cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of YouTube as an Educational Tool in Teaching Key Indicator Cases in Otolaryngology During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Neck Dissection.

Objectives YouTube has become the preferred resource for trainees in otolaryngology to prepare for surgery. This study aimed to compare the evaluation by 2 attending physicians and 2 resident physicians of the quality of videos on YouTube on neck dissection, a key indicator case in head and neck surgery. The authors aimed to assess the quality and quantity of YouTube videos available for development of a virtual surgical educational curriculum for trainees in otolaryngology. Methods Using the YouTube search feature, the top 10 videos by relevance and view count were compiled using the following search terms: radical neck dissection, selective neck dissection, modified radical neck dissection, lateral neck dissection, levels I-III neck dissection, levels II-IV, left neck dissection, right neck dissection, cervical nodal dissection, and supraomohyoid neck dissection. A total of 37 videos on neck dissection were identified and analyzed using the LAP-VEGaS criteria as well as author-specific modified LAP-VEGaS criteria. Results The mean comprehensive LAP-VEGaS score was 8.74 (SD 3.10). The majority of videos (24/37) were designated as medium quality; 10 of 37 videos were low quality and 3 of 37 videos were high quality. In the total group analysis, there was excellent inter-rater reliability between attending physicians (Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.84) and good inter-rater reliability between resident physicians (Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.58). There was no correlation between total view count, video age, or number of likes/dislikes and the overall LAP-VEGaS score. The presence of audio or written commentary had a moderate positive correlation with LAP-VEGaS score (adjusted R2 of 0.36). There was no statistically significant difference in video quality between videos posted by US and non-US based physicians (95% confidence interval −0.10 to 4.10; p = 0.06). However, videos made by an otolaryngology-trained physician had a LAP-VEGaS score that was 3.93 points higher (95% confidence interval 2.34-5.52; p Conclusions Online videos of neck dissection represent an increasingly ubiquitous and appropriate resource for trainees in learning otolaryngology key indicator cases. While free-to-access video repositories, such as YouTube, have become increasingly popular among trainees as a primary resource for learning and preparing for surgical cases, they lack consistent quality and as such, global efforts should be taken to improve the breadth and depth of educational video content in otolaryngology.
Peer-Related Factors as Moderators between Overt and Social Victimization and Adjustment Outcomes in Early Adolescence

Peer victimization is a pervasive problem for early adolescents, yet not all victims experience the same adjustment difficulties. The prominence of peer social relationships during adolescence suggests that peer-related factors (e.g., peer support) may be important for victim outcomes. This study investigated the moderating effects of three peer-related factors (peer support, peer preference, and social status) on the association between peer victimization (overt and social) and adjustment outcomes (loneliness and aggression) using a longitudinal design. Self-report and peer nomination data were collected from 321 participants from three middle schools in the Northeastern United States during the fall and spring of seventh grade (Mage = 13.01; 49% African American, 31% White, 19% Hispanic). The findings suggest that peer-related factors contribute to victim outcomes. Both forms of victimization were positively associated with loneliness under high peer preference and were negatively associated with aggression under low peer preference. Sex differences were also noted. Overt victimization was associated with decreased aggression only among girls under low peer preference, low peer support, or high social status. The findings suggest that parents, school officials, and mental health professionals should consider peer-related factors in providing support for victims, especially female victims.
Design and Implementation of a Catalytic Electron Donor–Acceptor Complex Platform for Radical Trifluoromethylation and Alkylation

Electron donor–acceptor (EDA) complexes can controllably generate radicals under mild conditions through selective photoexcitation events. However, unproductive reactivity from fast deactivation of...
Innovative Early Sequenced Multidrug Therapy for Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19) Infection to Reduce Hospitalization and Death

The SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading across the United States has led to surges of COVID-19 hospitalizations and death. It is clear that randomized trials of single drugs will fail to resolve the crisis due to the complex and multifaceted nature of COVID-19 illness including viral mediated organ damage, cytokine storm, and thrombosis. Patients endure long untreated periods before succumbing to hospitalization and delayed treatment. Thus, early innovative, sequenced multidrug regimens have the best chance of success and are prudent as the next direction in randomized trials and advanced practice. Early management includes: 1) environmental efforts to reduce reinoculation and maintain isolation in the home, 2) combination anti-infective therapy, 3) corticosteroids, 4) antiplatelet agents/antithrombotics, 5) supportive care including supplemental oxygen, monitoring, and telemedicine. Randomized trials of novel oral therapies have not delivered tools of physicians to combat the pandemic in practice. Thus, an immediate pivot from single drug to innovative sequenced multidrug regimens is required as the only strategy to deal with current acute cases of COVID-19 with the aim of avoiding hospitalization and death.
To be or not to be: negotiating leisure constraints with technology and data analytics amid the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on the leisure industry. Mandatory directives such as social distancing and stay-at-home/shelter-in-place orders reduce disease transmission ...
Increasing BMI increases lumbar intervertebral disc deformation following a treadmill walking stress test.

