cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Benefits of Interprofessional Collaboration for a Pharmacist and Family Therapist

Medical family therapists (MedFTs) and pharmacists in the context of interdisciplinary collaboration will be discussed. In an effort to build and reflect on their own professional experiences, reco...
Anorexigenic effects of mesotocin in chicks are genetic background-dependent and are associated with changes in the paraventricular nucleus and lateral hypothalamus.

Abstract Mesotocin (MT) decreases food intake and induces hyperthermia in chicks although hypothalamic mechanisms are unknown. The purpose of this study was thus to investigate effects of receptor antagonists and MT on feeding behavior and hypothalamic physiology. Intracerebroventricular injection of 2.5 nmol into broiler chicks was associated with decreased food intake for 180 min and water intake from 60 to 180 min. Cloacal temperatures were elevated in chicks injected with 0.156 and 0.625 nmol at 30 and 60 min, and up to 180 min in those injected with 2.5 nmol. MT also increased temperatures and decreased food and water intake in chicks from lines selected for low (LWS) or high (HWS) body weight with a higher dose threshold but longer food intake response in HWS chicks. An oxytocin receptor antagonist prevented MT-mediated changes in food intake but not water intake or temperature. Yohimbine, an α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, did not affect food intake, temperature, or MT-mediated effects. MT increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and lateral hypothalamus (LH). Hypothalamic agouti-related peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor receptor sub-type 1, and melanocortin receptor 3 mRNAs increased in response to MT. There was increased MT mRNA in the LH and L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase mRNA in the PVN of MT-injected chicks. In conclusion, MT induced anorexia and hyperthermia and reduced water intake. MT was associated with activation of the PVN and LH and differences in the mRNA abundance of some appetite-associated factors, thus implicating these nuclei and several signaling pathways in the effects observed.
Coronary Arteriography, Stress Test and Coronary Flow Reserve Measurements: Comparative Studies

The determination of the functional significance of coronary stenoses is of central importance in clinical cardiology. The traditional methods of determining this have been through the use of coronary arteriography, and stress testing. A relative newcomer to this endeavor in clinical practice is that of measuring coronary flow reserve by various techniques. While the relation between flow reserve and coronary arteriography has been intensively studied, the relation between CFR and exercise test results and the interrelationship of all of these methodologies have not yet been extensively investigated. The purpose of this paper is to outline our results in attempting to put these various methodologies into a clinically relevant perspective through both animal and patient investigations.
Advanced Sensor and Target Development to Support Robot Accuracy Degradation Assessment

This paper presents a vision-based, 6 degree of freedom (DOF) measurement system that can measure robot dynamic motions in real-time. A motorized target is designed as a part of the system to work with a vision-based measurement instrument, providing unique features to stand out from the background and enable the achievement of high accuracy monitored, assessed, and predicted to avoid a costly, unexpected shutdown, or decrease in manufacturing quality and production efficiency. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing the necessary measurement science to support the monitoring, diagnostics, and prognostics of robot systems by providing intelligence to enhance maintenance and control strategies. The robot accuracy degradation research includes the development of modeling and algorithm for the test method, advanced sensor and target development to accurately measure robot 6 DOF information, and algorithms to analyze the data. This paper focuses on the development of the advanced sensor and target. A use case shows the use of the measurement system on a Universal Robot to support the robot accuracy degradation assessment.
The Power of Research Networking Systems to Find Experts and Facilitate Collaboration

With scientific teams in recent years becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and multi-institutional, searching for collaborators is more challenging than ever before. To address this problem, there has been a rapid emergence of “research networking systems” (RNSs) that help users identify investigators with particular areas of expertise, affiliations, interests, resources, or other characteristics. The goal of this chapter is to provide organizations with an overview of the capabilities of RNSs, the wide range of use cases, and techniques for successfully implementing RNSs and encouraging their adoption. It draws from our own personal experiences of building an open-source RNS and installing and enhancing it at several institutions. We touch upon the many obstacles we have faced along the way, ranging from specific issues related to privacy and data quality, to larger questions about the overall impact and return on investment from RNSs. We conclude with an overview of the current state of RNSs and where they will be heading in the future.
Decisional Humility and the Marginally Represented Patient

There was a cartoon circulating during the national debate about Terri Schiavo (Davies for the Journal News 2003). A couple is seated in a lawyer's office with their attorney seated behind a desk. ...
Machine Learning to Predict Overeating from Macronutrient Composition

This paper investigates nutritional deficiencies as a possible cause of overeating and obesity. Existing medical research suggests such a connection. Data obtained from public calorie logs were used to create decision tree models and random forest classifiers that can predict instances of overeating based on macronutrient composition at varying overeating thresholds. Macronutrient composition was defined as the percentage of carbohydrate, protein, and fat calorie intake out of the total calorie intake. Our research indicates that macronutrient composition has a large role in predicting overeating lapses and could be used in current calorie-tracking applications to help users lose weight and adhere to healthy nutritional guidelines.
Intersectional and Relational Frameworks: Confronting Anti-Blackness, Settler Colonialism, and Neoliberalism in U.S. Social Work

Positivist epistemologies have been argued to advance learning and interventions to improve the health of multiply marginalized and colonized people; however, these long-standing approaches have no...
Molecular epigenomic subtypes of Barrett neoplasia.

