cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Psychotropic Polypharmacy Prescribing Trends

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication use and psychotherapeutic polypharmacy is increasing. This study was designed to assess annual rates of ADHD medication prescribing and psychotherapeutic polypharmacy among patients 2 to 24 years old in the United States, identify commonly prescribed ADHD medications and concomitant psychotropic agents, and assess if specific characteristics are associated with polypharmacy. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we used publicly available ambulatory health care data sets to evaluate ADHD and psychotropic polypharmacy use in patients 2 to 24 years old from 2006 to 2015. National rates were estimated by using sampling weights, and common ADHD and psychotropic drugs prescribed were identified. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed to assess the strength of association between polypharmacy and patient or provider characteristics. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2015, ADHD medication prescribing increased from 4.8% to 8.4%. ADHD polypharmacy increased from 16.8% to 20.5%, whereas psychotropic polypharmacy increased from 26.0% to 40.7%. The most common ADHD combinations were stimulants and α-2 agonists (67.1%), whereas the most common concomitant psychotropic agents were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (14.4%) and second-generation antipsychotics (11.8%). Factors associated with polypharmacy were age, female sex (psychotropic), nonprivate insurance, northeast and south regions (ADHD), receipt of mental health counseling or psychotherapy, and calendar year. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD and psychotropic polypharmacy use is increasing and associated with specific patient characteristics. These patterns should spark further inquiry about the appropriateness, efficacy, and safety of psychotherapeutic polypharmacy in children and young adults, particularly within subgroups in which the use is high.
Home Dialysis in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Era

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has had a significant impact on patients with end-stage kidney disease and their care, especially given the potential for severe coronavirus disease 2019 in those with a depressed immune status. Patients receiving in-center hemodialysis have been particularly affected by this pandemic because of their need to travel multiple times a week to receive treatment. Although patients on home dialysis are able to avoid such exposure, they face their own unique challenges. In this review, we will discuss the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic for patients on home dialysis, the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on various aspects of their care, and the resultant rapid adaptations in policy/health-care delivery mechanisms with implications for the future care of patients on home dialysis.
Sex and Age Differences in Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Tolerability.

BACKGROUND Clinical practice guidelines endorse using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. However, ABPM is not always tolerated by patients, and differences between individuals according to age and sex remain unexplored. METHODS This is a post hoc analysis of a prospective, single-arm clinical trial (NCT03920956) that evaluated the feasibility of an ABPM service provided at 2 community pharmacies. Tolerability was assessed using a previously published survey, which included 7 yes/no questions and 8 answered on a scale of 0-10. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analyses were used to summarize the data for the patient surveys and to describe sex and age differences in device tolerability. RESULTS Of the 52 subjects enrolled, 50 (96%) completed the survey; half were female with a mean (SD) age of 57.5 years (15.8). Chi-square analyses showed that compared with their male counterparts, females were more likely to find the monitor cumbersome to wear (76.2% vs. 40%, P = 0.014). Subjects under 55 years of age were more likely to be disturbed by the noise of the monitor during driving (38.1% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.005) and at other times (35.0% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.029), and to find the monitor embarrassing to wear (33.3% vs. 7.1%, P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS Although ABPM was generally well-tolerated overall, we did identify age and sex differences in tolerability. These factors should be considered to ensure patient acceptance and tolerability of ABPM.
Dual impairments in visual and hearing acuity and age-related cognitive decline in older adults from the Rancho Bernardo Study of Healthy Aging.

Background We examined the associations between dual impairments in visual and hearing acuity and aging-related cognitive decline. Methods This was a longitudinal study of adults who had visual and hearing acuity and cognitive function assessed in 1992-1996 and were followed for up to 24 years (mean = 7.3 years), with up to five additional cognitive assessments. Visual impairment was defined as vision worse than 20/40, hearing impairment as pure-tone average thresholds >25 dB. Associations were tested using linear mixed-effects regressions. Results Of 1,383 participants, 293 had visual impairment, 990 had a hearing impairment and 251 had both deficits. In fully adjusted models, low visual acuity was associated with poorer Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; β = -0.29) and Trail-Making Test Part B (Trails B; β = 13.22) performance, and with faster declines in MMSE (β = -0.12) and Trails B (β = 1.84). The combination of low visual and low hearing acuity was associated with poorer MMSE (β = -0.44) and Trails B (β = 11.20) scores, and with faster declines in MMSE (β = -0.19), Trails B (β = 3.50), and Verbal Fluency Test (VFT; β = -0.14) performance. Associations were similar in men and women. Conclusion Impairments in both vision and hearing are associated with a more rapid decline in cognitive function with aging.
Abstract P330: Optimizing Predictions of Infarct Core Using Machine Learning

Introduction: Evaluation of infarct core by advanced neuroimaging has facilitated patient selection for endovascular stroke therapy (EST), however the accuracy of machine-learning analysis compared...
Influences on Academic Talent Development of Black Girls in K-12: A Systematic Review:

Black girls experience numerous challenges to their academic development. This study examines the literature from the last 30 years related to the influences on the academic talent development of s...
Global trends in medical education accreditation.

