cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of an outbreak of gram-negative bacteremia among hematology-oncology outpatients.

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with an outbreak of gram-negative bacteremia (GNB). Setting: A university hospital. Patients: Hematology-oncology outpatients. Design: Retrospective case-control study. Results: Thirty-eight patients developed GNB; 13 patients experienced more than one episode, and eight blood cultures grew more than one gram-negative organism. The most frequently isolated organisms were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii , and Acinetobacter johnsonii . When the GNB patients (cases) were compared with randomly selected hematology-oncology patients (controls), central venous catheter (CVC) self-care (71% vs 39%; P =.02), and duration of recent hospital stay (median, 15 vs 4 days; P =.01) were identified as risk factors. In a logistic regression model, duration of recent hospital stay was the only risk factor significantly associated with GNB (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.08; P Conclusions: Hematology-oncology patients providing their own CVC care who have recently been hospitalized for more than 2 weeks may be at increased risk of GNB. CVCs should be protected from possible environmental contamination in hematology-oncology patients. Patients providing their own CVC care should undergo continued rigorous education regarding proper CVC care.
Glutamatergic signaling through the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor directly activates medial subpopulations of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) neurons, but does not appear to mediate the effects of estradiol on LHRH gene expression.

Although estradiol (E2) triggers phasic increases in LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) synthesis and release, the neurocircuitry responsible for these changes is unclear. We used an ovariectomized, E2-treated animal model to investigate the possibility that glutamate, through N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDAR), communicates E2 signals to LHRH neurons. A neuroanatomical analysis of the region containing LHRH neurons revealed that approximately 80% of LHRH neurons in medial, but less than 40% in lateral, nuclei of the preoptic area contained NMDAR1 mRNA. Consistent with this distribution pattern, NMDA doubled LHRH mRNA levels in medial neurons, but increased them by less than 30% in cells of the lateral nuclei. Steroids did not alter NMDAR1 mRNA levels in LHRH neurons or change the percentage of LHRH neurons expressing the gene. Furthermore, in contrast to the regionalized effects of NMDA, E2 treatment increased LHRH mRNA levels to the same extent in medial and lateral neurons, and MK801 failed to bloc...
Echolocation of moving targets by the fish-catching bat, Noctilio leporinus

1. Behavioral measures of target velocity discrimination, Doppler shift discrimination, and Doppler shift compensation are described for the fish-catching bat,Noctilio leporinus. These bats echolocate using a short constant frequency/frequency modulated (short-CF/FM) sonar pulse. 2. Two bats, trained by operant conditioning, performed an in-flight discrimination between sequentially-presented targets which differed in the velocity of movement in the line of the bat's flight path. Both bats discriminate target velocity differences as low as 40 cm/s. This discrimination ability is independent of the absolute speed or direction of target movement. 3. These same bats were subsequently trained by operant conditioning to discriminate between the presence or absence of an upward frequency (simulated Doppler) shift in artificial echoes of their sonar pulses. The smallest frequency shift that can be discriminated is 570 Hz, corresponding to the Doppler shift produced by a relative velocity of 170cm/s. 4. Since these bats cannot detect the Doppler shift associated with moving targets at the threshold of target velocity discrimination, we conclude that Doppler information is not used to make velocity measurements. Target velocity discrimination must instead be based upon range-rate information obtained from the wide band FM component of the sonar pulse. 5. Three of four bats partially compensate for Doppler shifts of their echoes produced by their flight velocity. During flight, the frequency of their sonar emissions is lowered enough to compensate for about 50% of the flight-induced Doppler shift. None of the bats compensate for target-induced Doppler shifts. 6. The functional significance of short CF signals and the echolocation of moving targets byNoctilio and other bats are discussed.
Carbonate Ions and Arsenic Dissolution by Groundwater

Samples of Marshall Sandstone, a major source of groundwater with elevated arsenic levels in southeast Michigan, were exposed to bicarbonate ion under controlled chemical conditions. In particular, effects of pH and redox conditions on arsenic release were evaluated. The release of arsenic from the aquifer rock was strongly related to the bicarbonate concentration in the leaching solution. The results obtained suggest that the carbonation of arsenic sulfide minerals, including orpiment (As2S3) and realgar (As2S2), is an important process in leaching arsenic into groundwater under anaerobic conditions. The arseno−carbonate complexes formed, believed to be As(CO3)2-, As(CO3)(OH)2-, and AsCO3+, are stable in groundwater. The reaction of ferrous ion with the thioarsenite from carbonation process can result in the formation of arsenopyrite which is a common mineral in arsenic-rich aquifers.
A Food Checklist for rapid assessment of energy and protein

