cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feynman Path Centroid Dynamics

The theoretical basis for the quantum time evolution of path integral centroid variables is described, as well as the motivation for using these variables to study condensed phase quantum dynamics. The equilibrium centroid distribution is shown to be a well-defined distribution function in the canonical ensemble. A quantum mechanical quasi-density operator (QDO) can then be associated with each value of the distribution so that, upon the application of rigorous quantum mechanics, it can be used to provide an exact definition of both static and dynamical centroid variables. Various properties of the dynamical centroid variables can thus be defined and explored. Importantly, this perspective shows that the centroid constraint on the imaginary time paths introduces a non-stationarity in the equilibrium ensemble. This, in turn, can be proven to yield information on the correlations of spontaneous dynamical fluctuations. This exact formalism also leads to a derivation of Centroid Molecular Dynamics, as well as the basis for systematic improvements of that theory.
The Elusive Ideal of Market Competition in United States’ Health Care

What role does market competition play in the United States’ health care system, and what might the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) learn from each other’s experiences? Market competition remains a persistent but elusive ideal in American health care.
Mu opioid receptor signaling in the nucleus accumbens shell increases responsiveness of satiety‐modulated lateral hypothalamus neurons

Opioid signaling in the nucleus accumbens shell (sNAcc) has been implicated in hedonic feeding and binge eating behavior. The sNAcc projects to the lateral hypothalamus (LH), and this pathway has been suggested to modulate palatability-driven feeding behavior. In this study, we investigated the effects of sNAcc mu opioid receptor (MOR) stimulation on firing rates of LH neurons in previously sated rats. Neural firing in the LH was recorded while food-deprived rats performed an operant task to obtain sweetened Intralipid (a 4% fat emulsion containing 5% sucrose) before and after bilateral sNAcc infusion of either a MOR agonist [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) or a saline control solution. During sessions in which saline was infused into the sNAcc, the number of trials completed after infusion were significantly lower than the number completed before infusion, likely reflecting animals' increased satiety state. During sessions in which DAMGO was infused into the sNAcc, the decrease in the number of trials completed (comparing post- vs. pre-infusion trials) was significantly attenuated. Electrophysiological recording showed that the percentage of LH neurons showing an excitatory response due to behavioral events (cue presentation, lever press, lever retraction, and consumption) was reduced in post vs. pre-saline infusion period. However, the percentage of LH neurons showing excitatory responses to the same behavioral events was similar in pre- and post-DAMGO infusion periods. These findings suggest that MOR stimulation in sNAcc leads to an increase in stimulus-evoked excitatory signaling in LH neurons which could contribute to preventing satiety-induced decline in palatable food intake.
CMML/JMML PDXs: as easy as 1, 2, NSG-SGM3.

In this issue of Blood , Yoshimi et al describe a simple method to establish patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) with remarkable efficiency. These morphologically, immunophenotypically, and genetically accurate models will pave the way for in vivo biological studies and preclinical testing of novel therapies. 1
Racial and Ethnic Variation in Perceptions of VA Mental Health Providers are Associated with Treatment Retention among Veterans with PTSD

Background:Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who seek mental health care in the Veterans Health Administration frequently discontinue treatment prematurely. Early discontinuation of mental health treatment is more common among Veterans with PTSD who are of minority race or ethnicity
Energy characterization of a transformable solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle

Given the wide variety of flight conditions typically encountered by fixed-wing aerial vehicles, the flight performance of a solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) depends on many factors. Predicting the performance for a given application requires characterization of both system and environmental components. Furthermore, a SUAV with a transformable airframe increases the number of characterizable states, where each state features a unique set of capabilities. This results in significant differences with respect to power consumption, solar panel orientation, and increases the design limitations on system components. This paper characterizes the energy collection, propulsion, and power electronics subsystems of a transformable SUAV developed at the University of Minnesota. Clear-sky and solar panel models are used to predict the power available for a given location and time. Propulsion system design is validated with flight data, and a proposed model correlates propulsion limits with available energy. Power electronics are modeled and simulated to determine hardware and tracking algorithm efficiencies. Finally, a pulsed battery charging methodology is implemented in hardware and evaluated against conventional charging techniques.
Drug-Dietary Interactions: Over-the-Counter Medications, Herbs, and Dietary Supplements

People crave autonomy in healthcare and will often reach for the pharmacy aisle before calling a doctor. Patients may be putting themselves at risk for toxicity and drug interactions with the expanding use of herbal medications, OTCs, and dietary supplements. Clinicians need to be aware of potential drug interactions between prescribed and nonprescribed substances. It is important to take a thorough medication history that includes dietary habits, OTCs, supplements, and herbal remedies to predict and prevent potential interactions.
Molecular control of human papillomavirus RNA expression in neoplasia.

