cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Reasoning: A child with muscle stiffness.

A 10-year-old boy presented with muscle stiffness of all extremities. His symptoms typically began during the second or third period of his hockey games and were intermittent, resolving within minutes of cessation of activity. Otherwise, he was asymptomatic. He was able to play baseball and soccer without similar symptoms, and he and his family denied clear triggers such as cold, heat, or meals with high carbohydrates or potassium. He denied vision problems, facial weakness, dysphagia, dysarthria, dyspnea, orthopnea, cramping, and fasciculations. He also denied sensory changes and bladder or bowel dysfunction. His family history was notable for myotonia congenita in his father, who was genetically heterozygous in 2007 for the pathogenic c.1437_1450del variant in the CLCN1 gene.1 His father reported similar symptoms including stiffness exacerbated by physical exertion. His parents were specifically concerned that the patient had inherited the mutation from his father. On neurologic examination, the patient had eyelid myotonia and trace percussion myotonia in the right thenar eminence. Strength was 5/5 throughout, and deep tendon reflexes were 2+ and symmetrical in all 4 extremities. Muscle bulk and tone were normal, sensory examination was normal, and coordination was intact. The patient's father had grip and eyelid myotonia and muscle hypertrophy.
Multiple roles of active stiffness in upright balance and multidirectional sway

Our previously published engaged leg model shows how stiffness plays complex multicausal roles in balance. In one role, it is crucial to stability, with task contingent influences over balance. In ...
Phenotypic technologies in stem cell biology

Summary The high-throughput phenotypic screen (HTPS) has become an emerging technology to discover synthetic small molecules that regulate stem cell fates. Here, we review the application of HTPS to identify small molecules controlling stem cell renewal, reprogramming, differentiation, and lineage conversion. Moreover, we discuss the use of HTPS to discover small molecules/polymers mimicking the stem cell extracellular niche. Furthermore, HTPSs have been applied on whole-animal models to identify small molecules regulating stem cell renewal or differentiation in vivo. Finally, we discuss the examples of the utilization of HTPS in stem cell-based disease modeling, as well as in the discovery of novel drug candidates for cancer, diabetes, and infectious diseases. Overall, HTPSs have provided many powerful tools for the stem cell field, which not only facilitate the generation of functional cells/tissues for replacement therapy, disease modeling, and drug screening, but also help dissect molecular mechanisms regulating physiological and pathological processes.
Telepractice Treatment for Aphasia: Association Between Clinical Outcomes and Client Satisfaction

Introduction: Health services research has demonstrated the association between patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes illustrating the importance of satisfaction in determining favorable trea...
The Effect of Message Framing and Focus on Reducing Food Waste

This research aimed to understand the effectiveness of food waste prevention messages. Two studies utilized a 2 by 2 experimental design (environmental versus societal message focus; positive versu...
Evaluation of clinical parameters as predictors of monozygotic twins after single frozen embryo transfer

Objective To determine if recent evolutions in laboratory protocols, including the increased use of natural cycles and the use of a hyaluronan-containing transfer medium, affected the rate of monozygotic twin (MZT) pregnancies after single frozen embryo transfer (FET). Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Urban university-based fertility center. Patient(s) Patients who underwent single FET between January 2016 and December 2018 resulting in an intrauterine pregnancy. Intervention(s) Transition to a transfer protocol with a hyaluronan-containing transfer medium in July 2017. Main Outcome Measure(s) Number of MZT pregnancies. Result(s) There were 1,619 cycles that met the inclusion criteria and 31 (1.9%) resulted in MZT pregnancies. A hyaluronan-containing transfer medium was used in 875 (54.1%) cycles. Programmed cycles were used for 1,385 (85.5%) FETs and 234 (14.5%) cycles were natural. The mean age at FET, oocyte age, endometrial echo thickness, inner cell mass grade, trophectoderm grade, expansion, and day of blastocyst vitrification were similar between the groups. The use of a hyaluronan-containing transfer medium resulted in fewer MZTs. After controlling potential confounders with a multivariate regression, the use of the hyaluronan-containing medium still resulted in fewer MZTs. Monozygotic twins were colinear with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), so PGT was excluded as a variable in our regression. A regression of PGT only cycles showed that the use of the hyaluronan-containing medium was still associated with a reduction in MZT pregnancies. Conclusion(s) The use of a hyaluronan-containing transfer medium was associated with a lower rate of MZTs. Other clinical parameters, including cycle type, were not associated with changes in the number of MZTs. The use of PGT needs to be further investigated as a risk factor for MZTs.
Post-incarceration outcomes for individuals who continued methadone treatment while in Connecticut jails, 2014-2018

