cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zolpidem stimulant effect: Induced mania case report and systematic review of cases.

Abstract Introduction Zolpidem is the most widely prescribed hypnotic agent worldwide. This easy-access drug seems to have a high addictive potential among specific populations and is now listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being as dangerous as benzodiazepines for dependence and abuse. Many side effects have been reported, but drug-induced mania is still extremely rare. We conducted a systematic review to study the zolpidem-induced stimulation, euphoric or manic effects. Methods MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched for articles in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish published up to the 15th October 2018. Results Eighteen relevant cases were identified, highlighting the need for more reports; therefore, one case that occurred in our department was included. The mean usual dose was 363.31 mg (± 292.2), the minimum dose was 10 mg, the maximum dose was 2000 mg, and the mean intake duration was 35.20 months (±48.0). We found that 89.4% of cases were euphoric and 15.7% had drug-induced mania with delusions. A total of 15.7% of cases took zolpidem for relaxant and stimulant effects, 47% of cases suffered various depression or anxiety disorders, of which 62.5% used zolpidem to cope with depression or an anxiety disorder. A total of 26.3% of cases had concomitant drug dependence or abuse. Seventy-five percent of cases suffering from depression consumed zolpidem for more than 1 year, with significantly more increased daily doses than in non-depressed cases (p Conclusions The latest FDA recommendations for lowering zolpidem doses should be adopted by all countries. Zolpidem prescriptions should be contraindicated for populations with identified risk factors.
Guidance Counselors or School Counselors: How the Name of the Profession Influences Perceptions of Competence:

School counselors (n = 276) were given a measure of school counseling competencies and standards. About half the participants completed a version of the survey that used the term “Guidance Counselo...
Understanding why patients with substance use disorders leave the hospital against medical advice: A qualitative study

Background: Hospital discharges against medical advice (AMA) is associated with negative health outcomes and re-admissions. Patients with substance use disorders (SUD) are up to three times more li...
Graduating nurses' knowledge of palliative and end-of-life care.

Background: Generalist nurses frequently care for people who have advanced chronic diseases in decline, or who are dying. Few studies have measured graduating nurses' knowledge about end-of-life (E...
Antisense oligonucleotide targeting of thrombopoietin represents a novel platelet depletion method to assess the immunomodulatory role of platelets.

Background Platelets are effector cells of the innate and adaptive immune system; however, understanding their role during inflammation-driven pathologies can be challenging due to several drawbacks associated with current platelet depletion methods. The generation of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) directed to thrombopoietin (Tpo) mRNA represents a novel method to reduce circulating platelet count. Objective To understand if Tpo-targeted ASO treatment represents a viable strategy to specifically reduce platelet count in mice. Methods Female and male mice were treated with TPO-targeted ASOs and platelet count and function was assessed, in addition to circulating blood cell counts and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The utility of the platelet-depletion strategy was assessed in a murine model of lower airway dysbiosis. Results and conclusions Herein, we describe how in mice, ASO-mediated silencing of hepatic TPO expression reduces platelet, megakaryocyte, and megakaryocyte progenitor count, without altering platelet activity. TPO ASO-mediated platelet depletion can be achieved acutely and sustained chronically in the absence of adverse bleeding. TPO ASO-mediated platelet depletion allows for the reintroduction of new platelets, an advantage over commonly used antibody-mediated depletion strategies. Using a murine model of lung inflammation, we demonstrate that platelet depletion, induced by either TPO ASO or anti-CD42b treatment, reduces the accumulation of inflammatory immune cells, including monocytes and macrophages, in the lung. Altogether, we characterize a new platelet depletion method that can be sustained chronically and allows for the reintroduction of new platelets highlighting the utility of the TPO ASO method to understand the role of platelets during chronic immune-driven pathologies.
Graphene Modified Plasmonic Sensors

Graphene plasmon polaritons are the hybrids of Dirac quasiparticles and infrared photons, which allows strong light-matter interaction within the tightly confined mode volume. However, plasmon dissipation channels, such as dielectric losses of the substrates, edge scattering, inefficient coupling to free space photon, significantly reduce external quantum efficiency of graphene plasmon. In this work, we demonstrate >60% absorption in a metal-on-graphene hybrid plasmonic structure, with far-infrared transparent spacer material for managing the photon recycling through backside reflectors. The widely tunable infrared plasmon resonance between 10 and 16 μm is achieved through controlling the dimension of periodic metal microstructures. In combination with phase matched spacer thickness, more than 86% absorption is graphene plasmonics can be achieved.
Telemedicine for Outpatient Neurosurgical Oncology Care: Lessons Learned for the Future During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background The coronavirus 2019 (COVD-19) pandemic has drastically disrupted the delivery of neurosurgical care, especially for the already at-risk neuro-oncology population. The sudden change to clinic visits has rapidly spurned the implementation of telemedicine. A recommendation care paradigm of neuro-oncologic patients limited by telemedicine has not been reported. Methods A summary of a multi-institution experience detailing the potential benefits, pitfalls, and the necessary considerations to outpatient care of neurosurgical oncology patients. Results There are limitations and advantages to incorporating telemedicine into the outpatient care of neuro-oncology patients. Telemedicine-specific considerations for each step and stakeholder of the appointment (physician, patient, scheduling, previsit, imaging, and physical examination) are examined. Conclusions Telemedicine, pushed to prominence during this COVID-19 pandemic, is a powerful and possibly preferential tool for the future of outpatient neuro-oncologic care.
Rational Choice Theory and Friends

