cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling interactions between brain function, diet adherence behaviors, and weight loss success

Introduction Obesity is linked to altered activation in reward and control brain circuitry; however, the associated brain activity related to successful or unsuccessful weight loss (WL) is unclear. Methods Adults with obesity (N = 75) completed a baseline functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan before entering a WL intervention (ie,3-month diet and physical activity [PA] program). We conducted an exploratory analysis to identify the contributions of baseline brain activation, adherence behavior patterns, and the associated connections to WL at the conclusion of a 3-month WL intervention. Food cue-reactivity brain regions were functionally identified using fMRI to index brain activation to food vs nonfood cues. Food consumption, PA, and class attendance were collected weekly during the 3-month intervention. Results The left middle frontal gyrus (L-MFG, BA 46) and right middle frontal gyrus (R-MFG; BA 9) were positively activated when viewing food compared with nonfood images. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping was used to investigate a hypothesized path model and revealed the following significant paths: (1) attendance to 3-month WL, (2) R-MFG to attendance, and (3) indirect effects of R-MFG through attendance on WL. Conclusion Findings suggest that brain activation to appetitive food cues predicts future WL through mediating session attendance, diet, and PA. This study contributes to the growing evidence of the importance of food cue reactivity and self-regulation brain regions and their impact on WL outcomes.
Non-Linear Fracture Mechanics of Inhomogeneous Quasi-Brittle Materials

This chapter presents a survey of non-linear fracture mechanics of inhomogeneous quasi-brittle material. The large scale bridging in the fracture process zone is explicitly modelled as cohesive spring-like tractions and its implications on crack formation and limitations of linear elastic fracture mechanics are discussed. A model of tension-softening is described to illustrate the possibility of relating the micromechanical mechanisms and the material structure to composite non-linear fracture property. Finally, recent research on experimental determination of tension-softening behavior in inhomogeneous quasi-brittle materials is reviewed.
Tracking Major Sources of Water Contamination Using Machine Learning.

Current microbial source tracking techniques that rely on grab samples analyzed by individual endpoint assays are inadequate to explain microbial sources across space and time. Modeling and predicting host sources of microbial contamination could add a useful tool for watershed management. In this study, we tested and evaluated machine learning models to predict the major sources of microbial contamination in a watershed. We examined the relationship between microbial sources, land cover, weather, and hydrologic variables in a watershed in Northern California, United States. Six models, including K-nearest neighbors (KNN), Naive Bayes, Support vector machine (SVM), simple neural network (NN), Random Forest, and XGBoost, were built to predict major microbial sources using land cover, weather and hydrologic variables. The results showed that these models successfully predicted microbial sources classified into two categories (human and non-human), with the average accuracy ranging from 69% (Naive Bayes) to 88% (XGBoost). The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) illustrated XGBoost had the best performance (average AUC = 0.88), followed by Random Forest (average AUC = 0.84), and KNN (average AUC = 0.74). The importance index obtained from Random Forest indicated that precipitation and temperature were the two most important factors to predict the dominant microbial source. These results suggest that machine learning models, particularly XGBoost, can predict the dominant sources of microbial contamination based on the relationship of microbial contaminants with daily weather and land cover, providing a powerful tool to understand microbial sources in water.
Dividend Payments and Excess Cash: An Experimental Analysis

There is an observed positive correlation between the size of firms’ dividends and the amount of cash they keep on hand. We specify a new channel of precautionary cash holdings as related to dividend-smoothing, which predicts that increased dividends should cause firms to keep more cash on hand. In the reverse direction, theory’s predictions depend on the source of the increased cash on hand. General dividend-smoothing theory predicts that temporary increases in cash due to natural market fluctuations should not affect dividends. If the increased cash is due to a permanent increase in profitability, both the marginal benefit and the marginal cost of paying dividends also increase, and the net effect is unclear. Theory’s predictions of causality cannot be tested empirically using observed firm data, however, due to an underlying endogeneity issue. We instead turn to a laboratory experiment to determine causality. In the lab, we separately and exogenously vary each relevant variable to test each theoretical hypothesis. Increased dividends lead to increased cash on hand. One-time increases in firms’ cash on hand, representing natural market fluctuations, do not affect firms’ dividends. Increases in cash on hand due to a permanent increase in firm profitability, however, cause dividends to decrease.
Aerosol jet 3D printing and high temperature characterization of nickel nanoparticle films

