cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iconic Representation: Maps, Pictures, and Perception

Maps and realist pictures comprise prominent sub-classes of iconic representations. The most basic, most important sub-class is perception. Other types are drawings, photographs, musical notations, diagrams, bar graphs, abacuses, hieroglyphs, and color chits.
Large Changes in Brain Volume Observed in an Asymptomatic Young Child With Type 1 Diabetes.

This case was recorded during the Diabetes Research in Children Network (DirecNet) longitudinal study (1), in which children ( N = 214) had MRI scans at three time points over 5 years. During the analyses, we noted that one subject with diabetes had unusually large brain volume changes (13.5% decrease of gray matter volume and 165% increase in ventricular volume) from age 6.5 to age 8.0 years. The patient was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 5.6 years when he presented without diabetic ketoacidosis. Neuroradiological reviews of the MRI scans at each time point reported no evidence of gross pathological abnormalities or diffusion restrictions. The patient was on multiple daily insulin injections at the time of his first MRI scan and on infusion pump therapy at the later scans. He was healthy besides type 1 diabetes, prepubertal, with full-term birth, normal weight development, normal thyroid function, and no evidence of neurological deficits. Moreover, he had age-appropriate vocabulary and stable cognitive test scores over the 5-year period. His medical …
Chest Pain and Syncope

A 60-year-old male presents to the emergency department complaining of chest pain when he exercises for the last 2 weeks. He states that the pain feels like heavy pressure over the left side of his chest and rates it a 6 out of 10. He feels short of breath and dizzy upon minimal exertion. He denies any back pain. However, he does note over the past 2 months when he rides a stationary bicycle at the gym he feels some chest pressure, and one time felt fainting, as if he was going to pass out. He is able to sleep flat on his bed at night and does not wake up with a sense that he is suffocating. The patient states that he was told years ago that he had a slight murmur but that it was nothing to worry about. He has not had any follow-up since. He denies a history of cardiac events, stroke, or hypertension. He denies IV drug abuse. He reports no fever or chills. Physical examination reveals a blood pressure of 120/70, heart rate of 88 bpm, and he is afebrile. Breath sounds are normal bilaterally, without rales. Cardiac examination reveals a regular heart rate, a IV/VI crescendo-decrescendo systolic murmur at the second intercostal space at the right upper sternal border that radiates to the neck, and an S4. EKG demonstrates sinus rhythm with left ventricular hypertrophy, without ST segment changes. Troponin and CK-MB are both within the normal ranges.
Mechanics of Solids with a Progressively Deteriorating Structure

This report summarizes the applications of the continuum damage theory to problems of mechanics of rocks and concrete. The report discusses the basic aspects of the theory such as the selection of the internal variable describing the distribution of microdefects, establishment of the ‘damage laws’, the essential structure of the governing equations etc. Finally, the discussion focuses on a number of as yet unresolved problems of some theoretical and practical significance.
American Security Policy in the Pacific Rim1

The present strategic environment in the Pacific Rim consists of four interconnected elements, which have emerged at various times since the end of World War II. These four elements, which will continue to shape the East Asian scene throughout the 1990s, include: The regional disputes in Korea, the Taiwan Straits, and Indochina, in which the United States has had an interest since the late 1940s and early 1950s, but in which the American role is gradually becoming less central and less direct. The rise of the Soviet Union as a significant military power in East Asia in the mid 1960s, followed first by the creation of a loose anti-Soviet united front in the 1970s and then by the moderation of Soviet policy in the region under Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid 1980s. The economic dynamism that spread across most of the region in the 1970s and 1980s, producing greater interdependence and competition and raising economic issues to higher prominence on both domestic and international agendas. The gradual emergence, beginning in the 1980s and continuing into the next century, of a number of significant independent regional powers, including China, India, and Indonesia, and the resulting pressures toward a more multipolar balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region.
Wound Closure and Management

Abstract Background: The management of incisions and decisions on closure techniques for surgical wounds are driven by expected incisional morbidity and the severity of the potential morbidity for ...
Beta diversity response to stress severity and heterogeneity in sensitive versus tolerant stream diatoms