Abstract Purpose To assess post-release outcomes associated with continuation of methadone treatment in correctional centers. Methods This case-control study of the post-incarceration impact of pilot methadone programs operating in jails in New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA was conducted in 2014−18. The study compared non-fatal overdose, fatal overdose, reincarceration, and resumption of methadone in the community experienced by 1564 eligible men, 660 (42.2 %) of whom continued treatment while incarcerated. Results Continuation of methadone was associated with a significant decrease in non-fatal overdose (OR:0.55; 95 % CI: 0.36, 0.85) and a greater likelihood of resuming methadone treatment in the community post-release (OR:2.56; 95 % CI: 2.07, 3.16). Time to resumption of methadone was shortened by treatment while time to non-fatal overdose was increased. Treatment while incarcerated resulted in a modest but not significant decrease in fatal overdoses and no difference in reincarceration between those who did and did not receive methadone. However, resumption of methadone after release did significantly reduce fatal overdoses (OR = 0.26, 95 % CI: 0.11, 0.62, p = 0.002). Conclusion and relevance Improvements in post-release outcomes of non-fatal overdose and treatment reengagement emphasize the benefits of continuing medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder within the criminal justice system for those receiving it prior to being incarcerated.
Automated control of odor dynamics for neurophysiology and behavior

Animals use their olfactory systems to avoid predators, forage for food, and identify mates. Olfactory systems detect and distinguish odors by responding to the concentration, temporal dynamics, and identities of odorant molecules. Studying the temporal neural processing of odors carried in air has been difficult because of the inherent challenge in precisely controlling odorized airflows over time. Odorized airflows interact with surfaces and other air currents, leading to a complex transformation from the odorized airflow that is desired to the olfactory stimulus that is delivered. Here, we present a method that achieves precise and automated control of the amplitude, baseline, and temporal structure of olfactory stimuli. We use this technique to analyze the temporal processing of olfactory stimuli in the early olfactory circuits and navigational behavior of larval Drosophila. Precise odor control and calcium measurements in the axon terminal of an Olfactory Receptor Neuron (ORN-Or42b) revealed dynamic adaptation properties: as in vertebrate photoreceptor neurons, Or42b-ORNs display simultaneous gain-suppression and speedup of their neural response. Furthermore, we found that ORN sensitivity to changes in odor concentration decreases with odor background, but the sensitivity to odor contrast is invariant -- this causes odor-evoked ORN activity to follow the Weber-Fechner Law. Using precise olfactory stimulus control with freely-moving animals, we uncovered correlations between the temporal dynamics of larval navigation motor programs and the neural response dynamics of second-order olfactory neurons. The correspondence between neural and behavioral dynamics highlights the potential of precise odor temporal dynamics control in dissecting the sensorimotor circuits for olfactory behaviors.
The Nature and Probable Cause of Modulations in Pigment Cell Cultures

Melanotic pigment cells have been known for many years to lose pigmentation traits in cell and tissue culture. Pigment cells from the iris and retinal pigment layer (tapetum) of chick embryos and also neoplastic melanoma cells derived from mammalian skin melanocytes have all been observed to do this, and frequently they will reacquire pigmentation under altered culture conditions (examples reviewed by Whittaker1963, 1967). The loss of melanotic phenotype in cultures of pigment cells and the possible reappearance of pigmentation after many cell generations is one of the refreshingly simpler examples in cell culture of what can be considered a modulation in the terminology of Weiss (1949). Modulation is a reversible fluctuation within the already established range of determination; it is also the covert maintenance of the potentiality to express an original function. Although many kinds of cells in vitro undergo changes of phenotypic expression, relatively few cell modulations have been examined closely. Phenotypic changes in cell culture have an intrinsic interest and fascination as manifestations of unusual cell behavior, but the modulation phenomenon also appears to be related to the important problems of cell maintenance and stability.
Location and measurement of enzymes in single cells by isotopic methods. II. Application to electron microscopy.

Publisher Summary The improvements in radioautography techniques have led to an increased understanding of the factors that determine the relationship between developed radioautographic grains and radioactive sources in a labeled tissue section. This results in methods for accurately defining (1) the number of radioactive atoms (and, hence, labeled molecules) within a cell or organelle and (2) their precise localization on or within membrane-bounded structures. The ratio of the number of developed silver grains produced in a radioautograph to the number of radioactive disintegrations occurring in the specimen defines sensitivity in electron microscope radioautography. In practice, sensitivity depends on both geometric factors (effective distance between the radioactive sources and silver halide crystals in the emulsion) and photographic factors (or effects attributable to processing, which vary with the emulsion used, and the type and conditions of processing). For absolute quantitation in electron microscope radioautography, it is necessary to delineate the labeled cell structure and also to determine the thickness of the radioactive specimen and the absolute sensitivity of the method.
Protein hydration observed by X-ray diffraction. Solvation properties of penicillopepsin and neuraminidase crystal structures.

