cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in C2H2 Reduction and H2 Evolution Following Disruption of the Photosynthate Supply to Pea Nodules

When the supply of photosynthate to actively fixing nodules was disrupted by darkening or excising the shoots or by chilling the stem, the rates of both C2H2 reduction and H2 evolution in the intact roots and nodules decreased. The changes in C2H2 reduction after these disruption treatments were similar in plants inoculated with a low H2 evolving strain (R.F.=0.75) and a mixed strain commercial inoculant (R.E.=0.59), but the changes in H2 evolution differed. With both inoculants, H2 evolution was a continuous function of the rate of acetylene reduction. However, while H2 evolution was almost proportionally related to C2H2 reduction with the low efficiency mixed strain, the relationship was distinctly non-linear and the rates were reduced with the low H2 evolving strain.
IT cost benchmarking: Drawing the right conclusions

Abstract The use of managerial control ratios for benchmarking IT costs is widely accepted. This installment of Accounting Matters informs CIOs about IT managerial control ratios and the assumptions underlying the use of these ratios in IT cost benchmarking. Incorrect use of these ratios and violation of the assumptions can lead to faulty inferences and costly mistakes. This article proposes a technique for benchmarking IT costs to draw the right conclusions from the data.
Changing Their Minds: Enhancing Poststroke Occupational Performance Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability, with survivors experiencing long-term decrements in independence and quality of life. Occupational therapists (OTs) employ numerous neurorehabilitative treatment approaches to remediate impairments that are impeding performance. OTs also use physical agent modalities to facilitate increased participation and success in therapy. One such modality is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a form a noninvasive brain stimulation that can be overlaid onto task practice and delivers a constant, low intensity current into the brain. tDCS is safe, portable, and efficacious in remediating a variety of deficits, yet is not consistently incorporated into clinical practice. The authors discuss the mechanisms, safety, evidence, and potential applications of tDCS to enhance outcomes for this growing population.
An Examination of the Role of Transcriptional and Posttranscriptional Regulation in Rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive family of soft tissue tumors that most commonly manifests in children. RMS variants express several skeletal muscle markers, suggesting myogenic stem or progenitor cell origin of RMS. In this review, the roles of both recently identified and well-established microRNAs in RMS are discussed and summarized in a succinct, tabulated format. Additionally, the subtypes of RMS are reviewed along with the involvement of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins, Pax proteins, and microRNAs in normal and pathologic myogenesis. Finally, the current and potential future treatment options for RMS are outlined.
Propranolol kinetics in plasma from severely burned adults

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate propranolol dosing strategy for reducing heart rate in severely burned adults. Methods A total of 26 patients (≥18 years) with burns covering ≥30% of the total body surface area were included in this IRB-approved study. Plasma propranolol concentrations were determined in a placebo group (n = 10) or following one of three dosing strategies: Q6 (n = 4), Q8 (n = 6), and Q24 (n = 6). Blood was collected just before dosing and at regular intervals over two dosing periods with corresponding heart rate and blood pressure recordings. Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA followed by the appropriate post-hoc test. Results Heart rate was 86 ± 2 bpm for Q6, 93 ± 3 bpm for Q8, and 90 ± 4 bpm for Q24. The Q8 group had a significantly higher heart rate than the Q6 group (p = 0.0001). Plasma propranolol concentrations were significantly higher in the Q6 dosing strategy than in the Q8 dosing strategy (p = 0.02). Conclusions Heart rate can be decreased to a similar degree with Q6 and Q24 dosing strategies, with the Q8 dosing strategy being less effective. Q6 dosing is recommended to maintain reduced heart rate throughout dosing periods.
Comparing malleability of phonetic category between [i] and [u]

This study reports differential category retuning effect between [i] and [u]. Two groups of American listeners were exposed to ambiguous vowels ([i/u]) within words that index a phoneme /i/ (e.g., athl[i/u]t) (i-group) or /u/ (e.g., aftern[i/u]n) (u-group). Before and after the exposure these listeners categorized sounds from a [bip]-[bup] continuum. The i-group significantly increased /bip/ responses after exposure, but the u-group did not change their responses significantly. These results suggest that the way mental representation handles phonetic variation may influence malleability of each category, highlighting the complex relationship among distribution of sounds, their mental representation, and speech perception.
URINARY PHOSPHATE AND CYCLIC AMP IN PSEUDOHYPOPARATHYROIDISM

