cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of the immunogenicity, safety and current recommendations for the meningococcal serogroup B vaccine, MenB-FHbp.

What is known and objective This review describes invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) epidemiology in the United States, provides a brief overview of available meningococcal vaccines and discusses meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) vaccine development. Particular focus is given to the recombinant protein MenB vaccine, MenB-FHbp (Trumenba® , bivalent rLP2086) in light of recent publication of phase 3 data; the other MenB vaccine (Bexsero® , MenB-4C) has been recently reviewed. Current recommendations of the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for MenB vaccination and potential barriers to immunization are also discussed. Methods Using the published literature, this article reviews the development and use of MenB-FHbp to date, with a focus on the United States. Results and discussion Despite the availability of medical treatment, IMD is associated with significant mortality and frequently occurring serious permanent sequelae in surviving individuals. Worldwide, most IMD is caused by six serogroups (A, B, C, W, X and Y). MenB is the most common disease-causing meningococcal serogroup in the United States and has caused several recent university-based IMD outbreaks. MenB vaccines, including MenB-FHbp, are available in the United States. ACIP recommends that all individuals ≥10 years of age at increased risk for meningococcal disease receive MenB vaccination; healthy individuals 16-23 years of age are recommended MenB vaccines based on individual clinical decision-making. MenB-FHbp is used on a 2-dose schedule (0, 6 months) when vaccinating healthy individuals and on a tailored 3-dose schedule (0, 1-2, 6 months) in cases of increased risk. What is new and conclusion Because vaccination provides the most effective protection against IMD, pharmacists are in an excellent position to offer evidence-based vaccine information, as well as to encourage and provide meningococcal immunizations to adolescents and young adults.
Risk Factors for Postoperative Hypotension and Hypertension following Carotid Endarterectomy.

Background Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) often experience postoperative hemodynamic changes that require intravenous medications for hypo- and hypertension. Prior studies have found these changes to be associated with increased risks of 30-day mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and length of stay (LOS). Our aim is to investigate preoperative risk factors associated with the need for postoperative intravenous medications for blood pressure control. Methods A retrospective review of an internally maintained prospective database of patients undergoing carotid interventions between January 2014 and March 2019 was performed. Demographic data, clinical history, and perioperative data were recorded. Carotid artery stents and reinterventions were excluded. Our primary end points were the need to intervene with intravenous medication for either postoperative hypotension [systolic blood pressure (SBP) 160 mm Hg). Results A total of 221 patients were included in the study after excluding those with a prior ipsilateral CEA or carotid artery stent. The mean age was 72.3 (±8.9) years, 157 (71%) patients were male, and 78 (35.3%) were Caucasian. Following CEA, 151 (68.3%) patients were normotensive, while 33 (14.9%) and 37 (16.7%) required medication for hypotension and hypertension, respectively. A univariate logistic regression identified 5 variables as being associated with postoperative blood pressure including race, history of MI, prior percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), statin use, and angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitor/angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) use. A stepwise regression selection found race, prior MI, and statin use to be associated with our primary end points. The hypertensive group was more likely to have a history of MI compared to the hypotensive and normotensive groups (40.5% vs. 27.3% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.02), PTCA (43.2% vs. 39.4% vs. 23.8%, P = 0.03), and statin use (94.6% vs. 93.9% vs. 78.8%, P = 0.01). Mean LOS was also the highest for the hypertensive group, followed by hypotensive and normotensive patients [2.0 (±1.6) vs. 1.8 (±2.4) vs. 1.3 (±0.8), P = 0.002]. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that non-Caucasian patients [odds ratio (OR) 2.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26–5.86, P = 0.01] and those with a history of MI (OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.33–6.67) were more likely to have postoperative hypertension compared to patients who were Caucasian or had no history of MI. Conclusions Postoperative hypertension is associated with non-Caucasian race and a history of MI. Given the potential implications for adverse perioperative outcomes including MI, mortality, and LOS, it is important to continue to elucidate potential risk factors in order to further tailor the perioperative management of patients undergoing CEA.
Cryptographic Framework for Role Control Remedy: A Secure Role Engineering mechanism for Single Authority Organizations

Abstract Role Engineering creates a model for enforcing security among organizations and reduces the risk of entities having unauthorized access privileges. In this paper, we realize the role engineering for the organizations where services are associated with the roles. Access to such services depends on the verification and validation of the role and role ownership. In face to face communication, verification and validation of roles and role ownership are possible through physical certificates but in a computer network, it is spacious. In some cases, it relies on the knowledge-based security systems creating a problem of confidentiality. This research proposed an unconventional Cryptographic Role Engineering (CRE) framework to ensure the privacy and role ownership issues of the entities, secure role management for the role assigning organizations and role validation and verification for the service providing organizations. Validation of the framework is performed through the case study/example scenario and feature analysis. Based on validation and achieved features, it is concluded that the proposed framework achieved the feature of a strong connection between easy administration and strong security. As a result, the role assigning organizations can have a secure role management mechanism, the role owner can provide the proof of role ownership independently and service-providing organizations can verify and validate the role without the intervention of role assigning organizations.
Tabulated Neutron Star Equations of State Modelled within the Chiral Mean Field Model

