cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development, Experience, and Expression of Meaning in Genetic Counselors’ Lives: an Exploratory Analysis

Genetic counselors routinely engage with patients and families who grapple with questions of meaning while making decisions about genetic risk. Research and theory demonstrate genetic counselors gain important personal insights through their work and develop professionally from self-reflective practice regarding their beliefs and values. Data are lacking, however, about the nature of the meaning genetic counselors bring to their profession and how they directly experience and/or navigate issues of meaning within clinical practice over time. Accordingly, a national sample (N = 298) of practicing genetic counselors completed a brief survey assessing their demographic characteristics and willingness to participate in a semi-structured telephone interview exploring their views on meaning as they relate to their clinical work and professional development. Sixty-eight individuals of varied experience levels were interviewed about: 1) how they define a meaningful life for themselves; 2) lifetime sources of influence on their sense of meaning; 3) how they experience meaning within both personal and professional contexts; 4) work-related contexts that reaffirm and challenge their sense of meaning; and 5) how their sense of meaning has changed over time. Twenty-five interviews were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research methods, at which point, data saturation was reached. Five themes, 32 domains, and 29 categories were extracted. Common findings include: importance of satisfying relationships; helping others; personal fulfillment; personal and patient experiences of illness and loss; religious and/or spiritual foundations; value conflicts; competing obligations; challenges to meaning; development of empathy; resiliency; and increased humility. Results suggest the importance of professional venues for discussions of meaning (e.g., genetic counseling program curricula, continuing education, and peer supervision/consultation). Additional findings, practice implications, and research recommendations are presented.
Displacement and gentrification in England and Wales: A quasi-experimental approach

Using event history methods we examine the relationship between residential mobility and gentrification in England and Wales. While our models of residential mobility conform to the life-cycle explanations of mobility, we find little evidence of elevated mobility in gentrifying neighbourhoods. This finding is robust across a variety of specifications. We conclude by discussing possible explanations for this counter-intuitive result.
Current antenatal management of monoamniotic twins: a survey of maternal-fetal medicine specialists.

Objective: To assess current management of monoamniotic (MA) twins by US maternal-fetal medicine providers. Methods: We conducted a mailed survey to members of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine regarding fetal surveillance practices and preferred gestational age (GA) for elective delivery with respect to MA twins. Results: Responses from 837 (43%) were received with most (83.9%) recommending elective admission for inpatient monitoring, 53.5% favoring 26–28 weeks as earliest GA for admission and 75% performing intermittent fetal monitoring (of these 81% monitored 2–3 times/day). Respondents in practice less than 10 years were less likely to use outpatient management (p 28 weeks, and were private practitioners (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Despite a paucity of evidence, most practitioners admit MA to perform daily intermittent fetal monitoring and deliver at 34 weeks. Antenatal manage...
Convergence in Lotka–Volterra-type delay systems without instantaneous feedbacks

Most of the convergence results appearing so far for delayed Lotka-Volterra-type systems require that undelayed negative feedback dominate both delayed feedback and interspecific interactions. Such a requirement is rarely met in real systems. In this paper we present convergence criteria for systems without instantaneous feedback. Roughly, our results suggest that in a Lotka-Volterra-type system if some of the delays are small, and initial functions are small and smooth, then the convergence of its positive steady state follows that of the undelayed system or the corresponding system whose instantaneous negative feedback dominates. In particular, we establish explicit expressions for allowable delay lengths for such convergence to sustain.
Tongue piercing and chronic abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting--two cases

Chronic upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms of unclear etiology are frustrating to patients and physicians alike. The integrative medicine procedures of acupuncture and neural therapy may provide treatment options. Tongue piercing, which is prevalent in 5.6% of the adolescent population, may be a contributing factor in upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The objectives of the study were as follows: (1) To demonstrate the usefulness of an integrative medicine treatment approach in two cases of patients with chronic abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting of unclear etiology who had failed standard medical management. (2) To identify scars from tongue piercings as a possible contributing factor in chronic upper GI symptoms of unclear etiology. Two retrospective case studies are presented of young adult females who were seen in a private multi-physician integrative medicine practice in the US. The patients were treated with neural therapy and acupuncture. The desired outcome was the cessation or reduction of the frequency of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Both patients had resolution of their symptoms. From this study, we have concluded the following: (1) Tongue scars from tongue rings may be causes of chronic upper gastrointestinal symptoms. (2) Neural therapy and acupuncture may be helpful in the treatment of chronic upper GI symptoms related to tongue scars.
Exact green functions for the magnetic polaron

We have calculated the exact one electron down spin Green function at zero temperature for a model describing a ferromagnetic insulator.
Characteristics of the recent warming of permafrost in Alaska

