cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian inference of a directional brain network model for intracranial EEG data

Abstract The human brain is a network system in which brain regions, as network nodes, constantly interact with each other. The directional effect exerted by one brain component on another is referred to as directional connectivity. Since the brain is also a continuous time dynamic system, it is natural to use ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to model directional connections among brain regions. The authors propose a high-dimensional ODE model to explore directional connectivity among many small brain regions recorded by intracranial EEG (iEEG). The new ODE model, motivated by the physical mechanism of the damped harmonic oscillator, is effective for approximating neural oscillation, a rhythmic or repetitive neural activity involved in many important brain functions. To produce scientifically meaningful network results, a cluster structure is assumed for the ODE model parameters that quantify directional connectivity among regions. The cluster structure is in line with the functional specialization of the human brain; the brain areas specialized in the same function tend to be in the same cluster. Two Bayesian methods are developed to estimate the model parameters of the proposed ODE model and to identify clusters of strongly connected brain regions. The proposed ODE model and Bayesian method are applied to iEEG data collected from a patient with medically intractable epilepsy and used to examine the patient’s brain networks before the seizure onset.
Cumulative psychosocial factors are associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors and management among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study

Racial disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been attributed in part to negative psychosocial factors. Prior studies have demonstrated associations between individual psychosocial factors and CVD risk factors, but little is known about their cumulative effects. Using the Jackson Heart Study, we examined the cross-sectional associations of cumulative psychosocial factors with CVD risk factors among 5306 African Americans. We utilized multivariable Poisson regression to estimate sex-stratified prevalence ratios (PR 95% confidence interval-CI) of obesity, hypertension and diabetes prevalence and hypertension and diabetes control with negative affect (cynicism, anger-in, anger-out, depressive symptoms and cumulative negative affect) and stress (global stress, weekly stress, major life events-MLEs and cumulative stress), adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status, and behaviors. After full adjustment, high (vs. low) cumulative negative affect was associated with prevalent obesity among men (PR 1.36 95% CI 1.16–1.60), while high (vs. low) cumulative stress was similarly associated with obesity among men and women (PR 1.24 95% CI 1.01–1.52 and PR 1.13 95% CI 1.03–1.23, respectively). Psychosocial factors were more strongly associated with prevalent hypertension and diabetes among men than women. For example, men who reported high cynicism had a 12% increased prevalence of hypertension (PR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03–1.23). Psychosocial factors were more strongly associated with lower hypertension and diabetes control for women than men. Women who reported high (vs. low) cynicism had a 38% lower prevalence of hypertension control (PR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46–0.84). Cumulative psychosocial factors were associated with CVD risk factors and disease management among African Americans. The joint accumulation of psychosocial factors was more associated with risk factors for men than women.
Paradoxes of (In)security and Moral Regeneration in Vanuatu and Beyond

This article examines some paradoxical intersections of fear, security, and morality on Ahamb Island in Vanuatu in the South Pacific. I take as my ethnographic vantage point a child-led Christian revival movement that developed in the wake of enduring political conflicts on Ahamb during my fieldwork in 2014. The revival began as a process of moral renewal and turned into a security measure protecting the island against sorcerers found to be responsible for many of the island society’s problems. In the article, I make comparisons between the situation on Ahamb and the recent political and cultural crisis in the UK and USA where an increasing number of people perceive their moral order to be under threat. In both contexts, new charismatic actors of governance emerge and gain a following by identifying an ‘other’ as responsible for the crisis while convincingly presenting themselves as the solution. An important reason for these actors’ appeal, I argue, is that they appear to take people’s concerns seriously in a way that established authorities do not. However, in both Vanuatu, the UK, and the USA there is a paradox in how the actors present themselves as holding the solution to people’s insecurities while at the same time shaping the context for their emergence.
Deficiency of bone morphogenetic protein-3b induces metabolic syndrome and increases adipogenesis.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor signaling is critical for the regulation of the endocrine system and cardiovascular structure and function. The objective of this study was to investigate whether Bmp3b, a glycoprotein synthetized and secreted by adipose tissue, is necessary to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, adipogenesis, and cardiovascular remodeling. Over the course of 4 mo, Bmp3b-knockout (Bmp3b-/-) mice gained more weight than wild-type (WT) mice. The plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were higher in Bmp3b-/- mice than in WT mice. Bmp3b-/- mice developed insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. The basal heart rate was higher in Bmp3b-/- mice than in WT mice, and echocardiography revealed eccentric remodeling in Bmp3b-/- mice. The expression of adipogenesis-related genes in white adipose tissue was higher in Bmp3b-/- mice than in WT control mice. In vitro studies showed that Bmp3b modulates the activity of the C/ebpα promoter, an effect mediated by Smad2/3. The results of this study suggest that Bmp3b is necessary for the maintenance of homeostasis in terms of age-related weight gain, glucose metabolism, and left ventricular (LV) remodeling and function. Interventions that increase the level or function of BMP3b may decrease cardiovascular risk and pathological cardiac remodeling.
Generation of 140 W of single-frequency light at 770 nm by intracavity frequency doubling

