cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Administrative Military Discharge and Suicidal Ideation Among Post-9/11 Veterans.

Introduction From 2005 to 2016, the Veteran suicide rate increased 25.9%. Reducing this rate is a top priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2017, a policy change expanded emergent mental health services to include previously ineligible Veterans discharged under other than honorable conditions. To date, research examining the relationship between military discharge type and suicide risk has been limited. Methods This study aimed to examine the association between discharge type (honorable versus administrative) and active suicide ideation among Veterans participating in the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans (N=850, data collection 2012–2015 and data analysis 2017–2018) using logistic regression. Stratified analyses explored whether gender, time since military separation, or recent mental health service use moderated this relationship. Results The prevalence of suicide ideation was significantly higher (p Conclusions These findings suggest that recognized risk factors for suicide, such as a history of mental health conditions, account for the increased prevalence of suicide ideation among Veterans with administrative discharges and that mental health services may have the potential to mitigate such risk in this high-risk Veteran population.
Light Induced Cooling of a Heated Solid Immersed in Liquid Helium I

The study of boiling heat transfer in liquid helium has become increasingly important as more and more applications have been found and implemented. We have previously reported studies of transient heat transfer and liquid-to-vapor homogeneous nucleation in liquid helium I employing a transient superheating technique in which a single crystal of bismuth immersed in liquid helium is used as a heater-thermometer.1–3 Recently, using the bismuth crystal as well as other resistive elements as heater-thermometers, we have observed a new effect: a marked enhancement in the transient heat transfer from the heater-thermometer to the liquid helium immediately following the application of a flash of visible light.4 Our studies show that when the liquid in contact with the solid surface has been superheated to at least a certain threshold temperature, ΔTLT, the flashing of a single strobe light through the unsilvered sides of the helium glass dewar causes a sudden large drop in heater-thermometer temperature. The effect is striking: the temperature can decrease by more than 75% of the total superheat in under a millisecond.
A tiered approach to optimize pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy outcomes

Abstract Background/Purpose Surgical management of appendicitis accounts for ~ 30% of total expenditure in the practice of pediatric surgery and is associated with high cost variation. We hypothesize that incorporating single-incision laparoscopy (SILS) and the resultant by-product dual-incision laparoscopy (DILS) into a historically three-incision laparoscopic (TILS) appendectomy practice affords equal outcomes at lower cost. Methods Appendectomies performed at a large-volume tertiary care children's hospital from 1/2015–12/2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Appendectomy technique and appendicitis severity were stratified against operative and admission direct variable (DV) costs. Secondary outcomes included perioperative time course and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Results A total of 970 appendectomies were analyzed during the study period (61% acute, 39% complex appendicitis). SILS and DILS had significantly lower mean DV costs and OR times compared to TILS for both acute and complex appendicitis while maintaining equivalent outcomes. Conclusions SILS and DILS appendectomy techniques can be incorporated into pediatric surgical practice at lower cost than TILS appendectomy while maintaining equivalent outcomes. Further, the introduction of a tiered approach to laparoscopic appendectomy, in which all cases are started as SILS with additional incisions added based on operative difficulty, is estimated to save $74,580 annually in operative DV costs at a pediatric surgical center averaging 314 laparoscopic appendectomies per year. Type of Study Treatment Study. Level of Evidence Level III.
Mexican American Parental Knowledge and Perceptions of Childhood Obesity: An Integrative Review.

Introduction:For the past two decades, childhood obesity has remained a national public health concern, particularly among Hispanic populations. Multiple cross-sectoral obesity prevention strategie...
Sustained Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia in Nonischemic Heart Disease: Arrhythmia-Substrate Correlations That Inform the Approach to Ablation.

As the population of patients with implanted defibrillators has grown, an increasing number of patients nonischemic cardiomyopathies are requiring therapy to reduce ventricular arrhythmias. Most of...
Willingness to Use Cannabis for Gynecological Conditions: A National Survey.

Objective: Expanded legal access to cannabis in the United States has led to its increased use for treating medical conditions. We assessed the use of and attitudes toward cannabis for treating gyn...
E-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury: a review

E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) is a disease entity related to the use of battery-operated or superheating devices that create an aerosolized form of nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or other substances for inhalation. We performed a literature review to document epidemiology, pathogenesis and risk factors, diagnosis, clinical presentation, evaluation and management of EVALI. In the summer of 2019, an outbreak of EVALI cases brought this disease entity into the national spotlight. Since being recognized as a serious pulmonary disease with public health implications, more than 2600 cases have been reported to CDC with 68 deaths as of February 2020. The pathophysiology of EVALI remains unknown. Substances such as Vitamin E acetate have been implicated as a possible causes of lung injury. The CDC has established case definitions of “confirmed EVALI” cases to help guide identification of the disease and assist in surveillance. While clinical judgement by healthcare providers is imperative in the identification of EVALI cases, the heterogeneous presentations of EVALI make this difficult as well. Ultimately most investigative studies should be aimed at ruling out other disease processes that can present similarly. Treatment is centered around removing the offending substance and providing supportive care. EVALI is a serious pulmonary disease with public health implications. Diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion to diagnose and exclusion of other possible causes of lung disease. It may be beneficial to involve a pulmonary specialist early in the management of this disease which is generally supportive care.
Scanning probe microscopy

