cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protecting the Community Through Child Vaccination

The direct impact of vaccines on children is well described, but the major public health impact of indirect protection provided to the community by vaccines is underappreciated. Community protection occurs when vaccinated persons block the chain of transmission, protecting undervaccinated or unvaccinated susceptible community members by preventing exposure and limiting the spread of the pathogen through the community. Substantial declines in disease incidence have occurred shortly after implementing new childhood vaccines, including declines among vaccine-ineligible children, adolescents, and adults. Protection of susceptible community members depends on maintaining high vaccination rates. Improved recognition of community protection will strengthen childhood vaccination strategies that will protect our communities into the future.
NOVEL ASSAY TO CALCULATE DONOR FRACTION OF CELL-FREE DNA IN HEART TRANSPLANTATION

Donor fraction (DF) of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) has been proposed as a noninvasive surveillance method in heart transplantation. We present our pilot experience with a novel assay to quantify DF (%) with a clinically practical throughput and turnaround time. A blinded study was performed in which
Optical Imaging and Molecular Sequencing of a Preserved Collection of Bivalve Larvae

From the 1980s through 1995, scientists at numerous marine, coastal, estuarine, and freshwater laboratories spawned bivalves to provide larvae for use in identifying species based on larval hinge structures and gross shell morphometry. These larvae were preserved in 95% ethanol and stored in sample vials, many of which dried out over the years. Advantage was taken of 50 of 56 species from this collection (and two additional species that were not in the collection for a total of 52 species) to explore the use of optical techniques (polarized light and a full-wave compensation plate) to highlight birefringence patterns of larval shells to discriminate individual species. Representative images of various developmental stages of 77% (40/52) of the larval bivalve species in the collection were successfully imaged. Similarities across birefringence patterns were observed at the taxonomic ordinal and familial level. Molecular polymerase chain reaction techniques were used in an effort to sequence many of the dried-out specimens and they successfully identified 19% (10/52) of the larval bivalve species with matches in GenBank. Here it has been demonstrated that optical techniques are efficient for imaging dried-out larval bivalve shells for classification purposes and we present successful sequences of 10 species of bivalve larvae from the preserved collection.
Combining Individual Judgments

It is often assumed that n heads are better than one, that a judgment obtained from a group will be of higher quality than could be expected from an individual. This chapter considers the effectiveness of methods that have been proposed for combining individual quantitative judgments into a group judgment. For the most part, it will be found that n heads are, indeed, better than one, and at least one investigator has concluded that it does not much matter how they are combined. But the potential for improving performance is so great and the problems of achieving it so subtle that a clear understanding of the issues is essential.
In Defense of the Debt Limit Statute

The debt limit statute is a critical feature of the federal budget process and prompts frequent legislation to increase the government's borrowing authority. In this Article, Professor Anita S. Krishnakumar examines the history of the debt limit statute as well as its function in the fiscal constitution. The Article deconstructs several popular criticisms of the debt limit statute, arguing that the criticisms exaggerate and that the statute in fact serves two important roles: first, the statute is the last remnant of congressional control and accountability over the national debt; second, it acts as an important institutional check on party and interest group politics. The Article ends by suggesting several reforms to the existing debt statute framework, aimed at increasing congressional accountability for the debt consequences of federal spending and taxing choices, as well as at curbing some of the dangers associated with the current framework.
A Parallel Attractor-tree Based Clustering Method.

Data clustering methods have been proven to be a successful data mining technique. There are two kinds of clustering approaches: partitioning clustering and hierarchical clustering. Hierarchical clustering is more flexible than partitioning clustering. However, it is very expensive for large data sets. In this paper, we propose a parallel algorithm for attractor-tree based hierarchical clustering which is implemented using MPI (message passing interface). We run the parallel program on different numbers of machines and compared it with the sequential approach. Experiments show that our parallel approach speeds up the sequential clustering while producing a comparatively good clustering result.
Methods for Diagnosing the Sources of Acid Deposition

A regional-scale sulfur transport and deposition model has been developed and applied to several receptor regions in eastern North America. Model estimates of the fraction of source region emissions of sulfur dioxide reaching receptor areas (source-receptor relationships) as ambient SO2 or SO2- 4 and/or depositing there by precipitation or dryfall have been computed for nine potentially sensitive receptor regions in eastern North America. This modeling has illustrated that the source regions with the highest natural potential to contribute are those which are closest to the receptor region. The potential for a source region to contribute multiplied by its emissions density has yielded estimates of actual culpability. The source contributions are generally dominated by high-emission areas in the United States and Canadian provinces nearest the receptor.
Interfacing virtual and face-to-face teaching methods in an undergraduate human physiology course for health professions students.

