cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Weekend Admissions on Quality of Care and Outcomes in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

Background: Hospital services can be significantly reduced over the weekend. This was associated with higher mortality among patients with serious medical conditions in previous studies. It is unknown whether weekend admissions affect outcomes of AML patients, as delay in treatment or delay in obtainment of procedures (such as triple-lumen catheter [TLC] placement requisite for anthracycline delivery) may occur for weekend admissions. We investigated quality of care and clinical outcomes of newly-diagnosed AML patients treated with induction chemotherapy and hospitalized on weekends vs. weekdays. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all AML patients treated with cytarabinebased induction chemotherapy at Cleveland Clinic from 1994–2008. Data on known prognostic factors (age, WBC at diagnosis, cytogenetic risk groups [as defined by CALGB 8461] and AML etiology [de novo vs. secondary AML]) were collected and controlled for in multivariable analyses. Quality measures included time to TLC placement; time to induction chemotherapy (TTI); length of stay (LOS); early death (within 15 days of chemotherapy initiation); and 30-day mortality. Weekend admissions were defined as starting Friday, 5pm through Monday, 12am. Factors associated with quality of care and outcomes were assessed by the routines of linear, categorical, and survival analyses. Results: In all, 422 patients were identified. Median age was 61 years (range:17–81) and 47% were female. Median baseline WBC was 9.9/mcL (range:0.4–550); 4.7% had acute promyelocytic leukemia, and 30% had secondary AML. Cytogenetics risk distribution was: favorable (11.6%); intermediate (41.2%); adverse (24.2%); unknown/no growth (23%). In all, 24.4% (n=103) were admitted on the weekend. The complete remission (CR) rate was 66.6%; Median times to TLC was 2 days (range:0–27); TTI was 2 days (range:0–22); and LOS was 32 days (4–91). Early death rate was 3.1%, and 30-day mortality 10.4%. Compared to younger ( Conclusions: Weekend admissions significantly delayed placement of TLC, and possibly LOS, without affecting other quality parameters or patient survival. This is likely due to immediate initiation of peripheral chemotherapy with cytarabine even prior to the placement of TLC for infusion of anthracyclines, and emphasizes the need to start chemotherapy promptly in AML patients.
Perception and action

Defining the senses Psychologists have studied perception more deeply than any other of our cognitive capacities, and among the senses vision is by far the most closely scrutinized. Accordingly, although burgeoning philosophical attention has been paid in recent years to nociception (Aydede, 2006), audition (O’Callaghan, 2007), touch (Fulkerson, 2013), and olfaction (Batty, 2011), we mostly confine our attention here to vision. First, however, we address the more general question of how sensory systems are to be distinguished from the rest of cognition, as well as from each other. The traditional division that posits five separate senses goes back to Aristotle, at least in recorded Western philosophical thought. Dividing the senses into touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight makes sense on two intuitive grounds. First, these senses correspond to manifestly different sense organs . The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin are relatively salient parts of the body, and their role in mediating different types of sensory interaction with the environment is pre-scientifically manifest. Second, these sensory divisions seem to be associated with distinct sensory phenomenology . To see something is a different kind of experience than to touch it or hear it. On the basis of anatomy and sensory experience, then, the Aristotelian divisions have some support.
Veteran Perspectives on Care Coordination Between Veterans Affairs and Community Providers: A Qualitative Analysis

Objective To investigate veteran perspectives on challenges in care coordination between US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics and community providers in rural areas. Methods We completed qualitative interviews with a geographically diverse sample of 51 veterans who had used both VA and community health care services. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used directed content analysis (informed by previous work with VA and community staff) to elucidate findings, while remaining attentive to emergent themes. Results We report results in 5 key domains related to interorganizational care coordination: organizational mechanisms, organizational culture, relational practices, contextual factors, and the role of the Third-Party Administrators responsible for scheduling and payment for community services. Veterans described successes and challenges in interorganizational coordination across these domains, while also reporting a variety of workarounds and mitigation strategies. Conclusions Veterans living in rural areas face myriad challenges when using health care services both within and outside of VA. In the absence of strong mechanisms for ensuring coordination and communication between health care providers at different institutions, veterans themselves may carry the primary burden for coordinating their care. Our results suggest the utility of both structural and relational approaches to enhancing interorganizational care coordination in these settings.
Soviet Atlantis: Between Science Fiction and Esoteric Communities

