cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensory processing and meaning making in autism spectrum disorder

Abstract In this chapter we discuss connections between sensory processing dysfunction in autism and a model of normal development, the dyadic states of consciousness (DSC) model that connects experience, individuals making of meaning about themselves in relation to the world of people and things and to their own self. We will focus on issues of what are typically referred to as sensory integration processes and how their variation affects how individuals, including individuals with autism might experience their self in the world. The DSC perspective is based on the first principles of dynamic systems governing the operation of open biological systems, of which we, humans, are but one instantiation. These first principles assert that, as an open complex system, individuals seek resources in the service of maximizing their organizational complexity, including its coherence, integration, and flexibility. Aside from the necessity to appropriate digestible nutritional energy, humans must appropriate assimilable information that is meaningful information about how to act on and modify their environment as well as their own selves as they engage their world. Gaining information enables expansion of the systems'—individual's—complexity and coherence. Stated more simply, without information about the world it is impossible for an individual—any biological creature—to survive and adapt, no less grow and develop. An implication is that systems must always be engaged with the environment.
Comparison of brain connectomes by MRI and genomics and its implication in Alzheimer’s disease

The human brain is complex and interconnected structurally. Brain connectome change is associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Genetics and genomics studies have identified molecular changes in AD; however, the results are often limited to isolated brain regions and are difficult to interpret its findings in respect to brain connectome. The mechanisms of how one brain region impacts the molecular pathways in other regions have not been systematically studied. And how the brain regions susceptible to AD pathology interact with each other at the transcriptome level and how these interactions relate to brain connectome change are unclear. Here, we compared structural brain connectomes defined by probabilistic tracts using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data in Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database and a brain transcriptome dataset covering 17 brain regions. We observed that the changes in diffusion measures associated with AD diagnosis status and the associations were replicated in an independent cohort. The result suggests that disease associated white matter changes are focal. Analysis of the brain connectome by genomic data, tissue-tissue transcriptional synchronization between 17 brain regions, indicates that the regions connected by AD-associated tracts were likely connected at the transcriptome level with high number of tissue-to-tissue correlated (TTC) gene pairs (P = 0.03). And genes involved in TTC gene pairs between white matter tract connected brain regions were enriched in signaling pathways (P = 6.08 × 10−9). Further pathway interaction analysis identified ionotropic glutamate receptor pathway and Toll receptor signaling pathways to be important for tissue-tissue synchronization at the transcriptome level. Transcript profile entailing Toll receptor signaling in the blood was significantly associated with diffusion properties of white matter tracts, notable association between fractional anisotropy and bilateral cingulum angular bundles (Ppermutation = 1.0 × 10−2 and 4.9 × 10−4 for left and right respectively). In summary, our study suggests that brain connectomes defined by MRI and transcriptome data overlap with each other.
Embedding futurity in urban governance: Redevelopment schemes and the time value of money:

Whether appraising development projects or underwriting bonds to finance infrastructure, municipal governments rely on “time value of money” (TVM) techniques to discount and convert hypothetical fu...
The Amazing Race TM: Robot Edition.

State-of-the-art natural-language-driven autonomous-navigation systems generally lack the ability to operate in real unknown environments without crutches, such as having a map of the environment in advance or requiring a strict syntactic structure for natural-language commands. Practical artificial-intelligent systems should not have to depend on such prior knowledge. To encourage effort towards this goal, we propose The Amazing Race TM: Robot Edition, a new task of finding a room in an unknown and unmodified office environment by following instructions obtained in spoken dialog from an untrained person. We present a solution that treats this challenge as a series of sub-tasks: natural-language interpretation, autonomous navigation, and semantic mapping. The solution consists of a finite-state-machine system design whose states solve these sub-tasks to complete The Amazing Race TM. Our design is deployed on a real robot and its performance is demonstrated in 52 trials on 4 floors of each of 3 different previously unseen buildings with 13 untrained volunteers.
Longitudinal Health Care Utilization of Medicaid-Insured Children with a History of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Objective To describe longitudinal health care utilization of Medicaid-insured children with a history of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) compared with similar children without NAS. Study design Retrospective, longitudinal cohort study. Data were extracted from the Medicaid Analytic eXtract files for all available states and DC from 2003-2013. Subjects were followed up to 11 years. In total, 17 229 children with NAS were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 779.5. Children without NAS, matched on demographic and health variables, served as the comparison group. Outcomes were number of claims for inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department encounters, numbers of prescription claims, and costs associated with these services. Linked claims were identified for each subject using a unique, within-state ID. Results Children with NAS had increased claims for inpatient admissions (marginal effect [ME] 0.49; SE 0.01) and emergency department visits (ME 0.30; SE 0.04) through year 1; increased prescriptions (ME 1.45; SE 0.08, age 0) (ME 0.69; SE 0.11, age 1 year) through year 2; and increased outpatient encounters (ME 20.13; SE 0.54, age 0) (ME 3.95; SE 0.62, age 1 year) (ME 2.90; SE 1.11, age 2 years) through year 3 after adjusting for potential confounders (P Conclusions Children with a diagnosis of NAS have greater health care utilization through the third year of life. These differences resolve by the fourth year. Our results suggest resolution of disparities may be due to shifts in developmental health management in school-age children and inability to track relevant diagnoses in a health care database.
Parylene photonics: A flexible, biocompatible, integrated photonic system for optical monitoring and stimulation of deep tissue

