cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurohormonal Factors in Pediatric Heart Surgery

Neurohormones are substances produced by neurons that transduce information from both the environment and organism into the cells, tissues, and organs to develop an integrated response to a particular stimulus [1]. The precursors of the signaling particles present in the neuroendocrine system are detected at the most primitive levels of evolution, and some of the amino acid signals, e.g., glutamic acid, are considered to have extraterrestrial origins [2]. The evolution of complex forms of live was originated by the ability of the cells to communicate through secretory substances. After billions of years of evolution, neurohormonal factors take part in maintaining homeostasis in the human organism. All these substances are closely related to each other and can be released by many stimuli, such us external receptor stimuli (ophthalmic, olfactory, auditory), baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, pain, changes in organ perfusion, disturbances of the osmolarity, stretch receptors, inflammatory or immune response, etc. In the field of pediatric cardiac surgery, neurohormonal factors are considered as a part of the neurogenic-inflammatory-endocrine stress response influencing both the preoperative and postoperative periods, playing an important role in early and late pathophysiology, diagnostics, treatment, and monitoring.
Prevalence Estimates for Hidradenitis Suppurativa among Children and Adolescents in the United States: A Gender- and Age-Adjusted Population Analysis

The prevalence of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in the pediatric population is unknown. We sought to establish standardized overall as well as gender-, age-, and race-specific prevalence estimates of HS among children and adolescents in the United States. We performed a cross-sectional analysis in a heterogeneous sample of 55 million patients across all census regions. We identified 1,240 patients with HS in whom the ratio of girls to boys was 3.8:1. Almost all (96.8%) patients with HS were ≥10 years of age. Overall, HS prevalence was 0.028%, or 28.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 26.5–29.7) per 100,000 children and adolescents. Standardized prevalence was higher in girls (44.6 [95% CI 41.8–47.5] per 100,000), in patients aged 15–17 years (113.7 [95% CI 106.4–121.4] per 100,000), and among African Americans (78.7 [95% CI 71.0–86.9] per 100,000). Highest prevalence of HS was observed among female adolescents aged 15–17 years who were African Americans (525.1 [95% CI 459.4–597.5] per 100,000) and biracial (253.2 [95% CI 121.4–465.6] per 100,000). Patients with HS who went undiagnosed were not captured, and as such prevalence estimates may be underestimated. HS appears to be a postpubertal disease that disproportionately afflicts girls and African Americans in the pediatric population.
Changes in Serum Calcium and Phosphorus Induced by Chronic Renal Failure in the Absence of Parathyroid Hormone

In the animal models of renal failure, despite the absence of parathyroid hormone (PTH), suppressed tubular reabsorption of phosphate is observed. Thus, processes independent of PTH result in enhancement of phosphate excretion even in chronic renal failure, as has been demonstrated in uremic parathyroidectomized dogs by Swenson et al (1).
Nonopioid Analgesic and Adjunct Drugs

Nonopioid analgesics play an integral role in multimodal perioperative management of acute surgical pain. Multimodal analgesia involves the use of several different classes of drugs, each in smaller doses, to achieve better pain control than that achieved with the use of any one agent alone. This approach to perioperative pain control aims to reduce narcotic requirements, optimize early return to function, and improve the quality of patients’ perioperative experience by maximizing analgesia while minimizing side effects. Some of the more commonly studied nonopioid analgesics include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, magnesium, alpha-2 agonists, dexmedetomidine, acetaminophen (IV and PO), and NMDA receptor antagonists. The following sections further elaborate some of the clinical literature supporting the benefit these agents offer as adjuncts to narcotics within a multimodal approach to perioperative pain control.
Cooling of Thermal Discharges

The discharge of heated condenser water from thermal power plants together with other heated effluents from various industrial processes represents an increasingly important contribution to stream pollution. More stringent water quality standards as well as increased pressure from local, state, and federal authorities have necessitated the consideration of means for heat removal from such emissions.
Food Security and ‘Green Revolution’

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by H.-G. Bohle, volume 8, pp. 5728–5730, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Language independent recommender agent

This paper presents a new ‘Language Independent Recommender Agent’ (LIRA), using information distributed over any text-source pair on the Web about candidate items. While existing review-based recommendation systems learn the features of candidate items and users’ preferences, they do not handle varying perspectives of users on those features. LIRA constructs agents for each user, which run regression algorithms on texts from different sources and builds trust relations. The key advantages of LIRA can be listed as: LIRA does not require reviews from target users, LIRA calculates trust values based on prediction accuracy instead of social connections or rating similarity, LIRA does not require the reviews to come from the same community or peer user group. Since ratings of the reviewers are not necessary for LIRA, we can collect and use reviews from different sources (web pages, professional critiques), as long as we know the corresponding item and source of that text. Since LIRA does not combine text from different sources, texts from different sources are not required to be in the same language. LIRA can utilize text from multiple languages, as long as sources are consistent with their language usage.
Seasonal Frequency and Spatial Distribution of Tornadoes in the United States and Their Relationship to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation

