cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved hospital mortality rates after the implementation of emergency department sepsis teams.

Abstract Introduction Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality with more than 700,000 hospitalizations and 200,000 deaths annually in the United States. Early recognition of sepsis is critical for timely initiation of treatment and improved outcomes. We sought to evaluate. in-hospital mortality rates of patients diagnosed with sepsis before and after implementation of emergency department (ED) sepsis teams. Methods This was a retrospective study of adult patients seen at a tertiary care ED diagnosed with sepsis and severe sepsis. Pre-implementation study time frame was 5/1/2018–4/30/2019 and post-implementation was 11/1/2019–9/30/2020. A six-month washout period was utilized after implementation of ED-based sepsis teams. Indications for sepsis team activation were: two systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria with suspected infection or two SIRS with confirmed infection during workup. Categorical variables are presented as frequencies and percentages. Continuous variables are presented as mean and standard deviation or median and quartiles depending on distribution. Multiple logistic regression compared mortality rates pre- and post-implementation while controlling for Charlson comorbidity index. Secondary objectives included comparing time metrics pre- and post-implementation. Student t-tests compared normally distributed variables and Wilcoxon rank sum tests compared non-normally distributed variables. Results There were 1188 participants included in the study; 553 before implementation of sepsis teams and 635 after implementation. Mean age of participants was 64 years. Patients were 74.7% white and 22.6% black. Medicare was the most common health insurance (59%). Mortality rates were significantly lower post-implementation of sepsis teams compared to pre-implementation with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.472, (95%CI, 0.352–0.632). ED LOS (95%CI (−67.2–−11.3), hospital LOS (95%CI, −1.0–−0.002) and time to lactic acid (95%CI, −10.0- -3.0) and antibiotics (95%CI, −29.0–−11.0) were all significantly lower after implementation. Conclusion Implementation of ED sepsis teams decreased inpatient hospital mortality rates, ED length of stay and hospital length of stay.
Intracellular Cholesterol Movement and Homeostasis

The distribution of cholesterol in eukaryotic cells is highly nonuniform. The major fraction is localized in the plasma membrane, however, the effectors of cholesterol metabolism are mostly in the endoplasmic reticulum. Homeostasis could be regulated by a sensor of plasma membrane cholesterol which adjusts the pool in the endoplasmic reticulum.
Culture and Psychopathology: An Overview

This chapter describes the relationship between culture and psychopathology. Culture can contribute to psychopathology in six different ways, which are in the form of pathogenic, pathoplastic, pathoselective, pathofacilitative, and pathoreactive effects. Pathogenic effects refer to situations in which culture is a direct causative factor in forming or generating psychopathology. There are several ways that cultural ideas and beliefs can contribute to stress, which, in turn, produces psychopathology. Stress can be created by culturally formed anxiety or by culturally demanded performance. Culture is considered to be a causative factor, as culturally shared specific beliefs or ideas contribute directlyto the formation of a particular stress, which in turn induces a certain mode of psychopathology. At an individual level, a person can be influenced by personal factors, such as personality and other psychological conditions, and select certain patterns of reaction toward stress, choosing a certain type of psychopathology. Psychopathoplastic effects refer to the way in which culture contributes to modeling or plastering of the manifestations of psychopathology. Some psychiatric symptoms are emotional in nature such as anxiety, depression, fear, or anger, whereas another group of symptoms is closely related to matters of thought, such as obsessive, phobic, or delusional ideas. The content of the thoughts is subject to the plastic effects of the external environment. Culture thus has psychopathoplastic effects on thought related symptoms. The effect of cultural factors on psychopathology could be observed at the level of the presence or exaggeration or absence of certain symptoms that modify the total manifestation of the clinical picture to some extent.
Generalized Solutions to Conservation Laws

We introduce a framework for studying degenerate limits for conservation laws of hyperbolic type and initial value problems for conservation laws of mixed hyperbolic-elliptic type.
557 GHz Observations of Water Vapor Outflow from VY Canis Majoris and W Hydrae

We report the first detection of thermal water vapor emission in the 557 GHz, 110-101 ground-state transition of ortho-H2O toward VY Canis Majoris. In observations obtained with the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite, we measured a flux of ~450 Jy, in a spectrally resolved line centered on a velocity vLSR = 25 km s-1 with an FWHM of ~35 km s-1, somewhat dependent on the assumed line shape. We analyze the line shape in the context of three different radial outflow models for which we provide analytical expressions. We also detected a weaker 557 GHz emission line from W Hydrae. We find that these and other H2O emission-line strengths scale as suggested by Zubko and Elitzur.
Transient dynamics reveal the importance of early life survival to the response of a tropical tree to harvest