To use optical techniques deep in tissue, implantable microdevices which can collect and deliver light with high efficiency are needed. Flexible polymer devices can reduce tissue damage. Here, we demonstrate a fully-flexible, low-loss (3.2 dB/cm @ 680 nm), broadband (450-680 nm) integrated photonic platform composed entirely of Parylene C and PDMS. Using this platform, we demonstrate devices with an array of 6 waveguides and 1.3 cm total length. We integrate bare laser diode chips (220 x 220 μm, λ= 680 nm) to realize a light delivery system for optogenetics. Simulation, characterization, and biological demonstration will be discussed.
Abstract P736: Memantine, an NMDA Antagonist and Aging Alter the Thalamic Gliosis in Experimental Stroke in Mice

Secondary injury in the thalamus has been observed following cortical stroke in rodents and humans and is associated with worsened recovery. Interruption of this progressive injury reflects an impo...
Palliative care use among bladder cancer patients treated with radical cystectomy.

ABSTRACT Introduction Practice guidelines recommend early consideration for palliative care for patients with advanced malignancies, and there has been limited research regarding the use of palliative care for patients with advanced bladder cancer. Our aim is to describe the rate and determinants of the use of palliative care consultation for patients treated with radical cystectomy at our institution. Methods A retrospective review was performed to identify patients who underwent cystectomy for bladder cancer between September 2014 and June 2019 at our institution. Our primary outcome was receipt of palliative care, defined as receiving a palliative care consult. We tested for associations between factors and our outcome of interest, and then estimated the impact on various determinants of palliative care use by fitting a multivariable logistic regression model. Results Over the study period, 294 patients underwent radical cystectomy. Of those patients, 29 (9.9%) received palliative care. Mean time from surgery to palliative care consult was 11.4 months. Palliative care consults were initiated by urologists in 32.1% of cases. On multivariable analysis, patients were more likely to receive palliative care if they had pT3+ disease (P Conclusion Rates of palliative care consults in patients with advanced bladder cancer at our institution are higher than other population-based estimates nationally. The majority of palliative care consults were requested by medical oncologists, highlighting an opportunity for educational initiatives for urologic oncologists to promote earlier consideration of palliative care referrals.
A Plan for Gradually Equipping a Physical Education Research Laboratory

Abstract No profession or field of activity advances today without a solid basis in research. Experimental study is a part of the physical education program which demands increasing attention, if we are to make our maximum contribution. Colleges and universities concerned with their responsibilities for providing adequate research facilities will find this guide list the answer to their needs. Professor Morehouse and a research assistant, from UCLA, here present precise information to show an institution how to build up its research laboratory gradually, economically, and effectively.
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors: Structure and Functional Properties

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the structural and functional properties of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Nicotinic AChRs assemble as pentamers of individual subunits. Assembly occurs in a precise manner and order such that the assembled subunits encircle an internal membrane pore and the extracellular vestibule leading to the pore. The replicated pattern of front to back assembly of subunits ensures that identical subunit interfaces are formed from the pentameric assembly of identical subunits. The amino acid residues found at homologous positions in the receptors with heteromeric subunit assemblies should occupy the same position in three-dimensional space. Currently, all of the nicotinic receptors that are well characterized are cationic channels. Thus, their activation causes an increase in cation permeability, which results in depolarization. Postsynaptic nicotinic receptors—such as those found in ganglia and the neuromuscular junction—function through the simultaneous occupation of the receptor by more than a single agonist molecule.
The Emergence and Development of a Law of Torts