The roots for rational choice theory stem from the philosophical theories of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. This theory is associated with the classical school of criminology with the core idea that people have free will, and they can choose how to act and react to situations within their lives (Moran, The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (1973–), 86(3), 1147–1160, 1996). Many people have taken the philosophies of Beccaria and Bentham and revived them within their own theories. The following chapter will focus on the variation of rational choice theory developed by Bill McCarthy, who notes that there are four distinct elements of decision making: information gathering, recognizing all potential courses of action and their consequences, making a decision, and reflecting on that decision (Paternoster & Pogarsky, Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 2, 103–127, 2009). These four elements can be seen within the actions and thoughts of the six main characters of the television show Friends. These characters find themselves in difficult and often hilarious situations throughout the show’s ten seasons, and they tend to show viewers how they process and react to these situations.
PLINER: Isolating Lines of Floating-Point Code for Compiler-Induced Variability

Scientific applications are often impacted by numerical inconsistencies when using different compilers or when a compiler is used with different optimization levels; such inconsistencies hinder reproducibility and can be hard to diagnose. We present PLINER, a tool to automatically pinpoint code lines that trigger compiler-induced variability. PLINER uses a novel approach to enhance floating-point precision at different levels of code granularity, and performs a guided search to identify locations affected by numerical inconsistencies. We demonstrate PLINER on a real-world numerical inconsistency that required weeks to diagnose, which PLINER isolates in minutes. We also evaluate PLiNER on 100 synthetic programs, and the NAS Parallel Benchmarks (NPB). On the synthetic programs, PLiNER detects the affected lines of code 87% of the time while the stateof-the-art approach only detects the affected lines 6% of the time. Furthermore, PLINER successfully isolates all numerical inconsistencies found in the NPB.
Missing Social Outcomes in CSR Reports of Award Winners

Consumers increasingly expect transparency from companies practicing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and base their buying practices on what they see and hear about a company’s CSR initiatives. Unfortunately, many CSR reports resemble marketing materials, rather than data that shows what the actions have accomplished for those targeted stakeholder groups. CSR reports need to prove that companies have achieved outcomes, not just established goals. Companies need to demonstrate that their CSR initiatives are not just greenwashing to keep their consumers happy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the CSR/Sustainability Reports of twenty-one corporations that appear both in the CR Magazine’s 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens and the World’s Most Reputable Companies for Corporate Social Responsibility for 2018 to see if they report outcome measures as well as goals. The study found that, although many of the corporations address the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the UN 2013 Sustainable Development Goals in their reports, the initiatives that focus on the social elements have no data or outcomes for them, especially when they involve philanthropy to nonprofits. Only environmental goals had year-to-year data on progress toward goals.
Falling Short of the Promise of the Thirteenth Amendment: Time for Change

This Essay seeks to shine additional light on the potential of the underutilized Thirteenth Amendment (as contrasted to the much-litigated Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause) for advancing racial justice and equity. The Essay suggests the Thirteenth Amendment provides strong constitutional basis for an unapologetic embrace of the sorts of new, race-conscious measures that will be necessary to begin to achieve true racial equity in a country that for centuries has erected massive structural barriers to Black opportunity and advancement.
Phases of the hydrogen isotopes under pressure: metallic hydrogen

Hydrogen is the simplest molecule in nature. One of the key problems and challenges in condensed matter physics is to understand the phases, properties, and structure of hydrogen as a function of p...
Rstricted Track Assignment with Applications

Consider a set of intervals S=I1, I2, ..., I n , where I i = (l i , r i ), l i , and r i are real numbers, and l i < r i . We study a restricted track assignment problem (RTAP): if an interval I a contains another interval I b then I a must be assigned to a higher track than I b , and the goal is to minimize the number of tracks used. The problem RTAP is shown to be NP-hard. An approximation algorithm that produces a solution within twice of the optimal is also presented and the bound is shown to be tight. The algorithm, uses a segment tree as the basic structure, runs in O(nlogn) time and requires linear space. The proposed approximation algorithm is employed to solve the problem of finding a maximum-weighted independent set in a circle graph, and related problems.
Quantifying photovoltaic fire danger reduction with arc-fault circuit interrupters: Quantifying photovoltaic fire danger reduction

