cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compartmentalization in Focal Cerebral Ischemia

During maturation of the focal cerebral ischemic injury into the fixed extracellular matrix, transit of plasma components and blood cells from the vascular compartment into the extravascular compartment, and disturbance of cell-cell relationships within the extravascular compartment, proteases identified in the target tissue following the ischemic insult which lesion major alterations in tissue barriers occur. These involve disruption of the cerebral endothelial permeability barrier and dissolution of the microvascular basal lamina (may be responsible for the opening of compartments to one another, include matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), generators of plasmin (including urokinase, uPA) and their inhibitors, and proteases not yet identified. Within the developing lesion, proteases (their natural inhibitors) and other plasma and cell components mix allowing normally separated systems to interact. This is accentuated by tissue preparation (e.g. homogenization, sampling) during experimental focal ischemia. Hence, a central consideration in understanding the matrix-integrin responses to focal ischemia is the manner in which the compartments are disturbed. This has important implications for the appearance of injury development, the potential success of protease inhibitors put forward as interventions, and understanding the biology of protease action following ischemic injury.
Performing Reflexive Toxin A/B Enzyme Immunoassay in a Two-Step Algorithm for the Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection Has Limited Clinical Utility

The differentiation of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) from colonization is challenged by the suboptimal clinical specificity of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). In this study, we examined the utility of testing for toxin via enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in specimens already tested by NAAT for the diagnosis of CDI in an attempt to differentiate colonization from infection. We tested 59 stool samples for the presence of C. difficile toxin B gene by NAAT followed by EIAs for glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH EIA) and toxins A and B (Toxin EIA). Two infectious disease physicians independently reviewed the patients9 electronic medical records retrospectively to categorize each patient as CDI-Likely, CDI-Unlikely, or CDI-Indeterminate. Clinical sensitivities and specificities were calculated using 3 definitions of 99true99 CDI status, being: (1) concordance between both reviewers, (2) concordance, and CDI-Indeterminate/discordant cases classified as CDI-Likely, and (3) concordance, and CDI-Indeterminate/discordant cases classified as CDI-Unlikely. Based on these definitions, clinical sensitivity and specificity for NAAT was 100% and 49-94%, GDH EIA was 83-85% and 43-89%, and Toxin EIA was 39-42% and 83-100%, respectively. 85% (22 of 26) of patients who were NAAT-positive but Toxin EIA-negative symptomatically benefited from treatment for CDI. The addition of EIA to NAAT for CDI diagnosis had limited utility for differentiating colonization from CDI and could have led to under treatment of patients with CDI.
Targeting nucleotide exchange to inhibit constitutively active G protein α subunits in cancer cells

Constitutively active G protein α subunits cause cancer, cholera, Sturge-Weber syndrome, and other disorders. Therapeutic intervention by targeted inhibition of constitutively active Gα subunits in these disorders has yet to be achieved. We found that constitutively active Gα q in uveal melanoma (UM) cells was inhibited by the cyclic depsipeptide FR900359 (FR). FR allosterically inhibited guanosine diphosphate–for–guanosine triphosphate (GDP/GTP) exchange to trap constitutively active Gα q in inactive, GDP-bound Gαβγ heterotrimers. Allosteric inhibition of other Gα subunits was achieved by the introduction of an FR-binding site. In UM cells driven by constitutively active Gα q , FR inhibited second messenger signaling, arrested cell proliferation, reinstated melanocytic differentiation, and stimulated apoptosis. In contrast, FR had no effect on BRAF -driven UM cells. FR promoted UM cell differentiation by reactivating polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2)–mediated gene silencing, a heretofore unrecognized effector system of constitutively active Gα q in UM. Constitutively active Gα q and PRC2 therefore provide therapeutic targets for UM. The development of FR analogs specific for other Gα subunit subtypes may provide novel therapeutic approaches for diseases driven by constitutively active Gα subunits or multiple G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) where targeting a single receptor is ineffective.
Trends and Disparities in Sexual and Reproductive Health Behaviors and Service Use Among Young Adult Women (Aged 18-25 Years) in the United States, 2002-2015.

Objectives. To describe trends in sexual and reproductive health behaviors and service utilization among young women in the United States.Methods. We analyzed data from 8835 female respondents aged...
Boredom proneness as a predictor of depression, anxiety and stress: The moderating effects of dispositional mindfulness

