cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Yoga as Antihypertensive Lifestyle Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract Objective To investigate the efficacy of yoga as antihypertensive lifestyle therapy and identify moderators that account for variability in the blood pressure (BP) response to yoga. Methods We systematically searched 6 electronic databases from inception through June 4, 2018, for articles published in English language journals on trials of yoga interventions that involved adult participants, reported preintervention and postintervention BP, and had a nonexercise/nondiet control group. Our search yielded 49 qualifying controlled trials (56 interventions). We (1) evaluated the risk of bias and methodological study quality, (2) performed meta-regression analysis following random-effects assumptions, and (3) generated additive models that represented the largest possible clinically relevant BP reductions. Results On average, the 3517 trial participants were middle-aged (49.2±19.5 years), overweight (27.9±3.6 kg/m2) adults with high BP (systolic BP, 129.3±13.3 mm Hg; diastolic BP, 80.7±8.4 mm Hg). Yoga was practiced 4.8±3.4 sessions per week for 59.2±25.0 minutes per session for 13.2±7.5 weeks. On average, yoga elicited moderate reductions in systolic BP (weighted mean effect size, −0.47; 95% CI, −0.62-0.32, −5.0 mm Hg) and diastolic BP (weighted mean effect size, −0.47; 95% CI, −0.61 to −0.32; −3.9 mm Hg) compared with controls (P Conclusion Our results indicate that yoga is a viable antihypertensive lifestyle therapy that produces the greatest BP benefits when breathing techniques and meditation/mental relaxation are included.
Boron Nitride Nanotube Composites and Applications

Abstract Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), like carbon nanotubes (CNTs), possess an impressive collection of properties that motivate their use in composite materials, particularly in areas where CNTs are limited (e.g., high-temperature processing and applications) or unsuitable (e.g., electric insulation). The recent advent of pilot-scale production and of commercial BNNT materials offers improved opportunities to study BNNT science and develop BNNT-based composites and applications. Here, we highlight recent advances in BNNT manufacturing and commercialization and the properties and performance of BNNT-based nanocomposites including polymer, metal, and ceramic composites and envision a future landscape of BNNT applications.
Attention modulates the gating of primary somatosensory oscillations.

Abstract Sensory gating (SG) is a well-studied phenomenon in which neural responses are reduced to identical stimuli presented in succession, and is thought to represent the functional inhibition of primary sensory information that is redundant in nature. SG is traditionally considered pre-attentive, but little is known about the effects of attentional state on this process. In this study, we investigate the impact of directed attention on somatosensory SG using magnetoencephalography. Healthy young adults (n ​= ​26) performed a novel somato-visual paired-pulse oddball paradigm, in which attention was directed towards or away from paired-pulse stimulation of the left median nerve. We observed a robust evoked (i.e., phase-locked) somatosensory response in the time domain, and three stereotyped oscillatory responses in the time-frequency domain including an early theta response (4–8 ​Hz), and later alpha (8–14 ​Hz) and beta (20–26 ​Hz) responses across attentional states. The amplitudes of the evoked response and the theta and beta oscillations were gated for the second stimulus, however, only the gating of the oscillatory responses was altered by attention. Specifically, directing attention to the somatosensory domain enhanced SG of the early theta response, while reducing SG of the later alpha and beta responses. Further, prefrontal alpha-band coherence with the primary somatosensory cortex was greater when attention was directed towards the somatosensory domain, supporting a frontal modulatory effect on the alpha response in primary somatosensory regions. These findings highlight the dynamic effects of attentional modulation on somatosensory processing, and the importance of considering attentional state in studies of SG.
Providing Early Attending Physician Expertise via Telemedicine to Improve Rapid Response Team Evaluations.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effect of providing early attending physician involvement via telemedicine to improve the decision process of rapid response teams. DESIGN Quasi-experimental; three pairs of control/intervention months: June/July; August/October; November/December. SETTING Single-center, urban, quaternary academic children's hospital with three-member rapid response team: critical care fellow or nurse practitioner, nurse, respiratory therapist. Baseline practice: rapid response team leader reviewed each evaluation with an ICU attending physician within 2 hours after return to ICU. SUBJECTS 1) Patients evaluated by rapid response team, 2) rapid response team members. INTERVENTIONS Implementation of a smartphone-based telemedicine platform to facilitate early co-assessment and disposition planning between the rapid response team at the patient's bedside and the attending in the ICU. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS As a marker of efficiency, the primary provider outcome was time the rapid response team spent per patient encounter outside the ICU prior to disposition determination. The primary patient outcome was percentage of patients requiring intubation or vasopressors within 60 minutes of ICU transfer. There were three pairs of intervention/removal months. In the first 2 pairs, the intervention was associated with the rapid response team spending less time on rapid response team calls (June/July: point estimate -5.24 min per call; p < 0.01; August/October: point estimate -3.34 min per call; p < 0.01). During the first of the three pairs, patients were significantly less likely to require intubation or vasopressors within 60 minutes of ICU transfer (adjusted odds ratio, 0.66; 95 CI, 0.51-0.84; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Early in the study, more rapid ICU attending involvement via telemedicine was associated with rapid response team providers spending less time outside the ICU, and among patients transferred to the ICU, a significant decrease in likelihood of patients requiring vasopressors or intubation within the first 60 minutes of transfer. These findings provide evidence that early ICU attending involvement via telemedicine can improve efficiency of rapid response team evaluations.
1029-P: Effectiveness of Premix Insulin (Premix) in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D): A Retrospective UK Cohort Study

