cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoacoustic Imaging: Development of Imaging Systems and Molecular Agents

Photoacoustic imaging is a relatively new imaging modality with great promise to overcome most of the limitation of conventional optical imaging. By leveraging the conversion of short light pulses into ultrasound waves, it is possible to generate three-dimensional maps of a tissue with high spatial resolution and at a high tissue depth of penetration. Since the basic mechanism that gives rise to a photoacoustic signal is light absorption, several endogenous contrasts can be used for photoacoustic imaging of tissues, including hemoglobin and melanin. To allow photoacoustic imaging to reach its full potential, exogenous contrast agents that can target biomolecules in living tissues were developed, enabling molecular imaging studies. This chapter will review the physical basis of photoacoustic imaging, starting with the photoacoustic effect and the conditions needed to generate detectable ultrasonic waves from light excitation of an absorber. The different photoacoustic scanner implementations will then be discussed, including photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and microscopy systems and the biomedical applications to which they are best suited. Finally, the various exogenous contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging will be discussed and a general approach for contrast agent validation will be described.
Host response: Neurons loosen the gRIP of death.

RIPK3 is a well-known mediator of the necroptosis cell death pathway, which is an important antiviral defence mechanism. In an unexpected twist, RIPK3 has now been shown to also drive neuroprotective inflammation in the central nervous system during West Nile virus infection in a cell-death-independent manner.
Utilization of agents to prevent skeletal-related events among patients with multiple myeloma: analysis of real-world data

This study examined real-world utilization patterns of bone-targeted agents (BTA) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). In this retrospective cohort study, adults with an MM diagnosis recorded in 2012–2014 were identified from electronic health records in the Oncology Services Comprehensive Electronic Records (OSCER) database. Patients received zoledronic acid (ZA) or pamidronate (PA) on/after first MM diagnosis recorded in the study period, had no BTA use in prior 6 months, and were followed through earliest of May 31, 2015 or last clinic visit. Patients with any solid tumor diagnosis were excluded. Time to BTA initiation, compliance (≥ 12 administrations in a year), switching, and non-persistence (switch or ≥ 90-day gap in therapy) were described by agent and follow-up period. Among 9,617 patients with MM, 3,735 (38.8%) received a BTA. Most patients (90.9%) received ZA, with first BTA use generally seen within 3 months of first observed MM diagnosis (ZA 76.1%, PA 75.1%). A minority of ZA (27.4%) and PA (23.0%) patients were compliant in Year 1, with lower compliance in Year 2 (19.8% and 15.6%, respectively). The median time to non-persistence was 16.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.4–17.4) months for ZA and 13.8 (95% CI 11.5–15.4) months for PA. Persistence was 86% at 6 months and 34% at 24 months for ZA, and 77% and 30% for PA, respectively. These results highlight the possibility of suboptimal prevention of skeletal-related events due to non-compliant dosing and non-persistence after patients initiate BTA therapy.
A novel approach for real-time implementation of MVDC shipboard power system reconfiguration

Abstract In a Shipboard Power System (SPS), faulty components are separated from the rest of the system after the occurrence of faults. In this situation, it is important to quickly restore the power supply to the affected parts of the SPS and reconfigure the system to improve its reliability and ensure safe and satisfactory operation of the system. Similar to terrestrial power systems, onboard post-fault reconfiguration aims to ensure the maximum delivery power/service to the system’s loads following a fault. In this paper, in order to deal with the reconfiguration problem during the fault situations in Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) SPS, a real-time Simulated Annealing (SA)-based reconfiguration technique is designed and implemented in the Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS). To validate the proposed approach, two MVDC SPS models including four and six zonal loads are used to simulate several fault scenarios. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach to reconfigure the system under different fault situations in the real-time operation of the SPS.
Mechanism behind Pruritus in Psoriasis

BackgroundA majority of psoriatic patients suffer from pruritus, but little is known about its mediator. Pruritus of psoriasis was thought to have been predominantly mediated by histamine, but the ...
The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur. By Scott S. Greenberger. (New York, NY: Da Capo Press, 2017. Pp. x, 304. $28.00.)

Civil service reform does not have much standing in the annals of the evolution of American democracy. An obscure political cause compared, say, to women's suffrage or to the everlasting struggle a...
Turning Social Capital into Real Capital

This interpretive research study analyzes organizations’ ability to increase capital and financial gains through the integration of social communications among workers and other stakeholders. Using Vygotsky’s social capital theory as a framework, it is recommended that businesses focus on building more systemic and systematic interpersonal, online, and social relationships as a valid means for competitive advantage and increased profitability.
The Economic War and the Pamphlet War

