cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESTO investments in innovative sensor technologies for remote sensing (Conference Presentation)

For 18 years NASA Earth Science Technology Office(ESTO) has been investing in remote sensing related technologies. During this period ESTO has invested in more then 900 tasks. These tasks are managed under multiple programs, which cover the whole spectrum of technologies from component to full up satellite in space and software. Many of these technologies have been successfully infused into space missions like Aquarius, SMAP, CYGNSS, SWOT, TEMPO and others. Researchers are demonstrating remote sensing instruments with various improved capabilities such as incorporating innovative spectrometers, or a single chip with spectral imaging capabilities. Recent technological developments in novel sensor materials, including those for hyperspectral imaging such as strained superlattice and barrier architectures, promise significant improvements in performance. Various read-out circuit architectures are improving functionality for higher-performance focal plane arrays, including incorporating intelligence into focal planes. Adding intelligence into sensors will lead to efficient utilization of limited onboard resources like power, and data rate. ESTO is actively investing in sensor technologies, instrument concepts, information technology and data processing algorithms for both active and passive remote sensing space applications. Recent investments have been for Sustainable Land Imaging(SLI-T), Inspace validation of technology (InVEST) and Instrument Incubator Program (IIP). This presentation will focus on remote sensing techniques and related technology investments by NASA/ESTO.
Epistemological progress in physics and its impact on biology

A case study illustrates the possibility of the transfer of epistemological resources from reformed physics courses to other courses.
Uptake and Fractionation of Thallium by Brassica juncea in a Geogenic Thallium-Amended Substrate.

This study shows thallium (Tl) concentrations in Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) tissue are more than an order of magnitude higher (3830 μg/kg) than that of the substrate (100 μg/kg) and are strongly influenced by the underlying mineralogy; i.e., Tl bioaccessibility depends on the mineral structure: K-feldspar > Mn nodule > hendricksite mica. The majority of Tl for all substrates is contained in edible parts of the plant, i.e., leaves (41% of total Tl, on average) ≥ flower stems (34%) > seed pods (11%) ≈ stems (10%) > flowers (3%). We also show that Tl isotope fractionation induced by B. juncea is substantial, at nearly 10 e205Tl units, and generates systematic plant-specific patterns. Progressive plant growth strongly fractionates Tl isotopes, discriminating against 205Tl as the plant matures. Thus, 205Tl values are systematically higher in the early formed stem (e205Tlavg = +2.5) than in plant elements formed later (e205Tlavg = -2.5 to +0.1), which demonstrates the large degree of translocation and the associated effects during plant growth. This study establishes the potential of Tl isotopes as a new tool for understanding heavy metal (re)distribution during anthropogenic and geologic processes and the utility of such information in environmental and health-related planning and in phytomining or bioprospecting.
Direct Democracy and Women's Political Engagement

What are the conditions that promote gender equality in political participation? In this article, I propose that the presence of direct democracy expands gender equality in political participation by signaling the system's openness to women's voice, confirming their political competency, and highlighting their stake in political decisions. To test this argument, I leverage a quasi‐experiment in Sweden in the aftermath of the introduction of universal suffrage, where the type of municipal political institutions was determined by a population threshold. My findings lend strong support to the effect of direct democracy on the political inclusion of women. I find that the gender gap in electoral participation was smaller in municipalities using direct democracy than in similarly sized municipalities that only had representative institutions.
A New Method of Abdominal Paracentesis

Summary It is felt that abdominal paracentesis, as commonly carried out by the trochar method, is a potentially dangerous procedure. A new method of paracentesis has been described. It has proven simple, effective, and free of any dangers or complications.
Paid Caregiver Communication With Homebound Older Adults, Their Families, and the Health Care Team

Background and objectives Although paid caregivers (e.g., home health aides and home care workers) provide essential care for homebound older adults with serious illness in their homes, little is known about how and to whom paid caregivers communicate about the health needs they encounter. This study explored how paid caregivers (i) communicate when older adults experience symptoms or clinical changes and (ii) interact with the health care team. Research design and methods We conducted separate one-on-one, semi-structured interviews (n = 30) lasting 40-60 min with homebound older adults (or their proxies if they had cognitive impairment) and their paid caregivers (provided they had worked with the older adult for ≥8 hr per week for ≥6 months). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded. Results Thematic analysis identified four themes: (i) older adults or their families were the gatekeepers to paid caregiver communication with the health care team; (ii) communication between older adults, their families, and paid caregivers was enhanced when close relationships were present; (iii) paid caregivers responded to health care team inquiries but rarely communicated proactively; and (4) most older adults, families, and paid caregivers were satisfied with existing paid caregiver communication with the health care team. Discussion and implications Rather than discuss concerns with the health care team, paid caregivers communicated directly with older adults or their families about the health needs they encounter. Understanding how communication occurs in the home is the first step to maximizing the potentially positive impact of paid caregivers on the health of older adults living at home.
An Expert Panel Discussion on the Future of Research on Climates for Diversity and Inclusion

