cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation-based emergency medicine education in the era of physical distancing.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to traditional simulation education. Because simulation is considered best practice for competency-based education, emergency medicine (EM) residencies adapted and innovated to accommodate to the new pandemic normal. Our objectives were to identify the impact of the pandemic on EM residency simulation training, to identify unique simulation adaptations and innovations implemented during the pandemic, and to analyze successes and failures through existing educational frameworks to offer guidance on the use of simulation in the COVID-19 era. Methods: The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)'s Simulation Academy formed the SimCOVID task force to examine the impact of COVID-19 on simulation didactics. A mixed-methods approach was employed. A literature search was conducted on the subject and used to develop an exploratory survey that was distributed on the Simulation Academy Listserv. The results were subjected to thematic analysis and examined through existing educational frameworks to better understand successes and failures and then used to generate suggestions on the use of simulation in the COVID-19 era. Results: Thirty programs responded to the survey. Strategies reported included adaptations to virtual teleconferencing and small-group in situ training with a focus on procedural training and COVID-19 preparedness. Successful continuation or relaunching of simulation programs was predicated on several factors including willingness for curricular pivots through rapid iterative prototyping, embracing teleconferencing software, technical know-how, and organizational and human capacity. In specific instances the use of in situ simulation for COVID-19 preparedness established the view of simulation as a "value add" to the organization. Conclusions: Whereas simulation educator's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic can be better appreciated through the lens of iterative curricular prototyping, their successes and failures depended on existing expertise in technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. That knowledge needed to exist and synergize within a system that had the human and organizational capacity to prioritize and invest in strategies to respond to the rapidly evolving crisis in a proactive manner. Going forward, administrators and educators will need to advocate for continued investment in human and organizational capacity to support simulation-based efforts for the evolving clinical and educational landscape.
Measuring gravitational redshift at the centimeter scale with a multiplexed optical lattice clock

Optical lattice clocks (OLCs) are now the most stable and accurate timekeepers in the world, with fractional uncertainties equivalent to neither losing nor gaining a second over the entire age of the universe. This unprecedented level of metrological precision offers sensitivity to new physical phenomena, opening the door to exciting and unusual applications. I will give a brief overview of emerging applications of OLCs, including gravitational wave detection, tests of general relativity, and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. I will discuss the concept and basic operating principles of the multiplexed OLC we have constructed. Finally, I will present recent experimental progress we have made towards measuring the gravitational redshift at the centimeter scale using the multiplexed OLC.
An automated computational image analysis pipeline for histological grading of cardiac allograft rejection.

AIM Allograft rejection is a serious concern in heart transplant medicine. Though endomyocardial biopsy with histological grading is the diagnostic standard for rejection, poor inter-pathologist agreement creates significant clinical uncertainty. The aim of this investigation is to demonstrate that cellular rejection grades generated via computational histological analysis are on-par with those provided by expert pathologists. METHODS AND RESULTS The study cohort consisted of 2472 endomyocardial biopsy slides originating from three major US transplant centres. The 'Computer-Assisted Cardiac Histologic Evaluation (CACHE)-Grader' pipeline was trained using an interpretable, biologically inspired, 'hand-crafted' feature extraction approach. From a menu of 154 quantitative histological features relating the density and orientation of lymphocytes, myocytes, and stroma, a model was developed to reproduce the 4-grade clinical standard for cellular rejection diagnosis. CACHE-grader interpretations were compared with independent pathologists and the 'grade of record', testing for non-inferiority (δ = 6%). Study pathologists achieved a 60.7% agreement [95% confidence interval (CI): 55.2-66.0%] with the grade of record, and pair-wise agreement among all human graders was 61.5% (95% CI: 57.0-65.8%). The CACHE-Grader met the threshold for non-inferiority, achieving a 65.9% agreement (95% CI: 63.4-68.3%) with the grade of record and a 62.6% agreement (95% CI: 60.3-64.8%) with all human graders. The CACHE-Grader demonstrated nearly identical performance in internal and external validation sets (66.1% vs. 65.8%), resilience to inter-centre variations in tissue processing/digitization, and superior sensitivity for high-grade rejection (74.4% vs. 39.5%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION These results show that the CACHE-grader pipeline, derived using intuitive morphological features, can provide expert-quality rejection grading, performing within the range of inter-grader variability seen among human pathologists.
Home-based exercise program for older adults with Motoric Cognitive Risk syndrome: feasibility study

Aim: We developed a home-based goal-directed exercise program with telephonic coaching to overcome barriers to exercise participation in cognitively impaired older adults. Methods: Six patients with Motoric Cognitive Risk syndrome at high risk for dementia were enrolled, three assigned to goal-directed exercises and three to stretching exercises. All participants underwent an in-person training session followed by a session at home with a telephonic coach. Sessions were supervised by a physiatrist, and exercise programs were personalized. Results: In-person training and remote telephonic coaching support promoted adherence. There were no adverse effects and interventions were rated highly. Participant and logistical barriers were identified that can inform design of home-based clinical trials. Conclusion: Home-based exercises are safe and feasible in older adults with Motoric Cognitive Risk.
Dissecting the Cellular Landscape and Transcriptome Network in Viral Myocarditis by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