In 1932, the Irish Free State became embroiled in an Economic War, when the newly elected de Valera government intentionally defaulted on annuities owed by Irish farmers to the British government under the terms of the 1891 – 1909 Land Acts. This ‘post-colonial wrangle’, as the economic historian Cormac O Grada termed it, was one of the seminal elements of 1930s Irish politics; the debates and actions around the annuities issue helped to redefine the Treatyite divisions of 1920s Ireland into the economic divisions of a populist Fianna Fail versus a conservative and quasi-fascist Fine Gael in the 1930s. This chapter studies the various pamphlets published in the 1920s and 1930s in which these politico-economic issues were debated, from the socialist writings of Peadar O’Donnell to works produced by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ideologues.
In-situ TEM study of microstructural evolution in NFA and Cr3C2@SiC-NFA composite during ion irradiation

Abstract In this work, the ion irradiation responses of a Fe-based nanostructured ferritic alloy or ‘NFA’ (Fe–9Cr–2W–0.2V–0.4Ti–0.3Y2O3) and a Cr3C2@SiC-NFA composite were assessed. In-situ ion irradiation with TEM observation was carried out by using 1 MeV Kr++ ions at doses of 0, 1, 3, 5, 10 dpa and temperatures of 300 °C and 450 °C. Both the NFA and Cr3C2@SiC-NFA samples showed significant dislocation density after 10 dpa at 300 °C. However, the Cr3C2@SiC-NFA composite showed a significantly lower dislocation loop density and a smaller average loop size during the irradiation at 450 °C as opposed to the NFA. At 300 °C, 1/2 type dislocation loops were observed in both the NFA and Cr3C2@SiC-NFA samples. Interestingly, at 450 °C, type loops were dominant in the NFA sample while 1/2 type loops were still dominant in the Cr3C2@SiC-NFA sample. The results were discussed based on the large surface sink effects and enhanced interstitial-vacancy recombination at higher temperatures. The additional Si element in the Cr3C2@SiC-NFA sample might have played a significant role in determining the dominant loop types.
Predictors of successful ultrasound guided lead implantation

BACKGROUND Technical advances have improved the safety of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) insertion, but periprocedural complications persist. Despite ultrasound (US) guidance for vascular access being feasible and exhibiting shorter fluoroscopy times, it is not widely adopted for insertion of CIEDs. Thus, we studied the use of US for CIED insertion to (1) quantify the success rate of venous cannulation, (2) identify predictors of failed cannulation, and (3) quantify the rate of complications using US guidance. METHODS We studied 166 consecutive patients who underwent US-guided CIED implantation. Anatomic parameters of the axillary vein were measured. The primary outcome was success (group 1) or failure (group 2) to obtain vascular access utilizing US guidance. Secondary outcomes included pneumothorax and hematoma. RESULTS Successful US-guided cannulation occurred in 154 of 166 patients (93%). No patient had a pneumothorax. Hematoma occurred in 1 of 166 patients (0.01%). Group 2 exhibited higher male proportion at 11 of 12 (92%) compared with 94 of 154 (61%) in group 1 (P = .03), increased vein depth at 3.84 versus 2.85 cm (P = .003), more right-sided implants (P = .03), higher weight at 104.6 versus 85.3 kg (P = .017), higher body mass index at 35.6 versus 29.2 kg/m2 (P = .049), and higher body surface area at 2.24 versus 1.99 m2 (P = .013). Other parameters were statistically nonsignificant. In multivariate analysis, vein depth remained significantly associated with failure. CONCLUSION Using US guidance for CIED implantation is successful in the vast majority (93%) of patients. Rare cases of unsuccessful cannulation were associated with right-sided implants and increased venous depth.
Neurodevelopmental mechanisms linking ACEs with psychopathology

Abstract Here we describe the dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology (DMAP), a conceptual model of how adversity comes to influence developmental outcomes, which complements and extends the cumulative risk approach. DMAP takes into account a robust literature, which links early deprivation related to a lack of cognitive stimulation with negative developmental outcomes as well as literature linking family and community violence to later health and well-being. In addition, this model provides a way of distilling complex environmental experiences into core underlying dimensions that can be used to examine multiple childhood adversity types that share core features (e.g., physical abuse, community violence). Finally, the DMAP posits neurobiological mechanisms that are specific to particular kinds of experiences that are both testable and falsifiable. Here we review literature which lead to the development of the DMAP, existing evidence supporting hypotheses specific to DMAP, and, finally, recent evidence explicitly testing this model. In this way, we show that two dimensions of adverse childhood experiences—threat and deprivation—both impact psychopathology; however, they appear to do so through distinct cognitive, emotional, and neurobiological pathways.
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Initiation and Completion among Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Seven U.S. Cities

Little is known about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH), who may be at higher risk for HPV than their housed counterparts. We examined the prevalence and associations of HPV vaccination initiation and completion among YEH. Guided by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations, we analyzed cross-sectional data collected from YEH (N = 1074; ages 18–26) in seven U.S. cities to assess HPV vaccination prevalence and to identify predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with HPV vaccination status. Due to timing differences in the release of HPV vaccine recommendations, we conducted separate logistic regression analyses for men (n = 673) and women (n = 401). Approximately 19% of men and 37% of women had initiated and completed HPV vaccination. Several factors among men (i.e., older age, Latinx ethnicity, San Jose or St. Louis residence compared with New York City, never having had sex, and not previously being tested for STIs) and women (i.e., lower education level, San Jose or Houston residence compared with New York City, and never having had sex) were associated with lower odds of HPV vaccination initiation, completion, or both. Gay men had higher odds of initiating and completing the vaccination series than their heterosexual counterparts. Our findings reveal that HPV vaccination uptake is low among YEH and that there are vaccination disparities among subgroups of YEH. HPV vaccination strategies and resources that are easy-to-understand, facilitate point-of-care services, and address societal and system-level vaccination barriers encountered by YEH are needed.
The ability of oral health professionals to significantly influence improving overall health

