cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Left Ventricular Ejection Index as a Marker of Early Myocardial Dysfunction in Primary Mitral Regurgitation: Novel or Old in Disguise?

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common disorder affecting 2% to 5% of the general population (7.8 million individuals in the United States and 176 million individuals worldwide),1–4 and it is the most important cause of primary mitral regurgitation (MR) requiring surgery.5 In addition to progressive MR, MVP is associated with endocarditis, heart failure, and even sudden death.4 In the setting of severe primary MR, the left ventricle (LV) is affected by a significant volume load leading to compensatory adaptations that vary considerably depending on the prolonged clinical course of MR.6 In acute MR, late systolic volume is reduced and afterload is low, but as the ventricle enlarges and adapts to the chronic volume overload, afterload gradually increases. During the compensated stage of chronic MR, LV enlargement results from remodeling of the extracellular matrix with dissolution of collagen and rearrangement of myocardial fibers.7 Moreover, new sarcomeres are added in series, and at the ventricular level, eccentric hypertrophy develops.6 Consequently, preload (at the sarcomere level), afterload (at the ventricular level), and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) are normal, whereas total stroke volume is increased as a result of the large end-diastolic volume. The transition to decompensated chronic MR may occur as a consequence of a progressive increase in regurgitant volume, a decrease in LV contractile function, an increase in afterload, or a combination of these factors. During this stage, LVEF typically declines to 50% to 60%. Finally, decompensated MR is characterized by substantial and progressive LV dilation, elevated LV diastolic pressure, increased systolic wall stress, and an LVEF of <50%. The decline in LVEF is a consequence of depressed myocardial contractile state, LV afterload excess, or both.6 Although predominantly based on mitral valve replacement data, early echocardiographic studies have demonstrated a frequent decline …
GRcalculator: an online tool for calculating and mining dose–response data

Quantifying the response of cell lines to drugs or other perturbagens is the cornerstone of pre-clinical drug development and pharmacogenomics as well as a means to study factors that contribute to sensitivity and resistance. In dividing cells, traditional metrics derived from dose–response curves such as IC 50 , AUC, and E max , are confounded by the number of cell divisions taking place during the assay, which varies widely for biological and experimental reasons. Hafner et al. (Nat Meth 13:521–627, 2016) recently proposed an alternative way to quantify drug response, normalized growth rate (GR) inhibition, that is robust to such confounders. Adoption of the GR method is expected to improve the reproducibility of dose–response assays and the reliability of pharmacogenomic associations (Hafner et al. 500–502, 2017). We describe here an interactive website ( www.grcalculator.org ) for calculation, analysis, and visualization of dose–response data using the GR approach and for comparison of GR and traditional metrics. Data can be user-supplied or derived from published datasets. The web tools are implemented in the form of three integrated Shiny applications (grcalculator, grbrowser, and grtutorial) deployed through a Shiny server. Intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs) allow for interactive analysis and visualization of data. The Shiny applications make use of two R packages (shinyLi and GRmetrics) specifically developed for this purpose. The GRmetrics R package is also available via Bioconductor and can be used for offline data analysis and visualization. Source code for the Shiny applications and associated packages (shinyLi and GRmetrics) can be accessed at www.github.com/uc-bd2k/grcalculator and www.github.com/datarail/gr_metrics . GRcalculator is a powerful, user-friendly, and free tool to facilitate analysis of dose–response data. It generates publication-ready figures and provides a unified platform for investigators to analyze dose–response data across diverse cell types and perturbagens (including drugs, biological ligands, RNAi, etc.). GRcalculator also provides access to data collected by the NIH LINCS Program ( http://www.lincsproject.org /) and other public domain datasets. The GRmetrics Bioconductor package provides computationally trained users with a platform for offline analysis of dose–response data and facilitates inclusion of GR metrics calculations within existing R analysis pipelines. These tools are therefore well suited to users in academia as well as industry.
In vivo cellular imaging with spectrally encoded confocal microscopy

Spectrally encoded confocal microscopy (SECM) is a high-speed confocal microscopy technique. In this presentation, recent development on endoscopic SECM and smartphone SECM and their uses in in vivo human imaging will be presented.
Exogenous Cushing's syndrome secondary to intermittent high dose oral prednisone for presumed asthma exacerbations in the setting of multiple emergency department visits

Abstract Glucocorticoid therapies are extensively used in a wide range of medical conditions including respiratory, allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Inappropriate use of therapeutic doses of glucocorticoids can lead to many adverse effects including hypothalamic pituitary axis suppression and Cushing's syndrome. All forms of glucocorticoid delivery have the potential to cause Cushing's syndrome. Here we present a case of exogenous Cushing's syndrome resulting from recurrent use of intermittent high dose oral prednisone to treat asthma exacerbation in the emergency department. This case report highlights the importance of pharmacovigilance in emergency departments and ambulatory settings. The knowledge of pharmacokinetic properties, daily dosage, frequency and differences in individual steroid metabolism is crucial in preventing adverse effects related to excessive use of glucocorticoids.
Psychiatric Disorders Among Relatives of Cocaine-Abusing Individuals: Assessments of Familial Risk