Accreditation systems in medical education aim to assure various stakeholders that graduates are ready to further their training or begin practice. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current state of medical education accreditation around the world and describe the incidence and variability of these accreditation agencies worldwide. This paper explores trends in agency age, organization, and scope according to both World Bank region and income group. To find information on accreditation agencies, we searched multiple online accreditation and quality assurance databases as well as the University of Michigan Online Library and the Google search engine. All included agencies were recorded on a spreadsheet along with date of formation or first accreditation activity, name changes, scope, level of government independence, accessibility and type of accreditation standards, and status of WFME recognition. Comparisons by country region and income classification were made based on the World Bank’s lists for fiscal year 2021. As of August 2020, there were 3,323 operating medical schools located in 186 countries or territories listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. Ninety-two (49%) of these countries currently have access to undergraduate accreditation that uses medical-specific standards. Sixty-four percent (n = 38) of high-income countries have medical-specific accreditation available to their medical schools, compared to only 20% (n = 6) of low-income countries. The majority of World Bank regions experienced the greatest increase in medical education accreditation agency establishment since the year 2000. Most smaller countries in Europe, South America, and the Pacific only have access to general undergraduate accreditation, and many countries in Africa have no accreditation available. In countries where medical education accreditation exists, the scope and organization of the agencies varies considerably. Regional cooperation and international agencies seem to be a growing trend. The data described in our study can serve as an important resource for further investigations on the effectiveness of accreditation activities worldwide. Our research also highlights regions and countries that may need focused accreditation development support.
The Electoral Effects of Social Policy: Expanding Old-Age Assistance, 1932–1940

Under what conditions do means-tested programs increase beneficiaries’ political participation? Recent scholarship has begun to shed light on this question through a series of causal studies of Med...
Influence of the menopausal transition on polysomnographic sleep characteristics: a longitudinal analysis.

Study objectives To evaluate how change in menopausal status related to spectral analysis and polysomnographic measures of sleep characteristics. Methods The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Ancillary Sleep Study evaluated sleep characteristics of 159 women who were initially pre- or early perimenopausal and repeated the assessment about 3 ½ years later when 38 were pre- or early perimenopausal, 31 late perimenopausal, and 90 postmenopausal. Participants underwent in-home ambulatory polysomnography for 2 to 3 nights. Average EEG power in the delta and beta frequency bands was calculated during NREM and REM sleep, and sleep duration, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and apnea hypopnea index (AHI) were based on visually-scored sleep. Results The women who transitioned to postmenopause had increased beta NREM EEG power at the second assessment, compared to women who remained pre-or early premenopausal; no other sleep measures varied by change in menopausal status. In multivariate models the associations remained; statistical controls for self-reported hot flashes did not explain findings. In secondary analysis, NREM beta power at the second assessment was greater among women who transitioned into the postmenopause after adjustments for initial NREM beta power. Conclusions Sleep duration and WASO did not vary by menopause transition group across assessments. Consistent with prior cross-sectional analysis, elevated beta EEG power in NREM sleep was apparent among women who transitioned to postmenopause, suggesting that independent of self-reported hot flashes, the menopausal transition is associated with physiological hyperarousal during sleep.
Determining the efficacy of low-dose oral benzodiazepine administration and use of wide-bore magnet in assisting claustrophobic patients to undergo MRI brain examination.

Abstract Purpose Claustrophobia remains a challenging barrier for a significant number of patients to successfully complete a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination. While use of wide-bore machines and pre-exam administration of a low-dose benzodiazepine are commonly employed, there is little published research to determine which modality is the most efficacious based on the patient's specific degree of claustrophobia. This retrospective case-control study examines the efficacy of using a low-dose oral benzodiazepine and wide-bore magnet to successfully aid the claustrophobic patient in completing an MRI Brain examination. Methods 3966 non-contrast MRI brain examinations were considered for this study. The sample was filtered to include only patients who were older than 18 years of age, not currently experiencing symptoms which may hinder MRI examination, and did not undergo any additional MR studies at the time of their exam, resulting in a final sample of 2358 examinations for analysis. Patients were then sub-divided based on severity of claustrophobia and analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results Use of wide-bore magnet increased odds of successfully completing the MRI Brain examination in mild, moderately, and severely claustrophobic patients (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.17–2.75). The administration of pre-examination low-dose oral benzodiazepine increased odds of successfully completing the MRI Brain examination in severely claustrophobic patients (OR: 6.21, 95% CI: 1.63–19.28). Conclusion Use of a wide-bore magnet is effective in assisting mild, moderately, and severely claustrophobic patients in completing an MRI Brain exam. However, the efficacy of low-dose oral benzodiazepine is limited to severely claustrophobic patients.
A conditional female lethal system for genetic suppression of the global fruit crop pest Drosophila suzukii.