This article discusses the origins and development of tort law in late nineteenth and early twentieth century America. It simultaneously considers tort law as an independent common law field, a subject taught in law schools, and an area of growing litigation. It attempts to delineate the various factors that combined, in the first two decades after the Civil War, to facilitate the emergence of tort law in each of those dimensions. It then discusses the peculiar history of tort law in the early twentieth century, when the advent of worker’s compensation statutes served to remove many prospective workplace accident suits from the common law tort system, but at the same time tort law continued to grow because of the collapse of the privity bar in suits involving negligently manufactured or defectively designed products. Finally, the article describes how the most problematic doctrinal issue for early twentieth-century tort law, “proximate” causation, was temporarily “resolved” by courts and commentators through the “risk-relation-duty” analysis of causation issues proposed by Judge Benjamin Cardozo in the majority opinion in Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R. and initially adopted by the First Restatement of Torts in 1935. Cardozo and the Restatement’s framers hoped that the analysis would enable tort law to get beyond the seemingly intractable issue of which causes of accidents were “remote” and which “proximate,” but the experiment utterly failed, leaving tort law as doctrinally uncertain, and epistemologically complex, as it had always been.
EL CRUCE DE FRONTERAS EN LA GENARA Y EN COMO CASHORA AL SOL DE ROSINA CONDE

En las novelas La Genara y en Como cashora al sol, Conde representa a las mujeres en el contexto de sus limitaciones, pero a la misma vez les brinda la posibilidad de decidir por si mismas para asi ser creaciones propias y sujetos de sus propias consecuencias. Es decir, sus personajes femeninos optan por aprovechar oportunidades, si asi lo desean, y no subyugarse ante una sociedad patriarcal que constantemente las mantiene al margen de su entorno social fronterizo. En este articulo, se analizan los diversos tipos de fronteras que rompen las protagonistas femeninas en ambas novelas. Asi pues, se observara como en el intento de Conde por expresar la realidad que afecta a la mujer, esta se encuentran en una ambiguedad, una transformacion, un estado liminal con el que se arriba a una zona donde los cruces de fronteras son constantes.
An Examination of the Woodwork Effect Using National Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Data

A common concern in long-term services and supports (LTSS) policy is the "woodwork effect," which has two components: (1) more people will use publicly funded services if access to home- and community-based services (HCBS) is expanded; and (2) the additional beneficiaries will increase the growth rate of LTSS expenditures. Medicaid LTSS beneficiary and utilization data starting in 1999 indicate modest growth in beneficiaries and expenditures, after adjusting for inflation and the number of people with functional impairments. The data do not provide strong evidence that the shift in Medicaid funding toward HCBS significantly increased or decreased overall Medicaid LTSS spending.
Information technology to support electronic meetings

As managers spend more of their time in meetings, the study of information technology to support meetings becomes increasingly important. Several unique systems to support meetings electronically have been developed in industry and universities. The PLEXSYS systems at the University of Arizona have been operational since 1985 and are now being implemented in industrial sites. This article proposes and defines a new term for information technology systems that support group meetings: electronic meeting systems (EMS). EMSs are more than group decision support systems (GDSS): they support more tasks than just decision making; they focus on communication. They move beyond the GDSS decision room where groups must meet at the same time in the same place, to meetings that can be conducted across time ands pace. The article then presents a model fo th EMS concept, which has three components: group process and outcomes; methods; and environment. Each of these component is explained in turn, and the implications derived form their study to date are discussed. Finally, the implementation of information technology for meeting support and its use in corporate settings will be addressed, as it has implications for productivity, meeting size, group member participat9ion, and the role of the IS department.
CMOS Broadband Programmable Gain Active Balun With 0.5-dB Gain Steps

This paper presents a CMOS broadband programmable gain active balun (PGAB) that demonstrates seven digitally controlled gains with 0.5-dB gain steps separately for plus and minus output ports. The PGAB was designed and fabricated in a 130-nm RFCMOS process. For the maximum gain state, the measured gains of the plus and minus ports are 0.0 and 1.1 dB at 2 GHz. The operating frequency range is from 1.0 to 8.0 GHz by 0.3-dB gain step error, and it is from 1 to 13.0 GHz by 3-dB gain attenuation. For the maximum gain state, the measured amplitude imbalance and phase imbalance from 1 to 16 GHz are less than 1.4 dB and 4.1 $^{\circ}$ , respectively. The measured input return losses are better than 13.5 dB, and the output return losses are better than 18.5 dB for all controlled gain states from 1 to 16 GHz. The measured IP1dB at 7 GHz is 6.1 dBm. The measured noise figures for the plus and minus ports from 2 to 14 GHz are less than 11.2 and 10.2 dB, respectively. The supply voltages are 3.0 and 1.5 V, and the measured power consumption is 93 mW. The core area of the fabricated integrated circuit is 0.38 mm $\,\times\,$ 0.36 mm.
Comparison of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of propiverine and oxybutynin for the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome.

