cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High consumption of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods among low-income groups in the Mississippi Delta and Alabama.

OBJECTIVE To assess the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and other energy-dense nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods in two Southern low-income communities targeted by the Balance Calories Initiative, a campaign by the top-three American beverage companies intended to reduce the consumption of sugary beverages by 20 % over 10 years. DESIGN We conducted self-administered intercept surveys in front of food retail outlets between August and November 2016. We recruited adults with children <18 years living at home and adolescents aged 10-17 years with parental consent. SETTING Retail food outlets in Mississippi and Alabama, USA. PARTICIPANTS Adults (n 11 311) and adolescents (n 3460). RESULTS The percentage of high SSB consumers (≥4 servings/d) was 40·9 % among adult males, 32·3 % among adult females, 43·0 % among adolescent males and 34·4 % among adolescent females (male - female difference, P < 0·0001). In aggregate, respondents also reported consuming a mean of 3 servings of salty snacks, cookies and/or candy in the past 24 h, with adolescent males reporting 4 servings. CONCLUSIONS SSB should be a primary target of future interventions to improve dietary intake, but EDNP foods likely contribute as many daily kilojoules as SSB among this population. Future campaigns should aim to limit the consumption of all EDNP foods.
Cannabis and psychosis through the lens of DSM-5.

Evidence for an association between cannabis and psychosis has been documented in literature in many forms including experimental studies, epidemiological data, and case series. The association has implications for psychotic outcomes ranging from mild to severe and occurring over minutes to years. Due to the huge variety of exposures and outcome measures reported, creating a coherent account of all the available information is difficult. A useful way to conceptualize these wide-ranging results is to consider the association between cannabis and psychosis as it occurs within the context of widely used DSM-5 diagnoses. In the present review we examine cannabis/psychosis associations as they pertain to Cannabis Intoxication, Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder, and Schizophrenia. This allows for an understanding of the cannabis and psychosis association along something approaching a continuum. Cannabis intoxication becomes Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder once certain severity and duration criteria are met and Cannabis-Induced Psychotic Disorder is heavily associated with future schizophrenia diagnoses.
Relative disease burdens of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in New York City, February 1 - April 18, 2020.

Abstract Comparisons between the mortality burdens of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza often fail to account for the fact that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports annual influenza mortality estimates which are calculated based upon a series of assumptions about the underreporting of flu deaths. COVID-19 deaths, in contrast, are being reported as raw counts. In this report, we compare COVID-19 death counts to seasonal influenza death counts in New York City during the interval from February 1 - April 18, 2020. Using this approach, COVID-19 appears to have caused 21.4 times the number of deaths as seasonal influenza during the same period. We also assessed excess mortality in order to verify this finding. New York City has had approximately 13,032 excess all-cause mortality deaths during this time period. We assume that most of these deaths are COVID-19 related. We therefore calculated the ratio of excess deaths (i.e. assumed COVID-19 deaths) to seasonal influenza deaths during the same time interval and found a similar ratio of 21.1 COVID-19 to seasonal influenza deaths. Our findings are consistent with conditions on the ground today. Comparing COVID-19 deaths with CDC estimates of yearly influenza-related deaths would suggest that, this year, seasonal influenza has killed approximately the same number of Americans as COVID-19 has. This does not comport with the realities of the pandemic we see today.
A Surface Mount 45 to 90 GHz Low Noise Amplifier Using Novel Hot-via Interconnection

Application of MMIC through-substrate via interconnects (“hot-vias”) to form a Chip Scale Package (CSP) and a Laminate Surface Mount Package (SMP) for a wideband millime-ter-wave low noise amplifier (LNA) covering the full V & E-band waveguide bands were demonstrated for the first time. A wideband low noise amplifier MMIC covering 40–95 GHz range was successfully designed, assembled, and characterized with bondwire free chip interconnect technology. A broadband on chip matching network was a key element to maintain the intrinsic performance of the reference amplifier on the hot via MMIC. With this optimized hot-via RF transitions, compact full waveguide band CSP or SMP amplifiers can be directly mounted onto evaluation boards. The SMP LNA demonstrate a typical gain of> 15-dB and return losses> 15dB over 45-90GHz frequency range with little performance degradation compared to reference circuits probed with GSG front-side RF pads. To the author's knowledge, this optimized hot-via interconnection represents the highest bandwidth with extremely good return loss and lowest insertion loss for both V & E-band of any millimeter wave hot-via active circuits onto standard PCBs for a Surface Mount Package.
Viaje a un mito de autor a través de los géneros en El muerto y ser feliz (Javier Rebollo, 2012)

