cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health literacy and current CD4 cell count in a multiethnic U.S. sample of adults living with HIV infection

Hispanic and Black adults are disproportionately affected by HIV and experience poorer HIV-related health outcomes relative to non-Hispanic White adults. The current study adopted Sorensen's integrated model to test the hypothesis that lower functional and critical health literacy competencies contribute to poorer HIV-related health and CD4 cell count for Hispanic and Black individuals. Eighty-one non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, and Black HIV seropositive individuals from a large, Southwestern metropolitan area were administered measures of health literacy, including the Expanded Numeracy Scale, Newest Vital Sign, Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, Test of Functional Health Literacy (TOHFLA)-numeracy, and TOHFLA-reading. Hispanic and Black individuals demonstrated less HIV knowledge than non-Hispanic White individuals. Black participants demonstrated fewer health literacy appraisal skills. Importantly, lower levels of health literacy were linked to poorer CD4 cell count (an index of immune functioning) for Hispanic and Black individuals and not for non-Hispanic White individuals. These findings suggest race group differences for health literacy on current CD4 cell count such as very specific dimensions of low health literacy (e.g. poorer judgment of health-related information), but not other presumed deficits (e.g. motivation, access), play an important role in clinical health outcomes in HIV.
Development of sub-millimeter high power compact EIKs for DNP and radar applications

This paper presents recently performed at CPI Canada development of high power 263 GHz CW EIO generator for DNP enhancement and pulsed 263 GHz EIK for radar applications.
Body mass index and its relation to neuropsychological functioning and brain volume in healthy older adults.

Abstract Obesity is a growing concern worldwide because of its adverse health effects, including its negative impact on cognitive functioning. This concern is especially relevant for older adults, who are already likely to experience some cognitive decline and loss of brain volume due to aging, (Gea et al., 2002). However, there is some evidence that higher body mass index (BMI) may actually be protective in later life (Hughes et al., 2009; Luchsinger et al., 2007; Nilsson and Nilsson, 2009; Sturman et al., 2008). Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to assess the relationship between BMI and neuropsychological functioning in older adults, and concurrently the relationship between BMI and brain volume. Older adults (N = 88) reported height and weight to determine BMI (M = 26.5) based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Cognitive function was assessed with the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Brain volume measurements were evaluated via structural MRI. Results indicated no association between BMI and neuropsychological functioning. There was a significant association between BMI and total grey matter volume while controlling for age and years of education (β = 0.208, p = .026, ΔR2 = 0.043), indicating that as BMI increased, brain volume in these areas modestly increased. However, these results did not survive multiple comparison corrections and were further attenuated to near significance when sex was explicitly added as an additional covariate. Nevertheless, while replication is clearly needed, these results suggest that moderately greater BMI in later life may modestly attenuate concomitant grey matter volume decline.
I Can’t Be Racist—I Teach in an Urban School, and I’m a Nice White Lady!

This paper examines, through the lens of critical race theory (CRT), beliefs often asserted by self-described, open-minded white educators about their students of color. While these teachers may perceive themselves as liberal and inclusive, their interactions with students of color are shrouded by white privilege which can be disenfranchising to students of color. By countering these ascribed beliefs with research, theory, and qualitative experiences, the authors aim to expose how white privilege manifests within the typical classroom and to invite all white educators to examine their racial attitudes and beliefs. Using CRT, the authors* make recommendations for strategies to develop white teachers into white allies.
The 1936 Flood and West Virginia Public Water Supplies

"Pittsburgh's flood of March 15, 1907, will dwindle into insignificance in height, extent, devastation and damage when an Ohio rainfall of an intensity such as caused the Miami flood travels across the watersheds of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. This may be anticipated and when it happens we will have a flood in Pittsburgh of at least 45 feet. The entire business sec. tion will be flooded up to Smithfield Street and all trade and transportation will be at a standstill. When this happens the damage, not only because of higher waters, but also because of the greater development of the territory, will be far beyond anything yet experienced or even approached/'
Purine Metabolism of Lymphocytes: Targets for Chemotherapy Drug Development

The unique metabolic profile that renders lymphoid cells sensitive to purine deoxynucleosides also accounts for the response of chronic lymphoid malignancies to purine analogues. Consistent with earlier observations in children with adenosine deaminase deficiency, a profound and relatively selective lymphocyte depletion results from treatment with drugs that elevate or mimic deoxyadenosine. Three such agents available for clinical use are 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine, 2'-deoxycoformycin, and fludarabine phosphate. In addition to a review of the relevant biochemistry and cellular pharmacology of these agents in target lymphoid cells, this article reviews the current clinical response data in leukemias and lymphoma.
Abstract TP390: Tetrad Therapy With Antiplatelets, Antihypertensives, High Intensity Statins and a PCSK9 Inhibitor Reduces Vascular Events in Patients With a History of Stroke

Background: The mainstay of medical secondary prevention of recurrent vascular events in patients with an index stroke of atherosclerotic origin has been the triad of 1) antiplatelet (AP), 2) antih...
Leaving Schools Behind: The Impact of School Student Body and Working Conditions on Teacher Retention and Migration

