cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental variation in sound production in water and air in the blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus

Blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, the largest catfish in North America, produce pectoral stridulation sounds (distress calls) when attacked and held. They have both fish and bird predators, and the frequency spectrum of their sounds is better matched to the hearing of birds than to that of unspecialized fish predators with low frequency hearing. It is unclear whether their sounds evolved to function in air or water. We categorized the calls and how they change with fish size in air and water and compared developmental changes in call parameters with stridulation motions captured with a high-speed camera. Stridulation sounds consist of a variable series of pulses produced during abduction of the pectoral spine. Pulses are caused by quick rapid spine rotations (jerks) of the pectoral spine that do not change with fish size although larger individuals generate longer, higher amplitude pulses with lower peak frequencies. There are longer pauses between jerks, and therefore fewer jerks and fewer pulses, in larger fish, which take longer to abduct their spines and therefore produce a longer series of pulses per abduction sweep. Sounds couple more effectively to water (1400 times greater pressure in Pascals at 1 m), are more sharply tuned and have lower peak frequencies than in air. Blue catfish stridulation sounds appear to be specialized to produce underwater signals although most of the sound spectrum includes frequencies matched to catfish hearing but largely above the hearing range of unspecialized fishes.
Effects of exercise on hip range of motion, trunk muscle performance, and gait economy

Background and Purpose. The purposes of this study were (1) to examine the effects of a passive hip extension stretching exercise program on hip extension range of motion (ROM), (2) to examine the effects of a trunk flexor exercise program on trunk flexor muscle performance, and (3) to examine the effects of passive hip extension stretching or trunk flexor exercises on walking and running economy. (“Gait economy” is defined as the steady-state oxygen consumption per unit of body weight required to walk or run at a specified velocity.) Subjects. Twenty-five healthy, athletic, male college students (X age=21 years, X weight=75 kg, X height=172 cm) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a control group (n=7), a hip extension stretching group (n=9), or a trunk flexor exercise group (n=9). Methods. Before and after 3 weeks of intervention, the following measurements were obtained: right and left hip extension ROM, trunk flexor muscle performance, and walking and running economy. A three×two-way (groups×test sessions) analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures for unequal subject numbers was performed on each of the five dependent measures, with analysis of simple main effects applied when significant interactions were found. Results. The ANOVA on right and left hip extension ROM revealed a significant interaction. Analyses of simple main effects showed that 3 weeks (six sessions) of passive hip extension stretching significantly improved right hip extension ROM (pretest=−20.4°, posttest=−8.3°) and left hip extension ROM (pretest=−16.8°, posttest=−7.0°). There also was a significant interaction for trunk flexor muscle performance. The analysis of simple main effects revealed that 3 weeks of daily trunk flexor exercises significantly improved trunk flexor muscle performance (pretest=41.5°, posttest=60.4°). The 3-week intervention program of hip extension stretching or trunk flexion exercises, however, did not produce significant changes in walking or running economy. Conclusion and Discussion. The results suggest that (1) six treatment sessions of passive stretching were sufficient to improve hip extension ROM; (2) 3 weeks of exercises performed daily improved trunk flexor muscle performance; and (3) training of isolated tasks, such as hip flexibility or trunk strengthening activities, did not produce the desired outcome in the economy of walking or running. Possible reasons for the results are discussed.
Integral representation of the pictorial proof of

The pictorial proof of [image omitted] is represented in the form of an integral. The integral representations are also applicable to [image omitted]. These representations reveal that [image omitted] can be solved into a factor [image omitted], where m is a positive integer.
Defining normal upper airway motion in asymptomatic children during sleep by means of cine MR techniques

PURPOSE: To define normal upper airway motion in asymptomatic children during sleep by means of dynamic cine magnetic resonance (MR) techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In children referred for MR of the brain who required sedation, a sagittal midline cine MR sequence was performed. Motion of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx was characterized as static patent, dynamic patent, intermittent collapse, or static collapsed; maximal diameter and greatest change in size were calculated in millimeters. Mouth position (open or closed) was determined. Parameters were compared with age (t test) and mouth position (Fisher exact test). RESULTS: In the 148 subjects (mean age, 3.4 years), the nasopharynx showed dynamic motion in 53 (36%). The oropharynx was most commonly collapsed in 98 (66%) of the patients. The hypopharynx showed dynamic motion in 72 (49%) of the patients and was never collapsed. Vertical motion was present in 77 (52%) of the patients. The mouth was open in 96 (65%) of the patients. There w...
Building Mashups by example

Creating a Mashup, a web application that integrates data from multiple web sources to provide a unique service, involves solving multiple problems, such as extracting data from multiple web sources, cleaning it, and combining it together. Existing work relies on a widget paradigm where users address those problems during a Mashup building process by selecting, customizing, and connecting widgets together. While these systems claim that their users do not have to write a single line of code, merely abstracting programming methods into widgets has several disadvantages. First, as the number of widgets increases to support more operations, locating the right widget for the task can be confusing and time consuming. Second, customizing and connecting these widgets usually requires users to understand programming concepts. In this paper, we present a Mashup building approach that (a) combines most problem areas in Mashup building into a unified interactive framework that requires no widgets, and (b) allows users with no programming background to easily create Mashups by example.
Binge eating antecedents in normal‐weight nonpurging females: Is there consistency?