[1] Tentative answers are provided to questions concerning the recent warming of permafrost in Alaska, particularly those regarding timing, duration, magnitude, spatial distribution, seasonality, active layer effects, thawing, thermokarst terrain, and causes. Permafrost warmed at most sites north of the Brooks Range from the Chukchi Sea to the Alaska-Canada border, south along a transect from Prudhoe Bay to Gulkana and at sites up to 300 km from the transect. The warming was coincident with the statewide warming of air temperatures that began in 1976/1977 and appears to have occurred statewide with some exceptions. Magnitude of the warming was 3 to 4°C for the Arctic Coastal Plain, 1 to 2°C for the Brooks Range including its northern and southern foothills, and 0.3 to 1°C south of the Yukon River. This suggests a total warming of >6°C at Prudhoe Bay during the last century. The warming was seasonal (primarily in winter) with little change in summer conditions. Consequently, active layer thicknesses did not increase and were not correlated with warming permafrost conditions. Natural thawing at the permafrost surface (∼0.1 m/yr) occurred at both a tundra and forest site. Basal thawing at one site was ∼0.04 m/yr until 2000 when it accelerated to ∼0.09 m/yr. New thermokarst terrain has been observed in interior and northern Alaska. Probable causes of the warming include increased air temperatures, snow cover effects, and combinations of these. New investigations are needed to further determine the characteristics, especially the causes, of this recent permafrost warming.
The Mother of the World: A Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra

Apres un rappel des differentes lectures de la piece, l'A. propose d'y voir une construction autour de l'imaginaire sexuel humain, source des conflits psychologiques. Le personnage de Cleopâtre est defini comme mere a la bisexualite castratrice confrontee a des figures paternelles tels Cesar et Pompee, identifiee a la deesse mere dans l'extension a toute la nature de son amour avec Antoine. Le contraste entre le monde feminin de l'Egypte (amour) et le monde masculin de Rome (realite du pouvoir politique) explique la chute-regression d'Antoine. Fin positive de la piece rendue possible par l'ambivalence des sentiments face a la sexualite. De la mort comme desir de regression complete et creation artistique.
Generational changes and geriatric care.

: An increase in variety of care for the disabled elderly and an improvement in quality is long overdue. These changes will be mandatory because of demographic and social trends that are discernible now, but which will not have their effect for some time. Trends which reflect basic changes in life style include: 1) the lower age of marriage and the completion of families in the third decade of life, a fact which predicts that the disabled elderly will have to be cared for by children who themselves are reaching the age of disability; 2) trends toward abandoning “family homes” for small apartments, urbanization and earlier retirement; and 3) the relocation of responsibility for care of the aged to the public sector. An important factor which has already affected planning for geriatric services is the changing role of state mental hospitals. A large group of the elderly in New York State has received care in the only place available to them—the state hospital—but this has not been adequate. A study of a group of elderly patients screened out of a mental hospital in New York City showed that, after six months, close to 50 per cent were still living at home and nearly 30 per cent were in nursing homes. Because of demographic and social trends, undue reliance on care in family homes is not advocated. Rather, planning should include new models such as small congregate homes specializing in the care of the confused elderly and a wide range of supportive social services. Greater acceptance of responsibility by local communities is expected, with the state assuming financial support and supervision of the quality of care.
Digital Ethnography: Library Web Page Redesign among Digital Natives.

Presented with an opportunity to improve Wesleyan University's dated library home page, a team of librarians employed ethnographic techniques to explore how its users interacted with Wesleyan's current library home page and web pages in general. Based on the data that emerged, a group of library staff and members of the campus’ information technology staff worked together to redesign the library home page to present library resources in a more logical design to meet the needs and expectations of current students and faculty.
Diamond-Free Subsets in the Linear Lattices

Four distinct elements a, b, c, and d of a poset form a diamond if \(a< b<d\) and \(a<c<d\). A subset of a poset is diamond-free if no four elements of the subset form a diamond. Even in the Boolean lattices, finding the size of the largest diamond-free subset remains an open problem. In this paper, we consider the linear lattices—poset of subspaces of a finite dimensional vector space over a finite field of order q—and extend the results of Griggs et al. (J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 119(2):310–322, 2012) on the Boolean lattices, to prove that the number of elements of a diamond-free subset of a linear lattice can be no larger than \(2+\frac {1}{q+1}\) times the width of the lattice, so that this fraction tends to 2 as \(q \longrightarrow \infty \). In addition, using an algebraic technique, we introduce so-called diamond matchings, and prove that for linear lattices of dimensions up to 5, the size of a largest diamond-free subset is equal to the sum of the largest two rank numbers of the lattice.
Sensitive High-pressure Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Propranolol in Plasma

Abstract A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method is presented for the determination of propranolol in human plasma. A reversed-phase cyanopropylsilane column was utilized with a liquid phase consisting of 70% acetonitrile and 30% 0.02 M acetate buffer, pH 7.0. A spectrofluorometric detector with an excitation wavelength of 276 nm and an emission filter with a 340-nm cutoff provided a detectable peak for 0.8 ng of propranol/injection with this system. The reproducibility and precision of the method are shown from the analyses of samples containing 10–150 ng/ml of plasma.
Redox-mediated Transcriptional Activation in a CooA Variant

