cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF A FAMILY OF INWARD RECTIFIER POTASSIUM CHANNELS

Five new members of the two-transmembrane domain potassium channel family have been identified from rat brain, heart and skeletal muscle. The channel mRNAs are differentially expressed and found in both the central nervous system and periphery. Expression of two of these channels in Xenopus oocytes gave rise to inwardly rectifying potassium currents which were voltage-dependently blocked by barium and cesium. Voltage command pulses negative to Ek evoked inward currents which rapidly reached a peak amplitude and relaxed to a steady-state level. The quantity of current relaxation differed in the two channels and was increased at more negative potentials. The degree of current rectification was also different for the two channels. The results demonstrate the existence of a large and widely expressed family of inward rectifier potassium channel subunits with distinct tissue distributions and functional properties.
Review and Perspectives of the Recent International Guidelines on Treatment of Chronic Urticaria

Management of urticaria can be challenging, and various guidelines have been published by national and international societies. The most recent set of international guidelines, the EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/WAO guideline, seeks to define and classify urticaria as well as recommend diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in common subtypes of urticaria. This review aims to summarize treatment recommendations and provide additional perspectives on these recommendations. The EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/WAO guideline recommends a four-step approach to treatment of chronic urticaria: (1) second-generation antihistamines, (2) increase second-generation antihistamine up to fourfold, (3) add omalizumab, and (4) add cyclosporine. While cyclosporine has been determined to be effective in a recent meta-analysis, a careful analysis of the evidence indicates low-quality evidence. The most recent version of the EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/WAO guideline outlines definitions as well as diagnostic and treatment strategies for urticaria and its subtypes. While all of the recommendations are not agreed upon by all international allergy societies, there are many areas of consensus. Omalizumab is recommended before cyclosporine in the treatment algorithm. More studies are needed to provide further guidance with respect to alternative urticaria treatments.
Aspiration thrombectomy for acute iliofemoral or central deep venous thrombosis.

Abstract Objective The use of catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) may provide clinical benefit in patients with acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT), but significant doubt remains about its indications and risks. We assessed technical success in resolution of acute iliofemoral or central DVT after single-session treatment with a novel mechanical aspiration thrombectomy device as an alternative to initiation of CDT. Methods This was a single-center retrospective review of patients with acute iliofemoral or central DVT treated with the Indigo continuous aspiration mechanical thrombectomy 8 system (Penumbra, Inc, Alameda, Calif) from 2016 to 2017. The primary outcome was technical success, defined as resolution of >70% of thrombus without need for postaspiration CDT, as an initial or adjunctive treatment. Secondary end points included DVT recurrence and treatment complications. Results There were 10 patients (50% male) with a median age of 44 years (range, 19-68 years). Indication for treatment was DVT (n = 4), recurrent DVT (n = 1), stent thrombosis (n = 3), high-grade extrinsic narrowing of the inferior vena cava (IVC) due to immunoglobulin G4-related disease (n = 1), and IVC obstruction from liver tumor invasion (n = 1). Five patients had underlying May-Thurner syndrome. Five patients had iliofemoral involvement, two iliocaval, and one iliac vein alone. Two patients had central DVT, one of them involving the IVC and one involving the superior vena cava with brachiocephalic extension. Aspiration thrombectomy was technically successful in a total of six patients. Success was achieved in five of eight patients as the initial or main treatment modality and as an adjunctive treatment in one of two patients. Of the four patients in whom aspiration thrombectomy was not successful, three underwent successful further treatment with CDT. Recurrence after successful aspiration was seen in two patients. One patient developed pulmonary embolism that required no additional treatment. One patient experienced severe headaches treated with oral analgesics. Conclusions We observed a technical success of 60% for acute iliofemoral and central DVT with an aspiration thrombectomy system that allowed definitive treatment in one setting. As a novel therapy, this avoided the need for thrombolysis in the majority of selected cases with no bleeding complications and is a promising technique for acute DVT management.
Labor radicalism and the local politics of Chinese exclusion: Mayor Jacob Weisbach and the Tacoma Chinese expulsion of 1885

The 1885 Chinese expulsion from Tacoma, Washington Territory highlights the importance of local political economy in shaping how a wider anti-Chinese movement played out in a particular community. ...
Incidence of thromboembolic events (TEEs) before and during chemotherapy of patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma (AG-GEJC) on clinical trials

4073 Background: TEEs are associated with AG-GEJC and chemotherapy can further increase its incidence. We assessed TEEs before and during protocol chemotherapy for AG-GEJC patients. Methods: Patien...
Releasing the Net to Promote Minority Faculty Success in Academic Medicine