Familial risk for psychiatric disorders was assessed among 673 siblings of cocaine-abusing individuals. Various indices of familial risk were examined, including those based on the presence/absence of disorders in parents and those reflecting severity (assessed by age at onset) of disorders. Across risk indices, the findings indicated high vulnerability among siblings (1) to substance abuse in relation to paternal alcoholism and (2) to depression and substance abuse in relation to maternal depression. The validity of the Type I/Type II distinction was upheld in the context of alcoholism only among fathers. In the context of affective disorders, risk to offspring was greatest if exposure to parental psychopathology occurred during the early childhood years.
Examining the State of CS Education in Virginia's High Schools

Virginia House Bill 831 (2016) put the state on a path toward K-12 Standards of Learning that include computer science (CS) at all levels. Accompanying the initiative is an effort to define the "State of the State['s]" current CS offerings. The author examined course offerings at 251 of the state's 320 high schools to determine how accessible on-site CS courses were across the state. The results indicate a significant disparity between school systems located in rural communities and small townships when compared with suburban/city locales. Perhaps more striking was the emerging connection between the region where one lives in the state and that individual's access to (or lack thereof) in-person CS instruction. The results also suggest fewer than half the schools in Virginia are running a CS class as of spring 2017 when the study was conducted.
Has the Proportion of Combat-Related Amputations That Develop Heterotopic Ossification Increased?

OBJECTIVES To determine what proportion of residual limbs formed heterotopic ossification (HO) in amputations sustained by US service members, the injury profile of these amputations, and what effect the number of limb amputations sustained has on resource utilization. DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTING A tertiary military medical center. PATIENTS Four-hundred seventy-one consecutive patients with 714 combat-related amputations were treated at our institution between September 2009 and August 2014. Four-hundred thirty-nine amputations had radiographic follow-up beyond 2 months of injury and met the criteria for study inclusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Formation and grade of HO. RESULTS HO was present in 399 of 439 (91%) residual limbs, including 211 of 216 (98%) transfemoral amputations. Dismounted improvised explosive device blast injury resulted in HO development in 346 of 372 (93%) residual limbs compared with 36 of 44 (82%) in mounted improvised explosive device blast injury [P = 0.014; odds ratio (OR) 2.96, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25-7.04]. As the number of amputations per patient increased, so too did blood product utilization [including packed red blood cells (P < 0.001), fresh frozen plasma (P < 0.001), and platelets (P < 0.001)]; the number of days on a ventilator (P < 0.001), in the intensive care unit (P < 0.001), and in the hospital (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS HO prevalence in the traumatic amputations of war wounded has increased compared with earlier studies, which is temporally associated with higher rates of increasingly severe injuries due to dismounted blast. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Fears of Dissolution and Loss: Orhan Pamuk’s Characters in Relation to the Treaty of Sèvres

This chapter examines the dialectic between metaphors of nostalgia for the past and expectations of the future as represented in the works of Orhan Pamuk. Drawing upon Pamuk’s novels The New Life, Snow, The White Castle and essays in Other Colors, this study suggests that Pamuk’s approach to creating a Turkish identity is unique in its acceptance of history and its possibilities, even if it is not aligned to contemporary notions of the self. Pamuk is not afraid to look back at Ottoman history and question the grand narratives of nationalism by the new republic. In so doing, Pamuk joins other writers, such as the poet Nazim Hikmet, and the novelists Yasar Kemal and Ahmet H. Tanpinar, who created great literature, but were unable to separate their craft from the question of the nature of the Turkish state.
Ocular adenovirus gene transfer varies in efficiency and inflammatory response.

Purpose. To study the effects of adenoviral gene transfer to the tissues of the anterior segment in vitro by rat and monkey lens organ cultures and in vivo by single injection into the anterior chamber of rabbits. Methods. In vitro, intact lens cultures were exposed to 1 to 4 X 10 8 pfu AvlLacZ4 and AvlLucl in TC199 medium containing no serum or growth factors. AvlLacZ4 and AvlLucl are replication-deficient adenovirus vectors, carrying the reporter genes Escherichia coli LacZ and firefly luciferase, respectively. In vivo, the anterior chambers of eight rabbits were injected once with 20 /xl AvlLacZ4 (8 X 10 8 pfu) and evaluated 48 hours after injection. Enzyme activity of the reporter genes was measured biochemically and histochemically. Results. In organ cultures, adenovirus delivers reporter genes efficiently to the ciliary processes but penetrates poorly into the capsulated lenses. Viral receptors, however, are present in rat lens epithelium, as in primary trabecular meshwork and other lens cell lines. In vivo, gene transfer was evident in corneal endothelium, iris anterior surface, and trabecular meshwork. Presence of the virus did not affect lens transparency or provoke external discomfort signs. Infected corneal endothelial cells were swollen and pardy detached; 3 of 8 infected eyes showed a severe inflammatory response in chamber angle, anterior uvea, and limbal conjunctiva. Conclusions. These findings reveal the distinct gene transfer potential of each of the tissues of the anterior segment and emphasize the need to address the inflammatory response to these first-generation adenoviral vectors. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1996;37:1282-1293.
New Theoretical Basis for Determining the Geoacoustic Parameters of the Seabed

