cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rationing With Respect to Age During a Pandemic: A Comparative Analysis of State Pandemic Preparedness Plans.

Background Faced with possible shortages due to COVID-19, many states updated or rapidly developed crisis standards of care (CSCs) and other pandemic preparedness plans (PPPs) for rationing resources, particularly ventilators. Research Question How have US states incorporated the controversial standard of rationing by age and/or life-years into their pandemic preparedness plans? Study Design and Methods This was an investigator-initiated, textual analysis conducted from April to June 2020, querying online resources and in-state contacts to identify PPPs published by each of the 50 states and for Washington, DC. Analysis included the most recent versions of CSC documents and official state PPPs containing triage guidance as of June 2020. Plans were categorized as rationing by (A) short-term survival (≤ 1 year), (B) 1 to 5 expected life-years, (C) total life-years, (D) “fair innings,” that is, specific age cutoffs, or (O) other. The primary measure was any use of age and/or life-years. Plans were further categorized on the basis of whether age/life-years was a primary consideration. Results Thirty-five states promulgated PPPs addressing the rationing of critical care resources. Seven states considered short-term prognosis, seven considered whether a patient had 1 to 5 expected life-years, 13 rationed by total life-years, and one used the fair innings principle. Seven states provided only general ethical considerations. Seventeen of the 21 plans considering age/life-years made it a primary consideration. Several plans borrowed heavily from a few common sources, although use of terminology was inconsistent. Many documents were modified in light of controversy. Interpretation Guidance with respect to rationing by age and/or life-years varied widely. More than one-half of PPPs, many following a few common models, included age/life-years as an explicit rationing criterion; the majority of these made it a primary consideration. Terminology was often vague, and many plans evolved in response to pushback. These findings have ethical implications for the care of older adults and other vulnerable populations during a pandemic.
The violation of parity and reversality in molecular ensembles: I. Field induced circular and axial birefringence

Abstract The violation of parity and reversality are fundamental phenomena which are investigated using magnetic, electric and electromagnetic field circular and axial birefringence in chiral and achiral molecular ensembles. Symmetry considerations determine whether parity (P) or reversality (T) must be violated in order to observe the circular or axial birefringence spectroscopically. Several types of field induced birefringence are considered, using static and time varying magnetic and electric fields, and intense electromagnetic fields. In each case, the symmetry of the complete experiment is considered, and if P and T are conserved, expressions are derived for the circular and axial refractive and absorption indices in terms of appropriate molecular property tensors. The order of magnitude of each new birefringence effect is estimated, and spectroscopic configurations suggested for their experimental observation.
Design and implementation of an interactive animatronic for guest response analysis

Within entertainment applications, animatronics must be identified as human partners to establish status for dynamic interactions for enhanced acceptance and effectiveness as socially-interactive agents. This research covers the design and implementation for human identification using a depth camera (Carmine from PrimeSense), an open-source middleware (NITE from OpenNI), Java-based Processing and an Arduino microcontroller into an animatronic dragon. Using the data from depth camera, people are identified by approximating a person's skeletal information. Based on the movements of the individual, the program tracks a human body, or bodies, within the camera's field of view. Joint locations, in the tracked human, are isolated for specific usage by the program. Joints include the head, torso, shoulders, elbows, hands, knees and feet. The dragon capabilities include a four degrees-of-freedom neck, moving wings, tail, jaw, blinking eyes and sound effects. These outputs instigate a movement in the tracked human, which establishes the cycle of human to animatronic interactions. This animatronic creature design will allow for future research in the effectiveness of interactive elements in themed environments.
IL-2 and IL-4 Stimulate MEK1 Expression and Contribute to T Cell Resistance against Suppression by TGF-β and IL-10 in Asthma

The T cell-driven airway inflammation in chronic asthma is uninhibited and sustained. We examined the resistance of T cells from asthmatic patients against suppression by TGF-β, IL-10 and glucocorticoids and explored its signaling mechanism. CD4+CD25− T cells from allergic asthmatic subjects demonstrated increased TCR-stimulated proliferation as compared with healthy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease controls. This proliferation was resistant to inhibition by TGF-β, IL-10, and dexamethasone and to anergy induction. CD4 T cells from asthmatic patients, but not chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergic rhinitis, and healthy subjects, showed increased expression of MEK1, heightened phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and increased levels of c-Fos. IL-2 and IL-4 stimulated the expression of MEK1 and c-Fos and induced T cell resistance. The inhibition of MEK1 reversed, whereas induced expression of c-Fos and JunB promoted T cell resistance against TGF-β– and IL-10–mediated suppression. We have uncovered an IL-2– and IL-4–driven MEK1 induction mechanism that results in heightened ERK1/2 activation in asthmatic T cells and make them resistant to certain inhibitory mechanisms.
The solitary labial lentigo. A clinicopathologic study of twenty cases.

