cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adolf Reinach: Metaethics and the Philosophy of Law

Adolf Reinach was born in Mainz, Germany, in the year 1883. Though it was Johannes Daubert who first introduced the students of Theodore Lipps to Husserl’s Logical Investigations, it is Reinach who has rightly been called Husserl’s first real coworker. He was the only person to complete a Habilitationsschrift and join Husserl as a teacher at Gottingen. Independently of each other, most students of phenomenology of that time—including Wilhelm Schapp, Dietrich von Hildebrand, Alexandre Koyre, and Edith Stein—referred to Reinach, not to Husserl, as their real teacher in phenomenology. Indeed, Spiegelberg once speculated that it was Reinach’s death in 1917, rather than Husserl’s move to Freiburg, that cut short the life of the Gottingen circle of phenomenology.
Effective course-based learning outcome assessment for ABET accreditation of computing programs

Recent changes in accreditation criteria of computing programs require effective learning outcome assessment with a vigorous process, well documented results, broad faculty participation, and a complete coverage of the assessment cycle. This paper describes a course-based approach that correlates learning outcome objectives to accreditation standards and courses. Course objectives can then be flexibly assessed by using a mix of most suitable assessment tools. A strong course committee structure is used to ensure the smooth execution of the process. Three specific assessment tools with novel features are also described. This assessment approach has been used for the successful accreditation of a computer information systems program and can easily be adapted to other computer science and information system programs.
Identifying Learning Conditions that Minimize Mind Wandering by Modeling Individual Attributes

The propensity to involuntarily disengage by zoning out or mind wandering MW is a common phenomenon that has negative effects on learning. The ability to stay focused while learning from instructional texts involves factors related to the text, to the task, and to the individual. This study explored the possibility that learners could be placed in optimal conditions task and text to reduce MW based on an analysis of individual attributes. Students studied four texts which varied along dimensions of value and difficulty while reporting instances of MW. Supervised machine learning techniques based on a small set of individual difference attributes determined the optimal condition for each participant with some success when considering value and difficulty separately kappas of .16 and .24; accuracy of 59% and 64% respectively. Results are discussed in terms of creating a learning system that prospectively places learners in the optimal condition to increase learning by minimizing MW.
Neurosteroids – From Basic Research to Clinical Perspectives

Neurosteroids alter functional processes through diverse actions in the brain. Emerging questions about the activational effects of sex steroid hormones and neurosteroids are reviewed. The process of neurosteroidogenesis is discussed followed by a summary of some of the receptor targets for these effects of neurosteroids. Indeed, neurosteroids, such as 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one (3α,5α-THP), can alter parasympathetic tone and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis-function. In addition to neurosteroids altering behavioral processes, behavior can alter neurosteroidogenesis – these effects are discussed. Basic research on the effects of neurosteroids, such as 3α,5α-THP, for sexual function, aggression, and affective and other behavioral processes are reviewed. This will be followed by a discussion of the clinically relevant effects of 3α,5α-THP and other neurosteroids. Notably, these neurosteroids have actions across the life span to alter development, parturition, autism, reward, drug effects, mood and anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia. Given that the population is aging, the role of neurosteroids for other processes, such as learning, neurodegeneration, and trophic actions, is also of interest and is discussed. Indeed, data are presented suggesting that some differences in responses to hormone-replacement therapies may be related to their neurosteroidogenic capacity. Thus, it is clear that neurosteroids can play a role in hormonally and developmentally mediated behavioral processes, and that they may serve clinically relevant functions across the life span.
Predictive models for grinding & polishing of various optical materials

The following study presents useful quantitative rules, based on fundamental mechanisms, for the determining the grinding & polishing rate and grinding roughness during optical fabrication for a variety of optical workpiece materials.
Exploration of a diversity of computational and statistical measures of association for genome-wide genetic studies

