cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the consumer brand engagement concept

Abstract Marketing researchers and practitioners almost unanimously agree that consumer engagement has major economic and social benefits. Many published works have attempted to conceptualize, develop, and validate measures of consumer engagement. One seminal study ( Hollebeek, Glynn, & Brodie, 2014 ) developed a scale for consumer brand engagement (CBE) within the context of social media and has since become one of the most cited and employed measures of engagement. The purpose of the current study is to reinvestigate the validity of the CBE scale. We integrate views from marketing research and practice to introduce a new conceptualization of engagement. Examining the CBE scale through the lens of our new conceptualization, we find that, although reliable and valid as an instrument, it does not truly capture the engagement concept. Finally, we introduce and validate a new instrument that more comprehensively captures the engagement concept.
Detecting Deception Attacks on Autonomous Vehicles via Linear Time-Varying Dynamic Watermarking.

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) such as autonomous vehicles rely on both on-board sensors and external communications to estimate their state. Unfortunately, these communications render the system vulnerable to cyber-attacks. While many attack detection methods have begun to address these concerns, they are limited to linear time-invariant (LTI) systems. Though LTI system models provide accurate approximations for CPS such as autonomous vehicles at constant speed and turning radii, they are inaccurate for more complex motions such as lane changes, turns, and changes in velocity. Since these more complex motions are more suitably described by linear time-varying (LTV) system models rather than LTI models, Dynamic Watermarking, which adds a private excitation to the input signal to validate measurements, has recently been extended to LTV systems. However, this extension does not allow for LTV systems that require several steps before the effect of a given control input can be seen in the measurement signal. Additionally, there is no consideration for the time-varying effects of auto-correlation. Furthermore, a proof of concept was only provided using simulations of a simplified model. This paper relaxes the requirement for inputs to be visible in a single step and constructs an auto-correlation normalizing factor to remove the effects of auto-correlation. In addition, Dynamic Watermarking is applied to a high-fidelity vehicle model in carsim and a 1/10 scale autonomous rover to further reinforce the proof of concept for realistic systems. In each case, the vehicle follows a predefined path with time-varying velocity and turning radii. A replay attack, which replays previously recorded measurements, is shown to be detectable using LTV Dynamic Watermarking in a quick and repeatable manner.
Intrinsic Ion Transport Properties of Block Copolymer Electrolytes

Knowledge of intrinsic properties is of central importance for materials design and assessing suitability for specific applications. Self-assembling block copolymer electrolytes (BCEs) are of great...
Abstract 5108: Investigation of how extracellular matrix composition affects pancreatic cancer chemoresistance through the use of biomimetic models

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal and malignant type of cancer with few effective treatments. Despite recent advancement in knowledge of cancer treatment, median survival of PDAC patients remains within 2 years, and less than 8% patients live beyond 5 years after diagnosis. The main factor that drives PDAC lethality is the development of chemoresistance in nearly all clinical PDACs. While intrinsic factors that facilitates chemoresistance have been studied extensively, few studies have illustrated how complex and unique microenvironment surrounding the PDAC tumor affects therapeutic responses. Moreover, a physiologically relevant co-culture model of PDAC and stromal cells remained challenging. To address this issue, we have developed a Matrigel-based, orthogonally tunable 3-dimensional (3D) culture system to culture established human PDAC cell lines, cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) cells and mouse model-derived organoids. Individual matrix parameters can be customized to mimic actual tumor matrix composition and mechanical properties. Moreover, we have optimized a co-culture medium to maintain viability of both organoid tumor and cancer associated fibroblasts. Through our 3D culture system, our data suggests that matrix-induced exosome secretion directly facilitate gemcitabine resistance in PDAC cells. By directly increasing stiffness of our 3D culture platform, we have observed that PDAC cells potentially display more invasive phenotype. Moreover, in the co-culture systems, we have seen that CAF cells cultured in different stiffness substrates affect PDAC drug response in organoid cultures. Our investigation provides insight into how matrix composition and stiffness together affect therapeutic outcome in PDAC. We believe that specific therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting the matrix microenvironment will be instrumental in order to overcome matrix-mediated chemoresistance in PDAC. Citation Format: Weikun Xiao, Chae-Young Eun, Charlene Dekalb, Kexin Zhang, Reginald Hill. Investigation of how extracellular matrix composition affects pancreatic cancer chemoresistance through the use of biomimetic models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5108.
Media industry studies (short introductions): by Daniel Herbert, Amanda Lotz and Aswin Punathambekar, Cambridge, Polity Press, 2020, 176 pp., £15.99 (paperback), ISBN 9781509537785

Herbert, Lotz and Punathambekar’s co-authored Media Industry Studies is a highly resourceful account of a burgeoning area of research in media studies. Understood as a ‘component of the broader fie...
Impacto psicológico por necesidades de bioseguridad en profesionales de enfermería durante la pandemia covid-19

