cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in hospitalizations related to anaphylaxis, angioedema, and urticaria in the United States

Introduction There are limited data for prevalence of allergic disorders over time. Recent studies have noted marked increase in prevalence of allergic conditions over different parts of the world. We sought to examine time trends in the prevalence of anaphylaxis, angioedema and urticaria in the US. Methods Using the largest inpatient National Inpatient Sample data in US from 2001-2014, adults admitted with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis, angioedema, urticaria were identified based on International Classification of disease-9 codes. Yearly distribution of hospital admissions was stratified per different age groups. STATA version 13.0 (College Station, TX), MS-Excel 2016 and Joinpoint Regression Program version 4.5.0.1 were used to determine yearly trend of hospitalizations related to anaphylaxis, angioedema and urticaria. Results While an increasing trend in the rate of hospitalizations was seen for angioedema (annual percentage change [APC] 4.48), a decreasing trend (APC -2.19) was observed for urticaria-related hospitalizations. Overall anaphylaxis-related hospitalizations were noted to be stable, but a significant increasing trend was observed among age group 5-14 years (APC 4.19), mostly due to the subgroup of food-related hospitalizations (APC 5.86). Angioedema-related hospitalizations were found to be highest among the 35-64 years age group (APC 5.38). Trends in hospitalizations related to anaphylaxis, angioedema and urticaria in US (2001–2014) Conclusions An increasing trend of hospitalizations has been observed for allergic conditions, with varying age-distribution according to the nature of eliciting agent and susceptibility of different age groups. While angioedema has been observed as an increasing problem in older population, food-induced anaphylaxis is a growing concern in the younger population.
Comparative Studies Reveal Principles of Movement on and Within Granular Media

Terrestrial locomotion frequently occurs on complex substrates such as leaf litter, debris, and soil that flow or solidify in response to stress. While principles of movement in air and water are revealed through study of the hydrodynamic equations of fluid motion, discovery of principles of movement in complex terrestrial environments is less advanced in part because describing the physics of limb and body interaction with such environments remains challenging. We report progress we have made in discovering principles of movement of organisms and models of organisms (robots) on and within granular materials (GM) like sand. We review current understanding of localized intrusion in GM relevant to foot and body interactions. We discuss the limb-ground interactions of a desert lizard, a hatchling sea turtle, and various robots and reveal that control of granular solidification can generate effective movement. We describe the sensitivity of movement on GM to gait parameters and discuss how changes in material state can strongly affect locomotor performance. We examine subsurface movement, common in desert animals like the sandfish lizard. High speed x-ray imaging resolves subsurface kinematics, while electromyography (EMG) allows muscle activation patterns to be studied. Our resistive force theory, numerical, and robotic models of sand-swimming reveal that subsurface swimming occurs in a “frictional fluid” whose properties differ from Newtonian fluids.
Advancing supportive oncology care via collaboration between psycho-oncology and integrative medicine.

As survival after cancer diagnosis increases, patients are increasingly turning toward integrative therapies (e.g., yoga, acupuncture, massage) to manage acute and chronic concerns related to cancer treatment and survivorship. As such, integrative medicine programs devoted to combining conventional Western cancer care with complementary treatments such as yoga, acupuncture, botanicals, and homeopathy are increasingly common in cancer communities around the world. However, few integrative medicine programs have included psycho-oncology providers in order to systematically evaluate and treat psychological and behavioral health factors affecting adjustment to cancer. A pilot program was initiated at a large academic medical center to explore benefits of a collaborative clinic visit conducted with psycho-oncology and integrative medicine within an existing supportive oncology clinic. Collaborative medical and psychological interventions were provided to enhance patient quality of life and reduce symptom burden. Forty-nine patients were seen via the dyadic consultation model. Sixty-eight percent of patients rated their emotional distress at or above clinical cutoffs, indicating unmet supportive care needs. The majority of patients seen were White, non-Hispanic, and female. Many cancer patients and survivors report persistent emotional distress and chronic physical problems associated with their diagnosis and treatment. The types of patients seen in this pilot program raise concern about ongoing inequalities in access to integrative medicine and psycho-oncology services, which may contribute to downstream health disparities and poorer clinical outcomes. Future directions will explore billing practices, financial sustainability, and methods to increase access to this type of program for demographically diverse individuals across cancer populations.
Insane in the Membrane: Glial Extracellular Vesicles Transmit Polyomaviruses.

