cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SAT0194 EVALUATION OF PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES MEASUREMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS) PHYSICAL FUNCTION 10-ITEM SHORT FORM IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Background: While the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) physical function short form 10a (PF10a) is both practical and acceptable for implementation in routine clinical practice, its psychometric properties have not been evaluated in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Objectives: The objectives of our study were to examine the validity and responsiveness of PF10a in SLE among a racially/ethnically diverse clinic population and develop estimates of the minimally important difference (MID). Methods: Data were derived from electronic health records for all SLE patients seen in a university-based rheumatology clinic between 2013 and 2018. We evaluated the PF10a’s floor and ceiling effects among different racial/ethnic groups. Construct validity was assessed by examining Spearman’s correlation coefficients between the PF10a and other patient-reported (pain (scale 0-10) and pain visual analogue scale (VAS) (scale 0-100)), physician-reported (SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI)) and laboratory (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)) measures. Known-group validity was assessed by evaluating effect size (Cohen’s d) between categories of pain (no pain vs. moderate-severe pain). We used standardized response means to examine the responsiveness of the PF10a to longitudinal changes in pain and SLEDAI. MID was estimated using distribution based and anchor-based methods. Results: We included 612 patients in cross-sectional analyses of validity and 462 patients in longitudinal analyses of responsiveness. Mean age was 40.5±14.6, 87% were female and 32% Caucasian. The PF10a had ceiling effects above the commonly accepted criteria of 15% among Caucasian (23%), Asian (23%) and Other (17%) race/ethnicities, and no floor effects. Construct validity analyses showed strong correlations (ρ=0.66, p Conclusion: Although the PF10a showed some ceiling effects, it had good validity in this young racially/ethnically diverse sample with SLE. The PF10a was responsive to improvements in pain and disease activity. The anchor-based MIDs appear to be similar to those reported for PF10a in rheumatoid arthritis(1). This information supports the use of the PF10a in SLE and provides important information to facilitate interpretation of scores. Reference [1] Wahl E, Gross A, Chernitsky V, Trupin L, Gensler LS, Chaganti K, et al. Validity and Responsiveness of a 10-Item Patient-Reported Measure of Physical Function, PROMIS PF-10a, in a Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinic Population. Arthritis care & research. 2016. Acknowledgement: Supported by a University of California, San Francisco Precision Medicine in Rheumatology Award Disclosure of Interests: Zara Izadi Consultant for: I worked as a paid consultant for Celgene from 2014 to 2017., Julia Kay: None declared, Gabriela Schmajuk Grant/research support from: Investigator initiated award from Pfizer from 2015-2018, unrelated to this work, Jinoos Yazdany Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Consultant for: AstraZeneca
The Balkan Wars from contemporary perception to historic memory: edited by Katrin Boeckh and Sabine Rutar, New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017, tables, figures, xvii + 350 pp., US $99.99 (hbk), ISBN 978-3-3194-4641-7

In this decade of noisy anniversaries, the centenary of the Balkan Wars (1912–13) seems to have been overshadowed, at least in popular attention and journalism, by the attention dispensed on the Gr...
The Neutrophil Proteases, Elastase and Cathepsin G, May Modulate the Activity of Factor VIII.

Abstract Neutrophils and monocytes express cathepsin G and elastase and also can bind to activated platelets, thus they can be localized to the site of active coagulation. Early studies suggested that cathepsin G and elastase inactivated factor VIII (FVIII) and were thus anticoagulant. But other studies have suggested procoagulant functions for cathepsin G and elastase in activation of factor V or activation of platelets among other possible mechanisms. Therefore, we investigated the effects of human neutrophil elastase and human neutrophil cathepsin G on FVIII/VIIIa. Elastase does inactivate both FVIII and FVIIIa but cathepsin G activates FVIII while having very little effect on FVIIIa. Cathepsin G activation of FVIII is enhanced by phospholipid vesicles, apparently due to enhanced rate of cleavage and stabilization of the resulting molecule. The maximum level of activation is less than that of thrombin, but it is still four-fold as measured in an APTT assay. Cleavage sites for both proteases in FVIII were identified by Edman degradation and gel analysis. FVIII cleavages are limited to a few specific sites that are mostly located near known activating and inactivating cleavage sites. A notable exception is a cleavage site for elastase after valine 26 in the A1 domain. Cathepsin G cleavage sites near to thrombin cleavage sites likely contribute to the partial activation of FVIII. The unique elastase cleavage site at valine 26 likely contributes to the inactivation of FVIII and FVIIIa. Therefore, it is possible that neutrophils and monocytes may provide some pro-coagulant effect by activating FVIII and may also provide negative feedback by inactivating FVIIIa as well.
Comparison of second-line therapy in IVIg-refractory Kawasaki disease: a systematic review

