cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving memory in older adults: Training recollection

We explore a novel theory‐guided approach for training memory in older adults that distinguishes between recollection and automatic influences. Participants were given multiple trials of a continuous recognition task in which they had to use recollection to identify repeated items. After each correct trial, the number of intervening items between repetitions was gradually increased (incremented‐difficulty approach). Initially, accurate identification only occurred with two intervening items, which increased to 28 items following 6 hours of training. A second group of participants was given an equal amount of practice with the task but the number of intervening items was varied randomly across trials, independent of accuracy. These individuals showed significantly smaller gains in recollection. Results suggest that an incremented‐difficulty approach can enhance the ability to recollect information across increasing delay intervals. Implications for future training efforts are discussed.
Effects of noise on recurrence in networks of spiking neurons

Abstract We use mathematical analysis and numerical simulations to study the effects of recurrent synaptic connections in neural networks. These recurrent effects can be analyzed by expanding a spike probability function about the membrane potential in the absence of connections. This expansion can be written as a series of loops representing the recurrent signal transmission. Conditions for convergence of the series reveal the number of loops that are significant for the system's dynamics. This method is applied to a pair of mutually coupled spiking neurons to show how the membrane potential and cross-correlation function is changed by recurrence.
A NEW FOSSIL OAK WOOD FROM IDAHO

ALTHOUGH SEVERAL hundred species of fossil oaks from the United States have been described from their leaf impressions, comparatively little work has been done on the fossil wood of the genus. This neglect may be attributed in part to the uncertainty of specific differentiation on the basis of characters of the wood anatomy, since positive identification of oak species often cannot be made from wood structure alone. However, the sub-genera of the genus Quercus may be determined by the microscopic examination of their wood anatomy, and many of their included species also may be identified by this means. Thus it seems reasonable that well preserved specimens of fossil wood might be expected to show similar distinctions. Most of the work on fossil oak wood has been done by German investigators who described a number of western American species as well as European ones. This work is so little known that Trelease (1924), in monographing the oaks of America, stated that the only fossil oak wood to receive a specific name was Quercus Marcyana Pen., although at that time more than a dozen species had been described. However, the descriptions of these oaks might have been overlooked very easily since they were not published in widely distributed journals. The first description of fossil oak wood was published in 1839 by Goppert, who described fossil wood from Silesia and northern Germany and named it Klidenia quercoides. At that time he mentioned the nearly complete agreement of K. quercoides and Quercus pedunculata and six years later changed the generic name to Quercites, the genus in which fossil leaves of oak are now placed. However, Unger in 1842 had proposed the genus Quercinium for fossil oak wood and had pointed out that probably Klodenia Gopp. should be changed to Quercinium. Very little notice was taken of the genus until Felix (1883, 1884) published the descriptions of the species known at that time and added four new ones. In the first of these papers he showed that the three species previously described by Unger were based on invalid characters and therewith included them in the group of species upon which he published. Penhallow (1891) described a fossil wood from the post-glacial of Illinois that strongly resembled the modern chestnut oaks and named it Quercus Marcyana, disregarding the established generic name Quercinium. Knowlton (1899) published a description of a new species, Quercintium lamarense, and nothing further appeared in the literature until Platen (1908) added five new species to the genus. Since that time little has been published except for two reports by American workers on fossil woods from California, one of which was apparently identical with the modern Quercus agrifolia. These woods were given the generic name
Inhibition of dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization by di-aza heterocycles

The hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene over a sulfided CoMo/Al2O3 catalyst can be severely inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline. The catalyst’s hydrogenation activity is totally suppressed and cannot be fully recovered upon stripping of adsorbed nitrogen species. The bulk of the hydrogenolysis activity is suppressed but can be completely recovered upon stripping. Implications of these observations are discussed, including the possibility of a chelating-enhanced adsorption mechanism.
Design of High Precision High Bandwidth and Reliable Nanopositioning Systems

In this paper, we present a paradigm which prescribes a procedure for a systematic design, analysis and development of nanopositioning devices. In this effort, we have used many tools from modern control theory to model devices, to quantify device resolution, bandwidth, range, and robustness, and to tackle undesirable nonlinear effects such as hysteresis and creep. The implementation of this procedure for the simultaneous achievement of robustness, high precision, and high bandwidth objectives is presented. The merits of the paradigm are demonstrated through experimental results.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The effects of self-instruction on preschool children's sorting of generalized in-common tasks.