Unconsolidated marine sediments are known to support compressional and rotational (shear) waves. Experimental observations reported in the literature indicate the following: the wave speeds show very weak, logarithmic frequency dispersion; the attenuations are closely proportional to frequency, f; and both wave speeds increase with increasing mean grain size. A new theoretical approach to wave propagation in unconsolidated sediments is described, which is consistent with these experimental observations. The basis of the theory is internal stress relaxation arising from the microscopic sliding of mineral grains against one another during the passage of a wave. From the theory, correlations between the wave properties (speeds and attenuations) and material properties (porosity, density, and grain size) are derived. These correlations, in the form of simple algebraic expressions, may be used as the basis of an inversion technique for determining the geoacoustic parameters of the sediment.
Enhanced exoplanet biosignature detection from an interferometer addition to low resolution spectrographs

The physics of molecular vibration causes absorption spectra of atmospheric molecules to be a group of approximately periodic fine lines. This is fortuitous for detecting exoplanet biosignificant molecules, since it approximately matches the periodic sinusoidal transmission of an interferometer. The series addition of a 0.6 cm interferometer with a dispersive spectrograph creates moire patterns. These enhance detection by several orders of magnitude for initially low resolution spectrographs. We simulate the Gemini Planet Imager integral field spectrograph observing a telluric spectrum of native resolutions 40 and 70 for 1.65 and 2 micron bands– too low to resolve the fine lines. The interferometer addition increases the detectability of the molecular signal, relative to photon noise, to a level similar to a R=4400 (at 1.65 micron) or R=3900 (at 2 micron) spectrograph.
A laboratory model to explain the survival advantage observed in patients taking adjuvant tamoxifen therapy.

The nonsteroidal antiestrogen tamoxifen was first described in 1967 [1]. It was initially intended, based on its activity in rodents, for use as an antifertility agent. It was found, however, that tamoxifen actually induces ovulation in subfertile women. The antitumor effects of tamoxifen were more promising. The drug first entered clinical trials in the United Kingdom in 1971 [2] and was approved for use in the United States in 1978. It was initially used as a palliative treatment for advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal, primarily elderly, women. In a randomly selected sample of patients with advanced breast cancer, about 30%–40% have a favorable response to tamoxifen therapy. However, among patients whose primary tumors are estrogen and progesterone receptor positive response rates to tamoxifen are in the range of 70%–80% [3].
Direct Assay by Autoradiography for 6-Thioguanine-Resistant Lymphocytes in Human Peripheral Blood

There is great current interest in tests that may be useful for human mutagenicity monitoring. Mutagenicity monitoring, as contrasted with mutagenicity screening, is based on methods that detect evidence of genetic damage — whether germinal or somatic — that occurs in vivo. Most current short-term mutagenicity tests, however, have been developed for screening, i.e., for in vitro mutagenicity testing of chemicals or other agents with mutagenic potential.
Relative Performance of Intensity-Duration-Frequency Functions

AbstractThe forms of the intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) function that best fit rainfall data in the United States are investigated. Analyses using data from 9,264 rainfall stations in the Natio...
Temporal and habitat differences in the juvenile demersal fish community at a marine-dominated northeast Pacific estuary

Abstract The role that west coast estuarine habitats play in the early life history of many nearshore marine fishes is poorly understood, in part due to the limited temporal sampling of estuarine habitats. To begin to understand this role, we compared the juvenile demersal fish community between two habitat types at a marine-dominated estuary on the northeast Pacific coast and examined how community structure changed temporally. Sampling occurred in Yaquina Bay, Oregon during 2008–2009, 2012–2013, and 2016–2017 at eleven sites, comprised of anthropogenic (dock) and natural (eelgrass) habitats. The juvenile fish assemblage was dominated by a few highly abundant species, including saddleback gunnel (Pholis ornata), Pacific staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus), and rockfishes (Sebastes spp.), with the majority of species being marine associated. Community structure varied among years and between habitat types, with greater differences seen between habitat types than years. Docks appear to be a specialized habitat, supporting some species but with greater change in community structure over time and lower overall abundances than eelgrass. Use of docks by commercially and recreationally-exploited species, though, indicates potential importance. Community structure differences were best described by a combination of regional (Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and local (upwelling, temperature, salinity) climate variables, but correlation values are considered weak. Greater abundances and reduced change in communities over time at eelgrass sites suggests that maintaining these habitats is potentially critical for many estuary-rearing species, and temporal changes in these communities highlight the importance of long-term monitoring.
Printing Precise Materials with Visible Light.

