cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differences in early risk factors for obesity between African American formula-fed infants and White breastfed controls

Previous RCTs to prevent early rapid weight gain were conducted in predominantly White, well-educated, middle-income mother-infants at low risk for obesity. To inform the design of an RCT in a higher-risk sample, we conducted a short-term, longitudinal study to compare maternal feeding beliefs and behaviors, infant sleep, intake, and growth of African American formula feeding (AAFF) dyads to a comparison sample of White breastfeeding (WBF) dyads. We also assessed the feasibility of recruiting and retaining AAFF participants. AAFF (n = 32) and WBF (n = 25) mother-infants were assessed at 2, 8, and 16 weeks postpartum. Data included demographics and maternal reports of feeding beliefs and behaviors, infant sleep, meal size, and feeding frequency, and measured infant length and weight. AAFF and WBF mothers differed in demographics. AAFF mothers reported greater agreement with pressuring the infant to eat and feeding to soothe a fussy infant. Compared to WBF infants, AAFF infants slept fewer hours and consumed more grams/feeding from 2 to 16 weeks. There were no group differences in feeding frequency, which resulted in AAFF infants consuming more grams/day of milk than WBF infants. AAFF infants had lower gestational age, lower weight at 2 weeks, and had more rapid weight gain from 8 to 16 weeks. Findings point to potentially modifiable risk factors that may underlie disparities in early obesity among AAFF infants, including short sleep duration, feeding beliefs and behaviors, and rapid growth, but also confirm the challenges of recruiting and retaining AAFF participants, all of which inform the design and feasibility of an early preventive intervention. Retrospectively registered in clinicaltrials.gov on August 23, 2016 ( 2013102510 ).
Ethnicity and Related Forms of Race

Ethnicity, including language, belongs to culture, race to biology. But ethnic groups have been treated as races and racial groups have ethnicities. US immigration has resulted in the racialization of different ethnic groups, as well as invention of the idea of ethnic groups. Despite the assimilation of European groups, Anglo-Americans remain dominant and we don’t know if Latinx, Asian, and Middle Eastern immigrants will assimilate, given views of them as “undocumented,” “foreign,” and “terrorist suspects.” Indigenous groups throughout the world continue to base their identities on geographical and ancestral ties. In Brazil, race is intertwined with socioeconomic class, while in India, caste is tied to occupation.
A Multigenerational Strategy to Transform Health Education into Community Action

Background: The National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities funded Centers of Excellence to address health disparities through research, education and professional training, and community engagement. This article summarizes a decade of multigenerational educational programing embedded in the Community Engagement Core (CEC) of the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities-funded Center for Healthy Communities—Center of Excellence at the University of South Alabama. Objectives: Our objective is to demonstrate how community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiated the multigenerational approach, uniting the community health education and the educational pipeline programs, and transformed a traditional professional symposium into a mechanism to increase community participation and action. Methods: Community engagement and education adhered to CBPR principles and methods. A 3-year planning process before full funding of the Center of Excellence allowed the CHC to develop community partnerships and implement pilot projects that would assure community access and participation in COE programs. Program innovation was rooted in community suggestions and community priorities. The annual Regional Health Disparities Symposium (RHDS) was literally transformed through community engagement. Conclusions: Education programs for adults and youth achieved their goals independently, the STARS AND STRIPES (Student Training for Academic Reinforcement in the Sciences and Special Training to Raise Interest and Prepare for Entry into the Sciences) pipeline program has a success rate of 88% for participants' admission to colleges and universities. CHA-led events have documented an outreach to more than 6,500 community members and the COE has funded eight CHA-led projects directly addressing community action plans developed through CBPR methods during the history of the RHDS. But the real story has emerged from transformative multigenerational interaction via CBPR.
What’s New in Aquablation

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is considered the gold standard for minimally invasive treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostate enlargement of <80ml. Although durable and effective, TURP carries the risk of significant side effects, including infection and bleeding, and the risk of dilutional hyponatremia. The Aquabeam system uses high-velocity water jets to robotically ablate prostatic tissue under real-time ultrasound guidance, with hemostasis achieved via a catheter balloon tamponade and a novel traction device or electrocautery. In this mini-review, we assess early clinical experience with the device. Short-term outcomes appear to be promising, with significant improvements in urinary symptoms and bother. Operative times have been roughly equivalent to those for TURP, while surgical complication rates have been low. Future studies are required to assess long-term effectiveness.
Imaging of Neck Emergencies

The most common foreign bodies in the pharynx and esophagus include coins, fish bones, batteries, tooth fragment, buttons, and plastic pieces. Although most small foreign bodies will pass through the gastrointestinal tract without producing symptoms, those which cause symptoms most commonly lodge above the cricopharyngeus.
A chemically defined diet for maximal growth of pigs.

