cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
E-134 In-hospital complications of thrombolytic treatment for acute ischemic stroke in dialysis-dependent patients

Background Intravenous thrombolysis remains an underutilized treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to several relative and absolute contraindications. Previous studies have investigated outcomes for the majority of AIS patients receiving thrombolysis without including the subset of renal failure patients requiring dialysis. This study aims to investigate short-term outcomes of thrombolytic treatment for dialysis-dependent patients who suffered in-hospital complications. Methods This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the 2012–2015Q3 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). ICD-9 codes identified adult patients (ages 18+) who received thrombolytic treatment for AIS while on dialysis for renal failure, and then further isolated patients diagnosed with in-hospital complications. Complications include intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), sepsis, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE). Data for patients who were missing important clinical identifiers (age, gender, race, mortality) and did not receive IV thrombolysis or dialysis were excluded. Data analyses assessed hospital mortality rate, length of stay (LOS), inpatient charges, and average age of admission. Results Of the 5,745 encounters with AIS patients treated with thrombolysis while on dialysis for renal failure, 189 dialysis-dependent patients had in-hospital complications. These patients experienced: Lower rate of ICH (1.1% DD vs. 4.6% no DD, p Higher rate of pneumonia (5.4% DD vs. 2.9% no DD, p Lower rate of UTI (2.5% DD vs. 4.2% no DD, p Higher rate of sepsis (11.4% DD vs. 1.9% no DD, p Higher rate of DVT (15.6% DD vs. 3.2% no DD, p = 0.004). No significant difference in rate of PE (3.3% DD vs. 3.3% no DD). Conclusion This study aims to inform physicians to better manage dialysis-dependent renal failure patients receiving IV thrombolysis for AIS. These patients experience lower rates of ICH and UTI, and higher rates of pneumonia, sepsis, and DVT. These findings suggest that placing clinical focus on pneumonia, sepsis, and/or DVT prevention before administering IV thrombolysis may be critical for improving short-term in-hospital outcomes for AIS. Future research should aim to investigate different thrombolytic agents to determine the optimal choice for dialysis-dependent patients with pneumonia, sepsis, and DVT, as well as delineate differences in approaches to achieve best outcomes for dialysis-dependent renal failure patients receiving IV thrombolysis. Disclosures K. Tong: None. A. Wang-Selfridge: None. T. Colburn: None. P. Brauer: None.
Tunable dialdehyde/dicarboxylate nanocelluloses by stoichiometrically optimized sequential periodate–chlorite oxidation for tough and wet shape recoverable aerogels

Sequential periodate–chlorite (PC) oxidation has been optimized stoichiometrically according to the non-crystalline content in cellulose to generate a variety of versatile C2,C3 dialdehyde/dicarboxylate nanocelluloses (NCs) while economizing chemical and shear force inputs. The robust primary sodium periodate (NaIO4) oxidation not only regioselectively cleaved the C2–C3 carbon bond to oxidize the vicinal hydroxyls to aldehydes, but also governed the lengths of NCs, i.e., cellulose nanofibrils (PC-CNFs) at near-equal NaIO4 to non-crystalline anhydroglucose unit (AGU) stoichiometry and cellulose nanocrystals (PC-CNCs) at a doubled ratio. Secondary sodium chlorite (NaClO2) oxidation facilely converted C2,C3 dialdehydes to dicarboxylates and, upon deprotonation, facilitated defibrillation to NCs, irrespective of extents of carboxylation or charges. The optimal 0.5 : 1 NaIO4/AGU and 1 : 1 NaClO2/AGU oxidation produced highly uniform 1.26 nm thick, 3.28 nm wide, and ca. 1 μm long PC-CNFs with tunable surface aldehyde (0.71–0.0 mmol g−1) and carboxylate (0.64–1.35 mmol g−1) content at 94–98% yields. The C2–C3 glucosidic ring opening and oxidation along the 110 or 10 crystalline surfaces increased the heterogeneity of the hydrophilic surfaces and flexibility of PC-CNFs to influence their self-assembling into fibrils and amphiphilic superabsorbent aerogels. The ultra-light (ρ = 10.3 mg cm−3) aerogels showed an ultra-high dry specific compression modulus (50.2 kPa mg−1 cm−3) and specific stress (8.2 kPa mg−1 cm−3 at 0.8 strain), cyclic wet compressive behavior, and excellent water-activated shape recovery following 0.8 strain dry compression.
PV Module Backsheet Material Differentiation Using Polarization Imaging

PV modules use a variety of backsheet materials, which can experience considerable degradation after several years of weathering. To support warranty claims and research efforts, a polarization imaging method has been developed which can remotely differentiate between backsheet materials. Two implementations have been demonstrated: one with a single camera which applies a proven approach but provides a low throughput; and one which uses an experimental technique with multiple cameras but is more versatile and can provide higher throughputs. Work is underway to apply the method using drones and to robustly process images to quickly map the distribution of backsheet materials in PV facilities.
Orbital Angular Momentum Modes From VCSELs Using Grayscale Photolithography

