cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute and mid-term outcomes of transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation in patients older than 40 years

Abstract Background Numerous studies have detailed outcomes of Transcatheter pulmonary valve placement (TPV) in young patients, but there is a paucity of data in older patients. We sought to evaluate short and mid-term outcomes of TPV in patients older than 40 years of age. Methods Retrospective multicenter study of patients older than 40 years at the time of TPV from January 2010 to February 2018. Demographics, procedure details, and follow up data were collected. Results A total 75 subjects presented for TPV with median age of 49.8 (IQ 45–60). Half of the patients 39 (52%) had evidence of NYHA class III or IV at time of presentation. A total of 65 (87%) had successful TPV. Patients with severe PR had immediate resolution of PI (except for one). Patients with PS had significant improvement in gradient from median of 25.5 to 5.5 mmHg (p Conclusion TPV in patients older than 40 years is safe and effective. Mid-term follow up demonstrates improvement in functional capacity with stable valvular function, however, infective endocarditis occurred in 6%.
Effect of a Free-Living Ketogenic Diet on Feasibility, Satiety, Body Composition, and Metabolic Health in Women: The Grading Level of Optimal Carbohydrate for Women (GLOW) Study.

The study's purpose was to examine a free-living, ketogenic diet (WFKD) on feasibility, satiety, body composition, and metabolic health in women.Twenty-two women (age (yr.) 42.2 ± 8.1, Ht. (cm) 164...
Room Size Influences Flow in Robotic-Assisted Surgery.

The introduction of surgical technology into existing operating rooms (ORs) can place novel demands on staff and infrastructure. Despite the substantial physical size of the devices in robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), the workspace implications are rarely considered. This study aimed to explore the impact of OR size on the environmental causes of surgical flow disruptions (FDs) occurring during RAS. Fifty-six RAS procedures were observed at two academic hospitals between July 2019 and January 2021 across general, urologic, and gynecologic surgical specialties. A multiple regression analysis demonstrated significant effects of room size in the pre-docking phase (t = 2.170, df = 54, β = 0.017, p = 0.035) where the rate of FDs increased as room size increased, and docking phase (t = −2.488, df = 54, β = −0.017, p = 0.016) where the rate of FDs increased as room size decreased. Significant effects of site (pre-docking phase: p = 0.000 and docking phase: p = 0.000) were also demonstrated. Findings from this study demonstrate hitherto unrecognized spatial challenges involved with introducing surgical robots into the operating domain. While new technology may provide benefits towards patient safety, it is important to consider the needs of the technology prior to integration.
Multifunctional Resonant Wavefront-Shaping Meta-Optics

We experimentally demonstrate systems of nonlocal optical metasurfaces that spatially shape the incident wavefront deliberately and distinctively for multiple independent resonances without altering the wavefront shape of non-resonant light.
Functional and protective hole hopping in metalloenzymes.

Electrons can tunnel through proteins in microseconds with a modest release of free energy over distances in the 15 to 20 A range. To span greater distances, or to move faster, multiple charge transfers (hops) are required. When one of the reactants is a strong oxidant, it is convenient to consider the movement of a positively charged “hole” in a direction opposite to that of the electron. Hole hopping along chains of tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) residues is a critical function in several metalloenzymes that generate high-potential intermediates by reactions with O2 or H2O2, or by activation with visible light. Examination of the protein structural database revealed that Tyr/Trp chains are common protein structural elements, particularly among enzymes that react with O2 and H2O2. In many cases these chains may serve a protective role in metalloenzymes by deactivating high-potential reactive intermediates formed in uncoupled catalytic turnover.
Molecular allergology approach to allergic asthma.

Abstract Allergic asthma is a frequently encountered and well described asthma phenotype. However, its precise mechanisms are less known. The tools for targeted selection of patients for an optimal response to intervention (prevention or treatment) are also lacking. Here we explore the potential of the molecular allergology approach to achieve a better understanding of allergic asthma mechanisms, a precise diagnosis and an optimal management of these patients.
Sequence Comparisons of the 3′ End of the Genomes of Five Strains of Avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes an acute, highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens characterized by tracheal rales, coughing and sneezing1. The disease was first described in 1931 by Schalk and Hawn1 and since that time, many strains have been defined2,3. These strains vary widely in virulence and tissue tropism. A number of serologically distinguishable strains of infectious bronchitis virus have been isolated from poultry in the U.S.A. Of the strains included in this study, Beaudette, Conn, and Ark DPI 75 are vaccine strains, Gray and AustT are known to be nephropathogenic causing limited respiratory disease, and infections with Ark99, Mass41 and a Japanese strain (KB8523) are generally thought to result in severe respiratory disease in the absence of nephritis and nephrosis4.
Magnetic behavior of linear chain copper(II) complexes—II: Dihalobispyridinecopper(II) complexes☆☆☆

