cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The intravesical injection of highly purified botulinum toxin for the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity

Introduction We aimed to assess safety and efficacy of incobotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (DO). Methods We identified patients with neurogenic DO confirmed on urodynamics (UDS) and reported urgency incontinence (UI) in those who received intravesical incobotulinumtoxin A injection for neurogenic bladder between November 2013 and May 2017. Parameters studied were daytime frequency, daily incontinence episodes, daily pad use, clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) volumes, symptom scores (UDI6, IIQ7, PGII), and complications. Results We examined 17 male patients who met inclusion criteria and underwent incobotulinumtoxinA injection. Mean age was 61.2±15.4 years. Fourteen patients (82%) were taking oral antimuscarinics prior to the incobotulinumtoxin A injection. There were improvements in the following parameters: average daily pads (4.5 to 3.3, p=0.465), daily urinary frequency (9.4 to 4.6, p=0.048), daily incontinent episodes (2.5 to 0.4, p=0.033), CIC volumes (400 to 550 mL, p=0.356), hours in between CIC (3.6 to 5.2, p=0.127), and the validated questionnaires UDI6 (30.6 to 7.4, p=0.543) and IIQ7 (52.4 to 6.8, p=0.029). There were no documented symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs) within 30 days of injection or reports of de novo urinary retention. Nine of 17 patients (53%) reported being dry at their first postoperative visit. Conclusions In this preliminary pilot study of a small cohort of males with neurogenic DO and UI, significant improvements were seen following incobotulinumtoxinA injection in daily frequency, incontinence episodes, hours in between CIC, and quality of life. Larger-scale and long-term studies are required to confirm these results, but initial findings are promising for wider use of this formulation.
Predicting and Preventing Myocardial Infarction in the Young.

In this issue of Diabetes Care , Divakaran et al. (1) report on patients from the Partners YOUNG-MI registry who suffered a first myocardial infarction (MI) at or before the age of 50 years. They describe diabetes prevalence and long-term cardiovascular outcomes stratified by diabetes status. Diabetes is a well-established risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) such as MI, stroke, or cardiovascular death. However, most existing data are in older patients. Thus, this article offers an opportunity to gain insight into an important and understudied population. The mean age of this study cohort was 44 years, 19% were women, and 73% were white. Patients were enrolled between 2000 and 2016, and median follow-up was just over 11 years. Of the 2,097 patients in this cohort, 416 (20%) had diabetes, 39 (2%) of whom had type 1 diabetes. In 81 patients (20% of the patients with diabetes, 4% of the overall cohort), this was a new diabetes diagnosis. Although young, the risk factor burden in these patients was substantial. Half the cohort reported current smoking, 9 in 10 carried a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, and 1 in 4 reported a family history of premature cardiovascular disease. Despite this significant risk factor burden, the median atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) 10-year risk score was just under 10% in study patients with diabetes. Despite the young age of this cohort, the cumulative incidence curves shown in Fig. 1 of the article show all-cause mortality >20% at 10 years in patients on insulin and >10% in patients with diabetes not on insulin. Cardiovascular mortality was ∼10% in patients with diabetes, over threefold higher than …
The association between biomarkers and clinical outcomes in novel coronavirus pneumonia in a US cohort

Aim: To describe the association between D-dimer, CRP, IL-6, ferritin, LDH and the clinical outcomes in a cohort of 299 COVID-19 patients treated on the inpatient medical service at a university hospital in the District of Columbia (DC, USA). Methodology & results: In this retrospective study, we included all laboratory confirmed COVID-19 adults admitted to the inpatient medicine service at the George Washington University Hospital between 12 March 2020 and 9 May 2020. We analyzed the association of biomarkers on intensive care unit transfer, intubation and mortality. Threshold values for all biomarkers were found to be statistically significant and independently associated with higher odds of clinical deterioration and death. Conclusion: Laboratory markers of inflammation and coagulopathy can help clinicians identify patients who are at high risk for clinical deterioration in COVID-19.
Home-based intervention for non-Hispanic black families finds no significant difference in infant size or growth: results from the Mothers & Others randomized controlled trial

