cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Congenital heart management in Trisomy 13 and 18: Survey of pediatric cardiology providers

Abstract Best practices for the care of patients with Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 18 are not well defined. The aim of this work is to identify current perspectives and practices of pediatric cardiac practitioners regarding the care and procedural management of these patients. A survey was distributed to all 412 members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. Respondents were asked about the appropriateness of interventional catheterization and surgical procedures for patients with Trisomy 13/18. Other questions focused on provider perceptions regarding Trisomy 13/18 quality of life, decision making, and other measures of care. 103 respondents met inclusion threshold. With the exception of patent ductus arteriosus stenting, over half agreed or somewhat agreed that various interventional catheter procedures were appropriate for Trisomy 13/18 patients. A majority agreed or somewhat agreed that Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) categories 1 (71%) and 2 (58%) procedures were appropriate in Trisomy 13/18, with steep reductions in this sentiment for subsequent RACHS categories. Most respondents did not feel that extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is reasonable in this population. 59% reported that their institution has no written or generally agreed upon policies for the care of this population. Overall, findings demonstrate variability regarding the perceived appropriateness of specific interventions for patients with Trisomy 13/18, with most providers feeling that lower-risk interventions may be appropriate. Providers, pediatric heart centers, and families may benefit from better defined institutional approaches to the management of these patients.
Nueva tipología monetal de la ceca Madīnat al-Zahrā’ a nombre del califa ‘Abd al-Raḥmān III con leyenda en hebreo

This paper introduces an unpublished dirham of the first Caliph of al-Andalus coined in the Madīnat al-Zahrā’ mint in the year 337/948-949, with a Hebrew inscription. After the description of the coin, this article offers an analysis of the epigraphic evolution of the Madīnat al-Zahrā’ mint’s name on the caliphal coinage, based on the study of eight hundred and seventy-two dirhams conserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid. The analysis of this material shows the singularity of the studied piece in the context of the caliphal coinage. On the other hand, the study of the appearance of Hebrew legends on Western Islamic coins allows the proposal of a possible reading of the Hebrew inscription that appears in the dirham. This coin is the only monetary evidence regarding the presence of Sephardic Jews in the Andalusi court during the ‘Abd al-Raḥmān III Caliphate in which Ḥasday b. Saprūṭ played a significant role.
Software Defined Doppler Radar for Landmine Detection using GA-Optimized Machine Learning

Using software defined radar (SDR) technology and modern machine learning algorithms, this paper demonstrates a software defined Doppler Radar(SDDRadar) system that can distinguish buried non-metallic landmine from other buried objects (rock, wood, etc.) with a high accuracy. In the sensing, the spectrum responses of different buried objects are collected using the SDDRadar. The vibration spectrum data are fed into a Random Forest where a Genetic Algorithm(GA) is designed to optimize the performance of the Random Forest. To leverage SDDRadar sensitivity, a clutter cancellation circuit is designed and integrated into the system. Two outdoor tests are performed under dry and wet soil conditions. For performance evaluation, the GA-optimized Random Forest is compared with other two machine learning algorithms, including Support Vector Machine and Logistic Regression. As it turns out, the GA-optimized Random Forest has the best classification performance in terms of both precision and recall parameters.
Calibrating heterogeneous car-following models for human drivers in oscillatory traffic conditions

Accurately modeling the realistic and unstable traffic dynamics of human-driven traffic flow is crucial to being able to to understand how traffic dynamics evolve, and how new agents such as autonomous vehicles might influence traffic flow stability. This work is motivated by a recent dataset that allows us to calibrate accurate models, specifically in conditions when traffic waves arise. Three microscopic carfollowing models are calibrated using a microscopic vehicle trajectory dataset that is collected with the intent of capturing oscillatory driving conditions. For each model, five traffic flow metrics are constructed to compare the flow-level characteristics of the simulated traffic with experimental data. The results show that the optimal velocity-follow the leader (OV-FTL) model and the optimal velocity relative velocity model (OVRV) model are both able to reproduce the traffic flow oscillations, while the intelligent driver model (IDM) model requires substantially more noise in each driver’s speed profile to exhibit the same waves.
Factor Structure of the Vocational Identity Status Assessment (VISA) in University, Liberal Arts, and Community College Students

The Vocational Identity Status Assessment (VISA) measures vocational identity development in adolescents and emerging adults. Although the initial six-factor structure has been confirmed, there hav...
The Kidney in Pregnancy

The variety of problems associated with the kidney that may affect a pregnancy is of course enormous, but three broad categories can be delineated: infections, antecedent chronic renal diseases, and the hypertensive disorders (“toxemias”) and their sequelae. Guidelines are given for the management of patients in all groups; with early diagnosis, therapeutic abortion need be performed much less often than in the past.
A maternity care home model of enhanced prenatal care to reduce preterm birth rate and NICU use