AIM: Severity and heterogeneity of stress are major constraints of beta diversity, but their relative influence is poorly understood. Here, we addressed this question by examining the patterns of beta diversity in stress‐sensitive versus stress‐tolerant stream diatoms and their response to local versus regional factors along gradients of stress severity and heterogeneity. LOCATION: The Adirondack region of New York. METHODS: Beta diversity was measured as multivariate dispersion of communities across high stress, low stress, and high + low stress (heterogeneous) environments, encompassing 200 stream samples. Null models were implemented to assess community similarity relative to randomly assembled communities and the importance of local assembly processes versus the regional species pool. RESULTS: The overall beta diversity was influenced by a combination of severity and heterogeneity of stress, while beta diversity of sensitive species increased with heterogeneity. Beta diversity of tolerant species did not vary with either severity or heterogeneity of stress. Heterogeneity decreased community similarity relative to the null expectation in all groups of species. Stress reduced the importance of local assembly mechanisms for the overall beta diversity and sensitive species beta diversity. In contrast, the importance of local assembly mechanisms increased with stress regarding beta diversity of tolerant species. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Beta diversity responded to both severity and heterogeneity of stress, but turnover along these gradients was mostly driven by sensitive species. The overall beta diversity and beta diversity of sensitive species became more constrained by the depauperate regional species pool, as opposed to local assembly mechanisms. While heterogeneous stress contributed to beta diversity, severe stress suppressed beta diversity through elimination of sensitive species. Therefore, an increase in beta diversity in an environmentally‐stressed region may serve as a forewarning for future loss of sensitive species, should the stress continue to intensify.
Flexible Pavement Drainage System Effectiveness

Abstract Moisture can significantly affect flexible (asphalt) pavement performance. As such, it is important to remove moisture as quickly as possible from such pavements, especially to avoid allowing moisture into the pavement subgrade. Using an appropriate drainage system is one method to remove moisture from pavement structures. The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of flexible pavement drainage systems using currently specified materials to determine if, and when, the drainage system can be safely excluded from the pavements. Moreover, the effects of filter layer and edge drains are also examined. Laboratory experiments were performed to obtain the hydraulic properties of asphalt materials and used in the numerical modeling of pavement sections. The results indicate that drainage layers do effectively lower the subgrade moisture content. Also, while the results show that either a dense-graded aggregate or a dense-graded asphalt mixture can be used as a filter layer between the subgrade and the open-graded drainage layer, the subgrade tends to have lower moisture when a granular filter layer is used. Finally, the results indicate edge drains have a positive effect on flexible pavements, especially on pavements that do not contain a drainage layer.
Review: Plant cell wall biochemical omics: The high-throughput biochemistry for polysaccharide biosynthesis

Progress in the functional biochemical analysis of plant glycosyltransferases (GTs) has been slow because plant GTs are generally membrane proteins, operate as part of larger, multimeric complexes, and utilize a vast complexity of substrate acceptors. Therefore, the field would benefit from development of adequate high throughput expression as well as product detection and characterization techniques. Here we review current approaches to tackle such obstacles and suggest a new path forward: nucleic acid programmable protein arrays (NAPPA) with liquid sample desorption ionization (LS-DESI-MS) mass spectrometry. NAPPA utilizes in vitro transcription and translation to produce epitope-tagged fusion proteins from cloned GT cDNAs. LS-DESI is a soft ionization technique that allows rapid and sensitive MS-based product characterization in situ. Coupling both approaches provides the opportunity to examine individual GT functions as well as protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, advances in automated oligosaccharide synthesis and lipid nanodisc technology should allow testing of plant GT activity in presence of numerous substrate acceptors and lipid environments in a high throughput fashion. Thus, NAPPA-DESI-MS has great potential to make headway in biochemical characterization of the large number of plant GTs.
Buyer-Supplier Relationships: Role of Collaboration, Sustainability, and Technology

The relationship between buyers and suppliers is crucial for any organization that is willing to be flexible and adapts to these changing times. Flexibility becomes hard to attain if the buyer-supplier relationships (BSR) are restricted; on the other hand, it is risky to adopt a laissez-faire mentality because of opportunism. The purpose of this chapter is to yield a framework for understanding the evolution of buyer-supplier relationships in supply chain management. The methodology is based on researching case examples with agreements and collaborative processes, trust, and information sharing. The goal is to contrast the past and the present changes in the buyer-supplier relationships for several companies and then determine the benefits or drawbacks of those relationships. The questions that will be addressed in this chapter are as follows: What are the positive and negative aspects of the collaborative process of buyer-supplier relationships? How do the triple P’s (people, planet, profit) factor into these relationships? How sustainability affects the buyer-supplier relationship over the years? How information technology helps increase transparency and trust in buyer-supplier relationships?
Importance of Laplacian of Low-Level Warming for the Response of Precipitation to Climate Change over Tropical Oceans

AbstractSeveral physical mechanisms have been proposed for projected changes in mean precipitation in the tropics under climate warming. In particular, the “wet-get-wetter” mechanism describes an a...
Disciplining bystanders: (anti)carcerality, ethics, and the docile subject in HarassMap’s “the harasser is a criminal” media campaign in Egypt

Theorizing situates bystander intervention approaches to combatting street sexual harassment as either an anti-carceral mode of social justice concerned with citizen responsibility and reshaping co...
‘Duck him!’: Private Feelings, Public Interests, and Ellen Wood’s East Lynne

