cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbial community transcriptional patterns vary in response to mesoscale forcing in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

The physical and biological dynamics that influence phytoplankton communities in the oligotrophic ocean are complex, changing across broad temporal and spatial scales. Eukaryotic phytoplankton (e.g., diatoms), despite their relatively low abundance in oligotrophic waters, are responsible for a large component of the organic matter flux to the ocean interior. Mesoscale eddies can impact both microbial community structure and function, enhancing primary production and carbon export, but the mechanisms that underpin these dynamics are still poorly understood. Here, mesoscale eddy influences on the taxonomic diversity and expressed functional profiles of surface communities of microeukaryotes and particle-associated heterotrophic bacteria from the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre were assessed over 2 years (spring 2016 and summer 2017). The taxonomic diversity of the microeukaryotes significantly differed by eddy polarity (cyclonic versus anticyclonic) and between sampling seasons/years and was significantly correlated with the taxonomic diversity of particle-associated heterotrophic bacteria. The expressed functional profile of these taxonomically distinct microeukaryotes varied consistently as a function of eddy polarity, with cyclones having a different expression pattern than anticyclones, and between sampling seasons/years. These data suggest that mesoscale forcing, and associated changes in biogeochemistry, could drive specific physiological responses in the resident microeukaryote community, independent of species composition.
Doctor–patient relationships are a perceived barrier to chiropractic use by non-Hispanic Black Americans

Despite decades of targeted effort, the disparity in access to and utilization of health care remains high in minority populations. Not excluded is the field of chiropractic, where there is an ongoing effort to increase both non-Hispanic black (NHB) practitioners and patients in the United States. In this study, we sought to identify which barriers prevent NHB access to chiropractic care. We utilized Qualtrics© (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) and MTurk© (Amazon Mechanical Turk, Inc.) to administer an online survey to 3814 U.S. respondents. Among non-Hispanic blacks, and compared with whites, participants were more likely to consider chiropractic care if the doctor shares their racial identity (37.6% vs. 17.1%) or if referred by a family member or friend (83.1% vs. 72.2%). NHB respondents were more likely to report barriers such as communication, transportation, or not being understood by their care provider compared with their white counterparts. Interestingly, there were no significant differences between NHB and white respondents on cost-related barriers (e.g., too expensive, insurance does not cover chiropractic). These findings highlight a need for increasing the number of practicing NHB chiropractors, through improved minority recruitment to chiropractic colleges. Further, chiropractor-driven community outreach may also begin to address the disparities in access to care for the non-Hispanic black population.
The Space in the Middle: Attitudes of Women's Health and Neonatal Nurses in the United States about Abortion.

Abstract Introduction Despite playing an integral part in sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care, nurses are rarely the focus of research regarding their attitudes about abortion. Methods A sample of 1,820 nurse members of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses were surveyed about their demographic and professional backgrounds, religious beliefs, and abortion attitudes. Scores on the Abortion Attitudes Scale were analyzed categorically and trichotomized in multinomial regression analyses. Results Almost one-third of the sample (32%) had moderately proabortion attitudes, 29% were unsure, 16% had strongly proabortion attitudes, 13% had strongly antiabortion attitudes, and 11% had moderately antiabortion attitudes. Using trichotomized Abortion Attitudes Scale scores (proabortion, unsure, antiabortion), adjusted regression models showed that the following characteristics were associated with proabortion attitudes: being non-Christian, residence in the North or West, having no children, and having had an abortion. Conclusions Understanding nurses’ attitudes toward abortion, and what characteristics may influence their attitudes, is critical to sustaining nursing care for patients considering and seeking abortion. Additionally, because personal characteristics were associated with antiabortion attitudes, it is likely that personal experiences may influence attitudes toward abortion. A large percentage of nurses held attitudes that placed them in the “unsure” category. Given the current ubiquitous polarization of abortion discourse, this finding indicates that the binary narrative of this topic is less pervasive than expected, which lends itself to an emphasis on empathetic and compassionate nursing care.
Study Abroad in Africa Considered Within the New World Economy

In August 1989, I boarded a flight destined for Kenya and the St. Lawrence University (SLU) semester program based there. I would be one of several hundred American students to study abroad in Kenya that year, and one of 25 with the SLU fall semester program. Having declared a major in anthropology with a geographic focus on Africa, I was looking for an educational experience in the world and a way to connect with something beyond what I had read in books and heard in classrooms. I was excited and nervous; at the relatively tender age of 19, I had high expectations and my fair share of na'ivet&.
Phosphorylated tyrosine in the flagellum filament protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract Purified flagella from two strains of 32P-labeled Pseudomonas aeruginosa were shown to be phosphorylated. This was confirmed by autoradiography of flagellin protein in polyacrylamide gels. Thin-layer electrophoresis and autoradiography of flagellin partial hydrolysates indicated that phosphotyrosine was the major phosphorylated amino acid. High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis confirmed the presence of phosphotyrosine in flagellum filament protein. Preliminary data indicated that less than one tyrosine per subunit was phosphorylated. No evidence was found for phosphorylation of serine or threonine. A function related to tyrosine phosphorylation has not been determined.
The Structure of Issue Voting in Postindustrial Democracies