Human physiology is a core physical sciences course for health professions students, such as nurses and exercise science majors. The concepts of human physiology lay the foundation for health profe...
Feedback in action: Examining teachers’ oral feedback to elementary writers

Abstract Despite potential variability in practice, feedback is widely accepted as a powerful source for increasing student learning. However, little is known about teachers' oral feedback practices and how they relate to elements of effective feedback. This study examines four fourth-grade teachers’ oral feedback interactions during writing instruction. Findings indicate that teachers provided regular, specific, and positive writing-focused feedback to students. However, teachers distributed their feedback differently, and their feedback varied in the extent to which it was actionable and provided students with opportunities to develop content. This study suggests additional dimensions of oral feedback to explore in research and practice.
Pleomorphic undifferentiated aortic sarcoma presenting as persistent endoleak after endovascular aneurysm repair

Abstract Sarcomas of the aorta are rare tumors with an unknown incidence and wide variety of clinical presentations. These malignant neoplasms are often manifested in an advanced state and with symptoms of nonmalignant vascular disease owing to a delay in diagnosis. We present the case of a 78-year-old man in whom workup was initially performed for a persistently enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular aortic repair but who was subsequently found to have a pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma of the aorta.
Incorporating a “Better” Behavioral Bias for Both Consumers and Firms in Rebate Programs

We study a rebate program in the credit card industry where the firm automatically processed the rebate earned by consumers with flexible and effortless redemption opportunities in future transacti...
Preserved network functional connectivity underlies cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis.

Cognitive reserve is one's mental resilience or resistance to the effects of structural brain damage. Reserve effects are well established in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and Alzheimer's disease, but the neural basis of this phenomenon is unclear. We aimed to investigate whether preservation of functional connectivity explains cognitive reserve. Seventy-four PwMS and 29 HCs underwent neuropsychological assessment and 3 T MRI. Structural damage measures included gray matter (GM) atrophy and network white matter (WM) tract disruption between pairs of GM regions. Resting-state functional connectivity was also assessed. PwMS exhibited significantly impaired cognitive processing speed (t = 2.14, p = .037) and visual/spatial memory (t = 2.72, p = .008), and had significantly greater variance in functional connectivity relative to HCs within relevant networks (p < .001, p < .001, p = .016). Higher premorbid verbal intelligence, a proxy for cognitive reserve, predicted relative preservation of functional connectivity despite accumulation of GM atrophy (standardized-β = .301, p = .021). Furthermore, preservation of functional connectivity attenuated the impact of structural network WM tract disruption on cognition (β = -.513, p = .001, for cognitive processing speed; β = -.209, p = .066, for visual/spatial memory). The data suggests that preserved functional connectivity explains cognitive reserve in PwMS, helping to maintain cognitive capacity despite structural damage.
Who is JUULing and Why? An Examination of Young Adult Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Users

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare characteristics of usual JUUL users versus other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) users, examine differences in reasons for use and perceptions across ENDS user groups, and identify significant correlates of usual JUUL use. Methods This study used data from 510 young adult ENDS users (ages 18–29 years) from Wave 7 (Spring 2018) of the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas Project (Project M-PACT). Chi-Square analyses, independent t-tests, and mixed-effects logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with usual JUUL use. Four separate regression analyses were conducted based on independent variables of interest; all models included demographics and ENDS/other tobacco use behaviors as covariates. Results Compared with other ENDS users, usual JUUL users were more likely to be male, younger, smoke cigarettes, reported a higher socioeconomic status (SES), used ENDS on more days in the past 30 days, and reported nicotine “hit” as a reason for use. Usual JUUL users had a higher prevalence of perceiving JUUL/pod vapes as addictive compared with other ENDS users, although perceived addictiveness was not significant in the multivariable models nor were the cessation and dependence measures different between ENDS user groups. Conclusions Results highlight concerns about the dual use of JUUL and cigarettes and raise additional concerns about the high nicotine concentration of JUUL. Future longitudinal research is needed to determine if usual JUUL users are more likely to develop symptoms of nicotine dependence compared with other ENDS users.
Seventeenth Century Immigrants to North America

For an essay on quality of immigrant life in the age of sail objective data are rare. Here, a process of estimation is enhanced, and qualified, using stages of the emigration process. Two journals of the era, those of Scots, Janet Schaw, and John Harrower, provide a personal link to events in the three-stage model of the experiences of travelers, many of whom were indentured servants. With the information from the Scots’ journals and a stochastic model of emigration we come a little closer to understanding the quality of life experienced by vital, energetic people seeking a higher quality of life across the Atlantic, in the age of sail.
“Black Workers Matter”: Black labor geographies and uneven redevelopment in post-Katrina New Orleans

For low-wage, predominantly Black workers in the city of New Orleans, post-Hurricane Katrina redevelopments constructing the “New New Orleans” present revanchist spatial configurations of uneven de...
Global Regulatory Roles of the Histidine-Responsive Transcriptional Repressor HutC in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25