ABSTRACT A Food Checklist (FCL) was developed to document food and nutrient intake patterns of hospitalized patients based on nutrition standards of the Food Guide Pyramid and kcal and protein values of the Exchange Lists. Dietary and nursing staff recorded food intake of 34 male hematology/oncology inpatients. Average dietary intake calculated from the FCL (1360 +807 kcal and 54 +33 g protein) correlated at the 0.99 level with computer estimations and were significantly correlated with intakes of the 12 vitamins and minerals and with dramatic weight loss of the patients. The FCL serves as a diagnostic/food guidance tool useful for nutritional assessment and the need for further screening.
Remotely sensed estimates of crop water demand

In water limited environments, the density and water content of plant canopies are highly correlated to available soil moisture. Specific absorption bands for liquid water are identifiable and the variation in their depths can be related to canopy water content using high spectral resolution (hyperspectral) imagery. The spectral absorption feature centered at approximately 980 nm has been widely utilized for estimating equivalent water thickness, a measure of the volume of canopy water if it is equally distributed over the area of the pixel. Although it is affected by canopy structure, it is highly correlated with plant water content, and is independent of reflectance changes due to photosynthetic pigments. This study relates the depth of the 980 nm water band absorption, measured by the continuum removal (CR) technique, to crop water stress, and compares these results to other vegetation and plant stress indicators, NDVI and NDWI.
Securing multimodal biometric data through watermarking and steganography

Many security concerns are raised through the storing and transferring of biometric data, which is sensitive and may be impossible to recover if lost, counterfeited, or hacked. Here, we present an approach for hiding biometric data, which utilizes a combination of asymmetric digital watermarking and steganography. The combination of these techniques enables the system to handle many issues associated with storing and transferring raw biometric data. What we propose is a multilayer framework that first, encodes eigen-features extracted from raw face images, into a fingerprint image. Sequentially, each watermarked fingerprint image is encoded within an arbitrary host image unrelated to biometrics or forensics, securing the image for transfer. The contributions of this work are as follows: developed an application of biometric watermarking face eigenfeatures into fingerprint images that are usable to provide authentication; developed the process of encoding the fingerprint images into an arbitrary host image, which provides an increased level of security and authentication; and the introduction of the concept of an asymmetric watermarking and steganography framework.
Hypoxia triggers meiotic fate acquisition in maize.

Evidence from confocal microscopic reconstruction of maize anther development in fertile, mac1 (excess germ cells), and msca1 (no germ cells) flowers indicates that the male germ line is multiclonal and uses the MAC1 protein to organize the somatic niche. Furthermore, we identified redox status as a determinant of germ cell fate, defining a mechanism distinct from the animal germ cell lineage. Decreasing oxygen or H2O2 increases germ cell numbers, stimulates superficial germ cell formation, and rescues germinal differentiation in msca1 flowers. Conversely, oxidizing environments inhibit germ cell specification and cause ectopic differentiation in deeper tissues. We propose that hypoxia, arising naturally within growing anther tissue, acts as a positional cue to set germ cell fate.
Development and evaluation of refractory CVD coatings as contact materials for molten silicon

Abstract Amorphous CVD layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride are converted to α- and β-Si 3 N 4 in contact with molten silicon. Silicon nitride layers are converted initially to α-Si 3 N 4 with a low β-Si 3 N 4 content. The α phase is then slowly converted to the β phase accompanied by simultaneous decomposition. By contrast, silicon oxynitride (SiO x N y ) layers are converted for the predominantly to β-Si 3 N 4 with a low α-Si 3 N 4 content. In this process, oxygen is evolved, and there is no evidence for the existence of an oxynitride phase in the resulting layers. The analysis also indicates that β-Si 3 N 4 is much more resistant to chemical attack by molten silicon than α-Si 3 N 4 . Consequently, CVD silicon oxynitride provides a useful means of obtaining relatively pure and inert β-Si 3 N 4 as a substrate coating for prolonged exposure to molten silicon, while CVD silicon nitride coatings are useful for shorter exposure times. Crystallographic analysis of silicon ribbon test specimens, grown from CVD-coated dies, indicates that silicon carbide inclusions are not present in the ribbon samples. The results of infrared analysis also show that the carbon content of the silicon ribbons is below detection level and lower than in the Czochralski seed material.
A new approach utilizing high‐resolution proton NMR in structural analysis of intercalation complexes of natural DNA

Protons on the antimalarial intercalator quinacrine and a substituted phenanthrene intercalator were monitored on titration with sonicated DNA. The titrations were carried out below the DNA Tm but at a temperature, ionic strength, and intercalator concentration sufficient to give fast exchange conditions and a minimum of dimerization of the planar aromatic intercalators. Line widths were kept within reasonable limits by using sonicated DNA, high temperature, fast exchange conditions and an excess of intercalator over DNA binding sites. Proton assignments were made using analysis of chemical shifts, coupling patterns, NOE and 2D methods. 2D COSY experiments on DNA-intercalator complexes were performed to assist in assigning protons for the bound intercalator. Line broadening with quinacrine is more severe than with the phenanthrene, and the acridine essentially represents the limit of the NMR titration method. The phenanthrene intercalator, on the other hand, illustrates the power of the method, particularly when analyzing a series of compounds. Using chemical shift changes of the phenanthrene on titration with DNA and space filling molecular modeling studies, we have been able to propose a general structure for the phenanthrene intercalation complex.
Background Reduction with Two-Color Two-Beam Multiphoton Excitation