Actualmente el personal de salud, en todos los niveles de atencion luchan contra la pandemia COVID-19, por la cual se han modificado y reforzado protocolos de bioseguridad en todo el mundo. El presente estudio, tiene un diseno no-experimental, de tipo exploratorio, con un enfoque de caracter mixto cuali-cuantitativo, cuyas variables estudiadas corresponden a las necesidades de bioseguridad y el impacto psicologico enfrentado por los profesionales de enfermeria de la ciudad de Guaranda, conto con la participacion de 84 profesionales de enfermeria, la mediana en cuanto a la edad fue de 34,5 anos, con un rango minino de 24 anos y un maximo de 60 anos. El 69,31% de los participantes fueron de sexo femenino. Al comparar la variable de insumos de bioseguridad con el impacto psicologico de los profesionales encontramos que la ausencia del EPP, basico (mascarillas N95, mascarillas quirurgicas, batas descartables, guantes descartables, visores, gafas) genera diferentes grados de ansiedad encontrandose en la poblacion de estudio con un rango de 83% para el criterio de muy alta, ademas los resultados muestran que no tienen una seguridad apropiada con el EPP que usan durante su jornada laboral, de tal manera se califica como media (61,15%) y baja(38,8%). Los acontecimientos transcurridos durante el trimestre marzo a mayo, generaron cambios en el patron de sueno y descanso del 100% de los participantes, son atribuidos a la necesidad de los insumos de bioseguridad y la incertidumbre por el alto riesgo de contagiarse durante su practica asistencial.
Digital Logic Course Themed Around Arithmetic

Work in Progress—In-depth coverage of arithmetic operations in an introductory digital logic course equips students with the background knowledge necessary for high-level Computer and Electrical engineering and Computer Science courses. In this paper, we propose a new method of teaching digital logic based on including a module on fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic operations during the first four weeks of the course, and then theming the whole course around this module without sacrificing the recommended course outcomes. The paper shows that theming the whole course around arithmetic operations helps students to achieve the course outcomes, makes the course interesting, ties the course to real-life applications, and teaches students how to implement and compare alternative designs.
Partial nephrectomy for patients with limited life expectancy

A new study reports that selected patients with short life expectancy can safely undergo partial nephrectomy with perioperative outcomes that approximate those of patients with long life expectancy. The authors suggest that extensive centre and/or surgeon experience, a robot-assisted approach, and off-clamp and simple enucleation techniques might facilitate favourable outcomes in these challenging patients.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients With Ventilator-Dependent High Tetraplegia Managed With Diaphragmatic Pacing Systems.

Objective To explore participants' experiences after implantation of a diaphragmatic pacing system (DPS). Design Cross-sectional, observational study using self-report questionnaires. Setting Participants were recruited from six Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SCIMS) centers across the United States (Craig Hospital, CO; Jefferson/Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, PA; Kessler Rehabilitation Center, NJ: University of Miami, FL; The Shirly Ryan Ability Lab, IL; Shepherd Center, GA). Interventions Not applicable. Participants Men and women (N=28) with tetraplegia were enrolled in the study between November 2012 and January 2015. Main outcome measure Participants completed self-report questionnaires focused on their DPS usage and mechanical ventilation, as well as their experiences and satisfaction with the DPS. Results DPS is a well-tolerated and highly successful device to help people living with SCI who are dependent on ventilators achieve negative pressure, ventilator-free breathing. A small percentage of participants reported complications including broken pacing wires and surgery to replace or reposition wires. Conclusions This study provides insight into the usage patterns of DPS and both the potential negative and positive effects that DPS can have on the life of the user. Knowledge gained from this study can provide a foundation for further discussion about the benefits and potential risks of using a DPS to inform a person's decision to pursue a DPS implant.
ANALYSIS OF TUBE FAILURE ON A HIGH-PRESSURE DRUM BOILER

The microstructure,crack shape,appearance of the fracture and the composition of the corrosion product were studied with the help of optical microscope,scanning electron microscope (SEM)and electron spectrometer.Investigations confirmed that the boiler tube failed from both the superfluous free hydroxyl in boiler water to determine which a new method has been devised and the local overheat caused by deposition in boiler tubes.The relationship between conductivity and free sodium hydroxide at simple makeup demineralizer effluent was proposed.It was found that the poor quality of makeup water was the root cause of superfluous free hydroxyl in boiler water.The long-term prevention of crater corrosion will include:keeping a clean boiler,controlling boiler free hydroxyl levels,avoid flame impingement or burner misalignment,and eliminating weld protrusions and other features that can disrupt the local boiler water flow.It is also extremely important that the makeup water treatment is optimized,and conductivity controlled to a specified limit.
Patient Reported Outcome Measures of Health-Related Quality of Life and Asthenia after Thyroidectomy.