BACKGROUND Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931, Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a global pest of soft-skinned fruits such as blueberries, cherries and raspberries. Also known as spotted-wing drosophila, D. suzukii is native to Asia but is now widely distributed in the Americas and Europe, and presents a serious challenge for growers. Genetic control strategies offer an environmentally friendly approach for the control of D. suzukii. RESULTS In this study, we developed transgenic strains of D. suzukii that carry dominant conditional female lethal transgenes. When raised in the absence of tetracycline, female D. suzukii die. We show that repeated releases of an excess of transgenic males can suppress D. suzukii populations in laboratory cage trials. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that the transgenic strain could provide an effective approach for control of this invasive pest of soft-skinned fruits.
Why are most stroke patients deemed poor candidates for intraaterial therapy? A prospective study (P4.306)

Background/Objectives: Current options for early intervention in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) include intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) and/or intra-arterial (IA) therapy in eligible patients. While there are well-defined indications and contraindications for IV-tPA, similar guidelines have not emerged for IA-therapy. The resulting practice variability may partly explain why IA-therapy continues to represent only a small fraction of overall acute AIS interventions. Methods: This is a prospective single-center study of consecutive patients presenting with AIS due to large vessel occlusion involving the intracranial internal carotid artery, proximal anterior cerebral artery, or proximal middle cerebral artery. All patients underwent non-contrast computed tomography (CT) of the head, CT-angiography of the head and neck, and CT-perfusion imaging of the brain. Possible reasons for withholding IA therapy were divided into three categories: (A) clinical, (B) anatomic, and (C) radiographic. Results: Of 147 AIS patients, 34 (23.1[percnt]) met study inclusion criteria, of which only 5 (14.7[percnt]) underwent IA therapy. The remaining 29 (85.3[percnt]) were excluded from IA therapy due to clinical (58.6[percnt]), radiographic (58.6[percnt]), and/or anatomic (31[percnt]) reasons. The most common reasons for withholding IA therapy were “established core infarct too large” (41.4[percnt]); “occlusion too distal” (24.1[percnt]); “NIHSS score too low” (20.7[percnt]); and “early non-contrast CT infarction signs” (20.7[percnt]). Of the 29 patients excluded from IA therapy, 16 (55.20[percnt]) had one reason, and 13 (44.8[percnt]) had multiple reasons for being deemed poor IA candidates by the neurointerventionalist. Conclusion: The majority of patients presenting to a large tertiary referral center with AIS due to a large vessel occlusion were found to be poor IA candidates, with more than half excluded for a single reason. Such data addressing the volume and proportion of patients found ineligible for IA therapy in real-world practice can help target efforts to develop new interventional options and improve future clinical trial design. Disclosure: Dr. Damania has nothing to disclose. Dr. Noto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kung has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liew has nothing to disclose. Dr. Finley has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mangla has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miranpuri has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sahin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jahromi has nothing to disclose.
Studying Organizational Computing Infrastructures: Multi-method Approaches

This paper provides guidelines for developing multi-method research approaches, provides several examples of their use, and discusses experiences with conducting a multi-method study of one organization’s computing infrastructure changes. The focus on organizational computing infrastructures is due to the contemporary belief that these are increasingly critical to organizational success. However, understanding the value of an organization’s computing infrastructure is difficult. This is because of their uniqueness, pervasiveness context-driven nature, temporality, the constant changes in underlying technologies, and the variety of their effects at multiple levels in the organization. These difficulties are especially pronounced in organizations with distributed computing environments because the dispersion of computing accentuates these effects.
The Coulter principle: Imaginary origins.

In the opening session of CYTO 2013 a spokeswoman for the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation summarized from the podium a story, styled as an urban legend true so far as was known, of Wallace Coulter working toward sizing pigment particles but finding his paint sample frozen. He then supposedly thought of the similar viscosity of paint and blood before first demonstrating the Coulter Principle using his own blood. This requires Wallace being ignorant of the commonly-known disparity between the viscosities of paint and blood, and several listeners subsequently asked me if this story could be true.
Oscillations in a basin of cold air

Abstract Temperature fluctuations with periods of about half an hour have been recorded at hill stations near Fairbanks, Alaska during periods of strong surface inversions. These fluctuations can be explained as seiches in the lake of cold air enclosed on three sides by the hills surrounding Fairbanks.
The density-potential (Ne-VS/C) relation in the high-latitude prenoon ionosphere

