cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Household risk perceptions and evacuation intentions in earthquake and tsunami in a Cascadia Subduction Zone

Abstract This study examines public risk perceptions and behavioral intentions in the event of a Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake and local tsunami on the Oregon Coast. A household survey was conducted in Seaside, Oregon, a small coastal community located within the impact radius of the CSZ. This research analyzes how situational variables of hazard proximity, past experience, preparedness, perception of location relative to a tsunami inundation zone, knowledge of tsunamis, and demographic variables, along with psychological constructs of risk perceptions and self-efficacy, influence intended evacuation behaviors. Results show that risk perception and self-efficacy have a positive significant influence on the intended behaviors of immediate evacuation. In addition, physical preparedness, tsunami-relevant knowledge and location perception serve as significant predictors of immediate evacuation intentions. Being female is positively associated with pre-evacuation behavioral intentions, encompassing checking social media, collecting documents, and contacting loved ones. The results contribute to the emerging body of literature examining human decision-making processes in extreme events.
Editorial for the Special Issue: Foodborne Pathogen Distribution, Ecology, Inactivation, and Methods of Differentiation.

Foodborne pathogens are a major cause of diarrheal disease throughout the world, and 40% of the foodborne illnesses are observed among children under the age of 5 years [...]
Mistriaged Advanced Life Support Patients in a Two-Tiered, Suburban Emergency Medical Services System.

Author(s): Bucher, Joshua; Feldman, David; Joseph, Joselyn | Abstract: Introduction: Emergency medical services (EMS) systems exist to provide prehospital care in diverse environments throughout the world. Advanced Life Support (ALS) services can provide advanced care including 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), endotracheal intubation and parenteral medication administration. Basic Life Support (BLS) can provide basic care such as splinting, wound care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. ALS can release patients to BLS for transport to the hospital, and this is an area of high risk. Our study examines patients who were triaged and admitted to a critical care location, including an intensive care unit (ICU), cardiac catheterization laboratory, or operating room (OR).Methods: The analysis included data from 2007–2015 of all patients who were triaged. We evaluated demographics, admission diagnoses, and dispositions using descriptive statistics. Diagnoses were grouped into categories based on the system.Results: We found that 372/17,639 (2%) of patients were mistriaged to BLS and admitted to a critical care location. The average age was 64. The most common diagnosis categories were neurological (24%), gastrointestinal (GI)/abdominal pain (15%), respiratory (12%), and cardiac (12%).Conclusion: It is uncommon for patients triaged from ALS to BLS to be admitted to an ICU, catheterization lab or OR, with a rate of 2%. Neurological, GI, sepsis, and trauma diagnoses were the most frequent categories of patient complaints that were mistriaged. This study should lead to further studies to examine this patient population.
Potential Implications of Gut Microbiota in Drug Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability

Gut microbial communities are capable of enzymatically transforming pharmaceutical compounds into active, inactive, and toxic metabolites, thus potentially affecting the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of orally administered medications. Our understanding of the impact and clinical relevance of how gut microbial communities can directly and indirectly affect drug metabolism and, ultimately, clinical outcomes, is limited. Interindividual variability of gut microbial composition may partially explain differences observed in drug efficacy and toxicity in certain patient populations. This review provides an overview of how gut microbial communities can potentially contribute to individual drug response. This review focuses on the current landscape of clinical and preclinical research that defines the microbiome contribution on medication response with the goal of improving medication efficacy and decreasing medication toxicity.
Early Literacy Skill Growth in Spanish-Speaking Children With and At Risk for Disabilities in Early Childhood:

For young Spanish–English dual language learners (SE-DLLs), early literacy skills, including phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge in Spanish as well as English, are crucial to their readin...
Inclusionary Zoning: A Framework for Assessing the Advantages and Disadvantages

This report provides a value-neutral assessment of inclusionary zoning and its potential effectiveness in different types of housing markets. The study describes the structure of inclusionary zoning ordinances and describes best practices implemented in urban areas throughout the United States to ensure inclusionary zoning has the greatest impact on housing affordability.Homes for Working Families, Inc. ("HWF") relinquishes any claim in and to the copyright in this publication or any other publications, and dedicates any rights it may have in this publication or any other publications to the public domain.
DNA Methylation-Based Epigenetic Repression of SLC22A4 Promotes Resistance to Cytarabine in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Reduced expression of the uptake transporter, OCTN1 (SLC22A4), has been reported as a strong predictor of poor event-free and overall survival in multiple cohorts of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving the cytidine nucleoside analog, cytarabine (Ara-C). To further understand the mechanistic basis of interindividual variability in the functional expression of OCTN1 in AML, we hypothesized a mechanistic connection to DNA methylation-based epigenetic repression of SLC22A4. We found increased basal SLC22A4 methylation was associated with decreased Ara-C uptake in AML cell lines. Pre-treatment with hypomethylating agents, 5-azacytidine, or decitabine, restored SLC22A4 mRNA expression, increased cellular uptake of Ara-C, and was associated with increased cellular sensitivity to Ara-C compared with vehicle-treated cells. Additionally, lower SLC22A4 methylation status was associated with distinct clinical advantages in both adult and pediatric patients with AML. These findings suggest a regulatory mechanism is involved in the interindividual variability in response to Ara-C, and provides a basis for the integration of hypomethylating agents into Ara-C-based treatment regimens.
CORD BLOOD GLP-1 CONCENTRATIONS IN HUMAN FULL-TERM NORMAL AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTED PREGNANCIES