We present fabrication of dielectric micro-optical elements on VCSELs and characterization of emitted orbital angular momentum modes. Spiral phase plates are fabricated on the top facet of oxide-confined VCSELs using grayscale photolithography and dry etching silicon nitride. The refractive index of silicon nitride film is characterized using ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy is used to verify the fidelity of fabricated dielectric micro-optical elements. Orbital angular momentum modes with on-axis null are experimentally demonstrated. A novel circular rotation of intensity with propagation in the near-field is observed and is analyzed using Fresnel transfer function simulations.
Abstract NG06: Addressing scaffolding roles of oncogenic kinases with targeted protein degradation

Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology has emerged over the last two decades as a powerful tool for targeted degradation of proteins. PROTACs are heterobifunctional small molecules which co-opt the ubiquitin proteasome system to destroy oncogenic proteins. The development of PROTACs for receptor tyrosine kinases (EGFR, Her2 and c-MET), a protein family previously thought to be intractable for induced protein degradation, will be described. The use of VHL-recruiting PROTACs against this protein family reveals several advantages of degradation over inhibition alone including more potent inhibition of cell proliferation, a more durable and sustained downstream signaling response. Combined, these findings demonstrate the ability to target receptor tyrosine kinases for degradation using the PROTAC technology and outline the advantages of this degradation-based approach. Application of the PROTAC technology to targets, including RTKs, in hematological malignancies has also provided potential therapeutic approaches and enhanced understanding of scaffolding roles of oncogenic kinases. The receptor tyrosine kinase FLT-3 is frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia; however, traditional small molecule inhibitors suffer from limited efficacy in the clinic. A FLT-3 targeting PROTAC with sub-nanomolar antiproliferative activity and the ability to induce tumor regression in vivo will be described. Additionally, the discovery of apoptosis suppression as a kinase independent activity of FLT-3 ITD will be described. While the use of kinase inhibitors of oncoprotein BCR-Abl have enabled durable responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), issues of drug resistance and residual leukemic stem cells remain. An allosteric BCR-Abl PROTAC demonstrates significant advantages compared to inhibition and identified scaffolding roles for BCR-Abl which are not addressed by inhibitors but can be abrogated by protein degradation. Concurrent treated with the allosteric PROTAC and orthosteric inhibitors proved synergistic, particularly against some clinically relevant BCR-Abl kinase domain mutants. Furthermore, investigation into the kinase independent roles of BCR-Abl in patient stem cells suggest that these persistent leukemic stem cells are BCR-Abl agnostic. Citation Format: George Burslem. Addressing scaffolding roles of oncogenic kinases with targeted protein degradation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr NG06.
Microinjection Method for Anopheles gambiae Embryos

Embryo microinjection techniques are essential for many molecular and genetic studies of insect species. They provide a means to introduce exogenous DNA fragments encoding genes of interest as well as favorable traits into the insect germline in a stable and heritable manner. The resulting transgenic strains can be studied for phenotypic changes resulting from the expression of the integrated DNA to answer basic questions or used in practical applications. Although the technology is straightforward, it requires of the investigator patience and practice to achieve a level of skill that maximizes efficiency. Shown here is a method for microinjection of embryos of the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. The objective is to deliver by microinjection exogenous DNA to the embryo so that it can be taken up in the developing germline (pole) cells. Expression from the injected DNA of transposases, integrases, recombinases, or other nucleases (for example CRISPR-associated proteins, Cas) can trigger events that lead to its covalent insertion into chromosomes. Transgenic An. gambiae generated from these technologies have been used for basic studies of immune system components, genes involved in blood-feeding, and elements of the olfactory system. In addition, these techniques have been used to produce An. gambiae strains with traits that may help control the transmission of malaria parasites.
Discovering Explanatory Sentences in Legal Case Decisions Using Pre-trained Language Models

Legal texts routinely use concepts that are difficult to understand. Lawyers elaborate on the meaning of such concepts by, among other things, carefully investigating how they have been used in the past. Finding text snippets that mention a particular concept in a useful way is tedious, time-consuming, and hence expensive. We assembled a data set of 26,959 sentences, coming from legal case decisions, and labeled them in terms of their usefulness for explaining selected legal concepts. Using the dataset we study the effectiveness of transformer models pre-trained on large language corpora to detect which of the sentences are useful. In light of models’ predictions, we analyze various linguistic properties of the explanatory sentences as well as their relationship to the legal concept that needs to be explained. We show that the transformer-based models are capable of learning surprisingly sophisticated features and outperform the prior approaches to the task.
Prenatal Telehealth During the Pandemic: Sociodemographic and Clinical Associations