Sounding of the Cleft Ion Fountain Energization Region (SCIFER) Thermal Electron Capped Hemisphere Spectrometer (TECHS) data are used to study the plasma density, spacecraft potential relation (N(sub e)-V(sub s/c)) in the prenoon topside auroral and cleft ionosphere during a period of low solar activity. The SCIFER TECHS data show a power-law electron temperature dependence on ambient density across the transition from positive to negative spacecraft potential values in the high-latitude ionosphere. The illuminated ionospheric N(sub e)-V(sub s/c) relation is numerically modeled by imposing equilibrium of current flowing to/from the conductive surfaces of the payload. This modeling demonstrates a strong dependence of spacecraft potential on electron temperature across a wide range of densities. This electron temperature dependence is especially significant in the negative spacecraft potential regime. SCIFER TECHS observations of the N(sub e)-V(sub s/c) relation are used to extend the previous magnetospheric observation-model results to the higher density ionospheric regime.
RF Photonics for Radar Front-Ends

Recent developments in RF photonic component technologies can have a significant impact on future radar system architectures. In this paper, current performance of low noise figure and high dynamic range RF distribution links and delay lines, low phase noise RF oscillators, and fast tunable RF filters developed using photonic technologies are highlighted. Performance comparisons with electronic RF front-end technologies are provided including size, weight and power considerations. Finally, other RF photonic technologies applicable to radar systems and further photonic device improvements required for more pervasive radar system use are discussed.
Response of male song and swamp sparrows to neighbour, stranger, and self songs

We examined the responsiveness of territorial male swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) and song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to neighbor, stranger, and self songs. In two speaker tests (with two song bouts played simultaneously from separate speakers), male swamp sparrows failed to discriminate between neighbor and stranger songs and between self and stranger songs. In single speaker presentations, male swamp sparrows responded more aggressively to stranger song than to neighbor song and gave intermediate responses to self song. Male song sparrows showed no significant discrimination between neighbor, stranger, and self songs. We hypothesized that male birds may learn what other conspecific songs should sound like by listening to their own songs. In its most stringent form this hypothesis might predict maximal responsiveness to playback of a male's own song. This prediction was not verified for these two sparrow species. There was less of a difference in responsiveness toward neighbor and stranger songs in song sparrows than in swamp sparrows; this result is compatible with the hypothesis that larger repertoires make neighbor recognition more difficult.
Inter-Injection-Locked Oscillators for Power Combining and Phased Arrays

This paper presents a novel approach to synchronizing the phases of several oscillators for coherent power combining either in a conventional power-combining circuit or in free space as each oscillator drives an antenna element in a phased array. A set of nonlinear differential equations is derived to predict the system's behavior. These equations are used in the computer-aided design and construction of a demonstration three-oscillator inter-injection-locked system at VHF. Good qualitative agreement between initial experimental results and theoretical predictions is observed, and applications of the inter-injection-locking concept to systems are discussed.
An assessment of data pooling and some alternatives.

Abstract Abstract. Data pooling is an analytic procedure in which multiple samples of an individual's behaviour are treated as independent events. Although common in animal behaviour research, data pooling has been discredited because it may violate statistical assumptions. Four data sets were analysed in both their pooled and unpooled forms. Pooling did not bias results provided that either intra-subject variance exceeded between-subject variance or Ns were equal. Between-groups tests of significance were affected in the same way as descriptive statistics, and as long as intra-subject variance exceeded between-subject variance, pooling did not increase the probability of a type 1 error. Utmost care must be taken to sample individuals from populations and behaviour from those individuals in an unbiased manner.
Fostering Distributed Instructional Leadership: A Sociocultural Perspective of Leadership Development in Urban High Schools

To meet accountability demands, principals are being encouraged to enhance schools' organizational capacities by distributing leadership and initiating professional communities. Yet, relatively little attention has focused on how to develop the capabilities of potential co-leaders, and professional communities can be difficult to initiate and sustain. In this article, I examine how principals in three urban high schools fostered their department chairs' instructional leadership capabilities through professional communities. An interesting finding was the extent to which modeling, collaboration with peers, and skill-building activities enculturated department chairs into authentic communities of instructional leaders. The article concludes with implications for practice and research.
Is virulence of H5N2 influenza viruses in chickens associated with loss of carbohydrate from the hemagglutinin

