cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coding to Create: A Subtext of Decisions as Early Adolescents Design Digital Media

Full participation in the twenty-first century requires the skills, strategies, and dispositions necessary to adapt to changing technologies influencing all aspects of life. Online programming communities provide a space for youth to create, collaborate, and share as they engage in computational participation. A recent development in the digital composition practices of youth is the use of coding to create digital media. This article reports on a descriptive case study focused on five early adolescents engaged in Scratch, an online programming community. In what ways do early adolescents make decisions in the design of digital media as they engage in programming-as-writing? The data collected included participant created digital media products, interviews, and observations. Based upon a content analysis of the digital media products and an inductive analysis of the interviews and observations data, participants demonstrated decisions connected to the design of projects created, decisions focused on the function of projects, and decisions connected with meaning. A typography represents the decisions made by participants as they created projects in Scratch. The participant experiences in Scratch are representative of a shift in the literacy practices of youth toward the creation of digital media within virtual social places as they engage in computational participation.
Pimavanserin use in a movement disorders clinic: a single-center experience.

Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP) is a disabling non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) that is challenging to treat. Dopamine receptor blockers (DRB) are used to treat PDP, though these may be associated with adverse effects, including worsening of Parkinsonism. Pimavanserin, a selective 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist, was recently FDA-approved for treatment of PDP; however, there is limited information on its long-term use in PDP patients. A retrospective chart review of patients prescribed pimavanserin was performed in August, 2017. Data on demographics, psychotic features, sleep, and adverse effects was collected using a semi-structured telephone interview with patients or caregivers. Hallucination severity (HS) was quantified as mild (< 1 episode/week), moderate (1/week to < 1/day), or severe (daily/continuous). Seventeen patients consented to participate in the study; 16 were diagnosed with PDP, 1 with Lewy body dementia. Fourteen had co-morbid cognitive impairment/dementia. The mean duration of Parkinsonism was 11.8 ± 8.0 years, with 2.6 ± 1.9 years of psychosis. Eleven of the seventeen patients reported improvement of hallucinations of which 5/8 were initiated on pimavanserin monotherapy, and 6/9 reported improvement of HS with combination of DRB. Six of nine patients prescribed DRB were able to discontinue this medication after introduction of pimavanserin. Four patients discontinued medications (2, no benefit; 1, spontaneous resolution; 1, cost). No major side effects were reported, and two patients noted subjective improvement of sleep. In our series based on a small sample size, pimavanserin is well-tolerated and effective as both monotherapy and adjuvant treatment for moderate to severe. This medication can facilitate reduction or cessation of DRB medication.
A Multiscale Unconditionally Stable Time-Domain (MUST) Solver Unifying Electrodynamics and Micromagnetics

A rigorous yet computationally efficient 3-D numerical method has been proposed based on modified alternating-direction-implicit finite-difference time-domain (ADI FDTD) methods. It has the capability of modeling the anisotropic and dispersive properties of magnetic material. The proposed algorithm solves Maxwell’s equations and Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation jointly and simultaneously, requiring only tridiagonal matrix inversion as in ADI FDTD. The accuracy of the modeling has been validated by: 1) the nonreciprocity of an X-band ferrite resonance isolator; 2) the attenuation constant of a magnetically tunable waveguide filter; and 3) the dispersive permeability of a 2- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick magnetic thin film. Time steps that are up to 5000 times larger than the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy limit have been used in these simulations without encountering stability issues. The simulation results agree with the predictions made from the theory, the commercial software or the experiments. Moreover, the algorithm has been applied to predict the effect of high permeability thin films in platform effect reduction. An electric current sheet close to a perfect electrically conducting plane coated with a 2- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick magnetic thin film is simulated, which exhibits an enhanced surface resistance by three orders of magnitude higher than that without the magnetic thin film.
Regulation of Embryonic Smooth Muscle Myosin by Myosin Light Chain Kinase and by Protein Kinase C

The presence of developmentally regulated myosin isoforms in muscle tissues is well established (1–9). Cardiac myosin has been studied extensively, and three different isoforms have been identified (4,5). These myosin isoforms differ with respect to (a) their mobilities on nondenaturing Polyacrylamide gels (3), (b) subunit composition (3,4), and (c) actomyosin ATPase activities (4). Moreover, specific cardiac myosin isoforms are expressed following volume overload of the heart (2) and change depending upon thyroid hormone levels (5). Similarly, fiberspecific myosin isoforms are expressed in skeletal muscle, and the myosin isoform correlates with both the type of innervation and the sequence of electrical stimulation (6).
Conversations about pictorial cigarette pack warnings: Theoretical mechanisms of influence.

