cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the share of total apparent effect that is genuinely due to a treatment: A comparison of methods

Abstract Estimating true treatment effects in the presence of selection bias is a common problem in program evaluation, but it is uncommon to quantify the share of a total apparent effect that is “true”. We identify multiple methods for doing so, in the context of isolating the true causal influence of the built environment on travel behavior in the presence of residential self-selection (RSS). Among the different approaches for dealing with self-selection, we use three: statistical control (SC) modeling, propensity score-based techniques (PS), and sample selection (SS) modeling. Our objective is to identify multiple ways to estimate the proportion of the total apparent effect of the built environment on travel behavior that is due to the built environment itself, which we call the “built environment proportion”, or BEP. We present and evaluate three categories of methods for estimating this measure (each native to one of the approaches): variance explained, modular effects, and treatment effects. A BEP formula associated with a given method can be applied to its native approach or cross-applied to other approaches. We identify and enumerate 47 potential BEPs. The methods presented here can be applied in other contexts involving treatment evaluation in the presence of selection bias.
A nationwide survey of emergency medicine resident workflow efficiency: Are training programs teaching residents to be efficient?

Background Workflow efficiency (WFE) is essential to the practice of emergency medicine (EM), but a standardized approach to measuring and teaching it during residency is lacking. In this study we sought to describe how EM residency programs in the United States currently measure and teach WFE and to assess the relative importance of WFE teaching to EM residency program leaders. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of all accredited EM residency training programs in the United States in Fall 2019. We invited all allopathic EM residency programs to participate in the study by directly emailing program directors and assistant/associate program directors. We conducted the study and performed descriptive statistics using SurveyMonkey software. Results We received a total of 133 responses out of 190 total programs (70%) with proportionate representation from 3- and 4-year programs and all regions of the United States. When asked to what extent teaching efficiency should be a priority compared to other educational goals, 65% of program leaders responded with "significant" or "moderate" priority. Most EM programs collect WFE data on their residents, either by tracking patients per hour (78%) or by written evaluations (59%). Common methods for providing WFE data to residents were: "individual data provided along with deidentified rank" (35%), "data provided only during private feedback meetings" (26%), and "no data or rank provided to residents" (16%). Regarding targeted WFE teaching to residents, 88% reported utilizing general on-shift teaching, 48% reported teaching WFE during formal didactics, and 45% during dedicated private feedback sessions. Conclusion This national study of allopathic U.S. EM programs suggests that most EM program leaders do value WFE teaching. However, we found no consistent approach among programs for tracking or distributing resident WFE data, and many programs lack a formalized way to teach efficiency to their residents.
The Role of Biological Effective Dose in Predicting Obliteration After Stereotactic Radiosurgery of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations.

Abstract Objective To determine whether biological effective dose (BED) was predictive of obliteration after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Patients and Methods We studied patients undergoing single-session AVM SRS between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2014, with at least 2 years of imaging follow-up. Excluded were patients with syndromic AVM, previous SRS or embolization, and patients treated with volume-staged SRS. Biological effective dose was calculated using a mono-exponential model described by Jones and Hopewell. The primary outcome was likelihood of total obliteration defined by digital subtraction angiography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Variables were analyzed as continuous and dichotomous variables based on the maximum value of (sensitivity–[1–specificity]). Results This study included 352 patients (360 AVM, median follow-up, 5.9 years). The median margin dose prescribed was 18.75 Gy (interquartile range [IQR]: 18 to 20 Gy). Two hundred fifty-nine patients (71.9%) had obliteration shown by angiography (n=176) or MRI (n=83) at a median of 36 months after SRS (IQR: 26 to 44 months). Higher BED was associated with increased likelihood of obliteration in univariate Cox regression analyses, when treated as either a dichotomous (≥133 Gy; hazard ratio [HR],1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.95; P Conclusion Biological effective dose ≥133 Gy was predictive of AVM obliteration after single-session SRS within the prescribed margin dose range 15 to 25 Gy. Further study is warranted to determine whether BED optimization should be considered as well as treatment dose for AVM SRS planning.
SODIUM CHANNELS AND THEIR GATING CURRENT

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the sodium channels and their gating current. The ionic channels for sodium and potassium ions in nerve membrane can open and close in a millisecond or less, causing large changes in membrane permeability. The single effective stimulus for opening the channels is a positive change of membrane potential, and this fact lead Hidgkin and Huxley to surmise that the channels are controlled by charged gating structures that migrate in response to the changes of the electrical field in the membrane. They estimated that the activation of the sodium channels is governed by not less than six electronic charges and inactivation by about three. Their estimate for activation is quite close to current estimates, but no inactivation gating charge has been detected. Other evidence that links the observed currents to sodium channels is kinetic. This is particularly clear when the channels are closing, and gating current and sodium current at some potentials have the same time constant. The response of sodium current to application of internal zinc, to prolonged depolarization, and to a number of pharmacological agents all strongly support the hypothesis that the observed current is gating current.
Chattahoochee River Thermal Alterations

