cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Workup in Small Fiber Neuropathy: A Retrospective Review (P07.185)

OBJECTIVE: In order to elaborate guidelines for an efficient diagnostic work-up of Small Fiber Neuropathy, we reviewed the clinical, laboratory, electrophysiological and skin biopsy findings of 47 patients with an established diagnosis of small fiber neuropathy referred to our department during a 5-year period. BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain from SFN is prevalent and is caused by a wide variety of disorders, many of which are treatable, especially if recognized early in the process. DESIGN/METHODS: Between 2008-2012, we reviewed charts of patients meeting the inclusion criteria of distal parasthesias, normal Nerve conduction studies (normal Sural and Medial plantar nerves) & abnormal skin biopsy over at least one site of two distal site biopsied (foot and distal leg, 10 cm above lateral malleolus). All patients with SFN were also clinically screened for HSAN, Amyloidosis and Fabrys. Skin biopsy was interpreted by Therapth using standard definitions. The etiologic work up included, 2Hour GTT, B12, B1, B6, FANA, ESR, SPEP, HIV, HCV, CMP, TSH, Lipid Panel and CBC. RESULTS: 32 females and 15 males (F:M=2:1) aged 28-65 years were studied. 5 patients were newly diagnosed Diabetic, 10 had impaired GTT. 5 patients gave history of moderate/heavy drinking for at least 5 years. Other abnormalities included abnormal FANA profile (>1:320) in 2 patients, Chronic HCV(1) and abnormal SPEP(1). 5 patients showed Positive Tilt table testing for POTS. The cause of neuropathy remained unknown in 23 patients. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic approach to the diagnosis of SFN is important because of the likelihood of finding an underlying treatable cause. Abnormal Glucose metabolism and alcohol (20/47) are the two most important causes of SFN. Disclosure: Dr. Hunter has nothing to disclose. Dr. Uppal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chuquilin Arista has nothing to disclose. Dr. Singh has nothing to disclose.
An overview of the toxicities of checkpoint inhibitors in older patients with cancer.

Checkpoint inhibitors offer an exciting new option for treatment of a wide variety of cancers. By binding to surface receptors or their associated ligands on T cells, this class of drugs enhances immune activation and response to cancer cells. In available studies, the drugs are well tolerated, although toxicity involving skin, gastrointestinal tract, liver, lungs, and endocrine organs has been observed. Unfortunately, few studies to date have included patients older than 70 years of age. Since aging has been linked to changes in immune function, there are theoretical concerns that this patient population might experience a different profile of adverse events. This article reviews the tolerability of checkpoint inhibitors in older patients with cancer in clinical practice.
Basic Intelligent Network Concepts

The capacity to adapt to the extensive and dynamic network conditions is a requirement of intelligent networks (INs). The network environment may change due to a large number of internal and/or external conditions. The network may become overloaded or faulty; it may experience switching delays or inadequate standby channel capacity or any other network condition. Further, the user or the source and the destination of the information may lead to an extraneous search before the right information is conveyed to the customer. In an overall sense, the network monitors its own performance without user, operator, or any other human intervention. In essence, the network adaptation responds to the environment in controlling and executing an entire range of communication functions.
Multiphoton Absorption and Optical Limiting

Optical limiting requires the development of materials exhibiting strong nonlinear absorption. Multiphoton absorption in materials can take the form of instantaneous two-photon absorption or time-integrating excited state absorption. We examine both types of mechanisms for optical limiting. Several experimental methods are used to study these phenomena and characterize materials. Often new or unusual effects arise in these experiments that require careful analysis to elucidate desired parameters. We describe several of these and give results for different materials relevant to optical limiting.
Telecommunications and Information Policy

Telecommunications and information policy involves balancing public and private interests of a growing variety of communications technologies. Regulation is a dynamic political process that has always had a domestic and international component. Today, telecommunications and information policy is in a period of dramatic transition because of both rapid changes in technology as well as dramatic political changes, most commonly understood as globalization. Historically, conventional wisdom was that telecommunications networks functioned most efficiently as a natural monopoly. With the end of the Cold War, policy makers around the world began to reach a consensus about the failure of state-operated monopolies, promoting instead, the liberalization of national policy. The rhetoric of the ‘information revolution’ initially relegated policy-making to creating conditions for market reforms. In reality, although the spread of new communications technology has been astonishing since the 1980s, the expansion has been extremely uneven. Policy makers today are finally talking about the ‘digital divide’ which includes recognizing the fact that some 75 percent of the world's population has yet to gain access to a basic telephone service. It is equally sobering to realize that the Internet, hailed by many enthusiasts as the ultimate technological equalizer, is at present the least accessible communications technology in the world.
Is the ventilatory threshold coincident with maximal fat oxidation during submaximal exercise in women