Abstract Background Social interactions are a key mechanism through which health communication campaigns influence behavior. Little research has examined how conversations about pictorial warnings motivate behavior. Purpose We sought to establish whether and how smokers' conversations explain the effect of pictorial warnings on quit attempts. Methods US adult smokers (n = 2149) participated in a controlled trial that randomly assigned them to have their cigarette packs labeled with pictorial or text-only warnings for four weeks. Surveys assessed the number of conversations sparked by pictorial warnings and the theoretical mechanisms cognitive elaboration and social norms at each visit. Analyses used structural equation modeling to test our theorized mediation models. Results The number of conversations about the warnings mediated the relationship between exposure to pictorial warnings and quit attempts (p Conclusions Pictorial warnings increased conversations about the warnings, which led to greater cognitive elaboration, which led to greater quit attempts. Our findings suggest designing warnings that increase conversations in order to better inform and motivate smokers. Furthermore, these findings improve our understanding of why conversations matter in health communication.
Poor adherence to early childhood blood pressure measurement guidelines in a large pediatric healthcare system

Children who were born prematurely, those with a very low birthweight, or who have survived the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at risk for the development of hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and thus require blood pressure screening less than 3 years of age, per American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2004 and 2017 guidelines. We reviewed the practice patterns of a large pediatric health care system and assessed adherence to the AAP clinical practice guidelines on blood pressure measurements in children less than 3 years of age for hypertension and CKD with the following risk factors: prematurity, very low birthweight, and a neonatal intensive care setting encounter. This retrospective chart review included a total of 9965 patients with a median gestational age of 34 weeks. Overall, 38% of patients had at least one blood pressure measured less than 3 years of age. Primary care accounted for 41% of all outpatient encounters and 4% of all blood pressure measurements. Surgical specialties (i.e., ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and orthopedics) accounted for many non-primary care visits and were less likely than medical specialties (i.e., cardiology and nephrology) to obtain a blood pressure measurement (p < 0.0001). This study of a large healthcare system’s practice revealed a lack of basic screening for hypertension in a population known to be at risk for hypertension and CKD.
Prevalence of food addiction and association with stress, sleep quality and chronotype: A cross-sectional survey among university students.

Summary Aims Food addiction (FA) is defined as an insatiable desire for the consumption of specific high-fat, high-sugar foods beyond the required energy needs for sustenance. The aims of this study were to determine FA prevalence and to assess associations between FA, stress, sleep quality and chronotype among university students. Design and setting A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among students from 8 major Lebanese universities. Students were randomly selected and requested to fill the questionnaire. 644 agreed to participate. Data were collected via a face-to-face interview conducted by 2 trained research assistants. Participants University students above 18 years old and not presenting any cognitive or chronic illnesses, after signing a written consent form. Measurements In addition to sociodemographic data, all participants filled the following self-administered standardized and validated questionnaires: Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Findings FA prevalence was 10.1% with a 95% confidence interval of 7.8–12.4%. 56.5% of all the participants had a poor quality of sleep, whereas 81.2% of the participants presenting FA experienced a poor sleep quality (versus 57.2% when no FA is present). 70.2% of the students presented an intermediate chronotype, 20.5% an evening chronotype and 8.7% a morning chronotype. Age, smoking status, BMI, PSS and PSQI remained significantly correlated to the continuous YFAS score in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Our findings denote the importance of identifying and offering help to individuals presenting a FA because it is frequent among youth, associated to higher BMI and to smoking, seems to be a very intertwined and complex phenomenon coexisting with other neuropsychiatric problems, such as stress and poor sleep quality and therefore can have serious health implications.
Renewal processes, population dynamics, and unimodular trees

Based on a simple object, an i.i.d. sequence of positive integer-valued random variables {an}n∊ℤ, we introduce and study two random structures and their connections. First, a population dynamics, in which each individual is born at time n and dies at time n + an. This dynamics is that of a D/GI/∞ queue, with arrivals at integer times and service times given by {an}n∊ℤ. Second, the directed random graph Tf on ℤ generated by the random map f(n) = n + an. Assuming only that E [a0] 0, we show that, in steady state, the population dynamics is regenerative, with one individual alive at each regeneration epoch. We identify a unimodular structure in this dynamics. More precisely, Tf is a unimodular directed tree, in which f(n) is the parent of n. This tree has a unique bi-infinite path. Moreover, Tf splits the integers into two categories: ephemeral integers, with a finite number of descendants of all degrees, and successful integers, with an infinite number. Each regeneration epoch is a successful individual such that all integers less than it are its descendants of some order. Ephemeral, successful, and regeneration integers form stationary and mixing point processes on ℤ.
The BRAF Pseudogene Is a Proto-Oncogenic Competitive Endogenous RNA

