cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonresident parental influence on adolescent weight and weight-related behaviors: similar or different from resident parental influence?

Background: Many parents do not live with, or have shared custody of, their adolescent children (i.e., nonresident parents). The degree of their influence on their children, as compared to parents who do live with their children the majority of the time (i.e. resident parents) has not been well-studied. The current study aimed to examine whether and how resident and nonresident parents’ weight and weight-related behaviors are correlated with adolescents’ weight and weight-related behaviors. Results will inform who may be important to include in adolescent obesity prevention interventions. Methods: Data from two linked population-based studies, EAT 2010 and F-EAT, were used for cross-sectional analyses. Resident parents (n = 200; 80% females; mean age =41.8), nonresident parents (n =200; 70% male; mean age =43.1), and adolescents (n =200; 60% girls; mean age =14.2 years) were socioeconomically and racially/ ethnically diverse. Multiple regression models were fit to investigate the association between resident and nonresident parents’ weight and weight-related behaviors and adolescents’ weight and weight-related behaviors. Results: Both resident and nonresident parents’ BMI were significantly associated with adolescents’ BMI percentile. Additionally, resident parents’ sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and fruit and vegetable intake were significantly associated with adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage intake and fruit and vegetable intake (p < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the association between nonresident parent physical activity and adolescent physical activity was marginally significant (p = 0.067). Neither resident nor nonresident parents’ fast food consumption, breakfast frequency, or sedentary behaviors were significantly associated with adolescents’ same behaviors. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that resident and nonresident parents may have slightly different influences on their adolescent children’s weight-related behaviors. Longitudinal follow-up is needed to determine temporality of associations.
Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Characterization of Viologen-Functionalized Poly(Amidoamine) Dendrimers†

We report the preparation and characterization of viologen-functionalized generation 2, 4, and 6 poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers. An amidation reaction between the succinimide ester of 1-ethyl-1‘-(3-propionic acid)-4,4‘-bipyridylium dibromide and the dendrimer primary amines resulted in 13−34% end group functionalization. The water-soluble dendrimers were examined by 1H NMR, MALDI-TOF MS, and UV−vis spectroscopy to determine the extent of functionalization. UV−vis spectra, obtained following chemical reduction of the viologenated dendrimers, indicated that the viologen radical cations were largely dimerized, which demonstrates the close proximity of the terminal viologens. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements indicate that the oxidized viologenated-dendrimers are predominately unaggregated in aqueous electrolyte solutions. Diffusion coefficients determined by chronoamperometry for the three generations of viologenated PAMAM dendrimer are within 15% of values calculated using the Stokes−Einstein...
Quantitative analysis of the modes of growth inhibition by weak organic acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Weak organic acids are naturally occurring compounds that are commercially used as preservatives in the food and beverage industries. They extend the shelf life of food products by inhibiting microbial growth. There are a number of theories that explain the antifungal properties of these weak acids, but the exact mechanism is still unknown. We set out to quantitatively determine the contributions of various mechanisms of antifungal activity of these weak acids, as well as the mechanisms that yeast uses to counteract their effects. We analyzed the effects of four weak organic acids differing in lipophilicity (sorbic, benzoic, propionic, and acetic acids) on growth and intracellular pH (pH(i)) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although lipophilicity of the acids correlated with the rate of acidification of the cytosol, our data confirmed that not initial acidification, but rather the cell's ability to restore pH(i), was a determinant for growth inhibition. This pH(i) recovery in turn depended on the nature of the organic anion. We identified long-term acidification as the major cause of growth inhibition under acetic acid stress. Restoration of pH(i), and consequently growth rate, in the presence of this weak acid required the full activity of the plasma membrane ATPase Pma1p. Surprisingly, the proposed anion export pump Pdr12p was shown to play an important role in the ability of yeast cells to restore the pH(i) upon lipophilic (sorbic and benzoic) acid stress, probably through a charge interaction of anion and proton transport.
The role of palliative radiosurgery when cancer invades the cavernous sinus.

Purpose Involvement of the cavernous sinus by direct invasion from skull base cancer or from metastatic spread of cancers is a challenging problem. We evaluated the role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of patients who developed cavernous sinus metastases or direct invasion. Methods and Materials We retrospectively reviewed the data from 37 patients who had cavernous sinus metastases or had cavernous sinus invasion from adjacent skull base cancers and who underwent SRS between 1992 and 2006 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The median patient age was 57.8 years. Previous adjuvant management included fractionated radiotherapy in 8, chemotherapy in 16, and both radiotherapy and chemotherapy in 5. The primary sites of metastases or invasion were nasopharyngeal carcinoma ( n = 7), parotid gland carcinoma ( n = 7), and metastases from systemic cancer ( n = 23). The median target volume was 6.3 cm 3 (range, 0.3–33.6), and the median margin dose was 14 Gy (range, 12–20). Results At a mean of 12.9 months (range, 0.8–63.9), 32 patients had died and 5 were living. The overall survival rate after SRS was 36.6% and 19.4% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Progression-free survival was related to a greater marginal dose. After SRS, 12 (35.3%) of 34 patients with neurologic symptoms exhibited improvement. SRS early after diagnosis was significantly associated with improvement of cranial nerve dysfunction. Conclusion SRS is a minimally invasive palliative option for patients whose cancer has invaded the cavernous sinus. The benefits for cranial nerve deficits are best when SRS is performed early.
Behavioral effects of prenatal folate deficiency in mice.

