cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MRI and Neuropsychological Correlates in African Americans With Hypertension and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND African Americans (AAs) are at high risk for hypertension (HTN) and poor blood pressure (BP) control. Persistently elevated BP contributes to cardiovascular morbidity. White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are a definable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) marker of cerebrovascular injury linked to impairments in higher level thinking (i.e., executive functions), memory formation, and speed of perceptual-motor processing. METHODS This subinvestigation evaluated neuropsychological functioning in association with WMH on brain MRIs in 23 otherwise-healthy hypertensive AAs participating in an NIH-funded study of the effects of vitamin D on BP and cardiac remodeling in AA patients 30-74 years of age with HTN and left ventricular hypertrophy. Neuropsychological assessment included psychomotor processing speed [(Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT) and Trail Making Test], executive functioning (Controlled Oral Word Association Test and Trail Making Test Part B), memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test), and fine motor functioning (Finger Tapping). RESULTS Significant correlations (P < 0.05) were found between volume of periventricular lesions and trails A (r = 0.51) and dominant hand finger tapping speed (r = -0.69) and between subcortical lesion volume and trails A (r = 0.60), both dominant (r = -0.62) and nondominant hand finger tapping speed (r = -0.76) and oral SDMT (r = -0.60); higher lesion volumes correlated to worse neuropsychological performance. CONCLUSIONS Psychomotor tests including the Trail Making Test and finger tapping speed are sensitive indicators of subclinical deficits in mental processing speed and could serve as early markers of deep subcortical cerebrovascular injury in otherwise-healthy individuals with uncontrolled chronic HTN.
Association for Flag Configurations

We extend the classical notion of association from point configurations in projective spaces to flag configurations.
On triangular and cyclic ramsey numbers with k colors

Define r(G;k) to be the smallest integer with the following property: For any n ≥ r(G;k), color the edges of Kn in k colors, then there exists a monochromatic graph isomorphic to G. In this paper, we discussed the bounds for r(K3;k) and r(C4;k).
Long-Term Outcomes in Congenital Heart Disease

The long-term survival of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) continues to improve due to advancements in cardiac surgery and perioperative care and enhancements in cardiovascular diagnostic and interventional capabilities. As the mortality rate associated with congenital heart defects has continued to decline, the number of adults with CHD has increased exponentially. In fact, it is estimated that there are now more than one million adults living with CHD. While ongoing improvement in short-term results remains important, the clinical focus of medical caregivers has expanded to evaluating late outcomes. Understanding the long-term outcomes of our CHD survivors allows for intervention opportunities to prevent these late complications and treat them if they are present. The late outcomes encompass not only cardiac specific physiologic and anatomic abnormalities, but also important non-cardiac sequelae such as neurodevelopmental and psychosocial morbidity on the individual and their families.
Snow accretion prediction on an inclined cable

Abstract We have developed a novel analytical model to predict snow accretions. Our analysis of snow and freezing rain accretions forming on vertical, inclined and horizontal cables revealed that the two most influential parameters are the ratio of windspeed to particle terminal velocity, and cylinder inclination angle. We have also adapted our existing morphogenetic icing model to simulate snow accretions on arbitrarily oriented cylinders/cables. The adapted morphogenetic model can be used to predict complex details of the snow accretion shape, including surface roughness and embedded voids. Detailed accretion structures predicted by the morphogenetic model can be 3D-printed and used to examine the relationship between the amount of snow precipitation and the resulting changes in the aerodynamic characteristics of cables.
Is nerve-sparing surgery enough to prevent chronic post-thoracotomy pain?

The economic impact of chronic pain on society is greater than most other health conditions, but these estimates are inadequate when compared with the suffering, potential addiction from chronic opioid use and decreased quality of life experienced by patients (1). Persistent post-operative pain is defined as chronic postsurgical pain when it develops following surgery, was not present prior to the procedure, lasts at least two months in duration and there are no other causes or explanations for the pain (2).
Enhanced thermal stability in Cu-40 wt% Zn/WC nanocomposite

Abstract A major challenge for alloy applications is to achieve thermal stability of phase transitions and anti-oxidation properties. Given the stability of ceramic nanoparticles, we propose the incorporation of WC nanoparticles as a novel way to tune the thermal stability of Cu-40 wt% Zn, which is an important alloy known as naval brass. In situ XRD and DSC results confirmed the enhanced thermal stability of Cu-40 wt% Zn/10 vol% WC nanocomposites at higher temperatures were observed for both phase transitions and oxidation. The underlying mechanisms behind Zn diffusion during phase change and oxygen contact are discussed to understand the phenomena. Optical profiles along with SEM and FIB images reveal the morphologies and microstructures of different stages and give supporting information for the above argument. Due to the kinetic and dynamic impedance on Zn diffusion and the intrinsic stability of WC, the higher thermal stability in Cu-40 wt% Zn/WC is achieved. This study provides an effective way to tune thermal stability of alloys, control phase change, and vary post-oxidation morphology.
Mental health stigma among people of color: An examination of the impact of racial discrimination:

Objective:The primary goal of this study was to examine the relations between racial discrimination experiences and different dimensions of mental health stigma among a diverse sample of people of ...
Titu’s Lemma

We present a visual proof of an inequality known as Titu’s lemma or Sedrakayan’s inequality.
The role of online learning in pharmacy education: A nationwide survey of student pharmacists.