Tornadoes are extremely destructive phenomena that can cause tremendous loss of life and catastrophic damage to the natural and built landscape. Their frequency of occurrence varies notably from se...
A Comparative Analysis of Lifetime Medical Conditions and Infectious Diseases by Sexual Identity, Attraction, and Concordance among Women: Results from a National U.S. Survey

There have been limited studies assessing the differences in chronic health conditions between sexual minority (those who identify as lesbian or bisexual) and sexual majority (heterosexual) women. Research has primarily focused on overall physical and mental health or behavioral issues and not on specific health conditions. The addition of sexual orientation and attraction questions to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) now allows for research regarding health conditions using a national survey that identifies participant sexual orientation and attraction. This study sought to compare the prevalence/odds of having 10 medical conditions/infectious diseases among women, assessing for differences associated with sexual identity, sexual attraction, and the degree of concordance between sexual identity and attraction. Data from 67,648 adult female participants in the 2015–2017 NSDUH survey were analyzed using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models to assess for differences in prevalence/odds of seven medical conditions. Multivariable models adjusted for demographics, substance abuse/dependence, and mental illness. We found significant differences by sexual identity, but not sexual attraction or concordance. Compared with heterosexually identified women, women who identified as bisexual had significantly higher odds of having three medical conditions and two infectious diseases than heterosexual or lesbian women. The findings generally support those based on studies using more limited geographical samples. There are a number of potential associated and underlying factors that contribute to bisexual women reporting overall poorer health than heterosexual or lesbian women. The factors discussed include stigma, delays in seeking care, lack of insurance and access, and sexual minority women receiving poorer health care generally.
Scholars’ preferred solutions for research misconduct: results from a survey of faculty members at America’s top 100 research universities

Research misconduct is harmful because it threatens public health and public safety, and also undermines public confidence in science. Efforts to eradicate ongoing and prevent future misconduct are...
Predeparture Activities Curricular Kit (PACK) for Wellness: A Model for Supporting Resident Well-Being During Global Child Health Experiences.

Midwest Consortium of Global Child Health Educators S-PACK Workgroup: Denise Bothe, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital; Sabrina Butteris, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Carmen Cobb, Medical College of Wisconsin; Emilia Connolly, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; James Conway, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Elizabeth Groothuis; Lurie Children's; Laura Houser, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Andrea Jones, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Caitlin Kaeppler, Medical College of Wisconsin; Kathleen Miller University of Minnesota; Ifelayo Ojo, University of Minnesota; Jane Rosenman, Mayo Clinic; Amy Rule. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Chelsea Schaack, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Tasa Seibert, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital; Tina Slusher, University of Minnesota; Kristin Van Genderen, Lurie Children's; Michael B. Pitt, University of Minnesota; Nicole E. St Clair, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; Stephen Warrick, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Bethany Weinert, Medical College of Wisconsin; Jameel Winter, University of Minnesota.
On the Analysis and Criticism of Arguments: Some Theoretical and Methodological Considerations

Distinctions and assumptions underlying methods of argument analysis and criticism are examined. Contrary to the view recently presented by Willard, descriptive diagrams such as the Toulmin model a...
Quantifying data sensitivity: precise demonstration of care when building student prediction models

Until recently an assumption within the predictive modelling community has been that collecting more student data is always better. But in reaction to recent high profile data privacy scandals, many educators, scholars, students and administrators have been questioning the ethics of such a strategy. Suggestions are growing that the minimum amount of data should be collected to aid the function for which a prediction is being made. Yet, machine learning algorithms are primarily judged on metrics derived from prediction accuracy or whether they meet probabilistic criteria for significance. They are not routinely judged on whether they utilize the minimum number of the least sensitive features, preserving what we name here as data collection parsimony. We believe the ability to assess data collection parsimony would be a valuable addition to the suite of evaluations for any prediction strategy and to that end, the following paper provides an introduction to data collection parsimony, describes a novel method for quantifying the concept using empirical Bayes estimates and then tests the metric on real world data. Both theoretical and empirical benefits and limitations of this method are discussed. We conclude that for the purpose of model building this metric is superior to others in several ways, but there are some hurdles to effective implementation.
A Narrative Review of the Published Literature, Hospital Practices, and Policies Related to External Ventricular Drains in the United States: The External Ventricular Drain Publications, Practices, and Policies (EVDPoP) Study.