During the past year, scanning probe microscopy, especially atomic force microscopy (AFM), has taken root in the biological sciences community, as is evident from the large number of publications and from the variety of specialized journals in which these papers appear. Furthermore, there is a strong indication that the technique is evolving from a qualitative imaging tool to a probe of the critical dimensions and properties of biomolecules and living cells. The next stage of the evolution involves the development of microinstruments for process control and sensing applications. Recent advances have been reported in AFM instrumentation and method. For example, the tapping mode of operation is becoming the method of choice to image biological molecules; work to extend tapping-mode operation in liquids has been reported. Biological molecules can also be imaged at low temperature in a cryo-AFM with improved resolution. The measurement of recognition forces between individual molecules continues to attract much attention and has spawned new concepts for ultra-sensitive biosensors. The AFM is being used increasingly for property measurements such as determining the viscoelastic properties of biological molecules. Finally, structural studies using the AFM abound. Some specific highlights include the mapping of DNA using restriction enzymes, imaging during DNA transcription and determining the mode of drug binding to DNA.
Asymptotics of representation learning in finite Bayesian neural networks

Recent works have suggested that finite Bayesian neural networks may outperform their infinite cousins because finite networks can flexibly adapt their internal representations. However, our theoretical understanding of how the learned hidden layer representations of finite networks differ from the fixed representations of infinite networks remains incomplete. Perturbative finite-width corrections to the network prior and posterior have been studied, but the asymptotics of learned features have not been fully characterized. Here, we argue that the leading finite-width corrections to the average feature kernels for any Bayesian network with linear readout and quadratic cost have a largely universal form. We illustrate this explicitly for two classes of fully connected networks: deep linear networks and networks with a single nonlinear hidden layer. Our results begin to elucidate which features of data wide Bayesian neural networks learn to represent.
Abstract MP53: The Impact of the Obesity Epidemic on Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Scores: The CARDIA Study

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality has decreased over recent decades, in part, due to changes in the prevalence of risk factors. However, few studies have explored the impact of the obesity epidemic on CVD risk prediction in young adults. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that BMI trends are positively associated with changes in 10-year AHA/ACC atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores from young adulthood to middle age beyond the effect of other CVD risk factors included in the scores (age, sex, race, lipids, blood pressure, hypertension medication, diabetes, smoking). METHODS: Data were obtained from 2437 black and white men and women aged 18-30 years at baseline (1985-1986) enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study with follow-up exams at year 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 (ages 43-55 years). Repeated-measures regression was used to model the association between ASCVD risk scores and time-varying BMI measures. RESULTS: The average ...
Optical and oxygen binding properties of spirographis, isospirographis, and 2,4-diformyl hemoglobins.

Abstract Spirographis (2-formyl-4-vinyldeutero-), isospirographis (2-vinyl-4-formyldeutero-), and 2,4-diformyldeuterohemins were recombined with human apohemoglobin to form the corresponding holohemoglobins. The two isomer hemoglobins containing monoformyl-monovinyl hemins showed distinct differences not only in the absorption spectra but also in the oxygen binding properties. The absorption maxima of spirographis hemoglobin were shifted toward the longer wavelengths by about 4 nm compared to those of isospirographis hemoglobin. Spirographis hemoglobin showed a considerable cooperativity (n = 1.7) with a p50 of 6 mm Hg, in 0.1 m potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, while the other two hemoglobins had 2 to 3 times higher oxygen affinities without showing a significant cooperativity. These results indicate that the two vinyl groups at positions 2 and 4 of the porphyrin ring are functionally nonequivalent. This difference is attributed to the different electron attraction toward the periphery of the porphyrin ring and to the heme-heme interaction. Since the electronic properties of the two isomer hemins before recombination are similar to each other, the different optical and oxygen binding properties of the two isomer hemoglobins must be caused by the interaction with apohemoglobin molecule. Oxygen affinities of hemoglobins can be correlated to the electron-withdrawing effects of heme substituents when these protein factors are normalized.
Biochemical Studies of Bacterial Sporulation and Germination XV. Fatty Acids in Growth, Sporulation, and Germination of Bacillus megaterium

