cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intestinal Failure–Associated Liver Disease in Neonates

Intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) is common in neonates who suffer from intestinal failure and rely on parenteral nutrition. The etiology is multifactorial, relating to the infant's underlying cause of intestinal failure and other infant factors such as prematurity. Management of the disease includes transitioning to enteral feedings as soon as is safe for the infant. In infants who continue to rely on parenteral nutrition, alternative lipid emulsions and other medications may be used. This article reviews the epidemiology and factors that contribute to IFALD in neonates, in addition to management strategies.
A repurposed, blood gene signature is associated with poor outcomes in SARS-CoV-2

Poor outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection are difficult to predict. Survivors may develop pulmonary fibrosis. We previously identified a 52-gene signature in peripheral blood, predictive of mortality in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. In this study, we analyzed this signature in SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and identified genomic risk profiles with significant differences in outcomes. Analysis of single cell expression data shows that monocytes, red blood cells, neutrophils and dendritic cells are the cellular source of the high risk gene signature.
Datafication of digital natives

Drawing on her training in anthropology and her background in media theory and history, Veronica Barassi takes a deep dive into the increasingly complex and compromising experience of datafied parenting in Child Data Citizen. The book consists of nine chapters, each of which focuses on a different type of data that is routinely collected from parents during their daily interactions with their children.
Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Massachusetts During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This cohort study examines disparities in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Massachusetts.
Near SUDEP during bilateral stereo-EEG monitoring characterized by diffuse postictal EEG suppression.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most common cause of death in patients with refractory epilepsy. The pathophysiology of SUDEP is unknown. Postictal phenomena such as postconvulsive immobility (PI), postictal generalized electroencephalography (EEG) suppression (PGES), arousal deficits, cardiac arrhythmias, central apneas, and obstructive apneas due to laryngospasms have been suggested to contribute to SUDEP. We present, to our knowledge, the first case of a near-SUDEP event in a patient undergoing intracranial, stereotactic EEG (sEEG) monitoring. This case spotlights potential mediators of SUDEP, most notably the striking PGES and postictal apnea. The nature of the sEEG investigation illustrates the extent of cortical and subcortical postictal EEG suppression and showcases a transient return of cerebral activity likely to be missed on scalp-EEG recording. Critically, this case emphasizes the importance of continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring and underscores the importance of postictal arousal as a pathophysiological mechanism in SUDEP.
Hedge Fund Styles: 2005- 2011

In this paper we study hedge fund styles by examining both self-reported classification and a return-based classification on a sample of hedge funds over the period of 2005 to 2011. Using seven versions of the Lipper/TASS data, we are able to track self-reported classification on an annual basis. We show that style shifts exist in the database, suggesting that the assumption of static hedge fund style is inappropriate. The two classifications are not consistent with each other; we construct a disagreement measure that captures the resulted difference in relative performance. We argue that the disagreement is related to manager skills rather than strategic misclassification. Further, we demonstrate that investors react positively to the disagreement measure and money flows to top-performing funds based on self-reported styles.
Uterine Artery Embolization End Points and Collateral Circulation: Value of Intra-Procedural Non-Contrast Cone Beam CT

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a well-accepted treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids, but endpoints of UAE remain controversial. This is of significant concern as incomplete embolization can lead to treatment failure, necessitating repeat embolization or alternative treatments such as hysterectomy. Multiple potential causes of UAE failure have been described including failure to catheterize one or both of the uterine arteries, uterine artery spasm, clumping of embolic material and collateral blood supply vascularizing the fibroids. In this review, we discuss potential approaches to identifying collateral blood supply to the uterus and suggest that intra-procedural non-contrast cone beam CT provides unique advantages to addressing this issue.
Chemokine MCP1 is associated with cognitive flexibility in schizophrenia: A preliminary analysis.

Abstract Background Peripheral levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers have been shown to be altered in schizophrenia (SZ) and associated with cognitive impairments, but their relevance to specific cognitive domains remains unclear. Methods Plasma levels of cytokines, chemokines, and vascular biomarkers were quantified and compared between SZ and healthy comparison (HC) groups. Cognition was assessed using the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Trail Making (TM) and Color Word Interference (CWI) tests. Linear regression analyses examined differential relationships of inflammatory biomarkers with executive function between groups. Results Plasma levels of TNFα, ICAM1, and MCP1 were higher in individuals with SZ compared to HCs. Higher level of MCP1 was associated with increased CWI Inhibition Switching Errors in SZ but not HCs. Conclusion Like other studies, we found evidence for increased peripheral inflammation in SZ. We also showed that SZ with particularly high MCP1 levels had poor cognitive flexibility. Interventions to reduce chemokine elevations might prove beneficial for cognitive performance.
Amniotic fluid microRNA profiles in twin-twin transfusion syndrome with and without severe recipient cardiomyopathy.

