cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous MRI and 18F-FDG-PET Imaging in Multiple Myeloma: A Model for Evaluation of the Disease and Therapeutic Changes in SCID-hu Mice

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy in which abnormal plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow manifesting as osteolytic lesions in approximately 80% of the patients. Since bone disease is a hallmark of MM, sensitive imaging techniques directed at the detection of early bone lesions may be predictive of MM progression. Even though the current guideline for assessment of MM involves traditional skeletal survey, its limitations are well documented. However, several techniques have evolved in the preclinical cancer drug discovery including molecular and non-invasive imaging techniques, such as, low dose CT, molecularly targeted PET, MRI, single positron emission computed tomography, ultrasound and approaches like bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging. These techniques hold great promise in early diagnosis and monitoring of the disease and each has its share of advantages and disadvantages. An ideal technique should not alter the subject, should allow repeated measurements during the time course of the disease, should be sensitive enough to detect early disease and should have reasonably high specificity. However such technique is difficult to devise and test directly in human subjects due to technical challenges and ethical considerations and most of the pre-clinical research is done on the small animals.
Hospital volume and short-term outcomes after cytoreductive nephrectomy.

PURPOSE To investigate the impact of hospital volume on short-term outcomes after cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). METHODS We identified mRCC patients who underwent CN from 2006 to 2013 in the National Cancer Database. Annual hospital CN volume was categorized as high (top 20th percentile) and low. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, prolonged length of stay (PLOS, ≥7 days), and 30-day readmission rates. Sensitivity analyses were performed with hospital volume considered as a continuous variable. RESULTS A total of 9789 patients were included with high-volume (n = 1916) defined as ≥8 cases and low-volume (n = 7873) as 1-7 cases annually. Multivariable logistic regression showed that high-volume was associated with lower odds of 30-day mortality (OR = 0.69, P = 0.013), 90-day mortality (OR = 0.65, P < 0.001), PLOS (OR = 0.82, P = 0.002), and 30-day readmission (OR = 0.78, P = 0.028). Sensitivity analyses showed that increasing hospital volume (per case) was associated with lower odds of 30-day mortality (OR = 0.965, P = 0.008), 90-day mortality (OR = 0.966, P < 0.001), PLOS (OR = 0.982, P = 0.001), and 30-day readmission (OR = 0.975, P = 0.012). CONCLUSION Higher hospital volume was associated with better short-term outcomes after CN. Future studies are needed to validate our findings and explore the potential components leading to better outcomes in the higher volume hospitals.
The Relationship of Psychological Distress and Living with Children and Adolescents for Adult Non-medical Prescription Opioid Users

Prescription opioid use has been recognized as a major public health crisis in the United States. In 2015, more than 2 million persons had an opioid-related substance use disorder. Past research has directly linked opioid misuse to mental health problems. Child welfare systems have observed the effect of the opioid epidemic on families. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of adult non-medical prescription opioid use with psychological distress for families with children and adolescents. This study used data from the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The sample in this analysis included 38,775 adults 18 and older. Multivariate regression analysis using survey design weights was used to examine the effect of past year non-medical prescription opioid use on psychological distress, measured by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Results indicated that adult opioid misuse was associated with increased psychological distress (b = 0.47, 95% CI [0.23, 0.71], β = 0.02, p < .001). Subgroup analysis revealed that for adult opioid users, having children or adolescents in the household was associated with higher psychological distress (b = 0.72, 95% CI [0.18, 1.25], β = 0.02, p < .05), while for non-users, it was associated with lower psychological distress (b = − 0.13, 95% CI [− 0.24, − 0.03], β = − 0.02, p < .05). Public policies targeting this health crisis must consider how resources should address opioid use within family systems. Social workers are on the front-line among providers that serve adults who live with children and adolescents affected by this crisis, and can play a critical role in screening, assessing, and delivering mental health services for this at-risk population.
392 METFORMIN AND VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY: CAUSE OR ASSOCIATION?