Animal and animal-derived (cell culture) models have been used to study diverse classes of chemical carcinogens relevant to humans. Furthermore, the interaction of various agents has resulted in cocarcinogenesis as well as anticarcinogenesis. Unfortunately, parallell studies utilizing human cells have been of limited value. Single carcinogenic agents, such as benzo[a]pyene (16), SV-40 (15) and radiation (8) have immortalized normal human cells, but, progression to malignancy did not occur. As a result, human cancer has been investigated primarily with epidemiologic studies.
Kane’s Method and the Kane-Hamilton Synthesis

In which we develop Kane’s method following the original work and introduce a modification of Hamilton’s equations that takes advantage of some of the tricks of the trade introduced by Kane & Levinson…
Board Nationality Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility

The study examines the relation between the nationality and educational background diversity of directors serving on corporate boards and the firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR). We measures nationality diversity by directors’ national citizenship and educational background diversity by countries from which they earned their undergraduate and post undergraduate degrees. It measures firms’ CSR from the MSCI ESG ratings. Using a sample of U.S. firms, we find that having greater board nationality diversity and educational background diversity are positively associated with CSR. Our findings suggest that improving director nationality diversity and educational background diversity could improve firms’ social performance. Our study also shows that the increasing trend of foreign nationals in the U.S. boards could shift the focus of U.S. corporations to be more stakeholder-oriented.
The indispensable role of mammalian iron sulfur proteins in function and regulation of multiple diverse metabolic pathways.

In recent years, iron sulfur (Fe–S) proteins have been identified as key players in mammalian metabolism, ranging from long-known roles in the respiratory complexes and the citric acid cycle, to more recently recognized roles in RNA and DNA metabolism. Fe–S cofactors have often been missed because of their intrinsic lability and oxygen sensitivity. More Fe–S proteins have now been identified owing to detection of their direct interactions with components of the Fe–S biogenesis machinery, and through use of informatics to detect a motif that binds the co-chaperone responsible for transferring nascent Fe–S clusters to domains of recipient proteins. Dissection of the molecular steps involved in Fe–S transfer to Fe–S proteins has revealed that direct and shielded transfer occurs through highly conserved pathways that operate in parallel in the mitochondrial matrix and in the cytosolic/nuclear compartments of eukaryotic cells. Because Fe–S clusters have the unusual ability to accept or donate single electrons in chemical reactions, their presence renders complex chemical reactions possible. In addition, Fe–S clusters may function as sensors that interconnect activity of metabolic pathways with cellular redox status. Presence in pathways that control growth and division may enable cells to regulate their growth according to sufficiency of energy stores represented by redox capacity, and oxidation of such proteins could diminish anabolic activities to give cells an opportunity to restore energy supplies. This review will discuss mechanisms of Fe–S biogenesis and delivery, and methods that will likely reveal important roles of Fe–S proteins in proteins not yet recognized as Fe–S proteins.
Challenges and insights for fostering academic-industry collaborations in UX

Research in technical communication and user-experience points to the value of building academic and industry collaborations and conversations [1-4]. However, academic research is not as accessible to industry practitioners as it should be, and more conversations are needed to foster successful and sustainable academic-industry partnerships [5-6]. Drawing on this work, this experience report is presented by academics who engage in collaborative projects with industry practitioners across institutional, disciplinary, and regional settings. We discuss our experiences as women in technology design, specifically focusing on how industry-academia collaborations face particular challenges when they are enacted by women and women of color.
Correlated Depletion and Dilution of Lithium and Beryllium Revealed by Subgiants in M 67

The surface content of lithium (Li) and beryllium (Be) provide insights into the mixing and circulation mechanisms in stellar interiors. The old open cluster, M 67, has been well-studied for Li abundances in both main-sequence and evolved stars. The Be abundances give us a probe to a deeper level in stars. We have taken high-resolution spectra with Keck I with HIRES to determine Be abundances along the subgiant branch of M 67, where there are dramatic depletions of Li. These subgiants range in mass from 1.26 to 1.32 M$_{\odot}$ and have evolved from main-sequence stars that would have occupied the region of the Li-Be dip found in younger clusters. Lithium abundances have been adjusted to the same scale for 103 stars in M 67 by Pace et al. The more massive stars $-$ now the coolest and furthest-evolved from the main-sequence $-$ show a drop in Li by a factor of 400 across the subgiant branch. Our new Be abundances also show a decline, but by a factor of $\sim$50. The two elements decline together with Li showing a steeper decline in these subgiants than it does in the Li-Be dip stars. The relative decline in Be abundance compared to Li is remarkably well fit by the models of Sills & Deliyannis, made specifically for the subgiants in M 67. Those models include the effects of mixing induced by stellar rotation. These M 67 subgiants show the effects of both main-sequence depletion and post-main-sequence dilution of both Li and Be.
Complete Remission Represents the Major Surrogate Marker of Long Survival in Multiple Myeloma.

