cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A nationwide analysis of re-exploration after liver transplant

Abstract Background A retrospective review to investigate rate and outcomes of re-exploration following liver transplantation in the United States. Methods The NIS database was used to examine outcomes of patients who underwent re-exploration following liver transplantation from 2002 to 2012. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to compare outcomes of patients with and without reoperation. Results We sampled a total of 12,075 patients who underwent liver transplantation. Of these, 1505 (12.5%) had re-exploration during the same hospitalization. Hemorrhagic (67.9%) and biliary tract anastomosis complication (14.8%) were the most common reasons for reoperation. Patients with reoperation had a significantly higher mortality than those who did not (11.6% vs. 3.8%, AOR: 3.01, P P P P P P Conclusion Re-exploration after liver transplantation is relatively common (12.5%), with hemorrhagic complication as the most common reason for reoperation. Preoperative coagulation disorders significantly increase hemorrhagic and vascular complications. Further clinical trails should investigate prophylactic strategies in high risk patients to prevent unplanned reoperation.
Transport of anisotropic particles under waves

Using a numerical model, we analyse the effects of shape on both the orientation and transport of anisotropic particles in wavy flows. The particles are idealized as prolate and oblate spheroids, and we consider the regime of small Stokes and particle Reynolds numbers. We find that the particles preferentially align into the shear plane with a mean orientation that is solely a function of their aspect ratio. This alignment, however, differs from the Jeffery orbits that occur in the residual shear flow (that is, the Stokes drift velocity field) in the absence of waves. Since the drag on an anisotropic particle depends on its alignment with the flow, this preferred orientation determines the effective drag on the particles, which in turn impacts their net downstream transport. We also find that the rate of alignment of the particles is not constant and depends strongly on their initial orientation; thus, variations in initial particle orientation result in dispersion of anisotropic-particle plumes. We show that this dispersion is a function of the particle’s eccentricity and the ratio of the settling and wave time scales. Due to this preferential alignment, we find that a plume of anisotropic particles in waves is on average transported farther but dispersed less than it would be if the particles were randomly oriented. Our results demonstrate that accurate prediction of the transport of anisotropic particles in wavy environments, such as microplastic particles in the ocean, requires the consideration of these preferential alignment effects.
Is it all about loving the kids? Perceptions about expertise in special education

Abstract Teachers, school leaders, and faculty (n = 32) were interviewed regarding their perceptions about the expertise of teachers of students with significant support needs. While participants agreed that expert instruction was characterized by knowledge about the student and positivity, their beliefs differed in relation to the functions of those expert skills. Findings revealed that deficit- and asset-oriented views of students were related to views about the professionalism of teachers. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the apparent link between deficit views about students and views of special education teachers as professionals.
Feuer und Eis

Blick nach oben! Die klare Luft wird zum blauen Himmel! Die Luftmolekule streuen namlich blaues Sonnenlicht starker als andere Farben. Der Nachthimmel ist dunkel, weil kein Sonnenlicht die Luft erhellt. Auf dem Mond ist der Himmel sogar dann schwarz, wenn die Sonne ihn bescheint, denn der Mond hat keine Atmosphare, die Sonnenlicht streuen kann.
CO Inhibition of Nitrogen Fixation

In the absence of added substrate, such as C2H2 or N2, Mo-nitrogenase reduces H+ to H2 (Burgess, 1985). CO strongly inhibits the reduction of all external substrates but does not affect H2 evolution (Burgess, 1985). We’ve investigated the effect of CO on acetylene reduction activity from of V-nitrogenase Azotobacter vinelandii and found that CO similarly inhibits all substrate reductions except for H+ to H2. However, CO is not as potent an inhibitor of V-nitrogenase, exhibiting a K i (3 kPa) approximately 100 times greater than that of Mo-nitrogenase. A similar K i had been determined previously for V-nitrogenase from Azotobacter choococcum. Since the only known difference between the metal clusters of the Mo and V forms of the enzyme is the presence of these heterometals, this result suggests that CO may be binding to V or Mo in the cofactor. However, our recent results (Moore, et al., 1994) with hybrid nitrogenase discussed below call the suggestion of CO binding to the cofactor into question.
The role of phosphatidylglycerol as a donor of phosphatidyl and of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate groups in biosynthetic reactions.