In a 1942 article in Endocrinology, Albright, Burnett, Smith, and Parson (1) described a syndrome characterized by hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, in the absence of renal insufficiency, in which there was little or no restoration of serum calcium and phosphorus values to normal after administration of parathyroid extract. Albright et al termed this syndrome, which resembled hypoparathyroidism, pseudohypoparathyroidism and postulated that its pathophysiology was due to resistance of the kidney and the skeleton to the action of parathyroid hormone. Albright et al, in their first report, were struck by the physical appearance of the patients with this syndrome. They were of short stature, had round faces and short necks, short phalanges, metacarpal and metatarsal bones, exostosis, and ectopic calcium deposits. It was shown subsequently that some patients with certain of these physical characteristics had a normal response to the action of parathyroid hormone and have normal serum calcium and phosphorus,so called pseudo-pseudohypoparathyroidism (2,3). In addition, patients with hypocalcemia and renal resistance to the phosphaturic action of parathyroid hormone but without the somatic characteristics of classic pseudohypoparathyroidism have also been described (3).
Exploiting the structure of furthest neighbor search for fast approximate results

Abstract We present a novel strategy for approximate furthest neighbor search that selects a set of candidate points using the data distribution. This strategy leads to an algorithm, which we call DrusillaSelect , that is able to outperform existing approximate furthest neighbor strategies. Our strategy is motivated by a study of the behavior of the furthest neighbor search problem, which has significantly different structure than the nearest neighbor search problem, and can be understood with the help of an information-theoretic hardness measure that we introduce. We also present a variant of the algorithm that gives an absolute approximation guarantee; under some assumptions, the guaranteed approximation can be achieved in provably less time than brute-force search. Performance studies indicate that DrusillaSelect can achieve comparable levels of approximation to other algorithms, even on the hardest datasets, while giving up to an order of magnitude speedup. An implementation is available in the mlpack machine learning library (found at http://www.mlpack.org ).
Uncertainty, efficiency and incentive compatibility: Ambiguity solves the conflict between efficiency and incentive compatibility

Abstract A fundamental result of modern economics is the conflict between efficiency and incentive compatibility, that is, the fact that some Pareto optimal (efficient) allocations are not incentive compatible. This conflict has generated a huge literature, which almost always assumes that individuals are expected utility maximizers. What happens if they have other kind of preferences? Is there any preference where this conflict does not exist? Can we characterize those preferences? We show that in an economy where individuals have complete, transitive, continuous and monotonic preferences, every efficient allocation is incentive compatible if and only if individuals have maximin preferences.
High Availability on Jetstream: Practices and Lessons Learned

Research computing has traditionally used high performance computing (HPC) clusters and has been a service not given to high availability without a doubling of computational and storage capacity. System maintenance such as security patching, firmware updates, and other system upgrades generally meant that the system would be unavailable for the duration of the work unless one has redundant HPC systems and storage. While efforts were often made to limit downtimes, when it became necessary, maintenance windows might be one to two hours or as much as an entire day. As the National Science Foundation (NSF) began funding non-traditional research systems, looking at ways to provide higher availability for researchers became one focus for service providers. One of the design elements of Jetstream was to have geographic dispersion to maximize availability. This was the first step in a number of design elements intended to make Jetstream exceed the NSF's availability requirements. We will examine the design steps employed, the components of the system and how the availability for each was considered in deployment, how maintenance is handled, and the lessons learned from the design and implementation of the Jetstream cloud.
Interviewing the young child sexual abuse victim.

1. Nurses can facilitate the disclosure by a young child of sexual abuse by using developmentally sensitive language, such as through the use of proper nouns, single-idea sentences, and the avoidance of technical terms. 2. Nurses can guide the interview from benign, open-ended questions to context-specific, focused questions. Differentiation is made between being specific versus being suggestive. 3. Rapport-building is an important part of the alliance with the child and the nurse. Interviewers should be matter-of-fact and acknowledge any discomfort the child may demonstrate. 4. Cognitive interviewing is a specific technique designed to access accurate recall of a child's memories through reconstruction and memory-jogging techniques. Language: en
Large Analytic Functions

Let f be a complex summable function on the circle T. f is called analytic if these equivalent conditions hold: the Fourier coefficients $${a_n} = {(2\pi )^{ - 1}}\smallint f(x){e^{ - nix}}dx $$ (1) all vanish for n < 0; and there is a holomorphic function F in the open disc A satisfying $$ D\left( {{T_1}{T_2}} \right) = \left\{ {x \in {\kern 1pt} D\left( {{T_2}} \right);{T_2}x \in D\left( {{T_1}} \right)} \right\} $$ whose boundary function is f. The space H1 is, ambiguously, the set of all such functions for F.
Conversion of Methane to Benzene over Transition Metal Ion ZSM-5 Zeolites: II. Catalyst Characterization by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to determine the state of the transition metal ions (V, Cr, Fe, W, and Mo) on impregnated and ion-exchanged H-ZSM-5 zeolites that are active for the catalytic conversion of methane to benzene at 750°C. During an induction period, transition metal suboxides are formed on all of the impregnated catalysts except Mo/H-ZSM-5 for which Mo2C is formed. Ion-exchanged samples became more active after treatment with CO at 500°C. For the Fe/H-ZSM-5 sample, this treatment resulted in the migration of the metal to the external surface of the zeolite and the formation of an iron oxide phase.
Nutrition Recommendations Critical to Teach Low-Income Adults in EFNEP: U.S. Dietary Guidelines Expert Panel Opinion

