cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
(Dis)orderly Potential: Ways Forward in “Post-Truth” Social Studies

A growing body of literature (e.g., McIntyre, 2018; Prado, 2018; Thurston, 2018) on “post-truth” examines a marked decline in the value of objective facts and an increase in the value of personal belief, emotion, and subjective experience in the establishment of agreed-upon “truth” in society. Using empirical data from interviews and observations conducted with three social studies teachers, this project considers the disruptive potential of “post-truth” in social studies classrooms. The messy and opaque interplay between truth, emotion, and subjective experience is unpredictable within the project of learning, and this article takes it as a theoretical given that the “post-truth” emphasis on emotion and subjective experience demands a consideration of interiority—the inner-lives of teachers and students. An analysis of the interviews and observations suggests that the three teacher-participants are well-aware of the threat of disorder posed by “post-truth” discourses. In response, teachers resisted “post-truth” moments as a defense against the disorder that often accompanies emotional opinions, as well as the painful acknowledgement of truth’s inescapable discursivity. Additionally, this paper argues that many of the strategies and tactics teachers utilize to defend against “post-truth” moments suppress the emotional and psychical potentialities inherent to learning. This paper concludes by suggesting new ways forward within the “post-truth” quandary of facts, emotion, and interminable education (Felman, 1982).
Peroxynitrite decomposition catalyst reduces vasopressin requirement in ovine MRSA sepsis

Sepsis is one of the most frequent causes of death in the intensive care unit. Host vascular hypo-responsiveness to vasopressors during septic shock is one of the challenging problems. This study tested the hypothesis that adjunct therapy with peroxynitrite decomposition catalyst (WW-85) would reduce arginine vasopressin (AVP) requirements during sepsis resuscitation, using ovine sepsis model. Thirteen adult female Merino sheep, previously instrumented with multiple vascular catheters, were subjected to “two-hit” (cotton smoke inhalation and intrapulmonary instillation of live methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; 3.5 × 1011 colony-forming units) injury. Post injury, animals were awakened and randomly allocated to the following groups: (1) AVP: injured, fluid resuscitated, and titrated with AVP, n = 6 or (2) WW-85 + AVP: injured, fluid resuscitated, treated with WW-85, and titrated with AVP, n = 7. One-hour post injury, a bolus intravenous injection of WW-85 (0.1 mg/kg) was followed by a 23-h continuous infusion (0.02 mg/kg/h). Titration of AVP started at a dose of 0.01 unit/min, when mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased by 10 mmHg from baseline, despite aggressive fluid resuscitation, and the rate was further adjusted to maintain MAP. After the injury, all animals were placed on a mechanical ventilator and monitored in the conscious state for 24 h. The injury induced severe hypotension refractory to aggressive fluid resuscitation. High doses of AVP were required to partially attenuate the sepsis-induced hypotension. However, the cumulative AVP requirement was significantly reduced by adjunct treatment with WW-85 at 17–24 h after the injury (p < 0.05). Total AVP dose and the highest AVP rate were significantly lower in the WW-85 + AVP group compared to the AVP group (p = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Treatment with WW-85 had no adverse effects. In addition, the in vitro effects of AVP on isolated artery diameter changes were abolished with peroxynitrite co-incubation. The modulation of reactive nitrogen species, such as peroxynitrite, may be considered as a novel adjunct treatment option for septic shock associated with vascular hypo-responsiveness to vasopressors.
Catheter-associated bloodstream infection incidence and outcomes in congenital cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE Catheter-associated bloodstream infections complicate and prolong hospitalizations. The incidence of catheter-associated bloodstream infections in children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery has not been reported. This study sought to define the incidence of catheter-associated bloodstream infections after congenital cardiac surgery in neonates and infants ≤12 months old and compare hospital outcomes and costs to those who underwent surgery and did not have a catheter-associated bloodstream infections. DESIGN Retrospective review of hospital admissions between October 2013 and November 2015 for neonates and infants ≤12 months old at admission with ICD-9 codes for congenital cardiac surgery from discharge data from Vizient Clinical Data Base/Resource Manager (formerly University HealthSystem Consortium), an analytic platform for performance improvement. Hospitals were included if they had >100 congenital cardiac surgery admissions during the study period. Admissions were stratified by age at admission: Neonates (<1 month) and Infants (1-12 months). Established database flags for catheter-associated bloodstream infections were utilized. Length of stay, mortality, and direct costs were compared between admissions with and without catheter-associated bloodstream infections using t test or χ2 , as appropriate. RESULTS Catheter-associated bloodstream infections incidence after congenital cardiac surgery was higher in Neonates than Infants (1.5 vs 0.8%, P = .024). Length of stay and direct costs were significantly higher for patients with catheter-associated bloodstream infections in both groups. Mortality was higher in the Infant group with catheter-associated bloodstream infections compared to those without catheter-associated bloodstream infections. CONCLUSIONS Neonates develop catheter-associated bloodstream infections at nearly twice the rate of older infants. For those who develop infection, mortality is 2-8-fold greater and hospital costs are 4-6-fold higher, which further highlight the importance of catheter-associated bloodstream infections prevention in this population.
Amygdala activity to angry and fearful faces relates to bullying and victimization in adolescents.

