cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biogenic amines in cheese and other fermented foods: a review

The biogenic amine content of various foods has been widely studied because of their potential toxicity. Biogenic amines, such as tyramine and β-phenylethylamine, have been proposed as the initiators of hypertensive crisis in certain patients and of dietary-induced migraine. Another amine, histamine, has been implicated as the causative agent in several outbreaks of food poisoning. Histamine poisoning is a foodborne chemical intoxication resulting from the ingestion of foods containing excessive amounts of histamine. Although commonly associated with the consumption of scombroid-type fish, other foods such as cheese have also been associated with outbreaks of histamine poisoning. Fermented foods such as wine, dry sausage, sauerkraut, miso, and soy sauce can also contain histamine along with other biogenic amines. Microorganisms possessing the enzyme histidine decarboxylase, which converts histidine to histamine, are responsible for the formation of histamine in foods. One organism, Lactobacillus buchneri , may be important to the dairy industry due to its involvement in cheese-related outbreaks of histamine-poisoning. The toxicity of histamine appears to be enhanced by the presence of other biogenic amines found in foods that can inhibit histamine-metabolizing enzymes in the small intestine. Estimating the frequency of histamine poisoning is difficult because most countries do not regulate histamine levels in foods, nor do they require notification when an incident of histamine poisoning occurs. Also, because histamine poisoning closely resembles a food allergy, it may often be misdiagnosed. This review will focus on the importance of histamine and biogenic amines in cheese and other fermented foods.
'Pigs in Robes': An Experimental Study of the Influence of Negative Judicial Campaign Messages

Judicial campaigns have become increasingly similar in form to Presidential and Congressional elections; they are more heated and costly. The 2007 Pennsylvania judicial elections provided an opportunity to study the impact of a negative judicial campaign message on electorate opinion. This paper presents an experimental examination of the effect of the grassroots organization PACleanSweep’s negative campaign message on perceptions of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, using the reception-acceptance model as a foundation for understanding perceptual change from campaign messages. Results show that exposure to the PACleanSweep message caused subjects to be less supportive of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; level of awareness of the judicial election and prior support for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court acted as conditional variables. Judicial campaign messages can induce a shift in electorate opinion, but influencing the electorate in a judicial campaign has different implications compared to elections of other institutions, with potentially devastating consequences for the judiciary.
Begin risk assessment for falls in women at 45, not 65.

The clinical and epidemiological literature provides guidelines for fall prevention starting at age 65; however, the focus on age ≥65 is not evidence based. Therefore, this study examined state-wide North Carolina emergency department visit data to examine the characteristics of falls across the age spectrum, identify the age at which the incidence of fall-related emergency department visits started to increase and determine whether these trends were similar for men and women. We determined that incidence rates of fall-related emergency department visits began to increase in early middle age, particularly for women. Since fall risk assessment and prevention activities should be initiated prior to an injurious fall, we recommend beginning these activities before age 65.
Effect of Stress Concentration on Strength and Fracture Behavior of Dissimilar Metal Joints

Dissimilar metal joints tend to fracture along the welded interface during tensile testing, particularly in butt joint configuration. A common explanation relates formation of brittle intermetallic compound layer at dissimilar weld interface to crack initiation and propagation. This typically leads to lower strength and ductility of the dissimilar material joint. However, another critical aspect determining strength and fracture behavior of dissimilar material joints is the existence of stress concentration at the welded interface during mechanical loading. Mismatch of elastic modulus of dissimilar materials creates stress concentration at the initial stage of mechanical loading, which facilitated crack initiation at the welded interface. In this overview, factors leading to stress concentration and their impact on dissimilar joint strength and fracture behavior have been highlighted.
Dissection of Merkel cell formation in hairy and glabrous skin reveals a common requirement for FGFR2-mediated signalling.

Merkel cells are mechanosensory cells involved in tactile discrimination. Merkel cells have been primarily studied in the murine back skin, where they are found in specialized structures called touch domes located around primary hair follicles. Yet, little is known about the morphogenesis of Merkel cells in areas of the skin devoid of hair, such as the glabrous paw skin. Here, we describe Merkel cell formation in the glabrous paw skin during embryogenesis. We first found in the glabrous paw skin that Merkel cells were specified at E15.5, 24 hours later, compared to in the back skin. Additionally, by performing lineage-tracing experiments, we found that unlike in the back skin, SOX9(+) cells do not give rise to Merkel cells in the glabrous paw skin. Finally, we compared the transcriptomes of Merkel cells in the back and the glabrous paw skin and showed that they are similar. Genetic and transcriptome studies showed that the formation of Merkel cells in both regions was controlled by similar regulators. Among them was FGFR2, an upstream factor of MAPK signalling that was reported to have a critical function in Merkel cell formation in the back skin. Here, we showed that FGFR2 is also required for Merkel cell development in the glabrous paw skin. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Merkel cells in the murine back skin and glabrous paw skin are similar, and even though their formation is controlled by a common genetic programme, their precursor cells might differ.
Patient Satisfaction and Press Ganey Scores for Spine Versus Nonspine Neurosurgery Clinics.