Three growth assays and one balance experiment were conducted to determine the optimal mixture of dietary amino acids for 10-kg pigs fed a chemically defined diet. Pigs were meal fed at 0700 and 1700 h in all experiments. Increasing all indispensable amino acids by 20% from their original levels improved weight gain and gain:feed ratio to levels equivalent to those of pigs fed a 20% protein corn-soybean meal-dried whey positive control diet. Replacing the glutamate-glycine-proline dispensable amino acid mixture with a complete mixture of dispensable amino acids (i.e., glutamate, glycine, proline, glutamine, serine, alanine, aspartate and asparagine) did not improve growth rate. A balance study showed that retention of nitrogen and energy (percentage of intake) from the final purified diet was superior to that of pigs fed the corn-soybean meal-dried whey diet. Metabolizable energy and metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen retention of the final purified amino acid diet were determined to be 14.43 and 13.96 MJ/kg diet, respectively. The chemically defined diet developed here for young pigs provides a means of studying nutrient utilization in the pig under conditions in which all nutrients are essentially 100% bioavailable.
The Fault Line

Stuttering is routinely described as a difficulty in saying words or sounds. Although stuttering obviously does involve sounds and words, characterizing the disorder in either of these terms misleads in opposite directions. Stuttering is most appropriately identified as a syllabic phenomenon, an intra-syllabic event—essentially because it is expressed at the level of the syllable. The denouement of the analyses presented in Chapter 5 was the isolation of syllable-initial position and linguistic stress as the focal “language factors” associated with stuttering. Syllable-initial position and linguistic stress are syllabic phenomena.
History of plant introductions to Pohnpei, Micronesia and the role of the Pohnpei Agriculture Station

The history of plant introductions to tropical countries can often be determined by studying the history of their botanical gardens, arboreta, and agricultural experiment stations. Pohnpei has been a center for plant introductions in Micronesia for more than 100 years. Beginning in the 1830s foreign visitors and settlers brought in new crops and ornamental plants. Purposeful introductions to support agricultural development took place during the colonial regimes of Germany, Japan, and the United States. The illustrious history and significant role played by the Pohnpei Agriculture Station—once one of the foremost centers in the world for the study of tropical agriculture—and its current situation are discussed. For the first time ever, a comprehensive list is provided of 433 plant species, hybrids, cultivars, and varieties introduced to the island, including 403 taxa grown at the Station.
System Change, Not Climate Change: Radical Social Transformation in the Twenty-First Century

The world as we know it is crashing around us. The signs are evident, and they are everywhere: intense, extreme storms, floods, drought, heat, rain, fire, and winds—nothing is as it was. Politicians don’t know what to do, and the actions of so many of them seem downright cruel, vacuous, or incompetent. The devastation of war, military operations, policing, lethal drones, and physical attacks roll over populations entirely innocent of any crime. The slow grind of debt, privation, and daily exploitation wears on more than half of Earth’s human inhabitants. Non-human creatures are dying out in record numbers as Earth’s systems are polluted, contaminated, and wracked by the endless extraction of fossil fuels, minerals, and the loss of healthy soil and water.
Rousseau: 'The Social Contract' and Other Later Political Writings

A comprehensive and authoritative anthology of Rousseau's major later political writings in up-to-date English translations. This volume includes the essay on Political Economy, The Social Contract, and the extensive, late Considerations on the Government of Poland, as well as the important draft on The Right of War and a selection of his letters on various aspects of his political thought. The Social Contract, Rousseau's most comprehensive political work - he called it a 'small treatise' - was condemned on publication by both the civil and the ecclesiastical authorities in France as well as in Geneva, and warrants for its author's arrest were issued. Rousseau was forced to flee and it is during this period that he wrote some of his autobiographical works. This new edition features an expanded introduction, and an extensive editorial apparatus designed to assist students at every level access these seminal texts.
Directions in the Design of Clinical Trials, Present and Future

There are four chief avenues of advance toward the conquest of cancer: (1) cancer prevention—by eliminating from the external and internal environment chemical and other agents that cause or promote cancer; (2) earlier cancer detection—through improved methods, whose application allows earlier curative therapy; (3) more effective application of present treatment methods—by making more widely available the best present techniques of surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy; and (4) development of new methods of cancer treatment and prevention—through research. It is becoming increasingly evident that major gains in the effort to eradicate cancer will come from developments achieved through research.
Acute Complications and Sequelae from Foodborne Infections: Informing Priorities for Cost of Foodborne Illness Estimates.

