cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collaborative learning: migration of distributed interactive simulation to educational applications

The educational system within the United States has historically emphasized learning as an individual accomplishment. Working effectively with others is a skill that has been omitted from the traditional educational setting even though this reflects the modern workplace. A collaborative learning environment is one of the educational technologies being developed to address the requirement for imparting group skills within the educational system. It is a form of networked learning environment that permits students to work together on authentic learning tasks. Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) is a technology develop by the DoD to facilitate the integration and use of multiple simulations and simulators in a distributed collaborative computing environment. DIS can enhance collaborative learning environments in future educational applications by introducing authentic simulations of real world events into the learning experience.
FF-SA: Fragmentation-Free Spatial Allocation

Given a grid G containing a set of orthogonal grid cells and a list L of choices on each grid cell (e.g., land use), the fragmentation-free spatial allocation (FF-SA) aims to find a tile-partition of G and choice assignment on each tile so that the overall benefit is maximized under a cost constraint as well as spatial geometric constraints (e.g., minimum tile area, shape). The spatial constraints are necessary to avoid fragmentation and maintain practicality of the spatial allocation result. The application domains include agricultural landscape design (a.k.a., Geodesign), urban land-use planning, building floor zoning, etc. The problem is computationally challenging as an APX-hard problem. Existing spatial allocation techniques either do not consider spatial constraints during space-tiling or are very limited in enumeration space. We propose a Hierarchical Fragmentation Elimination (HFE) algorithm to address the fragmentation issue and significantly increase the enumeration space of tiling schemes. The new algorithm was evaluated through a detailed case study on spatial allocation of agricultural lands in mid-western US, and the results showed improved solution quality compared to the existing work.
High mobility yttrium doped cadmium oxide thin films

Donor doped CdO thin films on c-plane sapphire are prepared by reactive co-sputtering from Cd-metal and Y-metal targets which are driven using pulsed-dc and RF power respectively. Intrinsic CdO exhibits a carrier density of 1.8 × 1019 cm−3 and a mobility of 330 cm2 V−1 s−1. By increasing the Y-flux, carrier density values can be increased smoothly and reproducibly to a maximum value of 3.3 × 1020 cm−3. Mobility increases with Y flux, and exhibits a broad plateau between approximately 5 × 1019 cm−3 and 2 × 1020 cm−3. Higher carrier concentrations produce a sharp drop in mobility. The increase in mobility is attributed to a reduction of intrinsic donors (i.e., oxygen vacancies) with increasing carrier density while the ultimate decrease in mobility results from a combination of factors including cadmium vacancies, reduced crystal quality, and smaller crystallite sizes, all of which accompany carrier density values greater than the mid 1020 cm−3 range. This work demonstrates that CdO thin films can be prepar...
The Components of Age-Dependent Effects of Dietary Methionine Restriction on Energy Balance in Rats.

Objective Dietary methionine restriction (MR) improves biomarkers of metabolic health, in part through coordinated increases in energy intake and energy expenditure (EE). Some metabolic benefits of dietary MR are secondary to its effects on energy balance, so this study's purpose was to examine how age at initiation of MR influences its effects on energy balance and body composition. Methods Energy balance was examined in rats provided control or MR diets for 9 months after weaning or in rats between 6 and 12 months of age. Results Rats provided the control diet for 9 months after weaning increased their body weight (BW) and fat mass by five- and eightfold, respectively, while BW and fat accumulation in the MR group were reduced to 50% of that of controls. In adult rats fed the respective diets between 6 and 12 months of age, dietary MR increased energy intake by ∼23%, but the 15% increase in EE was sufficient to prevent increases in BW or fat mass. Conclusions Dietary MR produces comparable increases in EE in young, growing animals and in mature animals, but young animals continue to deposit new tissue because of the proportionately larger effect of MR on energy intake relative to maintenance requirements.
Dysmobility Syndrome Independently Increases Fracture Risk in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Prospective Cohort Study

We proposed the term "dysmobility syndrome" (DS) to identify individuals with impaired musculoskeletal health, a risk factor for falls and fractures. Whether DS is associated with increased risk of incident fracture is unknown. The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study enrolled 5994 men ages ≥65 years, between March 2000 and April 2002. We used baseline data to determine whether DS increased fracture risk, independent of the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX). Men met DS criteria at baseline if they had three or more of the following: appendicular lean mass/height2 30%, spine or hip T-score ≤ -2.5, grip strength <30 kg, gait speed <1.0 m/s, and one or more fall within 12 months. We examined whether baseline DS increased the risk of hip and major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs) over a median of 14 years (IQR, 9 to 15 years). Among 5834 men mean age 74 ± 6 years, 471 (8%) had DS and 635 (11%) experienced an MOF, including 274 (5%) hip fractures. Age (per SD increase) conferred an HR of 1.72 (95% CI, 1.59 to 1.86), DS conferred an HR of 3.45 (95% CI, 2.78 to 4.29) and FRAX calculated with BMD (per %) conferred an HR of 1.10 (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.11) for MOF. Prediction of MOF using the FRAX score provided a concordance value of 0.67 ± 0.012 (concordance values are mean ± SE). Concordance increased to 0.69 ± 0.012 by adding DS and to 0.70 ± 0.012 by adding DS and age to the multivariate model. Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that men with both DS and a FRAX risk above the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) treatment thresholds had higher MOF (HR 6.23; 95% CI, 3.10 to 12.54) and hip (HR 7.73; 95% CI, 5.95 to 10.04) fracture risk than men with neither condition. We suggest further studies to determine the optimal criteria for DS, and to test DS as a predictor of falls and fractures, especially in women. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Thickness Tunable Transport Properties in $\mathbf{MoTe}_{\mathbf{2}}$ Field Effect Transistors