HutC is known as a transcriptional repressor specific for histidine utilization (hut) genes in Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. However, its precise mode of protein-DNA interactions hasn't been examined with purified HutC proteins. Here, we performed electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNase I footprinting using His6-tagged HutC and biotin-labeled probe of the hut promoter (PhutU). Results revealed a complex pattern of HutC oligomerization, and the specific protein-DNA interaction is disrupted by urocanate, a histidine derivative, in a concentration-dependent manner. Next, we searched for putative HutC-binding sites in the SBW25 genome. This led to the identification of 143 candidate targets with a P value less than 10-4 HutC interaction with eight selected candidate sites was subsequently confirmed by EMSA analysis, including the type IV pilus assembly protein PilZ, phospholipase C (PlcC) for phosphatidylcholine hydrolyzation, and key regulators of cellular nitrogen metabolism (NtrBC and GlnE). Finally, an isogenic hutC deletion mutant was subjected to transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and phenotypic characterization. When bacteria were grown on succinate and histidine, hutC deletion caused upregulation of 794 genes and downregulation of 525 genes at a P value of <0.05 with a fold change cutoff of 2.0. The hutC mutant displayed an enhanced spreading motility and pyoverdine production in laboratory media, in addition to the previously reported growth defect on the surfaces of plants. Together, our data indicate that HutC plays global regulatory roles beyond histidine catabolism through low-affinity binding with operator sites located outside the hut locus.IMPORTANCE HutC in Pseudomonas is a representative member of the GntR/HutC family of transcriptional regulators, which possess a N-terminal winged helix-turn-helix (wHTH) DNA-binding domain and a C-terminal substrate-binding domain. HutC is generally known to repress expression of histidine utilization (hut) genes through binding to the PhutU promoter with urocanate (the first intermediate of the histidine degradation pathway) as the direct inducer. Here, we first describe the detailed molecular interactions between HutC and its PhutU target site in a plant growth-promoting bacterium, P. fluorescens SBW25, and further show that HutC possesses specific DNA-binding activities with many targets in the SBW25 genome. Subsequent RNA-seq analysis and phenotypic assays revealed an unexpected global regulatory role of HutC for successful bacterial colonization in planta.
Transphobic discrimination and health

Abstract This chapter addresses the hostility that transgender people (i.e., individuals whose sense of whether they are male or female does not agree with their genital anatomy at birth) face in US society, including in the health-care system. It outlines the types of prejudice and unfair treatment that they face in social interactions and within institutional arenas. The chapter also offers an overview of the minority stress model, a theoretical framework that posits that stressful events (e.g., prejudice, violence, and discrimination) that stem from social environments result in poor health for the LGBT community. Findings from social scientific studies that support the applicability of the minority stress model to the transgender population are also discussed. In particular, the chapter discusses evidence for the linkage between transphobic discrimination and health. Also, mental, physical, and sexual health disparities faced by the transgender community are outlined. The chapter ends with a discussion of hostile and discriminatory experiences that transgender people face in the health-care system, and the author offers tips for creating trans friendly and inclusive health-care settings.
The past, present, and future of marketing strategy

This article provides a high-level overview of marketing strategy research and offers a number of suggestions of areas ripe for future research. We discuss the most fundamental concepts that continue to drive current marketing strategy research and examine how these concepts have shaped marketing strategy and the role of the marketing function. In addition, we highlight the developments in marketing accountability, marketing’s influence within the firm, and alternatives to a market-driven approach in generating sustainable competitive advantage. Finally, we identify directions for future research in the light of recent developments, availability of new data, and emerging issues.
Neuronal-Specific Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum Mg2+/Ca2+ ATPase Ca2+ Uptake in a Mixed Primary Hippocampal Culture Model of Status Epilepticus

Loss of intracellular calcium homeostasis is an established mechanism associated with neuronal dysfunction and status epilepticus. Sequestration of free cytosolic calcium into endoplasmic reticulum by Mg2+/Ca2+ adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) is critical for maintenance of intracellular calcium homeostasis. Exposing hippocampal cultures to low-magnesium media is a well-accepted in vitro model of status epilepticus. Using this model, it was shown that endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake was significantly inhibited in homogenates from cultures demonstrating electrophysiological seizure phenotypes. Calcium uptake was mainly neuronal. However, glial Ca2+ uptake was also significantly inhibited. Viability of neurons exposed to low magnesium was similar to neurons exposed to control solutions. Finally, it was demonstrated that Ca2+ uptake inhibition and intracellular free Ca2+ levels increased in parallel with increasing incubation in low magnesium. The results suggest that inhibition of Mg2+/Ca2+ ATPase-mediated endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sequestration contributes to loss of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis associated with status epilepticus. This study describes for the first time inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum Mg2+/Ca2+ ATPase in a mixed primary hippocampal model of status epilepticus. In combination with animal models of status epilepticus, the cell culture model provides a powerful tool to further elucidate mechanisms that result in inhibition of Mg2+/Ca2+ ATPase and downstream consequences of decreased enzyme activity.
New Constraints on the Geometry and Kinematics of Matter Surrounding the Accretion Flow in X-Ray Binaries from Chandra High-energy Transmission Grating X-Ray Spectroscopy