Abstract Non-coding RNAs have long been viewed as non-functional genomic relicts of evolution, but recetn findings have implicated their importance in physiology and disease. Recently, in vitro experiments demonstrated that the pseudogenes of PTEN and KRAS operate as natural miRNA decoys (competitive endogenous RNAs or ceRNAs) that regulate the expression of their parental genes. However, in vivo evidence for a causal role of pseudogenes in cancer development is lacking. To investigate whether the BRAF pseudogene (BRAFps) possesses oncogenic properties we generated transgenic mice carrying a Tet-inducible BRAF pseudogene allele. Global BRAFps overexpression resulted in the development of aggressive B-cell lymphoma after 6-12 months. These tumors were characterized by a profound expansion of B-lymphocytes in the spleen, as well as splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and infiltration of the kidneys, lungs, and liver by neoplastic cells. The BRAFps-induced lymphoma was polyclonal, transplantable, dependent on continuous BRAFps expression, and cooperated with heterozygous loss of PTEN to accelerate disease onset. Mechanistically, we propose that BRAFps functions as a ceRNA that sequesters miRNAs from BRAF and possibly other targets. Indeed, overexpression of BRAFps results in elevated levels of BRAF in a Dicer-dependent manner. This, in turn, increased BRAF-dependent MAPK signaling and proliferation. To further validate the ceRNA activity of BRAFps, we engineered mice to express only the 3’UTR or CDS of BRAFps as each portion of the pseudogene may individually engage in miRNA-mediated crosstalk with BRAF. Notably, both BRAFps-CDS and BRAFps-3’UTR increased spleen and lymph node weights 6 months after induction. Interestingly, BRAFps-3’UTR elicited a lymphoma phenotype similar to full length BRAFps, while mice expressing BRAFps-CDS developed a more indolent form of this phenotype, suggesting that lymphomagenesis is primarily mediated by the BRAFps 3’UTR. BRAFps transcript was undetectable in primary human B-cells, but was aberrantly expressed in primary human DLBCL and human DLBCL cell lines. Expression of BRAF and BRAFps was positively correlated in human primary DLBCL and human DLBCL cell lines. In addition, gains or amplifications of the genomic locus containing BRAFps were found in various human cancer types. Overexpression of BRAFps in human lymphoma cells elevated BRAF levels, MAPK activation, proliferation and growth in xenografts. Our results demonstrate for the first time the oncogenic potential of a pseudogene in an engineered mouse model and indicate that ceRNA- mediated regulation is an important regulatory mechanism of gene expression in vivo. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Reply to B. Kay

We appreciate the letter from Dr. Kay. We agree it is important to report the statistic appropriate to the inference one wants to make. In fact, two guidelines reinforce this notion: Guideline 5. Report variability using a standard deviation. Guideline 6. Report uncertainty about scientific
A density-and-strain-based K-clustering approach to microstructural topology optimization

Microstructural topology optimization (MTO) is the simultaneous optimization of macroscale topology and microscale structure. MTO holds the promise of enhancing product-performance beyond what is possible today. Furthermore, with the advent of additive manufacturing, the resulting multiscale structures can be fabricated with relative ease. There are however two significant challenges associated with MTO: (1) high computational cost, and (2) potential loss of microstructural connectivity. In this paper, a novel density-and-strain-based K-means clustering method is proposed to reduce the computational cost of MTO. Further, a rotational degree of freedom is introduced to fully utilize the anisotropic nature of microstructures. Finally, the connectivity issue is addressed through auxiliary finite element fields. The proposed concepts are illustrated through several numerical examples applied to two-dimensional single-load problems.
The hypoxia–lactate axis tempers inflammation

Hypoxia and glycolysis have long been appreciated to promote immune cell activation. In 2019, several studies highlighted a counterbalancing homeostatic function for the glycolytic metabolite lactate. Lactate directly suppresses signalling pathways and modifies histones to play an important role in regulating macrophage polarization, tumour immunity and antiviral responses. Studies in the field of inflammation in 2019 have highlighted a counterbalancing homeostatic function for the glycolytic metabolite lactate, which is produced in hypoxic conditions, such as in tumours and chronic inflammation. Lionel Ivashkiv describes how lactate suppresses inflammatory signalling pathways and regulates macrophage polarization.
"To nitrous oxide, chloroform gives way": Was Dr. W.J.A. DeLancey's poetic license in advertising…inspired?

