cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Celebrities and GOTV: An Experiment to Motivate Voting Among College Students

An increasing number of celebrities have become involved in organized efforts to encourage young people to vote. In this paper, we examine whether celebrities are effective at these get out the vote (GOTV) efforts. In an experiment embedded in a survey conducted right before the 2012 presidential election, we exposed college students to a mock news story encouraging them to vote. We varied whether this information came from a celebrity possessing high or low levels of credibility, a former student body president, or an anonymous generic source. To estimate differences in voting intentions and validated turnout, we also included a control group that was never encouraged to vote. Overall, we find minimal evidence that celebrities are effective at mobilizing young voters. Democrats’ actual turnout was higher when they received an anonymously sourced GOTV appeal, but not when the same message was sourced to a celebrity. In addition, political independents expressed a greater intention to vote in a celebrity treatment condition, but this effect was not replicated with validated turnout data. In fact, Republicans and Independents were actually less likely to have voted when exposed to a GOTV message, and in the case of Independents when it was sourced to a celebrity.
Comparison of internship syllabus of preventive medicine in Capital Medical University,Peking University and Sichuan University

Objective To compare the internship syllabus in the major of Preventive Medicine among three medical schools and provide the reference for improvement of the internship syllabus.Methods Collecting and comparing the internship syllabus information of three schools.Results Differences were found in the internship schedule,the content,the department,the methods and the evaluation system of the syllabus.Conclusions To realize the educational normalization of Preventive Medicine,syllabus and assessment criteria should be standardized; Internship rotation could be combined with fixed internship.
Cu2+ Binds to Phosphatidylethanolamine and Increases Oxidation in Lipid Membranes

Herein, we demonstrate that Cu2+ binds bivalently to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), the second most abundant lipid in mammalian cells. The apparent equilibrium dissociation constant, KDApp, for the Cu2+–PE complex at physiological pH is approximately 2 μM and is insensitive to the concentration of PE in the membrane. By contrast, at pH 10.0, where PE lipids bear a negative charge, KDApp decreases with increasing PE content and has a value of 150 nM for bilayers containing 70 mol % PE. The oxidation of double bonds in PE-containing bilayers can be monitored in the presence of Cu2+. Strikingly, it was found that the oxidation rate is 8.2 times faster at pH 7.4 for bilayers containing 70 mol % PE than for pure phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayers upon exposure of both to 70 μM Cu2+ and 10 mM hydrogen peroxide. The rate of oxidation increases linearly with the PE content in the membrane. These results may help explain the high level of lipid oxidation in PE-containing membranes for neurodegenerative diseases and...
Synthesis of Joint Control and Active Sensing Strategies Under Temporal Logic Constraints

This paper proposes an approach to control of discrete systems with incomplete information and sensing capabilities, with respect to temporal logic constraints. The approach introduces active sensing to alleviate computational effort in control design for systems interacting with uncontrollable environments under incomplete information. Particularly, it transforms a deterministic controller under complete information into a randomized, observation-based controller. Interleaving the latter with strategic queries to sensors, the temporal logic specification is proven to be satisfied almost surely. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated with robotic motion planning examples.
MMC-based phase partitioning for data intensive applications

In this paper, we present a technique based on Matrix Model Computation (MMC) in order to improve the performance of embedded systems that run data-intensive applications. Unlike traditional techniques that consider a loop nest in a data-intensive application as one execution phase, the proposed technique aims at efficiently dividing a loop nest into multiple execution phases in order to improve the utilization of dynamic memory management schemes in a more efficient way. The target architecture is an embedded processor with software-managed on-chip memory components with multiple levels in the hierarchy. The experimental results presented using single-core embedded architecture show significant performance improvements over available dynamic memory management schemes.
Morphology and Phase Changes in Iron Anodes Affecting their Capacity and Stability in Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries

Rechargeable alkaline batteries may become attractive nonflammable alternatives to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for applications where achieving the highest energy density is less critical than safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost of energy storage. The broad abundance and low price of iron (Fe) make it attractive as a rechargeable anode material for aqueous batteries. Through cyclic voltammetry and post-mortem analysis, we revealed four distinct stages of Fe anode evolution: development, retention, fading, and failure, where each stage is associated with very specific changes in the morphology and phase of Fe anodes. We observed the Fe particle fragmentation resulted in the capacity increase during the initial cycles of charge–discharge. Most importantly, we discovered the irreversible formation of maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) with low reactivity is responsible for the eventual Fe anode capacity fading. This unexpected discovery changes the paradigm on possible routes to stabilize Fe anodes and cont...
From John Wayne to Tootsie

