cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Conserved Tryptophan in the Ebola Virus Matrix Protein C-Terminal Domain Is Required for Efficient Virus-Like Particle Formation

The Ebola virus (EBOV) harbors seven genes, one of which is the matrix protein eVP40, a peripheral protein that is sufficient to induce the formation of virus-like particles from the host cell plasma membrane. eVP40 can form different structures to fulfil different functions during the viral life cycle, although the structural dynamics of eVP40 that warrant dimer, hexamer, and octamer formation are still poorly understood. eVP40 has two conserved Trp residues at positions 95 and 191. The role of Trp95 has been characterized in depth as it serves as an important residue in eVP40 oligomer formation. To gain insight into the functional role of Trp191 in eVP40, we prepared mutations of Trp191 (W191A or W191F) to determine the effects of mutation on eVP40 plasma membrane localization and budding as well as eVP40 oligomerization. These in vitro and cellular experiments were complemented by molecular dynamics simulations of the wild-type (WT) eVP40 structure versus that of W191A. Taken together, Trp is shown to be a critical amino acid at position 191 as mutation to Ala reduces the ability of VP40 to localize to the plasma membrane inner leaflet and form new virus-like particles. Further, mutation of Trp191 to Ala or Phe shifted the in vitro equilibrium to the octamer form by destabilizing Trp191 interactions with nearby residues. This study has shed new light on the importance of interdomain interactions in stability of the eVP40 structure and the critical nature of timing of eVP40 oligomerization for plasma membrane localization and viral budding.
The Impact an Accurate COPD Diagnosis May Have on 30-Day Hospital Readmissions

Background: In fiscal year 2015, CMS began reducing payments for patients readmitted within 30 days of hospital discharge with a diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD. GOLD guidelines suggest that while COPD should be considered in symptomatic patients, spirometry (PFT) is required to make the diagnosis. As part of a COPD hospital discharge review, we noticed there were instances where the patient’s diagnosis may not have been supported by available PFT data and thus may have had an impact on hospital readmissions. Methods: Institutional IRB approval was obtained. Patients coded with a COPD hospital discharge in 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus were reviewed. PFT data (if available) was recorded to include kg/m2 and FVC. The kg/m2 /FVC ratio was calculated and compared with the predicted Lower Limits of Normal (LLN) values. Hospital discharge diagnosis and 30-day hospital readmission data was also available. One-tailed two-proportions z-test with continuity correction was used in R version 3.3.2 and all analysis were performed at a significance level of 0.05. Results: In 2018, there were 523 hospital admissions with a COPD diagnosis at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus. 109 of these patients (20.8%) had a 30-day hospital readmission. 99 of these patients had PFT data available at the time of this analysis. Of the 99 patients with data, 34 (34.3%) had a kg/m2 /FVC ratio that was greater than their predicted LLN on PFT. Of the 414 patients that were not readmitted within 30 days, 318 had PFT data available and 85 (26.7%) had a ratio greater than LLN. If the 34 readmitted patients had not been coded with COPD, the 30-day readmission rate would have decreased significantly from 20.8 to 15.3% (109/523 vs. 75/489, P = .014). Even if all of the 119 patients that had PFT data greater than LLN had not been counted, the readmission rate would still have decreased from 20.8 to 18.6% but not significantly (109/523 to 75/404, P = .22). Those that were coded with a principal diagnosis of COPD exacerbation and had PFT data were significantly less in the group that did not support the diagnosis than in those that did (36/119 vs. 172/298, P
Funken, Blitze und Isolierungen

Die Vorgange im elektrischen Funken haben zweifache Bedeutung fur die Storungserscheinungen in unseren Starkstromkreisen. Einerseits stellt der Funke den schadlichsten Ausgleich aller Uberspannungen dar, er durchbricht die Luft, das Ol oder feste Isolierstoffe und fuhrt zur kurzzeitigen oder dauernden Zerstorung der Isolation der Anlage. Andererseits vermittelt er fast jeden Schaltvorgang und bestimmt dadurch den Einsatz aller Wanderwellenerscheinungen. Dies gilt vor allem beim willkurlichen oder unwillkurlichen Schalten von hoheren Spannungen und trifft sogar beim naturlichen Blitz zu. Man benutzt den Funken auch oft beim Aufbau von Meseinrichtungen zum Studium von Schaltvorgangen aller Art und versucht, seine Eigenschaften trotz seines kurzzeitigen Ablaufs soweit als moglich zu ergrunden.
Microlevel Advocacy: A Common Process in Couple and Family Therapy

