cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What are the Risks and Benefits of Spinal Cord Stimulators and Intrathecal Pumps

A 56-year-old male is evaluated during a scheduled follow-up appointment in the pain clinic for back and radicular pain that persists after an L3-5 laminectomy 2 years ago. His analgesic regimen is oxycodone controlled release, 60 mg BID (twice a day), with oxycodone immediate release, 15 mg TID (3 times a day), as needed, along with gabapentin, amitriptyline, and lidocaine patches. The patient is not satisfied with this regimen, because his pain prevents him from returning to work. He asks to have the dose of controlled release oxycodone increased because its efficacy has decreased over time. Lumbar epidural steroid injections and medial branch nerve blocks have not helped. Physical therapy offers only minimal pain relief. The patient consults with a psychiatrist for mild depression. After a recent consultation, he was offered a revision procedure by an orthopedic spine surgeon, but the patient is reluctant to accept, given the poor outcome from the first surgical intervention. The resident evaluating the patient is unsure of the next step: increase opioids? Repeat surgery? Other treatment options?
Cigarette graphic warning labels increase both risk perceptions and smoking myth endorsement

Objective: Cigarette graphic warning labels elicit negative emotion, which increases risk perceptions through multiple processes. We examined whether this emotion simultaneously affects motivated cognitions like smoking myth endorsement (e.g. ‘exercise can undo the negative effects of smoking’) and perceptions of cigarette danger versus other products.Design: 736 adult and 469 teen smokers/vulnerable smokers viewed one of three warning label types (text-only, low emotion graphic or high emotion graphic) four times over two weeks.Main outcome measures: Emotional reactions to the warnings were reported during the first and fourth exposures. Participants reported how often they considered the warnings, smoking myth endorsement, risk perceptions and perceptions of cigarette danger relative to smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes.Results: In structural equation models, emotional reactions influenced risk perceptions and smoking myth endorsement through two processes. Emotion acted as information about r...
The Two-Time Method Applied to Slowly Evolving Oscillating Systems

The two-time asymptotic formalism is adapted to the study of an autonomously evolving n-dimensional nonlinear oscillating system. The method is designed to obtain the evolution when the smallness of the ratio of period to evolutionary time make a straightforward integration impossible. The approach is also ideally suited for exploring the phase-space of the dynamical system and in particular for studying the vibrational stability both to soft and to hard oscillations.
Microstructure-Based Counterfeit Detection in Metal Part Manufacturing

Counterfeiting in metal part manufacturing has become a major global concern. Although significant effort has been made in detecting the implementation of such counterfeits, modern approaches suffer from high expense during production, invasiveness during manufacture, and unreliability in practice if parts are damaged during use. In this paper, a practical microstructure-based counterfeit detection methodology is proposed, which draws on inherent randomness present in the microstructure as a result of the manufacturing process. An optical Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) protocol is developed which takes a micrograph as input and outputs a compact, unique string representation of the micrograph. The uniqueness of the outputs and their robustness to moderate wear and tear is demonstrated by application of the methodology to brass samples. The protocol is shown to have good discriminatory power even between samples manufactured in the same batch, and runs on the order of several seconds per part on inexpensive machines.
Characterization of high density lipoprotein from egg yolk and its ability to form nanocomplexes with chitosan as natural delivery vehicles

Abstract In this work, egg yolk high density lipoprotein (HDL) was first extracted and solubilized with a salt-free method. The freshly purified egg yolk HDL was characterized for its physicochemical properties and its delivery potentials for hydrophobic bioactives were also investigated. Native chitosan (NACS) and its amphiphilic derivative (stearic acid conjugated chitosan, SACS) were adopted to fabricate polyelectrolyte nanocomplexes with egg yolk HDL and the fabrication as well as formulation of nanocomplexes were optimized. HDL/SACS and HDL/NACS nanocomplexes had a diameter of 75 nm and 97 nm, respectively. Gastrointestinal stability tests suggested that the nanocomplexes were more stable in gastric phase than in the intestinal condition with the presence of digestive enzymes (pepsin and pancreatin). Curcumin was selected as a model hydrophobic compound to assess the encapsulation and delivery potentials of HDL-based nanocomplexes. HDL/SACS nanocomplexes showed better encapsulation property than HDL/NACS nanocomplexes due to enhanced hydrophobic interactions, which was confirmed by fluorescence and surface hydrophobicity tests. The HDL/SACS nanocomplexes also exhibited slower sustained release of curcumin in simulgated GI tract, indicating the promising features as nanoscale oral delivery vehicles for hydrophobic phytochemicals.
Stark broadening of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines by a relativistic electron beam: analytical results and possible applications to magnetic fusion edge plasmas

We present a theory of the Stark broadening of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines by a Relativistic Electron Beam (REB). The theory is developed analytically by using an advanced formalism. We discuss the possible application of these analytical results to magnetic fusion edge plasmas, taking into account also the major outcome of the interaction of a REB with plasmas: the development of strong Langmuir waves.
Metals and x-ray emission spectrography

X-ray emission spectrography is currently enjoying a boom founded principally upon improved methods of X-ray detection. In a brief review, the main features of the method are sketched to show why it is of particular interest to metallurgists. Measurement of plating thickness, analysis of alloys, and point-to-point exploration of metallic specimens are described as typical metallurgical applications.
Policies of Midwest Community Colleges around Communicating Grades to Students.