The levels of fatty acids and their distribution were determined in cultures of Bacillus megaterium during growth, sporulation, and germination. Branched-chain pentadecanoates (br-C15) were the principal fatty acids of log-phase cells. Synthesis of branched-chain tetradecanoates (br-C14) during sporulation increased the relative proportion of these branched fatty acids in sporulating cells and in mature spores. The log-phase distribution was reestablished during outgrowth of the spore. The ratio of br-C15 to br-C14 could be radically altered by addition of their respective amino acid precursors, isoleucine and valine, without seriously affecting the sporulation process. The fatty acid composition of each of the purified phospholipids from log-phase cells was the same, indicating that each phospholipid receives a portion of the fatty acid pool present in the cell at the time of its synthesis. Similarly, the fatty acids of each of the spore phospholipids resembled those of the spore extract. Phospholipids accounted for two-thirds of the fatty acids of the log-phase but only one-third of those of the spore.
Similarity-based alignment and generalization

We present a novel approach to learning predictive sequential models, called similarity-based alignment and generalization, which incorporates in the induction process a specific form of domain knowledge derived from a similarity function between the points in the input space. When applied to Hidden Markov Models, our framework yields a new class of learning algorithms called SimAlignGen. We discuss the application of our approach to the problem of programming by demonstration–the problem of learning a procedural model of user behavior by observing the interaction an application Graphical User Interface (GUI). We describe in detail the SimIOHMM, a specific instance of SimAlignGen that extends the known Input-Output Hidden Markov Model (IOHMM). Empirical evaluations of the SimIOHMM show the dependence of the prediction accuracy on the introduced similarity bias, and the computational gains over the IOHMM.
RESULTS OF THE SECOND NAEP MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT: SECONDARY SCHOOL

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) completed its second mathematics assessment during the 1977 78 school year. The two major goals of the assessment are to make available compre hensive data on specific educational attain ments of young Americans and to measure change in their educational attainments. A representative sample of over 70 000 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds was administered a collection of exercises that assessed impor tant objectives of the mathematics curricu lum in five basic content areas: number, variables and relations, geometry, measure ment, and other topics. This article focuses on the results for 13and 17-year-olds.
Liquid neon heat transfer as applied to a 30 tesla cryomagnet

Superconducting magnets cooled by liquid helium are limited to magnetic fields of about 18 T. When higher fields are required for research into solid-state physics, other types of magnets must be used. The Lewis Research Center now has a liquid-neon-cooled 20-T magnet system [1,2] that is being upgraded to reach steady-state fields of 30 T: This advance in magnet technology requires a new coil design and a change in the technique used for the cooling.
NATURE OF THE LIPIDS OF SOME LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

Ikawa, Miyoshi (University of California, Berkeley). Nature of the lipids of some lactic acid bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 85:772-781. 1963.-Lactobacillus casei, L. plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus cerevisiae, and Streptococcus faecalis were grown on a lipid-free medium, and the amounts of acetone-soluble lipids, acetone-insoluble phospholipids, and unextracted or bound lipid in the cells were estimated. Neutral glycerides appeared to be absent, or present only in traces, in L. casei and S. faecalis. L. plantarum, L. mesenteroides, and P. cerevisiae, in addition to containing glycerides, appeared to contain glycolipids of glucose and galactose. Glycerol was present in the phospholipid fraction of all the organisms, and, in addition, galactose was present in L. mesenteroides. Paper chromatography of hydrolysates of the phospholipid fractions showed the absence of the usual phospholipid nitrogen bases, serine, ethanolamine, and choline, in these organisms. Microbiological assays of lyophilized unextracted cells for myo-inositol and choline also showed that lipids containing these components occurred in very small amounts at most. The principal ninhydrin-reacting substance in the phospholipid fraction of L. casei, L. plantarum, P. cerevisiae, and S. faecalis was lysine, which seemed to be exclusively of the l configuration. The principal ninhydrin-reacting substance in the L. mesenteroides phospholipid fraction was d-alanine. These amino acids appeared to be bound in components of the phospholipid fraction and not free.
Investigating uncertainties in empirical Green's function analysis of earthquake source parameters

I use a well-recorded earthquake sequence to investigate the uncertainties of earthquake stress drops calculated using an empirical Green's function (EGF) approach. The earthquakes in the largest (M ~ 2.1) repeating sequence targeted by the San Andreas Observatory at Depth (SAFOD), Parkfield, California, are recorded by multiple borehole stations and have simple sources, well-constrained stress drops, and abundant smaller earthquakes to use as EGFs. I perform three tests to estimate quantitatively the likely uncertainties to arise in less optimal settings. I use EGF earthquakes with a range of cross-correlation values and separation distances from the main earthquakes. The stress drop measurements decrease by a factor of 3 as the quality of the EGF assumption decreases; a good EGF must be located within approximately one source dimension of the large earthquake, with high cross correlation. I subsample the large number of measurements for the main earthquakes to investigate the expected stress drop uncertainties in studies where fewer stations or EGFs are available. If only one measurement is available, the uncertainties are likely to be at least 50%. The uncertainties decrease to <20% with five or more measurements; using multiple EGFs is a good alternative to multiple stations. To investigate the effects of limited frequency bandwidth, I recalculate the corner frequencies after progressively decimating the sample rate. Decreasing the high-frequency limit of the bandwidth decreases the estimate of the corner frequency (and stress drop). The corner frequency may be underestimated if it is within a factor of 3 of the maximum frequency of the signal.
In vitro synthesis of progesterone by swine corpora lutea