Unmitigated arc-faults present fire dangers, shock hazards, and cause system downtime in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The 2011 National Electrical Code® added section 690.11 to require a listed arc-fault protection device on new PV systems. Underwriters Laboratories created the outline of investigation for PV DC arc-fault circuit protection, UL 1699B, for certifying arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) for arc suppression. Unfortunately, little is known about appropriate trip times for arc-faults generated at different locations in the PV system, with different electrode and polymer encapsulant geometries and materials. In this investigation, a plasma model was developed, which determines fire danger with UL 1699B-listed AFCIs and consequences of arc-fault discharges sustained beyond UL 1699B trip time requirements. This model predicts temperatures for varying system configurations and was validated by 100 and 300 W arc-faults experiments where combustion times and temperatures were measured. This investigation then extrapolated burn characteristics using this model to predict polymer ignition times for exposure to arc-power levels between 100 and 1200 W. The numerical results indicate AFCI maximum trip times required by UL 1699B are sufficient to suppress 100–1200 W arc-faults prior to fire initiation. Optical emission spectroscopy and thermochemical decomposition analysis were also conducted to assess spectral and chemical degradation of the polymer sheath. Published 2014. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Direct effects of ionizing radiation on integral membrane proteins : noncovalent energy transfer requires specific interpeptide interactions

The 12 transmembrane alpha helices (TMHs) of human erythrocyte glucose transporter were individually cut by pepsin digestion as membrane-bound 2.5-3.5-kDa peptide fragments. Radiation-induced chemical degradation of these fragments showed an average target size of 34 kDa. This is 10-12 x larger than the average size of an individual TMH, demonstrating that a significant energy transfer occurs among these TMHs in the absence of covalent linkage. Heating this TMH preparation at 100 degrees C for 15 min reduced the target size to 5 kDa or less, suggesting that the noncovalent energy transfer requires specific helix-helix interactions. Purified phospholamban, a small (6-kDa) integral membrane protein containing a single TMH, formed a pentameric assembly in sodium dodecyl sulfate. The chemical degradation target size of this phospholamban pentamer was 5-6 kDa, illustrating that not all integral membrane protein assemblies permit intersubunit energy transfer. These findings together with other published observations suggest strongly that significant noncovalent energy transfer can occur within the tertiary and quaternary structure of membrane proteins and that as yet undefined proper molecular interactions are required for such covalent energy transfer. Our results with pepsin-digested glucose transporter also illustrate the importance of the interhelical interaction as a predominating force in maintaining the tertiary structure of a transmembrane protein.
Passive Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) Chemical Sensors for Homeland Security Applications

This article provides a brief overview of chemical and biological threats, focuses in detail on modern concepts in chemical sensing, examines the origins of the most significant unmet needs in existing chemical sensors, and introduces a new philosophy in selective chemical sensing. This new approach for selective chemical sensing involves the combination of a sensing material that has different response mechanisms to different species of interest with a transducer that has a multivariable signal transduction ability to detect these independent changes. This new selective chemical-sensing approach was realized using an attractive ubiquitous platform of battery-free passive radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags adapted for chemical sensing. In the numerous laboratory and field experiments, the action of several response mechanisms in a single sensing film to different vapors was demonstrated, which resulted in the independent detection of these responses with individual RFID sensors and correction for variable ambient conditions, including high levels of ambient relative humidity (RH). Performance of developed RFID sensors is illustrated in measurements of toxic industrial materials (TIMs) with the detection limit of 15–80 ppb, humidity-independent (0–76% RH) detection of toxic organic vapors, and selective determination of blood chemical agent (CA) simulants with individual sensors. Keywords: radiofrequency identification (RFID) sensor; chemical sensing; multivariate statistical analysis; chemical agents; biological agents; toxic industrial materials
Andvakia discipulorum, A New Species of Burrowing Sea Anemone from Hawai‘i, with a Revision of Andvakia Danielssen, 1890.