At a time when the concept of auteur cinema is being deeply questioned, the cinematographic work of Spanish director Javier Rebollo (1969-) can be understood as a sample of formal characteristics and experimental narratives leading to a reaffirmation of director as an auteur. In Rebollo’s third film, El muerto y ser feliz (The Dead Man and Being Happy 2012), Santos, a dying hitman, goes on a journey from Buenos Aires to Northern Argentina that progressively acquires a symbolic meaning, as it is a journey from civilization to nature, from life to death, and, ultimately, from history to myth. The physical decline of Santos and his overcoming of physical death–and of linear time–through his transformation in myth, is parallel to a deconstruction of traditional cinematic language in the movie. Through a meta-reflective articulation of the road movie genre and through the distancing effect caused by the existence of two narrators who, competing with each other, simultaneously construct and deconstruct Santos’ story with their ironic and polysemic words, Rebollo attempts to reaffirm his position as a director-auteur, as the sole creator of an auteur myth (“mito de autor”) versus the traditional myth, oral and collective by nature.
Heartbeat: the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of cardiology.

The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges which exposed inefficiencies, inequities, lack of resiliency and outdated models for the delivery of cardiovascular care around the globe. At the same time, the response to this crisis has allowed rapid transformation of our systems of care, including widespread use of digital interfaces, streamlining of care pathways and improved integration of patient-centric clinical services. In the hope of ensuring that this positive transformation is carried forward the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) has outlined these changes and identified additional areas that require improvement as summarised in a short article in this issue of Heart 1 with the full report available on the BCS website.2 As they conclude: ‘cardiology, like other specialties, needs to assimilate and act on the lessons learnt during the pandemic. This will require a restructuring of the way that we all work and deliver clinical services.’ The insights summarised in the BCS report and the changes implemented by the NHS in the UK can provide a useful frame of reference that other healthcare systems around the world might consider in their long-term approach to improving care of patients with cardiovascular disease (figure 1). Figure 1 Potential interactions between primary and secondary care. AECG, ambulatory ECG; CP, chest pain; CTCA, CT coronary angiography; EHR, electronic health records; EOL, end of life; EP, electrophysiology; GP, general …
Early mobilization after 12 hours post thrombolysis is feasible and safe in minor stroke patients (P2.3-039)

Objective: We sought to compare outcomes and in-hospital complications of 12- and 24-hour bed rest protocols following thrombolysis in minor stroke patients. Background: Current guidelines recommend 24 hours of hospital bed rest after thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. There is no scientific evidence for these guidelines and leads to unnecessary immobilization Design/Methods: Consecutive patients age >18 years with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke with initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) 0–6 who received intravenous thrombolysis only from 1/1/2017 until 4/30/2018 were included. Standard practice bed rest order for 24 hour protocol prior to 07/15/2017 was compared with 12 hour bed rest order protocol after that date. Primary outcome was length of stay. Secondary outcome measures included symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), pneumonia, favorable discharge to home or acute rehabilitation, readmission within 30 days and modified rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days. Results: 77 patients were identified, 36 patients in the 24-hour protocol and 41 in 12-hour bed rest protocol groups. There was no significant difference for length of stay in the 24-hour bed rest protocol (2.8 days) compared with the 12-hour bed rest protocol (2.3 days) (p=0.37). Compared with the 24-hour bed rest group, the rates of sICH (p=1.00), DVT (p=NS), PE (p=NS), pneumonia (p=1.00), favorable discharge disposition (p=0.69), 30 day readmission (p=0.80) and 90 day mRS 0–2 (p=0.36) were also not different between the groups. Time to mobilization was significantly different between the two groups (24 hour group-2043.2 ± 680.1 minutes; 12 hour group-1144.5 ± 539.0) (p Conclusions: Compared with 24-hour bed rest, 12-hour bed rest after thrombolysis for minor acute ischemic stroke was associated with significantly earlier patient mobilization without any adverse outcomes. A randomized trial is needed to verify these findings. Disclosure: Dr. Khan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tubergen has nothing to disclose. Dr. LaCroix has nothing to disclose. Dr. Packard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Huffman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garcia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ames has nothing to disclose. Dr. Newell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Packard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Raad has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zachariah has nothing to disclose. Dr. James has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goosen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Frye has nothing to disclose. Dr. Abdelhak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Silver has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Women’s Health Initiative Adjudication, Ebix, and Medscape.
Between Continent and Country: Botswana, National Liberation, and Pan-Africanist Challenges, 1960s–1980s

Representative of similarly positioned Frontline States, Botswana became a negotiated space during the twentieth century’s second half. Within a continent where leaders often imagined regional and continental unity, the realities of late-stage colonialism just as often undermined these visions. This chapter investigates the country’s difficult positioning and the sometimes-positive, sometimes-adverse space within, betwixt, and between its citizens and neighbours. Utilising sources from Botswana’s National Archives, as well as from liberation movement archives emanating from the ANC and SWAPO, it seeks to understand how parties constrained under Total War imagined Pan-Africanist ideals within their physical realities.
Contact surveys reveal heterogeneities in age-group contributions to SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in the United States

SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily through person-to-person contacts. Quantifying population contact rates is important for understanding the impact of physical distancing policies and for modeling COVID-19, but contact patterns have changed substantially over time due to shifting policies and behaviors. There are surprisingly few empirical estimates of age-structured contact rates in the United States both before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that capture these changes. Here, we use data from six waves of the Berkeley Interpersonal Contact Survey (BICS), which collected detailed contact data between March 22, 2020 and February 15, 2021 across six metropolitan designated market areas (DMA) in the United States. Contact rates were low across all six DMAs at the start of the pandemic. We find steady increases in the mean and median number of contacts across these localities over time, as well as a greater proportion of respondents reporting a high number of contacts. We also find that young adults between ages 18 and 34 reported more contacts on average compared to other age groups. The 65 and older age group consistently reported low levels of contact throughout the study period. To understand the impact of these changing contact patterns, we simulate COVID-19 dynamics in each DMA using an age-structured mechanistic model. We compare results from models that use BICS contact rate estimates versus commonly used alternative contact rate sources. We find that simulations parameterized with BICS estimates give insight into time-varying changes in relative incidence by age group that are not captured in the absence of these frequently updated estimates. We also find that simulation results based on BICS estimates closely match observed data on the age distribution of cases, and changes in these distributions over time. Together these findings highlight the role of different age groups in driving and sustaining SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the U.S. We also show the utility of repeated contact surveys in revealing heterogeneities in the epidemiology of COVID-19 across localities in the United States.
Correlation of gestational age with maternal human chorionic somatomammotropin and maternal and fetal growth hormone plasma concentrations during labor

Abstract The effect of gestational age on the interrelationships between infant weight (n = 464) and maternal (n = 331) and cord (n = 464) growth hormone (GH) concentrations and maternal (n = 326) human chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS) levels was determined in unselected obstetric patients delivered of infants between 31 and 45 weeks of gestation. A significant negative correlation (r = −0.113) was observed between gestational age and maternal HCS. After correction for gestational age, there was a low but significant correlation between infant weight and maternal HCS (average r = 0.129) and between HCS and placental weight (average r = 0.308). The mean HCS levels of patients admitted in the late stages of labor was significantly lower than those admitted in the earlier stages. Surprisingly, a significant negative correlation (r = −0.203) was observed between cord GH level and infant weight. The low order of correlation between HCS and infant weight indicates that single HCS determinations drawn during labor are a poor indicator of fetal size.
Algorithms for flexible space management in transaction systems supporting fine-granularity locking

We present several methods which relate to space management in a transaction system supporting fine-granularity (e.g., record) locking. These methods enable varying length records to be supported efficiently by permitting garbage collection to be performed within a page without the moved records having to be locked or the movements having to be logged. We present methods to do the following: (1) When a transaction releases space, efficiently prevent that space from being consumed by other transactions until that transaction terminates, while allowing the same transaction to reuse the space it freed. (2) Under the correct circumstances, avoid reading a totally empty deallocated page from disk during page reallocation. (3) Updating and logging of free space inventory pages' (FSIPs') changes for correct recovery. (4) Reduce locking during a table scan by a transaction using the isolation level of cursor stability. Our methods improve concurrency and space utilization, and provide I/O and CPU savings. Our space reservation and FSIP logging methods have been implemented in DB2 V3 in preparation for DB2's support of record locking.
The Inherent Structure of Free Speech Law: Government as Patron or Regulator in the Student Speech Cases

Free speech law seems to consist of unrelated, technical, and incoherent rules. That appearance is misleading. This Article is the first in a series that reveals the inherent structure of free speech law as entailing three judgments: one about the role of government, another about the target of government regulation, and the third a constrained cost-benefit analysis. This Article focuses on the first of these judgments. We identify two roles government may play: (1) as regulator interfering with private speech or (2) as patron acting on its own by speaking, sponsoring speech, or managing an internal governmental function. We claim that the constraints of free speech law generally apply when government regulates private speech, but not when government acts on its own. We develop this argument by analyzing the school speech cases, paying particular attention to the Supreme Court's recent decision in Morse v. Frederick. The work of Robert Post provides the greatest insight to date about the importance of role of government in free speech law, explaining various free speech doctrines. The final part of this Article explores both how Post's analysis can deepen our understanding of the school speech cases and how the school speech cases can refine Post's analysis.
Why and Where: A Characterization of Data Provenance

With the proliferation of database views and curated databases, the issue of data provenance - where a piece of data came from and the process by which it arrived in the database - is becoming increasingly important, especially in scientific databases where understanding provenance is crucial to the accuracy and currency of data. In this paper we describe an approach to computing provenance when the data of interest has been created by a database query. We adopt a syntactic approach and present results for a general data model that applies to relational databases as well as to hierarchical data such as XML. A novel aspect of our work is a distinction between "why" provenance (refers to the source data that had some influence on the existence of the data) and "where" provenance (refers to the location(s) in the source databases from which the data was extracted).
Characterization of the lysosomal cystine transport system in mouse L-929 fibroblasts.