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) nanoparticle printing has emerged as a versatile and environmentally friendly manufacturing technique to fabricate metallic films for microelectronic applications. In this letter, we report the synthesis of 500 nm thick nickel films by aerosol jet nanoparticle printing and assess their stability at high temperatures. In-situ impedance spectroscopy is used to measure the electrical properties of the films from 25 °C to 500 °C, at frequencies from 0.02 kHz to 300 kHz. It is observed that the real part of impedance of the films increases from room temperature to 350 °C monotonously, indicating a positive temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). Upon further heating, however, the films exhibit an unstable electrical behavior, with TCR increasing by two orders of magnitude between 350 °C and 500 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of nickel nanoparticles was performed to understand the underlying reason of electrical instability beyond 350 °C, which showed that the particle oxidation starts at about 325–350 °C and leads to a mass gain of 19.35% at 500 °C, indicating significant thermal oxidation. The electrical stability of the films at high temperatures is thus controlled by their thermal oxidation, which starts at a much lower temperature (350 °C) when compared to bulk nickel (600 °C). Implications of this result on the applicability of the 3D printing method to synthesize metal films for high temperature applications are discussed.
Stock Market Performance and Economic Philosophy: Long Obama (Demand Side) Short Trump (Supply Side)

This paper compares the stock market (SP first 662 days. The SP almost three times more than the entire president’s Obama 2 terms presidency. With regard to drop of the unemployment rate, which is lagging policy by 3 quarters, during president Obama the unemployment rate went down by 1% (from 10% down to 9%), while during president Trump from 4.1% to 3.6%. Thus, we conclude that the demand side beats the supply side in this round.
The Impact of Adherence to Disease-Modifying Therapies on Functional Outcomes in Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis.

Background Patients who adhere to their DMTs have lower rate of MS-related relapses and disability. Objective We sought to determine the adherence rate to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and its impact on functional outcome(s) in veterans with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method We reviewed the electronic records of 279 veterans with MS who were periodically followed in our MS clinic. We compared 3 groups of patients, defined according to their adherence to DMTs (non-adherent; poorly adherent; adherent) on their effect on disability progression and time to sustained EDSS score of 6. Results There were 148 (53%) veterans with MS who were non-adherent to any DMT medication(s) while of the 131 (47%) veterans who were taking medications, 118 (42%) had a good- and 13 (5%) had poor-adherence. The mean age at MS onset was 36.6 (± 11.2) and mean duration of MS for the sample was 24 ± 13.5 years. The mean initial EDSS and TFIM scores were 4.09 ± 2.9 SD and 104 ± 25.7 for the study sample. The change in MMSE, TFIM scores, and time to sustained EDSS score of 6 significantly favored the good- compared to the non-adherence group (P Conclusion This study suggests that veterans with MS who adhered to their DMTs had less decline in their MS-related cognition, disease severity and disability compared to non- and poorly-adherent groups even after adjusting for age, gender, MS duration, and type. Time to EDSS score of 6 was significantly prolonged in the good-adherence group.
Kernicterus in the 21st Century: Bilirubin-Induced Brain Injury Due to Glucose-6- Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (P5.6-064)

Objective: To describe clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings in kernicterus due to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, with emphasis on early recognition and treatment. Background: G6PD deficiency is an X-linked disorder affecting 1 in 10 African American males and can result in severe hyperbilirubinemia and chronic bilirubin encephalopathy, or kernicterus. Symptoms of kernicterus include hypotonia, apneic episodes, hearing impairment, motor dysfunction, and seizures. MRI characteristically shows abnormal signal in the basal ganglia, correlating with bilirubin deposition in these structures. Surviving patients may have long-term neurologic deficits. Design/Methods: NA Results: A 7-day old African American boy born at full term presented for evaluation of jaundice, hypotonia, and poor feeding. Initial evaluation showed indirect bilirubin of 29.4 mg/dl. The patient was admitted for phototherapy to treat presumed breast milk jaundice. Overnight, he developed apneic episodes requiring noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and was noted to have rhythmic twitching of the right side of the mouth. Exam showed diffuse hyperreflexia, hypotonia, and an incomplete Moro reflex without adduction or anterior flexion. EEG showed several multifocal seizures and sharp waves indicative of a widespread encephalopathic process. MRI brain demonstrated abnormal increased T1 signal bilaterally in the globus pallidus. His G6PD level returned at 2.4 U/g Hb (normal 9.9–16.6 U/g Hb). He was initiated on phenobarbital for his seizures with excellent response. Bilirubin levels normalized on day 3 of admission with phototherapy. He was evaluated in the clinic 2 weeks following discharge, with continued seizure freedom, improved tone, and no abnormal movements. Genetic testing eventually revealed a pathogenic “A-“ allele consistent with a diagnosis of G6PD deficiency. Conclusions: Kernicterus is a preventable cause of neurologic disability. G6PD deficiency remains an important cause of kernicterus in developed countries. Education of healthcare workers and parents in the recognition of neonatal jaundice in high-risk infants is critical to early treatment and prevention of long-term neurologic complications. Disclosure: Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Verma has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with PTC Therapeutics.
Disorders due to enzyme defects in the red blood cell.

