cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-lagged longitudinal analysis of pain intensity and sleep disturbance.

Abstract Background There is substantial evidence that pain intensity and sleep are related, with findings generally suggesting more support for the influence of sleep on pain intensity than vice versa. However, the strength and direction of the relationship has been found to vary among different populations, with few studies in individuals with chronic physical disabilities. Objective Examine the directionality of the sleep and pain relationship in individuals with chronic physical disabilities. Methods Cross-lagged effects models were generated using data from a longitudinal observational survey study of individuals (N = 1660) with multiple sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), post-polio syndrome (PPS), and spinal cord injury (SCI). Models evaluated the correlational effects of sleep disturbance and pain intensity, as well as the cross-lagged effects of sleep disturbance to pain intensity and vice versa. Results The effects of pain on sleep were stronger than sleep on pain, although the magnitude of the effects were both relatively weak. Analyses within individual samples were consistent with the overall sample results for MS, MD, and PPS. In the SCI sample the magnitude and direction of the cross-lagged model paths were more variable than in the other samples. Conclusions The relationship between pain intensity and sleep disturbance appears bi-directional, but the effects are small in a sample of individuals with long-term disabilities. The temporal effects of pain on sleep disturbance appear stronger than the effects of sleep disturbance on pain intensity. Future research is needed to better understand this relationship in the context of pain and/or sleep disturbance treatments.
Conditioned Observables in Quantum Mechanics

This paper presents some of the basic properties of conditioned observables in finite-dimensional quantum mechanics. We begin by defining the sequential product of quantum effects and use this to define the sequential product of two observables. The sequential product is then employed to construct the conditioned observable relative to another observable. We then show that conditioning preserves mixtures and post-process of observables. We consider conditioning among three observables and a complement of an observable. Corresponding to an observable, we define an observable operator in a natural way and show that this mapping also preserves mixtures and post-processing. Finally, we present a method of defining conditioning in terms of self-adjoint operators instead of observables. Although this technique is related to our previous method it is not equivalent.
Ensemble machine learning for the prediction of patient-level outcomes following thyroidectomy.

Abstract Background Accurate prediction of thyroidectomy complications is necessary to inform treatment decisions. Ensemble machine learning provides one approach to improve prediction. Methods We applied the Super Learner (SL) algorithm to the 2016–2018 thyroidectomy-specific NSQIP database to predict complications following thyroidectomy. Cross-validation was used to assess model discrimination and precision. Results For the 17,987 patients undergoing thyroidectomy, rates of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, post-operative hypocalcemia prior to discharge or within 30 days, and neck hematoma were 6.1%, 6.4%, 9.0%, and 1.8%, respectively. SL improved prediction of thyroidectomy-specific outcomes when compared with benchmark logistic regression approaches. For postoperative hypocalcemia prior to discharge, SL improved the cross-validated AUROC to 0.72 (95%CI 0.70–0.74) compared to 0.70 (95%CI 0.68–0.72; p Conclusion Ensemble machine learning modestly improves prediction for thyroidectomy-specific outcomes. SL holds promise to provide more accurate patient-level risk prediction to inform treatment decisions.
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: The Significance of Giving Voice and Listening to Persons Who Experience Discrimination, Bias, and Harassment

Let’s admit it, harassment and bullying are endemic in the practice of law. Horacio Benardes Neto, the President of the International Bar Association (IBA), made this observation in introducing an IBA report, called Us Too: Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession. Published last year, the report was based on findings from the largest-ever global survey of nearly 7,000 legal professionals in 135 countries. The survey revealed that one in three female respondents and one in fourteen male respondents had been sexually harassed at work. Additionally, one in two female respondents and one in three male respondents reported being bullied at work.
Attitude Toward Family Involvement in End-of-Life Care Among Older Chinese Americans: How Do Family Relationships Matter?:

Family involvement is critical to end-of-life (EOL) care among older adults. This study aims to examine the association and pathways between family relationships and older Chinese Americans' attitude toward family involvement in EOL care discussions. Data were collected from 260 Chinese Americans aged 55 years and above. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the total and indirect effects of family relationships on attitude toward family involvement in discussing EOL care plans. Family relationships had a significant positive total effect on attitude toward family involvement in EOL care. Indirect effects of family relationships on attitude toward family involvement in EOL care through self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers of discussing EOL care with family members were all significant. Findings provide empirical evidence of how family relationships affect older Chinese Americans' attitude toward family involvement in EOL care and underline the need for family-centered EOL interventions for this population.
Optimization of antibiotics for cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations due to highly resistant nonlactose fermenting Gram negative bacilli: Meropenem-vaborbactam and cefiderocol

