cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Ecology, Population, and Development

Human ecology, as distinguished from bioecology, originated with the observation of analogous forms of organization in urban and plant communities. Since its inception, therefore, the discipline of human ecology has evinced a strong predilection toward the use of collective organization, not the individual, as its unit of analysis. Justifying this orientation is evidence that adaptation by all forms of life is essentially a collective rather than an individual process.
Border Array for Structural Strings

The border and parameterized border (p-border) arrays are data structures used in pattern matching applications for traditional strings from the constant alphabet Σ and parameterized strings (p-strings) from the constant alphabet Σ and the parameter alphabet Π. In this work, we introduce the structural border (s-border) array as defined for an n-length structural string (s-string) T. The s-string is a p-string with the existence of symbol complements in some alphabet Γ. These different alphabets add to both the intricacies and capabilities of pattern matching. Initially, we provide a construction that executes in O(n 2) time to build the s-border array. The paper establishes theory to improve the result to O(n) by proving particular properties of the s-border data structure. This result is significant because of the generalization of the s-string, which is a step beyond the p-string. Using the same construction algorithm, we show how to modify the s-string alphabets to also construct the p-border and the traditional border arrays in linear time.
Sensitization of endocrine organs to anterior pituitary hormones by the autonomic nervous system.

Abstract Hormone secretion from endocrine glands constitutes a primary component of homeostatic control systems that defend whole body tissue viability and function. Endocrine organ secretion is controlled by efferent mechanisms that consist of both hormonal and neural elements. Anatomical evidence for dual control has led to increased understanding of how autonomic neural activity modulates functional sensitivity to hormonal input. The clinical relevance of autonomic–endocrine interactions is illustrated by examining functional control of the adrenal cortex and the ovary, two tissues that require tropic support from the anterior pituitary and receive sympathetic neural input. Extrapituitary mechanisms of adrenal cortical control including sympathetic neural activity have been implicated in controlling the amplitude of the cortisol awakening response (CAR), a diagnostic index of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal activity in humans. In addition, increases in sympathetic neural tone have been implicated in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a leading cause of female infertility. These examples offer strong evidence for the capability of autonomic neural activity to alter the functional sensitivity of endocrine glands. This interaction has significant clinical relevance and needs to be incorporated into our view in assessing endocrine organ function and dysfunction.
High-Sensitivity Frequency Modulation Spectroscopy with Lead-Salt Diode Lasers

This paper reports the demonstration of quantum-noise-limited sensitivity in frequency modulation spectroscopy (FMS) with a lead-salt diode laser operating in the 4.8-µm region. Experimentally determined sensitivities of 10−7 in a 1-Hz bandwidth have been demonstrated for detection of CO and CO2 in a single-pass absorption cell. Attaining these sensitivities requires careful attention to a number of experimental details which are discussed. However, we are confident that a new generation of atmospheric trace gas monitors, capable of routinely detecting absorptions in the 10−7 range, are possible using FMS.
Association of diabetes with colorectal cancer treatment and outcomes.

e18112Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased incidence of colorectal cancer, but the impact of diabetes on colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis and treatment patterns remai...
Forced turnover of aged microglia induces an intermediate phenotype but does not rebalance CNS environmental cues driving priming to immune challenge.

Microglia are the resident innate immune cells of the central nervous system. Limited turnover throughout the lifespan leaves microglia susceptible to age-associated dysfunction. Indeed, we and others have reported microglia develop a pro-inflammatory or “primed” profile with age, characterized by increased expression of inflammatory mediators (e.g., MHC-II, CD68, IL-1β). Moreover, immune challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes an exaggerated and prolonged neuroinflammatory response mediated by primed microglia in the aged brain. Recent studies show colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) antagonism results in rapid depletion of microglia without significant complications. Therefore, we hypothesized that CSF1R antagonist-mediated depletion of microglia in the aged brain would result in repopulation with new and unprimed microglia. Here we provide novel evidence that microglia in the brain of adult (6–8 weeks old) and aged (16–18 months old) BALB/c mice were depleted following 3-week oral PLX5622 administration. When CSF1R antagonism was stopped, microglia repopulated equally in the adult and aged brain. Microglial depletion and repopulation reversed age-associated increases in microglial CD68+ lysosome enlargement and lipofuscin accumulation. Microglia-specific RNA sequencing revealed 511 differentially expressed genes with age. Of these, 117 genes were reversed by microglial repopulation (e.g., Apoe, Tgfb2, Socs3). Nevertheless, LPS challenge still induced an exaggerated microglial inflammatory response in the aged brain compared to adults. RNA sequencing of whole-brain tissue revealed an age-induced inflammatory signature, including reactive astrocytes, that was not restored by microglial depletion and repopulation. Furthermore, the microenvironment of the aged brain produced soluble factors that influenced developing microglia ex vivo and induced a profile primed to LPS challenge. Thus, the aged brain microenvironment promotes microglial priming despite repopulation of new microglia. Collectively, aged microglia proliferate and repopulate the brain, but these new cells still adopt a pro-inflammatory profile in the aged brain.
Vibrations of Finite Bodies

