cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a multi-species transport space theory and its application to permeation behavior in proton-conducting doped perovskites

This paper examines the multi-species (simultaneous proton, oxygen vacancy, and electron/electron hole) transport behavior of proton conducting oxides. Multi-species transport behavior broadens both the realm of applications and also the potential challenges for the technical use of these perovskite materials in devices such as fuel cells, separation membranes, and membrane reactors. In order to better understand the interplay between the various transporting species and their impact on macroscale conduction and permeation processes, a new conceptualization of multi-species transport is proposed. A general theoretical description of multi-species transport is presented in a graphical manner that is similar to a ternary phase diagram. When combined with data gathered from water isotope permeation experiments, we show that it is possible to specify the relative contributions from each mobile defect species in a yttria-doped barium zirconate multi-species perovskite transport membrane system under a variety of experimental conditions. This approach provides a unique method to obtain and analyze transport behavior on the basis of transference numbers, thereby providing information which is often difficult to determine by other means.
Pilot-symbol-assisted channel estimation for space-time coded OFDM systems

Space-time coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmitter diversity techniques have been shown to provide an efficient means of achieving near optimal diversity gain in frequency-selective fading channels. For these systems, knowledge of the channel parameters is required at the receivers for diversity combining and decoding. In this paper, we propose a low complexity, bandwidth efficient, pilot-symbol-assisted (PSA) channel estimator for multiple transmitter OFDM systems. The pilot symbols are constructed to be nonoverlapping in frequency to allow simultaneous sounding of the multiple channels. The time-varying channel responses are tracked by interpolating a set of estimates obtained through periodically transmitted pilot symbols. Simulations are used to verify the effectiveness of the propsed estimator and to examine its limitations. It is also shown decision-directed minimum mean square error MMSE channel estimator for OFDM transmitter diversity systems.
Fees, Framing, and Financial Literacy in the Choice of Pension Manager

A growing literature shows how consumers make mistakes in a variety of different settings pertinent to financial decision-making. Using data from a randomized experiment in Chile, we show how different ways of presenting pension management fees shape consumer choices, and how responses to pension fee information varies by level of financial literacy. Our results indicate that, in choosing pension funds, those with lower levels of education, income, and financial literacy rely more on employers, friends, and coworkers, than on fundamentals. We also find that such individuals are more responsive to information framing when interpreting the relative benefits of different investment choices.
Los Angeles Basin airborne organic aerosol characterization during CalNex

We report airborne organic aerosol (OA) measurements over Los Angeles carried out in May 2010 as part of the CalNex field campaign. The principal platform for the airborne data reported here was the CIRPAS Twin Otter (TO); airborne data from NOAA WP-3D aircraft and Pasadena CalNex ground-site data acquired during simultaneous TO flybys are also presented. Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer measurements constitute the main source of data analyzed. The increase in organic aerosol oxidation from west to east in the basin was sensitive to OA mass loading, with a greater spatial trend in O:C associated with lower mass concentration. Three positive matrix factorization (PMF) components (hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), semi-volatile oxidized organic aerosol (SVOOA), and low volatility oxidized organic aerosol (LVOOA)) were resolved for the one flight that exhibited the largest variability in estimated O:C ratio. Comparison of the PMF factors with two optical modes of refractory black carbon (rBC)-containing aerosol revealed that the coating of thinly coated rBC-containing aerosol, dominant in the downtown region, is likely composed of HOA, whereas more thickly coated rBC-containing aerosol, dominant in the Banning pass outflow, is composed of SVOOA and LVOOA. The correlation of water-soluble organic mass to oxidized organic aerosol (OOA) is higher in the outflows than in the basin due to the higher mass fraction of OOA/OA in the outflows. By comparison, the average OA concentration over Mexico City MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations) campaign was ∼7 times higher than the airborne average during CalNex.
Lipopolysaccharide appears to activate human endometrial endothelial cells through TLR-4-dependent and TLR-4-independent mechanisms.

Problem Uterine innate immunity remains poorly characterized, and while endometrial endothelial cells are known to express Toll-like receptors, (TLRs), little is known about their function in these cells. The present study evaluated the effect of Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on human endometrial endothelial cell (HEECs) cytokine secretion and tissue factor expression, and the role of TLR-4 in these responses.
Transforming the Progressive Era Welfare State: Activists for the Blind and Blind Benefits

On the evening of 21 November 1918, more than one hundred people gathered at Sullivan's Hall in Denver, Colorado, to celebrate voters’ recent approval of the Act for the Relief of the Adult Blind, a statewide initiative commonly referred to as blind benefits or blind pensions or blind aid. The new law guaranteed up to $300 annually in cash relief for each impoverished blind resident. The evening's entertainment included piano, violin, and vocal solos and duets as well as readings of poetry and literature. While people listened, they enjoyed a simple assortment of sandwiches, pies, and doughnuts. The electoral victory capped years of hard work by a small group of dedicated activists, most of whom were themselves blind. One leader of the local blind community, Mrs. Jennie Jackson, addressed the gathering to thank those who had helped to secure the initiative's approval and to proclaim joyously that “the adoption of this bill will be a great benefit to many of the blind of this state.”
Markov Random Processes Are Neither Bandlimited nor Recoverable From Samples or After Quantization

