cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caspase-Mediated Suppression of Glutamate (AMPA) Receptor Channel Activity in Hippocampal Neurons in Response to DNA Damage Promotes Apoptosis and Prevents Necrosis: Implications for Neurological Side Effects of Cancer Therapy and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Abstract DNA damage in neurons is implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders and may also contribute to the often severe neurological complications in cancer patients treated with chemotherapeutic agents. DNA damage can trigger apoptosis, a form of controlled cell death that involves activation of cysteine proteases called caspases. The excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate plays central roles in the activation of neurons and in processes such as learning and memory, but overactivation of ionotropic glutamate receptors can induce either apoptosis or necrosis. Glutamate receptors of the AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate) type mediate such physiological and pathological processes in most neurons. We now report that DNA damage can alter glutamate receptor channel activity by a mechanism involving activation of caspases. Whole-cell patch clamp analyses revealed a marked decrease in AMPA-induced currents after exposure of neurons to camptothecin, a topoisomerase inhibitor that induces DNA damage; N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)-induced currents were unaffected by camptothecin. The decrease in AMPA-induced current was accompanied by a decreased calcium response to AMPA. Pharmacological inhibition of caspases abolished the effects of camptothecin on AMPA-induced current and calcium responses, and promoted excitotoxic necrosis. Combined treatment with glutamate receptor antagonists and a caspase inhibitor prevented camptothecin-induced neuronal death. Caspase-mediated suppression of AMPA currents may allow neurons with damaged DNA to withdraw their participation in excitatory circuits and undergo apoptosis, thereby avoiding widespread necrosis. These findings have important implications for treatment of patients with cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
Serologic confirmation of HIV infection.

As the number of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) increases, it is important for eye care practitioners to become familiar with the serologic testing used in testing for HIV infection. These tests include : HIV-ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), HIV-Western Blot, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) gene amplification, p24 core antigen assay, Beta2-microglobulin levels, and CD4 lymphocyte counts. This Symposium discusses the aforementioned serologic tests and their uses in the diagnosis and management of HIV infection.
Inorganic nanoparticles for therapeutic delivery: Trials, tribulations and promise

Inorganic nanomaterials have a wide array of physical and structural properties that make them attractive candidates for imaging and therapeutic delivery. Nanoparticle platforms have been intensely studied for these applications, and examples are starting to enter the clinic. This review looks at why inorganic particles provide promising platforms for biomedicine, and what issues need to be addressed for them to reach their potential.
Posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms as correlates of deliberate self-harm among community women experiencing intimate partnerviolence

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) among women in the general population is correlated separately with posttraumatic stress, depression, and abuse during childhood and adulthood. The prevalence of these DSH correlates is particularly high among women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), yet few studies have examined DSH among this high-risk population and none have examined these correlates simultaneously. Two hundred and twelve IPV-victimized women in the community participated in a 2-h retrospective interview. One-third reported current or past DSH. Discriminant analysis was used to examine which posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms and types of current IPV and childhood abuse were uniquely associated with current DSH. Findings show that women who currently use DSH reported greater severity of posttraumatic stress numbing symptoms and more severe sexual IPV compared to women who used DSH only in the past. Examining factors that are associated with women's current DSH in this population is critical so that a focus on DSH can be integrated into the treatment plans of women who are receiving mental health care, but also so that women who are not receiving such care can be referred to adequate mental health services.
The Effectiveness of Guided Mourning for Adults with Complicated Mourning

Loss of a loved one is a common experience. For the bereaved to grieve is a natural expression of the loss, and mourning is the process through which one must pass in order to adapt to the reality of the loss. For various reasons, for some the mourning process becomes complicated, and the bereaved gets “stuck” in the process and fails to return to living life unburdened by the loss. Practitioners need to be aware of interventions that are proven to be effective in addressing complicated mourning. Initial search began with experimental and quasi-experimental studies but ended up including four pre-experimental studies. The study included adults who are not known to be intellectually challenged but who have suffered the loss of a loved one as a result of natural (illness) or violent (homicide, suicide, fatal accident) circumstances. A total of seven studies were reviewed. Guided mourning can be effective in helping an adult move through the mourning process. It is, however, imperative that the practitioner ...
The impurity-induced luminescence of RbMnF3

Abstract The impurity-induced luminescence of RbMnF 3 has been studied in the temperature range, 4–120 K. Multimagnon sidebands of impurity-induced Mn 2+ emission lines have been detected spanning the spectral range, 5515–5960 A. The broad emission bands, which peak at 5750 A and 6440 A, have been attributed to phonon-assisted transitions from two impurity-induced Mn 2+ traps of different depths. Pulsed luminescence measurements indicate that the quenching of the shallow trap emission is by a thermal activation to the E1 exciton level whereas the quenching of the deeper trap emission is by a multiple phonon decay. The coupling between Mn 2+ ions is strong enough to support a detectable transfer of excitation between these two traps. The results of this research also include the observation in absorption of the E1 exciton line and its 1-magnon and possible 2-magnon sidebands.
Post-cardiac arrest hyperoxia and mitochondrial function.