A coupled flow-temperature model was applied to a 43.12-mile (69.39-km) reach of the Chattahoochee River starting in the urbanized section of Atlanta, Ga. The water temperature changed as much as 4.4°C while while passing through the reach, and the temperature model was capable of predicting these changes with a root-mean-square error of 0.72°C in July and 0.65°C in August l976. The thermal model was used to estimate the instantaneous as well as the average natural temperatures in the river reach. The average natural temperature predicted by the model (24.92°C) was in excellent agreement with the independent estimate of 24.85°C. The effect of upstream reservoirs and the heated effluent of the Atkinson and McDonough Power Plants nearly cancel one another in an average sense but significantly increase the diurnal range of river temperature.
Nonlinear liquid crystal optical fiber array for all-optical switching/limiting

Liquid crystals in their various ordered and disordered phases have been shown to possess large optical nonlinearities over wide temporal and spectral ranges. Recent studies have shown that they can be used for optical sensor protection against short laser pulses throughout the visible range. In this paper, we report recent experimental results conducted with nanosecond and picosecond laser pulses. The centerpiece of the optical limiting/protection action is the liquid crystal fiber array which is positioned within an optical system such that its entrance plane coincides with an intermediate focal plane of the imaging system. The scenery from a large field of view is imaged onto an array area covering many (thousands) constituent fibers; on the other hand, a threat laser originating from a distant point source is brought to a focus spot size on the order of the diameter of a single constituent fiber. By optical waveguiding, the image is transmitted to the exit end. The liquid crystal fiber array will transmit low-power optical signal/scenery linearly and maximally; it will, via a variety of nonlinear mechanisms, limit the transmission of high energy laser pulses and therefore protect the downstream sensor.
Multi‐sensor analysis of water storage variations of the Caspian Sea

[1] We perform a multi-sensor analysis of water storage and surface height variations of the Caspian Sea, from mid-2002 through 2006. Data from three satellite missions (GRACE, Jason-1, and Aqua) are used to examine the relationship between changes in spatially averaged sea surface height (SSH) and water storage in and around the Caspian Sea. Two composite time series are constructed to represent the mass change signal, the first by removing a model of nearby hydrological signals from the GRACE time series, and the second by subtracting a MODIS SST-based estimate of thermal expansion from the Jason-1 time series. The composite time series agree well (rms difference = 5.2 cm), and a positive trend is seen in both the GRACE (4.5 ± 0.7 cm/yr) and Jason (3.2 ± 0.3 cm/yr) composite time series. This analysis provides an indirect means of validating these data at regional spatial and monthly temporal scales.
Characterization and localization of cannabinoid receptors in rat brain: a quantitative in vitro autoradiographic study

A potent, synthetic cannabinoid was radiolabeled and used to characterize and precisely localize cannabinoid receptors in slide-mounted sections of rat brain and pituitary. Assay conditions for 3H-CP55,940 binding in Tris-HCl buffer with 5% BSA were optimized, association and dissociation rate constants determined, and the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) calculated (21 nM by liquid scintillation counting, 5.2 nM by quantitative autoradiography). The results of competition studies, using several synthetic cannabinoids, add to prior data showing enantioselectivity of binding and correlation of in vitro potencies with potencies in biological assays of cannabinoid actions. Inhibition of binding by guanine nucleotides was selective and profound: Nonhydrolyzable analogs of GTP and GDP inhibited binding by greater than 90%, and GMP and the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog showed no inhibition. Autoradiography showed great heterogeneity of binding in patterns of labeling that closely conform to cytoarchitectural and functional domains. Very dense 3H-CP55,940 binding is localized to the basal ganglia (lateral caudate-putamen, globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus, substantia nigra pars reticulata), cerebellar molecular layer, innermost layers of the olfactory bulb, and portions of the hippocampal formation (CA3 and dentate gyrus molecular layer). Moderately dense binding is found throughout the remaining forebrain. Sparse binding characterizes the brain stem and spinal cord. Densitometry confirmed the quantitative heterogeneity of cannabinoid receptors (10 nM 3H-CP55,940 binding ranged in density from 6.3 pmol/mg protein in the substantia nigra pars reticulata to 0.15 pmol/mg protein in the anterior lobe of the pituitary). The results suggest that the presently characterized cannabinoid receptor mediates physiological and behavioral effects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids, because it is strongly coupled to guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins and is discretely localized to cortical, basal ganglia, and cerebellar structures involved with cognition and movement.
A study of the nuclear structure of 36Cl with the (p, d) reaction

Abstract The 37Cl(p, d)36Cl reaction, at Ep = 35 MeV, was employed to study properties of the levels of 36Cl. Excitation energies of levels up to 8.2 MeV were obtained by high-resolution magnetic analysis of the emitted deuterons. Angular distributions for the states observed in this span were measured over the angular range θL = 3°−55°. These data were analyzed with the DWBA theory to obtain values of ln and C2Sl. The results are compared to the previously existent experimental picture for this nucleus and to current theoretical nuclear structure calculations.
Attitudes toward parenting strategies, potential for child abuse, and parental satisfaction of ethnically diverse low-income U.S. mothers.

