cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Adverse Effects of Medical Treatment With Mortality in the United States: A Secondary Analysis of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study

Importance More than 20 years have passed since the first publication of estimates of the extent of medical harm occurring in hospitals in the United States. Since then, considerable resources have been allocated to improve patient safety, yet policymakers lack a clear gauge of the progress made. Objectives To quantify the cause-specific mortality associated with adverse effects of medical treatment (AEMT) in the United States from 1990 to 2016 by age group, sex, and state of residence and to describe trends in types of harm and associations with other diseases and injuries. Design, Setting, and Participants Cohort study using 1990-2016 data on mortality due to AEMT from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) 2016 study, which assessed death certificates of US decedents. Exposures Death withInternational Classification of Diseases(ICD)–coded registration. Main Outcomes and Measures Mortality associated with AEMT. Secondary analyses were performed on allICDcodes in the death certificate’s causal chain to describe associations between AEMT and other diseases and injuries. Results From 1990 to 2016, there were an estimated 123 603 deaths (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 100 856-163 814 deaths) with AEMT as the underlying cause. Despite an overall increase in the number of deaths due to AEMT over time, the national age-standardized mortality rate due to AEMT decreased by 21.4% (95% UI, 1.3%-32.2%) from 1.46 (95% UI, 1.09-1.76) deaths per 100 000 population in 1990 to 1.15 (95% UI, 1.00-1.60) deaths per 100 000 population in 2016. Men and women had similar rates of AEMT mortality, and those 70 years or older had mortality rates nearly 20-fold greater compared with those aged 15 to 49 years (mortality rate in 2016 for both sexes, 7.93 [95% UI, 7.23-11.45] per 100 000 population for those aged ≥70 years vs 0.38 [95% UI, 0.34-0.43] per 100 000 population for those aged 15-49 years). Per 100 000 population, California had the lowest age-standardized AEMT mortality rate at 0.84 deaths (95% UI, 0.57-1.47 deaths), whereas Mississippi had the highest mortality rate at 1.67 deaths (95% UI, 1.19-2.03 deaths). Surgical and perioperative events were the most common subtype of AEMT, accounting for 63.6% of all deaths for which an AEMT was identified as the underlying cause. Conclusions and Relevance This study’s findings suggest a modest reduction in the mortality rate associated with AEMT in the United States from 1990 to 2016 while also observing increased mortality associated with advancing age and noted geographic variability. The annual GBD releases may allow for tracking of the burden of AEMT in the United States.
Development of the Parent-Rated Anxiety Scale for Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objective Anxiety is common in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is no accepted outcome measure for anxiety in this population. Method Following a series of focus groups with parents of youth with ASD, we generated 72 items (scored 0−3). Parents of 990 youth with ASD (aged 5−17 years; 80.8% male) completed an online survey. Factor analysis and item response theory analyses reduced the content to a single factor with 25 items. Youth with at least mild anxiety (n = 116; aged 5−17 years; 79.3% male) participated in a comprehensive clinical assessment to evaluate the validity and reliability of the 25-item Parent-Rated Anxiety Scale for ASD (PRAS-ASD). Results In the online sample, the mean PRAS-ASD score was 29.04 ± 14.9 (range, 0−75). The coefficient α was 0.93. The item response theory results indicated excellent reliability across a wide range of scores with low standard errors. In the clinical sample (n = 116), the PRAS-ASD mean was 31.0 ± 15.6 (range, 1−65). Pearson correlations with parent ratings of ASD symptom severity, repetitive behavior, and disruptive behavior ranged 0.33 to 0.66, supporting divergent validity of the PRAS-ASD. Pearson correlation with a parent-rated measure of anxiety used in the general pediatric population of 0.83 supported convergent validity. A total of 40 participants (32 boys, 8 girls; mean age, 11.9 ± 3.4 years) returned at time 2 (mean, 12.2 days) and time 3 (mean, 24.2 days). Intraclass correlation showed test−retest reliabilities of 0.88 and 0.86 at time 2 and time 3, respectively. Conclusion The 25-item PRAS-ASD is a reliable and valid scale for measuring anxiety in youth with ASD.
A genome-wide enhancer/suppressor screen for Dube3a interacting genes in Drosophila melanogaster.

