cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actin Polymerization: Forcing Flat Faces Forward

Actin polymerization has been shown to be sufficient to propel curved objects, for example beads and vesicles coated with the Listeria monocytogenes protein ActA. Recent studies suggest that actin polymerization on flat surfaces can also provide the propulsive force to push them forward.
The development of language-specific and language-independent talker processing

Purpose In this study, the authors aimed to investigate how differences in language ability relate to differences in processing talker information in the native language and an unfamiliar language by comparing performance for different ages and for groups with impaired language. Method Three groups of native English listeners with typical language development (TLD; ages 7–9, ages 10–12, adults) and 2 groups with specific language impairment (SLI; ages 7–9, ages 10–12) participated in the study. Listeners heard pairs of words in both English and German (unfamiliar language) and were asked to determine whether the words were produced by the same or different talkers. Results In English, talker discrimination improved with age. In German, performance improved with age for the school-age children but was worse for adult listeners. No differences were found between TLD and SLI children. Conclusion These results show that as listeners' language skills develop, there is a trade-off between more general perceptua...
Concepts of human exposure to air pollution

Abstract In recent years, considerable attention has focused on the concept of “human exposure” to environmental pollutants, but different investigators seem to have developed different definitions of this concept and used different approaches for estimating it. This paper reviews a number of “exposure” studies in a single environmental medium—air pollution—to see how others have defined this concept in the literature. Many previous investigators unfortunately calculate “exposures” by relying on data from fixed air monitoring stations, and they assume that people are located in the same place, usually their residential address, throughout a 24-h period. However, a second body of literature shows that fixed air monitoring stations do not necessarily reflect human exposures, because concentrations observed indoors—in homes, offices, factories, and motor vehicles—differ from those observed at fixed stations, and people usually spend considerable time in these locations. In an effort to standardize the nomenclature dealing with exposures, a definition is proposed in which the pollutant must come into contact with the physical boundary of the person. Then, exposure of person i to pollutant concentration c is viewed as two events occurring jointly: person i is present at a particular location, and concentration c is present at the same location. Mathematical definitions for “integrated exposure,” “average exposure,” and “standardized exposure” with various averaging periods also are introduced. Finally, two different yet compatible research approaches are suggested for determining human exposures to air pollution.
The strategic implications of Chinese emigration

The paradox of modern China is that despite unprecedented economic growth averaging around 13% per year hundreds of thousands of Chinese are leaving their homeland every year in search of economic opportunities or political freedom....The evidence of criminal gangs either organising or facilitating illegal migration from China suggests that the phenomenon cannot be viewed as merely an immigration issue. Reasons for this widespread emigration are discussed and possible policy options are considered. (EXCERPT)
Multiprocessor scalability predictions through detailed program execution analysis

Scalability measures the ability of a parallel system to improve performance as the size of an application problem and the number of processors involved increase. There are some limits to existing scalability studies. First, the problem size in a computation is not well-defined. Second, the methods used to differentiate algorithmic and architectural scalabilities are not effective enough. Thh-dly, most approaches to scalability study are either highly time-consuming or restricted to simple problem/architecture structures. A major effort of this work is to address these limits. We have extended the latency metric [11] for more complex scaling of problems, and to possibly isolate the scalability of an algorithm from a parallel system. The scalability y prediction is based on a semi-empirical approach [10] that significantly reduces the time and cost of measurements and simulation. Our prediction results were validated on the KSR1 and on the CM-5.
The involvement of NF-κB in β-interferon gene regulation reveals its role as widely inducible mediator of signal transduction

Abstract The DNA binding protein NF-κB has been implicated in gene regulation in B and T lymphocytes. We have found that NF-κB also has a central role in virus induction of human β-interferon (β-IFN) gene expression. A critical virus-inducible element of this gene, PRDII, behaves interchangeably with the NF-κB binding site from the lg kappa enhancer in both B lymphocytes and virus-infected fibroblasts. Single base substitutions that impair inducibility of the β-IFN gene in vivo also reduce the binding of NF-κB to PRDII in vitro. Virus infection potently activates the binding and nuclear localization of NF-κB and, in pre-B lymphocytes, results in the expression of both the β-IFN gene and the lg kappz gene. The wide variety of cell types in which β-interferon can be induced and the divergent set of gene induction processes involving NF-κB suggest that this transcription factor plays a broad role in gene regulation as a mediator of inducible signal transduction.
Relativistic Heavy Quark Effective Action