The impact of complete remission of myeloma on long term outcome remains controversial. Between January 1987 and May 2006, we evaluated frequencies of partial and complete remission, and survival from onset of therapy, for 721 consecutive, newly diagnosed patients who received a high-dose, dexamethasone-based combination as primary treatment. Only patients 50% and of Bence Jones protein by >90%; complete remission (CR) was defined by negative findings on immunofixation. Among 721 previously untreated patients, the initial response rate was 57%, including 8% with CR. Within 12 months, 397 patients received intensive therapy with a high-dose, melphalan-based regimen supported by autologous stem cells. In comparison with non-transplanted patients, intensified patients were younger (median 52 vs 56 yrs), more anemic (median 10.3 vs 11.3 gms/dl), and had more patients with stage 3 disease by ISS criteria (37% vs 25%) (p
Keynote: Party Music, Affect and the Politics of Modernity

In “Affect Theory and the Empirical”, Danilyn Rutherford writes, “we need to think about power to understand affect”. She adds, “could it be that we also need to think about affect to understand the nature of power?” Based on this premise, this keynote paper, presented at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music XX Biennial Conference 2019, goes against the tendency to schematize and universalize emotions and affect. Instead, I argue for the need to address affect historically and ethnographically within the fields of power in which musical experience takes place. This article focuses on the 2017 Road March song, ‘Full Extreme’, the song that played almost 500 more times than its closer competitor at the judging points during Carnival Tuesday in Trinidad (West Indies). I examine this song as an event to reveal the various forces that are at play in foregrounding simultaneously a “collective effervescence” (Emile Durkheim’s expression) and the local tradition of calypso’s critical rhetoric. By exploring how it has galvanized massive support, I show how this song confronts what has been at the core of the exclusionist politics of modernity. I also call attention to what is called for not only to create mass appeal, but also to encourage public engagement and political debate in modern democracies.
Lumbar arthroplastyThe Parallax Effect in the Evaluation of Range of Motion in Lumbar Total Disc Replacement

Background Range of motion (ROM) has been shown to influence clinical outcomes of total disc replacement (TDR). While the parallax effect in image acquisition has been shown in the literature to influence the accuracy of a variety of measurements, this concept has not been investigated in the assessment of ROM analysis following TDR. We performed an evaluation of the influence of radiograph beam angle on “by hand” and on “gold standard” flexion-extension ROM measurements in lumbar total disc replacement. The purpose of this study is to determine (1) the influence of X-ray beam angle on index level angle (ILA) measurements in lumbar TDR using the keel method, and (2) whether the out-of-plane radiographic beam effects cause a difference between true and calculated range of motion.
Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgical Training in United States Ophthalmology Residency Programs.

Purpose The emergence of microinvasive glaucoma surgeries (MIGS) has expanded glaucoma management options. Resident experience with these novel procedures is unclear as no residency minimums exist for them, nor are they part of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) procedure logs. The purpose of this study was to assess resident experience with MIGS in ACGME ophthalmology residency programs across the United States. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey study of resident MIGS experience. A survey was mailed to program directors of ACGME-accredited ophthalmology residency programs (N = 118) in January 2017. Descriptive analyses were used to characterize the respondent demographics. Chi-square, paired t-tests, and McNemar's tests were used to analyze the geographical distribution and frequency of MIGS experience. Results A total of 30 out of 118 (25%) residency program directors across all geographic regions responded. Most incorporated both MIGS lecture (87%) and wet lab (73%) didactics into their curriculum. Only 27% felt that MIGS should be part of ACGME requirements. The most common MIGS taught were iStent (70%), endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (50%), and trabectome (40%). Few residents had completed MIGS procedures as the primary surgeon by graduation. Eleven out of 30 program directors (37%) did not feel that the experience was adequate for independent practice. Conclusion This study suggests that residents are exposed to some MIGS procedures during training, but program directors did not feel that the experience was adequate for independent practice. Further research is necessary to understand the barriers to integrating MIGS training into residency programs.
In Silico Predictions of KCNQ Variant Pathogenicity in Epilepsy

Abstract Background Variants in KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 may cause benign neonatal familial seizures and early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. Previous reports suggest that in silico models cannot predict pathogenicity accurately enough for clinical use. Here we sought to establish a model to accurately predict the pathogenicity of KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 missense variants based on available in silico prediction models. Methods ClinVar and gnomAD databases of reported KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 missense variants in patients with neonatal epilepsy were accessed and classified as benign, pathogenic, or of uncertain significance. Sensitivity, specificity, and classification accuracy for prediction of pathogenicity were determined and compared for 10 widely used prediction algorithms program. A mathematical model of the variants (KCNQ Index) was created using their amino acid location and prediction algorithm scores to improve prediction accuracy. Results Using clinically characterized variants, the free online tool PROVEAN accurately predicted pathogenicity 92% of the time and the KCNQ Index had an accuracy of 96%. However, when including the gnomAD database as benign variants, only the KCNQ Index was able to predict pathogenicity with an accuracy greater than 90% (sensitivity = 93% and specificity = 98%). No model could accurately predict the phenotype of variants. Conclusion We show that KCNQ channel variant pathogenicity can be predicted by a novel KCNQ Index in neonatal epilepsy. However, more work is needed to accurately predict the patient’s epilepsy phenotype from in silico algorithms.
The effect of xylazine on intracranial pressure in anesthetized and standing horses

