cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of Implanted Cardiac Rhythm Devices at End of Life

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) deactivation can improve quality of life in patients nearing the end of life, and all ICD patients should have the opportunity to discuss this option. Ethical principles and legal precedents support deactivation in patients who wish withdrawal of this life-sustaining therapy. Physicians must communicate this option to patients throughout their course, and particularly when advanced care planning or “Do Not Resuscitate” status is under discussion. While the logistics of deactivation can be challenging, inpatient and outpatient hospices should have policies in place for ICD deactivation.
Emotional Experience and Regulation in Later Life

Publisher Summary Recent research weaves a complex and rich story of emotion and aging. People report a gamut of emotional experiences across adulthood. Adults of all ages generally respond to distressing events using similar emotion regulation strategies. Older age, however, is related to decreases in several areas of emotional functioning. People are less accurate when decoding facial expressions and emotional tones in melodies. Their reactions times are slowed, and sometimes physiological reactivity is exaggerated in response to emotional stimuli. Despite these losses, older adults report relatively high levels of emotional well-being. Researchers posit that they do so because they have acquired skills by which to navigate their environments. Older adults are less effective at decoding facial expressions, but they have acquired social expertise that allows them to navigate their social worlds effectively. Their social interactions include a greater proportion of people who are emotionally close to them and with whom they report higher levels of positive emotions. Current findings provide information regarding age differences in emotional experience and also provide a roadmap for future research; studies are revealing age differences in neurobiological pathways, physiological reactivity, cognitive appraisals, and subjective responses. These studies include cutting edge research design methods and greater sensitivity to contextual factors that shape emotional experience. Future studies need to build on this research to continue confirming, or contradicting, current findings.
Informal Archives: Historical Narratives and the Preservation of Paper in India’s Urban Slums

Historical research is challenging when studying informal spaces like urban slums, where extant scholarship is limited, government data are sparse or absent, and populations change rapidly due to eviction, environmental shocks, and the everyday churn of migration. Moreover, written materials and political ephemera generated within slums are rarely preserved in accessible state archives, limiting the usefulness of conventional archival research. In such contexts, the discovery of informal archives—unmapped, non-systematized collections of materials kept by individuals and groups in the spaces under study—can contribute to the reconstruction of local histories. This article draws on 20 months of fieldwork in India’s urban slums to offer insights on the collection and use of informal archival materials. These materials afford an intimate look at how the urban poor organize and make claims on the state. Their analysis, however, involves inferential challenges. Researchers must consider how processes of production, preservation, and provision shape the content of gathered historical materials and thus the inferences that can be drawn from them. Beyond urban slums, informal archives are likely to be useful sources of historical data for a range of studies in comparative politics, especially those that focus on informal institutions and local quotidian politics.
Precision of VerifyNow P2Y12 Assessment of Clopidogrel Response in Patients Undergoing Cerebral Aneurysm Flow Diversion

Author(s): Bender, Matthew T; Zarrin, David A; Campos, Jessica K; Jiang, Bowen; Chandra, Arun; Vo, Chau D; Caplan, Justin M; Huang, Judy; Tamargo, Rafael J; Lin, Li-Mei; Colby, Geoffrey P; Coon, Alexander L | Abstract: BackgroundDual antiplatelet therapy (DAT), most commonly with aspirin and Clopidogrel, is the standard of care for intracranial stenting, including flow diversion. Clopidogrel response varies by individual.ObjectiveTo investigate the real-world precision of VerifyNow P2Y12 assessment (Accumetrics, San Diego, California) of Clopidogrel response.MethodsUsing a prospectively-collected, IRB-approved cerebral aneurysm database 643 patients were identified who were treated with the Pipeline embolization device from 2011 to 2017. Patients with multiple P2Y12 assays drawn within a 24-h window were identified. A single patient could contribute multiple, independent sets. Levels drawn before a 5-d course of DAT and patients who received alternative antiplatelet agents were excluded. Therapeutic range was defined as platelet reaction units (PRU) 60-200.ResultsA total of 1586 P2Y12 measurements were recorded; 293 (46%) patients had more than one assay. One hundred forty (22%) patients had multiple P2Y12 measurements within 24 h. These patients accounted for 230 independent 24-h sets. The average P2Y12 fluctuation across all sets was 35 points; the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles were 12, 26, and 48 points, respectively. Of the 230 24-h sets of P2Y12 assays, 76% remained within their original therapeutic category: 100 (43%) all therapeutic, 54 (23%) all hypo-responsive, and 21 (9%) all hyper-responsive. Twenty-four percent of patients fluctuated between therapeutic categories when multiple P2Y12 assessments were drawn within a 24-h period: 29 (13%) between hypo-response and therapeutic, 23 (10%) between hyper-response and therapeutic, and 3 (1%) between hypo-response and hyper-response.ConclusionOur experience suggests P2Y12 is an often-imprecise measure, and this should be considered when utilizing P2Y12 levels for clinical decisions.
Risk prediction models for cancer-specific survival following cytoreductive nephrectomy in the contemporary era.

