cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomechanical Properties of a Novel Mesh Suture in a Cadaveric Flexor Tendon Repair Model.

Purpose Conventional suture repairs, when stressed, fail by suture rupture, knot slippage, or suture pull-through, when the suture cuts through the intervening tissue. The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of flexor tendon repairs using a novel mesh suture with traditional suture repairs. Methods Sixty human cadaveric flexor digitorum profundus tendons were harvested and assigned to 1 of 3 suture repair groups: 3-0 and 4-0 braided poly-blend suture or 1-mm diameter mesh suture. All tendons were repaired using a 4-strand core cruciate suture configuration. Each tendon repair underwent linear loading or cyclic loading until failure. Outcome measures included yield strength, ultimate strength, the number of cycles and load required to achieve 1-mm and 2-mm gap formation, and failure. Results Mesh suture repairs had significantly higher yield and ultimate force values when compared with 3-0 and 4-0 braided poly-blend suture repairs under linear testing. The average force required to produce repair gaps was significantly higher in mesh suture repairs than in conventional suture. Mesh suture repairs endured a significantly greater number of cycles and force applied before failure compared with both 3-0 and 4-0 conventional suture. Conclusions This ex vivo biomechanical study of flexor tendon repairs using a novel mesh suture reveals significant increases in average yield strength, ultimate strength, and average force required for gap formation and repair failure with mesh suture repairs compared with conventional sutures. Clinical relevance Mesh suture–based flexor tendon repairs could lead to improved healing at earlier time points. The findings could allow for earlier mobilization, decreased adhesion formation, and lower rupture rates after flexor tendon repairs.
National Parliaments as Multi-Arena-Players: A New Deliberative Role Within the EU Multilevel System?

The Lisbon Treaty strengthened in the EU multilevel system in several ways, for example through the Early Warning System (EWS) and a stronger focus on inter-parliamentary cooperation. These provisions, Auel argues, provide national parliaments with the opportunity to move on from the role of strategic ‘external veto players’ (Benz in West Eur Polit 27(5): 875–900, 2004) and to adopt a more proactive, constructive and deliberative role as ‘multi-arena players’ that reflects the multilevel character of the EU. Although their impact in terms of parliamentary influence seems to have remained marginal so far, it has been argued that the new provisions can contribute to establishing a public European space by providing a structure of communication not only among parliaments, but also among national demoi. Auel discusses the potential of the new parliamentary role of ‘multi-arena player’ for the development of such a public European space and provides an assessment of its emergence in political practice.
Geometric Mapping of Tasks to Processors on Parallel Computers with Mesh or Torus Networks

We present a new method for reducing parallel applications’ communication time by mapping their MPI tasks to processors in a way that lowers the distance messages travel and the amount of congestion in the network. Assuming geometric proximity among the tasks is a good approximation of their communication interdependence, we use a geometric partitioning algorithm to order both the tasks and the processors, assigning task parts to the corresponding processor parts. In this way, interdependent tasks are assigned to “nearby” cores in the network. We also present a number of algorithmic optimizations that exploit specific features of the network or application to further improve the quality of the mapping. We specifically address the case of sparse node allocation, where the nodes assigned to a job are not necessarily located in a contiguous block nor within close proximity to each other in the network. However, our methods generalize to contiguous allocations as well, and results are shown for both contiguous and non-contiguous allocations. We show that, for the structured finite difference mini-application MiniGhost, our mapping methods reduced communication time up to 75 percent relative to MiniGhost's default mapping on 128K cores of a Cray XK7 with sparse allocation. For the atmospheric modeling code E3SM/HOMME, our methods reduced communication time up to 31% on 16K cores of an IBM BlueGene/Q with contiguous allocation.
Trace Metals and Plankton in the Oceans: Facts and Speculations

Understanding the mechanisms of biological and chemical interactions among trace metals and planktonic organisms is the key to elucidating the role of trace metals in the ecology of the oceans and the role of organisms in the geochemistry of metals.
Delay and Probability Discounting of Legal Outcomes

Legal consequences, including incarceration and contact with the criminal justice system, dramatically impact the lives of many individuals and their families. Though approximately 95% of convictions in state courts are resolved by defendants’ guilty pleas, and the majority of guilty pleas are reached via plea bargaining, there have been relatively few empirical studies assessing the impact of impulsive and risky decision-making strategies in plea-bargaining arrangements. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the degree to which the magnitude of potential legal consequences and the type of legal consequence (prison time vs. sex-offender registration and notification requirements) affect discounting of hypothetical legal consequences as a function of changes in (a) the probability of receiving the consequence or (b) the delay to receiving the consequence in a sample of 486 undergraduates. Overall, participants were more impulsive when plea bargains involved sex-offender registration and notification consequences compared to only prison time. For both prison time and sex-offender registration, participants were less impulsive when they were facing larger potential sentences (e.g., 1-year sentence vs. 25-year sentence). Additionally, participants discounted legal outcomes at different rates based on the probability of conviction, with no differences in discounting observed across consequence type (i.e., prison time and sex-offender registration) or magnitude (e.g., 1-year sentence vs. 25-year sentence).
Social Cohesion, Trust, Accountability and Education