Cost of foodborne illness (CoFI) estimates provide estimates of the overall impact of foodborne illnesses, including hospitalizations, long-term complications, and deaths. CoFI estimates are needed...
Artificial Intelligence in Health Care: Insights From an Educational Forum:

Discussions surrounding the future of artificial intelligenc (AI) in healthcare often cause consternation among healthcare professionals. These feelings may stem from a lack of formal education on ...
The gold miner's dilemma: Use of information scent in cooperative and competitive information foraging

Abstract When searching for new information, do people focus their search on places not-yet discovered by others, or on places that others also focus on? Through a controlled experiment, we investigated heuristic rules that people adopt in social information search, a growing characteristic of how people find information in this hyperconnected world. Three people were connected online to simultaneously search for specific objects in multiple images, under either a cooperative or a competitive setting. They were provided with information about the current number of objects collected and the cumulative time spent on each image. People used such information to decide when to stop the current search and which image to explore next. Further, people paid more attention to others and distribute search efforts when cooperating, compared to when competing against others. Our findings highlight the heuristic rules that people adopt when searching in groups for new information.
Moving beyond the Lecture: Inspiring Social Justice Engagement through Counter-Story Using Case Study Pedagogy.

The paper examines participant perceptions of the effectiveness of using case studies with college students (undergraduate – doctoral) to teach social justice and educational equity. Findings indic...
Diagnostic accuracy of acute infarcts in multiple cerebral circulations for cardioembolic stroke: Literature review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Objective To determine the diagnostic value of acute infarcts in multiple cerebral circulations (AIMCC) on MRI diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for cardioembolism (CE) stroke subtype in adult patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke, we conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Methods MEDLINE was searched via PubMed for articles reporting patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke with MRI DWI categorized as AIMCC vs other and use of Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) Criteria for cardioembolism subtype. Measures of diagnostic accuracy were calculated from the retrieved studies. Results Seven eligible articles comprised 5813 patients. Bivariate random effects models estimated sensitivity 0.19 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.27), specificity 0.89 (0.86 to 0.91), positive predictive value 0.37 (0.30 to 0.45), negative predictive value 0.76 (0.7 to 0.82), positive likelihood ratio 1.70 (1.13 to 2.57) and negative likelihood ratio 0.91 (0.83 to 1). Interpretation The pattern of AIMCC on DWI is of limited diagnostic value. It is not sufficiently accurate to exclude cardiac pathology by a negative test nor does a positive test indicate a major increase in the probability of identifying a potential cardioembolic source.
Advisor: Agent-based Intervention Leveraging Individual Differences to Support Mental Wellbeing of College Students

Virtual agent-based interventions have been used to change user health-related attitudes and behaviors. Current virtual agents use several persuasion techniques to influence user behavior. However, most virtual agent-based interventions do not account for individual differences between users. Individual differences between users determine the effect of different persuasion strategies. My proposal aims to build a persuasive virtual agent-based mobile health intervention that adapts to individual differences in personality between college students to promote anxiety coping strategies.
On the Strain Energy of Transformation Inhomogeneities in Solids

We present a theory of elastic interactions in inhomogeneous solids produced by various transformation modes. A reciprocal space formalism for the inhomogeneous modulus case is adopted, which leads to the development of an approximate closed-form solution of the elastic energy of systems, with arbitrary geometry and distribution of inhomogeneities. The Fourier representation of the elastic effect is applied to a variety of transformation modes such as spinodal decomposition, ordering, precipitation reaction in intermetallic systems, and the effect of applied stress in morphological changes. An analytical microscopic elasticity model is also discussed, to explain the origin of anomalous large contractions and expansions observed in materials with solid-solid interfaces. This model can predict relaxations at interfaces for a variety of inhomogeneous materials including metals, semiconductors, and their superlattices.
Examination of mechanism effects in cognitive behavioral therapy and pain education: analyses of weekly assessments.