Abstract A review of pathologic material from twenty patients leads to the conclusion that there is no difference distinguishable by routine histopathologic techniques between the labial lentigo and the macular pigmentation of the Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
A block-Lanczos method for large continuation problems

The computation of solution paths of large-scale continuation problems can be quite challenging because a large amount of computations have to be carried out in an interactive computing environment. The computations involve the solution of a sequence of large nonlinear problems, the detection of turning points and bifurcation points, as well as branch switching at bifurcation points. These tasks can be accomplished by computing the solution of a sequence of large linear systems of equations and by determining a few eigenvalues close to the origin, and associated eigenvectors, of the matrices of these systems. We describe an iterative method that simultaneously solves a linear system of equations and computes a few eigenpairs associated with eigenvalues of small magnitude of the matrix. The computation of the eigenvectors has the effect of preconditioning the linear system, and numerical examples show that the simultaneous computation of the solution and eigenpairs can be faster than only computing the solution. Our iterative method is based on the block-Lanczos algorithm and is applicable to continuation problems with symmetric Jacobian matrices.
Learning to lead as global competitors

Aspects of learning to lead as global competitors are examined. The concurrent work environment is described, and issues of globalization are addressed. Attention is given to value-added capabilities, three tiers of leadership, and group problem solving. A self-development plan is outlined. >
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic fractionation of histones.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the technique for polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic fractionation of histones. Histones are small, basic proteins associated with the nuclear DNA of eukaryotes. They possess no known enzymic activity, however are present in large amounts in the nucleus. The most convenient means of assaying for histones is polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The basicity of histones means that they are positively charged at low pH; and routine electrophoretic analysis is often done at this pH that affords a separation on the basis of charge, molecular weight, and shape. Electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at high pH provides a separation on the basis of size. Electrophoresis at neutral pH permits an analysis of acid-labile histone modifications and some histone-histone complexes. Two-dimensional gels may be required to separate histones from some species, and to analyze the products from the reaction of histones with reversible cross-linking reagents. The advantages and limitations of the gel systems are also discussed.
Choosing Among Alternative Programs for Poor Children

Many public programs serve poor children. By setting budgets, benefit levels, and program rules, policymakers decide how many children will receive benefits and which benefits they will receive. Making these choices in a rational way is difficult, given the noncomparability of different types of program benefits and the limited information available about the effects these programs have on poor children. This article suggests four criteria (efficiency, return on investment, incentives, and equity) for evaluating and comparing public programs for poor children, and provides an overview of the patchwork of information that is currently available about the effects of eight large federal programs using these criteria. Some broad themes emerge. First, several programs that target specific benefits directly to children have been shown to have positive effects on a range of outcomes. Second, even before the current round of welfare reform, the mix of federal support available to poor children had changed in a way that put more emphasis on providing benefits in kind. Finally, more must be learned about the effects of programs for poor children before sweeping policy recommendations can be made. This article concludes with policy recommendations that can be supported by the available evidence.
Ag Layers on Cu(110): Bonding, Structure, and Stability

The atomic-level properties ( bonding, structure, composition ) and thermal stability of Ag overlayers on Cu(110) have been investigated using combined surface and high energy ion beam techniques. Analysis of the first Ag adatom layer with LEED shows that the Ag is initially confined to the [110] troughs and that further deposition results in a Ag(111) layer exhibiting c(2x4) symmetry. Rutherford backscattering analysis gives absolute coverages that are consistent with the surface science coverage determination. Thermal desorption of CO from the trough composite reveals a lower ( more Ag-like ) binding energy than that for clean Cu(110). Continuous films grown cold at thicknesses <115 A are found to agglomerate above 500 K exposing a tenacious Ag-Cu interface like that formed by one monolayer deposition. Ion beam analysis has been employed to characterize the agglomerate coverage and depth distribution for these degraded films. Thin films grown 900 A thick exhibit much higher thermal stability, giving detectable interfacial degradation only after heating above 725 K.
Individual manifestations of Parkinson's disease after ten or more years of levodopa

Twenty-five consecutive patients with Parkinson's disease, who had been on levodopa for 10 or more years, were studied. Over the 12.9 years of treatment, the average Northwestern Disability Score had increased from 9.6 to 18.9. By this measure, 24 of 25 patients were worse, and one was unchanged. The progression of disability did not involve all pretreatment parkinsonian features equally in any of the patients studied. Instead a distinctive pattern of deterioration was seen: postural reflexes worsened in 24/25, speech in 24/25, and gait in 22/25. In contrast, rigidity was improved or unchanged in 17/25, tremor was improved or unchanged in 17/17, while handwriting was improved or unchanged in 21/22. Finger dexterity which was improved in 5/25, unchanged in 15/25, and worse in 5/25 which seemed to be between these two extremes. These observations demonstrate that some signs of parkinsonism can remain quite responsive to levodopa for more than 10 years while at the same time other manifestations of the disease are no longer as responsive to this form of treatment.
Adenylyl cyclase signal transduction and alcohol-induced sedation