One reason for the interest in studying two-dimensional (2D) materials lies in their atomically thin nature [1]–[5].
Supratotal Resection of Residual Clival Chordoma With Combined Endoscopic Endonasal and Contralateral Transmaxillary Approaches: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

The optimal treatment for skull base chordomas is gross total resection followed by radiotherapy and not radiation of partially resected tumors. Supratotal resection, defined as removal beyond all involved bone and dura, is ideal but difficult to achieve. In this video, we present the case of a 37-yr-old man with new onset of progressive cranial nerve sixth palsy and a skull base lesion compatible with clival chordoma. He underwent partial surgical resection at an outside institution via transcranial approach, with significant tumor residual at the clivus, dorsum sella, posterior clinoids, and petrous apex, extensive dural invasion, and intradural extension with attachment to the basilar artery and its long perforating branches. Supratotal surgical resection was achieved using an endoscopic endonasal transclival approach, ipsilateral transpteryoid approach to the foramen lacerum for carotid artery mobilization, bilateral interdural transcavernous approach with posterior clinoidectomies, and con-tralateral transmaxillary approach to the petrous apex. Reconstruction was performed in a multilayer fashion with fascia lata and fat grafts, extended nasoseptal flap, a lumbar drainage for 3 d. No cerebrospinal fluid leak occurred, and the abducens nerve palsy significantly improved at 3-mo follow-up. Proton therapy is planned. Recent advances in endoscopic endonasal surgery allow for very high rates of complete and even supratotal resection despite the challenging location. A long learning curve to acquire the technical skills and complex surgical anatomy is required to decrease complication rates and achieve maximal resection in chordomas. Reoperations are more challenging and risky; therefore, first attempt should have curative intent. The patient signed informed consent including the use of photographic and video material for educational or academic purposes.
100.40 Comparison of Intraprocedural Hypotension and Bradycardia in Rotational Versus Orbital Atherectomy

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in severely calcified coronary lesions is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Plaque modification systems, such as rotational atherectomy (RA) and, more recently, orbital atherectomy (OA), are increasingly being used to facilitate stent delivery in
Coeliac disease in Caucasian and South Asian patients in the North West of England.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease is an autoimmune enteropathy characterised by mucosal inflammation subsequent to gluten exposure, leading to malabsorption. Treatment is strict dietary control, relying on the patient's ability to maintain lifestyle modifications. The present study aimed to compare clinical presentation and adherence to a gluten‐free diet between South Asian and Caucasian patients with coeliac disease in East Lancashire METHODS: In total, 33 South Asian and 113 Caucasian adult patients diagnosed with coeliac disease under the care of the Dietetics Department at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust were selected using a convenience sampling method and then allocated to the South Asian or Caucasian group. A subjective assessment of dietetic notes from follow‐up visits within 1 year of the first appointment was undertaken by two investigators who subsequently allocated the patients to one of the three categories: (i) fully‐adherent; (ii) partly‐adherent; and (iii) non‐adherent. Presenting complaint, vitamin D, vitamin B₁₂, folate and ferritin levels were also compared. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in adherence to gluten‐free diet between the groups, with a larger proportion of Caucasian patients being fully adherent to gluten‐free diet compared to South Asian patients (64.6% versus 12.1%, P < 0.001). In addition, a significantly higher proportion of South Asian patients were vitamin D deficient compared with Caucasian patients (70.8% versus 32.8%, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The rates of strict adherence to gluten‐free diet and vitamin D levels were significantly lower in South Asian patients with coeliac disease compared to the Caucasian coeliac population. Further studies are required to investigate the causes and improve adherence in the South Asian population.
Inhibition of and Interaction with Human Recombinant Mitochondrial Aldehyde Dehydrogenase by Methyl Diethylthiocarbamate Sulfoxide

