cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The importance of medial surface vertical thickness to the control of voice production

While vocal fold vibration is often studied from a superior view, the vertical thickness of the vocal fold medial surface (or the portion that forms the glottal constriction) has long been hypothesized to play an important role in the control of voice production. This importance of the vertical thickness is confirmed in our recent computational studies, which showed that the vertical thickness, not the degree of vocal fold approximation, has a dominant effect on the vocal fold contact pattern and the spectral shape of the produced voice. Specifically, thicker folds often vibrate with a larger closed quotient, a lower H1-H2 value, and stronger excitation of higher-order harmonics. Thicker folds are also more likely to exhibit irregular vibration. These studies also showed an important effect of the transverse stiffness of the vocal fold in the coronal plane on the resulting voice quality, but a relatively small effect of the longitudinal tension on voice quality except around phonation onset. These results suggest that in addition to the superior view, more attention should be given to vocal fold shape along the vertical dimension and its control. [Work supported by NIH grant R01DC011299.]
Are Patients with Perforated Peptic Ulcers Who are Negative for Helicobacter pylori at a Greater Risk

Abstract Background: The link between Helicobacter pylori infection and peptic ulceration is well established. Recent studies have reported a decrease of H. pylori-related peptic ulcer disease; Hel...
Mines, Communities, and States: The Local Politics of Natural Resource Extraction in Africa

When do local communities benefit from natural resource extraction? In some regions of natural resource extraction, firms provide goods and services to local communities, but in others, protest may occur, leading to government regulatory or repressive intervention. Mines, Communities, and States explores these outcomes in Africa, where natural resource extraction is a particularly important source of revenue for states with otherwise limited capacity. Blending a mixture of methodological approaches, including formal modelling, structured case comparison, and quantitative geo-spatial empirical analysis, it argues that local populations are important actors in extractive regions because they have the potential to impose political and economic costs on the state as well as the extractive firm. Jessica Steinberg argues that governments, in turn, must assess the economic benefits of extraction and the value of political support in the region, and make a calculation about how to manage trade-offs that might arise between these alternatives.
Diskursive Konstruktionen. Eine Einleitung

Der Begriff der diskursiven Konstruktion von Wirklichkeit schliest an Peter L. Bergers und Thomas Luckmanns (1966/1980) wissenssoziologisches Programm der gesellschaftlichen Konstruktion der Wirklichkeit einerseits, an Michel Foucaults Uberlegungen zum Diskursbegriff andererseits an. Seit dem Jahr 2013 fungiert er zudem als programmatischer Titel einer im Zwei-Jahres-Rhythmus stattfindenden interdisziplinaren Tagung zur wissenssoziologischen Diskursforschung und angrenzenden Perspektiven. Dieser Band versammelt vorwiegend Beitrage der dritten Tagung. Einige Beitrage beschaftigen sich mit methodologischen Problemstellungen, die unmittelbar an die Wissenssoziologische Diskursanalyse anschliesen. Andere Beitrage dagegen diskutieren dazu affine bzw. komplementare Fragestellungen und Vorgehensweisen, oder prufen in Bezug auf weitere diskurstheoretische Perspektiven und Erkenntnisinteressen Moglichkeiten und Grenzen von Anknupfungen.
Salad Machine: A Vegetable Production Unit for Long Duration Space Missions

A review of NASA CELSS development specific to vegetable cultivation during space missions is presented in terms of enhancing the quality of life for space crews. A cultivation unit is being developed to permit the production of 600 grams of edible salad vegetables per week, thereby allowing one salad per crew member three times weekly. Plant-growth requirements are set forth for the specific vegetables, and environmental subsystems are listed. Several preprototype systems are discussed, and one particular integrated-systems design concept is presented in detail with views of the proposed rack configuration. The Salad Machine is developed exclusively from CELSS-derived technology, and the major challenge is the mitigation of the effects of plant-growth requirements on other space-mission facility operations.
Enhanced uptake of [3H] spermidine by 9L rat brain tumors after direct intratumoral infusion of inhibitors of enzymes of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway.

We have been exploring the feasibility of delivering ionizing radiation to brain tumor cells by using tritium labeled polyamines. Polyamines are taken up preferentially by dividing cells and form noncovalent bonds with DNA. Their uptake can be enhanced by drugs which deplete endogenous polyamines. To test this in vivo, 9L cells were implanted in the striatal region of the brain in male Fisher 344 rats. Osmotic pumps containing trace amounts of [3H] spermidine or [3H] putrescine with either difluoromethylornithine or combinations of 3 inhibitors of enzymes of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway were implanted subcutaneously and were connected to intratumoral cannulas. After 14–16 days the brains were removed and sliced in the coronal plane. The diameters of the tumors were measured and tumor tissue was dissected from each slice, weighed and lysed for scintillation counting. It was found that difluoromethylornithine enhanced the uptake of [3H] putrescine while a combination of inhibitors of enzymes of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway enhanced the uptake of [3H] putrescine and [3H] spermidine producing a localized region of radioactivity in the 9L tumor. It is estimated that if the [3H] polyamines were at higher specific activity (commercially available), instead of the trace dose given here, the [3H] polyamine uptake would be sufficient to kill 9L tumor cells within a 2 to 3 week period.
National Trends in Primary Care Visit Use and Practice Capabilities, 2008-2015.

