cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ratio of pericardial to subcutaneous adipose tissues is associated with insulin resistance.

Objective To examine the association between pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) and the ratio of PAT to subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) with insulin resistance in adults with and without type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods Data for this report came from a substudy of the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes cohort (n = 83; 38 with T1D, 45 without T1D). Insulin resistance was measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) was used to measure visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and SAT. PAT was measured from CT scans of the heart. Results PAT and the ratio of PAT to SAT was higher in males compared to females. After adjustment for demographics, diabetes, blood pressure and lipid factors, BMI, VAT, and log PAT/SAT ratio, log PAT was positively associated with the glucose infusion rate (GIR) in females only (β = 3.36 ± 1.96, P = 0.097, P for sex interaction = 0.055). Conversely, the log PAT/SAT ratio was significantly associated with decreased GIR in both males and females (β = −2.08 ± 1.03, P = 0.047, P for sex interaction = 0.768). Conclusions A significant association between the PAT/SAT ratio and insulin resistance was found, independent of BMI, VAT, and PAT. These results highlight the importance of considering fat distribution independent of volume.
Integrated Magnetic Bead–Quantum Dot Immunoassay for Malaria Detection

Malaria persists as a disease of high morbidity and mortality due to improper diagnosis, overuse of drugs, rapidly evolving drug resistant parasites, and poor disease monitoring. The two common tests used in developing countries, microscopic examination of Glemsa slides and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), have limitations associated with variability in specificity and sensitivity, and qualitative outcome. Here we report on an immunoassay using magnetic beads for capture and quantum dots for detection of histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2). Conventional immunoassays, such as ELISA, and molecular analysis tools, such as PCR, are difficult to implement in low resource settings. Therefore, to provide a proof-of-principle of translation of this assay to low resource settings, we demonstrate HRP2 detection in an automated droplet-based microfluidic device. Droplet-based platforms have the potential to allow translation of molecular detection assays to point-of-care use in low resource settings.
Environmental Consequences of Moral Disinhibition

The author introduces the concept of the moral disinhibition effect as a partial explanation for some unanticipated and/or unintended consequences of technologies. The moral disinhibition effect re...
Novel ABCA4 mutation leads to loss of a conserved C-terminal motif: implications for predicting pathogenicity based on genetic testing.

Purpose:Mutations in the ABCA4 gene result in a broad spectrum of severe retinal degeneration, including Stargardt macular dystrophy, fundus flavimaculatus, autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa...
The Role of the Environment on Sedentary Behavior in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

To compare amounts of sedentary behavior and physical activity in adults residing in planned group residential settings to those residing in private homes, this study recruited 31 older adults who ...
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF A MODEL Si-SiO2 INTERFACE

ABSTRACT We are investigating the electronic structure of model Si-SiO2 interfaces with a view to determining the nature of the localized interface states. Using superlattices (repeated Si and SiO2 regions) containing 17 to 23 atoms per unit cell, we have determined the electronic structure of fully-ordered interfaces using both the ETB (extended tight-binding) and the LCMTO (linear combination of muffin-tin orbitals) methods. In this note, preliminary results will be reported for an interface formed by connecting the (100) face of a silicon crystal with the (100) face of an idealized SiO2 crystal with one rotated 45° with respect to the other. One attractive feature of this model is that the interface is formed from two crystals: there is no need to introduce an amorphous transition region. Another is the possibility of introducing chemical and structural imperfections at the interface and taking their presence into account by first-principles methods.
Molecular differentiation of the rabbit ovum. III. Fertilization-autonomous polypeptide synthesis.

Abstract Autoradiographic patterns of [1-35S]methionine-labeled polypeptides separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were obtained from (1) rabbit oocytes that had undergone meiotic maturation to metaphase II in vivo or in vitro, (2) in vitro matured oocytes cultured for an additional 36 hr, or recovered from the reproductive tract at 36 hr after ovulation, (3) newly fertilized eggs, and (4) embryos developed in vivo or in vitro from the 1-cell stage to the 12- to 16-cell stage. The findings indicate that the detectable synthesis of a set of stage-specific (cleavage) polypeptides is autonomous of fertilization and appears to follow a timed, translational schedule initiated with the breakdown of the oocyte nucleus during the resumption of arrested meiosis.
Word Reading Processes in Adult Learners

The National Adult Literacy Survey (Kirsch, Jungblut, Jenkins & Kolstad, 1993) reported estimates of 40 to 44 million Americans with literacy scores in the lowest proficiency level and another 50 millions in the second lowest level of prose literacy skills. Some 4 million of these adults participate in adult literacy and education programs to improve their basic reading skills and further their educational prospects. The adult literacy gap has significant implications for social and economic equity in the U.S. Despite the scope of the problem, our understanding of the reading processes of low literate adults is incomplete, especially when compared with the research base on reading in children.
Dexamethsone suppresses bone formation via the osteoclast