SummaryA method is described for investigation of in vitro synthesis of progesterone by swine luteal tissue Heating tissue for one half hour at 95°C inhibited in vitro production of hormone. Addition of pregnenolone and DPN to tissue medium increased progesterone synthesis. Average weight of luteal tissue/animal was 1.11 g at day 4 of estrous cycle, 5.49 at day 12 and 1.40 at day 18. Average weight of corpora lutea during gestation was relatively constant. During estrous cycle, concentration of progesterone in luteal tissue increased from 21 μg/g at day 4 to 74 μg/g by day 16. At day 18 no detectable hormone was present. An increase in hormone concentration was found after 2 hr incubation in Krebs Ringer bicarbonate buffer medium except with tissue from day 18; greatest increase was observed in tissue from day 4 of cycle. During gestation, initial progesterone concentrations in luteal tissue from animals at days 16, 24 and 48 were higher than those in non-pregnant animals. However, increase in progesteron...
Advances in genetic manipulation of obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens

Infections by obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens result in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. These bacteria include Chlamydia spp., which causes millions of cases of sexually transmitted disease and blinding trachoma annually, and members of the α-proteobacterial genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Orientia, and Rickettsia, agents of serious human illnesses including epidemic typhus. Coxiella burnetii, the agent of human Q fever, has also been considered a prototypical obligate intracellular bacterium, but recent host cell-free (axenic) growth has rescued it from obligatism. The historic genetic intractability of obligate intracellular bacteria has severely limited molecular dissection of their unique lifestyles and virulence factors involved in pathogenesis. Host cell restricted growth is a significant barrier to genetic transformation that can make simple procedures for free-living bacteria, such as cloning, exceedingly difficult. Low transformation efficiency requiring long-term culture in host cells to expand small transformant populations is another obstacle. Despite numerous technical limitations, the last decade has witnessed significant gains in genetic manipulation of obligate intracellular bacteria including allelic exchange. Continued development of genetic tools should soon enable routine mutation and complementation strategies for virulence factor discovery and stimulate renewed interest in these refractory pathogens. In this review, we discuss the technical challenges associated with genetic transformation of obligate intracellular bacteria and highlight advances made with individual genera.
Monitored arterial and end-tidal carbon dioxide during in-flight mechanical ventilation

Abstract Introduction: Mechanical ventilation with monitored arterial carbon dioxide tension is necessary for optimum pulmonary support and hemodynamic stability. Ongoing monitoring is necessary to ensure adequate ventilation parameters. The prospective study purpose was to (1) compare mechanical ventilation to historic manual ventilation, (2) evaluate the effectiveness of institutional tidal volume parameters, (3) determine the effect of institutional tidal volume manipulation on end-tidal carbon dioxide tension, and (4) explore the relationship between in-flight end-tidal carbon dioxide tension and arterial carbon dioxide tension. Methods: Randomized groups were mechanically ventilated (tidal volume=12 cc/kg, rate=14/min) with a target arterial carbon dioxide tension between 30 and 35 torr. Group I was monitored with in-line end-tidal carbon dioxide tension, and group II was monitored with arterial carbon dioxide tension by means of inflight arterial blood gas. Results: Arterial carbon dioxide tension varied less with monitored mechanical than with manual ventilation ( p = 0.001). The gradient between arterial and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension was 5.3 ± 4.4 (mean ± standard deviation [SD]). End-tidal and arterial carbon dioxide tension positively correlated ( r = 0.76, p = 0.001), yet end-tidal carbon dioxide tension accounted for only 58% variation of arterial carbon dioxide tension ( r 2 = 0.58). Conclusion: Mechanical ventilation is more precise but inconsistent in achieving a target arterial carbon dioxide tension with current ventilation parameters. End-tidal carbon dioxide tension is a reasonable estimate of, but cannot exclusively replace, arterial carbon dioxide tension in critically ill patients.
Identification with latent variables

This is an essay on a unified approach to the identifiability problem in static models with and without hidden endogenous variables. As is well known, when some of these variables are unobserved, the prior information requirements for models when all endogenous variables are observed, are still there. In addition, extra prior information that takes the place of the means and covariances of the missing variables will have to be supplied directly or indirectly by the statistical researcher. In the paper we characterize the quality and quantity of the required information for the general linear static model and apply it when the model is i) an econometric demand and supply model with missing observations on the quantity transacted, ii) a factor analysis model with observed characteristics of the test takers and iii) a LISREL Model without fixed exogenous variables. With unknown true parameters, the exact rank conditions are seldom verifiable but we do recommend an implementable check-list that is adequate for almost all parameters.
Construction of the knowledge file for an image understanding system.