Abstract The A/Chick/Penn/83 (H5N2) influenza virus that appeared in chickens in Pennsylvania in April 1983 and subsequently became virulent in October 1983, was examined for plaque-forming ability and cleavability of the hemagglutinin (HA) molecule. The avirulent virus produced plaques and cleaved the HA only in the presence of trypsin. In contrast, the virulent virus produced plaques and cleaved the HA precursor into HA1 and HA2 in the presence or absence of trypsin. The apparent molecular weight of the HA1 from the avirulent virus was higher than that from the virulent virus, but when the viruses were grown in the presence of tunicamycin, the molecular weights of HA were indistinguishable. Two of nine monoclonal antibodies to the HA of the avirulent virus indicate that there is at least one epitope on the HA that is different between the virulent and avirulent viruses. The amino acid sequences of the HAs from the two viruses were compared by sequencing their respective HA gene. The nucleotide sequence coding for the processed HA polypeptide contained 1641 nucleotides specifying a protein of 547 amino acids. The amino acid sequences of the virulent and avirulent viruses were indistinguishable through the connecting peptide region, indicating that the difference in cleavability of the H5 HA is not directly attributed to the amino acid sequence of the connecting peptide. Four of seven nucleotide changes resulted in amino acid changes at residues 13, 69, and 123 of HAI and at residue 501 of the HA2 polypeptide. Since there were no deletions or insertions in the amino acid sequence of the virulent or avirulent viruses, the possibility exists that the difference in molecular weight is due to loss of a carbohydrate side chain in the virulent strain. The amino acid change in the virulent strain at residue 13 is the only mutation that could affect a glycosylation site and this is in the vicinity of the connecting peptide. It is postulated that the loss of this carbohydrate may permit access of an enzyme that recognizes the basic amino acid sequences and results in cleavage activation of the HA in the virulent virus.
INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF OCCULT PNEUMOCOCCAL BACTEREMIA (OPB) IN YOUNG FEBRILE CHILDREN. • 797

OPB occurs in 3% of children 3-36 months of age with fever≥39°C without source (FWS) or with otitis media (OM). 6% of these patients who are not treated with antibiotics will develop meningitis. Previous predictive models of OPB have mainly employed univariate statistics. In order to identify independent predictors of OPB, we developed a multiple logistic regression model. 6607 patients (pts) age 3-36 months with fever ≥39°C without source or with OM were prospectively evaluated. We compared the 164 pts with OPB to the 6415 pts whose blood cultures did not grow a pathogen (NEG). All pts were assigned a Yale Observational Score (YOS), and had a blood culture drawn. 5836 patients had a complete blood count, of whom 5478 had a manual differential performed. The following 6 variables were evaluated for their association with OPB: age, temperature (temp), YOS, white blood cell count(WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and absolute band count (ABC). Variables which were significantly associated with OPB (p<.05) were then entered into a stepwise logistic regression analysis. Variables which retained a significant association with OPB were considered independent predictors of OPB. Pts with OPB were similar in age to NEG pts (mean±S.D.;15.0±7.2 vs 14.2 ±8.2 months, P=.14). Pts with OPB, however, had a higher mean temp (40.0 ±.57 vs 39.8 ±.55°C, P<.001), YOS(7.0±1.8 vs 6.6±1.6, P<.01), WBC (21.4±7.9 vs 12.9±6.5 ×103/mm3, P<.001), ANC (14.7±6.9 vs 7.3±4.9 ×103/mm3, P<.001) and ABC(1.9±2.1 vs 1.0±1.2 ×103/mm3, P<.001) than NEG pts. Logistic regression identified only ANC and temp as independent predictors of OPB: 7.8% of the 1301 pts with ANC≥10,000/mm3 had OPB. 9.1% of the 617 pts with both ANC≥10,000/mm3 and temperature≥40°C had OPB. In contrast, OPB occurred in 0.8% of 4176 pts withANC<10,000/mm3, and in 0.7% of 2713 pts with both ANC<10,000/mm3 and temp <40°C. Table
Clean versus sterile technique for common joint injections: a review from the physiatry perspective

Preparation of the skin prior to joint injection varies widely among disciplines and across regional borders. This is likely due to the paucity of literature on the most effective and efficient methods of preparation. There is no standard definition of clean technique prior to joint injection. Review of the available literature suggests that alcohol is effective preparation for the skin prior to most procedures. Surveys of current clinical practice demonstrate that the use of gloves may be favored, but no conclusions can be drawn in regards to whether sterile gloves are required. Clean technique should be defined as use of non-sterile gloves and agents such as alcohol or soap prior to injection. Significant cost savings may be achieved with the consistent use of clean technique for preparation of the skin prior to joint injection. Further study should address the incidence of iatrogenic bacterial arthritis following clean technique versus sterile technique for joint injection.
Health Care Needs in Crisis: An Exploratory Study of Latinos in the Midwest

Currently, the United States is facing a health care crisis. The number of uninsured and underinsured people is increasing steadily, with Latinos especially hard hit, at nearly triple the national rate of uninsured. For many in this population, difficulty in accessing adequate health care is multiplied by poverty, limited English language competency, and immigration status. In this paper, we report on focus groups and interviews conducted with a group of Latinos in a mid-sized Midwestern city, regarding their experiences with the health care system. Our analysis provides some insight into how unequal access to health care is affecting U.S. Latinos with and without health insurance. We offer some modest recommendations toward community advocacy that may help Latinos and other marginalized groups to better access the health services they need.
High-resolution magnetic relaxation dispersion measurements of solute spin probes using a dual-magnet system.

