cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adults Who Are Overweight or Obese and Consuming an Energy-Restricted Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern at Either the Recommended or a Higher Protein Quantity Perceive a Shift from “Poor” to “Good” Sleep: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Limited evidence suggests that consuming a higher-protein diet during weight loss improves subjective indices of sleep in overweight and obese adults. Objective We sought to a priori assess the effects of consuming the recommended versus a higher protein Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern during energy-restriction on sleep quality indices. Design Using a randomized, parallel study design, 51 adults (mean ± SEM age: 47 ± 1 y; BMI: 32.6 ± 0.5 kg/m2) consumed a controlled USDA Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern containing 750 kcal/d less than their estimated energy requirement for 12 wk. Participants were randomly assigned to consume either 5 or 12.5 oz-equivalent (eq)/d of protein foods. The additional 7.5 oz-eq/d came from animal-based protein sources and displaced primarily grains. Objective (wrist-worn actigraphy) and subjective (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale) sleep quality indices were measured at baseline, week 6, and week 12. Results Among all participants, body mass decreased (-6.2 ± 0.4 kg). Dietary protein intake did not affect any objective or subjective sleep quality outcomes measured (repeated measures ANOVA). Over time, objective measures of time spent in bed, time spent sleeping, sleep onset latency, and time awake after sleep onset did not change; however, sleep efficiency improved (1 ± 1%; P = 0.027). Subjectively, global sleep scores [GSS: -2.7 ± 0.4 arbitrary units (au)] and daytime sleepiness scores (-3.8 ± 0.4 au; both P 5 compared with ≤5 au of a 0-21 au scale; baseline 7.6 ± 0.4 au, week 12: 4.8 ± 0.4 au). Conclusions Although objective sleep quality may not improve, adults who are overweight or obese and poor sleepers may become good sleepers while consuming either the recommended or a higher-protein energy-restricted Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03174769.
Chemical Identification in the Specular and Off-Specular Rough-Surface Scattered Terahertz Spectra Using Wavelet Shrinkage

We present the development and implementation of a novel wavelet shrinkage technique for the retrieval of obscured characteristic resonant signatures in the scattered terahertz (THz) reflectivity of molecular crystals. In this implementation, the wavelet basis functions associated with the absorption features were identified using the second-order total variation of the wavelet coefficients. Additionally, wavelet coefficients at certain scales were modified using the phase function corrections and wavelet hard thresholding. Reconstruction of the original spectra using these modified wavelet coefficients yielded the exact resonant frequencies of the chemicals, which were otherwise unrecognizable in the spectral artifacts of the rough surface scattering. We examined the robustness of this method over controlled levels of rough surface scattering, validated using the Kirchhoff approximation, in spectroscopic targets made from $\alpha $ -lactose monohydrate and 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), which have close spectral lines. We successfully retrieved the spectral absorption fingerprints in both specular and off-specular reflection geometries. This technique can be utilized for stand-off material characterization using the THz reflection spectroscopy in uncontrolled environments and potentially can be adopted for other broadband spectroscopic modalities.
Weighted Dirichlet Process Mixture Models to Accommodate Complex Sample Designs for Linear and Quantile Regression

Standard randomization-based inference conditions on the data in the population and makes inference with respect to the repeating sampling properties of the sampling indicators. In some settings these estimators can be quite unstable; Bayesian model-based approaches focus on the posterior predictive distribution of population quantities, potentially providing a better balance between bias correction and efficiency. Previous work in this area has focused on estimation of means and linear and generalized linear regression parameters; these methods do not allow for a general estimation of distributional functions such as quantile or quantile regression parameters. Here we adapt an extended Dirichlet Process Mixture model that allows the DP prior to be a mixture of DP random basis measures that are a function of covariates. These models allow many mixture components when necessary to accommodate the sample design, but can shrink to few components for more efficient estimation when the data allow. We provide an application to the estimation of relationships between serum dioxin levels and age in the US population, either at the mean level (via linear regression) or across the dioxin distribution (via quantile regression) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Turning nonlinearity from problem to advantage in ultrafast fiber amplifiers

We review the recent advances in fiber-based sources of ultrashort pulses based on the gain-managed nonlinear regime. We discuss how highly nonlinear pulse evolution can be exploited to overcome typical limits of fiber-based sources.
Jayna Brown. Black Utopias: Speculative Life and the Music of Other Worlds . Chapel Hill, NC: Duke University Press, 2021. 224p. Paper, $25.95 (ISBN 978-1-4780-1167-5).