Summary To enable an image understanding system to provide an automated interpretation of diagnostic imagery it must have access to all of the concepts, procedures and methods used by human experts. The paper describes information elicitation from experts of different domains and the construction of a knowledge file. Uncertainty management is based on Bayesian belief network methods.
Multigrid inversion algorithms for Poisson noise model-based tomographic reconstruction

A multigrid inversion approach is proposed to solve Poisson noise model-based inverse problems. The algorithm works by moving up and down in resolution with a set of coarse scale cost functions, which incorporates a coarse scale Poisson mean defined in low resolution data and image spaces. Applications of the approach to Bayesian reconstruction algorithms in transmission and emission tomography are presented. Simulation results indicate that the proposed multigrid approach results in significant improvement in convergence speed compared to the fixed-grid iterative coordinate descent (ICD) method.
Effects of Changing Proportions of the Sexes on Ratings of Occupational Prestige

Touhey (1974) has suggested that an influx of women into high-status, male-dominated professions will result in declining prestige and desirability for those professions. The present study attempts both a replication and an extension to examine results of changing sex ratios in low-status and female-dominated occupations. Replication of the previous finding and its predicted extension to high-status women's jobs occurred only with college sophomores; juniors and seniors generally did not respond to sex composition, although they did rate high-status men's jobs as even more prestigious with a larger proportion of women employed in the job. Results for the low-status jobs were less clear, possibly reflecting the distance of college students from such occupations. Unlike Touhey's, these results are not interpreted as predicting future occupational prestige, but only as reflecting current attitudes about women and men.
Responses of squash to salinity, waterlogging, and subsequent drainage: I. Gas exchange, water relations, and nitrogen status

Abstract To examine plant physiological responses to salinity, waterlogging, and subsequent drainage, summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) was grown in well watered or flooded sand with full‐strength Hoagland solution containing 100 mol/m3 sodium chloride (NaCl) or no NaCl for 14 d. Half of the waterlogged plants were transferred to drained conditions for 7 d of recovery, while half of salinized plants were continuously salinized until 21 d. Waterlogging or salinity alone reduced photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and leaf chlorophyll content to a greater extent with waterlogging. Waterlogging alone, however, did not affect leaf water potential (ψ leaf) Salinity alone did not affect leaf and root nitrogen content. A combination of waterlogging and salinity exacerbated the adverse effects of each factor alone for Pn, gs, leaf chlorophyll, and nitrogen content, but not for ψ leaf. Seven days after termination of waterlogging, a full recovery occurred for gs, ψ leaf, leaf chlorophyll content, and...
The Spermatozoa of Ascidians: Acrosome and Nuclear Envelope

The spermatozoon of Ascidia callosa has a head with a wedge-shaped tip. Between the nuclear envelope and the plasmalemma, at the tip of the head, there are one or two previously undescribed vesicles, 45 to 55 nm in diameter. These vesicles have the characteristics of an acrosome. Their role in the process of fertilization has not been determined. Ultrastructural studies of sperm activation are needed, but claims that the spermatozoa of ascidians do not have an acrosome should be reconsidered. Behind the tip of the sperm there are pores in the nuclear envelope. This part of the envelope also contains a dense band of amorphous material that may have a supportive function. A nearly identical structure, associated with pores has been found in the spermatozoon of Boltenia villosa. An analysis of the nuclear envelope of Ascidia callosa indicates that the same structure has previously been misinterpreted as an acrosome in the spermatozoon of Ascidia nigra.
Kinetics of structural changes in thixotropic fluids

Abstract Thixotropic behavior is analyzed on the basis of the kinetics of breakdown and recovery of the structural elements of a “multicomponent mixture.” The analysis is based on the assumption that the components consist of elements containing different numbers of the same structural unit. The rate of breakdown is calculated by assuming equal rupture probability for each bond between the structural units. The growth process takes into account the possible recovery of bonds due to the collision between the elements of the various components. The rate of recovery is calculated as in coagulation theory. The rate constants are expressed as functions of the shear stress and the rate of shear. The equilibrium and transient viscosity functions are derived by means of the kinetic equations and from a rule expressing the viscosity of a mixture as a function of the viscosities of the components. Illustrative calculations show the general shape of the resulting curves. Ways are indicated to determine the model parameters and to check the validity of the assumptions.
Systematic Review of Urological Followup After Spinal Cord Injury

Purpose: There is no consensus on the appropriate urological followup of individuals after spinal cord injury but it is well known that they are at risk for renal deterioration, bladder cancer and stones. We systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate evidence of urological screening in this population.Materials and Methods: We reviewed 385 abstracts, of which 50 met study inclusion criteria. We rated evidence using American Academy of Neurology 2004 guidelines.Results: A total of 12 articles evaluated urinary tract infection screening. Patient reported symptoms used to predict urinary tract infection yielded mixed results and urine dipstick testing had the same accuracy as microscopy. Routine urine culture was unnecessary in healthy, asymptomatic individuals with normal urinalysis. Urodynamics probably must be done periodically (6 articles) but there was no information on frequency. In 11 articles ultrasound was recommended as a useful, noninvasive and possibly cost-effective screening method. Ren...
An introduction to protein moonlighting

