cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Substrate-specificities of acid and alkaline ceramidases in fibroblasts from patients with Farber disease and controls.

The specific activity of acid ceramidase (N-acylsphingosine deacylase, EC 3.5.1.23) was measured at pH4.5 in normal fibroblasts and in fibroblasts from patients with Farber disease and obligate heterozygotes. Greater activity was found when the synthetically made ceramide substrates contained shorter-chain fatty acids or higher content of double bonds. Acid ceramidase activities towards N-lauroyl- (C12:0), N-myristoyl- (C14:0) and N-palmitoyl- (C16:0) sphingosine (C18:1) were respectively about 38, 26 and 6 times higher than the activity towards the N-stearoyl (C18:0) substrate. The activity towards N-linolenoylsphingosine (C18:3/C18:1), N-linoleoylsphingosine (C18:2/C18:1) and N-oleoylsphingosine (C18:1/C18:1) were respectively about 5, 4 and 3 times higher than the activity towards N-stearoylsphingosine (C18:0/C18:1). The activity towards N-stearoyldihydrosphingosine (C18:0/C18:0) was about 40% of that towards N-stearoylsphingosine. Fibroblast alkaline ceramidase possessed significant activity only towards ceramides of unsaturated fatty acids, with a pH optimum of about 9.0. Deficiency of acid ceramidase activity in fibroblasts from patients with Farber disease and intermediate activities in obligate heterozygotes were demonstrated with all ceramides examined except for N-hexanoylsphingosine (C6:0/C18:1), whereas alkaline ceramidase activity was unaffected. Comparative kinetic studies of acid ceramidase activity with N-lauroylsphingosine and N-oleoylsphingosine demonstrated about 5 (2–12)-fold and 7 (4–17)-fold higher Km values in fibroblasts from patients with Farber disease as compared with normal controls. N-Lauroylsphingosine, towards which acid ceramidase activity in control fibroblasts was about 10 times higher than that towards N-oleoylsphingosine, may serve as a better substrate for enzymic diagnosis of Farber disease as well as for further characterization of the catalytically defective acid ceramidase.
The Ohio Banking Panic of 1854

In the fall of 1854, a banking panic began in Ohio. Twelve banks failed, representing a sizable portion of the state’s deposits and wiped out the state-chartered class of banks. Bank failures in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Maryland soon followed. The State Bank of Ohio survived the panic, closing only one branch. All private banks survived, while all of the banks chartered prior to free banking failed. The causes of the panic lie in the bank tax imposed several years earlier and speculation in railroad securities. During the panic, banks in Ohio relied heavily on their correspondent banks in New York City, resulting in a drop in deposits. Prior research attributed this drop in funds directly to the election in November. However, the drop in funds began weeks before the election took place. These effects not only raise issues concerning the political economy of state bank chartering and taxes on banks, but the inability of state regulators to foresee the much larger panic in 1857 that had its roots in the same causes as the panic of 1854.
The Role of a Fetal Center in Preparing for a Conjoined Twin Delivery

A successful fetal center provides a complete continuum of care for complex fetal patients, expectant mothers, and families. Ongoing communication among community obstetricians, pediatricians, maternal-fetal medicine physicians, neonatologists, and other pediatric specialists is critical to provide comprehensive prenatal counseling and establish a supportive care team for families before and after the birth of their child. This case reveals the role of a fetal center in planning for the delivery and resuscitation of conjoined twins and their subsequent postnatal care.
Electrochemical magnesium sensors for Use in aluminum processing

Improvements in process control during the production and reclamation of aluminum alloys can be achieved through in-situ measurement of the magnesium content in the molten alloy. Electrochemical sensors are compact, can be inserted directly into molten aluminum, and produce a continuous direct current voltage proportional to the logarithm of the magnesium content. This article describes and compares electrochemical magnesium sensors based on three different electrolytes— MgCl2-CaCl2, MgF2, and β″ alumina.
Preshift reward magnitude and positive contrast in the rat

Four groups of rats were given 24 trials of training in a straight runway with 1, 2, 4, or 8 food pellets, and then shifted to 8 pellets. There was a 20-sec delay of reinforcement on each trial, to prevent a ceiling effect on running speeds. The three shifted groups showed stable positive contrast relative to the unshifted control group. Postshift running speed was inversely related to magnitude of preshift reward.
Bandgap Engineering of MoS2 Flakes via Oxygen Plasma: A Layer Dependent Study

The ability to modify the band structure of a semiconducting material via doping or defect engineering is of significant importance for the development of many novel applications in emerging nanoelectronics. Here, we show that the electronic transport properties of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) field effect transistors of various layer thicknesses (up to 8 layers) can be tailored via control exposure to oxygen plasma. We demonstrate that all the samples can be turned into complete insulators with increasing plasma exposure time and that the time required to turn the samples to complete insulators depends on the number of layers (L). We also found that the variation of mobility (μ) with plasma time (t) for all samples can be collapsed onto one curve and that μ follows a relation μ/L ≈ exp(−φt/L) where φ = μ/μ, and μ is the time derivative of μ. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data show that MoO3 defected regions were created by oxygen plasma and that the amount of MoO3 increases with plasma time. Our stud...
Pre-cystectomy intra-arterial cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II with local bladder hyperthermia for bladder cancer.