In 2000, David Satcher wrote, Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General, and stated that "oral health means much more than healthy teeth," and he challenged all health providers to step up and be a part of the improvement of the nation's oral health status. Over the past few decades, the heightened awareness of these oral health inequities within the United States has resulted in public policy stakeholders and scholars, similarly calling for the improvement of the nation's oral health status. Satcher also suggested that saliva may provide clues to a patient's overall health and a possible predictor of systemic disease. There have been several articles that have demonstrated an increased risk of systemic diseases with circulating inflammatory mediators, a reduction in treatment cost for pregnant women who received treatment for their clinically diagnosed periodontal disease. Health profession education has responded to the call for transforming the health system by developing graduates who are capable for working in an environment designed to improve the overall health of patients. Therefore, this article examines why oral health professionals have a significant opportunity to contribute to the improvement overall health of patients and participate in healthcare transformation.
The Impact of Two Brief Web-Based Psychological Interventions on Functional Outcomes

Despite the high prevalence and burden of mental health disorders, the majority of affected individuals go untreated. Therefore, increased efforts have been made to develop and examine brief online interventions as a cost-effective, broadly disseminable alternative to traditional psychotherapy. In particular, recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of online interventions targeting transdiagnostic risk factors such as anxiety sensitivity (AS), thwarted belongingness (TB), and perceived burdensomeness (PB). Although improved psychosocial functioning is an important indicator of successful treatment, no studies to our knowledge have examined the impact of brief web-based interventions on functional outcomes. The current study examined the effects of brief online interventions targeting AS, TB, and PB on occupational, social, and family life functioning in two samples (N = 74; N = 247). In Study 1, results demonstrate a significant impact of an AS treatment on social functioning at one-month follow-up, mediated by pre-to-post reductions in AS. In Study 2, results demonstrate a significant impact of a mood intervention targeting TB and PB on social functioning at one-month follow-up. The results of the current study suggest that brief online interventions may have a significant impact on functional impairment, particularly social functioning. This provides further support for the continued development and implementation of brief online interventions.
Effects of a pressurized water treatment on internal gelation sol–gel microspheres

Based on previous observations that a pressurized water treatment (PWT) prevented cracking of sol–gel microspheres, we investigated the effects of a PWT on microsphere crystallinity, density, and specific surface area (SSA). Results were used to determine how a PWT alters the properties of microspheres upon drying and heating. Microspheres with diameters near 100–200 µm were prepared with and without a PWT and measured using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption (BET), and pycnometry. Properties of air-dried microspheres processed with and without a PWT are compared. In addition, the properties of microspheres processed using a PWT are reported after heating to 150, 450, 750, 1050, and 1350 °C. XRD measurements indicate that the PWT step improves the crystallinity of air-dried microspheres. XRD data were also used to calculate crystallite size, which increases with higher heat-treatment temperatures. TEM images support crystallite size calculations from XRD data and provide an indication of the range of crystallite sizes, particularly for samples processed at higher temperatures where crystallite sizes are too large for estimation using the Scherrer formula. Density and SSA measurements performed as a function of heat-treatment temperature indicate that a PWT increases the density of air-dried microspheres, creates a pore network, and that significant densification occurs between 450 and 750 °C. These results may be used to inform decisions on internal gelation flowsheet parameters to optimize the microsphere formation and gelation step, prevent microsphere cracking, and produce microspheres suitable for subsequent coating operations or pressing into pellets.
Treatment Network Typologies and the Working Alliance of Clients with Serious Mental Illness

The climate and culture of treatment for clients with serious mental illness (SMI) are complex. In this study, we aim to cultivate a deeper understanding of the treatment environment using a networ...
Longevidad cerámica e interpretación arqueológica: Un ejemplo del Alto Ucayali

La longevidad diferencial de las formas de vasijas ceramicas afecta las frecuencias de estas formas en un basurero arqueologico. Las frecuencias de las formas modernas de vasijas Conibo en uso se proyectan en el registro arqueologico y los resultados se comparan con las frecuencias de formas antecedentes de sitios arqueologicos en el Alto Ucaya li. Se discuten algunas de las variables, distintas de la longevidad diferencial, necesarias para dar cuenta de las diferentes frecuencias. Tambien se explora la utilidad de los datos de longevidad para estimar la poblacion necesaria para producir un basurero arqueologico.
Intracellular Mg2+ movement during muscarinic stimulation : Mg2+ uptake by the intracellular Ca2+ store in rat sublingual mucous acini

