cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
International perspectives on social justice: Introduction to the special issue:

The concept of social justice has become increasingly prominent in school psychology practice, research, and training. While the literature in this area has burgeoned over the last decade, relative...
A review of surgical procedures to repair obstetric fistula

Although approximately 2 million women suffer from an obstetric fistula, the surgical literature is sparse. This review examines the evidence published to date. The most relevant surgical evidence is included, highlighting the need for further scientific investigations to contribute to our surgical practice. The most pressing needs relate to anti-incontinence techniques and complex obstetric fistula repairs.
Time as a source of struggle and resilience in homeless families

A common myth about families living in homeless shelters is that they are laconically and contentedly waiting around for housing, financial support through welfare or jobs, and other resources and ...
Analysis of the Symptomatology, Disease Course, and Treatment of Postorgasmic Illness Syndrome in a Large Sample.

Abstract Background Postorgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a rare syndrome of unknown etiology where patients experience distressing physical and psychological after ejaculatory sequelae. Aim To better characterize the epidemiology, symptomatology, disease course, and treatment of POIS, with specific interest placed on examining relationships between disease presentation and measures of disease burden. Methods A 30-item questionnaire was distributed to an online community of patients with POIS from June 2019 to January 2020. We assessed diagnostic criteria and clusters of symptomatology described in prior studies. Outcome measures include self-reported measures of symptom severity, disease burden, and behavioral changes. Statistical correlations were assessed with Pearson's chi-squared (χ2) and ordinal regression analyses. Outcomes The main outcome measures of this study are self-reported measures of symptom severity, disease burden, and behavioral changes. Results The sample consisted of 302 men (mean age: 32.6 ± 11.4 years, mean age of onset: 19.1 ± 7.8 years) with 89% satisfying ≥3 diagnostic criteria. Common symptoms were difficulty concentrating (254, 84%), extreme fatigue (250, 83%), irritability (225, 74%), and muscle weakness (212, 70%). Common symptom clusters were general (219, 72%), muscle (137, 45%), and head (93, 31%). Common behavioral modifications were avoiding masturbation (215, 71%), schedule changes (213, 71%), and abstinence (186, 62%). Head and throat symptom clusters demonstrated worse disease burden outcomes. Professional medical advice was sought by 51% of participants. Attempted treatments included pharmacotherapy, vitamins, supplements, and herbs with variable efficacy. Clinical Implications This study further characterizes POIS, including how patients respond to the condition, how it is treated in the community, and presentations that may be associated with more severe disease. Strengths & Limitations This is the largest study to date that concerns patients suffering from POIS and includes a diverse, global population. Limitations include that the survey was only administered in English and within 1 online community, that results were self-reported, and that the response rate was low (32%). Conclusions Characterizing symptom cluster, but not number of diagnostic criteria, may offer prognostic value, and investigation to elucidate pathophysiology and potential treatments for POIS is necessary. Natale C, Gabrielson A, Tue Nguyen HM, et al. Analysis of the Symptomatology, Disease Course, and Treatment of Postorgasmic Illness Syndrome in a Large Sample. J Sex Med 2020;17:2229–2235.
Barriers to Patient Portal Access and Use: Evidence from the Health Information National Trends Survey.

Background: Patient access to their medical records through patient portals (PPs) facilitates information exchange and provision of quality health care. Understanding factors that characterize patients with limited access to and use of PPs is needed. Methods: Data were from the 2017–2018 Health Information National Trends Survey 5, Cycles 1 and 2, a nationally representative survey of US adults ≥ 18 years old (n = 6789). Weighted multivariate logistic regressions modeled the associations between patient characteristics and access to, facilitators of use, and use of PPs and their functions. Results: Individuals without (vs with) a regular doctor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.4; CI, 0.3-0.5) or health insurance (aOR, 0.4; CI, 0.2-0.7), those with high school (aOR 0.4; CI, 0.3-0.5) or with vocational/some college (aOR, 0.5; CI, 04.-0.7) education (vs college/postgraduate), or those with limited English proficiency (vs those who speak English very well) (aOR, 0.7; CI, 0.5-0.9) were less likely to report accessing their personal medical records. Women (vs men) were more likely to report accessing their medical records (aOR, 1.5; CI, 1.2-1.8). Similar patterns were found for PPs access and facilitators of use. Less consistent associations emerged between patient characteristics and use of PP functionalities. Conclusions: PP access and use are low. Having a primary care clinician, patient’s educational attainment, and being a woman were factors associated with PP access and use, but not race/ethnicity. Once access was achieved, use of PP functionalities was generally uniform across demographic segments. Facilitating PP access and use among all patient populations is warranted.
In patients with CAD, adding colchicine to evidence-based therapies reduces MACE without increasing adverse outcomes.

SOURCE CITATION Xia M, Yang X, Qian C. Meta-analysis evaluating the utility of colchicine in secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol. 2021;140:33-8. 33137319.
The epidemiology of indoor and outdoor rock climbing injuries presenting to United States emergency departments.