Abstract The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility between 115 and 370°K has been determined for fourteen 1:2 addition complexes formed from copper(II) halides and pyridine or a substituted pyridine. The susceptibility-temperature data has been fit to the Curie-Weiss Law and values of φ in the range −9 to −43°K have been determined. From a knowledge of the structure of the complex the Weiss constant can be used to estimate the magnitude and sign of the exchange interaction. These results are compared with those obtained previously for 1:1 addition complexes formed from copper(II) chloride and bidentate heterocyclic amines. Plausable mechanisms for spin exchange in the two types of complexes are discussed.
Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development

Interest in world cities has grown as a result of globalization and current world events (e.g., terrorist threats and the global economic crisis). Cities of the World, edited by Brunn, Hays-Mitchel...
Visual recovery following open globe injury with initial no light perception

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze eyes presenting with no light perception (NLP) after open globe injury (OGI) to determine visual outcomes and prognostic indicators for visual recovery. METHODS: The records of consecutive patients with at least 6 months of follow-up presenting with OGI and NLP to a single institution between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2013 were reviewed for demographics, ophthalmic history, context and characteristics of injury, ocular examination findings, surgical interventions, and follow-up visual acuity. Unpaired t-tests and Fisher's Exact tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients met our inclusion criteria. The mean age was 50.4±25.5 (range 8-91) years. Four patients (16%) regained vision (hand motion in three patients and light perception in one patient) while 21 patients (84%) remained with NLP or had a prosthesis at final follow-up. Fourteen eyes (56%) were enucleated; nine (36%) were secondary enucleations. Although the sample sizes were small, neither ocular trauma score nor wound size was found to predict visual recovery. CONCLUSION: Four patients regained some vision after presenting with NLP due to OGI. These findings suggest that, in select cases, physicians should discuss the possibility of regaining some vision.
Automotive Recorder Research - A Summary of Accident Data and Test Results

This paper has been prepared to present the progress made in the Disc Recorder Pilot Project as of March 31, 1974. Recorder data from accidents involving vehicles equipped with disc recorders will be discussed and compared with associated reports by accident investigators. Also, crash tests to which the disc recorders have been subjected will be described along with an evaluation of results.
Perturbation Method and Optical Solitons

We develop a perturbation method based on an infinite dimensional extension of the Lie transform of the vector fields, and discuss several applications to optical soliton problems. The applications include soliton propagation under rapidly oscillating perturbations 1), and higher order effects on multi-soliton interactions 2).
Clinical Studies on Beta Blockers and Heart Failure Preceding the MERIT-HF Trial

With greater understanding of the impact of neuroendocrine stimulation on the adverse outcomes of heart failure, especially lethal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, focus has returned to the potential benefits of β-adrenergic blockade. In patients with myocardial infarction and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, particularly those prone to life-threatening arrhythmias, β-blocker therapy has been associated with a lower incidence of arrhythmias and improved survival. Even in the absence of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, β blockade has improved cardiac function and LV contractility in nonischemic heart failure, leading to a decrease in LV end-diastolic pressure and improved clinical status. Both the Metoprolol in Dilated Cardiomyopathy (MDC) trial and the Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study (CIBIS) found β blockade to be associated with decreased mortality rates in patients with nonischemic heart failure. Of the 3 large randomized mortality trials now under way, the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in Heart Failure (MERIT-HF) is specifically designed to investigate the effects of β blockade on total mortality when used as an adjunct to ACE inhibition in patients with ischemic or nonischemic heart failure. Unresolved issues to be addressed include whether: (1) β-blocker therapy in heart failure can improve survival and/or reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death; (2) β blockade is equally effective in ischemic and nonischemic heart failure; (3) any specific β blocker may be better tolerated initially and cause fewer adverse effects; and (4) all β blockers result in improved exercise tolerance and quality of life.
The Enzymatic Hydroxylation of n-Octane by Corynebacterium sp. Strain 7E1C

Abstract Cell-free extracts from sonically disrupted Corynebacterium sp. (7E1C) oxidized n-octane to 1-octanol and octanoic acid in the presence of NADH and O2. The hydroxylating activity, assayed by direct estimation of the reaction products, was found to be concentrated in the clarified S3 suprenatant fraction after centrifugation at 144,000 x g for 2 hours. By use of mass spectrometry it was shown that molecular oxygen is incorporated into the substrate during hydroxylation. The hydroxylating enzyme system was separated into two protein fractions, both of which were required for activity. One fraction, the S3(25–40)D, which precipitated between 25 and 40% ammonium sulfate saturation, appeared "particulate" and contained cytochrome P-450. The participation of this hemoprotein in n-octane hydroxylation was established by inhibition, induction, and spectral studies. The S3(60–100)D fraction, which precipitated between 60 and 100% ammonium sulfate saturation, was soluble, contained flavoprotein, and was functional in reducing cytochrome P-450 or cytochrome c in the presence of NADH. A tentative scheme for n-octane hydroxylation in the Corynebacterium 7E1C system is proposed.
Dimension Density - an Intensive Measure of Chaos in Spatially Extended Turbulent Systems

