cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The hot dark matter paradox

Abstract Direct observations favor a low-mass-density universe, but a critical density universe with a neutrino component of dark matter provides the best model for explaining the observed structure of the universe over more than three orders of magnitude in distance scale. Other information requires that this be two-neutrino (νμ + ντ) dark matter, as would also be expected in the four-neutrino model which explains all present indications for neutrino mass: νμ → ντ for the atmospheric ν μ ν e ratio and νe → νs for the solar νe deficit, with LSND's ν μ → ν e observation giving the mass difference between the lighter νe−νs pair and the heavier νμ−ντ pair. The LSND/KARMEN results are consistent with the needed mass of hot dark matter, and production of heavy elements by supernovae seem to require this same four-neutrino scheme. The fascinating question is whether this hot dark matter paradox will be resolved by better measurements, or by the introduction of new physics.
Hospitalization of adolescents: Collecting the data base: Variations and implications

A survey of 2208 adolescents (aged 12 through 18 years) hospitalized during 1977 identified variations in database development and unrecognized health problems. Forty-eight percent were admitted to obstetrics and gynecology, 29% to surgery, 13% to pediatrics/internal medicine combined, and 10% to psychiatry. Historical, physical, and laboratory data bases and diagnoses were examined from 325 records. All records included a history of present illness and blood pressure, and most included a past medical and family history. Excluding pediatric records, a minority of records included social, immunization, school, or perinatal histories. Pediatric records were lacking in histories of alcohol or tobacco use. Most records lacked dietary or drug-abuse histories. A majority of records contained growth parameters, hemoglobin, urinalysis, and chest x-ray. Despite a high prevalence of anemia, the diagnosis was infrequently recorded. This survey suggests that clinical departments collect data on sick adolescents in differing ways—none of which seems optimal. Clinical departments should examine their training programs regarding the collection and interpretation of the data base in order to provide optimal care for hospitalized adolescents.
The effect of diabetes combined with stroke on disability, self-rated health, and mortality in older Mexican Americans: results from the Hispanic EPESE.

Abstract Otiniano ME, Du XL, Ottenbacher K, Markides KS. The effect of diabetes combined with stroke on disability, self-rated health, and mortality in older Mexican Americans: results from the Hispanic EPESE. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:725-30. Objective: To examine how diabetes in combination with stroke affects functional activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), self-rated health, and 5-year mortality in elderly Mexican Americans with or without other comorbid conditions. Design: Longitudinal study. Setting: Five southwestern states. Participants: A total of 3050 subjects of age 65 years or older, of whom 23% had diabetes and 6% had a stroke. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: ADL and IADL disabilities, self-rated health, and 5-year mortality. Results: Subjects with both diabetes and stroke but without other comorbid conditions had almost 18 times higher risk of having any ADL disability (odds ratio [OR]=18.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3–105.2) and 10 times higher risk of having any IADL disability (OR=10.6; 95% CI, 1.1–101.5), compared with subjects without either of the 2 conditions. The risk of disability was further increased if the subject had a comorbid condition (hypertension, heart attack, cancer, hip fracture, arthritis). The risk of fair or poor self-rated health was 3.5 (95% CI, 1.4–8.6) and the hazard ratio for 5-year mortality was 2.4 (95% CI, 1.7–3.4) in people with both diseases. Conclusions: Diabetes and stroke in combination is strongly associated with a higher risk of disabilities, poor self-rated health, and 5-year mortality in elderly Mexican Americans. The effect on outcomes appears to follow an additive model. Information on disability risk and morbidity and mortality should be useful to rehabilitation professionals in discharge planning and allocation of therapy resources.
Impact of crude oil market behaviour on unit bid prices: the evidence from the highway construction sector

It is well known that the cost of highway construction is affected by the cost of crude oil. While this relationship is highly visible for construction items such as asphalt cement (a by‐product in the process of refining oil), the effects of the crude oil prices on the cost of other construction items, such as concrete cement or construction operations are less direct, but equally important. For unit‐based contracts without price adjustment clauses, this relationship is of a particular significance. In fact, an increase in price of fuel could result in substantial losses, as contractors are not protected. Hence, to hedge against this risk, contractors are likely to incorporate a premium in bid prices to manage project risks. The objective of this paper is to investigate the evidence of this behaviour. New evidence shows that the expected change in oil prices (the difference between future and spot price) and the implied volatility in the oil market affect the price of bid items for contracts without pric...
A short review and an empirical method for estimating the absorbed enthalpy of formation and the absolute enthalpy of dried microbial biomass for use in studies on the thermodynamics of microbial growth