We describe Andvakia discipulorum Daly & Goodwill, n. sp., from an intertidal mudflat of Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Members of this species are inconspicuous, being small and having a column covered with sand. In comparison with other species of the genus, Andvakia discipulorum, n. sp., presents distinct arrangement of mesenteries, sizes of nematocysts, and musculature. We also provide a redescription of Andvakia boninensis based on specimens collected from Saipan, Mariana Islands. These descriptions provide an opportunity to revise and update the taxonomy of Andvakia and to address the systematics of family Andvakiidae. We determine that Andvakia is the senior synonym of Decaphellia and reject earlier hypotheses of synonymy between Andvakia and Capneopsis, Ilyactis, and Octophellia. A tabular key to the species of Andvakia is provided.
Additional Sterile Mutations in Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Spontaneous male-sterile, female-fertile and male-sterile, female-sterile mutations in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. were analyzed to determine whether they represent new or already described loci responsible for sterility
How Micro-Cultures of Evaluation Practice Shape Evaluation Design

Background: Not applicable. Purpose: To consider how employment settings influence evaluation design. Setting: International conference on culturally responsive evaluation. Intervention: Not applicable. Research Design: Not applicable. Data Collection and Analysis: Not applicable. Findings: Not applicable. Keywords: evaluation design; culture; contextual influences
Conundrum of the “French Paradox”

To the Editor: Certain populations, such as the French and the Greeks, have a low incidence of coronary artery disease, despite a diet relatively high in saturated fat. It has been suggested that regular consumption of red wine may explain this phenomenon, which has been dubbed the “French paradox,”1 ie, the coexistence of a high-fat diet and a low incidence of coronary artery disease. Although the cardioprotective effects of most alcoholic beverages are probably due to an elevation of high-density lipoprotein, as well as the ability of alcohol to prevent platelet aggregation and to increase fibrinolysis, there is an increased favorable effect of red wine.2 The unique cardioprotective properties of red wine reside in the action of flavonoids, which are absent in white wine (with the exception of champagne) and sparse in beer (with the exception of dark beers). The best research flavonoids are resveratrol and quercetin, which confer antioxidant properties more potent than α-tocopherol.2 As was summarized recently by Hung …
Spark breakdown in air at a positive point

When a voltage across an insulating gas is increased beyond a certain limit, the gas breaks down, becoming a conductor of electricity. A photographic method, the Lichtenberg figure technique, is used to study the process. Above a certain voltage an ionization wave, called a streamer, proceeds from the highly stressed electrode, branching out along the way and extending far into low-field regions. At elevated voltages the vigorous streamers reach the cathode with a high-potential front. Owing to the front, the short-lived local field at the cathode triggers electron emission, also producing negative streamers. The negative streamers greatly increase the density of the ionized particles in the channel, yielding what is known as a backstroke. For long air gaps, streamers are incapable of reaching the cathode; intensive secondary channels therefore develop at the anode and proceed toward the cathode. Either the backstroke or the secondary channel paves the way for the full ionization of the channel and spark breakdown.
Effect of presentation procedure on taste intensity functions

Magnitude estimations were made for the taste intensity of sodium chloride (NaCl) and quinine sulfate (QSO4) presented by three different methods: sip, anterior dorsal tongue flow, and whole-mouth flow. Power functions fitted to the data indicate that, for the anterior tongue stimulus (NaCl), the two flowing procedures produced lower exponents than did the sip procedure. For the posterior tongue stimulus (QSO4), the exponent obtained with dorsal tongue flow was lower than the exponents obtained with either of the whole-mouth procedures, sip or flow. The results are compared to previous experiments on ratio scaling of taste intensity to elucidate the effects of several procedural variables.
Antimalarial agents compared with or in combination with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

Available published comparisons of antimalarial drugs with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are reviewed, as well as reports of combinations of DMARDs, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. These reports suggest that antimalarial drug toxicity is less than that of parenteral gold, D-penicillamine, auranofin, or dapsone. Its efficacy appears to be equal to or slightly less than that of most comparison DMARDs. Combinations of DMARDs with antimalarials are probably used by a substantial proportion of rheumatologists, but the few prospective, double-blind studies with a balanced design show little or no advantage to combination DMARD therapy. Open, nonrandomized studies and preliminary reports suggest that combination therapy may be useful, usually when another DMARD is added to one or more DMARDs to which the patients did not have a satisfactory response. A few large, prospective, double-blind, randomized studies comparing hydroxychloroquine with several other DMARDs and placebo are needed to establish more confidence in the relative efficacy and utility of hydroxychloroquine. Although the rationale for combination DMARD therapy is attractive, additional preliminary studies of the various possible combinations and doses are needed before definitive trials of promising combinations can be justified.
Experiences with the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) to teach elementary accounting

Abstract The paper examines the use of Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) to teach elementary accounting at a community college. Key criteria to student success include high motivation, being self-disciplined, and having a good reading ability. PSI provides the student with clearly defined learning objectives and immediate feedback on progress. Disadvantages include a high withdrawal rate and lack of student peer interaction.
Groups in the Human Services: Some Facts and Fancies