The principal line of investigation in Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) is the identification of main effects, that is individual Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) which are associated with the trait of interest, independent of other factors. A variety of methods have been proposed to this end, mostly statistical in nature and differing in assumptions and type of model employed. Moreover, for a given model, there may be multiple choices for the SNP genotype encoding. As an alternative to statistical methods, machine learning methods are often applicable. Typically, for a given GWAS, a single approach is selected and utilized to identify potential SNPs of interest. Even when multiple GWAS are combined through meta-analyses within a consortium, each GWAS is typically analyzed with a single approach and the resulting summary statistics are then utilized in meta-analyses. In this work we use as case studies a Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and a breast cancer GWAS to explore a diversity of applicable approaches spanning different methods and encoding choices. We assess similarity of these approaches based on the derived ranked lists of SNPs and, for each GWAS, we identify a subset of representative approaches that we use as an ensemble to derive a union list of top SNPs. Among these are SNPs which are identified by multiple approaches as well as several SNPs identified by only one or a few of the less frequently used approaches. The latter include SNPs from established loci and SNPs which have other supporting lines of evidence in terms of their potential relevance to the traits. Not every main effect analysis method is suitable for every GWAS, but for each GWAS there are typically multiple applicable methods and encoding options. We suggest a workflow for a single GWAS, extensible to multiple GWAS from consortia, where representative approaches are selected among a pool of suitable options, to yield a more comprehensive set of SNPs, potentially including SNPs that would typically be missed with the most popular analyses, but that could provide additional valuable insights for follow-up.
Role of the Ubiquitin–Proteasome in Protein Quality Control and Signaling: Implication in the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) plays important roles in many cellular functions, such as protein quality control, cell cycle control, and signal transduction. The selective degradation of aberrant proteins by the UPP is essential for the timely removal of potential cytotoxic damaged or otherwise abnormal proteins. Conversely, accumulation of the cytotoxic abnormal proteins in eye tissues is etiologically associated with many age-related eye diseases such as retina degeneration, cataract, and certain types of glaucoma. Age- or stress-induced impairment or overburdening of the UPP appears to contribute to the accumulation of abnormal proteins in eye tissues. Cell cycle and signal transduction are regulated by the conditional UPP-dependent degradation of the regulators of these processes. Impairment or overburdening of the UPP could also result in dysregulation of cell cycle control and signal transduction. The consequences of the improper cell cycle and signal transduction include defects in ocular development, wound healing, angiogenesis, or inflammatory responses. Methods that enhance or preserve UPP function or reduce its burden may be useful strategies for preventing age-related eye diseases.
Arcs of carbon awareness in the value chain and their antecedents

This study examines the patterns and antecedents of firms' value chain greenhouse gas emissions (VCGGE) awareness. Drawing on a sample of 1,322 firms from multiple countries and industries, we use cluster analysis to first evaluate how well firms' VCGGE awareness patterns match traditional value chain integration patterns, identified by prior literature. We then examine how well internal indicators of greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) management predict advanced VCGGE awareness. Our study indicates that VCGGE patterns partially match traditional value chain integration patterns and that firms' VCGGE awareness is much higher for their upstream than downstream activities. Moreover, our findings show that the internal adoption of GGE management is a significant predictor of advanced awareness of VCGGE. Overall, we find that most firms have limited awareness about the magnitude of their VCGGE, suggesting that many opportunities to reduce these emissions, especially in the downstream value chain, remain unexplored.
Evaluation of a Redesigned Personal Protective Equipment Gown

Background In healthcare, the goal of personal protective equipment (PPE) is to protect healthcare personnel (HCP) and patients from body fluids and infectious organisms via contact, droplet, or airborne transmission. The critical importance of using PPE properly is highlighted by 2 potentially fatal viral infections, severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus and Ebola virus, where HCP became infected while caring for patients due to errors in the use of PPE. However, PPE in dealing with less dangerous, but highly infectious organisms is important as well. This work proposes a framework to test and evaluate PPE with a focus on gown design. Methods An observational study identified issues with potential for contamination related to gown use. After redesigning the existing gown, a high-fidelity patient simulator study with 40 HCP as participants evaluated the gown redesign using 2 commonly performed tasks. Variables of interest were nonadherence to procedural standards, use problems with the gown during task performance, and usability and cognitive task load ratings of the standard and redesigned gowns. Results While no differences were found in terms of nonadherence and use problems between the current and the redesigned gown, differences in usability and task load ratings suggested that the redesigned gown is perceived more favorably by HCP. Conclusions This work proposes a framework to guide the evaluation of PPE. The results suggest that the current design of the PPE gown can be improved in usability and user satisfaction. Although our data did not find an increase in adherence to protocol when using the redesigned gown, it is likely that higher usability and lower task load could result in higher adherence over longer periods of use.
Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination Are Associated with Food Insecurity and Poor Health

This study examines the associations of mothers’ experiences of discrimination (EODs) with household food insecurity (HFI), physical health, and depressive symptoms, while taking into account the influence of mothers’ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and public assistance participation. Mothers (N = 1372) of young children under age 4 who self-identified as Latinx, Non-Latinx Black/African American and Non-Latinx white answered questions for a cross-sectional survey in an emergency room in a large children’s hospital in Philadelphia between 2016 and 2018. Logistic regression was used to model associations of EODs in specific settings with HFI, depressive symptoms, and physical health. Compared to those without EODs, mothers with EODs from police/courts and in workplaces had higher odds of HFI, AOR =2.04 (95% CI: 1.44–2.89) and AOR = 1.57 (95% CI: 1.18–2.11), respectively. Among Latinx mothers, EODs in school were associated with nearly 60% higher odds of HFI and nearly 80% higher odds of depressive symptoms. Latinx and Black mothers with EODs in workplaces had higher odds of HFI (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.21–2.56 and AOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.05–2.36, respectively), compared to mothers without EODs. Discrimination is associated with HFI, depressive symptoms, and poor health. Public health interventions intended to improve food security and health may be only partially effective without simultaneously addressing racism and discrimination.
Thermodynamics of an itinerant-electron ferromagnet at very low T C ε F