Genomic alterations are well-described in Barrett oesophagus and its sequela, oesophageal adenocarcinoma, but epigenomic events have not been so widely investigated. In a new study, Jammula et al. analysed the DNA methylation profiles of Barrett oesophagus, oesophageal adenocarcinoma and control tissues. Four molecular subtypes were identified, revealing four distinct epigenomic classes and potential therapeutic targets.
Revealing the complex layered-mosaic structure of the cathode electrolyte interphase in Li-ion batteries

Abstract Electrolyte decomposition on cathode surfaces is an irreversible reaction that creates a passivation layer known as the cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI). Since the CEI can lead to increased internal resistance, accelerated electrode decomposition, and loss of lithium inventory, a deeper comprehension is important for developing improved batteries. Although several models of the CEI have been proposed, the actual structure is unknown. Here we report three-dimensional tomography revealing the atomic-scale interface structure and micron-scale structure of a LiMn2O4 electrode. Atom probe tomography is employed to provide critical new information on CEI structure and composition: a complex layered-mosaic architecture is found consisting of inner homogeneous MnxOy and MnFx layers (~9nm- and ~4nm-thick) and an outer 3nm-thick mosaic structure containing a number of different inorganic and organic compounds. The results are used to develop a realistic quantitative model of the main electrochemical processes. This approach provides a new means to explore electrode systems including the effects of coatings and electrolyte additives.
Donor milk for healthy newborns at a single center: trends in utilization and patient characteristics

Purpose: Donor milk is an alternative to formula for supplementation that has documented health benefits in sick preterm infants. Our institution began providing donor milk to healthy newborns in the well-baby nursery in July, 2013, initially by self-pay and then beginning in August, 2014 with funding from an internal grant. Here, we sought to quantify the utilization trends and characteristics of mothers and their healthy newborn infants who used donor milk between 2013 and 2016. Methods: We conducted this study in the well-baby nursery …
His bundle pacing: Tips and tricks

His bundle (HB) pacing is an established modality for achieving physiological pacing with a low risk of long-term lead-related complications. The development of specially designed lead and delivery tools has improved the feasibility and safety of HB pacing (HBP). Knowledge of the anatomy of HB region and the variations is essential for successful implantation. Newer delivery systems have further improved procedural outcomes. Challenging implant cases can be successfully performed by reshaping the current sheaths, using "sheath in sheath" technique or "two-lead implantation technique." Special attention to the lead parameters at implant, programming, and follow-up is necessary for successful long-term outcomes with HBP. Widespread use of HBP by electrophysiologists and further advances in dedicated delivery systems and leads are essential to further improve the effectiveness of the implantation.
Single-center experience with the LOTUS Edge transcatheter heart valve

Abstract Background Before its voluntary recall, the mechanically expandable LOTUS Edge transcatheter heart valve (THV) offered a number of unique features, notably sealing against paravalvular leak (PVL) and the ability to be fully deployed, re-captured, and re-deployed. Methods We performed a detailed review of all patients at our institution who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the LOTUS Edge THV from 2019 to 2020. We describe procedural and in-hospital outcomes. Results In brief, 59 patients underwent TAVR using the LOTUS Edge, of whom 18 were high-risk (most of whom had moderate or severe left ventricular outflow tract [LVOT] calcium), 36 were intermediate-risk enrolled in the REPRISE IV trial (one of whom had a bicuspid valve), and 5 were low-risk bicuspid patients enrolled in the LRT trial. Conduction disturbances were common (new left bundle branch block in 64.4%), with high rates of new permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation across all risk groups (16.9%). Overall, stroke occurred in 11.9% of patients, and in 3/5 low-risk bicuspid patients, but occurred less frequently in patients with cerebral embolic protection. Conclusions In our experience, in patients with heavy LVOT calcium burden and/or bicuspid valves, the LOTUS Edge THV offered excellent seal against PVL. However, the high rates of periprocedural stroke and new PPM implantation were a concern.
Tourism and Urbanization, An Interconnected Evolution