Glucocorticoids are central to treating inflammatory and immune disorders. These steroids, however, profoundly impact the skeleton, particularly when administered for prolonged periods. In fact, high-dose glucocorticoid therapy is almost universally associated with bone loss, prompting among the most common forms of crippling osteoporosis. Despite the frequency and severity of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, its treatment is less than satisfactory, suggesting that its pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Net bone mass represents the relative activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and there is little question that glucocorticoids suppress the bone-forming cells, in vivo, via a process involving accelerated apoptosis (Weinstein 2001; Weinstein, Jilka, Parfitt, et al. 1998). Surprisingly, however, addition of glucocorticoids to cultures of osteoprogenitor cells actually increases their capacity to form mineralized bone nodules (Aubin 1999; Purpura, Aubin, and Zandstra 2004). This paradox raises the possibility that glucocorticoid suppression of bone formation, in vivo, reflects, at least in part, the steroid's targeting intermediary cells, which in turn inhibit the osteoblast. Bone remodeling is an ever-occuring event in mammals which is characterized by tethering of osteoclast and osteoblast function. The process is initiated by osteoclasts (OCs) resorbing a packet of bone, which in turn leads to osteoblasts being recruited to the site of resorption. This process establishes that osteoclastic bone resorption, in some manner, promotes osteoblastic bone formation at the same location. Consequently, pathologically or pharmacologically inhibited resorption eventuates in arrested osteoblast activity.
The effect of transmission-line dynamics on a globally synchronizing controller for power inverters

In this work, we analyze a dispatchable virtual oscillator control (dVOC) strategy for grid-forming power inverters that ensures almost global synchronization of inverterbased AC power systems when the dynamics of the transmission network are neglected, i.e., if an algebraic model of the transmission lines is used. While this approximation is often justified for conventional power systems, the dynamics of the transmission lines can compromise the stability of an inverterbased power system. Therefore, in this article, we use tools from singular perturbation theory to construct a Lyapunov function candidate and explicit bounds on the controller gains that guarantee global convergence to the set of steady-states for the full power-system with transmission line dynamics. Moreover, we show that the only undesirable steady-state is unstable.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Discharge to Rehabilitation Following Burn Injury

Racial and ethnic disparities in access to inpatient rehabilitation have been previously described for various injury groups; however, no studies have evaluated whether such disparities exist among burn patients. Their aim was to determine if racial disparities in discharge destination (inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility, home with home health, or home) following burn injury existed in this single-institution study. A retrospective analysis of all adult burn patients admitted to UNC Jaycee Burn Center from 2002 to 2012 was conducted. Patient characteristics included age, gender, burn mechanism, insurance status, percentage total body surface area (%TBSA) burned, presence of inhalation injury, and hospital length of stay. Patients were categorized into one of three mutually exclusive racial or ethnic groups: White, Hispanic, or Black. Propensity score weighting followed by ordered logistic regression was performed in the analytical sample and in a subgroup analysis of patients with severe burns (TBSA > 20%). For analysis, 4198 patients were included: 2661 White, 340 Hispanic, and 1197 Black. Propensity weighting resulted in covariate balance among racial groups. Black patients (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.23-2.03; P < .001) were more likely than Whites to be discharged to a higher level of rehabilitation, whereas Hispanics were less likely (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.38-1.58; P = .448). In their subgroup analysis, Black (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.07-3.28; P = .026) and Hispanic (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 0.31-7.51; P = .603) patients were more likely to discharge to a higher level of rehabilitation than White patients. Racial and ethnic disparities in discharge destination to a higher level of rehabilitative services among burn-injured patients exist particularly for Hispanic patients but not for Black or White burn patient groups. Further studies are needed to elucidate the potential sources of these disparities specifically for Hispanic patients.
Encountering the Anima in Africa: H. Rider Haggard’s She

H. Rider Haggard’s She was one of Jung’s favorite novels and is frequently mentioned in The Collected Works. Although his view that She depicts an encounter with the anima is a critical commonplace, his reasons for considering Ayesha, the titlecharacter, to be a classic anima figure have not been sufficiently explored. This essay uses the anima’s widely ranging nature—specifically, Jung’s statements about the Kore and the stages of eroticism—to explain his interpretation and then to analyze Ayesha’s effect on Ludwig Horace Holly, the main character and narrative voice. His African journey is one of failed individuation: after repressing his anima in England, Holly projects his anima onto Ayesha in Africa, experiencing compensation and enantiodromia (a swing from misogyny to anima possession). In this fashion, She depicts the perils of directly confronting the anima archetype and the collective unconscious.
Abstract 123: Difficult-To-Control Blood Pressure in Non-Diabetic Hypertensive Subjects is Associated With Upregulated Gene Expression of Inflammatory Pathways