Disulfiram is used as aversion therapy in the treatment of alcoholism. Following the administration of disulfiram there is a decrease in the activity of hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase. A consequence of this effect is the accumulation of acetaldehyde subsequent to ethanol ingestion. The increase in levels of acetaldehyde produce flushing, nausea, vomiting, and tachycardia which is referred to as the disulfiram-ethanol reaction (Hald, et al., 1948; Kitson, 1977). In vivo disulfiram is rapidly reduced to N,N-diethylthiocarbamate (DDC) and it is therefore felt that the intact drug is not responsible for the inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) (Cobby, et al., 1977). An active metabolite of disulfiram is felt to be responsible for the inhibition. One such candidate is methyl diethylthiocar-bamate sulfoxide (MeDTC-sulfoxide) (Hart and Faiman, 1992). This compound has been shown to be an inhibitor of rat mitochondrial ALDH and has been detected in the plasma of rats given disulfiram (Hart and Faiman, 1992). Since the mitochondrial isoform of ALDH is felt to be important in the metabolism of acetaldehyde derived from ethanol metabolism (Svanas and Weiner, 1985), we examined the effect of MeDTC-sulfoxide upon the activity of human ALDH. We further investigated the interaction of the inhibitor with this enzyme by mass spectrometry.
Cumulative Trauma Exposure, Emotion Regulation, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Incarcerated Women.

Incarcerated women report high rates of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotion regulation has been identified as a potential mechanism that contributes to the association between trauma exposure and PTSD severity. The present study examined associations among cumulative trauma exposure, emotion regulation difficulties, and current (30-day) PTSD in 152 randomly selected women in prison. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), results indicated cumulative trauma was significantly associated with emotion regulation difficulties, β = .31, SE = .13, p = .005; and PTSD symptom severity, β = .41, SE = .14, p = .005. We identified a significant indirect effect, 0.11, z = 2.37, p = .018, of emotion regulation on the association between cumulative trauma exposure and severity of current PTSD symptoms. These findings are consistent with previous longitudinal research suggesting that emotion regulation is significantly affected by trauma exposure, and they support previously identified associations between emotion regulation difficulties and severity of PTSD. Further, these findings have the potential to inform current efforts to identify and implement effective PTSD-focused interventions with incarcerated women. In particular, it appears that emotion regulation skills may be an important component of effective PTSD focused interventions for this population.
Superheroes as Monsters as Teachers as Monsters as Superheroes

S uperheroes offer a promise of not only a better tomorrow, but better versions that we, as humans, can be. They represent the epoch of our evolution, and as demonstrated by their continued popularity, it is a promise that speaks to many of us directly. This said, another reason that superheroes are intriguing, from a curriculum studies perspective, is how the superhero trope has been overlaid onto teachers and teaching. “Teachers are the real superheroes,” the saying goes. But is this belief, like superheroes themselves, simply a myth or story we tell ourselves? Is it the hope or promise that never arrives? If so, is it to shield us from some monstrous truth? Could it be that superheroes represent something much darker? Using several superhero examples, the television series Westworld, and the work of Sylvia Wynter, this paper posits that superheroes, as a metaphor for teachers, are problematic because of their true monstrous nature and that the better metaphor are the “hosts” in Westworld who are seemingly monsters but are actually “heroes.”
Improved plutonium and americium photon branching ratios from microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy

Abstract Photon branching ratios are critical input data for activities such as nuclear materials protection and accounting because they allow material compositions to be extracted from measurements of gamma-ray intensities. Uncertainties in these branching ratios are often a limiting source of uncertainty in composition determination. Here, we use high statistics, high resolution (60–70 eV full-width-at-half-maximum at 100 keV) gamma-ray spectra acquired using microcalorimeter sensors to substantially reduce the uncertainties for 11 plutonium ( 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 241 Pu) and 241 Am branching ratios important for material control and accountability and nuclear forensics in the energy range of 125 keV to 208 keV. We show a reduction in uncertainty of over a factor of three for one branching ratio and a factor of 2–3 for four branching ratios.
SoSRM: A New Metric to Standarize System-of System Resilience Evaluation

Modern Life is enhanced by Systems of Systems (SoS). Financial systems, power infrastructure, transportation networks, and other SoS synergistically combine the resources and services of their constituent systems. Resilience measures SoS’s ability to withstand faults, minimize service disruption, and efficiently recover. Current SoS resilience metrics, however, require improvement. Because each SoS is approached with different assumptions about fault magnitude and recovery strategy, the resilience research community currently has difficulty answering the basic question: Between alternative designs A and B which system is more resilient? A new SoS Resilience metric should reflect that the most potent leverage point for SoS is at the system interfaces, incorporate a standardized fault and recovery strategy, be easily understood by decision makers, incorporate SoS dynamics, and be applicable to both Ecosystems and Industrial SoS. In response, we develop the SoS Resilience Metric (SoSRM). SoSRM methodology uses the definition of SoS to identify appropriate fault locations and Ecological Network Analysis to define fault and recovery duration. As an example application, SoSRM is applied an Intertidal Oyster Reef Ecosystem’s System Dynamics Model. Validation simulations demonstrate that SoSRM reflects expected fault impact. Additionally, methodological choices for fault duration do not drive SoSRM calculation results. This work presents a new tool with the end goal of examining two SoS to identify the more resilient.
Race/ethnicity differences in vitamin D levels and impact on cardiovascular disease, bone health, and oral health