Background After thyroidectomy some patients experience a chronic fatigue syndrome called asthenia. The purpose of this study was to determine the post-operative health related quality of life (HRQOL) and risk of asthenia in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Methods A single institution prospective observational cohort study of adults undergoing thyroidectomy from September 2016 to July 2019 with four HRQOL surveys: preoperative baseline, 2 wk-, 6 mo- and 12 mo-postoperatively. Patients were surveyed using the Short Form 36 version 2 and Brief Fatigue Inventory. Asthenia was defined as Brief Fatigue Inventory > 60 at 12 mo. HRQOL was compared between patients undergoing thyroid lobectomy (TL) or total thyroidectomy (TT) with benign (-B) or malignant (-Ca) final pathology. Results A total of 182 patients were included: 67 (37%) with TL-B, 32 (17%) with TL-Ca, 40 (22%) with TT-B, and 43 (24%) with TT-Ca. The incidence of asthenia was 42% for TT and 4% for TL. In the TL-B group, 2 patients (3%) developed asthenia, compared with 2 patients (6.25%) in the TL-Ca group, 14 patients (35%) in the TT-B group, and 21 (48.8%) in the TT-Ca group (P = 0.0001). The odds ratio of asthenia for TT compared to TL was 10.4 (95% CI 3.86-28.16) and for patients with malignancy compared to benign disease was 2.05 (95% CI 1.17-3.61). Conclusions Patients undergoing TT have a higher risk of developing asthenia than those undergoing TL, particularly if the final pathology shows malignancy.
Rhythmic coordination of hippocampal-prefrontal ensembles for odor-place associative memory and decision making

ABSTRACT Memory-guided decision making involves long-range coordination across sensory and cognitive brain networks, with key roles for the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). To investigate coordination mechanisms that mediate sensory-cued decision making based on learned associations, we monitored activity in hippocampus (CA1), PFC, and olfactory bulb in rats performing an odor-place associative memory and decision task on a T-maze. During odor sampling, the beta (15-30 Hz) and respiratory (7-8 Hz) rhythms (RR) were prominent and coherent across the three regions, with beta specifically linked to fast decisions. Single neurons and ensembles in both CA1 and PFC encoded and predicted animals’ upcoming choices, with choice-encoding dynamics linked specifically with beta rhythm coordination. Beta phase modulation of CA1 interneuron activity was linked to accurate decisions, suggesting a mechanism for enabling temporal coordination. Our findings indicate that beta rhythm coordination within the hippocampal-prefrontal network supports utilization of odor cues for memory-guided decision making.
CNS Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptors Mediate Endocrine and Anxiety Responses to Interoceptive and Psychogenic Stressors

Responses to stressors serve to adjust physiology and behavior to increase short-term survival at the potential expense of increasing susceptibility to disease over the long term. We show that glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36) amide (GLP-1) increases levels of the stress-activated hormones ACTH and corticosterone when administered directly into the rat brain and increases levels of anxiety as measured by the elevated plus maze. The endocrine response is preferentially activated by GLP-1 administration in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, whereas the anxiety response is preferentially activated by administration in the central nucleus of the amygdala. Furthermore, GLP-1 antagonists block increases in stress hormones associated with the toxin LiCl and both the endocrine and anxiety responses to vertical heights. Although diverse neural circuits must necessarily process disparate stressors, the current data implicate a role for the GLP-1 system as a critical mediator of multiple stress responses.
Evaluation of performance management systems for knowledge workers

Almost every company has a performance management system or conducts performance reviews with employees. However there is little research that demonstrates the performance management system is effective at modifying performance, especially in knowledge workers. The intent of this paper is to provide a reference and set of case studies for management to use to better understand the process of performance management within their organization. The paper provides a summary of the guidelines laid out in current literature, which we found had considerable consistency. Based on three companies analyzed the paper provides recommendations to managers for how they can work within the boundaries of their system to conduct more effective performance reviews.
Developmental Screening—Expecting the Impossible?

In this issue of Pediatrics, Meisels addresses a topic that has received considerable attention within the child development literature—the validity of the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST). The author summarizes data from 13 studies to document the limited sensitivity of the test. However, several of the studies cited by Meisels are themselves weakened by methodologic problems. For example, in four of the so-called replication studies, applications were actually examined for which the DDST was not originally designed, such as identifying developmental delay among biologically vulnerable infants, screening for speech and language problems, and identifying children with moderate to severe delays.
Designing multiple classifier systems for face recognition

Face recognition systems often use different images of a subject for training and enrollment. Typically, one may use LDA using all the image samples or train a nearest neighbor classifier for each (separate) set of images. The latter can require that information about lighting or expression about each testing point be available. In this paper, we propose usage of different images in a multiple classifier systems setting. Our main goals are to see (1) what is the preferred use of different images? And (2) can the multiple classifiers generalize well enough across different kinds of images in the testing set, thus mitigating the need of the meta-information? We show that an ensemble of classifiers outperforms the single classifier versions without any tuning, and is as good as a single classifier trained on all the images and tuned on the test set.
The Presence and Use of Interactive Features on News Websites