This paper considers basic questions regarding Markov random processes. It shows that continuous-time, continuous-valued, wide-sense stationary, Markov processes that have absolutely continuous second-order distribution and finite second moment are not bandlimited. It also shows that continuous-time, stationary, Markov processes that are continuous-valued or discrete-valued and satisfy additional mild conditions cannot be recovered from uniform sampling. Further it shows that continuous-time, continuous-valued, stationary, Markov processes that have absolutely continuous second-order distributions and are continuous almost surely, cannot be recovered without error after quantization. Finally, it provides necessary and sufficient conditions for stationary, discrete-time, Markov processes to have zero entropy rate, and relates this to information singularity.
Density- and trait-mediated top-down effects modify bottom-up control of a highly endemic tropical aquatic food web

Benthic invertebrates mediate bottom–up and top–down influences in aquatic food webs, and changes in the abundance or traits of invertebrates can alter the strength of top–down effects. Studies assessing the role of invertebrate abundance and behavior as controls on food web structure are rare at the whole ecosystem scale. Here we use a comparative approach to investigate bottom–up and top–down influences on whole anchialine pond ecosystems in coastal Hawai‘i. In these ponds, a single species of endemic atyid shrimp (Halocaridina rubra) is believed to structure epilithon communities. Many Hawaiian anchialine ponds and their endemic fauna, however, have been greatly altered by bottom–up (increased nutrient enrichment) and top–down (introduced fish predators) disturbances from human development. We present the results of a survey of dissolved nutrient concentrations, epilithon biomass and composition, and H. rubra abundance and behavior in anchialine ponds with and without invasive predatory fish along a nutrient concentration gradient on the North Kona coast of Hawai‘i. We use linear models to assess 1) the effects of nutrient loading and fish introductions on pond food web structure and 2) the role of shrimp density and behavior in effecting that change. We find evidence for bottom–up food web control, in that nutrients were associated with increased epilithon biomass, autotrophy and nutrient content as well as increased abundance and size of H. rubra. We also find evidence for top–down control, as ponds with invasive predatory fish had higher epilithon biomass, productivity, and nutrient content. Top–down effects were transmitted by both altered H. rubra abundance, which changed the biomass of epilithon, and H. rubra behavior, which changed the composition of the epilithon. Our study extends experimental findings on bottom–up and top–down control to the whole ecosystem scale and finds evidence for qualitatively different effects of trait- and density-mediated change in top–down influences.
Very high frequency proton NMR studies of the conformations of opiate agonists and antagonists

The solution conformational properties of the opiate agonist-antagonist pairs morphine-nalorphine and oxymorphone-naloxone have been investigated by NMR spectroscopy of their salts and free bases in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions, respectively. Nitrogen inversion in the piperidine ring takes place in these compounds. However, the equilibrium ratios differ between pairs. The conformations of the piperidine rings are chairs with differing degrees of distortion from ideality. On the NMR time scale the dynamically averaged orientations of the N-allyl substituents in the antagonists differ from one another with respect to a fixed molecular coordinate system. The C-14 hydroxy group in oxymorphone-naloxone appears to be solvated, and this has important conformational effects. In these latter compounds a stereoelectronic effect takes place involving the C-6 carbonyl position (D ring), which results in differential labilization of the C-7 protons.
Crystallinity effect on the structural relaxation of polyethylene naphtalate (PEN) by TSDC and DSC experiments

The effect of physical ageing process on the electrical and thermal properties of amorphous and semi-crystalline PEN was investigated by means of the thermally stimulated depolarization currents (TSDC) and the differential scannig calorimetry (DSC). The TSDC measurements revealed a significant decrease in the mobility of the molecular chains in the amorphous PEN (PENa), aged at a temperature Tg-10K (Tg is the glass transition temperature). This mobility is directly related to the polarisation corresponding to the main relaxation of the material. This phenomenon was also observed in the case of biaxially stretched PEN (PENbiax). However, it is much less important in this case. The calorimetric technique (DSC) showed, in the case of PENa, that the effect of ageing is particularly important when the ageing time increases with a maximum effect for ageing temperature equal to Tg-10 K. In the other side, no effect was observed on the semi crystalline PENbiax by the DSC technique unlike the TSDC technique. These results confirm again the high resolving power of this latter. Also, the effect of crystallinity on the structural relaxation of PEN was highlighted and is summeryzed as following : firstly, we have observed a decrease in the TSDC peak's intensity of the α-relaxation and in the recovery enthalpy of the structural relaxation when the crystallinity rate increases. Secondly, an increase in the activation energy Δh* with the increase in the crystallinity rate and a decrease in the limit fictive temperature T'f were observed.
The Cognitive Claims for Computer Models The Case of Forrester's Urban Dynamics