We examined the situational antecedents of binge eating episodes and tested for consistency in the antecedents. We evaluated the antecedents of two successive binges via structured interviews with 50 normal-weight nonpurging females who regularly binge. Cluster analysis yielded two categories of binge-promoting situations: solitary negative affect situations and social eating situations. When this empirically derived classification of binge situations was used, the two successively occurring binges did not systematically fall into the same cluster. Consistency on other measures was also modest. Implications of these findings for conceptual models of binge eating and treatment, including the prospect of individually tailored interventions, are discussed.
Automatic Inference for Infinite Order Vector Autoregressions

Infinite order vector autoregressive (VAR) models have been used in a number of applications ranging from spectral density estimation, impulse response analysis, and tests for cointegration and unit roots, to forecasting. For estimation of such models it is necessary to approximate the infinite order lag structure by finite order VARs. In practice, the order of approximation is often selected by information criteria or by general-to-specific specification tests. Unlike in the finite order VAR case these selection rules are not consistent in the usual sense, and the asymptotic properties of parameter estimates of the infinite order VAR do not follow as easily as in the finite order case. In this paper it is shown that the parameter estimates of the infinite order VAR are asymptotically normal with zero mean when the model is approximated by a finite order VAR with a data dependent lag length. The requirement for the result to hold is that the selected lag length satisfies certain rate conditions with probability tending to one. Two examples of selection rules satisfying these requirements are discussed. Uniform rates of convergence for the parameters of the infinite order VAR are also established. Very helpful comments by the editor and two referees led to a substantial improvement of the manuscript. I am particularly indebted to one of the referees for pointing out an error in the proofs. All remaining errors are my own. Financial support from NSF grant SES−0095132 is gratefully acknowledged.
Humoral Immunity to Commensal Bacteria: Quantification, Specificity and Avidity of Serum IgG and IgM Antibodies Reactive with the Oral Bacteria Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens

The concentrations and avidities of naturally-occurring IgM and IgG antibodies reactive with Prevotella intermedia (Pi) and Prevotella nigrescens (Pn), two closely related oral, saccharolytic, anaerobic, gram-negative rods were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the serum of 50 children aged between 6 and 14 yr. Antibody specificity was examined by absorption with the homologous bacterium and with the related oral and non-oral, anaerobic gram-negative rods Prevotella corporis (Pc), Bacteroides fragilis (Bf) and Porphyroinonas gingivalis (Pg). The prevalence of Pi/Pn group bacteria in the oral cavity was determined by DNA-DNA hybridisation. All children exhibited low avidity IgM and IgG antibodies reactive with Pi and Pn regardless of whether or not these bacteria were detected in the oral cavity. A considerable fraction of these antibodies was directed against common determinants shared by the related oral and non-oral anerobic gram-negative rods. The induction by the host of low avidity, potentially polyreactive antibodies, that are ineffective in immune elimination may be a mechanism by which commensal bacteria persist in the mouth and at other mucosal surfaces. Keywords: Prevotella nigrescens ; Prevotella intermedia ; antibody; specificity; avidity
Analysis of plasma-polymerized hydrocarbons by pyrolysis/gas chromatography†

Plasma-polymerized oils, films and powders obtained from ethylene, acetylene, butadiene, and benzene were characterized by flash pyrolysis and gas chromatography (P/GC). None of the pyrograms resembled those of commercial polyethylene, polybutadiene, or polystyrene. Each of the plasma-polymer pyrograms did exhibit essentially the same fragments up to C8, albeit in a different distribution, indicating that all samples are structurally similar. Analysis of the P/GC data shows these materials to contain a random arrangement of side chains, crosslinks, double bonds, and aromatic structures. Changes in the fragment distribution were obvious when the sample was a powder, solid film, or oily film produced from the same monomer. It was shown that powder products generally have a higher concentration of branches and/or crosslinks than the oil or film products. There are also differences in the pyrograms of products of the same form derived from dissimilar monomers. The results obtained from P/GC generally support those derived from infrared or NMR measurements performed earlier.
Decreased ratio of CD8+ T cells to regulatory T cells associated with decreased survival in dogs with osteosarcoma.