Abstract Introduction Student pharmacists have significant exposure to online learning methods in their pre-pharmacy educational experiences. With decreasing resources and faculty shortages in pharmacy education, online delivery of course content is an efficient way to deliver pharmacy curricula while optimizing classroom time for active learning strategies. The purpose of this study was to assess student preferences associated with the utility of online learning methods such as online platforms, social media, and handheld devices. Methods An anonymous, voluntary 43-question online survey was delivered to students at colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States (US). Frequency statistics were used to establish prevalence of student preferences. Results Overall, 1873 students from 29 schools of pharmacy completed the survey. Of these students, 30% preferred a blended course structure (with online and classroom components) throughout the curriculum, as compared to 47% of students who preferred live lectures exclusively. Approximately 57% of students found smart phones very or extremely valuable for their academic success. Approximately 61% of students reported using their smart phones and 37% reported using their tablets “always” or “often” during the past year for academic activities; however, only 31% of students found paper textbooks very or extremely valuable for their academic success, with approximately 26% using them “always” or “often.” Conclusions US pharmacy students prefer a blend of traditional classroom and online learning methods. When updating and revising pharmacy curricula, colleges and schools of pharmacy should consider the inclusion of technology and online learning methodologies.
Impact of Wrong Beam Selection on Beam Pair Scanning Method for User Discovery in mmWave Systems

The auxiliary beam pair (ABP) method processes the outputs of a pair of beams to estimate the angular location of the desired receiver in a line-of-sight (LOS) millimeter wave wireless link. We show that wrong beam selection occurs about 50% of the time, even at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), when the desired receiver is at or near boresight of one of the beams, when certain constraints on beam separation and isotropic antennas are used. We further show that, depending on the SNR, the angle errors induced by wrong beam selection can range from 5 to 45 degrees. While the constraints enable analytical inversion of the discriminant function, they cause coincident nulls of the beams. These coincident nulls contribute to wrong beam selection. We show that slight reductions in the beam separations in the ABP method eliminate coincident nulls and reduces the root mean squared error in estimated angle by as much as 54.88%, at the cost of a small reduction in the field of view of the scanned beams and the requirement of a look-up table.
Service Use and Unmet Needs Among Adults with Autism Awaiting Home- and Community-Based Medicaid Services

Autistic adults in need of long-term services and supports spend months on waiting lists before receiving such services through Medicaid. Data from a state-wide survey of adults and their caregivers on a waiting list for autism waivers suggest that the majority have unmet needs for functional skills services (63.6%), employment or vocation services (62.1%), and mental and behavioral health services (52.8%). Almost a third require case management services (28.3%). Predictors of greater service need are African American race and the number of physical and behavioral health diagnoses. Predictors of greater service receipt were employment status, housing type, and school enrollment; there was lower service receipt for African American race, Hispanic ethnicity, over age 21 years, and college completion.
Activation of Energy Metabolism through Growth Media Reformulation Enables a 24-Hour Workflow for Cell-Free Expression

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) platforms have undergone numerous workflow improvements to enable diverse applications in research, biomanufacturing, and education. The Escherichia coli cell extract-based platform has been broadly adopted due to its affordability and versatility. The upstream processing of cells to generate crude cell lysate remains time-intensive and technically nuanced, representing one of the largest sources of cost associated with the biotechnology. To overcome these limitations, we have improved the processes by developing a long-lasting autoinduction media formulation for CFPS that obviates human intervention between inoculation and harvest. The cell-free autoinduction (CFAI) media supports the production of robust cell extracts from high cell density cultures nearing the stationary phase of growth. As a result, the total mass of cells and the resulting extract volume obtained increases by 400% while maintaining robust reaction yields of reporter protein, sfGFP (>1 mg/mL). Notably, the CFAI workflow allows users to go from cells on a streak plate to completing CFPS reactions within 24 h. The CFAI workflow uniquely enabled us to elucidate the metabolic limits in CFPS associated with cells grown to stationary phase in the traditional 2× YTPG media. Metabolomics analysis demonstrates that CFAI-based extracts overcome these limits due to improved energy metabolism and redox balance. The advances reported here shed new light on the metabolism associated with highly active CFPS reactions and inform future efforts to tune the metabolism in CFPS systems. Additionally, we anticipate that the improvements in the time and cost-efficiency of CFPS will increase the simplicity and reproducibility, reducing the barriers for new researchers interested in implementing CFPS.
Comparing head ultrasounds and susceptibility-weighted imaging for the detection of low-grade hemorrhages in preterm infants.

