cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ketamine exposure demographics and outcomes over 16 years as reported to US poison centers.

Abstract Background This study sought to examine ketamine exposures reported to US poison centers over the past 16 years and identify trends in exposures and outcomes. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all cases involving ketamine exposures reported to US poison centers and entered into the National Poison Data System from 2000 to 2015. Cases were divided into those involving ketamine alone and those involving ketamine and other agents. Data collected included: age, sex, form of ketamine used, reason for exposure, and outcome. Results A total of 3109 cases were evaluated. 1595 (51%) reported ketamine to be the only substance exposure, while 1514 (49%) involved multiple substances with ketamine. For single agent exposures, more involved males (67%) between the ages of 16–25 years (49%). Single agent ketamine exposures peaked between 2000 and 2002, fell consistently until 2008; then rebounded to previous peak levels through 2015. Intentional exposures (65% of all cases) were the most common reason for single agent ketamine exposures. 53% of ketamine-only cases resulted in minor effects, with two deaths. In contrast, ketamine exposures with multiple agents resulted in outcomes judged as moderate or worse in 62% of cases, including 20 deaths. Conclusion Single-agent ketamine exposures reported to US poison centers have rebounded to historical peaks in recent years. More deaths and serious outcomes were reported in ketamine exposures involving multiple substances.
Exploring the role of faith in resettlement among Muslim Syrian refugees

Over 95% of the refugees from Syria who have resettled in the United States are Muslim. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of the Islamic faith in contributing to resilie...
Recommender Systems for Learning: Building User and Expert Models through Long-Term Observation of Application Use

Information technology has recently become the medium in which much professional office work is performed. This change offers an unprecedented opportunity to observe and record exactly how that work is performed. We describe our observation and logging processes and present an overview of the results of our long-term observations of a number of users of one desktop application. We then present our method of providing individualized instruction to each user by employing a new kind of user model and a new kind of expert model. The user model is based on observing the individual's behavior in a natural environment, while the expert model is based on pooling the knowledge of numerous individuals. Individualized instructional topics are selected by comparing an individual's knowledge to the pooled knowledge of her peers.
Regional disparities and entrepreneurship of natural persons

From macroeconomics perspective entrepreneurship of natural persons can be not infrequently perceived as a marginal matter. Close-up view however shows that on the lower economical level the analysis of the physical persons entrepreneurial activities can contribute to explanation of regional disparities. The mentioned relation was examined on the basis of chosen socioeconomic characteristics of entrepreneurs - natural persons. Contribution is part of the project NAZV QI92A023.
A distributed shared memory facility for FreeBSD

This paper describes the design and implementation of a distributed shared memory facility we have implemented for the FreeBSD operating system (a descendant of 4.4BSD that runs on the PC architecture). Interesting aspects of the design are: (1) the consistency protocol uses unreliable datagram communication, but is robust with respect to message loss, and in the normal case requires only two datagrams to handle a read fault; (2) the facility provides a simple programming interface that does not require any socket or network programming to use; (3) the facility extends the FreeBSD VM system in a very non-intrusive way.
Modeling Dual Active Bridge Converters in DC Distribution Systems

Modeling improvements are proposed for systems containing dual active bridge (DAB) converters. First, a systematic approach to constructing models of multiconverter systems is described. The method generates continuous-time large-signal average models that are suitable for system-level analysis and efficient time-domain simulation. Although the base DAB models are derived using generalized average modeling (GAM), the system-level construction does not require the specification of a base period. Second, a method of reconstructing currents in the high-frequency DAB transformer is proposed. This method significantly improves accuracy in modeling transformer current, which is a critical weakness of DAB models derived using GAM. Furthermore, the method is applied offline as needed, so it does not affect the computational complexity of time-domain simulation. Both the system-level model construction procedure and harmonic reconstruction method are validated in switching simulations and hardware experiments.
Is the U.S. National Decline in Child Physical Abuse Attributable to the Decline in Intimate Partner Violence and Births to Adolescent Mothers

Rates of intimate partner violence (IPV), child physical and sexual abuse, and adolescent births, have declined dramatically since 1993. Research has confirmed increased risk of physical and psychological abuse of children living in homes with IPV or with adolescent parents. We wondered how much of the decline observed in child abuse substantiations could be attributed to reductions in IPV and adolescent childbearing. Accordingly, we examined the rates of substantiated abuse for each U.S. state for the period 2001–2013, as state-level estimates for both IPV and teen pregnancy rates were also available for this period. We modeled the reduction in substantiated child physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by state and combined these data for a national estimate. With a national decline in substantiated child physical abuse of 182.9 cases per 1000,000 children for the period from 2001 to 2013, 7.5% of the decline was attributable to the decline in adolescent births, and 4.9% could be attributed to the decline in IPV. The reduction in births to adolescents was also associated with 9.5% of the reduction in substantiated sexual abuse over the same years. Policy efforts to reduce IPV and adolescent births appear also to have contributed to a decline in child maltreatment.
Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 for diagnosis of sepsis-associated encephalopathy and outcome prognostication.