Objectives: Like other areas of care affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth (both audio and video) was rapidly adopted in the obstetric setting. We performed a retrospective analysis of electronic health record (EHR) data to characterize the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with telehealth utilization among patients who received prenatal care. Materials and Methods: The study period covered March 23rd, 2020 to July 2nd, 2020, during which time 2,521 patients received prenatal care at a large academic medical center. We applied a generalized logistic regression to measure the relationship between the patients’ sociodemographic factors (in terms of age, race, ethnicity, urbanization level, and insurance type), pregnancy complications (namely, type 2 diabetes, chronic hypertension, and fetal growth restriction), and telehealth usage, as documented in the EHR. Results: During the study period, 2,521 patients had 16,516 prenatal care visits. 938 (37.2%) of the patients participated in at least one of 1,934 virtual prenatal care visits. Prenatal visits were more likely to be conducted through telehealth for patients who were older than 25 years old and lived in rural areas. In addition, patients who were with type 2 diabetes were more likely to use telehealth in their prenatal care (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 7.247 [95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 4.244 – 12.933]). By contrast, patients from racial and ethnic minority groups were less likely to have a telehealth encounter compared to white or non-Hispanic patients (aOR 0.603 [95% CI 0.465 – 0.778] and aOR 0.663 [95% CI 0.471 – 0.927], respectively). Additionally, patients who were on state-level Medicaid were less likely to use telehealth (aOR 0.495 [95% CI 0.402 – 0.608]). Discussion: Disparities in telehealth use for prenatal care suggest further investigations into access barriers. Hispanic patients who had low English language proficiency may not willing to see doctors via virtual care. Availability of high-speed internet and/or hardware may hold these patients who were insured through state-level Medicaid back due to poverty. Future work is advised to minimize access barriers to telehealth in its implementation. Conclusions: While telehealth expanded prenatal care access for childbearing women during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study suggested that there were non-trivial differences in the demographics of patients who utilized such settings.
Free-Radical Production by Reticuloendothelial Cells

Questions concerning metabolism imply interest in the pattern of change or dynamics of a system. Energy is required for change, and the pattern of change is determined by how energy is spent. The microbicidal function of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) is a dynamic process, and will be considered from the viewpoint of greatest simplicity, energetics. Special emphasis will be placed on transducing mechanisms whereby energy is converted and directed so as to effect microbicidal action.
Collaborative Land Use Management: The Quieter Revolution in Place-Based Planning

This fresh volume on the evolution of land use management begins by differentiating between the “quiet revolution” of Bosselman and Callies and the “quieter revolution,” Mason's perspective on how ...
Studies on isolated cell components. VI. The effects of nucleases and proteases on rat liver nuclei.

Abstract The effects of two nucleases and two proteases on isolated rat liver cell nuclei in a phosphate-bicarbonate-sucrose medium at pH 7.1 have been studied. Desoxyribonuclease caused 1) rapid loss of density and a virtually empty appearance under the phase contrast microscope, 2) condensation of the nucleoli into granular masses which often exhibited Brownian movement, 3) a slight decrease in nuclear diameter, and 4) a sharper definition of the nuclear envelope. Brownian movement of intranuclear particles is taken as an indication of loss of gel structure (depolymerization). The effects were observed 1–4 minutes after adding the enzyme solution (1 mg/ml). Ribonuclease (0.001–1.0 mg/ml) caused the nucleoli to condense into small dense masses within 30 seconds. A variable number of other very small condensations were also seen distributed throughout the body of the nucleus. No general clearing of the nuclear mass was detected and no Brownian movement of intranuclear particles was seen. Treatment with both nucleases resulted in the formation of numerous intranuclear particles which, together with the condensed nucleoli, showed rapid Brownian movement. Trypsin and chymotrypsin caused a rapid expansion of the nuclear gel and rupture of the nuclear envelope, which appeared much more resistant to digestion than nucleoli or intranuclear granules produced by nucleases. The gradual clearing observed in incubated homogenates is believed to be due to the combined action of proteases and desoxyribonuclease. The observations presented, together with the results of previous studies, are taken to indicate that the envelope of the isolated liver cell nucleus is a porous structure which allows free passage of a number of high molecular weight substances. The results do not support the theory that the nuclear envelope is composed solely of the chromosomal sheaths of swollen or hydrated chromosomes.
Abstract T P190: A Model for Predicting Persistent Elevation of Factor VIII Among Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS)

Background and Purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated that elevated levels of coagulation factor VIII (FVIII), a risk factor for stroke, may persist independent of the acute-phase response; however, this relationship has not yet been investigated in the context of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We sought to determine 1) the proportion of AIS patients with acutely elevated serum FVIII levels who had persistently elevated FVIII levels in the outpatient setting and 2) the characteristics at baseline predictive of persistently elevated FVIII levels. Methods: From our stroke registry, patients diagnosed with AIS between 07/2008-05/2014 were included if the initial FVIII level was elevated and a repeat FVIII level was obtained. A score was developed to predict which patients are at the greatest odds of remaining persistently elevated at both the 150% and 200% thresholds. Results: Among 1,616 AIS cases, 106 patients had initially elevated FVIII levels and repeat FVIII levels obtained. A total of 82.7% of patients had persistent elevation at the 150% threshold and 75.7% had persistent elevation at the 200% threshold. Time from initial FVIII measurement to second FVIII measurement was not different between the two groups (p=0.054). According to the models developed, for every one-point increase in the score, an individual is at ten-fold increased odds to have persistently elevated FVIII at both the 150% threshold (OR=10.43, 95% CI 1.63-66.9, p=0.0134) and 200% threshold (OR=10.2, 95% CI 1.82-57.5, p=0.0083). Conclusions: Persistent elevation in FVIII is common and in most AIS patients likely represents a constitutional risk factor. Persistent elevation in FVIII can be predicted by baseline characteristics in the setting of AIS, potentially proving useful in identifying patients at high risk for developing subsequent stroke. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Myofilaments: The End Effector of E-C Coupling