The ideas and evidence presented here are both timeless and timely. In fact, much of what is to be said here has the ring of familiarity in spite of years of change. Whenever it was that man first began to explore his outer world, and his inner nature, one of his first discoveries clearly must have been that his own kind was divided into two sexes, that there was man and woman. What we are seeing in contemporary society is the continuing evaluation of man and woman, reflecting our ongoing search and fascination with the image of who we are, and how we are related to each other, as man and woman. Perpetually, the fact that emerges to catch our attention is how we, as man and woman, are both similar and different. We acknowledge our similarity on the basis of our shared biological fate as Homo sapiens, but also we see ourselves as divided into two groups on the basis of our sex. At a psychological level, we too share a common fate as human beings, and yet, as man and woman, our fates seem to possess the character of both convergence and divergence. This fact of our oneness and separateness was articulated early in the history of the recording of our ideas. In the work of the ancient Greeks, most notably Plato’s “Symposium,” we are informed that the “original nature of man was not like the present, but different. The sexes were not two as they are now, but originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the two, having a name corresponding to that double nature, which once had a real existence, but is now lost... androgynous” (1952, p. 157). Plato goes on to tell us that “man was then split into two by the Gods to teach them a lesson of humility in their divided state. And, because of the original unity of man’s nature, the humbled state of living only a part of his existence as a piece of this whole, there is a primordial hunger in each of us, a constant yearning to re-unite this divided self” (p. 158).
Thrombotic Risk Factors

Despite advances in diagnosis and management, venous thromboembolism (VTE) including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) persists as a common health problem in both inpatient and outpatient settings, with about 100 cases per 100,000 population. For up to 75 % of patients with VTE, at least one contributing risk factor can be identified. Recurrence risk and therefore duration of anticoagulation are mostly dictated by presence or absence of potentially modifiable risk factors eliminating need for extensive laboratory evaluation for thrombophilia in many cases. In assessing a patient with new VTE, the initial step should be categorizing the VTE as unprovoked versus provoked. An understanding of the relative importance of risk factors contributing to VTE, and of their additive and sometime multiplicative nature, is critical to assessment and management. The strongest isolated risk factors for VTE are trauma and major surgery. The major acquired and hereditary thrombophilias may independently confer minor to moderate risk for VTE, and we review clinical pearls and testing caveats for each. Medications including hormonal therapies and cancer therapeutics; concomitant conditions such as malignancy, hematologic disorders, and pregnancy; and the postpartum period all confer risk for venous thrombosis. Risk in pregnant and postpartum women is dramatically increased in the presence of concurrent thrombophilia. Travel and immobility are associated with slightly increased VTE risk; however, this risk can be substantial in the setting of additional VTE risk factors. Hospitalized patients also face increased risk of DVT, particularly in the setting of comorbid chronic conditions. Frequently encountered vascular risk factors such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, and hyperlipidemia also contribute to development of VTE.
Pheromones and Reproduction in Garter Snakes

Darwin (1871) distinguished between sexual and natural selection, viewing them as separate, often apposing processes. Evolutionary biologists have shown how those behavioral traits associated with perpetuation of the individual’s genome, such as courtship displays, are under different selective pressures than are those associated with survival of the individual, such as thermoregulation. In the first instance, sexual selection may lead to conspicuous or extremely rapid evolution of a trait, whereas in the latter instance, natural selection will give rise to less dramatic and/or rapid changes (Arnold and Houck, 1982; Kirkpatrick, 1982; Lande, 1980, 1981).
Depressed Mood in Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Europe and the United States: A Comparative Study Using Anchoring Vignettes

Objective: To compare self-ratings of depressed mood in middle-aged and older adults in the United States and nine European countries after adjustment by anchoring vignettes. Method: Samples were drawn from three large surveys of middle-aged and older adults: the U.S. Health and Retirement Study, the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA), and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Self-ratings of depressed mood were compared across countries before and after adjustment by anchoring vignettes depicting cases with different levels of depressed mood. Results: Compared with Europeans as a group, Americans rated both the cases presented in the vignettes and themselves as more depressed. However, after adjustment by vignette ratings, Americans appeared to be less depressed than their counterparts in all but two European countries. Discussion: Cultural differences in mental health norms reflected in vignette rating may partly explain between-country differences in self-reported depressive sy...
Technological Paths for Improving Grain Comprehensive Productivity ——Taking Henan Province for Instance

[Objective] This paper aimed at exploring technological paths for improving grain productivity based on the conditions and production practice in Henan Province.[Method] The status and dynamics of grain production in Henan Province were analyzed as a whole.[Result] The total production of grain in Henan Province had generally shown a tendency of ascent.Total grain production in Henan Province was 54 370 thousand t,which was 2.5 times of the total grain production in 1978,as 20 974 thousand t.The growth of grain production was more and more relying on the improvement of grain yield per unit area.[Conclusion] This research had provided theoretical basis for the improvement of grain production in Henan Province as well as for the grain production of the whole country.
Practice Patterns and Learning Curves of Obgyn Residents Preparing for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) Exam