Introduction: Hypertension (HTN) causes cardiovascular disease. Despite this, many patients do not achieve blood pressure (BP) control. We hypothesized that non-diabetic hypertensive subjects with ...
Prediction of Hepatic Steatosis (Fatty Liver) using Machine Learning

The exact reasons of the incidences of fatty liver disease (Hepatic Steatosis, HS) are not known. Heavy alcohol use leads to alcoholic steatohepatitis (alcoholic fatty liver disease). Contrarily, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition of fat build-up in the liver when alcohol consumption is not the cause. However, certain clinical and demographic factors impact the incidence of HS. We evaluated the predictive capability of fatty liver using a computational model and NHANES-III data. Six predictor variables (age, gender, BMI, triglycerides, HDL, and total cholesterol) and one output variable (HS) were used. The challenge of class imbalanced data was handled using SMOTE algorithm combined with Gower's distance. Data were divided into training and test in 70:30 ratio with 8,903 and 3,816 observations respectively. Three families of models were trained: SVM (Fine and Medium Gaussian SVM), Bagged Trees, Boosted Tree (Gentle and ADA Boosted Tree). 10-fold cross-validation was used. Of the five models, 'Gentle Boosted Tree' model provided the highest average testing accuracy of 79.03% (79%). The average sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of the 'Gentle Boosted Tree' model were 75.88%, 81.86% and 0.79 respectively. The novelty of this paper lies in developing and testing algorithms with imbalanced data for prediction of fatty liver condition.
A Molecular Strategy to Lock-in the Conformation of a Perylene Bisimide-Derived Supramolecular Polymer.

Locking-in the conformation of supramolecular assemblies provides a new avenue to regulate the (opto)electronic properties of robust nanoscale objects. In the present contribution, we show that the covalent tethering of a perylene bisimide (PBI)-derived supramolecular polymer with a molecular locker enables the formation of a locked superstructure equipped with emergent structure-function relationships. Experiments that exploit variable-temperature ground-state electronic absorption spectroscopy unambiguously demonstrate that the excitonic coupling between nearest neighboring units in the tethered superstructure is preserved at a temperature (371 K) where the pristine, non-covalent assembly exists exclusively in a molecularly dissolved state. A close examination of the solid-state morphologies reveals that the locked superstructure engenders the formation of hierarchical 1D materials which are not achievable by unlocked assemblies. To complement these structural attributes, we further demonstrate that covalently tethering a supramolecular polymer built from PBI subunits enables the emergence of electronic properties not evidenced in non-covalent assemblies. Using cyclic voltammetry experiments, the elucidation of the potentiometric properties of the locked superstructure reveals a 100-mV stabilization of the conduction band energy when compared to that recorded for the non-covalent assembly.
Mathematical modeling approaches in direct methanol fuel cells

Abstract Fuel cells have received a lot of interest in the scientific community over the last 50 years due to their potentially environment-friendly impact and their noteworthy efficiency. An improvement of their efficiency is of true interest. Fuel cell modeling is considered an effective tool for calculating various parameters of the fuel cell as well as understanding various phenomena occurring within the cell. In literature, various models of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that include the analytical model, the semiempirical model, and the mechanistic model have been developed and tested. Analytical model takes into account basic parameters of fuel cell such as cell voltage, current density, and power to investigate the performance of the fuel cell. Analytical model uses assumptions in order to develop a simple model. Semiempirical model predicts the cell performance as a function of operating conditions such as pressure, temperature, and concentration, using empirical equations. Mechanistic model describes the fundamental phenomena of the fuel cell using differential and algebraic equations. In this chapter a survey of different model approaches (analytical, semiempirical, and mechanistic) that have been used for the DMFC are presented and critically discussed.
Sleep disordered breathing in children with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18

Abstract Purpose While the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is well documented in trisomy 21, there has been little published about the incidence in trisomy 13 (T13) and trisomy 18 (T18). Trisomies 13, 18, and 21 have overlapping clinical features that make patients prone to OSA. Because the literature regarding OSA in T13 and T18 children is limited, we performed a retrospective chart review to investigate the characteristics of these patients. Methods We reviewed the medical records of children with T13 or T18 seen at seen at a single urban tertiary children's hospital for sleep disordered breathing from 1/1/10 to 5/1/18. Candidates were selected based on ICD-9 diagnosis and procedural codes. Results We identified 21 T18 patients that had documented symptoms of SDB, of which 3 were diagnosed with OSA, 11 had clinical SDB, and 7 had snoring. Of the T13 patients, 10 had documented symptoms of SDB, of which 1 patient was diagnosed with OSA, 7 with clinical SDB, and 2 with snoring. In both T13 and T18 patients, anatomical features included micrognathia/mandibular hypoplasia, small mouth/small airway, midface hypoplasia, abnormal/difficult airway, glossoptosis, hypotonia, and GERD. Endoscopic findings included laryngomalacia and/or tracheomalacia, adenoid and lingual tonsil hypertrophy, and inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Surgical interventions performed in T13 and T18 patients included adenoidectomy, lingual tonsillectomy, and tracheostomy. Of the 32 T13 and T18 patients, 15 had to be intubated for respiratory insufficiency. Conclusion The results of our study suggest that T13 and T18 patients are at increased risk for OSA due to common features found in this population. These findings indicate a need for otolaryngologist intervention to increase both survival and quality of life in this population.
Abstract WP81: Ct Perfusion is Highly Sensitive for Identifying Site of Anterior Circulation and Pca Large Vessel Occlusions

