cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of a telemedicine intervention on home non-invasive ventilation in a rural population with advanced COPD

INTRODUCTION Rural regions have unique challenges with the implementation of new therapies upon discharge from the hospital due to multiple barriers. OBJECTIVES We investigated the effect of home non-invasive ventilation (NIV) plus the implementation of a call center following hospitalization for acute exacerbations of COPD (chronic obstructive lung disease) on NIV usage and readmissions. METHODS In this prospective pilot study, consecutive patients were screened at our institution for diagnosis of hypercarbic respiratory failure or COPD exacerbation from 2018 to 2019. Patients with more than two admissions in the last year were reviewed for eligibility. Of the 82 patients screened, 22 were eligible. There were 10 participants randomized to the intervention (NIV and call center) arm and 10 to NIV alone. RESULTS A total of 20 patients were randomized (mean age of 64, 45% males, BMI of 32). At three months, average usage was 32.1 days out of 90, 35%. When comparing the call center group to the standard group, there was a statistically significant difference in total days of device usage 48.7 compared to 15.5 (significant U-value of 16, critical value of U at p<.05 of 27) and cumulative use in hours 284 versus 87.7 (significant U-value of 20). Participants in the call center group were readmitted on average 4.2 times compared to 2.4 in the control group which was not statistically different (non-significant U-value of 42). In the follow-up period, 9/20 (45%) of the participants died. CONCLUSION This pilot study highlights the challenges in implementing care for advanced COPD in a rural population. Our data suggest that telemedicine may favorably address therapy adherence.
The Impact of Stress Within and Across Generations: Neuroscientific and Epigenetic Considerations.

ABSTRACT The impact of stress and trauma on biological systems in humans can be substantial. They can result in epigenetic changes, accelerated brain development and sexual maturation, and predisposition to psychopathology. Such modifications may be accompanied by behavioral, emotional, and cognitive overtones during one's lifetime. Exposure during sensitive periods of neural development may lead to long-lasting effects that may not be affected by subsequent environmental interventions. The cumulative effects of life stressors in an individual may affect offspring's methylome makeup and epigenetic clocks, neurohormonal modulation and stress reactivity, and physiological and reproductive development. While offspring may suffer deleterious effects from parental stress and their own early-life adversity, these factors may also confer traits that prove beneficial and enhance fitness to their own environment. This article synthesizes the data on how stress shapes biological and behavioral dimensions, drawing from preclinical and human models. Advances in this field of knowledge should potentially allow for an improved understanding of how interventions may be increasingly tailored according to individual biomarkers and developmental history.
Promoting physical activity participation and nutrition education through a telehealth intervention for children on the autism spectrum and their caregivers.

There is growing empirical support which suggests children on the autism spectrum, as well as their caregivers experience significant health disparities. The global COVID-19 pandemic has only magnified the need to address health among vulnerable populations. While there has been a growing trend in the delivery of telehealth interventions, the delivery of such methods for children on the autism spectrum, and their caregivers remains relatively under examined. The primary goal of PLANE (Physical Literacy And Nutrition Education) is to promote positive trajectories of health for children on the autism spectrum and their primary caregivers through the delivery of a telehealth physical activity and nutrition education program. The study is a pre-experimental analysis of PLANE across 12 months. All activities will be delivered virtually through weekly synchronous and asynchronous programming. A total of 180 participants will be enrolled in this intervention, including children on the autism spectrum and caregivers. Each week a new physical activity skill along with opportunities for recipe assembly will be delivered remotely. Supplemental material will be disseminated online including; step by step directions outlining behavioral skill methodology, opportunities for additional skill practice, and reading material that support weekly topics. Study outcomes will be examined in the parent-child dyad and include rates of overweight/obesity, physical activity, nutrition and quality of life. Finally, feasibility of the telehealth intervention will also be measured. Justification for the conceptualization and delivery of PLANE is well warranted, and PLANE represents a promising intervention which is scalable, sustainable, and replicable.
The association of pre-war medical conditions to Gulf War Illness.

Abstract Aims Gulf War Illness (GWI) remains a significant health concern for many veterans. The relation of pre-war health conditions and symptoms to GWI could aid in developing a more accurate case definition of GWI. The objective of this study was to investigate pre-war predictors of GWI in a population-based sample of Gulf War veterans using two definitions of GWI. Main methods Data come from the 1995–1997 National Health Survey of Persian Gulf War Era Veterans, a survey of a representative sample of deployed and non-deployed US veterans. Using two definitions of GWI (CDC/Kansas and a newly developed 3-domain definition), we conducted a series of multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the associations of demographic, lifestyle factors, and pre-war medical conditions and symptoms to subsequent GWI. Key findings All pre-war symptom predictor domains were significantly and positively associated with GWI using a new 3-domain definition with aORs for individual domains ranging from 2.17 (95% CI = 1.99–2.38) for dermatologic conditions to 3.06 (95% CI = 2.78–3.37) for neurological conditions. All symptom predictor domains were associated with significantly increased likelihood of GWI using the CDC/Kansas definition, with aORs ranging from 2.54 (95% CI = 2.31–2.81) for inflammatory conditions to 3.22 (95% CI = 2.94–3.55) for neurological conditions. These estimates were attenuated but remained significant after inclusion of all significant symptom predictor domains. Significance Results from this study suggest that demographic/lifestyle factors and pre-war medical conditions are strong predictors of GWI. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings, and to clarify the unique characteristics of this common, but still poorly understood illness.
Active Pages: Memory-Centric Computation

