cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Poorer Hearing With Longitudinal Change in Cerebral White Matter Microstructure

Importance There is a dearth of studies that examine the association between poorer hearing and change in cerebral white matter (WM) microstructure. Objective To examine the association of poorer hearing with baseline and change in WM microstructure among older adults. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a prospective cohort study that evaluated speech-in-noise, pure-tone audiometry, and WM microstructure, as measured by mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA), both of which were evaluated by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in 17 WM regions. Data were collected between October 2012 and December 2018 and analyzed between March 2019 and August 2019 with a mean follow-up time of 1.7 years. The study evaluated responses to the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging among 356 cognitively normal adults who had at least 1 hearing assessment and DTI session. Excluded were those with baseline cognitive impairment, stroke, head injuries, Parkinson disease, and/or bipolar disorder. Exposures Peripheral auditory function was measured by pure-tone average in the better-hearing ear. Central auditory function was measured by signal-to-noise ratio score from a speech-in-noise task and adjusted by pure-tone average. Main Outcomes and Measures Linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts and slopes were used to examine the association of poorer peripheral and central auditory function with baseline and longitudinal DTI metrics in 17 WM regions, adjusting for baseline characteristics (age, sex, race, hypertension, elevated total cholesterol, and obesity). Results Of 356 cognitively normal adults included in the study, the mean (SD) age was 73.5 (8.8) years, and 204 (57.3%) were women. There were no baseline associations between hearing and DTI measures. Longitudinally, poorer peripheral hearing was associated with increases in MD in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (β = 0.025; 95% CI, 0.008-0.042) and the body (β = 0.050; 95% CI, 0.015-0.085) of the corpus callosum, but there were no associations of peripheral hearing with FA changes in these tracts. Poorer central auditory function was associated with longitudinal MD increases (β = 0.031; 95% CI, 0.010-0.052) and FA declines (β = −1.624; 95% CI, −2.511 to −0.738) in the uncinate fasciculus. Conclusions and Relevance Findings of this cohort study suggest that poorer hearing is related to change in integrity of specific WM regions involved with auditory processing.
Highly Sensitive and Flexible M-Tooth Based Hybrid Micro-Structured Capacitive Pressure Sensor

A novel flexible capacitive pressure sensor based on hybrid micro-structured (HM) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) dielectric layer was developed. The HM-PDMS with M-tooth structured patterns was fabricated using laser engraved acrylic master mold. The top and bottom electrodes were fabricated by depositing silver (Ag) on flexible (polyethylene terephthalate) PET substrate using additive screen printing. The pressure sensor was assembled by sandwiching two HMPDMS based dielectric layer between the top and bottom electrodes. The performance of HM-PDMS based pressure sensor was demonstrated by subjecting the sensor to varying applied pressures ranging from 0 to 100 Pa, and 1 kPa to 10 kPa. A sensitivity of 0.14% Pa$^{-1}$, and 0.02% Pa$^{-1}$ was obtained for the fabricated pressure sensor for the pressure ranges 0-100 Pa, and 1 to 10 kPa, respectively.
The structure and evolution of global public relations: A citation and Co-citation analysis 1983–2019

Abstract As a subfield of public relations, global public relations has grown significantly over the past three decades. However, the state of knowledge about its structure and evolution remains unexplored. Who are the key players and what are the key works in the global public relations literature? Which primary research topics have been investigated over time? This study answers these questions by using bibliometric methods to examine published articles in scholarly global public relations research from 1983 to 2019. A total of 35,982 citations from 521 articles permit us to conclude that the field of global public relations has experienced exponential growth, especially during the last decade. Public Relations Review has been the primary outlet for publishing articles on global public relations. The topics of interest during this period can be generally categorized into three groups: culture or cultural dimensions of global public relations, application of public relations theories (e.g., Excellence Theory) and perspectives to other countries, and the introduction of public relations in other countries. The topic of public relations roles appeared in research only in 2000−2009, while public diplomacy emerged as a new theme in the literature in 2010−2019.
Comparison of glucose concentrations in canine whole blood, plasma, and serum measured with a veterinary point-of-care glucometer.

Previous studies have determined that, compared to whole blood, serum or plasma used in a portable blood glucometer (PBG) may provide more accurate results. We investigated the accuracy of a veteri...
Recombinant coho salmon insulin-like growth factor I. Expression in Escherichia coli, purification and characterization.