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a complication of prematurity. Grades III and IV IVH lead to significant morbidity, but mounting evidence shows low-grade IVH (grades I–II) may be associated with adverse sequelae. Head ultrasounds (HUS) are used to screen infants for IVH but may miss low-grade IVH. Our study compared the results of HUS around 7 days of age to susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) obtained at term-corrected age in infants born at <30 wGA. Infants <30 weeks gestational age (GA) with an HUS and MRI at admission to UF Health were identified by a retrospective chart review. Images were re-read by a pediatric neuroradiologist. Ninety-four infants with a mean GA of 25.8 weeks were identified. Of those with normal HUS, 50% had low-grade IVH on the term-corrected MRI. HUS are effective for screening for high-grade IVH. SWI is more sensitive in identifying low-grade IVH.
Communication Modes During Romantic Dissolution: The Impact of Attachment and Intimacy on Initiator Breakup Strategies

A majority of romantic pair-bonds will not remain together. Surprisingly, however, less is known about relationship dissolution compared with other stages of romantic relationships, such as initiation and maintenance. The present study addresses this gap by investigating breakup initiators’ communication strategies as outcomes for the individual’s attachment style and the emotional intimacy of a recent terminated romantic relationship. Participants (N = 174) completed a series of empirically reliable and valid Likert-scale measures to assess both predictors: (a) adult attachment and (b) emotional intimacy. Emotional intimacy was a significant predictor of each of the four breakup communication strategies, and adult attachment style – particularly attachment anxiety - was significantly related to specific communication strategies, primarily those related to openness. This researcher concluded that emotional intimacy better predictors of breakup communication strategy compared with attachment style. Limitations and a general discussion or summary of findings are provided, followed by some suggestions for future research.
Cue responsiveness as a measure of emerging language ability in aphasia.

Background: Prior research suggests that initial aphasia severity, lesion size, and lesion location are the most salient factors in predicting recovery outcomes. While these factors provide importa...
Gigahertz Low-Loss and High Power Handling Acoustic Delay Lines Using Thin-Film Lithium-Niobate-on-Sapphire

In this work, we present the first group of gigahertz low-loss, wideband, and high power handling delay lines (ADLs) using a thin-film lithium niobate (LiNbO3)-on-sapphire platform. The ADLs leverage a single-phase unidirectional transducer (SPUDT) to efficiently excite the shear horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) in the film stack. The fabricated miniature SH-SAW ADL at 1.1 GHz shows a low insertion loss (IL) of 2.8 dB, a wide fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 6.14%, and a fast phase velocity of 5127 m/s. The device also features a high 1-dB compression point (P1dB) of 30.4 dBm. The temperature coefficient of frequency is −45 ppm/K. ADLs with delays between 12 and 172 ns have been implemented, with IL between 2.8 and 8.3 dB. SH-SAW propagation characteristics are extracted, showing a group velocity of 4747 m/s and a propagation loss of 6.73 dB/mm or 31.9 dB/ $\mu \text{s}$ . The simultaneous low-loss and high power handling illustrate the great potential of LiNbO3-on-sapphire for RF and cross domain applications at gigahertz.
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

While adenoid cystic carcinoma is not an uncommon tumor in the salivary glands, its occurrence in the larynx and trachea is rare. Extension of an adenoid cystic carcinoma of the larynx and trachea to the thyroid with manifestation as a thyroid nodule is extremely rare. However, this possibility always should be considered whenever there are cytologic features suggestive of adenoid cystic carcinoma in thyroid aspirates and when there is a history of adenoid cystic carcinoma in the trachea or larynx or in any part of the body.
Signaling for Inducible Fas-Resistance in Primary B Lymphocytes

The sensitivity of B cells to Fas (APO-1, CD95)-mediated apoptosis is modulated by signals derived from other cell surface receptors. Engagement of CD40 upregulates Fas expression and markedly increases susceptibility to cell death induced by Fas triggering, whereas engagement of the B cell antigen receptor (or the IL-4 receptor) diminishes susceptibility to Fas killing, even in otherwise Fas-sensitive, CD40-stimulated targets, and so produces a state of Fas-resistance. Fas-resistance likely functions to protect B cells during interaction with activated (Fas ligand-bearing) T cells. B cell receptor signaling for Fas-resistance bypasses Btk but requires protein kinase C and NF-kB, eventuating in the upregulation of anti-apoptotic molecules including FLIP, Bcl-xL, and possibly others. The Btkindependence of BCR-mediated NF-kB induction is unexpected but explained by prior CD40 engagement. After CD4OL treatment, IkBa is degraded, and NF-kB is induced, as a result of BCR engagement, even in xid B cells in which Btk is mutated. Thus, CD40 signaling appears to create new conditions that provide BCR access to IkB/NF-kB in a Btk-independent fashion, which does not occur in the absence of CD40 stimulation. These results suggest that B cells play a key role in determining their own susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis, and that the process of inducing Fas-sensitivity alters the signaling requirements for Fas-resistance.
Exercises in Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics

This chapter explains the experiences in applying the methods and theories of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics within the context of practical problems encountered in the evaluation of multiple compounds in discovery and development programs. A recurrent theme in the pharmacodynamics problems is the influence of different assay systems on the data and how, if an assay-independent measure of activity could be found, this can alleviate this problem. The pharmacokinetic questions illustrate how simple formulae relating clearance, volume of distribution, and t1/2 enable most if not all conclusions to be made about the pharmacokinetics of the drugs involved. The main function of pharmacology in the drug discovery process is to furnish system-independent estimates of the biological activity of molecules. A useful way to look at this is to consider that, as molecules are used in a therapeutic setting, they encounter a myriad of other processes. These “secondary” activities can potentiate, modulate, reduce, or nullify the primary activity and also can initiate completely new activities. Pharmacodynamics is used to identify primary therapeutically useful activity and quantify the degree of selectivity a molecule has in a complex system. The first class of compounds considered are agonists, molecules that interact with targets in cells to actively produce a change of state of that cell.
Laser-Electron Storage Ring as a Compact Source of High-Intensity X-rays *

The authors propose a laser-electron storage ring as a high-intensity x-ray source. In this compact device, an intense pulse from a high power laser, stored in a highly reflective optical resonator, repetitively Compton backscatters off a bunched electron beam that circulates in a compact storage ring. The laser-electron interaction not only gives rise to x-rays at the desired wavelength, but also stabilizes the dense electron bunch against the intrabeam scattering effect in the storage ring. Thus, a sufficient amount of x-rays can be generated by this device to make it an excellent and flexible x-ray source for high-throughput x-ray lithography and many other applications.
Repenser la norme, réinventer l’agencéité : entretien avec Saba Mahmood

Le premier ouvrage de Saba Mahmood, Politics of Piety..., dont la traduction francaise est parue aux editions La Decouverte en septembre 2009, se veut un effort de decentrement. En s’interessant a l’implication des femmes a l’interieur du mouvement islamique, Saba Mahmood amorce une vaste reflexion sur les concepts qui balisent notre comprehension de l’islam, de l’ethique et du politique. L’objectif? Ebrecher le cadre normatif a travers lequel l’action feministe, la resistance et la liberte sont actuellement envisagees ; et donner un sens reellement anthropologique a la notion d’agenceite (agency).
Regulation of the GTPase cycle of the neuronally expressed Ras-like GTP-binding protein Rab3A.

The small GTP-binding protein Rab3A (identical to smg p25A) is expressed in neural/exocrine/endocrine cells, is distributed between the cytosol and secretory vesicle membranes, and may cycle between these locations to regulate exocytosis. It is proposed that the GTP/GDP state of Rab3A controls this distribution. In PC12 cells, cytosolic Rab3A is predominantly GDP-bound, whereas membrane-associated Rab3A is approximately 50% GTP-bound. Two cytosolic factors, GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI) and guanine nucleotide releasing factor (GRF), act only on GDP.Rab3A, and preferentially with post-translationally modified Rab3A. Rab3A GTPase-activating protein (GAP) does not preferentially act on processed Rab3A, and interacts selectively with GTP.Rab3A. GDI antagonizes GRF but not GAP activity toward Rab3A. These data are consistent with the concept of an ordered Rab3A cycle controlled by factors that regulate the guanine-nucleotide binding state of Rab3A.
Unsupervised Feature Extraction Using Singular Value Decomposition

Though modern data often provides a massive amount of information, much of the insight might be redundant or useless (noise). Thus, it is significant to recognize the most informative features of data. This will help the analysis of the data by removing the consequences of high dimensionality, in addition of obtaining other advantages of lower dimensional data such as lower computational cost and a less complex model. Modern data has high dimension, sparsity and correlation besides its characteristics of being unstructured, distorted, corrupt, deformed, and massive. Feature extraction has always been a major toll in machine learning applications. Due to these extraordinary features of modern data, feature extraction and feature reduction models and techniques have even more significance in analyzing and understanding the data.
Parfit on directly collectively self-defeating moral theories