In this special issue article, I review some of the accomplishments of the chiral mean field (CMF) model, which contains nucleon, hyperon, and quark degrees of freedom, and its applications to proto-neutron and neutron stars. I also present a set of equation of state and particle population tables built using the CMF model subject to physical constraints necessary to reproduce different environments, such as those present in cold neutron stars, core-collapse supernova explosions, and different stages of compact star mergers.
OPTICAL STUDIES OF 13 HARD X-RAY SELECTED CATACLYSMIC BINARIES FROM THE SWIFT-BAT SURVEY

From a set of 13 cataclysmic binaries that were discovered in the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey, we conducted time-resolved optical spectroscopy and/or time-series photometry of 11, with the goal of measuring their orbital periods and searching for spin periods. Seven of the objects in this study are new optical identifications. Orbital periods are found for seven targets, ranging from 81 minutes to 20.4 hr. PBC J0706.7+0327 is an AM Herculis star (polar) based on its emission-line variations and large amplitude photometric modulation on the same period. Swift J2341.0+7645 may be a polar, although the evidence here is less secure. Coherent pulsations are detected from two objects, Swift J0503.7-2819 (975 s) and Swift J0614.0+1709 (1412 s and 1530 s, spin and beat periods, respectively), indicating that they are probable intermediate polars (DQ Herculis stars). For two other stars, longer spin periods are tentatively suggested. We also present the discovery of a 2.00 hr X-ray modulation from RX J2015.6+3711, possibly a contributor to Swift J2015.9+3715, and likely a polar.
Policy solutions to end gaps in Medicaid coverage during reentry after incarceration in the United States: experts’ recommendations

We sought to gather experts’ perspectives on Medicaid coverage gaps during reentry to identify high-yield policy solutions to improve the health of justice-involved individuals in the United States. We interviewed 28 experts at the intersection of Medicaid and criminal justice via telephone between November 2018 and April 2019. Interviewees included Medicaid administrators, health and justice officials, policy makers, and health policy researchers. We performed thematic analysis of semi-structured interview transcripts to identify emergent themes and distill policy recommendations. Three themes emerged: 1) Medicaid coverage gaps during reentry contribute to poor health outcomes and recidivism, 2) excessive burden on justice-involved people to re-activate Medicaid leads to coverage gaps, and 3) scalable policy solutions exist to eliminate Medicaid coverage gaps during reentry. Policy recommendations centered on ending the federal “inmate exclusion,” delaying Medicaid de-activation at intake, and promoting re-activation by reentry. Experts viewed coverage gaps as problematic, viewed current approaches as inefficient and burdensome, and recommended several policy solutions. By pursuing strategies to eliminate Medicaid gaps during reentry, policymakers can improve health outcomes and efficiency of government spending on healthcare, and may reduce cycles of incarceration.
International Perspectives on Critical Care

Comparisons across countries of critical care provide important information on availability of critical care resources, implications of triage decisions, and delivery of care in the intensive care unit (ICU) for critically ill patients. The variety of populations, resources, care patterns, and cultures create an opportunity to understand the impact of different care choices, and potentially reveal areas for focus for quality improvement. Comparisons across countries highlight the lack of a standard definition of an ICU bed. Large differences also exist in length of hospital stay and discharge patterns, with variability in the use of support facilities, such as hospice care and skilled nursing facilities. These differences reveal the need for appropriate outcome measures that are not skewed by such variation. Knowledge of provision of critical care across regions and countries may improve networks and facilitate both daily care of patients and disaster planning.
Metallobiochemistry of the magnesium ion. Characterization of the essential metal-binding site in Escherichia coli ribonuclease H.

Ribonuclease H (Escherichia coli) contains one strong magnesium-binding site, as determined by metal-titration experiments monitored by high field 1H-NMR and also by direct titration calorimetry. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were evaluated by 25Mg-NMR and were as follows: dissociation constant Kd, ∼60±10 μM; activation free energy ΔG*, ∼49.8±0.9 kJ; on/off-rate for magnesium binding kon, ∼ 1.8×108M−1 s−1, koff, ∼ 1.1×104 s−1; quadrupole coupling constant χB, 1.2±0.2 MHz. The dissociation constant was independently determined by standard analysis of 1H chemical shifts in magnesium-titration experiments and by microcalorimetry (Kd∼ 200±20 μM). Cobalt hexaamine, which also activates RNase H [Jou, R. & Cowan, J. A. (1991) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 113, 6685–6686], appears to bind at the same location as Mg2+(aqueous). Assignments of C2H and C4H protons to specific histidine residues have been made by two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy experiments. Direct 25Mg-NMR pH titrations show that an ionizable residue (pKa∼ 5.8), most likely one of the carboxylates in the active site, influences magnesium binding. On the basis of the magnesium coordination chemistry elucidated herein, recent proposals on active-site chemistry are critically assessed and general physicochemical aspects of magnesium-binding sites on proteins and enzymes are discussed.
Observations of stellar winds in early type stars