AbstractA total of 6 patients with bulky pelvic bladder cancer underwent combination cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (cisplatin) hypogastric artery infusion and local bladder hyperthermia as a preoperative adjunct to radical cystectomy. Pathological examination showed extensive tumor necrosis on the luminal side, with a gradient of tumor destruction to viable tumor on the serosal surface in 4 of the 6 bladders, while 2 specimens showed no tumor. Uninvolved portions of the bladders showed minor changes in the urothelium, submucosal edema and no effect on detrusor muscle or perivesical fat. Analysis of tissue for platinum revealed uptake by the tumors and normal tissues. Systemic effects of spillover cisplatin were not seen. Adjunctive preoperative hypogastric artery infusion of cisplatin is safe and well tolerated. Further study is required to determine the upper limits of safety of the regimen.
The development of a non-linear autoregressive model with exogenous input (NARX) to model climate-water clarity relationships: reconstructing a historical water clarity index for the coastal waters of the southeastern USA

The coastal waters of the southeastern USA contain important protected habitats and natural resources that are vulnerable to climate variability and singular weather events. Water clarity, strongly affected by atmospheric events, is linked to substantial environmental impacts throughout the region. To assess this relationship over the long-term, this study uses an artificial neural network-based time series modeling technique known as non-linear autoregressive models with exogenous input (NARX models) to explore the relationship between climate and a water clarity index (KDI) in this area and to reconstruct this index over a 66-year period. Results show that synoptic-scale circulation patterns, weather types, and precipitation all play roles in impacting water clarity to varying degrees in each region of the larger domain. In particular, turbid water is associated with transitional weather and cyclonic circulation in much of the study region. Overall, NARX model performance also varies—regionally, seasonally and interannually—with wintertime estimates of KDI along the West Florida Shelf correlating to the actual KDI at r > 0.70. Periods of extreme (high) KDI in this area coincide with notable El Nino events. An upward trend in extreme KDI events from 1948 to 2013 is also present across much of the Florida Gulf coast.
Temperature compensation of dye doped polymeric microscale lasers

In this article, a new technique for building temperature compensated microscale lasers that are based on the morphology dependent resonances phenomenon is presented. The dome shaped resonator is made with a mixture of NBA 107 UV curable polymer and rhodamine 6 g dissolved in ethanol solution. Since polymers usually exhibit linear thermal expansion and thermo-optic coefficients that are opposite in sign but similar in order of magnitude, it is possible to compensate for temperature over the dome shaped resonator by tuning the dye concentration and the ratio between the polymer and dye solution. Experiments with dye concentration between 10−2 to 10−3 M and polymer and dye solution ratios between 1:1 and 4:1 are conducted. The sensitivity for all cases is presented, and the quality factor Q is investigated. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017
The explanatory effect of a label: Explanations with named categories are more satisfying

Can opium's tendency to induce sleep be explained by appeal to a "dormitive virtue"? If the label merely references the tendency being explained, the explanation seems vacuous. Yet the presence of a label could signal genuinely explanatory content concerning the (causal) basis for the property being explained. In Experiments 1 and 2, we find that explanations for a person's behavior that appeal to a named tendency or condition are indeed judged to be more satisfying than equivalent explanations that differ only in omitting the name. In Experiment 3, we find support for one proposal concerning what it is about a name that drives a boost in explanatory satisfaction: named categories lead people to draw an inference to the existence of a cause underlying the category, a cause that is responsible for the behavior being explained. Our findings have implications for theories of explanation and point to the central role of causation in explaining behavior.
1060 nm HCG MEMS-VCSEL with 73 nm Tuning Range

We present a MEMS-actuated, high-contrast grating VCSEL operating at 1060 nm with a 73 nm tuning range. The tuning range ratio (Δλ/λ) of 6.9% is the highest for an electrically pumped laser, to the best of our knowledge.
Anger Management and Work Stress: Healthy and Unhealthy Styles

Two conclusions that are inescapable as one digests the extant literature on work stress and health are: (a) Little is known about the affective or emotional mediators or strains that link psychosocial stressors in the work environment to various illness outcomes; and, (b) Little or no research attention has been given to the role of anger, as contrasted for example with anxiety or depression, and anger-coping styles per se as they mediate relationships between work stress and health. In this chapter, we ask and then attempt to answer several questions relevant to this two conclusions.
Contributions to Behavioral Treatment from Studies on Programmed Access to Alcohol