Abstract Three normal preschool children were presented with a sorting task ordinarily insoluble by 4-year-olds, based on the visual discrimination of what features two sample stimuli had in common. Failing to sort correctly according to that criterion, they were then presented with task-analytic conditions in which they learned to name correctly the common features of pairs of such stimuli and to sort correctly according to experimenter-named common attributes. This proved insufficient in producing correct sorting, even when the children were asked to name what the stimuli had in common and did so correctly just before they were asked to sort. The children were then asked to self-instruct: The experimenter said, "So, what are you looking for?" just before the children began to sort in response to the experimenter′s presentation of two sample stimuli. This condition typically yielded correct answers to the question and correct sorting, which proved reversible if the experimenter discontinued the question or asked the child to not ask or answer what the two stimuli had in common, just before sorting. The self-instructional effect was found to generalize to new sets of visual stimuli and to a novel experimenter.
Effects of residual stresses on probabilistic lifing of engine disk materials

Residual stresses are known to be beneficial with respect to fatigue life of metal components. Shot peening or other techniques are frequently used to improve fatigue performance. This study uses a probabilistic methodology to examine the significance of the residual stress, obtained from shot peening, on the crack growth fatigue life. Specifically, the residual stress at a bolthole in a compressor disk composed of a superalloy is modeled as a random variable in addition to the initial crack size, crack propagation scatter and stress scatter random variables. The probabilistic sensitivities of the predicted probability-of-fracture with respect to the parameters of the random variables are computed and comprise a metric for assessing the significance of the residual stress on reducing the probability-of-fracture.
American attitudes to death.

In 1959 Herman Feifel edited a volume of interdisciplinary essays titled The Meaning of Death. The collection was a valuable contribution in a neglected area. It also marked an apparent change in national mood. After an extended period, death was once more a respectable academic topic of discussion and consideration. In the decade that followed a considerable amount of work was published in this field, ranging from such scholarly yet compassionate volumes as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' On Death and Dying to a literature of social criticism epitomized in Jessica Mitford's best-seller, The American Way of Death. By 1970, one scholar would observe, more material had appeared on death, grief, and bereavement in the five years following Feifel's book than had appeared in the previous hundred years.
Initiation of ice ages by creep instability and surging of the East Antarctic ice sheet

Creep or shear heating instability is shown to be a plausible means of initiating a surge of the East Antarctic ice sheet and plunging the Earth into an ice age. The occurrence of this instability requires only that the ice thickness exceed a critical value which may not be much larger than the present ice dome thickness. Creep instability can occur on the fast time scale of 100–1,000 yr required by inferences of past rapid cooling events and sudden rises of sea level before the onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciations.
Stimulation of the Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate and the Ca2+ Messenger Systems Together Reverse Dopaminergic Inhibition of Prolactin Release*

Dopaminergic inhibition of PRL release stimulated by agents that affect cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, Ckinase activity, and cAMP levels was studied in perifused rat anterior pituitary cells cultured on cytodex beads. We used A23187 (20 nm) to increase intracellular Ca2+, the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA; 50 nM) to stimulate C-kinase, forskolin (10 μm) to increase intracellular cAMP, and 8-bromo-cAMP to mimic cAMP. Dopamine (10 μm) inhibited PRL release to 20-60% of the basal release within 10 min. After 30 min of preincubation with dopamine, the absolute amount of release stimulated by 100 nM TRH was strongly inhibited, although the pattern of release, a quick burst followed by sustained release at a lower rate, was the same in the presence or absence of dopamine. A23187 (20 μm) caused a rapid burst of PRL release that subsided within 10 min, and TPA (50 nm) caused a sustained release that began within 4 min and continued for at least 30 min. TPA and A23187 combined caused a r...
Financial incentive and the use of mammography among Hispanic migrants to the United States

Researchers in migrant health clinics in Washington state found cost to be the single most commonly reported reason given by foreign‐born Hispanic women for never having had a mammogram. The true significance of this finding beyond self‐report was unknown. A randomized intervention trial designed to test the effect of fully subsidized mammograms on utilization was conducted within this population. Women in the intervention group received standard clinic instruction plus a voucher for a free mammogram. Controls received standard clinic instruction alone. Eighty‐seven percent of women receiving vouchers obtained a mammogram within 30 days, compared with 17.5% of controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that women receiving vouchers were 47 times more likely to obtain a mammogram than controls. This confirms women's self‐report that cost is a major barrier to accessing screening mammograms in this low‐income migrant population, and that women are more likely to utilize this service when financial barr...
COMPARISON OF -SNPH3 AND -SNCL3 AS COCATALYST GROUPS FOR (PT(PPH3)2CLQ) IN THE ISOMERIZATION OF 1,5-CYCLOOCTADIENE

Abstract The effect of Ph 3 SnX (X = H, Cl, Br, and NO 3 ) on the catalytic isomerization of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) by some platinum complexes was investigated. The results were compared with those using SnCl 2 · 2H 2 O as the cocatalyst. It was observed that PPh 3 SnCl is an active cocatalyst in these systems, especially for isomerization. A mechanism is proposed for the isomerization process.
Phytochrome: a regulatory photoreceptor that controls the expression of its own gene

Abstract Phytochrome is the best-characterized plant regulatory photoreceptor, but its molecular mechanism of action remains unknown. Recent studies have identified topographic domains on the molecule of potential importance to its function and have revealed that the photoreceptor exerts rapid, feedback control over its own mRNA levels. The rapidity of this autoregulation makes the phytochrome gene(s) itself an attractive system for studying phytochrome-regulated gene expression.
Role-played interpersonal interaction: ecological validity and cardiovascular reactivity.