Abstract Born in New Hampshire but raised in Massachusetts, 14-year-old William J.A. DeLancey became “the man of the house” after the accidental death of his father. Amiable and good humored, young DeLancey supported his widowed mother and his three sisters until the girls all reached maturity. After he married, DeLancey moved to Illinois and took up dentistry, eventually settling in Centralia. Following anesthesia training back east at Manhattan's Colton Dental Association, DeLancey returned to Centralia. There he practiced the Coltonian method of testing freshly made nitrous oxide upon himself before using the gas upon patients. Before his training at Colton Dental, DeLancey had advertised in Centralia newspapers only in prose. After he began administering laughing gas to his patients and to himself, DeLancey waxed poetic and began advertising in heroic couplets in local newspapers.
Clostridium difficile Infection Following Spine Surgery: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Association With Preoperative Antibiotic Use.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective database review. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) within 90 days following elective spine surgery; examine risk factors associated with its development; and evaluate the impact of CDI on postoperative outcomes. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Although previous studies provided valuable insight into the rate of CDI following spine surgery and associated risk factors, to date no study has evaluated the role preoperative antibiotics use plays in the development of CDI, as well as its impact on 90-day outcomes. METHODS A retrospective database review of Humana patients ages 20 to 84 years who underwent elective spine surgery between 2008 and 2016 was conducted. Following exclusion criteria, the population was divided into patients who developed CDI within 90 days of surgery and those who did not. All risk factors and outcomes were analyzed using multivariate regression. RESULTS A total of 63,667 patients met study criteria. Ninety-day incidence of CDI was 0.68%. Notable medical risk factors (P < 0.05) included preoperative fluoroquinolone use (odds ratio [OR] 1.40), advanced age (OR 1.86), chronic kidney disease stage I/II (OR 1.76) and III-V (OR 1.98), decompensated chronic liver disease (OR 3.68), and hypoalbuminemia (OR 3.15). Combined anterior-posterior cervical (OR 2.74) and combined anterior-posterior lumbar (OR 2.43) approaches and procedures spanning more than eight levels (OR 3.99) were associated with the highest surgical risk (P < 0.05) of CDI. CDI was associated with a 12.77-day increase in length of stay (P < 0.05) and increased risk of readmission (OR 6.08, P < 0.05) and mortality (OR 8.94, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Following elective spine surgery, CDI increases risk of readmission and mortality. In addition to preoperative fluoroquinolone use, novel risk factors associated with the highest risk of CDI included decompensated chronic liver disease, posterior approaches, and multilevel involvement. Perioperative optimization of modifiable risk factors may help to prevent occurrence of CDI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Access to medication-assisted treatment in the United States: Comparison of travel time to opioid treatment programs and office-based buprenorphine treatment.

Abstract Objectives Disparities in access to medication-assisted treatment are a major problem. This study estimated and compared drive time to the nearest opioid treatment program (OTP) and office-based buprenorphine treatment (OBBT) across the urban-rural continuum in the U.S. Methods Drive time was calculated between the longitude and latitude of population weighted block group centroids and the longitude and latitude of the nearest OTP and OBBT. Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes were used for defining rurality. The Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation approach was used for statistical analysis. Results The mean travel time to the nearest OBBT compared to OTP decreased by 7.18 min (95 % CI = 7.23−7.14) in metropolitan cores, 36.63 min (95 % CI = 37.12−36.15) in micropolitan cores, 38.84 min (95 % CI = 39.57−38.10) in small town cores, and 40.16 min (95 % CI = 40.81−39.50) in rural areas. Additionally, travel burden to the nearest OTP would be more than 60 min for 13,526,605 people and more than 90 min for 5,371,852 people. The travel burden to the nearest OBBT would be more than 60 min for 845,991 people and more than 90 min for 149,297 people. Conclusions The mean drive time to the closest OBBT was significantly smaller than the mean drive time to the closest OTP. Analysis of barriers to access is necessary to devising creative initiatives to improve access to critical opioid use disorder treatment services.
Expertise, Innovation, and Creativity in Support of DAV

The quantitative analysis techniques to support DAV analysis are most successfully applied in the context of a design process that is iterative, responsive to change, and collaborative. Such a design process empowers creativity and innovation while anchoring design and its construction in fundamental quantitative engineering and economic trade-offs. Chapter 8 focuses on the importance of expertise, innovation, and creativity in design, all of which are essential in identifying features which drive DAV.
Is the Working Capital Channel of the Monetary Policy Quantitatively Relevant? A Structural Estimation Approach

How big is the working capital channel? To answer this question, I estimate a dynamic model of investment with a working capital channel. I study this question for all firms listed in Compustat and for seven industries. For all the sample, I find that the working capital channel is not full as commonly is assumed in macroeconomic models, but it is still quantitatively important since its estimated value is 0.76. Analysis by industry suggests that the Retail Trade sector has the lowest working capital channel (0.48), the biggest sector in terms of number of firms -Manufacturing- has a strong one (0.7), and Agriculture and Construction sectors have a full working capital channel (1). These results provide microeconomic evidence on the quantitative relevance of working capital channel with a potential effect on macroeconomic models and monetary policy.
I Was Once an Oppressor, But I Found the Strength Within to Free Myself

In this short reflective essay, I share how I underwent a metamorphosis during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in my life, I chose to use my education and my life experiences as a historically marginalized individual of color to decolonize my pedagogy. Thanks to the scholarship of Ladson-Billings (1995), I was able to transform my pedagogy into one where the cultural and racial identities and lived experiences of my students are acknowledged and validated in our classroom, one where my students—even just for a short period—can experience what it feels like to not be bound by the shackles of society’s oppressors.
Octal Generalized Boolean Functions