ABSTRACT Vitamin D and its biomarker 25(OH)D are known to vary by race/ethnicity with African Americans (AAs) having significantly lower levels than non-Hispanic whites (white Americans). However, AAs have better bone mineral density (BMD) and less arterial calcification, one marker of cardiovascular risk, than white Americans, with some studies showing higher vit. D levels harmful to AAs. This study analyzes NHANES data from 2011 to 2014, NHANES being a biennially published national survey of nearly 10,000 people, with interview, examination, and lab data components. The analyses, using count regression and linear regression models to avoid thresholding of variables, find that abdominal aortic calcification scores rise with 24(OH)D in white Americans, with no statistically significant effect in AAs; femoral BMD falls with 25(OH)D in both groups; osteoporotic fracture risks fall with 25(OH)D in white Americans; and periodontal attachment loss falls with rising 25(OH)D in both groups. Overall, higher 25(OH)D seems protective for oral and skeletal health in white Americans, protective for periodontal health in AAs, negative for their skeletal health, and negative for arterial calcification in white Americans, after controlling for the demographic factors of age and sex, the physiological elements of blood pressure and BMI, the biochemical variables of LDL and cholesterol levels, the socioeconomic indicators of income-to-poverty-level ratio and education levels, and the environmental influence of the season. As periodontitis is low on the disease hazard scale compared to arterial calcification and skeletal health, the results point to a lack of significant protection with rising OH(D) levels in AAs, even after their low base levels, and some harmful impact from those higher levels. That combination should trigger a closer look at the single population-wide vitamin D threshold of 30 to 50 ng/mL currently recommended in the US.
Privacy and Legal Duties to Warn About Unsafe Behaviors, Conditions, or Hazards: The Example of Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting

Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect now occurs during a period of worldwide debate over the degree to which privacy is being eroded. Privacy and accountability are both important societal values. Proper analysis of privacy protections recognizes that the value of privacy normally means restricting the availability of information, which can deny disclosure of information necessary to hold individuals and institutions responsible for behaving in ways that are harmful, unjust, unethical, or even illegal. Complete privacy would create a world in which it would be very difficult to hold individuals or corporate bodies accountable for injurious behavior of every kind, no matter how devastating the harm that results.
Professional Burnout, Career Choice Regret, and Unmet Needs for Well-Being Among Urology Residents.

Abstract Objective To measure burnout and career choice regret from the American Urological Association Census, a national sample of urology residents, and to identify unmet needs for well-being. Methods This is a cross-sectional study describing U.S. urology residents’ responses to the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory and questions about career and specialty choice regret from the 2019 AUA Census. Respondents reported and prioritized unmet needs for resident well-being. Results Among 415 respondents (31% response), the prevalence of professional burnout was 47%. Burnout symptoms were significantly higher among second-year residents (65%) compared to other training levels (P = .02). Seventeen and 9% of respondents reported regretting their overall career and specialty choices, respectively. Among the 53% of respondents who had ever reconsidered career and specialty choice, a majority (54%) experienced this most frequently during the second year of residency, significantly more than other training levels (P = .04). Regarding unmet needs, 62% of respondents prioritized the ability to attend personal health appointments; the majority experienced difficulty attending such appointments during work hours, more so among women than men (70% vs 53%, P Conclusion In the largest study of urology resident burnout to date, 47% of residents, including 65% of second-year residents, met criteria for professional burnout. One in 6 residents reported career choice regret. Targeting interventions to early-career residents and enabling access to medical and mental health care should be priorities for reform.
Population-Based Incidence of Ocular Neovascularization Following Central Retinal Artery Occlusion in Olmsted County, Minnesota.

Purpose To determine the population-based incidence of ocular neovascularization (NV) following central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and systemic risk factors associated with its development. Methods Diagnosis of CRAO between January 1, 1976, and September 9, 2016, was identified using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a medical records linkage system for all medical care provided to residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota. Records were reviewed to confirm the diagnosis of CRAO, and data were collected on ocular NV and associated systemic diseases. Results There were 89 patients with CRAO. Subsequent ocular neovascularization developed in 14 (16%) patients. Neovascularization of the iris (NVI) was present in 9/14 (64%) of these patients, neovascularization of the angle (NVA) in 10/14 (71%), neovascularization of the disc (NVD) in 2/14 (14%), and neovascularization elsewhere (NVE) in 1/14 (7%). Of these 14 patients with NV, 9 (64%) developed neovascular glaucoma (NVG). The mean time from CRAO diagnosis to NV was 82 days (range 22 to 268 days). Excluding the patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy or CRAO caused by CRVO, the mean time to NV diagnosis was 80 days and the shortest time to NV diagnosis was 22 days. Diabetes mellitus was present in 64% of those with NV compared to 23% of those without NV (P = 0.003). Conclusion The population-based incidence of ocular neovascularization following CRAO is 16% and developed within 2 months in half the cohort. Patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk for NV complications.
Narratives of Resistance: Negotiating Agency and Violence in Commercial Sex Work