This study examined adenylyl cyclase (AC) signal transduction in alcohol-sensitive brain regions of rats selectively bred for high (HAD) and low (LAD) alcohol drinking and correlated these findings with differences in sensitivity and tolerance to alcohol-induced sedation found within these lines. LAD rats were more sensitive to the sedative effects of alcohol than were HAD rats as evidenced by a shorter latency to lose the righting response (RR) after a single alcohol challenge. When time to recover the RR was compared after each of two alcohol challenges, HAD rats recovered the RR more rapidly following the second challenge compared to the first, indicating that the HAD rats rapidly developed tolerance to the sedative effects of alcohol. Tolerance did not develop in rats of the LAD line. Two months after completion of behavioral testing, adenylyl cyclase (AC) signal transduction was examined in alcohol-sensitive brain regions of rats from both lines. Immunoblot analyses indicated that LAD rats had greater Gs alpha expression in the frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus (HIP) compared to HAD rats. Rats with the highest HIP and FC Gs alpha levels were more rapidly affected by the sedative properties of alcohol than were rats with lower Gs alpha levels. G protein expression and AC activity in the FC, HIP, cerebellum (CERE), and nucleus accumbens (ACB) were also correlated with sensitivity to the sedative properties of alcohol and with the rapid development of tolerance to this alcohol effect. The results suggest that sensitivity and tolerance to alcohol-induced sedation may be mediated in part through AC signal transduction.
Organization of the gene encoding common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (neutral endopeptidase 24.11): multiple miniexons and separate 5' untranslated regions.

Abstract The common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA) is a 749-amino acid type II integral membrane protein that has been identified recently as the neutral endopeptidase 24.11 [NEP (EC 3.4.24.11)]. Herein, we characterize the organization of the human CALLA/NEP gene and show that it spans more than 80 kilobases (kb) and is composed of 24 exons. Exons 1 and 2 encode 5' untranslated sequences; exon 3 [170 base pairs (bp)] encodes the initiation codon and transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain; 20 short exons (exons 4-23), ranging in size from 36 to 162 bp, encode most of the extracellular portion of the enzyme; and exon 24 (approximately 3400 bp) encodes the COOH-terminal 32 amino acids of the protein and contains the entire 3' untranslated region (UTR). Of note, the pentapeptide sequence (His-Glu-Ile-Thr-His) associated with metalloprotease zinc binding and substrate catalysis is encoded within a single exon (exon 19). Three types of CALLA/NEP cDNAs have been identified: these clones contain 5' UTR sequences differing from one another upstream of exon 3. These human 5' sequences are homologous to those found in rat brain and rabbit kidney NEP cDNAs. The three human CALLA cDNA types result from alternative splicing of exons 1, 2a, or 2b to the common exon 3. Moreover, exons 2a and 2b share the same 5' sequence but differ from each other by the use of two distinct donor splice sites 171 bp apart in the gene. The substantial conservation of 5' untranslated sequences among species and the existence of 5' alternative splicing suggest that CALLA gene expression may be differentially controlled in a tissue-specific and/or developmentally regulated fashion.
Kerr Magneto-Optic Effect in Thin Cobalt Films

Rotations and ellipticities of the longitudinal Kerr, magneto-optic effect were measured over the visible spectrum on three evaporated cobalt films. The complex index of refraction and the magneto-optic parameter Q were computed and agreed, in general, with early results on bulk cobalt. Using Voigt’s theory, the polar effect and the longitudinal effect for a different angle of incidence were predicted, and found in moderate agreement with experiment.
A curriculum strategy that expands time for in-depth elementary science instruction by using science-based reading strategies: Effects of a year-long study in grade four

An integrative curriculum strategy emphasizing science process skills and hands-on activities expanded the time allocated for in-depth science instruction by replacing a district-adopted basal reading program with science-content reading designed to facilitate applied comprehension skills. This study investigated the combined effect of these curricular components (i.e., in-depth science, science-content-based reading) upon student achievement, attitudes, and self-confidence in both science and reading over the school year. In doing so, teachers in three fourth-grade classrooms each incorporated applied reading (and language arts) objectives into science reading activities as part of a daily, expanded, in-depth science teaching block that encompassed the total instructional time originally allocated to reading and science. Using multivariate covariance analysis, results showed that the students in the experimental group, compared to demographically similar controls, not only displayed significantly greater standardized test achievement as measured by the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills reading subtest and the Metropolitan Achievement Test science subtest, but also displayed a more positive attitude toward science and reading and greater self-confidence in learning science. Implications of the strategy for future curriculum research in science education are discussed.
Plum (Prunus domestica) Trees Transformed with Poplar FT1 Result in Altered Architecture, Dormancy Requirement, and Continuous Flowering