Abstract Introduction To develop a risk-stratification model for cancer-specific survival (CSS) following cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in the contemporary era. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was performed of 313 patients who underwent CN for M1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from 1990 to 2010. To account for the introduction of targeted therapies, timing of surgery was classified as immunotherapy era (1990–2004) or contemporary era (2005–2010). Risk scores were developed to predict CSS using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results A total of 215 (69%) and 98 (31%) patients were treated in the immunotherapy and contemporary eras, respectively. Median follow-up among survivors was 9.6 years, during which time 291 patients died, including 279 from RCC. On multivariable analysis limited to preoperative features, age ≥ 75, (hazard ratio [HR] 1.9), female sex (HR 1.9), constitutional symptoms (HR 1.61), radiographic lymphadenopathy (HR 1.59), and IVC tumor thrombus (HR 1.65) were significantly associated with CSS. On multivariable analysis including pathologic features, the features above as well as coagulative necrosis (HR 1.51) and sarcomatoid differentiation (HR 1.44) were significantly associated with CSS (all P Conclusions We developed risk scores to predict CSS for patients treated with CN in the contemporary era. Patients with poor predicted survival may consider avoiding CN as initial management.
Subjective Perceptions of the Teaching–Research Nexus and Occupational Stress at Universities

Abstract. The duality of research and teaching is fundamental for university systems; however, it is often experienced as stressful. A study with 819 university scholars indicated the importance of...
Identification of novel Angiostatin binding partners using a protein array (27K) based high-throughput protein-protein-interaction screen

378 Angiostatin is a key endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. Since its discovery in 1994, a number of studies have reported potent anti-tumor and antiangiogenic activities of this agent. However, the molecular mechanism of action, including definite receptors or binding partners and the consecutive intracellular signalling patterns are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to identify potential receptor and cellular binding partners of angiostatin. First, the Fc-fragment of immunoglobulin was linked to human angiostatin by recombinant expression of fused hFc-angiostatin. We used the Fc fragment as a tag to tract and detect potential membrane, cytosolic, nuclear and mitochondrial binding partners of angiostatin. A comprehensive protein array platform, containing ~ 27,648 unique protein fragments, was generated using cDNA expression clones in an E. coli expression vector. Proteins were verified for proper expression and printed in duplicates onto two PVDF membranes. This represents one of the largest protein sets interrogated in array-based protein-protein interaction studies to date. Differential binding of human Fc-angiostatin vs. human Fc fragment with spotted proteins on the array were detected using HRP-conjugated anti-Fc antibody. This technical platform enabled us to identify a series of novel angiostatin binding partners. Noteworthy, a substantial portion of angiostatin binding partners were located to the mitochondrial compartment and are functionally involved in the cellular metabolism and oxidative processes e.g. peroxiredoxins, glutathione S-transferase, NADH dehydrogenase or mitochondrial import receptor subunit (TOM20 homolog). In support to the quality of our array based approach, we also found several previously described angiostatin interacting proteins such as annexin A2. Angiostatin binding to a selected subset of identified proteins was further confirmed by immuno-precipitation analysis. The affinity and binding kinetics of angiostatin to the identified proteins are evaluated using label-free surface plasmon resonance based technology (Biacore). The in-vivo importance of the identified protein-protein interactions in angiostatin signalling is confirmed by cellular co-localization and functional gain (c-DNA transfection) and loss of function (RNAi) studies. Here, we describe a novel high-throughput screening strategy to detect potential protein-protein interactions. Using this method, we identified a series of potential targets of angiostatin. Functional validation of these proteins might not only enhance our understanding of angiostatin’s mechanism of action but also elucidate promising targets for the antiangiogenic cancer therapy.
Miniature End-Plate Potentials are Composed of Subunits

Miniature end-plate potential (MEPP) amplitude histograms from frog and mouse muscle cells show a number of peaks that are integral multiples of the smallest peak (SMEPP). Kriebel, M.E. and Gross, C.E. (J. Gen. Physiol., 64, 85–103, 1974) found that in unstressed frog cells, SMEPP composed only 2–5% of the total but formed a distinct peak 1/7 that of the major peak. They also showed that repetitive nerve stimulation, heat and/or calcium challenges and nerve degeneration increased the percentage of SMEPPs and decreased the mean MEPP amplitude. MEPP distributions from mouse show SMEPPs to be 1/12 that of the mean amplitude. Colchicine reduced the mean 3–5-fold at which time MEPP distributions showed multiple peaks (Kriebel, M.E., Llados, F. and Matteson, D.R., J. Physiol. (Lond.), 262, 553–581, 1976). Botulinum toxin abolished larger MEPPs after the generation of as few as 200 MEPPs at which time SMEPPs and small multiple MEPPs were generated, but at very low frequencies, In comparison, black widow spider venom (Kriebel, M.E. and Stolper, D.R., Am. J. Physiol., 229, 1321–1329, 1975) or LnClz challenges also left mainly SMEPPs but after depletion of vesicles. The number of MEPPs in the smaller peaks follows Poisson statistics which suggests a “drag effect”. The variance in time-to-peak of MEPPs composing the 2nd and 3rd peaks was found to be larger than that of SMEPPs and larger MEPPs which also suggests a “drag effect”. The number of MEPPs in the larger peaks appears to be binomially distributed. These observations suggest a subunit synchronizing mechanism. Since the intervals between the smaller peaks (drag mechanism) are the same as those between the larger peaks (synchronizing mechanism), both release mechanisms utilize the same subunit.
Mechanism of Histamine Oxidation and Electropolymerization at Carbon Electrodes