Abstract Boredom is an aversive feeling of weariness, restlessness and constraint, related to both unstimulating environments and individual characteristics such as inattention. The trait of boredom proneness, an individual's propensity to become bored, is associated with negative clinical and life outcomes. This study evaluated dispositional mindfulness, a personality characteristic relating to nonjudgmental attentiveness to thoughts and feelings in the moment, as a moderator of the relationship between boredom proneness and negative emotional symptoms. Participants were 186 adult Chinese residents of Hong Kong (60.8% female, 18 to 83 years of age), who completed the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Short Boredom Proneness Scale and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale -21 (DASS-21). Pairwise correlational analyses replicated published research in North America. Moderation and conditional analyses showed that of the five FFMQ mindfulness domains, two, FFMQ Acting with Awareness and Describing, moderated the relationship between boredom proneness and DASS-21 scores. Boredom proneness predicted negative emotional symptoms only at low levels of dispositional mindfulness. Average or greater dispositional mindfulness was associated with an uncoupling of the relationship between boredom proneness and negative affect. Additional research is recommended to explore the possibility that cultivation of mindfulness may reduce the negative outcomes associated with characterological boredom proneness.
Critical current enhancement in Y1Ba2Cu3O7-y/Y1Ba2(Cu1-xNix)3O7-y heterostructures

Heterostructures of non-magnetic/magnetic high Tc superconductors have been grown by laser ablating pur YBaCuO and Ni doped YBaCuO. Superconducting properties of the composite are dependent on the amount of doping and the thickness of the doped layers. The critical temperatures of 87K and critical current densities in excess of 106 A/cm2 at 77K in 0.85 Tesia magnetic fields have been obtained for structures grown on ZrO2 substrates.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Objective Testing for Asthma in Older Adults

Objective measures of asthma take into account attempts to characterize the biological alterations of asthma. Lungs in older adults exhibit, in parallel, age-related, or comorbid, lung pathology and overall health status-related changes. In this chapter, subjective assessment of asthma in older adults, in conjunction with objective testing, is discussed. Characterization of common and unique aspects of objective testing in asthma as they pertain to older adults, including elucidation of specific objective tests such as spirometry, pulmonary function testing, peak flow monitoring, bronchial provocation testing, exhaled nitric oxide, and other ancillary testing for asthma, is discussed in context of older adult patients.
Diffuse epithelioid malignant mesothelioma of the pleura presenting as a hydropneumothorax and vertebral body invasion

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon form of neoplastic transformation of the mesothelial cells that line the serosal surfaces of the body. It most commonly affects the pleura and is often associated with pleural effusions and pleural-based masses. The annual incidence in the United States is only 3300 cases, representing less than 0.3% of all cancers worldwide, although this is likely underestimated. We present a case of diffuse epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma in a patient with remote, short-term asbestos exposure complicated by recurrent left-sided hydropneumothoraces and pleural-based invasion of the T12 vertebral body, which represent two rare coexisting complications. This case illustrates the importance of maintaining a broad differential for hydropneumothorax, particularly as the risk factors may be decades removed and the degree of asbestos exposure to induce a malignant mesothelioma may be smaller than has been traditionally thought.
Comparison of early outcomes between Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy among patients with body mass index ≥ 60 kg/m 2

There is no consensus on the ideal bariatric operation to choose for patients with extremely high body mass index (BMI). The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative complications, weight loss, and comorbidity remission between laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) among patients with BMI ≥ 60 kg/m2. Data from a statewide bariatric surgery registry were used to identify all patients with BMI ≥ 60 kg/m2 undergoing LRYGB or LSG between January 2006 and June 2019. Risk and reliability adjustment were used to compare outcomes between the two groups. A total of 6015 patients were identified and 2505 (41.6%) underwent LRYGB and 3510 (58.4%) underwent LSG. The overall mean age was 43.1 ± 11.2 years with a mean preoperative BMI of 66.7 ± 6.4 kg/m2. Females accounted for 69.3% and the majority were either white (68.5%) or black (21.2%). LRYGB was associated with a higher rate of adjusted 30-day postoperative serious complications (4.0% vs 2.2%; p < 0.01) including anastomotic leak, obstruction, and bleeding. Resource utilization was also higher with LRYGB (23.7% vs 14.8%; p < 0.01) and included more emergency department visits, readmissions, reoperations, and length of stay ≥ 4 days. The overall 1-year follow-up rate was 38.8%. The adjusted percent total weight loss at 1 year was significantly higher following LRYGB compared to LSG (36.6 ± 9.3 vs 31.3 ± 9.3%; p < 0.01). LRYGB was associated with a higher rate of treatment discontinuation for diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea. In patients with BMI ≥ 60 kg/m2, LRYGB was associated with better weight loss and medication discontinuation 1 year following surgery at the expense of an increase in perioperative complications and resource utilization compared to LSG.
A Distinct Neurophenotype of Fearful Face Processing in Alcohol Use Disorder With and Without Comorbid Anxiety.