This chapter explores various forms of empathy, a vicarious sharing of affect, in Ellen Wood’s East Lynne (1861). It first shows that empathy is linked positively to femininity as women’s supposed ability to feel more easily than men makes them compassionate individuals in the world of the novel. Yet Wood also presents empathy in the form of masculine anger via a rowdy, working-class, and all-male mob. Rather than read this scene simply as a form of working-class revenge, MacDonald argues that the mob acts out the desires of the novel’s upper-class characters. Thus, in both cases, the sharing of affect leads to social cohesion—even if this cohesion comes about through the work demanded of female and working-class bodies.
Microbiomes from biorepositories? 16S rRNA bacterial amplicon sequencing of archived and contemporary intestinal samples of wild mammals (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)

Interest in gut microbial community composition has exploded recently as a result of the increasing ability to characterize these organisms and a growing understanding of their role in host fitness. New technologies, such as next generation amplicon (16S rRNA) sequencing, have enabled identification of bacterial communities from samples of diverse origin (e.g., fecal, skin, genital, environmental, etc.). Relatively little work, however, has explored the feasibility of utilizing historical samples (e.g., museum archived samples) of varying age, quality, and preservation type. Because natural history collections span multiple decades, these biorepositories have the potential to provide fundamental historical baselines to measure and better understand biodiversity on a changing planet. Utilizing even a small proportion of museum specimens could provide a means of sampling past microbial communities, allowing for direct comparison to contemporary communities and more complete understanding of dynamic shifts through time. We examined the feasibility of obtaining 16S rRNA amplicon microbiome data from whole gastrointestinal tracts (GIs) of shrews of varying age and preservation method, including 5 freshly collected shrew GIs immediately fixed in liquid nitrogen (LN2), 10 ten-year old shrew GIs frozen at -20°C (whole animal), and 10 shrews of varying ages (4 from 1968, 1 from 1980, 1 from 2001, 1 from 2004, 1 from 2007, 1 from 2011 and 2 from 2013) fixed and stored whole in 70% ethanol. Not surprisingly, results of 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing reveal significantly different bacterial communities between different preservation techniques and age of samples. Ten-year old frozen samples had bacterial communities most similar to freshly collected (LN2) samples, while the bacterial communities of both were significantly different from the 70% ethanol preserved samples of various ages. Amongst those preserved in 70% ethanol, age of samples also influenced bacterial community composition. Additionally, we compare results of OTU based and ASV based analyses. Looking ahead, field collectors and museums should develop and adopt best practices related to frozen preservation to ensure adequate material for future microbiome investigations.
Functional Organization for Color Appearance Mechanisms in Primary Visual Cortex

Abstract Studies of color perception have led to mechanistic models of how signals from cone-opponent retinal ganglion cells are integrated to generate color appearance. But it is not known where or how these hypothesized mechanisms occur in the brain. Here we show that cone opponent signals transmitted from the retina to primary visual cortex (V1) are integrated through highly organized circuits within V1 to generate the color opponent mechanisms that underlie color appearance. Combining intrinsic signal optical imaging (ISI) and 2-photon calcium imaging (2PCI) at single cell resolution, we demonstrate cone-opponent functional domains (COFDs) that combine L/M cone-opponent and S/L+M cone-opponent signals in precisely the combinations predicted from psychophysical studies of color perception. These give rise to an orderly organization of hue preferences of the neurons within the COFDs and the generation of hue “pinwheels”. COFDs occupy regions corresponding to both high and low cytochrome oxidase intensity (“blobs” and “interblobs”) but have a bias toward blobs. Thus, neural circuits in the primary visual cortex establish the boundary conditions for color opponency and unique hues. One Sentence Summary Cone-opponent functional domains generate color opponent functional architecture in primary visual cortex.
Skin-textiles friction: importance and prospects in skin comfort and in healthcare in prevention of skin injuries

Frictional characteristics of textiles play a big role in skin comfort and health, and in the development of friction related skin injuries such as tissue deformation, skin damage, decubitus ulcers...
General and Health-Related Internet Use Among Cancer Survivors in the United States: A 2013-2018 Cross-Sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND A significant proportion of cancer survivors endorse ongoing health information needs and may use the internet to access information. We assessed patterns and predictors of general and health-specific internet use among cancer survivors. METHODS Using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which was administered in 2013 through 2018, for adults reporting a cancer diagnosis, sample weight-adjusted estimates defined prevalence and multivariable logistic regressions defined adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of general and health-specific internet use, adjusting for relevant sociodemographic covariates, including healthcare satisfaction as the primary independent variable. The analysis for health-specific internet use was also repeated including a sex (female vs male)*healthcare satisfaction (very satisfied/somewhat satisfied vs somewhat dissatisfied/very dissatisfied) interaction term. RESULTS Among 12,970 survivors of cancer, general and health-specific internet use increased from 2013 to 2018 (from 63.2% to 70.8% and from 46.8% to 52.2%, respectively; P<.05 for both). Survivors who were very dissatisfied with healthcare were more likely to use the internet for health information compared with those who were very satisfied (59.5% vs 48.0%; aOR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.20-2.64; P=.004). Younger age, female sex, higher educational attainment, and higher socioeconomic status were all associated with increased reported use of the internet for both general and health-specific purposes (P<.001 for all). There was a significant sex*healthcare satisfaction interaction (P=.009) such that for female survivors, healthcare dissatisfaction was associated with higher odds of health-specific internet use (61.4% vs 52.5%; P<.001; men, P=.97). No association was found between healthcare satisfaction and general internet use (P=.42). CONCLUSIONS The increasing proportion of survivors of cancer using the internet for health-specific information may be associated with self-reported dissatisfaction with healthcare. Efforts are needed to improve both access to the internet and the quality of cancer-relevant online health information, and to enhance patients' online health literacy.
Light manipulation in a monolithic silicon photonics platform leveraging 3D coupling and decoupling