The positive team and organizational effects of climates for diversity and inclusion are clear based on the empirical evidence. However, less is known – from both theoretical and applied perspectiv...
Quality of Acute Stroke Care at Primary Stroke Centers Before and After Certification in Comparison to Never-Certified Hospitals

Background and Purpose: Primary stroke center (PSC) certification is associated with improvements in stroke care and outcome. However, these improvements may reflect a higher baseline level of care delivery in hospitals eventually achieving certification. This study examines whether advancements in acute stroke care at PSCs are due to certification or factors intrinsic to the hospital. Methods: Data was obtained from the Field Administration of Stroke Therapy-Magnesium (FAST-MAG) trial with participation of 40 Emergency Medical System agencies, 315 ambulances, and 60 acute receiving hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Subjects were transported to one of three types of destinations: PSC certified hospitals (PSCs), hospitals that were not PSCs at time of enrollment but would later become certified (pre-PSCs), and hospitals that would never be certified (non-PSCs). Metrics of acute stroke care quality included time arrival to imaging, use of intravenous tPA, and arrival to treatment. Results: Of 1,700 cases, 856(50%) were at certified PSCs, 529(31%) were at pre-PSCs, and 315 (19%) were at non-PSCs. Mean (SD) was 33min (±76.1) at PSCs, 47(±86.6) at pre-PSCs, and 49(±71.7) at non-PSCs. Of 1,223 cerebral ischemia cases, rate of tPA utilization was 43% at PSCs, 27% at pre-PSCs, and 28% at non-PSCs. Mean ED arrival to thrombolysis was 71(±32.7) at PSC, 98(±37.6) at pre-PSC, and 95(±45.0) at non-PSCs. PSCs had improved time to imaging (p = 0.014), percent tPA use (p < 0.001), and time to treatment (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Stroke care at hospitals prior to PSC certification is equivalent to care at non-PSCs. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00059332.
Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation Reduces Child Anemia and Increases Micronutrient Status in Madagascar: A Multiarm Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND Iron deficiency anemia affects hundreds of millions of women and children worldwide and is associated with impaired infant outcomes. Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) have been found to reduce the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in some trials. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effectiveness of daily LNS supplementation on child anemia and micronutrient status in Madagascar within the context of an existing, scaled-up nutrition program. METHODS We cluster-randomized 125 communities to (T0) a routine program with monthly growth monitoring and nutrition education; (T1) T0 + home visits for intensive nutrition counselling; (T2) T1 + LNS for children aged 6-18 mo; (T3) T2 + LNS for pregnant/lactating women; or (T4) T1 + parenting messages. Pregnant women and infants aged <12 mo were enrolled in 2014 and followed for 2 y. Child outcome measures included hemoglobin and anemia assessed using the HemoCue 301 system (n = 3561), and serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor as markers of iron status, retinol-binding protein as a marker of vitamin A status, and C-reactive protein and α-1 acid glycoprotein from a finger stick blood draw among a subsample (n = 387). We estimated mean difference using linear regression and prevalence ratios using modified Poisson regression accounting for the clustered design. All analyses were intention-to-treat. RESULTS Children in the LNS groups (T2 and T3) had ∼40% lower prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency anemia and 25% lower prevalence of iron deficiency than children in the control group (T0) (P < 0.05 for all). There were no differences in any of the biomarkers when comparing children in the T4 group with those in T0; nor were there differences between T3 and T2. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest the provision of LNS in the context of a large-scale program offers significant benefits on anemia and iron status in young children.This trial was registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN14393738.
Why Do Patients Stay Longer Than Three Nights Following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Prolonged length of stay (PLOS) is frequently cited by secondary data studies as an adverse outcome following hip and knee arthroplasty. Although perhaps indisputable that PLOS increases the cost of hospitalization, it is unknown whether it is an appropriate measure of the quality of an arthroplasty procedure. METHODS We searched our institution's database for all hip and knee arthroplasty procedures over a 5-year period using MS-DRG (Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group) 469 and 470. Cases with greater than 3 night stays were identified. Charts were manually reviewed by 2 independent reviewers to identify the primary reason for PLOS, and the need for 30-day readmission or reoperation. RESULTS Of a total 4347 hip and knee arthroplasty cases, 218 (5.0%) were identified with LOS greater than 3 nights. The majority of prolonged stays were due to exclusively medical reasons (81 cases: 37.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 31.0-43.7). The second most common cause was inpatient days prior to the arthroplasty procedure (45 cases: 20.6%; 95% CI 15.8-26.5). Orthopedic reasons for PLOS were significantly less common than medical reasons (36 cases: 16.5%; 95% CI 12.2-22.0, P < .0001), most often due to failure to meet therapy goals. Neither readmission (31 cases: 14.2%) nor reoperation (10 cases: 4.6%) was associated with an underlying reason for PLOS. CONCLUSION When evaluating LOS as a measure of quality of an arthroplasty procedure, readers of secondary "big data" studies should be aware that there are significant limitations to its utility. Even after controlling for potential confounders, we found that PLOS does not necessarily reflect an adverse outcome.
Joy in Work for Clinicians and Staff: Identifying Remedial Predictors of Burnout from the Mini Z Survey