Objective Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), synthesized in and released from enteroendocrine cells in the small and large intestine, has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of nutrient assimilation, intestinal growth and function. We aimed to study umbilical cord blood GLP-1 concentrations in intrauterine-growth-restricted (IUGR, usually associated with decreased intestinal growth, feeding intolerance and increased incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis) and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) pregnancies. Methods GLP-1 concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay in 50 mixed arterio-venous cord blood samples from IUGR (n = 14) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) (n = 36) singleton full-term infants. Results No significant differences in GLP-1 concentrations were found between AGA and IUGR groups. The effect of birthweight, customized centile, gestational age, gender, mode of delivery and parity on GLP-1 concentrations was not significant. Conclusions GLP-1 is present in human cord blood at birth. The lack of significant differences in GLP-1 concentrations between IUGR and AGA groups possibly suggests that GLP-1 may not be involved in the pathogenesis of the abnormal intestinal growth and function associated with IUGR. In the narrow age interval studied, no significant effect of fetal maturation on GLP-1 concentrations was observed. Finally, GLP-1 concentrations are independent of parity, gender and delivery mode. However, since this is a preliminary study, additional ones are required to further elucidate the role of this peptide during the perinatal period.
Abusing State Power or Controlling Risk?: Sex Offender Commitment and Sicherungsverwahrung

This article addresses a paradigmatic risk-based collateral sanction, the so-called "civil confinement". In contrast to many other collateral sanctions, it does not follow automatically but is judicially imposed following a hearing. In Hendricks v. Kansas (1997) the Supreme Court specifically upheld involuntary confinement following a criminal justice sentence for a sexually violent "predator". The Kansas statute mandated confinement based on an assessment of dangerousness which had to result from a mental abnormality. Once it characterized the sanction as "civil", the Court concluded that procedural protections traditional in the criminal context, such as double jeopardy, do not apply. The narrow majority opinion continues the uneasy relationship between civil and criminal sanctions and fails to provide a coherent picture of how the two should be conceptualized. The German Sicherungsverwahrung, while not without its critics, may provide a more satisfying blueprint for accommodating goals of punishment and risk considerations. Sicherungsverwahrung - confinement based on security concerns - is imposed at sentencing on serious violent offenders who are found to constitute a high risk of re-offending. During this confinement period, the offender is to be treated and rehabilitated. For that reason Sicherungsverwahrung generally precedes incarceration so that the explicitly penal part of the offender's sentence can continue the rehabilitative treatment but allows for the traditional sentencing focus on retribution and deterrence. The imposition of Sicherungsverwahrung at sentencing acknowledges the connection between the criminal offense and the confinement which is downplayed in U.S.-style civil confinement. At the same time, it mandates rehabilitation and accomplishes the goals of the criminal justice system without creating uncomfortable sentence dislocations. While this article will highlight the problems with Sicherungsverwahrung, it supports it as a more honest approach to accomplishing the goals of sentencing while protected public safety.
Review Article: Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids, Violence, and Crime: Two Cases and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use has become a major worldwide substance use disorder, affecting tens of millions of individuals. Importantly, it is now increasingly recognized that some individuals develop uncharacteristically violent or criminal behaviors when using AAS. We sought to summarize available information on this topic. METHODS We reviewed the published literature on AAS-induced behavioral effects and augmented this information with extensive observations from our clinical and forensic experience. RESULTS It is now generally accepted that some AAS users develop uncharacteristically violent or criminal behaviors while taking these drugs. Although these behaviors may partially reflect premorbid psychopathology, sociocultural factors, or expectational effects, accumulating evidence suggests that they are also attributable to biological effects of AAS themselves. The mechanism of these effects remains speculative, but preliminary data suggest a possible role for brain regions involved in emotional reactivity, such as the amygdala and regions involved in cognitive control, including the frontal cortex. For unknown reasons, these effects appear idiosyncratic; most AAS users display few behavioral effects, but a minority develops severe effects. CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Professionals encountering AAS users in clinical or forensic settings should be alert to the possibility of AAS-induced violence or criminality and should employ strategies to assess whether AAS is indeed a contributory factor in a given case. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism of AAS-induced violence and to explain why only a subset of AAS users appears vulnerable to these effects. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00-00).
Influence of vitamin D treatment on functional expression of drug disposition pathways in human kidney proximal tubule cells during simulated uremia.