This paper assesses the price of a certain way of doing moral theory, a manner that is currently popular but surprisingly radical in its hidden implications. Before I say what way that is, let me sketch some background. Ethicists have observed what seems to be a close connection between rationality and morality. They also have noticed that rationality seems to demand consistency. It has occurred to them that a property somewhat like logical consistency might do interesting moral work. They have suggested that the immoral, or those with false beliefs about morality, suffer from a lack of that property. One prominent family of such suggestions makes use of what is called "universalization". Perhaps, some have thought, morality demands consistency in our responses to the situations of ourselves and others. Perhaps morality requires that we treat like cases alike, whether our goose is in the fire or not. Hare, Nagel, and Gewirth are notable current examples of those in this tradition.' Here I focus on a second family of attempts to make something like consistency yield interesting normative results. A number of authors have suggested that a moral theory or a theory of rationality should not be selfdefeating. A consistent normative theory will not demand its own abandonment, they say, just as a consistent descriptive theory will not state that it itself is false. David Gauthier and Stephen Darwall have produced recent work in this tradition, but I mainly will restrict my consideration to another current, distinguished example: 2 Derek Parfit, in the first part of his recent book, Reasons and Persons, argues that moral theories must meet a particular formal constraint.3 He says that moral theories must not be "directly collectively self-defeating". I will argue that the constraint Parfit proposes is improper, that it would rule out most plausible theories of morality and, indeed, the theory he favors.
Precise failure localization using automated layout analysis of diagnosis candidates

Traditional software-based diagnosis of failing chips typically identifies several lines where the failure is believed to reside. However, these lines can span across multiple layers and can be very long in length. This makes physical failure analysis difficult. hi contrast, there are emerging diagnosis techniques that identify both the faulty lines as well as the neighboring conditions for which an affected line becomes faulty, hi this paper, an approach is presented to improve failure localization by automatically analyzing the information associated with the outcome of diagnosis. Experimental results show a significant improvement in failure localization when this method is applied to 106 real IC failures.
Aerodynamic effects on the accuracy of an end-over-end kick of an American football

The effects of initial conditions on the flight of an American football kicked in an end-over-end manner were investigated using a dynamic simulation employing the quaternion method. The effects of initial tilt and spin about the longitudinal axis of the ball were considered. For the most accurate kick, our simulations show that the ball should be vertical leaving the kicker’s foot, and have no angular velocity about the longitudinal axis of the ball. A case study was performed for which experimental data were available, showing the trends of the flight of the ball captured in our simulations in actual game situations.
GABA inhibition modulates NMDA-R mediated spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) in a biophysical model

Spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) has been demonstrated in various neural systems of many animals. It has been shown that STDP depends on the target and the location of the synapse and is dynamically regulated by the activity of adjacent synapses, the presence of postsynaptic calcium, presynaptic GABA inhibition or the action of neuromodulators. Recent experimental evidence has reported that the profile of STDP in the CA1 pyramidal neuron can be classified into two types depending on its dendritic location: (1) A symmetric STDP profile in the proximal to the soma dendrites, and (2) an asymmetric one in the distal dendrites. Bicuculline application revealed that GABA"A is responsible for the symmetry of the STDP curve. We investigate via computer simulations how GABA"A shapes the STDP profile in the CA1 pyramidal neuron dendrites when it is driven by excitatory spike pairs (doublets). The model constructed uses calcium as the postsynaptic signaling agent for STDP and is shown to be consistent with classical long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) induced by several doublet stimulation paradigms in the absence of inhibition. Overall, simulation results provide computational evidence for the first time that the switch between the symmetrical and the asymmetrical STDP operational modes is indeed due to GABA inhibition. Furthermore, gamma frequency inhibition and not theta one is responsible for the transition from asymmetry-to-symmetry. The resulted symmetrical STDP profile is centered at +10 ms with two distinct LTD tails at -10 and +40 ms. Finally, the asymmetry-to-symmetry transition is strongly dependent on the strength (conductance) of inhibition and its relative onset with respect to pre- and postsynaptic spike stimulation.
Experimental removal of wetland emergent vegetation leads to decreased methylmercury production in surface sediment

[1] We performed plant removal (devegetation) experiments across a suite of ecologically diverse wetland settings (tidal salt marshes, river floodplain, rotational rice fields, and freshwater wetlands with permanent or seasonal flooding) to determine the extent to which the presence (or absence) of actively growing plants influences the activity of the Hg(II)-methylating microbial community and the availability of Hg(II) to those microbes. Vegetated control plots were paired with neighboring devegetated plots in which photosynthetic input was terminated 4-8 months prior to measurements, through clipping aboveground biomass, severing belowground connections, and shading the sediment surface to prevent regrowth. Across all wetlands, devegetation decreased the activity of the Hg(II)-methylating microbial community (k meth ) by 38%, calculated MeHg production potential (MP) rates by 36%, and pore water acetate concentration by 78%. Decreases in MP were associated with decreases in microbial sulfate reduction in salt marsh settings. In freshwater agricultural wetlands, decreases in MP were related to indices of microbial iron reduction. Sediment MeHg concentrations were also significantly lower in devegetated than in vegetated plots in most wetland settings studied. Devegetation effects were correlated with live root density (percent volume) and were most profound in vegetated sites with higher initial pore water acetate concentrations. Densely rooted wetlands had the highest rates of microbial Hg(II)-methylation activity but often the lowest concentrations of bioavailable reactive Hg(II). We conclude that the exudation of labile organic carbon (e.g., acetate) by plants leads to enhanced microbial sulfate and iron reduction activity in the rhizosphere, which results in high rates of microbial Hg(II)-methyation and high MeHg concentrations in wetland sediment.
Some Political Implications of Students' Acquisition of Social Science Information

