cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Magnesium is an essential mineral found in the body. It is naturally present in many foods and is also available as a dietary supplement.1 It serves as a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions, such as those responsible for regulating blood pressure, glycaemic control and lipid peroxidation. It is therefore also critical to the cardiovascular system.1 The adult body contains approximately 24 g of magnesium, with 50% to 60% present in bones with the rest being contained in soft tissues. Serum magnesium represents less than 1% of total body magnesium.2 In industrialised western countries, a low intake of magnesium often predisposes to a high prevalence of magnesium deficiency increasing the risk of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular death.3 This article aims to review of effect of magnesium deficiency on the cardiovascular system. In recent studies of hospitalised patients, 42% were shown to be hypomagnesaemic.4 However, physicians request magnesium testing in only 7% of these patients.4 In a study conducted among patients in the intensive cardiac care unit, 53% of patients had mononuclear cell magnesium content below the lowest normal control.5 Clinically, serum magnesium is usually measured despite the fact that less than 1% of magnesium exists extracellularly; hence, serum magnesium does not always accurately reflect total body magnesium stores. In fact, serum magnesium levels may be normal despite depletion of total body magnesium content.5 In experimental settings, total body magnesium stores can be estimated by measuring retention of an oral or intravenous magnesium load; however, measurement is cumbersome and requires a 24-hour urine collection.6 7 In many instances, intracellular levels of magnesium serve as a better indicator for total body magnesium content compared with serum magnesium levels with the most accurate test being blood mononuclear cell magnesium.8 Intracellular mononuclear magnesium …
PathMaster: content-based cell image retrieval using automated feature extraction.

OBJECTIVE Currently, when cytopathology images are archived, they are typically stored with a limited text-based description of their content. Such a description inherently fails to quantify the properties of an image and refers to an extremely small fraction of its information content. This paper describes a method for automatically indexing images of individual cells and their associated diagnoses by computationally derived cell descriptors. This methodology may serve to better index data contained in digital image databases, thereby enabling cytologists and pathologists to cross-reference cells of unknown etiology or nature. DESIGN The indexing method, implemented in a program called PathMaster, uses a series of computer-based feature extraction routines. Descriptors of individual cell characteristics generated by these routines are employed as indexes of cell morphology, texture, color, and spatial orientation. MEASUREMENTS The indexing fidelity of the program was tested after populating its database with images of 152 lymphocytes/lymphoma cells captured from lymph node touch preparations stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Images of "unknown" lymphoid cells, previously unprocessed, were then submitted for feature extraction and diagnostic cross-referencing analysis. RESULTS PathMaster listed the correct diagnosis as its first differential in 94 percent of recognition trials. In the remaining 6 percent of trials, PathMaster listed the correct diagnosis within the first three "differentials." CONCLUSION PathMaster is a pilot cell image indexing program/search engine that creates an indexed reference of images. Use of such a reference may provide assistance in the diagnostic/prognostic process by furnishing a prioritized list of possible identifications for a cell of uncertain etiology.
Development and Psychometric Report of a Middle-School Mathematics Vocabulary Measure.

Proficiency with mathematics requires an understanding of mathematical language. Students are required to make sense of both spoken and written mathematical terms. An essential component of mathema...
Numbers count: How STIM and Orai stoichiometry affect store-operated calcium entry.

Abstract Substantial progress has been made in the past several years in establishing the stoichiometries of STIM and Orai proteins and understanding their influence on store-operated calcium entry. Depletion of ER Ca2+ triggers STIM1 to accumulate at ER-plasma membrane junctions where it binds and opens Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels. STIM1 is a dimer, and release of Ca2+ from its two luminal domains is reported to promote their association as well as drive formation of higher-order STIM1 oligomers. The CRAC channel, originally thought to be tetrameric, is now considered to be a hexamer of Orai1 subunits based on crystallographic and electrophysiological studies. STIM1 binding activates CRAC channels in a highly nonlinear way, such that all six Orai1 binding sites must be occupied to account for the activation and signature properties of native channels. The structural basis of STIM1 engagement with the channel is currently unclear, with evidence suggesting that STIM1 dimers bind to individual or pairs of Orai1 subunits. This review examines evidence that has led to points of consensus and debate about STIM1 and Orai1 stoichiometries, and explains the importance of STIM-Orai complex stoichiometry for the regulation of store-operated calcium entry.
A multifaceted quality improvement project improves intraoperative redosing of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis during pediatric surgery.