Study design Retrospective survey review. Objective We seek to evaluate satisfaction scores in patients seen in neurosurgical spine versus neurosurgical nonspine clinics. Summary of background data The Press Ganey survey is a well-established metric for measuring hospital performance and patient satisfaction. These measures have important implications in setting hospital policy and guiding interventions to improve patient perceptions of care. Methods Retrospective Press Ganey survey review was performed to identify patient demographics and patient visit characteristics from January 1st, 2012 to October 10th, 2017 at Stanford Medical Center. A total of 40 questions from the Press Ganey survey were investigated and grouped in categories addressing physician and nursing care, personal concerns, admission, room, meal, operating room, treatment and discharge conditions, visitor accommodations and overall clinic assessment. Raw ordinal scores were converted to continuous scores of 100 for unpaired student t test analysis. We identified 578 neurosurgical spine clinic patients and 1048 neurosurgical nonspine clinic patients. Results Spine clinic patients reported lower satisfaction scores in aggregate (88.2 vs. 90.1; P=0.0014), physician (89.5 vs. 92.6; P=0.0002) and nurse care (91.3 vs. 93.4; P=0.0038), personal concerns (88.2 vs. 90.9; P=0.0009), room (81.0 vs. 83.1; P=0.0164), admission (90.8 vs. 92.6; P=0.0154) and visitor conditions (87.0 vs. 89.2; P=0.0148), and overall clinic assessment (92.9 vs. 95.5; P=0.005). Conclusions This study is the first to evaluate the relationship between neurosurgical spine versus nonspine clinic with regards to patient satisfaction. The spine clinic cohort reported less satisfaction than the nonspine cohort in all significant questions on the Press Ganey survey. Our findings suggest that efforts should be made to further study and improve patient satisfaction in spine clinics. Level of evidence Level III.
The Effect of Multipactor on the Quality of a Signal

Recently, there is significant interest in multipactor discharge because of its threat to satellite communications. In this paper, an analytical model is presented which assesses the distortion of a signal by multipactor. Complex, multi-tone signals will also be investigated. The I-Q plot is presented to show the effects of multipactor.
I’m Better Than This! Managing Overqualified Workers Using the Task Context

A rich literature has developed on the effects of employee overqualification in the workplace. We build upon prior work by examining employee overqualification at the task-level, examine performanc...
LGBT* individuals living with dementia: rights and capacity issues in the United States

Introduction In the United States, the unique challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* (LGBT*) individuals living with dementia have been largely overlooked by both national policy initiatives and the LGBT* rights movement. Although the LGBT* rights movement has begun to embrace issues related to LGBT* ageing, it has often remained silent on the more problematic aspects of ageing, including issues related to dementia. The federal government has recently identified the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as a top national priority, but its policy proposals have not addressed issues of sexual orientation or gender identity. As a result, LGBT* individuals living with dementia and their carers have been underserved by their community, the legal system, and the health care system. The distinct needs and concerns of LGBT* individuals living with dementia are the result of a complex set of interrelated factors, including the demographic patterns of older LGBT* adults, the evolving nature of LGBT* rights, the stubborn persistence of anti-LGBT* bias and prejudice, and heteronormative caregiving and health policies. After discussing the barriers facing LGBT* individuals living with dementia, this chapter focuses on guardianship reform, culturally competent practices, and advance care planning as ways to address these concerns. It also explores how anti-LGBT* bias can complicate questions of capacity and erase LGBT* identities. Recognizing that legal reform may take years to institute, this chapter urges all LGBT* individuals to develop an expanded advance care plan to safeguard and memorialize their values and preferences. An expanded advance care plan can address important issues that may not be covered by the traditional estate planning documents, including gender identity, housing, caregiving, visitation, and funeral instructions.
Digital nomads, coworking, and other expressions of mobile work on Twitter

We analyze a set of Twitter hashtags to ascertain how contemporary parlance in social media can illuminate the rich cultural intersections between modern forms of work, use of technology, and physical mobility. We use network word co-occurrence analysis and topic modeling to reveal several thematic areas of discourse present in Twitter, each with its own affiliated terms and distinctive emphases. The first theme centers on worker identity and is currently dominated by the experiences of digital nomads. The second theme focuses on the practicalities of working in a physical location and is currently dominated by issues related to co-working spaces. Finally, the third theme is a loose and speculative set of ideas around the evolution of work in the future, predicting how enterprises may have to adapt to new ways of working. Our contribution is twofold. First, we contribute to scholarship on social media methods by showing how a robust analysis of Twitter data can help scholars find subthematic nuance within a complex discussion space by identifying the existence and boundaries of topical sub-themes. Second, we contribute to scholarship on the future of work by providing empirical evidence for the ways that the myriad terms related to mobility and work relate to one another and, most importantly, how these relations signal semantic centrality among those who share their thoughts on these types of work.
Beyond a Moment — Reckoning with Our History and Embracing Antiracism in Medicine