SUMMARY Many misconceptions are associated with the use of groups in social work practice, especially by those practitioners who do not have a grasp of small group theory and leadership methods and skills. Historically, social workers have believed that collective behavior could change attitudes, give participants a sense of support and belonging, develop new knowledge, socialize behavior, and influence systems and organizations. The growing body of small group research, and research on practice with groups in social work and other professions, can remove some of the mystery and make possible more deliberate and definitive use of groups. Furthermore, a worker needs a commitment to values in the use of groups, and a grasp of the dynamics of helping the participants to make use of their group relationships to achieve their goals. We have the knowledge and skill at our fingertips to provide an instrument which many people in society are seeking.
The Evolution of a Moist Convective Element in a Shallow, Conditionally Unstable Atmosphere: A Numerical Calculation

Abstract The development of an axially-symmetric convective circulation generated by release of an isolated light mass of moist air in an unstable stratification has been investigated by integrating the dynamic equations numerically. The equations include eddy viscous forces and heating by condensation of water vapor. All the condensed water is assumed to remain in the system (reversible process). Unlike the spherical shape envisaged in bubble theories, the cloud generated here developes into a tall and slender current. The top is characterized by a sharp gradient of the condensed liquid water content and the rate of ascent of the top agrees approximately with the local vertical velocity. Physical variables such as vertical velocity and excess temperature take their maximum values near the cloud top. The trunk, extending from the cloud base to a little below the top, exhibits a columnar or cylindrical shape, rather than the cone typical of a thermal in neutral surroundings. When the environment is saturat...
The effect of a depth dependent diffusion coefficient on the trapping of mobile particles near a solid surface

Abstract A diffusion model is presented which allows an experimental test for the existence of an anisotropic region at a crystal surface induced by the asymmetry of the vacuum-crystal interface. The model is a generalization of that developed by van Gorkum and Kornelsen1 which assumed a diffusion coefficient independent of position in the crystal. The model was modified by assuming that the anisotropy can be described by a variable diffusion coefficient very near the surface. It is shown that if such an anisotropic region exists, the fraction of trapped particles f should increase with the temperature at which the crystal is held during diffusion. If the region does not exist, the fraction of trapped particles should not depend on the crystal temperature. An attempt was made to measure the dependence of f on temperature for He trapping at very shallow He V traps in Mo (100). The results indicate that even at the depth of the shallowest traps in Mo (100) (≤ 5 A), no significant anisotropic diffusion of th...
Isolated tricuspid valve surgery: predictors of adverse outcome and survival.

Background Isolated tricuspid valve surgery is a rare operation, for which outcomes are not well defined. We describe a single-centre experience with isolated tricuspid surgery, and an analysis of risk factors for adverse outcome and predictors of survival. Methods Retrospective analysis of 56 consecutive adult patients undergoing isolated tricuspid valve surgery between November 1998 and November 2010 was performed. Results Eight patients died in hospital (early mortality 14.2%). In comparison with tricuspid repair patients, tricuspid replacement patients required more intraoperative red cell blood transfusion (RBC>1unit: p =0.033), platelet transfusion ( p =0.051), and more postoperative ventilator support ( p =0.023). Predictors of early (in hospital) mortality include advanced age ( p =0.019) higher euroSCORE ( p p =0.005), and cryoprecipitate ( p =0.014). Twenty-five patients (44.6%) reached the end-point of death. There was no statistical difference in early and late survival rates between repair and replacement groups. Conclusions Patients with isolated tricuspid valve surgery continue to be a high-risk group in cardiac surgery with unacceptable operative mortality and limited survival. There were no statistical differences in early and late outcomes between the isolated tricuspid valve repair versus replacement surgery. Timely referral to surgery before the onset of class 3 heart failure, malnutrition, renal dysfunction and age>60 years is recommended.
Conditional interval estimation of the exponential location parameter following rejection of a pre-test

The conditional confidence interval for the location parameter of an exponential distribution following a preliminary test is investigated. The conditional confidence interval (CCI) may be shorter than the unconditional confidence interval (UCI) in contrast to the findings for the mean of a normal distribution by Meeks and D'Agostino (1983). The conditional coverage probability of the UCI is obtained by computing the coverage probability under the conditional probability density function. It is shown that the conditional coverage probability of the UCI is not uniformly greater than or less than the nominal level.
Surface wave testing for characterization of ballast and foundation layers

The subsurface structure of a track system consists of ballast bed and soil foundation. Ballast fouling due to degradation and infiltration of other materials from the ballast surface and the foundation has been a common problem with rail track performance. The efficiency of a track system decreases with time due to ballast fouling and/or loss of the shear strength of foundation soil. Monitoring and identifying the changes in mechanical properties of ballast and foundation soil in a track system are essential to schedule and predict maintenance costs and to improve safety. Unlike qualitative measurements with the electromagnetic waves, for example, Ground Penetrating Radar, wave velocity measurements provide an opportunity to estimate the distribution of rail system stiffness with depth that can be directly in design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Recent Immigrant Religions in a Restructuring Metropolis: New Religious Landscapes in Chicago

This essay examines the interrelation between recent immigrant religions and the current restructuring of America's largest metropolitan centers, using Chicago as a case study. New urban religious landscapes are placed into the context of the new American metropolis, with its postindustrial economy, regional reconfiguration, socioeconomic polarization, and increasing demographic diversity. A mapping of over 100 religious centers illuminates patterns of institutional siting throughout metropolitan Chicago, while an examination of locations, facilities, and memberships reveals wide socioeconomic variations both across and within new religious groups. Factors of ethnicity and theology are considered as well. The essay highlights one immigrant mosque on Chicago's north side as an institutional case study of spatial, temporal, and social dynamics at work in the geography of new urban religious landscapes.
Groundwater flow in the Ganges Delta.

