cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
eHealth literacy and web-based patient portal usage among kidney and liver transplant recipients.

Patient portals promote self-management, but require skills with electronic health information which can be measured by a patient's eHealth literacy. We aimed to describe eHealth literacy among a population of kidney transplant (KT) and liver transplant (LT) recipients and to investigate the relationship between eHealth literacy and Web-based patient portal utilization. We conducted phone surveys (August 2016-March 2017) among 178 KT and 110 LT recipients at two large transplant centers, including the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and items assessing routine portal usage. Portal users were defined as routine if usage was every day, weekly, or monthly. The mean eHEALS score was 30.9 (SD: 5.4), and 45.4% routinely used the patient portal more than a few times per month. Routine users had higher eHealth literacy than non-routine users and non-users (31.97 vs. 29.97 vs. 28.20, p < .001). Routine users had higher eHealth literacy scores compared with non-users after adjusting for transplant organ type, age, educational level, employment status, mobile Internet access, and transplant center (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.17). KT and LT recipients who routinely use patient portals have high eHealth literacy compared with other diseased populations, which should be leveraged by encouraging routine usage to improve post-transplant health and medication adherence.
Immersive Media and Books 2020: New Insights About Book Pirates, Libraries and Discovery, Millennials, and Cross-Media Engagement: Before and During COVID

Books exist within a connected media ecosystem, but few consumer behavior and experience studies capture the relationships between books and other media forms. In Immersive Media & Books 2020, Drs. Rachel Noorda and Kathi Inman Berens from Portland State University explore crossmedia consumer behavior for books, video games, and TV/movies—capturing behaviors both before and during COVID-19. The highlights of the report are highly distributed word-of-mouth discovery, the importance of author brand and genre, avid book engagement of Black and Latinx millennials, context-agnostic book discovery, cross-media engagement and discovery, multidimensional identities and behaviors of book pirates, multitasking as a feature of contemporary book consumption, and libraries as tools of discovery.
Flexibility of Functional Neuronal Assemblies Supports Human Memory

Episodic memories, or consciously accessible memories of unique events, represent a key aspect of human cognition. Evidence from rodent models suggests that the neural representation of these complex memories requires cooperative firing of groups of neurons on short time scales, organized by gamma oscillations. These co-firing groups, termed "neuronal assemblies," represent a fundamental neurophysiological unit supporting memory. Using microelectrode data from neurosurgical patients, we identify neuronal assemblies in the human MTL and show that they exhibit consistent organization in their firing pattern based on gamma phase information. We connect these properties to memory performance across recording sessions. Finally, we describe how human neuronal assemblies flexibly adjust over longer time scales. Our findings provide key evidence linking assemblies to human episodic memory for the first time.
Classification Models for Subthreshold Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among a College Population: Implications for Prevention

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders on college campuses and often goes unidentified and untreated. We propose a combined prevention and treatment model composed of evidence-based self-help (SH) and guided self-help (GSH) interventions to address this issue. To inform the development of this stepped-care model of intervention delivery, we evaluated results from a population-based anxiety screening of college students. A primary model was developed to illustrate how increasing levels of symptomatology could be linked to prevention/treatment interventions. We used screening data to propose four models of classification for populations at risk for GAD. We then explored the cost considerations of implementing this prevention/treatment stepped-care model. Among 2489 college students (mean age 19.1 years; 67% female), 8.0% (198/2489) met DSM-5 clinical criteria for GAD, in line with expected clinical rates for this population. At-risk Model 1 (subthreshold, but considerable symptoms of anxiety) identified 13.7% of students as potentially at risk for developing GAD. Model 2 (subthreshold, but high GAD symptom severity) identified 13.7%. Model 3 (subthreshold, but symptoms were distressing) identified 12.3%. Model 4 (subthreshold, but considerable worry) identified 17.4%. There was little overlap among these models, with a combined at-risk population of 39.4%. The efficiency of these models in identifying those truly at risk and the cost and efficacy of preventive interventions will determine if prevention is viable. Using Model 1 data and conservative cost estimates, we found that a preventive intervention effect size of even 0.2 could make a prevention/treatment model more cost-effective than existing models of “wait-and-treat.”
ROUTINE USE OF SUGAMMADEX DOES NOT SHORTEN PACU LENGTH OF STAY: A PROSPECTIVE DOUBLE-BLINDED RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.