Relational bullying and victimization are common social experiences during adolescence, but relatively little functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research has examined the neural correlates of bullying and victimization in adolescents. The aim of the present study was to address this gap by examining the association between amygdala activity to angry and fearful faces and peer relational bullying and victimization in a community-based sample of adolescents. Participants included 49 adolescents, 12-15 years old, who underwent fMRI scanning while completing an emotional face matching task. Results indicated that interactions between amygdala activity to angry and fearful faces predicted self-reported relational bullying and victimization. Specifically, a combination of higher amygdala activity to angry faces and lower amygdala activity to fearful faces predicted more bullying behavior, whereas a combination of lower amygdala activity to angry faces and lower amygdala activity to fearful faces predicted less relational victimization. Exploratory whole-brain analyses also suggested that increased rostral anterior cingulate cortex activity to fearful faces was associated with less bullying. These results suggest that relational bullying and victimization are related to different patterns of neural activity to angry and fearful faces, which may help in understanding how patterns of social information processing predict these experiences.
Increasing Pulmonary Rehabilitation Referrals in COPD Patients: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Rationale: Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients has been demonstrated to improve quality of life, emotional function, exercise capacity and decrease dyspnea and health care utilization yet is very underutlized in our COPD population. Methods: The University of Michigan initiated a quality improvement project to 1) improve COPD patient referrals to the outpatient PR program and 2) understand the delay in patients getting into the PR program. We performed a 12-month review of our quality metrics using the Hospital Quality Dashboard to determine the number of COPD patients eligible for PR. A 6-month chart review was completed to understand the reasons for PR not being initiated within a 60-day time frame. Patients were deemed eligible if they were 18 years and older, had at least one encounter in an inpatient or emergency room with a diagnosis of COPD within the past 3 years. Results: The PR referral rate for the institution is 17%. Only 47% of those referred to the PR program had a visit within 6o days of the referral. Reasons for this include: other patient care issues (25%), patient declined/feeling better (21%), transportation issues (11%), currently smoking (11%), unable to contact patient (11%), no pulmonary function testing (11%), referral placed incorrectly (4%), patient currently enrolled in a research study (3%) and the patient requesting to speak with a physician before starting PR (3%). Conclusions: We have an understanding on where to focus our next steps to assist in getting patients into PR in a timely manner. We provided a conference for providers and placed flyers in clinic areas to increase awareness of importance of PR.
Modified FOLFIRINOX in pancreatic cancer patients Age 75 or older.

Abstract Background Although FOLFIRINOX (5-Fluorouracil + leucovorin + irinotecan + oxaliplatin) is now the standard of care for patients (pts) with metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC) based on the 2011 study by Conroy et al. which demonstrated improved median overall survival (mOS), pts > 75 yrs old were excluded from this study. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) in this population. Methods We retrospectively analyzed unresectable PC pts, age ≥ 75, treated with mFOLFIRINOX at MD Anderson from 2011 to 2017. Primary outcome was rate of grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity (HT). Results 24 pts were included. Grade 3 or 4 HT occurred in 11 pts 6 pts required hospitalization for any toxicity, and 10 stopped mFOLFIRINOX due to toxicity. The most frequently used starting doses of infusional 5-FU, irinotecan and oxaliplatin were 2400, 150 and 75 mg/m2, respectively. Median PFS was 3.7 months (95% CI: 3.0–5.7) with a median OS of 11.6 months (95% CI: 6.14–15.7). For first line pts, median PFS and OS were 5.1 (95% CI: 2.0–12.8) and 12.2 months (95% CI: 4.8–30.8), respectively. Conclusions In this single-center retrospective analysis of unresectable PC pts age 75 or older given mFOLFIRINOX, toxicities and survival outcomes were similar to those reported in the initial study. These data indicate that the use of modified dosing FOLFIRINOX in advanced PC pts older than 75 appears to maintain similar toxicity and efficacy when compared to younger pts.
Using a multidimensional approach to examine TPACK among teacher candidates

The Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) conceptual framework captures the complex nature of teacher knowledge essential for effective teaching in the digital age. TPACK is diffi...
Co-occurring Trajectories of Direct Aggression and Prosocial Behaviors in Childhood: Longitudinal Associations With Peer Acceptance.