NICE guidelines suggest premix as a treatment option for people with T2D with HbA1c ≥9 % uncontrolled by ≥2 oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). This retrospective cohort study explored real-world evidence for glycemic control with premix. UK electronic medical record data from THIN database were captured for adults with T2D uncontrolled (HbA1c ≥9 %) on ≥2 OADs initiating premix (index date) from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2016. Baseline data were collected 12 months pre-index and outcomes followed for 24 months. Glycemic control was assessed by time to first achievement of HbA1c target Disclosure E.B. Jude: Speaker’s Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk Inc., Sanofi. Other Relationship; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Menarini Group. A. Ali: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Napp Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Gelesis. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Amarin Corporation. R. Emral: Advisory Panel; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk Inc., Sanofi-Aventis. N. Nanda: Advisory Panel; Self; Novartis AG. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk Inc., Pfizer Inc., Sanofi. R. Lubwama: Employee; Self; Sanofi US. K.D. Palmer: Employee; Self; Sanofi. A. Shaunik: None. P. Raskin: None. F. Gomez-Peralta: Advisory Panel; Self; Abbott, Menarini Group, Novartis AG, Sanofi. Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Lilly Diabetes, Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi. C. Trescoli: None. Funding Sanofi
Analysis of death and disability due to golf cart crashes in The Villages, Florida: 2011-2019

More than 18 000 Golf Cart (GC)-related injuries occur in the United States (US) annually. However, very few studies have analyzed the causes of such crashes. This study represents the largest sing...
A Participant Observation Study of the Resolution of Audit Engagement Challenges in Governmental Tax Compliance Audits

The previous auditing literature has examined how audit engagement challenges have been resolved through auditor/auditee negotiation. This paper extends the prior literature by examining audit engagement challenges arising during governmental tax compliance audits involving regulated wineries in the United States. The empirical evidence for this paper was gathered during a participant observation study conducted by the primary researcher over a six year period while working as an auditor for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States Department of Treasury. The principal contribution of this paper lies in the fact that little or no prior research in auditing has been conducted using participant observation as a research methodology. In addition, the use of participant observation as a research methodology provides a new perspective on the resolution of audit engagement challenges through improvement of auditor/auditee communication and negotiation.
Role separation’s impact on student-athlete well-being

Student-athletes balance the roles of student and athlete in their identities, and these roles provide stressors and risks that may influence their mental health. Student-athlete role separation is...
Factors associated with posttraumatic growth among healthcare workers at an academic-medical center: A correlational study

Purpose Posttraumatic growth (PTG) can occur after experiencing traumatic events. Our purpose was to examine factors associated with PTG experiences of healthcare workers within an academic-medical center. Design and methods A correlational study was conducted using a convenience sample of 479 healthcare workers at a large academic-medical center. Findings Having children living at home, serving the pediatric population, longer duration of alcohol abstinence, and having received treatment for trauma were significantly associated with greater PTG scores. Compared to nondirect care staff, advance practice providers, nursing staff, social work/psychologists, and pharmacy staff had significantly lower PTG scores. Practice implications Understanding the positive psychological changes that occur in workers after trauma experiences may provide insight to guide interventions that promote healthcare worker wellbeing.
Prognostic impact of obesity in cancer patients with COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

e18578Background: Obesity is a bona fide risk factor for ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality in patients (pts) with COVID-19 in the general population. However, whether obesity is ...
Learning Faithful Representations of Causal Graphs

Learning contextual text embeddings that represent causal graphs has been useful in improving the performance of downstream tasks like causal treatment effect estimation. However, existing causal embeddings which are trained to predict direct causal links, fail to capture other indirect causal links of the graph, thus leading to spurious correlations in downstream tasks. In this paper, we define the faithfulness property of contextual embeddings to capture geometric distance-based properties of directed acyclic causal graphs. By incorporating these faithfulness properties, we learn text embeddings that are 31.3% more faithful to human validated causal graphs with about 800K and 200K causal links and achieve 21.1% better Precision-Recall AUC in a link prediction fine-tuning task. Further, in a crowdsourced causal question-answering task on Yahoo! Answers with questions of the form “What causes X?”, our faithful embeddings achieved a precision of the first ranked answer (P@1) of 41.07%, outperforming the existing baseline by 10.2%.
War of words: The narrative efficacy of medicine in the maji maji war