Aim: To compare the effects of propiverine and oxybutynin on ambulatory urodynamic monitoring (AUM) parameters, safety, and tolerability in patients with overactive bladder. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, crossover study. Patients (n = 77) received two of the following treatments during two 2-week periods: propiverine 20 mg once daily, propiverine 15 mg three times daily, oxybutynin 5 mg three times daily, and placebo. AUM parameters, salivary flow, visual near point, and heart rate were assessed. Results: A consistent order in the efficacy between active treatment groups was observed for the reduction in mean involuntary detrusor contractions (IDCs; oxybutynin 15 mg ≤ propiverine 45 mg ≤ propiverine 20 mg). Differences between the oxybutynin and propiverine 20 mg groups were statistically significant for several AUM endpoints. Statistically significant differences between the oxybutynin and both propiverine groups were also noted in salivary flow rate and heart rate (oxybutynin 15 mg < both propiverine regimens) and in heart rate variability (both propiverine regimens < oxybutynin 15 mg). All active treatments lengthened visual near point. The incidence of dry mouth was significantly more pronounced in the oxybutynin group than in either propiverine group. Treatment with propiverine 45 mg resulted in the highest rates of constipation, lengthening of the visual near point, and effects on heart rate. Conclusions: Oxybutynin 15 mg was more effective than propiverine 20 mg in reducing symptomatic and asymptomatic IDCs in ambulatory patients. The primary differences between the two drugs were the incidence and type of adverse events, which varied with the antimuscarinic receptor specificity of each agent.
Driver Measurement: Methods and Applications

This paper presents an overview of methods used when measuring driver behavior and performance. Simulators, test-track, on-road, field-operational-trials, and naturalisitic methods are described. Useful driver measures are described. Three examples are provided of the application of driver measurement in product design and evaluation.
Effects of L-364,718, a new cholecystokinin receptor antagonist, on camostate-induced growth of the rat pancreas

Chronic feeding of rats with camostate results in pancreatic hypertrophy or hyperplasia, or both. Previous studies suggest that this effect of camostate occurs via an increase in endogenous cholecystokinin due to an enteral feedback mechanism involving the inhibition of trypsin in the duodenum. Studies employing proglumide, a weak and relatively nonspecific cholecystokinin antagonist, have failed to fully abolish camostate-induced pancreas growth. We examined the effects of L-364,718, a new and highly potent cholecystokinin receptor antagonist, on camostate-induced pancreas growth in rats. The pancreas weights and the concentrations of ribonucleic acid, protein, and chymotrypsinogen in the pancreas of rats treated with camostate alone were significantly elevated over those of controls. These effects of camostate were completely abolished in rats treated with camostate + L-364,718. The pancreas weights and the concentrations of deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid in the pancreas of rats treated with L-364,718 alone were significantly lower than values in control rats. These data indicate that camostate-induced pancreas growth in rats appears to be dependent on the actions of endogenous cholecystokinin and that cholecystokinin may play a role in the maintenance of pancreatic growth in normal rats.
Effective treatment of established murine collagen-induced arthritis by systemic administration of dendritic cells genetically modified to express IL-4.

Dendritic cells (DC) are APCs that are able to stimulate or inhibit immune responses, depending on levels of expression of MHC class I and II costimulatory molecules and cytokines. Our previous studies have suggested that the observed contralateral effect, where injection of a vector carrying certain immunomodulatory genes into one joint resulted in inhibition of arthritis in untreated joints, is mediated by in vivo modification of DC. Therefore, we have examined the ability of genetically modified DC to suppress established murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) after i.v. delivery. IL-4 has been shown to partially reduce the severity of CIA after repeated injection of recombinant protein or by injection of an adenoviral vector expressing IL-4. Here we demonstrate that i.v. injection of immature DC, infected with an adenoviral vector expressing IL-4, into mice with established CIA resulted in almost complete suppression of disease, with no recurrence for up to 4 wk posttreatment. Injection i.v. of fluorescently labeled DC demonstrated that the cells rapidly migrated to the liver and spleen after 6 h and to the lymph nodes by 24 h. In culture, spleen cells from DC/IL-4-treated mice produced less IFN-gamma after stimulation by collagen than did control groups. In addition, DC/IL-4 administration decreased the level of specific Abs against type II collagen, in particular the IgG2 Th1 isotype 14 days posttreatment. These results demonstrate the ability to treat effectively established murine arthritis by systemic administration of DC expressing IL-4.
Multicultural Leadership Development: A Qualitative Analysis of Emerging Leaders in Counselor Education

A phenomenological exploration of multicultural leadership was conducted on the experiences of eight doctoral students identified as emerging leaders by the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). Five themes emerged from participant interviews: Awareness of Culture, Programs Fall Short, Depth in Mentorship, Being Inclusive, and In My Future Profession. Recommendations for further research in multicultural leadership within the counseling profession are included.
Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies of Older Adults: A Shrinking Brain