Purpose: The CMS Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI) provided coaching and learning support to practices during transition to new models of value-based care. Maryland ambulatory practices participated in the Garden Practice Transformation Network (GPTN) as a part of the TCPI. During practices assessment, we measured prevalence of burnout and identified its remediable predictors among GPTN-Maryland practices. Methods: A modified Mini Z tool survey was distributed among clinicians and staff in November 2018 - July 2019. Association between presence of burnout and burnout drivers was assessed using a Generalized Estimating Equation regression model for ordinal outcome. Results: Data from 166 responses were analyzed. Prevalence of burnout symptoms was 22%, with 35% enjoying their work. A 100-point Time Constraints/Teamwork (T/T) score was constructed using factors significantly associated with burnout symptoms. T/T score increase by 1 unit was associated with 10% increase in the odds of moving from the group experiencing burnout or stress to the group who found ‘joy in work’ (OR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.07, 1.13, p Conclusions: The Mini Z-derived T/T score could be useful for quick assessment of the degree of burnout and identifying burnout drivers related to effective organizational structure and supportive teamwork in practice personnel.
Nazism, Religion, and Human Experimentation

Multiple factors have been identified as contributing to the willingness of physicians and scientists to participate in the development and conduct of experiments carried out on Nazi concentration camp prisoners, including the economic challenges then facing physicians, the potential for increased status and power in the Nazi government, and their own hostility toward Jews and others deemed “not worth living.” They conducted these experiments against a backdrop of their societies’ longstanding anti-Semitic sentiments, the promulgation of anti-Jewish rhetoric by Christian authorities, and the incorporation into law of increasingly severe and restrictive anti-Jewish measures and, ultimately, embraced efforts to eradicate all Jews and evidence of Jewishness. This chapter argues that religion was relevant not only to the question of who was targeted by Nazi medical policy—Jews, conceived of by the Nazis as a race rather than a religion—but also to the question of who was doing the targeting—physicians who appear to have identified religiously primarily as Christians and who interpreted Nazi dogma as congruent with their religious beliefs and teachings.
Texas Estate Planning Judicial Update — June 2020 Edition

This article discusses recent judicial developments (second and third quarters of 2021) relating to the Texas law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters. The discussion of each case concludes with a moral, i.e., the important lesson to be learned from the case. By recognizing situations that have led to time consuming and costly litigation in the past, estate planners can reduce the likelihood of the same situations arising with their clients.
Limitations of First-Order Surface Impedance Boundary Condition and Its Effect on 2D Simulations for PCB Transmission Lines

Signal integrity (SI) issue is a critical concern as the data rate continues to increase and SI analysis is heavily dependent on simulations. Inaccurate simulation data may result in inadequate design decisions influencing high-speed digital design and optimization. The surface impedance boundary condition (SIBC) concept is generally utilized in commercial electromagnetic (EM) solvers, which is considered to be an efficient technique as the interior region of the conductor of interest does not need to be included in the numerical procedure. The first-order SIBC has been incorporated into many EM simulation tools widely used in industries. In this paper, the limitations of the first-order SIBC in 2D simulations for PCB transmission lines are analyzed and demonstarted for the first time. Different PCB transmission lines with various cross-sectional geometries are simulated in a commercial 2D EM solver with and without the implementation of the first-order SIBC to reveal the effect on the simulated transmission line behaviors. It is found that the accuracy of the simulations with the first-order SIBC decreases as the edge of the signal conductor in the cross-section becomes narrower. The possible solutions are proposed to overcome the issue.
Calcineurin, a Calmodulin-Stimulated Protein Phosphatase

Calcineurin, a major calmodulin-binding protein of brain [15], was initially identified as a heat-labile inhibitor of calmodulin-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase [17,36]. Although the function of this protein was not known, because of its Ca2+ -binding properties [15] and its apparent neural localization [34], it was named calcineurin [15]. The recent discovery of a calmodulin-stimulated protein phosphatase with similar subunit structure [29] led to the identification of calcineurin as a phosphoprotein phosphatase [30]. Calcineurin subunit interactions can now be correlated with observed regulatory properties of the en¬zyme, providing the opportunity to explore the relationship between subunit structure and the mechanisms of phosphatase regulation.
Quantification of binding affinity of glyconanomaterials with lectins