In this chapter, the author takes the analysis of the role of maji during the war and its aftermath still further. His approach seeks to go beyond an evaluation of the instrumental and symbolic efficacy of the maji medicine, to understand its narrative efficacy in specific historical and geographical settings. The chapter considers the way stories of maji functioned as a set of ideas that came to be mobilized within and among societies in southern Tanzania. Narratives of maji medicine had transformative power for African communities experiencing danger and hardship. For Germans in Africa as well as in Europe stories of medicine influenced ideas and events. The agrarian function of medicine was embraced by those who believed that the war was based on peasant grievances and therefore rational; the stories about bullets turning into water were proof of a witchdoctor conspiracy and a refusal to adapt to the modern world.Keywords: African communities; Maji Maji war; maji medicine; modern world; southern Tanzania
Three-dimensional imaging and quantitative analysis of dispersion and mechanical failure in filled nanocomposites

Abstract Characterizing filled nanocomposites is an active area of research in order to predictively modify their properties. The dispersion of nanofillers has a direct influence on these properties, and therefore the precise characterization of dispersion is essential in establishing a complete understanding of composite behavior. In this study, we have developed a methodology for using laser scanning confocal microscopy to quantitatively assess the three-dimensional dispersion of carbon nanotube bundles within a composite material in situ. Furthermore, we applied this methodology to directly visualize in real-time the subsurface mechanical failure of a carbon nanotube-filled composite.
Firewalls and VPN: Network Security and Virtual Private Networks

This chapter illustrates the role of firewalls and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in providing security to shared public networks such as the Internet. Computer networks are typically a shared resource used by many applications for many different purposes. Sometimes the data transmitted between application processes is confidential, and the application users prefer that others not be able to read it. A firewall is a specially programmed router that sits between a site and the rest of the network. It allows the system administrator to implement a security policy in one centralized place. Filter-based firewalls are the simplest and most widely deployed type of firewall. A VPN is an example of providing a controlled connectivity over a public network such as the Internet. VPNs utilize a concept called an IP tunnel, in which a virtual point-to-point link is established between a pair of nodes that are actually separated by an arbitrary number of networks. Whenever the router at the entrance of the tunnel wants to send a packet over this virtual link, it encapsulates the packet inside an IP datagram.
Resource Mobilization Theory

Resource mobilization theory (RMT) developed during the 1970s as a new generation of scholars sought to understand the emergence, significance, and effects of the social movements of the 1960s (see Jenkins 1983; McAdam, McCarthy, & Zald 1988; Edwards & McCarthy 2004). Rejecting both the view held by some earlier movement scholars that social movement actors were deviant or anomic, and the pluralist assumption that all parties willing to engage in the political process have a reasonable chance that their grievances will be heard and addressed, resource mobilization scholars sought to understand how rational and often marginalized social actors mobilized effectively to pursue their desired social change goals (Freeman 1975; Gamson 1975; McCarthy & Zald 1977; Tilly 1978; McAdam 1982; Morris 1984; Zald & McCarthy 1987; Staggenborg 1988; Tarrow 1994). Keywords: stratification and inequality; movements; resource mobilization
Libraries for each human chromosome, constructed from sorter-enriched chromosomes by using linker-adaptor PCR.

The authors describe here the production of complex libraries enriched in sequences from each human chromosome type, starting with only a few thousand sorter-purified chromosomes. In this procedure, DNA is extracted from the sorter chromosomes, digested to completion by using the frequently cutting restriction endonuclease Sau3A1, and ligated, on each end, to an adaptor oligonucleotide. These fragments are then amplified using PCR with a sequence homologous to the adaptor oligonucleotide as a primer. They have used this procedure to produce PCR libraries for each of the 24 human chromosomes. These libraries were characterized by gel electrophoresis and found to be composed of a continuum of sequences ranging in size from a few hundred to [approximately]1,000 bp. The libraries, when used as probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization, stained the target chromosomes more or less continuously, even after PCR amplification for more than 200 cycles. These libraries are useful as hybridization probes to facilitate molecular cytogenetic studies and as sources of probes either for identification of polymorphic short tandemly repeated sequences or for development of sequence-tagged sites. 31 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
A model for global cycling of tritium

Dynamic compartment models are widely used to describe global cycling of radionuclides for purposes of dose estimation. In this paper, we present a new global tritium model that reproduces environmental time-series data on concentrations in precipitation, ocean surface waters, and surface fresh waters in the northern hemisphere, concentrations of atmospheric tritium in the soutehrn hemisphere, and the latitude dependence of tritium in both hemispheres. Named TRICYCLE for Tritium CYCLE, the model is based on the global hydrologic cycle and includes hemisphereic stratospheric compartments, disaggregation of the troposphere and ocean surface waters into eight latitudezones, consideration of the different concentrations of atmospheric tritium over land and over the ocean, and a diffusive model for transport in the ocean. TRICYCLE reproduces the environmental data if we assume that about 50% of the tritium from atmospheric weapons testing was injected directly into the northern stratosphere as HTO. The models latitudinal disaggregation permits taking into account the distribution of population. For a unfiormaly distributed release of HTO into the worldwide troposphere, TRICYCLE predicts a collective dose commitment to the world population that exceeds the corresponding prediction by the NCRP model by about a factor of 3. 11 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.
Fixation of Mature Spores of Clostridium botulinum