The validity of the classical Murata-Doniach model for the thermodynamic properties of weak itinerant magnets near ${T}_{C}$ is discussed in detail. An explicit perturbation expansion for the nontrivial thermodynamic properties in the model is carried out in terms of two small parameters available for very weak transitions. Furthermore, a microscopic examination of quantum corrections (the ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{n}\ensuremath{\ne}0$ modes) suggests that the classical phenomenological model with temperature-independent Ginsburg-Landau (GL) coefficients in valid as ${T}_{C}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ if the fluctuation phase space is simply restricted to the thermal population. Thus, if the excitations are paramagnons with ${q}^{3}$ damping, the fluctuations must be cut off at a momentum ${q}_{m}\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{\frac{1}{3}}$. We find that the model is necessarily phenomenological in the sense that the quantum corrections enter the GL coefficients without benefit of a small parameter. However, given the coefficients, a small parameter is available for the Murata-Doniach model ($\frac{{T}_{C}}{{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{F}}$) if the phase transition happens to be weak. This difficulty should be present in the similar Moriya-Kawabata approach. The coefficients could presumably be determined by detailed fitting to itinerant magnets with ${T}_{C}$ in the 1-K region.
Quantifying machine influence over human forecasters.

Crowdsourcing human forecasts and machine learning models each show promise in predicting future geopolitical outcomes. Crowdsourcing increases accuracy by pooling knowledge, which mitigates individual errors. On the other hand, advances in machine learning have led to machine models that increase accuracy due to their ability to parameterize and adapt to changing environments. To capitalize on the unique advantages of each method, recent efforts have shown improvements by “hybridizing” forecasts—pairing human forecasters with machine models. This study analyzes the effectiveness of such a hybrid system. In a perfect world, independent reasoning by the forecasters combined with the analytic capabilities of the machine models should complement each other to arrive at an ultimately more accurate forecast. However, well-documented biases describe how humans often mistrust and under-utilize such models in their forecasts. In this work, we present a model that can be used to estimate the trust that humans assign to a machine. We use forecasts made in the absence of machine models as prior beliefs to quantify the weights placed on the models. Our model can be used to uncover other aspects of forecasters’ decision-making processes. We find that forecasters trust the model rarely, in a pattern that suggests they treat machine models similarly to expert advisors, but only the best forecasters trust the models when they can be expected to perform well. We also find that forecasters tend to choose models that conform to their prior beliefs as opposed to anchoring on the model forecast. Our results suggest machine models can improve the judgment of a human pool but highlight the importance of accounting for trust and cognitive biases involved in the human judgment process.
The Use of Non-Surgical Injectable Procedures Among Transgender Communities

Each year, millions of Americans undergo non-surgical injectable procedures to rejuvenate, add volume, and shape the face. These minimally invasive procedures are routinely performed by licensed medical professionals including plastic surgeons and dermatologist using FDA approved substances. Because these procedures alter physical appearance, non-surgical injectable procedures may compliment gender-affirming procedures that some transgender (trans) individuals undergo to affirm their gender identity. However, severe marginalization and discrimination towards trans communities often leaves formalized medical settings inaccessible. Indeed, anecdotal reporting and medical literature indicate that there is a market for performing these procedures in unregulated medical settings using dangerous non-FDA approved materials outside of safe medical settings. The practice, referred to often as “pumping”, happens particularly within trans communities, largely because of social and political factors that make formalized medicine inaccessible. Even though pumping can be an affirming experience for trans individuals, an unfortunate number of those who undergo non-FDA approved non-surgical injectable procedures experience uncorrectable adverse outcomes including death. Despite indications that trans individuals may benefit from FDA approved non-surgical injectable procedures and the growing literature detailing irreversible outcomes of non-FDA approved non-surgical injectable procedures, the medical and scientific communities do not fully understand how trans individuals conceptualize and engage with non-surgical injectable procedures. A brief overview of factors that may contribute to this underground practice is presented in this narrative review and synthesized to inform suggestions for future socio-behavioral and epidemiological approaches that ultimately aim to expand access to safe and affirming healthcare settings for trans individuals.
Concussion Disrupts Normal Brain White Matter Microstructural Symmetry