ABSTRACT Psychosocial treatments for chronic pain produce favorable outcomes. However, we still do not know precisely by what mechanisms or techniques these outcomes are wrought. In secondary analyses of a 10-week group intervention study comparing the effects of literacy-adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with literacy-adapted pain education (EDU) among patients with chronic pain, low-socioeconomic status, and low literacy, the Learning About My Pain trial, we examined whether pain catastrophizing was a mechanism specific to CBT. Participants (N = 168) completed mechanism and outcome measures weekly for the 10 weeks of group treatment. Analyses revealed that (1) pain catastrophizing was reduced similary across CBT and EDU; (2) lagged analyses indicated that previous week reductions in pain catastrophizing predicted next week reductions in pain intensity and pain interference; (3) cross-lagged analyses indicated that previous week reductions in pain intensity and interference predicted next week reductions in pain catastrophizing; and (4) the relationships between pain catastrophizing and pain intensity and interference were moderated by session progression such that these links were strong and significant in the first third of treatment, but weakened over time and became nonsignificant by the last third of treatment. Results suggest the existence of reciprocal influences whereby cognitive changes may produce outcome improvements and vice versa. At the same time, results from analyses of changes in slopes between pain catastrophizing and outcomes indicated that CBT and EDU were successful in decoupling pain catastrophizing and subsequent pain intensity and interference as treatment progressed. Results provide further insights into how psychosocial treatments for chronic pain may work.
Localizing Proteins by Tissue Printing

This is an interesting procedure from late Pont-Lezica. He demonstrated that it is possible to show the exact location of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and small molecules in a tissue using a simple tissue printing method, which makes tissue prints. This method uses plant tissues to produce prints on a nitrocellulose membrane to show amazing anatomical details even without staining. Such tissue printing can be used to record developmental changes in tissues over time. The protocol given here is based on the method published by the late Pont-Lezica. It shows a widely used application to localize proteins and glycans (biomolecules with carbohydrate molecules attached) with antibodies or lectins. Also, one can use this method to localize other molecules.
Vegetative endocarditis in cattle

Vegetative endocarditis due to bacterial colonization of the endocardium has been known to occur in cattle for many years. Currently it is thought that abscesses or chronic infection plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The earliest clinical signs are usually non-specific and closely resemble those of other disease entities such as traumatic reticuloperitonitis and pneumonia. Affected cattle typically present with a history of recurrent fever, anorexia, weight loss, and depression of a few weeks to several months duration. Intermittent or shifting leg lameness without external trauma is sometimes associated with endocarditis. Tachycardia, systolic murmurs and loud pounding heart sounds are common findings upon physical exam. If untreated the clinical signs usually increase in intensity and signs of congestive heart failure often become evident. The CBC changes usually seen with endocarditis are those due to chronic inflammation. In the cases discussed here, hyperfibrinogenemia and a decreased plasma protein:fibrinogen ratio were the most common findings. Serum chemistry abnormalities are dependent upon the organ systems secondarily affected. Blood culture is a practical and useful tool to aid in the diagnosis of endocarditis. However, it is important to interpret the results of blood culture in keeping with the other clinical findings. The most commonly recovered organisms are Corynebacterium pyogenes and Streptococcus spp..
Optical Identification of the Resonance-Stabilized para-Ethynylbenzyl Radical.

We report the spectroscopic observation of the jet-cooled para-ethynylbenzyl (PEB) radical, a resonance-stabilized isomer of C9H7. The radical was produced in a discharge of p-ethynyltoluene diluted in argon and probed by resonant two-color two-photon ionization (R2C2PI) spectroscopy. The origin of the D0(2B1)-D1(2B1) transition of PEB appears at 19,506 cm-1. A resonant two-color ion-yield scan reveals an adiabatic ionization energy (AIE) of 7.177(1) eV, which is almost symmetrically bracketed by CBS-QB3 and B3LYP/6-311G++(d,p) calculations. The electronic spectrum exhibits pervasive Fermi resonances, in that most a1 fundamentals are accompanied by similarly intense overtones or combination bands of non-totally symmetric modes that would carry little intensity in the harmonic approximation. Under the same experimental conditions, the m/z = 115 R2C2PI spectrum of the p-ethynyltoluene discharge also exhibits contributions from the m-ethynylbenzyl and 1-phenylpropargyl radicals. The former, like PEB, is observed herein for the first time, and its identity is confirmed by measurement and calculation of its AIE and D0-D1 origin transition energy; the latter is identified by comparison with its known electronic spectrum (J. Am. Chem. Soc.,2008,130, 3137-3142). Both species are found to co-exist with PEB at levels vastly greater than might be explained by any precursor sample impurity, implying that interconversion of ethynylbenzyl motifs is feasible in energetic environments such as plasmas and flames, wherein resonance-stabilized radicals are persistent.
Design and implementation of neural networks for digital current regulation of inverter drives

A discussion is presented of the design of one, two, and three layer neural networks for digital current regulation of the inverter drives. The learning requirements of various designs are evaluated by developing two different learning techniques for such inverter current regulators. The models and learning techniques have been investigated by simulation. These simulation results along with design considerations are used to determine the network best suited for this application. The implementation of neural networks is described, and experimental results are given. >
Editor's Note: Thich Nhat Hanh's Sociological Imagination