BACKGROUND Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) funded 182 US health care sites to reduce preterm birth rates by enhancing prenatal care for at-risk women. As a funded site, the enhanced prenatal care maternity care home (MCH) model was implemented from 2013 to 2018 for 1042 Medicaid-eligible pregnant women. METHODS This retrospective study evaluated the impact of enhanced services on preterm birth risk reduction. Certified community health workers provided enhanced services from enrollment through six weeks postpartum. Participants attending enhanced intake and third-trimester prenatal visits comprised the Active Group (N = 632). Participants missing third-trimester visits, but participating in enhanced intake and postpartum visits, comprised the Inactive Group (N = 128). Lost Group participants attended only intake visits (N = 282). Data were collected through CMS-developed intake, third-trimester, postpartum, and exit forms. Descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and the chi-square tests analyzed the impact of risk factors, participant characteristics, and program participation on birth outcomes. RESULTS Active Group compared with Inactive and Lost Group participants experienced significantly lower preterm birth rates (7.64% vs 22.48% and 15.82%, P < 0.001) and therefore a significantly lower NICU admission rate compared with Inactive and Lost Groups (2.82% vs 11.85% and 5.47%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The MCH model of enhanced prenatal care reduced preterm birth and NICU admission rates for Active Group participants. The Black Active Group participant preterm birth rate was not significantly different than other Active Group rates, but was lower than Black Inactive and Lost Group rates.
Vacuum Polarization and the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem

We further develop the concept of interacting non-local Green functions and utilize them to determine the vacuum polarization of a non-local scalar quantum field around a δ-shaped potential; we also address non-local thermal fluctuations and prove that they are compatible with the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. This chapter is based on Boos et al. (Phys Rev D 99(7):076014, 2019) and Boos et al. (Phys Lett B 793:290, 2019).
Arthroscopic Medial Meniscus Root Repair With Transtibial Ripstop Technique

Background:Meniscal root tears are radial tears occurring at or within 1 cm of the meniscal root attachment. These injuries have been shown to be the biomechanical equivalent of a total meniscectom...
Bramante's Ruined Temple and the Dialectics of the Image*

In studying Donato Bramante's Ruined Temple (1481), this essay looks beyond the traditional question of its subject matter, considering this engraving as an image about images of all kinds. Taking the inconspicuous cross on the column as its focal point, it shows how the print offers a dialectical disquisition on the value of the Christian sign as measured against the alluring remains of pagan civilization. The vexed nature of this choice registers a profound artistic problem. Caught between the ideals of classical antiquarianism and contemporary devotion, Bramante here claims the ground between artistic fame and obscurity, righteousness and idolatrous ruin.
Computational Intelligence Techniques for a Smart Electric Grid of the Future

The electric grid of the future is required to become smarter so as to provide an affordable, reliable, and sustainable supply of electricity. Under such circumstances, considerable research activities have been carried out in the U.S. and Europe to formulate and promote a vision for the development of the future smart electric grid. However, how to achieve those smart features has been less reported. This article aims at identifying several specific areas of application of computational intelligence techniques in the smart electric grid of the future. The computational intelligence techniques that are capable of achieving certain favorable features of various components in a smart electric grid are elaborated.
Signal Transduction During Natural Killer Cell Activation

Understanding of transmembrane signaling during NK-cell activation has greatly expanded during the past few years. The discovery and characterization of novel triggering and inhibitory receptors have revealed the complexity of these processes. This unit focuses on receptor-initiated signaling pathways that modulate NK functions. Establishing the roles of different signaling pathways in NK cells is a crucial step in the design of therapeutic approaches for selective enhancement or suppression of NK-cell activation.
A centralized database for use in studying bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing in food processing and other environments: MicroBQs.

Abstract: Biofilm formation in many bacterial species may be negatively or positively regulated by cell-to-cell signaling systems referred to as quorum sensing (QS). This chapter discusses the construction of a comprehensive, centralized database, known as MicroBQs, which will help in understanding and facilitating research related to biofilms, QS, and the role of QS in biofilm formation, ultimately enhancing food safety. Database contents include genomic and proteomic information, research tools and methods, mechanisms and pathways, as well as relevant literature references. Regular updating of information on the MicroBQs website obtained from internet sites, the scientific literature, and in-house research will be performed. The MicroBQs database can be accessed at http://microbqs.arserrc.gov .
An investigation of the potential of rapid prototyping technology for image guided surgery.

Abstract: Image guided surgery can be broken down into two broad categories: frame-based guidance and frameless guidance. In order to reduce both the invasive nature of stereotactic guidance as well as to reduce the cost in both equipment and time we have developed a new guidance technique based on rapid prototyping (RP) technology. This new system first builds a computer model of the patient anatomy and then fabricates a physical reference frame that provides a precise and unique fit to the patient anatomy. This frame incorporates a means of guiding the surgeon along a preplanned surgical trajectory. This process involves 1) obtaining a high resolution computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scan, 2) building a computer model of the region of interest, 3) Developing a surgical plan and physical guide, 4) designing a frame with a unique fit to the patient?s anatomy with a physical linkage to the surgical guide, and 5) fabricating the frame using a RP unit. Software was developed to support these processes. To test the accuracy of this process, we first scanned and reproduced a plastic phantom fabricated to validate the systems? ability to build an accurate virtual model. A target on the phantom was then identified, a surgical approach planned, and a surgical guide designed and the accuracy and precision of guiding a probe to that target was determined. Steps 1 through 5 were also evaluated using head phantom. The results first show that the RP technology can replicate an object from CT scans with millimeter resolution. The fabricated reference frames, when positioned on the surface of the phantom and used to guide a surgical probe can position the probe tip with an accuracy of 1.7 mm at the probe tip. These results demonstrate that the RP technology can be used for the fabrication of customized positioning frames for use in image-guided surgery.
Toluene dioxygenase: purification of an iron-sulfur protein by affinity chromatography.