Carbohydrate-mediated interactions are involved in many cellular activities including immune responses and infections. These interactions are relatively weak, and as such, cells employ multivalency, i.e., the presentation of multiple monovalent carbohydrate ligands within a close proximity, for cooperative binding thus drastically enhanced binding affinity. In the past two decades, the field of glyconanomaterials has emerged where nanomaterials are used as multivalent scaffolds to present multiple copies of carbohydrate ligands on the nanomaterial surface. At the core of glyconanomaterial research is the ability to control and modulate multivalency through ligand display. For the quantitative evaluation of multivalency, the binding affinity must be determined. Quantification of the binding parameters provides insights for not only the fundamental glyconanomaterial-lectin interactions, but also the rational design of effective diagnostics and therapeutics. Several methods have been developed to determine the binding affinity of glyconanomaterials with lectins, including fluorescence competitive assays in solution or on microarrays, Forster resonance energy transfer, fluorescence quenching, isothermal titration calorimetry, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance and dynamic light scattering. This Feature Article discusses each of these techniques, as well as how each technique is applied to determine the binding affinity of glyconanomaterials with lectins, and the data analysis. Although the results differed depending on the specific method used, collectively, they showed that nanomaterials as multivalent scaffolds could amplify the binding affinity of carbohydrate-lectin interactions by several orders of magnitude, the extent of which depending on the structure of the carbohydrate ligand, the ligand density, the linker length and the particle size.
Investigating expression of a human optimized cas9 transgene in Neurospora crassa

The CRISPR-associated Cas9 enzyme is used in molecular biology to engineer the genomes of a wide range of organisms. While Cas9 can be injected or transfected into a target cell to achieve the desired goal, there are situations where stable expression of Cas9 within a target organism is preferable. Here, we show that the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa is recalcitrant to heterologous expression of a human-optimized version of Streptococcus pyogenes cas9. Furthermore, partial optimization of cas9 by synonymous codon exchange failed to improve its expression in the fungus. Finally, we show that transgene expression can be detected when cas9Hs sequences are placed in the 3′ UTR regions of transgene-derived mRNAs, but not when the same sequences are in the translated part of the transgene-derived mRNAs. This finding suggests that the primary obstacle to high cas9Hs expression levels in N. crassa is translational in nature.
Electrocardiographic Recognition of Unprotected Left Main ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Looking Beyond aVR.

Abstract ST-segment elevation in aVR has traditionally been used for electrocardiographic identification of left main coronary artery (LM) myocardial infarction. We present two ST-segment elevation...
A Pilot Experiment on Infrasonic Lahar Detection at Mount Adams, Cascades: Ambient Infrasound and Wind‐Noise Characterization at a Quiescent Stratovolcano

Author(s): Sanderson, Richard W; Matoza, Robin S; Haymon, Rachel M; Steidl, Jamison H | Abstract: Abstract Erosion, hydrothermal activity, and magmatism at volcanoes can cause large and unexpected mass wasting events. Large fluidized debris flows have occurred within the past 6000nyr at Mount Adams, Washington, and present a hazard to communities downstream. In August 2017, we began a pilot experiment to investigate the potential of infrasound arrays for detecting and tracking debris flows at Mount Adams. We deployed a telemetered four-element infrasound array (BEAR, 85nm aperture), ~11nkm from a geologically unstable area where mass wasting has repeatedly originated. We present a preliminary analysis of BEAR data, representing a survey of the ambient infrasound and noise environment at this quiescent stratovolcano. Array processing reveals near continuous and persistent infrasound signals arriving from the direction of Mount Adams, which we hypothesize are fluvial sounds from the steep drainages on the southwest flank. We interpret observed fluctuations in the detectability of these signals as resulting from a combination of (1)nwind-noise variations at the array, (2)nchanges in local infrasound propagation conditions associated with atmospheric boundary layer variability, and (3)nchanging water flow speeds and volumes in the channels due to freezing, thawing, and precipitation events. Suspected mass movement events during the study period are small (volumes l105 m3 and durations l2nmin), with one of five visually confirmed events detected infrasonically at BEAR. We locate this small event, which satellite imagery suggests was a glacial avalanche, using three additional temporary arrays operating for five days in August 2018. Events large enough to threaten downstream communities would likely produce stronger infrasonic signals detectable at BEAR. In complement to recent literature demonstrating the potential for infrasonic detection of volcano mass movements (Allstadt etnal., 2018), this study highlights the practical and computational challenges involved in identifying signals of interest in the expected noisy background environment of volcanic topography and drainages.
Real-time state estimation of low-frequency plasma oscillations in Hall effect thrusters

An extended Kalman filter (EKF) is developed to estimate unobserved states and parameters in plasma dynamical systems. Physical constraints are satisfied by adapting the process and measurement noise covariances to account for consistency between the estimates and the physical processes. First, the EKF is tested using the Lorenz system to demonstrate the robustness of the EKF with sparse measurement data. Then, the capabilities of the EKF are applied to investigate discharge current oscillations in a Hall effect thruster. It is demonstrated that the dynamics of the electron temperature can be estimated using the discharge current fluctuation as the measurement data. The propagation of the uncertainties of such estimates is also quantified.
Trends in Health Education.