Educational inequality among racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and refugees is greatest in societies where the level of social cohesion as measured by tolerance, trust, civic involvement, and educational attainment among the core population is low and crime and income inequality among the core population are high. Conversely, societies characterized by high social cohesion and tolerance for diversity offer the ideal conditions for educational opportunities for minority and immigrant groups. Unfortunately, the rising demands for neo-liberal educational accountability and distrust of the schools are linked to decreasing intergroup trust and tolerance and social cohesion, with the prospect that educational inequality may increase.
Augmentation Phalloplasty for Acquired Penile Shortening: A Systematic Review of Techniques, Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Limitations

Abstract Introduction Although an infrequent cause of small penile size in adult men, acquired penile shortening represents a particular reconstructive challenge due to preexisting penile anatomic deformities. Aim With numerous techniques being performed, the purpose of our study is to assess available literature on length enhancement procedures used for acquired penile shortening deformities. Methods A systematic review was performed using the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses. Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Databases were used to identify papers on augmentation Phalloplasty in non-transgender males with acquired penile shortening from 1990 to 2018. Main Outcome Measure Outcomes, complications, and patient-reported satisfaction were analyzed. Results 12 articles, involving 931 patients and 8 primary procedures, met our inclusion criteria. The majority of articles had level of evidence of 4 (83%) and Newcastle Ottawa Scale score of 6 (92%, moderate risk of bias). All studies reported mean penile length gain; however, inconsistent methodology was used when measuring penile dimensions. Mean length gain ranged from 0.6 to 6.4 cm. Overall, the mean complication rate for all techniques ranged from 0% to 50%. Post-operative satisfaction was reported in 10 (83%) studies, 7 of which used a validated scale. Patients were generally satisfied, with reported satisfaction rates ranging from 77% to 100%. Clinical Implications While numerous procedures have been described, the significant limitations in the available data preclude identifying a single superior procedure. Strengths & Limitations The significant heterogeneity in the reported literature is a limitation of this study and highlights the need for standardized reporting. However, this study is the first to analyze augmentation phalloplasty literature in the setting of acquired penile shortening. Conclusion Augmentation phalloplasty techniques for acquired penile shortening are evolving and are continuously being modified; best-practice guidelines are crucial to achieve safe and satisfactory outcomes in this population. Abu-Ghname A, Banuelos J, Davis MJ, et al. Augmentation Phalloplasty for Acquired Penile Shortening: A Systematic Review of Techniques, Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Limitations. J Sex Med 2020;17:331–341.
How The ACA Reframed The Prescription Drug Market And Set The Stage For Current Reform Efforts

The Affordable Care Act contained a range of provisions that altered prescription drug access and affordability for patients, payers, and providers. Yet the act stopped short of instituting systemic changes in the pricing of drugs, in part to address concerns that more fundamental changes might disrupt the development of new medicines. Looking back a decade after the Affordable Care Act became law, we found that new drug approvals have accelerated and the therapeutic advances embodied in some novel medicines are substantial-as are the prices that companies are charging for them. The lack of affordability of prescription drugs has become an increasing challenge for American patients and payers, particularly those with limited budgets. In this article we consider how things have changed in the past decade and how missed opportunities in the Affordable Care Act's passage figure prominently in the current drug pricing debate.
The Map Is Not the Territory: Considering the Role of School Improvement Plans in Turnaround Schools:

School improvement plans (SIPs) are increasingly used to structure the process of setting and monitoring goals. As SIPs are designed to identify and address local problems of practice, there is the...
Rates of coinfection with other respiratory pathogens in patients positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Author(s): Castillo, Edward M; Coyne, Christopher J; Brennan, Jesse J; Tomaszewski, Christian A | Abstract: ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to assess coinfection rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with other respiratory infections on presentation.MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of data from a 2 hospital academic medical centers and 2 urgent care centers during the initial 2 weeks of testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) , March 10, 2020 to March 23, 2020. Testing was targeted toward high-risk patients following US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Demographics include age group and sex. Laboratory test results included SARS-CoV-2, rapid influenza A/B, and upper respiratory pathogen nucleic acid detection. Patient demographics and coinfections are presented overall and by test results with descriptive statistics.ResultsComplete laboratory results from the first 2 weeks of testing were available for 471 emergency department patients and 117 urgent care center patients who were tested for SARS-CoV. A total of 51 (8.7%) patients tested positive for COVID-19 with only 1 of these patients also testing positive for another respiratory infection. One of the patients positive for COVID-19 also tested positive for influenza A. Among the 537 patients who were screened and tested negative for COVID-19, there were 33 (6.1%) patients who tested positive in the upper respiratory pathogen nucleic acid detection test.ConclusionIn our study investigating coinfections among 51 patients testing positive for COVID-19, 1 patient also tested positive for influenza A. Although we found limited coinfections in our emergency department and urgent care center patient populations, further research is needed to assess potential coinfection in patients with COVID-19.
« Dans l’attente d’un nouveau temps de fièvre » : la revue intranQu’îllités de James Noël et de Pascale Monnin