Abstract The magnetic field dependence of the nuclear spin–lattice relaxation rate provides a detailed report of the spectral density functions that characterize the intra- and intermolecular fluctuations that drive magnetic relaxation. We have addressed the difficult sensitivity and resolution problems associated with low magnetic field strengths by using two magnets in close proximity and shielded from each other. The sample is stored in the high magnetic field, pneumatically driven to the variable satellite field, then returned to the high field for detection at high resolution. A magnetic shield effectively decouples the two magnets so that varying the satellite field strength has minimal effect on the field strength and shim of the high field magnet. The disadvantage of the sample–shuttle magnet-pair system is the restriction imposed on the relaxation times by the finite shuttle times. Experiments not described here have shown this rate maximum to be about 20 s −1 for most practical solutions. However, we demonstrate here that the sensitivity gains over switched-current magnet systems permit characterization of solute inter- and intramolecular dynamics over the time scale range from tens of microseconds to less than a picosecond. This range permits investigation of a number of crucial chemical dynamics questions, while high sensitivity permits examination of a variety of solute spins. Representative data are presented for 1 H, 111 Cd, and 7 Li.
Turning Transfer Inside Out: The Affordances of Virtual Worlds and Mobile Devices in Real World Contexts for Teaching About Causality Across Time and Distance in Ecosystems

Reasoning about ecosystems includes consideration of causality over temporal and spatial distances; yet learners typically focus on immediate time frames and local contexts. Teaching students to reason beyond these boundaries has met with some success based upon tests that cue students to the types of reasoning required. Virtual worlds offer an opportunity to assess what students actually do in a simulated context. Beyond this, mobile devices make it possible to scaffold and assess learning in the real world. Situating learning outside, in the target contexts, bypasses many of the challenges of transfer. A study investigated the learning of fifth and sixth graders (n = 38) while they used a virtual world called EcoMUVE, designed to support learning of ecosystems concepts and complex causal dynamics, and mobile broadband device (MBDs) components, designed to assess and support learning and transfer in a real pond ecosystem. The experiences of two classes were contrasted as reference populations; one class participated in the MBD experience first, followed by the learning components in EcoMUVE; the other participated in EcoMUVE first, followed by the MBD components. Rich and triangulated data was collected to illuminate how students experienced and responded to the curriculum components. Both classes made learning gains in EcoMUVE. Students who completed EcoMUVE prior to their MBD experience transferred concepts to their pond explorations. Both classes made learning gains at the pond following the MBD support and revealed more expert reasoning about the importance of change over time and distant drivers in ecosystem dynamics.
Development of a Diary for Use with Ambulatory Monitoring of Mood, Activities, and Physiological Function

This paper describes three studies developed and providing preliminary validation for a pocket-size, self-monitoring diary suitable for use infield research on relationships among psychological states, activities, and physiological events. In the first study, a principal-components analysis of the diary's mood and cognition scales yielded three factors—negative affect, engagement, and predictability. These showed moderate concordance across two samples. In the second study, diary self-ratings of events, moods, and cognitions were shown to be meaningfully correlated with ratings made by spouse observers, providing evidence of concurrent validity of the diary. In the third study, diary ratings made by the same subjects at home, at work, and in other locations differed from each other in expected ways, providing evidence for discriminative validity. Modifications to the diary are suggested, and possible uses and limitations of the instrument are discussed.
A self-regulating cell culture analog device to mimic animal and human toxicological responses

The overall goal of this project is the development of a new methodology for translating advances in molecular level understanding of toxicological responses into a predictive tool for dose response in whole animals and humans exposed to single compounds or mixtures of compounds. The methodology incorporates a mechanistic cellular level model into a PBPK (physiologically based pharmacokinetic) model which simultaneously guides the development of an in vitro cell culture analog (CCA) to the PBPK. Where the PBPK specifies an organ, (e.g., liver) the in vitro or CCA system contains a compartment with the appropriate cell or cell population (e.g., hepatocytes for the liver). The CCA has significant advantages over other in vitro systems and PBPK systems used independently for evaluating metabolic responses to drugs or potentially toxic chemicals where the exchange of metabolites between organs is likely to be important. The CCA system is superior to a PBPK because an a priori description of complete metabolism is not required and secondary, unexpected interactions can be detected. The CCA system, unlike other in vitro systems, gives a dynamic response that realistically simulates in vivo interactions between organs. Furthermore, the CCA allows dosing on the same basis as animal tests (e.g., milligrams per kilogram of body mass equivalent). Because the construction of a CCA is guided by a PBPK, this approach allows extrapolation to low doses and across species, including extrapolation to humans. We have constructed a prototype system and have conducted proof-of-concept experiments using naphthalene as a test chemical. These experiments clearly demonstrate the ability to generate a reactive metabolite in one compartment and detect its effects (on LDH release and glutathione depletion) in a second compartment. However, this prototype device would be expensive to replicate and requires nearly constant supervision from a trained investigator. For this concept to replace animals an inexpensive, self-regulating device is needed. An initial design to accomplish this goal is described as well as the corresponding model using naphthalene as a test compound. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Nucleotide sequence analysis of the recombinant joints in 16 naturally arising deletion mutants of simian virus 40.