ObjectiveAn expert panel was convened to prioritize which nutrition messages from the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines were most critical to teach low-income adults to improve diet quality and reduce c...
‘Good, deserving immigrants’ join the Tea Party: How South Carolina policy excludes Latinx and undocumented immigrants from educational opportunity and social mobility

This timely article engages in a content analysis of South Carolina state policies that exclude resources from (un)documented Latinx immigrants. This research explores how state policy enacts tropes of deservingness and constructs notions of good immigrants in order to exclude Latinx immigrants from educational opportunity and social mobility. Drawing on a content analysis of 67 policy documents from the state’s legislative database from 2003-2017, the analysis revealed examples of explicit and implicit exclusion. The main findings related to these forms of explicit and implicit exclusion, highlighting how policy discourse constructs notions of good immigrants in state policy and policy enactments restrict resources. As Latinx populations reconfigure the landscape of the U.S. South, states like South Carolina continue to embed racist, discriminatory language and actions into enacted and proposed policies. This has severe implications for undocumented children and families and their access to public and social resources.
Persistence of risk of death after hospital discharge to locations other than home after cardiac surgery

Abstract Objective Temporal changes in the risk of postoperative death following cardiac surgery are uncharacterized. We aimed to quantify the duration of postoperative phase with elevated risk of death in patients who underwent cardiac surgery and were discharged to home and destinations other than home. Method We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 6894 patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 2008 and 2016 at a tertiary care center in the United States. Logistic regression models with restricted cubic splining along the days since hospital discharge were fitted for risk of death in patients who were discharged to home and those discharged to destinations other than home. The splining curves were analyzed to quantify the duration of postoperative high-risk phase in each cohort. Results Mortality rate was significantly higher in the nonhome cohort compared with those discharged to home at 365 days following hospital discharge (9.3% vs 2.1%; P Conclusions Hospital discharges to locations other than home following cardiac surgery were associated with an increased risk of late mortality. The postoperative high-risk phase persisted for 80 days in patients who were discharged to locations other than home, supporting the use of 90-day outcome measures as quality metrics. Predictors of discharge to locations other than home were identified, and this may aid in selective intervention to reduce the risk of death in this vulnerable patient population.
Formulating Layered and Semi-Analytic Finite Element Flow Programs with Variable Eddy Viscosity

A number of different finite element programs for the analysis of flows in lakes and oceans have evolved over the past several years under an increased demand to understand the hydrodynamics of these natural bodies of water. These programs are all founded on the basic Eulerian momentum and continuity equations for incompressible flow. Different analysis formulations have evolved depending on the importance of different flow velocities. Three dimensional transient flow programs are generally required to provide a reasonable description of the major flow characteristics. Although there are a number of ways to classify finite element programs of this type one feature which can be used to distinguish two groups is the means by which the vertical structure of the flow is represented. The two general possibilities are to use a semianalytic formulation for the vertical structure or use a Galerkin based finite element or spectral formulation. Semi-analytic numerical formulations incorporating finite elements (Cheng, 1977; Liggett,1973) have been successfully used in the analysis of circulations in lakes. Fully three dimensional Galerkin based finite element models are generally of the multi-layered type (Kawahara, 1980; Wang and Connor, 1975; King and Norton, 1973; Koutitas, 1980). Single layered finite element models have also been formulated using higher degree polynomial bases functions (Laible, 1980) or Fourier series (Koutitas, 1978) to model the vertical structure of the flow.
Meeting the Unique Educational Needs of Visually Impaired Pupils through Appropriate Placement

A preoccupation with educating visually impaired students in the “least restrictive environment” often overshadows the need to place these students in environments where all their educational needs...
On the evolution of microstructure and defect control in 316L SS components fabricated via directed energy deposition

Abstract To identify the critical issues that affect the evolution of microstructure during additive manufacturing, we investigated the influence of process parameters on the evolution of the dimensional and surface quality, microstructure, internal defects, and mechanical properties in 316L stainless steel (SS) components fabricated using laser engineered net shaping (LENS®), a directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) technique. The results show that the accumulation of un-melted powder particles on the side walls of deposited sections can be avoided by selecting a laser under-focused condition. Moreover, we report that the variation of melt pool width is more sensitive to laser power than to the depth of the melt pool. The formation of a so-called “hierarchical” microstructure with cellular morphology is attributable to a combination of layer deposition and rapid solidification, which are characteristics of AM. Finally, we discuss microstructure evolution and defect formation, particularly the formation of multiple interfaces and the presence of un-melted powder particles and pores, in light of the dynamic convective fluid flow and rapid solidification that occur in the melt pool. X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) was used to precisely map the spatial distribution of pores in the DED components. The evolution of microstructure during DED is discussed in the context of related thermal phenomena in an effort to provide fundamental insight into the mechanisms that govern defect formation.
Quivers for 3-manifolds: the correspondence, BPS states, and 3d $\mathcal{N}$=2 theories

