cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The HOSPITAL score and LACE index for predicting the risk of hospital readmission do not show sex discrimination in a retrospective study

Abstract Introduction The perceived absence of human implicit and explicit biases, scalability, and the potential for rapid improvement with algorithmic decision-making systems make compelling arguments for the widespread use of this technology. Unfortunately, real-world performance of some algorithmic decision-making systems demonstrates the reinforcement of discriminatory human biases in a way that is hidden from the human user. This study aims to retrospectively investigate if the widely used HOSPITAL score and LACE index used to predict hospital readmissions exhibit bias on the basis of sex. Materials and Methods All adult medical patients discharged from the SIU-School of Medicine (SIU-SOM) Hospitalist service from Memorial Medical Center from January 1, 2015, to January 1, 2017, were studied retrospectively to determine if patient sex had an influence on the ability of the HOSPTIAL score and LACE index to predict the likelihood of any cause hospital readmission within 30 days. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed comparing risk prediction tool performance by sex by measuring the area under the curve (AUC). Results The analysis includes data for the 1781 discharges for 1410 individual patients that met inclusion criteria. Of these discharges, 456 (27%) were readmitted to the same hospital within 30 days. The overall study population was 47% women, had an average age of 63 years and spent an average of 7.9 days in the hospital. Comparison of the performance of the LACE index in women and men showed no differences between AUCs (0.565 and 0.578, p = 0.613) and an ABROCA of 0.013. Sensitivity (67% and 70%), specificity (46% and 46%), PPV (30% and 31%), NPV (80% and 82%) and accuracy (51% and 52%) for the LACE index are very similar for women and men. Comparison of the performance of the HOSPITAL in women and men showed no differences between AUCs (0.56 and 0.58, p = 0.407) and an ABROCA of 0.008 indicating highly similar performance. Sensitivity (16% and 21%), specificity (96% and 95%), PPV (59% and 57%), NPV (77% and 78%) and accuracy (76% and 76%) for the HOSPITAL score are very similar for women and men. Discussion and Conclusions The performance of the HOSPITAL and LACE readmission risk prediction tools appears to have equivalent performance when used for women or men in this small, single-center, retrospective study. Further research is needed to explore the potential of bias and discrimination on risk prediction tools used in healthcare.
Posting edited photos of the self: Increasing eating disorder risk or harmless behavior?

Objective Social media use has been implicated as a correlate and a cause of increased disordered eating (DE), but little is known about the impact of specific aspects of social media use, such as posting edited photos of the self. Utilizing a two-stage design, the present study sought to determine how posting edited photos relates to DE, as well as anxiety and depression symptoms, in male and female college students. Method Stage 1 examined concurrent associations between posting edited photos and mental health measures in 2,485 undergraduates (76% female). Stage 2 examined causal associations between posting edited photos and eating disorder (ED) risk factors in 80 undergraduates (93% female) who endorsed posting edited photos in Stage 1 and volunteered for the experimental portion of the study. Results In Stage 1, those who endorsed posting edited photos (n = 660; 27%) reported greater eating pathology and anxiety than those who did not, but no differences were found for depressive symptoms. In Stage 2, posting edited photos caused increased weight/shape concerns. Posting photos reinforced urges to exercise and restrict food intake and anxiety. Editing photos without posting caused an immediate decrease in weight/shape concerns and a delayed decrease in sadness. Discussion Results support a consistent and direct link between posting edited photos and ED risk factors, suggesting that this is not a harmless behavior. Future work should explore the cumulative effects of this link to determine how specific uses of social media contribute to clinically meaningful outcomes.
FutureWater Indiana: A science gateway for spatio-temporal modeling of water in Wabash basin with a focus on climate change

In this manuscript, we describe the FutureWater Science Gateway, which simulates regional watersheds spatially and temporally to derive hydrological changes due to changes in critical effectors such as climate, land use and management, and soil conditions. We also discuss the gateway design, creation, and production deployment and how the resulting data is organized and explored. The FutureWater gateway is built based on the Apache Airavata gateway middleware framework and hosted under the SciGaP project at Indiana University. The gateway provides an integrated infrastructure for simulations based on parallelized Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and SWAT-MODFLOW software execution on Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) and Indiana University’s (IU’s) HPC resources. It organizes data in optimized relational databases and enables intuitive simulation result data exploration. The visualization involves geographical map integration and dynamic data provisioning using the R-Shiny application deployed in the gateway. The gateway provides simple, intuitive user interfaces for providing simulation input data and combines available model data; it makes it possible to set up and execute the simulation on HPC systems and ingest the results into the databases. The portal addresses the needs of diverse stakeholder communities for education, research, exploration, and planning in academic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations.
Some distributional patterns in the use of typed laughter-derived expressions on Twitter