Conflictual role-play scenarios have been used to model brief interpersonal interaction and to elicit cardiovascular reactivity in the laboratory. Here we discuss data suggesting that role-played interactions constitute an ecologically valid laboratory task that may improve laboratory-to-field generalization of cardiovascular response. Specifically, our research indicates that young adults perceive the stress associated with role-play scenarios as similar to that encountered in everyday life. Furthermore, these stress appraisals moderate cardiovascular response to role-play in men. We also find that a social stressor (i.e. speech task) is perceived as significantly more similar to a real-life stressor as compared to other standard laboratory tasks. We propose that particular constellations of cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to laboratory-based social stressors, such as role-played interaction, may elicit different patterns of hemodynamic response. Further understanding of interrelations among cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological response patterns may assist in the study of cardiovascular reactivity as a potential mechanism linking personality factors and the development of cardiovascular disease.
Evaluation of Toxic Potency Values for Smoke from Products and Materials

Many devices have been used to generate data on the toxic potency of smoke from burning products and materials. This paper critically reviews those apparatus and sorts them by the combustion conditions (related to a type of fire) producing the smoke, the specimens tested, and the animal effect measured. All the usable data were derived using rats, and the toxicological effects encountered were lethality, represented by an LC50value, and incapacitation, expressed as an IC50 value. The data showed a wide range of toxic potency values for the products and materials tested. For those engineering applications where the mix of combustibles is unknown, generic values of smoke toxic potency were derived. Statistical analysis of the wealth of published data yielded a generic LC50value of 30 g/m3 ± 20 g/m3 (one standard deviation) for 30 minute exposure of rats for smoke from well-ventilated combustion. There are limited data for underventilated combustion, and a value of 15 g/m3 ± 5 g/m3 is suggested. The mean value of the ratios of IC50 values to LC50values is 0.50 ± 0.21, consistent with a prior review. Thus, for well-ventilated fires, a generic 30 minute IC50 value (for rats) would be 15 g/m3 ± 10 g/m3; for underventilated fires, the corresponding number would be 7 g/m3 ± 2 g/m3. There are some materials with appreciably lower potency values, indicating higher smoke toxicity. If materials like these are expected to comprise a large fraction of the fuel load, a lower generic value should be used.
Solid-Phase Synthesis of Thermolytic DNA Oligonucleotides Functionalized with a Single 4-Hydroxy-1-butyl or 4-Phosphato-/Thiophosphato-1-butyl Thiophosphate Protecting Group†

Several thermolytic CpG-containing DNA oligonucleotides analogous to 1 have been synthesized to serve as potential immunotherapeutic oligonucleotide prodrug formulations for the treatment of infectious diseases in animal models. Specifically, the CpG motif (GACGTT) of each DNA oligonucleotide has been functionalized with either the thermolabile 4-hydroxy-1-butyl or the 4-phosphato-/thiophosphato-1-butyl thiophosphate protecting group. This functionalization was achieved through incorporation of activated deoxyribonucleoside phosphoramidite 8b into the oligonucleotide chain during solid-phase synthesis and, optionally, through subsequent phosphorylation effected by phosphoramidite 9. Complete conversion of CpG ODNs hbu1555, psb1555, and pob1555 to CpG ODN 1555 (homologous to 2) occurred under elevated temperature conditions, thereby validating the function of these diastereomeric oligonucleotides as prodrugs in vitro. Noteworthy is the significant increase in solubility of CpG ODN psb1555 and CpG pob1555 in water when compared to that of neutral CpG ODN fma1555 (homologous to 1).
VPX Meltdown® significantly increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation without affecting hemodynamic variables in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over clinical research trial

Methods In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design, participants underwent two testing sessions after consuming either the VPX Meltdown® or placebo supplement. Healthy male participants (n = 12) aged 18–35 rested for one hour while energy expenditure (EE), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (B) were assessed in a fasted state. Subsequently, participants orally ingested either supplement or placebo. Immediately following supplement administration, participants rested for another hour while EE, RER, HP, and BP were recorded. Thereafter, participants performed a maximal exercise test on a treadmill and then endured another hour of EE, RER, HR, and BP measurement.
Establishing Treatment Fidelity in Evidence-Based Parent Training Programs for Externalizing Disorders in Children and Adolescents