External ventricular drain (EVD) placement and management pose risks to neurocritically ill patients. Yet, little is known about EVD management or hospital EVD management practices and policies in US hospitals. A narrative review was conducted to describe EVD-related publications reported in PubMed and Embase between 1953 and 2019, and a survey was used to examine US hospital EVD practices and policies, including adherence to EVD guideline recommendations. Overall, 912 relevant articles were published between 1953 and 2019 (average 21; range, 0 to 102 articles, per year), primarily related to indications for EVD placement (n=275, 30.2%), EVD-associated complications (n=206, 22.6%), and EVD care (n=200, 21.9%). The number of EVD publications increased over time (R=0.7), and most publications addressed EVD-associated infection (n=296, 73.4%) and EVD insertion (n=195, 45.2%). Survey responses were received from 30 hospitals (37.5% response rate), and reported use of antimicrobial-impregnated catheters in 80% of hospitals, preinsertion antibiotic administration in 70%, collection of cerebrospinal fluid samples for suspicion of ventriculitis in 73.3%, tracking of EVD-associated infection in 86.7%, routine EVD clamping during transport in 66.7%, and monitoring of intracranial pressure during transport in 33.3%. Adherence to hospital policies was high for recommendations related to flushing an EVD and changing cerebrospinal fluid drainage systems (100% [range, 0% to 100%] each), but low for intrahospital transportation (16.7% [0% to 83.3%]), EVD removal (0% [0% to 66.7%]), patient and family education (0% [0% to 100%]), and administration of intraventricular medication (0% [0% to 100%]). In summary, the published literature related to EVD insertion and maintenance, and reported EVD hospital practices and policies, primarily focus on reducing EVD-associated infections. Still, overall adherence of hospital EVD policies to guideline recommendations is modest. To promote a culture of EVD safety, clinicians should focus on reducing all EVD-associated adverse events.
African American Women, Femininity and Their History in Physical Education and Sports in American Higher Education: From World War I Through the Mid-century

Linda M. Perkins explores the shifting juxtapositions of race and femininity in women’s physical education and sport in the early-to-mid-twentieth-century United States of America. The chapter traces a history from the emancipation of slaves in the previous century where former female slaves were forced to conform to White notions of morality and beauty. Sexual assaults by slave owners against female slaves fed into widely held narratives that Black women were promiscuous. However, in the 1920s, when college-level physical education and sport began to see Black female participants participating with White women, some of these constraints revealed differing White attitudes on the issue of race, femininity and sport. Key institutions in this period such as the YWCA, though encouraging Black participation, reinforced racial segregation in sport. Yet, sport also led to new marginalities around their femininity. The chapter explores an emerging distinction within sports, where basketball, in particular, was identified in US colleges as a masculine pursuit or one only for the working-class and Black women. This stereotype was then replaced by a stronger sporting relegation for them which was track and field. This sport eroticised Black women athletes and conveyed new anxieties about their possible homosexuality.
Best regulatory practices for deep seabed mining: Lessons learned from the U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

Abstract Mining operations around the globe are responsible for significant environmental problems. These problems often stem from poor planning, inadequate regulatory standards, and a failure of regulatory oversight, particularly with respect to inspection and enforcement regimes. Mining regulators are often hamstrung, however, by inadequate information about potential impacts before operations commence. This problem is particularly daunting when considering mining on ocean floors where information about the environment is limited, and the impacts of mining are poorly understood. As the International Seabed Authority (ISA) develops a comprehensive regulatory program for deep seabed mining, they should draw on the experience gained in regulating terrestrial mining, subject, of course, to the caveat that deep seabed mining poses unique challenges that will require different and sometimes innovative regulatory solutions. In reviewing regulatory programs for terrestrial mining operations, one would be hard-pressed to find a program that is more thorough and creative than that established by the U.S. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). For reasons that are related primarily to the contentious politics surrounding coal mining regulation in the United States, SMCRA has never lived up to its promise. Nonetheless, the law remains largely intact and, despite its implementation challenges, affords a useful framework for thinking about an appropriate strategy for regulating deep seabed mining. This case study outlines the contours of the regulatory program established under SMCRA insofar as it may be relevant to regulating deep seabed mining. It acknowledges some of SMCRA’s flaws and omissions, and where appropriate, it suggests regulatory practices that go beyond SMCRA. Nonetheless, and despite SMCRA’s limitations, the program established under this law reflects modern thinking about the procedures that should be followed in managing mining activities in challenging environments, and thus offers a useful lens for designing a regulatory program for deep seabed mining.
Current progress of 4D-printing technology

The combination of smart materials to print a three-dimensional (3D) product has primarily driven the development of innovative technology, or four-dimensional (4D) printing. 3D-printing technology seems to have provided extensive enhancement with materials, printers, and processes in the past decade. The additive manufacturing (AM) industry is discovering the latest applications, materials, and 3D printers. AM can be defined as a method of formulating 3D parts through compiling the material layer by layer, which is conventionally made of plastics, metals, or ceramics; nevertheless, “smart” materials are also being used these days. These smart materials can be adjusted with printable characteristics or structures when additional stimulants are implemented. These 3D-printed materials modify their shape or properties with time, which is the fourth dimension and can merge with conventional 3D printing. 4D printing is the system whereby a 3D-printed object changes itself into a different structure as the result of the impact of environmental stimuli such as temperature, light, or other factors. 4D printing will open new possibilities that are convenient in significant applications, will work in extreme surroundings, and will help create a transformable structure. The objective of this review is to examine and assess the reputation and development of 4D-printing technology, including the 4D-printing process, materials, and potential applications. This review determines that 4D-printing technology has potential applications in various fields, but more research work will be essential for prospective accomplishments of this technology.
Don't Stop Now: The Sunk Cost Effect in an Incentivized Lab Experiment