Background Individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) can present with comorbid anxiety symptoms and often have deficits in emotional processing. Previous research suggests brain response is altered during facial affect recognition tasks, especially in limbic areas, due to either AUD or anxiety symptomology; however, the impact of both AUD and clinically significant anxiety symptoms during these tasks has not yet been examined. Methods In this study, we investigated neural activation differences during an emotional face-matching task. Participants (N = 232) underwent fMRI scanning, as part of a larger study. Three groups were investigated: individuals with diagnosed AUD and elevated anxiety traits (AUD + ANX, n = 90), individuals with diagnosed AUD but non-clinically significant levels of anxiety (AUD-ANX, n = 39), and healthy controls (HC, n = 103). Results Our results illustrate distinct neurophenotypes of AUD, where individuals with comorbid anxiety symptomology have blunted emotional face processing while those with singular AUD are hyperresponsive. Conclusions This suggests AUD with anxiety symptomology may have a unique neurobiological underpinning, and treatment and intervention should be tailored to individual constellations of symptoms.
Political stereotyping: Processing Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz rallies through fixed frame and 360-degree presentations

Compared to standard video presentations, 360-degree depictions have been found to heighten emotional and perceptual responses in viewers while minimizing concerns about media framing (Archer & Finger, 2018; Bucy, 2019). Results in this paper indicates that 1) 360-degree presentations viewed with a headset generated more discussion and a broader range of emotional and perceptual responses than fixed-frame videos, and 2) partisan identification and ideology seemed to play a stronger role in interpreting and guiding participant interpretations in the 360-degree conditions. Although, previous studies on 360-degree presentation discovered some positive violations of viewer expectations, such as higher acceptance for those who march for women’s rights (Bucy, 2019) and an increased sense of responsibility in closing the gender gap (Aitamurto et al., 2018), that was not the case in this study. Theoretically, this paper makes contribution to the literature on political stereotyping and expectancy violation model.
Genome-wide association study in two cohorts from a multi-generational mouse advanced intercross line highlights the difficulty of replication

Abstract Replication is considered to be critical for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in humans, but is not routinely performed in model organisms. We explored replication using an advanced intercross line (AIL) which is the simplest possible multigenerational intercross. We re-genotyped a previously published cohort of LG/J x SM/J AIL mice (F34; n=428) using a denser marker set and also genotyped a novel cohort of AIL mice (F39-43; n=600) for the first time. We identified 110 significant loci in the F34 cohort, 36 of which were new discoveries attributable to the denser marker set; we also identified 27 novel significant loci in the F39-43 cohort. For traits measured in both cohorts (locomotor activity, body weight, and coat color), the genetic correlations were high, although, the F39-43 cohort showed systematically lower SNP-heritability estimates. We then attempted to replicate loci identified in either F34 or F39-43 in the other cohort. Albino coat color was robustly replicated; we observed only partial replication of associations for locomotor activity and body weight. Finally, we performed a mega-analysis of locomotor activity and body weight by combining F34 and F39-43 cohorts (n=1,028), which identified four novel loci. The incomplete replication was inconsistent with simulations we performed to estimate our power to replicate. This may reflect: 1) false positives errors in the discovery cohort, 2) environmental or genetic heterogeneity between the two samples, or 3) the systematic over estimation of the effect sizes at significant loci (“Winner’s Curse”). Our results demonstrate that it is difficult to replicate GWAS results even when using similarly sized discovery and replication cohorts drawn from the same population.
Adverse events in pediatric cochlear implant patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract Objective To investigate the prevalence and nature of adverse events in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pediatric cochlear implant (CI) patients. Methods Retrospective chart review at a tertiary pediatric hospital. CI patients who underwent MRI from 2004 through 2019 were identified via our internal radiology database. Comorbidities, CI model, age at MRI, number of MRIs, type of MRIs, indication for MRIs, precautions taken for MRIs, quality of MRIs, anesthesia during MRIs, patient language abilities, and adverse events were recorded from the electronic medical record. The literature was reviewed, and our results were compared to those of previous similar series. Results From 2004 to 2019, 12 pediatric patients (17 ears) with CIs underwent 22 MRIs. 12 MRIs were performed in CI patients with retained internal magnet. 4/22 MRIs resulted in morbidity; 2 patients experienced pain requiring MRI abortion, 1 experienced magnet rotation requiring surgical replacement, and 1 underwent operative removal of the magnet prior to the scan with surgical replacement thereafter. 19/22 MRIs were performed to evaluate the brain; 17/22 of the radiologic reports noted limitation of evaluation due to artifact. 18/22 MRIs required the administration of anesthesia. 9 of the 22 MRI events involved 2 patients whose CIs had been without internal magnet in anticipation of future MRI requirement. Conclusions Adverse events affecting pediatric patients with CI can occur as a result of MRI, despite appropriate precautions. Safety requires consideration of factors unique to a pediatric hearing-impaired population. Clinicians must remain informed on best practices and manufacturer recommendations.
Digital diplomacy during the first 100 days: How GCC ministries of foreign affairs and ministers tweeted the blockade