Abstract This paper is a large-scale quantitative examination of the conversational use of nine English Typed Laughter-Derived Expressions (TLDEs) on Twitter: haha, hehe, tehe, lol, lmao, lmfao, (Unicode: 1f602), (1f923), and (1f606). The paper aims to establish a quantitative groundwork capable of supporting future qualitative research attempting to answer questions about how and why TLDEs are used in digital conversation on various platforms and about how our use of TLDEs is related to our use of physical laughter in face-to-face exchanges. The analyses conducted examine various conversation distributional characteristics of TLDEs in Twitter conversations. One analysis examines the placement of TLDEs within tweets (initial, medial, final, alone), concluding that while all TLDEs are preferentially used in tweet-final position, this trend is much stronger for emoji forms than letter-based forms. Another analysis concluded that TLDEs are disproportionately found in tweets with high levels of hearer/reader ratification. Another found that initial-position TLDEs are more likely to be used in contexts which permit reference to a laughable in previous utterances than are medial- or final-position TLDEs. Finally, this study found that the offer/acceptance pattern of spoken laughter is weak to nonexistent in Twitter exchanges.
Interpretation of Korean null pronouns in subject and object position: Comparing native and non-native speakers

We report an experiment that investigates how native and non-native Korean speakers’ interpretation of null pronouns in subject and object position is influenced by structural and discourse-level factors. We compare native Korean speakers to L2 Korean learners whose L1, Spanish, only has null pronouns in subject position. We find that native Korean speakers’ interpretation of subject and object null pronouns is guided by structural factors as well as discourse-level coherence relations, with subject nulls being more sensitive to coherence relations than object nulls. In contrast, our results suggest that L2 speakers’ interpretation of null pronouns in Korean is less influenced by coherence relations. Our results support claims that interface phenomena are challenging in L2 acquisition and provide new evidence that this occurs with null pronouns in L2 even when the L1 has null pronouns.
Nephrogenesis in malnutrition

Abstract A balanced diet with adequate nutrient intake is vital for normal fetal kidney development to occur. In contrast, maternal malnourishment during pregnancy impairs fetal kidney development due to a deficiency in nutrients that the mother and growing fetus have access to. Nutritional deficiency not only reduces the structural building blocks needed for nephron generation but also impacts various signaling pathways, growth factors, epigenetic modifications, gene expression, and oxidative stress that collectively blunts nephrogenesis. These effects of nutritional deficiency consequently reduce the stem cell pool that is available for nephron building by altering their self-renewal, survival, and patterned differentiation. As a result, the fetus is born following maternal malnourishment with significantly fewer nephrons, underdeveloped kidneys, potential kidney dysfunction, and a lifelong increased susceptibility to kidney and cardiovascular disease. Discussed in this chapter are the specific affects that vitamins, minerals, amino acids, lipids, and fatty acids have on stem cells, nephrogenesis, and kidney development.
Is Cap and Trade Fair to the Poor? Short-Sighted Households and the Timing of Consumption Taxes

Many forms of consumption tax, including recent proposals to impose a tax on the use of carbon, impose disproportionate burde mmentators who propose mitigating this impact with tax reba e families have overlooked the importance of the timing of consumption for these households, as well as the diffic wid bot wo add sig the nec pro inv me sug cap fro sam as s x. of Consumption Taxes
A comparative approach to quantifying provision of acute therapy services.

ABSTRACT This study aims to compare delivery of acute rehabilitation therapy using metrics reflecting distinct aspects of rehabilitation therapy services. Seven general medical-surgical hospitals in Illinois and Indiana prospectively collected rehabilitation therapy data. De-identified data on all patients who received any type of acute rehabilitation therapy (n = 35,449) were extracted and reported as aggregate of minutes of therapy services per discipline. Metrics included therapy types, total minutes, and minutes per day (intensity), as charted by therapists. Extended hospital stay was defined as a length of stay (LOS) longer than Medicare's geometric mean LOS. Discharge destination was coded as postacute care or home discharge. Substantial variability was observed in types, number of minutes, and intensity of therapy services by condition and hospital. The odds of an extended hospital stay increased with increased number of minutes, increased number of therapy types, and decreased with increased rehabilitation intensity. This comparative approach to assessing provision of acute therapy services reflect differential effects of service provision on LOS and discharge destination. Investigators, policymakers, and hospital administrators should examine multiple metrics of rehabilitation therapy provision when evaluating the impact of health care processes on patient outcomes.
Focus on RF Systems and MTT-S [President’s Column]

One can easily argue that we are in the midst of an RF engineering golden age. RF systems have become ubiquitous in modern society. In fact, our lives depend on and, in many cases, revolve around RF and wireless systems. This trend will continue as communications connectivity increases with improved capability worldwide and autonomous vehicles and autonomous manufacturing become the norm.
The Effects of Some Cytokinins on the in Vitro Development of Different Explants of Clematis (Clematis x hybrida Jackmanii)

Studies have been made to reproduce clematis intensively from vegetative sections via tissue culture and thus in the future its propagation can be planned through bioreactor. The effects of cytokinins have been observed on different organs of clematis in vitro in order to obtain some basic information which is lacking but is accepted as essential.
A Typology of Tourism Related Web Sites: Its Theoretical Background and Implications

