cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploiting the Benefits of High-Level Synthesis for Thermal-Aware VLSI Design

In this work, we propose a method that automatically generates a set of functional equivalent systems with unique performance vs. peak temperature, where the starting point is a set of behavioral descriptions for High-Level Synthesis (HLS), and the output the Pareto-optimal systems. This is accomplished by leveraging one of the main benefits of C-based VLSI design: The ability to automatically create functional equivalent circuits with unique area vs. performance trade-offs from a single behavioral description. The proposed method is built around three main phases. The first phase performs a design space exploration on each module given as a behavioral description for HLS to obtain a trade-off curve of dominating micro-architectures. The second phase builds different systems by combining different mixes of micro-architectures. Finally, phase 3 continues by selectively floorplanning these micro-architectures in the system to obtain a trade-off curve of Pareto-optimal systems. Experimental results targeting a FPGA show that our proposed method works well.
Enabling Customers through Distributed Economic Dispatch

A distributed algorithm is introduced, which dispatches power for radial electric networks while also accounting for heterogeneous demand functions, demonstrating computational feasibility, and respecting the physical limits of the system. The distributed economic dispatch enables small end-users to aggregate themselves such that they can communicate their diverse preferences to the local substation. Unlike other approaches proposed in the literature, the distributed algorithm introduced here converges to an optimal solution with only two sweeps of information exchange once with parent nodes and another time with children nodes. A proof-of-concept example is demonstrated on a 46-bus system under varying levels of DERs, followed by a discussion of the technical and economic benefits of using the distributed algorithm.
Abstract P227: Elevated Plasma Activin A Levels Impairs Global Longitudinal Strain In The Heart During Pregnancy

Preeclampsia (PE) is a disorder prevalent in 3-8% of pregnancies, characterized by maternal hypertension, endothelial dysfunction and impaired cardiac function. PE develops in response to impaired ...
Allogeneic transplant for CML in chronic phase after failure of imatinib. Not needed or needlessly neglected

A 49-year-old man with CML was referred for transplant. Fifteen years previously, he had been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia and during those 15 years he had never achieved a cytogenet...
Understanding scientific types: holotypes, stratotypes, and measurement prototypes

At the intersection of taxonomy and nomenclature lies the scientific practice of typification. This practice occurs in biology with the use of holotypes (type specimens), in geology with the use of stratotypes, and in metrology with the use of measurement prototypes. In this paper I develop the first general definition of a scientific type and outline a new philosophical theory of types inspired by Pierre Duhem. I use this general framework to resolve the necessity-contingency debate about type specimens in philosophy of biology, to advance the debate over the myth of the absolute accuracy of standards in metrology, and to address the definition-correlation debate in geology. I conclude that just as there has been a productive synergy between philosophical accounts of natural kinds and scientific taxonomic practices, so too there is much to be gained from developing a deeper understanding of the practices and philosophy of scientific types.
Ambient Noise from Seismic Surveys in the Southern Adriatic Sea

Seismic surveys have been identified as an important source of low-frequency ocean ambient noise. In 2018 and 2019, large-scale seismic surveys were conducted off Montenegro in the Adriatic Sea to explore the potential for natural gas extraction. A calibrated passive acoustic recorder was deployed at 1,000 m depth in the Southeastern Adriatic Sea at the northeastern edge of the South Adriatic Pit in October 2018. The seismic exploration surveys were conducted in December 2018 in depths between 70 and 800 m, and in February 2019 in depths between 50 and 100 m. The seismic surveys occurred at distances 70–125 km from the recording site. Time series of broadband sound levels, third octave bands centered at 65 and 125 Hz, and sound pressure levels (SPLrms) over the 15–200 Hz frequency band were calculated through February 2019. Also, power spectral densities from 15 to 900 Hz were calculated over the weeks before, during, and after the surveys. Overall low-frequency ambient sound levels at this deep site were relatively high. The highest SPLrms were recorded while the survey was conducted in deep waters. The South Adriatic has been recognized as an important area for cetaceans, which may be affected by increased sound levels.
View Synthesis In Casually Captured Scenes Using a Cylindrical Neural Radiance Field With Exposure Compensation

We extend Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) with a cylindrical parameterization that enables rendering photorealistic novel views of 360° outward facing scenes. We further introduce a learned exposure compensation parameter to account for the varying exposure in training images that may occur from casually capturing a scene. We evaluate our method on a variety of 360° casually captured scenes.
Natural American Spirit launches 'Sky', the brand's first commercial organic cigarette with a charcoal filter.