Abstract Among a sample of 176 low-income mothers from 3 ethnic groups in the United States, the authors investigated ethnic differences in attitudes toward preferred parenting strategies, or styles; ethnic differences in the potential for child abuse; and the relationship between parenting strategies, the potential for child abuse, and parental satisfaction. They distributed the Maternal Reactions to Child's Deviant Behavior subscale (K. M. Rickard, W. Graziano, & R. Forehand, 1984), a shortened version of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI; J. S. Milner & R. C. Wimberley, 1979), and a Parental Satisfaction Scale (N. P. Medora, S. M. Wilson, & J. Larson, 1996) to the participants. The results indicated no significant ethnic differences in preferred parenting styles. Mothers from all 3 ethnic groups ranked praise and reasoning as the 1st and 2nd preferred parenting strategies. There were no ethnic differences in the perceived potential for child abuse. Parental satisfaction was negatively related t...
Studies on reproductive endocrine function in rats treated with monosodium l-glutamate early in life

Abstract Repeated s.c. injections of high doses of monosodium- l -glutamate (MSG) to neonatal female rats caused precocious puberty, disturbed oestrous cycle and small ovaries and pituitary. Pituitary LH and FSH were low but the basal serum levels were unchanged from control values. Serum E2 level was significantly low in the early stages. Cyclic regulation of gonadotrophin release and follicular maturation was inadequate. Pituitary-gonadal function in males was less affected. Females treated with high doses of MSG as infants showed normal onset of puberty and regular oestrous cycles, but subsequent earlier oestrous cycle irregularity was observed than in controls. Gonadal weights in both sexes were slightly reduced. Serum hormone levels and the pituitary contents were not changed from those of controls except for reduced FSH. Males and females, given subneurotoxic doses of MSG, or fed large amounts of MSG ad libitum, presented no abnormalities. MSG administration therefore induces marked abnormalities in reproductive endocrine function after maturation only when injected parenterally, early in postnatal life, in repeated, very large doses.
Asymptomatic carriage of toxigenic Clostridium difficile by hospitalized patients

Asymptomatic carriage of Clostridium difficile is common in hospitals, but the risk for transmission by carriers is unclear. In this point prevalence culture survey of asymptomatic hospitalized patients, 18 of 149 (12%) were carriers of toxigenic C. difficile. By comparison with C. difficile infection (CDI) patients, the prevalence of skin and/or environmental contamination was significantly lower in asymptomatic carriers (3/18, 17% versus 5/6, 83%; P = 0.007), but carriers outnumbered CDI patients in the hospital by a factor of 3 to 1. These data suggest that asymptomatic carriers have the potential to contribute to C. difficile transmission in hospitals.
High-performance SiC avalanche photodiode for single ultraviolet photon detection

ABSTRACT Sensitive ultraviolet photodetect ors are essential components for a growing nu mber of civilian and military applications. In this paper, we report 4H Silicon Carbide (SiC) avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with a p-i-n structure. These APDs, range in diameter from 180 µm to 250µm, exhibit very low dark current (10s of pA at avalanche gain of 1000) and high gain in linear-mode operation. An external quantum efficiency of 48% at 280 nm is achieved at unity gain with a recessed-window structure. The differentia l resistance of a 250 µm recessed-window device at zero bias is estimated to be 6 10 14 ohms. As a result of high external quantum efficiency , large area, and large differential resistance, a record high specific detectivity of 4.1  10 14 cmHz 1/2 W -1 , has been achieved. Single ultraviolet photon detection in Geiger-mode operation with gated quenching is also described. In this pape r, we report single photon detection efficiency (SPDE) of 30% at 280 nm with a dark count probability (DCP) of 8  10
Response to Richard Peet