BACKGROUND Accurate intraoperative antibiotic redosing contributes to prevention of surgical site infections in pediatric patients. Ensuring compliance with evolving national guidelines of weight-based, intraoperative redosing of antibiotics is challenging to pediatric anesthesiologists. AIMS Our primary aim was to increase compliance of antibiotic redoses at the appropriate time and appropriate weight-based dose to 70%. Secondary aims included a subset analysis of time compliance and dose compliance individually, and compliance based on order entry method of the first dose (verbal or electronic). METHODS At a freestanding, academic pediatric hospital, we reviewed surgical cases between May 1, 2014, and October 31, 2017 requiring antibiotic redoses. After an institutional change in cefazolin dosing in May 2015, phased interventions to improve compliance included electronic countermeasures to display previous and next dose timing, an alert 5 minutes prior to next dose, and weight-based dose recommendation (September 2015). Physical countermeasures include badge cards, posting of guidelines, and updates to housestaff manual (September 2015). Statistical process control charts were used to assess overall antibiotic redose compliance, time compliance, and dose compliance. The chi-square test was used to analyze group differences. RESULTS A total of 3015 antibiotic redoses were administered during 2341 operative cases between May 1, 2014, and October 31, 2017. Mean monthly compliance with redosing was 4.3% (May 2014-April 2015) and 73% (November 2015-October 2017) (P < 0.001). Dose-only compliance increased from 76% to 89% (P < 0.001), and time-only compliance increased from 4.9% to 82% (P < 0.001). After implementation of countermeasures, electronic order entry compared with verbal order was associated with higher dose compliance, 90% vs 86% (P = 0.015). CONCLUSION This quality improvement project, utilizing electronic and physical interventions, was effective in improving overall prophylactic antibiotic redosing compliance in accordance with institutional redosing guidelines.
Assessing Free and Bound Water in Skin at 300 MHz Using Tissue Dielectric Constant Measurements with the MoistureMeterD

The MoistureMeterD is used to noninvasively measure skin and upper subcutis tissue dielectric constant (TDC) at almost any anatomical site to depths from 0.5 mm to 5 mm at a frequency of 300 MHz by touching the skin with a handheld probe for about 10 s. Because TDC at this frequency is largely dependent on free and bound water content of the tissue being measured, TDC measurements are useful to assess localized edema and lymphedema and their changes. In this chapter further aspects of TDC use are elaborated upon, and factors that impact its measurement and value are presented.
Latent profile analysis of accelerometer-measured sleep, physical activity, and sedentary time and differences in health characteristics in adult women.

Author(s): Full, Kelsie M; Moran, Kevin; Carlson, Jordan; Godbole, Suneeta; Natarajan, Loki; Hipp, Aaron; Glanz, Karen; Mitchell, Jonathan; Laden, Francine; James, Peter; Kerr, Jacqueline | Abstract: ObjectivesIndependently, physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep are related to the development and progression of chronic diseases. Less is known about how rest-activity behaviors cluster within individuals and how rest-activity behavior profiles relate to health. In this study we aimed to investigate if adult women cluster into profiles based on how they accumulate rest-activity behavior (including accelerometer-measured PA, SB, and sleep), and if participant characteristics and health outcomes differ by profile membership.MethodsA convenience sample of 372 women (mean age 55.38 + 10.16) were recruited from four US cities. Participants wore ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers on the hip and wrist for a week. Total daily minutes in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and percentage of wear-time spent in SB was estimated from the hip device. Total sleep time (hours/minutes) and sleep efficiency (% of in bed time asleep) were estimated from the wrist device. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to identify clusters of participants based on accumulation of the four rest-activity variables. Adjusted ANOVAs were conducted to explore differences in demographic characteristics and health outcomes across profiles.ResultsRest-activity variables clustered to form five behavior profiles: Moderately Active Poor Sleepers (7%), Highly Actives (9%), Inactives (41%), Moderately Actives (28%), and Actives (15%). The Moderately Active Poor Sleepers (profile 1) had the lowest proportion of whites (35% vs 78-91%, p l .001) and college graduates (28% vs 68-90%, p = .004). Health outcomes did not vary significantly across all rest-activity profiles.ConclusionsIn this sample, women clustered within daily rest-activity behavior profiles. Identifying 24-hour behavior profiles can inform intervention population targets and innovative behavioral goals of multiple health behavior interventions.
Outcomes of Splenectomy in Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Background Children with splenic sequestration, related to sickle cell disease, are managed acutely with blood transfusions followed by an elective splenectomy to prevent recurrent episodes. The objective of this study was to review the outcomes of splenectomy in children with sickle cell disease as a single center experience. Methods A retrospective chart review of children with sickle cell disease who had splenectomy between 1999 and 2014 at the University of South Alabama was performed. Data on demographics, sequestration episodes, post-operative complications, bacteremia, transcranial doppler ultrasonography and death were collected. Results A total of 52 patients (36 with Hemoglobin SS, 7 with Hemoglobin SC, 5 with S-Beta Thalassemia Plus, and 4 with S-Beta Thalassemia Zero) received splenectomy during the study period. Mean age at first splenic sequestration event was 39 months. The mean age of splenectomy was 5 years (Minimum: 18 months; Maximum: 18 years). There were 24 males and 28 females. Over 95 percent of patients were on penicillin prophylaxis. In only 73 percent of patients, proof of completed vaccination including pneumococcal polysaccharide, pneumococcal conjugate and meningococcal conjugate vaccines, could be found. Average post-splenectomy follow-up was 7.4 years. The post-operative complications included fever in 4 patients, acute chest syndrome in 4 patients, lobar pneumonia in 2 patients, pleural effusion in 1 patient, atelectasis on chest radiograph in 2 patients and surgical wound abscess in 1 patient. One patient had an intra-abdominal bleed which required reoperation. The average number of hospitalizations for vaso-occlusive pain crises was 3.3 per year prior to splenectomy and 2.2 per year during the 2 years following splenectomy (p=0.04). Mean platelet count before splenectomy was 267/m3 compared to 533/m3 at 1 year after splenectomy (p Discussion Our results indicate that with proper vaccination and penicillin prophylaxis, the risk of infection after splenectomy can be controlled. The mean hemoglobin levels did not change after splenectomy but our patients had fewer hospitalizations for pain crises after splenectomy. The cerebral blood flow velocity increased after splenectomy. This might imply that more patients will require chronic blood transfusions for stroke prevention after splenectomy. We conclude that splenectomy is a safe and effective modality for management of life threatening splenic sequestrations in children with sickle cell disease. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Numerical investigation of shear-flow free-surface turbulence and air entrainment at large Froude and Weber numbers