We study the fermion action needed to accurately describe the low energy physics of systems including heavy quarks in lattice QCD even when the heavy fermion mass m is on the order of, or larger than, the inverse lattice spacing: m{>=}1/a. We carry out an expansion through first order in |p-vector|a (where p-vector is the heavy quark momentum) and all orders in ma, refining the analysis of the Fermilab and Tsukuba groups. We demonstrate that the spectrum of heavy quark bound states can be determined accurately through |p-vector|a and (ma){sup n} for arbitrary exponent n by using a lattice action containing only three unknown coefficients: m{sub 0}, {zeta}, and c{sub P} (a generalization of c{sub SW}), which are functions of ma. In a companion paper, we show how these three coefficients can be precisely determined using nonperturbative techniques.
Skilled–unskilled wage inequality and offshore outsourcing with asymmetric adjustment costs

Abstract We present a model that can capture the effects of offshore outsourcing on the wedge between the wages of skilled and unskilled workers when costs of adjustment are asymmetric. We identify conditions under which offshore outsourcing activities widen the skilled–unskilled wage inequality in the presence of asymmetric adjustment costs. We show how a higher cost of adjustment in the import-competing sector can magnify the offshore outsourcing induced gap between the wages of the skilled and unskilled workers. We also demonstrate the sensitivity of the effects of offshore outsourcing, on the skilled–unskilled wage gap, to asymmetries in the costs of adjustment.
Does the correlation of acute cholecystitis on ultrasound and at surgery reflect a mirror image

Abstract Background It remains unclear if sonography accurately describes the severity of gallstone disease. Methods Patients were prospectively enrolled if urgent cholecystectomy was indicated. Two radiologists, blinded to operative findings, evaluated the patients’ ultrasound imagings. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed within 48 hours. The operative findings regarding gallbladder wall thickness and inflammation were compared to ultrasound results and histology. Results Fifty-five patients completed the study. Ultrasound studies exhibited a sensitivity of 60% for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis compared to the findings at operation and 52% relative to the histologic findings. Specificity for acute cholecystitis diagnosed on ultrasound examination was 77% compared to findings at operation and 71% relative to histologic findings. The correlation coefficient of the wall thickness at ultrasound and surgery was 0.18: 0.24 for ultrasound and histology and 0.5 for surgery and histology. Conclusions Ultrasound’s ability to predict acute cholecystitis in patients with clinical symptoms appears limited.
Characterization of resident surgeon participation during carotid endarterectomy and impact on perioperative outcomes

Introduction The impact of resident surgeon participation during vascular procedures on postoperative outcomes is incompletely understood. We characterized resident physician participation during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) procedures within the 2005-2009 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Participant Use Datafile and evaluated associations with procedural characteristics and perioperative adverse events. Methods CEAs were identified using primary current procedural terminology codes; those performed simultaneously with other major procedures or unknown resident participation status were excluded. Group-wise comparisons based on resident participation status were performed using χ 2 or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and t tests or nonparametric methods for continuous variables. Associations with perioperative adverse events (major = stroke, death, myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest; minor=peripheral nerve injury, bleeding requiring transfusion, surgical site infection, or wound disruption) were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for other known risk factors. Results A total of 25,280 CEA procedures were analyzed, of which residents participated in 13,705 (54.2%), while residents were absent in 11,575 (45.8%). Among CEAs with resident physician participation, resident level was categorized as junior (postgraduate year [PGY] 1-2) in 21.9%, senior (PGY 3-5) in 52.7%, and fellow (PGY ≥6) in 25.3%. Major adverse event rates with and without resident participation were 1.9% versus 2.1%, and minor adverse event rates with and without resident participation were 0.9% versus 1.0%, respectively. In multivariable models, resident physician participation was not associated with perioperative risk for major adverse events (odds ratio [OR], 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-1.08) or minor adverse events (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.72-1.21). Conclusions Resident surgeon participation during CEA is not associated with risk of adverse perioperative events.
Sleep and risk for high blood pressure and hypertension in midlife women: the SWAN (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation) Sleep Study

Objective Inadequate self-reported sleep is related to high blood pressure (BP). Our study investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between poor sleep measured by in-home polysomnography (PSG) and BP.
Rhodium(I) and iridium(I) carbonyl complexes with 1,3-bis(arylimino)isoindolines

The first metal carbonyl complexes with the uninegative tridentate 1,3-bis(arylimino)isoindoline (BAII) ligand have been prepared. Rhodium(I) forms a 4-coordinate complex of the type RhL(CO) and iridium(I) a 5-coordinate IrL(CO)2 complex. Changes in remote substituents on the BAII ligand are reflected in changes in the metal carbonyl stretching frequencies demonstrating the ability to selectively modify the electron density at the metal center. The coordinatively unsaturated RhL(CO) is quite reactive toward oxidative addition; stable alkyl- and acyl-rhodium(III) complexes have been prepared and isolated.
Assessing interoperability in emergency management standards