Effects of cholecalciferol (VitD3) and calcitriol (1,25-VitD3), on the expression and function of major vitamin D metabolizing enzymes (cytochrome P450 [CYP]2R1, CYP24A1) and select drug transport ...
Unilateral most-favored-customer pricing A comparison with Stackelberg *

Abstract If one firm in a price-setting duopoly adopts a most-favored-customer pricing policy, it can commit to a price which is higher than the Bertrand price. The equilibrium price, however, must be lower than the Stackelberg leader price.
Beam me up, Scottie! TREK channels swing both ways.

TREK1 was known as a voltage-independent 'background' potassium channel, but a new study suggests that protein kinase A can reversibly convert it to a voltage-dependent state.
Convergence of plant-rich and plant-only diets

Discussants at the Third International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition considered the nutritional adequacy, benefits, and health outcomes of plant-only (e.g., vegan and fruitarian), plant-based (e.g., macrobiotic, lactovegetarian, semivegetarian, and meatless), and omnivorous dietary patterns. The increased availability of a variety of plant foods, the advent of nutrient-fortified plant foods, the use of vitamin and mineral supplements, and the widespread dissemination of sound information on dietary patterns mean that convergence between the essential nutrient profiles of plant-only and plant-rich, plant-based diets is possible. Special attention should be paid to nutrition among vulnerable groups by age or physiologic status if they consume diets based solely on plants. Research has shown that both plant-only and plant-based eating patterns have health benefits, most notably in reducing the risk of chronic, degenerative diseases. The panel concluded that evidence for a convergence of scientific opinion on the safety and healthfulness of plant-only diets that are appropriately planned to meet all nutrient requirements compared with plant-based diets is considerable.
Improved sleep MRI at 3 tesla in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

PURPOSE To describe a real-time MR imaging platform for synchronous, multi-planar visualization of upper airway collapse in obstructive sleep apnea at 3 Tesla (T) to promote natural sleep with an emphasis on lateral wall visualization. MATERIALS AND METHODS A real-time imaging platform was configured for sleep MR imaging which used a cartesian, partial k-space gradient-echo sequence with an inherent temporal resolution of 3 independent slices every 2 s. Combinations of axial, mid-sagittal, and coronal scan planes were acquired. The system was tested in five subjects with polysomnography-proven obstructive sleep apnea during sleep, with synchronous acquisition of respiratory effort and combined oral-nasal airflow data. RESULTS Sleep was initiated and maintained to allow demonstration of sleep-induced, upper airway collapse as illustrated in two subjects when using a real-time, sleep MR imaging platform at 3T. Lateral wall collapse could not be visualized on mid-sagittal imaging alone and was best characterized on multiplanar coronal and axial imaging planes. CONCLUSION Our dedicated sleep MR imaging platform permitted an acoustic environment of constant "white noise" which was conducive to sleep onset and sleep maintenance in obstructive sleep apnea patients at 3T. Apneic episodes, specifically the lateral walls, were more accurately characterized with synchronous, multiplanar acquisitions.
Before You Take a Collaborative Law Case: What the Ethical Rules Say About Conflicts of Interest, Client Screening, and Informed Consent

Collaborative Law (CL) is an innovative dispute resolution process that offers significant benefits but also poses significant non-obvious risks. In CL, the lawyers and clients sign a "participation agreement" promising to use an interest-based approach to negotiation and fully disclose all relevant information. A key element of CL is the "disqualification agreement" signed by parties (and sometimes by attorneys) which provides that both CL lawyers would be disqualified from representing the clients if the parties engage in contested litigation. CL is designed to encourage parties to stay in the process, which can be highly beneficial for the parties and their families. However, sometimes parties feel stuck there, having invested thousands of dollars and being at risk of losing their lawyer if the process terminates. Ethical rules require lawyers to inform participants about the risks of the process and screen cases for appropriateness under Rules 1.2 and 1.7 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. This brief article is intended to help prepare CL lawyers so that they comply with their obligations to screen cases and help clients make informed decisions about use of CL to increase lawyer competence and client satisfaction.
Effect of tetramethylpyrazine on rat experimental choroidal neovascularization in vivo and endothelial cell cultures in vitro.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on laser-induced experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in rat model in vivo and on endothelial cell proliferation in vitro. Methods: Male Brown Norway rats were anesthetized to receive Nd:YAG laser to break the Bruch membrane. TMP was given once daily through intraperitoneal injection after laser treatment for 4 weeks. The development of CNV was determined by angiography performed on week 2 and week 4 using sodium fluorescein (FA) or fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FD70-FA). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were tested with proliferation assay with TMP at different concentrations. Results: According to the angiograms of FA, intensity of fluorescein leakage from the photocoagulated lesions decreased significantly after TMP treatment. The number of rats with less leaky points (≤ 75%) increased significantly in the TMP 40 mg/kg group (p < 0.05). The angiograms of FD70-FA showed diminished lesion size in the TMP-treated ...
Collision broadening and shift of NO γ(0, 0) absorption lines by O2 and H2O at high temperatures