Moonlighting proteins comprise a class of multifunctional proteins in which a single polypeptide chain performs multiple physiologically relevant biochemical or biophysical functions. Almost 300 proteins have been found to moonlight. The known examples of moonlighting proteins include diverse types of proteins, including receptors, enzymes, transcription factors, adhesins and scaffolds, and different combinations of functions are observed. Moonlighting proteins are expressed throughout the evolutionary tree and function in many different biochemical pathways. Some moonlighting proteins can perform both functions simultaneously, but for others, the protein9s function changes in response to changes in the environment. The diverse examples of moonlighting proteins already identified, and the potential benefits moonlighting proteins might provide to the organism, such as through coordinating cellular activities, suggest that many more moonlighting proteins are likely to be found. Continuing studies of the structures and functions of moonlighting proteins will aid in predicting the functions of proteins identified through genome sequencing projects, in interpreting results from proteomics experiments, in understanding how different biochemical pathways interact in systems biology, in annotating protein sequence and structure databases, in studies of protein evolution and in the design of proteins with novel functions.
A MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION-PRESERVING TRANSFORMATIONS BETWEEN PROBABILISTIC AND POSSIBILISTIC FORMULATIONS OF UNCERTAINTY

It is now generally recognized that uncertainty can be formalized in different mathematical theories. Two of these theories, on which we focus in this paper, are probability theory and possibility theory. The paper deals with transformations from probabilistic formalizations of uncertainty into their possibilistic counterparts that contain the same amount of uncertainty and, consequently, the same amount of information (expressed as a reduction of uncertainty) as well; it also deals with the inverse uncertainty and information preserving transformations. Since well-justified and unique measures of uncertainty (and information) are now well established in both probability theory and possibility theory, the transformations are well defined. Mathematical properties of the transformations are analyzed in the paper under the assumption that probabilities and possibilities are connected via interval or log-interval scales. The primary results are: (i) the interval scale transformation that preserves information...
Reductive dehalogenation of trichloroethylene using zero-valent iron

Reductive dehalogenation of hazardous organics using zero-valent metals is a promising technology. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of feed concentration, initial pH, metal loading and particle size of metal on the degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE), using zero-valent iron. The degradation rate was found to be first order with respect to the organic molecule, thus the conversion was independent of initial TCE concentration. The amount of TCE degraded at any given time was found to be directly proportional to the dissolved iron in solution. The metal surface area plays a crucial role in the process. Twofold increase in the pseudo first order rate constant was obtained when the metal particle size was decreased from 370 {mu}m by factor of 2.5. For iron surface area per unit volume (S/V) of solution < 1000 m{sup -1}, the TCE degradation rate constant increased linearly with S/V ratio. 20 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.
Squamous metaplasia of tracheal submucosal glands induced by benzo[a]pyrene and vitamin A deficiency

The effects on tracheal glands of benzo[a]pyrene and of vitamin A deficiency were examined in explants derived from normal and vitamin A deficient hamsters, respectively. Both treatments caused hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia of the tracheal glands. It is suggested that a proportion of respiratory tract lesions may originate in tracheal glands.
Measurement of ferrite parameters at microwave frequencies

A method for determining, at microwave or millimetre-wave frequencies, the relative permittivity and the saturation magnetisation of a ferrite is described. The method is based on the measurement of the guide wavelength in a rectangular guide completely filled with the ferrite and magnetised transversely. Tentative results are presented.
The Chemical Reactivity of Lunar Dust: From Toxicity to Astrobiology

The chemical reactivity of lunar dust is an important topic of inquiry, of fundamental scientific value and of practical relevance to human exploration of the Moon. Lunar specimens brought back to Earth by the Apollo astronauts provide a key resource for ground-based studies which help to define the initial avenues of inquiry. Even among the limited samples obtained from equatorial exploration sites, however, chemical reactivity analyses indicates that lunar dust is heterogeneous, a finding that parallels heterogeneity revealed by remote sensing studies. The region-to-region variability of lunar dust argues that a full understanding of its chemical reactivity will require in situ analysis, on a region-to-region basis. The data from such investigations will help to shape our understanding of the potential for lunar dust toxicity, and will provide insight into the types of reactions that may occur with when lunar dust interacts with organic molecules on the surface of the Moon.
COMPARISON OF KANG‐FUNG MEDIUM AND MRS MEDIUM FOR SCREENING PEDIOCOCCUS SPP. FROM MIXED CULTURE SYSTEMS

Kang-Fung medium was developed for recovering Pediococcus spp. from mixed culture systems. This medium contains phenylethanol (1.75%) with MRS agar ingredients. Many nonlactic acid bacteria can grow on MRS medium regardless of aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In comparison with MRS medium, Kang-Fung medium was not significantly different (P > 0.05) for recovering Pediococcus spp. However, the Kang-Fung medium completely inhibited the growth of several foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) that can grow on MRS medium. Therefore, this medium can be used to selectively recover Pediococcus spp. from fermented food products mixed with these foodborne pathogens.
Increased Exercise Capacity in Hypoxemic Patients after Long-term Oxygen Therapy