Issues matter for elections. The issue environment, however, varies across political campaigns as well as across countries. How does the issue environment structure the vote? Is the issue space single- or multidimensional? Do issues vary in terms of salience across parties or nations? This article addresses these questions using an original dataset of mass and elite policy positions covering the United States and nine other industrialized nations. Results show that while the traditional language of politics—expressed as the left/right divide—still resonates, the issue space is not single dimensional but two dimensional. Issues associated with globalization represent a crosscutting divide, which complicates the voter's decision. Further, the salience of an issue to a party varies as a function of the party's type, size, and age. This article shows how a cross-national approach provides perspective on how voter decision making operates in different country contexts.
Using comparisons of alternate strategies to promote discourse in mathematics classrooms

Current mathematics reform calls for greater communication of mathematical thinking in which students share their thinking and ideas with their teachers as well as with their peers in the community. In order to create an environment where mathematical ideas are shared and discussed, teachers are asked to elicit and invite different methods and ideas from students. In addition a key idea in mathematics reform is the need to support discourse in mathematics classrooms. In this paper I examine how comparisons of students' solutions to mathematical tasks were used to foster mathematically significant discourse. Data for this comes from one second-grade classroom in which instruction was based on a reform-based curriculum. I examine how comparisons of students' representations to mathematical problems were used to form discourse patterns and changes in its use over time. I also examine strategies that the teacher used to facilitate the discourse around comparisons.
The problems of monitoring response to chemotherapy in subcutaneously implanted 9L glioma using apparent diffusion coefficient of water and 23Na magnetic resonance imaging

B76 Measurements of parameters such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water and tissue Na + by magnetic resonance (MR) techniques have been suggested as noninvasive methods for predicting and/or monitoring response to therapy (1, 2). We and others have found that effective chemotherapy of subcutaneously (sc) implanted Radiation Induced Fibrosarcome (RIF-1) in mice with cyclophosphamide (1) and 5-fluorouracil (3), as well as, chemotherapy of intracranial 9L glioma in rats with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) (1) correlate with increases in both total tumor tissue 23 Na signal intensity (SI) and water ADC in the first 3-5 post-treatment days. The most frequently cited hypothesis explaining an increase in tumor water ADC and 23 Na SI following therapy is that tumor cell death by apoptosis or necrosis invoke a net increase in extracellular space (ECS), an environment of assumed fast-diffusing water and high [Na + ] (1, 4). However, this clarification does not explain our results of BCNU treatment of sc-implanted 9L glioma. We have found that in sc-implanted 9L glioma 23 Na SI and water ADC significantly increase with growth in untreated control and non-responsive glioma, while in BCNU-responsive glioma both 23 Na SI and water ADC were almost unchanged (5). It appears the increase in water ADC and 23 Na SI after chemotherapy is not general phenomena resulting from an increase in ECS. Furthermore, in sc-implanted 9L glioma, Winter et al. (6) did not find any changes in the relative ECS, explaining the lower [Na + ] t in BCNU-treated tumors by improvement of tumor oxygenation and perfusion. We hypothesized that the different results in sc-implanted and intracranial glioma could be caused by location of tumors. However, Schepkin et al. recently reported the increase in water ADC and 23 Na SI in sc-implanted 9L glioma treated by BNCU (7). We assumed that the source of cell culture can play a role in different effects of BCNU. In our study, we used 9L cells from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), while others (1, 7) used 9L cells from Brain Tumor Research Center, UCSF. Our preliminary results show a one week delay in the sc-growth of 9L glioma from ATCC compared to the tumor growth initiated by cells from UCSF. Additional estimation should be done to evaluate the possible role of type of anesthesia and tumor size in efficiency of BCNU treatment in experimental 9L glioma.References: (1) Schepkin et al. MRM, 53: 85-92, 2005; (2) Babsky et al. Neoplasia, 7: 658-66, 2005; (3) Babsky et al. ISMRM, p.1767, 2006; (4) Ross et al. Eur J Cancer, 38: 2147-56, 2002; (5) Babsky et al. JMRI, 24: 132-9, 2006; (6) Winter et al. Cancer Res 61: 2002-7, 2001; (7) Schepkin et al. MRI, 24: 273-8, 2006.
A Framework for Vision's Bag of Tricks

Why We See What We Do An Empirical Theory of Vision. Dale Purves and R. Beau Lotto. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, 2003. 272 pp. Paper, $42.95. ISBN 0-87893-752-8. The authors marshal a broad range of evidence to support their conclusion that "what humans actually see is a reflexive manifestation of past rather than a logical analysis of the present."
A Distributed Decision-Support System for Virtual Prototyping