Abstract A triple fixation method using a sequential application of 15 or 30% formaldehyde, 6% glutaraldehyde, and 1% osmium tetroxide resulted in excellent fixation of mature spores of Clostridium botulinum.
Heart rate recovery immediately after treadmill exercise and left ventricular systolic dysfunction as predictors of mortality: the case of stress echocardiography.

Background An attenuated heart rate recovery after exercise has been shown to be predictive of mortality. In prior studies, recovery heart rates were measured while patients were exercising lightly, that is, during a cool-down period. It is not known whether heart rate recovery predicts mortality when measured in the absence of a cool-down period or after accounting for left ventricular systolic function. Methods and Results We followed 5438 consecutive patients without a history of heart failure or valvular disease referred for exercise echocardiography for 3 years. Heart rate recovery was defined as the difference in heart rate between peak exercise and 1 minute later; a value ≤18 beats per minute was considered abnormal. Patients assumed the left lateral decubitus position after exercise. An abnormal heart rate recovery was present in 805 patients (15%); during follow-up, 190 died. An abnormal heart rate recovery was predictive of death (9% versus 2%, hazard ratio [HR] 3.9, 95% CI 2.9 to 5.3, P<0.0001)...
Project Risk Definition and Measurement in a Not-for-Profit Setting

The health care finance literature on capital investment decisions generally applies conventional market risk concepts without distinguishing between proprietary and not-for-profit forms of organization. Since proprietary firms have shareholder wealth maximization as their primary goal, a project's relevant risk is its contribution to the riskiness of the equity investors' well diversified stock portfolios, or its market risk. However, not-for-profit organizations do not have shareholder wealth maximization as their primary goal, and thus market risk concepts are not applicable. Rather, the relevant risk in a not-for-profit setting is a project's corporate risk; that is, the project's contribution to the riskiness of the organization. The difference in risk definition and measurement between proprietary and not-for-profit firms has two implications for managerial decisions: (1) in making capital investment decisions, a manager must define and measure a project's riskiness on the basis of the firm's organizational form; and (2) although diversification for the sole purpose of risk reduction is not a valid rationale for proprietary firms because stockholders can achieve the same result at less cost, risk-reducing diversification does make sense for not-for-profit firms.
Staphylococcus aureus H Autolytic Activity: General Properties

Abstract Staphylococcus aureus strain H has an autolytic activity which can be found in the cell wall but is most easily obtained from high-speed supernatant fractions of broken-cell preparations. As measured either turbidimetrically or radioactively, this activity is much greater on murein extracted from penicillin-treated cells than on murein extracted from normal cells.
Share of Mass Transit Miles Traveled and Reduced Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Major Cities of the United States

The USA leads the developed world in motor vehicle fatalities, presenting a critical public health threat. We examined whether an increasing share of mass transit use, relative to vehicle miles traveled on public roads, was associated with reduced motor vehicle fatalities. We used annual city-level data for the USA from 1982–2010 provided by the Fatality Accident Reporting System, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the Census Bureau, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to estimate a structural equation model of the factors associated with mass transit miles and motor vehicle fatalities. The final analytic data included 2,900 observations from 100 cities over 29 years. After accounting for climate, year, and the economic costs of driving, an increasing share of mass transit miles traveled per capita was associated with reduced motor vehicle fatalities. The costs of congestion to the average commuter and gas prices were positively associated with increasing the share of mass transit miles traveled. The economic costs of driving increased over time, while both the fatality rate and the share of mass transit miles traveled decreased over time. Increasing the share of mass transit miles traveled may be associated with fewer motor vehicle miles traveled. Increasing mass transit uptake may be an effective public health intervention to reduce motor vehicle fatalities in cities.
Is There a Need for Standardization of a Dysphagia Diet

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: The participant will review the diversity of terminology used and the need to adopt a standardized dysphagia diet Evaluation and treatment of dysphagia have received significant attention since the 1980's. Diets have been an important aspect of treatment to allow the dysphagic patient to eat and avoid non-oral alimentation. Numerous dysphagia diets have been developed that categorize solid foods and liquids according to a patient's swallowing abilities. But, is there consistency in terminology used to describe dysphagia diets among health care professionals? To answer this, questionnaires were completed by 71 registered dietitians and 22 dysphagia clinicians representing 27 different states. The purpose of the questionnaire was to examine terminology used, review the contents of dysphagia diets and to survey use of specific foods. Results indicated 40 different names to describe diet levels. There were 18 names used to describe liquid viscosity. Of those diets with similar names, different foods were included on the lists. Fifty-four percent of the respondents considered gelatin a thin liquid and 14% considered it a thick liquid. Such discrepancies in the terminology used for dysphagia diets can lead to inconsistencies in treatment practices and adversely affect patient outcomes. Results of this survey support the need for a collaborative effort between dysphagia clinicians and registered dietitians to develop a national dysphagia diet
Disconnection events in comet Halley during the ICE‐Halley Radial Period