Background Metformin is one of the most commonly used medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Potential side effects of metformin include diarrhea, lactic acidosis, and, less commonly reported, vitamin B12 deficiency. We report a case of vitamin B12 deficiency in a patient on metformin. Case Presentation A 54-year-old male with type 2 diabetes mellitus for 15 years was referred to our diabetes center for evaluation of peripheral neuropathy. He was taking glipizide 10 mg bid and metformin 1,000 mg bid. He was nonvegetarian and regularly consumed red meat. His symptoms began approximately 9 months previously with tingling and numbness in the feet, ascending slowly to knees and hands. His gait was unsteady, with several falls. He also had an 80-pack-year history of smoking. His examination was significant for extremity tremor and absent sensation below the knees. Vibration and proprioception were impaired. Motor strength was normal. He also had bilateral extensor plantar reflexes. Laboratory tests showed a macrocytic anemia (hematocrit 31.6%, hemoglobin 10.4 g/dL, mean corpuscular volume 107 fL). Vitamin B12 level was low (284 pg/mL), folic acid level was normal (2.8 ng/mL), and methylmalonic acid and homocysteine were elevated (10.8 μmol/L and 41 μmol/L, respectively). Anti-intrinsic factor antibody was negative. EMG/nerve conduction study showed a pure sensory axonal polyneuropathy. Evaluations for infection, paraneoplastic syndromes, heavy metal toxicity, autoimmune diseases, and vasculitis were all negative. Bone marrow biopsy showed hypercellular marrow consistent with nutritional deficiency. Although he was treated with oral vitamin B12 1,000 μg/day (refused IM injections), his functional status continued to decline over the next 2 months. Metformin was discontinued with improvement in B12 levels and symptoms over the following 3 months. Discussion Vitamin B12 deficiency has been reported to occur in patients taking metformin. The underlying mechanism of metformin-related vitamin B12 deficiency is unclear, but proposed unproven mechanisms include (1) alterations in intestinal motility; (2) bacterial overgrowth; (3) decreased intestinal absorption; and (4) altered intestinal calcium metabolism leading to decreased B12 intrinsic factor uptake by the ileal cell surface. A recent study suggested that metformin-induced malabsorption may be reversible with oral calcium intake, but larger studies are needed. Monitoring vitamin B12 levels in patients on metformin is not currently recommended. As neuropathy is a common finding in patients with diabetes, the potential contribution of vitamin B12 deficiency should also be considered.
Structure and Function of Cytosolic Glucocorticoid Receptors in WEHI-7 Mouse Thymoma Cells: Receptor Composition and Phosphorylation

The primary goal of these studies was to determine whether the cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor is dephosphorylated during activation in the intact cell. To address this question WEHI-7 mouse thymoma cells were grown with [32P]orthophosphoric acid or [35S]methionine to label the receptor. The nonactivated (non-DNA-binding) and activated (DNA-binding) complexes, formed by incubation of the cells with 200 nM triamcinolone acetonide (TA) at 37 C. were separated on DNA-cellulose. purified using the BuGRl monoclonal antibody, and analyzed by Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE). In some experiments. steroid-binding proteins were identified by their specific association with the affinity label [3H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate (DM).
Reproductive and Immune System Interactions in the Context of Life History and Sexual Selection Theory

Host variation in parasite load abounds, both within and across natural populations. The forces that shape and maintain this variation, however, are much less obvious. Over the past two decades, the emerging field of ecoimmunology has begun to address the underlying sources of this variation and its evolutionary consequences. Clearly, spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the environment contribute to variation in host parasite load by varying parasite distribution and abundance. However, host variation in the ability to acquire resources, and differences in how these resources are allocated, also play an integral role in parasite susceptibility. That is to say, not all individuals within a population are capable of managing the cost of immune defense, or may employ different cost-managing strategies. This realization has spurred a surge in studies focused on how immune pathways compete with other costly physiological pathways, such as those associated with reproduction. Interest in this relationship has no doubt been driven by the reproductive system’s high energetic cost and its direct association with host fitness. In this chapter, I examine the interactions between reproduction and immunity to highlight the simultaneous role both play in the evolution of immunological and reproductive adaptations. I begin by placing this interaction in the context of life history theory and discuss how competition for limited resources may constrain the evolution and expression of both systems. I then discuss the role that parasites play in directly shaping reproductive adaptations through sexual selection. In this discussion, I attempt to shed light on the lingering controversy that has overshadowed genetic benefit models and provide concrete predictions for future directions.
Voronoi-Based Coverage Control of Pan/Tilt/Zoom Camera Networks

A challenge of pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera networks for efficient and flexible visual monitoring is automated active network reconfiguration in response to environmental stimuli. In this paper, given an event/activity distribution over a convex environment, we propose a new provably correct reactive coverage control algorithm for PTZ camera networks that continuously (re) configures camera orientations and zoom levels (i.e., angles of view) in order to locally maximize their total coverage quality. Our construction is based on careful modeling of visual sensing quality that is consistent with the physical nature of cameras, and we introduce a new notion of conic Voronoi diagrams, based on our sensing quality measures, to solve the camera network allocation problem: that is, to determine where each camera should focus in its field of view given all the other cameras' configurations. Accordingly, we design simple greedy gradient algorithms for both continuous-and discrete-time first-order PTZ camera dynamics that asymptotically converge a locally optimal coverage configuration. Finally, we provide numerical and experimental evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed coverage algorithms.
Failure Analysis Methodology on Systematic MIM failure in Wafer Fabrication