Summary 1. Exploitation of non-timber forest products can contribute to the alleviation of poverty. However, overexploitation can also lead to species decline. Studies on the sustainability of harvest often use stationary population growth rates to assess harvesting effects. For such frequently harvested systems, transient analysis can provide new insights into the response of populations to harvest. 2. To test the prediction that the effect of harvest differs between transient and asymptotic phases, I used four years of demographic data to compare the impact of harvesting bark and foliage on the short- and long-term dynamics of African dry zone Mahogany Khaya senegalensis in West Africa. 3. The effect of harvest was stronger in the short term than in the long term, particularly in the moist region. Patterns of transient elasticities also differed from the elasticities of longterm growth rates to perturbation of vital rates. Survival at early life stages was more important for short-term dynamics than for long-term population dynamics. 4. Synthesis and applications. This study illustrates that using the asymptotic growth rates to assess the impact of harvest may underestimate the short-term effects of harvest. Short-term management plans based on the elasticity analysis of long-term growth rates will be suboptimal given the relative importance of the survival of non-reproductive stages for population dynamics in the near term. Managers should use results from elasticity analysis of both longterm and short-term population dynamics to develop more realistic management plans.
Detection of Antichlamydial Immunoglobulin G and M Antibodies by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Chlamydia trachomatis causes a wide range of infections in adults and conjunctivitis and pneumonia in neonates. The complement fixation test for chlamydial antibody is broadly reactive, but possesses low sensitivity, whereas the microimmunofluorescence test is highly sensitive, but technically difficult to perform. A simple, rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the measurement of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to C. trachomatis. Wells of microtiter plates were coated with Renografin-purified elementary bodies (serotype L2) grown in cycloheximide-treated McCoy cells, and serum antibody was detected with peroxidase-labeled goat antihuman IgG and IgM antibody. Of 41 sera tested from patients with lymphogranuloma venereum, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, or urethritis there was a 90 and 63% correlation of positive results for IgG and IgM, respectively, by microimmunofluorescence and ELISA. Of the positive correlates, ELISA titers were up to 128 times higher than microimmunofluorescence titers for IgG and IgM. The ELISA detected no false-positive results, but missed two positive results for IgG. Both of these sera were reactive against serotypes C and J, suggesting that the ELISA with LGV L2 antigen may not measure antibodies to serotypes within the C serogroup. The IgM ELISA detected 7 negative and 4 positive results not detected by the microimmunofluorescence test. Of four paired sera examined by ELISA, three showed a fourfold rise in IgG antibody titer, and one showed a twofold rise. Further evaluation of this ELISA will be required to determine how useful it will be in seroepidemiological studies and as a diagnostic tool.
Determination of Copper in Fingernails by Atomic Absorption with the Graphite Furnace

Two atomic absorption techniques, acid digestion followed by conventional flame analysis and direct analysis of solid samples with the graphite furnace, were compared for the determination of copper in fingernails. Nail samples, from 11 persons, containing between 5 and 50 µg/g of copper, were analyzed by both methods. There was good correlation between results of the two. The furnace requires less sample preparation, has good sensitivity, and solid samples may be directly analyzed.
Report on CTSA Consortium Use of the Community Engagement Consulting Service

Introduction The CTSA Community Engagement Consultative Service (CECS) is a national partnership designed to improve community engaged research (CEnR) through expert consultation. This report assesses the feasibility of CECS and presents findings from 2008 to 2009. Methodology A coordinating center and five regional coordinating sites managed the service. CTSAs identified a primary previsit CE best practice for consultants to address and completed self-assessments, postvisit evaluations, and action plans. Feasibility was assessed as the percent of CTSAs participating and completing evaluations. Frequencies were calculated for evaluation responses. Results Of the 38 CTSAs, 36 (95%) completed a self-assessment. Of these 36 sites, 83%, 53%, and 44% completed a consultant visit, evaluation, and action plan, respectively, and 56% of the consultants completed an evaluation. The most common best practice identified previsit was improvement in CEnR (addressing outcomes that matter); however, relationship building with communities was most commonly addressed during consulting visits. Although 90% of the consultants were very confident sites could develop an action plan, only 35% were very confident in the CTSAs’ abilities to implement one. Conclusions Academic medical centers interested in collaborating with communities and translating research to improve health need to further develop their capacity for CE and CEnR within their institutions. Clin Trans Sci 2013; Volume 6: 34–39
Improving depression care for older, minority patients in primary care.