ABSTRACTThis 5-year study investigated transfer and retention behavior for 76 science and mathematics teachers in the United States. Counter to the research literature, a bivariate correlation anal...
Small Coarse Spaces for Overlapping Schwarz Algorithms with Irregular Subdomains

Methods are developed for automatically constructing small coarse spaces of low dimension for domain decomposition algorithms for problems in three dimensions. These constructions use equivalence classes of nodes on the interface between the subdomains into which the domain of a given elliptic problem has been subdivided, e.g., by a mesh partitioner; these equivalence classes already play a central role in the design, analysis, and programming of many domain decomposition algorithms. The coarse space elements are well defined even for irregular subdomains, are continuous, and well suited for use in two-level or multi-level preconditioners such as overlapping Schwarz algorithms. Significant reductions in the coarse space dimension can be achieved while not sacrificing the favorable condition number estimates for larger coarse spaces previously developed. The condition number estimates depend primarily on the Lipschitz parameters of the subdomains.
Hospice enrollment among cancer patients in Texas covered by Medicare managed care and traditional fee-for-service plans: a statewide population-based study.

Although rates of hospice use have increased over time, insurance plan- and racial/ethnic-based disparities in rates have been reported in the USA. We hypothesized that increased rates of hospice use would reduce or eliminate insurance plan-based disparities and that racial/ethnic disparities would be eliminated in managed care (MC) insurance plans. We studied the use of hospice care in the final 30 days of life among 40,184 elderly Texas Medicare beneficiaries who died from primary breast, colorectal, lung, pancreas, or prostate cancer between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2013, using statewide Medicare claims linked to cancer registry data. Rates of hospice use were computed by race/ethnicity and insurance plan (MC or fee-for-service (FFS)). We used logistic regression to account for the impact of confounding factors. Rates of hospice use increased significantly over time, from 68.9% in 2007 to 76.1% in 2013. By 2013, differences in hospice use rates between MC and FFS plans had been reduced from 10% to < 5%. However, after accounting for insurance plan and confounding factors, racial/ethnic minority beneficiaries’ hospice use was significantly lower than non-Hispanic white beneficiaries’ (p < 0.0001). This disparity was observed among both FFS and MC beneficiaries. Hospice use in the final 30 days of life has increased among elderly cancer patients in Texas, virtually eliminating the difference between FFS and MC insurance plans. Despite these positive trends, racial/ethnic-based disparities persist. These disparities are not explained by confounding factors. Future research should address social and behavioral influences on end-of-life decisions.
Hemoptysis: Rethinking Management

Hemoptysis is a distressing symptom that necessitates urgent investigation. Despite its prevalence, there is frequent uncertainty regarding the etiology, clinical trajectory, and therapeutic management of hemoptysis. We aim to discuss the causes, diagnostic workup, and pragmatic management strategies for cases of massive and non-massive hemoptysis. Bronchoscopic techniques to control hemoptysis is an emerging area of study. Fogarty balloons and endobronchial blockers are often deployed to isolate the bleeding lung. Depending on the source of bleeding, a variety of endobronchial medical therapies, thermal technologies, and selective sealing methods can be utilized for hemostasis. Initial management of a patient presenting with hemoptysis consists of ensuring adequate airway protection and stabilization of hemodynamics. Following this, hemoptysis can be evaluated and controlled by bronchoscopy, embolization, and/or surgery. Additional research is needed to determine optimal timing of bronchoscopy and if differences in hemostatic techniques result in differences in outcomes, especially for cases of massive hemoptysis.
Integrating the Fields of Catalysis: Active Site Engineering in Metal Cluster, Metal Organic Framework and Metal Single Site

Research evolved using nanoparticles synthesized and characterized under reaction conditions opened the door to study all three fields of catalysis: heterogeneous, homogenous, and enzyme. Fundamental studies of catalytic reactions ranging from hydrogenation to understand Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and isomerization ultimately led to the integration of three fields of catalysis. Our recent work on bridging heterogeneous, homogenous, and enzymatic catalysis was present including functionalization of dendrimer encapsulated metal clusters surface for lactonization, active site engineering in metal organic framework catalysts for methanol production and oligomerization, and single site catalyst for hydrogen production. We envision that the combination of active site engineering and unifying fields of catalysis could be applied to solve practical issues of science-based technology and develop new fields useful in energy research.
Efficient Control of Stochastic Switching via Spin Pumping in Antiferromagnetic Structures