Since the sudden outbreak of what is known as the GCC crisis or the blockade on June 5, 2017, the four nations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) involved in the conflict –the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Kingdom of Bahrain – have found themselves in a diplomatic race for the support of their position on the rift in traditional media, as well as on social media platforms. This paper focuses on the different ways the ministries of foreign affairs (MOFAs) and the ministers of foreign affairs (MFAs) used Twitter as an instrument of digital diplomacy during the first 100 days of the GCC crisis. In general, states tweet on a daily basis, and the ways in which a sovereign state presents itself online offers an insight into the patterns of representation of state identity, strategy, emotional expression, and recognition of others. This study is based on the content analysis of tweets created by the MOFAs and their respective MFAs of the GCC, with a focus on Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain over the first 100 days of the crisis (June 5, 2017–September 13, 2017). This paper uses different types of tweets to examine the various kinds of political and diplomatic discourses perpetuated on Twitter by the GCC officials, in order to engage the online public sphere and navigate the domestic and international discourses. For example, if ministers engage in dialogue with their followers, then they are exercising a two-way digital diplomacy approach via Twitter. On the contrary, when they tweet about their bilateral meetings, it is an example of a one-way digital diplomacy approach, since they do not require any response from their followers. It was of specific interest to examine the differences of topic, content, and frequency of tweets, through the communication in Arabic and English. The study shows that the countries engaged in discourse around the topic of the blockade, but the type of discourse differed significantly depending on the state itself. While some chose to focus on the idea of legitimizing their stance on the topic of the blockade (i.e. Saudi Arabia), others were more direct in voicing their viewpoint, creating specific hashtags such as “#boycottQatar” (i.e. Bahrain). In addition, Qatar differed significantly in terms of the volume of tweets and the topic, tweeting often in both Arabic and English and shifting their focus towards affirming their strong diplomatic relations with countries outside the GCC, such as the Republic of Turkey. Overall, this study aims to compare the way the four GCC countries used Twitter, in order to engage their local and international communities to disseminate an image or a message.
Experimental Investigation of Wall Heat Flux in a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine

An experimental test campaign was conducted for a rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) using gaseous oxygen and RP-2 at operating pressures of 3–18 atm. The copper chamber outer wall was instru...
Reconceptualizing Service-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections and Recommendations

Service-learning is a pedagogy combining academic study with community service and reflection and fostering students’ deeper understanding of subject matter and capacity for critical thinking. The balance between service to community and academic learning varies; service-learning may be more “SERVICE-learning” while at other times more appropriately denoted as “service-LEARNING,” depending upon which goals are primary, with the hyphen symbolizing the process of reflection. Our school offers seven service-learning courses (including an international one), with a variety of populations, to undergraduate students from across the campus, the majority of whom are not social work majors. When the current health crisis necessitated the suspension of in-person service, instructors were tasked with redesigning courses to adapt to remote classroom learning. This chapter delineates the process of reconceptualizing four such courses: two with older adults and two with youth. The authors offer a description of the courses, including the unique strengths and vulnerabilities of the service recipients, and the process of supporting agencies to keep students’ “hearts and minds” engaged as they transitioned from “service-learning” to more of a “service-LEARNING model.” The lessons learned may be helpful to those faced with reconfiguring in-person service-based courses in a time of crisis.
Preaching Migrations: Introduction

In her essay “Vesper Flights,” Helen Macdonald describes the evening ascent of flocks of swifts into the upper atmosphere. These birds, which never descend to the ground, rise nearly 8,000 feet eve...
Wax, Wings, and Swarms: Insects and Their Products as Art Media.

Every facet of human culture is in some way affected by our abundant, diverse insect neighbors. Our relationship with insects has been on display throughout the history of art, sometimes explicitly but frequently in inconspicuous ways. This is because artists can depict insects overtly, but they can also allude to insects conceptually or use insect products in a purely utilitarian manner. Insects themselves can serve as art media, and artists have explored or exploited insects for their products (silk, wax, honey, propolis, carmine, shellac, nest material), body parts (e.g., wings), and whole bodies (dead, alive, individually, or as collectives). This review surveys insects and their products used as media in the visual arts and considers the untapped potential for artistic exploration of media derived from insects. The history, value, and ethics of insect media art are relevant topics at a time when the natural world is at unprecedented risk. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Entomology, Volume 67 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Postoperative Complications Following Ankle Arthrodesis in Patients With Hepatitis C: Matched Propensity Score Analysis.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis C is associated with increased adverse events following surgery. The goals of this study were therefore to evaluate postoperative outcomes in patients with hepatitis C following ankle arthrodesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A review of Medicare patients was performed to identify patients who underwent ankle arthrodesis. Patients were then divided into those with a preoperative history of hepatitis C and those who did not and were matched using propensity scores. Outcomes of interest were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS A diagnosis of hepatitis C was associated with a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction, emergency department visits, and readmission within 90 days following surgery. In addition, hepatitis C is associated with an increased length of stay, cost of hospitalization, and total hospital charge. CONCLUSIONS A diagnosis of hepatitis C was associated with a significant increase in hospital resource utilization during the initial inpatient stay and the immediate post-discharge period.Level of Evidence: III.
14-3-3 proteins in pineal photoneuroendocrine transduction: how many roles?