Background: Increased numbers of regulatory T cells (Treg) and decreased ratios of CD8+ T cells to Treg have been shown to correlate with decreased survival times (ST) in humans with certain malignancies. A possible connection between Treg and ST in dogs with cancer has not been investigated previously. Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare numbers of Treg and T lymphocyte subsets in dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA) to those of healthy dogs and to determine whether pretreatment values were associated with disease-free interval or with ST. We hypothesized that Treg numbers would be increased in dogs with cancer and that dogs with a high percentage of Treg would have a poorer prognosis. Animals: Twelve client-owned dogs with appendicular OSA were entered into a prospective clinical trial. Twenty-two healthy dogs were used as controls. Methods: The percentages and numbers of Treg and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood, lymph nodes, and tumors were determined with flow cytometry and compared between dogs with OSA and control dogs. Results: Dogs with OSA had significantly fewer circulating CD8+ T cells and significantly more Treg compared with healthy dogs. The CD8/Treg ratio also was significantly lower in dogs with OSA compared with control dogs. In dogs with OSA, a decreased CD8/Treg ratio was associated with significantly shorter STs. Conclusions: These data support a role for Treg in the immune control of canine OSA and suggest that determination of the CD8/Treg ratio may be useful for assessing outcomes.
An in situ toxicity identification evaluation method part I: Laboratory validation

Identification of individual chemical groups is critical in evaluating sediment quality and fractionating these groups of chemicals in a mixture is important to determine the primary chemicals causing toxicity. The in situ toxicity identification evaluation (iTIE) is a novel method that was developed to fractionate chemicals in contaminated sediments and waters and assess toxicity organisms. The study objectives were to verify that the iTIE can help identify contaminant chemical classes and improve the toxicity assessment process; and compare the iTIE and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods. The iTIE exposure chamber is powered by a portable air pump that suctions pore water, via a Venturi system, through selective sorption materials. After passing through the sorptive materials, the pore water passes into an exposure chamber containing Daphnia magna. The chemical sorption materials included Ambersorb 563 for nonpolar organic chemical adsorption, Chelex for metals chelation, and multiple zeolite types for ammonia adsorption. The laboratory studies were performed using water and sediments spiked with ammonia, cadmium, and fluoranthene. The laboratory validation of the iTIE approach showed that different classes of compounds readily could be separated via the resin treatments, resulting in significant differences in concentrations and thus exposures to in situ exposed organisms. Ammonia, cadmium, and fluoranthene were significantly removed by zeolite, Chelex, and Ambersorb, respectively. Although there was some cross-adsorption to the other nontarget resins, it was limited and allowed for treatment differences to be detected. Survival in the treatment resins exposed to the target compounds was as high as control survivals. A 24-h exposure period appeared optimal, allowing for replacement of initial culture water with pore waters, while longer exposures occasionally allowed for breakthrough of contaminants. The iTIE was more sensitive than the U.S. EPA TIE method, in that it detected toxicity more readily due to the greater loss of contaminant concentrations in the TIE manipulation process.
Constructive Methods in Program Verification

Most current approaches to mechanical program verification transform a program and its specifications into first-order formulas and try to prove these formulas valid. Since the first-order predicate calculus is not decidable, such approaches are inherently limited. This paper proposes an alternative approach to program verification: correctness proofs are constructively established by proof justifications written in an algorithmic notation. These proof justifications are written as part of the program, along with the executable code and correctness specifications. A notation is presented in which code, specifications, and justifications are interwoven. For example, if a program contains a specification 3x P(x), the program also contains a justification that exhibits the particulat value of x that makes P true. Analogously, justifications may be used to state how universally quantified formulas are to be instantiated when they are used as hypotheses. Programs so justifiled may be verified by proving quantifier-free formulas. Additional classes of justifications serve related ends. Formally, justifications reduce correctness to a decidable theory. Informally, justifications establish the connection between the executable code and correctness specifications, documenting the reasoning on which the correctness is based.
Hydrology of a zero-order southern piedmont watershed through 45 years of changing agricultural land use. Part 1. Monthly and seasonal rainfall-runoff relationships

Abstract Few studies have reported runoff from small agricultural watersheds over sufficiently long period so that the effect of different cover types on runoff can be examined. We analyzed 45-yrs of monthly and annual rainfall-runoff characteristics of a small (7.8 ha) zero-order typical Southern Piedmont watershed in southeastern United States. Agricultural land use varied as follows: 1. Row cropping (5-yrs); 2. Kudzu (Pueraria lobata; 5-yrs); 3. Grazed kudzu and rescuegrass (Bromus catharticus; 7-yrs); and 4. Grazed bermudagrass and winter annuals (Cynodon dactylon; 28-yrs). Land use and rainfall variability influenced runoff characteristics. Row cropping produced the largest runoff amount, percentage of the rainfall partitioned into runoff, and peak flow rates. Kudzu reduced spring runoff and almost eliminated summer runoff, as did a mixture of kudzu and rescuegrass (KR) compared to row cropping. Peak flow rates were also reduced during the kudzu and KR. Peak flow rates increased under bermudagrass but were lower than during row cropping. A simple process-based ‘tanh’ model modified to take the previous month's rainfall into account produced monthly rainfall and runoff correlations with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.74. The model was tested on independent data collected during drought. Mean monthly runoff was 1.65 times the observed runoff. Sustained hydrologic monitoring is essential to understanding long-term rainfall-runoff relationships in agricultural watersheds.
A Role for p38MAPK/HSP27 Pathway in Smooth Muscle Cell Migration