This study examined the longitudinal associations among children's direct (physical and verbal) aggression, prosocial behaviors, and peer group acceptance in middle childhood (Grades 1 to 4). Children's co-occurring aggressive and prosocial behaviors were assessed in order to identify distinct trajectory subgroups. Subsequently, variations in the development (i.e., continuity and changes) in peer acceptance were examined for each of the identified subgroups. The sample consisted of 784 children who were ethnically and socioeconomically diverse (47% girls, 37.4% Latino or Hispanic, 34.1% European American, and 23.2% African American; about 65% low SES) who were followed longitudinally from Grades 1 to 4 (M age = 6.57 years old in Grade 1). Results revealed several distinct trajectory subgroups, including children who were primarily aggressive or prosocial, as well as children who exhibited co-occurring aggression and prosocial behaviors. Comparing these subgroups, the use of co-occurring prosocial behaviors appeared to have some protective effect on aggressive children's peer acceptance. However, aggression was nonetheless associated with lower peer acceptance. The findings provide insights pertaining to the heterogeneity among aggressive children, the protective effects of prosocial behaviors on peer acceptance, and the differential effects of moderate versus high aggression.
Working with Latinx Populations: Applying Culture to Promote Change

The current political climate and larger systemic context have impacted crimes and discrimination against Latinxs in the United States. Stigmatizing rhetoric and policies not only impact those who ...
Receptivity to a Nurse-Led Symptom Management Intervention Amongst Highly Symptomatic Patients with Cancer.

BACKGROUND The symptom burden associated with cancer and its treatment can negatively impact patients' quality of life and survival. Symptom-focused collaborative care model (CCM) interventions can improve outcomes, but only if patients engage with them. We assessed the receptivity of severely symptomatic oncology patients to a remote nurse-led CCM intervention. METHODS In a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, stepped wedge trial conducted as part of the NCI IMPACT Consortium (E2C2, NCT03892967), patients receiving cancer care were asked to rate their sleep disturbance, pain, anxiety, emotional distress, fatigue, and limitations in physical function. Patients reporting at least one severe symptom (≥7/10) were offered phone consultation with a nurse symptom care manager (RN SCM). Initially, patients had to "opt-in" to receive a call, but the protocol was later modified so they had to "opt-out" if they did not want a call. We assessed the impact of opt-in vs. opt-out framing and patient characteristics on receptiveness to RN SCM calls. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS Of the 1204 symptom assessments (from 864 patients) on which at least one severe symptom was documented, 469 (39.0%) indicated receptivity to an RN SCM phone call. The opt-out period (odds ratio [OR] = 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12 to 2.32, p=.01), receiving care at a tertiary care center (OR = 3.59, 95% CI = 2.18 to 5.91, p<.001), and having severe pain (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.24 to 2.62, p=.002), were associated with statistically significantly greater willingness to receive a call. CONCLUSION Many severely symptomatic patients were not receptive to an RN SCM phone call. Better understanding of reasons for refusal and strategies for improving patient receptivity are needed.
The gut microbiome of extremely preterm infants randomized to the early progression of enteral feeding

Background Early progression of feeding could influence the development of the gut microbiome. Methods We collected fecal samples from extremely preterm infants randomized to receive either early (feeding day 2) or delayed (feeding day 5) feeding progression. After study completion, we compared samples obtained at three different time points (week 1, week 2, and week 3) to determine longitudinal differences in specific taxa between the study groups using unadjusted and adjusted negative binomial and zero-inflated mixed models. Analyses were adjusted for a mode of delivery, breastmilk intake, and exposure to antibiotics. Results We analyzed 137 fecal samples from 51 infants. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, we did not observe an early transition to higher microbial diversity within samples (i.e., alpha diversity) or significant differences in microbial diversity between samples (i.e., beta diversity) in the early feeding group. Our longitudinal, single-taxon analysis found consistent differences in the genera Lactococcus, Veillonella, and Bilophila between groups. Conclusions Differences in single-taxon analyses independent of the mode of delivery, exposure to antibiotics, and breastmilk feeding suggest potential benefits of early progression of enteral feeding volumes. However, this dietary intervention does not appear to increase the diversity of the gut microbiome in the first 28 days after birth. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02915549. Impact Early progression of enteral feeding volumes with human milk reduces the duration of parenteral nutrition and the need for central venous access among extremely preterm infants. Early progression of enteral feeding leads to single-taxon differences in longitudinal analyses of the gut microbiome, but it does not appear to increase the diversity of the gut microbiome in the first 28 days after birth. Randomization in enteral feeding trials creates appealing opportunities to evaluate the effects of human milk diets on the gut microbiome.
Music Teacher Knowledge: An Examination of the Intersections Between Instrumental Music Teaching and Conducting

The purpose of this study was to examine the complexities of instrumental music teacher knowledge as they relate to the intersection between instrumental music teaching and conducting, and to explo...
Characterization of phycocyanin produced by cpcE and cpcF mutants and identification of an intergenic suppressor of the defect in bilin attachment.