The muscarinic agonist carbachol produces a sustained elevation in the cytosolic free Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i) by mobilizing an intracellular Mg2+ pool in rat sublingual mucous acini (Zhang, G. H., and Melvin, J.E. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 20721-20727). In the present study, we investigated the relationship between the agonist-induced mobilization of the intracellular Ca2+ store and Mg2+ movement in acini loaded with the Ca(2+)-selective chelator bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) by monitoring [Mg2+]i using dual wavelength microfluorometry of the Mg(2+)-sensitive fluorescent indicator mag-fura-2. The resting [Mg2+]i in BAPTA-loaded acini was comparable to unloaded acini (0.36 +/- 0.01 mM (n = 29) versus 0.35 +/- 0.01 mM (n = 119)). In contrast to the > 40% sustained increase in [Mg2+]i in unloaded acini, carbachol stimulation of BAPTA-loaded acini induced a rapid transient [Mg2+]i decrease (approximately 30%), followed by a slower recovery to the prestimulated [Mg2+]i in 3-4 min. Furthermore, in Ca(2+)-free medium or when Ca2+ influx was blocked with La3+ or Ni2+, carbachol induced a sustained decrease in [Mg2+]i (approximately 40%). Reintroducing extracellular Ca2+ resulted in recovery of [Mg2+]i, even in the absence of extracellular Mg2+. 8-(Di-ethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate, an inhibitor of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ release pathway, completely blocked the carbachol-induced decrease in [Mg2+]i, whereas thapsigargin, a Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor that empties the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ store, stimulated a decrease in [Mg2+]i. The thapsigargin-induced Mg2+ uptake was into the same intracellular pool as that activated by carbachol because stimulation with thapsigargin after carbachol did not induce a further decrease in [Mg2+]i. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that depletion of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive Ca2+ store activates Mg2+ uptake, most likely to maintain charge balance of the intracellular Ca2+ pool.
Development and Implementation of an Adaptive Error Correction Coding Scheme for a Full Duplex Communications Channel

This paper investigates via simulation, the bit error probability (BEP) associated with a variable redundancy coding scheme operating in a wireless environment. Within a slowly varying(flat fading) Rayleigh channel, this algorithm provides increased throughput over fixed coding implementations. From a family of BCH codes of the same block length (n=63), a code with appropriate redundancy is chosen depending on the receiver’s estimation of the current conditions experienced in this channel. Two different decision techniques are compared. The first method statistically evaluates the receiver’s input and calculates the signal to noise ratio (Eb/No), while the second method observes the number of corrected errors in recently decoded blocks. Once deciding to modify the correction ability of the code, the decoder transmits the decision to the encoder over a low bandwidth feedback channel, allowing the correction ability to be changed on a block by block basis. This algorithm is implemented in software, and therefore can be optimized for many real world communications systems. The low cost of high speed microprocessors and DSPs allow for the development of a robust adaptive coding system in hardware. The results are compared against fixed coding implementations and show that the adaptive process maintains a better efficiency (η = k/n) of information rate while keeping the bit error probability near the level obtained by maximum encoding.
Ionic membranes for water desalination. I. Charge mosaic membranes from blends of random copolymers

The incompatibility of polymers was used in order to prepare films with regular phase separation. The conversion of the separate phases into polyelectrolytes of different charge should lead to the preparation of charge mosaic membranes for piezodialysis. Copolymers of suitable monomers with 20–45 mole-% butadiene content were synthesized which could be cross-linked with sulfur monochloride. The comonomers were: styrene, 2-vinyl pyridine, 4-vinyl pyridine, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate and 2-chloroethyl methacrylate. After conversion into the ionic form cross-linked films of these copolymers showed salt rejections in the range of 26–78 % and water permeabilities of 40–43 [1· mm· m−2· day−1], respectively. These films can be used as anion and cation exchange membranes for water desalination. Mixtures of poly (2-vinyl pyridine-co-butadiene) and poly (styrene-co-butadiene) yielded films with regular phase separation. After cross-linking and conversion into the ionic form these charge mosaic membranes were porous and had poor mechanical strength. Despite these unfavourable properties a salt enrichment of 4.8 % was found in one case. Die Unvertraglichkeit von Polymeren wurde benutzt, um Filme mit regelmasiger Phasentrennung herzustellen. Die Umwandlung der einzelnen Phasen in Polyelektrolyte entgegengesetzter Ladung sollte die Darstellung von „Charge Mosaic” Membranen fur die Piezodialyse ermoglichen. Es Wurden Copolymere geeigneter Monomerer mit 20–45 Mol-% Butadien hergestellt, die mit Schwefelchlorid vernetzt werden konnten. Die Commonomeren waren: Styrol, 2-Vinylpyridin, 4-Vinylpyridin, Methacrylsaure, Methylmethacrylat und 2-Chlorathylmethacrylat. Vernetzte Filme dieser Copolymeren zeigten nach der Umwandlung in die ionische Form eine Salzabweisung von 26–78 % bei einem Wasserdurchflus von 40–43 [1 · mm · m−2 · Tag−1]. Diese Filme konnen als Anionen- und Kationenaustauscher-Membranen fur die Wasserentsalzung verwendet werden. Mischungen von Poly(2-vinylpyridin-co-butadien) und Poly (styro1-co-butadien) ergaben Filme mit regelmasiger Phasentrennung. Die „Charge Mosaic” Membranen, die nach der Umwandlung der vernetzten Filme in die ionische Form erhalten wurden, waren poros und hatten eine geringe Festigkeit. Trotz dieser ungunstigen Eigenschaften wurde in einem Fall eine Salzanreicherung von 4,8 % gefunden.
Improvement of target resolvability through the application of phase-shift keying to quantized linear FM radar/sonar signals