Beyond a Moment To go beyond declarations and move forward with fighting racism in medicine, we must understand the racial biases in our responses to past and present public health issues and plot ...
Urinary Tract Infections : Treatment/Comparative Therapeutics

Urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when there is compromise of host defense mechanisms and a virulent microbe adheres, multiplies, and persists in a portion of the urinary tract. Most commonly, UTI is caused by bacteria, but fungi and viruses are possible. Urine culture and sensitivity are the gold standards for diagnosis of bacterial UTI. Identifying the location of infection (eg, bladder, kidney, prostate) as well as comorbidities (eg, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression) is essential to guide the diagnostic and therapeutic plan. Antimicrobial agents are the mainstay of therapy for bacterial UTI and selected ideally based on culture and sensitivity.
Assessing the health status and mortality of older people over 65 with HIV.

Background Nearly half of people with HIV in the United States are 50 years or older, and this proportion is growing. Between 2012 and 2016, the largest percent increase in the prevalence rate of HIV was among people aged 65 and older, the eligibility age for Medicare coverage for individuals without a disability or other qualifying condition. Previous work suggests that older people with HIV may have higher rates of chronic conditions and develop them more rapidly than older people who do not have HIV. This study compared the health status of older people with HIV with the older US population not living with HIV by comparing: (1) mortality; (2) prevalence of certain conditions, and (3) incidence of these conditions with increasing age. Methods and findings We used a sample of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older from the Medicare Master Beneficiary Summary File for the years 2011 to 2016, including 100% of individuals with HIV (N = 43,708), as well as a random 1% sample of individuals without diagnosed HIV (N = 1,029,518). We conducted a survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model to assess mortality and to determine the need to adjust for differential mortality in our analyses of the incidence of certain chronic conditions. These results showed that Medicare beneficiaries living with HIV have a significantly higher hazard of mortality compared to older people without diagnosed HIV (3.6 times the hazard). We examined the prevalence of these conditions using logistic regression analysis and found that people with HIV have a statistically significant higher odds of depression, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, chronic hepatitis, end-stage liver disease, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. To look at the rate at which older people are diagnosed with conditions as they age, we used a Fine-Gray competing risk model and showed that for individuals without diagnosis of a given condition at age 65, the future incidence of that condition over the remaining study period was higher for people with HIV even after adjusting for differential hazard of mortality and for other demographic characteristics. Many of these results also varied by personal characteristics including Medicaid dual enrollment, sex, and race and ethnicity, as well as by condition. Conclusions Increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people with HIV is a critical goal of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2020. It is important for clinicians and policymakers to be aware that despite significant advances in the treatment and care of people with HIV, older people with HIV have a higher odds of having multiple chronic conditions at any point in time, a higher incidence of new diagnoses of these conditions over time, and a higher hazard of mortality than Medicare beneficiaries without HIV.
Losartan to reduce inflammation and fibrosis endpoints in HIV disease.

Background Persistent inflammation and incomplete immune recovery among persons with HIV (PHIV) are associated with increased disease risk. We hypothesized that the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) losartan would reduce inflammation by mitigating nuclear factor (NF)κB responses and promote T-cell recovery via inhibition of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ)-mediated fibrosis. Methods Losartan (100 mg) versus placebo over 12 months was investigated in a randomized (1 : 1) placebo-controlled trial, among PHIV age at least 50 years, receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), with HIV RNA less than 200 copies/ml and CD4+ cell count 600 cells/μl or less. Inflammation, fibrosis and myocardial biomarkers were measured in blood using ELISA, electrochemiluminescence and immunoturbidimetric methods, and T-cell and monocyte phenotypes were assessed with flow cytometry among a subset of participants. Changes over follow-up in (log-2 transformed) biomarkers and cell phenotypes (untransformed) were compared between losartan and placebo arms using linear mixed models. Results Among 108 PHIV (n = 52 to losartan; n = 56 to placebo), 97% had a month 12 visit. Median age was 57 years and baseline CD4+ cell count was 408 cells/μl. Losartan treatment was not associated with an improvement in interleukin-6 levels, or other blood measures of inflammation, immune activation, fibrosis activity or myocardial function. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells also did not differ by treatment group. Losartan reduced SBP and DBP by 6 and 5 mmHg, respectively. Conclusion Among older PHIV with viral suppression, losartan did not improve blood measures of inflammation nor T-cell immune recovery. Losartan treatment is unlikely to reduce inflammation associated comorbidities to a clinically meaningful degree, beyond the benefits from lowering blood pressure. Clinicaltrialsgov NCT02049307.
Inverting subsurface flow data for geologic scenarios selection with convolutional neural networks