The equation DrX = DrH - DrQ represents a calculated free-energy change when the exchange of absor- bed thermal energy in a chemical system represented by TDrS in the Gibbs free-energy equation is replaced by DrQ. The symbol Q is used in place of H (enthalpy = HT - H0 = HT) to represent absorbed thermal energy. Acquiring the experimental data for determining both S and Q requires the use of a low-temperature calorimeter to measure Cp as a function of T/K and these are not generally available. In a previous study it was demonstrated that for one unit-carbon formula dry weight of cells, DfSbiomass =- 0.813 P Satoms and Sbiomass = 0.187 P Satoms, where P Satoms represents the sum of the entropies of the numbers and kinds of atoms in the biomass. Using similar techniques, it is shown here that DfQbiomass =- 0.648 P Qatoms and that Qbiomass = 0.352 P Qatoms, where P Qatoms represents the sum of the absorbed thermal energies of the numbers and kinds of atoms in the biomass. Because mathematically the value of TS for solid substances is twice that of Q for the same T/K (usually ref- erenced at 298.15 K), one of these values must be physically incorrect. There cannot be two different values for the quantity of thermal energy which must be absorbed to raise the temperature of the same quantity of the same substance from 0 K to a given temperature. The argument is made that the use of Q is preferable to the use of S in the calculation of free-energy changes.
Sources of influence on award winning research: A note

Abstract While great advances have been made because of accounting research, limited understanding exists about the process of producing top-research in accounting and getting it published. This study contributes to a better understanding of the process of producing top quality research in accounting by examining the importance and characteristics of a high value-added literature review. To that end, in this study we examine the literature reviews contained in articles recognized for the Notable Contributions to the Accounting Literature Award of the AAA for the twenty-five year period, 1983 to 2007. Results find that top quality research has a cutting edge timeliness that is characterized by greater reliance on more recently published reference sources and by incorporating a substantial number of working papers. This study also identifies the most influential articles, journals and individuals to Notable Contribution authors, including both accounting and interdisciplinary sources.
Dietary Tyrosine/Phenylalanine Depletion Effects on Behavioral and Brain Signatures of Human Motivational Processing

Dopamine (DA) neurotransmission is critical for motivational processing. We assessed whether disruption of DA synthesis in healthy controls using an amino-acid beverage devoid of catecholamine precursors (tyrosine–phenylalanine depletion (TPD)) would blunt recruitment of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) by rewards. Sixteen controls ingested each of a tyr/phe-depleting beverage (DEP) or a tyr/phe-balanced (BAL) control beverage in two laboratory visits. Five hours after consumption of each drink, subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while they viewed anticipatory cues to respond to a target to either win money or avoid losing money. TPD did not exert main effects on mood or on task behavior, but affected brain activation. In right NAcc, TPD blunted activation by anticipation of high rewards. In left NAcc, recruitment anticipating high rewards was modulated by individual differences in mood change across the DEP drink day, where subjects whose mood worsened following TPD (relative to within-day mood change under BAL conditions) also showed lower activation under DEP conditions relative to BAL conditions. Exploratory analysis indicated that TPD qualitatively blunted the voxel-wise spatial extent of suprathreshold activation by reward anticipation. Finally, loss outcomes activated anterior insula under DEP conditions but not under BAL conditions. These data indicate that: (1) dietary depletion of catacholamine precursors will blunt dopaminergic mesolimbic activity, and (2) in controls, synthetic pathways of this neurocircuitry maintain sufficient buffering capacity to resist an effect on motivated behavior. Additional studies are needed to determine if clinical populations would show similar resistance to behavioral effects of TPD.
Spontaneous rupture of a nontraumatic intrasplenic aneurysm [4] (multiple letters)

To the Editor: Spontaneous rupture of splenic lesions is a well-described complication of infectious, hematologic, and neoplastic diseases.1 Intrasplenic aneurysms are uncommon and have been found ...
The influence of hemodynamic and anatomic factors on hemorrhage from cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

The physiological and anatomical aberrations that result in hemorrhage from cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remain unclear. In an attempt to clarify which conditions may predispose to hemorrhage, we examined clinical and physiological indices on presentation groups of either hemorrhage or nonhemorrhage in a large cohort of patients (n = 449). Variables examined included AVM size, type of venous drainage, transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities, feeding mean arterial pressure (FMAP), and draining vein pressure. TCD and pressure data were obtained before any treatment. Age (mean +/- standard deviation) at the time of presentation was 33 +/- 13 years and did not differ between groups. Patients with small ( 2.5 and 5.0 cm; 50%) AVMs (P = 0.0001). The 48 of 94 AVMs (51%) with deep venous drainage were more likely to have hemorrhage (P = 0.0219) than were those with superficial drainage (24 of 73 [33%]). Deep drainage was a predictor of hemorrhage even in the subgroup of medium and large supratentorial AVMs (P = 0.005). There was no difference in draining vein pressure (n = 18) between groups (21 +/- 10 and 19 +/- 11 mm Hg, respectively; P = 0.7812). FMAP (n = 52) was higher in the hemorrhage than in the nonhemorrhage group (44 +/- 13 versus 34 +/- 10 mm Hg; P = 0.0007) but was only weakly related to the size of the lesion (largest dimension) (y = -0.74x + 40; r = 0.09).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Parental vaccine safety concerns. The experiences of pediatricians and family physicians.