Electrically controlled switching in an antiferromagnet (AFM), utilizing a currentless mechanism, is theoretically examined at finite temperatures. The structure consists of a metallic AFM with biaxial magnetic anisotropy sandwiched between a ferromagnetic spin filter and a semiconductor Schottky junction in a two-terminal pillar configuration. The calculations show that the torque necessary for the desired ${90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ rotation of the N\'eel vector between two easy axes can be provided efficiently by pumping spin-polarized electrons into and out of the AFM through the metallic ferromagnetic layer. Consideration of thermal fluctuations illustrates the stochastic nature of the switching, whose probability distribution can be tailored by the electrical signal pulse as well as by the device dimensions. Detection of the N\'eel-vector state following this rotation may also be achieved straightforwardly via the large anisotropic magnetoresistance of the biaxial antiferromagnetic material. These properties, along with an ultrafast switching speed and a low energy requirement, are expected to be well suited for applications in nonvolatile memory and probabilistic computing.
Modeling Soft Swimming Robots using Discrete Elastic Rod Method

Soft swimming robots are primarily composed of elastically deformable materials, which typically make up the robot’s body, limbs, and/or fins. Such robots can swim by moving their limbs, flapping their fins, or undulating their body in order to control thrust and direction. This chapter presents a technique to model these soft swimming robots using a computational framework based on the method of discrete elastic rods (DER). This approach to soft robot simulation draws inspiration from methods to simulate slender structures that are widely used in the computer graphics community. In this framework, the soft robot limbs or fins are treated as flexible rods that deflect in response to internal actuation and surface tractions from contacting bodies and the surrounding fluid. Here, we apply this model to the special case of a seastar-inspired robot composed of radiating limbs that produce motion through bending and hydrodynamic drag. We begin with an overview of the DER-based framework and then present simulation results for forward swimming and turning.
Abstract P114: Foxo4 Regulates Vascular Smooth Muscle Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase Expression Expression

Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) modulator drugs may offer a new approach to attenuate hypertension by enhancing vasorelaxation through production of cGMP. Loss of sGC leads to impaired vasorelaxatio...
“To Turn Over and Over”: The Loss of the Verso in the Virtual Archive

In a recent conversation with colleagues about what we miss most during our exile from the archives, we enumerated the myriad sensory and cerebral pleasures of in-person research: the texture and w...
Survival of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in COVID-19 Infected Patients.

Background: There are limited data regarding the outcome of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in COVID-19 patients. In this study, we compared the outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA) before and at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York, United States. We also identified the most common comorbidities associated with poor outcomes in our community. Methods: This was a multi-site, single-center, retrospective, observational study. Inclusion criteria for COVID patients were all confirmed positive cases who had in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2020. The non-COVID cohort included all cardiac arrest cases who had IHCA in 2019. We excluded all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We compared actual survival to that predicted by the GO-FAR score, a validated prediction model for determining survival following IHCA. Results: There were 334 cases in 2019 compared to 450 cases during the specified period in 2020. Patients who initially survived cardiac arrest but then had their code statuses changed to do not resuscitate (DNR) were excluded. Groups were similar in terms of sex distribution, and both had an average age of about 66 years. Seventy percent of COVID patients were of Black or Hispanic ethnicity. A shockable rhythm was present in 7% of COVID patients and 17% of non-COVID patients (p < 0.05). COVID patients had higher BMI (30.7 vs. 28.4, p < 0.05), higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (58% vs. 38%, p < 0.05), and lower incidence of coronary artery disease (22% vs. 35%, p < 0.05). Both groups had almost similar predicted average survival rates based on the GO-FAR score, but only 1.5% of COVID patients survived to discharge compared to 7% of non-COVID patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The rate of survival to hospital discharge in COVID-19 patients who suffer IHCA is worse than in non-COVID patients, and lower than that predicted by the GO-FAR score. This finding may help inform our patient population about risk factors associated with high mortality in COVID-19 infection, as well as educate hospitalized patients and healthcare proxies in the setting of code status designation.
Domain III of HER2 extracellular domain (ECD) inhibits oncogenic signaling from HER2

LB-148 A number of treatment strategies are currently being used to target HER2 in breast carcinomas, including monoclonal antibodies directly against its extracellular domain (ECD) and small molecules blocking its tyrosine kinase activity. Yet, there is a need to develop novel therapies inhibiting HER2dimerization with other HER family members and/or inhibition of their resulting kinase activation. To test the hypothesis that HER2 activation might occur through a functional site at the ECD responsible for HER2 kinase activation, we introduced a series of deletion mutations into domain III of HER2 ECD. We then introduced the HER2 structural deletions into a retroviral expression vector and infected MCF-10A non-transformed breast epithelial cells. The smallest deletion in the ECD domain of HER2, Δ6 HER2, consisting of fifteen amino acids, is sufficient to disrupt the oncogenic signaling from HER2. Specifically we observed that: overexpression of Δ6 HER2 in MCF-10A cells (MCF-10A/Δ6 HER2) did not cause overactivation of HER1 (Y1173 phosphorylation), HER2 (Y1248 phosphorylation), HER3 (Y1289 phosphorylation) as compared MCF-10A/HER2 cells under the same conditions. While MCF-10A/Δ6 HER2 did not promote anchorage-independent growth, and the MCF-10A/HER2 cells grew in anchorage dependent manner. Interestingly, the deletion at domain III of HER2 prevented the HER2 overexpressing cells from loss of polarity in three-dimensionalascini cultures, as seen for MCF-10A/HER2 cells. Moreover, expression of Δ6 HER2 does not promote Paclitaxel resistance as does HER2 when expressed in MCF-10A cells. Interestingly, we determined that MCF-10A/Δ6 HER2 cells are resistant to Trastuzumab and GW2974, as compared to MCF-10A/HER2 cells. These findings revealed that an essential sequence exists on the domain III of HER2 ECD, as its disruption disables the hetero- and/or homo-dimerization loop, blocks subsequent activation of HER2. It offers a strong rational to develop this peptide sequence into a valuable anti-HER2 therapeutic drug.
Impact of private data mining on personal privacy from agents of government

