cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heat waves in South Korea: differences of heat wave characteristics by thermal indices

Heat wave warning systems and related research define heat waves using various indices and there exists no standard definition for a heat wave. Despite various weather forecast services for heat stress in South Korea, it is unclear how different thermal indices affect the designation of heat waves and health effect estimates. We aimed to analyze trends of heat wave characteristics and mortality associations using various criteria for the warm season (June-September) in 2011-5 for the most populated two cities in South Korea, Seoul and Busan. Hourly weather monitoring data and daily mortality data in each city were obtained. The following indices were estimated to define heat waves: air temperature, heat index (HI), humidex, apparent temperature (AT), effective temperature (ET), and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT). The thresholds of each index for heat wave definitions were obtained by statistical distribution (95th percentiles) and minimum mortality temperature (MMT). Thermal indices showed clustering of accumulation of excess heat above thresholds for northeast regions in the cities while air temperature showed it for central regions. Compared to 95th percentiles, the MMTs resulted 14 times longer heat wave days for thermal indices except for air temperature. When MMTs were used, nine times larger excess mortality from heat waves occurred for all indices compared to that from heat waves defined by the 95th percentiles. The thermal indices with the highest association between heat and mortality varied between the two cities: air temperature for Seoul and WBGT for Busan. Heat wave warnings should be based on a thorough comparison of how different heat wave criteria will affect the public health impact of heat wave warnings in terms of identifying a heat wave and degree of health impacts due to it.
Design and characterization of a hydrodynamically confined microflow device for applying controlled loads to investigate single-cell mechanics

Single-cell mechanics measurements are crucial in understanding mechanotransduction and cellular properties, such as adhesion and stiffness. Here, we present a microfluidic probe device that can generate controlled hydrodynamic loads on single cells in an open cell culture environment. The device is optimized to produce uniform stresses across the area of a cell for cell adhesion measurements. Microfluidic probe (MFP) devices that can be used to create hydrodynamically confined flows (HCMs) have emerged as a unique device for selectively treating cells and surfaces. Typical MFP devices generate complex-shaped flows and non-uniform hydrodynamic loads on the surface beneath the device. We have used computational fluid dynamics to optimize the port geometry of the MFP device to generate an HCM with uniform shear stresses in a region beneath the device. The devices were fabricated from a combination of silicon and PDMS and characterized through flow experiments above a polyacrylamide gel seeded with fluorescent beads. Bead displacements were measured as a function of flow conditions and general agreement with the model was obtained. Finally, we have used the devices to characterize the adhesion strength of patterned fibroblast cells adhered to a collagen-coated substrate. The results presented establish a design for an MFP device that can apply controlled mechanical forces to cells in open liquid environments.
Drop-Weight Impact Behavior of Three-Dimensional Printed Polymer Lattice Structures with Spatially Distributed Vertical Struts

Three-dimensional (3D) printed polymer lattice structures of different configurations are investigated in this research to study their behavior under low-velocity impact load. The Body Centered Cubic (BCC) is modified and redesigned to generate three additional sets of the lattice structures to compare their impact energy absorption capability. The modified designs are (a) BCC with vertical struts connecting all nodes (BCCV) (b) BCC with vertical bars connecting alternate nodes (BCCA), and (c) BCC with gradient distribution of struts (BCCG). All the four sets are created using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer material on a Stratasys uPrint 3D printer. An in-house built ASTM Standard D7136 drop tester was used to capture the impact response. Data obtained from the attached accelerometer is post processed to find velocity, displacement, transferred energy, and force histories. The absorbed energy is found from the change in kinetic energy of the impactor before and after impact. It is observed that the selective placement of vertical support struts in the thickness direction influences the impact response of lattice structures.
Passive Parabolic Pulse Generation in Tapered Multimode Fibers

We propose a new technique for generating self-similar parabolic pulses in exponentially tapered multimode fibers. In such amplification-free settings, the input pulse evolves into a pulse with a parabolic profile and a high-quality linear chirp.
The Need for Research About Services and Supports for Aging Individuals With Severe Disabilities and Their Families

In this introduction to the special issue, we discuss the need for research about services and supports for older adults with severe disabilities and their families. We then highlight three conside...
Updates in trichomonas treatment including persistent infection and 5-nitroimidazole hypersensitivity.

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to update information on treatment of Trichomonas vaginalis. T. vaginalis is estimated to be the most common treatable sexually transmitted infection. In the world and is associated with poor birth outcomes, cervical cancer, sperm motility and morpholog
Comparative efficacy of a hydroxyapatite and a fluoride toothpaste for prevention and remineralization of dental caries in children.

