cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 and cardiac arrhythmias.

Background Early studies suggest that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a high incidence of cardiac arrhythmias. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection may cause injury to cardiac myocytes and increase arrhythmia risk. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of cardiac arrest and arrhythmias including incident atrial fibrillation (AF), bradyarrhythmias, and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) in a large urban population hospitalized for COVID-19. We also evaluated correlations between the presence of these arrhythmias and mortality. Methods We reviewed the characteristics of all patients with COVID-19 admitted to our center over a 9-week period. Throughout hospitalization, we evaluated the incidence of cardiac arrests, arrhythmias, and inpatient mortality. We also used logistic regression to evaluate age, sex, race, body mass index, prevalent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and intensive care unit (ICU) status as potential risk factors for each arrhythmia. Results Among 700 patients (mean age 50 ± 18 years; 45% men; 71% African American; 11% received ICU care), there were 9 cardiac arrests, 25 incident AF events, 9 clinically significant bradyarrhythmias, and 10 NSVTs. All cardiac arrests occurred in patients admitted to the ICU. In addition, admission to the ICU was associated with incident AF (odds ratio [OR] 4.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66–13.18) and NSVT (OR 8.92; 95% CI 1.73–46.06) after multivariable adjustment. Also, age and incident AF (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.02–1.09) and prevalent heart failure and bradyarrhythmias (OR 9.75; 95% CI 1.95–48.65) were independently associated. Only cardiac arrests were associated with acute in-hospital mortality. Conclusion Cardiac arrests and arrhythmias are likely the consequence of systemic illness and not solely the direct effects of COVID-19 infection.
Bond-Based Peridynamics with Stretch and Rotation Kinematics for Opening and Shearing Modes of Fracture

This study presents a new bond-based peridynamic approach for modeling the elastic deformation of isotropic materials with bond stretch and rotation, thus removing the constraint on the Poisson’s ratio. The resulting PD equilibrium equations derived under the assumption of small deformation are solved by employing implicit techniques. The bond constants associated with stretch and rotation kinematic are directly related to the constitutive relations of stress and strain components in continuum mechanics. Also, the expressions for the critical stretch and critical relative rotation are derived in terms of mode I and mode II critical energy release rates, respectively. Lastly, it does not require a surface correction procedure, and the displacement and traction type boundary conditions are directly imposed without introducing fictitious regions in the domain. The capability of this approach is first demonstrated by capturing the correct deformation of plate type structures under general loading conditions. Subsequently, its capability for failure prediction is established by simulating the response of a double cantilever beam (DCB) under mode I type loading and compact shear specimen under mode II type loading.
Fully Integrated Analog Machine Learning Classifier Using Custom Activation Function for Low Resolution Image Classification

This paper presents fully-integrated analog neural network classifier architecture for low resolution image classification that eliminates memory access. We design custom activation functions using single-stage common-source amplifiers, and apply a hardware-software co-design methodology to incorporate knowledge of the custom activation functions into the training phase to achieve high accuracy. Performing all computations entirely in the analog domain eliminates energy cost associated with memory access and data movement. We demonstrate our classifier on multinomial classification task of recognizing down-sampled handwritten digits from MNIST dataset. Fabricated in 65nm CMOS process, the measured energy consumption for down-sampled MNIST dataset is 173pJ/classification, which is $3\times $ better than state-of-the-art. The prototype IC achieves mean classification accuracy of 81.3% even after down-sampling the original MNIST images by 96% from $28\times 28$ pixels to $5\times 5$ pixels.
Synthesis, Electronic Structure, and Reactivity of a Planar Four-Coordinate, Cobalt–Imido Complex

A four-coordinate cobalt-imido complex, (tBu mPNP)Co=NMes (tBu mPNP=modified PNP pincer ligand) has been synthesized from addition of 2,4,6-trimethylphenylazide (Mes-N3 ) to the corresponding dinitrogen complex. The solid-state structure determined by X-ray diffraction established a rare, idealized planar geometry with a Co=N bond distance of 1.716(2) A. Magnetic measurements revealed an S=1 ground state with CAS-SCF calculations supporting radical character on the imide nitrogen. Thermolysis of the cobalt-imido compound induced selective insertion of the imido group into a Co-P bond and yielded a three-coordinate cobalt complex with a distorted T-shaped geometry. Transition state analysis conducted with DFT calculations established the thermodynamic stability of the P-N coupled product and provided insight into the exclusive selectivity.
A comparison of breast and lung doses from chest CT scans using organ-based tube current modulation (OBTCM) vs. Automatic tube current modulation (ATCM).