Recent studies suggest that a common theme links the diverse elements of pineal photoneuroendocrine transduction – regulation via binding to 14-3-3 proteins. The elements include photoreception, neurotransmission, signal transduction and the synthesis of melatonin from tryptophan. We review general aspects of 14-3-3 proteins and their biological function as binding partners, and also focus on their roles in pineal photoneuroendocrine transduction. The function of the pineal gland as a photoneuroendocrine transducer involves multiple processes, including photoreception, signal transduction and the synthesis of melatonin from tryptophan. In addition, in birds and mammals, adrenergic neurotransmission plays a regulatory role. Recent studies suggest that a common theme links these diverse processes, one that has been generally ignored: regulation via binding to 14-3-3 proteins. We review general aspects of 14-3-3 proteins, their biological role as binding partners and their roles in pineal photoneuroendocrine transduction.
The Hubble Space Telescope Before Launch: A Personal Perspective

The objective of the Hubble Space Telescope project is to orbit an optical 2.4 m telescope for astronomical observations above the earth’s disturbing and absorbing atmosphere. This review attempts to summarize several aspects of this exciting endeavor at a time when the main part of the mission, signified by the anticipated launch in early 1990, has not yet begun. Specifically, a brief history of the Space Telescope is given, the major characteristics of the telescope and its scientific instruments are discussed, the scientific expectations are described, and the Space Telescope Science Institute, the center for the scientific operations of this project, is introduced. As an example of the many developments which have already appeared as part of the Hubble Space Telescope program, but transgress into the direction of more general astronomical applications, the production and characteristics of the Guide Star Catalog are described as well.
No todo lo que ronca es poesía

Suenos. Elkin Restrepo. Poesia, ano 1, num. 1, Editorial El Propio Bolsillo, Medellin, febrero de 1990.
Bioavailability Study of Oral Liquid and Tablet Forms of α-Difluoromethylornithine

The purpose of this study was to assess the bioavailability of two oral preparations of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). The current preparation of DFMO is a liquid with a concentration of 0.2 gram/ml that must be drawn up into a syringe and dispensed into a small medicine glass. This form of DFMO causes wastage of the medication. The liquid form also makes compliance and blinding difficult. Recently, a new coated tablet preparation has become available from Ilex Oncology Services (San Antonio, TX). The coated tablets are 0.25 gram and are scored. The tablet form should increase compliance by making it much easier for the subject to take the medication. This report compares the bioavailability of both preparations with the goal of demonstrating equivalence of the preparations. Ten normal subjects entered the cross-over study in which the order in which they would receive the liquid or tablet preparation of DFMO was randomized. The study was designed with the objective of establishing the bioequivalence of a tablet preparation of DFMO at daily dose 0.5 gram/m2 and a liquid preparation of DFMO at the same daily dose. The mean area under the time-by-concentration curves (microM x hours) for the liquid and tablet preparations was 368.2 and 370.4, respectively. The peak concentrations for the liquid and tablet preparations were 47.3 and 48.2 microM, respectively. No statistically significant differences were seen in these parameters, in time to peak concentration, or in serum half-life.
Femtosecond passively mode-locked fiber lasers using saturable Bragg reflectors

We demonstrate a soliton fiber laser with 280-fs pulses at 408-MHz repetition rate, and a stretched-pulse regime fiber laser with 102-fs pulses at 234-MHz repetition rate. Both use saturable Bragg reflectors for mode-locking and/or self-starting.
Perfect graphs, kernels, and cores of cooperative games

A kernel of a directed graph D is defined as an independent set which is reachable from each outside vertex by an arc. A graph G is called kernel-solvable if an orientation D of G has a kernel whenever each clique of G has a kernel in D. The notion of kernel-solvability has important applications in combinatorics, list coloring, and game theory. It turns out that kernel-solvability is equivalent to perfectness, as it was conjectured by Berge and Duchet in 1983. These and other kernel-related results are the subject of the present survey. Many of these results are independent of the strong perfect graph conjecture, yet, the recent proof of this conjecture and the efficient recognition of perfect graphs have several important implications, in particular in game theory, which are also included here.
Revolution or evolution: reference planning in ARL libraries

Reference statistics over the past ten years at the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) reference desks have been gradually declining. In this survey, the author examined whether libraries are changing their services in response to these declines. A survey was conducted of ARL heads of reference services. Results show that reference services are responding to changes in statistics and resources by reorganizing, changing staffing levels, adding new services, and eliminating some services that are no longer useful. Librarians are performing more than reference activities, including collection development, and instruction. In addition, services for distant users are becoming more prevalent. Finally, libraries are conducting needs assessments to discover whether their users are satisfied with the current services and collections in their libraries. Areas for further research are explored.
The Impact of Interpersonal Aggression on Performance Attributions