ABSTRACTCommunicating grades to students often and early has shown to have a positive impact on retention. Studies have shown that students greatly benefit from the communication, but how have community colleges supported faculty in their policies and practices about communicating grades? In this study, community colleges in the Midwestern United States were surveyed to understand the common practices, resources, training, and support for faculty around communicating grades to students, including the use of learning management systems and early grade reports. Communicating grades to students needs to be tied to the community college policies, practices, training, and professional development. The recommendation based on the survey results identifies how resources need to be allocated to support faculty and finances allocated to administrators to make decisions to support these efforts toward retention.
Integrating Writing into the Early Childhood Curriculum: A Frame for Intentional and Meaningful Writing Experiences.

Despite the importance of early writing development to children’s school success, research documents that early childhood teachers spend little time actively supporting children’s writing development in preschool classrooms. This article provides a framework for integrating writing experiences across the early childhood curriculum. Practical examples are given regarding how writing opportunities can be incorporated into existing activities and play settings. The metaphor of backgrounding and foregrounding writing experiences is used to illustrate ways that teachers can set writing rich environments and activities in a manner that makes it easier for teachers to bring these experiences into everyday learning opportunities. Attention is given to how teachers can bring writing to the foreground of the curriculum by drawing attention to writing materials, making natural connections with children’s interest and play, and scaffolding children’s early writing attempts and experiences.
Modeling porosity migration in LWR and fast reactor MOX fuel using the finite element method

Abstract An engineering-scale finite element simulation of pore migration in oxide fuel is presented. The porosity field is governed by an advection-diffusion equation which is coupled to the fuel temperature and stress fields through the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat source term. The engineering-scale porosity equation models the microscopic process of vapor transport of fuel across pores, taking into account thermal and vapor pressure gradients within the fuel. In the simulations, the porosity is initialized to a constant value at every point in the domain, and as the temperature gradient is increased by application of a heat source, the pores move up the thermal gradient and accumulate at the center of the fuel in a time frame that is consistent with experimental observations. Results from representative simulations are provided to demonstrate the new capability, and we show that a sufficiently high power ramp rate limits restructuring and leads to a corresponding increase in fuel temperature. We also discuss the finite element mesh density required to compute pore migration and present multidimensional results.
Methanotrophy: An Evolving Field

As a field, methanotrophy has emerged in the early twentieth century, marked by the discovery of microbes that could sustain growth on methane gas, using it as the source of both carbon and energy. One hundred plus years later, the field is mature, having accumulated deep knowledge on different modes of methane metabolism, in microbes of different domains of life, bacteria and archaea, both aerobic and anaerobic. The past decade in methanotrophy has been marked by new important discoveries, including novel guilds of methanotrophs, novel metabolic modes, and novel enzymes and pathways, demonstrating that methanotrophy is an evolving field, and, likely, much is yet to be discovered. Future challenges include deciphering the mechanistic details of methane activation by the particulate methane monooxygenase, including the source of electrons in this reaction, understanding the respective functions of redundant enzymes such as alternative methane monooxygenases, methanol dehydrogenases, and other enzymes and pathways, and obtaining further insights into the evolution of methanotrophy, both aerobic and anaerobic. While methane is practically unlimited on this planet, thus presenting an attractive, renewable source of carbon for biotechnological use, including synthesis of fuels, multiple technical challenges exist in harnessing extant methanotrophs as efficient commercial platforms or, reversely, in engineering established platforms, such as E. coli or yeast, to utilize carbon from methane.
Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 Activity in Skeletal Muscle: Is It Good or Bad?

Skeletal muscle is known to be an important site for metabolic processes such as glucose disposal and fatty acid oxidation, and, as such, dysregulation of these processes in muscle is associated with and may play a causative role in many disease states and comorbidities including obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, and hypertriglyceridemia (Lee et al. 2003; McGarry 2002; Petersen and Shulman 2002; Scheuermann-Freestone et al. 2003). Specifically, these disease/co-morbid states are associated with dysregulated glucose and fatty acid metabolism and excess lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle (Flowers and Ntambi 2009; Kahn and Flier 2000). Studies in humans show that SCD1 is associated with insulin resistance, increased intramuscular triacylglycerol (IMTG) content, and reduced fatty acid oxidation (Dube et al. 2011; Hulver et al. 2005). Studies in rodents clearly show that genetic deletion of SCD1 prevents high-fat diet-induced weight gain and insulin resistance (Ntambi et al. 2002). Conversely, others have suggested that heightened SCD1 activity in skeletal muscle may be protective (Dobrzyn et al. 2010; Schenk and Horowitz 2007). To date, the role of SCD1 in dysregulated metabolism, specifically in skeletal muscle, is not definitively known, as there are conflicting reports. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the available evidence for both the deleterious and protective roles of SCD1 in the context of metabolic deranged states such as insulin resistance and obesity. The role of SCD1 in the context of inflammatory signaling and adaptation to exercise will also be touched upon.
The Formal Reading of the Electrocardiogram

