cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Breastfeeding Intention, Knowledge, and Attitude of Pregnant Women in Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to describe breastfeeding intention, knowledge, and attitude, and sources of infant feeding information during the prenatal period among a cohort of pregnant women in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). STUDY DESIGN Pregnant women who were receiving treatment for OUD and in the third trimester completed a questionnaire that measured demographic characteristics, infant feeding intentions, breastfeeding beliefs and attitudes, and sources of breastfeeding information. Frequency counts and percentages and means and standard deviations were used to describe data. RESULTS Sixty-five women completed the survey. Three-fourths reported some intention to breastfeeding. While attitudes around breastfeeding were generally positive, less than half of respondents knew the recommendations and infant health benefits of breastfeeding. CONCLUSION Prenatal programs for women in treatment for OUD should consider addressing patient-reported concerns and gaps in knowledge regarding the benefits of and recommendation for breastfeeding. KEY POINTS · Breastfeeding has unique benefits for mother-infant dyads affected by maternal OUD.. · Breastfeeding decisions are influenced by maternal psychosocial factors (e.g., knowledge and attitudes), however, such factors have not been previously assessed in women in treatment for OUD.. · Results indicate that attitudes around breastfeeding are positive but knowledge gaps exist..
The effect of theophylline on respiratory muscle contractility and fatigue

The traditional role of theophylline as a bronchodilator has been expanded by recent findings that suggest this drug has more than smooth muscle relaxant properties. Several investigators indicate that theophylline has an inotropic effect on respiratory muscle, causing enhanced muscular contraction and prevention of muscle fatigue. In animal studies, the drug enhanced respiratory muscle contraction by 15-20%, with levels in the upper end of the therapeutic range (15-20 mg/L). Results of studies in healthy volunteers and patients with lung disease, however, are conflicting. Five clinical trials demonstrated increased diaphragmatic contractility, whereas seven trials showed no effect, with five referring to the diaphragm and the remaining two to the sternomastoid muscle. Disparity in outcomes may be attributed to differences in patient populations, study designs, and techniques used to determine diaphragmatic contractility. Few long-term trials exist that document significant clinical benefit. Theophylline may prove to be of value in selected populations, such as adults with hypercapnic obstructive lung disease.
Myocardial Infarction Agents

A myocardial infarction begins with the occlusion of a coronary artery, usually resulting from the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque. Pharmacologic treatment begins with conventional pain relief and under appropriate circumstances thrombolytic agents are administered. Anticoagulants are used in conjunction with thrombolytic agents to assist thrombolysis and prevent reocclusion of the affected vessel. Lethal arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation are a major cause of death following myocardial infarction. β-Adrenoceptor antagonists are used to reduce the incidence of this sudden cardiac death. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are used to reduce post-infarction ventricular remodeling, which is a leading cause of congestive heart failure. Current therapy has significantly reduced in hospital mortality but acute myocardial infarction remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Congestive heart failure secondary to myocardial infarction is becoming an epidemic. Additional therapeutic agents and/or strategies are needed to reduce death and disability following myocardial infarction. Keywords: arrhythmia; thrombolysis; calcium channel antagonists; β-blockers; ventricular remodeling; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; anticoagulants
The Complete Amino Acid Sequence of Alanine Apolipoprotein (apoC-III), an Apolipoprotein from Human Plasma Very Low Density Lipoproteins

Abstract The alanine apolipoprotein (apoLp-Ala) was isolated from patients with familial hyperlipoproteinemia (type V). ApoLp-Ala is a single chain protein of 79 amino acids with a single carbohydrate side chain containing 1 mole each of galactosamine and galactose, and 0 to 2 moles of sialic acid per mole of protein. The complete amino acid sequence of apoLp-Ala was determined by manual and automated Edman degradations of the intact protein, and tryptic and succinylated tryptic peptides. The NH2-terminal residue is serine, the COOH-terminal residue alanine. The carbohydrate moiety is attached to threonine at position 74 in the sequence. The amino acid sequence of apoLp-Ala contains no long sequences of hydrophobic residues which contrasts with the linear amphipathic regions present in the two integral membrane proteins cytochrome b5 and glycophorin.
Association Between Serial Measures of Systemic Blood Pressure and Early Coronary Arterial Perfusion Status Following Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy.