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the enormous potential of memory-centric computation, along with several issues specific to the Active Pages DRAM environment. The potential for all memory-centric designs is the bandwidth between memory and the nearest computational unit. The challenge, just as in Active Pages, is how to communicate between units. As the ratio of memory to processing units decreases, the total bandwidth increases, but the communication needs increase. This different balance between computation and communication can affect the asymptotic properties of algorithms. The barriers for intelligent memory, in particular, are the need for explicit parallel programming and the buy-in by manufacturers to put it in commodity production to lower the price. The advent of multicore commodity processors pushes the field in two directions. First, it provides performance improvements in multiprogrammed environments without the need for parallel programming. This hurts the case for intelligent memory. The prevalence of parallel processors in the market, however, increases the utility of parallel programming so that this may not be such a rare skill in the future. If parallel programming becomes commonplace, then intelligent memory will be poised for success in the commodity market.
Semantic Extraction and Semantics-Based Annotation and Retrieval for Video Databases

Digital video databases have become more pervasive and finding video clips quickly in large databases becomes a major challenge. Due to the nature of video, accessing contents of video is difficult and time-consuming. With content-based video systems today, there exists a significant gap between the user's information and what the system can deliver. Therefore, enabling intelligent means of interpretation on visual content, semantics annotation and retrieval are important topics of research. In this paper, we consider semantic interpretation of the contents as annotation tags for video clips, giving a retrieval-driven and application-oriented semantics extraction, annotation and retrieval model for video database management system. This system design employs an algorithm on objects' relation and it can reveal the semantics defined with fast real-time computation.
The Amplification Effect: Foreign Aid's Impact on Political Institutions

Summary How does foreign aid affect recipient countries' political institutions? Two competing hypotheses offer contradictory predictions. The first sees aid, when delivered correctly, as an important means of making dictatorial recipient countries more democratic. The second sees aid as a corrosive force on recipient countries' political institutions that makes them more dictatorial. This paper offers a third hypothesis about how aid affects recipients' political institutions that we call the “amplification effect.” We argue that foreign aid has neither the power to make dictatorships more democratic nor to make democracies more dictatorial. It only amplifies recipients' existing political institutions. We investigate this hypothesis using panel data for 124 countries between 1960 and 2009. Our findings support the amplification effect. Aid strengthens democracy in already democratic countries and dictatorship in already dictatorial regimes.
Overexpression of Serum Response Factor in Neurons Restores Ocular Dominance Plasticity in a Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

Background Deficits in neuronal plasticity underlie many neurobehavioral and cognitive problems presented in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Our laboratory has developed a ferret model showing that early alcohol exposure leads to a persistent disruption in ocular dominance plasticity (ODP). For instance, a few days of monocular deprivation results in a robust reduction of visual cortex neurons' responsiveness to stimulation of the deprived eye in normal animals, but not in ferrets with early alcohol exposure. Previously our laboratory demonstrated that overexpression of serum response factor (SRF) exclusively in astrocytes can improve neuronal plasticity in FASD. Here, we test whether neuronal overexpression of SRF can achieve similar effects. Methods Ferrets received 3.5 g/kg alcohol intraperitoneally (25% in saline) or saline as control every other day between postnatal day 10 to 30, which is roughly equivalent to the third trimester of human gestation. Animals were given intracortical injections of a Herpes Simplex Virus-based vector to express either green fluorescent protein or a constitutively active form of SRF in infected neurons. They were then monocularly deprived by eyelid suture for 4 to 5 days after which single-unit recordings were conducted to determine whether changes in ocular dominance had occurred. Results Overexpression of a constitutively active form of SRF by neurons restored ODP in alcohol-treated animals. This effect was observed only in areas near the site of viral infection. Conclusions Overexpression of SRF in neurons can restore plasticity in the ferret model of FASD, but only in areas near the site of infection. This contrasts with SRF overexpression in astrocytes which restored plasticity throughout the visual cortex.
Relationship between the whole of software architecture and its parts: an NFR perspective