ABSTRACT Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are major vehicles for transporting viruses en bloc among hosts. While RNA viruses make up the great majority of transmission by EVs, in a recent article in mBio (mBio 10:e00379-19, 2019, https://mbio.asm.org/content/10/2/e00379-19.long), Morris-Love and colleagues revealed that a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus, JC polyomavirus (JCPyV), a major cause of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), can be released from and transmitted to other glia in EVs. This mode of transmission appears to be highly infectious, independent of the free virus attachment and entry receptors LSTc and 5-HT2, and protected from neutralizing antibodies. This novel form of JCPyV transmission may potentially explain its dissemination into the central nervous system (CNS) and its increased virulence.
Essay Film, Network Narrative, Streaming Series: Vive por mí, Sincronía

This chapter treats a genre well established in Mexican film since at least the first features of Gonzalez Inarritu: the network narrative in which multiple-plot strands and a diverse cast intersect after a random event. It also engages with the essay film, arguing that the network narrative can serve as a form of social and even personal commentary. The two texts treated are a dramatic feature starring Martha Higareda (previously known for romantic comedy) and the first drama series made for Televisa’s internet platform, which features Maria Rojo (a distinguished film actress with a high political profile). Suggesting once more that new platforms produce new contents, this series has a radically new structure in that viewers are encouraged to view its episodes in any order they choose.
Beijing’s perception of the international system and foreign policy adjustment in the post-cold war world

This study, applying an international system-centered approach, represents a modest attempt to analyze Beijing’s official perception of the change in the international system from the Cold War bipolar confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union to a new post-cold war multipolar world, and to examine China’s foreign policy adjustment in recent years. It argues that Beijing’s perception of a multipolar system is a matter of normative truth rather than an empirical or analytical assessment. Because the multipolar system is its goal, Beijing “perceives” it. While working hard to encourage a multipolarity, Beijing in fact finds a unipolar reality in the post-Cold War era and has accommodated to it through its foreign policy adjustment.
Failure Propagation Modeling in FMEAs for Reliability, Safety, and Cybersecurity using SysML

Abstract A method for modeling failure propagation is presented in the context of producing a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) from SysML with a critical infrastructure system example. The significance of the method is the modeling of failure propagation which enables not only an automated approach but significant additional analysis results that can be used to support reliability, safety, and cybersecurity. The analysis products from a tool implementing this method together with the insight and analytical benefits they provide are discussed)
Potent anti‐myeloma activity of the TOPK inhibitor OTS514 in pre‐clinical models

Multiple myeloma (MM) continues to be considered incurable, necessitating new drug discovery. The mitotic kinase T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase/PDZ-binding kinase (TOPK/PBK) is associated with proliferation of tumor cells, maintenance of cancer stem cells, and poor patient prognosis in many cancers. In this report, we demonstrate potent anti-myeloma effects of the TOPK inhibitor OTS514 for the first time. OTS514 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis at nanomolar concentrations in a series of human myeloma cell lines (HMCL) and prevents outgrowth of a putative CD138+ stem cell population from MM patient-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In bone marrow cells from MM patients, OTS514 treatment exhibited preferential killing of the malignant CD138+ plasma cells compared with the CD138- compartment. In an aggressive mouse xenograft model, OTS964 given orally at 100 mg/kg 5 days per week was well tolerated and reduced tumor size by 48%-81% compared to control depending on the initial graft size. FOXO3 and its transcriptional targets CDKN1A (p21) and CDKN1B (p27) were elevated and apoptosis was induced with OTS514 treatment of HMCLs. TOPK inhibition also induced loss of FOXM1 and disrupted AKT, p38 MAPK, and NF-κB signaling. The effects of OTS514 were independent of p53 mutation or deletion status. Combination treatment of HMCLs with OTS514 and lenalidomide produced synergistic effects, providing a rationale for the evaluation of TOPK inhibition in existing myeloma treatment regimens.
Investigating local oxidation processes in Fe thin films in a water vapor environment by in situ liquid cell TEM

Abstract Automated image recognition and analysis techniques were combined with liquid cell transmission electron microscopy to explore the oxidation kinetics of nanocrystalline Fe thin films in a water vapor environment. From in situ microscopy experiments, localized oxidation was observed to initiate in the film then propagate in an unsteady fashion, alternatingly arresting and progressing. The oxidation front propagation occurred via new oxidation sites initiating 10s of nm ahead of the existing front rather than through a continuous expansion mechanism. The oxidation rate was seen to be highly dependent on electron dose rate, with increasing electron dose rate accelerating the oxidation front propagation and increasing the density of oxidation initiation sites. The in situ experiments were also performed in diffraction space where it was seen that Fe2O3 was formed during oxidation. Coupling in situ microscopy with automated image analysis creates new opportunities for studying the early stages of localized corrosion by providing direct observation of oxidation propagation as well as quantification of the oxidation rates and rapid identification of byproducts.
Field Testing a Behavioral Teamwork Assessment Tool with US Undergraduate Business Students

Given the ubiquitous utilization of teams in U.S. workplaces, collegiate schools of business have responded by placing great emphasis on the assessment and development of teamwork skills. Employing a methodology first proposed by Hobson and Kesic (2002) for use in managerial training, this study involved the behavioral assessment of teamwork skills in a sample of 247 undergraduate business students. The evaluation tool consisted of 15 positive and 10 negative teamwork behaviors. A leaderless group discussion exercise was utilized with 5-person teams, working together to solve a problem in a 20- minute period. Team interaction was videotaped and analyzed to produce ratings (on a 0-4 scale, from never to always) for each student on the 15 positive behaviors, 10 negative behaviors, as well as an overall score (the sum of the 15 positive behaviors minus the sum of the 10 negatives). Data analysis provided means for all 25 individual items on the teamwork assessment tool and norms for overall teamwork scores. A full factorial ANOVA indicated essentially no demographic differences in overall scores as a function of sex, age, race/ethnicity, or major. Potential uses of this assessment methodology in teaching, student coaching, and accreditation are discussed.
Persistent viral RNA shedding after COVID-19 symptom resolution in older convalescent plasma donors.