Abstract Purpose We investigated the role of serum Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1) in diagnosis of sepsis-associated encephalopathy(SAE), predicting prognosis and long-term quality of life with patients of sepsis. Materials and methods This is a prospective single center study entailed 105 patients whosuffered from sepsis from Jan 2015 to Aug 2016. Serum concentrations of GFAP and UCH-L1 for diagnosis of SAE and predicting prognosis and long-term quality of life with patients of sepsis were analyzed. Results The serum concentrations of GFAP and UCH-L1 were higher in SAE group than in no-SAE group (p Conclusions Serum concentrations GFAP and UCH-L1 early elevated and associated with sepsis-associated encephalopathy, poor prognosis and quality of life.
How We Do It: Creation of a Low-Cost Endoscopic Skills Model for Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery Training.

Objective To design a low cost, high fidelity endoscopic skills model to help surgical trainees pass the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) testing. Design A homemade synthetic colon model was designed using liquid silicon and other commercially available products. The construction and design of the model is described here. The model was then successfully integrated into our simulation curriculum and endoscopic skills training modules. Setting Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; large academic quaternary referral institution. Participants PGY 1-5 general surgery residents preparing for Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery testing. Results A versatile, high fidelity model was designed for a total cost of approximately 25 dollars per unit. The model can be used with clinical endoscopic towers and easily integrated into an institution's simulation and endoscopic training curriculum. The flexibility of design allows trainees to practice all of the key motor skills necessary for FES examination success. Conclusions A homemade endoscopic colon model can be constructed at an affordable price point using commercially available materials. These models have significant versatility, low cost, and flexibility of design allowing for easy incorporation into a surgical residency simulation training program.
Abstract WP142: Targeting VCAM1 to Reduce Acute and Chronic Neuroinflammation After Stroke

Background: Ischemia-induced neuroinflammmation is associated with worse outcomes after stroke. The innate immune response can mediate infarct expansion and impair short-term recovery, while adapti...
Ruptured Fisher grade 3 blister aneurysms have a higher incidence of delayed cerebral ischemia than ruptured Fisher grade 3 saccular aneurysms

Background Blister aneurysms are a rare subclass of aneurysms, which remain challenging to treat both with open cerebrovascular and endovascular techniques, and clinicians continue to see poor outcomes in some cases despite improvements in technology. Based on our clinical observations, we hypothesized that patients with a Fisher grade 3 subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from a ruptured anterior circulation blister aneurysm are significantly more likely to develop poor outcome due to delayed cerebral ischemia than patients with a Fisher grade 3 SAH from a ruptured anterior circulation saccular aneurysm. Methods In this consecutive case series, we reviewed management, outcomes, and rates of delayed cerebral ischemia for all ruptured anterior circulation blister aneurysms from 2012 to 2018 at our institution and compared them to a concurrent cohort of ruptured saccular anterior circulation aneurysms. A blister aneurysm was defined as an aneurysm that arises from a nonbranching point and demonstrates hemispherical anatomy on diagnostic angiography. Results We identified 14 consecutive ruptured anterior circulation blister aneurysms. Thirteen aneurysms were treated operatively- 5 with clip remodeling and 8 with flow diversion embolization. While clip remodeling had a high intraoperative rupture rate (80%), there was only one (12.5%) intraoperative rupture with flow diversion embolization. Outcomes were worsened by delayed cerebral ischemia from vasospasm in patients with Fisher 3 hemorrhages from blister aneurysms (86%). The rate of delayed cerebral ischemia from vasospasm was significantly higher for ruptured blister aneurysms than for a concurrent cohort of ruptured saccular aneurysms (8.6%, P = 0.0001). Conclusion Ruptured Fisher grade 3 anterior circulation blister aneurysms have a significantly higher incidence of delayed cerebral ischemia from vasospasm compared to saccular aneurysms, regardless of the treatment modality.
Your Biometrics: Private or Not?

Each of us has unique biological biometric data, and the use of our biometrics to conduct business has become increasingly prevalent. As demand for biometric technology has surged, the ways in which biometric data can be compromised are alarming. Daily activities conducted as ordinary members of society, functioning in an increasingly technology-driven society, make us vulnerable to breaches of biometric privacy. Three distinct examples of potentially compromising activities include engaging in social networking, password-protecting digital devices, and seeking medical attention. Courts and government agencies have begun responding to the privacy threats.
End-of-Life Care: A Multimodal and Comprehensive Curriculum for Graduating Medical Students Utilizing Experiential Learning Opportunities.