Abstract High body mass index (BMI) and obesity have been implicated as risk factors for lumbar degenerative disc disease and low back pain. Despite this, there is limited in vivo data quantifying how obesity influences the mechanical function of intervertebral discs (IVD) in response to activities of daily living. Recently, our lab has developed methodologies to non-invasively measure in vivo IVD deformation resulting from activities of daily living using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and solid modeling techniques. This pilot study expands on these methodologies to assess how BMI influences IVD deformation following treadmill walking in eight asymptomatic individuals. Ordinary least squares regression analyses revealed a statistically significant relationship between BMI and compressive deformation (strain (%)) in the L5-S1 IVD (R2 = 0.61, p 0.05) and L4-L5 IVDs (R2 = 0.28, p > 0.05). Importantly, no relationship between pre-exercise disc height and BMI was identified (p > 0.05). Therefore, the results of this study suggest that BMI may alter the mechanical response of lumbar spine IVDs, particularly at the L5-S1 level. Furthermore, the observed relationship between increased BMI and IVD compressive deformation, in the absence of a detected relationship between pre-exercise disc height and BMI, suggests that changes in IVD mechanical function may be more sensitive to alterations in disc health than static clinical imaging alone. This finding highlights the importance of quantifying disc mechanical function when examining the relationship between BMI and IVD degeneration.
Sulfate import in Salmonella Typhimurium impacts bacterial aggregation and the respiratory burst in human neutrophils

During enteric salmonellosis, neutrophil generated reactive oxygen species alter the gut microenvironment favoring survival of Salmonella Typhimurium. While the type-3 secretion system-1 (T3SS-1) and flagellar motility are potent Salmonella Typhimurium agonists of the neutrophil respiratory burst in vitro, neither of these pathways alone are responsible for stimulation of a maximal respiratory burst. In order to identify Salmonella Typhimurium genes that impact the magnitude of the neutrophil respiratory burst, we performed a two-step screen of defined mutant libraries in co-culture with human neutrophils. We first screened Salmonella Typhimurium mutants lacking defined genomic regions and then tested single gene deletion mutants representing particular regions under selection. A subset of single gene deletion mutants were selected for further investigation. Mutants in four genes, STM1696 (sapF), STM2201 (yeiE), STM2112 (wcaD), and STM2441 (cysA), induced an attenuated respiratory burst. We linked the altered respiratory burst to reduced T3SS-1 expression and/or altered flagellar motility for two mutants (ΔSTM1696 and ΔSTM2201). The ΔSTM2441 mutant, defective for sulfate transport, formed aggregates in minimal media and adhered to surfaces in rich media, suggesting a role for sulfur homeostasis in regulation of aggregation/adherence. We linked the aggregation/adherence phenotype of the ΔSTM2441 mutant to biofilm-associated protein A and flagellins and hypothesize that aggregation caused the observed reduction in the magnitude of the neutrophil respiratory burst. Our data demonstrate that Salmonella Typhimurium has numerous mechanisms to limit the magnitude of the neutrophil respiratory burst. These data further inform our understanding of how Salmonella may alter human neutrophil antimicrobial defenses.
Is the presence of an uncleaved embryo on day 3 a useful predictor of outcomes following day 5 transfer

Purpose This study aimed to determine whether the presence of an uncleaved embryo on day 3 is predictive of cycle outcome after day 5 transfer (D5 ET).
State Intervention and Subjective Well-Being in Advanced Industrial Democracies

While there is a vast and contentious literature devoted to the debate over “politics versus markets,” scholars have devoted little empirical attention to the fundamental question of how the choice between these two approaches to public policy affects the overall quality of human life. Contending arguments make powerful claims for the superiority of each as the best mechanism for generating and distributing well-being. We attempt an empirical appraisal of this issue, using the extent to which individuals find their lives to be satisfying as an evaluative metric. Considering individual levels of life satisfaction in advanced industrial democracies using the most recent wave of survey data from the World Values Survey, we find that citizens are more satisfied with their lives as the level of state intervention into the market economy increases. Aunque existe una vasta y polemica literatura dedicada al debate acerca de “politica contra el mercado,” los academicos han dedicado poca atencion empirica a la pregunta fundamental de como la eleccion entre estos dos enfoques en las politicas publicas afectan en conjunto la calidad de la vida humana. Argumentos opuestos hacen fuertes afirmaciones sobre la superioridad de cada uno como el mejor mecanismo para generar y distribuir el bienestar. Utilizando los niveles de satisfaccion de los individuos como sistema de medicion, intentamos realizar una evaluacion empirica de este tema. Considerando los niveles individuales de satisfaccion de vida en democracias avanzadas industriales y utilizando la mas reciente oleada de datos en encuestas del World Values Survey, encontramos que los ciudadanos estan mas satisfechos con sus vidas a medida que el nivel de intervencion del estado en el mercado aumenta.
Performance-Based Contracting for Human Services

ABSTRACT Performance-based contracting is receiving increased attention today as a method of improving the efficiency, quality and effectiveness of human service delivery. This article looks at the performance-based contracting activities of selected state human service agencies, the approaches being used and the results being achieved. The article concludes that performance-based contracting for human services does appear to be accomplishing its objective: changing the behavior of contractors to focus more on performance.
Response to letter to the editor by Dr. Cohen and Dr. Quintner.