The narrow, neutral Fe Kα fluorescence emission line in X-ray binaries (XRBs) is a powerful probe of the geometry, kinematics, and Fe abundance of matter around the accretion flow. In a recent study it has been claimed, using Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) spectra for a sample of XRBs, that the circumnuclear material is consistent with a solar-abundance, uniform, spherical distribution. It was also claimed that the Fe Kα line was unresolved in all cases by the HETG. However, these conclusions were based on ad hoc models that did not attempt to relate the global column density to the Fe Kα line emission. We revisit the sample and test a self-consistent model of a uniform, spherical X-ray reprocessor against HETG spectra from 56 observations of 14 Galactic XRBs. We find that the model is ruled out in 13/14 sources because a variable Fe abundance is required. In two sources a spherical distribution is viable, but with nonsolar Fe abundance. We also applied a solar-abundance Compton-thick reflection model, which can account for the spectra that are inconsistent with a spherical model, but spectra with a broader bandpass are required to better constrain model parameters. We also robustly measured the velocity width of the Fe Kα line and found FWHM values of up to approx. 5000 km/s. Only in some spectra was the Fe Kα line unresolved by the HETG.
Commercial surrogacy in the age of intensive mothering

This study examines the navigation of intensive mothering ideology – the dominant cultural mothering schema in the US which places pressure on mothers to exclusively devote time and energy to their...
Surveillance for Adverse Events After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination.

Importance Safety surveillance of vaccines against COVID-19 is critical to ensure safety, maintain trust, and inform policy. Objectives To monitor 23 serious outcomes weekly, using comprehensive health records on a diverse population. Design, Setting, and Participants This study represents an interim analysis of safety surveillance data from Vaccine Safety Datalink. The 10 162 227 vaccine-eligible members of 8 participating US health plans were monitored with administrative data updated weekly and supplemented with medical record review for selected outcomes from December 14, 2020, through June 26, 2021. Exposures Receipt of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccination, with a risk interval of 21 days for individuals after vaccine dose 1 or 2 compared with an interval of 22 to 42 days for similar individuals after vaccine dose 1 or 2. Main Outcomes and Measures Incidence of serious outcomes, including acute myocardial infarction, Bell palsy, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, myocarditis/pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. Incidence of events that occurred among vaccine recipients 1 to 21 days after either dose 1 or 2 of a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine was compared with that of vaccinated concurrent comparators who, on the same calendar day, had received their most recent dose 22 to 42 days earlier. Rate ratios (RRs) were estimated by Poisson regression, adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, health plan, and calendar day. For a signal, a 1-sidedP Results A total of 11 845 128 doses of mRNA vaccines (57% BNT162b2; 6 175 813 first doses and 5 669 315 second doses) were administered to 6.2 million individuals (mean age, 49 years; 54% female individuals). The incidence of events per 1 000 000 person-years during the risk vs comparison intervals for ischemic stroke was 1612 vs 1781 (RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.87-1.08); for appendicitis, 1179 vs 1345 (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73-0.93); and for acute myocardial infarction, 935 vs 1030 (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.89-1.18). No vaccine-outcome association met the prespecified requirement for a signal. Incidence of confirmed anaphylaxis was 4.8 (95% CI, 3.2-6.9) per million doses of BNT162b2 and 5.1 (95% CI, 3.3-7.6) per million doses of mRNA-1273. Conclusions and Relevance In interim analyses of surveillance of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, incidence of selected serious outcomes was not significantly higher 1 to 21 days postvaccination compared with 22 to 42 days postvaccination. While CIs were wide for many outcomes, surveillance is ongoing.
Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation of the Thalamic Visual Pathway in a Large Animal Model

Background: Neuromodulation of deep brain structures via transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a promising, but still elusive approach to non-invasive treatment of brain disorders. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether MR-guided TUS of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) can modulate visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and cortical brain oscillations in a large animal model. Methods: The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) on one side was identified with T2-weighted MRI in sheep (all male, n=9). MR acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) was used to confirm a tight sonication focus. Electroencephalographic (EEG) signals were recorded, and the visual evoked potential (VEP) peak-to-peak amplitude (N70 and P100) was calculated for each trial. Time-frequency spectral analysis was performed to elucidate the effect of TUS on cortical brain dynamics. Results: The VEP peak-to-peak amplitude was reversibly suppressed relative to baseline during TUS. Dynamic spectral analysis demonstrated a change in cortical oscillations when TUS is paired with visual sensory input, but not when TUS is applied by itself. Conclusion: TUS non-invasively delivered to LGN can neuromodulate visual activity and oscillatory dynamics in large mammalian brains.
Pregnancy-Associated Kidney Injury