Low-flow continuous oxygen can lead to significant improvement in exercise capacity in selected patients with stable hypoxemic pulmonary disease. Although the mechanisms of improvement are incompletely understood, two tenable hypotheses are (1) the relief of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and (2) improved peripheral oxygen delivery. This prospective study was performed to examine these two hypotheses. Stable patients with hypoxemic lung disease performed symptom-limited ergometry with hemodynamic monitoring before and after >one month of long-term home oxygen therapy. There were 22 patients who increased exercise capacity by >100 KPM/min and >4 min duration and 11 patients who did not increase their exercise capacity >2 min or in KPM/min. Neither the responders nor the nonresponders had significant changes in pulmonary pressures or resistances or effective arterial volume elastances at exercise after long-term O 2 therapy. The responders had significant increases in oxygen delivery during exercise (148 ±33 ml/min vs 184 ±51 ml/min, p = 0.004), cardiac output (7.7±1.6 L/min vs 8.7±2.1 L/min, p=0.003), and arterial oxygen content (18.6 ±2.6 ml/dl vs 20.2 ±2.8 ml/dl, p = 0.02). The nonresponders had no significant changes in these parameters during exercise. Increased exercise capacity in response to long-term O 2 therapy is associated with increased O 2 delivery not relief of hypoxic vasoconstriction (in terms of pressure or resistance or arterial elastance). Increased O 2 delivery can accrue from both increased cardiac output and increased arterial O 2 content. Increase in arterial O 2 content is unique to O 2 relative to all vasodilator drugs.
Spectroscopy and Photophysics of Rh2(dimen)42+ (dimen =1,8-Diisocyanomenthane). Exceptional Metal-Metal Bond Shortening in the Lowest Electronic Excited States

Rh{sub 2}(dimen){sub 4}{sup 2+} (dimen = 1,8-diisocyanomenthane) exhibits very long Rh-Rh bond distances in the solid state (varying from 4.48 {angstrom} for the PF{sub 6}{sup {minus}}salt to 3.861 {angstrom} for the B(C{sub 6}H{sub 5}){sub 4}{sup {minus}}salt), but the lowest d{sigma}* {yields} p{sigma} excitation produces an excited state with a considerably shorter Rh-Rh distance ({approximately}3.2 {angstrom}). Several techniques (absorption, single-crystal polarized absorption, emission, polarized excitation, resonance Raman, fluorescence, phosphorescence lifetime data, and MM2 calculations) help describe the ground- and lowest excited-state potential energy surfaces of this complex.
Lower bounds to eigenvalues of the schrödinger equation by the partitioning technique

Lower bounds to eigenvalues of bounded self adjoint Hamiltonian calculated using partitioning technique
Sexual behavior as symbolic interaction

Abstract The aim of this paper is to systematically apply a sociological perspective, specifically that orientation known as symbolic interactionism, to the area of human sexuality. Our task is both conceptual and empirical. At the conceptual level, we have attempted to interpret and view sexual behavior through the concepts and assumptions provided by the symbolic interaction perspective. At the empirical level we have tried to organize research findings in this area which could be incorporated into this perspective. Suggestions have also been offered on future directions for theoretical development with reference to human sexuality. In short, our purpose is to see how far we can go in viewing sexual behavior as symbolic interaction.
Rapid separation of human monocytes and lymphocytes by Sephadex G-10

Many of the interesting functions of human lymphocytes in vitro are known or suspected to be dependent on the presence of monocytes. A practical limiting factor in cell interaction experiments is the ability to separate and recover functional monocytes and lymphocytes rapidly from the same blood specimens. Here we describe a simple, rapid and inexpensive solution to this problem. Incubation at 37 degrees C on Sephadex G-10 columns consistently depleted monocytes to low levels (less than 0.1%) and gave maximum lymphocyte yields (greater than 60%) in a short time. Half the esterase-positive monocytes entering the column may be easily recovered from the beads by a 4 degrees C chilling/shaking technique; by using 0.5% lidocaine, an additional 15% can be recovered. Simultaneously, the G-10-nonadherent lymphocytes are being further separated into T and B cells by E-rosetting. These recovered G-10-adherent cells were above 90% esterase positive, and showed a cell size distribution on the Coulter channelyzer distinctly larger than nonadherent lymphocytes. To illustrate the use of this protocol we present a monocyte titration experiment which demonstrated a plateau of optimal pokeweed mitogen-stimulated Ig production at 5-10% monocytes.
An automatic biasing scheme for tracing arbitrarily shaped I-V curves