Evidence remains contradictory regarding second-line therapy in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) refractory to initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). The objective of this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three treatments [i.e. a second IVIg infusion, methylprednisolone (IVMP), and infliximab (IFX)] in patients with refractory KD. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov using predefined MeSH terms was performed from 1990 through 2017. Relevance screening was performed by two independent reviewers. Inclusion criteria included English-only, original clinical data. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Fever resolution, coronary lesions, and adverse event outcomes were extracted and pooled for analysis. Of the 388 patients included from the 8 studies analyzed, a majority received a second IVIg dose (n = 263, 68%). Fever resolution was comparable between IVIg (72%) and IVMP (73%). IFX (88%) significantly increased fever resolution by approximately 20% compared to IVIg re-dose (RR 1.2; [95% CI: 1.1–1.4]; p = 0.03) and IVMP (RR 1.2; [95% CI: 1.0–1.5]; p = 0.04). Clinical significance of differences in coronary outcomes remains unclear. This combined analysis was limited due to variability in design and data reporting methods between the studies and risk of bias. In the absence of a clinical trial, IFX monotherapy as second-line treatment should be considered in patients who fail to respond to initial IVIg. This conclusion is based on a systematic review of the literature with pooled outcome data analysis suggesting IFX is more effective in fever resolution compared to a second IVIg dose and IVMP.
Si-based materials for lithium-ion batteries III: Surface-modified Si/C/polyvinylidine difluoride powder

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze Si/C/polyvinylidine difluoride powder obtained from Paraclete Energy Inc. The spectra were obtained using incident monochromatic Al Kα radiation at 1486.6 eV (0.834 01 nm). An initial survey spectrum together with F 1s, O 1s, C 1s, and Si 2p are presented. A final survey spectrum was collected to ascertain the amount of beam-induced damage, which appears to be minimal. The spectra indicate the principal core level photoelectron and Auger electron signals with only minor nitrogen signal and show the expected silicon-carbon and silicon-fluorine species related to the surface modification process in addition to oxidized carbon and silicon due to atmospheric exposure.
The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Burn Outcomes

Uninsured and low socioeconomic status patients who suffer burn injuries have disproportionately worse morbidity and mortality. The Affordable Care Act was signed into law with the goal of increasing access to insurance, with Medicaid expansion in January 2014 having the largest impact. To analyze the population-level impact of the Affordable Care Act on burn outcomes, and investigate its impact on identified at-risk subgroups, a retrospective time series of patients was created using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample database between 2011 and 2016. An interrupted time series analysis was conducted to examine mortality, length of stay, and the probabilities of discharge home, home with home health, and to another facility before and after January 2014. There were no changes in burn mortality detected. There was a statistically significant reduction in the probability of being discharged home (-0.000967, P < .01; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.0015379 to -0.0003962) or discharged home with home health (-0.000709, P < .01; 95% CI -0.00110 to 0.000317) after 2014. There was an increase in the probability of being discharged to another facility (0.00108, P = .01; 95% CI 0.000282-0.00188). While the enactment of the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act in 2014 was not associated with a change in mortality for burn patients, it was associated with more patients being discharged to a facility: This may represent a significant improvement in access to care and rehabilitation. Future studies will assess the societal and economic impact of improved access to post-discharge facilities and rehabilitation.
Coding Guidelines: Finding the Art in the Science: What separates good code from great code?

Computer science is both a science and an art. Its scientific aspects range from the theory of computation and algorithmic studies to code design and program architecture. Yet, when it comes time for implementation, there is a combination of artistic flare, nuanced style, and technical prowess that separates good code from great code.
A large-scale internal validation study of unsupervised virtual trichrome staining technologies on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis liver biopsies.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a fatty liver disease characterized by accumulation of fat in hepatocytes with concurrent inflammation and is associated with morbidity, cirrhosis and liver failure. After extraction of a liver core biopsy, tissue sections are stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to grade NASH activity, and stained with trichrome to stage fibrosis. Methods to computationally transform one stain into another on digital whole slide images (WSI) can lessen the need for additional physical staining besides H&E, reducing personnel, equipment, and time costs. Generative adversarial networks (GAN) have shown promise for virtual staining of tissue. We conducted a large-scale validation study of the viability of GANs for H&E to trichrome conversion on WSI (n = 574). Pathologists were largely unable to distinguish real images from virtual/synthetic images given a set of twelve Turing Tests. We report high correlation between staging of real and virtual stains ( $${\rho} = 0.86$$ ; 95% CI: 0.84–0.88). Stages assigned to both virtual and real stains correlated similarly with a number of clinical biomarkers and progression to End Stage Liver Disease (Hazard Ratio HR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.36–3.12, p < 0.001 for real stains; HR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.40–2.92, p < 0.001 for virtual stains). Our results demonstrate that virtual trichrome technologies may offer a software solution that can be employed in the clinical setting as a diagnostic decision aid.
Perioperative Transfusion Associated With Increased Morbidity and Mortality in Geriatric Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery.