This in situ study compared the effectiveness of two toothpastes containing hydroxyapatite or 500 ppm fluoride in promoting remineralization and inhibiting caries development. Two enamel blocks (human primary teeth), one sound and one with artificially-produced caries lesion, were exposed to toothpaste containing either 10% hydroxyapatite or 500 ppm F− (amine fluoride) via intra-oral appliance worn by 30 adults in two-arm double blind randomized crossover study lasting 14 days per arm (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03681340). Baseline and post-test mineral loss and lesion depth (LD) were quantified using microradiography. One-sided t-test of one group mean was used for intragroup comparison (baseline vs. post-test), while two-sided t-test of two independent means was used to compare the two toothpaste groups. Pairwise comparison (baseline vs. test) indicated significant (p < 0.0001) remineralization and LD reduction by either toothpaste; however, when compared against each other, there was no statistically significant difference in remineralization or LD reduction between the two toothpastes. No demineralization could be observed in sound enamel blocks exposed to either toothpaste. While F− induced lesion surface lamination, HAP produced a more homogenous lesion remineralization. 10% hydroxyapatite achieved comparable efficacy with 500 ppm F− in remineralizing initial caries and preventing demineralization. Thus the HAP toothpaste is confirmed to be equal to the fluoride toothpaste in this study.
Review—Reorientation of Polymers in an Applied Electric Field for Electrochemical Sensors

This mini review investigates the relationship and interactions of polymers under an applied electric field (AEF) for sensor applications. Understanding how and why polymers are reoriented and manipulated by under an AEF is essential for future growth in polymer-based electrochemical sensors. Examples of polymers that can be manipulated in an AEF for sensor applications are provided. Current methods of monitoring polymer reorientation will be described, but new techniques are needed characterize polymer response to various AEF stimuli. The unique and reproducible stimuli response of polymers elicited by an AEF has significant potential for growth in the sensing community.
Computer-Based Testing to Shorten the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ): a Proof- of-Principle Study of the Lifetime and Current Forms

The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) is a 40-item instrument designed to screen children at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Both Lifetime and Current forms of the scale are available. Although these forms are manageable for many respondents, their use may result in substantial respondent and administrative burden, particularly among individuals who have difficulty reading, have physical illness, and/or are asked to take multiple questionnaires. The objective of this research was to examine the potential of two stopping rules for computer-based testing (namely, curtailment and stochastic curtailment) to shorten the SCQ without compromising its screening properties. A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR); responses regarding 1236 at-risk individuals from the SCQ Lifetime and 709 at-risk individuals from the SCQ Current were analyzed. In post-hoc simulation, curtailment reduced mean test lengths by 29% to 44% compared to the full-length Lifetime form, and by 25% to 39% compared to the full-length Current form, while providing the same screening result as the corresponding full-length form in 100% of cases. Stochastic curtailment made further reductions in test length, but was not always concordant with the full-length form’s screening result. These findings suggest that curtailment has potential to improve the efficiency of the SCQ in computer-based administrations and should be tested prospectively.
Discovering the Harmony of Faith and Reason in the Symphony of Eternal Creation

Tensions between the domain of reason and the domain of faith have been one of the most controversial issues in the history of our civilization for over three hundred years. They have contributed to many divisions, conflicts, and even wars. Contributions that have sought to reconcile the two domains have largely used the cultural approach in trying to solve this problem. The approach used in this essay views faith and reason from the perspective of cognitive operations. It shows that viewed from this perspective, faith and reason emerge as two aspects of the process of creation of new levels of organization that takes place in the human mind. The essay correlates faith and reason with such cognitive operations as equilibration and the production of disequilibrium. This approach shows that there is no fundamental ontological contradiction between faith and reason, and that cooperation between them is not only possible but is actually essential for sustaining our mental work and the survival of our civilization.
Temporal Effects on Pre-trained Models for Language Processing Tasks

Keeping the performance of language technologies optimal as time passes is of great practical interest. Here we survey prior work concerned with the effect of time on system performance, establishing more nuanced terminology for discussing the topic and proper experimental design to support solid conclusions about the observed phenomena. We present a set of experiments with systems powered by large neural pretrained representations for English to demonstrate that {\em temporal model deterioration} is not as big a concern, with some models in fact improving when tested on data drawn from a later time period. It is however the case that {\em temporal domain adaptation} is beneficial, with better performance for a given time period possible when the system is trained on temporally more recent data. Our experiments reveal that the distinctions between temporal model deterioration and temporal domain adaptation becomes salient for systems built upon pretrained representations. Finally we examine the efficacy of two approaches for temporal domain adaptation without human annotations on new data, with self-labeling proving to be superior to continual pre-training. Notably, for named entity recognition, self-labeling leads to better temporal adaptation than human annotation.
Application of the Mold SDM Process to the Fabrication of Ceramic Parts for a Micro Gas Turbine Engine