Basu et al . ([1][1]) reported that 2 × 1011 m3/year of groundwater flows directly into the Bay of Bengal, an outflow equivalent to 19% of the discharge from the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system. They showed that this estimate of flow could have important consequences for the interpretation of
Family Caregiver Perspectives on Symptoms and Treatments for Patients Dying From Complications of Cystic Fibrosis

Context Most patients with advanced cystic fibrosis (CF) die from respiratory failure and experience distressing symptoms as lung disease progresses. Little has been reported about symptom management and the continuation of disease-specific treatments near the end of life for patients with CF.
The role of automation in the analysis of complex mixtures

Abstract This paper describes the hardware and software of a highly automated system for the analysis of complex mixtures. All acquisitions of data, editing, identification, quantification and reporting are entirely computer controlled for up to 60 samples. Identification is aided by the use of specially constructed libraries of mass spectra of relevant compounds. As described the programs are applicable to the analysis of perfume and flavour components but are readily adaptable to the requirements of other multicomponent systems eg alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Median intradialytic blood pressure can track changes evoked by probing dry-weight

Background: Median BP obtained over a single dialysis treatment can diagnose hypertension among hemodialysis patients. Whether median BP is as useful to track change in BP is unknown. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Among patients participating in the dry-weight reduction in hypertensive hemodialysis patients (DRIP) trial, interdialytic ambulatory BP was recorded at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The mean interdialytic ambulatory BP was compared to the following recordings: predialysis on one dialysis treatment (Pre1), predialysis averaged over 2 weeks of dialysis treatment (Pre6), postdialysis on one dialysis treatment (Post1), postdialysis averaged over 2 weeks of dialysis treatment (Post6), and median intradialytic BP over one treatment. Results: Pre1 was unable to detect change in ambulatory BP. Although Pre6 was able to detect change, it overestimated the ambulatory BP. On average, the magnitude of reduction in Post1 in response to probing dry-weight was nearly twice that obtained by ambulatory BP monitoring. Even Post6 overestimated the magnitude of reduction in BP at 8 weeks. Median systolic BP was responsive to probing dry-weight and neither overestimated nor underestimated the interdialytic ambulatory systolic BP at baseline or over time. However, the SD of the differences between median systolic BP and interdialytic ambulatory systolic BP varied from 16 to 20 mmHg. Conclusions: Median intradialytic BP recordings can detect change in ambulatory BP evoked by reduction in dry-weight at the population level. Because of wide agreement limits between intradialytic and interdialytic BP, the individual prediction of ambulatory BP from median intradialytic BP can be misleading.
Myelination and node of Ranvier formation on sensory neurons in a defined in vitro system

One of the most important developmental modifications of the nervous system is Schwann cell myelination of axons. Schwann cells ensheath axons to create myelin segments to provide protection to the axon as well as increase the conduction of action potentials. In vitro neuronal systems provide a unique modality to study a variety of factors influencing myelination as well as diseases associated with myelin sheath degradation. This work details the development of a patterned in vitro myelinating dorsal root ganglion culture. This defined system utilized a serum-free medium in combination with a patterned substrate, utilizing the cytophobic and cytophilic molecules (poly)ethylene glycol (PEG) and N-1[3 (trimethoxysilyl) propyl] diethylenetriamine (DETA), respectively. Directional outgrowth of the neurites and subsequent myelination was controlled by surface modifications, and conformity to the pattern was measured over the duration of the experiments. The myelinated segments and nodal proteins were visualized and quantified using confocal microscopy. This tissue-engineered system provides a highly controlled, reproducible model for studying Schwann cell interactions with sensory neurons, as well as the myelination process, and its effect on neuronal plasticity and peripheral nerve regeneration. It is also compatible for use in bio-hybrid constructs to reproduce the stretch reflex arc on a chip because the media combination used is the same that we have used previously for motoneurons, muscle, and for neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation. This work could have application for the study of demyelinating diseases such as diabetes induced peripheral neuropathy and could rapidly translate to a role in the discovery of drugs promoting enhanced peripheral nervous system (PNS) remyelination.
Ziziphus mucronata : an underutilized traditional medicinal plant in Africa