The article highlights the voices of commercial sex workers from Kolkata, India, as they delineate their acts of resistance in the face of continual adversity. The narratives of the sex workers revolve around several themes. These include the framing of commercial sex work and cultural narratives surrounding their profession, implications of rescue and rehabilitation propositions, the impact of violence in sex work and the negotiation with violence in their daily lives. The article shows that even high-risk marginalized populations like sex workers can engage with and overcome barriers like criminalization, stigmatization and violence in highly gendered sectors of labor like commercial sex work. The article renders the sex workers as subjects central to their own study, generates voices for the traditionally voiceless and examines how they communicatively construct their own reality. It is explored how enunciations of the sex workers influence their identity construction and negotiation of their vocation in direct non-conformity to mainstream discourses and cultural narratives.
Recent advances in the pharmacological management of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury.

Introduction Acute kidney injury is a common occurrence in patients with sepsis and portends a high mortality as well as increased morbidity with numerous sequelae including the development of chronic kidney disease. Currently, there are no specific therapies that either prevent AKI or hasten its recovery. Thus, clinicians typically rely on management of the underlying infection, optimization of hemodynamic parameters as well as avoidance of nephrotoxins to maximize outcomes. Areas covered Recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of sepsis as well as how these pathways may interact to lead to acute kidney injury have opened the door to the development of new, targeted therapies. This review focuses on the operative pathways in sepsis that have been identified as critical in leading to acute kidney injury and associated therapeutic agents that target these pathways. Expert opinion Despite increased understanding of the pathogenesis of sepsis, development of effective therapeutics to decrease the incidence of AKI have lagged. This is likely due to the complex pathophysiology with overlapping pathways and need for multiple therapies guided by specific biomarkers. Biomarkers that detail operative pathways may be able to guide the institution of more specific therapies with the hope for improved outcomes.
Lung Ultrasound for Rheumatic Diseases

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) used by emergency and critical care physicians has led to the wide adoption of lung ultrasound. Unlike musculoskeletal ultrasound, lung ultrasound uses an understanding of artifacts to identify normal versus pathologic lung. Lung ultrasound has advantages over computed tomography including safety (no radiation) and portability, allowing for an expedited evaluation of acutely ill patients. Lung ultrasound is an emerging modality that is now being studied for use in the evaluation of rheumatic diseases. Many rheumatic diseases present with lung manifestations. Interstitial lung disease and pleural abnormalities are the leading manifestations for which lung ultrasound has been studied in patients with rheumatic diseases, particularly among patients with systemic sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Lung ultrasound has comparable efficacy to high-resolution computed tomography in detecting interstitial lung disease, even in its early stages. Lung ultrasound is a feasible skill to acquire and is already being taught to medical students and residents as part of their training. Although more studies are needed to fully evaluate its use in the clinical setting, point-of-care lung ultrasound holds great potential to enhance rheumatology fellowship training and patient care overall and shows promise as an essential part of the evaluation of rheumatic disease patients.
Pharmacologic and toxicologic studies of N,N-diethyltoluamide. II. N,N-Diethyl-o-toluamide and N,N-diethyl-p-toluamide.

Toxicologic data are presented on two isomers of N,N-diethyltoluamide, namely, N,N-diethyl-o-toluamide (o-DET) and N,N-diethyl-p-toluamide (p-DET), which appear as impurities in N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (m-DET), a new insect repellent. The acute oral LD50 for rats, both sexes, is of the order of 1.21 ± 0.042 g/kg for o-DET and 2.3 ± 0.19 g/kg for p-DET. Repeated daily gastric intubation of 50% of the estimated LD50 values to rats for 19 days showed no evidence of adverse effects, either grossly or histologically. Feeding diets containing 0.0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0% (equivalent to 0, 100, 500, 1000, 5000, and 10,000 ppm) of o-DET or p-DET for 30 weeks to rats revealed no serious deleterious effects other than a slight depression in growth for female rats on the two highest concentrations of o-DET in the diet; hypertrophy of the livers of both male and female rats on 0.5 and 1.0% o-DET or p-DET; and hypertrophy of the kidneys of male rats on 1.0% and female rats on 0.5 and 1.0% o-DET. Minimal morphologic changes observed in the kidneys of rats on the various dietary levels of o-DET or p-DET are considered to be insignificant and unrelated to the compounds fed. Other organs were unaffected. Repeated cutaneous application of o-DET or p-DET in doses of 200 mg/kg/day for 65 days to rabbits and 260 mg/day to rats for 20 days produced only minor, fleeting and incipient skin reactions and only minor or insignificant microscopic changes in the kidneys only. On mucous membranes of the eye, no irritation, chemosis or conjunctivitis was observed.
A Continuous Media Player