Abstract Solvation in macromolecular crystal structures was studied by analyzing X-ray diffraction data of two proteins, penicillopepsin and neuraminidase. The quality of several solvent models was assessed by complete cross-validation in order to prevent overfitting the diffraction data. Radial solvent distribution functions were computed from electron density maps using phases obtained from multiple isomorphous replacement and from the protein's atomic model combined with the best solvent model. Distribution functions were computed around hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups on the protein's surface. Averaging of the distribution functions was performed in order to reduce the influence of noise. The first solvation shell is characterized by a peak in the average distribution functions. At 1·8 A resolution, polar groups show a sharp peak while non-polar groups show a broad one. The distinction between hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvation sites is lost when using lower resolution (2·8 A) diffraction data. Higher-order solvation shells are not observed in the average distribution functions. We hope that site-specific radial distribution functions obtained from high-quality diffraction data will produce a picture of macromolecular solvation consistent with available experimental data and computational results.
Endogenous Glucocorticoids Protect Against Cytokine-Mediated Lethality During Viral Infection

Certain cytokines activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis for glucocorticoid release, and these hormones can protect against cytokine-mediated pathologies. However, endogenous activation of such a pathway has not been established during infections. A prominent glucocorticoid response peaks 36 h following murine CMV (MCMV) infection, coincident with circulating levels of the cytokines IL-12, IFN-gamma, TNF, and IL-6, and dependent on IL-6 for maximal release. These studies examined functions of the hormone induction. Mice rendered glucocorticoid deficient by adrenalectomy were more susceptible than intact mice to MCMV-induced lethality, and the increased sensitivity was reversed by hormone replacement. Lack of endogenous glucocorticoids resulted in increases in IL-12, IFN-gamma, TNF, and IL-6 production, as well as in mRNA expression for a wider range of cytokines, also including IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. Viral burdens did not increase, and actually decreased, in the livers of glucocorticoid-deficient mice. TNF, but not IFN-gamma, was required for increased lethality in the absence of endogenous hormone. These results conclusively demonstrate the importance of induced endogenous glucocorticoids in protection against life-threatening effects resulting from infection-elicited cytokine responses. Taken together with the dependence on induced IL-6, they document existence of an immune system-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis pathway for regulating endogenous responses to viral infections.
Macroscale hydrologic modeling of ecologically relevant flow metrics

Stream hydrology strongly affects the structure of aquatic communities. Changes to air temperature and precipitation driven by increased greenhouse gas concentrations are shifting timing and volume of streamflows potentially affecting these communities. The variable infiltration capacity (VIC) macroscale hydrologic model has been employed at regional scales to describe and forecast hydrologic changes but has been calibrated and applied mainly to large rivers. An important question is how well VIC runoff simulations serve to answer questions about hydrologic changes in smaller streams, which are important habitat for many fish species. To answer this question, we aggregated gridded VIC outputs within the drainage basins of 55 streamflow gages in the Pacific Northwest United States and compared modeled hydrographs and summary metrics to observations. For most streams, several ecologically relevant aspects of the hydrologic regime were accurately modeled, including center of flow timing, mean annual and summer flows and frequency of winter floods. Frequencies of high and low flows in the summer were not well predicted, however. Predictions were worse for sites with strong groundwater influence, and some sites showed errors that may result from limitations in the forcing climate data. Higher resolution (1/16th degree) modeling provided small improvements over lower resolution (1/8th degree). Despite some limitations, the VIC model appears capable of representing several ecologically relevant hydrologic characteristics in streams, making it a useful tool for understanding the effects of hydrology in delimiting species distributions and predicting the potential effects of climate shifts on aquatic organisms.Related website: Western US Stream Flow Metric Dataset
Half-metallic graphene nanodots: A comprehensive first-principles theoretical study

A comprehensive first-principles theoretical study of the electronic properties and half-metallic nature of finite rectangular graphene nanoribbons is presented. We identify the bisanthrene isomer of the C28H14 molecule to be the smallest graphene derivative to present a spin-polarized ground state. Even at this quantum dot level, the spins are predicted to be aligned antiferromagnetically at the two zigzag edges of the system. As a rule of thumb, we find that zigzag graphene edges that are at least three consecutive units long will present spin polarization if the width of the system is 1 nm or wider. Room temperature detectability of the magnetic ordering is predicted for ribbons with zigzag edges 1 nm and longer. For the longer systems studied, spin wave structures appear in some high spin multiplicity states. Energy gap oscillations with the length of the zigzag edge are observed. The amplitude of these oscillations is found to be smaller than that predicted for infinite ribbons. The half-metallic nature of the ribbons under an external in-plane electric field is found to be preserved even for finite and extremely short systems.
Expression and assembly of a functional E1 component (alpha 2 beta 2) of mammalian branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex in Escherichia coli.