Major developments in research involving the alcohol-alcoholic interaction are presented against a backdrop of the traditional perspective of alcoholism. Studies explaining the effects of alcohol, factors influencing drinking patterns, the significance of alcohol for the alcoholic, expectations regarding alcohol use and its affective and social consequences, the parameters of alcohol use, the question of control of alcoholism, and a number of treatment related issues are reviewed. It is concluded that much of this research is provocative and may recommend a reassessment of current thinking about the Nature of alcohol abuse and dependence. Such a reassessment, however, is seen to be difficult to make, for the task likely will require a paradigmatic shift.
The Law and Feral Cats

The domesticated cat, America’s most popular pet, was until fairly recently largely absent from the legal landscape. In recent years, however, the cat population has increased dramatically, challenging municipal and state governmental resources, particularly with regard to non-domesticated or “feral” cats. This article examines the various ways that society and the law address the myriad dimensions of feral cat overpopulation, including legislative attempts to mandate responsible cat ownership, and the impact of these and other laws on feral cat caretakers.
Programs to build capacity in geosciences at HBCUs and MSIs: Examples from North Carolina A&T State University

Increasing diversity in the geosciences has remained a challenge, despite large investments made by federal agencies in minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and historically black universities and ...
Physician Wellness: Engaging Mindfulness

Abstract Health and well-being comprise physical health, psychological and emotional stability, and social engagement. Physical wellness involves self-care and a temperate lifestyle. Emotional well-being is psychological well-being encompassing subjective experience and positive emotionality. A stable mood—emotional equanimity—enhances countering negative emotions and physician burnout. Social engagement revolves around interpersonal and social relations. Physician engagement entails a doctor's commitment to studying, enhancing expertise, and skills toward safe and high-quality patient care. Learned Mindfulness, paying attention mindfully, maintains stress reduction and promotes mindful equipoise. Engagement strategies create stable relationships among physicians, hospitals, and health systems. A healthcare organization's operation aligns when it facilitates the achievement of its front-line clinicians' professional goals. This synchronization involves improvement of priorities, reducing front-line pain points, and promoting reasonable resource standardization. Organizational alignment with value enhancement, authentic integrity, and empathetic collaboration with physicians supports positive emotionality, equanimity, and equipoise. Engaged mindfulness improves physician wellness, patient safety, and organizational effectiveness while minimizing the likelihood of burnout.
Family Readiness Groups: Helping deployed Army National Guard soldiers and their families.

Many have espoused the benefits of Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) for families of deployed soldiers. These include fostering family well-being (main effect) and buffering the family against the negative effects of stressful life events (moderating effect). Yet, few published studies have tested these hypothesized relationships. Survey responses gathered from returning deployed Army National Guard soldiers (N = 4,568 soldiers in 50 company-sized units) gave the opportunity to test hypothesized benefits of FRGs, both main and buffering effects. Half the sample of soldiers reported their families as having used FRGs. Two-thirds of the soldiers reported FRGs as being helpful to their families. On the whole, results supported hypotheses: More effective coping among family members was associated with FRG use (main effect), and FRGs appeared most beneficial to spouses who experienced more stressful events (buffering effect). FRG use and its associations with helpfulness to family and with family coping suggest FRGs are important resources for families of deployed soldiers, in particular, for families of reservists. Future directions for research and practice are proposed.
The ELISA Detectability and Potency of Pegfilgrastim Decrease in Physiological Conditions: Key Roles for Aggregation and Individual Variability.

PEGylated recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (pegfilgrastim) is used clinically to accelerate immune reconstitution following chemotherapy and is being pursued for biosimilar development. One challenge to overcome in pegfilgrastim biosimilar development is establishing pharmacokinetic (PK) similarity, which is partly due to the degree of PK variability. We herein report that commercially available G-CSF and PEG ELISA detection kits have different capacities to detect pegfilgrastim aggregates that rapidly form in vitro in physiological conditions. These aggregates can be observed using SDS-PAGE, size-exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and real-time NMR analysis and are associated with decreased bioactivity as reflected by reduced drug-induced cellular proliferation and STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, individual variability in the stability and detectability of pegfilgrastim in human sera is also observed. Pegfilgrastim levels display marked subject variability in sera from healthy donors incubated at 37 °C. The stability patterns of pegfilgrastim closely match the stability patterns of filgrastim, consistent with a key role for pegfilgrastim’s G-CSF moiety in driving formation of inactive aggregates. Taken together, our results indicate that individual variability and ELISA specificity for inactive aggregates are key factors to consider when designing and interpreting studies involving the measurement of serum pegfilgrastim concentrations.
Reliability of a New Clinical Gait Assessment Scale for Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking Gait - A Pilot Study.