The current review evaluates the use of treatment fidelity strategies in evidence-based parent training programs for treating externalizing disorders. We used a broad framework for evaluating treatment fidelity developed by the National Institutes of Health Treatment Fidelity Workgroup that includes the aspects of treatment design, treatment delivery, training providers, and assessment of participant receipt of treatment and enactment of treatment skills. Sixty-five articles reporting outcome trials of evidence-based parent training programs met inclusion criteria and were coded for treatment fidelity strategies. The mean adherence to fidelity strategies was .73, which was higher than two previous review studies employing this framework in the health literature. Strategies related to treatment design showed the highest mean adherence (.83), whereas training of providers and enactment of treatment skills had the lowest (.58). In light of an increasing emphasis on effectiveness and dissemination trials, the broader treatment fidelity framework as applied in this review focuses needed attention on areas often overlooked in fidelity practices, such as training providers and generalization of treatment skills. We discuss the strengths and limitations of fidelity practices in parent training studies, implications of these findings, and areas for future research.
Disappointment and its Application to the Grief Process for Parents Whose Child Has A Severe Anomaly or Dies

Literature is filled with theories and speculations on how to deal with death with regard to terminally ill children or children who have serious malformations. Coping mechanisms, defenses, and manifest behaviors are addressed in books, journals, theses, and the like. This practice article will address the concept of disappointment (l), a term casually used, yet a phenomenon which when understood may have significant meaning for those professionals charged with dealing with grieving parents. Our society uses such terminologies as “orphan” to describe a child who has lost his or her parents; “widow” to describe a spouse who has lost her mate. There is no term to describe parents who have lost a child yet to do so can be the most devastating event a human being can experience. Many authors speculate that the older the child is, the more grief the parents will experience. It makes sense to postulate that this is so because the older child has a more firmly established emotional relationship, role, function, and unique identity in the family system. As such, the older child’s death may appear to leave a greater void in the family. Bereavement can be long and intense and easily understood intellectually by the parent and the professional. But what about the infant who dies, the stillborn baby, or even a fetus. Bereavement here too can be long and the grief intense. What can explain and account for such feelings, if not the disappointment of losing the dreamed-for perfect child? Disappointment can be described as that state of unhappiness brought on by the failure to satisfy a hope, dream, or expectation. Disappointment creates a sense of loss, not of an object, not of a person, but of an idea. With the loss of that idea we also lose enthusiasm and direction. We all experience some degree of disappointment many times in our lives. Minor disappointments are shrugged off, while major disappointments, such as the death of an infant or a child, are devastating. There are four major areas of life where disappointments occur most often: in relationships, sexuality, employment, and family. From each of
Normal forms and versal deformations of linear Hamiltonian systems

Abstract Equivalence classes of time independent, linear, real Hamiltonian systems can be identified, up to canonical transformations, with the orbits of the adjoint action of the real symplectic group on its Lie algebra. A new set of representatives, also called normal forms, for these orbits is given. Versal deformations of systems in normal form are constructed. Applications of versal deformations to the study of bifurcations of linear systems with small codimension are indicated.
The Effects of Posterior Rolling Walkers vs. the Standard Rolling Walker on Gait Characteristics of Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences occurred in the gait characteristics of thirteen 2 to 10 year-old children with cerebral palsly(CP) when using a standard rolli...
Megillat Ester in Ottava Rima: Mordecai Dato's poetry regarding sixteenth-century Italian Jewish women

The focus of the present paper is a translation of Mordecai Dato's Megillat Ester in ottava rima, a sixteenth-century poetic retelling of the biblical book of Esther written in Judeo-Italian. Previously untranslated, this poem provides subtle yet important insight into views of Italian Jewish women, and even into the reality of their daily lives. Dato's poetic version differs drastically from the original biblical text, indicating that these divergences were conscious choices on the part of the author and should therefore be considered evidence of the changing views of Jewish women by their male counterparts in sixteenth-century Italy. The introduction to the translation is an analysis of Dato's divergences from the biblical story in regards specifically to the characterization of his female characters. The poet mirrors a contemporary literary and artistic tendency to focus on the position of the woman in both society and religion, crafting marked changes that reflect the growing presence of women in sixteenth-century Italian Jewish society.
Organization of the Aerotaxis Receptor Aer in the Membrane of Escherichia coli