(1929). Trends in Health Education. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 34, No. 8, pp. 456-461.
SMASH: Modular Security for Mobile Agents

Mobile agent systems of the future will be used for secure information delivery and retrieval, off-line searching and purchasing, and even system software updates. As part of such applications, agent and platform integrity must be maintained, confidentiality between agents and the intended platform parties must be preserved, and accountability of agents and their platform counterparts must be stringent. SMASH, Secure Modular Mobile Agent System.H, is an agent system designed using modular components that allow agents to be easily constructed and the system to be easily extended. To facilitate security functionality, the SMASH platform incorporates existing hardware and software security solutions to provide access control, accountability, and integrity. Agents are further protected using a series of standard cryptographic functions. While SMASH promotes high assurance applications, the system also promotes an open network environment, permitting agents to move freely among the platforms and execute unprivileged actions without authenticating. In this paper, we elaborate on the components and capabilities of SMASH and present an application that benefits from each of these elements.
Cracking and Fatigue in Fiber-Reinforced Metal and Ceramic Matrix Composites

The damage that occurs in unidirectional ceramic and metal matrix composites upon monotonic and cyclic loading involves coupled considerations of mechanics and stochastic processes. Some of the basic principles are described and models presented that both characterize damage evolution and govern mechanism changes. Comparisons are presented between predictions and experimental data for such phenomena as modulus degradation caused by matrix cracking, fatigue crack growth and tensile strength.
A comparison of emergency medical services times for stroke and myocardial infarction

Objective. Since stroke symptoms are often vague, and acute therapies for stroke are more recently available, it has been hypothesized that stroke patients may not be treated with the same urgency as myocardial infarction (MI) patients by emergency medical services (EMS). To examine this hypothesis, EMS transport times were examined for both stroke and MI patients who used a paramedic-level, county-based EMS system for transportation to a single hospital during 1999. Methods. Patients were first identified by their hospital discharge diagnosis as stroke (ICD-9 430–436, n = 50) or MI (ICD-9 410, n = 55). Trip sheets with corresponding transport times were retrospectively obtained from the 911 center. A separate analysis was performed on patients identified by dispatchers with a chief complaint of stroke (n = 85) or MI (n = 372). Results. Comparing stroke and MI patients identified by ICD-9 codes, mean EMS transport times in minutes did not meaningfully differ with respect to dispatch to scene arrival time ...
The Pedagogy of the Pedagogy of Music Appreciation

he Music Appreciation course represents one of the few sustained opportunities for a School or Department of Music to cultivate the audiences essential to the survival of our profession, yet these courses are often staffed by talented performers with comparatively little training and experience in classroom teaching. The initial shift from the studio to the classroom can seem intimidating to those who are assigned courses to supplement their applied loads. In order to ease this transition, I created a Pedagogy of Music Appreciation seminar for graduate students at the University of Southern Mississippi who are preparing to teach at the college level.1 This essay addresses the history and development of the course, suggests ways to organize its goals and content, and proposes learning outcomes for Music Appreciation that can be attained regardless of one’s choice of musical content. By the end of the seminar, students will feel encouraged to develop creative, personalized curricula to suit their own strengths and interests while meeting the needs of their students and the learning objectives set forth by their departments.
Temporary epicardial pacing after cardiac surgery: a practical review Part 2: Selection of epicardial pacing modes and troubleshooting

The first part of this two-part review discussed the indications for various types of epicardial pacing systems and an overview of the routine care of a pacemaker-dependent patient. Dual chamber temporary pulse generators now feature many of the refinements developed initially for use in permanent pacemakers. Few of these are utilised in the immediate postoperative period, often solely due to lack of familiarity with all but basic functions. The second part of the review deals with the selection of pacing modes. Troubleshooting real and apparent pacemaker malfunctions, including manual adjustment of parameters such as the AV interval, post atrial refractory period and upper rate limit, to avoid over- and undersensing, cross-talk and pacemaker-mediated tachycardia will also be addressed.
Human Rights: From Practice to Policy

University of Michigan: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, The Center for Ethics and Public Life; The Center for International and Comparative Studies, The International Policy Center, the Center for International Business Education, The Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies, and the School of Public Health.
Monte-Carlo modeling of electron kinetics in room temperature quantum-dot photodetectors

Results of our many-particle Monte-Carlo modeling of kinetics and transport of electrons in InAs/GaAs quantum-dot infrared photodetectors are reviewed We studied the dependence of the electron capture time on the electric field at different heights of the potential barriers around the dots The capture time is almost independent on the electric field up to a critical field about 1 kV/cm, and than substantially decreases with the field increase We found that the capture time has exponential dependence on the inverse of the average electron energy, which is in agreement with theory Our results show that controllable kinetics in quantum-dot structures may provide a significant increase in the photoconductive gain, device detectivity, and responsivity.
LDL receptor activity is down-regulated similarly by a cholesterol-containing diet high in palmitic acid or high in lauric and myristic acids in cynomolgus monkeys.