In this paper, a low yield case relating to IDD leakage at active mode due to the systematic breakdown signature consistently at the top MIM edge was studied. The systematic problem solving process based on the application of a variety of FA techniques such as TIVA, AFP probing, layout path tracing, FIB circuit edit, SEM XTEM and top down PFA methodology together with Fab investigation are used to understand the root cause as well as failure mechanism. This paper highlights that there are 2 types of leakage (high leakage in mA and low leakage in uA). The high leakage dies revealed spot directly at the MIM cap and anomaly can be observed at the MIM edge. However, for the low level leakage, hotspot was seen at the PMOS transistor and NOT at the MIM Cap. Besides layout tracing that enable to pinpoint the suspected MIM cap, 2 types of simulation (Intentionally induced damage and FIB Circuit Edit) were performed to prove and validate the MIM defect is the only root cause for this low yield issue and the RF circuitry has no contribution to it. Additionally, top down PFA methodology was engaged to reveal the physical evidence of the damage at the edge of the MIM. This confirmed that both type of leakage are due to similar MIM breakdown issue.
Electrostatic human leukocyte antigen-neoantigen interactions and durable benefit in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with immunotherapy.

2635Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) binding relies on energy from the interaction of B-pocket residues with anchor amino acids (AA). Among HLA class I supertypes, only HLA-B has distinct ...
Experimental Evidence for Adaptation to Species-Specific Gut Microbiota in House Mice.

ABSTRACT The gut microbial communities of mammals have codiversified with host species, and changes in the gut microbiota can have profound effects on host fitness. Therefore, the gut microbiota may drive adaptation in mammalian species, but this possibility is underexplored. Here, we show that the gut microbiota has codiversified with mice in the genus Mus over the past ∼6 million years, and we present experimental evidence that the gut microbiota has driven adaptive evolution of the house mouse, Mus musculusdomesticus. Phylogenetic analyses of metagenome-assembled bacterial genomic sequences revealed that gut bacterial lineages have been retained within and diversified alongside Mus species over evolutionary time. Transplantation of gut microbiotas from various Mus species into germfree M. m. domesticus showed that foreign gut microbiotas slowed growth rate and upregulated macrophage inflammatory protein in hosts. These results suggest adaptation by M. m. domesticus to its gut microbiota since it diverged from other Mus species. IMPORTANCE The communities of bacteria that reside within mammalian guts are deeply integrated with their hosts, but the impact of this gut microbiota on mammalian evolution remains poorly understood. Experimental transplantation of the gut microbiota between mouse species revealed that foreign gut microbiotas lowered the host growth rate and upregulated the expression of an immunomodulating cytokine. In addition, foreign gut microbiotas increased host liver sizes and attenuated sex-specific differences in host muscle and fat content. These results suggest that the house mouse has adapted to its species-specific gut microbiota.
PRIMED LD TYPING: ANALYSIS OF THE HLA-D COMPLEX

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the results of primed LD typing (PLT). Antigens of the HLA-D complex in man are described by use of the mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) test. A new test called PLT has been developed to measure HLA-D antigens. To prepare a PLT cell, lymphocytes of two haplo-identical related individuals are cultured for approximately 10 days. Discriminatory PLT cells have the ability to pick out cells from some individuals that restimulate strongly in the same range as the cells of the individual initially used for sensitization. HLA-A, -B, and -C loci antigens do not cause strong restimulation. The antigen PL 3 may be associated with a new DW specificity, RE. PLT may be an extremely useful procedure for studying the immunogenetic complexity of the HLA-D region in man.
The Focal Adhesion Scaffold Protein Hic-5 Regulates Vimentin Organization in Fibroblasts.

Focal adhesion (FA)-stimulated reorganization of the F-actin cytoskeleton regulates cellular size, shape, and mechanical properties. However, FA cross-talk with the intermediate filament cytoskeleton is poorly understood. Genetic ablation of the FA-associated scaffold protein Hic-5 in mouse cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promoted a dramatic collapse of the vimentin network, which was rescued following EGFP-Hic-5 expression. Vimentin collapse correlated with a loss of detergent-soluble vimentin filament precursors and decreased vimentin S72/S82 phosphorylation. Additionally, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis indicated impaired vimentin dynamics. Microtubule (MT)-associated EB1 tracking and Western blotting of MT posttranslational modifications indicated no change in MT dynamics that could explain the vimentin collapse. However, pharmacological inhibition of the RhoGTPase Cdc42 in Hic-5 knockout CAFs rescued the vimentin collapse, while pan-formin inhibition with SMIFH2 promoted vimentin collapse in Hic-5 heterozygous CAFs. Our results reveal novel regulation of vimentin organization/dynamics by the FA scaffold protein Hic-5 via modulation of RhoGTPases and downstream formin activity.
Near Threshold Capacitance Matching in a Negative Capacitance FET With 1 nm Effective Oxide Thickness Gate Stack