Abstract Mutants of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 constructed by the insertional inactivation of either the cpcE or cpcF gene produce low levels of spectroscopically detectable phycocyanin. The majority of the phycocyanin produced in these strains appears to lack the alpha subunit phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore (Zhou, J., Gasparich, G. E., Stirewalt, V. L., de Lorimier, R., and Bryant, D. A. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 16138-16145). Purification of the phycocyanin produced in the mutants revealed two fractions each with an aberrant absorption spectrum. Tryptic peptide maps of the major fraction showed that the alpha-84 PCB peptide was absent. The two PCB peptides derived from the beta subunit were normal. Tryptic digests of the less abundant phycocyanin fraction contained a family of bilin peptides derived from the alpha subunit. Several distinct bilin adducts were present. A major component was a mesobiliverdin adduct, a previously described product of the in vitro reaction of PCB and apophycocyanin. The same results were obtained with both the cpcE mutant and the cpcF mutant. In vitro reactions with PCB and the fractions containing apo alpha subunit showed that the alpha-84 bilin attachment site was unmodified and competent for adduct formation. Pseudo-revertants of both strains were observed to arise at high frequency. Analysis of the phycocyanin from a cpcE pseudo-revertant, which produced a near wild-type level of phycocyanin with alpha subunit carrying PCB, revealed a single amino acid substitution, alpha-Tyr129----Cys. This residue, which is conserved in all phycocyanins sequenced to date, forms part of the alpha-84 bilin binding site and lies within 5 A of alpha-Cys84. A mutated cpcA gene containing this substitution was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and transformed, along with cpcB, into a cpcBAC deletion strain containing an insertionally inactivated cpcE. This strain produces high levels of phycocyanin and the majority of the alpha subunit carries PCB at alpha-Cys84.
Monetary Policy Shocks in an Economy with Segmented Markets

After a contractionary monetary policy shock, aggregate output decreases over time with a trough after a year and a half, while the real interest rate increases immediately, and remains high for about three quarters. A central step in the explanation is obtaining a persistent increase in the real interest rate, holding aggregate output constant. I study an endowment economy with segmented markets, where, as in the U.S. economy, monetary policy is set in terms of a short-term nominal interest rate, and I show that the real interest rate increases sizeably for up to one year. The shock has a liquidity effect, moving money and interest rates in opposite directions. The endogenous processes for the money growth rate and the real interest rate are strongly serially correlated and close to their empirical counterparts. The more segmented are markets, the stronger and more persistent are the effects of monetary policy shocks, and the higher is the serial correlation of the processes for the money growth rate and the real interest rate. Economies where the intertemporal elasticity of substitution is low exhibit the same qualitative behavior as economies where the market segmentation is high.
Formation from Trypsin and Modified Soybean Trypsin Inhibitor of a Complex Which upon Kinetic Control Dissociation Yields Trypsin and Virgin Inhibitor

Abstract It is shown that kinetic control dissociation of a complex prepared by mixing of equimolar quantities of trypsin and of modified (reactive site Arg (64)-Ile bond cleaved) soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) yields trypsin and predominantly (g95%) virgin (reactive site intact) inhibitor. If less than equimolar quantities of trypsin are used the fraction of inhibitor molecules in which the bond is resynthesized is directly proportional to the amount of trypsin used. A simple apparatus was constructed for monitoring the yield of virgin inhibitor obtained by kinetic control dissociation as a function of time after mixing of modified inhibitor and of trypsin. The reaction was found to be first order, a result consistent with the initial equilibrium formation of a loose complex of trypsin and modified inhibitor, L*, and its subsequent first order conversion to the stable trypsin inhibitor complex, C. The rate constant for this reaction was obtained and is ∼2 x 10-2 per sec at pH 4.00 and ∼2 per sec at pH 6. The rate of this reaction appears to be identical with the rate of change of ultraviolet absorbance at 260 nm observed in stopped flow studies.
An Investigation of Different Computing Sources for Mobile Application Outsourcing on the Road

Mobile applications are growing fast due to pervasive usage of mobile devices. With inherently limited on-device resources, plenty of research has been conducted on job partitioning/outsourcing strategies to execute mobile computing tasks on external sources, such as public clouds or nearby computers. However, little is known about the performance difference to mobile users on these external computing sources.
Mitochondrial DNA repair.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the identification of lyase/dRpase activities in mitochondrial polymerase γ/and ligase; it also examined the substrates for mitochondrial (mt)DNA repair, as well as the cell specific differences and biological consequences of mtDNA repair; and Bohr examined oxidative DNA damage repair in mtDNA and the correlation of increased repair capacity with age. Mitochondrial DNA does not code for any DNA damage processing enzymes, but only for the oxidative phosphorylation proteins and some transfer (t)RNAs. Thus, all repair enzymes functioning in the mitochondria need to be transported in.
True Random Number Generator in 0.35/μm for RFID applications

True Random Number Generator (TRNG) circuits have important applications in RFID security. This project implements a TRNG circuit in 0.35μm. Our architecture uses the noise of transistor as a random seed. The noise is amplified and added on top of a triangle wave. The jittered triangle wave is then compared to a reference signal which generates a jittered clock. This jittered clock is used to sample a faster clock available on chip, and produces the desired random number.
Prepracticum Counseling Students' Perceived Preparedness for Suicide Response.