Background: Systemic hypotension, at times transient while in other instances more prolonged, is common among patients with myocardial infarction (MI). It also is a characteristic feature for patients experiencing either advanced congestive heart failure or cardiogenic shock. In this group of patients, thrombolytic therapy has failed to exert a favorable impact on their high in-hospital mortality. Although it has been postulated that the success of thrombolytic therapy is directly linked to systemic blood pressure, there is little information available in human subjects.Methods and Results: In a University of Massachusetts Thrombolysis Data Bank Study, 127 patients with MI who were given intravenous thrombolytic therapy (tPA or streptokinase) within 6 hours from symptom onset (4.2 ± 1.5 hours) had serial systemic blood pressure measurements (at the time of hospital arrival, treatment initiation, and every 30 minutes during the thrombolytic infusion) and underwent coronary angiography within 120 minutes of treatment initiation. All patients received intravenous heparin and oral aspirin. By univariate analysis, disastolic blood pressure below 80 mmHg at the time of treatment initiation was associated with a reduced angiographic coronary perfusion grade [Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade; p=0.02]. A correlation analysis of tPA-treated patients indicated that a greater maximum change in diastolic blood pressure during treatment correlated inversely with coronary perfusion (r = .24, p < 0.05). By multivariate regression analysis, however, only shorter time to treatment (p=0.001) and thrombolysis with tPA (p=0.02) were independent predictors of coronary arterial perfusion grade.Conclusion: Systemic blood pressure (and presumably proximal coronary arterial perfusion pressure) in the ranges investigated in this study is not an independent predictor of coronary reperfusion following intravenous thrombolytic therapy with either tPA or streptokinase. It seems likely, therefore, that properties intrinsic to the ruptured plaque and occlusive thrombus, and potentially the local metabolic environment, either alone or acting synergistically with perfusion pressure, are determinants of thrombolytic success. Further investigation of factors influencing the efficacy of thrombolysis should be undertaken.
Anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty as potential risk factors for cyberchondria: A replication and extension examining dimensions of each construct.

Abstract Background Preliminary findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity (AS) and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) may confer vulnerability for cyberchondria, defined as repeated internet searches for medical information that exacerbates health anxiety. Prior studies are limited because it remains unclear whether specific AS or IU dimensions differentially relate to certain cyberchondria dimensions. Methods The present study examined associations among AS, IU, and cyberchondria dimensions using a sample of community adults ( N =578) located in the United States. Results As predicted, physical AS and inhibitory IU were the only AS or IU dimensions to share unique associations with the distress cyberchondria dimension after controlling for the overlap among the AS dimensions, IU dimensions, and health anxiety. Cognitive AS and social AS unexpectedly evidenced unique associations with cyberchondria dimensions. Limitations The results are limited by the cross-sectional study design and use of a community, rather than clinical, sample. Conclusions This study provides evidence that specific AS and IU dimensions may confer vulnerability to certain cyberchondria dimensions. Further clarifying associations among AS, IU, and cyberchondria may lead to improvements in our conceptualization and, ultimately, treatment of cyberchondria.
Deciding How To Decide: Self-Control and Meta-Decision Making

Many different situations related to self control involve competition between two routes to decisions: default and frugal versus more resource-intensive. Examples include habits versus deliberative decisions, fatigue versus cognitive effort, and Pavlovian versus instrumental decision making. We propose that these situations are linked by a strikingly similar core dilemma, pitting the opportunity costs of monopolizing shared resources such as executive functions for some time, against the possibility of obtaining a better outcome. We offer a unifying normative perspective on this underlying rational meta-optimization, review how this may tie together recent advances in many separate areas, and connect several independent models. Finally, we suggest that the crucial mechanisms and meta-decision variables may be shared across domains.
Effect of dispersed phase on reducing concentration polarization

Concentration polarization is an important limitation in the performance of pressure-driven membrane processes, such as hyperfiltration, ultrafiltration and microfiltration. Various methods have been developed to minimize the transient build-up of retained solutes. In this paper, introduction of a dispersed phase to induce turbulence at the membrane surface is proposed as an effective strategy to combat the deleterious effects of concentration polarization. A mathematical model has been developed to explain the formation of concentration polarization in a membrane tube during turbulent flow conditions. The theoretical model is based on the concept of energy spectrum of the turbulent flow field and its modification to account for the presence of dispersed phase. It has been shown that the density ratio of dispersed phase to continuous phase and the ratio of particle diameter to membrane tube diameter have considerable effect on concentration polarization. At moderate Reynolds number, reduction in concentration polarization is greater and effective. The theoretical model for concentration polarization has been validated using experimental data, presented in the literature.
Effect of homopolymer host chain relaxations on the translational diffusion of a diblock copolymer

Abstract The effect of the dynamics of polystyrene (PS) host chains on the overall translational diffusion of a diblock copolymer of polystyrene and polymethacrylate (ps-b-pmma) of degree of polymerization, Nc=262, was investigated. Measurements of the diffusion coefficient of the diblock copolymer, Dps-pmma, into PS hosts of varying molecular weight, P, were performed using forward recoil spectrometry. These diffusion coefficients were orders of magnitude less than those of PS chains of the same degree of polymerization diffusing into the same environments. While Dps-pmma(PS) was independent of P for P>2×105, it increased for P
Computability and the Implicit Function Theorem

We prove computable versions of the Implicit Function Theorem in the single and multivariable cases. We use Type Two Effectivity as our foundation.
Prognostic factors of overall survival for patients with stage II colon cancer.