The terrorist attacks in September 2001 and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina have led to a reassessment of information management within the United States government. These disasters required an immediate and prolonged response from both the federal, state, and local governments at the point of concern and the numerous outlying areas which were providing resources to mitigate the event. The government realized the need for greater interoperability and information sharing for such response efforts. This policy shift is best exemplified by the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create emergency management standards. These standards are being developed through the joint efforts of DHS and the emergency management technical committee of the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). This paper will identify the contributions these new standards will have on interoperability in emergency management and then provide a case study of one of them, the Emergency Data Exchange Language Distribution Element (EDXL-DE). This case study will show areas in EDXL-DE where additional specifications and standards are required or where intricate details of the underlying specification increase implementation costs. Through these lessons learned, the authors hope to provide a different perspective on specification creation which will be used to facilitate the adoption of the growing family of emergency management standards.
The complementary role of magnetic resonance imaging, doppler echocardiography, and computed tomography in the diagnosis of dissecting thoracic aneurysms

Non-ECG gated MRI was compared with 2DE and/or CT scans in 10 patients with dissecting aneurysms proven by angiography and/or surgery. Patient ages ranged from 48 to 85 years (mean 69.6). Six had DeBakey type I dissections and four had DeBakey type III dissections. MRI was diagnostic for aortic dissection in nine cases and suggestive in the tenth. 2DE was diagnostic in six out of nine patients, suggestive in two patients, and nondiagnostic in one patient. CT was diagnostic in the three cases in which it was employed. MRI demonstrated a dilated ascending aorta with thickened walls in all type I dissections as well as an intimal flap and slow flow in the false channel in four patients. In the other two patients with type I dissection, MRI detected the intimal flap in the descending aorta but not in the ascending aorta, whereas 2DE revealed the ascending aortic intimal flap in both of these patients and CT showed it in one of them. In the type III dissections, MRI demonstrated a thickened wall and thrombus in the lumen in all four cases, and the intimal flap in three out of the four. 2DE excluded ascending aortic involvement in all three type III dissections. Six other patients with fusiform dilated ascending aortas had no evidence of dissection by MRI, 2DE, and aortography. Thus, non-ECG gated MRI alone or in combination with 2DE and/or CT is useful in the diagnosis of dissecting thoracic aneurysm and in assessing the extent of the dissection. In addition, the differentiation of dissecting aneurysms of the aorta from fusiform dilatation of the aorta is made possible by these noninvasive techniques.
The One and the Many: Contemporary Collaborative Art in a Global Context

The One and the Many: Contemporary Collaborative Art in a Global Context Grant H. Kester Durham, Duke University Press, 2011 320 pp., ISBN: 9780822349877 The ‘one’ in the title of this wide-ranging...
Wolf pack size and food acquisition.

Many workers have proposed or accepted the idea that the reason gray wolves (Canis lupus) live in groups, or packs, is because group hunting facilitates their acquisition of large prey (Murie 1944; Mech 1970; Zimen 1976; Nudds 1978; Pulliam and Caraco 1978; Bekoff and Wells 1980; Rodman 1981). In other words, a pack of eight wolves, for example, would be more than twice as successful as a pack of four. If this proposal is valid, then the amount of food acquired per individual should increase as pack size increases, at least to some optimal size (Nudds 1978). Nudds (1978) utilized sparse data from the literature and detected an apparent relationship between wolf pack size and food acquired per wolf that implied that packs smaller than optimal size acquired substantially less food per wolf than those of optimal size. He also speculated that there were different optimal pack sizes for wolves preying on moose (Alces alces) and other large prey than for those preying principally on deer (Odocoileus virginianus), by analogy to the situation described by Caraco and Wolf (1975) for lions (Panthera leo). However, Thurber and Peterson (1993) used considerably more data and demonstrated that for wolves preying primarily on moose on Isle Royale, food acquisition per wolf decreased with increased pack size. Hayes (1995) found the same for wolves preying on moose and caribou (Rangifer tarandus), and Dale et al. (1995) concluded that the larger packs they observed killing moose, caribou, and Dall sheep (Ovis dalli) acquired no more food per wolf than did the smaller packs. Their findings not only contradicted Nudds’s (1978) notion of optimal pack size but also tended to refute the claim that wolves live in packs in order to facilitate the killing of larger prey. The relationship that Thurber and Peterson (1993) found implied that, for example, each member of packs of six to 12 gained only 60%–70% of the food that single wolves or pairs acquired. Hayes’s (1995) figures indicated that each member of packs of six to 12 acquired only 35%–60% of the food that individual pair members did. In neither
The Malpractice Crisis of 2002.