Introduction Both conservative and liberal transfusion thresholds, in regard to hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, have been widely studied with varying outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate if transfusion administered peri- (anytime during the admission), pre-, intra-, or postoperatively an its association with morbidity and mortality in the geriatric population undergoing hip surgery. Methods This study was an institutional review board approved retrospective analysis of data collected from 841 patients at a single urban institution who underwent surgical repairs for hip fractures from 2008 to 2010. Results Our analysis included data from 841 surgical patients. Mean patient age was 83, 74% were female, 48% received spinal anesthesia while 52% underwent general anesthesia. Out of 841 patients, 425 were transfused during the perioperative period. Most transfusions occurred postoperatively. Perioperative, intraoperative and postoperative transfusion was associated with an increase in post-operative AKI. Intraoperative blood transfusion was associated with an increase in morbidity (11.6% increased to 22.2%) by 1.9 fold, AKI (3.9% increased to 11.1%) by 2.8 fold, as well as an increase in mortality (5.2 increased to 15.6%) within 60 days by 3 fold. Conclusions This may suggest that patients transfused prior to surgery, despite having met a specific trigger hemoglobin level earlier, may have been treated before deteriorating to a point that would cause future systemic implications.
Performance enhancement of double-wall-heated rectangular latent thermal energy storage unit through effective design of fins

Abstract This study aims to numerically investigate the influence of different designs of fins on the performance enhancement of a double-wall-heated rectangular thermal energy storage unit (TESU). Stearic acid is used as the phase change material (PCM) which is enclosed in a rectangular enclosure with two vertical heated isothermal walls and two adiabatic horizontal walls. The rectangular horizontal fins assist the heated walls during the melting process of the PCM. The design parameter variations of fins include angles (A), shapes (S), lengths (L) while maintaining constant PCM volume. The base case is modeled by embedding heated six horizontal fins, three on each of the heated walls. configuration-A, which incorporates three variations of fin angles, significantly increases the melting time of PCM by 16% and reduces the averaged energy storage rate by 14.2%. Whereas, the combination of straight and angled type hybrid fins of configuration-S show appreciable improvement in thermal performance of TESU by enhancing the melting rate by 18% and average energy storage rate by 19.8%. The configuration-L, encompassing combinations of straight fins with different lengths and thicknesses is found to be most effective of all. The optimum case of configuration-L augments the melting performance of the TESU by 39.5% and the average energy storage rate by 65.07%. Moreover, for optimum configuration, two new correlations of melting Fourier number and average Nusselt number as a function of Stefan number and Rayleigh number, respectively, are proposed for a wide range of wall temperatures.
Free energy of micellization of dodecyl phosphocholine (DPC) from molecular simulation: Hybrid PEACH-BAR method.

A new method to extract the free energy of aggregation versus aggregate size from molecular simulation data is proposed and applied to a united atom model of the zwitterionic surfactant dodecyl phosphocholine in water. This system's slow dissociation rate and low critical micelle concentration (CMC of approximately 1-2 mM) make extraction of cluster free energies directly from simulation results using the "partition-enabled analysis of cluster histogram" (PEACH) method impractical. The new approach applies PEACH to a model with weakened attractions between aggregants, which allows sampling of a continuous range of cluster sizes, then recovers the free energy of aggregation under the original fully-attractive force field using the BAR free energy difference method. PEACH-BAR results are compared with free energy differences calculated via umbrella sampling, and are used to make predictions of CMC, average cluster size, and SAXS scattering profiles that are in fair agreement with experiment.
An Examination of Study Time Allocation as a Contributor to Sex Differences in Multitrial Verbal Learning Performance.

Researchers have noted sex differences in verbal memory performance with females showing a memory superiority effect. Research paradigms have largely incorporated experimenter-timed materials. Ther...
The role of human and social capital in earthquake recovery in Nepal

Human and social capital help households cope with disastrous shocks. We analyse panel survey data from before and after the 2015 Nepal earthquakes to disentangle the association between post-earthquake income recovery of households and their social and human capital before the earthquake. Our analysis uses multidimensional measures of human and social capital and a machine-learning algorithm, the Bayesian additive regression tree. This approach helps us address measurement and estimation challenges that commonly affect social science analyses of observational data with many covariates and confounding variables. Our analysis shows the relative association of human capital with income recovery is greater on average than that of social capital, human and social capital serve as partial substitutes for each other when it comes to household income recovery, and the association of different capitals with economic recovery is nonlinear and heterogeneous across household education levels. Our results suggest that disaster-support policies can be structured with respect to human and social capital endowments to support more effective recovery of disaster-affected households. Analysis of data from a two-wave survey of households in Nepal before and after the 2015 earthquakes shows that higher human capital helped them recover faster than did social capital and that the two forms of capital are partially substitutable.
Differentiation of Commercial Polyester Fibers Using Two-Dimensional High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Multivariate Pattern Recognition Techniques