Abstract Collision-broadened absorption lineshapes of the A ← X (0, 0) transitions of NO near 225 nm were measured behind reflected shock waves in a shock tube by using the frequency-doubled output of a narrow-linewidth, rapid-tuning cw ring dye laser. The profiles of the transitions, perturbed by a single bath species, either H 2 O or O 2 , were fit assuming Voigt lineshapes to derive collision-induced width coefficients (2γ). The collision-induced shift coefficient (δ) was also measured, with reference to the same NO feature recorded simultaneously in absorption across a low-pressure cell of pure NO. For both perturbers, an inverse power-law for the temperature dependence was obtained for both 2γ and δ. Over the temperature range 1000–2000 K, 2γ for the case of O 2 as perturber was roughly 80% of that measured for the case of H 2 O as perturber, and δ for both perturbers were the same within approximately 10%. Dependence of 2γ and δ on the ground-state energy of the A ← X (0, 0) transitions of NO were discernible for the case of H 2 O as perturber. All perturbers induced slight asymmetries and narrowing of the lineshape.
Identification of a novel negative role of flagellin in regulating IL‐10 production

Toll-like receptors (TLR) expressed by cells of the immune system play a central role in the generation of immune responses against pathogens. Following TLR ligation, both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators are produced in order to elicit an immune response that controls the microbial infection while limiting tissue damage. Among these mediators, the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 are known to play major roles. Here, we show that in vitro or in vivo stimulation with flagellin, the TLR5 ligand, does not result in IL-10 production. Furthermore, flagellin inhibits IL-10 production by other specific TLR ligands at the protein and mRNA levels while increasing IL-12p70 production. Several studies have linked the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases with IL-10 induction by TLR. We have observed that LPS-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation was significantly decreased in flagellin-treated macrophages, suggesting that this pathway might play a role in the inhibition of IL-10 production observed in flagellin-treated macrophages. Flagellin-mediated IL-10 inhibition was not observed in cells that do not express TLR5, supporting that this effect is indeed TLR5-dependent. This study provides a new insight into the role of flagellin recognition by TLR5 in shaping the immune response elicited by flagellated microorganisms.
Role of the Active-Site Solvent in the Thermodynamics of Factor Xa Ligand Binding

Understanding the underlying physics of the binding of small-molecule ligands to protein active sites is a key objective of computational chemistry and biology. It is widely believed that displacement of water molecules from the active site by the ligand is a principal (if not the dominant) source of binding free energy. Although continuum theories of hydration are routinely used to describe the contributions of the solvent to the binding affinity of the complex, it is still an unsettled question as to whether or not these continuum solvation theories describe the underlying molecular physics with sufficient accuracy to reliably rank the binding affinities of a set of ligands for a given protein. Here we develop a novel, computationally efficient descriptor of the contribution of the solvent to the binding free energy of a small molecule and its associated receptor that captures the effects of the ligand displacing the solvent from the protein active site with atomic detail. This descriptor quantitatively...
Determinants of Punitive Responses To Socially Proscribed Behavior Seriousness, Attribution of Responsibility, and Status of the Offender

This study investigates the severity of the sanctions group members recommend in judging socially proscribed acts in terms of the seriousness of the act, attribution of responsibility, and the status of the offender. The data were not totally consistent with the hypothesized relationships. As anticipated, moderately serious acts were sanc tioned less severely than those judged to be seriously deviant. Moreover, the greater the attribution of personal responsibility for the acts, the more severe the sanctions. Status, however, failed to reveal a mediating influence in the judgmental process under investigation. This appears to be the result of a loss ofstatus suffered by the high-status offender.
Regulation of externalities in an open economy

Abstract This paper considers the ranking of second-best policies for an open economy that regulate externalities arising from the production of an exportable. Pesticides and other chemicals used in US agriculture are good examples. Uncertainty originates from three sources: random shifts in production cost and external costs, and the random fluctuations in the world price of a traded good. World prices become unreliable indicators of comparative advantages in the presence of external costs. Nonintervention of free trade can encourage excessive production and exports of commodities with spurious comparative advantages. The paper analyses the properties of the optimal state-contingent tax or first-best tax, which is difficult to implement. These properties are then used to rank second-best policies that are determined before uncertainties are resolved. It is shown that ex ante taxes and quotas are equivalent when the marginal external cost is subject to random shifts. When the world price is uncertain, the optimal ex ante effluent charge dominates the optimal quantity standard. When the marginal production cost of the exportable is subject to random shifts, the ranking of second-best policies is generally ambiguous.
Prospective evaluation of local excision for small rectal cancers.