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the disorders caused by enzyme defects in red blood cell. The human erythrocyte is an unusual cell designed to perform its role for only about 120 days. It is produced by the bone marrow that is well-suited to carry out its unique primary function, the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. However, it is fated to die in around four months, after which its valuable contents are reprocessed. The transport of oxygen by the erythrocyte and its secondary functions, namely, the transport of the CO2 and maintenance of acid–base balance, are carried out by haemoglobin. The circulating erythrocyte retains only those metabolic processes that are essential for the maintenance of the pigment in a suitably active form and are packaged into a biconcave disk that has sufficient surface area to facilitate gas exchange and enough flexibility to easily negotiate the narrow capillaries through which they must carry oxygen to the tissues.
Study of secretory component in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Abstract A radioimmunoassay was developed for secretory component, a glandular epithelial cell product secreted as an accessory protein with dimeric immunoglobulins A and M. Forty-four normal women between the ages of 40 and 70 had plasma concentrations of secretory component of 7.195 μg/ml ± 3.590 (±2 SD). Of the 37 patients with metastatic breast cancer of epithelial origin, 34 (91.9%) had plasma concentrations greater than 8.990 μg/ml; 29 (78.1%) had plasma concentrations greater than 10.785 μg/ml; 10 (27%) had concentrations greater than 15.000 μg/ml; and 3 (8.1%) had concentrations greater than 22.710 μg/ml. Serial plasma concentrations (averaging 3.48 per patient) of 35 (94.6%) of these patients reflected the clinical course of the disease. All patients had some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. No direct correlation was noted between the type of therapy and concentration of secretory component. However, plasma secretory component served as a marker in the systemic circulation of a change in the status of the metastatic breast cancer. The impact of this research may lie in its incorporation into clinical management.
Accounting Discretion in Fair Value Estimates: An Examination of SFAS 142 Goodwill Impairments

This study examines Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 142 adoption decisions, focusing on the trade-off between recording certain current goodwill impairment charges below the line and uncertain future impairment charges included in income from continuing operations. We examine several potentially important economic incentives that firms face when making this accounting choice. We find evidence suggesting that firms' equity market concerns affect their preference for above-the-line vs. below-the-line accounting treatment, and firms' debt contracting, bonus, turnover, and exchange delisting incentives affect their decisions to accelerate or delay expense recognition. Our study contributes to the accounting choice literature by examining managers' use of discretion when adopting a mandatory accounting change and by developing and testing explicit cross-sectional hypotheses of the determinants of firms' preferences for immediate below-the-line versus delayed above-the-line expense recognition.
History of Emerging Viruses in the Late 20th Century and the Paradigm Observed in an Emerging Prion Disease

Publisher Summary Several virus diseases that emerged in the last two decades of the 20 th century have now become entrenched in human populations worldwide, and unfortunately, the methodological advances that led to their detection have not been matched by similar advances to prevent and control them. Attempts to develop vaccines for these have in most cases eluded all efforts. There have been improvements in antiviral therapy, but these are not effective in all cases, often resulting in control rather than cure of the disease, and they remain out of the reach of many patients in poor and underdeveloped countries. This chapter discusses some viruses like human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1), human T-lymphotropic viruses, hepatitis C virus, and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).
Infrared optical properties of vanadium oxide thin films

Ibin films of various vanadium oxides, including the phase transition materials vanadium dioxide and vanadium pentoxide, have been prepared by reactive ion-beam sputtering. Results show that film microstructure is the dominant factor affecting the optical properties of these coatings. Changes in optical reflectance and transmittance data, which accompany the structural changes, are presented and discussed.
Zinc deficiency: A complication of Crohn's disease

Abstract Twenty-one of 52 patients with regional enteritis had low serum zinc concentrations on initial testing. Fourteen of 31 patients followed longitudinally had low mean serum zinc concentrations. Two patients are presented as case reports who developed acrodermatitis skin lesions that responded to zinc therapy. Hypogonadism, growth retardation, and abnormalities in taste were frequent complications in Crohn's patients with low serum zinc levels. Certain complications of regional enteritis may be due, in part, to zinc deficiency.
Detection and statistics of amplitude and wave front fluctuations

The statistical characteristics of the amplitude and phase of an optical wave propagated through a transparent randomly varying method are examined analytically. An optical-digital method has been proposed far the detection of amplitude and phase of the randomly distorted wave. This method reveals that only a single output of the detected signal is needed to obtain both the phase and amplitude variations. The relationship between the randomly varying phase of the optical field and the detected amplitude and demodulated phase is also investigated. >
Defects and defect processes in ionic oxides: Where do we stand today?