The balance of power between the individual and the government has been tipped in favor of the government. Recent advances in technology have led to the commoditization of personal information. The vast amounts of information collected and the ease with which they can be transferred to other parties has led to the rise of personal profile data mining. Due to Supreme Court decisions in the 1970s, the government can easily use or buy these profiles. Therefore, personal privacy from agents of government is being reduced due to data mining. This paper will explore the causes, implications, and potential solutions to this problem. It will explain the value of privacy and why it should be a value that is protected. Then, it will discuss the primary problems associated with data mining, particularly how those problems will impact individuals when the information obtained is used by the government. Next it will describe the current landscape of privacy protections. Finally, it will examine many proposed solutions using a stakeholer/method perspective model to comparatively analyze the solutions. With that analysis, it will describe the findings and implications of that analysis.
Screening for lung cancer.

M.B., a woman with diabetes mellitus, presents to your office for an annual well visit. M.B. reports having smoked one and a half packs of cigarettes daily for 20 years. Her neighbor was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and M.B. requests to be tested for lung cancer, too.
An utter refutation of the ‘Fundamental Theorem of the HapMap’ by Terwilliger and Hiekkalinna

An utter refutation of the ‘Fundamental Theorem of the HapMap’ by Terwilliger and Hiekkalinna
Physical Layer Modeling and Simulation

This chapter contains sections titled: Incorporating Interference into a Model The Importance of a Preamble Practical Wireless PHY Model Implementations Wireless Network Simulation Lessons Learned and Common Pitfalls??????-??????PHY Layer ]]>
Integrating Usability Engineering in the Iterative Design Process of the Land Attack Combat System (LACS) Human Computer Interface (HCI)

Abstract : Usability engineering are the set of design and development practices the Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC San Diego) followed in order to ensure that the Tomahawk Operators can succeed in using the Land Attack Combat Systems (LACS) for its intended purposes. This paper presents our approach of the usability engineering activities and the results from a 1-year Fiscal Year 2003 effort for the development of the LACS Human Computer Interface (HCI). Iterative usability evaluations and design processes were conducted quarterly on the LACS HCI in order to develop the HCI that best supported the tasks of the Tomahawk Operators. Usability evaluations consisted both of Heuristic Reviews and Usability Testing. Results from these iterative evaluations were integrated into successive design builds for further evaluations.
Full‐thickness splinted skin wound healing models in db/db and heterozygous mice: Implications for wound healing impairment

The excisional dorsal full-thickness skin wound model with or without splinting is widely utilized in wound healing studies using diabetic or normal mice. However, the effects of splinting on dermal wound healing have not been fully characterized, and there are limited data on the direct comparison of wound parameters in the splinted model between diabetic and normal mice. We compared full-thickness excisional dermal wound healing in db/db and heterozygous mice by investigating the effects of splinting, semi-occlusive dressing, and poly(ethylene glycol) treatment. Two 8-mm full-thickness wounds were made with or without splinting in db/db and heterozygous mice. Body weights, splint maintenance, wound contraction, wound closure, and histopathological parameters including reepithelialization, wound bed collagen deposition, and inflammation were compared between groups. Our results show that silicone splint application effectively reduced wound contraction in heterozygous and db/db mice. Splinted wounds, as opposed to nonsplinted wounds, exhibited no significant differences in wound closure between heterozygous and db/db mice. Finally, polyethylene glycol and the noncontact dressing had no significant effect on wound healing in heterozygous or db/db mice. We believe these findings will help investigators in selection of the appropriate wound model and data interpretation with fully defined parameters.
Kinetics of the reactions of OH with methyl chloroform and methane: Implications for global tropospheric OH and the methane budget

The hydroxyl radical plays a central role in the oxidation of methane, larger organics including methyl chloroform, and CO in the troposphere. Hence a knowledge of the kinetics of such reactions is essential in estimating atmospheric lifetimes of these organics as well as global OH concentrations. We report here fast flow discharge studies of the absolute rate constants for both the OH-CH3CCl3 and OH-CH4 reactions from 278–378 K in He at 1.05±0.05 Torr pressure. For CH3CCl3, . The rate constants at 298 K and 277 K, 1.0 and 0.73×10−14 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 respectively, are approximately 15% and 5% below the values now used to estimate global OH concentrations. The use of these lower rate constants in computations of global OH based on CH3CCl3 emissions and ambient measurements will increase the estimated OH concentrations, particularly at higher temperatures found in warmer equatorial regions. For CH4, . At 298 K and 277 K respectively, this gives values which are ∼23% and 28% below the values which have generally been used in tropospheric models. Our results therefore support the recent suggestion that the methane flux may have been overestimated in the past.
Superoxide Production by Eosinophils: Activation by Histamine