The Aer receptor guides Escherichia coli to specific oxygen and energy-generating niches. The input sensor in Aer is a flavin adenine dinucleotide-binding PAS domain, which is separated from a HAMP/signaling output domain by two membrane-spanning segments that flank a short (four-amino-acid) periplasmic loop. In this study, we determined the overall membrane organization of Aer by introducing combinations of residues that allowed us to differentiate intradimeric collisions from interdimeric collisions. Collisions between proximal residues in the membrane anchor were exclusively intra- or interdimeric but, with one exception, not both. Cross-linking profiles were consistent, with a rigid rather than flexible periplasmic loop and a tilted TM2 helix that crossed TM2' at residue V197C, near the center of the lipid bilayer. The periplasmic loop formed a stable neighborhood that (i) included a maximum of three Aer dimers, (ii) did not swap neighbors over time, and (iii) appeared to be constrained by interactions in the cytosolic signaling domain.
Further Efficacy Evaluation of Doxpicomine for Postoperative Pain

In this single-dose, double-blind study, the analgesic activity of 400 and 200 mg doxpicomine was compared with 100 and 50 mg meperidine and placebo when given intramuscularly in 102 subject patients experiencing severe postoperative pain. Results indicate that 400 mg doxicomine is similar to 100 mg meperidine in analgesic activity, onset, and duration of action. Side effects were of the same order as those produced by other centrally acting analgesics.
Clinical and Serologic Markers of Periodontal Infection and Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Chronic kidney disease and its concomitant sequelae represent a major public health problem. Recent data suggest periodontal infection contributes to chronic kidney disease.Methods: This United States population–based study of 4,053 adults ≥40 years of age investigated the association between chronic kidney disease and clinical measures and serologic markers of periodontal infection. Chronic kidney disease was defined as moderate-to-severe reduction of kidney function with glomerular filtration rate of 15 to 59 ml/minute/1.73 m2 based on stages 3 and 4 of the Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative. Chronic oral inflammatory burden was measured as 1) clinical periodontal infection categorized as no periodontal disease, periodontal disease (at least one tooth with ≥4 mm loss of attachment and bleeding on probing as an indicator of inflammation), or edentulism and 2) serum immunoglobulin G antibody response to Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomita...
Rights‐Bearing Street Kids: Icons of Hope and Despair in Brazil's Burgeoning Neoliberal State

This article seeks to understand the broader meanings behind the recent loss of hope for the futures of kids1 who live on the streets of Brazil. Through a historical examination of twentieth century Brazilian childhood legislation, the article contextualizes growing despair about the prospects of street children within the political, social, historical, and economic transformations occurring during Brazil's transition from military dictatorship to formal democracy. Accordingly, the article questions the extent to which the ideologies and institutions generated by and within Brazil's emerging neoliberal state are based upon—or perhaps lead to—the increased social exclusion (and in many cases the physical death) of kids who live on the streets.
Loneliness: Differences Across Three Age Levels

The present study examined differences in the loneliness experience with subjects from three age levels (high school students, college undergraduates, retirees). In accordance with social role theory and existing research, we predicted differences across these age periods in level of loneliness and the relation of loneliness to other indices of adjustment, and personal and social competency. Results indicated that the greatest loneliness and strongest loneliness correlates were among high school students, while loneliness was least associated with other variables for retirees. These results are consistent with those suggested by previous cross-study comparisons. The results also support a social role theory interpretation of loneliness that age-related changes in social demands will influence the relation among measures of adjustment, and personal and social competency.
A virtual circuit deflection protocol

We propose a communication protocol, called the virtual circuit deflection (VCD) protocol, which combines some of the individual characteristics of virtual circuit switching and deflection routing. An advantage of the VCD protocol over previous (datagram) deflection schemes is that deflections in the former occur on a per session basis (or a per subsession basis, if sessions need to be split to find adequate capacity on the outgoing links), while in the latter, they occur on a per packet basis. This makes packet resequencing at the destination considerably easier to accomplish in the VCD protocol than in datagram deflection schemes. The VCD protocol exploits the storage arising from the high bandwidth-delay product of optical fibers to provide lossless communication with little buffering at the switches and without the need for advance reservations. This makes it particularly suitable for networks that use optical switching, where buffers are expensive to implement with current optical technology. We present a simple implementation of the VCD protocol for such networks, which requires only limited buffering, accomplished through the use of a minimal number of optical delay lines. We also analyze the performance of the protocol for the Manhattan Street network topology by using new analytical models. In particular, we examine the effect of the traffic load and the network size on the throughput and the length of the paths followed by the sessions, and compare the analytical results obtained with corresponding simulation results. The results indicate that the VCD protocol is efficient under both light and heavy traffic conditions, especially when the link capacities are large compared to the basic rate of individual sessions, as is expected to be the case in future multigigabit networks.
Global Conformational Rearrangements in Integrin Extracellular Domains in Outside-In and Inside-Out Signaling