The genetics underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are complex. Approximately 3–5% of ASD cases arise from maternally inherited duplications of 15q11.2-q13.1, termed Duplication 15q syndrome (Dup15q). 15q11.2-q13.1 includes the gene UBE3A which is believed to underlie ASD observed in Dup15q syndrome. UBE3A is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets proteins for degradation and trafficking, so finding UBE3A substrates and interacting partners is critical to understanding Dup15q ASD. In this study, we take an unbiased genetics approach to identify genes that genetically interact with Dube3a, the Drosophila melanogaster homolog of UBE3A. We conducted an enhancer/suppressor screen using a rough eye phenotype produced by Dube3a overexpression with GMR-GAL4. Using the DrosDel deficiency kit, we identified 3 out of 346 deficiency lines that enhanced rough eyes when crossed to two separate Dube3a overexpression lines, and subsequently identified IA2, GABA-B-R3, and lola as single genes responsible for rough eye enhancement. Using the FlyLight GAL4 lines to express uas-Dube3a + uas-GFP in the endogenous lola pattern, we observed an increase in the GFP signal compared to uas-GFP alone, suggesting a transcriptional co-activation effect of Dube3a on the lola promoter region. These findings extend the role of Dube3a/UBE3A as a transcriptional co-activator, and reveal new Dube3a interacting genes.
Below-Knee Popliteal, Tibial, and Foot Injuries

Vascular injuries below the knee present a difficult challenge to vascular surgeons due to the complex nature of injuries in this anatomic region. A multidisciplinary approach is vital in management as there are commonly associated nerve, bone, and soft tissue injuries all of which affect outcomes. There are several principles in the management of these injuries: 1) control hemorrhage; 2) assess limb viability; 3) evaluate injuries to bone, nerve and other soft tissues; 4) define the vascular anatomy; 5) perform vascular reconstruction if indicated; and 6) prevent or treat reperfusion injury and compartment syndrome. Prompt management of these injuries with proper prioritization of a multidisciplinary team can help improve the overall care for these patients.
Phenotypic overlap in neonatal respiratory morbidity following preterm premature rupture of membranes versus spontaneous preterm labor.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a major source of morbidity in premature neonates, has been associated with intrauterine infection and preterm birth. Both preterm premature rupture of...
Emerging Life Sciences: New Challenges to Strategic Stability

This chapter explores the potential for new biotechnologically-enabled weapons to compete with nuclear weapons as far as effect on strategic stability, and assesses whether the assumptions in traditional strategic stability models are still valid when applied to such scenarios, and how changing capabilities and adversaries may shape approaches to arms control, verification, and monitoring. When thinking about biotechnology from a security perspective, anticipating the types of security threats that may emerge as science and technology advance, the potential consequences of those threats, the probability that adversaries will obtain or pursue them, adversarial intent, and potential effect on strategic stability is necessary. The range and spectrum of possible capabilities and actors are expanding. The most recent addition to the genome-editing arsenal is CRISPR, a bacteria-derived system that is among the simplest genome-editing tools. The CRISPR-Cas9 system—and emerging variants on the system—enables unprecedented control and ease when editing the genome. With parallels to remote ‘command and control’ of the genome, this is one aspect that makes the technology different from earlier gene-editing methods. Contemporary analyses of emerging technologies often expose tenuous links or disconnections between technical realities and mainstream scholarship. How, when, where, and in what form the shifting nature of technological progress may bring enhanced or entirely new capabilities, many of which are no longer the exclusive domain of a single nation-state, is contested and requires better analytical tools to enable assessment and inform policy choices. This work is hardly the only one to consider the biosecurity implications of CRISPR, gene-editing, and broader issues of biotechnology. As far as is known, it is the only one to address these emerging life sciences technologies in the context of nuclear strategic stability and implications for balance of power, arms control, and international security.
Bad Tests Die Slowly: The Myelin Basic Protein Example

Background Our national reference laboratory sought to improve stewardship for multiple sclerosis (MS) testing, which included orders for myelin basic protein (MBP) and oligoclonal bands (OCB). From 2011 to 2012, we performed 2 interventions for MS testing: one gentle-strength intervention of a publication designed to educate others about the lack of utility for MBP results and a second medium-strength intervention that included removal of MBP from the panel of MS tests. The ordering trends and practice variation were examined for OCB and MBP to retrospectively observe the effect of the interventions. Methods Data from clients within academic and community hospitals were examined (n = 1710 clients). Ordering patterns for OCB and MBP were investigated from 2008 to 2018 by calculating the %OCB: %OCB = (OCB)/(OCB + MBP). Practice variation was examined by comparing the distribution of clients with different %OCB statistics before and after the interventions in 5-year blocks (2008-2012 vs 2014-2018). Results From 2000 to 2011, the %OCB was approximately 50%, but gradually increased to 67% in 2018. For practice variation, analysis of the distribution of clients by %OCB also demonstrated a shift toward clients favoring OCB alone vs OCB + MBP for MS testing for the later time period of 2014-2018. Conclusion Our 2 interventions had a measurable, beneficial effect on ordering trends for MS testing over a 10-year period at a single reference laboratory. However, given that MBP has questionable clinical utility, stronger interventions are likely needed to bring about larger changes in ordering behavior.
Semester Course Load and Student Performance