I have been asked to review the “observations” of winds in “early-type” stars. This normally means stars of spectral type OB and those of the Wolf-Rayet (WR) class. In this paper I will concentrate on the massive population I stars of these types, and primarily the O and WR classes on which most of the recent work has been done. The early B type supergiants share many of the wind properties of the O stars but the later supergiant types, Be stars, and main sequence stars may not. Stellar winds are a ubiquitous phenomenon among these early type stars (Snow and Morton 1976). We see evidence of their winds in the resonance line P Cygni profiles in the UV region, in the emission lines of Hα and λ4686 He II in the optical spectrum, and in the free-free emission from the ionized plasma as observed in the IR and radio regions of the spectrum.
Does personality matter for contributions to online communities

Many high-technology business models would not be scalable and profitable without online communities that provide user support, foster technology adoption, offer product feedback, solve technical problems, and to co-develop products. However, only a relatively small number of all community members are actively contributing content and their attention is increasingly divided between a rapidly growing number of personal and professional online communities. Companies therefore strive to convert "lurkers", who observe the community, into active content providers. This paper investigates to what extent this is possible across different community members. Specifically, it asks how personality traits impact online behavior. To this end, the paper develops a research framework for online participation that is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Big-Five personality factors and outlines future research directions.
An incision to facilitate radical pelvic surgery in women

Abstract An incision is described which facilitates radical pelvic surgery. Its limitations and advantages are also discussed. It permits extraperitoneal ligation of the hypogastric and uterine arteries. It also facilitates lymphadenectomy as described by Taussig. Patency of the external iliac vessels should be verified before the hypogastric artery is ligated.
Evaluation of public health response to hurricanes finds North Carolina better prepared for public health emergencies

Reviews of state public health preparedness improvements have been primarily limited to measuring funds expenditures and achievement of cooperative agreement benchmarks. Such reviews fail to assess states' actual capacity for meeting the challenges they may face during an emergency, as evidenced by activities undertaken during the various phases of a disaster. This article examines North Carolina's public health preparedness and response performance during two hurricanes, Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Isabel in 2003, as well as capacity building activities in the intervening years. North Carolina created new infrastructures, enhanced laboratory capacity, and strengthened communications after Hurricane Floyd. These activities facilitated implementation of functional capabilities through effective centralized communication, command and control incident management, and a rapid needs assessment and medical surveillance during Hurricane Isabel. North Carolina continues to implement these capabilities in public health emergencies. Measuring and implementing functional capabilities during exercises or real events facilitates achievement of preparedness performance standards, goals, and objectives.
The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution

Have you heard the latest in sexology research? A team of Swiss researchers is close to publishing findings from a 10-year longitudinal study of the female orgasm. Early reports reveal the research...
DNA content analysis by flow cytometry and cytogenetic analysis in mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome. Diagnostic and prognostic implications

Abstract Flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of DNA content was performed on 82 lymph node and peripheral blood specimens from 46 patients with mycosis fungoides and the Sezary syndrome. Overall, 32 of the 46 patients (70%) had aneuploidy detected by FCM. Aneuploidy was present in 63% of the patients at the time of diagnosis before systemic therapy. In these patients, aneuploidy was frequently detected in blood and lymph node specimens scored as negative by cytology and histology, suggesting that unsuspected extracutaneous dissemination is present in many patients at the time of diagnosis. Direct comparison with Giemsa-banded cytogenetic studies showed an excellent correlation of FCM results and cytogenetic chromosome number. However, FCM frequently detected a larger fraction of aneuploid cells, and mitogen-stimulation studies suggest this is the result of preferential stimulation of normal lymphocytes by phytohemagglutinin. Thus, mitogens with a preference for malignant T cells, such as staphylococcal protein A, should be used for cytogenetic analysis of malignant T-cell disorders. At diagnosis, some histologically positive specimens contained only diploid cells by FCM and cytogenetic analysis. These patients had a more indolent clinical course than patients with aneuploidy. Aneuploidy was detected by FCM as either wide G1 or as discrete aneuploid peaks. The presence of aneuploidy at any time in the clinical course implied a poor prognosis. Discrete hyperdiploid peaks were associated with large cell histology, early relapse, and aggressive clinical course. The development of hyperdiploidy at relapse was documented in four patients and was associated with a transition to large cell histology and a poor prognosis. Similar studies may elucidate differences in natural history and mechanism for transition in histology in other lymphomas and solid tumors.
The neutral atom valve