We present a continuous, narrow-linewidth, tunable laser system that outputs up to 14.0 W at 770 nm. The light is generated by frequency doubling 18.8 W of light from a 1540 nm fiber amplifier that is seeded by a single-mode diode laser achieving $ \gt {74}\% $>74% conversion efficiency. We utilize a lithium triborate crystal in an enhancement ring cavity. The low intensity noise and narrow linewidth of the 770 nm output are suitable for cold atom experiments.
Thermal profiles reveal stark contrasts in properties of biological membranes from heart among Antarctic notothenioid fishes which vary in expression of hemoglobin and myoglobin.

Abstract Antarctic notothenioids are noted for extreme stenothermy, yet underpinnings of their thermal limits are not fully understood. We hypothesized that properties of ventricular membranes could explain previously observed differences among notothenioids in temperature onset of cardiac arrhythmias and persistent asystole. Microsomes were prepared using ventricles from six species of notothenioids, including four species from the hemoglobin-less (Hb−) family Channichthyidae (icefishes), which also differentially express cardiac myoglobin (Mb), and two species from the (Hb+) Nototheniidae. We determined membrane fluidity and structural integrity by quantifying fluorescence depolarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and leakage of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, respectively, over a temperature range from ambient (0 °C) to 20 °C. Compositions of membrane phospholipids and cholesterol contents were also quantified. Membranes from all four species of icefishes exhibited greater fluidity than membranes from the red-blooded species N. coriiceps. Thermal sensitivity of fluidity did not vary among species. The greatest thermal sensitivity to leakage occurred between 0 and 5 °C for all species, while membranes from the icefish, Chaenocephalus aceratus (Hb−/Mb−) displayed leakage that was nearly 1.5-fold greater than leakage in N. coriiceps (Hb+/Mb+). Contents of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were approximately 1.5-fold greater in icefishes than in red-blooded fishes, and phospholipids had a higher degree of unsaturation in icefishes than in Hb + notothenioids. Cholesterol contents were lowest in Champsocephalus gunnari (Hb−/Mb−) and highest in the two Hb+/Mb + species, G. gibberifrons and N. coriiceps. Our results reveal marked differences in membrane properties and indicate a breach in membrane fluidity and structural integrity at a lower temperature in icefishes than in red-blooded notothenioids.
An Examination of the Use of a Vocabulary Instruction Strategy (Content Acquisition Podcast) on the Vocabulary Comprehension of Students, Through the Use of Action Research Methods

Academic vocabulary is a strong indicator of a student’s ability to learn subject content. Subject mastery is a strong predictor of academic achievement. Academic vocabulary comprehension is a critical component of academic success that is required for making meaning of new information, and demonstrating mastery of academic concepts through the construction of meaningful, articulate assessment responses. Repeated exposures to academic vocabulary and multiple opportunities to practice using academic vocabulary are likely integral to the ability to use academic texts in a meaningful way (Townsend, Filipinni, Collins, & Biancarosa, 2012). This paper reports of an examination of the effect of the use of CAPs (Content Acquisition Podcasts) on vocabulary acquisition among two groups of students, both inclusive, both including ELL students, by two student researchers.
You know as invoking alignment: A generic resource for emerging problems of understanding and affiliation

Abstract The English-language particle you know is used so frequently in a diversity of environments that a comprehensive account of its functional import has been elusive. The present study, based on sequential and distributional analyses of a large sample from ordinary conversation, demonstrates that you know works as an alignment token invoking a convergent orientation between recipient and speaker. The invoked alignment may come off in context as either intersubjective (recipient correctly grasps speaker's meaning) or affiliative (recipient endorses speaker's action or stance). In support of this analysis, you know clusters in action environments where either the recipient's understanding or affiliation has emerged as salient or potentially problematic, but before such problems have risen to the level of overt expression. Correspondingly, the particle engenders confirmatory responses which are interjacently produced in a plurality of cases. The particle is thus implicated in the maintenance of both intersubjectivity and solidarity when these come under strain, and its use is indicative of nascent difficulties in either or both of these areas.
Anterior load carriage increases the risk of falls in young adults following a slip in gait