Background Twin-twin transfusion syndrome presents many challenges for clinicians, and the optimal means of identifying pregnancies that will benefit most from intervention is controversial. There is currently no clinically available biomarker to detect twin-twin transfusion syndrome or to stratify cases based on the risk factors. microRNAs are small RNAs that regulate gene expression and are biomarkers for various disease processes, including adult and pediatric heart failure. To date, no studies have investigated amniotic fluid microRNAs as biomarkers for disease severity, specifically for severe recipient cardiomyopathy in twin-twin transfusion syndrome cases. Objective This study aimed to assess whether amniotic fluid microRNAs could be useful as biomarkers to identify pregnancies at greatest risk for severe recipient cardiomyopathy associated with twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Study Design Amniotic fluid was collected at the time of amnioreduction or selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation from monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies with twin-twin transfusion syndrome at any stage. Fetal echocardiography was performed on all twins before the procedure, and severe cardiomyopathy was defined as a right ventricular myocardial performance index of the recipient fetus of >4 Z-scores. microRNA was extracted from the amniotic fluid samples and analyzed using an array panel assessing 379 microRNAs (TaqMan Open Array, ThermoFisher). Student t tests were performed to determine significant differences in microRNA expression between pregnancies with severe recipient cardiomyopathy and those with preserved cardiac function. A stringent q value of Results A total of 14 amniotic fluid samples from pregnancies with twin-twin transfusion syndrome with severe cardiomyopathy were compared with samples from 12 twin-twin transfusion syndrome control cases with preserved cardiac function. A total of 110 microRNAs were identified in the amniotic fluid samples. Twenty microRNAs were differentially expressed, and the top 3 differentiating microRNAs were hsa-miR-200c-3p, hsa-miR-17-5p, and hsa-miR-539-5p. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on these top 3 microRNAs showed a strong ability to differentiate severe cardiomyopathy cases from controls. The top 3 microRNAs were used to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of these microRNAs to differentiate between the 2 groups with a receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrating sensitivity and specificity of 80.8%. All 20 differentially expressed microRNAs were down-regulated in the group with severe cardiomyopathy. Conclusion Amniotic fluid microRNAs demonstrated differential expression between twin-twin transfusion syndrome recipient fetuses with severe cardiomyopathy and those without and have the potential to be important biomarkers of disease severity in this population.
Water Content of Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films Measured by Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Deuterium Oxide Exchange

Water content of natural and synthetic, thin, polymer films is of considerable interest to a variety of fields because it governs properties such as ion conductivity, rigidity, porosity, and mechanical strength. Measuring thin film water content typically requires either complicated and expensive instrumentation or use of multiple instrumental techniques. However, because a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is sensitive to changes in mass and viscosity, deuterated solvent exchange has emerged as a simple, single-instrument, in situ method to quantify thin film water content. Relatively few studies, though, have employed this technique to measure water content of polyelectrolyte multilayers formed by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. In this work, poly (allyl amine) (PAH) and poly (styrene sulfonate) (PSS) films of up to nine layers were formed and the water content for each layer was measured via QCM with deuterium oxide exchange. The well-characterized nature of PAH/PSS films facilitated comparisons of the technique used in this work to other instrumental methods. Water content results showed good agreement with the literature and good precision for hydrated films thicker than 20 nm. Collectively, this work highlights the utility, repeatability, and limitations of this deuterated exchange technique in measuring the solvent content of thin films.
Review of Variables Associated With Positive Surgical Margins Using Scout Reflector Localizations for Breast Conservation Therapy.

Abstract Objective To evaluate factors contributing to positive surgical margins associated with reflector guidance for patients undergoing breast conserving therapy for malignancy. Materials and Methods A retrospective IRB-approved review of our institutional database was performed for malignant breast lesions preoperatively localized from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. The following data was recorded using electronic medical records: lesion type and grade, lesion location, reflector and wire placement modality, use of intraoperative ultrasound, margin status, patient age, family history, BMI, and final pathology. Statistical analysis was performed with univariate summary statistics and logistic regression. P Results A total of 606 image-guided pre-surgical localizations were performed for lumpectomies of breast malignancies. A total of 352 of 606 (58%) wire localizations and 254 of 606 (42%) SCOUT reflector localizations were performed. Sixty out of 352 (17%) of wire-localized patients had positive surgical margins, whereas forty-eight out of 254 (19%) of reflector-localized patients had positive surgical margins. (OR = 1.12, P value: .59). For reflector guided cases, the use of intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) was associated with decreased positive margin status (OR = 0 .28, 95% CI = [0.14, 0.58]) while in situ disease was associated with increased positive margin status (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = [1.05, 3.75]). No association between modality used for localization (mammography vs. ultrasound) and positive margin status was observed (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = [0.33, 1.19]). No association between positive margins and age, family history, tumor location and BMI was observed. Conclusion For reflector guided surgeries, the use of IOUS was associated with decreased positive margins, by contrast the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ was associated with increased positive margins. There was no statistically significant difference in surgical outcomes for reflector-guided localization compared to wire localizations of the breast.
Optimizing the Recognition and Treatment of In-Hospital Stroke: Evaluation of the 2CAN Score