Introduction End-of-life (EOL) care is an essential skill for most physicians and health care providers, yet there continues to be an educational gap in medical education literature for these skill...
Vulvar Pathology in Older Women

Vulvar symptoms are common in postmenopausal women and often require treatment, but many women do not disclose their concerns due to embarrassment, fear, and the false belief that vulvar symptoms are normal in older women. The hormonal changes associated with menopause result in physiologic and anatomic changes of the vulva and vagina and may cause vulvovaginal discomfort, dyspareunia (pain with intercourse), and urinary symptoms, collectively referred to as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). In addition to estrogen deficiency, impaired immunity, increased susceptibility to mechanical and chemical injury, and increased prevalence of skin disorders place postmenopausal women at a significantly increased risk of vulvar pathology. Following a thorough history, including comorbid medical conditions and information about vulvar hygiene practices, a careful exam of the vulvar and vaginal tissue should be performed. Any lesion that appears abnormal or occurs in a high-risk patient should be biopsied. Avoidance of vulvar irritants and application of topical corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment for most vulvar dermatoses. Lesions that do not respond to initial therapy should undergo repeat biopsy and possibly referral to gynecology or vulvar dermatology. Patients should be reassured that vulvar symptoms, while not necessarily curable, are treatable, and they should expect multiple office visits, biopsies, various treatment regimens, and potential referral to other specialists.
A challenging VT ablation with a large cardiac tumor

INTRODUCTION Ventricular tachycardia (VT) normally occurs from an abnormal structural substrate. CASE We report a case in which VT was caused by a large tumor in the interventricular septum. Surgical intervention was not an option due to the location of the tumor and its proximity to the coronary arteries. CONCLUSION The patient underwent ablation and upgrade to CRT before ultimately receiving a heart transplant.
Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) systems and their interactions with Geospatial Semantic Web

With the development of the Internet, especially Web 2.0, user-generated contents such as “Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI)” have gained attention and generated a lot of information over the Web. This chapter introduces the basic information about VGI and presents that VGI (or crowd-sourcing) applications have proven useful for gathering and sharing spatial information. However, one major problem of VGI is the existence of the semantic heterogeneity problem. A semantic-empowered analysis tool, which is able to automatically integrate and analyze a broad variety of spatial data contents, is needed to provide more utilities for VGI. The framework of an interoperable online VGI system based on Geospatial Semantic Web technologies was proposed. Some challenges or issues faced by VGI were discussed in this chapter.
Randall Jarrell's "Eland": A Key to Motive and Technique in His Poetry

The growing critical interest in the work of Randall Jarrell reveals two things: his reputation as one of the most perceptive and helpful literary critics of the last three decades continues to flourish, while his own poetry remains the center of intense controversy. Judgments of its overall value and place alongside the work of contemporaries like Robert Lowell and Theodore Roethke vary radically, and even his admirers seem unable to relate his poetry conclusively to any of the major critical or methodological "schools" of this century. For friend and foe alike he is the most "idiosyncratic" of modern poets, for the one consistent ele ment in the diverse collection of strategies and subjects found in the poems from "The Rage for the Lost Penny" (1940) to The Lost World (1965) is an insistence on unfettered improvisation, an absolute refusal to be systematic or provide a theoretical or symbolic paradigm for his own work. This attitude is also clearly operative in his criticism, and, ironically, is chiefly responsible for its fresh and innovative approaches to writers like Whitman and Frost. Nothing like Stevens' "Supreme Fiction," Frost's characteristic idioms and landscapes, or Pound's con sistent use of private sources is available to the reader of Jarrell, for the core of his work, the announced purpose for its existence, is emotional and quasi-mystical rather than theoretical or aesthetic.
Abstract 16748: Application and Utility of iPads in Pediatric Tele-Echocardiography

The remote acquisition and interpretation of medical information (telemedicine) is an integral part of health care. Radiologic images (eg CT scans) can be accurately interpreted on tablet devices with high display resolution. To date, there have been no published studies on the use of iPads for interpretation of pediatric echocardiograms (echo). OBJECTIVES: We evaluated and compared the quality of echo images, diagnostic accuracy, and review time for pediatric echos using 3 different modalities: remote access on an iPad Air (iPad), remote access via computer (Remote), and direct access on computer Ethernet linked to the server (Direct). METHODS: Fifty archived pediatric echos were re-interpreted using the 3 modalities. Studies were analyzed blindly and independently by two pediatric cardiologists. Outcome measures included: time to review, diagnoses and discrepancies, image quality, sharpness, and jitter. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by comparing the study diagnoses with the original interpretation in...
A WZ proof of Ramanujan's Formula for Pi

Ramanujan's series for Pi, that appeared in his famous letter to Hardy, is given a one-line WZ proof.
A system of systems analysis of a multi-probe SPM system

In this paper, we introduce a multi-probe Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) tool in the context of system of systems (SoS) concepts. The tool exhibits strong characteristics of SoS such as interoperability, integration and independency of each individual system. Each probe terminal constitutes an independent scanning system that can operate individually. The interoperability of the systems through signal exchange bring strong advantages and help users in order to design innovative applications that would not be easily achievable when a single system is used. As an independent system, each probe terminal includes its own controller and feedback mechanism for precise operation which is controlled by individual software running on control PCs. After introducing the overall system, we briefly mention one of the innovative real-world applications that we have been currently working on in an effort to show the strength of SoS engineering and filling the gap between theory and practice.
The pathogenesis of HIV infection: stupid may not be so dumb after all