Objective. To analyze factors influencing survival of patients with stage II colon cancer treated at our cancer center (Sparrow Hospital) from February 1996 through December 2006. Patients and methods. Survival analyses on 197 patients’ age 71.1±0.9 years (29 to 97) were done using SAS system (V9.3, Cary NC). Analysis included age, gender, stage, surgery type, number of examined lymph nodes, pathological grade, tumor size and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. Results. Mean follow up length was 48.1±2.3 months (0.1-133) and 56±3.3 (0.2-133) for survivors. The average number of removed lymph nodes was 18±13 (1-103). Adjuvant chemotherapy treatment (5-FU± leucovorin) was given to 49 patients, while others (148) were followed expectantly. There were 90 deaths during follow up. Only age exhibits a statistically significant relationship to survival (Hazard Ratio (HR) =1.06, 95% CI=1.03-1.08, p Conclusion. In this study we found that the most important factor for survival of patients with Stage II colon cancer is the patient’s age. Adjuvant chemotherapy showed a borderline significance while the number of resected lymph nodes seemed to be an important survival factor. However, in our study statistical significance was not achieved.
Design of Deadlock Prevention Supervisors Using Elementary Siphons

This paper proposes a methodology to synthesize deadlock prevention supervisors for a class of sequential resource allocation system for flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs). Since all minimal siphons should be controlled, the controlled nets are very complexity when the systems are large. In this article, a concept of the elementary siphon is used to reduce the number of control places. We further present a new siphon-based policy of deadlock prevention for the type of Petri nets. This policy is consisting of two main stages. Compared with the existing approaches, the new deadlock prevention policy can obtain a structurally compact deadlock prevention supervisor by adding only a few of control places.
Community Health Workers Support Community-based Participatory Research Ethics:: Lessons Learned along the Research-to-Practice-to-Community Continuum

Ethical principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR)— specifically, community engagement, mutual learning, action-reflection, and commitment to sustainability—stem from the work of Kurt Lewin and Paulo Freire. These are particularly relevant in cancer disparities research because vulnerable populations are often construed to be powerless, supposedly benefiting from programs over which they have no control. The long history of exploiting minority individuals and communities for research purposes (the U.S. Public Health Service Tuskegee Syphilis Study being the most notorious) has left a legacy of mistrust of research and researchers. The purpose of this article is to examine experiences and lessons learned from community health workers (CHWs) in the 10-year translation of an educational intervention in the research-to-practice-to-community continuum. We conclude that the central role played by CHWs enabled the community to gain some degree of control over the intervention and its delivery, thus operationalizing the ethical principles of CBPR.
A Comparison of Student Achievement and Satisfaction in an Online Versus a Traditional Face-to-Face Statistics Class

In this study we examined differences between online distance education and traditional classroom learning for an introductory undergraduate statistics course. Two outcome dimensions were measured: students’ final grades and student satisfaction with the course. Using independent samples t-tests, results indicated that there was no significant difference in grades between the online and traditional classroom contexts. However, students enrolled in the online course were significantly less satisfied with the course than the traditional classroom students on several dimensions. This finding is inconsistent with the “no significant difference phenomenon,” described in Russell’s (1999) annotated bibliography, which supports minimal outcome differences between online courses and face-to-face courses.
Listeners' Identification of Musical Expression through Figurative Language and Musical Terminology:

This study focused on listeners' (N=66 undergraduate and graduate music education majors) ability to identify nuances of musical expression using figurative language and specific music terminology. Data reviewed for accuracy in classifying general expressive categories showed that listeners were successful at identifying broad intended realms of expression with both figurative statements and terminology. When outcomes were reviewed for accuracy in terms of specific intended expression rather than general expressive category, accuracy levels dropped. Mimicking the results of general expressive identification, response type (figurative statements or terminology) did not seem to be a factor in response accuracy. Within general expressive categories, listeners selected a wider variety of responses among figurative statements than terminology, suggesting greater ambiguity of meaning among the former than the latter. Although not a primary focus, outcomes as a function of sound manipulation by the performer wer...
If market clearing prices are so good then why doesn't (almost) anybody want them?