How ligand binding alters integrin conformation in outside-in signaling, and how inside-out signals alter integrin affinity for ligand, have been mysterious. We address this with electron microscopy, physicochemical measurements, mutational introduction of disulfides, and ligand binding to alphaVbeta3 and alphaIIbbeta3 integrins. We show that a highly bent integrin conformation is physiological and has low affinity for biological ligands. Addition of a high affinity ligand mimetic peptide or Mn(2+) results in a switchblade-like opening to an extended structure. An outward swing of the hybrid domain at its junction with the I-like domain shows conformational change within the headpiece that is linked to ligand binding. Breakage of a C-terminal clasp between the alpha and beta subunits enhances Mn(2+)-induced unbending and ligand binding.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Adaptation to Human Keratinocytes

Skin is the most common site of Staphylococcus aureus infection. While most of these infections are self-limited, re- current infections are common. Keratinocytes and recruited immune cells participate in skin defense against infection. We pos- tulated that S. aureus is able to adapt to the milieu within human keratinocytes to avoid keratinocyte-mediated clearance. From a collection of S. aureus isolated from chronically infected patients with atopic dermatitis, we noted 22% had an agr mutant-like phenotype. Using several models of human skin infection, we demonstrate that toxin-deficient, agrmutants of methicillin- resistant S. aureus (MRSA) USA300 are able to persist within keratinocytes by stimulating autophagy and evading caspase-1 and inflammasome activation. MRSA infection induced keratinocyte autophagy, as evidenced by galectin-8 and LC3 accumulation. Autophagy promoted the degradation of inflammasome components and facilitated staphylococcal survival. The recovery of more than 58% agror RNAIII mutants (P<0.0001) of an inoculum of wild-type (WT) MRSA from within wortmannin-treated keratinocytes compared to control keratinocytes reflected the survival advantage for mutants no longer expressing agr- dependent toxins. Our results illustrate the dynamic interplay between S. aureus and keratinocytes that can result in the selec- tion of mutants that have adapted specifically to evade keratinocyte-mediated clearance mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Human skin is a major site of staphylococcal infection, and keratinocytes actively participate in eradication of these pathogens. We demonstrate that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is ingested by keratinocytes and acti- vates caspase-1-mediated clearance through pyroptosis. Toxin-deficient MRSA mutants are selected within keratinocytes that fail to induce caspase-1 activity and keratinocyte-mediated clearance. These intracellular staphylococci induce autophagy that enhances their intracellular survival by diminishing inflammasome components. These findings suggest that S. aureus mutants, by exploiting autophagy, can persist within human keratinocytes.
SICKLE CELL DISEASE: A STIGMATIZING CONDITION THAT MAY LEAD TO DEPRESSION

Individuals with a chronic illness such as sickle cell disease are at risk for depression. Moreover, they are at risk for untreated depression. Depression may go untreated because of the stigma and high rates of disability associated with this chronic illness that most often affects African Americans in the United States. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory Fast Screen in a sample of 232 African American adults with sickle cell disease. Respondents reported higher levels of depression (26%) and depressive symptoms (32%) than did the overall United States population (9.5%). All adults with chronic illnesses need to be screened for depression in primary care practice sites where the diagnosis and treatment of depression needs to be coordinated.
Glacial-Marine Sediments of West Antarctica and Puget Sound: ABSTRACT

The ice-covered parts of the world oceans are among the most complex and poorly understood sedimentary environments. Studies of sediments from the Antarctic continental margin and the Pleistocene glacial-marine deposits of the Puget Lowlands are under way, and models for glacial-marine deposition are being developed. These depositional models account for the interrelations among glacial, climatic, oceanographic, isostatic, and sedimentary processes. In particular, glacio-isostatic adjustment and subglacial processes appear to have pronounced effects on sedimentation. Several cruises to the Antarctic continental margin have been conducted and most of the West Antarctic margin has been surveyed. Piston cores from the West Antarctic margin contain a variety of sediment types ranging from nonstratified, nonsorted marine tills to well-sorted, quartz-rich sands and laminated silts. Debris flows, turbidites, biogenic oozes, and other marine sediments are interbedded with glaciogenic deposits. Lateral and vertical variability of sediments and faunas, well-illustrated by stratigraphic sections from the Puget Sound region, suggests that major shifts in depositional boundaries and environments occur frequently. Understanding the complexities of the glacial-marine environment is essential for reconstructing past glacial histories. The origin of glacial-marine sediments cannot be understood by considering processes unique to the End_Page 410------------------------------ marine or glacial environments, but must be evaluated in terms of interactions between the two. End_of_Article - Last_Page 411------------
Systemic Absorption of Tetracycline and Lidocaine following Intrapleural Instillation