Introduction The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is responsible for a worldwide pandemic. While the medical community understands the mode of viral transmission, less is known about how long viral shedding occurs once viral symptoms have resolved. Our objective was to determine how long the SARS-CoV-2 remains detectable following self-reporting of viral symptom resolution. Methods This study was approved by the University of Wisconsin Institutional Review Board. A cohort of patients who were previously SARS-CoV-2 positive less than 28 days after self-reported symptom resolution were retested for proof of viral recovery by nasal swab reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Results A total of 152 potential participants were screened, of which 5 declined, 54 were ineligible, and 93 were recruited; 86 of 93 completed testing. Eleven of 86 (13%) were still positive at a median of 19 days (range, 12-24 days) after symptom resolution. Positive participants were significantly older than negative participants (mean, 54 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 44-63 vs 42 years; 95% CI, 38-46; P = .024). CT values were significantly, inversely associated with age (β = -.04; r2 = 0.389; P = .04). The number of days since symptom recovery was not apparently different between positive and negative participants. Conclusion We found evidence of persistent viral shedding in nasopharyngeal secretions more than 2 weeks after resolution of symptoms from confirmed COVID-19 infection. Persistent shedding was more common in older participants, and viral load was higher among older positive participants. These results underscore the necessity of testing COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors less than 28 days after symptom resolution.
PYRC2-Related Hypomyelinating Leukodystrophy: More to This Than Meets the Eye

Loss-of-function variants in the PYRC2 gene cause hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 10 (HLD10), but the associated pathogenic mechanisms are unknown. In this issue of Neuron, Escande-Beillard et al. (2020) reveal that PYRC2 is a key enzyme for proper brain development and a regulator of glycine homeostasis, uncovering hyperglycinemia as a driver of HLD10 pathogenesis.
Clostridioides difficile Infection in Cancer and Immunocompromised Patients: Relevance of a Two-step Diagnostic Algorithm and Infecting Ribotypes on Clinical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND Patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Guidelines recommend a two-step diagnostic algorithm to differentiate carriers from CDI; however, there are limited data for this approach while including other confounding risk factors for diarrhea such as radiation, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and adoptive cell based therapies. METHODS We conducted a prospective, non-interventional, single center, cohort study of cancer patients with acute diarrhea and C. difficile, identified in stools by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) and culture. Fecal toxin A/B was detected by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and isolates were ribotyped using 16s rRNA fluorescent sequencing. Patients were followed for 90 days to compare outcomes according to malignancy type, infecting ribotype, and EIA status. RESULTS We followed 227 patients with a positive NAAT. Of these, 87% were hospitalized and 83% had an active malignancy. EIA was confirmed positive in 80/227 (35%) of patients. Those with EIA+ were older (60 ± 18 years vs 54 ± 19 years., P = .01), more likely to fail therapy [24/80 (30%) vs 26/147 (18%), P = .04] and experience recurrence [20/80 (25%) vs 21/147(14%), P < .05]. We found a low prevalence (22%) of ribotypes historically associated with poor outcomes (002, 018, 027, 56, F078-126, 244) but their presence were associated with treatment failure [17/50 (34%) vs 33/177 (19%), P = .02]. CONCLUSIONS When compared to cancer patients with fecal NAAT+/EIA-, patients with NAAT+/EIA+ CDI are less likely to respond to therapy and more likely to experience recurrence, particularly when due to ribotypes associated with poor outcomes.
The distributional effects of job loss from fiscal consolidation: Evidence from the Budget Control Act of 2011

Abstract We leverage spending reductions from the Budget Control Act of 2011 to estimate the effect of fiscal consolidation on local employment. Overall job losses were modest and tilted more heavily toward educated individuals. Cost-per-job estimates range from $250,000–$500,000.
Distributed Nonconvex Optimization of Multiagent Systems Using Boosting Functions to Escape Local Optima

In this article, we address the problem of multiple local optima arising due to nonconvex objective functions in cooperative multiagent optimization problems. To escape such local optima, we propose a systematic approach based on the concept of boosting functions . The underlying idea is to temporarily transform the gradient at a local optimum into a boosted gradient with a nonzero magnitude. We develop a distributed boosting scheme based on a gradient-based optimization algorithm using a novel optimal variable step size mechanism so as to guarantee convergence. Even though our motivation is based on the coverage control problem setting, our analysis applies to a broad class of multiagent problems. Simulation results are provided to compare the performance of different boosting functions families and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the boosting function approach in attaining improved (still generally local) optima.
Algebraic solutions of differential equations over ℙ1 −{0,1,∞}