Study Objective As of 2018, all graduating OBGYN residents are expected to complete and pass a Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exam. Very few studies on FLS implementation in OBGYN residency programs exist. The aim of this study is to describe practice patterns and learning curves of OBGYN residents preparing for the manual skills portion of the FLS exam. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting OBGYN residency program at a large urban academic medical center. Patients or Participants 33 OBGYN residents, post-graduate years one (PGY1) to three (PGY3). Interventions An FLS curriculum, consisting of coached and self-practice sessions. Measurements and Main Results Residents recorded time spent on each training session, as well the type of trainer used and amount of supervision. For every task, residents recorded proficiency metrics, such as time to completion and penalties. Preliminary analysis of four PGY3 residents who took the exam showed that recorded number of repetitions for tasks 1-5 ranged from 1 to 22 and best time without penalties ranged from 30 to 315 seconds. Performance data and learning curves for each task will be presented for every resident. None of the residents met FLS suggested proficiency criteria for all tasks prior to the exam, and all residents passed the manual portion of FLS exam with wide margins (score range 527-673, with 356 as the national passing score). Correlational analyses of performance on each individual task with final exam score, as well as improvement in scores with each repetition, will be calculated when more participants complete training and have final exam scores available. Conclusion Our study compares FLS practice times, modality, and learning curves with final manual exam scores, which will be of great use to OBGYN residencies across the country as they implement FLS curricula into their programs.
Abstract WP278: Air versus Ground Transportation During Inter-Hospital Transfer of Patients for Endovascular Thrombectomy Evaluation

Introduction: Mode of transport utilized during inter-hospital transfers can influence delays in patients with suspected large vessel occlusion (LVO). We hypothesized that air transport is advantag...
Capture Rates of Comorbidity Measures at Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities After a Stroke or Brain Injury.

Background Comorbidity indices have been used to represent the overall medical complexity of patient populations in clinical research; however, it is not known how well they capture the comorbidities of patients with a stroke or brain injury admitted to inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). Objective To determine how well commonly used comorbidity indices capture the comorbidities of patients admitted to IRFs after a stroke or brain injury. Design Cross-sectional, retrospective study. Setting IRFs nationwide. Participants Adults from four impairment groups: (1) hemorrhagic stroke, (2) ischemic stroke, (3) nontraumatic brain injury (NTBI), and (4) traumatic brain injury (TBI). Main outcome measures International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes were extracted from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR) for IRF discharges from October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. The percentage of discharges captured by Deyo-Charlson, Elixhauser, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) tiers was determined, as was the percentage of comorbidities captured. These measures were also compared with respect to their ability to capture chronic medical complexity by examining the percentage of codes captured after removal of codes deemed to represent hospital complications or sequela of the admission diagnosis. Results The percentage of discharges without at least one ICD-10-CM code captured by any index ranged from 0.3%-3.8%. The percentage of comorbidities with a prevalence exceeding 1% captured by at least one index ranged from 37.1%-43.6%. Chronic comorbidities were most likely to be captured by Elixhauser (40.7%-44.4%), followed by Deyo-Charlson (7.8%-9.6%), then CMS tiers (4.5%-6.9%). Existing comorbidity measures capture most IRF discharges related to a brain injury or stroke, whereas most medical comorbidities escape representation. Several common, functionally relevant diagnoses were not captured. Conclusion The use of comorbidity indices in the IRF neurologic injury population should account for the fact that these measures miss several common, important comorbidities.
Shooting Sports and Archery

Literature on injuries that athletes incur during shooting sports and archery remains sparse. Nonetheless, focus on athlete wellness and injury prevention is critical, especially as shooting sport participation continues to rise. Both shooting sports and archery events have been held regularly at the Olympic and Paralympic levels. In this chapter, we will focus on three main shooting disciplines as well as archery. The most commonly sustained orthopedic injuries during shooting sports involve the shoulder, hand, and wrist, with a minority of injuries involving the lower back and lower extremity. Shoulder injuries are by far the most common. We will also discuss penetrating trauma and other injuries. Although the disciplines are non-contact, shooting sport athletes require intense concentration and often engage in rapid-fire movements, rendering them susceptible to distinctive injury patterns. In addition, athletes are required to maintain this intense concentration in isolated positions for long periods of time. Injury prevention primarily consists of pre-participation education, flexibility, and stretching programs, and adequate rest between participation. The purpose of this chapter is to outline the unique mechanics and injury risk factors associated with shooting sports, discuss the most commonly sustained orthopedic injury patterns within the sports including their epidemiology, and offer injury-specific prevention strategies.
Morphological characterization of Etv2 vascular explants using fractal analysis and atomic force microscopy