Background. The purpose of this study was to detect the fraction of peak oxygen consumption (VO 2peak ) that elicits maximal rates of fat oxidation during submaximal treadmill exercise. It was hypothesized that this point would appear at a work rate just below the ventilatory threshold. Methods. Experimental design: subjects completed a protocol requiring them to exercise for 15 min on a treadmill at six different workloads, 25, 40, 5 55, 65, 75, and 85% VO 2peak , over two separate visits. Participants: nine healthy, moderately-trained eumenorrheic females (age = 28.8±5.99 yrs, VO 2peak = 47.20 ±2.57 ml.kg -1 .min -1 ) volunteered for the study. Measures: a one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to test for differences across exercise intensities in the metabolic variables (i.e. substrate oxidation, blood lactate concentration ([La-]), RER, and the contribution of fat to total energy expenditure). Following significant F ratios, post-hoc tests were used to detect differences between the means for various exercise intensities. Results. Exercise at 75% VO 2peak elicited the greatest rate of fat oxidation (4.75±0.49 kcal.min -1 ), and this intensity was coincident with the ventilatory threshold (76±7.41% VO 2peak ). Moreover, a significant difference (t(8) = -3.98, p<0.01) was noted between the mean ventilatory threshold and lactate threshold. Conclusions. The finding that a relatively heavy work rate elicits the highest rate of fat oxidation in an active, female population has application in exercise prescription and refutes the belief that low-intensity exercise is preferred for fat metabolism.
Teaching NeuroImages: Lyme disease presenting as Bannwarth syndrome

A 63-year-old right-handed man presented with a 4-week history of bilateral arm weakness, radicular pain, fever, and areflexia. CSF analysis revealed elevated protein (243 mg/dL) and lymphocytic pleocytosis (234 cells/μL). Imaging revealed enhancement of the brachial plexus (figure, B–C) and spinal nerve roots (figure, D). Lyme antibody titers were raised in serum and CSF.
Safety and Effectiveness of Intravenous Chlorpromazine for Agitation in Critically Ill Patients.

Background:Agitation is common in the intensive care unit (ICU). Although antipsychotics are frequently used as first-line therapy, chlorpromazine has fallen out of favor due to risk of cardiovascu...
Happily ever after? Life satisfaction after childhood exposure to violence

A plethora of research has linked exposure to violence during childhood to negative long-term physical health, mental health, and risk behavior outcomes. Yet, despite estimates that up to 60% of children in the United States will be exposed to violence, little is known about the impact on adult life satisfaction among different racial and ethnic groups, or for different types of violence exposure. This article seeks to explore factors that are associated with life satisfaction in adults who were exposed to family violence or physically abused as a child, while adjusting race, ethnicity, gender, and emotional support. Employing data from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), links are examined between childhood exposure to violence and adult life satisfaction. For this study, noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 and above in the United States were included. Adults who reported exposure to physical abuse as a child had lower odds of reporting life satisfaction, and those with both physical abuse and interpersonal violence exposure had the lowest odds of long-term life satisfaction. Higher levels of income, emotional support, and marriage were associated with higher levels of satisfaction for both adults who were not exposed to violence as children and those who were. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, adults who identified as Asian or Pacific Islander had higher odds of reporting life satisfaction than their Caucasian counterparts. Implications from these findings include targeting interventions to increase emotional support and social networks for individuals who have been exposed to violence.
Incidental News Exposure on Social Media: A Campaign Communication Mediation Approach:

This study, derived from campaign communication mediation models, examines how incidental news exposure on social media affects political participation. Analysis of two-wave panel data collected be...
Embodied research in migration studies: Using creative and participatory approaches

In Embodied Research in Migration: Using Creative and Participatory Approaches, Elena Vacchelli offers a unique perspective to the field of qualitative research through the use of embodied methods ...
Use of Notification and Communication Technology (Call Light Systems) in Nursing Homes: Observational Study.