La revue intranQu’illites, publiee annuellement depuis mai 2012, ne nait point en vase clos, mais s’inscrit plutot dans une longue tradition de periodiques qui ont contribue a la creation de nouveaux modes de penser le monde et la Relation. Cet article analyse la facon dont intranQu’illites prolonge cette tradition, ainsi que ses resonances avec la pensee d’Edouard Glissant par la remise en question du concept d’insularite, qu’elle soit geographique ou identitaire. L’analyse propose un regard general sur la revue, une etude des editoriaux ainsi qu’un entretien avec ses deux cofondateurs, James Noel et Pascale Monnin.
Associations between the chemical composition of PM2.5 and gestational diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a complex mixture of fine particulates with large spatiotemporal heterogeneities in chemical compositions. While PM2.5 has been associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), little is known about the relationship between specific chemical components of PM2.5 and GDM. We examined the associations between GDM and pregnancy exposures to PM2.5 and its compositions, including sulfate (SO42−), ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3−), organic matter (OM), black carbon (BC), mineral dust (DUST), and sea-salt (SS), and to identify critical windows of exposure. Methods We used data from the 2005–2015 Florida Vital Statistics Birth Records. A well-validated geoscience-derived model was used to estimate women's pregnancy exposures to PM2.5 and its compositions. Distributed lag models were used to examine the associations and to identify the critical windows of exposure. Results A total of 2,078,669 women were included. In single-pollutant models, after controlling for potential confounders, positive associations between PM2.5 and GDM were observed during the second trimester of pregnancy. We found positive associations between SO42−, NH4+, NO3−, OM and BC, with largest effect sizes observed in the 21–24 weeks of pregnancy. Negative associations were observed for DUST and SS. Consistent results for NH4+, OM, DUST and SS were observed in the multi-pollutant models. Conclusions Exposures to PM2.5 and its compositions (mainly NH4+, OM) during the second trimester are positively associated with GDM, especially for exposures during the 21–24 weeks of pregnancy. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings and examine the underlying mechanisms.
Do reasons drain away

This paper offers a defense against the primary objection to the view that goodness and other value properties give normative reasons, which is T. M. Scanlon’s influential redundancy argument. Scanlon reasons that value properties cannot add anything over and above what non-evaluative properties contribute. I suggest this line of reasoning is analogous to Jaegwon Kim’s causal exclusion argument against non-reductive physicalism, and adapt Ned Block’s objection to exclusion—a generalization and regress argument—into a reason for rejecting Scanlon’s argument. Differences between reasons and causes make Scanlon’s task more difficult than Kim’s.
Retinoids induced differentiation and enhanced action of flavonoids for apoptosis in human malignant neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells

5145 Neuroblastoma, which shows a complex clinical and biological heterogeneity, is a childhood tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. Although many other childhood malignancies are nowadays curable, malignant (N-type) neuroblastoma remains an enigma to both the basic scientists and clinicians as it is not yet amenable to current treatment modalities and the affected children usually die at pre-school age. Therefore, new and innovative therapeutic strategies must be devised for controlling this deadly childhood disease. Malignant growth of neuroblatoma is characterized by poor differentiation and uncontrolled proliferation of the immature neuroblasts in adrenal gland in most cases. Retinoids such as all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), 13-cis retinoic acid (13-CRA), and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide (4-HPR) at low doses are capable of inducing cell differentiation. Plant-derived flavonoids (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and genistein (GST) at relatively high doses can control cancer cell growth by induction of apoptosis. In this investigation, we used human N-type neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells to show that treatment with a low dose of a retinoid (1 μM ATRA, 1 μM 13-CRA, or 0.5 μM 4-HPR) for 7 days induced neuronal differentiation with down regulation of telomerase activity and subsequent treatment with a relatively high dose of a flavonoid (25 μM EGCG or 25 μM GST) for 1 day sensitized the differentiated cells for enhancement of apoptosis. Apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells was associated with an increase in intracellular free [Ca2+], as determined by fura-2 assay. Western blotting showed alterations in the levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins resulting in an increase in Bax:Bcl-2 ratio and upregulation of calpain and caspases in course of apoptosis. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) indicated down regulation of the transcriptional expression (mRNA) of calpastatin (the endogenous inhibitor of calpain) and baculovirus inhibitor-of-apoptosis repeat containing (BIRC) proteins (the endogenous inhibitors of caspases) in apoptotic cells. Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with EGCG activated caspase-8, indicating induction of the receptor-mediated pathway of apoptosis. Colorimetric assays using chromogenic synthetic peptide substrates confirmed involvement of different proteolytic mechanisms in apoptotic death. The results of this investigation suggested that retinoid induced neuronal differentiation with down regulation of telomerase activity and enhanced the action of flavonoid for apoptosis in malignant neuroblastoma cells. Therefore, combination of a retinoid and a flavonoid appears to be an effective therapeutic strategy for controlling the malignant growth of neuroblastoma cells. This investigation was supported in part by the R01 grants (CA-91460 and NS-57811) from the National Institutes of Heatlth (Bethesda, MD, USA).
Multifunctional Redox Modulators Protect Auditory, Visual, and Cognitive Function.

Significance: Oxidative stress contributes to vision, hearing and neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, no treatments prevent these disorders; therefore, there is an urgent need for redox modulat...
Linear Association Between Hypoalbuminemia and Increased Risk of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Critically Ill Adults.

We hypothesized that low serum albumin would contribute to pulmonary edema formation, thereby independently increasing the risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome in critically ill patients. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of prospective cohort. SETTING Medical, surgical, and cardiovascular ICUs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. PATIENTS Patients (n = 993) with serum albumin measured for clinical reasons within 24 hours of study enrollment on ICU day 2 were included. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The primary outcome was presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome at any time during the first 4 days in the ICU, as defined by the Berlin definition. Secondary outcomes included ventilator-free days and ICU length of stay. In an unadjusted analysis, lower serum albumin levels were associated with a higher occurrence rate of acute respiratory distress syndrome (p < 0.001). In a multivariable analysis controlling for prespecified confounders, lower serum albumin was independently associated with an increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (odds ratio, 1.48 per 1-g/dL decrease in albumin; 95% CI, 1.14-1.94; p = 0.004). Additionally, lower serum albumin was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio, 1.56 per 1-g/dL decrease in albumin; 95% CI, 1.19-2.04; p = 0.001), increased ICU length of stay (incidence rate ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.15-1.23; p < 0.001), higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (p < 0.001), and fewer ventilator-free days (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.19-1.24; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Among adult ICU patients, lower serum albumin was independently associated with increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome after controlling for severity of illness and potential confounders. These findings support the hypothesis that low plasma oncotic pressure contributes to pulmonary edema formation in patients at risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome, independent of severity of illness.
If We Build It, Who Will Come? Comparing Sociodemographic Characteristics of Bike Share Subscribers, Cyclists, and Residents of New York City

Bike share programs are becoming increasingly popular across U.S. cities. However, their impact on persistent disparities in cycling by gender, race, and socioeconomic status remains understudied. ...
Genetic approaches to the conservation of migratory bats: a study of the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)

Documented fatalities of bats at wind turbines have raised serious concerns about the future impacts of increased wind power development on populations of migratory bat species. However, for most bat species we have no knowledge of the size of populations and their demographic trends, the degree of structuring into discrete subpopulations, and whether different subpopulations use spatially segregated migratory routes. Here, we utilize genetic data from eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis), one of the species most highly affected by wind power development in North America, to (1) evaluate patterns of population structure across the landscape, (2) estimate effective population size (Ne), and (3) assess signals of growth or decline in population size. Using data on both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variation, we demonstrate that this species forms a single, panmictic population across their range with no evidence for the historical use of divergent migratory pathways by any portion of the population. Further, using coalescent estimates we estimate that the effective size of this population is in the hundreds of thousands to millions of individuals. The high levels of gene flow and connectivity across the population of eastern red bats indicate that monitoring and management of eastern red bats must integrate information across the range of this species.
An investigation of the properties of rabbit muscle oligo-1,4 → 1,4-glucantransferase