CooA, the carbon monoxide-sensing transcription factor from Rhodospirillum rubrum, binds CO at a reduced (FeII) heme moiety with resulting conformational changes that promote DNA binding. In this study, we report a variant of CooA, M124R, that is active in transcriptional activation in a redox-dependent manner. Where wild-type CooA is active only in the FeII + CO form, M124R CooA is active in both FeII + CO and FeIII forms. Analysis of the pH dependence of the activity of FeIII M124R CooA demonstrated that the activity was also coordination state-dependent with a five-coordinate, high-spin species identified as the active form and Cys75 as the retained ligand. In contrast, the active FeII + CO forms of both wild-type and M124R CooA are six-coordinate and low-spin with a protein ligand other than Cys75, so that WT and FeIII M124R CooA are apparently achieving an active conformation despite two different heme coordination and ligation states. A hypothesis to explain these results is proposed. This study demonstrates the utility of CooA as a model system for the isolation of functionally interesting heme proteins.
Use of Control Variates in a Large-Scale Aggregated Combat Model

In early fall 2004, the Air Force Studies and Analyses Agency (AFSAA) forwarded a proposed research topic, endorsed by the Air Force Chief of Staff, to the Department of Operational Sciences at the Air Force Institute of Technology. This topic requested an examination of potential variance reduction techniques (VRTs) for use with the THUNDER combat model. THUNDER is a large-scale, highly aggregated, discrete-event simulation of campaign-level military operations used to examine issues involving the utility and effectiveness of air and space power in a theater-level, joint warfare context. A new, state of the art combined multiple recursive generator was incorporated into THUNDER to synchronize the random inputs for common random numbers (CRN) and antithetic variates (AV). This work discusses the application of CRN, AV, and control variates (CV), within THUNDER, and the resulting variance reductions obtained for an example scenario.
Hydrogen catalysis and scavenging action of Pd-POSS nanoparticles

Prompted by the need for a self-supported, chemically stable, and functionally flexible catalytic nanoparticle system, we explore a system involving Pd clusters coated with a monolayer of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) cages. With an initial theoretical focus on hydrogen catalysis and sequestration in the Pd-POSS system, we report Density Functional Theory (DFT) results on POSS binding energies to the Pd(110) surface, hydrogen storing ability of POSS, and possible pathways of hydrogen radicals from the catalyst surface to unsaturated bonds away from the surface.
Mechanical Chondroplasty: Early Metabolic Consequences In Vitro

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the depth of penetration from mechanical chondroplasty and metabolic consequences of this procedure on the remaining articular cartilage. Methods: Mechanical chondroplasty was performed in vitro on a portion of fresh grade I or II articular cartilage from 8 human knee arthroplasty specimens. Treated and control (untreated) explants (approximately 30 mg) were cut from the cartilage. The explants were divided into 2 groups, day 1 and day 4, placed separately in a 48-well plate containing media, and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. After the 24-hour incubation, the explants were weighed on day 1 and day 4, and explant media were removed and tested for total proteoglycan synthesis and aggrecan synthesis. At time 0, 2 sets (2.6 mm each) of treated and control cartilage slices were cut with a precision saw. One set was stained for confocal laser microscopy via a cytotoxicity stain to determine cell viability. The second set was stained with H&E to determine depth of penetration. Results: The mean depth of penetration was 252.8 ± 78 μm. There was no significant difference ( P > .25) between total proteoglycan synthesis for control versus treatment groups on day 1 or 4. Aggrecan synthesis was significantly reduced on day 1 when normalized for tissue weight ( P = .019) and double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid ( P = .004). On day 4, no significant difference was detected. Confocal laser microscopy did not show cell death below the zone of treatment. Conclusions: There was no significant metabolic consequence caused by chondroplasty to the remaining articular cartilage, and the zone of injury was limited to the treatment area. Clinical Relevance: Mechanical chondroplasty causes no significant metabolic consequences to articular cartilage under these conditions.
Nonlinear acoustics in higher-order approximation: Comment

Some useful expressions for the second- and third-order equations for harmonic generation of infinite plane acoustic waves in a nonlinear non-viscous fluid are corrected. The concern addressed in the present comment is to point out some typographical errors in the first-order velocity and pressure expressions intervening in the calculation of the second-order nonlinear equations, as well as a miscalculation of the axial component of the third-order Lighthill tensor term and the resulting third-order velocity and pressure equations presented in that paper.
A Lower Bound for the Risk in Estimating the Value of a Probability Density