Non-Hispanic black (NHB) infants are twice as likely as non-Hispanic white infants to experience rapid weight gain in the first 6 months, yet few trials have targeted this population. The current study tests the efficacy of “Mothers & Others,” a home-based intervention for NHB women and their study partners versus an attention-control, on infant size and growth between birth and 15 months. Mothers & Others was a two-group randomized controlled trial conducted between November 2013 and December 2017 with enrollment at 28-weeks pregnancy and follow-up at 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, and 15-months postpartum. Eligible women self-identified as NHB, English-speaking, and 18–39 years. The obesity prevention group (OPG) received anticipatory guidance (AG) on responsive feeding and care practices and identified a study partner, who was encouraged to attend home visits. The injury prevention group (IPG) received AG on child safety and IPG partners only completed study assessments. The primary delivery channel for both groups was six home visits by a peer educator (PE). The planned primary outcome was mean weight-for-length z-score. Given significant differences between groups in length-for-age z-scores, infant weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) was used in the current study. A linear mixed model, using an Intent-To-Treat (ITT) data set, tested differences in WAZ trajectories between the two treatment groups. A non-ITT mixed model tested for differences by dose received. Approximately 1575 women were screened for eligibility and 430 were enrolled. Women were 25.7 ± 5.3 years, mostly single (72.3%), and receiving Medicaid (74.4%). OPG infants demonstrated lower WAZ than IPG infants at all time points, but differences were not statistically significant (WAZdiff = − 0.07, 95% CI − 0.40 to 0.25, p = 0.659). In non-ITT models, infants in the upper end of the WAZ distribution at birth demonstrated incremental reductions in WAZ for each home visit completed, but the overall test of the interaction was not significant (F2,170 = 1.41, p = 0.25). Despite rich preliminary data and a strong conceptual model, Mothers & Others did not produce significant differences in infant growth. Results suggest a positive impact of peer support in both groups. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01938118 , 09/10/2013.
The Elastic Properties of Fractal Structures

Small particles may be aggregated to form low-density macroscopic materials, characterized by a fractal geometry over a range of length scales [1–4] between the particle size a, and an upper scale ξ. Examples of such materials are gold and silica colloidal aggregates [2], such as those described in the paper by Schaefer [4], and the highly porous metallic composites formed by sintering a powder of submicron silver particles [3]. The macroscopic elastic properties of such materials are determined by the details of the structure over the fractal regime, which is typically rather tenuous and consists of many thin tortuous chains and lamellae.
Correlation of Diagnostic Methods and Disease Control Practices with Reduction in Prevalence of M. Paratuberculosis in Dairy Cattle

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, Johne's disease (JD), is a chronic. incurable enteropathy affecting cattle and other ruminants. Both diagnostic and control measures have been inadequate to enable early detection and elimination of the infection from cattle herds. This study attempts to develop and evaluate diagnostic methods and to correlate management and disease control practices with reduction in prevalence of JD-infected animals from known JD-positive herds.
Procedural Fundamentals for Medical Students: Institutional Outcomes of a Novel Multimodal Course.

Rationale and Objectives There is a gap in current medical student education pertaining to procedural skills’ exposure and acquisition. The aim of this study is to evaluate the institutional experience of a novel medical student procedural course and its impact on procedural confidence. Materials and Methods This is a single-center prospective study performed at a public medical school and its associated tertiary care medical center between June 2020 and January 2021. This study was deemed exempt by our Institutional Review Board and was performed with participant consent. The multimodal course developed by the radiology department consisted of four didactic lectures, four simulation sessions, and a minimum of 16 clinical rotation hours with the department's vascular access team. Primary outcomes were assessed by comparing participant pre and post course surveys including twenty-five 5-point Likert scaled questions. Results Twenty-five self-selected students completed the course in its entirety. The curriculum and the corresponding survey analysis were stratified into sections by procedure modality. An increase in participant confidence to a moderate or greater level was observed when comparing pre and post course survey data for each procedure: vascular access (4% vs 52%, p Conclusions The creation of a medical-student-centric procedural course is feasible and fills a potential gap in undergraduate medical education. This study demonstrated that a comprehensive multimodal course, designed to include didactic, simulation and clinical experiences, increases participant exposure to, participation with, and confidence in bedside procedural performance abilities.
Relationism: Legal Theory for a Relational Society

Any theory of law that by virtue of its emphasis on law courts and on enforceable remedies focuses mainly on the individual, the State, regulation, and the discrete transactions of the marketplace, is woefully incomplete. It fails to address the broad realm of interaction between the colossal institutions and organizations that dominate advanced societies, and it neglects the way in which law functions as law among them. One common theme underlies the intense dissatisfaction with the formal legal ordering of industrial relations, ongoing contracts, and international law: on account of the character of relations between the parties, their conduct is far removed from the demands of the formal legal order. This dissatisfaction can be found, for example, in the work of an English royal commission on industrial relations.' It was also reflected in the work of the Uniform Commercial Code Commission that adapted the law of contracts to the practices and needs of commerce,2 and it is expressed today in the perceived inadequacy of legal remedies for breaches of sovereign loan agreements.8 Scholars have voiced their dissatisfaction. Clyde Summers, for example, observed that the law of contracts so far as it consists of specific legal rules, has little relevance for collective agreements,4 and Ian Macneil has criticized the transactional bias of classical contract law." This critique is so persistent and uniform that I have been led to question some familiar and powerful views about legal ordering. It is my position that the much lamented "inadequacies" in the law of industrial relations, in the law of contracts, and in international law
Encounter with a Wizard

My chance encounter with Ludwig von Bertalanffy in 1959 introduced me to general systems theory, and provided me with a perspective that has impacted my entire professional career. This article illustrates how systems thinking permeated my experimental and theoretical work with parapsychological phenomena, dreams and dreaming, and personal mythology. Without this perspective, these explorations of human consciousness would have been more simplistic and linear, and less holistic and complex.
Spectral design of polynomial weighted median filters