The ambiguity functions associated with three types of phase-encoded quantized linear FM (QLFM-PSK) signals are considered. The signals are classified according to their method of phase encoding. Significant range-Doppler sidelobe magnitude reduction is obtained when phase encoding is applied among the frequency subpulses of the QLFM-PSK signals. Application of phase encoding to each of the individual frequency subpulses is found to reduce the width of the ambiguity function sidelobe peaks. >
Lipoprotein biosynthesis by prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase is required for efficient spore germination and full virulence of Bacillus anthracis.

Summary Bacterial lipoproteins play a crucial role in virulence in some Gram-positive bacteria. However, the role of lipoprotein biosynthesis in Bacillus anthracis is unknown. We created a B. anthracis mutant strain altered in lipoproteins by deleting the lgt gene encoding the enzyme prolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase, which attaches the lipid anchor to prolipoproteins. 14C-palmitate labelling confirmed that the mutant strain lacked lipoproteins, and hydrocarbon partitioning showed it to have decreased surface hydrophobicity. The anthrax toxin proteins were secreted from the mutant strain at nearly the same levels as from the wild-type strain. The TLR2-dependent TNF-α response of macrophages to heat-killed lgt mutant bacteria was reduced. Spores of the lgt mutant germinated inefficiently in vitro and in mouse skin. As a result, in a murine subcutaneous infection model, lgt mutant spores had markedly attenuated virulence. In contrast, vegetative cells of the lgt mutant were as virulent as those of the wild-type strain. Thus, lipoprotein biosynthesis in B. anthracis is required for full virulence in a murine infection model.
Soil Water Potential Requirement for Germination of Winter Wheat

In semi-arid climates, seed is often sown into soil with inadequate water for rapid germination. Distinguishing between adequate and marginal water can be difficult. Planting decisions become increasingly complicated when one considers possible differences between cultivars. This study was designed to measure the soil water potential limits for rapid, adequate, and marginal germination of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Laboratory data showed that germination was rapid (3 to 4 d) in soil at water potentials above -1.1 MPa and slower (4 to 5 d) at water potentials that ranged from -1.1 to -1.6 MPa. Below -1.6 MPa, less than half of the experimental units achieved the cut-off criteria of 75% germination with 5-mm radical length within 25 d. Six cultivars varied in time to germination by an average of 0.34 d, and two randomly selected seed lots of each cultivar differed by an average of 0.20 d. We conclude that variation between seed lots may be as important as variation between cultivars when looking for seed with superior germination under marginal soil water contents.
A tits alternative for groups that are residually of bounded rank

In this short note a Tits alternative for certain kinds of groups which are residually of rank at mostr is obtained. The main theorem states that ifG is a group that is residually (locally (soluble-by-finite) of rankr), then eitherG is locally (soluble-by-finite) orG contains a non-abelian free subgroup.
Disparities in Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Vision Impairment

Purpose: We investigated the relationship between blindness and vision impairment and access to medical care. Methods: Pooled data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) years 2002–2004 were used to identify non-institutionalized individuals over the age of 40 with either self-reported blindness, vision impairment, or no vision impairment (n = 40,643). Differences in access to care measures by vision status were assessed, after adjusting for the complex sampling design of the MEPS, using either two-sided z-tests or two-sided t-tests. Results: Individuals with blindness and vision impairment report having more access problems related to cost of care, availability of insurance coverage, transportation issues, and refusal of services by providers, although they do not report lower rates of having a usual source of care compared to those without vision impairment. Conclusions: The results suggest that access to care for individuals with blindness and vision impairment is problematic, for reasons tha...
Nanoscale segregation behavior and high-temperature stability of nanocrystalline W-20 at.% Ti

Abstract Nanocrystalline W powders with ∼20 nm average grain size are produced by high-energy ball milling and exposed to a target consolidation temperature of 1100 °C. After 1 week, unalloyed W exhibits substantial grain growth, whereas a W alloy with 20 at.% Ti retains its nanoscale structure. A heterogeneous distribution of Ti is observed by independent characterization methods, including scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and atom probe tomography. This heterogeneous solute distribution is different from the expected homogeneous solid solution based on bulk W–Ti phase diagrams. Using a Monte Carlo simulation that includes the possibility of grain boundary segregation and allows grain boundaries as potential equilibrium states, a complex nanoscale structure of Ti around W-rich crystallites is explicitly reproduced. This simulated structure has both grain size and extrema in local Ti content in line with the experimental observations.
Outcomes of Telephone Medical Care