Though widely accepted in psychology, the Sunk Cost Effect (SCE) finds little support from recent evidence in economics. The SCE is when individuals continue along an unprofitable course because of resources expended. The present study employs an abstract laboratory setting with a simple optimal decision rule and repeated decisions to estimate the SCE. The unique design, modeled after penny auctions, allows subjects to endogenously accumulate sunk costs, which psychologists claim is an important component. I find evidence that sunk costs increase one’s willingness to continue along an unprofitable course of action by 21.9%. Subjects do not learn to ignore sunk costs. Reference-based theories provide an alternative mechanism for SCE behavior. Though I find evidence against Realization Utility, reference points explain observed behavior better than sunk costs do. This draws into question whether there is a need for a separate SCE or if the Effect is only a special case of Prospect Theory. Proposed potential mediators are responsibility for sunk costs, gain/loss domain of the choice, profitability of the action, and time between sinking costs and taking action.
Fine-structure resolved rovibrational transitions for SO + H2 collisions.

Cross sections and rate coefficients for sulfur monoxide (SO) + H2 collisions are calculated using a full six-dimensional (6D) potential energy surface (PES). The coupled states (CS) approximation is used to compute fine-structure resolved cross sections for rovibrational transitions between states with v = 0–2, where v is the vibrational quantum number of the SO molecule. The CS calculations for Δv = 1 are benchmarked against close-coupling (CC) results for spin-free interactions. For Δv = 0, the present fine-structure resolved CS results are benchmarked against existing CC results obtained with a rigid rotor approximation. In both cases, the agreement is found to be satisfactory, which suggests that the present results may provide reliable estimates for fine-structure resolved rovibrational transitions. These estimates are the first of their kind based on a full 6D PES. Rate coefficients are reported for temperatures between 10 K and 3000 K for both para- and ortho-H2 colliders. A comparison of the para-H2 rates with mass-scaled results for He shows substantial differences that may be important in astrophysical models.
Mean-field Approximation for Stochastic Population Processes in Networks under Imperfect Information

This paper studies a general class of stochastic population processes in which agents interact with one another over a network. Agents update their behaviors in a random and decentralized manner based only on their current state and the states of their neighbors. It is well known that when the number of agents is large and the network is a complete graph (has all-to-all information access), the macroscopic behavior of the population converges to a differential equation called a {\it mean-field approximation}. When the network is not complete, it is unclear in general whether there exists a suitable mean-field approximation for the macroscopic behavior of the population. This paper provides general conditions on the network and policy dynamics for which a suitable mean-field approximation exists. First, we show that as long as the network is well-connected, the macroscopic behavior of the population concentrates around the {\it same} mean-field system as the complete-graph case. Next, we show that as long as the network is sufficiently dense, the macroscopic behavior of the population concentrates around a mean-field system that is, in general, {\it different} from the mean-field system obtained in the complete-graph case. Finally, we provide conditions under which the mean-field approximation is equivalent to the one obtained in the complete-graph case.
A Survey of the Literature on Multidimensional Poverty

Although the literature on multidimensional poverty is quite vast, only a small number of studies have focused on developed countries and a still smaller number of works have examined multidimensional poverty in the U.S. To facilitate greater understanding of multidimensional poverty while simultaneously demonstrating the flexibility and usefulness of the multidimensional approach to poverty measurement, we provide a targeted survey of the related literature. This survey includes a selective review of studies that are unrelated to the U.S. but that demonstrate the considerable depth and breadth of the literature, coupled with a complete and detailed review of the works that examine multidimensional poverty in the U.S.
Institutional Opioid Prescription Guidelines are Effective in Reducing Post-Operative Prescriptions Following Urologic Surgery: Results From the American Urologic Association 2018 Census.