Abstract Introduction Rapid post-ischemic re-oxygenation is necessary to minimize ischemic injury, but itself can induce further reperfusion injury through the induction of reactive oxygen species. Utilization of oxygen within the cell primarily occurs in the mitochondria. The objective of this study was to determine heart mitochondrial function after 1 h of controlled arterial oxygenation following cardiac arrest and restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). We hypothesized that arterial hyper-oxygenation following ROSC would result in greater impairment of heart mitochondrial function. Methods KCl cardiac arrest was induced in anesthetized rats. Following 6.5 min of cardiac arrest, animals were resuscitated with standard thumper CPR, ventilation and epinephrine. Following ROSC, all animals were ventilated for 60 min with either 100% O2 or 40% O2 titrated to achieve normoxia utilizing pulse oximetry. At the end of 1 h, heart mitochondria were isolated and mitochondrial respiratory function was measured. Results Post-ROSC arterial PaO2 was 280 ± 40 in the 100% O2 group and 105 ± 10 in the 40% O2 group. One hour after ROSC, heart mitochondrial state 3 respirations and respiration control ratio (state 3/4 respiration) were significantly reduced from baseline in animals ventilated with 100% O2, but not with 40% O2. Conclusion Post-ROSC arterial hyperoxia after a short cardiac arrest exacerbates impaired mitochondrial function. The overall clinical significance of these findings is unclear and requires additional work to better understand the role of post-arrest hyperoxia on cardiac and mitochondrial function.
POSTMODERNISM IN THE WORK OF JULIA KRISTEVA

Abstract Postmodernism can be considered as a confrontation with the diverse, the “other,” the foreign, both in others and especially in the self. As opposed to truth, or knowledge of self, a postmodern lives with ambiguity and uncertainty. Julia Kristeva's book Strangers to Ourselves suggests that the antidote to xenophobia is to recognize that the foreigner is within us. Although Kristeva does not use the word postmodern, in many ways this is the idea she describes. I would say, then, that what has emerged in the course of the last ten or fifteen years is a sense of the increasing vulnerability to criticism of things, institutions, practices, discourses. A certain fragility has been discovered in the very bedrock of existence— even, and perhaps above all, in those aspects of it that are most familiar, most solid, and most intimately related to our bodies and to our everyday behaviour. —Michel Foucault
Rapid capture of growing space by red maple

Red maple (Acer rubrum L.) is becoming increasingly dominant in forest stands throughout the eastern United States. To investigate the reasons for the increase, we examined the development of red m...
CRM Systems in German Hospitals: Illustrations of Issues & Trends

German public hospitals face governmental and regulatory pressures to implement efficiency and effectiveness metrics, such as the classification of a Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) system, by the year 2005. The current average patient stay of nine days in German hospitals is relatively high compared to France with 5.5 days and USA with 6.2 days. CRM will help increase customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention. Multiple case studies, including one German hospital compared to two Dutch hospitals, as well as interviews with the management of two additional German hospitals, reveal that no hospital currently has an integrated CRM system. Rather, separate organizational functions collect and store quantitative and qualitative patient data. Furthermore, the challenges of data sharing and data security are significant barriers for technological changes in hospitals. This study focuses on CRM in a modern German hospital as it realigns its processes and strategies in order to focus on efficiency and customer satisfaction in a very competitive market.
Glacial-marine sedimentation and Quaternary glacial history of Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula

Marguerite Bay, situated between the subpolar glacial regime of the northern Antarctic Peninsula and the polar glacial regime of West Antarctica, is ideally located to test various models of glacial and glacial-marine sedimentation and specific scenarios of late Wisconsin ice sheet expansion. Piston cores and single-channel seismic reflection data were collected during the Deep Freeze 85 and 86 expeditions to determine the late Quaternary history of the area. Seismic data in the bay show a rugged seafloor, with numerous deep troughs and a very thin layer of sediment over crystalline basement or older sediments. Glacial erosion is important in modifying existing features, although the ultimate repository of the eroded material is not known; it is not found within the bay. The piston cores are topped by diatomaceous muds, which are underlain by terrigenous muds and muddy gravels that imply deposition beneath an ice shelf. Basal tills were penetrated at three sites, reflecting deposition by a grounded marine ice sheet. A reconstruction of the glacial history of Marguerite Bay since the last glacial maximum shows grounded ice filling the bay in late Wisconsin time. Rising sea level caused an uncoupling of the ice sheet and slow retreat of an ice shelf throughout the Holocene.
Severe pulmonary hypertension in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis: clinical profile and prognostic implications.