The Grothendieck–Katz p-curvature conjecture predicts that an arithmetic differential equation whose reduction modulo p has vanishing p-curvatures for almost all p has finite monodromy. It is known...
BEHAVIOR OF NORTHERN RIVER OTTERS IN RELATION TO SOCIAL GROUP SIZE AND PUP PRESENCE: RESULTS FROM 15 YEARS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE

We describe activity patterns of North American River Otters (Lontra canadensis) in relation to social group size and the presence of young. Over the course of 15 y, we collected observations of 8 River Otter behaviors from a network of citizen scientists in northern California, retaining 1692 records following a rigorous data-cleaning process. Observers were asked to indicate 1 or more of the following 8 behaviors: “diving”, “swimming”, “walking”, “running”, “digging”, “turning rocks”, “pursued birds”, and “retreating from observer.” We treated “digging”, “turning rocks”, and “pursued birds” as alternative foraging strategies in some comparisons. Assessment of these reports showed that families were seen diving, running, and retreating from the observers more frequently than adult groups. Likewise, adult social groups behaved differently than solitary adult otters. Propensity to retreat from humans increased with increasing group size in social otters, whereas diving behavior also increased with group size. Solitary adults employed alternative foraging strategies more than adults in social groups. Citizen observers also reported that diving and styles of foraging behavior varied among months for adult otters. Taken together, these results provide evidence that citizen-science questionnaires can be used to provide insight into the natural behaviors of species that are difficult to observe.
Foveal Avascular Zone Segmentation of Octa Images Using Deep Learning Approach with Unsupervised Vessel Segmentation

Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) is a crucial indicator for retinal disease detection and accurate automatic FAZ segmentation has a significant impact in clinical applications. Apart from the binary FAZ segmentation map, a vessel segmentation map can provide further information. To simultaneously implement vessel and accurate FAZ segmentation, an end-to-end trained network is proposed to achieve unsupervised vessel segmentation and supervised FAZ segmentation. Due to the lack of vessel labels, the style transfer with consistency loss is proposed to the vessel segmentation. Then FAZ segmentation is achieved with a U-Net structure based on vessel segmentation. Two superficial layer OCTA image datasets - OCTAGON3 [1] and sFAZDATA datasets [2] - are used to evaluate the proposed method. We achieve the Dice scores of 0.9263 and 0.9784, which are better than those from other approaches.
Non-Hamilton Fundamental Cycle Graphs

The purpose of this note is to exhibit examples related to the work of Maciej Syslo [3,5]. The examples concern the nonexistence of Hamilton circuits in some fundamental cycle graphs. Also, some problems concerning fundamental cycle graphs are posed.
Isolation and Serological Evaluation of HL-A Antigens Solubilized from Cultured Human Lymphoid Cells

Histocompatibility (H) antigens are genetically segregating cell surface markers which elicit an immune response by the host following the transplant of foreign tissues. Allografting thus furnishes an excellent tool for distinguishing these antigenic cell surface markers, as it causes the host to recognize a set of cellular antigens which distinguish him from the graft donor.
Using independent component analysis to separate signals in climate data

Observed and simulated global temperature series include the effects of many different sources, such as volcano eruptions and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variations. In order to compare the results of different models to each other, and to the observed data, it is necessary to first remove contributions from sources that are not commonly shared across the models considered. Such a separation of sources is also desired in order to assess the effect of human contributions on the global climate. Atmospheric scientists currently use parametric models and iterative techniques to remove the effects of volcano eruptions and ENSO variations from global temperature trends. Drawbacks of the parametric approach include the non-robustness of the results to the estimated values of the parameters, and the possible lack of fit of the data to the model. In this paper, we investigate ICA as an alternative method for separating independent sources in global temperature series. Instead of fitting parametric models, we let the data guide the estimation, and separate automatically the effects of the underlying sources. We first assess ICA on simple artificial datasets to establish the conditions under which ICA is feasible in our context, then we study its results on climate data from the National Centers for Environmental Predictions.
A Brief History of Brazilian Biofuels Legislation

Due to concerns with global climate change, Brazil's long and diversified experience with biofuels has captured the attention of policymakers worldwide. Yet, little is known about the history and scale of the Brazilian biofuels program in the United States. This comment provides an introduction to the history of Brazil's biofuels program and refers to the basic statutes that set it in place. Due to the unavailability of these enactments in English, an appendix provides the relevant portions of these statutes both in Portuguese and in the author's English translation.
Patterning the zebrafish axial skeleton requires early chordin function