OBJECTIVE To assess provider and practice characteristics that drive opioid prescription behavior using the American Urological Association census data. METHODS Stratified weighted analysis using 1,157 census samples was performed to represent 12,660 urologists who practiced in the United States in 2018. We compared urologists according to their opioid prescription patterns to evaluate factors and motivations behind opioid use in the post-operative setting. RESULTS Overall, 11,205 (88.5%) urologists prescribe opioids in the post-operative setting. The presence of procedure-specific institutional prescribing guidelines was associated with a greater tendency to prescribe ≤10 pills, and lesser tendency to prescribe 11 to 49 and ≥50 tablets following open abdominal (P = .003), laparoscopic (P < .001), scrotal (P < .001), and endoscopic surgeries (P < .001). The presence of institutional prescribing guidelines was associated with decreasing opioid prescriptions over a three-year period whereas not having guidelines was associated with an unchanged prescription practice over time. Basing current prescriptions on what was given to prior patients was reported by 85% and was more likely to result in an unchanged amount of prescriptions over time (29.2% vs 13.3%, P = .007). Motivations to avoid patient phone calls were reported by 23.8% and were more likely to increase the opioids provided within the next 3 years (3.2% vs 0.1%, P < .001). CONCLUSION Practitioners who endorsed using institutional guidelines prescribed fewer opioids following all types of surgery and were more likely to decrease their prescription behavior over time. This data supports continued efforts to provide urologists with more evidence-based guidance on best practice opioid prescribing in the future.
RHEED Intensity Oscillations and the Epitaxial Growth of Quasi-2d Magnetic Semiconductors

Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) intensity oscillations have been observed in the II-VI compound ZnSe and in the magnetic semiconductor MnSe. These RHEED intensity oscillations provided monolayer resolution in the growth of superlattice structures designed to explore the effects of reduced dimensionality on the magnetic ordering of MnSe. Using molecular beam epitaxy, the heretofore hypothetical zincblende MnSe has been grown. Although “thick” layers of MnSe are antiferromagnetic, thin layers of one, three, and four monolayers were found to exhibit paramagnetic behavior. The growth, use of the RHEED intensity oscillations, and magneto-optical characterization of these unique, highly lattice-mismatched structures is discussed. In addition nucleation characteristics, obtained via RHEED intensity oscillations, are described at a II-VI compound/HI-V compound interface for the ZnSe/GaAs heterojunction.
Diethyldithiocarbamic acid methyl ester. A metabolite of disulfiram.

Abstract Evidence was obtained of the formation of diethyldithiocarbamic acid methyl ester (DDC-Me) from diethyldithiocarbamate in vitro and from disulfiram in vivo . The metabolite was identified by two independent methods, that is: (1) by chromatography in three solvent systems, and (2) by isotopic dilution with purification to constant count. Highly active S-adenosyi methionine transmethylase catalyzing methylation of DDC was found in both kidney and liver; the most active transmethylation was associated with the 100,000 g microsomal fraction. DDC-[ 35 S]Me was synthesized. Urinary metabolites of DDC-[ 35 S]Me and of DDC-[ 35 S] administered to rats were compared: over 60 per cent of a dose of DDC-[ 35 S]Me was excreted as urinary sulfate in the first 2 days; by contrast, only 16 per cent of a dose of DDC-[ 35 S] was eliminated as sulfate. No diethyldithiocarbamic acid glucuronide was detectable in the urine of DDC-[ 35 S]Me-treated animals; again, by contrast, the glucuronide was the major metabolite of DDC-[ 35 S] (30 per cent of dose). These findings suggest that conversion of DDC-Me to inorganic sulfate occurs without intermediate cleavage to DDC, and therefore point to a pathway to sulfate formation from DDC via its methylated metabolite, DDC-Me.
Partial Information Releases for Confidential Contingency Table Entries: Present and Future Research Efforts

c Abstract. Tabular data have been a staple product for disseminating information derived from the condential microdata that fuel social science research and inform policy decisions. This paper outlines recent results on disclosure risk assessment associated with the release of high-dimensional contingency tables, and discusses some related research problems. The main focus is the partial information release strategy, through which agencies can release relevant marginal and conditional ta- bles along with the sample size instead of a full contingency table. The most recent approaches in this area combine statistical and operations research methodologies with tools from computational algebra.
Activin receptor type II gene expression is induced during embryonic development and differentiation of murine F9 embryonal carcinoma cells

The functional role of activins in mesoderm induction has been shown in early amphibian embryos; however, its role in early mammalian embryogenesis is still unknown. The protein and mRNA for activin subunits are present in mouse preimplantation embryos. In this study we report on the expression of activin receptor type II (ActR-II) gene in pre- and post-implantation mouse embryos and the regulation of ActR-II mRNA in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells that served as a model for murine embryonic development. The results show that ActR-II gene is expressed in ovulated mature oocytes, becomes decreased at 2-celll stage, and is substantially activated in day-6 embryo at the stage when ectoderm and endoderm are formed. When F9 cells are treated with retinoic acid (RA) and undergo endodermal differentiation, ActR-II mRNA is induced. The 6.0 kb transcript is enhanced more than the 3.0 kb transcript. suggesting that these two mRNA species are controlled by different promotors. Addition of cyclic AMP analogue, which further induces differentiation of F9 cells into parietal endoderm, does not further enhance ActR-II gene expression. The effect of RA on ActR-II mRNA levels is direct and does not require ongoing protein synthesis. Furthermore, all-trans-RA is more effective than 9-cis-RA in the induction of ActR-II gene expression. The results of this study demonstrate that the ActR-II gene is activated during endodermal differentiation and suggest that activin action in mammalian embryonic development is mediated through increased activin receptor gene expression.
The beginning of the end: how the Atg1 scaffold nucleates autophagosome biogenesis (237.2)

Autophagy is a conserved mechanism that is essential for cell survival in starvation. Moreover, autophagy maintains cellular health by clearing unneeded or harmful materials from cells. Autophagy p...
Formation and fate of fermentation products in hot spring cyanobacterial mats.