An interesting practical problem is the relationship of the non-functional requirements (or NFRs) of constituents of software architecture to the architecture. For example, if the constituents of a software architecture are adaptable (reliable, secure, usable, etc.), will the software architecture itself be adaptable (reliable, secure, usable, etc.)? It is generally accepted that the constituents of the software architecture are components, connections, constraints, styles and patterns. And, as a corollary, what is the minimum number of constituents that need to possess the NFR? This paper explores these problems for an industrial telecom system that is used as a case study and concentrates on a specific NFR, namely, adaptability. Employing the NFR framework for justification, this paper concludes that possession of the NFRs by the constituents is helpful for the final software architecture to possess that NFR. This paper also develops heuristics on how many constituents need to possess the NFR so that the final architecture possesses the NFR.
Seismic structure in central Mexico: Implications for fragmentation of the subducted Cocos plate

[1] The fine-scale seismic structure of the central Mexico subduction zone is studied using moderate-sized (M4-6) intraslab earthquakes. Regional waveforms from the Mapping the Rivera Subduction Zone (MARS) seismic array are complicated and contain detailed information about the subduction zone structure, including evidence of lateral heterogeneity. This waveform information is used to model the structure of the subducted plates, particularly along the transition from flat to normal subduction, where recent studies have shown evidence for possible slab tearing along the eastern projection of the Orozco Fracture Zone (OFZ). The lateral extent of a thin ultra-slow velocity layer (USL) imaged atop the Cocos slab in recent studies along the Meso America Subduction Experiment array is examined here using MARS waveforms. We find an edge to this USL which is coincident with the western boundary of the projected OFZ region. Forward modeling of the 2D structure of the subducted Rivera and Cocos plates using a finite difference algorithm provides constraints on the velocity and geometry of each slab’s seismic structure in this region and confirms the location of the USL edge. We propose that the Cocos slab is currently fragmenting into a North Cocos plate and a South Cocos plate along the projection of the OFZ, in agreement with observations of variable Cocos plate motion on either side of the OFZ. This tearing event may be a young analogy to the 10 Ma Rivera-Cocos plate boundary, and may be related to the slab rollback in central Mexico.
Population Dynamics of Black Crappies and White Crappies in Weiss Reservoir, Alabama: Implications for the Implementation of Harvest Restrictions

Abstract We examined the effects of angling and the advisability of imposing harvest restrictions on the fishery for black crappies Pomoxis nigromaculatus and white crappies P. annularis at Weiss Reservoir, Alabama. A nonuniform probability, roving creel survey was conducted in conjunction with a tag-reward program. Based on tags returned during the crappie fishing seasons of March–May 1988 and February–April 1989, total annual mortality was estimated at 73%. Targeted effort for crappies was 11.7 h/hectare in 1988 and 13.4 h/hectare in 1989. Catch per unit effort also increased slightly in 1989. Fishing mortality (F = 34%) accounted for only 20% of total annual mortality. Because of the high natural mortality and low exploitation, harvest restrictions on the Weiss Reservoir crappie fishery do not appear warranted at this time.
Studies of metabolic alterations induced by steroids in murine lymphocytic leukemia cells in vitro.

Abstract Triamcinolone acetonide, an effective inhibitor of the reproduction of L5178Y murine neoplastic lymphoblasts both in vivo and in minute amounts in cell culture, depressed in these cells: (a) the uptake of several amino acids into protein, (b) the incorporation of adenine into nucleic acids, and (c) the conversion of glucose to carbon dioxide. A study of the sequence of the inhibition of several metabolic events in steroid-treated cells in culture demonstrated that the conversion of glucose-U- 14 C into 14 CO 2 was depressed before significant alterations in the uptake of glycine into protein could be detected. The inhibitory effects appeared to be related to that type of steroid structure generally associated with anti-inflammatory and gluconeogenic, as well as anti-leukemic, activities. At comparable concentrations, steroids which exhibited primarily androgenic activity had no inhibitory effects on the reactions studied in these cells.
Availability of treatment to youth offenders: Comparison of public versus private programs from a national census

Abstract Across the United States, the availability of mental health, substance abuse, and recidivism reduction programs in the juvenile justice system (JJS) varies from none or few to a rich variety of programs. Within the last decade, prison privatization in the adult correctional system has influenced the onset of privatization in the JJS. The differences between public and private sectors in their availability of mental health services and treatment programs to juvenile offenders are understudied. In this article, a secondary analysis of a national census of 3163 juvenile facilities was conducted to determine differences in treatment availability as well as the impact of treatment accessibility on the event of a suicide. Results indicate private facilities more likely to offer treatment services and schedule mental health personnel more frequently. Those facilities reporting family counseling treatment programs were less likely to have reported a suicide event. Policy implications and a review of progress towards improvement in the JJS are presented.
Is Resistance Useless? Multidrug Resistance and Collateral Sensitivity

When cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapeutics, it is frequently conferred by the ATP-dependent efflux pump P-glycoprotein (MDR1, P-gp, ABCB1). P-gp can efflux a wide range of cancer drugs; its expression confers cross-resistance, termed "multidrug resistance" (MDR), to a wide range of drugs. Strategies to overcome this resistance have been actively sought for more than 30 years, yet clinical solutions do not exist. A less understood aspect of MDR is the hypersensitivity of resistant cancer cells to other drugs, a phenomenon known as "collateral sensitivity" (CS). This review highlights the extent of this effect for the first time, and discusses hypotheses (e.g. generation of reactive oxygen species) to account for the underlying generality of this phenomenon, and proposes exploitation of CS as a strategy to improve response to chemotherapy.
Grain growth in ultrathin films of CoPt and FePt