Histamine plays an important role in neuromodulation and the biological immune response. Although many electrochemical methods have been developed for histamine detection, the mechanism of its redox reaction has not been directly investigated. Here, we studied the mechanism of histamine oxidation at carbon electrodes and used that mechanistic information to design better fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) methods for histamine. Using amperometry, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we demonstrate that histamine oxidation requires a potential of at least +1.1 V vs Ag/AgCl. We propose that histamine undergoes one-electron oxidation on an imidazole nitrogen that produces a radical. The radical species dimerize and continue to undergo oxidation, leading to electropolymerization, which fouls the electrode. CV shows a peak at 1.3 V that is pH dependent, consistent with a one-proton, one-electron oxidation reaction. This mechanism is confirmed using 1- and 3-methylhistamine, which do not electropolymerize, compared to Nα-methylhistamine, which does. XPS also revealed a nitrogen-containing product adsorbed on the electrode surface after histamine oxidation. For FSCV detection of histamine at carbon-fiber microelectrodes, histamine oxidation was adsorption-controlled, and the anodic peak was observed at +1.2 V on the backward scan because of the rapid scan rate. However, the oxidation fouled the electrode and convoluted the FSCV temporal response; therefore, we implemented Nafion coating to alleviate the electrode fouling and preserve the time response of FSCV. Knowing the mechanism of histamine oxidation will facilitate design of better electrochemical methods for real-time monitoring of histamine.
Failure criteria for fiber composite materials, the astonishing sixty year search, definitive usable results

Abstract A materials failure postulate is established giving upper and lower bounds on the numbers of failure parameters involved with any associated failure criterion. The failure postulate is based upon the symmetry properties for the material, any macroscopically homogeneous material form. It is of significant and decisive help in deriving failure criteria. A wide variety of examples of its usage are given but most of them are aimed at the standard forms for fiber composite materials. Specific failure criteria are the end result for everything from unidirectional, highly anisotropic composites at one extreme to the quasi-isotropic laminate form at the other extreme. Almost all of the work is for fiber composites with any degree of anisotropy. Section 7 and part of Section 4 have highly anisotropic conditions taken as appropriate to carbon fiber/polymeric matrix composites. The results are summarized in Section 8 and they are responsive to the field's many years of searching for the failure criteria of composite materials.
Privacy in Social Media

This paper is about the state of privacy in social media. Most people’s immediate concern about privacy in social media, and internet platforms more generally, relate to data protection. People fear that information they post on various platforms is potentially abused by corporate entities, governments, or even criminals, in all sorts of nefarious ways. The main premise of this paper is that that concerns about data protection, legitimate and serious as they may be, are not, mostly, about the right to privacy. Privacy is about control over the presentation of the self, not about protection of property rights. From the perspective of privacy as self-presentation, I argue that social media is, generally, very conducive to privacy—in fact, often too much so. The main tension in the domain of social media is between privacy and authenticity: social media enables a great deal of privacy at the expense of truth and authenticity. But the medium also comes with dangers of exposure that carry serious risks to privacy, potentially undermining peoples’ ability to control what aspects of themselves they present to others. Privacy in social media is a mixed bag, pulling in opposite directions, none of them free of serious concerns.
TOSNOS: To Online Shop, or Not-to Online Shop - Enabling Combined Improvements

In the recent years, there has been significant research, along with the development of related system, targeting both online shopping settings, as well as location-aware marketing/advertising and surveys. In this paper, we present TOSNOS - a prototype end-to-end system that enables efficient and effective shopping experiences for individuals as well as households. Specifically, we provide a solution that seamlessly integrates: (1) automatic generation of items to be included in a shopping list using IoT sensors, (2) the generation of orders to an apriori prescribed online vendor for each item on the shopping list, (3) the detection of user's proximity to an actual store location, and (4) the generation of a notification regarding items that are on sale in the nearby store, which also happen to be in the user's online order and for which the nearby store may be offering discount prices. Our solution not only incorporates different shopping possibilities for the users, but it also enables integration of location-awareness with the user's budget vs. time management. The demo will provide a step-by-step illustration of the main interacting modules of the system, including IoT sensors, database unit, and user interfaces. Furthermore, it will illustrate different heterogeneous functions of the TOSNOS system using example use case scenarios.
Ask-n-Learn: Active Learning via Reliable Gradient Representations for Image Classification.