Abstract This article considers estimation of f(0) of a density function satisfying a Lipshitz condition in a neighborhood of 0. A nonstandard use of the Cramer-Rao inequality yields numerical lower bounds on the minimax squared error risk of any estimator. These bounds are then compared with the minimax risk of the asymptotically optimal kernel-type estimator. The asymptotic bounds obtained (as the sample size n → ∞) are not quite as good as those in Donoho and Liu (in press a, b), but bounds are presented here also for finite values of n, and that paper contains no such bounds for this problem. The numerical results reported in Table 1 show that the asymptotically optimal kernel estimator performs within a factor of 3 of the minimax bound, even for sample size n = 30. As n increases the relative performance improves to its limiting value, although the convergence is fairly slow.
Bidirectional Shunting in a Coronary Artery-Right Ventricular Fistula Associated with Pulmonary Atresia and an Intact Ventricular Septum

A case of an anomalous arteriovenous-like communication between the right ventricle and a single right coronary artery with pulmonary atresia and an intact ventricular septum in a 6-year-old boy is presented. The dynamics of blood flow through the anomalous vessel are demonstrated for the first time in the literature by means of cineangiocardiography. Factors affecting the flow of blood through the vessel, theories of the embryologic etiology of the condition, and clinical features allowing diagnosis during life and determining therapeutic management are discussed.
Immunohistochemical analysis of Disc1 expression in the developing and adult hippocampus.

Abstract In recent years, Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) has emerged as one of the most promising candidate genes whose disruption confers an increased risk for schizophrenia. Cell biology studies have implicated DISC1 in key neurodevelopmental processes including neurite outgrowth and neuronal migration. In situ hybridization analysis has revealed that Disc1 is expressed in the hypothalamus, olfactory bulbs, the developing cerebral cortex and the hippocampus. The hippocampus is of particular interest because abnormalities in hippocampal volume and function have been consistently reported in schizophrenics. Moreover, DISC1 mutations have been associated with abnormal activation of the hippocampus in humans. Given the involvement of the hippocampus in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, there is an intriguing possibility that disruption of DISC1 may increase schizophrenia susceptibility by altering the normal development and function of the hippocampus. In order to contribute to our understanding of DISC1’s role in the hippocampus, we have performed a detailed analysis of the Disc1 expression pattern in the mouse hippocampus throughout development. We report that Disc1 is expressed throughout the hippocampus during embryonic development, with expression becoming increasingly specialized in Ammon’s horn and dentate gyrus granule cells within the first postnatal week. This expression pattern remains consistent into adulthood, with a noted decrease in Disc1 expression in the adult CA1. Disc1 is also expressed in proliferating cells in the adult subgranular zone, as well as in a subset of GABAergic interneurons. Our results are the first report of a detailed immunohistochemical analysis of the ontogeny of Disc1 expression within the hippocampus.
Natural language information retrieval in digital libraries

In this paper we report on some recent developments in joint NYU and GE natural language information retrieval system. The main characteristic of this system is the use of advanced natural language processing to enhance the effectiveness of term-based document retrieval. The system is designed around a traditional statistical backbone consisting of the indexer module, which builds inverted index files from pre-processed documents, and a retrieval engine which searches and ranks the documents in response to user queries. Natural language processing is used to (1) preprocess the documents in order to extract content-carrying terms, (2) discover inter-term dependencies and build a conceptual hierarchy specific to the database domain, and (3) process user`s natural language requests into effective search queries. This system has been used in NIST-sponsored Text Retrieval Conferences (TREC), where we worked with approximately 3.3 GBytes of text articles including material from the Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press newswire, the Federal Register, Ziff Communications`s Computer Library, Department of Energy abstracts, U.S. Patents and the San Jose Mercury News, totaling more than 500 million words of English. The system have been designed to facilitate its scalability to deal with ever increasing amounts of data. In particular, a randomized index-splittingmore » mechanism has been installed which allows the system to create a number of smaller indexes that can be independently and efficiently searched.« less
Neural plasticity is impaired in cold-exposed hippocampal slices from senescent but not from age-matched presenescent F344 rats

Near the end of their natural life, many mammals enter a terminal state identifiable by a rapid loss of body weight resulting from hypophagia. This study extends characterization of this senescent state by comparing viability of metabolic mechanisms supporting neural plasticity in hippocampal slices from 24 to 30 month old senescent and age-matched presenescent (body-weight stable) F344 male rats. Half of the slices from each rat were incubated at 22–23 °C, and half were immersed in cool incubation medium (12–15 °C) immediately after slicing and allowed to passively warm to room temperature over ∼50 min to impose a cold stressor on recovery mechanisms. Following incubation, CA1 pyramidal cell population spike (PS) amplitudes were measured before and after tetanus. In slices incubated at 22–23 °C, the 221.0±24.2 % increase in PS amplitude following tetanus in seven slices from five senescent rats was not significantly different from the 202.5±23.8% increase in six slices from five age-matched presenescent rats. In contrast, in cold-exposed slices, the 133.8±13.1% increase in PS amplitude following tetanus in 14 slices from 10 senescent rats was significantly smaller (p<0.05) than the 184.7±10.2% increase in 13 slices from seven age-matched presenescent rats. This smaller PS enhancement in senescent rats cannot be attributed to weight loss because robust potentiation was induced in cold-exposed slices from five food-restricted presenescent rats having a weight loss comparable to their senescent counterparts. Thus, the blunted enhancement observed in cold-exposed slices appears to be a characteristic of senescence.
Feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis (feline hemobartonellosis)