We investigate two-phase free-surface turbulence (FST) associated with an underlying shear flow under the condition of strong turbulence (SFST) characterized by large Froude ( when surface tension dominates.
Weighted completion time minimization for unrelated machines via iterative fair contention resolution [extended abstract]

We give a 1.488-approximation for the classic scheduling problem of minimizing total weighted completion time on unrelated machines. This is a considerable improvement on the recent breakthrough of (1.5 − 10−7)-approximation (STOC 2016, Bansal-Srinivasan-Svensson) and the follow-up result of (1.5--1/6000)-approximation (FOCS 2017, Li). Bansal et al. introduced a novel rounding scheme yielding strong negative correlations for the first time and applied it to the scheduling problem to obtain their breakthrough, which resolved the open problem if one can beat out the long-standing 1.5-approximation barrier based on independent rounding. Our key technical contribution is in achieving significantly stronger negative correlations via iterative fair contention resolution, which is of independent interest. Previously, Bansal et al. obtained strong negative correlations via a variant of pipage type rounding and Li used it as a black box.
Exploring the Perceived Impact of the Chronic Disease Self‐Management Program on Self‐Management Behaviors among African American Women with Lupus: A Qualitative Study

Objective To qualitatively explore the processes through which the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP)-a peer-led, group-based educational intervention for people with chronic conditions-affects self-management behaviors among African American women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Using a longitudinal pre- and postintervention design, we conducted two waves of one-on-one, semistructured interviews with 24 purposefully sampled participants. Wave 1 interviews explored self-management behaviors at baseline; wave 2 interviews focused on changes in these behaviors postintervention. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis methods. Results Study participants perceived the CDSMP to be a valuable resource that helped them improve fundamental self-management behaviors, including exercise, relaxation, diet, and medication adherence. We found, with few exceptions, that in this sample, women's reported changes in self-management behaviors did not vary by participant age, education, SLE disease severity, or depression status. Our analysis suggests that the CDSMP had the most widespread perceived effects on relaxation and exercise. Strategies that generated improvements in relaxation and exercise included goal setting, action planning, encouragement to pursue low-impact physical activity, and introduction of mindfulness techniques to better manage SLE symptoms. Conclusion Our findings suggest that African American women with SLE perceived the CDSMP as an effective educational self-management intervention. The program can potentially catalyze improvements in self-management behaviors in this population, regardless of demographic or disease characteristics.
Vascular Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background Increased arterial stiffness and vascular endothelial dysfunction are important nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors evident in patients with CKD. Vascular oxidative stress and inflammation may contribute to vascular dysfunction in CKD, but direct evidence is lacking. Methods We assessed carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (arterial stiffness) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (vascular endothelial function) in participants with moderate-to-severe CKD (eGFR 15-59 ml/min per 1.73 m2) and in healthy controls. Change in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation after an acute infusion of ascorbic acid to inhibit vascular oxidative stress (versus saline) was also measured. Protein expression of vascular endothelial cells collected from a peripheral vein and ELISAs to assess circulating markers were also performed. Results A total of 64 participants with CKD (mean±SD, 65±8 years) and 17 healthy controls (60±5 years) were included. Carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity was greater in participants with CKD compared with healthy controls (1071±336 versus 732±128 cm/s; P<0.001). Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was lower in participants with CKD compared with healthy controls (3.5%±2.8% versus 5.5%±3.2%; P=0.02). Circulating inflammation markers (C-reactive protein and IL-6) were elevated in the CKD group (P≤0.02). Endothelial cell protein expression of NADPH (intensity versus human umbilical vein endothelial cell control, 1.48±0.28 versus 1.25±0.31; P=0.05) was greater in participants with CKD. However, ascorbic acid significantly improved brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in control participants (saline, 5.5±3.2; ascorbic acid, 6.8±3.6); as compared with participants with CKD (saline, 3.5±2.8; ascorbic acid, 3.6±3.2) (group×condition interaction P=0.04), suggesting vascular oxidative stress could not be overcome with ascorbic acid in participants with CKD. Conclusions Vascular oxidative stress is present in CKD, which cannot be overcome with acute infusion of ascorbic acid.
Regulation of an iron-dependent repressor by tryptophan availability attenuates transcription of the tryptophan salvage genes in Chlamydia trachomatis