To determine the mechanisms whereby diets differing widely in fatty acid composition affect plasma LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations, LDL kinetics and receptor- and nonreceptor-mediated LDL catabolism were investigated in 27 cynomolgus monkeys fed diets containing 0.05 mg cholesterol/kJ and 40% fat energy as corn oil alone (unsaturated fat diet rich in oleic and linoleic acids), nonhydrogenated coconut oil alone (saturated fat diet, rich in lauric and myristic acids) or an oil blend (rich in palmitic acid). Consumption of the oil blend and saturated fat diets significantly elevated total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations relative to the unsaturated fat diet and the saturated fat diet significantly increased plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared with the oil blend diet. However, despite the greater increases in plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in the saturated fat vs. the oil blend dietary group, the receptor-mediated LDL fractional catabolic rate was comparable in the oil blend and saturated fat diet groups. In addition, consumption of the oil blend or saturated fat diet increased the production rate of LDL apolipoprotein B and nonreceptor-mediated LDL apolipoprotein B transport (disposal) relative to the unsaturated fat diet. Our data, therefore, suggest that consumption of the oil blend or saturated fat diet elevated plasma total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol relative to the unsaturated fat diet, and the oil blend diet abundant in palmitic acid seems to have down-regulated the LDL receptor as much as a more saturated fat diet abundant in lauric and myristic acids. J. Nutr. 125 : 2055-2063, 1995.
Additions to Corporate Boards: Does Gender Matter?

This paper examines the determinants of a firm adding a woman to its board of directors. Using panel data for a sample of large publicly held firms for the years 1990-1999, we find that the probability of adding a woman to a board in a given year is inversely related to the number of woman directors already on the board. Further the probability of adding a woman is substantially increased whenever a woman departs the board relative to the departure of a male outside director. Clearly then, gender is a factor in board hiring decisions. The evidence is mixed, however, as to whether gender became less of a decision factor in the latter part of the decade of the nineties. Lastly, the results suggest that the overall increase in female board representation during the past decade was due to a greater demand for diversity, rather than simply an increase in the pool of qualified female board candidates.
Composite Liquidity: Characteristics and Risk

Liquidity is a multidimensional concept with most liquidity measures proxying for only one of the many facets. Using nine low-frequency liquidity proxies, this study calculates composite liquidity measures by extracting the commonality across liquidity dimensions. As a stock characteristic, composite liquidity is priced cross-sectionally and most individual measures are not priced in addition. While five-factor models that include the liquidity factors from Pastor and Stambaugh (2003) or Sadka (2006) are insufficient to explain the returns of composite liquidity sorted portfolios, a liquidity risk factor constructed as factor mimicking portfolio describes the distribution of composite liquidity sorted returns well. Between characteristics and risk, however, it is the characteristics that bear a stronger relation to returns rather than liquidity factor loadings.
Evidence for a zwitterionic transition state in double bond rotations within tungsten-vinyl complexes.

The trianionic pincer supported tungsten–vinyl complex [CF3-ONO]W(O){(CH3)3CCC(CH3)2} (3syn) undergoes facile double bond rotation at ambient temperature. The degenerate methyl exchange rates were measured via selective inversion-recovery experiments. DFT computations in conjunction with experimentally determined rate constants support a double bond rotation that proceeds via a Zwiterionic transition state.
Permanent neurologic damage from chronic gamma hydroxybutyrate abuse.

Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a GABA-like compound that has gained widespread interest in the past ten years as a major drug of abuse in the United States, with increasing reports of GHB toxicity,...
Survival of Non-AIDS Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (S10.006)

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical features and evaluate the survival of non-AIDS progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) over time at a single institution. BACKGROUND: PML, a demyelinating brain infection caused by JC virus, is an opportunistic disease. Since its initial description in patients with lymphoreticular malignancies, PML has been associated most recently with AIDS and immunosuppressive therapies. Importantly, studies have shown that survival differs within specific immunosuppressed populations. This study aimed to establish PML survival in a non-AIDS population across a variety of immunosuppressive illnesses over time. DESIGN/METHODS: This retrospective chart review of Mayo Clinic patients with non-AIDS PML diagnosed between 1976 and 2012, were sorted into the following time cohorts for survival analysis: 1976 to 1987, 1988 to 1999, and 2000 to 2012. Death by PML was determined by autopsy or inferred from disease course. “Survivors” demonstrated clinical and/or radiologic evidence of stabilization or improvement. RESULTS: Of 84 patients, 60.7% died as a result of PML with a mean survival of 5.73 months. 11.9% of patients were alive with full PML stabilization at last follow-up. 27.4% died from a non-PML cause, of which 65.2% had resolved PML and 34.8% PML had progressed. Overall, 29.8% of patients were considered survivors. No difference in survival was demonstrated among our selected time cohorts. Patients most commonly presented with weakness or paralysis (65.5%), gait abnormality (63.1%), and cognitive disturbance (58.3%). Of the 92.9% in which MRI was obtained, lesions were most commonly found in the frontal (71.8%) and parietal (62.8%) lobes. Of the 45.2% in which cerebrospinal fluid JC virus PCR was obtained, 84.2% had a positive finding. Of the 47.6% who received ARA-C treatment, 65% died by PML with a mean survival of 7.08 months and 35% survived. CONCLUSIONS: Non-AIDS PML patient survival has not improved significantly over time. Study Supported by: Disclosure: Dr. Hanada has nothing to disclose. Dr. Aksamit has nothing to disclose.
Laboratory Medicine and the Aging Process. Joseph A. Knight. Chicago: ASCP Press, 1996, 420 pp., $45.00, ISBN 0–89189-397–0.