This issue of Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge is dedicated to an exploration of Thich Nhat Hanh's Engaged Buddhist philosophy and spiritual theory and practice from a sociological and social scientific vantage point, in order to highlight the significance his teaching bears for the development not only of a self-reflective, but also a globally humanist, as well as environmentally concerned, sociological imagination. This issue is comprised of four parts that follow an opening keynote by the Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UMass Boston. In the first part several recent talks, letters, and a poem, by Thich Nhat Hanh on the meaning and practice of Engaged Buddhism—in regard to issues ranging from war and conflict, the environment, food industry and consumption, and history of Engaged Buddhism, are included. The second part of the volume is devoted to four articles that put Thich Nhat Hanh’s views on and practice of Engaged Buddhism in social science and sociological contexts., specifically exploring the overlapping landscapes of Engaged Buddhism with Pragmatism, Deep Ecology, sociological discourse and imagination, and ideological analysis. The third part includes seven contributions of varying lengths that are highly illustrative of the ways in which Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings have engaged with issues such as: international political conflict; bringing mindfulness and meditation to the classroom in educational context; introducing spiritual awareness and mindfulness practices to policing strategies in U.S. cities; incorporating mindfulness and meditative healing practices in Massachusetts among traumatized populations due to war and conflict in East Asian context; introducing the central concepts of Engaged Buddhism into economic theory and practice; reflections on the significance of Engaged Buddhism for developing successful strategies to tackle the environmental crisis and climate change; and finally brief personal reflections on the meaning of Engaged Buddhism in facing family loss and trauma. Finally, in the final part, a critical commentary by a participant’s experience of attending one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s retreats in 2005 is included. It is followed by a response and reflections from a representative of Thich Nhat Hanh Plum Village community in France. Mohammad H. Tamdgidi, the founding editor of Human Architecture, is Assistant Professor of Sociology, teaching social theory at UMass Boston; most recently he is the author of Advancing Utopistics: The Three Component Parts and Errors of Marxism (Paradigm Publishers, 2007).
Consistent Estimation Of State-Price Distribution Functions From Noisy Price Data

For the accurate pricing of contingent securities, it is often not necessary to have a consistent estimate of the state-price density: It is enough to have a good estimate of the state-price distribution function. It is shown in this paper that the inverse problem of finding the state-price distribution function from the prices of put options is well-posed (as opposed to the problem of finding the state-price density, which is ill-posed), and that the constrained least squares method provides a consistent estimate of the state-price distribution function. It is also suggested that small sample properties of the least squares estimator can be improved by a modification that takes into account the deviation from a prior state-price distribution. The modified method is called the relaxed maximum entropy by analogy with the maximum entropy method by Buchen and Kelly. By generalizing a Csiszar theorem about the existence of relative entropy projections, it is proved that the relaxed maximum entropy estimator exists. The performance of the estimation methods is evaluated by Monte-Carlo simulations. Both methods are found to be fast and accurate, with the constrained least squares having advantage in speed, and the relaxed maximum entropy in accuracy of pricing.
Estimating the global number of tropical tree species, and Fisher's paradox.

How many tropical tree species are there in the world? Slik et al. (1) address this question in an elegant way, but this question is far harder than one might initially suppose. Significant uncertainties still remain, which I attribute in large part to an unsolved conundrum that I call “Fisher’s paradox.” Except for a few charismatic groups of organisms such as birds and butterflies, ecologists still do not know the numbers of species in most taxonomically or functionally defined groups, including tropical trees. Surveying herbaria and published species descriptions cannot tell us how many tropical tree species remain undiscovered and undescribed. Experienced tropical botanists and plant biogeographers may provide expert opinions on how many tropical tree species there are, but Slik et al. note that it is difficult to assess the accuracy of such opinions. Is there some way to come up with a more reliable estimate?
Nonlinear response. II: Nonlinear hydrodynamic equations

Abstract The nonlinear response theory derived previously is used to discuss the hydrodynamic relaxation of a simple fluid. Closed hydrodynamic equations of motion are given for the macroscopic variables: energy density, momentum density, and particle density. A local equilibrium ensemble is introduced which greatly simplifies the results and emphasizes the importance of the entropic intensive variables. The derived equations are compared with classical irreversible-thermodynamic results. The structure of the equations is similar to the classical equations, there being a natural division between transport terms and convective terms. The theory agrees with the classical results for the convective terms. However, important differences are found in the current coupling in the transport part of the equations. These differences persist in the small-gradient limit. The transport terms are of the form ▿ χαβ (F γ ( r ,t)) ▿F β ( r ,t) where F β ( r ,t) is an intensive variable conjugate with the macroscopic density a β ( r ,t) . Molecular expressions are given for the nonlinear transport coefficients χ αβ ( r ,t)) . The functional dependence of the coefficients on the local intensive variables for systems close to equilibrium is obtained. A discussion of nonlinear generalizations of the Onsager relations is also given. Finally, the entropy production is computed and compared with that predicted by the classical theory.
The Distributed Processor Organization