Abstract The many faceted problem of defects in particle-bombarded ionic oxides is bewildering in its complexity yet fascinating in its appeal. In the past dozen years progress has been made in sorting out numerous problems of defect structure and ctronic behavior. In this survey our present situation will be assessed and pressing problems blocking progress will be indicated. Identification of simple point defects in a number of oxides including the alkaline earths, sapphire and spinel, has proceeded to the point where there is now a well defined set of tools for assaying the nature of lattice damage and transport mechanisms in these and related oxides. The electronic behavior of these simple defects (anion and cation vacancies and aliovalent impurities in various charge states) pose interesting problems in their own right: Optical transformation of F + to F centers in α -Al 2 O 3 is a puzzle which has stimulated a new theory of the electronic structure of the O 2− vacancy which promises to have an impact on studies of electron trapping defects in other structures. Although the situation at low damage levels is reassuring, the bridge from this beachhead to the heavy damage regime in which the complexity of damage is immense has yet to be built. Strategies for bridging this chasm will be suggested.
Optimal selection of frequencies for estimating parameters from respiratory impedance data

The goal of this study was to evaluate whether optimal selection of a reduced number of frequency points would still result in statistically reliable parameter estimates. A direct-search technique is described which optimally places a small number of frequencies so that the volume of the parameter joint confidence region is minimized. The accuracy of the parameters estimated from a full data set (50 evenly spaced points) is compared to that achievable with optimal designs using 20, 10, or 5 frequency points. The techniques were applied to parameters obtained from healthy dogs and humans. Results indicated that with ten optimally chosen frequencies most parameter uncertainties are only slightly higher than that achievable with 50 frequencies while parameter uncertainties increase greatly when only five optimal points are used. This suggests that the technique of forced oscillation permits identification of the distribution of respiratory system properties without the need for extensive data acquisition. >
Partial differential feedback: An on-line training configuration for the optimization of multidimensional cue learning

The present paper describes a PDP-9 computer configuration arranged for experimental research into the acquisition of judgmental skill, but designed to overcome certain deficiences noted in stimulus-response-outcome (SRO) paradigms. The configuration departs radically from traditional approaches in that (a) the stimulus is placed under S control; (b) the requirement for a “response” is eliminated; (c) outcome feedback is a continuously changing function of the multiattribute stimulus settings under the control of S; and (d) the configuration makes possible the rapid learning of an essential feature of such learning tasks, namely the partial derivatives of the criterion or outcome variable with respect to each of the stimulus attributes.
Photonic Sensors: Introduction And General Overview

Earlier papers in this book described photonic data recorders and systems, as well as some of the components used in such systems. This paper will provide an introduction to the general field of sensors, giving a background for many of the following papers.
Push-pull power amplifier integrated with microstrip leaky-wave antenna

An X-band active integrated antenna push-pull power amplifier is presented that uses a dual feed microstrip leaky-wave antenna for both out-of-phase power combining and second harmonic tuning. This novel structure results in a compact and high efficiency power amplifier design. At the operating frequency of 8.7 GHz. A maximum measured PAE of 54% at an output power of 38.1 dBm has been achieved.
Inclusion of correlation effects in model prediction under data uncertainty

Abstract In probabilistic representation and propagation of uncertainty, it is likely that the marginal distribution types for the input variables are not known or cannot be specified accurately due to the presence of sparse point or interval data. This paper proposes a methodology for multivariate input modeling of random variables by using a four parameter flexible Johnson family of distributions for the marginals that also accounts for data uncertainty. Semi-empirical formulas in terms of the Johnson marginals and covariances are presented to estimate the model parameters (reduced correlation coefficients). This multivariate input model is particularly suitable for uncertainty quantification problems that contain both aleatory and data uncertainty. In this paper, a computational framework is developed to consider correlations among basic random variables as well as among their distribution parameters. We present a methodology for propagating both aleatory and data uncertainty arising from sparse point data through computational models of system response that assigns probability distributions to the distribution parameters and quantifies the uncertainty in correlation coefficients by use of computational resampling methods. For interval data, the correlations among the input variables are unknown. We formulate the optimization problems of deriving bounds on the cumulative probability distribution of system response, using correlations among the input variables that are described by interval data.
Arcobacters as emerging human foodborne pathogens

Abstract Arcobacter spp. are increasingly being isolated from a wide range of foods especially those of animal origin, such as pork and poultry, and products derived from these. Although its role in the disease process remains to be fully elucidated, there have been several reports of the organism being implicated in human illness. This article reviews the procedures that have been developed for the isolation and identification of Arcobacter spp. which have lead to its detection in a wide range of animals and foods and discusses the role that this organism may have in the epidemiology of foodborne disease.
The Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System on the ISS: sensor performance and space weather applications from the extreme to the near ultraviolet

The Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System (RAIDS) is a suite of eight sensors covering wavelengths from 55 to 874 nm that has been developed for comprehensive remote sensing of the upper atmosphere. Initially designed to orbit on a higher-altitude TIROS satellite, the RAIDS experiment has been refurbished for a new mission on the International Space Station Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM-EF). RAIDS measures the altitude profiles of dayglow and nightglow emissions for specification of key ionospheric and thermospheric constituents. This paper details four of the RAIDS sensors that will measure spectral features in the extreme (55-110 nm), far (130-180 nm), middle (200-300 nm), and near (300-400 nm) ultraviolet bands. The radiometric and spectral recharacterization of these sensors is highlighted, along with an overview of the primary features that this combination of experiments will measure to provide an unique perspective on the response of the ionosphere and thermosphere to space weather events.
MEASUREMENTS OF THE TOTAL CROSS SECTION FOR THE SCATTERING OF LOW-ENERGY ELECTRONS BY METASTABLE ARGON.