We report Negative Capacitance nFETs with a ~ 1 nm effective oxide thickness (EOT) gate stack. Experimental measurements show a clear steepening of the slope of the ID-VG characteristic in the weak inversion regime, indicating that a capacitance matching takes place there. This leads to non-linear behavior of the current in the log scale, which is not observed in conventional devices. Such steepening in the weak inversion regime leads to a significant increase in the achievable current at a constant VDD. At LG = 50 nm, our transistors show a larger than 2X increase in the ON current.
Investigating host-pathogen meta-metabolic interactions of Magnaporthe oryzae infected barley using infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) mass spectrometry imaging is a useful tool for identifying important meta-metabolomic features pertinent for enhancing our understanding of biological systems. Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae) is a filamentous fungus that is the primary cause of rice blast disease. True to its name, M. oryzae primarily destroys rice crops and can also destroy other cereal crops as well. In a previous study, the F-box E3 ligase protein in M. oryzae was noted to be crucial for its growth and pathogenicity. In this study, we inoculated three separate sets of barley with wild-type M. oryzae, an F-box E3 ligase protein knock out of M. oryzae, and a control solution. Over the course of the infection (8 days), we imaged each treatment after development of an advanced polarity switching method, which allowed for the detection of low and high molecular weight compounds that ionize in positive or negative polarities. A set of features from initial experiments were chosen for another analysis using tandem mass spectrometry. Serotonin, a barley defense metabolite, was a compound identified in both positive and negative modes. Serotonin was putatively identified using MS1 data including carbon estimation and sulfur counting then confirmed based on tandem mass spectrometry fragmentation patterns. Metabolites in the melanin pathway, important for infection development of M. oryzae, were also identified using MS1 data but were unable to be confirmed with MS/MS due to their low abundances.
Antineoplastic Agents Inhibitor of Topoisomerase II

The extreme length of the DNA molecules in the nuclei of eukaryotic cells, as well as the possible attachment of the DNA to a structural matrix or scaffold in the nuclei, constrains the topology of the DNA helices. The topological constraint is that the two strands of a DNA helix are unable to change the number of turns of one strand about the other (the “linking number”, Lk), unless one or both strands are temporarily cut to form a gap through which other parts of the strands can pass. The topoisomerases provide mechanisms for such cutting and passing of strands, without which the DNA helix cannot unwind and replicated chromosomes cannot segregate.
A theoretical and empirical assessment of stomatal optimization modeling

Optimal stomatal control models have shown great potential in predicting stomatal behavior and improving carbon cycle modeling. Basic stomatal optimality theory posits that stomatal regulation maximizes the carbon gain relative to a penalty of stomatal opening. All models take a similar approach to calculate instantaneous carbon gain from stomatal opening (the gain function). Where the models diverge is in how they calculate the corresponding penalty (the penalty function). In this review, we compare and evaluate 10 different optimization models in how they quantify the penalty and how well they predict stomatal responses to the environment. We evaluate models in two ways. First, we compare their penalty functions against seven criteria that ensure a unique and qualitatively realistic solution. Second, we quantitatively test model against multiple leaf gas-exchange datasets. The optimization models with better predictive skills have penalty functions that meet our seven criteria and use fitting parameters that are both few in number and physiology based. The most skilled models are those with a penalty function based on stress-induced hydraulic failure. We conclude by proposing a new model that has a hydraulics-based penalty function that meets all seven criteria and demonstrates a highly predictive skill against our test datasets.
Re-introducing fire in sagebrush steppe experiencing decreased fire frequency: does burning promote spatial and temporal heterogeneity?

Fire frequency has decreased in many shrub-steppe communities. Re-introducing fire may be needed to increase spatial and temporal variability in vegetation, but is often hindered by concerns of undesired vegetation shifts. These concerns arise, in part, because long-term effects of fire re-introduction in these communities after prolonged fire exclusion and other departures from historical conditions are unknown. To better understand the effects of re-introducing fire, we evaluated plant community response to re-introducing fire for 12 years post fire in six mountain big sagebrush communities. Herbaceous biomass production was 1.7-fold greater in burned compared with unburned areas at the conclusion of the study. Exotic annual grasses appeared to be problematic in the first 8 years post fire, but became inconsequential (~1% cover) by the end of the study. Re-introducing fire promoted other shrubs (excluding sagebrush) that were probably inhibited by competition from sagebrush. Sagebrush cover and density remained low in burned areas for the duration of the study, because of limited recruitment in the years immediately post fire and competition from herbaceous vegetation. Re-introducing fire appears to increase temporal and spatial heterogeneity in shrub-steppe communities experiencing prolonged fire exclusion and, therefore, may be needed to maintain a diversity of plant communities.
A comparison of ground reaction force waveforms and step length between recreational endurance runners with hamstring injuries and healthy controls.

