cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social class, race/ethnicity and all-cause mortality in the US: longitudinal results from the 1986-1994 National Health Interview Survey.

Background: Occupational social class has become a leading indicator of social inequalities in health. In the US, economic sectors are distinct with respect to wages, benefits, job security, promotion ladders and working conditions. The growing economic sector of self-employed workers is characterized by lower wages and benefits, and greater job insecurity. Little attention has been given to the association between economic sector measures of social class and all-cause mortality, and there have been no studies of mortality among the self- employed. Methods: To determine risk of death associated with economic sector social class, this study entails a longitudinal analysis of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an annual household survey representative of the US population for the period 1986–1994 (n= 377,129). The sample includes 201,566 men and 175,563 women, aged 24–65 years of age, in the civilian labor force. Results: Non- professionals are at higher risk of death than professionals across all sectors and self-employed professionals are at higher risk of death than professionals employed in government and production. Additional social class differences are accounted for by age, race, gender and marital status. Results are also partially explained by income. After controlling for income, Black professionals did not show a lower risk of death than Black non-professionals and self-employed Hispanic professionals had a higher risk of death than Hispanic professionals employed in the private sector. Conclusions: Given the growth of self-employment in the US, the noted increased risk of death among self-employed professionals merits further investigation and monitoring.
Correlation of electrical and mechanical reverse remodeling after cardiac resynchronization therapy.

BACKGROUND Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves clinical outcome in many patients with refractory heart failure (HF). This study examined whether CRT is associated with reverse electrical remodeling by surface electrocardiogram (ECG). METHODS Consecutive CRT recipients at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center with >90 days of follow-up were included in this analysis. ECG data were abstracted from medical records. Subjects with a relative increase of > or =15% in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after CRT were considered responders. RESULTS A total of 113 patients (age 69 +/- 11 years, men 70%, white 92%) were followed for a mean duration of 407 +/- 290 (92-1439) days. Overall, LVEF increased after CRT (29 +/- 13% vs 24 +/- 9%; P < 0.01) and 50% of patients were responders. The mean native QRS interval among responders was higher than in nonresponders (163 +/- 32 ms vs 148 +/- 29 ms; P < 0.01). More than 3 months after CRT, there was no change in the paced QRS duration compared to baseline. Paced QRS duration, however, decreased among responders and increased among nonresponders and was significantly different by response status (P < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between increase in LVEF and decrease in paced QRS width in the overall population (r =-0.3; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Among responders to CRT, the paced QRS width decreases significantly, whereas it increases among nonresponders. Given the paced nature of the QRS, the improved conduction probably reflects enhanced cell-to-cell coupling after CRT as opposed to improved conduction within the His-Purkinje system. These findings have significant implications as to the mechanisms of benefit from CRT.
The proteins induced in black beetle virus-infected Drosophila cells at elevated temperature

Summary The virus of black beetle ( Heteronychus arator ) had little effect on the host cell protein synthesis during the early stages of infection of Drosophila melanogaster cells. Raising the culture temperature from 28 to 37° C induced heat shock proteins (hsp) and inhibited the normal pattern of cell protein synthesis. This permitted clearer visualization of 4 virus-specific polypeptides in infected cells. Actinomycin D inhibited hsp production and an additional high molecular weight viral polypeptide became apparent in infected cells.
Some Properties of Multiresponse D-Optimal Designs

Abstract The properties of D -optimal designs for multiresponse models are explored using the Equivalence Theorem by Fedorov ["Theory of Optimal Experiments," Academic Press, New York, 1972]. For some classes of multiresponse linear models, the results can be applied to simplify complicated multiresponse experimental design problems or to reduce multiresponse experimental design problems to single-response experimental design problems using the D -optimal design criterion.
Regional Population Dynamics and Seasonal Spatial Patterns of Argyrotaenia citrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) as Measured by a Pheromone Trap Grid and Larva Sampling

Larva sampling and a pheromone trap grid with 103 traps spaced 200 m apart were used to assess overwintering and movement of the tortricid, Argyrotaenia citrana (Fernald), in a region of caneberry, Rubus spp.; filberts, Cordaylus aveliana (Walsingham); open fields; and woods in the northern Willamette Valley, Oreg. A. citrana overwintered primarily in marionberry fields, within compact masses of dead leaves tied to canes on wire trellises. A. citrana did not overwinter on red raspberries, and survivorship on evergreen blackberries was low. Over 70% of the total catch in early season occurred in five traps located in marionberry fields. In 1984, cool temperatures had a direct effect on catch by reducing both numbers of traps catching moths and total moths trapped. Peak catch in spring occurred 3 wk after peak male emergence. Following peak male emergence, the number of traps catching moths increased dramatically, indicating that males were moving throughout the region. As emergence of summer adults began, however, moths were once again trapped primarily in marionberries. During the remainder of summer, the number of traps catching moths increased weekly. Peak emergence coincided with peak catch in August. Summer larva samples indicated that females dispersed into raspberry and blackberry fields adjacent to overwintering sites in marionberries. In 1985, catch in the spring was lower than in 1984, but was similarly restricted to moths on marionberries.
Space Trajectory On-Line Interpolation Technique of Six-DOF Robot