Underrepresented minority faculty in academic medicine continue to be underrepresented in academic health centers across the country. Their underrepresentation impacts advancements in clinical care, education, and discovery and slows our forward progress in the field. Underrepresented in medicine faculty includes people who are black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, or Native American. Barriers to underrepresented faculty recruitment, retention, and advancement include minority and gratitude taxes, imposter syndrome, and a lack of an appreciation of power distance and distance traveled. This article reviews five barriers to progress in achieving appropriate diversity among faculty and leadership of academic health centers, focusing on the multiplying effects of these barriers and potential steps forward.
Core-Needle Biopsy

The advent of stereotactic and ultrasound (US) guidance combined with the development of automatic, easy-to-use core-needle biopsy (CNB) devices marked the beginning of a new era in the field of imaging-guided percutaneous breast biopsy. The various automatic and manual devices available for CNB and their mechanisms are described. The complete standard technique of the CNB procedure is detailed from the preparation of the patient to the processing of the cores. A large section is devoted to the documentation of the procedure. Artifacts, errors, and pitfalls in the performance of US-guided CNB are discussed along with their solutions. Finally, an original technique of US-guided CNB of the skin is presented.
To assess the impact of Sepsis Risk Calculator (SRC) in safely reducing antibiotic usage and lab tests in infants evaluated for early onset sepsis (EOS) in high risk population

Background: Infants at risk for early onset sepsis (EOS) are evaluated based on current CDC/AAP guidelines (newborn nursery protocol). However, many well-appearing infants receive unnecessary empiric antibiotics despite extremely low incidence of EOS. Quantitative risk-based prediction models such as Kaiser Permanente's Sepsis Risk Calculator (SRC)®, is an effort to minimize antibiotic exposure in this cohort. It is not certain however,that SRC will function equally well among high-risk population of infants whose mothers have a high rate of limited to no prenatal care (PNC). Objective: To assess the rate of antibiotic …
The Program with a Personality: Analysis of Elk Cloner, the First Personal Computer Virus.

Although self-replicating programs and viruses have existed since the 1960s and 70s, Elk Cloner was the first virus to circulate among personal computers in the wild. Despite its historical significance, it received comparatively little attention when it first appeared in 1982. In this paper, we: present the first detailed examination of the operation and structure of Elk Cloner; discuss the effect of environmental characteristics on its virulence; and provide supporting evidence for several hypotheses about why its release was largely ignored in the early 1980s.
Mechanisms of Spontaneous Curvature Inversion in Compressed Graphene Ripples for Energy Harvesting Applications via Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Electrically conductive, highly flexible graphene membranes hold great promise for harvesting energy from ambient vibrations. For this study, we built numerous three-dimensional graphene ripples, with each featuring a different amount of compression, and performed molecular dynamics simulations at elevated temperatures. These ripples have a convex cosine shape, then spontaneously invert their curvature to concave. The average time between inversion events increases with compression. We use this to determine how the energy barrier height depends on strain. A typical convex-to-concave curvature inversion process begins when the ripple’s maximum shifts sideways from the normal central position toward the fixed outer edge. The ripple’s maximum does not simply move downward toward its concave position. When the ripple’s maximum moves toward the outer edge, the opposite side of the ripple is pulled inward and downward, and it passes through the fixed outer edge first. The ripple’s maximum then quickly flips to the opposite side via snap-through buckling. This trajectory, along with local bond flexing, significantly lowers the energy barrier for inversion. The large-scale coherent movement of ripple atoms during curvature inversion is unique to two-dimensional materials. We demonstrate how this motion can induce an electrical current in a nearby circuit.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the hypothalamo-pituitary region

The diagnosis and management of mass lesions in the sellar and parasellar areas remain challenging. When approaching patients with possible sellar or hypothalamic masses, it is important not only to focus on imaging but also detect possible pituitary hormone deficits or excess, in order to establish an appropriate diagnosis and initiate treatment. The imaging modalities used to characterize hypothalamic and pituitary lesions have significantly evolved over the course of the past several years. Computed tomography (CT) and CT angiography play a major role in detecting various sellar lesions, especially in patients who have contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and can also yield important information for surgical planning. However, MRI has become the gold standard for the detection and characterization of hypothalamic and pituitary tumors, infections, cystic, or vascular lesions. Indeed, the imaging characteristics of hypothalamic and sellar lesions can help narrow down the differential diagnosis preoperatively. In addition, MRI can help establish the relationship of mass lesions to surrounding structures. A pituitary MRI examination should be obtained if there is concern for mass effect (including visual loss, ophthalmoplegia, headache) or if there is clinical suspicion and laboratory evidence of either hypopituitarism or pituitary hormone excess. The information obtained from MRI images also provides us with assistance in planning surgery. Using intraoperative MRI can be very helpful in assessing the adequacy of tumor resection. In addition, MRI images yield reliable data that allow for noninvasive monitoring of patients postoperatively.
Novel Targets of Drug Treatment for Pulmonary Hypertension