Abstract The rapid engraftment of vascular networks is critical for functional incorporation of tissue explants. However, existing methods for inducing angiogenesis utilize approaches that yield vasculature with poor temporal stability or inadequate mechanical integrity, which reduce their robustness in vivo. The transcription factor Ets variant 2 (Etv2) specifies embryonic hematopoietic and vascular endothelial cell (EC) development, and is transiently reactivated during postnatal vascular regeneration and tumor angiogenesis. This study investigates the role for Etv2 upregulation in forming stable vascular beds both in vitro and in vivo. Control and Etv2+ prototypical fetal-derived human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) and adult ECs were angiogenically grown into vascular beds. These vessel beds were characterized using fractal dimension and lacunarity, to quantify their branching complexity and space-filling homogeneity, respectively. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to explore whether greater complexity and homogeneity lead to more mechanically stable vessels. Additionally, markers of EC integrity were used to probe for mechanistic clues. Etv2+ HUVECs exhibit greater branching, vessel density, and structural homogeneity, and decreased stiffness in vitro and in vivo, indicating a greater propensity for stable vessel formation. When co-cultured with colon tumor organoid tissue, Etv2+ HUVECs had decreased fractal dimension and lacunarity compared to Etv2+ HUVECs cultured alone, indicating that vessel density and homogeneity of vessel spacing increased due to the presence of Etv2. This study sets forth the novel concept that fractal dimension, lacunarity, and AFM are as informative as conventional angiogenic measurements, including vessel branching and density, to assess vascular perfusion and stability.
Sleep and hypoglycaemia symptom perception in adults with type-1 diabetes mellitus: A mixed-methods review.

Aims The study aims to review, synthesize and integrate primary research on the relationship between sleep and hypoglycaemia symptom perception in adults with type-1 diabetes. Design This mixed-methods review follows a convergent segregated approach to synthesis and integration of qualitative and quantitative evidence. Data Sources With assistance of a biomedical librarian, a search of four databases was conducted (PubMed, CINAHL, Embase and PsycINFO) in June 2020. The review included primary research measuring sleep and hypoglycaemia symptom perception in adults (age ≥ 18 years) with type-1 diabetes in English. Studies that exclusively addressed children, type-2 diabetes or outcomes unrelated to sleep and hypoglycaemia symptom perception were excluded. Review Methods Screening focused on title and abstract review (n = 624). Studies not excluded after screening (n = 35) underwent full-text review. References of each study selected for inclusion (n = 6) were hand searched with one study added. All studies included in the review (n = 7) were critically appraised with JBI Critical Appraisal tools, and then data were extracted with systematic evaluation. Results Quantitative synthesis found sleep reduces the magnitude of detectable symptoms and one's capacity to detect them. Qualitative synthesis found that individuals with type-1 diabetes perceive unpredictable severity, frequency and awareness of symptoms while asleep as an oppressive, lingering threat. Integration of findings highlights the troublesome duality of sleep's relationship with hypoglycaemia symptom perception. Conclusions Sleep presents a challenging time for individuals with type-1 diabetes. Further research examining the relationship between sleep and hypoglycaemia symptom perception is recommended as the number of studies limits this review. Impact Symptom perception is the main physiologic defense against severe hypoglycaemia in type-1 diabetes. This review found that sleep's relationship with hypoglycaemia symptoms has unique physiological and psychological components to address when providing comprehensive care. This review may inform future lines of inquiry that develop into interventions, improvements in practice and risk reduction for hypoglycaemia-related complications.
Hybrid multiscale simulation of a mixing-controlled reaction

Abstract Continuum-scale models, which employ a porous medium conceptualization to represent properties and processes averaged over a large number of solid grains and pore spaces, are widely used to study subsurface flow and reactive transport. Recently, pore-scale models, which explicitly resolve individual soil grains and pores, have been developed to more accurately model and study pore-scale phenomena, such as mineral precipitation and dissolution reactions, microbially-mediated surface reactions, and other complex processes. However, these highly-resolved models are prohibitively expensive for modeling domains of sizes relevant to practical problems. To broaden the utility of pore-scale models for larger domains, we developed a hybrid multiscale model that initially simulates the full domain at the continuum scale and applies a pore-scale model only to areas of high reactivity. Since the location and number of pore-scale model regions in the model varies as the reactions proceed, an adaptive script defines the number and location of pore regions within each continuum iteration and initializes pore-scale simulations from macroscale information. Another script communicates information from the pore-scale simulation results back to the continuum scale. These components provide loose coupling between the pore- and continuum-scale codes into a single hybrid multiscale model implemented within the SWIFT workflow environment. In this paper, we consider an irreversible homogeneous bimolecular reaction (two solutes reacting to form a third solute) in a 2D test problem. This paper is focused on the approach used for multiscale coupling between pore- and continuum-scale models, application to a realistic test problem, and implications of the results for predictive simulation of mixing-controlled reactions in porous media. Our results and analysis demonstrate that the hybrid multiscale method provides a feasible approach for increasing the accuracy of subsurface reactive transport simulations.
Variants in the Concepts of the Self in the Islamic Tradition