Natural American Spirit (NAS), a leading cigarette brand in the USA,1 markets its products using descriptors such as ‘organic’ and ‘tobacco & water’. Consumers believe that cigarettes with these and similar descriptors are more appealing, healthier and/or less harmful than cigarettes without these descriptors.2–11 Moreover, NAS advertising prominently features nature-related imagery, highlights the brand’s sustainable farming practices and exploits Native American symbolism, all of which may also misrepresent product risk.12–15 This combination of brand characteristics has yielded a consumer base that, compared with those who smoke other brands, is more likely to misunderstand the relative harm of NAS compared with other cigarettes.16 There is no evidence that smoking NAS cigarettes reduces disease risk, and emission studies find substantial variability in exposure to harmful constituents in NAS cigarettes depending on the NAS variety tested, the study’s methods and the compounds under investigation.17–23 Federal regulators have recognised that NAS uses deceptive marketing tactics and have taken limited regulatory action against the brand, resulting in the addition of disclaimer statements on packs and advertisements about the relative harm of ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ commercial tobacco, and the removal of ‘additive-free’ and some instances of ‘natural’ from NAS labelling and marketing.24 The US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products has not publicly initiated regulatory action against the use of ‘organic’, perhaps because the descriptor’s use …
The Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Diverticulitis Outcomes and Risk of Recurrent Hospitalizations in Adults with Clinically Severe Obesity.

Purpose Clinically severe obesity (SO) is a known risk factor for worsened outcomes and recurrence of acute diverticulitis. Paucity of data exist on outcomes of diverticulitis after bariatric surgery. Methods The Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for diverticulitis hospitalizations between the years 2010 and 2014. We restricted analysis to patients with SO and those who had bariatric surgery (BRS). Outcomes of mortality, surgical events, and recurrent diverticulitis admissions were compared using multivariable analysis and one-to-one propensity score matching. Results Among 52,274 diverticulitis admissions, 91.2% (47,694) patients had SO and 8.8% (4580) had prior BRS. Patients with SO had higher odds of suffering mortality on index diverticulitis admission when compared to those with prior BRS [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 10.55; 95%CI 1.45,76.75]. Patients with SO were also more likely to undergo emergency surgery (aOR: 1.71; 95%CI 1.25,2.34) and colectomy (aOR: 1.45; 95%CI 1.26,1.68). Rates of recurrent diverticulitis readmissions within 30 days and 6 months were also higher in patients with SO compared to BRS patients (aOR: 7.94; 95%CI 1.09,57.83 and aOR: 1.98; 95%CI 1.14,3.43, respectively). Propensity score matching confirmed our findings of increased rates of mortality (OR: 17.28; 95%CI 2.02,147.6), recurrent diverticulitis, and worsened surgical outcomes within 30 days in patients with SO compared to BRS. Conclusion This study is first to show improved outcomes and less recurrent hospitalizations for diverticulitis after bariatric surgery compared to patients with clinically severe obesity. Further studies are needed to understand mechanisms leading to this improvement and the role of weight loss in prevention of severe diverticulitis.
The uncertainty track: Machine learning, statistical modeling, synthesis

Abstract This note provides an evaluation of the contributions of the M5 Competition to the construction of prediction intervals. We consider the choice of criteria used in the evaluations, the relative performance of designed and benchmark methods and the take-home lessons both for statistical forecasters and for those interested in forecasting retail sales.
MENTAL WORKLOAD AS A FUNCTION OF TRAFFIC DENSITY: COMPARISON OF PHYSIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SUBJECTIVE INDICES

High traffic density can be expected to increase the attentional processing requirements of driving. Establishing methods of assessing the differential demands placed on drivers by environmental variables has been the focus of a recent series of investigations. Results of an initial examination of the impact of traffic density on mental workload are reported here. The current investigation utilizes an array of methodological assessment techniques and compares the sensitivity of each to changes in attentional processing requirements as a function of driving task demand. Analogous versions of a visual and auditory sensory detection task were developed and used in a dual task paradigm involving simulated driving. P300 amplitude, though in the predicted direction, failed to distinguish between increased task demands resulting from increases in traffic density. Response time and accuracy to the detection task in both visual and auditory modalities demonstrated significant processing decrements as a function of increased traffic density. Subjective workload ratings obtained from the NASA TLX did not distinguish between driving task difficulty, but indicated that performing the visual detection task in combination with driving was perceived as more difficult than performing the concurrent auditory task. Implications of these results for modeling differential aspects of mental workload and for establishing workload assessment techniques for surface transportation environments are discussed.
Non-convex feature learning via l p, ∞ operator

We present a feature selection method for solving sparse regularization problem, which has a composite regularization of lp norm and l∞ norm. We use proximal gradient method to solve this lp, l∞ operator problem, where a simple but efficient algorithm is designed to minimize a relatively simple objective function, which contains a vector of l2 norm and l∞ norm. Proposed method brings some insight for solving sparsity-favoring norm, and extensive experiments are conducted to characterize the effect of varying p and to compare with other approaches on real world multi-class and multilabel datasets.
Principles of Steady-State Converter Analysis