Although interactive features, such as comment sections, used to be rare on news websites, they are now the norm. Based on theoretical concepts of interactivity and convergence, we analyze whether diverse sites are similar in the provision and use of interactive features online. We conduct a content analysis of 155 news websites to examine the presence and use of social media buttons, lists of hyperlinks, polls, comment sections, and mobile sites. Television news and newspaper websites are compared, as are local and more broadly targeted news sites. The findings provide little evidence for interactive convergence. Rather, results reveal many differences in the adoption and use of interactive features based on medium and target. Reasons for differences across these sites are discussed.
Evolution of Brain Injury After Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Neonatal Rats

Background and Purpose—Stroke in preterm and term babies is common and results in significant morbidity. The vulnerability and pathophysiological mechanisms of neonatal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion may differ from those in the mature cerebral nervous system because of the immaturity of many receptor systems and differences in metabolism in neonatal brain. This study details the neuropathological sequelae of reperfusion-induced brain injury after transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in the postnatal day 7 (P7) rat. Methods—P7 rats were subjected to 3 hours of MCA occlusion followed by reperfusion or sham surgery. Diffusion-weighted MRI was performed during MCA occlusion, and maps of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were constructed. Contrast-enhanced MRI was performed in a subset of animals before and 20 minutes after reperfusion. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining of the brain was performed 24 hours after reperfusion. Immunohistochemistry to identify astrocytes (glial fibril...
Molecular analysis of immunoglobulin genes in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) that is highly heterogeneous from both clinical and histopathologic viewpoints. The immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy (H) chain variable region genes were examined in 71 patients with untreated primary DLBCL. Fifty-eight potentially functional VH genes were detected in 53 DLBCL cases; VHgenes were nonfunctional in 9 cases and were not detected in an additional 9 cases. The use of VH gene families by DLBCL tumors was unbiased without overrepresentation of any particular VH gene or gene family. Analysis of Ig mutations in comparison to the most closely related germline gene disclosed mutated VH genes in all but 1 DLBCL case. More than 2% difference from the most similar germline sequence was detected in 52 potentially functional and the 8 nonfunctional VH gene sequences, whereas less than 2% difference from the germline sequence was observed in 3 VH gene isolates. Only 3 VH gene isolates were unmutated. No correlation was found between VH gene use, mutation level, and International Prognostic Index (IPI) or survival. Six of 8 tested tumors showed evidence of ongoing somatic mutations. Evidence for positive or negative antigen selection pressure was observed in 65% of mutated DLBCL cases. Our findings indicate that the etiology and the driving forces for clonal expansion are heterogeneous, which may explain the well-known clinical and pathologic heterogeneity of DLBCL.
Direct Measurement of Cardiac Na+ Channel Conformations Reveals Molecular Pathologies of Inherited Mutations

Background— Dysregulation of voltage-gated cardiac Na+ channels (NaV1.5) by inherited mutations, disease-linked remodeling, and drugs causes arrhythmias. The molecular mechanisms whereby the NaV1.5 voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) are perturbed to pathologically or therapeutically modulate Na+ current ( I Na) have not been specified. Our aim was to correlate I Na kinetics with conformational changes within the 4 (DI–DIV) VSDs to define molecular mechanisms of NaV1.5 modulation. Method and Results— Four NaV1.5 constructs were created to track the voltage-dependent kinetics of conformational changes within each VSD, using voltage-clamp fluorometry. Each VSD displayed unique kinetics, consistent with distinct roles in determining I Na. In particular, DIII-VSD deactivation kinetics were modulated by depolarizing pulses with durations in the intermediate time domain that modulates late I Na. We then used the DII-VSD construct to probe the molecular pathology of 2 Brugada syndrome mutations (A735V and G752R). A735V shifted DII-VSD voltage dependence to depolarized potentials, whereas G752R significantly slowed DII-VSD kinetics. Both mutations slowed I Na activation, although DII-VSD activation occurred at higher potentials (A735V) or at later times (G752R) than ionic current activation, indicating that the DII-VSD allosterically regulates the rate of I Na activation and myocyte excitability. Conclusions— Our results reveal novel mechanisms whereby the NaV1.5 VSDs regulate channel activation and inactivation. The ability to distinguish distinct molecular mechanisms of proximal Brugada syndrome mutations demonstrates the potential of these methods to reveal how inherited mutations, post-translational modifications, and antiarrhythmic drugs alter NaV1.5 at the molecular level.
Biochemical Genetics of the Cryptic Gene System for Cellobiose Utilization in Escherichia coli K12