Abstract Toluene dioxygenase, from Pseudomonas putida , oxidizes toluene to (+)- cis -1(S),2(R)-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene. The oxygenase-component of this multienzyme system was purified to homogeneity by a two-step procedure that utilized affinity and ion exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme would oxidize toluene only in the presence of NADH, ferrous iron and partially purified preparations of NADH cytochrome c reductase and an iron-sulfur protein (ferredoxinTOL). Spinach NADPH cytochrome c reductase and NADPH could substitute for the Pseudomonas reductase and NADH. The molecular weight of the oxygenase-component was determined to be 151,000 and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate indicated that the enzyme is composed of two subunits with molecular weights of 52,500 and 20,800. The absorption spectrum showed maxima at 550 (Shoulder), 450, 326 and 278 nm and preliminary experiments have indicated the presence of 2 gram atoms of iron and 2 gram atoms of acid-labile sulfur per mole of protein. The results indicate that the oxygenase-component of the toluene dioxygenase enzyme system is an iron-sulfur protein that has been designated ISPTOL.
Neurophysiological effects of capsaicin.

Data obtained from neonatally treated rats are fairly consistent. However, there is disagreement as to whether mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds are elevated or unchanged in this group. There are at least two major areas of disagreement in adult animal capsaicin research. Behavioral data are extremely variable. The thermal nociceptive threshold after systemic capsaicin has been reported to be both raised and lowered. After intrathecal capsaicin injection, the thermal nociceptive threshold was reported raised, but onset and duration of responses varied and some animals exhibited no changes. Capsaicin application to peripheral nerve, however, drastically increased thermal threshold. Mechanical pain threshold has been reported both increased and unchanged after systemic capsaicin treatment and unchanged after intrathecal injection. Obviously, capsaicin's effects upon pain perception are not fully understood. Although lower on the phylogenetic scale than many mammals, rodents exhibit complex individualistic behavior. Lower vertebrates may eventually provide more simple behavioral models for pain tolerance. Investigators also disagree as to whether C fibres can conduct action potentials after local capsaicin application. C fibre conduction was reported unaffected by capsaicin in an acute preparation and for 13-21 days after treatment. On the other hand, C fibre compound action potentials have been reported diminished for up to 2 h after capsaicin application. Additional conduction impairment studies will be useful in comparing peripheral and intrathecal capsaicin application. There is general agreement that, allowing for variation in dosages and route of administration, capsaicin causes central and peripheral C fibre damage, though never as extensive in adults as in neonates. Neonatal capsaicin treatment (always s.c.) results in destruction of C and some A delta fibres and their central terminals. Capsaicin causes degeneration of C terminals in the adult CNS only when applied centrally. In both neonates and adults, s.c. capsaicin depletes the putative 'pain' peptide neurotransmitter, SP, from peripheral and sensory neurons and the tissues they innervate but not from the gut. Capsaicin-induced SP depletion in neonates is permanent. Systemic administration to adult depleted SP from much the same areas as observed in neonates, but all areas but the medulla exhibited a slow, regional recovery. Intraventricular injection of capsaicin depleted SP in the adult medulla only, while other SP-containing areas affected by systemic injection remained intact.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Predictive model of venous thromboembolism in endometrial cancer

Abstract Objective To profile characteristics and survival of endometrial cancer patients who develop venous thromboembolism (VTE) and to establish a predictive model of VTE in endometrial cancer. Methods Cases were identified using an institutional database between 2000 and 2011. VTE was correlated to clinico-pathological information and survival outcomes. Frequency and odds ratio (OR) of VTE were examined in a predictive model based on combination patterns of independent risk factors for VTE. Results VTE was seen in 42 (8.1%, 95% CI 5.8–10.5) out of 516 cases subsequent to the diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Multivariate analysis identified 4 independent risk factors for VTE: elevated CA-125 (hazard ratio [HR] 5.38, p Conclusion VTE represents a surrogate for aggressive disease in endometrial cancer. Multiple risk factors of VTE in our predictive model demonstrated exceedingly high risk of VTE, suggesting that there may be a certain population of endometrial cancer patients who would benefit from long-term anti-coagulant prophylaxis to improve survival outcome.
The evaluation of heart rate biofeedback using a multi-element design