We leverage phase-matching between front-end-of-line (FEOL)/middle-of-line (MOL) and back-end-of-line (BEOL) stacks for flexible light control in a monolithic Si photonics platform. The efficient vertical coupling/decoupling enables novel devices with unique functions.
Post-COVID-19 Panic Disorder in Older Adults: Two Case Reports

Introduction Patients who recover from infection with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) are at risk for a range of neuropsychiatric conditions, among which anxiety spectrum disorders have been frequently observed. Methods In this report we present two cases of older adults with no past psychiatric history who developed panic disorder after recovering from COVID-19. Results Patient A is a 51-year-old Haitian American woman who was admitted to inpatient psychiatry with symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, disorganized behavior, and suicidal ideation, as well as intermittent hypertensive episodes. After discharge, the hypertensive episodes persisted and were associated with feelings of impending doom, palpitations, and shortness of breath. While undergoing blood pressure management from her cardiologist, she was admitted to outpatient psychiatry, diagnosed with panic disorder, and tried on multiple medications (Mirtazapine, Trazodone, Hydroxyzine, Escitalopram, Sertraline). None of these medications relieved her symptoms, which gradually evolved from panic/anxiety/depression to derealization/depersonalization. Eventually, all her symptoms abated without medication. Patient B is a 61-year-old African American woman who was admitted to outpatient psychiatry with episodes of chest tightness, palpitations, and trembling, as well as insomnia and depressed mood; she too was diagnosed with panic disorder. She had previously been treated by her primary care doctor and in the emergency room with various benzodiazepines (Diazepam, Alprazolam, Lorazepam), but she was eventually stabilized on a regimen of Sertraline, Trazodone, and Gabapentin. Conclusions Here we examine the rationale and effectiveness of various medication trials for COVID-19-induced panic disorder, as well as how psychosocial risk factors may predict the course of illness. We also discuss some hypothesized mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 could produce neuropsychiatric sequelae (e.g. direct viral injury, cytokine storm, molecular mimicry). These mechanisms could affect both peripheral and central nervous systems, resulting in the combination of autonomic instability and mood disturbance classically associated with panic disorder. Funding New York State Department of Health, Center of Excellence Grant
Three-Dimensional Printable, Extremely Soft, Stretchable, and Reversible Elastomers from Molecular Architecture-Directed Assembly

3D printing elastomers enables the fabrication of many technologically important structures and devices such as tissue scaffolds, sensors, actuators, and soft robots. However, conventional 3D print...
Correlating Bedrock Folds to Higher Rates of Arsenic Detection in Groundwater, Southeast Wisconsin, USA

Arsenic in private drinking water wells is a significant problem across much of eastern Wisconsin, USA. The release mechanism and stratigraphic distribution of sulfide and iron (hydr)oxide sources of arsenic in bedrock aquifers are well understood for northeastern Wisconsin. However, recent geologic mapping has identified numerous small bedrock folds to the south, and the impact of these geologic structures on local groundwater flow and well contamination has been little studied. This paper examines the hydrologic and structural effects of the Beaver Dam anticline, southeast Wisconsin, on arsenic in groundwater in the region. Multivariate logistic regression shows wells near the Beaver Dam anticline are statistically more likely to detect arsenic in groundwater compared to wells farther away. Structural and hydrologic changes related to folding are interpreted to be the cause. Core drilled near the fold axis is heavily fractured, and many fractures are filled with sulfides. Elevated hydraulic conductivity estimates are also recorded near the fold axis, which may reflect a higher concentration of vertical fractures. These structural and hydrologic changes may have led to systematic changes in the distribution and concentration of arsenic-bearing mineral hosts, resulting in the observed detection pattern. For areas with similar underlying geology, this approach may improve prediction of arsenic risk down to the local level.
Better Moods for Better Eating? How Mood Influences Food Choice

