cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Recent Result About Random Metric Spaces Explains Why All of Us Have Similar Learning Potential

In the same class, after the same lesson, the amount of learned material often differs drastically, by a factor of ten. Does this mean that people have that different learning abilities? Not really: experiments show that among different students, learning abilities differ by no more than a factor of two. This fact have been successfully used in designing innovative teaching techniques, techniques that help students realize their full learning potential. In this paper, we deal with a different question: how to explain the above experimental result. It turns out that this result about learning abilities—which are, due to genetics, randomly distributed among the human population—can be naturally explained by a recent mathematical result about random metrics.
Biomarkers Correlate With Body Composition and Performance Changes Throughout the Season in Women's Division I Collegiate Soccer Players.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a competitive soccer season on biomarkers and performance metrics in order to determine the correlation between changes in biomarkers, body composition, and performance outcomes. Twenty-one Division 1 female collegiate soccer players were monitored throughout the 16-week season. Player workload was measured using heart rate and Global Position Satellite systems at all practices and games. Performance testing, including vertical jump, VO2max, and 3-repetition maximum testing for bench press, squat and deadlift, occurred prior to pre-season and immediately post-season. Blood draws occurred prior to preseason and every 4-weeks thereafter, following a game. Body composition was assessed prior to the start of season (week 0) and weeks 6, 10, 14, and 17 (post-season). Delta area under the curve was calculated for biomarkers and body composition variables to account for seasonal changes adjusted for baseline. Pearson-product moment correlations were used to assess relationships with significance set at p 0.05). Significant time effects were seen for catabolic biomarkers throughout the season (p = 0.001). No changes in body weight, VO2max, vertical jump, and deadlift occurred. Squat and bench press improved (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively) with a decline in percent body fat (p = 0.03) and a trend for increased fat free mass (p = 0.09). Additionally, total cortisol (TCORT) negatively correlated with fat free mass (r = -0.48; p = 0.03) and positively correlated with VO2max (r = 0.47; p = 0.04). A trend was shown for a positive correlation between both TCORT and free cortisol (FCORT) and percent body fat (r = 0.39; r = 0.40; p = 0.08, respectively). IGF-1 and growth hormone positively correlated to deadlift (r = 0.57; P = 0.02 and r = 0.59; p = 0.03), whereas creatine kinase showed a trend for a positive correlation with deadlift (r = 0.49; p = 0.06). IL-6 negatively correlated with bench press (r = -0.53; p = 0.03). These findings support a relationship between biomarkers, performance outcomes, and body composition. Biomarker monitoring may be useful to detect individual player's physiological response to an athletic season and may help provide insights in efforts to optimize performance outcomes.
Finding natural variation: assembling underdetermined evidence of gender dysphoria, doing trans therapeutics

Trans medicine has historically naturalized a heterosexual binary model of gender by treating variation as aberrant. Gender dysphoria, the current psychiatric diagnosis that often facilitates trans medicine, is represented by mental health experts and LGBTQ groups as a superficial semantic shift in this tradition. Based on in-depth interviews with experts who crafted gender dysphoria for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) in 2013 and archival study of the experts’ research process, I find far more than semantics at stake. Because experts had an imperative for evidence-based revisions to the DSM-5 and an underdetermined research based on gender identity development, their revision affirms gender variation as natural and non-pathological. Gender dysphoria is maintained as a mental disorder because experts insist on its importance for the institutional legitimation of trans people, not because gender variation is understood to be pathological. This move toward treating gender variation as a flexible spectrum of illness and wellness required a new scientific interpretation of evidence. This interpretation (1) finds underdetermined research to be credible evidence of natural variation and (2) applies this variation simultaneously to traits (like gender) and also to health status. Consequently, natural variation becomes a scientific finding.
A centrally heated, air-coupled adsorption cooling system driven by waste heat

Abstract A novel centrally heated, externally cooled (CHEC) adsorbent bed is conceptualized, modeled, and tested at a lab scale. It eliminates the need for cooling liquid lines and controls to the adsorbent bed, reducing system complexity and allowing the system to be used over a large range of thermal inputs. The reduction in complexity is achieved by using the external surface of the bed to directly transfer heat to the surrounding air. Such a system is ideal for small-scale waste heat utilization where a chiller tower cost or space prohibitive. The activated-carbon/ammonia working pair is chosen and system performance modeled over a range of waste heat temperatures. Coefficients of performance (COP) of up to 0.1 and Specific Cooling Capacities (SCC) of 4-80 W kg-1 are predicted and demonstrated experimentally for small-scale systems delivering 100 watts of cooling or less. Performance is expected to improve dramatically at larger system scales due to the larger bed-to-auxiliary thermal mass ratios. This concept trades system efficiency for reduced system complexity. It should also improve system reliability and reduce system cost by eliminating valves and pumps required for the cooling system.
First-principles characterization of the magnetic properties of Cu 2 (OH ) 3 Br