Among texts that examine Black embodiment—that examine our existence beyond and transcendence from the horrific bounds of State-sanctioned supremacies— Black Utopias stands out. Beautifully layered, Jayna Brown connects the lived experiences and artistries of Black American preachers, speculative fiction authors, and jazz musicians, charting expansive understandings of what utopia means within dialects of Black radical thought. This is by no means an introductory text; it demands study. Neon highlights and copious scribbled-in-the-margins notes. Regardless, this book moves; unsettles while restructuring current understandings of Blackness at large.
Dr. Janeway and the University Center for the Health Sciences in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Beginning as a cooperative venture between the government of Cameroon and the World Health Organization in the late 19609s, the University Center for the Health Sciences (UCHS) in Yaounde was developed as a prototype institution for multiprofessional health education and training, intended to be responsive to the health problems of contemporary Africa.1 Cameroon, a country not atypical of sub-Saharan Africa, is characterized by subsistence agriculture, rural and increasing urban poverty, scarcities of trained manpower, fiscal, and logistic resources, rapid population growth, and pervasive high morbidity and mortality patterns emphasizing the interactions between early childhood malnutrition and infectious and parasitic disease.
Breakdown of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier to immunoglobulin in mice injected intracerebrally with a neurotropic influenza A virus: Post-exposure treatment with monoclonal antibody promotes recovery☆

Mice may be protected from the invariably fatal consequences of intracerebral (i.c.) inoculation of A/WSN influnza virus by intravenous injection with 0.5 mg of virus-specific monoclonal anti-hemagglutinin antibody given 2 days after i.c. challenge. The integrity of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier in such mice has been examined by comparing specific immunoglobulin (Ig) titers in serum and CSF. It seems that the process of virus growth results directly in substantial breakdown of the blood-CSF barrier at some time between 63 and 96 h after i.c. exposure to virus. The exogenously administered, virus-specific monoclonal antibody is not obviously involved either in abrogating the integrity of this physiological barrier system or in promoting inflammation. In fact, higher Ig titers are found in CSF for an antibody that does not bind to the virus. This presumably reflects the fact tht virus-infected cells in the central nervous system are adsorbing specific Ig from the CSF.
Harmonizing Substantive Criminal Law Values and Criminal Procedure: The Case of Alford and Nolo Contendere Pleas

Criminal procedure is preoccupied with procedural values such as efficiency, accuracy, informed choice, and procedural fairness. This emphasis comes at the expense of the values of criminal procedure's sibling, substantive criminal law. This article examines Alford and nolo contendere pleas as case studies in how an obsession with these procedural values blinds courts and scholars to substantive values. Defendants can in effect plead guilty by entering Alford and nolo contendere pleas, even if they protest their innocence or refuse to admit guilt. These pleas risk not only convicting innocent defendants, but also impeding the reform, education, and condemnation of guilty defendants. These pleas leave psychological denial mechanisms in place, especially in the case of sex offenders. And regardless of how defendants respond, these pleas muddy the denunciation of the crime instead of vindicating victims and the community's moral norms (such as honesty and responsibility). Pleas should be reserved for those who confess. Trials are morality plays designed to acquit innocent defendants and teach lessons to guilty defendants who will not confess, their victims, and the community. This approach leads to a rethinking of plea procedures and the roles of lawyers, judges, and trials in our criminal justice system.
Mephedrone, an Abused Psychoactive Component of “Bath Salts” and Methamphetamine Congener, Does not Cause Neurotoxicity to Dopamine Nerve Endings of the Striatum

Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) is a β-ketoamphetamine with close structural analogy to substituted amphetamines and cathinone derivatives. Abuse of mephedrone has increased dramatically in recent years and has become a significant public health problem in the US and Europe. Unfortunately, very little information is available on the pharmacological and neurochemical actions of mephedrone. In light of the proven abuse potential of mephedrone and considering its similarity to methamphetamine and methcathinone, it is particularly important to know if mephedrone shares with these agents an ability to cause damage to dopamine nerve endings of the striatum. Accordingly, we treated mice with a binge-like regimen of mephedrone (4X 20 or 40 mg/kg) and examined the striatum for evidence of neurotoxicity 2 or 7 days after treatment. While mephedrone caused hyperthermia and locomotor stimulation, it did not lower striatal levels of dopamine, tyrosine hydroxylase or the dopamine transporter under any of the treatment conditions used presently. Furthermore, mephedrone did not cause microglial activation in striatum nor did it increase glial fibrillary acidic protein levels. Taken together, these surprising results suggest that mephedrone, despite its numerous mechanistic overlaps with methamphetamine and the cathinone derivatives, does not cause neurotoxicity to dopamine nerve endings of the striatum.
Expression of the cellular retinoic acid binding proteins, type II and type I, in mature rat olfactory epithelium