BACKGROUND Folate supplementation decreases the incidence of birth defects such as neural tube defects (NTDs). We and others have shown that gestational dietary folate deficiency that does not produce overt NTDs can alter fetal neural histology. Accordingly, murine offspring were examined for the possible functional consequences of prenatal folate deficiency. METHODS CD-1 mice were fed a diet of chow containing 400, 600, or 1200 nmol of folic acid/kg of chow for eight weeks prior to breeding and until GD18, at which time all dams were placed on folate-replete chow. Behavioral tests of male and female offspring included righting reflex, negative geotaxis, forelimb hanging, motor coordination, open field activity, and elevated plus maze activity. RESULTS Of greatest significance, the adult offspring that were prenatally folate-deficient exhibited more anxiety-related behavior in the elevated plus maze. Offspring of the 400 nmol of folic acid/kg of chow diet group exhibited significantly shorter durations in the open arms and longer durations in the closed arms. Further, these two behaviors were dose-related. There was also a trend for the prenatally folate-deficient adult mice to exhibit more thigmotaxis (wall-hugging) behavior in the open field, entering the central area less frequently than controls. There were few other differences in tested behaviors between folate-deficient and folate-replete mice. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal folate deficiency that is repleted at birth can manifest later with increased anxiety 9–12 weeks after birth. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of combined pelvic floor muscle exercise and a support group on urinary incontinence and quality of life of postprostatectomy patients.

Purpose/Objectives: To examine the effect of combined pelvic fl oor muscle exercise (PFME) and a support group on postprostatectomy urinary incontinence and quality of life. Design: Pilot study of a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Setting: Two metropolitan hospitals in northeastern Ohio. Sample: 29 men with postprostatectomy urinary incontinence. Methods: The participants learned PFME through biofeedback and were randomized to the control group (n = 15) or the support group (n = 14). The control group practiced PFME at home, whereas the support group attended six biweekly group meetings facilitated by a health psychologist. Assessment of urinary incontinence and quality of life was conducted at baseline and three months. Main Research Variables: Urinary incontinence and disease-specifi c quality of life. Findings: Eighty-six percent of the support group participants versus 46% of the control group participants practiced PFME four to seven days per week. The support group had a lower rating of urinary incontinence based on a 0- to 10-point visual analog rating scale than the control group ( — X = 3.2 versus 4.7), and fewer support group participants used pads (50%) than control group participants (85%) at three months. The support group also scored signifi cantly lower on the severity of incontinence problems than the control group at three months, especially in relationship with spouse and social outing, despite no group difference in these areas at baseline. Conclusions: The study provided promising evidence regarding the effect of the proposed intervention on adherence to PFME, urinary incontinence, and quality of life. Implications for Nursing: Reports regarding nursing practice are lacking with respect to PFME. This study suggests that practicing PFME in a group with patients with incontinence who have undergone prostatectomy can be a useful nursing intervention.
Adaptive sliding menubars make existing software more accessible to people with severe motion impairments

The graphical user interfaces of popular software are often inaccessible to people with severe motion impairments, who cannot use the traditional keyboard and mouse, and require an alternative input device. Reaching for buttons and selecting menu items, in particular, can be difficult for nonverbal individuals with quadriplegia, who control the mousepointer with head motion via a mouse-replacement system. This paper proposes interaction techniques that can be used with mouse-replacement systems and enable the creation of accessible graphical user interfaces. To illustrate these techniques, the paper presents an image editing application, named Camera Canvas, that uses a sliding toolbar as its universal menu controller. The parameters of the toolbar automatically adapt to the movement abilities of the specific user. Individuals with and without disabilities and of a variety of ages were observed using Camera Canvas. It was found that the developed techniques worked across many different movement abilities and experience levels. Then, it was investigated how such techniques could be used to "retrofit" existing Windows applications with new graphical user interfaces. A tool called Menu Controller was created that can automatically re-render the menus of some existing applications into adaptive sliding toolbars. Menu Controller enables users of mouse-replacement systems to select menu entries that were otherwise inaccessible to them.
Management Forecast Characteristics: Effects on Venture Capital Investment Screening Judgments

ABSTRACT: This study examines the effects of the quantification and precision of forecast disclosures in new venture proposals on 62 experienced venture capitalists’ initial investment screening judgments. It was predicted that including quantitative estimates for key components of earnings forecasts in the proposal enhances its persuasive power and, thus, more favorable investment screening judgments. It was also predicted that while quantification can increase the persuasive power of forecast disclosures, it may also evoke expectancies about forecast precision and that violation of these expectancies adversely affects investment screening judgments. Experimental results generally support the research predictions and additional analyses reveal that perceptions of management’s credibility mediate the main effect of forecast quantification. Combined, these results provide evidence that managers should carefully consider the information content and consistency of forecast disclosures.
Heterophylly in the yellow waterlily, Nuphar variegata (Nymphaeaceae): effects of [CO2], natural sediment type, and water depth.