PURPOSE Recent evidence shows a national decline in primary care visit rates over the last decade. It is unclear how changes in practice—including the use and content of primary care visits—may have contributed. METHODS We analyzed nationally representative data of adult visits to primary care physicians (PCPs) and physician practice characteristics from 2007–2016 (National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey). United States census estimates were used to calculate visits per capita. Measures included visit rates per person year; visit duration; number of medications, diagnoses, and preventive services per visit; percentage of visits with scheduled follow-up; and percentage of physicians with practice capabilities including an electronic medical record (EMR). RESULTS Our weighted sample represented 3.2 billion visits (83,368 visits, unweighted). Visits per capita declined by 20% (−0.25 visits per person, 95% CI, –0.32 to –0.19) during this time, while visit duration increased by 2.4 minutes per visit (95% CI, 1.1-3.8). Per visit, PCPs addressed 0.30 more diagnoses (95% CI, 0.16-0.43) and 0.82 more medications (95% CI, 0.59-1.1), and provided 0.24 more preventive services (95% CI, 0.12-0.36). Visits with scheduled PCP followup declined by 6.0% (95% CI, –12.4 to 0.46), while PCPs reporting use of EMR increased by 44.3% (95% CI, 39.1-49.5) and those reporting use of secure messaging increased by 60.9% (95% CI, 27.5-94.3). CONCLUSION From 2008 to 2015, primary care visits were longer, addressed more issues per visit, and were less likely to have scheduled follow-up for certain patients and conditions. Meanwhile, more PCPs offered non–face-to-face care. The decline in primary care visit rates may be explained in part by PCPs offering more comprehensive in-person visits and using more non–face-to-face care.
Multiple chronic conditions and associated health care expenses in US adults with cancer: A 2010-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey study

Cancer increases the risk of developing one or more chronic conditions, yet little research describes the associations between health care costs, utilization patterns, and chronic conditions in adults with cancer. The objective of this study was to examine the treated prevalence of chronic conditions and the association between chronic conditions and health care expenses in US adults with cancer. This retrospective observational study used US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Household Component (2010–2015) data sampling adults diagnosed with cancer and one or more of 18 select chronic conditions. The measures used were treated prevalence of chronic conditions, and total and chronic condition-specific health expenses (per-person, per-year). Generalized linear models assessed chronic condition-specific expenses in adults with cancer vs. without cancer and the association of chronic conditions on total health expenses in adults with cancer, respectively, by controlling for demographic and health characteristics. Accounting for the complex survey design in MEPS, all data analyses and statistical procedures applied longitudinal weights for national estimates. Among 3657 eligible adults with cancer, 83.9% (n = 3040; representing 16 million US individuals per-year) had at least one chronic condition, and 29.7% reported four or more conditions. Among those with cancer, hypertension (59.7%), hyperlipidemia (53.6%), arthritis (25.6%), diabetes (22.2%), and coronary artery disease (18.2%) were the five most prevalent chronic conditions. Chronic conditions accounted for 30% of total health expenses. Total health expenses were $6388 higher for those with chronic conditions vs. those without (p < 0.001). Health expenses associated with chronic conditions increased by 34% in adults with cancer vs. those without cancer after adjustment. In US adults with cancer, the treated prevalence of common chronic conditions was high and health expenses associated with chronic conditions were higher than those without cancer. A holistic treatment plan is needed to improve cost outcomes.
Mediated ownership: capital as media:

This article unravels opportunities that arise from regarding corporate capital as media. First, it reviews relevant overlaps between media theory and legal theory. Second, it considers cases in wh...
Less Sex, but More Sexual Diversity: Changes in Sexual Behavior during the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

Recreational sex is a popular form of leisure that has been redefined by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. “Social distancing” rules have imposed limits on sex for leisure while also creating ne...
Potential Flow Through Cascades with Multiple Aerofoils per Period

The analyses in this thesis have, thus far, been restricted to cascades consisting of blades with thin profiles and at small angles of attack. However, the blades used in realistic turbomachinery stages possess large amounts of camber in order to turn the flow through a desired angle. In this chapter, we address these deficiencies and derive solutions for the potential flow through cascades where (a) the blades are of arbitrary geometry, (b) there are an arbitrary number of blades per period window, and (c) the flow may involve point vortices and moving blades.
Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship study of novel urea compounds as FGFR1 inhibitors to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of cancer characterized by higher metastatic and reoccurrence rates, where approximately one-third of TNBC patients suffer from the metastasis in the brain. At the same time, TNBC shows good responses to chemotherapy, a feature that fuels the search for novel compounds with therapeutic potential in this area. Recently, we have identified novel urea-based compounds with cytotoxicity against selected cell lines and with the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier in vivo. We have synthesized and analyzed a library of more than 40 compounds to elucidate the key features responsible for the observed activity. We have also identified FGFR1 as a molecular target that is affected by the presence of these compounds, confirming our data using in silico model. Overall, we envision that these compounds can be further developed for the potential treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
The Association of Federal and State-level Firearm Restriction Policies With Intimate Partner Homicide: A Re-analysis by Race of the Victim.