Author(s): Layman, Rick R; Hardy, Anthony J; Kim, Hyun J; Chou, Ei Ne; Bostani, Maryam; Cagnon, Chris; Cody, Dianna; McNitt-Gray, Michael | Abstract: PurposeThe purpose of this work was to estimate and compare breast and lung doses of chest CT scans using organ-based tube current modulation (OBTCM) to those from conventional, attenuation-based automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) across a range of patient sizes.MethodsThirty-four patients (17 females, 17 males) who underwent clinically indicated CT chest/abdomen/pelvis (CAP) examinations employing OBTCM were collected from two multi-detector row CT scanners. Patient size metric was assessed as water equivalent diameter (Dw ) taken at the center of the scan volume. Breast and lung tissues were segmented from patient image data to create voxelized models for use in anMonte Carlontransport code. The OBTCM schemes for the chest portion were extracted from the raw projection data. ATCM schemes were estimated using a recently developed method.nBreast and lungndoses for each TCM scenario were estimated for each patient model. CTDIvol -normalized breast (nDbreast ) and lung (nDlung ) dosesnwere subsequently calculated. The differences between OBTCM and ATCM normalized organ dose estimates were tested using linear regression models that included CT scanner and Dw as covariates.ResultsMean dose reduction from OBTCM in nDbreast was significant after adjusting for the scanner models and patient size (Pn=n0.047). When pooled with females and male patient, mean dose reduction from OBTCM in nDlung was observed to be trending after adjusting for the scanner model and patient size (Pn=n0.085).ConclusionsOne specific manufacturer's OBTCM was analyzed. OBTCM was observed to significantly decrease normalized breast relative to a modeled version of that same manufacturer's ATCM scheme. However, significant dose savings were not observed in lung dose over all. Results from this study support the use of OBTCM chest protocols for females only.
Hong Kong's Civic Square: A Short History of a Public Space

This article chronicles the short and curious history of the Hong Kong government’s “East Wing Forecourt” and its transformation into “Civic Square” through political action over the past decade. It demonstrates the highly contingent process by which protestors and public authorities interact to produce a politically meaningful place from a quotidian urban space.
Vaping induced metabolomic signatures in the circulation of mice are driven by device type, e-liquid, exposure duration and sex

Each type of vaping device (vape pen, box Mod and JUUL), as well as nicotine and flavourings, induces a disparate metabolite profile or signature, such that each device and liquid is likely to lead to its own set of health effects https://bit.ly/3eExKzi.
Who visits U.S. national parks (and who doesn’t)? A national study of perceived constraints and vacation preferences across diverse populations

The mission of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly challenged by underrepresentation of visitors from low-income and racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. To better understand attrib...
Erratum to “Mitigating Quantization Lobes in mmWave Low-Bit Reconfigurable Reflective Surfaces”

Due to a production error, in the original article [1] , Fig. 5 was incorrectly published. We apologize for this error. The correct figure, with the corresponding caption, is shown below.
Ectodomain Mutations Alter the Proteolysis of the Amyloid-β Precursor Protein (APP)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting over 5 million Americans. In AD patients there is a buildup of amyloid plaque in the brain, which contributes to AD symptoms. The main component of plaques is Amyloid-β (Aβ), a 40-42 length peptide formed from Amyloid-β Precursor Protein (APP) proteolysis. APP proteolysis can result in either anti-trophic or trophic peptides. Several APP polymorphisms exist that cause or protect against AD by altering APP proteolysis. Recently, more polymorphisms in the APP ectodomain have been discovered in patients with late onset AD (LOAD). The proteolysis of APP may be affected by these mutations, and we aim to determine their effect by measuring the levels of trophic and anti-trophic peptides produced in protein assays, Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, and Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) cells. We discovered that the N585Y APP polymorphism is likely to cause onset of LOAD through increased levels of anti-trophic peptides and decreased levels of trophic peptides.
SU-D-BRB-05: Gamma Knife and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Stereotactic Radiosurgery Have Equivalent Plan Quality and OAR Sparing for Pituitary Adenomas and Vestibular Schwannomas