The Flowering Locus T1 (FT1) gene from Populus trichocarpa under the control of the 35S promoter was transformed into European plum (Prunus domestica L). Transgenic plants expressing higher levels of FT flowered and produced fruits in the greenhouse within 1 to 10 months. FT plums did not enter dormancy after cold or short day treatments yet field planted FT plums remained winter hardy down to at least −10°C. The plants also displayed pleiotropic phenotypes atypical for plum including shrub-type growth habit and panicle flower architecture. The flowering and fruiting phenotype was found to be continuous in the greenhouse but limited to spring and fall in the field. The pattern of flowering in the field correlated with lower daily temperatures. This apparent temperature effect was subsequently confirmed in growth chamber studies. The pleitropic phenotypes associated with FT1 expression in plum suggests a fundamental role of this gene in plant growth and development. This study demonstrates the potential for a single transgene event to markedly affect the vegetative and reproductive growth and development of an economically important temperate woody perennial crop. We suggest that FT1 may be a useful tool to modify temperate plants to changing climates and/or to adapt these crops to new growing areas.
Targeting [Specific Slices of] Female Voters: A Key Strategy of Democrats and Republicans Alike in 2004 … and Most Assuredly So in 2008

Words and phrases commonly used to describe the women's vote in 2004 ranged from “much-coveted,” “vital,” “swing,” “heavily sought after,” and “diverse” to “the largest and most pivotal voting group” and “a challenge for each candidate to reach.” Political strategists, analysts, and scholars were cognizant that women had decided every presidential election since 1980.
Nonwestern Immigrants in Continuing Higher Education: A Sociocultural Approach to Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Abstract Every wave of immigration to the United States has brought significant changes to the country and to its institutions. Unlike earlier waves that were drawn primarily from Europe, the majority of today's newcomers originate from developing nations, causing the United States population to be more diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, language, culture, and ways of knowing. Such diversity has implications for teaching and learning in continuing higher education. Drawing from the literature, this article advocates for more inclusive learning environments where immigrant learners can experience learning that is culturally relevant and that would meet their needs for acculturation and integration into the host society. It highlights the profile of today's U.S. foreign-born population who originate primarily from nonwestern cultures and the impact of cultural orientation on learning. Furthermore, using sociocultural theory as a guiding framework, the author provides recommendations for culturally respons...
Anxiety states induced by post-weaning social isolation are mediated by CRF receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus

Post-weaning social isolation of rats is utilized as a model of early life stress. We have previously demonstrated that rats exposed to post-weaning social isolation exhibit greater anxiety-like behaviors as adults. Furthermore, these rats exhibit greater density of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) type 2 receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Therefore, we examined whether antagonism of CRF(2) receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus reverses the effects of post-weaning social isolation on anxiety states. Male rats were reared in isolation or in groups from day of weaning (postnatal day [PND] 21) to mid-adolescence (PND42) and then allowed to develop to early adulthood housed in groups. At PND62, rats were either infused with vehicle, the CRF(1) receptor antagonist antalarmin (0.25-0.5 μg) or the CRF(2) receptor antagonist antisauvagine-30 (2 μg) into the dorsal raphe nucleus, 20 min prior to being introduced to the elevated plus maze. Isolation-reared rats showed reduced open arm behavior compared to group-reared rats, confirming the anxiogenic effects of post-weaning social isolation. Infusion of the CRF(2) receptor antagonist, but not the CRF(1) receptor antagonist, into the dorsal raphe nucleus of isolation-reared rats increased open arm behavior when compared to that of group-reared rats. Overall, the findings suggest that CRF(2) receptors within the dorsal raphe nucleus mediate anxiety-like states following post-weaning social isolation, and CRF(2) receptors may represent an important target for the treatment of anxiety disorders following early life stressors.
A Market-Based Approach to Child Nutrition: Mothers' Demand for Quality Certification of Infant Foods in Bamako, Mali

This paper analyses the potential impact of introducing quality certification to the market for infant foods in a very low-income country, where malnutrition is widespread. Using an experimental-economics approach, we find that a program to sample, test and certify the nutrient density of products could promote a more competitive market for low-cost fortified foods and be implemented on a self-financing basis, yielding net economic benefits on the order of US$1 million per year in the city of Bamako. We find that mothers’ demand for quality information rises with their education and income level, but is higher than the estimated cost of certification even among the very poor and uneducated.
THE OXYGEN CONSUMPTION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI DURING THE LAG AND LOGARITHMIC PHASES OF GROWTH.