Background According to the 2002 National Immunization Survey (NIS), vaccination coverage with recommended vaccines among U.S. children aged 19 to 35 months remained near all-time highs. Sustaining this high coverage requires significant effort, including consideration of parental vaccine safety concerns that have led to decreasing coverage in other countries. Methods The Parental Knowledge and Experiences module was administered to a random subset of NIS respondents from July 2001 to December 2002. The module included questions regarding attitudes toward vaccine safety and side effects, simultaneous vaccine administration, and acceptance of new vaccines. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined associations between attitudes and up-to-date (UTD) vaccination coverage (four or more doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, three or more doses of poliovirus vaccine, one or more doses of any measles-containing vaccine, three or more doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine, and three or more doses of hepatitis B vaccine), while controlling for demographics. Results Ninety-three percent of parents rated vaccines as safe, 6% as neither safe nor unsafe, and 1% as unsafe. After adjusting for demographics, parental safety belief was significantly associated with the child's vaccination status. For children whose parents believed vaccines are safe, the odds of being UTD were 2.9 times the odds of being UTD for children of parents who believed vaccines are unsafe (75% vs 53%, respectively). Children whose parents were neutral about the safety of vaccines had vaccination coverage similar to children whose parents believed vaccines are unsafe. Conclusions A significant association with vaccine coverage was found for a small group of parents with high vaccine safety concerns. Strategies focused on safety concerns may yield better protection for these children.
Fiber-optic infrared reflectance spectroelectrochemical studies of osmium and ruthenium nitrosyl porphyrins containing alkoxide and thiolate ligands

We have examined the redox behavior of the osmium and ruthenium compounds (OEP)M(NO)(OEt) and (OEP)M(NO)(SEt) (OEP = octaethylporphyrinato dianion; M = Os, Ru) by cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroelectrochemistry. The compound (OEP)Os(NO)(OEt) undergoes a single reversible oxidation process in dichloromethane. In contrast, the thiolate compound (OEP)Os(NO)(SEt) undergoes a net irreversible oxidation resulting in formal loss of the SEt ligand. Extended Huckel calculations on crystal structures of these two compounds provide insight into the nature of their HOMOs. In the case of the alkoxide compound, the HOMO is largely metal centered, with 70% of the charge located in the metal's orbital and ∼25% on the porphyrin ring. However, the HOMO of the thiolate compound consists of a π bonding interaction between the metal dxz orbital and the px orbital on the sulfur, and a π antibonding interaction between the metal d orbital and a π* orbital on NO. The redox behavior of the Ru analogues have been determined, and are compared with those of the Os compounds.
Moist Dynamics of Severe Monsoons over South Asia: Role of the Tropical SST*

AbstractDiagnostics from observations and multicentury integrations of a coupled model [Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) coupled model version 2.1 (CM2.1)] indicate that about 65% of the severe monsoons (rainfall > 1.5 standard deviations of its long-term mean) over South Asia are associated with sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the equatorial Pacific during the developing phase of ENSO, and another 30% are associated with SST variations over the tropical Indo-Pacific warm pool. The present research aims to identify the moist processes that initiate the dryness (wetness) and provide a precursor for rainfall anomalies over South Asia in spring during El Nino (La Nina). The hypothesis in this paper, based on CM2.1 composites, is that at low levels El Nino–forced equatorial easterly wind anomalies over the Indian Ocean, resulting from Ekman pumping, promote anticyclonic vorticity over the northern Indian Ocean, whose poleward flank advects dry air from northern latitudes to South Asia...
Picosecond pulse propagation in coplanar waveguide forward directional couplers

The spectral-domain method is used to calculate the frequency-dependent even- and odd-mode effective dielectric constants of symmetric coplanar waveguide forward directional couplers. Comparisons are made with symmetric microstrip forward couplers on the same substrate that have the same line spacing and access port characteristic impedance. Results are shown which indicate that certain coplanar designs will have lower loss and greater bandwidth than the microstrip devices. Picosecond pulse propagation in both structures is studied using the calculated dispersion data. >
Attachment Style Differences and Depression in African American and European American College Women: Normative Adaptations?

This study examined ethnic differences in attachment styles and depression among African American and European American college women. African American women reported less favorable views of others, which suggests that attachment styles emphasizing caution in relationships may be normative and adaptive for these women. There were no differences between groups in views of self or reports of depressive symptoms. Implications for long-term relationships and counseling are discussed. Este estudio examino las diferencias etnicas en estilos de apego y depresion entre estudiantes universitarias Afroamericanas y Euroamericanas. Las mujeres Afroamericanas expresaron una vision menos favorable sobre los demas, lo que sugiere que los estilos de apego que enfatizan la precaucion en las relaciones pueden ser normativos para estas mujeres, y el resultado de su adaptacion. No hubo diferencias entre los grupos en cuanto a la vision de si mismas o expresion de sintomas depresivos. Se discuten las implicaciones para las relaciones a largo plazo y la consejeria.
Combining a Bayesian nonparametric method with a hierarchical framework to estimate individual and temporal variation in growth

