cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurocognitive test performance and symptom reporting in cheerleaders with concussions.

Objective To evaluate neurocognitive test results and symptom reporting after sports-related concussion in a group of female cheerleaders. Study design Junior and senior high school female cheerleaders (n = 138) underwent preparticipation baseline testing and repeated the ImPACT (Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) evaluation within 7 days of concussive injury (range, 0-7 days; mean, 3.9 days). Postinjury neurocognitive and symptom scores were compared with preinjury (baseline) scores. "Abnormal" test performance was determined statistically using Reliable Change Index scores and self-reported symptoms. Main outcome variables included the composite scores indices from the ImPACT test, as well as symptoms reported by participants. Preinjury baseline and postinjury test results were compared using MANOVA. Results As a group, cheerleaders with concussion evaluated within 7 days of injury performed poorly on the ImPACT test battery relative to their own baseline ( F = 6.5; P = .00). In addition, 61% of the cheerleaders with concussions reported an increase in symptoms compared with baseline. The groups did not differ significantly by position on the squad ( F = 0.37; P = .96). Of the group of cheerleaders who did not report increased symptoms at the time of postinjury evaluation, 37% had at least 1 abnormal ImPACT composite score result, suggesting some residual cognitive decline compared with baseline. Conclusion The diagnosis and management of concussion in cheerleaders should not consist solely of self-reported symptoms. Neurocognitive test results represent an important component of the evaluation process and may identify athletes with residual neurocognitive deficits who report being clinically asymptomatic.
Chimeric HIV-1 containing SIV matrix exhibit enhanced assembly in murine cells and replicate in a cell-type-dependent manner in human T cells

Murine fibroblasts expressing viral receptors and human cyclin T1 allow HIV-1 entry and viral gene expression but do not support efficient assembly. A chimeric HIV-1 carrying a non-homologous matrix (MA) from murine leukemia virus in place of HIV-1 MA can assemble efficiently in murine cells, yet has poor infectivity. Here, we assess the ability of a homologous MA from SIV MAC239 to complement assembly and infection in chimeric viruses designated SHIV(MA). The resulting SHIV(MA) chimeras produce more virus than native HIV-1 when transfected into murine cells. SHIV(MA) exhibits cell-type-specific replication in human T cell lines, replicating well in MT4 cells and poorly in Jurkat cells due to an incompatibility with the HIV-1 Env. The infectivity defects of SHIV(MA) are rescued by pseudotyping with VSV-G but not by truncation of the cytoplasmic tail of Env. Passage of SHIV(MA) in Jurkat cells produces variants with improved Env incorporation and improved replication in Jurkat but not in 3T3 TXC cells. The results indicate that cell-type-specific, or species-specific, host factors interact with MA to modulate the efficiency of assembly and its compatibility with Env. With additional selection, SIV/HIV-1 chimeras may be useful for the development of murine models of lentiviral infection.
String-matching cannot be done by a two-head one-way deterministic finite automation

Abstract We show that string-matching cannot be performed by a two-head one-way deterministic finite automaton (or even by a Turing machine with two one-way input heads and o(n) storage space). Thus, we answer the special case k = 2 of the open question, due to Galil and Seiferas (1983), whether a k-head one-way deterministic finite automaton can perform string-matching.
Optical properties of a liquid-crystal image transducer at normal incidence: on-state

We analyze in detail the on-state optical performance of a liquid-crystal image transducer (LCIT) developed at Hughes Research Laboratories. We first calculate how the 45° twisted nematic configuration of the liquid crystal in the transducer is distorted by an applied electric field. Then, using the results of this calculation, we compute the intensity and phase of the monochromatic output light from the LCIT as a function of transducer parameters and operating conditions. We find that the output light intensity is very sensitive to liquid-crystal thickness and is strongly influenced by other, optically isotropic, layers in the LCIT. We also analyze the phase behavior of the light emerging from the transducer. Our calculations agree very well with the measured phase response. Both theory and experiment predict that a coherent light image produced by the LCIT will have an appreciable phase component which, if properly controlled, might be exploited in optical data-processing applications.
Comparison of an automated algorithm to expert physician interpretation of 80-lead body surface mapping in the evaluation of acute myocardial ischemia and infarction in patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain: results from the Optimal Cardiovascular Diagnostic Evaluation Enabling Faster Treatment of Myocardial Infarction trial.