Measurements are presented of the total cross section for scattering of low-energy electrons by a mixture of $^{3}P_{0}$ and $^{3}P_{2}$ metastable argon. The atom-beam-recoil method was used to make an absolute measurement. The cross section was measured from 0.35 to 6.75 eV with an angular resolution of 16.1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the electron polar scattering angle at an electron energy of 1 eV. The velocity distribution of the atom beam was measured by time-of-flight spectroscopy. Electron beams with typical energy distributions of 0.3-eV full width at half-maximum were used. The over-all error in the cross section is estimated at \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 13% and the electron-energy determination is believed accurate to \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.150 eV.
MICRURGICAL STUDIES IN CELL PHYSIOLOGY II. THE ACTION OF THE CHLORIDES OF LEAD, MERCURY, COPPER, IRON, AND ALUMINUM ON THE PROTOPLASM OF AMŒBA PROTEUS.

I. Plasmalemma. 1. The order of toxicity of the salts used in these experiments on the surface membrane of a cell, taking as a criterion viability of amebae immersed in solutions for 1 day, is HgCl(2), FeCl(3)> AlCl(3)> CuCl(2)> PbCl(2)> FeCl(2). Using viability for 5 days as a criterion, the order of toxicity is PbCl(2)> CuCl(2)> HgCl(2)> AlCl(3)> FeCl(3)> FeCl(2). 2. The rate of toxicity is in the order FeCl(3)> HgCl(2)> AlCl(3)> FeCl(2)> CuCl(2)> PbCl(2). 3. The ability of amebae to recover from a marked tear of the plasmalemma in the solutions of the salts occurred in the following order: AlCl(3)> PbCl(2)> FeCl(2)> CuCl(2)> FeCl(3)> HgCl(2). II. Internal Protoplasm. 4. The relative toxicity of the salts on the internal protoplasm, judged by the recovery of the amebae from large injections and the range over which these salts can cause coagulation of the internal protoplasm, is in the following order: PbCl(2)> CuCl(2)> FeCl(3)> HgCl(2)> FeCl(2)> AlCl(3). 5. AlCl(3) in concentrations between M/32 and M/250 causes a marked temporary enlargement of the contractile vacuole. FeCl(2), FeCl(3), and CuCl(3) produce a slight enlargement of the vacuole. 6. PbCl(2), in concentrations used in these experiments, appears to form a different type of combination with the internal protoplasm than do the other salts. III. Permeability. 7. Using the similarity in appearance of the internal protoplasm after injection and after immersion to indicate that the surface is permeable to a substance in which the ameba is immersed, it is concluded that AlCl(3) can easily penetrate the intact plasmalemma. CuCl(2) also seems to have some penetrating power. None of the other salts studied give visible internal evidence of penetrability into the ameba. IV. Toxicity. 8. The toxic action of the chlorides of the heavy metals used in these experiments, and of aluminum, is exerted principally upon the surface of the cell and is due not only to the action of the metal cation but also to acid which is produced by hydrolysis.
Reactions of molecules with two equivalent functional groups. 2. Acetylation of the isomers of bis(hydroxymethyl)benzene

The acetylation (with acetic anhydride–pyridine in tetrahydrofuran) of the ortho, meta and para isomers of bis(hydroxymethyl)benzene (1) was studied. Third-order rate constants k1 (formation of monoacetate 2 from 1) and k2 (formation of diacetate 3 from 2) for all three isomers were determined, as were the rate constants for acetylation of benzyl alcohol and its ortho- and para-ethyl derivatives under the same conditions. The compositions of the final product mixtures (comprising 1, 2 and 3) were ascertained as a function of the initial ratio of acetic anhydride to 1. Comparisons were made with predictions based on a previously published independent functional groups model, which assumes that k2/k1 = 0·50. All three isomers gave product mixtures whose compositions were in generally good agreement with predictions based on the model. For the para and meta isomers the ratios k2/k1 were determined experimentally to be 0·548 and 0·521, respectively. The k2/k1 ratio for the ortho isomer was found to be 0·605, and its k1 and k2 values were lower than those for the para and meta isomers. Possible explanations for the anomalous behavior of the ortho isomer are discussed.
Clayton E. Wheeler Jr.: An Inspiring Teacher

To paraphrase one master in praise of another: Mediocre teachers are all alike; every inspiring teacher is inspiring in his own way. Clayton Wheeler inspired through his comprehensive knowledge, painstaking attention to detail, and unparalleled clinical skills. Those who knew him believed he never missed a diagnosis. No matter how obscure the disease or how minimal the symptoms, Dr. Wheeler was correct. It was the breadth of his knowledge that challenged his students to absorb more than we previously believed possible.
Manofluorographic and functional outcomes after endoscopic laser cricopharyngeal myotomy for cricopharyngeal bar.