This experiment used the integration of a multi-element design with a second baseline to isolate the effect of biofeedback on the control of a target response, heart rate. The results of the experiment indicate that contingent visual heart rate feedback was instrumental in specifically facilitating the control of heart rate and that control was not mediated by the effects of changes in overall arousal level as measured by skin conductance. These results encourage the experimental analysis of biofeedback using single case designs. Further, the design presented herein offers a clinically and experimentally useful methodology for biofeedback research.
Fractures: Finite-size scaling and multifractals

The distributions of contact area and void space in single fractures in granite rock have been determined experimentally by making metal casts of the void spaces between the fracture surfaces under normal loads. The resulting metal casts on 52 cm diameter core samples show a complex geometry for the flow paths through the fracture. This geometry is analyzed using finite-size scaling. The spanning probabilities and percolation probabilities of the metal casts are calculted as functions of observation scale. Under the highest stresses of 33 MPa and 85 MPa there is a significant size-dependence of the geometric flow properties for observation scales smaller than 2 mm. Based on this data, the macroscopic percolation properties of the extended fracture can be well represented by relatively small core samples, even under normal stresses larger than 33 MPa. The metal casts also have rich multifractal structure that changes with changing stress.
Efficient Use of Exogenous Isoprenols for Protein Isoprenylation by MDA-MB-231 Cells Is Regulated Independently of the Mevalonate Pathway

Mammalian cells can use exogenous isoprenols to generate isoprenoid diphosphate substrates for protein isoprenylation, but the mechanism, efficiency, and biological importance of this process are not known. We developed mass spectrometry-based methods using chemical probes and newly synthesized stable isotope-labeled tracers to quantitate incorporation of exogenously provided farnesol, geranylgeraniol, and unnatural analogs of these isoprenols containing an aniline group into isoprenoid diphosphates and protein isoprenylcysteines by cultured human cancer cell lines. We found that at exogenous isoprenol concentrations >10 μm, this process can generate as much as 50% of the cellular isoprenoid diphosphate pool used for protein isoprenylation. Mutational activation of p53 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells up-regulates the mevalonate pathway to promote tumor invasiveness. p53 silencing or pharmacological inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase in these cells decreases protein isoprenylation from endogenously synthesized isoprenoids but enhances the use of exogenous isoprenols for this purpose, indicating that this latter process is regulated independently of the mevalonate pathway. Our observations suggest unique opportunities for design of cancer cell-directed therapies and may provide insights into mechanisms underlying pleiotropic therapeutic benefits and unwanted side effects of mevalonate pathway inhibition.
Continuous Distribution of Dislocations and the Mathematical Theory of Plasticity

Mises' yield criterion, the Prandtl-Reuss relation between stress and plastic strain rate, and Hencky's theorem on shear lines for isotropic elastic-plastic materials are derived from the theory of continuous distributions of dislocations. A linear relation between the velocity of dislocations and the gliding force acting on the dislocations is assumed in the derivation. Within this framework, the constant k in Mises' yield criterion and the scalar factor μ* in the Prandtl-Reuss relation can be interpreted in the light of dislocation behavior. It can be also proved that the plastic curvature rate disappears and the curvature rate of the material equals the elastic curvature rate of the lattices. Mises Fliesbedingung, die Prandtl-Reuss-Beziehung zwischen Spannungs- und plastischer Verformungsrate und Henckys Theorem uber Scherlinien fur isotrope elastisch-plastische Stoffe wurden aus der Theorie der kontinuierlichen Verteilung von Versetzungen hergeleitet. Bei der Herleitung wurde eine lineare Beziehung zwischen der Geschwindigkeit der Versetzungen und der Gleitkraft, die auf die Versetzung wirkt, angenommen. In Rahmen der Theorie konnen die Konstante k in Mises Flieskriterium und der skalare Faktor μ* in der Prandtl-Reuss-Beziehung durch das Versetzungsverhalten erklart werden. Es kann ebenfalls bewiesen werden, das die plastische Krummungsrate verschwindet und die Krummungarate des Materials gleich der elastischen Krummungsrate des Gitters ist.
Stoichiometric inhibition of mammalian dihydrofolate reductase by the γ-glutamyl metabolite of methotrexate, 4-amino-4-deoxy-N10-methylpteroylglutamyl-γ-glutamate

Summary 4-Amino-4-deoxy-N 10 -methylpteroylglutamyl-γ-glutamate, a recently identified metabolite of methotrexate, was found to be equal in activity to methotrexate as an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase from murine L1210 leukemia cells, and as an inhibitor of the replication of L1210 cells in vitro and in vivo . The enzyme-inhibitory and cytotoxic activity of the metabolite was some 11-fold greater than anticipated from earlier studies utilizing microbiological assay systems. The results indicate that 4-amino-4-deoxy-N 10 -methylpteroylglutamyl-γ-glutamate formed in vivo may contribute significantly to the pharmacological activity of the parent drug.
Reforming Human Resource Management Systems: Exploring the Importance of Organizational Trust:

The literature suggests, but provides no empirical evidence, that high trust levels within organizations may aid human resource management reform efforts. This article seeks to fill this empirical ...
Everyday Restriction: Central American Women and the State in the Mexico‐Guatemala Border City of Tapachula

Media coverage and emerging scholarship have brought increasing international attention to the urgent humanitarian crisis facing Central American transmigrants as they navigate landscapes of violen...
Prelithiated Silicon Nanowires as an Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries

Silicon is one of the most promising anode materials for the next-generation high-energy lithium ion battery (LIB), while sulfur and some other lithium-free materials have recently shown high promise as cathode materials. To make a full battery out of them, either the cathode or the anode needs to be prelithiated. Here, we present a method for prelithiating a silicon nanowire (SiNW) anode by a facile self-discharge mechanism. Through a time dependence study, we found that 20 min of prelithiation loads ∼50% of the full capacity into the SiNWs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies show that the nanostructure of SiNWs is maintained after prelithiation. We constructed a full battery using our prelithiated SiNW anode with a sulfur cathode. Our work provides a protocol for pairing lithium-free electrodes to make the next-generation high-energy LIB.
An aging-aware flip-flop design based on accurate, run-time failure prediction

As process technology continues to shrink, Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) has become a major reliability issue in CMOS circuits. NBTI degrades the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor and, over time, causes the operating speed of the circuit to become slower (also known as the aging effect). In this paper, we introduce a new aging-aware Flip-Flop (FF) that is based on accurate, run-time Failure Prediction. In order to maintain prediction accuracy despite aging, we use two schemes: (a) the master latch in the main FF is duplicated and used as an aging monitor so that it can have the same aging effect as that of the main FF; (b) the delay element that is used for the guardband is inserted into the clock network to utilize the recovery effect of NBTI. These schemes keep the guardband virtually constant, which reduces the likelihood of both overestimating the aging effect and failing to detect it. The SPICE simulation results reveal that our FF architecture maintains its prediction accuracy for up to 10 years as a result of keeping its guardband almost completely constant.
SWIFT BAT Loop Heat Pipe Thermal System Characteristics and Ground/Flight Operation Procedure

The SWIFT Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) Detector Array has a total power dissipation of 208 W. To meet the stringent temperature gradient and thermal stability requirements in the normal operational mode, and heater power budget in both the normal operational and safehold modes, the Detector Array is thermally well coupled to eight constant conductance heat pipes (CCHPs) embedded in the Detector Array Plate (DAP), and two loop heat pipes (LHPs) transport heat fiom the CCHPs to a radiator. The CCHPs have ammonia as the working fluid and the LHPs have propylene as the working fluid. Precision heater controllers, which have adjustable set points in flight, are used to control the LHP compensation chamber and Detector Array XA1 ASIC temperatures. The radiator has the AZ-Tek AZW-LA-II low-alpha white paint as the thermal coating and is located on the anti-sun side of the spacecraft. This paper presents the characteristics, ground operation and flight operation procedures of the LHP thermal system.
Scheduling Dial-a-Ride Transportation Systems

An analytic investigation into the fundamental aspects of scheduling “Dial-a-Ride” transportation systems is conducted. Based upon simple mathematical models that focus on the combinatorial nature of the problem, a class of algorithms is derived for which performance can be measured in a precise asymptotic probabilistic sense. The approach yields many qualitative insights and the resulting transportation schemes have many attractive practical features. For example, they have modest computational requirements, are decentralized, and are easy to visualize and implement.
Hyperbilirubinemia results in reduced oxidative injury in neonatal Gunn rats exposed to hyperoxia.

Bilirubin is a potent antioxidant in vitro. To determine whether bilirubin also is an antioxidant in vivo, we studied markers of oxidative injury in the Gunn rat model exposed to hyperoxia. Homozygous jaundiced males were mated with heterozygous nonjaundiced females to obtain both jaundiced and nonjaundiced pups within a litter. Once delivered, the pups and their mother were placed in air (21% O2) or hyperoxia (> 95% O2) for 3 d. Both jaundiced and nonjaundiced pups were removed from the chambers daily. Animals were sacrificed and blood was drawn for determination of serum bilirubin, blood thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) by fluorescence assay, serum hydroperoxides, and serum protein oxidation. Tissues (liver, lung, and brain) were assayed for lipid peroxides (TBARS, conjugated dienes [CD], loss of polyunsaturated fatty acid content [PUFA]). We also measured a wide range of serum antioxidants including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, vitamins A, C, and E, and uric acid. Blood TBARS were significantly decreased in the jaundiced pups compared to the nonjaundiced pups on day 3 of hyperoxia, and blood TBARS were inversely correlated to serum bilirubin on day 3 of hyperoxia (R2 +/- .89). Similar decreases in serum lipid hydroperoxides and serum protein carbonyl content were detected in the jaundiced pups as compared to their nonjaundiced littermates. Other serum antioxidants were not increased in jaundiced animals compared to nonjaundiced animals. Relative lung weight was lower in jaundiced pups exposed to hyperoxia compared to similarly exposed nonjaundiced pups, suggesting a reduction in hyperoxia-induced lung edema. We detected no significant effects of bilirubin on parameters of lipid peroxidation in solid tissues. We conclude that serum bilirubin protects against serum oxidative damage in the first days of life in neonatal Gunn rats exposed to hyperoxia. We speculate that bilirubin is a functionally important transitional antioxidant in the circulation of human neonates and that it may be involved in modulation of injury due to hyperoxia.
A nonlocal contact formulation for confined granular systems