In Urban Dynamics, Forrester presents a computer model capable of projecting the growth and decay of cities. The author defends the use of computer models by making the strong epistemological claim that causal analysis of complex social systems is doomed to failure because the way such systems work is counterintuitive. It is my contention, however, that counterintuitive results of a computer model have only heuristic value. Such results by themselves do not constitute valid knowledge.
HOW LONG DO CONGRESSMEN STAY IN OFFICE

This paper develops a methodology for calculating the expected completed lengths of U.S. congressmen's stays in office. In addition, it demonstrates how this methodology can be used to forecast the seniority structure of future Congresses. One of the major empirical findings of this paper is that it demonstrates the deficiencies of using “mean term” to make inferences about the expected length of congressmen's stays.
Seasonal Androgen Cycles in Adult Male American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from a Barrier Island Population

The seasonal patterns of two primary plasma androgens, testosterone (T) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), were assessed in adult male alligators from the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, a unique barrier island environment and home to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Samples were collected monthly from 2008 to 2009, with additional samples collected at more random intervals in 2007 and 2010. Plasma T concentrations peaked in April, coincident with breeding and courtship, and declined rapidly throughout the summer. Seasonal plasma T patterns in smaller though reproductively active adult males differed from those in their larger counterparts during the breeding season. Both size classes showed significant increases in plasma T concentration from February to March, at the beginning of the breeding season. However, smaller adults did not experience the peak in plasma T concentrations in April that were observed in larger adults, and their concentrations were significantly lower than those of larger males for the remainder of the breeding season. Plasma DHEA concentrations peaked in May and were significantly reduced by June. This is the first study to demonstrate the presence of DHEA in a crocodilian, and the high plasma DHEA concentrations that paralleled the animals' reproductive activity suggest a reproductive and/or behavioral role in adult male alligators. Similar to androgen variations in some birds, plasma DHEA concentrations in the alligators were considerably higher than T concentrations during the nonbreeding season, suggesting a potential role in maintaining nonbreeding seasonal aggression.
Pregnancies exposed to methadone, methadone and other illicit substances, and poly-drugs without methadone: a comparison of fetal neurobehaviors and infant outcomes.

Abstract Background It is suspected that there is a continuum of impairment among prenatally drug-exposed infants, such that opioid and/or poly-drug exposure confers the highest risk for adverse neonatal outcomes than other classes of substances or single substance exposures. Suitable control groups are difficult to identify. This study compared fetal neurobehavioral development and infant outcomes in offspring of three groups of pregnant women in drug treatment. Exposure groups include: Methadone + other illicit substances (MM + Poly) and two groups currently abstinent for poly drug exposures: Methadone only (MM/A) and Non-Methadone (NM/A). Methods Forty-nine women (19 MM + Poly, 18 MM/A, and 12 NM/A) underwent fetal monitoring at 36 weeks gestation at peak and trough levels of methadone (MM + Poly; MM/A) or at comparable morning and afternoon times (NM/A). Fetal heart rate (FHR), heart rate variability (FHRV) and motor activity (FM) data were collected. Infant measures included birth outcomes and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) assessment. Results As compared to the NM/A group, cardiac measures were decreased in methadone-exposed fetuses at peak levels. FHR was significantly more suppressed in the MM + Poly group. FM was significantly lower in the MM/A vs. the NM/A group at both peak and trough, indicative of more persistent exposure effects. The MM + Poly group delivered 1 week earlier and required NAS pharmacological treatment twice as often as the MM/A group. Conclusions Results support the notion that poly-drug exposure may potentiate the effects of methadone on the fetus and infant and highlights the need for intensified treatment for methadone-maintained women who abuse other substances.
Effect of systemic alpha-2 adrenergic blockade on the morning increase in platelet aggregation in normal subjects

To assess whether activation of platelets by catecholamines contributes to the increase in platelet aggregation associated with either the assumption of upright posture or exercise, we studied the effect of oral yohimbine on these phenomena. Whole blood platelet aggregation and plasma catecholamine levels were measured before and after standing and at peak exercise in untreated normal subjects and after oral yohimbine. Neurochemical indexes indicated systemic alpha2-receptor blockade by yohimbine. Yohimbine reduced the orthostatic increase in platelet aggregation response by 63+/-11%, but exercise-induced increase in aggregation was unaffected. Thus, alpha2-adrenergic blockade attenuates the orthostatic increase in platelet aggregation. Agents designed to inhibit the morning surge in catecholamine levels or block platelet alpha2 adrenoceptors may reduce the risk of thrombotic vascular events in atherosclerosis.
The fast Fourier transform for experimentalists. Part III. Classical spectral analysis

Each article in this continuing series on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is designed to illuminate new features of the wide-ranging applicability of this transform. This segment deals with some aspects of the spectrum estimation problem.
Analog data compression of images via predictive transform coding