Smooth muscle cells are exposed to growth factors and cytokines that contribute to pathological states including airway hyperresponsiveness, atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and hyperplasia. A common feature of several of these conditions is migration of smooth muscle beyond the initial boundary of the organ. Signal transduction pathways activated by extracellular signals that instigate migration are mostly undefined in smooth muscles. We measured migration of cultured tracheal myocytes in response to platelet-derived growth factor, interleukin-1beta, and transforming growth factor-beta. Cellular migration was blocked by SB203580, an inhibitor of p38(MAPK). Time course experiments demonstrated increased phosphorylation of p38(MAPK). Activation of p38(MAPK) resulted in the phosphorylation of HSP27 (heat shock protein 27), which may modulate F-actin polymerization. Inhibition of p38(MAPK) activity inhibited phosphorylation of HSP27. Adenovirus-mediated expression of activated mutant MAPK kinase 6b(E), an upstream activator for p38(MAPK), increased cell migration, whereas overexpression of p38alpha MAPK dominant negative mutant and an HSP27 phosphorylation mutant blocked cell migration completely. The results indicate that activation of the p38(MAPK) pathway by growth factors and proinflammatory cytokines regulates smooth muscle cell migration and may contribute to pathological states involving smooth muscle dysfunction.
Integrated measurement-modeling approaches for evaluating residual stress using micromachined fixed-fixed beams

Two methodologies have been developed to determine the biaxial residual stress value in thin films using electrostatically actuated fixed-fixed beam test structures. In the first, we determine the compliance matrix of the support posts using 3-D finite-element analysis. The residual stress value is then found from the best fit between the measured and modeled deflection curves, with the residual stress as the only free parameter in the model. An accuracy of /spl plusmn/0.5 MPa for the average biaxial residual stress level is evaluated from the reproducibility of independent measurements over a wide range of loadings. The key to the second methodology lies in the recognition that for a given value of residual stress, there exists a unique family of deflection curves associated with two adjacent beams of different lengths. Therefore, compliance information can be extracted directly from the deflection curves. We proceed to show that essentially the same values of residual stress are found by the two methodologies, while the latter allows much more rapid extraction of the residual stress. With the second methodology established, we find that residual stress values vary across a quarter of a six-inch diameter wafer by 2.5 MPa for three structural levels of polycrystalline silicon in our five-level surface micromachining technology.
Abusive Tax Shelters And Government Misconduct

Congress reacted quickly to the accounting profession’s involvement in the Enron/Tyco International financial collapses in 2001. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted and the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated new reporting regulations aimed at preventing such losses in the future. A more remote effect occurred a year later in 2003 when Congress enacted sweeping reforms affecting the tax shelter industry. Congress targeted accounting firms and related professionals who created, marketed and sold abusive tax shelters. While the culpability of these professionals was clear the resulting criminal prosecutions against some of the accounting professionals were tainted by an overzealous prosecution which relied on unconstitutional tactics to obtain convictions.
Robust DNA Damage Response and Elevated Reactive Oxygen Species in TINF2-Mutated Dyskeratosis Congenita Cells.

Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC) is an inherited multisystem premature aging disorder with characteristic skin and mucosal findings as well as a predisposition to cancer and bone marrow failure. DC arises due to gene mutations associated with the telomerase complex or telomere maintenance, resulting in critically shortened telomeres. The pathogenesis of DC, as well as several congenital bone marrow failure (BMF) syndromes, converges on the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway and subsequent elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Historically, DC patients have had poor outcomes following bone marrow transplantation (BMT), perhaps as a consequence of an underlying DNA hypersensitivity to cytotoxic agents. Previously, we demonstrated an activated DDR and increased ROS, augmented by chemotherapy and radiation, in somatic cells isolated from DC patients with a mutation in the RNA component of telomerase, TERC. The current study was undertaken to determine whether previous findings related to ROS and DDR in TERC patients’ cells could be extended to other DC mutations. Of particular interest was whether an antioxidant approach could counter increased ROS and decrease DC pathologies. To test this, we examined lymphocytes from DC patients from different DC mutations (TERT, TINF2, and TERC) for the presence of an active DDR and increased ROS. All DC mutations led to increased steady-state p53 (2-fold to 10-fold) and ROS (1.5-fold to 2-fold). Upon exposure to ionizing radiation (XRT), DC cells increased in both DDR and ROS to a significant degree. Exposing DC cells to hydrogen peroxide also revealed that DC cells maintain a significant oxidant burden compared to controls (1.5-fold to 3-fold). DC cell culture supplemented with N-acetylcysteine, or alternatively grown in low oxygen, afforded significant proliferative benefits (proliferation: maximum 2-fold increase; NAC: 5-fold p53 decrease; low oxygen: maximum 3.5-fold p53 decrease). Together, our data supports a mechanism whereby telomerase deficiency and subsequent shortened telomeres initiate a DDR and create a pro-oxidant environment, especially in cells carrying the TINF2 mutations. Finally, the ameliorative effects of antioxidants in vitro suggest this could translate to therapeutic benefits in DC patients.
Business, the Democratic Party, and the New Deal: An Empirical Critique of Thomas Ferguson's “Investment Theory of Politics”:

This paper contributes to the continuing debate on how structures of economic power are connected to political processes in the United States by examining a widely respected theory concerning the f...
Glutamate uptake by astroglia

Glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS), and as a result is continually secreted from cells. It is essential that vesicular release result in fluctuations in the concentration of glutamate that are spatially and temporally constrained, to restrict signaling to defined contacts and to allow signaling to be sustained at high frequencies. Although dilution of glutamate in the extracellular space and diffusion away from receptors work to rapidly dissipate the local spikes in glutamate concentration generated following release, the small volume of the extracellular space and the short distance between neighboring synapses creates difficulties for restricting glutamate transients to individual synaptic sites. Unlike the neuromuscular junction, where acetylcholine is inactivated through the action of an extracellular enzyme, there is no evidence that glutamate is similarly degraded following release. Instead, the actions of glutamate are ultimately terminated by uptake back into cells, a task accomplished primarily by a family of high affinity, Na+-dependent transporters (see review by Danbolt, 2001). Five different glutamate transporter genes have been identified, encoding at least six different transporters, which exhibit distinct patterns of expression in the CNS. Although we have learned a great deal about these transporters, significant questions remain about the properties of each transporter type, the mechanisms by which they are regulated and their individual roles in the CNS. In this review, we outline the properties of the glutamate transporters expressed in astroglial cells, the significance
Photodynamic Inactivation of Herpesvirus Hominis by Methylene Blue

ConclusionMethylene blue, in a concentraion of 10−5M was virostatic in the presence of light but not in the dark for 31 of 37 strains of fresh isolates of herpesvirus hominis. Resistance to the dye developed during treatment. This photodynamic pattern was almost identical to that of neutral red which produced an identical effect. This was not true for proflavine which was active in the dark in many instances. Cross insensitivity between proflavine and methylene blue was not observed.
A CASE OF MULTIPLE COLON CANCER PRESENTED WITH ILEAC SYMPTOMS AFTER HAVING PREPARED COLOSTOMY

A 72-year-old woman was carried in our hospital with the chief complaints of abdominal distention and vomiting. The patient was diagnosed as occlusive ileus due to a rectal cancer and temporally double barrelled colostomy with sigmoid colon was performed. After that, although the patient had sufficient evacuation, a progressing abdominal distention was found. Abdominal CT revealed a locally enlarged digestive tract at a location where the lower abdominal distention was seen. The patient was diagnosed as having localized ileus developed anal-side from the preternatural anus, and radical operation was performed. These ileus episodes were clarified to be caused by advanced cancers existing at the sigmoid colon and upper rectum (synchronous multiple cancer).Preoperative examination often fails to offer full informations about multiple cancer, especially for patients undergone emergency operation due to colon cancer-caused ileus or perforation or those presented with severe occlusion due to anal-side colon cancer. We should remember a possible existence of multiple cancer in the treatment of colon cancer in all cases.
Determination of Lead and Cadmium in Soil by Microwave Digestion-Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

[Objective] To establish a method to measure lead and cadmium in soil by microwave digestion-graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry(FGAAS).[Methods]Soil samples were ground to pass 100-mesh sieve,digested using HNO3-HF-H2O2 under microwave treatment and determined by GFAAS.[Results]When the lead concentrations were in the range of 5.0-40.0μg/L and the cadmium concentrations were in the range of 0.20-2.00μg/L,the linearity of this method was good,with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999.The detection limits of lead and cadmium were 5.0 and 0.040mg/kg respectively.The recovery rate was 90.0%-110.0%.The relative standard deviation was 4.1%-6.9%.The determination results of standard samples were within the uncertainty.[Conclusion]The method is characterized by simple,rapid,and little disturbance with high accuracy;therefore,it is suitable for regular measurement of lead and cadmium in soil.
The renin-aldosterone system in mother and fetus at term

Umbilical cord plasma aldosterone consistently exceeded that of paired maternal plasma (N=24), although plasma renin activity (N=15) and reinin substrate (N=25) were always higher in the mother. This dissociation of levels of aldosterone and its stimulating hormone renin may be due to (1) a different stimulus for aldosterone secretion in the fetus, (2) increased fetal sensitivity to renin-produced angiotensin II, or (3) altered fetal metabolism of the latter hormone.
Hypertension in the elderly.