In the battle of obesity, marketers have been accused of unfairly promoting the consumption of “comfort foods,” which are often assumed to be low in nutrients and high in sugar, fat, and regret. Clinical research of these foods has focused on and confounded “bad moods and bad foods,” neglecting any investigation of favorable moods and nutritious foods. Building on the hedonic contingency hypothesis, we use a mood maintenance framework to explore whether different types of comfort foods fulfill different purposes depending on one’s mood. Results from a national survey and from two lab studies challenge conventional clinical wisdom by showing people in positive moods tend prefer nutritive comfort foods while those in negative moods prefer less nutritive ones. These findings have relevance to both consumers as well as to researchers in marketing, psychology, and nutrition.
New Level of Evidence Guidelines Change Previously Published Manuscripts’ Designation

In 2015, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) updated its level of evidence (LOE) scale. We reviewed all studies published in JBJS in the two years before updating the LOE scale, and re-designated according to the updated scale. Level 4 therapeutic studies were the most common (32%). Level 2 prognostic studies had the greatest number of LOE designation changes (26). Near perfect agreement was met for therapeutic (k:0.96) and diagnostic studies (k:0.96). Prognostic studies demonstrated a lower agreement (k:0.65). Studies published in JBJS before 2015 may have different LOE designations if published today.
Impact of an Innovative Video Demonstration on Perceptions and Attitudes Toward McDonald’s Product Quality

In spite of product quality improvements, young adults are turning away from Quick Service Restaurant chains in pursuit of a healthier diet and lifestyle. Restaurants struggle to communicate improv...
Four decades of multiyear targets in energy policy: aspirations or credible commitments?

A look at the past 40 years of U.S. energy policy provides ample evidence of volatility, including rapidly changing budgets, moving targets, and shifting incentives. Changing policy too often is a serious criticism because systemic inertia—for example, due to the long lifetimes of capital stock and to the atmospheric residence time of CO2—implies a need for persistence in order to achieve social goals. Further, a pattern of failing to meet objectives may reduce the credibility of future targets, and thus reduce the incentives for investment and behavioral change. But changing policy has benefits as well: it allows for adaptive management, experimentation, policy learning, and assimilation of new information. Assembling data on the effectiveness, duration, and ambition of 63 energy policy initiatives with targets ≥5 years, we find: targets were met 64–77% of the time; median duration to target was 12 years; and median rate of change was 2% per year. Significant predictors of success in meeting targets are enforcement, duration, and ambition. These determinants are robust across multiple specifications and definitions of ambition and success. We find a significant decline in ambition over time. Binding targets are much more likely to be met than nonbinding ones, but discretionary clauses completely offset the effect of enforceable penalties on the likelihood of target attainment. WIREs Energy Environ 2014, 3:522–533. doi: 10.1002/wene.116 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
Intranuclear crystalloids associated with abnormal granules in eosinophilic leukocytes

Ultrastructural evaluation of eosinophilic leukocytes from a 2-yr-old asymptomatic girl with chronic benign neutropenia (CBN) revealed a variety of morphological abnormalities. All eosinophils obtained from blood and marrow specimens contained multipole microcrystalloids in most of the mature cytoplasmic granules. An increase in crystalloid- free, immature granules in late (bilobed nuclei) eosinophils suggested a delay in granule maturation. The eosinophil granules appeared to be of normal size and demonstrated normal acid phosphatase reactivity. Eosinophilic myelocytes contained abnormal cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and lacked abundant elongated RER cisternae seen in normal cells. A few eosinophilic myelocytes in specimens of bone marrow from the child contained large intranuclear crystalloids measuring up to 3 mu in length. The intranuclear crystalloid contained as cubic lattice of dense material with a periodicity similar to that described for cytoplasmic crystalloids. The ultrastructural morphology of marrow neutrophils was normal, as described in other cases of CBN. Ultrastructural examination of blood eosinophils from the father demonstrated microcrystalloids in cytoplasmic granules identical to those seen in the child. The father was asymptomatic and had normal leukocyte counts. Thus, anomalous crystalloid granule genesis occurred in the father and daughter and was not necessarily associated with neutropenia or clinical symptomatology. This anomaly is associated with the accumulation of intranuclear crystalloid material in eosinophilic myelocytes, which do not appear to be released from the marrow compartment.
E. H. Gombrich, Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation

(1961). E. H. Gombrich, Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation. Art Journal: Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 252, 254.
Applied Mathematics is Bad Mathematics

It isn’t really (applied mathematics, that is, isn’t really bad mathematics), but it’s different.
On the Mechanism of Erythropoietin-induced Differentiation XIII. THE ROLE OF SIALIC ACID IN ERYTHROPOIETIN ACTION