The researchers examined how suicide-response training received before practicum related to degrees of anxiety and confidence for practicum students regarding the treatment of suicidal clients. Results of 113 surveyed practicum students are discussed, along with implications and suggestions for future research.
Financing childhood health supervision services in the 21st century.

Pediatricians view their communities with a unique perspective, being the only professionals who interact consistently with preschool children and their parents when providing early childhood health supervision services. This supplement, reporting the findings of the National Survey of Early Childhood Health (NSECH), is a landmark publication that improves our understanding of early childhood health supervision services. The findings indicate marked variability in health supervision visits: the topics and amount of time devoted to counseling or anticipatory guidance, the types of services, and the overall quality of the services. Although many factors influence this variability, including varying recommendations among governmental organizations and professional societies and a lack of consistent physician training, fiscal considerations also exert a powerful effect. This commentary explores how fiscal policies compromise the quality of the early childhood health supervision services and suggests financing approaches to promote the delivery of high-quality services. Currently, several fiscal policies aimed at containing health care expenditures compromise the delivery of quality pediatric health supervision services. These include family out-of-pocket expenses for health supervision services in the form of higher copayments and deductibles, excluding health supervision services from the benefits covered in the insurance plan, and reducing physician payments for pediatric services. These policies are counterproductive, increasing “downstream” expenditures while doing nothing to moderate the more powerful drivers of health care expenditures: hospital costs, pharmaceuticals, new medical technologies, and home health care. Inadequate pediatrician reimbursement in both the private and public health care sectors produces compensatory mechanisms that have an adverse impact on health …
A Sheaf-Theoretic Perspective on Sampling

Sampling theory has traditionally drawn tools from functional and complex analysis. Past successes, such as the Shannon-Nyquist theorem and recent advances in frame theory, have relied heavily on the application of geometry and analysis. The reliance on geometry and analysis means that these results are dependent on the symmetries of the space of samples. There is a subtle interplay between the topology of the domain of the functions being sampled, and the class of functions themselves. Bandlimited functions are somewhat limiting; often one wishes to sample from other classes of functions. The correct topological tool for modeling all of these situations is the sheaf; a tool which allows local structure and consistency to derive global inferences. This chapter develops a general sampling theory for sheaves using the language of exact sequences, recovering the Shannon-Nyquist theorem as a special case. It presents sheaf-theoretic approach by solving several different sampling problems involving non-bandlimited functions. The solution to these problems show that the topology of the domain has a varying level of importance depending on the class of functions and the specific sampling question being studied.
Boundary control of linear one-dimensional parabolic PDE using neuro-dynamic programming

This paper develops a neuro-dynamic programming (NDP) based near optimal boundary control of distributed parameter systems (DPS) governed by linear one-dimensional parabolic partial differential equations (PDE) under Dirichlet boundary control condition. The structure of the optimal cost functional is defined as an extension of its definition from lumped parameter systems (LPS) but for the infinite dimensional state space. Subsequently, the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation is formulated in the infinite dimensional domain without using any model reduction. Since solving the HJB equation for the exact optimal value functional is burdensome, a radial basis function network (RBF) is subsequently proposed to achieve a computationally feasible solution online and in a forward-in time manner. The optimal value functional is tuned by using conventional adaptive laws such that the HJB equation error is minimized and accordingly the optimal control policy is derived. Ultimate boundedness (UB) of the closed-loop system is verified by using the Lyapunov theory. The performance of proposed controller is successfully verified on an unstable diffusion reaction process.
Nonproducer clones of murine sarcoma virus transformed BALB-3T3 cells

Abstract A continuous line of BALB c embryo cells can be transformed by murine sarcoma virus (MSV). Of twenty foci selected at limiting MSV dilution, eighteen release both MSV and murine leukemia virus (MuLV). Two focus-derived lines, however, show no physical or biological evidence of virus production and contain no evidence of antigens of the murine sarcoma-leukemia complex. These lines have altered properties in tissue culture and in vivo and are morphologically indistinguishable from virus releasing MSV-transformed mouse lines. The addition of “helper” MuLV results in the rescue of the MSV genome with host range and neutralization characteristics of the MuLV used to rescue it. These findings show that virus production and release is not necessary for the maintenance of the transformed state in mouse cells and suggest that MSV is capable of initiating transformation without MuLV. In the nonproducer lines the sarcoma genome can be passed from cell to daughter cell for over 100 cell generations in the absence of any detectable virus expression. A preliminary report of some of these findings has been presented ( Aaronson, 1970a ).
Towards germline gene therapy of inherited mitochondrial diseases