Low-dimensional spin-1/2 transition metal oxides and oxyhalides continue to be at the forefront of research investigating nonclassical phases such as quantum spin liquids. In this study, we examine the magnetic properties of the oxyhalide ${\text{Cu}}_{2}{\text{(OH)}}_{3}\text{Br}$ in the botallackite structure using first-principles density functional theory, linear spin-wave theory, and exact diagonalization calculations. This quasi-two-dimensional system consists of ${\text{Cu}}^{2+}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}S=1/2$ moments arranged on a distorted triangular lattice. Our exact diagonalization calculations, which rely on a first-principles-based magnetic model, generate spectral functions consistent with inelastic neutron scattering data. By performing computational experiments to disentangle the chemical and steric effects of the halide ions, we find that the dominant effect of the halogen ions is steric in the ${\text{Cu}}_{2}{\text{(OH)}}_{3}X$ series of compounds.
Municipal Water Conservation Alternatives

: The municipal water conservation options available to meet the goals of a national water conservation policy are evaluated. Water conservation with water conservation devices is shown to offer many significant advantages over education and pricing and metering as a method of accomplishing water conservation goals. Current constraints on the use of water conservation devices are outlined, and their elimination is suggested if the nation's water conservation goals are to be met.
Abstract PO-060: N-terminal RHAMM cooperates with dysfunctional p53 to accelerate the progression of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate in all types of cancer. Pancreatic cancer patients are often diagnosed at advanced stages. A better therapeutic development for this devastating disease is urgently needed. Receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility (RHAMM), not expressed in adult normal pancreas, has been suggested as a prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET). In this study, we initially sought to determine whether genetic deletion of RHAMM would slow down pancreatic cancer progression using Rhamm−/− mice. However, we found that Rhamm−/− mice expressed a N-terminal RHAMM protein. While N-terminal RHAMM did not enable malignant progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia in p48-Cre; LSL-KRASG12D mice, it accelerated the formation of invasive PDAC and shortened the survival of p48-Cre; LSL-KRASG12D mice with heterozygous p53 knockout. KrasG12D PDAC mice with homozygous p53 knockout mice died around 10 weeks, and the effect of N-terminal RHAMM was not apparent in these mice with short life span. In addition, N-terminal RHAMM shortened the survival of PNET-bearing RIP-Tag mice, which had inactivated p53. In our analysis of TCGA dataset, pancreatic cancer patients with mutant TP53 or loss of one copy of TP53 had higher RHAMM expression, which, combined, predicted worse outcomes. Taken together, by collaborating with dysfunctional p53, N-terminal RHAMM that lacks the centrosome targeting domain and degrons for interaction with the Anaphase-Promoting Complex (APC) accelerated pancreatic cancer progression. Citation Format: Anthony Lin, Jennifer Feng, Xiang Chen, Dunrui Wang, Megan Wong, George Zhang, Joseph Na, Tiantian Zhang, Zhengming Chen, Yao-Tseng Chen, Yi-Chieh Nancy Du. N-terminal RHAMM cooperates with dysfunctional p53 to accelerate the progression of pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2021 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(22 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-060.
Biological Clocks and Mechanisms of Neural Control

A clock has three main parts: an oscillating system, such as a pendulum, spring, or electrical circuit; a source of energy; and a trigger mechanism or escapement that connects the energy source to the oscillator. A clock’s face presents the oscillator’s output in some useful way.
Biotransformation of benzothiophene by isopropylbenzene-degrading bacteria.

