cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of androgen, extracellular matrix, and stroma upon proliferation and differentiation of benign and malignant prostate epithelial cells

Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions are thought to playa strategic role in androgen-induced regulation of prostate epithelial cell growth and differentiation. A more thorough understanding of this process has been facilitated by recent advances permitting the separation and cultivation of stromal/ epithelial elements from benign and malignant human prostate glands. Our laboratory has devised an in vitro system to selectively dissect those factors influencing the divergent phenotypes of proliferation and differentiation. The epithelial “targets” utilized in this study included: (1) benign prostatic epithelial cells (BPE) isolated from open prostatectomy specimens; and (2) the hormone-sensitive prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP. Growth was measured by sequential cell counts and differentiation was correlated with the ability of these epithelial cell populations to secrete prostate specific acid phosphatase (PSAP) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) into their respective conditioned medium. Major variables in our culture system included the presence/absence of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), basement membrane biomatrix (Matrigel), and/or stromal extracellular matrix (ECM). Observations relevant to BPE include: (1) the formation of distinct cell clusters when grown on Matrigel vs typical monolayer morphology when cultivated on plastic; (2) a modest increase in PSAP and PSA secretion in the presence of DHT and stromal conditioned media (SCM); and (3) maximal production of PSAP and PSA when these cells are grown on Matrigel in the presence of DHT and SCM. With respect to LNCaP cells, we observed: (1) growth on plastic in the presence of DHT was associated with marked proliferation and modest production of PSAP and PSA; and (2) when cultured on ECM derived from human prostate stromal cells, LNCaP demonstrated a reduced growth response to DHT but maximized their secretion of the two differentiation markers. Thus, this in vitro system may facilitate more detailed biochemical and morphological studies designed to probe the impact of stromal/epithelial interaction on the phenotypes of proliferation and differentiation involving both benign and malignant prostate systems.
Conscious and unconscious memory differentially impact attention: Eye movements, visual search, and recognition processes

A hotly debated question is whether memory influences attention through conscious or unconscious processes. To address this controversy, we measured eye movements while participants searched repeated real-world scenes for embedded targets, and we assessed memory for each scene using confidence-based methods to isolate different states of subjective memory awareness. We found that memory-informed eye movements during visual search were predicted both by conscious recollection, which led to a highly precise first eye movement toward the remembered location, and by unconscious memory, which increased search efficiency by gradually directing the eyes toward the target throughout the search trial. In contrast, these eye movement measures were not influenced by familiarity-based memory (i.e., changes in subjective reports of memory strength). The results indicate that conscious recollection and unconscious memory can each play distinct and complementary roles in guiding attention to facilitate efficient extraction of visual information.
Accelerated Oxalosis Contributing to Delayed Graft Function after Renal Transplantation

Hyperoxaluria is an important and underrecognized cause for allograft dysfunction and loss after transplantation. It is potentially treatable if recognized in a timely fashion. Research is ongoing to expand the array of therapeutic options available to treat this. We present a case of a 59-year-old gentleman who underwent deceased donor renal transplantation that was complicated by delayed graft function necessitating continuation of renal replacement therapy. His initial biopsy showed extensive acute tubular necrosis with associated peritubular capillaritis and interstitial nephritis and oxalate crystals in several tubules. Despite receiving methylprednisolone to treat moderate acute cellular rejection, he remained dialysis dependent with minimal urine output. An interval renal allograft biopsy revealed residual acute tubular necrosis with extensive oxalate crystals now visible in many tubules. His plasma oxalate level was concurrently elevated to 19.3 μmol/L (reference range ≤ 1.9 μmol/L). He commenced calcium citrate to manage his hyperoxaluria and ultimately became dialysis independent at 3 weeks after transplantation. This case provides an important example of accelerated oxalate nephropathy as an underappreciated contributor to delayed graft function after renal transplantation. Our accompanying discussion provides an update on current therapeutic measures for managing this challenging condition.
Mechanisms of photobiomodulation in the brain

Abstract This chapter discusses the mechanisms of action of photobiomodulation (PBM) in the brain. The primary molecular chromophores including cytochrome c oxidase in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, light-sensitive ion channels, and exclusion zone nanostructured water are covered. The secondary processes of PBM are addressed as they particularly affect the brain. Metabolism is increased due to the stimulation of mitochondria with more adenosine triphosphate to fuel the brain processes. Blood flow and cerebral oxygenation are also increased. Neuroprotection is another beneficial feature of PBM, particularly as it limits brain damage after stroke or traumatic brain injury. Oxidative stress is limited by induction of antioxidant defenses. The antiinflammatory effects of PBM are evidenced by a switch of the microglial phenotype from M1 to M2 possible mediated by an increase in oxidative phosphorylation. Neurogenesis (formation of new brain cells) and synaptogenesis (formation of new connections between existing brain cells) are stimulated and possibly mediated by the increase in neurotrophins. Stem cells are activated and systemic effects possibly mediated by blood irradiation are covered.
Quantifying the Association between Acute Leukemia and Serum Zinc, Copper, and Selenium