To make a formal reading of the electrocardiogram (ECG), data regarding the patient are required.
Development of the Physical Education Observation Instrument Using Generalizability Study Theory

Abstract In this exploratory study, the rater reliability of the Physical Education Observation Instrument (PEOI) was satisfactorily established. Three raters coded the frequency of occurrences of selective teacher (9) and student (4) behaviors and one catchall category when male teachers were instructing male pupils in volleyball. A 3 Rater × 3 Teacher × 2 Occasion Generalizability Study design indicated high stability of both inter- and intra-rater scores on 13 of 14 variables from Ěp 2 .65 to .99, establishing the appropriateness of the PEOI for further observational research on teacher and student behaviors in physical education.
Large Magnetoresistance and Electrical Transport Properties in Reduced Graphene Oxide Thin Film

We report a systematic study of room temperature large positive and negative magnetoresistance (MR) in the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) thin-film devices grown by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) at high and low applied magnetic fields, respectively. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrical measurements on the RGO films help to explain the observed MR properties in the device. The temperature-dependent (5–400 K) electrical characterization of the thin films shows two distinct transport regimes: at low temperature, it follows 2-D Efros-Shoklovoski variable range hopping (VRH) transport mechanism and above 200 K, the device shows Arrhenius-like transport behavior. The crossover from VRH transport to Arrhenius transport is due to shortening in the characteristic lengths in the disordered 2-D system. We interpret the source of negative MR by vacancy and disorder-induced magnetic moments and the diffuse scattering at crystallite boundaries. At the high applied magnetic field, the lifting in degeneracy due to the Lorentz force explains the large positive MR effect. The highest value of the measured MR (160%) is surprisingly high for a non-magnetic material at room temperature, which can be attributed to the greater inhomogeneity in the PLD grown wafer-scale RGO thin films.
Reduced gut microbiome protects from alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and alters intestinal and brain inflammasome expression

The end-organ effects of alcohol span throughout the entire body, from the gastrointestinal tract to the central nervous system (CNS). In the intestine, alcohol use changes the microbiome composition and increases gut permeability allowing translocation of microbial components into the circulation. Gut-derived pathogen-associated signals initiate inflammatory responses in the liver and possibly elsewhere in the body. Because previous studies showed that the gut microbiome contributes to alcohol-induced liver disease, we hypothesized that antibiotic administration to reduce the gut microbiome would attenuate alcohol-induced inflammation in the brain and small intestine (SI). Six- to 8-week-old C57BL/6J female mice were fed alcohol in a liquid diet or a calorie-matched control diet for 10 days with an acute alcohol binge or sugar on the final day (acute-on-chronic alcohol administration). Some mice were treated with oral antibiotics daily to diminish the gut microbiome. We compared serum levels of TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1β by ELISA; expression of cytokines Tnfα, Mcp1, Hmgb1, Il-17, Il-23, Il-6, and Cox2; and inflammasome components Il-1β, Il-18, Casp1, Asc, and Nlrp3 in the CNS and SI by qRT-PCR. Microglial morphology was analyzed using immunohistochemical IBA1 staining in the cortex and hippocampus. Antibiotics dramatically reduced the gut microbiome load in both alcohol- and pair-fed mice. Alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and increase in SI cytokine expression were attenuated in mice with antibiotic treatment. Acute-on-chronic alcohol did not induce serum TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1β. Alcohol feeding significantly increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as Tnfα, Mcp1, Hmgb1, Il-17, and Il-23 in the brain and intestine. Reduction in the gut bacterial load, as a result of antibiotic treatment, attenuated the expression of all of these alcohol-induced proinflammatory cytokines in both the brain and SI. Alcohol feeding resulted in microglia activation and morphologic changes in the cortex and hippocampus characterized by a reactive phenotype. These alcohol-induced changes were abrogated following an antibiotic-induced reduction in the gut microbiome. Unexpectedly, antibiotic treatment increased the mRNA expression of some inflammasome components in both the brain and intestine. Our data show for the first time that the acute-on-chronic alcohol administration in mice induces both neuroinflammation and intestinal inflammation and that reduction in the intestinal bacterial load can attenuate alcohol-associated CNS and gut inflammation. Gut microbiome-derived signals contribute to neuroinflammation in acute-on-chronic alcohol exposure.
1.2kW 100,000rpm high speed motor for aircraft

This paper presents high speed motor for electric turbo blowers used in aircraft. In this application, equipment specifications such as light weight and high power density are strongly required. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the rotational speed of motors. We have developed 1.2kW/100krpm high speed motor. This paper also shows experimental results in the prototype.
Carbon monoxide and skate gastric cells: respiration and action spectrum