This paper investigates whether there is some relationship between students' political orientations and their knowledge of the findings of social science. Data on students enrolled in social science courses at four colleges reveal that those with relatively high scores on a test of social science knowledge tend to be politically more liberal and to be more involved with politics than others. The findings are interpreted in part as the result of certain attitudes and beliefs which students have prior to encountering social science information and in part as a This content downloaded from 207.46.13.46 on Tue, 19 Apr 2016 05:18:17 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Bullseye sign in scrotal imaging

T HIS 20-yr-old man was in prison when he had sudden onset of pain and swelling of the right scrotal contents. One week later he still had a very swollen, tense, and tender right scrotum and a scrotal image was performed. The scan findings of missed torsion were confirmed at surgery when an infarcted right testicle was removed and an orchiopexy performed on the left. Causes of a bullseye sign, a relatively lucent center and hyperemic rim, are listed below. 1-3
Deciding kCFA is complete for EXPTIME

We give an exact characterization of the computational complexity of the kCFA hierarchy. For any k > 0, we prove that the control flow decision problem is complete for deterministic exponential time. This theorem validates empirical observations that such control flow analysis is intractable. It also provides more general insight into the complexity of abstract interpretation.
Cartilage in the cloaca: Phallodeal spicules in Caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona).

The presence of spicules (also termed spines, teeth, or den- ticles) on the intromittent organ, a character unique to male members of some species in the African caecilian family Scolecomorphidae, has long been known (Noble, '31; Taylor, '68; Wake,'72; Nussbaum,'85). However, their organization and structure has not been examined. Series of males of three species of Scolecomorphus were examined in order to determine the gross and histological organization of the spicules. Spicule morphology changes with ontogeny within species and differs grossly among species. The cellular organization of the spicules is remarkably similar among species, however. The spicules are composed of chondroid cartilage. The large discoid cells are arranged in ''stacks'' to form the projections, which emerge from an extensive base plate of the same cartilage. The spicules have a connective tissue sheath, which is not continuous with the cloacal epithelium. The sheath of the spicules may or may not be mineralized; the cartilage itself does not appear to be calcified. Mineralization apparently is not correlated with age, reproduc- tive status, or season. Cartilage in the cloaca of these few species poses a series of questions about the interactions of developmental, structural, func- tional, and phylogenetic properties in the evolution of the reproductive biology of caecilians. J. Morphol. 237:177-186, 1998. r 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
REGULARITIES IN ATOMIC OSCILLATOR STRENGTHS

Many regularities and systematic trends among atomic oscillator strengths have been studied using the extensive material which has recently become available for the lighter elements. The quantum-mechanical background for the existence of these regularities is discussed, and in particular the relationship between oscillator strength and nuclear charge as predicted from conventional perturbation theory is reviewed in detail. A number of characteristic numerical examples are then presented. The regularities are of great practical importance, since they may be exploited to obtain additional oscillator strengths by simple interpolation techniques as well as to evaluate the reliability of existing data by the degree of fit into established systematic trends.
Extreme second-trimester serum analyte values in Down syndrome pregnancies with hydrops fetalis

Objective: To compare second-trimester maternal serum analyte values in Down syndrome pregnancies with, and without, hydrops fetalis. Methods: Seven hydropic and 85 non-hydropic Down syndrome pregnancies were identified among women with positive second-trimester maternal serum screening results. Values for maternal serum α-fetoprotein (MSAFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol and inhibin-A, and risks for Down syndrome were compared using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney statistical test. Results: Hydropic Down syndrome pregnancies had significantly lower MSAFP and estriol concentrations, while hCG levels were higher. For subgroups of five hydropic and 42 non-hydropic cases, no statistically significant difference in the inhibin-A levels could be demonstrated. Conclusion: Second-trimester Down syndrome screening risks are significantly higher in affected pregnancies that are complicated by fetal hydrops.
EIC's Message - experiments in digital content

On occasion, after reading a compelling article, each of us might have wondered how great it would be to see the article's ideas in action. Few other publications can make a case as strong as IEEE MultiMedia for this need. If our articles are about engaging all the senses, then why should we confine our presentations to the paper medium only? Here at MultiMedia, we're interested in enhancing our readers' experiences, so we're investigating ways of augmenting our printed articles with multimedia presentations. Although ultimately a Web-based repository would be most appropriate, we eventually hope to supplement each printed issue with a CD-ROM, which will have demos and other supporting material. We're in the process of developing such a project.
Phosphorylation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1a by protein kinase A (PKA) regulates transcriptional activity