The oxygen consumption of rapidly growing cultures of Esch. coli (S) have been measured by means of Fenn's respirometer. The rate of oxygen consumption of a growing culture uniformly attains a phase of logarithmic increase before the growth curve of the organisms becomes logarithmic. The rate of oxygen consumption per cell increases rapidly from the time of inoculation to a point of maximum respiration near the end of the lag phase of the growth curve, followed by a gradual decrease in the respiratory rate. The surface area of the average cell when plotted against time passes through a point of maximum surface area which coincides with the point of maximum oxygen consumption per cell. Figures obtained by different methods, CO2 output and heat production when reduced to the same units, agree remarkably well.
Emittance Bounds for Transient Radiative Cooling of a Scattering Rectangular Region

Transient cooling was analyzed for a two-dimensional gray rectangular region that emits, absorbs, and isotropically scatters radiation. The region, initially at uniform temperature, is placed in surroundings at a much lower temperature. The cooling analysis yields two simultaneous equations for the transient temperature and scattering source function distributions. The region starts to cool with the medium at uniform temperature. For this condition, the local emittance around the perimeter was obtained by a numerical solution of the radiative equations, and the rate of heat loss from the entire medium was evaluated. As cooling continues, the emissive ability decreases because of the lower temperatures in the outer regions of the rectangle. Based on some previous work, a lower limit for the transient overall emittance was found by obtaining a similarity solution. For some ranges of optical thickness and scattering albedo, the lower limit is only a small amount below the initial emittance. For these conditions, the initial emittance can be used to compute the entire transient resulting in a considerable simplification.
A fuzzy linguistic approach to implementing a strategy for computer integrated manufacturing

Abstract This paper outlines an application of linguistic variables from the theory of fuzzy sets to support the phased implementation of a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) strategy. The use of linguistic variables facilitates the consideration of non-quantitative (or intangible) factors which have come to plague attempts to justify CIM systems. A heuristic algorithm is developed and demonstrated in an example.
The binary systems ThCl4Th and ThCl4ThOCl2

Abstract The ThCl 4 Th system has been investigated and the main features of the known ThCl 4 ThOCl 2 system confirmed. The ThCl 4 Th system is a simple eutectic system with a eutectic composition and temperature of 3.0 mole% Th and 700 ± 5 °C, respectively. The only phases detected by X-ray diffraction data were thorium, and two crystalline forms of ThCl 4 . No evidence was found for either ThCl 3 or ThCl 2 . The ThCl 4 ThOCl 2 system is, similarly, a simple eutectic system with a eutectic temperature of 715-5 °C and a eutectic composition of 13.0 mole% ThO2 2 . No phases other than ThOCl 2 and the two crytalline forms of ThCl 4 were detected in this system. The ThCl 4 transformation at 405 ± 5 °C is very sensitive to dissolved impurities but it can be restored in both systems by annealing below 400 °C. Consequently, the solubility of thorium or ThOCl 2 in ThCl 4 is very small at low temperatures.
Near-field, back-action cooling and amplification

Plasmonic structures produce well-known enhancement of the near-field optical intensity due to sub-wavelength optical confinement. These properties can produce a significant change of transmission and reflection upon small mechanical change of the antenna configuration. We have developed a method based on this enhanced sensitivity for cooling and amplification of a moving mirror. Using finite difference time domain method and standard optomechanical coupled-equation, different regimes of operation such as laser detuning and cavity length were studied to compare the effect of the near-field enhancement with the conventional radiation pressure. Using practical microcavity parameters, we demonstrate significantly higher cooling - or amplification- efficiency for the near-field plasmonic effect. Moreover, the volume of the system is very small. We believe that the significant efficiency improvement and reduced volume due to the proposed near-field effect can make this approach practical for many applications ranging from gravitational wave detection to photonic clocks, high precision accelerometers, atomic force microscopy, laser cooling and parametric amplification.
Augmentation of two-phase heat transfer and pressure drop of refrigerants in horizontal tubes

Abstract Passive methods to improve the heat transfer characteristics of two-phase refrigerant flows by altering the tube-side geometry are reviewed and categorized for use in performing system studies and defining future research efforts. The information presented includes available correlations and data for the prediction of the two-phase, heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop in six different geometries under various combinations of operating conditions and refrigerant selection.
6-Substituted l-Methylquinolinium-2-dithioacetic Acid Zwitterions: Antileukemia Activity

Abstract Condensation of the anhydro bases derived from 6-substi- tuted 1-methylquinaldinium iodides with carbon disulfide provided the 2-dithioacetic acid zwitterions. Since l,6-dimethylquinolinium-2-di- thioacetic acid zwitterion previously showed appreciable activity against P-388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice, a series of analogs with other 6- substituents was synthesized to assess the importance of substitution in this position. Both electron-donating and electron-attracting 6-suh- stituents gave compounds with antileukemia activity. The 6-unsubsti- tuted analog had only marginal activity.
Probability and Critical Potentials for the Formation of Multiply Charged Ions in Hg Vapor by Electron Impact