Abstract Introduction/Background Eighty-lead (80 L) body surface map (BSM) technology provides electrocardiogram data for the clinician to interpret. A BSM device also offers an automated interpretation. Little information is available about the performance of automated algorithm interpretation in comparison to human interpretation of the 80 L BSM. Methods Interpretations of BSMs by automated algorithm and a core laboratory of physician readers from The Optimal Cardiovascular Diagnostic Evaluation Enabling Faster Treatment of Myocardial Infarction trial were compared. The κ statistic and its 95% confidence interval for concordance were calculated. The effect of BSM quality on concordance was also analyzed. Results 3405 maps for 1601 subjects were reviewed by the core laboratory and automated algorithm. There was a combined concordance rate of 87.3% ( κ = 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-0.52). A decrease in signal quality was associated with a decrease in concordance between human and automated algorithm interpretation ( κ = 0.52 for good quality vs κ = 0.30 for poor quality). Conclusion A moderate degree of concordance was noted between physician and automated algorithm interpretation of 80 L BSMs. Signal quality of 80 L electrocardiographic BSM directly affected concordance.
Meaning in Life Categories of Elderly Nursing Home Residents

Essays were gathered from fifty-three elderly nursing home residents about the strongest meaning in their lives. These elderly nursing home residents most often reported the category of family relationships as central, followed by pleasure and then health. A chi-square analysis showed a significant difference between the type of meaning of the elderly nursing home residents and those of younger adults. An additional chi-square analysis found no significant difference between the nursing home residents and a group of golden anniversary couples' meanings. Finally, our results indicate that elderly nursing home residents do not report an absence of meaning in their lives.
What more can be learned from high pT probes at RHIC

The current status of the understanding of jet quenching in nuclear collisions at RHIC is reviewed. The experimentally large level of suppression of jets in Au+Au collisions at RHIC is a success, but also introduces a challenge in terms of quantitative understanding of the properties of the collision zone. The medium appears to be equally black to all interacting probes utilized to date, limiting the amount of tomographic information that can be obtained from quenching phenomena. In order to recover this information, a probe to which the medium is gray needs to be found.
Flattening of a curved-surface buckybowl (Corannulene) by η6 coordination to {Cp*Ru}

The corannulene complex [Cp*Ru(η6-C20H10)]+ (3+; where Cp* = η5-C5Me5), prepared by the reaction of [Cp*Ru(μ3-Cl)]4 with Ag+ and the curved-surface buckybowl C20H10 (1), has a structure in which the bowl is slightly flattened as compared with the case for free corannulene. The corannulene unit in [(Cp*Ru)2(μ2-η6:η6-C20H10)][PF6]2 (4[PF6]2), containing two η6-{Cp*Ru}+ units coordinated on opposite sides of the corannulene, is flattened substantially more. The X-ray-determined structure of the corresponding SbF6- salt, [(Cp*Ru)2(μ2-η6:η6-C20H10)][SbF6]2 (4[SbF6]2), shows that the corannulene bowl is almost completely flat. Low-temperature NMR studies of the analogous 1,2,5,6-tetramethylcorannulene complex [(Cp*Ru)2(μ2-η6:η6-C20H6Me4)]2+ (62+) show that there is a very low barrier to inversion of the bowl, even at −90 °C. Computational investigations reproduce the major structural features of 3+ and 42+ and account for the low corannulene inversion barrier in 42+.
Kinetic and collisional effects on the linear evolution of fast ignition relevant beam instabilities

The fast ignition scheme will involve the generation and transport of a relativistic electron beam, which may be subject to a number of instabilities that act to inhibit energy transport. This study will address the effects of collisions and the initial electron beam distribution on the linear evolution of these instabilities for theoretical distributions including the relativistic waterbag, the relativistic Maxwellian (Juttner), and the saddle point (low temperature) approximation of the relativistic Maxwellian. It will then be shown that a more physical distribution obtained from a 2D explicit particle-in-cell simulation of the laser-plasma interaction can be best modeled with a Juttner distribution, but well-approximated with a relativistic waterbag distribution. In sum, for all distributions of interest, collisions were found to have the ability to both suppress and enhance growth for the filamentary instability, while they only suppress growth for the two-stream instability.
Bacterial Culturing for Prediction of Postoperative Complications Following Open Fracture Repair in Small Animals

Swab specimens for bacterial culturing were obtained from 82 consecutive dogs and 13 cats undergoing open reduction and internal fixation of 110 fractures. Bacteria were isolated from 51 wounds. When the data were analyzed by stepwise logistic regression, it was found that bacterial contamination of wounds was associated most often with open fractures and with tibia or radius/ulna fractures. Contaminated wounds were five times more likely to develop complications than those without bacterial contamination. Regardless of results of bacterial culturing, postoperative complications developed significantly more often in animals that were febrile (>39.4° C [103° F]). Postoperative complications did not develop in animals that did not have bacterial contamination of wounds and were not febrile.
Modified Deal Grove model for the thermal oxidation of silicon carbide

A modified Deal Grove model for the oxidation of 4H-SiC is presented, which includes the removal of the carbon species. The model is applied to data on the oxidation rates for the (0001) Si, (0001) C, and (1120) a faces, which are performed in 1 atm dry oxygen and in the temperature range 950–1150 °C. Analysis within the model provides a physical explanation for the large crystal-face dependent oxidation rates observed.
Text 4 Health