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are associated with severe human diseases and are maternally inherited through the egg’s cytoplasm. Here we investigated the feasibility of mtDNA replacement in human oocytes by spindle transfer (ST; also called spindle–chromosomal complex transfer). Of 106 human oocytes donated for research, 65 were subjected to reciprocal ST and 33 served as controls. Fertilization rate in ST oocytes (73%) was similar to controls (75%); however, a significant portion of ST zygotes (52%) showed abnormal fertilization as determined by an irregular number of pronuclei. Among normally fertilized ST zygotes, blastocyst development (62%) and embryonic stem cell isolation (38%) rates were comparable to controls. All embryonic stem cell lines derived from ST zygotes had normal euploid karyotypes and contained exclusively donor mtDNA. The mtDNA can be efficiently replaced in human oocytes. Although some ST oocytes displayed abnormal fertilization, remaining embryos were capable of developing to blastocysts and producing embryonic stem cells similar to controls. Mitochondrial DNA is localized in the cell’s cytoplasm, whereas chromosomal genes are confined to the nucleus. Each cell may have thousands of mtDNA copies, which may all be mutated (homoplasmy) or exist as a mixture (heteroplasmy). The clinical manifestations of mtDNA diseases vary, but often affect organs and tissues with the highest energy requirements, including the brain, heart, muscle, pancreas and kidney 1 . The expression and severity of disease symptoms depends on the specific mutation and heteroplasmy levels 1 .
Synthesis and properties of monodisperse hydroxy-terminated oligomers of 1,4-butanediol and 2,4-toluene diisocyanate

Abstract The synthesis of monodisperse hard segments containg 2,4-TDI and 1,4-butanediol by a simple technique is described. High purity material is obtained in good yield. The structures of these hard segments are confirmed by proton n.m.r., 13 Cn.m.r., and i.r. Glass transition temperatures and melting temperatures are reported. The T g ′s of the hard segments are inversely proportional to the reciprocal of their molecular weights. The T m ′s show an odd-even effect relative to the number of 2,4-TDI units in the hard segment.
Decreases in theta and increases in high frequency activity underlie associative memory encoding.

Episodic memory encoding refers to the cognitive process by which items and their associated contexts are stored in memory. To investigate changes directly attributed to the formation of explicit associations, we examined oscillatory power captured through intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) as 27 neurosurgical patients receiving subdural and depth electrodes for seizure monitoring participated in a paired associates memory task. We examined low (3–8 Hz) and high (45–95 Hz) frequency activity, and found that the successful formation of new associations was accompanied by broad decreases in low frequency activity and a posterior to anterior progression of increases in high frequency activity in the left hemisphere. These data suggest that the observed patterns of activity may reflect the neural mechanisms underlying the formation of novel item-item associations.
Cost-utility analysis of platinum-based chemotherapy versus taxane and other regimens for ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objectives Most economic evaluations of chemotherapies for ovarian cancer patients have used hypothetical cohorts or randomized control trials, but evidence integrating real-world survival, cost, and utility data is limited. Methods A propensity score–matched cohort of 6856 elderly (≥65 years) ovarian cancer patients diagnosed from 1991 to 2005 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data cohort were included. Treatment regimens (i.e., no chemotherapy, platinum-based only, platinum plus taxane, and other nonplatinum) were identified in the 6 months postdiagnosis. Patients were followed until death or end of study (December 2006). Effectiveness was measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and total health care costs were measured by using a payer's perspective (2009 US dollars). Methodological and statistical uncertainties were accounted by including alternative scenarios (for utility values) and net monetary benefit approach. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated, and stratified analyses were performed by tumor stages and age groups. Results On comparing the platinum-based group versus no chemotherapy, we found that the ICER was $30,073/QALY and $58,151/QALY for early- and late-stage disease, respectively, while other nonplatinum and platinum plus taxane groups were dominated (less effective and more costly). Similar results were found across alternative scenarios and age groups. For patients 85 years or older, platinum plus taxane, however, was not dominated by the platinum-based group, with an ICER of $133,892/QALY. Conclusions Following elderly ovarian cancer patients over a lifetime using real-world longitudinal data and adjusting for quality of life, we found that treatment with platinum-based regimen was the most cost-effective treatment alternative.
Statistical representation of equatorial waves and tropical instability waves in the Pacific Ocean