Injuries and illnesses can alter the normal bilateral symmetry of the brain, and determining the extent of this disruption may be useful in characterizing the pathology. One way of quantifying brain symmetry is in terms of bilateral correlation of diffusion tensor metrics between homologous white matter tracts. With this approach, we hypothesized that the brains of patients with a concussion are more asymmetrical than those of healthy individuals without a history of a concussion. We scanned the brains of 35 normal individuals and 15 emergency department patients with a recent concussion. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were determined for regions of interest (ROI) defined by a standard white-matter atlas that included 21 bilateral ROIs. For each ROI pair, bilateral correlation coefficients were calculated and compared between the two subject groups. A symmetry index, defined as the ratio between the difference and the sum of bilateral measures, was also calculated for each ROI pair and compared between the groups. We found that in normal subjects, the extent of symmetry varied among regions and individuals, and at least subtle forms of structural lateralization were common across regions. In patients, higher asymmetry was found overall as well as in the corticospinal tract specifically. Results indicate that a concussion can manifest in brain asymmetry that deviates from a normal state. The clinical utility of characterizing post-concussion pathology as abnormal brain asymmetry merits further exploration.
‘That hat means a lot more than a hat for some of us’: Gay Latino collegians in the era of Trump

While there has been significant media coverage on Trump and his administration’s stance on LGBTQ and Latina/o communities, there has been limited empirical research on the matter. In this qualitat...
The Propensity to Trust Others: Gender and Country Differences

Our research examines the level of individual trust in others,which is an important issue because it essentially determines the level ofadditional work that must be done by auditors to make their audit decision. This study includes the responses of315 accounting students from Afghanistan, Australia,Nepal, and the United States. It then examines whether levels oftrust vary by country. Our dataindicate that students fromboth Australia and Nepal had significantly different levels oftrust than the students from the United States (our control group).While the students from Nepalhad a significantly lower level of trust than the students from the United States, the students from Australia had a significantly higher level oftrust than the students from the United States. Additionally, male(female) students indicated a lower (higher) level of trust. Our findingof differences among countries in the level of individual trust has implicationsin the field of international auditing. While the countries of the world areworking at harmonizing their accounting and auditing standards, differences inthe amount of work actually done on an audit could be determined by the levelof trust in a client. These countries provide a contrast among the scores forTransparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and Hofstede’scultural constructs of individualism and uncertainty avoidance; the sampleincludes Afghanistan and Nepal that are not presently included inauditing-related research.
THE IMPACT OF PRESSURE RECOVERY ADJUSTMENT ON AORTIC VALVE AREA DISEASE SEVERITY IN TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT PATIENTS

Introduction Pressure recovery (PR) in aortic stenosis (AS) occurrence has been studied since the late 1980’s as specific cases applicable only to small or low-normal ranges aortas. [1] Interest regarding PR has increased significantly in recent years. [2-3] The aim of our study is to determine the impact of PR adjustment on disease severity in patients with severe AS by traditional grading methods. We hypothesize that accounting for PR will result in a reclassification of aortic stenosis severity in a significant number of patients. Methods After institutional board approval, we performed a retrospective single center study on patients who underwent TAVR at Tufts Medical center between October 2012 to February 2021. Standard measurements and mean transaortic gradients were obtained by pre-procedure transthoracic echocardiograms. Aortic valve areas (AVA) were calculated using the continuity equation. PR and PR adjusted AVA were calculated using previously validated equations. [4-5] Sinotubular junction (STJ) size was obtained from pre-procedural computerized tomography (CT) scans. Results Patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. A total of 544 patients were evaluated after excluding patients greater than mild mitral or aortic regurgitation. The absolute value of pressure PR recovery was significantly different between the reclassified groups. (p-value = 0.02) Using PR adjusted AVA resulted in the reclassification of 109 patients (25.05%) from severe to moderate aortic stenosis (AVA >1 cm2). Of the 109 patients who were reclassified, 36 patients (33.02%) had STJ diameters >3.0 cm. (Table 1) Discussion Adjusting calculated AVA for PR resulted in a reclassification of a significant number of adult patients from severe to moderate aortic stenosis. PR was significantly larger in patients who reclassified from severe to moderate aortic stenosis after adjusting for PR. There was no difference in STJ diameter between the PR adjusted groups. Our data suggests that those patients most vulnerable to reclassification with PR adjustment are those with the largest calculated “severe” aortic valve areas, rather than those with particular aortic root dimensions.
SUF12 suppressor protein of yeast. A fusion protein related to the EF-1 family of elongation factors.