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of xylazine on intracranial pressure (ICP) in standing compared to isoflurane-anesthetized horses. DESIGN Prospective, crossover study design. SETTING University Teaching Hospital. ANIMALS Six adult horses donated to the University. Horses were determined to be healthy via physical examination, complete blood count, and neurological evaluation. INTERVENTIONS Horses were anesthetized, maintained on isoflurane in oxygen in left lateral recumbency, and ventilated to normocapnia. Horses were instrumented for intraparenchymal measurement of ICP, invasive blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and end tidal gas analyzer. Xylazine 1 mg/kg was administered IV and ICP, systolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), diastolic arterial pressure, and heart rate were recorded and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) was calculated for the following 15 minutes. Twenty-four to 36 hours following anesthetic recovery, xylazine 1 mg/kg was administered IV and ICP, heart rate, and Doppler blood pressure (BPdop) on the tail were monitored for 15 minutes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS There was a decrease in ICP following administration of xylazine in anesthetized horses (P < 0.003) but not standing horses (P = 0.227). There was an increase in systolic arterial pressure, MAP, diastolic arterial pressure (P < 0.001), and BPdop (P = 0.001) following administration of xylazine. As a result, CPP increased in anesthetized horses (P < 0.03). There was a negative association between ICP and MAP in anesthetized horses (P = 0.007) but not ICP and BPdop conscious horses (P = 0.379). CONCLUSIONS Administration of xylazine to anesthetized horses resulted in an increased CPP due to decreased ICP with concurrent increased MAP. Administration of xylazine to standing horses did not result in a change in ICP. However, with the increase in BPdop found in awake horses, it is likely that CPP would also increase in awake horses following xylazine administration.
Kahler v. Kansas: Narrowing the Insanity Defense

This article analyzes the Supreme Court's recent decision in Kahler v. Kansas, which upheld a Kansas statute barring evidence of insanity as a defense except insofar as it negates the element of mens rea. The article compares Kahler to the Court's decision in Clark v. Arizona. It also addresses the question whether there is a constitutional right of criminal defendants to assert an insanity defense."
The average profile of suffix trees

The internal profile of a tree structure denotes the number of internal nodes found at a specific level of the tree. Similarly, the external profile denotes the number of leaves on a level. The profile is of great interest because of its intimate connection to many other parameters of trees. For instance, the depth, fill-up level, height, path length, shortest path, and size of trees can each be interpreted in terms of the profile. The current study is motivated by the work of Park et al. [22], which was a comprehensive study of the profile of tries constructed from independent strings (also, each string generated by a memoryless source). In the present paper, however, we consider suffix trees, which are constructed from suffixes of a common string. The dependency between suffixes demands a careful, intricate treatment of overlaps in words. We precisely analyze the average internal and external profiles of suffix trees generated by a memoryless source. We utilize combinatorics on words (in particular, autocorrelation, i.e., the degree to which a word overlaps with itself) generating functions, singularity analysis, and the Mellin transform. We make comparisons of the average profile of suffix trees to the average profile of tries constructed from independent strings. We emphasize that our methods are extensible to higher moments. The present report describes the first moment of both the internal and external profiles of suffix trees.
Object Relations Theories and Psychopathology: A Comprehensive Text

The Origins of Object Relations Theories. The Work of W. R. D. Fairbairn and Harry Guntrip. The Work of Melanie Klein. The Work of D. W. Winnicott. The Work of Otto Kernberg. The Work of Heinz Kohut. The Interpersonalists. An Object Relations Paradigm for Psychoanalysis.
Chromogenic and Accelerated Cultural Methods

Analysis of food samples by cultural and enrichment techniques remains an integral part of the examination of food for the presence or enumeration of foodborne pathogens. Enrichment methods have afforded the ability to detect as few as one cell per 500 g of food. In addition, enrichment techniques aid in the recovery of injured bacteria, which are often present in foods in a stressed condition because some foods may lack the optimal nutrients essential for bacterial growth, the food may present an environment not conducive to growth of the microorganisms, or the bacteria may be damaged during processing of the food. In this regard, the enrichment process provides an optimal growth medium and a period of time that can be effectively used by injured/stressed microorganisms to perform repair of cellular damage, allowing for resuscitation of the bacterial cells. Additionally, enrichment processes provide an opportunity for target bacterial cells to proliferate, while the growth of competing background microflora is truncated. This chapter describes many differential and selective media, which have been developed in response to the presence of bacterial pathogens capable of causing illness in humans, by employing unique phenotypic characteristics of these microorganisms to develop detection platforms based on cultural approaches. The selective media includes enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) media, Listeria media, Salmonella media, Campylobacter media, Vibrio media, and enumeration media. Several groups have investigated the use of a single broth to simultaneously enrich the concentrations of several bacterial species, followed by downstream detection.
Passive Immunization and Active Vaccination against Hendra and Nipah Viruses