The paper concentrates on the history of the myth of Atlantis in twentieth-century Russian culture. It traces the transmission of Atlantis narratives starting from artistic and esoteric circles of the early twentieth century, through Soviet science fiction, to the esoteric revival of the 1980s. Contemporary fictional literature is understood as a modern, secularized form of mythology, intrinsically connected to traditional mythological narratives. The story of Atlantis, as one of these narratives, played an important role in Russian esoteric and fictional literature. The transmission of the Atlantean narrative through the Soviet period is analyzed herein and can benefit scholars in several ways. It shows how esoteric narratives can change and assume a fictional nature to survive in hostile and highly secularized environments. It also contributes to the understanding of particular aspects of contemporary Russian spiritual life related to the revival of Russian esoteric communities, which began during the Perestroika and continued after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It also contributes to the study of twentieth-century Russian cultural history, as well as to the academic study of esotericism.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Infant with Negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and Antibodies

Since the declaration of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO), there has been an emergence of a new syndrome termed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. MIS-C is defined by the presence of fever, systemic inflammation and multiorgan dysfunction in association with SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 exposure. Knowledge of this syndrome’s presentation and pathophysiology is constantly evolving as more cases are reported in the literature. This case identifies a 3-month-old patient who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antigen, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and antibodies but qualified for MIS-C diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge and through extensive research at the time of diagnosing and reporting this condition to the healthcare authorities, we report the youngest pediatric patient with MIS-C diagnosis. We document this case to contribute to further understanding the variable manifestations of MIS-C and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).
Driver trust in and training for advanced driver assistance systems in Real-World driving

Abstract Two-hundred and twenty-three participants completed an online survey regarding their experiences with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on their personal vehicles, with focus on 1) drivers’ trust in 13 ADAS technologies, and 2) perceived effectiveness of currently used methods of training. Eighteen drivers participated in focus groups designed to probe more deeply into survey responses. Results of the survey showed that participant ratings of trust increased significantly with longer vehicle ownership, but participants who experienced unexpected ADAS technology behavior rated their trust over time significantly lower on ADAS technologies with the exception of rear collision avoidance. The majority (75.8%) of participants reported receiving some ADAS instruction at their vehicle dealership, but only 16.6% indicated it was formal. Participants who received formalized training reported it to be significantly more effective than those who received informal overviews of their systems. Use of trial and error and the owner’s manual were the most frequently reported methods of learning outside of dealership training. Responses indicated that the lack of content tailored to trim-specific vehicle features in owner’s manuals was a barrier to effective use.
Oil spill cleanup using industrial and agricultural waste-based magnetic silica sorbent material: a green approach

Recent oil spills causing pollution in oceans and other bodies of water require sorbents that are both cost-effective and eco-friendly. Novel magnetic silica sorbent materials (MSS) have been synth...
Integration and Cooling Strategies for WBG-based Current-Source Inverters-Based Motor Drives

Integration of power electronics and electric machines enables compact and lightweight motor drive design as it eliminates the needs for separate housings and long connecting cables. For a successful realization of the integrated motor drive (IMD) concept, two primary engineering challenges associated with power electronics design need to be addressed: high power density and high-temperature operation. This paper presents the design progression of a wide bandgap (WBG) device-based current-source inverter (CSI) aiming at high power density. Both benchtop (non-IMD) and IMD versions of 3 kW WBG-based CSIs have been developed, and their power density and thermal performance are evaluated. Design issues including trade-offs between power density and thermal performance of printed circuit boards (PCBs), switch configurations, cooling strategies, and several integration schemes are explored.
A scoping review of child grooming strategies: pre- and post-internet.

Abstract Background Researchers have studied the online sexual grooming of minors extensively since the early 2000s. However, the grooming process is neither new nor restricted to digital media. While grooming and child sexual abuse existed long before the Internet, the advent of the Internet has resulted in more ways in which offenders can interact with candidate victims including offline-only, online-only, and a mix of offline and online. Objective In this study, we conducted a scoping review of grooming strategies both pre- and post-Internet. Our goal was to enumerate strategies analyzed in both time periods, provide similarities and differences, and discuss how changing datasets and technology have impacted the grooming process in both online and offline environments. Methods We performed a scoping review of peer-reviewed journal articles from 1970 to 2020 within PubMed, Medline, PsychInfo, and ERIC. This resulted in 19,679 unique articles. Titles and abstracts were screened resulting in 266 articles which were then read in full, resulting in 93 papers which qualified based on inclusion criteria. Results Grooming strategies identified pre-Internet included: enticements, coercion, isolation, substance abuse, gradual sexualization, and secrecy. In comparison, the strategies identified post-Internet were: enticements, risk assessment, trust, sexualization, fantasy, secrecy, isolation, meeting, media progression, deception, coercion, substance use as a tool, authority, and repetition. Conclusions While grooming strategies overlapped pre and post-Internet, the timing and scope of concepts differed. Additionally, grooming offline began to incorporate technology post-Internet which functioned to increase accessibility and isolation of the victim in a similar manner to online grooming.
Effects of Polypeptide Neurotoxins on Acetylcholine Storage and Release