While there is extensive literature on the evolution of tourism and the urbanization process, the interlinks between these two evolutions are not yet fully explored; maybe because they are separate disciplines, or taught independently of each other. This research navigates the spatial dimension of travel evolution alongside the attendant expansion of the urbanization process. It defines the nexus between tourism as a global demand and the physical infrastructure that accommodates such a force. The built environment, manifested in both its urban forms and its systems of mobility, is shaped by, and has been shaping, many factors including tourism. Using comparative narratives that describes tourist curiosity, the tourism routs and the tourism destinations across time, this work further explores the historical relationship between urbanization and tourism by emphasizing how the evolution of each has influenced the other. Itanalyzes different eras and identifies how the tourist, the travel mode and the destination have influenced each other through time. Considered one of the world's oldest tourist destinations, Egypt is used here to demonstrate the interlocking relationship of tourism and urbanization. The research concludes that appreciating these two phenomena in isolation proves challenging insofar as the evolution of tourism through time can not only be attributed to the tourism demand but also to the shape and form of the destination and the mobile systems available in each era and locale.
Adjuvant radiation versus observation with salvage radiation after gross-total resection of WHO grade II meningiomas: a propensity score-adjusted analysis.

OBJECTIVE After gross-total resection (GTR) of a newly diagnosed WHO grade II meningioma, the decision to treat with radiation upfront or at initial recurrence remains controversial. A comparison of progression-free survival (PFS) between observation and adjuvant radiation fails to account for the potential success of salvage radiation, and a direct comparison of PFS between adjuvant and salvage radiation is hampered by strong selection bias against salvage radiation cohorts in which only more aggressive, recurrent tumors are included. To account for the limitations of traditional PFS measures, the authors evaluated radiation failure-free survival (RFFS) between two treatment strategies after GTR: adjuvant radiation versus observation with salvage radiation, if necessary. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent GTR of newly diagnosed WHO grade II meningiomas at their institution between 1996 and 2019. They assessed traditional PFS in patients who underwent adjuvant radiation, postoperative observation, and salvage radiation. For RFFS, treatment failure was defined as time from initial surgery to failure of first radiation. To assess the association between treatment strategy and RFFS while accounting for potential confounders, a multivariable Cox regression analysis adjusted for the propensity score (PS) and inverse probability of treatment weighted (IPTW) Cox regression analysis were performed. RESULTS A total of 160 patients underwent GTR and were included in this study. Of the 121 patients who underwent observation, 32 (26.4%) developed recurrence and required salvage radiation. PFS at 3, 5, and 10 years after observation was 75.1%, 65.6%, and 45.5%, respectively. PFS at 3 and 5 years after salvage radiation was 81.7% and 61.3%, respectively. Of 160 patients, 39 received adjuvant radiation, and 3- and 5-year PFS/RFFS rates were 86.1% and 59.2%, respectively. In patients who underwent observation with salvage radiation, if necessary, the 3-, 5-, and 10-year RFFS rates were 97.7%, 90.3%, and 87.9%, respectively. Both PS and IPTW Cox regression models demonstrated that patients who underwent observation with salvage radiation treatment, if necessary, had significantly longer RFFS (PS model: hazard ratio [HR] 0.21, p < 0.01; IPTW model: HR 0.21, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective, nonrandomized study, adjuvant radiation after GTR of a WHO II meningioma did not add significant benefit over a strategy of observation and salvage radiation at initial recurrence, if necessary, but results must be considered in the context of the limitations of the study design.
The ethics of gene editing in human stem cells

Abstract The American debate around stem cell research largely revolves around one question: at what point does an embryo become human? This chapter reviews the ethical debate surrounding the destruction, creation, and germline gene editing of embryos.
Turkey’s Forgotten Political Opposition: The Demise of Kadirbeyoğlu Zeki Bey, 1919–1927

This article encourages a reevaluation of the role of Anatolian Muslim merchants and notability in the Turkish nationalist movement after World War I. It offers the political career of Gumushane merchant Kadirbeyoglu Zeki Bey (1884–1952) as one step toward such a reevaluation. Zeki is known to historians of Turkey for his seemingly unusual opposition: For a time, he was the only independent member of parliament under the Turkish single-party regime. Zeki was also one of the few outspoken opponents in parliament of abolishing the caliphate. But an examination of the reasons for Zeki’s persistent opposition shows that his background and platform were far from unique. This article first pinpoints the origins of Zeki’s political mobilization in the polarized environment of post-World-War-I Anatolia and explains his initial success in the Turkish nationalist movement. It then charts Zeki’s step-by-step alienation from this movement, from the Erzurum Congress to the last Ottoman parliament. Finally, it details Zeki’s “last hurrah”, the second Turkish parliament, where he championed causes dear to Anatolian Muslim merchants and notability: economic liberalism, social conservatism, civilian rule, and anti-authoritarianism. Zeki owed his initial success to his partisan neutrality and ties to the Ottoman social system, but the quickly changing dynamics of the Turkish nationalist movement soon made his opposition, and that of nationalists with a similar background, untenable.
Adaptive, iterative, reduced-rank equalization for MIMO channels