Abstract Sea surface height (SSH), sea surface temperature (SST), and surface currents derived from satellite observations are analyzed to investigate signals of equatorial Kelvin and tropical instability waves (TIWs) in the Pacific Ocean. A wavenumber–frequency spectral analysis of SSH and SST anomalies was performed in order to examine their space and time variability. Significant spectral peaks along the dispersion curves of the first baroclinic mode Rossby and Kelvin waves are found in the SSH spectrum, indicating that the analysis can effectively identify the signals of equatorial waves in the upper ocean. A prominent peak in SSH fields at around 33 days and 1500 km wavelength along the Rossby wave dispersion curve is evident, and a similar peak is also found in SST fields. This upper ocean variability on these space and time scales is shown to be associated with TIWs. The spatial structure of 33-day TIWs is further examined based on an analysis of time series filtered in the frequency-wavenumber domain. The phase relationship between SSH, SST, and surface velocity associated with TIWs is described based on a cross-correlation analysis. Also, the interannual variability of TIW activity is compared with that of ENSO, showing a moderate correlation.
Commentary on: “the greening of engineers: A cross-cultural experience” (A. Ansari)

Ali Ansari’s article addresses themes that have been increasingly part of discussions about engineering. Davis and Mitcham wrote entire books on how engineers think. Vincenti argued that engineering knowledge does not derive directly from the sciences. Like Ansari, Bucciarelli noticed that engineering textbooks present problems devoid of social and political context, let alone environmental considerations. In addition, recent books by Vesilind and Gunn and by Gorman, Mehalik, and Werhane brought environmental ethics to engineering students. Hendrickson and colleagues, among others, called for “green design” of environmentally benign products and processes. Ansari advocates changes in the engineering curriculum, even while he recognizes that academic courses on ecology may not make students more environmentally sensitive. Indeed, as documented by Pascarella and Terenzini, contacts with faculty and peers, not courses, probably have the greatest effects on the development of values and attitudes of students. Thus, it is not clear that changing the engineering curriculum, by itself, is the best way to meet Ansari’s goals. Moreover, in the United States, engineering curricula can be quite diverse. Different institutions place different emphases on different topics. Some have unusual or unique requirements. For example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology requires all undergraduates to take at least one semester of biology, addressing Ansari’s concern that engineering curricula overemphasize the physical sciences to the exclusion of the life sciences. Many engineering schools recognize the importance of biology in fields such as biomedical engineering and environmental engineering. Departments of bioengineering are emerging,
Fitting In: Segregation, Social Class, and the Experiences of Black Students at Selective Colleges and Universities

We analyzed qualitative data gathered at a selective urban university with a large black student body. We found that black students from integrated backgrounds welcomed the chance to establish friendships with same-race peers even though they were at ease in white settings, whereas students from segregated backgrounds saw same-race peers as a source of comfort and refuge from a white world often perceived as hostile. These contrasting perceptions set up both groups for shock upon matriculation. Students from an integrated background were better prepared academically and socially, but were unfamiliar with urban black culture and uncomfortable interacting with students of lower class standing. Students from a segregated background were surprised to find they had little in common with more affluent students from integrated backgrounds. Although both groups were attracted to campus for the same reason—to interact with a critical mass of same-race peers—their contrasting expectations produced a letdown as the realities of intraracial diversity set in.
339. FIV Lentiviral Vector Gene Transfer for Hemophilia A

Hemophilia A is an X-linked genetic disorder resulting in deficiencies in coagulation Factor VIII and a risk of sustained bleeding after trauma or injury. Hemophilia A is an attractive candidate for treatment by gene transfer because only partial correction is required for clinically relevant effects. We previously reported that gene transfer to the liver of E16 FVIII deficient mice using a lentiviral vector derived from feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) resulted in sustained partial correction of the bleeding disorder. We are now investigating the impact of several vector and transgene modifications on gene transfer to hepatocytes using baculovirus GP64 pseudotyped FIV. The goals of the project are to improve transgene expression through several vector modifications and to test the optimized vector's effects on protein expression. Modifications include rendering the lentiviral vector |[ldquo]|self-inactivating|[rdquo]| by deleting the U3 region of the 3’ LTR, inserting the FIV central polypurine tract (cPPT) element upstream of the internal promoter, and incorporating the woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element (wPRE) downstream of a luciferase reporter gene or the FVIII cDNA. Furthermore, two sites were mutated, a major splice donor and the start codon of the partial Gag sequence, preventing production of undesired product. In addition, the post- transcriptional control element from the 5’ LTR of spleen necrosis virus (SNVU5) was incorporated into the delivery vector. The liver- specific mouse albumin enhancer and human alpha-1-antitrypsin promoter (Alb/HAAT) are being used to direct firefly luciferase, B- domain deleted human FVIII (BDD-FVIII), and a FVIII cDNA engineered to include several asparagine-linked oligosaccharides within a short B-domain spacer (F226aa/N6) in wild type and E16 FVIII deficient mice on a congenic C57/BL6 background. Findings from these ongoing experiments will be reported.
The elastic energy of sharply bent nicked DNA