Hemotropic mycoplasmas represent an important cause of anemia in cats worldwide. Previously known as Haemobartonella species, sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes of these organisms has led to their reclassification as mycoplasmas. Two species have been identified in cats, M haemofelis and "Candidatus M haemominutum." The latter organism alone has not been associated with disease in naturally infected cats but may cause anemia in FeLV-infected cats and accelerate development of FeLV-induced myeloproliferative disease. The mode of transmission of these organisms remains enigmatic. Nevertheless, development of sensitive DNA-based tests for these unculturable organisms has improved the understanding of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of FHM. Cats with clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities consistent with FHM should be treated with doxycycline; enrofloxacin may represent an effective alternative. Transfusion with packed red blood cells after cross-matching may be required for severely anemia cats, and addition of prednisone may be required if the diagnosis of FHM is uncertain, or response to antimicrobials alone is insufficient. Affected cats should be tested for FeLV, the most common concurrent infection in cats with FHM.
Ionically conductive sulfide-based lithium glasses

Abstract The synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical properties of sulfide-based lithium glasses are reviewed. Special attention is given to the recent solid state NMR investigations shedding light on the network structure of these glasses and the role that conformers play in modifying the glass network. Electrochemical measurements show that some of these glasses are potentially useful in miniature and thin-film solid state batteries.
Integrating petrologic and remote sensing perspectives on magmatic volatiles and volcanic degassing

The volatile constituents—H2O, CO2, and S, and Cl—play an important role in the generation, evolution, and eruption of magma. Knowledge of the abundance and flux of these volatiles is important for understanding the hazard implications of volcanic activity, explosive eruptive behavior of volcanoes, recycling of volatiles in subduction zones, formation of magmatic-hydrothermal ore deposits, additions of volcanic gases to Earth's atmosphere, and potential climatic impacts of large volcanic eruptions. Over the past 25 years, new developments in technology have led to major advances in our ability to measure the fluxes of volatiles released from erupting volcanoes. At the same time, new micro-analytical techniques have made it possible to measure the pre-emptive concentrations of magmatic volatiles through the use of tiny melt inclusions trapped in phenocrysts in volcanic rocks. Comparison of the data acquired from these different perspectives has highlighted some major gaps in our understanding of both the abundance of the different volatiles, and the ways in which they are transported through magmatic systems and released to the atmosphere by degassing.
Extending the capability of the Greenwood Williamson microcontact model

This paper describes a readily implemented simulation model that extends the Greenwood Williamson microcontact model to include skewness in the distribution of surface summit heights and the presence of a surface coating of prescribed thickness and compliance. Parametric runs were made to explore the effect of these factors on the load, area and mean real pressure at the contacting asperities for a fixed separation of the mean planes of the contacting surfaces such as occurs when the surfaces are separated by a stiff elastohydrodynamic film. It was found that the average asperity load increases with coating thickness when the coating is stiffer than the substrate and decreases when the coating is made more compliant. The opposite is true for the average asperity area of contact. Like load, the average asperity pressure increases with coating thickness when the coating is stiffer than the substrate and decreases when the coating is more compliant. For the same rms summit height the mean asperity pressure in the absence of a coating was found to be higher by a factor of 1.6 when the skewness is +1 than when it is -1. The relative effect of skewness on pressure is practically constant as coating thickness increases for the compliant coating while the absolute effect decreases. For the stiff coating the absolute effect is constant while the relative effect diminishes.
Serum Antidiuretic Hormone Levels in Patients With Unilateral Meniere's Disease†

Objectives/Hypothesis: Prior studies have indicated a possible role of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in the pathogenesis of Meniere's disease. Animal studies have shown presence of ADH receptors in the inner ear, and chronic vasopressin administration has been shown to induce endolymphatic hydrops. Furthermore, elevation of serum ADH levels in human has been noted in patients with Meniere's disease. The goal of the study report was to analyze ADH levels in a series of patients with definite unilateral Meniere's disease to further investigate this relationship. Study Design: Retrospective analysis Methods: Antidiuretic hormone levels were obtained from 26 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of definite Meniere's disease as defined by the 1995 guidelines from the Committee of Hearing and Equilibrium (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery). The ADH levels were drawn for each patient within one week of an acute episode of vertigo. These values were compared to ADH levels from 31 healthy volunteers. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-tailed t test. Results: Mean ADH level for patients with Meniere's disease was 4.07 pg/mL (SD = 2.82 pg/ mL) and for the control group, 3.37 pg/mL (SD = 1.48 pg/mL). The difference in ADH levels was not statistically significant (P >.05). Conclusions: Although previous reports have demonstrated a possible role of ADH in the pathogenesis of Meniere's disease, the study did not show a statistically significant elevation of ADH levels in patients with unilateral Meniere's disease. Before excluding an ADH-inner ear pathogenic relationship, ADH levels in patients with bilateral Meniere's disease should be investigated.
Single-crystal 40Ar/39Ar age variation in muscovite of the Gassetts Schist and associated gneiss, Vermont Appalachians