Firearms present a significant risk of intimate partner homicide (IPH) among women in the United States, and Black women continue to be overrepresented among IPH fatalities. State-level firearm res...
Methodology to Quantify Collagen Subtypes and Crosslinks: Application in Minipig Cartilages.

IntroductionThis study develops assays to quantify collagen subtypes and crosslinks with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and characterizes the cartilages in the Yucatan minipig.Meth...
Richard M. Peck on Hugo F. Sonnenschein

My dissertation was an extension of Aumann and Kurz 1977 work on “Power and Taxes.” Hugo and I were initially interested in Coase’s Theorem and the particular angle involved bargaining models. Hugo suggested that I read Aumann and Kurz’s paper 1977 Econometrica paper and the Aumann-Shapley book, Values of Non-Atomic Games. I became quite intrigued by the Aumann-Kurz model, and an extension, discarding the assumption of inelastic labor supply, became my thesis. Hugo was very supportive and even though this is not quite the original focus, he never tried to dissuade me.
Crosstalk induced fault analysis in DRAMs

In this paper we focus on the analysis of crosstalk among the bit-lines during the read operation, especially when defect and parameter variations exist. We identify such faults as crosstalk reading (CTR) faults. An analytical study of these faults was done and we supported the study with extensive simulation results.
Theorizing the Death of Cities

Although ancient cities often followed a trajectory of birth, prosperity, decline, and death, modern cities have more commonly exhibited a high degree of resilience. Yet some contemporary cities—notably some of the old industrial cities of the American Midwest—seem on an inexorable course toward death. Our understanding of urban dying and death, however, lacks theoretical elaboration. This essay suggests that an assessment of a city's morbidity can be accomplished by examining the condition of a city's three principal vital urban functions: its governance capacity, its economic stewardship, and its cultural production and preservation. By assessing these we can make a judgment about the course of urban dying, though urban death—the endstate—still eludes theoretical understanding. Keywords: ancient; birth; prosperity; death; modern cities; resilience; contemporary; urban functions; modibidity
Enteral Feeding Tubes

After studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following: Be familiar with the various methods of delivering enteral feeding. Know the indications and contraindications for using enteral feeding tubes. Know the complications associated with enteral feeding tube insertion.
Variation in resources needed to implement psychosocial support interventions for rural breast cancer survivors.

Understanding how resources are used provides guidance to disseminating effective interventions. Here, we report data on implementation resources needed for the Rural Breast Cancer Survivors (RBCS) study that tested a telephone-delivered psychoeducational education and support intervention to survivors in rural Florida. Intervention resources included interventionists’ time on one intake assessment (IA) call, three education calls (ED), one follow-up education call (FUE), six support (SUP) calls, and documentation time per survivor. Interventionists logged start and end times of each type of call. Average interventionist time in minutes was calculated by call type. Associations between interventionists’ time and participants’ characteristics including age, race/ethnicity, time since treatment, cancer treatment, depressive symptoms, education, income, employment, and support, was assessed using linear mixed models with repeated measures. Among 328 survivors, IA calls lasted 66.9 min (SD 21.7); ED lasted 50.6 (SD 16.7), 48.1 (SD 15.9), and 39.6 (SD 14.8); FUE lasted 24.7 (SD 14.8); and SUP 42.8 (SD 29.6) min. Documentation time was 18.4 min for IA, 23–27 for ED, 12.3 for FUE, and 23.0 for SUP. Interventionists spent significantly more time with participants with depressive symptoms, who already used other support, and who received SUP calls before the ED vs. after. There were no significant differences by time since or type of cancer treatment, or other personal characteristics. Resources vary by survivor characteristics. Careful consideration of mental health status or support available is warranted for planning implementation and dissemination of effective survivorship interventions on a broad scale.
Mammalian DNA is an endogenous danger signal that stimulates local synthesis and release of complement factor B.