We obtain measurements of the elastic energy of short (18–30 bp) molecules of ds DNA constrained into a sharply bent conformation, using a thermodynamic method with the DNA in solution. We consider the case where there is one nick in the ds DNA, and find that the system develops a kink at a critical torque τc≈27 pN×nm. In this regime the elastic energy is linear in the end-to-end distance (EED). For smaller torques the DNA is smoothly bent and described by the worm-like–chain energy, which is also approximately linear in the EED, but with a different slope. Thus we access both the high and low elastic energy regimes, and the transition between the two.
Preparation and assessment of fluorous supported liquid membranes based on porous alumina

Abstract Fluorous media have gained a foothold in the synthetic and analytical communities. There is a need for membranes or films that have good selectivity for transport of molecules with fluorous tags. We show here that supported liquid membranes (SLMs) based on modified porous alumina have the desired properties. Hydrophobic alumina membranes were prepared by surface modification with perfluoroalkanoic acids. The initial contact angles of modified alumina membranes exceed 130°. FTIR shows the loss of –OH stretching modes and the gain of carboxylate carbonyl stretch as well as C–F stretching modes indicative of the surface modification. SEM shows no gross changes in the membrane morphology resulting from the modification. The resulting modified membranes readily imbibe and hold fluorous solvents forming SLMs. Cinnamyl alcohol ( 1 ) and its ester with 2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluorononanoic acid (HOOC–(CH 2 ) 2 –(CF 2 ) 5 CF 3 ) ( 2c ) were employed as solutes in transport experiments with the membranes. Transport selectivity (ratio of permeabilities of 2c to 1 ) was used as a measure of effectiveness in the optimization of modification conditions. Conditions for the surface modification leading to maximum selectivity for transport of 2c over 1 by the resulting SLM were to reflux membranes in 3 mM Krytox 157FSH/HFE 7100 solution for 3 h. Finally, the influence of membrane pore size on transport rate and selectivity was investigated for cinnamyl alcohol and its esters with fluorous carboxylic acids HOOC–(CH 2 ) 2 –(CF 2 ) n −1 CF 3 , n = 2, 4, 6, 8. The transport rate for the smallest pore size (20 nm) and largest solute ( n = 8) is anomalously high. This may be due to solute being transported in the modification layer as well as solvent.
Aerosol drug delivery in lung transplant recipients

Background: Inhaled drug delivery after lung transplantation provides a unique opportunity for direct treatment of a solid organ transplant. At present, no inhaled therapies are approved for this population though several have received some development. Primary potential applications include inhaled immunosuppressive and anti-infective drugs. Objectives: The objective of this article is to review potential applications of inhaled medications for lung transplant recipients, the techniques used to develop inhaled drugs and the challenges of aerosol delivery in this specific population. Methods: The results of relevant studies are reviewed and two developmental examples are presented. Results/conclusions: Inhaled medications may provide significant advantages for lung transplant recipients. Past studies with inhaled cyclosporine and amphotericin-B provide useful guidance for clinical development of new preparations.
Mitral valve prolapse: Definition and implications in athletes

Mitral valve prolapse is probably the most common cardiac valve disorder, affecting approximately 5% of the population. Although it is genetically determined, its clinical manifestations do not usually become evident before adulthood. In the setting of a cardiology referral center, a mitral valve prolapse syndrome, consisting of nonspecific symptoms, repolarization changes on the electrocardiogram and arrhythmias, has been identified. However, doubt has recently been expressed about the existence of such a syndrome. The prognosis of mitral valve prolapse is generally favorable but infrequent complications do occur and include transient ischemic attacks, progression of mitral regurgitation with or without ruptured chordae tendineae, infective endocarditis and sudden death. The symptoms and the complications are not usually related to physical activity. A permissive attitude toward participation of patients with mitral valve prolapse in competitive athletics is probably warranted; however, it would appear reasonable to disqualify athletes with mitral valve prolapse in the following circumstances: history of syncope; disabling chest pain; complex ventricular arrhythmias, particularly if induced or worsened by exercise; significant mitral regurgitation; prolonged QT interval; Marfan's syndrome; and family history of sudden death.
Inonu-Wigner contractions on a quantum relativistic collective model for single-hadron bound states

Two limiting processes are applied to a new collective model for single-hadron bound states which describes the relativistic quantum-mechanical ratator. The first limiting process is defined by the contraction of the Poincare group into the extended Galilei group (the nonrelativistic limit) and the second by the contraction of the de Sitter groupSO(4, 1) into the Poincare group (the elementary limit). In the elementary limit the model describes a structureless quantum relativistic point particle characterized by the irreducible representations of the Poincare group and in the nonrelativistic limit it describes a nonrelativistic rigid rotator characterized by the irreducible representations of the extended Galilei group and whose mass spectrum is supplied by anE(3) spectrum-generating group. It is shown that the Hamilton operator for the quantum relativistic rotator goes into the Hamilton operators for the structureless relativistic point particle and the nonrelativistic rotator in their respective limiting processes.