Abstract Background The reversal agent sugammadex has been shown to be more efficacious at reversal from neuromuscular blockade (NMB) induced by the aminosteroid class of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants than the traditionally used medication neostigmine. However, whether these differences lead to significantly faster PACU discharge readiness remains unknown. Given the increased acquisition cost of sugammadex as compared to neostigmine we compared these two reversal agents in our surgical population to determine if its pharmacokinetic superiority warranted a change in current practice. Methods We conducted a single-center randomized patient and assessor blinded clinical trial. A total of 201 patients presenting for surgery requiring NMB with an estimated duration of ≤ 6 hours were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. The primary outcome was time from reversal agent administration to PACU discharge readiness, measured by either the institutional discharge scoring tool or bedside clinical assessment by a PACU physician or advanced practice provider. Secondary outcomes included subjective assessment of recovery by the patient (pain, visual changes, speaking difficulty, swallowing difficulty, PONV, anxiety) and a simple strength assessment. Results Median time from reversal administration to PACU discharge readiness was 3.59 hours (IQR 2.49-5.09) in the neostigmine group and 3.62 hours (IQR 2.70-5.87) in the sugammadex group. Patients who received sugammadex had 8% longer reversal to PACU discharge times (exp(estimate) 1.08, 95% CI [0.87-1.34], p=0.499). Patients age 70 or older had 28% longer reversal to PACU discharge times (exp(estimate) of 1.28, 95% CI [0.91-1.80], P=0.158). In the a modified ITT analysis, sugammadex patients were estimated to be in PACU 13% longer than neostigmine arm patients (exp(estimate) 1.13, 95% CI [0.91-1.40], p=0.265) and patients older than or equal to 70 years 31% longer than patients less than 70 years old (exp(estimate) 1.31, 95% CI [0.93-1.84], p=0.121). Treatment arm was not associated with any of the secondary outcomes. Conclusion There was no significant difference in time to readiness to discharge from PACU, and there were no subjective or objective clinically relevant differences in recovery from neuromuscular blockade between the groups. Findings of this study support continued use of either agent at the anesthesiologist's discretion.
Factors Associated with Breast Cancer Screening Adherence among Church-Going African American Women.

Relative to White women, African American/Black women are at an increased risk of breast cancer mortality. Early detection of breast cancer through mammography screening can mitigate mortality risks; however, screening rates are not ideal. Consequently, there is a need to better understand factors associated with adherence to breast cancer screening guidelines to inform interventions to increase mammography use, particularly for groups at elevated mortality risk. This study used the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Services Use to examine factors associated with adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network breast cancer screening guidelines amongst 919 African American, church-going women from Houston, Texas. Logistic regression analyses measured associations between breast cancer screening adherence over the preceding 12 months (adherent or non-adherent) and predisposing (i.e., age, education, and partner status), enabling (i.e., health insurance status, annual household income, employment status, patient-provider communication, and social support), and need (i.e., personal diagnosis of cancer, family history of cancer, and risk perception) factors, separately and conjointly. Older age (predisposing: OR = 1.015 (1.007–1.023)), having health insurance and ideal patient–provider communication (enabling: OR = 2.388 (1.597–3.570) and OR = 1.485 (1.080–2.041)), and having a personal diagnosis of cancer (need: OR = 2.244 (1.058–4.758)) were each associated with greater odds of screening adherence. Only having health insurance and ideal patient-provider communication remained significantly associated with screening adherence in a conjoint model; cancer survivorship did not moderate associations between predisposing/enabling factors and screening adherence. Overall, results suggest that interventions which are designed to improve mammography screening rates amongst African American women might focus on broadening health insurance coverage and working to improve patient–provider communication. Implications for multi-level intervention approaches, including the role of churches in their dissemination, are proposed.
Designing Hydra with Centralized versus Decentralized Control: A Comparative Study

Today's networked and distributed applications, by and large, rely on cloud services. However, solely cloud-based services are not the ideal solution for all use cases, in particular, the case of high volume data sharing in scientific computing whose cloud usage costs could be prohibitively high. Thus we take on a task of building a distributed, federated data repository, dubbed Hydra, for sharing large volume scientific data. In this paper, we compare two design choices: designing Hydra over TCP/IP with a centralized controller, and designing Hydra over Named Data Network (NDN) to enable distributed control. Our study shows that (i) building Hydra over TCP/IP with a central controller offers a simple, straightforward design; (ii) however, the controller necessarily needs to be replicated for scalability and reliability, and cloud CDN is needed to scale data delivery, both bringing additional complexity into the overall design; and (iii) building Hydra over NDN automatically offers scalable and efficient data dissemination at volume, as well as enables distributed control with high resiliency.
Deployment of Tree Resistance to Insects in Short-rotation Populus Plantations