I wish to begin by thanking Dick for his generous comments on my attempt to unearth the local origins of the free trade doctrine, which Britain globalised in the name of Corn Law repeal, beginning in 1846. As he intimates, the issues he raises are ones that I have given considerable thought to. In these comments, I will pick up on the two issues he would emphasise differently (in his view, the greater significance of London-based British political economists, by comparison to Manchester-based cotton textile capitalists; and the ideological construction of knowledge, rather than the spatiality of knowledge production), but let me begin by noting some fundamental points of agreement. The logical foundation for free trade rooted in Ricardo and Torrens is indeed, in his words, 'wrong from the beginning'. A critique of the logical claims of this 200-year line of thinking, and its grounding in self-evidently false assumptions about the socio-spatial organisation of capitalism, is at the centre of my own analysis (cf. Sheppard 2005, 154-6). Almost two decades ago, with Trevor Barnes, I argued from a Marxian perspective that trade and uneven development are inextricably connected even in the absence of the powerasymmetries that enabled Britain (and more recently the US, and now China) to rig trade to the advantage of elites, and indirectly also at times workers, in these countries (Sheppard and Barnes 1990). We are also in agreement that national interest was key to the implementation of the free trade doctrine, that comparative advantage is a social construct (in this case, a consequence of the ability of mercantilist Britain to ruin India's sophisticated cotton textile and clothing industry, creating the conditions of possibility for the success of the Manchester cotton barons), and that Portugal was just the first of many places to suffer the opposite of what advocates claimed would be a rising tide of free trade that lifts all boats. Any challenge of the hegemonic and taken-for-granted status of the free trade doctrine must deconstruct
Peptides: Important tools for the treatment of central nervous system disorders

This review shows some classical applications of peptides and suggests there is great promise for the treatment of various central nervous system diseases. Actually, peptides are considered the new generation of biologically active tools because they are key regulators in cellular and intercellular physiological responses, which possess enormous potential for the treatment of various diseases. In spite of their clinical potential, native peptides have seen limited use due to their poor bioavailability and low stability in physiological conditions. Moreover, most peptide or protein pharmaceuticals currently in use are delivered by invasive routes such as via subcutaneous injection. Considerable efforts have been made to design new drugs based on peptides and recent developments in technology and science have provided the means and opportunity to produce a stable as well as controlled-release form of peptide and protein drugs to combat poorly controlled diseases and to increase patients’ quality of life. A major challenge in this regard, however, is the delivery of peptides over the blood–brain barrier. This review gives an overview of some strategies used to improve both bioavailability and uptake of peptide drugs for delivery into the brain. Indeed, recent findings suggest that the use of peptides by conjugation to a polymer such as nanoparticles can offer tremendous hope in the treatment of brain disorders. The polymer conjugation improves pharmacokinetics by increasing the molecular mass of proteins and peptides and shielding them from proteolytic enzymes. These new strategies will create new opportunities for the future development of neurotherapeutic drugs. In the present review we have focused our attention on the peptide controlled delivery, summarizing literature reports on the use of peptides and nanotechnology for the treatment and diagnosis of brain disorders.
Survey-Based Assessment of Patients’ Understanding of Their Own Imaging Examinations

Abstract Purpose To perform a survey-based assessment of patients' knowledge of radiologic imaging examinations, including patients' perspectives regarding communication of such information. Methods Adult patients were given a voluntary survey before undergoing an outpatient imaging examination at our institution. Survey questions addressed knowledge of various aspects of the examination, as well as experiences, satisfaction, and preferences regarding communication of such knowledge. Results A total of 176 surveys were completed by patients awaiting CT (n = 45), MRI (n = 41), ultrasound (n = 46), and nuclear medicine (n = 44) examinations. A total of 97.1% and 97.8% of patients correctly identified the examination modality and the body part being imaged, respectively. A total of 45.8% correctly identified whether the examination entailed radiation; 51.1% and 71.4% of patients receiving intravenous or oral contrast, respectively, correctly indicated its administration. A total of 78.6% indicated that the ordering physician explained the examination in advance; among these, 72.1% indicated satisfaction with the explanation. A total of 21.8% and 20.5% indicated consulting the Internet, or friends and family, respectively, to learn about the examination. An overall understanding of the examination was reported by 70.8%. A total of 18.8% had unanswered questions about the examination, most commonly regarding examination logistics, contrast-agent usage, and when results would be available. A total of 52.9% were interested in discussing the examination with a radiologist in advance. Level of understanding was greatest for CT and least for nuclear medicine examinations, and lower when patients had not previously undergone the given examination. Conclusions Patients' knowledge of their imaging examinations is frequently incomplete. The findings may motivate initiatives to improve patients' understanding of their imaging examinations, enhancing patient empowerment and contributing to patient-centered care.
Cure of Progressive Murine Leishmaniasis: Interleukin 4 Dominance Is Abolished by Transient CD4+ T Cell Depletion and T Helper Cell Type 1–selective Cytokine Therapy