The rate of O2 uptake in cells isolated from the skate gastric mucosa was determined as a function of the ratio [CO]/[O2] by an O2 electrode method. Skate cells are five times less sensitive to the effects of CO than yeast, which was used as a normal control cell. In both cell types, CO inhibition can be partially reversed by white light. Therefore, the action spectrum for the relief of CO inhibition was determined for the two cell types. In yeast, the alpha peak of the action spectrum for photodissociation of the CO-oxidase complex (which is the alpha peak of the absorption spectrum of this complex) is found at 590 nm, as expected from prior work on this oxidase. In skate gastric mucosa cells, the corresponding peak is at 580 nm, and these two peaks clearly represent different CO complexes. These observations help to explain the lack of CO inhibition of acid secretion in the skate gastric mucosa, and the observation of a non-standard terminal oxidase in the absorption spectrum of this tissue.
Building Consensus to Decrease Firearm Injuries and Death in the USA: Engaging Medical and Public Health Organizations to Find Common Ground

Firearm injury deaths are rising and as of 2017 exceed motor vehicle crash deaths in the USA. We as healthcare professionals treat many of the injured, including those cared for in the network of over 560 ACS-verified trauma centers. In order to address this public health crisis that affects us all, we need to develop a multifaceted public health strategy to decrease and prevent firearm injuries and deaths. While personal opinions about firearm ownership vary significantly across the USA, an inclusive, consensus-based, public health approach to reducing firearm deaths is possible. This article reviews recent literature on this approach, first building consensus among surgeons and then extending across the entire healthcare professional community. There is broad support for a public health approach which focuses on the understanding and addressing the underlying causes of violence while also making firearm ownership as safe as possible. This approach requires the expertise and committed support of healthcare and public health providers, along with their professional organizations, healthcare systems, and public health networks which they lead. To achieve the goals of eliminating preventable firearm-related death and disability also requires engaging firearm owners and members from vulnerable communities as key stakeholders in the public health solution. In order to achieve the goals of the public health approach, increased federal and philanthropic research funding is required to identify and evaluate the most effective injury prevention initiatives.
A demonstration of consistency between the quantum classical Liouville equation and Berry’s phase and curvature for the case of complex Hamiltonians

Although the quantum classical Liouville equation (QCLE) arises by cutting off the exact equation of motion for a coupled nuclear-electronic system at order 1 (1 = ℏ0), we show that the QCLE does include Berry's phase effects and Berry's forces (which are proportional to a higher order, ℏ = ℏ1). Thus, the fundamental equation underlying mixed quantum-classical dynamics does not need a correction for Berry's phase effects and is valid for the case of complex (i.e., not just real) Hamiltonians, where exotic features can arise in the course of electronic relaxation. Furthermore, we also show that, even though Tully's surface hopping model ignores Berry's phase, Berry's phase effects are included automatically within Ehrenfest dynamics. These findings should be of great importance if we seek to model coupled nuclear-electronic dynamics for systems with odd numbers of electrons and spin-orbit coupling, where the complex nature of the Hamiltonian is paramount.
Survival gone viral

In this paper, I argue that the Covid-19 pandemic has made it more evident that the question of survival plays a structural role in the politics of globalisation. Like a virus that feeds off living...
Toll-like receptors form different complexes with UNC93B1.

The multipass transmembrane protein UNC93B1 is critical for the proper trafficking and function of many members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family of innate immune receptors. A new study reports two structures of UNC93B1 in complex with full-length TLR3 or TLR7 and sheds light on how this single chaperone may differentially interact with and regulate the function of individual TLRs.
Factors Associated With and Characteristics of Proton Radiotherapy Use at the End of Life.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) To identify the patient characteristics, treatment indications, and toxicities among patients receiving proton beam therapy (PBT) in the final year of life at a tertiary academic medical center. MATERIALS/METHODS A retrospective review of patients who received PBT within the final 12 months of life was performed. Electronic medical records were reviewed for patient and treatment details from 2010-2019. Follow-up was calculated from start of PBT until death or last follow-up. Treatment intent was retrospectively defined as curative treatment for localized disease, for isolated local recurrence, oligometastatic disease, durable local control, or palliation of symptoms. Durable local control was defined as treatment for durable control of otherwise incurable disease whereas palliation was defined as treatment for symptom palliation only. Acute ( 3 months) toxicities were graded using the CTCAE v5.0. Chi-square test was performed to evaluate factors associated with palliative treatment. Simple logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with any acute toxicity. RESULTS During the study period, 299 patients were treated at the end of life (EOL) out of 5802 total patients treated with PBT (5.2%). Mean age was 66 years (19-94 years), with 58% male. The most common cancers were non-small cell lung cancer (27%), hepatocellular carcinoma (13%), and small cell lung cancer (6%). Eleven percent of patients were treated for symptom palliation; the remainder were treated for durable local control (57%), definitively (16%), for an isolated local recurrence (14%), or oligometastatic disease (2%). Forty-five percent received PBT for re-irradiation. Concurrent systemic therapy was delivered to 47%. Median prescribed dose was 50 Gy (15-80 Gy). Mean treatment time was 34 days (1-189 days). Seven patients received split-course proton therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Median time from final fraction to death was 139 days (1-363 days). On average, patients spent 24% of the remaining days of life receiving PBT. Acute toxicity of any grade was noted in 85% of patients (31% G1, 53% G2, 15% G3). Fifty-two patients (17%) experienced chronic toxicity, the most severe of which was a tracheo-esophageal fistula (G4). In the chi-square test, breast and hematologic malignancy were associated with palliative intent (χ2 (1, N = 14) = 15.9, P < 0.001; (χ2 (1, N = 14) = 15.9, P < 0.001). In the simple logistic regression model, concurrent systemic therapy was positively associated with any acute toxicity (OR: 2.0, P = 0.05). CONCLUSION The number of patients treated with PBT at the EOL was low compared to all-comers. Many of these patients received treatment with definitive doses and concurrent systemic therapy. Nearly half received re-irradiation. Grade 3 or higher acute toxicity was moderate, and some patients spent a large portion of their remaining days on treatment. Thus, the incorporation of a prognostic indicator in clinical practice may further optimize use of PBT.
Formation and control of acid gases, and organic and inorganic hazardous air pollutants