Summary form only given. A closed-form spectral optimization method for the design of polynomial weighted median (PWM) filters is presented. The algorithm is an extension of the generalized Mallow's theory for nonlinear smoothers that consists of first finding a set of positive weights for each sub-WM filter of the PWM filter, whose sample selection probabilities are as close as possible to the coefficients of a corresponding sub-finite impulse response (FIR) filter of the conventional Volterra filter with the desired spectral response. The signs of the weights associated with the general PWM filtering structure are then coupled with the input sample for each sub-WM filter, prior to replication by weight magnitudes. The spectral characteristics of the PWM filter, designed under the proposed method, are shown to be very similar to those of the equivalent FIR Volterra filter and arbitrary spectral behavior can be achieved. Unlike their FIR Volterra filter counterparts, PWM filters are robust to impulsive noise, as demonstrated by simulations.
Evidence that an albicidin-like phytotoxin induces chlorosis in sugarcane leaf scald disease by blocking plastid DNA replication

Abstract Albicidin is the best characterized member of a family of antibiotics produced by Xanthomonas albilineans which inhibit prokaryote DNA replication. Results with mutants of X. albilineans have suggested that a toxin biosynthetically closely related to albicidin causes the blocked chloroplast differentiation which leads to chlorosis in sugarcane leaf scald. This paper describes effects of albicidin on sugarcane plants and plastids. Albicidin was detected in white leaf stripes surrounding invaded vascular bundles in diseased plants. Time-course and dose-response data showed that in isolated sugarcane proplastids inhibition of DNA replication is a primary action of albicidin, followed by partial inhibition of protein synthesis. Albicidin caused permanent white chlorosis of shoots re-differentiating from treated callus, but did not cause chlorosis when injected into the spindles of intact sugarcane plants. These results coupled with earlier ultrastructural and mutant studies strongly support the hypothesis that a member of the albicidin family of compounds produced by X. albilineans in invaded xylem causes chlorosis in sugarcane leaf scald disease by preferentially inhibiting plastid DNA replication, resulting in blocked chloroplast differentiation.
Phase transitions in the one-dimensional long-range diluted Heisenberg spin glass

We use Monte Carlo simulations to study the one-dimensional long-range diluted Heisenberg spin glass with interactions that fall as a power $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ of the distance. Varying the power is argued to be equivalent to varying the space dimension of a short-range model. We are therefore able to study both the mean-field and non-mean-field regimes. For one value of $\ensuremath{\sigma}$, in the non-mean-field regime, we find evidence that the chiral-glass transition temperature may be somewhat higher than the spin-glass transition temperature. For the other values of $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ we see no evidence for this.
Regulation of NCC and the WNK cascade by the circadian clock protein Per1 in murine distal convoluted tubule cells (1109.5)

Blood pressure and renal function undergo circadian fluctuations. We have shown that the circadian protein Per1 regulates genes involved in sodium (Na) transport in the kidney collecting duct, but has not been investigated in other parts of the nephron. The distal convoluted tubule (DCT) plays a critical role in Na reabsorption in the nephron through the actions of the Na-Cl co-transporter (NCC), which is regulated by the with-no-lysine kinases (WNKs). Therefore, we wanted to test the hypothesis that Per1 regulates Na transport in the DCT through modulation of NCC, WNK1 and WNK4. Pharmacological blockade of nuclear Per1 entry resulted in decreased mRNA expression of NCC and WNK1, but increased expression of WNK4 in mouse renal cortex. These findings were confirmed by Per1 siRNA and pharmacological blockade of Per1 nuclear entry in mDCT15 cells, a model of the mouse distal convoluted tubule. Measurement of short-lived hnRNA demonstrated that the effect of Per1 was transcriptional. Chromatin immunoprecipita...
Optical properties of UBe13, CeBe13, and ThBe13.

We report the results of optical reflectivity measurements on M${\mathrm{Be}}_{13}$(M=U,Ce,Th) from 0.1 to 30 eV at T=300 K. The dielectric function \ensuremath{\epsilon}(\ensuremath{\omega})=${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{1}$+i${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}$(\ensuremath{\omega}) is determined from a Kramers-Kronig analysis of the data. The intraband and interband contributions to \ensuremath{\epsilon}(\ensuremath{\omega}) were separated via a low-energy Drude analysis. The following free-carrier plasma frequencies were obtained: ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}$(${\mathrm{UBe}}_{13}$)=5.9 eV, ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}$(${\mathrm{CeBe}}_{13}$)=5.3 eV, and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}$(${\mathrm{ThBe}}_{13}$)=4.4 eV. Estimated values for the optical mass of the free carriers fall in the range 1${m}_{\mathrm{opt}2}$ for the three beryllides, consistent with the presence of a wide band at ${E}_{F}$. If a value of ${m}_{\mathrm{opt}=1}$ is chosen, the values of ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}$ are consistent with 3.4 (${\mathrm{UBe}}_{13}$), 2.8 (${\mathrm{CeBe}}_{13}$), and 2.0 (${\mathrm{ThBe}}_{13}$) free carriers per M${\mathrm{Be}}_{13}$ formula unit. Prominent structure in ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2,\mathrm{b}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{d}}$ is observed in all three compounds at \ensuremath{\approxeq}2 and \ensuremath{\approxeq}13 eV and are tentatively assigned to Be(2s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2p) transitions. M-atom-dependent structure in the spectra is also observed and identified with the d and f states near ${E}_{F}$. The results for ${\mathrm{UBe}}_{13}$ are discussed in terms of recent energy-band calculations, but a true quantitatitve comparison of the data and theory will have to await calculation of the dielectric functions from the band-structure results.
Integration of forward osmosis and membrane distillation for sustainable wastewater reuse