Optimal levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) are essential to perform a number of metabolic and physiological processes in humans. Levels of these minerals have been suggested to be ...
Impact of acute antioxidant administration on inflammation and vascular function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Although it is now well established that heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is associated with marked inflammation and a prooxidant state that is accompanied by vascular dysfunc...
Faster Time-to-Therapeutic Tacrolimus Level is Associated with Lower Risk of Cellular Rejection Early after Heart Transplantation

Purpose Faster time-to-therapeutic tacrolimus (TTT) levels is associated with lower rates of acute cellular rejection (ACR) in kidney and liver transplantation. Limited data have evaluated this relationship in heart transplant (HT) recipients. Methods Single-center retrospective chart review of patients who received HT from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016. Multi-organ transplant recipients, re-transplants, and those who received induction therapy with either basiliximab or thymoglobulin were excluded. A therapeutic tacrolimus concentration was defined as a trough level between 8-15 ng/mL for two consecutive days. The primary outcome was the rates of 30-day ACR in patients who were Results From a database of 88 HT patients we evaluated 55 patients who did not receive induction therapy (median age=56 (49-65), 73% white, 71% had a VAD prior to HT). The median TTT level was 9 days; patients 0.05 for each day). Patients without ACR (n=40) had a median TTT level of 8 (6-9.5) days, compared to 10 (9-12) days in the ACR group (n=15) (p=0.01). A multivariate regression model found TTT ≥9 days to be significantly associated with early ACR after adjusting for age, gender, and VAD pre-HT (OR 9.84, 95% CI [1.86-52.90], p=0.007). Conclusion Quickly achieving a TTT level reduces the risk of ACR early after HT without adversely affecting renal function.
Analysis on the epidemiological characteristics and the etiological surveillance for epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis in Shandong province from 2006 to 2013

脑膜炎奈瑟菌(Nm)是引起流行性脑脊髓膜炎(流脑)的病原菌,是全球细菌性脑膜炎的主要原因之一[1].Nm有13个血清群,但侵袭性脑膜炎球菌感染主要是由血清群A、B、C、X、Y、W-135引起[1].为了解山东省目前流脑流行特征,对2006-2013年流脑流行特征及其病原学监测数据分析如下.1.资料与方法:(1)监测资料:流行病学资料源自国家疾病监测信息报告管理系统和流脑监测信息报告管理系统个案调查表,病原学监测资料源自山东省疾病预防控制中心流脑实验室. 关键词：流行性脑脊髓膜炎;脑膜炎奈瑟菌;流行特征;监测
Letter to the editor regarding "Variant anatomy of the biliary system as a cause of pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancers."

Abstract We suggest two potential theories that could explain how low union of the cystic and common hepatic duct may be related to heightened risk for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, as observed by the study by Muraki et al.
A long-RP interval tachycardia: what is the mechanism?

A 34-year-old woman with a long history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia underwent an electrophysiologic procedure. The baseline sinus cycle length, atrial-His (AH), and His-ventricular (HV) intervals were 720, 70, and 50 msec, respectively. A narrow-QRS complex tachycardia was induced by ventricular pacing at a cycle length of 380 msec (Fig. 1). The tachycardia cycle length was 400 msec, the AH interval was 140 msec, and the His-atrial (HA) interval was 250 msec. The response to a single ventricular extrastimulus delivered during tachycardia when the His bundle was refractory is shown in Figure 2. During tachycardia, the earliest atrial activation was recorded at the ostium of the coronary sinus. What is the mechanism of the tachycardia?
COVID-19 related deaths in an urban academic medical center in Brooklyn – a descriptive case series

Available studies are lacking in analysis of baseline demographics and hospital presentation of patients at risk of expiring due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly Black American patients. We conducted a retrospective chart review to determine similarities in demographics and hospital presentation among patients who expired due to COVID-19 at an academic medical center in Brooklyn, New York. This is a retrospective observational study of 200 patients who expired due to complications of COVID-19. Patients were included in this study if they had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and expired during their admission. Data were collected on patients who expired between March 17 and April 16, 2020. A vast majority of patients were Black Americans (89%) with no history of international travel who had more than one comorbidity (81%), with the most common comorbidities being hypertension (84·5%), diabetes mellitus (57·5%), and obesity (41·5%). Fifty-five percent of our patient population had three or more comorbidities. Among patients with available data, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and ferritin values were elevated above normal limits at admission. Dyspnea was the most common presenting symptom (92·5%). Most (90·5%) presented within the first week of symptoms, with a median time of symptoms prior to expiration being 8·42 days (IQR 5·57–12·72). Socioeconomic status and healthcare inequalities have greatly affected the Black population of Brooklyn, New York, and these disparities become even more apparent in COVID-19 infection. Patients presenting with numerous comorbidities and elevated inflammatory markers represent a population at high risk of in-hospital mortality.
Certificate of need laws: a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis

Certificate of Need (CON) laws, currently in place in 35 US states, require certain health care providers to obtain a certification of their economic necessity from a state board before opening or undertaking a major expansion. We conduct the first systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis of these laws. We review 90 articles to summarize the evidence on how certificate of need laws affect regulatory costs, health expenditures, health outcomes, and access to care. We use the findings from the systematic review to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of CON. The literature provides mixed results, on average finding that CON increases health expenditures and overall elderly mortality while reducing heart surgery mortality. Our cost-effectiveness analysis estimates that the costs of CON laws somewhat exceed their benefits, although our estimates are quite uncertain. The literature has not yet reached a definitive conclusion on how CON laws affect health expenditures, outcomes, or access to care. While more and higher quality research is needed to reach confident conclusions, our cost-effectiveness analysis based on the existing literature shows that the expected costs of CON exceed its benefits.
School climate and peer victimization among adolescents: A moderated mediation model of school connectedness and parental involvement

Abstract Although research is beginning to examine the association between school climate perceptions and peer victimization, little is known about the mediating and moderating influences on this relationship among high school-aged adolescents. Based on a heuristic model of school victimization and an ecological systems perspective, this study investigated (a) the mediating role of school connectedness in the association between school climate and peer victimization, and (b) the moderating role of parental involvement in the direct and indirect relationships between school climate and victimization. Cross-sectional interview data from 15-year-olds were drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, which included 3,230 adolescents with an average age of 15.6 years, of whom 51% were male and 71% were Black and Hispanic. Results indicated that school connectedness mediated the relationship between school climate perceptions and peer victimization. Furthermore, the mediating process was moderated by parental involvement. The indirect effect of school climate perceptions on peer victimization, through school connectedness, was stronger for higher levels of parental involvement than lower levels of parental involvement. The findings have important practical implications, which are discussed.
Immigration Status as a Health Care Barrier in the USA during COVID-19.

In the context of the United States of America (U.S.), COVID-19 has influenced migrant experiences in a variety of ways, including the government's use of public health orders to prevent migration into the country and the risk of immigrants contracting COVID-19 while in detention centers. However, this paper focuses on barriers that immigrants of diverse statuses already living in the U.S.-along with their families-may face in accessing health services during the pandemic, as well as implications of these barriers for COVID-19 prevention and response efforts . We report findings from a scoping review about immigration status as a social determinant of health and discuss ways that immigration status can impede access to health care across levels of the social ecology . We then explore how recent changes to federal immigration policies and current COVID-19 federal relief efforts may serve to create additional barriers to health care for immigrants and their families. Improving health care access for immigrant populations in the U.S. will require interventions at all levels of the social ecology and across vari ous social determinants of health, both in response to COVID-19 and to strengthen health systems more broadly.
Using a Social-ecological Framework to Guide Transition

Transition is a multi-dimensional process, involving patients, caregivers, providers, and the medical system as a whole. Variables within each stakeholder can affect the success of an individual’s transition. A social-ecological framework allows for a comprehensive approach to address the different components and complex intricacies that occur in transition of care from pediatric to adult health systems. In this chapter, we introduce the Social-ecological Model of Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Readiness to Transition (SMART) as a model that utilizes this theoretical framework. We describe its components and validation and apply its applicability to various respiratory conditions. Currently, the SMART model has not been validated with or systematically applied to pulmonary patient populations. Future research is needed to study the use of SMART in chronic respiratory diseases in order to improve transition of care in the field of pulmonary medicine.
Optimal Screening of Populations with Heterogeneous Risk Profiles Under the Availability of Multiple Tests

We study the design of large-scale group testing schemes under a heterogeneous population (i.e., subjects with potentially different risk) and with the availability of multiple tests. The objective...
18 Relative expression of the neonatal crystallizable fragment receptor (FcRn) in equine tissues