In this chapter we study vibrations of finite piezoelectric bodies. In some cases, for example, thickness vibrations of unbounded plates, although the in-plane dimensions of the plates are infinite, what matters is the finite plate thickness. Sects. 5.2 and 5.7 are on antiplane problems of polarized ceramics for which the notation in Sect. 2.9 is followed. The solutions in Sects. 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, and 5.7 are exact. Those in Sects. 5.8, 5.9, and 5.10 are approximate.
Snow algae drive productivity and weathering at volcanic rock-hosted glaciers

Abstract Earth has experienced periodic local to global glaciation for nearly 3 billion years, providing supra- and subglacial environments for colonization by microbial communities. A number of studies have reported on the role of microbial communities in glacial ecosystems including their influence on element cycling and weathering, but there is a paucity data on volcanic rock-hosted glacial ecosystems. Glaciers on stratovolcanoes in the Pacific Northwest override silica-rich rocks which represent analogues to an early Martian cryosphere. On these glaciers, blooms of photosynthetic snow algae support supraglacial microbial communities as has been observed on snowfields, glaciers, and ice sheets. In subglacial environments of volcanic rock-hosted glacial systems, weathering is driven, at least in part, by carbonic acid, suggesting a link between supraglacial carbon sources and subglacial heterotrophic microbial communities. Here, we report inorganic carbon assimilation and microbial community composition on glaciers across three stratovolcanoes ranging in composition from dacitic to mafic in the Pacific Northwest of the United States to begin to constrain the role of supraglacial primary productivity in subglacial weather processes. These data, coupled to contextual carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of biomass and aqueous geochemistry, indicate snow algae drive light dependent carbon uptake across supraglacial and periglacial environments. Furthermore, snow algae microbial communities are supported by fixed nitrogen predominantly from deposition via precipitation. Our data highlight intense cycling of carbon and nitrogen driven by supraglacial microbial communities that feeds subglacial microbial communities which in turn may drive weathering processes. These results further underscore the role of glacial ecosystems in global biogeochemical cycling, especially during past global glaciations. Finally, these results lend support for glaciers as refugia for biodiversity on Earth and potentially on other bodies such as Mars where evidence exists for widespread and long-lived cryosphere including glaciers and ice sheets.
Public Policy and Shopping Effectiveness: The Case of Item-Price Removal:

The removal of item prices in scanner equipped grocery stores is an important public policy issue, as it relates to the ability of consumers to engage in effective shopping in the face of decreased...
Interactions of an Anti-Sickling Drug with Hemoglobin in Red Blood Cells from a Patient with Sickle Cell Anemia

The pathophysiology associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) includes hemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusive events, and ultimately end organ damage set off by the polymerization of deoxygenated hemoglobin S (HbS) into long fibers and sickling of red blood cells (RBCs). One approach toward mitigating HbS polymerization is to pharmacologically stabilize the oxygenated (R) conformation of HbS and thereby reduce sickling frequency and SCD pathology. GBT440 is an α-subunit-specific modifying agent that has recently been reported to increase HbS oxygen binding affinity and consequently delay in vitro polymerization. In addition, animal model studies have demonstrated the potential for GBT440 to be a suitable therapeutic for daily oral dosing in humans. Here, we report an optimized method for detecting GBT440 intermediates in human patient hemolysate using a combination of HPLC and mass spectrometry analysis. First, oxygen dissociation curves (ODCs) analyzed from patient blood showed that oxygen affinity increased in a dose dependent manner. Second, HPLC and integrated mass spectrometric analysis collectively confirmed that GBT440 labeling was specific to the α N-terminus thereby ruling out other potential ligand binding sites. Finally, the results from this optimized analytical approach allowed us to detect a stable α-specific GBT440 adduct in the patient's hemolysate in a dose dependent manner. The results and methods presented in this report could therefore potentially help therapeutic monitoring of GBT440 induced oxygen affinity and reveal critical insight into the biophysical properties of GBT440 Hb complexes.
Gender and Work in Global Value Chains: Capturing the Gains?

This book focuses on the changing gender patterns of work in a global retail environment associated with the rise of contemporary retail and global sourcing. This has affected the working lives of hundreds of millions of workers in high-, middle- and low-income countries. The growth of contemporary retail has been driven by the commercialised production of many goods previously produced unpaid by women within the home. Sourcing is now largely undertaken through global value chains in low- or middle-income economies, using a 'cheap' feminised labour force to produce low-price goods. As women have been drawn into the labour force, households are increasingly dependent on the purchase of food and consumer goods, blurring the boundaries between paid and unpaid work. This book examines how gendered patterns of work have changed and explores the extent to which global retail opens up new channels to leverage more gender-equitable gains in sourcing countries.
Gas-surface interactions of atomic nitrogen with vitreous carbon