Dear Editor, I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the letter to the editor of Drs. Cohen and Quintner (the authors), prompted by the review of the Muscle and Myofascial Pain section of the 2005 IASP Core Curriculum (IASP CC) [1]. The authors are acknowledged for their persistence in challenging inconsistencies in the constructs of the myofascial syndrome (and fibromyalgia). Indeed, and unfortunately, they have offered essentially similar comments to this journal when it was called the Clinical Journal of Pain as early as 1994 [2]. Their position is that the myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is ill conceived and does not represent a true clinical phenomenon, and that the signs and symptoms attributed to myofascial pain and trigger points (TrPs) are better explained by the concept of regions of secondary hyperalgesia of peripheral nerve origin, which the authors stated in 1994, as a hypothesis that is testable to achieve external validity. Their studies have not been carried out and their theory has not been validated, but many studies have been produced supporting the existence of the mechanisms underlying pain of muscular origin [3,4]. The authors challenge and attribute to Mense the concept of altered end-plate potentials in the pathophysiology of TrPs. As David Simons is the actual author of this theory, he has offered to respond in a separate letter below. The authors refer to the IASP CC book review of Leano and Kalauokalani [1]. The section alluded to actually says Just as each topic is presented in slightly different ways, it is observed that some topics are heavily referenced (muscle and myofascial pain) and others sparsely referenced (headache). Upon closer review, one will find that in the case of headache, the authors heavily relied on three recently revised and leading textbooks …
Sedimentation Analysis of a Multiple Myeloma γG-Globulin and One of Its Mercaptoethylamine Reaction Products

Abstract Descriptions of some thermodynamic properties and transport behavior in solution of an intact multiple myeloma γG-globulin and of one of the products of its reaction with mercaptoethylamine have been provided. For the sedimentation equilibrium experiments, the parent γG-globulin was dissolved in three solvent systems: cacodylate buffer, its 8 m urea solution and its 6 m guanidine hydrochloride solution, all at pH 7. Molecular weight and second virial coefficient data were also obtained for the mercaptoethylamine reaction product in 6 m urea solvent. Sedimentation velocity experiments were performed with the same solutions. The concentration dependence, both of apparent molecular weight and of sedimentation coefficient, for the parent molecule in 6 m guanidine hydrochloride is quite normal. The same may be said of the corresponding behavior of the submolecule in 6 m urea buffer solution. On the other hand, suitable interpretations of sedimentation equilibrium and sedimentation transport data for the solutions of the γG-globulin in cacodylate and 8 m urea buffers seem to require the use of an association mechanism. A simplified theory, based on the assumption that only dimerization occurs in solution, is presented which makes use of a combination of the two kinds of information. In this way, it has become possible to provide a value for the dimerization constant and to assign limiting sedimentation coefficients for monomer and dimer. For the reasons given, the dimerization is believed to take place in an end-to-end fashion.
Relative Reactivity of Ribosyl 2′-OH vs. 3′-OH in Concentrated Aqueous Solutions of Phosphoimidazolide Activated Nucleotides

Phosphoimidazolide activated ribomononucleotides (*pN, see structure) are useful substrates for the non-enzymatic synthesis of oligonucleotides. In the presence of metal ions, aqueous solutions of *pN yield primarily the two internucleotide-linked (pN2' pN and pN3' pN) and the pyrophosphate-linked (N5' ppN) dimers. Small amounts of cyclic dimers and higher oligomers are also produced. In this study the relative reactivity of 2'-OH vs. 3'-OH was determined from the ratio of the yields of pN2' pN vs. pN3' pN. Experiments were performed at 23 degrees C in the range 7.2 < or = pH < or = 8.4 with substrates that differ in nucleobase (guanosine (G), cytidine (C), uridine (U), and adenosine (A)) and leaving group (imidazole (Im), 2-methylimidazole (2-MeIm) and 2,4-dimethylimidazole (2,4-diMeIm)). Two metal ions (Mg2+ or Mn2+) were employed as catalysts. The conditions used here, i.e. a substrate concentration in the range 0.1 M to 1.0 M and metal ion concentration in the range 0.05 M to 0.2 M, favor base-stacking interactions. The ratio pN2' pN: pN3' pN = 2'-5': 3'-5' was found independent of nucleobase and typically varied between 2 to 3 indicating that the 2'-OH is about 2 to 3 times more reactive than the 3'-OH. *pN with Im, compared to 2-MeIm and 2,4-diMeIm leaving group, produce lower yields of internucleotide linked dimers, and a higher pN2' pN: pN3' pN ratio. Trends in the data, observed with all three leaving groups, suggest an increase in pN2' pN: pN3' pN ratio with decreasing substrate concentration (up to 5.47 with 0.051 M ImpG). The observations are in accord with earlier studies reporting a relative reactivity 2'-5': 3'-5' = 6 to 9 obtained with Im as the leaving group, in dilute nucleotide solutions and under conditions that disfavor stacking. It is speculated that the concentration induced change in the relative reactivity is the result of self-association via base-stacking that enhances selectively the proximity of the 3'-OH of one molecule to the reactive P-N bond of an other molecule. The implication of these conclusions for oligomerization/ligation reactions is discussed.
Renal glycosuria in pyelonephritis.