It is shown that a recently offered minimum MSE linear predictive transform (LPT) coding formulation inherently leads to a simple and highly efficient continuous amplitude (analog) data compression algorithm. In the proposed scheme only the most energetic unquantized coefficient errors produced by the encoder are transmitted to effect the desired analog data compression. The technique is illustrated with NTSC monochrome images having a bandwidth of 3.6 MHz, and a communication channel characterized by additive zero mean white noise. It is demonstrated that when half of the coefficient errors are transmitted, that is the bandwidth of the transmitted coefficient error signal has been reduced from 3.6 MHz to 1.8 MHz, the reconstructed signal is very close to SNR and visual performance to that obtained when all the coefficient errors are transmitted. >
Fine Structure of Ectothiorhodospira mobilis Pelsh

Abstract The cell wall structure, arrangement of photosynthetic membranes, and the attachment of flagella of Ectothiorhodospira mobilis strain 8112 were examined by using freeze-etching and conventional electron microscopic techniques. The outer coat of the multilayered cell wall is comprised of 50 A repeating subunits, arranged in a regular array. The photosynthetic membranes, which originate from and are attached to the plasma membrane, are arranged in a more complex pattern than previously seen in other bacteria. The tuft of flagella in E. mobilis is inserted into a polar organelle. The relationship of this organelle to the polar membrane and the mechanism of attachment of the flagella to the polar organelle is discussed.
Origin of late-onset autoimmune disease

Autoimmune disease in the elderly is hypothesized to be caused by an imbalance in T-cell expansion and deletion after an encounter with self-antigens. A decrease in thymic output leads to a decreased pool of naive T cells in the periphery and to increased oligoclonal expansion of T cells. This expansion may be caused by stimulation with autoantigens that drive high-affinity interactions with self-antigens. Accumulation of presenescent, apoptosis-resistant, and proinflammatory T cells results in the growth of these autoreactive T cells. A decreased T-cell activation response that occurs with age leads to several defects that diminish the immune response.
Alpha-toxin induces programmed cell death of human T cells, B cells, and monocytes during USA300 infection

This investigation examines the influence of alpha-toxin (Hla) during USA300 infection of human leukocytes. Survival of an USA300 isogenic deletion mutant of hla (USA300Δhla) in human blood was comparable to the parental wild-type strain and polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) plasma membrane permeability caused by USA300 did not require Hla. Flow cytometry analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) following infection by USA300, USA300Δhla, and USA300Δhla transformed with a plasmid over-expressing Hla (USA300Δhla Comp) demonstrated this toxin plays a significant role inducing plasma membrane permeability of CD14+, CD3+, and CD19+ PBMCs. Rapid plasma membrane permeability independent of Hla was observed for PMNs, CD14+ and CD19+ PBMCs following intoxication with USA300 supernatant while the majority of CD3+ PBMC plasma membrane permeability induced by USA300 required Hla. Addition of recombinant Hla to USA300Δhla supernatant rescued CD3+ and CD19+ PBMC plasma membrane permeability generated by USA300 supernatant. An observed delay in plasma membrane permeability caused by Hla in conjunction with Annexin V binding and ApoBrdU Tunel assays examining PBMCs intoxicated with recombinant Hla or infected with USA300, USA300Δhla, USA300Δhla Comp, and USA300ΔsaeR/S suggest Hla induces programmed cell death of monocytes, B cells, and T cells that results in plasma membrane permeability. Together these findings underscore the importance of Hla during S. aureus infection of human tissue and specifically demonstrate Hla activity during USA300 infection triggers programmed cell death of human monocytes, T cells and B cells that leads to plasma membrane permeability.
A general framework for recognizing complex events in Markov logic

We present a robust framework for complex event recognition that is well-suited for integrating information that varies widely in detail and granularity. Consider the scenario of an agent in an instrumented space performing a complex task while describing what he is doing in a natural manner. The system takes in a variety of information, including objects and gestures recognized by RGB-D and descriptions of events extracted from recognized and parsed speech. The system outputs a complete reconstruction of the agent's plan, explaining actions in terms of more complex activities and filling in unobserved but necessary events. We show how to use Markov Logic (a probabilistic extension to first-order logic) to create a theory in which observations can be partial, noisy, and refer to future or temporally ambiguous events; complex events are composed from simpler events in a manner that exposes their structure for inference and learning; and uncertainty is handled in a sound probabilistic manner. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach for tracking cooking plans in the presence of noisy and incomplete observations.
Health development meets the end of state socialism: visions of democratization, women's health, and social well-being for contemporary Russia.