We have expressed an active recombinant E1 decarboxylase component of the mammalian branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex in Escherichia coli by subcloning mature E1 alpha and E1 beta subunit cDNA sequences into a bacterial expression vector. To permit affinity purification under native conditions, the mature E1 alpha subunit was fused with the affinity ligand E. coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) through an endoprotease Factor Xa-specific linker peptide. When co-expressed, the MBP-E1 alpha fusion and E1 beta subunits were shown to co-purify as a MBP-E1 component that exhibited both E1 activity and binding competence for recombinant branched-chain E2 component. In contrast, in vitro mixing of individually expressed MBP-E1 alpha and E1 beta did not result in assembly or produce E1 activity. Following proteolytic removal of the affinity ligand and linker peptide with Factor Xa, a recombinant E1 species was eluted from a Sephacryl S-300HR sizing column as an enzymatically active 160-kDa species. The latter showed 1:1 subunit stoichiometry, which was consistent with an alpha 2 beta 2 structure. The recovery of this 160-kDa recombinant E1 species (estimated at 0.07% of total lysate protein) was low, with the majority of the recombinant protein lost as insoluble aggregates. Our findings suggest that the concurrent expression of both E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits in the same cellular compartment is important for assembly of both subunits into a functional E1 alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetramer. By using this co-expression system, we also find that the E1 alpha missense mutation (Tyr-393—-Asn) characterized in Mennonites with maple syrup urine disease prevents the assembly of soluble E1 heterotetramers.
Circadian clock control of hepatic metabolism via nuclear receptor SHP (579.3)

Objective: In mammals, circadian rhythms are essential for coordinating the timing of various metabolic processes. SHP interacts with many nuclear receptors to regulate the expression of multiple m...
Site-directed mutagenesis of the phosphorylatable serine (Ser8) in C4 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from sorghum : the effect of negative charge at position 8

The properties of the dephospho and in vitro phosphorylated forms of recombinant sorghum phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase have been compared with those of the authentic dark (dephospho) and light (phospho) leaf enzyme forms and two mutant enzymes in which the phosphorylatable serine residue (Ser8) has been changed by site-directed mutagenesis to Cys (S8C) or Asp (S8D). Kinetic analysis of the purified recombinant, mutant, and leaf enzyme forms at pH 8.0 indicated virtually identical Vmax, apparent Km (phosphoenolpyruvate), and half-maximal activation (glucose 6-P) values of about 44 units/mg, 1.1 mM, and 0.23 mM, respectively. In contrast, the Ser8, S8C, and dark leaf enzymes were about 3-fold more sensitive to inhibition by L-malate at pH 7.3 than the Ser8-P, S8D, and light leaf enzyme forms. These comparative results indicate that: (i) Ser8 is an important determinant in the regulation of sorghum phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity by negative (L-malate), but not positive (glucose 6-phosphate) metabolite effectors, (ii) phosphorylation of this target residue can be functionally mimicked by Asp, but not Cys, and (iii) negative charge contributes to the effect of regulatory phosphorylation on this C4-photosynthesis enzyme.
The Tie That Binds: Leadership and Liberal Arts Institutions' Civic Engagement Commitment in Rural Communities.

Community boundary spanners create ties that bind the campus and its surrounding region for reciprocal relationships. Using community boundary spanning literature as a conceptual framework, this study went beyond existing research on public and 4-year comprehensive universities to examine how university leadership at rural, private liberal arts institutions can more deeply integrate civic engagement into institutional priorities and be more responsive to community needs. A qualitative multicase study was conducted to explore how leaders of rural, private liberal arts institutions and their community partners view civic engagement relative to the college’s mission. The study examined university leaders’ and community stakeholders’ perceptions of civic engagement at 5 liberal arts institutions in the Bonner Scholars Program network. The conceptual framework in Weerts (2005) and Weerts and Sandmann (2010) was developed into a foundation for university leaders at liberal arts institutions to embed and develop community engagement into their institutions’ culture and ethos.
Nerve agents degraded by enzymatic foams

The decontamination of large areas that have been exposed to chemical weapons is a critical component of defence and anti-terrorist strategies around the world1,2,3. Until now, nerve agents could be decontaminated only with bleach treatment and/or ex situ incineration4, which had severe environmental consequences. Small-scale methods of decontamination and demilitarization are available, but the problem of decontamination over a wide area has not been solved2,3. Here we incorporate organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH), an enzyme that hydrolyses nerve agents, into aqueous fire-fighting foams to catalyse surface decontamination. The performance of enzyme-containing foams is reproducible and predictable in detoxifying organophosphorus nerve toxins deposited onto surfaces. Such foams are an environmentally friendly alternative to current decontamination solutions, which are nonspecific in their action and contain significant amounts of hazardous organic solvents.
Quantifying the Nanomechanical Properties of Bacillus Anthracis and Implications for Spore Killing

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the changes in the nanomechanical properties of the surface of Bacillus anthracis spores during germination. The Hertz model of continuum mechanics of contact was used to evaluate the Young’s or tensile elastic modulus of the spores before and after germination by applying the model to load-indentation curves obtained during force cycles. The highest elastic modulus was obtained with dormant spores, with average elasticity values of 197 ± 81 MPa. Fully vegetative spores had the lowest elasticity values. The elasticity decreased when spores were incubated with either L-alanine or inosine, and the decrease was greatest when both of these germinants were used in combination. We also found that as the spore elasticity values increasd, the indentation depth of the AFM probe into the surface increased, with vegetative B. anthracis cells having elasticity depths of up to 246.2 nm. We have shown that spore nanomechanical properties change during germination, and depend on the type of germinant that is used. Weakening of the spore cell wall may help explain why germinating cells are much more susceptible to anti-sporal agents. The study of elasticity of spores may be a valuable tool in the development of antibiotics or anti-sporal treatments.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A high throughput, asynchronous, dual port FIFO memory implemented in ASIC technology

An ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory circuit that has the capability of interfacing two data processing units operating at different speeds is described. The memory is implemented using a circular queue structure, which permits writing and reading of data indefinitely as long as the boundary flag conditions are not met. This memory also has the capability to retransmit only bad data words, not whole memory blocks as most standard FIFOs do. Another feature is dual-port memory operation, which allows bidirectional data transfers through the FIFO. All of the circuit implementations are done using NCR standard cells. This allows the use of automatic routing and test program generation tools provided by NCR VISYS. >
Continuous-wave rotational Raman laser

Summary form only given. The far-off-resonance cw Raman laser utilizing high-finesse cavity (HFC) enhancement is a recent development for laser frequency down-conversion. In this paper we report for the first time a cw Raman laser with a pure rotational Stokes emission. An external-cavity diode laser (ECDL) with 30 mW maximum output power and 792 nm center wavelength is used as the pump laser.
Development of a Carbon Dioxide-Capture Assay in Microtiter Plate for Aspartyl-β-hydroxylase

Abstract CO 2 -capture methods have been used for assaying many decarboxylating enzymes including hydroxylation-coupled decarboxylation reactions. The traditional CO 2 -capture method involves performing the reaction in capped tubes and radiometric measurement of trapped 14 CO 2 by scintillation counting. In this report, a 14 CO 2 -capture method in a 96-well microtiter plate format has been developed and a phosphor imaging system has been employed for sample measurement. The new assay method has been used successfully to assay aspartyl-β-hydroxylase activity in microtiter plate format. The results obtained here compare favorably with those obtained from the traditional tube method. The method is sensitive, suitable for high throughput, and generally applicable to many CO 2 -releasing enzyme assays.
GFAP reactivity, apolipoprotein E redistribution and cholesterol reduction in human astrocytes treated with α-synuclein

α-Synuclein (α-syn) is an abundant neuronal protein expressed at the synapse. In neurodegenerative disease α-syn accumulates in the extracellular space. Astrocytes present at neural synapses are thought to contribute to synaptogenesis through cholesterol release and normally exhibit increased glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) reactivity and apolipoprotein E (apoE) expression in neurodegenerative disease states. We proposed that extracellular α-syn treatment of human astrocytes would impact cholesterol levels and expression of GFAP and apolipoprotein E (apoE). Human astrocytes were treated with α-syn at different concentrations and time points to determine the effective membrane permeability of the peptide. After α-syn treatment, we analyzed apoE and cholesterol levels in the astrocyte membrane. Lastly, we performed immunocytochemistry for GFAP in control and α-syn treated cells. Our results indicate membrane apoE was reduced and redistributed from a nuclear and membranous dominated expression to the cytosol. Cholesterol levels were also reduced in the astrocyte cell membrane. GFAP expression was sharply increased in α-syn treated cells indicating that α-syn may contribute to reactive gliosis. Our results support the conclusion that astrocytes play a role in pathological mechanisms in synucleinopathies.
Trade-offs between pseudohexagonal and pseudocubic filters

In 1990 it was discovered that the traditional FCC (face-centered-cubic) coordinates used in 3D logical x-filtering may be mapped into IJK-coordinates in many different ways. Before this discovery one of the hexagonal planes of the FCC tessellation had been used as a base plane with the hexagon distorted into a Northeast-Southwest parallelogram. Three other parallelograms for this pseudo-hexagonal representation have now been discovered. All of these four mappings are now called 'pseudo- hexagonal.' Furthermore, pseudo-cubic tessellation, using the cubic planes as the base planes has been invented. The frequency response of x-filters in both the pseudo- hexagonal and pseudo-cubic mappings have now been investigated for ranks three, four, and five and for from one to twelve iterations. Another related investigation reported here concerns the interpolation between 3D serial sections where the resolution within a section is more finely grained that from section to section. Results of this investigation are presented for both the pseudo-hexagonal and pseudo-cubic mappings as related to the reconstruction of various organs in the human abdomen from serial-section tomography.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Association of Cord Blood Magnesium Concentration and Neonatal Resuscitation