Purpose: To compare the plan quality and organs at risk (OAR) sparing of volumetric modulated art therapy (VMAT) and Gamma Knife for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) of pituitary adenomas and vestibular schwannomas (VS). Methods: VMAT radiosurgery plans (SmartArc) were made using Pinnacle’s (version 9.10, Phillips) new Auto-Plan tool for eight vestibular schwannoma (VS) and eight pituitary adenoma patients previously treated with Gamma Knife Perfexion (GK) system. VMAT plans were made with three non-coplanar arcs using 3 angles, 6MV, FFF mode at 1400 MU per min dose rate and millennium HD MLC. All plans were normalized to deliver prescription dose (Rx) to at least 99.5 percent of the target volume. Results: For pituitary cases (1.07 – 20.71cc), respectively for GK and VMAT plans, mean conformity index (CI) was 1.62 ± 0.23 Gy and 1.51 ± 0.21 Gy (p = 0.05); mean gradient index (GI) was 2.76 ± 0.14 and 3.15 ± 0.43 Gy (p < 0.05); mean brainstem maximum dose was 9.13 ± 3.50 Gy and 7.31 ± 2.01 Gy (p < 0.05); mean optic nerve maximum dose was 9.66 ± 1.0 Gy and 7.67 ± 2.58 Gy (p < 0.05); and mean treatment time of 68 min and 4 min. For VS (0.47 – 5.26cc), respectively for GK and VMAT plans, CI was 1.39 ± 0.23 Gy and 1.57 ± 0.28 Gy (p < 0.05); GI was 3.71 ± 1.83 and 3.60 ± 0.84 Gy (p = 0.82); brainstem maximum dose was 11.67 ± 4.56 Gy and 12.22 ± 4.56 Gy (p = 0.12), cochlea mean dose was 7.31 ± 2.7 Gy and 6.75 ± 3.88 Gy (p = 0.52); and mean treatment time of 40 min and 4 min. Conclusion: VMAT plan quality and OAR sparing were comparable to GK plans with a shorter treatment time. Samuel Chao is a member of Varian Speakers Bureau, Gennady Neyman is a consultant for Elekta Instrument A/B
Why Britain Did Not Abandon the Balfour Declaration

The declaration issued in 1917 by Great Britain favoring a Jewish national home in Palestine was a seminal event in shaping the Arab-Israeli conflict. Known as the Balfour Declaration, it was written into the mandate that the League of Nations gave Britain to administer Palestine, thereby according it international imprimatur. In reporting to the League on implementation of the Balfour Declaration, Britain averred that Jewish migration to Palestine could be carried out consonant with the rights and status of the existing population of Palestine. In 1923, however, the British Government carried out an internal, and confidential assessment that concluded that continued Jewish migration to Palestine would lead to violence and chaos. For reasons of its own national interest, Britain continued to implement the Balfour Declaration and continued to tell the League that Jewish migration could be accommodated peacefully.
Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration by choledochotomy. An effective and efficient method of treatment of choledocholithiasis.

Background: Management of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis usually requires two separate teams—the gastroenterologist/surgical endoscopist and the laparoscopic surgical team. This requires two separate procedures that potentially increase the overall morbidity and cost. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration by choledochotomy (LCBDE-C) averts this problem with a single approach.
SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTREME-HIGH-SUMMER-TEMPERATURE EVENTS IN THE SOUTH-CENTRAL UNITED STATES

This study examines spatial and temporal characteristics of temperatures exceeding 38° C (100° F) in the south-central United States. Events are concentrated in three distinct zones in Texas with minimum frequencies along the coast. Although temporal analysis identifies no apparent region-wide linear trends in event frequencies, the seasonality of these events is found to vary widely across the study area. Explanations for the observed spatial and temporal patterns are offered. Although the relationship between mean and extreme temperatures is known to be strong, precipitation and rain days also were significantly correlated with extreme temperature events. Hence, the precipitation climatology may be important to understand in the assessment of the future of extreme 38° C events in the south-central United States. [Key words: extreme temperature events, spatial climatic variability, south-central United States.]
Marioneta: Virtual puppeteer experience

Marioneta is an installation for the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh which uses the Microsoft Kinect v2 to allow guests to embody a collection of antique puppets in a virtual environment. Final installation in the museum is shown in Fig 1. The focus is on creating an experience wherein elements in the world react to the users' actions through these puppets[1]. Puppet models in the experience are based on a collection of puppets donated to the museum by Margo Lovelace. The original puppets are carefully exhibited in a large display case on the wall in the museum. Many of the puppets in the museum's collection are antiques, fragile or valuable and not suited to hands-on play by the museum's young visitors. Marioneta uses technology to make museum puppets available for imaginative and interesting play[2]. The experience is composed of auto-rotating seasonal stages and season related interactive objects that have visual and audial feedback. Users can throw a pumpkin in fall, pick up an ice ball in winter, play with cowbells in spring, and break a lantern filled with fireflies in summer. One of the stage scenes is shown in Fig 2. Marioneta is an updated version of Virpets, which began in 2001 and remained over 10 years in the museum[3].
Features with feelings: incorporating user preferences in video categorization

Rapid growth of video content over internet has necessitated an immediate need to organize these large databases into meaningful categories. In this paper, we explore the benefits of leveraging social attitudes (beliefs, opinions, interests and evaluations of people) with machine learning concepts (audio/video features) in the challenging and pressing task of organization of online video databases. Through the analysis of view counts, we model social participation (people's choices) towards a video's contents. Observations reveal that viewership patterns are correlated with video genres. We propose logistic growth models to characterize videos based on usage and obtain a probability of video category. We then combine these subjectively assessed priors with likelihood of video class (as estimated from objective audio/video features) to establish the final category in a Bayesian framework. We provide a comparitive analysis of classification accuracies when a) categories are known a priori b) when they are not known a priori. Experimentally, we establish improvement in classification accuracy upon incorporating social attitudes with state-of-the-art audio/video features.
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 gene (CRHR1) are associated with quantitative trait of event-related potential and alcohol dependence.