Background: While CT angiography is the standard tool to identify the site of large vessel occlusion (LVO) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), CTP may be confirmatory or facilitate identification of th...
Antimicrobial Prosthetic Surfaces in the Oral Cavity—A Perspective on Creative Approaches

Replacement of missing teeth is an essential component of comprehensive dental care for patients suffering of edentulism. A popular option is implant-supported restorations. However, implant surfaces can become colonized with polymicrobial biofilms containing Candida species that may compromise peri-implant health. To prevent this, implant components may be treated with a variety of coatings to create surfaces that either repel the attachment of viable microorganisms or kill microorganisms on contact. These coatings may consist of nanoparticles of pure elements (more commonly silver, copper, and zinc), sanitizing agents and disinfectants (quaternary ammonium ions and chlorhexidine), antibiotics (cefalotin, vancomycin, and gentamicin), or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). AMPs in bioactive coatings have a number of advantages. They elicit a protective action against pathogens, inhibit the formation of biofilms, are less toxic to host tissues, and do not prompt inflammatory responses. Furthermore, many of these coatings may involve unique delivery systems to direct their antimicrobial capacity against pathogens, but not commensals. Coatings may also contain multiple antimicrobial substances to widen antimicrobial activity across multiple microbial species. Here, we compiled relevant information about a variety of creative approaches used to generate antimicrobial prosthetic surfaces in the oral cavity with the purpose of facilitating implant integration and peri-implant tissue health.
Large deformations of the hook affect free-swimming singly flagellated bacteria during flick motility

Hook dynamics are important in the motility of singly flagellated bacteria during flick motility. Although the hook is relatively short, during reorientation events it may undergo large deformations, leading to nonlinear behavior. Here, we explore when these nonlinear and large deformations are important for the swimming dynamics in different ranges of hook flexibilities and flagellar motor torques. For this purpose, we investigate progressively more faithful models for the hook, starting with linear springs, then models that incorporate nonlinearities due to larger hook deformations. We also employ these models both with and without hydrodynamic interactions between the flagellum and cell body to test the importance of those hydrodynamic interactions. We show that for stiff hooks, bacteria swim with a flagellum rotating on-axis in orbits and hydrodynamic interactions between the cell body and flagellum change swimming speeds by about 40%. As the hook stiffness decreases, there is a critical hook stiffness that predicts the initiation of the dynamic instability causing flicks. We compare the transition value of stiffnesses predicted by our models to experiments and show that nonlinearity and large deflections do not significantly affect critical transition values, while hydrodynamic interactions can change transition values by up to 13%. Below the transition value, we observe precession of the flagellum, in which it deflects off-axis to undergo nearly circular stable trajectories. However, only slightly below the transition stiffness, nonlinearity in hook response destabilizes precession, leading to unstable deflections of the flagellum. We conclude that while the linear hook response can qualitatively predict transition stiffnesses, nonlinear models are necessary to capture the behavior of hooks for stiffnesses below transition. Furthermore, we show that for the lower range of hook stiffnesses observed in actual bacteria, models which capture the full deformations of hooks are necessary. Inclusion of the hydrodynamic interactions of the cell body, hook, and flagellum is required to quantitatively simulate nonlinear dynamics of soft hooks during flick motility.
New urbanism: Past, present, and future