We introduce and explore the relation between quivers and 3-manifolds with the topology of the knot complement. This idea can be viewed as an adaptation of the knots-quivers correspondence to Gukov-Manolescu invariants of knot complements (also known as $F_K$ or $\hat{Z}$). Apart from assigning quivers to complements of $T^{(2,2p+1)}$ torus knots, we study the physical interpretation in terms of the BPS spectrum and general structure of 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories associated to both sides of the correspondence. We also make a step towards categorification by proposing a $t$-deformation of all objects mentioned above.
Obesity and Its Impact on Kidney Stone Formation

The prevalence of obesity is rising and places this cohort at risk for developing kidney stones. Some of the pathophysiologic responses that link obesity and kidney stone formation have been identified. Herein, we review the involved mechanisms driving this relationship and the impact of various weight loss strategies on kidney stone risk.
Low Rates of Colonoscopy Follow-up After a Positive Fecal Immunochemical Test in a Medicaid Health Plan Delivered Mailed Colorectal Cancer Screening Program.

BackgroundFollow-up colonoscopy after a positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is necessary for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening to be effective. We report colonoscopy follow-up rates after a po...
Tissue at Risk and Ischemic Core Estimation Using Deep Learning in Acute Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In acute stroke patients with large vessel occlusions, it would be helpful to be able to predict the difference in the size and location of the final infarct based on the outcome of reperfusion therapy. Our aim was to demonstrate the value of deep learning–based tissue at risk and ischemic core estimation. We trained deep learning models using a baseline MR image in 3 multicenter trials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke from 3 multicenter trials were identified and grouped into minimal (≤20%), partial (20%-80%), and major (≥80%) reperfusion status based on 4- to 24-hour follow-up MR imaging if available or into unknown status if not. Attention-gated convolutional neural networks were trained with admission imaging as input and the final infarct as ground truth. We explored 3 approaches: 1) separate: train 2 independent models with patients with minimal and major reperfusion; 2) pretraining: develop a single model using patients with partial and unknown reperfusion, then fine-tune it to create 2 separate models for minimal and major reperfusion; and 3) thresholding: use the current clinical method relying on apparent diffusion coefficient and time-to-maximum of the residue function maps. Models were evaluated using area under the curve, the Dice score coefficient, and lesion volume difference. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-seven patients were included (minimal, major, partial, and unknown reperfusion: n = 52, 80, 57, and 48, respectively). The pretraining approach achieved the highest median Dice score coefficient (tissue at risk = 0.60, interquartile range, 0.43–0.70; core = 0.57, interquartile range, 0.30–0.69). This was higher than the separate approach (tissue at risk = 0.55; interquartile range, 0.41–0.69; P = .01; core = 0.49; interquartile range, 0.35–0.66; P = .04) or thresholding (tissue at risk = 0.56; interquartile range, 0.42–0.65; P = .008; core = 0.46; interquartile range, 0.16–0.54; P CONCLUSIONS: Deep learning models with fine-tuning lead to better performance for predicting tissue at risk and ischemic core, outperforming conventional thresholding methods.
Controlled photo-discharge of dust in a complex plasma

One of the limitations in studying dusty plasmas is that many of the important properties of the dust (like the charge) are directly coupled to the surrounding plasma conditions rather than being determined independently. The application of high-intensity ultraviolet (UV) sources to generate discharging photoelectric currents may provide an avenue for developing methods of controlling dust charge. Careful selection of the parameters of the UV source and dust material may even allow for this to be accomplished with minimal perturbation of the background plasma. The Auburn Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory (MPRL) has developed a ‘proof-of-concept’ experiment for this controlled photo-discharging of dust; a high-intensity, near-UV source was used to produce large changes in the equilibrium positions of lanthanum hexaboride () particles suspended in an argon DC glow discharge with negligible changes in the potential, density and temperature profiles of the background plasma. The shifts in equilibrium position of the dust are consistent with a reduction in dust charge. Video analysis is used to quantify the changes in position, velocity and acceleration of a test particle under the influence of the UV and Langmuir probes are used to measure the effects on the plasma.
Paraplegia From a Spinal Epidural Abscess Caused by Pasteurella multocida.