We characterize here a lysosomal cystine transporter in mouse L-929 fibroblasts. Granular fractions from cells preloaded with cystine demonstrated countertransport that showed no dependence on Na+ or K+. The Michaelis constant for infinite-trans influx was 0.27 +/- 0.06 mM (n = 3), and a nonsaturable component of cystine entry was observed with Kd = 0.8-1.8 nmol of cystine.min-1.unit of hexosaminidase-1.mM-1. We found no evidence that cystine was also carried on any of the other known lysosomal amino acid transporters. Over 50 analogs were tested for their ability to inhibit countertransport. The inhibition constants are reported for selenocystine, cystathionine, selenomethionine, and leucine. Significant requirements for recognition by the transporter were the presence of amino groups, L configuration, and a chain length not greater than eight atoms. A net positive or negative charge was not required. Some di- as well as tetrapolar amino acids were recognized. We have surmised that the binding site has polar and apolar domains, the latter being large enough to accommodate branching on C-3 and the substitution of selenium or carbon in place of sulfur.
Application of nanotechnology to medicine

Nanotechnology refers to situations where at least one dimension of interest is around or is less than 100 nm. This is of significance in life sciences where many fundamental sub-cellular and protein functions take place at this spatial scale. The ability to image and manipulate biological moieties at this scale opens up many new possibilities. Further, some of the most exciting applications of nanotechnology are where a particular geometrical size, right size, may promote or inhibit a particular behavior. In this paper a quick overview of some new discoveries will be made. The remainder will focus on drug delivery, tissue engineering, and biosensors.
Negotiation Ethics: How to Be Deceptive without Being Dishonest/How to Be Assertive without Being Offensive

This article explores various ethical issues pertaining to negotiation interactions. Model Rule 4.1 proscribes material misrepresentations, but permits puffing and embellishment during bargaining encounters. This is based upon the fact that statements pertaining to one's settlement intentions and subjective values are considered to involve non-material information. It is thus imperative for negotiators to distinguish carefully between such accepted deceptive practices and clearly improper misrepresentations involving material information. The article also discusses the use of assertive tactics that might offend some persons. It points out how negotiators can be assertive without resorting to truly offensive behavior that would be unlikely to advance their underlying interests.
The Radio-Gamma-Ray Connection: The Radio Properties of Gamma-Ray-Bright Blazars

Forty AGN have been detected at high significance level by EGRET in the γ-ray band. Previous studies based on radio observations near or at the times of the EGRET detections suggest that there is a causal connection between individual events in these two wavebands. Here we examine the question of whether the cm-λ and the γ-ray activity are related.
A PILOT STUDY OF THE BLACK BRITISH PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING EXPERIENCE

The purpose of this paper is to draw on the findings of a small pilot study to examine aspects of the Black accounting experience in the U.K. The study deployed a qualitative approach of in-depth semi structured interviewing in order to uncover hidden aspects of the professional working environment. The data suggests that the accountancy field is characterized by subtle, but institutionalized inequalities of race, gender, and class; several respondents perceived the professional environment as openly sexist and racist. The small sample size and use of qualitative method means, of course, that it is impossible to claim generalization for its findings; nevertheless, the data together with statistical evidence suggest that the recruitment and retention policies of accountancy must change if it wishes to be a more diverse and meritocratic profession.
On Scleroderma: Mast Cells, Endothelial Cells, and Fibroblasts

An integrated view of the pathogenesis of scleroderma should include vascular, immunologic, and fibrotic processes. This review introduces the mast cell into this picture, emphasizing recent knowledge gained from a study of experimental chronic graft-vs-host disease and scleroderma itself. In both of these situations, increased mast cell activity occurs. A link between the activation of both endothelial cells and fibroblasts may be provided by the family of heparin-binding growth factors. These cytokines are produced by many cells and are bound, protected, and enhanced by heparin, which may be provided by the activated mast cells. These and other growth factors may be responsible for endothelial proliferation and excess collagen production by fibroblasts. This enlarged schema should provide additional points for therapeutic intervention in scleroderma. (JAMA. 1989;262:1206-1209)
Toxicity and Metabolism of Exogenous α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyls in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Tubers