It’s really not pleasant to write twice in a year about malpractice. But since my first thoughts on the law a few months ago, malpractice has gone from a concern to a full-blown crisis. You know what a crisis is. That’s when reporters and politicians smell somebody’s blood in the water. Drawing near, they circle about the victim, tearing and snapping. . . —wait a minute. That’s sharks, not reporters. Or politicians. Actually, the definition of a crisis is when the national media begins to talk about a crisis. I know that’s a circular definition, but it works. And by that definition, the 2002 Malpractice Crisis is in its full glory. As I write this, I’m looking at a lead editorial from the Wall Street Journal. 1 Even the New York Times has weighed in. Before this editorial sees print, I have little doubt that they will be joined by many more. The basic problem is that the insurance companies that fund malpractice premiums are facing a great increase in malpractice awards by juries. St. Paul Companies, for example, increased aggregate premium income from around $430 million to $620 million in 5 years. But there was an increase in payouts from $380 million to $1400 million over the same time period. St. Paul lost $920 million last year and will no longer write malpractice policies. It was the second largest malpractice insurer in the country. The drop in investment income caused by the economic slowdown has been a factor in the troubles of the malpractice insurers, but the major factor has been jury awards, which are at an all-time high. The insurance companies have only three choices: raise rates, get out of the business, or go belly-up.
The Map of the Future May Not Be a Map

The second decade of the twenty-first century represents a high water mark in the use and importance of maps, although the mass media are keen on the narrative that maps are no longer relevant, and...
On the Formulation of Minimum-State Approximation as a Nonlinear Optimization Problem

The solution of the minimum-state (MS) approximation of the unsteady aerodynamic forces is brought in this work into the form of a nonlinear optimization problem. This new formulation takes as design variables all of the aerodynamic lag terms (known also as aerodynamic roots) as well as the two matrices that directly operate on these lag terms. This new formulation enables the explicit determination of the remaining matrices that form the MS approximation, and it does not require enforcing any equality constraints. Furthermore, it also permits the derivation of simple analytical expressions for the gradients of the least-square (LS)-type objective function. This combination of explicit expressions for both the gradients and some of the unknown matrices leads to a dramatic reduction in computational labor. It is also shown that by appropriately scaling the tabulated aerodynamic matrix a significantly accelerated rate of convergence is obtained during the process of optimization, whereas a general weighting scheme might considerably slow down this convergence. It is also shown that the preceding scaling of the tabulated aerodynamic matrix can also significantly reduce the computational labor required by current methods of solution that are based on iterative LS analysis. The new formulation presented in this work leads to better results (i.e., lower values for the objective function) than those obtained using current iterative LS-based methods that use preassumed values for the aerodynamic lag terms. At the same time, the computer CPU time required by these two methods of solution is of the same order, with only slightly higher CPU values needed for the new formulation. On the other hand, current methods based on iterative LS analysis that attempt to optimize the aerodynamic roots rather than use preassumed values need extensive added computational labor to the extent that makes them practically unattractive.
Contact and Compromise: Explaining Support for Conciliatory Measures in the Context of Violent Intergroup Conflict

Objectives:Informed by intergroup contact theory, this study explores the relationships between intergroup contact, perceived out-group threat, and support for conciliatory solutions to the violent conflict between Israeli Jews and Palestinians in Israel and the Palestinian territories.Methods:Regression and structural equation models analyze public opinion data collected in Israel in 2011 and 2012. The analyses assess whether quantity and quality of Israeli Jews’ contact with Israeli Arabs in day-to-day encounters are associated with their support for conciliatory policies.Results:The quality, but not the quantity, of contact is associated with lower levels of perceived Palestinian threat and, in turn, with increased support for compromise.Conclusion:The current study provides initial evidence that everyday interactions with Israeli Arabs, when they occur under optimal conditions, may have the potential to reduce Israeli Jews’ perceptions of Palestinian threat and, in turn, increase their support for com...
First Year Employment Outcomes of US Psychology Graduates Revisited: Need for a Degree, Salary, and Relatedness to the Major

Alumni survey responses from a multi-major (multi-course), United States university sample (c. 2003–06, N = 1760) provided a replication and extension of previous research on patterns of graduates' first-year employment outcomes. Compared with graduates from the fields of nursing/allied health, business, engineering/technology, and education, new psychology and humanities/social sciences alumni tended to have jobs that locate individuals in low tiers of features including need for a college degree, salary, and relatedness to one's major program of study (course). These patterns of employment outcomes for US psychology graduates are generally similar to those on record for liberal education (nonvocational) graduates in the United Kingdom. Results are discussed in the context of established occupational constructs such as person-job ft, congruence, career compromise, and education mismatch.
Comparative study of classification algorithms for immunosignaturing data