Both guinea pig peritoneal exudate and human peripheral blood eosinophils produce large amounts of superoxide anion when stimulated by preopsonized zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Superoxide production is also activated by histamine but not the histamine metabolite, imidazole acetic acid. Supernatants from degranulated rat mast cells stimulate superoxide production. In studies of both human and guinea pig eosinophils, the H1-antagonist, chlorpheniramine (10 −3 m and 10 −4 m), markedly inhibited both resting and stimulated (PMA, preopsonized zymosan, histamine) production of superoxide anion but the H2-antagonist, cimetidine, only modestly inhibited superoxide anion production (zymosan, PMA). These studies provide direct evidence for the influence of histamine on the oxidative metabolism of eosinophils. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that histamine interacts with eosinophils predominantly via an H1 receptor site. Furthermore, they suggest that eosinophils may participate in immediate hypersensitivity reactions by the release of superoxide anion in response to stimulation by histamine.
Rearing Eriophyes insidiosus Keifer and Wilson (Acari: Eriophyoidea), a fastidious bud mite

Abstract Eriophyes insidiosus Keifer and Wilson is a fastidious bud mite which reproduces only inside buds of its host. These buds provide microenvironmental and physical conditions that are difficult to reproduce artificially. In this study, rearing of E. insidiosus was attempted on peach (Prunus persica Batsch, Rosaceae) cuttings generated by tissue culture, by rooting infested peach cuttings, and on peach trees that were infested naturally or manually. Manual infestation of buds, soon after dormancy ended, was the most successful technique, providing large numbers of mites. Availability of this methodology will contribute to the progress of studies on the relationships between bud-mite vectors and the viruses they transmit.
Idiosyncratic brain activation patterns are associated with poor social comprehension in autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) features profound social deficits but neuroimaging studies have failed to find any consistent neural signature. Here we connect these two facts by showing that idiosyncratic patterns of brain activation are associated with social comprehension deficits. Human participants with ASD (N = 17) and controls (N = 20) freely watched a television situation comedy (sitcom) depicting seminaturalistic social interactions (“The Office”, NBC Universal) in the scanner. Intersubject correlations in the pattern of evoked brain activation were reduced in the ASD group—but this effect was driven entirely by five ASD subjects whose idiosyncratic responses were also internally unreliable. The idiosyncrasy of these five ASD subjects was not explained by detailed neuropsychological profile, eye movements, or data quality; however, they were specifically impaired in understanding the social motivations of characters in the sitcom. Brain activation patterns in the remaining ASD subjects were indistinguishable from those of control subjects using multiple multivariate approaches. Our findings link neurofunctional abnormalities evoked by seminaturalistic stimuli with a specific impairment in social comprehension, and highlight the need to conceive of ASD as a heterogeneous classification.
Implementing treatment and protecting the validity of the independent variable in treatment matching studies

Treatment matching research is predicated on heterogeneity among subjects and their differential response to treatments. The sine qua non of a treatment matching study is the integrity of the treatment variable, since detection of client-treatment interactions requires delivery of treatments that are highly specific, consistent and distinct. Matching research thus presents particular challenges in treatment implementation, as greater heterogeneity in subjects may generate a broader array of problems than study treatments are designed to address, leading to several potential threats to treatment integrity. Moreover, as practiced outside of research settings, treatments for alcoholism are marked by ideological heterogeneity and a lack of purity across approaches. In this article we describe the strategies used in Project MATCH to protect treatment integrity while treating a large and heterogeneous sample of alcoholics in a number of geographically distant sites. These include: strategies for treating a vari...
Gender Differences in Interventional Management of Peripheral Vascular Disease: Evidence From a Blood Flow Laboratory Population

Recent studies of gender differences in the treatment of coronary artery disease have concluded that female patients often receive less aggressive care than male patients. This study compares rates of lower extremity surgical and endovascular procedures by gender for peripheral vascular disease patients seen in the blood flow laboratory at our institution in 1987. Revascularization rates were compared for 192 female and 218 male patients with abnormal blood flow examinations and no prior lower extremity procedures. Female patients were older (3.3 years;p< 0.02), had a lower prevalence of ankle/brachial indices greater than 0.5 (64.2% of males vs. 51.8% of females;p< 0.01), a higher prevalence of hypertension (p< 0.03), and a lower prevalence of smoking (p< 0.02). No significant baseline differences were found for the prevalence of limb salvage indications or other comorbid conditions. A total of 41 women (21.4%) and 64 men (29.4%) underwent subsequent lower extremity surgical or endovascular procedures in 1987 (p=0.08). Men had a significantly higher procedure rate among the 311 patients without limb salvage indications (p=0.03). When statistically significant covariates such as limb salvage, age, ankle/brachial index, comorbidity, and smoking are controlled for in logistic regression analysis, men were found to have more than twice the chance of being selected for procedures (p=0.009). Although limited to practice patterns at one institution, these results suggest that other centers should examine criteria for interventional therapy in mild-to-moderate peripheral vascular disease.
Characterization of thin films, epitaxial layers, and superlattices using the precession camera