The design and implementation of a continuous media player for Unix workstations is described. The player can play synchronized digital video and audio read from a file server. The system architecture and results of preliminary performance experiments are presented.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Clinical Cytogenetics

The goal of any clinical laboratory should be to provide patients with the most accurate test results possible. This is accomplished through various overlapping programs that continuously monitor and optimize all aspects of a test, including decisions by the laboratory to offer a test, the decision of providers to request the test, the testing itself, and the reporting of results to the referral source and patient. The levels at which test performance and accuracy can be optimized are encompassed under quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA). The monitoring of QC and QA problems allows for the integration of these parameters into a total quality management program. This unit reviews QC and QA guidelines, in addition to discussing how to establish a quality assurance program.
Regulation of Transcription Elongation and Termination

This article will review our current understanding of transcription elongation and termination in E. coli. We discuss why transcription elongation complexes pause at certain template sites and how auxiliary host and phage transcription factors affect elongation and termination. The connection between translation and transcription elongation is described. Finally we present an overview indicating where progress has been made and where it has not.
How federal farm programs affect water use, quality, and allocation among sectors

[1] This article examines the effects of U.S. federal farm programs on agricultural water use, water quality, and the allocation of water between agriculture and other sectors of the economy. Agriculture is central to policy debates over how to allocate water between competing uses and how to control water pollution. Agriculture accounts for 80% of U.S. consumptive use of freshwater and has been identified as the largest contributor to nonpoint source water pollution. Over the last 20 years, agricultural policy reforms have greatly reduced, though not eliminated, incentives to overuse water and chemical inputs and have improved targeting of conservation programs to achieve environmental benefits. Recent changes provide greater incentives for voluntary reallocation of water from agriculture to other uses. The 2002 farm bill reverses some reforms, increasing some distortionary subsidies, while shifting conservation program priorities from environmental to income transfer objectives.
A Very Long Engagement: Lobola's Life and Marriage's Death in a Kwazulu-Natal Community

The central practice that brings marriage into being today in many African communities in South Africa is lobola. Often translated as bridewealth, lobola comprises a complex series of prestations between the brides and grooms families. Unmentioned in recent laws offering state recognition to indigenous marriages, lobola remains very widely practiced in both rural and urban settings even though economic strife has made it increasingly difficult to complete. Marriage rates have accordingly collapsed. / / This paper asks why lobola has persisted despite economic hardship and the lack of state legal support. Drawing on eight months of ethnographic fieldwork in a quasi-rural community in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, I argue that, unlike other traditional practices, lobola has proven capable of taking on a range of meanings in the eyes of various constituencies. Older generations often continue to view lobola as a cornerstone of the extended-family notions of marriage most of them favor. Younger women, meanwhile, frame lobola as a tool by which they can help ensure their hoped-for marriages will be the 50/50 equal partnerships they feel entitled to under the post-apartheid constitutions gender-equality guarantees. The only opponents of lobola were some young men, who viewed it as an obstacle preventing their marriages. This variegated semiotic array demonstrates that individuals on the ground rework the meanings of co-existing customs and laws, troubling simplistic oppositions of culture v. law or tradition v. modernity.
Recent development of antifouling polymers: structure, evaluation, and biomedical applications in nano/micro‐structures

Antifouling polymers have been proven to be vital to many biomedical applications such as medical implants, drug delivery, and biosensing. This review covers the major development of antifouling polymers in the last 2 decades, including the material chemistry, structural factors important to antifouling properties, and how to challenge or evaluate the antifouling performances. We then discuss the applications of antifouling polymers in nano/micro-biomedical applications in the form of nanoparticles, thin coatings for medical devices (e.g., artificial joint, catheter, wound dressing), and nano/microscale fibers. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2014, 6:599–614. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1278 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
Dietary Fat Intake and Regulation of Energy Balance: Implications for Obesity

Obesity represents a major threat to health and quality of life. Although obesity has strong genetic determinants, the increasing prevalence of obesity in populations around the world suggests that environmental factors are promoting or exacerbating the problem. Experts are calling for public health efforts to deal with the global epidemic of obesity. Such a campaign would require that we identify and modify environmental factors that promote obesity. Our current food supply is high in fat, and high fat diets have been suggested to promote obesity by increasing energy intake, thus increasing the probability of positive energy balance and weight gain. However, others argue that high fat diets are not promoting obesity. In this paper, we review evidence from animal studies, carefully controlled laboratory studies, cross-sectional studies, clinical trials and studies in individuals at high risk to develop obesity. Although there are many environmental factors promoting excess energy intake and discouraging energy expenditure, it is clear that consumption of a high fat diet increases the likelihood of obesity and that the risk of obesity is low in individuals consuming low fat diets. On the basis of the available data, the current public health recommendations to lower dietary fat intake appear to be appropriate.
The Numerical and Experimental Characteristics of Multimode Dry-Friction Whip and Whirl