A micro gas turbine engine with silicon nitride parts is being developed. In this project, the Mold Shape Deposition Manufacturing (Mold SDM) process is used to fabricate high quality ceramic parts with complex shapes such as the rotor group. The merits of micro gas turbine engines in general are described before focusing on processing and fabrication issues. The obtained silicon nitride parts are characterized concerning their mechanical and microstructural properties. The surface roughness, shrinkage during sintering, final density and achievable feature sizes have been determined. Using Mold SDM a functional rotor group has been successfully fabricated. During spin tests at room temperature with nitrogen as driving gas 456,000 rpm rotational speed has been achieved.
Health Document Explanation by Virtual Agents

We describe the design and evaluation of a virtual agent that explains health documents to patients. The prevalence and impact of low health literacy is presented as a motivation for such agents, given that face-to-face interaction with health providers is cited as one of the most effective means of communicating with these patients. We analyze the form and distribution of pointing gestures used by experts in explaining health documents, and use this data to develop a computational model of agent-based document explanation. This model is evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. Preliminary results indicate that patients with low health literacy are more satisfied with health document explanation by a virtual agent compared to a human.
Competitive field testing of moored buoy communications systems

Communications are crucial to ocean observing systems. The Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GOMOOS) relies on an analog cell phone or Iridium satellite phone for primary communications, and a GOES satellite transmitter for backup. New communication technology has evolved since the design of the GOMOOS system which pushes the envelope of buoy communications. With the anticipated phase out of analog cell phone service, new technologies are being considered for primary buoy communications. During the spring turnaround of the GOMOOS moored buoy array on the Research Vessel Delaware and Research Vessel Argo Maine, a shipboard survey of the Gulf of Maine with competing communications technology is planned. Analog and two types of digital cell phone, GOES, Iridium, and Global Star systems will be compared at sea for reliability, coverage, and throughput. Systems that show promise as suitable for moored Ocean Data Acquisition Station applications will be installed on selected GOMOOS moorings as a backup communication system to do long term reliability testing
Chapter 18. Non-steroidal Antiinflammatory Agents

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the research in the area of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents (NAA) with an emphasis on work relating to the chronic arthritic diseases. There have been few notable developments in the past in in vivo methods used to screen for and evaluate NAA. Increasing reliance is being placed upon the adjuvant-induced arthritis assay in the rat because it is felt that the histochemistry and pathology of this autoimmune disease most closely resemble the histochemistry and pathology of some of the human arthritic diseases. An improved quantitative method that employs the dog has been reported in which the pressure exerted by the dog paw is measured after injection of an inflammatory agent into the corresponding knee joint. In another study, intrazole (BL-R743), aspirin, and phenylbutazone effectively inhibited rabbit platelet aggregation in both in vitro and in vivo screens. Aspirin and other NAA inhibited human blood platelet aggregation. In all these cases, the compounds were considered to work by inhibiting the release mechanism.
Novel insights into human lactation as a driver of infant formula development.

Progress in research on human lactation and breast milk has advanced our knowledge about the significance of breast milk for the recipient infant and the effects of various components on long-term out
Maximal aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity depends on an interaction with the retinoblastoma protein

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) belongs to the basic helix-loop-helix/periodicity/AhR nuclear translocator/simple-minded (Per-Arnt-Sim) family of transcription factors that regulate critical functions during development and tissue homeostasis. Within this family, the AhR is the only member conditionally activated in response to ligand binding, typified by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). We recently demonstrated that the AhR interacts with the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). This report presents evidence that a LXCXE motif in the AhR protein confers pRb binding, which is necessary for maximal TCDD induced G(1) arrest in rat 5L hepatoma cells. The data support a mechanism whereby pRb seems to regulate G(1) cell cycle progression distinct from the direct repression of E2F-mediated transcription. Furthermore, the results indicate that the AhR-pRb interaction regulates TCDD induction of CYP1A1, suggesting that pRb may be a general AhR coactivator.
Ghost Cells as a Cause of Glaucoma

Summary Clinical and investigative evidence indicated a glaucoma caused mainly by degenerated red blood cells, or ghost cells. These ghost cells, with altered shape, color, and pliability, accumulated in the vitreous cavity after hemorrhage. Following disruption of the anterior hyaloid face, they passed into the anterior chamber and caused severe glaucoma. In the anterior chamber, the tiny, khakicolored cells, circulating slowly, were frequently mistaken for white blood cells. They covered the trabecular meshwork or filled the inferior angle with a pathognomonic khaki-colored layer. They were identified by phase-contrast microscopic examination of anterior chamber aspirates. The decreased pliability of these degenerated cells seemed to account for their inability to pass easily through the human trabecular meshwork and, therefore, to cause severe glaucoma.
The periaxonal space in an experimental model of neuropathy" the mutant Syrian hamster with hindleg paralysis