We transplanted Nuphar variegata with submersed leaves only into natural lake sediments in pH-, [CO2]-, depth-, and temperaturecontrolled greenhouse tanks to test the hypotheses that more fertile sediment, lower free [CO 2], and shallower depth would all stimulate the development of floating leaves. Sediment higher in porewater [NH 4 1 ] favored floating leaf development. Low CO 2-grown plants initiated floating leaf development significantly earlier than high CO 2-grown plants, which produced significantly more submersed leaves and fewer floating leaves. Mean floating leaf biomass was significantly greater than mean submersed leaf biomass but was not influenced by CO 2 enrichment, whereas mean submersed leaf biomass increased 88% at high [CO2]. At the shallower depth (35 cm), floating leaves required 50% less biomass investment per leaf than at 70 cm, and a significantly greater proportion of plants had floating leaves (70 vs. 23‐43% at 35 vs. 70 cm, respectively) for the last three of the eight leaf censuses. Sediment type, water depth, and especially free [CO2] all can influence leaf morphogenesis in Nuphar variegata,and the development of more and larger submersed leaves with CO2 enrichment favors the exploitation of high [CO2] when it is present in the water column.
Lifestyle-Adjusted Function: Variation Beyond BADL and IADL Competencies

Purpose: Using the Activity Card Sort (ACS), we derived a measure of lifestyle-adjusted function and examined the distribution of this measure and its correlates in a community sample of older adults at risk for disability transitions. Design and Methods: Participants in the Sources of Independence in the Elderly project ( n = 375) completed the ACS using a Q-sort (successive pile sort procedure), in which respondents sorted 39 nonbasic activities of daily living (non-BADL) and noninstrumental activities of daily living (non-IADL) tasks into four categories: “ never performed, ” “ used to but no longer perform, ” “ hard to do, ” and “ easy to do. ” Lifestyle-adjusted function was defi ned as the number reported easy/(number easy + number hard + number no longer performed). Results: Respondents reported that they found it easy to perform about 60% of the activities they ever performed. However, people reporting BADL and IADL disability found it easy to perform only 32% of these activities. Lower extremity performance and depressive symptoms were signifi cant independent correlates of lifestyle-adjusted function in models that controlled for sociodemographic and clinical status. The same 2 correlates were signifi cant in models that excluded people with self-reported BADL or IADL disability. Implications: Because this measure eliminates activities never performed, it can be considered “ lifestyle adjusted. ” Its ability to identify differences in competency among people who do not report BADL or IADL disability suggests that it may be a useful addition to functional assessment.
Data Collection Capacity of Random-Deployed Wireless Sensor Networks

Data collection is one of the most important functions provided by wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we study the theoretical limitations of data collection and data aggregation in terms of delay and capacity for a wireless sensor network where n sensors are randomly deployed. We consider two different communication scenarios (with or without aggregation) under physical interference model. For each scenario, we first propose a new collection method and analyze its performance in terms of delay and capacity, then theoretically prove that our method can achieve the optimal order. Particularly, the capacity of data collection is in order of Θ(W) where W is the fixed data-rate on individual links. If each sensor can aggregate its receiving packets into a single packet to send, the capacity of data collection increases to Θ(n/log nW).
A survey of wild-type strains of Drosophila melanogaster for resistance to malathion and phenylthiocarbamide (PTC)1

A survey of 33 wild-type strains of D. melanogaster for resistance to PTC and malathion has revealed a tendency for strains to be resistant to one, the other, or neither of these compounds. Similar inverse relationships have been reported previously for PTC and DDT, BHC, parathion, and phenylurea. D. simulans may not exhibit similar inverse resistance patterns.
Derivation of the standard model

The structure of theU(1)×SU(2) electroweak theory is constructable in a natural way on the Pauli algebra,P.P is isomorphic to the tensor productC⊗Q of the complexes and quaternions, two of the three division algebras, the octonionsO the third. Following the pattern established onP≃C⊗Q, an extended model is built uponC⊗Q⊗O. The gauge symmetry derived for this algebra isU(1)×SU(2)×SU(3), and in all other respects the model features that result exactly mirror the salient features of the standard model, including particle family replication.
Female Olympic Marmots (Marmota olympus) Reproduce in Consecutive Years