Abstract We have conducted beam-surface scattering experiments with the intent of identifying the reaction mechanisms that are relevant to the ablation of carbon by N atoms at surface temperatures relevant to hypersonic flight. A pulsed molecular beam containing N and N2 with translational energies of 460 and 808 kJ mol-1, respectively, was directed at a vitreous carbon surface held at temperatures in the range 1023–1923 K. Time-of-flight distributions were collected for scattered products with fixed incidence and final angles of θi = θf = 45°. Inelastically scattered N and N2 and reactively scattered CN were the only products observed. The scattering dynamics of N and N2 were independent of surface temperature and were indicative of purely impulsive scattering. The scattering dynamics of CN suggested that this reaction product is formed by a mechanism that occurs in thermal equilibrium with the surface – i.e., a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. The reaction probability to produce CN has an Arrhenius temperature dependence with an activation energy of 207 kJ mol-1. The relevance of the current results to the hypersonic ablation of carbon in the presence of dissociated air is discussed.
Public Health Coverage and Access to Mental Health Care for Youth with Complex Behavioral Healthcare Needs.

Drawing upon the National Survey of Children with Special Healthcare Needs (2009/2010), multilevel logistic regression analysis assessed the relationship between parent report of a youth having an emotional, behavioral, or developmental problem (EBDP), their level of reported functional limitations, and parents’ report of unmet mental health care needs and experience with cost-barriers to accessing needed healthcare services. Results indicate that, compared to all privately insured youth with special health care needs, parents of privately insured youth with EBDP are much more likely to report their child having unmet mental health care needs (OR 12.16; p < 0.001) and experiencing cost barriers to care (OR 2.37; p < 0.001). Parents of privately insured youth with EBDP with functional limitations are even more likely to report these concerns (Unmet Mental Health Needs: OR 17.09; p < 0.001; Cost Barriers: OR 5.77; p < 0.001). However, findings suggest that having public insurance is associated with reductions in the odds of having unmet needs for youth with SED by 50%. Public insurance and dual coverage is associated with reductions in the odds of encountering cost barriers to care by almost 50% for children with EBDP, and by more 50% for youth with EBDP and functional impairments.
The use of differential pressure feedback in an automatic flight control system

A feasibility study has been performed to evaluate the performance of a system whereby a control surface is positioned with differential pressure as the feedback variable. Analogous to a position command system, the control surface is commanded to move until a certain differential pressure is achieved at a given point on the surface. Frequency response tests and theoretical considerations indicate that the pressure feedback transfer function is first order, with a break frequency up to 50 rad/sec. There exist applications to the outer loops of flight control systems as well. Stability augmentation, gust alleviation, and stall prevention appear to be possible by feeding back differential pressure across lifting and control surfaces.
Trace: An Earlobe Mounted Sensor for Continuous Measurement of Heart Rate Dynamics

Wearable continuous heart rate monitors (CHRM) are widely used in fitness and health applications. The majority of existing devices are either wristwatches, which utilize photoplethysmography (PPG), or chest-straps, which rely on electrocardiography (ECG). Wristwatches are popular due to their comfortable form factor but are known to have lower accuracy than chest straps and also have significant lag, which precludes their ability to track rapid changes in heart rate. In this paper, we introduce Trace, a fully self-contained, earlobe-mounted, wireless PPG CHRM which is 10-fold smaller than previously reported devices. Placement on the earlobe, where there are no muscles or tendons, is less susceptible to noise artifacts. We demonstrate the tracking of heart rate during high intensity interval training (HIIT), where heart rate changes rapidly and sensor lag cannot be tolerated. Notable is Trace’s ability to measure heart rate recovery (HRR), an advanced metric commonly used by athletes to monitor fatigue, and by physicians to assess cardiovascular risk.
Receptor signaling, transcriptional, and metabolic regulation of T cell exhaustion.

Exhaustion cripples T cell effector responses against metastatic cancers and chronic infections alike. There has been considerable interest in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms dr...
A Simple Enhancement for Gibson Isothermal Assembly

Gibson Isothermal Assembly has become a widespread cloning method, with a multitude of advantages over traditional cut-and-paste cloning. It allows for scarless assembly of multiple fragments simultaneously and has become widely used for molecular cloning. We have found that a simple change to the formulation of the reaction mix, the addition of a single-stranded DNA binding protein, can substantially improve both the accuracy and efficiency of assembly, especially as the number of fragments being assembled increases. In addition, when creating this Enhanced Gibson Isothermal Assembly reaction mix in-house with homemade DNA ligase, the cost of the reaction can be reduced to less than $10 per milliliter.
Harnessing deep neural networks to solve inverse problems in quantum dynamics: machine-learned predictions of time-dependent optimal control fields