Abstract Erythropoietin, a glycoprotein that induces normal erythrocyte development, has 16 to 18 sialic acid residues per mole. Desialation results in complete loss of biological activity when it is assayed in vivo. When the assay is done in vitro asialoerythropoietin has full activity, or when assayed at low levels of hormones is about three times more active than the native hormone. The loss of activity can be explained by the hepatic removal of asialoglycoproteins from the circulation (Morell, A. G., Irvine, R. A., Sternlieb, I., Scheinberg, I. H., and Ashwell, G. (1968) J. Biol. Chem. 243, 155). Asialoorosomucoid or stachyose injected into assay animals act as competitors and permit 25 to 35% of the original activity of erythropoietin to be seen in vivo after desialation. Treatment of asialoerythropoietin with galactose oxidase results in recovery of 45% of the original activity, confirming an earlier finding (Lukowsky, W. A., and Painter, R. H. (1972) Can. J. Biochem. 50, 909). Asialoerythropoietin is more sensitive to heat denaturation and trypsin action than the native hormone. Our data indicate that terminal sialic acid is required for chemical and biological stability but not for action on target cells of the bone marrow. The asialohormone has enhanced activity towards the target cells.
Do California Counties With Lower Socioeconomic Levels Have Less Access to Emergency Department Care

Objectives: The study objective was to examine the relationship between number of emergency departments (EDs) per capita in California counties and measures of socioeconomic status, to determine whether individuals living in areas with lower socioeconomic levels have decreased access to emergency care. Methods: The authors linked 2005 data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey of Hospitals with the Area Resource Files from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and performed Poisson regression analyses of the association between EDs per capita in individual California counties using the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) county codes and three measures of socioeconomic status: median household income, percentage uninsured, and years of education for individuals over 25 years of age. Multivariate analyses using Poisson regression were also performed to determine if any of these measures of socioeconomic status were independently associated with access to EDs. Results: Median household income is inversely related to the number of EDs per capita (rate ratio = 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.71 to 0.96). Controlling for income in the multivariate analysis demonstrates that there are more EDs per 100,000 population in FIPS codes with more insured residents when compared with areas having less insured residents with the same levels of household income. Similarly, FIPS codes whose residents have more education have more EDs per 100,000 compared with areas with the same income level whose residents have less education. Conclusions: Counties whose residents are poorer have more EDs per 100,000 residents than those with higher median household incomes. However, for the same income level, counties with more insured and more highly educated residents have a greater number of EDs per capita than those with less insured and less educated residents. These findings warrant in-depth studies on disparities in access to care as they relate to socioeconomic status. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:508–513 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
The interaction of spherical Al2O3 particles with molten Al2O3–CaO–FeOx–SiO2 slags

Abstract The present paper investigates the rate of chemical dissolution of Al 2 O 3 particles in synthetic Al 2 O 3 –CaO–FeO x –SiO 2 slags as a function of time under an atmosphere where Fe 2+ would be the stable state for iron ions dissolved in the slag. Two aspects of the interaction between the Al 2 O 3 spheres and slags were studied, namely (i) the speed at which the particle sinks into the slag and (ii) how rapidly the particles dissolve. The objectives are to elucidate interactions between oxide particulate material, either from the refractory wall or from the mineral constituents in the fuel feedstock, with the slag formed at the wall in entrained-slagging gasifiers. The particle settling was found to proceed first rapidly, but subsequently slowing down and this behavior was in qualitative agreement with model predictions based on a balance between gravity-, drag-, capillary-, and added mass forces. The effect of increasing temperature and FeO x content are investigated and it is shown that both contribute towards increasing the dissolution rate. The rate appears to be governed by a combination of the driving force for dissolution and transport properties in the slag.
Developmental Transitions in C. elegans Larval Stages

Abstract Molecular mechanisms control the timing, sequence, and synchrony of developmental events in multicellular organisms. In Caenorhabditis elegans, these mechanisms are revealed through the analysis of mutants with “heterochronic” defects: cell division or differentiation patterns that occur in the correct lineage, but simply at the wrong time. Subsets of cells in these mutants thus express temporal identities normally restricted to a different life stage. A seminal finding arising from studies of the heterochronic genes was the discovery of miRNAs; these tiny miRNAs are now a defining feature of the pathway. A series of sequentially expressed miRNAs guide larval transitions through stage-specific repression of key effector molecules. The wild-type lineage patterns are executed as discrete modules programmed between temporal borders imposed by the molting cycles. How these successive events are synchronized with the oscillatory molting cycle is just beginning to come to light. Progression through larval stages can be specifically, yet reversibly, halted in response to environmental cues, including nutrient availability. Here too, heterochronic genes and miRNAs play key roles. Remarkably, developmental arrest can, in some cases, either mask or reveal timing defects associated with mutations. In this chapter, we provide an overview of how the C. elegans heterochronic gene pathway guides developmental transitions during continuous and interrupted larval development.
Esfuerzo fiscal en los estados mexicanos