A 23-year-old G1P0000 without prior past medical history is 31 weeks pregnant with prenatal care presents with complaints of worsening leg and face swelling for the past 2 days now seeks care because of headache, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. On exam she is found to have a blood pressure of 120/86, edema, and brisk deep tendon reflexes. Laboratory testing revealed hemoglobin 11.3 g/dl, platelet count 141,000/μl white blood count 18,000/μl, creatinine 1.1 mg/dl, aspartate aminotransferases (AST) 65 U/l, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 400 U/l, total bilirubin 1.1 mg/dl, prothrombin time (PT) 14.7 s, ammonia of 90 mcg/dl, blood glucose 139 mg/dl, calcium 7.3 mg/dl, and uric acid of 6.0 mg/dl. The urinalysis demonstrated WBC’s 3–5/hpf, RBC’s 3–5/hpf—non-dysmorphic, renal tubular epithelial cells were seen and a urine protein to creatinine ratio of 2. One day after hospitalization the patient’s blood pressure was 145/87 with a similar blood pressure 6 h later.
TeraGrids: the future of terascale cluster computing

Commodity processors and storage (embodied in clusters), very high-performance WAN and LAN interconnects, Linux and open source HPC and Grid software are transforming the way we develop and deploy high-performance computing resources. Concurrently, a new model of nationally integrated, tightly coupled scientific data archives and instruments is emerging. This talk outlines a new worldview of distributed data, computing, and network resources for 21st century science and engineering. It concludes with a look at the future of cluster computing and some thoughts on the five and ten year futures.
Enforcing Federal Supremacy: Relief against Federal-State Regulatory Conflicts

fornia claims as its own notwithstanding some thirty miles of Pacific Ocean separating the two. One may reach Catalina by boat or by plane, the latter operated by United Air Lines, an air carrier in interstate and intrastate commerce. This Catalina air service had been under the unchallenged jurisdiction of the Civil Aeronautics Board for twelve years when, in September, 1951, United received a letter from the California Public Utilities Commission "instructing" it to file its Catalina tariffs with the Commission. Then followed a series of conferences between United and the Commission in which United claimed, and the Commission denied, that the CAB had exclusive jurisdiction over the Catalina operation. These conferences proved inconclusive and in June, 1952, United brought suit in the federal district court for declaratory relief against the Commission's attempt to interfere with the CAB's jurisdiction, United Air Lines, Inc., et al. v. Public Utilities Commission of California.' United's problem was one that has become increasingly common with the steady expansion of administrative regulation by the states. Federal regulation having been extended to its constitutional limits in many fields, the system of federalism is now being put to the test with unpiecedented frequency as state regulatory power is being pushed to its constitutional limits.2 The problems of federalism in action in such fields as labor relations, taxation and public utilities are before the public eye constantly.3 The United case sheds no light on the distribution of regulatory powers between state and federal governments. It is no less of interest, however, because it focuses on the practical problem of the litigant who is the object of regulation and is caught between the massive powers of governments in
Thermonuclear Supernova Models

What are now called Type la supernovae are generally thought to be the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf star [1]. The decay of the 56Ni (and then the 56Co) from the explosive burning, which heats the expanding gas, produces the characteristic light curve [2]. An important question which has not received adequate attention is that of ignition: how does the burning start? There are two prominent candidates: (1) ignition of 12C+12C in the core of white dwarf composed of CO, due to compressive heating from continued accretion [3, 4], and (2) ignition of He in a shell around a CO core [5], followed by explosive burning of the CO core as well as the He shell. In the first case the mass of the white dwarf is near the Chandrasekhar mass (M≈1.4M ⊙), while in the second case the white dwarf mass lies in a range 0.7M ⊙ ≤ M ≤ 1.4M ⊙ (these are called “sub-Chandrasekhar” models). Other burning stages of less promising. Hydrogen burning is a relatively nonexplosive fuel because of the rate of burning is limited by beta decays. Although neon and oxygen burning can be explosive, they would require higher density than carbon for degenerate ignition, and would likely suffer too much electron capture to make Ni (hence Fe) isotopes correctly (see below).
Twentieth century tropical sea surface temperature trends revisited.