Abstract Background Acute hamstring injuries during sprinting have been attributed, in part, to the ground reaction forces experienced during early stance. However, no studies have investigated the factors associated with overuse hamstring injuries in endurance runners. Our purpose was to compare early stance ground reaction forces and step length between runners with overuse hamstring injuries and healthy controls. Methods 23 runners (5 men/ 18 women) who presented to a running clinic with an overuse hamstring injury were matched with healthy controls for sex, running speed and age. All participants ran on an instrumented treadmill, embedded with force plates. A 3-min warm-up was given, at a self-selected training pace, followed by 16-s of ground reaction force data collection (≈20 strides). Statistical parametric mapping was used to compared ground reaction force waveforms. Additionally, discrete force variables were calculated, including vertical average/instantaneous. Mean comparisons for discrete ground reaction force variables and step length were performed. Findings Differences in ground reaction force waveforms did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). However, mean vertical loading rates were found to be higher in the Hamstring Injury group compared to Controls (p = 0.03–0.04) with small to moderate effect sizes (d = 0.47–0.52). No differences were found in mean step length. Interpretation These results provide evidence that vertical loading rates may be associated with overuse hamstring injuries. However, further research is needed to identify the contribution of joint kinematics/kinetics and muscle activity.
JTAG-based PLC Memory Acquisition Framework for Industrial Control Systems

Abstract In industrial control systems (ICS), programmable logic controllers (PLC) are the embedded devices that directly control and monitor critical industrial infrastructure processes such as nuclear plants and power grid stations. Cyberattacks often target PLCs to sabotage a physical process. A memory forensic analysis of a suspect PLC can answer questions about an attack, including compromised firmware and manipulation of PLC control logic code and I/O devices. Given physical access to a PLC, collecting forensic information from the PLC memory at the hardware-level is risky and challenging. It may cause the PLC to crash or hang since PLCs have proprietary, legacy hardware with heterogeneous architecture. This paper addresses this research problem and proposes a novel JTAG (Joint Test Action Group)-based framework, Kyros, for reliable PLC memory acquisition. Kyros systematically creates a JTAG profile of a PLC through hardware assessment, JTAG pins identification, memory map creation, and optimizing acquisition parameters. It also facilitates the community of interest (such as ICS owners, operators, and vendors) to develop the JTAG profiles of PLCs. Further, we present a case study of Kyros implementation over Allen-Bradley 1756-A10/B to help understand the framework's application on a real-world PLC used in industry settings. The sample PLC memory dumps are shared with the research community to facilitate further research.
Dietary patterns related to total mortality and cancer mortality in the United States

This study investigated the association between dietary patterns, total mortality, and cancer mortality in the United States. We identified the four major dietary patterns at baseline from 13,466 participants of the NHANES III cohort using principal component analysis (PCA). Dietary patterns were categorized into ‘prudent’ (fruits and vegetables), ‘western’ (red meat, sweets, pastries, oils), ‘traditional’ (red meat, legumes, potatoes, bread), and ‘fish and alcohol’. We estimated hazard ratios for total mortality, and cancer mortality using Cox regression models. A total of 4,963 deaths were documented after a mean follow-up of 19.59 years. Higher adherence to the ‘prudent’ pattern was associated with the lowest risk of total mortality (5th vs. 1st quintile HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82–0.98), with evidence that all-cause mortality decreased as consumption of the pattern increased. No evidence was found that the ‘prudent’ pattern reduced cancer mortality. The ‘western’ and the ‘traditional’ patterns were associated with up to 22% and 16% increased risk for total mortality (5th vs. 1st quintile HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.11–1.34; and 5th vs. 1st quintile HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.27, respectively), and up to 33% and 15% increased risk for cancer mortality (5th vs. 1st quintile HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10–1.62; and 5th vs. 1st quintile HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06–1.24, respectively). The associations between adherence to the ‘fish and alcohol’ pattern and total mortality, and cancer mortality were not statistically significant. Higher adherence to the ‘prudent’ diet decreased the risk of all-cause mortality but did not affect cancer mortality. Greater adherence to the ‘western’ and ‘traditional’ diet increased the risk of total mortality and mortality due to cancer.
The Evolution of Image Reconstruction in PET: From Filtered Back-Projection to Artificial Intelligence.

PET can provide functional images revealing physiologic processes in vivo. Although PET has many applications, there are still some limitations that compromise its precision: the absorption of photons in the body causes signal attenuation; the dead-time limit of system components leads to the loss of the count rate; the scattered and random events received by the detector introduce additional noise; the characteristics of the detector limit the spatial resolution; and the low signal-to-noise ratio caused by the scan-time limit (eg, dynamic scans) and dose concern. The early PET reconstruction methods are analytical approaches based on an idealized mathematical model.
Validation of the Static Load Test for Event Detection During Hands-Free Conversation

Objective. To see if visual event reaction times (RTs) during hands-free conversation conditions in the Enhanced Static Load Test (ESLT) can predict RTs in similar conditions in on-road driving. Methods. Brake reaction times to random center and side light events were measured while watching a driving video, attempting to keep a marker in the center of the lane with a steering wheel, answering the phone by pressing a button, and carrying on neutral or angry hands- free conversations in covert (silent) or overt mode on a hands-free phone device. Open-road tests were conducted in traffic for subjects with similar side and front light events, with foot reaction times measured while engaged in the same secondary tasks and conditions. Results. Mean RTs for the task segments in the lab were predictive of the mean RTs for the corresponding task segments in the on-road test (r = 0.90, df = 16, p
Chapter 16 Conservation of basic synaptic circuits that mediate GABA inhibition in the subcortical visual system