This chapter presents a discussion of a suite of pollutants, including hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and organic, inorganic, and acid gases. Mercury, which was discussed Chapter 11, is not included in detail in this chapter although at times there will be reference to it. This chapter begins with a brief discussion of organic and inorganic HAPs and acid gases, followed by discussions on the occurrence of trace elements, organic compounds, and halogens in coal, the formation and emissions of these pollutants, and control technologies.
Actions of Insulin on Electrical Potential Differences across Cell Membranes

Electrical force is one of the basic forces of nature. It can be much stronger than gravity, as is its complementary force, magnetism. Magnetic and electrical forces act over distances; that is, there are fields of force. As in the schoolchild’s experiment in which iron filings sprinkled on a sheet of paper were made to show lines of magnetic force fields in response to a horseshoe magnet held beneath the paper, so electrical fields can be demonstrated to orient charged particles and dipoles within their territory.
Curvature and the Eigenvalues of the Laplacian

A famous formula of H. Weyl [17] states that if D is a bounded region of R d with a piecewise smooth boundary B, and if 0 > γ1 ≥ γ2 ≥ γ3 ≥ etc. ↓−∞ is the spectrum of the problem $$\displaystyle\begin{array}{rcl} \varDelta f =\big (\partial ^{2}/\partial x_{ 1}^{2} + \cdots + \partial ^{2}/\partial x_{ d}^{2}\big)f =\gamma f\quad \mbox{ in }D,& &{}\end{array}$$ (6.1.1a) $$\displaystyle\begin{array}{rcl} f \in C^{2}(D) \cap C(\overline{D}),& &{}\end{array}$$ (6.1.1b) $$\displaystyle\begin{array}{rcl} f = 0\quad \mbox{ on }B,& &{}\end{array}$$ (6.1.1c) then $$\displaystyle\begin{array}{rcl} -\gamma _{n} \sim C(d)(n/\mbox{ vol }D)^{2/d}\quad (n \uparrow \infty ),& &{}\end{array}$$ (6.1.2) or, what is the same, $$\displaystyle\begin{array}{rcl} Z \equiv \mathop{\mathrm{sp}}\nolimits e^{t\varDelta } =\sum _{ n\geq 1}\exp \big(\gamma _{n}t\big) \sim (4\pi t)^{-d/2} \times \mathop{\mathrm{vol}}\nolimits D\quad (t \downarrow 0),& &{}\end{array}$$ (6.1.3) where \(C(d) = 2\pi [(d/2)!]^{d/2}\).
Retinal glutamate transporter changes in experimental glaucoma and after optic nerve transection in the rat.

Purpose High levels of glutamate can be toxic to retinal ganglion cells. Effective buffering of extracellular glutamate by retinal glutamate transporters is therefore important. This study was conducted to investigate whether glutamate transporter changes occur with two models of optic nerve injury in the rat. Methods Glaucoma was induced in one eye of 35 adult Wistar rats by translimbal diode laser treatment to the trabecular meshwork. Twenty-five more rats underwent unilateral optic nerve transection. Two glutamate transporters, GLAST (EAAT-1) and GLT-1 (EAAT-2), were studied by immunohistochemistry and quantitative Western blot analysis. Treated and control eyes were compared 3 days and 1, 4, and 6 weeks after injury. Optic nerve damage was assessed semiquantitatively in epoxy-embedded optic nerve cross sections. Results Trabecular laser treatment resulted in moderate intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation in all animals. After 1 to 6 weeks of experimental glaucoma, all treated eyes had significant optic nerve damage. Glutamate transporter changes were not detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis demonstrated significantly reduced GLT-1 in glaucomatous eyes compared with control eyes at 3 days (29.3% +/- 6.7%, P = 0.01), 1 week (55.5% +/- 13.6%, P = 0.02), 4 weeks (27.2% +/- 10.1%, P = 0.05), and 6 weeks (38.1% +/- 7.9%, P = 0.01; mean reduction +/- SEM, paired t-tests, n = 5 animals per group, four duplicate Western blot analyses per eye). The magnitude of the reduction in GLT-1 correlated significantly with mean IOP in the glaucomatous eye (r(2) = 0.31, P = 0.01, linear regression). GLAST was significantly reduced (33.8% +/- 8.1%, mean +/- SEM) after 4 weeks of elevated IOP (P = 0.01, paired t-test, n = 5 animals per group). In contrast to glaucoma, optic nerve transection resulted in an increase in GLT-1 compared with the control eye (P = 0.01, paired t-test, n = 15 animals). There was no significant change in GLAST after transection. Conclusions GLT-1 and GLAST were significantly reduced in an experimental rat glaucoma model, a response that was not found after optic nerve transection. Reductions in GLT-1 and GLAST may increase the potential for glutamate-induced injury to RGC in glaucoma.
Ecology of Marine Bivalves: An Ecosystem Approach, Second Edition