Host plant resistance has been identified as a key component of integrated pest management (IPM) in agriculture and forestry. The topic of deploying and conserving host plant resistance to minimize economic damage caused by insect herbivores is not a new problem. For example, deployment strategies have been addressed in depth in traditional agricultural systems for several decades (see review by Gould 1998). In forestry, however, while the issues are recognized, little rigorous experimental work has been completed. Although theoretical models have been developed to predict the number of clones that are needed to minimize damage and to conserve resistant genes (Libby 1982), actual field tests of these conceptual models are lacking. To maintain the usefulness of host plant resistance mechanisms as a management tool while at the same time minimizing environmental risk, there are several critical factors to consider: 1) detennining and isolating multiple resistance mechanisms to insects, 2) maintaining the effectiveness of host plant resistance in plantation settings over time through adequate lines of resistance and planting designs, and 3) developing resistance to a complex of pests. These factors have even more importance when woody plant species are grown in systems similar to traditional
Maternal-fetal transfer of 14C-di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and 14C-diethyl phthalate in rats.

14C-Di-2-ethylhexyl and 14C-diethyl phthalates were administered intraperitoneally to pregnant rats on either Day 5 or 10 of gestation. Rats were sacrificed at 24-hr intervals starting on Days 8 and 11, respectively; maternal blood, fetal tissue, amniotic fluid, and placentas (whenever possible) were obtained. The 14C-activity of each sample was determined by scintillation counting. It was found that both diesters and/or their metabolic products were present in each of these compartments throughout the gestation period, thus suggesting that the embryo-fetal toxicity and teratogenesis reported previously could be the results of a direct effect of the compound (or its metabolites) upon developing embryonic tissue. Additionally, the reduction in concentration of 14C from these tissues as a function of time was found to fit a firstorder excretion curve. From this model curve, the half-life for both compounds was calculated; the average was about 2.33 days for di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and 2.22 days for diethyl phthalate.
Factors associated with oral health-related quality of life in community-dwelling elderly persons with disabilities.

OBJECTIVES: To examine, in community-dwelling elderly persons with disabilities, the association between oral health—related quality of life (OHRQOL) as measured using the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and specific oral health, health, and disability status variables; life satisfaction; living alone; and low income. DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional. SETTING: A Medicare demonstration conducted in 19 counties in three states. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred forty-one disabled, cognitively intact, community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: The subjects' OHRQOL was assessed using the OHIP-14, which was scored using three different methods. Data on oral health, health and functional status, life satisfaction, prior health services use, and sociodemographics were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 79.1, and they were dependent in an average of 1.8 activities of daily living (ADLs); 43.1% were edentulous, 77.4% wore a denture, 40.4% felt that they were currently in need of dental treatment, and 64.7% had not had a dental examination in the previous 6 months. Seven of the 16 variables of interest had significant bivariate relationships using three OHIP scoring methods. Logistic regression analysis found that poor OHRQOL was significantly associated with perceived need for dental treatment (odds ratio (OR)=2.61), poor self-rated health (OR=2.29), poor (OR=2.00) and fair (OR=1.73) mental health, fewer than 17 teeth (OR=1.74), and relatively poor cognitive functioning (OR=1.52). CONCLUSION: OHRQOL is associated with some (perceived need for dental treatment, poor self-rated health, worse mental health, fewer teeth, and relatively poor cognitive status) but not all (e.g., ADL and instrumental ADL dependence) measures of oral health, health, and disability status and not with life satisfaction, living alone, or low income.
Thermal success of GGS SWE and hydra instruments: design, analysis, verification, flight performance

The Solar Wind Experiment (SWE) is an essential instrument on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Global Geospace Science (GGS) Interplanetary Physics Laboratory (WIND) spacecraft. The Fast Plasma Analyzer (HYDRA) is an essential instrument on the GGS Polar Plasma Laboratory (POLAR) spacecraft. WIND was successfully launched into orbit on November 1, 1994, and POLAR was successfully launched on February 24, 1996. The channeltrons of both the Vector Electron and Ion Spectrometers (VEIS) of SWE and Douo Deka Electron and Ion Spectrometers (DDEIS) of HYDRA, and the Faraday Cup (FC) detectors of SWE are critical components, which require an optimum operating temperature range of 0/spl deg/C to 20/spl deg/C. The thermal performance, data in flight for the first two years for SWE and the first year for HYDRA showed that the operating temperatures of these components are within the optimum range. This paper presents the thermal design, thermal analysis, verification and flight thermal performance of SWE and HYDRA.
Investigating the use of a digital library in an inquiry-based undergraduate geology course