We present an adaptive iterative (turbo) decision feedback equalizer (DFE) for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) channels with intersymbol interference (ISI) and multiple receiver antennas. After initial training, the filters are computed directly from the received data and soft outputs of the MAP decoder according to a least squares (LS) cost criterion. The performance is compared with reduced-rank LS estimation methods, based on the multistage Wiener filter (MSWF). Numerical results show that the reduced-rank turbo DFE provides a substantial performance improvement relative to the full-rank turbo DFE with limited training. In addition, the reduced-rank filters can significantly reduce the computational complexity when the number of filter coefficients is large.
Operator performance with alternative manual control modes in teleoperation

Recent experiments conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL comparing alternative manual control modes using the JPL Advanced Teleoperator ATOP System are described in this paper. Of particular interest were control modes that provide force reflection to the operator. The task selected for the experiment is a portion of the Solar Maximum Satellite Repair SMSR procedure we developed to demonstrate the repair of the Solar Maximum Satellite with teleoperators. SMSR had been successfully performed by NASA astronauts in 1984 and it was selected as a task to demonstrate the ATOP system capability for space applications. The seven manual control modes evaluated in the experiment are combinations of manual position or resolved motion rate control with alternative control schemes for force reflection and remote manipulator compliance. Performance measures used were task completion times, average force and torque exerted during the execution of the task, and cumulative force and torque exerted. The results were statistically analyzed and they show that, in general, force reflection significantly improves operator performance and indicate that a specific force-reflecting scheme may yield the best performance among the control modes we tested. Also, our experiment showed that, for the selected task, the position control modes were preferable to the rate control modes and slave manipulator compliance reduced task interaction forces and torques.
Total Least Squares in Robot Calibration

The role of input noise is seldom considered in robot calibration. The methodology of total least squares may be applied to handle both input and output noise in robot calibration. Experimentally, we apply this method towards joint torque sensor calibration, and towards kinematic calibration of a redundant parallel-drive spherical joint in a variant called the implicit loop method.
Are pleural plaques an appropriate endpoint for risk analyses

This review summarizes the literature on the relation between the development of pleural plaques and non-malignant and malignant disease in cohorts exposed to asbestos and other fibers. The available evidence indicates that, absent any other pleural disease, the presence of pleural plaques does not result in respiratory symptoms or clinically significant impacts on lung function. For certain types of asbestos, the development of pleural plaques is statistically correlated with malignant disease, but the evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that pleural plaques without other pleural disease are a marker of exposure, rather than an independent risk factor. Pleural plaques have also developed in cohorts exposed to other fibers that have not proven to be carcinogenic. Risk analyses should be based on the avoidance of known adverse conditions, rather than pleural plaques per se.
Reply [to ”Comment on “More evidence indicates link between El Niños and seismicity’” Link between El Niños and seismicity is still missing]

I appreciate the comments by Forsyth et al., which clarify the nature of seismicity at 18°S, and I agree that the link between seismicity and El Ninos is unclear. I also believe that off-axis seismicity by itself is an unlikely direct link to El Ninos and that many of the earthquakes recorded teleseismically from distant ridge systems are off-axis events with no volcanic or hydrothermal component at their epicenters. Nonetheless, the times of occurrence of these teleseismically recorded episodes of unusual seismicity appear to be somewhat contemporaneous with El Ninos. How can this be? It is well-known to T-phase researchers that unusually high levels of reported seismic activity along ridge systems are often accompanied by unusual swarms of T-phases. (For some ridge segments, unusual activity may be only a couple of teleseismically recorded earthquakes per month.) In such swarms, the T-phases of unreported events occurring in roughly similar regions and during the same hours or days as the reported earthquake activity are often stronger than the T-phases from the reported earthquakes. It is reasonable to presume that such T-phases are from sources with shallower focal depths than the reported earthquakes.
Experimental aspects of X-Ray absorption spectroscopy

Abstract X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), including X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), provides physical and chemical information on almost any element regardless of matrix or conditions. Experimental factors that are critical to successful measurements, including general beamline configuration and energy resolution, in situ cell design, detector gases and common artifacts are discussed. This review is intended to assist during experimental setup and data collection.
Pluggable Analysis Viewpoints for Design Space Exploration