Deep predictive models rely on human supervision in the form of labeled training data. Obtaining large amounts of annotated training data can be expensive and time consuming, and this becomes a critical bottleneck while building such models in practice. In such scenarios, active learning (AL) strategies are used to achieve faster convergence in terms of labeling efforts. Existing active learning employ a variety of heuristics based on uncertainty and diversity to select query samples. Despite their wide-spread use, in practice, their performance is limited by a number of factors including non-calibrated uncertainties, insufficient trade-off between data exploration and exploitation, presence of confirmation bias etc. In order to address these challenges, we propose Ask-n-Learn, an active learning approach based on gradient embeddings obtained using the pesudo-labels estimated in each iteration of the algorithm. More importantly, we advocate the use of prediction calibration to obtain reliable gradient embeddings, and propose a data augmentation strategy to alleviate the effects of confirmation bias during pseudo-labeling. Through empirical studies on benchmark image classification tasks (CIFAR-10, SVHN, Fashion-MNIST, MNIST), we demonstrate significant improvements over state-of-the-art baselines, including the recently proposed BADGE algorithm.
A selective transmembrane recognition mechanism by a membrane-anchored ubiquitin ligase adaptor

While it is well-known that E3 ubiquitin ligases can selectively ubiquitinate membrane proteins in response to specific environmental cues, the underlying mechanisms for the selectivity are poorly understood. In particular, the role of transmembrane regions, if any, in target recognition remains an open question. Here, we describe how Ssh4, a yeast E3 ligase adaptor, recognizes the PQ-loop lysine transporter Ypq1 only after lysine starvation. We show evidence of an interaction between two transmembrane helices of Ypq1 (TM5 and TM7) and the single transmembrane helix of Ssh4. This interaction is regulated by the conserved PQ motif. Strikingly, recent structural studies of the PQ-loop family have suggested that TM5 and TM7 undergo major conformational changes during substrate transport, implying that transport-associated conformational changes may determine the selectivity. These findings thus provide critical information concerning the regulatory mechanism through which transmembrane domains can be specifically recognized in response to changing environmental conditions.
Pandemics, economic freedom, and institutional trade-offs

We argue that institutions are bundles that involve trade-offs in the government’s ability to provide public goods that affect public health. We hypothesize that the institutions underlying economic freedom affect the mix of diseases by reducing diseases of poverty relative to diseases of commerce (those associated with free movement of people, such as smallpox or COVID-19). We focus on smallpox and typhoid fever in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century in order to build on recent work that make arguments similar to ours, especially the framework Werner Troesken sets forth in The Pox of Liberty. Our evidence shows that economic freedom, in multiple periods of time and settings prior to the eradication of smallpox in the second half of the twentieth century, reduced typhoid mortality but had no effect on smallpox deaths. The implication for COVID-19 is that the trade-off between fighting the pandemic and preserving economic freedom may not be too severe in the short run. However, in the long run, the wealth benefits from economic freedom are likely to be crucial in reducing vulnerability to diseases of commerce primarily from their impact on comorbidities (such as diabetes and heart disease). Thus, economic freedom is on balance good for public health, which suggests that it, while requiring trade-offs, might be the best institutional bundle for dealing with pandemics.
Engineering spin-phonon coupling rates for the silicon vacancy center in diamond phononic crystal cavities

We design diamond phononic crystal cavities to couple GHz phonons to silicon vacancy center spin qubits, with coupling rates of 1.45-3.63 MHz that would enable strong coherent spin-phonon interactions at cryogenic temperature ~ 4K.
Money's Design Elements: Debt, Liquidity, and the Pledge of Value from Medieval Coin to Modern

Across the ages, moneys exhibit a recurring set of design elements: they are made of debt; that debt is specifically fashioned to create liquidity; and the debt medium that results comes with a pledge of value (commonly collateral, convertibility, a commitment of public faith, and/or insurance) to enhance its credibility. While those design elements appear again and again, they vary greatly in form. Debt, for example, can be structured as a straightforward liability or issued by agents (e.g., a central bank acting for a government). Every difference in design changes the dynamics of the medium and the way people treat it. Every difference in design thus affects exchange, its societal context, and how value travels. Like the law of payments, the legal design of money shapes the economy itself. [This essay is written as part of a festschrift for Professor Benjamin Geva.]
Activation Mechanism of Nickel(0) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts Stabilized by Fumarate Ligands