The fate of representative fermentation products (acetate, propionate, butyrate, lactate, and ethanol) in hot spring cyanobacterial mats was investigated. The major fate during incubations in the light was photoassimilation by filamentous bacteria resembling Chloroflexus aurantiacus. Some metabolism of all compounds occurred under dark aerobic conditions. Under dark anaerobic conditions, only lactate was oxidized extensively to carbon dioxide. Extended preincubation under dark anaerobic conditions did not enhance anaerobic catabolism of acetate, propionate, or ethanol. Acetogenesis of butyrate was suggested by the hydrogen sensitivity of butyrate conversion to acetate and by the enrichment of butyrate-degrading acetogenic bacteria. Accumulation of fermentation products which were not catabolized under dark anaerobic conditions revealed their importance. Acetate and propionate were the major fermentation products which accumulated in samples collected at temperatures ranging from 50 to 70/sup 0/C. Other organic acids and alcohols accumulated to a much lesser extent. Fermentation occurred mainly in the top 4 mm of the mat. Exposure to light decreased the accumulation of acetate and presumably of other fermentation products. The importance of interspecies hydrogen transfer was investigated by comparing fermentation product accumulation at a 65/sup 0/C site, with naturally high hydrogen levels, and a 55/sup 0/C site, where active methanogenesis prevented significantmore » hydrogen accumulation. There was a greater relative accumulation of reduced products, notably ethanol, in the 65/sup 2/C mat.« less
Gelatin alternatives for the food industry

The issue of gelatin replacement has been around for many years for the vegetarian, halal and kosher markets, but has recently gained increased interest especially within Europe with the emergence of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy virus. The total gelatin market in western Europe alone is 60,000 tonnes per annum, of which 80% is in foods. The textural and rheological properties of gelatin when utilised in various food applications is discussed. Various gelatin alternatives are proposed, and the mechanism to alter the functional properties of mixed or single polysaccharide systems is discussed. One possible gelatin alternative for the food industry is gellan gum. Recent studies have shown that both the levels of glycerate and acetate substituents in gellan gum can be controlled independently. A range of gellan gums with varying structural and functional properties are studied. Changes in the glycerate parameters have a profound effect on the structural and rheological characteristics of gellan gum gels. These new gellan gum products have unique properties and will lead to a range of functionality in food systems with one versatile hydrocolloid ingredient.
A cusp in the 54 Cr ( p , γ) 55 Mn reaction

Abstract Absolute cross sections for the reactions 54 Cr ( p , γ) 55 Mn and 54 Cr ( p, n ) 54 Mn are presented for effective bombarding energies E p from 0.830 to 3.606 MeV. A substantial cusp is observed in the 54 Cr ( p , γ) 55 Mn excitation function. The data are compared with the predictions of global Hauser-Feshbach models in order to evaluate their applicability to nucleosynthesis calculations.
Dynamic Denotational Semantics of Java

This chapter presents a dynamic denotational semantics of the Java programming language. This semantics covers almost the full range of the base language, excluding only concurrency and the API's. A discussion of these limitations is provided in the final section of the chapter.
Terrorism and US Foreign Policy. Paul R. Pillar, Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2001. 272pp. $26.95/£19.95.

(2001). Terrorism and US Foreign Policy. Paul R. Pillar, Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2001. 272pp. $26.95/£19.95. Survival: Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 194-196.
New Models for Supporting Digital Scholarship: UNT's DiSCo

This poster examines a new model for supporting digital scholarship across the disciplines, as implemented by the University of North Texas Digital Scholarship Co-Operative (DiSCo). Digital scholarship offers researchers ways to communicate and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and provide opportunities for training and access to digital tools to support research and teaching. Recognizing this needs, UNT established the DiSCo to serve as a focal point for data management support, and to foster the development and use of digital tools for research, teaching, and learning.
Lifted-FL: A Pragmatic Implementation of Combined Model Checking and Theorem Proving

Combining theorem proving and model checking offers the tantalizing possibility of efficiently reasoning about large circuits at high levels of abstraction. We have constructed a system that seamlessly integrates symbolic trajectory evaluation based model checking with theorem proving in a higher-order classical logic. The approach is made possible by using the same programming language (fl) as both the meta and object language of theorem proving. This is done by "lifting" fl, essentially deeply embedding fl in itself. The approach is a pragmatic solution that provides an efficient and extensible Verification environment. Our approach is generally applicable to any dialect of the ML programming language and any model-checking algorithm that has practical inference rules for combining results.
Transport of Ions and Electrons Through Microscopically Inhomogeneous Passive Films Bond Percolation Effects