Many college students in the United States take longer than four years to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Long time-to-degree can increase higher education costs by billions. Time-to-degree can be reduced if students take more credits each term. While academic momentum theory suggests that additional credits may also improve student performance, and there is a strong positive correlation between course load and student performance, high course load may reduce time investment in each course, giving high course load a negative causal effect on performance. Concern about the negative impact of course load on performance, especially for struggling students, may lead to pushback against policies to reduce time-to-degree by increasing course load. Using longitudinal data from a regional four-year university with a high average time-to-degree, we find no evidence that high course loads have a negative impact on student grades, even for students at the low end of the performance distribution. This result is consistent with a model where students substitute time away from non-education activities when their course loads increase.
Minireview: Novel Micropeptide Discovery by Proteomics and Deep Sequencing Methods

A novel class of small proteins, called micropeptides, has recently been discovered in the genome. These proteins, which have been found to play important roles in many physiological and cellular systems, are shorter than 100 amino acids and were overlooked during previous genome annotations. Discovery and characterization of more micropeptides has been ongoing, often using -omics methods such as proteomics, RNA sequencing, and ribosome profiling. In this review, we survey the recent advances in the micropeptides field and describe the methodological and conceptual challenges facing future micropeptide endeavors.
A Typology of Urban Immigrant Neighborhoods

Using census data from 2000, the authors examine differentiation among urban immigrant neighborhoods in a sample of U.S. metropolitan areas. They use principal components analysis (PCA) followed by cluster analysis to identify four types of urban immigrant neighborhoods: Hispanic, White Working Class, Asian, and Gentrified. This typology describes the diversity of immigrant populations and immigrant neighborhoods across the urban U.S.
Feasibility of patient-performed lung ultrasound self-exams (Patient-PLUS) as a potential approach to telemedicine in heart failure.

Aims Patient-performed lung ultrasound (LUS) in a heart failure (HF) telemedicine model may be used to monitor worsening pulmonary oedema and to titrate therapy, potentially reducing HF admission. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of training HF patients to perform a LUS self-exam in a telemedicine model. Methods and results A pilot study was conducted at a public hospital involving subjects with a history of HF. After a 15 min training session involving a tutorial video, subjects performed a four-zone LUS using a handheld ultrasound. Exams were saved on a remote server and independently reviewed by two LUS experts. Studies were determined interpretable according to a strict definition: the presence of an intercostal space, and the presence of A-lines, B-lines, or both. Subjects also answered a questionnaire to gather feedback and assess self-efficacy. The median age of 44 subjects was 53 years (range, 36-64). Thirty (68%) were male. Last educational level attained was high school or below for 31 subjects (70%), and one-third used Spanish as their preferred language. One hundred fifty of 175 lung zones (85%) were interpretable, with expert agreement of 87% and a kappa of 0.49. 98% of subjects reported that they could perform this LUS self-exam at home. Conclusions This pilot study reports that training HF patients to perform a LUS self-exam is feasible, with reported high self-efficacy. This supports further investigation into a telemedicine model using LUS to reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations associated with HF.
Civil War and Manifest Destiny: Abraham Lincoln to Benjamin Harrison

The Civil War forced the U.S. government to focus on the conflict between North and South. But Native American policy could not be ignored. This became clearer as a “Manifest Destiny” captured the imagination and spirit of the post-Civil-War era.
Answering the Call to Integrate: An Editorial

These editorial comments attempt to provide some contextual background to the primary focus of the study by Carlton and Erwin in the March 2015 issue of Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research, integration of health care and public health (executives). The purpose is also to provide a critical assessment of the value of evidence about strategies for integration, identified by the stakeholders in these two industries. Findings from the Carlton and Edwin study have provided important clues and have stirred the pot enough to start a much-needed dialogue. The research has provided some questions as well as answers, paving a path for future research questions and the study of those questions.
BTLA expression on CD4+ T cells negatively regulates the development of pulmonary fibrosis (HUM7P.319)

The role of the adaptive immune response in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been an area of debate. Several studies have shown that patients with IPF had increased numbers of T cells in their lungs, suggesting that these cells may play a role in disease pathogenesis. We have found that decreased expression of an important co-inhibitory molecule, B- and T- lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) on peripheral blood CD4+ T cells is correlated with IPF patients most likely to rapidly progress in their disease course. Based on these findings, the objective of our study was to determine the role of BTLA on CD4+ T cells in the development of pulmonary fibrosis by utilizing a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. We found that, similar to our patient studies, bleomycin treated WT mice express decreased levels of BTLA on CD4+ T cells compared to untreated WT mice. BTLA-/- mice exhibited significantly increased weight loss and pulmonary fibrosis compared to WT mice. However, CD4+ depletion in the BTLA-/- mice prior to bleomycin challenge protected these mice, as they lost less weight had decreased lung collagen deposition. These findings support a significant role for the loss of BTLA on CD4+ T cells in the pathogenesis of fibrotic disease progression.
Rings: Natural numbers and integers