Isopropylbenzene-degrading bacteria, including Pseudomonas putida RE204, transform benzothiophene to a mixture of compounds. Induced strain RE204 and a number of its Tn5 mutant derivatives were used to accumulate these compounds and their precursors from benzothiophene. These metabolites were subsequently identified by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. When strain RE204 was incubated with benzothiophene, it produced a bright yellow compound, identified as trans-4-[3-hydroxy-2-thienyl]-2-oxobut-3-enoate, formed by the rearrangement of cis-4-(3-keto-2,3-dihydrothienyl)-2-hydroxybuta-2,4-dieno ate, the product of 3-isopropylcatechol-2,3-dioxygenase-catalyzed ring cleavage of 4,5-dihydroxybenzothiophene, as well as 2-mercaptophenylglyoxalate and 29-mercaptomandelaldehyde. A dihydrodiol dehydrogenase-deficient mutant, strain RE213, converted benzothiophene to cis-4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydrobenzothiophene and 29-mercaptomandelaldehyde; neither trans-4-[3-hydroxy-2-thienyl]-2-oxobut-3-enoate nor 2-mercaptophenylglyoxalate was detected. Cell extracts of strain RE204 catalyzed the conversion of cis-4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydrobenzothiophene to trans-4-[3-hydroxy-2-thienyl]-2-oxobut-3-enoate in the presence of NAD+. Under the same conditions, extracts of the 3-isopropylcatechol-2,3-dioxygenase-deficient mutant RE215 acted on cis-4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydrobenzothiophene, forming 4,5-dihydroxybenzothiophene. These data indicate that oxidation of benzothiophene by strain RE204 is initiated at either ring. Transformation initiated at the 4,5 position on the benzene ring proceeds by three enzyme-catalyzed reactions through ring cleavage. The sequence of events that occurs following attack at the 2,3 position of the thiophene ring is less clear, but it is proposed that 2,3 dioxygenation yields a product that is both a cis-dihydrodiol and a thiohemiacetal, which as a result of this structure undergoes two competing reactions: either spontaneous opening of the ring, yielding 29-mercaptomandelaldehyde, or oxidation by the dihydrodiol dehydrogenase to another thiohemiacetal, 2-hydroxy-3-oxo-2,3-dihydrobenzothiophene, which is not a substrate for the ring cleavage dioxygenase but which spontaneously opens to form 2-mercaptophenylglyoxaldehyde and subsequently 2-mercaptophenylglyoxalate. The yellow product, trans-4-[3-hydroxy-2-thienyl]-2-oxobut-3-enoate, is a structural analog of trans-o-hydroxybenzylidenepyruvate, an intermediate of the naphthalene catabolic pathway; extracts of recombinant bacteria containing trans-o-hydroxybenzylidenepyruvate hydratase-aldolase catalyzed the conversion of trans-4-[3-hydroxy-2-thienyl]-2-oxobut-3-enoate to 3-hydroxythiophene-2-carboxaldehyde, which could then be further acted on, in the presence of NAD+, by extracts of recombinant bacteria containing the subsequent enzyme of the naphthalene pathway, salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase.
Superbubbles, Galactic Dynamos and the Spike Instability

We draw attention to a problem with the alpha-Omega dynamo when it is applied to the origin of the galactic magnetic field under the assumption of perfect flux freezing. The standard theory involves the expulsion of undesirable flux and, because of flux freezing, the mass anchored on this flux also must be expelled. The strong galactic gravitational field makes this impossible on energetic grounds. It is shown that if only short pieces of the undesirable field lines are expelled, then mass can flow down along these field lines without requiring much energy. This expulsion of only short lines of force can be accomplished by a spike instability associated with gigantic astrophysical superbubbles. The physics of this instability is discussed and the results enable an estimate to be made of the number of spikes in the galaxy. It appears that there are probably enough spikes to cut all the undesirable lines into pieces as short as a couple of kiloparsecs during a dynamo time of a billion years. These cut pieces then may be randomly rotated in a dynamo time by alpha-Omega diffusion and there is enough rotation to get rid of the undesirable flux without expelling the fields themselves. The spike process seems strong enough to allows the alpha-Omega dynamo to create the galactic field without any trouble from the boundary condition problem.
Biostatistics, an overview

Biostatistics is concerned with the development and use of statistical methods to solve problems and to answer questions that arise in human biology and medicine. Its development is traced through early work in vital and health statistics, and in heredity, with the important influence of R.A. Fisher on experimental design and statistical inference. Applications in clinical trials, epidemiology, psychometrics, and health services research are described. Current challenges include the impact of computers, Bayesian methods, the use of data banks, longitudinal studies, and research on the human genome. The organization of biostatistics as a professional discipline is discussed. Keywords: vital statistics; health statistics; clinical trials; epidemiology; psychometrics; health services; data bank; Bayesian; longitudinal; genome; journals; teaching
Shape recovery from passive locally dense tactile data

As a robotic hand grasps an object of unknown shape, the object may slip in the robot’s fingers. If the robot can infer the local shape as the object slips, the robot may be able to readjust its hand and fingers so as to better grasp the object. This paper considers the problem of inferring local contact geometry from passive tactile information. The term “passive” means that the information results from motions of the object that are not necessarily under the control of the robot. To juxtapose, generally the term “active sensing” means that a robot actively explores an object, for instance with visual and/or tactile sensors that move around the object. This paper is not concerned with such active exploration. Instead, our goal is to determine how local shape geometry may be inferred from purely passive information. Shape recovery based on passive information will be useful both for dealing with unexpected events, as in the slippery grasping example above, and for more elaborate manipulation strategies, such as active exploration.
H/sup /spl infin// bounds for the recursive-least-squares algorithm

We obtain upper and lower bounds for the H/sup /spl infin// norm of the RLS (recursive-least-squares) algorithm. The H/sup /spl infin// norm may be regarded as the worst-case energy gain from the disturbances to the prediction errors, and is therefore a measure of the robustness of an algorithm to perturbations and model uncertainty. Our results allow one to compare the robustness of RLS compared to the LMS (least-mean-squares) algorithm, which is known to minimize the H/sup /spl infin// norm. Simulations are presented to show the behaviour of RLS relative to these bounds. >
On the sign of the isoscalar-meson mixing amplitude in QCD