By comparing axial excitation profiles, we present experimental proof which demonstrates that two-color two-beam multiphoton excitation offers a better signal to background ratio than conventional single beam multiphoton excitation.
MLS ClO observations and arctic polar vortex temperatures

Analysis of Upper Altmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) observations in early January 1992 shows a clear relationship between predicted polar stratospheric cloud formation along the back trajectory and elevated ClO amounts. These findings are in good agreement with aircraft observations. The MLS observed variation of ClO amounts within the vortex also fits the pattern of ClO change as a result of air parcel solar exposure and nitric acid photolysis. Outside the polar vortex, the occasional highly elevated ClO appear statistically consistent with MLS measurement noise.
Making masculinity: Negotiations of gender presentation among Latino gay men

Many studies of masculinity examine the experiences of White men, men of color and White gay men, but often do not incorporate the experiences of gay men of color. This study builds on recent work on Latino gay immigrants by focusing on the experiences of US-born Latino gay men, who have received relatively scant attention by researchers. Drawing from ethnographic findings of gay Latino social circles, this study examines how gay Latino men negotiate boundaries of masculinity. These men employ specific strategies when “doing” masculinity, which in turn are shaped by their racialization as Latinos within the US context, their gendered socialization within their immigrant family, and feelings of exclusion from mainstream gay spaces. These findings have implications for better understanding and addressing racial and class schisms within the larger LGBT movement.
Pyramidal cell selective ablation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 1 causes increase in cellular and network excitability.

Abstract Background Neuronal activity at gamma frequency is impaired in schizophrenia (SZ) and is considered critical for cognitive performance. Such impairments are thought to be due to reduced N -methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-mediated inhibition from parvalbumin interneurons, rather than a direct role of impaired NMDAR signaling on pyramidal neurons. However, recent studies suggest a direct role of pyramidal neurons in regulating gamma oscillations. In particular, a computational model has been proposed in which phasic currents from pyramidal cells could drive synchronized feedback inhibition from interneurons. As such, impairments in pyramidal neuron activity could lead to abnormal gamma oscillations. However, this computational model has not been tested experimentally and the molecular mechanisms underlying pyramidal neuron dysfunction in SZ remain unclear. Methods In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that SZ-related phenotypes could arise from reduced NMDAR signaling in pyramidal neurons using forebrain pyramidal neuron specific NMDA receptor 1 knockout mice. Results The mice displayed increased baseline gamma power, as well as sociocognitive impairments. These phenotypes were associated with increased pyramidal cell excitability due to changes in inherent membrane properties. Interestingly, mutant mice showed decreased expression of GIRK2 channels, which has been linked to increased neuronal excitability. Conclusions Our data demonstrate for the first time that NMDAR hypofunction in pyramidal cells is sufficient to cause electrophysiological, molecular, neuropathological, and behavioral changes related to SZ.
Optical absorption intensities of trivalent erbium in a 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) polymeric host

Abstract The standard Judd–Ofelt model has been applied to the room temperature absorption intensities of Er 3+ (4f 11 ) transitions in a plastic host 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, referred to as HEMA, to determine the three phenomenological intensity parameters: Ω 2 , Ω 4 , and Ω 6 . Values are used to determine the spectroscopic quality factor for Er 3+ in HEMA and are compared to those for Er 3+ in crystalline hosts. The intensity parameters are subsequently used to determine the radiative decay rates and branching ratios of the Er 3+ transitions from the upper multiplet manifolds to the corresponding lower-lying multiplet manifolds 2 S +1 L J of Er 3+ (4f 11 ) in HEMA. Using the radiative decay rates for Er 3+ (4f 11 ) transitions between the corresponding excited states and the lower-lying states, the radiative lifetimes of eight excited states are determined.
Glutathione S-transferases of human lung: Characterization and evaluation of the protective role of the α-class isozymes against lipid peroxidation