The application of thriving information technology, especially the World Wide Web, is changing our way of life and doing business. In the tourism area, a well-defined typology is necessary to facilitate the information search process and therefore provide guidance to the building of web sites. A typology of tourism-related web sites should be based on both the analysis of the nature of information provided by web sites and the channels of information flows the web sites created. The implications of this typology for website design is discussed as well.
Parallelization of Generic Libraries Based on Type Properties

This paper describes a new approach for parallelizing generic software libraries. Generic algorithms are expressed in terms of type properties, which allows them to work with entire families of types rather than specific types. Despite this generality, generic algorithms can be made as efficient as their hand-coded variants through the use of specialization, which provides algorithm variants tuned for types with certain properties. Our approach leverages the specialization mechanism of generic programming to effect parallelism. We illustrate the process of specializing generic algorithms for parallelism using common algorithms in the C++ Standard Template Library. When the resulting algorithms are invoked with types that have the required properties for parallelization, the parallel variants of these algorithms are executed. We illustrate that our parallelization strategy is simple, practical, and efficient, using tools and techniques available in most commercial compilers.
Detection and Management of Falls and Instability in Vulnerable Elders by Community Physicians

Objectives: To investigate quality of care for falls and instability provided to vulnerable elders. Design: Six process of care quality indicators (QIs) for falls and instability were developed and applied to community-living persons aged 65 and older who were at increased risk of death or decline. QIs were implemented using medical records and patient interviews. Setting: Northeastern and southwestern United States. Participants: Three hundred seventy-two vulnerable elders enrolled in two senior managed care plans. Measurements: Percentage of QIs satisfied concerning falls or mobility disorders. Results: Of the 372 consenting vulnerable elders with complete medical records, 57 had documentation of 69 episodes of two or more falls or fall with injury during the 13-month study period (14% of patients fell per year, 18% incidence). Double this frequency was reported at interview. An additional 22 patients had documented mobility problems. Clinical history of fall circumstances, comorbidity, medications, and mobility was documented from 47% of fallers and two or more of these four elements from 85%. Documented physical examination was less complete, with only 6% of fallers examined for orthostatic blood pressure, 7% for gait or balance, 25% for vision, and 28% for neurological findings. The evaluation led to specific recommendations in only 26% of cases, but when present they usually led to appropriate treatment modalities. Mobility problems without falls were evaluated with gait or balance examination in 23% of cases and neurological examination in 55%. Conclusion: Community physicians appear to underdetect falls and gait disorders. Detected falls often receive inadequate evaluation, leading to a paucity of recommendations and treatments. Adhering to guidelines may improve outcomes in community-dwelling older adults.
Magnetospheric radio and plasma wave research - 1987-1990

This review covers research performed in the area of magnetospheric plasma waves and wave-particle interactions as well as magnetospheric radio emissions. The report focuses on the near-completion of the discovery phase of radio and plasma wave phenomena in the planetary magnetospheres with the successful completion of the Voyager 2 encounters of Neptune and Uranus. Consideration is given to the advances made in detailed studies and theoretical investigations of radio and plasma wave phenomena in the terrestrial magnetosphere or in magnetospheric plasmas in general.
Neptune: scalable replication management and programming support for cluster-based network services

Previous research has addressed the scalability and availability issues associated with the construction of cluster-based network services. This paper studies the clustering of replicated services when the persistent service data is frequently updated. To this end we propose Neptune, an infrastructural middleware that provides a flexible interface to aggregate and replicate existing service modules. Neptune accommodates a variety of underlying storage mechanisms, maintains dynamic and location-transparent service mapping to isolate faulty modules and enforce replica consistency. Furthermore, it allows efficient use of a multi-level replica consistency model with staleness control at its highest level. This paper describes Neptune's overall architecture, data replication support, and the results of our performance evaluation.
Falling through the cracks: gaps in depression treatment among older Mexican-origin and white men.

Objectives This study aims (i) to compare depression frequency and self-reported depression treatment in Mexican-origin and white men; (ii) to examine ethnic differences in self-reported prior depression diagnosis and types of treatment; and (iii) to determine whether Mexican-origin men (both English and Spanish language preferring) are less likely than white men to report receiving depression treatment after controlling for potential confounders. Methods This is a cross-sectional, observational study of Mexican-origin and white men (60 years old and over) presenting for primary care visits at six outpatient clinics in California's Central Valley. Clinical depression was assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), module for past-year major depression and questions for chronic depression. Past year, self-reported prior depression diagnosis and treatment (i.e., medication, psychotherapy, mental health referral) were assessed through a structured questionnaire. Results The frequency of past-year clinical depression was similar for both ethnic groups, yet Mexican-origin men were significantly less likely than whites to report receiving a prior diagnosis of depression or prior depression treatment. Compared with whites, the odds of untreated depression in Mexican-origin men was 4.35 (95% CI 1.35–14.08) for those interviewed in English and 10.40 (95% CI 2.11–51.25) for those interviewed in Spanish. For both ethnic groups, the majority (i.e., approximately two-thirds) of men receiving depression treatment also met criteria for past-year clinical depression. Conclusions Mexican-origin older men in primary care suffer from significant gaps in depression care (i.e., diagnosis and treatment) compared with whites. Delivering effective depression treatment (i.e., so that depression remits) remains elusive for both ethnic groups. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Taking advantage of early diagnosis: Preschool children with the 22q11.2 deletion