SUMMARY Hypertension in the elderly patient is definitely associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Available evidence, while not extensive, does show that blood pressure can be controlled with drug treatment in the elderly and, more importantly, successful control reduces morbidity and mortality. Altered pharmacokinetics, sluggish baroreceptor responses to blood pressure reductions, loss of cardiovascular-renal reserve, increased sensitivity to central nervous system effects, and other factors peculiar to this age group result in an increased incidence of adverse side effects to most drugs. Reduced patient compliance to complex therapeutic regimens is another factor unique to aging that affects the response to therapy. The problem of isolated systolic hypertension is not fully resolved, but attempts at systolic pressure control are frequently met with many of the complications and adverse reactions listed above. Thus, a relatively cautious approach is recommended in difficult cases where efforts to achieve ideal blood pressure control must be tempered with knowledge of side effects. Hypertension in the elderly is a subject that has not received the investigative interest it deserves. There are many gaps in our knowledge. Future research is expected to greatly increase our understanding of the effects of treatment, the ideal treatment of predominantly systolic hypertension, the safety and efficacy of various drugs and combination regimens, and the optimum for achieving compliance.
Drafting “foot soldiers”: The social organization of the war for talent

The “global war for talent” refers to the increasing competition among organizations and regional governments for top employees. The concept of “war” in this context acts as a powerful metaphor, he...
Quantitative determination of the role of lettuce leaf structures in protecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 from chlorine disinfection.

Viability of Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells on lettuce leaves after 200 mg/liter (200 ppm) chlorine treatment and the role of lettuce leaf structures in protecting cells from chlorine inactivation were evaluated by confocal scanning microscopy (CSLM). Lettuce samples (2 by 2 cm) were inoculated by immersing in a suspension containing 109 CFU/ml of E. coli O157: H7 for 24 ± 1 h at 4°C. Rinsed samples were treated with 200 mg/liter (200 ppm) chlorine for 5 min at 22°C. Viability of E. coli O157:H7 cells was evaluated by CSLM observation of samples stained with Sytox green (dead cell stain) and Alexa 594 conjugated antibody against E. coli O157:H7. Quantitative microscopic observations of viability were made at intact leaf surface, stomata, and damaged tissue. Most E. coli O157:H7 cells (68.3 ± 16.2%) that had penetrated 30 to 40 μm from the damaged tissue surface remained viable after chlorine treatment. Cells on the surface survived least (25.2 ± 15.8% survival), while cells that penetrated 0 to 10 μm from...
Response to García-Nieto et al. Comments on Beamer et al. Association of Children’s Urinary CC16 Levels with Arsenic Concentrations in Multiple Environmental Media. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 521.

We would like to thank the editors for providing us with the opportunity to respond to the points raised by Dr. Garcia Nieto.[...].
Labor, Gender, and Generational Change in a Western City

In the early twentieth century, Denver, Colorado, offered unique opportunities to Italian women. Those who worked before marriage had a range of job possibilities; few were compelled to hold wage jobs. a flourishing Italian community developed in North Denver, where most women thrived in the workplace and at home—in contrast to the experience of sister immigrants in the East.
Regulating Fear: The Case of Ebola in the United States

A rash of recent news stories have documented Americans’ increasing fear of Ebola. That fear is unpleasant, and it can be costly and even dangerous. But it can also provide an opportunity for the government officials who will be coordinating the federal response to the risk of outbreak. This short paper proposes a new way to think constructively about public fear. It argues that public fear presents regulators and government officials with the chance to help fear do what it is supposed to do: encourage people to pay attention to the things that imperil them. Regulators and government officials can battle Ebola — or indeed, any other highly dreaded risk — by identifying behaviors that can help individuals take control of their fears, while getting a kick-start to action that is “just as well” to do anyway.
Determination of the Absolute Configuration of β-Chiral Primary Alcohols Using the Competing Enantioselective Conversion Method.

A method for determining the absolute configuration of β-chiral primary alcohols has been developed. Enantioenriched alcohols were acylated in the presence of either enantiomer of the enantioselective acylation catalyst HBTM, and the faster reaction was determined by measuring product conversion using 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis. An empirical mnemonic was developed that correlates the absolute configuration of the alcohol to the faster reacting catalyst. Successful substrates for this method include primary alcohols that bear a “directing group” on the stereogenic center; directing groups include arenes, heteroarenes, enones, and halides.
The roles of carrier concentration and interface, bulk, and grain-boundary recombination for 25% efficient CdTe solar cells

CdTe devices have reached efficiencies of 22% due to continuing improvements in bulk material properties, including minority carrier lifetime. Device modeling has helped to guide these device improvements by quantifying the impacts of material properties and different device designs on device performance. One of the barriers to truly predictive device modeling is the interdependence of these material properties. For example, interfaces become more critical as bulk properties, particularly, hole density and carrier lifetime, increase. We present device-modeling analyses that describe the effects of recombination at the interfaces and grain boundaries as lifetime and doping of the CdTe layer change. The doping and lifetime should be priorities for maximizing open-circuit voltage (Voc) and efficiency improvements. However, interface and grain boundary recombination become bottlenecks for device performance at increased lifetime and doping levels. This work quantifies and discusses these emerging challenges f...
Stochastic quantum dynamics and relativity