Introduction Historical/Geological Setting Ecosystems Historical Ecology of Bivalves Physical Environmental Interactions Temperature Salinity Temperature-Salinity and Other Factor Combinations Acidification Water Flow Tides Sediments Organismic Scale Processes Feeding Suspension-Feeding Larviphagy Deposit Feeding Shipworms Symbiotic Nutrition Chemoautotrophic Symbioses Population Processes Life Cycle Statistical Measures of Populations Density Reproduction Population Growth Bivalves As Open Or Metapopulations Life and Fecundity Tables Mortality Abiotic Mortality Predation Competition-Induced Mortality Aggregated Distributions Zonation Diseases and Parasites Population Energy Budgets Ecosystem Grazing Introduction Grazing Theory as Applied to Bivalves Conceptualizing Grazing Methods Used to Estimate System Grazing Upstream-Downstream Observations Laboratory Flumes Ecosystem Comparisons Ecosystem Metabolism and Nutrient Cycling Nutrient Cycling Theoretical Background Conclusions The Case of the Missing Nitrogen Ecosystem Experiments Models Model Formulation Model Analysis Ecosystem Field Experiments Case Study Ecosystem Health, Restoration, and Services Bivalve Responses Systems Measures Ecosystem Services Biodiversity A Case Study: The Wadden Sea and the Invasion of Crassostrea gigas Index
Rad23 links DNA repair to the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway

Rad23 is an evolutionarily conserved protein that is important for nucleotide excision repair1,2,3. A regulatory role has been proposed for Rad23 because rad23 mutants are sensitive to ultraviolet light but are still capable of incising damaged DNA4,5. Here we show that Rad23 interacts with the 26S proteasome through an amino-terminal ubiquitin-like domain (UbLR23). The carboxy terminus of Rad23 binds to the Rad4 DNA repair protein and creates a link between the DNA repair and proteasome pathways. The ultraviolet sensitivity caused by deletion of the UbLR23 domain may therefore arise from its inability to interact with the proteasome. The fusion proteins glutathione S-transferase (GST)–Rad23 and Rad4–haemagglutinin (HA), and the proteasome subunits Cim3 and Cim5, cofractionate through consecutive chromatography steps. The ubiquitin-like domain of human Rad23 (UbLHRB) also interacts with the human proteasome. These results demonstrate that ubiquitin-like domains (UbLs) represent a new class of proteasome-interacting motifs.
A Model of Rule-of-Thumb Consumers With Nominal Price and Wage Rigidities

This document presents a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with rule of thumb (Non-Ricardian) agents and both nominal price and wage rigidities. The model follows closely that of Gali et al. (2004) and expands it to include a second way form of heterogeneity (besides the Non-Ricardian agents), namely the nominal wage stickiness a la Calvo, as in Erceg et al. (2000). Special attention is given to the algebraic details of the model. The model is calibrated and its dynamics are explored trough the analysis of impulse response functions.
Identification of Transcription Factor–DNA Interactions Using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assays

Expression of almost every gene is regulated at the transcription level. Therefore, transcriptional factor Transcription factors, consequently, have marked effects on the fate of a cell by establishing the gene expression patterns that determine biological processes. In the auditory and vestibular systems, transcription factors have been found to be responsible for development, cell growth, and apoptosis. It is vital to identify the transcription factor target genes and the mechanisms by which transcription factors control and guide gene expression and regulation pathways. Compared with earlier methods devised to study transcription factor-DNA interactions, the advantage of the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay is that the interaction of a transcription factor with its target genes is captured in the native context of chromatin in living cells. Therefore, ChIP base assays are powerful tools to identify the direct interaction of transcription factors and their target genes in vivo. More importantly, ChIP assays have been used in combination with molecular biology techniques, such as PCR and real time PCR, gene cloning, and DNA microarrays, to determine the interaction of transcription factor-DNA from a few potential individual targets to genome-wide surveys.
Cultural Differences in Causal Attribution

An attribution is a judgment about why an event (typically another person's behavior) occurred. Research suggests that cultures differ in the types of attributions that their members prefer. Keywords: attribution; culture; inference; bias; implicit theory
Power law relationships between health care utilization and symptom assessment among people with panic attacks.