The determination of correlation dimensions by the Grassberger-Procaccia algorithm from an experimental time series has become a standard tool in the analysis of low dimensional chaotic systems. Here we want to carry over this method to spatially extended systems which have a decaying spatial correlation. In these cases the total number of degrees of freedom or overall ''dimension'' grows with the size of the system. Then in a finite size system the dimension of the overall dynamics can be recovered already from a single point measurement, if the resolution is greater than some size dependent threshold. Therefore we expect that the measured dimension values will increase when smaller and smaller spatial structures are resolved. This feature is also observed in turbulence experiments (U. Frisch). Thus the objective is to get an intensive (i.e. size independent) measure which locally characterizes turbulent systems. 5 refs., 2 figs.
Fat mass gain is lower in calcium-supplemented than in unsupplemented preschool children with low dietary calcium intakes

Background: Dietary calcium may play a role in the stimulation of lipolysisandtheinhibitionoflipogenesis,therebyreducingbodyfat. Objective:Theaimwastodeterminewhetheranassociationexisted between change in percentage body fat (%BF) or fat mass and calcium intake in children aged 3–5 y. Design: A secondary analysis of a 1-y randomized calcium and activity trial in 178 children was conducted. Three-day diet records and 48-h accelerometer readings were obtained at 0, 6, and 12 mo. Bodycompositionwasmeasuredbydual-energyX-rayabsorptiometry at 0 and 12 mo. Results: The decrease in %BF was less in girls (0.6 2.8%) than in boys (1.52.6%;P0.03) and correlated with age (r0.19, P 0.01) and maternal body mass index (r 0.19, P 0.02). Changesinfatmasswerenotsignificantlydifferentbyactivitygroup or between children randomly assigned to receive calcium or placebo (0.5 0.9 and 0.6 0.8 kg, respectively; P 0.32). Similar findings were observed for the change in %BF. No correlations between%BFandfatmasschangesanddietarycalcium(r0.01, P 0.9 and r 0.05, P 0.5) or total (dietary supplement) calcium intake (r 0.02, P 0.8 and r 0.06, P 0.4) were observed. Among children in the lowest tertile of dietary calcium (821 mg/d), fat mass gain was lower in the calcium group (0.3 0.5 kg) than in the placebo group (0.8 1.1 kg) (P 0.04) but was not correlated with mean total calcium intake (r 0.20). Conclusion: These findings support a weak relation between changes in fat mass gain and calcium intake in preschool children, who typically consume below recommended amounts of dietary calcium. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:1123–7.
Current Options for the Treatment of Food Allergy

Food allergy is increasing in prevalence; as a result, there is intense focus on developing safe and effective therapies. Current methods of specific immunotherapy include oral, sublingual, and epicutaneous, while nonspecific methods that have been investigated include: Chinese herbal medicine, probiotics, and anti-IgE antibodies. Although some studies have demonstrated efficacy in inducing desensitization, questions regarding safety and the potential for achieving immune tolerance remain. Although some of these therapies demonstrate promise, further investigation is required before their incorporation into routine clinical practice.
Approximate factorization of unfactorable spectral models

Promising MA, AR, or ARMA modeling techniques are sometimes discarded because they can produce non-positive or unfactorable spectral estimates. However, if the spectral information is otherwise reasonably preserved, approximate factorization can be obtained by Durbin's method to give positive spectra. Several useful applications to AR and ARMA modeling are cited.
Temporal and spatial patterns of wetland extent influence variability of surface water connectivity in the Prairie Pothole Region, United States

Quantifying variability in landscape-scale surface water connectivity can help improve our understanding of the multiple effects of wetlands on downstream waterways. We examined how wetland merging and the coalescence of wetlands with streams varied both spatially (among ecoregions) and interannually (from drought to deluge) across parts of the Prairie Pothole Region. Wetland extent was derived over a time series (1990–2011) using Landsat imagery. Changes in landscape-scale connectivity, generated by the physical coalescence of wetlands with other surface water features, were quantified by fusing static wetland and stream datasets with Landsat-derived wetland extent maps, and related to multiple wetness indices. The usage of Landsat allows for decadal-scale analysis, but limits the types of surface water connections that can be detected. Wetland extent correlated positively with the merging of wetlands and wetlands with streams. Wetness conditions, as defined by drought indices and runoff, were positively correlated with wetland extent, but less consistently correlated with measures of surface water connectivity. The degree of wetland–wetland merging was found to depend less on total wetland area or density, and more on climate conditions, as well as the threshold for how wetland/upland was defined. In contrast, the merging of wetlands with streams was positively correlated with stream density, and inversely related to wetland density. Characterizing the degree of surface water connectivity within the Prairie Pothole Region in North America requires consideration of (1) climate-driven variation in wetness conditions and (2) within-region variation in wetland and stream spatial arrangements.
EXPRESSION AND REGULATION OF CHEMOKINES IN BACTERIAL PNEUMONIA