Objective To assess the relationship between umbilical cord blood magnesium concentration and level of delivery room resuscitation received by neonates. Study design This was a secondary analysis of a controlled fetal neuroprotection trial that enrolled women at imminent risk for delivery between 24 and 31 weeks' gestation and randomly allocated them to receive either intravenous magnesium sulfate or placebo. The cohort included 1507 infants with data available on total cord blood Mg concentration and delivery room resuscitation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the association between cord blood Mg concentration and highest level of delivery room resuscitation, using the following hierarchy: none, oxygen only, bag-mask ventilation with oxygen, intubation, and chest compressions. Results There was no relationship between cord blood Mg and delivery room resuscitation (OR, 0.92 for each 1.0-mEq/L increase in Mg; 95% CI, 0.83-1.03). Maternal general anesthesia was associated with increased neonatal resuscitation (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.72-3.68). Each 1-week increase in gestational age at birth was associated with decreased neonatal resuscitation (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.60-0.66). Conclusion Cord blood Mg concentration does not correlate with the level of delivery room resuscitation of infants exposed to magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection.
Motor-Sensory Recalibration Modulates Perceived Simultaneity of Cross-Modal Events at Different Distances

A popular model for the representation of time in the brain posits the existence of a single, central clock. In that framework, temporal distortions in perception are explained by contracting or expanding time over a given interval. We here present evidence for an alternative account, one which proposes multiple independent timelines coexisting within the brain and stresses the importance of motor predictions and causal inferences in constructing our temporal representation of the world. Participants judged the simultaneity of a beep and flash coming from a single source at different distances. The beep was always presented at a constant delay after a motor action, while the flash occurred at a variable delay. Independent shifts in the implied timing of the auditory stimulus towards the motor action (but not the visual stimulus) provided evidence against a central-clock model. Additionally, the hypothesis that the time between action and delayed effect is compressed (known as intentional binding) seems unable to explain our results: firstly, because actions and effects can perceptually reverse, and secondly because the recalibration of simultaneity remains even after the participant’s intentional actions are no longer present. Contrary to previous reports, we also find that participants are unable to use distance cues to compensate for the relatively slower speed of sound when audio-visual events are presented in depth. When a motor act is used to control the distal event, however, adaptation to the delayed auditory signal occurs and subjective cross-sensory synchrony is maintained. These results support the hypothesis that perceptual timing derives from and is calibrated by our motor interactions with the world.
Two approaches to the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder in infancy and early childhood.

ABSTRACT Objective The reliability and validity of DSM-IV criteria and an alternative set of criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are assessed in infants and young children (younger than 4 years of age). Method This study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1 applied DSM-IV criteria for PTSD to 20 case reports of severely traumatized infants from the literature. Phase 2 used an expanded checklist of symptoms that were developmentally sensitive and behaviorally anchored to create an alternative set of criteria for PTSD in infants. Phase 3 compared the DSM-IV criteria to the alternative criteria on 12 new cases of traumatized infants. Results Infants and young children who have experienced severe traumas show many symptoms of impairment, similar to posttraumatic symptoms in older children and adults. The alternative criteria were more reliable and more valid for diagnosing PTSD in infancy than DSM-IV criteria. Conclusion Clinicians ought to be aware that infants and young children can develop posttraumatic disorders after traumatic events. Criteria for diagnosing these disorders in standard nosologies may need revision for use with children younger than 48 months of age.
Selective innervation of the goldfish suprachiasmatic nucleus by ventral retinal ganglion cell axons

The contribution of central, peripheral, dorsal, ventral, nasal and temporal retinal ganglion cells to the innervation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of goldfish was examined with cobaltous-lysine. The nucleus is innervated by axons from central, peripheral, temporal and nasal retina. However, this innervation originates only from ventral retinal ganglion cell axons. The retinal origin of the innervation may be related to being in an aquatic environment.
Evidence for classical critical behavior at the nematic-isotropic phase transition

Magnetically induced birefringence measurements were performed in the isotropic phase of methoxybenzylidene butylaniline (MBBA). Over the entire temperature range studied, $\ensuremath{\Delta}n$ was found to be linear in ${H}^{2}$ to fields over 10 T. This result is consistent with the Landau model of the nematic-isotropic transition, and strongly inconsistent with the results of Keyes and Shane [Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 722 (1979)] in a similar experiment. Their results indicate both the approach of a field-induced critical point and tricritical behavior near the phase transition.
Strong-coupling limit of the Kondo problem.

We examine the low-temperature properties of a single magnetic impurity in a metal, for an arbitrary ratio of the Kondo coupling to the bandwidth, and arbitrary band filling, using the slave-boson technique. For sufficiently strong coupling, we find that true bound states of conduction electrons and the magnetic impurity appear. Then, the corrections to \ensuremath{\chi} and \ensuremath{\gamma} take small negative values. In the regime where the conduction band is nearly empty, we find a zero-temperature phase transition between a singlet binding phase and a free-local-moment phase.
Integrating Six Sigma and CQI for improving patient care

Examines Six Sigma as a strategy for improving service which tries to reduce defects and therefore improve a firm’s marketing position. Looks at how this as been applied in business and then examines its place in healthcare. Concludes that the few healthcare institutions that have implemented Six Sigma have done so in the interest of business and not so much in the area of patient care, where it is proposed that it will improve things dramatically.
Absorption line profiles in a moving atmosphere: A single scattering linear perturbation theory

An integral equation is derived which linearly relates Doppler perturbations in the spectrum of atmospheric absorption features to the wind system which creates them. The perturbation theory is developed using a single scattering model, which is validated against a multiple scattering calculation. The nature and basic properties of the kernels in the integral equation are examined. It is concluded that the kernels are well behaved and that wind velocity profiles can be recovered using standard inversion techniques.
Foliar δ13C within a temperate deciduous forest: spatial, temporal, and species sources of variation.