Abstract We present a nonlocal formulation of contact mechanics that accounts for the interplay of deformations due to multiple contact forces acting on a single particle. The analytical formulation considers the effects of nonlocal mesoscopic deformations characteristic of confined granular systems and, therefore, removes the classical restriction of independent contacts. This is in sharp contrast to traditional contact mechanics theories, which are strictly local and assume that contacts are independent regardless the confinement of the particles. For definiteness, we restrict attention to elastic spheres in the absence of gravitational forces, adhesion or friction. Hence, a notable feature of the nonlocal formulation is that, when nonlocal effects are neglected, it reduces to Hertz theory. Furthermore, we show that, under the preceding assumptions and up to moderate macroscopic deformations, the predictions of the nonlocal contact formulation are in remarkable agreement with detailed finite-element simulations and experimental observations, and in large disagreement with Hertz theory predictions—supporting that the assumption of independent contacts only holds for small deformations. The discrepancy between the extended theory presented in this work and Hertz theory is borne out by studying periodic homogeneous systems and disordered heterogeneous systems.
Finite-time implications of relaxation times for stochastically monotone processes

For a continuous-time finite state Markov process with stationary distribution π, it is well-known thatP i (X t =j)-π j isO(e -λt ) ast→∞, for a certain λ. For a stochastically monotone process for which the reversed process is also stochastically monotone, one can obtain bounds valid for allt. Precisely,\(\sum\limits_i {\pi _j \mathop {\max |}\limits_j P_i } (X_t \leqq j) - \pi [0,j]| \leqq 2(\lambda t + 2)\) exp(-λt). The proof exploits duality for stochastically monotone processes.
RSD/CRPS: the end of the beginning.

The history of medicine provides perspective invisible from PubMed. Past theories and practices seem risible until one considers which moderns medical “facts” will amuse future generations. Neurological disorders have been particularly difficult to resolve since anatomy and function are so complex. Primitive societies blamed the gods for seizures and strokes. Disease causality was eventually internalized, but localization of neural function and dysfunction remained poor for centuries, wandering through the uterus (hysteria) and heart (emotions) among other organs while en route to the nervous system. Then, during the mid-20th century Freudian era, neurological disorders without visible localizing lesions (including movement disorders, autism, and schizophrenia), were often attributed to neurotic reactions to psychological traumas rather than to neurological disease. Imperfect mothers figured prominently. These dead-end theories still circulate in some cultures, but have faded in western medicine as identification of cellular and molecular underpinnings of neurological conditions map the path towards diagnosis and cure. We are witnessing such a transition in the complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
New results from the HAPPEX Experiments at Q2 = 0.1GeV/c2

The nucleon’s strange electric and magnetic form factors G E s and G M s can be probed via parity-violating electron scattering. The HAPPEX Collaboration has made new measurements of the parity-violating asymmetry A PV in elastic scattering of 3 GeV electrons off hydrogen and 4He targets with ≈ 6.0°. For 4He the preliminary result is A PV = (+6.43 ± 0.23 (stat) ± 0.22 (syst)) × 10−6. For hydrogen the preliminary result is A PV = (−1.60 ± 0.12 (stat) ± 0.05 (syst)) × 10−6. From these values we extract G E s = 0.004 ± 0.014 ± 0.013 at = 0.077 GeV/c 2, and G E s + 0.09G M s = 0.004 ±0.011 ± 0.005 at = 0.109 GeV/c 2, both consistent with zero, providing stringent new limits on the role of strange quarks in the vector structure of the nucleon.
Assessing infants' cortical response to speech using near-infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Sensitivity to spoken language is an integral part of infants' formative development, yet relatively little is known about the neural mechanisms that underlie the emerging ability to perceive and process speech. This is in large part because there are a limited number of non-invasive techniques available to measure brain functioning in human infants. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), an optical imaging technique that estimates changes in neuronal activity by measuring changes in total hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation, may be a viable procedure for assessing the relation between speech processing and brain function in human infants. While auditory processing data have been gathered from newborn and preterm infants using NIRS, such data have not been collected from older infants. Many behavioral measures used to establish linguistic sensitivity in this population are accompanied by visual stimuli; however, it is unclear how coupling of auditory and visual stimuli influences neural processing. Here we studied cortical activity in infants aged 6–9 months, as measured by NIRS, during exposure to linguistic stimuli paired with visual stimuli and compared this to the activity observed in the same regions during exposure to visual stimuli alone. Results dissociate infants' hemodynamic responses to multimodal and unimodal stimuli, demonstrating the utility of NIRS for studying perceptual development in infants. In particular, these findings support the use of NIRS to study the neurobiology of language development in older infants, a task that is difficult to accomplish without the use of attention-getting visual stimuli.
ETM cold-focal-plane thermal vaccum testing