The lack of a clear understanding of the aging process poses a dilemma for health professionals. In the past, many chronic diseases of the elderly were simply attributed to aging per se, and little treatment was offered to correct the condition. However, new research studies have shown that, for the most part, chronic diseases of the elderly are simply age-associated (increasing with age) and therefore can be successfully treated. At issue also is a satisfactory definition of aging. Clearly, physiological age is not the same as chronological age, and many attempts to find a simple and accurate indicator of physiological age have not yielded a satisfactory result because of the tremendous heterogeneity within the elderly population. This particular book recognizes all of these factors and the focus is on age-associated diseases that result in many abnormal laboratory tests. As clearly pointed out in this book, many chronic age-associated health problems …
A Society without Fathers or Husbands: The Na of China

. Society without Fathers or Husbands: The Na of China. Cai Hua. New York: Urzone, 2001. 505 pp., figures, maps, notes, bibliography, index.
Global detection of molecular changes reveals concurrent alteration of several biological pathways in nonsmall cell lung cancer cells

To identify the molecular changes that occur in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), we compared the gene expression profile of the NCI-H292 (H292) NSCLC cell line with that of normal human tracheobronchial epithelial (NHTBE) cells. The NHTBE cells were grown in a three-dimensional organotypic culture system that permits maintenance of the normal pseudostratified mucociliary phenotype characteristic of bronchial epithelium in vivo. Microarray analysis using the Affymetrix oligonucleotide chip U95Av2 revealed that 1,683 genes showed a >1.5-fold change in expression in the H292 cell line relative to the NHTBE cells. Specifically, 418 genes were downregulated and 1,265 were upregulated in the H292 cells. The expression data for selected genes were validated in several different NSCLC cell lines using quantitative real-time PCR and Western analysis. Further analysis of the differentially expressed genes indicated that WNT responses, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation and cell proliferation were significantly altered in the H292 cells. Functional analysis using fluorescence-activated cell sorting confirmed concurrent changes in the activity of these pathways in the H292 line. These findings show that (1) NSCLC cells display deregulation of the WNT, apoptosis, proliferation and cell cycle pathways, as has been found in many other types of cancer cells, and (2) that organotypically cultured NHTBE cells can be used as a reference to identify genes and pathways that are differentially expressed in tumor cells derived from bronchogenic epithelium.
Evaluation of About Being Active, an online lesson about physical activity shows that perception of being physically active is higher in eating competent low-income women.

Background: Eating competence (EC) has been associated with positive health outcomes such as reduced cardiovascular risk and higher diet quality. This study compared reported physical activity and EC in 512 low-income women participating in an online program that included a physical activity lesson and assessed response to this lesson. Methods: Educational intervention and surveys were completed online. EC was assessed with the Satter Eating Competence Inventory for Low-Income (ecSI/LI). Results: Participants were mostly white, <31 years, overweight/obese (60%), and food insecure (58%). EC was higher for those who self-reported being physically active (30.1 ± 8.3 vs. 24.9 ± 8.1; P<0.001) and were active for ≥ 30 minutes/day (29.9 ± 8.3 vs. 26.3 ± 8.6), even with age, weight satisfaction, and BMI controlled. EC of obese physically active persons was higher than normal weight, but physically inactive women. The physical activity module was well received with responses unrelated to time involved or physical activity level. Conclusions: Low-income women were interested in learning about physical activity and responded positively to online delivery. Overall EC levels were low, but higher for physically active women, supporting efforts to enhance EC. Additional research is needed to determine if EC is associated with responses to physical activity education.
Problems in Testing the Elderly.

Test administration procedures and norms developed on younger age groups are often inadequate when testing the elderly. Problems of lower motivation to be tested, longer response times, sensory defects, and increased distractibility must be taken into account. Examiners of the elderly should also be sensitive to personality factors such as cautiousness, passivity, and reduced self‐confidence. A number of special tests (including measures of learning ability) and administration techniques that increase the likelihood that elderly examinees will do their best are described. It is argued that psychological examiners must receive special training in testing the elderly if they are to do a credible job with this age group.
The political responsibility of bystanders: the case of Mali