Hendra virus and Nipah virus are viral zoonoses first recognized in the mid and late 1990's and are now categorized as the type species of the genus Henipavirus within the family Paramyxoviridae. Their broad species tropism together with their capacity to cause severe and often fatal disease in both humans and animals make Hendra and Nipah “overlap agents” and significant biosecurity threats. The development of effective vaccination strategies to prevent or treat henipavirus infection and disease has been an important area of research. Here, henipavirus active and passive vaccination strategies that have been examined in animal challenge models of Hendra and Nipah virus disease are summarized and discussed.
Using Stata with PHASE and Haploview: Commands for importing and exporting data

Modern genetics studies require the use of many specialty software programs for various aspects of the statistical analysis. PHASE is a program often used to reconstruct haplotypes from genotype data, and Haploview is a program often used to visualize and analyze single nucleotide polymorphism data. Three new commands are described for performing these three steps: 1) exporting genotype data stored in Stata to PHASE, 2) importing the resulting inferred haplotypes back into Stata, and 3) exporting the haplotype/single nucleotide polymorphism data from Stata to Haploview.
Tourette's Disorder

Tourette syndrome (TS), also referred to as Tourette's disorder, is a clinical diagnosis of chronic motor and phonic tics with a fluctuating symptomatic course. It has a complex genetic and neurobiological basis and a prevalence of around 1%, with higher rates among boys and in special education classrooms. This entry describes the presentation of tics (the cardinal feature of TS); the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of TS; and frequently comorbid psychopathologies such as obsessive–compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, personality disorders, and cognitive dysfunction. Effective management of TS requires an understanding of the impact of tics, a comprehensive assessment of comorbidities, and the identification of areas of greatest impairment. Keywords: diagnosis; tics; central nervous system; children; dopamine; psychiatry
Parental beliefs and fathers' and mothers' roles in malaysian families

The aim of this chapter is to articulate parental beliefs and fathers’ and mothers’ roles in early childcare in Malaysian families. Diverse values, traditions, religions, and socioeconomic conditions provide the context of parenting in multi-ethnic Malaysia. Whereas Malay, Chinese, Kadazan, and Indian families tend to follow traditional gender norms in parenting roles, the Bateks tend to exhibit egalitarian parenting roles in the family. Even within contemporary Malaysian families, family values and religious beliefs still construct the core foundations of successful and moral parenting in most families, whether they subscribe to the principles of Islamic tradition, Confucian teachings, Hindu wisdom, or subsistence ecology. These findings are noteworthy because they suggest that, regardless of geographical proximity or similarity in beliefs and family traditions, levels and styles of parental involvement with children are largely similar across three major Malaysian groups but vary between major Malaysian groups and the Bateks.
Contrasting effects of testosterone and stanozolol on serum lipoprotein levels.

Oral anabolic steroids produce striking reductions in serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. We hypothesized that this effect related to their route of administration and was unrelated to their androgenic potency. We administered oral stanozolol (6 mg/d) or supraphysiological doses of intramuscular testosterone enanthate (200 mg/wk) to 11 male weight lifters for six weeks in a crossover design. Stanozolol reduced HDL-cholesterol and the HDL2subfraction by 33% and 71%, respectively. In contrast, testosterone decreased HDL-cholesterol concentration by only 9% and the decrease was in the HDL3subfraction. Apolipoprotein A-I level decreased 40% during stanozolol but only 8% during testosterone treatment. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration increased 29% with stanozolol and decreased 16% with testosterone treatment. Stanozolol, moreover, increased postheparin hepatic triglyceride lipase activity by 123%, whereas the maximum change during testosterone therapy ( + 25%) was not significant. Weight gain was similar with both drugs, but testosterone was more effective in suppressing gonadotropic hormones. We conclude that the undesirable lipoprotein effects of 17-α-alkylated steroids given orally are different from those of parenteral testosterone and that the latter may be preferable in many clinical situations. (JAMA. 1989;261:1165-1168)
Influence of renal insufficiency on limb loss and mortality after initial lower extremity surgical revascularization.