A three-component system uses four different wavelengths of visible light to rapidly print 3D materials with versatile mechanical properties and precise feature sizes.
Higher Variability in Fungi Compared to Bacteria in the Foraging Honey Bee

Microbial communities in the honey bee gut have emerged as a model system to understand the effects of host-associated microbes on animals and plants. The specific distribution patterns of bacterial associates among honey bee gut regions remains a key finding within the field. The mid- and hindgut of foraging bees house a deterministic set of core species that affect host health. In contrast, the crop, or honey stomach, contains a more diverse set of bacteria that is highly variable in composition among individual bees. Whether this contrast between the two gut regions also applies to fungi, another major group of gut-associated microbes, remains unclear despite their potential influence on host health. In honey bees caught foraging at four sites across the San Francisco Peninsula, we found that fungi were much less distinct in species composition between the crop and the mid- and hindgut than bacteria. Unlike bacteria, fungi were highly variable in composition throughout the gut, and much of this variation was attributable to bee collection site. These patterns suggest that the fungi may be passengers rather than functionally significant gut symbionts. However, many of the fungi we found in the bees have been recognized as plant pathogens. Assuming that some fungi remain viable after passage through the gut, the distribution patterns we report here point to the potential importance of honey bees as vectors of fungal pathogens and suggest a more prominent role of honey bees in plant pathogen transmission than generally thought. Importance (Nontechnical explanation of why the work was undertaken)Along with bacteria, fungi make up a significant portion of animal- and plant-associated microbial communities. However, we have only begun to describe these fungi, much less examine their effects on most animals and plants. The honey bee, Apis mellifera, has emerged as a model system for studying host-associated microbes. Honey bees contain well-characterized bacteria specialized to inhabit different regions of the gut. Fungi also exist in the honey bee gut, but their composition and function remain largely undescribed. Here we show that, unlike bacteria, fungi vary substantially in species composition throughout the honey bee gut, contingent on where the bees are sampled. This observation suggests that fungi may be transient passengers and therefore unimportant as gut symbionts. However, our findings also indicate that honey bees could be major vectors of infectious plant diseases as many of the fungi we found in the honey bee gut are recognized as plant pathogens.
Management of Residual Spitz Nevus in Surgical Specimens following Biopsy and Excision.

Proper management of Spitz nevi continues to be debated, with treatment ranging from observation to surgery. To better characterize the outcome of surgical procedures performed for incomplete initial excision or biopsy, we sought to ascertain the histopathological presence of residual Spitz nevi in a set of surgical specimens. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 123 records with histologically-confirmed Spitz nevus. Data concerning treatment, clinical features, histopathological margin involvement, and presence of residual lesion on subsequent procedural specimens were collected. Results Fifty-three percent of lesions (n = 65) were initially sampled by shave or punch biopsy, and the remainder (n = 58) were formally excised without initial biopsy. The rates of re-excision for involved margins were: shave biopsy (92.2%), punch biopsy (78.6%), and formal excision (13.8%). In total, 61.0% of patients who underwent an initial procedure of any kind had involved margins, but only half of those re-excised for involved margins (57.6%) had histologically residual lesion on repeated excision. A significantly higher proportion of initial punch biopsies (90.9%) resulted in residual lesion (in secondary excision specimens) when compared with shave biopsy (48.9%) and formal excision (62.5%; P < 0.05). Conclusions Findings suggest that clinicians may consider shave biopsy over punch biopsy for diagnosing suspected lesions, when indicated and appropriate. Given the rarity of malignant transformation and the frequency of residual nevus, observation may be reasonable for managing pediatric patients with histologically-confirmed Spitz nevi, who are post initial biopsy or excision despite known histopathological margin involvement.
What clinical trials of ablation for atrial fibrillation tell us – and what they do not

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice. Radiofrequency and cryoballoon catheter ablation are therapeutic options in addition to antiarrhythmic drug therapy for the treatment of AF. Ablation is effective at reducing recurrent atrial arrhythmias and also in the reduction of AF burden. Besides arrhythmia control, improvement in quality of life and clinical outcomes are also desirable goals with AF treatment. Randomized clinical trials have evaluated ablation in several patient populations, including symptomatic patients as first-line or second-line therapy, asymptomatic patients, and patients with heart failure. These trials clarify the durability of ablation in arrhythmia control, clarify quality-of-life improvement, and identify patient populations in whom ablation may be expected to improve clinical outcomes. In this review, we summarize the major clinical trials involving ablation; discuss the strengths, weakness, and clinical implications of these trials; and highlight the knowledge gaps in our current understanding of AF ablation for future clinical studies.
MOOCs and Open Education in the Global South: A Review