Background: The call light system is one of the major communication technologies that link nursing home staff to the needs of residents. By providing residents the ability to request assistance, the system becomes an indispensable resource for patient-focused health care. However, little is known about how call light systems are being used in nursing homes and how the system contributes to safety and quality of care for seniors. Objective: This study aimed to understand the experiences of nursing home staff who use call light systems and to uncover usability issues and challenges associated with the implemented systems. Methods: A mix of 150 hours of hypothetico-deductive (unstructured) task analysis and 90 hours of standard procedure (structured) task analysis was conducted in 4 different nursing homes. The data collected included insights into the nursing home’s work system and the process of locating and responding to call lights. Results: The data showed that the highest alarm rate is before and after mealtimes. The staff exceeded the administration’s expectations of time to respond 50% of the time. In addition, the staff canceled 10.0% (20/201) of call lights and did not immediately assist residents because of high workload. Furthermore, the staff forgot to come back to assist residents over 3% of the time. Usability issues such as broken parts, lack of feedback, lack of prioritization, and low or no discriminability also contributed to the long response time. More than 8% of the time, residents notified the staff about call lights after they waited for a long time, and eventually, these residents were left unattended. Conclusions: Nursing homes that are still using old call light systems risk the continuation of usability issues that can affect the performance of the staff and contribute to declining staff and resident outcomes. By incorporating feedback from nurses, nursing home management will better understand the influence that the perceptions and usability of technology have on the quality of health care for their residents. In this study, it has been observed that the call light system is perceived to be an important factor affecting the outcomes of the care process and satisfaction of both residents and staff as well as the staff’s performance. It is important to recognize that communication and notification technology contributes to the challenges the staff faced during their work, making their working conditions more difficult and challenging.
The Public's Perception of the Severity and Global Impact at the Start of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Crowdsourcing-Based Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background: COVID-19 is a rapidly developing threat to most people in the United States and abroad. The behaviors of the public are important to understand, as they may have a tremendous impact on the course of this novel coronavirus pandemic. Objective: This study intends to assess the US population’s perception and knowledge of the virus as a threat and the behaviors of the general population in response. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with random volunteers recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk, an internet crowdsourcing service, on March 24, 2020. Results: A total of 969 participants met the inclusion criteria. It was found that the perceived severity of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly differed between age groups (P<.001) and men and women (P<.001). A majority of study participants were actively adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Conclusions: Though many participants identified COVID-19 as a threat, many failed to place themselves appropriately in the correct categories with respect to risk. This may indicate a need for additional public education for appropriately defining the risk of this novel pandemic.
Beers with Peers: Childhood ADHD and Risk for Correlated Change in Perceived Peer and Personal Alcohol Use Across Young Adulthood.

BACKGROUND ADHD poses risk for problematic alcohol use through adulthood. Perceived peer alcohol use, one of the strongest correlates of individuals' own alcohol use, is especially salient for adolescents with ADHD. The extent to which this risk extends into young adulthood is unknown, as well as how change in these constructs is associated throughout young adulthood. METHODS In the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study, 358 individuals with childhood-diagnosed ADHD and 239 without were prospectively followed from ages 18 to 29. Piecewise, bivariate longitudinal growth modeling was used to examine the change in both peer alcohol use and individuals' heavy drinking (binge-drinking frequency), their between-person associations, and differences by ADHD group. The addition of structured residuals probed within-person year-to-year change in peer and personal alcohol use and their prospective associations. RESULTS Perceived peer alcohol use and individuals' heavy drinking frequencies changed together over time concurrently-from ages 18 to 21 (piece 1) and 21 to 29 (piece 2). Prospectively, individuals who increased the most in heavy drinking from ages 18 to 21 reported more friends using alcohol at age 29, regardless of ADHD history. Within-person increases in personal alcohol use likewise predicted increased perceived peer use the subsequent year within each age group (piece), regardless of ADHD history. However, while decreasing perceived peer use from ages 21 to 29 was related to more frequent heavy drinking at age 29 for those without ADHD, increasing perceived peer use from ages 18 to 21 predicted more frequent heavy drinking at age 29 for those with ADHD. CONCLUSIONS Young adult heavy drinking changes in tandem with perceived peer alcohol use across individuals and predicts selection of alcohol-using peers from year to year within individuals, further into adulthood than previously documented. Findings suggest the centrality of relationships with alcohol-consuming friends in relation to one's heavy drinking, especially for young adults with ADHD histories, through the twenties.
Microstructural and Fracture Behavior of Phosphorus-Containing Fe-30Mn-9Al-1Si-0.9C-0.5Mo Alloy Steel

Five different phosphorus (P)-containing heat-treated Fe-Mn-Al-C alloys were tested in accordance with ASTM E 23 Charpy V-notch Energy (CVNE) standards. Room temperature CVNE of solution treated and quenched specimens revealed ductile fracture for 0.001 and 0.006 wt pct (pct P-containing alloys). Brittle cleavage fracture dominated the 0.043 and 0.07 pct P-containing alloys. A hard brittle P eutectic phase was observed in the 0.07 pct P-containing alloy.
A framework for supply chain optimization for modular manufacturing with production feasibility analysis

Abstract Modular manufacturing is gaining popularity in a variety of industrial applications due to potential cost-savings as well as process flexibility that can be achieved with the use of small and standardized modules. In this work, a framework for supply chain optimization is proposed that ensures production feasibility with the help of historical process data for individual process modules and machine learning-based feasibility analysis. A supply chain optimization problem is formulated where the binary variables represent facility locations, and the integer variables correspond to the number of modular equipment installed. Results demonstrate that the tradeoff between centralized and distributed manufacturing and the effect of economies of numbers on the cost of the supply chain can be studied by solving the problem.
Constitutional Rights and Technological Change