In this paper we characterize (octal) bent generalized Boolean functions defined on Z2 with values in Z8. Moreover, we propose several constructions of such generalized bent functions for both n even and n odd.
A Spectrophotometric Study of the Carbohydrate Binding Site of Concanavalin A

Abstract The carbohydrate binding sites of the jack bean lectin, concanavalin A, were studied spectrophotometrically. A number of ligands were examined for their ability to displace the chromogenic ligand p-nitrophenyl α-d-mannopyranoside. It is shown that this technique provides a simple and convenient approach for obtaining association constants for a series of displacing ligands. The data can best be interpreted in terms of a single carbohydrate binding site per monomeric unit for the protein in solution.
Loop shaping in mixed H2 and Hinfin control

This paper develops an approach to loop shaping in the framework of a mixed H2 andHinfin optimal control methodology. The approach is based upon loop shaping ideas of the well-known LQG / LTR technique. An algorithm and an example are given.
What advice should be given to patients with NAFLD about the consumption of alcohol

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common diseases of the Western world, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The beneficial effects of moderate wine consumption on cardiovascular function are well known. This Viewpoint article discusses potential risks and benefits of alcohol consumption in patients with NAFLD.
An actuation system for the control of multiple shape memory alloy actuators

Abstract Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are often used as actuators in articulated miniature devices. These devices typically use multiple actuators to achieve multiple degrees of articulation. The actuators are usually activated by electrical current, which conventionally requires more connecting wires than the number of actuators. Due to space constraints, the degrees of articulation of a miniature device may be limited by the number of electrical connecting wires that may be accommodated in the device. This paper presents a new method for the actuation and control of multiple SMA elements using the minimum number of connecting wires. In this method, the SMA elements are arranged in the form of a matrix and each element of the matrix is actuated by switching two solid-state switches: one for the row and the other for the column containing the SMA element. The thermal inertia of the elements is exploited as they are actuated sequentially by short current pulses. The magnitude of the current pulse can be computed in open-loop or closed-loop fashion using resistance feedback. The actuation system has been implemented in hardware and experiments have been conducted; some results are presented here. Though the actuation system has been developed for SMAs, its concept can be extended fairly easily for powering an array of actuators other than SMAs or for the transmission of signals from an array of sensors.
Supersymmetric quantum mechanics in a first-order Dirac equation.

We demonstrate the realization of supersymmetric quantum mechanics in the standard first-order Dirac equation describing a massless Dirac particle in a magnetic field. This system is relevant to the integer quantum Hall effect. In obtaining the first-order supersymmetry, square-root operators are used and justified. A detailed discussion is also provided of the simpler problem of supersymmetry in the context of the relativistic Pauli Hamiltonian squared. In addition we discuss a realization of the superalgebra osp(1/2) obtained from this system.
Novel Approaches for Campylobacter Control in Poultry

Abstract The Gram-negative bacterium Campylobacter is the most common bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis in the United States and many industrialized countries. Poultry, particularly chickens, is considered a major source of human campylobacteriosis. Thus, on-farm control of Campylobacter in poultry would reduce the risk of human exposure to this pathogen and have a significant impact on food safety and public health. To date, three general strategies have been proposed to control Campylobacter in poultry at the farm level: (1) reduction of environmental exposure (biosecurity measures), (2) an increase in poultry's host resistance to reduce Campylobacter carriage in the gut (e.g., competitive exclusion, vaccination, and host genetics selection), and (3) the use of antimicrobial alternatives to reduce and even eliminate Campylobacter from colonized chickens (e.g., bacteriophage therapy and bacteriocin treatment). Except for biosecurity measures, the other intervention approaches are currently not com...
Intracellular localization of core and envelope proteins of Venezuelan encephalitis virus by immunofluorescence.

AbstractEnvelope and core proteins of Venezuelan encephalitis virus were detected by indirect fluorescent antibody staining in cultured primary hamster embryonic cells infected under single-cycle conditions. Antibody to purified core protein stained the entire cytoplasm at 7 hr postinfection, but never the outer surface of the plasma membrane. By 24 hr postinfection, when cytopathic effects were extensive, core protein was present as cytoplasmic granules. Antibody to purified envelope proteins stained a single bright perinuclear area in less brightly fluorescing cytoplasm at 7 hr postinfection, and plasma membranes at 8 hr postinfection. The perinuclear location of Venezuelan encephalitis virus envelope glycoproteins was interpreted as involving the Golgi apparatus which is a known location of intracellular glycoprotein synthesis. Thus, the Golgi apparatus is apparently a source of the smooth membranes with which α-virus envelope proteins have been associated after cell fractionation.
Mediating effects of inflammatory biomarkers on insulin resistance associated with obesity.