OBJECTIVE: Most data on local excisions for rectal cancer are based on retrospective studies. We review the results of a prospective registry of patients eligible for local excision of rectal cancer using a transanal, transsphincteric, or transcoccygeal technique combined with multimodality therapy for lesions penetrating the muscularis propria (T2) or perirectal fat (T3). METHODS: Patients with lesions less than 4 cm in diameter and less than 10 cm from the dentate line, with no evidence of distant metastases or invasion into the perirectal fat, were eligible for local excision. Patients with invasion into the muscularis propria (T2) or greater (T3) received adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients have been followed prospectively. Average age is 63 years. Thirty-three patients underwent a transanal excision. Fifteen patients underwent either a transsphincteric or technique excision. There was no perioperative mortality. Pathology revealed 1 Tis, 21 T1, 21 T2, and 5 T3 cancers. Mean follow-up is 40.5 months. Cancerrelated overall mortality was 4 percent. Overall local or distant recurrence rate was 8 percent(4/48). Recurrence appeared to be related to presence of a positive margin or aggressive histology (lymphatic invasion). Local recurrences were treated with salvage therapy. CONCLUSION: Local excision can be used selectively for small rectal cancers, with minimum morbidity. Recurrence rates are low (8 percent). Patients with either a positive margin or lymphatic invasion need to be considered for further therapy, including abdominoperineal resection, even with T1 lesions. Adjuvant chemoradiation appears to be a benefit for all T2 or T3 cancers.
Effects of substituted p-benzoquinones on urease activity in soils

Abstract The effectiveness of substituted p-benzoquinones as inhibitors of urease activity in soils depends largely upon their substituent groups. Methyl, chloro-, bromo- and fluoro-substituted p-benzoquinones have a marked inhibitory effect on soil urease activity, whereas phenyl-, r-butyl-and hydroxy-substituted p-benzoquinones have little, if any, effect. Methyl-substituted p-benzoquinones differ from other substituted p-benzoquinones in that their effects on soil urease activity usually increase markedly with increase in their time of contact with soil. A study of the effects of selected substituted p-benzoquinones on urea hydrolysis and volatilization of urea N as ammonia in a sandy soil treated with urea showed that methyl- and chloro-substituted p-benzoquinones had very marked effects, whereas hydroxy- and phenyl-substituted p-benzoquinones had little or no effect. Gaseous loss of urea N as ammonia when this soil was incubated at 20°C for 14 days was reduced from 62.8 to 0.1 per cent by addition of 2,3-dimethyl-, 2,5-dimethyl-, or 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone (2.3 parts/100 parts of urea). The work reported indicates that, of the 34 substituted p-benzoquinones studied, 2,3-dimethyl-, 2, 5-dimethyl- and 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone are likely to prove the most effective for retardation of urea decomposition in soils and reduction of the problems caused by the normally rapid hydrolysis of fertilizer urea by soil urease.
Effects of geometry on transmission and sensing potential of tapered fiber sensors

Abstract Geometry of tapered fiber sensors critically affects the response of an evanescent field sensor to cell suspensions. Single-mode fibers (nominally at 1300 nm) were tapered to symmetric or asymmetric tapers with diameters in the range of 3–20 μm, and overall lengths of 1–7 mm. Their transmission characteristics in air, water and in the presence of Escherichia coli (JM101 strain) at concentrations of 100, 1000, 7000 and 7 million cells/mL were measured in the 400–800 nm range and gave rich spectral data that lead to the following conclusions. (1) No change in transmission was observed due to E. coli with tapers that showed no relative change in transmission in water compared to air. (2) Tapers that exhibited a significant difference in transmission in water compared to air gave weak response to the presence of the E. coli. Of these, tapers with low waist diameters (6 μm) showed sensitivity to E. coli at 7000 cells/mL and higher concentration. (3) Tapers that showed modest difference in water transmission compared to air, and those that had small waist diameters gave excellent response to E. coli at 100–7000 cells/mL. In addition, mathematical modeling showed that: (1) at low wavelength (470 nm) and small waist diameter (6 μm), transmission with water in the waist region is higher than in air. (2) Small changes in waist diameter (∼0.05 μm) can cause larger changes in transmission at 470 nm than at 550 nm at waist diameter of 6 μm. (3) For the same overall geometry, a 5.5 μm diameter taper showed larger refractive index sensitivity compared to a 6.25 μm taper at 470 nm.
Effects of aging on the densities, numbers, and sizes of retinal ganglion cells in rhesus monkey