Pasteurella multocida is a common cause of infection following bites or scratches caused by cats and dogs. It is a rarely reported and often overlooked pathogen. Typical presentation is a rapidly developing cellulitis at the infection site. Here we present a rare case of worsening lower extremity paraplegia due to a spinal epidural abscess caused by P. multocida. The patient was a 56-year-old female who had been experiencing several days of back pain, became septic and went on to develop paraplegia. Failure to improve prompted re-evaluation of the diagnosis with subsequent imaging notable for a spinal epidural abscess. Blood cultures grew P. multocida but were initially misidentified as Haemophilus influenzae and only with targeted antibiotic therapy and neurosurgical intervention did she begin to improve. Obtaining an animal history and knowing when to re-evaluate a diagnosis are essential skills for any clinician.
Effects of nitrate and ammonium enrichment on growth and nitrogen physiology in Fucus spiralis

Ahstract Growth and physiological responses of whole specimens of F&us spirahs to nitrate and ammonium enrichment were measured in a continuous-flow system using seawater from the Massachusetts coast. As physiological indicators of nitrogen status, total C and N, dark ammonium uptake, and respiratory stimulation by ammonium were examined in plant apices. Total nitrogen content and growth rate increased with the level of nitrate or ammonium addition, both supporting similar growth. Dark ammonium uptake was not as sensitive an indicator of nitrogen status as the respiratory stimulation by ammonium. Although the growth of F. spirabis may become nitrogen limited, plants did not exhibit severe nitrogen deficiency responses.
Cross-cultural science: ten lessons

Concerns of infectious disease outbreaks have recently reached the forefront of global security issues and resulted in new engagements among foreign science advisors, host country scientists, and officials. There are lessons to be learned from the numerous organizations working in global regions of endemic disease who are building capacity to survey pathogens and prevent and contain epidemics. Working with foreign scientists, health professionals, and administrators can be challenging; building partnerships based on respect and mutual trust is key to achieve effective change. Engendering ownership, working towards mutual success, paying close attention to cultural norms and the local regulatory climate, close collaboration with other stakeholders, and imaginative problem solving all contribute to mission success.
What's new in toxicology? : more about ... paediatric emergency medicine

Poisoning in children causes great anxiety in parents and health professionals alike. Most cases of poisoning involve a child aged 1 - 2 years who has swallowed a small amount of one substance. In adolescence there is a second peak, due to deliberate self-poisoning. This usually involves large quantities of medicines, recreational drugs and ethanol, often taken together.
Average Cost Optimality in Inventory Models with Markovian Demands and Lost Sales

This paper is concerned with long-run average cost minimization of a stochastic inventory problem with Markovian demand, fixed ordering cost, convex surplus cost, and lost sales. The states of the Markov chain represent different possible states of the environment. Using a vanishing discount approach, a dynamic programming equation and the corresponding verification theorem are established. Finally, the existence of an optimal state-dependent (s, S) policy is proved.
Serine Biosynthesis in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Cell-free extracts of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans possess enzymes which catalyze the synthesis of serine from 3-phosphoglycerate via the intermediates phosphohydroxypyruvate and phosphoserine.
Supernova Remnant Populations in Nearby Star-Forming Galaxies

• Spatially coincident with Hα emission in a narrow band image Needed to separate SNRs from background sources (higherredshift AGN will have Hα shifted out of the filter) 20 cm radio continuum maps obtained at the VLA in its B configuration (~4” resolution). These maps are some of the deepest ever observed (rms noise ~ 0.015 mJy/beam). Maps of similar depth and resolution were also obtained at 6cm. Radio SNRs are marked by circles. NGC 628 NGC 3184 NGC 3631
Nontranscribed spacer sequences promote in vitro transcription of Drosophila ribosomal DNA.

Abstract Tandem repeats of ribosomal RNA transcription units in Drosophila melanogaster are separated by a nontranscribed spacer that is comprised in part of serial repeats of a 0.24 kb sequence. DNA sequence analysis shows that such repeats are imperfect copies of a region that includes the site of in vivo rRNA transcription initiation (ca. -240 to +30). Subclones of the rDNA spacer that are copies of the sequence extending from -34 through the initiation site support detectable in vitro transcription in a mixture involving a Drosophila cell-free extract, but accurate in vitro transcription is considerably enhanced when a nontranscribed spacer template includes a copy of the sequence extending upstream of -34. From a comparison of the sequences and transcription template-effectiveness of various rDNA subclones, we infer that a major promoter of RNA polymerase I activity lies between -150 and -30 in the rDNA nontranscribed spacer. The nontranscribed spacer copies of the initiation region are less effective templates for transcription than is the region of in vivo initiation, and there are differences between spacer repeats and the authentic sequence downstream of -240 that may account for this.
The Continuous Spectra of Quantum Operators