OBJECTIVES We analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 47 patients with severe pulmonary hypertension (PHT) and severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) from 1987 to 1999. BACKGROUND The prognostic implications of severe pulmonary hypertension in patients with severe AS are poorly understood. METHODS The mean age of patients was 78 years (range 47 to 91 years), and 37 patients (79%) were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 37 patients (79%) and 10 patients (21%) were treated conservatively. RESULTS In the group that had AVR, there were six perioperative deaths (16%) and nine late deaths, resulting in a total mortality of 32%. In the conservatively treated group, there were eight deaths (80%) on follow-up. Severe PHT was an independent predictor of perioperative mortality. However, perioperative mortality was independent of the severity of left ventricular systolic dysfunction or concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. Aortic valve replacement was associated with significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction, the severity of PHT and NYHA functional class. The difference between long-term survival of the operative survivors and the expected survival from life tables was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The prognosis for patients with AS and severe PHT treated conservatively without AVR is dismal. Although AVR is associated with higher than usual mortality, the potential benefits outweigh the risk of surgery.
Source incompatibilism and the foreknowledge dilemma

The problem that divine foreknowledge poses for free will is one that is notoriously difficult to solve. If God believes in advance how an agent will act, this fact about the past eradicates all alternatives for the actor, given the infallibility of God’s beliefs. And if we assume, with many theists, that free will requires alternatives possibilities, then it looks as if God’s omniscience is incompatible with our free will. One solution to this problem, introduced and defended by David Hunt, draws on the source incompatibilist position in the secular free debate. According to source incompatibilists, free will does not require alternative possibilities but is also not compatible with causal determinism. Hunt argues that because God’s foreknowledge does not eliminate future alternatives through causal means, it is compatible with free will. In this paper, I challenge Hunt’s position using Kevin Timpe’s distinction between “wide” and “narrow” source incompatibilists. I argue that if one wishes to be an incompatibilist concerning free will and causal determinism, one must accept that alternatives are required for free will. And if one must accept that alternatives are a necessary condition for free will, then Hunt’s solution to the foreknowledge dilemma will not succeed.
The Beginning of the End: CXCR3 Signaling in Late-Stage Wound Healing.

Background: Prior to 2009, research regarding the role of CXC receptor 3 (CXCR3) in cutaneous biology was primarily in the context of inflammatory reactions. Foundational research performed at that time demonstrated that, in addition to recruited inflammatory cells, cellular components of the skin, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, also express CXCR3 and are capable of expressing CXCR3 ligands, specifically CXC ligand 10 (CXCL10) and CXCL11. Surprisingly, in vitro experimentation demonstrated differential effects on the different cell types, suggesting that the CXCR3 signaling pathway may serve as a coordinator of wound remodeling. In support of this, a CXCR3 null mouse line and a mouse line abrogating CXCL11 expression in the epidermis demonstrated delayed wound closure and disordered dermal wound healing. The Problem: These findings demonstrate the role of CXCR3 signaling in the latter stages of wounding healing and opened a new avenue of investigation into the molecular and cellular me...
Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 3p markers in small-cell lung cancer

Specific chromosomal deletions sometimes associated with tumours such as retinoblastoma (chromosome 13q14)1 and Wilm's tumour (chromosome 11p13)2 have led to the hypothesis that recessive genes may be involved in tumorigenesis3. This hypothesis is supported by demonstration of allele loss specific for these regions using polymorphic DNA markers4–9 and by the isolation of a complementary DNA clone for the retinoblastoma gene10. A cytogenetic deletion in chromosome 3 (p14–p23) was reported in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) by Whang-Peng et al11,12. At least one homologue of chromosome 3 was affected in the majority of SCLC tumours; however, the multiple chromosomal changes seen presented the possibility that chromosome 3 was rearranged, not deleted. We used polymorphic DNA probes for chromosome 3p and compared tumour and constitutional genotypes of nine SCLC patients. Our data show loss of alleles of chromosome 3p markers in tumour DNA of all nine patients supporting the hypothesis that this region contributes to tumorigenesis in SCLC.
A selective look at self-help groups in the United States

Government health policies in the United States have emphasized private business and professional solutions, benignly neglecting self-help mutual aid. This paper presents a selective overview of the development and current situation of self-help groups (SHGs) and resource centres in the United States based on a literature review, recent interviews and the author's observations. The development of contemporary self-help groups is linked with the 1935 founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). AA is a model for 100 or more other SHGs which are non-hierarchical direct democracies that avoid advocacy. The major growth of groups occurred in tandem with the civil rights and women's movements especially during and after the 1970s; both challenged bureaucracies and traditional authority. Self-help groups are often criticized for focusing on emotional support. However, major changes occurred stemming from separate self-help advocacy movements for persons with cancer, AIDS, mental illness, disabilities, alcohol problems and women's conditions. Currently, self-help resource centres which provide information and referral, among other services, are viewed as important linking organizations. The social demographic composition of self-help group members has been estimated to be disproportionately white middle class females. An active interdisciplinary network of over 200 researchers, most from academia, studies self-help mutual aid. The future of resource centres is less certain than for groups since centres have little legitimacy while requiring substantial resources. The impact of current changes in health care (e.g. managed care) on self-help mutual aid is unknown.
The educational implications of type i diabetes mellitus: A review of research and recommendations for school psychological practice