The paper describes the tests performed on the enhanced thematic mapper (ETM) cold focal plane array (CFPA) after it was fully characterized in a test dewar and before the full instrument integration. The cold focal plane array was first integrated onto the radiative cooler with the thermal switch open so there is no thermal conduction between the radiator cold stage and the CFPA. A Joule-Thompson cooler was used to cool the CFPA during the before- and after-vibration tests. After these two bench-level tests the thermal switch was closed and the CFPA cooler assembly was prepared for the final thermal-vacuum chamber testing. This test encompasses two major goals. The first one is to make certain that the cooler performance meets specifications. This was done with the cooler facing a simulated cold space background and proper thermal loads were impressed. The second is to adjust the band 6 (PC HgCdTe) preamp circuits so maximum dynamic range can be realized during the actual flight environment. The work was performed while the author was affiliated with Santa Barbara Research Center.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Solutes involved in osmotic adjustment to increasing salinity in suspension cells of Alternanthera philoxeroides Griseb

Cell recovery from osmotic stress was studied in suspension cell cultures from Alternanthera philoxeroides [Mart.] Griseb. Changes in different classes of cellular solutes were measured after cells were transferred from 0 to 200 mM NaCl (high salt) to obtain an integrated picture of the solute pools involved in osmotic adjustment. By 2 h, cellular [Na+] and [Cl−] had increased several-fold, potentially accounting for the osmotic adjustment that produced a rapid recovery of cell turgor. There was a four-fold increase in the concentration of quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) by 12 h and a slower increase for several days afterward. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) is required for synthesis of glycine betaine, a QAC produced by a range of organisms in response to osmotic stress. Western-blot analysis for BADH suggested that glycine betaine was a significant component of the QAC solutes. The amount of BADH was generally similar at different sampling times for control and high salt cells, unlike previous reports of stimulation by osmotic stress in intact plants of some species. Between 3 and 7 days after cell transfer to high salt, other organic solutes increased in concentration and [Na+] and [Cl−] decreased. In A. philoxeroides, high [Na+] and [Cl−] produce rapid osmotic adjustment but organic solutes apparently replace these potentially harmful inorganic ions after the recovery of turgor.
Are green jobs just jobs? Cadmium narratives in the life cycle of Photovoltaics

Abstract This paper explores a tension between environmental justice and green jobs. Photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing processes involve hazardous chemicals similar to those found in the electronics industry, where impacts such as groundwater contamination, worker exposures to chemicals, and other air and water emissions overlap with environmental inequality. In the US, cadmium-based thin-film PV was financed with support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act producing new political ecological configurations of energy procurement and generation, linking Malaysian thin film PV fabs to public lands in the US desert southwest. By integrating traditions in global commodity chains, political ecology, and science and technology studies, this research shows how life cycle assessment was used to shape the debate about cadmium pollution from thin-film PV. As metrics have the power to obscure environmental injustice, the findings call for humility when interpreting life cycle assessment.
Recombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator is an effective agent for thrombolysis of peripheral arteries and bypass grafts: Preliminary report

The efficacy, safety, and effects on hemostasis and coagulation of two doses of human tissue-type plasminogen activator in patients with acute and subacute peripheral arterial occlusion were compared. Seven patients with lower extremity ischemia and one patient with upper extremity ischemia had peripheral arterial thromboses (five arteries, three grafts) confirmed by clinical history, physical examination, and angiography. The duration of occlusion ranged from 31 hours to 30 days (mean 11.9 days). Tissue-type plasminogen activator was infused via a catheter directly into the thrombus at a randomly assigned dose of 0.05 mg/kg/hr (n = 4) or 0.025 mg/kg/hr (n = 4). Thrombolysis was complete in seven patients and partial in one. Duration of infusion ranged from 1 hour to 21 hours (mean 7.4 hours). The low dose required a longer infusion than did the high dose, but they were both successful in achieving thrombolysis. The one patient with partial thrombolysis had abrupt discontinuation of infusion when extravasation through a recently endarterectomized femoral artery developed. Otherwise there were no significant complications from tissue-type plasminogen activator therapy. Secondary procedures to correct underlying arterial disease were performed in five of the seven patients (71%) who had complete thrombolysis. Even at low dosages, infusion of tissue-type plasminogen activator into arteries or bypass graft thrombus produced complete thrombolysis, and no major complications occurred. This allowed more systematic effects to diagnose and treat underlying arterial disease.
Acquired vaginal occlusion