Abstract This study focuses on the performance of an integrated forward osmosis (FO) and membrane distillation (MD) process for wastewater reuse. FO worked as a pretreatment barrier to remove most contaminants in the feed water and MD was used to recover the draw solutes from FO effluent and simultaneously produce high-quality reusable water. A unique three-channel FO–MD membrane module was designed and built to test water flux and contaminant removal in bench-scale experiments. It was found that the integrated FO–MD system possessed inherent flux balancing mechanism that enabled a stable and equal water flux for both FO and MD membranes for effective recovery of draw solution over long-term experiments. The FO–MD system was able to achieve more than 3 logs (>99.9%) removal of ammonium, COD, arsenic, and combined solutes in both synthetic and real wastewaters. Such a synergistic integration of FO and MD membrane processes offers three major advantages. First, the upstream FO process removes most contaminants and foulants from the feed solution, thus potentially diminishing the fouling and wetting problem for the downstream MD process. Second, the downstream MD process successfully recovers the draw solution for the FO process, enabling a constant water flux for FO. Third, the synergistic removal capability of FO and MD enabled the production of extremely high-quality product water. Additional benefits of the integrated process include ambient pressure operation and potential use of renewable low-grade heat as the energy source.
Teddies: trained Eddies for reactive stream processing

In this paper, we present an adaptive stream query processor, Teddies, that combines the key advantages of the Eddies system with the scalability of the more traditional dataflow model. In particular, we introduce the notion of adaptive packetization of tuples to overcome the large memory requirements of the Eddies system. The Teddies optimizer groups tuples with the same history into data packets which are then scheduled on a per packet basis through the query tree. Corresponding to the introduction of this second dimension - the packet granularity-we propose an adaptive scheduler that can react to not only the varying statistics of the input streams and the selectivity of the operators, but also to the fluctuations in the internal packet sizes. The scheduler degrades to the Eddies scheduler in the worst case scenario. We present experimental results that compare both the reaction time as well as the scalability of the Teddies system with the Eddies and the data flow systems, and classify the conditions under which the Teddies' simple packet optimizer strategy outperforms the per-tuple Eddies optimizer strategy.
Stability and bonding of new superalkali phosphide species.

New superalkali phosphide species with the molecular formulas F2Li3P, F2Li3P2, and F4Li6P were investigated. Using the CBS-QB3 composite method to optimize geometry and energetic parameters, four monophosphides, two diphosphides, and one disuperalkali phosphide were discovered that contain intriguing structural features, including hyperlithiation, phosphorus–phosphorus bonds, and planar tetracoordinated phosphorus. It is believed that these features lend to the stability of these structures and may warrant further experimental investigation of these phosphide species to determine if they could play some role in the development of novel chemical reactions and/or materials.
Membrane organization in G-protein mechanisms.

A prevailing view of receptor and G-protein function in cells includes random collisions between the proteins with a great specificity at the sites of protein-protein interaction. Recent evidence suggests that receptors, G-proteins, and effectors may be less mobile and that these systems are more highly organized than previously appreciated. Several types of evidence suggest that receptors do not have free access to all G-protein with which they are capable of coupling. Also, the specificity of signaling in intact cells appears to be significantly greater than in reconstituted systems. The distribution and mobility of G-proteins in cells are restricted to a surprising degree. Thus, complex interactions of the receptors and G-proteins with their effectors and cell membrane machinery appear to play an important role in their function. A full understanding of G-protein-coupled receptors must include a better description of the organization of these systems in cell membranes. Possible roles for noncoated pits...
Misuse and Diversion of Stimulants Prescribed for ADHD: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