We are writing this letter to provide an update of published information on antibiotics for cystic fibrosis (CF) pulmonary exacerbations to the State of the Art articles by Zobell et al. Information on meropenem-vaborbactam and cefiderocol were not available when the original articles were published. These new antibiotics, approved in 2017 and 2019, possess antipseudomonal properties like the other carbapenems and cephalosporins in the original articles however, existing literature refers to their use for other less common bacteria. As patients with CF age, the microorganisms in their bacterial cultures change and some can colonize multiple or uncommon bacterial species including, Burkholderia, Achromobacter, and Stenotrophomonas spp. In 2019, these nonlactose fermenting bacterial species made up for approximately 15% of respiratory microorganisms cultured in pediatric patients. Though infrequent, compared to Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, these bacteria are opportunistic pathogens and patients at the highest risk for these infections include those with CF. Like other Gram negative bacteria, Burkholderia, Achromobacter, and Stenotrophomonas spp., are frequently drug resistant and can make treatment extremely challenging, thus it is crucial that data for treatment of these less common pathogens be evaluated.
Investigation of the relationship between method of processing and bacteria counts in ready-to-use recycled manure solids bedding on Midwest dairy farms

There has been a rapid increase in adoption of recycled manure solids (RMS) as bedding in Midwest dairy herds over the past 10 to 15 years due to perceived advantages such as cost and availability. However, several studies have reported increased bedding bacteria counts (BBC) and increased mastitis risk in herds using RMS as compared to inorganic or organic non-manure materials. Although many RMS dairies use either green/raw (GRN) solids or solids first processed through an anaerobic methane digester (DIG), some herds have adopted mechanical composters (COM) or dryers (DRY) in an effort to lower BBC and control mastitis. Research is needed to evaluate potential benefits and costs of adopting these technologies. This research team initiated a study to evaluate udder health, air quality, antimicrobial resistance in solids, and economics, for herds using different RMS processing methods. In a companion abstract, we determined that use of COM or DRY was associated with improved udder health and milk production as compared to GRN. In this abstract, we explore if these benefits are likely to be explained by differences in bedding characteristics, such as BBC, for the 4 processing systems investigated. The objective of this portion of the study is to investigate if method of processing RMS is associated with BBC in ready-to-use (RTU) RMS on Midwest dairy farms.
Abstract P104: Simultaneous Treatment With Ivabradine And Spironolactone Does Not Modify Hypertension-induced Myocardial Fibrosis In Dahl Salt-sensitive Rats

Background: Hypertension (HT)-induced accumulation of myocardial collagen stiffens the left ventricular (LV) wall and, hence, promotes diastolic dysfunction. Considering that a competitive aldoster...
Interns-to-Scholars: First-Generation Success Beyond the Classroom

This dialog, in the form of a counternarrative, culminates our experiences as part of an internship program called “Interns-to-Scholars” (I2S). I2S moves beyond the classroom to offer students oppo...
Admitting Service and Outcome for Small Bowel Obstruction.

INTRODUCTION Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common admission diagnosis. Prior research has shown improved length of stay and time to operation for SBO patients on surgical services (SS) compared to medical services (MS). This study evaluates the impact of admitting service on readmission and mortality. METHODS A 12-year retrospective cohort study of patients ≥18 years old, admitted with SBO to either a MS or SS within one health care system was performed. Clinicodemographic characteristics and admission details were extracted and reviewed. Statistical analyses performed included the Student's t-test, chi-square, and multivariable regression. RESULTS The study included 7921 patients, of which 3862 (48.8%) were admitted to a SS. No significant clinicodemographic differences existed between the groups except SS patients were more likely to have cancer (23.3% vs 15.2%, P < .0001) and to be within a 30-day post-operative period (9.4% vs 1.8%, P < .0001). On multivariable analysis, admission to a SS was associated with a decreased admission mortality (OR .70), 30-day mortality (OR .42), and 180-day mortality (OR .42). 30-day readmissions (OR .54) and 180-day readmission (OR .43) were also significantly decreased for SS patients. In patients requiring a procedure during admission, there was significantly decreased admission mortality (OR .684), 30-day mortality (OR .470), 180-day mortality (OR .431), 30-day readmission (OR .63), and 180-day readmission (OR .50). CONCLUSION In patients with SBO, admission to a SS confers decreased odds of readmission and mortality compared to MS. Future studies are needed to understand the management decisions potentially underlying these differences. These findings may help better define admission pathways and improve outcomes.
Eye, Retina, and Visual System of the Mouse

Recent years have seen a burst of studies on the mouse eye and visual system, fueled in large part by the relatively recent ability to produce mice with precisely defined changes in gene sequence. Mouse models have contributed to a wide range of scientific breakthroughs for a number of ocular and neurological diseases and have allowed researchers to address fundamental issues that were difficult to approach with other experimental models. This comprehensive guide to current research captures the first wave of studies in the field, with fifty-nine chapters by leading scholars that demonstrate the usefulness of mouse models as a bridge between experimental and clinical research. The opening chapters introduce the mouse as a species and research model, discussing such topics as the mouse's evolutionary history and the mammalian visual system. Subsequent sections explore more specialized subjects, considering optics, psychophysics, and the visual behaviors of mice; the organization of the adult mouse eye and central visual system; the development of the mouse eye (including comparisons to human development); the development and plasticity of retinal projections and visuotopic maps; mouse models for human eye disease (including glaucoma and cataracts); and the application of advanced genomic technologies (including gene therapy and genetic knockouts) to the mouse visual system. Readers of this unique reference will see that the study of mouse models has already demonstrated real translational prowess in vision research.
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Gulf of Mexico Oysters: Overview of the First Four Years of the NOAA’s National Status and Trends Mussel Watch Program (1986–1989)