This study seeks to provide empirical evidence about how health-related questions are answered in text reference service to further the understanding of how to best use texting as a reference service venue to fulfill people’s health information needs. Two hundred health reference transactions from My Info Quest, the first nationwide collaborative text reference service, were analyzed to identify the types of questions, length of transactions, question-answering behavior, and information sources used in the transactions. Findings indicate that texting-based health reference transactions are usually brief and cover a wide variety of topics. The most popular questions are those seeking general factual information about the human body, medical/health conditions, diseases, or medical concepts/jargons. Great variance is discovered between the question-answering behavior, with only a little more than half of the answers containing a citation to information sources. The study will inform the practice of health reference service via texting and help libraries make evidence-based decisions on establishing service policies and procedures, providing training for librarians, and ultimately implementing the service successfully. Note: In this paper, transcriptions of text reference questions are entered verbatim, without attempt to correct spelling or grammar.
Perceived Blur in Naturally Contoured Images Depends on Phase

Perceived blur is an important measure of image quality and clinical visual function. The magnitude of image blur varies across space and time under natural viewing conditions owing to changes in pupil size and accommodation. Blur is frequently studied in the laboratory with a variety of digital filters, without comparing how the choice of filter affects blur perception. We examine the perception of image blur in synthetic images composed of contours whose orientation and curvature spatial properties matched those of natural images but whose blur could be directly controlled. The images were blurred by manipulating the slope of the amplitude spectrum, Gaussian low-pass filtering or filtering with a Sinc function, which, unlike slope or Gaussian filtering, introduces periodic phase reversals similar to those in optically blurred images. For slope-filtered images, blur discrimination thresholds for over-sharpened images were extremely high and perceived blur could not be matched with either Gaussian or Sinc filtered images, suggesting that directly manipulating image slope does not simulate the perception of blur. For Gaussian and Sinc blurred images, blur discrimination thresholds were dipper-shaped and were well-fit with a simple variance discrimination model and with a contrast detection threshold model, but the latter required different contrast sensitivity functions for different types of blur. Blur matches between Gaussian and Sinc blurred images were used to test several models of blur perception and were in good agreement with models based on luminance slope, but not with spatial frequency based models. Collectively, these results show that the relative phases of image components, in addition to their relative amplitudes, determines perceived blur.
Simultaneous strategies for optimization of differential-algebraic systems with enforcement of error criteria

Abstract Differential-algebraic systems frequently arise in process engineering. However, optimization of these systems is rarely performed because this task is often difficult and time-consuming. In this paper we explore a simultaneous formulation for solving differential algebraic optimization problems (DAOPs) with enforcement of error criteria for accurate solutions. Here decision variables can be identified as continuous variables but not as functions of time. Building on previous studies for this problem (e.g. Cuthrell and Biegler, AIChE Jl33, 1257, 1987), we apply orthogonal collocation on finite elements to discretize the ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and solve the resulting nonlinear programming problem with a reduced successive quadratic programming (SQP) method. To control the approximation error we develop two strategies (equidistribution and direct error enforcement) that are embedded within the nonlinear program and adjust the finite element lengths adaptively over the course of the optimization. These approaches are more efficient and reliable, and do not require careful initialization schemes that were required in earlier studies. Moreover, determination of a sufficient number of elements is embedded automatically within the simultaneous strategy and the model is solved only once. These approaches are demonstrated on two hot spot reactor optimization problems. In particular, our results show that accurate solutions are obtained efficiently for the ODEs as part of the optimization, and constraints on stage profiles are very easy to enforce.
Comment on “local interests, central leadership, and the passage of TRA86”

In his theoretical discussion of a decentralized legislature, Inman focuses on the importance of three factors: the use of national taxes to finance local projects, private information about the true benefits of local projects, and the norm of universalism. The discussion puts an especially heavy emphasis on universalism, and indeed seems to draw the conclusion that universalism plays a key role in producing inefficiently large local projects. For example, Inman writes:
The structure of $${\phi}$$ -stable minimal hypersurfaces in manifolds of nonnegative P -scalar curvature

Suppose (N n , g) is an n-dimensional Riemannian manifold with a given smooth measure m. The P-scalar curvature is defined as $${P(g)=R^m_\infty(g)=R(g)-2\Delta_g{\rm log}\,\phi-|\nabla_g{\rm log}\,\phi|_g^2}$$ , where $${dm=\phi\,dvol(g)}$$ and R(g) is the scalar curvature of (N n , g). In this paper, under a technical assumption on $${\phi}$$ , we prove that $${\phi}$$ -stable minimal oriented hypersurface in the three-dimensional manifold with nonnegative P-scalar curvature must be conformally equivalent to either the complex plane $${\mathbb{C}}$$ or the cylinder $${\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{S}^1}$$ .
Cardiovascular effects of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm lambs with respiratory distress.