The trp operon of Chlamydia trachomatis has a genetic organization that is distinct from other model bacteria. The operon contains the trpR open-reading frame (ORF), an intergenic region (IGR), and the trpB and trpA ORFs. TrpR mediates tryptophan-dependent regulation of the operon from the major promoter upstream of trpR (PtrpR). We recently reported that trpBA is additionally regulated by the iron-dependent repressor YtgR via an operator sequence within the IGR upstream of an alternative promoter for TrpR-independent trpBA expression (PtrpBA). Here we report that YtgR repression of PtrpBA is also dependent on tryptophan levels via a rare triple-tryptophan motif (WWW) in the N-terminal permease domain of the YtgCR precursor. Tryptophan limitation inhibits translation at the WWW motif and subsequently promotes transcription termination of ytgCR in a Rho-independent manner. This regulatory schematic resembles mechanisms of transcriptional attenuation for trp operons described in model bacteria, such as cis-attenuation by TrpL in E. coli or trans-attenuation by TRAP in B. subtilis. YtgR performs an analogous function by sensing both iron and tryptophan levels, with the latter highlighting the unique strategy of Chlamydia to retain a trans-attenuator mechanism for regulating expression of the trpRBA operon.
Spirometric traits show quantile-dependent heritability, which may contribute to their gene-environment interactions with smoking and pollution.

Background "Quantile-dependent expressivity" refers to a genetic effect that is dependent upon whether the phenotype (e.g., spirometric data) is high or low relative to its population distribution. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and the FEV1/FVC ratio are moderately heritable spirometric traits. The aim of the analyses is to test whether their heritability (h2 ) is constant over all quantiles of their distribution. Methods Quantile regression was applied to the mean age, sex, height and smoking-adjusted spirometric data over multiple visits in 9,993 offspring-parent pairs and 1,930 sibships from the Framingham Heart Study to obtain robust estimates of offspring-parent (βOP), offspring-midparent (βOM), and full-sib regression slopes (βFS). Nonparametric significance levels were obtained from 1,000 bootstrap samples. βOPs were used as simple indicators of quantile-specific heritability (i.e., h 2 = 2βOP/(1+rspouse), where rspouse was the correlation between spouses). Results βOP ± standard error (SE) decreased by 0.0009 ± 0.0003 (P = 0.003) with every one-percent increment in the population distribution of FEV1/FVC, i.e., βOP ± SE were: 0.182 ± 0.031, 0.152 ± 0.015; 0.136 ± 0.011; 0.121 ± 0.013; and 0.099 ± 0.013 at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles of the FEV1/FVC distribution, respectively. These correspond to h2 ± SEs of 0.350 ± 0.060 at the 10th, 0.292 ± 0.029 at the 25th, 0.262 ± 0.020 at the 50th, 0.234 ± 0.025 at the 75th, and 0.191 ± 0.025 at the 90th percentiles of the FEV1/FVC ratio. Maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) h2 ± SEs increased 0.0025 ± 0.0007 (P = 0.0004) with every one-percent increment in its distribution, i.e.: 0.467 ± 0.046, 0.467 ± 0.033, 0.554 ± 0.038, 0.615 ± 0.042, and 0.675 ± 0.060 at the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles of its distribution. This was due to forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF75%), whose quantile-specific h2 increased an average of 0.0042 ± 0.0008 for every one-percent increment in its distribution. It is speculated that previously reported gene-environment interactions may be partially attributable to quantile-specific h2 , i.e., greater heritability in individuals with lower FEV1/FVC due to smoking or airborne particles exposure vs. nonsmoking, unexposed individuals. Conclusion Heritabilities of FEV1/FVC, MMEF, and FEF75% from quantile-regression of offspring-parent and sibling spirometric data suggest their quantile-dependent expressivity.
The uses of useful knowledge and the languages of vernacular science: Perspectives from southwest India:

In the first half of the eleventh century, a group of scholars in southwest India did something new. They began composing systematic texts about everyday life in a register of language sometimes ca...
Improvements in skeletal muscle fiber size with resistance training are age-dependent in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

As studies examining the hypertrophic effects of resistance training (RT) at the cellular level have produced inconsistent results, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate...
End of the Field? Hacking Online and Hybrid Environments for Field-Based Learning in Geography Education