Technological change has long acted as an agent of doctrinal disruption within constitutional rights jurisprudence. This disruptive potential is rooted in a basic tension that pervades all constitutional rights doctrine: while such doctrine carries a substantial degree of stickiness and inertia, it is also crafted at a particular time, under a particular set of technological conditions and social intuitions shaped by those conditions. Thus, whenever longstanding constitutional rights doctrine collides with significant technological change, it inevitably creates the risk of doctrinal obsolescence — the perpetuation of an outdated doctrinal framework that no longer sensibly fits the actual world in which we live today. This Article examines this interaction between constitutional rights doctrine and technological change by focusing specifically on the two rights that have been the most directly and visibly affected by such change: the First Amendment’s protection of free speech and the Fourth Amendment’s right against unreasonable searches and seizures. Unlike most academic commentary on this subject, which has tended to focus on discrete doctrinal issues, this Article elucidates this interaction at a broad, trans-substantive level, which yields some useful observations and principles that can guide courts in a wide variety of constitutional rights contexts. The Article first catalogues the different ways by which technological change produces disruption within constitutional rights doctrine. Technological change can disrupt doctrine by altering the preexisting balance between individual freedom and the government’s ability to act; by producing novel scenarios that stretch the boundaries of the right as presently conceptualized; or by shifting social attitudes and practices regarding the right in question. Each unsettles the doctrine in a distinct manner, requiring courts to evaluate different aspects of the doctrinal framework or the theoretical premises underlying the doctrine. The Article then argues that in moments of significant and rapid technological change like the present, courts should loosen the traditionally strong preference for clear, rule-like approaches in constitutional rights doctrine and embrace an incremental degree of doctrinal complexity and open-endedness. The present technological context represents an inflection point at which the lack of fit between the rigid rules of the past and the rapidly changing circumstances of the present is simply too great to justify the benefits associated with many traditional bright-line rules. In times like this, real-world complexity calls for more nuanced, provisional, and open-ended doctrinal approaches. A failure to recognize this dynamic — as the Court has evinced in its recent First Amendment jurisprudence — threatens to entrench outdated doctrinal frameworks that will only grow more irrelevant and unstable as technological conditions continue to evolve.
Developing a Practical Tool for Integrating Green Infrastructure into Cost-Effective Stormwater Management Plans

AbstractGreen infrastructure (GI) practices are an effective means for improving the sustainability of stormwater management. Optimized combinations of GI practices with other management practices,...
Comparison of EBSD, DIC, AFM, and ECCI for active slip system identification in deformed Ti-7Al

Abstract The use of SEM-DIC, AFM, ECCI, and HR-EBSD to characterize slip-system activity was assessed on the same material volume of Ti 7Al. This study presents a robust comparison of the various methods for the first time, including an assessment of their advantages and disadvantages, and how they can be used effectively in a complementary fashion. The analysis of the different approaches was carried out in a blind, round-robin manner at three different universities. A Ti 7Al specimen was deformed in uniaxial tension to approximately 3% axial strain, and the active slip systems were independently identified using (i) trace analysis; (ii) in-SEM digital image correlation, (iii) observations of residual dislocations from ECCI, and (iv) long-range rotation gradients through HR-EBSD, with consistent trace identification in all cases. Displacement data from AFM was used to augment SEM-DIC displacement data by providing complementary out-of-plane displacement information. Furthermore, short-range dislocation gradients (measured by DIC) provided insight into the residual geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) content, and was consistent with the GND content extracted from EBSD data and ECCI images, confirming the presence of residual GNDs on the dominant slip systems resulting in visible slip bands. These approaches can be used in tandem to provide multi-modal information on slip band identification, strain and orientation gradients, out-of-plane displacements, and the presence of GNDs and SSDs, all of which can be used to inform and validate the development of dislocation-based crystal plasticity and strain gradient models.
It’s The “Why”: Links between (Non)autonomous Sexual Motives, Sexual Assertiveness, and Women’s Orgasm in Casual Sex

Existing literature shows conflicting and inconclusive evidence regarding women’s sexual experiences in casual sex. Some studies have found negative sexual outcomes (e.g., fewer orgasms), while others have found positive sexual outcomes (e.g., more orgasms, higher sexual satisfaction) when women had casual sex. According to self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), people’s needs are fulfilled when their choice and behavior are self-motivated and reflect their intrinsic values. We hypothesized that women’s autonomous motivation to have casual sex would be associated with higher orgasmic function, whereas nonautonomous motivation would be associated with lower orgasmic function in casual sex. We also hypothesized that sexual assertiveness would mediate the relationship between sexual motives and orgasmic function in casual sex. Participants in this study were women (N = 401) aged 18–59 years who reported having had casual sex in the past 12 months. Participants completed an online survey reporting their motives to have casual sex, sexual assertiveness, and orgasmic function (e.g., orgasm frequency, satisfaction with orgasm) in casual sex. We focused on two motives: (a) pleasure motive and (b) insecurity (i.e., self-esteem boost and pressure) motive. Results showed that greater pleasure (autonomous) motives related to higher sexual assertiveness, which in turn related to higher orgasmic function in casual sex. In contrast, greater insecurity (nonautonomous) motives related to lower sexual assertiveness, which in turn related to lower orgasmic function in casual sex. The findings support self-determination theory, suggesting that autonomous motives are important for women’s sexual experience in casual sex.
Enhancing the usability and usefulness of open government data: A comprehensive review of the state of open government data visualization research