Progressive infection with Leishmania major in susceptible BALB/c mice is mediated by interleukin (IL)-4-producing T helper cell type 2 (Th2) CD4(+) T cells that, once established, become resistant to Th1-deviating therapies with recombinant (r)IL-12 and/or neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibodies. We sought to restore protective immunity in advanced leishmaniasis by depletion of Th2-biased CD4(+) populations and by cytokine-directed reconstitution of Th1 cellular responses during lymphocyte recovery. Treatment with cytolytic GK1.5 anti-CD4 mAb alone did not reverse disease in 3 wk-infected BALB/c mice, but GK1.5 combined with anti-IL-4 antibody and intralesional rIL-12 cured cutaneous lesions in 80% of mice and established a Th1-polarized cytokine response to L. major antigen protective against reinfection. The curative effects of GK1.5 were not replaced by cytotoxic anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody 2.43 or nondepleting anti-CD4 mAb YTS177, confirming that depletion of CD4(+) cells was specific and essential for therapeutic effect. Finally, combined CD4(+) depletion and IL-4 neutralization were curative, indicating that neither increased parasite burden nor altered accessory cell function independently biased towards Th2 reconstitution in advanced leishmaniasis. Advanced leishmaniasis can be cured by T cell depletion and cytokine-directed recovery of Th1 cellular responses, suggesting novel interventions for other immune-mediated diseases and identifying distinct roles for CD4(+) T cell and non-T cell in the maintenance of Th2 and Th1 phenotypes.
Spatial selectivity of unit activity in the hippocampal granular layer.

Single neuron activity was recorded in the granular layer of the fascia dentata in freely moving rats, while the animals performed a spatial “working” memory task on an eight-arm maze. Using recording methods that facilitate detection of units with low discharge rates, it was found that the majority (88%) of cells in this layer have mean rates below 0.5 Hz, with a minimum of 0.01 Hz or less. The remaining recorded cells exhibited characteristics typical of the theta interneurons found throughout the hippocampus. Based on several criteria including relative proportion and the relation of their evoked discharges to the population spike elicited by perforant path stimulation, it was concluded that the low-rate cells correspond to granule cells. Granule cells exhibited clear spatially and directionally selective discharge that was at least as selective as that of a sample of CA3 pyramidal cells recorded under the same conditions. Granule cells had significantly smaller place fields than pyramidal cells, and tended to have more discontiguous subfields. There was no spatial correlation among simultaneously recorded adjacent granule cells. Granule cells also exhibited burst discharges reminiscent of complex spikes from pyramidal cells while the animals sat quietly; however, the spike duration of granule cells was significantly shorter than CA3 pyramidal cell spike durations. Under conditions of environmental stability, granule cell place fields were stable for at least several days. Following occasional maze rotations relative to the (somewhat impoverished) visual stimuli of the recording room, granule cell place fields were maintained relative to the distal spatial cues; however, frequent rotations of the maze sometimes resulted in a shift in the reference frame to the maze itself. These observations indicate that granule cells of the fascia dentata provide their CA3 targets with a high degree of spatial information, in the form of a sparsely coded, distributed representation.
The Impact of Peer Effects on Student Outcomes in New York City Public Schools

Abstract The impact of peers on student outcomes has important policy implications for how students are organized into classes and the overall impact of education interventions. But it is difficult to accurately measure peer effects because of the nonrandom sorting of students and teachers into classrooms and the endogeneity of peers' achievement. In this study, an education production function (EPF) is specified that includes student and peer characteristics as regressors. This model is estimated using student-level data from New York City public schools for 1995–2000. The richness of these data allows six sources of bias that arise in the EPF model to be addressed, including the above-mentioned nonrandom classroom assignment and the endogeneity of peers' achievement. This results in credible evidence of (small) peer group effects. Instrumenting for the mean of peers' achievement significantly reduces the associated peer effect. Nonlinear peer group effects are evident in the form of a small positive imp...
A New Disease of Flowering Dogwood Caused by Colletotrichum acutatum.

In 1992 symptoms consisting of twig dieback, canker-like deformities, and often, mortality of all sizes of container-grown flowering dogwood trees (Cornus florida L.) was frequently observed in northern Florida where nursery production of dogwood is concentrated. Twigs, branches, growing points, and portions of main trunks up to 3 cm in diameter were killed. On affected portions, leaves drooped downward but did not wilt severely; they later became silvery, gray-green and eventually died but did not drop. Affected trees produced flower buds, but the flower buds did not open. Many trees died and others were destroyed because of unsightly dead limbs and deformed trunks. The inciting pathogen was not satisfactorily determined. After 1994, disease incidence subsided, but in 1999, it reappeared and caused serious economic damage. In 1999, we followed the disease from propagation through several stages of nursery production, including growth in large containers. A Colletotrichum species was consistently isolated...
Projected Sulfate Redistribution As Impacted by Lake Level Stabilization Scenarios: Devils Lake, North Dakota

Devils Lake, a terminal, saline lake, of glacial origin, in North Dakota has experienced a 7.5 m rise in lake elevation resulting in the flooding of over 243km2 from 1992 to 2002. At lower water surface elevations, Devils Lake functions as a series of connected basins with salinity increasing in an eastward direction due to evaporation. The recent increase in water depth provides an opportunity for increased dispersive exchange flows and mixing between the lake’s basins due to wind and buoyancy forces. This increased mixing will change the future water quality distribution in Devils Lake, and may therefore have an impact on plans for lake level stabilization. In this paper, a model based on energy and conservation of mass principles is applied to estimate the potential redistribution of sulfate within Devils Lake. The rate of redistribution may affect the lake’s ecosystem and the design of a possible water diversion to the Red River of the North for the purpose of stabilizing the water surface elevation. ...
Gelation characteristics of muscle proteins from pale, soft, exudative (PSE) pork