Background: Endophenotypes reflect more proximal effects of genes than diagnostic categories, hence providing a more powerful strategy in searching for genes involved in complex psychiatric disorders. There is strong evidence suggesting the P3 amplitude of the event-related potential (ERP) as an endophenotype for the risk of alcoholism and other disinhibitory disorders. Recent studies demonstrated a crucial role of corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1 )i n the environmental stress response and ethanol self-administration in animal models. The aim of the present study was to test the potential associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CRHR1 gene and the quantitative trait, P3 amplitude during the processing of visual target signals in an oddball paradigm, as well as alcohol dependence diagnosis. Methods: We analyzed a sample from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) comprising 1049 Caucasian subjects from 209 families (including 472 alcohol-dependent individuals). Quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT) and family-based association test (FBAT) were used to test the association, and false discovery rate (FDR) was applied to correct for multiple comparisons. Results: Significant associations (p < 0.05) were found between the P3 amplitude and alcohol dependence with multiple SNPs in the CRHR1 gene. Conclusions: Our results suggest that CRHR1 may be involved in modulating the P3 component of the ERP during information processing and in vulnerability to alcoholism. These findings underscore the utility of electrophysiology and the endophenotype approach in the genetic study of psychiatric disorders.
Coastal infrastructure: a typology for the next century of adaptation to sea-level rise

Categorizing the choices in coastal infrastructure that are available to policy makers will allow for comparisons of their potential impacts on ecosystems and of their value in preparation for long-term sea-level rise. Although similar approaches have been described elsewhere in different policy contexts, this article focuses on evaluating physical infrastructure types – including hybrid structures that combine landforms with concrete and steel elements –based on historical differences in engineering practices. Such structures can be optimized for different phases of coastal adaptation and can provide multiple benefits (eg supporting ecosystems as well as minimizing flooding in coastal cities). Key factors in a geomorphological, ecological, and land-use context must be taken into account when selecting various infrastructure strategies, to ensure that they function as intended. The San Francisco Bay region provides an example of how this typology can be applied to help policy makers choose more successful strategies as coastal areas plan for sea-level rise.
2‐Chloro‐1,1,2‐Trifluoroethyl Ethyl Ether

2-Chloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl ethyl ether product: chlorotrifluoroethyl ethyl ether Keywords: addition, to CC; apparatus, for reaction of ethanol with chlorotrifluoroethylene; gas dispersion tube
Segmentectomy Versus Lobectomy for Stage I Lung Cancer in Patients with Good Pulmonary Function

The initial surgical operation of choice for lung cancer was pneumonectomy.1 However, since the 1960’s lobectomy with lymph node dissection has been the standard resection technique used by most surgeons for patients with good pulmonary function.2,3 Anatomical segmentectomy may offer a lung-preserving alternative to lobectomy, much as lobectomy did to pneumonectomy. Anatomical segmentectomy was first described by Churchill and Belsey in 1939 for resection of bronchiectasis and tuberculosis.4 Segmentectomy for resection of lung cancer was subsequently performed by some surgeons; however, concerns were raised over the perceived higher risk of local recurrence.5–9 In order to better define the role of lesser resection, in 1995 the Lung Cancer Study Group (LCSG) reported a randomized trial of 247 low-risk patients with clinical T1N0 peripheral NSCLC assigned to either limited resection (anatomical segmentectomy or wedge resection) or lobectomy.10 The study showed that locoregional recurrence was significantly higher in patients treated by sublobar resections. Although patients treated by lobectomy had a higher 5-year survival compared to those treated by limited resection, the difference in survival did not achieve statistical significance (73% vs. 56%, p = 0.06). This trial arguably established lobectomy as the surgical standard of care for early stage disease.
Interconnect agnostic checkpoint/restart in open MPI

Long running High Performance Computing (HPC) applications at scale must be able to tolerate inevitable faults if they are to harness current and future HPC systems. Message Passing Interface (MPI) level transparent checkpoint/restart fault tolerance is an appealing option to HPC application developers that do not wish to restructure their code. Historically, MPI implementations that provided this option have struggled to provide a full range of interconnect support, especially shared memory support. This paper presents a new approach for implementing checkpoint/restart coordination algorithms that allows the MPI implementation of checkpoint/restart to be interconnect agnostic. This approach allows an application to be checkpointed on one set of interconnects (e.g., InfiniBand and shared memory) and be restarted with a different set of interconnects (e.g., Myrinet and shared memory or Ethernet). By separating the network interconnect details from the checkpoint/restart coordination algorithm we allow the HPC application to respond to changes in the cluster environment such as interconnect unavailability due to switch failure, re-load balance on an existing machine, or migrate to a different machine with a different set of interconnects. We present results characterizing the performance impact of this approach on HPC applications.
Proteomic identification of carbonylated proteins in 1,3-dinitrobenzene neurotoxicity.