The neonatal crystallizable fragment receptor (FcRn) is an important immune system receptor with several functions including bi-directional transport of immunoglobulin G across cell surfaces and involvement in antigen presentation. Research regarding the FcRn is robust in human medicine, but has lagged in livestock species. Although the FcRn has been characterized in several body tissues in cattle, sheep and pigs, there is only one published report regarding examination of the FcRn in intestine from a single horse in China. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify relative FcRn mRNA expression in various equine body tissues. To meet the objective, tissues were collected from 2 horses (H1, H2) within 30 min of euthanasia. Collection sites were standardized for each location to minimize variation. Tissues included lung (4 locations), stomach (2 locations), small intestine (3 locations), cecum (3 locations), large colon (6 locations), and joints (2 locations). A minimum of 5 tissue samples (500 mg each) were collected from each location to obtain representative samples and preserved in RNAlater. Total RNA was extracted using the RNeasy Plus Universal Mini Kit (Qiagen). Reverse transcription to cDNA was performed with the High-Capacity cDNA Reverse Transcription kit (ThermoFisher Scientific). Pre-designed TaqMan probe sets for FcRn (Assay ID 07049868_g1) and 3 reference genes (ACTB, GADPH, HPRT1) were obtained from ThermoFisher Scientific. Relative quantification of mRNA expression of FcRn in each tissue was measured by qPCR using TaqMan Fast Advanced Master Mix (ThermoFisher Scientific) and calculated using the 2−ΔΔCT method and normalized to the geometric mean of the 3 reference genes. Realtive quantity (RQ) of FcRn expression for tissues from the 2 horses was grouped qualitatively into high, moderate, and low designations. RQ of FcRn expression was highest in the joints (RQ range 2.37–3.98) and small intestine (RQ range 2.28–3.18) with individual variation present in the duodenum (H1 RQ 2.60; H2 RQ 0.82) and ileum (H1 RQ 1.08; H2 RQ 2.47). FcRn expression was moderate in tissues from the cecum (RQ range 1.02–1.75) and lung (RQ 1.42–2.32) with individual variation present in the distal cecum (H1 RQ 1.02; H2 RQ 0.67) and main bronchi tissue (H1 RQ 2.06; H2 RQ 0.47). Expression was lowest in the stomach (RQ range 0.24–1.12) and colon (RQ range 0.56–1.35). FcRn location within specific cell types was not determined and requires further examination. In summary, this novel qualitative study indicates FcRn expression in numerous equine tissues and provides base knowledge from which to expand future investigation.
Pulse Shaped 8-PSK Bandwidth Efficiency and Spectral Spike Elimination

The most bandwidth-efficient communication methods are imperative to cope with the congested frequency bands. Pulse shaping methods have excellent effects on narrowing bandwidth and increasing band utilization. The position of the baseband filters for the pulse shaping is crucial. Post-modulation pulse shaping (a low pass filter is located after the modulator) can change signals from constant envelope to non-constant envelope, and non-constant envelope signals through non-linear device (a SSPA or TWT) can further spread the power spectra. Pre-modulation pulse shaping (a filter is located before the modulator) will have constant envelope. These two pulse shaping methods have different effects on narrowing the bandwidth and producing bit errors. This report studied the effect of various pre-modulation pulse shaping filters with respect to bandwidth, spectral spikes and bit error rate. A pre-modulation pulse shaped 8-ary Phase Shift Keying (8PSK) modulation was used throughout the simulations. In addition to traditional pulse shaping filters, such as Bessel, Butterworth and Square Root Raised Cosine (SRRC), other kinds of filters or pulse waveforms were also studied in the pre-modulation pulse shaping method. Simulations were conducted by using the Signal Processing Worksystem (SPW) software package on HP workstations which simulated the power spectral density of pulse shaped 8-PSK signals, end to end system performance and bit error rates (BERS) as a function of Eb/No using pulse shaping in an AWGN channel. These results are compared with the post-modulation pulse shaped 8-PSK results. The simulations indicate traditional pulse shaping filters used in pre-modulation pulse shaping may produce narrower bandwidth, but with worse BER than those in post-modulation pulse shaping. Theory and simulations show pre- modulation pulse shaping could also produce discrete line power spectra (spikes) at regular frequency intervals. These spikes may cause interference with adjacent channel and reduce power efficiency. Some particular pulses (filters), such as trapezoid and pulses with different transits (such as weighted raised cosine transit) were found to reduce bandwidth and not generate spectral spikes. Although a solid state power amplifier (SSPA) was simulated in the non-linear (saturation) region, output power spectra did not spread due to the constant envelope 8-PSK signals.
Marx's Moral Skepticism

(1981). Marx's Moral Skepticism. Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 11, Supplementary Volume 7: Marx and Morality, pp. 45-66.
Association Sites of Lysozyme in Solution II. CONCENTRATION DEPENDENCE OF THE NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET CIRCULAR DICHROISM

Abstract The circular dichroic spectra of lysozyme with peaks at 289 and 294 nm were shown to be due nearly completely to the tertiary and quaternary structure since they are nearly completely abolished in denaturing amounts of guanidine hydrochloride. Moreover, the shape as well as the magnitude of the dichroic spectra depend on the concentration of lysozyme, indicating that the dichroic chromophores are affected by the self-association of lysozyme (Sophianopoulos, A. J., and van Holde, K. E. (1964) J. Biol. Chem. 239, 2516). If the ellipticity difference Δ[θ] between dilute and concentrated solutions of lysozyme is corrected for the fact that the lysozyme is not completely in dimer form at pH 8, µ = 0.15, 25°, then the concentration-dependent ellipticity change, Δ[θ] = - 148 deg cm2 per decimole at 293 nm and Δ[θ = - 80 deg cm2 per decimole at 286 nm. Moreover, the concentration-dependent Δ[θ] is nearly abolished in the presence of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, supporting the finding that N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and its polymers abolish the reversible, self-association of lysozyme (Sophianopoulos, A. J. (1969) J. Biol. Chem. 244, 3188). A quantity is proposed, the reduced ellipticity θλ (degrees per absorbance), which is equal to the mean residue ellipticity [θ] divided by the mean residue extinction coefficient, e*, at the same wave length. Using this quantity θλ, the concentration-dependent Δθλ of lysozyme is of the same order of magnitude as found for the change of linear l-Trp-l-Trp to its more rigid, cyclic diketopiperazine (Edelhoch, H., Lippoldt, R. E., and Wilchek, M. (1968) J. Biol. Chem. 243, 4799).
Global Feminisms and the Polish "Woman": Reading Popular Culture Representations Through Stories of Activism Since 1989