Type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most common chronic illnesses in children and youth, with many affected students requiring individualized services and supports within educational settings. This article systematically reviews the research regarding the implications of this illness for students' cognitive and academic functioning to clarify the ways in which this disease may limit children's learning and school performance. The authors synthesize the findings, summarize the related literature regarding school-based supports, and provide recommendations for school psychologists to support the unique psychoeducational needs of this population. Results highlight the need for more research on effective school-based interventions to ensure academic success for children with T1DM. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Beyond pointing and clicking: how do newer interaction modalities affect user engagement?

Modern interfaces offer users a wider range of interaction modalities beyond pointing and clicking, such as dragging, sliding, zooming, and flipping through images. But, do they offer any distinct psychological advantages? We address this question with an experiment (N = 128) testing the relative contributions made by six interaction modalities (zoom-inout, drag, slide, mouse-over, cover-flow and click-to-download) to user engagement with identical content. Data suggest that slide is better at aiding memory than the other modalities, whereas cover-flow and mouse-over generate more user actions. Mouse-over, click-to-download, and zoom-inout tend to foster more favorable attitudes among power users, whereas cover-flow and slide generate more positive attitudes among non-power users. Design implications are discussed.
Internet Resources for Educational Research

This article focuses on the current status of the Internet for scholarly research in the field of education on the eve of the millennium, highlighting several categories of resources: commercial databases, government and educational association Web sources, and specialty Web pages. After a brief speculation concerning the possible future of Internet and World Wide Web information in future educational research and scholarly activities, the chapter concludes with a Webliography of the Internet sites highlighted in the article.
SOAPS AS FERMENT-INHIBITING AGENTS : STUDIES ON FERMENT ACTION. X.

1. Sodium soaps prepared from olive oil, croton oil, cod-liver oil, linseed oil, etc., have the property of inhibiting the action of trypsin and leucoprotease. 2. The activity of these soaps is dependent upon the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids and is in proportion to their iodin value. 3. Saturation of the acids with a halogen (iodin) causes a loss of this property. 4. Soaps of the saturated fatty acids tested do not have this influence on ferments.
PRECIPITATE FORMATION IN THE STRONTIUM-PHOSPHATE SYSTEM

Study of the precipitation process in the aqueous Sr(OH)2-H3PO4 system, in order to elucidate the phase transformations and the nature of the final solid phases, shows that over much of the range of compositions studied the initial precipitate is poorly crystalline; the x-ray pattern resembles that of strontium hydroxyapatite but has a strontium: phosphorus molar ratio close to 1.3. Within 1 hour the initial precipitate changes to a stable crystalline phase (or phases), with corresponding change, either up or down, in the strontium: phosphorus ratio. At high ratios of Sr(OH)2 to H2PO4 the initial precipitate is Sr3(PO4)2-4H2O, which then converts to a phase having the x-ray diffraction pattern of strontium hydroxyapatite, but having a strontium: phosphorus ratio that depends somewhat on the initial ratio of Sr(OH)2 to H3PO4 used in the precipitation.
Surviving the sun: Repair and bypass of DNA UV lesions

Structural studies of UV-induced lesions and their complexes with repair proteins reveal an intrinsic flexibility of DNA at lesion sites. Reduced DNA rigidity stems primarily from the loss of base stacking, which may manifest as bending, unwinding, base unstacking, or flipping out. The intrinsic flexibility at UV lesions allows efficient initial lesion recognition within a pool of millions to billions of normal DNA base pairs. To bypass the damaged site by translesion synthesis, the specialized DNA polymerase η acts like a molecular “splint” and reinforces B-form DNA by numerous protein–phosphate interactions. Photolyases and glycosylases that specifically repair UV lesions interact directly with UV lesions in bent DNA via surface complementation. UvrA and UvrB, which recognize a variety of lesions in the bacterial nucleotide excision repair pathway, appear to exploit hysteresis exhibited by DNA lesions and conduct an ATP-dependent stress test to distort and separate DNA strands. Similar stress tests are likely conducted in eukaryotic nucleotide excision repair.
Two kinds of adaptation in the constancy of visual direction