Inverse problems continue to garner immense interest in the physical sciences, particularly in the context of controlling desired phenomena in non-equilibrium systems. In this work, we utilize a series of deep neural networks for predicting time-dependent optimal control fields, E(t), that enable desired electronic transitions in reduced-dimensional quantum dynamical systems. To solve this inverse problem, we investigated two independent machine learning approaches: (1) a feedforward neural network for predicting the frequency and amplitude content of the power spectrum in the frequency domain (i.e., the Fourier transform of E(t)), and (2) a cross-correlation neural network approach for directly predicting E(t) in the time domain. Both of these machine learning methods give complementary approaches for probing the underlying quantum dynamics and also exhibit impressive performance in accurately predicting both the frequency and strength of the optimal control field. We provide detailed architectures and hyperparameters for these deep neural networks as well as performance metrics for each of our machine-learned models. From these results, we show that machine learning, particularly deep neural networks, can be employed as cost-effective statistical approaches for designing electromagnetic fields to enable desired transitions in these quantum dynamical systems.
Pregabalin Population Pharmacokinetic and Exposure-Response Analyses for Focal Onset Seizures in Children (4-16 years) and Adults, to Support Dose Recommendations in Children.

Pregabalin is approved in multiple countries as adjunctive therapy for adult patients with focal onset seizures (FOS; previously termed partial onset seizures). This study used population pharmacokinetic (PK) and exposure-response (E-R) analyses from pooled pregabalin concentration and efficacy data, to compare pregabalin exposure and E-R relationships in pediatric and adult patients with FOS, to support pediatric dosage recommendations. A one-compartment disposition model with first order absorption and body surface area-normalized creatinine clearance on clearance was used. Individual pregabalin average steady-state concentrations were predicted and used in an E-R analysis of efficacy. The E-R relationship of pregabalin was similar in pediatric (4-16 years) and adult patients with FOS after accounting for differences in baseline natural log-transformed 28-day seizure rate (LSR28) and placebo effect. Population PK simulations showed that children aged 4-16 years and weighing ≥30 kg required pregabalin 2.5-10 mg/kg/day to achieve similar pregabalin exposure at steady-state to adult patients receiving the approved doses of 150-600 mg/day. For children 4-16 years weighing <30 kg, a higher pregabalin dose of 3.5-14 mg/kg/day was required to achieve equivalent exposure at steady-state. The results support the dosage guidance provided in the pregabalin prescribing label, whereby pediatric patients (4-16 years) weighing <30 kg should receive a 40% higher pregabalin dose (per kg of body weight) than patients weighing ≥30 kg to achieve similar exposure. Our combined modeling approach may provide guidance for future extrapolation assessment from adult to pediatric patients.
Resolved phylogenetic relationships in the Ocotea complex (Supraocotea) facilitate phylogenetic classification and studies of character evolution.

Premise The Ocotea complex contains the greatest diversity of Lauraceae in the Neotropics. However, the traditional taxonomy of the group has relied on only three main floral characters, and previous molecular analyses have used only a few markers and provided limited support for relationships among the major clades. This lack of useful data has hindered the development of a comprehensive classification, as well as studies of character evolution. Methods We used RAD-seq data to infer the phylogenetic relationships of 149 species in the Ocotea complex, generating a reference-based assembly using the Persea americana genome. The results provide the basis for a phylogenetic classification that reflects our current molecular knowledge and for analyses of the evolution of breeding system, stamen number, and number of anther locules. Results We recovered a well-supported tree that demonstrates the paraphyly of Licaria, Aniba, and Ocotea and clarifies the relationships of Umbellularia, Phyllostemonodaphne, and the Old World species. To begin the development of a new classification and to facilitate precise communication, we also provide phylogenetic definitions for seven major clades. Our ancestral reconstructions show multiple origins for the three floral characters that have routinely been used in Lauraceae systematics, suggesting that these be used with caution in the future. Conclusions This study advances our understanding of phylogenetic relationships and character evolution in a taxonomically difficult group using RAD-seq data. Our new phylogenetic names will facilitate unambiguous communication as studies of the Ocotea complex progress.
Case 16-2021: A 37-Year-Old Woman with Abdominal Pain and Aortic Dilatation.

A Woman with Abdominal Pain and Aortic Dilatation A 37-year-old woman with a history of injection-drug use was admitted with 3 weeks of abdominal pain. CT angiography showed aneurysmal dilatation o...
Role of Dot1L and H3K79 methylation in regulating somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin genes.

Somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class-switch recombination (CSR) of the immunoglobulin (Ig) genes allow B cells to make antibodies that protect us against a wide variety of pathogens. SHM is mediated by activation-induced deaminase (AID), occurs at a million times higher frequency than other mutations in the mammalian genome, and is largely restricted to the variable (V) and switch (S) regions of Ig genes. Using the Ramos human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, we find that H3K79me2/3 and its methyltransferase Dot1L are more abundant on the V region than on the constant (C) region, which does not undergo mutation. In primary naive mouse B cells examined ex vivo, the H3K79me2/3 modification appears constitutively in the donor Sμ and is inducible in the recipient Sγ1 upon CSR stimulation. Knockout and inhibition of Dot1L in Ramos cells significantly reduces V region mutation and the abundance of H3K79me2/3 on the V region and is associated with a decrease of polymerase II (Pol II) and its S2 phosphorylated form at the IgH locus. Knockout of Dot1L also decreases the abundance of BRD4 and CDK9 (a subunit of the P-TEFb complex) on the V region, and this is accompanied by decreased nascent transcripts throughout the IgH gene. Treatment with JQ1 (inhibitor of BRD4) or DRB (inhibitor of CDK9) decreases SHM and the abundance of Pol II S2P at the IgH locus. Since all these factors play a role in transcription elongation, our studies reinforce the idea that the chromatin context and dynamics of transcription are critical for SHM.
Analysis of State Cannabis Laws and Dispensary Staff Recommendations to Adults Purchasing Medical Cannabis.