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozymes of human lung have been purified, characterized, quantitated, and, based on their structural and immunological profiles, identified with their respective classes. The tau-, mu-, and alpha-class GSTs represented 94, 3, and 3% activities of total human lung GSTs toward CDNB, respectively, and 60, 10, and 30% of total GST protein, respectively. Both the mu- and the alpha-class GSTs of human lung exhibited heterogeneity. The two mu-class GSTs of human lung had pI values of 6.5 and 6.25 and were differentially expressed in humans. Significant differences were seen between the kinetic properties of these two isozymes and also between the lung and liver mu-class GSTs. The alpha-class GST isozymes of lung resolved into three peaks during isoelectric focusing corresponding to pI values of 9.2, 8.95, and 8.8. All three alpha-class GSTs isozymes had blocked N-termini and were immunologically similar to human liver alpha-class GSTs. Peptide fingerprints generated by SV-8 protease digestion and CNBr cleavage indicated minor structural differences between the liver and the lung alpha-class GSTs. The three alpha-class GSTs of lung expressed glutathione peroxidase activities toward the hydroperoxides of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol, with Km values in the range of 22 to 87 microM and Vmax values in the range of 67-120 mol/mol/min, indicating the involvement of the alpha-class GSTs in the protection mechanisms against peroxidation. All three classes of lung GSTs expressed activities toward leukotriene A4 methyl ester and epoxy stearic acid but the mu-class GSTs had relatively higher activities toward these substrates.
G protein-coupled receptors: computer-aided ligand discovery and computational structural analyses in the 2010s

G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs, are a large superfamily of proteins found on the plasma membrane of cells. They are involved in most physiological and pathophysiological functions and constitute the target of the majority of marketed drugs. Although these receptors have been historically elusive to attempts of structural determination, GPCR crystallography is now in full blossom, opening the way to structure-based drug discovery and enabling homology modeling. This thematic issue of the journal In Silico Pharmacology, which illustrates how the expanding body of structural knowledge is fostering complex computational analyses of the structure-function relationships of the receptors and their interactions with their ligands, stems from the 31st Camerino-Cyprus-Noordwijkerhout Symposium held in Italy, in May 2013, at the University of Camerino. Specifically, it originates from a session of the symposium entitled “Structure-Based Discovery of Ligands of G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Finally a Reality”, and features a mix of research articles and reviews on the application of computational modeling to the analysis of the structure of GPCRs and the interactions of the receptors with their ligands.
Influence of Homologous Blood Serum on Motility and Head-to-Head Agglutination in Nonmotile Ejaculated Bovine Spermatozoa

Twenty-five ejaculates, five from each of five different bulls, were used to determine the influence of heat-treated heifer serum on motility, head-to-head agglutination, and acrosomal integrity in aged nonmotile spermatozoa. Spermatozoa from each ejaculate were diluted immediately after collection to 30 X 106 spermatozoa/mI in 2.9% sodium citrate and incubated for 8 h at 37#{176}C. As a result of this 8 h incubation, spermatozoal motility was lost and loss of acrosomal integrity was minimal. Immediately following the 8 h incubation, 20% (v/v) homologous heifer serum was added to each sample which was again incubated at 37#{176}C for 8 h. Aliquots were evaluated at 1 mm, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h for percentage motile spermatozoa (% MOT), percentage intact acrosomes (PIA), and percentage head-to-head agglutination (lilIA). The addition of serum resulted in an immediate (1 mm) increase (P<0.01) in progressive motility for all 25 ejaculates. All but two ejaculates responded to the addition of serum with motility equal to or exceeding the motility estimate made immediately after collection of the semen. These 23 ejaculates remained motile throughout the 8 h incubation in serum. No correlation was found between the posteollection motility estimate in 2.9% sodium citrate and motility immediately (1 mm) following addition of serum. Ejaculates with low postcollection motility responded to the serum treatment as well or better than ejaculates with high postcollection motility. Significant (P<0.01) HIIA occurred in all ejaculates following the addition of serum. Although % MOT was maximal 1 mm following addition of serum, maximum HHA was not observed until 2 h after serum addition. There was a decline (P<0.01) in PIA and Ill-IA during the 8 h postserum incubation; however, acrosomal integrity was higher than HIIA at each evaluation time. Once HHA had reached its maximum, an overall positive correlation (r = 0.73, P<0.01) was found between FIIIA and PIA for the 2, 4, 6, and 8 h evaluation times. These data show that ejaculated spermatozoa that have become immotile due to in vitro aging can regain or exceed their initial motility and undergo IIHA following addition of serum.
A study of the order of the π temporary anion states of 1,4-cyclohexadiene by electron scattering

Abstract The symmetries of the two low-lying π* temporary anion states of 1,4-cyclohexadiene are studied by electron energy loss and angular distribution measurements. Analysis of the vibrational modes excited by the resonances and the angular distribution of electrons exciting a totally symmetric vibrational mode provide two independent means to confirm that the 2Au anion state lies below the 2B3g state.
Diagnostic role of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography‑computed tomography in prostate cancer