The counter-regulatory hormone glucagon inhibits lipogenesis via downregulation of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1). The effect of glucagon is mediated via protein kinase A (PKA). To determine if SREBP-1 is a direct phosphorylation target of PKA, we conducted mass spectrometry analysis of recombinant n-terminal SREBP-1a following PKA treatment in vitro. This analysis identified serines 331/332 as bona-fide phosphorylation targets of PKA. To determine the functional consequences of phosphorylation at these sites, we constructed mammalian expression vector for both nSREBP-1a and 1c isoforms in which the candidate PKA phosphorylation sites were mutated to active phosphomimetic or non-phosphorylatable amino acids. The transcriptional activity of SREBP was reduced by the phosphomimetic mutation of S332 of nSREBP-1a and the corresponding serine (S308) of nSREBP-1c. This site is a strong candidate for mediating the negative regulatory effect of glucagon on SREBP-1 and lipogenesis.
Neuronal differentiation in C. elegans

The small size and defined connectivity of the C. elegans nervous system and the amenability of this species to systematic functional screens have continued to yield new insights into neuronal differentiation. Many aspects of C. elegans neuronal development resemble those of other more complex neurons. The basic cellular machinery of synaptic transmission is highly conserved. Recent work has begun to unveil the roles of proteoglycans in axon guidance and branching, and of the extracellular matrix in neuronal process maintenance. The importance of ubiquitin-mediated protein turnover in neuronal differentiation is revealed by the identification of new and conserved pathways that promote the organization and function of the synapse.
Sorption and diffusion of water vapour in hydrogen-bonded polymer blends

Abstract Water vapour was used as a diffusional probe to study segmental mobility in hydrogen-bonded polymer blends. Modified polystyrenes containing 4-hydroxystyrene as comonomer units were blended with poly(methyl methacrylate). The diffusion coefficient of water decreased with increasing concentration of the diffusant. Clustering of water molecules in the polymer rendered a fraction of the sorbed water comparatively immobile. A partial immobilization model was used to estimate the diffusion coefficient of the clusters. Interpolymer hydrogen bonding acted as physical crosslinks, which decreased the diffusivity of clusters. However, the positive excess volume of mixing for one blend composition seemed to have nullified the restrictive effect of hydrogen bonding on cluster diffusivity.
Detection of Epstein-Barr virus-specific antibodies by means of baculovirus-expressed EBV gp125

A major antigenic component of the Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen (VCA) complex is the glycoprotein, gp125. Baculovirus-expressed gp125 reacted with Epstein-Barr virus IgG antibodies in a panel of 44 serum specimens using an immunoblot assay with over 97% sensitivity, and 100% specificity as compared to anti-VCA reactivity in an immunofluorescence assay. In addition, no evidence for cross-reactivity was seen in reactions with members of a panel of human serum specimens of known reactivity with each of the other known human herpesviruses. Thus, baculovirus-expressed gp125 should prove a stable platform on which new Epstein-Barr virus-specific serodiagnostic tests can be built.
Comments on Gustafson and Källmén's (1990) Subliminal Psychodynamic Activation Experiment:

Gustafson and Kallmen's (1990) line of reasoning based on Fudin's (1986) ideas about subliminal psychodynamic activation experiments is questioned. It is suggested that the methodological innovations listed in Fudin's paper are necessary for a clearer interpretation of positive findings in this area of research.
Superior gluteal artery in the extended iliofemoral approach

Objective: To determine the incidence of superior gluteal artery injury following fracture of the acetabulum and to determine whether the combination of a superior gluteal artery injury and the use of an extended iliofemoral approach to the acetabulum creates abductor muscle necrosis. Design: Prospective protocol, consecutive cases. Setting: A consecutive series from the referral practice of the senior author plus seven cases from the practices of two other authors. Patients: Two hundred twenty-seven patients with fractures of the acetabulum were treated operatively between November 1992 and January 1995. Forty-one were treated with the use of the extended iliofemoral approach. Preoperative angiograms were not performed for any of the patients. All fractures involved the posterior column, and all but two fractures had displacement of the greater sciatic notch. The average displacement of the notch was 2.5 centimeters (range 6 to 60 millimeters). Intervention: All patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation via the extended iliofemoral approach. Intraoperative Doppler examination of the superior gluteal artery was performed before and after reduction and fixation of the posterior column. Main Outcome Measure: Wound complications, abductor manual muscle testing, hip range of motion. Results: Pulsatile flow was confirmed in forty of forty-one patients. All patients were followed for a minimum of six months with an average follow-up of 1.4 years. At most recent follow-up, no patients had evidence of complete loss of abductor function. Sixty-three percent of patients had achieved Grade 4 of 5 motor strength, and 25 percent of them had achieved normal motor strength. Conclusions: No instances of superior gluteal artery laceration and only one instance of superior gluteal artery thrombosis were encountered in these forty-one patients despite significant fracture displacement involving the sciatic notch. The incidence of superior gluteal artery injury was significantly less than would be expected from previous studies. Massive abductor necrosis resulting from superior gluteal artery injury combined with an extended approach has been described primarily in animal and cadaver studies. Although arteriograms are useful in the control of hemodynamic instability, we cannot support the recommendation of preoperative angiographic study of all patients undergoing acetabular fracture surgery via an extended approach. In one case, an extended iliofemoral approach was tolerated in a patient with absent superior gluteal artery flow.
One-dimensional surface plasmon resonance imaging system using wavelength interrogation