Biomedical advances over the last decade have identified the central role of proliferative pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Furthermore, promoters of proliferation and apoptosis resistance in PASMCs and endothelial cells, such as aberrant signal pathways involving growth factors, G protein-coupled receptors, kinases, and microRNAs, have also been described. As a result of these discoveries, PH is currently divided into subgroups based on the underlying pathology, which allows focused and targeted treatment of the condition. The defining features of PH, which subsequently lead to vascular wall remodeling, are dysregulated proliferation of PASMCs, local inflammation, and apoptosis-resistant endothelial cells. Efforts to assess the relative contributions of these factors have generated several promising targets. This review discusses recent novel targets of therapies for PH that have been developed as a result of these advances, which are now in pre-clinical and clinical trials (e.g., imatinib [phase III]; nilotinib, AT-877ER, rituximab, tacrolimus, paroxetine, sertraline, fluoxetine, bardoxolone methyl [phase II]; and sorafenib, FK506, aviptadil, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) [phase I]). While substantial progress has been made in recent years in targeting key molecular pathways, PH still remains without a cure, and these novel therapies provide an important conceptual framework of categorizing patients on the basis of molecular phenotype(s) for effective treatment of the disease.
Prenatal diagnosis of open neural tube defects.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the prenatal diagnosis of open neural tube defects (NTD). Spina bifida and anencephaly, which collectively account for nearly all NTD, are serious fetal malformations resulting from incomplete closure of the neural tube during embryogenesis. The two occur in approximately a 1:1 ratio, and roughly 20% of spina bifida lesions are skin-covered. Mean alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations in amniotic fluid fall steadily throughout the second trimester, emphasizing the need to document gestational age before interpreting test results. AFP is the major fetal serum protein during the early weeks of pregnancy, occurring in concentrations as high as 300 mg/100 ml at the twelfth week of gestation. It is found that about 40% of anencephalic and 20% of open spina bifida pregnancies are associated with bloodstaining. Brown samples also appear on occasion. These latter rarely have intact red cells but may have detectable hemoglobin F. Rather than being procedure-related, these brown samples are felt to indicate an earlier spontaneous hemorrhage. A report indicates that identification of a specific molecular form of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in amniotic fluid can be useful both in diagnosing neural tube defects and in identifying false-positive AFP results.
The Effect of Deficit-Reduction Laws on Real Interest Rates

This paper uses news reports about two deficit-reduction laws of the past decade to identify days when expected fiscal policy clearly became more or less expansionary. The paper also proposes a technique for identifying whether the real interest rate increased or decreased on those days, based on changes in the nominal interest rate, the exchange rate, commodity prices, and stock prices. As economic theory predicts, higher expected government spending and budget deficits raised real interest rates and the value of the dollar, while lower expected spending and deficits reduced real rates and the value of the dollar.
Differential effects of single-sex versus coed education on the mathematical reasoning ability, verbal reasoning ability, and self-concept of high school girls

OF THE DISSERTATION DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF SINGLE-SEX VERSUS COED EDUCATION ON THE MATHEMATICAL REASONING ABILITY, VERBAL REASONING ABILITY, AND SELF-CONCEPT OF HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
FPGA-based vector processor for algebraic equation solvers

In this paper, a vector unit tightly coupled with a five-stage pipelined scalar processor is designed and implemented on an FPGA platform. This system supports IEEE 754 single-precision floating-point calculations and sparse matrix operations. The W-matrix linear equation solution method for sparse systems is run on this vector processor. The obtained performance demonstrates that large linear algebraic equations, a great challenge to general-purpose processors, can be solved efficiently on our vector processor
ALCOHOL-SOLUBLE PROTEIN OF MICROORGANISMS

Pine, Martin J. (Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, N.Y.). Alcohol-soluble protein of microorganisms. J. Bacteriol. 85:301–305. 1963.—In two microbial systems, new protein synthesis has been reported to take place at the expense of a disappearing alcohol-soluble protein fraction. Studies were made to characterize the fraction and assess its storage function in Escherichia coli. Synthesis of the fraction does not cease promptly on sulfur depletion but overshoots initially and maintains a preferential rate of turnover. The fraction is probably of heterogeneous composition. It does not disappear during starvation but interacts with acid-insoluble metaphosphate accumulating in high levels as a peculiar consequence of sulfur deficiency. Solubility interactions with proteins of cell extracts are demonstrable with a number of polyanions, including teichoic acid. It is concluded that previous studies of transformations of microbial alcohol-soluble proteins are artifactitious.
Sub-linear time compressed sensing using sparse-graph codes

We consider the problem of recovering the support of an arbitrary K-sparse N-length vector in the presence of noise, where the sparsity K = O(Nδ) is sub-linear in N for some 0 < δ < 1. A new family of sparse measurement matrices is introduced with a low-complexity recovery algorithm, which achieves a sub-linear measurement cost O(K log1.3 N) and sub-linear computational complexity O(K log1.3 N). Our measurement system is designed to capture observations of the signal through the parity constraints of sparse-graph codes, and to recover the signal by using a simple peeling decoder. We formally connect general sparse recovery problems with sparse-graph decoding, and showcase our design in terms of the measurement cost, computational complexity and recovery performance.
A tree approach to options pricing under regime-switching jump diffusion models