We are accustomed to think that Islam is inflexible, even monolithic in dogma and law. Yet in spite of persecutions and counter-persecutions over the centuries it has exhibited a surprising diversity, what Duncan Black Macdonald used to call a “liberty of variety in unity.” Perhaps this catholicity is most apparent in the manifold variants of the doctrines pertaining to the self. The spectrum of expressed ideas ranges from the extremes of determinism where the individual is a mere cipher, a cog in a cosmic machine, without identity or autonomy, to the extremes of monistic mysticism where the reality of the ego is completely swallowed up in the consciousness of an Ultimate.
Phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties in the snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis after exposure to UV light

The snow alga Chlamydomonas nivalis was collected from the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, and examined for its ability to produce phenolic compounds, free proline, and provide antioxidant protection factor in response to UV-A and UV-C light. Exposure of C. nivalis cells to UV-A light (365nm) for 5 days resulted in a 5–12% increase in total phenolics, where as exposure to UV-C light (254 nm) resulted in a 12–24% increase in phenolics after 7 days of exposure. Free proline was not affected by UV-A, but increased markedly after UV-C exposure. A three-fold increase in free proline occurred within two days after exposure to UV-C, but then dropped as cells became bleached. Antioxidant protection factor (PF) increased after treatment of cells with UV-A and remained constant throughout UV-C exposure. Spectral analysis of algal extracts revealed a decrease in absorption in the 215–225 nm region, short-term (2day) stimulation of pigment at 280 nm, and an increase in carotenoids (473 nm), after exposure to UV-A. Snow alga exposed to UV-C light had a different spectrum from that of UV-A exposed cells, i.e. an enhancement of three major peaks at 220, 260, and 280 nm, and loss of absorption in the carotenoid region.We report that UV light exposure, especially in the UV-C range, can stimulate phenolic-antioxidant production in aplanospores of C. nivalis effecting biochemical pathways related to proline metabolism.
The Initiation and Spread of the First World War: Interdependent Decisions

The ConflictSpace framework begins with the assumption that the factors leading a war to spread are different from the factors leading to the initiation of war. I argue that the presumed analytic separation of the initiation and spread of war is misleading because leaders’ expectations of how a war might spread have a significant effect on their decisions to initiate war. I demonstrate this for the July 1914 crisis, and in the process I question Vasquez et al.’s argument that the key to the outbreak of the war lies in the Austro-Serbian relationship. I end by suggesting that the impact of the anticipated spread of war on the initiation of war probably varies across cases and constitutes an empirical question to investigate. Historians and international relations scholars have each given far more attention to the initiation of war than to either the vertical escalation of war to higher levels of violence or the horizontal expansion of war to include additional states. This omission has impeded our understanding of the conditions under which and the processes through which bilateral wars become multilateral wars. Vasquez et al. (2011) construct an innovative framework for the analysis of the spread of war by integrating social network analysis, spatial analysis, and key variables from steps-to-war theory (Vasquez 2009). They make an important contribution by situating specific foreign policy decisions within a broader context of system structures and bilateral relationships and by demonstrating the utility of the ConflictSpace framework in explaining the spread of the First World War. A central motivating factor underlying the ConflictSpace framework is the authors’ belief that ‘‘the factors that bring about a war in the first place are likely to be different from the factors that make it spread.’’ On one level, this is almost certainly true. As the other essays in the forum make abundantly clear, new states involve new causes. For both belligerents and other states, the initiation of war creates a new set of military threats and opportunities. The outbreak of war also creates new domestic environments, vested bureaucratic interests, and psychological mindsets and commitments. These new factors (and altered values of old factors) influence subsequent decisions of both belligerent and nonbelligerent states on whether to expand or join the ongoing war. 1 Assessing the causal weight of these new factors—relative to that of pre-existing conditions, relationships, and processes contributing to the initiation of war—is an important task for research.
HIV-I integrase inhibitors: Past, present, and future