In the previous chapter, the buck converter was introduced as a means of reducing the dc voltage, using only nondissipative switches, inductors, and capacitors. The switch produces a rectangular waveform v s (t) as illustrated in Fig. 2.1. The voltage v s (t) is equal to the dc input voltage V g when the switch is in position 1, and is equal to zero when the switch is in position 2. In practice, the switch is realized using power semiconductor devices, such as transistors and diodes, which are controlled to turn on and off as required to perform the function of the ideal switch. The switching frequency f s equal to the inverse of the switching period T s generally lies in the range of 1 kHz to 1 MHz, depending on the switching speed of the semiconductor devices. The duty ratio D is the fraction of time that the switch spends in position 1, and is a number between zero and one. The complement of the duty ratio, D′, is defined as (1 − D).
Principal time management skills: Explaining patterns in principals’ time use, job stress, and perceived effectiveness

Purpose – Time demands faced by school principals make principals’ work increasingly difficult. Research outside education suggests that effective time management skills may help principals meet job demands, reduce job stress, and improve their performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach – The authors administered a time management inventory to nearly 300 principals in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth-largest school district in the USA. The authors analyzed scores on the inventory descriptively and used them to predict time-use data collected via in-person observations, a survey-based measure of job stress, and measures of perceived job effectiveness obtained from assistant principals and teachers in the school. Findings – Principals with better time management skills allocate more time in classrooms and to managing instruction in their schools but spend less time on interpersonal relationship-building. Perhaps as a result of this trad...
The investment opportunity set and accounting procedure choice

Abstract This paper provides evidence on the cross-sectional relation between firms' investment opportunities, their debt and compensation contracts, their size and financial leverage, and their accounting procedure choices. This evidence is important, because previous studies hypothesize that the link between firms' investment opportunities and their accounting choices helps explain extant results on the size, debt/equity, and bonus plan hypotheses. However, while I find that firms' investment opportunities do affect the nature of their contracts. I also find that the ‘traditional’ explanations for accounting choice are important after controlling for the effects of the investment opportunity set.
Maxwell’s Demon, Szilard’s Engine and Quantum Measurements

We propose and analyze a quantum version of Szilard’s “one-molecule engine.” In particular, we recover, in the quantum context, Szilard’s conclusion concerning the free energy “cost” of measurements: ΔF⩾kBTln2 per bit of information.
Metabolism of 1,4-diaminobutane and spermidine in Escherichia coli: the effects of low temperature during storage and harvesting of cultures.

Abstract 1,4-Diaminobutane and spermidine are the predominant polyamines in Escherichia coli that are growing in log phase on minimal medium. Contrary to earlier reports, significant acetylation does not occur when E. coli is grown under these conditions. The intracellular amines are completely retained by the cell during logarithmic growth. There is no evidence of oxidative degradation or of significant loss to the medium. Significant acetylation of the amines has been found in two situations: (a) storage of a culture in the cold is associated with a continuous increase in the monoacetylspermidine at the expense of intracellular free spermidine; and (b) growth in a medium containing high concentrations of spermidine results in the conversion of a significant percentage of the cellular spermidine to monoacetylspermidine. Storage of a culture in the cold also leads to a progressive loss of 1,4-diaminobutane to the medium, resulting in a marked decrease in its cellular concentration.
Seeing is Believing, But What Do We See?

The Birth of the Cell. Henry Harris. Yale University Press, New Haven, 1999. 224 pp. $30. ISBN 0-300-07384-4. Paying particular attention to the original literature, Harris provides a history of the cell doctrine that illuminates the contributions of those who actually made the discoveries, not merely the better-known researchers who elaborated the theory.
Chondrolysis is not just a shoulder problem anymore: commentary on an article by Frank R. Noyes, MD, et al.: “The development of postoperative knee chondrolysis after intra-articular pain pump infusion of an anesthetic medication. A series of twenty-one cases”.

As orthopaedic surgeons in training, we were all taught about chondrolysis as it relates to the pediatric hip1. Unfortunately, another type of chondrolysis has surfaced in recent years with increased frequency. Most notably, this has been described in the shoulder2. Although exact trigger events have not been fully determined, the cases appear to be associated with primarily arthroscopic procedures, variable use of heat probe electrical devices, intra-articular pain pumps for postoperative pain control, prominent hardware, and infections1,2. The article by Noyes et al. brings to our attention a series of cases of chondrolysis of the knee that were presumed to be due to intra-articular pain pump usage and constant infusion of bupivacaine over a minimum of forty-eight hours after a surgical procedure. The authors report on twenty-one patients with a mean age of twenty-three years. As has been reported in studies of chondrolysis in the shoulder, this condition is unfortunately common in the …
The Demise of Queer Space? Resurgent Gentrification and the Assimilation of LGBT Neighborhoods

In the past forty years, gay and lesbian populations have established a visible presence in many cities, but recent gentrification has put pressure on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendere...
AN ESTIMATE OF THE SIZE ANL STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL PRODUCT OF THE EARLY ROMAN EMPIRE