Virtual Prototyping (VP) is a data-driven design process that promotes both knowledge reuse and innovation. High-profile applications in the automotive and aerospace industries have demonstrated its potential to significantly reduce prototype cycles, time to market, and total product cost. This paper addresses VP as a specialized application of Decision-Support Systems, and discusses common requirements for engineering design tools, as well as requirements specific to the design of electronic products, such as mobile phones. Motorola Labs' test bed for VP is introduced in terms of its open, agent-based architecture utilizing Java CORBA. One of the key principles of the VP System is the reuse of expert knowledge across multiple engineering domains. This is highlighted via several use cases, showing that the system can function not only as an Intranet-accessible repository of model services but also as an integral part of decision-making within the native CAD environment.
Spectral dilation of L(B,H)-valued measures and its application to stationary dilation for Banach space valued processes

Let B be a Banach space and H and K two Hilbert spaces. The spectral dilation of L(B,H)-valued measures is studied and it is shown that the recent results of Makagon and Salehi (1986) and Rosenberg (1982) on the dilation of L(K,H)-valued measures can be extended to hold for the general Banach space setting of L(B,H)-valued measures. These L(B,H)-valued measures are closely connected to the Banach space valued processes. This connection is recalled and as application of spectral dilation of L(B,H)-valued measures the well known stationary dilation results for scalar valued processes is extended to the case of Banach space valued processes.
'Next' and Michael Crichton's Five-Step Program for Biotechnology Law Reform

Like Mary Shelley’s classic tale of science gone astray, Frankenstein, Michael Crichton’s latest techno-thriller, Next, portrays the harm that can occur when science collides with Nature. In Crichton’s novel, however, the villain is not a lone scientist who seeks to master the secrets of life, but the entire biotechnology industry. Here, avaricious companies, universities, and venture capitalists create increasingly bizarre genetic variants for profit and pervert the legal system to their own ends in the process. The reader confronts new plot twists supporting this dire message at every turn, and is ultimately subjected to a “nonfiction” postscript, in which Crichton sets forth five policy recommendations that, if implemented, would presumably prevent the depredations described in the novel. They are: (1) Stop patenting genes, (2) Establish clear guidelines for the use of human tissues, (3) Pass laws to ensure that data about gene testing is made public, (4) Avoid bans on research, and (5) Rescind the Bayh-Dole Act. While some of these recommendations echo the views of mainstream legal scholars, others are either too vague or too broad to provide useful guidance to policy makers. But whatever their merits, Crichton’s use of the farfetched scenarios in his novel to support these policy recommendations both undercuts the force of otherwise reasonable arguments and, more insidiously, overstates (or misstates) the actual threats that his recommendations seek to address.
Ross Ice Shelf in situ radio-frequency ice attenuation

We have measured the in situ average electric field attenuation length for radio-frequency signals broadcast vertically through the Ross Ice Shelf. We chose a location, Moore Embayment, south of Minna Bluff, known for its high reflectivity at the ice-sea interface. We confirmed specular reflection and used the return pulses to measure the average attenuation length from 75-1250 MHz over the round-trip distance of 1155 m. We find the average electric field attenuation length to vary from 500 m at 75 MHz to 300 m at 1250 MHz, with an experimental uncertainty of 55 to 15 m. We discuss the implications for neutrino telescopes that use the radio technique and include the Ross Ice Shelf as part of their sensitive volume.
Differential Sensitivity of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells and Microglia to Methotrexate in Grey Versus White Matter (P7.011)

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesize that oligodendroglial progenitor cell (OPC) dysfunction is responsible for neurocognitive deficits that many children experience following chemotherapy exposure. BACKGROUND: Cancer chemotherapy improves and saves lives but frequently causes debilitating neurocognitive consequences, including attention and concentration, particularly in children and when it is directed at the brain. DESIGN/METHODS: Human pediatric autopsy cases of chemotherapy exposure were age-matched to controls. Frontal lobe samples were formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded, stained using immunohistochemistry, and analyzed using light microscopy. CD-1 mice were administered methotrexate (MTX) at “standard” (50 mg/kg) or “high” (150 mg/kg) dosages; EdU was injected concurrently. Animals were perfused at acute, subacute and chronic time points following MTX administration. Immunofluorescence was performed, and cells quantified under confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Frontal lobes of human patients exposed to chemotherapy compared to age-matched controls demonstrated a three-fold decrease in OPC lineage (Olig2+), site-specific to the grey-white junction, with relative sparing in the grey matter. In mice, the “standard” dose MTX demonstrated a selective depletion of non-dividing OPCs (PDGFRa+/EdU-) at acute and chronic time points in the corpus callosum (CC); frontal lobe deep cortical grey matter (fGM) was preserved. In the CC, OPC lineage cells decreased two-fold acutely, and dividing OPC lineage cells increased three-fold subacutely. With “high” dosage MTX, the CC demonstrated a 25% depletion of OPCs acutely, and a 25% depletion of dividing OPCs (PDGFRa+/EdU+) subacutely; the frontal fGM was spared. We observed a two-fold increase in activated microglia (CD68+/Iba1+) subacutely in the CC, and a more robust (3-fold) and earlier increase in the fGM. CONCLUSIONS: This research demonstrates a differential response of both OPCs and microglia in grey versus white matter to methotrexate. A proliferation of OPC lineage cells subacutely suggests a compensatory response to the acute depletion of OPCs. The heightened microglial response to MTX in the more resistant fGM may suggest a possible neuroprotective role. Study Supported by: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine; Stanford MedScholars Disclosure: Dr. Wood has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vogel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Monje has nothing to disclose.
Identifying The Best Compromises Between Multiple Performance Measures In Injection Molding (IM) Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)