We created a model for studying the cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature lambs with respiratory distress. In 47 fetal lambs at 129 to 133 days gestation (term, 145 days), we infiltrated the ductus arteriosus with formalin and placed a mechanical occluder about it so that its patency could be regulated. Two days later the lambs were delivered, given sheep surfactant, paralyzed, and their lungs mechanically ventilated. These premature lambs could more than double their left ventricular output when challenged with increasing degrees of leff-to-right shunts through the PDA. This was accomplished by an increase in stroke volume, not by an increase in heart rate. During the 40-minute observation period, there was no change in dynamic compliance or functional residual capacity while the ductus was patent. When the ductus was patent, there was a significant increase in arterial Pa o 2 (even with small left-to-right shunts) and a decrease in Pa co 2 (with large shunts). Despite the heart's ability to handle the increased voluem load of a PDA, there were significant alterations in individual organ blood flows, resulting from a combination of decreased perfusion pressure and localized vasoconstriction. The abdominal organs had significant reductions in blood flow even with small PDA shunts. This decrease in organ blood flow may explain some of the pathophysiologic manifestations of PDA in preterm infants.
A spectrometer for the measurement of magnetic and natural circular dichroism

An instrument employing several novel features has been assembled for the measurement of magnetic and natural circular dichroism (MCD and CD) in the visible, ultraviolet and near infrared spectral regions. The instrument is fitted with two magnets: an electromagnet for routine use and a superconducting magnet for use when higher performance is required. The contributions of CD and MCD are separated by measuring the net spectrum twice; first with the magnetic field parallel to the Poynting vector of the optical beam and then with it antiparallel. The value of the net optical activity for each wavelength increment is converted to digital form and the manipulations required to separate CD and MCD and signal averaging are performed by a computer. The data can be plotted in a variety of formats on a Cal Comp plotter. The instrument is equipped with a Cary model 14 prism‐grating monochromator which, unlike double quartz prism monochromators, has good wavelength dispersion from the uv to the near ir spectral regions. Performance in the ultraviolet has been considerably improved by replacing the previously used electro‐optical modulator (Pockels cell) with a quartz strain‐birefringence modulator. The capabilities of this instrument are illustrated by spectra for the natural CD of ribulose‐1,5‐diphosphate carboxylase at 22° from 195 to 245 nm, the MCD of metmyoglobin cyanide at −196° and 22° from 340 to 470 nm, and the MCD of oxyhemoglobin at 4° from 700 to 1100 nm.
Characterization of stiction forces in ultra-clean encapsulated MEMS devices

We show that contact between encapsulated MEMS devices and the bare silicon surrounding sidewalls generally results in a reversible adhesion with a consistent adhesion force. This force is small enough (25 mN) to be overcome by the restoring force of the springs in inertial sensors with resonant frequency above 4 kHz. Therefore, it should be possible to design and build stiction-free inertial sensors in this process - a significant advantage over approaches that rely on deposition, tuning and maintenance of chemical coatings for inertial sensors.
Is there a correlation of sonographic measurements of true vocal cords with gender or body mass indices in normal healthy volunteers

Background: Ultrasound is a readily available, non-invasive technique to visualize airway dimensions at the patient's bedside and possibly predict difficult airways before invasively looking; however, it has rarely been used for emergency investigation of the larynx. There is limited literature on the sonographic measurements of true vocal cords in adults and normal parameters must be established before abnormal parameters can be accurately identified. Objectives: The primary objective of the following study is to identify the normal sonographic values of human true vocal cords in an adult population. A secondary objective is to determine if there is a difference in true vocal cord measurements in people with different body mass indices (BMIs). The third objective was to determine if there was a statistical difference in the measurements for both genders. Materials and Methods: True vocal cord measurements were obtained in healthy volunteers by ultrasound fellowship trained emergency medicine physicians using a high frequency linear transducer orientated transversely across the anterior surface of the neck at the level of the thyroid cartilage. The width of the true vocal cord was measured perpendicularly to the length of the cord at its mid-portion. This method was duplicated from a previous study to create a standard of measurement acquisition. Results: A total of 38 subjects were enrolled. The study demonstrated no correlation between vocal cord measurements and patient's characteristics of height, weight, or BMI's. When accounting for vocal cord measurements by gender, males had larger BMI's and larger vocal cord measurements compared with females subjects with a statistically significant different in right vocal cord measurements for females compared with male subjects. Conclusion: No correlation was seen between vocal cord measurements and person's BMIs. In the study group of normal volunteers, there was a difference in size between the male and female vocal cord size.
Two New Phytoseiid Mites from Missouri (Acarina: Phytoseiidae)1

Proprioseiopsis missouriensis, n. sp., and Phytoseius hydrophyllis, n. sp., (Acarina: Phytoseiidae), are described from specimens collected in southwest Missouri. Brief observations on behavior in laboratory culture of P. hydrophyllis are given.
A computer science syllabus for gifted pre-college students

A computer science syllabus was designed for and taught to a group of gifted and talented high school students. A core course included segments on programming in LISP, software systems, digital hardware, theoretical computer science, and artificial intelligence. In addition, some students elected an independent programming project course. It was found that gifted pre-college students can be taught computer science, as opposed to merely computer programming.
Influence of mesodermal Fgf8 on the differentiation of neural crest-derived postganglionic neurons