The combination of International Cometary Explorer (ICE) data and International Halley Watch (IHW) photographs of Comet Halley have provided strong evidence that an interplanetary magnetic field polarity reversal alone is sufficient to bring about a disconnection event (DE), in which the entire visible plasma (ion) tail separates from and flows downstream of the comet head. The possibility that a compression region in the solar wind can also bring about a DE is not precluded; however, neither of the two DEs in the study reported here could be clearly attributed to a compression region alone.
Body weight: a risk factor for subtherapeutic antithrombotic therapy in neurovascular stenting.

Background Patients with cervical carotid and intracranial stenting are routinely premedicated with antithrombotic agents, clopidogrel and aspirin (ASA), and intraprocedurally with heparin. The levels of antithrombotic therapy necessary for these neurovascular therapies have yet to be well defined. Method A retrospective review of 52 patients who underwent neurovascular stenting procedures was carried out. Measurements obtained intraoperatively included: activating clotting time, antiplatelet inhibition (from Accumetrics) recorded as ASA reaction units (ARU), P2Y12 reaction units (PRU), baseline (BASE), and percentage inhibition. Percentage P2Y12 platelet inhibition 550 were defined as suboptimal clopidogrel and ASA responses, respectively. Results 52 patients (mean age 62.6 years) underwent stent implantation for wide necked aneurysms (28, 54%), symptomatic intracranial stenosis (13, 25%) and cervical carotid stenosis (11, 21%). Mean ARU assays were 463.0±84.7. The response was suboptimal in seven patients. For clopidogrel, the mean BASE, PRU and percentage inhibition were 374.0±54.9, 279.5±78.5 and 30.7%±22.6%, respectively. 19 patients (36.5%; p Conclusion Data obtained in this study suggest a suboptimal clopidogrel response in patients with greater body weight and body mass index. Adjusted dosing according to weight may help achieve adequate therapeutic platelet inhibition and reactivity while decreasing thromboembolic complications.
Electron damage in In 2 Te 3 — A defect tetrahedral semiconductor

Indium sesquitelluride (In 2 Te 3 ) is typical of a large class of defect semiconductors which are tetrahedrally bonded but which possess room temperature vacancy concentrations of the order of 5.5 t 10 cm−3. It has been proposed by V.M. Koshkin et al. that these semiconductors can not preserve non-equilibrium point defect concentrations. This hypothesis has been tested in the present experiments by electron irradiating In 2 Te 3 at 77 K with 1 MeV electrons and using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to observe the results. Several different resonances have been observed with g values ranging from 1.979 to 2.133 and possessing X-band line widths of 7 to 42 gauss. All of the resonances except the largest one at g = 2.019 have orientation dependent g values and all anneal at different temperatures suggesting that several different defect centers have been produced. Because the 1 MeV electron defect production rate for these centers at 77 K (0.01 to 0.1 defects/electron) is typical of defect production rates observed in other compound semiconductors, the hypothesis proposed by Koshkin et al. is incorrect. The stability of these defects is somewhat lower than in non-defect semiconducting compounds, however, since none of these defects survive prolonged room temperature annealing and since no additional complex centers formed by thermal annealing have been detected.
Progressive Mooring-Line Failure of a Deepwater MODU in Hurricane Conditions

During 2004–2005, three consecutive category-5 storms hit the central region of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and damaged numerous drilling and production platforms. Since then, a number of forensic studies have been conducted to better understand the failure causes and mechanism. In this study, a representative deepwater semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) that suffered a mooring failure and went adrift during the hurricane Ivan was selected for numerical forensic study. The platform responses and progressive mooring-line failure are simulated in the time domain. A time-domain vessel-mooring coupled dynamic analysis computer program is used to simulate the sequence of progressive mooring-line failure of the MODU in the hindcast Ivan environment, in which the wind, wave, and currents were non-collinear. The case of non-collinear environment is also compared with that of collinear environment. The numerical prediction and simulated results are compared with the available field-analysis data.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A history of human-like dieting alters serotonergic control of feeding and neurochemical balance in a rat model of binge-eating.