Objective:Few older minorities receive adequate treatment of depression in primary care. This study examines whether a collaborative care model for depression in primary care is as effective in older minorities as it is in nonminority elderly patients in improving depression treatment and outcomes.S
The diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is a common cause of infection in humans the world over. Toxoplasmosis, the disease caused byToxoplasma gondii, is observed in only a small portion of those infected. The most serious consequences of the infection are seen in the offspring of women who acquire the infection during pregnancy and in immunodeficient patients. Methods of diagnosis, their interpretation, treatment regimens, and preventive measures differ for each category of patients at risk. Each of these points is reviewed with emphasis on applicability to different clinical situations.
An unusual mode of failure of a tripolar constrained acetabular liner: a case report

Dislocation after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the most commonly encountered complication and is unpleasant for both the patient and the surgeon. Constrained acetabular components can be used to treat or prevent instability after primary total hip arthroplasty. We present the case of a 42-year-old female with a BMI of 41. At 18 months post-primary THA the patient underwent further revision hip surgery after numerous (more than 20) dislocations. She had a tripolar Trident acetabular cup (Stryker-Howmedica-Osteonics, Rutherford, New Jersey) inserted. Shortly afterwards the unusual mode of failure of the constrained acetabular liner was noted from radiographs in that the inner liner had dissociated from the outer. The reinforcing ring remained intact and in place. We believe that the patient’s weight, combined with poor abductor musculature caused excessive demand on the device leading to failure at this interface when the patient flexed forward. Constrained acetabular components are useful implants to treat instability but have been shown to have up to 42% long-term failure rates with problems such as dissociated inserts, dissociated constraining rings and dissociated femoral rings being sited. Sometimes they may be the only option left in difficult cases such as illustrated here, but still unfortunately have the capacity to fail in unusual ways.
Some Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for Measuring Intrasocietal Conflict

Among previous attempts to measure lntrasocietal conflict, the specification of the measurement model has remained implicit. This paper attempts to explicate the principal design considerations which enter into the construction of such a model (i.e., causal versus effect indicators, uni- versus multidimensions, single versus multiple indicators, correlated versus noncorrelated error terms, and additive versus multiplicative relationships). The statistical and theoretical implications of these alternative features are discussed in terms of the current literature dealing with the national measurement of conflict.
Permeability prediction from thin sections: 3D reconstruction and Lattice‐Boltzmann flow simulation

[1] We present results and methodology for predicting permeability from thin sections. The method consists of two key components–reconstruction of 3D porous media from 2D thin sections, and 3D flow simulation using the Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) technique. We construct 3D porous media using sequential indicator simulation (SIS), a geostatistical method, with conditional data and input statistical parameters from thin sections. Permeability is then estimated through flow simulation on the reconstructed porous media. The LB flow simulation successfully handles very complex reconstructed 3D pore geometries. Computed permeabilities from seven thin section samples show good agreement with laboratory measurements over a wide range of permeability. We compare our method to one that uses only thin sections without 3D reconstruction. The comparison shows that our method gives better prediction of permeability, and is less sensitive to statistical errors from discrepancy between thin sections and core samples.
A review of limonin in grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) juice, its relationship to flavour, and efforts to reduce it

Ever since limonin was first discovered in grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf) juice in 1965 and found responsible for significantly contributing to bitterness in the juice, a great deal of research has been directed towards understanding its role therein. Information is presented relative to limonin's chemical determination, taste threshold and content in grapefruit juice, and to relevant legislation. Also considered are (1) several factors affecting the limonin content of grapefruit juice (2) the effect of limonin content on sensory flavour in grapefruit juice (3) the interaction between the Brix: acid ratio and limonin content in affecting grapefruit juice flavour and (4) methods for reducing limonin in citrus juices generally. Finally, recommendations for future studies on limonin in grapefruit juice are reviewed.
Thermal Conductivity, Phase Stability, and Oxidation Resistance of Y3Al5O12 (YAG)/Y2O3–ZrO2 (YSZ) Thermal-Barrier Coatings

This paper describes a new multilayer TBC that incorporates a 10 μm-thick oxygen barrier layer of yttrium–aluminum garnet (YAG) into a typical YSZ TBC system. The thermal conductivity of as-sprayed YAG/YSZ coatings was reduced due to excessive porosity and amorphous areas in the YAG layer. After long-term heat treatments, the conductivity of the multilayer was unaffected by the presence of YAG. Sintering and recrystallization of the amorphous YAG regions occurred during high-temperature heat treatments. While YAG itself possesses excellent phase stability, its presence also improved the phase stability of zirconia near the YAG/YSZ interface, inhibiting the outward diffusion of yttrium from high-yttria t-ZrO_2 The YAG layer reduced the NiCoCrAlY bond-coat oxidation rate by a factor of three during isothermalfurnace tests conducted at 1200° C.
Systemic Reduction of Interleukin-4 or Interleukin-10 Fails to Reduce the Frequency or Severity of Experimental Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Mice with Retrovirus-Induced Immunosuppression

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) are key cytokines whose increased production during systemic HIV infection has been associated with decreased cellular immunity during AIDS. We examined whether HIV-induced stimulation of IL-4 or IL-10 production leads to increased susceptibility to AIDS-related human cytomegalovirus retinitis. It was confirmed that there were increased amounts of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA levels in mice with MAIDS of 10 weeks duration when most susceptible to MCMV retinitis. Surprisingly, however, MCMV-infected eyes of IL-4 -/- and IL-10 -/- mice with MAIDS of 8 weeks duration exhibited retinitis and infectious virus equivalent to that observed in MCMV-infected eyes of wild-type mice with MAIDS. We conclude that neither IL-4 nor IL-10 alone play a role in increased susceptibility to MAIDS-related MCMV retinitis, but may work collectively with other retrovirus-induced immunosuppressive factors to allow for retinal disease.
Excitation of large-scale plasma sheets and micropulsations by injected high power radio waves