Recent experiments from a number of laboratories have provided evidence that phosphatidylglycerol (PG) can function as a donor of either a phosphatidyl or a glycerol phosphate moiety in de novo biosynthetic reactions. In contrast to a simple exchange reaction the transfer of these groups from PG results in the net formation of a new product which the organism in most cases cannot make by alternate reactions. Systems which use PG in this way as yet have been conclusively demonstrated only in bacteria.
Virtual Reality as a Pedagogical Tool to Design for Social Impact: a Design Case

Three-dimensional (3-D) virtual environments have key affordances that can improve learning, particularly when context, culture, and pedagogical aims are aligned to a given learning situation. One challenge in detailing effective uses of 3-D virtual environments in teaching and learning contexts is that the design judgments involved are not always made explicit. We argue that the transparency of design judgments, as it relates to the use of 3-D virtual environments, are critically important. This article advances scholarship of emerging technologies by detailing the design judgments of a university instructor within a Design for Social Impact cross-disciplinary course. To address learner needs and the cultural aims of an authentic client-based project, the instructor directed students to sketch design ideas within Google Blocks, which allows users to create 3-D models in virtual reality. This design case provides precedent for practitioners interested in how 3-D virtual environments can align to learning contexts, cultures, and pedagogical aims.
Correction to: Improving the Epidemiological Understanding of the Dynamic Relationship Between Life Course Financial Well-being and Health

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The name of the third author should be presented as “First name: Adina” “Last name: Zeki Al Hazzouri” and should be cited as Zeki Al Hazzouri, A.
Mean Field Inference

Graphical models are important and useful, but come with a serious practical problem. For many models, we cannot compute either the normalizing constant or the maximum a posteriori state. It will help to have some notation. Write X for a set of observed values, H1, …, HN for the unknown (hidden) values of interest. We will assume that these are discrete. We seek the values of H1, …, HN that maximizes P(H1, …, HN|X). There is an exponential number of such possible values, so we must exploit some kind of structure in the problem to find the maximum. In the case of a model that could be drawn as a forest, this structure was easily found; for models which can’t, mostly that structure isn’t there. This means the model is formally intractable—there is no practical prospect of an efficient algorithm for finding the maximum.
Acute Drug-Induced Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome in an Emergency Department: What's in a Name?

CITATIONStowe RC. Acute drug-induced symptoms of restless legs syndrome in an emergency department: what's in a name? J Clin Sleep Med. 2019;15(9):1381.
The Role of Co-receptors in T Cell Activation

Although the expression of the T cell receptor-CD3 complex (TcR-CD3) confers T lymphocyte antigen specificity, several other integral membrane proteins play significant roles during T cell-mediated cellular immune responses (Bierer et al., 1989). By initiating signal transduction events and/or increasing the strength of adhesion between T cells and antigen presenting cells, these cell surface molecules cooperate with the TcR-CD3 complex to initiate biochemical signals that lead to efficient T cell activation and subsequent effector function. By binding their cognate ligands on antigen presenting cells, co-receptor molecules such as CD2, CD4 and CD43 play important roles in T cell adhesion and activation. Each of these molecules, however, contribute uniquely to the T cell response. The expression of these molecules as well as of mutated forms of these receptors in appropriate recipient cell lines has helped document the role of each of these molecules in T cell activation.
Slowly moving thermal features on Jupiter

Obtaining measurements of winds on the jovian planets—Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus—at depths other than the level of the observed visible clouds has long been a problem preventing an understanding of the dynamics of these deep atmospheres1,2. Measurements of horizontal thermal structure on Jupiter suggest that the observed zonal (west–east) jet system decays slowly above the visible clouds, persisting over many pressure-scale heights3. The ubiquitous visible cloud cover, believed to be composed of ammonia ice crystals lying somewhere between the 700-mbar and 300-mbar pressure levels4, prevents direct sensing below these levels, so the depth of the wind system remains unknown. Here we report that maps of upper troposphere temperatures derived from Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 infrared interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) spectra show large-scale features which move very slowly; the motion is very different from the inferred local fluid velocity. We suggest that these features may be indicative of a deeply-rooted fluid dynamical regime beneath the surface meteorology, although other explanations are possible.
“On the Border of Old Age”: An Entangled History of Eldercare in East Germany

Historical research has turned in the last years more intensively toward entangled and transnational histories of biopolitics, the family, and the welfare state, but without renewed interest in aging and pension policy, a sphere of human experience that is often interrogated in parochial terms, if at all. An analysis of the culture and policies of old age in East Germany in the 1950s and 1960s shows the importance of a transnational history of this subject. The GDR, the Communist state with the greatest proportion of elderly citizens, needed to create a socialist model of aging. Neither the Communist tradition in Weimar Germany, nor the experience of the other states in the Communist bloc provided substantial guidance. East Germans looked instead for inspiration to West Germany, which was itself engaged in a debate about aging and pension policy. By grappling with the Western experience, including its perceived and real limitations, the GDR in the Ulbricht developed a vision of what it meant to age as a socialist.
Implementing Synchrophasor Applications for Grid Monitoring

This chapter introduces a framework of PMU Registry, online oscillation monitoring systems and forced oscillation detection and source location tools that Peak RC has implemented for the Reliability Coordinator (RC) function of the Western Interconnection. The framework consists of four main components: (1) Montana Tech’s Modal Analysis Software (MAS) engine; (2) Washington State University’s Oscillation Monitor System (OMS) software; (3) Forced Oscillation Detection and Source Location Algorithms (FODSL); and (4) Peak RC in-house visualization tool and alarming logic built in PI Processbook. The framework was validated and applied for real system oscillation studies. Implementation experience and lessons learned are reviewed in this chapter.
Active Excitation Tuning for Simultaneous Transmit and Receive Antennas