The role of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) in prostate cancer remains controversial due to a limited number of previous clinical investigations. The aim of the present retrospective study was to assess the diagnostic value of FDG PET-CT in prostate cancer, with an emphasis on the detection of metastatic disease. Twenty-five relevant cases of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer, referred for staging, or with a history of prostate cancer or recent prostate specific antigen (PSA) relapse, referred for the detection of metastatic disease, were included in the present study. None of the patients had known imaging or pathological evidence of metastatic disease prior to FDG PET-CT, however, the PSA levels had been recorded in all patients in the two months prior to FDG PET-CT imaging. Verification of the FDG PET-CT observations was made by biopsy, regional diagnostic CT and/or whole-body bone scintigraphy. The sensitivity of FDG PET-CT in identifying untreated primary lesions was only 33% (3/9). However, FDG PET-CT detected metastatic disease in six of the nine patients who underwent initial staging. Out of 16 patients with previous treatments and recent PSA relapse, FDG PET-CT successfully identified metastatic diseases in 12 and tumor recurrence within the prostatic fossa of two patients. The difference in the PSA levels was identified to be statistically significant between the FDG PET-CT-positive and -negative subgroups of the 16 restaging patients. The results indicated that FDG PET-CT is not useful for the diagnosis of prostate cancer, but may aid with the detection of metastatic disease in appropriately selected patients.
Atomic response to optical fluctuating fields: Temporal resolution on a scale less than pulse correlation time.

Excitation of a three-level atom irradiated by a sequence of two fluctuating pulses is discussed. The pulses have bandwidth ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}_{\mathit{c}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, relative delay time ${\mathit{t}}_{12}$, and can be correlated with one another. It is shown that, for strong excitation pulses, the level populations and atomic coherence as functions of ${\mathit{t}}_{12}$ can vary on a time scale much smaller than ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}_{\mathit{c}}$. This effect may lead to a means for obtaining high temporal and spatial resolution.
POWER AND POLITICS IN PRIVATIZATION NEGOTIATIONS

Much of the commerce of state and local governments with private firms is fairly routine. Standardized procedures exist for its conduct. A trend to privatization of facilities and services, however, has created novel contexts in which government‐business relationships must be negotiated. In the absence of established ground rules, the balance of power between the local government and the firm is likely to be asymmetrical and unstable. This manuscript chronicles the dynamic nature of power distribution and the application of power in negotiations surrounding the privatization of a major distribution facility in one of the largest cities in the United States. The manuscript concludes with some cautionary comments for firms contemplating conducting business with local governments.
’Thinking of Her & as & Ireland’: Yeats, Pearse and Heaney

(1990). ’Thinking of Her . . . as . . . Ireland’: Yeats, Pearse and Heaney. Textual Practice: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 1-21.
Mentoring in research: A developmental approach.

Psychologists are frequently called on to mentor students, trainees, and early faculty in various aspects associated with research. Little formal training is provided to mentors on how to effectively and successfully mentor trainees at the various developmental levels of the training process. The authors apply a developmental focus to the mentoring relationship. The literature on research mentoring is reviewed, including a review of mentorship with women and ethnic minorities. The multiple roles and functions of mentorship for clinical researchers and research scientists also are explored. Finally, the authors provide a list of the top 6 skills and behaviors that enable successful mentoring.
Grammaticalization in American sign language

Abstract Previous research on American Sign Language, while analyzing the complexity and systematicity of the language from the phonological to the syntactic levels, has overlooked the area of grammaticalization studies as a means of accounting for the current shape of the language. The present study examines the process of grammaticalization in ASL, verifying its presence in the language, appealing to its basic principles (in cooperation with those of internal reconstruction) as a justification for certain structural properties of the language, and drawing parallels between the various stages represented in the ASL data and those found in oral language. The more advanced stages of grammaticalization (i.e. those situations involving fusion and affecting the language’s syntax) are examined in-depth, leading to the proposal of a ‘temporal-ordering’ analysis (i.e. Mithun, 1997) to explain the sequencing of verbal morphology in ASL where other theories—such as Bybee’s (i.e. 1985, 1994) relevance hypothesis—are unable to account for the present shape of the verbal complex.
In vivo relation between cineangiographic jet width and jet width imaged by color-coded Doppler

Abstract Measurement of jet velocity distal to a flow obstruction permits estimation of pressure drop, and the resulting value can be used to assess the clinical impact of a cardiac or great vessel lesion. Pressure drop, however, is flow dependent.1 Valve area, which is computed using a flow term derived from catheterization1 or ultrasonic data,2 is probably more desirable information than pressure drop alone. Another approach to computation of valve area might be accurate measurement of jet area. Jets can be imaged by cineangiography and a somewhat similar display can be imaged by color-coded Doppler. With color-coded Doppler, a “jet” imaged distal to an obstruction is displayed as a mosaic or aliased pattern, which has some morphologic characteristics similar to those observed on a cineangiogram. The coefficient of discharge (also called the coefficient of contraction and vena contracta) is the ratio of jet area to obstructive orifice area. Although the coefficient of discharge may assume a range of values, many circumstances have a value approximating 0.7.1 Because color-coded Doppler images a pattern distal to an obstruction that has morphologic characteristics similar to those of a jet, it would be very convenient if that pattern actually represented the jet. If this were true, measurement of this unage and use of the ratio could approximate the area of the obstructive orifice. Yoganathan et al3 reported that the color-coded image of an in vitro jet is an indirect indicator of orifice size, but that the jet, as imaged, is about 20% larger than the true jet. This study examines the in vivo relation between the flow disturbance imaged by color-coded Doppler and the jet width detected by cineangiography. If a relation could be established, Doppler jet width would be a diameter that could be converted to an area [ area = ( width 2 ) 2 · π ] and that area could be used to predict orifice area. Our hypothesis was that width (or area) of the in vivo Doppler jet will exceed width (or area) of the cineangiographic jet.
Understanding the Bacterial Flora of the Female Genital Tract