Abstract Most workplace musculoskeletal injuries result from slip-related falls while carrying a load. Although prior studies inspected the effects of front load carriage on spatiotemporal gait parameters, it remains unclear how the anterior load carriage alters the risk of falls after a slip. This study sought to inspect the impact of anterior load carriage on slip-falls. Thirty young adults were evenly randomized into three groups, each assigned a different anterior load (0%, 10%, or 20% of the bodyweight). Under the protection of a safety harness, all participants were exposed to an unexpected and standardized gait-slip perturbation while walking on a treadmill and carrying the assigned load. Their body’s responses to the slip were gathered using a motion capture system. The primary (the slip outcome: fall vs. recovery) and secondary measurements (dynamic gait stability, angular momentum, and downward velocity of the body-load system’s center of mass or COM) were determined. The results revealed that an increase in the weight carried raises the rate of falls after a slip. The poor control over the COM’s angular momentum and descent, but not dynamic gait stability, were the factors leading to slip-falls during gait for individuals carrying a front load. The findings from this study could shed light on the mechanisms of front load carriage increasing the risk of slip-falls. This can provide preliminary references for designing and assessing safety standards for occupations in which anterior load carriage is necessary to reduce the risk of slip-falls and the resulting injuries.
The Intellectual Economy of an Anthropology of Change

This paper argues that the shifting boundaries of social science, and particularly the rise of various forms of “studies,” offer opportunities for anthropologists. Publishing outside of our home discipline demands a productive rethinking of our assumptions and purposes, and can help us bring our insights to a wider audience. This is good for our careers, perhaps, but also for the people with whom we work, people whose stories deserve to be told. The second part of the paper is an extended version of one attempt to write outside of anthropology, to present an anthropological case study as relevant to broader political concerns. To begin I would like to raise the question of the relationship between the changing nature of anthropology as a discipline and the movement, reflected in the title of this collection, to develop an “anthropology of change.” The first part of this equation has received much (agonized) attention. How anthropology, as a division of the intellectual universe and a domain of academic practice, is changing or ought to change, is a favorite topic of anthropologists themselves, and I am not able to offer much to the debate here. My point will be simply that at least some of the shifting boundaries in the social sciences offer opportunities for younger anthropologists, and that change is not necessarily something to fear. In any case, whatever we think of how anthropology ought to change, the academic world is changing. I think that our sanctioned postgraduate training tends to focus a bit too exclusively on how things should be in anthropology and not how they are. This is true for everything from the structure of the job market to the divergent demands of the different anthropological journals. The second part of my question also has a long history. While it is the case that much of the anthropology produced this century can be portrayed as ahistorical or homeostatic, this has not necessarily been for lack of trying to portray things more dynamically. Attempting to fit fluid, multivalent social processes into the rigid, sequential form of text is a necessarily violent process. It requires the amputation of the vast majority of ontological reality in order to illuminate the particular bit that is of interest to us. We try to put the whole back together again, but we are saddled with the fundamental disjuncture between reality and portrayals of it. Clearly, representational issues are hardly our only problem, but they are a significant one. It may be that there are even more fundamental problems with how we think, that we are using the wrong metaphors or theoretical tools in the first place and that these lead us into the representational crisis so much remarked in these last two decades. For the purposes of discussion I have attached a short article that might be considered one version of “an anthropology of change.” I do not believe it is a particularly noteworthy example of such an anthropology, and it is certainly not a “pure” one. Why I think this, why
HOW NECESSARY IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE

Having administrative law judges preside in administrative cases affecting individual rights and liabilities is being criticized today as an outmoded procedure except in "accusatory" cases where a person is charged with wrongdoing. The purpose of this article is to examine the arguments behind this criticism and to demonstrate that the al­ iemative procedures which are proposed, contrary to the claims made for them, are not likely to improve the quality of decision­ making, and can, in fact, destroy the effectiveness of the procedure by undermining public confidence in it.
Bioenergetics of Membrane Transport Processes

The maintenance of ionic gradients across membranes requires energy, as does the net transport of fluid and solutes either in the absence of or against an electrochemical gradient. Most plasma membrane active transport sytems that have been identified rely directly or indirectly on ATP for their immediate energy, while the ATP is itself obtained from the oxidation of carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids. Cells have developed the ability to oxidize glucose and numerous other metabolic fuels in a stepwise fashion to conserve about 50% of this energy in the form of ATP and other metabolic intermediates, while the remainder is dissipated as heat.(1) The complete oxidation of one glucose molecule to CO2 produces 38 molecules of ATP, 2 of these from glycolytic steps occurring in the cytoplasm and 36 from mitochondrial oxidative reactions.(1) Similarly, the oxidation of fats occurs primarily within the mitochondrial matrix.(1) Most of the Gibbs free energy available from these oxidative reactions is either dissipated as heat or converted into ATP within the mitochondria. Thus, mitochondrial oxidative metabolism provides most of the ATP and heat for aerobic cells.
Alex P. Schmid (Ed.). The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research

Alex Schmid, Editor-in-Chief of Perspectives on Terrorism, former Co-Editor of Terrorism and Political Violence, and main author of the award-winning volume Political Terrorism (1984, 1988, 2005), ...
Journal entries and adjustments—your biggest fraud danger