Increased liability, limited resources, and global pandemics reduce opportunities for field-based learning and accelerate transition to online education across grade levels and geographic contexts....
An Exploratory Study of the Effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Sec and National Stock Exchange(S) Rules on Audit Committee Alignment

Purpose – To investigate the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) and the requirements of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act (SOX) on audit committee alignment. Design/methodology/approach – Using a unique set of hand collected data on audit committees for a sample of 129 firms during 1999, 2000, and 2002. This study is separated into two phases: the first phase of the study investigates the impact of the recommendations of the BRC on improving the effectiveness of audit committee on audit committee alignment; the second phase of the study investigates the impact of the SOX on audit committee alignment. Findings – For the BRC period, the results indicate that firms with audit committee alignment have larger total assets, have higher leverage and firms with audit committee alignment are more likely listed in NASDAQ. For the SOX period, the evidence suggests that firms with audit committee alignment are more likely to be associated with larger audit committee, higher directors' compensation, higher audit committee independence, and more audit committee meetings. Also audit committee alignment is more likely to occur in NASDAQ firms. The evidence also shows that firms experiencing audit committee alignment in 2002 are associated with less earnings management (EM) and less increase in EM. Research limitations/implications – This study shows that how boards of directors aligned their audit committees in response to the recommendations of the BRC and the requirements of the SOX. Practical implications – Our paper should be of interest to managers, audit committees, boards of directors, and regulators who focus on audit committees. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the auditing literature by showing how audit committees changed in response to recommendations of the BRC and the SOX. It also contributes to the literature by showing that firms experiencing audit committee alignment engage less in EM.
Modeling Cluster Production at the AGS

Deuteron coalescence, during relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions, is carried out in a model incorporating a minimal quantal treatment of the formation of the cluster from its individual nucleons by evaluating the overlap of intial cascading nucleon wave packets with the final deuteron wave function. In one approach the nucleon and deuteron center of mass wave packet sizes are estimated dynamically for each coalescing pair using its past light-cone history in the underlying cascade, a procedure which yields a parameter free determination of the cluster yield. A modified version employing a global estimate of the deuteron formation probability, is identical to a general implementation of the Wigner function formalism but can differ from the most frequent realisation of the latter. Comparison is made both with the extensive existing E802 data for Si+Au at 14.6 GeV/c and with the Wigner formalism. A globally consistent picture of the Si+Au measurements is achieved. In light of the deuteron’s evident fragility, information obtained from this analysis may be useful in establishing freeze-out volumes and help in heralding the presence of high-density phenomena in a baryon-rich environment.
Long-term trajectories of C-reactive protein among men living with and without HIV infection in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory biomarker associated with all-cause mortality and morbidities such as cardiovascular disease. CRP is increased with HIV infection and thought to increase with age, though trajectories of CRP with aging have not been well characterized. We investigated trajectories of CRP in men from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, according to HIV infection and HIV viral load status. METHODS CRP measurements from 12,250 serum samples, provided by 2,132 men over a span of 30 years, were categorized by HIV status at sample collection: HIV-uninfected (HIV-, n=1,717), HIV-infected, HIV+, undetectable RNA (HIV+ suppressed, n=4,075), and detectable HIV RNA (HIV+ detectable, n=6,458). Age-related trajectories of CRP were fit to multivariable linear mixed models; we tested for differences in trajectories by HIV status. RESULTS CRP increased with age in all sample groups. HIV+ detectable and HIV+ suppressed samples had higher CRP than HIV- samples throughout the observed age range of 20-70 years (p<0.05). CRP concentrations at age 45 years were 38% (95% CI: 26%-50%) and 26% (15%-38%) higher in HIV+ detectable and HIV+ suppressed samples, respectively, relative to HIV- samples. HIV+ detectable samples showed more rapid linear increases with age (8% higher/decade, 0.3%-16%) than HIV- samples. CONCLUSIONS We observed higher concentrations of CRP across five decades of age in men living with HIV, and steeper increases with age in men with detectable HIV RNA, relative to HIV- men. These results are consistent with a contribution of inflammation to the higher risk of age-related comorbidities with HIV infection.
Unveiling the ambipolar carrier transport property of SnO2−X for multiple-functional interlayers in perovskite solar cells

Tin oxides are the most promising electron transport layers in perovskite solar cells. An ambipolar carrier transport property has been recently demonstrated which enables a simple interconnection structure for all-perovskite tandem solar cells. However, the underlying mechanism for its ambipolar behavior is unclear, which cannot be explained by the intrinsic defects in SnO2−x. Here, by using density functional theory calculations, we unveil the origin of the ambipolar carrier transport of non-stoichiometry SnO2−x with a structure of SnO embedded in the SnO2 matrix. The hybridization of O 2p and Sn 5s orbitals of SnO introduces mid-gap states in the bandgap of SnO2, enabling hole transport property for SnO2−x when x is > 0.2. Increasing the percentage of SnO in SnO2−x significantly enhances the hole transport capability of SnO2−x due to the enlarged Sn–O–Sn angles that increase orbital overlapping between O and Sn atoms, thus providing strategies for the further tuning of the carrier transport properties of SnO2−x by compositional and structural designs.
Electrophysiological Dissection of the Excitatory Inputs to Purkinje Cells