We present an actively tuned balun to enable Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) antennas to achieve greater isolation. Specifically, for the first time, we propose placing an active chip into the balun feed to control the amplitude and phase of the current density. Nearly perfect balance of the feed currents enables STAR antennas to maintain strong isolation despite fabrication imperfections and unpredictable environmental reflections. Measurements demonstrate 42 dB isolation across a 250 MHz bandwidth, representing an 11 dB boost. This is the best reported transmit-receive isolation improvement to date. Notably, the balun was tuned across 1.68-1.93 GHz. A prototype was fabricated and measurements show good comparison with simulation.
The Need for Nation Wide Electronic Cigarette Smoking Cessation Curricula Across the Healthcare Spectrum

The use of electronic cigarette delivery systems (ENDS) has become a stepping stone for smokers in their cessation of tobacco use. Students within the pharmacy curricula and other healthcare programs have expressed varying responses as to how likely they are to recommend ENDS based on their knowledge of these devices. Due to varying degrees of education given on these products, student pharmacists responded with a greater sense of negativity in the recommendation of ENDS to current cigarette smokers. This commentary suggests why student pharmacists embody such recommendations and how students within the healthcare curricula require more adequate ENDS education in order to not recommend these products.
Coping and Post-Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents after an Acute Onset Disaster: A Systematic Review

Acute onset disasters impact children’s and adolescents’ psychological well-being, often leading to mental health challenges. The way a young person copes with the event plays a significant role in development of post-disaster psychopathology. Coping has been widely studied after acute onset disasters, however, difficulties conducting research in post-disaster contexts and the individualized nature of coping make accurate assessment of coping a significant challenge. A systematic literature search of multiple databases and previous reviews was conducted, exploring scholarly documentation of coping measurement and the relationship between coping and post-traumatic stress (PTSS) symptoms after acute onset disasters. A total of 384 peer-reviewed manuscripts were identified, and 18 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the current review. The studies examined coping and post-traumatic stress in the wake of acute onset disasters such as terrorist events and natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires. Greater PTSS symptoms were related to internalizing, externalizing, rumination, and avoidant coping strategies. Coping measurement was constrained due to measurement variance, lack of developmentally and contextually vali-dated instruments, theoretical misalignment, and absence of comprehensive tools to assess coping. Robust and consistent measures of coping should be established to inform research and interventions to reduce the impact of disasters on children’s and adolescents’ well-being.
Viral Control of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a universally lethal cancer of the central nervous system. Patients with GBM have a median survival of 14 months and a 5-year survival of less than 5%, a grim statistic that has remained unchanged over the last 50 years. GBM is intransigent for a variety of reasons. The immune system has a difficult time mounting a response against glioblastomas because they reside in the brain (an immunologically dampened compartment) and generate few neoantigens relative to other cancers. Glioblastomas inhabit the brain like sand in the grass and display a high degree of intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity, impeding efforts to therapeutically target a single pathway. Of all potential therapeutic strategies to date, virotherapy offers the greatest chance of counteracting each of the obstacles mounted by GBM. Virotherapy can xenogenize a tumor that is deft at behaving like "self", triggering adaptive immune recognition in an otherwise immunologically quiet compartment. Viruses can also directly lyse tumor cells, creating damage and further stimulating secondary immune reactions that are detrimental to tumor growth. In this review, we summarize the basic immune mechanisms underpinning GBM immune evasion and the recent successes achieved using virotherapies.
Are You Team Apple or Team Samsung? Investigating Rivalry in Sport and Mobile Phone Brands

The current study investigated rival perceptions and likely behaviors in the sport and mobile phone settings. In particular, perceptions and likely behaviors of relevant out-groups were compared in the sport setting with users of Apple and Samsung mobile phones. Findings indicate that fans of sport teams reported higher identification with their favorite brands and more negativity toward the out-group than did users/fans of Apple and Samsung mobile phones. Additionally, being a fan of both a sport team and either Apple or Samsung mobile phones was correlated with more positive perceptions of the in-group and out-group. Finally, users of Samsung phones reported more satisfaction when their favorite brand compares favorably to Apple than vice versa. Implications and future research are discussed.
If queer theory were my lover

Based on a presentation delivered at the Parameters of Desire conference in Bielsko-Biala, Poland, June 8-11, 2003, "If Queer Theory Were My Lover" attempts to examine the role of queer theory in the academy using a multi-genre-or trans-genre-format, including personal essay, academic essay, questions, humor, performance, and allegorical fiction. Taking an anti-institutional approach, this work explores how the academy affects the physical bodies of those within it, how we as "queer theorists" position ourselves in relation to our queerness and to theory, and if the goal of queer theory is to be accepted by the academy or to challenge it.
OH radical imaging in a DI diesel engine and the structure of the early diffusion flame