The interaction between the cranial neural crest (NC) and the epibranchial placode is critical for the formation of parasympathetic and visceral sensory ganglia, respectively. However, the molecular mechanism that controls this intercellular interaction is unknown. Here we show that the spatiotemporal expression of Fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) is strategically poised to control this cellular relationship. A global reduction of Fgf8 in hypomorph embryos leads to an early loss of placode-derived sensory ganglia and reduced number of NC-derived postganglionic (PG) neurons. The latter finding is associated with the early loss of NC cells by apoptosis. This loss occurs concurrent with the interaction between the NC and placode-derived ganglia. Conditional knockout of Fgf8 in the anterior mesoderm shows that this tissue source of Fgf8 has a specific influence on the formation of PG neurons. Unlike the global reduction of Fgf8, mesodermal loss of Fgf8 leads to a deficiency in PG neurons that is independent of NC apoptosis or defects in placode-derived ganglia. We further examined the differentiation of PG precursors by using a quantitative approach to measure the intensity of Phox2b, a PG neuronal determinant. We found reduced numbers and immature state of PG precursors emerging from the placode-derived ganglia en route to their terminal target areas. Our findings support the view that global expression of Fgf8 is required for early NC survival and differentiation of placode-derived sensory neurons, and reveal a novel role for mesodermal Fgf8 on the early differentiation of the NC along the parasympathetic PG lineage.
Retroviral "terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase" activity is reverse transcription.

Abstract Detergent-disrupted preparations of murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV), Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MP-MV), and Rauscher murine leukemia virus (RLV) were all found to be capable of catalyzing poly(dT) synthesis when only the exogenous primer oligo(dT) was supplied. Analysis of this apparent terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-like DNA polymerase activity revealed that: (a) Optimal concentrations of divalent cations and the effect of KCl addition were similar or identical to those observed for reverse tranacriptase activity; (b) sensitivity to inhibition by inorganic phosphate for both TdT-like and reverse tranacriptase activity were identical and virion specific; (c) sedimentation coefficients obtained for TdT-like and reverse tranacriptase activity from each virion were identical, although almost all TdT-like activity was lost following velocity sedimentation of solubilized virions; the TdT-like activity could be restored through the addition of 70S RNA to reaction mixtures; (d) the products of TdT-like and reverse transcriptase reactions were found to be equally sensitive to S 1 nuclease treatment. Disruption of viral cores through the use of the ionic detergent sodium deoxycholate rendered TdT-like activity almost completely sensitive to RNase treatment. Additionally, antisera prepared against MP-MV DNA polymerase inhibited both TdT-like and reverse transcriptase activity to an identical degree. Our results therefore suggest that the “TdT” observed in MuMTV, MP-MV, and RLV is actually reverse tranacriptase activity directed by endogenous virion poly(A) annealed to the exogenously provided oligo(dT) primer.
Predictions of Hole Mobility in Molecular Organic Crystals : Incorporating Thermal Effects

A reliable, cost-efficient method to compute hole mobility, μ, in organic molecular solids would contribute to the development of organic electronic devices by offering a method to rapidly screen a wide variety of materials for desirable transport properties. An existing protocol due to Deng and Goddard(1) [J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 8614−8621] utilizes Marcus−Hush theory to calculate hole mobility. We have extended the method to account for thermal effects in a way that allows for anisotropy in the interaction potential between molecular monomers. This is accomplished by applying Boltzmann statistics to a discrete representation of the interaction potential to approximate the monomer distribution function. We further show how to improve efficiency by employing a hybrid of DFT and AM1 electronic structure data. DFT is used to obtain information about the molecular monomer and AM1 methodology is used for calculations of dimer-based properties. The hybrid method is very efficient and the calculated values ...
Annotating individual human genomes

Advances in DNA sequencing technologies have made it possible to rapidly, accurately and affordably sequence entire individual human genomes. As impressive as this ability seems, however, it will not likely amount to much if one cannot extract meaningful information from individual sequence data. Annotating variations within individual genomes and providing information about their biological or phenotypic impact will thus be crucially important in moving individual sequencing projects forward, especially in the context of the clinical use of sequence information. In this paper we consider the various ways in which one might annotate individual sequence variations and point out limitations in the available methods for doing so. It is arguable that, in the foreseeable future, DNA sequencing of individual genomes will become routine for clinical, research, forensic, and personal purposes. We therefore also consider directions and areas for further research in annotating genomic variants.
A novel route to aldehydic enol ethers and enamines

Abstract Base-promoted reaction of dimethyl diazomethylphosphonate ( 1 ) with dialkyl and cyclic ketones in the presence of alcohols and of amines affords aldehydic enol ethers and enamines, respectively.
Generation of valency hybrids and nitrosylated species of hemoglobin in mice by nitric oxide vasodilators.