Adaptation in the constancy of visual direction had previously been obtained by causing a large or a small visible area representing the environment to be objectively displaced in dependence on head movements. No stationary objects were permitted to be visible. Now experiments are reported in which displacements of a large patterned field, with the subject fixating a stationary mark in its center, led to adaptation. In these experiments, objective displacements of the environment were given by image displacements on the retina. Adaptation also resulted when the large field was stationary and only the fixation mark was displaced. Here the objective displacement was given by the rate of pursuit eye movements. When one turns one's head, the visual environ­ ment is being displaced relative to the eyes in the direction opposite to the head movement, but the stimulation that results from this displacement does not cause perceived motion of the environment. That this is due to a compensating process became clear when Stratton (1897) wore inverting lenses: Stratton saw his visual environment swing with every turning of the head in the direction of this movement. His lenses caused his visual environment to be optically displaced in the direction with the head movement, a condition for which there was no compensation. Stratton also found that, with time, he could adapt to this effect of his lenses and develop complete com­ pensation for the displacement of the environment in the direction with the head movement. This adaptation did not only cause perception of a sta­ tionary environment when the lenses were worn, it also manifested itself in an apparent swinging of the visual field when he turned his head after removal of the lenses. This latter fact can also be used to demon­ strate partial adaptation to optical field displacement during head turning that develops after short adapta­ tion periods. Posin (1966) and Wallach and Kravitz (1965) employed this method to demonstrate small adaptation effects produced by exposing a subject to a visual target that was mechanically displaced by the subject's own head turning. Wallach and Kravitz (1965) also developed a method for measuring the compensation accurately
Two decades of miRNA biology: lessons and challenges.

The celebration of 20 years of RNA is opportune to reflect on what has been learned during this time regarding miRNA biology, and challenges that lay ahead. I focus this perspective on genetics, which arguably laid the foundation for the miRNA field. Indeed, genetic studies revealed critical miRNA:target interactions, the fundamental logic of miRNA target recognition, and phenotypically vital usages of miRNA regulation, all prior to formal recognition of the miRNA pathway. Ironically then, deciphering miRNA biology remains as challenging as ever, despite extensive mechanistic insights gained from biochemical and structural approaches, and a wealth of data garnered from genomewide approaches. Nevertheless, accumulating knowledge on miRNA function and ever-expanding genetic resources for manipulating miRNAs and their targets promise an exciting future in understanding in vivo necessities of these tiny RNAs. The miRNA era exploded in 2001 with the revelation that myriad hairpin-encoding loci generate ∼22 nucleotide (nt) RNAs. However, miRNA studies were already well on their way at that point, through developmental analyses in invertebrates. As is evident from their low-numbered gene names, mutants of the founding miRNAs lin-4 and let-7 were amongst the earliest C. elegans mutants recovered. Notably, the stage for comprehending their cloned sequences was set by genetic inquiries, initially by Chalfie and Ambros, which revealed antagonistic control of heterochronic identity by lin-4 and its major target lin-14. Ruvkun and colleagues studied gain-of-function lin-14 3′ UTR deletion mutants that phenocopied lin-4 loss-of-function, and these were critical to establish the cis-regulatory domain of lin-4 and its impact on lin-14 activity. However, there are older precedents for which loss of miRNA-mediated target regulation has phenotypic consequences. In 1923, Bridges isolated the dominant Drosophila wing serration mutant Beadex. Its eventual cloning showed that recurrent 3′ UTR disruptions underlie gain-of-function of dLMO. Interestingly, mir-9a knockouts exhibit similar wing serration, and miR-9a directly represses dLMO. Strikingly, removal of one dLMO allele fully restores mir-9a mutant wings, defining it as a critical miR-9a target. Thus, genetics revealed a miRNA-related phenotype nearly a century ago.
The selectins: Insights into selectin-induced intracellular signaling in leukocytes

Characteristic features of the inflammatory and immune responses involve the recruitment of leukocytes to sites of tissue injury and the recirculation of lymphocytes through hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. Recent studies indicate that the regulated cell surface expression of a family of protein adhesion molecules known as selectins and their counterreceptors on both leukocytes and endothelium play critical roles in both biologic processes. Initially, the function of these molecules was thought to be restricted to regulating cell-cell adhesive interactions. Selectin-dependent cell-cell binding has been shown to be essential in localizing leukocytes within tissues by promoting cell rolling along endothelium prior to the development of tight adhesion and subsequent cell migration. However, recent studies suggest that these molecules also play an active role in regulating additional leukocyte functions. This article will review the emerging evidence that indicates a broader and significant role of selectin molecules and their counterreceptors in the initiation of intracellular signaling pathways and regulation of other leukocyte functional responses including degranulation, cytokine expression, activation of the respiratory burst, and T lymphocyte activation.
Selected factors and stroke in young adults, 15-40 years of age.