Six types of colorless commercial poly(ethylene terephthalate) polyester fibers (PET) from different manufacturers were investigated using two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As to their peak structure and area distribution, their chromatograms differed only insignificantly. Therefore a possible use of multivariate pattern recognition techniques was checked for a PET fiber identification based upon a data set obtained through HPLC analysis. The results show that the application of cluster methods (dendrogram, display mapping, and potential density method) enables a classification into different manufacturers.
Images of brutality: The portrayal of U.S. racial violence in news photographs published overseas (1957-1963)

Abstract During the early years of the cold war (1957–1963), photographs of civil rights brutalities tarnished America s reputation as a just and fair nation at a time when it hoped to contain communism and reshape the world in its image. By drawing upon U.S. government sources and international press coverage, this study examines four milestones in the civil rights struggle where photographs generated intense overseas reaction: school desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas (1957), attacks on Freedom Riders in Alabama (1961), James Meredith's enrollment at the University of Mississippi (1962), and the crisis in Birmingham, Alabama (1963). In the days before television became a global medium, still photographs of racial violence created difficulties for U.S. diplomats overseas and policymakers at home by aiding America s enemies and raising serious concerns among its allies and the unaligned nations. By showing the world the civil rights injustices that undermined democracy, these images of brutality helpe...
Vaccines to die for

Induction of apoptotic death by modified caspases enhances the function of “naked” DNA vaccination.
Illegal Number Crunching

In Reply.— The authors would like to thank Student for bringing to our attention the point that utilizing mean and standard deviation to analyze Apgar scores is not appropriate. We further feel that this information would be of benefit to other investigators, as a great deal of analysis is done on such nonarithmetic operations as clinical scoring systems and staging of malignancies (as two examples). This point may therefore be as enlightening to other investigators as it was to us.
Selecting Trees for Community Landscapes

Selecting the most appropriate trees for various kinds of planting sites is crucial for the success of a municipal tree program. A properly selected tree will appreciate in value for a long time and will be cherished by many people. Conversely, an improper choice might soon become unhealthy or die. Even worse, problems could appear years later when a remedy will be difficult and costly. Trees that lift sidewalks, conflict with wires (see Chapter 15, this volume), or interfere with traffic certainly are selection mistakes that can be avoided.
Role of renal replacement therapy in patients with type 1 hepatorenal syndrome receiving combination treatment of vasoconstrictor plus albumin

Abstract Purpose Utilization of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in cirrhotic patients has been controversial and is typically dependent on the status of transplantation. A better understanding of the central role for arterial vasodilatation in the pathogenesis of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) has led to routine use of vasoconstrictors in combination with albumin as a medical therapy for HRS with prolonged patient survival. The role of RRT in HRS patients receiving such treatment, however, has not yet been examined. Methods A total of 80 patients with type 1 HRS who received a combination therapy of vasoconstrictors and albumin were enrolled into a retrospective cohort study. The effects of RRT status on clinical outcome were analyzed. Results Both short-term (30 days) and long-term (180 days) survival was similar between RRT and non-RRT groups of patients, but the length of hospital stay was significantly longer among patients in the RRT group, which remain unchanged despite adjustment of status for liver transplantation. Conclusions Based on our observation, routine use of RRT may not be beneficial in patients with type 1 HRS receiving combination treatment of vasoconstrictor plus albumin. Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and refine the specific indications for RRT in this patient population.
Clinical Methods: The History, Physical and Laboratory Examinations

Cardiovascular system pulmonary system neurological system autonomic nervous system gastrointestinal system skin and appendages eye ear nose, mouth and throat endocrine system haematopoietic system musculoskelatal system female genitalia general.
Dielectric spectroscopy of colloidal suspensions. II: Comparisons between experiment and theory

Abstract A four-electrode frequency-difference dielectric spectrometer is used to study the dielectric response of suspensions of amphoteric polystyrene particles in dilute HCl solutions. Results are given for one set of particles with relatively thick diffuse layers, i.e., 3
An experimental model for disseminated herpesvirus infection of the neonate.