OBJECTIVES: To document the outcomes of a telephone coverage system and identify patient characteristics that may predict these outcomes.
ASK1 Associates with Troponin T and Induces Troponin T Phosphorylation and Contractile Dysfunction in Cardiomyocytes

There is increasing support for the idea that excessive production of proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction. However, the mechanisms by which cytokine/ROS production mediates cardiac dysfunction have not been established. Given that apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is highly expressed in cardiac muscle and that ASK1 is an important mediator in the signaling pathways induced by tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, and ROS, we used the yeast two-hybrid system with ASK1 as bait to identify ASK1 substrates from a human heart cDNA library. The cDNA encoding the cardiac troponin T (cTnT) was isolated. ASK1 specifically interacted with cTnT, but not cTnI, in vitro and in vivo via the C-terminal ASK1 domain. ASK1 specifically phosphorylated cTnT in vitro and in vivo. Mutations in cTnT (T194/S198) at an ASK1-phosphorylation consensus sequence significantly reduced phosphorylation by ASK1. ROS-induced ASK1 activation, cTnT phosphorylation, and contractile dysfunction in cardiomyocytes showed similar kinetics. Moreover, overexpression of constitutively active ASK1 induces cTnT phosphorylation and inhibits shortening and calcium transient in adult cardiomyocytes. We conclude that ASK1 plays an important role in regulation of cardiac contractile function by phosphorylating cTnT and may participate in cytokine/ROS-induced pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
On the method of Green's function in the thermoelastic theory of shallow shells☆

Abstract The method of Green's function is applied to the quasi-static thermoelastic theory of shallow shells with heat conduction equations included. Solution formulae are derived for middle-surface displacements and stress and temperature resultants in terms of initial and edge temperatures, internal heat sources, ambient temperatures at the upper and lower surfaces, and surface tractions. Equations are given for the Green's functions appearing in the solution formulae. Extension to more general shell theory is discussed. By way of example, the method is applied to thermoelastic problems for two classes of shallow shells. Also, the effect of transverse shear deformation is examined with reference to a shallow spherical shell.
Technology, Computerization, and the Conceptualization of Service Delivery

Mostly computers are considered to be tools by practitioners. Contrary to this view, computerization is not a value-free activity, but a conceptual process. Accordingly, computers may shape of socialize their users, thereby altering significantly the delivery of social services. The purpose of this paper is to outline the conceptual or cognitive side of computer use, in order to illustrate how knowledge, reason, and problem solving are defined as a consequence of computerization. Following this theoretical maneuver, the odds improve that computers will be used in a socially responsible manner.
Synthesis of RNA probes by the direct in vitro transcription of PCR-generated DNA templates

We describe a novel method for the generation of RNA probes based on the direct in vitro transcription of DNA templates amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers with sequence hybrids between the target gene and those of the T7 and T3 RNA polymerases promoters. This method circumvents the need for cloning and allows rapid generation of strand-specific RNA molecules that can be used for the identification of genes in hybridization experiments. We have successfully applied this method to the identification of DNA sequences by Southern blot analysis and library screening.
Sequence of development of autumn coloration in Euonymus

Abstract Low temperature inductive treatment of resting Euonymus plants sequentially resulted in the loss of chlorophyll, an increase in carbohydrate content, an increase in the activity of phenylalanine ammonialyase followed by an accumulation of cinnamic acids and flavonols and finally by the accumulation of flavolans and anthocyanins. These changes were contrasted with changes resulting from low temperature treatments of actively growing plants which are physiologically not capable of the sequence leading to normal autumn coloration.
Mauritius: Unemployment and the Role of Institutions

Despite strong economic growth, a U-curve unemployment phenomenon in Mauritius can be observed. Unemployment plunged from 21 percent to less than 4 percent between the early 1980s and the early 1990s, but this trend was reversed and the rate increased to 10 percent by end-2002. This paper provides an analytical framework to explain this development. The growth of higher-skilled sectors coupled with rigidities in the labor market seem to account for the observed unemployment behavior. Policy makers can improve employment prospects by not only investing in education to reduce skills mismatch but also by reforming the pay-setting institutions.
Control of parasitic infections in nonpermissive hosts: Applications to improvement of vaccine efficacy

Abstract An understanding of the anti-parasite processes operating in nonpermissive hosts is viewed as providing novel opportunities for controlling infections in permissive hosts. The influence of host thyroid hormones on limiting the survival and development of Schistosoma mansoni in laboratory rats is described. Speculation on a mechanism involving a hormone-influenced host immune response in the intra-capillary trapping of worms is presented.
The relationship between perceived supervisory communication behaviors and subordinate organizational identification

This study examined the relationship between subordinate perceptions of supervisor communication skills (i.e., communicator competence, communicative adaptability, interaction involvement) and subordinate level of organizational identification. Participants were 135 undergraduate college students who reported on their summer work experience. Results indicated that (a) supervisor communication competence is the only significant predictor of subordinate organizational identification and (b) subordinates with high levels of identification view their supervisors as being more competent communicators and more involved in interactions than subordinates with moderate or low levels of identification.
POLITICAL PATRONAGE UNDER MACDONALD AND LAURIER 1878–1911

(1980). POLITICAL PATRONAGE UNDER MACDONALD AND LAURIER 1878–1911. American Review of Canadian Studies: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 3-26.
Regulation of biochemical reaction rates by flexible tethers.