Complement factor B plays a critical role in ischemic tissue injury and autoimmunity. Factor B is dynamically synthesized and released by cells outside of the liver, but the molecules that trigger local factor B synthesis and release during endogenous tissue injury have not been identified. We determined that factor B is upregulated early after cold ischemia-reperfusion in mice, using a heterotopic heart transplant model. These data suggested upregulation of factor B by damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), but multiple common DAMPs did not induce factor B in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. However, exogenous DNA induced factor B mRNA and protein expression in RAW cells in vitro, as well as in peritoneal and alveolar macrophages in vivo. To determine the cellular mechanisms involved in DNA-induced factor B upregulation we then investigated the role of multiple known DNA receptors or binding partners. We stimulated peritoneal macrophages from wild-type (WT), toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)-deficient, receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE)-/- and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-/- mice, or mouse macrophages deficient in high-mobility group box proteins (HMGBs), DNA-dependent activator of interferon-regulatory factors (DAI) or absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), with DNA in the presence or absence of lipofection reagent. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and immunocytochemical analysis were employed for analysis. Synthesis of factor B was independent of TLR9, RAGE, DAI and AIM2, but was dependent on HMGBs, MyD88, p38 and NF-κB. Our data therefore show that mammalian DNA is an endogenous molecule that stimulates factor B synthesis and release from macrophages via HMGBs, MyD88, p38 and NF-κB signaling. This activation of the immune system likely contributes to damage following sterile injury such as hemorrhagic shock and ischemia-reperfusion.
UTD bistatic scattering from a cone frustum

The bistatic scattering from a perfectly conducting cone frustum is investigated using the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD). The first-order GTD edge-diffraction solution has been extended by correcting for its failure in the specular region off the curved surface and in the rim-caustic regions of the endcaps. The corrections are accomplished by the use of transition functions which are developed and introduced into the diffraction coefficients. Theoretical results are verified in the principal plane by comparison with the moment method solution and experimental measurements. The resulting solution for the scattered fields is accurate, easy to apply, and fast to compute.
Causes and Consequences of Sensory Hair Cell Damage and Recovery in Fishes

Sensory hair cells are the mechanotransductive receptors that detect gravity, sound, and vibration in all vertebrates. Damage to these sensitive receptors often results in deficits in vestibular function and hearing. There are currently two main reasons for studying the process of hair cell loss in fishes. First, fishes, like other non-mammalian vertebrates, have the ability to regenerate hair cells that have been damaged or lost via exposure to ototoxic chemicals or acoustic overstimulation. Thus, they are used as a biomedical model to understand the process of hair cell death and regeneration and find therapeutics that treat or prevent human hearing loss. Secondly, scientists and governmental natural resource managers are concerned about the potential effects of intense anthropogenic sounds on aquatic organisms, including fishes. Dr. Arthur N. Popper and his students, postdocs and research associates have performed pioneering experiments in both of these lines of fish hearing research. This review will discuss the current knowledge regarding the causes and consequences of both lateral line and inner ear hair cell damage in teleost fishes.
Sensory awareness is not a wide physical relation : An empirical argument against externalist intentionalism

Intentionalism is very popular. Here I will work with a simple form for convenience. On this form of Intentionalism, to have an experience is to stand in the sensory representation relation or, as I shall say, the property-awareness relation to a cluster of properties (Dretske 1999). The properties we are aware of are the ostensible properties of external objects or parts of one’s body. In veridical experience these properties are instantiated in one’s environment or body, while in non-veridical experience they are not. In hallucination, for instance, one is aware of properties but not anything that instantiates the properties; one is aware of a cluster of free-floating properties (Dretske 1995, 1999, 2003; Tye 2000). Finally, the qualitative character of experience is determined by the totality of properties one is aware of (the totality of properties one sensorily represents). Roughly speaking, necessarily, if two people are aware of the same properties, then they have the same experience-type. Of course, we are not only aware of properties; in veridical experience, we are also aware of objects and facts. But object-awareness and fact-awareness do not determine qualitative character (Dretske 1999). It is what properties things seem to have which determines qualitative character. Here I will simply speak of the ‘‘awareness relation’’. But it is to be understood that I am exclusively interested in the nature of the property-awareness relation. There is much to recommend Intentionalism. Unlike Disjunctivism, Intentionalism is a common factor theory. The common factor between
Dialkylamido‐titan(IV)‐chloride und ‐alkoholate

Synthesen und Eigenschaften von sechs Dialkylamido-titan(IV)-chloriden und zwei Dialkylamido-titan(IV)-alkoholaten werden beschrieben.
CB1 receptors regulate alcohol-seeking behavior and alcohol self-administration of alcohol-preferring (P) rats

Abstract Rationale The endogenous cannabinoid (CB) system mediates a number of behaviors associated with drug-seeking and drug self-administration. In this study the effects of CB1 receptor manipulations on operant ethanol (EtOH) responding during EtOH-seeking, EtOH-relapse as well as on-going EtOH self-administration were determined. Methods Alcohol-preferring (P) rats were trained in 2-lever operant chambers to self-administer 15% EtOH (v/v) and water on a concurrent fixed-ratio 5–fixed-ratio 1 (FR5–FR1) schedule of reinforcement in daily 1-h sessions. After 10 weeks, rats underwent 7 extinction sessions, followed by 2 weeks in their home cages without access to EtOH or operant chambers. Rats were then returned to the operant chambers for testing of EtOH-seeking behavior (no EtOH present) for 4 sessions. After a week in their home cages following the EtOH-seeking test, rats were returned to the operant chambers with access to EtOH and water (relapse). Rats were then maintained in the operant chambers for daily 1-h sessions with access to 15% EtOH and water for several weeks. Results The CB1 receptor antagonist (SR141716A), at doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg, i.p. reduced EtOH-seeking and transiently reduced EtOH self-administration during relapse and maintenance. Conversely, treatment with the CB1 receptor agonist CP 55, 940, at doses of 1 and 10 μg/kg i.p., increased EtOH-seeking and EtOH self-administration during relapse. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that activation of CB1 receptors are involved in regulating EtOH-seeking as well as the reinforcing effects of EtOH under relapse and on-going self-administration conditions.
An Evaluative Tool For Preoperative Planning of Brain Tumor Resection