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the results of a research study of advanced multiprocessor organizational concepts for future space mission applications, with particular emphasis on a “distributed processor” organization that provides a very high tolerance of failures. It also discusses the requirements and technology investigations. This organization evolved from a study of advanced multiprocessor organizational concepts for future space mission applications. The two leading device oriented technologies that lead the developments in large scale integration (LSI) today are (1) bipolar and (2) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOS-FET). The distributed processor organization is diagrammatically presented. The organizational concept exhibits the capability for computational parallelism and achieves high reliability by graceful degradation. A discussion of parallelism within computations to place in proper perspective the parallel computational capability of this organization is presented. The development of this organization and its detailed architecture is also presented. Failure detection and reconfiguration procedures and the design of the cells and the communication buses are also outlined. Some preliminary considerations of the software portions of this organization are discussed.
Effect of Statins on the Incidence of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Valve Surgery.

Study Objective To evaluate the effect of preoperative statin use on the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing isolated cardiac valve surgery. Design Single-center retrospective cohort study. Setting Mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit in a community hospital. Patients A total of 244 adults who underwent isolated cardiac valve surgery between April 2007 and July 2012; of these patients, 102 received preoperative statins (defined as receiving at least one dose of a statin within 24 hours prior to surgery), and 142 did not receive preoperative statins (control group). Measurements and Main Results The primary outcome was the occurrence of POAF. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between preoperative statin use and occurrence of POAF. A propensity score–matched (PSM) analysis was also performed. Patients in the statin group were older, had a higher body mass index, frequency of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, myocardial infarction, and preoperative β-blocker use. POAF occurred in 35 patients (34.3%) in the statin group and 39 patients (27.5%) in the control group. Univariate analysis demonstrated no association between statin use and the occurrence of POAF (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.796–2.39). Multivariable analysis also showed no association between POAF and preoperative statin use (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.566–2.09). Repeating the analysis in 128 PSM patients demonstrated no association (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.507–2.29). Conclusion Preoperative statin use was not associated with a decreased incidence of POAF in patients undergoing isolated cardiac valve surgery. Additional studies are needed to further elucidate the pharmacodynamics of statins in patients undergoing cardiac surgery because statins have demonstrated a decrease in the risk of POAF in other cardiac surgery populations.
RNA secondary structure modeling at consistent high accuracy using differential SHAPE.

RNA secondary structure modeling is a challenging problem, and recent successes have raised the standards for accuracy, consistency, and tractability. Large increases in accuracy have been achieved by including data on reactivity toward chemical probes: Incorporation of 1M7 SHAPE reactivity data into an mfold-class algorithm results in median accuracies for base pair prediction that exceed 90%. However, a few RNA structures are modeled with significantly lower accuracy. Here, we show that incorporating differential reactivities from the NMIA and 1M6 reagents—which detect noncanonical and tertiary interactions—into prediction algorithms results in highly accurate secondary structure models for RNAs that were previously shown to be difficult to model. For these RNAs, 93% of accepted canonical base pairs were recovered in SHAPE-directed models. Discrepancies between accepted and modeled structures were small and appear to reflect genuine structural differences. Three-reagent SHAPE-directed modeling scales concisely to structurally complex RNAs to resolve the in-solution secondary structure analysis problem for many classes of RNA.
Sublethal poisoning: A comparison of behavior and histological changes in house fly CNS

Abstract House flies examined the day after receiving sublethal doses of lindane or carbofuran showed a statistically significant decline in their responses to behavioral tests designed to measure flight, locomotion, optomotor activity, and phototaxis. Flies were designated “functional,” “flightless,” or “nontestable” on the basis of their behavioral test responses. Histological examination of their thoracic ganglia revealed holes in the neuropile, termed “vacuoles,” but no “vacuoles” were evident in the ganglia of control flies. There was a statistically significant correlation between the density of “vacuoles” in the thoracic ganglia of lindane-treated flies and their phototactic responses and climbing performance. This correlation was not demonstrated for the carbofuran-treated group. They were less responsive to behavior tests than the lindane-treated group and had more “vacuoles” in their thoracic ganglia. Flight functions were evidently most susceptible to poisoning; some flies were “flightless” but appeared to have normal locomotor functions with few, if any, “vacuoles” evident in the ventral neuropile of their thoracic ganglia. “Vacuoles” were always present in the dorsal or central regions of the mesothoracic neuromeres of “flightless” flies. Flies with disabled legs always had “vacuoles” in the ventral neuropile or their ganglia. Heartbeat recorded the day after poisoning with lindane or carbofuran was usually irregular in amplitude and rate, suggesting that motor innervation from the central nervous system remained functional. Flight motor activity was depressed the day after poisoning in comparison to that recorded from untreated flies.
Plasma androgen levels, spermatogenesis, and secondary sexual characteristics in two species of plethodontid salamanders with dissociated reproductive patterns.