Abstract Mutations at the suf12 locus were isolated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as extragenic suppressors of +1 frameshift mutations in glycine (GGX) and proline (CCX) codons, as well as UGA and UAG nonsense mutations. To identify the SUF12 function in translation and to understand the relationship between suf12-mediated misreading and translational frameshifting, we have isolated an SUF12+ clone from a centromeric plasmid library by complementation. SUF12+ is an essential, single-copy gene that is identical with the omnipotent suppressor gene SUP35+. The 2.3 × 103 base SUF12+ transcript contains an open reading frame sufficient to encode a 88 × 103Mr protein. The pattern of codon usage and transcript abundance suggests that SUF12+ is not a highly expressed gene. The linear SUFI2 amino acid sequence suggests that SUFI2 has evolved as a fusion protein of unique N-terminal domains fused to domains that exhibit essentially co-linear homology to the EF-1 family of elongation factors. Beginning internally at amino acid 254, homology is more extensive between the SUF12 protein and EF-1α of yeast (36% identity; 65% with conservative substitutions) than between EF-1α of yeast and EF-Tu of Escherichia coli. The most extensive regions of SUF12 EF-1α homology are those regions that have been conserved in the EF-1 family, including domains involved in GTP and tRNA binding. It is clear that SUF12 and EF-1α are not functionally equivalent, since both are essential in vivo. The N-terminal domains of SUF12 are unique and may reflect, in part, the functional distinction between these proteins. These domains exhibit unusual amino acid composition and extensive repeated structure. The behavior of suf12-null SUF12 + heterozygotes indicates that suf12 is co-dominantly expressed and suggests that suf12 allele-specific suppression may result from functionally distinct mutant proteins rather than variation in residual wild-type SUF12+ activity. We propose a model of suf12-mediated frameshift and nonsense suppression that is based on a primary defect in the normal process of codon recognition.
The matter of the unfetish: Hoarding and the spirit of possessions

In this article, I employ West African ideas of spirited materiality to rethink the semiosis of possession in North Atlantic societies. I investigate this ethnographically through the lens of storage—those things kept out of sight and unused in US attics, basements, closets, and storage units. Things contained in storage form a residual category of animated detritus that US society often pathologizes as "hoarding" when it makes public appearances in the visible space of the home or the television set. Arguing that the concept of fetishism is hopelessly tied to the "naturalist" divide of Western rationality and the dichotomy between persons and things, I argue that objects typically labeled as fetishes are not fetishized, but rather reflect a cosmology of material entities as containers for spirit. By constructing an ethnographic model of the unfetish in West Africa, I explore the sociality of possessions as belongings that truly belong.
The Social Efficiency of Fairness

Property rights provide incentives to create information but also incentives to hoard it before award of protection. Even after award, others who might supplement that idea lack bargaining power until they too secure property rights. An unintended consequence is to slow, not hasten, progress when innovation hinges on combining disparate private ideas. We show formally that fairness can increase innovation. Welfare improves both in the absolute sense of enabling new projects and in the relative sense of reordering projects that people undertake. Second, in contrast to models of "other regarding'' preferences, we show how self-interest alone is sufficient to justify fairness in a one-time encounter. Third, we show how the hold-up problem is worse for information than for tangible goods. Fourth, we sketch a practical way to promote fairness using liability rules rather than property rights. Liability rules give idea-developers greater flexibility and incentives while protecting idea-originators from exploitation.
Evolution and Horizon as Revealed in Ceramic Analysis in Historical Archeology

The point made at that time was that quantification of European ceramics from eighteenth century British American sites would allow the archaeologist to date the occupation period of a ruin. The percentage relationships of ceramic types from various ruins in the mid-eighteenth century colonial English town of Brunswick, North Carolina were compared. The pipestem analysis tool as well as our ceramic analysis tools and other constructions built on a chronological framework are based on the evolution of form through time. The time required for the spread of the cultural material representing the horizon is a factor to be considered, as Willey and Phillips point out. Historical archaeology is plagued by reports revealing no interpretation of any kind, historical, anthropological, or archaeological to justify a catalog type publication of objects. The measure of the reliability of the temporal bracketing and mean ceramic formula analysis tools is the degree of correlation between the interpreted dates and historic dates for the particular site.
On autonomic optimization of firewall policy organization

Security policies play a critical role in many of the current network security technologies such as firewalls, IPSec and IDS devices. The configuration of these policies not only determines the functionality of such devices, but also substantially affects their performance. The optimization of filtering policy configuration is critically important to provide high performance packet filtering particularly for high speed network security.Current packet filtering techniques exploit the characteristics of the filtering policies, but they do not consider the traffic behavior in optimizing their search data structures. This often results in impractically high space complexity, which undermines the performance gain offered by these techniques. Also, these techniques offer upper bounds for the worst case search times; nevertheless, the more common average case scenarios are not necessarily optimized. Moreover, the types of packet filtering fields used in most of these techniques are limited to IP header fields and cannot be generalized to cover transport and application layer filtering.In this paper, we present a novel technique that utilizes Internet traffic characteristics to optimize the organization of firewall policies. The proposed technique timely adapts to the traffic conditions using actively calculated statistics to dynamically optimize the ordering of packet filtering rules. The rule importance in traffic matching as well as its dependency on other rules are both considered in our optimization algorithm. Through extensive evaluation experiments using simulated and real Internet traffic traces, the proposed mechanism is shown to be efficient and easy to deploy in practical firewall implementations.
Association of Insulin Resistance With Cerebral Glucose Uptake in Late Middle–Aged Adults at Risk for Alzheimer Disease