When cytoplasmic [Ca] rises, the myofilaments are activated in a [Ca]-dependent manner, thereby transducing the chemical signal and chemical energy (ATP) into mechanical force or shortening. Under physiological conditions, skeletal muscle contractile force can be varied by summation of contractions, tetanus and recruitment of additional fibers. Cardiac muscle, on the other hand, functions as a syncytium such that each cell contracts at every beat. The heart must also relax between contractions. Thus, there is neither the practical possibility of recruitment of additional cells, nor summation, nor tetanization to alter the force of contraction to meet altered demands. Therefore, in cardiac muscle, the force of contraction is varied in large part by changes in the peak [Ca]i reached during systole (as well as sarcomere length).
Multilevel techniques in solving electromagnetic scattering problems

Summary form only given. Recently there has been renewed interest in solving integral equations due to the advent of fast multilevel techniques. These fast solvers exploit the special structure of the matrices that arise from the numerical approximation of the integral equation. The kernel of the integral equation is usually related to the Green's function which is translationally invariant. This property manifests itself in the numerical approximations of the Green's operator: the matrix has an inherent Toeplitz-like structure, or the matrix can be factored by translational matrices. As a result, an otherwise dense matrix vector multiplication can be performed in O(NlogN) operations. The authors review these methods.
Singlet Oxygen at the Laundromat

Singlet molecular oxygen is an interesting molecule both visually and theoretically, since its red chemiluminescence can be analyzed by the application of simple molecular orbital theory. It can be produced from the reaction of hydrogen peroxide from either chlorine gas or hypochlorite ion from household bleach. Here we demostrate how to produce it using simple laundry cleansers.
Evaluation of a Postoperative Pain-Like State on Motivated Behavior in Rats: Effects of Plantar Incision on Progressive-Ratio Food-Maintained Responding

There has been recent interest in characterizing the effects of pain-like states on motivated behaviors in order to quantify how pain modulates goal-directed behavior and the persistence of that behavior. The current set of experiments assessed the effects of an incisional postoperative pain manipulation on food-maintained responding under a progressive-ratio (PR) operant schedule. Independent variables included injury state (plantar incision or anesthesia control) and reinforcer type (grain pellet or sugar pellet); dependent variables were tactile sensory thresholds and response breakpoint. Once responding stabilized on the PR schedule, separate groups of rats received a single ventral hind paw incision or anesthesia (control condition). Incision significantly reduced breakpoints in rats responding for grain, but not sugar. In rats responding for sugar, tactile hypersensitivity recovered within 24 hr, indicating a faster recovery of incision-induced tactile hypersensitivity compared to rats responding for grain, which demonstrated recovery at PD2. The NSAID analgesic, diclofenac (5.6 mg/kg) completely restored incision-depressed PR operant responding and tactile sensitivity at 3 hr following incision. The PR schedule differentiated between sucrose and grain, suggesting that relative reinforcing efficacy may be an important determinant in detecting pain-induced changes in motivated behavior.
Isolation and characterization of rat cytochrome P-450IIB gene family members. Use of the polymerase chain reaction to detect expression of a novel P-450 mRNA.

Abstract The rat cytochrome P-450IIB gene family consists of at least 10 members, 2 of which, P-450b and P-450e, have been well characterized and are activated transcriptionally by phenobarbital (PB) in the liver. The remaining genes in this family have not been studied extensively. In this report, data are presented that provide additional characterization of a P-450IIB gene, termed gene IV. The complete gene IV and flanking regions were isolated from a rat liver Charon 4A genomic library and subjected to a variety of analyses. Structural homology to the P-450b gene was confirmed by comparative restriction mapping and high stringency hybridization of gene IV fragments to probes comprising the entire cDNA for P-450b. The 5'-portion of gene IV, including its flanking region, was sequenced and contained an open reading frame for 58 amino acids which were 62% related to exon 1 of the P-450b/e genes. Typical TATA and CAAT promoter elements, as well as two Sp1 core sequences and a site related to a glucocorticoid responsive element were found in gene IV. Northern blot studies with an oligomer probe specific to gene IV sequence indicated a 4.3-kilobase pair polyadenylated transcript present at low levels in untreated rat liver and inducible approximately 6-fold by PB treatment. Primer extension experiments indicated that the transcription initiation site mapped to a position on gene IV that was analogous to that reported for the structurally similar P-450e gene. Due to the low levels of hepatic RNA expression, we employed the polymerase chain reaction to facilitate characterization of gene IV transcripts. The polymerase chain reaction data verified that gene IV transcripts were elevated after PB treatment. Significantly, the polymerase chain reaction results demonstrated that gene IV transcripts were associated with hepatic polysome fractions, indicating their active utilization in this tissue. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of RNA also indicated constitutive expression of gene IV transcripts in rat lung, kidney, and testis, as well as fetal rat liver. Together, these data show that gene IV is a transcribed member of the P-450IIB gene family and, like the well characterized P-450b and P-450e genes, is positively regulated by PB in rat liver.
Influence of bed material size heterogeneity on bedload transport uncertainty