Publisher Summary HIV-1 integrase (IN) contains 288 amino acids and belongs to a superfamily of polynucleotide transferases that include Mu transposase, RNase H, and RuvC. The functional domains of IN are discussed in the chapter. The N terminus contains the highly conserved HHCC motif that binds to a molecule of Zn2+ and it is involved in dimerization or multimerization. The catalytic core contains the characteristic three acidic residues known as the DDE motif that is involved in all the catalytic reactions carried out by IN. These residues bind divalent metals and are highly conserved in the polynucleotidyl transferases superfamily. Structural and biochemical understanding of the enzyme has led to the development of in vitro assays aimed at identifying IN inhibitors. Such assays utilize synthetic oligonucleotides, corresponding to the U5 end of the viral long terminal repeats (LTR), recombinant IN, and divalent metal cofactor (Mn2+ or Mg2+). It is generally believed that IN remains tightly bound to viral LTR DNA both in vivo and throughout the course of the integration reaction in vitro. Inhibition of HIV-1 replication at both the early and late stages of the viral life cycle by single-chain antibody against viral IN has also been discussed in the chapter. In addition, peptide antisera against selected regions in HIV-1 and HIV-2 RT and IN were shown to inhibit IN-mediated cleavage of an HIV-1 DNA oligonucleotide substrate in a 3' processing assay, while antiRT or normal sera had no effect. None of the RT sera inhibited RT activity.
Neuronal synchronization and multiscale information processing

Many important processes in neurobiology as well as neuronal engineering applications rely upon multiresolution representation and analysis of external information. There are various approaches which attempt to explain how human perception systems perform multiscale representation and sparse coding. The model proposed here is based on a new approach to multiresolution of input signals and reveals synchronization as a general mechanism for multiscale representation common to various sensory systems. The proposed mechanism is nonlinear and adaptive in the sense that it does not rely on convolution with a preconceived basis. For the visual system this approach is a major departure from the current linear paradigm, which holds that the structure of the receptive fields and their variations are responsible for performing multiscale analysis. While there are some well-known, important roles played by entrainment in neuronal systems, our model reveals a new function of dynamic coordination in the brain - multiscale encoding, thus demonstrating that synchronization plays a greater role in perception in general and in vision in particular, than was previously thought.
ULTRACENTRIFUGE STUDIES WITH ABSORPTION OPTICS. 3. A SPLIT-BEAM PHOTOELECTRIC, SCANNING ABSORPTION SYSTEM.

Abstract An automatic split-beam scanning absorption system for the ultracentrifuge is described. The system consists of a four-speed drive assembly which controls the rate of movement of a photomultiplier across the magnified image of the ultracentrifuge cell. The photomultiplier housing contains a turret which permits the selection of any of six different slits in front of the photocathode. High resolution is achieved by the use of slits about 35 μ in width. Double sector cells are used in the rotor so that two light bursts strike the photomultiplier in quick succession followed by a long dark period while the rotor completes one revolution. The cell is filled in such a way that the first pulse after the long dark period corresponds to the solvent compartment and the second sector contains the solution of interest. A logarithmic circuit converts the photomultiplier voltages to a logarithmic scale. An electronic switching arrangement is incorporated which permits the separation of the light pulses and the routing of the two signals into two holding circuits, one for the reference cell and the other for the sample. The outputs of the holding circuits representing the logarithms of the light intensity through the two compartments of the cell are then fed to a difference amplifier where subtraction is achieved. The resulting signal is then directed to a recorder which plots automatically the optical density as a function of position in the cell. In this way the single beam passing through the vacuum chamber is split by the chopping action of the rotor to give two individual pulses which are then stored and compared. Experiments are presented to demonstrate that the split-beam system automatically compensates for nonuniform illumination resulting from inadequacies in the optical system itself. Performance tests are given to show the linearity of the recording system in terms of the optical density of the liquid in the sample cell. The switching system is shown to perform satisfactorily so that switching is accomplished in 1 μsecond thereby permitting the separation of the light pulses which occur within 6 μseconds when the rotor operates at 60,000 rpm. Various applications of the optical system are given. These include sedimentation coefficient determinations as well as the evaluations of concentrations and molecular weight determinations by the sedimentation equilibrium technique. In both types of experiments the results were in excellent agreement with known values. Other applications include the analyses of interacting systems both by transport and equilibrium methods and the measurement of small differences in sedimentation coefficients.
Experimental Demonstration of the Maximum Entropy/Optimal Projection Design Theory for Active Vibration Control

Based on a recent survey of Large Space System concepts and the identified characteristics of ground-based experiments needed to demonstrate capability for future systems, a sequence of vibration control experiments have been designed and are being performed at Harris Corporation. The experiments involve a progression of structural configurations ranging from relatively simple one and two dimensional strctures to a large aperture, multi-segment optical structure. The experiments have been designed to evaluate a variety of control design methods including the Maximum Entropy/Optimal Projection method. This paper reviews the concepts and status of these experimental activities.
Leveraging ecological theory to guide natural product discovery