Abstract An investigation of the properties of purifed rabbit muscle amylo -1,6- glucosidase/oligo -1,4 → 1,4- glucantransferase was conducted utilizing a modification of the iodine-complex spectrum of amylopectin and glycogen phosphorylase limit dextrin. A rapid and convenient method of assaying for the transferase activity was developed to study its activity. The pH optimum of the transferase differs from that of amylo- i ,6-glucosidase, which is associated with it throughout purification. Tris, which both inhibits and shifts the pH optimum of the glucosidase, has little or no effect on the trasnferase. MoO42−, on the other hand, inhibits the transferase but not the glucosidase. The action of the transferase on amylopectin is not dependent on the glucosidase. With glycogen phosphorylase limit dextrin, however, the modification in iodine color is a product of both glucosidase and transferase action. Assay of tissue extracts utilizing the modification of the iodine-complex spectrum of phosphorylase limit dextrin was found to be specific for glucosidase-transferase activity. The differences in properties of the glucosidase and the transferase suggests that they have different active sites even though they are apparently associated with the same protein molecule.
Variation in chlorobenzoate catabolism by Pseudomonas putida P111 as a consequence of genetic alterations.

Abstract Pseudomonas putida P111 is able to utilize a broad range of monochlorinated, dichlorinated, and trichlorinated benzoates. The involvement of two separate dioxygenases was noted from data on plasmid profiles and DNA hybridization. The benzoate dioxygenase, which converts 3-chlorobenzoate (3-CB), 4-CB, and benzoate to the corresponding catechols via reduction of a dihydrodiol, was shown to be chromosomally coded. The chlorobenzoate-1,2-dioxygenase that converts ortho-chlorobenzoates to the corresponding catechols without the need of a functional dioldehydrogenase was shown to be encoded on plasmid pPB111 (75 kb). Cured strains were unable to utilize ortho-chlorobenzoates for growth. DNA hybridization data indicated that catabolism of the corresponding chlorocatechols was coded on chromosomal genes. Maintenance of plasmid pPB111 was dependent on the presence of ortho-chlorobenzoates in the growth media. A unique variant of P111 (P111D), able to grow on 3,5-dichlorobenzoate (3,5-DCB), was obtained by continuous subculturing from media containing progressively lower and higher concentrations of 3-CB and 3,5-DCB, respectively. The low frequency of segregants able to grow on 2,5-DCB, 2,3-DCB, and 2,3, 5-trichlorobenzoate was evident by lag periods greater than 200 h. Continued subculture on 3,5-DCB resulted in the formation of new plasmid pPH111 (120 kb), which was homologous to pPB111. A probe from the clc operon, which encodes for the chlorocatechol pathway, hybridized to plasmid pPH111 and to the chromosome of the wild-type strain P111 but not to its plasmid pPB111 nor to the chromosome of strain P111A, which had lost the ability to utilize chlorobenzoates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Antimicrobial spectrum, pharmacology and therapeutic use of antibiotics. Part 3: cephalosporins

Various aspects of the cephalosporin antibiotics are reviewed, including mode of action and mechanisms of bacterial resistance, antibacterial activity, clinical pharmacology, adverse reactions, and therapeutic use. There are no important therapeutic differences between the two oral agents, cephalexin and cephradine. For intramuscular injection, cephaloridine has largely been replaced by cefazolin which is equally well tolerated and not as nephrotoxic; further, cefazolin has a relatively long half-life which permits its administration three or four times daily. There are no substantial therapeutic differences among the cephalosporins most commonly used intravenously--cephalothin, cefazolin and cephapirin. However, cefazolin is administered in a lower dosage and somewhat less frequently.
Civilian gunshot extremity fractures with neurologic injury.

Objective: To verify the hypothesis that neurologic injuries are less prevalent in civilian gunshot injuries than that reported in the military literature, and are more likely to occur with concomitant fracture. Methods: In order to investigate the incidence and patient variables of gunshot injury with neurologic injury, a retrospective chart review was performed at a single urban trauma center over a five-year period. Results: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one patients with gunshot injuries were treated at our center over the five year study period. Of these, 895 patients (48%) had involvement of at least one extremity and 382 (21%) had concomitant fractures. Seventy-four had concomitant neurologic injury. There was a statistically significant difference of 14% (53/382) and 4% (21/513) (P Language: en
A Hidden Minority Becomes Visible Romani Refugee Children in the Schools

(2001). A Hidden Minority Becomes Visible Romani Refugee Children in the Schools. Childhood Education: Vol. 77, The Global Village, pp. 295-302.
Suburban technopoles as places: The international campus-garden-suburb style

What are suburban technopoles like as places? This article examines the design and planning features of areas developed specifically to promote technological innovation focusing on cases in Japan that have been ranked highly as technological centers: Tsukuba, Izumi Park Town and Kansai Science City. Although different in age and the relationship between public and private sponsors they share a campus style of urban design, with ample green space linking nearby housing, adapting the college or university campus model and combining it with a garden city approach in what we call the international campus-garden-suburb style. Although there are other kinds of environments that support high-technology clusters – for example multimedia areas in central cities – the international campus-garden-suburb is a very flexible model that can be seen in many international examples. It can be used for developments in the thousands of workers and residents to the hundreds of thousands.
Prelimbic BDNF and TrkB signaling regulates consolidation of both appetitive and aversive emotional learning