Nickel(0) catalysts of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) that are stabilized by electronic deficient alkenes possess desirable properties of air tolerance and ease of handling while also retaining high catalytic activities. Since catalyst stability often comes at the expense of catalytic activity, we have undertaken a detailed study of the activation mechanism of a new IMes-nickel(0) catalyst stabilized by di-(o-tolyl) fumarate that converts the stable pre-catalyst form into a catalytically active species. Computational evaluation provided evidence against a simple ligand exchange as the activation mechanism, and a stoichiometric activation process that covalently modifies the stabilizing ligand was identified. A detailed computational picture for the activation process was developed, with predictive insights that explain the catalyst features that lead to both active and inactive precatalysts.
Disruptions in intracellular membrane trafficking and structure preclude the glucocorticoid-dependent maturation of mouse mammary tumor virus proteins in rat hepatoma cells

We have previously shown that glucocorticoids regulate the trafficking and processing of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) proteins in viral-infected M1.54 rat hepatoma cells. To examine the role of intracellular membrane integrity on MMTV protein maturation, brefeldin A (BFA) was utilized to disrupt membrane flow between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that in the presence of dexamethasone, BFA inhibited the proteolytic processing, cell surface delivery, and externalization of MMTV glycoproteins. Glycosidase digestion and inhibitors of protein glycosylation confirmed that the observed differences in apparent sizes of MMTV glycoprotein products are due to BFA-induced changes in oligosaccharide processing. BFA treatment inhibited the proteolytic processing of the MMTV phosphoprotein precursor, which normally associates with the cytoplasmic face of intracellular membranes. Similarities in salt extraction efficiency revealed that BFA did not affect the membrane affinity of the uncleaved phosphorylated precursor. In a complementary approach, proteolytic processing of the phosphorylated polyprotein did not occur in glucocorticoid-treated HTC cells transfected with a mutant MMTV provirus encoding a normal phosphorylated precursor, but which express a truncated MMTV glycoprotein missing its transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail. These results suggest that the MMTV glycoproteins and phosphoproteins may interact at a late step in the transport pathway in a manner required for their mutual processing in response to glucocorticoids and establishes the importance of functional interactions with intracellular membranes for maturation of the cytoplasmic MMTV phosphoproteins.
Computerized team Ranking and Game Scheduling

(1977). Computerized team Ranking and Game Scheduling. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 48, Including Leisure Today, pp. 20-20.
Periarteritis nodosa: Report of two cases, one complicated by intrapericardial hemorrhage

Summary Two cases of periarteritis nodosa in children are reported. Periarteritis nodosa of the coronary arteries was demonstrated in both patients; in Case 1, there was fatal intrapericardial hemorrhage due to the rupture of an aneurysm; in Case 2, the pathology was so extensive that rupture seemed imminent.
Support zooming tools for mobile devices

Mobile devices are quickly becoming powerful devices enough to run personal computers. However to control large visual information is still the critical issue for them. This paper introduces several zooming tools such as a focus zoom, a file zoom and a search zoom which are based on geometric and semantic zooming methods as new viewing methods. These zooming tools are developed to devise an efficient method for handling the viewing issue, displaying large visual information on a small size screen. In addition, the paper introduces usability testing method on mobile devices to find hidden issues in the tool, and mentions further progress to improve the usability of working on devices.
Fourier Transform Infrared Microscopy

Infrared spectrometry and microscopy were combined in the late 1940s when all-reflective objectives became available(1,1a); these also served as condensers. When the entire microscopical system was made to transmit the infrared spectrum, spectroscopists developed FT-IR microscopy,(2) which allowed them to analyze samples in the milligram range. Accordingly, FT-IR microscopy became highly developed in the 1980s and 1990s.(3–8) However microscopists, who routinely work with subnanogram samples,(3) lately have found applications for what they may term IR microscopy.(2)
Reliable collective communications with weighted SRLGs in optical networks

In this paper, we study the problem of reliable collective communication (broadcast or gossip) with the objective of maximizing the reliability of the collective communication. The need for collective communication arises in many problems of parallel and distributed computing, including Grid or cloud computing and database management. We describe the network model, formulate the reliable collective communication problem, prove that the maximum reliable collective communication problem is NP-hard, and provide an integer linear program (ILP) formulation for the problem. We then provide a greedy approximation algorithm to construct collective communication (through a spanning tree) that achieves an approximation ratio of 1 + ln(|V| + α|E| - 1), where is the average number of shared link risk groups (SRLGs) along links, and |V| and |E| are the total number of vertices and edges of the network, respectively. Simulations demonstrate that our approximation algorithm achieves good performance in both small and large networks and that, in almost 95% of total cases, our algorithm outperforms the modified minimum spanning tree algorithms.
Potential Role of the Inflammasome-Derived Inflammatory Cytokines in Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, disabling disease with mortality rates that appear to be increasing in the western population, including the USA. There are over 140 known causes of pulmonary fibrosis as well as many unknown causes. Treatment options for this disease are limited due to poor understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the disease progression. However, recent progress in inflammasome research has greatly contributed to our understanding of its role in inflammation and fibrosis development. The inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that is an important component of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Activation of proinflammatory cytokines following inflammasome assembly, such as IL-1β and IL-18, has been associated with development of PF. In addition, components of the inflammasome complex itself, such as the adaptor protein ASC have been associated with PF development. Recent evidence suggesting that the fibrotic process can be reversed via blockade of pathways associated with inflammasome activity may provide hope for future drug strategies. In this paper we will give an introduction to pulmonary fibrosis and its known causes. In addition, we will discuss the importance of the inflammasome in the development of pulmonary fibrosis as well as discuss potential future treatment options.
Concerning the exact null controllability of a nonlinear thermoelastic plate