Abstract Welfare consequences of retail price reform in a Soviet-type economy are investigated using a queue-rationing model. It is shown that to make every consumer better off market clearing pricing may have to be accompanied by a differential monetary compensation. Such Pareto-improving compensation schemes are virtually impossible to implement given the effects of illegal rents generated by the existing price system and the lack of correlation between these rents and legal incomes. In addition, some other problems with market price reform in a Soviet-type economy are pointed out.
Evidence of a Periodic Deviation from the Schottky Line. I

A periodic deviation from the Schottky line has been observed for tungsten and for tantalum. For fields less than 4 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{4}$ volts ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ the deviations are of the order of the experimental error. For fields greater than this the sign and magnitude of the peak deviations may be seen from the following series, the first number in each case being the value of ${E}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ in ${\mathrm{volt}}^{\mathrm{\textonehalf{}}}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{\textonehalf{}}}$, and the second being the percent deviation from a least-squares reference line: 200, +0.03 (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01); 265, -0.07(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01); 365, +0.12(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01); 501, -0.11(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01). The data refer to a 1-mil tungsten wire at 1610\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. There is no appreciable effect of temperature upon the positions of the peaks along the ${E}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ axis. The magnitude of the deviations decreases with increasing temperature. The results with tantalum agree within experimental error with those for tungsten.
Separation, characterization and initial reaction studies of magnetite particles from Hanford sediments

Abstract Magnetic and density separation methods have been applied to composite sediment samples from the Hanford formation from sediment recovered during drilling of an uncontaminated borehole located near the 200 West Area of the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. This paper describes the results of using those separation methods and from the characterization and initial reactivity measurements on a highly magnetic fraction isolated from that sediment. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the highly magnetic sediment fraction indicates that this material contains predominantly magnetite (Fe3O4). Particle morphology observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compositions determined energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) are consistent with this identification. Analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicates that there is a thin coating on the particles that are likely a type of aluminosilicate. This highly magnetic fraction of material is not reactive with indigo carmine, an organic redox probe molecule that was shown to readily react with synthetic magnetite. Because of the limited amounts of material readily available, initial tests have been conducted that demonstrate the ability to complete U(VI) sorption on individual particles (nominally ∼100 μm in size) of the isolated sediment and to remove and mount these individual particles for analysis of the concentration and chemical state of the sorbed U species using small area XPS.
A satellite‐based range assessment system for the Sahel of Africa

Abstract Average integrated National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advanced very‐high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) local area coverage (LAC) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to extrapolate ground truth herbaceous biomass estimates. Calibration of average integrated NDVI to herbaceous biomacs was via inverse predictions of NDVI regressed on herbaceous biomass linear regressions. Weighted least squares regression analysis were typically employed with R2 values ranging from 0.25 to 0.80. The herbaceous biomass average estimates of 200 and 1,000 kg/ha had a standard error of less than 200 kg/ha. A pastoral zone mask was developed and applied to obtain arrondissement (county) pastoral zone herbaceous biomass estimates. Total pastoral zone herbaceous biomass indicated that 1987 and 1990 were drought years and that 1986 and 1988 were favorable years for livestock and herders.
Is the world economy more integrated today than a century ago

This paper evaluates whether economies have become more internationalized: the integration hypothesis. Unlike previous studies, the current study addresses the integration hypothesis by analyzing the impact on the U.S. of economic shocks from the rest of the world. This analysis includes data beginning in the 1870s. Most previous studies have examined only the post-World War II period. Variance decompositions derived from vector autoregressive models indicate that the U.S. economy has become more vulnerable to international events over time, suggesting that the world economy is more integrated today than a century ago.
Phase Transformations in the High-Tc Superconducting Compounds, Ba2RCu3O7−δ (R = Nd, Sm, Gd, Y, Ho, and Er)

The phase transformation between the orthorhombic and tetragonal structures of six high-Tc superconductors, Ba2RCu3O7−δ, where R = Nd, Sm, Gd, Y, Ho, and Er, and δ = 0 to 1, has been investigated using techniques of x-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetric analysis (DTA/TGA) and electron diffraction. The transformation from the oxygen-rich orthorhombic phase to the oxygen-deficient tetragonal phase involves two orthorhombic phases. A superlattice cell caused by oxygen ordering, with a′ = 2a, was observed for materials with smaller ionic radius (Y, Ho, and Er). For the larger lanthanide samples (Nd, Sm, and Gd), the a′ = 2a type superlattice cell was not observed. The structural phase transition temperatures, oxygen stoichiometry and characteristics of the Tc plateaus appear to correlate with the ionic radius, which varies based on the number of f electrons. Lanthanide elements with a smaller ionic radius stabilize the orthorhombic phase to higher temperatures and lower oxygen content. Also, the superconducting temperature is less sensitive to the oxygen content for materials with smaller ionic radius. The trend of dependence of the phase transformation temperature on ionic radius across the lanthanide series can be explained using a quasi-chemical approximation (QCA) whereby the strain effect plays an important role on the order-disorder transition due to the effect of oxygen content on the CuO chain sites.
The precipitation of aluminum, iron and manganese at the junction of Deer Creek with the Snake River in Summit County, Colorado