BACKGROUND The popularity of both indoor and outdoor rock climbing has dramatically increased over the last decade. The purpose of this study is to evaluate trends in United States climbing injury rates as well as assess specific injury characteristics, especially in the context of indoor and outdoor climbing. METHODS The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried (2010-2019) to compare national weighted injury estimates and compare various injury characteristics from climbers presenting to US emergency departments. RESULTS The annual national estimates of rock climbing-related injuries presenting to US emergency rooms increased significantly (p=0.030) from 2010 (N=2,381; CI 1,085-3,676) to 2019 (N= 4,596; CI 492-8,699). 58.7% of the injuries in this study that could be classified by location occurred climbing outdoors. Ankle injuries were 2.25 times more likely (CI 1.03-3.08) to occur indoors than outdoors. Outdoor climbers were 2.25 times more likely to sustain an injury via falling and 13.8 times more likely to be injured by being struck by an object than indoor climbers (CI 1.05-2.42, CI 10.67-17.78). CONCLUSIONS Indoor and outdoor rock climbing are associated with different injury characteristics and risks. Therefore proper safety precautions, equipment, and training specific to terrain should be observed by all climbers in order to help decrease the rising trend of rock climbing-related injuries in the United States.
Study of galvanic corrosion and mechanical joint properties of AZ31B and carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer joined by friction self-piercing riveting

Abstract A new testing methodology was developed to quantitively study galvanic corrosion of AZ31B and thermoset carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer spot-joined by a friction self-piercing riveting process. Pre-defined areas of AZ31B in the joint were exposed in 0.1 M NaCl solution over time. Massive galvanic corrosion of AZ31B was observed as exposure time increased. The measured volume loss was converted into corrosion current that was at least 48 times greater than the corrosion current of AZ31B without galvanic coupling. Ninety percent of the mechanical joint integrity was retained for corroded F-SPR joints to 200 h and then decreased because of the massive volume loss of AZ31B.
Unintentional administration of intra-articular hydromorphone

Opioid overdose is a very common cause of presentation to the emergency department (ED) in the United States every year, with an average of over 200 ED visits per 100,000 people in 2018. This case demonstrates a scenario with which few emergency physicians are familiar: an inadvertent postoperative administration of intra-articular hydromorphone leading to delayed presentation for altered mental status. In this case a patient erroneously received 10 mg intra-articular hydromorphone immediately after right knee hemiarthroplasty. She was difficult to rouse for 6 hours postoperatively and required transport to the hospital via emergency medical services and administration of naloxone intravenously. After admission she was observed and no further doses of naloxone were required, though she did have prolonged somnolence even after naloxone administration. Her respiratory rate and other vitals remained stable for the duration of her hospitalization. She was discharged after observation with no further ill effects.
Obesity Inhibits Angiogenesis Through TWIST1-SLIT2 Signaling

Angiogenesis is required for functional adipose tissue maintenance, remodeling, and expansion. Physiologically balanced adipogenesis and angiogenesis are inhibited in subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese humans. However, the mechanism by which angiogenesis is inhibited in obese adipose tissue is not fully understood. Transcription factor TWIST1 controls angiogenesis and vascular function. TWIST1 expression is lower in obese human adipose tissues. Here, we have demonstrated that angiogenesis is inhibited in endothelial cells (ECs) isolated from adipose tissues of obese humans through TWIST1-SLIT2 signaling. The levels of TWIST1 and SLIT2 are lower in ECs isolated from obese human adipose tissues compared to those from lean tissues. Knockdown of TWIST1 in lean human adipose ECs decreases, while overexpression of TWIST1 in obese adipose ECs restores SLIT2 expression. DNA synthesis and cell migration are inhibited in obese adipose ECs and the effects are restored by TWIST1 overexpression. Obese adipose ECs also inhibit blood vessel formation in the gel subcutaneously implanted in mice, while these effects are restored when gels are mixed with SLIT2 or supplemented with ECs overexpressing TWIST1. These findings suggest that obesity impairs adipose tissue angiogenesis through TWIST1-SLIT2 signaling.
Dynamic Flux Balance Analysis Game

Flux balance analysis (FBA) for microbial communities often assumes a global objective function that all species cooperatively maximize in addition to maximizing their own growth. Combining communityFBA with dynamic FBA to understand the time course and steady states of communities typically entails discretizing time and solving a community FBA model at each time point, a time-intensive process. We propose a dynamic community FBA model where species compete for metabolites to grow off of without needing to cooperate to maximize a community-level objective. An efficient method for computing steady state community compositions is provided, as well as methods for determining the stability of a steady state community to perturbations in biomass and invasion by species outside the community. The model and methods are applied to a model of four E. Coli. mutants with elements of competition (for shared metabolites) and cooperation (via mutants being auxotrophic for metabolites exported by other mutants).
First Amendment Limits on the Regulation of Judicial Campaign Speech: Defining the Government's Interest