This paper presents a real-time interpolation algorithm of the space trajectory which based on the theory of coordinate transform. The algorithm can solve the path planning problem of six-DOF robot. According to the actual movement state of robot, the algorithm can obtain some key points for the robot motion path by teaching. Then it can realize the dimensional random trajectory interpolation by coordinate transformation after building a suitable dimensional coordinate. Finally it can obtain the corresponding joint angle though the inverse kinematics solution. The experimental results show that this algorithm has a good rapidity and practicality, it suit for the six-DOF robot real-time trajectory interpolation, so it is worth promoting.
Relativistic effects in dielectrics: An experimental decision between abraham and minkowski?

Abstract The force in dielectrics recently measured by Walker and Lahoz is shown to be a consequence of the ponderomotive laws of electrodynamics. Its existence is compatible with either the Abraham or Minkowski electromagnetic energy tensors, provided each is supplemented by an appropriate material energy tensor.
Synergistic activation of neurotensin/neuromedin N gene expression by c-Jun and glucocorticoids: novel effects of Fos family proteins.

The cis-regulatory region of the neurotensin/neuromedin N (NT/N) gene integrates diverse environmental signals in the neuroendocrine PC12 cell line, resulting in remarkable synergistic regulation. An AP-1 site appears to play a pivotal role in cooperative NT/N gene activation, as mutations in this site decrease responses to all inducer combinations by at least an order of magnitude. Here we report that c-Jun acts synergistically with glucocorticoids to activate the NT/N promoter, and that Fos family proteins have novel regulatory effects on this interaction. Cotransfection of individual pCMV-AP-1 expression plasmids revealed that c-Jun most potently activates the NT/N promoter and that costimulation with dexamethasone results in a further 6- to 12-fold increase in expression. Unlike its general inhibitory effects on glucocorticoid regulation in other systems, c-Fos potentiated activation by glucocorticoids when coexpressed with c-Jun, and Fos B had a similar, but more limited, positive effect. In contrast...
RENAL VASCULAR PROTECTION BY PROSTAGLANDINS DURING HYPOXEMIA IN UNANESTHETIZED FETAL LAMB

Fetal hypoxemia is thought to induce marked vasoconstriction, particularly in the renal (K) circulation. To study regional vascular responses to hypoxemia, 10 fetal lambs (110-135 days gestation) were instrumented with Doppler flow (F) probes on K, mesenteric(M), and iliac (I) arteries and with aortio and vena caval catheters for injection of radio-nuclide microspheres. After recovery from operation administration of 10%. O2 to conscious ewes reduced fetal PaO2 from 22 to 11 mmHg, heart rate from 175 to 129 beats/min, and increased mean arterial pressure from 44 to 53 mmHg. Hypoxemia reduced KF(23%), significantly less, P<.05, than MF (42%) and IF (80%). Pretreatment with meclofenamate, 10 mg/kg, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase, did not alter normoxic control values nor any responses to hypoxemia except in the K bed, where F fell by 55%. The hypoxemia induced decreases in KF and increases in K resistance were significantly greater, P<.01, than observed without meclofenamate, and were no longer significantly different from M and I responses. Thus, hypoxemia induces a differential pattern of response in the unanesthetized fetus with constriction less in K, than M and I beds. Prostaglandin control of the K bed is important even in the fetal circulation and appears to protect the K bed during hypoxemia. Where maintenance of KF is important, as during stress, the administration of prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors could be deleterious.
The thermal decomposition of aluminium sulfate

Abstract The mechanism of thermal decomposition of aluminum sulfate has been investigated in the 500–700°C temperature range using a flow reactor system with the emitted gaseous sulfur oxides collected in a Goksoyr—Ross coil and a hydrogen peroxide impinger. Sulfur trioxide (SO 3 ) was found to be the primary sulfur oxide released during thermal decomposition (1). Less than 3% of the released sulfur oxides were sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), indicating that the SO 3 dissociation reaction (2) is slow relative to the residence time of the SO 3 in the reactor (∼ 1 sec). The experimental technique should be readily adaptable to the study of the thermal decomposition of other metal sulfates.
Development and Factorial Validation of the Arizona Course/Instructor Evaluation Questionnaire:

Development of the Arizona Course/Instructor Evaluation Questionnaire is the result of over 15 years of research and experience in the area of instructional evaluation. The method of constructing the initial item pool, successive data analyses, subscale development, and normative data generation are described. Related research is presented demonstrating the reliability and validity of the Arizona Course/Instructor Evaluation Questionnaire.
A rapid line-scan ophthalmoscope for intrinsic optical signal imaging of retinal photoreceptors

A line-scan confocal ophthalmoscope was constructed to achieve intrinsic optical signal (IOS) imaging with cellular and millisecond resolution. In vivo confocal IOS mapping of localized (30 µm) retinal dysfunction was demonstrated in laser-injured frog eyes.
Isolation and purification of acid phosphatase-containing autofluorescent granules from homogenates of rat kidney cortex.