False journal entries and other adjustments may be your biggest exposure to fraud. They figured prominently in some of the latest corporate scandals, including those at WorldCom, Cendant, and Xerox. What special actions must auditors take to keep your company safe from this kind of fraud? © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Malpositioned Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters: A Critical Reappraisal of Correction by Stiff-Wire Manipulation

Tenckhoff peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter malposition is one of the leading causes of catheter malfunction. Fluoroscopically directed stiff-wire manipulation of malpositioned PD catheters has been advocated as a method of catheter salvage. Two hundred eighty-nine single-cuff PD catheters were placed surgically into 203 patients during this 4-year study. Thirty-three patients developed catheter malfunction attributed to malposition. Forty-eight stiff-wire manipulations were performed on these patients. Thirty-eight (78%) of the manipulations were described as successful at the time of transfer from radiology. However, only 25 (51%) and 12 (25%) resulted in functioning catheters at 1 week and 1 month, respectively. Only 11 of 33 patients who underwent manipulation had functional prolongation of catheter life beyond 1 month. The PD catheter was replaced by a column-disk PD catheter without additional catheter dysfunction in six patients. A second single-cuff Tenckhoff PD catheter was inserted in another six patients. Three of these six catheters again malpositioned. We conclude that stiff-wire manipulation is a useful and safe technique worth using on a limited basis for the initial episode of catheter malposition. Catheters that repetitively malposition should be replaced with a catheter that is resistant to malpositioning.
UNRELATED DONOR TRANSPLANT THERAPY FOR CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA

Unrelated donor transplant therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia is both feasible and effective. As discussed in this article, clinical outcome can be predicted based on several patient characteristics and transplant conditions. Highly selected subsets of patients experience outcomes not appreciably different from recipients of related donor transplants. In many cases, however, unrelated donor transplant is associated with significant peritransplant mortality and other complications. The impact of recent improvements in donor-recipient typing, marrow procurement, graft-versus-host disease prevention and treatment, medical support, and donor selection should soon become apparent.
Crucial role of substrate steps in de-wetting of crystalline thin films

Abstract Using low-energy electron microscopy, we show that de-wetting of Ag and Cu films on Ru(0 0 0 1) occurs by 3-D islands migrating across step edges in the “downhill” direction. We have observed islands thicken by more than 50 atomic layers in this manner. The island migration allows 3-D growth to occur in a way that avoids the nucleation barrier associated with forming 2-D islands on top of 3-D islands. Indeed, without substrate steps this nucleation barrier is not surmounted, and no 3-D islands are formed in the films studied.
Morphological effects on glass transition behavior in selected immiscible blends of amorphous and semicrystalline polymers

Abstract The effects uncompatibilized immiscible polymer blend compositions on the Tg of the amorphous polymer were studied in the systems polystyrene/polypropylene (PS/PP), polystyrene/high density polyethylene (PS/PE) and polycarbonate/high density polyethylene (PC/PE). In the two similar systems of PS/PP and PS/PE, the Tg of PS increased with decreasing PS percentage in the blends. This variation in glass transition is attributed to the polymer domain interactions resulting from the different morphologies of various blend compositions. Experiments were conducted to study these effects by preparing blends with various polymers that varied the relationship between the Tg of the amorphous polymer and the crystallization behavior of the semicrystalline polymer. Results show that the variation in amorphous component Tg with composition depends strongly on the physical state of the semicrystalline domains. Whereas the Tg of PS in PS/PE blends changed with composition, the Tg of PC in the PC/PE blend did not change with composition.
Retrograde reactions in SRC-I liquefaction

Abstract Operating the vapour-liquid separators in the solvent refined coal (SRC-I) process at or near the reactor temperature is desirable to retain the heat in the liquid product stream which is necessary for subsequent distillation. However, adverse changes in the product composition resulting from high temperature operation (i.e., ‘coking’) would obviate this advantage. A study of these potential retrograde reactions using a 4.5 kg h −1 bench-scale coal liquefaction unit is reported. At high pressure, separator temperatures up to 722 K and residence times in the pressure let-down system of 15 to 30 min, retrograde reactions occur as conversion of a few per cent of the product SRC to insoluble organic matter. If sufficient agitation is present in the separators these retrograde reactions would have little effect on product yields or unit operability. Coking, manifested as the accumulation of significant deposits of anisotropic carbon in the separator vessels, occurs only with the extended time-at-temperature that the solids can experience in a poorly agitated vessel.
Recent sea ice increase and temperature decrease in the Bering Sea area, Alaska