The microstructure of sputtered 10-nm thin films of equiatomic binary alloys of CoPt and FePt was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Grain growth kinetics was examined using manual and digital analysis of bright-field TEM images and was seen to take two stages during annealing in these films. A rapid growth stage concurrent with the formation of a [111] fiber texture was observed to occur within the first 5–10 min of annealing, followed by a much slower growth stage after the fiber texturing was well advanced. Differences in grain growth rate and ultimate grain size were also observed to depend on heating rate.
Turbulence limitations in photographic resolution of planet surfaces.

The limitations imposed by a turbulent atmosphere on photography of a planetary surface from a vehicle at high altitudes are considered. The atmosphere initially considered is that of the earth, since data are available on its characteristics. The correlation between modulation transfer function, minimum detectable element, and experimentally measured stellar scintillation indicates that the limiting resolution should be on the order of a few centimeters on earth. This is considerably lower than resolutions previously predicted from assumed atmospheric characteristics. The difference may arise from the fact that experimentally measured wind shears over thin atmospheric layers are greater than the values previously assumed. The standard deviation of length of the minimum detectable element is about 13 of its mean value, and does not appear to be a strong function of the time of year or location. The minimum detectable length on Mars is so small that it will probably never limit photographic reconnaissance of that planet.
Bioassays: Use and Misuse in Marine Pollution Studies

In the past decade, laboratory bioassay tests have been abused by marine monitoring and regulatory programs. Present state-of-the-art precludes using bioassays to predict or measure the impact of a particular contaminant on a marine ecosystem or population. The poor predictive power of bioassay tests stems from their extreme sensitivity to a host of confounding factors that accrue in laboratory and other nonnatural situations. Over 200 primary papers published after 1975 have been reviewed to categorize such confounding factors. These categories include, but are not limited to, the age, gender, acclimation, and marine environmental history of the test organism; the length of the test exposure; and a large number of experimental artifacts. Variation in bioassay test results arising from each of these factors ranges from one to five orders of magnitude. In the future, practitioners of bioassay testing must be more responsible than to extrapolate indiscriminately from their controlled, simplistic test regimes to the uncontrolled, complex, and highly interactive marine ecosystem.
Modification of noble metal nanoparticles in a silica matrix by pulsed tunable infrared laser irradiation

We have used pulsed tunable infrared laser irradiation to modify the optical and physical properties of metal nanoparticles in a SiO 2 substrate. The nanoparticles were fabricated by implanting high-energy Au + or low-energy Ag + ions at a dose of 6.10 16 ions/cm 2 . The substrate temperature was held at 400 o C during implantation. The depth of the nanoparticles was well within the 1/e absorption length of the SiO 2 substrate at our primary laser wavelength of 8 mm. The infrared laser beam generated by a picosecond free electron laser (FEL) was scanned across the implanted surface at various fluences. The optical absorption spectra of the gold implanted sample show that the absorption maximum at 520 nm, which is related to the presence of gold colloids, increases with laser fluence. On the other hand, the absorption maximum at 415 nm in the spectra of the silver- implanted sample decreases with increasing laser fluence and shifts to slightly lower wavelengths. In both cases a visible change in the color of the sample is observed, a clear indication of changes in the size distribution of the nanoparticles. Previous experiments used nanosecond excimer lasers that directly interact with the nanoparticles to modify their size and size distribution in different matrices. Our successful modifcation of the nanoparticles by excitation of the matrix vibrational modes, rather then melting of the nanoparticles, shows another possible approach to the processing of nanocomposite optical materials.
Optimal economic growth with foreign trade and a learning industry

Ryder (Ref. 1) has developed a simple two-sector macroeconomic model incorporatinglearning by doing as a determinant of the growth of productivity-enhancing experience and its effect on foreign trade. In this paper, optimal foreign trade and capital allocation policies are determined, in the context of the above model, for ranges of the international trade price not considered by Ryder. An extension of Ryder's model to include a dual trade price structure is briefly discussed. A specific numerical example is used to ascertain the configuration of the various features occurring in the extremal fields at different price levels.
Regional distribution and accumulation of lead in caprine brain tissues following a long-term oral dosing regimen.