There are several polypeptide neurotoxins that act on nerve terminals to alter the storage and release of neurotransmitters. Electrophysiological studies have shown that these neurotoxins produce a wide variety of effects on the metabolism of transmitters. For the most part, their molecular mechanisms of action are not understood. However, I believe enough is presently known to indicate that if we could learn the biochemical details of the activities of these toxins, we would know much of the biochemical mechanisms by which transmitters are stored and released. Furthermore, I suggest that enough is already understood about these toxins to indicate that the storage and release of transmitters occur by processes that are biochemically much more complicated and that involve many more molecular factors than has previously been appreciated. The following is a discussion of how these toxins affect the storage and release of transmitters.
Molecular weight averages of polymers as determined by density gradient centrifugation. I. Application to various polystryrenes

A careful study on the possibility of determining molecular weight average ratios from density gradient experiments, is presented. The results can be summarized as follows: The ratio of the weight average Mw to the “o” average 〈M〉 is more suitable for characterizing the polydispersity than those involving other averages. Assumption of a SCHULZ type distribution allows one to calculate Mw/Mn from this ratio. A statistical analysis of the data obtained on five different polystyrene samples by density gradient centrifugation reveals that it is not favorable to plot single molecular weight averages vs. concentration in order to get the limiting value of that average. However, plots of ratios from lower to higher molecular weight averages vs. concentration give good straight lines, have moderate slopes, and yield a reasonable limiting value with relatively low errors. This favorable behavior is found in both good solvents and theta solvents. For polymers which have skewed bands in a density gradient reasonable measures for sample polydispersity cannot be simply obtained. Es wird uber eine sorgfaltige Untersuchung berichtet, Verhaltnisse von Molekularge-wichts-Durchschnittswerten als Mas fur die Polydispersitat von Polymeren mittels Dichtegradienten-Versuchen zu bestimmen. Die Ergebnisse konnen wie folgt zusammengefast werden: Das Verhaltnis von Gewichtsmittel Mw zum „σ”-Mittel 〈M〉 eignet sich besset zur Charakterisierung der Polydispersitat als Verhaltnisse mit anderen Durchschnittswerten. Die Annahme einer SCHULZ-Verteilung erlaubt es, aus diesem Verhaltnis Mw/Mn zu berechnen. Eine statistische Analyse der Mesdaten von Dichtegradienten-Versuchen an funf verschiedenen Polystyrolpraparaten zeigt, das die Auftragung der Molekulargewichts-Durchschnittswerte fur sich allein nicht gunstig ist, um die Grenzwerte dieser Durchschnitte zu bestimmen. Jedoch ergibt die Auftragung der Verhaltnisse vom niedrigen zum hoheren Durchschnittswert des Molekulargewichtes gegen die Konzentration gute Geraden mit geringen Steigungen, sowie vernunftige Grenzwerte mit relativ niedrigen Fehlern. Dieses gunstige Verhalten findet man sowohl fur gute als auch fur Theta-Losungsmittel. Fur Polymere mit unsymmetrischen Banden im Dichtegradienten kann man vernunftige Werte fur die Polydispersitat nicht auf einfache Weise erhalten.
Granular cell tumor: An analysis of 16 cases and review of the literature

Sixteen patients with granular cell tumors were seen between 1964 and 1979. The medical data of these patients showed an average age incidence of 39 years and a greater frequency among Negroes (69%) and in female patients (62.5%). The most common sign (in 12 of 16 patients) was the presence of an asymptomatic mass. There was a total of 88 tumors in 16 patients; 74 arose in the skin, 6 in the oral cavity, 2 each in the breast and perineum, and 1 each in the larynx, parotid gland, eyelid, and appendix. Multiple tumors were noted in 4 patients (25%), all of whom were Negroes. The histogenesis of this tumor is still controversial but appears to favor the theory of multipotential undifferentiated mesenchymal cell origin.
Autogenous control is not sufficient to ensure steady-state growth rate-dependent regulation of the S10 ribosomal protein operon of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The regulation of the S10 ribosomal protein operon of Escherichia coli was studied by using a lambda prophage containing the beginning of the S10 operon (including the promoter, leader, and first one and one-half structural genes) fused to lacZ. The synthesis of the lacZ fusion protein encoded by the phage showed the expected inhibition during oversynthesis of ribosomal protein L4, the autogenous regulatory protein of the S10 operon. Moreover, the fusion gene responded to a nutritional shift-up in the same way that genuine ribosomal protein genes did. However, the gene did not exhibit the expected growth rate-dependent regulation during steady-state growth. Thus, the genetic information carried on the prophage is sufficient for L4-mediated autogenous control and a normal nutritional shift-up response but is not sufficient for steady-state growth rate-dependent control. These results suggest that, at least for the 11-gene S10 ribosomal protein operon, additional regulatory processes are required to coordinate the synthesis of ribosomal proteins with cell growth rate and, furthermore, that sequences downstream of the proximal one and one-half genes of the operon are involved in this control.
Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use by Elderly Persons in U.S. Health Maintenance Organizations, 2000–2001