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review the neurodevelopmental outcome of infants and preschoolers with a 22q11.2 microdeletion and to discuss the our clinical observations of clinical implications for educational and therapeutic interventions. Methods: One hundred twelve children (4 to 70 mos) with the 22q11.2 deletion were assessed using standardized tests (Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II, Preschool Language Scales, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence–Revised). Results: Fifty-four percent of the children were significantly delayed, 24% had mild delay, 22% had average cognitive development, and 80% were below average in language development. Delays are not explained by cardiac defects or palatal defects. Conclusion: Developmental delays, mild hypotonia, language and speech delays, and feeding disorders are common, and this finding indicates the need for early intervention services beginning in infancy for children with the 22q11.2 deletion.
Comparative effectiveness of linezolid and vancomycin among a national veterans affairs cohort with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia.

Study Objective As variability in vancomycin dosing, susceptibility, and tolerability has driven the need to compare newer agents with vancomycin in real-world clinical settings, we sought to quantify the effectiveness of linezolid compared with vancomycin on clinical outcomes for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia. Design Retrospective cohort study. Data Source Veterans Health Administration national databases. Patients Adults admitted to Veterans Affairs hospitals between January 2002 and September 2010 with diagnosis codes for MRSA and pneumonia, plus initiation and receipt of at least 3 days of continuous intravenous vancomycin therapy (4943 patients) or intravenous or oral linezolid therapy (328 patients) while in the hospital. Measurements and Main Results Propensity score–adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models quantified the effect of linezolid compared with vancomycin on time to 30-day mortality (primary outcome), therapy change, hospital discharge, discharge from intensive care, intubation, 30-day readmission, and 30-day MRSA reinfection. In addition, a composite outcome of clinical success was defined as discharge from the hospital or intensive care unit by day 14 after treatment initiation, in the absence of death, therapy change, or intubation by day 14. Subgroup analyses were performed in a validated microbiology-confirmed MRSA subgroup and clinical subgroup meeting clinical criteria for infection. Although a number of baseline variables differed significantly between the vancomycin and linezolid treatment groups, balance was achieved within propensity score quintiles. A significantly lower rate of therapy change was observed in the linezolid group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48–0.96). The clinical success rate was significantly higher among patients treated with linezolid (adjusted HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.07–1.47). Comparable findings were observed in the subgroup analyses. Conclusion Individual clinical outcomes were similar among patients treated for MRSA pneumonia with linezolid compared with vancomycin. A significantly higher rate of the composite outcome of clinical success was observed, however, among patients treated with linezolid compared with vancomycin.
Inhibitory effects of catecholamines in the paravertebral sympathetic ganglia of the anesthetized dog

alpha-Adrenoceptor agonists decreased mean arterial pressure when injected into the arterial blood supply of the paraspinal sympathetic ganglia of pentobarbital-anesthetized open-chest dogs. The hypotensive response occurred concomitantly with selective decreases of vascular resistance in the vessels innervated by neurons arising from these ganglia, and both of these responses were blocked by the ganglionic blocking agent, hexamethonium. The hypotensive response to phenylephrine was selectively blocked by terazosin; alpha 1 selective agonist, and antagonist, respectively, while the hypotension produced by intra-arterial clonidine was blocked by rauwolscine; alpha 2 selective agonist and antagonist, respectively. Either terazosin or rauwolscine reduced the hypotension produced by noradrenaline or dopamine. These results demonstrated the presence of both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the paraspinal sympathetic ganglia. Activation of either alpha-adrenoceptor subtype inhibited ganglionic transmission.
Sequences of Two Highly Divergent Canine Type c Lysozymes: Implications for the Evolutionary Origins of the Lysozyme/α-Lactalbumin Superfamily