Abstract Viewpoint modeling is an effective approach for analyzing and designing complex systems. Splitting various elements and corresponding constraints into different perspectives of interests, enables separation of concerns such as domains of expertise, levels of abstraction, and stages in lifecycle. Specifically, in Systems Engineering different viewpoints could include functional requirements, physical architecture, safety, geometry, timing, scenarios, etc. Despite partial interdependences, the models are usually developed independently by different parties, using different tools and languages. However, the essence of Systems Engineering requires repetitive integration of many viewpoints in order to find feasible designs and to make good architectural decisions, e.g., in each mapping between consecutive levels of abstraction and in each design space exploration. This integration into one consistent model becomes a significant challenge from both modeling and information management perspectives. In this paper we suggest (1) a unique modular algebraic viewpoint representation robust to design evolution and suitable for generation of the integrated optimization/analysis models, and (2) an underlying ontology-based approach for consistent integration of local viewpoint concepts into the unified design space model. We show an example of an optimization model with different combinations of partially interdependent Analysis Viewpoints. Using the proposed modeling and information management approaches the underlying viewpoint's equations can be applied without modification, making the approach pluggable.
Characterizing the role of the alternative NF-κB pathway in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of lymphoma in humans and dogs and has similar biology and clinical behavior in both species. Therefore, comparative approaches in understanding the disease may be beneficial to both species. The deregulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFB) pathway, composed of classical and alternative pathways, is important in the pathogenesis of DLBCL. However, studies have largely focused on the classical pathway and the role of the alternative pathway is incompletely understood. In this study, we characterize the alternative NFB pathway in DLBCL to test its potential as a therapeutic target.
What really matters in family communication about sexuality? A qualitative analysis of affect and style among African American mothers and adolescent daughters

The family—via communication (or lack thereof)—is a primary avenue for sexuality education. While most research on family sexuality communication has examined the content of parent–child communication (e.g. topics discussed), relatively few studies have assessed the process, the way in which communication occurs. This paper presents an analysis of communication process based on data collected during a qualitative, observational study of family sexuality communication with thirty low‐ and middle‐income African American mothers and their adolescent daughters living in an urban area in the southeastern USA. Two dimensions of communication process emerged: affective and stylistic. Elements of the affective dimension included connection, empathy, comfort, anger, and silence. Elements of the stylistic dimension included interactive versus didactic communication styles, use of a variety of persuasive techniques, body language, and setting. Results suggest that the process of sexuality communication is as, if not...
Professional visions in the liminal worlds of graphs

A pair of comparable but contrasting episodes wherein biostatisticians narrate within the Cartesian space of regression graphs produced by software, illustrates how close analysis of narrations can reveal distinctive professional visions that correspond to differing views of work in biostatistical consulting or lecturing. Graphs serve as material anchors for conceptual blends that form the basis for narratives that merge Cartesian space with the space of artifacts from the setting from which the data came.
Measurement of longitudinal optical mode frequencies of alkali metal and alkaline earth nitrates and carbonates by PSR infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Polarized specular reflectance (PSR) infrared spectroscopy was employed to determine the longitudinal optical mode frequencies of alkali metal and alkaline earth nitrates and carbonates. PSR spectra of AgNO3, TlNO3, and Pb(NO3)2 also are reported. Approximate values of |∂μ/∂Q| were calculated for the ν2(A″2) and ν3(E′) modes of NO−3 and CO2−3 ions from the observed frequencies.
Surface roughness in thin-film growth: The effect of mass transport between layers.

We present one-dimensional simulations using kinetic parameters and deposition conditions typical to epitaxy. We study how various microscopic kinetic parameters influence surface morphology and test scaling predictions made by continuum theories.
Consistent treatment of transport properties for five-species air direct simulation Monte Carlo/Navier-Stokes applications

A general approach for achieving consistency in the transport properties between direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and Navier-Stokes (CFD) solvers is presented for five-species air. Coefficients of species diffusion, viscosity, and thermal conductivities are considered. The transport coefficients that are modeled in CFD solvers are often obtained by expressions involving sets of collision integrals, which are obtained from more realistic intermolecular potentials (i.e., ab initio calculations). In this work, the self-consistent effective binary diffusion and Gupta et al.–Yos tranport models are considered. The DSMC transport coefficients are approximated from Chapman-Enskog theory in which the collision integrals are computed using either the variable hard sphere (VHS) and variable soft sphere (VSS) (phenomenological) collision cross section models. The VHS and VSS parameters are then used to adjust the DSMC transport coefficients in order to achieve a best-fit to the coefficients computed from more realistic intermolecular potentials over a range of temperatures. The best-fit collision model parameters are determined for both collision-averaged and collision-specific pairing approaches using the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm. A consistent treatment of the diffusion, viscosity, and thermal conductivities is presented, and recommended sets of best-fit VHS and VSS collision model parameters are provided for a five-species air mixture.
An example-based brain MRI simulation framework