Abstract In the summer of 1991 (late May to early September), I measured seasonal levels of plasma androgens in two species of plethodontid salamanders to assess the temporal relationship of elevated plasma androgen levels with spermatogenic events and with sexual behavior. In both species, spermatogenesis occurs in the spring and summer. In one species, Plethodon jordani , mating occurs in the fall. In the other species, Desmognathus ochrophaeus , the mating season is prolonged, occurring both in the fall and in the spring. In P. jordani , plasma testosterone (T) levels were lowest in June and highest in late August, such that elevated plasma T levels coincided with the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the time when mating behavior occurs. Plasma dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels for P. jordani were lowest in June and rose significantly in mid July when spermiation began. In D. ochrophaeus , plasma T and DHT levels were lowest during June and July and highest in late August. Elevated T and DHT levels coincided with spermiation and with the period when mating behavior occurs. Data for these two salamander species indicate that maximally elevated plasma androgens were temporally dissociated from the peak of spermatogenesis; maximal and androgen levels were more closely associated with spermiation and the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
The Effect of Aspartame on Migraine Headache

SYNOPSIS Recently, three pilot studies have proposed that the addition of products containing aspartame to thediets of migraine headache sufferers may produce a significant increase in the frequency of theirmigraines. The present study was a controlled thirteen-week, double-blind, randomized cross-over studycomparing the effect of aspartame to that of a matched placebo on the frequency and intensity of migraineheadache. The results of this study indicated that the ingestion of aspartame by migraineurs caused asignificant increase in headache frequency for some subjects. The implications of these findings andsuggestions for further research are discussed.
Quantum observable homotopy tracking control.

This paper presents a new tracking method where the target observable ⟨O(s,T)⟩ at the final dynamical time T follows a predefined track P(s) with respect to a homotopy tracking variable s⩾0. The procedure calculates the series of control fields E(s,t) required to accomplish observable homotopy tracking by solving a first-order differential equation in s for the evolution of the control field. Controls produced by this technique render the desired track for all s without encountering field singularities. This paper also extends the technique to the case where the field-free Hamiltonian and dipole moment operator change with s in order to explore the control of new physical systems along the track. Several simulations are presented illustrating the various uses for this quantum tracking control technique.
Cathepsin D of mouse leukemia L12010 cells unusual intracellular localization and biochemical properties

Mouse leukemia L1210 cells contain lysosomes, but cathepsin D, a typical lysosomal enzyme, has an unusual localization. After fractionation of homogenates of L1210 cells by isopycnic density gradient centrifugation, most of the activity for all of the acid hydrolases studied, except cathepsin D, is sedimentable and shows a similar density distribution around a peak having a modal density of 1.16. In contrast, much more of the total activity for cathepsin D is not sedimentable, while the sedimentable activity has a distribution around a peak at a higher density of 1.18. After chromatography on Sephadex G-100 of cell extracts, two molecular weight forms of cathepsin D are found. One has an apparent molecular weight of approx. 45,000, similar to rat liver cathepsin D, while the apparent molecular weight of the second form is approx. 95,000. Both forms are 4-5 times more active than rat liver cathepsin D. The high molecular weight L1210 cathepsin D converts to the low molecular weight form with no loss in activity after treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol. In all respects the unusual intracellular localization and molecular weight forms of cathepsin D in mouse leukemia L1210 cells are similar to the situation found for rat thoracic duct lymphocytes.
Sources of Resistance to Pepino mosaic virus in Tomato Accessions

Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) is an emerging disease on greenhouse tomato. This highly contagious disease is difficult to control. The best disease management strategy is likely through the use of disease resistance. A major tomato germplasm core collection was evaluated for its resistance against PepMV. These accessions included 23 Solanum lycopersicum, 8 S. pimpinellifolium, 33 S. peruvianum, 18 S. chilense, and 27 S. habrochaites. The results showed that all plants in the accessions corresponding to S. lycopersicum and S. pimpinellifolium were susceptible to PepMV-US infection. On the other hand, two accessions of S. peruvianum (LA107 and LA1305) and S. chilense (LA1971 and LA2748) appeared to have some levels of moderate resistance. However, the most promising resistance segregated in three S. habrochaites accessions (LA1731, LA2156, and LA2167). Resistant plants from these three S. habrochaites accessions were saved for selection. A secondary screening was carried out with progenies generated from the selected plants. These tests showed the segregation of broad-spectrum resistance from the selected S. habrochaites plants against PepMV, especially in LA1731. The segregated LA1731 plants were resistant to not only the U.S. type isolate but also the European type isolate.
Gradients Of Auditory Generalization For Blind, Retarded Children