A group of aliphatic α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds was evaluated for their utility as inhibitors of sprout growth in stored potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.). Nondormant tubers were treated with vapors of six 8–10-carbon compounds of this chemistry. Subsequent sprout growth at 16 °C (95% relative humidity) over ca. 3 months in storage was suppressed by all compounds in a concentration-dependent manner. The volatile metabolites produced by sprout and associated tuber tissues following treatment with 3-octen-2-one, 3-nonen-2-one, and 3-decen-2-one were the corresponding alkyl ketones and alkyl secondary alcohols. In contrast, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal, and (E)-2-decenal were metabolized by two pathways: (1) parent compound to the corresponding alkyl aldehyde and then to the alkyl primary alcohol and (2) parent compound to the alkenyl primary alcohol. Residues of 3-nonen-2-one and (E)-2-nonenal and their metabolites were analyzed in whole tubers over a 28 day post-treatment period. The concentrati...
IL-23 Contributes to Control of Chronic Helicobacter Pylori Infection and the Development of T Helper Responses in a Mouse Model1

The immune response to Helicobacter pylori involves a mixed T helper-1, T helper-2, and T helper-17 response. It has been suggested that T helper cells contribute to the gastric inflammatory response during infection, and that T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 17 (Th17) subsets may be required for control of H. pylori colonization in the stomach. The relative contributions of these subsets to gastritis and control of infection are still under investigation. Expression of IL-23, which is induced in dendritic cells and macrophages following co-culture with H. pylori, has also been reported to increase during H. pylori infection in humans and animal models. IL-23 plays a role in stabilizing and expanding Th-17 cell cytokine expression. To investigate the role of IL-23 in H. pylori, we infected IL-23 deficient mice and wild-type littermates with H. pylori strain SS1. At various time points post-infection, we assessed colonization, gastric inflammation, and cytokine profiles in the gastric tissue. Specifically, H. pylori-infected IL-23-/- mice have higher levels of H. pylori in their stomachs, significantly less chronic gastritis, and reduced expression of IL-17 and IFN-gamma compared to H. pylori-infected wild-type mice. While many of these differences were significant, the H. pylori infected IL-23-/- had mild increases in our measurements of disease severity. Our results indicate that IL-23 plays a minor role in the activation of the immune response and induction of gastritis in response to H. pylori by contributing to the control of infection and severity of gastritis.
Abstract 2654: Transferrin receptor targeting PRINT® nanoparticles: Chemotherapeutic-free nanomedicine for B-cell lymphoma

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Transferrin receptor (TfR, CD71) is an essential protein involved in cellular iron uptake and regulation of cell growth. This study is to convert PRINT® nanoparticles to targeted drug delivery system by conjugating TfR ligands to particle surface, taking advantage of TfR overexpression on many types of malignant tissues. 200 nm × 200 nm cylindrical PRINT nanoparticles with poly(ethylene glycol)-based composition were fabricated and labeled with transferrin receptor antibody (mouse anti-human TfR mAb, clone OKT-9) or human transferrin (hTf) via biotin-avidin binding or direct chemical conjugation strategies. Nanoparticles coated with OKT9 or hTf, but not isotype control mouse IgG1 or bovine transferrin (bTf), showed highly specific TfR-mediated uptake by all human tumor cell lines tested in this study, including solid tumors and disseminating B cell lymphomas. Non-cancerous HEK293 cell that expresses low level of surface TfR, in contrast, took up particles at much lower rate during short exposure to TfR-targeting particles. The targeting efficiency was dependent on particle concentration, ligand density, particle dosing time and cell surface receptor level. Interestingly, the PRINT nanoparticles coated with OKT9 or hTf showed little cytotoxicity on all solid tumor cell lines tested but were toxic to Ramos B-cell lymphoma. More than 70% of the Ramos cells were killed by OKT9 or hTf coated nanoparticles at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. In contrast, free OKT9 or hTf did not induce death of Ramos cells. There was a strong correlation between TfR ligand density on particle surface and cell viability. Elevated caspase 3 activity indicates the activation of apoptosis pathways upon particle treatment. Iron supplementation suppressed toxicity of NP-OKT9 but not NP-hTf, suggesting different mechanisms by which hTf and OKT9 exerts cytotoxicity on Ramos cells. Further study of cell death mechanism through DNA microarray analysis is under way. Overall, we have shown that human transferrin and transferrin receptor antibodies can be useful targeting ligands for nanoparticle delivery to tumors. More importantly, non-toxic transferrin and TfR antibodies can be turned into a potential chemotherapeutic-free medicine for B-cell lymphoma through multiplexing with PRINT nanoparticles. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2654.
EPR Studies of Gd 3+ , Dy 3+ , and Ce 3+ in some Van Vleck Paramagnets

EPR of Gd 3+ in the Van Vleck paramagnets, PrPb 3 and TmCd have been investigated. The temperature-dependent linewidths have been found to be in agreement with the prediction of Moriya and Obata. In a complementary study, non- S -State Dy 3+ in TmP, TmAs, PrP, PrAs, PrSb, PrBi and PrS, and Ce 3+ in TmS, TmAs, PrS and PrP have been examined. For all these cases, ( S -state as well as the non- S -state magnetic ions), the temperature variation of the g -shifts follows the susceptibilities of the hosts. The exchange coupling constants between the impurity ions and the host magnetic ions have been obtained.
DO PILI PLAY A ROLE IN PATHOGENICITY OF HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B