Abstract Pregnant mice at 10 days of gestation were more susceptible to vaginal inoculation with herpesvirus, type 2, than were nonpregnant mice. This mouse model system also was used to compare delivery through a birth canal contaminated with herpesvirus, type 2, to delivery after maternal parenteral inoculation by the same virus. Approximately 26 per cent of newborn mice either died or had evidence of disseminated herpesvirus infections after delivering through a vagina inoculated with herpesvirus, whereas only 4 per cent of newborn mice died after subcutaneous inoculation of pregnant animals. Only 1 per cent of neonates delivered of subcutaneously inoculated pregnant mice had any evidence of herpesvirus infections. Pregnant mice immunized to herpesvirus, type 1, had significantly less newborn infection after delivery through a herpesvirus-inoculated birth canal when compared to nonimmunized mice.
The Xeromphalina campanella/kauffmanii complex: species delineation and biogeographical patterns of speciation

European, North American and northeastern Asian collections of Xeromphalina section Xeromphalina were studied by sequencing the nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8SITS2 and 28S 5' regions and partial RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (RPB2). Previously designated Xeromphalina campanella I is designated X. campanella s. str. and a neotype for this species from the topotype region is established. This species is shown to be a discrete, cold-tolerant organism that is distributed across North America and Eurasia and does not exhibit significant geographical partitioning. A second closely related phylogenetic species previously designated X. campanella II, proposed as X. enigmatica, cannot be distinguished from X. campanella morphologically but is reproductively isolated and is sympatric with X. campanella across much of Eurasia and North America. Unlike X. campanella it shows geographical partitioning and some of the geographical populations likely have become reproductively isolated. Phylogenetic and geographical evidence suggests that X. enigmatica may have given rise to the eastern North American endemic, Xeromphalina kauffmanii, which also is reproductively isolated and is characterized by a hardwood substrate and a difference in basidiospore shape. Two putatively interbreeding haplotypes are evident for both eastern North American X. kauffmanii and eastern North American X. enigmatica and might be contributions from different glacial refugia. Cryptic taxa related to X. enigmatica are identified but not named due to small sample sizes including Asian taxa 1-5 and an apparent endemic from Idaho and British Columbia. Several species-delineation procedures were attempted and compared with this complex molecular dataset. Rosenberg's PAB statistic and PID (liberal) were the most liberal, assigning species status to haplotypes or interbreeding clades within species. PID (strict) and PRD (randomly distinct) were more stringent. Ability to intercross was the most stringent criterion for species delineation and did not correlate well with PAB, PID and PRD delineations.
Exploring Parental Aggression toward Teachers in a Public School Setting

Research regarding teacher experiences with school violence has focused almost exclusively on student perpetrators. Consequently, little is known about acts against teachers where parents are the primary aggressors. The present study attempts to fill that void by examining public school teachersâ€™ experiences with problematic parental behavior. Using data from 5,971 P-12 teachers in one southeastern state, this study utilizes a descriptive and exploratory analytical framework and finds that teachers experience more verbal abuse than actual physical aggression, and that experiences vary according to teacher, school, and community characteristics. The article concludes with recommendations for policy/practice and for further research.
An RCE-based associative memory with application to human face recognition

In this paper we construct an associative memory model based on the restricted Coulomb energy (RCE) network. We propose a simple architecture and training algorithm for this RCE-based associative memory. We study the capacity of this memory model on the practical problem of human face recognition. In this case, capacity is described by two measures: the ability of the system to correctly identify known individuals, and the ability of the system to reject individuals who are not in the database. Experimental results are given which show how the performance of the system varies as the size of the database increases: up to 1000 individuals.
The Ethics of Sin Taxes

ABSTRACT The current global economic crisis is forcing governments to consider a variety of methods to generate funds for infrastructure. In the United States, smoking-related illness and an obesity epidemic are forcing public health institutions to consider a variety of methods to influence health behaviors of entire target groups. In this paper, the author uses a public health nursing model, the Public Health Code of Ethics (Public Health Leadership Society, 2002), the American Nurses' Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (2001), and other relevant ethical theory to weigh and balance the arguments for and against the use of sin taxes. A position advocating the limited use of sin taxes is supported as a reasonable stance for the public health professional.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Aging Concerns

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders and long-term couples have become more visible and their special concerns about aging are being recognized by gerontologists. LGBT elders are a diverse group with regard to all characteristics. This article focuses on the characteristics, research needs and barriers, service needs and barriers, clinical implications, and suggestions for appropriate treatment to increase awareness of clinical gerontologists who may not be familiar with LGBT seniors or who wish to improve their services to this population. Gerontologists working in long-term care facilities and those working in social and home care services may be especially interested in the special concerns of transgender elders and the recent changes in public policy regarding all LGBT elders.
Synaptic Connectivity and Neuronal Morphology: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Neurons often possess elaborate axonal and dendritic arbors. Why do these arbors exist and what determines their form and dimensions? To answer these questions, I consider the wiring up of a large highly interconnected neuronal network, such as the cortical column. Implementation of such a network in the allotted volume requires all the salient features of neuronal morphology: the existence of branching dendrites and axons and the presence of dendritic spines. Therefore, the requirement of high interconnectivity is, in itself, sufficient to account for the existence of these features. Moreover, the actual lengths of axons and dendrites are close to the smallest possible length for a given interconnectivity, arguing that high interconnectivity is essential for cortical function.
Signal sequence region of mitochondrial precursor proteins binds to mitochondrial import receptor.