Abstract Objectives Stroke-like symptoms may be difficult to appreciate due to the high incidence of stroke mimics (e.g., delirium) in the inpatient population. Many centers have adopted inpatient-specific stroke protocols with the aim of improving time to diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to assess one of these instruments, the "2CAN" score, in our patient population. Materials and methods A retrospective chart review was conducted for all inpatients for whom our Brain Attack Team (BAT) was called between January 2015 and June 2019. Patients were excluded if they had stroke prior to current admission, were in the emergency department at the time of BAT call, or had incomplete documentation. The 2CAN score was calculated for each patient. Results The BAT was activated 201 times, and 110 patients met inclusion criteria. Twenty percent of patients had a history of atrial fibrillation, 72% hypertension, and 36% diabetes. Median NIHSS was 14.5 (IQR 5–24). Only 18% of stroke calls occurred within 24 h of hospital admission. The mean 2CAN score was 2.8. Ninety-seven (88%) patients received a final diagnosis of ischemic stroke and 13 (12%) of stroke mimics. There was no difference between 2CAN scores in the stroke and mimic groups (P = 0.91). A 2CAN score of ≥ 2 had sensitivity 83.5%, specificity 23.1%, PPV 89.0%, and NPV 15.8% for stroke. Conclusions The 2CAN score was derived and validated in a single academic center as a tool to recognize inpatient stroke. The 2CAN score had good sensitivity and positive predictive value for stroke in our cohort, but poor specificity.
India’s first dictatorship: the emergency, 1975-77: by Christophe Jaffrelot and Pratinav Anil, New York, Oxford University Press, 2021, pp. 508 + xxiii, $49.95 (hardback), ISBN 9780197577820.

For the more enthusiastic champions of India as the world’s largest democracy, Indira Gandhi’s Emergency has long appeared as an irritable thorn in an otherwise triumphalist narrative. The matter c...
Activated complex model and surfactant reorganization during SWCNT separations on hydrogels

Hydrogels can efficiently separate metallic and semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) species at high rates by selective adsorption in a column configuration, but mechanistic details remain unclear. We examined the temperature dependence of SWCNT adsorption in an operating column using a model that considers the formation of an activated complex. The enthalpy and entropy changes associated with formation of the activated complex were determined. Due to a high sensitivity to protonation doping, large diameter pulsed laser vaporization tubes provided an opportunity to probe details of the adsorption mechanism. In contrast to the prevailing view in the literature, we conclude that the surfactant environment surrounding the nanotube is substantially reorganized upon adsorption and that adsorption also occurs within gel pores. Our findings provide new mechanistic insights that should assist in the development of improved separation methods.
Adversarial Justice's Casualties: Defending Victim-Witness Protections

The U.S. Supreme Court and some state courts have constitutionalized an increasingly rigid and broad vision of adversarial adjudication’s requirements. Commentators often celebrate this adversarial revolution as expanding defendants’ rights of confrontation, cross-examination, and self-representation. Yet the adversarial revolution also has created an arsenal of tactics to retraumatize victims of sexual assault and general violent crime. The courts and legislatures are in disarray about what to do to protect vulnerable victim-witnesses. This Article is about adversarial adjudication’s casualties and how to reduce the risk of harm. The Article defends a subset of protective measures that avert further injury to victims while remaining sensitive to defendants’ rights. The Article also challenges the rigid application of adversarial ideals historically forged for adjudicating crimes against the sovereign, such as seditious libel, to crimes of sex and violence involving victims. A distinction must be made between the core category of crimes against the state, where protections are at their zenith because the victim and prosecution are identical and powerful, and crimes outside this paradigm, where restrictions should be less rigid. Recognizing this important difference clears some of the murk and doubt that chills protective measures for victim-witnesses who have experienced traumatic injury.
Evolutionary Thinking in the Medical Sciences

Evolutionary thinking in medicine draws both on the phylogenetic history of Homo sapiens and on the dynamics of natural selection and genetic drift to give insight into antibiotic resistance, vaccine production, variation in drug response and reproductive biology. In the future, evolutionary developmental genetics promises to contribute to limb and nerve regeneration, and evolutionary functional genomics to aging, senescence and the correlates of mental disease. Keywords: resistance; virulence; functional genomics; evo-devo; trade-offs
The corrosion and restoration of Space Shuttle Challenger's flight computers

Shortly after the Space Shuttle Challenger incident on January 28, 1986, IBM Federal Systems Division personnel were requested to formulate and be prepared to implement a data recovery program to access the information retained within the Shuttle's flight computers. These efforts began on March 11, 1987, with retrieval of the onboard computers from 90 feet below the surface of the Atlantic. Some of the problems of restoring sophisticated electronic hardware after several weeks of exposure to sea water environments are described using the Space Shuttle as a case study. >
Funktion des Ohrs