This timely and eye-opening book from Ke Zhang, Curt Bonk, Tom Reeves, and Tom Reynolds, MOOCs and Open Education in the Global South (Zhang, Bonk, Reeves, & Reynolds, 2020), provides 28 chapters that describe the challenges, successes, and opportunities of MOOCs and open education from the perspective of 68 authors from 47 countries in the Global South (http://moocsbook.com). Before those chapters, a detailed preface from the four editors lays out the journey that the world community took to get to this point in the metaphor of a wanderer who makes his or her path by pushing ahead and exploring the road in front. In addition, an insightful foreword is provided by Mimi Miyoung Lee from the University of Houston who had previously co-edited an award-winning book with Bonk, Reeves, and Reynolds; namely, MOOCs and Open Education Around the World (Bonk, Lee, Reeves, & Reynolds, 2015). Thus, consider the current book Part 2 of what is likely to become a many act play in the world of MOOCs and open education. With the foreword and preface, there are 30 pieces in total (Note: the front matter is available for free from: http://moocsbook.com/MOOCs_Open-Ed_Global-South-frontmatter_2020_Zhang_Bonk_Reeves_Reynolds.pdf).
Moraxella bovis and Branhamella ovis and the Occurrence of Pinkeye in Beef Calves

This study examined the association between Moraxella bovis (M. bovis) and Branhamella ovis (B. ovis) and pinkeye in beef calves.
Racial disparities in COVID-19 anxiety and adversity

The experience of the global COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to historically high levels of anxiety across a variety of populations. However, the effects of this event vary widely across group memberships. This empirical study used an online panel survey (N = 878) to investigate potential racial differences across multiple areas of COVID-19-era functioning in Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-identified respondents and Caucasian-identified respondents. Results suggested that BIPOC-identified respondents were significantly more likely to report higher levels of virus-related anxiety, to know 1 or more people who had tested positive for the virus and to experience problems in areas of daily functioning such as obtaining adequate food, accessing safe transportation, and addressing the unique challenges of parenting during the pandemic. In addition, BIPOC-identified individuals were significantly more likely to hold a job in a field that involved direct contact with others, such as health care or retail, that involved more potential virus exposure than other occupations. Overall, it appears that BIPOC-identified individuals are likely at higher risk for experiencing both anxiety and adversity due to COVID-19-related events. These results suggest multiple opportunities and pathways to better support BIPOC-identified individuals, families, and communities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Insights Gained into the Use of Individual Development Plans as a Framework for Mentoring NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Trainees

This study examines the use of individual development plans (IDPs) in a structured mentoring program as an effective mechanism for reducing identity-related anxiety for underrepresented trainees an...
Naïve CTLs require a single brief period of antigenic stimulation for clonal expansion and differentiation

In defense of the host, the immune system must often raise an effective cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response from a small number of clonal precursors. The degree to which activation stimuli regulate the expansion and differentiation of naive CTLs, however, remains unknown. Using an engineered antigen-presenting cell (APC) system that allows control over antigenic stimulation, we studied the signaling duration requirements for priming and clonal expansion of naive CTLs. We found that naive CTLs become committed after as little as 2 h of exposure to APCs and that their subsequent division and differentiation can occur without the need for further antigenic stimulation of the daughter cells, whether priming is in vitro or in vivo. These data show that after a brief interaction with stimulatory APCs, naive CTLs initiate a program for their autonomous clonal expansion and development into functional effectors.
16th-Century Bilingual Dictionaries (French-English): Organization and Access, Then and Now

Dictionaries are texts with a broad variety of information about language and society and with numerous functions (scholarly and social). Bilingual dictionaries double the complexity, and the historical distance of the dictionaries discussed here further complicates the adequate representation of the text for the scholarly audience of the late 20th century. Here I shall discuss first the nature of the 16th-century French-English bilingual dictionaries (Palsgrave, Veron, Baret, Huloet-Higgins, Hollyband) and the reasons behind the choices made by these lexicographers. The choice of words, the types of information (phonetic, morphological, semantic, syntactic), the type of source, the nature of the examples provided, the organizational scheme itself -- all these vary according to the sources and the intended purposes of the dictionary. The needs of modern scholars in full-text database access to these documents also vary widely. The mark-up of the text depends upon the needs of the discipline (linguistics/lexicography, linguistic historiography, literature, cultural history). How important is access to original formatting? What types of access within the texts themselves are desirable? What types of secondary information should be readily accessible?
A structured least-squares approach to blind channel identification and equalization