Members of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family actively promote ventral cell fates, such as epidermis and blood, in the vertebrate gastrula. More dorsally, the organizer region counteracts BMP signalling through secretion of BMP-binding antagonists chordin and noggin, allowing dorsally derived tissues such as neurectoderm and somitic muscle to develop. BMPs also function in skeletal development and regeneration of bone following injury. Noggin antagonism is thought to prevent osteogenesis at sites of joint formation, whereas chordin has not yet been implicated in skeletogenesis. Analyses of zebrafish mutants have confirmed the action of chordin (chd) in opposing ventralizing signals at gastrulation. Some ventralized mutants recover and develop into fertile adults, thereby revealing a requirement for chd function for the later processes of fin and caudal skeletal patterning. We observe in mutants the misexpression of genes encoding BMPs and putative downstream genes, and ectopic sclerotomal cells. Through injections of chd mRNA into the early embryo, we restored wild-type gene expression patterns, and the resultant fish, although genotypically mutant, developed normal axial skeletons and fins. Our results demonstrate that chordin function during gastrulation is important for the correct morphogenesis of the adult zebrafish skeleton.
An 18-Year Model of Family and Peer Effects on Adolescent Drug Use and Delinquency

The interrelationship of family and peer experiences in predicting adolescent problem behaviors was examined in an 18-year longitudinal sample of adolescents (N = 198) from conventional and nonconventional families. Positive associations among early childhood predictors and adolescent problem behaviors were consistent with problem behavior theory. The most powerful predictors of teen drug use and delinquent behaviors were similar behaviors by peers. Peer behaviors, however, were in turn predicted by earlier family-related variables and the quality of peer relationships in childhood. This study provides supporting evidence that strong peer effects in adolescence reflect even earlier processes in childhood and highlight the importance of linkages from early childhood experiences in family and peer contexts to the development of problem behaviors in adolescence. Implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed.
Land, space and spatial planning in three time regions

What is space? The term denotes primarily an ubiquitous natural resource. It also denotes a cultural resource, an artifact fashioned out of natural space by means of legal enactments and physical design. This paper identifies three varieties of cultural space which have their source in three different models for the nation: the family, the neighborhood, and the city. All three models are present and effective in every time and place. In certain places, however, and certain times, one is dominant. In the late nineteenth century the city (or civic) model predominated. In the first quarter of the present century the neighborhood model was ascendant. From the Great depression to the end of World War II it was the family model. Currently, the three models are very much in contention with each other for primacy. They present a challenge to both the planner and the GIS specialist. The planner is challenged to invent new settlement forms that adjust the rival spatial regimes to one another. The GIS specialist confronts the task of developing new ways of conceptualizing and capturing geographic data that are equal to the present day complexity and multi-dimensionality of present day cultural space.
Mechanisms for intense relativistic electron precipitation

From an indepth analysis of over fourteen months of data from the S3-3 satellite, 313 relativistic electron precipitation events have been detected with essentially isotropic flux over the upward looking hemisphere. The majority of events occur at night in a narrow latitudinal zone embedded within a broader region of intense energetic ion precipitation. Three distinct classes of precipitation have been identified each associated with strong diffusion resonant scattering by known magnetospheric plasma waves. The intense electron energy deposition Is a major source of middle atmospheric odd hydrogen and odd nitrogen molecules at sub-auroral latitudes; this can lead to observable catalytic destruction of mesospheric ozone.
Quantum 1/f effect in piezoelectric sensors

Piezoelectric sensors used for the detection of chemical agents and for electronic nose instruments are based on BAW and SAW resonators. They are also useful in the detection of biological agents, and can be specific, particularly if the sensitive surface is activated with the right antigen. The BAW resonators are used for instance in the "quartz crystal microbalance" (QCM). This is usually a polymer-coated resonating quartz disk, a few mm in diameter, with smaller diameter metal electrodes on each side and with quality factor Q. The resonance frequency is usually in the 10-30 MHz range. Absorption of gas molecules with mass /spl delta/m on the surface of the polymer coating gets detected by a reduction of the resonance frequency of the quartz disk, subject also to fundamental quantum 1/f frequency fluctuations. The quantum 1/f limit of detection is given by the quantum 1/f formula for quartz resonators. To optimize the device we must avoid closeness of the crystal volume to the phonon coherence length which corresponds to the maximum error and minimal sensitivity situation. Differential measurements that include a reference resonator without polymer coating can effectively eliminate temperature fluctuations, power supply instability, etc. Adsorbed masses below the pg range can be detected. Similarity, SAW resonators are used at about ten times higher frequencies in small sensors that operate best with sizes larger than the phonon coherence length. The discussion is similar, but applied to the surface and surface waves.
Does the lightning current go to zero between ground strokes? Is there a current “cutoff”?