This study demonstrated that 1,3-dinitrobenzene-induced (1,3-DNB) oxidative stress led to the oxidative carbonlyation of specific protein targets in DI TNC1 cells. 1,3-DNB-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, as indicated by loss of tetramethyl rhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) fluorescence, was initially observed at 5 h and coincided with peak reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. ROS production was inhibited in cells pre-treated with the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) inhibitor, bonkrekic acid (BkA). Pre-incubation with the antioxidant deferoxamine inhibited loss of TMRM fluorescence until 24 h after initial exposure to 1,3-DNB. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE) and subsequent Oxyblot analysis were used to determine if 1,3-DNB exposure led to the formation of protein carbonyls. Exposing DI TNC1 cells to 1,3-DNB led to marked protein carbonylation 45 min following initial exposure. Pre-treatment with deferoxamine or Trolox reduced the intensity of protein carbonylation in DI TNC1 cells exposed to 1 mM 1,3-DNB. Tandem MS/MS performed on protein samples isolated from 1,3-DNB-treated cells revealed that specific proteins within the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and cytosol are targets of protein carbonylation. The results presented in this study are the first to suggest that the molecular mechanism of 1,3-DNB neurotoxicity may occur through selective carbonylation of protein targets found within specific intracellular compartments of susceptible cells.
Herbage mass, nutritive value and canopy spectral reflectance of bermudagrass pastures

Timely and accurate detection of above-ground herbage mass and the nutritive value of pastures can help the more efficient adjustment of stocking rate and determine the timing of protein supplements to be fed to livestock grazing these pastures. The objectives of this study were to determine seasonal variation in herbage mass, neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), acid-detergent fibre (ADF) and crude protein (CP) concentrations of herbage and canopy reflectance of pastures of genotypes of bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), and to analyse the relationships between these descriptors of nutritive value of herbage and canopy reflectance in broad spectral wavebands. Three bermudagrass pastures of varieties Midland and Ozarka, and an experimental hybrid, 74 x 12-12, were established in 1991 and had received the same field management and stocking rate. Canopy reflectance, above-ground herbage mass of DM and CP, and NDF, ADF and CP concentrations of herbage were measured in the growing seasons of 2002 and 2003. Year, genotype and sampling date significantly (P < 0·05) affected most measured variables. Ratios of canopy reflectance in blue to red (R₍blue₎/R₍red₎) and in near infrared to red (R₍NIR₎/R₍red₎) wavebands were highly correlated with concentrations of CP in herbage and herbage mass of CP but the relationships between reflectance ratios and NDF and ADF concentrations of herbage were relatively low. It is concluded that the CP concentration of herbage and herbage mass of CP of pastures can be estimated throughout the growing season using remote sensing of canopy reflectance and the information may be used for pasture and livestock management.
Field cage evaluation of introduced Eretmocerus species (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) against Bemisia tabaci strain B (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on cantaloupe

Abstract Field-cage evaluations of introduced non-indigenous parasitoids in the genus Eretmocerus were conducted on cantaloupe during 1997 in the Imperial Valley, California, to identify effective new species or geographic populations for introduction and establishment against Bemisia tabaci strain B on cantaloupe and other impacted crops. Cantaloupe is a key host crop of B. tabaci biotype B in southwestern desert valleys in the U.S.A. in which increased natural enemy activity was seen as essential. Evaluations compared geographic populations of Eretmocerus mundus from Spain, India and Israel , E. hayati from Pakistan, E. emiratus from the United Arab Emirates, and E. sp. near emiratus from Ethiopia with the indigenous species E. eremicus . The best-performing species included E. emiratus and E. sp. near emiratus from the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia with more than 66 mean progeny per female, followed by the Israeli and Spanish populations of E. mundus, with 55 and 51 mean progeny, respectively. The best-performing species originated in regions with very similar climates to the Imperial Valley.
Favorable interaction of β-l(−) nucleoside analogues with clinically approved anti-HIV nucleoside analogues for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus

The combination of L(-)-2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine (L(-)SddC, 3TC), L(-)-2',3'-dideoxy-5-fluorocytidine (L(-)FddC), or L(-)-2',3'-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3'-thiacytidine (L(-)(FTC) with 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) synergistically inhibited replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. Similar synergistic activity was also obtained when these compounds were used in combination with 2',3'-didehyro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (D4T). In terms of 2',3'- dideoxyinosime (ddI) and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC), only additive anti-HIV activity was observed. None of the beta-L(-) nucleoside analogues had additive toxicity in cell culture, and they could protect against the delayed mitochondrial toxicity associated with AZT, D4T, ddC, and ddI in drug-treated cells. Thus, combinations of beta-L(-) nucleoside analogues with any of the approved anti-HIV drugs could have a potentially beneficial outcome.
A Pediatric, Practice-Based, Randomized Trial of Drinking and Smoking Prevention and Bicycle Helmet, Gun, and Seatbelt Safety Promotion

OBJECTIVE: To prevent early adolescent health risk behaviors and to maintain or improve safety behaviors, we compared the effects of 2 interventions, delivered through pediatric primary care practices. The interventions, based on an office systems' approach, sought to prevent early drinking and smoking or to influence bicycle helmet use, gun storage, and seatbelt safety for children who were followed from fifth/sixth grades through eighth/ninth grades. DESIGN: Settings and Participants. Twelve pediatric practices in New England were paired according to practice size and assigned randomly within pairs to deliver the multicomponent interventions, which built on pediatric primary care clinicians performing as counselors and role models during health supervision visits and other office encounters. INTERVENTION: One intervention arm focused on alcohol and tobacco use. The other intervention arm focused on gun safety, bicycle helmet, and seatbelt use. Office systems provided infrastructure that supported the clinician's role. Clinician messages encouraged family communication and rule setting about the issues of the middle school years. The intervention was initiated during a health supervision visit and continued for 36 months. Both child and parent received quarterly newsletters to reinforce the clinician messages. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were ever drinking alcohol, ever smoking, ever using smokeless tobacco, using a bicycle helmet in the previous year, using a seatbelt in the previous 30 days, and guns in the child's home in locked storage. RESULTS: The pediatric practices recruited 85% (N = 3525) of the practices' fifth/sixth grade children and their responding parents. We obtained 36 months' follow-up data on 2183 child-parent pairs. Chart audit verified that the intervention was implemented. Additional data from interviews and surveys showed that parents, children, and pediatric clinicians found the intervention useful. Despite this, comparisons between the 2 study arms show no significant intervention effects in the prevention of alcohol and tobacco use or gun storage or seatbelt safety. There was a negative effect in the alcohol arm. Only bicycle helmet use showed a positive outcome. CONCLUSION: With rigorous evaluation, 2 office interventions failed to produce desired outcomes. Coordinated multiple settings for prevention interventions are probably necessary. Language: en
A logistic model of periodic chemotherapy

Abstract A logistic differential equation with a time-varying periodic parameter is used to model the growth of cells, in particular cancer cells, in the presences of chemotherapeutic drugs. The chemotherapeutic effects are modeled by a periodic parameter that modifies the growth rate of the cell tissue. A negative growth rate represents the detrimental effects of the drugs. A simple criterion is obtained for the behavior of the chemotherapy.
Aerial web-weaving spiders: Linking molecular and organismal processes in evolution

Aerial web-weaving spiders display a wide variety of foraging behaviors that can be tied to the evolution of one family of proteins, the silks. In some cases, the physical structure and mechanical properties of silks alone determine the ecology of spiders: the habitats in which they forage, the prey they capture and their subsequent reproductive success. Future studies that integrate research on the physical structure of silks, the molecular genetics of silk synthesis and the foraging ecology of spiders in primitive and derived phylogenetic groups could reveal how molecular and organismal processes interact in evolution.
The distribution of the sum of independent gamma random variables

The distribution of the sum ofn independent gamma variates with different parameters is expressed as a single gamma-series whose coefficients are computed by simple recursive relations.
Operant conditioning of the restrained rabbit

Abstract Restrained rabbits were trained to make lever lift lick (LLL) responses for water reinforcement. Stable fixed ratio (FR-24) and variable interval (VI-50 sec) performance was demonstrated. Preliminary investigation has shown that the present preparation in restrained rabbits is suitable for investigating: (a) concomitant physiological and LLL measures during aversive conditioning; and, (b) the effects of venous drug infusion upon ongoing LLL responding.
Alpha Activity Suppression and Enhancement as a Function of Feedback and Instructions

The present study attempted to determine the role of instructions and feedback on alpha activity. Thirty-six normal subjects were instructed to enhance or to suppress alpha activity or were given ambiguous instructions. Subjects were randomly assigned to three croups of 12 subjects earn. One-half of the subjects in each group received feedback for increasing alpha activity, while the other half received feedback for suppression. Active and dummy electrodes were attached to each subject. Subjects were instructed to keep their eyes closed (luring the session. The session consisted of a 10-min adaptation period, an instruction period, another 5-min adaptation and then a series of 5 lest trials with feedback separated by 2-min rest periods without feedback. Alpha enhancement was associated with instructions hut was independent of feedback. However, accurate instructions and feedback were associated with alpha activity suppression. Alpha activity was greatest during rest periods or when the subject was unaware of the significance of the feedback cue. which indicates the importance of monitoring basal levels of alpha activity in evaluating changes in alpha activity.
Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Men and Women: Does 1 Size Fit All? Yes!