[1] The bed material grain size distribution of gravel bed streams is often spatially heterogeneous. The heterogeneity is actually a random parameter, even for a “well-mixed mixture,” which potentially causes the transport rate for a given bed material to become an uncertain variable. The cause of bed material heterogeneity is the nonuniformity of the bed material, which is analyzed in this paper using examples from field observations and experimental data. The Monte Carlo simulation method is applied to study the uncertainty of the bedload transport rate using Wilcock's experimental data (P. R. Wilcock et al., 2001; P. R. Wilcock and J. C. Crowe, 2003). Each realization of the Monte Carlo simulation employed a randomly generated grain size distribution field for the entire simulation domain. With sufficient realizations the simulation results were adequate to show that the transport rates were a random variable and the mean transport rates did not fall on a single-valued curve when the local heterogeneity was taken into account. The results indicate that the bedload transport rate of nonuniform sediment has an intrinsic uncertainty that can result solely from the bed material. The results also partially account for the scatter of the fractional transport rate within Wilcock's experimental data. This study presents an important concept in understanding the uncertainty associated with estimates of sediment transport.
The Structure of Dual Domination: Toward a Paradigm for the Study of the Chinese Diaspora in the United States

: The primary purpose of this paper is to critique the existing dominant paradigms for the study of the Chinese in the United States and to develop an alternative one. My other intention is to demonstrate both the importance and limit of transnational approaches in Chinese American studies within the framework of Asian American and ethnic studies.
Sampling of Analog Signals

Analog signals that are transmitted by a digital communication system are converted to digital form by sampling the analog waveforms uniformly at discrete instants in time. This article describes the sampling process for converting lowpass and bandpass analog signals to discrete-time signals, which can then be quantized and converted to digital form. Keywords: sampling; sampling theorem; sampling of bandpass signals
Effect of the 1,450 nm diode non-ablative laser on collagen expression in an artificial skin model.

Background and Objective The 1,450-nm Smoothbeam™ Laser is a diode laser equipped with a cryogen cooling spray. Primary objectives were to evaluate the effects of this non-ablative laser on Apligraf® (bioengineered skin-substitute) and to document its use as a model for non-ablative procedures. We also measured the effects of laser fluence levels on collagen and elastin expression. Study Design/Materials and Methods Three sheets of Apligraf® were used for this study. Each received six separate laser applications at 4J, 6J, 8J, 10 J, 12J, and 14J. The sheets were then incubated with 10% CO2 at 37°C and samples were collected and analyzed 3 days later, using RT-PCR and immunofluorescent staining. Results Collagen III expressions significantly increased in both mRNA and protein levels at approximately 12 J. Conclusions There appears to be a threshold effect where there is very little increased collagen III mRNA and protein expression until the laser fluence reaches around 12J. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Naked Goddess: Pornography and the Sacred

In this article it is argued that contemporary forms of pornography represent an assault upon important sacred traditions which venerated female generative power and saw sexuality as a means of participating in the divine. The pornographic representations of the feminine in Western culture are part of systems of domination which not only support the abuse of women but also the colonization of peoples and the exploitation of nature. A celebration of the sexual cosmologies, which can still be found in cultural performances and ritual acts, is a means of countering this domination. So too is the process of speaking from the vulva; reclaiming the female genitals as a source of intelligent power that both manifest in and signify the creative forces that animate the universe.
Usefulness of computerized pediatric motor vehicle safety discharge instructions.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether providing child motor vehicle safety recommendations on computerized discharge instructions (CDIs) were useful to parents and modified their use of child-restraint devices (CRDs). METHODS: The subjects were guardians of children seen in an urban pediatric emergency department (ED). An intervention group was given computerized ED discharge instructions that included the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommendations for motor vehicle CRDs. A control group was given CDIs without the recommendations. All subjects were subsequently called within four days of the ED visit and asked questions about their knowledge and use of CRDs. They also were queried if the recommendations affected their knowledge or changed their behavior. RESULTS: There were 52 subjects in the control group and 58 in the intervention group. Fifty-seven percent of the intervention group remembered reading a safety tip (p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32 to 0.62), and 82% of that subset correctly identified it pertaining to motor vehicle safety. Forty-five percent (n = 33) of those who remembered the safety recommendation in the intervention group supported it being educational (p = 0.067, 95% CI = 0.28 to 0.64). Ten percent of the subjects in the intervention group said the CDIs changed their behavior regarding buckling-up their child, compared with 0% of the control group (p = 0.473, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Including CRD information on CDIs is a convenient method of educating guardians of patients about motor vehicle safety in a pediatric ED setting. The data suggest that parents find it educational and a smaller subgroup change their behaviors after receiving them.
Kinetics of acetaminophen glucuronidation by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases 1A1, 1A6, 1A9 and 2B15. Potential implications in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity

The importance of uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucuronosyltranferases (UGT) 2B15 and other UGT enzymes (1A1, 1A6, and 1A9) in glucuronidating acetaminophen (APAP) is demonstrated. The kinetics and contributions of various UGTs in glucuronidating APAP are presented using clinically and toxicologically relevant concentrations of the substrate. UGT 1A9 and UGT 2B15 contribute significantly toward glucuronidating APAP when incubations were conducted in either phosphate or Tris-HCl buffers at 0.1 and 1.0 mM substrate concentrations. At 10 mM APAP, UGT 1A9 is a significant enzyme responsible for metabolizing APAP in either one of the buffers. UGT 1A1 is the next most important enzyme in glucuronidating APAP at this high substrate concentration. The contribution of UGT 1A6 at 10 mM APAP concentration became obscured by similar relative activities exhibited by UGTs 1A7, 1A8, and 2B7. These observations may reflect the differences in kinetic parameters for APAP glucuronidation by the individual UGTs. UGT 1A1 demonstrated Hill kinetics while UGT 1A9 displayed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Substrate inhibition kinetics is observed with UGT 1A6, UGT 2B15, and human liver microsomes. The substrate inhibition is confirmed by employing stable isotope-labeled APAP as the substrate, while APAP glucuronide is used to test for inhibition of d4-APAP glucuronide. The in vitro hepatotoxicity caused by APAP in combination with phenobarbital or phenytoin is demonstrated in this study. The inhibition of APAP glucuronidation by phenobarbital leads to an increase in APAP-mediated toxicity in human hepatocytes. The toxicity to hepatocytes was further increased by coadministering APAP with phenytoin and phenobarbital. This synergistic increase in toxicity is postulated to be due to inhibition of UGTs (1A6, 1A9, and 2B15) responsible for detoxifying APAP through the glucuronidation pathway.
PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE MANAGER: IS THE DICHOTOMY REALISTIC?

The terms proactive and reactive are frequently used to describe managers. This paper examines the proactive-reactive behaviour patterns of 16 top-level managers and compares their behaviour patterns with conceptual views from the literature. The usefulness of the proactive-reactive dichotomy is evaluated and issues are raised concerning the proactive-reactive label. It is concluded that the dichotomy is overly simplistic for describing complex managerial behaviour and a more complex model is proposed for examining the proactive dimension.
Self‐reported Weight Loss Among Adults with Diabetes: Results From a National Health Survey

Although weight reduction can have a favourable effect on glucose control among persons with diabetes mellitus (DM), no national data have been used to describe weight loss among persons with DM. To address this gap, national survey data were used to assess self-reported weight loss among persons from the USA with and without DM and to identify how other factors might interact with DM to increase the risk of weight loss. Data from the 1989 United States National Health Interview Survey were analysed for 2185 persons with DM and 18304 persons without DM. Fifty-five percent of persons with DM reported they were attempting weight loss compared with only 43 % of persons without DM. Among those who attempted weight loss, one-quarter of persons with DM lost at least 15 lb (approximately 5.6 kg) during the prior year compared with only 16 % of persons without DM. After multivariate adjustment for demographic variables, health care utilization, cigarette smoking, and degree of overweight, persons with DM were 1.7 times more likely to have lost 15 lb than were persons without DM. Among persons with DM, having been hospitalised twice and having consulted a dietitian or nutritionist during the prior year were both related to intentional weight loss. Further research is needed to clarify the roles of health status and medical resources in weight loss effort and success.
A generic method for estimating system reliability using Bayesian networks

This study presents a holistic method for constructing a Bayesian network (BN) model for estimating system reliability. BN is a probabilistic approach that is used to model and predict the behavior of a system based on observed stochastic events. The BN model is a directed acyclic graph (DAG) where the nodes represent system components and arcs represent relationships among them. Although recent studies on using BN for estimating system reliability have been proposed, they are based on the assumption that a pre-built BN has been designed to represent the system. In these studies, the task of building the BN is typically left to a group of specialists who are BN and domain experts. The BN experts should learn about the domain before building the BN, which is generally very time consuming and may lead to incorrect deductions. As there are no existing studies to eliminate the need for a human expert in the process of system reliability estimation, this paper introduces a method that uses historical data about the system to be modeled as a BN and provides efficient techniques for automated construction of the BN model, and hence estimation of the system reliability. In this respect K2, a data mining algorithm, is used for finding associations between system components, and thus building the BN model. This algorithm uses a heuristic to provide efficient and accurate results while searching for associations. Moreover, no human intervention is necessary during the process of BN construction and reliability estimation. The paper provides a step-by-step illustration of the method and evaluation of the approach with literature case examples.
Oxidation, utilization, and incorporation into protein of alanine and lysine during metamorphosis of the blowfly Phormia regina (Meigen)