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is known to regulate executive decisions and the expression of emotional memories. More specifically, the prelimbic cortex (PL) of the mPFC is implicated in driving emotional responses via downstream targets including the nucleus accumbens and amygdala, but mechanisms are yet to be fully understood. Therefore, we investigated whether prelimbic cortical brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling through the high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) receptor may serve as a molecular mechanism underlying emotional memory encoding. Here, we utilized viral-mediated inducible bdnf deletion within the PL, as well as TrkBF616A mutant mice, wherein TrkB receptor point mutation results in its being highly sensitive to inhibition by small PP1-derivative molecules, serving as a specific TrkB inhibitor. The site-specific TrkB antagonism and viral-mediated bdnf deletion within the PL resulted in deficits in both cocaine-dependent associative learning and fear expression. Deficiencies were rescued by the novel TrkB agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, indicating that PL BDNF expression and downstream signaling through the TrkB receptor are required for memory formation in both appetitive and aversive domains.
Phonons and lattice dielectric properties of zirconia.

We have performed a first-principles study of the structural and vibrational properties of the three low-pressure (cubic, tetragonal, and especially monoclinic) phases of ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2},$ with special attention to the computation of the zone-center phonon modes and related dielectric properties. The calculations have been carried out within the local-density approximation using ultrasoft pseudopotentials and a plane-wave basis. The fully relaxed structural parameters are found to be in excellent agreement with experimental data and with previous theoretical work. The total-energy calculations correctly reproduce the energetics of the ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ phases, and the calculated zone-center phonon frequencies yield good agreement with the infrared and Raman experimental frequencies in the monoclinic phase. The Born effective charge tensors are computed and, together with the mode eigenvectors, used to decompose the lattice dielectric susceptibility tensor into contributions arising from individual infrared-active phonon modes. This work has been partially motivated by the potential for ${\mathrm{ZrO}}_{2}$ to replace ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ as the gate-dielectric material in modern integrated-circuit technology.
Optical limiting in solutions of diphenyl polyenes

The optical-limiting behavior of a series of trans-alpha, omega-diphenyl polyene compounds was observed in solutions of chloroform. The influence of planarity, the substitution of donor and acceptor groups, and the extent of pi-electron delocalization on the nonlinear thresholds of the diphenyl polyenes in an optical-limiting geometry were examined. A saturation effect of optical-limiting nonlinear thresholds, consistent with the theoretical work, was observed at 10-11 pi-electron bonds. The temporal profiles of the transmitted laser pulses and the power dependence of the nonlinear thresholds as a function of spot size and wavelength were examined. These examinations led to the conclusion that the predominant nonlinear mechanism was quasi-steady-state self-focusing. Nonlinear thresholds an order of magnitude lower, and thus effective n(2) and X(3) values an order of magnitude higher, than the well-known self-focusing medium CS(2) were observed. Our studies demonstrate that this series of polyenes consists of efficient broadband nonresonant optical-limiting materials.
Characterization and Exhaust Emission Analysis of Biodiesel at Different Temperatures and Pressures: Laboratory Study

AbstractSoybean biodiesel with blends of B05 [5% biodiesel, 95% ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) or B00] and B20 (20% biodiesel and 80% ULSD) and ULSD were combusted in a closed chamber at 260 and 290°C (500 and 550°F) and 2.0 and 2.4 MPa (300 and 350 psi). B05 and B20 were selected because they are the most common biodiesel blends and very little has been reported on the emission compositions of these blends under various combustion conditions. CO, CO2, and CH4 emissions and elements of particulate matter (PM) were analyzed. CO2 emissions from B20 were more sensitive to temperature changes at low pressure. For both B00 and B20, decreases in the CO concentration were observed when combusted at high temperature and pressure. An increase in biodiesel blends appeared to reduce CO and increase CO2 emissions. For all the samples tested, the concentrations of Al, Ca, Cr, Na, S, and Si were higher than those of other elements in PM. The PM element concentrations founds in both B00 and B20 emissions were almost the...
Neoral monitoring 2 hours post-dose and the pediatric transplant patient

: Cyclosporin A therapy has evolved greatly over the past 25 years of clinical experience. Sophisticated studies of CsA pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have led to a better understanding of the relationship between dose response and biological effect. It has become apparent that achieving target drug exposure is necessary for optimal clinical outcomes. Monitoring dose response has become a key aspect of immunosuppressive management. This review presents the information available supporting cyclosporin drug concentration drawn two hours post dose (C-2) in children who have been transplanted as the best single indicator of CsA exposure. Further studies evaluating the clinical benefit of achieving C-2 targets in children are indicated.
A fast fourier transform method for calculating the equilibrium density matrix