Age-related loss of brain tissue has been inferred from cross-sectional neuroimaging studies, but direct measurements of gray and white matter changes from longitudinal studies are lacking. We quantified longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 92 nondemented older adults (age 59-85 years at baseline) in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging to determine the rates and regional distribution of gray and white matter tissue loss in older adults. Using images from baseline, 2 year, and 4 year follow-up, we found significant age changes in gray (p < 0.001) and white (p < 0.001) volumes even in a subgroup of 24 very healthy elderly. Annual rates of tissue loss were 5.4 +/- 0.3, 2.4 +/- 0.4, and 3.1 +/- 0.4 cm3 per year for total brain, gray, and white volumes, respectively, and ventricles increased by 1.4 +/- 0.1 cm3 per year (3.7, 1.3, 2.4, and 1.2 cm3, respectively, in very healthy). Frontal and parietal, compared with temporal and occipital, lobar regions showed greater decline. Gray matter loss was most pronounced for orbital and inferior frontal, cingulate, insular, inferior parietal, and to a lesser extent mesial temporal regions, whereas white matter changes were widespread. In this first study of gray and white matter volume changes, we demonstrate significant longitudinal tissue loss for both gray and white matter even in very healthy older adults. These data provide essential information on the rate and regional pattern of age-associated changes against which pathology can be evaluated and suggest slower rates of brain atrophy in individuals who remain medically and cognitively healthy.
Dynamical Symmetries and Classical Mechanics

It is shown that all classical dynamical problems involving $n$ degrees of freedom automatically possess invariances under the ${O}_{n+1}$ and $S{U}_{n}$ algebras, independent of the functional form of the Hamiltonian. For spherically symmetric systems with three degrees of freedom, the existence of a vector constant of motion is established.
Synthetic human adrenomedullin and ADM15-52 have potent short-lasting vasodilator activity in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat

Responses to synthetic human adrenomedullin, a novel hypotensive peptide localized in several organ systems, including the lung, and the carboxy terminal 15-52 amino acid fragment of adrenomedullin (ADM15-52) were investigated in the pulmonary vascular bed of the intact-chest cat. Under constant flow conditions when baseline tone in the pulmonary vascular bed was raised to a high steady level, injections of adrenomedullin and ADM15-52 into the perfused lobar artery in doses of 0.1-1 nmol, caused significant dose-related decreases in lobar arterial pressure. Since left atrial pressure was unchanged, the decreases in lobar arterial pressure reflect decreases in pulmonary lobar vascular resistance. Adrenomedullin and ADM15-52 exhibited similar vasodilator activity and were approximately 3-fold more potent than bradykinin in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat. Pulmonary vasodilator responses to adrenomedullin and ADM15-52 were rapid in onset and lasted for 150-200 sec, depending on the dose of the peptide injected. The present results demonstrate that synthetic human adrenomedullin and ADM15-52 possess potent, short-lasting vasodilator activity in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat and suggest that amino acids 15-52 in the peptide are important for the expression of vasodilator activity in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat.
A Case for an Alternative Format for the Thesis/Dissertation

This paper proposes an alternative format for reporting thesis/dissertation research that should lead to more rapid publication of quality research. The purposes of the thesis/dissertation and characteristics and limitations of the traditional thesis/dissertation format are reviewed. This is followed by a discussion of the advantages of the alternative format in overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional style. Finally, the sections of the alternative format are presented with examples of where appropriate materials are placed.
An Approach to Single-Threshold-Element Synthesis

An approach based on correlation techniques is developed for the analysis and synthesis of threshold elements. A necessary and sufficient condition for linear separability is derived. Single-threshold-element realizability of arbitrary Boolean functions of n variables is shown to be dependent on a (n+1)-tuple of real numbers (characteristic vector), derivable solely from the given Boolean function. The task of finding appropriate weights for a given threshold function is converted to the minimization of a functional. Approximation to this functional relates the desired weights with the characteristic vector. As the degree of approximation increases, exact solution for the weights becomes possible at the expense of increased computational complexity. The absolute value of characteristic vector components is used to tabulate threshold functions compactly. A table is given for functions of up to six variables which permits one to determine directly, whenever it is possible, the weights and threshold that realize a given function without Boolean manipulation of that function into a standard form.
THE EFFECT OF SODIUM AND POTASSIUM IONS ON THE IMPEDANCE CHANGE ACCOMPANYING THE SPIKE IN THE SQUID GIANT AXON

Decrease of the sodium concentration of the medium depresses both the spike and the associated impedance change in almost identical fashion. Elevation of the potassium level also depresses both phenomena, but affects the impedance change more than the spike; it slows the return to the initial impedance level. The effects on the threshold to brief square waves are also described. These results appear largely accounted for by the observations of Hodgkin and Huxley with the voltage clamp technique and by their recent hypothesis as to nature of the spike processes.
Seasonal and Interannual Variability in a Hybrid Coupled GCM