The periaxonal space of peripheral myelinated axons was studied in the mutant Syrian hamster with hindleg paralysis, an experimental model of neuropathy. Despite pronounced alterations of the axon and the surrounding sheath, sometimes leading to demyelination, the periaxonal space showed remarkable resistance to change in most instances. When the space was widened as the result of the infiltration of extracellular fluid, the axon was found at the periphery of the enlarged inner perimeter of the sheath. Even under these extreme conditions the axon maintained a close to normal distance from the inner collar of cytoplasm. The significance of these findings with regard to both the normal anatomical relationship within the sheath and to the mechanisms of demyelination are discussed.
Effects of arm acceleration and behavioral conditions on the organization of postural adjustments during arm flexion

Nine standing subjects performed unilateral arm flexion movements over an eight-fold range of speeds, under two behavioral conditions. In the visually-guided condition, a visual target informed subjects about the correct movement speed. Seven subjects also made movements of different speeds during a self-paced condition, without a visual target. Angular displacement and acceleration of the arm, and EMG activity from the hamstrings (HM), erector spinae (ES) and the anterior deltoid (AD) muscles were measured. The following results were observed. (1) Mean rectified amplitudes of EMG activity in HM and ES were typically correlated with the average arm acceleration and presumably the disturbance to posture and/or balance. HM and ES amplitudes were correlated for only six subjects. Functions relating the ratios of HM/ES EMG amplitudes to acceleration varied between subjects. (2) HM onset latencies were highly variable for slow movements and usually lagged movement. For movements above a threshold-like point in acceleration, HM latencies were correlated with arm acceleration and recruited before movement. ES latencies were constant for fast movements, and negatively correlated with acceleration for slower movements. (3) The recruitment order of HM and AD was influenced by the behavioral condition but not by arm acceleration for fast movements. HM and AD were recruited coincidentally for visually-guided movements, while for self-paced movements, HM was recruited before AD. We conclude that for the arm flexion task: (1) HM and ES are not tightly coupled; (2) both behavioral and mechanical conditions affect the recruitment of postural muscles; and (3) postural and focal components of the movement are probably organized by parallel processes.
Double-Blind, Crossover Study of Clonidine and Levetiracetam in Tourette Syndrome

We compared the efficacy of clonidine and levetiracetam for treating tics in Tourette syndrome. Twelve subjects were enrolled; 10 (ages 8-27 years) with moderate to moderately severe tics completed a 15-week randomized, double-blind, flexible-dose crossover protocol. Initial medication doses were clonidine (0.05 mg, twice daily) or levetiracetam (10 mg/kg/day, divided twice daily). Doses were adjusted weekly, based on telephone assessment. The primary outcome measure was baseline-to-posttreatment (6-week) change in Total Tic Score of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale. Secondary outcome measures included total Yale Global Tic Severity Scale and Clinical Global Impression scores and behavioral measures. The mean Total Tic Score improved significantly from baseline to posttreatment with clonidine (25.2 versus 21.8) compared with levetiracetam (22.7 versus 23.6) (P = 0.013). The mean total Yale Global Tic Severity Scale and Clinical Global Impression score did not change. For levetiracetam, no changes occurred in any scales. No significant change occurred in any secondary behavioral outcome measures for either group. The most commonly reported side effects were, for clonidine, sedation (n = 5), and for levetiracetam, irritability (n = 4). Treatment with clonidine, but not levetiracetam, resulted in a small reduction in Total Tic Score, with an effect size of 0.57.
UV dc electroluminescence from GaN

Abstract This is a report of the first successful attempt at generating UV dc electroluminescence by forward bias injection in GaN.
Respect: A philosophical perspective

This article explicates the concept of respect as philosophers discuss and utilize it. After identifying the main questions about respect which philosophers have raised and addressed, including questions about the nature, importance, objects, grounds, psychological and behavioral elements, and implications of respect, I sketch an account of the most general elements of the attitude of respect and identify different kinds of respect and their connections to and differences from similar attitudes such as esteem and honor. I then discuss the most influential account of respect for persons, that of Immanuel Kant. The final section explores the importance of respect in moral, social and political life and in moral, social, and political theory, and highlights some implications for issues in applied ethics and social and political theory.
Effects of spatial grouping on the functional response of predators