Im Ohr sind Receptoren fur 2 sensorische Modalitaten, Gehor und Gleichgewicht, lokalisiert. Auseres Ohr, Mittelohr und der Cochlea-Anteil des Innenohrs dienen dem Gehor, wahrend Bogengange, Utriculus und wahrscheinlich auch Sacculus mit der Aufrechterhaltung der Lage im Raum zu tun haben.
Affine Lie algebras, theta functions and modular forms

We begin this chapter with an exposition of a theory of theta functions. Using the classical transformation properties of theta functions and the theta function identity (12.7.13), we show that the string functions are modular forms and find a transformation law for these forms. Furthermore, using the theory of modular forms, we prove the “very strange” formula (12.3.7), which in turn, is used to show that the string functions, multiplied by a “standard” cusp-form, are cusp-forms. All this is applied to find explicit formulas for the weight multiplicities and characters of integrable highest weight modules.
Soft error mitigation for SRAM-based FPGAs

FPGA-based designs are more susceptible to single-event up-sets (SEUs) compared to ASIC designs, since SEUs in configuration bits of FPGAs result in permanent errors in the mapped design. Moreover, the number of sensitive configuration bits is two orders of magnitude more than user bits in typical FPGA-based circuits. In this paper, we present a high-reliable low-cost mitigation technique which can significantly improve the availability of designs mapped into FPGAs. Experimental results show that, using this technique, the availability of an FPGA mapped design can be increases to more than 99%.
Immunoablative reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation: potential role of donor Th2 and Tc2 cells

Allogeneic reduced-intensity stem cell transplantation (RISCT) decreases regimen-associated morbidity and mortality, but it is unfortunately still constrained by the same immune T-cell reactions that limit myeloablative transplantation, including graft rejection, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and suboptimal graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) or graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effects. Graft rejection is mediated by host T cells, whereas GVHD and GVL/GVT effects are initiated by donor T cells, and to this extent, future advances in RISCT will likely benefit from an ability to modulate both donor and host T-cell immunity. As a step in this direction, we have developed a RISCT approach that first involves chemotherapy-induced host T-cell ablation, and second involves administration of allogeneic inocula enriched for donor CD4(+) Th2 and CD8(+) Tc2 T-cell subsets that in murine studies mediate reduced GVHD. In a pilot clinical trial, "immunoablative" RISCT with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched related allografts resulted in rapid and complete donor chimerism and GVL effects early post-transplant, with GVHD being the primary toxicity. Using this immunoablative RISCT approach, we are now evaluating the feasibility and safety of augmenting allografts with additional donor CD4(+) Th2 cells that are generated in vitro via CD3/CD28 costimulation in the presence of interleukin (IL)-4. We review the biology of host and donor T-cell immunity during allogeneic RISCT and discuss the strategies of host immunoablation and donor Th2 and Tc2 cell therapy as potential means to improve the clinical results in RISCT.
VirR-Mediated Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes against Food Antimicrobials and Cross-Protection Induced by Exposure to Organic Acid Salts.

Formulations of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods with antimicrobial compounds constitute an important safety measure against foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. While the efficacy of many commercially available antimicrobial compounds has been demonstrated in a variety of foods, the current understanding of the resistance mechanisms employed by L. monocytogenes to counteract these stresses is limited. In this study, we screened in-frame deletion mutants of two-component system response regulators associated with the cell envelope stress response for increased sensitivity to commercially available antimicrobial compounds (nisin, lauric arginate, e-polylysine, and chitosan). A virR deletion mutant showed increased sensitivity to all antimicrobials and significantly greater loss of membrane integrity when exposed to nisin, lauric arginate, or e-polylysine (P < 0.05). The VirR-regulated operon, dltABCD, was shown to be the key contributor to resistance against these antimicrobial compounds, whereas another VirR-regulated gene, mprF, displayed an antimicrobial-specific contribution to resistance. An experiment with a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter fusion with the dlt promoter indicated that nisin does not specifically induce VirR-dependent upregulation of dltABCD. Lastly, prior exposure of L. monocytogenes parent strain H7858 and the ΔvirR mutant to 2% potassium lactate enhanced subsequent resistance against nisin and e-polylysine (P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that VirRS-mediated regulation of dltABCD is the major resistance mechanism used by L. monocytogenes against cell envelope-damaging food antimicrobials. Further, the potential for cross-protection induced by other food-related stresses (e.g., organic acids) needs to be considered when applying these novel food antimicrobials as a hurdle strategy for RTE foods.
A study of nystagmus associated with optic nerve hypoplasia

In this paper, the authors report a patient who presented with bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia associated with nystagmus. Electronystagmography (ENG) conducted in three sessions showed features consistent with the ‘pseudocycloid’ form of congenital nystagmus.The authors' study suggests that the nystagmus in optic nerve hypoplasia is essentially similar to idiopathic motor-defect nystagmus and the nystagmus seen in ocular albinism and bilateral opacities of the ocular media. Their data support the previous hypothesis that there is a common brainstem motor abnormality in sensory-defect and motor-defect nystagmus.
Elimination of Loss of Resolution at Depth in Single-Photon Nuclear Images