A method was developed for the isolation of a highly purified fraction of acid phosphatase-containing autofluorescent granules from homogenates of rat kidney cortex. The purity of the isolated fraction was evaluated by means of electron microscopy of cross sections of pellets centrifuged onto flat discs placed normal to the centrifugal force. In one experiment, where several cross sections of one pellet were evaluated quantitatively, an average of 97.7% of the volume of the material in the pellet consisted of electron dense granules, which were identical in ultrastructure to some of the cytoplasmic bodies which are present in proximal tubule cells.
Nucleophilic character of an electrophilic carbene. Synthesis of cyclopropanes by thermal decomposition of 3-chloro-3-phenyldiazirine

Abstract Chlorophenylcarbene reacts with electrophilic olefins to form cyclopropane products in high yield through proposed ylide intermediates.
The genome sequence of the fungal pathogen Fusarium virguliforme that causes sudden death syndrome in soybean.

Fusarium virguliforme causes sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean, a disease of serious concern throughout most of the soybean producing regions of the world. Despite the global importance, little is known about the pathogenesis mechanisms of F. virguliforme. Thus, we applied Next-Generation DNA Sequencing to reveal the draft F. virguliforme genome sequence and identified putative pathogenicity genes to facilitate discovering the mechanisms used by the pathogen to cause this disease. Methodology/Principal Findings We have generated the draft genome sequence of F. virguliforme by conducting whole-genome shotgun sequencing on a 454 GS-FLX Titanium sequencer. Initially, single-end reads of a 400-bp shotgun library were assembled using the PCAP program. Paired end sequences from 3 and 20 Kb DNA fragments and approximately 100 Kb inserts of 1,400 BAC clones were used to generate the assembled genome. The assembled genome sequence was 51 Mb. The N50 scaffold number was 11 with an N50 Scaffold length of 1,263 Kb. The AUGUSTUS gene prediction program predicted 14,845 putative genes, which were annotated with Pfam and GO databases. Gene distributions were uniform in all but one of the major scaffolds. Phylogenic analyses revealed that F. virguliforme was closely related to the pea pathogen, Nectria haematococca. Of the 14,845 F. virguliforme genes, 11,043 were conserved among five Fusarium species: F. virguliforme, F. graminearum, F. verticillioides, F. oxysporum and N. haematococca; and 1,332 F. virguliforme-specific genes, which may include pathogenicity genes. Additionally, searches for candidate F. virguliforme pathogenicity genes using gene sequences of the pathogen-host interaction database identified 358 genes. Conclusions The F. virguliforme genome sequence and putative pathogenicity genes presented here will facilitate identification of pathogenicity mechanisms involved in SDS development. Together, these resources will expedite our efforts towards discovering pathogenicity mechanisms in F. virguliforme. This will ultimately lead to improvement of SDS resistance in soybean.
Induction of labor in the United States: a critical appraisal of appropriateness and reducibility.

Approximately 1 in 4 women in the United States are induced, with up to 1 in 10-12 being induced for elective reasons. National guidelines by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society of Obstetricians Gynaecologists of Canada, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists list 21 indications for inductions; however, all 3 concur in only 14% women (3 of 21). An induction should be considered appropriate if it meets the following 4 criteria: (1) concordant with women's autonomous informed decisions and desideratum; (2) optimizes maternal–fetal outcomes, including psychological maternal well-being; (3) congruous with evidence-based medicine; and (4) cost-effective. A meta-analysis of 22 randomized trials noted that membrane sweeping reduces the likelihood of induction. Implementing policies to prevent elective induction at 37-38 weeks provides conflicting results about the rate of macrosomia and stillbirth at early term. We argue that a well-designed randomized controlled trial, with adequate power to demonstrate whether prohibiting elective induction increases the rate of stillbirth or complications such as macrosomia, is warranted. Patient education during their prenatal course is a promising strategy to decrease the rate of induction.
High-Power GaN Electronic Devices

Gallium Nitride (GaN) and related materials (especially AlGaN) recently have attracted a lot of interest for applications in high-power electronics capable of operation at elevated temperatures and high frequencies. The AlGaInN system offers numerous advantages. These include wide bandgaps, good transport properties, the availability of heterostructures (particularly AlGaN/GaN), the experience base gained by the commercialization of GaN-based laser and light-emitting diodes and the existence of a high growth rate epitaxial method (hydride vapor phase epitaxy, HVPE) for producing very thick layers or even quasisubstrates. These attributes have led to rapid progress in the realization of a broad range of GaN electronic devices. AlxGa1-xN (x=0 ∼.25) Schottky rectifiers were fabricated in a lateral geometry employing p+-implanted guard rings and rectifying contact overlap onto an SiO2 passivation layer. The reverse breakdown voltage (VB) increased with the spacing between Schottky and ohmic metal contacts, re...
Reducing Elevated Plasma LDL Cholesterol: The Central Role of the LDL Receptor

Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and reduction of elevated LDL-C reduces mortality in patients at risk. This benefit has evolved from the use of statins and knowledge of the LDL receptor (LDLR). The most potent drugs used for dyslipidemias act by mechanisms that involve this receptor. Advances in molecular genetics and understanding of the regulation of this receptor have revealed several pharmacological targets that are being explored to develop more targeted therapies for dyslipidemias.
Global solutions of systems of nonlinear difference equations and their properties

We establish sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a global solution of one class of systems of nonlinear difference equations and investigate its properties.
Studies of the genetic mechanism of radiation-induced mitotic segregation in yeast

Sectoring was induced with x-rays or ultraviolet in a diploid yeast strain heterozygous for seven genes located on one chromosome arm. The frequencies of sectoring of different genes were approximately linearly related to their distance from the centromere. If two or more adjacent genes sectored, the event could be explained by mitotic crossing over. Sectoring of single genes, however, was mostly nonreciprocal and resembled a conversion-type event. Approximately 80% of the sectored colonies could be explained single mitotic crossovers in one of the intergenic regions.
Limits of Soil Production

Rocky mountain ranges may appear static but are constantly in motion. Tectonic forces push the mountains up, while physical and chemical processes break rocks down to sediment that is transported to river plains and ultimately to the sea. This cycle is thought to regulate global climate over million-year time scales ( 1 ) while also responding to climate forcing itself ( 2 ). It remains unclear whether mountain uplift drives climate change, or whether climatic cooling drives uplift by causing faster erosion ( 3 ). On page 637 of this issue, Larsen et al. ( 4 ) provide data that help to quantify these controls on mountain building, reporting faster sediment production rates and higher chemical weathering rates than previously measured. Their results also provide key insights into soil sustainability over shorter time scales ( 5 ).
Prospective Payment: Implications for Medical Technology

Excerpt The article by Vladeck (1) in this issue is as lucid an overview of the theory and practice of prospective payment as can be found. As Vladeck suggests, per-case payment based on diagnosis-...
Automatic Determination of Pressurized Water Reactor Core Loading Patterns That Maximize Beginning-of-Cycle Reactivity Within Power-Peaking and Burnup Constraints

Computational capability has been developed to automatically determine a good estimate of the core loading pattern, which minimizes fuel cycle costs for a pressurized water reactor (PWR). Equating fuel cycle cost minimization with core reactivity maximization, the objective is to determine the loading pattern that maximizes core reactivity while satisfying power peaking, discharge burnup, and other constraints. The method utilizes a two-dimensional, coarse-mesh, finite difference scheme to evaluate core reactivity and fluxes for an initial reference loading pattern. First-order perturbation theory is applied to determine the effects of assembly shuffling on reactivity, power distribution, end-of-cycle burnup. Monte Carlo integer programming is then used to determine a near-optimal loading pattern within a range of loading patterns near the reference pattern. The process then repeats with the new loading pattern as the reference loading pattern and terminates when no better loading pattern can be determined. The process was applied with both reactivity maximization and radial power-peaking minimization as objectives. Results on a typical large PWR indicate that the cost of obtaining an 8% improvement in radial power-peaking margin is approx. =2% in fuel cycle costs, for the reload core loaded without burnable poisons that was studied.
The ecology of parental care in a terrestrial breeding frog from New Guinea

Cophixalus parkeri is a terrestrial breeding microhylid frog from the montane moss forests of northeastern New Guinea. The pattern of parental care in this species and its adaptive significance was studied in the field and in the laboratory. Egg brooding, is performed by the male in most cases, and much less frequently by the female. The parent remains with the clutch throughout the 85–100 day prehatching period. Egg removal experiments demonstrated that survivorship of embryos significantly decreased in the absence of the attending parent. Mortality of unattended embryos may be caused by a variety of factors, including fungal infection, egg cannibalism, predation by arthropods, and abnormal development.
A comparative study of traditional and newly proposed features for recognition of speech under stress

It is well known that the performance of speech recognition algorithms degrade in the presence of adverse environments where a speaker is under stress, emotion, or Lombard (1911) effect. This study evaluates the effectiveness of traditional features in recognition of speech under stress and formulates new features which are shown to improve stressed speech recognition. The focus is on formulating robust features which are less dependent on the speaking conditions rather than applying compensation or adaptation techniques. The stressed speaking styles considered are simulated angry and loud. Lombard effect speech, and noisy actual stressed speech from the SUSAS database which is available on a CD-ROM through the NATO IST/TG-01 research group and LDC. In addition, this study investigates the immunity of the linear prediction power spectrum and fast Fourier transform power spectrum to the presence of stress. Our results show that unlike fast Fourier transform's (FFT) immunity to noise, the linear prediction power spectrum is more immune than FFT to stress as well as to a combination of a noisy and stressful environment. Finally, the effect of various parameter processing such as fixed versus variable preemphasis, liftering, and fixed versus cepstral mean normalization are studied. Two alternative frequency partitioning methods are proposed and compared with traditional mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) features for stressed speech recognition. It is shown that the alternate filterbank frequency partitions are more effective for recognition of speech under both simulated and actual stressed conditions.
Definitional Argument in Evolutionary Psychology and Cultural Anthropology