Abstract A unified mechanistic approach is given for the derivation of various forms of functional response in predator–prey models.. The derivation is based on the principle of mass action but with the crucial refinement that the nature of the spatial distribution of predators and/or opportunities for predation are taken into account in an implicit way. If the predators are assumed to have a homogeneous spatial distribution, then the derived functional response is prey-dependent. If the predators are assumed to form a dense colony or school in a single (possibly moving) location, or if the region where predators can encounter prey is assumed to be of limited size, then the functional response depends on both predator and prey densities in a manner that reflects feeding interference between predators. Depending on the specific assumptions, the resulting functional response may be of Beddington–DeAngelis type, of Hassell–Varley type, or ratio-dependent.
Quantitative analysis of two opioid peptides in plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Quantitative analysis of two opioid peptides, DSLET [(d-Ser2)Leu-enkephalin-Thr6] and Met-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu, was performed using microbore liquid chromatography interfaced to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Validation of the methodology was demonstrated for each peptide in plasma. Quantitative analyses were performed through the use of a deuterium labelled peptide analog as an internal standard. Linearity was observed for the analysis of DSLET (5–1000 ng/ml) and Met-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu (1–1000 ng/ml) in plasma with a limit of detection of 0.25 ng/ml for Met-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu and 1.0 ng/ml for DSLET. In general, the observed concentrations showed good reproducibility with coefficients of variation of within 15%. In the concentration range studied, only 0.5 ml of plasma was required for optimal detection of Met-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu and 0.25 ml for DSLET. Application of this method was demonstrated by studying the disposition of DSLET in a rat. DSLET administered to a rat exhibited a short half-life and a high clearance value.
Absence of Meissner state in RuSr2GdCu2O8

Abstract The magnetization of single-phased Ru-1212, which possesses a ferromagnetic transition at 133 K and a superconducting transition around 30 K, was measured. No bulk Meissner effect can be detected down to 2 K and 0.2 Oe, although both a diamagnetic susceptibility −4 πχ ≥ 1 in the zero-field-cooled mode and a small M-drop in the field-cooled mode appear. Almost the same reversible magnetizations in Ru-1212 and Zn-doped Ru-1212 further suggest that the superconducting state of Ru-1212 is severely modified by the coexistence of ferromagnetism.
A comparison of internal validation techniques for multifactor dimensionality reduction

It is hypothesized that common, complex diseases may be due to complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors, which are difficult to detect in high-dimensional data using traditional statistical approaches. Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) is the most commonly used data-mining method to detect epistatic interactions. In all data-mining methods, it is important to consider internal validation procedures to obtain prediction estimates to prevent model over-fitting and reduce potential false positive findings. Currently, MDR utilizes cross-validation for internal validation. In this study, we incorporate the use of a three-way split (3WS) of the data in combination with a post-hoc pruning procedure as an alternative to cross-validation for internal model validation to reduce computation time without impairing performance. We compare the power to detect true disease causing loci using MDR with both 5- and 10-fold cross-validation to MDR with 3WS for a range of single-locus and epistatic disease models. Additionally, we analyze a dataset in HIV immunogenetics to demonstrate the results of the two strategies on real data. MDR with 3WS is computationally approximately five times faster than 5-fold cross-validation. The power to find the exact true disease loci without detecting false positive loci is higher with 5-fold cross-validation than with 3WS before pruning. However, the power to find the true disease causing loci in addition to false positive loci is equivalent to the 3WS. With the incorporation of a pruning procedure after the 3WS, the power of the 3WS approach to detect only the exact disease loci is equivalent to that of MDR with cross-validation. In the real data application, the cross-validation and 3WS analyses indicate the same two-locus model. Our results reveal that the performance of the two internal validation methods is equivalent with the use of pruning procedures. The specific pruning procedure should be chosen understanding the trade-off between identifying all relevant genetic effects but including false positives and missing important genetic factors. This implies 3WS may be a powerful and computationally efficient approach to screen for epistatic effects, and could be used to identify candidate interactions in large-scale genetic studies.
Dynamics of extremal black holes.

Particle scattering and radiation by a magnetically charged, dilatonic black hole is investigated near the extremal limit at which the mass is a constant times the charge. Near this limit a neighborhood of the horizon of the black hole is closely approximated by a trivial product of a two-dimensional black hole with a sphere. This is shown to imply that the scattering of long-wavelength particles can be described by a (previously analyzed) two-dimensional effective field theory, and is related to the formation and/or evaporation of two-dimensional black holes. The scattering proceeds via particle capture followed by Hawking reemission, and naively appears to violate unitarity. However this conclusion can be altered when the effects of back reaction are included. Particle-hole scattering is discussed in the light of a recent analysis of the two-dimensional back-reaction problem. It is argued that the quantum-mechanical possibility of scattering off of extremal black holes implies the potential existence of additional quantum numbers, referred to as quantum whiskers,'' characterizing the black hole.
Mechanism of Pb Adsorption to Fatty Acid Langmuir Monolayers Studied by X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