Computations to elucidate the effects of microscopic nonuniformity on current flow in passive layers are extended to explore predictions in the bond percolation limit. Whereas the dependence of the leakage current on the percentage of low barriers (e.g., those promoted by Cl - in the passive layer) was found to be nearly exponential for relatively small differences in the activation energy barrier heights, the functional dependence is observed to be more complex for larger differences, manifesting a critical transition from a relatively nonconducting state to a state of sharply increasing conductivity as the percentage of lower activation barriers increases beyond the bond percolation threshold. This degrading of the insulating properties of the passive layer is postulated to constitute the condition needed for the chemical breakdown of passivity. This interpretation leads in turn to a mechanism for the experimentally noted delay in the time required before the occurrence of the relatively sudden and catastrophic breakdown of passivity after the addition of aggressive ions to the solution, the so-called induction time being that time required for the field-driven diffusion of aggressive ions to reach the critical concentration required for bond percolation.
Gibberellins and flower initiation in herbaceous angiosperms.

The developmental changes that a vegetative apex undergoes during flower initiation rank among the most spectacular in biology. And yet despite its obvious importance to agriculture, the fundamental processes underlying flower initiation remain enigmatic. Although we have been able to precisely define the environmental conditions (photoperiod, temperature, etc.) under which flowering for a given species will or will not occur, we do not know much about the mechanism(s) by which inductive stimuli cause flower initiation.
CD4 + T Cells Are Not Required for the Induction of Dengue Virus-Specific CD8 + T Cell or Antibody Responses but Contribute to Protection after Vaccination

The contribution of T cells to the host response to dengue virus (DENV) infection is not well understood. We previously demonstrated a protective role for CD8 + T cells during primary DENV infection using a mouse-passaged DENV strain and IFN-α/βR −/− C57BL/6 mice, which are susceptible to DENV infection. In this study, we examine the role of CD4 + T cells during primary DENV infection. Four I-A b –restricted epitopes derived from three of the nonstructural DENV proteins were identified. CD4 + T cells expanded and were activated after DENV infection, with peak activation occurring on day 7. The DENV-specific CD4 + T cells expressed intracellular IFN-γ, TNF, IL-2, and CD40L, and killed peptide-pulsed target cells in vivo. Surprisingly, depletion of CD4 + T cells before DENV infection had no effect on viral loads. Consistent with this observation, CD4 + T cell depletion did not affect the DENV-specific IgG or IgM Ab titers or their neutralizing activity, or the DENV-specific CD8 + T cell response. However, immunization with the CD4 + T cell epitopes before infection resulted in significantly lower viral loads. Thus, we conclude that whereas CD4 + T cells are not required for controlling primary DENV infection, their induction by immunization can contribute to viral clearance. These findings suggest inducing anti-DENV CD4 + T cell responses by vaccination may be beneficial.
WAVELENGTH, AREA, AND INTENSITY AS DETERMINANTS OF THE FLICKER-FUSION THRESHOLD.

CFF thresholds were obtained from 3 observers at each of 5 frequencies, 5 areas and 4 wavelengths of the stimulus, and the slopes of the log I-log A curves computed. The significance of the wavelength effect and of the interaction effect of frequency and wavelength upon these slopes indicates that wavelength is a determinant of the CFF threshold. The slopes for the red and blue stimuli were greater than those for the yellow and green at the higher frequencies.
LOW RESISTANCE JUNCTIONS IN CRAYFISH I. Two Arrays of Globules in Junctional Membranes

The ultrastructure of low resistance junctions between segments of lateral giant fibers in crayfish is studied in sections from specimens fixed either by conventional methods or by glutaraldehyde-H2O2 or by glutaraldehyde-lanthanum. Cross sections through junctions fixed by conventional glutaraldehyde display the usual trilaminar profile of two parallel membranes separated by a narrow gap. Most of the junctional regions appear covered by 500–800 A vesicles which lie on both sides of the junction in rows adjacent to the membranes. Gross sections through junctions fixed by glutaraldehyde-H2O2 display, in regions containing vesicles, membranes with a beaded profile. The beads correspond to globules ∼125 A in width and ∼170 A in height arranged in a hexagonal pattern with a unit cell of ∼200 A. The globules of one membrane match precisely with those of the adjacent membrane, and opposite globules seem to come in contact with each other at the center of the junction. The membrane of the vesicles also contains globules. Occasionally the globules of the vesicles seem to join with those of the junctional membranes, apparently forming intracellular junctions. Injunctions negatively stained by lanthanum the globules are seen organized into two arrangements. Areas containing globules in a hexagonal array with a unit cell of ∼200 A (swollen pattern) are seen adjacent to areas in which the globules are more closely and disorderly packed (close packing), the minimum center-to-center distance between adjacent globules being ∼125 A. At higher magnification each globule appears composed of six subunits arranged in a circle around a central region occupied by lanthanum (possibly a pit).
Minimizing the Non-specific Binding of Nanoparticles to the Brain Enables Active Targeting of Fn14-positive Glioblastoma Cells