Abstract The nucleotide sequences flanking the deletions in 16 naturally arising mutant simian virus 40 (SV40) genomes were determined. The parental sequences involved in each recombinational event were reconstructed from the published sequence of wild-type SV40. No extensive homologies between the parental strands were found. Neither were there any site or sequence similarities among the deletion endpoints. Thus, neither a general homologous nor sequence-specific recombination mechanism was likely to have been involved in the formation of these deletions. In light of these findings, we propose that they may have been produced by repair and ligation of linear DNA molecules that result from the action of nonspecific cellular endonucleases. This mechanism could also account for the existence of defective SV40 genomes containing sequences of non-viral origin.
Interactions between Newcastle disease virus (NDV), antibody and cell.

Abstract The present work is a quantitative study of the inactivation by antibody of two measurable properties of Newcastle disease virus—infectivity and enzymatic activity—and the role played by cells in this inactivation. By use of P32-labeled virus, the enzyme, measured by the capacity of virus to elute from red blood cells (RBC), is shown to be inactivated according to first order kinetics. Repetition of the adsorption-elution cycles shows that there are multiple enzyme sites on the virus. A method is introduced for determining the number of enzyme sites per virus particle. The fraction of virus which remains infective after antibody treatment largely retains its infectivity when firmly adsorbed to cells. On the other hand fully infective untreated virus loses its infectivity upon firm adsorption. This observation leads to the conclusion that there is more than one site per virus particle at which inactivation by antibody can occur, as shown in the text. None of the sites is critical in the sense that inactivation of no single site determines, a priori, that the particle is inactive. Calculation from these data of the number of “infectivity” sites agrees in magnitude with the calculated number of enzyme sites which was derived by an independent technique. Evidence is presented for the reactivation of virus-antibody complexes on the surface of the cell. This reactivation can be blocked if serum is present in the medium. The relevance of these findings to various theories of antibody inactivation, and cell penetration is discussed.
Accent‐uating Rules and Relationships: Motivations, Attitudes, and Goals in a Spanish for Native Speakers Class

This study examines the motivations, attitudes, and goals of a Spanish for native speakers (SNS) class at a large Midwestern university over a semestel; using questionnaires, student interviews, classroom observation, and instructor interviews as data sources. It presents results from four students who participated in the data collection, but focuses primarily on the experiences of one student. Students enrolled in the course for both academic and personal reasons. Their goals included improvement of writing skills and mastery of orthographic accents and other grammarlspelling aspects of Spanish. Throughout the semestel; they demonstrated positive attitudes and reported improvement in their Spanish. Furthermore, the development of their skills led them to reevaluate their relationship with language in general and Spanish in particular.
Calcitonin prevents bone loss but decreases osteoblastic activity in ovariohysterectomized beagle dogs

The antiresorptive effects of calcitonin are well documented. Recent in vitro and in vivo evidence points to an anabolic effect of calcitonin on osteoblasts. To assess the value of calcitonin in preventing the rapid and early bone loss after cessation of ovarian function and to investigate its effects on osteoblasts in vivo, 32 dogs were ovariohysterectomized (OHX) and 32 dogs were sham-operated (Sham). After the surgeries, half of the OHX and Sham dogs received every-other-day subcutaneous injections of human calcitonin (0.25 mg/dog/d), and the remaining dogs were given vehicle. Half of the animals had a bone biopsy at week 2 and were euthanized thereafter; the other half of the animals underwent a bone biopsy at month 1 and were euthanized at month 4. Blood drawings were done at baseline and at the time of each bone biopsy. Calcitonin prevented the increase in erosion depth seen in OHX animals and prevented the cancellous bone loss observed at 2 weeks and at 1 and 4 months. Calcitonin did not affect bone volume in Sham dogs. However, treatment with calcitonin induced a decrease in mineralizing surfaces and bone formation rates at the bone surface and cell level and an increase in mineralization lag time in both Sham and OHX animals without significantly affecting osteoblast number. This finding indicates that the negative effect of calcitonin on bone mineralization is not solely the result of a decrease in bone turnover. The data show that calcitonin, because of its antiresorptive effects, can prevent bone loss after cessation of ovarian function. However, short-term treatment with calcitonin does not stimulate osteoblast activity; on the contrary, it exerts a negative effect on osteoblastic bone formation and mineralization. Long-term studies are needed to investigate whether this unwanted effect of calcitonin on osteoblasts in vivo represents a transitory or persistent phenomenon.
The folliculin tumor suppressor is a GAP for the RagC/D GTPases that signal amino acid levels to mTORC1.