Objective: This study replicated a model of stress-induced binge-eating in rats with a history of caloric restriction (HCR), tested their response to SSRI (fluoxetine) treatment, and explored changes in brain monoamine levels. Method: Young female rats with no-HCR/no-Stress, no-HCR/Stress, HCR/no-Stress, and HCR+Stress (binge-eating) were treated with fluoxetine. Post-mortem levels of serotonin, dopamine, and metabolites were assessed from brain regions key to feeding and reward. Results: A 3 mg/kg dose of fluoxetine without effect in the no-HCR groups suppressed intake of HCR groups, normalizing the binge-eating of HCR/Stress rats. No differences in monoamines were detected in the hypothalamus or tegmentum but a strong positive relationship between accumbens serotonin and dopamine turnover in no-HCR rats was absent in rats with HCR. Conclusion: Despite lack of hunger, a history of human-like dieting alters serotonin function in ways suggesting consequences not only to feeding but also control of reward and mood that are dependent on dopamine/serotonin interactions. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006
Surface-induced ordering of an aromatic polyimide.

Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction has been used to characterize the near surface structure of an aromatic polyimide film. It is shown that within the first 90 A from the surface the ordering of the polymer molecules is markedly enhanced. As the penetration depth of the x rays decreases, reflections characteristic of density correlations along the polymer chain axis shift to smaller scattering vectors and those indicative of intermolecular ordering become clearly evident. Thus, near the surface essentially {ital crystalline} order is seen.
Developing a Theory-Based Measure of Career Decision-Making: The Decisional Process Inventory

The present study describes the development and an initial assessment of the psychometric properties of the Decisional Process Inventory (DPI). The DPI served as an empirical test of Gestalt therapy homeostasis theory for conceptualizing and facilitating career development and decision-making. The inventory is intended to assess career decidedness or individual level of progress toward reaching a career-decided state. The DPI consists of 70 items that address respondents' perceptions and experiences of the career decision-making process. Participants responded to the DPI (n = 248), the Career Decision Scale (CDS; Osipow, Carney, Winer, Yanico, & Koschier, 1976) (n = 242), the Occupational Alternatives Question (OAQ; Zener & Schnuelle, 1976) (n = 244), and the Gestalt Contact Styles Questionnaire-Revised (GSCQ-R; Woldt & Kepner, 1986) (n = 243). Results supported the content validity of the items and criterion-related validity of the inventory. Seven factors related to the career decision-making process ar...
Serial determination of biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in dogs with naturally occurring gastric dilatation-volvulus

Objective: To serially determine the biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status of dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) over 48 hours. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Veterinary teaching hospital intensive care unit. Animals: Thirteen client-owned dogs with GDV. Interventions: None. Measurement and main results: For all dogs, biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status were ascertained. Indicators of oxidative stress measured included F2α-isoprostanes (isoprostanes) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were measured to assess antioxidant status. Oxidants and antioxidants were measured at the time of admission and at 24 and 48 hours post-admission. There were significant decreases in vitamin E (P=0.002), vitamin C (P=0.001), ORAC (P=0.02), and MDA (P=0.001) during hospitalization. There was no significant change in GSHPx and isoprostane concentrations over time. Conclusion: Oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity in dogs with GDV change over time. Further studies measuring oxidative stress in more severely affected dogs and performing measurements earlier in the disease process may be beneficial in determining when oxidative stress is most severe during the course of GDV management.
Nasolabial fold discontinuity during speech as a possible extended cleft phenotype.

Objective: This exploratory research sought to extend the cleft phenotype by identifying movement-related soft tissue appearance changes in the midfacial region in individuals with cleft lip/palate or those with genetic susceptibility to cleft lip/palate (unaffected relatives). The cleft phenotype (clinically identified orofacial cleft or subclinical orbicularis oris defect) was hypothesized to be associated with movement related appearance changes in the midfacial region, e.g., with furrowing and dimpling during speech. Design: Changes in the appearance of skin in the midfacial region, including a newly identified phenotypic feature, nasolabial fold (NLF) discontinuity, were described and compared across groups. Participants: Individuals with cleft lip (n = 42), unaffected relatives of persons with a cleft (n = 57) and healthy controls (n = 41) were compared. Results: Frequencies of NLF discontinuity differed across cleft, relative, and control groups. NLF discontinuities were observed more frequen...
Generation of activated carbon nanofibers from electrospun polyacrylonitrile-zinc chloride composites for use as anodes in lithium-ion batteries

Activated carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with large surface areas and small pores were prepared by electrospinning and subsequent thermal and chemical treatments. These activated CNFs were examined as anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) without adding any non-active material. Their electrochemical behaviors show improved lithium-ion storage capability and better cyclic stability compared with unactivated counterparts. The results demonstrate that the unique structures and properties of these materials make them promising candidates as anodes in LIBs.
Analysis of lead in polluted coastal seawater