Advocacy is an essential element to mental health practitioners' professional identity. Some scholars contend that many couple and family therapists lack the skill set needed to effectively advocate. However, these researchers often discuss advocacy solely on the macrolevel, which makes advocacy appear unidimensional and may feel out of reach for many practitioners. In this article, we argue that advocacy is not unidimensional, but consists of two levels: macro- and microlevel advocacy. Microlevel advocacy is client-centered and is effectively performed by couple and family therapists on a regular basis. By broadening the definition of advocacy to include the microlevel, we argue that advocacy is a common process of couple and family therapy that cuts across therapy models and is interwoven into the very being of a couple and family therapist. We present in this article a comprehensive case vignette to illustrate how microlevel advocacy may be performed by CFTs. Clinical and training implications are offered to help clinicians begin to bridge the gap between micro- and macrolevel advocacies.
Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of a Text Messaging-Based Intervention for Smoking Cessation Among Young People Experiencing Homelessness

Introduction Smoking rates are alarmingly high among young people experiencing homelessness (YEH), yet there are no evidence-based cessation programs for this population. This paper presents results from a pilot evaluation of a text messaging-based smoking cessation treatment, as an adjunct to brief group cessation counseling, to improve abstinence rates among 18-25-year-old smokers experiencing homelessness. The goal of this study was to estimate effect sizes for a larger trial and it was not powered to detect group differences. Aims and methods YEH smokers who had a working cell phone with them at recruitment were randomized to receive a group counseling session, nicotine patches, and written material on quitting (n = 37) or a similar program that also included a 6-week automated text messaging intervention (TMI) to provide ongoing support for quitting (n = 40). Smoking outcomes were evaluated through a 90-day follow-up. Results Seven-day point prevalence abstinence at 90-day follow-up was higher in the TMI condition than standard condition (17.50% vs. 8.11%, respectively; Cohen's h = .37); however, the 90-day continuous abstinence rate was not statistically different from zero in either condition. Reductions in the number of days smoked in the past 30 days from baseline to follow-up were greater in the TMI condition than the standard condition (-14.24 vs. -8.62, respectively; Cohen's d = .49). Conclusions Adding a 6-week TMI support to a brief group counseling and pharmacotherapy protocol holds promise for smoking reduction and abstinence among YEH smokers. Results indicate that further development and evaluation of the TMI in this population is warranted. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03874585. Registered March 14, 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03874585. Implications This is the first study to evaluate the feasibility of using a text messaging-based intervention (TMI) for behavior change with 18-25 year olds experiencing homelessness, and more specifically, the first to test a TMI to provide ongoing support for smoking cessation. Small to medium effect sizes for the TMI are promising in terms of implementing a TMI using participants' own cell phones, as well as the efficacy of this approach as an adjunct to standard care (brief group counseling and pharmacotherapy) for smoking cessation among YEH.
Comparison of Heat Transfer Characteristics of Flow of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Water inside a Square Microchannel

Water is a common coolant for many heat transfer applications, yet, it has many disadvantages relative to other liquid coolants, such as high corrosiveness, high electrical conductance, and high pressure drop characteristics. Carbon dioxide slightly above its supercritical point — known as supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) — exhibits excellent thermo-physical properties, such as high specific heat, thermal conductivity, and high heat capacity than many other gases, such as air. Also, sCO 2 is less corrosive and experience less pressure drop than water. In this study, heat transfer characteristics of sCO 2 and water were compared for a 300-μm square microchannel. Computational studies were made for both laminar and turbulent flow regimes, and it was found that at a mass flux of 5,555 kg/m2s, sCO 2 experienced a pressure drop of 27.81 kPa compared to 51.77 kPa for water. Nusselt numbers were compared with available empirical correlations, such as Dittus- Boelter and Gnielinski, for both water and sCO 2 , and it was found that they failed to accurately predict the Nusselt number for sCO 2 obtained through CFD simulation. At higher mass fluxes the local Nusselt number for sCO 2 were higher than those for water as the flow became turbulent for sCO 2 due to its low dynamic viscosity.
Predictors and Outcomes of Postoperative Hemoglobin of <8 g/dL in Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND Restrictive transfusion practices have decreased transfusions in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). A hemoglobin threshold of <8 g/dL is commonly used. Predictors of this degree of postoperative anemia in TJA and its association with postoperative outcomes, independent of transfusions, remain unclear. We identified predictors of postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL and outcomes with and without transfusion in TJA. METHODS Primary elective TJA cases performed with a multimodal blood management protocol from 2017 to 2018 were reviewed, identifying 1,583 cases. Preoperative and postoperative variables were compared between patients with postoperative hemoglobin of <8 and ≥8 g/dL. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess predictors of postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL. RESULTS Positive predictors of postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL were preoperative hemoglobin level (odds ratio [OR] per 1.0-g/dL decrease, 3.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.4 to 3.7]), total hip arthroplasty (OR compared with total knee arthroplasty, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.3 to 3.4]), and operative time (OR per 30-minute increase, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.6 to 2.6]). Negative predictors of postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL were tranexamic acid use (OR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.20 to 0.85]) and body mass index (OR per 1 kg/m2 above normal, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.86 to 0.94]). Preoperative hemoglobin levels of <12.4 g/dL in women and <13.4 g/dL in men best predicted postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL. Overall, 5.2% of patients with postoperative hemoglobin of 7 to 8 g/dL and 95% of patients with postoperative hemoglobin of <7 g/dL received transfusions. Patients with postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL had longer hospital stays (p < 0.001) and greater rates of emergency department visits or readmissions (p = 0.001) and acute kidney injury (p < 0.001). Among patients with postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL, patients who received transfusions had a lower postoperative hemoglobin nadir (p < 0.001) and a longer hospital stay (p = 0.035) than patients who did not receive transfusions. CONCLUSIONS Postoperative hemoglobin of <8 g/dL after TJA was associated with worse outcomes, even for patients who do not receive transfusions. Optimizing preoperative hemoglobin levels may mitigate postoperative anemia and adverse outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Effect of elevated plasma ketones on cardiac efficiency