Abstract Although open government data (OGD) are becoming widely available, they have not yet reached their full potential due to their limited use. Supplementing OGD with visualizations can make data more engaging, useful, and understandable. We synthesized the academic research on the development and evaluation of OGD visualizations in the IEEE Explore, Science Direct, and ACM Digital Library databases. Our findings suggest four streams of research: 1) description and evaluation of specific examples of OGD visualization, 2) general tools and frameworks, 3) users' needs assessments and evaluation of usability, and 4) other user-related outcomes. While there is a growing robust literature describing specific cases, further empirical research is needed on evaluating the usability of OGD visualizations and tools for different audiences. Promising strategies to enhance the usability and usefulness of OGD are to employ advanced OGD platforms with embedded visualizations and analytics tools and to collaborate with research centers on user studies to ensure that visualizations and analytic tools are useful for stakeholders.
Fellows v. Office of Water Commission for the Perry v. Beattie Decree

The issue of whether two adjoining waterways are hydrologically interconnected such that a change in flow in one will affect the flow in the other is a complex question. In Fellows v. Office of Water Commissioner, the Montana Supreme Court held that if two waterways are hydrologically interconnect, the water rights on each river have to be considered together single system.
Experiences in code migration from main applications to J2EE servers

From July through December of 2003, we migrated and stressed tested a Java program to facilitate web authentication for a user community of about fifty thousand students, staff, and faculty. We initially started with some simple Java code and migrated it into an application server framework. During this process we were required to change out code, design new testing methodologies, and change our understanding of Java performance and tuning. In the end our resulting product had the ability to support up to three hundred authentications per minute, guarantee concurrency on requests, and built the foundation to scale across multiple hardware servers as well as multiple synchronized application servers.
Generalized linear mixed models on nonlinear longitudinal data

Chapter 8 starts the description of models and methods for the analysis of non-normal longitudinal data. A brief overview is provided first on the basic specifications of generalized linear models (GLMs), based on which statistical inference of generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) is introduced. Next, I display five approximation methods for the estimation of the fixed and the random effects in GLMMs: the penalized quasi-likelihood (PQL) method, the marginal quasi-likelihood (MQL) technique, the Laplace approximation, Gaussian quadrature rules, and the Markov chain Monte Carlo approach. The merits and limitations in these approximation methods are discussed with respect to GLMMs. This is followed by the delineation of the statistical approaches for nonlinear predictions, including the BLUP techniques and the retransformation method. The importance of nonlinear predictions with GLMMs is particularly emphasized. Lastly, I provide a brief summary on a number of specific generalized linear mixed models dealing with different types of non-normal longitudinal data.
An Algorithm for Predicting Crown Root Axes of Annual Grasses

Root formation by any plant determines its success or failure for creating seed for its next generation. Those interested in managing plants for optimum harvestable yield require information about effects of their practices on root growth. Crop growth models can be convenient summarizations of such knowledge. Models of plants and environment currently describe the plant shoot more completely than they describe the root. The morphologically based root formation algorithm presented in this paper provides opportunities for improving both the description of root formation and the response of roots to their environment. The equation relating shoot and root development will be convenient for crop modeling. It can also be used as a standard for comparison of field rooting observations, as environmental effects on rooting are quantified. The equation predicts the number of root axes on a plant from the plant phyllochron interval, the timing of nodal root appearance relative to leaf appearance, and the effect of environmental stresses that reduce tillering. A comparison of algorithm predictions with observed root formation by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from a warm, dry seedbed revealed that fewer roots were formed during the early tillering stage of development than predicted for unstressed plants. Correction for observed tillering did not reduce predicted root numbers to those observed. Observed early-season root observations were matched by using one-half of possible tillering as a stress correction.
Estimated effects of in utero cocaine exposure on language development through early adolescence.