Abstract Surface components of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) responsible for mucosal adherence were identified through assay of in-vitro attachment to human buccal epithelial cells (EC). Among many Hib strains from cerebrospinal fluid, blood, or the nasopharynx (NP), two isolates from NP were found to be exceptionally adherent. Adherence correlated with agglutination of human red blood cells (RBC). The adherent strains displayed pili, not previously described for Hib or other encapsulated H. influenzae. Moreover, highly adherent, piliated subpopulations of bacteria could be selected from any strain, but were lost upon subculture. Thus, the potential to express pili may be general for Hib and may aid the NP colonisation which precedes systemic invasion by this organism. Piliation was correlated with the amount of an outer membrane protein with a molecular weight of about 20 000 daltons, which had proved to be immunogenic in an 8-month-old child.
Dominating cliques in graphs

A set of vertices is a dominating set in a graph if every vertex not in the dominating set is adjacent to one or more vertices in the dominating set. A dominating clique is a dominating set that induces a complete subgraph. Forbidden subgraph conditions sufficient to imply the existence of a dominating clique are given. For certain classes of graphs, a polynomial algorithm is given for finding a dominating clique. A forbidden subgraph characterization is given for a class of graphs that have a connected dominating set of size three.
NOAH'S NONCONCAVITY: ON THE EXISTENCE OF NONTRIVIAL INTERIOR SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF COST-EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION PLANNING

The idea that species loss diminishes future information flows is a cornerstone of arguments for conservation planning. In his seminal work entitled The Noah's Ark Problem, Weitzman [1998] examines the problem of cost-effective conservation planning from a theoretical perspective accounting for the affect planning has on the expected size of the biosphere's informative potential. This paper extends Weitzman's analysis by examining how his conclusions are altered by the introduction of a conservation authority that considers the value of information contained in the biosphere. Introducing nonquasiconcave preferences for the information contained in each species substantially modifies the characterization of a cost-effective conservation plan. In particular, I find that a cost-effective plan generally includes partial funding for many species and funds no species completely. This investigation is motivated by theoretical contributions to the information economics literature, a laRadner and Stiglitz [1984], showing that the value function for information tends to exhibit increasing returns.
Alternate day fasting (ADF) with a high-fat diet produces similar weight loss and cardio-protection as ADF with a low-fat diet

Abstract Alternate day fasting (ADF) with a low-fat (LF) diet is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection. However, the applicability of these findings is questionable as the majority of Americans consume a high-fat (HF) diet. Objective The goal of this study was to determine if these beneficial changes in body weight and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk can be reproduced if an HF background diet is used in place of an LF diet during ADF. Methods Thirty-two obese subjects were randomized to an ADF-HF (45% fat) or ADF-LF diet (25% fat), which consisted of two phases: 1) a 2-week baseline weight maintenance period, and 2) an 8-week ADF weight loss period. All food was provided during the study. Results Body weight was reduced (P Conclusion These findings suggest that an ADF-HF diet is equally as effective as an ADF-LF diet in helping obese subjects lose weight and improve CHD risk factors.
Ligand-dependent interaction of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with DNA probed by emission spectroscopy.

The nature of the interaction in buffered aqueous solution of several homo and heteroleptic ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes containing 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 2,2'-bipyrazine (bpz), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dip), 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (tmp), 1,4,5,8-tetraazaphenanthrene (tap), and 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene (hat) with calf thymus DNA and poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) (pdAT) has been investigated by steady-state spectroscopy and emission lifetime measurements. Those complexes containing two or more tap/hat ligands photo-oxidize the guanine base upon binding to DNA with efficiencies that parallel their excited state redox potentials, but display "normal" behavior (increase of both the emission intensity and lifetime) when bound to pdAT. However Ru(tap)(hat)2+2 and Ru(hat)2+3 even photooxidize the adenine base of pdAT, so that their excited states are also quenched in the presence of either polynucleotide. The electron transfer quenching mechanism has been confirmed previously by detection of the monoreduced complex in laser flash photolysis experiments in the presence of mononucleotides. Most of the complexes investigated appear to bind to DNA, at least in part via intercalation, with affinities being dependent on the nature of the largest ligand (hat shows the highest ability in heteroleptic complexes). From lifetime quenching experiments, in the presence of moderate amounts of NaCl, surface binding does not appear to be a general mode for the complexes investigated, and it has been demonstrated unequivocally only for Ru(phen)2+3. In addition, the intercalation of complexes into DNA increases as the ionic strength of the medium decreases, the DNA/Ru ratio increases, or when water is partially replaced by glycerol.
Associations of Tumor Necrosis Factor α and HLA Polymorphisms with Adult Dermatomyositis: Implications for a Unique Pathogenesi1