The sign and magnitude of the amplitude β for isoscalar\(\bar qq\) quark annihilation into two gluons followed by\(\bar qq\) creation into an isoscalar meson dominates particle nonet mixing. The consequent theory of particle mixing and also its phenomenology uniformly predict that the pseudoscalar and vector isoscalar amplitudes βp and βV are positive in sign. We present simple arguments to show that the positive sign of βp may readily result by any mechanism such as gluon confinement and/or asymptotic freedom which will suppress contributions from high-energy gluon intermediate states. This also explains why the corresponding βpp parameter for the parapositronium state in QED is negative in contrast.
Wave energy transfer in time-dependent nonlinear wave--wave interactions

The wave energy transfer in a system of three nonlinearly interacting waves with well-defined phases and time-dependent complex wave frequencies and coupling coefficients is studied. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the unidirectional transfer of wave energy and their relation to instability are established. Also, sufficient conditions for the nonexistence of explosive instabilities are derived. Finally, results are obtained for the special case where one of the waves is intense and the wave frequencies and coupling coefficients fluctuate with time about their mean values.
Anaerobic microbial biogeochemistry in a northern bog: Acetate as a dominant metabolic end product

[1] Field measurements and incubation techniques were used to determine the dynamics of acetate formation, iron reduction, and methanogenesis in surficial peat of an Alaskan bog. Acetate concentrations were ∼100 μM early in the season and decreased to ∼20 μM in July when the water table decreased. Acetate levels increased rapidly to ∼1000 μM when the water table rose to the surface in August. Acetate production in anaerobic slurries occurred at rates of 2.8–420 nmol carbon mL−1 day−1, which was 7–120 times more rapid than CH4 production. Experiments utilizing 14C-acetate confirmed that methanogenesis was not acetoclastic although acetate was converted very slowly to CO2. Peat incubated anaerobically for 4.5 months at 24°C never produced methane from acetate, suggesting that anaerobic acetate accumulation would have occurred all season if the water table had remained high. CO2 production was the most rapid process measured in laboratory incubations (up to 750 nmol mL−1 day−1) and appeared to be due primarily to fermentation. Acetate was the primary organic terminal product of anaerobic decomposition in the bog, and acetate was ultimately oxidized to CO2 via aerobic respiration and to a much lesser extent anaerobically by Fe reduction.
Association rule mining in the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

Purpose Spontaneous adverse event reporting systems are critical tools for monitoring the safety of licensed medical products. Commonly used signal detection algorithms identify disproportionate product–adverse event pairs and may not be sensitive to more complex potential signals. We sought to develop a computationally tractable multivariate data-mining approach to identify product–multiple adverse event associations. Methods We describe an application of stepwise association rule mining (Step-ARM) to detect potential vaccine-symptom group associations in the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Step-ARM identifies strong associations between one vaccine and one or more adverse events. To reduce the number of redundant association rules found by Step-ARM, we also propose a clustering method for the post-processing of association rules. Results In sample applications to a trivalent intradermal inactivated influenza virus vaccine and to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine and in simulation studies, we find that Step-ARM can detect a variety of medically coherent potential vaccine-symptom group signals efficiently. In the MMRV example, Step-ARM appears to outperform univariate methods in detecting a known safety signal. Conclusions Our approach is sensitive to potentially complex signals, which may be particularly important when monitoring novel medical countermeasure products such as pandemic influenza vaccines. The post-processing clustering algorithm improves the applicability of the approach as a screening method to identify patterns that may merit further investigation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment Outcomes with Cefazolin versus Oxacillin for Deep-Seated Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections

Clinical preference for a semisynthetic penicillin (oxacillin or nafcillin) over cefazolin for deep-seated methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections (BSI) perseveres despite limited data to support this approach. A retrospective cohort study of patients treated for MSSA BSI with either oxacillin or cefazolin was performed across two medical centers in Chicago, IL. The outcome measures included documented in-hospital treatment failure, all-cause in-hospital mortality, duration of MSSA BSI, and incidence of documented adverse events. Of 161 patients with MSSA BSI, 103 (64%) received cefazolin, and 58 (36%) received oxacillin. The identified sources of BSI were central line (37.9%), osteoarticular (18%), and skin and soft tissue (17.4%). Patients with endocarditis (29/52 [44.2%]) and other deep-seated infections (23/52 [55.8%]) were classified under the subset of deep-seated infections (52/161 [32.3%]). Multivariate models found deep-seated infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23 to 16.6; P = 0.023), metastatic disease (aOR, 4.21; 95% CI, 1.13 to 15.7; P = 0.033), and intensive care unit (ICU) onset of infection (aOR, 4.80; 95% CI, 1.26 to 18.4; P = 0.022) to be independent risk factors for in-hospital treatment failure. Treatment group was not an independent predictor of failure (aOR, 3.76; 95% CI, 0.98 to 14.4; P = 0.053). The rates of treatment failure were similar among cefazolin-treated (5/32 [15.6%]) and oxacillin-treated (4/20 [20.0%]) patients (P = 0.72) in the subset of deep-seated infections. Mortality was observed in 1 (1%) and 3 (5.2%) cases of cefazolin- and oxacillin-treated patients, respectively (P = 0.13). Cefazolin was not associated with higher rates of treatment failure and appears to be an effective alternative to oxacillin for treatment of deep-seated MSSA BSI.
Interaction between fibrinogen and IL-6 genetic variants and associations with cardiovascular disease risk in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Summary Background: The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a main regulator of fibrinogen synthesis, though its interaction with fibrinogen genes (FGA, FGB, FGG) in relation to CVD risk is not well-studied in humans. Methods and Results: We investigated joint associations of common fibrinogen and IL6 tagSNPs with fibrinogen level, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and risk of myocardial infarction (MI) or ischemic stroke in 3900 European-American participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study. To identify combinations of genetic main effects and interactions associated with each outcome, we used logic regression. We also evaluated whether the relationship between fibrinogen SNPs and fibrinogen level varied by IL-6 level using linear regression models with multiplicative interaction terms. Combinations of fibrinogen and IL6 SNPs were associated with fibrinogen level (p 0.30), MI (p=0.73) or stroke (p=0.21). Fibrinogen levels were higher in higher in individuals having FGB1437 (rs1800790) minor alleles and lacking FGA6534 (rs6050) minor alleles; these SNPs interacted with IL6 rs1800796 to influence fibrinogen level. Marginally significant (p=0.03) interactions between IL-6 level and SNPs located in promoter regions of FGA and FGG associated with fibrinogen levels were detected. Conclusion: We identified potential gene-gene interactions influencing fibrinogen levels. Although IL-6 responsive binding sites are present in fibrinogen gene promoter regions, we did not find strong evidence of interaction between fibrinogen SNPs and IL6 SNPs or levels influencing CVD risk. Background Fibrinogen is a key component of the inflammation and clotting pathways and an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).(Danesh et al., 2005) Fibrinogen production is upregulated in response to cytokines released during inflammation, infection, neoplasia or tissue damage.(Ernst, 1993) Three genes (FGA, FGB and FGG) on human chromosome 4 code for the two sets of α, β, and γ–chains that constitute fibrinogen. Although each gene is separately transcribed and translated, transcription is well coordinated so that when expression of one gene is elevated,
Structural biology: DNA search and rescue.

How do DNA-repair enzymes find aberrant nucleotides among the myriad of normal ones? One enzyme has been caught in the act of checking for damage, providing clues to its quality-control process.
Diet-gene interactions underlie metabolic individuality and influence brain development: implications for clinical practice derived from studies on choline metabolism.

One of the underlying mechanisms for metabolic individuality is genetic variation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes of metabolic pathways can create metabolic inefficiencies that alter the dietary requirement for, and responses to, nutrients. These SNPs can be detected using genetic profiling and the metabolic inefficiencies they cause can be detected using metabolomic profiling. Studies on the human dietary requirement for choline illustrate how useful these new approaches can be, as this requirement is influenced by SNPs in genes of choline and folate metabolism. In adults, these SNPs determine whether people develop fatty liver, liver damage and muscle damage when eating diets low in choline. Because choline is very important for fetal development, these SNPs may identify women who need to eat more choline during pregnancy. Some of the actions of choline are mediated by epigenetic mechanisms that permit ‘retuning’ of metabolic pathways during early life.
The Hero's Farewell: What Happens When CEOs Retire?

The article reviews the book "The Hero's Farewell: What Happens When CEOs Retire?," by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.
Analytical modeling of nonlinear- and excited-state-absorption and optical limiting in a liquid-cored fiber array

Recently observed optical limiting effects of nano- and pico- second laser pulses through a fiber array are analyzed using a model that accounts for various nonlinear and excited state absorption, and subsequent thermal and density effects occurring in the fiber guiding core materials. The nonlinear liquid cored-fiber arrays we have constructed are capable of low optical limiting threshold and clamped output, as well as high resolution image transmission.
THE HEAD‐FORMS OF THE ITALIANS AS INFLUENCED BY HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE investigation of the head-forms of immigrants who come to the United States has shown that the head-forms of man are not quite stable when individuals belonging to a certain type are brought into a new environment. On the other hand, there is also evidence of a great stability of types and of the occurrence of several distinct types in the same area and in the same environment. Although these two observations are apparently contradictory, the phenomena may very well exist side by side, since the modification of types under environmental influences does not necessarily imply that distinct types will converge to a uniform type in the same environment. Lack of stability of types has been observed by Ammon in Baden1 and by Livi2 in Italy, in their comparisons of urban and rural types. It has been brought forward recently by Johannes Ranke as explaining the differences between the population of the Alps and of southern Germany-differences which have continued through a long period. In all these cases it is conceivable that the populations compared may have a different composition, owing either to migration or to selective causes. The observations on American immigrants, however, show that there is also a difference
First Report of a Fruit Rot of Pumpkin Caused by Acidivorax avenae subsp. citrulli in Georgia