Injection molding (IM) is considered to be one of the most important mass production processes for plastic products. A substantial amount of research has been directed towards finding settings for the IM process variables as well as the optimal location of the injection gates. These objectives have been mostly approached through the optimization of performance measures (PMs) as functions of the process' variables. Several times, however, these process design and part or tooling design objectives have been addressed independently, rather than in an integrated fashion. The use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) has played a pivotal role in trying to achieve these objectives. The aim of this work is to demonstrate a method based on CAE, statistical testing, artificial neural networks (ANNs), and data envelopment analysis (DEA) to find the optimal compromises between multiple PMs to prescribe the settings of IM process variables and the location of the injection gate. A case study involving the production of a generic part with cut-outs similar to window frames is presented for this purpose. The PMs in this case include the part flatness, the maximum injection pressure, and the time the molded part takes to solidify. Our results demonstrate why this optimization project could have not been properly carried out by taking each performance measure independently.
The outcome of trauma patients with do-not-resuscitate orders.

Abstract Background Institutional variation in outcome of patients with do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders has not been well described in the setting of trauma. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of trauma center designation on outcome of patients with DNR orders. Materials and methods A statewide trauma database (Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study) was used for the analysis. Characteristics of patients with DNR orders were compared between state-designated level 1 and 2 trauma centers. Inhospital mortality and major complication rates were compared using hierarchical logistic regression models that included a random effect for trauma centers. We adjusted for a number of potential confounders and allowed for nonlinearity in injury severity score and age in these models. Results A total of 106,291 patients (14 level 1 and 11 level 2 trauma centers) were identified in the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study database between 2007 and 2011. We included 5953 patients with DNR orders (5.6%). Although more severely injured patients with comorbid disease were made DNR in level 1 trauma centers, trauma center designation level was not a significant factor for inhospital mortality of patients with DNR orders (odds ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.81–2.18; P = 0.26). Level 1 trauma centers were significantly associated with a higher rate of major complications (odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–2.75; P = 0.016). Conclusions Inhospital mortality of patients with DNR orders was not significantly associated with trauma designation level after adjusting for case mix. More aggressive treatment or other unknown factors may have resulted in a significantly higher complication rate at level 1 trauma centers.
Impact of a Telepsychiatry Program at Emergency Departments Statewide on the Quality, Utilization, and Costs of Mental Health Services

Objective:This study estimated the impact of a statewide, centralized telepsychiatry service provided in nonpsychiatric emergency departments (EDs) on use of mental health services.Methods:Individuals treated via telepsychiatry were compared with a matched control group of individuals with mental health diagnoses who were treated in nonparticipating hospitals. Bivariate and two-part and generalized linear regression models were used to assess differences between the two groups in outpatient follow-up, hospital admission following the ED visit, length of hospital stay if admitted, and inpatient and total costs.Results:Between March 2009 and June 2013, there were 9,066 patients with at least one telepsychiatry visit. Of these, 7,261 had index telepsychiatry visits that the authors were able to successfully match. Compared with the matched control group, telepsychiatry recipients were more likely to receive 30-day outpatient follow-up (46% versus 16%, p<.001) and 90-day outpatient follow-up (54% versus 20%, ...
Determination of Serum Myoglobin Level After Death in the Diagnosis of Sudden Coronary Artery Occlusion

Serum myoglobin was determined by radioimmunoassay in 20 cases of sudden and unexpected death resulting from acute coronary occlusion. There was consistent elevation of myoglobin 2 h after death, with peaking at 3 h. No comparable elevation of serum myoglobin level was noted in patients who had succumbed to pulmonary embolism, ruptured aortic aneurysm, or subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage. Thus, determination of serum myoglobin seems useful in confirming or establishing acute coronary occlusion as the cause of sudden and unexpected death.
Valuing the outputs of multifunctional agriculture