Abstract The potential longitudinal effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on language functioning were estimated from early childhood through early adolescence in a large, well-retained urban sample of 451 full-term children (242 cocaine-exposed, 209 non-cocaine-exposed) participating in the Miami Prenatal Cocaine Study (MPCS). The sample was enrolled prospectively at birth, with documentation of prenatal drug exposure status through maternal interview, and toxicology assays of maternal and infant urine, and infant meconium. Age-appropriate versions of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) were used to measure total, expressive, and receptive language at ages 3, 5, and 12 years. Longitudinal latent growth curve (LLGC) modeling of the data revealed an association between PCE (measured dichotomously as yes/no) and lower functioning in expressive and total language scores, after considering other sources of variation including child's age at testing, sex, prenatal exposure to alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, and additional medical and social-demographic covariates. Analyses of level of PCE showed a gradient, i.e. dose-dependent, relationship between PCE level and expressive, receptive, and total language scores in the models controlling for age, child's sex, and other prenatal drug exposures. With additional covariate control these findings were most stable for the total language score. The evidence supports an inference about an enduring stable cocaine-specific effect on children's language abilities, with no effect on language growth over time in the longitudinal trajectory of language development.
PP-269. Neonatal morbidity of late preterm neonates

From a total of 94 children (52-GA; 42-GB), 26/52(50%) and 30/42 (71%) infants of group A and B, respectively, had indication for PVZ prophylaxis. In GB, 14/30(47%) were immunized. The estimated cost of prophylaxis (5 doses) was 26,000€-GA and 30,000€-GB. Ten infants (17.8%) were admitted with RSV bronchiolitis: 8(31%)-GA and 2(6.6%)-GB, median age 4 months (range 1–22) and 80% male. In GA, 4(50%) children were admitted to paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), 3 needing mechanical ventilation. One infant was readmitted. In GB, one infant, admitted for 11 days in the PICU without mechanical ventilation, was infected 13 days after 2 doses of PVZ. The other, was admitted in the nursery 40 days after the fifth dose of PVZ. The total cost of admission was 36,129€-GA and 27,318€-GB. Comparing both groups, mechanical ventilation was only needed for GA (1.62 vs. 0; p=0.003). No differences occurred between total and PICU length of stay (8.8 vs. 10.5; p=0.07) (3.5 vs. 5.5; p=0.12).
Subjective intoxication in response to alcohol challenge: heritability and covariation with personality, breath alcohol level, and drinking history.

Background: Numerous studies have identified differences in subjective response to alcohol in subjects differentiated by family history of alcoholism. Results suggest that genetic influences on individual variation in subjective response to alcohol may be a mechanism for genetic effects on alcohol problems. However, direct evidence for genetic effects on subjective response to alcohol is very limited. Methods: In a sample of 99 adult twin pairs, we studied genetic influences on subjective intoxication after alcohol challenge. The twins ingested a standard dose of ethanol (0.70 g/kg for men/0.65 g/kg for women), and two measures of subjective response to alcohol were assessed. Results: Genetic effects on variation in subjective intoxication reported 1 hr after drinking were significant and substantial: heritability was 0.60 for a 22-item scale and 0.48 for a brief 2-item measure. Self-report measures of neuroticism, psychasthenia, hostility, and family problems shared significant genetic covariation with subjective intoxication. Achieved breath alcohol level, rate of change in breath alcohol on the descending limb, and individual drinking history all shared familial variation with subjective intoxication. No significant genetic effects for subjective intoxication were found 2 hr after drinking, but familial influences remained present, and many of the same personality, drinking history, and breath alcohol variables were predictive of intoxication. Conclusions: Subjective response to alcohol is heritable, and genetic effects on subjective intoxication are partly shared with genetic effects on personality.
Row treatment of potatoes with systemics for meadow nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans) control

Granular aldicarb and carbofuran, systemic carbamate insecticides, were applied at 3 lbs active per acre to compare their control of the meadow nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans). These systemic pesticides were applied either in two bands 2–3 inches from both sides of and at the lower plane of the seed-piece or in one band 4–5 inches wide and 1/2 inch above the seed. Two months after planting, nematode populations were greatly reduced in soil and roots from plots treated with either chemical and with both placement methods. Aldicarb provided effective control longer into the growing season than did carbofuran. When compared with carbofuran, aldicarb-treated potao plants lived longer and produced a greater increase in yield over the untreated plots. Yield increases were greater when either systemic was applied in side bands than when placed over the seed.
In vitro studies of effects of light and riboflavin on DNA and HeLa cells.

Extract: The widespread use of phototherapy for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia has caused some concern since substances other than bilirubin may be photoactivated. The toxic properties of these photoactivated substances might prove to be more harmful to the neonatal infant than bilirubin. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of photoactivated riboflavin in low concentration, on purified DNA. The results demonstrate extensive changes in the structure of DNA (see Table 1) manifested by (1) a change in the peak absorbance in the ultraviolet, (2) a decrease in the temperature of the thermal helix-coil transition, (3) a slight decrease in the sedimentation coefficient, and (4) an increase in the buoyant density values (1.704–1.709). These observations are consistent with the interpretation that there has been an alteration of one of the base moieties with minimal cleavage of the phosphodiester linkages. Results with human cells in tissue culture indicate that a similar photodynamic effect of riboflavin on the DNA occurs in living cells. Speculation: In view of the known relation between the ability of a variety of agents to modify DNA on the one hand and the potential to induce mutation and cancer on the other, the present results suggest that riboflavin supplementation as an adjunct to phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia requires more thorough evaluation.
“These are Our Children!” An Examination of Relationship-Building Practices in Urban High Schools