Abstract Subsurface flow model calibration against dynamic response data is often constrained by a prior conceptual model of geologic scenario that specifies the expected spatial variability and geologic patterns in the solution. However, several sources of uncertainty exist in developing a conceptual geological model, including data limitation, process-based modeling assumptions, and subjective interpretations. Therefore, it is prudent to consider the uncertainty in geologic scenarios during model calibration and to utilize the flow response data in supporting or rejecting the proposed scenarios. We present a novel framework whereby dynamic response data is used to screen a set of proposed geologic scenarios by combining gradient-based inversion for feature extraction and convolutional neural networks for feature recognition. To compactly represent the salient features of each scenario, an extremely low-rank parameterization with the leading elements of the Principal Components Analysis (PCA) is adopted. The PCA basis elements of different scenarios are combined to define the search space for feature extraction, which is implemented via an iterative least-squares inversion formulation to match the observed data. The inversion solution is obtained by selectively combining the PCA representations from different scenarios, and contains the dominant spatial patterns that are needed to match the observed data. Feature recognition to identify the relevant geologic scenarios based on the reconstructed spatial solution of feature extraction inversion is performed using a pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN). The method offers several advantages, including an efficient implementation that does not require extensive forward simulation runs, use of flow data to identify pertinent geologic scenarios, and the ability to combine geologic scenarios if supported by data. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated using numerical experiments from pumping tests in groundwater aquifers.
Effects of Polyester Microplastic Fiber Contamination on Amphibian-Trematode Interactions.

Microplastic contamination poses a global threat to aquatic organisms, yet we know little as to how microplastics may indirectly affect organismal health via their influence on species-species interactions (e.g., host-parasite interactions). This is problematic because microplastic-mediated alterations to host-parasite dynamics could negatively impact individual- population-level health of hosts. Using a larval amphibian (host) and free-living trematode (parasite) model, we asked whether 1) polyester microplastic fibers influence parasite survival; 2) whether polyester microplastic fiber ingestion by amphibians alters amphibian susceptibility to infection; and 3) whether simultaneous exposure of amphibians and trematodes to polyester microplastic fibers influences infection outcomes. Polyester microplastic fibers did not alter trematode survival, nor did their ingestion by amphibians increase amphibian susceptibility to infection. However, when amphibians and trematodes were exposed simultaneously to the fibers, the infection success of the parasite was reduced. Lastly, we conducted a field survey for microfiber contamination across multiple ponds and found microfibers across each of the sampled ponds. Overall, our results contribute to the limited knowledge surrounding the ecological consequences of microplastic contamination. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;00:1-11. © 2021 SETAC.
De Finetti, Bruno (1906–85)

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 5, pp. 3260–3263, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Energy dynamics of skeletal muscle during load moving contractions

The mechanical energy (potential+kinetic energy) and force variations associated with a muscle contracting from rest against a gravitational load were studied in nine cat muscles of the hind limb. Acceleration and deceleration phases were observed, and associated with muscular force variations of up to 25% of the mass weight in fast twitch muscles at low loads. Variations of 10% or less were associated with slow twitch muscles. It was observed that optimal loads which maximize a muscle's mechanical energy output were close to the middle of the muscle's isometric force range. It was concluded that the kinetic energy used by a load moving muscle is only a small percentage of that expected from the length-force relationship, and this was observed more at low loads. This confirms that the efficiency of kinetic energy conversion is very low at small loads, gradually improving as the load increases, substantiating early experiments with heat evolution (Hill, 1938), and metabolic energy (Curtin & Woledge, 1991). >
Telicity in the second language

The author combines a syntax-theoretical treatment of telicity marking and an empirical study of the second language acquisition of English telicity marking by native speakers of Bulgarian, a Slavic language. It is argued that Vendler’s lexical classes of verbs (states, activities, accomplishments and achievements) can be represented in four phrase structure templates, where lexical properties of the verb and of the object compositionally determine telicity. A parameterized distinction between English and Slavic aspect is proposed. The book addresses two major acquisition issues: (1) what is the nature of the initial hypothesis Bulgarian learners of English entertain regarding telicity marking (i.e., is there native language transfer)? (2) are adult learners capable of resetting the telicity marking parameter? Both L1 transfer and parameter resetting are experimentally supported. In addition, the study investigates the L2 acquisition of a cluster of complex predicate constructions, purportedly related to the telicity parameter in the grammatical competence and in child language acquisition of English.
Irregular shedding of the endometrium

Abstract This report includes an analysis of the clinical records of 132 patients with the diagnosis of irregular shedding of the endometrium by curettage timed to the fifth day or later of the menstrual period. The entire group was divided into a smaller group of 33 patients who had classical symptoms of irregular shedding without associated gynecologic pathology and a larger residual group of 99 patients who are designated as having atypical symptoms. Comparison of the two groups reveals differences that for the most part can be explained by the presence of associated pathology. We agree with previous observers who feel that irregular shedding is a clinical entity that may exercise its dysfunctional effect with or without associated gynecologic pathology. A group of 5 patients were observed in a study clinic with basal temperature records employed as a control for estrogenic therapy. Review of the temperature records before therapy showed that bleeding occurred earlier in the corpus luteum phase than is normally expected. This is interpreted as break-through bleeding possibly due to abnormal endometrial response to normal progesterone levels. Postovulatory stilbestrol therapy was employed with good hemostatic effect but without shortening the length of the bleeding period.
A 200 MHz 9-tap analog equalizer for magnetic disk read channels in 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS

This paper describes an analog discrete-time equalizer that uses switched-capacitor (SC) filtering capable of achieving speeds higher than can otherwise be attained using conventional opamp techniques. The approach employs parallelism and exclusive use of open-loop circuitry in the signal path. Conventional SC filters require technologies with high-quality capacitors to create accurate ratios. The approach eliminates high-quality capacitors in the signal path and is amenable to digital CMOS processes.
The infrared detector ring: obstacle detection for an autonomous mobile robot

Infrared detector devices have demonstrated an ability for obstacle detection for mobile robot applications. An infrared detector system (IDS) for quickly obtaining multiple infrared detector readings and avoiding various interferences is presented. Twelve infrared emitter/receiver pairs are arranged in a ring and controlled by a computer. Hardware design, implementation and primary operator details of this system are outlined. >
A new Disporopsis (Asparagaceae) transferred from Polygonatum

The recent description of a Disporopsis Hance (1883: 278) (Asparagaceae), D . fansipanensis J.M.H.Shaw, B.Wynn-Jones & V.D.Nguyen in Shaw (2013: 27), from Vietnam and adjacent SW China is a superfluous name for a species that has long resided as a synonym of D . pernyi (Hua 1892: 472) Diels (1900: 249). The above cited authors provided a description, but did not provide a comparative diagnosis to which species he thought that it was most similar to, though he did say that D. fansipanensis probably accounted for the treatment of D. pernyi in Vietnam (Liang & Tamura 2000). Experience with living collections of both species and collections of D. fansipanensis at MO and PE (acronym following Thiers 2015) reveal that it is not synonymous with D. pernyi , but has an older available name.
Aging: effects on the prostaglandin production by skeletal muscle of male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Prostaglandin (PG) production from [1-14C] arachidonic acid was measured in homogenates of sartorius muscle of aged (more than 20 years) and young adult (7 to 11 years) rhesus monkeys. Total production by the aged series (3.21 +/- 0.31 (S.E.) nmol PG per g N per min) was about two times that of the young series (1.76 +/- 0.14 (S.E.) nmol per g N per min). Epinephrine-stimulated PG production was also twice as great in the aged muscle series as in the young adult series (7.22 +/- 0.74 (S.E.) and 3.54 +/- 0.52 (S.E.) nmol per g N per min). This difference was mainly due to greater production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGF2 alpha. In both series, the addition of 500 microM epinephrine to the assay media significantly increased production of all types of PGs measured (6-keto-PGF1 alpha, PGF2 alpha, PGE2 plus thromboxane B2 [TXB2], the stable breakdown product of TXA2, and PGD2). The absolute increases in all types of PGs studied in the presence of epinephrine were significantly greater in the aged muscle, with the exception of PGF2 alpha. The distribution patterns of the various types of PGs studied were similar in all series, except for 6-keto-PGF1 alpha; this PG accounted for a greater percentage of the total production by aged muscle than by young adult muscle (p less than 0.05).
Effect of oxygen precipitation on phosphorus diffusion in Czochralski silicon

The effects of oxygen precipitation and surface films (SiO2 vs Si3N4) on P diffusion at 1100 °C in Czochralski silicon have been studied. With a fast precipitation rate, P diffusion under both kinds of films is enhanced because of the supersaturation of Si interstitials caused by oxygen precipitation. The larger enhancement in P diffusion under Si3N4 than that under SiO2 covered with Si3N4 is attributed to the slower recombination velocity of interstitials at the Si3N4/Si interface. P diffusion in a denuded zone behaves like that in float‐zone Si until the interstitials generated under that zone arrive at the interface.
Interpreting trans-retinal recordings of spectral sensitivity.

A quantitative model is developed to describe spectral sensitivity functions recorded extracellularly from heterogeneous populations of receptors in different states of adaptation. This treatment identifies the most important influences and clarifies several general features of experimental results.
Asymmetrical activation of GABA-gated chloride channels in cerebral cortex

A pronounced left/right asymmetry of GABA-gated chloride channels was observed in rat cerebral cortex. This asymmetry was manifest as a higher apparent affinity and density of binding sites for the “cage” convulsant [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) in the right compared to left cortex. Asymmetries in [35S]TBPS binding were not observed in other brain areas, and were restricted to the occipital and entorhinal/pyriform areas of cerebral cortex. Evaluation of other components of the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor chloride ionophore complex in cerebral cortex suggests that this asymmetry is not present in either benzodiazepine receptors or that population of GABA receptors linked to benzodiazepine receptors. Brief restraint-stress significantly increased both the apparent affinity and number of [35S]TBPS binding sites in cortex, but the left/right asymmetry was no longer apparent. These findings indicate a time-dependent, asymmetric response of cortical GABA-gated chloride channels to stress rather than an anatomical hemispheric difference, and suggest that GABA-gated chloride channels may be involved in a differential processing of stressful stimuli by the cerebral hemispheres.
Reliability of Cu Wire Bonding to Al Metallization