Objectives: To determine rates of potentially inappropriate medication use in elderly persons in managed care plans in the United States in 2000–2001. Design: Cross-sectional study using automated medication-dispensing data. Setting: Ten geographically distributed health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Participants. One hundred fifty-seven thousand five hundred seventeen members aged 65 years and older enrolled in one of the HMOs. Measurements: Prevalence of use of 33 potentially inappropriate medications from January 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001. Results: In 2000–2001, 28.8% (95% confidence interval=28.6–29.1) of elderly individuals received at least one of 33 potentially inappropriate medications. This rate ranged from 23.0% to 36.5% across the 10 HMOs. Approximately 5% of elderly patients received at least one of the 11 medications classified by an expert panel as “always avoid,” 13% received at least one of the eight medications that would rarely be considered appropriate, and 17% received at least one of the 14 medications that have some indications but are often misused. Overall, rates of use of these medications were greater in women (32.4%) than in men (24.2%). At least 1% of elderly members received belladonna alkaloids (2.3%), dicyclomine (1.1%), or hyoscyamine (1.2%), each of which multiple expert panels have classified as always inappropriate in patients aged 65 years and older. Seven percent of elderly members received propoxyphene, an analgesic medication considered rarely appropriate in the elderly and a drug that has a long history of limited efficacy and potential for toxicity. Conclusion: Recent rates of potentially inappropriate medication use by elderly HMO members were at least as great as in a 1996 national sample. This study highlights the need to understand more fully the rationale behind the continued use of these medications.
Space-time temperature profiles for conductive heat flow in country rock surrounding hot intrusive bodies

Temperature vs distances profiles during geological time have been calculated for a variety of realistically shaped magmatic bodies intruded into country rock. The calculations were made with a computerized finite difference formulation of the classical time dependent conductive heat-flow equation. The formulation can be adopted to numerous situations. These include: emplacement at different rates, variations in the shape of the intrusion, e.g. domed cylinders, cones, or even arbitrary shapes as determined by field measurements. The intrusions may remain in contact with or become isolated from the magma pool. Also, the thermodynamic properties of the intrusion may be adjusted, e.g. to include latent heat of fractional crystallization. The surrounding rock may be homogeneous or strata of different kinds of rock. The surface above the intrusion may assume any reasonable shape. Faulting in the surrounding rock is being included and magma convection will be added in the future.
Computing program modularizations using the k-cut method

The problem of producing modularizations of huge legacy software systems which lack an obvious modular structure is an important one. Such modularizations allow maintenance and reuse of smaller, more manageable pieces of program source code, and also may provide insights into the overall structure of the software system. We consider the application of an algorithm from graph theory known as the k-cut method to the domain of computing program modularizations. We describe the k-cut method, its associated algorithms, and the problem's application to reverse engineering of legacy systems. We also describe our experience in applying the method.
Time-varying system identification using wavelets

An algorithm for identifying time-varying AR and ARMAX models is proposed. Each model coefficient is expanded onto a wavelet basis and the expansion parameters are estimated. An F-test and an AIC based procedure are developed to discard the insignificant terms of the expansion and provide a description for the system's trajectory as well as its order. The choice of the optical wavelet basis for this problem is also discussed. The proposed method offers a parsimonious description of the system's trajectory, while still being able to 'zoom into' the local variations where necessary. >
Fluid mixing in planar spiral microchannels.

Mixing of fluids at the microscale poses a variety of challenges, many of which arise from the fact that molecular diffusion is the dominant transport mechanism in the laminar flow regime. While considerable progress has been made toward developing strategies to achieve improved mixing in microfluidic systems, many of these techniques introduce additional complexity to device fabrication and/or operation processes. In this work, we explore the use of compact spiral-shaped flow geometries designed to achieve efficient mixing in a format that can be constructed using a single planar soft lithography step without the need for multilayer alignment. A series of 150 µm-wide by 29 µm-tall channels were constructed, each of which incorporated a series of spiral shaped sections arrayed along the flow path. Five spiral designs with varying channel lengths were investigated, and mixing studies were carried out at flow rates corresponding to Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.02 to 18.6. Under appropriate conditions, transverse Dean flows are induced that augment diffusive transport and promote enhanced mixing in considerably shorter downstream distances as compared with conventional planar straight channel designs. Mixing efficiency can be further enhanced by incorporating expansion vortex effects via abrupt changes in cross-sectional area along the flow path.
The effects of surface tension and temperature on the nonlinear dynamics of the dripping faucet