The New Urbanism, initially conceived as an anti-sprawl reform movement, evolved into a new paradigm in urban design. Recently, however, some researchers have argued that the popular appeal of New Urbanism has eroded, the movement has lost its significance, and critical research on the broader theme has tapered off. In response, this article investigates whether the movement has lost its currency and explores the future of New Urbanism in the context of contemporary circumstances of development. The article begins with a brief description of the conceptualization of New Urbanism as an exception to the development trends of the time. Collaborative efforts of its protagonists that have contributed to the integration of New Urbanist concepts into other programs, policies, and development regulations are presented in the next section to describe its expansion, to clarify its mainstreaming, and to call attention to its broader impact. The concluding section presents contemporary circumstances of development and changes that are intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those related to the nation’s demographics, climate change, technological advances, rapid growth of the digital economy, and acceleration of e-commerce to explore the significance of New Urbanism for future development.
Combined Transverse Cordotomy- Anteromedial Arytenoidectomy for Isolated Glottic Stenosis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Glottic stenosis is a discrete cause of airway compromise. We aimed to determine the surgical outcomes of transverse cordotomy with anteromedial arytenoidectomy (TCAMA), performed in the setting of isolated glottic stenosis resulting from two discrete etiologies: bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) and posterior glottic stenosis (PGS). STUDY DESIGN Retrospective, analytic cohort study. METHODS Twenty-six patients with isolated glottic stenosis were treated with TCAMA between 2006 and 2019. A retrospective analysis determined decannulation rates and intervals, voice outcomes, swallowing outcomes, and reoperation rates postoperatively. Outcomes between the two etiologic cohorts were compared. RESULTS Of the 26 patients, 16/26 patients were diagnosed with PGS and 10/26 with BVFP. Eighteen patients required tracheotomies during their clinical course (11/16 PGS, and 7/10 BVFP), and 100% were ultimately decannulated. The PGS cohort required two-sided interventions more frequently than the BVFP cohort (45.5% vs. 0%, P = .066). Trach-dependent PGS patients required a longer time to achieve decannulation than BVFP patients by a factor of 2.38, although the difference was not statistically significant (102.3 days vs. 42.9 days, respectively, P = .113). Patients demonstrated a significant change in maximum phonation time but no statistically significant differences with preoperative versus postoperative voice outcomes like voice-related quality of life. All patients ultimately returned to their baseline swallow function postoperatively. CONCLUSION TCAMA is an effective treatment for surgical rehabilitation of glottic stenosis caused by both BVFP and PGS. Patient-reported outcomes of postoperative vocal function remain consistent following surgical intervention. Additional, prospective studies with greater power are warranted to validate the contrasting outcomes observed when applying this discrete surgical technique across two distinct diagnostic cohorts in this retrospective study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 131:2305-2311, 2021.
Anticholinergic medication-related dry mouth and effects on the salivary glands.

Objective Salivary glands are among the most sensitive target organs of medications with anticholinergic (AC) properties, interrupting the neural stimulation of saliva secretion and reducing saliva flow. Hyposalivation results in dry mouth, leading to dental caries, intraoral infection, orofacial pain, problems with speaking and swallowing, and diminished oral health--related quality of life. Current understanding of the pharmacokinetics of AC medications and their effect on muscarinic receptors in the salivary glands were reviewed to assist clinicians in predicting salivary damage in patients with AC medication–induced dry mouth. Study Design We summarized the literature related to the mechanisms and properties of AC medications, anticholinergic adverse effects, and their effect on salivary function and management strategies to prevent oral health damage. Results Although a large number of studies reported on the frequencies of medication-induced dry mouth, we found very limited data on predicting individual susceptibility to AC medication--caused hyposalivation and no prospective clinical studies addressing this issue. Conclusion Dry mouth is most frequently caused by medications with AC properties, which interrupt the neural stimulation of saliva secretion. Interdisciplinary care should guide pharmacotherapeutics and dental interventions should aim in preventing AC salivary adverse effects and reducing the oral health burden from AC medication–induced dry mouth.
MRI Safety and Neuromodulation Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of MRI bioeffects, discusses various MRI safety topics and issues, presents evidence-based guidelines to ensure safety for patients and staff members, and describes safety information for implants and devices with an emphasis on neuromodulation systems. Most MR systems in use today operate with static magnetic fields ranging from 0.2-Tesla to 3-Tesla. Although there have been some reports of potentially injurious effects of static magnetic fields on isolated cells or organisms, none of these effects has been verified or firmly established as a scientific fact. The quantitative analysis of these mechanisms indicates that they are below the threshold of significance with respect to long-term adverse bioeffects. During MRI procedures, gradient or “time-varying” magnetic fields may stimulate nerves or muscles by inducing electrical fields in patients. However, the current safety standards for gradient magnetic fields associated with present-day scanners appear to adequately protect patients from potential hazards or injuries. The establishment of thorough and effective screening procedures for patients and other individuals is one of the most critical components of a program that guards the safety of all those preparing to undergo MRI procedures or to enter the MRI environment. An important aspect of protecting patients and individuals from MR system-related accidents and injuries involves an understanding of the risks associated with the various implants, devices, accessories, and other objects that may cause problems in this setting. Certain aspects of screening patients for MRI examinations may take place during the scheduling process, which must be conducted by a healthcare professional specially trained in MRI safety.
Flow-Stimulated NO Production is Altered in Thick Ascending Limbs of Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats Fed Either normal or High-Salt Diets