Abstract The concentrations of total lead were determined in both ordinary coastal seawater and in coastal waters highly polluted with sewage. The average concentration of total lead ranged from about 25 ng/kg in surface samples of the former type to an average of 150 ng/kg in the latter type. 0.4 − μm filtrate lead was found to be equivalent to lead extracted from untreated seawater by dithizone in chloroform. In highly polluted waters, particle lead ranged from 56 to 39% of the total lead, with the proportion increasing as the amount of sewage in the seawater increased. Virtually all of the lead in sewage is contained in the particle phase before it enters the ocean but about 11% is made freely available by cation exchange when the sewage is mixed with seawater. In ordinary coastal waters that are not highly polluted with sewage lead, particle lead ranged from 90 to > 20%, and most of this lead was associated with plankton. About one-third of total lead, or one-half of particle lead, in untreated seawater adheres to the walls of the water container within the first day. Upon prolonged standing (> 3 months) most of the remaining particle lead can be collected on the surface of algal colonies growing on the walls of the water container. The concentrations of freely available lead in seawater do not seem to be significantly affected by wall adsorption. The 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratio of total lead in coastal surface seawater collected near Los Angeles was 1.194, and a day earlier was 1.188 near La Jolla. It is believed that this shows lack of mixing of contributions from two different sources of lead pollution: a pulse of rain-storm runoff of gasoline lead( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ∼ 1.197) from paved surfaces added to Los Angeles waters; and sewage lead ( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ∼ 1.188) from San Diego added to La Jolla waters.
Blood biochemistry and relations among Podocnemis turtles (pleurodira, pelomedusidae)

Agglutination, precipitation and electrophoresis of hemoglobin and serum point to a core of five Podocnemis species (P. erythrocephala, P. expansa, P. lewyana, P. unifilis and P. vogli), with a sixth species (P. sextuberculata) fringing this cluster. 1. 2. In addition, the data indicate that P. dumeriliana and P. madagascariensis not only are generically distinct from the other six species, but also are not closely related to each other. The name Peltocephalus Dumeril & Bibron, 1835, is available for Podocnemis dumeriliana, while Erymnochelys Baur, 1888, should be used for P. madagascariensis.
Using adaptive quantization in cell-oriented holograms

Abstract This article describes the introduction of a specialized error diffusion algorithm to the quantization in cell-oriented computer generated holograms. This error diffusion quantization allows the adaptation of the calculation of the CGH to application specific requirements like minimum printable apertures.
Cortical vesicle exocytosis in isolated cortices of sea urchin eggs: description of a turbidometric assay and its utilization in studying effects of different media on discharge.

Cortices of unfertilized sea urchin eggs can be isolated in suspension and will discharge the attached cortical vesicles (CVs) in response to calcium. We describe a simple turbidometric assay for monitoring the Ca2+-induced discharge of these vesicles and also compare the discharge of vesicles isolated in a high salt medium (primarily KCl) with a medium more closely simulating the internal milieu of the cell (primarily potassium gluconate and glycine). Discharge in response to calcium is similar in both media, requiring approximately 6 μM calcium for one-half maximal discharge. There are, however, significant differences in morphology and protein composition of the two types of preparations (more proteins present in the glycine cortices) and also in the rate of discharge of the vesicles in response to calcium (KCl cortices with t12 6 sec as opposed to 30 sec in the glycine cortices). The glycine cortices gradually lose their ability to respond to calcium but retention of calcium sensitivity is considerably aided by inclusion of ATP in the media; ATP has no apparent effect on discharge of the KCl cortices. The glycine cortices, as opposed to the KCl cortices, exhibited variation in calcium sensitivity during the breeding season and in the number of vesicles which would not break down in response to added calcium (referred to as refractory vesicles). The question of which type of cortex preparation most closely simulates the in vivo situation is discussed, and the view is presented that the glycine cortices most closely resemble the in vivo situation.
Mechanisms of alcohol impairment of recovery from mechanically denuded areas made within cultured rat hepatocytes

Abstract The effect of ethanol on the ability of a denuded hepatocyte cell surface to recover is unknown. We therefore determined the effect of ethanol on the rate of renewal of mechanical wounds made in near-confluent monolayers of primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. We found that ethanol exerted a dose-dependent effect to impair rat hepatocyte recovery and that at least 12 hours of exposure to ethanol was required to induce this impairment. The effect of ethanol to impair recovery of denuded areas of epithelium was not seen in two established renal tubular epithelial cell lines. Ethanol impairment of rat hepatocyte recovery could be blocked by an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor (4-methyl pyrazole) and potentiated by an inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase (pargyline). The effect of ethanol to inhibit rat hepatocyte recovery of denuded areas was not associated with any change in hepatocyte cell surface expression of the β 1 integrin subunit as determined by flow cytometry. These results suggest that acetaldehyde is responsible for ethanol inhibition of hepatocyte recovery from mechanical injury and that this impairment occurs independent of cell surface expression of the β 1 integrin subunit. (Hepatology 1997 Jan;25(1):128-32)
Differential neuronal vulnerability to amino-oxyacetate and quinolinate in the rat parahippocampal region