In the mid-1990's, researchers hypothesized, based on new viral load data, that HIV-1 causes CD4+ T-cell depletion by direct cytopathic effect. New data from non-human primate studies has raised doubts about this model of HIV-1 pathogenesis. Despite having high levels of viremia, most SIV infections are well tolerated by their natural hosts. Two recent studies of these models provide information, which may be useful in determining how HIV-1 causes CD4+ T-cell loss. A full understanding of pathogenesis may lead to novel therapies, which preserve the immune system without blocking virus replication.
Nitrogen in shifting cultivation systems of Latin America

Relatively little is known about the dynamics of N in shifting cultivation and related cropping systems in the humid tropics of Latin America. The soils that predominate in 82% of the region, namely Oxisols and Ultisols, have a fairly high total N content. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the bulk of the N in tropical rainforests is present in the soil, and not in the biomass. Losses of N through clearing and burning are about 20–25% of the N existing in the ecosystem. Mechanized land clearing causes larger N losses than the traditional slash and burn method. Ashes can contribute substantial amounts (67–127kg N ha-1) to the soil, which prevents N deficiency for the first crop sown, but N deficiency is observed from the second crop onwards. The rate of total-N decomposition in the arable layer is high during the first two years after burning, but subsequently reaches a new equilibrium with continuous cultivation.
A Bourdieuian Analysis: Teachers' Beliefs about English Language Learners' Academic Challenges.

Using Pierre Bourdieu's concept of habitus, this work analyzes five teachers' beliefs about English language learners' academic challenges. In reference to reproductive and inventive qualities of habitus, this article argues that teachers' beliefs that are linked to their socio-cultural backgrounds can delimit or enhance ELLs' academic lives, as those beliefs shape what teachers teach and what they see as a productive pedagogy in working with ELLs. The analysis indicates that tensions across teachers' beliefs, as well as within each teacher's set of beliefs, can serve as an opening to transform their perspectives toward more equitable pedagogical practices for ELLs.
Hepatic glucose metabolism during intraduodenal glucose infusion: impact of infection.

We previously reported that infection decreases hepatic glucose uptake when glucose is given as a constant peripheral glucose infusion (8 mg · kg−1 · min−1). This impairment persisted despite great...
Evaluación de la progresión y la regresión de la aterosclerosis coronaria mediante ecografía intravascular. ¿Un nuevo cambio de paradigma?

La ecografia intravascular (EIV) se ha convertido en una importante modalidad de imagen para la evaluacion de la pared arterial y de su respuesta a la acumulacion de la placa aterosclerotica. La posibilidad de visualizar las arterias coronarias de manera seriada hace que la EIV ofrezca una oportunidad unica para estudiar el efecto de las diferentes estrategias antiateroscleroticas en la placa. Por eso, los estudios que han utilizado la EIV de forma seriada como criterio principal de valoracion han demostrado que las estrategias terapeuticas que modifican los valores de las lipoproteinas de baja densidad (LDL) y alta densidad (HDL) y de la presion arterial en los pacientes con enfermedad coronaria establecida tienen un profundo impacto en la progresion de la placa aterosclerotica. Todo ello anuncia un cambio de paradigma en el que se considera la regresion de la placa como objetivo potencial para el desarrollo de estrategias preventivas.
Structural optimization on geometrical configuration and element sizing with statical and dynamical constraints

Abstract In this paper, a bi-factor α-β algorithm based on the Kuhn-Tucker criteria about the minimal weight design of a structure under statical and dynamical constraints, is presented. Among the constraints, that of “frequency-prohibited band” is a new formulation which requires any characteristic frequency of the structure not to fall into a certain frequency region. The desing variables may cover sizes of the elements and/or coordinates of the nodes. The upper and lower bounds of each variable are specified, and the stress constraints based on full-stress criteria may also be taken into account. Satisfactory results have been obtained over varous examples wherein the stiffness and/or mass matrices of the structure may be highly nonlinear about the design variables.
Alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

The constellation of histopathologic lesions that characterize alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis has been well described and has served as the basis for clinical diagnosis, natural history studies, and experimental models for analyses of etiopathogenesis. The lesions common to both entities include, to varying degrees, steatosis, liver cell ballooning, lobular inflammation with a notable component of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and a characteristic form of fibrosis that is initially located in the perisinusoidal regions of acinar zone 3. Cirrhosis with or without steatosis or steatohepatitis may occur in both entities. Mallory's hyaline is common but not necessary; megamitochondria and varying amounts of iron may be observed in either process. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a recognized complication of both processes, albeit with greater frequency in the former. Alcoholic hepatitis may present with more severe clinical and histologic manifestations than the nonalcoholic counterpart, including significant morbidity and mortality. The perivenular lesions collectively referred to as sclerosing hyaline necrosis are markers of severity, and are not common in nonalcoholics. In many instances, however, the microscopic lesions of these two processes are similar, likely as a reflection of common pathogenetic pathways, and the distinction between the two is ultimately clinically derived.
Ultrastructural evidence for morphological specificity in isolated bovine retinal capillary basement membranes