In September 1998, a fruit rot was reported affecting pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) in a commercial field in Terrell Co., Georgia. Symptoms on the surface of fruit occurred as round, necrotic spots or cracks a few millimeters in diameter. With age, the tissue surrounding these lesions became soft and wrinkled. A soft rot expanded into the flesh of the pumpkin, originating from the lesions observed on the surface. In time, infected pumpkins totally collapsed. V-shaped, necrotic lesions occurred at the margin of the leaf and extended inward toward the mid-rib. Samples were collected from the field and bacteria were isolated from fruit and leaf lesions onto King's medium B (1). The bacterium isolated was rod shaped, gram negative, nonflourescent, oxidase positive, Tween 80 positive, carboxymethyl cellulose positive, β-OH butyrate positive, and malonate negative. The bacterium reacted positively with polyclonal antibodies specific for the watermelon fruit blotch pathogen Acidivorax avenae subsp. citrulli and was identified as A. avenae subsp. citrulli by MIDI (Microbial Identification System, Newark, DE) according to statistical analysis of fatty acid data. Results from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the bacterium isolated from pumpkin yielded 360-bp fragments that, when digested with the restriction enzyme HaeIII, had DNA banding patterns identical to those of stock A. avenae subsp. citrulli DNA. Koch's postulates were completed successfully with 2-week-old watermelon seedlings. This is the first report of A. avenae subsp. citrulli causing fruit rot of pumpkin in Georgia. Reference: (1) E. O. King et al. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 44:301, 1954.
Acute effects of dobutamine on myocardial oxygen consumption and cardiac efficiency measured using carbon-11 acetate kinetics in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy☆

Abstract Objectives. The aim of this study was to use positron emission tomography (PET)-derived carbon (C)-11 acetate kinetics to determine the effects of dobutamine on oxidative metabolism and its effects on myocardial efficiency in a group of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Background. Dobutamine is known to improve myocardial function but may do so at the expense of myocardial oxygen consumption, which could be a potential deleterious effect. Carbon-11 aceate kinetics correlate with myocardial oxygen consumption as shown in animal models. Combining these scintigraphic measurements of oxygen consumption with estimates of cardiac work results in a work-metabolic index, which reflects cardiac efficiency. Methods. Eight patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy underwent dynamic PET imaging, echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements. Seven of these patients were also studied while receiving dobutamine. Direct measurements of myocardial oxygen consumption using coronary sinus catheterization were obtained with eight of the PET studies to validate C-11 acetate in patients with cardiomyopathy. Results. The mean (± SD) C-11 clearance rate significantly increased with dobutamine from 0.105 ± 0.027 to 0.155 ±0.023 min−1(p = 0.001). Directly measured myocardial oxygen consumption had a linear relation to the mean C-11 clearance rate (r = 0.8, p = 0.018). Dobutamine was noted to significantly reduce systemic vascular resistance as well as the severity of mitral regurgitation. The work-metabolic index determined using hemodynamic variables and PET data increased from 2 ± 0.7 × 104to 2.6 ± 0.6 × 104(p = 0.04). Efficiency, estimated by employing the oxygen consumption to k2relation, also increased from 13 ± 4.5% to 16.9 ± 6.4% (p = 0.04). Conclusions. Despite an increase in myocardial oxygen consumption, dobutamine led to an increase in work-metabolic index in patients with dilated nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Dobutamine reduced systemic vascular resistance and mitral regurgitation, suggesting that in this group of patients, it had important vasodilatory action in addition to its inotropic effects. The use of the C-11 acetate PET for determining myocardial oxygen consumption and estimating efficiency could potentially complement existing clinical measures of ventricular performance and may allow improved and objective evaluation of therapy in patients with heart failure.
A Decision Theoretic Model of Public Opinion: Guns, Butter, and European Common Defense

Why do individuals support the public policies they do? We argue that individuals can have quite sophisticated policy preferences and that not correctly modeling those preferences can lead to critically misspecified empirical models. To substantiate this position we derive and test a decision-theoretic model that relies upon three critical assumptions: (1) policies affect the provision of multiple goods about which individuals care; (2) individuals have diminishing returns to scale in those goods; and (3) preferences over at least some subset of those goods are correlated. Using this model, we demonstrate that arbitrarily small secondary policy effects can confound predictions over primary policy effects. Thus, not considering even arbitrarily small policy effects can cause one to conclude that evidence is consistent with one's theory when in fact it is inconsistent or vice versa. Testing this theory on support for forming a European common defense, we find evidence consistent with our model.
Customer Service: A Managerial Approach to Controlling Marketing Channel Conflict

Providing the services which customers need and want is vital for assuring necessary product and distribution support in a marketing channel. This paper illustrates a method of identifying those customer service needs and aligning suppliers' customer service activities to meet those needs.
Medical Information Systems in Pediatrics