HOSPITAL-BASED case-control study was conducted to determine the degree of association between cigarette smoking, alcohol use, drug use, and prior medical disorders and the development of stroke in young adults, 15-40 years of age. Cases consisted of 80 patients with a discharge diagnosis of stroke, excluding subarachnoid hemorrhage and transient cerebral ischemia, admitted to one of four community hospitals in northern Illinois between 1975 and 1983. Controls included 321 injury patients matched to cases by hospital and year of admission. The proportion of drug users and those with a history of medical disorders was significantly higher in cases than controls. Cigarette smoking and alcohol use did not appear to be risk factors for stroke, although the risk was obscured by the apparent association of these factors with injuries in the control group. Had community controls been selected it is possible that positive associations may have been found.
Seasonal temperature and precipitation effects on cow-calf production in northern mixed-grass prairie $

Quantifying the effects of seasonal temperature and precipitation on cow–calf production on rangelands is challenging, as few long-term (420 yrs) studies have been reported. However, an understanding of how seasonal weather inconsistency affects beef production is needed for beef producers to better manage their herds on native rangelands to minimize enterprise risk with respect to climatic variability. Cow–calf beef production data collected at the USDA-ARS High Plains Grasslands Research Station near Cheyenne, WY, USA from 1975 to 2012 were tested using model averaging for effects of spring (April–June) and summer (July–September) temperature and precipitation, as well as prior winter (October–March) and prior growing season (April–September) precipitation on beef production. Two breeds were used at different
Validation of SeaWiFS chlorophyll a concentrations in the Southern Ocean: A revisit

Surface chlorophyll a concentrations (Ca ,m g m −3 ) in the Southern Ocean estimated from SeaWiFS satellite data have been reported in the literature to be significantly lower than those measured from in situ water samples using fluorometric methods. However, we found that highresolution (∼ 1k m 2 /pixel) daily SeaWiFS Ca (Ca ) data (SeaDAS4.8, OC4v4 algorithm) was an accurate measure of in situ Ca during January– February of 1998–2002 if concurrent in situ data measured by HPLC (Ca ) instead of fluorometric (Ca ) measurements were used as ground truth. Our analyses indicate that Ca is 2.48±2.23 (n=647) times greater than Ca between 0.05 and 1.5 mg m −3 and that the percentage overestimation of in situ Ca by fluorometric measurements increases with decreasing concentrations. The ratio of Ca /Ca is 1.12±0.91 (n=96), whereas the ratio of Ca /Ca is 0.55±0.63 (n=307). Furthermore, there is no significant bias in Ca (12% and −0.07 in linear and log-transformed Ca, respectively) when Ca is used as ground truth instead of Ca . The high Ca /Ca ratio may be attributed to the relatively low concentrations of chlorophyll b (Cb/Ca=0.023±0.034, n=482) and relatively high concentrations of chlorophyll c (Cc/Ca=0.25± 0.59, n=482) in the phytoplankton pigment composition when compared to values from other regions. Because more than 90% of the waters in the study area, as well as in the entire Southern Ocean (south of 60° S), have Ca between 0.05 and 1.5 mg m −3 , we consider that the SeaWiFS performance of Ca retrieval is satisfactory and for this Ca range there is no need to further develop a “regional” bio-optical algorithm to account for the previous SeaWiFS “underestimation”.
The 340B Drug Discount Program: Hospitals Generate Profits By Expanding To Reach More Affluent Communities

The federal 340B program gives participating hospitals and other medical providers deep discounts on outpatient drugs. Named for a section of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, the program’s original intent was to help low-income and uninsured patients. But the program has come under scrutiny by critics who contend that some hospitals exploit the drug discounts to generate profits instead of either investing in programs for the poor or passing the discounts along to patients and insurers. We examined whether the program is expanding in ways that could maximize hospitals’ ability to generate profits from the 340B drug discounts. We matched data for 960 hospitals and 3,964 affiliated clinics registered with the 340B program in 2012 with the socioeconomic characteristics of their communities from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. We found that hospital-affiliated clinics that registered for the 340B program in 2004 or later served communities that were wealthier and had higher rates of hea...
Buyer–supplier alliances in the automobile industry: how exit‐voice strategies influence interpersonal relationships

Although automobile manufacturers emphasize that they are building more cooperative, long-term relationships with their suppliers, we hypothesized and found that buyers are actually pursuing a dual strategy approach, in which they use threats on out-group suppliers while providing help to in-group members. Our hypotheses were based on the exit, voice, and loyalty typology, and on research from leader–member exchange theory. We also found that the macro-level strategy set the context for the micro-level interactions between buyers and suppliers. The degree to which the buyers and suppliers interacted in a friendly, informal manner depended more on the in- or out-group status of the supplier firm than on the interaction style preferences of the suppliers. These findings are consistent with Mischel's (1977) theory that individual differences predict behavior under weak environmental conditions but not under strong environments. Compared to buyers, suppliers were more likely to prefer a friendly, informal interaction style. These findings were predicted based on the research on emotional display rules and emotional labor. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reorganization of Inhibitory Synaptic Circuits in Rodent Chronically Injured Epileptogenic Neocortex