Abstract This article describes a simple method to provide qualitative structural information on thin films, epitaxial layers, and superlattices using the Buerger precession camera. This method is especially useful for epitaxially grown films because it gives a rapid and easy-to-interpret photograph of the reciprocal space of all the components at once: substrate, film or buffer layer, and/or superlattice. A wide variety of examples - Al on Si, Ge on Si, CdTe epitaxial layers on GaAs, CdTe/ZnTe superlattices on GaAs, and Mo/Ni superlattices on mica - are used to illustrate the present technique.
Change in cognitive function in older persons from a community population: relation to age and Alzheimer disease.

Objective To examine change in cognitive function in older persons sampled from a community population, and its relation to age and Alzheimer disease. Design Prospective cohort study with an average of 3.5 years of follow-up. Setting East Boston, Mass—a geographically defined, urban, working-class community. Participants A stratified, random sample of persons 65 years and older underwent uniform, structured clinical evaluation for Alzheimer disease. The 388 persons (89.2% of those eligible) who completed at least 1 annual follow-up evaluation were studied: 97 had Alzheimer disease at baseline; 95 developed Alzheimer disease during the study; and 196 were unaffected. Outcome Measures Eight cognitive performance tests were administered, then converted to population-weighted z scores and averaged to create a composite summary measure of cognitive function. Initial level of and change in this score were the outcome measures. Results In the population as a whole, many persons experienced a decline in cognitive performance, and age was related to both initial level and rate of decline. Analyses were conducted in 3 subgroups: persons with Alzheimer disease at baseline, those who developed Alzheimer disease during the study, and those who remained unaffected. In both Alzheimer disease subgroups, substantial cognitive decline was observed, but neither initial level nor rate of decline was related to age. In unaffected persons, little cognitive decline was evident, and there was a small, inverse association of age with initial level of cognitive function. Conclusion In a general population sample, there was little evidence of cognitive decline during a 3.5-year period among persons who remained free of Alzheimer disease.
CD150 cells are transiently reconstituting multipotent progenitors with little or no stem cell activity

To the editor: Goodell and colleagues recently published a paper in Blood (Weksberg et al[1][1]) that confirmed many of our conclusions from prior studies demonstrating the utility of signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) family markers to enhance the purification of mouse hematopoietic
IgG and IgM rheumatoid factor in active seronegative nodular rheumatoid arthritis and in children with benign rheumatoid nodules

Rheumatoid nodules in rheumatoid arthritis are usually associated with high levels of IgM rheumatoid factors and aggressive disease. IgM, IgG, and C3 have been identified in tissue sections of rheumatoid nodules, suggesting pathogenetic importance. The role of IgM and IgG rheumatoid factors in sero-negative RA is poorly understood. Seven patients with active seronegative RA and rheumatoid nodules and 10 seronegative children with the syndrome of benign rheumatoid nodules were studied for the presence of IgG and IgM rheumatoid factors by radioimmunoassay and for complement-fixing IgM rheumatoid factor by haemolytic assay. Elevated titres of hidden complement fixing IgM rheumatoid factor were found in 60 % of the patients with benign rheumatoid nodules studied but in none of the patients with active seronegative nodular RA. Serum IgG and IgM rheumatoid factor levels by radioimmunoassay and circulating immune complex levels in both groups were not significantly different from normal controls. These data suggest IgG and IgM rheumatoid factors do not participate in the pathogenesis of active seronegative rheumatoid arthritis with rheumatoid nodules.
On the rate of quantum ergodicity. I: Upper bounds

One problem in quantum ergodicity is to estimate the rate of decay of the sums $$S_k (\lambda ;A) = \frac{1}{{N(\lambda )}}\sum\limits_{\sqrt {\lambda _j } \leqq \lambda } {\left| {(A\varphi _j ,\varphi _j ) - \bar \sigma _A } \right|^k } $$ on a compact Riemannian manifold (M, g) with ergodic geodesic flow. Here, {λ j ,ϕ j } are the spectral data of the Δ of(M, g), A is a 0-th order ψDO, $$\bar \sigma _A $$ is the (Liouville) average of its principal symbol and $$N(\lambda ) = \# \{ j:\sqrt {\lambda _j } \leqq \lambda \} $$ . ThatS k (λ;A)=o(1) is proved in [S, Z.1, CV.1]. Our purpose here is to show thatS k (λ;A)=O((logλ) −k/2 ) on a manifold of (possibly variable) negative curvature. The main new ingredient is the central limit theorem for geodesic flows on such spaces ([R, Si]).
The determination of aluminum and beryllium by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Abstract The use of atomic absorption spectroscopy for the determination of aluminum and beryllium has been studied. The nitrous oxide-acetylene flame was found to be useful for the determination of trace amounts of either aluminum or beryllium. Beryllium can also be determined in an oxy-acetylene flame at the 1 p.p.m. level and upwards if the aqueous solution contains 10% of diethylene glycol diethyl ether. The determinations were essentially free from interferences.
The tumor necrosis factor gene family in pregnancy