Abstract Background The mechanism(s) responsible for the cardiac benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors remain unknown. Specific Aim To examine the effect of increased plasma ketone concentration (with infusion of beta-hydroxybutyrate [BOHB]) on LV function and myocardial glucose uptake. Methods Two groups (6 per group) of T2DM with HFrEF ( Results Groups I and II achieved plasma ketone levels of 1.4 and 2.5 mmol/L, respectively. In Group II, BOHB infusion significantly (P Conclusion In patients with T2DM and HFrEF, a physiologic increase in plasma ketone concentration significantly increased LV function and myocardial blood flow without affecting cardiac glucose metabolism. These results suggest that altered myocardial substrate metabolism can be employed therapeutically to improve cardiac function in HFrEF.
Policy Diffusion Speed: A Replication Study Using the State Policy Innovation and Diffusion Database:

Data accumulation efforts are pushing the study of policy innovation diffusion in new directions. This replication study uses one such effort, the State Policy Innovation and Diffusion database, to...
Taxes and transfers: A new look at the marriage penalty

** Abstract - The transfer system typically has large marriage disincentives, while the income tax system is likely to subsidize marriage for many low-income families. In other words, the tax system may mitigate the loss of transfer benefits associated with marriage. The relevance of the income tax system for low-income families is even greater with the recent expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, which filers may be eligible for even if their tax liability is zero. The interaction of the transfer system with the income tax system has been largely overlooked. This paper describes the distribution of the joint change in transfer benefits and tax liability associated with a change in marital status for low-income married couples with children. In addition, we predict changes in transfer benefits and tax liability that accompany marriage for a sample of low-income single women with children.
The Free Access Concept-A New Challenge to Human Factors

The "free access concept" is a unique transportation system created in response to a growing number of physical environments, identified as pedestrian precincts, in which walking is the primary mode of transit, and which partially limit or completely preempt normal vehicular traffic. This concept is completely compatible with pedestrians and offers continuous operation with access to a moving vehicle at any point on the vehicle path, no standing in line at fixed stops, freedom from guideways and a detection system to prevent collisions with pedestrians or objects along the pathway. The fully automatic, battery-powered vehicles of the free access system are guided by a harmless buried signal wire. This paper presents the background and development of this transportation concept from the identification of the need through the design of a test vehicle and its first field evaluation in Battle Creek, Michigan. The central focus of this paper is the development and measurement of the qualitative aspects of the free access system in relation to human factors.
In-Depth Accident Data and Occupant Protection - A Statistical Point of View

The current federal accident data collection system is inadequate. It does not produce representative data essential for answering cause-and-effect questions concerning accidents, injuries, and fatalities, and it does not produce adequate data essential for conducting cost-benefit analyses of changes in vehicle designs, highway designs, or driver licensing policies. A proposed federal data collection system (SIR) can solve those problems at a total cost of about $6 million a year. The SIR system would include 30 investigating teams precisely located throughout the U.S., and would include a Sampling program, and In-depth program, and a Rapid-response program.
Noninvasive Multimodality Imaging of the Tumor Microenvironment: Registered Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography Studies of a Preclinical Tumor Model of Tumor Hypoxia