We have used our knowledge of the detailed pattern of tactile mossy fiber projections to the granule cell layers of crus IIa to look at the effects of the three major inputs on Purkinje cells. Our results show that Purkinje cell responses to brief peripheral stimuli consist of a short latency (5–8 ms), short duration (15 ms) component and a longer latency prolonged (100–400 ms) increase in simple spike activity. Our data suggest a role for the ascending portion of the granule cell axon in the generation of each. Also, we have used spike separation techniques to separate these granule cell effects from those of the climbing fiber system.
Host proteins in retroviral cDNA integration.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on host proteins potentially important for another step in the viral life cycle: the integration of retroviral complementary DNA (cDNA) into host DNA. Many host-encoded proteins seem likely to be important for retroviral cDNA integration. Many other host systems are also subverted to support viral replication. Host cell surface proteins act as receptors, and host molecular chaperones direct protein folding. Relatively small viruses, such as retroviruses, encode relatively few proteins and rely on the host to provide many additional functions, such as apparatus for transcription and RNA processing. For the case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), several exciting insights have come with the identification of new host factors important for replication. The chapter discusses the host proteins involved in the early steps of cDNA integration and host proteins involved in the late stages of integration reaction. The chapter concludes with proteins influencing target site selection, such as (a) effects of primary sequence in target DNA in vitro , (b) effects of proteins bound to target DNA in vitro , (c) effects of chromosomd proteins on integration in vivo , and (d) target site selection by retrovirus-like Ty transposons of yeast. Candidate proteins have been proposed to stimulate integration, block autointegration, carry out late DNA repair steps, and modulate target site selection. Future studies will need to focus on strengthening the evidence for in vivo importance of each candidate and advancing the understanding of the mechanism.
Interleukin 6: a multifunctional cytokine regulating immune reactions and the acute phase protein response.

Cytokines are protein mediators of cell-to-cell communication important in a variety of physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. Only a decade ago information about cytokines was limited to the description of a multitude of ill-defined “factors” present in crude super- natants of cultures of mononuclear cells. Modern techniques of protein chemistry and molecular biology have led to the isolation and precise functional definition of many cytokines, including the interferons, colony-stimulating factors, and a heterogeneous group of agents termed interleukins. The name “interleukins” was originally conceived to designate proteins produced by lymphocytes or monocytes, affecting the growth and/or differentiation of lymphoid, monocytic or myeloid cells. With time it has become apparent that many interleukins are not produced exclusively by white blood cells, nor are their actions restricted to leukocytes. The terms “interleukin” or “lymphokine” are now being used for cytokines that can be produced by a variety of cell types and that can affect the functions of many nonhematopoietic cells.
Relativized Propositions and the Fregean Orthodoxy

This paper answer the question how propositions whose truth is relativized to times, places, asserters or assessers can, despite their relativity, be used to represent the world.
Accelerator Science and Technology Breakthroughs, Achievements and Lessons from the Tevatron

For almost a quarter of a century, the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider was the centerpiece of the world's high energy physics program - beginning operation in December of 1985 until it was overtaken by LHC in 2011. The aim of this unique scientific instrument was to explore the elementary particle physics reactions with center of mass collision energies of up to 1.96 TeV. The initial design luminosity of the Tevatron was 1030cm-2s-1, however as a result of two decades of upgrades, the accelerator has been able to deliver 430 times higher luminosities to each of two high luminosity experiments, CDF and D0. The Tevatron will be shut off September 30, 2011. The collider was arguably one of the most complex research instruments ever to reach the operation stage and is widely recognized for many technological breakthroughs and numerous physics discoveries. In this John Adams lecture, I briefly present the history of the Tevatron, major advances in accelerator physics, and technology implemented during the long quest for better and better performance. Lessons learned from our experience are also discussed.
The GENESIS Simulation System

GENESIS (the GEneral NEural Simulation System) was developed as a research tool to provide a standard and flexible means for constructing structurally realistic models of biological neural systems. "Structurally realistic" simulations are computer-based implementations of models whose primary objective is to capture what is known of the anatomical structure and physiological characteristics of the neural system of interest. The GENESIS project is based on the belief that progress in understanding structure-function relationships in the nervous system specifically, or in biology in general, will increasingly require the development and use of structurally realistic models (Bower, 1995). It is our view that only through this type of modeling will general principles of neural or biological function emerge.
Mental control, language tags, and language nodes in bilingual lexical processing