This paper represents the blind channel identification problem as a structured least-squares estimation problem. The noisy observed sequence is approximated by another sequence that has "noise-free" structure. A solution to this problem for scalar valued signals and observations (single-input single-output systems) has been given by De Moor. We generalize the solution to the case of matrix valued sequences (multiple-input multiple output systems). The channel estimation algorithm also produces "noise-free"' observations which can be used in conjunction with the channel estimate for equalization. Simulation results show that both channel and source estimates of the new method compare favorably with multichannel linear prediction based estimates.
Collective modes of a bilayer double parabolic quantum well spin polarized electron gas

We investigate the possible electromagnetically induced collective excitation modes in a bilayer quasi-two-dimensional structure build from two adjacent parabolic quantum wells (PQW). We consider both charge and spin excitation modes within and beyond the random phase approximation method. To account for higher order effects we used exchange and correlation spin-dependent local field correction factors. We analyzed intra- and inter-subband excitations and provide analytic results for their excitation frequencies in the long wavelength limit. In particular, we analyze the spin polarization dependence of the lowest frequency spin density mode and show that its relevant frequency is in the hundred GHz region. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Built and social environments associations with adolescent overweight and activity.

Background Little is known about the patterning of neighborhood characteristics, beyond the basic urban, rural, suburban trichotomy, and its impact on physical activity (PA) and overweight. Methods Nationally representative data (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, 1994–1995, n =20,745) were collected. Weight, height, PA, and sedentary behavior were self-reported. Using diverse measures of the participants' residential neighborhoods (e.g., socioeconomic status, crime, road type, street connectivity, PA recreation facilities), cluster analyses identified homogeneous groups of adolescents sharing neighborhood characteristics. Poisson regression predicted relative risk (RR) of being physically active (five or more bouts/week of moderate to vigorous PA) and overweight (body mass index equal or greater than the 95th percentile, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics growth curves). Results Six robust neighborhood patterns were identified: (1) rural working class; (2) exurban; (3) newer suburban; (4) upper-middle class, older suburban; (5) mixed-race urban; and (6) low-socioeconomic-status (SES) inner-city areas. Compared to adolescents living in newer suburbs, those in rural working-class (adjusted RR[ARR]=1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.13–1.69), exurban (ARR=1.30, CI=1.04–1.64), and mixed-race urban (ARR=1.31, CI=1.05–1.64) neighborhoods were more likely to be overweight, independent of individual SES, age, and race/ethnicity. Adolescents living in older suburban areas were more likely to be physically active than residents of newer suburbs (ARR=1.11, CI=1.04–1.18). Those living in low-SES inner-city neighborhoods were more likely to be active, though not significantly so, compared to mixed-race urban residents (ARR=1.09, CI=1.00–1.18). Conclusions These findings demonstrate disadvantageous associations between specific rural and urban environments and behavior, illustrating important effects of the neighborhood on health and the inherent complexity of assessing residential landscapes across the United States. Simple classical urban–suburban–rural measures mask these important complexities.
Parallel Processing, Superscalar and Vliw Processors

The sections in this article are 1 Instruction-Level Parallelism 2 VLIW and Superscalar Processors 3 Overview of Superscalar Implementation 4 Overview of VLIW Implementation 5 Comparisons and Conclusions
The Types of Chapter 11 Cases

Bankruptcy scholars like to divide chapter 11 cases into piles. Big cases compared with small cases. Public company debtors compared with private companies. Cases greater than or less than a specified asset size. But much of this dividing happens with little more than hunch to support it, and sometimes the division is never discussed but only implied. In this short paper I look at a new dataset of almost one thousand chapter 11 cases that were filed in 2004. I find three distinct kinds of chapter 11 cases, but also find that the very biggest cases are not as different in result as their extra cost might suggest. I ultimately argue that very large cases would benefit from codification of many of the administrative procedures that are now routinely implemented by way of pleading, as doing so would reduce the direct costs of these cases.Substantial revision posted on April 27, 2009.
Institutional Structures of Opportunity in Refugee Resettlement: Gender, Race/ethnicity, and Refugee NGOs

Previous research suggests that social welfare assistance can further subordinate already disadvantaged recipients. Refugee resettlement, essentially a social welfare program, offers a different perspective on how welfare assistance might exert social control. Using data gathered from 60 in-depth interviews with people working in resettlement and observations at refugee non-governmental organizations (NGOs), this paper argues that refugee NGOs provide a complex institutional opportunity structure that has the potential to reproduce the gender and racial/ethnic subordination embedded in refugee welfare policy while also providing opportunities for refugees to counteract subordinating gender and racial/ethnic relations through advocacy and cultural activities. These findings refine the conclusions of previous literature on the role NGOs play in incorporating refugees into American life, and point to the importance of NGOs for structuring opportunities for immigrants to challenge social inequality.
Alterations in tissue trace element and ascorbic acid metabolism in phenytoin-fed rats and mice