Technological improvements have accelerated natural product (NP) discovery and engineering to the point that systematic genome mining for new molecules is on the horizon. NP biosynthetic potential is not equally distributed across organisms, environments, or microbial life histories, but instead is enriched in a number of prolific clades. Also, NPs are not equally abundant in nature; some are quite common and others markedly rare. Armed with this knowledge, random ‘fishing expeditions’ for new NPs are increasingly harder to justify. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary pressures that drive the non-uniform distribution of NP biosynthesis provides a rational framework for the targeted isolation of strains enriched in new NP potential. Additionally, ecological theory leads to testable hypotheses regarding the roles of NPs in shaping ecosystems. Here we review several recent strain prioritization practices and discuss the ecological and evolutionary underpinnings for each. Finally, we offer perspectives on leveraging microbial ecology and evolutionary biology for future NP discovery.
Plasticity of neostriatal dopamine receptors after nigrostriatal injury: Relationship to recovery of sensorimotor functions and behavioral supersensitivity

Rats given unilateral injections of 6-OHDA along the course of the mesotelencephalic dopaminergic projection show impairments in contralateral sensorimotor functions from which they often recover. Such rats also display an enhanced sensitivity to DA receptor stimulants, e.g. apomorphine, as revealed by contralateral turning, and an increased binding of neuroleptic compounds (e.g. [3H]spiroperidol) to the denervated striatum. This research examines the relationship of these receptor changes to both behavioral supersensitivity and recovery of sensorimotor functions by quantifying the time course of each phenomenon after injury. The supersensitivity to apomorphine and the behavioral recovery developed with a similar time course after injury, being evident within 1.5–3 days and reaching nearly maximal levels by 2 weeks postoperatively. A significant increase in in vivo [3H]spiroperidol binding to the denervated striatum occurred by 4 days postoperatively, and the magnitude of this change increased linearly during the first postoperative month. In contrast, the in vitro binding of this ligand to membranes of the denervated striatum was not increased until 3 weeks after the lesion. The results suggest that a proliferation of DA receptors may contribute to the pharmacological supersensitivity and the recovery of function, and that these early receptor changes may be revealed with greater sensitivity using in vivo binding techniques.
The Smoking Penalty: Distributive Justice or Smokism?

This study addresses whether businesses discriminate against employees who smoke, which for the purposes of this study is called smokism. It began with a description of the employers’ costs which led to the development of these smoking bans and examined several company policies as a result of these costs. The viewpoints from several perspectives toward these policies and their perceptions about smokers were also reviewed. This was followed by surveying the corporate smoking policies of 76 companies representing 287 employees in the New York City metropolitan, as well as the viewpoints of these employees on these smoking policies. Several laws regarding the rights of smokers and nonsmokers were discussed and along with the company smoking policies described earlier were compared to those firms surveyed. Next, the philosophies of Locke, Kant, Rawls, and Nozick were examined to determine whether the current smoking policies would be deemed just or discriminatory. Conclusions and implications of this research then followed the analysis of these philosophical and legislative findings.
Metabolism of Urea by Chlorella vulgaris

Urea metabolism was studied with nitrogen-starved cells of Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck var. viridis (Chodat), a green alga which apparently lacks urease. Incorporation of radioactivity from urea-14C into the alcohol-soluble fraction was virtually eliminated in cell suspensions flushed with 10% CO2 in air. This same result was obtained when expected acceptors of urea carbon were replenished by adding ornithine and glucose with the urea. Several carbamyl compounds, which might be early products of urea metabolism and a source of the 14CO2, were not appreciably labeled. If cells were treated with cyanide at a concentration which inhibited ammonia uptake completely and urea uptake only slightly, more than half of the urea nitrogen taken up was found in the medium as ammonia. Cells under nitrogen gas in the dark were unable to take up urea or ammonia, but the normal rate of uptake was resumed in light. Since 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea did not selectively inhibit this uptake, an active respiration supported by light-dependent oxygen evolution in these cells was ruled out. A tentative scheme for urea metabolism is proposed to consist of an initial energy-dependent splitting of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. This reaction in Chlorella is thought to differ from a typical urease-catalyzed reaction by the apparent requirement of a high energy compound, possibly adenosine triphosphate.
Solution properties of silicate liquids from thermal diffusion experiments

Experimental thermal diffusion (Soret) fractionation of silicate liquids shows SiO2 to be the principal ingredient of the component fractionating to the hot end of experimental charges. The chemical characteristics of disequilibrium Soret separations resemble those of equilibrium 2-liquid phase separation. This reflects the fact that liquid structural constitution does not depend upon the process leading to chemical separation. The activity-composition relations which lead to silicate liquid immiscibility strongly influence the Soret fractionation behavior of liquids near the solvus. This is especially well illustrated in the system Fa-Lc-Q. The temperature versus composition features of the steady state thermal diffusion profiles may be adequately described by an asymmetric regular solution model for silicate liquids, in contrast to any simpler solution model. This model can be used to quantify Margules parameters and the heat of transport for SiO2 in these silicate liquids. Observation of the rise time and steady state values of Soret fractionation allows calculation of ordinary and thermal diffusion coefficients for SiO2.
The stimulation of aldosterone secretion by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