It is well known that the brain is a key target organ for lead (Pb)-induced toxicity, with exposure potentially resulting in numerous adverse neurological effects. However, information on the distribution and accumulation of Pb within different brain regions is scarce. In this study, Pb uptake and accumulation were characterized in brain and related tissues obtained from a convenience sample of goats dosed with Pb. Tissues were harvested postmortem from 10 animals (9 dosed and 1 undosed) that are used to produce blood Pb pools for the New York State Department of Health’s Proficiency Testing program. Whole brains were subdivided into 14 distinct anatomical regions to explore interregional differences. Related tissues included the olfactory epithelium and spinal cord. Where sufficient tissue mass permitted, further subdivision into smaller sections was carried out to examine intraregional Pb variability. Determination of Pb content in these tissues was accomplished using inductively coupled plasma mass spe...
Retinal Function is Improved in a Murine Model of a Lysosomal Storage Disease Following Bone Marrow Transplantation

Mucopolysaccharidoses are heritable lysosomal storage diseases caused by deficiencies in acid hydrolases involved in the sequential degradation of complex glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). In many mucopolysaccharidoses, GAGs accumulate in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells of the eye resulting in pronounced lysosomal distension. It is not clear how the progressive accumulation of GAGs affects retinal function. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a relatively effective therapy for many lysosomal storage diseases and can result in a dramatic reduction in lysosomal distention in the RPE. Although effective at reducing lysosomal storage, it is not clear how effective syngeneic BMT is at treating retinal dysfunction. Here we show that there is a progressive decrease in the amplitudes of both the dark-adapted (rod-cone) and light-adapted (cone-dominated) flash electroretinograms (ERG) between 8 and 20 weeks of age in a murine model of mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII). By 20 weeks, the average dark-adapted b-wave amplitude was 118 μ V in MPS VII mice as compared to 469 μ V in normal mice of the same strain. MPS VII mice receiving syngeneic BMT at 4 weeks of age have reduced lysosomal storage in retinal pigment epithelial cells and normal ERG amplitudes at 20 weeks of age. Retinal function is impaired in untreated 8 week old MPS VII mice. Following BMT at 8 weeks, rod-cone- and cone-dominated responses recovered to within the normal range by 20 weeks of age. These data demonstrate the temporal pattern of retinal dysfunction in the MPS VII mouse and indicate that BMT can reduce the lysosomal storage and improve retinal function.
STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN ERYTHROCYTE AUTOANTIBODIES. I. L CHAIN TYPES AND ELECTROPHORETIC DISPERSION

The 7S gamma-globulins causing erythrocyte autosensitization in 20 patients were isolated by elution and examined for homogeneity or heterogeneity of their L chain types and electrophoretic dispersion. The isolated erythrocyte autoantibodies from 12 patients contained only 1 detectable L chain type. Two of these "monotypic" populations showed appreciable restriction of electrophoretic dispersion, while 2 others more nearly resembled the electrophoretic heterogeneity of normal gamma-globulins. The autoantibodies from the other 8 patients exhibited L chains of both types. The single "bitypic" population so tested was relatively polydisperse electrophoretically. As a comparison, anti-Rh(o) isoantibodies from 5 of 6 donors without known hematologic disease showed bitypic reactions, and 2 of these isoantibody populations were relatively polydisperse electrophoretically. One Rh isoantibody is described which contained only 1 demonstrable L chain type. The structural similarities to "paraproteins" observed in a significant proportion of these erythrocyte autoantibodies raise the possibility of their origin from a restricted population of antibody forming cells, and may have implications concerning the pathogenesis of erythrocyte autosensitization.
Atmospheric Transmission in the Infrared

Infrared atmospheric transmission from 0.5 μ to 15 μ is shown as measured over three horizontal paths of 1000 ft, 3.4 statute mi, and 10.1 statute mi. The intense source, a 60-in. carbon arc searchlight, permits a resolution throughout of about 10 wave numbers. Work is continuing in an effort to obtain data taken under a wide range of atmospheric and meteorological conditions. The data presented here represent an average relatively clear winter day, a moderately dense fog and a snowstorm.
The 1998 Baltimore Particulate Matter Epidemiology-Exposure Study: part 2. Personal exposure assessment associated with an elderly study population.

An integrated epidemiological–exposure panel study was conducted during the summer of 1998 which focused upon establishing relationships between potential human exposures to particulate matter (PM) and related co-pollutants with detectable health effects. The study design incorporated repeated individual 24-h integrated PM2.5 personal exposure monitoring. A total of 325 PM2.5 personal exposure samples were obtained during a 28-day study period using a subject pool of 21 elderly (65+ years of age) residents of an 18-story retirement facility near Baltimore, Maryland. Each sample represented a unique 24-h breathing zone measurement of PM2.5 mass concentration. PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations collected from the apartments of the subjects as well as residential and ambient sites were compared to individual and mean PM2.5 personal exposures. Daily PM2.5 personal exposure concentrations ranged from 2.4 to 47.8 µg/m3 with an overall individual study mean of 12.9 µg/m3. Mean PM2.5 personal exposures were determined to be highly correlated to those representing the central indoor (r=0.90) and ambient sites (r=0.89). Subjects reported spending an average of 92% of each day within the confines of the retirement center. Based upon measured and modeled exposures, a mean PM2.5 personal cloud of 3.1 µg/m3 was estimated. Data collected from these participants may be unique with respect to the general elderly population due to the communal lifestyle within the facility and reported low frequency of exposure to sources of PM.
Trends in funding for research on pain: a report on the National Institutes Of Health grant awards over the years 2003 to 2007.