Children with idiopathic toe walking (ITW) gait are increasingly referred to physical therapists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the Clinic...
Contributors to Increased Mortality Associated With Care Fragmentation After Emergency General Surgery

Importance Care fragmentation at time of readmission after emergency general surgery (EGS) is associated with high mortality; however, the factors underlying this finding remain unclear. Objective To identify patient and hospital factors associated with increased mortality among patients after EGS readmitted within 30 days of discharge to a nonindex hospital. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study using the 2014 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmissions Database. Participants were all adult patients (18 years or older) who underwent 1 of the 15 most common EGS procedures in the United States from January 1 to November 30, 2014, and survived to discharge. The dates of analysis were October through December 2019. Exposures Thirty-day readmission to a hospital other than that of the index surgical procedure. The study examined the association of interventions during readmission, change in hospital resource level, and severity of patient illness during readmission. Main Outcomes and Measures Ninety-day inpatient mortality. Results In total, 71 944 patients who underwent EGS (mean [SD] age, 59.0 [18.3] years; 53.5% [38 487 of 71 944] female) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge, of whom 10 495 (14.6%) were readmitted to a nonindex hospital. Compared with patients readmitted to index hospitals, patients readmitted to nonindex hospitals were more likely to be readmitted to hospitals with low annual EGS volume (33.5% vs 25.6%,P Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of adult patients who require rehospitalization after EGS, 14.6% are readmitted to a hospital other than where the index procedure was performed. Although the overall mortality rate is higher for this population, the excess mortality appears to be primarily associated with severity of patient illness at time of readmission. These data underscore the need to develop systems of care to rapidly triage patients to hospitals best equipped to manage their condition.
On the origin of red luminescence from iron-doped β-Ga2O3 bulk crystals

Currently, Fe doping in the ∼1018 cm−3 range is the most widely available method for producing semi-insulating single crystalline β-Ga2O3 substrates. Red luminescence features have been reported from multiple types of Ga2O3 samples, including Fe-doped β-Ga2O3, and attributed to Fe or NO. Herein, however, we demonstrate that the high-intensity red luminescence from Fe-doped β-Ga2O3 commercial substrates consisting of two sharp peaks at 689 nm and 697 nm superimposed on a broader peak centered at 710 nm originates from Cr impurities present at a concentration near 2 ppm. The red emission exhibiting a twofold symmetry, peaks in intensity for excitation near the absorption edge, seems to compete with the Ga2O3 emission at a higher excitation energy and appears to be intensified in the presence of Fe. Based on the polarized absorption, luminescence observations, and the Tanabe–Sugano diagram analysis, we propose a resonant energy transfer of photogenerated carriers in the β-Ga2O3 matrix to octahedrally coordinated Cr3+ to give red luminescence, possibly also sensitized by Fe3+.
Independent and Combined Effects of Fundamental Frequency and Vocal Tract Length Differences for School-Age Children's Sentence Recognition in a Two-Talker Masker

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and combined contributions of fundamental frequency (F0) and vocal tract length (VTL) differences on children's speech-in-speech recognition in the presence of a competing two-talker masker. Method Participants were 64 children (5-17 years old) and 25 adults (18-39 years old). Sentence recognition thresholds were measured in a two-talker masker. Target sentences had either the same mean F0 and VTL of the masker or were digitally altered so that the target and masker differed in F0 (Experiment 1), differed in VTL (Experiment 2), or differed in both F0 and VTL (Experiment 3). To determine the benefit, masking release was computed by subtracting thresholds in each shifted condition from the threshold in the unshifted condition. Results Results demonstrate that children's ability to benefit from either F0 or VTL differences (Experiments 1 and 2) depended on listener age, with younger children showing less improvement in speech reception thresholds compared to older children and adults. Age effects were also evident in the combined-cue conditions (Experiment 3), but children showed greater improvements compared to F0-only or VTL-only manipulations. Conclusions There was a prolonged pattern of development in children's ability to benefit from F0 or VTL differences between target and masker speech. Young children failed to capitalize on F0 and VTL differences to the same extent as older children and adults but did show a robust benefit when the cues were combined, supporting the hypothesis that younger children rely more heavily on redundant cues compared to older children and adults.
Cross-Border Investment in Europe: From Macro to Financial Data

International capital flows and cross-border financial integration remain omnipresent in the European political debate as countries struggle with low and divergent GDP growth, new European financial regulation and the anticipation of Brexit. In such a shifting environment, this report first identifies some of the more recent patterns in the landscape of European gross cross-border investment followed by a closer look at banking and portfolio investments.
Dissemination of False Information on Social Media in Nigeria: Call for Re-Orientation and User-Education for Emerging Technologies