Thick ascending limbs (TALs) of the loop of Henle reabsorb 30% of the filtered NaCl, regulating extracellular fluid volume and electrolyte excretion, thereby affecting blood pressure. NO produced by NO synthase 3 (NOS3) inhibits NaCl transport by TALs and luminal flow increases NO production. Reductions in TAL NO are associated with salt-sensitive hypertension. In TALs of Sprague-Dawley rats, dietary salt increases NOS3 expression by day 7, and animals don't become hypertensive. We hypothesized that Dahl salt-sensitive rat (SS) TALs produce less NO in response to luminal flow than those from Dahl-salt resistant rats (SR) due to altered NOS3 expression. We used SS or SR fed either normal or high-salt diets for 7 days. We measured flow-induced NO in isolated perfused TALs and performed Western blots of renal medullary lysates. On normal-salt, flow-induced NO was 32 ± 2 AFU/min in SR TALs and 12 ± 2 AFU/min in SS TALs (Δ 267 ± 63 %; p<0.03; n=6). In the presence of the superoxide (O2-)scavenger TEMPOL, flow-...
Law and Coercion

Though political philosophers often presuppose that coercive enforcement is fundamental to law, many legal philosophers have doubted this. This article explores doubts of two types. Some legal philosophers argue that given an adequate account of coercion and coerciveness, the enforcement of law in actual legal systems will generally not count as coercive. Others accept that actual legal systems enforce many laws coercively, but they deny that law has a necessary connection with coercion. There can be individual laws that lack coercive sanctions, and it is at least conceptually possible for there to be a legal system that lacks coercive enforcement altogether. This article then examines why most political philosophers and some legal philosophers have been reluctant to treat the conceptual possibility of non-coercive law as significant. Language: en
A Foundation for Hybrid Knowledge Bases

Hybrid knowledge bases (HKB's) [11] were developed to provide formal models for the mediation of data and knowledge bases [14,15]. They are based on Generalized Annotated Logic Programming (GAP)[7] and employ an inference mechanism, HKB-resolution, that is considerably simpler than those that have been proposed for GAP. The simplicity of HKB-resolution is explained in this paper by showing that it is a special case of Ω-resolution, which was introduced in [9]. A generalization of Ω-resolution to lattices that are not ordinary is also explored.
A Review of “Making Cents Out of Knowledge Management”

To understand knowledge management (KM) we first need to know what knowledge is. This is one of the key questions knowledge managers return to again and again. The traditional definition of knowled...
Water: A Unique Structure, a Unique Solvent

Water is a unique solvent by virtue of its extensive hydrogen-bonded character in bulk phase. Biological water has properties contributed by the individual H2O molecules and by the collection of H2O molecules into a bulk phase with extensive intramolecular interactions. Therefore, on the basis of just our knowledge of statistical thermodynamics, we would expect that the important properties of biological water will depend on the behavior of the collection of molecules or the entropic nature of water. However, biological systems are nonhomogeneous, and nonbulk water plays a wide variety of physiological roles as well.
Measles case fatality ratio in India a review of community based studies.

Context: Measles remains a major cause of child mortality in India. Measles case fatality ratios (CFRs) vary substantially between countries and even within the same community over time. We present a review of Indian community-based measles CFR studies conducted from 1975 to 2008. Evidence acquisition: PubMed Cochrane Libraries and all WHO databases were searched using a combination of terms. All community-based studies were abstracted into a database. Results: We identified 25 studies with data on 27 communities. The median CFR was 1.63 per 100 cases (Q1= 0.00 and Q3= 5.06). Studies conducted after 1994 had significantly lower CFRs (P=0.031). Studies in rural settings had significantly higher CFRs compared to urban studies (P=0.015). No differences were found by study design or outbreak/endemic setting. Conclusions: This review suggests measles CFR may be declining in India. We hypothesize that increased measles vaccination coverage is the main factor contributing to the decline. Widespread vaccination increases both the average age of infection and the proportion of total measles cases previously vaccinated. Vitamin A treatment/supplementation is also likely to have contributed. In order to further reduce measles burden in India vaccination and vitamin A treatment/supplementation coverage should be increased and a two dose vaccine strategy should be implemented in all areas.
Comparable family burden in families of clinical high-risk and recent-onset psychosis patients.

Aim: Family burden is prevalent in psychotic disorders, but little is known about burden experienced by families of patients in early illness. In this exploratory study, we examined the extent of burden reported by families of patients during a putative prodromal period and in the aftermath of psychosis onset. Methods: Family burden was assessed in 23 family members of patients with emerging or early psychosis. The Family Experiences Interview Schedule was used to assess both objective and subjective burden. Objective burden is comprised of increased resource demands and disruption of routine. Subjective burden includes worry, anger/displeasure and resentment at objective burden. Results: Family burden was comparable for the clinical high-risk and recent-onset psychosis patients. Worry was as high as previously reported for more chronic patients. By contrast, there was a relative absence of displeasure/anger. Family members endorsed assisting patients in activities of daily living, although not ‘minding’ doing so, and reported little need to supervise or control patients' behaviour. Conclusions: Early in emerging psychotic illness, families report helping patients and worrying about them, but their lives are not yet disrupted and they do not have much anger or resentment. This may be an ideal time then for intervention with families, as worry may motivate help-seeking by families.
Where are the academic jobs? interactive exploration of job advertisements in geospatial and topical space