This article examines ten interviews with Polish feminist activists conducted by the Women’s Center “eFka” in Krakow and gathered by the Global Feminisms Project at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Employing intersectional and interdisciplinary approaches, it reads this collection in the context of Polish discourses on womanhood and femininity following the post-communist transition of 1989. The interviews offer a unique perspective on gender formations and invite us to think of the Other Europe beyond the clash of approaches to the region that have positioned it between the extremes of pre-1989 “communist oppression” and post-1989 “democratic freedom.” As the GF interviews make clear, although initially influenced by western gender theory, Polish women’s movements quickly crafted their own theorizations of patriarchy and the politicization of the private. Approaching the Poland Site interviews as examples of located oral histories shows that attention to women’s experiences and self-narrated stories of activism complicates the geopolitical contexts, historical accounts, and popular representations of feminism in the East and West.
Use of infusion devices for epidural or intrathecal administration of spinal opioids

The use of infusion devices for epidural or intrathecal administration of spinal opioids is described. The risks of infection and mechanical catheter complications, the need for escalating doses, reservoir volume, drug stability, and cost are practical considerations associated with use of both external and internal infusion systems. Use of patient criteria to identify suitable candidates for intraspinal administration of pain medication helps ensure successful management. The criteria for intraspinal delivery pumps are safety, accuracy, reliability, ease of management by the patient and the health-care professional, and compatibility of the drug with the pump components. The primary factors to consider when comparing pumps to be used for intraspinal delivery of pain medication are the volume and flow rate requirements of the devices. External portable infusion devices are classified according to the mechanism of operation into three primary groups: syringe pumps, peristaltic mechanisms, and elastomeric reservoir pumps. Portable patient-controlled analgesia pumps that have syringes, flexible reservoir bags, and elastomeric reservoirs have been developed. Implanted systems with flow rates that are preset at the factory make pain management more difficult when the patient requires changes or escalations in doses over time. A programmable implanted pump is available. Two advantages of continuous epidural or intrathecal infusion are (1) the peaks and valleys of pain relief with bolus injections are eliminated and (2) the need for multiple injections is reduced. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps enhance the efficacy of continuous infusions by allowing the patient to administer bolus doses to control acute pain.
Academic, Social, and Behavioral Adjustment for Students Declassified from Special Education

Each year 7% of Michigan's special education students return to full-time general education programs through declassification. In a preliminary investigation of declassification from special education, the authors analyzed data collected by the Michigan Department of Education over the past 5 years. Respondents suggested that, as a group, students declassified from special education are academically, socially, and behaviorally well adjusted; but teachers or counselors of 11% of the declassified students felt that these students continued to require special education services. Within 3 years, 4% of declassified students had returned to special education. Particularly noteworthy were the relatively poor results for declassified students with emotional impairments.
A Way to Excellence in Learning for Every College

JUDGING from burgeoning enrollments one might conclude that there is a growing passion for learning among our nation's youth. The average college grew by 50 percent in the last eight years and will likely increase by another 50 percent in the next five years. In a little over a decade collegiate enrollments are predicted as doubling. It is, however, hasty and somewhat erroneous to conclude that ever more students
Surgical pathology of cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx

A study was designed to determine the influence of certain surgical pathologic findings on tumor spread and survival in patients with cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx. All patients with the histopathological diagnosis of carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx from 1955 to 1983 were included in the study. Using the Head and Neck Tumor Registry of the department of otolaryngology of the Washington University School of Medicine, information was obtained regarding preoperative evaluation, staging, classification, diagnosis, treatment, surgical pathology parameters, and outcome results. The patient populations consisted of 545 patients with oral cavity cancer and 224 patients with oropharynx cancer, all of whom were eligible for 3-year follow-up. Information from a retrospective analysis of the pretreatment examination records regarding site and size of the primary tumor and neck dissection, and specific treatment, and from surgical pathology reports regarding site, size, tumor spread and resection margins, was correlated with treatment outcome. The database file was analyzed using dbase III and its companion program Framework, and SAS PC (Statistical Analysis Systems for personal computers).
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Observations of Diffuse Interstellar Molecular Hydrogen