Abstract The effects of surface tension and temperature on the nonlinear dynamics of the dripping faucet were investigated, through the introduction of high-resolution timing, temperature and continuously variable flow rate controls, and the addition of surfactant of the water. The continuously variable flow rate allows the recording of the novel “dripping spectrum” (drop intervals { t i } versus flow rate) over a wide range of flow rate in a single experiment. Lowering the surface tension dramatically changes the dynamics, sharpens the familiar dripping patterns previously found for water, and reveals the existence of novel single and multiple closed-loop patterns. Using dripping spectra, time-delay and time-series representations, the closed-loop patterns are shown to correspond to quasiperiodic states. Lowering the temperature reduces random noise and shifts the occurrence of characteristic patterns to higher flow rates.
A Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Turbulent Heat Transport Downstream From an Abrupt Pipe Expansion

Etudes numerique et experimentale du transfert de chaleur dans la zone d'ecoulement separe a l'aval d'une augmentation brusque de section d'une conduite circulaire dans le cas de trois rapports d'augmentation pour des valeurs du nombre de Reynolds compris entre 10 4 et 1,5•10 5
PIGMENT TURNOVER IN THE MARINE DIATOM THALASSIOSIRA WEISSFLOGII. I. THE 14CO2-LABELING KINETICS OF CHLOROPHYLL a1

The turnover of chlorophyll a (chl a) was investigated in the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) Fryxell and Hasle using a new method based on the incorporation of 14C into chl a. The alga was maintained in its exponential growth phase under continuous light; 14C was supplied as bicarbonate. The time course of label accumulation into the tetrapyrrole ring and the phytol side chain was determined for time periods equivalent to 1–2 cell doublings. The labeling kinetics of the tetrapyrrole ring and the phytol side chain were described satisfactorily by a simple precursor-pigment model with two free parameters, the precursor turnover rate and the pigment turnover rate, both having dimensions of time−1. The model was fit to the experimental data to determine the values of these two free parameters. The turnover rates of the tetrapyrrole ring and the phytol side chain were not significantly different, ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 per day. These rates are equivalent to turnover times ranging from days to weeks. Growth rate-normalized turnover rates did not vary with irradiance (7.5–825 μE · m−2· s−1). The precursor turnover rates of the tetrapyrrole ring and the phytol side chain differed by an order of magnitude. These results indicate that chl a is not degraded significantly in cultures of T. weissflogii grown under continuous light. Neither irradiance nor growth rate affected growth rate-normalized chlorophyll turnover rates. Our results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that steady-state cellular concentrations of chl a are maintained by a dynamic equilibrium between rates of synthesis and degradation.
NO(2) Concentration Measurements in an Urban Atmosphere Using Differential Absorption Techniques.

NO2 absorption coefficients for the most prominent argon–ion laser lines have been measured. A technique for measurement of NO2 concentration in an urban atmosphere in real time is described. Preliminary results using the differential absorption of argon–ion laser lines by NO2 in an urban (Atlanta, Georgia) atmosphere are presented. A simplified detection system using the differential absorption is proposed.
Diagnostic accuracy of a urine reagent strip to identify bacterial peritonitis in dogs with ascites

Abstract The leukocyte esterase test pad on a urine dipstick has been used as a preliminary test for bacterial peritonitis in humans but has not previously been evaluated in dogs. Here, free abdominal fluid from 60 dogs was tested on the leukocyte esterase test pad and results were compared with culture and microscopic analysis. Depending on the ‘gold standard’ comparator, the dipstick had sensitivity of ~60–75%, specificity of ~91–92%, positive predictive value of ~69%, and negative predictive value of ~87–94%. Based on these data, it appears that the leukocyte esterase test pad is most useful for tentative identification of cases in which bacterial infection is unlikely. Therefore a negative test may aid in re-directing clinician attention to alternative diagnoses in dogs with free abdominal effusion, whereas a positive result implies the necessity for further diagnostic tests.
Synaptojanin inhibition of phospholipase D activity by hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate

A 150-kDa protein that inhibits phospholipase D (PLD) activity stimulated by ADP-ribosylation factor and phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) was previously purified from rat brain. The sequences of peptides derived from the purified PLD inhibitor now identify it as synaptojanin, a nerve terminal protein that has been implicated in the endocytosis of fused synaptic vesicles and shown to be a member of the inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase family. Further characterization of the enzymatic properties of synaptojanin now shows that it hydrolyzes only the 5-phosphate from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (I(1,4,5)P3) and that it does not catalyze the dephosphorylation of either I(1,3,4)P3 or inositol 1, 4-bisphosphate. However, synaptojanin hydrolyzes both the 4- and 5-phosphates of PI(4,5)P2 and the 4-phosphate of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, converting both compounds to phosphatidylinositol. Magnesium is required for the hydrolysis of I(1,4,5)P3, but not for that of phosphoinositides, by synaptojanin. The inhibition of PLD by synaptojanin is attributable to its ability to hydrolyze PI(4,5)P2. Synaptojanin did not inhibit PLD in the absence of PI(4,5)P2, and the extent of PLD inhibition was related to the extent of PI(4,5)P2 hydrolysis in substrate vesicles. It has been proposed that the biosynthesis of PI(4,5)P2 and the activation of PLD by ADP-ribosylation factor constitute a positive loop to increase rapidly the concentrations of PI(4,5)P2 and phosphatidic acid (PA) during membrane vesiculation. The PA thus produced, probably together with PI(4,5)P2, facilitates vesicle coat assembly. The hydrolysis of PI(4,5)P2, and consequent inhibition of PLD, by synaptojanin might therefore constitute a mechanism to halt the positive loop connecting PI(4,5)P2 and PA during the endocytotic cycle of synaptic vesicles and serve as a signal for uncoating.
The delayed neurotoxicity of phosphorodiamidic fluorides

Abstract Twelve phosphorodiamidic fluorides have been examined for neurotoxicity to hens. All were active. The character of the functional disorder and the distribution of the histological lesions were identical with those seen after poisoning by di-iso-propylphosphorofluoridate or tri- o -cresylphosphate. One of the substances examined is extremely neurotoxic. Intramuscularly, it produced severe effects at 50 mg/kg: percutaneously it is toxic at between 100–250 mg/kg and cumulatively 4–5 doses of 20 mg/kg (i.m.) spread over 21 days produce severe incapacitation in hens.
Land Sales and the Transformation of Social Relations and Landscape in Peri-Urban Mali

Abstract Small-scale land acquisitions are transforming long-standing human–land relations in West Africa. In particular, high rates of urban population growth lead to the transfer of land from non-market customary tenure systems to market-based, formal land tenure regimes on the edges of cities. The literature suggests that the conversion process from inalienable land to private property is highly contested, locally specific, and historically contingent. However, little is known about how this process affects a community. In the Kati cercle on Bamako’s peri-urban eastern edge with exponential growth in land registration, this village case study examines: (1) how residents secure livelihoods, and (2) how the advent of a land market affects livelihood strategies. Interviews conducted in 2011 in the village of Soro complement data collected in 1996 and 1987. The longitudinal data show increases in population as well as indicators of relatively stable livelihood strategies. Since 2001 only men in the chieftancy lineage and families close to it have sold land, and that land was of least value to them using the subsistence logic of grain production. Those authorizing land sales at the local level are also the immediate beneficiaries. Land privatization reduces access to resources for those with secondary land rights recognized through social relations in a customary tenure system. This study concludes that public policy in areas undergoing land conversion – especially peri-urban areas – should consider the impact of social differentiation in communities and how new land values will change land use and access.
Bound exciton formation and excitonic localization in semimagnetic semiconductors

Abstract We review recent experimental work in which kinetics of exciton localization at impurities and alloy potential fluctuations are studied by picosecond laser spectroscopy, specifically in the mixed crystals Cd 1− x Mn x Se and Cd 1− x Mn x Te.
Head impact exposure in youth football: Elementary school ages 9-12 years and the effect of practice structure

Head impact exposure in youth football has not been well-documented, despite children under the age of 14 accounting for 70% of all football players in the United States. The objective of this study was to quantify the head impact exposure of youth football players, age 9–12, for all practices and games over the course of single season. A total of 50 players (age = 11.0 ± 1.1 years) on three teams were equipped with helmet mounted accelerometer arrays, which monitored each impact players sustained during practices and games. During the season, 11,978 impacts were recorded for this age group. Players averaged 240 ± 147 impacts for the season with linear and rotational 95th percentile magnitudes of 43 ± 7 g and 2034 ± 361 rad/s2. Overall, practice and game sessions involved similar impact frequencies and magnitudes. One of the three teams however, had substantially fewer impacts per practice and lower 95th percentile magnitudes in practices due to a concerted effort to limit contact in practices. The same team also participated in fewer practices, further reducing the number of impacts each player experienced in practice. Head impact exposures in games showed no statistical difference. While the acceleration magnitudes among 9–12 year old players tended to be lower than those reported for older players, some recorded high magnitude impacts were similar to those seen at the high school and college level. Head impact exposure in youth football may be appreciably reduced by limiting contact in practices. Further research is required to assess whether such a reduction in head impact exposure will result in a reduction in concussion incidence.
Mechanical properties of In-based eutectic alloy solders used in Josephson packaging