This paper details a methodology for capturing, analyzing, and communicating one specific type of real time data: advertisements of currently available academic jobs. The work was inspired by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) [2] that provides approximately $100 billion for education, creating a historic opportunity to create and save hundreds of thousands of jobs. Here, we discuss methodological challenges and practical problems when developing interactive visual interfaces to real time data streams such as job advertisements. Related work is discussed, preliminary solutions are presented, and future work is outlined. The presented approach should be valuable to deal with the enormous volume and complexity of social and behavioral data that evolve continuously in real time, and analyses of them need to be communicated to a broad audience of researchers, practitioners, clients, educators, and interested policymakers, as originally suggested by Hemmings and Wilkinson [1].
Studies in Historical Replication in Psychology I: Introduction

This special issue reports a project in which the replication of historically meaningful studies was carried out by graduate students in a history of psychology course. In this introduction, I outline the nature of the project and its rationale, and briefly sketch the results. The subsequent five papers represent scholarly presentations of five selected replications written by students in the course. These are followed by a commentary on the project by an educational psychologist.
Complement and Periodontitis

Although the complement system is centrally involved in host defense, its overactivation or deregulation (e.g., due to inherent host genetic defects or due to pathogen subversion) may excessively amplify inflammation and contribute to immunopathology. Periodontitis is an oral infection-driven chronic inflammatory disease which exerts a systemic impact on health. This paper reviews evidence linking complement to periodontal inflammation and pathogenesis. Clinical and histological observations show a correlation between periodontal inflammatory activity and local complement activation. Certain genetic polymorphisms or deficiencies in specific complement components appear to predispose to increased susceptibility to periodontitis. Animal model studies and in vitro experiments indicate that periodontal bacteria can either inhibit or activate distinct components of the complement cascade. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone species in periodontitis, subverts complement receptor 3 and C5a anaphylatoxin receptor signaling in ways that promote its adaptive fitness in the presence of non-productive inflammation. Overall, available evidence suggests that complement activation or subversion contributes to periodontal pathogenesis, although not all complement pathways or functions are necessarily destructive. Effective complement-targeted therapeutic intervention in periodontitis would require determining the precise roles of the various inductive or effector complement pathways. This information is essential as it may reveal which specific pathways need to be blocked to counteract microbial evasion and inflammatory pathology or, conversely, kept intact to promote host immunity.
The development and initial validation of the Terminally Ill Grief or Depression Scale (TIGDS)

Patients often experience 'preparatory-grief' as they cope with the dying process. Some may be depressed. The Terminally Ill Grief or Depression Scale (TIGDS), comprising grief and depression sub-scales, is a new self-report measure designed to differentiate between preparatory-grief and depression in adult inpatients. The initial 100-item inventory was assembled based on literature review, interviews with clinicians and dying patients and then shortened to 42 items based on consensus expert opinion. Validity and reliability were tested in a sample of 55 terminally ill adults. The consensus clinical opinion was used as the gold standard to differentiate between preparatory grief and depression. The intra-class correlation coefficient was high (it was calculated to estimate the test-retest reliability for the 47 patients who had completed the TIGDS twice--retest was administered 2 to 7 days after the initial test), ranging from 0.86 (grief) to 0.97 (depression). The validity of TIGDS was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, comparing the first test with the clinical criterion. The first and only variable and cut-point was the depression score (chi-square = 18.4, p < 0.001, cut point = 3). The sensitivity of the TIGDS was 0.727 and specificity was 0.886 for the depression = 3 cutoff score. The construct validity of the TIGDS was tested by comparing with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The TIGDS depression subscale showed strong convergent validity and the TIGDS grief subscale showed strong discriminant validity with the HADS total score.
Inflammation of the gastro-oesophageal junction (carditis) in patients with symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a prospective study