The use of a high purity germanium gamma camera capable of assigning the interaction point of a gamma-ray unambiguously to a 2×2mm2 element, together with the use of matched square-hole tantalum tube collimators, permits the application of a weighted backprojection technique to reconstruct images that do not show the loss of spatial resolution associated with distance between the object and collimator surface. The technique converges, and images with improved definition are obtained.
Spatial localisation of chaperone distribution in the endoplasmic reticulum of yeast

In eukaryotes, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) serves as the first membrane-enclosed organelle in the secretory pathway, with functions including protein folding, maturation and transport. Molecular chaperones, of the Hsp70 family of proteins, participate in assisting these processes and are essential to cellular function and survival. BiP is a resident Hsp70 chaperone in the ER of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study the authors have created a partial differential equation model to examine how BiP interacts with the membrane-bound co-chaperone Sec63 in translocation, a process in which BiP assists in guiding a nascent protein into the ER lumen. It has been found that when Sec63 participates in translocation through localisation at the membrane, the spatial distribution of BiP is inhomogeneous, with more BiP at the surface. When translocation is inhibited through a disabling of Sec63's membrane tether, the concentration of BiP throughout the ER becomes homogeneous. The computational simulations suggest that Sec63's localisation and the resulting binding to BiP near the membrane surface of the ER enable a heterogeneous distribution of BiP within the ER, and may facilitate BiP's role in translocation. [Includes supplementary material].
The predicament of the newly separated

This study examines early adjustment to marital separation as a function of sex and parent status in a sample of 153 persons separated an average of eight weeks from their spouses because of marital discord. Men were much more satisfied with the quality of their marriages prior to separation and much more opposed to its ending than were women. Women consistently reported more gains than men as a consequence of their separations and a greater readiness to divorce. Social support systems were stronger in the case of women than men and in the case of parents than nonparents. Formal and informal helpseeking was very common. There was considerable difficulty in the areas of job performance and career planning, and the presence of children appeared to add to the difficulties faced by divorcing parents. In general, while the preseparation period appeared to be more stressful for women, the early postseparation period was far more difficult for men.
Human-mediated long-distance dispersal: an empirical evaluation of seed dispersal by vehicles

Aim To determine seed retention rates on vehicles as a function of distance driven, road surface, weather condition and seed location on the vehicle undercarriage. Location Montana, United States. Methods Metal plates were covered with a seed-soil slurry, dried and attached to different locations underneath a vehicle. The vehicle was then driven on paved and unpaved roads under both wet and dry conditions. Plates were removed from the vehicle at seven distances between 4 and 256 km. The number of seeds remaining was determined. Four general models were assessed to explain observed seed retention. Results Under dry conditions, seed retention rates were high on both unpaved and paved roads, with 86–99% of the seeds remaining at 256 km. Under wet conditions, lower rates of seed retention were observed for both road surfaces: 0.3–80% of seeds were retained at 256 km on paved wet roads and 50–96% of seeds were retained at 256 km on unpaved wet roads. Plate location had a significant effect on seed retention under certain road surfaces and conditions, with loss generally being highest from the wheel wells. Of the statistical models compared, a double exponential model explained the most variation in seed retention. Main conclusions Vehicles act as vectors of long-distance dispersal. Seed adhered to vehicles can be retained for hundreds of kilometres under dry conditions. When wet conditions occur, a greater proportion of seeds will be dispersed shorter distances. Consequently, vehicle seed dispersal has implications for plant invasions and species migration rates, and those concerned with prevention and control of non-native plant invasions should consider vehicle seed transport when developing management strategies and plans.
Spectroscopic characterization and energy transfer process in cobalt and cobalt-iron co-doped ZnSe/ZnS crystals