Abstract Objective Limb loss after lower extremity surgical revascularization occurs relatively frequently in patients receiving dialysis. The goal of the present study was to determine whether patients with milder degrees of renal insufficiency are also at risk for this complication. Material and methods This cohort study was carried out at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The study sample consisted of 9932 patients undergoing an initial surgical revascularization procedure between October 1, 1995, and September 30, 2000, recorded by the VA National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). We examined the occurrence of major amputation within 1 year of lower extremity surgical revascularization by level of renal function. Results Eleven percent of study patients underwent major lower extremity amputation within 1 year of NSQIP-documented lower extremity revascularization surgery: 10% (739 of 7335) of patients with normal renal function, 11% (251 of 2210) of patients with moderately reduced renal function, 12% (24 of 205) of patients with severe renal insufficiency, and 29% (53 of 182) of patients receiving dialysis. After adjustment for demographic characteristics and comorbid conditions, only patients receiving dialysis were at significantly increased risk for amputation, compared with patients with normal renal function (odds ratio, 2.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.74-3.47; P Conclusion Only patients receiving dialysis, and not patients with milder degrees of renal insufficiency, appear to be at higher risk for limb loss after revascularization, compared with patients with normal renal function. Further studies are needed to determine why patients receiving dialysis are at a singularly increased risk for limb loss after lower extremity revascularization and whether their more frequent presentation with limb-threatening infection at the time of revascularization reflects late presentation for surgery or a more rapid course of peripheral arterial disease in this patient group.
Granulomas in murine schistosomiasis mansoni have a somatostatin immunoregulatory circuit

Abstract The role of somatostatin (SRIF) in controlling the granulomatous inflammatory response to infection with the parasite Schistosoma mansoni was explored in mice. The murine granulomas contain SRIF-14. Immunoreactive SRIF and preproSRIF localize in the cytoplasmic granules of macrophages within the granulomas. The granulomas contain mRNA for preproSRIF and are not innervated. The production of SRIF by the inflammatory cells appears to be inducible. The granulomas contain mRNA for the SRIF receptors sst2A and sst2B, which are expressed mainly on CD4+ T lymphocytes and bind SRIF-14 with high affinity. Antigens from the schistosome eggs stimulate granuloma T lymphocytes to produce cytokines. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is one such cytokine made by CD4+ T lymphocytes. SRIF-14 suppresses antigen-induced IFN-γ production from granuloma cells, and this effect is blocked by anti-sst2 antibody. SRIF was shown to inhibit IFN-γ-induced immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) synthesis in murine schistosomiasis. SRIF also blocks substance P (SP)-stimulated IFN-γ and IgG2a secretion. Schistosome-infected animals treated with the SRIF analog octreotide form smaller granulomas that secrete substantially less IFN-γ and IgG2a. Unpublished observations suggest that SRIF does not modulate schistosome egg antigen- or concanavalin A-stimulated granuloma lymphocyte proliferation in murine schistosomiasis. In conclusion, SRIF may be an important factor in the control of the granulomatous inflammatory response in murine schistosomiasis.
Engaging Edge Networks in Preventing and Mitigating Undesirable Network Traffic

We address the security vulnerabilities in existing protocols for network traffic authentication, by engaging edge networks in defending against undesirable traffic. In the proposed PATRICIA architecture, edge networks cooperate to prevent misbehaving sources from flooding traffic in both control and data channels. Moreover, edge networks employ an endorsement procedure to approve data communications among local and remote hosts, hence breaking down potential collusion between those hosts. The protection mechanism is only activated for hosts under attack, therefore minimizing the control traffic bandwidth and processing overhead. Our performance evaluation demonstrates the effectiveness of PATRICIA.
Effects of feeding rate on growth performance and nutrient partitioning of young‐of‐the‐year white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

A 10-week growth trial was performed to evaluate the effects of feeding rate on growth performance, nutrient partitioning, and to determine the optimum feeding rate for young-of-the-year white sturgeon. Three tanks with 30 fish per tank each were assigned to five feeding rates, 0.4–2.0% body weight per day (BW day−1). Weight gain significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing feeding rate up to 1.2% BW day−1. Feed efficiency exhibited an inverse relationship to weight gain. Hepatosomatic and gonadal-fat-body (GFB)-somatic indices were significantly affected by feeding rate, and the lowest values were observed at 0.4% BW day−1. The increased feeding rate significantly affected whole-body and carcass lipid and moisture contents. Protein gain in the carcass, but not in the GFB, was significantly influenced by feeding rate. Lipid gain in the carcass and GFB was also significantly affected by feeding rate. Four regression models were tested for the estimation of optimum feeding rate, including one-slope straight broken-line, two-slope straight broken-line, quadratic broken-line and quadratic models. Adjusted coefficient of correlation and corrected Akaike information criterion were used to compare model performance. The quadratic broken-line model was chosen as the best based on the criteria. The estimated optimum feeding rate for young-of-the-year white sturgeon (360 g) is 1.5% BW day−1.
The matched asymptotic expansion (MAE) technique applied to acoustic radiation from vibrating surfaces