Thermally induced protein gels were made by using extracted salt-soluble proteins from normal pigs and stress-susceptible pigs determined to have pale, soft, exudative (PSE) muscle. Effects of heating rates (17,39 and 93° C/h) at various protein concentrations (23, 34, 48 and 54 mg/ml) were evaluated. Gel strength of PSE extracts was 45% of the controls at equivalent protein concentration. Gel strength of normal and PSE-muscle protein gels from the first compression curve increased with increasing protein concentrations at all heating rates; however, gel strength was greater for slow heating rates than for fast heating rates in both PSE and normal samples. Percent water loss was greater for PSE extracts than for controls at the same protein concentration. Losses of 47% and 36% for PSE and controls, respectively, were observed at a a protein level of 54 mg/ml protein. There was no heating rate effect on water losses in either case. Protein loss was less, for both PSE and control, at low protein concentrations than at high protein content in the range studied. Slow heating rates resulted in less protein loss, for both PSE and control, whereas faster heating rates gave greater protein losses in the exuded water.
The regulation of the binding affinity of the luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor by sodium ions is mediated by a highly conserved aspartate located in the second transmembrane domain of G protein-coupled receptors.

Sequence alignment shows that there is a highly conserved aspartate in the second transmembrane helix of virtually all G protein-coupled receptors. A previous study on the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor demonstrated that substitution of this acidic residue for the corresponding amide slightly decreases the affinity of the receptor for agonists and completely abolishes the effect of Na+ on the affinity for agonists. Since we have previously shown that Na+ modulates the binding affinity of the LH/CG receptor for ovine LH (oLH) [but not for human CG (hCG)], the experiments described here were designed to determine if the corresponding residue (D383) of the rat LH/CG receptor also mediates this Na+ effect. We used site-directed mutagenesis to create an LH/CG receptor mutant in which D383 was substituted by N. The wild type and mutant receptor [designated rLHR(D383N)] were expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, and the transfected cells were tested for their ability to bind hCG and oLH in medium containin...
CONTRAST OF DOSE DISTRIBUTIONIN PHANTOM HEADS DUE TO APERTURE AND PLANE WAVE SOURCES

Current microwave biologic effects research uses both aperture and plane wave sources. In this theoretic investigation, the dose rate (time rate of energy absorption per unit mass) patterns are compared between phantom heads irradiated by both microwave sources. Two brain tissue-equivalent spheres with radii of 3.3 and 7 cm are used to simulate monkey and human heads, respectively. In addition, a five-layered tissue-equivalent sphere is employed to simulate more closely the various tissues in a monkey head. Theoretic formulations of dose rate patterns in multi-layered tissue-equivalent spheres due to separate plane wave and aperture source treatments are derived from the summation of spherical harmonics technique. Calculations are made for the dose rate patterns along two cross-sectional planes and three rectangular axes in the spheres. The results of these calculations indicate variations in dose rate patterns for different sources and phantom head sizes. For aperture irradiation, microwave energy penetration into the phantom heads appears weak compared to the "hot spots" prominent in the plane wave exposure situation. It is concluded that for different radiation sources, direct comparison of biologic results by external field measurements as the only common denominator may not be dosimetrically valid. The results also indicate that for the same measured exposure rate (power density), the microwave energy absorption pattern in a human head may vary according to the type of radiation source.
Fourier-transform spectroscopy using liquid-crystal technology

We report the use of a ferroelectric liquid-crystal (FLC) mask as an optical encoder for development of a solid-state Fourier-transform spectrometer. For this demonstration a 1×64 element array was striped and used as a 1×4 element device. The device intersected dispersed radiation and encoded each spectral component with a carrier signal by applying half-wave potential to each of the four striped 1×16 FLC elements, which varied the transmitted amplitude of the light from 0.03% to 28% of full scale. The light was spectrally recombined and imaged onto a photomultiplier and the resulting carriers (and their amplitudes) detected by Fourier transformation of the time-varying signal. Spectra of colored-glass filters were taken to demonstrate the possibilities of the instrument.
Removal of methotrexate by peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis in a single patient with end-stage renal disease.