We analyzed the sea ice conditions in the Bering Sea for the time period 1979–2012, for which good data based on microwave satellite imagery, being able to look through clouds and darkness, are available. The Bering Sea, west of Alaska, is ice-free in summer, but each winter, an extensive sea ice cover is established, reaching its maximum normally in March. We found a slight increase in ice area over the time period, which is in stark contrast to the significant retreat observed in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean as a whole. Possible explanation might be found in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), which went from dominantly positive values to more negative values in the last decade. The PDO is related to the sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Pacific, negative values indicated cooler temperatures and cooler SST weakening the semipermanent Aleutian Low. When comparing the circulation pattern obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalyzed data set for years of heavy ice against light ice years, an additional vectorial northerly wind component could be deduced from the pressure data. Hence, less relatively warm air is advected into the Bering Sea, which becomes of special importance in winter, when solar radiation is at its minimum. Surface observations confirmed these findings. Atmospheric pressure increased in Cold Bay, located close to the center of the semi-permanent Aleutian Low, the N–S pressure gradient (Nome–Cold Bay) in the Bering Sea decreased, wind speeds of the coastal stations became weakened, and the temperature of coastal stations decreased.
Cognitive and affective components of stimuli presented in three modes

This study was conducted to compare responses to stimuli presented in three different modalities: olfactory, visual, and lexical (the written name of the object). Cognitive aspects of these responses as well as affective components were examined. The subjects were placed at random into one of three experimental groups and were tested individually. Each subject was asked to smell, to view, or to see the name of six common items and to write whatever immediately came to mind after each stimulus presentation. The results indicate that the olfactory mode produced the shortest answers, with the largest amount of affect. The results are discussed in terms of their implications about the structure and nature of concepts and how such concepts interrelate with different sensory modalities.
Observational and theoretical evidence for anisotropies in Saturn's magnetosphere

A study of plasma anisotropies in Saturn's magnetosphere was conducted using data from the Voyager 1 plasma science (PLS) instrument together with an improved Voyager plasma data analysis routine of Sands (1987) and Sands and McNutt (1988). First, the degree of anisotropy required to reconcile differences in the inbound and outbound Voyager 1 plasma observations was determined. The anisotropies derived from the PLS plasma data were then compared with those required to reconcile inbound-outbound differences in plasma flux shell content. It was found that better fits to the data could be obtained if temperature anisotropies were allowed and that the magnitude of the anisotropies was roughly consistent with those required to provide azimuthal symmetry in the plasma flux tube content.
HPV vaccination among a community sample of young adult women.

Objectives Despite the high efficacy of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, uptake has been slow and little data on psychosocial barriers to vaccination exist.
Solid solution softening in bcc Mo alloys: Effect of transition-metal additions on dislocation structure and mobility

The electronic origin of solid solution softening (SSS) in bcc molybdenum alloys was investigated in the framework of a combined approach that includes atomistic dislocation modeling with first principles parametrization of interatomic interactions. The softening additions are found to locally change the chemical bonding which results in a decrease of the generalized stacking fault (GSF) energy and atomic row shear resistance. Using the atomic row model, we show that the isotropic core of the screw dislocation in Mo tends to a ``split'' (planar) core under alloying with softener solutes (Re, Os, Ir, Pt). The generalized Peierls-Nabarro model for a non-planar core was employed to link the reduction in GSF energy with the enhancement of double kink nucleation and dislocation mobility. Our study appears to explain the experimental dependence of the alloying effect on the atomic number of the addition and to provide an understanding of the electronic reasons for SSS in Mo alloys.
Metamaterial Coatings for Asymmetric Mirrors

We realized dispersion-engineered, broadband asymmetric mirrors using disordered metallodielectric films on glass substrates. The addition of vacuum-deposited silver films renders the asymmetry and its dispersion tunable over a large range of film parameters.
Testing the interaction between concentration and barriers to entry

Various functional forms are employed to examine the independent and interactive effects of seller concentration and entry conditions on profitability. Significant interactive effects appear. There is also some evidence of a critical concentration ratio, which affects the slope of the concentration-profitability relationship.
Social Science and Morality: An Empirical Analysis

Philip Gorski’s effort to bridge the gap between social science and morality is well intended, but misguided. His attempt to tear down the wall between facts and values does not succeed. To understand why, we must recognize that morality is an enterprise in which we humans participate; one based on the creation, modification, and implementation of moral rules. It is, in short, prescriptive rather than descriptive. Language that suggests otherwise is misleading. Normal, as opposed to “moral,” facts do apply to morality, but their role is best explicated in a tripartite theory of morality. This argues that moral rules are: 1) informal and paradigmatically learned, 2) created and modified in polarized social negotiations, and 3) largely enforced by emotional means. Once this is understood, the temptation of social scientists to import their own moral commitments into their scientific endeavors makes sense, as does the need to draw a line between these.
Sparse multi-static arrays for near-field millimeter-wave imaging