Abstract We calculate the low-temperature quantum density matrix by integrating numerically the Bloch equation. The initial condition is the classical high-temperature value of the density matrix. The integration method uses short “time” propagators computed by a fast Fourier transform method.
Content Level Access Control for OpenStack Swift Storage

Swift, the object storage service from OpenStack cloud computing platform is used for storing, managing and retrieving large amounts of data. Inside Swift, uploaded files, also known as objects, are organized in containers. Objects inside a container are managed to be accessible or restricted from users through Access Control Lists (ACLs). Swift ACL, at the finest level, works on a Swift object enforcing who can or cannot access the object. Once an object is accessible to some one, he gets the full content of the object. Thus Swift ACL is an "all or nothing" approach.In this work, we allow Swift users to specify access control at the content level of a Swift object. The content level policy describes who can access which part of a Swift object. When a request comes for downloading (i.e. read) an object, we check content level policy along with the ACL of the object. The response of the request is a partial content of the requested object based on the credential of the requester. Our prototype implementation is done on Swift objects of content type 'application/json'.
Stereognosis in the chronic split brain: hemispheric differences, ipsilateral control and sensory integration across the midline.

Abstract Benton’s test of Stereognosis [2] was administered separately to the left and right hands of six patients with complete cerebral commissurotomy and two patients with partial commissurotomy sparing the splenium. Experiment 1 displayed the multiple choice card in free vision for all patients whereas Experiment 2 displayed it for ocular exploration in one visual field at a time, either the same or opposite to the exploring hand, in two complete commissurotomy patients fitted with special contact lens systems. There were deficits in stereognosis without primary somatosensory impairment in both disconnected hemispheres and the deficit was more marked in the hemisphere with predominant extracallosal damage. The two disconnected hemispheres appeared to use different strategies for recognizing shapes. As can be expected, naming of stimuli explored with the left hand was worse than of stimuli explored by the right hand, but it was above chance and variable across patients. Left hand naming was not affected by restricting stimulus exploration to distal joints. Naming of stimuli explored in the left visual hemifield was worse than of stimuli explored with the left hand, suggesting that it reflects left rather than right hemisphere speech. There was surprisingly good performance in the cross-hemisphere condition where one hand explored the stimulus and the multiple choice card was explored in the opposite visual field. The left hand–right hemifield combination was more effective than the right hand–left field combination, suggesting better ‘‘ipsilateral’’ tactile\kinesthetic projections in the left than right hemisphere.
Toward a Conceptualization of Optimal Self-Esteem.

In this article, I present a theoretical perspective on the nature of "optimal" self-esteem. One of my major goals is to show that optimal and high self-esteem are different from each other. High self-esteem can be fragile or secure depending upon the extent to which it is defensive or genuine, contingent or true, unstable or stable, and discrepant or congruent with implicit (nonconscious) feelings of self-worth. Optimal self-esteem is characterized by qualities associated with genuine, true, stable, and congruent (with implicit self-esteem) high self-esteem. A second major goal is to present a conceptualization of the construct of authenticity. I propose that authenticity as an individual difference construct may be particularly important in delineating the adaptive features of optimal self-esteem. Authenticity can be characterized as the unobstructed operation of one's true, or core, self in one's daily enterprise. I argue that authenticity has 4 components: awareness, unbiased processing, action, and r...
Oxidative stress and dopamine depletion in an intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson's disease

Although the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown, a common element of most theories is the involvement of oxidative stress, either as a cause or effect of the disease. There have been relatively few studies that have characterized oxidative stress in animal models of PD. In the present study a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rodent model of PD was used to investigate the in vivo production of oxidative stress after administration of the neurotoxin. 6-OHDA was injected into the striatum of young adult rats and the production of protein carbonyls and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) was measured at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after administration. A significant increase in both markers was found in the striatum 1 day after neurotoxin administration, and this increase declined to basal levels by day 7. There was no significant increase found in the substantia nigra at any of the time points investigated. This same lesion paradigm produced dopamine depletions of 90-95% in the striatum and 63-80% in the substantia nigra by 14-28 days post-6-OHDA. Protein carbonyl and HNE levels were also measured in middle-aged and aged animals 1 day after striatal 6-OHDA. Both protein carbonyl and HNE levels were increased in the striatum of middle-aged and aged animals treated with 6-OHDA, but the increases were not as great as those observed in the young adult animals. Similar to the young animals, there were no increases in either marker in the substantia nigra of the middle-aged and aged animals. There was a trend for an age-dependent increase in basal amounts of oxidative stress markers when comparing the non-lesioned side of the brains of the three age groups. These results support that an early event in the course of dopamine depletion following intrastriatal 6-OHDA administration is the generation of oxidative stress.
Special Characteristics and Potential for Radiopharmaceuticals for Positron Emission Tomography