The local atomic environment of lead (Pb) adsorbed to a CH3(CH2)19COOH Langmuir monolayer was investigated in situ using grazing-incidence X-ray absorption fine structure (GI-XAFS) spectroscopy at the Pb LIII edge. Measurements were performed at pH 6.5 of the 10-5 M PbCl2 solution subphase, a condition under which grazing incidence diffraction (GID) revealed a large-area commensurate superstructure underneath the close-packed organic monolayer. The XAFS results indicate covalent binding of the Pb cations to the carboxyl headgroups, and the observed Pb−Pb coordination suggests that the metal is adsorbed as a hydrolysis polymer, rather than as individual Pb2+ ions. The data are consistent with a bidentate chelating mechanism and a one Pb atom to one carboxyl headgroup binding stoichiometry. We discuss how this adsorption model can explain the peculiarities observed with Pb in previous metal−Langmuir monolayer studies. A systematic study of lead perchlorate and lead acetate aqueous solutions is presented and...
Placental Glycogen Metabolism in Diabetes Mellitus

Carbohydrate metabolism may be markedly altered in the pregnant patient with diabetes mellitus. How such changes in maternal physiology affect the placenta, a tissue of fetal origin, has been studied by measuring glycogen synthetase, glycogen phosphorylase, and glycogen concentrations in fresh term placental tissue from eight normal women delivered vaginally, eight normal patients delivered by repeat cesarean section, and fifteen patients with diabetes mellitus. Placental weights were also determined. Placentas of normal patients, whether delivered vaginally or by cesarean section, were extremely similar in all parameters studied. In contrast, the glycogen concentration in placentas from diabetic patients was significantly elevated (p < .001) although glycogenesis appeared limited by decreased levels (p < .01) of synthetase I. Phosphorylase a activity was increased significantly (p < .025) in placental tissue of diabetic patients as was total phosphorylase (p < .05). Placental weight was decreased in patients with retini-tis proliferans. These placental enzyme differences noted between the normal and diabetic patient suggest that insulin may play an important role in controlling glycogen metabolism in the human placenta. In diabetes mellitus, increased glycogen concentrations of the placenta may be due to prolonged hyperglycemia throughout gestation and that the elevated term placental glycogen may be responsible for the observed suppressed synthetase I formation and the stimulated phosphorylase a activity found in the diabetic term placenta.
Morphologic heterogeneity in egg- and monolayer-propagated newcastle disease virus.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) propagated in monolayers of chick embryo fibroblasts (M-NDV) has been found to differ morphologically from NDV propagated in embryonated eggs (E-NDV). Virions of M-NDV sediment faster, are lower in density, are about four times larger, and are more fragile to degradative forces encountered during high speed pelleting and rebanding in CsCl than E-NDV virions. These differences have been shown to be host controlled and are not due to contaminant virus, differences in growth medium, virion clumping, or time of harvest. Although both E- and M-NDV populations contain multiploid virions, these virions do not exhibit multihit inactivation kinetics. The possible genetic consequences of the differences between E-NDV and M-NDV are discussed.
Programming Neuroendocrine Stress Axis Activity by Exposure to Glucocorticoids during Postembryonic Development of the Frog, Xenopus laevis

Exposure to elevated glucocorticoids during early mammalian development can have profound, long-term consequences for health and disease. However, it is not known whether such actions occur in nonmammalian species, and if they do, whether the molecular physiological mechanisms are evolutionarily conserved. We investigated the effects of dietary restriction, which elevates endogenous corticosterone (CORT), or exposure to exogenous CORT added to the aquarium water of Xenopus laevis tadpoles on later-life measures of growth, feeding behavior, and neuroendocrine stress axis activity. Dietary restriction of prometamorphic tadpoles reduced body size at metamorphosis, but juvenile frogs increased food intake, showed catch-up growth through 21 d after metamorphosis, and had elevated whole-body CORT content compared with controls. Dietary restriction causes increased CORT in tadpoles, so to mimic this increase, we treated tadpoles with 100 nm CORT or vehicle for 5 or 10 d and then reared juvenile frogs to 2 months after metamorphosis. Treatment with CORT decreased body weight at metamorphosis, but juvenile frogs showed catch-up growth and had elevated basal plasma (CORT). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that CORT exposure as a tadpole led to decreased glucocorticoid receptor immunoreactivity in brain regions involved with stress axis regulation and in the anterior pituitary gland of juvenile frogs. The elevated CORT in juvenile frogs, which could result from decreased negative feedback owing to down-regulation of glucocorticoid receptor, may drive the hyperphagic response. Taken together, our findings suggest that long-term, stable phenotypic changes in response to elevated glucocorticoids early in life are an ancient and conserved feature of the vertebrate lineage.
Infrared Spectra of the 10-μm Bands of 1,2-Difluoroethane and 1,1,2-Trifluoroethane: Vibrationally Mediated Torsional Tunneling in 1,1,2-Trifluoroethane

Author Institution: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899; University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627; Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Insulin-like growth factor-I gene expression in three models of accelerated lung growth☆☆☆