A simple, efficient tree is developed to price options in a very general regime-switching jump diffusion model. Under this model, the switching rates of the switching process depend on the underlying stock price process. Sufficient conditions that guarantee the positivity of branch probabilities are provided. Using the regime-switching tree, we approximate Heston's stochastic volatility model with an additional jump component. Finally, we illustrate the effectiveness of the tree method by several numerical examples.
Partial Molar Volumes of 13 Gases in Water at 298.15 K and 303.15 K

The partial molar volumes of N2, O2, He, Ar, H2, CH4, C3H8, n-C4H10, i-C4H10, CCl2F2, and CClF3 were determined in water at 298.15 K and 303.15 K and 1.013 bar. The measurements were made using a vibrating tube densimeter.
Metropolitan structure and neighborhood attainment: exploring intermetropolitan variation in racial residential segregation.

Using data from the 1981, 1991, and 2001 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and several decennial censuses, we examine how characteristics of metropolitan areas are associated with black and white households’ neighborhood racial composition. Results from hierarchical linear models show that about 20% to 40% of the variation in the percentage of households’ tract population that is non-Hispanic white or non-Hispanic black exists across metropolitan areas. Over time, white households’ exposure to non-Hispanic white neighbors has declined, and their exposure to non-Hispanic black neighbors has increased; the reverse trends are observed for blacks. These trends cannot be attributed to changes in the ecological structure of metropolitan areas. Blacks have fewer white neighbors in large metropolitan areas containing sizable minority populations, and blacks have more white neighbors in metropolitan areas with high government employment. Whites have more black neighbors in metropolitan areas with high levels of government employment and ample new housing; whites have fewer black neighbors in metropolitan areas with a high level of municipal fragmentation. The association between metropolitan-area percentage black and tract percentage black is weaker among whites than among blacks, suggesting that whites are especially motivated to self-segregate in metropolitan areas with large black populations.
Microvascular decompression of the left lateral medulla oblongata for severe refractory neurogenic hypertension.

Objective To demonstrate that microvascular decompression of the left medulla oblongata is a safe and effective modality for treating elevated blood pressure in patients with severe medically refractory "essential" hypertension (HTN). Methods Twelve patients with medically intractable HTN with or without autonomic dysreflexia underwent microvascular decompression of the left rostral ventrolateral medulla oblongata. Causes such as pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, and renal disease were ruled out before surgery. Indications for surgery included systolic blood pressures greater than 180 mm Hg refractory to three or more medications, severe blood pressure lability, or medically resistant HTN at systolic pressures greater than 160 mm Hg associated with autonomic dysreflexia and/or magnetic resonance images demonstrating left medullary compression. The median age and follow-up duration were 51 years and 4.1 years, respectively. Results Ten of 12 patients experienced reductions in systolic blood pressure greater than 20 mm Hg. Of these 10 patients, pressure reductions were temporary (6 mo) in two. Seven of eight patients experienced improvement in blood pressure lability and/or autonomic dysreflexia, with five patients showing sustained improvements. Conclusion Microvascular decompression of the left rostral ventrolateral medulla oblongata may be an effective treatment modality for patients suffering from severe HTN and/or autonomic dysreflexia refractory to medical management.
Ethics Education and Training in the Public Service

This paper contrasts two concepts of ethics education or training of public administrators. One concept, expressed by Daniel Callahan, advocates that ethics education should improve public officials' ability to recognize and analyze ethical issues but should not indoctrinate them or attempt to change their moral behavior. The other concept, expressed by Dalton Lee, argues that normative training should go beyond rational analysis of ethical theory to inculcate moral behavior in public officials.We argue that both concepts rely upon the assumption that ethical values cannot be derived through purely rational or empirical analysis. We maintain that, rather than accepting or rejecting a questionable assumption to determine practice, we should allow practice to itself confirm or deny the assumption. We therefore recommend rationally and empirically based ethics education with the intent of improving ethical behavior. The success or failure of such education provides evidence for or against the questionable as...
TH-E-BRA-07: Initial Experience with the ViewRay System - Quality Assurance Testing of the Imaging Component