Objective: To investigate the manofluorographic and functional outcomes after endoscopic laser cricopharyngeal myotomy (ELCPM) for cricopharyngeal (CP) bar.Study Design: Case series with chart review.Setting: Academic medical center.Subjects and Methods: Review of patients undergoing ELCPM between 2001 and 2007 was undertaken to determine the demographic, clinical, and manofluorographic findings before and six months after surgery. Two groups were established according to pharyngeal driving pressures: normal pressure group (> 55 mm Hg) and low pressure group (< 55 mm Hg).Results: Fourteen patients underwent ELCPM for CP bar without a concomitant head and neck or Zenker's procedure. There were no major surgical complications. All 14 patients improved at least one stage on the Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale (FOSS) after surgery. There was a statistically significant decrease in the FOSS stages after surgery. Videofluoroscopy demonstrated a significant postoperative increase in the mean cross-sectional ...
The relationship between perioperative temperature and adverse outcomes after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Objective The study objective was to determine predictors of hypothermia and hyperthermia, and the impact of hypothermia and hyperthermia on postoperative outcomes for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 2294 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in New York in 2007. Patients were classified as moderately to severely hypothermic (≤34.5°C), mildly hypothermic (34.6°C–35.9°C), or mildly hyperthermic (37.5°C–38.8°C) after leaving the operating room. Significant independent predictors of these temperature states and the independent impact of each of these states on in-hospital mortality and complications were identified. Results A total of 37.7% of patients were mildly hypothermic, 9.0% of patients were moderately to severely hypothermic, and 5.6% of patients were mildly hyperthermic. Significant independent predictors for postoperative hypothermia included older age, female gender, lower body surface area, congestive heart failure, higher ventricular function, non-Hispanic ethnicity, single/double-vessel disease, low postoperative hematocrit, previous cardiac surgery, race other than white or black, and organ transplant. Patients with moderate to severe hypothermia had significantly higher risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality than patients with normothermia (adjusted odds ratio 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–8.08). Patients with mild hyperthermia also had significantly higher mortality (adjusted odds ratio 5.04; 95% confidence interval,1.18–21.55). Patients with either mild or moderate to severe hypothermia had significantly higher rates of respiratory failure and unplanned operations, and patients with mild hyperthermia had a significantly higher rate of respiratory failure than normothermic patients. Conclusion It is important to maintain normal postsurgical core temperatures in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery to minimize or avoid death and complications.
Effect of aspartic acid on growth of plant-virus tumour tissue.

RECENTLY several workers have concluded that, under certain conditions, amino-acids can be assimilated intact by yeasts1,2. White and Munns1 conclude that aspartic acid can be used as a source of nitrogen by yeast, and also that the carbon skeleton can be used if fermentable sugars are present (probably as energy sources). They found that when aspartic acid is added to the test medium in sufficient amount, the growth of yeast greatly exceeds that when only hexose sugars are present.
Intestinal absorption in the sea cucumber, Stichopus parvimensis

Abstract 1. 1. Intestinal absorption of various amino acids, various monosaccharides, sodium and chloride as well as electrical potentials were studied in the sea cucumber, Stichopus parvimensis, using an everted sac technique. 2. 2. The results suggest that: (a) D -glucose, 3-o- methyl - D - glucoside , D -galactose and D -fructose are not actively absorbed by the intestine of this animal; (b) L -alanine and glycine are actively absorbed, but AIBA, DL -proline, L -glutamic acid and DL -lysine are not; (c) no potential differences occur across the intestinal wall and neither sodium nor chloride is actively transported.
Characterization of critical physical and mechanical properties of freeze-dried grape powder for development of a clinical patient delivery system.

Grapes are hypothesized to be a “food medicine.” Freeze-dried grape powder (FDGP) is being used to test clinical activity for a variety of applications and a reproducible and reliable delivery syst...
β-adrenergic receptors on splenic lymphocytes from axotomized mice

Adrenergic receptors are present on lymphocytes but the extent to which their activation modulates lymphocyte function remains unclear. We studied beta-adrenergic receptors on mouse spleen lymphocytes using the antagonist 3H-dihydroalprenolol (3H-DHA) as a specific ligand. We report a significant increase in beta-receptor density in spleen lymphocytes from mice treated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to destroy peripheral sympathetic nerve endings (axotomy). Mouse spleen lymphocytes were separated into T and B subpopulations on nylon wool columns or by panning. B cells from both control and axotomized mice were found to bear twice as many beta-receptors as T lymphocytes. Finally, using flow cytometry to identify cells labeled with goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin (lg), axotomized mouse spleen lymphocyte populations were shown to contain 25% fewer B cells than controls. This work demonstrates differences in beta-adrenergic receptor density on functionally distinct populations of lymphocytes. Furthermore, we show adaptive changes in receptor density on T and B lymphocytes following sympathetic denervation. Both of these observations serve to link the immune and sympathetic nervous system in a regulatory network.
The State or Else! Statism's Resilience in NGO Studies