Because of its relative availability, large size, and presumed similarity to human, the bovine retina has been used by numerous investigators as a source of vessels, cells, and basement membranes (BMs) for biochemical analyses and in vitro studies of cells and extracellular matrix. Careful morphological studies of these vessels and their associated BMs, however, have not been done. Accordingly, we carried out experimental ultrastructural studies in an effort to show their cellular composition, their histoarchitectural relationships within retinal capillary walls, and the disposition and features of their isolated BMs. Our study shows that these vessels are complex, multicomponent structures composed of endothelial cells and intramural pericytes, which frequently communicate via direct cell/cell contacts, and a system of BMs. The latter includes continuous Muller cell BMs, interrupted subendothelial BMs, and pericytic BMs with masses of pericytic matrix (PCM) intervening. Isolated subendothelial BMs are remarkable for fenestrations, selective susceptibility to nonspecific proteases, and high density of ruthenium red (RR)-positive anionic sites. On the contrary, Muller cell BMs are continuous (completely surrounding retinal capillaries), relatively refractory to proteases, and show significantly fewer anionic sites by RR. Acellular capillary BMs frequently show ghost-like “pockets” previously occupied by pericytes. These are surrounded by pericytic BMs and interstitial spaces are “filled-in” by a BM-like material (PCM) which frequently contains striated collagen fibrils and is positionally and morphologically homologous to glomerular mesangial matrix. These data indicate that tissue specificity of BMs may be far more precise than previously thought and that each capillary BM leaflet may possess a peculiar macromolecular architecture commensurate with its specific function.
Differential influences of gender and physiological status on calcium dynamics and prolactin gene expression in rat mammotropes.

The rate of prolactin (PRL) secretion is influenced by the gender and physiological state of an animal, but little is known about the mechanisms involved. In the present study, we assessed possible contributions of Ca2+ dynamics and PRL gene expression to these differences. This was accomplished by monitoring spontaneous [Ca2+]i changes and PRL promotor-driven reporter activity in pituitary cultures derived from rats comprising a broad spectrum of PRL secretory capacities: male, cycling female, and lactating rats. We found that Ca2+ oscillatory activity exhibited a rank order of lactating > cycling females > males, consistent with the reported secretory capacities of mammotropes from these sources. Interestingly, we observed that the basal level of PRL promotor-driven reporter activity was the same for all three models, but that mammotropes from males were the most responsive to stimulation of PRL gene expression by elevation of [Ca2+]i. Collectively, our findings reveal gender-and state-specific differences in Ca2+ dynamics and induction of PRL gene expression. These likely contribute to reported differences in secretory capacity.
Do biopolymers behave the same as synthetic high polymers

The first measurements in our laboratory of some 55 years ago dealt with adiabatic calorimetry of linear, semicrystalline polyethylene. Quickly it became obvious that time needed to be controlled to study the metastable and unstable states. Shortly thereafter, my first students were building our own DTA, capable to give quantitative, time-dependent calorimetric data. Only few years later, we could present the quantitative link between molecular motion and heat capacity in the melting and glass-transition regions. One of these students involved in this study was Prof. Michael Jaffe. His study dealt with semicrystalline polyoxymethylene, a synthetic carbohydrate. He could use the first quantitative commercial equipment and modify it to heating with rates of 100 K min−1 and more. Today, rates reaching up to 107 K min−1 and faster are available for the analysis of unstable and small phases. The key question of this beginning study on biopolymer-related materials is the title question of this presentation for this symposium.
Resonance Raman Studies Of Lactoperoxidase And Sulflactoperoxidase: Drug-Induced Chlorin Formation

Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) is a membrane-bound heme enzyme that catalyzes iodination and coupling of thyroglobulin tyrosine residues in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones. The soluble heme enzyme lactoperoxidase (LPO) also iodinates tyrosine efficiently and serves as a functional model for TPO. Whereas horseradish peroxidase oxidizes sulfur-containing compounds, e.g., cysteine and glutathione, these compounds interact with LPO and TPO without oxidation. Indeed, clinical treatment of thyroid disease involves the use of sulfur-containing drugs (goitrogens) to inactivate TPO. Reactions of TPO and LPO with goitrogens result in enzyme inhibition, in a process similar to the conversion of myoglobin to sulf-myoglobin (sulf-Mb). We have examined the electronic absorption and resonance Raman (RR) spectral properties of LPO treated with the potent antithyroid drug methylmercaptoimidazole (MMi). Interaction of LPO with MMi yields a stable, emerald green complex (SLPO (MNi]). The electronic absorption spectra of SLPO [MMi] are similar to those of sulf-Mb (which has a sulfur-modified iron chlorin macrocycle), and to those of the naturally occurring Escherichia coli and Neurospora crassa chlorin catalases. The Soret excitation RR spectrum of the SLPO [DIM] complex is distinct from that of native LPO, but is consistent with the spectral pattern for metallochlorins established by our laboratory. The SLPO [NW RR pattern is also analogous to that of chlorin-containing proteins such as the isomeric sulf-Mb's, myeloperoxidase, and the E. coli and N. crassa catalases. These data strongly suggest that MMi treatment of LPO results in conversion of the porphyrin prosthetic moiety to an iron chlorin. We infer that clinical treatment of thyroid disorders with the goitrogen drug MMi similarly converts the porphyrin prosthetic moiety of thyroid peroxidase to an iron chlorin. Spectral differences between sulf-Mb and SLPO [MMI] are particularly intriguing and suggest structural differences between the two systems. Further investigation of the interaction(s) of sulfur compounds with heme systems is in progress.© (1989) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
“Getting a Jumpstart On HACCP” - A Program To Introduce Foodservice Operators To The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) System

Abstract "Getting a Jumpstart on HACCP" was developed to introduce foodservice operators to HACCP fundamentals and to assist personnel in implementing a basic HACCP system within their operations. The workshop materials were produced using information obtained from the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association and the Food and Drug Administration's 1995 and 1997 Food Code. Content of the program incorporated an introduction to HACCP, food safety hazards including microorganisms, an in-depth review of the seven principles of HACCP, and active learning activities. These exercises included analysis of menus for hazards, identification of critical control points in recipes, and development of flow charts for recipes and/or groups of foods. Participants were recruited from the Kansas School Foodservice Association, Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association, Kansas Area on Aging, Kansas Dietetic Association, and Kansas Association of Sanitarians. Workshops were scheduled in five locations throughout the state of Kansas for the six-hour workshop. More than 300 persons including Registered Dietitians, school foodservice personnel, state sanitarians, Family and Consumer Science Agents, Dietary Managers, restaurant operators, and Area Agency on Aging personnel attended the workshops. A significant (p=
Low-fat, high added water Bologna from massaged, minced batter

Bolognas were manufactured to produce a high-fat (30% fat), 10% added water (AW) formulation and three low-fat treatments which contained 10% fat/30% AW. Lean and fat trim for the low-fat treatments were blended and minced before massaging intermittently for 0, 2.5 and 5.0 hr. Massaging did not affect pH or cook/chill losses but increased batter viscosity. Massaging generally increased purge accumulation, regardless of degree of vacuumization. Sensory and instrumental determinations indicated massaging up to 2.5 hr increased cohesiveness. In addition, particle definition was decreased. There were no differences in hardness among low-fat treatments. Massaging resulted in low-fat products that were less cohesive, softer, and more juicy than high-fat bologna
Source basins for sediment-hosted stratiform Cu deposits: implications for the structure of the Zambian Copperbelt

Abstract The Central African Copperbelt in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo is the world's largest sediment-hosted stratiform Cu province. The source for the Cu in sediment-hosted stratiform Cu deposits is generally believed to be thick sections of oxidised siliciclastic sediments (red beds) and volcanic rocks deposited in early rift sequences underlying or laterally adjacent to the ore-bearing sediments. The volume of red beds beneath or lateral to the Zambian portion of the copperbelt relative to the amount of known metal in the deposits is small in comparison to the volumes of source beds in other well-known districts such as the Polish Kupferschiefer and the White Pine District, USA. Previous structural studies suggest that the rocks hosting the Zambian Cu deposits may be allochthonous or para-autochthonous. The apparent absence of source sediments for the metals, combined with the known structural geology, strongly suggests that the Zambian deposits were tectonically displaced from their source rocks. Defining the present location of the source basins would constrain the amount of tectonic transport in this portion of the Lufilian Arc and would stimulate mineral exploration in new areas.
Solid-phase synthesis of 1,5-disubstituted 2-aryliminoimidazolidines.