The mTORC1 kinase is a master growth regulator that senses numerous environmental cues, including amino acids. The Rag GTPases interact with mTORC1 and signal amino acid sufficiency by promoting the translocation of mTORC1 to the lysosomal surface, its site of activation. The Rags are unusual GTPases in that they function as obligate heterodimers, which consist of RagA or B bound to RagC or D. While the loading of RagA/B with GTP initiates amino acid signaling to mTORC1, the role of RagC/D is unknown. Here, we show that RagC/D is a key regulator of the interaction of mTORC1 with the Rag heterodimer and that, unexpectedly, RagC/D must be GDP bound for the interaction to occur. We identify FLCN and its binding partners, FNIP1/2, as Rag-interacting proteins with GAP activity for RagC/D, but not RagA/B. Thus, we reveal a role for RagC/D in mTORC1 activation and a molecular function for the FLCN tumor suppressor.
Species substitutability, resilience, and the optimal management of ecological-economic systems

The significance of the concept of resilience in determining the static and the dynamic behavior of jointly determined ecological-economic systems has been recognized by ecologists at least since 1973 [1]. This notwithstanding, there are very few formal studies of such systems that analyze the ecological and the economic aspects of the problem. Consequently, this paper has two objectives. First, a new renewal theoretic measure of resilience is proposed. This measure explicitly accounts for the role of species Substitutability in determining ecological resilience. Next, this measure is used to study some aspects of the optimal management of ecological-economic systems.
Cyanophycin granule polypeptide in a facultatively heterotrophic cyanobacterium

Cyanophycin granule polypeptide (CGP) formation and degradation was studied in a facultatively heterotrophic, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium. CGP was synthesized primarily under photoautotrophic growth conditions in nitrogen-fixing cells. Addition of a utilizable carbon source stopped CGP synthesis, the content of which declined in cultures as the cells grew heterotrophically in light or dark. A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed to determine CGP in cyanobacterial extracts and permitted analyses of CGP and simultaneous examination of the protein profile of the cells. The data indicated that, once formed in the photoautotrophs, CGP was not degraded, even by cells in which extensive protein breakdown was occurring.
Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Found Incidentally in a Patient with Tetralogy of Fallot

Ruptured sinus Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) in a patient with tetralogy of Fallot is a very rare cardiac complication. This report describes the case of a 10-year-old Hispanic girl who presented to her cardiologist for a routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), which showed a ruptured sinus of Valsalva, with left-to-right shunting noted from the right cusp to the right ventricular outflow tract and pulmonic insufficiency. The patient underwent right and left heart catheterization with transesophageal echocardiography guidance and closure of the ruptured sinus of Valsalva with an Amplatzer muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD) device. Later that day, after the procedure, it was noted that the patient had a recurrence of continuous murmur. The TTE did not visualize the Amplatzer VSD device, and chest X-ray showed that the device had embolized to the right pulmonary artery. The device was successfully retrieved percutaneously. The patient returned 2 weeks later for surgical repair of a ruptured SVA and pulmonary valve replacement, which went well. This case report is the first to describe congenital rupture of a Valsalva aneurysm in a patient with tetralogy of Fallot. The conventional treatment for a ruptured sinus of Valsalva is surgical, although transcatheter approaches have been used increasingly in recent years.
Use of a “Microecologic Technique” to Study Crime Around Substance Abuse Treatment Centers

Whether substance abuse treatment centers affect neighborhood crime is hotly debated. Empirical evidence on this issue is lacking because of the difficulty of distinguishing the crime effect of treatment centers in high-crime areas, the inability to make before-and-after comparisons for clinics founded before computerized crime data, and the need for appropriate control sites. The authors present an innovative method (without an actual data analysis) to overcome these challenges. Clinic addresses and crime data are geocoded by street address. Crimes are counted within concentric-circular, 25-meter “buffers” around the clinics. Regression analyses are used to calculate the “crime slope” (β) among the buffers. A negative β indicates more crimes closer to the site. A similar process is used to evaluate crimes around control sites: convenience stores, hospitals, and residential points. This innovative technique provides valid empirical evidence on crime around substance abuse treatment centers.