The use of Cu wire for thermosonic ball bonding presents several advantages over Au wire. These advantages include significant cost savings due to cheaper raw material cost, higher electrical conductivity for faster die functionality, and much slower intermetallic compound (IMC) growth than Au wire. There are still some challenges that must be overcome, however, before Cu wire bonding can be successful. Since Cu is much harder than Au there is the potential to cause damage to the bond pad or other underlying layers of the die. Oxidation of the Cu wire can also act to inhibit second bond formation, which can result in increased wire bond no-stick rates. Cu oxidation can also result in a very short spool lifetime once the wire has been exposed to the atmosphere. This study focuses on the manufacturability and reliability of using Cu wire for ball bonding in a high volume DRAM production environment. Wire bonding first bond parameters were optimized, and the process was characterized through bond integrity testing (BIT). Package reliability was determined through environmental tests that included HAST, T/C-B, and HTS. IMC growth in the Al-Cu system was characterized and compared to the Al-Au system. Electrical test data of live packages bonded with Cu wire was also compared to that of packages bonded with Au wire to determine if there was any amount of performance or DRAM refresh degradation caused by the Cu wire. This was done at both the individual package level and module level.
The alpha-synuclein mutation E46K promotes aggregation in cultured cells

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the polymerization of wild-type (WT) or mutant alpha-synuclein (AS) into aggregates and fibrils, which are observed as Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs) in PD patients. However, inability to demonstrate aggregation in many cell culture systems is a major drawback for effective in vitro modeling of AS aggregation. Utilizing PCR-based cloning approach, we generated A30P, A53T, and the recently reported E46K encoding mutation in the KTKEGV repeat region of AS gene. While cloning E46K mutant, a glycine deletion mutation (E46KDeltaG) adjacent to the intended lysine mutation was serendipitously generated. Expression of mutant constructs and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged mutant constructs in catecholaminergic SH-SY5Y (5Y) cells revealed 40% of AS-E46KDeltaG and 18% of AS-E46K transfected cells formed aggregates as compared to 12% in AS-A53T, 6% in AS-WT, and 2% in AS-A30P transfected cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated the formation of high molecular weight AS aggregates. Electron microscopic analysis of 5Y cells expressing the E46K and E46KDeltaG mutants demonstrated two distinct kinds of inclusions: Type I, which showed dense granular profile; and Type II, which were largely membranous vacuolar inclusions without granular material. These two inclusions are reminiscent of Lewy bodies and pale bodies observed in PD postmortem brain samples. Our results demonstrate that mutations in 4th KTKEGV repeat lead to higher propensity of aggregation of AS compared to other mutants.
Survivorship, Fecundity, and Recruitment in a Mud Dauber Wasp, Sceliphron assimile (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

A dense aggregation of 866 nests of a solitary mud daubing wasp, Sceliphron assimile Dahlbom, was censused at Hacienda La Pacifica near Caflas, Guanacaste Prov- ince, Costa Rica. The data were treated to yield both cohort and stage life tables. Nests had 1-26 cells. The number of cells per nest was used as an index of minimum female reproductive longevity. Reproducing females had a Type II (colstant probability of death) putt.ttr of survivorship. There was a72.IVo rate of successful adult emergence from nests. The rate of successful adult emergence did not vary as a function of nest size. Previously published data were used to estimate female-only fecundity values. Interval-spe_ciftc real- ized fecundity values were at a maximum in the first age interval and decreased pr_ogres- sively. A technique for calculating interval-specific recruitment values is introduced. Females living to produce l-LZ cells had higher recruitment (as a proportion of the population total) than did females producing either fewer or more cells. Interval-speci!c iecruitment values can be summed to yield a net recruitment rate (R,) that can be easily calculated, has fewer constraints than a net reproductive rate (Ro), and yields biologically meaningful information. An average female that initiated nesting produced 1.6 female offspring. The population can maintain constant size with 387o loss of emerged females to prereproductive death or emigration or both'
Assisted suicide: An evaluation

Physician-assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia. As such, it is contrary to one's ethical responsibility to self, community, and God. Religious tradition, medical tradition, and modern psychology attest that physician-assisted suicide does not solve any human problem.
Diffusion in a unidimensional zeolite pore system: Propane in AlPO4-5