Abstract In recent years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has experienced unprecedented reductions in its customary annual budget increases. Consequently, researchers, health care policy planners and others have a pressing need for accurate information on NIH funding patterns. We created a unique and objective system for compiling, classifying, and analyzing data on NIH grant awards and funding for research on pain, nausea, and dyspnea using naive observers, cross-validation by multiple raters, and face validation by experts. We present results of our method and analyses for the period from 2003 to 2007. Following a 12% increase from 2003 to 2004, funding for pain research fell by 9.4% per year on average over the next 3 years. The percent of the total NIH budget going to support pain research increased to 0.78% in 2004 but fell to 0.61% in 2007. A piecewise regression model confirmed the declining trend represented a significant fit to the data ( R 2 =0.98, p =0.024). Separate breakdowns by Institutes showed similar patterns. Analyses of nausea and dyspnea research support revealed small but steady increases over the same period. Declining support for pain research disproportionate to decreases in the NIH budget signals a need for measures to promote funding for meritorious applications. Perspective Results of 5 year trends in numbers of grants and funding for research in pain, nausea, and dyspnea by the NIH show overall declines for pain but slight increases for nausea and dyspnea. Declining support for pain research that exceeds the reductions in the total NIH budget signals a need for measures to increase pain research funding.
CDASCAL: An Algorithm for Assessing the Correspondence of One or More Vectors to a Symmetric Matrix Using Ordinal Regression.

An algorithm for assessing the correspondence of one or more attribute rating variables to a symmetric matrix of dissimilarities is presented. The algorithm is useful as an alternative to fitting property variables into a multidimensional scaling space. Rather than requiring a two step process of first deriving a multidimensional space and then fitting variables individually into the space, the algorithm directly assesses the correspondence of each variable to the symmetric matrix and permits a regression extension such that a set of variables can be considered simultaneously. The relation between the matrix and the variables is determined by evaluating pairs of pairs relations,\(\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ 2 \\ \end{array} } \right)} \\ 2 \\ \end{array} } \right)\). Though the algorithm requires only ordinal assumptions, the correspondence may be computed intervally also. Multiple ordinal regression is performed with the values derived from the matrix serving as the dependent variable and those derived from the attribute ratings serving as the independent variables. Standard multiple regression statistics forR-square,F, andt are calculated as well as measures of ordinal association between the vectors and the matrix.
Many-Body Perturbation Theory for the Hydrogen Negative Ion

Linked-cluster many-body perturbation theory is applied to study the stability of the ground state of the ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ion. A diagrammatic approach is made to analyze the role of various polarization effects. A complete set of states obtained in the ${V}^{N\ensuremath{-}1}$ potential is used to evaluate the diagrams. The total energy of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ is calculated to be -0.027 66 a.u., leading to the binding energy 0.527 66 a.u., in good agreement with the most accurate value, 0.027 75 a.u., due to Pekeris. The result of our investigation shows conclusively the crucial importance of monopole and dipole polarization effects for the stability of this ion in particular and negative ions in general. A comparison with the results from earlier work is also made.
The addition of hypobromous acid to 3β,17β-diacetoxy-4-estrene and an equilibration study involving neighboring group participation by the a-ring acetoxy group

Abstract The reaction of 3β,17β-diacetoxy-4-estrene with N-bromoacetamide in a two phase ether/water solvent mixture gave 5-bromo-4β,17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-3β-ol as the major product (75%). Four minor products were also isolated and identified. These were: 4α-bromo-3β, 17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-5-ol (5%), 5-bromo-3g,17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-4β-ol (6%), 5-bromo-4α,17β-diacetoxy-5αt-estran-3β-ol (3%), and 4β-bromo-3β,17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-5-ol (4%). The 5-bromo-4β, 17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-3β-ol was equilibrated by heating with oxalic acid in refluxing benzene for ca . 16h to give a mixture of it and 5-broino-3β,17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-4β-ol in the ratio of 16:84 respectively. A similar equilibration mixture (14:86) was obtained under identical conditions when 5-bromo-3β,17β-diacetoxy-5α-estran-4β-ol was the starting material.
The influence of lactic dehydrogenase on the metabolic pathways of glucose in the ocular tissues of rainbow trout (Salmo gardneri)

Abstract 1. 1. Using histochemical techniques the lens, cornea and retina were shown to have both the pentose shunt and glycolytic pathways while only the photoreceptor had critic acid cycle activity. 2. 2. The kinetic properties of retinal lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) favor nonglycolytic metablolism. 3. 3. High temperature characteristics and low substrate inhibition for lens and cornea LDH favors glycolytic pathways for glucose metabolism in these tissues.
Distributed/parallel traffic simulation for IVHS applications