ABSTRACT Olympic marmots (Marmota olympus) are reported to skip at least one year between reproductive efforts. We observed several female marmots weaning infants in consecutive years. There was no evidence that reproductive skipping was more common than annual reproduction. High spring food availability resulting from climate change may allow females to wean consecutive litters regularly.
Transmembrane domain of CD44 is required for its detergent insolubility in fibroblasts

The hyaluronan receptor CD44 is an abundant glycoprotein expressed on a variety of different cell types. In fibroblasts a significant portion of receptor molecules remain in the detergent-insoluble fraction after Triton X-100 extraction. Detergent insolubility of these CD44 molecules has been interpreted to reflect their association with the cytoskeleton. In this study we examined the structural features of CD44 required for its Triton X-100 insolubility in murine fibroblasts. We expressed in L cells the wild-type hematopoietic form of CD44, a mutant CD44 lacking the cytoplasmic domain, and two mutant CD44 molecules with substituted transmembrane domains. Immunofluorescence and cell surface iodination were performed and the detergent extraction profile of the transfected CD44 molecules was determined. No difference in detergent solubility was observed between wild-type and tailless mutant-transfected molecules. However, both CD44 mutants with a heterologous transmembrane domain, derived from either the CD3 zeta chain or CD45, were completely soluble in Triton X-100. These results demonstrate that the transmembrane region but not the cytoplasmic domain of CD44 is required for the detergent-insolubility in these cells. No obvious colocalization of CD44 and actin stress fibers was observed before or after treatment with cytochalasin D, and no change in the detergent extraction profile of wild-type and mutant CD44 molecules was effected by cytochalasin D. In equilibrium density sucrose gradients the Triton-insoluble CD44 component was found in the low density fractions, indicating an association with Triton X-100-insoluble lipids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
One-dimensional Poole-Frenkel conduction in the single defect limit

A single point defect surrounded on either side by quasi-ballistic, semimetallic carbon nanotube is a nearly ideal system for investigating disorder in one-dimensional (1D) conductors and comparing experiment to theory. Here, individual single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) are investigated before and after the incorporation of single point defects. Transport and local Kelvin Probe force microscopy independently demonstrate high-resistance depletion regions over 1.0 μm wide surrounding one point defect in semimetallic SWNTs. Transport measurements show that conductance through such wide depletion regions occurs via a modified, 1D version of Poole–Frenkel field-assisted emission. Given the breadth of theory dedicated to the possible effects of disorder in 1D systems, it is surprising that a Poole-Frenkel mechanism appears to describe defect scattering and resistance in this semimetallic system.
Some Remarks on the Accuracy of a Discontinuous Galerkin Method

The discontinuous Galerkin methods have recently found increasing applications in computational fluid dynamics because of their robustness and other practical features. The key feature that distinguishes the discontinuous spectral Galerkin method from its traditional counterpart is that the basis functions in each element are independent of the basis functions in the contiguous elements. The method is thus compact, and it easily accommodates any boundary conditions and complex geometry.
Beta-adrenergic-mediated Cl secretion: evidence for additional non-cAMP-dependent pathway of effect

It has been suggested that beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, like pindolol, are weak partial agonists for beta-adrenergic-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activation. To evaluate this possibility, beta-adrenergic-mediated chloride secretion was studied in tracheal epithelial cells maintained in primary culture. Pindolol caused a dose-dependent increase in chloride secretion with a half-maximal effective concentration of 91 pM to a maximum that was 30 +/- 3% that of isoproterenol. Pindolol-induced chloride secretion was antagonized by the beta-adrenergic antagonist nadolol. However, in contrast to isoproterenol, pindolol did not stimulate adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation, adenylyl cyclase activity, or protein kinase A activation. Further studies examined the coupling of beta-adrenergic stimulation of cAMP accumulation to beta-adrenergic stimulation of chloride secretion. Coincubation of cells with the phosphodiesterase inhibitor RA233 increased maximal isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP accumulation eightfold but did not significantly increase the potency or maximal effect of isoproterenol for chloride secretion. It is clear that beta-adrenergic-stimulated elevations in cAMP mediate chloride secretion. These studies also demonstrate that pindolol, a drug with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, mediates a beta-adrenergic receptor-specific increase in chloride secretion without increasing adenylyl cyclase nor protein kinase A activities. Thus intrinsic sympathomimetic activity may represent a non-cAMP-dependent mechanism of beta-adrenergic effect.
Natural Kinds and Conceptual Change: Meaning Change, Theory Change, and Analyticity