Abstract Growth modeling has long played an important role in ecology, conservation and management of many species. However, adopting a statistical framework that includes both temporal and individual variability in the growth dynamics has proven challenging. In this paper, we use a Bayesian state space framework (BSSF) to estimate parameters of a discrete time model from a mark-recapture data set of age-1 juvenile Atlantic salmon. We use a Gaussian process (GP) based approach to model variation in seasonal growth potential. In addition, we use auxiliary information on the food environment as prior knowledge of seasonal fluctuations in growth. Parameters for the GP prior and measurement error variances were fixed to speed convergence. Posterior estimates of model parameters were relatively insensitive to these choices. Our model captures the seasonal growth dynamics of juvenile Atlantic salmon as evidenced by close agreement between observed and predicted lengths ( r 2 = 0.98). In addition, the relatively narrow confidence intervals indicated significant learning in the parameters of interest. Finally, our model approach was able to accurately recover missing data points. Although this model was applied to a mark-recapture dataset of Atlantic salmon, the generality of the approach should make it applicable to a wide variety of size trajectory datasets, and thus, provides a useful tool to estimate individual and temporal variability in growth from datasets with repeated measurements.
CALCULATION OF THE LINE EMISSION FROM CYLINDRICAL KRYPTON PLASMAS USING A 162-LEVEL, 511-LINE DETAILED CONFIGURATION ATOMIC MODEL

Abstract A detailed configuration atomic model containing 162 levels and 511 transported lines has been employed to calculate the line emission from optically thin and thick cylindrical krypton plasmas ranging in temperature from 0.4 to 2.0 keV. The total ion density has been varied along with the assumed radius to maintain a constant mass per unit length. Results are presented both as cooling coefficients and also as overall emissivity compared to a blackbody flux. Effects of line opacity, broadening due to mass motions, and ionic stage variation with temperature are analyzed for their overall impact on radiative yield.
Phosphoric acid-imbibed three-dimensional polyacrylamide/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel as a new class of high-temperature proton exchange membrane

Abstract This paper reports the first study that investigates H 3 PO 4 -imbibed polyacrylamide/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PAM/PVA) semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogel as a high-temperature proton exchange membrane (PEM). The extraordinary ability of the PAM/PVA hydrogel to absorb a large quantity of aqueous solution is fully utilized to achieve a high H 3 PO 4 loading, resulting in high proton conductivity membranes. The anhydrous proton conductivity of a PAM/PVA semi-IPN hydrogel loaded with 73.5 wt% H 3 PO 4 reaches 0.0525 S cm −1 at 183 °C in dry air. A fuel cell using the thick-film PAM/PVA hydrogel exhibits a peak power density of 0.225 W cm −2 at 183 °C with pure O 2 and H 2 as the oxidant and fuel, respectively. The synthesized membrane also shows excellent acid retention under mechanical load and high humidity, a valued characteristic for high-temperature PEMs. These performance-ensuring properties paired with a low-cost synthesis approach demonstrate the new membrane to be a viable candidate as a high-temperature PEM.
Comparative merits of eight popular media in aerometric studies of fungi

Although cultural surveys of airborne fungi are pursued widely, the comparative virtues of popular media have not been systematically tested. To facilitate an informed choice, eight different agar media were compared using paired single-plate exposures of identical, wind-oriented, Andersen samplers. Modified Mehrlich's (MM), Sabouraud's dextrose (SAB), malt extract (MALT), V8 juice (V8), and potato dextrose-rose bengal (PDAR) agar were compared initially; potato dextrose (PDA), MALT, rose bengal streptomycin (RBS), and casein hydrolysate (CH) agar were compared during a subsequent series, as were PDA and PDAR. Overall, SAB, MALT, V8, and PDA total recoveries were similar, while MM, CH, PDAR, and RBS were significantly low in paired comparisons with one or more media. MALT and SAB produced the highest frequencies of recovery of most colony types. Bacteria were infrequently recovered on any of the media. CH and MM excluded Epicoccum but are of potential use in surveys that focus sharply on high concentrations of Cladosporium. Rose bengal-containing media performed poorly in this study and must be approached with caution and under properly controlled conditions.
Knowledge about human papillomavirus and the HPV vaccine – a survey of the general population