Our aim is to unify the Schroedinger dynamics and the projection postulate. We first prove that the Schroedinger evolution is the only quantum evolution that is deterministic and compatible with relativity. Next we present a non deterministic generalization of the Schroedinger equation compatible with relativity. This time continuous pure state valued stochastic process covers the whole class of quantum dynamical semigroups, as exemplified by the damped harmonic oscillator and spin relaxation. Finally a symmetry preserving generalization of the Ghirardi-Rimini-Weber model is presented. (orig.).
In situ surface oxidation of Ti-44Al-11Nb alloy at room temperature

The in situ surface oxidation of polycrystalline Ti-44Al-11Nb (compositions are in atomic %) alloy was studied at room temperature in an ultrahigh vacuum (66.6 to 80.0 nPa). The native oxide of Ti-44Al-11Nb was removed by sputtering the surface using 2.8 kV argon ions and then high-purity oxygen was carefully dosed onto the aluminide surface. After each oxygen dosing the surface species, metallic states and oxidized states, were detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). After analyzing the binding energy shifts and the concentration of oxidized species, aluminum oxidized first, then titanium followed by niobium. A reaction sequence model, incorporating the rate-determining step of a dissociative adsorption of oxygen, shows to be consistent with the initial oxidation rate of the Ti-44Al-11Nb intermetallic.
Sodium-Sulfur Battery Research

High energy density batteries are required for peaking and load leveling systems by the electric utilities and for electrical vehicle propulsion. The battery design depends upon the intended use since the energy density has to be optimized for the first application and the power density for the second application. The sodium-sulfur cell (1) is one of several electrochemical systems under development for the said applications.
Vascular-induced erectile impotence in renal transplant recipients.

AbstractThe incidence and pathogenesis of sexual dysfunction were studied in 16 male renal allograft recipients. In 9 patients with bilateral renal transplants in whom both internal iliac arteries were occluded nocturnal erections were absent and a penile arterial pulse could not be palpated. Of 7 patients with 1 renal allograft 4 demonstrated penile nocturnal tumescence and the penile pulse could be palpated in 5. Since interruption of pelvic arterial blood supply appears to contribute to impotence in renal transplant recipients consideration should be given to the use of the external iliac artery for arterial anastomosis. Two patients were treated successfully with an inflatable penile prosthesis.
State-based surveillance to determine trends in meningococcal disease.

Objectives Meningococcal disease (MD), is a leading cause of meningitis in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiology of MD in Oklahoma, including trends, high-risk populations, and outcomes. Methods Cases from the statewide passive reporting system with disease onset between 1988 and 2004 were included; 2002-2004 cases were linked to hospital discharge data. We performed a multivariate logistic regression of variables predicting death. Results There were 545 total cases (mean annual incidence rate 1.0/100,000); 13% died. Rates were highest for children younger than 2 years of age; black males had rates two times higher than the state rate and a different age distribution than other race-gender groups. Mean length of hospital stay was 12 days and mean charges were $37,724. For every 10 years of age, the risk of death increased 13% (adjusted odds ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05, 1.22). People younger than age 40 who developed MD between October and February were 68% more likely to die than those who developed it in other months (rate ratio [RR] 1.68, 95% CI 1.39, 2.05); an increased risk of death during these months was not statistically significant in people aged 40 and older (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.83, 1.69). Conclusion Using statewide public health surveillance data to characterize the epidemiology of MD is important to understand local trends and risk factors.
Au, Wayne and Bollow Tempel, Melissa (eds.): Pencils Down: Rethinking High-Stakes Testing and Accountability in Public Schools

I confess: I delayed reading Pencils Down for as long as I could. I purchased the book before it was even released, because I knew it was an important volume for those of us who work with teachers in urban schools in the U.S. I decided to review it immediately, realizing that I wanted to join efforts to make people aware of it. Yet I could not bring myself to read it. I dreaded it. I avoided it. I suppose this was because I have long understood and resented the damage that over-testing and misuse of standardized tests have wrought on our public schools, from pre-k, to college and teacher education. In fact, it was having to force my group of recent immigrant fourth graders through 3 weeks of English-only norm-referenced testing in 1998 in California—and then having to ‘‘assess our program’’ based on those scores—that drove me to graduate school. I was afraid that having to wade through an entire volume of anecdotes and evidence would simply depress me. This book sat on my to-do list for six solid months before a long plane ride and no other options finally got me to crack it open. I was not entirely wrong in my foreboding. The first three sections of the book are full of very depressing stories contributed by teachers and parents and teacher educators in the ‘‘trenches’’ of U.S. urban public schools. For example, Kelley Dawson Salas writes about having to force ELL students in a well-established twoway dual language program in Milwaukee, WI to transition their literacy skills to English in a month (rather than the full academic year built into their program) in order to take a battery of state mandated tests in English for the first time. Melissa Bollow Tempel describes middle-school students denied access to electives in order to focus on ‘‘reading skills’’ in exceedingly dreary skill-based classes. Soren Wuerth writes about a Yup’ik high school senior denied a diploma despite a full transcript
Pathway mechanism for excitatory and inhibitory control in working memory.