Abstract In this paper, we consider the null controllability problem for a partial differential equation (PDE), which models thin von Karman plate dynamics in the absence of rotational inertia. Using the fact that thelinearization of this thermoelastic PDE is null controllable, we proceed to show that the full von Karman dynamics are locally null controllable. In obtaining the relevant observability inequalities, key use is made of the abstract multiplier which is apparently intrinsic to control theoretic studies of thermoelastic plates.
Internist judgments of chronic low back pain.

Objective. To examine the consistency of internist judgments about low back pain; to examine the influence of different clinical factors on those judgments. Design. 2 × 4 mixed between- and within-subjects analog experiment. Setting. Academic health sciences center, school of medicine; department of internal medicine. Participants. Forty-eight internal medicine physicians. Interventions. Vignettes describing hypothetical chronic low back pain patient varied by patient pain level (low versus high) and clinical information type (history versus physical examination versus functional disability versus medical diagnostics). Outcome Measures. Clinical judgments regarding patient medical, psychological, and disability status; referral, treatment, and test ordering options. Results. Within-physician consistency was very high, while between-physician consistency was very low. Medical diagnostics had the only consistent influence on judgments. Patient pain level had no effect. Physical examination and functional information had little or no effect. Conclusions. While there is little agreement among internists regarding judgments of low back pain, individual physicians hold consistently to their opinions. These findings suggest that management of low back pain may be idiosyncratic, potentially compromising patient care.
CDP Stacking And Imaging of Cross-well Reflectors

Cross-well reflection imaging can be complex. In addition to the procedure of pre-processing the complex wavefield, the cross-well geometry leads to more complex algebra when doing reflection imaging. Therefore it is beneficial to have a CDP stacking procedure and related traveltime equations for cross-well reflections. In this paper, a parallelism is created between the surface seismic reflection stacking procedure and cross-well. By doing this we can combine the intrinsically high resolution potential of cross-well data with the well known techniques for surface reflection imaging. The cross-well stacking procedure and its traveltime equations allow for straightforward corrections for source geophone locations and stacking.
A multi-torque model for the effects of dispersants and slurry viscosity on ball milling

Diverse ball milling conditions were employed by changing ball size, media charge, mill speed and slurry hold-up in order to study the effect of polymeric dispersant aids on the grinding of dense slurries. In the absence of a dispersant, as the pulp thickens, there occurs an increasingly disproportionate split of the grinding charge between cascading and cataracting-centrifuging masses, resulting in a complex relationship between the instantaneous viscosity and mill torque. In the presence of dispersants, the partitioning of charge in a relatively fluid suspension occurs to a much lesser extent. A multi-torque mill model has been derived which tracks the overall mill torque as a function of changing viscosity of the pulp, permits estimation of the charge split between cascading and cataracting-centrifuging regimes and explains the occurrence of a peak torque value at some intermediate stage. The size distributions of the ground product are a function of the cumulative energy input only, even when the power drawn by the mill varies appreciably with milling conditions and/or grinding time. Implication is that the grinding rates are proportional to the mill torque and the latter can be used directly to monitor and analyze the mill performance and role of grinding aids, notwithstanding the fact that the slurry may undergo major changes in its rheological character.
Laser Desorption Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Individual Microparticles in an Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer

A technique is described for tandem mass spectrometry of individual microparticles in an ion trap mass spectrometer. The particles are sampled by laser desorption/ablation after being injected into the center of the ion trap electrodes. The method is especially effective for the detection of trace levels of involatile organic molecules. Test particles were 100 {mu}m silicon carbide grains coated with tetraphenylphosphonium bromide. Mass spectra of the primary ions and fragment ions following collision-induced dissociation were measured. 30 refs., 6 figs.
REPLACEMENT THERAPY WITH ARGININE VASOPRESSIN IN HOMOZYGOUS BRATTLEBORO RATS

We studied the replacement therapy of different doses of AVP in DI rats. It is surprising that relatively high levels of plasma AVP were needed to achieve significant antidiuretic effects. Measured plasma AVP concentrations are less than those predicted from the release rates of AVP by the minipumps. This difference may be due to the subcutaneous mode of release of AVP. The study also provides evidence that urinary excretion of AVP is a good indicator of the plasma AVP level.
Effect of oxygen in mammalian cells sensitized to radiation by incorporation of 5-bromodeoxyuridine into the DNA.