Standard pediatric nephrology textbooks do not include acute pyelonephritis in the differential diagnosis of renal glycosuria. Recently, we encountered a 9-month-old girl who had fever up≤39.4°C(103°F) for five to six days. On the sixth day of her illness, a Chemstrip urinalysis was performed and demonstrated the presence of 2+ pyuria, 1+ protein, 1+ hematuria, and 4+ glycosuria. A simultaneous blood glucose concentration was 107 mg/ dL. A repeat urinalysis, done 32 hours after a feeding, confirmed the presence of renal glycosuria, a concurrent serum glucose of 129 mg/dL, pyuria, minimal hematuria, and proteinuria.
Issues in the finite element modeling of polyphase plasticity

Abstract Finite element methods are increasingly being used for modeling the plastic deformation of a variety of polyphase materials. In this note, we highlight some recent advances, with specific examples, in the computational modeling of plasticity in crystalline metals and composites. Issues related to modeling of microstructure, characterization of plastic flow and modeling of progressive damage are discussed. Some computational modeling issues are also described.
Electrophoretic aberrancy of serum α1-antitrypsin in disseminated intravascular coagulation

Abstract A similar aberrant type of serum α1-antitrypsin was detected in 8 cases suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation. Their serum α1-antitrypsin phenotypes seemed to be heterozygous of M and another aberrant type migrating more anodally. The relative quantity of the anodal part to normal M's varied not only among 8 cases but also among the sera taken from the same patient in different days. Their inherited phenotypes were suggested to be MM by our family studies and population studies. Therefore the reported aberrant expression was suggested to be acquired one, and to be closely related with abnormalities in coagulation and fibrinolysis including disseminated intravascular coagulation.
Test sample selection by preschool children: Honoring diversity

In a test of an inductive inference, preschool children’s selection of objects was examined. In Experiment 1, 4-year-olds selected diverse objects first in sequential selections; in Experiment 2, adults and 4-year-olds, but not 3-year-olds, made similar selections under the same conditions. A defective object led subjects in all age groups to test a similar object. In Experiment 3, 4-year-olds chose to test a pair of dissimilar objects rather than a pair of similar objects, but 3-year-olds did not. Three-year-olds’ selections were independent of diversity. In Experiment 4, we attempted to emphasize the diversity of objects for 3-year-olds. Their first task was to select an object that was the same as or different from a target object. The subjects responded correctly in this task but did not prefer to test diverse objects. Experiment 5 showed that neither 3- nor 4-year-olds have a bias to select nondiverse objects in a nontest context. The findings indicate that children as young as 4 years old value diverse evidence in induction.
Epidermal "turnover time"--a re-examination.

SUMMARY.— The literature on the turnover or renewal time of normal and psoriatic epidermis is critically reviewed. It is concluded that the time taken by a cell to travel to the surface, once it has been formed, is probably 40-56 days in normal skin, and 6-8 days in psoriatic skin.
Big bang nucleosynthesis constraints on the tau neutrino mass

Abstract We re-examine the effect of a massive τ neutrino on primordial nucleosynthesis. An improved calculation of the evolution of the total energy density is presented for both a stable τ neutrino, and for the case where the τ neutrino decays into a lighter neutrino and a scalar. The production of light elements in big bang nucleosynthesis is calculated for the stable τ neutrino and for the unstable case. Using observational limits on the abundances of 4He, D + 3He, and 7Li, we constrain the allowed mass and lifetime of ντ. We find that the only range allowed for the mass and lifetime is either mντ ≲ 0.1 MeV for τν ≳ 10−2 s and mντ ≲ 0.1 (τν/10−2 s) MeV for τν ≲ 10−2s, or 5–10 MeV ≲ mντ ⩽ MeV provided that τν ≲ 40 s, where we use the experimental upper bound on mντ from τ → 5π±ντ. Tau neutrinos with lifetimes longer than 40 s are excluded by BBN in the mass interval 0.1 MeV ≲ mντ ≲ 50 MeV.
Characterizing animal stress through fractal analysis of thermoregulatory responses