The nature of dry-friction whip and whirl is investigated through experimental and numerical methods. A test rig was designed and constructed to demonstrate and record the character of multi-mode dry-friction whip and whirl. These tests examined steady state whip and whirl characteristics for a variety of rub materials and clearances. A simulation model was constructed using tapered Timoshenko beam finite elements to form multiple-degree-of-freedom rotor and stator models. These models were reduced by component mode synthesis to discard high-frequency modes while retaining physical coordinates at the rub location to model rotor-stator interaction using a nonlinear contact model with Coulomb friction. Simulations were performed for specific test cases and compared against experimental data; these comparisons are favorable. Experimental data analysis showed multiple whirl and whip regions, despite claims of previous investigators that these regions are predicted analytically but not produced in simulations or experiments. Spectral analysis illustrates the presence of harmonic sidebands that accompany the fundamental whirl solution. These sidebands are more evident in whip and can excite higher-frequency whirl solutions.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
U-50,488H inhibits dynorphin and glutamate release from guinea pig hippocampal mossy fiber terminals.

Abstract The selective κ opioid agonist U-50,488H was tested for its ability to modulate the potassium-induced rise of cytosolic Ca2+ in, and transmitter release from, guinea pig hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes. U-50,488H dose dependently inhibited the potassium-induced rise in synaptosomal free Ca2+ levels. This inhibition was attenuated by the selective κ opioid antagonist nor-binaltorphimine, but was insensitive to naloxone and the δ opioid antagonist ICI 174,864. U-50,488H also dose dependently depressed the potassium-induced release of l -glutamate and dynorphin B-like immunoreactivity from mossy fiber synaptosomes in a nor-binaltorphimine-sensitive manner. This is the first report to confirm the presence of a presynaptic κ opioid receptor in the hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapse and the nature of its influence on neurotransmitter release. The present results may be used to suggest that endogenous dynorphin peptides interact with this κ opioid receptor to autoregulate the excitatory mossy fiber synaptic input.
Edaphic controls on soil organic carbon stocks in restored grasslands

Abstract Cultivation of undisturbed soils dramatically depletes organic carbon stocks at shallow depths, releasing a substantial quantity of stored carbon to the atmosphere. Restoration of native ecosystems can help degraded soils rebuild a portion of the depleted soil organic matter. However, the rate and magnitude of soil carbon accrual can be highly variable from site to site. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling soil organic carbon stocks is necessary to improve predictions of soil carbon recovery. We measured soil organic carbon stocks and a suite of edaphic factors in the upper 10 cm of a series of restored tallgrass prairies representing a range of drainage conditions. Our findings suggest that factors related to soil organic matter stabilization mechanisms (texture, polyvalent cations) were key predictors of soil organic carbon, along with variables that influence plant and microbial biomass (available phosphorus, pH) and soil moisture. Exchangeable soil calcium was the strongest single predictor, explaining 74% of the variation in soil organic carbon, followed by clay content, which explained 52% of the variation. Our results demonstrate that the cumulative effects of even relatively small differences in these edaphic properties can have a large impact on soil carbon stocks when integrated over several decades.
Physical concepts of corona in capacitors

CORONA OFTEN BECOMES the limiting factor in determining satisfactory voltage stress levels in capacitors where high operating stresses are desirable, and obtainable through the use of high-quality insulation. Recognition of this factor has resulted in extensive investigations1 of the effects on corona of many design and operating variables, and subsequent analysis of test results has revealed certain concepts which explain much of the behavior of corona in thin dielectrics.
An evaluation of methods for estimating the electron Stark widths of atomic spectral lines

Abstract Four methods for the calculation of electron Stark width of atomic spectral lines are evaluated. All methods provide estimates to the same order of magnitude, but no technique is best for all spectral lines. The success of a method depends on the nature and extent of knowledge of properties of the excited state. Use of the appropriate method will allow the computation of a meaningful estimate for the Stark width of any spectral line of interest in an analytical plasma.
Maternal depressive symptoms and physical activity in very low-income children

Objective: To test the contribution of maternal depression during late infancy to physical activity in children 5 years later. Method: Children (n = 168) from very low-income households in semiurban Mexico were assessed as toddlers (15 months, Time 1) and at pre-school age (4- 6 years, Time 2). Child low activity level (<20 minutes of activity daily for <7 d/wk) at Time 2 was the primary outcome measure and maternal depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale) by self-report at Time 1 was the primary independent variable. Covariates tested included child age, sex, BMI percentile, television viewing and behavior (Behavior Problem Index subscales), current maternal depressive symptoms, age, BMI and physical activity level, and family socioeconomic status; all covariates were assessed at Time 2 except for socioeconomic status. Results: At 4 to 6 years old, 27.5% of children were categorized with low activity level. Exposure to high maternal depressive symptoms at child age 15 months was associated with an increased risk of having a low activity level at age 4 to 6 years (OR, 2.38; 95% CI,1.05-5.40); results were unchanged with the inclusion of current maternal depressive symptoms. High child TV viewing was significantly associated with low activity level (OR, 5.44; 95% Cl, 2.06-14.3), but did not change the effect of maternal depressive symptoms in early childhood. Tests of mediation revealed that current child internalizing behavior, but not externalizing behavior, significantly attenuated the association between early high maternal depressive symptoms and later childhood activity level. Conclusion: Exposure to maternal depressive symptoms in late infancy is a risk factor for low activity level in later childhood and the association may be mediated by child internalizing factors.
Total Parenteral Nutrition With Glutamine in Bone Marrow Transplantation and Other Clinical Applications (A Randomized, Double-Blind Study)