The effect of oxygen on sensitivity to x radiation was measured in mouse fibroblast cells growing in culture after sensitization of the cells to radiation by incorporation of 5bromodesoxyuridine into the desoxyribonucleic acid. The radiosensitivity of cells irradiated in oxygen and in nitrogen was approximately the same. (C.H.)
Influence of natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide sequestration on global warming

Abstract The increase in the global surface temperature is influenced by several factors including anthropogenic and natural emissions of CO2, and the ability of natural sequestration reservoirs in the Earth's oceans and land to absorb and store it. The CO2 absorption in these reservoirs is sensitive to changes in the global temperature and the atmospheric CO2 concentration, thus creating a feedback loop in the Earth's ecosystem, which complicates predictions of the overall impact of rising atmospheric CO2 levels on global warming. Here, we model this interaction through a positive feedback loop and utilize general circulation models (GCM) to quantify the coupling between the carbon-cycle and the global temperature. We validate the model by comparing its predictions with those from high fidelity simulations and historical records. Thereafter, we investigate the impact of anthropogenic CO2 sequestration on lowering the rate of increase in the global temperature and find that a reduction in global warming is more sensitive to larger sequestration fractions. Thus, an inordinately large fraction of CO2 emissions would have to be sequestered to significantly impact global warming.
Daylight spectra of individual lightning flashes in the 370-690 nm region

An optical multichannel analyzer slit spectrometer coupled to a minicomputer was used to record lightning spectra. This is the first successful application of a slit spectrometer to the study of individual lightning flashes and it was accomplished in the daytime. Over 300 spectra were obtained in 1978 and 1979 and are correlated with other experiments in the Thunderstorm Research International Program (TRIP). The spectra duplicate previously published nighttime data but reveal for the first time the relative intensity of H-alpha (656.3 nm) and H-beta (486.1 nm) emissions above their daytime absorption features. These are the characteristic Fraunhofer C and F lines in the solar spectrum. This result suggests that the observation of lightning from space may be accomplished by monitoring the hydrogen emissions from lightning which occur on earth, or on other planets with hydrogen in their atmospheres, such as Jupiter and Venus where lightning recently has been reported.
Distorted-wave analysis of inelastic scattering of 61.7 MeV protons from 60Ni☆

Abstract Differential cross sections for the scattering of 61.7 MeV protons from the first excited state (Ex = 1.33 MeV) of 60Ni have been measured between 150 and 400 with an experimental resolution of 0.3%. The data are reproduced well by a distorted-wave calculation using the vibrational model with β = 0.20.
Host-specific adaptation governs the interaction of the marine diatom, Pseudo-nitzschia and their microbiota.

The association of phytoplankton with bacteria is ubiquitous in nature and the bacteria that associate with different phytoplankton species are very diverse. The influence of these bacteria in the physiology and ecology of the host and the evolutionary forces that shape the relationship are still not understood. In this study, we used the Pseudo-nitzschia–microbiota association to determine (1) if algal species with distinct domoic acid (DA) production are selection factors that structures the bacterial community, (2) if host-specificity and co-adaptation govern the association, (3) the functional roles of isolated member of microbiota on diatom–hosts fitness and (4) the influence of microbiota in changing the phenotype of the diatom hosts with regards to toxin production. Analysis of the pyrosequencing-derived 16S rDNA data suggests that the three tested species of Pseudo-nitzschia, which vary in toxin production, have phylogenetically distinct bacterial communities, and toxic Pseudo-nitzschia have lower microbial diversity than non-toxic Pseudo-nitzschia. Transplant experiments showed that isolated members of the microbiota are mutualistic to their native hosts but some are commensal or parasitic to foreign hosts, hinting at co-evolution between partners. Moreover, Pseudo-nitzschia host can gain protection from algalytic bacteria by maintaining association with its microbiota. Pseudo-nitzschia also exhibit different phenotypic expression with regards to DA production, and this depends on the bacterial species with which the host associates. Hence, the influences of the microbiota on diatom host physiology should be considered when studying the biology and ecology of marine diatoms.
Is there a case for DHEA replacement

There are many hormonal changes that occur with ageing in humans, of which the most dramatic and intriguing change occurs for the adrenal androgenic steroid dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA). There are tantalizing epidemiological data demonstrating a significant association between the changes in circulating DHEA level and changes in the incidence of malignancy, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and other age-related changes. The pharmacological effects in animals such as rodents and rabbits have demonstrated many beneficial effects, for example increased immune function, the prevention of atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes and obesity, and the improvement of memory. Clinical studies carried out in small groups of subjects have clearly demonstrated that the administration of DHEA to the elderly increases many hormone levels, including that of insulin-like growth factor-1, (free and total) testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, oestrone and oestradiol. It remains to be clearly defined whether these changes are clinically beneficial, and there is only insufficient information on the side-effects on long-term use. Results from short-term intervention studies in small groups of subjects have not demonstrated any convincing beneficial effects so far. A judgement on whether DHEA replacement has a place in preventing age-related disabilities could be determined only on the basis of results from studies of long-term DHEA replacement in elderly people.
A study of antibodies produced by spleen fragments in vitro.