Seven patients with symptomatic pleural effusions (six) and recurrent pneumothorax (one) underwent attempted pleurodesis using tetracycline. Lidocaine (150 mg), followed immediately by tetracycline (20 mg/kg), was instilled into the pleural space through a chest tube. Venous blood was obtained at 0, 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes following instillation in order to determine concentrations of lidocaine and tetracycline. The mean peak serum concentration of lidocaine was 1.3μ/ml ± 0.4μg/ml (mean ± SE) (range, 0.3μg/ml to 3.2μg/ml), and the mean time to peak serum concentration of lidocaine was 86 ± 13 minutes. The mean peak serum concentration of tetracycline was 3.6μg/ml ± 0.9μg/ml (range, 1.0μg/ml to 5.0μg/ml), and the mean time to peak serum concentration of tetracycline was 96 ± 16 minutes. Therapeutic serum concentrations of lidocaine were found in four of the seven patients and therapeutic serum levels of tetracycline in four of five patients. With systemic absorption of lidocaine and tetracycline following intrapleural instillation, patients are at risk for potential toxic effects. If lidocaine is used in a dosage of less than 3 mg/kg, toxic levels of the drug are unlikely to occur. Furthermore, use of tetracycline or lidocaine in pleurodesis is contraindicated in patients with known sensitivity to the drugs.
In Vitro and In Vivo Antibiotic Susceptibilities of ELB Rickettsiae

The activities of doxycycline, rifampin, chloramphenicol, and erythromycin against ELB rickettsiae (Rickettsia azadi) were determined by dye uptake and plaque assays. Plaque formation in Vero cells was inhibited by 0.12 microgram of doxycycline per ml. The data presented demonstrate the susceptibility of ELB rickettsiae to commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of rickettsial diseases.
A comparison among different front-end input versions of a medical record system

This paper describes a series of experiments to test whether there are significant differences between several different versions of the intelligent medical record-entry system (IMR-E). As the costs of including color graphics decrease, the use of multimedia technologies is becoming an important issue. The development of pen computers provides a whole new range of possibilities for data input. The authors are planning to measure the effects of color, machine speed, and the use of a mouse or a pen computer on input time and user satisfaction when the system is used to input patient data by physicians and medical students. >
In Situ Monitoring of Anodic Oxide Growth on SI (001) by Interface Second-Harmonic Generation

Optical second-harmonic (SH) generation is used to monitor the anodic growth of oxide on a (001) Si surface. The measured SH intensity is dominated by the nonlinear optical response of the space charge region in the Si just below the Si/oxide interface. The interface SH technique can detect the onset of H desorption, identify the flat band potential, and probe the evolution of space charge within the growing oxide layer.
HDL-C in post-menopausal women: An important therapeutic target

Coronary heart disease is a major cause of mortality in women in Western industrialised countries, particularly after the age of 50 years, coinciding with the onset of the menopause and potentially adverse metabolic changes that occur during the transitional peri-menopausal and post-menopausal periods. Dyslipidaemia characterised by increases in plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides and lipoprotein(a) and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) together with the emergence of other diagnostic features of the metabolic syndrome are key factors that increase cardiovascular risk. Treatment beyond LDL-C with a combination of different lipid-modifying therapies may therefore be of greater importance in women than men. Fibrates and nicotinic acid are two treatments that may be added to primary statin therapy. Fibrates are more effective in lowering elevated triglycerides, whereas nicotinic acid is more effective in raising HDL-C. Although there is clearly a need for clinical trials in women, the available data suggests that combination lipid-modifying therapy is a logical treatment strategy in this high-risk patient group.
Ultrastructural study of the permeability of in-vitro and ex-vivo human models of human arachnoid granulation CSF outflow pathway

Background In communicating hydrocephalus and also idiopathic intracranial hypertension, disturbed CSF dynamics may result from an increased resistance to CSF outflow at the arachnoid granulations (AGs). To better understand the mechanism of CSF egress, we modelled the outflow of CSF through human AGs using both cell culture (in-vitro) and whole tissue (ex-vivo) perfusion models. Ultrastructural studies were done using microparticles, ruthenium red, and TEM and to elucidate the mechanism of fluid flow.
Saccharomyces cerivisiae as a model system for kidney disease: what can yeast tell us about renal function?