The hemoglobin fraction of blood samples from C57BL6 male mice was purified by column chromatography and subjected to isolectric focusing (IEF) across a pH gradient. Densitometric scanning of the IEF gel showed the presence of a single peak corresponding to the fully reduced tetramer, H, or (α2+β2+)2. Twenty minutes after an ip injection of 1.1 mmol/kg NaNO2 blood samples treated the same way showed four peaks corresponding to the species: H = 43%, X or (α2+β3+)2 = 10%, Y or (α3+β2+)2 = 33%, and M or (α3+β3+)2 = 14%. In contrast blood samples from control CD-1 male mice showed the presence of three IEF distinct peaks which were all believed to be H valency forms, and six distinct peaks were seen after treatment in vivo with NaNO2. Thus, the C57BL6 mice yield patterns similar to those observed after in vitro treatment of human red cells with NaNO2 (H. Kruszyna, R. Kruszyna, R. P. Smith, and D. E. Wilcox, 1987b, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol.91, 429–438), and the CD-1 mice are a much less satisfactory model. The appearance and disappearance of the species X, Y, and M over time after ip injection of 1.1 mmol/kg NaNO2 or hydroxylamine HCl were followed in C57BL6 mice by the technique of IEF. In each case the patterns were consistent with previously established patterns for the respective methemoglobinemias as determined by absorption spectrophotometry, and they were consistent with the suggestion that two pathways exist for the oxidation of H and for the reduction of M which proceed through X and Y, respectively. By using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, we were also able to follow with time the concentration of nitrosylated heme (NO-heme) on reduced subunits in both mouse strains. The peak for the NO-heme coincided in time with the peak methemoglobinemia as determined by either IEF or absorption spectrophotometry. EPR was also used to determine NO-heme in CD-1 mice after injection of a series of NO-vasodilators with and without methylene blue (MB). Low, but clearly detectable amounts of NO-heme were found in the blood of animals given all xenobiotics tested including NaNO2, hydroxylamine HCl, glyceryl trinitrete, hydralazine, sodium nitroprusside, and sodium azide. MB has little effect on the response, and no NO-heme could be detected in control mice. This technique can be used to test for the conversion of xenobiotics to NO in vivo, and the results were consistent with those previously obtained using human red cells in vitro.
Sex differences in adrenocortical response to controlled agonistic encounters in rhesus monkeys

Abstract A paradigm for laboratory investigation of primate agonistic behaviors and hormonal correlates without the complication of physical trauma was investigated. The introduction of an individual rhesus monkey ( Macaca mulatta ) into a protected inner cubicle of an unfamiliar group's pen resulted in a patterned aggressive response, which was of greater intensity to male than female newcomers. All newcomers responded to introductions with elevations in plasma cortisol which were highly correlated with the level of aggression that had been directed toward them, but which were less easily predicted from observational measures of their own behavior during encounters. Basal plasma cortisol levels of females were higher, and their response elevations varied over a wider range than for males, suggesting that females may show a higher response ceiling to the stress received.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cefepime administered by intermittent and continuous infusion

Abstract Objective This study assessed the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cefepime administered by intermittent and continuous infusion against clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae , and Staphylococcus aureus . Background Because beta-lactam antibiotics exhibit time-dependent bactericidal activity and lack prolonged postantibiotic effects against many bacteria, the goal of therapy is to maintain serum drug concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the relevant pathogen over most of the dosing interval. Continuous infusion is a mode of drug administration that can provide serum drug concentrations continuously above the MIC for most bacterial pathogens. Methods Twelve healthy volunteers were enrolled. Each received cefepime 2 g by intermittent bolus q12h and, on another day, was randomly assigned to receive 4 or 3 g administered by continuous infusion over 24 hours. Results For the intermittent regimen, the mean (± SD) pharmacokinetic findings were: maximum serum concentration, 112.9 ±21.1 μg/mL; minimum serum concentration, 1.3 ± 0.5 μg/mL; and half-life, 2.6 ± 0.4 hours. For the 3- and 4-g continuous infusion regimens, steady-state serum concentrations (C ss ) were 13.9 ± 3.8 and 20.3 ± 3.3 μg/mL, respectively. MICs ranged from 2 to 4, 0.125 to 8, and 2 to 8 μg/mL against P aeruginosa, E cloacae , and S aureus , respectively. For the intermittent regimen, serum inhibitory titers (SITs) at 24 hours were ≥1:2 in 46% of subjects against P aeruginosa , 48% against E cloacae , and 2% against S aureus . For both continuous infusion regimens, SITs for each organism were ≥1:2 in all subjects. Conclusions The intermittent regimen maintained serum concentrations above the MIC for P aeruginosa and E cloacae in ≥92% (11/12) of subjects for ≥70% of the dosing interval, provided the MIC was ≥4 μg/mL. Both continuous infusion regimens provided a C ss above the MIC for all organisms. However, the C ss was ≥4 times the MIC only if the MIC was ≥2 μg/mL. Only the 4-g regimen provided such concentrations against isolates with an MIC of 4 μg/mL, and neither regimen provided such concentrations when the MIC was 8 μg/mL. These findings should be applied in comparative clinical studies.
Where have the social sciences come in understanding racial discrimination? An economist’s viewpoint