[1] This study compares the global distribution of 20th century SST and marine air temperature trends from a wide variety of data sets including un-interpolated archives as well as globally-complete reconstructions. Apart from the eastern equatorial Pacific, all datasets show consistency in their statistically significant trends, with warming everywhere except the far northwestern Atlantic; the largest warming trends are found in the middle latitudes of both hemispheres. Two of the SST reconstructions exhibit statistically significant cooling trends over the eastern equatorial Pacific, in disagreement with the un-interpolated SST and marine air temperature datasets which show statistically significant warming in this region. Twentieth century trends in tropical marine cloudiness, precipitation and SLP from independent data sets provide physically consistent evidence for a reduction in the strength of the atmospheric Walker Circulation accompanied by an eastward shift of deep convection from the western to the central equatorial Pacific.
Quantization for LTI systems with noiseless channels

This paper studies the rate requirements for achieving a monotonic bounded estimation error sequence and stability achieving communication schemes, recursive and forward-looking, for LTI systems where the controller and the plant are connected via a noiseless digital channel. Using information theoretic arguments, quantizers are designed under two different criteria, both of which use the mean-square estimation error measure. For the monotonic boundedness of the uncertainty, which is measured in terms of the mean-square error or the entropy power, it is shown that in noiseless systems recursive schemes entail no loss of performance as compared with forward-looking schemes, whereas in noisy systems recursiveness in quantization leads to higher bit rate requirements. For noiseless systems, uniform quantization noise is shown to be the effective one and distortion constrained entropy minimizing quantization is introduced as a time invariant stable quantization method.
Display station anthropometrics: preferred height and angle settings of CRT and keyboard.

This study investigates display station physical adjustments preferred by a sample of visual display terminal operators. Participants in the study were selected to assure representation of extremel...
Insecure Land Rights and Share Tenancy: Evidence from Madagascar

Most studies of tenurial insecurity focus on its effects on investment. This paper studies the hitherto unexplored relationship between tenurial insecurity and land tenancy contracts. Based on distinct features of formal law and customary rights in Madagascar, this paper augments the canonical model of sharecropping by making the strength of the landlord's property right increasing in the amount of risk she bears within the contract. Using data on landlords' subjective perceptions in rural Madagascar, empirical tests support the hypothesis that insecure property rights drive contract choice but offer little support in favor of the canonical risk sharing hypothesis.
Bronchial carcinoid in college freshman with persistent focal wheeze.

Purpose To bring attention to a rare diagnosis in the pediatric population that is in the differential diagnosis for not well-controlled asthma. Data sources Case presentation. Conclusions Pulmonary carcinoid tumors are rare and usually present late in adolescence. Most of these tumors are located in the proximal airways and symptoms may be similar to those of asthma including cough, wheeze, chest pain, or recurrent pneumonia. Implications for practice Bronchial carcinoid should be in the differential diagnosis for adolescents with difficult to control asthma, who have symptoms including chronic cough and focal wheeze. Referral to a pulmonary specialist should be considered to help work up the differential diagnoses.
A high ratio of dietary animal to vegetable protein increases the rate of bone loss and the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women

Background: Different sources of dietary protein may have different effects on bone metabolism. Animal foods provide predominantly acid precursors, whereas protein in vegetable foods is accompanied by base precursors not found in animal foods. Imbalance between dietary acid and base precursors leads to a chronic net dietary acid load that may have adverse consequences on bone. Objective: We wanted to test the hypothesis that a high dietary ratio of animal to vegetable foods, quantified by protein content, increases bone loss and the risk of fracture. Design: This was a prospective cohort study with a mean (±SD) of 7.0 ± 1.5 y of follow-up of 1035 community-dwelling white women aged >65 y. Protein intake was measured by using a food-frequency questionnaire and bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Bone mineral density was not significantly associated with the ratio of animal to vegetable protein intake. Women with a high ratio had a higher rate of bone loss at the femoral neck than did those with a low ratio (P = 0.02) and a greater risk of hip fracture (relative risk = 3.7, P = 0.04). These associations were unaffected by adjustment for age, weight, estrogen use, tobacco use, exercise, total calcium intake, and total protein intake. Conclusions: Elderly women with a high dietary ratio of animal to vegetable protein intake have more rapid femoral neck bone loss and a greater risk of hip fracture than do those with a low ratio. This suggests that an increase in vegetable protein intake and a decrease in animal protein intake may decrease bone loss and the risk of hip fracture. This possibility should be confirmed in other prospective studies and tested in a randomized trial.
Hepatic microsomal metabolism and covalent binding of 2,4-dinitrotoluene.