Cellular retinoic acid binding proteins, types I and II (CRABP I and II), are cytosolic proteins that exhibit a binding preference for all-trans retinoic acid. As part of a larger study to determine whether retinoic acid plays a role in neurogenesis in vivo, we questioned whether CRABP II is present in rat postnatal olfactory epithelium (OE), a sensory tissue that continually replaces neurons throughout adult life. We have determined that both CRABP II and CRABP I proteins and the mRNAs that encode them are present in postnatal rat OE. Immunoreactivity with CRABP II and CRABP I antibodies was not observed in the nasal respiratory epithelium. Double immunolabeling experiments, conducted with antibodies showing specificity for each antigen, indicate that CRABP II and CRABP I are found in different cell types within the olfactory neuroepithelium. We also asked whether CRABP II is expressed in the postnatal rat retina, a neural tissue that is not known to show neuron replacement during adult life. CRABP type II immunoreactivity was not observed in the mature rat retina. The presence of CRABP II in postnatal OE and its absence from mature retina is consistent with previous reports indicating that the distribution of CRABP II in adult mammals is restricted to tissue systems that exhibit ongoing growth and differentiation throughout life.
Formal Analysis of Abnormal Excitation in Cardiac Tissue

We present the Piecewise Linear Approximation Model of Ion Channel contribution (PLAMIC) to cardiac excitation. We use the PLAMIC model to conduct formal analysis of cardiac arrhythmic events, namely Early Afterdepolarizations (EADs). The goal is to quantify (for the first time) the contribution of the overall sodium (Na + ), potassium (K + ) and calcium (Ca2 + ) currents to the occurrence of EADs during the plateau phase of the cardiac action potential (AP). Our analysis yields exact mathematical criteria for the separation of the parameter space for normal and EAD-producing APs, which is validated by simulations with classical AP models based on complex systems of nonlinear differential equations. Our approach offers a simple formal technique for the prediction of conditions leading to arrhythmias (EADs) from a limited set of experimental measurements, and can be invaluable for devising new anti-arrhythmic strategies.
Optimal secure data retrieval using an oblivious transfer scheme

Oblivious transfer is such a strong cryptographic tool that it is directly used both in private data retrieval techniques and secure, multi-party computation paradigms. We propose an optimal oblivious transfer, where the communication complexity is logarithmic in size of the database with minimum computation overhead - the computational complexity in any oblivious transfer protocol is at least linear in the size of the database. Our communication-efficient oblivious transfer protocol is a non-interactive, single-database scheme that is generally based on homomorphic encryption functions.
Alkaloids of Neotropical Poison Frogs (Dendrobatidae)

Poisons for arrows and blow darts have been derived from a wide spectrum of sources in both the plant and animal kingdoms. One unique source of such poisons is the skin secretion of certain brightly colored frogs native to the rain forests of Western Colombia. The Noanama and Embera Indians of this region undoubtedly used secretions from these frogs to poison blow darts even in pre-Colombian times, but the first account of dart envenomation with poison frogs did not appear until 1825 (67). Secretions from a single frog were purported to be sufficient for envenomation of at least twenty blow darts [(67,214,221,270,271); see (176) for review of early literature]. Only three species of neotropical frogs can be stated with assurance to have been used to poison blow darts (191). All of these frogs occur only in western Colombia where the practice of poisoning blow darts with frog secretions still persists today in spite of the inroads of civilization. The poison-dart frog (Phyllobates bicolor) from the headwaters of the Rio San Juan is called “neara” by the Indians, while lower in the same drainage the poison-dart frog (Phyllobates aurotaenia) is called “kokoi”. Envenomation of darts with the most toxic species (Phyllobates terribilis) from the Rio Saija is done simply by drawing the tip of the dart across the back of a living frog while the other two species are impaled in order to elicit a copious flow of skin secretions.
Co-Ossification of Vertebrae in Mosasaurs (Squamata, Mosasauridae); Evidence of Habitat Interactions and Susceptibility to Bone Disease

Pathologies involving the fusion of mosasaur vertebrae have been documented in the literature since the late 1870s. Although some instances can clearly be demonstrated to be the result of an attack by another predator, usually a shark, the source of the pathology is more difficult to discern in other specimens. Here we discuss the evidence for pathologies as the result of interactions with the mosasaur's habitat and the apparent susceptibility of certain kinds of disease affecting the skeleton as preserved in the specimens.
Relationship Between Product Aesthetic Subject Preference and Quantified Gestalt Principles

Birkhoff proposed that order divided by complexity is a formula for aesthetic measurement. In that context, this work proposes to measure order with a method to quantify Gestalt principles. These principles establish how humans visually group elements of a shape together, and they have been used in architecture, product design and art as guidelines for good design. A human subject study was conducted to test the hypothesis that if complexity is held constant, Gestalt can serve as a direct measurement of aesthetics. In a survey, subjects were asked to evaluate their preference for multiple individual 2-D representations of automotive wheel rims from a variety of styles. The wheel rims within each style were designed in pairs, one pair with lower and one pair with higher Gestalt. Complexity was held constant by only comparing subject ratings within wheel rim styles. The results show that a positive change in Gestalt has a positive effect on aesthetic subject preference and that preferences are not significantly different for designs differing in geometry but having the same Gestalt. The implications of these results for designers and for future work are discussed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Molecular genetic delineation of 2q37.3 deletion in autism and osteodystrophy: report of a case and of new markers for deletion screening by PCR.