During the first four years of the NOAA’s National Status and Trends Mussel Watch program selected chlorinated hydrocarbons were analyzed in more than 660 oyster samples from the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Chlordane-related compounds, DDT and its metabolites and PCB congeners were detected at all the locations monitored. Concentrations ranged over two to three orders of magnitude. Alpha-chlordane and trans-nonachlor comprised more than 90% of the total load of chlordane-related compound in the samples. The bulk of the total DDT burden in oysters corresponded to the degradation products, DDE and DDD, while DDT isomers only accounted for a small fraction of the total load. PCB congeners corresponded mainly to the four-, five- and six-chlorine homologs. After the first four years of this program, the concentration distributions in oysters from the northern Gulf of Mexico is well defined. Temporal trends are not apparent at most sites.
Developing and implementing an informed consent jurisprudence: lessons from the United States

In the United States, the modern era of jurisprudence regarding informed patient consent to medical diagnostic and treatment interventions began in 1972 with the District of Columbia Circuit Court’s opinion in Canterbury v. Spence [1]. That judicial decision substantially solidified and enlarged physicians’ obligations to share information with patients (or their surrogates) about certain risks, benefits, and alternatives to be taken into account in patients’ decisionmaking processes about whether to permit or refuse particular medical interventions. For the past two and a half decades, both American jurisprudence and actual medical practice have struggled with Canterbury’s numerous philosophical and practical ramifications and have evolved in response to that decision and its judicial and legislative progeny [2–4]. Many other countries are now in considerably earlier stages in their own evolutionary processes regarding the doctrine of informed consent in the medical context, e.g. [5,6]. For example, a patient’s right to give or withhold consent to medical intervention, and the physician’s corresponding responsibility to empower the patient’s informed exercise of that prerogative, was not officially recognized in France until a ruling to that effect was issued by its highest court (la Cour de Cassation) on February 25, 1997. In reaction to this judicial pronouncement, the Institut d’Etudes des Politiques de Sante of the University of Paris VI Faculte de Medicine was commissioned by the French government to convene an invited, multidisciplinary seminar on October 22 and 23, 1998 for the purpose of formulating legislative and other kinds of recommendations on implementation of the informed consent doctrine in France. At this seminar, entitled “Informed Consent to Health Care: Opportunities, Liabilities and Illusions” this author was invited to describe the US experience (and to do it in fifteen minutes). Based on preparation for that assignment, audience reactions to my remarks, and my reflections about the group dynamics and group discussion that unfolded during this two-day event, I am emboldened to take on a markedly complex and multifaceted subject and to try to distill some key lessons from the extensive American experience with the idea and the reality of informed consent. I offer these lessons for the benefit of nations in which the notion of some degree of patient choice and control over one’s own medical care is just now emerging [7].
Emergence of symbiosis in peptide self-replication through a hypercyclic network

Symbiosis is an association between different organisms that leads to a reciprocal enhancement of their ability to survive. Similar mutually beneficial relationships can operate at the molecular level in the form of a hypercycle, a collective of two or more self-replicating species interlinked through a cyclic catalytic network. The superposition of cross-catalysis onto autocatalytic replication integrates the members of the hypercycle into a single system that reproduces through a second-order (or higher) form of nonlinear autocatalysis. The hypercycle population as a whole is therefore able to compete more efficiently for existing resources than any one member on its own. In addition, the effects of beneficial mutations of any one member are spread over the entire population. The formation of hypercycles has been suggested as an important step in the transition from inanimate to living chemistry, and a large number of hypercycles are expected to be embedded within the complex networks of living systems. But only one naturally occurring hypercycle has been well documented, while two autocatalytic chemical systems may contain vestiges of hypercyclic organization. Here we report a chemical system that constitutes a clear example of a minimal hypercyclic network, in which two otherwise competitive self-replicating peptides symbiotically catalyse each others' production.
Probabilistic Safety Assessment for High-Level Waste Tanks at Hanford

Los Alamos National Laboratory has performed a comprehensive probabilistic safety assessment, (PSA), including consideration of external events, for the 18 tank farms at the Hanford Tank Farm (HTF). This work was sponsored by the Department of Energy /Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Division (DOE/EM).
Thyroidal autoregulation: Iodide-induced suppression of thyrotropin-stimulated cyclic AMP production and iodinating activity in thyroid cells