Objective: Obesity is associated with elevated levels of biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction [including C-reactive protein (CRP), E-selectin, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1], as well as insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes. We tested the hypothesis that these biomarkers mediate associations among obesity, IR, and risk of diabetes. Research Methods and Procedures: We stratified 510 initially non-diabetic women in the Nurses’ Health Study cohort into four phenotypes above/below median BMI (27 kg/m2) and waist circumference (81 cm): low BMI-low waist (LBLW; N = 190), low BMI-high waist (LBHW; N = 74), high BMI-low waist (HBLW; N = 27), and high BMI-high waist (HBHW; N = 219). Results: In models assessing associations of weight phenotype with IR [fasting insulin (FI)], adjusted for age and diabetes risk factors, mean FI was higher comparing HBHW women (13.6 μU/mL, p < 0.0001) and LBHW (11.5 μU/mL, p = 0.02) with LBLW women (8.6 μU/mL); HBLW and LBLW women were not significantly different. Differences in FI levels were most strongly attenuated after adjustment for E-selectin comparing LBHW with LBLW women (11.7 vs. 9.7 μU/mL, p = 0.2). Discussion: In logistic regression models, LBHW predicted diabetes (risk factor-adjusted relative risk 2.06, 1.05 to 6.40), compared with LBLW, but was no longer significant after adjustment for E-selectin or CRP. After adjusting for CRP and E-selectin, only HBHW and E-selectin were significantly associated with risk of diabetes. In women with central adiposity and low BMI, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation may mediate the relationship among central fat, IR, and incident diabetes.
Collimated View Multiplexing: A New Approach To 3-D

This paper outlines the development of a new method of 3-D imaging based on spatial image decomposition by ray direction. Various implementations of actual systems and future possibilities will be discussed, including full color auto-stereoscopic video and synthetic holography of real and computer generated objects. Practical and theoretical limitations will be addressed, as well as bandwidth limitations and redundancy. The adaptation of standard methods of bandwidth reduction by adaptive image coding and processing will be considered. The integration of the new technology with computer graphics and holography will also be examined within the context of a "window" theory of spatial imaging.
Histones induce rapid and profound thrombocytopenia in mice

Histones are released from dying cells and contribute to antimicrobial defense during infection. However, extracellular histones are a double-edged sword because they also damage host tissue and may cause death. We studied the interactions of histones with platelets. Histones bound to platelets, induced calcium influx, and recruited plasma adhesion proteins such as fibrinogen to induce platelet aggregation. Hereby fibrinogen cross-linked histone-bearing platelets and triggered microaggregation. Fibrinogen interactions with αIIbβ3 integrins were not required for this process but were necessary for the formation of large platelet aggregates. Infused histones associated with platelets in vivo and caused a profound thrombocytopenia within minutes after administration. Mice lacking platelets or αIIbβ3 integrins were protected from histone-induced death but not from histone-induced tissue damage. Heparin, at high concentrations, prevented histone interactions with platelets and protected mice from histone-induced thrombocytopenia, tissue damage, and death. Heparin and histones are evolutionary maintained. Histones may combine microbicidal with prothrombotic properties to fight invading microbes and maintain hemostasis after injury. Heparin may provide an innate counter mechanism to neutralize histones and diminish collateral tissue damage.
Combined I-124 Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging of NIS Gene Expression in Animal Models of Stably Transfected and Intravenously Transfected Tumor

With the advent of replication competent viruses for cancer gene therapy, it has become imperative to monitor the biodistribution, expression and replication of these vectors in living organisms. We evaluated the potential of I-124 positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging in gene therapy animal models utilizing the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and compared the findings to I-123 gamma camera imaging. CB17 SCID mice were implanted with myeloma cell lines expressing NIS or infected by MV-NIS given systemically. Mice were imaged by both gamma camera (I-123) and PET/CT (I-124 ) and image quality assessed. NIS expressing tumors concentrated 7.1% of the injected activity while tumors infected with the control virus had only 0.3% of the activity injected. I-124 PET/CT in combination with NIS allows the tracking of stably transfected tumors or intravenously transfected tumors. Combined modality imaging using PET/CT allows accurate and non-invasive imaging of the distribution and gene expression of a replicating viral vector in living systems.
A case of a human ventricular fibrillation rotor localized to ablation sites for scar-mediated monomorphic ventricular tachycardia.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are the most common causes of sudden cardiac death. Currently, knowledge of the reentrant mechanism of monomorphic VT circuits in relation to complex scar anatomy allows for various mapping techniques including electroanatomic and entrainment mapping to accomplish catheter ablation of VT.1, 2 Clinically, it may be observed that ablation to eliminate recurrent macro-reentrant VT may also eliminate recurrent VF, as defined for instance by electrograms from implanted cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD).3, 4 However, whether this represents elimination of the VT trigger for VF, or directly of the substrate for VF, is unclear since the mechanism of VF in relation to scar is not known. Recent work targeting localized rotors in atrial fibrillation ablation has shown promise,5 but its implications for VF are unknown. We report here a case where VT termination and a VF rotor occurred at spatially coincidental sites in a patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy, suggesting that VF rotors may localize to the same anatomic substrate that promotes VT.
Should angioplasty and stenting be performed before CAGB in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis

Should angioplasty and stenting be performed before CAGB in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis?
Relationship between hydro-osmotic flow and the inhibited response of the toad bladder to vasopressin.