With a type of apparatus previously reported the procedure is described for measuring the probability of the formation of multiply charged ions in mercury vapor as a function of the velocity of the incident electron.Critical potentials for the formation of multiply charged ions. New results together with those of an earlier paper place the minimum or ionizing potentials for the formation of ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{2+}$, ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{H}}^{4+}$, and ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{5+}$ by a single impact at 10.4, 30, 71, 143, and 225 volts respectively. A brief correlation of these results with those of other observers is given.Relative numbers of multiply charged ions. A set of curves is given showing the fraction of the total positive ion current carried by each type of ion as a function of the electron velocity. Another set of curves shows the fraction of the total number of ions carrying one, two, three, four, and five charges. The fraction for ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{+}$ drops to a nearly constant value of 78 percent while the value for ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{2+}$ approaches 16 percent of the total number beyond 150 volts. At 400 volts the values for the five ions in order are 77, 16.5, 4.4, 1.3 and 0.8 percent respectively.Quantitative measure of the number of ions produced and effective cross-sectional area of the Hg atom. Curves are given representing the number, $N$, of each type of ion, per electron, per cm path, per mm pressure at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C as a function of the electron velocity. The values of $N$ for ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{2+}$, ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{3+}$, and ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{4+}$ have maxima of 20.8, 3.2, 0.72, 0.15 at 50, 115, 210, and 400 volts respectively. The effective cross-sectional area of the Hg atom toward an ionizing collision of a given type is obtained by dividing the appropriate value of $N$ by the number of molecules per cc. The maximum value of this area for ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{+}$ is about 60 percent of the kinetic theory value.A discussion is given of the meaning of the area under the peaks in the $\frac{e}{m}$ analysis curves and its effect on the accuracy of the interpretation of the data.
New Oral Anticoagulants

The risk of bleeding, narrow therapeutic index, and need for routine monitoring make oral anticoagulation with warfarin a less than ideal oral anticoagulant. Intravenous therapies such as heparin are not orally bioavailable and have a narrow therapeutic index and high risk of bleeding. New oral antico agulants currently under investigation may have more ideal characteristics for long-term administration. The mechanism of thrombogenesis, limitations of current therapy, and new investigational oral anticoagulants are discussed.
The Biochemical Basis of an All-or-None Cell Fate Switch in Xenopus Oocytes

Xenopus oocytes convert a continuously variable stimulus, the concentration of the maturation-inducing hormone progesterone, into an all-or-none biological response-oocyte maturation. Here evidence is presented that the all-or-none character of the response is generated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. Analysis of individual oocytes showed that the response of MAPK to progesterone or Mos was equivalent to that of a cooperative enzyme with a Hill coefficient of at least 35, more than 10 times the Hill coefficient for the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin. The response can be accounted for by the intrinsic ultrasensitivity of the oocyte's MAPK cascade and a positive feedback loop in which the cascade is embedded. These findings provide a biochemical rationale for the all-or-none character of this cell fate switch.
The reaction between trialkylboranes and copper(II) salts. An unusual electron-transfer oxidation-reduction

Abstract Essentially no reaction is observed between trialkylboranes and cupric bromide when tetrahydrofuran is used as the solvent. However, the reaction is greatly enhanced in the presence of water and results in the conversion of a singlealkyl group on boron into the corresponding alkyl bromide. The reaction stoichiometry indicates that two equivalents of copper(II) are required per alkyl group. Cupric chloride gave an analogous reaction, but no detectable amount of alkyl acetate was observed by GLC analysis for the reaction between trialkylboranes and cupric acetate. A two-step reaction mechanism is proposed based on the stoichiometry and selectivity of the reaction and on the different mode of reaction for acetate vs . halide. The first step is a direct electron-transfer oxidation of a carbonboron bond with generation of an alkyl free radical. This alkyl radical then undergoes a ligand-transfer reaction in the presence of cupric halides. Possible mechanisms are presented for this unusual electron-transfer oxidation of trialkylboranes.
Excitation of rat cutaneous nociceptors by noxious cold

Abstract Electrophysiological recordings were made from mechanosensitive nociceptors innervating hairy skin of the rat hindpaw, and responses evoked by a wide range of noxious cold stimuli (20 to −12°C) were determined. All Aδ and C nociceptors sampled were excited by noxious cold. Response thresholds of Aδ nociceptors were significantly higher (colder stimulus temperatures) than thresholds of C fibers, and many exhibited response thresholds below 0°C. Responses of both classes of nociceptors increased as stimulus temperature decreased. These data demonstrate that Aδ and C nociceptors are excited by a wide range of cold stimuli and suggest that the proportion of cutaneous nociceptors excited by noxious cold has been underestimated in previous studies.
Inertia of Forward-Looking Expectations