The positive whole numbers are undoubtedly the oldest and most primitive objects of all mathematics. They formed, and still form, the basis from which all other mathematics sprang. Zero appeared upon the mathematical scene later. The natural numbers are so much the genesis of all mathematics that the 19th century mathematician Leopold Kronecker was led to say that God created the natural numbers and man created everything else in mathematics. The axiomization presented in this chapter of the natural numbers is credited to Giuseppe Peano, another of the great 19th century mathematicians who reworked and solidified the foundations of our number systems. The whole numbers as a key and insight to the nature of the universe were recognized by the Pythagoreans in the 6th century B.C. When Pythagoras said, “All is number, ” he meant the positive integers.
A 30‐year review of a geriatric dentistry teaching programme

doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2011.00471.x A 30-year review of a geriatric dentistry teaching programme Objective: To review the development of the Geriatric Dental and Special Needs Education programme at the University of Iowa over the last 30 years. Background: The programme at Iowa evolved from a didactic elective programme taught by a single faculty person to a required didactic and clinical programme, which includes a Special Care Clinic in the dental school and a mobile unit with portable dental equipment which serves ten area nursing homes with comprehensive care. Materials and methods: Changes have been made in the programme over time based on formal and informal feedback from students and graduates, and we have also looked at the impact of the programme on dental services to our target population. Results: The factors influencing the curriculum development are identified and discussed. Conclusion: As no dental schools are the same, some general applications are suggested from the Iowa experience.
Eliminating the Protectionist Free Ride: The Need for Cost Redistribution in Antidumping Cases

U.S. antidumping laws exist so that domestic markets can protect themselves against foreign goods sold in the United States at less than fair market value. In an antidumping case, after the initial petition is aled, all costs of investigation and determination fall on the U.S. government. Those companies and markets alleged of dumping, however, must pay for their own defense, diverting money from industry development to defense of their actions. A majority of the antidumping cases aled result in a de minimis or zero antidumping margin, but the costs of achieving such a result weigh heavily on the accused market. This Note explores the application and results of U.S. antidumping laws on U.S. and foreign companies and the distribution of costs in their application. Using the Salmon Case from Chile as an example, it argues that in order to eliminate frivolous and protectionist antidumping actions, the petitioners should bear the costs of investigation and discovery instead of
Cyberspace and the State Action Debate: The Cultural Value of Applying Constitutional Norms to 'Private' Regulation

Regulation in cyberspace does not consist only of laws issued and enforced by sovereigns. Instead, private parties and standard-setting bodies, employing the technology of online interaction, will increasingly be able to regulate activity, which might potentially upset many of the provisional balances we as a society have struck in areas such as free speech, privacy, and intellectual property. The question then becomes: how do we evaluate this "private" regulation? Are constitutional norms applicable? Answering such questions requires a reinvestigation of legal doctrine and theory concerning the distinction between "state action" (which is generally subject to constitutional constraints) and "private ordering" (which is not). Critics have repeatedly argued that this distinction is incoherent, but courts nevertheless have shown no inclination to rethink the state action doctrine. In addition, most Americans are likely to resist, on an intuitive level, scholarly attempts to erode the distinction between public and private. Therefore, it may be that a different sort of argument is necessary. This article offers one such argument, based on what I call "constitutive constitutionalism." Instead of repeatedly claiming that seemingly private activity is actually public, we could instead focus on the cultural benefits we might derive from using the Constitution to debate fundamental societal values, public or private. Constitutional adjudication can foster constructive societal debate about social and political issues. It can permit courts to perform an educative function by articulating values and constructing narratives that help constitute our national identity. And, constitutional adjudication can create opportunities for courts to operate as deliberative fora in which difficult political issues are addressed. For all of these reasons, we may decide that measuring a broader range of activities against constitutional norms carries significant cultural benefits. Of course, such an argument does not necessarily outweigh the reasons for viewing the scope of the Constitution more narrowly. Nevertheless, before we can truly analyze the costs and benefits of the state action doctrine, we must consider the constitutive cultural value of constitutional adjudication. Such consideration may be particularly important in the context of debating online regulation, because in cyberspace it is perhaps easier to see how private entities can threaten cherished constitutional norms.
Comparison of Gelman and Millipore Membrane Filters for Enumerating Fecal Coliform Bacteria

Tests of two leading brands of membrane filters used for enumerating fecal coliform bacteria showed that Gelman GN-6 filters recovered statistically more colonies of bacteria than did Millipore HAWG 047SO filters from pure cultures incubated at either 35 C (the optimal growth temperature) or 44.5 C (the standard temperature for the fecal coliform test). Standard membrane filter procedures with M-FC broth base were used to enumerate the organisms. Densities of colonies incubated on Gelman filters at 44.5 C averaged 2.3 times greater than those on Millipore filters. Plate counts of the bacteria at both temperatures indicated that incubation at 44.5 C did not inhibit propagation of fecal coliform bacteria. For the pour plates, M-FC broth base plus 1.5% agar was used. This modified medium compared favorably to plate count agar for enumerating Escherichia coli. At 35 and 44.5 C, colony counts on Gelman filters agreed closely with plate counts prepared concurrently, but Millipore counts were consistently lower than plate counts, especially at 44.5 C. Comparative analyses of river water for fecal coliform bacteria by the membrane filter technique gave results comparable to those for the pure cultures.
Bézier Volume Deformation Model for Facial Animation and Video Tracking