In a paper by Ziegler et al (Ann Intern Med 116:821-828, 1992), total parenteral nutrition supplemented with L-glutamine (TPN/GLN) was reported beneficial in patients receiving bone marrow transplantation (EMT) for hematologic malignancies. By using a similar protocol, we studied 29 patients with both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, and with both allogeneic and autologous BMTS. In a double-blind, randomized approach, patients were given isocaloric, isonitrogenous TPN after BMT until they consumed 50% of their required diet orally. Total body water and extracellular water were measured before and after TPN in 10 patients. Total body water increased in patients receiving standard TPN and decreased significantly in patients receiving TPN/GLN. Length of hospital stay after BMT was significantly (5.8 days) less in patients receiving TPN/GLN. Incidence of positive bacterial cultures, clinical infections, and mortality did not differ significantly between the two groups. When the groups were subdivide...
Superconductivity in rapidly quenched Mo-P-B alloys

Superconducting transition temperatures (T c) were measured for a series of Mo-P-B alloys in the Mo-rich corner of the ternary system. The alloys were studied in two forms: (a) slowly cooled after induction melting, and (b) rapidly quenched in an arc hammer apparatus. The rapid quenching produced an amorphous structure, but most of the alloys also contained some crystalline material, indicating that this system is not conducive to easy glass formation. Ternary slowly cooled crystalline alloys in the concentration range 20 to 30 at % phosphorus and 10 to 20 at % boron had relatively highT c values of 9.6 to 9.9 K; higher than for either the Mo-P or Mo-B binary systems.T c values up to 9.02 K were observed for completely amorphous foils, consistent with the previously reported maximumT c values for amorphous alloys in this system. This remains the highestT c reported for a metallic glass. All of the rapidly quenched foils were brittle.
Effect of epinephrine upon level of plasma amino acids in the eviscerate rat.

SummaryFunctionally eviscerated rats were given continuious intravenous injections of glucose with and without insulin, with and without epinephrine for periods of 3, 16, and 18 hours. Large doses of epinephrine given with glucose and insulin for 18 hours caused a significant rise in the level of plasma amino acids.
An Investigation of the Relationships among Technology Experiences, Communication Apprehension, Writing Apprehension, and Computer Anxiety:

This study explored the relationships among communication technologies, communication apprehension, writing apprehension, and computer anxiety. The results indicate that significant relationships exist between computer anxiety, and computer/wordprocessing, between computer anxiety, and computer electronic discussion group, between computer anxiety and online computer service, between computer anxiety and CD-RAM, as well as other types of technology. Other results reveal that students are least experienced with programming computers, computerized electronic discussion group, computer conferencing and Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDA). Significant differences occurred between gender groups on cellular phone scores, writing stories/poetry scores, computerized electronic discussion group scores, satellite TV scores, electronic videogames scores, and computer/video conferencing scores, as well as communication apprehension scores, writing apprehension scores, and computer anxiety scores. The specifics ...
Brain nucleic acid content during the estrous cycle in the rat.

Le contenu total du RNA, DNA et le poids sec de certaines parties prelevees au cerveau sont reste constants durant les differentes etapes du cycle oestral.
The effects of isoflurane and halothane on blood flow and 31P NMR spectra in murine RIF-1 tumors.

The principal aim of these studies was to evaluate the utility of isoflurane and halothane for NMR investigations of tumor physiology. In vivo 31 P and 2 H NMR were used to examine RIF-1 tumors before, during, and (for 31 P) after anesthesia. In tumors, halothane decreases blood flow, [PCR]:[NTP], and pH indicated by the P i chemical shift (pH nmr ), while it increases [P i ]:[NTP]; effects consistent with well-established cardiovascular effects of halothane. Isoflurane does not affect tumor blood flow or [PCr]:[NTP], but increases tumor [P i ]:[NTP] and decreases tumor pH nmr . In vivo 31 P NMR measurements of normal mouse liver (upper abdomen) indicate that isoflurane has a similar effect in the liver. Although the mechanism for these effects is unknown, observation of a split P i peak during isoflurane anesthesia suggests that a pool of P i in a lower pH environment may become evident under isoflurane anesthesia. Regardless of the cause for increased [P i ]:[NTP] and decreased pH nmr , the utility of isoflurane anesthesia for 31 P NMR studies of energy metabolism is limited