The linear vector space for the quantum description of a physical system is formulated as the intersection of the domains of Hermiticity of the observables characterizing the system. It is shown that on a continuous interval of its spectrum every Hermitian operator on a Hilbert space of one degree of freedom is a generalized coordinate with a conjugate generalized momentum. Every continuous spectral interval of a Hermitian operator is the limit of a discrete spectrum in the same interval. This result is applied to description of the state of a system by a statistical operator p( $$\hat q$$ ) following measurement of the probabilities of the eigenvalues of an observable $$\hat q$$ . Each continuous interval in the spectrum of $$\hat q$$ is replaced by a discrete spectrum in the same interval with a parameterK; the limitK → ∞ in which the spectrum becomes continuous is not attainable physically. In the linear vector space of a quantum mechanical system every continuous interval in the spectra of the observables is similarly replaced by a discrete spectrum with a finite parameter: it is a space of discrete bases and a set of such parameters. The case of degenerate spectrum is also discussed.
Vascular compliance and arterial calcification: impact on blood pressure reduction.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this article is to review the relationship between vascular calcification and difficult to control hypertension. This does not address antihypertensive treatment of drug resistant hypertension per se. RECENT FINDINGS: Vascular calcification occurs in a variety of common hypertension scenarios. Basic mechanisms of how and why vessels calcify are reviewed including new genetic insights. The potential for contributing to or improving calcification through drug therapies for nonhypertensive disorders is reviewed. SUMMARY: Vascular calcification is common and easily recognized. Studies that target its clinical consequences (arterial stiffness) as primary treatment goals are needed.
Decomposing associations between acculturation and drinking in Mexican Americans.

BACKGROUND: Acculturation to life in the United States is a known predictor of Hispanic drinking behavior. We compare the ability of 2 theoretical models of this effect-sociocultural theory and general stress theory-to account for associations between acculturation and drinking in a sample of Mexican Americans. Limitations of previous evaluations of these theoretical models are addressed using a broader range of hypothesized cognitive mediators and a more direct measure of acculturative stress. In addition, we explore nonlinearities as possible underpinnings of attenuated acculturation effects among men. METHODS: Respondents (N = 2,595, current drinker N = 1,351) were interviewed as part of 2 recent multistage probability samples in a study of drinking behavior among Mexican Americans in the United States. The ability of norms, drinking motives, alcohol expectancies, and acculturation stress to account for relations between acculturation and drinking outcomes (volume and heavy drinking days) were assessed with a hierarchical linear regression strategy. Nonlinear trends were assessed by modeling quadratic effects of acculturation and acculturation stress on cognitive mediators and drinking outcomes. RESULTS: Consistent with previous findings, acculturation effects on drinking outcomes were stronger for women than men. Among women, only drinking motives explained acculturation associations with volume or heavy drinking days. Among men, acculturation was linked to increases in norms, and norms were positive predictors of drinking outcomes. However, adjusted effects of acculturation were nonexistent or trending in a negative direction, which counteracted this indirect normative influence. Acculturation stress did not explain the positive associations between acculturation and drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Stress and alcohol outcome expectancies play little role in the positive linear association between acculturation and drinking outcomes, but drinking motives appear to at least partially account for this effect. Consistent with recent reports, these results challenge stress models of linear acculturation effects on drinking outcomes and provide (partial) support for sociocultural models. Inconsistent mediation patterns-rather than nonlinearities-represented a more plausible statistical description of why acculturation-drinking associations are weakened among men. Language: en
Bounding of letter sequences and the integration of visually presented words

Abstract S s wrote down letters that were presented briefly in various temporal and geometric arrangements. Results reveal marked impairment in processing more than one temporally extended word in parallel. The impairment cannot be attributed to spatial separation of letters by itself, to sequence, or to inability to discriminate the letters. The concept of ‘bounding’ is introduced to account for the perception of familiar words in a continuing flow of information; the results suggest that only one object can be bounded at a time. They also suggest that the information that guides the eyes' movements in reading is qualitatively different from the information extracted from the printed text.
Ultraviolet absorption spectra of all-trans-octatetraene and -decapentaene in solid argon

Abstract Ultraviolet absorption spectra for all- trans -octatetraene and -decapentaene in solid argon give well-resolved vibronic progressions in single and double carbon-carbon bond stretching modes. The vibronic bands in argon matrix spectra are sharper than bands in glassy matrix spectra.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide and the mammalian circadian system.

In mammals, the circadian oscillators that drive daily behavioral and endocrine rhythms are located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). While the SCN is anatomically well-situated to receive and transmit temporal cues to the rest of the brain and periphery, there are many holes in our understanding of how this temporal regulation occurs. Unanswered questions include how cell autonomous circadian oscillations within the SCN remain synchronized to each other as well as communicate temporal information to downstream targets. In recent years, it has become clear that neuropeptides are critically involved in circadian timekeeping. One such neuropeptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), defines a cell population within the SCN and is likely used as a signaling molecule by these neurons. Converging lines of evidence suggest that the loss of VIP or its receptor has a major influence on the ability of the SCN neurons to generate circadian oscillations as well as synchronize these cellular oscillations. VIP, acting through the VPAC2 receptor, exerts these effects in the SCN by activating intracellular signaling pathways and, consequently, modulating synaptic transmission and intrinsic membrane currents. Anatomical evidence suggests that these VIP expressing neurons connect both directly and indirectly to endocrine and other output targets. Striking similarities exist between the role of VIP in mammals and the role of Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF), a functionally related neuropeptide, in the Drosophila circadian system. Work in both mammals and insects suggests that further research into neuropeptide function is necessary to understand how circadian oscillators work as a coordinated system to impose a temporal structure on physiological processes within the organism.
Solar Tachocline Revisited