This paper describes a novel design technique for sparse multi-static linear arrays. The methods described allow the development of densely sampled linear arrays suitable for high-resolution near-field imaging that require dramatically fewer antenna and switch elements than the previous state of the art. The techniques used are related to sparse array techniques used in radio astronomy applications, but differ significantly in design due to the transmit-receive nature of the arrays, and the application to linear arrays that achieve dense uniform sampling suitable for high-resolution near-field imaging. As many as 3 to 5 or more samples per antenna can be obtained, compared to 1 sample per antenna for the current state of the art. This could dramatically reduce cost and improve performance over current active millimeter-wave imaging systems.
Microwave spectrum of 1,2-propanediol

Abstract The microwave spectrum of the sugar alcohol 1,2-propanediol (CH3CHOHCH2OH) has been measured over the frequency range 6.5–25.0 GHz with several pulsed-beam Fourier-transform microwave spectrometers. Seven conformers of 1,2-propanediol have been assigned and ab initio electronic structure calculations of the 10 lowest energy forms have been calculated. Stark effect measurements were carried out on several of the lowest energy conformers to provide accurate determinations of the dipole moment components and assist in conformer assignment.
Antenatal diagnosis of fetal hepatic hemangioma treated with maternal corticosteroids.

Abstract Background: Infantile hepatic hemangioma is a benign liver tumor with potentially fatal complications. Response of these lesions to steroid therapy has been well documented in infants. Successful antenatal treatment of a fetal hepatic hemangioma with maternal corticosteroids is reported. Case: A 36-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, had an ultrasound at 17 weeks which showed a fetal hepatic hemangioma. Because of increase of the tumor and enlarged fetal heart, maternal oral corticosteroid therapy was commenced at 28 weeks, which progressively decreased the mass. The infant was delivered at 36 weeks with no evidence of heart failure, and at 7 months the tumor was barely seen on ultrasound. Conclusion: When an enlarging fetal hepatic hemangioma is detected antenatally, maternal corticosteroid therapy should be considered.
The identification of a sensitizing component used in the manufacturing of an ink ribbon.

Skin diseases including dermatitis constitute ≈ 30% of all occupational illnesses, with a high incidence in the printing industry. An outbreak of contact dermatitis among employees at an ink ribbon manufacturing plant was investigated by scientists from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Employees in the process areas of the plant were exposed to numerous chemicals and many had experienced skin rashes, especially after the introduction of a new ink ribbon product. To identify the causative agent(s) of the occupational dermatitis, the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) was used to identify the potential of the chemicals used in the manufacture of the ink ribbon to induce allergic contact dermatitis. Follow-up patch testing with the suspected allergens was conducted on exposed employees. Polyvinyl butyral, a chemical component used in the manufacture of the ink ribbon in question and other products, tested positive in the LLNA, with an EC3 of 3.6%, which identifies it as a ...
Retrospective analysis of cross-culture communication

We report a study using retrospective analysis to understand American and Chinese participants' feelings and reactions on a moment-by-moment basis during an interaction. Participants talked about a fictional crime story together and then individually watched and reflected on an audio-video recording of the interaction. A grounded theory analysis of participants' reflections suggested five key themes: fluency, nonverbal behavioral cues, time pressure, conversational dominance, and attributions for team performance.
PBP1a-Deficiency Causes Major Defects in Cell Division, Growth and Biofilm Formation by Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans, a key etiological agent of human dental caries, lives almost exclusively on the tooth surface in plaque biofilms and is known for its ability to survive and respond to various environmental insults, including low pH, and antimicrobial agents from other microbes and oral care products. In this study, a penicillin-binding protein (PBP1a)-deficient mutant, strain JB467, was generated by allelic replacement mutagenesis and analyzed for the effects of such a deficiency on S. mutans’ stress tolerance response and biofilm formation. Our results so far have shown that PBP1a-deficiency in S. mutans affects growth of the deficient mutant, especially at acidic and alkaline pHs. As compared to the wild-type, UA159, the PBP1a-deficient mutant, JB467, had a reduced growth rate at pH 6.2 and did not grow at all at pH 8.2. Unlike the wild-type, the inclusion of paraquat in growth medium, especially at 2 mM or above, significantly reduced the growth rate of the mutant. Acid killing assays showed that the mutant was 15-fold more sensitive to pH 2.8 than the wild-type after 30 minutes. In a hydrogen peroxide killing assay, the mutant was 16-fold more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide (0.2%, w/v) after 90 minutes than the wild-type. Relative to the wild-type, the mutant also had an aberrant autolysis rate, indicative of compromises in cell envelope integrity. As analyzed using on 96-well plate model and spectrophotometry, biofilm formation by the mutant was decreased significantly, as compared to the wild-type. Consistently, Field Emission-SEM analysis also showed that the PBP1a-deficient mutant had limited capacity to form biofilms. TEM analysis showed that PBP1a mutant existed primarily in long rod-like cells and cells with multiple septa, as compared to the coccal wild-type. The results presented here highlight the importance of pbp1a in cell morphology, stress tolerance, and biofilm formation in S. mutans.
Breathing and swallowing dynamics across the adult lifespan.