BACKGROUND—Recent data have suggested that cardia biopsy specimens may be more reflective of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) than squamous biopsy specimens. AIMS—To assess the distribution, severity, and types of mucosal injury in GORD. PATIENTS—Thirty patients with symptomatic GORD with no or minimal erosions. METHODS—Biopsies were performed at the squamocolumnar junction (Z-line) and 1-2 cm below the Z-line. Injury to the columnar mucosa was scored for inflammatory cells, epithelial cell abnormalities, and for the presence of intestinal metaplasia and Helicobacter pylori. A carditis score above 2 was considered positive (maximum score = 9). RESULTS—Mean carditis scores and percentages of patients with a positive carditis score were higher in Z-line biopsy specimens containing both squamous and columnar mucosa than in those with just columnar mucosa or in specimens taken 1-2 cm below the Z-line. Carditis at the Z-line was focal in 49% of the specimens and was always present adjacent to the squamous epithelium. Goblet cells were present more frequently in the specimens immediately at the Z-line than in those 1-2 cm below the Z-line. H pylori was present in only four patients. The mean carditis scores of specimens 1-2 cm below the Z-line in these patients was significantly higher than in those patients without H pylori. CONCLUSIONS—Mucosal injury at the gastric cardia is highly localised to the region adjacent to the squamocolumnar junction in patients with GORD. Morphological studies of the cardia in GORD should focus on tissue samples that contain both squamous and columnar epithelium in order to obtain an accurate picture of the spectrum of injury. Keywords: gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; Helicobacter pylori; cardia; Z-line; squamous epithelium; columnar epithelium
Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (GER) in Preterm Infants: Its Association with Apnea and/or Bradycardia (A/B) and the Effect of Theophylline on GER

Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (GER) in Preterm Infants: Its Association with Apnea and/or Bradycardia (A/B) and the Effect of Theophylline on GER
Personality characteristics of hemophiliacs.

Summary Forty hemophiliacs showed some differences in personality from normals and many resemblances to other chronically ill persons on the Rorschach, Draw-A-Person, and stories made up to verbal cues. A single hemophilic personality, however, was not evidenced; though hemophiliacs suffer common physical problems, reactions to and modes of dealing with difficulties were unique.
Effects of exercise on circulatory dynamics in mitral stenosis. III.

Abstract 1. 1. Eight patients with mitral stenosis have been studied at rest and during exercise by the technique of cardiac catheterization. Three of the patients developed pulmonary edema on exercise. 2. 2. The resting balance between pulmonary pressure and peripheral blood flow was upset by exercise. The imbalance was related not only to the degree of stenosis but to the ability of the circulation to increase the cardiac output. 3. 3. Except for two patients with mild mitral stenosis, cardiac index failed to rise in normal fashion on exercise. Stroke index on the average did not change with exercise, although both increased and decreased stroke outputs were seen, depending on the pulse rate and diastolic filling period. Tissue oxygen extraction per cubic centimeter increased markedly on exercise. 4. 4. Pulmonary “capillary” pressure rose on exercise in association with increases in rate of mitral valvular blood flow. 5. 5. Pulmonary arterial pressure rose on exercise in association with the increase in pulmonary “capillary” pressure and in some cases with the increase in blood velocity flow. 6. 6. Pulmonary arteriolar resistance showed no consistent change on exercise, the average values at rest and during exercise being almost identical. 7. 7. Right ventricular work against pressure, already elevated at rest in most of the patients, became even greater on exercise. 8. 8. Almost all patients had elevated right atrial mean pressures at rest. Further rises occurred in two of the four in whom right atrial pressure was measured on exercise.
Solar cycle variations in F-region Te in the vicinity of the midlatitude trough based on AE-C measurements at solar minimum and DE-2 measurements at solar maximum

Magnetospheric energy deposited in the plasmasphere produces large enhancements in the electron temperature in the nightside ionosphere at the foot of the geomagnetic L shell that traverses the plasmapause. This temperature peak, which is associated with the midlatitude trough in electron density, often has a great enough amplitude to produce 630 nm emission known as a Sar-arc. The Atmosphere Explorer-C measurements made at solar minimum and the Dynamics Explorer-2 measurements made at solar maximum are used to illustrate how this signature of F-region electron heating changes with solar activity. Global empirical models of the electron temperature and density have not been able to resolve these features thus far because of their large movements with geomagnetic activity and because of the large bin sizes used in the models. It is not yet clear how this major feature of the F-region temperature structure could be included easily in the IRI model.
ENERGY TRANSFER PROCESSES IN CONDENSED MOLECULAR SOLIDS. DETONATION THEORY IN A CRYSTAL : LIMITS

We present a review of the variety of computer molecular dynamics simulations of gradually increasing complexity that have been carried out in recent years on shock propagation in condensed systems. Beginning with the simplest simulations of shocks in ordered monatomic and diatomic systems, we consider the influence of heterogeneities, such as point and line defects, voids, grain boundaries, and surfaces on the structure and stability of the shock front. We discuss our recent work on shock-induced energy transfer processes occurring in lattices containing molecular fragments or radicals, representing species of interest in the decomposition of energetic materials. The results indicate that the excitation of the intra-molecular bonds is of a broad spectral character with energy rise times essentially identical for all frequency ranges. 31 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.
GASTRIC EMPTYING VS. ESOPHAGEAL FUNCTION IN GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX (GER)

Delayed gastric emptying is known to be a mechanism responsible for gastroesophageal reflux. Using an isotope labeled meal to measure gastric emptying, we studied 116 infants and children to determine the frequency of abnormality in gastric emptying and correlate it with the clinical presentation and other esophageal function tests.