Macroeconomic variables exhibit inertia. On the face of it, such inertia sits uncomfortably with the behavior of rational, forward-looking agents who form expectations on the basis of the best information available at the time. Christopher Sims (2003, sect. 8) offers a three-fold taxonomy of attempts to rationalize inertia. The first is the idea of Robert Lucas (1973) and Edmund Phelps (1970) that agents face a signal extraction problem, so that their actions react only partially to shifts in fundamentals due to the residual uncertainty. The second is the sticky expectations approach of N. Gregory Mankiw and Ricardo Reis (2002), where otherwise rational and forward-looking agents receive information with some delay. The third is the rational inattention approach favored by Sims himself, where agents with informationprocessing constraints choose the optimal coarsening of their information (Sims, 2003). Our approach is a variation on the signalextraction theme but has implications for the sticky-expectations and rational-inattention approaches. As explained recently by Michael Woodford (2003), the original contribution of Lucas (1973) had limited success in explaining the persistence of macroeconomic aggregates due to the feature that the underlying fundamentals are fully revealed after a delay of one period. Without this simplifying feature, however, the complexity of the problem increases rapidly as expectations of others’ expectations become relevant in one’s calculations (Robert Townsend, 1983; Phelps, 1983). Tractability aside, the approach holds much promise. When agents are differentially informed, events in the distant past are “more common knowledge” than events in the recent past. Not only has enough time elapsed for the agents to ascertain the facts in the distant past, but more importantly, enough time has elapsed for each agent to be more confident that other agents have ascertained the facts. When common knowledge is important (as in coordination problems, for example) events in the distant past take on significance. Paradoxically, the farther the agents peer into the future, the farther they must look into the past to establish the informational platform for their actions. To an outside observer, the aggregate action betrays all the outward signs of adaptive expectations. In order to demonstrate this principle in a transparent way, we employ other drastic simplifications but do not assume that realizations are revealed after a delay of one period. We thereby preserve the nontrivial nature of dynamic, higher-order beliefs and show how persistence arises as a natural consequence of the original Lucas and Phelps insight.
Chemical composition and thermal analysis of cottonwood

Abstract Analysis of extracted cottonwood shows the presence of lignin and 76.1% of cell-wall polysaccharides. The polysaccharides consist of cellulose (44.1%), 4- O -methylglucuronoxylan (20.8%), and glucomannan (9.7%). Differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis data show the relationship between the pyrolytic properties of the selected wood and its components.
Peak Capacity, Peak-Capacity Production Rate, and Boiling Point Resolution for Temperature-Programmed GC with Very High Programming Rates

Recent advances in column heating technology have made possible very fast linear temperature programming for high-speed gas chromatography. A fused-silica capillary column is contained in a tubular metal jacket, which is resistively heated by a precision power supply. With very rapid column heating, the rate of peak-capacity production is significantly enhanced, but the total peak capacity and the boiling-point resolution (minimum boiling-point difference required for the separation of two nonpolar compounds on a nonpolar column) are reduced relative to more conventional heating rates used with convection-oven instruments. As temperature-programming rates increase, elution temperatures also increase with the result that retention may become insignificant prior to elution. This results in inefficient utilization of the downstream end of the column and causes a loss in the rate of peak-capacity production. The rate of peak-capacity production is increased by the use of shorter columns and higher carrier gas...
Lower Bounds on the Threshold Charge-Exchange Amplitude from Di-Pion Mass Distributions in Final States

It is argued that the differential rates of production of neutral di-pions in a reaction of the type $X\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Y+(\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi})$ have the form $\frac{d{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{+\ensuremath{-}}}{{k}^{2}\mathrm{dk}}=A+Bk+O({k}^{2})$, $\frac{d{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{00}}{{k}^{2}\mathrm{dk}}=C\ensuremath{-}Bk+O({k}^{2})$ for small values of $k$, the pion relative momentum in the di-pion rest frame. Determination of the coefficients $A$, $B$, and $C$ would yield the bound $|{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{0}|g~\frac{3|B|}{2{(\mathrm{AC})}^{\frac{1}{2}}}$, where ${a}_{I}$ is the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ scattering length for isospin $I$.
DNA Diagnostics: Nanotechnology-Enhanced Electrochemical Detection of Nucleic Acids

The detection of mismatched base pairs in DNA plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of genetic-related diseases and conditions, especially for early stage treatment. Among the various biosensors that have been used for DNA detection, EC sensors show great promise because they are capable of precise DNA recognition and efficient signal transduction. Advancements in micro- and nanotechnologies, specifically fabrication techniques and new nanomaterials, have enabled for the development of highly sensitive, highly specific sensors making them attractive for the detection of small sequence variations. Furthermore, the integration of sensors with sample preparation and fluidic processes enables for rapid, multiplexed DNA detection essential for POC clinical diagnostics.
Apoptosis pathways in neuroblastoma therapy