Given that agriculture produces a broad array of valuable amenities in addition to commodity outputs, ”green payments” might be a tool for maximizing welfare from the agricultural enterprise. Here, I argue that getting the green prices wrong would entail welfare losses and trade distortions; and that failure to monitor green production would exacerbate trade distortions in the all-too-common case where farmers are choosing between two commodity production technologies, brown and cheap or green and more expensive. So, it is important to get the green prices right and to monitor green production. The valuation task requires making some fine distinctions in terms of amenity type, quality, and accessibility to demanders; and the valuation framework must be consistent as we move from single to multiple amenities and from local to continental spatial scales. The environmental valuation community is able in principle to provide good estimates of WTP for agriculturally-produced amenities, but the valuation task requires an effort on a larger scale than has yet been attempted. Finally, to approach the welfare optimum while minimizing trade distortions will require targeting green prices down to the farm level.
Recent trends in publication of basic science and clinical research by United States investigators in anesthesia journals

Background United States anesthesia research production declined sharply from 1980-2005. Whether this trend has continued despite recent calls to improve output is unknown. We conducted an observational internet analysis to quantify American basic science and clinical anesthesia research output in 14 anesthesia journals with impact factors greater than one at three-year intervals during the past decade.
The Servant Speaks: Joseph's Version of Wuthering Heights

In her Master Servant, Carolyn Steedman relates an astonishing fact: Even though servants account for “40 percent of the population of eighteenth-century England” (14), “they play no role in the ma...
6-2 Fluorotelomer alcohol aerobic biodegradation in soil and mixed bacterial culture

The first studies to explore 6-2 fluorotelomer alcohol [6-2 FTOH, F(CF(2))(6)CH(2)CH(2)OH] aerobic biodegradation are described. Biodegradation yields and metabolite concentrations were determined in mixed bacterial culture (90d) and aerobic soil (180d). 6-2 FTOH primary degradation half-life was less than 2d in both. The overall mass balance in mixed bacterial culture (day 90) was approximately 60%. At day 90, the molar yield was 6% for 6-2 FTA [F(CF(2))(6)CH(2)COOH], 23% for 6-2 FTUA [F(CF(2))(5)CFCHCOOH], 16% for 5-2 sFTOH [F(CF(2))(5)CHOHCH(3)], 6% for 5-3 acid [F(CF(2))(5)CH(2)CH(2)COOH], and 5% for PFHxA [F(CF(2))(5)COOH]. The overall mass balance in aerobic soil was approximately 67% (day 180). At day 180, the major terminal metabolites were PFPeA, [F(CF(2))(4)COOH, 30%], PFHxA (8%), PFBA [F(CF(2))(3)COOH, 2%], and 5-3 acid (15%). A new metabolite 4-3 acid [F(CF(2))(4)CH(2)CH(2)COOH] accounted for 1%, 6-2 FTOH for 3%, and 5-2 sFTOH for 7%. Based on 8-2 FTOH aerobic biodegradation pathways, PFHxA was expected in greatest yield from 6-2 FTOH degradation. However, PFPeA was observed in greatest yield in soil, suggesting a preference for alternate degradation pathways. Selected metabolites were also studied in aerobic soil. 5-3 Acid degraded to only 4-3 acid with a molar yield of 2.3%. 5-2 sFTOH degraded to PFPeA and PFHxA, and 5-2 FT Ketone [F(CF(2))(5)COCH(3)] degraded to 5-2 sFTOH, suggesting that 5-2 sFTOH is the direct precursor to PFPeA and PFHxA. Another new metabolite, 5-3 ketone aldehyde [F(CF(2))(5)COCH(2)CHO] was also identified in mixed bacterial culture. The formation of PFBA, PFPeA, and 4-3 acid indicates that multiple -CF(2)- groups in 6-2 FTOH were removed during microbial biodegradation.
Fixed-priority scheduling to reduce both the dynamic and leakage energy on variable voltage processors

With ever-scaling VLSI technology, the leakage is becoming an increasingly serious concern when addressing the power consumption problem for next-generation real-time embedded systems. Dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) is efficient in reducing the dynamic energy consumption of a CMOS processor. However, methods that employ DVS without considering the leakage current are quickly becoming less effective in reducing the processor's overall energy consumption. To be globally energy-efficient, the processor may have to run at a higher-than-necessary speed, which will cause a large number of idle intervals. While the processor can be shut down during these idle intervals to save energy, this process may incur significant timing and energy overhead. In this paper, we propose a DVS scheduling technique for fixed-priority hard real-time systems that can judiciously merge the short, scattered idle intervals into longer ones to reduce the shut-down overhead. The proposed technique has very low online computation complexity and can be readily incorporated with a variety of DVS scheduling techniques. Experimental results demonstrate that proposed technique can reduce the number of idle intervals and the overall energy consumption significantly more than conventional scheduling techniques.
Characterization and functional restoration of a potassium channel Kir6.2 pore mutation identified in congenital hyperinsulinism.

The inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir6.2 assembles with sulfonylurea receptor 1 to form the ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels that regulate insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells. Mutations in KATP channels underlie insulin secretion disease. Here, we report the characterization of a heterozygous missense Kir6.2 mutation, G156R, identified in congenital hyperinsulinism. Homomeric mutant channels reconstituted in COS cells show similar surface expression as wild-type channels but fail to conduct potassium currents. The mutated glycine is in the pore-lining transmembrane helix of Kir6.2; an equivalent glycine in other potassium channels has been proposed to serve as a hinge to allow helix bending during gating. We found that mutation of an adjacent asparagine, Asn-160, to aspartate, which converts the channel from a weak to a strong inward rectifier, on the G156R background restored ion conduction in the mutant channel. Unlike N160D channels, however, G156R/N160D channels are not blocked by intracellular polyamines at positive membrane potential and exhibit wild-type-like nucleotide sensitivities, suggesting the aspartate introduced at position 160 interacts with arginine at 156 to restore ion conduction and gating. Using tandem Kir6.2 tetramers containing G156R and/or N160D in designated positions, we show that one mutant subunit in the tetramer is insufficient to abolish conductance and that G156R and N160D can interact in the same or adjacent subunits to restore conduction. We conclude that the glycine at 156 is not essential for KATP channel gating and that the Kir6.2 gating defect caused by the G156R mutation could be rescued by manipulating chemical interactions between pore residues.
Neural activity to intense positive versus negative stimuli can help differentiate bipolar disorder from unipolar major depressive disorder in depressed adolescents: A pilot fMRI study

Failure to distinguish bipolar depression (BDd) from the unipolar depression of major depressive disorder (UDd) in adolescents has significant clinical consequences. We aimed to identify differential patterns of functional neural activity in BDd versus UDd and employed two (fearful and happy) facial expression/ gender labeling functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments to study emotion processing in 10 BDd (8 females, mean age=15.1 ± 1.1) compared to age- and gender-matched 10 UDd and 10 healthy control (HC) adolescents who were age- and gender-matched to the BDd group. BDd adolescents, relative to UDd, showed significantly lower activity to both intense happy (e.g., insula and temporal cortex) and intense fearful faces (e.g., frontal precentral cortex). Although the neural regions recruited in each group were not the same, both BDd and UDd adolescents, relative to HC, showed significantly lower neural activity to intense happy and mild happy faces, but elevated neural activity to mild fearful faces. Our results indicated that patterns of neural activity to intense positive and negative emotional stimuli can help differentiate BDd from UDd in adolescents.
The Impact of Victimization and Witnessing Violence on Physical Aggression Among High-Risk Adolescents

Relations among witnessing violence, victimization, and physical aggression were investigated within a high-risk sample of 1,156 sixth graders. Longitudinal, multilevel analyses were conducted on two waves of data from two cohorts of students in 37 schools from four communities. The sample was 65% male and 67% African American. Neighborhood concentrated disadvantage, witnessing violence, victimization, and physical aggression were strongly and positively correlated at the school level. Contrary to hypothesis, exposure to violence did not mediate the effects of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage on changes in physical aggression. As expected, witnessing violence and physical aggression had bidirectional longitudinal effects on each other at the student level. In contrast, there were no cross-variable relations between changes in violent victimization and aggression over time.
Carbamazepine for epilepsy: A controlled prospective evaluation

The efficacy, bioavailability, and tolerance of carbamazepine in epilepsy were evaluated in a prospective, double-blind study. The study was made in 45 institutionalized patients whose seizures were not controlled completely by combinations of currently available an-tiepileptic drugs in adequate dosages as determined by serum concentrations. In this population, carbamazepine was equal in efficacy to phenobarbital or diphenylhydantoin in controlling seizure frequency, and side effects were minimal. Serum concentrations of carbamazepine were measured up to 13.7 rncg per milliliter, with 70 percent of the values ranging from 5 to 10 mcg per milliliter. Individual episodes of transient leukopenia occurred during the 21-day lest period, but a statistically significant incidence of leukopenia was not observed.
Envisioning the Impact of Decisions Made about Early Childhood Professional Development Systems by Different Constituent Groups

In this article the authors explore the need for early childhood practitioners and scholars to engage in joint problem solving to create and support early childhood education and care (ECEC) professional development systems in which all constituents benefit. Primary constituent groups and principal decision-making bodies are defined and analyzed, and the interrelated influences within professional development systems are considered. At the heart of the discussion is how decisions made by all constituent groups are interrelated and affect all parts of the system. For instance, decisions made about professional qualifications have an impact upon pre- and in-service ECEC professionals, current ECEC professionals, children and their families, and individuals within ECEC businesses and communities. Although the discussion in this article is about these issues as they are played out within the USA, the authors believe that the implications raised may be usefully considered by ECEC professionals and those engage...
Apoptosis sensitizers enhance cytotoxicity in hepatoblastoma cells.

Purpose Drug resistance remains a major challenge for the treatment of high-risk hepatoblastoma (HB). To enhance effectiveness of chemotherapy we modulate apoptosis in HB cells in vitro.
Factors in human serum promoting phagocytosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I. Interaction of opsonins with the bacterium.