At the end of 120 prereturn stroke intervals in 27 lightning flashes triggered by rocket-and-wire in Florida, residual currents with an arithmetic mean of 5.3 mA (standard derivation 2.8 mA) were recorded. Average time constants of the current decay following return strokes were found to vary between 160 µs and 550 µs, increasing with decreasing current magnitude. These results represent the most sensitive measurements of interstroke lightning current to date, 2 to 3 orders of magnitude more sensitive than previously reported measurements, and contradict the common view found in the literature that there is a no current interval. Possible sources of the residual current are discussed.
Bus Hardware and Signals

Understanding the data and address buses is critical because they are at the heart of interfacing design. This chapter discusses what a bus is, how data are put onto it, and how data from it are used. The chapter progresses logically, with the first section covering basic concepts in digital hardware, the next section using those concepts to describe the control signals on the bus, and the final section discussing the important issue of timing in the microprocessor bus. This leads to the study of bus timing and control, which is very important to the design of interfaces. The emphasis can be shown in the following experience: Microcomputer manufacturers have applications engineers who write notes on how to use the chips that the companies manufacture, and who answer the knotty questions that the systems designers cannot handle. The terminology is close to that used in the industry, and microprocessor notation conforms to that used in Motorola data sheets. After reading the chapter, one should be able to read a logic diagram or the data sheets describing microcomputers or their associated integrated circuits, and should have a fundamental knowledge of the signals and their timing on a typical microcomputer bus.
The effect of some β‐lactam antibiotics on escherichia coli studied by flow cytometry

The effects of three beta-lactam antibiotics on Escherichia coli were studied by means of flow cytometry. Since these agents block bacterial cell wall synthesis in such manner as to prevent septal formation without appreciably affecting nucleic acid synthesis, the resulting cell elongation caused by these agents can be assessed by nucleic acid fluorescent staining. It was shown by this technique that the somatic effects of cefazolin, cefamandole and moxalactam were related both to the antibiotic concentration and time of exposure to the drugs and were observable within 30 minutes of the initial exposure of the cultures to these agents. These results demonstrate that fluorescent cytometry can provide accurate assessment of the effects of compounds that inhibit cell wall formation. This technology could be a useful tool for comparing antibiotic somatic effects on bacteria and for rapidly and reliably determining their sensitivity and resistance to these agents.
Derivative superconvergent points in finite element solutions of Poisson's equation for the serendipity and intermediate families—a theoretical justification

Finite element derivative superconvergent points for the Poisson equation under local rectangular mesh (in the two dimensional case) and local brick mesh (in the three dimensional situation) are investigated. All superconvergent points for the finite element space of any order that is contained in the tensor-product space and contains the intermediate family can be predicted. In case of the serendipity family, the results are given for finite element spaces of order below 7. Any finite element space that contains the complete polynomial space will have at least all superconvergent points of the related serendipity family.
Effect of diltiazem in patients with variant angina: a randomized double-blind trial

Effects of diltiazem of frequency of angina and nitroglycerin (NTG) consumption were studied in 12 patients with variant angina (rest pain with ST elevation). Either diltiazem in two dosage schedules (120 mg/day and 240 mg/day), or placebo was administered in a randomized double-blind program over 10 weeks. Significant decreases in angina frequency and TNG consumption were observed when diltiazem treatment periods were compared to placebo periods. Furthermore, when placebo periods following diltiazem were compared to placebo periods following placebo, significant "carry-over" effect with respect to reduced angina frequency was observed. No patient had an increase in angina frequency or TNG consumption on diltiazem compared to placebo. No "rebound effects" or changes in blood pressure or heart rate were observed. One patient complained of dry mouth on diltiazem. These findings, although in a limited number of patients, suggest that diltiazem is effective in decreasing angina frequency and TNG consumption in patients with variant angina. These encouraging results warrant evaluation of diltiazem in a larger patient population over a longer time period.
Internal Dynamics of the Tryptophan Repressor (TrpR) and Two Functionally Distinct TrpR Variants, L75F-TrpR and A77V-TrpR, in Their l-Trp-Bound Forms

Backbone amide dynamics of the Escherichia coli tryptophan repressor protein (WT-TrpR) and two functionally distinct variants, L75F-TrpR and A77V-TrpR, in their holo (l-tryptophan corepressor-bound) form have been characterized using 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation. The three proteins possess very similar structures, ruling out major conformational differences as the source of their functional differences, and suggest that changes in protein flexibility are at the origin of their distinct functional properties. Comparison of site specific 15N-T1, 15N-T2, 15N-{1H} nuclear Overhauser effect, reduced spectral density, and generalized order (S2) parameters indicates that backbone dynamics in the three holo-repressors are overall very similar with a few notable and significant exceptions for backbone atoms residing within the proteins’ DNA-binding domain. We find that flexibility is highly restricted for amides in core α-helices (i.e., helices A–C and F), and a comparable “stiffening” is observ...
The Welfare Economics of Taxes: a Three-Class Disposable Income Growth Model