In this paper Green proposes an inhibitory control (IC) model of bilingual lexical processing. At the core of Green's arguments is the notion of “mental control,” formulated in terms of inhibition, control schemas, and a supervisory attentional system. The very notion of control, it seems, suggests some sort of intentional, exogenous force at work (e.g., the supervisory attentional system). Presumably mental control differs from automatic processes (Schneider & Shiffrin, 1977), yet in the IC model there is no precise computational specification of how the various parameters of the control system actually interact to determine automatic bilingual processes. In a computational view, the IC model has quite some symbolic AI flavor (e.g., with goal-oriented decision boxes and control schemas), but it also attempts to integrate activation-based accounts (e.g., interactive activation mechanisms). Again, because the model remains at a rather conceptual level as presented, it is difficult to determine how successful it will be in combining symbolic and connectionist approaches in understanding bilingual processing.
Cigarette Smoking and Risk of Alcohol Use Relapse Among Adults in Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorders

Background Individuals in recovery from alcohol use disorders (AUDs) frequently continue to smoke cigarettes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cigarette smoking status and risk of AUD relapse in adults with remitted AUDs among adults in the United States. Methods Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2001 to 2002) and Wave 2 (2004 to 2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Analyses included the subsample of respondents who completed both waves of data collection reported a history of alcohol abuse and/or dependence prior to Wave 1 (N = 9,134). Relationships between Wave 1 cigarette smoking status (nonsmoker, daily cigarette smoker, and nondaily cigarette smoker) and Wave 2 alcohol use, abuse, and dependence were examined using logistic regression analyses. Analyses were adjusted for Wave 1 demographics; mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders; nicotine dependence; and AUD severity. Results Both daily and nondaily cigarette smoking at Wave 1 were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of alcohol use and a greater likelihood of alcohol abuse and dependence at Wave 2 compared to Wave 1 nonsmoking. These relationships remained significant after adjusting for demographics, psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, AUD severity, and nicotine dependence. Conclusions Among adults with remitted AUDs, daily and nondaily use of cigarettes was associated with significantly decreased likelihood of alcohol use and increased likelihood of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence 3 years later. Concurrent treatment of cigarette smoking when treating AUDs may help improve long-term alcohol outcomes and reduce the negative consequences of both substances.
Spironolactone stimulation of gonadotropin secretion in boys with delayed adolescence.

Spironolactone (Aldactone) acts as an antiandrogen by blocking testosterone synthesis and competing with testosterone for the androgen receptor. These properties of the mineralcorticoid antagonist were used in an attempt to interrupt the gonadal-pituitary-hypothalamic negative feedback axis and thereby stimulate LH and FSH in 7 boys with delayed puberty. Following administration of aldactone (5 mg/kg) daily for one week, there was a significant (P less than .01) mean increase in serum LH of 60%. In all 7 boys an absolute rise in LH was observed, but these changes were statistically significant in only 5 individuals. While mean FSH levels increased by 60% in this group of boys, the individual responses were variable. No rise in gonadotropin levels occurred in 2 patients with Kallmann's syndrome, who also received 5 mg/kg of spironolactone daily for 1 week. Large doses of the drug appeared necessary to stimulate gonadotropin secretion since a dose of 3 mg/kg per day did not cause LH or FSH increments in 2 additional patients with delayed puberty. Progesterone and 17alpha-hydeoxyprogesterone levels increased to a greater extent than LH and FSH in response to spironolactone, reflecting either adrenal or testicular enzyme inhibition. Spiornolactone is the first drug shown to be capable of stimulating gonadotropin secretion by interrupting negative feedback inhibition in boys with delayed puberty.
Spatial variation in deposition rate coefficients of an adhesion-deficient bacterial strain in quartz sand.

The transport of bacterial strain DA001 was examined in packed quartz sand under a variety of environmentally relevant ionic strength and flow conditions. Under all conditions, the retained bacterial concentrations decreased with distance from the column inlet at a rate that was faster than log-linear, indicating that the deposition rate coefficient decreased with increasing transport distance. The hyperexponential retained profile contrasted against the nonmonotonic retained profiles that had been previously observed for this same bacterial strain in glass bead porous media, demonstrating that the form of deviation from log-linear behavior is highly sensitive to system conditions. The deposition rate constants in quartz sand were orders of magnitude below those expected from filtration theory, even in the absence of electrostatic energy barriers. The degree of hyperexponential deviation of the retained profiles from log-linear behavior did not decrease with increasing ionic strength in quartz sand. These...
Neural bases of recovery after brain injury.