Abstract Thermoregulatory responses, based on non-invasive tympanic temperature measures, are a logical energetically-based alternative to endocrine or other measures for objectively characterizing stress. Tympanic temperature datasets obtained from growing, ad-libitum -fed cattle ( Bas taurus steers) were used to compute the fractal dimension for thermoregulatory responses to a non-stressing and several heat-stressing conditions. Within defined limitations for sampling interval frequency, results showed clear differentiation among responses to the imposed environments by individual animals. Objective characterization of stress was attained and a threshold limit for stress defined using the technique.
State Constitutional Law in 1930–31

The most significant case in the field of state constitutional law decided during the past year is that of State ex rel. Miller v. Hinkle, decided by the supreme court of Washington in 1930. This case held that an apportionment act is a “law,” and can be popularly initiated under the initiative and referendum provisions of the constitution of the state of Washington. The court granted a petition for a writ of mandamus to compel the secretary of state to accept a petition submitting to popular referendum a proposal to redistrict the state for purposes of representation in the legislature. The legislature had failed for many years to perform its constitutional duty to reapportion the state, and this case illustrates the most conclusive argument in favor of the use of the initiative and referendum for purposes of ordinary legislation, even though the only legislation to which it be applied be that of reapportionment. Many states are faced with a serious problem in connection with over-representation of rural districts in the legislature and under-representation of urban districts. The initiative and referendum seem to offer about the only way out of the difficulty if state legislatures refuse to correct the inequality. The only alternative is that we change our ideas as to the necessity of majority rule in the selection and composition of legislative bodies, a change which the rural districts appear already to have made.
Stochastic Model Simulation Using Kronecker Product Analysis and Zassenhaus Formula Approximation

Probabilistic Models are regularly applied in Genetic Regulatory Network modeling to capture the stochastic behavior observed in the generation of biological entities such as mRNA or proteins. Several approaches including Stochastic Master Equations and Probabilistic Boolean Networks have been proposed to model the stochastic behavior in genetic regulatory networks. It is generally accepted that Stochastic Master Equation is a fundamental model that can describe the system being investigated in fine detail, but the application of this model is computationally enormously expensive. On the other hand, Probabilistic Boolean Network captures only the coarse-scale stochastic properties of the system without modeling the detailed interactions. We propose a new approximation of the stochastic master equation model that is able to capture the finer details of the modeled system including bistabilities and oscillatory behavior, and yet has a significantly lower computational complexity. In this new method, we represent the system using tensors and derive an identity to exploit the sparse connectivity of regulatory targets for complexity reduction. The algorithm involves an approximation based on Zassenhaus formula to represent the exponential of a sum of matrices as product of matrices. We derive upper bounds on the expected error of the proposed model distribution as compared to the stochastic master equation model distribution. Simulation results of the application of the model to four different biological benchmark systems illustrate performance comparable to detailed stochastic master equation models but with considerably lower computational complexity. The results also demonstrate the reduced complexity of the new approach as compared to commonly used Stochastic Simulation Algorithm for equivalent accuracy.
Effectiveness of Common Healthcare Disinfectants against H1N1 Influenza Virus on Reusable Elastomeric Respirators

This study evaluated the efficacy of 3 common hospital disinfectants to inactivate influenza virus on elastomeric respirators. Quaternary ammonium/isopropyl alcohol and bleach detergent wipes eliminated live virus, whereas 70% isopropyl alcohol alone was ineffective. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(7):894–897
Ammonia emissions from field-simulated cattle defecation and urination.

Atmospheric ammonia (NH 3 ) is a concern because of its environmental impact. The greatest contribution to atmospheric NH 3 comes from agricultural sources. This study quantified NH 3 volatilization from cattle defecation and urination on pasture under field conditions in Auburn, Alabama. Treatments consisted of beef feces, dairy feces, dairy urine, and a control. The experiment was conducted during four seasons from June 2003 to April 2004. Fresh feces or urine was applied onto grass swards, and NH 3 volatilization was measured up to 14 d after application using an inverted chamber method. Dairy urine was the only significant source of NH 3 . Ammonia nitrogen (N) loss differed among seasons, ranging from 1.8% in winter to 20.9% during the warmer summer months. Cumulative volatilization was best described in this experiment by the equation % NH 3 -N loss = N max (1 - e -ct ) 1 . The highest rate of NH 3 volatilization generally occurred within 24 h. This study suggests that NH 3 volatilization from cattle urine on pasture is significant and varies with season, whereas NH 3 volatilization from cattle feces is negligible.
Costs and constraints

One common difficulty with assessing the worth of a (usually non-standard) technique is how to judge the costs of the technique. Unfortunately, short-range, narrow economic notions are predominantly used. This often destroys an idea before it is given a fair forum.
Increased resistance in the rat to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis following immunization against Trichinella spiralis.