This study examined the causal attributions made by aggressive and nonaggressive individuals—as classified by a conditional reasoning measure of aggression—in response to incidents of subordinate success and failure. Following the presentation of traditional patterns of performance information (i.e., consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency), participants (N = 407) made attributions regarding the cause of the subordinate’s behavior and indicated their preferred behavioral intentions. Overall, when evaluating incidents of subordinate success, the causal attributions of aggressive individuals were similar to those of nonaggressive individuals. However, when evaluating incidents of subordinate failure, the causal attributions of aggressive individuals deviated from those of nonaggressive individuals for three information patterns. Moreover, following a person attribution, aggressive individuals were more likely to endorse punitive responses to incidents of subordinate failure. Implications, potential limi...
Political Expression in the Chinese Blogosphere: Below the Radar

Abstract This study examines subtle forms of political expression, including political satire and criticism of the state, in the writings of popular Chinese bloggers. It finds that the advent of blogging has provided citizens of the People9s Republic with a medium for making sophisticated critiques of the regime without encountering harsh repression.
Task requirement and hemifield asymmetry in tachistoscopic partial report performance.

Abstract It was hypothesized that the amount and direction of differences in tachistoscopic recognition accuracy for the right and the left visual hemifield should depend on the degree to which a partial report task requires exhaustive processing of the test stimulus. Position curves for single-item report were examined using four different tasks. In the Arrow task, S s had to report a letter which was designated by a bar marker. In the Number task, the position of the critical letter was indicated by the digits 1–8. In the Letter task, the cue stimulus was a letter, and S s were required to report its position in the test stimulus. In the Alphabetic task, a report on the alphabetically first letter of the test stimulus was required. The tasks were designated to encourage either selective processing (Arrow and Number tasks) or exhaustive processing (Letter and Alphabetic tasks). Right-hemifield superiority was predicted for selective processing, and left-hemifield superiority for exhaustive processing. The predictions were confirmed for the Arrow and Alphabetic tasks. A complete account of the position curves in the Number and Letter tasks required a consideration of the effects of the semantic nature of the cue stimulus and/or the spatial arrangement of cue stimulus and test stimulus. It was concluded that the processing operations underlying partial report are more complex than had been assumed previously.
Fatty Acids in Lipid Fractions from Early and Late-stage Larvae of Heliothis virescens,

Nakasone and Ito (1967) reported the values for fatty acids in the total lipids from eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of Bombyx mori (L.). They noted increasing amounts of linoleic, linolenic, and stearic acids and decreasing amounts of palmitic and oleic acids in total lipids from the egg and from 1st-, 2nd-, to 3rd-stage larvae. The reverse was true in total lipids from 3rd- or early 4th-stage larvae when palmitic and oleic acids began to increase, and linoleic, linolenic, and stearic acids began to decrease from the 3rd- to 5th-stage larvae. Differences in body fat of older larvae fed mulberry leaves were greater than in early-stage larvae, suggesting that the differences are due to synthesis of fatty acid. We (Moore and Taft 1970) found increases in palmitic, palmitoleic, and oleic with decreases in stearic, linoleic, and linolenic acid in late-stage larvae of Heliothis zea (Boddie). In addition, we reported that percentages of the fatty acids which the insect could synthesize were greater in these larvae than in the diet. Both findings agree with those reported by Nakasone and Ito (1967) in Bombyx and supported their suggestions of an increase in fatty acid synthesis as the larvae matured.
Metabolism of Rotenone in vitro by Tissue Homogenates from Mammals and Insects

Hydroxylation of rotenone in vitro in the enzyme system composed of microsomes and reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate, and in living mice and houseflies, yields products tentatively identified as rotenolone I; rotenolone II; 8'-hydroxyrotenone; 6',7'-dihydro-6',7'-dihydroxyrotenone; two rotenolones of each of the last-mentioned two compounds; and uncharacterized polar materials. The toxicity of certain of these rotenoids to mice is of the same order as that of rotenone.
Osmotic shock: a mechanosensitive channel blocker can prevent release of cytoplasmic but not periplasmic proteins.