Abstract Injection of the “indirect” excitotoxin amino-oxyacetate into the entorhinal area causes acute behavioral seizures and preferential neuronal loss in layer III of the medial entorhinal cortex in rats. We examined here whether the effects of amino-oxyacetate could be duplicated by local injections of the endogenous N-methyl- d -aspartate receptor agonist and direct excitotoxin, quinolinate. Amino-oxyacetate (685 nmol) or quinolinate (30, 45 or 60 nmol) were injected into the entorhinal cortex of rats anesthetized with choral hydrate (360 mg/kg). Separate groups of animals were co-treated with the N-methyl- d -aspartate receptor antagonist dizocilpine maleate (2 mg/kg) or given a higher dose of choral hydrate (500 mg/kg). Rats that received amino-oxyacetate and a low anesthetic dose consistently displayed acute behavioral seizures and showed preferential loss of neurons in layer III of the medial entorhinal cortex. Animals that were given quinolinate did not display behavioral seizures, and showed preferential degeneration of neurons in layer V of the entorhinal cortex. Moreover, quinolinate-injected rats frequently exhibited neuronal loss in the superficial layers of the dorsal perirhinal cortex. The behavioral and neuropathological sequelae of amino-oxyacetate, but not quinolinate-indiced neurotoxicity, were abolished by prolonged chloral hydrate anesthesia. In spite of these apparent qualitative differences between the two toxins, neurodegeneration induced by either amino-oxyacetate or quinolinate was completely prevented by dizocilpine maleate. These data suggest that a heterogeneous distribution of pharmacologically distinct N-methyl- d -aspartate receptor subtypes in the parahippocampal region may underlie the distinct neurodegenerative properties of the two toxins. Since the lesion caused by amino-oxyacetate bears remarkable similarities to neuropathological changes which have been described in this structure in temporal lobe epilepsy, further elucidation of the mechanisms of cellular toxicity of amino-oxyacetate may hold clues for the pathogenesis of this disease.
On timeout for global deadlock detection in decentralized database systems

Abstract The timeout mechanism for detecting global deadlock in multidatabase systems (federated systems) is shown to be viable: simple to implement and low in cost. We use probabilistic analysis to exhibit the contributing factors.
Acute abdominal emergencies associated with cytomegalovirus infection in the young infant

Gastrointestinal signs and symptoms have rarely been reported in association with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in young infants. However, in 1981 clear pathologic evidence was presented implicating this virus as a cause of hypoganglionosis and bowel dysmotility. We report our experience with four infants with CMV infection in whom gastrointestinal dysfunction was the reason for emergency abdominal operation. Since the association was made retrospectively, we were unable to demonstrate hypoganglionosis, but our experience underscores the need to include CMV intestinal infection in the differential diagnosis of the acute surgical abdomen in young infants.
Static and Dynamic Acoustic Impedance Measurements in Infant Ears

Tympanometry and acoustic reflex threshold data are reported for a series of presumable normal infants ranging in age from 55 to 132 days. In general, tympanograms displayed single peaks between +/- 50 mm H2O. Susceptance tympanograms with a 660-Hz probe frequency were sometimes characterized by monotonically increasing susceptance as ear canal pressure was changed from -200 to +200 mm H2O. Static values of acoustic conductance, susceptance, admittance, resistance, reactance, impedance, and phase angle were computed from tympanograms using the values of ambient and +200 mm H2O (0/+200 procedure) and maximum and minimum tympanometric values (MAX/MIN procedure). Comparison of the data from the two computational procedures suggested that the MAX/MIN procedure produces means and standard deviations of static values which are more manageable for establishing confidence limits with which to evaluate potentially pathological subjects. The MAX/MIN procedure resulted in lower mean values of conductance and susceptance for infant subjects relative to previously reported adult data using a similar computational procedure. Acoustic reflex thresholds were clearly present in all testable infants at coupler sound pressure levels similar to adult data, suggesting that the relations between reflex thresholds and hearing sensitivity demonstrated in adult subjects are similarly applicable to infant subjects. Mild sedation to induce sleep without altering the reflex would make acoustic reflex threshold measurement a useful procedure for screening large numbers of infants.
Effect of branching on the fluid phase behavior of alkane monolayers

Configurational-bias Monte Carlo simulations in the grand canonical ensemble with histogram reweighting were used to obtain the vapor-liquid coexistence curves of three hexane isomers physisorbed on a flat gold substrate. Examination of the critical ordering operator distributions confirms that these systems exhibit critical behavior consistent with the 2D Ising universality class. The critical temperatures for 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylbutane, and $n$-hexane were determined as ${T}_{c}^{2\mathrm{D}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}195.0$, $161.2$, and $152.4\mathrm{K}$, respectively. This is qualitatively different from the behavior observed for bulk (3D) fluids, where branched alkanes typically exhibit lower critical temperatures than their linear counterparts.