There is a consideration for a bill to regulate social media (SM) use in Nigeria as a result of its indiscriminate use for the dissemination of false information. Thus, it is important to find out the most used SM handles, file formats used, level of verification and factors promoting this practice. Survey design and descriptive statistics were adopted using a self-structured questionnaire. A sample of 400 randomly selected respondents was drawn from six cities since the actual population of SM users is not known presently. With a 96.5% return rate, results show that SM is used largely in disseminating misinformation through graphic illustrations, doctored videos, edited photos with captions and voice notes/recordings (original and computer-animated forms). The major platforms in decreasing the rate of use are WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Ignorance, lack of media and information literacy skill, cultural perspectives and unawareness were identified to be key facilitating factors. Verification and validation of information on social media were found to be extremely low. The emergence and continual dissemination of false information need to be dealt with culturally by imbibing societal value re-orientation for SM users, building users understanding of information literacy and educating the masses are pertinent. The stringent legislature, mass orientation and rapid response debunking should suffice. If this is not done, it could cause socio-political tension. A system (algorithm) of information check should be developed.
The Minkowski equality of filtrations

Abstract Suppose that R is an analytically irreducible or excellent local domain with maximal ideal m R . We consider multiplicities and mixed multiplicities of R by filtrations of m R -primary ideals. We show that the theorem of Teissier, Rees and Sharp, and Katz, characterizing equality in the Minkowski inequality for multiplicities of ideals, is true for divisorial filtrations, and for the larger category of bounded filtrations. This theorem is not true for arbitrary filtrations of m R -primary ideals.
HIV-1 Mutants that Escape the Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes are Defective in Viral DNA Integration

ABSTRACT HIV-1 replication is durably controlled in certain untreated HIV-1-infected individuals expressing particular human leukocyte antigens (HLA). These HLAs tag infected cells for elimination by presenting specific viral epitopes to CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL). In individuals expressing HLA-B27, CTLs primarily target the capsid protein (CA)-derived KK10 epitope. Selection of CA mutation R264K helps HIV-1 escape the CTL response but severely diminishes virus infectivity. Here we report that the R264K mutation-associated infectivity defect arises primarily from impaired viral DNA integration. Strikingly, selection of the compensatory CA mutation S173A or depletion of host cyclophilin A largely rescues the R264K-associated integration and infectivity defects. Collectively, our study reveals novel mechanistic insights into the fitness defect incurred by an HIV-1 variant escaping a CA-directed CTL response.
Dynamics of Group-Based Emotions: Insights From Intergroup Emotions Theory:

Over-time variability characterizes not only individual-level emotions, but also group-level emotions, those that occur when people identify with social groups and appraise events in terms of their implications for those groups. We discuss theory and research regarding the role of emotions in intergroup contexts, focusing on their dynamic nature. We then describe new insights into the causes and consequences of emotional dynamics that flow from conceptualizing emotions as based in group membership, and conclude with research recommendations.
The Interaction of Spatial and Color Proximity in Aircraft Stability Information Displays

The objective of a complex display design is to provide information in a way that maximizes the user's ability to process that information. This paper explores the effects of manipulating the spatial and color proximity among information displays relevant to aircraft stability during both integration and focused attention tasks. The principle of compatibility of proximity (Wickens, 1987) suggests that tasks requiring the operator to integrate multiple sources of information are better served by close display proximity while tasks that require focused attention on specific sources of information are better served by more separate displays. Color proximity results clearly supported this principle and showed that using a common color (i.e. close proximity) to code different information sources facilitated integration performance while using separate colors to code different information sources facilitated focused attention performance. However, close spatial proximity did not foster integration. Instead, dis...
Urodynamic evaluation of children with the caudal regression syndrome (caudal dysplasia sequence).

AbstractA total of 50 children with the caudal regression syndrome (caudal dysplasia sequence) underwent urodynamic evaluation of lower urinary tract function. Of the patients 15 had isolated sacral agenesis, 13 had sacral agenesis in combination with an anorectal malformation and 22 had an anorectal malformation without sacral anomaly. Neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction was observed in 11 of the 15 children with isolated sacral agenesis (73%) and in 10 of the 13 children with combined sacral agenesis and anorectal malformation (77%). The pattern of neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction in both groups did not differ significantly. In the group of 22 children with isolated anorectal malformation only 1 had signs of neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction. These results indicate that anorectal malformation per se does not influence lower urinary tract function and that the sacral anomaly is the determining factor for neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction in children with anorectal malformation.
The practice of approximated consistency for Knapsack constraints

Knapsack constraints are a key modeling structure in discrete optimization and form the core of many real-life problem formulations. Only recently, a cost-based filtering algorithm for Knapsack constraints was published that is based on some previously developed approximation algorithms for the Knapsack problem. In this paper, we provide an empirical evaluation of approximated consistency for Knapsack constraints by applying it to the Market Split Problem and the Automatic Recording Problem.
Reflexões sobre as abordagens linguísticas para o estudo da narrativa oral