Cobalt doped II-VI wide band semiconductors (e.g. ZnSe, ZnS, CdSe) are promising media for infrared (IR) laser applications. They could be utilized as effective passive Q-switches for cavities of Alexandrite as well as Nd and Er lasers operating over 0.7-0.8, 1.3-1.6, and ~2.8 μm spectral ranges. We report spectroscopic characterization of Co:ZnSe and Co:ZnS crystals. Absorption cross-sections were measured for 4 A 2 (F) → 4 T 1 (P), 4 A 2 (F) → 4 T 1 (F), and 4 A 2 (F) → 4 T 2 (F) transitions with maximum absorption at 768(726), 1615(1500), 2690(2740) nm for ZnSe(ZnS) crystals, respectively. The calculated absorption cross-sections of the above transitions were estimated to be 64(56)×1019, 7.5(7.8)×1019, and 0.52(0.49)×1019 cm2 for ZnSe(ZnS) crystal hosts. In addition to the above applications the cobalt ions could be utilized for excitation of Fe 2+ ions via resonance energy transfer process. Tunable room temperature lasing of Fe 2+ doped binary and ternary chalcogenides has been successfully demonstrated over 3.5-6 μm spectral range. However, II-VI lasers based on Fe 2+ active ions don’t feature convenient commercially available pump sources (e.g. some Fe doped crystal hosts require pump wavelengths longer than 3 μm). Therefore, the process of energy transfer from Co 2+ to Fe 2+ ions could enable utilization of commercially available visible and near-infrared pump sources. We report a spectroscopic characterization of iron-cobalt co-doped ZnS and ZnSe crystals over 14-300K temperature range. Mid-IR laser oscillation at 3.9 μm(3.6 μm) via energy transfer in the Co:Fe:ZnSe (Co:Fe:ZnS) co-doped crystals was demonstrated under cobalt excitation at 4 A 2 (F) → 4 T 1 (P) (~0.7μm) and 4A2(F) → 4T1(F) (~1.56 μm) transitions.
STAPHYLOCOCCAL ENTEROTOXIN B PRODUCTION IN HARD-BOILED EGGS

Enterotoxin B was detected in hard-boiled eggs that were cooled in water containing <102 CFU/ml Staphylococcus aureus strain FRI-947 and incubated at 37°C for 24 hr. Factors affecting enterotoxin B production were the number of organisms in the cooling water, cooling time, egg temperature and the length of time and temperature at which the eggs were held after cooling. Addition of 1% ovalbumln or conalbumin to 3% protein hydrolysate powder plus 3% N-Z Amine NAK medium in flasks, incubated with shaking, increased the enterotoxin B production by 10–30% but no enterotoxin was produced in ovalbumin or boiled egg white suspension alone.
Supercritical-fluid extraction of fungal lipids: Effect of cosolvent on mass-transfer rates and process design and economics

Abstract The extraction of fungal lipids by supercritical CO2 and CO2 with 10 wt % ethanol was studied. The lipid solubility was measured from 40–60 °C and 200–700 bar, and was found to increase with increasing solvent pressure and temperature, although the crossover effect was observed. Mass transfer coefficients were fitted to experimental data and were found to increase with increasing solvent Reynolds number. No difference in mass-transfer coefficients was observed with the addition of the cosolvent. Using the experimental data, a mathematical model for a commercial extraction process was developed, and optimal values of the extractor pressure, solvent flow rate, and extraction time were computed. Since the lipid is more soluble in the CO2 mixture, the optimal extractor pressure and extraction time were lower than those computed for a process with a pure CO2 solvent. Capital and operating costs for the process were estimated and the addition of the cosolvent was found to lower the costs by over 40%. A comparison of the costs for the SFE process and the costs for a liquid-extraction process show that the SFE process is not competitive for this application, although the economics would be improved if wet fungal mycelia were contacted continuously with the supercritical solvent.
Cyclooxygenase products sensitize muscle mechanoreceptors in healthy humans

Evidence in healthy animals and humans is accumulating that the muscle mechanoreceptors play an important role in mediating sympathetic activation during exercise, especially rhythmic exercise. Fur...
An incremental approach to causal inference in the behavioral sciences

Causal inference plays a central role in behavioral science. Historically, behavioral science methodologies have typically sought to infer a single causal relation. Each of the major approaches to causal inference in the behavioral sciences follows this pattern. Nonetheless, such approaches sometimes differ in the causal relation that they infer. Incremental causal inference offers an alternative to this conceptualization of causal inference that divides the inference into a series of incremental steps. Different steps infer different causal relations. Incremental causal inference is consistent with both causal pluralism and anti-pluralism. However, anti-pluralism places greater constraints the possible topology of sequential inferences. Arguments against causal inference include questioning consistency with causation as an explanatory principle, charging undue complexity, and questioning the need for it. Arguments in favor of incremental inference include better explanation of diverse causal inferences in behavioral science, tailored causal inference, and more detailed and explicit description of causal inference. Incremental causal inference offers a viable and potentially fruitful alternative to approaches limited to a single causal relation.
Thin-layer chromatographic mobility of diastereoisomers

Abstract Conditions were determined for the chromatographic separation of diastereoisomeric compounds, viz. derivatives of α-hydroxy-β-(indolyl-3)-butyric acids and β-methyltryptophans, in a thin sorbent layer. For the majority of the investigated compounds, the mobility of the A diastereoisomers (αRβS/αSβR configuration) is higher than that of the B diastereoisomer (αRβR/αSβS configuration). Sorption isotherms were studied for certain pairs of diastereoisomers and sorption forces were shown to be a decisive factor in the process of separating isomers. Possible conformations of the diastereoisomers are considered and a supposition is put forward that a greater sorptivity of one isomer compared with the other is determined by the greater steric accessibility of polar groups in this isomer in the preferable conformation in the adsorbed state. A suggestion is made concerning the conformation of molecules in the adsorbed state on the basis of the data derived for the comparative chromatographic mobility of the diastereoisomers.
Utilizing fleet-driven metrics to identify and forecast system degrader