We describe a moderate-resolution Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) minisurvey of H2 in the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds using four hot stars and four active galactic nuclei as background sources. FUSE spectra of nearly every stellar and extragalactic source exhibit numerous absorption lines from the H2 Lyman and Werner bands between 912 and 1120 A. One extragalactic sight line (PKS 2155-304) with low N(H I) shows no detectable H2 and could be the "Lockman Hole of molecular gas," of importance for QSO absorption-line studies. We measure H2 column densities in low rotational states (J = 0 and 1) to derive rotational and/or kinetic temperatures of diffuse interstellar gas. The higher J abundances can constrain models of the UV radiation fields and gas densities. In three optically thick clouds toward extragalactic sources, we find nH ≈ 30-50 cm-3 and cloud thicknesses ~2-3 pc. The rotational temperatures for H2 at high Galactic latitude, T01 = 107 ± 17 K (seven sight lines) and 120 ± 13 K (three optically thick clouds), are higher than those in the Copernicus sample composed primarily of targets in the disk. We find no evidence for great differences in the abundance or state of excitation of H2 between sight lines in the Galaxy and those in the SMC and LMC. In the future, we will probe the distribution and physical parameters of diffuse molecular gas in the disk and halo and in the lower metallicity environs of the LMC and SMC.
Spinal cord injury-induced changes in breathing are not due to supraspinal plasticity in turtles (Pseudemys scripta)

After occurrence of spinal cord injury, it is not known whether the respiratory rhythm generator undergoes plasticity to compensate for respiratory insufficiency. To test this hypothesis, respirato...
Uptake and release of nutrients by aquatic macrophytes

Abstract Three species of aquatic macrophytes from an agricultural drainage ditch were analyzed for N, P, and organic C throughout the 1976 growing season. These macrophytes accumulated large amounts of these nutrients, averaging 26.49 mg N g −1 dry weight, 5.89 mg P g −1 dry weight and 353.7 mg C g −1 dry weight. Measured breakdown rates of Potamogeton nodosus Poir. were 0.0312 d −1 and 0.0408 d −1 at two different sites. C:N of the decaying macrophytes was less than 17:1 throughout the study. Analyses of covariance of the nutrient accumulation and breakdown of aquatic macrophytes revealed no differences among species or sites.
Aqueous chlorination of the antibacterial agent trimethoprim: Reaction kinetics and pathways

Abstract Trimethoprim (TMP), one of the antibacterials most frequently detected in municipal wastewaters and surface waters, reacts readily with free available chlorine (i.e., HOCl) at pH values between 3 and 9 (e.g., the pH-dependent apparent second-order rate constant, k″app=5.6×101 M−1 s−1, at pH 7). Solution pH significantly affects the rate of TMP reaction with HOCl. The reaction kinetics in reagent water systems can be well described by a second-order kinetic model incorporating speciation of both reactants and accounting for acid-mediated halogenation of TMP's 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl moiety. Studies with the substructure model compounds 2,4-diamino-5-methylpyrimidine and 3,4,5-trimethoxytoluene show that TMP reacts with HOCl primarily via its 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl moiety at acidic pH, and with its 2,4-diaminopyrimidinyl moiety at circumneutral and alkaline pH. LC/MS product analyses indicate that the TMP structure is not substantially degraded upon reactions with HOCl. Instead, a wide variety of (multi)chlorinated and hydroxylated products are formed. Experiments with real drinking water and wastewater matrixes confirmed that substantial TMP transformation can be expected for conditions typical of wastewater and drinking water chlorination.
A possible neurotransmitter role for CGRP in a hair-cell sensory organ

We report that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) increases the discharge rate of afferent fibers innervating hair cells in the lateral line organ of Xenopus laevis. We have localized CGRP-like immunoreactivity in small, presumably efferent, fibers innervating the lateral line organ. In addition to providing evidence for a neurotransmitter role for CGRP in a sensory system, these results may help explain the non-cholinergic excitatory effect seen with efferent stimulation in this and other hair cell organs such as the inner ear.
Identifying single and double edge cutsets in power networks

Single edge cutsets constitute the most vulnerable spots of a given network due to the possibility of islanding in case of their outage. Double edge cutsets have recently been shown to also have a vulnerability which was that their parameter errors could not be identified using conventional measurements unless phasor measurement units (PMUs) were introduced at appropriate locations. The main motivation of this paper is to address this vulnerability. As a first step, the paper investigates a practical and efficient way of identifying such cutsets. The proposed method is based on factorization of the reduced incidence matrix of a system. The problem is solved without enumerating all the cutsets of a network, which is the main disadvantage of existing algorithms especially when the system is large. The method along with its implementation details are presented in the paper. Numerical examples are included to illustrate the proposed procedure.
SU-E-J-257: Image Artifacts Caused by Implanted Calypso Beacons in MRI Studies