In Africa, rural people depend heavily, if not exclusively, on medicinal plants and indigenous healthcare knowledge to meet their medical needs. Over 80000 flowering plant species are used medicinally worldwide. Amongst them are the underutilized Ziziphus species in the Rhamnaceae family. In terms of abundance and economic value, Z. jujuba and Z. mauritiana are currently the most important, especially in China and India where they are cultivated and exploited for medicinal use and their edible fruits. We examined a related common species widely distributed in Africa, Z. mucronata, whose economic value has not, as yet, been explored. Local people in various African countries use its different parts to cure a large number of diseases, many of which are similar to those treated with Z. jujuba and Z. mauritiana. Several studies have shown that Z. mucronata has cyclopeptide alkaloids, i.e., mucronines F, G and H, with antibacterial properties. Conservation strategies to sustain and maximize the benefits of Z. mucronata to people are proposed.
Medicare long-term CPAP coverage policy: a cost-utility analysis.

Study Objectives:CPAP is an effective treatment for OSA that may reduce health care utilization and costs. Medicare currently reimburses the costs of long-term CPAP therapy only if the patient is a...
Stent implantation for coarctation of the aorta in children <30 kg.

Objectives Our aim was to determine key characteristics of stents commonly implanted in the aorta through bench testing and to describe our technique and acute results in patients weighing Background Despite the increasing use of stents for interventional treatment for coarctation of the aorta (CoA) in larger patients, use of large stents is controversial in small children. Methods Methods included bench testing of large stents, and retrospective review of all patients over 1 year of age who had stent implantation for treatment of CoA. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on weight. Paired comparisons were made before and after stent implantation, and group outcomes were compared. Results Sixty patients comprised the entire sample, with 22 patients assigned to group I ( Conclusions As in larger patients, use of large stents for treatment of CoA in small children is effective and safe in the short term. In these patients, stent redilations will be required, and follow-up is ongoing.
Middle Archean continent formation by crustal delamination

The processes that created the first large cratonic areas such as the Pilbara and the Kaapvaal remain poorly understood. Models based on the uniformitarian extrapolation of present-day arc volcanic processes to a hotter early Earth have not adequately explained the observations in these terranes. Here we propose an alternative mechanism for the formation of the earliest continental crust. The formation of continental crust may be achieved by delamination of the lower eclogitic part of an oceanic plateau–like protocrust. Such delamination results in uplift, extension, and the production of tonalite, trondhjemite, and granodiorite (TTG) suites as recorded in Middle Archean cratons. The available geologic and geophysical observations in combination with model calculations permit this scenario as an alternative to subduction-based hypotheses.
Tried as an adult, housed as a Juvenile: A tale of youth from two courts incarcerated together

Research has questioned the wisdom of housing juveniles who are convicted in criminal court in facilities with adult offenders. It is argued that minors transferred to criminal court should not be incarcerated with adults, due to a greater likelihood of developing criminal skills, being victimized, and attempting suicide. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the other option, housing these youth with minors who have committed less serious crimes and who are therefore adjudicated in juvenile courts, might have unintended consequences for juvenile court youth. The present study utilizes a sample of youth incarcerated in one secure juvenile facility, with some offenders processed in juvenile court (n = 261) and others processed in adult court (n = 103). We investigate whether youth transferred to adult court engage in more institutional offending (in particular, violence) and experience less victimization than their juvenile court counterparts. Results indicate that although adult court youth had a greater likelihood of being convicted of violent commitment offenses than juvenile court youth, the former engaged in less offending during incarceration than the latter. In addition, no significant differences in victimization were observed. These findings suggest that the concern about the need for separate housing for adult court youth is unfounded; when incarcerated together, those tried in adult court do not engage in more institutional violence than juvenile court youth.
Anxiolytic-like effects of alpha-2-adrenoceptor agonists on conflict behavior in the rat: pre- versus postsynaptic receptor mechanisms.

Abstract The effects of acute pretest administration and chronic posttest administration of clonidine or the selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist UK-14,304 on conflict behavior were investigated. In daily 10-min sessions, water-deprived rats were trained to drink water from a tube that was occasionally electrified (0.25 mA); electrification was signaled by a tone. Prior to treatment, subjects accepted 25–30 shocks/session (punished responding) and consumed approximately 12–15 ml/session (unpublished responding). Acute pretest administration of clonide or UK-14,304 did not increase punished responding. In contrast, chronic posttest clonidine administration (40 μg/kg, IP, twice daily for 8 weeks) resulted in a robust and time-dependent increase in punished responding (60–70 shocks/session) relative to saline-treated controls. Moreover, the selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist UK-14,304 also increased punished responding when administered chronically (1.0 mg/kg, BID). Administration of the noradrenergic neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine HCl (DSP4, 65 mg/kg, IP) significantly decreased punished responding in control conditioned suppression of drinking sessions. The anticonflict effect associated with chronic posttest clonidine treatment was not altered by DSP4 pretreatment. These findings suggest that chronic posttest α2-adrenoceptor agonist treatment produces an anticonflict effect independent of its actions at presynaptic α2-adrenoceptors.
Equivalence and theoretical foundation of recent phenomenological descriptions of rotational bands in deformed nuclei