Abstract Myocarditis induced with Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is commonly employed to study viral pathogenesis in mice. Although infectious virus is cleared after the acute phase, affected animals chronically develop the features of dilated cardiomyopathy, which may involve the mediation of immune and non-immune cells. To dissect this complexity, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on heart cells obtained from healthy and myocarditic mice, leading us to note that myocarditic mice had significantly higher proportions of myeloid cells, CD4 and CD8 T cells, and fibroblasts, whereas NK cells, ILCs and B cells were low. While the transcriptome profiles of myeloid cells revealed detection of monocytes and macrophages of M2 phenotype with pathways important in immune metabolism and inflammation, T cells consisted of Th17 cells, CTLs, and Treg cells with transcriptome signatures critical for cytotoxic functions. Although fibroblasts detected in myocarditic mice were phenotypically heterogeneous, their transcriptomes played roles in fibrosis and regulation of inflammation and immune responses. Additionally, analysis of intercellular communication networks revealed unique interactions and signaling pathways in the cardiac cellulome, whereas myeloid cells and T cells in myocarditic mice revealed uniquely upregulated transcription factors modulating cardiac remodeling functions. Taken together, our data suggest that M2 cells, T cells, and fibroblasts may cooperatively or independently participate in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis.
Control Yourself! Examining the Dimensions of Eudaimonic Psychological Well-Being as Related to Locus of Control Using Structural Equation Modeling

Current literature on the relationship between locus of control (LOC) and psychological well-being (PWB) consistently demonstrates that individuals with an internal LOC generally report experiencing greater psychological well-being than externally-oriented individuals. However, there is minimal depth of understanding regarding the specific dynamics of this well-established relationship. The aims of the present quantitative study were (a) to replicate and provide support for the existing knowledge on the relationship between these two factors and (b) to use a structural equation model (SEM) to further explore the relationship between LOC and the six dimensions in Ryffâ€™s model of eudaimonic PWB, which are combined to assess oneâ€™s psychological welfare. Using cross-sectional survey methodology, 267 adult participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling to anonymously complete a series of questionnaires online. A Pearson rÂ bivariate correlation analysis examining the relationship between PWB and LOC revealed a significant negative correlation between the two constructs (r = -.280, p = .001). This finding replicates previous research, where individuals with an internal LOC reported experiencing significantly greater PWB, while individuals with an external LOC reported significantly less PWB. In order to further examine how the six factors of PWB (self-acceptance, positive relationships, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth) relate to LOC, a SEM was performed. Although all six dimensions of PWB show significant negative correlations with LOC, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, and purpose in life were the most impactful on the relationship between these two constructs, as they were shown to have higher significance in the SEM. Considering the SEM suggests that environmental mastery, self-acceptance, and purpose in life are the most weighted factors of PWBâ€™s correlation to LOC, possible interventions on these factors in a clinical or applied setting may see improvement in the relationship between PWB and LOC.
Accesso Libre: Equity of Access to Information through the Lens of Neoliberal Responsiblization

This paper uses the concept of neoliberal responsibilization, the reductive framing of systemic power dynamics as questions of individual choice and agency, to critically interrogate equity of access to information, a central value of the broader field of library and information science (LIS). Based on a case study of Accesso Libre, a public/private partnership based in a South Los Angeles public library, I argue that equity of access to information is an insufficient concept to evaluate the power dynamics of this (and similar) partnerships, wherein powerful corporations encourage the use of commercial informational resources in minoritized communities. As an alternative, responsibilization directs analysis to different questions about equity, a set of concerns that offer LIS theorists and practitioners a way of reflecting on the ethical commitments at the core of the field. Pre-print first published online 03/09/2019
Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire Scores Highlight Specific Benefits of Adjunctive Glottoplasty With Voice Therapy in Treating Voice Feminization.