Purpose: The ViewRay system is a MRI‐guided radiotherapy system. The first commercial ViewRay system (pending 510(k) clearance) is under installation at our institution. In this work, we present initial quality assurancetesting of the 0.35T MR imaging component of the ViewRay system. Methods:Quality assurancetesting was performed on an ACR phantom following ACR recommendations. All testing was performed prior to installation of the 60Co sources. The phantom was placed at the isocenter of the MRI scanner. Sagittal localizer, axial T1 and T2 weighted scans were acquired. For all 3 scans, FOV was 250mm×250mm and the acquisition matrix was 256×256. TR and TE were 200ms and 20ms for the localizer, 500ms and 20ms for the T1 scan, and 2000ms and 20ms(80ms) for the T2 scan. The Localizer and T1 scan used spin echo acquisition and the T2 scan used double spin echo acquisition. 25 averages were used for T1 acquisition and 9 averages were used for T2 acquisition. The T1 scan was repeated with the prescan normalization option turned off to estimate the percent ghosting. Seven tests were performed including geometric accuracy, spatial resolution, slice thickness, slice position accuracy, image intensity uniformity, percent ghosting and low contrast detectability. Results: All tests passed the ACR recommended criteria. The results and specifications (in parentheses) are listed below. Geometric accuracy was 148.6mm (148mm±2mm) and 190.2mm (190mm±2mm). Spatial resolution was 0.9mm ( 87.5%). Percent ghosting was 0.0016 (<0.025). Low contrast detectability was 10 and 13 (=9). Conclusions: Although the ViewRay system is not designed for diagnostic purposes, our initial experience with its imaging component showed promising results. Quality assurancetesting will be repeated following installation of the 60Co to confirm imaging performance.
Reprint of: Structural, electronic and acid/base properties of [Ru(bpy)(bpy(OH) 2 ) 2 ] 2+ (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine, bpy(OH) 2 =4,4′-dihydroxy-2,2′-bipyridine)

Abstract The development of metal complexes with pH dependent ligands could lead to useful design principles in altering catalysis. We have synthesized the complex [Ru(bpy)(bpy(OH)2)2]2+ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, bpy(OH)2 = 4,4′-dihydroxy-2,2′-bipyridine) to better understand how the hydroxyl groups influence the electronic and structural properties of the complex as a function of protonation state. Both experimental and computational methods were utilized to study the complex in the protonated and deprotonated state. The most notable difference observed by X-ray diffraction studies, as well as by computational structural analysis, is the shortening of the modified ligand’s C–O bond length upon deprotonation due to increasing double bond character by resonance. Cyclic voltammetry studies of the complex revealed a 0.96 V decrease in RuIII/II potential upon deprotonation. Only one ligand redox wave is observed when deprotonated, assigned to the unmodified bpy ligand. The absorption spectrum of protonated [Ru(bpy)(bpy(OH)2)2]2+ is similar to that of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ with typical metal to ligand charge transfer bands at approximately 460 nm. Upon deprotonation, the absorption spectrum shifts dramatically, exhibiting a 4504 cm−1 red shift from λmax = 468 nm to λmax = 593 nm in acetonitrile. Computational studies indicate that the bpy(O−)2 ligand’s orbitals heavily mix with the Ru d-orbitals, leading to mixed metal–ligand to ligand charge transfer transitions. Luminescence studies reveal absolute quenching of the excited state upon deprotonation in accordance with the energy gap law. These studies alongside results from the previously studied [Ru(bpy)2(bpy(OH)2)]2+ and [Ru(bpy(OH)2)3]2+ complexes, provide useful insight into the impact of increasing electron donation to the metal center.
Effect of statin therapy on contrast-induced nephropathy after coronary angiography: A meta-analysis

Abstract Background Although the pleiotropic effects of statins are postulated to be renoprotective, clinical studies have demonstrated conflicting results. We undertook a meta-analysis of published trials to evaluate the impact of statin therapy on the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases through December 2010 for articles evaluating the effect of statins on the incidence of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random effects modeling. Results Three randomized controlled trials involving 770 patients (330 in the statin group and 340 in the control group) and 7 non-randomized studies involving 31,959 patients (11,936 statin-pretreated and 20,023 statin-naive). The definition of CIN varied somewhat among the studies. Based on the pooled estimate across the 3 randomized controlled trials, statin therapy did not significantly reduce the incidence of CIN compared to control (OR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.41–1.41, p =0.39). No significant heterogeneity was found in the randomized studies (I 2 =0%, p =0.48). The pooled analysis of the non-randomized studies showed a marginally significant benefit associated with statin therapy (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.36–1.00, p =0.05). There was significant heterogeneity among the non-randomized studies (I 2 =88%, p Conclusions Our meta-analysis suggests that statin therapy might be associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Further studies are warranted to clarify this issue.
Twin Tragedies in the Twin Cities: Childhood Lead Poisoning and the Loss of Affordable Rental Housing

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that the Minnesota lead policy had on affordable rental housing in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Questionnaires were sent to 487 owners of property in those cities who were issued lead orders in 1994 or 1995; 147 questionnaires were returned. There was a significant difference in the implementation of the state policy by the two cities. Lead orders written by the City of Minneapolis required more work, more complex work, and higher costs than did the lead orders written by the City of St. Paul. Orders issued by St. Paul were more in line with hazard reduction (lead-safe) activities, whereas those issued by Minneapolis were more in line with abatement (lead-free) activities. In Minneapolis, there was a significantly greater loss of affordable housing units through abandonment by the property owner, condemnation by the city, increased vacancy periods, and changes in the affordability level.
Harmonic Analysis of a Space Vector PWM Inverter Using the Method of Multiple Pulses