In the past few chapters I have emphasized that conceptual revision is often a blend of theory change and meaning change. Consideration of such revision has moved many philosophers to say, with W. V. Quine, that there is no difference between a change in theory and a change in meaning. Quine argues that there is no such difference in the course of attacking analyticity. I examine Quineanism in the present chapter. Quineans are right to emphasize the importance of conceptual revision that is a combination of theory change and meaning change. But does this sort of conceptual revision show that there is no distinction between theory change and meaning change? I argue that it does not. In section (I), I argue that the relevant kind of conceptual revision provides no convincing grounds for rejecting a distinction between meaning change and theory change. In section (II) I argue that most philosophers are committed to accepting the distinction between meaning change and theory change, because they are committed to analyticity. Kripke has convinced the generality of philosophers that there are necessarily true identity statements, as I have pointed out in Chapter 2. I argue in section (II) of the present chapter that those who accept Kripke's arguments for the necessity of identity statements associated with the causal theory of reference have committed themselves to analyticity. The commitment seems to have gone unnoticed. Indeed, philosophers have been encouraged by Kripke's work to dispense with analyticity.
SiCl4-based reactive ion etching of ZnO and MgxZn1−xO films on r-sapphire substrates

SiCl4-based reactive ion etching (RIE) is used to etch MgxZn1−xO (0≤x≤0.3) films grown on r-plane sapphire substrates. The RIE etch rates are investigated as a function of Mg composition, RIE power, and chamber pressure. SiO2 is used as the etching mask to achieve a good etching profile. In comparison with wet chemical etching, the in-plane etching anisotropy of MgxZn1−xO (0≤x≤0.3) films is reduced in RIE. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show that there is no Si and Cl contamination detected at the etched surface under the current RIE conditions. The influence of the RIE to the optical properties has been investigated.
Materials Science as a High School Capstone Course for the Physics First Curriculum

By changing the high school science curriculum from Freshman Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (BCP); to Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB), we have an opportunity to create a new Senior level science elective. The entire high school science core curriculum has been reviewed and parts rewritten to create a coherent, integrated program based on common themes such as energy, particulate nature of matter, and forces. Nanoconcepts including size and scale and surface area to volume ratio are integrated where appropriate. In our school, we began PCB during the 2008-2009 academic year. In anticipation of these students becoming upperclassmen, a capstone elective course of Materials Science has been developed based on scientific models and literacies shaped in the PCB course sequence. Deployment of this new model centered course is set for the 2010-2011 school year.
Protein degradation by rumen microbes of heat-treated whole cottonseed

In vitro and in situ rumen digestion trials were conducted to measure the effect of heat treatment on protein degradation by rumen microbes of cottonseed autoclaved and dry-heated (120, 140, 160 and 180 C) for different lengths of time (20, 40, 60, 90 and 120 min). Autoclaving (120 C, 1 kg/cm2 of pressure for 60 min) was effective in reducing ammonia nitrogen concentration in vitro, but dry heat at this temperature was without effect. Dry heating caused a linear decrease of in vitro ammonia concentration as temperature increased from 140 to 180 C and as exposure time increased from 20 to 120 min. The in situ results corroborated the in vitro findings. Crude protein disappearance from dacron bags decreased from 87 to 48% as temperature increased from 140 to 180 C after 20 min of heating.
Equine T-cell cytokines. Protection and pathology.

Cytokines play important roles in regulating both cellular and humoral immune responses in horses. The cloning, sequencing, and expression of cytokines and their receptors have enabled researchers to characterize equine cytokine response in various clinical settings. A more complete understanding of immune responses may lead to the development of better preventative or therapeutic measures.
New Species of Meteterakis (Nematoda: Heterakidae) in Brachymeles spp. (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Philippines

ABSTRACT: Meteterakis hurawensis n. sp. (Nematoda, Heterakidae) from the large intestine of Brachymeles orientalis and Brachymeles samad (Squamata, Scincidae) is described and illustrated. Meteterakis hurawensis n. sp. represents the 20th Oriental species assigned to the genus and is distinguished from other Oriental species by the distribution pattern of the caudal papillae (10 pairs total, 3 pairs of relatively large pedunculate papillae, 2 pairs of short pedunculate papillae immediately anteriolateral to ventral sucker, 2 pairs of short pedunculaltle papillae midway between ventral sucker and cloaca, 1 pair of sessile papillae just posterior to cloaca, 2 pairs of sessile near terminus of tail; 1 unpaired sessile papilla on midline just anterior to cloaca) and length of spicules (0.30–0.33 mm).
Local and global fluid effects on sonic wave modes

ABSTRACTMost subsurface formations of value to exploration contain a heterogeneous fluid-filled pore space, where local fluid-pressure effects can significantly change the velocities of passing seismic waves. To better understand the effect of these local pressure gradients on borehole wave propagation, we combined Chapman’s squirt-flow model with Biot’s poroelastic theory. We applied the unified theory to a slow and fast formation with permeable borehole walls containing different quantities of compliant pores. These results are compared with those for a formation with no soft pores. The discrete wavenumber summation method with a monopole point source generates the wavefields consisting of the P-, S-, leaky-P, Stoneley, and pseudo-Rayleigh waves. The resulting synthetic wave modes are processed using a weighted spectral semblance (WSS) algorithm. We found that the resulting WSS dispersion curves closely matched the analytical expressions for the formation compressional velocity and solutions to the peri...
Measuring high-altitude adaptation