Laser-sheet imaging studies have considerably advanced our understanding of diesel combustion; however, the location and nature of the flame zones within the combusting fuel jet have been largely unstudied. To address this issue, planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging of the OH radical has been applied to the reacting fuel jet of a direct-injection diesel engine of the ``heavy-duty`` size class, modified for optical access. An Nd:YAG-based laser system was used to pump the overlapping Q{sub 1}9 and Q{sub 2}8 lines of the (1,0) band of the A{yields}X transition at 284.01 nm, while the fluorescent emission from both the (0,O) and (1, I) bands (308 to 320 nm) was imaged with an intensified video camera. This scheme allowed rejection of elastically scattered laser light, PAH fluorescence, and laser-induced incandescence. OH PLIF is shown to be an excellent diagnostic for diesel diffusion flames. The signal is strong, and it is confined to a narrow region about the flame front because the threebody recombination reactions that reduce high flame-front OH concentrations to equilibrium levels occur rapidly at diesel pressures. No signal was evident in the fuel-rich premixed flame regions where calculations and burner experiments indicate that OH concentrations will be below detectable limits. Temporal sequences of OH PLIF images are presented showing the onset and development of the early diffusion flame up to the time that soot obscures the images. These images show that the diffusion flame develops around the periphery of the-downstream portion of the reacting fuel jet about half way through the premixed burn spike. Although affected by turbulence, the diffusion flame remains at the jet periphery for the rest of the imaged sequence.
CANYON GEOMETRY, THE URBAN FABRIC AND NOCTURNAL COOLING: A SIMULATION APPROACH

A simulation model for surface cooling in urban street canyons under calm conditions is described, based upon a simplified energy budget for the canyon facets containing only the net longwave and substrate heat flux densities. The former term is evaluated from the canyon radiation budget model of Arnfield (1976), the latter by numerically approximating the Fourier heat conduction equation. Equilibrium temperatures evolve through the nocturnal period for specified canyon and incoming longwave irradiance characteristics. Numerical experiments conducted with the model show that canyon geometry alone exerts a significant effect on cooling rates and, hence, on heat island intensity. Construction materials and internal building climate control tend to enhance spatial variations in nocturnal temperatures. The effects of wall thickness, sky radiance distribution and cloud cover also are investigated. Results show qualitative and quantitative correspondences with previous field and scale-model studies. Sources of ...
Preserving the postmodern, restoring the past : The cases of Monticello and Montpelier

This article is based on a comparison of the preservation philosophies in place at two historical Virginia homes: Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Madison's Montpelier. Interviews and analysis suggest that the curators at the former site are guided by an empirical historicism that is decidedly modernist, while their counterparts at the latter, influenced by contemporary trends in social science and philosophy, are more skeptical about the possibility of recovering and presenting an objectively verifiable past of a specific historical period. The divergence in preservation strategies at these historic homes suggests that, in our present cultural moment, there is much confusion over what constitutes history, over the legitimacy of privileging one person or period over another, and over the currency of scientific interpretations of “truth”in non-academic contexts.
The neuroendocrine system of arthropods.

Publisher Summary Carlisle and Knowles for the cruetaceans, and Novak for insects, have pointed to the fact that arthropod endocrinology began with experimental observations and that anatomical study has usually been undertaken in consequence of such observations, whereas in the vertebrates, anatomical studies usually preceded experimental investigations. This inversion of the order of investigation has led to a concentration of study on certain structures which are readily accessible to experimental manipulation in the arthropods, with some neglect of structures which may be equally important but are less readily available to the experimenter. This chapter includes a survey of recent morphological studies, as well as experimental studies of the role of the neuroendocrine system in the control of growth, development, reproduction, color change, and metabolism. The basic pattern of the neuroendocrine system in the arthropods, as in the vertebrates, is that of a neurosecretory system with cell bodies in the central nervous system and axons extending to end organs which may be in or outside the central nervous system, and an endocrine system of nonnervous tissue aggregated into more or less definite glands. The neurosecretory portion of the arthropod system appears to be relatively more important, and the endocrine portion relatively less important, in arthropods as compared with the vertebrates.
Splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics in portal hypertensive rats during hemorrhage and blood volume restitution

Abstract In portal hypertension the hemodynamic events after episodes of bleeding and blood transfusions may have important pathophysiological and therapeutic implications. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of hemorrhage and blood restitution on splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics in a rat model of portal hypertension induced by portal vein constriction. In 16 portal hypertensive rats, sequential measurements of arterial and portal pressure were obtained during withdrawal and reinfusion of 15 ml · kg −1 body wt of blood. At the completion of the hemorrhage, a decrease of 16.9% ± 2.6% in arterial pressure and 27.3% ± 2.2% in portal pressure was observed. After blood reinfusion, arterial pressure returned to baseline values while portal pressure increased by 20.4% ± 3.2% (p −1 body wt of blood is followed by a decrease in portal venous inflow (6.4 ± 0.4 vs. 10.4 ± 0.6 ml · min −1 · 100 g −1 body wt in the control group, p −1 · 100 g, p
Role-Taking, Emotion and the Two Selves