A method used to determine the harmonic components of the output of a space vector PWM inverter is presented. The method calculates the Fourier coefficients of individual positive and negative pulses of the output PWM waveform and adds them together using the principle of superposition to calculate the Fourier coefficients of the entire PWM output signal. This method allows direct calculation of harmonic magnitudes and angles without having to use linear approximations, look-up tables, or Bessel functions. The method presented is a general method that can easily be extended to other types of multilevel inverters and PWM schemes.
Behavioral Changes and Dopaminergic Dysregulation in Mice Lacking the Nuclear Receptor Rev-erbα

The regulation of behavior by the molecular components of the circadian clock is not well understood. Here we report that mice lacking the nuclear receptor Rev-erbα, a potent transcriptional repressor and core clock component, displayed marked hyperactivity and impaired response habituation in novel environments. In addition, Rev-erbα knockout (KO) mice were deficient in short-term, long-term, and contextual memories and also showed impairment in nest-building ability. Together, these results suggest that Rev-erbα KO mice manifest defective hippocampal function. Interestingly, the changes in novelty-induced locomotor activity of Rev-erbα KO mice were comparable at multiple times of day, potentially due to the muted amplitude of Rev-erbα oscillation in the hippocampus of wild-type mice. Hippocampal dopamine turnover was increased in Rev-erbα KO mice, due to up-regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine production, and pharmacologic inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase activity partially rescued locomotor hyperactivity. These findings reveal a novel, nonredundant function for Rev-erbα that links a core component of the circadian gene-regulatory network to the control of dopaminergic and hippocampus-dependent behaviors.
LIFE SATISFACTION AND LEARNER SELF‐DIRECTION: ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE DURING THE LATER YEARS

This study investigates the relationship between several aspects of perceived life satisfaction and the extent to which one possesses attitudes and skills associated with self‐direction in learning. Sixty‐four adults, 60 years of age and older, completed the Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale (LSES) and the Self‐Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS). Results indicated that several aspects of life satisfaction were significantly correlated with self‐directedness and previous educational attainment. In addition, the findings indicate further validation support for the LSES. Results suggest that self‐directed learning and life satisfaction may be linked in a way that offers implications for improving quality of life in the later years.
Labor Productivity in Apple Harvesting

Selected worker characteristics and grower management practices were analyzed by OLS regression to determine their relationship to the productivity of workers hand harvesting apples. Growers should be able to shorten harvest time by selecting workers with characteristics related to higher productivity and by using management practices associated with faster picking.
Stomatal Action in Plants as Related to Damage From Photochemical Oxidants.

A review of the literature indicates that the stomates of leaves must be open for smog damage to occur (3, 7, 8, 9, 11 ). However, there is no direct relationship between degree of opening and extent of injury, nor has it been proven that injury is prevented when the stomates are closed. Moreover, most of the earlier work dealt with the reaction product of ozone and gasoline or ozone and an olefin (8,10,16). Such reaction products are unstable and do not normally accumulate in a polluted atmosphere to a level sufficient to cause plant damage (1, 4). The results ,of this study indicate that under the conditions of the experiments, stomatal opening is not the primary controlling factor in predisposing plants to injury from ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), two phytotoxic products in smog.
Advantages of the Comparative Method of Anthropology

Reflecting anthropology's deep idiographic disposition, approximately 80 percent of anthropological research falls on the idiographic node of the idiographic-nomothetic continuum. Increasing numbers of anthropolo gists, however, are beginning to recognize the importance of cross-cultural, comparative, nomothetic research. Comparativists use five principal meth odologies in their research. These research designs vary in their relative power, i.e. in their ability to eliminate false hypotheses about worldwide relationships. The power as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each methodology are discussed.
Current thinking in lipid lowering

In addition to elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which has been conclusively proven to play a critical role in atherogenesis and coronary artery disease (CAD), other lipoprotein abnormalities are associated with CAD, such as reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol; increased triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (very low density and intermediate-density lipoproteins); increased lipoprotein(a); small, dense LDL; and LDL with increased susceptibility to oxidation. Other, nonlipid factors such as homocysteine, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, and soluble cell adhesion molecules may also have a role in risk stratification. The present US treatment guidelines, which focus on LDL cholesterol, stratify risk assessment and intensity of treatment by the presence of CAD; therefore, noninvasive imaging techniques such as ultrafast computed tomography and positron-emission tomography (PET) of the heart, which enable early detection of CAD, are useful in risk assessment. Because the influence of risk factors depends on their severity and combination, global risk assessment provides a necessary guide to the appropriate intensity of treatment. Agents are available that reduce LDL cholesterol and triglyceride and increase HDL cholesterol; although lipoprotein(a), LDL particle size, LDL oxidation, and homocysteine can also be altered, the clinical effects of such alterations are not known. Combination therapy that simultaneously improves multiple components of the lipid profile may provide additional benefit compared with monotherapy. To provide cost-effective treatment to the most patients, high-risk patients must be identified through systematic screening. Then each patient should be treated with the most cost-effective agent(s) that will enable achievement of the lipid levels recommended in the guidelines.
Progress, History and Identity in International Relations Theory: The Case of the Idealist-Realist Debate