This paper reports the findings of a qualitative research study designed to investigate the opportunities and obstacles presented by a digital library for supporting teaching and learning in an inquiry-based undergraduate geology course. Data for this study included classroom observations and field-notes of classroom practices, questionnaires, and audiotapes and transcripts of interviews conducted with student and instructor participants. The findings suggest that although both the instructor and students recognized a number of opportunities presented by the digital library to support teaching and learning (e.g., provides access to various types of data), they encountered a number of obstacles (e.g., difficulty with the search mechanism) that discouraged them from taking advantage of the resources available. Recommendations are presented for (a) developers of digital libraries, and (b) instructors wishing to integrate use of a digital library for supporting their teaching and student learning in an inquiry-based course. Le present article rend compte des conclusions d’une etude de recherche qualitative elaboree afin d’examiner les occasions et les obstacles que presente une bibliotheque numerique appuyant l’enseignement et l’apprentissage dans le cadre d’un cours de geologie de premier cycle axe sur la recherche. Les donnees pour cette etude comprenaient les observations effectuees en salle de classe et les notes d’excursion des pratiques en salle de classe, les questionnaires, les bandes audio ainsi que les transcriptions des entrevues menees aupres des etudiants et de l’instructeur participant. Les conclusions laissent entendre que bien que l’instructeur et les etudiants reconnaissent un certain nombre d’occasions que presente la bibliotheque numerique en appui a l’enseignement et a l’apprentissage (p. ex. acces a divers types de donnees), ils ont du surmonter un certain nombre d’obstacles (p. ex. difficulte avec les mecanismes de recherche) qui les ont decourages de profiter des ressources disponibles. Des recommandations sont presentees pour les a) developpeurs de bibliotheques numeriques et b) les instructeurs qui veulent integrer l’utilisation d’une bibliotheque numerique afin d’appuyer leur enseignement et l’apprentissage de leurs etudiants dans le cadre d’un cours axe sur la recherche.
Coaxial vircator source development

Summary form only given. A study of efficiency improvement for a coaxial virtual cathode oscillator is described. The coaxial geometry has many physical parameters that can be changed to alter the performance of the system. The parameters of interest include diode length, anode-cathode gap spacing, and an electron absorbing collection rod. The center rod also has two changeable variables, rod length and rod radius. The rod radius appears to be the critical parameter. Making the radius too large results in too many electrons being collected resulting in a decrease in produced microwaves, making the radius too small results in little effect compared to the no-rod case. MAGIC, a 2.5D particle-in-cell code, is used to simulate the different geometries. Conclusions on varying the parameters are given.
Impact of an oncology pharmacy elective course on guiding Doctor of Pharmacy students toward specializing in oncology pharmacy

Abstract Objective To assess the impact an elective course in oncology pharmacy has on students’ career interests. Methods A written survey was offered to Doctor of Pharmacy students taking part in an elective oncology pharmacy course. The first part of the survey was administered prior to the start of the course and the second part was given after completion of the final exam. Results Of the 54 students who took the course offered in two consecutive spring semesters, 45 and 53 students completed the first and second parts, respectively. Although most students had some pharmacy experience prior to the course, few of them were exposed to oncology pharmacy activities or were familiar with the medications used in oncology pharmacy. While taking part in the course greatly increased this familiarity, decreases were observed in the number of students who were definitely interested in becoming an oncology pharmacist, taking part in an oncology specialty residency, or becoming a Board-Certified oncology pharmacist. Conclusion Providing educational opportunities in areas of specialty pharmacy practice enables students to make informed decisions about their career plans, encouraging some to pursue their interests, while discouraging others.
Detection of methicillin-resistant staphylococci by using the polymerase chain reaction.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based test was developed for the detection of mecA in staphylococci. To facilitate this process, a rapid cell lysis procedure was established for the release of DNA from staphylococcal strains. Primers based on the DNA sequence of the mecA gene from Staphylococcus aureus were used in PCRs to screen for the presence of this gene in a total of 98 staphylococcal isolates. Fifty-one isolates were mecA positive (17 S. aureus strains and 34 coagulase-negative staphylococci including S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, and S. simulans). Results obtained with PCRs were generally consistent with those of standard microbiological assays. PCRs designed to detect the femA gene (factor essential for methicillin resistance) revealed the presence of the gene in all S. aureus strains examined regardless of the susceptibility profiles of the strains to methicillin. In contrast, femA could not be detected in coagulase-negative staphylococci by PCR with the same primers. Low-stringency hybridization suggested the presence of a gene structurally related to femA in S. epidermidis and other coagulase-negative staphylococci examined. Images
EWS/FLI-1 fusion transcripts in three peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the kidney

Although primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a well-recognized entity, its renal localization as a primary site has not been appreciated. Only nine cases of renal PNET exist in the literature. The paucity of renal PNET could be explained by the lack of objective diagnostic techniques that would facilitate its distinction from other primitive round cell tumors of the kidney, such as the more widely recognized monophasic Wilms' tumor and clear-cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK), as well as renal carcinoid, or neuroblastoma invading the kidney from the adjacent adrenal gland. The recently identified specific fusion transcripts detectable by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) have provided us with a valuable tool for the detection of renal PNET. This article reports three renal PNET that expressed EWS/FLI-1 fusion transcripts by RT-PCR, in addition to positive staining for MIC2 protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). One also exhibited dense core granules in cell processes by electron microscopy. Employment of such methodology will lead to a more accurate classification of renal tumors.
Towards intelligent decision making for risk screening