Abstract The vasopressin-mediated water flux across the toad bladder not only constitutes a final effect of the hormone in this tissue, but also participates crucially in the overall inhibitory process which limits the duration and decreases the extent of the hormone's action.
Corneal profile analysis after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty and its relationship to postoperative hyperopic shift

Purpose To evaluate changes in the corneal profile after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) analysis and to describe its relationship to a dynamic postoperative hyperopic shift. Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA. Methods In this retrospective observational study, 9 eyes had DSEK and were followed with manifest refractions and AS-OCT analysis. To assess changes in the thickness of the cornea, measurements for each AS-OCT image were taken at the vertex of the cornea, at 1.5 mm on each side of the vertex, and at the distal edges of the graft. Results Patients were followed for a mean of 134 days (range 46 to 228 days). Monthly Graft thinning rates were 5.2 μm per month at the vertex, 7.9 μm per month 1.5 mm from the vertex, and 26 μm per month at the edges, with the edges thinning significantly faster than the cornea vertex (P = .0024) and the points on either side of the 3.0 mm visual axis (P = .0018). The mean spherical equivalent (SE) showed an initial hyperopic shift that decreased over the ensuing 100 to 200 days postoperatively. The mean monthly postoperative SE change was −0.25 diopter (D) with a mean preoperative to postoperative SE change of +1.26 D. Conclusions The donor graft underwent changes after DSEK, which may account for the induced hyperopia and its diminishment over time via changes in the posterior corneal curvature. Results suggest that intraocular lenses be targeted to −1.00 to −1.25 D of myopia for combined DSEK and cataract procedures.
Novel effects with polyethylene glycol modified pharmaceuticals

Proteins undergo extensive hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract and have short circulating half-lives in the blood. For optimal clinical efficacy, therefore, they must be given by daily injections. Attaching a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety (pegylation) improves the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of proteins. Pegfilgrastim (pegylated filgrastim) has a longer half-life than unmodified filgrastim and, when administered as a single dose, has been shown to be at least as efficacious as daily filgrastim. Because of its reduced renal clearance, the elimination of pegfilgrastim is predominantly neutrophil-mediated, so its clearance is self-regulated. In addition, pegfilgrastim can be administered at a fixed dose instead of in weight-based doses. For these reasons, pegfilgrastim can potentially increase patient adherence and acceptance of treatment, thus having a beneficial effect on their quality of life. Furthermore, treatment is likely to cost less because of the reduced need for medical interventions. Similarly, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin has a longer half-life than unmodified doxorubicin and has been shown, because of its reduced reticuloendothelial system clearance, to produce higher concentrations of doxorubicin in tumours and to have greater clinical efficacy than doxorubicin in the treatment of some solid tumours. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin is also associated with less myelosuppression and febrile neutropenia.
On the stability of the Klein-I model

Abstract This paper presents a revision of the numerical results by Theil and Boot (1962) on the asymptotic standard errors of characteristic roots in the Klein-I model.
Kinetics of rare gas release from hydroquinone clathrates.

Rare gas release from clathrates is controlled by sublimation of hydroquinone when experimental conditions permit this latter process. A release model based on time-dependent sublimation from a distribution of clathrate particles fits experimental data well. In the absence of sublimation the evidence indicates that the kinetics of the β → α transition controls gas release. Radiation doses as low as 108 rads significantly reduce gas release, and this beneficial effect provides a practical method of preparing clathrate of the very best quality.
Military Services Fitness Database: Development of a Computerized Physical Fitness and Weight Management Database for the U.S. Army

ABSTRACTThe Department of Defense (DoD) has mandated development of a system to collect and manage data on the weight, percent body fat (%BF), and fitness of all military personnel. This project aimed to (1) develop a computerized weight and fitness database to track individuals and Army units over time allowing cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluations and (2) test the computerized system for feasibility and integrity of data collection over several years of usage. The computer application, the Military Services Fitness Database (MSFD), was designed for (1) storage and tracking of data related to height, weight, %BF for the Army Weight Control Program (AWCP) and Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) scores and (2) generation of reports using these data. A 2.5-year pilot test of the MSFD indicated that it monitors population and individual trends of changing body weight, %BF, and fitness in a military population.
A model of cometary gas and dust production and nongravitational forces with application to P/Halley