The Resilience of the State: Democracy and the Challenges of Globalization. By Samy Cohen. Translated by Jonathan Derrick. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2006. 198 pp., $49.95 (ISBN: 1-58826-420-6). For most of the discipline's history, international relations scholars have ignored nonstate actors such as businesses, civic groups, transnational terrorist organizations, and the like because these entities seemed to stand on the sidelines of world politics. They existed, but their size, power, and activities made them third-rate factors in the analysis of world affairs. Most scholars saw states as the primary actors and, therefore, the sole legitimate object of study because state action—mainly in the form of military, diplomatic, and policy activity—by-and-large shaped the contours of international collective life. This neglect of nonstate actors started to change in the latter part of the last century. At first, scholars demonstrated that nonstate actors, although still in the shadow of states, significantly influence state behavior. They began to see nonstate actors as transnational pressure groups that lobby or otherwise try to influence government officials (see, for example, Rochon 1988; Forsythe 1989; Bramble and Porter 1992). Over time, it became clear that nonstate entities were not simply appendages to the state-system but had a political life of their own. Transnational businesses, especially multinational corporations, alter the economic landscape of world affairs. Public-minded nongovernmental organizations not only lobby government officials in various countries but work to shift widespread cultural understandings about human rights, environmental protection, and international peace. Humanitarian relief organizations undertake action on the ground to feed, clothe, shelter, and provide medical assistance to those in need. Global media outlets construct and widely disseminate new understandings of world affairs. Terrorist networks instill fear and alter political calculations in various parts of the world. Far from being at the margins of political life, nonstate actors appear to be key players (see, for example, Walker 1988; Rosenau 1990). Recognition of the importance of nonstate actors soon gave way to love. Normatively …
Segmentation methods for breast vasculature in dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis

Dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis (DE CE-DBT) uses an iodinated contrast agent to image the three-dimensional breast vasculature. The University of Pennsylvania has an ongoing DE CE-DBT clinical study in patients with known breast cancers. The breast is compressed continuously and imaged at four time points (1 pre-contrast; 3 post-contrast). DE images are obtained by a weighted logarithmic subtraction of the high-energy (HE) and low-energy (LE) image pairs. Temporal subtraction of the post-contrast DE images from the pre-contrast DE image is performed to analyze iodine uptake. Our previous work investigated image registration methods to correct for patient motion, enhancing the evaluation of vascular kinetics. In this project we investigate a segmentation algorithm which identifies blood vessels in the breast from our temporal DE subtraction images. Anisotropic diffusion filtering, Gabor filtering, and morphological filtering are used for the enhancement of vessel features. Vessel labeling methods are then used to distinguish vessel and background features successfully. Statistical and clinical evaluations of segmentation accuracy in DE-CBT images are ongoing.
Sulpholane as colour-enhancing and stabilizing agent for silicomolybdic acid.

Abstract Addition of between 20 and 40% v/v sulpholane gives a colour enhancement of silicomolybdic acid better than that achieved with acetone. The β-silicomolybdic acid is stabilized, and solutions yielding a pH-meter reading of 0>d1–1>d8 give the best results. The photometric measurement is made at about 400 nm. Another advantage of sulpholane is its much lower volatility.
Hydrogen Diffusion and Passivation in InGaAIN Alloys

Hydrogen is found to readily diffuse into InGaN, InAlN and InGaAlN epitaxial layers during plasma exposures at 170-250{degree}C for 40 sec-30 min. The diffusivity of hydrogen is > 10{sup -11} cm{sup 2} {center_dot} s{sup -1} at 170{degree}C, and the native donor species are passivated by association with the hydrogen. Reactivation of these species occurs at 450-500{degree}C, but the hydrogen remains in the material until {ge} 800{degree}C.
Methemalbumin: reality and myth.

Summary The ability to form methemalbumin by binding oxidized heme is described frequently as a characteristic of albumin from all animal species. Actually, only albumin from a limited number of species makes methemalbumin. Lack of recognition of interspecies differences has led to the myth of methemalbumin in domestic animals. The literature on methemalbumin is reviewed including the chemical characteristics of true methemalbumin and the misuse of mythical methemalbumin.
Adsorption complexes of copper and copper oxide in the deep eutectic solvent 2:1 urea–choline chloride

Abstract Adsorption of metal oxide particulates by soft surface solvent action using the deep eutectic solvent (DES) mixture of choline chloride and urea is examined at the molecular level. Quantum chemical calculations are employed to determine the binding energy of neutral and anionic urea to copper oxide and elemental copper, the main complexes believed to participate in surface cleaning of this DES. The possibility of the existence of urea anions in this deep eutectic solvent is studied in terms of the possibility of proton transfer taking place. Results show that the anion formation is stabilized in a dielectric and that the relative binding of neutral and anionic urea to copper oxide is similar whereas elemental Cu significantly favors binding with the urea anion. This work also shows that the hydrogen bond interactions of the urea with the chloride ion maintains an open cluster structure as suggested by experiment and that proton transfer can occur with increasing temperature or with metallic complex formation leading to more aggressive solvent action.
A new TOA-DOA node localization for mobile ad-hoc networks: Achieving high performance and low complexity