Capturing real motions from video sequences is a powerful approach to automatically build facial deformation model. In this paper, a 3D Bezier volume deformation model is proposed for both synthesis and analysis of facial movements. Since this model is independent of the mesh structure provided the feature points are given, it is capable of animating geometric facial models of different shapes and structures. Of the same importance, the linear property of this model implies a simple and robust analysis algorithm, from which a customized facial deformation model is derived. Experimental results on animation and video analysis are demonstrated in this paper.
9 Micron Cutoff 640 x 486 GaAs/A1xGa1-xAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector Snap-shot Camera

A 9 μm cutoff 640 x 486 snap-shot quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) camera has been demonstrated. The performance of this QWIP camera is reported including indoor and outdoor imaging. Excellent imagery, with a noise equivalent differential temperature (NEΔT) of 36 mK has been achieved at 300 K background.
Main-sequence mass-loss: Lithium dilution in the hyades and the sun

We investigate the consequences of possible main-sequence mass-loss on surface lithium abundances through the use of evolving stellar models. In particular, we attempt to model the lithium depletion observed in the Sun and the Hyades G-dwarfs. Mass-loss as an explanation for the lithium depletion has mixed success. In the case of the solar lithium problem we conclude that mass-loss can be a marginal explanation. In the case of the Hyades G-dwarfs (a.k.a. “The Classical Hyades Lithium Problem”) we find, contrary to preliminary investigations, that mass-loss cannot be a significant contributor to the depletion pattern seen in these stars. Furthermore, we show that quasi-analytical means alone appear to be sufficiently accurate to model the consequences of mass-loss in these stars. With the results of our calculations we limit the amount of mass that may have been lost on the main-sequence by Hyades G-dwarfs.
The cold pressor test in pregnancy

Abstract The cold pressor test was used in 152 normal pregnant women. An increase in the systolic pressure of 30 mm. or more was considered abnormal. Ninety patients were hyperreactors, 15 developed toxemia and an additional 13 had transient abnormal vascular renal signs. Sixty-two patients gave a normal test. Only 2 developed toxemia and an additional 5 bad transient signs. The cold pressor test is compared with the pituitrin test. An abnormal reaction of the former in a pregnant woman seems to indicate that she may develop a toxemia in which the hypertension is the predominant finding. An abnormal pituitrin reaction commonly occurs in patients with toxemia of the pre-eclamptic type.
Constructive decomposition of functions of finite central mean oscillation

The space CMO of functions of finite central mean oscillation is an analogue of BMO where the condition that the sharp maximal function is bounded is replaced by the convergence of the sharp function at the origin. In this paper it is shown that each element of CMO is a singular integral image of an element of the Beurling space B2 of functions whose Hardy-Littlewood maximal function converges at zero. This result is an analogue of Uchiyama's constructive decomposition of BMO in terms of singular integral images of bounded functions. The argument shows, in fact, that to each element of CMO one can construct a vector Calderon-Zygmund operator that maps that element into the proper subspace B2.
Social work in health settings: a historical review.

A retrospective account of the beginnings of social work in health care gives perspective to current concerns, challenges, mandates, prospects, and problems faced by health care practitioners and administrators.
Factors Generated by Human T-Cell Hybridomas Regulate B-Cell Activation, Polyclonal Differentiation, and Isotype Expression

The interactions between B and T lymphocytes appear to be mediated in large part by factors secreted by activated T cells (Schimpl and Wecker, 1972; Marrack et al., 1982; Yoshizaki et al., 1982). These factors in turn act on various B-cell subpopulations (to induce activation and/or differentiation), other T cells (as a recruitment effort), and monocytes, to effect an immune response. This system of interactions is enormously complex and difficult to characterize, especially since most studies employ either heterogeneous cell populations or cells that secrete multiple factors. This has been a major problem in the study of T-B collaboration. The source of factors is either lectin-or antigen (Ag)-stimulated T cells or T-cell lines, frequently requiring lectin for secretion. Contaminating mitogens can activate the residual T cells in most B-cell preparations and the multiple factors can interact with several different B-cell subpopulations (as well as contaminating T cells), making data interpretation even more complex. Obviously, a monoclonal system as well as constitutive secretion of solitary factors would aid in dissecting specific stages of B-cell activation and differentiation.
Sudden Unintended Used-Price Deceleration? The 2009–2010 Toyota Recalls

Using data from the vehicle resale market, I test consumer responsiveness to large-scale product recalls that are caused by safety problems. The used-vehicle prices of Toyotas are compared to the used-vehicle prices of the other major domestic and foreign manufacturers. The results quantify the losses suffered by Toyota vehicle owners in secondary markets due to the 2009–2010 safety recalls of more than 9 million Toyota Motors vehicles. The treatment effect of a recall is measured using panel data with a difference-in-differences estimation approach that allows for time-varying treatment effects and serial correlation. I find that this recall episode had negative effects in the resale market for automobiles that were quantitatively small (less than 2% of the vehicle’s resale value), statistically indistinguishable from zero, and short lived (did not persist beyond December 2009). A comparison with Audi’s recalls in the 1980s of vehicles with sudden unintended acceleration suggests that the extent to which a company’s reputation is established is more important than whether or not a company has a reputation for producing high-quality products.
An autograph letter of John Maurice of Nassau, governor of the Dutch colony in Brazil (1636-1644).