Rationale Although people with panic attacks are high utilizers of health care, the role of symptom assessment in care-seeking is unclear. Previous studies suggest that symptom perceptions are linearly related to utilization but panic appraisal is not. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relationships between symptom assessment and utilization are non-linear, displaying power law distributions. Methods This community-based study of 97 subjects with panic attacks assessed utilization of family doctor offices, total ambulatory utilization, and hospitalizations as well as symptom perceptions and panic appraisals. Matrices of symptom assessment versus utilization were created, and log–log plots were constructed. To minimize the risk of overestimation of power law distributions, linear, quadratic and cubic regression models were computed. Results None of the utilization versus symptom perceptions displayed power law distributions. However, all three measures of utilization showed power law relationships with panic appraisals, but in unique patterns. Conclusions Although power law relationships were not found between symptom perceptions and utilization, unique patterns of power laws were identified between panic appraisals and all three measures of utilization.
Use of isoproterenol in the treatment of complete heart block complicating acute myocardial infarction

Abstract A case of acute myocardial infarction complicated by complete heart block successfully treated with continuous intravenous administration of isoproterenol is reported. This complication should be anticipated in all cases of acute myocardial infarction especially with inferior wall involvement. It is hoped that the increasing use of isoproterenol, as well as steroids and electrical pacemakers, will result in an overall lowering of the mortality rate in this condition.
Barriers to Integrating Information Technology Content in Doctor of Nursing Practice Curricula

To date, there is no benchmark data available on the measurement of program outcomes in doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to integration of IT content in the curriculum in DNP programs, perceived IT competencies taught, and DNP faculty perception of competencies. The study location was DNP programs in the United States, and focus was on doctorate-prepared faculty with a DNP or PhD. A descriptive design using an Internet-based survey was done with 113 DNP programs administrators and faculty across the United States. Limitation of the study was that few DNP administrators forwarded the study to faculty, limiting the sample size. For the purpose of this study, the results were limited to responses from DNP administrators, and some comparative data of the faculty were used. Barriers measured included lack of qualified faculty, faculty's limited knowledge or skills in IT, lack of interest, age, lack of time to learn IT, lack of time to use IT, too many work demands, lack of administrative vision, unclear expectations of faculty, lack of technical support to faculty, or lack of resources. Leading barriers to IT implementation were lack of time of faculty, too many other work demands of faculty, lack of resources dedicated to IT, and lack of qualified faculty to teach IT. Further research is necessary on doctorate-prepared faculty and on interventions to overcome these barriers is needed.
Development of an N-methyl pyrrolidone based method of analysis for lead in paint

A method suitable for the field determination of lead-containing paint by atomic absorption was developed. N-Methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) was used as a pretreatment to soften the paint samples. No heating, mechanical grinding, or other chemical treatments were necessary prior to final sample dilution. Addition of 2% nitric acid was sufficient to dissolve the lead species in as little as 30 minutes. The total sample preparation time was 60 minutes. Using FAAS, ICP-MS, and portable ETAAS, the proposed method was found to give results equivalent to the NIOSH 7082 acid digestion method for a lead paint SRM and several laboratory samples. The proposed method used only two reagents (NMP and dilute nitric acid) to prepare the sample for analysis which makes it specifically suited for determinations performed outside of a traditional laboratory. The presence of NMP in solution required the use of an internal standard to avoid positive bias in ICP-MS analysis. FAAS showed a small negative bias from NMP in solution. Accurate ETAAS determinations required the use of a phosphate matrix modifier. Raman spectroscopy of acidic NMP solutions revealed that the NMP was not chemically degraded under the conditions used for lead determination. However, at higher acid concentrations, loss of the N-methyl was observed.
Increasing Laser Contrast by Relativistic Self-Guiding and its Application to Laser-Based Proton Acceleration

Laser-produced energetic protons via target normal sheath acceleration are deteriorated by amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Here we test a new method of reducing ASE and increasing proton energy by relativistic self-guiding in the plasma.
Photorefractive volume holographic memory systems: approaches, limitations, and requirements

Volume holographic memory systems provide a compact method by which data can be stored with high density and rapid accessibility. In these systems, for example, wavelength, angle, and phase multiplexing approaches have been utilized for the addressing of data pages. We analyze, in general, practical limitations in such systems due to cross-talk effects, beam depleting and material heating absorption effects, and multiplexing approaches. For example, beam depletion during the writing and reading of holograms in a volume holographic memory will cause the envelope of the diffracted beams to not be rect-like as simple cross-talk theories rely on, and material heating will act to detune, smear, and redirect beams during readout. We also characterize the photon-limited information throughput rates during recall from these systems. Finally, we demonstrate advances in our sparse-wavelength angle-multiplexed volume holographic memory system, achieving the storage of 2,000 holographic pages, each with approximately 2.35 million bits each, utilizing 400 angles (over a 3 degree external tuning span) and five wavelengths (over a 56 nanometer span) in a 1.86 cubic centimeter volume of lithium niobate.
Nickel and Chromium Speciation of Residual Oil Combustion Ash