An integral mitochondrial membrane protein (p32) of yeast has previously been molecularly cloned and sequenced and suggested to function as a mitochondrial import receptor. However, this protein has also been proposed to function as phosphate translocator [Guerin, B., Bukusoglu, C., Rakotomanana, F. & Wohlrab, H. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 19736-19741; Phelps, A., Schobert, C.T. & Wohlrab, H. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 248-252]. Here we have purified p32 after expression of its gene in Escherichia coli and assayed its ability to bind to various preproteins containing signal sequences for protein translocation into mitochondria, chloroplasts, or the endoplasmic reticulum. Our data suggest that p32 contains a binding site specific for the signal sequence region of mitochondrial preproteins. These data are consistent with the previous assignment of p32 as an import receptor and are discussed with regard to the apparently conflicting assignment of this protein as phosphate translocator.
Pennsylvania Public Libraries and the Great Flood of 1936: Dark Clouds and Silver Linings

The Great Flood of 1936 damaged thousands of buildings, ruined millions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure and personal property, and left thousands of citizens homeless in Pennsylvania. Among affected institutions were 14 public libraries that lost books and records and/or sustained structural damage during the flood. This article recounts the experiences of the four libraries with the largest claims: the Cambria Library (Johnstown), the Annie Halenbake Ross Library (Lock Haven), Milton Public Library, and the James V. Brown Library (Williamsport). Lessons learned, unexpected opportunities to reshape collections and services, and advancement of professional knowledge about conservation of water-soaked materials are discussed. In addition, the article provides details about the Pennsylvania Library Association’s successful pursuit of state rehabilitation funds for affected libraries. Although the Great Flood of 1936 was an experience that no one would wish to repeat, it represents some silver linings in terms of public library history.
Resource allocation under limited sharing

Abstract We study the problem of resource sharing within a system of users, each with the same resource capacity, but with varying resource demands. For model simplicity, we assume system saturation, so that the total demand matches the total capacity, and permit only a limited form of sharing in which a user is free to share its unused capacity with exactly one other user. We seek to maximize the total amount of unshared capacity over all feasible solutions, reflecting an environment in which sharing incurs a cost proportional to the overall quantity shared. For the general problem, which is NP-hard, we derive a tight worst-case performance bound for a greedy algorithm G as well as for a number of other sharing rules. We also prove several results concerning G 's behavior in more restricted settings.
A Dream Focus for Short-Term Growth Groups.

Abstract This article describes a dream work focus for 6-week growth groups. Gestalt, Jungian, and other humanistic theories and techniques of working with dreams are applied to group work. Procedures for working with members' dreams are examined in relation to group process and group development. Ethical considerations, cautions, and potential use of dream work as an intervention in other kinds of groups are discussed.
Chinese and English counterfactuals: The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis revisited

Abstract Bloom (1981) found that Chinese speakers were less likely than English speakers to give counterfactual interpretations to a counterfactual story. These findings, together with the presence of a distinct counterfactual marker (the subjunctive) in English, but not in Chinese, were interpreted as evidence for the weak form of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. A series of five studies was designed to replicate these findings, using both Chinese and English versions of a new counterfactual story as well as the story used by Bloom. In these studies, bilingual Chinese showed little difficulty in understanding either story in either language, insofar as the English and Chinese were idiomatic. For one story, the Chinese bilinguals performed better in Chinese than American subjects did in English. Nearly monolingual Chinese who did not know the English subjunctive also gave mostly counterfactual responses. These findings suggest that the mastery of the English subjunctive is probably quite tangenital to counterfactual reasoning in Chinese. In short, the present research yielded no support for the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
Expression of Capacitative Calcium TrpC Proteins in Rat Myometrium During Pregnancy

Abstract External Ca2+ entry into myometrial smooth-muscle cells is important to uterine contraction and hence to labor progression and parturition. Proteins of the transient receptor potential (Trp) channel family are putative capacitative Ca2+ entry channels that respond to contractant-generated signals and intracellular Ca2+ store depletion. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the relative expression of TrpC mRNAs in rat myometrium and determine their expression pattern during pregnancy and labor. rTrpC1, rTrpC2, rTrpC4, rTrpC5, rTrpC6, and rTrpC7 mRNAs, but not rTrpC3 mRNA, were expressed in nonpregnant rat myometrium. With the exception of rTrpC7, the resulting products were sequenced and found to be identical with published sequences; new rTrpC7 sequence exhibited >88% homology to mouse and human TrpC7 coding regions. Relative to β-actin mRNA, rTrpC4 mRNA was expressed in the greatest abundance. rTrpC1, 5, and 6 mRNAs were expressed at lower levels, where...
Crisis, Planning, and the Quality of Life: Managing the New Historical Relationships between Space and Society