Abstract The MAE technique has been used in the field of fluid mechanics for many years. Only recently this technique has been applied to acoustic problems, where it has been found to be an excellent and powerful tool in analyzing either scattering and diffraction or radiation from moving rigid objects (propellers). The purpose of this paper is to very briefly review the MAE technique as applied to low frequency acoustics in general, and then apply the resulting approach to a series of progressively more difficult problems which are of interest to many underwater acousticians. The analysis is first applied to two problems with single degrees of freedom for structural vibrations: (1) a sphere, both velocity and force driven, and (2) a circular piston in infinite rigid baffle. These are classical problems and the solutions as obtained by the MAE technique are then compared to the exact classical solutions. The MAE solutions are then generalized to a more difficult problem, with two degrees of freedom for the surface vibration, where two concentric pistons in an infinite rigid baffle are vibrating and coupled via the fluid. For each of the problems analyzed, the structural wavelength a is assumed to be small compared to the fluid wavelength (i.e., ka ⪡ 1). The inner region close to the vibrating structure, in which the fluid motion is effectively incompressible in nature, is governed by the Laplace equation while the outer solution is governed by the Helmholtz equation. The inner and outer solutions are obtained independently and are then joined together by the MAE matching procedure. A composite solution is then obtained from a combination of the inner and the outer solutions. Agreements with the exact theory for the radiated pressure, surface resistance and reactance are shown to be excellent.
A Criterion for Water Modeling of Non-isothermal Melt Flows in Continuous Casting Tundishes

Water modeling of tundish melt flows offers useful insight into the underlying flow phenomena occurring in the tundish. To date most of the water modeling studies have been carried out under isothermal conditions; usually at room temperature. However, fluid flow in continuous casting tundishes is normally not isothermal. By analyzing the dimensionless turbulent Navier-Stokes equation, a modeling criterion is proposed which may be adequate to simulate the flow of molten metal in continuous casting tundishes by means of water modeling. The criterion was tested for a few hypothetical test cases by means of water modeling as well as mathematical modeling. Good agreement between the residence time distribution curves was obtained in the test cases considered when the proposed modeling criterion was satisfied.
Telecommunications as taught in engineering technology programs

Abstract This article discusses the nature of telecommunications programs taught by engineering technology academic units. When studying telecommunications programs, one finds that they are being taught by various academic disciplines even though all are considered to be telecommunications curriculums. Some are in business schools while others are in engineering or engineering technology. Still others are components of communications, policy, marketing, or management programs. In addition, there are a number of programs which are interdisciplinary in nature and taught by a consortium of faculty from various departments or academic units. It should be pointed out that, for the purposes of this article, programs which are primarily broadcast or classical electrical engineering communications oriented are not considered to be telecommunications.
The American Apotheosis of Gerhard Richter

Books reviewed in this article: Robert Storr, Gerhard Richter: October 18, 1977 Benjamin H. D., Gerhard Richter: Paintings 1996–2001 Robert Storr, Gerhard Richter: Forty Years of Painting
Soil and water and its relationship to the origin of life.

Soils of the terrestrial planets form at the boundaries between lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere. Biogenesis occurred in these zones; thus, it is axiomatic that some, perhaps many, stages of biogenesis occurred in intimate association with the mineral constituents of soils. Because of a high surface to mass ratio and, consequently, a high surface reactivity, the layer lattice clay minerals are the most important of these. According to the geological record, clay minerals appeared very early on the primordial Earth. Recent investigations have confirmed their presence in carbonaceous meteorites and have indicated their occurrence on Mars.
Assessing model uncertainty in the conceptual design of a monopropellant propulsion system

An assessment of model uncertainty via probabilistic methods is described. An important question that arises in conceptual design is how accurate do models have to be to be useful? That is to say, when do other uncertainties in higher fidelity model counteract its accuracy when compared to a lower fidelity model faced with these same uncertainties?.
Decreased energy levels can cause and sustain obesity

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions and has become one of the major health problems in developed countries. Current theories consider obesity a result of overeating and sedentary life style and most efforts to treat or prevent weight gain concentrate on exercise and food intake. This approach does not improve the situation as may be seen from the steep increase in the prevalence of obesity. This encouraged us to reanalyse existing information and look for biochemical basis of obesity. Our approach was to ignore current theories and concentrate on experimental data which are described in scientific journals and are available from several databases. We developed and applied a Knowledge Discovery in Databases procedure to analyse metabolic data. We began with the contradictory information: in obesity, more calories are consumed than used up, suggesting that obese people should have excess energy. On the other side, obese people experience fatigue and decreased physical endurance that indicates diminished energy supply in the body. The result of our work is a chain of metabolic events leading to obesity. The crucial event is the inhibition of the TCA cycle at the step of aconitase. It disturbs energy metabolism and results in ATP deficiency with simultaneous fat accumulation. Further steps in obesity development are the consequences of diminished energy supply: inhibition of beta-oxidation, leptin resistance, increase in appetite and food intake and a decrease in physical activity. Thus, our theory shows that obesity does not have to be caused by overeating and sedentary life-style but may be the result of the "obese" change in metabolism which is forcing people to overeat and save energy to sustain metabolic functions of cells. This "obese" change is caused by environmental factors that activate chronic low-grade inflammatory process in the body linking obesity with the environment of developed countries.
The effects of serum on the in vitro adherence and maturation of bovine monocytes.