Importance Over the last decade, cannabis has become more accessible through the proliferation of dispensaries in states that have legalized its use. Most patients using cannabis for medical purposes report getting advice from dispensaries, yet there has been little exploration of frontline dispensary staff practices. Objective To describe the practices of frontline dispensary workers who interact with customers purchasing cannabis for medical purposes and assess whether dispensary practices are associated with medicalization of state cannabis laws (degree to which they resemble regulation of prescription or over-the-counter drugs) and statewide adult use. Design, Setting, and Participants This nationwide cross-sectional survey study was conducted from February 13, 2020, to October 2, 2020, using an online survey tool. Potential respondents were eligible if they reported working in a dispensary that sells tetrahydrocannabinol-containing products and interacting with customers about cannabis purchases. Main Outcomes and Measures Participant responses to questions about formulating customer recommendations and talking to customers about risks. Results The 434 survey responses from 351 unique dispensaries were most often completed by individuals who identified as budtenders (40%), managers (32%), and pharmacists (13%). Most respondents reported basing customer recommendations on the customer’s medical condition (74%), the experiences of other customers (70%), the customer’s prior experience with cannabis (67%), and the respondent’s personal experience (63%); fewer respondents relied on clinician input (40%), cost (45%), or inventory (12%). Most respondents routinely advised customers about safe storage and common adverse effects, but few counseled customers about cannabis use disorder, withdrawal, motor vehicle collision risk, or psychotic reactions. A higher state medicalization score was significantly associated with using employer training (odds ratio, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.18-1.67) and physician or clinician input (odds ratio, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05-1.43) as a basis for recommendation. Medicalization score was not associated with counseling about cannabis risks. Conclusions and Relevance This survey study provides insight into how frontline dispensary staff base cannabis recommendations and counsel about risks. The findings may have utility for clinicians to counsel patients who purchase cannabis, customers who want to be prepared for a dispensary visit, and policy makers whose decisions affect cannabis laws.
Modular Evolution of the Drosophila Metabolome.

Comparative phylogenetic studies offer a powerful approach to study the evolution of complex traits. While much effort has been devoted to the evolution of the genome and to organismal phenotypes, until now relatively little work has been done on the evolution of the metabolome, despite the fact that it is composed of the basic structural and functional building blocks of all organisms. Here we explore variation in metabolite levels across 50 million years of evolution in the genus Drosophila, employing a common garden design to measure the metabolome within and among 11 species of Drosophila. We find that both sex and age have dramatic and evolutionarily conserved effects on the metabolome. We also find substantial evidence that many metabolite pairs covary after phylogenetic correction, and that such metabolome coevolution is modular. Some of these modules are enriched for specific biochemical pathways and show different evolutionary trajectories, with some showing signs of stabilizing selection. Both observations suggest that functional relationships may ultimately cause such modularity. These coevolutionary patterns also differ between sexes and are affected by age. We explore the relevance of modular evolution to fitness by associating modules with lifespan variation measured in the same common garden. We find several modules associated with lifespan, particularly in the metabolome of older flies. Oxaloacetate levels in older females appear to coevolve with lifespan, and a lifespan-associated module in older females suggests that metabolic associations could underlie 50 million years of lifespan evolution.
Life-Style and Health Behavior

The heaviest burdens of illness in the United States today are related to aspects of individual behavior, especially long-term patterns of behavior often referred to as “life-style.” The Centers for Disease Control (1980) of the United States Health Service have estimated that 50% of mortality from the 10 leading causes of death in the United States can be traced to life-style.
Rabin Color Cone Contrast Testing and Retinal Structure in Multiple Sclerosis (P3.227)