Purpose: The presence of Calypso Beacon-transponders in patients can cause artifacts during MRI imaging studies. This could be a problem for post-treatment follow up of cancer patients using MRI studies to evaluate metastasis and for functional imaging studies.This work assesses (1) the volume immediately surrounding the transponders that will not be visualized by the MRI due to the beacons, and (2) the dependence of the non-visualized volume on beacon orientation, and scanning techniques. Methods: Two phantoms were used in this study (1) water filled box, (2) and a 2300 cc block of pork meat. Calypso beacons were implanted in the phantoms both in parallel and perpendicular orientations with respect to the MR scanner magnetic field. MR image series of the phantom were obtained with on a 1.0T high field open MR-SIM with multiple pulse sequences, for example, T1-weighted fast field echo and T2-weighted turbo spin echo. Results: On average, a no-signal region with 2 cm radius and 3 cm length was measured. Image artifacts are more significant when beacons are placed parallel to scanner magnetic field; the no-signal area around the beacon was about 0.5 cm larger in orthogonal orientation. The no-signal region surrounding the beacons slightly varies in dimensionmore » for the different pulse sequences. Conclusion: The use of Calypso beacons can prohibit the use of MRI studies in post-treatment assessments, especially in the immediate region surrounding the implanted beacon. A characterization of the MR scanner by identifying the no-signal regions due to implanted beacons is essential. This may render the use of Calypso beacons useful for some cases and give the treating physician a chance to identify those patients prior to beacon implantation.« less
Suicide, homicide, and age dependency ratios.

This study examines the relationship between a large proportion of dependents in a nation and the incidence of suicide and homicide. The effects of using a homogeneous sample of nations as well as ...
Specialists and synthesists in a question answering community

The most sustainable online communities are those that allow and encourage their users to have a voice in how the community evolves. The proliferation of online communities with collaborative filtering mechanisms, where user feedback is aggregated to shape future interactions, makes it necessary to understand why participants in online communities value the content they do. Building on the concepts of users as specialists and synthesists developed in previous research, this study examines Answerbag, an online question answering community where users rate one another’s answers to provide collaborative filtering. In this environment, specialists are operationalized as those who claim expertise in a given topic and answer questions without referencing other sources, and synthesists as those who include one or more references to external sources in their answers. The results of the study suggest that within the Answerbag community as a whole, the answers of synthesists tended to be rated more highly than those of specialists, though answers provided by specialists were rated more highly within certain categories. The consequences of differences in the perceived value of information provided by specialists and synthesists are examined, and avenues for future research are discussed.
Reversal of locked-in syndrome with anticoagulation, induced hypertension, and intravenous t-PA

Introduction: Widespread use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) for acute ischemic stroke is limited by multiple contraindications to its use. Case report: This article describes a patient with stuttering symptoms of pontine ischemia caused by vertebrobasilar dissection who suddenly deteriorated into a locked-in state 32 hours after symptom onset. The quadriparesis was successfully reversed within 3 hours of onset with the combination of pharmacologically induced hypertension, anticoagulation, and intravenous t-PA. Discussion: Even in the face of numerous contraindications (including hypertension, anti-coagulation, and treatment beyond 3 hours of symptom onset), intravenous t-PA can be used successfully in carefully selected cases.
Inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate stimulates the initiation of DNA synthesis in Ca2+-deprived rat liver cells.

The G1-S boundary of non-neoplastic cells requires extracellular Ca2+ for successful transition. Inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate but not inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate can partially replace Ca2+ and stimulate the initiation of DNA synthesis of Ca2+-deprived T51B rat liver cells but only if sufficient extracellular Ca2+ (i.e., 0.075 mM) is present. The potent tumor promoter and protein kinase C activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate is also capable of replacing ex-tracellular Ca2+ and partially stimulating the initiation of DNA synthesis. In addition, both inositol-1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate added together elicit a full DNA synthetic response.
Chronic treatment with amitriptyline alters the GABA-mediated uptake of 36Cl- in the rat brain.

Abstract Amitriptyline inhibits the GABA-mediated uptake of 36Cl− in membrane vesicles prepared from the cerebral cortices of drug-naive and saline-treated rats. In contrast, chronic in vivo treatment with amitriptyline affects an increase in the GABA-stimulated uptake of chloride ions in its presence. The benzodiazepine receptor antagonist ZK 93426 blocks the capacity of amitriptyline to augment the uptake of 36Cl− by 30 μM GABA. There is a possibility that there are two distinct effects of amitriptyline's action in the rat forebrain. The first is evident in vesicles from drug-naive animals and the second only after chronic treatment with this antidepressant. The authors discuss the pertinence of this finding to the mechanism of action of amitriptyline.
Detecting and preventing reversion to toxicity for a formaldehyde-treated C. difficile toxin B mutant.