This article presents an alternative approach to the welfare economics of taxes, and to the choice between an income, wage, and consumption tax. In contrast to standard efficiency analysis of taxes, and to much of the optimal growth literature, the central focus is on the welfare of different classes under alternative taxes in a multiclass growth model when redistributive transfers are excluded as unfeasible. When tax rates are set to achieve the same steady-state tax revenue per effective labor and equal progressivity in a three-class disposable income growth model, an income tax always achieves a lower welfare for the low-skilled labor class than either a wage or consumption tax due to the "horizontal redistribution effect. "It is also shown that it is possible for a citizen to sensibly prefer a tax that achieves a capital-intensity in excess of the golden rule level; and for a tax switch that maintains progressivity and raises capital-intensity to benefit low-skilled workers in the short as well as lon...
ESR study of the hyperfine structure of the triplet state in crystalline donor acceptor complexes: A probe for the degree of charge transfer in the excited state

Abstract The hyperfine tensors of the triplet states of several guest donor molecules in naphthalene/tetracyanobenzene host crystals have been measured by EPR spectroscopy. From these data the degree of charge transfer (b2) in the excited state can be derived in a straightforward way. Whereas anthracene yields values almost identical with those characteristic for the isolated molecule (b2 ≈ 0.05), phenanthrene shown a significant degree of charge transfer in the triplet state (b2 ≈ 0.47).
Children's sunglasses: caveat emptor.

Spectrophotometric measurements were obtained on 40 pairs of children's sunglasses. Some of these sunglasses provide excellent protection from the potentially damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR), whereas others fail to provide adequate protection for the crystalline lens and retina. Some labels were ambiguous and misleading with respect to whether the sunglass provided adequate absorption of UVR. Language: en
How goals affect the organization and use of domain knowledge.

Expert specialists organize their knowledge around information related to their goals. In the experiments presented here, the relation between goal use and knowledge organization was investigated by manipulating participants’ goals as they learned about a novel domain. Experiment 1 showed that goal use produces biases toward goal-related information in categorization and induction. Experiment 2 revealed that the bias toward goal relatedness is not absolute; participants use their knowledge flexibly, depending on the context of induction. Experiment 3 showed that using information in the absence of a meaningful goal does not produce significant goal-related biases. Altogether, the effects of goal use are evident across a number of tasks and may depend on goal meaningfulness and the coherence it provides to goal-related knowledge structures.
Ectothiorhodospira halophila: A new species of the genus Ectothiorhodospira

A halophilic purple sulfur spirillum, previously reported by the authors and called SL-1, has been characterized as a new species of the genus Ectothiorhodospira, E. halophila. The organism can grow in media containing from 9% NaCl to 30% NaCl. It needs no vitamins. Succinate or acetate can be used as hydrogen donors, but a reduced sulfur source is necessary for growth. The temperature optimum is 47°C. The cells are bipolarly flagellated, not monopolarly flagellated as previously reported.
Concurrent Binding to Multiple Ligands: Kinetic Rates of CD16b for Membrane-Bound IgG1 and IgG2

CD16b (FcgammaRIIIb) is the most common receptor for the Fc domain of IgG on leukocytes. The binding of Fc receptors to immunoglobulin triggers a wide array of immune responses. In published assays measuring the reaction of CD16b with isotypes of soluble IgG, the affinity for IgG1 was low and that for IgG2 was undetectable. Here we report the first measurement of kinetic rates of CD16b binding to membrane-bound IgG isotypes-a physically distinct and physiologically more relevant presentation-using a recently developed micropipette method. In contrast to the soluble data, we found clearly measurable IgG2 binding, with a forward kinetic rate six-fold lower than that of IgG1 but with an equilibrium affinity only threefold lower. This suggests a nonnegligible role for IgG2 in Fc-mediated immune responses, particularly in longer duration contacts. The binding constants were measured from two sets of experiments. Single-isotype experiments were analyzed by an existing model (, Biophys. J. 75:1553-1572). The resulting kinetic rates were used as input to an extended model (, Biophys. J. 79:1850-1857.) to predict the results of mixed-isotype experiments. This design enabled rigorous validation of the concurrent binding model through a test of its predictive ability.
Miniaturized Carbon Monoxide Sonde for Atmospheric Measurements

The design and test results of a simple carbon monoxide detector based on the reducing gas detector principle are presented. This instrument has several features which distinguish it from similar carbon monoxide analyzers, all of which contribute to its usefulness on small airborne platforms such as kites, balloons, and light aircraft. Compact size, battery operation, low cost, and light weight are among the most important improvements made over to earlier systems. The instrument fits a package 10 × 20 × 25 cm, has a mass of 2.0 kg, and consumes an average of 20 W of power. This instrument will, therefore, offer a means of incorporating carbon monoxide measurements in recoverable or disposable balloon sondes. The instrument makes an independent measurement of carbon monoxide every 8 s, with a sensitivity of 3 ppbv carbon monoxide (limit of detection for S/N = 3) and a precision of 4%.
Amygdalostriatal projections in the rat. Topographical organization and fiber morphology shown using the lectin PHA-L as an anterograde tracer