Factors in normal human serum that are required for opsonophagocytosis and intracellular killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were investigated. IgG natural antibodies, properdin, and the proactivator of the third component of complement were found to be essential to these events. The addition of immune IgG antibodies to the system eliminated the requirement for properdin and the proactivator. These observations suggest that two mechanisms of complement activation can be involved in opsonophagocytosis of P. aeruginosa.
The enthalpy of simple, dense fluid mixtures

Upon using relations suggested by the statistical theory of dense fluids, a method is developed for calculating the enthalpies of simple fluid mixtures at conditions in the neighborhood of the critical. The method is suitable for calculations using an electronic computer and appears to give good results for mixtures of simple nonpolar gases and liquids at low temperatures. En utilisant des relations basees sur la theorie statistique des fluides denses, on a mis au point une methode pour calculer les enthalpies de melanges fluides simples dans des conditions voisines de celles qui sont critiques. La methode convient aux calculs faits avec un calculateur electronique et semble donner de bons resultats dans le cas de melanges de gas simples et non-polaires et de liquides a basses temperatures.
SU‐E‐J‐99: Multi‐Atlas Based Auto‐Segmentation of Low‐Risk Clinical Target Volume (CTV) for Head‐and‐Neck Radiotherapy

Purpose: To develop an auto‐segmentation approach using multiple atlases to improve the quality of target delineation for low‐risk CTV of unilateral tonsil cancers. Methods: Sixteen unilateral tonsil cancer patients received IMRTtreatment for their left tonsil tumors. These patients were treated by a total of 8 oncologists, who delineated all contours manually on the planning CT. We chose 6 patients as atlases, and used deformable image registration to map each atlas CTV to the rest of 10 test patients. In each test patient, the final contour was produced by fusing 6 individually deformed contours using the Simultaneous Truth and Performance Level Estimation (STAPLE) algorithm. In addition, we also identified the best single atlas which best matched physician's contour on each test case. The auto‐segmented contours were evaluated by comparing against the physician delineated contours using slice‐wise Hausdorff distance (HD) and Dice coefficient (DSC), and a total volume overlap index. Results: Evaluation results showed that not a single atlas could produce reasonably good results in all 10 testing cases. The multi‐atlas method achieved much better agreement than the single best atlas method. The multi‐atlas method produced the median slice‐wise HD of 7.35mm, the median slice‐wise DSC of 80.2%, and the total volume overlap of 77.8%. For radiation oncologists who contoured both the test case and one of the atlas cases, the best atlas almost always came from the same radiation oncologist, indicating that inter‐observer variation is dominated in target delineation. Our multi‐atlas result confirms that the use of multi‐atlas and STAPLE algorithm automatically reduces the inter‐observer variability. Conclusions: We developed and validated a multi‐atlas based auto‐segmentation method to improve the quality and usability of low‐risk target volume delineation for unilateral tonsil cancerradiotherapy.
SAMS - the synchronization and monitoring system for ATF data acquisition

SAMS performs much of the synchronization of the distributed data acquisition system for the Advanced Toroidal Facility (ATF). SAMS is responsible for propagating shot information and managing the data system directories and logical names. This paper describes how SAMS communicates with other processes, both within the VAX cluster that supports most of the ATF data acquisition and on VAXes that are connected to the cluster via DECnet.
Development of hydrocarbon gas standards

Abstract Methodology is described for the gravimetric preparation and analytical evaluation of accurate, stable, multicomponent gas standards in compressed gas
Effect of Uniaxial Drawing of Soy Protein Isolate Biopolymer Film On Structure and Mechanical Properties

The effect of uniaxial drawing of biodegradable soy protein isolate (SPI) polymer film on mechanical properties was investigated to accelerate the efforts to develop SPI films with improved properties. The films containing 0–30 wt% glycerol were drawn uniaxially up to a draw ratio of 2.5. The mechanical properties of the SPI film increased significantly after uniaxial drawing. The tensile strength of the undrawn film (49.7 MPa) was approximately doubled by subjecting the film to uniaxial drawing to a D.R. of 2.5. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements did not show evidence of generation of a crystal phase in the drawn SPI films. ATR-FTIR revealed that the protein film contained mainly α-helix and β-sheets secondary structures. Microwave molecular orientation analysis showed that birefringence increased with increasing draw ratios. Mechanical anisotropy of the SPI film via orientation of α-helix and β-sheets structure is thought to be responsible for the enhancement of mechanical properties with uniaxial drawing of the SPI films. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:374–380, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Hypnotic drugs: Use and abuse

Abstract Hypnotic drugs have a number of pharmacologic properties which contribute to their safety and efficacy as well as to their abuse potential. Benzodiazepines are among the safest of all depressant compounds and do not lose their effectiveness as quickly as do nonbenzodiazepine drugs. They differ in their half-lives and duration of action. Short- and intermediate-acting benzodiazepines can cause rebound insomnia and rebound anxiety in certain patients but can aid in daytime alertness in others. Long-acting benzodiazepines can impair daytime performance and cause daytime sleepiness but can be useful in minimizing withdrawal effects. Selection of a proper hypnotic should depend on the clinical situation and the needs of the patient. Principles for proper use are discussed.
Ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngiomas: case report.