Abstract The oxidation of disseminated pyrite in relatively acid schists and gneisses of the Snake River drainage basin provides abundant iron sulfate and sulfuric acid to ground and surface water. This acid water dissolves large quantities of many elements, particularly aluminum and surprisingly large quantities of elements, such as magnesium and zinc, not expected to be abundant in the drainage basin. The adjoining drainage to the west, Deer Creek, is underlain by basic rocks, from which the water inherits a high pH. Despite the presence of base- and precious- metal veins in the drainage basin of Deer Creek, it carries less metal than the Snake River. The principal precipitate on the bed of the Snake River is hydrated iron oxide with small quantities of the other metals. In Deer Creek manganese oxide is precipitated with iron oxide and large quantities of other metals are carried down with this precipitate. Below the junction of these streams the pH stabilizes at a near-neutral value. Iron is removed from the Snake River water at the junction, and aluminum is precipitated for some distance downstream. The aluminum precipitate carries down other metals in concentrations slightly less than that in the manganese precipitate on Deer Creek. The natural processes observed in this junction if carried to a larger scale could provide the mechanism described by Ansheles (1927) for the formation of bauxite. In the environment described, geochemical exploration by either water or stream sediment techniques is difficult because of (1) the extreme pH differential between the streams above their junction and (2) the difference in the precipitates formed on the streambeds.
Pilocarpine, food deprivation, and induction of mouse killing by cats☆

Abstract Effects of three treatments that induce mouse killing by rats were examined with cats. Food deprivation induced about 50% killing after 24 hr and almost 100% killing by 72 hr. Pilocarpine (at doses of 1.0 mg/kg that produced marked side-effects, and whether or not methyl atropine pretreatment blocked those side-effects) and chlordiazepoxide (at doses of 1.0–2.0 mg/kg) did not induce any killing. Pilocarpine produced a dose-related inhibition of spontaneous mouse killing (as it does in rats), but this was antagonised by methyl atropine. The side-effects of pilocarpine and chlordiazepoxide did not seem to account for their failure to induce killing. In contrast with food deprivation, the mechanisms by which pilocarpine and chlordiazepoxide induce killing in rats may not have homologs in cats.
Nanomembrane Integrated Silicon Photonics and Flexible Optoelectronics

We review surface-normal Fano resonance photonic crystal crystalline nanomembrane photonic devices for integrated silicon photonics, including membrane lasers on Si, critically coupling, and high Q filters. Nanomembrane enabled flexbile RF electronics/optoelectronics will also be introduced.
Growth and characterization of epitaxial Fe0.8Ga0.2/0.69PMN-0.31PT heterostructures

Abstract Fe0.8Ga0.2 films were deposited on bulk single-crystal (0 0 1) 0.69PMN-0.31PT substrates by DC magnetron sputtering to make magnetoelectric bilayer composites. Films deposited at temperatures below 600 °C were X-ray amorphous. Films deposited at temperatures of 600 °C and higher exhibited a single-crystal (0 0 1) disordered BCC structure. The crystalline FeGa films demonstrate a 45° twisted cube-on-cube epitaxial relationship with the PMN–PT substrates. Heterostructures with an X-ray amorphous FeGa film exhibited zero magnetoelectric response. Heterostructures with a 990 nm epitaxial FeGa film exhibited a large inverse magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of 13.4 (G cm)/V.
Sequential Probability Ratio Test for Collision Avoidance Maneuver Decisions

When facing a conjunction between space objects, decision makers must choose whether to maneuver for collision avoidance or not. We apply a well-known decision procedure, the sequential probability ratio test, to this problem. We propose two approaches to the problem solution, one based on a frequentist method, and the other on a Bayesian method. The frequentist method does not require any prior knowledge concerning the conjunction, while the Bayesian method assumes knowledge of prior probability densities. Our results show that the frequentist method is inferior to the Bayesian method.
Coherent homodyne detection at 10.6μm with an extrinsic photoconductor

A laser-driven infrared-homodyne arrangement yielded a substantial increase in the sensitivity of a doped-silicon photoconductor. The improvement in detectivity was found to be limited by excess local-oscillator noise.
Audience conceptualizations of late night with David Letterman

Audience conceptualizations of Late Night with David Letterman were examined through a two‐step process that included a mail survey and focus group interviews. Letterman fans associated the program with a wide range of activities and viewer interactions that occurred during and after viewing. Focus group participants indicated that competent viewers interpret the program as a sophisticated parody of conventional television talk. These results reinforce the notion of an active audience that interprets television texts according to genre‐derived meanings.
The effect of reversals for a stochastic source-seeking process inspired by bacterial chemotaxis

Many species of bacteria are motile, but they use different random strategies to determine where to swim in response to chemical gradients. We extend past work describing a chemotactic E. coli cell as an ergodic, stochastic hybrid system to model a variety of different strategies. We quantify differences in asymptotic performance and show that the processes described by our models converge to stationary distributions that are proportional to various powers of the distribution of chemicals in the environment. Our main goal is to understand the implications of the differences between E. coli's chemotaxis strategy and the more complicated strategy of the marine bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus, which, unlike E. coli, can swim both forward and backward. We argue that Vibrio's ability to reverse allows it to accumulate more tightly around nutrient sources, and we quantify the effects that reversals have on the stationary distribution of various processes. Our results provide intuition for designing minimalistic multi-agent robotic systems that are better suited for source-seeking tasks in particular environments.
Bacterial peptidoglycans as modulators of sleep. I. Anhydro forms of muramyl peptides enhance somnogenic potency