Recombinant coho salmon insulin-like growth factor I (rsIGF-I) was produced in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. The rsIGF-I expression vector was constructed by polymerase chain reaction and cloning into a plasmid containing a phage T7 RNA polymerase promoter. The rsIGF-I was recovered from bacterial inclusion bodies, solubilized under reducing conditions, immediately refolded, then fractionated by a two-step ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-52 and Mono-S columns. It was further purified by HPLC on a reverse-phase Asahi-Pak C4P-50 C4 column. Purification of rsIGF-I was monitored by SDS/PAGE and immunoblot with anti-[human somatomedin C (SM C)/IGF-I] serum. The rsIGF-I appeared as a single band with molecular mass of 7 kDa, the same size as recombinant human IGF-I (rhIGF-I) and cross-reacted with anti-(human SM C/IGF-I) serum. The amino acid sequence of rsIGF-I contained an NH2-terminal methionine residue followed by the sequence predicted for mature sIGF-I. At concentrations in the range 3.9–250 ng/ml, rsIGF-I significantly stimulated sulfate uptake by the cultured branchial cartilage of coho salmon. The stimulatory effect of rsIGF-I was concentration dependent and slightly more potent than that of rhIGF-I at the highest concentration tested.
Note on Telemedicine

This note provides background in all the modalities of telemedicine. It accompanies the cases "Medtronic: Patient Management Initiative" (A) and (B), HBS Nos. 302-005 and 309-064.
Lyticase: Endoglucanase and Protease Activities That Act Together in Yeast Cell Lysis

Yeast lytic activity was purified from the culture supernatant of Oerskovia xanthineolytica grown on minimal medium with insoluble yeast glucan as the carbon source. The lytic activity was found to consist of two synergistic enzyme activities which copurified on carboxymethyl cellulose and Sephadex G-150, but were resolved on Bio-Gel P-150. The first component was a beta-1,3-glucanase with a molecular weight of 55,000. The K(m) for yeast glucan was 0.4 mg/ml; that for laminarin was 5.9 mg/ml. Hydrolysis of beta-1,3-glucans was endolytic, yielding a mixture of products ranging from glucose to oligomers of 10 or more. The size distribution of products was pH dependent, smaller oligomers predominating at the lower pH. The glucanase was unable to lyse yeast cells without 2-mercaptoethanol or the second lytic component, an alkaline protease. Neither of these agents had any effect on the glucanase activity on polysaccharide substrates. The protease had a molecular weight of 30,000 and hydrolyzed Azocoll and a variety of denatured proteins. The enzyme was unusual in that it had an affinity for Sephadex. Although the activity was insensitive to most protease inhibitors, it was affected by polysaccharides; yeast mannan was a potent inhibitor. The enzyme did not have any mannanase activity, however. Neither pronase nor trypsin could substitute for this protease in promoting yeast cell lysis. A partially purified fraction of the enzymes, easily obtained with a single purification step, had a high lytic specific activity and was superior to commercial preparations in regard to nuclease, protease, and chitinase contamination. Lyticase has been applied in spheroplast, membrane, and nucleic acid isolation, and has proved useful in yeast transformation procedures.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease, presenting primarily in adults and affecting men more commonly than women. The etiology of PSC is currently unknown but is thought to be secondary to an autoimmune process. PSC is closely associated with IBD, and an immune-mediated response to either gut microflora or extra-intestinal cell-adhesion molecules has also been implicated in its pathogenesis. Patients are typically asymptomatic at time of presentation with variable laboratory findings. Unlike its sister disease, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in which the antimitochondrial autoantibody is pathognomonic, the atypical peri-nuclear antineutrophil antibody of PSC lacks specificity and sensitivity to make it clinically useful. Rather, diagnosis is established typically by cholangiogram findings and exclusion of secondary causes of sclerosing cholangitis. The clinical course is variable, with most patients progressing to cirrhosis and hepatic failure. The median time of diagnosis to death or liver transplantation is 12–15 years. There is no proven medical therapy for PSC. Ursodeoxycholic acid, which is effective for PBC, has only been shown to improve biochemical cholestasis in PSC leaving liver transplantation as the only option for end-stage PSC.
m‐Trifluoromethylbenzoyl Chloride

[2251-65-2] C8H4ClF3O (MW 208.56) InChI = 1S/C8H4ClF3O/c9-7(13)5-2-1-3-6(4-5)8(10,11)12/h1-4H InChIKey = RUJYJCANMOTJMO-UHFFFAOYSA-N (forms ester derivatives of alcohols which can be deoxygenated under photolytic conditions using N-methylcarbazole:1-13 reagent for acylation of amines to afford amides14-27) Physical Data: bp 184–186 °C/750 mm Hg; fp 235 °F; d 1.383 g mL−1. Solubility: soluble in CH2Cl2, CHCl3, 1,2-dichoroethane, and THF; reacts with water, alcohols, and other nucleophilic solvents. Form Supplied in: clear liquid. Handing, Storage, and Precautions: corrosive, respiratory irritant, causes burns, moisture sensitive.
A multi-aspect comparison study of supervised word sense disambiguation ☆