What does it mean for a judge's campaign speech to be impartial? More importantly, how far may a state go in regulating judicial campaign speech in order to ensure impartiality without violating the First Amendment? In this Debate, Professor Paul E. McGreal, of the Southern Illinois University School of Law, and Dean James J. Alfini, of the South Texas College of Law, explore the permissible limits on judicial campaign speech in light of the Supreme Court's First Amendment campaign speech precedent.Using the Court's 2002 decision, Republican Party of Minnesota v. White, as a starting point, Professor McGreal argues two points: first, that, for First Amendment purposes, impartiality should be limited to mean only that "a judge will make decisions using the accepted methods of legal analysis;" and second, that campaign promises of specific types of performance once elected "do not necessarily compromise judicial impartiality." Politics, in McGreal's view, is a necessary part of judicial elections, and "the First Amendment does not allow the state to "wring[] politics out of the political process." Thus, according to McGreal, as long as a judge's campaign speech expresses an accepted form of legal analysis, that speech may not be regulated without violating the judicial candidate's First Amendment rights.Dean Alfini, on the other hand, would require a more stringent regulation of campaign speech and would base such restrictions on the ABA's formulation that judges may not "make pledges, promises, or commitments" in their campaign that would compromise their impartiality. McGreal's more permissive rule, Alfini asserts, would "threaten the due process rights of parties who may come before" elected judges, thus potentially "compromis[ing] their duty and ability to uphold the rule of law in our democratic society." The test for impartiality, then, should focus on "the due process rights of parties," and judges should not be granted McGreal's broader First Amendment protections. Campaign restrictions, then, should be "narrowly tailored to prohibit prejudgment promises."
Past, Present, and Future of Antitrust Enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission

The period from 1970 to the present-roughly a third of a century-has witnessed profound changes in the quality of regulation at the Federal Trade Commission and a remarkable convergence of antitrust enforcement policy between left and right, and between primarily legal as opposed to primarily economic approaches. With respect to substantive law, areas of intellectual debate and uncertainty remain, but viewpoint differences that existed between the 1960s and the 1980s are today vastly reduced. In the 1960s, emphasis was on populist values, hostility to "Bigness," protection of competitors (especially small business) as opposed to the competitive process, and neglect of or outright hostility toward efficiencies. In the 1980s, at least late in the decade, we saw extreme economic analysis that regarded most horizontal agreements as so unstable that they would collapse of their own weight and barriers to entry as generally easily surmounted. That approach led to little or no enforcement outside the area of hardcore cartels (price fixing, market division, and output limitations-all of which saw a fairly standard level of enforcement throughout the thirty-five-year period) and challenges to a few very large horizontal mergers. Since the early 1990s, the effort at the Federal Trade Commission, and elsewhere in the antitrust world, has been to find a middle ground that avoids the extremes of overand underenforcement.
Bis(triphenylphosphine)(maleic anhydride) palladium(0)

[17830-50-1] C40H32O3P2Pd (MW 729.05) InChI = 1S/2C18H15P.C4H2O3.Pd/c2*1-4-10-16(11-5-1)19(17-12-6-2-7-13-17)18-14-8-3-9-15-18;5-3-1-2-4(6)7-3;/h2*1-15H;1-2H; InChIKey = SZTCAWKWIIWPGZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N (bis(triphenylphosphine)(maleic anhydride)palladium(0) 1 is an isolable, moderately air-stable, palladium(0) complex that can be used in a variety of reactions where a preformed, organic-soluble palladium(0) complex is required as a catalyst, a catalyst precursor or a stoichiometric reagent. To date, however, almost all of the reported uses of 1 have been in palladium-catalyzed dimerization of 1,2- or 1,3-dienes.) Alternate Name: bis(triphenylphosphine)(maleic anhydride)palladium; (maleic anhydride)bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium; [(3,4-η)-2,5-furandione]bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium; (2,5-furandione)bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium. Form Supplied in: yellow crystalline solid. Preparative Methods:1, 2 maleic anhydride (98 mg, 1 mmol) was dissolved in THF (15 mL) and added dropwise over 10–20 min via a pressure-equalization funnel to a nitrogen blanketed solution of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (1.155 g, 1 mmol) in benzene (30 mL). The resulting mixture was stirred for additional 30 min at room temperature, after which the solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The resultant yellow oil was redissolved in a mixture of benzene and methanol (2:1, 15 mL) and filtered. Benzene (40 mL) was added to the filtrate and the resulting mixture was cooled in a refrigerator. Yellow crystals were separated from solution overnight. The crystals were isolated by filtration, washed with a mixture of benzene, methanol, and hexane (2:1:5), and dried in vacuo to yield 630 mg of 1 (86%). Purification: recrystallized from benzene, washed with a mixture of benzene, methanol, and hexane (2:1:5), and dried in vacuo.2 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: limited stability in air, reported to be of the order of hours.1 Disposal: use typical precautions for heavy metals.
Sales Tax and Ad Valorem Tax Analysis in Terms of Price Gap and Three Adjustment Weights.