Abstract A hybrid coupled model for the tropical Pacific ocean-atmosphere system is used to simulate El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) interannual variability and to investigate the role of coupling in the seasonal cycle. An ocean GCM (OGCM) is coupled to an empirical atmospheric model that specifies a wind stress field from a given sea surface temperature (SST) field. The stress is estimated by singular value decomposition of the covariance between observed surface wind stress and SST fluctuations. Two versions of the atmospheric model are employed: one includes only spatial patterns of the atmospheric feedbacks associated with interannual variability, whereas the other also includes spatial patterns associated with the annual cycle. In the latter version, wind stress coupling in the seasonal cycle is modeled on the same basis as in the interannual variability. The seasonal cycle enters through prescribed beat flux and is modified by momentum-flux feedbacks. In the OGCM, two vertical mixing schemes-Phi...
Record of Volcanism Since 7000 B.C. from the GISP2 Greenland Ice Core and Implications for the Volcano-Climate System.

Sulfate concentrations from continuous biyearly sampling of the GISP2 Greenland ice core provide a record of potential climate-forcing volcanism since 7000 B.C. Although 85 percent of the events recorded over the last 2000 years were matched to documented volcanic eruptions, only about 30 percent of the events from 1 to 7000 B.C. were matched to such events. Several historic eruptions may have been greater sulfur producers than previously thought. There are three times as many events from 5000 to 7000 B.C. as over the last two millennia with sulfate deposition equal to or up to five times that of the largest known historical eruptions. This increased volcanism in the early Holocene may have contributed to climatic cooling.
A multi-objective approach for determining optimal air compressor location in a manufacturing facility

Determining the optimal location of an air compressor in a manufacturing facility is a challenging problem that can offer significant energy savings. A novel simulation-optimization model is proposed to increase energy efficiency in a facility by determining optimal air compressor location. The optimization strategy is based on an objective function that minimizes the total energy consumption of the air compressor – hence, the energy cost for the facility – while considering the user's preference for the air compressor location. The proposed mathematical model first integrates the facility's characteristics based on user inputs, divides the facility into zones, and generates a rectilinear zone-to-zone distance matrix within the facility. The user location preference is incorporated into the proposed model via a five level user-preference index, assigned using preferential locations as suggested by twenty-two experienced facility managers. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the relationship between the selected user preference level and the resulting energy consumption at each location in the facility. A simulation-driven analysis is performed using a real-life facility layout and typical compressed air equipment with corresponding nameplate data. In order to investigate and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the derived optimal zones are compared with five zones, including the most energy efficient zone, least energy efficient zone, and three other zones selected at random. The results of our study reveal that the proposed method achieves significant energy reductions while maintaining the user's desired air compressor location.
From First Principles to Catalytic Performance: Tracking Molecular Transformations

Abstract Ab initio methods can be used to elucidate the nature of active sites as well as the influence of the surrounding environment on catalytic kinetics. Theory can be coupled with atomic scale simulation in order to track the molecular transformations that occur over different surfaces and assess their catalytic activity and selectivity. Herein we describe the application of theory and simulation to two specific example systems, the catalytic decomposition of NO under lean conditions, and the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol over Pt. The results for NO decomposition under lean conditions show how density functional theory calculations and kinetic Monte Carlo simulation can used to begin to tailor the metals that are used, the alloy composition, and the specific atomic arrangements at the surface in order to optimize catalytic performance. Alloying Pt with nearly 50% Au leads to turnover rates that are nearly four times larger than Pt surface alone. The specific arrangement of Pt and Au create special Pt “+-site” ensembles that reduce surface poisoning by oxygen. In the second example, we describe the elementary pathways for methanol decomposition to CO in both the vapor as well as the liquid phase. The presence of solution significantly alters the overall reaction energies by stabilizing charged complexes that form. The presence of solution drives the heterolytic activation of C–H and O–H bonds over Pt rather than the homolytic activation thus leading to the generation of protons in the aqueous media. In addition, an external potential can be applied in order to model electrochemical systems. These effects are found to be quite important in the electrochemical phase behavior of water over Pt.
Neonatal phenobarbital-induced persistent alterations in plasma testosterone profiles and testicular function