Abstract In continuing our study of the thyroidal autoregulation phenomenon, we have investigated the effects of iodide on several thyroidal responses to thyrotropin. Thus, we have found that the 2–4-fold thyrotropin stimulation of protein iodination in beef thyroid cells was reduced about 30% by 4 h of preincubation with 10 μM iodide, and virtually abolished with 50 μM iodide. Similarly the 8-fold thyrotropin stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation in the cells was reduced about 30% by 3 h of preincubation with 50 μM iodide. It appears therefore that the so-called autoregulation of the thyroid gland does include influences of iodide on the thyrotropin stimulation of cyclic AMP production, iodide transport, and protein iodination which can be demonstrated in vitro in the dispersed thyroid cell system. Two other effects of thyrotropin, namely, the stimulation of [ 14 C]leucine incorporation into protein and of iodide efflux were not at all affected by treatment with excess iodide, and hence may not be subject to the autoregulatory influence of iodide.
The Effect of Signal Activity on Propagation Delay of CMOS Logic Gates Driving Coupled On-Chip Interconnections

The effect of interconnect coupling capacitances on neighboring CMOS logic gates driving coupled interconnections strongly depends upon signal activity. A transient analysis of two capacitively coupled CMOS logic gates is presented in this paper for different combinations of signal activity. The uncertainty of the effective load capacitance and propagation delay due to signal activity is addressed. Analytical expressions characterizing the output voltage and propagation delay are also presented for different signal activity conditions. The propagation delay based on these analytical expressions is within 3% as compared to SPICE, while the estimated delay neglecting the difference between the load capacitances can exceed 45%. The logic gates should be properly sized to balance the load capacitances in order to minimize any uncertainty in the delay and load. The peak noise voltage on a quiet interconnection determined from the analytical expressions is within 4% of SPICE. The peak noise voltage on a quiet interconnection can be minimized if the effective output conductance of the quiet logic gate driving the interconnect is increased.
Hydrogen-oxidizing Methane Bacteria I. Cultivation and Methanogenesis

A method for the mass culture of hydrogen-oxidizing methane bacteria has been developed; yields of 50 to 60 g (wet weight) of cells per 12 to 14 liters of culture medium were obtained. The methanogenic organism from the culture of Methanobacillus omelianskii was grown in a complex medium which was aerated with a gas mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Extracts prepared from hydrogen-grown cells formed methane from methyl cobalamin, 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, serine, pyruvate, and carbon dioxide; these substrates have been shown to be precursors of methane in extracts of the ethyl alcohol-grown culture of M. omelianskii.
Modulation effects in multi-section semiconductor lasers

The current modulation of a two-section semiconductor laser is first reviewed analytically using a well-known, closed-form, modulation expression. A system of traveling-intensity equations is then used to investigate spatial effects in these lasers including cavity layout and the role played by cavity length. The numerical simulations verify the accuracy of the analytic expression for short cavities (low frequencies) but identify shortcomings as the cavity length (modulation frequency) is increased. One notable difference is the presence of resonant peaks in the modulation response. Although this effect has been addressed in the past, the arrangement of sections within the laser is shown to play a prominent role in these monolithic devices for what we believe to be the first time. In the course of this investigation the thirteen different ways a two-section semiconductor laser can be current modulated are identified and computationally investigated.
Evaluation of antipsychotic drugs as inhibitors of multidrug resistance transporter P-glycoprotein

The multidrug resistance transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), is involved in efflux transport of several antipsychotics in the blood–brain barrier (BBB). In the present study, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of the antipsychotics, i.e., risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, clozapine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine, a major metabolite of risperidone, 9-OH-risperidone, and a positive control inhibitor, PSC833, on the cellular uptake of a prototypic substrate of P-gp, rhodamine (Rhd) 123, in LLC-PK1 and L-MDR1 cells. After incubation of the antipsychotics (1–100 μM) and the positive (10 μM PSC833) or negative (1% dimethyl sulfoxide) controls with 5 μM Rhd 123 for 1 h, the effects of the antipsychotics on the intracellular accumulation of Rhd 123 were examined using a flow cytometric method. All the antipsychotics showed various degrees of inhibitory effects on P-gp activity. The rank order of the concentration of inhibitor to cause 50% of the maximal increment of intracellular Rhd 123 fluorescence (EC50) was: PSC833 (0.5 μM) < olanzapine (3.9 μM) < chlorpromazine (5.8 μM) < risperidone (6.6 μM) < haloperidol (9.1 μM) < quetiapine (9.8 μM) < 9-OH-risperidone (12.5 μM) < clozapine (30 μM). Considering that the antipsychotics’ plasma concentrations are generally lower than 1 μM, the present results suggest that olanzapine and risperidone are the only agents that may inhibit P-gp activity in the BBB. However, most of the antipsychotics are extensively accumulated in tissues. In addition, when given orally, the drug concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract are likely to be high. Pharmacokinetic interactions due to inhibition of P-gp activity by the antipsychotics appear possible and warrant further investigation.
Affect and cognition in the context of home: The quest for intangibles