When over-expressed in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli, carboxylesterase Est55 of Geobacillus stearothermophilus was found to be released from cells upon osmotic shock. Comparing two osmotic shock protocols showed that release of Est55 was abolished in the absence of mechanosensitive channel MscL by one method but not the other. The discrepancy extended to several previously reported cytoplasmic proteins released by osmotic shock, including: EF-Tu, thioredoxin, and DnaK in E. coli. Stepwise analyses of parameters between these two protocols revealed that the use of mechanical pipetting instead of gentle dilution of cells prior to exposure to hypotonic solution abolished the effect of MscL. Furthermore, while this phenomenon of release of certain cytoplasmic proteins was sustained in all three wild type strains of E. coli, presence of gadolinium was able to serve as an MscL channel blocker and prevented release of Est55 and EF-Tu in the process. An optimized protocol of osmotic shock was developed from this study to provide a more reliable assessment of location of proteins in E. coli. This method allowed release of authentic periplasmic MalE and β-lactamase proteins comparable to that by EDTA-lysozyme treatment.
A strengthened analysis of an algorithm for Dominating Set in planar graphs

Alber et al. presented an algorithm for computing a dominating set of size at most k, if one exists, in an undirected planar n-vertex graph and bounded its execution time by O(8^kn). Here it is shown that the algorithm performs better than claimed by its authors. More significantly, if k@?n/19, even a much simplified version of the algorithm runs in O(7^kn) time.
Rethinking chemistry: a learning progression on chemical thinking

Dominant educational approaches in chemistry focus on the learning of somewhat isolated concepts and ideas about chemical substances and reactions. Reform efforts often seek to engage students in the generation of knowledge through the investigation of chemical phenomena, with emphasis on the development and application of models to build causal explanations and predict outcomes. However, chemistry has been characterized as a technoscience that blends scientific pursuit and technological goals. Besides searching for explanations, our discipline also involves the design of substances and processes to address relevant problems, as well as the evaluation of social, economic, and environmental benefits, costs, and risks associated with chemical knowledge and products. In order to develop authentic curricula, instruction, and assessments that are better aligned with the core goals and practices of chemistry, we need to understand how students' chemical thinking progresses over time. We define chemical thinking as the development and application of chemical knowledge and practices with the main intent of analyzing, synthesizing, and transforming matter for practical purposes. In this paper we present a blueprint of a theoretically sound and evidence-based foundation for an educational framework centered on the idea of chemical thinking. Our investigations are focused on the development of a learning progression that describes likely pathways in the evolution of students' chemical thinking with training in the discipline from grade 8 (age 13–14) through 16 (undergraduate completion).
CNS Autoimmune Inflammation: RICK Must NOD!

In this issue of Immunity, Shaw et al. (2011) report that the NOD-RICK signaling axis is required for the activation of dendritic cells infiltrating the central nervous system, leading to reactivation of antigen-specific T cells and autoimmune inflammation.
Experimental study of the poisoning of a single catalyst pellet in a diffusion reactor

Catalyst poisoning experiments were carried out in an isothermal single-pellet reactor under conditions where both kinetic and diffusion processes contribute to the overall reaction rate (Thiele parameter between about 0·5 and 5). The concentration of the reacting species was monitored at the pellet's external surface and at its center plane. Impurity poisoning and parallel, series and triangular self-poisoning processes could be qualitatively discriminate by a sequence of three experiments, once the order of the main reaction was established. It was found that the hydrogenolysis of cyclopropane to propane between 50 and 75°C over an ν-Al2O3 supported Pt catalyst is simultaneously poisoned by the reactant cyclopropane and the product propane (triangular self-poisoning). Quantitative values of the poisoning kinetic exponents were evaluated by decoupling the time variable from the poisoning process, using relative overall rate versus normalized center-plane concentration data. Superimposing time on the results (center-plane concentration versus time and relative overall rate versus time data) detected an initial time-delay in the poisoning process. This time-delay was shown to depend upon the hydrogen-pretreatment of the catalyst. Conventional bulk rate-time studies would have been seriously hampered by the complicated time-behavior of the system, while the approach presented in this paper allowed the resolution of the mechanism and kinetics of the poisoning process.
The effect of modal interaction in the xenon instability problem

The space and time dependent reactor stability problem of neutron flux shape variations due to Xe/sup 135/ is examined. The effect of modal interaction on stability is investigated for a simple reactor model when the characteristic functions of the wave equation are used in a modal expansion. It is shown that modal interaction may contribute to or detract from stability depending on the circumstances, and that in the case of a very large reactor, stability can be seriously overestimated if modal interaction is neglected. (auth)
Evaluation and management of dyslipidemia in patients with HIV infection.