An exposure near Gassetts, Vermont, contains lithologies varying from staurolite-kyanite grade aluminous schists with paragonitic muscovite to potassic gneiss with phengitic muscovite. Single-crystal laser fusion 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages for paragonitic and phengitic muscovite yield similar distributions with ranges between 366 ± 4 and 326 ± 4 Ma. Intracrystalline ages vary from ca. 394 ± 4 to 330 ± 4 Ma. Thus, we find that the intracrystalline (core-rim) age distribution of relatively large, single crystals essentially encompasses the range of ages obtained through total fusion of smaller crystals, consistent with models for development of diffusion profiles and 40 Ar-closure during cooling with a diffusion dimension controlled by the physical grain size. However, some of the larger crystals studied, particularly those with prominent microscopic defects (features readily evident such as internal grain boundaries and twin planes), yield relatively young ages and lack significant core-rim age discordance. Furthermore, the overall distribution of single-crystal ages in the two samples is bimodal, and we suggest that this age distribution reflects metamorphic deformation and recrystallization event(s) superimposed on early generation muscovite. Thus, the mean age of muscovite in these samples (typical of K/Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar incremental heating analysis of bulk mineral separates) has little relationship to any single, hypothetical closure temperature. In view of the similar results we obtain for muscovite of contrasting composition, the net effects of variations in grain size, deformational character, and growth history are interpreted to be more important in forming the observed variations in age than are the chemical substitutions in these samples.
Digital signal processing with biomolecular reactions

We present a methodology for implementing digital signal processing (DSP) operations such as filtering with biomolec-ular reactions. From a DSP specification, we demonstrate how to synthesize biomolecular reactions that produce time-varying output quantities of molecules as a function of time-varying input quantities. Unlike all previous schemes for biomolecular computation, ours produces designs that are dependent only on coarse rate categories for the reactions (“fast” and “slow”). Given such categories, the computation is exact and independent of the specific reaction rates. We implement DSP operations through a self-timed “handshaking” protocol that transfers quantities between molecular types based on the absence of other types. Our scheme is efficient: both the number of molecular types and the number of reactions grow linearly with the size of the DSP specification. We illustrate our methodology with the design of a simple moving-average filter as well as a more complex biquad filter. We validate our designs through transient stochastic simulations of the chemical kinetics. Although conceptual for the time being, our methodology has potential applications in domains of synthetic biology such as biochemical sensing and drug delivery. We are exploring DNA-based computation via strand displacement as a possible experimental chassis.
Pediatric exposure to opioid and sedation medications during terminal hospitalizations in the United States, 2007-2011.

Objective To describe the use of opioids and sedatives to pediatric patients dying in the hospital in the 2 weeks preceding death. Study design We conducted a retrospective study on opioid and sedation medication exposure among children who die in hospitals in the US by using large administrative data sources. We described patterns of exposure to these medications for deceased inpatients ( Results Overall, 74% patients were exposed to opioids or sedatives in the 14 days before death. Among patients with 6 or more hospital days before death, the daily exposure rate ranged from 73% (the sixth day before death) to 89% (the day of death). The most commonly used medications were fentanyl (52%), midazolam (44%), and morphine (40%). Older age (ORs 1.6-3.7), black race (ORs 0.8), longer hospital stay (ORs 6.6-9.3), receiving medical interventions (including mechanical ventilation, surgery, and stay in the intensive care unit, ORs 1.7-2.6), having comorbidities (ORs 1.7-2.4), and being hospitalized in children's hospitals (ORs 4.0-4.5) were associated with exposure of opioid and sedation medication on adjusted analysis. Conclusion Although most pediatric patients terminally hospitalized are exposed to opioid and sedation medication, some patients do not receive such medications before death. Given that patient and hospital characteristics were associated with opioid/sedative exposure, these findings suggest areas of potential quality improvement and further research.
Cell Cycle- and Apoptosis-regulatory Protein-1 Is Involved in Apoptosis Signaling by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