Abstract The amino acid sequences of two canine lysozymes, from milk and spleen, have been elucidated by direct sequence analyses of the purified proteins and fragments generated from them. The two enzymes are highly divergent, differing from each other by 45% in sequence, but each is closely similar to lysozymes previously obtained from other mammalian species. The milk lysozyme is similar in sequence to equine and donkey milk lysozymes (83% identity) and, like these enzymes, contains a bound Ca2+ ion while the spleen enzyme is most similar in sequence to the majority of previously studied mammalian and avian lysozymes (80 to 83% identity) and, based on its sequence, does not contain a Ca2+-binding site. This demonstrates that Ca2+-binding lysozymes are expressed in at least two mammalian orders, the carnivores and perissodactyls, as well as confirming that the genes for the Ca2+-binding and conventional lysozymes are paralogous. The latter point was further confirmed by the isolation and partial sequence analysis of a conventional lysozyme from equine spleen. The relationships of these new lysozyme sequences to those of other lysozymes and their homologues, the α-lactalbumins, were analyzed using different molecular phylogeny algorithms, producing a new model for the evolutionary origins of the superfamily. The most significant conclusion to be drawn from this model is that Ca2+-binding activity was an ancient feature of this protein superfamily which was lost during the evolutionary development of the conventional lysozymes. It also supports a previous suggestion that the α-lactalbumins and lysozymes diverged at a time earlier than the divergence of the fishes and tetrapods.
The effect of mixing on reactor performance: an application of perturbation technique

Abstract The effect of local mixing on the performance of a reactor system is derived by the perturbation technique. It is found that the sign of the inner product of the adjoint vector λ and the acceleration vector ẍ is the only indicator as to whether or not local mixing at a certain point of a reaction path is desirable. A complex reaction system with competing side reactions of different order is treated as an example. The possibility of applying the results in this work to the selection of the optimal type of reactor is also discussed.
Chaos in hyperspace: ray dynamics in media with hyperbolic dispersion

We consider the optical ray dynamics in the objects formed by the media with hyperbolic dispersion, and uncover the origin of rapid transition to chaos in such systems.
The effect of training on visual alignment discrimination and grating resolution

The effect of training on an observer's ability to detect the misalignment of three points, a hyperacuity, and to resolve a six-line grating was studied in a transfer-of-training design with observers (4 in each of two experiments) who were experienced in making psychophysical judgments of other visual stimuli. The transfer-of-training design enabled us to look for any training-based improvement. Long periods of training produced no statistically significant improvement in performance under any condition. There were small practice-based improvements, but the primary patterns indicated threshold fluctuation rather than improvement. We interpret the results to indicate that the neural mechanisms underlying three-point alignment and grating discrimination, like those for gap bisection (Klein & Levi, 1985), are not malleable to any significant extent.
Quality of fresh-cut 'Kent' mango slices prepared from hot water or non-hot water-treated fruit

Abstract This study addressed the effects of hot water (HW) quarantine treatment as mandated by the USDA-APHIS, for all mangoes imported to the United States, on the visual and compositional quality factors, aroma volatile production, respiration rate, and electrolyte leakage of fresh-cut ‘Kent’ mango slices during subsequent storage at 5 °C for 10 d. The experiment was conducted twice during two Florida mango seasons, with fruit from two different sources. Results from the two harvests were significantly different and therefore were analyzed separately. In general, the visual quality, electrolyte leakage, firmness, and aroma volatile production (based on the quantification of 16 aroma volatiles) did not differ between the fresh-cut slices prepared from HW- and non-HW-treated fruit. The fresh-cut slices from non-HW-treated fruit had higher soluble solids content than the HW-treated samples. There were also differences between the treatments for respiration rate, titratable acidity, and pH; but, the results were contradictory between the two harvests. Overall, the results suggest that the HW quarantine treatment applied to whole mangoes does not significantly affect the quality of fresh-cut ‘Kent’ mango slices stored at 5 °C.
Monotherapy in Epilepsy: Role of the Newer Antiepileptic Drugs

Background Monotherapy is the goal for pharmacological treatment of epilepsy. Well-controlled trials have established the efficacy of some of the newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) as monotherapy. Objective To review clinical data and expert opinions pertinent to the evaluation of most of the newer AEDs as monotherapy for epilepsy. Data Sources The MEDLINE database was searched for clinical trials using newer AEDs. Reference sections of review articles were manually searched to identify relevant studies not retrieved in MEDLINE. Study Selection The resulting list of references was manually reviewed to identify monotherapy studies. Results Lamotrigine and oxcarbazepine demonstrated efficacy in randomized active-control trials in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy and in substitution trials in patients refractory to conventional AEDs. Conclusion Lamotrigine and oxcarbazepine are as effective as conventional AEDs at controlling partial seizures and are better tolerated.
Total synthesis of (-)-irciniastatin B and structural confirmation via chemical conversion to (+)-irciniastatin A (psymberin).