Abstract The extent of alanine and lysine oxidation by various developmental stages of the blowfly Phormia regina is stage specific. Both amino acids are most slowly oxidized at about half way along adult development, but alanine is most rapidly oxidized by the adult fly, and lysine by the white pupa at the commencement of pupation. The rate of utilization (Ka) for free pool alanine is at all corresponding stages higher than for lysine. Variations in Ka-alanine during metamorphosis are far more pronounced than for Ka-lysine, Ka-alanine being particularly high in the white pupa. Alanine and lysine were incorporated into total protein at identical rates (Kp) during metamorphosis except in the mature fly, where Kp-lysine was higher than Kp-alanine. The Kp values, at all times low, decreased markedly during adult development. It is suggested that protein synthesis during blowfly metamorphosis is less extensive than had previously been assumed.
Nano-lithographically fabricated titanium dioxide based visible frequency three dimensional gap photonic crystal

Photonic crystals (PC) have emerged as important types of structures for light manipulation. Ultimate control of light is possible by creating PCs with a complete three dimensional (3D) gap [1, 2]. This has proven to be a considerable challenge in the visible and ultraviolet frequencies mainly due to complications in integrating transparent, high refractive index (n) materials with fabrication techniques to create ~ 100nm features with long range translational order. In this letter, we demonstrate a nano-lithography approach based on a multilevel electron beam direct write and physical vapor deposition, to fabricate four-layer titania woodpile PCs that potentially exhibit complete 3D gap at visible wavelengths. We achieved a short wavelength bandedge of 525nm with a 300nm lattice constant PC. Due to the nanoscale precision and capability for defect control, the nanolithography approach represents an important step toward novel visible photonic devices for lighting, lasers, sensing and biophotonics.
An Improved Representation for Object Tracking Algorithm

Aiming at the shortcoming of feature space representation in traditional mean shift, we propose an improved object tracking method. At first, the target model region is segmented into overlapped square, and their histograms are computed. Then, the feature space is constituted which has introduced spatial information into. So the accuracy is enhanced. After computing the feature space of target candidate region, the mean shift is employed to find the new target location. The result shows that the improved method can track the object more robust, accurately and quickly.
Interaction Between Slow and Fast Oscillations in an Infinite Degree-of-Freedom Linear System Coupled to a Nonlinear Subsystem: Theory and Experiment

The interaction dynamics of a cantilever linear beam coupled to a nonlinear pendulum, a prototype for linear/nonlinear coupled structures of infinite degrees-of-freedom, has been studied analytically and experimentally. The spatio-temporal characteristics of the dynamics is analyzed by using tools from geometric singular perturbation theory and proper orthogonal decompositions. Over a wide range of coupling between the linear beam and the nonlinear pendulum, the coupled dynamics is dominated by three proper orthogonal (PO) modes. The first two dominant PO modes stem from those characterizing the reduced slow free dynamics of the stiff/soft (weakly coupled) system. The third mode appears in all interactions and stems from the reduced fast free dynamics. The interaction creates periodic and quasi-periodic motions that reduce dramatically the forced resonant dynamics in the linear substructure. These regular motions are characterized by four PO modes. The irregular interaction dynamics consists of low-dimensional and high-dimensional chaotic motions characterized by three PO modes and six to seven PO modes, respectively. Experimental tests are also carried out and there is satisfactory agreement with theoretical predictions.
Load-Shortening Behavior of Damaged Tubular Columns

A simple 'engineering' method was formulated for computing the axial load versus axial shortening relationship of pin-ended tubular members damaged by a dent and/or out-of-straightness. The method predicts the pre- and post-ultimate load-shortening response and can be used in analysing the strength and behaviour of offshore platform frames containing damaged members. It is valid for member geometries and material properties typically found in fixed offshore platforms. The method was developed from a parametric study and regression analysis of a database containing load-shortening relationships from published test results on small-scale damaged specimens and data generated by finite element analysis. The finite element analysis considered the effects of geometric and material nonlinearity and was verified by comparisons with test results.
Social closure in American elite higher education