CARP-1, a novel apoptosis inducer, regulates apoptosis signaling by diverse agents, including adriamycin and growth factors. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-related protein (ERRP), a pan-ErbB inhibitor, inhibits EGFR and stimulates apoptosis. Treatments of cells with ERRP or Iressa (an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor) results in elevated CARP-1 levels, whereas antisense-dependent depletion of CARP-1 causes inhibition of apoptosis by ERRP. CARP-1 is a tyrosine-phosphorylated protein, and ERRP treatments cause elevated tyrosine phosphorylation of CARP-1. CARP-1 contains multiple, nonoverlapping apoptosis-inducing subdomains; one such subdomain is present within amino acids 1–198. Wild-type or CARP-1-(1–198) proteins that have substitution of tyrosine 192 to phenylalanine abrogate apoptosis by ERRP. In addition, apoptosis mediated by wild type or CARP-1-(1–198), and not CARP-1-(1–198Y192F), results in activation of caspase-9 and increased phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. However, the expression of dominant-negative forms of p38 MAPK activators MKK3 or MKK6 proteins inhibits apoptosis induced by both the full-length and truncated (amino acids 1–198) proteins. Together, data demonstrate that tyrosine 192 of CARP-1 is a target of apoptosis signaling, and CARP-1, in turn, promotes apoptosis by activating p38 MAPK and caspase-9.
Electronic coupling in 1,4-(COS)2C6H4 linked MM quadruple bonds (M = Mo, W): the influence of S for O substitution.

Electronic structure calculations employing density functional theory on the compounds [(HCO2)3M2]2(µ-X–C6H4–X) where M = Mo and W and –X = –CO2, –COS and –CS2 reveal that the successive substitution of oxygen by sulfur leads to enhanced electronic coupling as evidenced by the increased energy separation of the metal δ orbital combinations which comprise the HOMO and HOMO−1. This enhanced coupling arises principally from a lowering of the LUMO of the X–C6H4–X bridge which, in turn, increases mixing with the in-phase combination of the M2 δ orbitals. The compounds [(ButCO2)3M2]2(µ-SOC–C6H4–COS), where M = Mo and W, have been prepared from the reactions between M2(O2CBut)4 and the thiocarboxylic acid 1,4-(COSH)2C6H4 in toluene and the observed spectroscopic and electrochemical data indicate stronger electronic coupling of the M2 centers in comparison to the closely related terephthalate compounds.
Cognitive Outcomes in Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome Treated With the Ketogenic Diet

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a newly recognized epileptic encephalopathy in which previously healthy school-aged children present with prolonged treatment-resistant status epilepticus (SE). Survivors are typically left with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and severe cognitive impairment. Various treatment regimens have been reported, all with limited success. The ketogenic diet (KD) is an alternative treatment of epilepsy and may be an appropriate choice for children with refractory SE. We report 2 previously healthy children who presented with FIRES and were placed on the KD during the acute phase of their illness. Both children experienced resolution of SE and were maintained on the KD, along with other anticonvulsant medications, for several months. Both were able to return to school, with some academic accommodations. These cases highlight the potential value of the KD as a preferred treatment in FIRES, not only in the acute setting but also for long-term management. Early KD treatment might optimize both seizure control and cognitive outcome after FIRES.
CD40 promotes the development of early diabetic retinopathy in mice

Aims/hypothesis Microangiopathy is a leading complication of diabetes that commonly affects the retina. Degenerate capillaries are a central feature of diabetic retinopathy. An inflammatory process has been linked to the development of diabetic retinopathy but its regulation is incompletely understood. Cluster of differentiation (CD) 40 is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily that promotes the development of certain inflammatory disorders. The role of CD40 in diabetic microangiopathy is unknown.
An expert system model for detection of lymphocyte subsets

Flow cytometric analysis permits us to use known combinations of mo nolonal antiboies in immunophenotyping the path of lymphoytic leukemia, non-hodgkin lymphomas and mv asociated disass. Our expert system model utilizes the values obtained from Flow Cytometric analysis in order to characterize cell maturation stages and thereby diagnose the disas state using known facts. KEE (Knowledge Engineering Environment) is used to implement this expert system as a diagnostic and research tool.
Queer/fear: disability, sexuality, and the other.

This paper examines the relationship between disability and “queerness.” I argue that the hostility frequently expressed against both disabled and queer individuals is a function of fear of the undecidability of the body. I draw on feminist, queer, and disability theory to help us understand this phenomenon and suggest that these different kinds of theories have a complementary relationship. That is, feminist and queer theory help us see how this fear works, disability theory helps us see why it exists.
Precision Penning trap comparison of nondoublets: Atomic masses of H, D, and the neutron.

We compare the cyclotron frequency of two single ions in a Penning trap to obtain their mass ratio with a relative uncertainty close to 1×10 -10 . We have developed methods, based on a classical implementation of the separated oscillatory fields technique, that extend this precision to mass ratios far from unity (nondoublets). This allows direct determination of the atomic mass of any ion by comparison to a C + ion. Using isotopically selected methane ions, we obtain the masses of H, D, and the neutron with up to 40 times improved precision over accepted values. We have checked our technique with known nondoublet ratios such as M[N 2 + ]/M[N + ]
Persuasion via mere exposure.