Abstract Following a brief assessment of the postwar literature on discrimination, this essay tracks black economic progress from 1940–2000. During the postwar period, social scientists studying discrimination have focused on three areas- the origins of prejudice, antidiscrimination policy and measuring whether equals are treated unequally. The emphasis in the literature, particularly in economics, has been on the third area. It is well documented that during 1940–80, blacks made significant relative economic progress. The consensus in the literature is that this progress was due to a significant narrowing of the racial educational gap, improved quality of black schools and the migration of blacks to the North. However, little is known about the extent of racial discrimination during this period. The 1980–2000 period is characterized by nearly complete stagnation in black economic progress and social scientists know relatively little about the reasons for the stagnation. The extent of racial discrimination during the later period is virtually unknown. The uncertainty about the post-1980 period can only be resolved through scrutiny of newly emerging data sets.
Off-label uses of alvimopan and methylnaltrexone.

Purpose Off-label uses of the peripheral μ-opioid receptor antagonists alvimopan and methylnaltrexone are reviewed. Summary Alvimopan is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for postoperative ileus after surgeries that include partial bowel resection with primary anastomosis, while methylnaltrexone is approved for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness who are receiving palliative care. Literature describing the off-label use of alvimopan in the treatment of OIC and of methylnaltrexone in postoperative ileus was reviewed and included retrospective studies and prospective Phase II–IV trials. Randomized controlled trials did not demonstrate consistent benefit of alvimopan in OIC nor of methylnaltrexone in postoperative ileus. A greater proportion of patients receiving alvimopan for OIC experienced severe adverse cardiovascular events, leading to a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy and discontinuation of its study in this condition. Data are limited and unreplicated for the off-label use of alvimopan for postoperative ileus in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy. Individual studies suggest benefit with methylnaltrexone for OIC in unlabeled populations, including patients with non-cancer-related pain, opioid dependence, opioid sedation, and opioid use after orthopedic surgery; however, confirmatory evaluations have not been performed. Conclusion Trials of alvimopan in the FDA-approved use of methylnaltrexone (OIC) indicate potentially serious cardiovascular safety concerns and conflicting findings of efficacy. Similarly, trials of methylnaltrexone in the FDA-approved use of alvimopan (postoperative ileus) consistently showed no benefit. Evaluations of both drugs in their labeled conditions in populations not endorsed in their product labeling have been limited and largely unreplicated.
The Prevalence of Tic Disorders and Clinical Characteristics in Children.

Background Prevalence is a simple statement about the frequency of a disease in the population. For many medical conditions, including Tourette syndrome, there are true cases that have not been previously diagnosed due to problems of access to appropriate clinical services. Therefore, to obtain a trustworthy estimate of prevalence, it is necessary to go beyond cases identified in clinical settings and evaluate community samples.
Effects of exercise and fetal spinal cord implants on the H-reflex in chronically spinalized adult rats

This study investigated the modulation of hindlimb reflex excitability after transection of the spinal cord in adult rats. After transection, the H-reflex exhibited decreased depression at high stimulation frequencies compared to intact animals. Groups of animals which received a spinal cord transection followed by either an exercise regimen for the hindlimbs or a fetal spinal cord implant, showed high stimulation frequency depression similar to controls. This suggests that each of these palliative strategies helped to "normalize' the excitability of specific spinal reflexes.
Active Flutter Suppression Using Multi-Input/Multi-Output Adaptive Least Mean Square Control

The feasibility of an adaptive feedforward multi-input/multi-output (MIMO) controller for active flutter suppression has been investigated in this study. An unswept flexible wing structure is modeled by a multidegree-of-freedom finite element representation with beam elements for bending and rod elements for torsion. Control action is provided by one or more flaps attached to the trailing edge of the wing and extending along a fraction of the wingspan. Time-domain unsteady aerodynamics have been used to generate the air forces acting on the wing model. The adaptive feedforward MIMO controller has been designed based on the filtered-X least mean square (LMS) algorithm. The controller structure includes an on-line adaptive system identification that provides the LMS controller with a reasonably accurate model of the plant. The controller is capable of tracking time-varying parameters in the plant and providing effective control. The wing model in closed loop exhibits highly damped responses at airspeeds where the open-loop responses are destructive. Simulations with the flexible wing model in a time-varying airstream show a 53% increase over its corresponding open-loop flutter airspeed. The ability of the MIMO LMS controller to suppress instabilities in a wing with abruptly changing parameters (sudden onset of flutter caused by the release of stores) has also been studied. In the examples studied, it is found that adaptation is rapid enough to successfully control flutter at accelerations in the airstream of up to 9 ft/s 2 . An increase in the number of flaps provides an enhancement in the overall control authority, but results in a decrease in the convergence speed of the controller, resulting in downgraded performance. The optimum number of control flaps for the model studied is found to be four, extending along 40% of the wingspan from the tip.
Bayesian wombling: curvilinear gradient assessment under spatial process models.