This note links three hitherto separate subjects: role-taking, meditation, and theories of emotion, in order to conceptualize the makeup of the self. The idea of role-taking plays a central part in sociological theories of the self. Meditation implies the same process in terms of a deep self able to witness itself. Drama theories also depend upon a deep self that establishes a safe zone for resolving intense emotions. All three approaches imply both a creative deep self and the everyday self (ego) that is largely automated. The creativity of the deep self is illustrated with a real life example: an extraordinary psychotherapy experiment appears to have succeeded because it was based entirely on the intuitions of the therapist. At the other end from intuition, in one of her novels, Virginia Woolf suggested three crucial points about automated thought: incredible speed, role-taking, and by implication, the presence of a deep self. This essay goes on to explain how the ego is repetitive to the extent that it becomes mostly, and in unusual cases, completely automated (as in most dreams and all hallucinations). The rapidity of ordinary discourse and thought usually means that it is superficial, leading to greater and greater dysfunction, and less and less emotion. This idea suggests a new approach to the basis of ‘mental illness’ and of modern alienation.
Observations of the low-temperature (400 to 910 °F) corrosion/erosion behavior of selected alloys in an atmospheric pressure fluidized-bed coal combustor

Results of short term, low metal temperature corrosion exposures in an atmospheric fluidizedbed coal combustor suggested that alloys normally capable of forming protective oxide scales, 9 Cr-1 Mo, AISI 316 and E-Brite 26-1, exhibit a maximum in metal loss as a function of temperature. The scales formed in the fluidizedbed combustor were much thicker than after exposure in air for similar times and temperatures, but of similar chemical composition. Changes in scale composition with temperature were consistent with expectations from normal oxidation behavior, while the thickening in the fluidizedbed coal combustor appeared related to the formation of multiplelayered rather than singlelayered scales. Nonprotective scaleforming alloys, medium carbon steel and 2-1/4 Cr-1 Mo, exhibited increasing corrosion rates with increasing temperature.
Minimizing weighted flowtime in a two-stage flow shop with fuzzy setup and processing times

In this paper, we present a mixed integer fuzzy programming approach to scheduling of customer orders for various furniture styles. Jobs are grouped into multiple classes based on different factors such as fabric type, furniture style and order due dates to reduce number of setups. The family of jobs at each stage of operation can also be partitioned into batches, where each batch consists a set of consecutively processed jobs from the same class. If a batch is assigned to one of available parallel machines, a setup is required at the beginning of the first job in that batch. A schedule defines how batches are formed at each stage and specifies the processing order of the batches and that of the jobs within the batches. A machine can only process one job at a time, and cannot perform any processing while undergoing a setup. The proposed formulation minimizes the total weighted flow time while fulfilling due date requirements. Numerical experimentation reveals that the proposed solution approach can efficiently schedule up to 16 jobs.
Effects of thermal radiation on momentum, heat, and mass transfer in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition reactor

Numerical solutions of the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy equations in a chemical vapor deposition reactor have been obtained for three different wail boundary conditions. The idealized...
Reduced juxtaglomerular cell granularity, pituitary neurosecretory material, and width of the zona glomerulosa in aging rats.

The index of juxtaglomerular cell granularity, content of neurosecretory material in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, and width of the adrenal zona glomerulosa were compared in rats aged 10 and 30 months. A sharp reduction in all 3 of these variables was found in old rats. (Endocrinology 77: 948, 1965)
Correlation of glacial deposits of the Huron, Lake Michigan and Green Bay Lobes in Michigan and Wisconsin

Michigan and eastern Wisconsin were glaciated several times during the Pleistocene. Ice erosion overdeepened river valleys in the weaker units of the sequence of sedimentary rocks now exposed as a result of structural basining. Glacial erosion led to development of the three relatively deep bedrock basins, now occupied by Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. As a result, whenever an ice margin crossed the area it had a lobate form, with ice tongues extending relatively far south in the bedrock basins while much of the area between the lobes was ice-free. Lobe margins within the basins terminated in proglacial lakes. The ice lobes of importance in the area are (a) the Huron lobe and its Saginaw sublobe, (b) the Lake Michigan lobe, and (c) the Green Bay lobe (Fig. 1). The granulometry and mineralogy of the drift related to each lobe reflect the nature of both the bedrock and older surficial units upice. In much of the area, the glacially-related deposits are over 30 m thick, and in some places the thickness is more than 300 m. The surface deposits nearly everywhere are late Wisconsin in age, and relatively little is known of the glacial history of the area prior to that time, Formal names have not been established for lithostratigraphic units in Michigan, and most units in Wisconsin have only recently been formally defined (Mickelson et al., 1984).
Frequency Comparison of Two High-Accuracy Al+ Optical Clocks