We live in the midst of a major structural crisis. This crisis is multidimensional, cultural, and political, as well as economic. Spatial forms and urban issues are simultaneously being reshaped by this crisis and becoming powerful instruments for the policies aimed at managing the crisis from different viewpoints according to the pattern of contradictory social interests.The first part of the paper tries to outline the main effects of the crisis on the urban realm, focusing particularly on the spatial consequences of the new technologies, that could be devastating if they were used to harden the dominant tendencies of corporate capitalism and authoritarian statism. The second part of the paper attempts to foresee some potential alternatives to managing the crisis, on the basis of the projects of defending collective consumption, affirming cultural identity, and enhancing political self-management, that are being fostered by grass-roots groups and progressive local governments all over the world. Relying ...
High efficiency LEDS--A bright new light source joins the lighting industry

Light emitting diodes are beginning to dominate the lighting industry. This article examines the history and science behind LEDs and previews their bright future.
Implementing a Performance Forecasting System for Metacomputing The Network Weather Service

In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a system called the Network Weather Service (NWS) that takes periodic measurements of deliverable resource performance from distributed networked resources, and uses numerical models to dynamically generate forecasts of future performance levels. These performance forecasts, along with measures of performance fluctuation (e.g the mean square prediction error) and forecast lifetime that the NWS generates, are made available to schedulers and other resource management mechanisms at runtime so that they may determine the quality-of-service that will be available from each resource. We describe the architecture of the NWS and implementations that we have developed and are currently deploying for the Legion [13] and Globus/Nexus [7] metacomputing infrastructures. We also detail NWS forecasts of resource performance using both the Legion and Globus/Nexus implementations. Our results show that simple forecasting techniques substantially outperform measurements of current conditions (commonly used to gauge resource availability and load) in terms of prediction accuracy. In addition, the techniques we have employed are almost as accurate as substantially more complex modeling methods. We compare our techniques to a sophisticated time-series analysis system in terms of forecasting accuracy and computational complexity.
THE RELATIVE REACTION WITHIN LIVING MAMMALIAN TISSUES V. (a) INFLUENCE OF LYMPH-SOLUBLE TISSUE MATERIALS ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COLORATION WITH SOME PHTHALEIN INDICATORS.

The present paper is the first of two dealing with experiments which were planned to disclose the meaning of the colors assumed by mammalian tissues when vitally stained with some phthalein indicators. Derivatives of the tissues themselves were employed after tests had shown, in agreement with certain facts in the literature, that inferences from model experiments, so called, would be misleading. Organs were perfused with water, or salt, or lymph of the same creature and extracted with small quantities of the fluid. The turbid extracts were colored with phthalein, the reaction determined colorimetrically with the aid of an arc light, and the findings were compared with potentiometer readings upon the material. The results of the two methods were in close agreement. The significance of the data will be discussed in our second paper.
Carrot Juice Color, Carotenoids, and Nonstarchy Polysaccharides as Affected by Processing Conditions

Effects of processing variables on color, alpha- and beta-carotenes, and non-starchy polysaccharides (NSP) of carrot juice products were investigated. Unblanched carrots produced the highest amounts of juice and lowest amounts of pulp. Compared to color of fresh juice, canned juice from acetic acid-blanched carrots retained redness best, and juice from unblanched carrots retained the least. Juice products from unblanched carrots retained highest total carotenes. Retorting, concentrating, and freeze-drying partly reduced juice product carotenes. In most cases, the reduced amounts from various processing methods were greater for beta-carotene than for alpha-carotene. NSP contents of juice products ranged from 1.1 to 1.5%.
Motor cognition: a new paradigm to study self-other interactions

Abstract Accumulative empirical evidence has been reviewed in support of the notion that the production and perception of action as well as the interpretation of others’ actions are functionally connected, and indeed, rely on common distributed neural systems in the premotor and parietal cortices. We suggest that these neural systems sustain shared representations between self and other that are crucial in social interactions. The inferior parietal cortex plays a special role in the sense of agency, which is a fundamental aspect to navigate within this neural network. The role of other brain areas that implement and regulate these shared representations remains to be specified.
Noninvasive preoperative evaluation of biliary anatomy in right-lobe living donors with mangafodipir trisodium-enhanced MR cholangiography.