Summary and conclusionCultures of spleen fragments from rabbits which had been immunized by subcutaneous injection of H.S.A. in complete Freund' adjuvant were shown to be capable of continuing antibody synthesis and producing a secondary response on exposure to antigen in vitro. Gel nitration studies of humoral and in vitro antibody on Sephadex G-200 columns showed that they were of similar molecular weight. Additional purification on CM Sephadex columns indicated that serum antibody could be further separated into 2 fractions having antibody activity. The in vitro antibody also separated into 2 fractions at the same ionic strength of eluting buffer, but in the case of 2 media [one from cultures having a secondary response initiated in vivo (R3) and one inititiated in vitro (R43)] a third active peak was partially separated by eluting with 0.2 M buffer and striking enhancement of antibody was achieved. The cause of this enhancement has not as yet been identified, but these studies suggest that a distinct ...
Impact of therapeutic endoscopy on the treatment of bleeding duodenal ulcers: 1980-1990.

Therapeutic endoscopy (TE) has provided a new means for treating peptic ulcer disease, prompting a reevaluation of surgery's role. The aim of this study was to determine if surgical therapy of bleeding duodenal ulcers has changed since the advent of TE. This retrospective review involved consecutive time periods during which TE was (1985–1990) and was not (1980–1984) widely available. Exclusion criteria were prior gastric surgery, nonpeptic conditions, and untreated ulcers. Inclusion standards were met by 252 patients (180 men, 72 women) whose mean age was 67 years. Patients were grouped by the initial therapeutic intervention. Groups were similar in age, medical condition (mean APACHE II score 16), and morbidity. Seventy-five patients had surgery alone during 1980–1984 and 38 during 1985–1990. TE was initially performed on 134 patients during 1985–1990. Bleeding (n=30) and perforation (n=1) prompted emergent operation in 23% of cases following TE. Thus 69 (38+31) patients underwent surgery between 1985 and 1990. Preprocedure transfusions averaged 4.1 units in the endoscopic group and 8.2 units in the operative groups (p<0.0001). Disagreement existed between the endoscopic and surgical descriptions of ulcer location in 53% of cases. Emergent surgery was required in 45% of hemodynamically unstable patients versus 14% of stable patients who initially underwent TE (p<0.0001). Sixty-one percent of incompletely visualized TE-treated lesions required operation, and 18% of well visualized ulcers underwent operation (p<0.0001). Hospital mortality was similar (8% versus 16%) in the endoscopic and operated groups (p=0.7). Mean follow-up was 540 days. The number of operations performed for bleeding duodenal ulcer did not change significantly during the TE era, and a significant subset (23%) of endoscopically treated patients required surgical therapy. TE failure was portended by hemodynamic instability or incomplete endoscopic visualization.
Supercritical hydration of organic compounds. The potential of mean force for benzene dimer in supercritical water

The diminishing hydrophobic effect in supercritical water has been examined through Monte Carlo simulations. The free energy profile was obtained for the association of the benzene dimer in supercritical water at 400 o C and 350 atm via statistical perturbation theory. In this report, it is first demonstrated that the TIP4P model can provide an adequate description of supercritical water in these simulations. Then, comparison is made with previous results for the benzene dimer in liquid benzene and ambient water at 25 o C and 1 atm. The results indicate that there is no hydrophobic enhancement of binding between benzene molecules in supercritical water with a much weaker association constant than that in ambient aqueous solution
Play and Social Interaction in Children Following Divorce

This paper presents the results of a longitudinal study of the effects of divorce on play and social interaction in children. Forty-eight middle class white preschool children from divorced families and a matched group of forty-eight non divorced families were studied at 2 months, 1 year and 2 years after divorce. In the first year following divorce disruptions were found in both play and social relations for boys and girls from divorced families. The adverse effects had largely disappeared for girls by two years after divorce; however, the effects were more intense and enduring for boys. The play patterns of children from divorced families, in comparison to those of children in non divorced families, were less socially and cognitively mature when measured shortly after divorce. Limitations and rigidity in fantasy play were particularly notable. In the year following divorce both boys and girls showed high rates of dependent helpseeking behavior and acting out, non-compliant behavior. This again was more enduring in boys than girls. Even when the behavior of boys from divorced families had improved they were viewed and responded to more negatively by peers and teachers than were children from non divorced families or girls from divorced families.