The safety, effectiveness, impact, and risks of medical information systems have received little attention from clinical investigators in pediatrics. Krishna and colleagues’1 study of the impact of a multimedia asthma education program published in this issue of Pediatrics is an exception to this observation and a wonderful example of a clinical research study on the effects of a medical information system. Information systems that collect, process, and disseminate medical information are ubiquitous …
International disparities in trauma care.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Trauma care has been a low priority topic in the global health agenda until recently, despite its social and economic impact. Although prevention is the key, provision and quality of trauma care has been the weakest link in the survival chain. We aim to summarize the differences in global trauma care to propose solutions in this article. RECENT FINDINGS: Patients with life-threatening injuries are six times more likely to die following a trauma in a low-income country than in a high-income country. Unintentional injuries currently rank fourth in the global causes of death, resulting in 5.8 million premature deaths and millions more with disability. The WHO member countries started the first global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 initiative in May 2011. Governments across the world agreed to take steps to improve the safety of roads and vehicles, enhance the behavior of all road users and strengthen post-trauma care. SUMMARY: Several core strategies have been identified: human resource planning; physical resources (equipment and supplies); and administration (quality improvement and data collection) need to be developed for effective and adaptable prehospital care, patient transfer, in-hospital care and rehabilitation systems for injured persons worldwide. Clear definition of the problem to propose solutions is critical. Language: en
The binding of ΛΛ-hypernuclei

Abstract The binding energy of the systems ΛΛ Be 10 and ΛΛ He 6 , considered as three-particle systems (Λ-Λ-nucleus), are calculated as function of the Λ-Λ potential strength by a variational procedure using a trial function of the form F ( r 1 ) F ( r 2 ) G ( r 12 ), where the functions F , G are of the form (exp(− αr 2 )+ z exp (− βr 2 )). This wave function allows the description of strong Λ-Λ spatial correlations, and these are found to be quite significant. With B ΛΛ = 17.5±0.6 MeV for ΛΛ Be 10 , the volume integral found for the Λ-Λ potential is 322±26 MeV · fm 3 , leading to the scattering length a ΛΛ = 1.76±0.33 fm; essentially the same result is obtained for the Λ-Λ potential if the Λ-Λ hypernucleus observed is interpreted as ΛΛ Be 11 . The non-mesic and mesic decay rates for Λ Be 9 and ΛΛ Be 10 are estimated; the (non-mesic)/(π − mesic) ratio for ΛΛ Be 10 is found to be about 25% higher than that estimated for Λ Be 9 . For ΛΛ He 6 , B ΛΛ is computed and discussed as function of ν ΛΛ for both attractive and repulsive Λ-Λ interactions. The calculation is discussed in some detail since it is likely that this trial function will prove both convenient and flexible for the discussion of a number of other three-particle systems of interest.
Uncertainty quantification of reservoir performance predictions using a stochastic optimization algorithm

The simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) algorithm is modified to obtain a stochastic Gaussian search direction (SGSD) algorithm for automatic history matching. The search direction in the SGSD algorithm is obtained by simultaneously perturbing the reservoir model with unconditional realizations from a Gaussian distribution. This search direction has two nice properties: (1) it is always downhill in the vicinity of the current iterate and (2) the expectation of the stochastic search direction is an approximate quasi-Newton direction with a prior covariance matrix used as the approximate inverse Hessian matrix. For Gaussian reservoir models, we argue and demonstrate that the SGSD algorithm may generate more geologically realistic reservoir description than is obtained with the original SPSA algorithm. It is shown that the SGSD algorithm represents an approximation of the gradual deformation method but its search direction has the desirable properties that are lacking in all gradual deformation methods. The SGSD algorithm is successfully applied to the well-known PUNQ-S3 test case to generate a maximum a posteriori estimate and for uncertainty quantification of reservoir performance predictions using the randomized maximum likelihood method.
Exploring optimistic bias and the integrative model of behavioral prediction in the context of a campus influenza outbreak.

This study aims to determine the utility of constructs from the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction in predicting behaviors associated with flu prevention in a college campus. Building on previous studies that document substantial optimistic bias among college students, this study explores possible roles for optimistic bias in the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction. The authors conducted an online survey among a stratified random sample (N = 429) of undergraduate students in a university that experienced a large H1N1 influenza outbreak in the fall of 2009. The authors offer 3 major findings: (a) the 3 primary components in the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction predicted the intention to perform hand washing and sanitizing, with self-efficacy being the strongest predictor; (b) unrealistic optimists had significantly lower intentions to perform hand hygiene practices compared with realists or unrealistic pessimists; and (c) comparative optimism was a significant moderator of the rela...
Determination of the consensus DNA-binding sequence and a transcriptional activation domain for ESE-2