Importance Converging evidence suggests that Alzheimer disease (AD) involves insulin signaling impairment. Patients with AD and individuals at risk for AD show reduced glucose metabolism, as indexed by fludeoxyglucose F 18–labeled positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Objectives To determine whether insulin resistance predicts AD-like global and regional glucose metabolism deficits in late middle–aged participants at risk for AD and to examine whether insulin resistance–predicted variation in regional glucose metabolism is associated with worse cognitive performance. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based, cross-sectional study included 150 cognitively normal, late middle–aged (mean [SD] age, 60.7 [5.8] years) adults from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (WRAP) study, a general community sample enriched for AD parental history. Participants underwent cognitive testing, fasting blood draw, and FDG-PET at baseline. We used the homeostatic model assessment of peripheral insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Regression analysis tested the statistical effect of HOMA-IR on global glucose metabolism. We used a voxelwise analysis to determine whether HOMA-IR predicted regional glucose metabolism. Finally, predicted variation in regional glucose metabolism was regressed against cognitive factors. Covariates included age, sex, body mass index, apolipoprotein E e4 genotype, AD parental history status, and a reference region used to normalize regional uptake. Main Outcomes and Measures Regional glucose uptake determined using FDG-PET and neuropsychological factors. Results Higher HOMA-IR was associated with lower global glucose metabolism (β = −0.29; P P R 2 = 0.178). Lower glucose metabolism in the left medial temporal lobe predicted by HOMA-IR was significantly related to worse performance on the immediate memory (β = 0.317; t 148 = 4.08; P t 148 = 3.895; P Conclusions and Relevance Our results show that insulin resistance, a prevalent and increasingly common condition in developed countries, is associated with significantly lower regional cerebral glucose metabolism, which in turn may predict worse memory performance. Midlife may be a critical period for initiating treatments to lower peripheral insulin resistance to maintain neural metabolism and cognitive function.
IRRELEVANT SPEECH, SERIAL REHEARSAL, AND TEMPORAL DISTINCTIVENESS : A NEW APPROACH TO THE IRRELEVANT SPEECH EFFECT

D. C. LeCompte (1994) showed that the irrelevant speech effect--that is, the impairment of performance by the presentation of irrelevant background speech--extends to free recall, recognition, and cued recall. The present experiments extended the irrelevant speech effect to the missing-item task (Experiments 1 and 2), thereby contradicting a key prediction of the changing state hypothesis, which states that tasks that do not involve serial rehearsal should not be affected by the presence of irrelevant speech. Temporal distinctiveness theory provides an alternative explanation of the irrelevant speech effect. Experiment 3 tested and confirmed a unique prediction of this theory.
The effects of curing and cooking on the detection of species origin of meat products by competitive and indirect ELISA techniques.

The purposes of this study were: (1) to develop and compare competitive and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods for detecting species specific albumins in meat samples and (2) to examine the effect of curing and cooking on the identification of species origin of meats. Commercially obtained rabbit anti-pig serum albumin (anti-PSA) and rabbit anti-sheep serum albumin (anti-SSA) were affinity purified, and used to develop competitive and indirect ELISA procedures for PSA and SSA. The competitive ELISA procedures showed the lowest cross-reactivity with related serum albumins. Both ELISA procedures were capable of detecting as little as 5% pork or sheep in beef. Curing resulted in little or no inhibition in the ability of ELISA procedures to detect pork or sheep in beef. Cooking completely eliminated the ability of the competitive PSA ELISA to detect pork in beef, and of both SSA ELISA procedures to detect sheep in beef. Cooking also greatly reduced, but did not eliminate, the ability of the indirect PSA ELISA to detect pork in beef. Curing and cooking essentially eliminated the ability of the PSA ELISA procedure to detect pork in beef. Curing and cooking resulted in a 70 to 74% decrease in the signal of sheep meat in SSA ELISA procedures. These results demonstrated that competitive and indirect ELISA procedures are capable of determining the species origin of raw and cured meat. Heating raw or cured meats greatly reduced, but did not always eliminate, the ability of ELISA procedures to detect species origin of meats.
Artifactual formylation of the secondary amine of duloxetine hydrochloride by acetonitrile in the presence of titanium dioxide: Implications for HPLC method development