We have conducted several experiments to investigate the simultaneous generation of large plasma sheets and micropulsations by injected high power radio waves via thermal filamentation instabilities [Cohen et al., Phys. Scrip., 2010]. These large plasma sheets generated by HF heater have different configurations, depending upon the polarizations (i.e., O- or X-mode) of the heater waves. It is expected that O-mode heater wave-created parallel-plate waveguides within the meridional plane, and those generated by the X-mode heater waves are orthogonal to the meridional plane. [Lee et al., Geophys. Res Lett., 1998]. One striking feature of thermal filamentation instabilities is the simultaneous excitation of sheet-like plasma density fluctuations (δn) and geomagnetic field fluctuations (δB). The physics can be simply understood as follows. The differential joule heating, resulting from the interactions of HF heater waves and excited high frequency sidebands, yields a thermal pressure force on electrons. Thermal pressure force (denoted by f T ) leads to a f T × B 0 drift motion of electrons and, consequently, induces a net current perpendicular to both the background magnetic field B0 and the wave vector k of the excited plasma density irregularities. Therefore, magnetic field fluctuations (δB) associated with micropulsations are excited along the background magnetic field (B 0 designated as the z-axis) simultaneously with the density irregularities in both O- and X-mode heating processes. The excited magnetic field fluctuations (δB) have three components designated as dδB D , dδB H , and dδB Z . Based on above explanation of the simultaneous excitations of dδn and dδB, we can expect that dδB D and dδB Z (or dδB H and dδB Z ) will be highly correlated in O-mode (or X-mode) heating experiments. Our theoretical predictions are confirmed by GPS satellite measurements, range-time-intensity (RTI) plots of UHF and HF backscatter radars, ionosonde data, as well as magnetometer data analyses. As these plasma sheets experienced E·B drifts, they were intercepted by the HAARP UHF radar and seen as slanted stripes in the RTI plots, as also seen in our earlier Arecibo experiments. Furthermore, based on the GPS satellite measurements, we infer that kilometer-scale plasma sheets can be generated by vertically injected O-mode heater waves.
Effect of stoichiometry on defect distribution in cubic GaN grown on GaAs by plasma-assisted MBE

High resolution electron microscopy was used to study the structure of {beta}-GaN epilayers grown on (001) GaAs substrates by plasma- assisted molecular-beam-epitaxy. The rf plasma source was used to promote chemically active nitrogen. The layer quality was shown to depend on growth conditions (Ga flux and N{sub 2} flow for fixed rf power). The best quality of GaN layers was achieved by ``stoichiometric`` growth; Ga-rich layers contain a certain amount of the wurtzite phase. GaN layers contain a high density of stacking faults which drastically decreases toward the GaN surface. Stacking faults are anisotropically distributed in the GaN layer; the majority intersect the interface along lines parallel to the ``major flat`` of the GaAs substrate. This correlates well with the observed anisotropy in the intensity distribution of x-ray reflexions. Formation of stacking faults are often associated with atomic steps at the GaN- GaAs interfaces.
METROPOLITAN AREA DEFINITION IN THE UNITED STATES

Since 1905 the Bureau of the Census has devised and applied concepts and criteria for delineating metropolitan areas and has published statistics describing them. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and its predecessor, the Bureau of the Budget, have defined metropolitan areas for use by federal agencies since introducing standard metropolitan areas (SMAs) for the 1950 census. In the late 20th century, new national United States settlement forms emerged, and distinctions between urban and rural areas or between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas lost both their theoretical and practical significance. A proposed system of national settlement areas, applied experimentally to eight diverse states, uses counties (towns and cities in New England) as basic statistical units, with each categorized by its population density as ranked within both its state and the nation. Relative population density alone is an adequate and appropriate surrogate for activity patterns and interaction among geographic unit...
Do the Japanese Fit Their Stereotype

This article presents a review of the book “Do the Japanese Fit Their Stereotype?,“ by Yoshio Sugimoto and Ross Mouer.
Relative Adrenal Insufficiency in Dogs with Sepsis