Ash from a low- and high-S (0.33wt% and 1.80wt% S, respectively) residual oil was produced using a laboratory-scale combustion system at excess O2 concentrations of  1 and 2 or 3mo1%. High-S ashes are distinguished from low-S ashes by an abundance of (Na, K)x v4 x+ V5 6x+O15 (0.90 > x > 0.54) and lack of (Na, K)2,SO4 crystals. Discrete phases of Ni or Cr were not detected using SEM and XRD, even though these metals are relatively abundant - 1.5 to 5.5w1% and 0.08 to 0.1 wt%, respectively. Ni and Cr K-edge XAFS spectroscopy analyses indicate that NlSO4 and Cr2(SO4)3 and not the more toxic Ni3S2 and Cr6 forms predominate in the ashes. Thermodynamic modeling results support the empirical results in that NiSO4 XH20 and Cr2(SO4)3 are predicted to be stable low-temperature species in both low an high-S residual oil ashes produced at  3 mol% excess O2.
Accumulation of galactonate in liver of suckling rats perfused with galactose.

Abstract Livers of 14-day-old suckling rats were perfused for 30 min in the nonrecirculating (once-through) mode with media containing 0–60 mM galactose. Galactonate was detected in livers perfused with as little as 1 mM galactose and increased with higher perfusate galactose to 178 nmoles per gram of liver at 60 mM hexose. Tissue galactonate levels were as high as 60% of galactose-1-phosphate which also accumulated under the same conditions. Galactonate was also found to be present in the effluent perfusate. The perfused suckling rat liver appears to be a physiological model for assessing the role of galactose oxidation to galactonate as an alternate metabolic pathway of galactose metabolism.
Romanization of Cyrillic Script: Core Competencies and Basic Research Strategies for Slavic Students, Scholars, and Educators

This article argues that a basic knowledge of the issues associated with the romanization of Cyrillic script, as well as of the research strategies designed to address them, constitutes a core competency for students and scholars of Slavic. The author maintains that, contrary to what might be expected, current trends in information technology and user search behavior render such Slavic‐specific information literacies as romanization more important than ever. Although the article's primary audience is Slavic studies librarians, it also provides model assignments that would be of interest to Slavic‐studies teaching faculty and educators.
Determining eruption ages and erosion rates of Quaternary basaltic volcanism from combined U-series disequilibria and cosmogenic exposure ages

We present 238 U- 230 Th - 226 Ra disequilibria and cosmogenic 3 He and 36 Cl data for the Bluewater flow of the Zuni-Bandera volcanic field in western New Mexico. The 238 U- 230 Th disequilibria measured on separated groundmass phases yield an internal isochron age of 68 ka (+24/–20 ka; 2σ). This value cannot be directly compared with surface exposure ages unless erosion rates are known. The apparent (zero erosion) ages determined from both the 3 He concentration (47.5 ± 5 ka; 2σ) and the 36 Cl concentration (41.2 ± 8.8 ka; 2σ) are significantly younger than the U-Th isochron age. When minimum estimates of surface erosion based on flow morphology are considered, the 3 He concentrations indicate a minimum exposure age of 60 ka, in good agreement with the U-Th isochron age, with a minimum erosion rate of 1.7 mm/k.y. and an erosion rate as high as 5 mm/k.y. in other locations. Correcting for erosion has little effect on the model 36 Cl age and, as a result, the 36 Cl age is significantly younger than the U-Th isochron age and erosion-corrected 3 He ages; this discordance is attributed to a lack of closed-system behavior in the 36 Cl system. These new ages have local significance for the geochronology of the Zuni-Bandera volcanic field; however, their larger significance is in their applicability to dating Quaternary basalts and quantifying erosion rates.
A microbend test method for measuring the plasticity length scale

Abstract A versatile microbend test method for determining the plasticity length scale has been developed and described. It involves the bending of a thin annealed foil around a small diameter cylindrical mandril, followed by measurement of the unloaded and loaded radii of curvature. This test fully characterizes the moment–curvature relation, subject to independent knowledge of the elastic modulus of the foil material. By using mandrils having different radii as well as foils with different thicknesses, the plasticity length scale can be established, upon comparison with tensile stress–strain measurements made on the same foils. The analysis relating the length scale to the measured moments is described and used to interpret results obtained for high purity Ni. This length scale is in the range 3–5 μm. It is dominated by rotation (rather than stretch) gradient and similar to that found previously for Cu using wire torsion tests. It is larger than the length scale determined from nanohardness tests.
Diagnosis and Management of Arrhythmias in Children After Cardiac Surgery

Arrhythmias that lead to hemodynamic deterioration and sudden death are one of the most challenging problems in children after cardiac surgery. In infants with congenital heart disease, disorders of impulse conduction are more frequent than those of impulse generation. Various factors that include anatomic or physiologic abnormalities of the conduction system, damage as a result of hemodynamic stress or chronic hypoxia, and injury occurring at the time of surgery interact to produce dysrhythmias. During the post operative period, supraventricular tachycardia rarely causes sudden death in children. However, junctional ectopic tachy cardia and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome are 2 that have been associated with a high mortality rate. In general, ven tricular tachycardia carries a more serious prognosis than supraventricular tachycardia because it typically occurs in abnormal myocardium with suboptimal function, which may also be vulnerable to degeneration into ventricular fi brillation. A practical approach ...