The cellobiose catabolic system of Escherichia coli K12 is being used to study the role of cryptic genes in microbial evolution. Wild-type E. coli K12 do not utilize the β-glucoside sugars, arbutin, salicin and cellobiose. A Cel+ (cellobiose utilizing) mutant which grows on cellobiose, arbutin, and salicin was isolated previously from wild-type E. coli K12. Biochemical assays indicate that a cel structural gene (celT) specifies a single transport protein that is a β-glucoside specific enzyme of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system. The transport protein phosphorylates β-glucosides at the expense of phosphoenolpyruvate. A single phosphoglucosidase, specified by celH, hydrolyzes phosphorylated cellobiose, arbutin, and salicin. The genes of the cel system are expressed constitutively in the Cel+ mutant, whereas they are not expressed at a detectable level in the wild-type strain. The transport and hydrolase genes are simultaneously silenced or simultaneously expressed and thus constitute an operon. Cel+ strains which fail to utilize one or more β-glucosides express the transport system at a lower level than do Cel+ strains which grow on all three β-glucosides. Other strains inducibly express a gene which specifies transport of arbutin but not the other β-glucosides. The arbutin transport gene, arbT, maps outside of the cel locus.
Out in the cold--how big and how old? Genetic fingerprinting reveals long-lived individuals withstand climatic oscillations in the arctic-alpine.

In long-lived, clonally reproducing species, assessing organism size is a nontrivial endeavour because each genetically distinct entity (genet) may comprise multiple modular units (ramets). Attributes of clonally reproducing populations, such as genet size, longevity and clonal diversity (the number of genets in a population), have significant implications for the persistence of populations over time. In the context of climate change, population persistence contributes to community stability and ecosystem resilience. Do clonal individuals persist through periods of climatic oscillations? Are clonal populations composed of a few large and persistent clones, or do they include clones of different sizes and ages? In this issue, de Witte et al. (2012) present an exciting analysis of clonal diversity and genet longevity in populations of four arctic-alpine plant species with contrasting life histories: Carex curvula, Dryas octopetala, Salix herbacea and Vaccinium uliginosum. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) data, the authors demonstrate that genet size ranged from a few centimetres to 18 metres and age estimates for the largest genets ranged from 500 to 4900 years. These data reveal that clonally reproducing populations include individuals that have outlived significant changes in climate. Despite the longevity of some individuals, clonal diversity within populations was high, with most individuals existing as small, relatively young genets. Long-lived individuals, together with high numbers of younger plants, ensure repeated recruitment and population persistence over time. This study represents a novel and timely contribution to a growing body of work aimed at understanding population persistence in changing climates.
Oligodendrocyte progenitor cell proliferation and lineage progression are regulated by glutamate receptor-mediated K+ channel block

We have analyzed the role of glutamate and its receptors (GluRs) in regulating the development of oligodendrocytes. Activation of AMPA-preferring GluRs with selective agonists inhibited proliferation of purified cortical oligodendrocyte progenitor (O-2A) cells cultured with different mitogens, as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation or bromodeoxyuridine staining. In contrast, activation of GABA or muscarinic receptors did not affect O-2A proliferation. Cell viability and apoptosis assays demonstrated that the inhibition of O-2A proliferation was not attributable to a cytotoxic action of GluR agonists, and was reversible. Activation of GluRs prevented lineage progression from the O-2A (GD3+/nestin+) stage to the prooligodendroblast (O4+) stage, but did not affect O-2A migration. Additional experiments examined the membrane ionic channels mediating these GluR activation effects. We found that proliferating O-2A cells expressed functional delayed rectifier K+ channels, which were absent in pro-oligodendroblasts. GluR agonists and the K+ channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA) strongly inhibited delayed rectifier K+ currents in O-2A cells. TEA reproduced the effects of GluR activation on O-2A proliferation and lineage progression in the same concentration range that blocked delayed rectifier K+ currents. These results indicate that glutamate regulates oligodendrogenesis specifically at the O-2A stage by modulating K+ channel activity.
Fluorometric Determination of Sulfhydryl and Disulfide Groups in Whey from Milk Processed by Turbulent Flow Ultra-High Temperature Processes

Abstract Milk was processed in a helically coiled tube heat exchanger in increments of 5.5C at holding temperatures of 65.6 to 148.9C. The heating, holding, and cooling times of each process were 4.8, .18, and 1.85s. The dlsulfide and sulfhydryl groups and proteins in rennet whey from raw and processed milk were quantified fluorometrically and electrophoretically. The mean of the groups in raw milk whey was 2.89±.26 μ moles/ml of which 1.94 μ moles were in the whey proteins. Processes at holding temperatures in the range of 65.6 to 82.2C caused no significant decreases in the groups. In the range 82.2 to 148.9C, percentage decreases were linear (correlation .96) and were closely related to percentage decreases in β -lactoglobulin, indicating that fluorometric measurement of the groups in whey could be used as an index of heat treatment of milk. The regression of area in square centimeters of electrophoretic patterns of β -lactoglobulin (Y) on μ moles of disulfide + sulfhydryl/ml of whey (X) was: Y=4.48X−7.1, correlation .97.
Use of antidepressant pharmacotherapy within the first year after diagnosis of diabetes mellitus : A study of a Medicaid population