Abstract Background Treatment options to assist patients to produce a more perceptually feminine voice include voice therapy (VT) and surgeries to elevate pitch such as the Wendler glottoplasty (WG). The Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire (TWVQ) is a validated quality of life measure for trans women's self-reported perceptions of their voice and is frequently administered before and after such interventions. The 30 statements broadly pertain to how feminine a patient feels their voice is, how effortful it is to produce their voice, and how their voice impacts them psychosocially, making it a useful and specific outcome measure when treating trans females for voice concerns. Objective To compare quality of life outcomes between VT and VT with adjunct WG (VT+WG) based on changes in ratings of individual statements on the TWVQ. Materials and Methods A retrospective case series of 31 trans female patients treated was completed. A total of 17 patients underwent VT and 14 underwent VT with adjunctive WG. Ratings for each of the 30 TWVQ statements were compared before and after treatment for each group. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare rating changes before and after treatment. Spearman rank-order correlation tests were used to assess the association between total TWVQ score and “current voice” rating. Results WG was associated with statistically significantly improved ratings for every statement on the TWVQ except one. In contrast, VT was associated with statistically significant improvements in 16 of the 30 statements, which largely pertained to patient emotions surrounding their voice rather than physical aspects such as pitch and dysphonia. Furthermore, while both WG+VT and VT improved the “current voice” rating significantly, WG improved the score by nearly 1 unit more. Lastly, we found a positive association between the total TWVQ score and current voice rating, indicating that lower scores were associated with more self-perceived feminine-sounding voices (P Conclusions Both VT and VT+WG result in improvements in the TWVQ. The specific statements on the TWVQ offer insight into specific quality of life treatment outcomes, with VT associated with improvements in mostly psychosocial aspects of voice production and VT+WG with both psychosocial and physical aspects.
White, Gilbert (1911–2006)

Gilbert F. White (1911–2006) is variously known as the “father of natural hazards research,” “father of floodplain management,” and all-around leader of the environment-society branch of geography in the United State during the twentieth century (Wescoat, 2006). These father-figure references convey the regard in which White has been held for his mentoring of two generations of colleagues and students as well as for his pioneering research on water resources, natural hazards, and environmental management. White's seven decades of creative work, beginning with policy analyses in the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration in the 1930s and concluding with reflective essays on environmental stewardship in the early years of the twenty-first century has produced a rich historiography of appraisals. The first section of this article reviews the historiography of previous assessments of White's research, from an early festschrift (Kates and Burton, 1986) to theoretical debates (Wescoat, 1992), an autobiographical essay (White, 2002), and memorial reviews following his death (Kates, 2011). The second section of the article rereads White's research contributions in different periods of his career, underscoring the relationships among research subjects, ethical concerns, and contributions to the field of environmental geography.
Signals in the Feedback Loop

As already mentioned, this book promotes the idea of using just the right amount of mathematics in the design process. A few indispensable formulae will be derived in this Chapter; the rest of the necessary math will be delivered in small portions as the need arises.
Technicalities of the Zero Modes in the Light-Cone Representation

In this talk I shall review the role of the light-cone zero modes in accommodating such features as degenerate vacua, condensates and anomalies in the light-cone representation. In addition to discussing the mechanisms by which the zero modes represent these features, I shall discuss the (still not completely solved) problem of calculating the dynamical operators in the presence of these zero modes. I shall illustrate my remarks, first with the best studied case — the Schwinger model — then with QED in 3+1 dimensions and QCD in 1+1 dimensions. I shall also remark on the possible relation of my remarks to an inconsistency in published solutions to the ’t Hooft model.
Developmental outcomes of Down syndrome and Dandy-Walker malformation

Dandy-Walker syndrome (DWS), or Dandy-Walker complex, is a congenital brain malformation of the posterior fossa, typically resulting in developmental delay and cognitive disability. The co-occurrence of Down syndrome (DS) and DWS is relatively uncommon; thus, its impact on developmental outcomes has not been fully elucidated. Herein, we report a case of a 37-month-old child with DS and DWS, who is functioning at the following age-equivalent: gross motor at a 9-mo level, fine motor 6 mo, expressive language 14 mo, receptive language 9 mo. As such, it is important to determine how the DWS influences developmental outcomes, and appreciate the importance of early interventional therapy.
A study of interface charges on the operation of 4H silicon carbide (SiC) static induction transistors (SITs)

In this paper, we study about the interface charges on the operation of 4H silicon carbide static induction transistors. The structure of SIT provides high breakdown voltage and high current density between the source and drain terminals. Influence of oxide charge in the ' shoulder' oxide region on the operation of a 4H-SiC SIT has been studied. The SIT device has been modeled and simulated with varying SIT dimensions, varying gate and drain voltage.
Simulating morphological analyzers with stochastic taggers for confidence estimation

We propose a method for providing stochastic confidence estimates for rule-based and black-box natural language (NL) processing systems. Our method does not require labeled training data: We simply train stochastic models on the output of the original NL systems. Numeric confidence estimates enable both minimum Bayes risk-style optimization as well as principled system combination for these knowledge-based and black-box systems. In our specific experiments, we enrich ParaMor, a rule-based system for unsupervised morphology induction, with probabilistic segmentation confidences by training a statistical natural language tagger to simulate ParaMor's morphological segmentations. By adjusting the numeric threshold above which the simulator proposes morpheme boundaries, we improve F1 of morpheme identification on a Hungarian corpus by 5.9% absolute. With numeric confidences in hand, we also combine ParaMor's segmentation decisions with those of a second (blackbox) unsupervised morphology induction system, Morfessor. Our joint ParaMor-Morfessor system enhances F1 performance by a further 3.4% absolute, ultimately moving F1 from 41.4% to 50.7%.
Service-Level management of adaptive distributed network applications