Abstract Background/Purpose : We have learned previously that in utero tracheal ligation reverses the structural and physiological effects of surgically created congenital diaphragmatic hernia. In addition, we have discovered that postnatal lung growth similarly can be accelerated using liquid-based airway distension with perfluorocarbon. Another model of accelerated lung growth is that of compensatory growth seen after neonatal pneumonectomy. In all of these models, growth has occurred because of an increase in alveolar number rather than enlargement of preexisting alveoli. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if gene expression could be altered by changes in physical forces in the prenatal and postnatal lung. Methods : The three models of accelerated lung growth studied were the following: (1) The prenatal group, consisted of fetal lambs (n = 12) that underwent the surgical creation of a left diaphragmatic hernia at 90 days' gestation. Six of these animals also underwent simultaneous tracheal ligation. (2) The PFC group consisted of five neonatal animals that underwent isolation of the superior segment of the right upper lobe, with intrabronchial distension with perfluorocarbon to 7 to 10 mm Hg pressure for a 3-week period. (3) The postpneumonectomy group consisted of four neonatal animals that underwent left pneumonectomy. In the fetal study, lungs were retrieved at term (130 days), and in the postnatal study, lungs were retrieved 3 weeks after initial intervention. In all cases, RNA was extracted from snap-frozen lung samples and Northern blot analysis performed. Results : Insulinlike growth factor-I, insulinlike growth factor-II, and vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression were analyzed by densitometry. Insulinlike growth factor-I gene expression was found to be decreased in association with experimental diaphragmatic hernia ( P = .005), but restored to normal with tracheal ligation. Insulinlike growth factor-I gene expression was significantly increased in both postnatal models of accelerated lung growth ( P = .022, P = .016). No significant differences were found in insulinlike growth factor-II or vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression. Conclusions : The authors conclude from these preliminary data that (1) insulin like growth factor-I gene expression is reduced in experimental fetal diaphragmatic hernia and restored to normal by tracheal ligation, and (2) insulinlike growth factor-I gene expression is increased in both the liquid-based airway distension and postpneumonectomy models of accelerated postnatal lung growth. The authors speculate that all of these manipulations exploit a natural pathway essential for normal lung growth.
Tc-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime scintigraphy in the diagnosis of brain death and its implications for the harvesting of organs used for transplantation.

Purpose Diagnosing brain death is important in managing the comatose patient for whom the continuation of life support is being questioned and when organ harvesting is being considered. The virtual immediate localization of Tc-99m HMPAO to cerebral and cerebellar tissue provides an index of blood perfusion, and its absence denotes brain death. Other methods for assessing brain death include cerebral angiography, MRI, CT imaging after inhalation of stable xenon, electroencephalography, and clinical examination. The contrast material used for angiography may damage harvested organs, and the other studies have significant errors. MRI, CT imaging, and angiography are unsuitable for bedside use. Methods Twenty-three patients, who presented with head trauma, prolonged anoxia or intrinsic brain disease (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme) and who were brain-dead by clinical examination criteria, were referred to the nuclear medicine division for verification of brain death. For adults, approximately 25 mCi Tc-99m hexamethylpropylene amineoxime (HMPAO) was administered intravenously. All patients but one were imaged using a mobile scintillation camera at the bedside. Results We demonstrated (1) both cerebral and cerebellar perfusion, (2) neither cerebral nor cerebellar perfusion, (3) cerebral without cerebellar perfusion, and (4) cerebellar without cerebral perfusion. Patients without cerebral perfusion were diagnosed as brain-dead. The significance of a viable cerebellum in the absence of cerebral viability was not fully appreciated, although organs were harvested from such patients. We determined how well the clinical examination criteria held up in the diagnosis of brain death against the new gold standard of Tc-99m HMPAO scintigraphy: Clinical examination criteria correctly predicted brain death only 83% of the time compared with HMPAO scintigraphy. Conclusions Brain death assessment by Tc-99m HM-PAO scintigraphy has proved to be a reliable, safe, and cost-effective bedside method and may have practical application in the assessment of brain death in potential cadaveric donors.
Structural basis for the coevolution of a viral RNA–protein complex

The cocrystal structure of the PP7 bacteriophage coat protein in complex with its translational operator identifies a distinct mode of sequence-specific RNA recognition when compared to the well-characterized MS2 coat protein–RNA complex. The structure reveals the molecular basis of the PP7 coat protein's ability to selectively bind its cognate RNA, and it demonstrates that the conserved β-sheet surface is a flexible architecture that can evolve to recognize diverse RNA hairpins.
The Social Construction of Whiteness in Shellcracker Haven, Florida