Duloxetine hydrochloride, a secondary amine containing pharmaceutical, currently marketed as Cymbalta™, is shown to undergo N-formylation as an artifact of sample preparation prior to HPLC analysis for impurities. The reaction was discovered as a result of an investigation into variability in the levels of N-formyl duloxetine observed upon HPLC analysis. The reaction is catalyzed by sonication and/or light in the presence of titanium dioxide and is proposed to occur via a radical-initiated mechanism. The mechanism is supported by controlled sample preparation studies with deuterium-labeled acetonitrile and LC/MS studies that showed incorporation of one deuterium into N-formyl duloxetine. This discovery is broadly relevant because sonication is commonly used to aid dissolution of pharmaceuticals in acetonitrile for HPLC analysis, titanium dioxide is a commonly used excipient, the amount of light found in modern analytical laboratories is sufficient to cause the reaction to occur, and secondary amines are present in the structures of many pharmaceuticals. The artifactual reaction was effectively eliminated by changing the sample solvent to methanol and replacing sonication with shaking to aid sample dissolution.
Improved scatter correction using adaptive scatter kernel superposition

Accurate scatter correction is required to produce high-quality reconstructions of x-ray cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. This paper describes new scatter kernel superposition (SKS) algorithms for deconvolving scatter from projection data. The algorithms are designed to improve upon the conventional approach whose accuracy is limited by the use of symmetric kernels that characterize the scatter properties of uniform slabs. To model scatter transport in more realistic objects, nonstationary kernels, whose shapes adapt to local thickness variations in the projection data, are proposed. Two methods are introduced: (1) adaptive scatter kernel superposition (ASKS) requiring spatial domain convolutions and (2) fast adaptive scatter kernel superposition (fASKS) where, through a linearity approximation, convolution is efficiently performed in Fourier space. The conventional SKS algorithm, ASKS, and fASKS, were tested with Monte Carlo simulations and with phantom data acquired on a table-top CBCT system matching the Varian On-Board Imager (OBI). All three models accounted for scatter point-spread broadening due to object thickening, object edge effects, detector scatter properties and an anti-scatter grid. Hounsfield unit (HU) errors in reconstructions of a large pelvis phantom with a measured maximum scatter-to-primary ratio over 200% were reduced from -90 ± 58 HU (mean ± standard deviation) with no scatter correction to 53 ± 82 HU with SKS, to 19 ± 25 HU with fASKS and to 13 ± 21 HU with ASKS. HU accuracies and measured contrast were similarly improved in reconstructions of a body-sized elliptical Catphan phantom. The results show that the adaptive SKS methods offer significant advantages over the conventional scatter deconvolution technique.
Fluorouracil Therapy for Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy after Vitrectomy

Fluorouracil effectively inhibits epiretinal membrane formation and traction retinal detachment after vitrectomy surgery. When 0.5 mg of fluorouracil was administered intraocularly every 24 hours for seven days, traction retinal detachment two weeks after the intraocular injection of 200,000 cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells occurred in 12 of 12 control eyes but in only six of 14 eyes treated with fluorouracil (P When the number of injected retinal pigment epithelial cells was increased to 400,000 cells and 1.25 mg of fluorouracil was administered intraocularly every 24 hours for seven days, traction retinal detachment two weeks after injection occurred in 15 of 15 eyes in the control group but in none of ten eyes in the treated group. Four weeks after cell injection, eight of eight eyes in the control group and five of five eyes in the fluorouracil-treated group had detachments and the mean height of the detachments in the two groups was equal. Autoradiography of the epiretinal membranes in eyes injected with 200,000 cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells and labeled for two hours with tritiated thymidine showed that 0.8% of the epiretinal cell nuclei were labeled two weeks after cell injection but that no labeled cells were present in the fluorouracil-treated eyes. Tritiated thymidine labeling of epiretinal cells in the fluorouracil-treated eyes was first noted three weeks after the cell injection. The presence of tritiated thymidine labeling in the fluorouracil-treated eyes correlated with an increase in the number of epiretinal cells and an increase in the incidence of traction retinal detachment.
Identification of an unfolding intermediate for a DNA lesion bypass polymerase.

Sulfolobus solfataricus DNA Polymerase IV (Dpo4), a prototype Y-family DNA polymerase, has been well characterized biochemically and biophysically at 37 °C or lower temperatures. However, the physiological temperature of the hyperthermophile S. solfataricus is approximately 80 °C. With such a large discrepancy in temperature, the in vivo relevance of these in vitro studies of Dpo4 has been questioned. Here, we employed circular dichroism spectroscopy and fluorescence-based thermal scanning to investigate the secondary structural changes of Dpo4 over a temperature range from 26 to 119 °C. Dpo4 was shown to display a high melting temperature characteristic of hyperthermophiles. Unexpectedly, the Little Finger domain of Dpo4, which is only found in the Y-family DNA polymerases, was shown to be more thermostable than the polymerase core. More interestingly, Dpo4 exhibited a three-state cooperative unfolding profile with an unfolding intermediate. The linker region between the Little Finger and Thumb domains o...
Use of Lorenz titanium implants in orbital fracture repair.