Publisher Summary Inhibition is fundamental to visual function in the subcortical visual system (SVS). The inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), is the chief and often the sole neurotransmitter generating intrinsic inhibition in the SVS. Accordingly, GABA inhibition has been invoked to explain the multitude of visual functions. In this chapter, the anatomical organization and physiological processes that underlie GABAergic inhibition in the SVS are reviewed, focusing upon the cell types and synaptic circuitry that have been identified in the SVS. The physiological actions of GABA in these regions are briefly described in the chapter. There are three basic types of GABA-containing synaptic profiles in the SVS. These are relatively homogeneous and form similar synaptic circuits in most of the structures examined. GABA neurons and circuits may therefore be common to a variety of structures and species and represent a highly conserved feature of brain development.
The molecular structure of the left-handed Z-DNA double helix at 1.0-Å atomic resolution: Geometry, conformation, and ionic interactions of d(CGCGCG)

The structure of d(CGCGCG) crystallized in the presence of magnesium and sodium ions alone is compared to that of the spermine form of the molecule. The very high resolution nature of these structure determinations allows the first true examination of an oligonucleotide structure in fine detail. The values of bond distances and angles are compared to those derived from small molecule crystal structures. In addition, the interactions of cations and polyamines with the Z-DNA helix are analyzed. In particular, multiple cationic charges appear to offer enhanced stabilization for the Z-DNA conformation. The location of spermine molecules along the edge of the deep groove and also spanning the entrance to the groove emphasizes the importance of polyamines for stabilizing this left-handed structure. On averaging, we obtained very similar structural parameters for the two different structures with standard deviations generally smaller than the deviations of the crystallographic model from ideal values. This indicates a high degree of accuracy of the two structures, which have been refined using different data and different refinement methods. The derived bond lengths and angles may thus be more representative of this polymeric DNA structure than those derived from mono- and dinucleotide structures at a similar accuracy.
Fundamental Combustion Modes

This chapter provides essential background information regarding the combustion processes in spark ignition engines, diesel engines, and engines that are under development worldwide employing various forms of low temperature combustion [e.g., homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI), controlled autoignition (CAI), premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI)]. These three types of engines are characterized by three different dominant modes of combustion: premixed flames, diffusion flames, and volumetric energy release. These three modes of combustion are covered in sufficient detail so that the reader should have the background knowledge that allows understanding of the combustion processes in the chapters that discuss these types of engines in depth. Keywords: premixed flames; diffusion flames; volumetric energy release; perfectly stirred reactors; turbulent combustion; spark ignition engines; diesel engines; homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines
The investment-finance link: Investment and US fiscal policy in the 1990s

In this working paper, Steven Fazzari presents new empirical research that attempts to measure the relative strength of fiscal policy on investment through the cost of capital, firms' financial circumstances, and sales growth. Fazzari argues against the crowding-out effect and claims that even if the connection between the national budget deficit and interest rates is valid, the linkage between interest rates and private sector investment is, at best, misguided. While neoclassical empirical studies have found a statistically significant relationship between investment and the cost of capital, Fazzari contends that high degree of explanatory power yielded by many of these investigations is due to the fact that they fail to separate the effects of sales or output growth from the cost of capital in determining investment, which renders the source of their significance unclear. The focus of fiscal policy is therefore difficult to determine.
Metamaterial-enhanced resistive wall amplifiers

The resistive wall amplifier (RWA) has been shown to be theoretically capable of very high gains. However, properties of the materials necessary to support the practical resistive medium significantly reduce the effective gain of the device. This work investigates a metamaterial-enhanced RWA. We demonstrate theoretically that the use of metamaterials in RWAs enables very high, near-theoretical gains.
The Endangered Future of Mfordable Housing Exactions

This article is a discussion between Professor Roger Bernhardt of Golden Gate University School of Law and Professor David Callies of University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law as to whether a city’s affordable housing impact fees, set-asides, and/or exactions pass constitutional muster.
Citizenship in Jesus and the Disinherited

This article argues that Thurman’s engagement with citizenship in Jesus and the Disinherited is a helpful resource for addressing contemporary realities of racism and US citizenship. The article traces the historical context of Black internationalism that shaped Thurman’s religious and political perspective, and examines how a discussion of citizenship frames Thurman’s argument in the book. This work analyzes Thurman’s call for an “unscrambling process” to overcome “White necessity.” The article concludes that Thurman’s work can address contemporary realities of racism and citizenship. To do so, it considers the current socio-political and cultural experiences that are presently being played out on the San Diego border, which demonstrate how Whiteness and citizenship status have become conflated.
Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis in Neonates: a Review