Foliar 13C-abundance (δ13C) was analyzed in the dominant trees of a temperate deciduous forest in east Tennessee (Walker Branch Watershed) to investigate the variation in foliar δ13C as a function of time (within-year and between years), space (canopy height, watershed topography and habitat) and species (deciduous and coniferous taxa). Various hypotheses were tested by analyzing (i) samples collected from the field during the growing season and (ii) foliar tissues maintained in an archived collection. The δ13C-value for leaves from the tops of trees was 2 to 3%. more positive than for leaves sampled at lower heights in the canopy. Quercus prinus leaves sampled just prior to autumn leaf fall had significantly more negative δ13C-values than those sampled during midsummer. On the more xeric ridges, needles of Pinus spp. had more positive δ13C-values than leaves from deciduous species. Foliar δ13C-values differed significantly as a function of topography. Deciduous leaves from xeric sites (ridges and slopes) had more positive δ13C-values than those from mesic (riparian and cove) environments. On the more xeric sites, foliar δ13C was significantly more positive in 1988 (a dry year) relative to that in 1989 (a year with above-normal precipitation). In contrast, leaf δ13C in trees from mesic valley bottoms did not differ significantly among years with disparate precipitation. Patterns in foliar δ13C indicated a higher ratio of net CO2 assimilation to transpiration (A/E) for trees in more xeric versus mesic habitats, and for trees in xeric habitats during years of drought versus years of normal precipitation. However, A/E (units of mmol CO2 fixed/mol H2O transpired) calculated on the basis of δ13C-values for leaves from the more xeric sites was higher in a wet year (6.6±1.2) versus a dry year (3.4±0.4). This difference was attributed to higher transpiration (and therefore lower A/E) in the year with lower relative humidity and higher average daily temperature. The calculated A/E values for the forest in 1988–89, based on δ13C, were within ±55% of estimates made over a 17 day period at this site in 1984 using micrometeorological methods.
Changes in rate of fault creep

(Accepted for publication June 8, 1978) ABSTRACT: Aseismic slip or fault creep is occurring on many faults in California. Although the creep rates are generally less than 10 mm/yr in most regions, the maximum observed rate along the San Andreas fault between San Juan Bautista and Gold Hill in central California exceeds 30 mm/yr. Changes in slip rates along a 162 km segment of the San Andreas fault in this region have occurred at approximately the same time at up to nine alinement array sites. Rates of creep on the fault near the epicenters of moderate earthquakes ( M L 4-6) vary for periods of several years, decreasing before the main shocks and increasing thereafter, in agreement with prior observations based on creepmeter results. The change of surface slip rate is most pronounced within the epicentral region defined by aftershocks, but records from sites at distances up to 100 km show similar variations. Additionally, some variations in rate, also apparently consistent among many sites, have a less obvious relation with seismic activity and have usually taken place over shorter periods. Not all sites exhibit a significant variation in rate at the time of a regional change, and the amplitudes of the change at nearby sites are not consistently related. The time intervals between measurements at the nine array sites during a given period have not always been short with respect to the intervals between surveys at one site; hence, uneven sampling intervals may bias the results slightly. Anomalies in creep rates thus far observed, therefore, have not been demonstrably consistent precursors to moderate earthquakes; and in the cases when an earthquake has followed a long period change of rate, the anomaly has not specified time, place, or magnitude with a high degree of certainty. The consistency of rate changes may represent a large scale phenomenon that occurs along much of the San Andreas transform plate boundary.
Neonatal treatment with antiserum to prolactin lowers blood pressure in rats

Prolactin administration reportedly increases blood pressure in rats and rabbits. To study the effects of prolactin deficiency on blood pressure, rats were given saline, normal rabbit serum, or rabbit antiserum to rat prolactin on postnatal days 2 to 5. Both males and females given antiserum had significantly lower blood pressure at 14 weeks than rats given saline or normal rabbit serum. Blood pressure differences between females given antiserum and females given saline disappeared during and following pregnancy. The antiserum also lowered the concentration of prolactin in plasma 49 percent in males and decreased the prolactin response to ether stress in both sexes. These results suggest that endogenous prolactin is involved in blood pressure regulation.
Study of Controlled Oxygen Diffusion Approaches for Advanced Photoresist Strip

Two alternative plasma strip processes were developed to meet the photoresist (PR) removal requirements of future technology nodes. Compared to traditional oxidizing chemistries, the new plasma strip approaches showed significantly lower silicon oxidation and substrate loss, while achieving good residue removal capabilities. Plasma strip-induced dopant loss and profile changes were also evaluated for gate-first and gate-last high-k/metal gate applications.
Decarboxylation of a benzo[b] thiophene‐2‐carboxylic acid

5-Hydroxy-3-methylbenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxylic acid can be decarboxylated by refluxing with 48% hydrobromic acid for 30 minutes. Yield and quality of the product are better than for the previously used copper-quinoline decarboxylation. The 5-methoxy analog of the above acid is stable to decarboxylation under these conditions; however, it demethylates readily under the reaction conditions, and the phenol thus afforded decarboxylates.
Diffusive and electrostatic effects with insolubilized enzymes subject to substrate inhibition.