Variation in O2 transport characteristics among Andean, Tibetan, and, when available, Ethiopian high-altitude residents supports the existence of genetic adaptations that improve the distribution o...
First Application of the Zeeman Technique to Remotely Measure Auroral Electrojet Intensity From Space

Using the O2 118 GHz spectral radiance measurements obtained by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument onboard the Aura spacecraft, we demonstrate that the Zeeman effect can be used to remotely measure the magnetic field perturbations produced by the auroral electrojet near the Hall current closure altitudes. Our derived current-induced magnetic field perturbations are found to be highly correlated with those coincidently obtained by ground magnetometers. These perturbations are also found to be linearly correlated with auroral electrojet strength. The statistically-derived polar maps of our measured magnetic field perturbation reveal a spatial-temporal morphology consistent with that produced by the Hall current during substorms and storms. With today's technology, a constellation of compact, low-power, high-spectral-resolution cubesats would have the capability to provide high precision and spatiotemporal magnetic-field samplings needed for auroral electrojet measurements to gain insights into the spatiotemporal behavior of the auroral electrojet system.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging using wideband sequences in patients with nonconditional cardiac implanted electronic devices.

Background Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been performed safely in patients without MRI-conditional cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), but experience specifically with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is limited in this patient population. Objective Evaluate the safety of CMR in non–MRI-conditional CIEDs and the interpretability of images using wideband sequences. Methods We performed 114 consecutive CMR studies in 111 patients (mean age 59 ± 14 years, with 12 pacemakers, 73 implantable cardioverter defibrillators, 29 biventricular defibrillators) using a wideband pulse sequence for late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. A standardized protocol for device management and patient monitoring was followed. Patients were evaluated for major clinical adverse events and device parameter changes immediately after CMR and at clinical follow-up. Results In total, 111 CMR studies were completed successfully. There were no patient deaths, new arrhythmias, immediate generator or lead failures, electrical resets, or pacing capture failures in dependent patients. Right atrial, right ventricular, and left ventricular lead impedances were significantly lower post CMR, with median differences −7 Ω (interquartile range [IQR] −20 to 0 Ω; P P = .0001), and −10 Ω (IQR −30 to 0 Ω; P = .023), respectively. These changes persisted through the follow-up period, with median differences −18.5 Ω (IQR −41 to −66 Ω; P = .007), −19 Ω (IQR −44 to −7 Ω; P = .006), and −30 Ω (IQR −130 to 0 Ω; P = .003), respectively. Ninety-seven studies (87%) had no artifact limiting interpretation. Conclusions CMR can be performed safely in non–MRI-conditional CIEDs using a standardized protocol. Use of a wideband pulse sequence for LGE imaging yields a high rate of studies unaffected by artifact.
Geriatric Anesthesia: Age-Dependent Changes in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems

Over 19 million patients age 65 and over undergo anesthesia and surgery each year. Further, the current population of Americans age 65 and over (~43 million) is expected to double by 2050, and will likely result in increasing numbers of older Americans undergoing surgery and anesthesia each year. Since the primary target organ of most if not all anesthetics is the nervous system, it is therefore critical for anesthesiologists to understand the significant age-dependent changes in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Here, we survey these age-dependent changes in the central and peripheral nervous systems, we discuss common age-related diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems, and we review their anesthetic and perioperative implications.
Our Emily Dickinsons: American Women Poets and the Intimacies of Difference, by Vivian R. Pollak: U of Pennsylvania P, 2017

Vivian R. Pollak’s Our Emily Dickinsons: American Women Poets and the Intimacies of Difference begins where Dickinson scholarship has been sitting for quite some time. In the book’s first paragraph...
Once daily oral extended-release hydrocodone as analgesia following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy in dogs.