Predicting the best next test for medical diagnosis is crucial as it can speed up diagnosis and reduce medical expenses. This determination should be made by fully utilizing the available information in a personalized manner for each patient. In this paper, we propose a method that uses synthesis to infer the best learning cohort for the patient under consideration. The constrained sample space is then used to select the best next test by maximizing the expected information gain.
Coronary Bifurcation Lesions: A Current Update

Coronary bifurcations are prone to develop atherosclerotic plaque because of turbulent blood flow and high shear stress. When compared with nonbifurcation coronary interventions, bifurcation interventions have historically reported a lower rate of procedural success, higher procedural costs, longer hospitalization, and higher clinical and angiographic restenosis. Treating bifurcation lesions is challenging, but a simple algorithm based on the side branch size, stenosis, and angulation can be used. The ongoing development of novel drug-eluting stent devices designed specifically for coronary bifurcations and the large randomized clinical trials being conducted to address their utility will add to the already present literature regarding treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions.
Levels of selection and the formal Darwinism project

Understanding good design requires addressing the question of what units undergo natural selection, thereby becoming adapted. There is, therefore, a natural connection between the formal Darwinism project (which aims to connect population genetics with the evolution of design and fitness maximization) and levels of selection issues. We argue that the formal Darwinism project offers contradictory and confusing lines of thinking concerning level(s) of selection. The project favors multicellular organisms over both the lower (cell) and higher (social group) levels as the level of adaptation. Grafen offers four reasons for giving such special status to multicellular organisms: (1) they lack appreciable within-organism cell selection, (2) they have multiple features that appear contrived for the same purpose, (3) they possess a set of phenotypes, and (4) they leave offspring according to their phenotypes. We discuss why these rationales are not compelling and suggest that a more even-handed approach, in which multicellular organisms are not assumed to have special status, would be desirable for a project that aims to make progress on the foundations of evolutionary theory.
Cloning and characterization of rat cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase

Cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD) is a key enzyme in taurine biosynthesis. CSAD activity and enzyme protein concentration are both repressed by the action of the steroid family hormones triiodothyronine and estrogen. To characterize this suppression, a cDNA clone for CSAD was isolated from a rat liver cDNA expression library using polyclonal antibodies to CSAD. The cDNA was sequenced in its entirety and confirmed to be a clone of CSAD. In a Northern blot comparing liver and kidney RNA of male and female rats, the CSAD cDNA probe detected a 2.5 kb mRNA band which was present at levels corresponding to the concentration of enzyme protein. Hyperthyroidism decreased CSAD mRNA as compared to euthyroid controls, providing evidence that negative regulation of CSAD activity occurs at the level of mRNA.
A catalytically powered electrokinetic lens: toward channelless microfluidics

A chemically powered channelless microfluidic device was designed, fabricated, and characterized. The device consists of an asymmetric silver–gold bimetallic catalytic junction fabricated on a silicon dioxide surface. The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at the silver–gold interface generates a proton gradient and an associated electric field which in turn drives electroosmosis and electrophoresis when a charged particle is present in the vicinity of the field. By engineering an asymmetric device consisting of an isolated junction, continuous electroosmotic fluid flow across the device has been achieved. In addition, a new device geometry has been developed which is capable of focusing and directing negatively charged particles along a desired path without the need of microchannels. The efficiency and ease of the fabrication suggest the possibility of many versatile applications including biological molecule sorting and manipulation.
Application of selection techniques to electric-propulsion options on an advanced synchronous satellite

This paper addresses the comparison of several candidate auxiliary-propulsion systems and system combinations for an advanced synchronous satellite. Economic selection techniques, evolved at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, are used as a basis for system option comparisons. Electric auxiliary-propulsion types considered include pulsed plasma and ion bombardment, with hydrazine systems used as a state-of-the-art reference. Current as well as projected electric-propulsion system performance data are used, as well as projected hydrazine system costs resulting from NASA standardization program projections.
Biological phase relationships.