Abstract Self-diffusion and diffusive transport of propane in large (≈ 180 μm) crystals of AlPO 4 -5 have been studied by ZLC and tracer ZLC methods. In contrast to the results of recent studies of the self-diffusion of CH 4 and CF 4 in the same zeolite by the PFG NMR method the results of the present study show a rather fast one-dimensional Fickian diffusion process ( D ≈ 10 −5 –10 −6 cm 2 s −1 at 300 K) with no evidence of single-file behavior. A possible explanation for this apparent discrepancy is suggested.
Citizen Support for Regional Government in the New Suburbia

Political fragmentation, in the form of many small municipalities charting their own destinies, is a fundamental attribute of suburban regions. Scholars are divided about the need for addressing fragmentation through new regional-level governments. In Orange County, California, which is a multimunicipality suburban region stricken with growth and traffic problems, a representative survey of 1,008 residents indicates two-to-one opposition to merging county and city governments into one countywide authority. Several factors are associated with strong opposition to merging local governments; most significant are the desire to maintain city power and the belief that the county will become a worse place to live in the future. In sum, public opinion is a serious obstacle to regional-level authority in suburbia.
Results of microsurgical clipping of 50 high complexity basilar apex aneurysms.

Objective Complex basilar aneurysms (large size, wide base, low bifurcation, and dysmorphic posteriorly projecting domes) frequently fail endovascular treatment. We report our experience using the pretemporal transzygomatic transcavernous approach with 50 complex basilar aneurysms. Methods Using the pretemporal transcavernous route, opening the occulomotor trigone, and removing the anterior clinoid and the posterior clinoid when necessary, a wide exposure of the interpeduncular fossa is achieved. Temporary clips are applied to a perforator-free zone of the basilar trunk, proximal to the superior cerebellar artery. Complexity criteria in the 50 aneurysms included large or giant size in 27 patients, wide dysmorphic base in 18 patients, low bifurcation in 21 patients, posteriorly projecting dome in 11 patients, and dolichoectasia of the apex in three patients. Results Twenty-five patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. There were 14 men and 36 women between the ages of 32 and 76 years (mean, 52.2 yr). Forty-nine aneurysms (98%) were successfully clipped. There was no procedure-related mortality. Two patients died (one from delayed bowel ischemia and one from a vasospasm-related complication). There were three ischemia-related events, two of which were procedure-related (medial thalamic lacunar infarct, superior cerebellar distribution ischemia) and one which was a third distal middle cerebral cardiac embolus after stopping Coumadin (DuPont Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, DE) for atrial fibrillation. Transient partial or complete occulomotor palsies occurred in all patients with full recovery as the rule, except in one patient. At discharge, Glascow Outcome Scale scores were 4 or 5 in 88% of the patients. At the 6-month follow-up examination, Rankin Outcome Scale scores were 0 to 2 in 92% of the patients. Conclusion Our experience reintroduces microsurgery as a safe and more durable treatment option for the management of complex basilar apex aneurysms that tend to have a higher rate of failure with endovascular therapy.
Extraction of Permittivity from Reflection Data: Lossless Case

Two fast algorithms for determining the electrical property and the thickness of a lossless dielectric slab are presented. The first algorithm processes the complex reflection coefficient in the frequency domain, while the other requires only the amplitude data. Both algorithms are established from a forward model that is derived with the WKB approximation. The permittivity profile and the thickness of the test sample can be retrieved in an average sense. The algorithms are tested on simulation as well as experimental data.
Growth and structure of vanadium oxide on anatase (1 0 1) terraces

Abstract The interaction of vanadium oxide with epitaxial anatase films exposing (1 0 1) terraces was characterized. The TiO2 films were grown on vicinal LaAlO3 (1 1 0) substrates by oxygen plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (OPA-MBE); reflection high energy and low energy electron diffraction (RHEED and LEED) indicated that the films exposed (1 0 1) terraces of the anatase TiO2 polymorph. When a vanadium oxide monolayer was deposited onto the anatase surface by OPA-MBE at 725 K, only (1 × 1) RHEED and LEED patterns were observed. The V X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) peak intensities indicated that the monolayer wetted the anatase surface and so the diffraction patterns were attributed to an epitaxial vanadia layer. Analysis of the vanadium oxide monolayer by X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies revealed that the V was predominantly 5+. When the vanadia coverage was increased at 725 K, Auger electron spectra showed only very slow attenuation of the anatase Ti peaks while spots began to develop in RHEED patterns recorded along the LaAlO3 [ 1 ¯ 1 0 ] direction; both indicative of 3-D cluster formation. In the orthogonal direction, the RHEED patterns showed unusual diagonal streaks. Meanwhile, the (1 × 1) LEED pattern persisted even after 30 nm of vanadia was deposited. This was attributed to gaps between the 3-D clusters exposing the epitaxial monolayer. Core level XPS spectra of the 3-D clusters revealed a broad V 2p3/2 peak that was centered at the position expected for V4+ but could be deconvoluted into three peaks corresponding to V3+, V4+, and V5+. It is shown that crystallographic shear that accommodates such variations in the oxygen content of V oxides can lead to the diagonal streaks in RHEED patterns recorded along the LaAlO3 [0 0 1] direction even as the pattern in the orthogonal direction shows sharp transmission spots. The results show that vanadia growth on anatase (1 0 1) proceeds through the Stranski–Krastanov mode with a strong vanadia–titania interaction stabilizing a dispersed vanadia monolayer. The results are compared with previous data for vanadia growth on anatase (0 0 1) where smooth, epitaxial VO2 films grow ad infinitum.
Differences in norepinephrine levels in different vascular beds in congestive heart failure.