The paper is on generic service-level management tools that enable the reconfiguration of a distributed network application whenever there are resource-level changes or failures in the underlying network sub-systems. A network service is provided to client applications through a protocol module, with the latter exercising network infrastructure resources in a manner to meet the client requirements. Client requests for a network service instantiate the underlying protocol module with parameters specified at the service interface level, along with a prescription of critical properties to be enforced therein. At run-time, a management module may automatically monitor the service compliance to client-prescribed requirements, and notify the client whenever a service quality degradation is detected. The paper proposes a ‘function’-based model of service provisioning to realize our management approach. In this model, a service prescription conforms to generic interface templates based on an enumeration of the service attributes visible to clients, and how these attributes logically relate to one another in composing a client-level quality expectation. Our management model is independent of the specifics of problem-domain, which simplifies the development of distributed adaptive applications through a ‘software reuse’ of the management module. The paper presents the case study of an application: CDN, to demonstrate the usefulness of our model.
Effect of hydrocortisone therapy on severe leaky lung syndrome in ventilated preterm infants

Background: The aim of this study was (i) to determine the incidence and risk factors of severe leaky lung syndrome (sLLS), persistent pulmonary edema characterized by massive tracheal secretions and resistance to surfactant therapy, in extremely low gestational age newborns requiring ventilatory support; and (ii) to evaluate the effects of hydrocortisone (HC) therapy for sLLS on tracheal aspirate fluid (TAF) volume and β2-microglobulin levels in TAF. Methods: Infants born at <28 weeks gestation requiring ventilation beyond day of life (DOL) 7 were included. Daily TAF volume changes were assessed using a TAF scoring system. Levels of TAF β2-microglobulin, an indicator of capillary leakage, were measured at DOL0, 7, before, and 4 days after starting HC therapy (started at 4 mg/kg/day; tapered for 1–3 weeks). Results: Of the 54 infants enrolled, 24 (44%) were diagnosed with sLLS. Lower gestational age, lower birthweight, and higher TAF β2-microglobulin levels at DOL7 were independent risk factors for sLLS. Seventeen infants with sLLS received HC therapy starting at DOL17 (median), with subsequent decreases in TAF volume and β2-microglobulin levels. Conclusions: The incidence of sLLS, as defined in this study, was 44% in extremely low gestational age newborns requiring ventilator support beyond a week. HC therapy effectively reduced TAF volume and β2-microglobulin levels, suggesting suppression of increased permeability of pulmonary capillaries in infants with sLLS.
Combustion and emissions performance of low sulfur, ultra low sulfur and biodiesel blends in a DI diesel engine

Experiments were conducted with a commercially available six-cylinder, 4-valves per cylinder, turbocharged, direct injection (Dl) diesel engine. The engine was operated with low sulfur diesel fuel, ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and two other blends, low sulfur diesel fuel with 20 wt.% biodiesel and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel with 20 wt.% biodiesel, to investigate the effect of the base fuels and their blends on combustion and emissions. Combustion analysis, particulate matter emissions and exhaust gas composition (CO, NO x and total hydrocarbons) were determined at eight steady-state operating conditions according to the AVL 8-Mode test protocol. Combustion analysis showed at high load conditions a retarded start of injection, an earlier start of combustion and a lower premixed burn peak with ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. Mode averaged NO x emissions decreased with ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and biodiesel blends compared to low sulfur diesel fuel. A 20% PM reduction was observed with ultra low sulfur (15 PPM) diesel fuel compared to low sulfur (325 PPM) diesel fuel.
Teacher Preparation in Changing Times: One Program's Journey toward Re-Vision and Revision.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a major revision process to the early childhood teacher education program at our 4-year university. We briefly outline the major policy and standards changes that we have witnessed impacting our work as early childhood teacher educators that were, in part, the impetus for our program changes. We describe our teacher education program as it was configured 2 years ago and as it exists today after major change efforts, highlighting the purposes and desired outcomes of these changes. We have conceptualized this journey as both a revision of the program and a re-visioning process. We focus on our attempt to integrate the intentions underlying policy and standards changes into our work in preparing teachers for the full range of early childhood program auspices, as well as for any and all of the children who are enrolled in them. In particular, we emphasize the integration of coursework and classroom experiences to more fully prepare our teacher candidates for effective ...
Multiple Coherent Interactions

The observation of narrow optical Ramsey fringes in two-photon excitation of atoms with separate short light pulses, as discussed by M. SALOUR in a preceeding paper, can greatly enhance the potential of Doppler-free laser spectroscopy. It can, in particular, extend the accessible wavelength range into the ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet, where there are presently only pulsed tunable lasers available which have by necessity relatively large bandwidths.
A possible resolution of the proton spin problem

A number of lines of investigation into the structure of the nucleon have converged to the point where we believe that one has a consistent explanation of the well known proton spin crisis.
Vinculin regulates assembly of talin: β3 integrin complexes.