We report on a one-dimensional surface plasmon resonance imaging system that can measure reflectivity over a range of incident wavelengths on multiple samples in parallel. The design and operation of the instrument are described and two methods of quantification are demonstrated.We report on a one-dimensional surface plasmon resonance imaging system that can measure reflectivity over a range of incident wavelengths on multiple samples in parallel. The design and operation of the instrument are described and two methods of quantification are demonstrated.
Effect of Blastocysts on Rat Ovarian Steroidogenesis in Early Pregnancy

The biosynthesis of ovarian progesterone and 20alpha-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one (20alpha-OHP) was studied in rats with pituitaries autotransplanted beneath the kidney capsule (APTr rats) 1 1/2 days after ovulation. Some animals underwent tubal ligation 1-2 weeks prior to mating. Incubated ovarian tissue slices showed an accumulation of progesterone of 64 plus or minus 11 mcg/g tissue and a progesterone/20alpha-OHP ratio of .32 plus or minus .16. Ovarian tissue from APTr rats with viable blastocysts synthesized considerably more progesterone than tissue from tubal ligated APTr rats. The increased concentrations of progesterone were associated with decreased concentrations of 20alpha-OHP. The accumulation of progesterone in tissue from unmated APTr rats APTr rats cervically stimulated at proestrus and similar cervically stimulated rats with traumatized uteri was 42 plus or minus 5 16 plus or minus 4 and 18 plus or minus 9 net mcg/g tissue respectively. The progesterone accumulation in tissue from cervically stimulated rats was thus similar to that in tissue from tubal ligated animals. This inhibition by cervical stimulation was overcome by stimuli from the blastocysts. The results suggest that the blastocyst secretes a substance that is more active in promoting progesterone formation than pituitary prolactin.
Brain Injury Research: Lessons for Reinventing the Future. The 38th Zeiter Lecture

Abstract Zafonte RD. Brain injury research: lessons for reinventing the future. The 38th Zeiter Lecture. I discuss novel dynamics in brain injury medicine that will shape the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation over the next several years. I review the lessons from previous clinical trials and discuss how rapid biotechnologic changes will influence the lives of people with disabilities. This lecture focuses on prior paradigms and addresses lessons learned, novel strategies for reinvention (including person-specific therapies), conventional therapy programs, biomaterials and devices, cellular-based therapies, and potential therapeutic interventions.
Images from Curiosity : A New Look at Mars

The surface of Mars has been sculpted by flowing water and shaped by wind. During the first two years of its exploration of Gale Crater, the Mars Science Laboratory mission's Curiosity rover has recorded abundant geologic evidence that water once existed on Mars both within the subsurface and, as least episodically, flowed on the land surface. And now, as Curiosity presses onward toward Mount Sharp, the complexity of the Martian surface is becoming increasingly apparent. In this paper, we review the nature of the surface materials and their stories, as seen through the eyes of Curiosity.
A decision support system for evaluation of wildlife habitat

Abstract A decision support system (DSS) for the evaluation of wildlife habitat suitability based on the spatial characteristics of habitat has been developed and implemented on a unix workstation. The system uses a geographic information system for the manipulation of spatial information. At the present time, the system is using several habitat models to quantify the quality of wildlife habitat. This paper describes the theoretical background of the system and provides a case study for the use of the system.
Satellite passive microwave detection of North America start of season

Abstract The start of season (SOS) phenological metric indicates the seasonal onset of vegetation activity, including canopy growth, photosynthesis and associated increases in land–atmosphere water, energy and carbon (CO2) exchanges influencing weather and climate variability. Satellite optical-infrared (IR) remote sensing is responsive to vegetation greenness and SOS, but measurement accuracy and global monitoring are constrained by atmosphere cloud/aerosol contamination and seasonal decreases in solar illumination for many areas. The vegetation optical depth (VOD) parameter from satellite passive microwave remote sensing provides an alternative means for global phenology monitoring that is sensitive to vegetation canopy biomass and water content, and insensitive to atmosphere and solar illumination constraints. A global VOD record from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) was used to estimate North America SOS patterns and annual variability at the ecoregion scale. The SOS metrics were derived for a four year (2004–2007) record using TIMESAT and AMSR-E 10.7 GHz frequency VOD retrievals composited to 4-day median time series. The VOD SOS corresponded favorably with MODIS-for-NACP NDVI (0.73