In vivo knowledge of the spatial distribution of viable, necrotic, and hypoxic areas can provide prognostic information about the risk of developing metastases and regional radiation sensitivity and may be used potentially for localized dose escalation in radiation treatment. In this study, multimodality in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using stereotactic fiduciary markers in the Dunning R3327-AT prostate tumor were performed, focusing on the relationship between dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI using Magnevist (Gd-DTPA) and dynamic 18F-fluoromisonidazole (18F-Fmiso) PET. The noninvasive measurements were verified using tumor tissue sections stained for hematoxylin/eosin and pimonidazole. To further validate the relationship between 18F-Fmiso and pimonidazole uptake, 18F digital autoradiography was performed on a selected tumor and compared with the corresponding pimonidazole-stained slices. The comparison of Akep values (kep = rate constant of movement of Gd-DTPA between the interstitial space and plasma and A = amplitude in the two-compartment model (Hoffmann U, Brix G, Knopp MV, Hess T and Lorenz WJ (1995). Magn Reson Med 33, 506–514) derived from DCE-MRI studies and from early 18F-Fmiso uptake PET studies showed that tumor vasculature is a major determinant of early 18F-Fmiso uptake. A negative correlation between the spatial map of Akep and the slope map of late (last 1 hour of the dynamic PET scan) 18F-Fmiso uptake was observed. The relationships between DCE-MRI and hematoxylin/eosin slices and between 18F-Fmiso PET and pimonidazole slices confirm the validity of MRI/PET measurements to image the tumor microenvironment and to identify regions of tumor necrosis, hypoxia, and well-perfused tissue.
Potential Health Hazards from Microbial Aerosols in Densely Populated Urban Regions

Aerosolized bacteria were recovered up to 930 m downwind of three sewage treatment plants in Jefferson County, Ky. This distance includes homes in the proximity of several hundred such plants in that county. Bacterial counts were elevated on foliage near activated sludge tanks; although these counts decreased rapidly, at 48 h after exposure they were significantly higher than the counts on unexposed leaves. The 50% lethal dose of aerosolized Klebsiella pneumoniae was comparable to the 50% lethal dose of a virulent clinical isolate, and enteric bacteria were recovered from the respiratory organs of mice after forced inhalation adjacent to an aerated sludge tank. The coliform density in the effluents of the plants tested was inversely related to the airborne bacterial load at those plants. This relationship was attributed to the correlation between effluent quality and extent of aeration of activated sludge. Wind direction and distance influenced the airborne counts, but the extreme variation in counts indicates that it is not possible to predict emission rates accurately in an open ecosystem. Airborne enteric bacteria also were isolated near a decorative fountain used by humans for wading. The discovery of these sources of aerosolized microorganisms from polluted waters in densely populated areas suggests that a potential health hazard may be created by the increased probability of inhaling and ingesting microorganisms of fecal origin.
Combining convergent-beam diffraction with high resolution imaging

Abstract By combining the high resolution TEM lattice imaging technique with that of convergent-beam electron diffraction and focused-beam selected area patterns, the range of structural types which can be usefully studied has been extended to include crystals with large cell dimensions in the beam direction. The operating conditions which allow the JEM 100B to provide both lattice images and fine-focus CBED patterns from the same specimen region by electronic switching and without mechanical alteration to the specimen position or pole-piece changes are given. Examples are presented which demonstrate the relative merits of the three techniques. By combining data, the space group of a BaNd2Ti3O10 structure is determined, as Pm.
A Systems Approach to Electronic Reliability

Certain broad general principles of electronic reliability become obvious when reliability is viewed as one of a number of important aspects of the broad general problem of achieving most efficient and effective performance of some desired task using electronic equipment. 1) The reliability of an electronic device or system depends not only upon the intrinsic properties of the device, but also on the tasks it is required to perform, the characteristics of the demand for performance, and the conditions under which successful performance of the tasks is demanded. 2) The over-all reliability objective is not merely the prevention of failures; instead it is the achievement of successful system performance. 3) Failure is important only because of its effect on the external situation, and it is not important in itself. These principles are perhaps so self-evident as to sound like platitudes, yet their implications are seldom fully recognized. Accepting them as valid leads to the conclusion that to attempt to insure success merely by improving the failure characteristics of individual parts of an equipment or system is to neglect many fascinating and attractive approaches to reliability improvement. The achievement of successful, failure-resistant systems is the type of problem suitable for attack by the classic scientific method and by specific techniques used in operations research. A rationale for the development of reliable systems is developed from such a viewpoint and presented in the form of a system development check-list.
Observations of λ / 4 structure in a low-loss radio-frequency-dressed optical lattice

We load a Bose-Einstein condensate into a one-dimensional (1D) optical lattice altered through the use of radio-frequency (rf) dressing. The rf resonantly couples the three levels of the $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ $F=1$ manifold and combines with a spin-dependent ``bare'' optical lattice to result in adiabatic potentials of variable shape, depth, and spatial frequency content. We choose dressing parameters such that the altered lattice is stable over lifetimes exceeding tens of ms at higher depths than in previous work. We observe significant differences between the BEC momentum distributions of the dressed lattice as compared to the bare lattice, and find general agreement with a 1D band-structure calculation informed by the dressing parameters. Previous work using such lattices was limited by very shallow dressed lattices and strong Landau-Zener tunneling loss between adiabatic potentials, equivalent to failure of the adiabatic criterion. In this work we operate with significantly stronger rf coupling (increasing the avoided-crossing gap between adiabatic potentials), observing dressed lifetimes of interest for optical lattice-based analog solid-state physics.
Design and evaluation of classifier for identifying sign language videos in video sharing sites