Objective Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors that originate from squamous cell rests of the embryonal hypophyseal-pharyngeal duct located along the pituitary stalk. After their surgical resection, recurrence usually occurs in the region of the original tumor bed. Ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngiomas is extremely rare. It usually occurs either along the surgical route, because of direct surgical seeding, or at a distal location in the subarachnoid space, because of seeding along the cerebrospinal fluid pathways. We present 3 examples of ectopic recurrences of craniopharyngiomas. Clinical presentation The first patient was a 52-year-old woman with a history of resected suprasellar craniopharyngioma presenting 15 years later with a history of balance problems and new onset of double vision. Her magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a tumor in the prepontine cistern. The second patient was a 41-year-old man with a history of a resected suprasellar craniopharyngioma presenting 9 years later with headache, dizziness, and disequilibrium. He was noted by his family to have an altered behavior with progressively increasing indifference. His magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a right frontal lesion in the vicinity of the sylvian fissure. The third patient was a 24-year-old man with a history of suprasellar craniopharyngioma resection, followed by conventional radiotherapy 12 years before his recent presentation with headache, numbness of the right side of his face, and increased drowsiness. His magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a bilateral cystic cerebellopontine angle lesion. Intervention The first patient underwent operation via a petrosal approach with subtotal resection of the tumor and decompression of the brainstem; this patient had an uneventful postoperative course. The tumor in the second patient was surgically resected through a pterional craniotomy, with an uneventful postoperative course. The third patient's right-sided cerebellopontine angle lesion was microsurgically resected, and the patient was given a single-dose gamma knife for the left-side and residual small right-side tumor. The histological diagnosis of all 3 lesions was craniopharyngioma. Conclusion Although ectopic recurrence of a craniopharyngioma is very rare, it should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of what appears to be a new tumor in a patient with a history of previously resected craniopharyngiomas. Long-term follow-up of patients with resected craniopharyngioma is very important.
Dealing with Complex Management Problems

Copyright © 2014 Vincent Omachonu. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. In accordance of the Creative Commons Attribution License all Copyrights © 2014 are reserved for SCIRP and the owner of the intellectual property Vincent Omachonu. All Copyright © 2014 are guarded by law and by SCIRP as a guardian.
Effect of postmortem autolysis on Na,-K-ATPase activity and antigenicity in the gerbil cochlea

Alterations in the enzymatic activity and antigenicity of Na,K-ATPase as well as changes in cochlear morphology were assessed in gerbil inner ears harvested at selected time intervals up to 18 h postmortem. Na,K-ATPase activity was assayed biochemically in one cochlea from each animal and the other cochlea was fixed and embedded in paraffin for evaluation by light microscopy. Na,K-ATPase antigenicity was assessed by immunostaining with a broad-spectrum antiserum reactive with all known isoforms of the enzyme, and structural preservation was evaluated on adjacent sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The results showed a downward trend in enzymatic activity of Na,K-ATPase in lateral wall tissues within 1 h of death. In contrast, Na,K-ATPase immunoreactivity was fairly well preserved with postmortem fixation delays up to 12 h, despite the considerable structural degradation of cochlear tissues which began 2-3 h postmortem. It is concluded that under controlled environmental conditions, cochleas collected up to 4 h postmortem are suitable for morphological and immunohistochemical study of Na,K-ATPase by light microscopy. Cochleas collected more than 5 h postmortem were useful only for relatively gross immunohistochemical studies. It is suggested that cochleas intended for biochemical assays of Na,K-ATPase and probably most other enzymes should be collected within 1 h of death.
Assessing the utility of a community pharmacy refill record as a measure of adherence and viral load response in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Study Objective. To assess the utility of a community pharmacy refill record as a measure of adherence to antiretroviral agents and as a predictor of viral load response. Design. Retrospective review of laboratory and community pharmacy records. Setting. University-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinic and local community pharmacy. Patients. Ninety-four patients with HIV or the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who visited both settings and had retrievable pharmacy and laboratory records. Measurements and Main Results. Community pharmacy records were compiled and screened for antiretroviral agent refill histories. The continuous, multiple-interval measure of medication gaps (CMG), a measure of drug nonadherence, was calculated for each antiretroviral agent. Viral load information was retrieved from the clinic records of patients who had a community pharmacy refill record documenting the previous 2 years. As refill nonadherence increased, viral load response increased, following an approximately sigmoid relationship. When the CMG score was less than 0.10, the viral load response did not change appreciably. The steepest rise in viral load response occurred with a CMG score ranging from 0.10–0.19. For values of 0.20 or greater, the viral load response was less sensitive to adherence performance. The probability (i.e., sensitivity) of having at least a 10% nonadherence record given a viral load greater than 1000 copies/ml was 80%. Conclusion. The community pharmacy refill record is a convenient, accessible, and useful tool for assessing adherence and predicting viral load outcomes in patients with HIV and AIDS.