A patient specific finite element biphasic brain model has been utilized to codify a surgeon's experience by establishing quantifiable biomechanical measures to score orientations for optimal planning of brain tumor resection. When faced with evaluating several potential approaches to tumor removal during preoperative planning, the goal of this work is to facilitate the surgeon's selection of a patient head orientation such that tumor presentation and resection is assisted via favorable brain shift conditions rather than trying to allay confounding ones. Displacement-based measures consisting of area classification of the brain surface shifting in the craniotomy region and lateral displacement of the tumor center relative to an approach vector defined by the surgeon were calculated over a range of orientations and used to form an objective function. The objective function was used in conjunction with Levenberg-Marquardt optimization to find the ideal patient orientation. For a frontal lobe tumor presentation the model predicts an ideal orientation that indicates the patient should be placed in a lateral decubitus position on the side contralateral to the tumor in order to minimize unfavorable brain shift.
Recombination-stimulating sequences in yeast ribosomal DNA correspond to sequences regulating transcription by RNA polymerase I

A DNA sequence (HOT1) from the repeated ribosomal RNA gene cluster of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can stimulate genetic exchange when inserted at novel locations in the yeast genome. Localization of the sequences required for HOT1 activity demonstrates that two noncontiguous fragments of DNA are required for the stimulation of recombination. One of these fragments contains the transcription initiation site for the major 35S ribosomal RNA precursor. The other contains an enhancer of RNA polymerase I transcription. We suggest that transcription by RNA polymerase I initiating in the inserted rDNA and proceeding through the adjacent sequences is responsible for the stimulation of exchange. Consistent with this interpretation, insertion of the putative termination site for RNA polymerase I transcription between HOT1 and the adjacent recombining DNA abolishes the recombination stimulation. Transcription through both copies of the homologous recombining sequences appears to be necessary for enhanced exchange.
An unusual case of a mediastinal mass in a cadaver.

Since 1975, only approximately 60 saphenous vein graft aneurysms have been reported in the medical literature. We now report this unusual finding in a male cadaver who had undergone a recent coronary artery bypass grafting procedure. Although aneurysm formation is an unusual complication of saphenous vein graft surgery, the diagnosis must be suspected particularly in the face of a mediastinal mass on chest radiography in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass grafting. Needle biopsy in these cases may prove lethal. We believe this to be the first description of this complication in a cadaver. Clin. Anat. 19:151–153, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A note on multihead automata and context-sensitive languages

In this note we show that the following two statements are equivalent: (1) Any language over a one-letter alphabet, which is accepted by some nondeterministic multihead automaton can also be accepted by some deterministic multihead automaton. (2) Deterministic and nondeterministic context-sensitive languages are the same.
Unrestricted Hartree-Fock Treatment of Finite Nuclei

A smooth, nonlocal interaction which fits two-body scattering data reasonably well is used in a Hartree-Fock calculation of the binding energies and quadrupole moments of the even-even nuclei with $A$ between 4 and 40. The calculation is unrestricted in that the orbitals of all the particles are determined self-consistently with both radial and angular variations allowed. For the deformed nuclei, a naive rotational correction is made to allow comparison with experiment. The second-order term is computed in a perturbation expansion for which the Hartree-Fock result is the first-order term. The perturbation series apparently converges, and the results to second order agree quite well with experiment. The single-particle energies of the various nuclei are calculated in first and second order with polarization taken into account. Finally, the symmetry energy is studied in the $A=48$ system.
Unexpected emergency department death: incidence, causes, and relationship to presentation and time in the department.