An old aphorism claims that “The person who defines the terms of the debate can win it.” This paper argues that the debate between evolutionary psychologists and cultural anthropologists over the biological explanation of human behavior is framed by a larger definitional dispute over the question, “What is culture?” Both disciplines attempt to define “culture” to build their disciplines, but were engaged in different kinds of arguments by definition. Definitional arguments often take one of two forms. A real definition takes the form “What is X?” In this view, we should use the word “X” in a particular way because that is what X really is. The other form of definitional argument, pragmatic definition, takes the form, “How should we use the term X?” In this view, an arguer puts for reasons for using the term “X” in a particular way. Evolutionary psychologists are engaged in argument by real definition. In their “manifesto” for evolutionary psychology, Tooby and Cosmides argue that the explanations of social or cultural behavior in the social sciences are “incoherent” because they attempt to explain such behavior “psychological phenomena without describing or even mentioning the evolved mechanisms their theories would require to be complete or coherent” (p.37). Because humans are biological creatures, cultural explanations must include biology because culture really is biological. Hence, biology is a necessary part of explanations of human culture. Cultural anthropologists engaged in argument by persuasive definition. A close examination of Kroeber’s writings reveals, however, that he readily acknowledged that humans were biological and culture rested on a biological foundation. He argued that we should treat culture as autonomous in our explanatory schemes because that would bring benefits to the biological sciences as well as the human sciences. In his writings, Kroeber reveals himself as a staunch Darwinian who argues for the autonomy of cultural anthropology on pragmatic, not on ontological grounds. Hence, the historical caricature of his work by evolutionary psychology fails.
Breaking with orthodoxy: the politics of economic policy responses to the Depression of the 1930s

Under the same systemic shock, the collapse of the international economy in 1929, different countries formulated different policy responses. Britain, Germany, the United States, France, and Sweden all began by attempting the orthodoxy of deflation. Soon after, they abandoned deflation, devalued their currencies, erected tariff barriers, and set up corporatistic production and marketing arrangements. A few countries went further, and began experimenting with demand-stimulus fiscal policy. The most successful was Nazi Germany; the Swedish and U.S. efforts were much more limited and less effective, the French attempt crumbled in less than a year, and Britain never tried demand stimulus. Why this divergence in policy? The politics of policy response, the societal basis of different policy coalitions and the way in which they were expressed through different political formulations, suggests an answer. In all countries, labor, agriculture, and certain elements of business became available for revolts against policy orthodoxy. What differed across countries was the specific balance of forces among these interest groups, and the political factors that shaped their combinations. The effect of political leadership, institutions, and other variables on outcomes depended critically on the way specific social forces in each society used and worked through them.
Comparison of Radar Data from the TRMM Satellite and Kwajalein Oceanic Validation Site

Data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR) and Kwajalein S-band validation radar (KR) agree well for reflectivity exceeding the sensitivity of the PR threshold ( ;17 dBZ). For echoes above this intensity threshold, the products derived from reflectivity, particularly maps of rainfall rate and convective/stratiform classification, compare well, even though slightly different convective‐stratiform separation techniques and different reflectivity‐rainfall rate ( Z‐R) relations are used for the PR and KR. The KR observations indicate the PR misses only 2.3% of near-surface rainfall but 46% of near-surface rain area ( $0 dBZ) because of its 17-dBZ threshold. The PR senses less than 15% of the echo area observed by the KR above 5-km altitude (i.e., above the 08C level). Thus, the PR highly undersamples weaker echoes associated with stratiform rain near the surface and ice particles aloft but still manages to capture most of the near-surface precipitation accumulation. The temporal sampling of the TRMM PR accurately captures the KR’s overall frequency distribution of reflectivity and its subdivision into convective and stratiform components. However, diurnal and latitudinal variations of precipitation in the vicinity of Kwajalein are not well sampled.
Coherent addition of intermodulation distortion in spectrum analyzers

Third-order intermodulation distortion testing using CW signals has long been known to be subject to errors due to the coherence of the spectral components generated in the device under test and the analysis device. The same effect occurs when the test signal is noise-like, such as a W-CDMA signal, even though such a signal appears to be noncoherent. This paper demonstrates the effect, so that the reader can be better prepared to optimize the accuracy of measurements of adjacent channel leakage in W-CDMA components.
Endothelial inflammation correlates with subject triglycerides and waist size after a high-fat meal