Abstract InBiSn and InSn eutectic alloy solders are used in the packaging of the cryogenic Josephson processor. The ductile behaviour of these alloys is important to the application of joints which experience large thermal stresses. In order to characterize the mechanical behaviour at cryogenic temperatures, tensile and shear strengths of bulk solders were measured at and below room temperature. It is found that the ultimate tensile and shear strengths of bulk solders increase as temperature decreases. At low temperatures, the ultimate tensile strength of InBiSn alloy is about three times less than that of InSn alloy. The ductility of both alloys reduces at low temperatures. The fracture surfaces of both bulk solders and solder joints having an interface material (Pd and Au thin films) to the electrical contact pads (Nb thin film) were examined using SEM. Ductile fracture mode was observed for all the specimens down to liquid nitrogen temperature.
An experimental analysis of the relationships between fitness components and malic enzyme genotypes in Tribolium confusum.

The hypothesis that natural selection is capable of maintaining allozyme variation in natural populations was tested using a species of flour beetles,Tribolium confusum. We selected a polymorphic locus (a locus encoding variation for malic enzyme) in an experimental population ofT. confusum and scored the genotypes at this locus for a series of fitness components on different flour types. Measurements included survival rate, development time, fecundity, and rate of egg cannibalism. Flour type had significant effects on most traits. Significant differences among genotypes for fecundity and rates of egg cannibalism and the presence of genotype × flour type interactions for development time were demonstrated. Thus, changes in allele frequencies at the malic enzyme locus could in part be under the influence of natural selection. The existence of genotype × flour type interactions suggests that environmental heterogeneity could maintain allozyme variation at the malic enzyme locus.
Oxide scaling limit for future logic and memory technology

The limit of MOSFET oxide scaling is examined from the viewpoint of reliability. Measurements of the voltage dependence of the defect generation rate and the thickness dependence of the critical defect density, together with the breakdown statistics for ultra-thin oxides, are used to provide a general framework for predicting the lifetime of ultra-thin oxides at operating voltage. It is argued that reliability is the limiting factor for oxide thickness reduction.
Privatisation in Russia Has Led to Criminalisation

Russia has recently embarked on a dramatic program of privatisation as part of the process of shock therapy which aims to convert the command economy to a market economy. This program has been undertaken in the absence of a well-developed set of institutions needed for the proper functioning of a market economy. These institutions include a legal system, a related system of property rights, a credit system, a system of commercial banks, classified advertising, an accounting system and others including a sound currency and a social safety net. In the absence of these institutions the incentives facing agents in economic transactions have been perverted. This has led to criminalisation of the economy, dramatic falls in production, loss of confidence in all aspects of commerce, and political instability. The recent Russian experience of privatisation has important lessons for other economies in transition, for developing economies and for economic theory.
Evaluating elevated release liner adhesion of a transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS): A study of Daytrana™ methylphenidate transdermal system

Background: Complaints from healthcare providers that the adhesive on the Daytrana™ methylphenidate transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) adhered to the release liner to such an extent that the release liner could not be removed prompted this study. Daytrana™ has a packaging system consisting of a moisture-permeable pouch contained within a sealed tray containing a desiccant; the tray is impermeable to ambient moisture. The objective of this project was to determine if the Daytrana™ packaging system influenced the difficulty in removing the release liner.Method: Both a sealed tray and an open tray containing sealed pouches were placed into an environmental chamber at 25°C and 60% relative humidity for 30 days; afterwards, release liner removal testing using a peel angle of 90° and a peel speed of 300 mm/min was performed.Results: TDDS from open chamber trays required less force to remove the release liner than did TDDS from closed chamber trays. For the 10 mg/9 h TDDS and the 15 mg/9 h TDDS (the dosages...
The Presidential Difference: Leadership Style from FDR to Clinton. By Fred I. Greenstein. New York: Free Press, 2000. 282p. $25.00.

The overriding theme of this very insightful work from distinguished presidential scholar Fred I. Greenstein is stated in the opening pages: “The United States is said to have a government of laws and institutions rather than individuals, but as these examples remind us, it is one in which the matter of who occupies the nation's highest office can have profound repercussions” (p. 2). Greenstein's analysis of presidential leadership styles from FDR to Clinton corroborates his theme by demonstrating the extent to which the aggrandizement of the presidency since the New Deal has left the American polity at the mercy of the skills and personalities of the holders of the office. As Greenstein himself points out (p. 3) parliamentary systems, with their more collective leadership, place more partisan and institutional constraints on the head of government. In contrast, the centrality of the presidency to the American system of government since the New Deal and the extent to which the institution is driven by the individual style of respective officeholders provide a recurrent and pervasive element of instability in American national government. Yet this very instability is also perhaps the office's most useful attribute. In a system characterized largely by gridlock it provides intermittent and necessary innovation and dynamism. The presidency's' greatest shortcoming, its highly protean nature, is also, ironically, its greatest value as a political institution.
Jewish and Christian attitudes on suicide