The microbiological flora of the lower female genital tract provides a dynamic, complex example of microbial colonization, the regulation of which is not fully understood. When an exogenous bacterial species, with its array of virulence factors, is introduced into the host, disease does not always occur. Conversely, under selected conditions, commensal endogenous bacteria-for example, Gardnerella vaginalis and group B streptococci-can participate in disease processes. Disease caused by both exogenous and endogenous bacteria correlates positively with a markedly increased level of bacterial replication. The key question is what determines the quantity of a given bacterium at any given time. For disease to occur, exogenous or endogenous bacteria that possess pathogenic prerequisites must attain replicative dominance. Their ability to do so is potentially governed by inhibitory or synergistic interrelationships with other microbes.
The Effects of Therapeutic Riding on Sitting Posture in Individuals with Disabilities

This study describes the effects of therapeutic horseback riding on the sitting posture of individuals with disabilities. Three participants (ages 10-40) with various disabilities were recruited from a therapeutic riding center in the Midwest. The researchers took measures of the sitting posture of these participants before and after an eight week therapeutic riding program. Posture measures were taken using a super VHS video-camera and motion analysis equipment. The video data was analyzed using Peak Motus 32 motion analysis software. Angles were calculated from the sitting posture of participants, and analyzed for any change from pre-test to post-test periods. Findings showed significant changes in four of the eight measures of sitting posture, which suggests a positive effect of therapeutic riding on sitting posture in people with physical disabilities. Future research is recommended with a larger subject pool and inclusion of a control group to validate the effects of therapeutic riding. Research is also suggested to further establish the validity of motion analysis equipment as a quantitative measure of posture.
Prenatal stress, gestational age and secondary sex ratio: the sex-specific effects of exposure to a natural disaster in early pregnancy

background: Previous research suggests that maternal exposure to acute stress has a negative impact on the duration of pregnancy, and that this effect may vary by the time of exposure. It has also been proposed that stress exposure reduces the ratio of male-to-female births. To date, no study has jointly examined both outcomes, although they may be strongly related. Using population-level data with no selectivity, we jointly study the sex-specific effect of stress on the duration of pregnancy and the observed sex ratio among pregnant women exposed to a major earthquake in Chile. methods: In a quasi-experimental design, women exposed to the earthquake in different months of gestation were compared with women pregnant 1 year earlier. Estimates from a comparison group of pregnant women living in areas not affected by the earthquake were also examined to rule out confounding trends. Regression models were used to measure the impact of earthquake exposure on gestational age and preterm birth by sex across month of gestation. A counterfactual simulation was implemented to assess the effect of the earthquake on the secondary sex ratio accounting for the differential impact of stress on gestational age by sex. results: Earthquake exposure in Months 2 and 3 of gestation resulted in a significant decline in gestational age and increase in preterm delivery. Effects varied by sex, and were much larger for female than male pregnancies. Among females, the probability of preterm birth increased by 0.038 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.005, 0.072] in Month 2 and by 0.039 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.075) in Month 3. Comparable increases for males were insignificant at the conventional P , 0.05 level. After accounting for the sex-specific impact on gestational age, a decline in the male-to-female ratio in Month 3 of exposure was detected [20.058 (95% CI: 20.113, 20.003)]. conclusions: Maternal exposure to an exogenous stressor early but not late in the pregnancy affects gestational age and the probability of preterm birth. This effect is much stronger in females than males. Stress exposure in early pregnancy may also contribute to a decline in the ratio of male-to-female live births in exposed cohorts.
hw-quickcheck: an easy-to-use computer program for checking genotypes for agreement with Hardy–Weinberg expectations

Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg expectations are frequently a sign of genotyping error. HW - QUICKCHECK is an easy-to-use computer program for detecting departures from Hardy– Weinberg equilibrium. HW - QUICKCHECK uses exact tests for all of its calculations. These tests include a global test for heterozygote excess/deficiency and genotype-specific tests.
Intrahippocampal LSD accelerates learning and desensitizes the 5-HT 2A receptor in the rabbit, Romano et al.