Abstract The toxicity of Clostridium difficile large clostridial toxin B (TcdB) can be reduced by many orders of magnitude by a combination of targeted point mutations. However, a TcdB mutant with five point mutations (referred to herein as mTcdB) still has residual toxicity that can be detected in cell-based assays and in-vivo mouse toxicity assays. This residual toxicity can be effectively removed by treatment with formaldehyde in solution. Storage of the formaldehyde-treated mTcdB as a liquid can result in reversion over time back to the mTcdB level of toxicity, with the rate of reversion dependent on the storage temperature. We found that for both the “forward” mTcdB detoxification reaction with formaldehyde, and the “reverse” reversion to toxicity reaction, mouse toxicity correlated with several biochemical assays including anion exchange chromatography retention time and appearance on SDS-PAGE. Maintenance of a low concentration of formaldehyde prevents reversion to toxicity in liquid formulations. However, when samples with 0.016% (v/v) formaldehyde were lyophilized and stored at 37 °C, formaldehyde continued to react with and modify the mTcdB in the lyophilized state. Lyophilization alone effectively prevented reversion to toxicity for formaldehyde-treated, formaldehyde-removed mTcdB samples stored at 37 °C for 6 months. Formaldehyde-treated, formaldehyde-removed lyophilized mTcdB showed no evidence of reversion to toxicity, appeared stable by several assays, and was immunogenic in mice, even after storage for 6 months at 37 °C.
Origin of ultralow friction and wear in ultrananocrystalline diamond

The impressively low friction and wear of diamond in humid environments is debated to originate from either the stability of the passivated diamond surface or sliding-induced graphitization/rehybridization of carbon. We find ultralow friction and wear for ultrananocrystalline diamond surfaces even in dry environments, and observe negligible rehybridization except for a modest, submonolayer amount under the most severe conditions (high load, low humidity). This supports the passivation hypothesis, and establishes a new regime of exceptionally low friction and wear for diamond.
Back to Basics: Revisiting, Resolving, and Expanding Some of the Fundamental Issues of Political Communication Research

Although the boundaries of political communication are ever expanding, the articles contained within this issue of Political Communication reflect a need to return to some of the enduring topics th...
Impact of future cigarette smoking scenarios on mortality of the adult population in the United States, 2000–2050

Abstract The prevalence of cigarette smoking in the United States has declined over the past few decades. However, some leveling‐off in prevalence rates has been observed in recent years, and the rate for teenagers and young adults has even turned upward. This paper considers four alternative scenarios of future cigarette smoking patterns in the United States for the population 25 and over and measures the impact these different scenarios would have on excess mortality due to smoking and on the sex and age distributions of deaths. Scenarios reflecting higher levels of smoking prevalence produce considerably more deaths than scenarios tied to lower levels. As many as two and one‐half million excess deaths would take place in the decade of the 2020's if a high prevalence, rather than low prevalence, assumption proves correct. Even when a constant prevalence, assumption proves correct. Even when a constant prevalence assumption is compared with a moderately‐declining prevalence assumption, as many as one mil...
The Cautious Pace of School Reform: High School Scheduling in Iowa.

When reflcting back on the educational reform movement of the 1990s, many middle level and high school principals summarize the change process in two words: block scheduling. The proliferation of articles and books on block-of-time scheduling models attests to the fact that there has been an almost meteoric rise in the number of schools using this approach.
Computations of coefficients in the polynomials of Pade´approximations by solving systems of linear equations

Abstract We explore reliability, stability and accuracy of determining the polynomials which define the Pade´approximation to a given function h(x) by solving a system of linear equations to get the coefficients in the denominator polynomial B n (x). The coefficients in the numerator polynomial A m (x) follow directly from those for B n (x). Our approach is in the main heuristic. For the numerics we use the models e −x 1n(1 +x), (1 +x) ± 1/2 and the exponential integral, each with m=n. The system of equations, with matrix of Toeplitz type, was solved by Gaussian elimination (Crout algorithm) with equilibration and partial pivoting. For each model, the maximum number of incorrect figures in the coefficients is of the order n at least, thus indicating that the matrix becomes ill conditioned as n increases. Let δ n (x)andω n (x) be the errors in A n (x) and B n (x) respectively, due to errors in the coefficients of B n (x). For x fixed, δ n (x) and ω n (x) and the corresponding relative errors increase as n increases. However, for a considerable range on n, the relative errors in A n (x)B n (x) are virtually nil. This has the following theoretical explanation. Now B n (x)h(x) −A m (m) = 0 (x m+n+ 1 ). It can be shown that ω n (x)h(x) − δ m (x) = 0(x m+ 1 ). In this sense both A m (x)B n (x)andδ m (x)ω n (x) are approximations to h(x). Thus if the difference of these two approximations and ω n (x)B n (x), the relative error in B n (x), are sufficiently small, then the relative error in A m (x)/B n (x) is of no consequence.
Observational evidence of slantwise convective adjustment

Abstract Attempts were made during two field experiments to fly instrumented aircraft along absolute momentum (M) surfaces as a means of accurately determining slantwise convective stability. The application of this technique appears to have been quite successful. We present the results of four such efforts conducted in the ascent regions of midlatitude cyclones observed during the New England Winter Storms and Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiments. In three of the four cases the atmosphere was almost exactly neutral to slantwise ascent while being quite stable to vertical displacements. In the fourth case, the atmosphere departed from neutrality but was also substantially drier, evidently due to subsidence. We find excellent agreement between assessments of stability based on the M surface flights and on cross sections constructed from rawinsonde observations. On the basis of these results I hypothesize that slantwise convective neutrality is characteristic of the ascent regions of baroclinic cyclones and...