Abstract This paper reviews four patients with acquired vaginal occlusion. It is an uncommon condition that results from a variety of insults causing denudation of the vaginal mucosa. Prepubertal girls may remain asymptomatic and undiagnosed until an obstructive membrane is noted on routine examination. On the other hand, the patient may present with symptoms caused by a shortening of the vagina or obstruction to menstrual flow. Treatment of a partial occlusion in a premenarcheal child can be safely delayed until puberty, but complete obstruction in a postmenarcheal girl must be recognized and treated promptly to prevent the potential complications caused by prolonged obstruction of menstrual effluent.
The revival that failed: Elizabeth Shaw Melville and the Stedmans: 1891–1894

(1980). The revival that failed: Elizabeth Shaw Melville and the Stedmans: 1891–1894. Women's Studies: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 75-84.
Crustal versus mantle sources of granitic magmas: a two-parameter model based on Nd isotopic studies

Temporal and spatial variations in the Nd isotopic compositions of Tertiary caldera-forming rhyolite tuffs, and Cretaceous and Tertiary granites of the western U.S.A. are used as a basis for a model that accounts for the observed proportions of crustal versus mantle contributions to silicic magmas in terms of two parameters: the ambient crustal temperature and the rate of supply of basaltic magma from the mantle. The crustal contribution to silicic igneous rocks is measured in terms of the Neodymium Crustal Index (NCI). The relationships between crustal temperature, basalt supply and NCI are quantified using a model of a magma chamber undergoing continuous recharge, wall-rock assimilation and fractional crystallisation
Cytotoxicity of alkylating agents in isolated rat kidney proximal tubular and distal tubular cells

Patterns of chemical-induced cytotoxicity in different regions of the nephron were studied with freshly isolated proximal tubular and distal tubular cells from rat kidney. Three model alkylating agents, methyl vinyl ketone, allyl alcohol, and N-dimethylnitrosamine, were used as test chemicals. Methyl vinyl ketone and a metabolite of allyl alcohol, acrolein, are Michael acceptors that bind to cellular protein sulfhydryl groups and GSH. N-Dimethylnitrosamine binds to cellular protein and DNA. Lactate dehydrogenase leakage was used to assess irreversible cellular injury. Distal tubular cells were more susceptible than proximal tubular cells to injury produced by methyl vinyl ketone or allyl alcohol while the two cell populations were equally susceptible to injury produced by N-dimethylnitrosamine. Preincubation of both proximal tubular and distal tubular cells with GSH protected them from methyl vinyl ketone- and allyl alcohol-induced cytotoxicity but had no effect on N-dimethylnitrosamine-induced cytotoxicity. Similarly, incubation of cells with methyl vinyl ketone or allyl alcohol, but not N-dimethylnitrosamine, altered cellular GSH status. As with GSH status, incubation of cells with methyl vinyl ketone or allyl alcohol, but not N-dimethylnitrosamine, caused pronounced inhibitory effects on mitochondrial function, as evidenced by ATP depletion and inhibition of cellular oxygen consumption. These results demonstrate that alkylating agents are cytotoxic to both proximal tubular and distal tubular cells, and that interaction with cellular GSH is a factor determining nephron cell type specificity of injury.
Urethral verumontanal polyp: Evidence of prostatic origin

A papillary adenomatous polyp of the verumontanum was studied morphologically and immunochemically. This rare polypoid neoplasm displayed rather typical prostatic acinar epithelium, and by immunoperoxidase method differentiation products of prostatic origin could be demonstrated easily. Findings support the concept that this type of lesion is prostatic in origin and probably arising from ectopic prostatic tissue in the prostatic urethra. The clinical symptoms of this lesion usually are hematospermia or hematuria, and this lesion can be effectively treated by transurethral excision.
Molecular biology and genetic diversity of Rift Valley fever virus

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a member of the family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus, is the causative agent of Rift Valley fever (RVF), a mosquito-borne disease of ruminant animals and humans. The generation of a large sequence database has facilitated studies of the evolution and spread of the virus. Bayesian analyses indicate that currently circulating strains of RVFV are descended from an ancestral species that emerged from a natural reservoir in Africa when large-scale cattle and sheep farming were introduced during the 19th century. Viruses descended from multiple lineages persist in that region, through infection of reservoir animals and vertical transmission in mosquitoes, emerging in years of heavy rainfall to cause epizootics and epidemics. On a number of occasions, viruses from these lineages have been transported outside the enzootic region through the movement of infected animals or mosquitoes, triggering outbreaks in countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Madagascar, where RVF had not previously been seen. Such viruses could potentially become established in their new environments through infection of wild and domestic ruminants and other animals and vertical transmission in local mosquito species. Despite their extensive geographic dispersion, all strains of RVFV remain closely related at the nucleotide and amino acid level. The high degree of conservation of genes encoding the virion surface glycoproteins suggests that a single vaccine should protect against all currently circulating RVFV strains. Similarly, preservation of the sequence of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase across viral lineages implies that antiviral drugs targeting the enzyme should be effective against all strains. Researchers should be encouraged to collect additional RVFV isolates and perform whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, so as to enhance our understanding of the continuing evolution of this important virus. This review forms part of a series of invited papers in Antiviral Research on the genetic diversity of emerging viruses.