Rationale Parenteral injections of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist, enhance eyeblink conditioning. Another hallucinogen, (±)-1(2, 5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride (DOI), was shown to elicit a 5-HT2A-mediated behavior (head bobs) after injection into the hippocampus, a structure known to mediate trace eyeblink conditioning.
Modeling of filamentation damage induced in silica by 351-nm laser pulses

A major risk factor that must be considered in design of the National Ignition Facility is the possibility for catastrophic self-focusing of the 351-nm beam in the silica optical components that are in the final section of the laser. Proposed designs for the laser are analyzed by the beam-propagation code PROP92. A 351-nm self-focusing experiment, induction of tracking damage, was done to provide data for validation of this code. The measured self-focusing lengths were correctly predicted by the code.
Form: a framework for creating views of program executions

Form is a framework used to construct tools for analyzing the runtime behavior of standalone and distributed software systems. The architecture of Form is based on the event broadcast and pipe and filter styles. In the implementation of this architecture, execution profiles may be generated from standalone or distributed systems. The profile data is subsequently broadcast by Form to one or more views. Each view is a tool used to support program understanding or other software development activities. The authors describe the Form architecture and implementation, as well as a tool that was built using Form. This tool profiles Java-based distributed systems and generates UML sequence diagrams to describe their execution. We also present a case study that shows how this tool was used to extract sequence diagrams from a three-tiered EJB-based distributed application.
Low-latency asynchronous FIFO's using token rings

This paper presents several new asynchronous FIFO designs. While most existing FIFO's trade higher throughput for higher latency, our goal is to achieve very low latency while maintaining good throughput. The designs are implemented as circular arrays of cells connected to common data buses. Data items are not moved around the array once they are enqueued. Each cell's input and output behavior is dictated by the flow of two tokens around the ring: one that allows enqueuing data and one that allows dequeuing data. Two novel protocols are introduced with various degrees of parallelism, as well as four different implementations. The best simulation results, in 0.6 /spl mu/, have a latency of 1.73 ns and throughput of 454 MegaOperations/second for a 4-place FIFO.
Transportin acts to regulate mitotic assembly events by target binding rather than Ran sequestration

Transportin-specific molecular tools are used to show that the mitotic cell contains importin β and transportin “global positioning system” pathways that are mechanistically parallel. Transportin w...
Alvimopan for the Management of Postoperative Ileus

OBJECTIVE:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, safety, dosage, and administration of alvimopan, a peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonist, in the management of postoperative ileus (POI).DATA SOURCES:A literature search (1980–October 2004%) applying the terms alvimopan, ADL 8–2698, and LY246736 was conducted using MEDLINE. Information was also obtained from scientific congress abstracts and data on file with the manufacturer.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Studies and abstracts investigating alvimopan and POI were considered for inclusion; however, they were restricted to English-language articles.DATA SYNTHESIS:Alvimopan is a novel, peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonist that is currently under evaluation for the management of POI. POI presents significant clinical challenges that can delay patient recovery and contribute to increased morbidity and prolonged hospitalization after surgery. Clinical trials have demonstrated that alvimopan, at oral doses of ...
Organization of Sensorimotor Intelligence

Infancy is traditionally recognized as a distinct period in the course of human life; with regard to intellectual activity it is frequently considered to be not only distinct but different. Even those who do not view ontogenesis in terms of qualitative transformations seem to recognize a gap between functioning in infancy and in subsequent age periods. The apparent limitations on self-initiated activity, on physical mobility, and on communication with others during infancy have impressed numerous observers and have led to the conjecture that the infant’s world may be quite unlike the world as known by the adult. Thus studies of infant intelligence have been concerned largely with charting those infant behaviors that seem to indicate progressive approximation to adult patterns of action, or those that seem to document acquisition of concrete information about the world. Since the importance of advance to adult and thereby uniquely human forms of intellectual activity is so clear, the relative neglect of forms of functioning characteristic of infancy itself need not be surprising.
Effects of Changes in Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Functioning on Physical Disability in Home Care Elders

NUMEROUS population-based aging studies have reported that depression is disabling (1–4). There is suggestion, however, that the effect of depression on disability may be less salient in older adults who are already disabled. For example, Mehta and colleagues (5) found that depressive symptoms have no significant effect on functional decline after controlling for cognitive impairment among older persons with dependence in activities of daily living (ADL) at baseline, although both depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment are risk factors for functional decline among those with no ADL dependence. Research has shown that depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment occur concomitantly (6), that cognitive dysfunction is a common symptomatic manifestation of late-life depression (7), and that poor cognitive functioning is a major risk factor for physical decline (8). Hence, it is possible that the observed effects of depression on disability are due to cognitive deficits, particularly among home care elders who are vulnerable to both depression and cognitive impairment (9,10). There is also evidence that emotional health and cognitive ability interact to influence physical function; for instance, Raji and colleagues (11) found that low depressive symptoms buffer the adverse impact of low cognition on subsequent decline of lower body function among older Mexican Americans. The purpose of this study is threefold. First, we investigate the effect of changes in depression status on physical disability among elderly persons receiving home care. Second, we examine whether such effect is independent of concomitant changes in cognitive status. Third, we test whether changes in depression and cognitive status interact to influence physical disability.
Using metamers to explore motion perception