This paper1 proposes a novel approach for node localization with applications in mobile ad-hoc networks. The network consists of base nodes and target nodes. Base nodes equipped with antenna arrays are capable of localizing target nodes independently via integrated time-of-arrival (TOA) and direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. In addition, base nodes cooperate to improve the localization accuracy by fusing the estimated target node positions. Kalman filter is integrated with the fusion to further improve the localization performance. The proposed technique is compared to a localization technique based on extended Kalman filter (EKF), which directly fuses the multiple measured TOA-DOA. The comparison criteria include localization accuracy in terms of error cumulative distribution function (CDF) and approximate posterior Cramer Rao lower bound (APCRLB), filter stability and computational complexity. The comparison confirms that the proposed method involves minor computational complexity, while it demonstrates slightly larger PCRLB; however, compared to EKF its stability is higher. This makes it a good candidate for localizing multiple target nodes in mobile ad-hoc networks.
Ethylene Interacts with Auxin in Regulating Developmental Attenuation of Gravitropism in Flax Root

Previous research shows that gravity-sensing in flax (Linum usitatissimum) root is initiated during seed imbibition and precedes root emergence. In this study we investigated the developmental attenuation of flax root gravitropism post-germination and the involvement of ethylene. Gravity response deteriorated significantly from 3 to 11 h after root emergence, which occurred at around 19 h after imbibition (that is, from “age” 22 to 30 h). Although the root elongation rate increased from 22 to 30 h, the gravitropic curving rate declined steadily. Older roots were able to tolerate higher levels of exogenous IAA before inhibition of elongation and gravitropism occurred. The age-dependent effect of IAA on root growth and gravitropism suggests that young roots are more sensitive to auxin and respond to a smaller vertical auxin gradient than older roots upon horizontal gravistimulation. The ethylene synthesis inhibitor AVG (2-aminoethoxyvinyl glycine, 10 μM) or ethylene action inhibitor Ag+ (10 μM) stimulated gravitropic curvature of 30 h roots by 24 and 32%, respectively, but had no effect on 22 h roots, suggesting that as roots age, ethylene begins to play a role in root gravitropism. The auxin transport inhibitor NPA (N-naphthylphthalamic acid, 50 μM) reduced gravitropic curvature of 30 h roots by 24% but had no effect on 22 h roots. On the other hand, treating roots simultaneously with the auxin transport inhibitor and ethylene synthesis or action inhibitor stimulated gravitropic curvature of 30 h roots but not 22 h roots. Taken together, these data indicate that as roots develop, their weakened gravity response is due to decreased auxin sensitivity and possibly auxin transport regulated by ethylene.
Effect of reproductive status on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity and reactivity in male California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

article i nfo Previous studies indicate that reproductive condition can alter stress response and glucocorticoid release. Al- though the functional significance of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis modulation by breeding condition is not fully understood, one possible explanation is the behavior hypothesis, which states that an animal's need to express parental behavior may be driving modulation of the HPA axis. This possibility is con- sistent with findings of blunted activity and reactivity of the HPA axis in lactating female mammals; however, effects of reproductive status on HPA function have not been well characterized in male mammals that ex- press parental behavior. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in the monogamous and biparental California mouse. Several aspects of HPA activity were compared in males from three reproductive conditions: virgin males (housed with another male), non-breeding males (housed with a tubally ligated female), and first-time fathers (housed with a female and their first litter of pups). In light of the behavior hypothesis we predicted that new fathers would differ from virgin and non-breeding males in several aspects of HPA function and corticosterone (CORT) output: decreased amplitude of the diurnal rhythm in CORT, a blunted CORT increase following predator-odor stress, increased sensitivity to glucocorticoid negative feedback, and/or a blunted CORT response to pharmacological stimulation. In addition, we predicted that first-time fa- thers would be more resistant to CORT-induced suppression of testosterone secretion, as testosterone is im- portant for paternal behavior in this species. We found that virgin males, non-breeding males and first-time fathers did not display any CORT differences in diurnal rhythm, response to a predator-odor stressor, or re- sponse to pharmacological suppression or stimulation. Additionally, there were no differences in circulating testosterone concentrations. Adrenal mass was, however, significantly lower in new fathers than in virgin or non-breeding males. These results suggest that the behavior hypothesis does not explain HPA function across reproductive conditions in male California mice.
Hamiltonian formalism for solving the Vlasov-Poisson equations and its applications to periodic focusing systems and coherent beam-beam interaction

A Hamiltonian approach to the solution of the Vlasov-Poisson equations has been developed. Based on a nonlinear canonical transformation, the rapidly oscillating terms in the original Hamiltonian are transformed away, yielding a new Hamiltonian that contains slowly varying terms only. The formalism has been applied to the dynamics of an intense beam propagating through a periodic focusing lattice, and to the coherent beam-beam interaction. A stationary solution to the transformed Vlasov equation has been obtained.