The total synthesis and structural confirmation of the marine sponge cytotoxin (−)-irciniastatin B has been achieved via a unified strategy employing a late-stage, selective deprotection/oxidation sequence that provides access to both (+)-irciniastatin A (psymberin) and (−)-irciniastatin B.
Increasing pH of ophthalmic AGN 191103 formulation increases ocular but not systemic bioavailability in albino rabbits

AGN 191103 is an α2-adrenergic agonist that lowers intraocular pressure in animals, but produces dose-dependent sedation. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a 0.2% pH 8.2 ophthalmic AGN 191103 formulation yields comparable ocular concentrations as, but lower systemic concentrations than, a 1% pH 7.2 formulation. Specifically, AGN 191103 concentrations in aqueous humor and plasma were measured for 24 h after acute administration of 14C-AGN 191103 formulated as a 0.94% pH 7.2 or 0.24% pH 8.2 solution and for 8 h after 712 days of twice-daily administration of AGN 191103 formulated as a 0.2% pH 7.2 or 0.2% pH 8.2 solution. After acute administration of the 0.94% pH 7.2 or 0.24% pH 8.2 solution, there was no difference in aqueous humor AUC0−tlast (5879 ± 541 vs. 5697 ± 385 ng·h/ml, respectively; p > 0.5) or Cmax (1310 ± 160 vs. 1630 ± 180 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.238) in dosed eyes. Plasma AUC0−tlast was dose-proportionally 77% lower (3.37 ± 0.35 vs. 14.8 ± 3.3 ng·h/ml) and Cmax was 75% lower (1.40 ± 0.16 vs. 5.59 ± 2.87 ng/ml) after 0.24% pH 8.2 administration than 0.94% pH 7.2 dosing. The ratio of aqueous humor AUC0−∝ to plasma AUC0−∝ was 333% higher after dosing of 0.24% pH 8.2 than of 0.94% pH 7.2 solution. After repeated twice-daily instillation of 0.2% pH 7.2 or 0.2% pH 8.2 solution, aqueous humor AUC0−tlast after pH 8.2 administration was 304% that following pH 7.2 dosing (1120 ± 140 vs. 368 ± 120 ng·h/ml; p 0.1). The ratio of aqueous humor AUC0−∝ to plasma AUC0−∝ was 339% higher after dosing with 0.2% pH 8.2 than 0.2% pH 7.2 solution. These results indicate that in albino rabbits a 0.2% pH 8.2 AGN 191103 solution produces comparable aqueous humor concentrations as a 1% pH 7.2 formulation, but only one-fourth the plasma concentrations.
Sphingolipid base metabolism sphinganine-1-phosphate lyase: Identification of ethanolamine 1-phosphate as product

Ethanolamine 1-phosphate has been characterized as a product of the action of rat liver microsomal sphinganine 1-phosphate lyase on erythro-sphinganine 1-phosphate. The product was characterized by various forms of chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectral analysis of appropriate derivatives, and by conversion to ethanolamine. The results of detailed studies of the mass spectral fragmentation of the tetra-trimethylsilyl derivative of ethanolamine 1-phosphate are also reported.
NMDA receptors: recent insights and clinical correlations.

Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS. The excitatory effects of glutamate are mediated by ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. The NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated cation channels that are highly permeable to calcium (Ca2+) and are essential for regulation of synaptogenesis, use-dependent synaptic remodeling, and long-term plastic changes in synaptic strength. Excessive NMDAR activation leads to excitotoxicity, which results in cell loss in a wide range of acute, degenerative, and demyelinating neurologic disorders. NMDAR-mediated synaptic plasticity may contribute to levodopa-induced dyskinesia, drug addiction, and neuropathic pain; impaired NMDAR function may contribute to cognitive impairment in dementia and schizophrenia. Not surprisingly, the NMDARs are a very attractive therapeutic target. A characteristic syndrome resulting from autoantibodies against NMDARs emphasizes the critical role of these receptors in cognition, behavior and motor, respiratory, and autonomic control. Over the past several years, there have been important advances in the understanding of the molecular composition, trafficking, and distribution of these receptors well as the differential effects of NMDAR subtypes on cell survival and plasticity. There have been recent excellent reviews on these subjects.1,–,10 ### Composition. NMDARs are heteromeric complexes composed of 4 subunits derived from 3 related families: NR1, NR2, and NR3.1,–,5 According to the current proposed nomenclature, these subunits are termed GluN1, GluN2, and GluN3, respectively.11 The classic nomenclature will be used in this review. The NR1 is an obligatory subunit that combines with NR2 or NR3 subunits to form a functional receptor. The NR1 subunit gene can be alternatively spliced to produce 8 distinct NR1 isoforms. Separate genes produce 4 types of NR2 (NR2A–D) and 2 types of NR3 (NR3A–B) subunits.12 The typical NMDAR requires consists of 2 NR1 subunits, which bind glycine, and 2 NR2 subunits, which bind glutamate …
A flow-tube study of diamond film growth : methane versus acetylene

Etude du processus de reaction en phase gazeuse se produisant dans le tube conduisant les reactifs lors de la croissance de couches minces de diamant
Suppression of non-radiative effects in AlGaN through nanometer scale compositional inhomogeneities