This article examines the ways in which socially constructed racial categories are operationalized. It challenges popular and scholarly representations of the meanings of "whiteness" and considers processes of identity formation in the production of white poverty. The primary thesis is that poor whites, exemplified in a case study of Shellcracker Haven, Florida, are racially denigrated in the context of the historically specific, social, political, and economic processes that pauperize them. These processes are necessarily unique because, unlike visible minorities whose distinctive physiognomy facilitates socially constructed differentiation, the distancing and devaluation of poor whites require other tactics. These include construction of stereotyped images, behaviors, and values which create social distance, and "explain" white poverty. A secondary thesis holds that racial denigration of poor whites intensifies racism. Racism acts as a unilateral (and seldom reciprocated) assertion of membership in priv...
Metabolic brain mapping in Alzheimer's disease using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disorder associated with disruption of neuronal function and neuronal loss. N -acetylaspartate (NAA) is a marker of neuronal content and can be assessed using proton ( 1 H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We utilized 1 H-MRS (two-dimensional chemical-shift imaging) to assess amplitudes and areas of NAA, as well as choline moieties (Cho), creatine (Cr) and myo -inositol (mI), in 15 AD patients compared with 14 control subjects. Voxels were classified as predominantly cortical gray matter (CGM), subcortical gray matter (SGM), or white matter (WM). Compared with control subjects, AD patients exhibited decreased NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr amplitudes, whereas an increase was observed in Cho/Cr and in amplitude ratios involving mI. Area ratios were significant in the same direction for NAA/Cho, NAA/Cr, mI/Cr and mI/NAA. No significant effects of tissue type were observed; however, significant group×tissue type interactions were noted for Cho/Cr and mI/Cr amplitudes. Our study confirms that 1 H-MRS can identify distinct physicochemical alterations in AD patients, reflecting membrane changes and diminished neuronal function. These alterations can be used as longitudinal markers for the disease.
The Management of Learning Grid for Management Development Revisited

The author′s three‐part model for the design of effective management development programmes is updated and used to introduce the other contributions appearing in this special issue of the Journal of Management Development
A note on the solution of the variational equations of a class of dynamical systems

Some properties are derived for the solutions of the variational equations of a class of dynamical systems. It is shown that under rather general conditions, the matrix of the linearized Lagrangian equations of motion have an important property for which the word 'skew-symplectic' has been introduced. It is also shown that the fundamental matrix of solutions is 'symplectic', the word symplectic being used here in a more general sense than in the classical literature. Two consequences of the symplectic property are that the fundamental matrix is easily invertible and that the eigenvalues appear in reciprocal pairs. The effect of coordinate transformations is also analyzed; in particular, the change from Lagrangian to canonical systems.
Using cognitive dimensions: Advice from the trenches

Abstract Many researchers have analyzed visual language design using Cognitive Dimensions (CDs), but some have reinterpreted the purpose, vocabulary, and use of CDs, potentially creating confusion. In particular, those who have used CDs to convince themselves or others that their language is usable have tended to ignore or downplay the tradeoffs inherent in design, resulting in evaluations that provide few insights. Researchers who do not consider who , when , and how best to analyze a visual language using CDs are likely to miss the most useful opportunities to uncover problems in their visual languages. In this paper, we consider common breakdowns when using CDs in analysis. Then, using three case studies, we demonstrate how the who , when , and how circumstances under which CDs are applied impact the gains that can be expected.
Empowerment for whom? The impact of community renewal tax incentives on jobs and businesses

Some postulate that spatially targeted grants and tax cuts stimulate jobs and establishment openings, and reduce closures in distressed urban neighbourhoods. The scholarly literature is mixed and mostly argues that at best these programmes have no impact and at worst raise land rents, spurring gentrification. The USA designated three rounds of Renewal Communities, Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities (RC/EZ/EC) to receive wage credits or grants. While others have estimated the impact of Round I EZ/ECs, this article estimates the impact of more recent rounds in Tennessee and California on job and businesses using propensity score matching. Data are presented by RC/EZ for retail, very small and minority establishments. Jobs increased in RC/EZs compared with control areas during the wage credit period. In general, establishment openings rose for small establishments but fell for retail. Closures overall fell. Future place-based initiatives should be strategic about industry mix and minority establishments.
Photic phase-response curve in 2 strains of mice with impaired responsiveness to estrogens.

Steroid hormones including estrogens modulate the expression of daily activity and circadian rhythms, including free-running period, phase angle of activity onset, and response to light. The mechanisms underlying these effects, however, are not fully understood. We tested the hypothesis that estrogen signaling is required for photic responsiveness of the circadian timing system. We used estrogen receptor subtype 1 (ESR1) knock-out mice (ERKO) and nonclassic estrogen receptor knock-in mice (NERKI). ERKO animals are unable to respond to estrogen at ESR1, and NERKI animals lack the ability to respond to estrogens via estrogen response element-mediated transcription but still respond via nonclassical mechanisms. We analyzed behavioral shifts in activity onset in response to 1-h light pulses given across the subjective 24-h day in gonadally intact male and female NERKI, ERKO, and wild-type (WT) littermates. We also examined Fos protein expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the site of the master circadian...