Debido a la alta dependencia de las transferencias desde el gobierno federal, tradicionalmente se ha argumentado que existe un bajo esfuerzo fiscal en los estados mexicanos. Esta aproximacion es parcial porque una evaluacion completa del desempeno fiscal debe estar asociada con su potencial tributario, de tal manera que se pueda establecer si la administracion explota adecuadamente su capacidad recaudatoria. A traves de la aplicacion de dos propuestas metodologicas para estimar el esfuerzo fiscal estatal, el Indice de Esfuerzo Fiscal (IEF) y el Indice de Uso de Potencial Fiscal (IUPF), este articulo avanza en el calculo del esfuerzo fiscal en los estados mexicanos. Ademas, mediante el uso de modelos de tipo panel, se realiza un analisis de los factores que explican la variabilidad del esfuerzo fiscal entre los estados. Los resultados muestran que la aproximacion que se tome para estimar el esfuerzo fiscal afecta el analisis de la variabilidad en la gestion fiscal interestatal. Mientras que el nivel de producto per capita, el grado de informalidad laboral y la afiliacion politica del gobernador explican los desbalances horizontales del IUPF, las transferencias determinan el IEF. La comparacion del recaudo potencial y efectivo del principal generador de ingresos tributarios en los estados, el impuesto sobre la nomina, indica que, en terminos agregados, el esfuerzo recaudatorio esta cerca de su potencial y, por lo tanto, existe un limitado espacio fiscal para aumentar el recaudo de este gravamen. Un mayor esfuerzo fiscal de los estados debe concentrarse en los otros impuestos que estan bajo su manejo y en explotar las delegaciones de ciertos gravamenes que realiza el gobierno federal.
How Potassium Affects the Activity of the Molecular Chaperone Hsc70 II. POTASSIUM BINDS SPECIFICALLY IN THE ATPASE ACTIVE SITE

Abstract Crystallographic anomalous scattering from potassium at 1.7 A resolution reveals two monovalent ions that interact with MgADP and Pi in the nucleotide binding cleft of wild-type recombinant bovine Hsc70 ATPase fragment. K at site 1 interacts with oxygens of the β-phosphate of ADP, whereas K at site 2 interacts with an oxygen of Pi. Both K ions also interact with specific H2O molecules in the first hydration shell of the octahedrally coordinated Mg ion and with specific protein ligands. In crystals that have Na present, K is replaced by a Na ion at site 1 and by a NaH2O pair at site 2. The K ions are positioned where they could stabilize binding of a β,-bidentate MgATP complex with Hsc70, as well as a transition state during ATP hydrolysis, suggesting that monovalent ions act as specific metal cofactors in the ATPase reaction of Hsc70.
Glycerophosphate as a phosphorus source in a defined medium for Pichia pastoris fermentation

Pichia pastoris has emerged as a commercially important yeast for the production of a vast majority of recombinant therapeutic proteins and vaccines. The organism can be grown to very high cell densities using a defined basal salts media (BSM). However, BSM contains bi-cation or tri-cation phosphate, which precipitates out of the medium at pH above 5.5, although the optimal fermentation pH of most recombinant protein fermentation varies between 5.5 and 7.0. In this article, the application of glycerophosphates was investigated as a substitute phosphate source in an effort to eliminate precipitation. The solubility of BSM containing sodium or potassium glycerophosphates was examined before and after autoclaving at various pHs. Sodium glycerophosphate was found stable at autoclave temperature but formed complexes with coexisting magnesium and calcium ions that were insoluble above pH 7.0. Medium where sodium glycerophosphate was autoclaved separately and then added to the growth medium did not produce any precipitate up to pH 10.5. The performance of P. pastoris fermentations expressing α-galactosidase and ovine interferon-τ using a glycerolphosphate-based medium was found to be comparable to a conventional BSM. The results from this work demonstrate that sodium glycerophosphate can be assimilated by the P. pastoris strains and can be employed as a reliable phosphorus source for both cell growth and recombinant protein production.
Estimation of a process capability index for inverse gaussian distribution

In this article, interval estimates of Clements' process capability index are studied through bootstrapping when the underlying distribution is Inverse Gaussian. The standard bootstrap, the percentile bootstrap, and the bias-corrected percentile bootstrap confidence intervals are compared.
Insulin-like growth factor-I but not growth hormone attenuates dexamethasone-induced catabolism in parenterally fed rats

Background: We demonstrated that recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (rhIGF-I) or growth hormone (rhGH) produces identical body weight gain during total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in surgically-stressed rats. Our current objective was to evaluate the relative anabolic and metabolic effects associated with administration of rhIGF-I and/or rhGH during hypocaloric TPN in rats with dexamethasone (DEX)-induced catabolism. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (~270 g) given TPN and DEX were treated with IGF-I and/or GH for 6 days. Two control groups, TPN and DEX, were included. Anabolic response was assessed by change in body protein content and nitrogen balance. Metabolic response was assessed by determination of serum concentrations of IGF-1, IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), insulin, glucose, triacylglycerol, glycerol, and free fatty acids. Results: Compared with GH, IGF-I attenuated DEX-induced loss of body protein and decreased serum concentrations of glucose, free fatty acids, glycerol, and triglycer...
Characterization of MYC-Induced Tumorigenesis by in Situ Lipid Profiling