Summary Even though many cytokines and growth factors first identified in the immune system are now known to participate in reproductive processes, investigators have been slow to recognize and evaluate the potential involvement of TNF family members. Yet recent studies illustrate the probability that several members of this family are important, particularly TNFα, LTα, CD30 and LTβ. The amn, gld and lpr mutant mouse strains, transgenic mice made deficient in TNF superfamily members and their receptors by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells as well cell lines developed from these mice should be extremely useful in learning how these potent, pleiotrophic cytokines contribute to successful pregnancy.
Theory of Field Emission from Semiconductors

The field emission current density ${j}_{c}$, originating from the conduction band, is derived for an arbitrary degeneracy (i.e., Fermi energy) at the surface. The theory allows for a difference between the effective and free electron masses; detailed results being worked out for spherical energy surfaces. Simple formulas for ${j}_{c}$ are presented which involve correction factors that are slowly, varying functions of the temperature, field $F$, and Fermi energy, and have been computed numerically; ${j}_{c}$ is approximately proportional to the emission probability of an electron either at the Fermi level or at the bottom of the conduction band for positive or negative Fermi energies, respectively. Strong deviations from linearity, of a $\mathrm{ln}{j}_{c}$ versus ($\frac{1}{F}$) plot, require that the Fermi energy at the surface depend markedly on $F$. The emission current for the intermediate, or $T\ensuremath{-}F$, range is also considered. The field emission current density ${j}_{v}$ originating from the valence band is also discussed. As an example, numerical results are given for germanium. For this case, ${j}_{v}$ exceeds ${j}_{c}$ at room temperature, except when the surface is strongly degenerate $n$ type. The theory is qualitatively consistent with Allen's experimental results for a clean germanium surface.
Effects of age and sex on the regulation of plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D by phosphorus in the rat.

Dietary phosphate deprivation in women, but not men, is accompanied by a fall in plasma PO4 and a rise in plasma 1,25-(OH)2-vitamin D concentrations. In contrast, young male rats exhibit a fall in plasma PO4 and a rise in plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D concentrations in response to PO4 deprivation. To evaluate whether age and sex influence basal plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D levels and their regulation by PO4 deprivation, plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D, PO4, and Ca levels were measured in male and female rats ranging in age from 6 weeks to 6 months while they were eating normal or low PO4 diets for 1 to 16 days. Similar observations were also made in 6-week-old castrated male and female rats, males replaced with testosterone, and females replaced with estradiol. Basal plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D levels were higher in 6-week-old males (228±76 pmol/l) than in 6-week-old females (148±62 pmol/l;P<0.01) and declined by age 11 weeks to stable levels averaging about 100 pmol/l without sex difference. Dietary PO4 deprivation resulted in a three-to fourfold increase in plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D concentrations regardless of age and sex, accompanied by a correlated rise in serum Ca concentrations. Castration of 6-week-old males and females eliminated the sex difference in basal plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D levels and appeared to enhance the elevation of plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D concentrations in response to PO4 deprivation in females. Although gonadal hormones may modify basal plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D levels, they are not required for the augmentation of plasma 1,25-(OH)2-D levels in response to PO4 deprivation.
Controlled ion fragmentation in a 2-D quadrupole ion trap for external ion accumulation in ESI FTICR mass spectrometry

Undesired fragmentation of electrospray generated ions in an rf multipole traps can be problematic in many applications. Of special interest here is ion dissociation in a 2-D quadrupole ion trap external to a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FTICR MS) used in proteomic studies. In this work, we identified the experimental parameters that determine the efficiency of ion fragmentation. We have found that under the pressure conditions used in this study there is a specific combination of the radial and axial potential well depths that determines the fragmentation threshold. This combination of rf and dc fields appears to be universal for ions of different mass-to-charge ratios, molecular weights, and charge states. Such universality allows the fragmentation efficiency of the trapped ions in the course of capillary liquid chromatography (LC) separation studied to be controlled and can increase the useful duty cycle and dynamic range of a FTICR mass spectrometer equipped with an external rf only 2-D quadrupole ion trap.
Effect of sex bias on women's studies on alcoholism.