Using recent helioseismological data, Kosovichev has shown that half of the tachocline lies within the convective zone (CZ). Previous theoretical models suggested that it lies outside the CZ. We propose a new model whereby the tachocline originates within the CZ and/or in that part of the overshooting region where the convective flux is still positive. The key ingredients of the model are shear, vorticity, and buoyancy. We find that (1) shear alone, (2) shear + vorticity, and (3) shear + buoyancy are unable to reproduce the measured Reynolds stresses at the surface of the Sun. The key ingredients are vorticity + buoyancy, both of which are missing in previous models. Without carrying out a detailed numerical calculation, we estimate the thickness of the tachocline to be 0.053 (in units of the solar radius) compared with Kosovichev's value of 0.09±0.04. The next step is the numerical solution of the equations.
An Escherichia coli mutant unable to support site-specific recombination of bacteriophage λ

Abstract We report the isolation of mutations in, and the characterization of, an Escherichia coli gene. hip, that is required for site-specific recombination of phage λ. hip mutants are recessive and are located near minute 20 on the linkage map. The gene product is not vital to bacterial growth, since deletion mutants are viable. The absence of hip product reduces λ integration to barely detectable levels and also reduces prophage excision, but less drastically. Certain mutations in the λ int gene partially restore integration and excision in hip− hosts. Homologous recombination promoted by recA does not require hip function. In addition to their defect in site-specific recombination, hip mutants are unable to support lytic growth of phage Mu or of certain λ mutants. Their pleiotropic phenotype closely resembles that of himA mutants, but complementation, mapping and DNA sequencing show that hip and himA are different genes.
Optimization of Ground- and Excited-State Wave Functions and van der Waals Clusters

A quantum Monte Carlo method is introduced to optimize excited-state trial wave functions. The method is applied in a correlation function Monte Carlo calculation to compute ground- and excited-state energies of bosonic van der Waals clusters of up to seven particles. The calculations are performed using trial wave functions with general three-body correlations.
Non-monotonicity in the episodic random utility model.

The time trade-off is widely used in population-based surveys to estimate health-state valuations. Typically, respondents may characterize states as being better than or worse than dead. However, worse-than-dead responses can produce strongly negative mean values, so various analytic transformations of these responses have been suggested. The episodic random utility model (eRUM), operationalized using a linear regression estimator, was proposed as an alternative to these transformations, in part because of its theoretical appeal. We analyzed the eRUM estimator’s mathematical properties and found that it violates monotonicity under certain patterns of survey responses, such that improvement in some individual valuations would imply a lower overall valuation for a given health state. Consequently, it is possible that orderings of alternative strategies based on eRUM valuations could lead a decision-maker to choose a strictly dominated strategy. Re-analyzing data from a large population-based EQ-5D valuation survey in the United Kingdom, we found 27% of all time trade-off responses (63% of all worse-than-dead responses) met the conditions for violation of monotonicity, and 74% of all respondents had at least one such response. These results present some challenge to the use of the eRUM estimator in generating health-state valuations for population health measurement and economic evaluation.
Inhibition of gene expression and production of iNOS and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated microglia by methanol extract of Phellodendri cortex

Activation of microglia has been increasingly associated with the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and the suppression of microglial activation may lead to alleviation of the progression of neurodegeneration in these diseases. We sought to investigate whether Phellodendri cortex (PC) that has been used for centuries in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of various inflammatory conditions, inhibits production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) in microglia, and further studied the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern these anti-inflammatory effects. The methanol extract of PC (PC extract) attenuated LPS-stimulated increase in production of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and NO in BV2 cells, a mouse microglia cell line, as well as in primary mouse microglia. The RNase protection assay and RT-PCR revealed that the PC extracts inhibited increases in mRNAs of these cytokines and iNOS in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. The PC extracts significantly decreased release of these cytokines and NO from LPS-stimulated microglia in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular mechanisms that govern attenuation of the levels of mRNAs and proteins of these cytokines and iNOS revealed that the PC extract inhibited LPS-stimulated phosphorylation of ERK and activation of NF-kappaB. The studies demonstrate that the PC extract effectively inhibits microglial production and release of inflammatory cytokines and NO, and could be a candidate agent for anti-inflammation in neurodegenerative human brain diseases.
Crystal nucleation and growth of indomethacin polymorphs from the amorphous state