Effective host defense against bacterial invasion is characterized by the vigorous recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells which is dependent on the coordinated expression of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In this review, we present evidence indicating that both C-X-C and C-C chemokines are integral components of antibacterial host defense. Specifically, in vitro studies indicate that C-X-C chemokines [interleukin-8 (IL-8) and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) and the C-C chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) augment the ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and alveolar macrophages, respectively, to phagocytose and kill Escherichia coli. In addition, the intratracheal instillation of Klebsiella pneumoniae in CD-1 mice results in time-dependent production of MIP-2 and MIP-1 alpha and the inhibition of MIP-2 bioactivity in vivo results in decreases in lung PMN influx, impaired bacterial clearance, and early mortality. Finally, the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) is also expressed within the lung during the evolution of Klebsiella pneumonia, and neutralization of IL-10 in vivo results in enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production, bacterial clearance, and increases in both short- and long-term survival. In conclusion, our studies indicate that specific chemokines are important mediators of leukocyte recruitment and/or activation in bacterial pneumonia and that the expression of these chemokines is regulated by endogenously produced IL-10.
Object-oriented databases: design and implementation

Object-oriented database systems (OODBS), which aim at meeting the data modeling, performance, cooperative design, and version management requirements of next-generation applications, such as CAD, CAM, CASE, hypermedia, and expert systems, are discussed. Key features of OODBS are presented, a taxonomy of approaches is provided, and architectural and implementation issues, design alternatives, and tradeoffs are examined. A variety of OODB systems, both research prototypes and commercial systems, are summarized. Industry efforts to accelerate a consensus that can lead to standards in the OODB are discussed. >
High Power Switching Behavior in Conductor-Filled Polymer Composites

It has generally been assumed that the switching properties of conductor-filled polymer composites are based on a positive temperature coefficient of resistance (PTCR) effect where, at a certain switch temperature, the material resistivity increases by orders of magnitude. Here we present studies of the electrical switching behavior at high current densities which demonstrate that, in the high power regime, the observed switching is not based on the PTCR effect. Instead, we show that this type of switching appears to be a general feature in conductor-filled polymer composite materials and a qualitative model for the switching phenomenon is proposed. These results suggest that conductor-filled polymer composite materials can provide a new non-mechanical way of rapidly limiting high power short circuit currents. This should have broad applications in the circuit protection industry.
The Prevalence and Incidence of Intimate Partner Violence in Older Women in Primary Care Practices

OBJECTIVE: Identify the incidence and prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in women over 55 years of age in primary care offices.
[Ca2+]i determines the effects of protein kinases A and C on activity of rat renal Na+,K+‐ATPase

1. It is well established that the activity of Na+,K+-ATPase (NKA) is regulated by protein kinases A (PKA) and C (PKC), but results on their effects have been conflicting. The aim of this study was to examine if this is ascribed to the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). 2. Rat renal NKA was stably expressed in COS cells (green monkey kidney cells). Increases in [Ca2+]i were achieved with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 and verified by direct measurements of [Ca2+]i using fura-2 AM as an indicator. The activity of NKA was measured as ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake and the state of phosphorylation of NKA was monitored with two site-directed phosphorylation state-specific antibodies. 3. Activation of PKA with forskolin decreased NKA activity by 45.5 +/- 8.9 % at low [Ca2+]i (120 nM) and increased it by 40.5 +/- 6.4 % at high [Ca2+]i (420 nM). The change in NKA activity by forskolin correlated with the level of increase in [Ca2+]i. 4. The effect of 1-oleoyl-2-acetoyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), a specific PKC activator, on the activity of NKA was also Ca2+ dependent, being inhibitory when [Ca2+]i was low (29.3 +/- 3.6 % decrease at 120 nM Ca2+) and stimulatory when [Ca2+]i was high (36.6 +/- 10.1 % increase at 420 nM Ca2+). 5. The alpha subunit of NKA was phosphorylated under both low and high [Ca2+]i conditions upon PKA or PKC activation. PKA phosphorylates Ser943. PKC phosphorylates Ser23. 6. To see if the observed effects on NKA activity are secondary to changes in Na+ entry, we measured NKA hydrolytic activity using permeabilized membranes isolated from cells under controlled Na+ conditions. A decreased activity at low [Ca2+]i and no change in activity at high [Ca2+]i were observed following forskolin or OAG treatment. 7. Purified NKA from rat renal cortex was phosphorylated and inhibited by PKC. This phosphorylation-associated inhibition of NKA was neither affected by Ca2+ nor by calmodulin, tested alone or together. 8. We conclude that effect of PKA/PKC on NKA activity is dependent on [Ca2+]i. This Ca2+ dependence may provide an explanation for the diversity of responses of NKA to activation of either PKA or PKC.
Complications related to invasive hemodynamic monitors during adult liver transplantation