Humans engage in many daily activities that rely on working memory, the ability to hold and sequence information temporarily to accomplish a task. We focus on the process of working memory, based o...
Association of physical activity on the functional connectivity of the hippocampal–orbitofrontal pathway

Objective: The objective of the study is to examine the association between physical activity and hippocampal–orbitofrontal functional connectivity.Methods: Data from the Nathan Kline Institute-Roc...
Response to Comment on Mathew Et Al. Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Improve HDL Function by Inhibiting Myeloperoxidase-Mediated Oxidation in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome. Diabetes Care 2018;41:2431-2437

We thank Holzer and Marsche (1) for their interest in our work on the impact of therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) on HDL function in patients with metabolic syndrome (2). They suggest that a modified isolation technique for HDL2 and HDL3 proposed by their group removes proteins such as albumin (most abundant plasma protein) and apolipoprotein (apo)B (the major constituent of LDL), thereby enhancing HDL purity. It is well known that HDL protein composition is highly heterogeneous, and different HDL isolation techniques—such as sequential ultracentrifugation (KBr or D2O/sucrose), size exclusion chromatography, immune affinity capture, ion exchange chromatography, or isoelectric focusing—yield variable combinations of ∼95 proteins, as reviewed (3) and as updated periodically on the website http://homepages.uc.edu/∼davidswm/HDLproteome.html. These proteins …
Preoperative Treatment of Hepatitis C Is Associated With Lower Prosthetic Joint Infection Rates in US Veterans.

Abstract Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with poorer outcomes in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Recently, oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have become available for HCV curative treatment. The goal of this study is to determine if HCV may be a modifiable risk factor in TJA by comparing postoperative complications among patients with and without preoperative treatment for HCV. Methods US Department of Veterans Affairs dataset of all consecutive primary TJAs performed between 2014 and 2018, when DAAs were available, was retrospectively reviewed. HCV-infected patients were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision codes and laboratory values. HCV-infected patients treated prior to TJA with DAA were included in the “treated” group. HCV-infected patients untreated preoperatively were assigned to the “untreated” group. Medical and surgical complications up to 1 year postoperatively were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision inpatient and outpatient codes. Results In total, 42,268 patients underwent TJA at Veterans Affairs Hospitals between 2014 and 2018. About 6.0% (n = 2557) of TJA patients had HCV, 17.3% of whom received HCV treatment preoperatively. When evaluating inpatient and outpatient codes, implant infection rates were statistically lower at 90 days and 1 year postoperatively among HCV-treated patients than among those untreated. Odds ratios (ORs) favor lower infection rates in HCV-treated patients (90-day OR: 3.30, P = .045; 1-year OR: 2.16, P = .07). Conclusion Preoperative HCV treatment was associated with lower periprosthetic infection rates among US veterans undergoing TJA. Further investigation is necessary for definitive conclusions.
Microbiological Testing Results of Cooked Diced Chicken and Pasteurized Egg Products Purchased for United States Federal Nutrition Assistance Programs, 2012-2018.

Abstract The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchases cooked diced chicken, pasteurized liquid whole eggs, and pasteurized dried egg mix for federal nutrition assistance programs. Purchases a...
Rhythm and Bluebeat: “Jamaican R&B,” Live and on Record, in Early-1960s’ London

Retrospectively referred to as blue beat, “Jamaican rhythm and blues” (JA-R&B) was one of many R&B styles performed and consumed in the UK during the early 1960s. Despite the genre’s importance to African-Caribbean migrant communities, urban subcultures, and, eventually, mainstream British popular music, JA-R&B is often relegated to a side note in the histories of Jamaican ska/reggae and British blues. This essay recuperates the production, emulation, consumption and mediation of JA-R&B into a broader narrative of the British R&B boom, a phenomenon often understood as a precursor to the British Invasion and the (re)birth of rock music as a major force in Anglo-American popular culture. As this essay details, JA-R&B was the product of a complex web of cultural interaction animated by a confluence of black Americans, Jamaicans of various ethnicities (living at home and abroad), and white Britons. The routes by which JA-R&B moved from the relative shadows of the underground Jamaican-settler social scene into the clubs of Soho, to London’s recording studios, and eventually onto the pop charts through British-made recordings are traced here through analysis of contemporaneous discourse found in The West Indian Gazette, Disc, Melody Maker, New Record Mirror, and New Musical Express. I conclude that JA-R&B’s eventual “novelty” status, coupled with apparent anxieties about the growing West Indian immigrant population in Britain, elided the possibility that JA-R&B could be valued on the same terms and by the same standards as “authentic,” American-originated R&B.