Phenytoin was fed to rats and mice in their diet for 6 wk. The dosage was about 80 mg/kg. In rats, phenytoin treatment had no effect on tissue and body weights and had a minimal effect on the hepatic mixed-function oxidase (MFO, EC 1.14.14.1) system. Plasma ascorbic acid levels were higher in the phenytoin group than in the controls, but tissue levels and the rate of ascorbic acid synthesis were similar in the two groups. Also, copper concentration in liver and kidney was significantly higher in phenytoin-treated rats than in controls. Iron, zinc and manganese levels were unchanged in comparison to control values in liver, kidney, heart and brain. In contrast to the results with rats, phenytoin treatment in mice resulted in a lower body weight and a clear induction in the hepatic MFO system compared to that in controls. Phenytoin treatment resulted in higher liver ascorbic acid tissue levels than in controls. Liver copper and kidney zinc were lower and liver and kidney calcium and bone iron were higher in phenytoin-fed mice than in controls. This study shows that for both species phenytoin feeding affected ascorbic acid and tissue trace element metabolism. The clinical significance of these findings with regard to the nutritional status of the human patient undergoing treatment with phenytoin needs to be considered.
Analyzing Activity Behavior and Movement in a Naturalistic Environment Using Smart Home Techniques

One of the many services that intelligent systems can provide is the ability to analyze the impact of different medical conditions on daily behavior. In this study, we use smart home and wearable sensors to collect data, while ( $n = 84$ ) older adults perform complex activities of daily living. We analyze the data using machine learning techniques and reveal that differences between healthy older adults and adults with Parkinson disease not only exist in their activity patterns, but that these differences can be automatically recognized. Our machine learning classifiers reach an accuracy of 0.97 with an area under the ROC curve value of 0.97 in distinguishing these groups. Our permutation-based testing confirms that the sensor-based differences between these groups are statistically significant.
An online self-organizing neuro-fuzzy control for autonomous underwater vehicles

Controlling autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in an uncertain and unstructured environment presents many challenging control problems. Model-based control strategies have been used with limited success. The paper presents an online self-organizing neuro-fuzzy control that serves as a better alternative control scheme in controlling AUVs. The proposed self-organizing neuro-fuzzy controller is a six-layer feedforward neural network that is capable of self-constructing and self-restructuring its internal node connectivity and learning the parameters of each node based on incoming training data. Computer simulations have been conducted to validate the performance of the proposed neuro-fuzzy controller and an experimental verification has been scheduled to verify if on ODIN, an autonomous underwater vehicle developed at the University of Hawaii.
Serotonin (5-HT) Affects Expression of Liver Metabolic Enzymes and Mammary Gland Glucose Transporters during the Transition from Pregnancy to Lactation

The aim of this experiment was to demonstrate the ability of feeding serotonin (5-HT; 5-hydroxytryptamine) precursors to increase 5-HT production during the transition from pregnancy to lactation and the effects this has on maternal energy metabolism in the liver and mammary gland. Pregnant rats (n = 45) were fed one of three diets: I) control (CON), II) CON supplemented with 0.2% 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) or III) CON supplemented with 1.35% L-tryptophan (L-TRP), beginning on d13 of pregnancy through d9 of lactation (d9). Serum (pre and post-partum), milk (daily), liver and mammary gland tissue (d9) were collected. Serum 5-HT was increased in the 5-HTP fed dams beginning on d20 of gestation and remained elevated through d9, while it was only increased on d9 in the L-TRP fed dams. 5-HT levels were increased in mammary gland and liver of both groups. Additionally, 5-HTP fed dams had serum and milk glucose levels similar to the CON, while L-TRP had decreased serum (d9) and milk glucose (all dates evaluated). Feeding 5-HTP resulted in increased mRNA expression of key gluconeogenic and glycolytic enzymes in liver and glucose transporters 1 and 8 (GLUT-1, -8) in the mammary gland. We demonstrated the location of GLUT-8 in the mammary gland both in the epithelial and vascular endothelial cells. Finally, phosphorylated 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (pAMPK), a known regulator of intracellular energy status, was elevated in mammary glands of 5-HTP fed dams. Our results suggest that increasing 5-HT production during the transition from pregnancy to lactation increases mRNA expression of enzymes involved in energy metabolism in the liver, and mRNA abundance and distribution of glucose transporters within the mammary gland. This suggests the possibility that 5-HT may be involved in regulating energy metabolism during the transition from pregnancy to lactation.
An experimental and theoretical investigation into the binding interactions of silver cluster cations with ethene and propene