We recently studied a patient who meets criteria for autistic disorder and has a 2q37 deletion. Molecular cytogenetic studies were carried out using DNA isolated from 22 different 2q37 mapped BACs to
Radiation-Enhanced Thermal Diffusion of Transition Metal and Rare Earth Ions into II-VI Semiconductors

-5E mi d-IR transitions of iron ions. In addition, samples of ZnSe were similarly sealed in evacuated quartz ampoules in the presence of Praseodymium metal and annealed at 950°C under 43.99 R/s and 0 R/s and the diffusion lengths and Pr concentrations were compar HG7KH -irradiation results in better intrusion of the iron ions from the metal film and increase of the diffusion length at ~25%, while 3UDVHRG\PLXPGLIIXVLRQLVGUDPDWLFDOO\HQKDQFHGE\ -irradiation during the annealing process.
The efficient numerical calculation of condensational cloud drop growth

A modified Runge-Kutta integration technique is applied to condensational cloud droplet growth calculations, using the device of limiting dr, the growth of a droplet of radius r over the time step dt to some function of the absolute value of r(eq)-r, where r(eq) denotes the equilibrium value. The use of variable time steps to obtain an efficient choice of dt is also discussed. Results using these techniques are compared with those obtained with the standard fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, showing that the modified technique reduces the requisite computer time by a factor of about one hundred.
Crystallization of poly(hydroxybutrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate) in wood fiber‐reinforced composites

Wood fiber-reinforced composites were prepared from poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB/HV) copolymers containing 9 and 24% valerate. The effects of fibers on crystallization were investigated. Thermomechanical pulp, bleached Kraft fibers, and microcrystalline cellulose filler were used as the reinforcing phase. The crystallization of PHB/HV in composite materials was examined using Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MDSC) and hot-stage microscopy. Hot-stage microscopy showed that polymer crystallites are nucleated on the fiber surface and that the density of nuclei was greater in fiber-reinforced composites than in unfilled material. Dynamic crystallization experiments showed that bleached Kraft, thermomechanical pulp, and microcrystalline cellulose increased the crystallization rate of PHB and PHB/HV both from the glass and melt. However, ultimate crystallinity determined from the heat of crystallization was the same in unreinforced and reinforced materials. The kinetics of PHB/HV crystallization were examined using nonisothermal Avrami-type analysis. Unreinforced and Kraft-reinforced PHB were characterized and compared with unreinforced PHB/9%HV. The Avrami exponent of crystallization, related to nucleation mechanism and growth morphology, is 2.0 for unreinforced PHB, 2.8 for kraft-reinforced PHB, and 3.0 for unreinforced PHB/9%HV. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 1785–1796, 1997
Gata6 is an important regulator of mouse pancreas development

Gata4, Gata5, and Gata6 represent a subfamily of zinc-finger transcriptional regulators that are important in the development and differentiation of numerous tissues, including many endodermally-derived organs. We demonstrate that Gata4 and Gata6 have overlapping expression patterns in the early pancreatic epithelium. Later, Gata4 becomes restricted to exocrine tissue and Gata6 becomes restricted to a subset of endocrine cells. In addition, we show Gata6, but not Gata4, physically interacts with Nkx2.2, an essential islet transcription factor. To begin determining the roles that Gata4 and Gata6 play during pancreatic development, we expressed Gata4-Engrailed and Gata6-Engrailed dominant repressor fusion proteins in the pancreatic epithelium and in the islet. At e17.5, transgenic Gata6-Engrailed embryos exhibit two distinct phenotypes: a complete absence of pancreas or a reduction in pancreatic tissue. In the embryos that do form pancreas, there is a significant reduction of all pancreatic cell types, with the few differentiated endocrine cells clustered within, or in close proximity to, enlarged ductal structures. Conversely, the majority of transgenic Gata4-Engrailed embryos do not have a pancreatic phenotype. This study suggests that Gata6 is an important regulator of pancreas specification.
Prediction of bulk tensile behavior of dual phase stainless steels using constituent behavior from micropillar compression experiments

Abstract Micropillar compression has become an attractive method to probe local mechanical behavior. While most micropillar compression work has focused on investigating size effects, we can also use this technique to obtain the constitutive behavior of microscopic phases and constituents. In this study, micropillars of ferrite and martensite were fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) milling of dual phase precipitation hardened powder metallurgy (PM) stainless steels. Compression testing was conducted using a nanoindenter equipped with a flat punch indenter. The stress–strain curves of the individual microconstituents were obtained. Using a rule of mixtures approach in conjunction with porosity corrections, the mechanical properties of ferrite and martensite were combined to predict the tensile behavior of the bulk material, and reasonable agreement was found for the ultimate tensile strength.
Doxorubicin induces specific immune functions and cytokine expression in peritoneal cells