The simulation of magnetic resonance (MR) images plays an important role in the validation of image analysis algorithms such as image segmentation, due to lack of sufficient ground truth in real MR images. Previous work on MRI simulation has focused on explicitly modeling the MR image formation process. However, because of the overwhelming complexity of MR acquisition these simulations must involve simplifications and approximations that can result in visually unrealistic simulated images. In this work, we describe an example-based simulation framework, which uses an “atlas” consisting of an MR image and its anatomical models derived from the hard segmentation. The relationships between the MR image intensities and its anatomical models are learned using a patch-based regression that implicitly models the physics of the MR image formation. Given the anatomical models of a new brain, a new MR image can be simulated using the learned regression. This approach has been extended to also simulate intensity inhomogeneity artifacts based on the statistical model of training data. Results show that the example based MRI simulation method is capable of simulating different image contrasts and is robust to different choices of atlas. The simulated images resemble real MR images more than simulations produced by a physics-based model.
Phenol antioxidant quantity and quality in foods: fruits.

The free and bound phenols have been measured in 20 fruits commonly consumed in the American diet. Phenols were measured colorimetrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent with catechin as the standard after correction for ascorbic acid contribution. On a fresh weight basis, cranberry had the highest total phenols, and was distantly followed by red grape. Free and total phenol quality in the fruits was analyzed by using the inhibition of lower density lipoprotein oxidation promoted by cupric ion. Ascorbate had only a minor contribution to the antioxidants in fruits with the exception of melon, nectarine, orange, white grape, and strawberry. The fruit extracts' antioxidant quality was better than the vitamin antioxidants and most pure phenols, suggesting synergism among the antioxidants in the mixture. Using our assay, fruits had significantly better quantity and quality of phenol antioxidants than vegetables. Fruits, specifically apples and cranberries, have phenol antioxidants that can enrich lower density lipoproteins and protect them from oxidation. The average per capita consumption of fruit phenols in the U.S. is estimated to be 255 mg/day of catechin equivalents.
Immediate, preferential prolactin release after discrete brain lesions in male rats

Abstract Adult male rats under pentobarbital anesthesia received electrolytic lesions in various sites within the preoptic-hypothalamic complex. Anodic direct current (500 μA, 30 s) was delivered through platinum electrodes. Blood samples were taken before and after the lesions, at 30-min intervals. LH, TSH, and prolactin were measured by RIA procedures in the same plasma sample. LH and TSH mean values did not show any significant increase after discrete lesions in several brain regions. On the contrary, prolactin increased significantly 30 min after a lesion in a region encompassing the dorsal preoptic area and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Lesions placed in other preoptic-hypothalamic regions (excluding the arcuate nucleus-median eminence region) did not result in prolactin release. A common effective region for the control of the preferential release of pituitary prolactin in the male rat seemed to include neural elements within the dorsal preoptic area and/or the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis which probably projected caudally and ventrally toward the arcuate nucleus-median eminence region. Whether this contribution is locally generated within the dorsal preoptic area-bed nucleus stria terminalis region and/or is mediated by incoming fibers remains to be established. Results are discussed in terms of possible local effects of the induced lesion, i.e., activation vs. suppression.
Analysis of operating room allocations to optimize scheduling of specialty rotations for anesthesia trainees.

INTRODUCTION: Because specialty workloads and corresponding operating room (OR) allocations vary among days of the week, anesthesia residents and student nurse anesthetists are sometimes assigned to cases off rotation (e.g., scheduled for cardiac surgery but assigned to urology for the day). We describe a method to create hybrid rotations of two specialties (e.g., cardiac and vascular surgery), thereby reducing the numbers of days that trainees are "pulled" from their scheduled rotations. METHODS: Raw data were the number of hours of OR time used by each surgical specialty on each workday for the preceding 9 months. These OR workloads were converted to the number of ORs to be allocated to each specialty for each day of the week on the basis of maximization of the efficiency of use of OR time. We considered all potential hybrid rotations of pairwise combinations of specialties to which trainees could be assigned. Integer linear programming was used to calculate the maximum number of trainees who could be scheduled to hybrid rotations and receive daily assignments matching those rotations. RESULTS: Validity of the results was shown by using data from a small facility for which the optimal solution could be discerned by inspection. Validity (appropriateness) of the constraints was demonstrated by the exclusion of each constraint, resulting in answers that are obviously incorrect. Novelty and usefulness of the method was evidenced by its choosing from among hundreds of thousands of potential combinations of specialties and its identifying appropriate assignments that were substantively different from current rotations. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a methodology to determine rotations consisting of combinations of specialties to be paired for purposes of trainee scheduling to reduce the incidence of daily assignments off rotation. Practically, with this method, anesthesia residents and student nurse anesthetists can be assigned cases within their scheduled rotations as often as possible.
Critical Social Skills for Adolescents with High Incidence Disabilities: Parental Perspectives:

This qualitative research explored parental views about critical social skills for adolescents with high-incidence disabilities. Parents in this study shared their beliefs that emotional intelligence and character play critical roles in the social and emotional development of their children. Findings indicate that although parents agree that academic performance is important, they want their children to develop skills in two major areas: (a) interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, which include skills such as communicating, listening, interpreting, and discerning; and (b) moral development, which includes areas of character, empathy, and perseverance/motivation.
An Upper Bound to the Marginal PDF of the Ordered Eigenvalues of Wishart Matrices and Its Application to MIMO Diversity Analysis

Diversity analysis of a number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) applications requires the calculation of the expectation of a function whose variables are the ordered multiple eigenvalues of the Wishart matrices. To solve this, we need the marginal pdf of an arbitrary subset of the ordered eigenvalues. The marginal pdf shown in the literature is useful in numerical analysis, but not beneficial to diversity analysis. In this paper, we derive an upper bound to the marginal pdf of the eigenvalues. The derivation is based on the multiple integration of the well-known joint pdf, which is very complicated due to the exponential factors of the joint pdf. We suggest an alternative function that provides simpler calculation of the multiple integration. As a result, the marginal pdf is shown to consist of a multivariate polynomial with a given degree. By applying the marginal pdf to the calculation of the expectation, the diversity order for a number of MIMO systems can be calculated. Simulation results that support the analysis are presented.
Cyclotrimerization of cyclic diynes via metal atom cocondensation; revised structure for the reported “percyclophane-4”

Abstract A compound previously assigned the “percyclophane-4” structure 3 has been shown to be the triyne 2 .
Superconductivity from valence fluctuations with finite u

Abstract The finite-U pairing mechanism of Newns is found to be opposed by a magnetic tendency arising from Gutzwiller renormalization of the hybridization. This competition restricts superconductivity to the parameter regime Δ ≳ U, and this also reproduces the parabolic rise and fall of T c in La 2− x Sr x CuO 4 with increasing x. Re-analysis of the photoemission data for CuO reveals that indeed Δ ≳ U for this compound, contrary to previous work.
Selective bond fragmentation in pulsed laser ablation of ring strained molecules: evidence for a thermal mechanism

Pulsed laser ablation of strained ring compounds deposited on metal rods has been found to result in preferential breaking of the strained bonds. Observed results are correlated to laser pulse heating at the metal surface, based on a 1-D surface heating model. Such a model predicts poor relative surface heating for Al surfaces; ablation experiments also show less preferential strained bond breaking on Al. The greatest degree of observed strained bond breaking correlates with good surface heating and the absence of any direct absorbance by the strained ring compound.
Photochemistry of 2-vinylstilbenes: configurational and conformational conditions for the (2+2)-photocycloaddition intramolecular trapping of the twisted singlet state of stilbene

Abstract The photoproduct formation and relative reaction rates of 2-vinylstilbenes bearing alkyl substituents at the vinyl group are compared. The normal photoproduct, a 5-exo-phenylbenzobicyclo[2.1.1]hex-2-ene, appears to originate from the conformer 1-s-trans-(styryl)-2-s-cis-(vinyl)benzene. The vinyl moiety has to be in the E configuration (when applicable); the configuration of the stilbene moiety is irrelevant for formation of the product, which can be regarded as the intramolecular trapping of the twisted singlet biradical of stilbene by the vinyl group. According to this concept 2-(1-cycloheptenyl)stilbene forms 1,6-pentamethylene-5-exo-phenylbenzobicyclo[2.1.1]hex-2-ene. However, 2-(1-cyclopentenyl)stilbene and 2-(1-cyclohexenyl)stilbene do not form any photocyclization product. This is ascribed to a poor orbital overlap and/or the occurrence of other relaxation processes of the intermediate biradical.
Ascaris, atopy, and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in rural and urban South African children.

Background Populations with endemic parasitosis have high levels of IgE but low levels of allergic disease. We investigated the association between infection with the parasite Ascaris allergic sensitization, and exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB). Objective We sought to investigate the effect of Ascaris infection on bronchial hyperreactivity, skin testing, and specific IgE levels. Methods A cross-sectional prevalence survey was conducted in urban and rural South African children to measure levels of EIB. A sample of children was enrolled in a nested case-control study for further investigation based on response to exercise. Analyses used weighted logistic regression. Results Geometric mean total IgE levels were higher in Ascaris –infected subjects (infected subjects: 451 IU (95% CI, 356-572) vs uninfected subjects: 344 IU (95% CI, 271-437), P = .04), and high levels of total IgE were positively associated with detection of specific IgE to the aeroallergens tested, but there was no significant association between Ascaris infection and titers of specific IgE. Ascaris infection was associated with a decreased risk of a positive skin test response (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42–0.94; P = .03) but an increased risk of EIB (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.23-2.11; P = .001). Conclusion In areas of high parasite endemicity, Ascaris might induce an inflammatory response in the lungs independent of its effect on IgE production. This could explain some of the contradictory findings seen in studies examining the association between geohelminth infection, atopy, and asthma.
When Persecution Bleeds into Mass Murder: The Processive Nature of Genocide