The three papers in this special issue represent an important advance in the effort to understand people's attachment to place. Economic factors do not provide an adequate explanation; it is necessary to seek less tangible influences. There are grounds for looking to the physical setting, and especially the natural environment available to residents. Access to other resources may also be important. And group affiliation can impact both cognitive and affective aspects of the attachment process. In terms of future research to better understand these intangibles, it may help to focus on the sense of place, the factors that make an environment psychologically comfortable. Three variables are proposed as researchable facets of the sense of place: (1) legibility, (2) the perception of and preference for the visual environment, and (3) the compatibility of the setting with human purposes.
Ternary and quaternary thallium-containing high-Tc superconductors synthesized at low temperature and elevated pressure

Abstract The synthesis of Tl-2201 and Tl-2212 superconductors at 550°C and 1200 psi Ar is described. AC susceptibility indicates onset T c 's of ∼ 93 K for 2201 and ∼ 118 K for 2212. For both materials, the single-phase composition is not that of the nominally stoichiometric cation ratio Tl:Ba:Ca:Cu = 2:2:0:1 or 2:2:1:2. The 2201 phase forms as a point compound under these synthesis conditions, while 2212 may show a more complex solid-solution behavior. Rietveld analysis of combined X-ray and neutron-diffraction data reveals random substitution of Cu on the Tl site for the Tl-2201 compound.
Erythrodermic bullous pemphigoid is a clinical variant of bullous pemphigoid

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease of the skin. Several variants of BP have been described but until recently the relationship of these variants to generalized BP was unclear. Several studies have shown that pemphigoid nodularis, pemphigoid vegetans, localized BP and vesicular pemphigoid are true variants of BP as the circulating antibodies in these patients recognize the same 230 kDa BP antigen as found in patients with generalized BP. Erythrodermic BP is a very unusual variant characterized by an erythroderma along with blister formation. We describe the third known patient to develop erythrodermic BP and characterize the antigenic specificity of the circulating antibodies in both our newly reported patient with erythrodermic BP and in one of the two other previously reported cases of erythrodermic BP. Both patients with erythrodermic BP had circulating IgG antibodies which bound to the epidermal side of salt-split human skin in a pattern identical to two patients with immunopathologically proven generalized BP. Sera from four erythrodermic patients without blisters and from a healthy normal volunteer, as controls, failed to demonstrate detectable circulating IgF autoantibodies. Immunoprecipitation studies revealed that both patients with erythrodermic BP had circulating IgG autoantibodies which recognized, to varying degrees, the same 230 and 180 kDa BP antigens as recognized by sera from two patients with immunopathologically proven generalized BP. Sera from four erythrodermic patients without blisters and from a healthy normal volunteer, as controls, failed to recognize any specific polypeptides. These observations demonstrate that erythrodermic BP is a distinct clinical variant of BP.
An Experimental Method for Profit Maximization

SUMMARY This paper develops a procedure for locating profit maximizing operating conditions when the input variables are subject to control by the experimenter and observations on physical output may be taken subject to experimental error at any combination of these inputs. This procedure uses the Box-Wilson technique, a well-known statistical search procedure, together with the price of the output and the cost of the inputs so as to search for maximum profit points rather than maximum output points. The result is an experimental search method which maximizes profit when the functional form of the physical response surface (production function) is unknown. In this case, of course, standard mathematical programming models are of no use in the absence of the required functional forms. This functional form, though unknown, is determined by the existing investment in capital equipment. These procedures, like the Box-Wilson technique, are more likely to be applicable to flow process reactor systems in the chem...
Effects of aging and exercise training on spinotrapezius muscle microvascular PO2 dynamics and vasomotor control.

With advancing age, there is a reduction in exercise tolerance, resulting, in part, from a perturbed ability to match O2 delivery to uptake within skeletal muscle. In the spinotrapezius muscle (whi...
Models of cryptococcal meningitis

Murine models of cryptococcal meningitis provide a powerful tool for the evaluation of antifungal drugs, particularly because in vitro antifungal drug susceptibility testing does not have a proven track record of predicting clinical responses. Furthermore, properly designed and executed animal experiments can readily demonstrate the effects (positive or negative) of combining antifungal drugs while simultaneously incorporating known clinical features associated with response to treatment.
Voraussetzungen für die Auswertung von Fluorometermessungen

In dieser Arbeit wird die bei der Auswertung der Fluorometermessungen benutzte Gleichung zwischen Erregungsintensitat E(t), Lumineszenzintensitat L(t) und Abklingkurve Φ (t) aus zwei Annahmen bewiesen: Es wird vorausgesetzt, das sich die zu verschiedenen Zeiten erregten Lumineszenzanteile ungestort superponieren und das die Kurven des Abklingens nach endlicher Erregungsdauer Δt fur Δt 0 gleichmasig gegen eine Grenzkurve Φ (t) konvergieren.
Images of Ca2+ flux in astrocytes: evidence for spatially distinct sites of Ca2+ release and uptake