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of computerized cone contrast testing as a rapid, sensitive, quantitative measure of color visual performance in a large cohort of patients with MS. BACKGROUND: Color vision disturbance is a common clinical complaint in patients with MS. To date, color vision testing has suffered from being either of limited quantitative value or being time consuming (or both). The Rabin cone contrast test (RCCT) is a well-established test of cone sensitivity thresholds that is easy to perform in a standard clinical setting, and has never previously been studied in MS. DESIGN/METHODS: We performed Rabin cone contrast testing and spectral domain retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 135 participants with MS (77[percnt] women; 39 with prior optic neuritis). Mixed model linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, history of optic neuritis (ON) and accounting for intra-individual inter-eye correlations was used to analyze associations between cone contrast scores and retinal layer thickness. RESULTS: Lower red, green, and blue color cone contrast test scores on the RCCT were strongly correlated with thinning of both the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and macular ganglion cell/inner plexiform layer (p<0.001 for both). There was no association between red, green, or blue RCCT scores and the thickness of photoreceptor or outer nuclear layers. CONCLUSIONS: Cone contrast testing is a promising modality for assessing color vision in MS, is strongly associated with ganglion cell injury, and may be complementary to other standard assessments of visual function. It could be easily employed as a relevant functional visual outcome in the MS clinic and additional validation in therapeutic clinical trials is warranted. Disclosure: Dr. Samuel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yiu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Songster has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bolivar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gelfand has received personal compensation for activities as a medical-legal consultant. Dr. Gelfand9s wife has received personal compensation for activities with FCB. Dr. Gelfand and his wife have received personal compensation in an editorial capaci Dr. Green has received personal compensation for activities with Novartis, Prana Bioscience, Acorda Therapeutics, Roche Diagnostics Corp., and Biogen Idec.
Properties of binary functions

In this paper, we shall investigate the connections between three properties of a binary function: the Strict Avalanche Criterion, balance and correlation immunity. The strict avalanche criterion was introduced by Webster and Tavares [7] in order to combine the ideas of completeness and the avalanche effect. A cryptographic transformation is said to be complete if each output bit depends on each input bit, and it exhibits the avalanche effect if an average of one half of the output bits change whenever a single input bit is changed. Forre [1] extended this notion by defining higher order Strict Avalanche Criteria. A function is balanced if, when all input vectors are equally likely, then all output vectors are equally likely. This is an important property for many types of cryptographic functions. The idea of correlation immunity is also extremely important, especially in the field of stream ciphers, where combining functions which are not correlation immune are vulnerable to ciphertext only attacks (see, for example [4]). The concept of mth order correlation immunity was introduced by Siegenthaler [5] as a measure of resistance against such an attack.
Cardiología "basada en la evidencia": aplicaciones prácticas de la epidemiología. I. La valoración de medicamentos o terapias novedosas

The substantial increase of randomized controlled trials demand familiarity with the essential aspects of their design and performance by the cardiologist, particularly the adequate interpretation and applicability of the results. In this clinically-based review, we discuss some important aspects in the assessment of novel contemporary therapy such as the use and analysis of composite endpoints; implications from early termination of trials and extrapolation of results to the population.
A Study of a Federally Funded Project between Higher-Ed Institutions in the U.S. and Pakistan: An Intercultural Academic Project Management

The study explores the technical and intercultural challenges involved in a Department of State DoS-funded collaborative research project between a Mid-Sized Regional Public University in the U.S. and an International Research Institution in Pakistan. The collaborative research project on which the study is based is particularly significant as the groups from each institution face the central communication challenges that are the hallmark of distributed teams, namely physical separation, multiple organizations, and different time zones. This manuscript highlights the importance of intercultural factors in shaping the institutional relationships and examines expectations for collective responsibility in the given context.
Peripheral Blood and Bilirubin Values in Normal Full-Term Primaquine-Sensitive Negro Infants: Effect of Vitamin K.

Serial determinations of hematocrit, reticulocyte, and bilirubin values were carried out during the first 8 days of life in 30 fullterm primaquine-sensitive Negro infants placed on three different schedules of vitamin K prophylaxis: 10 did not receive vitamin K, 10 were given 2.5 to 7.5 mg of the tetrasodium diphosphate salt of menadione (Synkavite) intramuscularly, and 10 received 1.0 to 18.75 mg of vitamin K1 (Konakion) intramuscularly during the first 24 hours of life. Similar observations were made on 60 full-term Negro infants who had normal or only slightly decreased levels of erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Although none of the infants manifested bilirubin levels greater than 14.5 mg/100 ml, the values in the primaquine-sensitive infants not given vitamin K were significantly higher than those observed in the other babies on the fifth and eighth days of life. The bilirubin values in all the infants were similar during the first day of life; maximal levels, however, occurred later in 5 of the 10 primaquine-sensitive infants who did not receive vitamin K. Reticulocyte counts were elevated in many of the primaquine-sensitive infants, regardless of their vitamin K grouping. The primaquine-sensitive infants could not be differentiated from normal babies on the basis of hematocrit values, the occurrence of Heinz bodies, and the morphology of the erythrocytes. The suggestion is made that primaquine-sensitive Negro newborn infants have a shortened survival time of the erythrocyte, predisposing them to the development of hyperbilirubinemia. Furthermore it is suggested that the capacity of some primaquine-sensitive infants to maintain normal bilirubin levels in the face of increased bilirubin formation is affected by the administration of vitamin K1. Reasons are given for using vitamin K1 rather than the water-soluble analogues of vitamin K, in the prophylaxis of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. A dose of 18.75 mg of vitamin K1 was given safely to four primaquine-sensitive full-term Negro newborn infants. Until there is conclusive evidence that these large doses are necessarily beneficial, then no more than 2.0 mg of vitamin K1 should be given to these infants.
Possible systematic error in molecular beam time‐of‐flight analysis with a quadrupole mass spectrometer