A rise in postprandial serum triglycerides (PP-sTG) can potentiate inflammatory responses in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and thus serves as an independent risk factor for predicting increased cardiovascular morbidity. We examined postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (PP-TGRLs) in subjects ranging from normal to hypertriglyceridemic for their capacity to alter EC acute inflammatory responses. Cultured human aortic ECs (HAECs) were conditioned with PP-TGRLs isolated from human serum at the peak after a moderately high-fat meal. VLDL particle size increased postprandially and varied directly with the subject's PP-sTG level and waist circumference. PP-TGRL particles bound to HAECs and were internalized via LDL receptor-mediated endocytosis. PP-TGRL alone did not induce an inflammatory response over the range of individuals studied. However, combined with low-dose TNF-α stimulation (0.3 ng/ml), it elicited a net 10–15% increase above cytokine alone in the membrane expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin, which was not observed with fasting TGRLs. In contrast to upregulation of ICAM-1 and E-selectin, VCAM-1 transcription and expression varied in direct proportion with individual PP-sTG and waist circumference. The extent of monocyte arrest on inflamed HAECs under shear stress also correlated closely with VCAM-1 expression induced by conditioning with PP-TGRL and TNF-α stimulation. This ex vivo approach provides a quantitative means to assess an individual's inflammatory potential, revealing a greater propensity for endothelial inflammation in hypertriglyceridemic individuals with abdominal obesity.
A microfluidic oligonucleotide synthesizer

De novo gene and genome synthesis enables the design of any sequence without the requirement of a pre-existing template as in traditional genetic engineering methods. The ability to mass produce synthetic genes holds great potential for biological research, but widespread availability of de novo DNA constructs is currently hampered by their high cost. In this work, we describe a microfluidic platform for parallel solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides that can greatly reduce the cost of gene synthesis by reducing reagent consumption (by 100-fold) while maintaining a � 100pmol synthesis scale so there is no need for amplification before assembly. Sixteen oligonucleotides were synthesized in parallel on this platform and then successfully used in a ligation-mediated assembly method to generate DNA constructs � 200bp in length.
Fitness consequences of personality: a meta-analysis

The study of nonhuman personality capitalizes on the fact that individuals of many species behave in predictable, variable, and quantifiable ways. Although a few empirical studies have examined the ultimate consequences of personality differences, there has been no synthesis of results. We conducted a formal meta-analysis of published studies reporting fitness consequences of single personality dimensions to identify general trends across species. We found bolder individuals had increased reproductive success, particularly in males, but incurred a survival cost, thus, supporting the hypothesis that variation in boldness was maintained due to a ‘‘trade-off’’ in fitness consequences across contexts. Potential mechanisms maintaining variation in exploration and aggression are not as clear. Exploration had a positive effect only on survival, whereas aggression had a positive effect on both reproductive success and, not significantly, on survival. Such results would suggest that selection is driving populations to become more explorative and aggressive. However, limitations in meta-analytic techniques preclude us from testing for the effects of fluctuating environmental conditions or other forms of selection on these dimensions. Results do, however, provide evidence for general relationships between personality and fitness, and we provide a framework for future studies to follow in the hopes of spurring more in-depth, long-term research into the evolutionary mechanisms maintaining variation in personality dimensions and overall behavioral syndromes. We conclude with a discussion on how understanding and managing personality traits may play a key role in the captive breeding and recovery programs of endangered species. Key words: behavioral syndrome, fitness, personality, reproductive success, survival. [Behav Ecol]
Toxicology in the ICU : Part 1: General Overview and Approach to Treatment

Poisonings, adverse drug effects, and envenomations continue to be commonly encountered. Patients often present critically ill and warrant ICU admission. Many other patients who are initially stable have the potential for rapid deterioration and require continuous cardiopulmonary and neurologic monitoring. Given the potential for rapid deterioration, and because patients need continuous monitoring, ICU admission is frequently required. This article is the first of a three-part series to be published in CHEST; it discusses general management, laboratory tests, enhanced elimination, and emerging therapies. The second article will address the management of specific overdoses; the last will cover plants, mushrooms, envenomations, and heavy metals.
Estimaton of Pressure Fields Using Velocity Measurements

An approach to estimating pressure fields due to unsteady flows associated with flow- induced vibration is presented. Pressure estimates of this type are useful for modeling the hydrodynamic forces on structures undergoing flow-induced vibration (Paper F02). The approach is based on a boundary-element solution to the Poisson equation for total pressure, using measurements of both the velocity field and the motion of the structure as input. An outline of the problem formulation and numerical issues will be presented. An application of the method to the case of flow-induced vibration of a cantilevered cylinder will be presented. Measurements of the velocity field in a finite control volume containing the vibrating cylinder are used to estimate the pressure and pressure work both on the outer boundary of the control volume, as well as on the cylinder surface. Estimates of the hydrodynamic energy input to the cylinder are presented, with emphasis given to the separate contributions of cylinder motion and fluctuations of the wake.
The genetics of generalized vitiligo: autoimmune pathways and an inverse relationship with malignant melanoma