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in both women and men in the industrialized nations. Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for the single largest share of this toll in both sexes. Although it had long been known that the number 1 cause of death in men is CHD, it was determined only relatively recently that this was also true in women. Identification of the traditional risk factors (RFs) for CHD by the Framingham Heart Study and other investigations during the last 5 decades has provided the basis of preventive cardiology. These RFs can be considered as fixed or modifiable. Numerous epidemiologic and clinical studies have demonstrated that, with few exceptions, the major RFs that increase the hazard for CHD are the same for both men and women, whether fixed (age, sex, family history) or modified (lipids, blood pressure, smoking). A number of other RFs are under investigation and await confirmation in rigorous prospective studies. Even those conditions unique to women, which can predispose patients to CHD, such as polycystic ovaries and complications of pregnancy, act through provocation of the traditional RFs. Thus, the large body of evidence that supports the similarity of RFs for CHD in men and women provides a rational foundation for similar strategies of prevention in the 2 sexes.
Management of Primary Cutaneous and Metastatic Melanoma

Objectives To review the diagnosis, staging, and treatments (both standard and novel) for advanced melanoma and discuss the nursing role in the care of patients with melanoma. Data Sources Published research and education articles, on-line journals, recent texts, and references from pertinent articles. Conclusion Most melanomas are diagnosed at early localized stages when surgery alone can be curative. For patients diagnosed with metastatic disease, treatment options have been limited and generally considered ineffective. Recent developments in tumor genetics and a greater understanding of the role of the immune system in cancer have translated to better treatments. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses play a key role in ensuring that patients with melanoma understand their diagnosis, treatment recommendations (including supportive care, palliative chemotherapy, immunotherapies), and participation in clinical trials.
Polarization techniques for use with excimer-laser-based imaging of gaseous media

Tunable ArF and KrF lasers are being used to produce species-, space-, and time-resolved images of complex gaseous media. These media may be analyzed for composition, density, temperature, or flow velocities with the observation of various laser induced light emissions. The techniques are, in general, highly selective, sensitive, and nonintrusive. We discuss methods that can yield an increase in signal, or that allow desired signals to be differentiated from interfering emissions, by the use of appropriately polarized lasers or by polarization analysis of emitted light.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nitrogen Application Increases Yield and Early Dry Matter Accumulation in Late‐Planted Soybean

In double-cropped soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] planting is delayed, with a corresponding decrease in yield associated with photoperiod-induced early flowering and reduced accumulation of dry matter during the vegetative growth period. Application of nitrogen (N) has been shown to improve yield of late-planted soybean. We conducted a field study to determine the optimum economic rate of N that would stimulate early dry matter accumulation, and thus yield, in late-planted soybean. The effects of three planting dates (mid-June, late-June, and mid-July), two MG VIII cultivars (Kuell and Prichard), and five N rates (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha -1 ) were studied for 2 yr at three Alabama locations (Fairhope, Shorter, and Crossville). Nitrogen application of 60 to 70 kg ha -1 maximized yield and R1 dry matter accumulation. However, N reduced nodule number and mass, but had no effect on R1 plant height, mature plant height, or seed quality, protein and oil content. Yield was reduced linearly by later planting, but there was no interaction between N rate and planting date for yield. Kuell was taller at maturity and had more R1 dry matter than Prichard, but Kuell yielded more than Prichard in only one environment and there was no cultivar X N rate interaction for yield. At current prices for N and soybean, we concluded that N can be a viable input for double-cropped soybean at an optimal economic rate of 59 kg ha -1 .
Vestigial skeletal structures in dinosaurs

The existence of vestigial structures is one of the main lines of evidence for macroevolution. Here I introduce a phylogenetic bracketing approach to the identification of vestigial structures and apply it to Dinosauria. According to this approach, a structure is considered vestigial if, in comparison with its homolog in at least three successive outgroups, it is reduced to one-third or less its size relative to adjacent structures and if at least distally it has lost the specialized morphology present in the three outgroups. This approach identifies fingers IV and V as vestigial in dinosaurs in general, II–V in sauropods, III in Tyrannosauridae and Caudipteryx, II and III in Shuvuuia and I and III in modern birds. The entire forelimb distal to the elbow is vestigial in Abelisauridae. Vestigial parts of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb include the pubic shaft in Iguanodontia and Ceratopsia, the entire pubis in Ankylosauria, the first metatarsal in derived Iguanodontia, the first metatarsal shaft in Theropoda and the fifth toe in dinosaurs in general. Derived Centrosaurinae and some Chasmosaurus exhibit vestigial supraorbital horns. Some centrosaurines have a vestigial nasal horn. The antorbital cavity is vestigial in Thyreophora, Iguanodontia and Ceratopsidae. I recommend that this information be exploited to increase public awareness of the evidence for macroevolution.
The high-alpha-radiation analytical facility of the oak ridge national laboratory