ABSTRACT When the urinary excretion of aldosterone is compared to that of cortisol, the rise in the former due to administration of ACTH is quantitatively neglegible, as appears from acute and chronic studies on 4 human subjects. However, the data presented suggest that ACTH stimulates the production of aldosterone as well as that of cortisol.
Use of Hormonal Methods of Birth Control Among Sexually Active Adolescent Girls

Abstract Objective To identify factors associated with the use of vmious birth control methods among sexually active adolescent girls. Design A survey distributed as part of a larger study measuring compliance with hepatitis B vaccination. Setting A hospital-based and a school-based clinic. Measures Demographic and health behavior data including sexual activity, contraceptive method, substance use, condom use, and history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were collected. Birth control method was confirmed by medical record review. Associations with the outcome variable of birth control method were analyzed using chi square, Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance, and t-tests, followed by logistic regression analysis. Results Among sexually experienced girls, 39% (n = 123) reported using oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), 5.4% (n = 17) used Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) or Norplant (levonorgestrel), and 55.6% (n = 175) used no hormonal method. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the factors most significantly associated with the use of hormonal methods were older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–1.33), not using a condom at last intercourse (OR = 0.55; CI, 0.34–0.90), and having had a well visit within 1 year (OR = 2.11; CI, 1.12–3.70). OCP users were less likely than Depo-Provera or Norplant users to have used alcohol (p = 0.041), cigarettes (p = 0.002), or marijuana (p = 0.018) in the past 30 days. OCP users were less likely than nonusers of hormonal methods to have smoked cigarettes (p = 0.034) or marijuana (p = 0.052). The school-based clinic had a greater proportion of subjects using long-acting progestins (p Conclusions The decreased rate of condom use among those who used hormonal birth control methods and the different rates of health risk behaviors among users of various methods require targeted counseling efforts to decrease pregnancy and STD rates among young women.
Analysis of sampling volume and tissue heterogeneity on the in vivo detection of fluorescence

The effect of sampling region size and tissue heterogeneity is examined using fluorescence histogram assessment in a rat prostate tumor model with benzoporphyrin derivative fluorophore. Spatial heterogeneity in the fluorescence signal occurs on both macroscopic and microscopic scales. The periphery of the tumor is more fluorescent than the center. Fluorescence is also highest nearest the blood vessels immediately after injection, but over time this fluorescence becomes uniform through the tumor tissue. Using microscopy analysis, the fluorescence intensity histogram distributions follow a normal distribution, yet as the sampling area is increased from the micron scale to the millimeter scale, the variance of the distribution decreases. The mean fluorescence intensity is accurately measured with a millimeter size scale, but this cannot provide accurate measurements of the microscopic variance of drug in tissue. Fiber probe measurements taken in vivo are used to confirm that the variance observed is smaller than would be expected with microscopic sampling, but that the average fluorescence can be measured with fibers. Sampling tissue with fibers smaller than the intercapillary spacing could provide a way to estimate the spatial variance more accurately. In summary, sampling fiber size affects the fluorescence intensities detected and use of multiple region microscopic sampling could provide better information about the distribution of values that occur.
VITAMIN E (VE) KINETICS IN INFANTS <1500 GRAMS: INTRAMUSCULAR (IM) VS. ORAL ADMINISTRATION

Early VE use has been advocated to lessen severity of Retinopathy of Prematurity. Prematures are known to have cord blood VE levels lower than adult norms, but the ability of available VE preparations to raise these levels has not been studied. From 7/82 to 7/83, 30 infants <1500g were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (6-1) received a sesame oil preparation of dl-alpha tocopherol acetate (E-Ferol, O'Neal) as follows: a loading dose of 50 mg/kg IM within the first 12 hours of life and a maintenance dose of 20 mg/kg IM on days 2 through 7. Group 2 (6-2) received the same IM loading dose but maintenance doses of oral d-alpha tocopherol (Aquasol E, USV) at 25 mg/kg/dose every six hours by nasogastric tube on days 2 through 7. Osmolality was reduced to 557 mOsm/L by diluting 1:4 with sterile water. Group 3 (6-3) received only the oral drug at the above dose from day 1 through 7. Levels were measured in cord blood and 1, 3 and 7 days after VE was begun. Analysis was by high performance liquid chromatography with levels reported as mg/dl.
A lifting theorem for bicontractions on Kreĭn spaces

Abstract Let T1ϵB(A), T2ϵB(B), and AϵB(A,B) be Kreĭn space bicontractions satisfying AT1 = T2A. Minimal isometric dilations U1ϵB(A) of T1 and U2ϵB(B) of T2 are defined uniquely up to unitary equivalence in the Kreĭn space sense, and it is shown that there exists a bicontraction A ϵB(A,B) dilating A satisfying U 2 A = A U 1 . In addition all such A are labeled.