UV light emitting diodes (UVLEDs) emitting at wavelengths shorter than 365 nm remain in the research and development stage, with external quantum efficiencies and device operating lifetimes well below that of commercially available blue LEDs. These limitations are partially attributable to the large density of dislocations in these devices that arise due to heteroepitaxial growth of high AlN mole fraction III-Nitride semiconductors and act as non-radiatve recombination centers that reduce efficiency and increase debilitating heating. An approach to mitigating this problem is to incorporate nanometer scale compositional inhomogeneities within the AlGaN (NCI-AlGaN) active region of a UVLED that can enhance the internal quantum efficiency by concentrating carriers within regions of narrow bandgap surrounded by a wider band gap matrix. In this paper we report on the growth and characterization of NCI-AlGaN alloys deposited by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Growth under N-limited and nearly stoichiometric growth conditions promote the spontaneous formation of these NCI regions. This is attributed to lower adatom mobility of group III and N species on the AlGaN layer surface under these conditions as well as the formation of beneficial surface faceting. Optical characterization by both temperature dependent, time-resolved and time-integrated photoluminescence demonstrates the capability for NCI regions to suppress non-radiative recombination in these active regions despite the presence of a large density of defects. However, reduction of the defect density, both dislocations and impurities, improves the performance of these active regions. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Peroxidase technique for the detection of photochemical lesions in intracellular deoxyribonucleic acid.

Summary: The widespread use of phototherapy for the prevention and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia has generated some concern as physiologic substances other than bilirubin may be photoactivated. Little information is available on the long term toxicity of these photodecomposition products. Recent observations of the in vitro DNA-modifying activity of phototherapy lights has encouraged us to develop laboratory procedures which can identify and quantitate these light-induced alterations. The purpose of the present study was to develop a technique capable of detecting photochemical changes in the genetic material of human cells in tissue culture. The results demonstrate that the antinucleoside peroxidase staining procedure is capable of detecting changes in the DNA of human cells exposed to physiologic (riboflavin) and nonphysiologic (methylene blue) photosensitizing agents in the presence of light with a fluence rate (450 nm) of 141 μW cm2. Speculation: In view of the known relationship between the ability of a number of environmental agents to modify DNA on the one hand and their potential to induce mutations and cancer on the other, the present study, which documents the DNA-modifying potential of phototherapy, raises questions regarding the safety of this therapeutic maneuver. The further development of techniques described here to identify and quantitate photochemical alterations in the genetic material of irradiated infants would enable us to intelligently define the risk-benefit ratio of phototherapy and to identify an at risk population for long term follow-up studies.
Polyuria: Simple and Mixed Disorders

THE CLINICAL conditions that spawn polyuria are usually obvious, making identification of its etiology and pathogenesis a simple matter. However, in more complex settings, the sorting of contributing pathologic forces requires closer clinical and chemical inspection. The "simple polyurias" are caused by diuresis of either solute or water, whereas the "mixed polyurias" derive from the simultaneous excessive excretion of both solute and water. Simple chemical analysis of the urine and plasma in the mixed disorders can quickly document the pathophysiologic basis of the increased urine volume and often helps to craft effective therapeutic regimens. The following case history illustrates how one can apply the physiologic concepts of osmolal (Cosm) and free water (CHZO) clearance to the assessment of a complex polyuric syndrome. Figure 1 outlines the pathophysiologic approach to the differential diagnosis of polyuria and is based on whether a water or solute diuresis is driving the urine flow.
Smoking status and quality of life: a longitudinal study among adults with disabilities.

Background: Current research suggests that people with disabilities are more likely to use tobacco, less likely to quit, and less likely to be screened for tobacco use. However, little is known about the impact of changes in smoking status on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of people with disabilities. Objective: The primary objective of this paper is to examine the association between changes in HRQL and smoking status over time among people with disabilities. Methods: The study data were derived from the Massachusetts Survey of Secondary Conditions, a longitudinal survey of adults with disabilities; Phase I was conducted in 1996–1998, Phase II in 1998–1999, and Phase III in 1999–2000. The main outcome measure was HRQL as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). Analysis was primarily done in 2003. Results: Current smokers and those who began smoking during follow-up had significantly poorer HRQL compared with nonsmokers with disabilities. Longitudinal analysis suggests that con- trolling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and activities of daily living, changes in HRQL scores over time were associated with changes in smoking status. Compared to smokers, those who quit smoking during follow-up experienced a significant improvement in mean SF-36 scores over time for the dimensions of mental health, energy and vitality, and general health. Conclusions: Findings from this study highlight a strong need to inform public health programs, people with disabilities and healthcare providers about the association between tobacco cessation and improved health-related quality of life among people with disabilities.
The ethic of community

This article proposes the concept of an ethic of community to complement and extend other ethical frames used in education (e.g. the ethics of justice, critique, and care). Proceeding from the traditional definition of ethics as the study of moral duty and obligation, ethic of community is defined as the moral responsibility to engage in communal processes as educators pursue the moral purposes of their work and address the ongoing challenges of daily life and work in schools. The ethic of community thus centers the communal over the individual as the primary locus of moral agency in schools. The usefulness of the ethic of community in regard to achieving the moral purposes of schooling is illustrated with the example of social justice. The author concludes that the ethic of community is a vehicle that can synthesize much of the current work on leadership practices related to social justice and other moral purposes of educational leadership.
Distribution-level electricity reliability: Temporal trends using statistical analysis