High-throughput technologies such as DNA, RNA, protein, antibody and peptide microarrays are often used to examine differences across drug treatments, diseases, transgenic animals, and others. Typically one trains a classification system by gathering large amounts of probe-level data, selecting informative features, and classifies test samples using a small number of features. As new microarrays are invented, classification systems that worked well for other array types may not be ideal. Expression microarrays, arguably one of the most prevalent array types, have been used for years to help develop classification algorithms. Many biological assumptions are built into classifiers that were designed for these types of data. One of the more problematic is the assumption of independence, both at the probe level and again at the biological level. Probes for RNA transcripts are designed to bind single transcripts. At the biological level, many genes have dependencies across transcriptional pathways where co-regulation of transcriptional units may make many genes appear as being completely dependent. Thus, algorithms that perform well for gene expression data may not be suitable when other technologies with different binding characteristics exist. The immunosignaturing microarray is based on complex mixtures of antibodies binding to arrays of random sequence peptides. It relies on many-to-many binding of antibodies to the random sequence peptides. Each peptide can bind multiple antibodies and each antibody can bind multiple peptides. This technology has been shown to be highly reproducible and appears promising for diagnosing a variety of disease states. However, it is not clear what is the optimal classification algorithm for analyzing this new type of data. We characterized several classification algorithms to analyze immunosignaturing data. We selected several datasets that range from easy to difficult to classify, from simple monoclonal binding to complex binding patterns in asthma patients. We then classified the biological samples using 17 different classification algorithms. Using a wide variety of assessment criteria, we found ‘Naive Bayes’ far more useful than other widely used methods due to its simplicity, robustness, speed and accuracy. ‘Naive Bayes’ algorithm appears to accommodate the complex patterns hidden within multilayered immunosignaturing microarray data due to its fundamental mathematical properties.
Wavelength generalization and preference in monochromatically reared ducklings.

Two experiments determined the effects of early color experience on gradients of wavelength generalization. In each experiment, one group of ducklings was raised in monochromatic (589 nanometers) sodium-vapor light and a second group, in white light. In Exp. I, ducklings pecked a key transilluminated by 589 nanometers. In a subsequent test, the group raised in white light produced steeper gradients. However, several monochromatically reared ducklings produced gradients as steep as those for the white-reared ducklings. In Exp. II, ducklings pecked a white line. In a subsequent test, using a fully illuminated key, subjects in both groups responded more often to “green” (510, 530, 550, or 570 nanometers) than to “non-green” wavelengths (490, 589, 610, or 650 nanometers). Ducklings raised in monochromatic light preferred shorter “green” wavelengths than ducklings raised in white light. This difference between the “green” preferences for the two groups accounted for most of the differences between the gradients of wavelength generalization obtained from the two groups in Exp. I after training at 589 nanometers.
Multiple antenna channels with partial channel state information at the transmitter

We investigate transmission strategies for flat-fading multiple antenna channels with t transmit and r receive antennas, and with channel state information (CSI) partially known to the transmitter. We start with an assumption that the first n eigenvectors of H/sup /spl dagger//H, where 0/spl les/n/spl les/min(t,r) and H is the channel matrix in /spl Copf//sup r/spl times/t/, are available at the transmitter as partial spatial information of the channel. A beamforming method is proposed in which a beamforming matrix is determined from the n eigenvectors in some predefined way; as a result, the receiver also knows the beamforming matrix. With this beamforming scheme, we develop a new multiple antenna system concept that provides a mechanism to reduce the amount of channel feedback information. This paper focuses on deriving the channel capacity of the multiple antenna channels employing the proposed beamforming and feedback methods. An important task for achieving capacity is the solution of interesting optimization problems for the optimal power allocation over the transmit symbols. The results show that the proposed methods lead to systems wherein the amount of feedback information can be significantly reduced with a minor sacrifice of achievable transmission rate.
SCOPE AND CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN TESTING THE RACE–CRIME INVARIANCE THESIS: BLACK, WHITE, AND HISPANIC COMPARISONS*

Our goal in this article is to contribute conceptually and empirically to assessments of the racial invariance hypothesis, which posits that structural disadvantage predicts violent crime in the same way for all racial and ethnic groups. Conceptually, we elucidate the scope of the racial invariance hypothesis and clarify the criteria used for evaluating it. Empirically, we use 1999–2001 averaged arrest data from California and New York to extend analyses of the invariance hypothesis within the context of the scope and definitional issues raised in our conceptual framing—most notably by including Hispanic comparisons with Blacks and Whites, by examining the invariance assumption for homicide as well as the violent crime index, by using discrete as well as composite disadvantage measures, and by using census place localities as the study unit. The mixed findings we report from our comparisons (across Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics; offense types; and type of disadvantage) suggest caution and uncertainty about the notion that structural sources of violence affect racial/ethnic groups in uniform ways. We conclude that the hypothesis should be regarded as provisional, and its scope remains to be established as to whether it applies only under narrow conditions or is a principle of general applicability.
Directional Breakdown of Metal/a-Si:H/c-Si Heterostructures and its Application to PROMs