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate relations among different aspects in supervised word sense disambiguation (WSD; supervised machine learning for disambiguating the sense of a term in a context) and compare supervised WSD in the biomedical domain with that in the general English domain. Methods The study involves three data sets (a biomedical abbreviation data set, a general biomedical term data set, and a general English data set). The authors implemented three machine-learning algorithms, including (1) naive Bayes (NBL) and decision lists (TDLL), (2) their adaptation of decision lists (ODLL), and (3) their mixed supervised learning (MSL). There were six feature representations (various combinations of collocations, bag of words, oriented bag of words, etc.) and five window sizes (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10). Results Supervised WSD is suitable only when there are enough sense-tagged instances with at least a few dozens of instances for each sense. Collocations combined with neighboring words are appropriate selections for the context. For terms with unrelated biomedical senses, a large window size such as the whole paragraph should be used, while for general English words a moderate window size between 4 and 10 should be used. The performance of the authors' implementation of decision list classifiers for abbreviations was better than that of traditional decision list classifiers. However, the opposite held for the other two sets. Also, the authors' mixed supervised learning was stable and generally better than others for all sets. Conclusion From this study, it was found that different aspects of supervised WSD depend on each other. The experiment method presented in the study can be used to select the best supervised WSD classifier for each ambiguous term.
Heme proteins and oxidation in fresh and processed meats.

Abstract: This chapter describes mechanisms of heme protein-mediated discoloration and rancidity development in raw muscle as well as processed meat products. Protein crystallography and site-directed mutagenesis efforts have improved our understanding of the mechanisms involved. Steric displacement of bound ligands, weak anchoring of the heme propionates to the globin, and larger channels for solvent entry into the heme crevice explain why certain heme proteins are more reactive than others. The interplay between pH, O2 partial pressure, light, metals, and other factors that promote pigment and lipid oxidation are described. Muscle-based products that are particularly vulnerable to oxidation are noted. Strategies to inhibit discoloration and off-flavor formation mediated by heme proteins are also covered briefly.
The Reversible Dehydroxylization of Clay Minerals

Rehydroxylization of the anhydrous modification of dioctahedral montmorillonites can be carried out under DTA conditions with controlled atmosphere techniques. The structural character of the rehydrate prepared in this way is determined from X-ray and DTA data. The mechanism of the reactions by which the rehydrate can be formed is also considered. Thermal analysis curves of the rehydrate form of several pure mont-morillonite samples failed to show any large variation such as is shown by the curves of the original clays themselves. The possibility is considered that such large variations in the dehydroxylization curves of montmorillonites are related to structural instead of compositional variations within the sample. It is suggested that montmorillonites showing two reactions attributable to dehydroxylization may be mixtures of the rehydrate form and montmorillonite.
Symptoms of Specific and Generalized Social Phobia: An Examination of Discriminant Validity and Structural Relations With Mood and Anxiety Symptoms

Current models divide social phobia into specific (SSP) and generalized (GSP) subtypes and suggest strong overlap between GSP and avoidant personality disorder (APD). Meanwhile, other research suggests reclassifying anxiety and mood disorders as fear and distress disorders. To unify these separate lines of research, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that SSP is more related to fear disorders (e.g., panic and phobias), whereas GSP and APD are more related to distress disorders (e.g., depression and generalized anxiety). Confirmatory factor analysis suggested the best-fitting model had symptoms of GSP, APD, and depression loading on one factor, and symptoms of SSP, panic, and specific phobias loading on a second factor. Key components of this model were (a) the inclusion of GAD symptoms reduced model fit and (b) GSP and APD symptoms significantly predicted SSP symptoms; this is consistent with conceptualizations of individuals with both GSP and SSP reporting performance anxiety.
Pulmonic Regurgitation and Management Challenges in the Adult with Tetralogy of Fallot

Patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are living longer than ever because of advances in surgery in childhood since the 1950s. However, surgery in childhood is not a cure and remains only a palliative procedure because almost all patients will require further intervention throughout life. The most common intervention required in adulthood is pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) because of residual pulmonary regurgitation leading to right ventricular dilation and eventual dysfunction. The most appropriate timing for PVR remains difficult to determine and is based on many factors. Our practice is to weigh not only objective factors such as right ventricular size and function but also careful objective assessment of the patient’s current quality of life and functional status.
Highly reflective polyimide films created by supercritical fluid infusion of a silver additive

Supercritical fluid infusion of a silver-containing additive [1,5-cyclooctadiene silver(I)-1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetonate] into a fully cured polyimide was achieved with moderately high-density carbon dioxide at 110°c for the first time. The polyimide was derived from 4,4'-oxydianiline and 3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride. After infusion for approximately 60 min, the resulting film was then recured at 300°c in air. During this time, a silver mirror formed on both film surfaces. The nature of the silver and its distribution within the film and on the film surface were established via microscopy and surface analysis techniques.
Cavities of weak magnetic field strength in the wake of FTEs: Results from global magnetospheric MHD simulations

[1] We use the global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code BATS-R-US to model multipoint observations of Flux Transfer Event (FTE) signatures. Simulations with high spatial and temporal resolution predict that cavities of weak magnetic field strength protruding into the magnetosphere trail FTEs. These predictions are consistent with recently reported multi-point Cluster observations of traveling magnetopause erosion regions (TMERs).
Postnatal development of the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y system.