We used sterological procedures that yield unbiased estimates to quantify the densities, numbers, and soma sizes of retinal ganglion cells in seven young adult and six old rhesus monkeys. The retinae were flat mounted so that we could determine whether there are different aging-related losses in different retinal regions. The mean (+/-standard deviation) total number of ganglion cells was 1,529,039 +/- 115,260 in young-adult retinae and 1,556,698 +/- 165,056 in old retinae, a difference that was not statistically significant. There also were no significant differences between young and old retinae in the densities or total numbers of ganglion cells in the four retinal quadrants, in four concentric retinal zones from fovea to peripheral retina, or in smaller hemiretinal regions of the concentric zones. Ganglion-cell soma sizes also did not differ significantly between young and old animals. Moreover, counts of the largest ganglion cells, which probably correspond to P alpha ganglion cells, revealed no selective loss of these cells with aging. These results are consistent with our previous anatomical and physiological studies of the LGN. Together they suggest that the retino-geniculate pathways are relatively unaffected by aging in the rhesus monkey.
How-possibly explanations in biology

Biologists in many different fields of research give how-possibly explanations of the phenomena they study. Although such explanations lack empirical support, and might be regarded by some as “unscientific,” they play an important heuristic role in biology by helping biologists develop theories and concepts and suggesting new areas of research. How-possibly explanations serve as a useful framework for conducting research in the absence of adequate empiri cal data, and they can even become how-actually explanations if they gain enough empirical support.
Some Experiments on Dynamic and Quasi-Static Forging of Aluminum at Elevated Temperatures

The paper describes the results of hot and warm forging tests on aluminum specimens, using a modified Hopkinson pressure-bar in which impact velocities up to 100 m/s could be obtained. The maximum energy available was 30000 Nm, but for the work described here 24000 Nm was used at an impact velocity of 90 m/s. A short description of the apparatus is given. A typical punch load/displacement curve is presented. A comparison is made with forging at very low speed, and the effect of impact velocity on die filling, forging load, microstructure and hardness of the forged components is assessed. Two components of different geometries were forged. Contrary to original expectations, all trials in the high-velocity forging of one component were unsuccessful.
Procedures Used by North Carolina Dairies for Vitamins A and D Fortification of Milk

New research findings have documented fortification errors in fortified milk products all across the US milk industry. Also, the consumption of overfortified bovine milk has led the public to question whether vitamin fortification is safe. Therefore, North Carolina dairies were surveyed to determine vitamin fortification procedures used and to determine differences among these procedures. Of the parameters surveyed, the general conditions under which vitamin preparations were stored, the method used to add vitamin preparations to milk, and the point during processing at which vitamin preparations were added to milk were different among dairies. Forty-six percent of the dairies stored vitamin preparations under refrigerated conditions, and 54% stored vitamin preparations at ambient temperatures. The addition of vitamin preparations to bovine milk was accomplished by metered injection at 64% of the dairies and batch addition techniques at 36%. Vitamin preparations were added before fat content standardization and separation by 23% of the dairy processors; 77% added the vitamin preparations after this point. When dairies were asked at what point they added their vitamin preparations to the milk, nine different answers were given. Although other sources of error could also contribute to inconsistent concentrations of vitamin fortification, differences in fortification procedures may have a large impact upon the problem. The diversity of vitamin fortification practices used in North Carolina may be an indication of nationwide trends.
Non Random Selection in the HRS Social Security Earnings Sample

Abstract : The Health and Retirement Study (HRS), administered by the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan, is a longitudinal survey of the population of U.S. households with at least one adult between the ages of 51 and 61 in 1992 (individuals born between 1931 and 1941). Wave 1 of the survey was carried out in 1992 with subsequent waves to be conducted every two years. In Wave 1, the HRS collected data on 12,652 respondents from 7,702 households. In accordance with an agreement with the Social Security Administration, HRS respondents were asked to grant ISR permission to obtain the respondents' earnings histories as reported to the Social Security Administration. Such data are extremely valuable because they provide unusually accurate administrative earnings histories over an unusually long period, 1951-1991, and these data can be used in conjunction with the wealth of survey information collected in the HRS itself. Because of the highly confidential nature of the data, the earnings histories are not part of the FIRS public release data sets; rather, the Social Security earnings data are provided only through special permission from the HRS.
At the Intersection of Demand Creation and Demand Fulfillment: Which Schools Are Getting There First and Why.