On the basis of rough estimates from the expenditure as well as from the income side, it is suggested that the national product per head of the Roman Empire at the death of Augustus (AD 14) was somewhat below 400 sesterces (31 g gold) yielding an aggregate national product of fully HS 20 billion for a population of 55 million and that these figures were approximately valid from the late first century BC to the mid-second century AD. The share of government expenditures in national product was very low, probably not above five percent, and that of gross capital expenditures even lower, probably not in excess of two percent. An attempt is also made to appraise the concentration of personal income and it is estimated that the 600 senatorial families, representing approximately the top 0.04 per m of the population, received about 0.6 percent of total personal income while the share of the top three percent of income recipients was in the order of 20–25 percent of total personal incomes. The second part of the article compares these estimates as well as a few indicators of the standard of living and of welfare in the early Roman Empire with the corresponding figures for a few countries before the industrial revolution and for mid-20th century less developed countries.
Dynamic High-Resolution Ultrasound In Vivo Imaging of Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection

Background High-resolution ultrasound (HRU) imaging is a useful tool to study hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injected in the face. Objective To observe real-time injection of HA using HRU and describe behavior of the gel injection in various anatomic layers and the effect of massage. Methods Deep (preperiosteal), intermediate (subdermal), and superficial (dermal) injections of HA were performed in the supraclavicular area under ultrasonography visualization on a healthy volunteer. Videos were obtained during injection and static images at several time points, including during injection, immediately after injection, 5 minutes after massage of the treated area, and at 2 weeks after injection. Results During injection, dermally injected HA stayed within the dermis, increasing its echogenicity; subdermally injected HA formed multiple anechoic pearls; and preperiosteal HA produced a single anechoic bubble with diffuse margins. No vertical transection of the planes was observed during injection or after massage. Two-week postinjection imaging showed persistence of the varying HA morphology in each plane. Conclusions High-resolution ultrasound allows in vivo study of HA injection behavior. HA adopts different morphology within the tissue depending on the density and compliance of the tissues in the plane of injection.
Penetration of Cell Membranes and Synthetic Lipid Bilayers by Nanoprobes

Nanoscale devices have been proposed as tools for measuring and controlling intracellular activity by providing electrical and/or chemical access to the cytosol. Unfortunately, nanostructures with diameters of 50–500 nm do not readily penetrate the cell membrane, and rationally optimizing nanoprobes for cell penetration requires real-time characterization methods that are capable of following the process of membrane penetration with nanometer resolution. Although extensive work has examined the rupture of supported synthetic lipid bilayers, little is known about the applicability of these model systems to living cell membranes with complex lipid compositions, cytoskeletal attachment, and membrane proteins. Here, we describe atomic force microscopy (AFM) membrane penetration experiments in two parallel systems: live HEK293 cells and stacks of synthetic lipid bilayers. By using the same probes in both systems, we were able to clearly identify membrane penetration in synthetic bilayers and compare these events with putative membrane penetration events in cells. We examined membrane penetration forces for three tip geometries and 18 chemical modifications of the probe surface, and in all cases the median forces required to penetrate cellular and synthetic lipid bilayers with nanoprobes were greater than 1 nN. The penetration force was sensitive to the probe's sharpness, but not its surface chemistry, and the force did not depend on cell surface or cytoskeletal properties, with cells and lipid stacks yielding similar forces. This systematic assessment of penetration under various mechanical and chemical conditions provides insights into nanoprobe-cell interactions and informs the design of future intracellular nanoprobes.
Evidence for Site-Specific, Systematic Adaptation of Substance Prevention Curriculum With High-Risk Youths in Community and Alternative School Settings

The problem of substance use among older youth is of great concern, but has received little attention in prevention research. This may be due to the perception that prevention programming is developmentally inappropriate for older youth who are actively experimenting with substances. This project examined the differential effectiveness of youth-driven adaptations of the evidence-based prevention program, keepin' it REAL (KiR). The participating sites included a juvenile justice day program, a homeless shelter, four alternative high schools, low-income housing programs, an LGBTQ youth center, and a youth group on the Texas-Mexico border. In the project's first phase, high risk youth in community settings tailored KiR workbooks and videos to increase the relevance for their peers, older adolescents who are likely to have already initiated drug use. The second phase of the study, discussed here in detail, evaluates the effectiveness of the adapted versions of KiR compared with the original version and a comparison condition. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest posttest design with a 6-week follow-up. Youth also participated in focus groups. Both qualitative and quantitative data suggest that participants receiving the adapted version of the curriculum experienced greater improvement in acceptance and use of substances than youth in the other two groups.
What Is in a Name?: “Our French Law”