Relative to a competitive equilibrium, per unit specific sales tax creates a price gap equal to tax and takes the market to a disequilibrium solution. This paper derives all the formulae of interest in terms of sales tax and adjustment weights. Thus far, the literature has no tool available to handle the ad valorem tax. This paper analyzes it in terms of adjustment weights.
Archaeology of Prehistoric Native America: An Encyclopedia

Archaeology of Prehistoric Native America: An Encyclopedia. Guy Gibbon. ed. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1998.941pp.
Linear Differential Equations

For linear differential equations, the structures of solution spaces are characterized and solution formulas are derived in terms of fundamental matrix solutions. The calculations of fundamental matrix solutions are studied for the constant coefficient case and the Floquet theory is presented for the periodic coefficient case.
Artificial neural networks based steady state security analysis of power systems

The focus of this paper is to present an artificial neural network based methodology to assess the steady state security of a power system. The security of the system is assessed on the basis of the voltage profile at each bus with reference to changes in generation and load in the system. The input to the neural network is the voltage level at each bus. The ANN used is a feedforward multilayer network trained with a backpropagation algorithm. The output of the ANN classifies the security of the power system into normal, alert and emergency states. An IEEE 14-bus system is considered to demonstrate the results of the methodology.
Receptor occupancy and channel-opening kinetics: a study of GLUR1 L497Y AMPA receptor.

AMPA glutamate ion channels are tetrameric receptors in which activation to form the open channel depends on the binding of possibly multiple glutamate molecules. However, it is unclear whether AMPA receptors bound with a different number of glutamate molecules (i.e. one being the minimal and four being the maximal number of glutamate molecules) open the channels with different kinetic constants. Using a laser pulse photolysis technique that provides microsecond time resolution, we investigated the channel-opening kinetic mechanism of a nondesensitizing AMPA receptor, i.e. GluR1Qflip L497Y or a leucine-to-tyrosine substitution mutant, in the entire range of glutamate concentrations to ensure receptor saturation. We found that the minimal number of glutamate molecules required to bind to the receptor and to open the channel is two (or n = 2), and that the entire channel-opening kinetics can be adequately described by just one channel-opening rate constant, kop, which correlates to n = 2. This result suggests that higher receptor occupancy (n = 3 and 4) does not give rise to different kop values or, at least, not appreciably if the kop values are different. Furthermore, compared with the wild-type receptor (Li, G., and Niu, L. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 3990-3997), the channel-opening and channel-closing rate constants of the mutant are 1.5- and 13-fold smaller, respectively. Thus, the major effect of this mutation is to decrease the channel-closing rate constant by stabilizing the open channel conformation.
Reliability analysis of sediment control steel dams

This study presents a reliability analysis method for sediment control steel dams under rock impact loading. Because of the ability to develop significant postelastic deformations prior to failure, sediment control steel dams are analyzed by the incremental elastoplastic approach. The proposed method takes into account the axial-bending-torsional interaction as well as all uncertainties associated with the loading, including impact location, impact angle, rock mass, and rock velocity. Limit states consist of both excessive elastoplastic displacements and excessive plastic deformations. A three-dimensional steel framework under random rock impact loading is used to illustrate the proposed reliability analysis method.
Isolation of phosphorylated acid chloroform/methanol-soluble proteins from live frog muscle

Abstract About 6–7% of the total proteins from trichloroacetic acid-washed and freeze-dried frog muscle could be extracted with acid chloroform/methanol. Three of these proteins were found to be phosphorylated in the live frog. They were purified to apparent homogeneity by gel chromatography and preparative gel electrophoresis. The apparent molecular weights, determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, were 34 000, 19 000 and 10 000. Each phosphorylated protein contained 3 mol of a covalently bound neutral sugar but they did not contain any tightly bound lipids. All three proteins incorporated 32 P into serine phosphate. The 10 000 dalton protein, which had the highest specific radioactivity contained an unusually high proportion of serine, 14% of the total amino acids. It also did not stain with Coomassie Blue.
Investigating the ADP-ribosyltransferase Activity of Sirtuins with NAD Analogues and 32P-NAD†

Protein ADP-ribosyltransferases catalyze the transfer of adenosine diphosphate ribose (ADP-ribose) from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) onto specific target proteins. Sirtuins, a class of enzymes with NAD-dependent deacetylase activity, have been reported to possess ADP-ribosyltransferase activity, too. Here we used NAD analogues and 32P-NAD to study the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of several different sirtuins, including yeast Sir2, human SirT1, mouse SirT4, and mouse SirT6. The results showed that an alkyne-tagged NAD is the substrate for deacetylation reactions but cannot detect the ADP-ribosylation activity. Furthermore, comparing with a bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferase diphtheria toxin, the observed rate constant of sirtuin-dependent ADP-ribosylation is >5000-fold lower. Compared with the kcat/Km values of the deacetylation activity of sirtuins, the observed rate constant of sirtuin-dependent ADP-ribosyltion is ∼500 times weaker. The weak ADP-ribosylation events can be explained by both e...
Failure of prostaglandins, prostaglandin metabolites and arachidonic acid to elicit chemotaxis of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

SUMMARY This paper reports chemotactic studies on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes using prostaglandins, prostaglandin precursors and prostaglandin metabolites in vitro. Chemotaxis could not be demonstrated when arachidonic acid, prostaglandins D2, E, E2, F2α, and the prostaglandin metabolites 15 keto E2, 15 keto F2α were incubated with polymorphonuclear leukocytes using the Boyden millipore technique.
Segmentation for better rendering of mixed-content pages