Study objective: To determine the incidence and causes of unexpected death in emergency department patients and its relationship to initial ED presentation. To determine if length of ED stay is directly related to unexpected death. Design: Retrospective chart review of all patients dying in the study ED during a three-year period. Patients receiving CPR on admission or who had "do not resuscitate" orders were classified as expected deaths. Vital signs, level of consciousness, length of time in the ED, and cause of death were recorded for all unexpected deaths. Setting: Five hundred sixty-six-bed medical center with an ED volume of 45,000 patients per year. Participants: Four hundred eleven patients were pronounced dead from 1987 to 1989, and 403 (98%) charts were available. Results: Fifty-seven (14%) patients met the unexpected death criteria. Abnormal vital signs or altered level of consciousness was observed in 56 (98%) patients on presentation. Medical causes accounted for 42 (74%) of the unexpected deaths. Five (9%) surgical and ten (18%) trauma-related deaths were identified. The yearly incidence of unexpected death was 4.9 (per 10,000 ED visits) in 1987 and 4.1 in both 1988 and 1989. Average length of time in the ED before unexpected death increased during the study period (1987, 91 minutes; 1988, 110 minutes; 1989, 116 minutes). Conclusion: Unexpected ED death was uncommon, usually nontraumatic, and occurred in patients with evidence of significant illness. Although average length of stay in the ED increased, there was no increase in the incidence of unexpected ED death. If lengths of ED stay continue to increase, this situation will require further study.
Understanding African Diaspora Political Activism The Rise and Fall of the Black Star Line

The author’s work explores one way the African diaspora found resources and strategies to participate in transnational politics. She completed an empirical study of the Universal Negro Improvement Association’s Black Star Line and how it became the diasporic project that could bring about an economic enclave for diaspora trade among sister communities and West Africa. The effort was championed by many diaspora communities because it was seen as a solution to racial discrimination in transportation that hindered the mobility of Black travelers, migrant labor, and trade. The study provides a glimpse of activism in the fascinating parallax that we call the African diaspora by uncovering additional factors that help explain how this project gained traction and support; then it provides a detailed analysis of its demise.
The effect of violence on asthma: are our children facing a double-edged sword?

Low income, urban children with asthma are experiencing community violence that may contribute to asthma morbidity. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver report of feeling unsafe, seeing community violence or child seeing community violence and asthma morbidity and health care utilization. Two hundred thirty-one caregivers of children with asthma enrolled in an asthma,education, intervention reported perceptions of safety and violence exposure in six months and frequency of child asthma symptoms, emergency department (ED), primary care (PCP) visits and hospitalizations over 12 months. Children were primarily male (93%), black (61%), and reported income <$30,000 (56%). Violence exposure was high: feeling unsafe (25%), seeing violence themselves (22%), child saw violence (14%). If caregivers or children saw violence, there were significantly more nighttime symptoms than those who were not exposed (caregiver: yes violence = 6.72 ± 9.19, no violence = 4.23 ± 6.98, P = 0.03; child: yes violence = 7.09 ± 7.15, no violence = 4.37 ± 9.49, P = 0.05). Children who saw violence were less likely to see their PCP. Families exposed to community violence report more asthma symptoms, but are less likely to seek care for asthma. Health care providers and asthma educators should evaluate potential violence exposure with asthma patients and tailor care and education to include violence prevention and avoidance.
Relaxation effects in molecular K-shell photoionization

The effects of core relaxation on the shape-resonant K-shell photoionization cross section in N2 are shown to be very significant. Cross relaxation produces substantial broadening and shifting of the shape resonance to higher energy. The results suggest that the frozen-core approximation may not be an appropriate model for K-shell photoionization involving a low-energy shape resonance.
The gromov norm of the Kaehler class of symmetric domains

Let D be bounded symmetric domain of rank p, and let o9 be the KRhler form of its Bergmann metric, where the metric is normalized so that the minimum holomorphic sectional curvature is 1. I fX is a compact manifold whose universal cover is D, to defines a cohomology class [to] e H 2 (X, R). The purpose of this paper is to compute its sup norm in the sense of Gromov [5]. We show II [ to] II co = pn. Strictly speaking, we only prove this for three of the four classes of classical domains (cf. Sect. 2). This theorem has the following topological corollary. Let S be a Riemann surface of genus 0 > 1 and f : S ~ X a continuous map. Then ! f ' t o < 4 p ( # 1)n.
Cross-language priming asymmetries in lexical decision and episodic recognition

Abstract Masked translation priming between languages with different scripts exhibits a marked asymmetry in lexical decision, with much stronger priming from L1 to L2 than from L2 to L1. This finding was confirmed in a lexical decision task with Chinese–English bilinguals who were late learners of English. Following a suggestion made by Bradley (1991), the experiment was repeated using a speeded episodic recognition task. Participants studied Chinese words, and then were tested in an old/new classification task in which Chinese target words were primed by masked English translation equivalents. Significant priming was obtained for old items, not for new items. However, no priming was obtained when lexical decision was used. Unexpectedly, the episodic task showed a reverse asymmetry, since L1–L2 priming was not obtained with this task, although strong effects were obtained for lexical decision. A possible explanation for this pattern of results is that knowledge of L2 lexical items is represented episodically for late learners.
Role of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) in responses to trichloroethylene and metabolites, trichloroacetate and dichloroacetate in mouse liver