Abstract Rats which were immunized with increasing doses of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae per os and inoculated with 2 000 Nippostrongylus brasiliensis third-stage larvae 11 day after the last immunizing dose harbored significantly fewer N. brasiliensis adults at necropsy than did unimmunized controls. Immunized rats were solidly immune to homologous infection with T. spiralis . Some N. brasiliensis infective larvae incubated in vitro at 37°C in T. spiralis antiserum developed mild oral precipitates. They developed strong oral, excretory pore and occasionally anal precipitates in homologous antiglobulins, and none in normal rat sera or globulins. T. spiralis larvae developed strong oral precipitates in homologous antisera, but none in N. brasiliensis antiglobulins or normal rat sera or globulins. Inflammation, altered intestinal conditions and delayed hypersensitivity following T. spiralis infection may be contributing to the cross-resistance observed.
No Promises, But I’m Willing to Listen and Tell What I Hear: Conducting Qualitative Research among Prison Inmates and Staff:

By their nature and locations, prisons are places in which few criminologists study firsthand. It is far easier to gain access to study the residents of a remote Alaskan community than to study the lives of prison inmates and/or those persons whose task it is to keep them within the prison walls. This article explores some of the interrelated challenges (access, rapport, honesty, confidentiality, compromise, etc.) faced by researchers conducting qualitative research within correctional environments. Examples are drawn from the literature as well as recent studies by the author on the work environment of correctional officers and a prison substance abuse treatment program.
A Test for Contrast-Polarity Selectivity in the Tilt Aftereffect

The tilt aftereffect (TAE) was studied with adapting and test stimuli consisting of black or white bars (experiment 1), and of luminance edges (experiment 2). Both experiments failed to demonstrate selectivity of the TAE to the polarity of luminance contrast.
Investigation of Light Scattering for Normalization of Signals in Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Light scattering is evaluated for normalizing signals in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The scattering signal produced from the transported ablation aerosol is measured with a laboratory-constructed cell. The technique is used to account for variations in the ablated mass within a matrix as well as between matrices. Matrices that are studied include brass, glass, soil, and Macor ceramic. It is demonstrated that the technique is useful for normalizing analyte signals within a matrix; however, it is not as effective as the use of an internal standard in terms of the precision obtained. The utility of the technique to normalize between matrices is studied for glass, Macor , and soil. The results indicate that light scattering is useful provided that the particle sizes generated are sufficiently similar.
What's In a Name? A Seventeenth-Century Book, Detective Fiction, and Calvino's Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore

This essay examines Italo Calvino's novel If on a Winter's Night a Traveler as the author's experiment with the conventions of the classic detective fiction formula. Calvino launches two parallel i...
Supercritical phase behavior: The entrainer effect

Abstract One of the keys to lowering the cost of supercritical extraction processes is to find appropriate cosolvents (entrainers) that maintain or improve selectivity while increasing the solubility. This solubility enhancement is of great commercial interest; however until recently there was no way to predict either for which systems or under what conditions it would occur. We show that the entrainer effect is caused by a chemical association between the cosolvent and the solute. Further, we present a model that explicitly accounts for these chemical associations. Finally, we show that data and analysis techniques already established for associations in liquid solvents (especially spectroscopic and solvatochromic techniques) can be used to make qualitative predictions of the entrainer effect in a supercritical fluid.
Stimulation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator–dependent short-circuit currents across ΔF508 murine intestines☆☆☆

Abstract Background & Aims: The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) can be activated by pharmacological manipulation of the protein kinase A pathway in cell lines. Our goals were to stimulate wild-type CFTR in murine intestines via isoform-specific phosphodiesterase inhibition or protein kinase A activation and to apply the optimal stimulus to activate chloride secretion from homozygous ΔF508 jejunum. Methods: The response of T84 cells and sections of murine intestine to various inhibitors and activators was examined by Ussing chamber experiments. Results: Maximal chloride secretion can be activated in T84 cells with application of class III phosphodiesterase inhibitors and in wild-type murine intestines with class I or III phosphodiesterase inhibitors or with activators of type II protein kinase A. Chloride secretion can be stimulated from homozygous ΔF508 murine jejunum using a mixture of inhibitors and activators. Conclusions: ΔF508 CFTR can be activated to levels 4% of wild-type when the combination of protein kinase A type II activators and phosphodiesterase class I and III inhibitors are used in murine jejunum. This result suggests that partial CFTR-mediated electrolyte transport can be restored in ΔF508 murine jejunum by application of specific pharmacological agents. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1999;116:1379-1388
Improved preservation of neuronal glycogen by fixation with iodoacetic acid-containing solutions.