Abstract Structured diagnostic interviews indicate that the rate of depression among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is nearly 3 times that observed in the general population in the United States. Prevalence studies have reported a significant underdiagnosis of depression and a significant underutilization of antidepressant pharmacotherapy among patients with DM. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of antidepressant utilization within the first year after diagnosis of type 1 (insulin-dependent) or type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) DM. This retrospective cohort study used adjudicated, patient-level, paid-claims data from the state of South Carolina's Medicaid program for the period January 1, 1990, through December 31, 1994. The study population comprised a statewide cohort of 3445 Medicaid beneficiaries diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 DM; aged 18 to 64 years; initiating pharmacotherapy with either insulin or a second-generation sulfonylurea (glipizide or glyburide); and without a prescription for antidepressant pharmacotherapy, insulin or an oral sulfonylurea (first- or second-generation) in the year before initiating a regimen to manage DM. Overall, 6.5% of patients (6.9% of patients with type 1 and 5.5% with type 2 DM) were prescribed antidepressant pharmacotherapy within the first year after beginning treatment with insulin or a second-generation sulfonylurea. Among patients with type 1 DM, 37.3% were prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor compared with 50.9% of patients with type 2 DM. White patients were significantly more likely ( P
Visual attention in a multiple‐choice task: Influences of image characteristics with and without presentation of a verbal stimulus

Background: Use of multiple‐choice items is common in the assessment of language comprehension. Stimulus‐driven aspects of multiple‐choice images may interfere with valid assessment. Understanding the influences of stimulus‐driven factors is crucial because individuals with neurological disorders have increased susceptibility to them. Aims: The first goal of this study was to explore the influence of objectively measurable image characteristics in multiple‐choice image sets that are otherwise well controlled in terms of physical stimulus features on individuals' visual attention. The second goal was to explore viewers' visual attention under the influence of a verbal stimulus. Methods & Procedures: The effects of controlled manipulation of physical image characteristics on visual attention in 40 healthy adults were assessed. Eye movements were recorded while participants viewed 40 image sets with and without a verbal stimulus. Within each set, two images shared the same image characteristics (colour, orie...
Effect of Implantation Surgery on the Strength Properties of Silastic® II Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Abstract Background: The causes of silicone gel–filled breast implant rupture are uncertain, and little research has been directed toward characterizing or quantifying the multiple factors that may contribute to device failure. Breast implants are subjected to some degree of stress and deformation during the surgical procedures of insertion. Thus implantation surgery itself could be a factor in affecting the durability of breast implants. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the surgical procedure of insertion affects the mechanical properties of the silicone elastomer shell of gel–filled implants. We wanted to determine whether the procedure of inserting a breast implant might cause a decrease in the strength properties of the shell. Methods: Thirty-four Silastic ® II gel–filled breast implants manufactured by Dow Corning were tested. All implants were from the same lot and had a volume of 300 cc. Twenty of 34 implants were tested without implantation to investigate variability within a lot and establish a baseline of control data for comparison with implanted implants. Fourteen of the 34 implants were implanted through an inframammary incision in the right breast of a cadaver. The effect of implantation surgery was investigated by comparing the mechanical properties of the anterior and posterior sides of the cadaver explants with those of the controls. Results: Statistical analysis of the data indicated that the mechanical properties of elongation and tear resistance were essentially unaffected by implantation surgery. However, the average tensile strength of the explants was reduced 4.9% to 6.2% (for shells extracted with hexane and unextracted shells, respectively) compared with the controls. Breaking energy averages for the explants were also reduced 7.8% to 5.9% (for extracted and unextracted shells, respectively) when compared with the controls and average moduli decreased by a similar magnitude. Conclusions: The surgical procedure of implanting a breast implant has a small but statistically significant effect on the average strength properties of the elastomer shell of the implant. It is unlikely that this small reduction is sufficient to be a factor in implant durability.
Chirality-dependent intermolecular interactions probed by time-resolved chiroptical luminescence measurements of enantio-differential excited-state quenching kinetics

Abstract Time-resolved chiroptical luminescence (TR-CL) spectroscopy is used to measure the chirality dependence of dynamic excited-state quenching processes in solution. Measurements are performed on a series of luminophore-quencher systems in which the interacting molecular species have similar overall shapes and sizes, but differ with respect to one or more well-defined (and incrementally varied) elements of structural chirality. The measurements yield rate constants for competing enantiospecific quenching processes, and the relative values of these rate constants provide information about both the degree and sense (handedness) of chiral discriminatory interactions between the luminophore and quencher species. It is shown that both the degree and sense of chiral recognition/discrimination in the quenching processes are modulated by small changes in quencher structure.
Short intramolecular Diels-Alder approach to functionalized spiro[4.5]decanes

Abstract The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of a (5′-hexynyl)cyclopentadiene provides a 1,2-tetramethylene-bridged norbornadiene which undergoes selective monohydrogenation followed by ozonolysis to provide the title compounds.
Comments on the review article “fetal hormones, the brain, and human sex differences”