The rate of complications directly related to invasive monitors during liver transplantation (LT) was reviewed in 1206 consecutive adult LTs performed over 8.6 yr (1/1/2004-7/31/2012). The designated anesthesiologists placed intra-operative monitors, including two arterial catheters (via the radial and the right femoral arteries), central venous catheters (a 9 Fr. catheter and an 18 Fr. veno-venous bypass [VVB] return cannula in an internal jugular vein), a pulmonary artery catheter, and a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe. A 17 Fr. VVB drainage cannula was placed via the left femoral vein. No Clavien-Dindo Grade V (death) or Grade IV (organ dysfunction) complication was identified. Nine Grade III complications (requiring surgical intervention) and 15 Grade II complications (conservative treatment) were noted. Seven (0.58% in 1206 cases) were related to a femoral arterial line with Grade III of four; seven (0.58%) were due to VVB return cannula in the femoral vein with Grade III of one; four (0.33%) were related to central venous catheters with Grade III of two; four (0.33%) were due to a TEE probe with Grade III of two; and two minor complications (0.17%) that were related to a radial arterial line. No complication was observed with a pulmonary arterial catheter. Current invasive monitors placed during LT have an acceptable risk.
Mount St. Helens reawakens

Following 18 years of relative quiescence, Mount St. Helens volcano (MSH) became restless and began erupting again during September–December 2004. On 23 September, the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) and the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network (PNSN) at the University of Washington detected the onset of a shallow earthquake swarm beneath the 1980–1986 lava dome. The Mount St. Helens Emergency Response Plan defines three alert levels that differ from normal background activity: Level 1, Notice of Volcanic Unrest (unusual activity detected); Level 2, Volcano Advisory (eruption likely but not imminent); and Level 3, Volcano Alert (eruption imminent or in progress).
Epiglottic repositioning procedure for supraglottic stenosis/collapse.

Objectives:Supraglottic stenosis/collapse is an uncommon condition. It can be difficult to detect and may be a cause of failed decannulation following tracheostomy. We present a novel technique to correct supraglottic stenosis/collapse.Methods:We performed a retrospective analysis of the records of patients in whom attempts at decannulation had failed at our center between 2003 and 2007. A subgroup with supraglottic stenosis/collapse with posterior displacement of the base of the epiglottis was identified. Our epiglottic repositioning procedure was performed in these patients. Through an external incision, the epiglottis was divided above the anterior commissure and attached to the superior border of the thyroid cartilage.Results:Eight decannulation failures out of 36 attempted decannulations were identified. Three of these 8 cases involved supraglottic stenosis/collapse due to posterior displacement of the base of the epiglottis. Correction of the supraglottic stenosis/collapse led to successful decannul...
ANTAGONISM BETWEEN PARATHYROID EXTRACT AND ADRENAL CORTICAL STEROIDS IN MAN.

Metabolic balance studies were done in 2 patients with hypoparathyroidism who received cortisol or prednisone during the administration of parathyroid extract. Administration of prednisone was associated with phosphate retention, decreased urinary calcium, decreased serum calcium, citrate and glycoprotein concentrations, and increased serum phosphate. Excretion of parathyroid activity in the urine of 1 patient was uninfluenced by the administration of prednisone. It is concluded that the antagonistic effect of the adrenal cortical steroids was expressed at the biochemical sites of action of the parathyroid extract in bone and kidney, that the steroids reduce parathyroid secretion. (J Clin Endocr 25: 445,1965), but that their administration probably does not result in degradation or inactivation of the hormone.
Evaluating the effect of normalizing informal text on TTS output

Abbreviations in informal text, and research efforts to expand them to the standard English words from which they were derived, have become increasingly common. These methods are almost solely evaluated using the final word error rate (WER) after normalization; however, this metric may not be reasonable for a text-to-speech (TTS) system where words may be pronounced correctly despite being misspelled. This paper shows that normalization of informal text improves the output of TTS not only in terms of WER but also in terms of phoneme error rate (PER) and human perceptual experiments.
Health-Seeking Behavior and Social Networks of the Aged Living in Single-Room Occupancy Hotels

The elderly who reside in single-room occupancy (SRO) hotels often have been depicted as "isolates," lacking the interest or ability to engage primary or secondary support systems. This characterization has not enhanced understanding of how the SRO aged are able to survive in the community. With the use of network analysis techniques, this study demonstrates the inaccuracy of the assertion that these old persons lack significant social support. The data pointed to differences in network size, complexity, intensity, connectedness, and directionality in relation to varying degrees of physical and psychiatric health.
Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Dependent Variables in Mood Disorder Research

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the effects of the menstrual cycle on dependent variables in mood disorder research to inform investigators which physiological measures are likely to be significantly affected by menstrual cycle fluctuations and precisely how they might be affected. The following variables are discussed: prolactin; growth hormone; the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (including thyrotropin, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine); the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (cortisol, corticotropin, and beta-endorphin); melatonin; sleep; body temperature; and neurotransmitter activity (serotonergic and adrenergic systems). Body temperature and plasma and urinary norepinephrine vary predictably over the menstrual cycle. Prolactin and beta-endorphin may have peaks in the periovulatory phase, whereas serotonin levels in platelet-poor plasma may reach a nadir at that time. Triiodothyronine, thyroxine, cortisol, and melatonin do not appear to vary systematically over the course of the menstrual cycle, whereas the data for growth hormone, thyrotropin, corticotropin, and sleep are inconclusive.
A "Vacuum Cup" Electrode For The Spectrochemical Analysis of Solutions