The Oliveira Lima collection of 40,000 volumes at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C, known as the Lima Library and directed by an expert in Brazilian history, Dr. Manoel Cardozo, considers as one of its most cherished treasures an autograph letter written by John Maurice, Count of Nassau, to his panegyrist, Barlaeus. It is written in the Dutch language in what is supposed to be Latin script, but the use of several gothic characters betrays the author’s German origin.
Immunofluorescent identification of endogenous neurotransmitter content in Golgi-impregnated neurons

Abstract A combined Golgi-impregnation/immunocytochemistry procedure was developed to identify the endogenous neurotransmitter content of morphologically characterized neurons. Golgi-impregnated retinal amacrine cells in the lizard Anolis carolinensis were characterized morphologically in thick resin sections. Cells of interest were remounted, resectioned at 1 μm thickness and subjected to a postembedding immunofluorescene procedure to visualize the amino acid neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or glycine. Double-labeled cells were identified by opaque Golgi deposits in the cytoplasm under bright-field illumination and nuclear immunofluorescence under ultraviolet illumination. Twenty-seven Golgi-impregnated amacrine cells, exhibiting morphological features of GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-IR) cells, were tested for GABA-IR; 21 showed double labeling. Glycine-IR amacrine cells also were identified using the Golgi/immunocytochemistry procedure. This double-labeling procedure allows rapid assessment of endogenous neurotransmitter content in large samples of morphologically characterized neurons.
Assessing the Contribution of Nonverbal Behaviors in Displays of Confirmation During Parent-Adolescent Interactions: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

The current study examined the role of nonverbal behaviors in displays of confirmation (i.e., validation, acceptance) in parent-adolescent interactions. An advantage of this study is that actor-partner-interdependence models were used to examine how participants' own behaviors as well as their partners' behaviors predicted confirmation. Analyses showed that parents were more confirming than adolescents, but both actor and partner nonverbal behaviors were associated with confirmation levels. In general, involvement and pleasantness were associated with greater levels of confirmation, whereas expressiveness was associated with less confirmation. Participant sex and member status did not largely moderate the relationship between the nonverbal dimensions and confirmation; however, specific findings suggest that nonverbal behaviors associated with confirmation by parents may be somewhat different than nonverbal behaviors associated with confirmation by adolescents. Overall, the nonverbal dimensions uniquely pr...
Microwave synthesis of gallium zinc phosphate NTHU-4

Abstract There is growing interest in white light emitting diodes for solid-state lighting and novel approaches for the synthesis of white light emitting materials is essential. The large pore gallium zinc phosphate NTHU-4 has been shown to emit light when photoexcited. NTHU-4 was successfully synthesized after only 4 h at 160 °C using a microwave oven, compared to 48 h at 160 °C by conventional heating. The effects of synthesis parameters on phase purity, crystal morphology and emission properties were explored.
Analysis of risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm in a cohort of more than 3 million individuals

Background Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease is an insidious condition with an 85% chance of death after rupture. Ultrasound screening can reduce mortality, but its use is advocated only for a limited subset of the population at risk. Methods We used data from a retrospective cohort of 3.1 million patients who completed a medical and lifestyle questionnaire and were evaluated by ultrasound imaging for the presence of AAA by Life Line Screening in 2003 to 2008. Risk factors associated with AAA were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results We observed a positive association with increasing years of smoking and cigarettes smoked and a negative association with smoking cessation. Excess weight was associated with increased risk, whereas exercise and consumption of nuts, vegetables, and fruits were associated with reduced risk. Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians had lower risk of AAA than whites and Native Americans. Well-known risk factors were reaffirmed, including male gender, age, family history, and cardiovascular disease. A predictive scoring system was created that identifies aneurysms more efficiently than current criteria and includes women, nonsmokers, and individuals aged Conclusions Smoking cessation and a healthy lifestyle are associated with lower risk of AAA. We estimated that about half of the patients with AAA disease are not eligible for screening under current guidelines. We have created a high-yield screening algorithm that expands the target population for screening by including at-risk individuals not identified with existing screening criteria.
Degradation of human articular cartilage by neutrophils in synovial fluid.