Women alcoholics have historically been underrepresented in research studies far out of proportion to the difference in male female prevalence rates. This study examined disparities in the ways in which male and female alcoholics have been studied in the treatment outcome literature and examined the role of sex bias (author sex) as a contributing factor. Two hundred fifty-nine studies published between 1972 and 1980 were reviewed that reported drinking-related outcome of subjects treated with psychological intervention or medication. Only 7.8% of subjects sampled in these studies were women. Of greater interest, female authors sampled nearly 3 times as many women in proportion to the number of people they studied as did male authors; women subjects were more than one and one-half times as likely to be followed up by female than by male authors; and 3 times as many female as male authors presented data examining sex differences. The same kind of differences between male and female authors occurred with respect to specifying precise numbers of male and female subjects studied and followed up, and with respect to examining prognostic variables related to women' outcome. The data suggest that subtle sex bias contributes to inadequate studying of women alcoholics.
Economic incentives under contract supply of local government services

It has been argued that organizations which are unable to directly appropriate any of the firm's residual earnings tend to experience various forms of wealth-taking by managers (Alchian and Kessel, 1962). This wealth-taking has been observed in privately-owned, regulated firms (Nelson, 1980) as well as in government-operated bureaus. The results in this paper suggest that the X-inefficiency associated with various forms of wealth-taking may be constrained when external, competitive pressures exist. Niskanen argued that one strategy for reducing the inefficiency associated with monopoly bureaus would be to set up two bureaus to compete for the sponsor's budget in order to generate better information on cost and production functions. At the local level, the Lakewood Plan, by generating information on actual production cost to purchasing cities and to unincorporated area residents, appears to create the desired effect. By generating this flow of information on cost, the Lakewood Plan eases the task of monitoring the performance of county departments. Second, the threat of entry posed by the city bureau, which can always produce services in-house, appears to effectively constrain the X-inefficiency of the county supplier bureaus.
Modeling of correlated failures and community error recovery in multiversion software

Three aspects of the modeling of multiversion software are considered. First, the beta-binomial distribution is proposed for modeling correlated failures in multiversion software. Second, a combinatorial model for predicting the reliability of a multiversion software configuration is presented. This model can take as inputs failure distributions either from measurements or from a selected distribution (e.g. beta-binomial). Various recovery methods can be incorporated in this model. Third, the effectiveness of the community error recovery method based on checkpointing is investigated. This method appears to be effective only when the failure behaviors of program versions are lightly correlated. Two different types of checkpoint failure are also considered: an omission failure where the correct output is recognized at a checkpoint but the checkpoint fails to correct the wrong outputs and a destructive failure where the good versions get corrupted at a checkpoint. >
Regulation of alternative splicing of NMDAR1 in the kindling model

Kindling refers to a phenomenon in which repeated application of initially subconvulsive electrical stimulations produces limbic and clonic motor seizures of progressively increasing severity. Once established, the increased excitability is lifelong. Several lines of investigation suggest that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptor participates in the expression of the increased neuronal excitability of the kindled brain. Many studies demonstrate that kindling results in altered NMDA receptor functional and pharmacological properties, indicating that kindling may cause changes intrinsic to the NMDA receptor itself. It is possible that altered expression of NMDA receptor subunit genes and splice isoforms of genes leads to subunit combinations resulting in the novel NMDA receptor properties identified in the hippocampus of kindled animals. To begin to address this possibility, we previously examined the hippocampal expression of known NMDA receptor genes and found no differences in expression between control and kindled animals either 24 h or 28 days after the last kindled seizure. Here, we extend that earlier study by examining the expression of NMDAR1 splice isoforms in the hippocampus of control and kindled animals. We report that kindling induces the transient reduction of specific splice isoforms of NMDAR1 containing the first of the carboxy-terminal splice cassettes (exon 21). We discuss the potential significance of this regulation in terms of its relevance to previous findings in the kindling model and possible effects on NMDA receptor function.
Synthesis and Study of Ruthenium Silylene Complexes of the Type [(η5-C5Me5)(Me3P)2RuSiX2]+ (X = Thiolate, Me, and Ph)

Various ruthenium silyl complexes of the type Cp*(Me3P)2RuSiR3 (Cp* = η5-C5Me5; SiR3 = SiCl3 (1), Si(NMe2)3 (2), Si(SEt)3 (3), Si(S-2-Naph)3 (4), (5), Si(SCy)2Cl (6), and Si(SMes)2Cl (7, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)) were prepared by the reaction of Cp*(Me3P)2RuCH2SiMe3 with the appropriate silane HSiR3. Compound 3 was converted to the triflate Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(SEt)2OTf (8) by the reaction of 3 with Me3SiOTf. Similar reactions produced Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(NMe2)2OTf (13), Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(NMe2)(OTf)2 (14), Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(SMes)2OTf (18), and Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(SMes)(Cl)OTf (19). By NMR spectroscopy, compound 8 in dichloromethane solution appears to possess a labile triflate group. Reactions of the triflates 8 and Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(S-p-Tol)2OTf (10) with NaBPh4 provided the silylene complexes [Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(SR)2][BPh4] (20, R = Et; 21, R = p-Tol). Similarly, the reaction of 6 with NaBPh4 gave [Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(SCy)2][BPh4] (22), and the reaction of 4 with B(C6F5)3 produced [Cp*(Me3P)2RuSi(S-2-Naph)2][MeB(C6F5)3] (23). Silyle...