Summary form only given. As the techniques for cooling and trapping atoms have advanced, so has the interest in new techniques for guiding atoms from one point in space to another. One particularly novel idea is to construct a hollow optical fiber through which atoms can be guided, with the aid of a laser beam, providing a sort of flexible atom "hose". This type of device is attractive because it can be used to transport individual atoms conveniently from one part of apparatus to another, much as is done with light transported through solid core optical fibers. Recently, one such atom hose was demonstrated in the laboratory. In this experiment laser light was used to guide the atoms through the small glass tube created by the fiber. However, no convenient method for turning off and on such flow has either been proposed or demonstrated. In this paper we describe our use of laser light to control, in a state selective manner, the ballistic flow of atoms through a commercial glass capillary and therefore our realization of a "neutral atom valve".
Corporate Social Responsibility and Strategic Tax Behavior

This paper addresses two questions. First, from the perspective of the corporation, should the corporation cooperate and pay the corporate tax, or should it engage in "strategic" tax behavior designed to minimize or eliminate its corporate tax burden? Second, from the perspective of the state, should the state use the corporate tax just to raise revenue, or should it also try to use it as a regulatory tool to steer corporate behavior in directions that it deems beneficial to society? The paper argues that whatever our view of the nature of the corporation and of the legitimacy of corporate social responsibility, corporations should not be permitted to engage in strategic behavior that is designed solely to minimize their taxes, while the state should use the corporate tax as a regulatory tool.
Sizing up single-molecule enzymatic conformational dynamics

Enzymatic reactions and related protein conformational dynamics are complex and inhomogeneous, playing crucial roles in biological functions. The relationship between protein conformational dynamics and enzymatic reactions has been a fundamental focus in modern enzymology. It is extremely difficult to characterize and analyze such complex dynamics in an ensemble-averaged measurement, especially when the enzymes are associated with multiple-step, multiple-conformation complex chemical interactions and transformations. Beyond the conventional ensemble-averaged studies, real-time single-molecule approaches have been demonstrated to be powerful in dissecting the complex enzymatic reaction dynamics and related conformational dynamics. Single-molecule enzymology has come a long way since the early demonstrations of the single-molecule spectroscopy studies of enzymatic dynamics about two decades ago. The rapid development of this fundamental protein dynamics field is hand-in-hand with the new development of single-molecule imaging and spectroscopic technology and methodology, theoretical model analyses, and correlations with biological preparation and characterization of the enzyme protein systems. The complex enzymatic reactions can now be studied one molecule at a time under physiological conditions. Most exciting developments include active manipulation of enzymatic conformational changes and energy landscape to regulate and manipulate the enzymatic reactivity and associated conformational dynamics, and the new advancements have established a new stage for studying complex protein dynamics beyond by simply observing but by actively manipulating and observing the enzymatic dynamics at the single-molecule sensitivity temporally and spatially.
Reduction of Asphalt Fumes in Roofing Kettles

The addition of polymers to asphalt in small quantities is shown to reduce the asphalt fumes from built up roofing kettles. Built up roofing asphalt (BURA) with up to 1% of a blend of polymers was tested for its fuming characteristics in roofing kettles in a Pilot Plant setting and also at several job sites. The addition of polymer forms a steady-state surface layer that reduces the release of fumes from the asphalt. Once equilibrated, the layer remains constant in thickness since as new polymer is added some of the layer dissolves in the asphalt. At least 0.32% polymer in the BURA material was necessary to get good fume reduction. A detailed Pilot Plant experiment is described which demonstrated statistically significant reductions of from 55 to 95% in both opacity and in benzene soluble particulate with this technology. These reductions were seen not only in area monitoring near the asphalt kettle but also in limited personnel monitoring of worker fume exposure in the BURA kettle area. Follow up testing...
Gelation and rheology of xanthan/enzyme-modified guar blends

Abstract The rheological behavior and synergistic character of mixed polysaccharide systems are examined for blends of xanthan with enzymatically-modified guar. In particular, the enzyme α-galactosidase is used to selectively cleave off the galactose side chains of guar in order to obtain galactomannans with tailored molecular architecture: EMG1 with a relatively high galactose content of 33.6% and a mannose (M) to galactose (G) ratio of 1.85, and EMG2 with a lower galactose content (25.2%) and an M/G ratio of 2.86. Blends of xanthan with enzymatically-modified guar gum samples are examined in terms of their dynamic rheological properties and compared to those of xanthan — locust bean gum blends. The extent of synergism, illustrated by the gel elastic modulus G ′ and yield stress τ c , is found to increase with increasing extent of enzymatic modification. At constant ionic strength, the EMG2 and locust bean blends behave similarly, with increasing extent of synergy as the temperature of mixing is increased. Additionally, at a fixed mixing temperature, the blends made in water have a higher elastic modulus than those made in salt. In contrast, the EMG1 blends are weaker and the dynamic moduli are unaffected by changes in the mixing temperature or ionic strength. These results are consistent with those of other researchers and are directly related to both the level of disorder in the xanthan molecule as well as the galactose content and fine structure of the galactomannan.
Romantic Relationships and Their Social Context Among Gay/Bisexual Male Youth in the Castro District of San Francisco