Objective. To determine whether surface-adherent immunoglobulins are capable of mediating synovial fluid (SF) neutrophil degradation of proteoglycan and collagen in intact, normal human articular cartilage, and to define the respective roles of neutrophil serine proteases and metalloproteases in degrading these cartilage constituents. Methods. Pellet explants of normal human articular cartilage pretreated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or IgG were incubated with polymorphonuclear cells suspended in SF (PMN-SF), or with supernatants derived from neutrophils stimulated with surface-associated IgG. Proteoglycan degradation was measured by assaying release of 35S-proteoglycan fragments from cartilage explants prelabeled with 35S-sulfate. Collagen degradation was measured by assaying hydroxyproline content in the PMN-SF preparations or neutrophil supernatants following their incubation with unlabeled explants. Results. Significant release of both 35S fragments and hydroxyproline was noted following incubation of PMN-SF with IgG-treated pellets, compared with pellets treated with BSA. IgG preparations derived from pooled normal serum or rheumatoid arthritis SF were equally efficacious in mediating PMN degradation of cartilage collagens. Explant release of 35S fragments during incubation with PMN supernatant was completely inhibited when serine proteases were inactivated by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP); however, release of 35S fragments was enhanced when metalloprotease activity was present in the supernatant. Release of hydroxyproline during incubation of explants with PMN supernatant was comparable in the presence of DFP or EDTA, but was markedly enhanced when both serine and metalloprotease activity were present in the supernatant. Conclusion. Neutrophils in SF are capable of degrading both proteoglycans and collagens in intact human articular cartilage. Degradation of these cartilage constituents is facilitated by immunoglobulins adherent to the cartilage surface and by the synergistic action of PMN serine and metalloproteases released during activation of neutrophils with surface-associated immunoglobulin.
Magnetic susceptibility of ferrihemoglobin in water and 5% t-butanol.

The molar magnetic susceptibility of ferrihemoglobin solutions, as a function of pH and temperature using the nmr technique of Evans, in water and 5% t-butanol has been determined. Results suggest that within a small pH region, the conventional analysis of magnetic susceptibility in terms of high-spin and low-spin contributions breaks down. The implication of this is discussed in terms of possible conformational change involving two subspecies. The effect of t-butanol is also discussed in terms of the t-butanol effect on water.
Detecting Corn Syrup in Barley Malt Extracts

ABSTRACT Methods for detecting corn syrup in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) malt extract were evaluated. Twelve samples representative of commercially available 2-rowed and 6-rowed malting barleys were malted. Extracts prepared from the finely ground malts were analyzed for 13C/12C ratios, expressed as δ13C, and concentrations of protein and sugars. The 13C/12C ratios were sufficiently different to distinguish corn syrup from malt extract. By calculating the mean values for the barleys, it was determined that a δ13C > -24.3‰ indicated that the malt extract had been adulterated with corn syrup (99% confidence). Protein concentrations <4.5% (2-rowed malt) or <5.0% (6-rowed malt) of the extracts also indicated probable adulteration with corn syrup, which is devoid of protein. Because of differences in sugar concentrations between the malt extracts and corn syrup, carbohydrate analysis also indicated probable mixtures. These findings were confirmed by analysis of extracts from composite 2-rowed and 6-rowed barle...
Balmer-α emission from H+ impact on Kr and Xe atoms

Abstract Absolute cross sections for the emission of Balmer-α radiations from H+ + Kr and H+ + Xe collisions for proton energies between 20 and 4 keV were measured. The Baimer-α emission cross section exhibits a decrease in magnitude with increase in proton energy for both targets. The data are compared with results of other investigators at both higher and lower energies.
Machine vision for digital microfluidics

Machine vision is widely used in an industrial environment today. It can perform various tasks, such as inspecting and controlling production processes, that may require humanlike intelligence. The importance of imaging technology for biological research or medical diagnosis is greater than ever. For example, fluorescent reporter imaging enables scientists to study the dynamics of gene networks with high spatial and temporal resolution. Such high-throughput imaging is increasingly demanding the use of machine vision for real-time analysis and control. Digital microfluidics is a relatively new technology with expectations of becoming a true lab-on-a-chip platform. Utilizing digital microfluidics, only small amounts of biological samples are required and the experimental procedures can be automatically controlled. There is a strong need for the development of a digital microfluidics system integrated with machine vision for innovative biological research today. In this paper, we show how machine vision can be applied to digital microfluidics by demonstrating two applications: machine vision-based measurement of the kinetics of biomolecular interactions and machine vision-based droplet motion control. It is expected that digital microfluidics-based machine vision system will add intelligence and automation to high-throughput biological imaging in the future.
Biogeochemistry and cycling of carbon in the northwest Atlantic continental margin: findings of the Ocean Margins Program