Abstract The kinetics of an insolubilized substrate inhibited enzyme have previously been shown to lead to the possibility of multiple steady states. This paper examines the precise range of conditions under which multiple steady states will occur taking into account all combinations of the diffusive and electrostatic effects, and sample calculations are given. These calculations suggest that multiple steady states will be, in general, unusual and, within the living cell, unlikely.
A rate-based model for the design of gas absorbers for the removal of CO2 and H2S using aqueous solutions of MEA and DEA

A rate-based model was developed for the design of acid gas absorbers using aqueous alkanolamine solutions. The model adopts the film theory and assumes that thermodynamic equilibrium among the reacting species exists in the bulk liquid. The diffusion-reaction equations for the reacting species in the liquid film are solved using collocation techniques. Heat effects accompanying diffusion and reaction are accounted for using appropriate heat balances on each tray. The algorithm adopts a plate-by-plate calculation starting at the bottom of the tower. Tray hydraulics was added to the algorithm to ensure proper operation of the tower. The program was developed to handle either monoethanolamine (MEA) or diethanolamine (DEA) as chemical solvents.
Global Solutions of Nonlinear Schrodinger Equations

Introduction and summary An overview of results on the Cauchy problem for NLS Further comments 3D $H^1$-critical defocusing NLS Global wellposedness below energy norm Nonlinear Schrodinger equation with periodic boundary conditions Growth of Sobolev norms in linear Schrodinger equations with smooth time dependent potential Zakharov systems References Index.
The influence of admixtures on the strength and linear expansion of cement-stabilized phosphogypsum

Abstract The effect of admixture content, dry density and curing condition on linear expansion of cement-stabilized phosphogypsum (CSPG) was studied over a ninety-day period. The phosphogypsum was stabilized using 8% Type I portland cement. Cylindrical CSPG specimens (51mm x 102 mm) were fabricated by static compaction (ASTM D 698) at three density levels: standard Proctor maximum dry density (13.7 kN/m3) and 5% on either side of this density with a moisture content (20%) corresponding to the maximum standard Proctor dry density. CaCl2 (1% and 2 %) and Daraset (0.05% and 0.15%) as a percentage of the amount of cement, were added to CSPG. Curing conditions were (at ambient temperature): open to air, moisture-controlled and soaked. Selected specimens were analyzed by derivative thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy. When cured under moisture-controlled environment, CSPG had a short initial period of expansion irrespective of the dry density or admixture content. Increasing dry density led to a period of contraction following expansion. At the same dry density, the additon of CaCl2 led to a period of no length change while the addition of Daraset led to more initial expansion. The length change, over time, of air-cured CSPG specimens was negligible. The correlation between ettringite content and expansion was crude. For soaked specimens, ettringite growth was widespread and unusually high. Compacted at the lowest density (13.0 kN/m3) and cured in moisture-rich environments, CSPG deteriorated significantly.
Simultaneous repair of pectus excavatum and congenital heart disease

Most repair of heart lesions and pectus deformity has been performed in adult patients using long incisions, sternal splits, excision of deformed cartilages, and sternal turnover operations that could result in poor cosmesis and chest growth in children because of sternal devascularization. We performed simultaneous pectus repair and atrial septal defect closure in 2 children using a short longitudinal incision and avoiding a transverse or longitudinal sternal split. After extraperichondrial excision of the deformed cartilages and mobilization of the sternum from the neurovascular bundles, a transverse wedge of sternum was removed at the level of the third cartilages, allowing cephalad retraction of the sternum and providing excellent exposure for the intracardiac operation. The cosmetic appearance remains excellent in both patients at 1 and 4 years postoperatively.
Building k-connected neighborhood graphs for isometric data embedding

Isometric data embedding using geodesic distance requires the construction of a connected neighborhood graph so that the geodesic distance between every pair of data points can be estimated. This paper proposes an approach for constructing k-connected neighborhood graphs. The approach works by applying a greedy algorithm to add each edge, in a nondecreasing order of edge length, to a neighborhood graph if end vertices of the edge are not yet k-connected on the graph. The k-connectedness between vertices is tested using a network flow technique by assigning every vertex a unit flow capacity. This approach is applicable to a wide range of data. Experiments show that it gives better estimation of geodesic distances than other approaches, especially when the data are undersampled or nonuniformly distributed.