In the adult rat, arcuate-neuropeptide Y/agouti-related protein neurons have efferent projections throughout the hypothalamus and provide a potent orexigenic stimulus. At birth neuropeptide Y fibers are also present throughout the hypothalamus; however, the source of these fibers has been unknown. The present studies determined the postnatal ontogeny of arcuate-neuropeptide Y fibers into the paraventricular nucleus and dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, as well as the ontogeny of neuropeptide Y1 receptor expression within these areas. Agouti-related protein messenger RNA and protein expression was present exclusively in cell bodies in the arcuate throughout postnatal development, starting at P2, and was colocalized in the vast majority of arcuate-neuropeptide Y neurons. This exclusive colocalization of agouti-related protein with arcuate-neuropeptide Y neurons makes it an excellent marker for these neurons and their projections. Even though single-label neuropeptide Y fibers were abundant in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus as early as P2, arcuate-neuropeptide Y/agouti-related protein fibers did not significantly innervate these areas until P5-6 and P10-11, respectively. In contrast, a portion of the neuropeptide Y fibers within the paraventricular nucleus as early as P2 originated from the brainstem, as indicated by their colocalization with dopamine beta hydroxylase. It remains to be determined if local sources of neuropeptide Y-expressing cells within the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus also contribute to the neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive fibers within these regions prior to the development of arcuate-neuropeptide Y/agouti-related protein projections. In addition to the dramatic change in arcuate-neuropeptide Y/agouti-related protein projections, there is also a striking change in Y1 protein expression in the hypothalamus during the first two postnatal weeks. Taken together these data suggest that the early postnatal period, during which there is a dynamic change in the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y system, may constitute a critical period in the development of this important feeding circuit.
Scanned Projection Radiography Using A Time-Delay-And-Integrate Scanning CCD

A scanned projection radiography sensor has been developed using a time-delay-and-integrate imaging CCD optically coupled to an X-ray intensifying screen. A mathematical model has been developed to predict the efficiency of information transfer between intensifying screen and CCD. This model predicts that for an 8-inch field of view the CCD should capture one electron for each X-ray photon absorbed in the screen. Variance in the number of electrons captured should reduce the DQE of the screen by a factor of 0.7. This almost exactly offsets the effect of scattered radiation in film/screen systems, suggesting that the new detector could have image quality equivalent to a screen/film/grid system. Experimental data shows that the model correctly predicts the light photon transfer efficiency of the system but that the image noise is dominated by switching noise from the CCD. With a low-noise camera design the system should be equal or superior to a screen/film/grid system for a wide range of practical imaging situations.
Microlens design for compact lens system

This paper is about the definition and requirement of Compact lens system. One important application of the CMOS image sensor module is to capture a still image or continuous images when it is bundled with cellular phones (embedded, not add-on module). This type of application is related to the so-called “compact lens system.” We will make a description of image forming at pixel and image forming at chip and introduce the experiments of microlens shift. The discussion of the experimented results will include several factors: a) the color filter stack thickness b) the IC stack thickness c) fill factor d) the shape of photo diode. At last, check what problems may happen in actual microlens shift applications. From all above, we can understand the requirement of compact lens system.
Hacking as a service

Companies used to worry about inbound internet threats and would ask, ‘Why are they targeting me?’ to which the answer would often have been ‘Because you're a soft target and high profile too.’ In today's evolving threat landscape, however, the answer would probably be, ‘Why wouldn't they include your company in their attacks?’
Impacts of Postdam Land Use/Land Cover Changes on Modification of Extreme Precipitation in Contrasting Hydroclimate and Terrain Features

AbstractUnderstanding the impact of postdam climate feedbacks, resulting from land use/land cover (LULC) variability, on modification of extreme precipitation (EP) remains a challenge for a twenty-first-century approach to dam design and operation. In this study, the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS, version 6.0) was used, involving a number of predefined LULC scenarios to address the important question regarding dams and their impoundments: How sensitive are the hydroclimatology and terrain features of a region in modulating the postdam response of climate feedbacks to EP? The study region covered the Owyhee Dam/Reservoir on the Owyhee River watershed (ORW), located in eastern Oregon. A systematic perturbation of the relative humidity in the initial and boundary condition of the model was carried out to simulate EP. Among the different LULC scenarios used in the simulation over the ORW, irrigation expansion in the postdam era resulted in an increase in EP up to 6% in the 72-h precipitation tota...
The Contribution of Electrostatic and van der Waals Interactions to the Stereospecificity of the Reaction Catalyzed by Lactate Dehydrogenase

Continuum electrostatic calculations in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the source of the stereospecificity in the hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). These studies show that favorable electrostatic interactions between the carboxamide group of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide coenzyme and protein residues of the active site of LDH can account for much if not all of the stereospecificity of the LDH-catalyzed reaction, with A-side hydride transfer more than 107 times greater than B-side transfer. Unfavorable steric interactions within the binding complex for B-side transfer are not found.
Charge transfer to helium ions from metastable helium

Abstract The cross section for charge transfer in He + He(2 3 S) collisions is calculated using the asymptotic theory of ion-atom interactions, including the effects of polarization and momentum transfer. The results agree well with recent measurements by the merged beam technique.
Omega phase formation in RMI (38-6-44) beta titanium alloy