Background:A syndrome of relative adrenal insufficiency has been identified in septic humans, and is associated with hypotension and death. Relative adrenal insufficiency is generally associated with basal serum cortisol concentration within or above the reference range and a blunted cortisol response to adrenocorticotropic hormone administration. It is unknown whether relative adrenal insufficiency occurs in septic dogs. Hypothesis:That relative adrenal insufficiency occurs in septic dogs, and that relative adrenal insufficiency is associated with hypotension and mortality. Animals:Thirty-three septic dogs admitted to a small animal intensive care unit. Methods:Dogs were included in the study if they had a known or suspected infectious disease and had systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Dogs were excluded if they had disease or medication history expected to affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Serum cortisol and endogenous plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations were measured before, and serum cortisol concentration measured 1 hour after, intramuscular administration of 250 μg of cosyntropin/dog. The change in cortisol concentration (β-cortisol) before and after cosyntropin administration was determined in each dog. Results:Hypotension was associated with lower A-cortisol values (OR 1.3; CI 1.0–1.9; P= .029). A-Cortisol cutoff of 3.0 μg/dL was most accurate for predicting hypotension, survival to discharge, and 28-day survival. The rate of death in dogs with A-cortisol ≤3 μg/dL was 4.1 times that of dogs with A-cortisol > 3 μg/dL (RR 4.1; CI 1.5–12.3; P= .01). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: β-cortisol ≤3 μg/dL after adrenocorticotropic hormone administration is associated with systemic hypotension and decreased survival in septic dogs.
The Relation between Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Crassulacean Acid Metabolism in Leaf Slices of Aloe arborescens Mill.

Leaves and leaf slices from Aloe arborescens Mill. were used to study the interrelations between Crassulacean acid metabolism, photosynthesis, and respiration. Oxygen exchange of leaf slices was measured polarographically. It was found that the photosynthetic utilization of stored malic acid resulted in a net evolution of oxygen. This oxygen production, and the decrease in acid content of the leaf tissue, were completely inhibited by amytal, although the rate of respiratory oxygen uptake was hardly affected by the presence of this inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport. Other poisons of respiration (cyanide) and of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (trifluoroacetate, 2-diethyl malonate) also were effective in preventing acid-dependent oxygen evolution. It is concluded that the mobilization of stored acids during light-dependent deacidification of the leaves depends on the operation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and of the electron transport of the mitochondria.A comparison of enzyme activities in extracts from Aloe leaves and from other plants and studies of leaf anatomy and chloroplast morphology revealed typical characteristics of C(3)-, as well as C(4)-, plants in Aloe.
The effects of increasing dosages of X-radiation on the chromosomes of the central mudminnow, Umbra limi (Kirtland) (Salmoniformes: Umbridae)

Fish subjected to 350 R, 660 R and 990 R of X-radiation showed chromosomal aberrations such as chromatid breaks and gaps, and chromatid exchanges between several chromosomes. The frequency of aberrations/metaphase increased with radiation dosage. Likewise, the percentage of aberrant cells increased with increased irradiation. The countable metaphases fish was lower for higher doses of radiation. At lower doses single chromatid breaks accounted for most of the aberrations whereas complex aberrations involving the breakage and exchange of fragments between several chromosomes were more frequent in fish subjected to 990 R. Gill tissue yielded three times as many countable metaphases as did spleen tissue.
Parent Goals and Verbal Sideline Behavior in Organized Youth Sport

The present study examined the alignment of goals parents construct for their children with parent verbal sideline behavior at the earliest stage of youth sport. Semistructured interviews, parent journals, and in situ observation were employed with 4 parents over the initial 15 months of their children’s organized sport participation. Parent goals were categorized within the multiple goals framework (Caughlin, 2010; O’Keefe & Shepherd, 1987), verbal sideline behaviors were categorized using Holt, Tamminen, Black, Sehn, and Wall’s (2008) framework, and case narratives were constructed to offer an interpretation of the interplay of parent goals and verbal sideline behavior. Parents largely wanted their children to learn about sport and have fun; however, parents also reported changing some of their goals over time based on child outcomes and their evolving perceptions of the youth sport context. Often parent goals did not seem to align with verbal sideline behaviors. Findings highlight the development of parent goals over the earliest stage of their children’s organized youth sport participation, multiple forms of these goals (e.g., personal, conventional, task, ego), and both consistencies and inconsistencies between these goals and verbal sideline behavior.
Preferential Fat Intake Increases Adiposity but not Body Weight in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract It is not known whether an inherent preference for dietary fat promotes obesity in animals allowed to self-select the proportions of fat and carbohydrate consumed. To address this question, Sprague-Dawley rats were given a choice between two diets containing either 78% fat (by energy) or 78% carbohydrate; both diets were equicaloric for protein (22%). The entire study lasted 12 weeks. After an adaptation period, macronutrient preferences were determined by measuring 24 h intake of the two diets for 5 days; fat-preferring animals were classified as those that consumed greater than 60% of total energy from the fat/protein source, and carbohydrate-preferring rats as those that consumed less than 40%. Rats with intermediate macronutrient intakes were excluded. Initial body weight was not different between preference groups. Caloric intakes and body weights were then recorded at approximate weekly intervals, and fat depots were weighed at the time of sacrifice. Measures of energy intake and body weight did not differ between the two preference groups over time. In addition, baseline macronutrient preferences remained stable across the study period. Despite similar body weights, mean epididymal fat depot weight was significantly higher in fat-preferring rats than in carbohydrate-preferring rats (12·6 vs. 10·0 g); also, mean inguinal fat depot weight in fat-preferrers was greater although not reliably different compared to carbohydrate-preferring rats (12·9 vs. 10·9 g). Thus, the preferential intake of fat led to a greater deposition of both subcutaneous and visceral fat without an increase in body weight. These data lead us to conclude that the increased fat deposition was due primarily to the ingestion of fat rather than to excess caloric intake.
Physiological Maturity As a Factor in the Qualification of Boys for Physical Activity