Abstract A new principle of fixation was developed for the histochemical demonstration of neuronal glycogen in the rabbit because of the poor results obtained after routine perfusion with saline and Bouin's solution. Accordingly, all perfusates are mixed with 0.01 m iodoacetic acid, and as soon as possible after narcosis and exposure of the heart, epinephrine is injected into the left ventricle; 30 s later the heart is incised for perfusion with aqueous 0.9% NaCl solution (30 s), followed by perfusion with Bouin's solution (6 to 8 min), and 15 to 180 min thereafter by perfusion with 100% ethanol (60 min). Then, the brain is removed and dehydrated by immersion in the same alcohol solution and embedded in paraffin within 24 h after the perfusion. The dimedone-PAS-stained neuronal glycogen, which is unstained after saliva treatment, is regarded as being better preserved because (i) it is demonstrable in the perikarya of cortical neurons and Purkinje cells, (ii) it occurs throughout the perikarya in the deeply situated Purkinje cells, and (iii) it is more intensely stained in motor neurons than with previous techniques. The beneficial effect of the iodoacetic acid on preservation of neuronal glycogen depends on the vasoconstricting action of epinephrine on the peripheral vasculature so that flow of perfusates is directed to the brain exclusively. In superficially situated Purkinje cells, glycogen, because of the action of the infiltrating alcohol, is dispersed to one side of the perikarya and aggregated in the proximal parts of axons, but is unchanged in dendrons. The differential effect of alcohol on glycogen at the three cellular levels and the observation that glycogen is reduced in astrocytes but not in neurons after the intracardial injection of epinephrine suggest that factors controlling the storage of glycogen are variable.
Song Types and their Use: Developmental Flexibility of the Male Blue-winged Warbler

How does an animal know the appropriate context in which to use its different vocalizations? I studied this problem with a songbird, the blue-winged warbler (Vermivora pinus). Mated males in nature tend to sing one song form (II) at dawn, under low light levels, and at a median rate of 15 songs/min. Their other song (I, the more familiar bee-buzz) is used later in the day, under higher light levels, and at a median rate of 6 songs/min. In the laboratory I tutored different groups of hand-reared males under normal circumstances (group 1: song II early in the morning, under low light, at a rapid rate; song I later, under high light, at a slow rate), under reversed circumstances (group 2: song I early, low light, rapid rate; etc.), and with no contextual cues (group 3: songs I and II both early and late, under both light levels, and at an intermediate rate). Few males developed entirely normal blue-wing song, but males of group 2 clearly reversed the use of song forms and components. The relationship between signal form and function in the songs of this warbler appears flexible and to some extent learned by the males.
Elastic property differences in a multi-mode optical fiber and the effect on predicted mechanical lifetime

Abstract Multi-mode optical fibers are used for high energy transmission. One configuration of such fibers has a fluorine-doped silica cladding, and a pure silica core. Nanoindentation measurements of elastic modulus and hardness in the core and cladding of such a fiber are presented, and compared to those in the preform. The cladding region is softer, and has a significantly lower elastic modulus than the core in both the fiber and preform. Ultrasonic measurements made on core and clad materials extracted from the preform confirm the observed elastic property differences in the fiber. Water-immersion mandrel wrap data for time to failure of up to ~ 1 year are analyzed to obtain allowable design stresses for 30 year lifetime for the fiber. Incorporating the lower clad elastic modulus leads to design stresses that are ~ 20–25% lower than those predicted without taking the correct modulus into account.
α4β7/MAdCAM-1 Interactions Play an Essential Role in Transitioning Cryptopatches into Isolated Lymphoid Follicles and a Nonessential Role in Cryptopatch Formation

The alpha(4) integrins alpha(4)beta(7) and alpha(4)beta(1), and their ligands mucosal vascular addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM-1) and VCAM-1, have diverse functions, including roles in the formation of secondary lymphoid tissues at early time points during the colonization and clustering of the fetal lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi) cells and at later time points during the recruitment of lymphocytes. In this study, we evaluated the role of alpha(4) integrins in the development of a recently appreciated class of intestinal lymphoid tissues, isolated lymphoid follicles (ILFs). We observed that diverse ILF cellular populations express alpha(4)beta(7) and alpha(4)beta(1), including the LTi-like cells and lymphocytes, while ILF stromal cells and vessels within ILFs express VCAM-1 and MAdCAM-1, respectively. Evaluation of adult and neonatal beta(7)(-/-) mice and adult and neonatal mice given blocking Abs to alpha(4)beta(7), MAdCAM-1, or VCAM-1 did not identify a role for alpha(4) integrins in cryptopatch (CP) development; however, these studies demonstrated that alpha(4)beta(7) and MAdCAM-1 are required for the transitioning of CP into lymphoid tissues containing lymphocytes or ILFs. Competitive bone marrow transfers demonstrated that beta(7)(-/-) LTi-like cells had a reduced but not significantly impaired ability to localize to CP. Bone marrow transfers and adoptive transfers of B lymphocytes revealed that beta(7) expression by B lymphocytes was essential for their entry into the developing ILFs. These findings demonstrate an essential role for alpha(4)beta(7)/MAdCAM-1 in ILF development corresponding to the influx of beta(7)-expressing lymphocytes and a nonessential role for beta(7)-localizing LTi-like cells to the small intestine.
Photopolymerization and structure formation of methacrylic acid based hydrogels in water/ethanol mixture