Abstract This paper helps to address the lack of comprehensive, national-scale information on the reliability of the U.S. electric power system by assessing trends in U.S. electricity reliability based on the information reported by the electric utilities on power interruptions experienced by their customers. The research analyzes up to 10 years of electricity reliability information collected from 155 U.S. electric utilities, which together account for roughly 50% of total U.S. electricity sales. We find that reported annual average duration and annual average frequency of power interruptions have been increasing over time at a rate of approximately 2% annually. We find that, independent of this trend, installation or upgrade of an automated outage management system is correlated with an increase in the reported annual average duration of power interruptions. We also find that reliance on IEEE Standard 1366-2003 is correlated with higher reported reliability compared to reported reliability not using the IEEE standard. However, we caution that we cannot attribute reliance on the IEEE standard as having caused or led to higher reported reliability because we could not separate the effect of reliance on the IEEE standard from other utility-specific factors that may be correlated with reliance on the IEEE standard.
Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics of 5-Fluorouracil in Rats

The effects of dose on the pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were investigated following intravenous administration of 5-FU at 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Six rats were studied at each dose level. The dose-normalized area under the curve (AUC) was significantly higher after administration of 100 mg/kg (1.14 ± 0.55 mg·h/L/mg; mean ± SD) than after 50 mg/kg (0.50 ± 0.16 mg·h/L/mg) or 10 mg/kg (0.43 ± 0.11 mg·h/L/mg), indicating nonlinear elimination of 5-FU in rats. Dose- and time-average pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by area/moment analysis. The systemic clearance of 5-FU following administration of 100 mg/kg was significantly lower (1.1 ± 0.49 L/h/kg) than after 50 mg/kg (2.2 ± 0.72 L/h/kg) or 10 mg/kg (2.4 ± 0.67 L/h/kg). There was no significant difference in renal clearance values between the three doses (0.47 ± 0.26 L/h/kg). However, nonrenal clearance was significantly lower after the 100-mg/kg dose (0.77 ± 0.2 L/h/kg) than after the 50-mg/kg (1.65 ± 0.49 L/h/kg) and 10-mg/kg (1.87 ± 0.75 L/h/kg) doses. There was no significant difference between the steady-state volume of distribution values (0.91 ± 0.36 L/kg) at the three doses. The lower nonrenal clearance following the 100-mg/kg dose compared with that after the lower doses of 5-FU suggested nonlinear metabolism of 5-FU in rats. A two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with parallel first-order (renal excretion) and Michaelis–Menten elimination from the central compartment was simultaneously fit to mean plasma 5-FU concentration versus time data for the three doses. The maximum volume (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km) values averaged (mean ±SE) 8.3 ± 2.3 mg/h and 31.6 ± 11.9 mg/L, respectively. The information obtained in this study will be valuable for the evaluation of prodrugs of 5-FU that are designed to reduce toxicities and to improve oral bioavailability of the anticancer agent.
Hindlimb muscle inflammation caused by reperfusion injury persists despite the use of neutrophil-suppressive anesthesia

A significant role for innate immunity and resulting inflammation has been established in the pathogenesis of skeletal muscle ischemia and reperfusion injury. The degree to which neutrophils contribute to this local injury has been disputed and is difficult to study. In the past, our group has found few neutrophils in reperfused muscle, although data with inhibition of free oxygen radicals would argue otherwise. Specific depletion of neutrophils without also altering the complement system is not feasible. Ketamine anesthesia has anti-inflammatory properties, specifically in the down regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and neutrophil activation. We hypothesize that attenuation of neutrophil activity by ketamine will have little effect on complement-mediated ischemia/reperfusion injury. Two groups of mice (n = 16 each), anesthetized with either intraperitoneal ketamine/xylazine or pentobarbital, underwent 2 h of tourniquet-induced hind limb ischemia and 18 h of reperfusion. The severity of injury was measured by the appearance of rhabdomyolysis as well as the mortality after 5 days. IgM and complement C3 deposition was indicative of the degree of inflammatory activation. Muscle and lung vascular permeability index (PI) was assessed by the extravasation of (125) I-radiolabeled albumin. Lung (Matrix Metalloproteinase) MMP-9 measured by gelatin zymography was used as a marker of local neutrophil activation. Ketamine anesthetized mice showed no decrease in overall muscle injury, immunohistochemical staining of IgM, C3, or 5-day mortality in comparison to pentobarbital anesthetized animals. There was, however, a decrease in neutrophil-induced MMP-9 activity in the lung as well as in the muscle and lung PI (P < 0.05), suggesting neutrophils’ role only in remote downstream injury. From these data, we conclude that ketamine, while decreasing neutrophil activation as seen by attenuated MMP-9 production, affected neither complement activation, histological injury, nor survival after skeletal muscle ischemia/reperfusion injury.