ABSTRACT Background Although methotrexate is highly bound to albumin, it is thought to be removed by hemodialysis and not by peritoneal dialysis. We are not aware of any direct comparison in the same patient. Case Report/Methods A 60-year-old patient on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was admitted to the East Alabama Medical Center for stomatitis and pancytopenia after being given 10 mg of methotrexate for his rheumatoid arthritis. Measurements of total methotrexate levels were made before, during, and after sequential peritoneal and hemodialysis treatments. Results We found that the clearance of methotrexate measured in the dialysate was equal in the first hour of dialysis for both types of dialysis, although serum levels were markedly lower in hemodialysis compared to peritoneal dialysis. Conclusion Methotrexate was cleared by peritoneal dialysis in the first hour of an exchange and was not associated with a rebound in serum levels. Hemodialysis was associated with lower serum levels; however, there was also a significant rebound 2 hours after the procedure ended. Since neither procedure was able to preclude the death of the patient, other more effective means of methotrexate elimination should be employed.
Evaluation of leaching of trace metals from concrete amended with cement kiln baghouse filter dust

The production of Portland cement (PC) can result in the release of trace amounts of mercury (Hg) in stack emissions. As a means of controlling Hg stack emissions at Portland cement kiln operations, some facilities have instituted a process known as dust shuttling, where baghouse filter dust (BFD), a partially calcined byproduct, is collected and blended with PC as an inorganic process addition, instead of returning the material to the kiln pyro-process. In response to questions raised regarding environmental impacts of recycling BFD into concrete products, research was performed to investigate the chemical composition of BFD and to assess the potential for leaching of trace metals from concrete products amended with BFD. Leaching of monolithic concrete under submerged conditions was examined as a function of time; concentrations of detected elements were found to be below applicable risk thresholds. Despite elevated Hg in the BFD relative to the PC, no elevated Hg risk was observed. Leachates from raw BFD did exceed risk-based thresholds for Se and V. However, leaching of size-reduced BFD-amended concrete did not show concentrations of these elements above applicable risk based thresholds. The results of this study suggest that the use of BFD as an inorganic process addition, within the percentages currently allowed by US industry standards, does not pose any additional risk with respect to direct human hazard or leaching of trace metals to water supplies.
Measuring flow in Michigan youth firearm deer hunters: implications for measurement and practice

The steady decline of individuals taking up recreational hunting in the United States is cause for concern. Young hunters are a key source for recruiting future hunters. Understanding young hunters’ experience and satisfaction during hunting activities would provide valuable information about youth and the potential for recruitment. Flow theory was used to: (1) develop a methodological approach to measure flow during a youth white-tailed deer hunt; and (2) examine relationships among youth hunters’ experiences and satisfaction during Michigan’s Special Youth Firearm White-tailed Deer Hunt as a potential tool for recruitment. Positive relationships between flow experiences and young hunters’ satisfaction suggest that hearing wildlife and seeing white-tailed deer are important aspects of the hunt. Using the experience sampling method to determine relationships between flow and satisfaction of the hunt expands the suite of instruments available to understand youth hunting experiences as a potential tool for ...
Shift happens oder AUFBRECHEN

Anfang 2010 erschien mein Buch Aufbrechen, von dem einige Grundzuge in der Kolumne besprochen werden. Ich zeige auf, dass alles rund um das Internet zu einer Industrialisierung der Dienstleistungen fuhrt. Die geht so weit, dass ziemlich viel Einfaches nicht mehr Gegenstand eines Berufes ist (und damit bezahlt wird), sondern vom einstigen Kunden nun selbst erledigt wird. Zum Beispiel brauchen wir kaum noch zur Bank! Wir kaufen im Netz und finden durch Googeln, wo wir uns sonst hatten beraten lassen (Gesundheit, Recht). Unsere Gesellschaft, so folgere ich, muss sich „upgraden“ und neue Berufe und Industriezweige aufbauen, die „der Computer nicht selbst kann“. Warum packen wir nicht an, warum brechen wir nicht auf? Mit selbstfahrenden Autos, 3D-Druck oder synthetischer Biologie?
Representing the African Woman: Subjectivity and Self in The Joys of Motherhood

The Joys of Motherhood has been called Buchi Emecheta's most outstanding novel. Beyond exhibiting “the power of characterization, manipulation of point of view and narrative method,” the novel offe...
Effect of certain angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on mortality in heart failure: a multiple-propensity analysis.

Abstract Background Heart failure is a major and growing public health problem in United States. There is a substantial evidence about efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in heart failure (HF); however, there is no conclusive evidence on the relative effectiveness of individual ACEIs. Objective To evaluate the effect of individual ACEIs on mortality using multiple-propensity score analysis in a large real-world population. Methods The study was a retrospective analysis of a national cohort of patients with HF identified from the Department of Veterans Affairs. A multiple-propensity score analysis was used to balance 47 baseline patient characteristics between different nontissue ACEIs. The effect of different ACEIs on time to death was assessed using a propensity score-weighted, multivariable Cox proportional hazard model. Results The study included 139,994 patients with 69.50% (97,293) on lisinopril, 21.79% (30,503) on fosinopril, 8.41% (11,775) on captopril, and 0.30% (423) on enalapril. Propensity scores balanced nearly all differences between different ACEI groups. Fosinopril (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.739, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.686-0.797) and lisinopril (HR = 0.818, 95% CI: 0.766-0.874) were significantly associated with reduced mortality as compared with captopril. Similar mortality was observed with enalapril (HR = 0.944, 95% CI: 0.675-1.320) as compared with captopril. Conclusions In patients with HF, fosinopril and lisinopril were associated with lower mortality as compared with captopril. However, the results of this observational study should be interpreted with caution, and need to be replicated and confirmed in studies for which HF severity data are available.
An Analysis of the Discontinuous Galerkin Method for Wave Propagation Problems