ABSTRACT Objective Recent studies have provided variable information on the frequency and context of diversion and the use of nonprescribed and prescribed stimulant medications in adolescent and young adult populations. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature is to evaluate the extent and characteristics of stimulant misuse and diversion in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and non-ADHD individuals. Method We conducted a systematic review of the literature of available studies looking at misuse and diversion of prescription ADHD medications using misuse , diversion , stimulants , illicit use , and ADHD medications as key words for the search. Results We identified 21 studies representing 113,104 subjects. The studies reported rates of past year nonprescribed stimulant use to range from 5% to 9% in grade school- and high school-age children and 5% to 35% in college-age individuals. Lifetime rates of diversion ranged from 16% to 29% of students with stimulant prescriptions asked to give, sell, or trade their medications. Recent work suggests that whites, members of fraternities and sororities, individuals with lower grade point averages, use of immediate-release compared to extended-release preparations, and individuals who report ADHD symptoms are at highest risk for misusing and diverting stimulants. Reported reasons for use, misuse, and diversion of stimulants include to concentrate, improve alertness, "get high," or to experiment. Conclusions The literature suggests that individuals both with and without ADHD misuse stimulant medications. Recent work has begun to document the context, motivation, and demographic profile of those most at risk for using, misusing, and diverting stimulants. The literature highlights the need to carefully monitor high-risk individuals for the use of nonprescribed stimulants and educate individuals with ADHD as to the pitfalls of the misuse and diversion of the stimulants.
Transforming growth factor beta-1 decreases interstitial collagenase in healing human fetal skin

Fetal dermal wounds heal without scarring. Because wound repair requires extracellular matrix turnover, the authors hypothesized that fetal skin would have increased levels of proteinases responsible for matrix degradation compared with adult skin. It was further hypothesized that transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) induces scarring in fetal skin by altering proteinase synthesis. A model of human fetal skin transplanted subcutaneously onto immunodeficient mice was used to study the role of matrix metalloproteinases in healing human fetal skin. In this model, transplanted second trimester fetal skin heals without scarring; addition of TGF-beta1 induces scarring. Proteinases were detected by immunohistochemistry in untransplanted fetal skin, untransplanted adult skin, TGF-beta1-treated fetal skin grafts, and sucrose-treated control grafts. In untransplanted fetal skin, interstitial collagenase, stromelysin-1, and gelatinase A were found in dermal cells and keratinocytes, and around vascular structures. Proteinases were detected in adult skin at similar locations but stained less intensely. Addition of TGF-beta1 decreased interstitial collagenase in fetal skin, but detection of gelatinase A and stromelysin-1 was unchanged. The authors conclude that matrix metalloproteinases are present in midgestation human fetal skin and that more proteinase-containing cells are found in fetal skin than in adult skin. Manipulation of fetal skin with TGF-beta1 is accompanied by a decrease in interstitial collagenase. These data suggest that the increased matrix metalloproteinases found in fetal skin contribute to scarless healing and that the fibrotic effects of TGF-beta1 on fetal skin may be mediated in part by decreasing the synthesis of interstitial collagenase.
The paleoecology and stratigraphy of Nichols Meadow, Sierra National Forest, California, USA

Sediment stratigraphy and pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal analyses, along with nine radiocarbon dates from Nichols Meadow, provides the most intensive investigation of Sierra Nevada montane meadow development and paleoecology. During pollen zone NM-I (ca. 18,500-12,500 yr B.P.) the Nichols Meadow area contained a stream during the Tioga glacial stage. The presence of high Artemisia and Gramineae pollen percentages along with a very low pollen influx rate reflects a cold-dry steppe-woodland environment. Pollen zone NM-II (ca. 12,500-8800 yr B.P.) documents the development of a lower montane forest and giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) community which existed around a small meadow. The higher sediment accumulation rates suggest that fallen trees contributed to the aggregation of meadow sediments. arly Holocene aridity is recorded in pollen zone NM-III (ca. 8800-6000 yr B.P.) by poorly preserved pollen. We infer that the forest trees closed in on the meadow and occupied the meadow floor. The reduction in available moisture caused giant sequoia to become locally extinct in the Nichols Meadow area probably moving into their current distribution within the Nelder Grove. Pollen zone NM-IV (6000 yr B.P.-present) reflects the development of the modern Nichols Meadow. Less sand in the meadow sediments, due to stable vegetation surrounding Nichols Meadow, allowed the increased retention of ground water. This along with the neoglacial cooling trend at ca. 3000 yr B.P. caused ground water to rise and saturate the meadow. These events excluded the conifers from the meadow surface and allowed herbaceous vegetation associated with wet meadows to dominate. Overgrazing and channeling of the meadow's outflowing stream caused the water table to drop, resulting in the incision of the meadow.
Designing information systems for organizational control: The use of psychological tests

Abstract Information systems should be designed in recognition of their potential effect on organizational control. The information system/user interface, e.g., report mechanisms, thus becomes a critical element for achieving control in organizations. Psychological tests, as compared to interviews, are proposed as a structured approach for designing user reports, hence improving control systems. A framework for this methodology is proposed, and a field study is described.
Effects of Overtraining on Reversal and Nonreversal Discrimination Shifts in a Free Operant Situation

Rats were trained on a single-stimulus, successive discrimination in a free operant situation. An irrelevant stimulus dimension was present at ail times. Following attainment of the acquisition criterion, Ss were shifted immediately or given 4 or 8 days of overtraining before being shifted. Half of Ss were given a reversal shift and half a nonreversal shift. Overtraining did not affect reversal or nonreversal learning. These results were contrasted with those of Mackintosh (1962). Various theoretical issues were discussed in light of the present findings. It was tentatively concluded that the overtraining effect depends upon the role of observing behavior in the formation and overtraining of a discrimination.
Hydrogen broadening and collision-induced line shifts of methane at 4200 cm -1 .