A recent review article by Reinisch (1974) attempted the difficult task of collating much of the pertinent literature in regard to the organizing effect of endocrine parameters and human psychosexuality. It would be worthwhile to this extensive historical review to make the coverage more complete and of value to those less familiar with the field, to add citation to the works of several others, particularly Benjamin, Stoller, and myself. This is particularly true since the manuscript attends primarily to those perinatal endocrine parameters which affect sexuality. All of us have contributed to this area with either theoretical orientation or data or both. Benjamin (1964) strongly inferred endocrine influences on sexual orientation particularly in regard to the transsexual phenomenon. He presented an extensive amount of clinical material and discussion and reviewed several of the theories possibly accounting for sexual orientation. He summarized his conclusions thus:
Red to green rainbow photoluminescence from unoxidized silicon nanocrystallites

We prepared luminescent silicon by incorporating H2O2 in the anodizing process. Under UV excitation, our samples appear reddish, orangish, yellowish to greenish as the electrolyte-air interface at the meniscus is approached. Under high current anodization, the emission becomes broad but unstable. The time characteristics of all the emission regions are in the range of 1–10 μs. The results are consistent with a significant reduction of crystallite sizes, and may be explained via novel Si–Si dimer surface states that are induced by quantum confinement.
Atomic scale simulations of ductile failure micromechanisms in nanocrystalline Cu at high strain rates

The micromechanisms related to ductile failure during dynamic loading of nanocrystalline Cu are investigated in a series of large-scale molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations. Void nucleation, growth, and coalescence are studied for a nanocrystalline Cu system with an average grain size of 6 nm under conditions of uniaxial tensile strain and triaxial tensile strain at a strain rate of ${10}^{8}\text{ }{\text{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The MD simulations of deformation of the nanocrystalline system under conditions of triaxial tensile stress show random nucleation of voids at grain boundaries and/or triple point junctions. The initial shape of the voids is nonspherical due to growth of the voids along the grain boundaries. Void growth is observed to occur by the creation of a shell of disordered atoms around the voids and not by nucleation of dislocations from the void surface. Void coalescence occurs by the shearing of the disordered regions in between the voids. The nucleation and growth of voids result in the relaxation of tensile stresses, after which growth of the voids is slower. The slower growth is accompanied by recrystallization of the surrounding disordered regions resulting in near-spherical shapes of the voids.
SUPERSYMMETRY IN NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS

Abstract The role of supersymmetries in physics is discussed. These symmetries change bosons into fermions and viceversa. The first experimentally observed example of a dynamic supersymmetry is presented. This example occurs in the spectra of nuclei in the Os-Pt region.
Artists and Scientists: An Analysis of Marital Status and Stability

The authors hypothesize higher degrees of role ambivalence for female artists and scientists than for male artists, and especially male scientists. Likewise, they predict that female professionals in this sample are less likely to marry or to have stable marriages than male professionals. However, contrary to these predictions, male artists are more similar to female professionals than to male scientists, and female scientists were not characterized by the highest divorce rates. In fact, female scientists were less likely to be divorced or separated than male artists. In short, male artists represent the greatest departure from the patterns observed by other researchers. The analysis concludes with a comprehensive review of factors which may be useful in explaining the striking differences between male scientists and male artists with respect to marital status and stability.
Hemodynamic and angiocardiographic observations in an adult with persistent left superior vena cava draining into the coronary sinus and interatrial septal defect.

Abstract 1. 1. A case is reported which shows a persistent left superior vena cava draining into the coronary sinus and associated with a large interatrial septal defect in a woman, aged 50 years. 2. 2. The embryologic basis of anomalies of the superior vena cava is reviewed, and a classification of the types of persistent left superior vena cava is presented. 3. 3. The patient was shown to have a large left-to-right shunt and increasing cardiomegaly but normal pulmonary arterial resistance. 4. 4. Although definitive criteria for surgical therapy of interatrial septal defects in adults are not yet crystallized, we believe the patient is approaching the critical stage when heart failure is imminent and, therefore, recommend surgical intervention.
Helium plasma source time-of-flight mass spectrometry: off-cone sampling for elemental analysis

In this paper, an atmospheric pressure, helium microwave-induced plasma (MIP) ion source coupled with an orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) is explored for elemental analysis. Studies of the relationship between ion signals and sampling distance of the MS reveal that background signals can be suppressed dramatically without sacrificing the signal intensities of analytes when the microwave plasma plume is off the tip of the sampler orifice. This “off-cone” ion sampling mode provides a technique to obtain nearly “clean” background spectra and, thus, eliminates the spectral interference from entrainment air and the working-gas species, making it possible to sensitively determine isotopes that suffered from spectral interference in ICPMS and MIPMS (such as 40Ca, 52Cr, 55Mn, and 56Fe). On the other hand, since the high-temperature plasma is kept away from the sampler aperture, off-cone sampling places little demand on the cooling device and the lifetime of the sampler plate can be...
Survival and reproduction of codling moths exposed to 33° during larval and pupal development