We explore how ligand-receptor binding kinetics can be controlled by tethering the receptor to the end of a flexible polymer. The tether confines the diffusive motion of the receptor thus influencing the rate at which it captures ligands that are free in solution. We compute steady-state collision rates between ligand and receptor for this ``tethered-capture'' mechanism using a combination of analytic and numerical techniques. In doing so, we uncover a dimensionless control parameter, the ``opacity,'' that determines under what conditions and to what extent a tether regulates the ligand-receptor collision rate. We compute the opacity for a number of different tethering scenarios that appear in biology and use these results to predict the affect of changing the length and flexibility of the tether on the rate at which ligands are captured from solution.
The Private Demand for Education in Relation to Labor Market Conditions in Less Developed Countries

Excerpt] In this paper, we construct a model of the demand for education in relation to labor market conditions in less developed countries to try to understand why a high demand for education might be expected to persist in countries characterized by a substantial surplus of educated labor. It might be argued that the continued demand for education merely reflects the failure of citizens to adjust their behavior to current labor market conditions. This position implies that the demand for education will fall, perhaps drastically, as expectations come into line with reality. However, in contrast to this position, we demonstrate in this paper that under several alternative labor market scenarios the sustained private demand for education is quite rational and can be explained by the net private benefits which the educated individual receives in the labor market.
Ordering policies for an inventory system with three supply modes

This article explores ordering policies for inventory systems with three supply modes. This model is particularly interesting because the optimal ordering decision needs to balance the inventory and purchase costs, as well as the costs for earlier and later periods. The latter cost trade-off is present only in inventory systems with three or more supply modes. Therefore, the result not only offers guidelines for the operation of the concerned inventory systems, but also provides valuable insight into the complex cost trade-offs when more supply modes are available. We assume that the difference between the lead times is one period, and the inventory holding and shortage costs are linear. We analyze two cases and obtain the structure of the optimal ordering policy. Moreover, in the first case, explicit formulas are derived to calculate the optimal order-up-to levels. In the second case, although the optimal order-up-to levels are functions of the initial inventory state and are not obtained in closed form, their properties are discussed. We also develop heuristic ordering policies based on the news-vendor model. Our numerical experiments suggest that the heuristic policies perform reasonably well. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Daily activity and minimum food requirements during winter for gentoo penguins ( Pygoscelis papua ) in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Estimates of daily activity and consequent demand for food during winter are scarce for many polar seabirds, yet essential for assessing constraints on foraging effort, demand for food, and potential competition with local fisheries. We affixed archival temperature tags to gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) from two colonies in the South Shetland Islands to measure the frequency, timing, and duration of foraging trips and to estimate minimum food requirements during winter. Foraging trip frequencies ranged from 0.85 to 1.0 trips day−1 and were positively correlated with day length. Early winter foraging trips more closely matched day length than late winter foraging trips. The data suggest that individuals maximize foraging time during the early winter period, likely to recover body mass following the breeding season and molt. The more attenuated response of foraging trip durations to increasing day length in late winter may be related to differences in local resource availability or individual behaviors prior to the upcoming breeding season. Minimum food requirements also exhibited a seasonal cycle with a mid-winter minimum. On average, minimum food requirements were estimated at 0.70 ± 0.12 kg day−1. Extrapolated to the regional population of gentoo penguins, winter food requirements by gentoo penguins were equivalent to roughly 33% of annual krill catches by commercial fisheries in the South Shetland Island region over the past decade. Current expansion of the gentoo population and the krill fishery in the southern Scotia Sea warrants continued monitoring of gentoo penguins during winter.
The “Pocket shot”: Complications of intravenous drug abuse

Intravenous drug users frequently resort to supraclavicular injection for central venous access. Few reports of complications associated with the “pocket shot” have appeared in the radiologic literature. This paper defines the anatomy of the “pocket” and presents the radiographic manifestations of complications associated with this practice.
Effects of larval eyestalk extirpation on morphogenesis and molting in the snapping shrimp Alpheus heterochaelis say