This article examines a recent reform effort that has opened hundreds of small high schools in poor urban communities in New York City, The New Century Schools Initiative (NCSI). Founders hoped that the small schools strategy would create personalized environments where relationships could develop between teachers and students, leading to improved outcomes for poor students and students of color. Looking at three of the NCSI high schools in the Bronx, this ethnographic study reveals that small schools size does not always lead to relationship-building between teachers and students. Teachers need support and training which is currently missing from NCSI’s theory of action. The study suggests that NCSI can be strengthened with incentives and support for teachers to develop relationships with their students.
Pest damage and arthropod community structure in organic vs. conventional tomato production in California

Summary 1. To test common assumptions that the reduction in agrochemicals on organic farms allows (i) the conservation of biodiversity but (ii) has some cost in terms of increased pest damage, we compared arthropod communities and pest damage levels to fresh market tomato Lycopersicon esculentum on 18 commercial farms. These farms represented a range of management practices, with half of them operating as certified organic production systems and half as conventional operations. 2. Purported drawbacks to the adoption of organic farming include an increased incid ence of pest damage and higher risk of pest outbreaks. Although insect pest damage levels varied across the spectrum of farm management practices, they were not asso ciated with whether the farming operation was organic or conventional; organic and conventional farms did not differ significantly for any type of damage to tomato foliage or fruit. 3. Although conventional and organic farms shared a similar range of arthropod damage levels to tomato, we detected a significant difference between the actual community structures of arthropods associated with the crop. Using canonical discriminant analysis, we found that whereas herbivore abundance did not differ, higher natural enemy abundance and greater species richness of all functional groups of arthropods (herbivores, predators, parasitoids and other) distinguished organic from conventional tomato. Thus, any particular pest species would have been associated with a greater variety of herbivore species (diluted) and subject, on average, to a wider variety and greater abundance of potential parasitoids and predators, if it occurred in organically grown tomato. 4. Trophically based community parameters, specifically species richness and relative abundance of functional guilds, were clearly associated with farm management category (organic vs. conventional). However, the abundance patterns of prominent pests and natural enemies were associated with specific on-farm practices or landscape features. Fallow management, surrounding habitat and transplant date of the crop field were strongly associated with arthropod species that explained the major variability among farms. Insecticide intensity was a weaker factor. Other factors, such as distance to riparian habitats and tissue nitrogen levels, did not emerge as indicators of pest or natural enemy abundance. 5. This comparative study of active commercial farms does not support predictions of increased crop loss in California tomato when synthetic insecticides are withdrawn. It highlights the importance of large-scale on-farm comparisons for testing hypotheses about the sustainability of agro-ecosystem management schemes and their effects on crop productivity and associated biodiversity.
Exercise, monocyte/macrophage function, and cancer

Epidemiological studies have found a relationship between increased physical activity and lower prevalence and mortality rates for various site-specific cancers. Animal studies are limited and often inconsistent, but also generally support this concept. However, the significance of this research will be questioned until the underlying physiological mechanisms are determined. It now seems likely that components of the innate immune system are involved. One such component includes cells of the monocyte-macrophage (Mo/M phi) lineage that have powerful inhibiting effects on tumor growth and can destroy cancer cells. Recent research suggests that exercise can alter the influx of Mo/M phi into tissues in response to an inflammatory challenge, promote the release of M phi-derived cytokines known to have antitumor properties, increase M phi antitumor cytotoxicity, and increase the number and functional activity of tumor-derived M phi. These effects are likely dependent on the dose of exercise and the functional state of the M phi at the time of the exercise stimulus. However, these responses have yet to be shown to inhibit experimental tumors in vivo. Future research must continue to develop appropriate animal models to study the mechanisms of exercise effects on the initiation, promotion and progression of cancer.
Role of Surfactants in the Interaction of Dye Molecules in Natural DNA Polymers

Solutions and powders formed from salmon sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) reacted with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTMA-Cl) incorporated fluorescent rhodamine molecules: anionic sulforhodamine 640 (SRh) or cationic/zwitterionic rhodamine 640 perchlorate (RhP). The role of the cationic surfactant in the interaction between rhodamine dye and DNA−surfactant molecules has been investigated in both solution and solid state using optical spectroscopy and electrophoresis. Unexpectedly, the dye molecules did not interact directly with DNA, rather the DNA double helix acted as a template for the interaction between dye molecules and CTMA in the DNA/CTMA complex. The SRh and RhP molecules yield different fluorescence characteristics with increasing DNA/CTMA amount, indicating different configurations between the CTMA ligands.
Introductory Letter to Special Issue