Sarah Hanley, professor of history and law, University of Iowa, studies legal his tory in early modern France . Her books and articles on constitutional history include The Lit de Justice of the Kings of France: Constitutional Ideology in Legend, Ritual, and Discourse (Princeton University Press, 1983; French ed., Aubier, 1991) and Les Femmes dans I'histoire: La loi sal ique (Indigo, 1994). She has written many articles on French law and litigation, and three of them, "Engendering the State: Family Formation and State Building in Early Modern France," French Historical Studies (1989; French trans., Politix: Revue des Sciences Sociales du Politique Sorbonne (1995); "Social Sites of Political Practice in France: Lawsuits, Civil Rights, and the Separation of Powers in Domestic and State Government, 1500-1800," American Historical Review (1997), and "The Jurisprudence of the Arrets: Marital Union Civil Society, and State Formation in France, 1550-1650," Law and History Review (2003), have won prizes across disciplinary lines from the Society for French Historical Studies (Koren Prize 1990), the American Political Science Association (Mary Parker Follett Award 1998), and the American Society for Legal History (William Surrency Prize 2004). She recently published "The Family, the State, and the Law in Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century France: The Political Ideology of Male Right versus an Early Theory of Natural Rights," Journal of Modern History (2006), and in a fifth edition, her opening chapter, "La Loi Salique," appears in Nouvelle Encyclopedic Politique et Historique des Femmes (Les Belles Lettres, 2010; 1st and 2nd French ed., Presses Universitaires de France 1997; English ed., Routledge, 2003; Spanish ed., Akal, 2010). Currently she is at work on two books, one on constitutional issues, The King's One Body: From the Fraudulent Salic Law to the Political Theory of Male Right in France, 1400-1700, the other treating law and litigation, The Social Sites of Political Practice in France: Law, Litigation, and Local Knowledge, 1500-1800.
Optofluidic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with nanoparticle-functionalized flow-through multihole capillary

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has emerged as a powerful analytical technique for direct detection of chemical and biological analytes because of high sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid response. Here we propose and develop a novel optofluidic SERS structure, i.e., nanoparticle-functionalized flow-through multihole capillary. This unique platform provides many advantages. First, its 3-dimensional (3-D) structure, similar to nanoporous aluminum membranes, nanoporous polymer monoliths, and photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), provides large surface area for the deposition of noble nanoparticles or nanoclusters to achieve high SERS intensity. Second, it has well-defined flow-through channels. It provides robust and controllable nanoparticle immobilization like PCFs, but much higher nanoparticle density thus large SERS-active sites due to large surface within the detection volume, and also enables fast and convenient analyte delivery for real-time, online detection. Third, the well-defined multihole capillary can also confine and transmit light along the longitudinal direction, accumulating large SERS signal like PCFs. Fourth, it is easy to integrate with other sensing platforms, such as label-free biosensors, to provide comprehensive information on molecular interaction. Moreover, the multihole capillary can be mass-produced easily and cost effectively using the fiber drawing method. In this report, using a capillary consisting of thousands of micrometer-sized holes adsorbed with gold nanoparticles, we investigated the proposed optofluidic SERS system using the transverse and longitudinal detection methods, where the SERS excitation and collection were perpendicular to and along the capillary, respectively. A detection limit better than 100 fM for rhodamine 6G was achieved with an enhancement factor exceeding 10 8 .
Working on a Public School Calendar: Personal Reflections on the Changing Role of a University Faculty Member in a Professional Development School.

As the movement to establish Professional Development Schools (PDSs) goes forward, one of the many issues to examine is the changing role of university faculty and the impact of that role on faculty members (Abdal-Haqq, 1998; Darling-Hammond, 1994; Teitel, 1994). What follows is a personal reflection about my experience as a university faculty member working in a PDS for over 5 years. It is important to examine the experiences of those of us (university faculty members) most close to the PDS work, as concern about the time and resources universities are investing in field-based work rather than in traditional teaching and scholarship is increasing. Most often, university faculty members involved in PDS work serve in the role of a "liaison." Although the title and responsibilities may differ among partnerships, most often one or more faculty members who repre-
‘We all meandered through our schooling…’: notes on Russian mathematics education in the early nineteenth century

This article addresses the reception of mathematics and mathematics education among the educated classes of Russian society during the first third of the nineteenth century.
Extending the range of pentasubstituted cyclopentadienyl compounds: The synthesis of a series of tetramethyl(alkyl or aryl)cyclopentadienes (Cp∗R), their iridium complexes and their catalytic activity for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

Abstract Tetramethyl(alky or aryl)cyclopentadienes were synthesized and the organometallic half-sandwich iridium complexes of the form [(η5-Cp∗R)Ir(aa)Cl], Cp∗R = tetramethyl(phenyl)cyclopentadienyl (Cp∗Ph), tetramethyl(benzyl)cyclopentadienyl (Cp∗Bn), tetramethyl(2-propyl)cyclopentadienyl (Cp∗iPr), or tetramethyl(cyclohexyl)cyclopentadienyl (Cp∗Cy) were prepared and characterized. The complexes adopt a piano stool configuration, forming diastereomers, with ratios similar to reported [(η5-Cp∗)Ir(aa)Cl] complexes. The complexes display an intermolecular hydrogen bonding network in the solid state. These complexes were tested for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of several ketones, showing that the R of the Cp∗R drastically impacts both selectivity and rate of reaction. Additionally, severe solvent effects are displayed when the reaction media is changed from aqueous to organic solvent.
Observations on the Epidemiology of the Delusional Misidentification Syndromes in the Boston Metropolitan Area: April 1983–June 1984