This paper presents two algorithms developed for a distributed, discretes-event, and object-oriented traffic simulation, such as the Raffle and Highway Objects for REsearch, Analysis, and Understanding (THOREAU) (McGurrin and Wang, 1991) and (Hsin and Wang, 1992). THOREAU was designed for the study and analysis of Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems (IVHS) [1] applications. The purpose of using distributed processing for traffic simulation is to extend the scope which can be modeled at an individual vehicle behavior level, by significantly increasing execution speed. The first algorithm was derived to decompose a large traffic model into submodels distributed over a network of workstations, with a minimum amount of inter-processor interactions, and to achieve the highest degree of parallelism. The second algorithm is an improvement of the Floyd algorithm for finding shortest paths using submodel decomposition and node to are incidency to achieve a 10m/sup 3/- fold speed improvement using m distributed processors. Both algorithms are being implemented for IVHS-related applications in a new version of THOREAU.
Highlights in clinical autonomic neuroscience: Progress in electromagnetic stimulation of the autonomic nervous system

Targeted electromagnetic fields can induce depolarization or hyperpolarization of neurons. Therapeutic electromagnetic interventions in the nervous system range from deep brain stimulation, which employs image-guided stereotactic neurosurgical implantation of electrodes, to transcranial magnetic stimulation, which is a noninvasive method utilizing electromagnetic induction across the scalp and skull to induce weak electric currents in the brain. These technologies are leading to exciting new therapies for a variety of neurologic disorders. A theoretical and experimental basis is emerging by which these methods might eventually be applied to influence the autonomic nervous system. Preliminary studies of transcranial electromagnetic stimulation of the cranial vertex or motor cortex have reported, for example, increased low frequency power of heart rate variability (Yoshida et al., 2001) and inhibition of muscle sympathetic outflow (Macefield et al., 1998). Several recent studies highlight further developments in this direction.
EVALUATION OF ASCORBYL MONOESTERS FOR THE INHIBITION OF NITROSOPYRROLIDINE FORMATION IN A MODEL SYSTEM

The effect of a number of ascorbic acid derivatives on the nitrosation of pyrrolidine was determined in a model system developed to simulate the lipid-aqueous-protein composition of bacon. Sodium ascorbate reduced nitrosopyrrolidine formation 43% in the aqueous phase, but had little effect in the lipid layer. The combination of several ascorbyl esters with sodium ascorbate increased the inhibitory effect to a high of 70% in the aqueous phase. In the lipid phase up to 49% reduction in nitrosation was observed.
Dual effect of insulin-like growth factor on the apical 70-pS K channel in the thick ascending limb of rat kidney

We used the patch-clamp technique to study the effect of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on the apical 70-pS K channel in the isolated thick ascending limb (TAL) of the rat kidney. The isolated TAL was cut open to gain access to the apical membrane. Addition of 25 nM IGF-I stimulates the apical 70-pS K channel and increases channel activity, defined by the product of channel open probability and channel number, from 0.31 to 1.21. The stimulatory effect of IGF-I is not mediated by nitric oxide- or protein tyrosine phosphatase-dependent mechanisms, because inhibition of nitric oxide synthase or blocking protein tyrosine phosphatase did not abolish the stimulatory effect of IGF-I on the 70-pS K channel. In contrast, inhibition of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase with PD-98059 or U0126 abolished the stimulatory effect of IGF-I. This suggests that MAP kinase is responsible for mediating the effect of IGF-I on the apical K channels. Moreover, the effect of IGF-I on the apical 70-pS K channel is biphasic because high concentrations (>200 nM) inhibit apical 70-pS K channels. Application of 400 nM IGF-I decreased channel activity from 1.45 to 0.2. The inhibitory effect of IGF-I is not blocked by calphostin C (an inhibitor of PKC), but inhibition of protein tyrosine kinase with herbimycin A abolished the IGF-induced inhibition. We conclude that IGF-I has a dual effect on the apical 70-pS K channel in the TAL: low concentrations of IGF-I stimulate, whereas high concentrations inhibit the channel activity. The stimulatory effect of IGF-I is mediated by a MAP kinase-dependent pathway, whereas the inhibitory effect is the result of stimulation of protein tyrosine kinase.
Compressibility studies of three proteins in CsCI solutions in the analytical ultracentrifuge

The compositional buoyant densities, ρ;, of human γ-immunoglobulin, bovine serum mercaptalbumin, and egg albumin have been measured in CsCl solutions in the analytical ultracentrifuge as a function or pressure. Standard pressure coefficients, ψ0, and standard partial specific volumes of the solvated proteins, υ,0, have been computed from these data. The ψ0 values obtained are strikingly different from each other and from the only other pressure coefficients which have been measured, those values obtained for nucleic acids and nucleoproteins. The ψ value for γ-immunoglobulin is negative, the first nonpositive value obtained, and suggests an unusual internal structure for this protein. The pressure coefficient of mercaptalbumin is not constant. A second-order relation is derived and utilized to interpret these data. The slope of the ρ(P) plot for egg albumin was constant and negative and yielded values of ψ0 which are about 20% as large as those reported for DNA. Evaluation of published isopiestic data for egg albumin in CsCl solutions provided the dependence of preferential hydration on water activity. This quantity, (dΓ′/da) as well as α, were found to be negative. The values of ψ0 and α were used to compute the effective density gradient from which the correct molecular weight of egg albumin was obtained. The apparent specific volume of egg albumin in a buoyant CsCl solution was measured using the Mettler-Paar densimeter.
3D visualization of aqueous humor outflow structures in-situ in humans