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is responsible for cradle-to-grave development and support of Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE). As this equipment and its associated development, maintenance, and support become increasingly complex, and the budgetary pressures facing the Navy become increasingly strong, there arises a need for an Integrated Support Environment (ISE) for ALRE. For the Fleet, the ISE streamlines the process of requests for information, help, repairs, and needed capabilities. For the NAVAIR stakeholders supporting the Fleet, the ISE provides efficient tailored access both to the knowledge required for supporting the Fleet and for strategically planning for the future. One of the current products of the ISE initiative includes Fleet-driven metrics of ALRE systems. All ALRE Fleet metrics data, comprising readiness, equipment performance, maintenance, and supply system degraders, are housed in the NAVAIR Lakehurst ISE laboratory, where all team members can access, analyze, validate, and utilize ALRE metrics data. This metrics data is used to identify issues driving maintenance and support costs, forecast requirements, and influence performance. By proactively identifying maintenance and modernization requirements, it is possible to coordinate and assure current and future Fleet ALRE materiel readiness, as well as develop and justify current and future budgets. In the past, many product improvement programs were based on subjective analysis. Aircraft carrier databases contained multiple errors and incomplete information, hampering analysis of metrics data. Further complicating the issue, metrics data was stored across multiple data warehouses, making it more difficult to gather information and make important connections between distinct data sets. ISE integrates information from all of these disparate Navy-wide data sources to identify and explore opportunities to increase system readiness by effectively implementing maintenance and design improvements. Localizing the data to one central repository facilitates linking the information together in order to fully capture the current status and future needs of the Fleet. ISE allows users to continuously monitor performance in near realtime, report detailed information for day-to-day decision-making, and analyze data to uncover trends in performance.
Expression of an mdr gene is associated with a new form of resistance to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.

A variant, MS23, of murine thymoma W7 cells, previously selected for its resistance to low concentrations of dexamethasone, is cross-resistant to unrelated drugs such as puromycin and colchicine. We report here that transcription of the mouse mdr1 gene is activated and P-glycoprotein is expressed in MS23 cells. Moreover, additional variants with increased resistance to dexamethasone and other drugs can be isolated from MS23 by stepwise selections in dexamethasone and colchicine. In one such variant (S7CD-5), the mdr1 gene is amplified and the mdr protein overexpressed. These variants have classical mdr characteristics: they accumulate reduced concentrations of drugs (including dexamethasone), and both drug sensitivity and intracellular accumulation can be restored by verapamil. The variants are most resistant to glucocorticoids with both 11- and 17-hydroxyl groups. The results indicate that we have identified a new form of glucocorticoid resistance, one associated with expression of the mouse mdr1 P-glyco...
Abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement in psoriasis

Summary Some of the immunologic aspects of psoriasis suggest that complement may be involved in the pathophysiology of that disease. The purpose of this work was to examine the complement system in more detail in 20 patients with psoriasis. Classical pathway determinations, RCH50 and factor B levels were normal or elevated. Abnormally low properdin levels were seen in 12/20 patients. No patient had a serum properdin value greater than 1 standard deviation above the control mean. Mean C3–C9 consumption after zymosan or cobra venom incubation was also significantly less than normal (P < 0·001). Thus, abnormalities of the complement system are present in psoriasis and seem limited to the alternative pathway.
Prevalence and burden of general medical conditions among adults with bipolar I disorder: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and burden of general medical conditions (GMCs) among a nationally representative sample of adults with bipolar I disorder. Method: Data for this study were derived from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (N = 43,093), which included US adults aged 18 years and older. This study focused on the sub-sample of adults with DSM-IV-diagnosed bipolar I disorder (n = 1,548). The past-year prevalence of 11 GMCs was examined. Associations between GMCs, bipolar I disorder, and disability measures (12-Item Short-Form Health Survey) were tested using multivariate regression analyses. Results: Approximately 32.4% of adults with bipolar I disorder had 1 or more GMCs. In the general population, diagnosis with bipolar I disorder was a significant risk factor for 7 of 11 GMCs in adjusted analyses. Among adults with bipolar I disorder, those with 1 or more GMCs evidenced significantly greater disability across all disability measures compared to those without a GMC. Individual GMCs were significantly associated with physical, mental, and psychosocial disability in adjusted analyses and predicted specific patterns of disability. Conclusions: GMCs were found disproportionately among persons with bipolar I disorder and associated with significant impairments in health and psychosocial functioning. Health care providers should screen for and treat GMCs in service populations including persons with bipolar disorder, given the heightened rates of morbidity, mortality, and disability that attend untreated GMCs in this client group. Integrated and collaborative treatment approaches could significantly improve overall functioning and quality of life for persons with this treatable disorder.
Management Education in European Countries