Many of the lines of the nu1 + nu4 and nu3 + nu4 bands of methane in the vicinity of 4200/cm have been assigned and are reported in the HITRAN data-base which is commonly used for atmospheric transmission calculations in the IR. The collision-induced broadening coefficients of hydrogen for more than 200 of these lines are reported. Also, by using the water-vapor lines which occur in the spectra as calibration marks, the frequencies of the broadened lines are determined. This permitted the collision-induced line shifts to be measured for lines sufficiently isolated from interfering blends: all of the shifts which could be reliably determined in this way were negative.
Surgical Disorders of the Round Ligament

Surgical procedures carried out in the groin and contiguous areas in the female patient are mostly for the purpose of hernia repairs and for the diagnosis and management of lymphadenopathy. Surgeons,
DEVELOPMENT OF A SAFETY RESOURCE-ALLOCATION MODEL IN MICHIGAN

Traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities on roads and highways are of great concern to safety professionals in the United States. These problems are often caused by infrastructure inadequacies, increasing traffic, and inappropriate driver behavior. Reduction of traffic crashes and injuries is possible if an effective statewide safety-improvement program is implemented. Development of such a program requires careful investigation and analysis of historical traffic-crash data and use of an intelligent resource-allocation strategy. A statewide traffic-crash analysis was performed with crash and exposure data for the entire state of Michigan. Typically, the resources available for safety projects and programs are not sufficient to undertake a comprehensive set of safety initiatives for the entire state. Therefore, it is important that the available resources are used optimally to achieve the greatest overall safety benefits. The Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), a division of the State Police Department of Michigan, provides funding to local governmental agencies for a variety of safety projects and programs to alleviate traffic crashes and injuries. Most of the projects funded by OHSP involve safety initiatives related to alcohol, the use of safety-restraint systems, enforcement of traffic regulations, and programs related to driver behavioral issues. A comprehensive analysis of traffic crashes and injuries was performed with the past five years' crash data for all 83 counties in the state of Michigan. The high-priority areas for implementing safety initiatives in the state were identified and prioritized through a safety performance index (SPI) developed as a part of this research. The SPI involves the use of historical crash data and multiple exposure variables. The development, analysis, benefits, and uses of SPI are described. Based on the SPI values, development of an optimal resource-allocation model using linear programming techniques is also presented.
Altered Intersubunit Communication Is the Molecular Basis for Functional Defects of Pathogenic p97 Mutants

The human AAA ATPase p97 is a molecular chaperone essential in cellular proteostasis. Single amino acid substitutions in p97 have been linked to a clinical multiple-disorder condition known as inclusion body myopathy associated with Paget's disease of the bone and frontotemporal dementia. How the mutations affect the molecular mechanism that governs the function of p97 remains unclear. Here, we show that within the hexameric ring of a mutant p97, D1 domains fail to regulate their respective nucleotide-binding states, as evidenced by the lower amount of prebound ADP, weaker ADP binding affinity, full occupancy of adenosine-5′-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) binding, and elevated overall ATPase activity, indicating a loss of communication among subunits. Defective communication between subunits is further illustrated by altered conformation in the side chain of residue Phe-360 that probes into the nucleotide-binding pocket from a neighboring subunit. Consequently, conformations of N domains in a hexameric ring of a mutant p97 become uncoordinated, thus impacting its ability to process substrate.
The fruit-setting factor from the ethanol extracts of immature corn kernels.

Abstract The fruit-setting factor of the ethanol extract of immature kernels of sweet corn ( Zea Mays rugosa , var. Golden Cross ) has been identified as the ethyl ester of 3-indole acetic acid. This ester is approximately 100 times more effective than is 3-indole acetic acid in inducing parthenocarpy in the tomato.
Multi-ionic Action Potentials in Molluscan Giant Neurones

IN extension of the “sodium theory” of nerve impulse production1, a number of authors have described excitable membranes in which normal inward action currents are carried chiefly by calcium ions in crustacean muscles2–6 and amphibian heart tissue7. It has been suggested that some gastropod giant neurones have “calcium spikes”8,9. Oomura et al.8 showed that supra-oesophageal ganglion cells in Onchidium continue to produce spikes in media free from sodium or calcium, but become inexcitable if both sodium and calcium ions are removed from the perfusing solution. This behaviour is also seen in Aplysia giant neurones and, together with the quantitative effects of varying external ion concentrations, suggests that both sodium and calcium act as carriers of current during the normal action potential.
Expenditure Flows Near Widowhood