Abstract Background Accurate preoperative radiologic imaging is essential to assess the vascular and biliary anatomy of right-lobe living donors and to ensure their safety. Volumetric magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRCP) using Mangafodipir trisodium (Mn-DPDP) contrast has been recently proposed to evaluate the biliary anatomy of living donor candidates. Methods During their preoperative evaluation, 18 right-lobe (RL) living donors underwent 3D Mn-DPDP-enhanced MRCP in addition to the standard thin- and thick-slab MRCP imaging. Immediately prior to hepatectomy all 18 RL donors underwent intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) via the cystic duct. We compared the efficacy of these different radiologic techniques to actual intraoperative IOC findings. Results Sixty-eight intrahepatic bile ducts were identified on IOC, 67(98.5%) by Mn-DPDP-enhanced 3D MRCP, 41 (60%) by thick-slab SSFSE imaging, and 35 (51%) by thin-slice SSFSE imaging. Mn-DPDP-enhanced 3D MRCP detected 100% (n = 5) of the anomalous origins of the right bile duct, and thick-slab MRCP detected 20% (n = 1) and thin-slab MRCP detected 0%. Anterior and posterior right intrahepatic bile ducts were identified by MnDPDP-enhanced 3D MRCP 100% of the time, by thick-slab SSFSE imaging 35% of the time, and by thin-slice SSFSE imaging only 12% of the time. Conclusion Mn-DPDP-enhanced 3D MRCP imaging was highly sensitive and specific in identifying variants of the intrahepatic bile ducts. This technique should be included in the standard protocol of preoperative radiologic evaluation of RL living donor candidates.
Photoemission Studies of Copper and Silver: Experiment

Experimental photoemission data from copper and silver are presented and interpreted in detail in terms of the calculated band structures over a photon energy range from 1.5 to 11.5 eV. It is shown that nondirect optical transitions are stronger than direct ones in both metals. In fact, the only direct optical transitions observed are rather weak ones between $p$- and $s$-like states near ${{L}_{2}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${L}_{1}$ in the calculated band structures. No evidence of direct transitions from the $d$ bands is found. From the data, the density of states for copper and silver is determined from approximately 7 eV below the Fermi level to approximately 10 eV above it. Several symmetry points in the calculated band structures, and the $d$ bands, are located absolutely in energy. It is found that electron-electron scattering is the dominant inelastic scattering mechanism for energetic electrons in the metals over the range of energy studied. No evidence of electron scattering by plasmon creation is found. In the silver data, the Auger process is identified, and its effect on photoemission is discussed in detail. To check on the results and conclusions drawn from the photoemission studies, and to illustrate the utility of the method, the spectral distribution of the quantum yield and the energy distribution of photoemitted electrons at several photon energies for copper are calculated and compared to the observations. The contribution of the Auger process to photoemission is calculated and compared to the observations for silver. In addition, the imaginary part of the dielectric constant ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}$ for both copper and silver is calculated, assuming that only nondirect optical transitions are important, and compared to measured values. In all cases, very good agreement is obtained.
Pulmonary vasoconstriction due to impaired nitric oxide production after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background Pulmonary hypertension is a serious complication after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study tests the hypothesis that CPB provokes oxidantmediated pulmonary endothelial dysfunction, leading to reduced nitric oxide (NO) production and pulmonary vasoconstriction. Methods Twelve piglets underwent 2 hours of CPB. In 6 of them, CPB prime was supplemented with N -mercaptopropionylglycine and catalase, whereas the others were not treated. Left and right ventricular function were evaluated from end-systolic elastance and Starling analysis. Pulmonary vascular resistance and transpulmonary NO production (measuring NO 2 − , NO 3 − ) were determined to assess pulmonary endothelial function. Results Cardiopulmonary bypass caused a significant increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (83 ± 12 to 212 ± 30 dynes · cm −5 · s kg −1 , p μ mol/min, p N -mercaptopropionylglycine and catalase added to the CPB allowed a substantial improvement of these deleterious effects of CPB. Conclusions Cardiopulmonary bypass impairs pulmonary NO production, resulting in pulmonary vasoconstriction and right ventricular dysfunction, which can be reduced by antioxidants. These findings imply the validity of NO inhalation therapy for postoperative pulmonary hypertension as a supplementation of endogenous endothelium-derived relaxing factor.
Public Financing Of The Medicare Program Will Make Its Uniform Structure Increasingly Costly To Sustain

The US Medicare program consumes an ever-rising share of the federal budget. Although this public spending can produce health and social benefits, raising taxes to finance it comes at the cost of slower economic growth. In this article we describe a model incorporating the benefits of public programs and the cost of tax financing. The model implies that the “one-size-fits-all” Medicare program, with everyone covered by the same insurance policy, will be increasingly difficult to sustain. We show that a Medicare program with guaranteed basic benefits and the option to purchase additional coverage could lead to more unequal health spending but slower growth in taxation, greater overall well-being, and more rapid growth of gross domestic product. Our framework highlights the key trade-offs between Medicare spending and economic prosperity.
Some sieves for partition theory

Abstract A Combinatorial lemma due to Zolnowsky is applied to partition theory in a new way. Several even-odd formulas are derived. A combinatorial proof of the Jacobi triple-product identity is given. Some sieve formulas are proved which relate to the Euler pentagonal number theorem and the Rogers-Ramanujan identities and their generalizations. A formula is given for the number of partitions of n into parts not congruent to 0, ±x (mod y).