Video sharing sites provide an opportunity for the collection and use of sign language presentations about a wide range of topics. Currently, locating sign language videos (SL videos) in such sharing sites relies on the existence and accuracy of tags, titles or other metadata indicating the content is in sign language. In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of a classifier for distinguishing between sign language videos and other videos. A test collection of SL videos and videos likely to be incorrectly recognized as SL videos (likely false positives) was created for evaluating alternative classifiers. Five video features thought to be potentially valuable for this task were developed based on common video analysis techniques. A comparison of the relative value of the five video features shows that a measure of the symmetry of movement relative to the face is the best feature for distinguishing sign language videos. Overall, an SVM classifier provided with all five features achieves 82% precision and 90% recall when tested on the challenging test collection. The performance would be considerably higher when applied to the more varied collections of large video sharing sites.
Gender and the use of Veterans Health Administration homeless services programs among Iraq/Afghanistan veterans.

Background Female Veterans comprise 12% of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans, the largest proportion of women to serve of any prior cohort. We sought to determine the sex-specific risk of using a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) homeless program among OEF/OIF Veterans and to identify factors associated with increased risk of program use for women compared with men. Methods We included OEF/OIF Veterans with at least 1 VHA clinical visit between October 1, 2001, and September 30, 2009. The study's outcome was the time to first use of a VHA homeless program. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to estimate the relative risk of using a homeless program by sex, adjusting for relevant sociodemographic and clinical variables. Exploratory analyses examined interactions between sex and all covariates. Results Of 445,319 Veterans, 7431 (1.7%) used a VHA homeless program, of which 961 were females (1.8%), and 6470 were males (1.7%) during a median follow-up period of 3.20 years. Women were as likely as men to use a homeless program (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.09); median time to first use was similar for female and male Veterans (1.88 vs. 1.88 y, respectively, P=0.53). In exploratory analyses, we found increased risk of program use for women compared with men for the following subgroups: ages 26-35 years, 100% service-connected disability rating, posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis, and northeast location. Conclusions Overall, there was no substantial difference in the sex-specific risk of using a VHA homeless program. In light of this finding, VHA homeless programs must be prepared to recognize and address the unique needs of female OEF/OIF Veterans.
On Predicting Burnout in the Jet-Disk Configuration

Utilisation de la methode de Lienhard et Eichhorn de prevision du flux thermique critique d'ebullition dans l'interaction d'un jet liquide avec un disque chaud pour etablir une nouvelle correlation des donnees experimentales de differents auteurs
Herbicide resistance due to amplification of a mutant acetohydroxyacid synthase gene

We have selected a tobacco cell line, SU-27D5, that is highly resistant to sulfonylurea and imidazolinone herbicides. This line was developed by selection first on a lethal concentration of cinosulfuron and then on increasing concentrations of primisulfuron, both sulfonylurea herbicides. SU-27D5 was tested against five sulfonylureas and one imidazolinone herbicide and was shown, in every case, to be two to three orders of magnitude more resistant than wild-type cells. The acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) of SU-27D5 was 50- to 780-fold less sensitive than that of wild-type cells to herbicide inhibition. The specific activity of AHAS in the SU-27D5 cell lysate was 6 to 7 times greater than that in wild-type cells. Using Southern analysis, we showed that cell line SU-27D5 had amplified its SuRB AHAS gene about 20-fold while maintaining a normal diploid complement of the SuRA AHAS gene. Genomic clones of both AHAS genes were isolated and used to transform wild-type tobacco protoplasts. SuRB clones gave rise to herbicide-resistant transformants, whereas SuRA clones did not. DNA sequencing showed that all SuRB clones contained a point mutation at nucleotide 588 that converted amino acid 196 of AHAS from proline to serine. In contrast, no mutations were found in the SuRA clones. The stability of SuRB gene amplification was variable in the absence of selection. In one experiment, the withdrawal of selection reduced the copy number of the amplified SuRB gene to the normal level within 30 days. In another experiment, amplification remained stable after extended cultivation on herbicide-free medium. This is the first report of amplification of a mutant herbicide target gene that resulted in broad and strong herbicide resistance.
Approach to equilibrium in a one-dimensional, two-component gas of Maxwellian molecules

The coupled Boltzmann equations describing the evolution of the velocity distributions of a one-dimensional, two-component gas of Maxwellian molecules are analyzed. When the two species have different masses, the system approaches equilibrium. The complete eigenvalue spectrum of the linearized collision operator is obtained, and is found to exhibit an interesting dependence on the mass ratio. The response of one species to an external field, when the other species is regarded as a host fluid, is also examined.
Axonal guidance during development of the optic nerve: The role of pigmented epithelia and other extrinsic factors