Using data from the 1980–2001 Consumer Expenditure Surveys, we investigate how impending widowhood affects households’ expenditure patterns. We find that total annual expenditures are $4,027 higher for about-to-be-widowed households compared to otherwise comparable continuously married couples. Within subcategories, expenditures average $4,108 higher for the miscellaneous subcategory which includes expenditures on funerals/burials. We conclude that differences in the needs-adjusted incomes of married and widowed households may be partly a function of pre-widowhood differences in their expenditure patterns that lead about-to-be-widowhood households to draw down on financial wealth.
Ethanol Alters Hormone Production in Cultured Human Placental Trophoblasts

Maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy can lead to abnormalities in fetal development, including the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Although intrauterine growth retardation is a hallmark of FAS, the pathophysiology is not fully understood. A contributing factor may be altered placental function, which could affect fetal growth and development. As a major endocrine organ during pregnancy, changes in the production of placental hormones could affect pregnancy and possibly fetal development. In this study, the effect of continued exposure to ethanol on placental hormone production was examined using cultured human placental trophoblasts. Ethanol exposure involved diffusion of ethanol from the atmosphere into the culture medium. This was refreshed daily, leading to daily peak concentrations of 280 to 300 mg/dl (60-65 mM) at 16 to 24 hr. This ethanol exposure for 2 or 4 days significantly increased the production of human chorionic gonadotropin and progesterone by the cultured trophoblasts. However, ethanol treatment had no effect on human placental lactogen production. Acute stimulation (10 min) of cultured trophoblasts with adenosine (50 microM) normally results in increased production of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP). With ethanol exposure, adenosine-stimulated cAMP production was significantly elevated relative to that in controls. However, the effect of ethanol on adenosine-stimulated cAMP did not appear to be secondary to chronic alterations in adenosine in the culture medium. Measurement of adenosine in the culture medium revealed no difference in concentration or production between control and ethanol treated groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Pathology and temporal onset of visual hallucinations, misperceptions and family misidentification distinguishes dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Objective To determine whether the temporal onset of visual phenomena distinguishes Lewy body disease (LBD) from Alzheimer's disease (AD), and to characterize the extent Lewy bodies and neurofibrillary tangles are associated with these clinical features. Methods Consecutive cases of autopsy-confirmed LBD (n = 41), AD (n = 70), and AD with amygdala-predominant Lewy bodies (AD-ALB) (n = 14) with a documented clinical history of dementia were included. We mailed questionnaires to next-of-kin asking about symptoms during life. Lewy pathology and neurofibrillary tangle pathology were assessed. Results The occurrence of visual hallucinations, misperceptions and family misidentification did not distinguish LBD from AD or AD-ALB, but the onset was earlier in LBD compared to AD and AD-ALB. When visual hallucinations developed within the first 5 years of dementia, the odds were 4–5 times greater for autopsy-confirmed LBD (or intermediate/high likelihood dementia with Lewy bodies) and not AD or AD-ALB. In LBD, limbic but not cortical Lewy body pathology was related to an earlier onset of visual hallucinations, while limbic and cortical Lewy body pathology were associated with visual misperceptions and misidentification. Cortical neurofibrillary tangle burden was associated with an earlier onset of misidentification and misperceptions in LBD and AD, but only with earlier visual hallucinations in AD/AD-ALB. Conclusion When visual hallucinations occur within the first 5 years of the dementia, a diagnosis of LBD was more likely than AD. Visual hallucinations in LBD were associated with limbic Lewy body pathology. Visual misperceptions and misidentification delusions were related to cortical Lewy body and neurofibrillary tangle burden in LBD and AD/AD-ALB.
The Clinical Utility of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in the Diagnosis of ADHD

Objective: Current theories hypothesize that deficits in executive functioning (EF) are responsible for the symptoms of ADHD and that specific patterns of EF deficits may be associated with different subtypes of ADHD. The present study evaluates the validity and clinical usefulness of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, a behavior rating scale designed to assess dimensions of EF. Method: Participants include 70 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 13 referred to a university-based clinic for assessment of ADHD. Results: Results indicate low interrater reliability but acceptable convergent validity. Conclusion: Parent report on the Behavior Regulation scale differentiates the ADHD—Combined Type group from the ADHD—Inattentive Type and non-ADHD groups, and the Metacognitive Index differentiates both ADHD subtypes from the non-ADHD group, thus supporting the clinical utility of this measure in a clinic-referred sample. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 381-389)
Laser-driven flyer plates for shock compression science: launch and target impact probed by photon Doppler velocimetry.