Abstract Serum concentration was found to affect both the initial adherence and subsequent in vitro maturation of bovine monocytes. Bovine monocytes cultured in the absence of serum remained small and reduced in number, whereas monocytes cultured in an adequate concentration of either autologous adult bovine or fetal bovine serum developed into large macrophage-like cells. Heat inactivation (56°C for 30 minutes) did not affect the ability of bovine sera to promote monocyte maturation in vitro.
Naturally occurring expectation effects.

In this article, the author investigates naturally occurring expectation effects in a juror decision-making paradigm. Mock juror research, using jury-eligible adults and videotapes of trial judges from actual trials, suggested that even when admonished to disregard the judge's behavior and form their own opinions, participants returned verdicts concordant with the judges' bent. Variations in the timing of instruction (expectation) with respect to the presentation of the evidence were consistent with a primacy effect as predicted by the belief-adjustment model. The implications for legal procedure and investigating naturally occurring expectation effects as a real social force are discussed
Cobalamin ligation and interaction with sodium dodecyl sulfate and bovine serum albumin studied by 31P and 13C NMR

Abstract Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance has been employed to study the ligation modes of hydroxycobalamin by K 13 CN and NaS 13 CN. The pH and temperature dependence of di( 13 C) cyanocobalamin spectra reveal the presence of a kinetic trans effect which labilizes the coordinated cyanides in this complex. The carbon spectra are utilized in conjunction with phosphorus-31 nmr of the phosphodiester in the benzimidazole side arm to establish correlations between the spectra and the coordination state of the cobalamin. It is found that this phosphorous resonance indicates the benzimidazole coordination state by virtue of its resonance position and serves as a probe of pH dependent properties of cobalamin. 31 P nmr is further demonstrated to be capable of reporting upon the coordination state of cobalamins in their interaction with the detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate and the cobalamin binding protein, bovine serum albumin, indicating its potential for reporting upon enzyme intermediates of vitamin B 12 dependent enzymes.
Oxygen adsorption on the tungsten (110) plane. Electron impact and thermal desorption at high temperatures

When a layer of oxygen on the (110) plane of tungsten at coverages O/W≦0.5 is heated from 100 K, O+ evolution under electron impact becomes almost negligible at 600 K. On further heating, however, a slow, temperature-dependent evolution of O+ current is observed atT≳1500 K. For O/W>0.3 there is also desorption under massive bombardment. Once an equilibrium value of O+ current has been established, there is rapid adjustment to the appropriate equilibrium value when the temperature changes in the range 1500–1700 K. On cooling toT 1500 K, O+ increases slowly again. Above 1700 K there is thermal desorption which is also reflected in the O+ signal. These facts indicate that there is a slow activated evolution of an electron sensitive state above 1500 K, from a reconstructed state formed by heating the low temperature layer toT≧1000 K. The latter state seems to be reformed on cooling below 1500 K.
Lightmicroscopic observations on structure and division of Histomonas meleagridis (Smith).

SYNOPSIS. Culture forms and lumen-dwelling phases of the ameboflagellate Histomonas meleagridis, which are structurally indistinguishable from each other, have a single flagellum. Their well-developed pelta is connected to the anterior segment of the broad, spatulate axostylar capitulum, applied to the left-ventral surface of the nearly spheroid or somewhat ellipsoid or ovoid nucleus. The capitulum narrows into a very slender axostylar trunk that tapers to a fine point and does not project beyond the body surface. The parabasal apparatus consists of a V-shaped parabasal body and a large parabasal filament. A new flagellum appears early during division and soon approaches its full length. The 2 flagella persist thruout division and each becomes the locomotory organelle of a daughter histomonad. The arms of the parental parabasal body appear to separate, each going to 1 of the daughter mastigont systems; some parabasal material is lost early in division. The 2nd arm is regenerated in each daughter parabasal body. The large parabasal filament seems not to be retained in the parental mastigont system, and new filaments are seen at both poles before 2 daughter nuclei are formed. The old axostyle degenerates from the anterior toward the posterior end; at the same time lamellar primordia of the daughter pelta-axostyle complexes appear in the separating mastigont systems that are connected by an extranuclear spindle during the entire division process. The structure and taxonomic status of H. meleagridis are discussed in the light of this and previous studies.