A new method is proposed for handling solution samples in spectro-chemical analysis. Speed, good sensitivity, short exposure times, and great ease of handling characterize the method. The rate of transfer of the solution into the analytical gap can be varied from less than 1 ml/100 sec to 1 ml/40 sec, and the total volume of sample carried in the electrode cup may range from 0.2 to 4 ml. The sample is presented to the excitation gap in the form of a very fine spray. The electrodes can be easily fabricated from pure copper, silver, graphite, or other materials.
Purse Seining for Juvenile Salmon and Trout in the Columbia River Estuary

Abstract A 28-foot gillnetter was modified to catch juvenile salmon and steelhead trout by purse seining in the estuary of the Columbia River. This vessel and equipment enabled effective sampling with relative economy, practicality, and safety. The main limitation was the lack of space for handling fish. Juvenile salmon and steelhead trout comprised the majority of the catch. Also taken in large numbers were surf smelt, American shad, northern anchovy, and longfin smelt in brackish water and peamouth in fresh water. The incidental catch included cutthroat trout, Pacific herring, eulachon, threespine stickleback, carp, shiner perch, starry flounder, and largescale sucker.
Surface-based atlases of cerebellar cortex in the human, macaque, and mouse.

This study describes surface reconstructions and associated flat maps that represent the highly convoluted shape of cerebellar cortex in three species: human, macaque, and mouse. The reconstructions were based on high-resolution structural MRI data obtained from other laboratories. The surface areas determined for the fiducial reconstructions are about 600 cm(2) for the human, 60 cm(2) for the macaque, and 0.8 cm(2) for the mouse. As expected from the ribbon-like pattern of cerebellar folding, the cerebellar flat maps are elongated along the axis parallel to the midline. However, the degree of elongation varies markedly across species. The macaque flat map is many times longer than its mean width, whereas the mouse flat map is only slightly elongated and the human map is intermediate in its aspect ratio. These cerebellar atlases, along with associated software for visualization and for mapping experimental data onto the atlas, are freely available to the neuroscience community (see http:/brainmap.wustl.edu).
Determination of cocaethylene, cocaine and their metabolites in rat serum microsamples by high-performance liquid chromatography, and its application to pharmacokinetic studies in rodents.

Abstract A single-solvent extraction step high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for quantitating cocaethylene in rat serum microsamples (50 μl), a substance formed in vivo when cocaine and ethanol are present concurrently. The separation used a 2 mm I.D. reversed-phase Nova-Pak C18 column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile—phosphate buffer containing an ion-pairing reagent. With an ultraviolet detector operated at 230 nm, a linear response was observed from 0.05 to 2.0 μg/ml with a detection limit of 5 ng/ml for cocaethylene, cocaine and norcocaine. The method showed a longer half-life for cocaethylene than for cocaine in rat.
Secondary Electrons in EUV Lithography

Secondary electrons play critical roles in several imaging technologies, including extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. At longer wavelengths of light (e.g. 193 and 248 nm), the photons are directly involved in the photochemistry occurring during photolysis. EUV light (13.5 nm, 92 eV), however, first creates a photoelectron, and this electron, or its subsequent daughter electrons create most of the chemical changes that occur during exposure. Despite the importance of these electrons, the details surrounding the chemical events leading to acid production remain poorly understood. Previously reported experimental results using high PAG-loaded resists have demonstrated that up to five or six photoacids can be generated per incident photon. Until recently, only electron recombination events were thought to play a role in acid generation, requiring that at least as many secondary electrons are produced to yield a given number of acid molecules. However, the initial results we have obtained using a Monte Carlo-based modeling program, LESiS, demonstrate that only two to three secondary electrons are made per absorbed EUV photon. A more comprehensive understanding of EUV-induced acid generation is therefore needed for the development of higher performance resists
Regeneration potential of Taxodium distichum swamps and climate change

Seed bank densities respond to factors across local to landscape scales, and therefore, knowledge of these responses may be necessary in forecasting the effects of climate change on the regeneration of species. This study relates the seed bank densities of species of Taxodium distichum swamps to local water regime and regional climate factors at five latitudes across the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley from southern Illinois to Louisiana. In an outdoor nursery setting, the seed banks of twenty-five swamps were exposed to non-flooded (freely drained) or flooded treatments, and the number and species of seeds germinating were recorded from each swamp during one growing season. Based on ANOVA analysis, the majority of dominant species had a higher rate of germination in non-flooded versus flooded treatments. Similarly, an NMS comparison, which considered the local water regime and regional climate of the swamps, found that the species of seeds germinating, almost completely shifted under non-flooded versus flooded treatments. For example, in wetter northern swamps, seeds of Taxodium distichum germinated in non-flooded conditions, but did not germinate from the same seed banks in flooded conditions. In wetter southern swamps, seeds of Eleocharis cellulosa germinated in flooded conditions, but did not germinate in non-flooded conditions. The strong relationship of seed germination and density relationships with local water regime and regional climate variables suggests that the forecasting of climate change effects on swamps and other wetlands needs to consider a variety of interrelated variables to make adequate projections of the regeneration responses of species to climate change. Because regeneration is an important aspect of species maintenance and restoration, climate drying could influence the species distribution of these swamps in the future.
The Effect of Comprehension Feedback and Listener Age on Speech Complexity