Abstract This article examines the culture of romantic relationships among gay/bisexual male youth in the Castro District of San Francisco. The article seeks to specify the cultural ideology that informs these relationships, drawing upon ethnographic observation, autobiographical accounts, and informant cultural exegesis. The article also seeks to link thinking and experience inside romantic relationships (e.g., bonding, jealousy) to patterns of social behavior associated with romantic relationships (e.g., relationship sequestering, cheating), showing how both are informed by shared assumptions which make these emotions and gestures intelligible to the group. Beliefs about love, compatibility, and monogamy are explored. Reciprocity, including its degradation into negative forms, is examined with focus on the units of value that are exchanged in romantic relationships, in particular sentimental gifts. Gestures of commitment that mark commencement of a romantic relationship as well as extension of the dynam...
Technology as amplifier in international development

Amplification theories of information technology argue that technology is primarily a magnifier of existing institutional forces. In this paper, these ideas are synthesized and augmented for an amplification theory of "information and communication technology for development" (ICT4D), the study of electronic technology in international development. Three mechanisms for amplification are identified, arising out of differentials in access, capacity, and motivation, and the ideas are developed using examples from telecenters, television, and mobile phones. The amplification thesis contradicts theories that imply that technology's impact is additive or transformative in and of itself, e.g., that access to technology levels the playing field of power, or that the Internet, per se, democratizes access to information. The consequences of an amplifier theory for ICT4D are that (1) technology cannot substitute for missing institutional capacity and human intent; (2) technology tends to amplify existing inequalities; (3) technology projects in global development are most successful when they amplify already successful development efforts or positively inclined intent, rather than seek to fix, provide, or substitute for broken or missing institutional elements.
The katabatic wind regime at Adelie Land, Antarctica

The coastal sections of Adelie Land in East Antarctica experience the strongest and most persistent slope (katabatic) winds recorded about the continental periphery. The area was first explored during Mawson's 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition; the annual average surface wind speed at the base camp of Cape Denison was approximately 20 m s−1 during the course of the 2-year stay in Antarctica. Field traverses conducted by the Mawson group and the subsequent establishment of additional bases and more recent deployment of automatic weather stations suggest that the zone of extreme katabatic winds is not confined to the Cape Denison site, but rather, extends several hundred kilometres inland from the coast and at least 60 km west along the coast. Numerical simulations of the Adelie Land katabatic wind regime have been conducted using a primitive equation three-dimensional model. Results confirm the extreme wind conditions over the Adelie Land region and strongly suggest that the confluence of cold air drainage currents from the interior towards Adelie Land is responsible for the anomalous katabatic wind intensity.
Experiment in solar orientation of spin stabilized satellite

Abstract : In order to equalize the satellite skin temperatures and increase solar cell efficiency, an attempt is made to precess the satellite's spin vector perpendicular to the solar vector and maintain it in that position, using a magnetic torquing system that requires no commands from the ground. The advantage of this orientation to a high area thermal-mass ratio satellite with no batteries aboard is a temperature balance more favorable to power conversion. The orientation is to be accomplished by controlling the magnitude and direction of the satellite's magnetic moment, which will be aligned with the largest principal moment of inertial (approx 1.5 kg - sq m) of the satellite (coincident with the spin axis). This magnetic moment will interact with the earth's geomagnetic field to produce a controlled orientation torque. (Author)
Review of autoimmune metaplastic atrophic gastritis.

SUMMARY The clinical goal of managing AMAG is to identifydysplastic or malignant lesions of the stomach as well as toensure the proper management of vitamin B 12 deﬁciencyto prevent the hematologic and neurologic adverse eventsof pernicious anemia. The testing algorithms for diagnos-ing pernicious anemia may not always apply to the diag-nosis of early AMAG. For example, autoantibodies such asanti-intrinsic factor may be sensitive and speciﬁc for per-nicious anemia, but will miss the majority of cases of earlyAMAG.The motivation for identifying early AMAG is for ther-apeutic intervention of this slowly progressing disease thatis historically fatal without high-dose vitamin B 12 treat-ment. Our approach for the incidental detection of AMAGon endoscopic biopsy is a combination of the histologicﬁndings with conﬁrmatory peripheral blood testing of he-matologic parameters as well as antiparietal cell antibod-ies, anti-intrinsic factor antibodies, and serum gastrin. Thisdisease requires communication between the gastroenter-ologist and the pathologist; early cases of AMAG may havesubtle histologic ﬁndings that will be missed without theemphasis of clinical history. Important clinical ﬁndingsinclude anemia (microcytic or macrocytic) or endocrinedysfunction (diabetes mellitus, autoimmune thyroiditis).Although pernicious anemia and AMAG have been recog-nized for more than 100 years, we are still in the infancy ofrecognizing the early presentation of AMAG and standard-izing our management of these patients.
Reflex cardiovascular responses induced by electrical stimulation of glossopharyngeal nerves in the rat.