By treating hydra as a multi-phase system with each cell type constituting a separate biological phase the minimum number of components necessary to control cell differentiation can be determined.
Ultrasound attenuation measurements in the A-like phase of superfluid 3He in aerogel

Liquid 3He impregnated in high porosity aerogel shows many interesting features: significant suppression of superfluid transition and substantial modification of the the A-like to B-like transition. Ultrasound has been found to be a sensitive tool to measure these changes. Recently, the ultrasound attenuation measurements done in the B-like phase provided strong evidence for gapless superfluidity in liquid 3He in aerogel. We conducted high frequency sound propagation measurements at 6.22 MHz in the A-like phase of superfluid 3He induced by magnetic fields up to 4.44 kG. The magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the direction of sound propagation to see the noticeable change in attenuation between the A-like and the B-like phases. We measured the sound attenuation in the A-like phase to be larger than in the B-like phase, and this observation enabled us to identify the A-like to B-like phase transition as a function of magnetic field and pressure.
The Impact of College on Students: Myths, Rational Myths, and Some Other Things That May Not Be True

Academia clings to several myths about higher education and its effect on students. This article outlines 10 of these popular myths–myths about effective teaching styles, indicators of quality educ...
Crystalline L-Asparaginase from Escherichia coli B

L-Asparaginase has been crystallized from a partially purified extract of Escherichia coli B. The crystalline enzyme is homogeneous, as judged by analytical polyacrylamidegel electrophoresis and sedimentation behavior. This enzyme preparation is active in preventing lymphoma in mice and also has low glutaminase activity.
Effects of overhang shading of windows having arbitrary azimuth

Abstract A method is presented for calculating either nonthly average or clear-day insolation on overhang shaded windows of arbitrary azimuth. This technique is based on an extension to a totally arbitrary orientation of the methods of Liu and Jordan[1] and of Klein[2] for estimating the radiation on tilted surfaces.
NeuroD and Neurogenesis

NeuroD is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor cloned from a two hybrid screen designed to search for new bHLH proteins. In our previous studies, we showed that NeuroD could convert Xenopus ectoderm into fully differentiated neurons and that it could prematurely differentiate neural precursor cells in the nervous system. Recently, an insulin transcription activator, Beta-2, was cloned from a hamster insulinoma cell line by Naya et al. [Genes Dev (1995)9:1,009-1,019]. Sequence analysis revealed that Beta-2 is the hamster homologue of NeuroD. We are currently investigating the role that NeuroD/Beta-2 plays in vertebrate neurogenesis and pancreatic development.
An objective measure of stool color for differentiating upper from lower gastrointestinal bleeding

Subjective reporting of the color of blood passed per rectum has been used to predict the location of gastrointestinal bleeding, but the validity of this clinical approach has never been evaluated systematically. In this study we determined the spectrum of patient and physician descriptors used to characterize the color of blood passed per rectum and evaluated prospectively if an objective test of stool color would correlate with or improve upon subjective descriptions in predicting bleeding locations. The objective test employed was a card containing five numbered colors that typify the spectrum of stool blood colors. One hundred twenty patients used 23 different descriptors or terms to verbalize the color of blood they passed per rectum, and in 22% of cases there was a seeming discrepancy between their verbalized color and the color they pointed to on the test card. Patients pointing to card color 4 (the black color) resulted in a closer matching to an upper bleeding source than physicians using terminology such as melena or tarry stools. Likewise, patients picking card colors 1 and 2 (the brightest red colors) resulted in closer matching to a coloanorectal bleeding source than physicians using the terms hematochezia or bright red blood per rectum (P<0.02 for each comparison). The positive predictive value of card color 4 for an upper bleeding source was very high both when patients pointed to this color or when it was determined from the available stool (0.95 and 0.98, respectively). The positive predictive value of card color 1 for lower bleeding was greater for patients selecting this color than for a direct stool comparison (1.00 vs 0.83). This study revealed marked variability and surprising inconsistency in subjective color reporting for both patients and doctors and the superiority of several card colors for separating upper from lower bleeding sources. This simple objective test should improve upon terms such as melena and hematochezia and help direct the initial diagnostic evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding.
God, Truth and Mathematics in Nineteenth-century England

In the post-Newtonian tradition of English natural theology, the linkage between our understanding of mathematics and our understanding of God is strong and ubiquitous. A good starting point attesting to the connection is John Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which includes a chapter entitled “Of our Knowledge of the Existence of a God.” This chapter appears in the context of a discussion of the three kinds, or tiers, of knowledge humans can claim. The first is immediate knowledge; following Rene Descartes, Locke argues that the only example of this kind is our knowledge of our own existence. The second kind comprises our knowledge of God, which Locke argues we can come to recognize from our experience of ourselves. The recognition is not immediate, however; it requires individual effort to attain it. Locke’s third kind of knowledge comprises the existence of “any other thing” which, he asserts, “we can have only by sensation.”1 This kind of knowledge encompasses the vast majority of the things we know; defining its parameters focuses Locke’s attention in much of the rest of his Essay.
Binding of the winged-helix transcription factor HNF3 to a linker histone site on the nucleosome