Abstract Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an industrial solvent and a widespread environmental contaminant. Induction of liver cancer in mice by TCE is thought to be mediated by two carcinogenic metabolites, dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA). TCE is considered to be a relatively weak peroxisome proliferator (PP), a group of rodent hepatocarcinogens that cause adaptive responses in liver through the PP-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). The objectives of this study were to determine whether effects of TCE, TCA and DCA in the liver associated with carcinogenesis are mediated by PPARα. Male wild-type and PPARα-null mice were given TCE by gavage for 3 days or 3 weeks; TCA or DCA were given in the drinking water for 1 week. Increases in relative liver and kidney weights by TCE were dependent on PPARα whereas liver weight increases by DCA were PPARα-independent. Dose-dependent increases in hepatocyte proliferation observed in wild-type mice after TCE exposure as determined by BrdU-labeling of hepatocytes were PPARα-dependent. Transcript profiling using macroarrays containing ∼1200 genes showed that 93% (40 out of 43) of all expression changes observed in wild-type mice upon TCE exposure were dependent on PPARα and included known targets of PP (Cyp4a12, epidermal growth factor receptor) and additional genes involved in cell growth. Increases in enzymes that catalyze β- and ω-oxidation of fatty acids were dependent on PPARα after exposure to TCE, TCA or DCA. TCE altered a unique set of genes in the livers of PPARα-null mice compared to wild-type mice including those that respond to different forms of stress. These data support the hypothesis that PPARα plays a dominant role in mediating the effects associated with hepatocarcinogenesis upon TCE exposure.
Invited commentary on “A prospective study of tumor and technical factors associated with positive margins in breast-conservation therapy for nonpalpable malignancy” by Reedijk et al

This commentary accompanies the article by Reedijk et al in which the authors analyzed prospectively collected data from a randomized trial of radioactive iodine seed versus wire localization to determine factors predictive of positive margins after breast-conserving procedures for nonpalpable breast cancers. Margins were considered positive when disease was found at,1 mm from the inked margin. Given this definition, the rate of positive margins was 20%. Multivariable analysis of pooled data from the 2 arms of the trial revealed that localizations performed using stereotactic guidance, the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ, tumors .2 cm, and multifocal disease were predictive of positive margins. These data confirmed prior retrospective studies from these same and other authors, who identified young age, the presence of calcifications on mammography, lobular histology, and lymphovascular invasion as predictors of positive margins, in addition to the factors identified earlier in the current article. The relatively high rate of margin positivity begs 2 questions. The first relates to methods for lowering the risk of positive margins in breast-conserving operations. Pathologic touch preparation cytology and frozen section analyses are used in some centers for intraoperative margin assessment but have not gained wide popularity because of
NONLINEAR HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGING OF PHASE ERRORS

Experimental measurements and computer simulations of nonlinear holographic imaging of phase errors in laser beams are presented. The computer models are found to accurately predict the results of the experiments. Comparison with similar results by use of amplitude scatterers reveals that the image location (along the propagation path) is the same for phase and amplitude scatterers. However, the intensity and fluence of the image of a phase scatterer are significantly larger, indicating that phase objects pose a larger damage threat to optical components.
Th17 cells in inflammation and autoimmunity

T helper 17 (Th17), a distinct subset of CD4(+) T cells with IL-17 as their major cytokine, orchestrate the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Dysregulated Th17 cells contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Candidate biologics are in development for targeting IL-17, IL-17 receptors or IL-17 pathways. Several drugs that impact the IL-17 pathway are already in clinical trials for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. In this review we provide evidence for the role of Th17 cells in immune-mediated diseases. An understanding of the role of Th17 in these conditions will provide important insights and unravel novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
Soil and nutrient removals by erosion and windrowing at a southeastern U.S. Piedmont site

Abstract Soil losses from various loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) harvest and regeneration practices were investigated at a moderately sloping Piedmont site. Treatments were stem-only vs. whole-tree harvest, chop and burn vs. shear pile and disk site preparation, and the repeated application of herbicide vs. none. Harvest method had no effect on erosion rates over the year measured. Erosion on the chop and burn plots (excluding skid trials) was negligible. Erosion on the disked plots over the same year without and with herbicide was 4 and 10 Mg/ha respectively, representing 5 and 10 kg/ha of total N and 1.3 and 2.5 kg/ha of total P. The measured erosion rates agreed well with Universal Soil Loss Equation estimates. Soil losses due to windrowing were unaffected by harvest method and equalled 178 tons of mineral soil per hectare of prepared area. N and P in windrow soil and slash equalled 254 and 61 kg/ha of prepared area, respectively, after burning. These represent a systematic underestimate of nutrient losses during windrowing. Nonetheless, they are greater than losses in whole-tree harvesting, and they exceed natural inputs expected during a rotation. Losses of this magnitude raise the likelihood of reduced long-term site productivity.
Retrospective Pretesting in the Cognitive Domain

Retrospective pretesting is a methodfor inferring learning by using the students' recollec tions of their preinstruction knowledge in lieu of actual pretesting. The most significant problem encountered in such a procedure is establishing the validity of the inferred pre- course level of information; attempts to deal with that issue are presented in detail
Basic Knowledge and Easy Understanding