As development organizations undertake thetask of improving the public health in formersocialist states, their interventions are shaped by aparticular cultural logic and predetermined frame ofpossible action. In the context of local encounters,however, they often confront competing interpretationsof a society's prevailing needs. How they managesuch differences may not only explain the outcomes ofa given project, but may also reveal the capacitiesand limitations of development agencies to engineerpost-socialist change. This article examines a recentWHO project in St. Petersburg, Russia, which definedwomen's ``social well-being'' as a local health concern.While the project employed a discourse of ``democracy''to promote women's empowerment in the clinic, itsparameters of intervention neither incorporated localknowledge nor addressed the structural relationsunderlying clinic-level conflicts. Two kinds ofresults ensued: the ideology of democracy wasrejected, while WHO's recommendations were partiallyappropriated as profit-making strategies.
Patient-reported outcome results in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with once-weekly dulaglutide: data from the AWARD phase III clinical trial programme

We evaluated patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures from the Assessment of Weekly AdministRation of LY2189265 (dulaglutide) in Diabetes (AWARD) clinical trial programme for dulaglutide (1.5 mg and 0.75 mg) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Impact of Weight on Self-Perception (IW-SP), Impact of Weight on Ability to Perform Physical Activities of Daily Living (APPADL), Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite, EQ-5D, Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ), Diabetes Symptom Checklist-Revised and Adult Low Blood Sugar Survey were administered and analysed for changes from baseline in one or more AWARD studies. Significant within-group changes from baseline to the primary time point were observed for several PRO measures across all studies. Compared with insulin glargine, significantly greater improvements in the IW-SP score were observed with dulaglutide 1.5 mg and with both dulaglutide doses in the APPADL score. Both dulaglutide doses resulted in significantly greater improvement in DTSQ scores (all subscales) compared with exenatide. Dulaglutide 1.5 mg also resulted in significantly greater improvement on the DTSQ hyperglycaemia subscale compared with metformin. Overall, these PRO results suggest that dulaglutide is beneficial in the treatment of T2D.
User-Friendly Data-Sharing Practices for Fostering Collaboration within a Research Network: Roles of a Vanguard Center for a Community-Based Study

Although various attempts have been made to build collaborative cultures for data sharing, their effectiveness is still questionable. The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) Vanguard Center (JHSVC) at the NIH-funded Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network (RTRN) Data Coordinating Center (DCC) may be a new concept in that the data are being shared with a research network where a plethora of scientists/researchers are working together to achieve their common goal. This study describes the current practices to share the JHS data through the mechanism of JHSVC. The JHS is the largest single-site cohort study to prospectively investigate the determinants of cardiovascular disease among African-Americans. It has adopted a formal screened access method through a formalized JHSVC mechanism, in which only a qualified scientist(s) can access the data. The role of the DCC was to help RTRN researchers explore hypothesis-driven ideas to enhance the output and impact of JHS data through customized services, such as feasibility tests, data querying, manuscript proposal development and data analyses for publication. DCC has implemented these various programs to facilitate data utility. A total of 300 investigators attended workshops and/or received training booklets. DCC provided two online and five onsite workshops and developed/distributed more than 250 copies of the booklet to help potential data users understand the structure of and access to the data. Information on data use was also provided through the RTRN website. The DCC efforts led to the production of five active manuscript proposals, seven completed publications, 11 presentations and four NIH grant proposals. These outcomes resulted from activities during the first four years; over the last couple of years, there were few new requests. Our study suggested that DCC-customized services enhanced the accessibility of JHS data and their utility by RTRN researchers and helped to achieve the principal goal of JHSVC of scientific productivity. In order to achieve long-term success, the following, but not limited to these, should be addressed in the current data sharing practices: preparation of new promotional strategies in response to changes in technology and users’ needs, collaboration with the Network statisticians, harmonization of the JHS data with the other local-based heart datasets to meet the needs of the potential users from the broader geographical areas, adoption of the RTRN comprehensive data-sharing policy to broaden the variety of research topics and implementation of an ongoing monitoring program to evaluate its success.
Linking clinician interaction and coordination to clinical performance in Patient-Aligned Care Teams

Team coordination within clinical care settings is a critical component of effective patient care. Less is known about the extent, effectiveness, and impact of coordination activities among professionals within VA Patient-Aligned Care Teams (PACTs). This study will address these gaps by describing the specific, fundamental tasks and practices involved in PACT coordination, their impact on performance measures, and the role of coordination task complexity. First, we will use a web-based survey of coordination practices among 1600 PACTs in the national VHA. Survey findings will characterize PACT coordination practices and assess their association with clinical performance measures. Functional job analysis, using 6–8 subject matter experts who are 3rd and 4th year residents in VA Primary Care rotations, will be utilized to identify the tasks involved in completing clinical performance measures to standard. From this, expert ratings of coordination complexity will be used to determine the level of coordinative complexity required for each of the clinical performance measures drawn from the VA External Peer Review Program (EPRP). For objective 3, data collected from the first two methods will evaluate the effect of clinical complexity on the relationships between measures of PACT coordination and their ratings on the clinical performance measures. Results from this study will support successful implementation of coordinated team-based work in clinical settings by providing knowledge regarding which aspects of care require the most complex levels of coordination and how specific coordination practices impact clinical performance.
Pharmacokinetic studies on tolerance to sedative-hypnotics in a poly-drug abuse population; I. Secobarbital