Most adult male codling moths, Cydia pomonella (L.), were sterile when they were transferred from 26° to 33°C at various larval stages. Exposures to 33° increased mortality (on average by 26.5%) and resulted in 48.5% and 30.7% fewer matings by treated males and females, respectively. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG APFEL WICKLER: EFFEKTE EINER ZUCHTTEMPERATUR VON 33° FUR RAUPEN UND PUPPEN ***AUF UBERLEBEN UND VERMEHRUNG Wenn Raupen des Apfelwicklers, Cydia pomonella (L), in verschiedenen Zeitpunkten von 26° zu 33° gebracht wurden, waren die meisten Falter steril. Zudem erhohte die Zuchttemperatur 33° die Mortalitat (Erhohung um durchschnittlich 26,5% gegenuber unbehandelt) und reduzierte die Kopulationen der behandelten Mannchen um 48.5% und der behandelten Weibchen um 30.7%.
Durability of cement and glass impregnated with sulfur and polymethyl methacrylate

Abstract Possible causes of instability of sulfur-impregnated bodies (porous glass and portland cement) have been investigated. As they are non-crystalline and have a large surface-to-volume ratio, impregnants in small pores are normally in a metastable state unless their free energy is lowered by meniscus effects or interaction with the matrix. Extrusion of sulfur on exposure to water or other adsorbing vapors occurs because of the weak interaction between impregnant and the siliceous surface and a lubricating effect created by the presence of the adsorbate on the surface of the impregnant. Non-isotropic expansion and impregnant-adsorbate interaction are suggested as the main causes of mechanical breakdown. Good interaction with the surface and resistance to flow due to cross-linking render polymethyl methacrylate a stable impregnant.
Russia: Power in Weakness?

Russian leadership faces internal political, economic, societal, and defense challenges that will preclude Russia from achieving great‐power status in the near future. What is notable is not Russia's power but its weakness.
Elderly African Americans as Intragenerational Caregivers

Abstract A growing number of older Americans serve as caregiving resources for their elderly spouses, partners, relatives, and/or friends. Yet, little research has addressed the impact and implications of this trend among African Americans. This article describes the results of a qualitative study examining the intragenerational caregiving experiences and perspectives of two cohorts of African Americans (urban and rural, N = 129) between the ages of 58 and 89. Its findings reveal important differences and commonalities associated with elderly African American caregivers and their care giving in urban and rural settings. Additionally, the study suggests that volunteer caregivers can often fill the void left by partners and relatives who predecease or fail to assume responsibility for the care of their elderly relatives. Their efforts do not displace those of friends and family members, but rather address unmet needs in available care. The discussion focuses on the implications of the Study findings for pub...
Structural analysis of the β-SiC(100)-(2 × 1) surface reconstruction by automated tensor LEED

Abstract The atomic structure of the β-SiC(100)-(2 × 1) surface was analyzed using dynamical calculations of low energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensities measured with a video camera. Surface composition was monitored using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The LEED calculations utilized our recently developed automated tensor LEED method. The results indicate that the surface is terminated by a monolayer of silicon with the topmost silicon atoms forming asymmetric, buckled dimers.
Investigation of isobaric-spin conservation in the O16 (d, α) N14 reaction using a high resolution semiconductor E- (dE/dx) system

An upper limit for the ratio of the cross section for the O/sup 16/(d, alpha )N/sup 14*/ (2.31 Mev) O/sup +/, T = 1 transition to the cross section for the O/sup 16/(d, alpha )N/sup 14/ ground state transition, with 24-Mev incident deuterons, was found to be 0.7 plus or minus 0.6%. This result is discussed in terms of the possible mechanism for populating the 2.31-Mev state, with emphasis on the variation of i-spin impurity of states of a compound nucleus with increasing excitation. (R.E.U.)
An explanation and generalization of the AESOPS and PEALS algorithms (power system models)

The AESOPS and PEALS algorithms are explained in terms of relatively standard eigenvalue analysis and related to a true Newton iterative scheme. The true Newton scheme requires an additional (or simultaneous) elimination at each iteration but can give a reduction in the number of iterations. The generalized algorithm can be used to compute various modes either separately or simultaneously. A numerical example involving the New England test system of reference is given. >
Linear dimensional changes in addition curing silicone impression materials

Five vinyl polysiloxane addition curing impression materials were evaluated on the basis of linear dimensional change occurring as a function of time between making an impression and pouring the die. The dies were measured and compared to a master model to determine the linear change in the impression material. One material produced an overall larger die, but the greatest increase in size deviated from the master model by only 0.1%. Permagum putty-wash material consistently produced undersized dies, with the greatest change being 0.3%. Three materials randomly produced smaller or larger dies, differing from the master model by only 0.08% for the smallest die to 0.07% for the largest. No consistent pattern of increase or decrease in die size occurred with time. Dies produced at 168 hours were as accurate as those produced at 10 minutes.