Abstract Reflex cardiovascular responses to electrical stimulation of glossopharyngeal nerves (GPN) were studied in Dial-Urethane anesthetized rats. GPN stimulation at 3 V, 0.3 msec and 50 Hz produced maximal reflex depressor (34 ± 2 mmHg) and bradycardia (21 ± 2 beats min ) responses that were altered as follows: pentolinium (0.25 mg kg , i.a.) blocked approximately 72% and 89% of control values of depressor and bradycardia responses, respectively; tripelennamine (5 mg kg , i.a.) significantly reduced depressor responses (76%); whereas atropine (0.4 mg kg , i.a.) blocked only bradycardia (85%). Regional blood flow studies showed that GPN stimulation reduced systemic arterial pressure (approximately 25%), and increased iliac artery blood flow (5%), and decreased blood flow through the renal (14%) and superior mesenteric (13%) arteries. Hence, decreases in vascular resistance during GPN stimulation were greater in the hindlimb vascular bed (28%) than in the renal (14%) or the mesenteric vasculatures. In addition, the magnitude of decreases in hindlimb vascular resistance by GPN stimulation was reduced (80%) by pretreatment with tripelennamine, but not by atropine. The results suggest that reductions in arterial blood pressure and hindlimb vascular resistance of the rat in response to GPN stimulation may be mediated via a histaminergic vasodilator mechanism, and that there may be a differential pattern of reflex vascular adjustments of blood flow and vascular resistance among regional vasculatures of the rate.
Density Functional Studies of 19-Electron Organometallic Complexes: Investigation of Possible Ligand Distortions and Calculation of the EPR Parameters and Unpaired Electron Distributions in CpCr(CO)2NO-, CpW(NO)2P(OMe)3, CpMo(CO3)P(OMe)3, and Co(CO)3(2,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)maleic anhydride)

Density functional theory (DFT) was used to calculate the equilibrium geometries and EPR hyperfine coupling constants for the CpCr(CO)2NO- and CpW(NO)2P(OMe)3 19-electron complexes. The calculated EPR hyperfine parameters for both molecules were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values. The EPR study on CpCr(CO)2NO- indicated that the nitrosyl ligand bends significantly when the neutral 18-electron parent molecule is reduced. This was confirmed by the DFT calculations, although the degree of bending is not as large as that predicted from the EPR analysis. The calculated geometry for CpW(NO)2P(OMe)3 showed that the nitrosyl ligands are not significantly bent, which is consistent with the crystal structure of the related compound CpW(NO)2P(OPh)3. In both CpCr(CO)2NO- and CpW(NO)2P(OMe)3, the unpaired electron is localized to about the same extent on the NO ligands. It is concluded that, although distortion of a ligand implies significant localization of the unpaired electron on that ligand...
Relation of Clinical, Echocardiographic and Electrocardiographic Features of Cardiac Amyloidosis to the Presence of the Transthyretin V122I Allele in Older African-American Men

Previous studies have shown that 3% to 4% of African Americans carry an amyloidogenic allele of the human serum protein transthyretin (TTR V122I). The allele appears to have an absolute anatomic risk for cardiac amyloid deposition after 65 years of age. In this study, a case-control comparison was performed of clinical, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic characteristics of 23 age at risk carriers of the amyloidogenic allele and 46 age-, gender-, and ethnically matched noncarriers being evaluated for cardiac disease using standard clinical testing. The 2 groups were matched for blood pressure and the cardiac ejection fraction. None of the subjects had a prestudy diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis. Carriers of the amyloidogenic allele were found to have statistically significant increases in the occurrence of many of the echocardiographic features of cardiac amyloidosis relative to the noncarriers and a higher frequency of congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. The observations suggest that TTR V122I represents a substantial risk for clinically significant cardiac amyloidosis in elderly African American men, behaving as an age-dependent autosomal dominant disease-associated allele. The diagnosis is difficult to make but can be suspected in African Americans aged >60 years on the basis of age, echocardiographic evidence of diastolic dysfunction, and interventricular septal thickening, even in the absence of more recently available sophisticated echocardiographic techniques for evaluating long-axis function and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Positive results for the amyloidogenic TTR V122I allele support the diagnosis and define the origin of the disease, which can be confirmed by endomyocardial biopsy.
Nonadiabatic singer polymal wave functions for three‐particle systems