Vinculin is a talin-binding protein that promotes integrin-mediated cell adhesion, but the mechanisms are not understood. Because talin is a direct activator of integrins, we asked whether and how vinculin regulates the formation of integrin: talin complexes. We report that VD1 (aa 1-258) and its talin-binding mutant, VD1A50I, bind directly and equally to several β integrin cytoplasmic tails (βCT). Results from competition assays show that VD1, but not VD1A50I, inhibits the interaction of talin (Tn) and talin rod (TnR), but not talin head (TnH) with β3CT. The inhibition observed could be the result of VD1 binding to one or more of the 11 vinculin binding sites (VBSs) in the TnR domain. Our studies demonstrate that VD1 binding to amino acids 482-911, a VBS rich region, in TnR perturbs the interaction of rod with β3CT. The integrin activation assays done using CHOA5 cells show that activated vinculin enhances αIIbβ3 integrin activation and that the effect is dependent on talin. The TnR domain however shows no integrin activation unlike TnH that shows enhanced integrin activation. The overall results indicate that activated vinculin promotes talin-mediated integrin activation by binding to accessible VBSs in TnR and thus displacing the TnR from the β3 subunit. The study presented, defines a novel direct interaction of VD1 with β3CT and provides an attractive explanation for vinculin's ability to potentiate integrin-mediated cell adhesion through directly binding to both TnR and the integrin cytoplasmic tail. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 1206–1216, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Animal Behavior: Social Recognition in Crickets

A recent study of social recognition in crickets shows that decorated cricket females use self-referenced recognition information in their choice of mates. This allows the polyandrous females to choose novel, diverse mates.
Humidity dependence of visible absorption spectrum of gelatin films containing cobalt chloride

Gelatin films containing cobalt chloride were investigated to obtain information on the humidity dependence of optical absorbency in view of the coordinate state of cobalt ion and the polymer structure. The visible absorption spectra of the films exhibited that, with increasing relative humidity (RH), the absorption bands between about 550 and 750 nm decreased, accompained by sharpening of the 693 nm peak. Further, the decrease of cobalt chloride in gelatin resulted in decreased absorption intensity of the 693 and 668 nm peaks, more than the overall lowering in intensity. The infrared spectral data indicated that most of the carboxyl groups of gelatin are linked to the complex even in the strongly hydrated state. In addition, the water content of the films containing cobalt chloride is a little less below 42% RH, but is much greater above 62% RH than that of the original gelatin film. These results indicated that there are cross-linked networks, composed of the hydrogen bonding and the coordination bond via the complex in the dry film; as water molecules are adsorbed by the film, they gradually destroy these bonds and swell the polymer. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Recovery of thrombopoietin during purification

A thrombocytopoiesis-stimulating factor (TSF or thrombopoietin) was previously purified by a six-step purification procedure. However, the exact quantity of TSF that was recovered, through the various purification procedures, was unknown because of the absence of a method for establishing a unit of measure of TSF. In the present work dose-response relationships on both the crude TSF preparations and on the more highly purified TSF were determined. TSF units were calculated from the dose-response curves. A unit of TSF is defined as the amount of material (mg) that is required to increase the percentages 35S incorporation into platelets of immunothrombocythemic mice by 50% above the baseline. The results of determining the TSF units on the crude TSF preparation indicated that 0.11 unit (U) of TSF/mg protein was present. Results showed that the specific activity of TSF can be increased to about 3.6 U/mg by a single purification procedure using Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. Increased specific activities were obtained by additional purification steps, i.e., DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, SE-HPLC, DEAE-HPLC, and SDS-PAGE. The purified product appears to have a specific activity of about 11,000 U/mg of protein with 0.00003% of the protein and 1.1% of the TSF recovered from the starting material. Establishing a unit of measure for TSF will allow calculations of its degree of purity, provide a method for quantitation of recoveries of activities after various purification procedures, and allow comparisons of results from different experiments and different laboratories.
Recidivism, Proportionalism, and Individualized Punishment:

Politicians, armed with opinion polls for support, rush to enact crime bills where sentences grow steeper, where higher minimum sentences are made mandatory, and where the death sentence is applied...
Measurement of the Probability Distribution of Conductance on the Mobility Edge

We measure the probability distribution of conductance g of microwave radiation propagating in random waveguides on the Anderson localization transition. We found the P(-ln(g)) is asymmetric on the mobility edge.
Progression of mouse buthionine sulfoximine cataracts in vitro is inhibited by thiols or ascorbate.