The United States (US) Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine with the purpose of reducing the risk of cervical cancers caused by HPV 16 and HPV 18. It is important that the general population be educated about HPV and the HPV vaccine in order to make the appropriate decision whether or not to vaccinate against this virus. Participants from the adult US general population of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and Hampton, Virginia, USA (18+ years old) were surveyed to determine their knowledge about HPV and the HPV vaccine, and to evaluate their perception of the vaccine efficacy and safety. We report herein preliminary data for 202 participants. Fifty-five percent (55%) of the study population was White, 45% Black, and 1% was from other ethnic groups or did not disclose their ethnicity. A large proportion of participants had heard of the human papillomavirus (overall population: 93.6%; Pittsburgh: 95%; Hampton: 90%). Participants of African descent were slightly less aware of HPV than Whites (Black 89% vs. Whites 97%, p > 0.1). Although the majority of participants knew that HPV caused cervical cancer (84%), Whites were more informed than Black participants (91% vs. 73%, p = 0.044). Eighty-seven percent (87%) of participants had heard of the HPV vaccine (Pittsburgh: 92% and Hampton: 74%, p = 0.029); a higher proportion of Whites were aware of the vaccine when compared with Blacks (93% vs. 76%, p = 0.031). However, only 18% of the population knew that the current FDA-approved vaccine protected against genital warts and most cervical cancer (20% of Blacks and 16% of Whites, p > 0.1). These data suggest that although the general population might be aware of HPV and the HPV vaccine, knowledge of the benefits of the HPV vaccination may not be apparent. Knowledge of HPV and the HPV vaccine could result in a likely choice of HPV vaccination and would subsequently reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.
Computers in behavioral science. Estimation of genetic parameters by computer.

Quantitative genetics consists of a highly developed theory and methodology which can be of considerable utility in many behavioral studies. This computer program was written to provide a convenient means of applying one of the methods of quantitative genetics to behavioral data; parameters are estimated, assumptions of the model are tested, and second order statistics are computed. Characteristics and limitations of the program are described.
The cytochrome fold and the evolution of bacterial energy metabolism.

Respiratory cytochrome c from eukaryotes, photosynthetic c 2 from purple nonsulfur bacteria, and respiratory c 550 from Paracoccus (formerly Micrococcus) denitrificans , have been shown by X-ray structure analysis and amino acid sequence comparisons to form a unified subfamily of evolutionarily homologous proteins (cytochromes c 2 ) in which the differences between respiratory and photosynthetic cytochromes are no greater than the variation among photosynthetic cytochromes c 2 . From sequence and structure considerations alone, these cytochromes are indistinguishable as to origin or function. Low resolution (4 A) X-ray analysis of Pseudomonas cytochrome c 551 shows it to have the same overall folding pattern as cytochrome c , with a massive deletion at the bottom of the molecule. This information enables amino acid sequence homologies to be extended with reasonable probability of correctness to all cytochromes c 551 , to Chlorobium c 555 , Pseudomonas c 5 , algal cytochromes f , and even c 553 from Desulfovibrio . All of these proteins appear to comprise a broader family of evolutionarily related electron carriers. It is proposed that bacterial and eukaryotic oxygen respiration arose from the dual-function photosynthetic and respiratory electron chain in purple non-sulfur bacteria, by the loss of photosynthetic capabilities. A detailed outline for the evolution of photosynthesis and respiration in bacteria is presented, involving first a symbiotic sulfur cycle, then the development of the Krebs cycle machinery and finally the evolution of the present-day symbiotic oxygen cycle between plants and animals.
Psychosocial status at initiation of cancer treatment and survival.

Abstract Ninety-two newly diagnosed patients with hematologic malignancies treated with chemotherapy, and 47 patients with rectal cancer treated with abdominal-perineal resection were prospectively studied to assess the relationship between mood and survival. Hematology patients were measured within one week of diagnosis and were remeasured at six months. Rectal cancer patients were measured within three months of surgery and remeasured six months later. Medical records were abstracted to obtain data on treatment given, disease characteristics and outcome of treatment. On univariate analyses using Cox regression, we examined the effect of depression, coping style and locus of control on survival. None of these variables were found to be significantly related to survival whether assessed at intake or six months later. Furthermore there were no statistically significant correlations between these factors and subsequent survival at two years or with long-term survival. Biological prognostic variables including extent of disease for rectal cancer patients and severity of specific type of hematologic cancer were significantly related to survival. Although psychosocial adjustment is important for the quality of life experienced by cancer patients it was not related to length of survival in this study. Further exploration of this issue should be conducted using patients with a single site and preferrably an early stage of disease.
Infection control and employee health: epidemiology and priorities for program development

Infection control programs have traditionally focused their attention on various aspects of infection control in hospitalized patients. The relationship of infections occurring in hospital personnel to those occurring in patients may be underemphasized with the possible exception of the role personnel play in outbreaks or clusters of infection. Although most health care facilities and regulatory agencies now recognize the importance of infection control in health care personnel, 1-3 infection control programs have varying degrees of input and influence into occupational health matters? The purpose of the present study is twofold: (1) to further emphasize the importance of infection control-related problems to employee health in health care facilities by using an existing program as a starting point and (2) to identify the specific infection control-related problems seen in an employee health service. We have reviewed visits made by employees of the Strong Memorial Hospital to our personnel health service during a 1-year period. On the basis of our data, we have delineated four categories of service related to infection control that we feel are essential to employee health programs in health care facilities.
Aqua-Vanadyl Ion Interaction with Nafion® Membranes