Abstract A program that computes gas and dust production rates and idealized nongravitational force components has been developed and applied to the case of Comet Halley. We use a modified form of our earlier comet model (F.P. Fanale and J.R. Salvali[(1984) Icarus 60 , 476–511] to which coma effects and a section on nongravitational forces have been added. The possibility of grain cohesion is also included. These models are used together with observations from 1910 and semiempirically derived data to investigate the effects of obliquity and thermal conductivity of the near thermal conductivity of the nucleus on gas and dust production. The results indicate that the thermal conductivity of the nucleus is of the order of 10 5 ergs/cm-s-°K, which implies that the ice near the surface is in the crystalline form. A general method is presented for calculating the radii of cometary nuclei using theoretically derived and semiempirically derived nongravitational force components. This method is used to calculate possible radii for Comet Halley that depend on the model variation chosen. The method used and the results presented herein should have greater significance and value when the observational data from Halley's current perihelion passage become available.
CENTRAL HYPOVENTILATION SYNDROME RESULTS FROM THE ANOMALOUS DEVELOPMENT OF THE RHOMBENCEPHALIC NEURAL CREST

Central hypoventilation syndrome, a rare disorder of unknown etiology, can be associated with other manifestations of autonomic maldevelopment, chiefly Hirsehsprung's disease. A 35 week gestational age female with a small jaw and cleft hard palate was evaluated for central hypoventilation syndrome over the course of one month. The child had little response to CO2 which was only mininally enhanced by therapeutic levels of caffeine and progesterone. In addition, she also had further evidence of diffuse autonomic dysfunction which included; electrophysiologic studies which suggested a denervated heart, unresponsive persistently dilated pupils and an exceptionally prolonged small intestinal transit time (2-3weeks). Following her death, an autopsy revealed reduced numbers of ganglion cells in the enteric plexuses in the esophagus, stomach and duodenum and none distal to this point. With the exception of the rectum, the pelvic viscera (bladder and uterus) had normal numbers of ganglion cells. While the intracardiac conduction system was normal, no ganglion cells could be demonstrated in the cardiac plexus. Compared to other infants of the same developmental age, her thyroid gland had a noticeable decrease in calcitonin immunoreactive cells. Her brain and brainstem were normal except for a mild diffuse increase in microglia in the medulla. The quail-chick chimera technique has provided data on the derivatives of rhombencephalic neural crest. All of the abnormalities in this child, and perhaps other children with central hypoventilation syndrome, can be explained by postulating an early developmental defect in neural crest migration from this area.
An Analysis of Traffic and Throughput for UMTS Packet Core Networks

Mobile packet services are penetrating mobile markets rapidly. The mobile industry relies heavily on data services to replace traditional voice services. Designing a reliable packet service network is critical to the mobile operators' ability to maintain their core competence in a data service market. The current literature provides many practical tools and theoretical methods to design, plan and dimension Global System for Mobile Communications GSM and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System UMTS radio networks but overlooks the algorithms of network plan and dimensioning for the core networks. This paper introduces the algorithms to dimension the throughput for packet switched domain of a UMTS network. The analysis is based on the traffic and data throughput generated and absorbed in the interfaces of network entities in UMTS PS network. A case study is provided to verify the algorithms created for UMTS PS network. This paper provides UMTS PS network operators an optimum network size and network structure to deliver an optimum quality of service for users.
Kinetics of protein synthesis in higher organisms in vivo

New methods have been developed for kinetic analysis of protein synthesis in animal tissues in vivo. Quantitative rate data can be obtained and the effects of regulatory agents on initiation and elongation stages of polypeptide chain synthesis studied independently.
Managed care members talk about trust.

Informed choice of health insurance could morally justify later, potentially harmful rationing decisions the way informed consent justifies potentially harmful medical interventions. In complex and technical areas, however, individuals may base decisions more on trust than informed choice. We interviewed enrollees in managed care plans in Southeast Michigan, United Sates, to explore in detail their expectations and experiences in choosing and using their health plan. Diverse subjects participated in semi-structured interviews about health insurance choices, experiences, and expectations. Results are presented for the theme of trust (and distrust), which emerged spontaneously in discussions about health care and health insurance. Forty subjects diverse in age, ethnicity, and income took part in 31 interviews. Interviewees mentioned many of the elements of interpersonal trust in specific physicians, often in the context of discussions about care experiences, doctor payment, and conflict of interest. Elements included physical and emotional vulnerability, expectations of goodwill, advocacy and competence, and belief in professional ethics. Trust in the medical profession had more hesitancy, and often included mention of honesty or ethics. Elements of trust in hospitals included vulnerability to financial loss, and expectations of competence (quality). Elements of trust in health insurance plans often emerged in discussions about catastrophic illness coverage denials, and profit, and were more often negative. Vulnerability, worry, fear and security were prominent. Fiscal rather than clinical competence was emphasized, while expectations of goodwill remained. Enrollees in managed care plans spontaneously discussed trust and distrust in individuals and institutions during conversations about their insurance expectations and experiences. Similarities and differences in the elements and the context of these discussions illuminate distinctions between these healthcare relationships of trust.