A method for nonadiabatic many-particle quantum-mechanical calculations is described and illustrated for the special case of three particles. The method uses a basis of explicitly correlated Singer-type exponential quadratic function (polymals) of the internal degrees of freedom. Rigorous symmetry states are projected from the basis: linear momentum of the center of mass, total angular momentum, and permutational symmetry under interchange of indistinguishable particles. The nonadiabatic wave functions are interpreted via purely quantum-mechanical criteria of interparticle correlation as measured by average values of powers of interparticle distances and angles. The illustrations are made on H2+ which is easily treated in the Born–Oppenheimer and adiabatic approximations, on helium, muonic helium, and on (e+, e−, e+) which are poorly described in adiabatic methods. The ground and lowest bound excited states of these systems are studied with up to 256 tempered Singer polymals for which we find energies too high by 0.0011 a.u. in H2+, 0.0017 a.u. in muonic helium, 0.0009 a.u. in 4He, and 0.0002 a.u. in (e+, e−, e+); the corresponding relative errors are 1800, 4, 300, and 200 ppm, respectively.
Automated design of a MEMS resonator

As the application and complexity of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices increases, there is a corresponding need for automated design and optimization tools to augment engineers' design skills. Evolutionary computation provides a set of tools that may prove very effective in this application domain. Here we present a novel evolutionary computation encoding scheme for specifying MEMS designs, and use this scheme to evolve a MEMS meandering resonator. Using fewer evaluations, we are able to evolve designs that perform as well as those previous reported.
Implications for a gesture design tool

Interest in pen-based user interfaces is growing rapidly. One potentially useful feature of pen-based user interfaces is gestures, that is, a mark or stroke that causes a command to execute. Unfortunately, it is difficult to design gestures that are easy 1) for computers to recognize and 2) for humans to learn and remember. To investigate these problems, we built a prototype tool typical fo those used for designing gesture sets. An experiment was then performed to gain insight into the gesture design process and to evaluate this style of tool. The experiment confirmed that gesture design is very difficult and suggested several ways in which current tools can be improved. The most important improvement is to make the tools more active and provide more guidance for designers. This paper describes the gesture design tool, the experiment, and its results.
Critical Behavior at a Valence Instability

The isomorphic phase transition in the system ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Th}}_{x}$, which is characterized by a delocalization of the $4f$ electron and a concomitant volume change, has been studied through measurements of the density and resitivity. For samples near the critical composition ($x\ensuremath{\simeq}0.264$) derivatives of these quantities diverge with mean-field exponents. Such mean-field behavior implies a long-force range, and suggests that electroelastic coupling dominates the critical behavior.
Enlightened Shareholder Maximization: Is this Strategy Achievable?

The role of a corporation is often debated as a mutually exclusive choice between economic responsibility to shareholders and social responsibility to society. An evolving viewpoint embraces an integrated approach focused on long-term value creation for shareholders which benefits other stakeholders. Maximizing long-term shareholder value as a corporate objective can be compatible with stakeholder theory when an enlightened shareholder maximization strategy is embraced. Firms implementing an enlightened shareholder maximization strategy are expected to make decisions and use resources which achieve long-term value-creating outcomes. However, critics of enlightened shareholder maximization as a corporate goal contend this strategy conflicts with maximizing shareholder value. This study explores whether firms which embrace a balanced enlightened shareholder maximization strategy indeed create long-term value which does not sacrifice shareholder wealth.
Structural Realism, Scientific Change, and Partial Structures

Scientific change has two important dimensions: conceptual change and structural change. In this paper, I argue that the existence of conceptual change brings serious difficulties for scientific realism, and the existence of structural change makes structural realism look quite implausible. I then sketch an alternative account of scientific change, in terms of partial structures, that accommodates both conceptual and structural changes. The proposal, however, is not realist, and supports a structuralist version of van Fraassen’s constructive empiricism (structural empiricism).
Reactions of hydroxyl radical with humic substances: bleaching, mineralization, and production of bioavailable carbon substrates.