We describe a segmentation-based object map correction algorithm, which can be integrated in a new imaging pipeline for laser electrophotographic (EP) printers. This new imaging pipeline incorporates the idea of object-oriented halftoning, which applies different halftone screens to different regions of the page, to improve the overall print quality. In particular, smooth areas are halftoned with a low-frequency screen to provide more stable printing; whereas detail areas are halftoned with a high-frequency screen, since this will better reproduce the object detail. In this case, the object detail also serves to mask any print defects that arise from the use of a high frequency screen. These regions are defined by the initial object map, which is translated from the page description language (PDL). However, the information of object type obtained from the PDL may be incorrect. Some smooth areas may be labeled as raster causing them to be halftoned with a high frequency screen, rather than being labeled as vector, which would result in them being rendered with a low frequency screen. To correct the misclassification, we propose an object map correction algorithm that combines information from the incorrect object map with information obtained by segmentation of the continuous-tone RGB rasterized page image. Finally, the rendered image can be halftoned by the object-oriented halftoning approach, based on the corrected object map. Preliminary experimental results indicate the benefits of our algorithm combined with the new imaging pipeline, in terms of correction of misclassification errors.
A Preliminary Study of Cigarette Smoking in Female Orofacial Pain Patients

The relationship between behavior (eg, diet, exercise, substance use) and the functioning of chronic-pain patients, including orofacial-pain patients, is poorly understood. This preliminary study examined cigarette smoking and both pain-related and psychological functioning in female orofacial-pain patients. Correlates of intentions to quit smoking were also explored. There were 48 participants in this cross-sectional study. Smokers reported significantly less self-control over pain (d = .66), lower general activity levels (d = .52), more fatigue (d = .80), and poorer sleep quality (d = .53) than non-smokers. The mean effect size for all dependent variables was .49 (range, .33-.80) with the smallest and largest effect found for negative mood and fatigue, respectively. More positive attitudes toward smoking cessation independently predicted stronger intentions to quit (β = .52, p = .03). Findings suggest smoking is significantly associated with pain-related and psychological functioning in female orofacial-pain patients. Smoking-cessation treatment for these patients should include motivational interviewing techniques directed toward attitudinal change.
Metabolism of primed, constant infusions of [1,2-13C2] glycine and [1-13C1] phenylalanine to urinary oxalate

Experiments in humans and rodents using oral doses of glycine and phenylalanine have suggested that the metabolism of these amino acids contributes to urinary oxalate excretion. To better define this contribution, we have examined the primed, constant infusion of [1-(13)C(1)] phenylalanine and [1,2-(13)C(2)] glycine in the postabsorptive state in healthy adults. Subjects were infused for 5 hours, hourly urines were collected, and blood was drawn every 30 minutes. Ion chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to measure [(13)C] enrichment in urinary oxalate, glycolate, and hippurate; and the enrichment of (13)C-amino acids in plasma samples was measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Following infusion with either 6 μmol/(kg h) [1-(13)C(1)] phenylalanine or 6 μmol/(kg h) [1,2-(13)C(2)] glycine, no isotopic glycolate or oxalate was detected in urine. Based on the limits of detection of our ion chromatography/mass spectroscopy method, these data indicate that less than 0.7% of the urinary oxalate could be derived from phenylalanine catabolism and less than 5% from glycine catabolism. Infusions with high levels of [1,2-(13)C(2)] glycine, 60 μmol/(kg h), increased mean plasma glycine by 29% and the whole-body flux of glycine by 72%. Under these conditions, glycine contributed 16.0% ± 1.6% and 16.6% ± 3.2% to urinary oxalate and glycolate excretion, respectively. Experiments using cultured hepatoma cells demonstrated that only at supraphysiological levels (>1 mmol/L) did glycine and phenylalanine metabolism increase oxalate synthesis. These data suggest that glycine and phenylalanine metabolism make only minor contributions to oxalate synthesis and urinary oxalate excretion.
Photoelectrochemical studies of semiconducting photoanodes for hydrogen production via water dissociation

Single crystals of various n-type semiconducting oxides have been investigated in order to better understand the relationship between their photoelectrochemical behavior and their optical properties. The single crystals used in this study were all n-type and consisted of: KTaO_3, BaTiO_3, SrTiO_3, and ZnO. Current density vs applied potential measurements indicated that all of the crystals exhibited diodic properties when in contact with a highly basic electrolyte (8.5 M NaOH at room temperature). The ZnO electrodes, however, exhibited some degradation after exposure to the operational cell environment. Results indicate that the spectral quantum yield of the crystals is related to the penetration depth of the incident light, meaning that electron–hole pairs formed far from the semiconductor–liquid junction are less likely to be collected than those formed near the surface (e.g. inside the depletion regions). Additionally the quantum yield was found to decrease with time. In the case of KTaO_3, the decay of the quantum yield was fit to a double exponential, which suggests that a complicated process is operative for this material. Ongoing research is directed toward understanding the influence of both temperature variations and the surface/electrolyte interface on the effects observed in the case of KTaO_3.
Algorithm 814: Fortran 90 software for floating-point multiple precision arithmetic, gamma and related functions

A collection of Fortran-90 routines for evaluating the gamma function and related functions using the FM multiple-precision arithmetic package.
A preliminary report on the use of hyaluronidase in the treatment of traumatic swellings.