Abstract Sequential bond dissociation energies (BDEs) and association entropies for the attachment of C 2 H 4 ligands to ground-state Ag m + ( m = 3–13) clusters and for the attachment of C 3 H 6 ligands to ground-state Ag m + ( m = 3–9) clusters have been measured using temperature-dependent equilibrium methods. Variations in metal–ligand BDEs are examined in detail both as a function of sequential ligand addition to a given Ag m + cluster and as a function Ag m + cluster size for the first ligand additions. With the exception of the Ag 6 + and Ag 7 + clusters, BDEs for the loss of a ligand from the Ag m + (L) ( m = 3–13, L = C 2 H 4 ; m = 3–9, L = C 3 H 6 ) clusters decrease as the size of the silver clusters increase. Electronic structure calculations at the DFT-B3LYP level were performed in order to determine the vibrational frequencies, rotational constants and geometries of the silver–alkene clusters of interest as well as the nature of the bonding of these clusters and its variation with core ion coordination.
Ion Exchange Separation and Colorimetric Determination of Phenylephrine in Pharmaceutical Products

Since the introduction of phenylephrine, it has been used in combination with many other drugs. With some formulations it has been found useful to isolate the drug via a cationic exchange resin before determining the intact phenylephrine by the usual colorimetric procedures (coupling with diazotized p-nitroaniline, or reacting with Millon's reagent when catecholamines are present).
Maintaining balance between theory and practice in information security courses

This paper describes an approach to engage hands-on learners in research activities. As a part of this method, students are required to post a question about each assigned reading and answer at least two questions from their peers. In order to complete this task, students must read assigned textbook chapters and articles as well as perform additional research in order to answer questions. This type of assignment encourages research and promotes student interest in the study of information security.
Ornithine-δ-transaminase in the rat I. Assay and some general properties

Abstract This report describes the assay, partial purification, and general properties of ornithine-δ-transaminase (EC 2.6.1.13) in the rat. 1. 1. The assay involves the quantitative estimation of glutamic semialdehyde, a product of the enzymic transamination, through the use of o-aminobenzaldehyde, which reacts with the glutamic semialdehyde to form a derivative with an absorption maximum at 440 mμ. 2. 2. The relative activity of ornithine-δ-transaminase in different tissues was found to be: kidney > liver > heart ≈ spleen ≈ brain > skeletal muscle 3. 3. Ornithine-δ-transaminase was found to be located almost exclusively in the mitochondrial fraction of the liver cell. 4. 4. A 7-fold purification of the enzyme was accomplished by subjecting isolated liver mitochondria to ultrasonic vibration, followed by ammonium sulfate fractionation of the solubilized protein. 5. 5. General properties of the enzyme: (a) The enzyme was specific for ornithine and α-ketoglutarate. (b) PCMB inhibited the enzyme which also required mercapto-ethanol for maximum activity. (c) A pyridoxal phosphate requirement was exhibited only by dialyzed enzyme preparations. (d) The pH optimum of ornithine-δ-transaminase was found to be approx. 7.4. .
Accurate atomic masses for fundamental metrology.

We have measured the atomic masses of ten species with a typical accuracy of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ by comparing the cyclotron frequencies of 20 different pairs of alternately trapped ions. The mass of $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$ provides a possible route to realizing an atomic standard of mass. The neutron separation energies for $^{15}\mathrm{N}$ and $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ determined from these mass measurements suggest the need to recalibrate $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray energies in the 2 to 13 MeV range, and may lead to an independent determination of both the fine structure constant $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and the molar Planck constant ${N}_{A}h$ with a precision approaching ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$.
The noninvasive assessment of left ventricular diastolic function with two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography

Left ventricular diastolic filling can be determined reliably by Doppler-derived mitral and pulmonary venous flow velocities. Diastolic filling abnormalities are broadly classified at their extremes to impaired relaxation and restrictive physiology with many patterns in between. An impaired relaxation pattern identifies patients with early stages of heart disease, and appropriate therapy may avert progression and functional disability. Pseudonormalization is a transitional phase between abnormal relaxation and restrictive physiology and signifies increased filling pressure and decreased compliance. In this phase, reducing preload, optimizing afterload, and treating the underlying disease are clinically helpful. A restrictive physiology pattern identifies advanced, usually symptomatic disease with a poor prognosis. Therapeutic intervention is directed toward normalizing loading conditions and improving the restrictive filling pattern, although this may not be feasible in certain heart diseases. Finally, many patients have left ventricular filling patterns that appear indeterminate or mixed. In these cases, clinical information, left atrial and left ventricular size, pulmonary venous flow velocity, and alteration of preload help assess diastolic function and estimate diastolic filling pressures.
Induction therapy for clinical intestinal transplantation: comparison of four different regimens

INTESTINAL transplantation can be considered a lifesaving procedure in patients with intestinal failure. However, despite improvements in the surgical technique, and in patient selection, intestinal transplantation (ITx) remains affected by the high incidence of graft failure from rejection and related complications. We compared four different immunosuppression induction therapies (OKT3, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil and, daclizumab), in combination with tacrolimus and steroids, to assess possible improvements in patient and graft survival after ITx.