Chemically defined muramyl peptides (MPs), derived primarily from enzymatic digest ofNeisseria gonorrhoeae peptidoglycan, were used to define the structural determinants of MP-mediated somnogenic activity. One of these, i.e. N-acetylglucosaminyl-N-acetyl-1,6-anhydro-N-acetylmuramyl-alanyl-glutamyl-diaminopimelyl-alanine, was structurally identical to the major naturally occuring MP previously detected in mammalian brain and urine. The somnogenic potency of this MP was similar to that of the corresponding disaccharide pentapeptide containing an additional alanine at the C-terminus and the analogous anhydro-muramic acid-containing monosaccharide tetrapeptide lacking the glucosamine moiety. Infusion of as little as 1 pmol of these highly active MPs increased significantly the percentage of slow-wave sleep in experimental animals. In fact, each of 5 anhydro-muramyl disaccharide peptides tested was somnogenic at a dose of 10 pmol or less and, as far as tested, the activity was affected only slightly by the length or composition of the peptide side chain. However, none of a matched set of analogous MPs, differing only in replacement of the anhydro-muramyl end by a hydrated muramic acid residue, was somnogenic at this dose. A modified form of the hydrated muramyl tripeptide containing a free amide on the diaminopimelic acid residue was completely inactive in amounts up to 1000 pmol. Together, the current data suggested: (1) that the anhydro-muramic acid end (but not the glucosamine moiety) is essential for maximal somnogenic potency; and (2) that amidation of car☐yl groups on the peptide-side chain may block MP-mediated somnogenic activity.
Studies of organoclays with functionalized pillaring agents

A series of clay pillaring agents with amino, olefin, and epoxy groups were synthesized. These pillaring agents were used to modify montmorillonite clay by ion-exchange reactions. TGA studies showed that organoclays with imidazolium pillaring agents have a higher thermal stability than those with ammonium groups. The d-spacings of organoclays were not affected by the pillaring agent functional groups and were sensitive to the size of pillaring agents. The dynamic-mechanical properties of the resulting clay/epoxy composites determined by DMA were similar. The addition of these clays to this epoxy resin enhanced the Tg value of the resulting composites and greatly enhanced the storage moduli versus the pure epoxy resin by 1.6–1.8 times at 135°C. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
A simple model to predict extinction coefficients and phytoplankton biomass in eutrophic waters1

Data from nutrient-saturated rivers, estuaries, and coastal upwelling zones imply a simple relationship between phytoplankton standing crop, depth of the mixed layer, and extinction due to nonliving material. Systems evolve to a steady state where the optical depth of the mixed layer is between 5 and 10. The observations are interpreted using a model for light-limited growth of phytoplankton. Model parameters can be evaluated using measurements of total extinction coefficient, mixed layer depth, chlorophyll concentration, and suspended sediment concentration. Simple equations are derived for the capacity of polluted rivers to assimilate anthropogenic nutrients. These relations may be used to assess the effects of water pollution control projects on water quality.
Toward the Determination of Joint Volatility-Hygroscopicity Distributions: Development and Response Characterization for Single-Component Aerosol

This work presents the development and characterization of a thermodenuder for the study and interpretation of aerosol volatility. Thermodenuder measurements are further combined with a continuous-flow streamwise thermal gradient CCN counter to obtain the corresponding aerosol hygroscopicity. The thermodenuder response function is characterized with monodisperse aerosol of variable volatility and hygroscopicity. The measurements are then interpreted with a comprehensive instrument model embedded within an optimization framework to retrieve aerosol properties with constrained uncertainty. Special attention is given to the interpretation of the size distribution of the thermodenuded aerosol, deconvoluting the effects of impurities and multiple charging, and to simplifications on the treatment of thermodenuder geometry, temperature, the cooling section, and the effects of curvature and accommodation coefficient on inferred particle volatility. Retrieved vapor pressures are consistent with published literatur...
Analysis of two transcription activation elements in the promoter of the developmentally regulated con-10 gene of Neurospora crassa.