Hydrogels are a desired material for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. To better control the synthesized hydrogels for various applications, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of hydrogel structure and reaction mechanism. In this study, pH-sensitive hydrogel networks consisting of methacrylic acid (MAA) crosslinked with tri(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) were synthesized by free-radical photopolymerization in the water/ethanol mixture. Reaction rate was measured using Photo-differential scanning calorimetry (PhotoDSC) with a modified sample pan designed for handling volatile reagents. A photo-rheometer and a dynamic light scattering (DLS) goniometer were used to follow the changes in viscosity and molecule size of the resin system during photopolymerization. It was found that the rate of polymerization increased and more compact and less swelling gels would form with a higher water fraction in 50 wt% solvent/reactant mixture. This is because the weaker interactions between the MAA and the solvent give a higher opportunity for propagation and a higher reaction rate. And the hydrophobic TEGDMA and initiator tend to form aggregates in the higher water solution, contributing to the inhomogeneous microgel formation. This mechanism is conformed by viscosity measurement, DLS analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, and kinetics analysis.
Eisenmenger's syndrome: current management.

Eisenmenger's syndrome describes the elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure to the systemic level caused by increased pulmonary vascular resistance with reversal or bi-directional shunting through a large intracardiac or extracardiac congenital heart defect. This article reviews the natural history and pathophysiology of Eisenmenger's syndrome untreated and medical and surgical treatment options presently available. Although there is no cure for this condition at present, recent advances in management have improved the quality of life for many patients with Eisenmenger's syndrome.
Acetylcholinesterase as an early marker of the differentiation of dorsal thalamus in embryonic rats

The enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is transiently expressed in rats by neurons of the principal sensory thalamic nuclei, although these neurons do not use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter. Reports that AChE expression begins at late embryonic stages led to the proposal that AChE may function in the establishment of connections, but not in earlier events. However, we find AChE reactivity in rat dorsal thalamus 5 days earlier than previously described. Cells that form the ventrobasal complex (VB), the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLG) and the medial geniculate nucleus, express AChE as they migrate and aggregate into definitive nuclei. AChE-positive cells are occasionally observed in the dorsal thalamic neuroepithelium, but are more common in others regions of the diencephalic neuroepithelium. AChE reactivity delineates VB and dLG earlier than Nissl-stained cytoarchitecture. These findings indicate that AChE is an early marker of neuronal differentiation. Certain properties of AChE, together with its early detection, are consistent with a proposed role in the migration of principal sensory neurons and their organization into discrete nuclei.
Simulation-based seismic loss estimation of seaport transportation system

Abstract Seaport transportation system is one of the major lifeline systems in modern society and its reliable operation is crucial for the well-being of the public. However, past experiences showed that earthquake damage to port components can severely disrupt terminal operation, and thus negatively impact on the regional economy. The main purpose of this study is to provide a methodology for estimating the effects of the earthquake on the performance of the operation system of a container terminal in seaports. To evaluate the economic loss of damaged system, an analytical framework is developed by integrating simulation models for terminal operation and fragility curves of port components in the context of seismic risk analysis. For this purpose, computerized simulation model is developed and verified with actual terminal operation records. Based on the analytical procedure to assess the seismic performance of the terminal, system fragility curves are also developed. This simulation-based loss estimation methodology can be used not only for estimating the seismically induced revenue loss but also serve as a decision-making tool to select specific seismic retrofit technique on the basis of benefit–cost analysis.
States, Race, and the Decline of New Deal Liberalism

There is no escaping the New Deal's pivotal place in studies of twentieth-century American politics. Social scientists have vigorously debated the causes of the New Deal's distinctive features and continue to argue about its consequences for subsequent American political development. The predominant perspective advances a coherent linear history in which the central features of New Deal reform shape the understanding of political developments both before and after the 1930s. The era of Progressive reform is viewed as a precursor to the expanded public power and the practice of activist government that was consolidated in the 1930s. The Great Society is the effort to extend the benefits of liberal reform to African Americans, who had reaped only scant benefits from the central achievements of New Deal reform. When this effort went “too far,” it resulted in a far-reaching backlash against activist government. The “rise and fall” of a New Deal order that had the creation of active government at its core has thus provided a central narrative for the study of twentieth-century politics.
X-ray diffraction investigation of atmospheric aerosols in the 0.3–1.0 μm aerodynamic size range

Abstract X-ray powder diffraction analysis was used to characterize submicrometer aerosol samples collected using a modified Lundgren cascade impactor. The Debye-Scherrer method was found to be particularly convenient, for the particles could be easily transferred to an X-ray capillary which could then be sealed to limit chemical changes. Several sets of aerosols were investigated in order to demonstrate the sensitivity and range of applicability of the combined impactor-Debye-Scherrer approach. The findings are varied and are reported here. Numerous compounds were identified. Of particular interest was the observation of nitrates in the form of ammonium nitrate-ammonium sulfate double salts. Earlier infrared characterizations of ambient aerosols in the MAP3S program had demonstrated periodic variations in sulfate acidity with time. The X-ray diffraction examination of archived samples from that study identified the chemical compound responsible for the acidity to be (NH 4 ) 3 H(SO 4 ) 2 primarily, in amounts which varied with time. Good agreement was observed between the infrared and X-ray methods for acidity evaluation.