Abstract In this study, we have developed a mathematical method to derive the Ca 2+ fluxes underlying agonist-evoked Ca 2+ waves in cultured rat cortical astrocytes. Astrocytes were stimulated with norepinephrine (100 nM) to evoke Ca 2+ waves, which were recorded by measuring FIuo-3 fluorescence changes with high spatial and temporal resolution. Normalized fluorescence (ΔF/F) was analyzed in discrete cellular spaces in a series of successive slices along the length of the cell. From these data, Ca 2+ flux was then calculated using a one dimensional reaction-diffusion equation which utilizes the temporal and spatial derivatives of the fluorescence data and the diffusion coefficient of Ca 2+ in the cytosol. This method identified distinct sites of positive flux (Ca 2+ release into the cytosol) and of negative flux (Ca 2+ removal from cytosol) and showed that in astrocytes, sites of Ca 2+ release from stores regularly alternate with sites of Ca 2+ removal from the cytosol. Cross correlation analysis of the two distribution patterns gave positive correlation at 2 μm out of phase and a negative correlation in phase. Thapsigargin-induced Ca 2+ waves were analyzed to determine if the negative flux was due to Ca 2+ uptake via thapsigargin-sensitive Ca 2+ pumps. Negative flux sites were still found under these conditions, suggesting that multiple mechanisms of Ca 2+ removal from the cytosol may contribute to negative flux sites. This method of calculation of flux may serve as a means to describe the distribution of functional ion channels and pumps participating in cellular Ca 2+ signalling.
Identification of two novel functional p53 responsive elements in the herpes simplex virus-1 genome

Analysis of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) genome reveals two candidate p53 responsive elements (p53RE), located in proximity to the replication origins oriL and oriS, referred to as p53RE-L and p53RE-S, respectively. The sequences of p53RE-L and p53RE-S conform to the p53 consensus site and are present in HSV-1 strains KOS, 17, and F. p53 binds to both elements in vitro and in virus-infected cells. Both p53RE-L and p53RE-S are capable of conferring p53-dependent transcriptional activation onto a heterologous reporter gene. Importantly, expression of the essential immediate early viral transactivator ICP4 and the essential DNA replication protein ICP8, that are adjacent to p53RE-S and p53RE-L, are repressed in a p53-dependent manner. Taken together, this study identifies two novel functional p53RE in the HSV-1 genome and suggests a complex mechanism of viral gene regulation by p53 which may determine progression of the lytic viral replication cycle or the establishment of latency.
Bafilomycin A1 and its attenuating effect on tumour growth in systemic malignancies, especially gastrointestinal malignancies.

The paper by Wang et al. [1] published in Clinical Science provided for highly interesting reading. Interestingly, recent data confirms that bafilomycin A1 decreases tumour growth in a number of systemic malignancies. For instance, it decreases growth in colonic malignancies. It mediates its antineoplastic effects by attenuating lysosomal acidification within the cancerous … The paper by Wang et al. [1] published in Clinical Science provided for highly interesting reading. Interestingly, recent data confirms that bafilomycin A1 decreases tumour growth in a number of systemic malignancies. For instance, it decreases growth in colonic malignancies. It mediates its antineoplastic effects by attenuating lysosomal acidification within the cancerous …
Silicon physical random functions

We introduce the notion of a Physical Random Function (PUF). We argue that a complex integrated circuit can be viewed as a silicon PUF and describe a technique to identify and authenticate individual integrated circuits (ICs).We describe several possible circuit realizations of different PUFs. These circuits have been implemented in commodity Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). We present experiments which indicate that reliable authentication of individual FPGAs can be performed even in the presence of significant environmental variations.We describe how secure smart cards can be built, and also briefly describe how PUFs can be applied to licensing and certification applications.
Nonlinear dynamics approach to the predictability of the Cane–Zebiak coupled ocean–atmosphere model

Abstract. The predictability of the Cane–Zebiak coupled ocean–atmosphere model is investigated using nonlinear dynamics analysis. Newer theoretical concepts are applied to the coupled model in order to help quantify maximal prediction horizons for finite amplitude perturbations on different scales. Predictability analysis based on the maximum Lyapunov exponent considers infinitesimal perturbations, which are associated with errors in the smallest fastest-evolving scales of motion. However, these errors become irrelevant for the predictability of larger scale motions. In this study we employed finite-size Lyapunov exponent analysis to assess the predictability of the Cane–Zebiak coupled ocean–atmosphere model as a function of scale. We demonstrate the existence of fast and slow timescales, as noted in earlier studies, and the expected enhanced predictability of the anomalies on large scales. The final results and conclusions clarify the applicability of these new methods to seasonal forecasting problems.
Graduate Business Students and Business Information Literacy: A Novel Approach

Currently the literature examining formal business information literacy (BIL) instruction and graduate business students focuses on the collaborative efforts between individual librarians and business school faculty members to bring information literacy into the classroom. This article argues that all graduate business students need formal BIL instruction to succeed in their studies and as business leaders. The unique decade-long collaboration between Hofstra University's Axinn Library and Frank G. Zarb School of Business is examined.
Performance analysis of a memristive crossbar PUF design

Physical unclonable functions (PUF) provide a hardware specific unique signature or finger print for an integrated circuit that can be leveraged to mitigate several security vulnerabilities. A dense memristive crossbar PUF is described which utilizes variations in the write-time of memristors as the primary entropy source. For this work, the write-time varies according to six specific device parameters which can be directly measured from fabricated memristors and easily included in an accurate model for circuit simulation. The results presented show strong statistical performance for the proposed design in terms of entropy, uniqueness and uniformity. Furthermore, the nature of sneak path currents in the crossbar structure are leveraged to provide an exponential number of unique configurations for each response bit. Results also show that the proposed crossbar-based PUF provides improved power consumption and smaller area utilization when compared to CMOS-based and other nanoelectronic PUF circuits.
Effect of ethanol ingestion on choline phosphotransferase and phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase activities in liver microsomes.