Elite college admissions exemplify processes of social closure in which status-group conflict, organizational self-interest, the strategic use of cultural ideals of merit, and broader social trends and contingent historical events interweave to shape institutional power in the United States. The Chosen, Jerome Karabel’s monumental study of the history of college admissions at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton from 1900 to 2005, offers a political sociology of elite recruitment and a cultural and social history of the definition of merit that has guided these three schools and shaped much current thinking about college admissions. As Max Weber reminded us, the very definition of cultural ideals of an epoch bear the stamp of elite group domination: not cultural ideals but cultural interests and their strategic uses guide institutional power. The book provides an impressive empirical demonstration of that proposition: it identifies four different definitions of merit as organizational gatekeeping tools that have guided Harvard, Yale, and Princeton over the last hundred years and shows how these definitions were molded by status-group conflict and organizational interests. This essay outlines the central arguments of Karabel’s book; it identifies key contributions for our understanding of the history, culture, organizational interests, and politics of these three institutions; it highlights the social closure framework guiding the analysis; and it reflects on a fundamental ambiguity in Karabel’s thinking about meritocratic ideals as governing principles for modern stratified societies.
Requirements for correlation energy density functionals from coordinate transformations

The behavior of the density-functional correlation energy under general linear coordinate transformations is considered. It is demonstrated that it is uniform and nonuniform scaling that yield new conditions which are fulfilled by the exact correlation energy functional, besides the well-known requirements of rotational, reflectional, and translational invariance. By considering various types of nonuniform scaling in the limit of the scale factor \ensuremath{\lambda} going to zero and infinity, a set of relations for the correlation energy is derived. These relations, which are easy to test on approximate functionals, are of the type ${\mathrm{lim}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0}$(1/\ensuremath{\lambda})${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{c}}$[${\mathit{n}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\mathit{x}\mathit{y}}$]=0 and ${\mathrm{lim}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\infty}}}$${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{c}}$[${\mathit{n}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\mathit{x}}$]=0. In addition, a previous proof is simplified for ${\mathrm{lim}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\infty}}}$${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{c}}$[${\mathit{n}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$]=const, which is bounded from below, and we identify the constant as a second-order energy. Here ${\mathit{n}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$(r)=${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{3}$n(\ensuremath{\lambda}x,\ensuremath{\lambda}y,\ensuremath{\lambda}z), ${\mathit{n}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\mathit{x}}$(r)=\ensuremath{\lambda}n(\ensuremath{\lambda}x,y,z), and ${\mathit{n}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\mathit{x}\mathit{y}}$(r)=${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{2}$n(\ensuremath{\lambda}x,\ensuremath{\lambda}y,z) where n is the electron density. The limiting relations are not all met by any known approximate correlation energy functional. These relations apply to a correlation energy for addition to a Hartree-Fock calculation as well as to a correlation energy for use as part of a full density-functional calculation.
System for Preparing Microhybridization Arrays on Glass Slides

We describe the construction and operation of an arrayer system to produce patterns of DNA sequences for analytical uses such as microarrays of oligonucleotide on microchips. Detailed documentation on construction is provided, as well as added electronic circuitry and the software for the instrument, including programs to machine its own working surface as well as those to operate it as an arrayer. Its cost is modest, and with a single droplet tip it can deposit 96 spots per slide on 32 slides in about 200 min (readily upgraded to higher speeds). As currently operated, it can place 400 spots in 1 cm2, and this density, too, can be increased easily. We discuss design features and performance to demonstrate utility and flexibility.
Near-UV induction of sister chromatid exchanges under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

— The induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and cell sensitivity in mouse myeloma cells (66.2 subclone of MPC11) by irradiation with monochromatic near-UV (365 nm) light were studied under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Sister chromatid exchanges were studied using the fluorescence-plus-Giemsa technique, and sensitivity was determined by the ability of irradiated and nonirradiated control cells to form colonies in soft agar. Cells were found to be 16 times more sensitive to near-UV light under aerobic exposure, producing an F37 value of 7 × 104 J/m2 compared to the F37 value of 11.5 × 105 J/m2 under anaerobic conditions. The induction of SCE was also 12 times more efficient for aerobic irradiation than for anaerobic irradiation. The data suggest that the SCE-inducing potential of DNA lesions differs when near-UV irradiation is performed in the presence or absence of air. In addition, the DNA lesions responsible for lethality and also those lesions leading to SCE induction may differ under the two irradiation conditions.
Theoretical estimates of the rates of radioactive decay of radium isotopes by 14C emission.

The measured branching ratios for the decays of $^{222,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}223,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}224}\mathrm{Ra}$ by alpha or $^{14}\mathrm{C}$ emissions can be accounted for within a factor of 10 in terms of the ratios of Gamow penetrabilities through potential-energy barriers consisting of a Coulomb repulsion, the nuclear proximity attraction, and an interpolation between the configuration of tangent fragments and the configuration of the parent nucleus.
Framing the Self

The meaning of a photograph depends on the story we tell about it. In the case of portraits, these narrative frames shape the self we impute to the sitter. The interiority of the portrait subject, the inner character we imagine is revealed in the photograph, is a result of what we know about photographic portraits, about the sitter, about the photographer, and about the context in which the image was made. Likewise in everyday life, the selves we impute to others are infected by similar processes of narrative framing. Who we are known to be depends not only on self-presentations but on the stories within which those self-presentations are placed.