Forty college-aged participants told a story and gave verbal walking directions to either a same-age peer or a 75-year-old adult. The listeners gave some participants comprehension feedback and gave other participants mixed comprehension and noncomprehension feedback. Analyses examined length of utterance immediately preceding or following feedback cues. Participants did not globally simplify their speech when talking to the older compared with the young adult. However, speech was sensitive to comprehension feedback from both listeners, and listener age affected speech complexity by influencing the magnitude of this fine tuning effect. Participants simplified their speech more in response to feedback cues from the older than the young listener. Taken together, these results suggest that fine tuning applies to conversations between adults and speech accommodations may be further “fine tuned” based on other factors such as listener age.
Service Offshoring and Productivity: Evidence from the US

The practice of sourcing service inputs from overseas suppliers has been growing in response to new technologies that have made it possible to trade in some business and computing services that were previously considered non-tradable. This paper estimates the effects of offshoring on productivity in US manufacturing industries between 1992 and 2000. It finds that service offshoring has a significant positive effect on productivity in the United States, accounting for around 10 per cent of labour productivity growth during this period. Offshoring material inputs also have a positive effect on productivity, but the magnitude is smaller accounting for approximately 5 per cent of productivity growth.
Virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for guinea pigs: a quantitative modification of the assay developed by Mitchison

One of the more accepted methods of assay of virulence of tubercle bacilli is one developed by Mitchison in which guinea pigs were infected by the intramuscular route with 1.0 mg of tubercle bacilli freshly harvested from Lowenstein Jensen medium and in which virulence was based on a subjective score of the extent of gross disease in the animal 6 weeks after infection. Due to the practical difficulties involved in such an assay when routinely performed, the following modifications were made: frozen stocks of the culture were prepared prior to the date of infection, the inoculum was quantitated by means of colony forming units, and virulence was based on the number of tubercle bacilli recovered from the spleen of infected animals 6 weeks after infection. A significant correlation was obtained between the findings from the Mitchison assay of virulence and the modification. The latter assay is recommended for its quantitative and objective features.
Empirical evidence for North Pacific regime shifts in 1977 and 1989

Abstract It is now widely accepted that a climatic regime shift transpired in the North Pacific Ocean in the winter of 1976–77. This regime shift has had far reaching consequences for the large marine ecosystems of the North Pacific. Despite the strength and scope of the changes initiated by the shift, it was 10–15 years before it was fully recognized. Subsequent research has suggested that this event was not unique in the historical record but merely the latest in a succession of climatic regime shifts. In this study, we assembled 100 environmental time series, 31 climatic and 69 biological, to determine if there is evidence for common regime signals in the 1965–1997 period of record. Our analysis reproduces previously documented features of the 1977 regime shift, and identifies a further shift in 1989 in some components of the North Pacific ecosystem. The 1989 changes were neither as pervasive as the 1977 changes nor did they signal a simple return to pre-1977 conditions. A notable feature of the 1989 regime shift is the relative clarity that is found in biological records, which contrasts with the relative lack of clear changes expressed by indices of Pacific climate. Thus, the large marine ecosystems of the North Pacific and Bering Sea appear to filter climate variability strongly, and respond nonlinearly to environmental forcing. We conclude that monitoring North Pacific and Bering Sea ecosystems may allow for an earlier identification of regime shifts than is possible from monitoring climate data alone.
Educational Inquiry as Developmental Research.

Over the past two decades, many nations have responded to the challenge of modernization with very substantial efforts at educational reform. Following the lead of the more industrialized countries, nations around the world pressed forward with major efforts to improve schooling as expansion of schooling began to reach its limits. The credo for such efforts was declared emphatically by the Unesco International Commission on the Development of Education (Faure, et al., 1972) about a decade
Intensities and broadening coefficients for the Q branch of the 4v2↔v1 + v2 (471.511 cm-1) band of CO2

Absolute intensities for the Q-branch of the 4nu-2 - nu-1 + nu-1/2 (20,003-11,101) band in CO2 were measured for the first time. Measurements were performed for lines Q10 to Q28, at temperatures ranging from 385 to 426 K, for pressures from 3 to 40 torr, using our long wavelength tunable diode laser spectrometer. The combination of tunable diode lasers, a White cell, and a blocked impurity band detector made it possible to obtain signal to noise ratios greater than 1000 in the 471/cm spectral region, with about 3 x 10 exp -4/cm spectral resolution. The band strength was found to be 8.6(2) x 10 exp -25 cm/molec at 296 K, and the Hermann-Wallis factor was determined. Comparison with the values listed in the HITRAN 92 data base are presented. Self-, N2- and O2-broadening coefficients were also measured.
Design of fair charging algorithm for smart electrical vehicle charging infrastructure