The development of accelerator-produced radionuclides is undergoing a rapid if not exponential increase worldwide. The single photon emitters gallium-67, thallium-201 (iodine-123 in Europe) have found their way into routine clinical practice. The positron emitters carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15, and fluorine-18 are enjoying ever increasing attention and are being actively utilized in clinical research and application. The advent of the small cyclotron that is easy to operate and maintain and can be readily installed in University Hospitals and the more recent general availability of positron emission transaxial tomographs of sufficient resolution and sensitivity, taken in conjunction with the development of a few new radiopharmaceuticals labeled with positron emitters, have made possible new research and clinical application in neurology, cardiology, and oncology. The use of 11 C-labeled palmitate and 18 F-labeled 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose on a daily basis for studies on stroke, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, senile dementia, and other pathologic states serve as examples and have readily become routine in a number of institutions. However, these efforts still require a multi- and interdisciplinary approach. The lower doses and possibilities for short-term serial studies are part of the advantage of short half-life radionuclides. Biomolecules of all sorts can be labeled with positron emitters without alteration of their biochemical and physiologic activity. By virtue of the annihilation radiation from the positron emitter they can be located and quantitated in a small volume element of tissue. Present efforts are focused mainly on measuring metabolic rates in the brain and in the myocardium. Assessing receptor-site action in the brain and heart with labeled neuroleptics is under intensive development. Noninvasive methods that will allow us to evaluate the dynamics of such action in disease states and to quantitate the response to therapy can be expected in the near future. Protein synthesis and cell proliferation rates measured in vivo are under study. Synthetic techniques and the development of both remotely operated and automated procedures yielding positron emitter labeled biomolecules of all sorts, including simple alcohols, sugars, amino acids, steroids, alkaloids, and a host of drugs, make possible a wholly new area in nuclear medicine. The efforts of the next several years served by increasing interest and investments in this area will demonstrate whether the great promise of the organic radiopharmaceuticals labeled with positron emitters will be realized.
CONSTANCY OF THE UV SENSITIVITY OF E. COLI DURING THE CELL CYCLE

Cells from slowly growing glucose-limited chemostat cuitures of two different strains of Escherichia coli were separated by size on sucrose gradients, and 254-nm ultraviolet (uv) survival cuves were obtained for samples of the different cell sizes. With the repair-deficient strain B/sub s-1/ there was no observable change in survival curve during the cell cycle. With the repair-proficient strain 15 THU, there was no observable change in the final slope, but y-axis intercepts increased slightly for the older cells. It is suggested that the results provide further evidence for the approximate independence of uv sensitivity, k, upon cell age within the division cycle and upon the presence or absence of DNA synthesis, and that they are consistent with a model in which uv lesions in newly replicated strands of DNA do not contribute to lethality. (auth)
Gender & Community in the Social Construction of the Internet, by Leslie Regan Shade. New York: Peter Lang, 2002. viii + 152 pp. $24.95. ISBN 0-8204-5023-5

“The Internet is becoming domesticated,” Leslie Regan Shade asserts in the introduction to Gender & Community in the Social Construction of the Internet. What she means by this is that many women a...
Detection of high-altitude explosions by observation of air fluorescence

X-rays radiated from a nuclear explosion in space excite fluorescence of air molecules in the upper atmosphere. The fluorescence has a characteristic space-time signature which can be recognized from the ground even against a bright daylight sky. The criteria determining detectability and range are discussed, along with a number of practical systems of detection. False alarms, caused mainly by lightning flashes, can cause excessive triggering of single-station detectors unless discrimination techniques are employed. They also compel reliance on a net of stations for reliable recognition of true, nuclear explosion induced fluorescence.
Gersgorin sets and the field of values

Given a matrix A E M,(C), the n by n complex matrices, we may associate with it three well-studied subsets of the complex plane: F(A), the field of values of A; and G,(A)and G,(A), the Gersgorin row disks and column disks, respectively [2]. All three sets are inclusion sets for the spectrum of A as well as for the spectra of all principal submatrices of ,4. There are, of course, important differences between F(A) and the Gersgorin sets. For instance, neither G,(A) nor G,(A) is contained in F(A), and F(A) is not necessarily contained even in the convex hull of G,.(A) or G,(A). Only for scalar matrices do the three sets coincide. It is the goal of this note to point out some links between F(4) and the Gersgorin sets. For A E M,(C), theJield of values is defined as