The ubiquity of narrative discourse and its textual characteristics allow for the analysis of relationships, both within the space created by the narrators in the story world, and between the participants of the communicative event where it arises. Within modern linguistics, this attention to narrative has fomented several approaches and methodologies. This article proposes a theoretical reflection on the linguistic approaches that have been proposed to the study of narratives, which starts with the, then innovative, Labov and Waletzky (1967) article, moving on to interactional sociolinguistics, conversation analysis, and the current approach to the study of ‘small stories’ (Georgakopoulou, 2007).
Pulsing Inertial Oscillation, Supercell Storms, and Surface Mesonetwork Data

The pulsing inertial oscillation (PIO) model is a nonlinear, time-dependent, translating vortex solution of the inviscid, compressible fluid dynamic equations in the middle troposphere. The translation of this vortex during a pulse is strikingly similar to that of a supercell storm -- a rotating thunderstorm that can generate tornadoes and hail. Two studies were performed to test the hypothesis that some supercell storms are manifestations of a PIO pulse. The first study applied the model to an intense interior draft whose buoyancy was bounded by a temperature excess of +/- 12 K. The peak updraft speed achieved was 41.5 m/ s and the peak Rossby number was 92.9. The study also pointed to an advanced concept for attaining higher values. The second study applied the PIO model to a supercell storm as a whole and succeeded in replicating its bulk properties, such as mesocyclonic circulation, net mass and moisture influxes, and time track. This study also identified a critical feature of the PIO model that could be tested against storm data: The average vertical draft is downward before the turn in the storm track and upward afterwards. In the conventional theory, the average vertical draft is upward from storm inception until dissipation. These differing draft predictions were compared with the best available data, which are surface mesonetwork data. These data were found to support the PIO model. However, surface data alone are not conclusive, and further measurements are warranted.
Development of a high-pressure xenon ionization chamber gamma-ray spectrometer for field deployment in cone penetrometers

It is sometimes necessary to measure gamma-ray spectra under difficult circumstances such as those encountered during in situ characterization of radioactive soils. For some classes of soil, various measurement instruments can be inserted to depths of 100 feet or more using the cone penetrometer technique. The problems for gamma-ray spectroscopy in this application include size limitations, elevated and/or variable temperature environment, vibration and shock, and remote operation. Measurement of gamma-ray spectra under these conditions has been done using scintillation detectors such as NaI(Tl) or BGO. However, these instruments suffer from poor energy resolution (ca. 8-10%), temperature sensitivity and, in the case of NaI(Tl), activation by neutrons. Sentor Technologies, Inc., working under Department of Energy sponsorship and in conjunction with Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of California, San Diego, has developed a high-pressure xenon ionization chamber spectrometer that is specifically designed for use in cone penetrometers. Key features of the detector design include a 29 mm O.D. cylindrical geometry with concentric cathode, Frisch grid, and anode, and ultra-purified (ca. ppb) xenon pressurized to a density of 0.6 g·cm-3. The results demonstrate the utility of high-pressure xenon ionization spectrometers for field use in cone penetrometers or similar applications including borehole logging.
A microfluidic device for label-free, physical capture of circulating tumor cell clusters

Cancer cells metastasize through the bloodstream either as single migratory circulating tumor cells (CTCs) or as multicellular groupings (CTC clusters). Existing technologies for CTC enrichment are designed to isolate single CTCs, and although CTC clusters are detectable in some cases, their true prevalence and significance remain to be determined. Here we developed a microchip technology (the Cluster-Chip) to capture CTC clusters independently of tumor-specific markers from unprocessed blood. CTC clusters are isolated through specialized bifurcating traps under low-shear stress conditions that preserve their integrity, and even two-cell clusters are captured efficiently. Using the Cluster-Chip, we identified CTC clusters in 30-40% of patients with metastatic breast or prostate cancer or with melanoma. RNA sequencing of CTC clusters confirmed their tumor origin and identified tissue-derived macrophages within the clusters. Efficient capture of CTC clusters will enable the detailed characterization of their biological properties and role in metastasis.
Immunochemical and physiocochemical properties of tobacco extracts.

Because of the suspicion that antigens may be present in tobacco, we prepared extracts of green to­ bacco leaf, cured tobacco leaf, and cigarette smoke condensate and investigated their physicochemi­ cal and immunochemical properties. Analyses by isoelectric focusing revealed as many as 20 bands with green leaf extract; with cured leaf extract and smoke condensate extract there was a marked decrease in the number of bands. The pattern for smoke condensate extract was similar to that for cured leaf extract. Immunization of rabbits and guinea pigs with green leaf extract yielded anti­ serums that produced at least 10 bands with this material; these antiserums reacted weakly with cured leaf extract and not at all with smoke condensate extract. Antiserums to cured leaf extract reacted weakly with both cured and green leaf extracts and not to smoke condensate extract. Serum specimens from 6 rabbits immunized 3 times with I mg of smoke condensate extract in Freund's complete adjuvant at monthly intervals and reimmunized 8 months later by intravenous injec­ tion of smoke condensate extract produced precipitin bands when reacted with green leaf and cured leaf extracts. After isoelectric focusing of green leaf extract, immunofixation analysis using rabbit anti-green leaf extract showed that the antigens were acidic proteins with isoelectric points of 4 to 5. These results indicate that all of these tobacco extracts contain antigens able to stimulate antibody formation in laboratory animals.
Romantic attachment, sexual activity, and substance use: findings from substance-using runaway adolescents