Lack of comprehensive understanding about the interactions between Nafion membrane and battery electrolytes prevents the straightforward tailoring of optimal materials for redox flow battery applications. In this work, we analyzed the interaction between aqua-vanadyl cation and sulfonic sites within the pores of Nafion membranes using combined theoretical and experimental X-ray spectroscopic methods. Molecular level interactions namely solvent share and contact pair mechanisms are discussed based on Vanadium and Sulfur K-edge spectroscopic analysis.
Identificational Assimilation of Japanese Americans: A Reassessment of Primordialism and Circumstantialism:

Using both quantitative and qualitative data collected in Portland, Oregon during 1989, this study tests two contradictory models of ethnic identity: primordialism and circumstantialism. Two questi...
Lupron-induced mania

Abstract Background: Gonadotropins and sex hormones are intimately related to the stability of affective states. Patients with affective disorders may demonstrate abnormal levels of sex hormones and gonadotropins. It is therefore possible that affective disorder patients may experience mood dysregulation by synthetic sex hormones and gonadotropins like lupron. Methods: A case report of a young woman with a history of endometriosis and a past history of irritability and depression is described. Treatment of the endometriosis with lupron induced a manic episode. Results: The lupron-induced mania was successfully treated with a mood-stabilizing agent, lithium carbonate. Conclusions: Patients with a history of affective disorder may develop manic episodes when treated with Lupron. Mood-stabilizing agents are helpful in ameliorating this unwanted effect.
R-matrix propagation methods in inelastic and reactive collisions

Abstract The recently developed R -matrix propagation method for solution of the coupled linear differential equations of quantum scattering theory is briefly reviewed. The adaptations of the method to handle simple inelastic scattering problems in a fixed internal basis, atom-molecule reaction scattering using reaction coordinates and a varying internal basis, and change transfer using nonorthogonal coordinates and an atom-centered nonorthogonal basis are described.
Myc-Nick: The Force Behind c-Myc

In the field of molecular oncology, the Myc basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors has been extensively studied. The Myc proto-oncogene c-Myc binds DNA, activates or represses gene transcription, and consequently affects cellular proliferation. However, emerging evidence presents the existence of c-Myc variants that lack transcriptional activity. A cytoplasmic variant of c-Myc called "Myc-nick," which arises from calpain-mediated cleavage of c-Myc, assists in stable microtubule assembly. Furthermore, Myc-nick promotes MyoD-mediated myogenic differentiation, thus antagonizing its precursor. These results provide exciting new opportunities in formulating molecular approaches for treatment of cancer and in our understanding of cell differentiation.
Direct Determination of the S1 Excited-State Energies of Xanthophylls by Low-Temperature Fluorescence Spectroscopy†

The xanthophylls, violaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin, associated with the antenna protein assembly of Photosystem II (PS II) play roles as light-harvesting pigments and protective agents in the photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants. The dissipation of excitation energy exceeding that needed for photosynthesis is thought to be regulated by an enzymatic process known as the xanthophyll cycle where violaxanthin and zeaxanthin are reversibly interconverted, but the role of the cycle in controlling the process in vivo is not clear. The two hypotheses are (i) direct quenching of chlorophyll excited states by the xanthophylls and (ii) indirect quenching via carotenoid-mediated changes in the structure of the light-harvesting complexes. These mechanisms depend on the structures and/or energetics of the xanthophyll pigments, which have not yet been fully elucidated. In this work, fluorescence spectroscopy at 77 K has been used to determine the energies of the S1 excited states of violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, an...
Reliable approximations of probability-constrained stochastic linear-quadratic control

Here we consider a state-constrained stochastic linear-quadratic control problem. This problem has linear dynamics and a quadratic cost, and states are required to satisfy a probabilistic constraint. In this paper, the joint probabilistic constraint in the model is converted to a conservative deterministic constraint using a multi-dimensional Chebyshev bound. A maximum volume inscribed ellipsoid problem is solved to obtain this probability bound. Using the probability bound, we develop a recursive state feedback control algorithm for a special class of state-constrained stochastic linear-quadratic regulator (LQR). The performance of this approach is explored in a numerical example.
Failure of contraceptive steroids to modify human chorionic gonadotrophin secretion by hydatidiform mole tissue and choriocarcinoma cells in culture

Abstract The effect of steroids contained in oral contraceptives, namely ethinylestradiol:17α-ethinyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3, 17-diol (E) and norethindrone acetate: 17β-acetoxy-17-ethinyl-4-estren-3-one (N), on cell replication and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) secretion by choriocarcinoma cells in monolayer culture and by hydatidiform mole tissue maintained in organ culture were studied. The steroids were added to the culture medium individually or in combination to achieve a range of concentrations (10−10 to 10−4), within and beyond the presumed concentration of these substances in the blood of women taking oral contraceptives. The effect of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) on hCG secretion by choriocarcinoma cells in monolayer culture also was investigated. The rate of hCG production by either choriocarcinoma cells in monolayer culture or by hydatidiform mole tissue maintained in organ culture was not affected by the hormones used in this study; indeed hCG secretion remained reasonably unchanged even with high concentrations of steroids (up to 10−14 M) or LHRH (up to 10−4 mg × ml−1). Cell replication, as measured by increase in amount of cellular protein and DNA, was not stimulated by either of these compounds.
The use of spirometry testing prior to cardiac surgery may impact the Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk prediction score: A prospective study in a cohort of patients at high risk for chronic lung disease