It is well established that a congenital lack of ocular melanin (albinism) can lead to developmental abnormalities of the central visual pathways. However, it is yet unknown how the pigmentation per se acts to influence formation of the optic projection. In order to study the possible interaction between eye pigment and optic axons during development, we have examined, with the use of serial section techniques, a series of timed embryos at stages when the ocular pigment and outgrowing axons first become apparent. Our results have demonstrated that, in mice and rats, the upper wall of the distal half of the primitive eye stalk (a region which lies along the potential route to be taken by the earliest developing nerve fibers) is transiently pigmented prior to and during the migration of the pioneer optic axons. All outgrowing neurites avoid this stretch of melanotic tissue and instead grow preferentially through a system of extracellular tunnels in the ventral, pigment-free zones of the distal eye stalk. The stalk remains unpigmented from about its midpoint and continuing toward the brain. At the pigment/pigment-free interface many of the axons shift upward from their ventral positions, forming a marginal annulus. In the chick, on the contrary, pigmentation of the stalk does not occur and as the optic axons exit the globe they grow immediately in an annulus configuration. In Xenopus, the entire stalk becomes pigmented and the optic fibers congregate in one discrete bundle of fascicles along the length of the stalk's most ventral margin. These observations suggest that melanin-producing stalk cells may play a role in controlling the topographic patterning of optic fibers within the developing nerve by inhibiting the lateral spread of axonal growth cones into or within their territory. To test this hypothesis we have charted the distribution of optic fibers in the developing optic stalks of timed albino rat embryos. Indeed, as fibers leave the mutant eye, it was found that a small but consistent number of pioneering axons (day E15) become ectopic and immediately invade nonpigmented regions (those normally pigmented and axon-free) in the distal optic stalk. Thus, the usual topographic arrangement of the collection of pioneer optic fibers is altered in the albino.
Emerging Model of Quality

A theoretical model of quality, based on an organismic worldview, provides a framework for understanding health care quality. This retroductively developed model incorporates ethical and economic concepts: value, beneficence, prudence, and justice. The model supports viewing patients and families as equal partners with providers in defining, evaluating, and achieving health care quality. Further model development can generate mid-range theories useful for improving quality in an ethical and economic manner.
Increased mobility of a surfactant-retarded bubble at high bulk concentrations

We study theoretically the adsorption of surfactant onto the interface of gas bubbles in creeping flow rising steadily in an infinite liquid phase containing surface-active agents. When a bubble rises in the fluid, surfactant adsorbs onto the surface at the leading edge, is convected by the surface flow to the trailing edge and accumulates and desorbs off the back end. This transport creates a surfactant concentration gradient on the surface that causes the surface tension at the back end to be lower than that at the front end, thus retarding the bubble velocity by the creation of a Marangoni force. In this paper, we demonstrate numerically that the mobility of the surfactant-retarded bubble interface can be increased by raising the bulk concentration of surfactant. At high bulk concentrations, the interface saturates with surfactant, and this saturation acts against the convective partitioning to decrease the surface surfactant gradient. We show that as the Peclet number (which scales the convective effect) increases, larger concentrations are necessary to remobilize the surface completely. These results lead to a technologically useful paradigm where the drag and interfacial mobility of a bubble can be controlled by the level of the bulk concentration of surfactant.
The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies

Over 200 years ago, the Industrial Revolution bent the curve of human development by almost 90°. The authors refer to this period of dramatic technological progress as the ‘first machine age’. Now ...
The Mode of Chaperoning of Dithiothreitol-Denatured α-Lactalbumin by α-Crystallin

Abstract Molecular chaperones prevent the aggregation of partially folded or misfolded forms of protein. α-crystallin performs such a function in the ocular lens. To gain insight into the mechanism of the anti-aggregation activity of α-crystallin, we performed dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements investigating its interaction with partially denatured α-lactalbumin over a 24 hr period. Analyses were conducted as a function of the concentration of α-lactalbumin as well as the bovine α-crystallin/α-lactalbumin ratio. Additional studies of the systems were performed by HPLC and SDS gel electrophoresis. The particle distribution patterns derived from the DLS data indicated that the chaperoned complex (lactalbumin plus crystallin) is a loose fluffy globular entity. After the complex becomes saturated with lactalbumin, it appears to release the partially denatured lactalbumin which may aggregate into high molecular weight moieties. These eventually may precipitate out of solution. On longer standing, 24hr and over, the chaperoned complex as well as the lactalbumin aggregates become more compact. The chaperoned complex (α-crystallin plus α-lactalbumin) is in dynamic equilibrium both with the monomeric and the aggregated α-lactalbumin population.
Kernel pooled local subspaces for classification