The solid-phase synthesis of 1,5-disubstituted 2-aryliminoimidazolidines, starting from resin-bound N-acylated amino acid amides, is described. Exhaustive reduction of resin-bound acylated amino acid amides with borane−THF afforded the corresponding disecondary amines. Further reaction with arylisothiocyanates in the presence of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) yielded the corresponding resin-bound 1,5-disubstituted 2-aryliminoimidazolidines. Cleavage of the product from the resin using HF/anisole (95/5) for 1.5 h at 0 °C gave the desired products in good yield and purity. The preparation of a large combinatorial library of such compounds is also discussed.
Recognition of duplex RNA by the deaminase domain of the RNA editing enzyme ADAR2

Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) hydrolytically deaminate adenosines (A) in a wide variety of duplex RNAs and misregulation of editing is correlated with human disease. However, our understanding of reaction selectivity is limited. ADARs are modular enzymes with multiple double-stranded RNA binding domains (dsRBDs) and a catalytic domain. While dsRBD binding is understood, little is known about ADAR catalytic domain/RNA interactions. Here we use a recently discovered RNA substrate that is rapidly deaminated by the isolated human ADAR2 deaminase domain (hADAR2-D) to probe these interactions. We introduced the nucleoside analog 8-azanebularine (8-azaN) into this RNA (and derived constructs) to mechanistically trap the protein-RNA complex without catalytic turnover for EMSA and ribonuclease footprinting analyses. EMSA showed that hADAR2-D requires duplex RNA and is sensitive to 2'-deoxy substitution at nucleotides opposite the editing site, the local sequence and 8-azaN nucleotide positioning on the duplex. Ribonuclease V1 footprinting shows that hADAR2-D protects ∼ 23 nt on the edited strand around the editing site in an asymmetric fashion (∼ 18 nt on the 5' side and ∼ 5 nt on the 3' side). These studies provide a deeper understanding of the ADAR catalytic domain-RNA interaction and new tools for biophysical analysis of ADAR-RNA complexes.
Toxic epidermal necrolysis caused by fluconazole in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare but serious dermatologic disorders. These grave conditions present as medical emergency, requiring prompt diagnosis and management. These are often drug induced and various groups of drugs, such as sulfa drugs, NSAIDS, etc., have been implicated as to cause TEN. Fluconazole is a commonly used drug with mild side effects. TEN caused by fluconazole is rare, and till now only few cases have been reported in the literature. We present a case of TEN in a human immunodeficiency virus infected man following fluconazole therapy in view of its rare occurrence.
Autonomy-supportive coaching and self-determined motivation in high school and college athletes: A test of self-determination theory

Abstract Objectives Using self-determination theory as a framework, this study tested whether perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness mediated the relationship between perceived autonomy-supportive coaching and athletes’ motivational orientation. Design A cross-sectional, survey study conducted during a regularly schedule training session. Method Male and female high school and college athletes ( N =581) completed questionnaires assessing the key variables of interest. Results Structural equation modeling revealed support for a mediational effect. Specifically, results indicated that the degree to which athletes perceived their coaches to be autonomy-supportive significantly predicted the athletes’ perceived competence, autonomy, and sense of relatedness, which, in turn, each predicted their motivational orientation. This pattern of relationships was invariant across gender and level of competition. Conclusions Results support self-determination theory and highlight the motivational benefits of autonomy-supportive coaching behaviors.
Linguistic-Numeric Presentation Mode Effects on Risky Option Preferences

Abstract In this study, we examine preferences between lotteries with chances presented either numerically or linguistically. Presentation mode is predicted to affect preferences due to the perception of linguistic chance as skewed distributions of risk. Based upon weighting functions incorporating risk/uncertainty aversion from ambiguity theory and cumulative prospect theory, we predict that presentation mode effects on risky choices will be detectable in very small risks and in large risks. In two experiments, subjects chose between both gain and loss lotteries with constant payoffs and equivalent numeric and linguistic chances. Presentation mode affected choices when chances were above 50%, where lotteries with numeric chances were more frequently preferred in gains while lotteries with linguistic chances were more often preferred in losses. The effect of presentation mode for low-chance lotteries (5% and less) also affected choices such that numeric choices were generally preferred more frequently in losses and linguistically expressed choices were generally preferred more often in gains. Overall, these results suggest that theories of the effects of second order uncertainty on risky choice may be used to model decisions involving linguistic risk. They also suggest that the study of the perception of linguistic risk assessments can provide insight into the cognitive processing behind the weighting functions proposed to depict decision under risk and uncertainty. Finally, the results have practical implications since information providers can affect decision makers’ choices by controlling presentation mode in such a way as to alter the relative attractiveness of uncertain events.
Control of electron dynamics of doubly excited states from isolated attosecond pulses

The lifetime of the 2s2p autoionization state in helium was measured with attosecond pulses by modifying the doubly excited state with an infrared laser. Control of the electron dynamics was also demonstrated.
Field measurements of photosynthesis, water-use efficiency, and growth inAgropyron smithii (C3) andBouteloua gracilis (C4) in the Colorado shortgrass steppe.