Amygdalostriatal projections in the rat were studied with the anterograde tracer phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L), which allows direct visualization of axon morphology. The appearance of fibers in the striatum which were labeled from injections into the amygdaloid complex suggests that they form 'en passant' synapses. A topographic organization was found in the projection from the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus: the most caudal part of this nucleus projects to the anteromedial edge of the striatum, including the medial nucleus accumbens, while progressively more rostral parts of the nucleus project to more lateral and caudal portions of the striatum. No amygdaloid fibers were found in the most rostro-dorsolateral part of the caudatoputamen.
Effect of Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency on L-Lysine Productivities of Mutants with Feedback-resistant Aspartokinases

The cultural conditions were investigated for a Brevibacterium flavum mutant, No. 2–190, with a low level of citrate synthase (CS) and with feedback-resistant phosphoenoipyruvate (PEP) carboxylase and aspartokinase (AK). The productivity was increased from 28 to 38 g/1 (as the HC1 salt) with a medium containing 10% glucose. From this strain, pyruvate kinase (PK)-defective mutants were derived and selected as to the inability to grow on ribose. Among them, strain Kl-18 showed higher lysine productivity than the parent under all cultural conditions tested, and produced 43 g/1 of lysine, at maximum. A lysine-producing mutant, No. 536–4, with a feedback- resistant AK was derived from PK-defective strain KH-21 which had low CS activity and a feedback-resistant PEP carboxylase. The mutant was isolated by a new selection method, that is, on the basis of resistance to α-amino-s-hydroxyvaleric acid, a threonine analogue plus lysine. In this strain, HD had been altered so as to become feedback-resistant at the same...
Media effects on jurors

This article examines the impact on jurors of exposure to media coverage of legal issues. Jurors' decisions may be influenced by a broad range of legally relevant information gleaned from media sources, including newspaper reports, radio and television news, advertising, movies, and televised crime shows and courtroom scenes. The article gives examples of these influences from real-world cases and from simulated research studies. It focuses on the impact of trial-relevant publicity on jurors in cases unrelated to the one being publicized; the ways that media representations of the justice system may influence jurors' expectations and decisions; the influence of insurance company advertisements on jurors' damage awards; and the impact of viewing pornography on jurors' decision making. The paper also explores the psychological processes by which each of these effects may occur and evaluates proposed remedies.
Measurements of oxygen tension in tissues with a micro oxygen electrode

Abstract The electrode we have devised consists of a glass-insulated, recessed gold cathode with a tip of about 1 μm. The methods used in its construction, and that of a double-barrelled electrode, are described. To assess its validity for intracellular measurement of PO2 we have used several tests, some of which are discussed in detail. The most unique consists of measuring the oxygen profile in freshly excised brain tissue or a yeast-agar mixture. A rearrangement of the classical diffusion equation to (P o − P) X (Po = PO2 at surface; P = PO2 at known depths from the surface; X = depth from surface) plotted against X should give a straight line down to very low values of PO2. In vivo measurements made with this electrode indicate that cell PO2 normally fluctuates with time, and the mean cell PO2 is usually lower than the PO2 in the venous outflow.
Correlation of chemical structure and swelling behavior in N-alkylacrylamide hydrogels

The thermoshrinking properties have been studied for the series of N-alkyl-acrylamide hydrogels (alkyl = methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and n-propyl), which were prepared by free-radical copolymerization of the alkylacrylamide, sodium acrylate, and N,N′-methylenebis(acrylamide) (BIS) in aqueous solution. The reaction mixtures were prepared using the same nominal compositions in an effort to study the effect of the chemical structure of the alkyl substituent on the gel swelling behavior as a function of temperature. The alkyl group was found to have a pronounced effect on the features of gel swelling. Generally, larger alkyl chains produced dramatic decreases in gel transition temperature. In addition, a change in the nature of the swelling behavior from continuous to discontinuous was noted upon changing the alkyl group from ethyl to the two propyl derivatives. Discontinuous transitions were accompanied by hysteresis. The transition temperatures of the isomeric propyl derivatives were found to differ by 12°C, with n-propyl exhibiting the lower value. Additionally, a quantitative correlation was found between the gel transition temperatures and the water/octanol partition coefficients for appropriately chosen small molecule model compounds. The transition temperatures of other gels in the series, including the cyclopropyl derivative and the n-propyl/isopropyl copolymer gels (NIPA/NNPA), also fit this correlation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 2095–2102, 1998
Management of two synthetic midurethral slings eroded into the urethral lumen

Mesh complications, both erosions and extrusions, are becoming more common in the practice of urology. We present the case of a 58-year-old woman who presented with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and recurrent urinary tract symptoms following treatment for stress urinary incontinence and who was found to have two slings eroded into her urethral lumen. The slings were debulked in the urethra using the holmium laser, thereby avoiding a more complex urethral reconstruction.