Substantial error in estimating widths of supersonic molecular beam speed distributions can result when using a conventional quadrupole mass spectrometer in pulse‐counting mode as a molecular beam detector. This results mainly from improper discriminator settings reached in attempting to maximize signal to background. The effect is illustrated with measurements on a nominally Mach‐10 helium supersonic beam.
Aperiodic Variability in the Zebiak-Cane Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Model: Air-Sea Interactions in the Western Equatorial Pacific

Abstract The behavior of two coupled ocean-atmosphere models of intermediate complexity, the Zebiak-Cane (ZC hereafter) and Battisti version (B88 hereafter) of the ZC coupled ocean-atmosphere model, are reviewed and compared to the observed climate record from the tropical Pacific region. A major difference between each system lies in the modes of variability that each supports. In the observations, variability at timescales shorter than that associated with El Nino and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is ubiquitous and difficult to characterize in terms of clearly coupled ocean-atmosphere interactions. The B88 model supports only a single unstable mode: the ENSO mode. In the ZC model two distinct modes are present: the interannual ENSO mode, and the mobile mode: a near-annual, westward propagating instability. It is demonstrated that differences in the basic-state climatology and thermodynamic parameters are keys to understanding the differences between the ZC and B88 coupled model behaviors. It is found ...
Child Effortful Control as a Mediator of Parenting Practices on Externalizing Behavior: Evidence for a Sex-Differentiated Pathway across the Transition from Preschool to School

An explanatory model for children’s development of disruptive behavior across the transition from preschool to school was tested. It was hypothesized that child effortful control would mediate the effects of parenting on children’s externalizing behavior and that child sex would moderate these relations. Participants were 241 children (123 boys) and their parents and teachers. Three dimensions of parenting, warm responsiveness, induction, and corporal punishment, were assessed via maternal report when children were 3 years old. Child effortful control at age 3 was measured using laboratory tasks and a mother-report questionnaire. Mothers and teachers contributed ratings of child externalizing behavior at age 6. Results showed that the hypothesized model fit the data well and that the pattern of associations between constructs differed for boys and girls. For boys, parental warm responsiveness and corporal punishment had significant indirect effects on children’s externalizing behavior three years later, mediated by child effortful control. Such relations were not observed for girls. These findings support a sex-differentiated pathway to externalizing behavior across the transition from preschool to school.
Simple preparation of cobaloxime dienyl complexes and their exo selective Diels-Alder cycloadducts: Progress toward transition metal-mediated Diels-Alder reactions which are catalytic in metal dienyl complex

Abstract A new method for the synthesis of cobaloxime dienyl complexes (cobaloxime=pyridine(dimethylglyoxime) 2 Co) which involves a zinc-mediated hydrocobaltation of enynes is reported. Use of this dienyl complex synthesis method allows subsequent Diels–Alder reactions of these complexes to be accomplished without isolation of the dienyl complexes. A new silane-based cobaloxime-substituted cycloadduct demetallation protocol is then reported which provides Diels–Alder cycloadducts and cobalt complexes which have been recycled into the zinc-mediated dienyl complex synthesis.
Training nonverbal and verbal play skills to mentally retarded and autistic children

Two mentally retarded boys with autism and one mentally retarded girl with Down syndrome were taught to initiate and play a ball game with an adult confederate. The program targeted both nonverbal responses related to the actual execution of the ball game as well as verbal responses for play initiation and providing compliments for the confederate's behavior. Training sessions provided ample practice in all aspects of the game from initiation to termination through use of brief play cycles. Instruction was provided using a combination of physical and verbal prompts as well as reinforcement and time-out. All three children learned the game and by the study's completion executed multiple play cycles each session. The implications of combining play and social skills training in programming for developmentally handicapped children are discussed.
Quantitation of the Singlet Oxygen Produced by UVA Irradiation of Human Lens Proteins

Ultraviolet irradiation of aged human lens proteins in vitro causes extensive photolytic damage of His and Trp residues. Protection by sodium azide argues for a process mediated by singlet oxygen (1O2). In the work described here, the synthesis of 1O2 was measured by the bleaching of N,N-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO), the oxidation of added histidine and the oxidation of furfuryl alcohol. To obtain a more accurate value for 1O2 generation, a known quantity of 1O2 was generated by the thermal dissociation of 3-(4-methyl-naphthyl)propionic acid endoperoxide, and the efficiency of each assay method to report on the 1O2 generated was determined. The values obtained were 0.003 mol of RNO bleached/mol of 1O2 generated, 0.55 mol of furfuryl alcohol oxidized/mol 1O2 and 0.5 mol of His oxidized/mol 1O2 generated. Irradiation of the human lens proteins with UVA light produced from 2.1 to 2.4 mM of 1O2 by RNO bleaching, 2.6-2.8 mM 1O2 by furfuryl alcohol oxidation and up to 1.9 mM of 1O2 by histidine oxidation during a 1 h irradiation period. The average value (2.2 mM of 1O2) corresponds to the theoretical production of 30 nmol of singlet oxygen at UVA light intensities equivalent to a 1 h exposure to sunlight at noon in the northern hemisphere.
Community Psychology and the Capabilities Approach

