture

Using spectrofluorimetry and fluo- rescence microscopy, we analyzed the uptake and degradation of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated bovine serum albumin (FITC-albumin) by the rat visceral yolk sac (VYS) during whole embryo culture. Rat concep- tuses exposed continuously to FITC-albumin had linear increases of both acid-soluble and acid-insoluble FITC fluorescence in the VYS. Smaller amounts of FITC fluorescence that were nearly all acid soluble accumu- lated in the extraembryonic fluid, while the embryo proper did not accumulate a significant amount of fluorescence. During a chase period following a pulse exposure to FITC albumin, FITC fluorescence in the VYS decreased linearly, while that in the extraembryonic fluid and culture medium increased. Addition of protein- ase inhibitors to the culture medium together with FITC-albumin increased acid-insoluble FITC-fluores- cence in the VYS tissue but decreased acid-soluble fluorescent degradation products in the yolk sac, extraembryonic fluid, and the culture medium. Fluores- cence microscopy of yolk sacs exposed to FITC- albumin revealed that the fluorescence was localized in apical vacuoles of the yolk sac epithelium and de- creased substantially during a chase period. In concep- tuses exposed to proteinase inhibitors, the yolk sac epithelium had enlarged vacuoles containing FITC- fluorescence whose clearance in pulse-chase experi- ments was effectively blocked. Overall, these data suggest that FITC-albumin resembles 125 I-albumin in its processing by the VYS and that the fluorescent protein is an attractive alternative tracer molecule for studies of the effects of embryotoxicants on yolk sac function during whole embryo culture. Teratology 56:201-209, 1997. r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.