We recently reported that the -308A tumor necrosis factor α promoter polymorphism is associated with the photosensitive disorder subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus and mediates an exaggerated tumor necrosis factor α response to ultraviolet B. We now sought to examine the association of this polymorphism with adult dermatomyositis, a photosensitive disease that exhibits some features in common with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Fifty adult patients with dermatomyositis and 239 healthy, race-matched controls were examined for the -308A tumor necrosis factor α polymorphism and the more common -308G allele. The frequency of the -308A allele was 0.27 in the entire dermatomyositis group, versus 0.14 in the controls (p = 0.003, χ 2 2 × 2 table). Caucasians were the only racial/ethnic group in our study large enough to allow separate statistical analysis (47 dermatomyositis, 223 controls). The frequency of the -308A allele was 0.26 for dermatomyositis and 0.14 for controls (p = 0.014). Caucasians are known to exhibit a linkage disequilibrium between -308A and HLA-DR3, which we previously found to be significantly enhanced in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus patients. In contrast, we now found no increase in the association of -308A and HLA-DR3 in Caucasians with dermatomyositis compared to controls. Consistent with this observation, the association of these two genes in dermatomyositis was significantly less than we previously reported in Caucasians with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (p = 0.016). We conclude that the tumor necrosis factor -308A polymorphism is associated with dermatomyositis, which suggests a pathophysiologic contribution from ultraviolet-induced production of tumor necrosis factor α, similar to subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. The differences in linkage with HLA-DR3, as well as several divergent clinical features, indicate that there are also fundamental mechanistic differences between dermatomyositis and subacute cutaneous lupus erythe matosus.
Nitrite photolysis in seawater by sunlight

Abstract Nitrite is chemically stable but photochemically unstable in seawater. The net disappearance rate in abiotic low-nitrate seawater exposed to sunlight is ∼ 10% per day. The primary products are the free radicals NO and OH. Quantitative aspects of the kinetics and secondary product formation are discussed in terms of a fourteen-step reaction scheme. Possible pathways explaining the results are suggested but not unequivocally identified. The rate of reaction in various marine environments is estimated from cruise data and extrapolations to vary between 0.2–60·10−3 moles m−2yr−1, with a suggested global average for comparison purposes of 1–10·103 moles m−2yr−1. These results confirm and quantify our previous suggestion that nitrite photolysis represents a source of OH radical in seawater. The reaction rate is large enough that significant impacts on the geochemical cycles of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen and heavy metals may plausibly result. Effects on marine biota and atmospheric trace gas composition are also possible. However, specific reactions coupling the nitrite system to other processes have not yet been identified or demonstrated empirically.
Chylomicron-bound LPS selectively inhibits the TNF-alpha signaling pathway in rat hepatocytes

Abstract We have previously shown that pretreating primary rat hepatocytes with chylomicron-bound endotoxin (CM-LPS) renders the cells unresponsive to subsequent stimulation by a combination of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, and IFN-γ), a process we term cytokine tolerance. Thus, we questioned whether the hepatocellular responses elicited by each cytokine were equally inhibited by CM-LPS. Given the prominent role of TNFα as an early circulating mediator of inflammation, we hypothesized that CM-LPS selectively inhibits TNFα signaling rather than inhibiting the effects of all three cytokines. To test this hypothesis, primary rat hepatocytes were pretreated with CM-LPS, recovered, and then stimulated with TNFα, IL-1β, and IFN-γ, individually and in combination. NO production was measured as an indicator of hepatocellular activation and compared to that of non-pretreated, cytokine-stimulated cells. To enhance our ability to study TNFα-induced activation of NF-kB in hepatocytes, McA-RH7777 cells (hepatoma) were stably transfected with a NF-kB-LUC plasmid. Pretreated hepatocytes failed to show any attenuation in response to stimulation with either IL-1β or IFN-γ alone or in combination (data not shown). However, as expected, the cells demonstrated cytokine tolerance when TNFα was added to the cytokine mixture. Stimulation of transfected liver cells showed that pretreatment with CM-LPS significantly inhibited the hepatocellular response to TNFα (Fig. 1) Download : Download high-res image (67KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . CM-LPS inhibits TNF-induced NF-kB activation in hepatocytes. Pre-treatment with CM-LPS inhibited the cellular response toTNFα . In summary, CM-LPS complexes inhibit the TNFα signal transduction pathway in hepatocytes. Selective inhibition of this pleiotrophic cytokine leads to a loss of synergy between pro-inflammatory cytokines, and may illustrate a role for lipoproteins in regulating the host innate immune response to infection.
Conformational and Energetic Analysis of Saturated Organic Ring Compounds by 2 + 1 Resonance-Enhanced Multiphoton Ionization Spectroscopy