Background Aberrations in the physiologic components of normal oropharyngeal swallowing have been linked to aspiration events and to predisposition to aspiration pneumonia, a common, deadly disease in elderly persons. Studies have demonstrated a temporal, physiologic link between breathing and the principal physiologic swallowing components involved in airway protection during swallowing. We developed a normative model of integrated breathing and swallowing patterns using concomitant videofluoroscopic images and nasal respiratory airflow recordings. Objectives To establish normative temporal and respiratory-phase pattern relationships between breathing and swallowing in adult human beings across the aging continuum; to relate any alterations in these patterns to swallowing abnormality, an aspiration event during swallowing, and predisposition to aspiration pneumonia; and to develop clinically practical evaluation methods for identifying breathing and swallowing discoordination. Setting Fluoroscopy suite in an acute care hospital. Participants Eighty-two healthy adult volunteers gave informed consent. All eligible healthy volunteers were welcome and were screened for age, race, and sex for equal distribution of each. Intervention Respiratory-phase patterns and the onset and duration of 11 predetermined swallowing events and associated respiratory activities were studied. All participants’ single-liquid barium swallow examinations were studied with simultaneous videofluoroscopy and respiratory recordings. Main Outcome Measures Onset of each of the 11 predetermined breathing and swallowing events was digitally recorded and analyzed. The phases of breathing before and after swallowing were identified. The presence, depth, and response to airway penetration were recorded and related to respiratory pattern. Results Four respiratory-phase patterns were identified that changed with advanced age. The correlation analyses of the temporal breathing and swallowing events revealed a normal pattern of 4 clearly distinguishable functional units. Differences in apnea duration and apnea offset occurred with advanced age. Conclusion This research provides evidence for clearly distinguishable patterns and functional groupings of breathing and swallowing events, a necessary first step toward determining whether abnormal breathing and swallowing patterns in patients with dysphagia are associated with health outcome.
Cyclospora cayetanensis: a review of an emerging parasitic coccidian.

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a sporulating parasitic protozoan that infects the upper small intestinal tract. It has been identified as both a food and waterborne pathogen endemic in many developing countries. It is an important agent of Traveller's Diarrohea in developed countries and was responsible for numerous foodborne outbreaks in the United States and Canada in the late 1990s. Like Cryptosporidium, infection has been associated with a variety of sequelae such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, reactive arthritis syndrome (formally Reiter syndrome) and acalculous cholecystitis. There has been much debate as to where to place C. cayetanensis taxonomically due to its homology with Eimeria species. To date, the only genomic DNA sequences available are the ribosomal DNA of C. cayetanensis and three other species; within these a high degree of homology has been observed. This homology and the lack of sequence data from other Cyclospora species have hindered identification methods.
Electrochemical observation of a metal/insulator transition by scanning electrochemical microscopy

We report the novel use of the scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) to follow the compression of a monolayer of monodisperse silver thiol-capped nanoparticles on a Langmuir trough. SECM allowed the direct electrochemical visualization of the lateral connectivity of the particles in the film at the air/water interface through monitoring the transition from negative feedback (insulating substrate) to positive feedback (conducting substrate) at the Pt SECM tip, with ferrocene methanol (FcMeOH) as the redox mediator, as the interparticle separation decreased by compressing the film. The transition from an insulating to conductive behavior with compression could thus be followed.
Origin of the Hormone Action Gordon Research Conference

Like a pearl, the Hormone Action Conference began as a result of an irritation. In the summer of 1967, I was invited to give the first talk (on methods to measure protein and nucleic acid synthesis rates, what was called “molecular biology” in those days) at a Gordon Conference that I won't specify for obvious reasons. As the week progressed, I found that the program was not one very close to my own interests and experience; in short, I got pretty bored. So my mind wandered back to a Gatlinberg Conference on effects of hormones a few years earlier (organized, I think, by Frank Kenney), and I wondered why something like that wasn't offered on the Gordon Conference program. Certainly that would be much more interesting, at least from my point of view. Then as now it was customary for the Executive Director of the GRCs to visit each meeting site each week. In contrast to popular belief, Alex Cruickshank has not been Executive Director since the Conferences first started in 1931. In fact, it was Alex's predec...
Statistical Analysis of Sound Transmission Results Obtained on the New Jersey Continental Slope