Purpose To present the experience and outcomes of orbital fracture repair using Lorenz titanium orbital implants in one tertiary care center. Methods Five-year retrospective chart review of 55 patients who underwent orbital fracture repair with Lorenz titanium orbital implants since 2002. The following data were recorded: age; gender; mechanism of injury; prior fracture repair; concomitant ocular injuries; time elapsed between injury and surgery; and preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, diplopia, extraocular motility, and Hertel exophthalmometry. All patients underwent preoperative CT. Operative data included surgical approach, type of Lorenz implant used, duration of surgery, and presence of extraocular muscle entrapment. Length of follow-up and complications were also recorded. Results Of those undergoing primary repair, diplopia in primary gaze was present in 29.3% of patients preoperatively and 0% postoperatively. Severe, moderate, and mild motility restriction in any gaze direction were 5.5%, 14.5%, and 34.5% preoperatively and decreased to 0%, 1.8%, and 7.3% postoperatively. Although only 14.3% of primary repair patients had full extraocular motility prior to surgery, this number increased to 80% after surgical repair. More than 80% of patients achieved symmetry within 1 mm by Hertel exophthalmometry. The authors did not encounter instances of implant extrusion, infection, or eyelid malposition during follow-up. Conclusions Orbital fracture repair using Lorenz titanium orbital implants provides reliable and reproducible stabilization of orbital wall defects, while offering outstanding functional and cosmetic results comparable with other alloplastic materials.
Radiation protection in space

The challenge for planning radiation protection in space is to estimate the risk of events of low probability after low levels of irradiation. This work has revealed many gaps in our knowledge that require further study. Despite investigations of several irradiated populations, the atomic-bomb survivors remain the primary basis for estimating the risk of ionizing radiation. Compared with previous estimates, two new independent evaluations of available information indicate a significantly greater risk of stochastic effects of radiation (cancer and genetic effects) by about a factor of three for radiation workers, including space travelers. This paper presents a brief historical perspective of the international effort to assure radiation protection in space.
Effects of Terbutaline on α-Adrenergic Responses and Ca2+ Influx in Isolated Rabbit Aorta

Effects of terbutaline applied in vivo or in vitro on alpha-adrenergic receptors in the rabbit aorta in normal and Ca(2+)-free solution, and on basal, high potassium-, and phenylephrine-stimulated Ca2+ uptake into aorta were investigated. Three day terbutaline administration (25 mg/kg, subcutaneously three times daily) to rabbits increased the pKB for phentolamine in aorta rings (control 7.3 +/- 0.2, n = 9; terbutaline 7.8 +/- 0.2, n = 15). It also depressed phenylephrine-stimulated contractions of aorta rings in Ca(2+)-free but not those in normal Krebs solution. It did not significantly depress the basal, or phenylephrine-evoked Ca2+ influx into aorta rings, but decreased high potassium-induced Ca(2+)-influx (control 0.58 +/- 0.05 mumoles/g aorta; n = 3, terbutaline 0.41 +/- 0.06 mumoles/g aorta, n = 3). In vitro application of 50 microM terbutaline did not significantly alter phenylephrine-stimulated contractions of aorta rings in Ca(2+)-free Krebs solution or significantly depress basal or phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ influx into aortas, but did decrease high potassium-stimulated Ca(2+)-influx. Thus, 3-day terbutaline administration increased the affinity of alpha-adrenergic receptors for phentolamine and had a tendency to increase contractions of aorta rings to phenylephrine. It also decreased high potassium-stimulated Ca2+ influx, and depressed phenylephrine-induced contractions in Ca(2+)-free Krebs solution, while in vitro terbutaline application also decreased potassium-induced Ca2+ influx.
Domestic violence in barriers to health care for HIV-positive women.

Few studies have addressed the issue of domestic violence and health care for HIV-positive women. However, such women are at increased risk of clinical progression when domestic violence prevents access to health care or their ability to take HIV medicines on a consistent basis. To address this issue, 3 focus groups and 50 in-depth interviews were conducted at a public health clinic with HIV-positive women clients who had experienced domestic violence. The results are illustrated in 4 case studies of how domestic violence diminishes women's ability to obtain regular health care. Abused women were reluctant to keep appointments if they were afraid of their partners, if they were depressed, feeling ill or "too worn down," or if they were ashamed of being abused. Abusive partners were sometimes reported to sabotage women's efforts to seek care, keep appointments or take medications. The study concluded that domestic violence is an underrecognized barrier to women's ability to obtain regular medical care for ...