Research on adolescent attachment is limited, but is growing. Studies to date have focused primarily on high-functioning, college student samples with minimal attention given to at-risk, early adolescents. The current study assessed the relationship between sexual activity, substance use, physical and sexual abuse, and attachment avoidance and anxiety in a sample of substance using, runaway youth. Seventy-three adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 years were recruited from a local runaway shelter. The main finding was that attachment avoidance was related to a later age at first use of marijuana. Results provide some support for the utility of the attachment framework in understanding problem behaviors among runaway adolescents. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Intravenous Bone Marrow Stem Cell Grafts Preferentially Migrate to Spleen and Abrogate Chronic Inflammation in Stroke

Background and Purpose— Adult stem cell therapy is an experimental stroke treatment. Here, we assessed homing and anti-inflammatory effects of bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) in chronic stroke. Methods— At 60 days post stroke, adult Sprague–Dawley rats received intravenous hBMSCs (4×10 6 labeled or nonlabeled cells) or vehicle (saline). A sham surgery group served as additional control. In vivo imaging was conducted between 1 hour and 11 days post transplantation, followed by histological examination. Results— Labeled hBMSCs migrated to spleen which emitted significantly higher fluorescent signal across all time points, especially during the first hour, and were modestly detected in the head region at the 12 hours and 11 days, compared with nonlabeled hBMSCs and vehicle-infused stroke animals, or sham ( P P Conclusions— hBMSC transplantation is therapeutic in chronic stroke possibly by abrogating the inflammation-plagued secondary cell death.
Salt diapirs in the Dead Sea basin and their relationship to Quaternary extensional tectonics

Abstract Regional extension of a brittle overburden and underlying salt causes differential loading that is thought to initiate the rise of reactive diapirs below and through regions of thin overburden. We present a modern example of a large salt diapir in the Dead Sea pull-apart basin, the Lisan diapir, which we believe was formed during the Quaternary due to basin transtension and subsidence. Using newly released seismic data that are correlated to several deep wells, we determine the size of the diapir to be 13×10 km, its maximum depth 7.2 km, and its roof 125 m below the surface. From seismic stratigraphy, we infer that the diapir started rising during the early to middle Pleistocene as this section of the basin underwent rapid subsidence and significant extension of the overburden. During the middle to late Pleistocene, the diapir pierced through the extensionally thinned overburden, as indicated by rim synclines, which attest to rapid salt withdrawal from the surrounding regions. Slight positive topography above the diapir and shallow folded horizons indicate that it is still rising intermittently. The smaller Sedom diapir, exposed along the western bounding fault of the basin is presently rising and forms a 200 m-high ridge. Its initiation is explained by localized E–W extension due monoclinal draping over the edge of a rapidly subsiding basin during the early to middle Pleistocene, and its continued rise by lateral squeezing due to continued rotation of the Amazyahu diagonal fault.
Current treatment approaches to surgery for brain metastases

The role for surgical treatment of brain metastases continues to evolve. Data have demonstrated survival and quality-of-life benefits for surgical treatment of appropriate lesions in selected patients. With improvements in surgical technique, along with therapeutic improvements in the management of systemic cancers, more patients are now eligible for surgical resection. Selection of patients for surgical treatment depends on performance status, size, location, and number of brain lesions, as well as the status of systemic disease. Although surgery has traditionally been performed for patients with a single brain metastasis, an increasing number of patients with multiple brain metastases may also be treated surgically. Surgical techniques, such as image guidance, intraoperative ultrasound, functional neuronavigation, cortical mapping, and awake craniotomies, have expanded the scope of lesions that can be removed safely to optimize outcomes. Seizures, peritumoral edema, and venous thromboembolic disease all contribute significantly to surgical morbidity and mortality and thus require aggressive treatment around the time of the surgical procedure to improve the quality of life and maximize survival time.
Fibronectin adsorption and cell adhesion to mixed monolayers of tri(ethylene glycol)- and methyl-terminated alkanethiols

Surface chemistries that prevent protein adsorption and render surfaces nonadhesive have emerged as promising biomaterial modifications for minimizing host-implant inflammatory responses and providing a nonspecific background for the presentation of bioactive motifs to elicit directed cellular responses. Oligo(ethylene glycol) moieties (−(CH2CH2O)n−, abbreviated as EGn) have proven to be the most protein-resistant functionality and remain the standard for comparison. In the present study, we analyzed fibronectin (FN) adsorption and cell adhesion to CH3/EG3 mixed self-assembled monolayers. In contrast to previous studies with ellipsometry and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, we demonstrate significant radiolabeled FN adsorption onto EG3-containing surfaces, including pure EG3 monolayers. These FN-coated surfaces supported FN density-dependent increases in fibroblast adhesion strength. However, while FN adsorbed irreversibly to CH3-terminated surfaces, adsorbed FN was removed from EG3 monolayers and ...
Verbal Mediation in the WAIS Digit Symbol Subtest