Mouse lens cultures were employed to study the progression of cataracts initiated by injection of buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis. Culture of lenses removed from untreated mice on postnatal day 7, for 48 hr in the presence of 4 mm BSO, resulted in only limited cataractous changes. To enable substantial progression of cataracts in vitro, it was therefore necessary to pretreat the mice with BSO prior to lens culture. A single injection of BSO (4 nmol mg-1 lens), administered on day 7, resulted in >90% depletion of lens GSH within 3 days, but no visible cataractous changes. The clear lenses were incubated for 29+/-1 hr at 37 degrees C in Medium HL-1, supplemented with EGF, insulin and Ca2+, in the presence or absence of BSO, and were scored for cataract development by previously described criteria. In the absence of BSO, only 4 of 10 lenses developed large opacities. However, in the presence of 4 mm BSO, 40 out of 45 experimental lenses developed opacities affecting at least 50% of the lens visual field and were scored as stages 1C-4, depending upon the extent and density of the cataracts. In addition, three lenses had opacities involving 20-50% of the field (stage 1B). By contrast, less than 10% of lenses from untreated mice incubated in the absence of BSO developed opacities. The cataracts developed in 4 mm BSO were accompanied by reduction of lens glutathione levels to <0.010 nmol mg-1 lens. They were almost completely prevented by 1 mm ascorbate, 2 mm GSH, 2 mm GSH monoethyl ester and 2 mm cysteamine. GSH and GSH ester maintained lens glutathione content between 0.1 and 0.2 nmol mg-1 in the presence of BSO, whereas ascorbate did not prevent near-total GSH depletion. The prevention of cataracts by thiols and ascorbate was confirmed by lens Na/K ratios not significantly different from those in control lenses. The above combination of GSH depletion in vivo by a single injection of BSO, followed 3 days later with lens culture in the presence of BSO, may yield a useful system to elucidate and control the biochemical mechanisms involved in oxidative cataract induction by this GSH-depleting agent.
The difference between disability and impairment: A distinction worth making

American employers pay far too much for workplace disability. In part, disability expenditures continue to increase because key decision-makers in work organizations do not understand the difference between impairment and disability. Impairment is a medical issue. Disability is a non-medical concept; a vocational issue. Disability can be managed like any other vocational problem. Managing disability in the workplace is a function of employer commitment and planned team effort. Managing disability can save employers substantial costs.
Breaking the femtosecond barrier: a method for generating attosecond pulses of electrons and photons

We describe a method based on optical rectification to create an electron acceleration process which can act simultaneously on a femtosecond photo-electron pulse as well as cancel space charge effects. The method is straightforward and can be used to produce low energy attosecond duration pulses of electrons and photons.
Immunoarchitectural patterns of germinal center antigens including LMO2 assist in the differential diagnosis of marginal zone lymphoma vs follicular lymphoma.

Objectives: To examine the immunoarchitectural patterns of the germinal center (GC)–associated markers CD10, BCL6, and LMO2 and their utility in the differential diagnosis of marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) vs follicular lymphoma (FL). Methods: Forty-two cases of MZL involving lymph nodes and 88 cases of FL were examined. Results: Interfollicular staining for GC markers was uncommon in MZL but common in FL, including BCL2-positive and BCL2-negative cases. Two atypical patterns of intrafollicular GC staining were identified that were more common in MZL than in FL. Conclusions: Staining for LMO2 in addition to CD10 and BCL6 facilitates the detection of a GC phenotype in FL. Lymph nodes involved by MZL frequently show characteristic alterations of GC immunoarchitecture. Recognizing these altered patterns assists in the distinction between MZL and FL.
Direct borohydride fuel cell using Ni-based composite anodes

Abstract In this study, nickel-based composite anode catalysts consisting of Ni with either Pd on carbon or Pt on carbon (the ratio of Ni:Pd or Ni:Pt being 25:1) were prepared for use in direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs). Cathode catalysts used were 1 mg cm −2 Pt/C or Pd electrodeposited on activated carbon cloth. The oxidants were oxygen, oxygen in air, or acidified hydrogen peroxide. Alkaline solution of sodium borohydride was used as fuel in the cell. High power performance has been achieved by DBFC using non-precious metal, Ni-based composite anodes with relatively low anodic loading (e.g., 270 mW cm −2 for NaBH 4 /O 2 fuel cell at 60 °C, 665 mW cm −2 for NaBH 4 /H 2 O 2 fuel cell at 60 °C). Effects of temperature, oxidant, and anode catalyst loading on the DBFC performance were investigated. The cell was operated for about 100 h and its performance stability was recorded.
The natural history of a fugitive prairie plant (Mirabilis hirsuta (Pursh) MacM.).