Little is know about attitudes toward suicide and how these attitutes interrelate with religious membership. A suicide opinion questionnaire was administered to two adult samples of church-going members of the Judaic and Christian religions. The results indicate statistically significant differences between Jews and Christians on 35 of the 100 SOQ items, and they are discussed in terms of 15 SOG factors. Attitudes toward suicide are quite complex and, despite religious proscriptions against suicide, do not follow a simple positive-negative dimension.
Bowen-Ruelle measures for certain piecewise hyperbolic maps

We consider a class of piecewise C 2 Lozi-like maps and prove the existence of invariant measures with absolutely continuous conditional mea­sures on unstable manifolds
Respiratory metabolism of striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), in relation to temperature

The oxygen consumption of striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), has been determined using tunnel-type flowing water respirometers. Standard metabolic rates were established and active metabolic rates were determined at three water velocities: ≈0.5 and 10 cm/sec and five temperatures, namely. 8, 12, 16, 20. and 24 C. Using the difference between the standard and active metabolic rates at 10 cm/sec swimming velocity, a measure of the scope for activity over a limited range of velocities for striped bass was derived. The scope for activity was found to be very similar at water temperatures of 8. 12, and 16°C, being 55, 44, and 45 mg O2 kg/h. respectively for a representative 40 g striped bass. At 20 and 24 C, the scope for activity was 99 and 143 mg/O2/kg/h. respectively. In terms of the potential for energy expenditure, the highest scope for activity was at 24 C and the lowest at 12 C. Extrapolations to higher swimming velocities were made from the literature.
Multiple Mechanisms of Reinitiation on Bicistronic Calicivirus mRNAs

Summary Reinitiation is a strategy used by viruses to express several cistrons from one mRNA. Although extremely weak after translation of long open reading frames (ORFs) on cellular mRNAs, reinitiation occurs efficiently on subgenomic bicistronic calicivirus mRNAs, enabling synthesis of minor capsid proteins. The process is governed by a short element upstream of the restart AUG, designated "termination upstream ribosomal binding site" (TURBS). It contains the conserved Motif 1 complementary to h26 of 18S rRNA, displayed in the loop of a hairpin formed by species-specific Motifs 2/2 ∗ . To determine the advantages conferred on reinitiation by TURBS, we reconstituted this process in vitro on two model bicistronic calicivirus mRNAs. We found that post-termination ribosomal tethering of mRNA by TURBS allows reinitiation by post-termination 80S ribosomes and diminishes dependence on eukaryotic initiation factor 3 (eIF3) of reinitiation by recycled 40S subunits, which can be mediated either by eIFs 2/1/1A or by Ligatin following ABCE1-dependent or -independent splitting of post-termination complexes.
Exercise two-dimensional echocardiography for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

Abstract To improve ultrasound images during exercise 2-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo), a device was developed to hold the transducer and maintain its orientation relative to the heart. The value of this technique in detecting wall motion abnormalities and changes in ejection fraction was evaluated in 54 men undergoing stress test for angina. Thallium-201 scanning, electrocardiography and exercise 2-D echo were recorded concurrently. Technically satisfactory echo studies were obtained in 47 patients (87%). The sensitivity and specificity of exercise echo in the detection of myocardial ischemia as judged by wall motion abnormalities were 100% and 93%, respectively. Sixteen patients with normal thallium scans increased their ejection fraction (EF) estimated by echo (from 52 ± 1% at rest to 67 ± 1% at maximal exercise, p
Politics and white collar crime: Explaining government intervention in the Savings and Loan Scandal

The Savings and Loan Scandal of the 1980s was the biggest crime ever perpetrated in the United States. While several studies have examined the causes of the crime (e.g., deregulation, increase of insurance coverage to $100,000, fluctuations in the economic markets, greed), few scholars to date have studied state intervention in the industry after the crime had been committed. We explore the questions of when and how state managers intervene in the actions of the powerful by supplementing state theory with the literature on the social construction of social problems.
Territorial Disputes and the Probability of War, 1816-1992

This article provides a basic test of the territorial explanation of war, which maintains that territorial disputes are an important factor in increasing the probability of war. Using the `revision type' code in the Militarized Interstate Dispute (MID) data, the war-proneness of territorial disputes is compared to that of policy and regime disputes in three data samples. Controls for pre-1946 and post-1945 and the status of states (major-major, major-minor, minor-minor) are also introduced. It is generally found that territorial disputes increase the probability of war and have a higher probability of going to war than other kinds of disputes. Policy disputes are less likely to result in war than would be expected by chance. Regime disputes appear to have a probability of escalating to war more than would be expected by chance only in two-party disputes involving minor-minor states or occurring in the post-1945 period.