Dear Readers:This special issue of Chemosensory Perception is basedon papers presented at a symposium titled, “Interactionsamong Taste, Smell, and Somatosensation” held during the234th American Chemical Society meeting in Bostonduring August of 2007 and sponsored by the Division ofAgricultural and Food Chemistry.This cutting edge symposium brought together an invitedgroup of leading scientists of taste, olfaction, and somatosen-sation to share their latest findings on how these sensorysystems interact and integrate information. Scientific talkscovered new findings from disciplines spanning chemistry,anatomy,molecularbiology,psychology,andneurophysiologyand focused on mechanisms, modulations, and manifestationsof interactions among taste, smell, and somatosensation.This symposium was made possible in part by thegenerous donations of the following corporate sponsors:Diageo,Givaudan,Cadbury Schweppes,Kraft Foods,Pepsi–Cola Company,Campbells,Senomyx,Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company,Archer Daniels Midland (ADM),and Takasago.We hope you enjoy reading this collection of articles.Yours truly,Jane Leland (Kraft Foods)Paul Breslin (Monell Chemical Senses Center)Guest Editors
Based on Markov model analyze a new RAID reliability

Now the number of disks in Mass Storage System is on the increase, and Hard disk drive failure already is not small probability events. In mass storage system RAID technique commonly used to prevent a disk failure. RAID can save data and check data, when a disk becomes a failure disk, the lost data in the disk can be recovered through fine data and check data. For RAID5, when a disk is recovering, another disk fails, then the data will be lost forever. So Improve the disk rebuild speed can be shorten the RAID degraded running time, improve storage system availability and reliability. This article describes a new RAID data layout to improve disk recovery speed and reliability.
Preparation of Highly Ordered Vanadium-Substituted MCM-41: Stability and Acidic Properties†

Vanadium-substituted mesoporous molecular sieves (MCM-41) were prepared and the effects of water concentration, anti-foaming agent addition, pH adjustment, and Si/surfactant mole ratio were investigated. The hydrothermal and mechanical stability were tested for the pH-adjusted sample (Si/surfactant = 3.67 and 7.34). Catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 physisorption, ICP, and 51V NMR. The acidic properties of synthesized V−MCM-41 were also examined by in-situ FTIR and TPD after pyridine adsorption. The increase of water concentration in the synthesis solution did not affect the physical properties of the resulting samples. The anti-foaming agent was very effective in improving the reproducibility of sample structure. The degree of vanadium substitution in the silica framework was increased with increasing water concentration and surfactant chain length. All of the incorporated vanadium was tetrahedrally coordinated in the silica framework. When the pH of the synthesis solution for V−MCM-41 was adjusted...
Characterization of the basis for differences in serum DBH activity in immature and adult rats by use of homologous antibody.

– Rat serum dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) activity decreased 5-7-fold between 15 and 60 days of age. Immunoprecipitation performed with homologous antibody (guinea-pig anti-rat adrenal DBH) showed that during this time period the quantity of antibody necessary to precipitate 50% of the enzymatic activity (AD50) decreased 5-fold from 0.25 to 0.05 μl/ml. The biochemical properties of rat serum DBH at 15 and 60 days of age were compared to test the hypothesis that there might be different biochemical forms of the enzyme in the blood of immature and adult rats. Thermal stability, apparent Km for tyramine, electrophoretic mobility, pH optima and elution profile on gel filtratioh chromatography were all found to be similar for rat serum DBH at both ages. On the basis of homospecific activity and multiple similarities in biochemical characteristics, it appears that differences in serum activity at the two ages reflect differences in the steady-state levels of enzyme. To determine the turnover of serum DBH in the two age groups, the recovery of enzyme activity was monitored after acute clearance of the circulating pool of DBH by treatment with the homologous antiserum. Immunotitration of DBH activity in vivo indicated that the total pool of serum enzyme was 4-fold greater in the mature rat than in 4-day-olds. After treatment of adult rats with 2μl of homologous antiserum, serum DBH activity was reduced by 85% with a half-life of recovery of 3.0 ± 0.6 days; the estimated fractional rate of degradation was 0.23 ± 0.06 day−1 and the rate of entrance was 2.3 ± 0.2 units/ml/day. After treatment of 4-day-old rats with 1 μl of homologous antiserum, serum DBH activity was reduced by 95% with a half-life of recovery of 3.3 ± 0.5 days: the estimated average fractional rate of degradation was 0.22 ± 0.06 day−1 and the average rate of entrance was 10.7 ± 1.6 units/ml/day. Thus, the several-fold difference in steady-state levels of serum DBH in rat pups as compared to adult rats appears to be due to greatly increased rates of entrance of the enzyme in the immature rats.