The transcription factor HNF3 and linker histones H1 and H5 possess winged-helix DNA-binding domains, yet HNF3 and other fork head-related proteins activate genes during development whereas linker histones compact DNA in chromatin and repress gene expression. We compared how the two classes of factors interact with chromatin templates and found that HNF3 binds DNA at the side of nucleosome cores, similarly to what has been reported for linker histone. A nucleosome structural binding site for HNF3 is occupied at the albumin transcriptional enhancer in active and potentially active chromatin, but not in inactive chromatin in vivo. While wild-type HNF3 protein does not compact DNA extending from the nucleosome, as does linker histone, site-directed mutants of HNF3 can compact nucleosomal DNA if they contain basic amino acids at positions previously shown to be essential for nucleosomal DNA compaction by linker histones. The results illustrate how transcription factors can possess special nucleosome-binding activities that are not predicted from studies of factor interactions with free DNA.
Deuterium etching of the Si-rich SiC(0001) (3×3) surface reconstruction

The low-energy electron diVraction (LEED) pattern of the SiC(0001) (3◊3) surface reconstruction undergoes a change from (3◊3) to ( 1◊1) upon exposure to atomic hydrogen (and deuterium). Using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS ), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES ) and LEED, we have determined that this change is due to disordering and etching of the uppermost Si layers. With increasing deuterium exposure at 320 K, depletion of the Si adlayer and formation of SiD surface species is observed. At high deuterium exposure, observation of the CMD stretch mode indicates the onset of bulk silicon carbide etching. SiD 2 and SiD 3 surface species, known intermediates in the Si etching process, are observed with deuterium exposure at 180 K. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
EFFECT OF POTASSIUM THIOCYANATE ON FETAL RETENTION OF RADIOIODINE1

IN A recent study by Rugh and Booth (1954) of the effect of treatment of the pregnant mouse with thiouracil, methimazole, and thyrotrophic hormone prior to the injection of radioiodine, it was demonstrated that the expected radioiodine damage to both the mother and the fetus (Rugh 1951) was modified. Thiouracil particularly was found to protect both the maternal and fetal thyroids against radiation-induced necrosis. Potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) has been used clinically to alter radioiodine absorption and retention by the thyroid gland (Stanley and Astwood 1949; Beierwaltes 1950; Reveno and Rosenbaum 1950; Bartels and Sjogren 1951; Stone et al., 1952). It markedly inhibited I131 uptake by rat thyroids (Williams et al., 1950). The present study was directed toward the fetus. The thiocyanate was injected into the pregnant mouse before, simultaneously with, or after the injection of radioiodine (NaI131) and the effect on radioiodine retention by the mother and the fetus was determined.
Detection and monitoring of FRP-concrete debonding using distributed fiber optic strain sensor

To develop a simple method for detecting and monitoring FRP-concrete debonding with the use of distributed Brillouinbased fiber optic strain sensor, this study proposes a model that takes into consideration both the steady and the transient Brillouin interaction states. Assuming that the transient term has an analogous effect on the steady state term, two parameters, the effective transient length and the intensity reduction ratio, are introduced. The proposed model shows that the stimulated Brillouin signal intensity distribution at the specific frequency, which corresponds to the maximum strain at the debonded region, is sensitive to the occurrence of debonding. For evaluation of the model, experiments are carried out on a reinforced concrete beam retrofitted with glass FRP sheets on which sensing fibers are mounted, and the results agree with the observation. This numerical and experimental study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model that incorporates not only the steady Brillouin interaction state. The model enables debonding detection without baseline measurement, leveraging the stimulated Brillouin scattering principle with high spatial resolution and high accuracy.
Regression of small-cell lung carcinoma in patients with paraneoplastic neuronal antibodies

We describe three patients with known or suspected small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, and antineuronal antibodies who had unusually benign clinical courses. One patient survived 8 years free of disease and was positive for the anti-Hu antibody. A second patient survived 6 years after spontaneous tumour regression and had an atypical antineuronal antibody. A third patient with both the anti-Hu and atypical antineuronal antibody had spontaneous regression of a lung mass. All three patients had a subacute sensory neuropathy. Since paraneoplastic antineuronal antibodies also bind to tumour cells, these cases suggest that some (paraneoplastic) neurological syndromes without identifiable tumour may result from immune-mediated eradication of tumour cells.
Automated design of thin-walled packaging structures

This paper presents an automated method to generate thin-walled packaging structures with reinforcement. This method first obtains a thin-walled design space compose of hexahedral elements, which covers the models to be packaged without undercut effect. After the proper boundary conditions are assigned by designers, topology optimization is applied to identify the optimal placement of reinforcement. This automated method can also be used to generate foam packaging structures. Design examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of this method.
The Lunar Apatite Paradox