The effects of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and the hepatic metabolism and covalent binding of this compound to microsomal proteins in vitro were studied. Male Fischer-344 rats received po doses of DNT daily for 5 days at 14, 35, and 70 mg/kg/day. Hepatic oxygen-insensitive cytosolic azoreductase activity was increased and microsomal nitroreductase was decreased by DNT treatments. A small but significant increase in liver/body weight ratio and in hepatic cytochromes P-450 and b5 occurred in the absence of changes in microsomal biphenyl hydroxylase or aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities. The patterns of in vitro microsomal metabolism of DNT were dependent on oxygen tension: under aerobic conditions, 2,4-dinitrobenzyl alcohol (DNBAlc) was the major metabolite whereas under anaerobic conditions no DNBAlc was detected; 2-amino-4-nitrotoluene (2A4NT) and 4-amino-2-nitrotoluene (4A2NT) were the major metabolites. Pretreatment of rats with phenobarbital or Aroclor 1254 increased the metabolism of 2,4-DNT to DNBAlc by six- to sevenfold. Metabolism to the alcohol was inhibited by SKF-525A. These data suggested that oxidative metabolism of 2,4-DNT to DNBAlc was mediated by cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function oxidases. Covalent binding studies showed that a maximum of only 7 pmol of 2,4-DNT-derived radioactivity was bound per milligram of microsomal protein per hour; this binding was increased to 1.0 nmol bound/mg protein/hr in microsomes from phenobarbital of Aroclor 1254-pretreated rats. It is concluded that 2,4-DNT treatment had little effect on the activity of some hepatic xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and was readily metabolized by liver preparations in vitro. The pathways of in vitro metabolism were dependent on oxygen tension. This in vitro metabolism produced mostly polar metabolites which did not bind appreciably to microsomal macromolecules.
The tyranny of the moral majority: American religion and politics since the pilgrim fathers

Abstract Americans claim to be the most religious people in the Christian world. Religion has informed their politics ever since the Pilgrim Fathers, who began the tyranny of the majority which Tocqueville outlined in Democracy in America (1985), his version of Aristotle's ‘ochlocracy’. In recent times this has taken the form of the ‘moral majority’ institutionalized by Jerry Falwell and the fundamentalists who set out to capture the Republican Party under Nixon and Reagan. In fact, it was never a majority: ‘born again’ Christians, not all of the right‐wing in politics, were less than one fifth of a national sample in 1980 ‐ a third of African Americans, who voted ten to one against Reagan. Nonetheless they influenced every President from Eisenhower to Bush, and they are the major force behind the move to impeach Clinton. Since they failed, they may now give way for a more moderate politics of Christian forgiveness.
Sleep disorders in children and teens. Helping patients and their families get some rest.

PREVIEW“Your parents are tired—go to bed!” Well-intentioned physicians trying to assist the fatigued family of a sleepless youngster may recognize this familiar refrain. Increased awareness of the problem, a firm grasp of the most common causes in each age-group, and an effective method of taking a history that is applicable to all age-groups are necessary to diagnose sleep disorders. In this article, the authors describe a practical approach to achieving results that are rewarding for physicians, reassuring to young patients, and gratifying to bleary-eyed parents.
Phenotypic Signatures Arising from Unbalanced Bacterial Growth

Fluctuations in the growth rate of a bacterial culture during unbalanced growth are generally considered undesirable in quantitative studies of bacterial physiology. Under well-controlled experimental conditions, however, these fluctuations are not random but instead reflect the interplay between intra-cellular networks underlying bacterial growth and the growth environment. Therefore, these fluctuations could be considered quantitative phenotypes of the bacteria under a specific growth condition. Here, we present a method to identify “phenotypic signatures” by time-frequency analysis of unbalanced growth curves measured with high temporal resolution. The signatures are then applied to differentiate amongst different bacterial strains or the same strain under different growth conditions, and to identify the essential architecture of the gene network underlying the observed growth dynamics. Our method has implications for both basic understanding of bacterial physiology and for the classification of bacterial strains.
Formaldehyde-induced gene expression in F344 rat nasal respiratory epithelium.

Formaldehyde (FA), an occupational and environmental toxicant used extensively in the manufacturing of many household and personal use products, is known to induce squamous cell carcinomas in the nasal turbinates of rats and mice and squamous metaplasia in monkey noses. Tissue responses to FA include a dose dependent epithelial degeneration, respiratory cell hypertrophy, and squamous metaplasia. The primary target for FA-induced toxicity in both rodents and monkeys is the respiratory nasal epithelium. FA increases nasal epithelial cell proliferation and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPX) that are associated with subsequent nasal cancer development. To address the acute effects of FA exposure that might contribute to known pathological changes, cDNA gene expression analysis was used. Two groups of male F344 rats received either 40 ul of distilled water or FA (400 mM) instilled into each nostril. Twenty-four hours following treatment, nasal epithelium was recovered from which total RNA was used to generate cDNA probes. Significance analysis of microarrays (SAM) hybridization data using Clontech Rat Atlas 1.2 arrays revealed that 24 of the 1185 genes queried were significantly up-regulated and 22 genes were significantly downregulated. Results for ten of the differentially expressed genes were confirmed by quantitative real time RT PCR. The identified genes with FA-induced change in expression belong to the functional gene categories xenobiotic metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, and DNA repair. These data suggest that multiple pathways are dysregulated by FA exposure, including those involved in DNA synthesis/repair and regulation of cell proliferation. Differential gene expression profiles may provide clues that could be used to define mechanisms involved in FA-induced nasal cancer.
INHIBITION OF STREPTOCOCCAL GROWTH BY HUMAN BLOOD AGAR