Objectives Chronic lung disease is a significant comorbidity in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Chronic lung disease is currently being classified and reported to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database by using either clinical interview or spirometric testing. We sought to compare the chronic lung disease classification captured by the 2 methods. Methods We performed a prospectively designed study in which patients presenting for cardiac surgery, excluding emergent patients, were screened for a history of asthma, a history of 10 or more pack-years of smoking, a persistent cough, and the use of oxygen. Each selected patient underwent spirometry. The presence and severity of chronic lung disease was coded per Society of Thoracic Surgeons guidelines by using the 2 methods of clinical report and spirometric results. The chronic lung disease classifications were compared, and differences were determined by using concordance and discordance rates. The results were then used to construct Society of Thoracic Surgeons–predicted risk models. Results The discordant rate was 39.1%, with underestimation of the severity of chronic lung disease in 94% of misclassified patients. This affected the Society of Thoracic Surgeons–predicted risk models for prolonged ventilation, morbidity/mortality, and mortality by increasing the predicted risk when spirometry was used for morbidity/mortality by an average of 1.5 ± 1.2 percentage points ( P P Conclusion The use of patient history for symptoms, medication, and/or oxygen use as the only method to determine chronic lung disease for this subgroup of patients led to underreporting of chronic lung disease and underestimation of the risk for adverse outcomes. Therefore data submission to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database should be designed to capture and correct for potential bias in the definition of chronic lung disease because the rate of spirometry in different centers in defining chronic lung disease is not regulated.
Thoughts for students considering becoming qualitative researchers – Qualities of qualitative researchers

This article is intended for use as a class handout to aid students who are learning about qualitative research to determine whether qualitative research is a good fit and whether they have the personal characteristics required to become effective qualitative researchers.
Reduction of the median mandibulotomy with the fixed mandibular implant

A technique is presented whereby a median mandibulotomy of an atrophic edentulous mandible is performed to gain access to an oropharyngeal tumor and is subsequently reapproximated with a four-pin FMI. The procedure allows reduction of the osteotomy site and provides intraoral implants that increase the stability and retentive properties of a mandibular prosthesis.
The preparation of stearic acid from castor oil

By de-hydroxylating the 12-hydroxystearic acid, which may be prepared in a pure state by the alcoholysis of fully hydrogenated castor oil, there may be obtained in at least 40% yield an exceptionally pure stearic acid whose solidification point is the same as that of a similar product previously reported by others (1). Avoided by the procedure described are recourse to the necessity of preparing lead soaps for the removal of unsaturated fatty acids and the drudgery of repeated crystallizations as prescribed by other published methods.
NONLINEAR HOMOTOPY AND PRE-POINCARÉ LEMMAS

Abstract Most homotopies considered in the literature are linear homotopies of the form h i (λ) = λx i + (1—λ)y i , 0 ≤ λ ≤ 1. Although these prove to be adequate in most instances, they lack direct geometric significance because {h i (λ) | 0 ≤ λ ≤ 1} are not orbits of a vector field. On the other hand, the nonlinear homotopy g i (s) = e s x i + (1—e s )y i ,—∞ ≤ s ≤ 0, are orbits of a vector field (i.e., dg i /ds = g i —y i , g i (0) = x i ), and thus have direct geometric significance. This suggests that useful results can be obtained by replacing linear homotopy by transport along flows of smooth vector fields. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on this simple idea. We define prehomotopy operators induced by vector fields on a manifold. These allow us to obtain finite transport relations and pre-Poincare lemmas that generalize the classical results. They are shown to reproduce the classical results as asymptotic limits and to obtain representations of all solutions of complete systems of exterio...
Caveolae: where incoming and outgoing messengers meet

Plasmalemmal caveolae were first identified as an endocytic compartment in endothelial cells, where they appear to move molecules across the cell by transcytosis. More recently, they have been found to be sites where small molecules are concentrated and internalized by a process called potocytosis. A growing body of biochemical and morphological evidence indicates that a variety of molecules known to function directly or indirectly in signal transduction are enriched in caveolae. This raises the possibility that a third function for caveolae is to process hormonal and mechanical signals for the cell. Insights gained from studying potocytosis suggest several different ways that this membrane specialization might function to integrate incoming and outgoing cellular messages.
Rapid visualization of protein--dodecyl sulfate complexes in polyacrylamide gels.