This article examines the link between disciplinary identity formation, history creation and progress by undertaking an excavation of the idealist-realist debate in International Relations theory. ...
Two-dimensional mapping of air contaminant movement using an FTIR/computed tomography system

This paper reports on numerical studies to evaluate the use of a series of scanning open path FTIR spectrometer measurements coupled with computed tomography to create 2D maps of chemical concentrations in air. When taking open-path measurements in the field using a scanning system, depending upon the scan rate and resolution, each measurement is taken at a different point in time. Therefore, as measurements are obtained, the concentrations of the pollutants in air are changing over time and space. The computed tomography mapping system must accurately create a series of maps from air concentration profiles that are in a state of flux. This remote sensing/computed tomography system was evaluated using a series of test maps that simulated the generation and dispersion of contaminant plumes over time. Contaminant generation rate, wind speed, and wind direction were varied to create concentration profiles that changed every fifteen seconds over several hours. A computer simulation program calculated the open-path measurements using these test maps for different interferometer scan times, and a series of reconstructed maps were obtained. The reconstructed maps were compared with original test maps and were evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively using four measures of image quality. Results of this research provide guidance as to the range of acceptable interferometer scan times that can be used to map concentrations over time using different meteorological conditions, contamination generation rates, and number of contaminant sources.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Excitotoxic Cell Death Dependent on Inhibitory Receptor Activation

Abstract Although excitotoxic cell death is usually considered a Ca 2+ -dependent process, in certain neuronal systems there is strong evidence that excitotoxic cell death is independent of Ca 2+ and is instead remarkably dependent on extracellular Cl − . We have shown (in isolated chick embryo retina) that at least some of the lethal Cl − entry is through GABA and glycine receptors. Here we show that when all the GABA and glycine receptors are blocked by using an appropriate cocktail of inhibitors, agonist-induced excitotoxic cell death can be completely prevented. To determine if ligand-gated Cl − channels contribute to excitotoxic cell death in other neurons, we examined KA-induced cell death in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells. GABA receptor blockade with either a competitive or noncompetitive antagonist provides complete neuroprotection. KA stimulates Cl − uptake by the granule cells, and this is blocked by the GABA antagonists. Granule cell cultures take up [ 3 H]GABA and release it in response to KA treatment. A subpopulation of neurons in the cultures is shown to have GAD and high concentrations of GABA, and this presumably is the source of the GABA that leads to receptor activation and lethal Cl − entry. Finally, we show that retinal cell death due to 1 h of simulated ischemia (combined oxygen and glucose deprivation) is completely prevented by blocking the inhibitory receptors. These results indicate that, paradoxically, excitotoxic cell death is completely dependent on activation of inhibitory receptors, in at least some neuronal systems, and this pathological process may contribute to disease.
Pattern and Process of Land Loss in the Mississippi Delta: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Wetland Habitat Change

An earlier investigation (Turner 1997) concluded that most of the coastal wetland loss in Louisiana was caused by the effects of canal dredging, that loss was near zero in the absence of canals, and that land loss had decreased to near zero by the late 1990s. This analysis was based on a 15-min quadrangle (approximately 68,000 ha) scale that is too large to isolate processes responsible for small-scale wetland loss and too small to capture those responsible for large-scale loss. We conducted a further evaluation of the relationship between direct loss due to canal dredging and all other loss from 1933–1990 using a spatial scale of 4,100 ha that accurately captures local land-loss processes. Regressions of other wetland loss on canal area (i.e., direct loss) for the Birdfoot, Terrebonne, and Calcasieu basins were not significant. Positive relationships were found for the Breton (r2=0.675), Barataria (r2=0.47), and Mermentau (r2=0.35) basins, indicating that the extent of canals is significantly related to wetland loss in these basins. A significant negative relationship (r2=0.36) was found for the Atchafalaya coastal basin which had statistically lower loss rates than the other basins as a whole. The Atchafalaya area receives direct inflow of about one third of the Mississippi discharge. When the data were combined for all basins, 9.2% of the variation in other wetland loss was attributable to canals. All significant regressions intercepted the y-axis at positive loss values indicating that some loss occurred in the absence of canals. Wetland loss did not differ significantly from the coast inland or between marsh type. We agree with Turner that canals are an important agent in causing wetland loss in coastal Louisiana, but strongly disagree that they are responsible for the vast majority of this loss. We conclude that wetland loss in the Mississippi delta is an ongoing complex process involving several interacting factors and that efforts to create and restore Louisiana’s coastal wetlands must emphasize riverine inputs of freshwater and sediments.
Simulation of turbulent square-duct flow : Dissipation and small-scale motion