Thecon-10gene ofNeurospora crassais activated during conidiation. CRS-B (conidiation response sequence-B) and CGE (con-10general enhancer) elements have been proposed to function as sites of transcriptional activation and as possible elements that confer developmental regulation tocon-10.In a specific analysis of the roles of these elements we found that two CRS-B elements are necessary for full activation ofcon-10during macroconidiation, whereas two CGE elements are functionally redundant, such that a single CGE is sufficient for maximal expression. However, CRS-B and CGE elements are not sufficient for developmental activation of a reporter gene. The CRS-B element was further dissected and one of the CRS-B elements appears to function in repression as well as activation.con-10is also highly expressed during microconidiation, a different form of asexual sporulation, but we show here that CRS-B elements do not play a significant role incon-10expression during microconidiation. Both CRS-B elements contribute to basalcon-10expression during mycelial growth.con-10is also regulated by light, and CRS-B and CGE elements may play minor roles in controllingcon-10expression in response to light.
Teacher's Corner: Testing Measurement Invariance of Second-Order Factor Models

We illustrate testing measurement invariance in a second-order factor model using a quality of life dataset (n = 924). Measurement invariance was tested across 2 groups at a set of hierarchically structured levels: (a) configural invariance, (b) first-order factor loadings, (c) second-order factor loadings, (d) intercepts of measured variables, (e) intercepts of first-order factors, (f) disturbances of first-order factors, and (g) residual variances of observed variables. Given that measurement invariance at the factor loading and intercept levels was achieved, the latent factor mean difference on the higher order factor between the groups was also estimated. The analyses were performed on the mean and covariance structures within the framework of the confirmatory factor analysis using the LISREL 8.51 program. Implications of second-order factor models and measurement invariance in psychological research were discussed.
N-Acetyl-l-glutamate and the Urea Cycle in Gulf Toadfish (Opsanus beta) and Other Fish

Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I (CPSase I) catalyzes the first reaction of the urea cycle in mammalian ureotelic species. The positive allosteric cofactor N-acetyl-L-glutamate (AGA) is required for CPSase I activity and is important for regulation of the urea cycle. A similar enzyme, CPSase III, catalyzes this reaction in fish; CPSase III differs from CPSase I in that it utilizes glutamine as the nitrogen-donating substrate instead of ammonia. AGA also stimulates the CPSase III-catalyzed reaction, but is not absolutely required for activity if the glutamine concentration is high. There has been no report of the presence or function of AGA in fish. Here we report that AGA is present in those species and tissues of fish that have significant levels of CPSase III and urea cycle activity; the levels of AGA were higher in liver of adult gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) and spiny dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias), both of which have high CPSase III activity, than in bass (Micropterus salmoides) or trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), which have much lower or no CPSase III activity, respectively. In the toadfish the levels of AGA in liver and muscle tissue were considerably higher in the fed than in the fasting state, as is observed in mammalian species; in liver, but not in muscle, the level of AGA increased when the toadfish were confined (stressed), which has been shown to induce a ureotelic response. Toadfish muscle had CPSase III and ornithine carbamoyltransferase activities; the increase in AGA concentration in muscle when fed suggests that the presence of these first two enzymes of the urea cycle in muscle may be physiologically significant. The results indicate that the fish investigated have physiologically significant levels of AGA and that the levels correlate with parameters related to urea cycle activity.
Ultrasound diagnosis of splenic injuries in children — The importance of free peritoneal fluid

Three cases of injury to the spleen in children are presented. The value of ultrasound in the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of such splenic injuries is described, and the importance of free peritoneal fluid is stressed. Since splenectomy disturbs the immune mechanisms of the body, treatment should, if possible, be medical.
The effect of pressure on the hydrogen bonding between carbonyl and hydroxyl moieties in 1,2-dipalmitoylglycerol: a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy study

Abstract The barotropic behavior of solid 1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn -glycerol was investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy over the pressure range 0.1–4250 MPa. At atmospheric pressure, the infrared spectrum of this lipid shows bands characteristic of a hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl group and of two carbonyl groups, one hydrogen-bonded, the other free. An increase in pressure leads to a considerable increase in the strength of the intermolecular hydrogen bond. The application of an external pressure of 4250 MPa increases the strength of the hydrogen bond by about 1 2 relative to that at atmospheric pressure. The stretching frequency of the proton-donating group (OH) is more sensitive to pressure-enhanced hydrogen-bonding than is the proton-accepting group (CO). A structural phase transition was detected around 2500 MPa. In the infrared spectra recorded above this pressure, the OH and CO stretching modes are split into two and four bands, respectively. For the high-pressure phase, there are at least two non-equivalent molecules in each unit cell with two types of hydrogen bonds.
Chemical and biological effects of substitution of the 2-position of ring-expanded ('fat') nucleosides containing the imidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine-4,8-dione ring system: the role of electronic and steric factors on glycosidic bond stability and anti-HCV activity.