Apoptosis, the cell's intrinsic death program, plays a crucial role in the regulation of tissue homeostasis, and an imbalance between cell death and proliferation may result in tumor formation. Also, killing of tumor cells by diverse cytotoxic approaches such as anticancer drugs, γ-irradiation, suicide genes or immunotherapy, is predominantly mediated through induction of apoptosis. Failure to activate apoptotic pathways in response to drug treatment may lead to resistance of neuroblastoma cells to anticancer therapies. Understanding the molecular events that regulate apoptosis induced by cytotoxic therapies and how neuroblastoma cells evade apoptotic events may provide a new paradigm for neuroblastoma therapy. Thus, novel strategies targeting resistance of neuroblastoma cells will be based on insights into the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis as well as other forms of cell death.
Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor improves survival in two models of gut-derived sepsis by improving gut barrier function and modulating bacterial clearance.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of recombinant murine granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF) on survival and host defense was studied using two clinically relevant models of infection that included transfusion-induced immunosuppression. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor improves resistance in several models of infection, but its role in transfusion-induced immunosuppression and bacterial translocation (gut-derived sepsis) has not been defined. METHODS: Balb/c mice were treated with 100 ng of rmGM-CSF or placebo for 6 days in a model of transfusion, burn, and gavage, or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Translocation was studied in the first model. RESULTS: Survival after transfusion, burn, and gavage was 90% in rmGM-CSF-treated animals versus 35% in the control group (p < 0.001). After CLP, survival was 75% in the rmGM-CSF group versus 30% in the control group (p = 0.01). Less translocation and better killing of bacteria was observed in the tissues in animals treated with rmGM-CSF. CONCLUSION: The ability of rmGM-CSF to improve gut barrier function and enhance killing of translocated organisms after burn injury-induced gut origin sepsis was associated with improved outcome. Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor also improved survival after CLP.
Preoperative CHA2DS2-VASC Score Predicts Neurologic Complications in Continuous-Flow (CF) Left Ventricular-Assist Device (LVAD) Patients

Purpose Neurologic events are a devastating complication of LVAD support. Pre-LVAD stroke risk scores are lacking. CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC is an established risk score for ischemic stroke (iCVA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that it might have predictive value in CF LVAD recipients. Methods and Materials Records for recipients of currently available durable CF LVADs were reviewed. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine association between pre-LVAD variables and: 1) post-LVAD iCVA; or 2) either iCVA or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Patients were censored at death, explant, or ongoing support. In addition to CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC parameters (heart failure; hypertension; age; diabetes; gender; prior iCVA or TIA; vascular disease including myocardial infarction), we tested pre-LVAD Intermacs profile, device type, comorbidity requiring anticoagulation (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, LV thrombus, AF), positive heparin antibody, and serum sodium (Na) and albumin (Alb). Lower Na and Alb are predictors of post-LVAD stroke (Kato, J Hrt Lung Transpl 2012;31:1). No patient had a diagnosed hypercoagulable state. Results Of 103 CF LVAD implants (excluding replacements), data were available for 100: 42 Jarvik; 53 Heartmate II; 5 Heartware. 11 (11%) had iCVA, 5 (5%) had TIA, and 1 (1%) had both. Incidence did not differ among devices. For iCVA, CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC was the only significant (at p 2 DS 2 -VASC 2 DS 2 -VASC and Alb were significant predictors. However, the effect of Alb (higher risk with higher Alb) was opposite that shown by Kato et al. No patient with CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC Conclusions In our CF LVAD population, pre-LVAD CHA 2 DS 2 -VASC predicted post-LVAD iCVA or TIA. The Alb effect was incongruent with published data and may require further investigation. We have incorporated this risk score into our pre-LVAD evaluation and plan prospective validation.
Improving the nursing accreditation process

Abstract Accreditation demonstrates that an organization is establishing high quality and it is committed in the achievement of specified standards. This study was conducted to reduce perceived stress and anxiety among nursing faculty and nursing administrative staff related to the accreditation process. Participants were provided an educational intervention in preparation for an accreditation visit. Results revealed anxiety and stress scores were lowered after the intervention.
Art Lessons: Learning From The Rise And Fall Of Public Arts Funding

Offering a fresh look at what's wrong with how Americans fund the arts--and why--this book, based on wide-ranging interviews and massive research, goes beyond identifying the failures of the present system to offer a plan for fixing it.
TNPACK—A truncated Newton minimization package for large-scale problems: I. Algorithm and usage

We present a FORTRAN package of subprograms for minimizing multivariate functions without constraints by a truncated Newton algorithm. The algorithm is especially suited for problems involving a large number of variables. Truncated Newton methods allow approximate, rather than exact, solutions to the Newton equations. Truncation is accomplished in the present version by using the preconditioned Conjugate Gradient algorithm (PCG) to solve approximately the Newton equations. The preconditioner M is factored in PCG using a sparse modified Cholesky factorization based on the Yale Sparse Matrix Package. In this paper we briefly describe the method and provide details for program usage
Challenges in Defining Background Levels for Human and Ecological Risk Assessments

A robust approach to defining, understanding, and tracking contaminant levels is crucial to human and ecological risk evaluation and risk management. Whether materials are present in the environment naturally (mercury, radon, nitrogen, phosphorous) and enhanced by human activities or are man-made (DDT and PCBs), the complexity of contaminant distributions and sources requires careful design and implementation of studies to characterize background. Before collection or analyses of data are initiated, an explicit definition of background appropriate to specific risk assessments is needed. Problems associated with determining background levels of contaminants in fish and seafood illustrate some challenges faced by risk assessors. Major differences in estimates of background may result from differences in sampling and analytical methods including selection of sampling locations, approaches to data analysis and synthesis, and tissues selected for analysis. Different approaches may yield background exposure or ...