To examine the basis of the immune modulation induced by the anticancer agent doxorubicin (DOX), the immunophenotype, tumoricidal activity, cytokine protein and mRNA expression were determined using peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from saline-treated (untreated) and DOX-treated mice. A greater percentage of PEC from DOX-treated mice than from untreated mice were adherent to plastic, had characteristics of granulocytes, and were positive for the NK1.1, CD11b/Mac-1, and CD3 markers. DOX decreased the percentage of CD45R/B220+ cells. PEC from DOX-treated mice had greater tumoricidal potential than those from untreated mice since IL2, LPS, or IFNgamma alone increased the cytolytic activity of PEC from DOX-treated mice, whereas PEC from untreated mice required both LPS and IFNgamma to become cytolytic. DOX treatment modulated the expression of specific cytokines. Following stimulation in culture, PEC from DOX-treated mice produced more TNF, IL1, and IFNgamma than PEC from untreated mice. DOX treatment increased the levels of TNF, but not IL1, mRNA and decreased the levels of IL6 mRNA and protein. These data demonstrate that a single DOX injection induces specific effects in PEC and, as a consequence, increases the tumoricidal potential of cells of the macrophage and natural killer types.
Wheel running alters serotonin (5-HT) transporter, 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, and alpha1b-adrenergic receptor mRNA in the rat raphe nuclei

Background Altered serotonergic (5-HT) neurotransmission is implicated in the antidepressant and anxiolytic properties of physical activity. In the current study, we investigated whether physical activity alters factors involved in the regulation of central 5-HT neural activity. Methods In situ hybridization was used to quantify levels of 5-HT transporter (5-HTT), 5-HT 1A , 5-HT 1B , and α 1b -adrenergic receptor (α 1b ADR) messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) in the dorsal (DRN) and median raphe (MR) nuclei of male Fischer rats after either sedentary housing or 3 days, 3 weeks, or 6 weeks of wheel running. Results Wheel running produced a rapid and lasting reduction of 5-HT 1B mRNA in the ventral DRN. Three weeks of wheel running decreased 5-HTT mRNA in the DRN and MR and increased α 1b ADR mRNA in the DRN. After 6 weeks of wheel running, 5-HTT mRNA remained reduced, but α 1b ADR mRNA returned to sedentary levels. Serotonin 1A mRNA was increased in the MR and certain DRN subregions after 6 weeks only. Conclusions Data suggest that the central 5-HT system is sensitive to wheel running in a time-dependent manner. The observed changes in mRNA regulation in a subset of raphe nuclei might contribute to the stress resistance produced by wheel running and the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of physical activity.
Structural characterization of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) adducts to guanine and deoxyguanosine via a molecular mechanics, semi-empirical, and density functional theory cascade

Abstract After hepatic activation, the carcinogen N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) may form a major or a minor adduct with DNA, both in vivo and in vitro. The structure of the minor adduct has not been experimentally determined but is believed to be of importance due to its persistence in vivo. In the present study, four varieties of modified AAF have been studied computationally; AAF bonded to C8 of guanine or deoxyguanosine (major adduct), and AAF bonded to N2 of guanine or deoxyguanosine (minor adduct). A computational cascade was employed to search for low-energy conformers of each molecule. Each adduct was subjected to a series of systematic searches of thousands of structures using molecular mechanics. After convergence with respect to the search parameters was obtained, the resulting conformers were then geometry optimized via the semi-empirical AM1 method. Subsets were then submitted to non-local Becke–Perdew density functional theory geometry optimization. The structures thus predicted of the guanine major adduct compare favorably with NMR and X-ray crystallographic data. The major adducts reveal an energetic preference for adoption of one of two orientations, with guanine or deoxyguanosine oriented either perpendicular to the fluorenyl ring moiety or approximately 45° with respect to the fluorenyl structure. Repulsion between the ribose sugar and acetyl group in deoxyguanosine disrupts the ‘ideal’ dihedral angles observed in the guanine adduct. Results for the N2 structures similarly point toward two general conformer classes, one of which is characterized by hydrogen bonding between the acetyl O and the H bonded to N2 of guanine, and the other by minimization of repulsion between the guanine structure and the acetyl group. In the case of deoxyguanosine, results differ somewhat from guanine due to an attractive interaction between the acetyl group and the ribose O5′. These results provide substantial motivation for further experimental work on AAF adduct complexes.
Predictors of operative mortality following major lower extremity amputations using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program public use data