The stabilized beta titanium alloy RMI (38-6-44) was designed to limit the formation of omega-phase during quenching and subsequent ageing. It has been shown in the present paper, however, that both athermal and thermal omega do form and that the growth kinetics of the thermal omega follows aD=Ct0.45 relationship.
Normality of a filter over a space of partitions

In this paper we investigate the closure of certain filters under different definitions of diagonal intersection. The space of partitions over which filters concern us is Q κ ( λ ), the set of partitions of λ into fewer than κ pieces, invented by Henle and Zwicker [4] in the spirit of P κ ( λ ). Various notions of normality for filters over Q κ ( λ ) have been introduced in [4] and [7]. Our objective is to find a notion of normality in terms of a tractable diagonal intersection which also in some sense reflects the construction of a partition. Extending the parallels between P κ ( λ ) and Q κ ( λ ) we define two diagonal intersections, Δ 1 and Δ 2 , under which the club filter is closed.
A Neutron Based Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device Detection System

The design and performance of a pulseable neutron source utilizing a D-T neutron generator and a depleted uranium reflector are presented for use in a scanning system of improvised explosive devices. Approximately half the generator's 14 MeV neutron flux is used to produce a fission- like neutron spectrum similar to 252Cf. For every 14 MeV neutron entering the reflector, more than one fission-like neutron is reflected back across the surface of the reflector. Because the delayed neutron production is more than two orders of magnitude below the prompt neutron production, the source takes full advantage of the generator's pulsed mode capability. Applications include all elemental characterization systems using neutron-induced gamma-ray spectroscopy. The source simultaneously emits 14 MeV neutrons optimal to excite fast neutron-induced gamma-ray signals, such as from carbon and oxygen, and fission-like neutrons optimal to induce neutron capture gamma-ray signals.
Research Leadership and Investigators: Gender Distribution in the Federal Government

Abstract Background The National Academies reported in Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering (2006) that "women are very likely to face discrimination." In academic medicine, gender distribution is becoming more balanced. In the federal government, women also have made progress, doubling their representation in professional positions to 44%. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a research program and a mission to train health care professionals; however, its gender distribution has not been described. Methods We conducted a descriptive study using public data for positions in the VA, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). We followed with a case-control analysis of predictors of receipt of grant funding in the VA. Participants were 224 leadership positions and 132 principal investigators. Results Women comprised 33% (AHRQ), 27% (NIH), and 0% (VA) of the top research leadership. Across all VA research levels, women comprised 45% to 0%, depending on the service. In the case-control analysis of principal investigators, men had greater odds (odds ratio 8.0) of a Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) trial award. History of first, last, or any authorship on a clinical trial publication in the 10 years before the index trial was only weakly associated with award of a CSP trial. The gender imbalance was not explained by publication history. Conclusions Marked gender disparities were seen in the VA, except in Health Services Research. Organizations must investigate their practices to reveal disparities, investigate underlying factors, and intervene as needed.
Water-soluble fatty acid derivatives as acylating agents for reversible lipidization of polypeptides.

Abstract A novel method allowing the conjugation of a fatty acid to a peptide or protein in aqueous buffer is described in this paper. l -Cysteinyl 2-pyridyl disulfide (CPD) (III), which was obtained by reacting l -cysteine (I) with 2,2-dithiopyridine (II), was reacted with the N -hydroxysuccinimide ester of palmitic acid (IV) to yield a water-soluble derivative of palmitic acid, termed Pal-CPD (V). Pal-CPD (V) could be reacted with a sulfhydryl-containing peptide or protein in aqeous buffer to yield the palmitic acid-derivatized conjugate (VI). The palmitic acid-derivatized Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (BBI), synthesized using this conjugation method, was demonstrated to have 140-fold higher uptake into Caco-2 cell monolayers compared to native-BBI. The biological activity of the conjugate, as assessed using an in vitro transformation assay, was retained.
Pancreatic Cancer and Gastroenterology: A Review

Pancreatic cancer is a well known aggressive and highly malignant condition with varied ways of presentation. It is the fourth commonest cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. Presenting symptoms and signs are closely related to tumor size and location. Imaging remains the most useful diagnostic modality and is typically applied in an “upgrade fashion” unless in the case of incidentally discovered pancreatic tumors. The role of gastroenterology in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with this condition has expanded recently and is expected to grow even more.
Sulfur Supplementation of Urea-containing Silages and Concentrates. II. Ration Digestibility, Nitrogen, and Sulfur Balances