We have constructed an optical clock with a fractional frequency inaccuracy of 8.6x10{sup -18}, based on quantum logic spectroscopy of an Al{sup +} ion. A simultaneously trapped Mg{sup +} ion serves to sympathetically laser cool the Al{sup +} ion and detect its quantum state. The frequency of the {sup 1}S{sub 0}reversible{sup 3}P{sub 0} clock transition is compared to that of a previously constructed Al{sup +} optical clock with a statistical measurement uncertainty of 7.0x10{sup -18}. The two clocks exhibit a relative stability of 2.8x10{sup -15}tau{sup -1/2}, and a fractional frequency difference of -1.8x10{sup -17}, consistent with the accuracy limit of the older clock.
Superconductivity in niobium triselenide

Abstract Sensitive magnetic susceptibility measurements on NbSe 3 reveal a large temperature dependent diamagnetism and flux trapping below about 2K. Flux exclusion is enhanced by etching and compacting the polycrystalline samples, as expected for a weakly coupled assembly of superconducting crystallites. Single crystal resistivity measurements reveal an anomaly at 2K, which is depressed in temperature by applied magnetic fields. However, the temperature and field dependence of the resistivity, especially the fact that it does not vanish, are not explained.
Embryonic chick intestine in organ culture: Hydrocortisone and vitamin D-mediated processes

Abstract The effects of the glucocorticoid, hydrocortisone (HC), on vitamin D-mediated responses were examined in the organ-cultured, embryonic chick duodenum. In this system tissue responses to vitamin D-steroids in the culture medium include increased cAMP concentration, de novo synthesis of a specific calcium-binding protein (CaBP), enhanced uptake and transmucosal transport of calcium, and increased alkaline phosphatase activity. HC at levels ≥ 27.5 n m increased vitamin D-induced CaBP concentration: This apparently represents the first report of an interaction of HC with another steroid, vitamin D, in the regulation of the concentration of a specific protein. High levels of HC (≥27.5 μ m ) in the culture medium reduced duodenal calcium uptake and transmucosal transport regardless of the presence of vitamin D. However, at lower concentrations of HC (≤2.75 μ m ), only vitamin D-independent calcium uptake (basal calcium uptake) was reduced. Actinomycin D had no effect on HC reduction of basal calcium uptake suggesting that new protein synthesis is not involved in this action. In other experiments either HC or vitamin D stimulated phosphate and glucose uptake, and this uptake was potentiated by the presence of both steroids. HC also stimulated alanine uptake. Either HC or vitamin D increased both alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and cAMP concentration, but together their activities were only additive. The data accumulated thus far indicate that HC directly influences calcium (and other nutrient) uptake by the duodenum and increases the concentration of the vitamin D-induced CaBP. Other vitamin D-mediated responses (APA and cAMP) were influenced by HC but there was no readily discernible relationship to nutrient uptake.
Effects of one- and two-stage lesions of the posterior hypothalamus on temperature regulation in the rat.

Abstract Rats received 1-stage bilateral or sequential unilateral (serial) lesions of the posterior hypothalamus and were tested for the ability to regulate body temperature after a lengthy recovery period. The groups with lesion differed from the sham-operated groups in the cold, although not under ambient or warm conditions. The fact that the serial lesion group performed the same as the 1-stage lesion groups in the cold is significant because earlier tests on these same animals revealed much better recovery after serial lesions in swimming, and a partial serial lesion effect in open field performance.
Multiplexed microfluidic viscometer for high-throughput complex fluid rheology

We report the first multiplexed microfluidic viscometer capable of measuring simultaneously the viscosity as a function of shear rate for multiple samples. The viscometer is based on a flow-comparator technique where the interface location between co-flowing streams of test and reference fluids is a sensitive function of the viscosity mismatch between the two fluids. We initially design a single microfluidic viscometer and study two different modes of comparator operation—the interface displacement (ID) mode and the interface compensation mode (IC). We find that both modes yield viscosity curves for Newtonian and polymeric fluids that are consistent with a conventional rheometer. Based on the results from the single microfluidic viscometer, we present an operating window that serves as a guide to assess accessible viscosities and shear rates. We then design a 4-plex and 8-plex viscometer based on the ID mode and show that it is capable of reliably measuring viscosity curves for Newtonian fluids, polymeric solutions and consumer products. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the multiplexed viscometer is capable of measuring in a parallel format, viscosities of fluids spanning nearly three orders of magnitude (≈10−3–1 Pa s) across a shear rate range of ≈1–1,000 s−1. We believe our multiplexed viscometer is a low cost and high-throughput alternative to conventional rheometers that analyze samples serially using expensive robotic liquid-handling systems. The multiplexed viscometer could be useful for rapidly analyzing a wide selection of complex fluids on-site during product formulation and quality control.
Aggregation of multiple sclerosis genetic risk variants in multiple and single case families