Abstract A brief review of the literature on inflammation and edema is presented. An attempt is made to correlate it with the basic work on hyaluronidase and the ground substance of connective tissue in order to develop a rationale for the use of the enzyme in treating traumatic swellings. Cases are presented which have been treated with hyaluronidase. Cases so treated have in general reacted favorably. The most important results seem to be in the removal of subjective symptoms. Objectively the healing time seems to have been reduced by the treatment.
Fabrication and electroanalytical characterization of label-free DNA sensor based on direct electropolymerization of pyrrole on p-type porous silicon substrates

Label-free DNA sensors based on porous silicon (PS) substrate were fabricated and electrochemically characterized. p-type silicon wafer was electrochemically anodized in an ethanolic hydrofluoric (HF) solution to construct a PS layer on which polypyrrole (PPy) film was directly electropolymerized. To achieve direct electropolymerization of PPy on PS substrate without pre-deposition of any metallic thin-film underlayer, a low resistivity wafer (0.01–0.02 Ω cm) was used. The rough surface of the PS layer allowed for a strong adsorption of the PPy film. Intrinsic negative charge of the DNA backbone was exploited to electrostatically adsorb 26 base pairs of probe DNA (pDNA) into the PPy film by applying positive bias. The pDNA was designed to hybridize with the target DNA (tDNA) which is the insertion element (Iel) gene of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. Dependence of peak current (ip) around 0.2 V vs Ag/AgCl on tDNA concentration and incubation time were shown from the cyclic voltammograms of PS/PPy + pDNA + tDNA substrates in a 0.01 M potassium perchlorate solution. Plot of ip vs incubation time showed a reduction in current density (J) by ca. 29 μA cm−2 every hour. Sensitivity obtained from a plot of ip vs tDNA concentration was −166.6 μA cm−2 μM−1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of the cross-section of a PS/PPy + pDNA + tDNA multilayered film showed successful direct electropolymerization of PPy for a nano-PS DNA biosensor.
Profile study of a graded epitaxial stack and its impact on high performance bipolar devices

Advanced MOSAIC V technology uses a graded epitaxial stack of 0-9μm n epitaxial layer grown on an n + buried layer which has been implanted into an inirinsic epitaxial layer. A study of the intrinsic epitaxial layer profile is critical for reducing the collector substrate (Ccs) capacitance which adversely affects the ECL gate delay. The importance of the intrinsic epitaxial layer profile for the performance of trench isolated high performance ASIC bipolar transistors is considered.
Partial normalization of components of metabolic syndrome does not influence prevalent echocardiographic abnormalities: The HyperGEN study

Abstract Background and aims Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex condition characterized by different phenotypes, according to the combinations of risk factors and is associated with cardiovascular abnormalities. Whether control of MetS components by treatment produces improvement in the associated cardiovascular abnormalities is unknown. We investigated whether partial control of components of MetS was associated with less echocardiographic abnormalities than the complete presentation of MetS based on measured components. Methods and results We evaluated markers of echocardiographic preclinical cardiovascular disease in MetS (ATP III) defined by measured components or by history of treatment, in 1421 African-American and 1195 Caucasian non-diabetic HyperGEN participants, without prevalent cardiovascular disease or serum creatinine >2 mg/dL. Of 2616 subjects, 512 subjects had MetS by measured components and 328 by history. Hypertension was found in 16% of participants without MetS, 6% of those with MetS by history and 42% of those with MetS by measured components. Obesity and central fat distribution had similar prevalence in both MetS groups (both p p p Conclusions There is a little impact of control by treatment of single components of MetS (namely hypertension) on echocardiographic abnormalities. Lower blood pressure in participants with MetS by history was not associated with substantially reduced alterations in cardiac geometry and function.
Effect of charge patterns along a solid-state nanopore on polyelectrolyte translocation

We investigate the effectiveness of charge patterns along a nanopore on translocation dynamics of a flexible polyelectrolyte. We perform a three dimensional Langevin dynamics simulation of a uniformly charged flexible polyelectrolyte translocating under uniform external electric field through a solid-state nanopore. We maintain the total charge along the pore to be constant, while varying its distribution by placing alternate charged and uncharged sections of different lengths along the pore length. Longest average translocation time is observed for a pattern corresponding to an optimum section length, with a major delay in the translocation time during the pore ejection stage. This optimum section length is independent of lengths of polyelectrolyte and pore within the range studied. A theory based on the Fokker-Planck formalism is found to successfully describe the observed trends with reasonable quantitative agreement.
Difference in the Behaviour of Eu- and Hetero-chromatin: Crossing-over

THE recombination map-length (0.04 per cent) for the heterochromatin of the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster is far less than would be anticipated from its mitotic bulk (half the chromosome at metaphase) and considerably less than would be estimated from its polytene-length (17 bands of 1,024)1. An exchange frequency comparable to the euchromatic average for the 66 map units of the X chromosome should result in a heterochromatic map-length of at least 1.6 per cent and possibly as high as 33 per cent, depending on which cytological measurement more closely approximates the actual physical length of X heterochromatin. In order to decide whether this low frequency of crossing-over reflects, a basic difference in the exchange behaviour of eu- and hetero-chromatin rather than an over-estimate of the physical length of X heterochromatin, use was made of the ability of autosomal inversions to increase crossing over on the X chromosome, the interchromosomal effect on recombination.
The Utility of Spatial and Temporal Organization in Digital Library Construction.