This paper gives the first report of a directional breakdown phenomenon present in specially constructed amorphous silicon / crystalline silicon heterojunction structures. After breakdown, the forward current can be greatly increased, but the reverse leakage current remains unchanged or even lowered. We use the Analysis of Microelectronic and Photonic Structures (AMPS) [1] device simulation tool to study this phenomenon and show that the structures can provide a new approach to producing Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM).
Low-dose paroxetine exposure causes lifetime declines in male mouse body weight, reproduction and competitive ability as measured by the novel organismal performance assay

Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is currently available on the market and is suspected of causing congenital malformations in babies born to mothers who take the drug during the first trimester of pregnancy. We utilized organismal performance assays (OPAs), a novel toxicity assessment method, to assess the safety of paroxetine during pregnancy in a rodent model. OPAs utilize genetically diverse wild mice (Mus musculus) to evaluate competitive performance between experimental and control animals as they compete among each other for limited resources in semi-natural enclosures. Performance measures included reproductive success, male competitive ability and survivorship. Paroxetine-exposed males weighed 13% less, had 44% fewer offspring, dominated 53% fewer territories and experienced a 2.5-fold increased trend in mortality, when compared with controls. Paroxetine-exposed females had 65% fewer offspring early in the study, but rebounded at later time points, presumably, because they were no longer exposed to paroxetine. In cages, paroxetine-exposed breeders took 2.3 times longer to produce their first litter and pups of both sexes experienced reduced weight when compared with controls. Low-dose paroxetine-induced health declines detected in this study that were undetected in preclinical trials with doses 2.5-8 times higher than human therapeutic doses. These data indicate that OPAs detect phenotypic adversity and provide unique information that could be useful towards safety testing during pharmaceutical development.
Focal angiogenic therapy for myocardial ischemia.

Background: Therapeutic angiogenesis, which involves the administration of angiogenic cytokines to stimulate collateral formation and improve myocardial perfusion, is being tested as an alternative treatment for patients with medically intractable angina who are no longer candidates for conventional revascularization techniques. Methods: Administration of recombinant protein formulations for these growth factors and transfection of the DNA itself have proven effective in animal models. At present, transfection of the DNA (gene therapy) appears preferable in that a single administration achieves a prolonged but transient, localized exposure of the ischemic tissues to the angiogen. The important technical aspects of surgical gene therapy via a mini thoracotomy incision are described. Results: Four Phase I clinical trials of angiogenic therapy recently have been reported, two involving administration of the recombinant protein combined with coronary bypass and two involving gene therapy alone. These studies have shown that this approach is relatively safe; the early evidence of efficacy is encouraging. The largest study reported six-month follow-up on 30 patients who received plasmid DNA for vascular endothelial growth factor-165 (VEGF165) and documented improvement in angina, treadmill exercise tolerance, and myocardial perfusion in the majority of patients studied. Conclusions: These preliminary results will need to be supported by randomized clinical trials in which angiogenic therapy alone is compared to standard medical therapy or a placebo. Catheter-based intramyocardial gene transfer and combined coronary arterial bypass grafting or transmyocardial laser revascularization plus gene therapy trials are also underway. If proven effective, angiogenic therapy may provide a relatively noninvasive modality for revascularization of ischemic myocardium not amenable to current techniques.
COSMETIC TRAGEDIES: FAILED MASQUERADE IN WILKIE COLLINS'S THE LAW AND THE LADY

Inasmuch as they offer advice on how to improve appearances, nineteenth-century beauty manuals also vividly describe the dangers of putting on a face. The consequences of using cosmetics – often comprised of toxic ingredients such as arsenic, mercury, and lead – might range from the discomfort of surface irritation to the fatality of poisoning. Several manuals recount the unfortunate story of Lady Mary Montagu, who suffered an allergic reaction to a popular cosmetic, the Genuine Balm of Mecca, which led her face to turn red and swell “to a very extraordinary size . . . . It remained in this tormentable state three days, during which you may be sure I passed my time very ill” (Toilette of Health 64). Another woman succumbed to an equally unfortunate fate as the facial powder, or “pearl white,” she wore to a scientific demonstration suddenly turned black in an adverse reaction to the chemicals used in the experiment. In an even more tragic case, “Mrs. S, being much troubled with pimples, applied an alum poultice to her face, which was soon followed by a stroke of the palsy, and terminated in her death” (Clark iv, 46). These stories caution that beautification through artificial means may eradicate the very self that had sought improvement.
Bailey's Crossroads Collapse Reviewed

On March 2, 1973 a 24-story reinforced concrete flat plate building under construction at Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia suffered a partial collapse followed by a total collapse of an adjacent unfinished two-story post-tensioned parking facility. Subsequent investigations into the history of the buildings, construction procedures, materials (by testing), weather records and contract documents, in addition to computational analyses of the structure are reviewed. Supplemented by a study of the conditions and activities at the site on the day of the collapse and statements and testimony from people present or connected with the project, the investigations reach the conclusion that the collapse began as a shear failure in the 23rd floor slab, caused by premature removal of shoring between the 22nd and the 23rd floors below the fresh concrete.
Suppression of herpes simplex virus infection by antimitotic substances in the rabbit cornea.