Abstract Metabolism trials were conducted on 16 cows at three stages of lactation to evaluate effect of sulfur supplementation on utilization of urea in corn silage and concentrate portions of ration and on digestibility and nitrogen and sulfur balance. Treatments arranged in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial consisted of: .5% urea-treated or 3.5% soybean meal-treated corn silage; 0 or .8% urea-containing 18% crude protein concentrates; and 0 or .8% concentrate anhydrous sodium sulfate. Treatments did not affect digestibility of ration dry matter, cell walls, acid detergent fiber, or crude protein. Sulfur digestibility was improved by sulfur supplementation. Cows fed urea-treated corn silage had lower nitrogen balances (– 14.0 vs. 4.2 grams per day) than cows fed soy-treated corn silage. Neither concentrate nitrogen source, sulfur supplementation, nor treatment interactions affected nitrogen utilization. Urea was better utilized when included in the concentrate rather than corn silage portion of the ration, and on a low sulfur ration sodium sulfate supplementation did not affect nitrogen utilization. Sulfur balances were not affected by treatments although absorbed sulfur and urinary sulfur were increased by sulfur supplementation.
The brillouin measure of an author's contribution to a literature in psychology

The Brillouin measure of an author's importance to a subject literature relates closely to that author's total contribution to the literature. Synthetic authors (those with negative entropy) are generally highly cited but citation ranking does not correlate well with synthetic strength. Synthetic authors do not concentrate in highly productive journals. The analysis is based on a 40-year bibliography of the psychological phenomenon of extinction containing 894 distinct authors and 877 items.
Studies on the fluorescence properties of meso-substituted amidoanthracenes

Abstract The fluorescence energy, the shape of the fluorescence spectrum and the fluorescence efficiency of 9-anthramide (9-CONH2) and N,N-diethyl-9-anthramide (9-CONEt2) have been investigated as a function of solvent. For 9-CONH2, the average first excited singlet state (S1) energy decreases and the fluorescence becomes structureless at the polar and non-polar extremes of the solvent scale. This unusual fluorescence behavior for 9-CONH2 is explained by a solvent-dependent geometry change subsequent to excitation, whereby the exocyclic group rotates about the anthracene ring. In contrast, 9-CONEt2 shows solvent-independent behavior. The average S1 energy remains nearly constant and the fluorescence spectra show well-defined vibrational structure in a wide variety of solvents. Thus, the diethyl substitution causes a dramatic change in the fluorescence properties compared with those of the unsubstituted amide. This difference appears to correlate with the increased bulkiness and electron donating ability of the ethyl groups which impede the excited state rotation. Limited fluorescence quantum yield data suggest that the fluorescence efficiency of the amides is intermediate between that of meso-substituted anthryl ketones and esters of 9-anthroic acid.
Influence of Divalent Cations on Nucleotide Exchange and ATPase Activity of Chloroplast Coupling Factor 1

The ATPase activity of the catalytic part of ATP synthases is inhibited by free Mg2+, even though MgATP is the substrate. Here we show that the inhibition of the MgATPase activity of chloroplast coupling factor 1 deficient in its epsilon subunit (CF1-epsilon) by Mg2+ is complex. The hydrolysis of MgATP by CF1-epsilon that contains tightly bound ADP, but no bound Mg2+, is initially rapid and decreases within about 1 min to a steady-state rate. The bound MgADP content of CF1-epsilon was varied. The initial fast phase of MgATP hydrolysis is eliminated when the molar ratio of MgADP to CF1-epsilon approaches 2. Loosely bound Mg2+ also affects the initial kinetics of the enzyme that contains bound MgADP. At molar ratios of bound MgADP to enzyme in excess of 1, the initial ATPase activity was low and reached the steady state after about 30 s. Free Mg2+ in the assay mix also inhibited steady-state ATP hydrolysis by all forms of the enzyme. The results are consistent with a model in which two Mg2+ bind cooperatively, probably to the dissociable nucleotide-binding sites on CF1-epsilon. Thus, four different nucleotide-binding sites may be involved in the inhibition of the MgATPase activity of CF1-epsilon. Three of these sites are potentially catalytic, and the fourth may be regulatory. The exchange of bound trinitrophenyl-ADP induced by the addition of MgATP or CaATP was found to be fast enough for the site to be involved in catalysis.
Micromachined silicon surfaces for maximizing optical absorption at 632.8 nm

The optical absorptivity (helium-neon laser illumination, lambda =632.8 nm) of (100)- and (110)-oriented single-crystal silicon wafers was enhanced by synergistically combining anisotropic etching, isotropic etching and anti-reflection coatings (silicon nitride, tantalum pentoxide, titanium dioxide and zirconium dioxide) with four distinct micromachined structures (V-shaped grooves, deep vertical-wall grooves, inverted pyramids and randomly spaced and sized pyramids). The uncoated, deep vertical-wall groove structure and the titanium dioxide coated randomly spaced and sized pyramids yielded the most significant reduction in the bidirectional reflectance distribution function's peak and average values when compared to the performance of an unprocessed silicon wafer control sample.
Global Precedence in Visual Search? Not So Fast: Evidence Instead for an Oblique Effect

The evidence from an earlier report of global precedence in visual search is reexamined. Two new experiments are reported. The results of the first experiment indicate that the confusability of oblique orientations (a class-2 oblique effect) rather than global precedence was responsible for the earlier results. The results of the second experiment show that the effect critically depends on the presence of heterogeneous distractors rather than on differences in raw processing speed for different spatial scales. The possible role of symmetry is discussed.
Biological and clinical validation of atypical depression