Patients from a poly-drug abuse treatment program with a history of sedative-hypnotic abuse were titrated with secobarbital, their alleged drug of choice, to a minimal state of toxicity consisting of nystagmus, drowsiness, ataxia, and slurred speech. Volunteer control subjects underwent the same titration procedure. Blood level determinations were made, and several pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated in order to determine the nature and degree of tolerance in the patient population. The patients tolerated a titration dose which was slightly, but significantly. higher than that tolerated by the control group. Cellular tolerance could be demonstrated in terms of higher blood levels determined at 7.0 hr after the last dose but not at the onset of toxicity. A significantly greater β-phase disposition constant and significantly smaller area under the curve per dose in the patient population suggested the contribution of drug disposition tolerance. Statistical comparisons of these parameters were made between several subgroups of the patient population. The patients indicating a higher frequency of sedative abuse did not differ from their patient counterparts. Those patients presenting with positive screens for barbiturates on admission provided similar results except for an apparently higher volume of distribution. Patients indicating concurrent alcohol use did not differ from the overall patient population; those also using amphetamines showed no sign of tolerance or increased elimination and were indistinguishable from control subjects.
A Review of “Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting”

INTRODUCTION TO INDEXING AND ABSTRACTING, by Donald B. Cleveland and Ana D. Cleveland. 4th ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2013. xiii, 384 p. ISBN 978-1-59884-976-9. $55.00 Introduction...
Occupational exposure among clinical nurses: data analysis and surveillance 2004-2008.

OBJECTIVE To understand the condition and reason of occupational exposure among clinical nurses,and provide scientific basis for occupational protection. METHODS The data of occupational exposure among nurses from 2004 to 2008 were analyzed according Beijing Nosocomial Infection Surveillance and Management System. RESULTS Eighty-six nurses had occupational exposure during the five years,23 nurses were in ICU and 63 nurses were in common wards; 54 nurses had less 5 year's experiences. CONCLUSIONS High workload,lack of nurses,more number of operations and treatment not in time are the main reasons of occupational exposure. The regular and systematic education and preventive measures should be strengthened.
Exact treatment of the Pauli exclusion operator in nuclear matter

We performed a nuclear matter G-matrix calculation removing the angle-average approximation from the treatment of the Pauli exclusion operator. Although the corrections to the standard angle-averaged matrix elements are very small, the dependence of the new G matrix on the projection quantum number M of the relative angular momentum J is significant on the scale of typical medium effects.
Doing and Undoing: The Value of Action in Antony and Cleopatra

A NTONYAND CLEOPATRA IS A PLAY in which mighty opposites meet, struggle, and embrace. Rome encounters Egypt, Reason feels Emotion, Spirit wars with Flesh, Duty yields to Leisure. These fatal conflicts corrupt Mark Antony (in the older view of the play) or (as more recent critics argue) translate the lovers into a realm of "pure nobility."' In the latest book on the play, Janet Adelman refuses to take sides in this lovers' quarrel. She argues that Shakespeare made it impossible to arrive at tidy, formulaic judgments of his characters and their deeds. Following Maynard Mack (who is quoting George Meredith), Professor Adelman directs those who are "hot for certainties in this our life" to some other play than this.2 In asserting the problematic nature of judgment and the encompassing vision of the play, she is nearer the mark than those who yield to the magnetism of one pole or another. Critical compasses which point resolutely in a single direction tell us as much about the polarities of their own needles as about the location of true North.
Diverticula of the cardiac end of the stomach

Three cases of diverticulum of the cardiac end of the stomach are reported. Removal of the sac, in one case, relieved all symptoms. In the second case the patient, untreated, has remained symptom-free for a year, and in the third case the patient has remained symptomfree while using postural drainage.
US media representation of post-traumatic stress disorder: a comparative study of regional newspapers and national newspapers.

AbstractBackground: News media play an important role in introducing and defining PTSD-related issues to the general public as well as framing their social importance and analyzing solutions for policymakers.Aims: Compare how coverage of PTSD by larger papers serving general audiences differed from smaller papers catering to communities likely to be affected by the issue.Method: A content analysis of frames and subtopics about PTSD in all newspaper articles published by selected national newspapers and regional newspapers between the year of 2003 and 2014 (N = 426).Results: National newspapers engaged in higher-level policy discussion with greater frequency than regional newspapers, while regional newspapers were more likely to publish stories highlighting the impact of PTSD on individuals and local communities. Furthermore, coverage by regional newspapers used significantly more episodic frames than thematic frames.Conclusion: Both national and regional newspapers increased the amount of coverage on PTSD...
Note on the Cultivation of the Typhus Fever Rickettsia