Abstract Full realization of the digital library concept includes the potential of infinite, integrated growth in materials, genres, and formats. The universal parameters of space (geographical location) and time can be used to augment conventional item description and provide general means to integrate disparate materials, subject matter, and non-textual formats.
A security policy language for wireless sensor networks

Authenticated computer system users are only authorized to access certain data within the system. In the future, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) will need to restrict access to data as well. To date, WSN security has largely been based on encryption and authentication schemes. The WSN Authorization Specification Language (WASL) is a mechanism-independent composable WSN policy language that can specify arbitrary and composable security policies that are able to span and integrate multiple WSN policies. Using WASL, a multi-level security policy for a 1000 node network requires only 60bytes of memory per node.
Multiresidue Analysis of Nine Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Serum

A rapid procedure was developed for the determination of nine anticoagulant rodenticides in animal serum by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence and photodiode array detector (DAD). The anticoagulants coumafuryl, pindone, warfarin, coumachlor, diphacinone, chlorphacinone, bromadialone, brodifacoum, and difethialone were extracted and quantitated simultaneously with this method. Anticoagulants were extracted at pH 5.5 with 5% (v/v) ethanol in ethyl acetate and 1% (w/v) trichloroacetic acid. Sample extracts were subjected to a cleanup on a Florisil solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. Separation was performed with a reversed phase amine-deactivated C18 column with a gradient of phosphate buffer, acetonitrile, and methanol. The eluent was monitored with the fluorescence detection at an excitation wavelength of 310 nm and an emission wavelength of 390 nm, and the photodiode array detection was set to 325 nm. Recoveries from spiked serum samples at ranges of 0.004−1 ppm were betwee...
Distribution of actin in developing outer hair cells in the gerbil

During the two weeks following the onset of cochlear function in the gerbil, active cochlear processes appear to mature. The active cochlear processes likely involve outer hair cells with their specialized lateral wall structures, including the subsurface cisternae and associated cytoskeletal elements. We have previously demonstrated that the subsurface cisternae mature gradually during the time that active cochlear processes mature in the gerbil. In the study reported here, we used postembedding immunocytochemical electron microscopy to investigate whether actin labelling associated with the cortical cytoskeleton of the gerbil outer hair cell increased concomitantly. In contrast to the gradual development of the subsurface cisternae, actin labelling in the region of the cortical cytoskeleton significantly increased during the onset of cochlear function and maintained this level during the time that active cochlear processes mature. Thus, it appears that increased actin adjacent to the lateral plasma membrane of the outer hair cell is related to the onset of cochlear function rather than to the maturation of active cochlear processes.
Statistical mechanics of soft-boson phase transitions.

The existence of structure on large (100 Mpc) scales, and limits to anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR), have imperiled models of structure formation based solely upon the standard cold dark matter scenario. Novel scenarios, which may be compatible with large scale structure and small CMBR anisotropies, invoke nonlinear fluctuations in the density appearing after recombination, accomplished via the use of late time phase transitions involving ultralow mass scalar bosons. Herein, the statistical mechanics are studied of such phase transitions in several models involving naturally ultralow mass pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons (pNGB's). These models can exhibit several interesting effects at high temperature, which is believed to be the most general possibilities for pNGB's.
More Evidence in Favor of Three-Option Multiple-Choice Tests

Students from two consecutive semesters were given multiple-choice tests over five units of an undergraduate course in psychology. During the first semester, students were given five 50-question 4-option multiple-choice tests, and during the second semester students were given five 50-question 3-option multiple-choice tests. One-hundred and forty-four (57.6%) of the questions were identical between semesters except for second semester test items having only 3 options. Results indicate that students performed significantly better on 3-option items than on 4-option items (corrected for chance guessing), and that this improvement may be due to improved validity of the test items.
Automated Quantification of Muscle and Fat in the Thigh from Water-, Fat- and Non-suppressed MR Images

A key parameter in metabolic and pathologic studies is the estimation of body tissue distribution. This is a laborious and operator-dependent process. In this work we introduce an unsupervised muscle and fat quantification algorithm based on water only, fat only and water-and-fat MRI images of the mid-thigh area. We first use parametric deformable models to segment the subcutaneous fat and then apply centroid clustering in the feature domain defined by the voxel intensities in water only and fat only images to detect the inter-muscular fat, muscle and bone. This tissue decomposition permits the computation of volumetric and area measures of fat and muscle. We tested the proposed method on 9 participants and validated these measures against values obtained from a semi-manual clinician-driven analysis of single-slice mid-thigh CT images of the same participants. Our approach was found to be statistically consistent with the semi-manual reference method, and was able to address inter-participant anatomic variability and intensity in homogeneity effects.
Formation of 1-[123I]iodobutane in labeling [123I]iomazenil by iododestannylation: Implications for the reaction mechanism