A scheme for automated tracing of arbitrarily shaped I-V curves is presented. Tracing out the I-V curves for complicated device phenomena such as breakdown in bipolar transistors and latchup in CMOS structures using conventional device simulation techniques requires a priori knowledge of the shape of the I-V curve and thus is not suitable for exploring new device phenomena. This paper presents a dynamic load-line technique which adapts the boundary conditions as the trace progresses to ensure convergence. By monitoring the slope of the curve, an optimal boundary condition is determined for each point. The boundary condition consists of a voltage source and load resistance corresponding to a load line which is orthogonal to the differential resistance at each point. This orthogonality is defined in a coordinate system scaled by the DC resistance. Step size between points is also defined by this scaling and is varied according to a smoothness criterion. The algorithm guarantees fully automatic tracing of any I-V curve without prior knowledge of the curve's characteristics. Its implementation is completely external to the device simulator, i.e., it simply sets up the boundary conditions to be used by the simulator. Curve tracing examples which validate the algorithm are discussed. >
Fat Rationing in Dauer Times

The fundamental task of maintaining energy balance is complex when nutrient levels are plentiful, but it becomes even more challenging when nutrients are dynamic or scarce. A recent Nature report delineates a role of the AMP kinase pathway in rationing energy stores for the long-term survival of Caenorhabditis elegans dauers (Narbonne and Roy, 2009).
DIASTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN THE ELDERLY: Genesis and Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications

North America is in the midst of a major shift in demographics. The mean age of the population is increasing significantly, and the fastest growth is in the age group of 65 years of age and older. In the United States, over 40% of noninterest federal government spending goes to this segment of the population, with a large portion spent on their medical care. 143,167 The greatest growth is seen in the over age-85-group, the so-called "very elderly," "old-old," or "oldest old," caused by significant declines in this specific subset. 106 The population of the elderly will increase approximately fourfold through 2030, whereas the population of the young will increase little. The elderly group consumes most health care resources. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the commonest cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly; however, surprisingly few cardiovascular therapies have been studied systematically in trials in this group. 58 In fact, until recently, older and particularly elderly patients were systematically excluded from therapeutic trials. As a result, cardiovascular specialists are the least prepared to deal with the one group that includes most patients with CVD and that has the most rapid growth. Early physiologists recognized that hearts from older persons were stiff. We now know that the most substantial changes in left ventricular (LV) function with aging occur in diastolic function, not in systolic function. Aging changes in diastolic function have broad implications for cardiovascular health in the elderly. In addition, a large proportion of cardiovascular disorders in the elderly are associated with abnormal diastolic function. Consequently, geriatric cardiology and diastolic function are intertwined. This article examines normal age-related changes in cardiovascular function with particular emphasis on diastole, the implications of these changes, and pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and therapy of specific disorders involving diastolic dysfunction in the elderly.
Metformin attenuates ovarian cancer cell growth in an AMP-kinase dispensable manner.

Metformin, the most widely used drug for type 2 diabetes activates 59 adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates cellular energy metabolism. Here, we report that ovarian cell lines VOSE, A2780, CP70, C200, OV202, OVCAR3, SKOV3ip, PE01 and PE04 predominantly express -α1, -β1, -γ1 and -γ2 isoforms of AMPK subunits. Our studies show that metformin treatment (1) significantly inhibited proliferation of diverse chemo-responsive and -resistant ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780, CP70, C200, OV202, OVCAR3, SKVO3ip, PE01 and PE04), (2) caused cell cycle arrest accompanied by decreased cyclin D1 and increased p21 protein expression, (3) activated AMPK in various ovarian cancer cell lines as evident from increased phosphorylation of AMPKα and its downstream substrate; acetyl co-carboxylase (ACC) and enhanced β-oxidation of fatty acid and (4) attenuated mTOR-S6RP phosphorylation, inhibited protein translational and lipid biosynthetic pathways, thus implicating metformin as a growth inhibitor of ovarian cancer cells. We also show that metformin-mediated effect on AMPK is dependent on liver kinase B1 (LKB1) as it failed to activate AMPK-ACC pathway and cell cycle arrest in LKB1 null mouse embryo fibroblasts (mefs). This observation was further supported by using siRNA approach to down-regulate LKB1 in ovarian cancer cells. In contrast, met formin inhibited cell proliferation in both wild-type and AMPKα1/2 null mefs as well as in AMPK silenced ovarian cancer cells. Collectively, these results provide evidence on the role of metformin as an anti-proliferative therapeutic that can act through both AMPK-dependent as well as AMPK-independent pathways.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Violence-Induced Spinal Cord Injury

Violence-induced spinal cord injury (SCI) has increased significantly in recent years. Little information is available, however, regarding the incidence and effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after violence-induced SCI. Issues related to incidence rates, psychological consequences, and mediating factors of PTSD after violence-induced SCI are reviewed. Recommendations for future research include the need for epidemiologic studies on the prevalence rates of violence-induced SCI, clinical controlled studies regarding the most effective PTSD treatments for violence-induced SCI, and the effects of PTSD on spinal cord rehabilitation units.