(1944). Physiological Maturity As a Factor in the Qualification of Boys for Physical Activity. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 113-117.
CB(1) receptor mediation of cannabinoid behavioral effects in male and female rats.

Cannabinoids have been shown to produce greater behavioral effects in female than male rats. Although central nervous system CB1 receptors are known to mediate cannabinoid-induced behavioral effects in male rats, it is not known whether the same is true for females. To determine if cannabinoid-induced antinociception and catalepsy are similarly mediated by central CB1 receptors in male and female rats. The ability of SR141716A, a CB1 receptor selective antagonist, administered ICV (1–1000 μg) or IT (1–600 μg) to block 10 mg/kg IP Δ9-THC-induced antinociception (paw pressure) and catalepsy (bar test), was compared in male and female rats. Δ9-THC alone produced slightly greater antinociception, and significantly greater catalepsy in females than males. When administered ICV, SR141716A partially antagonized Δ9-THC-induced antinociception in both females and males. IT SR141716A also antagonized Δ9-THC-induced antinociception in both sexes; it was slightly more potent in males but equally effective in males and females. SR141716A antagonized Δ9-THC-induced catalepsy in a similar manner in males and females when given ICV or IT. These results confirm that Δ9-THC-induced behavioral effects are mediated by central CB1 receptors in male and female rats.
SCATTERING OF UNCOLLIMATED COBALT 60 GAMMA RADIATION BY CONCRETE AND LEAD BARRIERS.

Abstract : This paper describes measurements of the fractional exposure due to scattered radiation which were carried out for two geometric conditions: detector and point source in a line normal to the surface of the barrier, and detector and point source in a line parallel to the surface. (Author)
Inferring Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer Properties from Spectral Characteristics of Satellite-Borne SAR Imagery

Abstract For the commonly observed range of air–sea temperature difference and surface wind speed, the static stability of the atmospheric surface layer can have a significant effect on the mean surface stress and its turbulence-scale horizontal variability. While traditional satellite-borne scatterometers have insufficient horizontal resolution to map this turbulence-scale horizontal variability, satellite-borne synthetic aperture radars (SAR) can. This paper explores the potential for applying existing boundary layer similarity theories to these SAR-derived maps of turbulence-scale horizontal variability in air–sea stress. Two potential approaches for deriving boundary layer turbulence and stability statistics from SAR backscatter imagery are considered. The first approach employs Monin–Obukhov similarity theory, mixed layer similarity theory, and a SAR-based estimate of the atmospheric boundary layer depth to relate the ratio of the mean and standard deviation of the SAR-derived wind speed field to the...
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 regulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced CHOP expression in neuronal cells

Abstract Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, often resulting from cellular accumulation of misfolded proteins, occurs in many neurodegenerative disorders, in part because of the relatively long lifetime of neurons. Excessive accumulation of misfolded proteins activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) that dampens protein synthesis and promotes removal of misfolded proteins to support survival of ER-stressed cells. However, the UPR also initiates apoptotic signaling to kill cells if recovery is not achieved. Thus, there is much interest in identifying determinants of the life–death switch and interventions that promote recovery and survival. One intervention that has consistently been shown to protect cells from ER stress-induced apoptosis is application of inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3). Therefore, we examined where in the UPR pathway GSK3 inhibitors intercede to impede signaling towards apoptosis. Apoptosis following UPR activation can be mediated by activation of two transcription factors, ATF4 and ATF6, that activate expression of the death-inducing transcription factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP/GADD153) following ER stress. We found that ER stress activated ATF6 and ATF4, but these responses were not inhibited by pretreatment with GSK3 inhibitors. However, inhibition of GSK3 effectively reduced the expression of CHOP, and this was apparent in several types of neural-related cells and was evident after application of several structurally diverse GSK3 inhibitors. Therefore, reduction of CHOP activation provides one mechanism by which inhibitors of GSK3 are capable of shifting cell fate towards survival instead of apoptosis following ER stress.
Computer assisted models used in the solution of warehouse location-allocation problems

Abstract This paper presents a general overview of the various types of computer based algorithms solving the Warehouse Location-Allocation problem. Available heuristic algorithms are compared with exact optimization models for accuracy of the solution and time to make the computer runs. Salient features and applicability of the various models are presented. A review of the available software to solve this type of problem is given. Finally, the future trends in developing models to solve these problems is discussed.
Silk suture used in standard organ bath studies contracts upon exposure to Krebs buffer