The UV transition to the 3s Rydberg state in a number of saturated cyclic compounds has yielded a wealth of structural and energetic information. The HOMO → 3s spectra of pulsed molecular beam cooled samples can be conveniently investigated by 2 + 1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) using pulsed laser light in the 360−420 nm region. The transition origins for a variety of methyl- and ethyl-substituted cyclohexanes, cyclohexanones, cyclopentanones, and tetrahyrdopyrans, as well as bicyclic compounds such as decalone and various camphors, are highly sensitive to the location of alkyl substitution as well as the orientation of the alkyl group (axial vs equatorial). In addition, the orientation of the ethyl rotor can be determined from the spectra. This technique is especially useful for investigating molecules in which several equilibrating conformations make the analysis of room-temperature spectra difficult. By rapid cooling in the molecular beam, higher energy conformers can be frozen out ...
Approximate Equations for Impact Dispersion Resulting from Winds and Deviations in Density

OR accurate prediction of the location of a long-range ballistic missile impact, the effect of the atmosphere's meteorological characteristics (especially density and wind profiles) near the impact point must be considered. Aiming instructions that are given at the firing point are frequently based on a standard density profile and zero wind, with corrections then applied to account for the existing winds and for deviations in density from the standard profile. Such corrections are obtained by use of three- or six-degree-of freedom trajectory simulations. However, use of a closedform solution to the equations of motion, if sufficiently simple while still accurate, is more economical, is faster, is more useful in situations where computing capability is limited, and provides helpful insight to the user. The full report presents such a solution, including derivations of the working equations. These equations, their applications, and their limitations are presented herein. Contents The dispersion Sw (ft) resulting from a re-entry wind component (north-south or east-west) and the dispersion 8P (ft) resulting from deviations in density may be estimated using the following equations: Table 1 / functions
A systematic review of service-learning in medical education: 1998-2012.

Phenomenon: In the United States, the Affordable Care Act has increased the need for community-centered pedagogy for medical education such as service-learning, wherein students connect academic curriculum and reflections to address a community need. Yet heterogeneity among service-learning programs suggests the need for a framework to understand variations among service-learning programs in medical education. Approach: A qualitative systematic review of literature on service-learning and medical education was conducted for the period between 1998 and 2012. A two-stage inclusion criteria process resulted in articles (n = 32) on service-learning and Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine being included for both coding and analysis. Focused and selective coding were employed to identify recurring themes and subthemes from the literature. Findings: The findings of the qualitative thematic analysis of service-learning variation in medical education identified a total of seven themes with subthem...
Long-term strategies for PACS archive design

A complete PACS must store images for decades. For reasons of either media life or drive obsolescence, no storage technology can practically retain data for much more than ten years. Procedures for migration of data to new media must be part of the system to provide the necessary storage life. In preparation for procurement of a PACS archive, clinical procedure volume and use patterns in the Department of Radiology were analyzed and projections of storage, network and retrieval requirements were developed. The analysis showed that an archive based on magnetic disk for short term storage and duplicate copies of high density magnetic tape for long term storage should meet the complete archiving needs of the Department. Advance notice of the need for retrievals from long term storage must be provided by the Radiology Information System for efficient functioning of the archive. The organization and data migration policies of the archive being procured are described.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Enhancement of the activity of cefotaxime by iron-binding proteins

L'efficacite de la cefotaxime depend de sa capacite a penetrer la membrane externe des bacteries gram negatif. On teste l'hypothese que la transferrine serique augmente cette activite en agissant sur la permeabilite membranaire. L'activite de la cefotaxime et de son metabolite, le desacetylcefotaxime, est evaluee sur 6 souches de E. coli, en presence de transferrine serique ou de lactoferrine humaine
Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry for characterization and optimization of amorphous silicon-based solar cell structures

Abstract Over the past few years, we have applied real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) in order to characterize and optimize hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H)-based solar cell fabrication by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Recently, the RTSE approach has been expanded to include the characterization of fine-grained microcrystalline silicon p-layers (μc-Si:H:B) deposited at low temperature (200°C) on a-Si:H i-layer substrates in the Cr/(n-i-p) solar cell configuration. In this study, we explore the effects of a H 2 -plasma pre-treatment of the underlying i-layer on the resulting microstructural evolution and the optical properties of intended μc-Si:H:B p-layers, as deduced from a post-deposition analysis of the RTSE data. We find that film growth on an untreated underlying i-layer is in the form of a-Si:H:B even after 100 A, whereas nanocrystallite nucleation occurs immediately under the same conditions on a H 2 -plasma treated i-layer. Unique optical properties observed for the 50–150-A thick μc-Si:H:B layers in device structures have been attributed to size effects in Si nanocrystals.