We investigate the use of subspace analysis methods for learning low-dimensional representations for classification. We propose a kernel-pooled local discriminant subspace method and compare it against competing techniques: kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and generalized discriminant analysis (GDA) in classification problems. We evaluate the classification performance of the nearest-neighbor rule with each subspace representation. The experimental results using several data sets demonstrate the effectiveness and performance superiority of the kernel-pooled subspace method over competing methods such as KPCA and GDA in some classification problems.
FACTORS AFFECTING COLORIMETRIC URINARY 17-KETOSTEROID DETERMINATIONS1

THERE are a number of procedures for estimating the 17-ketosteroids in urine extracts by the use of m-dinitrobenzene in alkaline alcoholic solution. These various methods do not give similar results with the same urine extract (Friedgood and Berman, 1941; Strickler, et at. 1941). In this laboratory normal values for 17-ketosteroid excretion obtained with a photoelectric modification of the method of Oesting (1937) have been higher than those reported with some other procedures. The present study was undertaken to establish the usual magnitude of such discrepancies and the basis for these differences.2 The following methods, which represent those most commonly used for the assay of 17-ketosteroids, were selected for study. All utilize the photoelectric colorimeter. A. The Callow (1938) procedure as adapted by Langstroth and Talbot (1939a) and Talbot, et al. (1940a). B. The procedure of Holtorff and Koch (1940). C.
Does the Inheritance of Differences in General Size Depend upon General or Special Size Factors

In a recent number of these PROCEEDINGS1 Sumner criticizes adversely certain views which I had previously expressed concerning size inheritance in mammals, a subject which we have both been studying for some years, but on very different material, and this difference in material will perhaps account in part for the divergence between our conclusions. I have been studying size variations in races of domestic rabbits between which the size differences are very great, whereas he has been studying size variations in races of field mice between which the size differences are very small. My animals were of known age and ancestry, all adults and completely adapted to conditions of life in domestication; his animals were either wild caught individuals of unknown age and ancestry or when cage-born frequently showed diminished size and abnormalities indicating lack of complete adaptation to their environment. I do not suggest that my material was superior to his, for we were interested primarily in different questions, he in questions of racial evolution, I in the question of size inheritance. It is true that these questions are interrelated but each of us for his own special object of study had probably chosen his material wisely. Certainly for questions of inheritance it is necessary to have material genetically as pure as possible and to deal with two generations of offspring obtained by crossing races which differ markedly in the character to be studied. I maintain therefore that with reference to questions of inheritance my material is superior to his. What, now, is the question at issue? Is total size the net result of independent variations (some plus, some minus) in the different parts of the body, or is it the result of general agencies which affect the entire body simultaneously in the same (plus or minus) direction? Sumner gives a qualified adhesion to the first of these alternatives and represents me as giving unqualified adhesion to the second. He declines to subscribe to Davenport's belief "that general factors control growth only to a degree that may be estimated as less than half," but does not substitute any other fraction for "less than half." "A considerable margin of independent variability" is the most precise statement to which he commits himself. I am represented as defending the view that; size-factors are exclusively general in their action, and I must admit that there is some justification for this charge in an unfortunate sentence quoted by Sumner from page 19 of my paper2 as follows: "I think that a strong probability has been
Tracking the decline in cerebral glucose metabolism in persons and laboratory animals at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Brain imaging methods can be used to track declines in the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRgl) in the absence of symptoms in persons and laboratory animals at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography studies, late middle-aged, cognitively normal carriers of a common Alzheimer's susceptibility gene (the apolipoprotein E e4 allele) had progressively reduced CMRgl in the same regions of the brain as patients with Alzheimer's dementia. In an FDG autoradiography study, transgenic mice carrying two copies of an Alzheimer's gene (a mutation in the amyloid precursor protein gene) had a similar CMRgl pattern, including progressively reduced CMRgl in the posterior cingulate cortex. Functional brain imaging techniques could be used to help bridge the gap between studies of patients with Alzheimer's dementia, cognitively normal persons at genetic risk for AD, and suitable laboratory animals. By providing a potential indicator of AD, these techniques could help clarify disease mechanisms and screen candidate treatments in at least some transgenic mice, and they could efficiently test the potential of candidate Alzheimer's prevention therapies in persons at genetic risk for the disorder.
Highly-Accelerated Real-Time Cine MRI using compressed sensing and parallel imaging

Breath-hold cine MRI with balanced steady-steady free precession (b-SSFP) may yield non diagnostic image quality in patients with impaired breath-hold capacity and/or arrhythmias. In such patients, it may be necessary to perform real-time cine MRI. Currently, dynamic parallel imaging methods, such as TSENSE [1] and TGRAPPA [2], can be used to achieve only moderate acceleration rates (R) of 2-3 using standard body and spine coil arrays. We propose the application of a recently developed joint acceleration technique (CS-PI)[3] that combines compressed sensing [4] and parallel imaging for highly-accelerated, real-time cine MRI with clinically acceptable spatiotemporal resolution.
Morphine Mimics the Cardioprotective Effect of Ischemic Preconditioning via a Glibenclamide-Sensitive Mechanism in the Rat Heart