Delusional misidentification syndromes (DMS) are beginning to be well described clinically but little is known about their epidemiology. To try and obtain an estimate of their prevalence, a survey was performed of all admissions to a locked psychiatric inpatient unit from April 1983 to June 1984. 26 patients satisfied clinical criteria for DMS during this time and overall 835 patients were admitted to the unit. Thus, a crude prevalence of 3.1% was found. The median age of the patients was 29 years. The overwhelming majority had a principal psychiatric diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and only 2 of an affective disorder. By a small margin, most patients were male. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
Effects of Pseudophosphorylation of Rat Cardiac Troponin T Residue 204 are Differently Affected by α- and β-Myosin Heavy Chain Isoforms

We tested our hypothesis that α-myosin heavy chain (MHC) and β-MHC differently modulate the functional effects of protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated phosphorylation of rat cardiac troponin T (RcTnT). We generated a chimeric pseudophosphorylated RcTnT in which the threonine 204 was replaced by glutamic acid (cTnTT204E) to mimic the PKC-mediated phosphorylation effect. Recombinant proteins were reconstituted into detergent-skinned cardiac muscle fibers from normal rats expressing α-MHC or propylthiouracil-treated rats expressing β-MHC. Steady state measurements revealed that Ca2+-activated maximal tension and the corresponding ATPase activity decreased significantly by ∼75% in α-MHC+cTnTT204E fibers, but only by ∼33% in β-MHC+cTnTT204E fibers. However, the myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity (pCa50) decreased by ∼50% in both α-MHC+cTnTT204E and β-MHC+cTnTT204E fibers, suggesting that the greater decrease in maximal tension observed in α-MHC+cTnTT204E fibers cannot be merely attributed to the decrease in Ca2+-mediated activation of thin filaments. Interestingly, the rates of tension redevelopment (ktr), crossbridge (XB) recruitment dynamics (b), XB distortion dynamics (c), and the tension cost (ATPase rate/tension) decreased only in α-MHC+cTnTT204E fibers. Our results demonstrate that α- and β-MHC isoforms have different impact on the cTnTT204E-mediated effects on cardiac contractile function. Our novel observations have clinical relevance because increased activity of various PKC isoforms and upregulation of β-MHC are observed in failing human hearts.
Urinary prostaglandins: Site of entry into renal tubular fluid

Urinary prostaglandins: Site of entry into renal tubular fluid. The stop-flow technique was used in dogs to determine the site of entry of urinary prostaglandins (PG) into tubular fluid. The proximal tubule was localized by the peak (U/P PAH )/(U/P In ) and the distal tubule and collecting duct by the peak U/P In and the minimum (U/P Na )/(U/P In ). The peak of prostaglandin E (PGE) concentration was located 4.8 ± 0.8 (SEM) ml distal to the proximal tubule and 4.6 ± 0.8 (SEM) ml proximal to the distal nephron. At its peak, PGE was concentrated 6.3-fold over baseline, whereas inulin was concentrated 1.4-fold at its peak. The height of the PGE peak but not its location was increased by an i.v. infusion of angiotensin II at 20 ng/kg of body wt per min. Indomethacin abolished the PG peak. In a single experiment, prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2α ) exhibited an excretion pattern similar to PGE. These data indicate that the site of entry of PG into tubular fluid is most likely in the loop of Henle. This is consistent with the hypothesis that PG synthesized in the medulla can be transported to the cortex via tubular fluid. Whether PG in the tubular fluid can influence renal function remains to be determined. Prostaglandines urinaires: Lieu de penetration dans le liquide tabulaire renal. La technique de la diurese interrompue a ete employee chez le chien pour determiner le lieu de penetration des prostaglandines dans le liquide tubulaire. Le tube proximal a ete localise par le pic (U/P PAH )/(U/P In ) le tube distal et le canal collecteur par le pic U/P In et le minimum de (U/P Na )/(U/P In ). Le pic de concentration de prostaglandine E (PGE) est localise a 4,8 ± 0,8 (SEM) ml en aval du tube proximal et a 4,6 ± 0,8 (SEM) ml en amont du nephron distal. A son pic, PGE est concentree 6,3 fois par rapport a la valeur basale alors que l'inuline est concentree 1,4 fois a son pic. La hauteur du pic de PGE, mais non sa localisation, est accrue par la perfusion intraveineuse d'angiotensine II a 20 ng/kg/min. L'indomethacine abolit le pic de PGE. Dans une experience unique la prostaglandine F 2α (PGF 2α ) a montre un profil d'excretion semblable a celui de PGE. Ces resultats indiquent que le site de penetration des prostaglandines dans le liquide tubulaire est tres probablement l'anse de Henle. Cela est compatible avec l'hypothese du transport vers le cortex par le fluide tubulaire des prostaglandines synthetisees dans la medullaire. L'influence eventuelle des prostaglandines du liquide tubulaire sur le fonctionnement renal reste a determiner.
A preliminary review of bone and teeth abnormalities seen in recent Loxodonta and extinct Mammuthus and Mammut, and suggested implications

During over 30 years of actualistic fieldwork in Zimbabwe's wildlife reserves, a range of pathological or anomalous bone, tusk, and tooth specimens have been observed in a sample of over a thousand skeletons of African elephant (Loxodonta africana). This paper describes some specimens to compare them with similar prehistoric examples seen in mammoth and mastodon assemblages, and suggests possibly similar causes and ecological implications.
Carotid artery stenosis.