Severely retarded, blind children were conditioned to respond differentially to two intensities of a pure tone. Gradients of auditory generalization were obtained that were reliable and similar to those for normal adults, but often asymmetric and non-monotonic.
Immune complex deposition in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats chronically immunized with GnRH.

Problem This study was undertaken to evaluate whether the anti-GnRH antibodies and immune complexes (IC) generated by immunization with GnRH-TT cause cellular damage within the animal. Method of study Chronic immunization of rats with GnRH-TT injected i.m. was followed by tissue/organ analysis for immune complex deposition by immunofluorescence microscopy. Two groups were studied: (1) those immunized throughout the experiment until their ultimate demise, and (2) those given a chance to recover from the effects of chronic immunization before final analysis. Results GnRH-TT was effective in stopping spermatogenesis, which resumed after withdrawal of the immunogen. Most tissues from chronically immunized animals were not significantly different than controls, however the kidneys of treated animals exhibited a higher accumulation of IC. Despite increased IC deposition, pathologic effects were not detected at the cellular level. Conclusions GnRH-TT is an effective immunocontraceptive although the accumulation of glomerular IC represents a potential deleterious side effect.
Amino acid neurotransmitters in postmortem human brain analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

In the present study we have developed a method of measuring putative neurotransmitter amino acids using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. The assay had a sensitivity in the low pmol range and sample turnover time was 30 min. The postmortem stability of amino acids was examined in an animal model simulating human autopsy conditions. Aspartate concentrations increased 15% between 4 and 24 h postmortem while gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations rose 35% by 4 h but were stable thereafter. Glutamate and taurine were stable at all time points. The assay has been used to examine concentrations of neurotransmitter amino acids in 15 patients without neurological or psychiatric disease. Results agree well with previous work and knowledge of amino acid neurotransmitter pathways. The current technique provides a reliable method for the study of amino acid transmitter abnormalities in neurological illness.
Human endogenous retroviral elements and autoimmunity: data and concepts

The human genome contains a complex variety of inherited endogenous retroviral sequences (ERSs), several of which are transcriptionally active and contain open reading frames. Aberrant expression of ERSs and generation of antibodies to ERS-encoded proteins have recently been revealed in autoimmune disorders. Involvement of ERSs could explain both the familial aggregation and the detection of antiretroviral antibodies in autoimmune diseases.
Centrally administered neurotensin: activity in the Julou-Courvoisier muscle relaxation test in mice.

Abstract Intracisternal (IC) neurotensin (NT) produces muscle relaxation in the Julou-Courvoisier traction test, a screening procedure utilized for assessing neuroleptic drug activity. A dose-response relationship was not observed. IC administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) totally abolished the effects of NT. Two other peptides, substance P and bradykinin, were inactive in the traction test. These data provide further evidence for CNS effects of NT and indicate that this peptide exerts neuroleptic-like activity in a screening test for antipsychotic agents.
Ortho-Nitrostilbenes in Polycarbonate for Holographic Data Storage†

Holographic data storage materials based on dye-doped polycarbonate that could find application in professional archival and consumer applications are described. The dyes are selected from the class of o-nitrostilbenes, which irreversibly bleach under exposure to light and show high thermal stability before and after exposure. The reduction in concentration of the dye in the host after exposure induces refractive index variations over a wide range of wavelengths and extends well away from the dye absorption peak conforming to the Kramers–Kronig relationship. The materials are injection moldable into the standard disc format and have negligible shrinkage during data storage. Samples were produced using different dyes and various concentrations in a polycarbonate host and processed on professional CD/DVD equipment. The refractive index change is as high as 0.04, with a measured instantaneous sensitivity of 0.5 cm J–1 and M/# = 0.3.
Research notes and communications. Some connections between corporate‐level planning and diversity

Two accepted concepts of management literature are (a) increasing diversification as companies progress through ‘stages of growth’, and (b) the responsibility of the corporate level for diversification-type planning. The thrust of this research note is to provide an empirical test of these independently developed concepts; that is, a test that focuses on the relationship between corporate-level planning and diversity.