Abstract Congestive heart failure is a progressive disorder of systolic and diastolic ventricular dysfunction that results in reduced forward flow and increased filling pressures. In dilated cardiomyopathy due to ischemic or nonischemic etiologies, the resultant systolic and diastolic dysfunction results in pulmonary and systemic congestion, and activation of compensatory mechanisms to help maintain blood pressure and oxygenation.1–4 In congestive heart failure, aortic and cardiac baroreceptors are “reset” so that they lose their chronic inhibitory effect on sympathetic nerve traffic, and this results in chronic sympathetic activation and a state of vasoconstriction. 1–4 Plasma norepinephrine, a marker of sympathetic nervous system activation,2,3 is increased in congestive heart failure and is an independent predictor of mortality.5 Increases in plasma norepinephririe obtained from a peripheral vein have been used in several trials to examine both the effect of drug administration on neurohormonal activation and its prognostic value in predicting death in patients with heart failure.2,5 Despite its use as a marker of sympathetic activation, it is unclear if plasma norepinephrine obtained from a peripheral vein best represents cardiac sympathetic activation or if norepinephrine obtained from other sites best represents sympathetic stimulation at the cardiac postsynaptic terminal. Because the coronary sinus drains most of the effluent from the heart, we hypothesized that coronary sinus or transmyocardial (coronary sinus — aortic) norepinephrine would best represent myocardial adrenergic stimulation. Because sudden death is increased in patients with elevated sympathetic activation,2,4,5 and because it is unclear if systemic or cardiac sympathetic activation, or both, may be responsible for this phenomena, we believed it was important to examine which measure of norepinephrine would best reflect myocardial sympathetic activation. This is especially cogent because sympathetic activation may be different from 1 organ system to another.6–8 Because there is no “gold standard” for myocardial adrenergic stimulation, we assumed heart rate to be a reflection of effective cardiac adrenergic activation. Because parasympathetic withdrawal is a feature of congestive heart failure, the predominant effect on heart rate would be from the sympathetic nervous system.9
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH INTEGRAL BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

Abstract Hyperbolic nonconservative partial differential equations, such as the Von Foerster system, in which boundary conditions may depend upon the dependent variable (integral boundary conditions, for example) are solved by an approximation method based on similar work of the author for (nonlinear stochastic) ordinary differential equations.
Noise, cycles, and noisy cycles in finite populations

Periodic predator-prey dynamics in constant environments are usually taken as indicative of deterministic limit cycles. It is known, however, that demographic stochasticity in finite populations can also give rise to regular population cycles, even when the corresponding deterministic models predict a stable equilibrium. The existence of quasi-cycles substantially expands the scope for natural patterns of periodic population oscillations caused by ecological interactions, thereby complicating the conclusive interpretation of such patterns. It is, however, feasible and straightforward to accurately distinguish between the two types of cycle through the combined analysis of autocorrelations and marginal distributions of population sizes. By confronting these results with real ecological time series even short and imperfect time series allow quasi-cycles and limit cycles to be distinguished reliably.This work has been published in:Pineda-Krch M, Blok HJ, Dieckmann U, Doebeli M. 2007. A tale of two cycles - Distinguishing between true limit cycles and quasi-cycles in finite predator-prey populations. Oikos 116: 53-64.
Characterization of Cu2+-binding modes in the prion protein by visible circular dichroism and multivariate curve resolution.

Abstract Visible circular dichroism (CD) spectra from the copper(II) titration of the metal-binding region of the prion protein, residues 57–98, were analyzed using the self-modeling curve resolution method multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares (MCR-ALS). MCR-ALS is a set of mathematical tools for estimating pure component spectra and composition profiles from mixture spectra. Model-free solutions (e.g., soft models) are produced under the assumption that pure component profiles should be nonnegative and unimodal. Optionally, equality constraints can be used when the concentration or spectrum of one or more species is known. MCR-ALS is well suited to complex biochemical systems such as the prion protein which binds multiple copper ions and thus gives rise to titration data consisting of several pure component spectra with overlapped or superimposed absorption bands. Our study reveals the number of binding modes used in the uptake of Cu2+ by the full metal-binding region of the prion protein and their relative concentration profiles throughout the titration. The presence of a non-CD active binding mode can also be inferred. We show that MCR-ALS analysis can be initialized using empirically generated or mathematically generated pure component spectra. The use of small model peptides allows us to correlate specific Cu2+-binding structures to the pure component spectra.