Results and the database from a direct numerical simulation of turbulent flow in a square duct are used to investigate the dissipation processes in a flow with two inhomogeneous directions. First, the effect of the corner on small-scale topological patterns is identified, and second, information for the assessment and development of turbulence closure models is provided by calculating all of the terms in the transport equations for the turbulent dissipation rate and enstrophy. It is shown that, with the exception of two production terms, these budgets have the same dynamics down to the wall. The effects of the corner are manifested by vanishing turbulence production in the viscous sublayer very close to the corner, and reduced dissipation of turbulent vorticity along the diagonal, farther away from the corner. IRECT numerical simulation (DNS) of simple shear flows has proven to be an effective and important tool for studying turbulence structures and near-wall effects.1 The present paper extends this idea to complex turbulent flows by using the database from a recent DNS of turbulent square-duct flow2 to investigate the influence of the corner on the structure of small-scale turbulence. These effects are manifested by vanishing turbulence production as well as reduced turbulence energy and dissipation along the diagonal (corner bisector).2 The imbalance between the turbulence along the corner bisector and the midchannel (wall bisector) creates the stress-driven secondary flow, defined as secondary flow of the second kind.2"4 Of particular interest in this paper is the turbulence dissipationrate (and enstrophy) budget because the dissipation rate contributes significantly to the Reynolds stress balance.3 An order-of-magnitude analysis of the dissipation process is provided by Tennekes and Lumley5 by estimating the terms in the turbulence enstrophy budget. Mansour et al.6 presented all of the terms in the dissipation-rate budget from the DNS of turbulent channel flow and demonstrated the significance of these terms in a wall-bounded flow. The work of Rodi and Mansour7 also indicates the importance of all terms in the dissipation-rate budget near the wall, including the transport and diffusion. Because of their connection to the dissipation processes,8 the small-scale topological structures also are considered. By displaying scatter plots of the invariants of the local deformation tensor obtained in the homogeneous direction and in time, we can deduce the preferred small-scale topologies and dissipation production processes in the square duct. The present results document all of the terms in the turbulence dissipation rate and enstrophy equations that are essential for both the modeling of Reynolds stress transport equations and the development of subgrid-scale models.
Factors Associated with Use of Evidence-Based Practice Strategies in Usual Care Youth Psychotherapy

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how therapists providing usual care (UC) psychotherapy are using elements of treatment common to evidence-based practices (EBPs) for children with disruptive behavior disorders (DBPs) and to identify client and therapist characteristics that may be associated with EBP strategies directed toward children and those directed to their caregivers. Results indicate that certain child, family, and therapist characteristics are associated with use of EBP strategies; however, much of the variability in practice was not explained by the variables examined. These findings highlight the complexity of UC psychotherapy and provide directions for future research on implementation of EBPs in UC.
Subcellular distribution of high-voltage-activated calcium channel subtypes in rat globus pallidus neurons.

Globus pallidus (GP) neurons receive dense inhibitory synaptic inputs interspersed with sparse excitatory inputs distributed across the entire extent of their somata and dendrites. Yet, despite this predominance of inhibitory influence, GP neurons fire at a high tonic rate, suggesting that intrinsic properties play an important role in determining the physiological characteristics of these neurons. High-voltage-activated (HVA) calcium channels represent an important class of conductances that plays roles in controlling neurotransmitter release, postsynaptic excitability, and intracellular calcium signaling. To better understand the intrinsic properties of GP neurons, we examined the subcellular localization of HVA calcium channels by using immunocytochemistry at the electron microscopic level. Peroxidase labeling with antibodies against P/Q-, N-, and R-type HVA calcium channels demonstrated the presence of these channels in both proximal and distal dendrites of GP neurons. P/Q-, N-, and R-type channels were also found in presynaptic terminals, whereas L-type channels were found exclusively postsynaptically in neuronal elements. Immunogold labeling demonstrated that, although the density of intracellular L-type calcium channel labeling remains constant throughout the proximal-distal extent of the dendritic tree of GP neurons, the density of plasma membrane-bound channels is greater in distal dendrites. The finding of HVA calcium channels distributed throughout the whole dendritic tree of GP neurons indicates that these channels may interact with synaptic inputs to allow rich processing possibilities for GP neuron dendrites. Furthermore, the finding of a greater density of plasma membrane-bound L-type channels in distal dendrites expands the view that L-type channels are important only in somatic and proximal locations.