Generalized vitiligo (GV) is the most common pigmentation disease, in which white spots of skin and overlying hair result from loss of melanocytes from the involved regions. GV is a complex disease involving both genetic predisposition and unknown environmental triggers. Whereas various pathogenetic mechanisms have been suggested, most evidence supports an autoimmune basis for this disease. Recently, three different genome-wide association studies of GV have been reported, identifying a total of 17 confirmed GV susceptibility loci. Almost all of these genes encode immunoregulatory proteins, together highlighting pathways by which melanocytes might be recognized and killed. Moreover, the biological interaction between two of these GV susceptibility genes, HLA-A and TYR (encoding tyrosinase), points to an apparent inverse relationship between susceptibility to GV versus malignant melanoma, suggesting that GV may result, in part, from dysregulation of normal processes of immune surveillance against melanoma.
Learning across geographic space: Pro-market reforms, multinationalization strategy, and profitability

Building on economic geography and knowledge-based theory, I argue that pro-market reforms augment the profitability of firms by increasing their competitiveness and market knowledge. However, I propose that this effect is greater for firms that operate internationally, firms that operate in more advanced markets, and firms that become multinationals before reforms are implemented. This is because such firms acquire market knowledge abroad that they can use when responding to reforms at home, giving them a head-start advantage over other local firms. The analyses of a panel of the largest 500 Latin American companies from 1989 to 2008 provide support for these arguments.
Mechanistic data and risk assessment of selected toxic end points of the thyroid gland

Many goitrogenic xenobiotics that increase the incidence of thyroid tumors in rodents exert a direct effect on the thyroid gland to disrupt one of several possible steps in the biosynthesis, secretion, and metabolism of thyroid hormones. This includes (a) inhibition of the iodine trapping mechanism, (b) blockage of organic binding of iodine and coupling of iodothyronines to form thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), and (c) inhibition of thyroid hormone secretion by an effect on proteolysis of active hormone from the colloid. Another large group of goitrogenic chemicals disrupts thyroid hormone economy by increasing the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones through an induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes. This group includes central nervous system-acting drugs, calcium channel blockers, steroids, retinoids, chlorinated hydrocarbons, polyhalogenated biphenyls, and enzyme inducers. Thyroid hormone economy also can be disrupted by xenobiotics that inhibit the 5'-monodeiodinase that converts T4 in peripheral sites to biologically active T3. Inhibition of this enzyme by FD&C Red No. 3 lowers circulating T3 levels, which results in a compensatory increased secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), follicular cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, and an increased incidence of follicular cell tumors in 2-yr or lifetime studies in rats. Physiologic perturbations alone, such as the feeding of an iodine-deficient diet, partial thyroidectomy, natural goitrogens in certain foods, and transplantation of TSH-secreting pituitary tumors in rodents also can disrupt thyroid hormone economy and, if sustained, increase the development of thyroid tumors in rats. A consistent finding with all of these goitrogens, be they either physiologic perturbations or xenobiotics, is the chronic hypersecretion of TSH, which places the rodent thyroid gland at greater risk to develop tumors through a secondary (indirect) mechanism of thyroid oncogenesis associated with hormonal imbalances.
Using information technology to reduce rates of medication errors in hospitals

Data continue to show that medication errors are frequent and that adverse drug events, or injuries due to drugs, occur more often than necessary.1–4 In fact, the frequency and consequences of iatrogenic injuries seems to dwarf the frequency of other types of injuries that have received more public attention, such as aeroplane and automobile crashes.2 A recent meta-analysis reported an overall incidence of 6.7% for serious adverse drug reactions (a term that excludes events associated with errors) in hospitals.4 Between 28% and 56% of adverse drug events are preventable. 3 5–7 Though the reasons this issue has received so little attention are complex, the reasons that medical injuries occur with some frequency are perhaps less so; medicine is more or less a cottage industry, with little standardisation and relatively few safeguards in comparison to, say, manufacturing. In fact, most of the systems in place in medicine were never formally designed, and this holds for the entire process of giving drugs. #### Summary points Although information technologies are widely used in hospitals, relatively few data are available regarding their impact on the safety of the process of giving drugs Exceptions are computerised physician order entry and computerised physician decision support, which have been found to improve drug safety Other innovations, including using robots to fill prescriptions, bar coding, automateddispensing devices, and computerisation of the medication administration record, though less studied, should all eventually reduce error rates The medication system of the future will include these and other technologies, all electronically linked Take, for example, the allergy detection process used in our hospital several years ago, which was similar to that used in most hospitals at the time. Physicians, medical students, and nurses all asked patients what their allergies were. This information was recorded at several sites in …
Precisely positioning pallets in multi-station assembly systems