Abstract The benzodiazepine receptor tracer [ 123 I]iomazenil (Ro 16-0154, IMZ) can be prepared in close to theoretical specific activity by the reaction of its tributyltin precursor (IMZ-SnBu 3 ) with [ 123 I]NaI in the presence of Iodogen. However, the labeling reaction is associated with variably high amounts of a volatile 123 I byproduct. The purpose of these experiments was to characterize the volatile byproduct and to examine the effect on the course of the reaction of the following variables: solvent (MeOH, EtOH, HOAc, H 2 O), pH (2–7), oxidizing agent (chloramine-T, Iodogen, AcO 2 H), reaction temperature (22–128°C) and structure of ArSnR 3 . The order of reactivity of oxidizing agents, at 22°C for 30 min, was chloramine-T > Iodogen > AcO 2 H. Raising the pH above 5.8 reduced the labeling, whereas raising the temperature increased the yield up to a maximum at 120° (90%); at higher temperatures, decomposition occurred. The best conditions were 50 μg precursor, 50 μL 0.02 M chloramine-T; in aqueous HOAc (pH 3.3) at 120° for 30 min. Variable amounts of volatile byproduct were observed for chloramine-T at different temperatures (2–21%) and for the three oxidizing agents at room temperature (3–22%). By contrast, the Bu 3 Sn derivatives of IBF, epidepride, β-CIT and the Me 3 Sn derivative of β-CIT gave high labeling yields with peracetic acid at room temperature, and ⩽2% volatile radioactivity. The volatile byproduct from the [ 123 I]IMZ preparations was identified as 1-[ 123 I]iodobutane by its trapping characteristics and by its retention time in two different HPLC systems. Volatile activity was not generated in the absence of Bu 3 Sn precursor and was not due to the presence of impurities in the tributylstannyl precursor.
Increased plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in lung and breast cancer are altered during chest radiotherapy.

Abstract Purpose Does the release of plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) by radiation-activated airway epithelial cells and infiltrating inflammatory cells play a role in the radiation damage or repair process in the lungs? We evaluated lung damage by ionizing radiation using plasma levels of MMP-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), and MMP-3 as biologic markers of tissue damage, and also their relationship to changes in pulmonary epithelial permeability, clinical signs and symptoms, and lung structural changes. Methods and materials Seven serial studies were conducted in each of 8 patients undergoing chest radiotherapy (RT) for lung or breast cancer, beginning before the first treatment (baseline) and then biweekly to ∼100 days during and after RT. Chest radiographs were monitored for each patient. Sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA) were used to measure plasma MMP-3, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels. Lung permeability was evaluated by measuring the rate of epithelial clearance of ∼150 μCi (∼5.6 MBq) inhaled 99m Tc diethylenetriamine pentaacetate aerosol (DTPA). Results Lung and breast cancer resulted in very high plasma levels of MMP-9 (126–893 ng/mL) and TIMP-1 (496–8,985 ng/mL) in all subjects studied before initiation of RT. This compares with plasma MMP-9 and TIMP-1 values in healthy volunteers of 29 ± 11 ng/mL and 436 ± 86 ng/mL, respectively. RT was followed by a sharp decrease in plasma MMP-9 within the first 2 weeks, but without a corresponding change in TIMP-1. In contrast, plasma MMP-3 levels, which are generally increased with inflammation, were elevated in only 1 of 5 subjects. Conclusion Lung and breast cancer are associated with high plasma levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. These high baseline plasma levels of MMP-9 were reduced in the first 2 weeks of RT in 7 of 8 subjects, and TIMP-1 plasma levels remained high in all subjects. The decrease in plasma MMP-9 after initiation of chest RT appears to reflect a suppressive effect on cancer-induced cellular responses rather than a primary role for MMP-9 in radiation-induced lung damage. Likewise, the lack of a rise in plasma MMP-3 levels does not support a role for MMP-3 in tissue injury or repair in the lung. It remains to be determined whether plasma MMP-9 measurements will serve as a useful parameter in predicting cancer relapse.
Mood Symptoms and Emotional Responsiveness to Threat in School-aged Children

Clinical accounts of depression underscore its relation to negative emotional experiences; yet few empirical studies examine emotional experiences in adults with depression, with even less work on depression and emotion in children. Using a nonclinical sample of school-aged children (n = 89) ages 8 to 12, this study evaluated whether greater mood symptoms were associated with more or less intense emotional reactions (measured via psychophysiology, subjective report, and behavior) in response to a threat paradigm. Results indicated that greater negative mood symptoms were associated with larger startle magnitude responses during threat, increased self-reports of negative emotion, and greater likelihood of crying and stopping the paradigm prematurely.