Abstract Introduction: Muscles of all types are routinely excised and studied under isometric conditions using force transducers in standard organ baths. In such studies, the muscle is stretched or “preloaded,” as the magnitudes of the contractions evoked by various stimuli can vary markedly depending on this baseline parameter: many such studies refer to an optimal length and/or preload tension. While calibrating our equipment, we were surprised to find that the silk suture, which is commonly used in such studies, can generate considerable tension of its own, completely independent of any muscle tissue. Methods: We compared two different types of silk suture in muscle baths using the standard organ bath technique, measuring baseline tension upon addition of various solvents/buffers. Results: One type of silk suture was inert in that, upon stretching to a given degree, there was no important change in preload tension upon addition of bathing medium (Krebs buffer). The second type of silk suture, however, which is also widely available commercially, exhibited substantial contractile responses upon exposure to standard Krebs buffer solution, with magnitudes typically exceeding several grams force. This change developed over the first 30–60 min of exposure to Krebs, after which tension was stable. This change was not observed if the suture was presoaked for 60 min before hanging in the muscle bath, but was observed if the suture was allowed to dry again before use. Other solvents such as ethanol and DMSO did not alter tension. Discussion: While this property of silk suture may be well known in the surgical setting, it is less well appreciated by other users of this material. This phenomenon is of major importance to any experimental study of muscle function, as it alters the preload tension under which such studies are carried out.
Effect of exogenous cytokines on the inhibition of macrophage-induced, antigen-specific T cell proliferation by poly(I:C).

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that IFN-α/β, poly(I:C) (an inducer of IFN-α/β), or IFN-γ can inhibit the ability of KLH-pulsed peritoneal macrophages (Mφ) to induce the proliferation of syngeneic, KLH-immune T lymphocytes from CBA/J mice. In this study we investigated whether the mechanism by which poly(I:C) inhibits Mφ-induced, antigen-specific T cell proliferation involved decreased cytokine production by poly(I:C) treated KLH-pulsed Mφ or by T cells cultured with these Mφ. The production of IL-2 by T cells cultured with poly(I:C)-treated, KLH-pulsed Mφ was decreased by 80%; however, addition of exogenous rIL-2 could not restore proliferation. Although IL-1 production by poly(I:C)-treated Mφ was comparable to the level produced by saline-treated, KLH-pulsed Mφ controls, addition of exogenous rIL-1 was still examined to explore the possibility that a greater amount of IL-1 may be needed to induce T cell proliferation with poly(I:C)-treated, KLH-pulsed Mφ. Increasing concentrations of rIL-1 alone or with rIL-6 did not abrogate the inhibition of Mφ-induced, antigen-specific T cell proliferation by poly(I:C). Interestingly, the addition of combinations of IL-1 and IL-6 increased the proliferation of T cells in response to KLH presented by either saline- or poly(I:C)-treated Mφ. The effect of the combination of rIL-1 and rIL-6 was synergistic in that addition of either monokine alone had no effect on T cell proliferation. These results suggest that although poly(I:C)-induced inhibition of T cell proliferation is not due to insufficient quantities of IL-1, IL-2, or IL-6, a combination of IL-1 and IL-6 can augment proliferation of freshly isolated T cells in response to antigen presented by freshly isolated accessory cells.
Geology, petrology, and geochemistry of Isla Tortuga, a recently formed tholeiitic island in the Gulf of California

Isla Tortuga is a recently formed volcanic island located on a fracture zone of an active spreading trough in the Gulf of California. The volcano is composed of tholeiitic basalt lava flows and vitric tuffs and minor volumes of tholeiitic andesite. It was built in at least two stages by a northward-migrating point source of volcanism. The latest stage of activity culminated in caldera collapse, extrusion of the surficial flows, and the formation of a lava lake. The suite of basalts and Fe-Ti–rich basalts on Tortuga is chemically very similar to suites of ocean-ridge tholeiite. The chemical variation observed in the Tortuga basalts can be explained by removal of the low-pressure phase assemblage Pl + Cpx + Ol from a relatively “primitive” (high Mg/Fe) tholeiitic basalt parental magma. The chemical variation of coarse-grained basaltic pegmatoidal segregations, which occur in thick flows on Tortuga, is similar to that of the basaltic lavas. These pegmatoids have fractionated in situ and have produced SiO 2 -rich liquids (interstitial glass) by the separation of Pl + Cpx + Ol + ilmenomagnetite and/or ilmenite from basaltic liquids. The most primitive Tortuga basalts are similar to ocean-ridge tholeiite in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio and large-ion lithophile element abundance, but have higher sodium contents. This may be due to halite assimilation by the Tortuga basalt liquids.
Effects of Nanoscale Confinement and Interfaces on the Glass Transition Temperatures of a Series of Poly(n-methacrylate) Films