Recent discoveries of water-rich lunar apatite are more consistent with the hydrous magmas of Earth than the otherwise volatile-depleted rocks of the Moon. Paradoxically, this requires H-rich minerals to form in rocks that are otherwise nearly anhydrous. We modeled existing data from the literature, finding that nominally anhydrous minerals do not sufficiently fractionate H from F and Cl to generate H-rich apatite. Hydrous apatites are explained as the products of apatite-induced low magmatic fluorine, which increases the H/F ratio in melt and apatite. Mare basalts may contain hydrogen-rich apatite, but lunar magmas were most likely poor in hydrogen, in agreement with the volatile depletion that is both observed in lunar rocks and required for canonical giant-impact models of the formation of the Moon.
Estimating permanent income and wealth of the US farm households

Farm households are unique in the way they derive income when compared to nonfarm households. Farm operators and spouses have dual income sources, from farm and off-farm activities. Further, farm households on an average possess higher wealth than nonfarm households. This article estimates permanent income for the US farm households using data from a large national farm level survey. The estimated income is then used to identify the determinants of wealth accumulation by the US farm households. Results confirm that permanent income is closely related to age of the operator, education, occupation, farm size, location and number of earners in the household. Along with age, permanent income is a significant determinant of household wealth. It was also found that the wealth–income curve is nonlinear, upward sloping, and convex. Hausman's specification test indicates that variations in farm household wealth is better explained by estimated permanent income than observed total household income. Off-farm income ...
Using Twitter for Promotion and Branding: A Content Analysis of Local Television Twitter Sites

A content analysis examined the Twitter sites of 488 local television stations in the United States, based on a strategic and tactical model of media promotion. One finding of the study was that news stories were the most frequently occurring items on the sites. However, stations that offered news items also seldom promoted their regular newscasts. Overall, stations did not appear to use Twitter to direct viewers to the station's on-air programming.
Human and animal subjects of research: the moral significance of respect versus welfare.

Human beings with diminished decision-making capacities are usually thought to require greater protections from the potential harms of research than fully autonomous persons. Animal subjects of research receive lesser protections than any human beings regardless of decision-making capacity. Paradoxically, however, it is precisely animals’ lack of some characteristic human capacities that is commonly invoked to justify using them for human purposes. In other words, for humans lesser capacities correspond to greater protections but for animals the opposite is true. Without explicit justification, it is not clear why or whether this should be the case.
Enforcing Divorce Settlements: Evidence from Child Support Compliance and Award Modifications*

This paper uses an implicit contracting framework to understand the dynamic nature of divorce settlements and to analyze the determinants of noncompliance with child support awards. In addition to the standard economic variables that affect the noncustodial parent’s (NCP’s) ability to pay child support, our approach focuses on factors that may affect the NCP’s desire to pay, such as the ongoing relationship between the two parents and between the NCP and the children. We also examine the “state-contingent” nature of child support payments and explore the factors that lead to modifications in child support agreements. Using a longitudinal data set collected by the Stanford Child Custody Project, the empirical analysis provides documentation that compliance by noncustodial fathers can vary substantially from month to month. In addition, we find that even within a short period after divorce, a substantial minority of parents agree to make informal modifications to their divorce settlement in response to changes in economic circumstances and in custodial arrangements
A longitudinal EEG study of mild senile dementia of Alzheimer type: changes at 1 year and at 2.5 years☆

This longitudinal study of resting EEGs compared patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and healthy controls at 3 times of testing over a 2.5 year period. Measures included the mean EEG frequency as well as the percentage of power in alpha, beta, theta, and delta frequency bands obtained from power spectral analysis. The values from occipital to vertex derivations were averaged for the left and right hemispheres. In healthy older adults delta increased, and both beta and mean frequency decreased over the study period; there was no significant change in theta or alpha. In the SDAT group, all 5 EEG measures changed significantly; there were increases in delta and theta, and decreases in beta, alpha and mean frequency. Theta percentage power distinguished between all 4 stages of dementia (control, mild, moderate and severe). Other EEG measures discriminated only at certain stages. In the mild stage of SDAT theta, beta and mean frequency were already different from control values. In the moderate stage, these differences persisted, and alpha became different. Delta was the last to change, and in the present small sample of those with severe SDAT the difference had not yet reached significance.
Role REVersal: understanding how RRE RNA binds its peptide ligand

The structure of a complex between the HIV Revresponsive element (RRE) RNA and a fragment of the Rev protein has recently been determined by NMR. Together with previous studies of the Tat-TAR complex, these results show how RNA elements with considerable tertiary structure are able to play a more active role in directing binding to elements of protein secondary structure.