It is generally accepted that the ideal culture plate medium for Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) is 5% sheep's blood agar (SBA), with human, rabbit or horse blood being acceptable substitutes. During a recent study of acute pharyngitis conducted in Costa Rica, because of a relative unavailability of sheep's blood, human blood agar plates were utilized. After 29 of 30 throat cultures were negative for GABHS in spite of excellent growth of other organisms, sheep's blood agar was obtained, and a standard GABHS strain (J174A4) from the American Type Culture Collection was reconstituted. Sheep and human blood agar plates were inoculated, then incubated both aerobically and anerobically. After 24 hours of incubation, poor colony growth with minimal hemolysis was noted on both the aerobic and anerobic human blood plates, with excellent growth and beta hemolysis on SBA. Frozen samples from the 30 original throat cultures were subsequently grown on SBA and typed by means of latex agglutination. Four specimens in addition to the original positive culture were confirmed as positive for GABHS. One was suspicious but could not be isolated for confirmation. Preliminary data suggest that human blood agar is not an acceptable substitute for SBA as some lots may contain factors which may inhibit growth of GABHS.
Building a secretory apparatus: role of ARF1/COPI in Golgi biogenesis and maintenance

The secretory apparatus within all eukaryotic cells comprises a dynamic membrane system with bidirectional membrane transport pathways and overlapping compartmental boundaries. Membrane traffic and organelle biogenesis/maintenance are fundamentally linked within this system, with perturbations in membrane traffic quickly leading to changes in organelle structure and identity. Dissection of the molecular basis of these properties in yeast and mammalian cells has revealed a crucial role for the cytoplasmic protein complex ARF1/COPI, which undergoes regulated assembly and disassembly with membranes. ARF1/COPI appears to be involved in the formation and maintenance of the Golgi complex, which is the receiving and delivery station for all secretory traffic. ARF1-GTP, through assembly of COPI to membranes and, possibly, through activation of PLD, is likely to promote the formation and maturation of pre-Golgi intermediates into Golgi elements, whereas ARF-GDP causes COPI dissociation and stimulates the formation of retrograde transport structures that recycle Golgi membrane back to the ER. These processes are appear to underlie the coupling of organelle biogenesis and membrane trafficking within cells, allowing the size and shape of secretory organelles to be altered in response to changing cellular needs. Future work needs to address how the activation and localization of ARF1/COPI to membranes as well as other related factors are temporally and spatially regulated, and by what mechanism they transform membrane shape and dynamics to facilitate protein transport and compartmental functioning.
Radiographic findings in esophageal atresia with proximal pouch fistula (type B).

Patients with esophageal atresia and proximal pouch fistula have plain films that simulate esophageal atresia without fistula. Clinical suspicions of the existence of the proximal pouch fistula may occur when marked aspiration of barium occurs following outlining of the proximal pouch, or by choking spells during irrigation of the proximal pouch. Outlining of the fistula from the pouch requires some form of continuous imaging, either with T.V. tape, cine or 70 mm. spot films. Of interest is the fairly long distal esophageal segment found in the three cases reported, as opposed to the usual short segment of the distal esophagus seen in infants with esophageal atresia without fistula.
Imaging-based selection for intra-arterial stroke therapies

Reperfusion therapy is the only proven treatment for acute ischemic stroke.1 ,2 For proximal arterial occlusions, intra-arterial treatment (IAT) yields substantially higher rates of early revascularization than FDA-approved treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).3 However, recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) show no added clinical benefit of IAT compared with standard medical management.4–6 Although there are clear limitations to these trials,7 a major lesson is that the signal of benefit favoring IAT is much smaller than expected. In this context, improving patient selection for IAT remains essential, with neuroimaging playing a central role. This article begins with a pathophysiologic argument for the importance of imaging, discusses the available neuroimaging tools and their reliability and reviews the evidence supporting the use of imaging to predict the response to IAT. Current guidelines recommend a time window of 6 h for intra-arterial thrombolysis.8 Mechanical therapies are cleared for use up to 8 h. Although the time window for IAT efficacy remains unclear,9 treatment efficacy erodes with time,10 placing a clear emphasis on rapid treatment delivery. However, this has come at the expense of potentially valuable neuroimaging as well as a rigorous approach to imaging interpretation. In both the SYNTHESIS Expansion and Interventional Management of Stroke (IMS) III trials (table 1), only a non-contrast CT (NCCT) scan was required prior to enrollment.5 ,6 The primary imaging exclusion criterion for the SYNTHESIS Expansion trial (in addition to hemorrhage) was the presence of well-established infarction (as a marker of potentially longer stroke duration). For IMS III, it was the presence of clear hypodensity involving more than one-third of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. As will be discussed, these findings are of limited value in excluding patients who are unlikely to respond to treatment. The major limitation of …