Daily sc injections of phenobarbital at anticonvulsant therapeutic doses for the rat (40 mg/kg) for the first 7 days of life resulted in below normal levels of serum testosterone from around birth to before puberty, normal levels during puberty and above normal levels of the androgen after puberty and in adulthood. Cluster analysis of the plasma testosterone secretory profiles obtained at 15-min intervals from phenobarbital-treated rats at 65 and 165 days of age revealed a significant increase in both the peak amplitudes and their durations resulting in a 100% increase in the amount of hormone secreted during the peak periods. In general, most of the rats (control and experimental) secreted testosterone as two large peaks, each 3 to 4 hr in duration, during the 10-hr lights-on collection period. In addition to permanently disrupting the ultradian profiles of plasma testosterone, neonatal exposure to the barbiturate altered testicular responsiveness to steroidogenic regulatory agents. That is, neonatal exposure to phenobarbital enhanced the responsiveness to exogenous hCG as measured by an above-normal increase in testosterone concentration. Moreover, phenobarbital-induced reductions in serum testosterone levels were delayed in adult rats neonatally exposed to the barbiturate. Whereas a single challenge dose of phenobarbital (1 or 10 mg/kg) reduced serum testosterone concentrations in control animals by almost 80% within 3 hr, a decline in serum androgen levels in the neonatally phenobarbital exposed males was not observed until 12 hr after the challenge dose. These results indicate that postpartum exposure to therapeutic levels of phenobarbital can permanently disrupt testosterone secretory profiles and alter pathways regulating testicular steroidogenesis.
Current oscillations in the reduction of indium(III) and gallium(III) in dilute chloride and nitrate solutions at the dropping mercury electrode

Electrochemical oscillations have been observed during the reduction of indium(III) and gallium(III) in 0.02 M chloride and nitrate solutions at a dropping mercury electrode. No external resistance attached in series with the cell was required. The results show that Triton X-100, a common surface active agent, has some influence on the oscillations but was not a prerequisite for the oscillations in the reduction of indium(III).
PViN: a scalable and flexible system for visualizing pedigree databases

We describe the design and implementation of PViN (Pedigree Visualization and Navigation), a scalable and flexible software system that enables the visualization, analysis, and printing of hierarchical relations typically stored in relational databases. Although the concept of visualizing and printing pedigree databases is not new, we have developed a novel implementation based on modern approaches for several important reasons: (1) Our university's center of hereditary diseases has accumulated very large amounts of hereditary information from various populations for ongoing research projects, and has difficulty managing and effectively printing the associated pedigree trees with legacy FORTRAN software; (2) The size of some of these databases (over 40,000 entries covering seven generations) is too large for existing commercial pedigree software to handle; and (3) Our researchers and support staff need more effective ways to perform visual analysis tasks, such as the comparison of multiple pedigrees and the cross-referencing of individuals that appear in multiple families (through re-marriage.) The PViN system addresses these fundamental problems while also providing a number of additional features and functions, including: context-free drawing routines that enable rendering onto screen and printer contexts interchangeably; a generic framework that allows the system to interface with multiple databases and database servers; a multiple view user interface that provides side-by-side comparisons and "focus+context" rendering; and advanced node searching and cross-referencing capabilities.
Fecal incontinence: a practical approach to evaluation and treatment.

Fecal incontinence is a common problem and can have a major impact on the quality of life of those affected. Various disease processes affecting stool consistency, rectal sensitivity, or the anal sphincters can cause fecal incontinence. Obstetric trauma is now knowm to be a major cause of sphincter dysfunction. The evaluation of the patient with incontinence helps to determine the choice of therapy–medical or surgical. The two most important tests are anorectal manometry, which provides information on sphincter pressures, and rectal sensation, and anal endosonography, which is currently the test of choice for defining the anatomy of the anal sphincters. The choice of therapy depends on the etiology of incontinence, the anatomy of the sphincters, and also on the effect of incontinence on the quality of life of the patient. Control of diarrhea, regardless of the cause, should be attempted first. Biofeedback therapy is effective in the majority of patients and is particularly attractive because it is safe and well tolerated. Surgery is offered when medical therapy is unsuccessful or when the etiology is thought to respond best to surgery, such as in postobstetric trauma. Sphincter repair, for treatment of selective sphincter defects, is the best surgical option. Neoanal sphincters and implanted artificial sphincters are far less attractive because of technical difficulties and low success rate.
Infant mortality and the environment of a lesser metropolitan county: A study based on births in one calendar year

Abstract By the use of simple statistical methods we have identified a time period and a geographic location where babies were born who experienced a higher risk of death before one year of age. The most likely explanation was the exposure of the pregnant mother to an adverse air environment, though the relationship of the latter to the physiologic integrity of the mother and child is not known. It is possible to examine infant mortality in small populations providing 66 infant deaths or more per year, with the expectation that statistical limitations may be counteracted by information from other sources. In the calendar year 1970 dates of birth of infants who died in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania were concentrated in July, August, and September; 35 in contrast to 31 for the remaining nine months. Complications of delivery and a family history of diabetes were more frequently noted in the high risk months.
College Yearbook Pictures: More Females Smile Than Males