Abstract The High-Alpha-Radiation Analytical Laboratory has been in operation since 1952. Originally concentrated Pu and U 233 solutions were assayed in this laboratory and the control analyses associated with the ion-exchange isolation of these solutions were also carried out in this facility. However, during the past few years, the high-alpha-laboratory has been used to provide analytical services for all development programs concerned with the processing of alpha-emitting materials, such as Np 237 and Am 241 . A brief description of the methods of analysis and techniques is presented. Mention is made of some of the special problems that have arisen concerning the handling of alpha-emitting materials. Future plans for a transplutonic analytical facility are also discussed.
Maquilas and NAFTA: Implications of a Free Trade Microcosm

An analysis of the progress and impact of the maquiladora program provides a better understanding of the potential ramifications of a United States-Mexico free trade agreement as it applies to labor issues. The maquiladora program can be considered a free trade agreement in microcosm. The picture is enhanced further by an awareness of the production expansion plans of border companies and the concomitant crossborder problems faced by those organizations. This article begins with arguments surrounding the North American Free Trade Agreement concerning labor-related issues and proceeds with a description of the maquiladora program as of 1990. The details of the methodology and findings of a 1991 survey of border staging plants follow to uncover implications for NAFTA.
Stigma Despite Recovery

In this article, we identify an array of creative strategies used by persons diagnosed with schizophrenia-related illness to deflect and resist social stigma, and address the lived experience of deploying these strategies in the intersubjective context of everyday life. The data are derived from anthropological interviews and ethnographic observations of ninety persons who received treatment at community mental health facilities in an urban North American locale. Nearly all were keenly aware of stigma that permeated their lives. Their predicament is contradictory: on the one hand, they have recovered relative to previous states of psychosis; on the other hand, their subjectivity is saturated by intense awareness of social stigma that seems intractable in relation to temporal or functional criteria. Ironically, these lives can be characterized as fraught with stigma despite recovery. The strategies generated to resist the impact of stigma highlight the fact that persons with these illnesses are often not only exceedingly socially aware but also strategically skilled in response to social assaults on their personhood and survival. We examine these strategies in terms of (1) the social characteristics of each afflicted person, (2) the situational characteristics of managing stigma, (3) the cultural context of recovery, and (4) the illness-specific characteristics of schizophrenia.
Avian endogenous retroviral envelope glycoprotein is assembled in two structural complexes of gp85 and gp37 subunits.

Abstract Experiments were undertaken to determine the subunit structure of endogenous retroviral envelope glycoprotein present on Rous-associated virus-O (RAV-O) or expressed by 15I5 × 72 fibroblasts and plasma cells. As analyzed under nonreducing conditions, the RAV-O-associated and 15I5 × 72 cell-associated envelope glycoprotein comprised two components, designated VGP1 and VGP2, with approximate molecular weights of 200,000 and 100,000, respectively. By contrast, the envelope glycoprotein of exogenous strains of virus comprised predominantly, if not exclusively, VGP2. Our interpretation of the structural data is that VGP1 and VGP2 represent, respectively, a disulfide-linked tetramer and dimer of equimolar gp85 and gp37 subunits.
Three Dimensional Simulation of Rayleigh-Be´nard Convection for Rapid Microscale Polymerase Chain Reaction

A variety of biochemical reactions involve cycling reagents through different temperature regimes in a specific order as dictated by chemical kinetics. One such reaction is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a fundamental process used to selectively amplify specific regions of interest within a larger DNA strand to very high concentration levels. Natural convection has recently been explored as a novel way to perform PCR by providing a passive approach to circulate reactants through the correct temperature zones. Optimal reactor design requires the spatial velocity and temperature distributions to be precisely controlled to ensure that the reactants sequentially occupy the correct temperature zones for a sufficient period of time. Rayleigh-Benard convection in vertical cylindrical reaction chambers maintained at fixed upper and lower surface temperatures provides a convenient model system to study these phenomena. In this work, we present results of three dimensional numerical simulations of the flow and temperature distributions in cylindrical reactors of different aspect ratios (height (h) / diameter (d)). These results helped identify different flow profiles that are possible in each of the geometries and led to an optimized redesign of the Rayleigh-Benard PCR convection system for rapid DNA replication.© 2009 ASME