ABSTRACT College and university Web sites have evolved from passive information-laden bulletin boards to interactive “cyber ads,” designed to generate consumer demand for information. A question worth asking is: “How well are we meeting that demand?” By examining the responses of 107 U.S. colleges and universities to requests for enrollment information, this study identifies which schools are fulfilling demand in a timely and effective manner and explains why they are being successful.
3-D Virtual Worlds in Education: Applications, Benefits, Issues, and Opportunities

Three-dimensional virtual world environments are providing new opportunities to develop engaging, interactive experiences in education. These virtual worlds are unique in that they allow individuals to interact with others through their avatars and with objects in the environment, and can create experiences that are not necessarily possible in the real world. To assess the impact that these virtual worlds are currently having on education, a literature review is conducted to identify current applications, benefits being realized, as well as issues faced. Based on this review, virtual world capabilities, experiences, and factors associated with educational opportunities are presented as well as gaps in meeting pedagogical objectives. Practical and research implications are then addressed. Virtual worlds are proving to provide unique educational experiences, with its potential only at the cusp of being explored.
On the Mechanism for Neomycin Reversal of Wortmannin Inhibition of Insulin Stimulation of Glucose Uptake

Although a number of studies and approaches have indicated that activation of the Ser/Thr kinase called Akt/protein kinase B is critical for the insulin-stimulated increase of glucose uptake in adipocytes, other studies have indicated that this enzyme may play an ancillary role. For example, a recent study indicated that neomycin would allow insulin-stimulated Glut4 translocation and glucose transport in the presence of the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, a known inhibitor of Akt activation (James, D. J., Salaun, C., Brandie, F. M., Connell, J. M. C., and Chamberlain, L. H. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 20567–20570). To better understand this observation, we examined a number of downstream targets of Akt. As previously reported, treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with neomycin prevented the wortmannin inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose transport. However, in the presence of neomycin, wortmannin did not inhibit the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of several downstream targets of Akt including a proline-rich Akt substrate of 40 kDa, ribosomal protein S6, and glycogen synthase kinase-3. In addition, neomycin did not prevent the ability of a structurally unrelated PI 3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002, to inhibit the insulin-stimulated activation of glucose uptake. Moreover, neomycin reversed the inhibitory effect of wortmannin but not LY294002 on insulin stimulation of Akt kinase activity. Finally, neomycin was found to inactivate in vitro the PI 3-kinase inhibitory actions of wortmannin but not LY294002. These results indicate that the effects of neomycin in adipocytes are not mediated via its ability to sequester phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate but are instead caused by the ability of neomycin to inactivate wortmannin.
Size analysis of nanoscale order in amorphous materials by variable-resolution fluctuation electron microscopy

Variable resolution fluctuation electron microscopy can reveal the characteristic decay length over which nanoscale order persists in amorphous materials. In the fluctuation method, four-atom positional correlations within the resolution (coherent diameter) of the electron beam dominate the experimental data. Such correlations occur when the sample contains topologically ordered regions within a random network matrix. By changing the resolution, a decay length is obtained under the simplifying assumption that the correlations decay in an exponential manner. We have developed a simple lens configuration on a STEM that affords high quality variable resolution data and does not compromise the stability of the instrument. To test this method, we analyze the structural order in amorphous silicon thin films grown under vastly different deposition conditions and determine decay lengths ranging between 0.4 and 0.6 nm. We then compare the data with model simulations to obtain an estimate of the diameter of the ordered regions.
The Effects of Training on the Quality of Family Child Care for Those Associated with and Not Associated with Professional Child Care Organizations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether training differentially affected family child care providers who were and who were not members of professional child care associations. Twenty-two providers participated in a three-month child care training program. Observers rated the quality of provider child care before and after the training. Results indicated that those who were not members of family child care organizations were rated as significantly improved after training, but those who were members of family child care associations were not.
Immunodiffusion—A technique for coelenterate polyp identification

Abstract 1. 1. An immunodiffusion test can identify Chrysaora quinquecirrha polyps and differentiate them from the polyps of Cyanea capillata which are also found in the Chesapeake Bay. 2. 2. The polyps of Aurelia aurita and Chrysaora contain antigenic material which form lines of identity when tested with anti- Chrysaora serum.
Hemolymph proteins of healthy and diseased larvae of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica

Abstract Proteins in the hemolymph of Popillia japonica larvae were separated and characterized by molecular-sieve chromatography, starch-gel and cellulose polyacetate zone electrophoresis, and ultracentrifugation. Hemolymph samples from normal larvae and from larvae infected with Bacillus popilliae , the milky disease organism, were compared to determine the effect of the disease on the proteins. During the course of milky disease, one protein disappeared and a smaller particle increased markedly in concentration. The protein present in highest concentration (major) exhibited the highest electrophoretic mobility and had an apparent isoelectric point of 5.85. This protein contained lipid as well as carbohydrate moieties. Hemolymph from diseased larvae showed a decrease in concentration of the major protein.
Pulsed laser Rayleigh scattering diagnostic for hydrogen/oxygen rocket exit plane flowfield velocimetry