We use fluorescence from dye-labelled polymer to measure the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) across single-layer films and near surfaces and silica interfaces in bilayer films for a series of poly(n-methacrylate)s. With nanoscale confinement, the average Tg across a film supported on silica increases for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), decreases for poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and poly(propyl methacrylate), and is nearly invariant for poly(iso-butyl methacrylate) (PIBMA). These trends are consistent with the relative strengths of local perturbations to Tg caused by surfaces and substrates as measured in bilayer films. The substrate effect, which increases Tg via hydrogen-bonding interactions between the polymer and hydroxyl groups on the silica surface, is stronger than the free-surface effect in PMMA. The free-surface effect, which reduces Tg via a reduction in the required cooperativity of the glass transition dynamics, is stronger than the substrate effect in PEMA. The substrate and free-surface effects have similar strengths in perturbing the local Tg in PIBMA, resulting in a net cancellation of effects when measurements are made across single-layer films.
Modulation Classification in MIMO Systems

Blind modulation classification is an important aspect of today's military systems and is projected to play equal important role in future cognitive radio systems. Modulation classification in MIMO systems present the added difficulty of having to deal with a set of mixed signals as they are received at the receiving antenna array. Whereas, in narrowband SISO systems, the channel was assumed to be a simple complex constant in most cases, the narrowband MIMO channel presents a matrix channel. Without having an estimate of the channel matrix, it does not seem possible to perform modulation classification. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) allows the separation of independent sources in the case the number of receiving antennas is equal to or larger than the number of transmitting antennas. Here we extend previous work in the area of modulation classification in MIMO systems. Though it is applicable for any number of transmitting and receiving antennas, it makes a particular impact on MIMO systems which utilize a large number of transmitting antennas and or complex modulation schemes.
Objective and subjective indicators: Effects of scale discordance on interrelationships

Researchers in the social indicator movement are increasingly aware of the value of obtaining both subjective and objective measures. At the same time there is a recognition of the need to understand relationships between the types of measures. Studies utilizing both subjective and objective measures indicate that while relationships between them exist, relationships are often not strong. This paper suggests several explanations for such imperfect relationships. One is scale discordance, a term used to recognize that the territorial base of an individual's subjective evaluation may not coincide with the boundaries of the unites used for the collection of objective data. Using data from a metropolitan area study, relationships between objective measures of crime and respondents' feelings of safety are examined for people whose perceptions of neighborhoods vary in size. The hypothesis that the relationship between the objective and subjective measures is stronger among individuals whose view of neighborhood size is in line with the relatively large territorial base for objective crime statistics is tested and found to be correct. Implications of the findings for research and policy making are discussed.
Predicting protective bacterial antigens using random forest classifiers

Identifying protective antigens from bacterial pathogens is important for developing vaccines. Most computational methods for predicting protein antigenicity rely on sequence similarity between a query protein sequence and at least one known antigen. Such methods limit our ability to predict novel antigens (i.e., antigens that are not homologous to any known antigen). Therefore, there is an urgent need for alignment-free computational methods for reliable prediction of protective antigens. We evaluated the discriminative power of four different amino acid composition derived feature representations using three classification methods (Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, and Random Forest) on a cross validation data set of 193 protective bacterial antigens and 193 non-antigenic bacterial proteins. Our results show that, with all four data representations, Random Forest classifiers consistently outperform other classifiers. We compared HRF50, one of the best performing Random Forest classifiers with VaxiJen and SignalP on independent test sets derived from the Chlamydia trachomatis and Bartonella proteomes. Our results show that our HRF50 predictor outperforms VaxiJen and is competitive with SignalP and ANTIGENpro in predicting protective antigens. We further showed that when we combine SignalP with HRF50, the resulting method, which we call BacGen, yields performance that is comparable to or better than that of ANTIGENpro in predicting antigens in bacterial sequences. We conclude that amino acid sequence composition derived features can be effectively used to design alignment-free methods for predicting protein antigenicity using Random Forest classifiers. BacGen is available as an online server at:http://ailab.cs.iastate.edu/bacgen/.
Slope efficiency measurements of a chromium-doped forsterite laser.

The slope efficiency of the continuous-wave chromium-doped forsterite (Cr:Mg2SiO4) laser has been measured by using four different output mirrors. The maximum slope efficiency of 38% was achieved with an 11% output coupler. The extrapolated limiting slope efficiency in the absence of passive losses is estimated to be 65%. This value corresponds to an intrinsic quantum efficiency of 77%, which is similar to the efficiencies determined for mature tunable solid-state laser systems.
Evaluation of a multiple sclerosis cluster among nurses in an inpatient oncology ward.

In January 2011 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a request from three employees in the inpatient oncology unit of a university hospital in Wisconsin concer...
Applications And Development Of A Compact, Airborne Doppler Lidar For Atmospheric Measurements

Based on operating experience with a simple version of our airborne infrared lidar, we have designed laser and processor improvements and a test program for Doppler capability.