OBJECTIVE: Persons with HIV infection develop metabolic abnormalities related to their antiretroviral therapy and HIV infection itself. The objective of this study was to summarize the emerging evidence for the incidence, etiology, health risks, and treatment of dyslipidemias in HIV disease. DESIGN: Systematic review of original research with quantitative synthesis. MAIN RESULTS: Dyslipidemia is common in persons with HIV infection on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), but methodologic differences between studies preclude precise estimates of prevalence and incidence. The typical pattern includes elevated total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, which may be markedly elevated. The dyslipidemia may be associated with lipodys-trophy, insulin resistance, and, rarely, frank diabetes mellitus. Exposure to protease inhibitors (PIs) is associated with this entire range of metabolic abnormalities. PI-naive patients on nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) may develop lipodystrophy, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, and possibly modest elevations in triglycerides but not severe hypertriglyceridemia, which appears to be linked to PIs alone. Most studies have not found an association between CD4 lymphocyte count or HIV viral load and lipid abnormalities. The pathogenesis is incompletely understood and appears to be multifactorial. There are insufficient data to definitively support an increased coronary heart disease risk in patients with HIV-related dyslipidemia. However, some of the same metabolic abnormalities remain firmly established risk factors in other populations. Patients on HAART with severe hypertriglyceridemia may develop pancreatitis or other manifestations of the chylomicronemia syndrome. Some of the metabolic derangements (particularly hypertriglyceridemia) may improve upon replacing a PI with a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. The limited experience suggests that fibrates, pravastatin, and atorvastatin can safely treat lipid abnormalities in HIV-infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HIV infection on HAART should be screened for lipid disorders, given their incidence, potential for morbidity, and possible long-term cardiovascular risk. Treatment decisions are complex and must include assessments of cardiac risk, HIV infection status, reversibility of the dyslipidemia, and the effectiveness and toxicities of lipid-lowering medications. The multiple potential drug interactions with antiretroviral or other HIV-related medications should be considered in lipid-lowering drug selection and monitoring.
Cytologic diagnosis of generalized cutaneous sporotrichosis in a hunting hound

A 1-year-old male Foxhound/Walker Hound mix was presented to the small animal internal medicine service at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine with a 6-week history of progressive, multifocal, ulcerative and draining, well-circumscribed lesions in a generalized distribution. Prior to referral, a presumptive diagnosis was made of sterile pyogranulomatous disease; immunosuppressive therapy was instituted but resulted in clinical deterioration. At presentation, the dog had marked neutropenia (1100 neutrophils/microL), and a mild toxic left shift (400 bands/microL). Cytologic findings in the exudates from a draining skin lesion included high numbers of markedly degenerate neutrophils (about 95% of nucleated cells) as well as low numbers of macrophages, small mature lymphocytes, and eosinophils. Low numbers of intracellular (within neutrophils and macrophages) and extracellular, pleomorphic, cigar-to-ovoid shaped organisms ( approximately 3x9 microm) consistent with Sporothrix were observed. Histopathologic examination of a skin biopsy showed marked, chronic, active, ulcerative, pyogranulomatous dermatitis and panniculitis, with intralesional yeast consistent with Sporothrix sp. The etiologic agent was confirmed as Sporothrix schenckii by macerated tissue fungal culture. The patient was treated with itraconazole, enrofloxacin, and clindamycin, with clinical resolution occurring over a 3-month period. This case is a rare example of the cytologic diagnosis of Sporothrix schenckii in a canine patient. Diagnosis of canine sporotrichosis is often challenging and usually requires tissue culture, as infected dogs typically harbor very few organisms. The patient's prior immunosuppressive therapy likely contributed to higher numbers of organisms in exudates from the cutaneous lesions, facilitating cytologic diagnosis.
Dynamics of heterostructure hot‐electron diodes

The transport properties of heterostructure hot‐electron diodes are examined by Monte Carlo simulations. The transient analysis indicates that the limiting time constant for electronic switching from low to high conduction is of the order of the device transit time provided that tunneling‐ and thermionic‐emission time constants associated with the formation of accumulation layers are of shorter duration; since the average electron velocities are of the order of 3×107 cm/s for typical device dimensions of 1000 A, it follows that picosecond switching times should be possible for such device feature sizes. The effects of electron‐electron interactions have also been considered; their influence on diode switching and on the switching of heterolayer devices in general are discussed.
Dissociation of decreased numbers of muscarinic receptors from tolerance to DFP.

Abstract Several studies have demonstrated that chronic treatment with organophosphates, such as DFP, elicits a decreased number of brain muscarinic receptors (measured by the binding of QNB) which has been presented as an explanation for tolerance to the organophosphates. The purpose of the studies presented here was to assess whether graded changes in QNB binding could be attained following different methods of chronic DFP treatment, and whether tolerance to DFP paralleled these changes. Male DBA mice were injected with DFP every 4 days or 2 days for 30 days or daily for 14 days. The animals were subsequently challenged with DFP or the muscarinic agonist, oxotremorine, and respiratory rate, heart rate, body temperature, Y-maze activity and rearing were recorded. Chronic DFP-treated animals were supersensitive to the effects of DFP on respiratory rate, heart rate, and body temperature whereas a modest tolerance to the effects of oxotremorine on respiratory rate, heart rate, and body temperature was seen. Neither tolerance nor supersensitivity were observed for the effects of DFP and oxotremorine on the Y-maze measures. Chronic DFP treatment elicited reduced binding of QNB in striatum, cortex, and hippocampus with the group that had been treated every other day exhibiting the greetest changes. The changes in drug response did not parallel changes in QNB binding which raises questions as to the cause of the reduction in binding.