Examines varied approaches to management education in Western Europe. Overview of university activities at Ghent, Belgium; Operations of the Netherlands Institute of Management; Speed of the movement for management education.
A comparison of membrane vs. intracellular estrogen receptor-α in GH3/B6 pituitary tumor cells using a quantitative plate immunoassay

The plasma membrane form of the estrogen receptor-alpha (mER-alpha) is involved in rapid estrogen-induced prolactin release from GH(3)/B6 rat pituitary tumor cells and can be detected immunocytochemically using several estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) antibodies. We recently described staining of fixed cells via a biotin-avidin-alkaline phosphatase sandwich assay. From this protocol, we have developed a rapid, quantifiable 96-well plate immunoassay for mER-alpha, using a different alkaline phosphatase substrate, para-nitrophenylphosphate, which generates a soluble yellow product, para-nitrophenol. We also permeabilized cells with detergent during fixation to measure intracellular ER-alpha (iER-alpha) with the same assay and then compared intracellular versus membrane ER-alpha levels in two GH(3)/B6 cell subclones originally selected for high and absent mER-alpha expression by immunocytochemistry. While the F10 subclone expresses plentiful amounts of the mER-alpha, the D9 subclone has undetectable levels of mER-alpha using this assay. In addition, there is a seven-fold difference in iER-alpha expression between the high (F10) and no (D9) mER-alpha expressing subclones. In the high mER-alpha expressing cell line, the mER-alpha totals approximately one third of total cellular ER-alpha. Neither membrane or intracellular forms of ER-beta were detected with this assay. The pNp assay allows convenient and quantitative comparison of multiple parameters of mER-alpha and iER-alpha regulation and should be applicable to other antigens that are expressed on the cell surface as well as intracellularly.
Progress and plans regarding the nutritional status of smoking adolescents.

The variability in the amount of caffeine in a “cup” of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate is surprising, even though it is prepared by the same person and with the same equipment and ingredients every day. Another difficulty in achieving precision is that a “cup” may contain 5, 6, or 8 oz, and coffee mugs differ from 6 to 16 oz. When we “fill” the cups, these levels may again vary. An estimate of caffeine intakes and physiologic consequences appear in Table II.
Synthesizing a large concept hierarchy from French hyperonyms

The KAI,II'SOS prototype we have developed at the IBM Paris Scientific Center is able to analyze texts written in l;reneh and to produce a semantic representalion of these texts expressed as a set of inter-related Conceptual Graphs [6, 1]. It uses a semantic lexicon which contains, for each word to be defined, one or more Conceptual Graphs corresponding to one or more meanings of the word. The KAI,IPSOS questkm/answefing system analyzes a Natural l.anguage query, translates it into Conceptual Graphs, performs pattern matching and deduction on these text graphs to select the answer, and finally generates a Natural Iangmage answer fiom the selected answer graphs.
Diffusion of Tritium from Neutron-Irradiated Lithium Fluoride

Release of tritium from LiF is well described by volume diffusion kinetics below 500 °C and an activation energy of 51 kcal/mole. The tritium is introduced into the LiF by the Li6(n, α)H3 reaction. Tritium release from massive LiF is complex; important factors include temperature history, initial tritium concentration (neutron exposure) and trapping of tritium in the LiF structure. Die Ablosung des Tritium vom LiF unterhalb von 500 °C wird zufriedenstellend beschrieben durch eine Volumendiffusionskinetik mit einer Aktivierungsenergie von 51 kcal/Mol. Das Tritium wurde durch die Reaktion Li6(n, α)H3 im LiF erzeugt. Die Ablosung des Tritiums von massivem LiF ist kompliziert und hangt von der thermische Vorgeschichte, der anfanglichen Tritiumkonzentration (durch Neutronenbestrahlung erzeugt) und Anhaftprozessen des Tritiums im LiF ab.
Culturally Competent Substance Abuse Treatment for Asian/Pacific Islander Women

Summary In response to the urgent need for substance abuse treatment among pregnant and postpartum Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) women, heath care and social service providers in a rural community of Hawaii established a culturally based, women-centered residential treatment program. The program was designed to address barriers that often prevent A/PI women from engaging and completing treatment. Treatment included Hawaiian healing practices or deep cultural therapy, provision for newborns to live with their mothers, infant health-care services, parent education, and infant-mother bonding guided by kupu-na (elders) of the community. Analysis of twenty-one in-depth interviews revealed factors that A/ PI women participants found vital to their treatment process: having their children with them in a non-punitive, mutually respectful treatment milieu; working with consistent, competent residential staff and culturally-sensitive interdisciplinary professionals; and involvement in a range of substance abuse int...
Reactions of normal ovaries to injections of stilbestrol.

SummaryThese results support previous evidence that the ovarian structures which normally secrete estrogen, i.e., antrum-containing follicles and corpora lutea, are affected when the estrogen level is raised, presumably via the anterior hypophysis. However, the suppression of formation of new small follicles is evident as a direct effect of stilbestrol on the ovary.