Zoea larvae of Alpheus heterochaelis were reared in isolation in the laboratory at selected temperature levels (17, 22, 25, and 27°C) and 32‰ salinity. One or both eyestalks were removed from some animals (experimentals), or antennae from others (operated controls), at various times during larval development. In all experiments virtually all unoperated animals (controls), operated controls, and zoeae lacking one eyestalk exhibited the same abbreviated pattern (three larval “stages” or instars) typical of this species. Ablation of both eyestalks during Stage II always produced an extra “Stage IV” zoea with postlarval features in the abdomen. These animals usually molted again without undergoing substantial structural changes. Ecdyses into the two supernumerary instars occurred significantly earlier than comparable ecdyses (to postlarva and juvenile) among all other experimentals and controls. Bilateral eyestalk removal a few hours before or after the molt to Stage III often generated forms ranging from precocious zoeae to postlarvae (megalopae) with some residual larval features. Some of these individuals subsequently molted into normal postlarvae and juveniles, as did all animals whose eyestalks were removed 12 or more hours into Stage III. Juveniles that developed from eyestalkless larvae were consistently darker (red) than stalked animals. These results suggest that the larval eyestalk contains a factor that promotes metamorphosis, a molt-inhibiting hormone, and a chromatophorotropin. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Exact Analysis of the Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric Optical Fiber Sensor Using Kirchhoff's Diffraction Formalism

Abstract A theoretical analysis of the output from an optical fiber-based extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) sensor is presented, based on Kirchhoff's diffraction formalism. The resulting equations are solved using numerical integration. The results of the theoretical analysis predict the fringe period and contrast typically seen for the EFPI sensor. Experimental verification of the theoretical analysis is also presented. This analysis allows the prediction of the signal-to-noise ratio as a function of the gap length and will help determine the dynamic range of a given sensor.
Enantiomeric separation of the key intermediate of paroxetine using chiral chromatography.

Abstract A selective and reproducible chiral LC method has been developed for the separation and quantification of a key intermediate of paroxetine. The separation was achieved on three different chiral stationary phases, viz Chiralcel OD (250×4.6 mm, 10 μm), Chiralpak AD (250×4.6 mm, 10 μm) and Chiralcel OJ (250×4.6 mm, 10 μm). The method was validated on the Chiralcel OD phase using a mobile phase system consisting of hexane, isopropanol, and diethylamine in the ratio of 96:04:0.3 v/v/v. The precision (% R.S.D.) of the method was found to be less than 1.0 with the percentage recoveries of II B ranged from 96.0 to 103.4. The limits of detection and quantification of II B were found to be 2.0 and 7.5 μg/ml, respectively. The method was linear, with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.990, and the method was proved to be rugged.
Structural and mechanistic studies on anthocyanidin synthase catalysed oxidation of flavanone substrates: the effect of C-2 stereochemistry on product selectivity and mechanism

During the biosynthesis of the tricyclic flavonoid natural products in plants, oxidative modifications to the central C-ring are catalysed by Fe(ii) and 2-oxoglutarate dependent oxygenases. The reactions catalysed by three of these enzymes; flavone synthase I, flavonol synthase and anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), are formally desaturations. In comparison, flavanone 3beta-hydroxylase catalyses hydroxylation at the C-3 pro-R position of 2S-naringenin. Incubation of ANS with the unnatural substrate (+/-)-naringenin results in predominantly C-3 hydroxylation to give cis-dihydrokaempferol as the major product; trans-dihydrokaempferol and the desaturation product, apigenin are also observed. Labelling studies have demonstrated that some of the formal desaturation reactions catalysed by ANS proceed via initial C-3 hydroxylation followed by dehydration at the active site. We describe analyses of the reaction of ANS with 2S- and 2R-naringenin substrates, including the anaerobic crystal structure of an ANS-Fe-2-oxoglutarate-naringenin complex. Together the results reveal that for the 'natural' C-2 stereochemistry of 2S-naringenin, C-3 hydroxylation predominates (>9 : 1) over desaturation, probably due to the inaccessibility of the C-2 hydrogen to the iron centre. For the 2R-naringenin substrate, desaturation is significantly increased relative to C-3 hydroxylation (ca. 1 : 1); this is probably a result of both the C-3 pro-S and C-2 hydrogen atoms being accessible to the reactive oxidising intermediate in this substrate. In contrast to the hydroxylation-elimination desaturation mechanism for some ANS substrates, the results imply that the ANS catalysed desaturation of 2R-naringenin to form apigenin proceeds with a syn-arrangement of eliminated hydrogen atoms and not via an oxygenated (gem-diol) flavonoid intermediate. Thus, by utilising flavonoid substrates with different C-2 stereochemistries, the balance between C-3 hydroxylation or C-2, C-3 desaturation mechanisms can be altered.
Banking on ATM as a new target in metabolic syndrome

In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Semenkovich and his colleagues show that ATM, a protein well known for its roles in the cellular response to DNA breaks, may also be linked to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases (Schneider et al., 2006). ATM seemingly does this by inhibiting JNK, a stress kinase involved in inflammation with related effects in insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. In an interesting twist, the authors show that chloroquine, an antimalarial drug, also activates ATM, which inhibits JNK, and improves insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular effects. These findings provide potential new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of metabolic syndrome.