Objective To determine the efficacy of oral extended-release hydrocodone compared with oral firocoxib for analgesia following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy surgery in dogs in a hospital setting. Study design Prospective, randomized, blinded, clinical trial. Animals Thirty-six client-owned dogs weighing 25-43 kg with unilateral hindlimb lameness and cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Methods Dogs were assigned to 1 of 2 groups (n = 18/group). Group 1 received hydrocodone 3 mg/kg orally every 24 hours, and group 2 received firocoxib 5 mg/kg orally every 24 hours. Both hydrocodone and firocoxib (according to group assignment) were provided as preemptive analgesia 10 hours before induction to anesthesia and then every 24 hours for the remainder of the study period The level of analgesia was compared between treatments on the basis of a modified Glasgow Composite Pain Score (mGCPS) in each dog, the number of dogs requiring rescue analgesia (hydromorphone 0.05 mg/kg subcutaneously), pressure platform stance data, and number of adverse events. Results Nine of 18 dogs that received hydrocodone and 2/18 dogs that received firocoxib had an mGCPS ≥6 (P = .02). Two dogs had an mGCPS ≥6 three times, and 1 had an mGCPS ≥6 two times; all 3 of these dogs were in the hydrocodone group. Average postoperative peak pressure placed on the affected limb was lower in dogs that received hydrocodone (P = .01). Regurgitation and decreased appetite were more common in the dogs that received hydrocodone. Conclusion Dogs that were treated with hydrocodone exhibited higher pain scores and lower limb function than dogs treated with firocoxib under the conditions of our study. Clinical significance Our results do not provide evidence to justify the administration of extended-release hydrocodone at 3 mg/kg orally every 24 hours rather than firocoxib at 5 mg/kg orally every 24 hours in dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy.
The Conformal Covariance of Huygens’ Principle-Type Integral Formulae in Clifford Analysis

Vahien matrices are used to describe the conformal covariance of the complex structure used in the construction of Huygens’ principle, and integrals over null cones determining values of holomorphic functions over domains in ℂn . This, in turn, is used to set up a holomorphic bundle over the conformal closure of ℂn.
Benzyl adenine restores anthocyanin pigmentation in suspension cultures of wild Vaccinium pahalae

The overriding influence of cytokinin source on flavonoid production in vitro was explored using a suspension culture system for Vaccinium pahalae. The substitution of kinetin by 20 μM benzyl adenine (BA) in the suspension culture media resulted in a three-fold increase in total anthocyanin yield, and a more rapid production during the cell culture cycle. Anthocyanin production reached a maximum after a 16–20 day interval in cultures containing an optimal kinetin concentration, but pigment accumulation peaked at only 12–16 days when BA was used as the sole cytokinin source. Unlike some other production systems which increase secondary metabolite production at the expense of cell growth, BA-supplementation promoted both increased growth and increased anthocyanin productivity. In BA-supplemented medium, cultures were not susceptible to typical osmotically-induced cell growth suppression. When, after multiple subcultures in kinetin-containing media, anthocyanin production capability was lost or diminished, productivity could be restored within 3 days after transfer of cells to a BA-supplemented medium.
Measurement of 5-HT1A receptor density and in vivo KD of [F-18]Mefway in the nonhuman primate

1180 Objectives [F-18]Mefway (MEF) was developed to offer an F-18 labeled serotonin1A (5-HT1A) PET antagonist to aid in the in vivo assessment of this system. The goal of this work was to characterize the in vivo kinetics of MEF and measure the 5-HT1A receptor density in rhesus monkeys. Methods Five rhesus monkeys (4f, 1m) were given 3 sequential bolus injections of MEF each with varying concentrations of unlabeled mefway. Dynamic scans were acquired with a microPET P4 scanner for a total of 180 minutes. Arterial sampling was performed throughout the scan to assay parent compound in plasma. Injection times and specific activities were optimized to measure values of Bmax, koff, and KDapp(=koff/kon). Time activity curves were extracted in the brain regions of the mesial temporal (MTC), frontal (FC), and parietal (PC) cortices. The kinetics of [F-18]mefway were modeled using COMKAT software (Muzic et al) and the arterial input function to estimate parameters of K1, k2, koff, Bmax, kon, and KDapp. Results When averaged across brain regions, parameters were koff: 0.029 ± 0.005 min-1; kon: 0.0055 ± 0.0016 mL/(pmol min); KDapp: 5.8 ± 2.1 pmol/mL; K1: 0.55 ± 0.18 min-1; k2: 0.36 ± 0.06 min-1 for MEF. Highest binding was seen in the MTC with Bmax values of 53 ± 4.4 pmol/mL, and 32 ± 5.3 pmol/mL in the FC and 18 ± 0.3 pmol/mL in the PC. Conclusions These results suggest that MEF has similar in vivo binding characteristics to [C-11]WAY100635. The favorable imaging characteristics make MEF a suitable radiotracer for PET assay of the 5-HT1A system. Work is ongoing to closely examine the potential presence of specific binding in the cerebellum and its use as a reference region for BPND estimation in the rhesus monkey. Research Support AA017706, MH086014, AG030524, AA1227
Promoting the well-being of children: the need to broaden our vision--the 1996 Martha May Eliot Award Lecture.

As those in the field of maternal and child health attempt to redefine their role to meet the challenges of the 1990s and beyond, they should review the history of their field. They should examine the legacy of the Children's Bureau which investigated and reported upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of children. They should note the medicalization of MCH and the drift away from broader child welfare issues. In Dr. Eliot's words, they should remember “the inseparability of the health and social aspects of the growth and development of a child.” MCHers can advance the well-being of children by defining child health broadly and by promoting it in many ways.
Psychosocial characteristics after acute myocardial infarction: the ENRICHD pilot study. Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease.