Abstract Substantial data have accumulated over the past decade indicating that the adult brain is capable of substantial structural and functional reorganization after stroke. While some limited recovery is known to occur spontaneously, especially within the first month post-stroke, there is currently significant optimism that new interventions based on the modulation of neuroplasticity mechanisms will provide greater functional benefits in a larger population of stroke survivors. To place this information in the context of current thinking about brain plasticity, this review outlines the basic theories of why spontaneous recovery occurs, and introduces important principles to explain the effects of post-stroke behavioral experience on neural plasticity. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to: (a) explain the three classic theories to explain spontaneous recovery after focal brain injury, (b) explain the neurophysiological effects of post-injury rehabilitative therapy on functional organization in motor cortex, (c) readers will be able to describe some of the variables that impact the effects of post-stroke behavioral experience on neuroplasticity, and (d) readers will be able to explain some of the current laboratory-based approaches to modifying brain circuits after stroke that might soon be translated to human application.
Center for Nondestructive Evaluation

The Johns Hopkins University Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) has recently been established as an interdisciplinary center for research and instruction which draws on the resources and talent of the School of Engineering, the Applied Physics Laboratory, and the School of Medicine. The nondestructive evaluation techniques developed and employed are especially useful to control and improve product quality in manufacturing processes and to assure the highest level of reliability for materials, parts, and products. The center is dedicated to research which will lead to more sophisticated and accurate methods for the nondestructive evaluation of materials and systems and to the education of talented students who will enter the NDE field. The CNDE is a cooperative venture between the University, Industrial Affiliates, and Government Agencies. The present paper will describe the CNDE and the current and planned educational program in materials education.
The Thermal Starting Plume as an Acoustic Source

We propose that solar acoustic oscillations are excited by localized cooling events and new downflow-plume formation at the solar surface. The excitation process involves, in successive stages, radiative cooling, buoyant acceleration, and advective inflow. Pressure fluctuations induced at each stage result in monopolar, dipolar, and quadrupolar acoustic emission. We examine this excitation mechanism in detail, measure the acoustic energy output by such events, and discuss possible observational implications for helioseismic spectra.
Adrenergic Control of the Force-Frequency Relation

Abstract This article briefly reviews recent experimental studies which show that β-adrenergic receptor stimulation produces an important enhancement of the force-frequency relation on myocardial contractility. The basic property of the force-frequency effect to progressively enhance myocardial contractility as heart rate increases is augmented at each level of increasing adrenergic stimulation. This newly described intrinsic mechanism for the control of cardiac inotropic state, graded β-adrenergic amplification of the force-frequency relation, is strongly manifested during normal exercise and infusion of a β-adrenergic agonist at rest, and it influences both systolic and diastolic ventricular function. Significant impairment of adrenergic amplification of the force-frequency relation is observed in experimental heart failure and could contribute to impaired cardiac function during stress or exercise in this setting.
In vitro nonenzymatic glycation of guanosine 5′-triphosphate by dihydroxyacetone phosphate

Dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) is a glycolytic intermediate that has been found to be significantly elevated in the erythrocytes of diabetic patients and patients with triosephosphate isomerase deficiency. DHAP spontaneously breaks down to methylglyoxal, a potent glycating agent that reacts with proteins and nucleic acids in vivo to form advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). Like methylglyoxal, DHAP itself is also a glycating metabolite, capable of condensing with proteins and altering their structure or function. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the susceptibility of nucleotides to nonenzymatic attack by DHAP, and to determine the factors influencing the rate and extent of nucleotide glycation by this sugar. Of the four nucleotide triphosphates (ATP, CTP, GTP and UTP) that were studied, only GTP was reactive, forming a wide range of UV and fluorescent products with DHAP. Increases in temperature and nucleotide concentration enhanced the rate and extent of GTP glycation by DHAP and promoted the heterogeneity of AGEs. Capillary electrophoresis, HPLC, and mass spectrometry allowed for a thorough analysis of the glycated products and demonstrated that the reaction of DHAP with GTP occurred via the classical Amadori pathway.
Inferring sexual interest from behavioral cues: Effects of gender and sexually relevant attitudes

Research has found that men impute more sexual meaning to others' behavior than do women. However, little research has examined the possibility that men and women share perceptions of the sexual connotativeness of certain behaviors but diverge in their perceptions of other behaviors. In Study 1, 162 male and 186 female undergraduates, predominantly Caucasian, rated the degree to which each of 27 behaviors of male and female targets connoted a desire for sexual intercourse. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that, whereas men perceived all but two of the female target behaviors more sexually than women, men and women differed in their perceptions of the sexual connotativeness of only about half of the male target behaviors. A factor analysis revealed three factors for both male and female target behaviors, reflecting mundane dating behaviors, romantic behaviors, and sexual behaviors. Relative to women, men perceived only the mundane dating behaviors more sexually, although regression analyses showed these effects to be moderated by subjects' attitudes toward women. Study 2 examined the extent to which sexually relevant attitudes (e.g., sex role stereotyping, adversarial sexual beliefs, and rape myth acceptance) moderate subjects' perceptions of the sexual connotativeness of the behaviors. Men, particularly those who endorsed traditional, sexually relevant attitudes, were more likely than women to impute sexual meaning to the behaviors. The implications of this for dating situations are discussed.