The effect of ethanol ingestion on choline phosphotransferase and phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase activities, the two enzymes involved in phosphatidyl choline biosynthesis in liver microsomes, has been investigated. Female rats were fed a 5% ethanol-liquid diet containing amino acids, minerals, vitamins, with and without choline, for 2, 6, and 10 weeks. Control animals were pair-fed the same isocaloric diet with 5% sucrose with and without choline. Ethanol administration with or without dietary choline stimulated significantly (P<0.001) the specific activities of phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase in liver microsomes in the animals fed 5% ethanol for 2, 6, and 10 weeks, when compared to those control animals pairfed the isocaloric diet with or without choline. Ethanol administration with or without dietary choline for 2 weeks stimulated significantly (P<0.02) the specific activities of choline phosphotransferase. The specific activities of phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase continued to increase in the liver microsomes from the animals in which dietary choline was omitted for 2, 6, and 10 weeks in the sucrose controls and alcohol-fed animals. Ethanol administration stimulates significantly (P<0.001) the phosphatidyl ethanolamine methyltransferase specific activities in liver microsomes of animals fed the liquid diet with dietary omission of choline and methionine for 2 weeks.
Mastigoneme attachment in Ochromonas.

Mastigonemes on the anteriorly directed flagella of Ochromonas have been found to be attached to the flagellar axoneme by means of amorphous material which is present directly beneath the point of contact between the mastigonemes and the flagellar membrane. Flagella treated with detergent lose the flagellar membrane, but mastigonemes remain attached to the axoneme. The connection between mastigonemes and axoneme presumably provides secure support for the mastigonemes on the flagellum. The possible nature of the attachment material is briefly considered.
The combustion of starch, cellulose and cationically modified products of these compounds investigated using thermal analysis

Abstract The combustion of cellulosic material and of related starch, starch components is followed using a simultaneous TG-DTA unit. The materials were characterized using solid-state NMR. It was found that the combustion proceeded via gaseous combustion. A study of the degradation in nitrogen on the thermal analysis equipment shows that the glowing combustion originated from carbonaceous residues of the degradation of the material during the gaseous combustion step. The α r − α s method of following the degradation in nitrogen was used to show the reactivity pattern on a comparative basis. This method was also used to study the reactivity pattern in the overlapping combustion reaction in air. In both the cases, the cationic material appeared to have higher reactivity than the unmodified native material.
Glucocorticoid effects on the electrical properties of spinal motor neurons

The effects of an intensive 7 day glucocorticoid (e.g. methylprednisolone) regimen have been studied on the electrical properties of cat lumbar spinal motor neurons via intracellular recording. The results reported in this paper have shown that glucocorticoid dosing produces numerous effects on motor neuron excitability and impulse generation and conduction. These include a resting hyperpolarization, a slowed conduction of an antidromic action potential through the initial axon segment and an increased threshold, a slowed rate of depolarization and a prolonged refractoriness of the soma-dendritic portion of the neuron. On the other hand, the excitability of the initial axon segment, where the nerve impulse is physiologically triggered, is increased as demonstrated by a decrease in the rheobasic current and an increased slope of the current-frequency relationship for repetitive discharge. An additional effect of the steroid is to augment the action potential after-depolarization. These results suggest a complex glucocorticoid action on specific ionic mechanisms which is discussed along with possible neurological and psychiatric implications.
Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry fixedbeam or overscan x-ray microanalysis of particles can miss the real structure: x-ray spectrum image mapping reveals the true nature

The typical strategy for analysis of a microscopic particle by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometry x-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDS) is to use a fixed beam placed at the particle center or to continuously overscan to gather an “averaged” x-ray spectrum. While useful, such strategies inevitably concede any possibility of recognizing microstructure within the particle, and such fine scale structure is often critical for understanding the origins, behavior, and fate of particles. Elemental imaging by x-ray mapping has been a mainstay of SEM/EDS analytical practice for many years, but the time penalty associated with mapping with older EDS technology has discouraged its general use and reserved it more for detailed studies that justified the time investment. The emergence of the high throughput, high peak stability silicon drift detector (SDD-EDS) has enabled a more effective particle mapping strategy: “flash” x-ray spectrum image maps can now be recorded in seconds that capture the spatial distribution of major (concentration, C > 0.1 mass fraction) and minor (0.01 ≤ C ≤ 0.1) constituents. New SEM/SDD-EDS instrument configurations feature multiple SDDs that view the specimen from widely spaced azimuthal angles. Multiple, simultaneous measurements from different angles enable x-ray spectrometry and mapping that can minimize the strong geometric effects of particles. The NIST DTSA-II software engine is a powerful aid for quantitatively analyzing EDS spectra measured individually as well as for mapping information (available free for Javaplatforms at: http://www.cstl.nist.gov/div837/837.02/epq/dtsa2/index.html).
Neonatal diabetes and congenital hyperinsulinism caused by mutations in ABCC8/SUR1 are associated with altered and opposite affinities for ATP and ADP

ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels composed of potassium inward-rectifier type 6.2 and sulfonylurea receptor type 1 subunits (Kir6.2/SUR1)4 are expressed in various cells in the brain and endocrine pancreas where they couple metabolic status to membrane potential. In β-cells, increases in cytosolic [ATP/ADP]c inhibit KATP channel activity, leading to membrane depolarization and exocytosis of insulin granules. Mutations in ABCC8 (SUR1) or KCNJ11 (Kir6.2) can result in gain or loss of channel activity and cause neonatal diabetes (ND) or congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), respectively. SUR1 is reported to be a Mg2+-dependent ATPase. A prevailing model posits that ATP hydrolysis at SUR1 is required to stimulate openings of the pore. However, recent work shows nucleotide binding, without hydrolysis, is sufficient to switch SUR1 to stimulatory conformations. The actions of nucleotides, ATP and ADP, on ND (SUR1E1506D) and CHI (SUR1E1506K) mutants, without Kir6.2, were compared to assess both models. Both substitutions significantly impair hydrolysis in SUR1 homologues. SUR1E1506D has greater affinity for MgATP than wildtype; SUR1E1506K has reduced affinity. Without Mg2+, SUR1E1506K has a greater affinity for ATP4- consistent with electrostatic attraction between ATP4-, unshielded by Mg2+, and the basic lysine. Further analysis of ND and CHI ABCC8 mutants in the second transmembrane and nucleotide binding domains (TMD2 & NBD2), found a relation between their affinities for ATP (± Mg2+) and their clinical phenotype. Increased affinity for ATP is associated with ND; decreased affinity with CHI. In contrast, MgADP showed a weaker relationship. Diazoxide, known to reduce insulin release in some CHI cases, potentiates switching of CHI mutants from non-stimulatory to stimulatory states consistent with diazoxide stabilizing a nucleotide-bound conformation. The results emphasize the greater importance of nucleotide binding vs hydrolysis in the regulation of KATP channels in vivo.
A Fuzzy Dynamic Programming Approach for the Mixed-Discrete Optimization of Mechanical Systems

Many engineering optimization problems can be considered as multistage decision- making problems. If the system involves uncertainty in the form of linguistic parameters and vague data, a fuzzy approach is to be used for its description. The solution of such problems can be accomplished through fuzzy dynamic programming. However, most of the existing fuzzy dynamic programming algorithms cannot deal with mixed-discrete design variables in the optimization of mechanical systems containing fuzzy information. They often assumed that a fuzzy goal is imposed only on the final state for simplicity, the values of fuzzy goal and other parameters need to be predefined, and an optimal solution is obtained in the continuous design space only. To better reflect the nature of uncertainties present in real-life optimization problems, a mixed-discrete fuzzy dynamic programming (MDFDP) approach is proposed in this work for solving multistage decision-making problems in mixed-discrete design space with a fuzzy goal and a fuzzy state imposed on each stage. The method can also be extended to solve general mixed-discrete fuzzy nonlinear programming problems if their corresponding crisp problems can be solved using dynamic programming approaches. The feasibility and versatility of the proposed method are illustrated by considering the design of a four-bar truss and the reliability-based optimization of a gearbox. To the authors' knowledge, this work represents the first fuzzy dynamic programming method reported in the literature for dealing with mixed-discrete optimization problems.
FIRST Observations of the Second-Brightest Quasar

We report the discovery of a new bright quasar, PHL 1811, as part of a follow-up program to identify bright quasars in the FIRST radio survey. With B = 13.9, R = 13.9, and z = 0.192, this quasar is now the second-brightest quasar (in apparent magnitude) known beyond z = 0.1. Optically classified as a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1), PHL 1811 is unusual for an object in this class in that it was not detected in X-rays in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey or in any previous X-ray survey. A follow-up BeppoSAX observation confirms that it is deficient in X-rays compared with other quasars, but poor signal-to-noise ratio prevents a definitive characterization of the X-ray spectrum. We consider three alternative hypotheses to explain why PHL 1811 is a weak X-ray source: (1) it is a broad absorption line quasi-stellar object and suffers X-ray absorption; (2) like several other luminous NLS1s, it exhibits high-amplitude X-ray variability and has been observed only when it is in an X-ray–quiescent state; and (3) it is intrinsically weak because it simply lacks an X-ray–emitting region.