Summary Smiling, one of the expressions of emotion which appears to be universally exhibited and understood, is thought to become sensitive to social context and to be shaped by social factors. Examination of individual photographs from yearbooks of 10 randomly selected colleges revealed that women smiled significantly more frequently than men, and also that there are significant differences in frequency of smiling for both sexes between the colleges selected.
Use of stand-up magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of a cervicothoracic injury in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract Background context Injuries at the cervicothoracic junction are common in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. These injuries present challenges for both initial and follow-up imagings. Purpose To describe a case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis who was treated with laminectomy and a cervicothoracic orthosis for a spinal epidural hematoma after a nondisplaced fracture at the cervicothoracic junction and to discuss the merits of stand-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for follow-up evaluation of this type of injury. Study design/setting Case report. Methods Clinical data of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis who sustained a nondisplaced C7 fracture are presented, followed by a detailed review of the literature concerning imaging techniques available for the evaluation of cervical spine trauma in this patient population. Results The patient was treated with emergent laminectomy and evacuation of the epidural hematoma, followed by definitive management in a cervicothoracic orthosis secondary to medical comorbidities. The patient was then successfully followed postoperatively with stand-up MRI because conventional imaging techniques could not adequately image the injury level in an upright position. Conclusions Cervicothoracic injuries are common in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and may be difficult to follow with conventional imaging techniques. Stand-up MRI is a relatively new modality that may offer significant advantages over conventional imaging because of the ability to evaluate the cervicothoracic junction in a more functional position and the lack of a confining space such as that found in standard MRI units.
Noninvasive determination of venomuscular efficiency

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to express quantitatively and noninvasively the efficiency of the venomuscular pump by using photoplethysmography (PPG). Method and patients: PPG was used to record volume changes induced by dorsiflexion resulting in exercise displacement volume (EDV) and subsequently by passive limb elevation resulting in tilt displacement volume (TDV). Dividing EDV by TDV yields efficiency of the venomuscular pump. Twenty-four control subjects, 21 patients with venous valvular insufficiency (VVI), and 10 additional patients with both VVI and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were studied. Data for one leg in each subject are reported. Though calculation of efficiency does not require calibrated or quantitative PPG, in this case because we used calibrated PPG we recorded the respective values for EDV after dorsiflexion and TDV after passive leg elevation. Results: EDV decreased from a normal value of 3.15% optical reflectance (% OR) to 1.68% OR in patients with VVI and 1.09% OR in patients with VVI plus DVT. TDV response was quite opposite, increasing from 6.55% OR in the control group to 10.30% OR in the VVI group and 16.66% OR in the VVI plus DVT group. Finally, efficiency decreased from the average normal value of 50.5% to 24.4% in the VVI group and 8.8% in the VVI plus DVT group. Conclusion: Dividing EDV by TDV, venomuscular efficiency can be determined and may be considered a useful index of venous hemodynamics. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:839-41.)
Microbeam studies of the sensitivity of structures within living cells.

Determining the biological effects of low doses of radiation with high linear energy transfer (LET) is complicated by the stochastic nature of charged-particle interactions. Populations of cells exposed to very low radiation doses contain a few cells which have been hit by a charged particle, while the majority of the cells receive no radiation damage. At somewhat higher doses, a few cells receive two or more events. Because the effects of damage produced by separate events can interact in the cell, we have had to make assumptions about the nature of these interactions in order to interpret the results of the experiments. Many of those assumptions can be tested if we can be sure of the number of charged-particle events which occur in individual cells, and correlate this number with the biological effect. We have developed a special irradiation facility at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to control the actual number of charged particle tracks that pass through cell nuclei. The beam from a 2 MeV tandem accelerator is collimated to approximately 5 microns. Cells, grown in special dishes with 1.5 microns thick plastic bottoms, are positioned so that the desired portion of the cell aligns with the collimator. A shutter in the beam line is opened and closed after the desired number of particle tracks has been counted. This approach can be used to investigate the effects of the interaction between irradiated and unirradiated cells in an organized system, as well as to study the effects of spatial and temporal distribution of radiation damage within single cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).
Shell Morphologies of Bay Scallops, Argopecten irradians, from Extant and Prehistoric Populations from the Florida Gulf Coast: Implications for the Biology of Past and Present Metapopulations

Abstract Genetically conservative changes in a bivalve population may be mirrored by morphological changes in the shells of individuals in that population. The rate of such evolutionary change is usually so slow that the changes in shell morphology cannot be detected in short-term studies of local populations. When selective pressure becomes severe, however, the magnitude of the genetic changes may be intensified, and thus the magnitude of the morphological changes in the shells may be greater—and more detectable. We compared the morphometric features of specimens from archaeological sites with those from geographically coherent modern collections to determine if such detectable morphological changes have taken place in the populations studied. Analyses of bay scallop shells (Argopecten irradians) from nine modern populations spanning Florida's entire Gulf coast and from four archaeological sites located from central to southern Florida reveal that major morphological shifts in the shells of two local populations have occurred sometime in the past 500 to 1500 years. These shifts may have implications regarding the persistence of the scallop metapopulations and the efficacy of future efforts to conserve the species.