SummaryColchicine, demecolcine, vinblastine, and vincristine were found to suppress infections of the cornea by a strain of herpes simplex virus in rabbits and of rabbit kidney tissue cultures. These agents were applied locally once every 24 hr for 1-4 or 1-10 days. The duration of treatment was limited by the necessity of avoiding the production of a glittering opacity of the cornea as a toxic manifestation of some of these agents. Because of its lower toxicity, deme-colcine was found to be the agent of choice for studies of the antiviral activities of anti-mitotic substances.In the course of typical experiments, these agents, including demecolcine, aborted the infection at an early stage, reduced the local inflammatory reaction, and prevented the development of corneal opacity. When an overwhelming infection of the cornea or the kidney tissue cultures was produced, viral strains resistant to these agents developed.
Type studies in Tylopilus. II: Species described by William A. Murrill

Anatomie microscopique et microchimie de Ceriomyces alachnanus, T. isabellescens, Gyroporus pisciodorus, G. praeasianus et G. rhoadsiae
Cardiovascular Disease After Aromatase Inhibitor Use.

Importance Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important cause of death in older patients with breast cancer. However, limited information exists on the long-term effect of aromatase inhibitor (AI) use on CVD risk in breast cancer survivors. To this point, no other population-based studies have been able to adjust for CVD risk factors or cardiovascular medications. Objective To determine the long-term influence of adjuvant endocrine therapies on CVD in a cohort of postmenopausal breast cancer survivors in analyses that accounted for major CVD risk factors, medication use, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort of postmenopausal women with breast cancer diagnosed from January 1, 1991, to December 31, 2010, and followed up through December 31, 2011 (maximum, 21 years [72 886 person-years]), was evaluated using records from a managed care organization with nearly 20 community hospitals in California. A total of 13 273 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer without prior CVD were included. Cardiovascular disease incidence was compared across endocrine therapy categories. Information on demographics, comorbidity, medication, use, and CVD risk was captured from electronic health records. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models using time-dependent endocrine drug use variables and propensity scores were conducted. Data analysis was conducted from September 15, 2014, to February 1, 2016. Exposures Women were grouped by endocrine therapy status (tamoxifen citrate only, AI only, both, or neither). Main Outcomes and Measures Person-year rates of CVD for each therapy group. Results During 72 886 person-years in 13 273 women (mean [SD] age, 66.8 [8.1] years) with follow-up through 2011, we observed 3711 CVD events. In multivariable analyses (reported as hazard ratio [95% CI]), AI-only users had a similar risk of cardiac ischemia (myocardial infarction and angina) (adjusted, 0.97 [0.78-1.22]) and stroke (adjusted, 0.97 [0.70-1.33]) as tamoxifen-only users (reference). However, we found an increased risk of other CVD (dysrhythmia, valvular dysfunction, and pericarditis) (adjusted, 1.29 [1.11-1.50]) in women who used AIs only or sequentially after tamoxifen (1.26 [1.09-1.45]) vs tamoxifen (reference) as well nonhormone users (1.18 [1.02-1.35]). Conclusions and Relevance The risk of the most serious cardiovascular events (cardiac ischemia or stroke) was not elevated in AI-only users compared with tamoxifen users. The finding that other CVD events combined were greater in AI users requires further study.
An Item Bank to Measure Systems, Services, and Policies: Environmental Factors Affecting People With Disabilities

Abstract Objectives To develop a measure of perceived systems, services, and policies facilitators (see Chapter 5 of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health ) for people with neurologic disabilities and to evaluate the effect of perceived systems, services, and policies facilitators on health-related quality of life. Design Qualitative approaches to develop and refine items. Confirmatory factor analysis including 1-factor confirmatory factor analysis and bifactor analysis to evaluate unidimensionality of items. Rasch analysis to identify misfitting items. Correlational and analysis of variance methods to evaluate construct validity. Setting Community-dwelling individuals participated in telephone interviews or traveled to the academic medical centers where this research took place. Participants Participants (N=571) had a diagnosis of spinal cord injury, stroke, or traumatic brain injury. They were 18 years or older and English speaking. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures An item bank to evaluate environmental access and support levels of services, systems, and policies for people with disabilities. Results We identified a general factor defined as "access and support levels of the services, systems, and policies at the level of community living" and 3 local factors defined as "health services," "community living," and "community resources." The systems, services, and policies measure correlated moderately with participation measures: Community Participation Indicators (CPI) – Involvement, CPI – Control over Participation, Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders – Ability to Participate, Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders – Satisfaction with Role Participation, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Ability to Participate, PROMIS Satisfaction with Role Participation, and PROMIS Isolation. Conclusions The measure of systems, services, and policies facilitators contains items pertaining to health services, community living, and community resources. Investigators and clinicians can measure perceptions of systems, services, and policies resources reliably with the items described here. Moderate relations between systems, services, and policies facilitators and PROMIS and CPI variables provide support for the measurement and theory of environmental effects on social functioning related to participation.
Complement Components Are Expressed by Infiltrating Macrophages/Activated Microglia Early Following Viral Infection.