It has been speculated that a verbal factor is involved in WAIS Digit Symbol (DS) subtest performance. 60 Ss were supplied with familiar verbal labels, unfamiliar verbal labels, or no labels for each of the symbols of the DS subtest. Pre- and post-DS performance scores and a digit-symbol association score were compared among groups. More digit-symbol associations were recalled after learning familiar than unfamiliar labels, but no differences were found in DS performance. These results were interpreted as minimizing the possibility of a verbal loading and arguing for a psychomotor interpretation of DS performance.
Translational Research: The Interplay Between Research and Nursing Practice

The linkage between research and nursing practice represents a dynamic interplay–practice informs research in the realities of clinical practice and research evidence is translated to practice to improve the quality of care. TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH REPRESENTS a dynamic interplay between research and practice inextricably linking research and practice. To improve the quality of pediatric nursing practice, it is imperative to translate research into practice. The linkage between research and practice represents a dynamic interplay – that is, practice informs research in the everyday practical realities of clinical practice, and, in turn, research is designed to inform practice with the ultimate goal of improving care and health outcomes for children and their families. The key to this complex relationship is discovered in translating research evidence into practice. Through the translation of research, this linkage is clearly defined in the realities of clinical practice. With the discovery of these practical realities, research is designed to incorporate these elements from practice into the design of the study. Ultimately, the evidence obtained from research is integrated into clinical practice leading to improved quality of care for children and their families. Research enhances pediatric nursing practice through translation of evidence to improve nursing practice; but, making this connection is essential (Christian, 2013a). If nursing research is high quality, and the findings are translated effectively, then the quality of pediatric nursing practice will be improved. Translating research evidence into pediatric nursing practice improves the quality of care, as well as child and family health outcomes (Christian, 2012a, 2012b). The best quality health outcomes are linked to evidence-based practice (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011), resulting in improved quality of children's health outcomes (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2011). Thus, to improve health outcomes for
Oxygen Saturation Levels and Retinopathy of Prematurity—Are We on Target?

When a premature infant develops severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), it is not uncommon for a parent, nurse, or student to ask me: “This happened because of oxygen, right?” That is a loaded question! There is certainly much that we have learned about the relationship between oxygen and ROP during the past several decades. It was discovered in the 1950s that the incidence of ROP was very high because premature infants were exposed to unmonitored, high concentrations of oxygen. In the 1960s, a strategy to restrict oxygen dramatically reduced the incidence of ROP; however, it had the unexpected effect of increasing severe brain damage and death. Since that time, technological innovations have allowed continuous monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation levels, and most neonatal units have routinely targeted oxygen saturations in the mid-90s. Recently, many neonatologists have reduced target oxygen saturation levels in the first few weeks of life to the upper 80s or low 90s in an attempt to reduce ROP and lung disease. They point out that these lower oxygen saturations are more physiologic because they more closely mimic the relatively hypoxic intrauterine environment. However, practice patterns with regard to oxygen saturation levels largely have been based on biologically plausible hypotheses and observational data—not on the results of rigorous clinical trials. There is much that we do not yet understand about the complex relationship between oxygen and ROP. For example, what target saturation levels are optimal for minimizing the risk of severe ROP? When in the infant’s life are those targets relevant? What effects will reduction of target oxygen saturation levels have on other morbidities associated with prematurity? In this issue of the Journal of AAPOS, VanderVeen et al contribute to our understanding of the relationship between target oxygen saturation levels and severe ROP. They report a dramatic reduction in the incidence of prethreshold ROP in at least one eye from 17.5% (44/251 infants) to 5.6% (4/72 infants) after lowering
Production of Volatile Amines and Skatole at Anthesis in Some Arum Lily Species

The odoriferous compounds produced at the time of flowering by the inflorescences of 5 arum lily species were condensed in dry ice traps. The components of the condensates were separated by paper chromatography and identified on the basis of position and color reactions in comparison with known compounds. The concentration of free amino acids in the appendix of Sauromatum guttatum Schott increased 20-fold during flowering.
Tracheobronchial Epithelial Multinucleation in Malignant Disease

Multinucleated tracheobronchial ciliated epithelial cells seen in smears from 112 patients suffering from a wide variety of malignant tumors were found to be 2.08 times more numerous than in a control group comparable in sex, age (decades), and smoking habit but without prediagnosed malignancies. The recognition of this phenomenon may lead to the development of a new test for the diagnosis of occult cancer and may open new pathways for investigation of cancer-host relationships.