A Doppler-resolved, pulsed laser Rayleigh scattering diagnostic has been developed to obtain local flowfield velocity measurements at the exit plane of a low thrust hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine operating in a high-altitude test facility. Fiberoptic signal collection was employed to obtain the forescatter and backscatter Doppler shifts necessary to resolve the axial and radial velocity components. A radial profile was obtained by traversing the collection probes along the beam path at the nozzle exit. The results are compared with theoretical predictions from a full Navier-Stokes model (RK/RPLUS). Significant discrepancies between the measured and predicted axial velocity profiles are observed, in terms of both magnitude and character. Radial velocity measurements exhibit excellent agreement with predictions near the centerline but show some departure off-axis. The discrepancies between theory and experiment are potentially the result of enhanced mixing between the core and fuel-film region beyond that predicted, and/or flow stratification between the hydrogen and oxygen injected into the central core region.
Cone emission from laser-pumped two-level atoms. I. Quantum theory of resonant light propagation

This is the first of a series of papers on the theory of cone emission from a laser-pumped two-level atomic medium. Starting from microscopic quantum theory for both the active medium and the field, equations for the slowly varying macroscopic quantities are derived. In the steady-state limit, which experimentally corresponds to cw excitation, we find that the sources for the paraxial fields of interest have a long coherence length despite the random nature of spontaneous emission
Asymmetric bilateral demyelinating optic neuropathy from tacrolimus toxicity.

Abstract Objective To report the first histopathologic description of optic nerve demyelination from tacrolimus (FK 506) toxicity in the absence of toxic levels of tacrolimus in a patient presenting with asymmetric bilateral visual loss after 5 years of tacrolimus therapy. Patients We report a patient status post cardiac and renal transplantation who developed severe, progressive and asynchronous bilateral visual loss after prolonged treatment with tacrolimus. Orbital MRI showed an enlarged left optic nerve that enhanced with gadolinium. Conclusion After extensive negative work up, biopsy of one optic nerve was performed. Microscopic analysis showed extensive demyelination in the absence of vasculitis, neoplastic or infectious etiologies. Our patient illustrates that demyelination of the optic nerve causing asynchronous vision loss can be associated with tacrolimus toxicity in the absence of toxic drug levels.
Orthogonal Cultural Identification Theory: The Cultural Identification of Minority Adolescents

A theory of cultural identification is presented indicating that identification with different cultures is orthogonal. Instead of cultures being placed at opposite ends of a continuum, cultural identification dimensions are independent of each other, and increasing identification with one culture does not require decreasing identification with another. Studies of Native-American and Mexican-American youth show that: (1) identification with Anglo (White American) culture is related to having Anglo friends and to family acceptance of an Anglo marriage, (2) identification with either the minority or the majority culture is a source of personal and social strength, and (3) this greater strength, however, does not translate automatically into less drug use, because drug use is related to how much the culture that the person identifies with approves or disapproves of drugs. [Translations are provided. See the International Abstracts at the end of the issue.]
Reliability, health care, and simulation

Abstract Reliability theory is a very matured subject and a lot has been written (and still much research is going on) on this subject. Healthcare system is currently getting a lot of attention due to escalating costs and the constant increase in the number of people requiring healthcare. In this paper, we outline how reliability theory along with simulation can be put to great use in healthcare industry. It should be pointed out that this is not an exhaustive study of comparing one area to another to its fullest but rather an attempt to see how one can use the set up of reliability to look at the healthcare system in a macroscopic way. Modeling a human as a reliability system with many subsystems, we look at the mean time to failure as well as the quality of the life of the system through simulation, which is carried out with the help of ARENA software.
Application of the Envelope Difference Index to spectrally-sparse speech

Purpose Amplitude compression is a common hearing aid processing strategy that can improve speech audibility and loudness comfort but also has the potential to alter important cues carried by the s...
Clinical biomechanics of the patellofemoral joint

Abstract Anatomic variations of the knee extensor mechanism may result in predisposition to maltracking or instability ofthe patella and quadriceps mechanism. In addition to these anatomic variations, individuals may subject their knees to a wide variety of activities and stresses. Each case of patellofemoral dysfunction, which may range from only anterior knee pain to patellar dislocation, must be considered individually. In the presence of maltracking or patellar instability that is recalcitrant to rehabilitation, there is no single structure which can be surgically altered, repaired, or reconstructed in each case to expect a satisfactory result. The purpose of this article is to describe recent work on the anatomy and biomechanics of the patellofemoral joint to aid the reader in understanding, assessing, and determining the method of treatment most likely to result in improvement in symptoms associated with patellofemoral dysfunction.