Some perennial fugitive plants that colonize badger disturbances in xeric prairies have a limited dispersal capacity, and consequently propagules are dispersed over a small area. I hypothesized that high density-dependent mortality might occur early in the life history of such species, and thus increased survival might occur in subsequent age classes because intraspecific competition would be reduced. These hypotheses were tested using natural and experimental cohorts of Mirabilis hirsuta (Pursh) MacM. From these data and field observations, inferences were obtained concerning selective forces operating upon life history characteristics of this species.
O+ charge exchange in the polar wind

O(+) density and flux profiles are calculated for a steady state polar wind flow of O(+) ions and electrons along geomagnetic field lines in the polar cap. Profiles are computed both with and without allowance for accidentally resonant charge exchange (ARCE) between O(+) and H. It is found that ARCE acts to reduce the limiting O(+) escape flux by less than 30 percent for typical atmospheric conditions and by only a factor of about 3.5 for atmospheres with low exospheric temperatures. Allowing for ARCE, the limiting O(+) escape flux is of the order of 5 x 10 to the 8th to 9th/cu cm/s, depending on the atmospheric conditions. This indicates that, contrary to previous predictions, there is no O(+) charge exchange barrier and it is therefore not necessary to have an acceleration mechanism at low altitudes in order to have an appreciable O(+) escape flux.
Multiple meningiomas in a child

We report the case of a 4-year, 5-month-old boy, who had unusual multiple meningiomas occurring simultaneously in the intracranial, intraorbital, and spinal spaces. All lesions were surgically excised and histologically proved. This is the youngest patient with multiple meningiomas without history of neurofibromatosis reported in the literature.
Parenteral iron with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for chemotherapy-induced anemia

Purpose. To discuss the clinical issues we addressed in the development of our institutional guidelines regarding the assessment of iron stores for cancer- and treatment-related anemia and the admi...
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of brain-stem lesions

The imaging findings of brain-stem lesions are often nonspecific and histological diagnosis is limited because of fear of complications associated with biopsy. A noninvasive method for tissue characterization is therefore highly desirable. We undertook a review of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of patients with solitary brain-stem lesions to determine if MRS could characterize them. We carried out single- or multivoxel proton MRS using long echo times (135 or 270 ms) on 34 patients with solitary brain-stem lesions. We analyzed the following peaks: choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), and lipids/lactate (Lip) and calculated peak height ratios for Cho/Cr, NAA/Cr and Lip/Cr. The results were compared with histology in nine patients and with the presumptive diagnosis in 25. We also performed single-voxel proton MRS on the brain stem of five normal volunteers. There were differences in all ratios between controls and the patients with neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions: Cho/Cr was low in non-neoplastic and high in neoplastic lesions (control: 1.8±0.1; non-neoplastic: 1.4±0.2; neoplastic: 2.0±0.2); NAA/Cr was low in non-neoplastic, and lower in neoplastic lesions (control: 2.3±0.1; non-neoplastic: 1.4±0.2; neoplastic: 1.2±0.1), and Lip/Cr was elevated in both neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions (control: 0.04±0.02; nonneoplastic: 1.9±0.7; neoplastic:1.9±0.7).
A finite element Galerkin formulation and its numerical performance

A finite element Galerkin formulation admitting non-homogenous boundary conditions and discontinuous approximants is derived from a variational principle. The procedure results in matrix equations explicitly allowing for jump discontinuties across interelement boundaries. As an illustration, a specialization of the procedure similar to a reduced integration technique is used to solve several problems in elastostatics. The improvement in accuracy in comparison with conventional methods is remarkable.
Ethnic and racial identity during adolescence and into young adulthood: an integrated conceptualization.

Although ethnic and racial identity (ERI) are central to the normative development of youth of color, there have been few efforts to bring scholars together to discuss the theoretical complexities of these constructs and provide a synthesis of existing work. The Ethnic and Racial Identity in the 21st Century Study Group was assembled for this purpose. This article provides an overview of the interface of ERI with developmental and contextual issues across development, with an emphasis on adolescence and young adulthood. It proposes a metaconstruct to capture experiences that reflect both individuals’ ethnic background and their racialized experiences in a specific sociohistorical context. Finally, it presents milestones in the development of ERI across developmental periods.
Free algebra structure: categorical algebras

One of the more important concepts in the study of universal algebras is that of a free algebra. It is our purpose in this communication to describe the structure of the free algebra K k ( ) of k generators ( k a positive integer) determined by a categorical algebra, and to indicate how this information encompasses results in such diverse areas as the study of Post algebras, boolean rings, p -rings, p k -rings, finite commutative rings with unity, etc. A finite algebra is called categorical if every algebra in its equational class is isomorphic to a sub-direct power of A . If has n elements, permutable identities, no non-identical automorphism and exactly m distinct one-element subalgebras, then .
Induction of Interleukin-8 Release by Lung Epithelium with Cystic Fibrosis Epithelial Lining Fluid Is Marginally Affected by Inhibitors of Interleukin-1β