Large-scale inference for random spatial surfaces over a region using spatial process models has been well studied. Under such models, local analysis of the surface (e.g., gradients at given points) has received recent attention. A more ambitious objective is to move from points to curves, to attempt to assign a meaningful gradient to a curve. For a point, if the gradient in a particular direction is large (positive or negative), then the surface is rapidly increasing or decreasing in that direction. For a curve, if the gradients in the direction orthogonal to the curve tend to be large, then the curve tracks a path through the region where the surface is rapidly changing. In the literature, learning about where the surface exhibits rapid change is called wombling, and a curve such as we have described is called a wombling boundary. Existing wombling methods have focused mostly on identifying points and then connecting these points using an ad hoc algorithm to create curvilinear wombling boundaries. Such methods are not easily incorporated into a statistical modeling setting. The contribution of this article is to formalize the notion of a curvilinear wombling boundary in a vector analytic framework using parametric curves and to develop a comprehensive statistical framework for curvilinear boundary analysis based on spatial process models for point-referenced data. For a given curve that may represent a natural feature (e.g., a mountain, a river, or a political boundary), we address the issue of testing or assessing whether it is a wombling boundary. Our approach is applicable to both spatial response surfaces and, often more appropriately, spatial residual surfaces. We illustrate our methodology with a simulation study, a weather dataset for the state of Colorado, and a species presence/absence dataset from Connecticut.
A Comparison of Satellite and Emnpirical Formula Techniques for Estimating Insolation over the Oceans

Abstract Surface insulation data collected during the Mixed Layer Dynamiccs Experiment are used to intercompare the satellite technique of Gautier et al. (1980) and five commonly referenced empirical formulas for estimating daily insulation over the oceans. The results demonstrate the superiority of the satellite technique, which exhibits a 0.97 correlation coefficient, a 12.0 W m M−2 error of estimate, and a −4.9 W m−2 bias error, and which is also able to account for water vapor, ozone, and dust amount variations in the atmosphere and monitor quasi-instantaneously vast extents of ocean. Among the empirical formulas, Mosby's (1936) yields the best predictions with a 0.84 correlation coefficient, a 19.1 W m−2 standard error of estimate, and a 3.4 W m−2 bias. Kimball'(1928) and Reed's (1977) formulas however, perform nearly as well. The largest biases are obtained with Berliand's (1960) and Laevastu' (1960) formulas, which overestimate insolation by 15.2 and 24.5 W m−2, respectively. It is suggested the em...
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SERUM BUTANOLEXTRACTABLE IODINE

THE level of serum butanol-extractable iodine (BEI) or thyroxinelike iodine is a specific diagnostic criterion for evaluating thyroid function and therapy (1). Measurement of the protein-bound or serum-precipitable iodine (PBI, SPI)1 concentration provides a useful and convenient tool for assaying thyroid function in most patients (2–4), especially children (5) and those with cardiovascular disease in whom the basal metabolic rate is difficult to interpret. With increased experience in the use of the PBI test, it was found that in some instances the values obtained were at variance with the clinical status of the patient (1). Since it is generally believed that the active circulating hormone of the thyroid gland is “thyroxinelike” (6), and since thyroxine is extractable from the plasma in butanol and remains dissolved therein after alkaline washing of the butanol, a method for measuring the “butanol-extractable iodine” was introduced in 1951 (1). Experience with this test has shown it to have appreciable ...
Life expectancy of the CDF Run II silicon

Abstract There are several factors that could potentially limit the lifetime of the CDF silicon detectors currently in operation. Radiation concerns for the detectors include the robustness of the individual silicon sensors used and the signal to noise of the detector as a whole. We address signal and noise separately and make an overall prediction of the lifetime of the detector, and assess the impact of radiation damage on the b-tagging algorithm currently in use for high p T physics.
A Lens-Measuring Instrument-Engineered For People

The article describes a specialized instrument which can measure back focal lengths of lenses to ±.002 inches. It incorporates design features which promote quick, convenient and accurate use by relatively untrained operators.
Anomie Theory and Crime in a Transitional China (1978

This article examines the testability of Merton's anomie theory with regard to crime problems in the context of contemporary China. An overview of crime trends in China after the onset of economic reform in the early 1980s reveals distinctive crime patterns. The analysis of the criminogenic potential of socioeconomic transition in China suggests that these crime patterns with Chinese characteristics cannot be fully accounted for within the framework of the traditional anomie theory. A newly formulated institutional discrepancy-anomie theory is proposed arguing that the institutional discrepancies generated by coexistence of China's market-oriented economy and authoritarian polity contribute significantly to the dramatic increase in crime rates. The policy implication that the Chinese government should reconsider the undue emphasis on punitive crime control policy is presented.