Qureshi and colleagues report the results of a prospective longitudinal pilot registry to test the short-term (30-day) and intermediate-term (1-year) safety and efficacy of a novel coiled sheet stent used for extracranial carotid artery (CA) angioplasty and stent placement. The major advantage of this new stent, compared with current stent designs, apparently lies in its improved flexibility and maneuverability. Treatment was attempted in 45 patients who had high-grade internal CA stenosis (� 70% according to North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial [NASCET] criteria) with or without symptoms; the patient cohort had multiple medical comorbidities that are usually associated with CA stenosis. The primary outcome was a technically successful stent placement that produced less than 30% stenosis on angiograms with no incidence of mortality or ipsilateral stroke within 30 days. Most patients (35 of 45) were observed for 1 year for ipsilateral stroke and recurrent stenosis (� 70%) by using Doppler ultrasonography. Effective delivery of the stent was achieved in 44 of 45 patients. It is not clear why the one patient in whom the authors were unable to pass a guidewire for stent delivery was not included as an example of primary outcome treatment failure in the intent-to-treat analysis. Inclusion of this patient would change the primary outcome measure from 93 to 91%. Among the 44 patients who underwent stent placement, within 30 days there were two ipsilateral strokes (4.5%), two transient ischemic attacks (4.5%), and two deaths (4.5%), one of which occurred in a patient who suffered a stroke. These stroke rates are comparable to those previously reported by Roubin, et al., 7 in a prospective longitudinal registry of CA angioplasty and stent placement, in which the 30-day stroke and death rate was 7.4%. The rates are also comparable to those of a larger retrospective analysis, 8 in which the 30-day stroke and death rate was reported to be 5.1%. In the current study, although primary outcome was restricted to ipsilateral stroke, an additional vertebrobasilar stroke occurred within 30 days. Thus, the total 30day incidence of cerebral ischemia in patients who received the stent was 11.3% (strokes 6.8%, transient ischemic attacks 4.5%). Distal protection devices were not used in the current study. Presumably, their use would lower the incidence of cerebral ischemia, although direct proof of this is lacking.
Obstructing toxin pathways by targeted pore blockage.

The focus of this review is on the biophysical studies of the channel-forming bacterial toxins that shed light upon the mechanisms of their toxicity and propose new approaches to block their virulent action. Extensive data on the structural features of these toxins, the mechanisms of their secretion, proteolytic activation, extracellular receptors, enzymatic intracellular action, and cellular responses will be mostly omitted here. We refer our reader to several excellent specialized books and reviews that cover this material in the finest detail1–15. 1.1. Channel-blocking and channel-forming toxins In the course of evolution, Nature created numerous toxins, which selectively target ion channels of excitable cells16–18. Regardless of which version of Cleopatra's self-poisoning is true, the toxin-triggered modification of channel function was certainly involved. She either suffered from intoxication following blockage of her ligand-gated channels by the Egyptian cobra venom or from poisonous action of the chloride channel inhibitor extracted from cicuta. Numerous studies of the neurotoxins' biological functions allowed not only for deeper understanding of the structural and functional features of several channels of excitable membranes, but also for developing the pharmaceutical approaches to use these toxins for therapeutic purposes. Conversely, among the great variety of virulence factors secreted by different organisms, there is a significant group of toxins (mostly bacterial) that, instead of blocking channels, are able to form ion-conductive pores in membranes of the targeted cells. For most of them, there are no antidotes or antitoxins developed and approved for human use. At the same time, one of the possible ideas to target the bacterial exotoxins is quite simple. Following Nature, which created the channel-inhibiting toxins, it should be possible to design the potent antitoxins specifically blocking the conductive pathways of the channel-forming toxins with an ultimate goal to defend from the cytotoxic action of these agents. This idea is neither preposterous nor new. Indeed, amantadine, the small-molecule blocker of the tetrameric proton-selective M2 channel from the viral envelope of influenza A virus19–21 had been approved for human use back in 1965. Interestingly, even though amantadine is no longer recommended by the CDC for use to treat seasonable influenza due to developed antidrug resistance, the exact mechanism of the amantadine interaction with the M2 channel is still a matter of debates22–29. Even so, the M2 channel is the main target for virtual screening for powerful channel blockers30–34. Therefore, the idea to design and develop the effective blockers of the channels formed by bacterial toxins in target membranes enjoys a well-appreciated attention. Not being able to use the evolutionary path, we can employ the modern single-molecule biophysical approaches to study the pore-forming toxins and their potential inhibitors.
Power through Struggle in Introductory Statistics.