Smart charging infrastructure is required to meet the growing demand for Electrical Vehicle (EV) charging from ever more abundant EV owners. WINSmartEV™ is a software based smart charging infrastructure that can monitor, control and manage EV charging. It also can use multiplexing to share scarce charging resources among different EVs plugged in simultaneously. By default WINSmartEV™ uses a round-robin algorithm to schedule charging time between EVs charging on the 120V level one charging device. In order to enhance user acceptance of this technology, charge time allocation fairness is defined and an algorithm to enhance this fairness is proposed.
Scaling behavior for the noble metal-Mn spin glass systems

Abstract The scaling of the low temperature magnetization and of the excitations of the low temperature state for noble metal-Mn spin glasses is demonstrated and values for V 0 , the coefficient for the RKKY interaction are determined. The relative values for V o agree satisfactorily with those estimated from other studies at higher temperature and higher impurity concentrations.
Pharmacological management of Cronkhite–Canada syndrome

Cronkhite–Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare, non-inherited gastrointestinal polyposis syndrome associated with characteristic ectodermal abnormalities. A number of potentially life-threatening complications including malnutrition, gastrointestinal bleeding and infection may occur in affected patients and CCS is fatal in many cases. The optimal therapy for CCS is not known but several treatment options have been described. Nutritional support, antibiotics, corticosteroids, anabolic steroids, histamine-receptor antagonists and surgical treatment have all been used with varying degrees of success. Unfortunately, controlled therapeutic trials have not been possible because of the rarity of the disease. Most recently, a combination regimen using histamine-receptor antagonists, cromolyn sodium, prednisone and suppressive antibiotics has been described. The reported treatment options and rates of success are reviewed.
Overexpression of cyclin A in human HeLa cells induces detachment of kinetochores and spindle pole/centrosome overproduction

The combination of hydroxyurea (HU) and caffeine has been used for inducing kinetochore dissociation from mitotic chromosomes and for causing centrosome/spindle pole amplification. However, these effects on microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) are limited to certain cell types. It was reasoned that if the biochemical differences in MTOC behavior between cells following HU treatment could be identified, then critical information concerning the regulation of these organelles would be obtained. During these studies, it was determined that cells from hamster, rat, and deer could be induced to enter mitosis with dissociated kinetochores and to synthesize centrosomes during arrest with HU, while cells from human and mouse could not. Comparisons between human HeLa cells and CHO cells determined that cyclin A levels were depressed in HeLa cells relative to CHO cells following HU addition. Overexpression of cyclin A in HeLa cells converted them to a cell type capable of detaching kinetochores from mitotic chromosomes. Ultrastructural analyses determined that the detached human kinetochores exhibited a normal plate-like morphology and appeared capable of associating with microtubules. In addition, HeLa cells overexpressing cyclin A also overproduced spindle poles during HU arrest, demonstrating that cyclin A activity also is important for centrosome replication during interphase. In summary, elevated cyclin A levels are important for the capacity of cells to be driven into mitosis by caffeine addition, for the ability of cells to progress to mitosis with detached kinetochores, and for centrosome/spindle pole replication.
Sensitivity Analysis of Hydro-Rim Deep Drawing of Cylindrical Cups

Extensive nonlinear finite element analyses were conducted to help predict practical test conditions of intelligent hydro-rim deep forming of cylindrical cups under controlled cooled punch and heated blank temperatures, punch speed, chamber and rim pressures, and punch friction. The study focused on finding practical process conditions for maximizing the drawing ratio by variations in blank and punch temperatures, friction, rim pressure, chamber pressure, and punch speed. The study was based on an experimental cell that aimed at using real time control of the mentioned parameters to delay the necking process. The finite element material model considered the plastic behavior to be strain rate and temperature dependent. While conventional deep drawing is limited to a Limit Drawing Ratio (LDR) of about 2, the results show that a parameters listed above. Blank temperature, punch friction, rim pressure, and chamber pressure provide significant influence of various degrees on increasing the cup drawing ratio. Blank heating is very effective, but does not by itself guarantee higher LDR. The presence of punch friction coupled with chamber pressure tends to delay the necking and moves the latter up along the cup wall and away from the cup bottom corner. Rim pressure, while difficult to implement, results in significant improvement of the LDR, since it helps push the material into the die, and in doing so reduces the cup-wall tension that causes the material instability. High rim pressure, on the other hand, increases the blank thickness resulting in increased blank holder loads. Punch temperature does not play as critical a role as the blank temperature in maintaining a high LDR under the conditions investigated. The study revealed that punch speed had to be above a certain critical level for a LDR of 4. However, increased punch speed proved to cause higher variations in the thickness along cup wall. It is important to mention that the results of this study do not necessarily apply to all metals; copper material was used here. Metals with low ductility, for example would react differently, a subject of future studies.Copyright © 2003 by ASME