In multi-station assembly systems, common for mass-customization manufacturing strategies, the product being assembled is held in a fixture attached to a pallet, and the pallet is conveyed between workstations. In high-precision assembly systems, variation in the position of the pallet is one of the largest sources of variation within the error budget, reducing quality and yields. Conventional approaches to locating pallets use pins and bushings, and a method for predicting their repeatability is presented. This paper also presents an exact constraint approach using a split-groove kinematic coupling, which reduces variation in pallet location by an order of magnitude.
Electrocardiographic left atrial abnormality and stroke subtype in the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between abnormally increased P-wave terminal force in lead V1, an electrocardiographic (ECG) marker of left atrial abnormality, and incident ischemic stroke subtypes. We hypothesized that associations would be stronger with nonlacunar stroke, given that we expected left atrial abnormality to reflect the risk of thromboembolism rather than in situ cerebral small-vessel occlusion. Methods Our cohort comprised 14,542 participants 45 to 64 years of age prospectively enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study and free of clinically apparent atrial fibrillation (AF) at baseline. Left atrial abnormality was defined as PTFV1 >4,000μV*ms. Outcomes were adjudicated ischemic stroke, nonlacunar (including cardioembolic) ischemic stroke, and lacunar stroke. Results During a median follow-up period of 22 years (interquartile range, 19–23 years), 904 participants (6.2%) experienced a definite or probable ischemic stroke. A higher incidence of stroke occurred in those with baseline left atrial abnormality (incidence rate per 1,000 person-years, 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.4–7.4) than in those without (incidence rate per 1,000 person-years, 2.9; 95% CI: 2.7–3.1; p < 0.001). In Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders and incident AF, left atrial abnormality was associated with incident ischemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.11–1.59). This association was limited to nonlacunar stroke (HR, 1.49; 95% CI: 1.07–2.07) as opposed to lacunar stroke (HR, 0.89; 95% CI: 0.57–1.40). Interpretation We found an association between ECG-defined left atrial abnormality and subsequent nonlacunar ischemic stroke. Our findings suggest that an underlying atrial cardiopathy may cause left atrial thromboembolism in the absence of recognized AF. Ann Neurol 2015;78:Ann Neurol 2015;78:679–696
Solute-Solvent Complex Switching Dynamics of Chloroform between Acetone and Dimethylsulfoxide-Two-Dimensional IR Chemical Exchange Spectroscopy

Hydrogen bonds formed between C-H and various hydrogen bond acceptors play important roles in the structure of proteins and organic crystals, and the mechanisms of C-H bond cleavage reactions. Chloroform, a C-H hydrogen bond donor, can form weak hydrogen-bonded complexes with acetone and with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). When chloroform is dissolved in a mixed solvent consisting of acetone and DMSO, both types of hydrogen-bonded complexes exist. The two complexes, chloroform-acetone and chloroform-DMSO, are in equilibrium, and they rapidly interconvert by chloroform exchanging hydrogen bond acceptors. This fast hydrogen bond acceptor substitution reaction is probed using ultrafast two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) vibrational echo chemical exchange spectroscopy. Deuterated chloroform is used in the experiments, and the 2D-IR spectrum of the C-D stretching mode is measured. The chemical exchange of the chloroform hydrogen bonding partners is tracked by observing the time-dependent growth of off-diagonal peaks in the 2D-IR spectra. The measured substitution rate is 1/30 ps for an acetone molecule to replace a DMSO molecule in a chloroform-DMSO complex and 1/45 ps for a DMSO molecule to replace an acetone molecule in a chloroform-acetone complex. Free chloroform exists in the mixed solvent, and it acts as a reactive intermediate in the substitution reaction, analogous to a SN1 type reaction. From the measured rates and the equilibrium concentrations of acetone and DMSO, the dissociation rates for the chloroform-DMSO and chloroform-acetone complexes are found to be 1/24 ps and 1/5.5 ps, respectively. The difference between the measured rate for the complete substitution reaction and the rate for complex dissociation corresponds to the diffusion limited rate. The estimated diffusion limited rate agrees well with the result from a Smoluchowski treatment of diffusive reactions.
Determination of the optimal investment in end products and repair resources

Abstract : The paper demonstrates how to determine the minimal cost combination of end products and investment in repair service capability in order to maintain a given level of operating end products. The model is then applied to the problem of determining the optimal size of the Navy's F-4 aircraft pipeline. (Author)
Controversial issues in clinical management of the simple wound.

Summary The primary goals of the practitioner managing a simple wound are to encourage primary healing and avoid infection. We conclude from this analysis that the four basic aspects of wound management we have reviewed, the timing of wound repair, the preparation of the wound, local anesthetic management, and antimicrobial therapy, will continue to be fertile topics for investigation and debate.
Tapping into a Different Cultural Tradition: Sir William Temple's Aesthetic Innovations

Studies of Sir William Temple usually associate him with the English Battle of the Books. Since his defense of the old against the new in European arts and sciences was known even in his day to be inadequate, his role in the literary history of England has so far been largely trivialized. Challenging this conventional reading, this essay strives to show that the innovation and significance of Temple's aesthetics was closely connected with his somewhat known—but hitherto insufficiently scrutinized—longstanding interest in the cultural tradition of the Far East.