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial neurologic disease characterized by modest but tractable heritability. Genome-wide association studies have identified and/or validated multiple polymorphisms in approximately 16 genes associated with susceptibility. We aimed at investigating the aggregation of genetic MS risk markers in individuals by comparing multiple- and single-case families. Methods: A weighted log-additive integrative approach termed MS genetic burden (MSGB) was used to account for the well-established genetic variants from previous association studies and meta-analyses. The corresponding genetic burden and its transmission was analyzed in 1,213 independent MS families (810 sporadic and 403 multicase families). Results: MSGB analysis demonstrated a higher aggregation of susceptibility variants in multicase compared to sporadic MS families. In addition, the aggregation of non-major histocompatibility complex single nucleotide polymorphisms depended neither on gender nor on the presence or absence of HLA-DRB1*15:01 alleles. Interestingly, although a greater MSGB in siblings of MS patients was associated with an increased risk of MS (odds ratio, 2.1; p = 0.001), receiver operating characteristic curves of MSGB differences between probands and sibs (area under the receiver operator curves, 0.57 [95% confidence interval, 0.53–0.61]) show that case–control status prediction of MS cannot be achieved with the currently available genetic data. Interpretation: The primary interest in the MSGB concept resides in its capacity to integrate cumulative genetic contributions to MS risk. This analysis underlines the high variability of family load with known common variants. This novel approach can be extended to other genetically complex diseases. Despite the emphasis on assembling large case–control datasets, multigenerational, multiaffected families remain an invaluable resource for advancing the understanding of the genetic architecture of complex traits. Ann Neurol 2011;69:65–74
Detection of PCV-2 DNA in stool samples from infants vaccinated with RotaTeq®

Rotarix® and RotaTeq® vaccines have led to a dramatic reduction in rotavirus disease worldwide. However, the detection of porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV-1) and 2 (PCV-2) DNA in these vaccines raised some safety concerns. Studies examining shedding of rotavirus in stool from rotavirus vaccine recipients have been performed but no published data exist regarding the shedding of PCV virus in stools of vaccinees. The goal of this study was to determine if PCV-1 and/or PCV-2 is shed in the feces of infants vaccinated with RotaTeq®. Using multiple PCR assays for detection of PCV DNA, we tested for PCV-1 and PCV-2 in 826 stool swab samples collected serially during the first 9 d after vaccination from 102 children vaccinated with RotaTeq®. Since the vaccine is recommended and uptake is high, we did not have samples from unvaccinated infants. A total of 235 (28.5%) samples from 59 vaccine recipients were positive for PCV-2 DNA by one or more assays used in this study. PCV-1 DNA was not detected in RotaTeq® or any of the stool swab extracts. Twenty-two of the 102 vaccine recipients (21.6%) shed RotaTeq® vaccine strain and 10 of these vaccinees (9.8%) were shedding both PCV DNA and rotavirus vaccine RNA. PCV DNA was detected up to 9 d post vaccination and was most frequently detected in the first 5 d after vaccination. This study demonstrated shedding of PCV-2 DNA by RotaTeq® vaccinees but we did not find evidence that this DNA was associated with viable PCV. Findings from this study support the continued use of current rotavirus vaccines.
A simulation study of boll weevil population dynamics

A boll weevil population model is needed for interfacing with available cotton crop models for studying insect pest management decisions and economic thresholds. Most models of boll weevil population dynamics do not allow for biological and/or statistical variation, which increases the error when such models are used on a day-to-day basis. This paper discusses an algorithm that considers important insect population factors in more detail. First, the concept of a developmental unit (DU=time required for 50% of a particular growth stage to develop) is incorporated to account for temperature variations. A normal approximation of developmental times is used, and an error analysis for possible error sources in the numerical procedure. The next step is the development of a simplified relationship for estimating the dynamics of boll weevil feeding and egg-laying. Equations based on temperature and available diet are derived to calculate the fecundity in the field. A sensitivity analysis comparing the model output to observed data shows the feasibility of continuing in this area of research.
Anomaly of the ground state energy of an electron gas

Abstract Based on a two point Padeapproximation, the ground state energy, pressure and compressibility of an electron gas are examined.
Regulation of citrus blackfly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) by Encarsia opulenta (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on Texas citrus