The ACT II (Acoustic Characterization Test II) experiment was conducted near the site of AMCOR Borehole 6010 on the New Jersey shelf. It is one of a series of experiments, a major objective being the evaluation of propagation predictability in sandy shallow water environments. The influence on nonlinear frequency dependence of the sediment volume attenuation in the uppermost sediment layer is considered here. A metric for its effect on the degradation of transmission loss with range is an effective attenuation coefficient. A previous study [W. M. Carey, and R. Evans, IEEE J. Oceanic Eng., vol 23, pp. 429-447, 1998] determined that a frequency power exponent of 1.5, relative to a reference frequency of 50 Hz over the frequency interval 50-1000 Hz, provided the best comparison with the data. Our approach uses 1 kHz as a reference frequency and extensive comparisons between measurements and PE calculations. This procedure leads to a higher frequency power exponent with the assumption that the surface layer attenuation at 1 kHz is approximately 0.35 dB/m [J. X. Zhou, and X. Z. Zhang, IEEE J. Oceanic Eng., vol 29, pp. 988-999, 2004]. The statistics of intensity fluctuations are also examined for both measurements and calculations. Experimental histograms are compared with the expected exponential distribution, and very good agreement is obtained.
Research and statistics. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

1. Megan H. Bair-Merritt, MD, MSCE* 1. *Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md Pediatric medical research continues to grow exponentially, and because of the vast quantity of articles, keeping abreast of current literature may be overwhelming. In addition, individual studies often are constrained by small sample sizes, which limits the ability to detect significant relationships, and by recruitment from a single site, which limits generalizability. Rigorous literature reviews, therefore, are needed to synthesize available information …
Minimum-principle calculation of the positron- hydrogen s-wave phase shift.

Minimum principle for single channel scattering applied to S-wave elastic-scattering phase shift of positrons by atomic hydrogen
Extensive personal experience: gonadotroph adenomas

Our experience with gonadotroph adenomas during the last 20 years has taught us how to recognize them by their size, neurologic symptoms, and inefficient and incomplete secretion of intact gonadotropins and their subunits. Treatment now is primarily by transsphenoidal surgery and secondarily by radiation. Future development of a pharmacologic treatment will likely await more detailed knowledge of their pathogenesis.
Effect of zinc on lysis of sheep erythrocytes by guinea pig C4-deficient serum

The divalent cation Zn2+ enhanced the lysis of sheep erythrocytes (ShE) by guinea pig C4-deficient (C4D) serum. Enhancement by Zn2+ (0.1 mM) was demonstrated in the presence of cobra venom factor (CoVF, 2 units/ml) and optimal Mg2+ (1.0 mM). Moreover, Zn2+ (0.1 mM) in the presence of Mg2+ (1.0 mM) caused the lysis of ShE by C4D serum without the addition of CoVF. Further studies were therefore performed in the absence of CoVF. Although addition of Zn2+ or Mg2+ alone to some pools of C4D serum caused lysis of ShE, the greatest extent of lysis occurred when Zn2+ and Mg2+ were both added to the reaction mixtures. When C4D serum was resin-treated, both Mg2+ and Zn2+ were required for lysis. Addition of Ca2+ had no effect. This pathway required high concns of serum and was inhibited by pretreating the serum with zymosan (2 mg/ml serum, 37°C, 1 hr) or by heating the serum at 56°C for 20 min. K76-COOH monocarboxylic acid also inhibited this pathway. These results suggest that Zn2+ together with Mg2+ activates the alternative pathway on the nonactivator surface (ShE).
Rotating ring-disk studies of oxidized nickel hydrous oxide: oxygen evolution and pseudocapacitance ☆

Abstract A rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) method is herein described for studies of O 2 evolution on nickel hydrous oxide films, NiO x (hydr.), electrodeposited on the gold disk of a Au–Au RRDE in aqueous 1.0 M KOH. This technique relies on the quantitative detection of O 2 generated at the NiO x (hydr.) ∣ Au disk electrode during a linear potential scan, by the concentric, bare Au-ring electrode, which can then be used to determine contributions to the disk current ( I disk ) derived solely from O 2 evolution. Subtraction of such contributions from I disk in the potential range positive to the trailing edge of the peak ascribed to the oxidation of the NiO x (hydr.) film revealed a constant, positive current when the voltage was scanned in the positive direction, and a constant, negative current, albeit of smaller magnitude, in the subsequent scan in the negative direction. This observation suggests that once account is made for O 2 evolution, the NiO x (hydr.) ∣ Au-electrolyte interface in that potential range (0.5–0.65 V vs. Hg ∣ HgO,OH − ), behaves as a (pseudo) capacitor, a model that was further confirmed by monitoring the current as a function of the scan rate. The actual values of this pseudocapacitance were found to be on the order of ca. 80 kF mol −1 Ni sites in the film (or equivalently, ca. 0.1 e − per Ni site within the potential range specified above) and, thus, very similar to those reported earlier based on current interruption-potential decay and impedance measurements for O 2 evolution on NiO x (hydr.) grown on Ni electrodes. Implications of these results to the mechanism of self-discharge of NiO x (hydr.) electrodes for alkaline secondary batteries are discussed.