The dispersion and dissipation properties of the discontinuous Galerkin method are investigated with a view to simulating wave propagation phenomena. These properties are analysed in the semi-discrete context of the one-dimensional scalar advection equation and the two-dimensional wave equation, discretized on triangular and quadrilateral elements. They are verified by the results from full numerical solutions of the simple scalar advection equation and the Euler equations.
Sensitivity of various extrastimulus techniques in patients with serious ventricular arrhythmias

Abstract One hundred seventeen consecutive patients with a history of sudden cardiac death (group I = 62 patients) or recurrent symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (group II = 55 patients) as well as 11 control subjects (group III) were studied with programmed electrical stimulation over the past year. Programmed right ventricular stimulation included premature stimulation during atrial pacing (A1V2 mode) and during ventricular pacing (V1V2 mode), double ventricular extrastimuli during ventricular pacing (V1V2V3), and brief bursts of rapid ventricular pacing (Vburst). Repetitive ventricular responses were defined as two or more ventricular premature beats produced by the final ventricular pacing stimulus occurring by intraventricular reentry. All but 13 patients were on antiarrhythmic therapy at the time of study. The incidence of repetitive ventricular responses induced by A1V2 pacing mode was 22% (22 of 104 patients) and that of sustained ventricular tachycardia was 1%. The sensitivity of inducing repetitive ventricular responses with V1V2 stimulation was 44% and that of sustained ventricular tachycardia was 7%; the sensitivity with V1V2V3 pacing mode was significantly higher at 77% and 25%, respectively. When V1V2V3 and Vburst stimulation were directly compared, the incidence of induction of repetitive ventricular responses and sustained ventricular tachycardia were comparable. The incidence of induction of repetitive ventricular responses and sustained ventricular tachycardia in groups I and II was similar; no repetitive ventricular responses were induced in group III patients. There was no significant difference in the sensitivity of either repetitive ventricular response or sustained ventricular tachycardia induction in patients with coronary disease compared with those with the diagnosis of noncoronary disease. We conclude that, contrary to an earlier report from our group, the incidence of induction of repetitive ventricular responses to single ventricular extrastimuli during atrial pacing is low in patients with a history of sudden death or recurrent ventricular tachycardia. The incidence of induction of repetitive ventricular responses and sustained ventricular tachycardia is highest using the V1V2V3 and Vburst modes of stimulation.
Metabolism and disposition of 2,2',4,4'- tetrabromodiphenyl ether following administration of single or multiple doses to rats and mice.

The metabolism and disposition of 14C-labelled 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47) were investigated in F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice. Approximately 75–85% of 1 µmol BDE47 kg−1 was absorbed following oral administration to either rats or mice. Sex and species differences were observed in tissue distribution and excretion of BDE47-derived radioactivity. Absorption and distribution of 14C to major tissues were dose-proportional in male rats from 0.1 to 1000 µmol kg−1. BDE47-derived radioactivity increased in all rat and mouse tissues examined following repeated daily doses of 1 µmol kg−1. Accumulation of 14C in tissues of mice was less than in corresponding rat tissues. Glutathione conjugates of BDE47 were excreted in rat bile. A glucuronide and a sulfate conjugate of 2,4-dibromophenol were detected in the urine of BDE47-treated rats. BDE47 appears to induce its own metabolism. Increased formation of reactive metabolites over time may correlate with toxicological effects in BDE47-treated rodents.
Dinoflagellates cyclize squalene oxide to lanosterol

Abstract Direct enzymatic cyclization of squalene oxide to cycloartenol has now been demonstrated in eight algal phyla, whereas five species of dinoflagellates produced lanosterol. This discovery of a lanosterol pathway in dinoflagellates is of clear taxonomic significance. In addition, these findings represent evidence against an assumed biochemical linkage between photosynthesis and cycloartenol production from squalene oxide.
Clinical and psychoeducational assessment in a diverse society: Introduction to the special issue

(1997). Clinical and Psychoeducational Assessment in a Diverse Society: Introduction to the Special Issue. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 89-94.
On the use of Lyapunov function methods in renewal theory

Abstract Based on recent results on the exploitation of “drift criteria” for general state-space Markov processes, we derive rates of convergence for (moments of ) processes associated with a renewal process with common inter-renewal time distribution F . Some of the results are classical and some are new, but the proofs are novel and, we believe, useful if one needs to derive convergence results based on the exact form of the tail of F , a typical concern in applications such as implications of long-range dependence in performance of networking systems, reliability analysis or risk theory.