Abstract Research conducted in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas clarified the role of Encarsia opulenta Silvestri as an effective natural enemy regulator of citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby. Following the natural colonization and increase of E. opulenta , citrus blackfly infestations on commercial citrus declined appreciably and remained at greatly reduced levels during the subsequent 2-year period (1979–1981). Evidence that this trend was primarily an effect of parasitism was obtained in field experiments that collectively demonstrated a significantly higher average rate of mortality and lower replacement among host clusters detected by parasites relative to contemporaries that escaped detection (by chance or deliberate exclusion). Infestations devoid of parasites on residential citrus increased to damaging levels (235 live forms/leaf), but were suppressed to levels E. opulenta . Studies demonstrated the ability of E. opulenta to effectively suppress high-density host infestations within a relatively brief time span and to maintain a stable interaction with its host at low densities for indefinite periods.
Decomposition pathway for model fluorinated ethers on the clean iron surface

Polymeric perfluoroalkylethers (PFAE) are being considered for use as lubricants in high temperature applications, but in the presence of certain metals these molecules show enhanced decomposition. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to explore the pathways for decomposition of three model fluorinated ethers on clean iron surfaces. The decomposition reaction, in vacuum, was observed to proceed at remarkably low temperatures, 155 K and below, via defluorination of the carbon–oxygen backbone, with formation of iron fluoride. The reactivity of iron toward perfluoroalkylether decomposition, when compared to other metals, is due to the strength of the iron fluoride bond. The remarkably low temperature threshold for the decomposition reflects a low activation barrier for C–F scission due to the strong electron donating ability of metallic iron.
Cigarette Smoking and Age-related Macular Degeneration

ABSTRACT: Background. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is one of the leading causes of severe visual impairment among older Americans. Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the pathogenesis of ARMD. The possible association of cigarette smoking and ARMD remains controversial. Methods. Studies concerning the relationship between cigarette smoking and ARMD are identified through the use of Vision Articles Online and PubMed. Articles published since 1970 are reviewed. Results. The literature reviewed strongly supports a link between smoking and ARMD. Conclusions. The identification of smoking as a risk factor can lead to early intervention. Such intervention may lessen visual loss from this disease, which has limited medical treatment options.
A physiologically inspired method for audio classification

We explore the use of physiologically inspired auditory features with both physiologically motivated and statistical audio classification methods. We use features derived from a biophysically defensible model of the early auditory system for audio classification using a neural network classifier. We also use a Gaussian-mixture-model (GMM)-based classifier for the purpose of comparison and show that the neural-network-based approach works better. Further, we use features from a more advanced model of the auditory system and show that the features extracted from this model of the primary auditory cortex perform better than the features from the early auditory stage. The features give good classification performance with only one-second data segments used for training and testing.
Validity of a computerized information-processing-based test battery for the prediction of performance in a transport driver simulation

The current research was conducted to determine if reliable and valid computerized information processing (IP) measures could be constructed based on a traditional test development framework. A battery of eight computerized IP measures was developed and administered to 64 subjects who also completed a test of general mental ability and a computerized simulation of a transport driver task. The computerized IP measures had adequate split-half and test-retest reliabilities. A majority of the computerized IP measures were correlated with the simulator quantity criterion.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPE RADIOAUTOGRAPHY AS A QUANTITATIVE TOOL IN ENZYME CYTOCHEMISTRY: II. The Distribution of DFP-Reactive Sites at Motor Endplates of A Vertebrate Twitch Muscle

The distribution of diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP)-sensitive enzyme sites at the neuromuscular junction was determined quantitatively by electron microscope radioautography after incubation of muscle fragments in DFP-(3)H. Most of the sensitive sites were located in the subneural apparatus at a concentration of 90,000 sites per micro(3) of cleft tissue or 12,000 sites per micro(2) of postjunctional membrane surface area. A considerable concentration is also present in the teloglial cap. It has previously been demonstrated (Rogers et al., 1966) that one-third of the DFP-sensitive sites at the endplate can be reactivated by pyridine-2-aldoxime methiodide (2-PAM)-a compound which selectively reactivates phosphorylated acetylcholinesterase. In the present study, it was found that this ratio of 1:2 holds also on a fine-structural level. Muscle mast cells were found to have a heavy concentration of bound DFP.
Ethics and Feasibility of Placebo-Controlled Interventional Acute Stroke Trials

To the Editor: The ethics of performing a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of thrombolytic therapy in the 3- to 6-hour window with a placebo arm were recently debated in Stroke and during the recent International Stroke Conference. The key ethical principle involved is equipoise. Grotta and Barreto,1 both vascular neurologists, address equipoise as follows: “So, is it “ethical” to have placebo-controlled trials given the data? This can best be answered by posing the following question. Would I be willing to be randomized into such a trial at a center capable of expert intravenous or endovascular therapy if I myself had an M1 middle cerebral artery occlusion and NIHSS score of 15 at 4 hours after the onset of symptoms? The answer would be a hesitant “yes,” but I surely hope that we hurry and obtain an answer before I have to make such a decision.” This tepid response represents only individual equipoise. However, because individuals rarely agree, the most widely used definition of equipoise is “collective” equipoise. Johnson et al2 conducted an ethometric study to find out how much collective equipoise can be disturbed before the potential subjects in a trial think that it is unethical. “Half of our subjects perceived …