Abstract Two recent successful phenomenological descriptions of ground state rotatiol bands in even nuclei are proven to be equivalent. A rigorous derivation of one of them (the Harris formula) is given and its significance discussed.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Downregulates Transforming Growth Factor β2 To Promote Enhanced Stability of Capillary-Like Tube Formation

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the most common tumor of AIDS patients worldwide. A key characteristic of KS tumors is extremely high levels of vascular slits and extravasated red blood cells, making neoangiogenesis a key component of the tumor. The main KS tumor cell is the spindle cell, a cell of endothelial origin that maintains KSHV predominantly in the latent state. In cultured endothelial cells, latent KSHV infection induces angiogenic phenotypes, including longer-term stabilization of capillary-like tube formation in Matrigel, a basement membrane matrix. The present studies show that KSHV infection of endothelial cells strongly downregulates transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2). This downregulation allows the stabilization of capillary-like tube formation during latent infection, as the addition of exogenous TGF-β2 inhibits the KSHV-induced stability of these structures. While two KSHV microRNAs are sufficient to downregulate TGF-β2 in endothelial cells, they are not required during KSHV infection. However, activation of the gp130 cell surface receptor is both necessary and sufficient for downregulation of TGF-β2 in KSHV-infected cells. IMPORTANCE Kaposi's sarcoma is a highly vascularized, endothelial cell-based tumor supporting large amounts of angiogenesis. There is evidence that KSHV, the etiologic agent of KS, induces aberrant angiogenesis. For example, KSHV induces stabilization of capillary-like tube formation in cultured endothelial cells. A clearer understanding of how KSHV regulates angiogenesis could provide potential therapeutic targets for KS. We found that KSHV downregulates TGF-β2, a cytokine related to TGF-β1 that is known to inhibit angiogenesis. The downregulation of this inhibitor promotes the stability of capillary-like tube formation insofar as adding back TGF-β2 to infected cells blocks KSHV-induced long-term tubule stability. Therefore, KSHV downregulation of TGF-β2 may increase aberrant vascularization in KS tumors through increased capillary formation and thereby aid in KS tumor promotion.
Cloning of a wide-spectrum amidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus BR388 in Escherichia coli and marked enhancement of amidase expression using directed evolution☆

A 1.6-kb DraI-HindIII DNA fragment from Bacillus stearothermophilus BR388 chromosomal DNA encoding a wide-spectrum amidase was cloned into Escherichia coli DH5alpha. With acrylamide substrate, the amidase showed maximum activity at 55 degrees C, pH 7.0, and 0.12-M substrate, and demonstrated significant activity in 1-M acrylamide. A mutant prepared by PCR-based random mutagenesis of a 1.65 kb segment of B. stearothermophilus BR388 chromosomal DNA containing the amidase gene had two adenine bases replaced with guanine, resulting in a single primary structure alteration of His26 into Arg. This mutant demonstrated a 23-fold increase in amidase activity compared to wild-type, which is attributed to increased amidase gene transcription.
Purchasing college textbook from online e-bookstore: an empirical study

This paper describe an empirical research investigating the current issues and development of online college textbook market, as the Internet has provided more options for college students across the nation in terms of buying and selling their textbooks in recent years. The objectives of this research are threefold: (1) to investigate the marketing strategy of current online college textbook business in terms of: price, leadtime, availability, and the likes; (2) to identify major issues and challenges for online college textbook websites in promoting online textbook sales; and (3) to examine the related managerial implications in higher education.
In the orchard: Farm worker children's moral and environmental reasoning

Abstract In this study, farm worker children (N = 40) in 2nd and 5th grade were interviewed about (a) their conceptions and judgments of pesticide exposure and (b) their reasoning about the moral standing of nature. First, results showed that all participants negatively judged pesticide exposure based on moral obligatory criteria. Yet, most children accepted pesticide use in the orchards where they lived. Their reasoning was either based on assumptions that certain practices eliminated potential harms or coordination of potential physical harms with concerns for financial security. Second, participants expressed biocentric considerations (wherein nature is accorded moral standing) when reasoning about harms to nature. The results provide evidence of biocentric reasoning earlier than previously shown in the developmental literature, and indicate a developmental shift in the form of biocentric reasoning. Finally, the results offer support of a new methodology for disentangling human considerations from environmental moral reasoning.