Previous results from our laboratory have suggested that opioid receptors are involved in ischemic preconditioning (PC) in rat heart. Furthermore, other investigators have suggested that mu- and delta-opioid receptors mediate analgesia and hypoxic cerebral vasodilatation via opening of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that activation of opioid receptors mimics the cardioprotective effect of ischemic PC and that this effect is produced by activation of KATP channels in the rat heart. Anesthetized open-chest Wistar rats were subjected to six different protocols. All groups were subjected to 30 minutes of occlusion and 2 hours of reperfusion. Ischemic PC was elicited by three 5-minute occlusion periods interspersed with 5 minutes of reperfusion. Similarly, morphine-induced PC was elicited by three 5-minute drug infusions (100 micrograms/kg i.v. ) interspersed with 5-minute drug-free periods before the prolonged 30-minute occlusion. Infarct size (IS) as a percentage of the area at risk (AAR) was determined by triphenyltetrazolium staining. Ischemic PC and morphine infusions resulted in similar reductions in IS/AAR from 56 +/- 5% to 11 +/- 3% and 12 +/- 5%, respectively (P < .05). Administration of glibenclamide (0.3 mg/kg i.v.), a KATP channel antagonist, or naloxone (3 mg/kg i.v.), a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist, both blocked the cardioprotective effects of morphine. These results indicate that opioid receptor stimulation results in a reduction in infarct size similar to that produced by ischemic PC. The effect of morphine is most likely mediated via an opioid receptor-KATP channel-linked mechanism in the rat heart, since glibenclamide abolished its protection.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Unusual Manifestations and Disturbing Sequelae.

Abstract Since the initial description of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) (Meadow, 1977), numerous cases have been reported varying from as simple as the complaint of a nonexistent symptom to those as complicated as altered laboratory tests leading to the false diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (Orenstein & Wasserman, 1986; Rosenberg, 1987). We report three findings previously unreported: esophageal perforation, retrograde intussusception, and tooth loss. Bradycardia has been previously reported associated with suffocation (Meadow, 1984), but in our case may have been caused by carotid artery massage. We also suggest possible induction by the mother of premature rupture of fetal membranes leading to delivery of infected infants.
The inhibition of movement by morphine or haloperidol depends on an intact nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis

Abstract Electrolytic damage of the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP) in rats produces a form of accelerating forward locomotion, indicating that this region is part of a system that inhibits locomotion and movement. In animals with such damage, 5 mg/kg haloperidol does not block forward locomotion although it produces complete akinesia in normal rats [2]. Our present results demonstrate that doses of morphine sulfate that render normal rats completely akinetic (40, 50, or 60 mg/kg) also fail to block forward locomotion. Furthermore, 200 μg γ-aminobutyric acid applied intracranially in the region of the NRTP can reverse the akinesia produced by systemically administered haloperidol or morphine. We suggest that there are two types of akinesia—direct and indirect—and that morphine and haloperidol may produce akinesia indirectly via an inhibitory system which includes the NRTP.
An Euler system source term that develops prototype Z‐pinch implosions intended for the evaluation of shock‐hydro methods

In this paper, a phenomenological model for a magnetic drive source term for the momentum and total energy equations of the Euler system is described. This body force term is designed to produce a Z-pinch like implosion that can be used in the development and evaluation of shock-hydrodynamics algorithms that are intended to be used in Z-pinch simulations. The model uses a J × B Lorentz force, motivated by a 0-D analysis of a thin shell (or liner implosion), as a source term in the equations and allows for arbitrary current drives to be simulated. An extension that would include the multi-physics aspects of a proposed combined radiation hydrodynamics (rad-hydro) capability is also discussed. The specific class of prototype problems that are developed is intended to illustrate aspects of liner implosions into a near vacuum and with idealized pre-fill plasma effects. In this work, a high-resolution flux-corrected-transport method implemented on structured overlapping meshes is used to demonstrate the application of such a model to these idealized shock-hydrodynamic studies. The presented results include an asymptotic solution based on a limiting-case thin-shell analytical approximation in both (x, y) and (r, z). Additionally, a set of more realistic implosion problems that include density profiles approximating plasma pre-fill and a set of perturbed liner geometries that excite a hydro-magnetic like Rayleigh―Taylor instability in the implosion dynamics are demonstrated. Finally, as a demonstration of including and evaluating multiphysics effects in the Euler system, a simple radiation model is included and self-convergence results for two types of (r, z) implosions are presented.