In our recent paper1 on the cultivation of the typhus fever rickettsiae. it was stated that “of several tissues tested, only tunica and peritoneum gave satisfactory results in the medium described.” Since then, we have succeeded in obtaining good growth with guinea pig testicle and kidney tissues in the serum Tyrode medium. Multiplication also occurred when various other tissues (guinea pig brain, heart, adrenal, lung, spleen, embryo) were used.In these experiments, phenol red was added to the Tyrode solution in order to follow changes in reaction, as produced by the tissues during the incubation of the cultures. By reducing the amount of tissue in the medium, it was possible to retard the change in reaction, a circumstance which in our opinion may be significant in obtaining positive results.
Morphometric and clinico-pathologic predictors of high Gleason Scores in prostatic needle biopsies: An analysis in 181 cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 692 Gleason Score (GS) is a well known predictor of patient outcomes in prostate cancer. Therefore, identification of combinations of clinical and non-GS pathologic variables that will help predict high GS (GS≥7) will be useful in predicting survival outcomes in prostate cancer. We analyzed a total of 181 prostatic needle biopsies performed at Loyola University from a cohort of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer between the years 1998-2002. Clinical/demographic variables including age, PSA, PSAD, TRUS findings were abstracted from the medical records. Biopsy variables including the highest biopsy GS, percentage of carcinoma at the biopsy site with the highest GS (PCARBX) were extracted. The needle biopsies were also stained with the nuclear stain Feulgen and ploidy analysis was performed using the CAS-200 system (Becton Dickinson). In addition, separate analysis of nuclear morphometry for 28 Markovian and non-Markovian nuclear features was performed using the Nuclear Morphometry Suite (Bacus Labs). All data were analyzed using SPSS 12. Multivariate logistic regression (LR) was performed using the forward Wald conditional model to identify sets of variables that predicted high GS. PSA and PSAD were log-transformed for multivariate analysis. A total of 93 cases had low GS (GS≤6) and 88 had high GS (GS≥7). The median PSA in the GS≥7 group was significantly higher than the median PSA in the GS≤6 group (p=0.000; Mann Whitney's U test). The mean PCARBX was also significantly higher in the GS≥7 group (56.09 vs.34.07, p=0.000; t-test). There was significant association of aneuploidy with high GS (Chi-square=38.25; p=0.000). LR analysis utilizing the clinical, biopsy non-GS parameters and morphometric parameters identified 3 variables that correctly predicted 74.3% of the cases high GS (GS≥7): namely morphometric sum optical density (Odds Ratio {OR}: 1.76; 95%CI: 1.302, 2.379), morphometric Coefficient of Variation (OR: 9E+007; 95%CI: 22.46, 4E+014) and PCARBX (OR 1.03; 95%CI: 1.015, 1.045). A receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve plotted with this final model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.816 (95% CI: 0.755-0.816). None of the clinical or biochemical indicators were significant in predicting high GS. In conclusion, the percentage of carcinoma at the biopsy site with the highest GS in combination with the morphometric sum optical density and coefficient of variation adequately discriminate high GS. This information may be useful when incorporated into nomograms for predicting prostatic biopsy outcomes.
Harmful Use of Veterinary Drugs: Blindness Following Closantel Poisoning in a 5-Year-Old Girl

Background: Closantel is a veterinary drug used as anthelmintic for ruminants while it is contraindicated for humans. This report describes a rare case of blindness, increased liver enzymes and coagulopathy following closantel poisoning. Case report: A 5-year-old girl was presented with acute blindness following closantel poisoning. She was given mistakenly a dose of 500 mg/day (25mg/kg/day) for 8 days. Clinical examination revealed a well-appearing child with bilateral mydriasis, loss of pupillary light reflex and absence of blinking to threat. Fundoscopic exam revealed bilateral pre-atrophic papilledema. Electroretinogram showed a highly significant decrease in retinal activity. Laboratory examinations revealed 52% increase in prothrombin time, prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time to 1.3 times the normal and rise of aspartate aminotransferase to 120 IU/L. In addition, creatine kinase peaked at 904 IU/L. Moreover, normocytic normochromic anemia with hemoglobin at 10.7 mg/L and leukocytosis with lymphocytic predominance was noted. The patient received glucocorticoids, vitamin B12 and vitamin K and was discharged after correction of blood and coagulation parameters and normalization of liver enzymes. Partial recovery in visual acuity was found two months after ingestion of the last dose. Discussion: Closantel can cause significant spongiform change (intra-myelin vacuolation) in the white matter of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. It can also induce optic nerve damage as a result of Wallerian degeneration, fibrosis and atrophy. On the retina, closantel leads to papilledema, necrosis of the outer layers, and retinal detachment. It can also cause fatty change and hydropic degeneration in the liver and hepatocellular degeneration. Conclusion: Closantel is a toxic drug for humans causing blindness, hematologic and hepatic disorders. Public awareness should be raised regarding the risks of use of unapproved drugs for human.
On the consistency of feature selection with lasso for non-linear targets

An important question in feature selection is whether a selection strategy recovers the "true" set of features, given enough data. We study this question in the context of the popular Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (Lasso) feature selection strategy. In particular, we consider the scenario when the model is misspecified so that the learned model is linear while the underlying real target is nonlinear. Surprisingly, we prove that under certain conditions, Lasso is still able to recover the correct features in this case. We also carry out numerical studies to empirically verify the theoretical results and explore the necessity of the conditions under which the proof holds.
Conservatism and Pragmatism in Holmes’s Jurisprudence