A major limitation in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and deadly primary brain cancer, is delivery of therapeutics to invading tumor cells outside of the area that is safe for surgical removal. A promising way to target invading GBM cells is via drug-loaded nanoparticles that bind to fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), thereby potentially improving efficacy and reducing toxicity. However, achieving broad particle distribution and nanoparticle targeting within the brain remains a significant challenge due to the adhesive extracellular matrix (ECM) and clearance mechanisms in the brain. In this work, we developed Fn14 monoclonal antibody-decorated nanoparticles that can efficiently penetrate brain tissue. We show these Fn14-targeted brain tissue penetrating nanoparticles are able to (i) selectively bind to recombinant Fn14 but not brain ECM proteins, (ii) associate with and be internalized by Fn14-positive GBM cells, and (iii) diffuse within brain tissue in a manner similar to non-targeted brain penetrating nanoparticles. In addition, when administered intracranially, Fn14-targeted nanoparticles showed improved tumor cell co-localization in mice bearing human GBM xenografts compared to non-targeted nanoparticles. Minimizing non-specific binding of targeted nanoparticles in the brain may greatly improve the access of particulate delivery systems to remote brain tumor cells and other brain targets.
Sports medicine and drug control programs of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 reconstituted the U.S. Olympic Committee ( USOC ), giving it new responsibilities and opportunities as a unifying force in amateur sports, including sports medicine. Sports medicine is the sum of attentions that promote and protect the health of the active person. Olympic sports medicine includes attention to the needs of both the elite athlete and the developing athlete. In some instances the attentions are the same; in others they are not. Those in Olympic sports medicine must thereby reduce the increasing array of general concepts and issues to the applicable specifics of the respective occasion, sport, and individual. The USOC Sports Medicine Program is guided by a 15-person volunteer Sports Medicine Council and implemented by a core Sports Medicine Division staff. Services are provided at the Olympic training centers in Colorado Springs and Lake Placid and extended through a budding network of colleagues in the field to clusters of athletes across the nations. Organizationally , the Division is composed of departments of biomechanics, sports physiology, clinical services, and educational services. Special projects are developed as warranted to provide focal attention to sports psychology, nutrition, chronobiology, vision enhancement, and drug control. The USOC Drug Control Program was born at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas after a long gestation period. Drug education in sports has been a frequent activity for the past 20 yr. sometimes focusing on illicit drugs (e.g., marijuana and cocaine) and sometimes on sports performance drugs (e.g., amphetamines and anabolic steroids).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Students Who Like and Dislike School

The major goal of this study was to investigate relationships among levels of 341 secondary school students’ school satisfaction and various intrapersonal, interpersonal, and academic measures. The measures included the School subscale from the Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1994), Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1991), Children’s Hope Scale (Snyder et al. 1997), Behavioral Assessment System for Children (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992), self-perceived grade point average (GPA) and participation in extracurricular activities (SEAs). Students were placed into three groups based on their school satisfaction reports, including very low (lowest 20%), average (middle 30%), and very high (highest 20%) levels of school satisfaction. Students with very low school satisfaction differed from students with very high school satisfaction on all adjustment measures; students with very low school satisfaction also differed from students with average levels of school satisfaction on all measures, except the self-esteem measure. Relative to students reporting average levels of school satisfaction, students reporting very high satisfaction demonstrated significantly higher scores on measures of global life satisfaction, hope, internal locus of control, and GPA. Finally, only three students in the very high satisfaction group and nine students in the average satisfaction group reported clinical levels of psychological symptoms. In the very low satisfaction group, clinical levels of symptoms were reported by 30%, 22%, and 16% of the students on the Clinical Maladjustment, Personal Adjustment, and Emotional Symptoms Index, respectively. Implications for future research and educational practices are discussed.
Laser-induced gas breakdown at cyclotron resonance: Low pressure results

Abstract He gas breakdown in the pressure range 0.5 to 10 Torr has been studied in a magnetic field near cyclotron resonance (8.76 T) using 1.22 mm laser radiation. At high focused laser intensity and low pressure the line shape of the laser absorption vs. magnetic field is dominated by laser intensity broadening rather than collisional broadening. The experimental data are in good agreement with a theory which takes into account the time dependence of the laser absorption. The theory predicts that, at cyclotron resonance, transmission through the gas breakdown volume is cut off due to the rapid growth of the electron density. The resulting transmitted pulses may be in the sub-nanosecond range.