What makes for a good life? The capabilities approach to this question has much to offer community psychology, particularly with respect to marginalized groups. Capabilities are freedoms to engage in valued social activities and roles—what people can do and be given both their capacities, and environmental opportunities and constraints. Economist Amartya Sen’s focus on freedoms and agency resonates with psychological calls for empowerment, and philosopher Martha Nussbaum’s specification of requirements for a life that is fully human provides an important guide for social programs. Community psychology’s focus on mediating structures has much to offer the capabilities approach. Parallels between capabilities, as enumerated by Nussbaum, and settings that foster positive youth development, as described in a National Research Council Report (Eccles and Gootman (Eds) in Community programs to promote youth development. National Academy Press, Washington, 2002) suggest extensions of the approach to children. Community psychologists can contribute to theory about ways to create and modify settings to enhance capabilities as well as empowerment and positive youth development. Finally, capabilities are difficult to measure, because they involve freedoms to choose but only choices actually made or enacted can be observed. The variation in activities or goals across members of a setting provides a measure of the capabilities that the setting fosters.
Fe, Al, Mn, and S chemistry of Sphagnum peat in four peatlands with different metal and sulfur input

Comparisons among 4 peatland sites representing a gradient of increasing Fe, Al, Mn, and S loading revealed significant accumulation of total Fe, Al, and S, but not Mn, in surface (0 to 20 cm deep) peat along the gradient. Iron and Al accumulation were contributed mainly by organically bound fractions, with oxides contributing to a lesser extent. Although SO4 2− and Fe sulfides showed significant increases in concentration along the gradient, most of the accumulation of total S was contributed by organic, rather than inorganic S. Laboratory studies of Fe2+ adsorption by peat indicated that increasing the pH of added Fe2+ solutions (pH values of 3, 4, 5, and 6) did not significantly affect Langmuir equation estimates of either maximum Fe2+ adsorption capacity or the affinity of peat for Fe2+. Regardless of the pH of the added Fe2+ solutions, final solution pH values were relatively uniform, averaging about 3.4, reflecting a considerable bufferring capacity of Sphagnum peat. Factors affecting the accumulation of metals and S in peat remain topics for further investigation.
Monaural masking release in random-phase and low-noise noise.

Two masking-release paradigms thought to involve across-channel processing are comodulation masking release (CMR) and profile analysis. Similarities between these two paradigms were explored by comparing signal detection in maskers that varied only in degree of envelope fluctuation. The narrow-band-noise maskers were 10 Hz wide and their envelope fluctuations were manipulated using the low-noise noise algorithm of Pumplin [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 78, 100–104 (1985)]. Masking conditions included the classic CMR conditions of an on-frequency band, multiple (five) incoherent bands, or multiple coherent bands. Detection was compared using both random-phase noise (RPN) and low-noise noise (LNN) maskers. In one set of conditions, the signal was identical to the on-frequency masker, yielding an intensity discrimination task. Conditions that included RPN maskers and tonal signals resembled the classic CMR paradigm, whereas conditions including LNN and noise signals more closely resembled the classic profile analysis paradigm. Other conditions may be considered hybrids. This combination of conditions provided a wide variety of within- and across-channel cues for detection. The results suggest that CMR and profile analysis could be based upon the same set of stimulus cues and perhaps the same perceptual processes.
Theatrical names and reference

The relationship between âcharacterâ and an âactorâ appears to be quite straightforward: an actor acts as/plays character [x]. But let us be more specific and reword this formulation: actor [y] acts as/plays Hamlet. Or â for the time of the play â actor [y] is Hamlet. And it is this last statement that is paradoxically utterly true and utterly false. It is in the name of a theatrical character that the tension between actor and character arises. Asking, for example, who is Hamlet? yields an answer where both actor and character have legitimate exclusive rights to being âHamlet.â In short, to whom/what does the name of a theatrical character refer? By first arguing that theatre works as a reverse-âbeetleâ language-game, whereby I posit that theatre allows for private rule-making, I am able to turn to the idea of reference. It is by examining the name of theatrical characters and what these names refer to that I suggest that â following Hegel â theatrical names refer dialectically. Understanding theatrical characters as such, interpretation hinges not only on the output of theatre (i.e., the meaning), but also the input (i.e., the truth value).
How do family caregivers describe their needs for professional help

(2008). HOW DO FAMILY CAREGIVERS DESCRIBE THEIR NEEDS FOR PROFESSIONAL HELP? Journal of Social Work Education: Vol. 44, No. sup3, pp. 43-47.