The ESE (epithelium-specific Ets) subfamily of Ets transcription factors plays an important role in regulating gene expression in a variety of epithelial cell types. Although ESE proteins have been shown to bind to regulatory elements of some epithelial genes, the optimal DNA-binding sequence has not been experimentally ascertained for any member of the ESE subfamily of transcription factors. This has made the identification and validation of their targets difficult. We are studying ESE-2 (Elf5), which is highly expressed in epithelial cells of many tissues including skin keratinocytes. Here, we identify the preferred DNA-binding site of ESE-2 by performing CASTing (cyclic amplification and selection of targets) experiments. Our analysis shows that the optimal ESE-2 consensus motif consists of a GGA core and an AT-rich 5'- and 3'-flanking sequences. Mutational and competition experiments demonstrate that the flanking sequences that confer high DNA-binding affinity for ESE-2 show considerable differences from the known consensus DNA-binding sites of other Ets proteins, thus reinforcing the idea that the flanking sequences may impart recognition specificity for Ets proteins. In addition, we have identified a novel isoform of murine ESE-2, ESE-2L, that is generated by use of a hitherto unreported new exon and an alternate promoter. Interestingly, transient transfection assays with an optimal ESE-2 responsive reporter show that both ESE-2 and ESE-2L are weak transactivators. However, similar studies utilizing GAL4 chimaeras of ESE-2 demonstrate that while the DNA-binding ETS (E twenty-six) domain functions as a repressor, the PNT (pointed domain) of ESE-2 can act as a potent transcriptional activation domain. This novel transactivating property of PNT is also shared by ESE-3, another ESE family member. Identification of the ESE-2 consensus site and characterization of the transcriptional activation properties of ESE-2 shed new light on its potential as a regulator of target genes.
Computer-aided design: Automating chip layout: New computer-based layout systems are faster than their human counterparts and produce designs that almost match those created manually

Discusses how new computer-based layout systems are being used more and more to design LSIs. The new systems are faster than human designers and produce systems almost as good at reduced cost. Four basic methods in use are described.
STUDIES UPON EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMONIA IN RABBITS : VI. STUDIES IN IMMUNITY.

1. Rabbits recovering from one attack of experimental pneumonia possess an active immunity. Such animals may subsequently withstand repeated increasing doses of pneumococci intratracheally. 2. Death may supervene after any one of subsequent injections, but it seems to depend partly upon the chronic changes in the cardiorespiratory apparatus. It may at least be said that it is usually unassociated with a septicemia which is an invariable accompaniment of fatal primary lobar pneumonia. 3. The serum from animals actively immunized by the repeated intratracheal inoculations with pneumococci may be used successfully to confer a passive immunity against the homologous organism.
Robust control design for a class of mismatched coupled uncertain systems

We consider a control design problem for a class of mismatched uncertain systems. The uncertainty is (possibly fast) time-varying. A new way of characterizing the structure of uncertainty is submitted. A class of robust controls, which is based on the possible bound of uncertainty, is proposed. The result shown here renders some previous development in this area as a special case. Illustrative examples include ecological systems, chemical reaction processes, electromechanical systems and heating processes. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Testing a perceptual constancy model for odor strength: the effects of sniff pressure and resistance to sniffing.

The rate at which odorous vapor flows over the receptor surface is reflected in olfactory nerve activity, but the evidence for a corresponding effect on odor strength is scant and inconsistent. A perceptual constancy model for odor strength resolves this apparent contradiction: The effect of flow rate at the receptor site may be perceptually discounted when there is sensory feedback, in the form of perceived effort, from the action of sniffing responsible for changes in flow rate. Previous evidence shows that observers experience change in perceived effort when sniffing at various pressures against fixed resistance but not when sniffing with fixed pressure against varying resistance. Thus the model predicts both that odor strength varies when flow rate is manipulated by changes in olfactory resistance and that odor strength is invariant when flow rate is manipulated by changes in sniff pressure.In the present study, in which subjects made magnitude estimates of the odor strength of pyridine and n-butanol,...
Characterization of the Heparin Binding Sites in Human Apolipoprotein E

Apolipoprotein (apo) E mediates lipoprotein remnant clearance via interaction with cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Both the 22-kDa N-terminal domain and 10-kDa C-terminal domain of apoE contain a heparin binding site; the N-terminal site overlaps with the low density lipoprotein receptor binding region and the C-terminal site is undefined. To understand the molecular details of the apoE-heparin interaction, we defined the microenvironments of all 12 lysine residues in intact apoE3 and examined their relative contributions to heparin binding. Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements showed that, in apoE3-dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine discs, Lys-143 and -146 in the N-terminal domain and Lys-233 in the C-terminal domain have unusually low pKa values, indicating high positive electrostatic potential around these residues. Binding experiments using heparin-Sepharose gel demonstrated that the lipid-free 10-kDa fragment interacted strongly with heparin and a point mutation K233Q largely abolished the binding, indicating that Lys-233 is involved in heparin binding and that an unusually basic lysine microenvironment is critical for the interaction with heparin. With lipidated apoE3, it is confirmed that the Lys-233 site is completely masked and the N-terminal site mediates heparin binding. In addition, mutations of the two heparin binding sites in intact apoE3 demonstrated the dominant role of the N-terminal site in the heparin binding of apoE even in the lipid-free state. These results suggest that apoE interacts predominately with cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans through the N-terminal binding site. However, Lys-233 may be involved in the binding of apoE to certain cell-surface sites, such as the protein core of biglycan.