It has been a commonplace since the 2012 coup to hear how fragile the Malian democracy had become. Among the many causes is the political role that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have played as a fourth branch of government. As deliberative democratic processes were replaced by a corrupt elite consensus during the past eight years, NGOs assumed an important place in this system. This included humanitarian NGOs. However, these same NGOs until recently were blind to the political impact they were having. This essay suggests one explanation for this blindness and argues for the importance of a conception of humanitarian aid that balances moral responsibility with political responsibility.
Coordination site preference study of Cp∗Ru+ in monosubstituted naphthalene complexes

Abstract Ten novel [Cp ∗ Ru(η 6 -monosubstituted naphthalene) + O 3 SCF 3 − complexes were synthesized and characterized by 1 H, 13 C and 1 H{ 1 H}-COSY NMR spectrometry. All complexes containing electron-withdrawing substituents formed products with Cp ∗ Ru + moeity coordinated on the unsubstituted ring. In [Cp ∗ Ru(η 6 -1-naphthalamine)] + O 3 SCF 3 − , ruthenium is coordinated on the substituted ring due to the electron-donating properties of the NH 2 group. However, the methoxy and N , N -dimethylamine derivatives, despite the electron-donating properties of the substituents, coordinate the ruthenium atom on the unsubstituted ring due to steric hindrance around the substituted ring. Methylnaphthalene and hydroxynaphthalene products were formed as mixtures of coordination isomers.
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound modulates shear stress induced PGHS-2 expression and PGE2 synthesis in MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cells.

Fluid shear stress (SS) has been shown to be a prevailing physiological stimulus in the regulation of bone cell metabolism and so are the exogenous biomechanical forces, like ultrasound (US) and vibration. The purpose of this study is to elaborate the interplay of laminar fluid SS with low-intensity pulsed US in the regulation of prostaglandin H synthase 2 (PGHS-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Murine long bone osteocyte-like (MLO-Y4) cells were exposed to various regimes of US (1.5 Hz, 30 mW/cm2) and SS (19 dyn/cm2) alone and sequentially. Changes in PGHS-2 gene expression levels were quantified at 3 and 24 h using real-time RT-PCR. PGE2 levels in the culture media were measured using enzyme immunoassay at 3 and 24 h. PGE2 levels significantly increased after exposure to SS for 3 and 24 h by 2.17 ± 0.02 and 5.47 ± 0.42-fold, respectively, compared to control cells. A 20 min US treatment prior to SS significantly increased SS PGE2 levels 2.95 ± 0.18 and 2.90 ± 0.50-fold at 3 and 24 h, respectively. US also significantly increased PGHS-2 mRNA levels in cells exposed to SS. SS caused a 2.74 ± 0.49-fold increase in PGHS-2 mRNA levels at 3 h and a significant 3.70 ± 0.25-fold increase at 24 h relative to control. A 20 min US treatment caused 1.35 ± 0.49 and 2.44 ± 0.82-fold increase in PGHS-2 mRNA levels in cells exposed to SS at 3 and 24 h, respectively. These results indicate that combining US with SS may have a more anabolic benefit for bone tissue than either stimulus alone.
Clustered-charge to alanine scanning mutagenesis of the Mal63 MAL-activator C-terminal regulatory domain.

The MAL-activator genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encode regulatory proteins required for the expression of the structural genes encoding maltose permease and maltase. Residues within the C-terminal region of the Mal63 protein required for negative regulation were previously identified. Evidence suggested that the C-terminal domain is also involved in positive regulatory functions, such as inducer responsiveness and transactivation in the context of a full-length protein. Charged-cluster to alanine scanning mutagenesis of the regulatory domain of MAL63 and the constitutive MAL43-C were undertaken to identify distinct regions within Mal63p involved in positive functions and to define their roles in induction. Mutations that affect the ability to activate transcription in the inducible MAL63 but have no effect in the constitutive MAL43-C define regions that function in induction. Those that affect both the inducible and constitutive alleles define regions involved in activation more generally. Mutations in MAL63 fell into three classes, those that have little or no impact on activity, those that decrease activity, and those that enhance function. Mutations from these classes mapped to distinct regions of the protein, identifying a region of approximately 90 residues (residues 331–423) involved in maltose sensing and an approximately 50-residue region at the extreme C-terminus (residues 420–470) required for activation, such as the formation and/or maintenance of an active state. These studies support a model for MAL-activator function which involves complex protein–protein interactions and overlapping negative and positive regulatory regions.
Complementary metal‐oxide‐silicon field‐effect transistors fabricated in 4‐MeV boron‐implanted silicon

Boron was implanted into p‐type (100) silicon at an energy of 4 MeV to create a layer of heavily doped silicon centered at a depth of 5.2 μm below the surface. Both n‐channel and p‐channel metal‐oxide‐silicon, field‐effect transistors (MOSFET’s) and various diode structures were fabricated over this implanted region by using a 3‐μm complementary MOSFET (CMOS) technology. The results show that the implanted silicon is recrystallized to a device quality state. No increase in diode leakage or degradation in MOSFET device characteristics is observed. Experimental results show that this subdevice buried layer leads to a reduction of CMOS latch‐up susceptibility.