Depressed patients with (a) mood reactivity alone (MR group), (b) mood reactivity plus one or more associated features (atypical depression, AD group), and (c) patients with neither mood reactivity nor atypical depression (non-MR/AD group) were compared on their cortisol response to 75 mg of desipramine (DMI), a relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. AD patients exhibited a significantly higher cortisol response to DMI compared with MR and non-MR/AD patients, suggesting that atypical depression may be associated with a less impaired norepinephrine system. MR and non-MR/AD patients did not differ, suggesting that mood reactivity alone is not associated with the biological profile observed in atypical depression. Results indicate that while mood reactivity may be necessary for the diagnosis of atypical depression, the additional presence of at least one associated symptom is required for a distinct biological profile. Our findings provide further biological validation of the concept of atypical depression.
Subcortical volumetric correlates of anxiety in familial pediatric bipolar disorder: A preliminary investigation

Anxiety is a common comorbid condition in pediatric bipolar disorder (BD). However, there is little known about the effects of comorbidity on brain morphometry in this population. The aim of the present study was to examine subcortical correlates of anxiety in familial pediatric BD. The subject group comprised 120 children (mean age=12+/-3.3 years) with at least one parent diagnosed with BD. Bipolar offspring with BD were compared with bipolar offspring without BD on a measure of overall lifetime anxiety. A sub-sample of 20 bipolar offspring with BD (mean age=14.6+/-2.8 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a 3-T scanner. Correlational analyses were conducted between hippocampal and amygdalar volumes, and anxiety scores. The results showed significantly higher anxiety in bipolar offspring with BD compared to bipolar offspring without BD. There was a significant negative association between total hippocampal volume and anxiety scores. No significant association was found between total amygdalar volume and anxiety scores. Clinically, these findings suggest that anxiety comorbidity needs to be properly assessed and treated in the management of pediatric BD. This is the first study to show a negative association between hippocampal volume and anxiety in this population. The overlap between anxiety and familial pediatric BD suggests that anxiety may be one important area of future research in parsing out the heterogeneous nature and complex etiology of early-onset BD.
Welfare cost of pollution control

Abstract A model of joint-production of a conventional output and of pollutants is presented, within which continuous substitution between polluting fuels and nonpolluting inputs on the one hand and pollution control inputs on the other is allowed for. Using the steel industry as a case study, the welfare cost under an efficient policy to reduce particulate emissions is evaluated and compared with that under alternative inefficient policies. The results suggest that substantial cost savings can be made by following the “optimal” policy.
Atomic mass spectrometry of materials

Abstract Texas Instruments and the University of North Texas (UNT) are collaborating on the design of an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) system dedicated primarily to the analysis of impurities in electronic materials and metals. An AMS beamline consisting of high-resolution magnetic ( M d M > 350) and electrostatic ( E d E > 700) analysis followed by a surface barrier detector has been installed on the NEC 9SDH pelletron at UNT, and a “clean” ion source is under development. An existing ion source (NEC Cs sputter source) has been used in conjunction with the AMS beamline to generate computer controlled molecule-free mass analyses of solid samples. Through a careful choice of isotopes and charge states a robust algorithm can be developed for removing molecular interferences from the mass analysis for essentially all materials. Examples using graphite, Si and CdZnTe are discussed.
Evaluation of left ventricular contractile pattern by intravenous digital subtraction ventriculography: Comparison with cineangiography and assessment of interobserver variability

Abstract The accuracy and reproducibility of measurements of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), ejection fraction (EF) and regional wall motion obtained by digital subtraction ventriculography (DSV) were compared with values of direct cineangiography in 40 patients, 21 of whom were ambulatory. DSV was performed with a 1-second, 30-ml contrast injection, which yielded real-time fluoroimages composed of 512 × 512 pixels at 30 frames/s. Single-plane right anterior oblique LV volumes were calculated by area-length methods for both DSV and cineangiography. Wall motion was assessed as percent area shortening for 12 equal myocardial segments, with results classified as abnormal if greater than 2 standard deviations below the mean of 20 normal values. DSV exhibited close correlation with angiography for EDV (r = 0.88), ESV (r = 0.92) and EF (r = 0.93). Intravenous DSV and direct cineangiography were concordant in classification of LV contractile pattern in 436 of 480 (91%) myocardial segments. Measurements of DSV obtained by 2 observers showed close correlations for EDV (r = 0.88), ESV (r = 0.95) and EF (r = 0.94), and wall motion classification was in agreement in 434 of 480 (90%) LV segments. Artifacts induced by respiratory motion, persistence of contrast in the right ventricle or left atrium, or low cardiac output may have contributed to the discrepancies observed. These data indicate that DSV is accurate in assessing LV volume and EF, correlates well with cineangiography and exhibits good interobserver reproducibility.
Results of early and delayed operations for ruptured intracranial aneurysms in two series of 100 consecutive patients