Abstract Traditional classroom instruction consists of teacher-centered learning in which the instructor presents course material through lectures. A recent trend in higher education is the implementation of student-centered learning in which students take a more active role in the learning process. The purpose of this article is to describe the discomfort one teacher and her students encountered when teaching and learning statistics in a student-centered learning environment. It is meant to illustrate that although asking her students to take a more active role in one section of a statistics course was more uncomfortable than lecturing in another section, the students in this professor's student-centered section may have actually benefited in other ways. We present descriptions of reflections from both the teacher and the students from both sections.
HYPERTENSION AND CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY

Intraoperative hypertension poses a common clinical problem for practicing anesthesiologists. Conventional teaching has stated that significant preoperative hypertension is reason to delay elective surgery pending better medical control. Proponents of this approach point to reports of exaggerated intraoperative hemodynamic variation, relative intravascular volume depletion, and increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebral morbidity. During cardiac surgery, intraoperative control of acute hypertension is essential to reduce bleeding from suture lines, improve visualization and operating conditions, and reduce myocardial wall tension and subsequent oxygen consumption. Data to support either the preoperative control of moderate levels of hypertension before surgery or the correlation between intraoperative levels of blood pressure and cardiovascular morbidity are lacking. Although control of extreme levels of hypertension may be beneficial, the effect of intervention at lesser levels is less certain. Questions remain: What levels of hypertension require preoperative treatment? What should the target blood pressure be? This article examines what is known and tries to answer these questions.
Vibrational energy partitioning in the reaction of F atoms with NH3 and ND3

An extensive study of the F + NH 3 (ND 3 ) reaction has been undertaken using a variant of the low-pressure-infrared chemiluminescence technique. The effect of the HF(DF) vibrational distributions and total populations of increasing atomic and molecular flows was investigated. Experiments were also performed which demonstrated the effect on the distributions of both gas-phase collisions and collisions with NH 4 F-coated surfaces in this system. The results indicate that the initial vibrational distribution of the HF(DF) is not inverted. As F-atom densities are increased, a substantial contribution to the observed results from the secondary reaction: F + NH 2 (ND 2 ) → HF(DF) + NH(ND) gives rise to an inverted vibrational distribution in the product HF(DF). These results and the experimental methods are described in detail.
Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems in Education: Potential Promise or Threat to Teachers?

(1987). Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems in Education: Potential Promise or Threat to Teachers? Educational Media International: Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 96-104.
Ecdysteroid action on moth epithelial tissues and cell lines

The spontaneous formation of multicellular, fluid-filled vesicles in primary cultures of pupal wings of Hyalophora cecropia is inhibited by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-OH-ecdysone). Physiological levels of ecdysteroids inhibit the ability of larval hemolymph to induce such vesicles in an established cell line (IAL-TND1) derived from imaginal discs of Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). This cell line grew as vesicles for its first year in culture even in the absence of hemolymph, but then converted to growing as multicellular aggregates. Aggregate-conditioned media but not vesicle-conditioned or control media displayed ecdysteroid activity in an imaginal disc bioassay. Larval hemolymph had no influence on the imaginal discs' response to ecdysteroids. Hence, its action in promoting vesicle formation is not to prevent the action of ecdysteroids. We postulate that the change in morphology of TND1 cell cultures from vesicles to aggregates was accompanied by their attaining (or enhancing) the capacity to produce ecdysteroids.
Effects of low doses of dietary lead on red blood cell production in male and female mice.

Abstract The effect of lead (Pb) ingestion on hematological parameters in male and female Swiss mice was assessed. Eight different doses of Pb were administered through preparation of different feeds. The levels of Pb in the diet were designed to provide exposure below (0.6 to 2.0–13 μg/dl) normal background. One litter of mice was exposed to each Pb dose, with the mother given the feed 1 day after mating, and the mother and offspring continuing to receive the feed until the litter was 90 days old. Male and female mice receiving below normal background levels of dietary Pb displayed enhanced red blood cell (RBC) production as measured by increased numbers of RBC and increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values. However, as the blood Pb levels approached 10 μg/dl there was a marked decrease in RBC production. These findings are significant since Pb was biologically active in a stimulating manner below typical background levels (2.0 μg/dl) while adversely effecting red cell synthesis at above background levels (7.0–13 μg/dl) encountered in the environment by humans.
Identifying the components of the elusive mitochondrial permeability transition pore

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) describes an inducible activity that regulates solute exchange between mitochondrial matrix contents and the surrounding cytoplasm, which acutely leads to loss of mitochondrial inner membrane potential but eventually organelle swelling and rupture. Mitochondrial rupture due to prolonged MPTP engagement, which is often the result of ischemic cellular injury due to elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels and reactive oxygen species, underlies regulated necrotic cell death. An understanding of the molecular constituents that generate the MPTP, as well as the other proteins that can affect it, is of profound disease relevance. However, the molecular identity of the MPTP has been the subject of a protracted scientific debate for nearly three decades. In PNAS, Alavian et al. make a strong case that the c-subunit of the F1FO ATP synthase forms the inner mitochondrial membrane pore of the MPTP (1).