Large-scale interdisciplinary efforts aimed at studying the cycling and fluxes of carbon in the northwest Atlantic continental margin, specifically in the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB), have been ongoing for approximately the last 20 years through a variety of different programs (including the earlier "Shelf Edge Exchange Programs" (SEEP) I and II). The Ocean Margins Program (OMP) was elaborated to evaluate all the major pools, biogeochemical transformations, and fluxes of carbon (and associated biogenic elements) in its various forms more fully than any previous program conducted in continental shelf and slope waters and sediments in this region. The field effort embraced four major components: (1) wholeshelf and upper slope "surveys" extending from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras, intended to evaluate the major inventories, sources, and sinks of organic and inorganic carbon pools, (2) hydrographic surveys and the deployment, maintenance and retrieval of an array of between 23 and 26 highly instrumented (including both hydrographic and chemical sensors) moorings, distributed between the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and Cape Hatteras, (3) intensive "process-based studies" focusing on microbial food-web structure and function, primarily in the southern part of the MAB between Chesapeake Bay and Cape Hatteras, in the region of the moored array, and (4) outer shelf and slope sediment biogeochemical and benthic flux studies, also in the southern part of the study area.
The Value of Measuring Food Availability on the Ground for a Semiterrestrial Frugivore, the Tana River Mangabey ( Cercocebus galeritus ) of Kenya

Collecting phenological data, seasonal availability of plant resources that primates feed on, allows us to understand feeding ecology better. A number of primates are terrestrial or semiterrestrial frugivores, yet phenology is generally measured only in the canopy. I hypothesized that combining measurements of food availability on the ground with canopy measurements would more strongly correlate with diet than canopy measurements alone for a semiterrestrial frugivore, the Tana River mangabey (Cercocebus galeritus). From July 2005 until June 2006, I conducted monthly follows on a mangabey group. Phenology was measured in 105 individuals of their top seven food tree species. I measured canopy phenology on a 0–5 scale and counted fruits in three 1 m3 areas of the canopy, and measured ground phenology by counting fruits and seeds in four 1 m2 quadrats under the canopy. I calculated each tree’s canopy volume and canopy shadow, and each species’ mean fruit weight, mean seed weight, and density. Monthly biomasses were calculated as kilograms per hectare. Spearman correlations were performed between diet contribution and canopy biomass, ground biomass, and total biomass. The hypothesis was not supported for seven species individually or combined. The hypothesis was supported for 3 of 12 diet items, although canopy biomass was also significant for 2 of those items. Two diet items correlated only with ground biomass. Studies of the Tana River mangabey may benefit from measuring ground phenology only for those items eaten exclusively on the ground. Primatologists studying terrestrial or semiterrestrial frugivores should consider feeding height when deciding on phenology methods.
Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Measurement Methods for One-Hour Exposures to O3, PM25, and CO.

ABSTRACT While researchers have linked acute (less than 12-hr) ambient O3, PM25, and CO concentrations to a variety of adverse health effects, few studies have characterized short-term exposures to these air pollutants, in part due to the lack of sensitive, accurate, and precise sampling technologies. In this paper, we present results from the laboratory and field evaluation of several new (or modified) samplers used in the “roll-around” system (RAS), which was developed to measure 1-hr O3, PM25, and CO exposures simultaneously. All the field evaluation data were collected during two sampling seasons: the summer of 1998 and the winter of 1999. To measure 1-hr O3 exposures, a new active O3 sampler was developed that uses two nitrite-coated filters to measure O3 concentrations. Laboratory chamber tests found that the active O3 sampler performed extremely well, with a collection efficiency of 0.96 that did not vary with temperature or relative humidity (RH). In field collocation comparisons with a reference ...
A locally conservative variational multiscale method for the simulation of porous media flow with multiscale source terms

We present a variational multiscale mixed finite element method for the solution of Darcy flow in porous media, in which both the permeability field and the source term display a multiscale character. The formulation is based on a multiscale split of the solution into coarse and subgrid scales. This decomposition is invoked in a variational setting that leads to a rigorous definition of a (global) coarse problem and a set of (local) subgrid problems. One of the key issues for the success of the method is the proper definition of the boundary conditions for the localization of the subgrid problems. We identify a weak compatibility condition that allows for subgrid communication across element interfaces, a feature that turns out to be essential for obtaining high-quality solutions. We also remove the singularities due to concentrated sources from the coarse-scale problem by introducing additional multiscale basis functions, based on a decomposition of fine-scale source terms into coarse and deviatoric components. The method is locally conservative and employs a low-order approximation of pressure and velocity at both scales. We illustrate the performance of the method on several synthetic cases and conclude that the method is able to capture the global and local flow patterns accurately.
A Comparison of Wittig and Wittig Horner (Wadsworth Emmons) Reagents in Reactions with Some α-Dicarbonyl Compounds

Abstract For the α-dicarbonyl compounds RCOCHO studied where R=H, Me or Ph it was found that the use of Wittig reagents resulted in higher overall yields of the expected products and that with neither type of reagent could the product OCHCH=CHCO2Et from glyoxal be isolated.