Abstract A rapid and sensitive technique for the visualization and quantitation of protein bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-containing polyacrylamide gels has been developed. Visualization is based on the formation of the insoluble potassium salt of lauryl sulfate bound to the protein. Precipitates thus formed are visible within minutes down to the level of 0.06 μg of protein/mm2 of gel cross-sectional surface area, and bands containing from 0.12 to 1.5 μg of protein/mm2 of gel cross-sectional surface area may be quantitated by densitometry following clearing of the gel background. The technique has been applied to muscle actin, brain tubulin, and ovalbumin which give identical standard curves.
Groups associated with a Grassmannian modelled on the Wiener algebra

In this paper we investigate a Grassmann-like manifold X, modelled on the Wiener algebraA. We determine the group Aut(X) of biholomorphic maps of X and the structure of some Banach Lie groups associated with Aut(X). In particular, we establish Gohberg decompositions and triangular decompositions for our groups. Moreover, an application of a distributional Plemelj formula yields for X a complete description of all holomorphic vector fields.
Application of commutator theorems to the integration of representations of Lie algebras and commutation relations

Sufficient conditions on unbounded, symmetric operatorsA andB which imply that $$\exp (itA)\exp (isB)\exp ( - itA)$$ satisfies the well known “multiple commutator” formula are derived. This formula is then applied to prove new necessary and sufficient conditions for the integrability of representations of Lie algebras and canonical commutation relations and the commutativity of the spectral projections of two commuting, unbounded, self-adjoint operators. A classic theorem of Nelson's is obtained as a corollary. Our results are useful in relativistic quantum field theory.
Temporal regulation of EphA4 in astroglia during murine retinal and optic nerve development

Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands play important roles in many aspects of visual system development. In this study, we characterized the spatial and temporal expression pattern of EphA4 in astrocyte precursor cell (APC) and astrocyte populations in the murine retina and optic nerve. EphA4 is expressed by immotile optic disc astrocyte precursor cells (ODAPS), but EphA4 is downregulated as these cells migrate into the retina. Surprisingly, mature astrocytes in the adult retina re-express EphA4. Within the optic nerve, EphA4 is expressed in specialized astrocytes that form a meshwork at the optic nerve head (ONH). Our in vitro and in vivo data indicate that EphA4 is dispensable for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon growth and projections through the chiasm. While optic stalk structure, APC proliferation and migration, retinal vascularization, and oligodendrocyte migration appear normal in EphA4 mutants, the expression of EphA4 in APCs and in the astrocyte meshwork at the ONH has implications for optic nerve pathologies.
Lipids and the pill.

The widespread use of anovulatory compounds and the well-known effects of sex hormones on various aspects of metabolism prompted this review of our work and the work of others on observed changes in lipid metabolism resulting from the administration of oral contraceptives and their components. In the rat, female sex hormone administration results in a decreased plasma cholesterol level, an accumulation of cholesterol in liver and a decreased hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis. On the other hand, cholesterol biosynthesis is enhanced in ovaries and adrenals. There is also a diminished alpha lipoprotein content and a corresponding decrease in the alpha/beta lipoprotein ratio. In some cases these changes are comparable to those observed during pregnancy. The results of sex hormone administration to women are more variable. In this case the most often observed effect is hypertriglyceridemia. Changes in lipoprotein content and distribution are also evident and may be the result of changes in metabolism in the liver, e.g., lipid synthesis or lipid transport from liver to plasma and tissues, or both. Many of these changes may be mediated indirectly through the action of estrogenprogestin on other hormones. In both species the effects of oral contraceptives are attributable principally to the estrogen component. The combination of estrogen with progestin compounds, which constitutes the oral contraceptive, modifies the effects of estrogen administered alone.
The Effect of Radiation on Complication Rates and Patient Satisfaction in Breast Reconstruction using Temporary Tissue Expanders and Permanent Implants

The optimal method of reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) is controversial. This study evaluated patient satisfaction and complication rates among patients who received implant-based breast reconstruction. The specific treatment algorithm analyzed included patients receiving mastectomy and immediate temporary tissue expander (TE), followed by placement of a permanent breast implant (PI). If indicated, RT was delivered to the fully expanded TE. Records of 218 consecutive patients with 222 invasive (85%) or in situ (15%) breast lesions from the Salt Lake City region treated between 1998 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed, 28% of whom received RT. Median RT dose was 50.4 Gy, and 41% received a scar boost at a median dose of 10 Gy. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to evaluate the cumulative incidence of surgical complications, including permanent PI removal. Risk factors associated with surgical events were analyzed. To evaluate cosmetic results and patient satisfaction, an anonymous survey was administered. Mean follow-up was 44 months (range 6-144). Actuarial 5-year PI removal rates for non-RT and RT patients were 4% and 22%, respectively. On multivariate analysis (MVA), the only factor associated with PI removal was RT (p = 0.009). Surveys were returned describing the outcomes of 149 breasts. For the non-RT and RT groups, those who rated their breast appearance as good or better were 63% versus 62%, respectively. Under 1/3 of each group was dissatisfied with their reconstruction. RT did not significantly affect patient satisfaction scores, but on MVA RT was the only factor associated with increased PI removal. This reconstruction technique may be considered an acceptable option even if RT is needed, but the increased complication risk with RT must be recognized.