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. shows us how pragmatism and conservatism intersect methodologically with respect to legal theory and practice. Holmes, in his reaction against formalism in legal theory, applied Peirce’s pragmatism. The following chapter illustrates that Holmes’s moral philosophy revealed the sentimentalism and skepticism of rationalism resonant in the work of Hume and Burke.
Miniaturized Circularly Polarized Square Slot Antenna With Enhanced Axial-Ratio Bandwidth Using an Antipodal Y-strip

A novel single-fed, wideband, circularly polarized slot antenna is proposed and fabricated. Wideband circular polarization is obtained by introducing an antipodal Y-strip to a square slot antenna. The feedline is a U-shaped microstrip line that provides a wide impedance bandwidth. The overall size of the antenna is only 28 × 28 mm 2 (0.3 λ o × 0.3 λ o ). A prototype of the antenna is fabricated and tested. The measured bandwidths for the axial ratio (AR <; 3 dB) and relative impedance (|S 11 | <; -10 dB) are 41.3% (from 4.4 to 6.67 GHz) and 84% (from 3.25 to 8 GHz), respectively, and the antenna has a stable radiation pattern and a gain of greater than 3 dBi over the entire circular polarization frequency band.
DREAM, a Transcription Repressor, Is Critical for Calcium Signaling and Platelet Thrombus Formation Independently of Its Transcriptional Activity

DREAM (Downstream Regulatory Element Antagonistic Modulator) is a neuronal calcium sensor and acts as a transcriptional repressor for pain modulation. Recent studies showed that endothelial cell DREAM transcriptionally regulates NF-κB signaling during inflammation (Tiruppathi et al. Nat Immunol . 2014). However, it is unknown whether DREAM plays a role during thrombosis and hemostasis. Using real-time fluorescence intravital microscopy with DREAM knockout (KO) mice, we demonstrated that intravascular cell DREAM is required for platelet thrombus formation and fibrin generation at the site of laser-induced cremaster arteriolar injury. Studies of bone marrow chimeric mice further revealed that both hematopoietic and endothelial cell DREAM regulate thrombus formation following arteriolar injury. Using in vitro flow chamber assays, we found that DREAM is important for platelet thrombus formation on collagen-coated surfaces under shear conditions. Further, tail bleeding time and blood loss significantly increased in DREAM KO mice, compared with wild-type (WT) mice, suggesting the importance of DREAM for hemostasis as well as thrombus formation in vivo. We observed that DREAM KO platelets show markedly decreased aggregation, ATP secretion, P-selectin exposure, and αIIbβ3 integrin activation induced by thrombin, collagen-related peptide, ADP, and A23187 (calcium ionophore). Interestingly, DREAM deletion did not affect phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced platelet functions. Consistently, DREAM KO platelets exhibited decreased phosphorylation of phosphoinositide-3-kinase, AKT, and ERK, but not protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms during cell activation, suggesting that DREAM does not regulate protein kinase C signaling pathway. Electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that ultrastructural features of DREAM KO platelets are indistinguishable from those of WT platelets. Since DREAM is a transcription factor that binds to calcium in four EF-hand motifs, we investigated whether platelet DREAM regulates calcium signaling. Indeed, DREAM deletion in platelets resulted in significant reduction in both intracellular calcium release and store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) following agonist stimulation. When we transiently knocked down DREAM in a human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line (MEG-01) using siRNA, we found that A23187-induced calcium release and SOCE are impaired by DREAM knockdown in MEG-01 cells without altering the expression of calcium signaling molecules, such as inositol trisphosphate receptor, stromal interaction molecule 1, and ORAI1. These defects were rescued by overexpression of siRNA-resistant WT but not EF-hand domain mutant DREAM. Therefore, our results provide novel evidence that platelet DREAM regulates calcium signaling independently of its transcriptional factor activity, thereby playing a critical role during thrombus formation and hemostasis in vivo. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Statistical controversies in clinical research: basket trials, umbrella trials, and other master protocols: a review and examples

In recent years, cancers once viewed as relatively homogeneous in terms of organ location and treatment strategy are now better understood to be increasingly heterogeneous across biomarker and genetically defined patient subgroups. This has produced a shift toward development of biomarker-targeted agents during a time when funding for cancer research has been limited; as a result, the need for improved operational efficiency in studying many agent-and-target combinations in parallel has emerged. Platform trials, basket trials, and umbrella trials are new approaches to clinical research driven by this need for enhanced efficiency in the modern era of increasingly specific cancer subpopulations and decreased resources to study treatments for individual cancer subtypes in a traditional way. In this review, we provide an overview of these new types of clinical trial designs, including discussions of motivation for their use, recommended terminology, examples, and challenges encountered in their application.