Field measurements of gas exchange and growth were conducted on a C3 grass,Agropyron smithii, and a C4 grass,Bouteloua gracilis, in order to further establish the adaptive significance of the C4 pathway under natural conditions. Maximum rates of leaf area expansion in tillers and maximum seasonal photosynthesis rates of both species occurred during the cool, early summer month of June. The occurrence of maximum growth and photosynthesis inB. gracilis during this cool period was apparently related to its occupation of warm microenvironments next to the ground surface. As temperatures increased during the midsummer, photosynthesis rates decreased to 47% and 55% of the seasonal maximum inB. gracilis andA. smithii, respectively. Water-use efficiencies in both species were similar or slightly higher forB. gracilis during June, the period of maximum growth. By mid-July, however, leaves of the C3 grass,A. smithii, exhibited water-use efficiencies approximately half as high asB. gracilis. These differences in water-use efficiency were the result of differences in stomatal conductance, rather than differences in daily CO2 uptake rates which were similar in both species. The results demonstrate that in certain environments there are no offset periods of growth and maximum photosynthesis during the growing season in these C3 and C4 species. The greater amounts of daily water use inA. smithii during the midsummer might contribute to its much greater abundance in lowland sites in the shortgrass steppe. The C4 grass,B. gracilis, occurs in dry upland sites in addition to the more mesic lowland sites.
Aerodynamic measurements on a finite wing with simulated ice

The effect of a simulated glaze ice accretion on the aerodynamic performance of a three-dimensional straight and swept wing is studied experimentally. A semispan wing of effective aspect ratio five was mounted from the sidewall of the UIUC subsonic wind tunnel. The model uses an NACA 0012 airfoil section on a rectangular planform with interchangeable tip and root sections to allow for 0- and 30-deg sweep. A sidewall suction system is used to minimize the tunnel boundary-layer interaction with the model. A three-component sidewall balance has been designed, built and used to measure lift, drag and pitching moment on the clean and iced model. Fluorescent oil flow visualization has been performed on the iced model and reveals extensive spanwise flow in the separation bubble aft of the upper surface horn. These results are compared to computational results for the surface pressures, span loads and surface oil flow.
Composite damage assessment employing an optical neural network processor and an embedded fiber-optic sensor array

This paper discusses a novel approach for composite damage assessment with potential for DoD, NASA, and commercial applications. We have analyzed and modeled a two-dimensional composite damage assessment system for real-time monitoring and determination of damage location in a composite structure. The system combines two techniques: a fiberoptic strain sensor array and an optical neural network processor. A two-dimensional fiberoptic sensor array embedded in the composite structure during the manufacturing process can be used to detect changes in the mechanical strain distribution caused by subsequent damage to the structure. The optical processor, a pre-trained Kohonen neural network, has the capability to indicate the location of the damage due to its positionally associative architecture. Because of the parallel, all optical architecture of the system, the system has the advantages of having high resolution, a simple architecture, and almost instantaneous processor output. Results of the modeling and simulation predict a highly robust system with accurate determination of damage location. We are currently beginning work on a breadboard demonstration model of the system.
A simple general method for oblique rotation

A simple and very general algorithm for oblique rotation is identified. While motivated by the rotation problem in factor analysis, it may be used to minimize almost any function of a not necessarily square matrix whose columns are restricted to have unit length. The algorithm has two steps. The first is to compute the gradient of the rotation criterion and the second is to project this onto a manifold of matrices with unit length columns. For this reason it is called a gradient projection algorithm. Because the projection step is very simple, implementation of the algorithm involves little more than computing the gradient of the rotation criterion which for many applications is very simple. It is proven that the algorithm is strictly monotone, that is as long as it is not already at a stationary point, each step will decrease the value of the criterion. Examples from a variety of areas are used to demonstrate the algorithm, including oblimin rotation, target rotation, simplimax rotation, and rotation to similarity and simplicity simultaneously. While it may be, the algorithm is not intended for use as a standard algorithm for well established problems, but rather as a tool for investigating new methods where its generality and simplicity may save an investigator substantial effort.
The effect of beta-blocker therapy on clinical outcome in patients with Marfan's syndrome: a meta-analysis.

Abstract Objective To assess the effect of beta-blockade therapy on clinical outcome in patients with Marfan's syndrome. Background Despite the lack of definitive evidence to support its efficacy, beta-blocker therapy is widely used prophylactically in patients with Marfan's syndrome. Methods A meta-analysis was instituted, which included studies identified by a systematic review of MEDLINE of peer-reviewed publications and by abstracts from annual scientific meeting. Outcome measures of mortality and major morbidity were compared between patients treated and untreated with beta-blockade therapy. Data was combined according to both a fixed-effects and random-effects model. The endpoints included aortic dissection or rupture, cardiovascular surgery, or death. Results Six studies were included, 5 were non-randomized follow-up studies and 1 was a prospective randomized trial (802 patients). Ninety-six of 433 patients treated with beta-blocker therapy and 74 of 369 untreated patients reached designated endpoints. Utilizing a fixed-effects model, patients treated with beta-blocker therapy were more likely to reach an endpoint (odds ratio=1.50 with 95% CI 1.05–2.16). However, by a random-effects model, the treatment effect failed to reach significance (1.54 with 95% CI 0.99–2.40). Conclusions On the basis of this meta-analysis, there is no evidence that beta-blockade therapy has clinical benefit in patients with Marfan's syndrome.