PURPOSE Psychosocial factors, such as emotional distress and social isolation, have been increasingly recognized as important risk factors for patients' recovery from acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study examined age, gender, and ethnic differences in depression and general distress, social support, and health-related quality of life after AMI. METHODS Data came from a series of 88 patients aged 62.1 +/- 14.2 years (46% female) who were hospitalized for AMI at eight different US clinical centers participating in the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD) Pilot Study. Standardized psychometric measures were administered to assess three psychosocial domains: (1) depression and general distress (mental health functioning), (2) social support, and (3) health-related quality of life. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of age, gender, and ethnic differences in each of the three psychosocial domains. RESULTS Female patients reported higher levels of depression and distress compared with male patients (P = .040). Gender differences in mental health functioning differed by age (P = .046), with the greatest differences observed among younger female patients. Older patients (P = .014) and female patients (P = .025) reported lower levels of social support compared with younger and male patients, respectively. Minority patients did not differ from nonminority patients in mental health functioning or social support, and there were no significant differences in post-AMI quality of life on the basis of age, gender, or ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS The psychosocial risk profile after AMI may be different for male and female patients, and interventions may need to take account of each gender's specific needs.
Nanostructured Materials Constructed from Polypeptides

This chapter describes peptide design strategies for the construction of nanostructured materials. It begins with a brief tutorial of amino acid structure and function and then describes higher-order assemblies of peptides and peptidomimetics. Primarily β-sheet fibril-forming peptides and α-helical coiled coil systems are discussed, as these systems have received particular attention in recent years for building nanostructured materials. Useful properties that arise from peptide construction are addressed, including stimulus-responsiveness, modularity, and multifunctionality, and a number of technological applications are described, including Tissue Engineering, antimicrobials, drug delivery, and nanoscale electronics. The chapter is meant to be an introduction for researchers or students in nanotechnology who may wish to extend their approaches into the biomolecular realm, and it also provides a compendium of recent advances for experts in the field of nanoscale peptide materials.
In Sickness and Health: Views on Child Health From a Mayan Village.

Introduction: Guatemala is the only country in Central America with a majority indigenous population. Most indigenous Mayans prefer to seek health advice from family members. It is important to und...
Simulated Annealing for Optimal Resource Allocation in Wireless Networks with Imperfect Communications

Simulated annealing (SA) method has had significant recent success in designing distributed control algorithms for wireless networks. These SA based techniques formed the basis of new CSMA algorithms and gave rise to the development of numerous variants to achieve the best system performance accommodating different communication technologies and more realistic system conditions. However, these algorithms do not readily extend to networks with noisy environments, as unreliable communication prevents them from gathering the necessary system state information needed to execute the algorithm. In recognition of this challenge, we propose a new SA algorithm that is designed to work more robustly in networks with communications that experience frequent message drops. The main idea of the proposed algorithm is a novel coupling technique that takes into account the external randomness of message passing failure events as a part of probabilistic uncertainty inherent in stochastic acceptance criterion of SA. As a result, the algorithm can be executed even with partial observation of system states, which was not possible under the traditional SA approach. We show that the newly proposed algorithm finds the optimal solution almost surely under the standard annealing framework while offering significant performance benefits in terms of its computational speed in the presence of frequent message drops.
Effective communication and sharing information at clinical handovers

Aim: The aim of this study was to present an overview of current knowledge of approaches to improving patient safety and to ensuring continuity of care at clinical information handovers (handoffs). Design: Descriptive summarizing study. Methods: PubMed, Science Direct, Embase and Google Scholar databases were studied, focusing on papers published in English over the past five years. The overview included papers dealing with the effectiveness of patient information transfer between members of staff, teams, and healthcare providers. After classification of materials, 28 articles were finally analyzed. Results: The tools for information handovers were mostly (i.e., in 18 instances) based on the mnemonic SBAR list. To a lesser extent, IPASS technology, the structure of body systems, and a checklist for trauma patients were used. The quality of transferred information was most frequently assessed at ICUs. Conclusion: The implementation of structured approaches for both oral and written information on patients is problematic, but the authors agree that it is necessary to take into account the particular conditions and context of communication.
A Tale of the Half Full or Half Empty Cup: Core Values in Local Government Organizations in Practice:

Scholars argue that core values must operate throughout an organization’s layers to support that organization’s performance and legitimacy. Yet, little evidence exists—especially at the local level...
How Does NGO Partnering Change Over Time? A Longitudinal Examination of Factors That Influence NGO Partner Selection:

Scholars suggest three partnering strategies that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) can use to pursue strategic relationships in civil society networks: (a) the development of overlapping ties a...
Camera Vibration Measurements

To evaluate the relative importance of camera vibration in present-day survey photography, measurements were made of angular vibration of cameras in four aircraft with piston engines and in one wit...