Abstract The individual innate immune components, interleukin-6 and complement component C3, play a role in the development of acute seizures in the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced seizure model. We examined the mRNA expression of various other complement components, cytokines, chemokines, and major histocompatibility complex antigens both within brain and in isolated ramified microglial and infiltrating macrophage/activated microglial cell populations over a time course covering the first 3 days postinfection. We found that complement component C3 showed the greatest increase in expression in brain of all of the complement components assayed and its level of expression was higher in infiltrating macrophages/activated microglia than in ramified microglial cells.
Digital Slit Imaging for High-Resolution SIMS Depth Profiling

A critical attribute in the application of SIMS to semiconductor material and device development is the ability of SIMS to perform quantitative analyses of impurity concentrations as a function of depth. SIMS is uniquely capable of measuring impurity levels (typically parts per million) with a depth resolution of 10 nm or better for shallow depth profiles. The majority of these analyses are performed using a mass spectrometer having low mass resolution (M/delta M = 250). In several important semiconductor problems, however, spectral interferences reside within a few hundredths to a few thousanths of an atomic mass unit from the spectral line of the analyte ion. In the frequently encountered analysis of phosphorous dopant in n-type silicon, the hydride of silicon, 30SiH, lies 0.00778 amu from the 31P ion. Materials such as these are usually analyzed with a high resolution mass spectrometer (M/delta M values as high as 10,000) by mechanically narrowing the slits of the instrument such that only the analyte line is allowed to reach the detector. For the instrument used in this study, the Cameca IMS-3F, the adjustment of the magnetic field to align the analyte line with the exit slit is very difficult and time consuming. Not only is the adjustment of the magnetic field extremely sensitive due to the very narrow width of both the entrance slit and the exit slit, but the magnetic field adjustment is also subject to error due to hysteresis as well as drift due to temperature effects on the magnet control electronics.
Sensitive and selective gas/VOC detection using MOS sensor array for wearable and mobile applications

We demonstrate a monolithic, micro-fabricated metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensor array comprising of different metal oxides, allowing for independent temperature controls and readouts from individual pixels in a multiplexed fashion. The sensor pixels are designed on an ultrathin membrane to minimize heat dissipation, thereby significantly lowering the overall power consumption (<10μW). The use of such an array at varying temperatures results in multidimensional data, which we use to train neural network machine learning algorithms to determine unique fingerprints of individual gases within a homogenous mixture. Our findings indicate that a multiplicity of MOS elements together with the ability to vary and measure at various temperatures can identify individual gases or VOCs within mixtures. The small form-factor and microfabrication approach of our sensor array also lends itself to CMOS integration, paving the way for a sensitive and selective gas/VOC platform for wearable and portable applications.
Greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency of in-use high horsepower diesel, dual fuel, and natural gas engines for unconventional well development

Abstract We collected data focusing on in-use emissions and efficiency of engines servicing the unconventional well development industry to elucidate real world impacts from current and newly applied engine technologies. The engines examined during the campaigns were diesel only (DO) and dual fuel (DF) diesel/natural gas, compression-ignition (CI) engines and dedicated natural gas, spark-ignition (SI) engines. These included two CI drilling engines outfitted with two different DF kits, two SI drilling engines, and two CI well stimulation engines. Our data were gathered under the load and speed requirements in the field, and the engines were not under our direct control. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were measured from all engines and fueling types and included both exhaust and crankcase emissions. Fuel consumption and engine data were collected to determine fuel efficiency. During steady-state operation, fuel efficiency was 38%, 26%, and 20% for DO, DF, and SI engines, respectively. The loss of efficiency during DF operation was due in part to uncombusted methane (CH4) slip in the exhaust, which accounted for 18% of the fuel supplied. GHG emissions (carbon dioxide and CH4) from CI engines were 2.25 times higher during DF compared to DO operation. During DF operation, substitution ratio varied depending on engine load and DF kit, ranging from 9% to 74%. GHG emissions from the SI engines were 1.33 times higher than DO due to lower efficiencies of throttled and rich operation as compared to unthrottled and lean operation for CI engines.