We investigated the launch and target impact of laser-driven Al flyer plates using photon Doppler velocimetry (PDV). We studied different flyer designs launched by laser pulses of different energies, pulse durations and beam diameters, that produced km s−1 impacts with transparent target materials. Laser-launching Al flyers 25–100 μm thick cemented to glass substrates is usually thought to involve laser vaporization of a portion of the flyer, which creates many difficulties associated with loss of integrity and heating of the flyer material. However, in the system used here, the launch mechanism was surprising and unexpected: it involved optical damage at the glass/cement/flyer interface, with very little laser light reaching the flyer itself. In fact the flyers launched in this manner behaved almost identically to multilayer flyers that were optically shielded from the laser pulses and insulated from heat generated by the pulses. Launching flyers with nanosecond laser pulses creates undesirable reverberating shocks in the flyer. In some cases, with 10 ns launch pulses, the thickest flyers were observed to lose integrity. But with stretched 20 ns pulses, we showed that the reverberations damped out prior to impact with targets, and that the flyers maintained their integrity during flight. Flyer impacts with salt, glass, fused silica, and acrylic polymer were studied by PDV, and the durations of fully supported shocks in those media were determined, and could be varied from 5 to 23 ns.
Potential strategies for control of bluetongue, a globally emerging, Culicoides-transmitted viral disease of ruminant livestock and wildlife

Bluetongue (BT) is a non-zoonotic arboviral disease of certain wild and domestic species of cloven-hoofed ungulates. The causative agent, bluetongue virus (BTV), is spread through temperate and tropical regions of the world by biting Culicoides midges. Control of BTV infection is complicated by the plurality of virus serotypes and the ubiquity and opportunistic feeding behavior of its midge vector. The global distribution of BTV infection has recently altered, perhaps driven in part by climatic influences on midge species resident in different regions. The goal of this review is to evaluate realistic strategies that might be utilized to control or prevent future outbreaks of BT and other Culicoides-transmitted diseases. Importantly, optimal control of emerging, rapidly evolving arbovirus diseases such as BT will require integrated countermeasures that mitigate all aspects of the virus's transmission cycle. This will best be accomplished using preventative, rather than purely reactive strategies.
Expression of 4α-Carbinolamine Dehydratase in Human Epidermal Keratinocytes

Abstract 4α-Carbinolamine dehydratase is a bifunctional protein involved in the regeneration of tetrahydrobiopterin during the hydroxylation of the aromatic amino acids. It is also a dimerization cofactor of HNF1 and therefore is believed to function as part of the hepatic gene transcription system. In view of the recent discoveries that the distribution and developmental pattern of the dehydratase do not correlate strictly with those of the aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and HNF1, the hypothesis that the dehydratase may have other unknown functions has been put forward. In the present paper, we demonstrate unambiguously that human epidermal keratinocytes express detectable levels of this protein as indicated by enzyme assay, immunoprecipitation, Western blot, and RT-PCR. Its complete coding sequence has been cloned and was found to be identical with the human liver counterpart. The possible function of the dehydratase in skin is discussed.
The Mathematical Nature of Reasoning-and-Proving Opportunities in Geometry Textbooks.

International calls have been made for reasoning-and-proving to permeate school mathematics. It is important that efforts to heed this call are grounded in an understanding of the opportunities to reason-and-prove that already exist, especially in secondary-level geometry where reasoning-and-proving opportunities are prevalent but not thoroughly studied. This analysis of six secondary-level geometry textbooks, like studies of other textbooks, characterizes the justifications given in the exposition and the reasoning-and-proving activities expected of students in the exercises. Furthermore, this study considers whether the mathematical statements included in the reasoning-and-proving opportunities are general or particular in nature. Findings include the fact that the majority of expository mathematical statements were general, whereas reasoning-and-proving exercises tended to involve particular mathematical statements. Although reasoning-and-proving opportunities were relatively numerous, it remained rare...
Religious Reasons for Campbell's View of Emotional Appeals in Philosophy of Rhetoric

Reading Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetoric from a rhetorical perspective—as an attempt to address issues relevant to religious rhetoric—I argue that Campbell's aims of preparing future ministers to preach and defending the authority of revealed religion shaped, first, his conception of inventing and presenting emotional appeals and, second, his key assumptions about reason and passion. The article adds a chapter to accounts of the relationship between reason and passion in sacred rhetorics and in rhetorical traditions more generally, and addresses the question of what Campbell's theory of rhetoric may aim to inculcate or cultivate emotionally and why.
A supply chain analysis framework for assessing state-level forest biomass utilization policies in the United States

The number of state policies aimed at fostering biomass utilization has proliferated in recent years in the United States. Several states aim to increase the use of forest and agriculture biomass through renewable energy production. Several more indirectly encourage utilization by targeting aspects of the supply chain from trees standing in the forest to goods sold. This research classifies 370 state policies from across the United States that provides incentives for forest biomass utilization. We compare those policies by types of incentives relative to the supply chain and geographic clustering. We then develop a framework for policy evaluation building on the supply chain steps, which can be used to assess intended and unintended consequences of policy interactions. These findings may inform policy development and identify synergies at different steps in the supply chain to enhance forest biomass utilization.
Biosynthesis of methacrylic acid and isobutyric acids in a carabid beetle, Scarites subterraneus

Abstract D8-L-Valine is incorporated with high efficiency into methacrylic and isobutyric acids in the pygidial defensive glands of a carabid beetle, Scarites subterraneus .