(1971). Persuasion via mere exposure. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 437-443.
Sediment quality in near coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico: Influence of Hurricane Katrina

The results of the present study represent a synoptic analysis of sediment quality in coastal waters of Lake Pontchartrain and Mississippi Sound two months after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. Posthurricane conditions were compared to prehurricane (2000–2004) conditions, for sediment quality data. There were no exceedances of effects range median (ERM) sediment quality guideline values for chemical contaminants in any of the sediment samples collected from the Lake Pontchartrain or the Mississippi Sound study areas following the hurricane. Lower threshold effects range low (ERL) values were exceeded for As, Cd, and Ni at several stations in both survey areas, similar to levels of contamination observed prior to the hurricane. The comparison of sediment quality indicators before and after the hurricane suggests considerable stability of these systems with respect to short-term ecological impacts. Although other studies have shown storm-related changes could be detected (e.g., effects on benthic communities associated with shifts in salinity), there were no indications of widespread sediment contamination. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:1403–1408. © 2010 SETAC
An investigation of dependent/independent scattering regimes using a discrete dipole approximation

Abstract Dependent scattering/independent scattering regimes are investigated in two different particle systems using a discrete dipole approximation for modeling the interaction of electromagnetic waves with the matter. In the first case, absorption and scattering by two small Rayleigh spheres, separated at an arbitrary distance, are discussed and compared against the Lorenz-Mie theory predictions for single spheres. After that, small agglomerates of up to 12 spheres are investigated. Results show that the mutual interaction of two spheres does not affect absorption when the ratio of their distance to the radius, c = d/a , is greater than 3. Contrary, an analogous criterion for independent scattering depends on the individual sphere size parameter, x s such that it is valid only if c ≥ 2/ x s . It is shown that an agglomerate formed of N individual spheres can be approximated by an effective sphere if x e ≤ 0.2. For x e ≈ 2, agglomerates scatter similar to N independent particles. These limits bracket the true radiative properties of the agglomerates for 0.2 ≤ x e ≤ 2, where dependent effects cannot be neglected. Additionally, an experimental methodology is suggested to qualitatively identify the process of agglomeration of a number of individual particles even when changes in the number density of particles are unknown.
Large-scale imaging in small brains

The dense connectivity in the brain means that one neuron's activity can influence many others. To observe this interconnected system comprehensively, an aspiration within neuroscience is to record from as many neurons as possible at the same time. There are two useful routes toward this goal: one is to expand the spatial extent of functional imaging techniques, and the second is to use animals with small brains. Here we review recent progress toward imaging many neurons and complete populations of identified neurons in small vertebrates and invertebrates.
Integration of Conductivity, Transparency, and Mechanical Strength into Highly Homogeneous Layer-by-Layer Composites of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Optoelectronics

Conductive organic and composite films represent the critical component of many areas of technology. This study demonstrates that highly conductive coatings can be made by layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). These films reveal electrical conductivities of 102 to ∼103 S/m at room temperature without doping with nanotube loading as low as ∼10%. This is indicative of efficient utilization of SWNT in percolation pathways. Low SWNT loading also makes the coatings quite transparent with transmission as high as 97% for visible light. Thicker delaminated LBL films displayed conductivities of 4.15 × 104 S/m. The free-standing films were highly flexible and possessed 160 MPa of tensile strength, which makes them the strongest organic conductor. The high strength and conductivities are attributed to the unique homogeneity of the LBL assembled composites, which opens the way to future optimization of electrical, mechanical, and optical properties and to fit the needs of specific a...
Measuring the Characteristic Topography of Brain Stiffness with Magnetic Resonance Elastography

Purpose To develop a reliable magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)-based method for measuring regional brain stiffness. Methods First, simulation studies were used to demonstrate how stiffness measurements can be biased by changes in brain morphometry, such as those due to atrophy. Adaptive postprocessing methods were created that significantly reduce the spatial extent of edge artifacts and eliminate atrophy-related bias. Second, a pipeline for regional brain stiffness measurement was developed and evaluated for test-retest reliability in 10 healthy control subjects. Results This technique indicates high test-retest repeatability with a typical coefficient of variation of less than 1% for global brain stiffness and less than 2% for the lobes of the brain and the cerebellum. Furthermore, this study reveals that the brain possesses a characteristic topography of mechanical properties, and also that lobar stiffness measurements tend to correlate with one another within an individual. Conclusion The methods presented in this work are resistant to noise- and edge-related biases that are common in the field of brain MRE, demonstrate high test-retest reliability, and provide independent regional stiffness measurements. This pipeline will allow future investigations to measure changes to the brain’s mechanical properties and how they relate to the characteristic topographies that are typical of many neurologic diseases.