Reliabilism is a theory that countenances basic knowledge, that is, knowledge from a reliable source, without requiring that the agent knows the source is reliable. Critics (especially Cohen 2002) have argued that such theories generate all-too-easy, intuitively implausible cases of higher-order knowledge based on inference from basic knowledge. For present purposes, the criticism might be recast as claiming that reliabilism implausibly generates cases of understanding from brute, basic knowledge. I argue that the easy knowledge (or easy understanding) criticism rests on an implicit mischaracterization of the notion of a reliable process. Properly understood, reliable processes do not permit the transition from basic knowledge to understanding based on inference.
Image similarity as assessed by users: A quantitative study

Image retrieval systems are generally based on the notion of image similarity: they compute similarity scores between the images of the database and a query (image or text), and organize the images according to these scores. However, this notion is ill-defined, and the collections used to train and evaluate image retrieval systems are based on similarity judgments that rely on simplistic, non-realistic, assumptions. This paper addresses the issue of the definition of image similarity, and more precisely the two following questions: do humans assess image similarity in the same way? Is it possible to define reference similarity judgments that would correspond to the perception of most users? An experiment is proposed, in which human subjects are assigned two tasks that fall in principle to the system: rating the similarity of images and ranking images according to a reference image. The data provided by the subjects is analyzed quantitatively to the light of the two aforementioned questions. Results show that the subjects do not have collective strategies of similarity assessment, but that a satisfying consensus can be found individually on the data samples used in the experiments. Based on this, methods to define reference similarity scores and rankings are proposed, that can be used on a larger scale to produce realistic ground truths for the evaluation of image retrieval systems. This study is a first step towards a general, realistic, definition of the notion of image similarity in the context of image retrieval.
Processive Endoglucanase Active in Crystalline Cellulose Hydrolysis by the Brown Rot Basidiomycete Gloeophyllum trabeum

Brown rot basidiomycetes have long been thought to lack the processive cellulases that release soluble sugars from crystalline cellulose. On the other hand, these fungi remove all of the cellulose, both crystalline and amorphous, from wood when they degrade it. To resolve this discrepancy, we grew Gloeophyllum trabeum on microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) and purified the major glycosylhydrolases it produced. The most abundant extracellular enzymes in these cultures were a 42-kDa endoglucanase (Cel5A), a 39-kDa xylanase (Xyn10A), and a 28-kDa endoglucanase (Cel12A). Cel5A had significant Avicelase activity—4.5 nmol glucose equivalents released/min/mg protein. It is a processive endoglucanase, because it hydrolyzed Avicel to cellobiose as the major product while introducing only a small proportion of reducing sugars into the remaining, insoluble substrate. Therefore, since G. trabeum is already known to produce a β-glucosidase, it is now clear that this brown rot fungus produces enzymes capable of yielding assimilable glucose from crystalline cellulose.
Microfilament bundles in the roots of a conifer, Chamaecyparis obtusa

The distribution of microfilament bundles (MFBs) in the primary tissues ofChamaecyparis obtusa roots has been investigated by electron microscopy. Nomarski differential interference-contrast (NDIC) images of MFBs in sections of embedded materials are also presented to complement the ultrastructural observations. The peripheral phloem parenchyma cells, also known as precursory phloem, generally possess greater numbers of MFBs than do any other cell type. MFBs are apparently absent in the cortical, meristematic or root cap tissues. The number of MFBs seen in a transection of a cell varies according to its position in the ontogenetic sequence. While all the MFBs in peripheral phloem parenchyma cells lie within 2.0 μm from and on occasion contact the plasmamembrane, some MFBs in other phloem and xylem cells are located in the central areas of the cytoplasm. The possible three-dimensional distribution of MFBs in a streaming peripheral phlowm parenchyma cell is discussed.
Thermosensitive Hydrogel PEG–PLGA–PEG Enhances Engraftment of Muscle-derived Stem Cells and Promotes Healing in Diabetic Wound

Regenerating new tissue using cell transplantation has relied on successful cell engraftment in the host; however, cell engraftment into the diabetic skin wound is not as successful as in many other tissues. We used a biodegradable and biocompatible triblock co-polymer poly(ethylene glycol-b-[dl-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid]-b-ethylene glycol) (PEG–PLGA–PEG), which forms a thermosensitive hydrogel, as a wound dressing and scaffold. We found that the thermosensitive hydrogel increased the engraftment of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) by 20- to 30-fold until day 20, when the wound was completely closed in a db/db genetically diabetic mouse model. At day 9, 30% of the transplanted MDSCs were found to remain, and 15% remained at day 20 after transplantation. The increased engraftment resulted in enhanced wound healing, as indicated by the wound closure rate, epithelium migration, and collagen deposition. Using MDSCs stably expressing β-gal and immunofluorescence, we found that 25% of MDSCs differentiated into fibroblasts, 10% into myofibroblasts, and 10% into endothelial cells. We conclude that using the thermosensitive hydrogel as a scaffold increased the engraftment of MDSCs, which leads to improved diabetic wound healing, possibly by retaining the cells at the wound site for longer.