Background The most definitive outcome data on lower extremity amputation (LEA) comes from the Veterans Administration (VA) system. Because of the unique nature of VA patients (more chronic disease, greater functional disability, and lower socioeconomic status), it is not clear these results can be generalized to the private sector. This study was undertaken to determine the short-term outcome of LEA in private sector patients and to define predictors of operative mortality. Methods After Institutional Review Board approval and under the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program public use agreement, a data set of LEA based on Current Procedural Terminology coding was assembled for the years 2005 to 2008. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory values were compiled and linked to operative mortality. Dichotomous variables were analyzed using χ 2 test with odds ratios (ORs) and continuous variables with Student t -test. Predictive modeling was done using stepwise logistic regression. Data were analyzed in SPSS. Results A total of 6839 patients underwent 4001 amputations below-knee (BK) and 2838 above-knee (AK) with a 9.1% operative mortality (6.5% BK, 12.7% AK; P 60 years (OR, 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-2.9), white race (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.4), and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (II, 2.3% vs IV, 13.8%) were significant predictors of mortality. Preoperative functional status (20% for totally dependent vs 4.3% for independent), renal failure (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.7-3.2), and congestive heart failure (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.1-3.3) also predicted death. Postoperative complications associated with mortality included pneumonia (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 4.1-7.0), ventilator dependence (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 3.8-6.8), and need for transfusion (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 2.0-6.7). Hispanic and African-American race (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.9 and OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-1), history of peripheral arterial disease (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5-0.8), and smoking (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7) were protective (all ORs had P values Conclusions The mortality of LEA in private sector patients remains high, with risk factors similar to those identified in previous studies of VA patients. These results should serve as a benchmark for future attempts to improve the outcome of LEA and serve to improve patient and family counseling.
Global climate change linkages

About 200 leading scientists and policymakers from 30 states and provinces met in Washington, D.C., in mid-November to consider Global Climate Change Linkages: Acid Rain, Air Quality and Stratospheric Ozone. Participants included atmospheric scientists, chemists, geologists, biologists, and engineers, as well as attorneys, government agency representatives, environmentalists and representatives of trade and professional associations. The issues of acid rain, air quality and stratospheric ozone depletion are usually considered in isolation. The purpose of this meeting was to examine the potential linkages among them and the implications for decision makers. The meeting, the fifth annual conference sponsored by the Center for Environmental Information's Air Resources Information Clearinghouse, Rochester, N.Y., was cosponsored by 25 agencies and organizations in the U.S. and Canada.
Hope-Focused and Forgiveness-Based Group Interventions To Promote Marital Enrichment.

The authors report a clinical trial (N = 43 couples) that compares a hope-focused marital enrichment (E. L. Worthington et al., 1997) with empathy-centered forgiveness-based marital enrichment (M. E. McCullough, 1997; E. L. Worthington, 1998a) and a wait-list control. Treatment group couples improved relative to the wait-list control group in observational measures of communication. Hope-focused marital enrichment produced clinically relevant changes in marital communication, increasing the ratio by 3 to 5 positive to negative interaction ratio units. Hope-focused marital enrichment is discussed in comparison with previous research, which was conducted with couples meeting conjointly. The forgiveness-based marital enrichment psychoeducational group is one of the 1st studies of forgiveness interventions in couples research.
Are Student Protests in Arab States Caused by Economic and Political Grievances? Empirical Evidence from the 2006–07 Arab Barometer

We investigate the nature of protests by students (age 18 and older) in Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, and Yemen by using subsamples of students from nationally representative and acclaimed public opinion data (the 2006–07 Arab Barometer). We find between 22.1% (Jordan) and 54.7% (Yemen) participated in either the signing of petitions, or marching in street protests, or both between the years 2003–07. To explain student protest participation, we draw from the political economy literature to test four grievance-based hypotheses that link protest to student perceptions on the performance of the economy, personal family socioeconomic status, political exclusion, and preference for democracy. Ordered probit regression analyses indicate that students protest for different reasons in the four countries. We find statistical evidence that student protests are associated with grievances about the economy (Algeria and Morocco) and lack of democracy (Algeria only). Joint hypothesis tests reveal that the four grievances j...
A multicontinuum theory for thermal-elastic finite element analysis of composite materials

Structural analysis of composite materials is severely limited by the lack of constituent information. This information is generally unavailable due to the continuum hypothesis associated with the ...
Confirmation of conjugation processes during TNT metabolism by axenic plant roots

This paper examines processes in plants for the formation of fate products of TNT beyond its aminated reduction products, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene. TNT metabolites were isolated and characterized in combination with temporal analyses of product profiles and 14C distribution, in microbe-free, axenic root cultures of Catharanthus roseus. Four unique TNT-derived compounds were isolated. Using evidence from 1H NMR, mass spectroscopy, HPLC, acid hydrolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase and β-glucosidase, they were established as conjugates formed by reactions of the amine groups of 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene and 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene. From the mass spectral evidence, at least a six-carbon unit from the plant intracellular millieu was involved in conjugate formation. Mass balance analysis indicated that, by 75 h after TNT amendment of the initial TNT radiolabel, extractable conjugates comprised 22%, bound residues comprised another 29%, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrot...
Zolpidem increases GABA in depressed volunteers maintained on SSRIs

Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) often use hypnotics like zolpidem (Ambien(®)) to improve sleep in addition to their selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) regimen. SSRIs act in part to restore disrupted GABAergic activity, but benzodiazepines and related drugs have been shown to lower GABA in a way that may be counter to these therapeutic effects. The present within-subject, single-blind, placebo-controlled study measured changes in GABA in the anterior cingulate (ACC) and thalamus of volunteers maintained on SSRIs for the treatment of MDD (n=14) following zolpidem (10mg) administration. In addition to neurochemical measurements obtained using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) at 4 T, a series of questionnaires were administered to assess subjective effects associated with acute zolpidem exposure. Zolpidem elevated GABA levels in both voxels of interest (P<0.05) in the depressed participants, which could imply normalization, given the lower baseline levels associated with depression. The subjective drug experience in the depressed cohort was similar to that reported previously by healthy volunteers, and no relationships existed between GABA increases and the observed behavioral effects. Aside from treating insomnia, using zolpidem in the presence of SSRIs may have some unidentified therapeutic effects for depressed individuals.
Dual infection of lambs with Trichostrongylus colubriformis and chlamydiae

Abstract Lambs in one group were inoculated with chlamydiae and Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae simultaneously; lambs in a second group were inoculated with chlamydiae after a T. colubriformis infection was established. Results were compared to those from groups inoculated with T. colubriformis only and chlamydiae only. There were no significant differences in fecundity associated with chlamydial inoculation. Packed cell volumes (PCVs) were depressed in groups inoculated with chlamydiae, and chlamydial antibody formation appeared to be inhibited when chlamydiae was superimposed on a T. colubriformis infection. Relatively few T. colubriformis adults were recovered in lambs inoculated with chlamydiae and T. colubriformis simultaneously.
Dielectrophoretic Levitation of Small Metallic Particles

Small uncharged metallic spheres have been levitated in a nonuniform electric field using a microprocessor-based active feedback control system. The particle is centered horizontally in an axisymmetric time-varying electric field. The vertical gravitational force is balanced by the dielectrophoretic force; however, the resulting equilibrium is unstable. To achieve stable levitation the vertical particle position is sensed optically and an error voltage is applied to the electrodes. Experimental results with the levitator are in good agreement with the equilibrium force balance model.
Work in progress — Classroom and distance components of a GK12 program placing graduate students in high school classrooms

As our national mathematics and science scores continue to fall below expectations, creating environments that engage the professional scientific and engineering communities in public education becomes increasingly important. Most mathematics and science teachers in high schools do not have a professional background in mathematics, science, or engineering (STEM) fields; thus, students in the public education system rarely interact with STEM professionals, and know little about the opportunities for careers in these fields. The NSF GK12 program supports graduate students who spend time in K12 classrooms for the purposes of learning to share their research with a nontechnical community. In year 3 of this specific GK12 program, a distance component was implemented by placing the graduate student in the classroom, virtually, through online streaming video. This paper discusses the technology, both hardware and software, that is used in this arrangement, as well as the challenges associated with implementing the technology in the school. This paper also describes the approach taken in designing and deploying an interdisciplinary learning module via distance. Finally, the paper describes the plans for continued distance components of the program.
Quantitative single and multi-surface clinical corneal topography utilizing optical coherence tomography

Successful surgical treatment of ocular astigmatism requires accurate characterization of both magnitude and axis of the astigmatism. Keratometry and topography are clinically widely used for this measurement; however, their analysis is limited to the anterior corneal surface. Unlike these techniques, optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers the advantage of measuring both the anterior and posterior corneal surface contributions. We present a technique to combine the local curvatures of both surfaces into a single pseudosurface suitable for clinical application. Building on prior work in distributed scanning OCT (DSOCT) to remove corrupting patient motion artifacts, we present the results of a pilot patient study where extracted values of clinical corneal astigmatic power magnitude and direction from DSOCT corneal volumes were comparable to standard clinical measures of corneal astigmatism.
Training an associative memory model for character recognition

In this paper, a new algorithm to determine the adaptive threshold formula for the trinary associative memory model is presented. The optimal threshold is chosen to yield the best performance. Different threshold parameters have been investigated to obtain the optimal range of threshold parameters. In order to validate our performance model, character recognition problems are investigated.
Effects of sample size on capillary pressures in porous media