This report compares the results of early and delayed operations for ruptured intracranial aneurysms in two groups of 100 consecutive patients managed at Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. In the first group, operation was postponed for a minimum of 1 week after subarachnoid hemorrhage, and aneurysmal clipping was carried out only on patients classified as grade I or Ia in whom intracranial pressure was normal, and in whom serial angiograms demonstrated absence or resolution of vasospasm. According to this policy, 35 patients came to operation with no operative deaths (0%) and four permanent neurological deficits (11%). Sixty-five patients died prior to operation from a variety of causes including aneurysmal rebleeding, cerebral vasospasm, and systemic complications. Of 81 patients admitted in grades I-III, the survival rate was 43% (35/81). In the second group, aneurysmal clipping was carried out as soon as possible after admission on all patients who were grade III or below without specific regard to intracranial pressure or angiographic vasospasm, and on occasional grade IV and V patients with intracerebral clots. With this strategy, 81 of 86 grade I-III patients came to surgery. There were 4 operative deaths (4.9%), 10 permanent neurological deficits (12%), and a survival rate of 90% (77/86). Including three of six grade IV and V patients who were successfully operated upon for intracerebral clots, the overall survival of the second group (80%) was more than twice that of the first group (35%). Taken together, these data suggest that, whereas early surgical intervention for ruptured intracranial aneurysms invites a higher operative mortality, patient mortality, by far the most important statistic, can be significantly reduced without increasing long-term morbidity.
Absolute electronegativity and hardness correlated with molecular orbital theory

Abstract The concepts of absolute electronegativity, χ, and absolute hardness, η, are incorporated into molecular orbital theory. A graphic and concise definition of hardness is given as twice the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Useful correlations can now be made between chemical behavior, visible-UV absorption spectra, optical polarizability, ionization potentials, and electron affinities.
Pyloric atresia: Comorbidity determines outcome

Pyloric atresia is a congenital form of gastric outlet obstruction. The obstruction is relieved surgically, but survival is determined by the presence of additional anomalies. Herein, we report two cases of pyloric atresia. Our first patient was a neonate with epidermolysis bullosa who died of sepsis. The second was an infant who presented with postprandial emesis and had an uncomplicated postoperative course. We discuss the current understanding and management of this rare malformation.
A Reply to Kishor: Choosing the Right Metric

Kishor (this issue) claims that the Stanford Achievement Test normed on deaf children (SAT-d) scaled scores offer the best metric for estimating IQ-Achievement correlations in samples of deaf children. We argue that he is partly right and mainly wrong. We agree with Kishor that SAT-d grade equivalents are inappropriate, although we could not replicate his results. However, Kishor's simulations are logically and empirically flawed and, therefore, cannot address the relative value of SAT-d metrics. More appropriate simulations show (a) that in homogeneous age samples, all SAT-d metrics yield similar results, and (b) in heterogeneous age samples, age-referenced scores are superior to scaled scores and grade equivalents for estimating “true” IQ-Achievement correlations. Our results suggest two practical implications: (1) researchers should use age-based percentiles for achievement if they also use age-referenced IQs, and (b) available studies underestimate IQ-Achievement correlations in samples of deaf children.
Initiation of minus-strand DNA synthesis by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase.

The initiation of (-) strand DNA synthesis by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase was examined using a transient kinetic approach and a physiologically relevant RNA 18-mer/RNA 36-mer primer-template substrate. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) was found to bind with reasonably high affinity to the RNA/ RNA substrate (Kd ) 90 nM), although the affinity for DNA/RNA and DNA/DNA substrates is higher (Kd 5 nM). A pre-steady-state burst of deoxynucleotide incorporation (kobsd ) 1.0 s -1 ) into the RNA duplex was observed followed by a slower steady-state release of the elongated primer-template product (kss ) 0.58 s -1 ). The observation of a burst provides evidence that the release of the product is most likely the rate-limiting step in the overall kinetic pathway for the enzymatic reaction during a single deoxynucleotide incorporation event. Furthermore, the release of this product was 5-fold faster than that for elongated DNA/RNA and DNA/DNA products. Single-turnover experiments showed that there is a hyperbolic dependence of the rate of deoxynucleotide incorporation on the concentration of dCTP and demonstrated that the maximum rate of dCTP incorporation (kpol ) 1.4 s -1 ) is 33- and 12-fold slower than the values for DNA/RNA and DNA/DNA primer-template substrates, respectively, while the affinity of dCTP (Kd ) 780 IM) for the HIV-1 RT‚RNA/RNA complex is 56- and 71-fold weaker than the affinities for HIV-1 RT‚DNA/RNA and HIV-1 RT‚DNA/DNA complexes, respectively. Consequently, the overall efficiency of dCTP incorporation (kpol/Kd) into the RNA/RNA substrate is approximately 1800- and 800-fold less than that for DNA/RNA and DNA/DNA substrates, respectively. These findings provide evidence which suggests that the HIV-1 RT‚RNA/RNA‚dCTP ternary complex exists in a significantly different conformation compared to ternary complexes involving DNA/RNA and DNA/DNA substrates. A model summarizing these results is presented, and implications for the molecular mechanism of initiation of (-) strand DNA synthesis by RT are discussed.