The attempted removal of the aralkyl group of 2-bromo-1-p-methoxybenzyl-6-octylimidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine (ZP-33) with trifluoroacetic acid resulted in replacement of the bromo group with a carbonyl at position-2 in addition to the desired deprotection at the 1-position. 2′-Deoxynucleosides of 2-bromo-substituted-imidazole-4,5-diesters (ZP-35 and ZP-103) were synthesized by direct glycosylation of the corresponding heterocycles. The attempted ring-closure of the above nucleosides resulted in deglycosylation to form the starting heterocycles. The 2-phenyl derivatives of the above nucleosides (ZP-45 and ZP-73) were successfully prepared by Suzuki coupling with the appropriate phenylboronic acids, but the attempted ring-closure with guanidines to form the desired 5,7-fused ring-expanded nucleosides (RENs) resulted once again in the formation of the corresponding heterocyclic aglycons (ZP-64 and ZP-75). The first successful 2-substituted REN (ZP-110) was synthesized by replacing the 2-deoxyribose sugar moiety with a ribosyl group and replacing the bromo group with a p-methoxyphenyl substituent at the 2-position. A number of imidazole riboside diester precursors containing a substituted phenyl group at the 2-position were synthesized in order to prepare analogues of ZP-110. The substituents on the phenyl ring included a variety of electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups operating through inductive and/or resonance effects. However, the final ring-closure of the diesters with guanidines in order to prepare RENs was successful only in a limited number of cases, including the ones containing a p-fluorophenyl (ZP-121), a m-methoxyphenyl (ZP-122), or an unsubstituted phenyl (NZ-53) at the 2-position. Deglycosylation and incomplete ring-closure of the intermediates were the major problems encountered with most other cases. The stability of glycosidic bonds was found to be dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, the electron-donating inductive effect of the 2-phenyl substituents and the temperature of the reaction medium. The three target RENs ZP-110, ZP-121, and ZP-122 were screened for in vitro anti-HCV activity, employing an HCV RNA replicon assay. While ZP-121 was inactive, the other two compounds showed only weak anti-HCV activity.
Paediatric parotid neoplasms: a 10 year retrospective imaging and pathology review of these rare tumours

Aim To determine the relative incidence of benign and malignant paediatric parotid gland tumours and whether particular presenting symptoms or imaging characteristics were more likely to predict malignancy. Materials and methods Hospital records were reviewed for all patients Results Seventeen patients (nine boys, eight girls; age range 2–17 years) were identified with neoplastic parotid masses; 11 tumours were malignant (65%) and six were benign (35%). The malignant tumours consisted of three acinic cell carcinomas, two mucoepidermoid carcinomas, one alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, one poorly differentiated carcinoma, one low-grade adenocarcinoma, and three metastases (two melanoma, one orbital medulloepithelioma). The benign tumours consisted of five pleomorphic adenomas and one schwannoma. Presenting clinical symptoms were similar between benign and malignant tumours. Twelve MRI and six CT examinations were available for review with five patients undergoing both techniques. MRI features commonly identified with malignant tumours included: hypointense T2 signal, restricted diffusion, ill-defined borders, and focal necrosis. Only four of the six tumours imaged at CT were visualized, and of those, the margins were indeterminate in three patients. Conclusion Paediatric parotid masses are more likely to be malignant than benign. Presenting clinical symptoms and CT are not helpful for distinguishing benign and malignant disease. MRI features such as T2 hypointensity, restricted diffusion, ill-defined borders, and focal necrosis, although not specific, should raise concern for malignancy.
Differentiating Hypererotic States in the Evaluation of Sexual Abuse

When young children behave in a sexual manner, they may be suspected of having been sexually abused. However, this behavior may or may not indicate sexual abuse. Case studies suggest that nonsexually abused children can manifest an increase in erotic behavior on the basis of unusually intense but nonabusive sexual experiences or as part of a compulsion. When the sexual behavior is secondary to abuse, it can be related to posttraumatic stress disorder or intense and prolonged sexual experience.
Genetic mosaicism and the control of cancer

The susceptibility of animal cells to certain lethal agents, including a variety of cytotoxic drugs, is genetically determined; cells which are otherwise identical may therefore differ in terms of which agents are lethal for them. If such genetic diversity existed within a tissue, exposure to any of these lethal agents would not destroy every cell, but only that fraction of the population that was susceptible. In contrast, if a clone of malignant cells arose from any single cell within such a tissue, the entire malignant clone should be susceptible to destruction by whatever agent its progenitor cells was susceptible to. Treatment of a tumor in a host whose tissues displayed such genetic mosaicism might therefore possess the potential for destroying all tumor cells, at the cost of destroying only a fraction of the normal cells. Prophylactic induction of such mosaicism in normal hosts by genetic manipulation represents a potential future strategy for cancer control. Evidence is presented suggesting that women heterozygous for deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl-transferase may constitute naturally occurring examples of such exploitable mosaicism.
A young vegetarian female with nausea, weight loss and steatohepatitis: anorexia nervosa or celiac sprue?

A young vegetarian female with nausea, weight loss and steatohepatitis: anorexia nervosa or celiac sprue?