Abstract The effect of temperature on the overall crystallization, and the crystal nucleation and growth rates of indomethacin polymorphs from the amorphous state were determined. Crystallization of amorphous indomethacin at temperatures close to or below its T g (42°C) favors the formation of the stable γ polymorphic form, while crystallization at higher temperatures favors the formation of the metastable α-crystal form. Both the nucleation and growth rates for γ-indomethacin have maxima that coincide just above the T g of amorphous indomethacin. The nucleation rate for α-indomethacin was found to have a maximum at 60°C, and the growth rate at 90°C. Assuming a temperature dependent crystal–amorphous interface free energy, good agreement was observed between the experimental nucleation data and the predictions of the classical theory of nucleation. The crystal–amorphous interface energy was higher for the γ than for the α-indomethacin. Analysis of the crystal growth rates for both crystal forms showed that the mechanism of growth is by two-dimensional nucleation, but quantitative agreement with the theory was not found. The interface energy for the α-crystal form, obtained from the growth data was in very good agreement with the value obtained from the nucleation data.
Thermal response of a plant canopy to drifting cloud shadows.

With appropriate modifications, Lettau's climatonomical theory (quantitative climatic description) may be applied to the characterization of vegetative influences on microclimate. The theory was tested on a sumac canopy which was alternately shaded and unshaded by the drift of cumulus cloud shadows. Results showed that the canopy layer had a relatively low thermal admittance, but the geometry of the canopy elements had a profound influence on the thermal properties of the layer. The observed thermal responses for the given meteorological conditions represent a single spectral distribution, characteristic of this particular canopy. See full-text article at JSTOR
Applications of ortho-phenylisonitrile and ortho-N-Boc aniline for the two-step preparation of novel bis-heterocyclic chemotypes

Concise routes to five pharmacologically relevant bis-heterocyclic scaffolds are described. Significant molecular complexity is generated in a mere two synthetic operations enabling access to each scaffold. Routes are often improved by microwave irradiation and all utilize isocyanide-based multi-component reaction methods to incorporate the required diversity elements. Common reagents in all initial condensation reactions include 2-(N-Boc-amino)-phenyl-isocyanide 1, mono-Boc-phenylenediamine 2 and ethyl glyoxalate 3.
Feigned neurocognitive deficit: taxon or dimension?

The purpose of this study was to explore the latent structure of feigned neurocognitive deficit. Scores on the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), Letter Memory Test (LMT), and Victoria Symptom Vali...
Sex and the Senior Woman: Pleasure and Danger in the Viagra Era:

This article reveals women aged 67 to 86 making sense of sexuality in the Viagra era. Drawing from interviews, survey data and content analysis of newspaper advice columns, I argue that senior women use Viagra as a vehicle to discuss and critique sexualized masculinity, sexualized culture, sexual obligation in marriage, and sexual health and pleasure. This data complicates and fills out existing qualitative research on aging and sexuality, while rejecting popular assumptions that the elderly are asexual. These women use Viagra to discuss pleasure and danger in their lives, to tell sexual stories, to build community, to critique social institutions, and even to promote social change in the 21st century.
IRRADIATION OF THE NASOPHARYNX IN CHILDREN* A SURVEY OF PATIENTS 5-20 YEARS AFTER TREATMENT FOR LYMPHOID HYPERPLASIA

Questionnaires were sent to the parents of 890 patients, age 0–14 years, who were irradiated for lymphoid hyperplasia of the nasopharyngeal apparatus during the years 1937–1953. Four hundred and sixty-two families responded. The depth dose was calculated for a representative group of these patients and the technique employed is discussed. The dose-range was 320R to 600R, the vast majority falling between 441R and 560R. Seventy-eight per cent of the patients responding reported improvement in the condition for which therapy was given. Two children developed malignant neoplasms, one three and one-half years and the other six years after therapy. The findings are of clinical interest rather than statistical significance.
Computational efficiency of solving the DFN battery model using descriptor form with Legendre polynomials and Galerkin projections

This paper evaluates the collective impact of three computational strategies from the literature applied to the Doyle-Fuller-Newman (DFN) lithium-ion battery model, a physics-based model valid for high current rates. The first strategy used is efficient model reformulation, where spatial basis functions are used to represent the distribution of lithium ions and potentials within the battery. The second strategy is quasi-linearization, which is used to lessen the computational burden associated with the nonlinearities of the Butler-Volmer equation. Finally, the combination of the first two strategies furnishes a descriptor-form DAE model of the battery at every integration time step. This paper evaluates the accuracy of these combined methods by evaluating the number of basis functions needed for accurate representation and by evaluating the consistency of the constraint equations when the full model is assembled. The combined methods lead to low computation time with accurate simulations 3-4 times faster than real time on a laptop computer.