In this study, we examine the role of the hydroxyl (OH•) radical as a mechanism for the photodecomposition of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in sunlit surface waters. Using γ-radiolysis of water, OH• was generated in solutions of standard humic substances in quantities comparable to those produced on time scales of days in sunlit surface waters. The second-order rate coefficients of OH• reaction with Suwannee River fulvic (SRFA; 2.7 × 104 s-1 (mg of C/L)-1) and humic acids (SRHA; 1.9 × 104 s-1 (mg of C/L)-1) are comparable to those observed for DOM in natural water samples and DOM isolates from other sources but decrease slightly with increasing OH• doses. OH• reactions with humic substances produced dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) with a high efficiency of ∼0.3 mol of CO2/mol of OH•. This efficiency stayed approximately constant from early phases of oxidation until complete mineralization of the DOM. Production rates of low molecular weight (LMW) acids including acetic, formic, malonic, an...
Gene Alert-a sequence search results keyword parser

Similarity searching is an important tool to many biological scientists. Various computer implementations (BLAST, FASTA, Smith-Waterman) are used by scientists to analyze their sequences of interest to identify identities (perfect matches) or similarities (statistically significant matches) between their query sequences and large databases such as GenBank. Search engines currently return brief annotations and alignments ranked in order of statistical significance or raw similarity score. However, it is frequently not the top-scoring similarities that bring important new information to the investigating scientist, but the content of the annotation or similarity "hits" at any significant score. The Gene Alert algorithm applies additional filtering and a user weighted keyword search to the BLAST output to parse the output into a form customized to the user. There are three components to the Gene Alert implementation as it is currently operating: an organized file structure, a BLAST engine, and a parser written in the PERL scripting language. The file structure was designed to place code and database components in logical positions and to facilitate future complete automation of the Gene Alert and similarity search system. Shown here is the file structure within the UNIX environment.
Solvation energy in protein folding and binding

We have developed a method for calculating the stability in water of protein structures, starting from their atomic coordinates. The contribution of each protein atom to the solvation free energy is estimated as the product of the accessibility of the atom to solvent and its atomic solvation parameter. Applications of the method include estimates of the relative stability of different protein conformations, estimates of the free energy of binding of ligands to proteins and atomic-level descriptions of hydrophobicity and amphiphilicity.
Zebra Chip Progression: From Inoculation of Potato Plants with Liberibacter to Development of Disease Symptoms in Tubers

Zebra chip (ZC), a new and serious disease of potatoes, has caused millions of dollars in losses to the potato industry in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand. The disease has been associated with the bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” transmitted to potato by the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc). The most characteristic symptoms of ZC develop in potato tubers and include browning of vascular tissue concomitant with necrotic flecking of internal tissues and streaking of the medullary ray tissues, all of which can affect the entire tuber. Upon tuber frying, these symptoms become more pronounced and potato chips or fries processed from ZC-affected tubers show very dark blotches, stripes, or streaks, rendering them commercially unacceptable. Field experiments were conducted to determine how rapidly ZC symptoms develop in potato tubers following plant exposure to liberibacter-infective potato psyllids and to assess how the disease affects the overall potato yield and tuber processing quality over time. Results indicated that ZC symptoms developed in potato tubers 3 weeks following plant exposure to psyllids. Tuber development ceased upon the onset of ZC symptoms, resulting in substantial yield loss. Levels of tuber solids decreased as soon as initial disease symptoms were observed. In contrast, reducing sugar levels in tubers increased dramatically upon the onset of ZC symptoms, significantly affecting potato processing quality. This information, in combination with effective psyllid monitoring and control, will assist potato producers make harvest timing decisions following infestations of potato psyllids in their fields to minimize damage caused by ZC.
Social Selection and Social Causation in Marriage and Health: Longitudinal Evidence of Body Weight Change

Social selection proposes that health influences marriage, whereas social causation proposes that marriage influences health. We used biennial 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data to examine body weight 6 years before and 6 years after entering and exiting first marriages. For marital entry, social selection occurred as lighter women entered marriage. Social causation was not observed because all marital entry groups gained weight at comparable rates. Cohabitation was not associated with weight change after marital entry. For marital exit, short-term social causation occurred as men and women lost weight after marital exit and then regained equivalent weight. Overall, body weight change sometimes followed transitions into and out of marriage, but the associations were few in number, short-lived, and had no long-term impact on body weight.
Expression of Polyglutamine-expanded Huntingtin Activates the SEK1-JNK Pathway and Induces Apoptosis in a Hippocampal Neuronal Cell Line

Huntington's disease is one of a growing number of hereditary neurodegenerative disorders caused by expansion of a polyglutamine stretch at the NH2 terminus of huntingtin. To explore whether polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin induces neuronal toxicity, I examined the expression of the full-length of huntingtin with 16, 48, or 89 polyglutamine repeats in a rat hippocampal neuronal cell (HN33). Expression of mutated huntingtin with 48 or 89 polyglutamine repeats stimulated c-Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNKs) activity and induced apoptotic cell death in HN33 cells while expression of normal huntingtin with 16 polyglutamine repeats had no toxic effect. The JNK activation precedes apoptotic cell death and co-expression of a dominant negative mutant form of stress-signaling kinase (SEK1) nearly completely blocked activation of JNKs and neuronal apoptosis mediated by mutated huntingtin. Taken together, my studies demonstrate that expression of polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin induces neuronal apoptosis via activation of the SEK1-JNK pathway.