Ion channels, solute transporters, aquaporins, and factors required for signal transduction are vital for kidney function. Because mutations in these proteins or in associated regulatory factors ca...
Mortgage Terminations, Heterogeneity and the Exercise of Mortgage Options

As applied to the behavior of homeowners with mortgages, option theory predicts that mortgage prepayment or default will be exercised if the call or put option is in the money by some specific amount. Our analysis: tests the extent to which the option approach can explain default and prepayment behavior; evaluates the practical importance of modeling both options simultaneously; and models the unobserved heterogeneity of borrowers in the home mortgage market. The paper presents a unified model of the competing risks of mortgage termination by prepayment and default, considering the two hazards as dependent competing risks which are estimated jointly. It also accounts for the unobserved heterogeneity among borrowers, and estimates the unobserved heterogeneity simultaneously with the parameters and baseline hazards associated with prepayment and default functions. Our results show that the option model, in its most straightforward version, does a good job of explaining default and prepayment; but it is not enough by itself. The simultaneity of the options is very important empirically in explaining behavior. The results also show that there exists significant heterogeneity among mortgage borrowers. Ignoring this heterogeneity results in serious errors in estimating the prepayment behavior of homeowners.
Testing for genetic associations in a spina bifida population: analysis of the HOX gene family and human candidate gene regions implicated by mouse models of neural tube defects.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most common severely disabling birth defects in the United States, affecting approximately 1-2 of every 1,000 live births. The etiology of NTDs is multifactorial, involving the combined action of both genetic and environmental factors. HOX genes play a central role in establishing the initial body plan by providing positional information along the anterior-posterior body and limb axis and have been implicated in neural tube closure. There are many mouse models that exhibit both naturally occurring NTDs in various mouse strains as well as NTDs that have been created by "knocking out" various genes. A nonparametric linkage method, the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT), was utilized to test the HOX gene family and human equivalents of genes (when known) or the syntenic region in humans to those in mouse models which could play a role in the formation of NTDs. DNA from 459 spina bifida (SB) affected individuals and their parents was tested for linkage and association utilizing polymorphic markers from within or very close to the HOXA, HOXB, HOXC, and HOXD genes as well as from within the genes/gene regions of eight mouse models that exhibit NTDs. No significant findings were obtained for the tested markers.
Automated system infrastructure to facilitate design of experiments (DOE) data analysis

The complex semiconductor fabrication process needs to be optimized quickly to increase process yield and efficiency in fab operations. The Design of Experiments (DOE) technique is frequently applied in semiconductor domain by separating a wafer lot into wafer splits, and studying the effects of varying process parameters in relation to a baseline split across diffusion, photo, etch and other fabrication tools. An automated solution implemented at Kilby Center (KFAB) of Texas Instruments to capture and store the lot split DOE data for analysis, which satisfies the requirements of data volume, accuracy, and accessibility, is presented. Guidelines on how lot splits are defined consistently (the "rule set"), design and implementation of the system infrastructure components, and system's applications are included.
Local heat transfer measurements of steam/air mixtures in horizontal condenser tubes

Condensation of vapor/noncondensable gas mixtures in horizontal tubes is not well understood because condensate stratification and the multidimensional nature add to the complexity of the phenomena. The heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena in a horizontal condenser tube were experimentally studied, along with the heat transfer reduction effect of a noncondensable gas. The temperature gradient across the condenser tube wall was measured locally to investigate the asymmetrical heat transfer characteristics around the condenser tube periphery. The condensation heat transfer coefficients on the tube top were much greater than the values at the bottom and the noncondensable gas significantly reduced the heat transfer rate.
A GENOGRAM WITH AN ATTITUDE

The approach described in this paper is predicated on the fundamental belief that in order to become competent and ethical practitioners, students must understand themselves and how they see others. They must be given tools and skills that facilitate examination of their own assumptions and beliefs about themselves, others, and how the world works. It is also essential that students examine how these assumptions and beliefs will influence the way they choose to conduct therapy. Once they are aware of their biases, they must learn to choose to consciously influence themselves in a way that permits their clients the largest room for change within the clients' own contexts of belief, understanding, experience, and possibility. In this paper I describe the use of the genogram as a tool to facilitate the process of gaining self knowledge. This tool has been used in a multicultural counseling course, as well as in professional development workshops for psychologists, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
The Sociology of Arlie Hochschild

Arlie Hochschild is one of the most influential sociologists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Her many contributions include her research on emotion and emotion work, the gender division of labor in the household, work–family relations, and the global dimensions of carework. A less visible aspect of Hochschild’s career involves her efforts to nurture, encourage, and engage those inspired by her work. This essay examines Hochschild’s influence as revealed in a new book on work and family life edited by two of her former students. The book offers a look at “Hochschildian sociology” as practiced by those who have expanded and built on her ideas.
House of Cards - Psychology and Psychotherapy Built on Myth

In this book, Robyn Dawes critically examines some of the most cherished clinical assumptions and therapeutic methods now in use. He points out that we have all come under the sway of a "pop psych" view of the world, believing, for example, that self-esteem is an essential precursor to being a productive human being, that events in one's childhood determine one's fate as an adult, and that you have to love yourself before you can love another. Drawing on empirical research, Dawes systematically argues that none of the above is true and explores the debilitating effect these beliefs have on us. In addition, he takes issue with many of the treatment methods commonly used in therapy practices.