Gastrointestinal mucormycosis is a rare but nearly always fatal disease and accounts for more than half of all mucormycosis infections among neonates. Premature birth is the primary risk factor, though malnutrition, hyperglycemia, acidosis, asphyxia, corticosteroid use, recent surgery, instrumentation with orogastric or nasogastric tubes, and exposure to contaminated products have also been implicated. A combination of impaired mucosal integrity and an immature immune system likely contribute to development of infection. Clinical manifestations can mimic necrotizing enterocolitis and can include abdominal pain and distention, vomiting, hematochezia, fever, peritonitis, and sepsis. Diagnosis is challenging because there are no pathognomonic clinical or radiographic signs, and organisms may not be found on culture; diagnosis is often based on evidence of organisms in tissue and signs of angioinvasion on histopathology. Treatment involves a combination of surgery and antifungal therapy. Mortality is extremely high at nearly 80 % but may be reduced with early surgical and medical intervention.
Inferior Late Functional and Metabolic Outcomes in African American Simultaneous Kidney-Pancreas Recipients

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of ethnicity on the major endpoints of a prospective, multi-center, randomized trial of 2 dosing regimens of daclizumab compared with no antibody induction in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (SKPT). A total of 298 patients were randomized into 3 groups: daclizumab 1 mg/kg/dose every 14 days for 5 doses (Group I, n = 107), daclizumab 2 mg/kg/dose every 14 days for 2 doses (Group II, n = 113), and no antibody induction (Group III, n = 78). All patients received tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and steroids. Thirty-seven patients (12.4%) were African American (AA) and 261 were non-African American (NAA). Demographic and transplant characteristics were comparable between AA and NAA patients. At 3 years, there were no differences in patient, kidney, or pancreas graft survival rates. Rejection rate was similar between AA and NAA. Although mean serum creatinine (SCr) levels at 1 year were comparable between AA and NAA patients (AA 1.5 mg/dL vs NAA 1.3 mg/dL; P =.23), by 3 years AA patients had higher mean SCr levels (AA 2.1 mg/dL vs NAA 1.5 mg/dL; P <.0001) and lower calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (AA 45 mL/min vs NAA 56 mL/min; P =.01). Mean HgbAlC, total cholesterol, and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were higher in AA patients at 3 years, compared with NAA patients. In conclusion, in this study, AA patients had worse late functional and metabolic outcomes after SKPT compared with NAA patients. Further longitudinal follow-up is needed to determine the ultimate impact of these findings on long-term patient and graft survival.
Three new species of bauhinia (Fabaceae) from Ecuador

Bauhinia flagelliflora Wunderlin,B. haughtii Wunderlin, andB. pichinchensis Wunderlin, all endemic to Ecuador, are described and illustrated.
Effect of soil ph and chelating agent (DTPA) on uptake by and distribution of 241am in plant parts of bush beans

Wallace A. Effect of soil pH and chelating agent (DTPA) on uptake by and distribution of 241 Am in plant parts of bush beans . Radiation Botany 12 , 433–435, 1972.—Bush bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Improved Tendergreen) plants were grown with and without the chelating agent diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) in Yolo loam soil which had been amended to give a range of soil pH values. A level of 1·68 μcuries 241 Am had been uniformly mixed with each 500 g quantity of soil. Highest amounts of 241 Am and highest leaf-stem ratios for the 241 Am were found in plant parts at soil pH around 7·7 with the DTPA. The results are interpreted as chelated 241 Am not only being available to the plants especially at pH 7·7 but also the 241 Am being transported through the plants as the metal chelate.
Bacitracin nephropathy: report of a case of acute renal failure and death.

Bacitracin, a polypeptide produced by Bacillus subtilis, was discovered in 1945 by Johnson, Anker, and Meleney.1The early enthusiasm that followed the demonstration of its potent antibacterial action was soon dampened by reports of the nephrotoxic action of this and related polypeptide antibiotics2both in experimental animals and in man.3 In nearly every reported case, clinicians observed transient urinary abnormalities when bacitracin therapy was extended over a few days. The resulting proteinuria, cylindruria, azotemia, and occasional oliguria usually were self-limited, but at times necessitated termination of therapy. A review of the literature fails to reveal any fatality attributed to this antibiotic, so that the description of the renal lesion in a human being is lacking. The following case report is that of a patient with acute bacterial endocarditis. Renal failure unrelated to her primary disease developed in this woman after the institution of bacitracin therapy. REPORT OF
An Explanation for the High-Frequency Elastic Response of Dilute Polymer Solutions

The behavior of polymer molecules in dilute solutions under high-frequency oscillations is revisited, with consideration given to the barriers to bond rotation that we argue can make the chain dynamically rigid at high frequency. Thus, the dynamical Kuhn length of the chain exceeds the static one, and the chain at high frequencies acts like a freely jointed chain of “bent rigid wires” in which each bent rigid wire is a “dynamical Kuhn length” containing many static Kuhn lengths connected together in a rigid random walk. We show that this model is consistent with anomalous high-frequency behavior of polystyrene solutions under shear observed by Schrag and co-workers1-3 and Amelar et al.4 and predicts that there is a minimum “spring” size corresponding roughly to exp[ΔEa/(3ν + 1)kBT] Kuhn steps that will behave elastically at high frequencies, where ΔEa is the barrier to bond rotation, and ν = 0.5−0.6 is the Flory exponent.
A burst-based "Hebbian" learning rule at retinogeniculate synapses links retinal waves to activity-dependent refinement.