We apply desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) to provide an in situ lipidomic profile of genetically modified tissues from a conditional transgenic mouse model of MYC-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This unique, label-free approach of combining DESI-MSI with the ability to turn specific genes on and off has led to the discovery of highly specific lipid molecules associated with MYC-induced tumor onset. We are able to distinguish normal from MYC-induced malignant cells. Our approach provides a strategy to define a precise molecular picture at a resolution of about 200 μm that may be useful in identifying lipid molecules that define how the MYC oncogene initiates and maintains tumorigenesis.
Secondary ion mass spectrometry using cluster primary ion beams

Abstract We have a developed a capability for conducting cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) experiments on commercially available SIMS instrumentation. This paper reviews our recent work on cluster ion source development, elemental depth profiling with cluster primary ion beams and the use of cluster ion beams for organic surface characterization. An area of particular interest is the observation that beam-induced damage for some organic materials is substantially reduced under cluster bombardment. This unique feature of cluster SIMS is utilized for molecular depth profiling of selected polymer films and for studying the spatial distribution of high explosive particles by SIMS imaging. We also describe recent studies that may provide additional insight into possible mechanisms for the molecular secondary ion yield enhancement observed for organic thin films under cluster bombardment.
In vivo analysis of gene expression in long-lived mice lacking the pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PappA) gene

Mice lacking the pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PappA) gene exhibit diminished localized IGF-1 bioavailability and a 30% increase in mean life span. However, it is uncertain which tissues exhibit reduced IGF-1 signals in the PappA(-/-) mouse, and whether effects of this mutation parallel those of mutations that diminish IGF-1 in serum. Across a panel of 21 tissues, we used RT-PCR to evaluate the effects of the PappA(-/-) mutation on expression of Igfbp5, which served as an in vivo indicator of IGF-1 signaling. Among these tissues, expression of Igfbp5 was significantly reduced by PappA(-/-) only in kidney. A broader survey of IGF-associated genes in six organs identified five other genes responsive to PappA(-/-) in kidney, with stronger effects in this organ relative to other tissues. Renal expression of Irs1 and Mt1 was increased by PappA(-/-) as well as by mutations that reduce IGF-1 in serum (i.e., Ghr(-/-), Pit1(dw/dw) and Prop1(df/df)), and we demonstrate that expression of these genes is regulated by growth hormone-treatment and calorie restriction. These results provide in vivo data on an important new model of mammalian aging, and characterize both similar and contrasting expression patterns between long-lived mice with reduced local IGF-1 availability and diminished IGF-1 in serum.
Are Teens “Post-Gay”? Contemporary Adolescents’ Sexual Identity Labels

Recent reports suggest that historically typical sexual identity labels-"gay," "lesbian" and "bisexual"-have lost meaning and relevance for contemporary adolescents. Yet there is little empirical evidence that contemporary teenagers are "post-gay." In this brief study we investigate youths' sexual identity labels. The Preventing School Harassment survey included 2,560 California secondary school students administered over 3 years: 2003-2005. We examined adolescents' responses to a closed-ended survey question that asked for self-reports of sexual identity, including an option to write-in a response; we content analyzed the write-in responses. Results suggest that historically typical sexual identity labels are endorsed by the majority (71%) of non-heterosexual youth. Some non-heterosexual youth report that they are "questioning" (13%) their sexual identities or that they are "queer" (5%); a small proportion (9%) provided alternative labels that describe ambivalence or resistance to sexual identity labels, or fluidity in sexual identities. Our results show that lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities remain relevant for contemporary adolescents.
Correction for artifacts induced by B0 and B1 field inhomogeneities in pH-sensitive chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging provides an indirect detection mechanism that allows quantification of certain labile groups unobservable using conventional MRI. Recently, amide proton transfer (APT) imaging, a variant form of CEST imaging, has been shown capable of detecting lactic acidosis during acute ischemia, providing information complementary to that of perfusion and diffusion MRI. However, CEST contrast is usually small, and therefore, it is important to optimize experimental conditions for reliable and quantitative CEST imaging. In particular, CEST imaging is sensitive to B0 and B1 field, while on the other hand; field inhomogeneities persist despite recent advances in magnet technologies, especially for in vivo imaging at high fields. Consequently, correction algorithms that can compensate for field inhomogeneity-induced measurement errors in CEST imaging might be very useful. In this study, the dependence of CEST contrast on field distribution was solved and a correction algorithm was developed to compensate for field inhomogeneity-induced CEST imaging artifacts. In addition, the proposed algorithm was verified with both numerical simulation and experimental measurements, and showed nearly complete correction of CEST imaging measurement errors caused by moderate field inhomogeneity. Magn Reson Med, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.