Abstract We examined conditions under which two quite different types of random-dot cinematograms were perceptually matched. In one stimulus type, directions of motion were defined by a uniform distribution; in the other, directions were drawn from a discrete set of just a few, widely separated directions. Cinematograms whose range of uniformly distributed directions lay between 180 and 270 deg could be matched by cinematograms containing just 6–10 discrete directions. The number of discrete directions required for a match was a nonmonotonic function of the range of directions present in the other cinematogram. The results are consistent with a line-element model in which the outputs of 12 direction-selective mechanisms, each with a half-amplitude half-bandwidth of 30 deg, are combined nonlinearly to produce the percept of motion.
Extracellular acidity potentiates AMPA receptor-mediated cortical neuronal death

The extracellular acidity that accompanies brain hypoxia–ischemia is known to reduce both NMDA and AMPA–kainate receptor-mediated currents and NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity. Although a protective effect of acidic pH on AMPA–kainate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity has been assumed, such has not been demonstrated. Paradoxically, we found that lowering extracellular pH selectively increased AMPA–kainate receptor-mediated neurotoxicity in neocortical cell cultures, despite reducing peak elevations in intracellular free Ca2+. This injury potentiation may, at least in part, be related to a slowed recovery of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, observed after AMPA–kainate receptor activation, but not after NMDA receptor activation or exposure to high K+. The ability of acidic pH to selectively augment AMPA–kainate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity may contribute to the prominent role that these receptors play in selective neuronal death after transient global ischemia.
Thermodynamic Stabilization via Energy Dissipating Hybrid Controllers

A novel class of fixed-order, energy-based hybrid controllers is proposed as a means for achieving enhanced energy dissipation in Euler-Lagrange, port-controlled Hamiltonian, and lossless dynamical systems. These dynamic controllers combine a logical switching architecture with continuous dynamics to guarantee that the system plant energy is strictly decreasing across switchings. The general framework leads to closed-loop systems described by impulsive differential equations. In addition, we construct hybrid dynamic controllers that guarantee that the closed-loop system is consistent with basic thermodynamic principles. In particular, the existence of an entropy function for the closed-loop system is established that satisfies a hybrid Clausius-type inequality. Special cases of energy-based hybrid controllers involving state-dependent switching are described.
Increased drain saturation current in ultra-thin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOS transistors

Based on substrate-charge considerations, an increased drain saturation current for MOS transistors in ultrathin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) films is predicted, compared to similar transistors in bulk or thick SOI films. For typical parameters of 200-A gate oxide with a channel doping of 4*10/sup 16/ cm/sup -3/, the drain saturation current in ultrathin SOI transistors is predicted to be approximately 40% larger than that of bulk structures. An increase of approximately 30% is seen in measurements made on devices in 1000-A SOI films. >
II. The Subtleties of Meaning: Still Arguing After All These Years

I was a graduate student in 1979 when Rhoda Unger’s article ‘Toward a Redefinition of Sex and Gender’ was published in the American Psychologist (AP). The 1970s were an exciting time (I use exciting in its most general way as a reference to central and autonomic nervous system activation) to be a student. The Women’s Liberation Movement was in high gear, the field of the psychology of women was blooming, and (unlike now) it was fashionable to discuss feminist politics and critiques. At the same time, sexism was more often blatant than subtle, there were few female professors to serve as mentors, and male professors and students were often openly skeptical about whether female graduate students would ever make intellectual contributions to the field. It was difficult then (and still can be now) to publish feminist work in ‘mainstream’ psychology journals, so to see Rhoda’s article in the AP was a welcome surprise. I photocopied the article in the university library, read it with a sense of delight and amazement, and, in a typical burst of enthusiasm, underlined more sentences than not. I underlined so many of her words not because I deserve a diagnosis of obsessivecompulsive disorder, and not because I had never before heard of any of the ideas she mentioned, but because the way she expressed her ideas was so clever, so incisive, and so striking that I wanted to remember what she wrote and to be able to find and reread my favorite sentences again (and again). Rhoda Unger is often described as ‘brilliant.’ I think that people choose that word so often because Rhoda is an intellectual powerhouse: she notices things that other people miss, she synthesizes other people’s ideas in new and interesting ways, she is a witty and elegant writer, and, even now in retirement, she is always working on a scholarly project. A few years after I read her AP article, I met her at an Association for Women in Psychology conference. I was shy and
Interferometric second harmonic generation microscopy.

We describe a novel second harmonic generation (SHG) microscope that employs heterodyne detection by interfering the epidirected SHG from a sample with SHG from a reference crystal. In addition, the microscope provides complementary reflectance information based on optical coherence microscopy (OCM). The instrument features dual balanced detection to minimize the effect of source fluctuations, and polarization-sensitive detection to measure the nonlinear susceptibility of the sample. Interferometric detection can potentially improve the sensitivity and thus extend the imaging depth as compared with direct detection of SHG.