Abstract Aqueous humor (AH) exiting the eye via the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm’s canal (SC) passes through the deep and intrascleral venous plexus (ISVP) or directly through aqueous veins. The purpose of this study was to visualize the human AH outflow system 360° in three dimensions (3D) during active AH outflow in a virtual casting. The conventional AH outflow pathways of 7 donor eyes were imaged with a modified Bioptigen spectral-domain optical coherence tomography system (Bioptigen Inc, USA; SuperLum LTD, Ireland) at a perfusion pressure of 20 mmHg (N = 3), and 10 mmHg (N = 4). In all eyes, 36 scans (3 equally distributed in each clock hour), each covering a 2 × 3 × 2 mm volume (512 frames, each 512 × 1024 pixels), were obtained. All image data were black/white inverted, and the background subtracted (ImageJ 1.40 g, http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/ ). Contrast was adjusted to isolate the ISVP. SC, collector channels, the deep and ISVP, and episcleral veins were observed throughout the limbus. Aqueous veins could be observed extending into the episcleral veins. Individual scan ISVP castings were rendered and assembled in 3D space in Amira 4.1 (Visage Imaging Inc. USA). A 360-degree casting of the ISVP was obtained in all perfused eyes. The ISVP tended to be dense and overlapping in the superior and inferior quadrants, and thinner in the lateral quadrants. The human AH outflow pathway can be imaged using SD-OCT. The more superficial structures of the AH outflow pathway present with sufficient contrast as to be optically isolated and cast in-situ 360° in cadaver eye perfusion models. This approach may be useful as a model in future studies of human AH outflow.
An Alternative to Developing Embryonic Business Units

Given the difficulties large corporations have experienced in developing embryonic industries, many have opted to monitor such industries instead. As the industry in question matures, the corporation can either take small holdings in companies, license new products or technologies, or enter into co‐operation agreements with emerging companies. During the embryonic stage, analysis usually focuses on industries in some way related to the corporation's own activities, and services three major objectives: gaining detailed knowledge of the industry's skills and technologies; evaluation of the industry's attractiveness (growth and profitability); and analysis of its success factors. Only when the industry reaches a stage when the resources of a corporation are a major competitive advantage does it consider taking complete control of a company or developing business unit.
NADPH diaphorase innervation of the rat anococcygeus and retractor penis muscles

NADPH diaphorase histochemistry was used to determine whether the rat anoocccygeus (AC) and retractor penis (RP) muscles are innervated by nerves capable of synthesizing nitric oxide. In both tissues, muscle fascicles were enclosed by a varicose plexus of NADPH diaphorase positive (ND+) fibers. Perikarya of neurons on the surface of the AC muscle were also intensely stained for NADPH diaphorase. Many AC-RP ganglion cells in the pelvic plexus, located by the retrograde tracer Fluorogold, also stained for the enzyme. However, a significant population of AC-RP neurons in this location remained unstained. These results provide further evidence that nitric oxide may be an important neurotransmitter in these tissues.
The LaGrange case history: inverted pavement system characterisation and preliminary numerical analyses

Inverted pavement systems consist of an unbound aggregate base placed between a stiff cement-treated foundation and a thin asphalt cover. Unlike conventional pavements, which rely on stiff bound aggregate layers to bear and spread traffic loads, in an inverted pavement structure, the unbound aggregate inter-layer plays a major role in the mechanical response. A comprehensive characterisation study was conducted during the construction of a full-scale inverted pavement section in LaGrange, GA, USA, with particular emphasis on the unbound aggregate base. New laboratory and in situ tests were developed and used to characterise the unbound aggregate non-linear stiffness–stress relationship. Forensic digital image analysis confirmed particle alignment, i.e. inherent anisotropy. Comparison of pre- and post-compaction gradation test results failed to quantify the extent and significance of particle crushing. The information compiled during the field test was used in a complementary numerical study; the results c...
Perceptions of others' opinions as a component of public opinion

Abstract This study investigates some relationships between stated opinions and perceptions of others' opinions, clarifying certain ambiguities in the use of perceptual approaches in public opinion research. The study provides evidence that respondents perceive others as similar to themselves in opinions and values, suggesting support for the “looking glass hypothesis.” However, there was also evidence of an “ideological bias”—respondents tend to see neighbors as having more conservative opinions than their own and to see others living in the city as having more liberal opinions than their own. The study indicates that perceptions are important in understanding public opinion mechanisms but that we are far from a full understanding of the underlying process involved.