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and neutrophil elastase (NE) are present in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Both factors activate surrounding cells including lung epithelial cells, causing release of IL-8, a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils. Previous studies showed up-regulation of IL-8 release by lung epithelial cells as a function of NE in CF; however, few studies addressed the relationship between IL-1beta and activation of lung epithelial cells in CF lungs. Confluent layers of A549 cells, a type II-like human lung epithelial cell line, were incubated overnight with IL-1beta (0-5 ng/ml) or NE (100 nM), and supernatants were analyzed for IL-8 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Both IL-1beta and NE led to a significant increase in IL-8: 12.8 +/- 2.8 ng/ml and 0.8 +/- 0.3 ng/ml, respectively. Next, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were obtained from one healthy adult volunteer and six patients with CF and measured for IL-8 and IL-1beta concentrations by ELISA. Both IL-8 (range 169.00 +/- 56.57 to 1742.04 +/- 338.98 pg/ml) and IL-1beta (range 0-24.26 +/- 0.52 pg/ml) were detected in CF specimens, whereas neither was detected in the volunteer's specimen. Normal and CF BALs then were incubated overnight at a 1:10 dilution with confluent A549 cells. Analysis by ELISA of cell-free supernatants revealed increased IL-8 production from cells stimulated with CF BALs only. Similar experiments were performed with BAL supernatants that had been incubated with soluble IL-1 type II receptor, soluble IL-1 receptor antagonist, or a peptide inhibitor of NE. Addition of IL-1 inhibitors had a marginal effect on the amount of IL-8 release after incubation with CF BAL samples, whereas inhibition of NE had no effect. Our results indicate that other factors present in ELF in CF account for IL-8 release from lung epithelial cells.
Development of fluorescence/reflectance spectroscopic catheter to assess dosimetry during PDT treatments

The FDA has approved PDT using Photofrin for certain esophageal and lung cancers, specifying an approved prescription of administered drug (mg/kg body weight) and administered light (J/linear cm of cylindrical fiber). This paper describes our development of a multi-optical fiber catheter for endoscopic use which documents the drug accumulated in the target tissues and the light penetration into the target tissues. The catheter uses reflectance to specify the light penetration depth and uses reflectance-corrected fluorescence to document drug accumulation. The goal is to document the variation in drug and light received by patients who are administered the FDA-approved prescription.
Evaluation of cracking resistance of DC casting high strength aluminum ingots

In direct chill (DC) casting of aluminum ingots uneven cooling rates at different regions of the ingot generate thermal stresses, which cause solidification cracks that might propagate to failure. As the microstructure changes in different parts of the ingot due to the different cooling rates, it is important to evaluate the cracking resistance at different locations of the ingot during DC ingot casting. Quench cracking tests, which simulate the cold crack propagation of the cast ingots under thermal stresses, were conducted for Al 2024 and Al 3004 alloys to determine the cracking resistance. Coupon specimens which represent the different locations of the cast ingot having different solidification rates were tested under specific thermomechanical loading conditions. The cracking resistance was observed to increase in the region with higher solidification rate and the cracking resistance of Al 3004 was observed to be higher than Al 2024 for a given solidification rate. The variations were investigated and found to correlate well with the microstructural and fractography analyses. The results provide further understanding of the often-observed center crack failure of casting ingot at the production runs.
A new method for the isolation of fresh hepatocytes from periportal and pericentral regions of the liver lobule.

Summary A simple method which avoids the use of perfusion with calcium free buffer, hydrolytic enzymes and detergents has been developed to obtain fresh hepatocytes from periportal and pericentral regions of the liver lobule. Cylindrical plugs (200 × 500 microns) of periportal and pericentral areas of the rat liver lobule weighing about 1 mg were collected with a micropunch from fresh or perfused liver. Ninety percent of cells were intact as assessed from trypan blue staining. Glutamine synthetase activity was detected predominantly (ca. 85%) in plugs isolated from pericentral regions indicating that this method allows selective harvesting of pure sublobular zones of the liver lobule. Rates of oxygen uptake measured at 25°C by plugs from livers perfused in the anterograde direction were 56 ± 5 and 33 ± 7 μ mol/g/h by periportal and pericentral plugs, respectively, values similar to data obtained from the intact organ. This method provides new opportunities to study the regulation of basic metabolic processes in cells from sublobular areas under nearly physiological conditions.
On the Origin of Substrate Directing Effects in the Epoxidation of Allyl Alcohols with Peroxyformic Acid

The reactant cluster and transition state for epoxidation of allyl alcohol with peroxyformic acid have been located at the MP2/6-31G(d) level of theory. The free energy of activation (Δ = 19.8 kcal/mol) predicted at the MP4//MP2/6-31G(d) level is quite comparable with experimental data for epoxidation of 3-hydroxycyclohexene (Δ = 19.7 kcal/mol). A spiro transition state (TS) was found where the plane defined by the peroxyacid moiety is oriented at 89° to the CC bond axis. Intrinsic reaction coordinate analysis suggests that after the barrier is crossed a 1,4-hydrogen migration of the peroxyacid hydrogen to the carbonyl oxygen takes place in concert with O−O bond cleavage affording the epoxide of allyl alcohol hydrogen bonded to the neutral formic acid leaving group. The activation parameters calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level are in excellent agreement with the MP4//MP2 values. The transition structure with the allyl alcohol O−C−CC dihedral angle of 16.4° is 2.1 kcal/mol lower in energy than a tran...