Reduced synaptic inhibition is an important factor contributing to posttraumatic epileptogenesis. Axonal sprouting and enhanced excitatory synaptic connectivity onto rodent layer V pyramidal (Pyr) neurons occur in epileptogenic partially isolated (undercut) neocortex. To determine if enhanced excitation also affects inhibitory circuits, we used laser scanning photostimulation of caged glutamate and whole-cell recordings from GAD67-GFP–expressing mouse fast spiking (FS) interneurons and Pyr cells in control and undercut in vitro slices to map excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs. Results are 1) the region-normalized excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) amplitudes and proportion of uncaging sites from which EPSCs could be evoked (hotspot ratio) “increased” significantly in FS cells of undercut slices; 2) in contrast, these parameters were significantly “decreased” for inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in undercut FS cells; and 3) in rat layer V Pyr neurons, we found significant decreases in IPSCs in undercut versus control Pyr neurons. The decreases were mainly located in layers II and IV, suggesting a reduction in the efficacy of interlaminar synaptic inhibition. Results suggest that there is significant synaptic reorganization in this model of posttraumatic epilepsy, resulting in increased excitatory drive and reduced inhibitory input to FS interneurons that should enhance their inhibitory output and, in part, offset similar alterations in innervation of Pyr cells.
Control of robotic manipulator with adaptive controller

This paper presents a new approach to the position and velocity control of a manipulator by using the adaptive (self-tuning) controllers. The complicated model of a manipulator system is modeled by a set of time varying difference equations. The parameters of the system are determined by an on-line recursive algorithm based on the least squares error criterion. An adaptive controller is designed on the basis of the difference equation model, and a chosen performance criterion. The controllers are calculated on-line using the model with the estimated values of system parameters. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the approach to the control of a manipulator.
Elevation of Cytosolic Calcium Precedes Anoxic Gene Expression in Maize Suspension-Cultured Cells

Based on pharmacological evidence, we previously proposed that intracellular Ca2+ mediates the perception of O2 deprivation in maize seedlings. Herein, using fluorescence imaging and photometry of Ca2+ in maize suspension-cultured cells, the proposal was further investigated. Two complementary approaches were taken: (1) real time analysis of anoxia-induced changes in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca]i) and (2) experimental manipulation of [Ca]i and then assay of the resultant anoxia-specific responses. O2 depletion caused an immediate increase in [Ca2+]i, and this was reversible within a few seconds of reoxygenation. The [Ca]i elevation proceeded independent of extracellular Ca2+. The kinetics of the Ca2+ response showed that it occurred much earlier than any detectable changes in gene expression. Ruthenium red blocked the anoxic [Ca]i elevation and also the induction of adh1 (encoding alcohol dehydrogenase) and sh1 (encoding sucrose synthase) mRNA. Ca2+, when added along with ruthenium red, prevented the effects of the antagonist on the anoxic responses. Verapamil and bepridil failed to block the [Ca]i rise induced by anoxia and were equally ineffective on anoxic gene expression. Caffeine induced an elevation of [Ca]i as well as ADH activity under normoxia. The data provide direct evidence for [Ca]i elevation in maize cells as a result of anoxia-induced mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. Furthermore, any manipulation that modified the [Ca]i rise brought about a parallel change in the expression of two anoxia-inducible genes. Thus, these results corroborate our proposal that [Ca]i is a physiological transducer of anoxia signals in plants.
Thermally responsive polymer–nanoparticle composites for biomedical applications

Thermally responsive polymer-metal nanoparticle composites couple the ability of certain metal nanoparticles to convert external stimuli to heat with polymers that display sharp property changes in response to temperature changes, allowing for external control over polymer properties. These systems have been investigated for a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery, microfluidic valve control, and cancer therapy. This article focuses on three different size scales of this system: bulk systems (>1mm), nano- or microscale systems, and individual particle coatings. These composite systems will continue to be widely researched in the future for their vast potential in various biomedical applications.
Neural control of saccadic eye movements