Patterned spontaneous activity in the developing retina is necessary to drive synaptic refinement in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Using perforated patch recordings from neurons in LGN slices during the period of eye segregation, we examine how such burst-based activity can instruct this refinement. Retinogeniculate synapses have a novel learning rule that depends on the latencies between pre- and postsynaptic bursts on the order of one second: coincident bursts produce long-lasting synaptic enhancement, whereas non-overlapping bursts produce mild synaptic weakening. It is consistent with “Hebbian” development thought to exist at this synapse, and we demonstrate computationally that such a rule can robustly use retinal waves to drive eye segregation and retinotopic refinement. Thus, by measuring plasticity induced by natural activity patterns, synaptic learning rules can be linked directly to their larger role in instructing the patterning of neural connectivity.
An ecosystem simulation model for methane production and emission from wetlands

Previous experimental studies suggest that methane emission from wetland is influenced by multiple interactive pathways of gas production and transport through soil and sediment layers to the atmosphere. The objective of this study is to evaluate a new simulation model of methane production and emission in wetland soils that was developed initially to help identify key processes that regulate methanogenesis and net flux of CH4 to the air, but which is designed ultimately for regional simulation using remotely sensed inputs for land cover characteristics. The foundation for these computer simulations is based on a well-documented model (CASA) of ecosystem production and carbon cycling in the terrestrial blaspheme. Modifications to represent flooded wetland soils and anaerobic decomposition include three new sub-models for: (1) layered soil temperature and water table depth (WTD) as a function of daily climate drivers, (2) CH4 production within the anoxic soil layer as a function of WTD and CO2 production under poorly drained conditions, and (3) CH4 gaseous transport pathways (molecular diffusion, ebullition, and plant vascular transport) as a function of WTD and ecosystem type. The model was applied and tested using climate and ecological data to characterize tundra wetland sites near Fairbanks, Alaska studied previously by Whalen and Reeburgh. Comparison of model predictions to measurements of soil temperature and thaw depth, water-table depth, and CH4 emissions over a two year period suggest that inter-site differences in soil physical conditions and methane fluxes could be reproduced accurately for selected periods. Day-to-day comparison of predicted emissions to measured CH4 flux rates reveals good agreement during the early part of the thaw season, but the model tends to underestimate production of CH4 during the months of July and August in both test years. Important seasonal effects, including that of falling WTD during these periods, are apparently overlooked in the model formulation. Nevertheless, reasonably close agreement was achieved between the model's mean daily and seasonal estimates of CH4 flux and observed emission rates for northern wetland ecosystems. Several features of the model are identified as crucial to more accurate prediction of wetland methane emission, including the capacity to incorporate influences of localized topographic and hydrologic features on site-specific soil temperature and WTD dynamics, and mechanistic simulation of methane emission transport pathways from within the soil profile.
Experimental gravitation in space: Is there a future?☆

Abstract Experimental gravitation enters the 1990's with a past full of successes, but with a future full of uncertainties. Intellectually, the field is as vigorous as ever, with major thrusts in three main areas: the search for gravitational radiation, the study of post and post-post Newtonian effects, and the detection of hypothetical feeble new interactions. It is the only branch of space research involved in fundamental physics. But politically and financially, the future is uncertain. Competition for funding and for flight opportunities will be stiff for the foreseeable future, both with other disciplines such as astrophysics, planetary science and the military, and within experimental gravitation itself. Difficult choices lie ahead. This paper reviews the current state of the field and attempts to peer into the future.
Systolic Architectures For Hidden Markov Models

This paper proposes an unidirectional ring systolic architecture for implementing the hidden Markov models (HMMs). This array architecture maximizes the strength of VLSI in terms of intensive and pipelined computing and yet circumvents the limitation on communication. Both the scoring and learning phases of an HMM are formulated as a consecutive matrix-vector multiplication problem, which can be executed in a fully pipelined fashion (100% utilization effi-ciency) by using an unidirectional ring systolic architecture. By appropriately scheduling the algorithm, which combines both the operations of the backward evaluation procedure and reestimation algorithm at the same time, we can use this systolic HMM in a most efficient manner. The systolic HMM can also be easily adapted to the left-to-right HMM by using bidirectional semi-global links with significant time saving. This architecture can also incorporate the scaling scheme with little extra effort in the computations of forward and backward evaluation variables to prevent the frequently encountered mathematical undertow problems. We also discuss a possible implementation of this proposed architecture using Inmos transputer (T-800) as the building block.