Abstract Capillary pressure curves and their hystereses depend not only upon the geometry and wetting properties of the individual pores of a porous sample, but also upon the accessibility of these pores from the surface of the sample. Dependence of accessibility on distance from the surface of the sample implies that capillary pressure curves are sensitive to sample size. This sensitivity is investigated by measuring capillary pressure curves for porous samples of varying thickness. A theoretical investigation of sample thickness effects is made through application of the concepts of percolation theory of chaotic media. In the theory presented here, functions describing accessibility and pore size distribution appear in integral equations which account for all prominent features of drainage and imhibition, including threshold pressure, hystereses, residual saturations and dependence of residual saturation on initial saturation. The character and magnitude of sample thickness effects predicted by percolation theory are generally consistent with experimental results.
A Quasi-decentralized Approach for Networked State Estimation and Control of Process Systems

A quasi-decentralized state estimation and control architecture for plants with limited state measurements and distributed, interconnected units that exchange information over a shared communication network is developed in this work. The objective is to stabilize the plant while minimizing unnecessary network resource utilization and communication costs. The networked control architecture is composed of a family of local control systems that transmit their data in a discrete (on/off) fashion over the network. Each control system includes a state observer that generates estimates of the local state variables from the measured outputs. The estimates are used to implement the local feedback control law and are also shared over the network with the control systems of the interconnected units to account for the interactions between the units. To reduce the exchange of information over the network as much as possible without sacrificing stability, dynamic models of the interconnected units are embedded in the local control system of each unit to provide it with an estimate of the evolution of its neighbors when data are not transmitted through the network. The state of each model is then updated using the state estimate generated by the observer of the corresponding unit and transmitted over the network when communication is re-established. An explicit characterization of the maximum allowable update period (i.e., minimum cross communication frequency between the distributed control systems) needed to enforce the desired stability and performance properties is obtained in terms of the plant—model mismatch, controller, and observer design parameters. The design and implementation of the developed architecture are illustrated using a chemical plant example and compared with other possible networked control strategies. The comparison reveals that the lack of full state measurements imposes limitations on the maximum allowable update period, even if the models used to recreate the plant units' dynamics are accurate. It is also shown that the quasi-decentralized control architecture is more robust than a centralized networked control structure, with respect to communication suspension.
Demonstration of Directional Modulation Using a Phased Array

A four-symbol modulation is created by repeated switching of phase shifters in a phased array, in a technique known as directional modulation (DM). The phase shifts are chosen to minimize the bit error rate (BER) in a line-of-sight channel in a desired direction while maximizing the BER elsewhere. A DM transmitter is demonstrated in an anechoic chamber, and results are compared with a traditional baseband QPSK modulation using the same phased array. Experiments indicate that the DM transmitter creates a narrower region of low BERs around the desired direction than the traditional phased array while maintaining high BERs in the sidelobe regions.
Induction of mouse brain ornithine decarboxylase by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate is independent of TPA receptor concentration

Abstract Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, E.C. 4.1.1.17) activity was measured in a 35,000 × g brain supernatant fraction, prepared 5 h after intracisternal injection of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) into developing mouse brain. TPA-dependent induction of ODC activity was maximal on days 5 and 9 postnatally while on day 7, the developmental (endogenous) level of ODC in brain was high and, concurrently, the ability of TPA to induce ODC was reduced. Both TPA-dependent and developmental increases in mouse brain ODC activity were significantly reduced by intracisternal injection of retinoic acid (RA). The efficacy of TPA in elevating ODC activity at postnatal ages 1–220 days-old was independent of both soluble- and particulate-associated TPA receptor concentration. These observations suggest that although TPA receptor activation may be an obligatory event in ODC induction, TPA receptor activation and its concentration per se, are not sufficient determinants for ODC induction and tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the endogenous mechanism of ODC induction is distinct from that of the TPA-dependent increase in ODC enzyme activity.
Ocular methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections: management difficulties and implications

Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of many skin and mucous membrane infections. Many strains have developed resistance and antibiotic treatment options have become more limited. The following report describes four cases of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus blepharoconjunctivitis and the difficulties of therapeutic intervention. A review of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus and the incidence of resultant colonization and infection is described. A discussion of current antibiotic treatment options for methicillin-resistant bacterial blepharoconjunctivitis is also provided.
Selectivity of SSRIs: individualising patient care through rational treatment choices.

Despite a common mode of action [inhibition of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neuronal reuptake transporter], proven antidepressant efficacy and a similar range of indications (depression and a variety of anxiety disorders), the unique secondary binding properties of each selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) account for clinically significant differences in tolerability and side-effect profiles, particularly in some patients. Secondary properties within the class of SSRIs include some combination of actions at noradrenergic, dopaminergic, muscarinic cholinergic, histaminergic and sigma receptors. In addition, most SSRIs inhibit at least one of the cytochrome P450 enzymes, resulting in potential pharmacokinetic interactions with co-prescribed drugs. Although secondary properties of SSRIs can be associated with side effects, sometimes these same actions can be harnessed to good therapeutic effect through rational, informed treatment choices. In this way, agents that more consistently cause central ...