Abstract Recent experiments report that localization of brief targets presented during an ongoing saccade is not accurate. Because interpretations of these findings challenge an important tenet of existing oculomotor models, we examine the methodological and logical bases of these conclusions. Also, we review recent research related to the roles of the frontal eye fields and cerebellum in the control of saccadic eye movements. Pathways by which neurons in the frontal eye fields control the initiation and metrics of saccades have been clarified by studying the functional properties of neurons in the frontal eye fields that project to oculomotor regions of the pons, and the discovery of a short-latency pathway that enables relatively direct control of saccade initiation. We review the puzzling literature on the role of vermal lobules Vlc, VII and the fastigial nuclei in the control of saccadic eye movements and suggest a testable hypothesis about how the fastigial projection to inhibitory burst neurons could modify saccade metrics.
Self-reported use of complementary and alternative medicine in patients with previous acute coronary syndrome.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common in patients with cardiovascular disease. Although numerous efforts have sought to understand CAM types and the prevalence of CAM, whether patients preferentially use CAM instead of evidence-based therapies is unknown. Self-reported use of CAM and evidence-based therapies in a prospective registry of hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome from March 1, 2001 to October 31, 2002 were examined. Poisson regression models were used to assess whether CAM use was independently associated with lower rates of aspirin, β-blocker, and statin use in 596 patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD). Overall, CAM use was 19% in patients with CAD. Higher proportions of patients who used CAM were non-Caucasian (31% vs 12%), uninsured (12% vs 7%), economically burdened (58% vs 29%), and had depression (13% vs 6%, p
Extension of the direct optimization algorithm for noisy functions

DIRECT (Dividing RECTangles) is a deterministic global optimization algorithm for bound-constrained problems. The algorithm, based on a space-partitioning scheme, performs both global exploration and local exploitation. In this paper, we modify the deterministic DIRECT algorithm to handle noisy function optimization. We adopt a simple approach that replicates multiple function evaluations per point and takes an average to reduce functional uncertainty. Particular features of the DIRECT method are modified using acquired Bayesian sample information to determine appropriate numbers of replications. The noisy version of the DIRECT algorithm is suited for simulation-based optimization problems. The algorithm is a sampling approach, that only uses objective function evaluations. We have applied the new algorithm in a number of noisy global optimizations, including an ambulance base simulation optimization problem.
38 Gastric emptying response to temporary gastric electrical stimulation is independent of symptom improvement but dependent on baseline emptying

Introduction: Gastric electrical Stimulation (GES) is an accepted therapy for drug refractory gastroparesis, but its effect on gastric emptying is controversial. Patients: To examine the effect of GES on GET we examined 140 consecutive patients undergoing temporary endoscopic GES as previously described (GIE 2005: 61:455–461). Pts were 29 m, 14 f, mean age 41 years with diagnosis (DX): 44 diabetes (DM), 14 post-surgical (PS) and 82 idiopathic (ID). Methods: Symptom Assessment, Gastric emptying and EGG were evaluated at baseline and after temporary endoscopic GES (mean 3 day of therapy). Patients at baseline were stratified into 3 groups based on GET: Delayed, Normal and Rapid, as previously described (AGC 2001: 95:1456–1461). Symptoms (SX) of nausea (N), vomiting (V), and total SX (TSS), and GET were compared by paired t-tests and reported as mean values. Results: All patients had Symptoms improvement, irrespective of their DX or baseline GET: (N: 3.5 baseline to 0.9 after; V: 2.5–0.6; TSS: 15.2–5.1 for all patients with uniform changes in subgroups. There were no significant changes in GET for the whole patient group. However, when stratified by baseline GET: the delayed group accelerated (and the rapid group slowed (see table). Conclusion: Temporary GES performed on patients with the SX of gastroparesis shows an immediate symptom improvement, which is independent of baseline GET. The effect of temporary GES on gastric emptying is dependent on baseline emptying, with improvements seen in both delayed and rapid gastric emptying sub-groups. Conclusions about the effect of electrical stimulation on gastric emptying need stratification for baseline gastric emptying. Group B GET 1 B GET 2 B GET 4 Aft GET 1 Aft GET 2 Aft GET 4 All (n = 140) 66.6 43.9 20.7 66.3 44.1 20.6 Delay (n = 78) 77.3 57.3 31.6 57.1 41.1 21.3 P value 0.04 0.08 0.18 Rapid (n = 15) 27.3 9.45 2.7 30.5 14.3 3.1 P value – – – 0.08 0.04 0.4
A Review of: Contesting Media Power: Alternative Media in a Networked World, edited by Nick Couldry and James Curran. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. x + 319 pp. $32.95 (paper). ISBN 0-7425-2385-3.

This collection of essays that address challenges to mainstream media delivered in both traditional channels and in a new media environment provides examples of alternative media from a variety of ...
Terrorist Spectaculars: Backlash Attacks and the Focus of Intelligence

This article presents a signaling model of terrorist attacks, where the target government faces a trade-off from its counterterrorism responses and the backlash (counterreaction) that such responses incite. An endogenous characterization of terrorist spectaculars is specified, given a government’s counterterrorism stance and the potential for backlash attacks. In particular, spectacular attacks are pooling, rather than separating, phenomena, whereby the government cannot discern, based on past attacks, the militancy of the terrorist group. The definition for ‘‘spectacular’’ terrorist attacks is inversely related to the government’s toughness and its belief that it confronts a militant group. Policy recommendations are specified for non-event-specific intelligence in relation to the avoidance of spectacular attacks or unnecessary concessions. Intelligence must be focused on the propensity for counterterrorism to give rise to a backlash attack.