In the rapidly developing historiography of the Armenian Genocide, the processive character of pre-genocidal persecutions has received less attention than the genocidal process itself. This article treats the persecution of Ottoman Armenians as a cumulative process leading up to a mass-murder campaign in the summer of 1915. It addresses the evolution of CUP policy toward the Armenians through the prism of escalating persecution and the relationship between center and periphery. In order to illustrate the concrete implementation of this process, the province of Diyarbekir will serve as an example to clarify the history of the persecutions.
Expression of Transferrin Receptor on Murine Hematopoietic Progenitors

We have used a monoclonal antibody against the murine transferrin receptor to study the expression of the transferrin receptor on the hematopoietic progenitor cells (BFU-E, CFU-E, and CFU-C) present in mouse bone marrow. Elutriation and cell-sorting data are consistent with the hypothesis that most CFU-E are transferrin receptor positive while most BFU-E express much less transferrin receptor. CFU-C comprise both transferrin-receptor-positive and -negative cells.
Selection and Characterization of a Neuraminidase-Minus Mutant of Influenza Virus and Its Rescue by Cloned Neuraminidase Genes

A neuraminidase (NA)-deficient mutant, designated NWS-Mvi, of the reassortant influenza virus A/NWS/33HA-A/tern/Australia/G70c/75NA (H1N9), was selected by passaging virus in MDCK cells in a medium containing neuraminidase from the bacterium Micromonospora viridifaciens and polyclonal antiserum against the influenza NA. Growth of the resulting mutant virus is dependent on the addition of neuraminidase to the medium. Western blot analysis showed that the neuraminidase protein was absent from the mutant virus particles, and Northern hybridization showed that RNA segment 6, which contains the coding information for the NA, had undergone massive deletion. Viral protein synthesis in cells infected with the mutant virus was not dependent on the addition of neuraminidase. In the absence of a functional NA, the NWS-Mvi mutant virus can infect MDCK cells with normal cytopathic effects. This neuraminidase-minus influenza virus serves as an excellent source of parent virus for reverse genetics experiments involving genes that encode a functional neuraminidase.
Correlation of anti-emetic efficacy and plasma levels of ondansetron

Abstract Intravenous ondansetron was administered at doses from 0.01 to 0.48 mg/kg every 4 h for three doses to patients receiving cisplatin 60–120 mg/m 2 for the first time. Plasma samples were collected from 28 patients at baseline and at suitable times post-dose for pharmacokinetic analysis, and were assayed for ondansetron by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Plasma trough level was defined as the level before the third dose and 4 h area-under-the-curve (AUC4) was calculated with the linear trapezoidal method. Despite wide inter-patient variation, a correlation was seen between both trough level ( r = 0.737, P r = 0.903, P r = 0.824, P
The Prevalence of Aortic Insufficiency in Patients Maintained on Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose The prevalence and clinical significance of AI in pts on continuous flow LVAD support is controversial. Previous reports indicate that 25% of pts develop mild-to-moderate AI within 1 year of CF-LVAD support. We examined the prevalence of at least moderate de novo AI and clinical outcomes of pts who developed it. Methods and Materials Baseline and post-implant echocardiograms and clinical records of all pts at our institution who received a HMII were reviewed. Pts were excluded if they had mild or more AI at baseline or if they had an aortic valve manipulation prior to or at time of LVAD implantation. Results 158 pts were included. Mean age was 55 ± 14 years, 77.8% were male, and 81.6% had LVAD implantation as BTT. 15 (9.5%) pts developed at least moderate AI (moderate: 13 [8.2%], severe: 2 [1.3%]) with a mean follow-up time of 347 ± 356 days. Freedom from moderate AI or greater at 1 and 2 years was 88% and 65% respectively. After the development of at least moderate AI, 9/15 pts (60.0%) underwent HTX, including 2 (13.3%) who were upgraded to UNOS 1A for symptomatic moderate/severe AI. 1 other pt (6.7%) developed symptomatic AI and required AV repair. 1 pt (6.7%) underwent device exchange for suspected device thrombosis with concurrent AV repair. 5 (33.3%) remain on device support at a mean support time of 983 ± 551 days without evidence of heart failure or need for surgical AV intervention. Conclusions Clinically significant AI may complicate long term CF-LVAD support. Although the absolute number of patients requiring surgical correction of AI is currently small, prevention and treatment strategies should be developed as the number of patients on long term support is rapidly increasing. [ figure 1 ]