cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using computational ethnography to enhance the curation of real-world data (RWD) for chronic pain and invisible disability use cases

Chronic pain is a significant source of suffering, disability and societal cost in the US. However, while the ability to detect a person's risk for developing persistent pain is desirable for timely assessment, management, treatment, and reduced health care costs---no objective measure to detect clinical pain intensity exist. Recent Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods have deployed clinical decision- making and assessment tools to enhance pain risk detection across core social and clinical domains. Yet, risk assessment models are only as "good" as the data they are based on. Thus, ensuring fairness is also a critical component of equitable care in both the short and long term. This paper takes an intersectional and public health approach to AI fairness in the context of pain and invisible disability, suggesting that computational ethnography is a multimodal and participatory real-world data (RWD) methodology that can be used to enhance the curation of intersectional knowledge bases, thereby expanding existing boundaries of AI fairness in terms of inclusiveness and transparency for pain and invisible disability use cases.
Innovative problem-solving in wild hyenas is reliable across time and contexts

Individual differences in behavior are the raw material upon which natural selection acts, but despite increasing recognition of the value of considering individual differences in the behavior of wild animals to test evolutionary hypotheses, this approach has only recently become popular for testing cognitive abilities. In order for the intraspecific approach with wild animals to be useful for testing evolutionary hypotheses about cognition, researchers must provide evidence that measures of cognitive ability obtained from wild subjects reflect stable, general traits. Here, we used a multi-access box paradigm to investigate the intra-individual reliability of innovative problem-solving ability across time and contexts in wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). We also asked whether estimates of reliability were affected by factors such as age-sex class, the length of the interval between tests, or the number of times subjects were tested. We found significant contextual and temporal reliability for problem-solving. However, problem-solving was not reliable for adult subjects, when trials were separated by more than 17 days, or when fewer than seven trials were conducted per subject. In general, the estimates of reliability for problem-solving were comparable to estimates from the literature for other animal behaviors, which suggests that problem-solving is a stable, general trait in wild spotted hyenas.
Spatial gist extraction during human memory consolidation.

Theories of memory consolidation suggest that initially rich, vivid memories become more gist-like over time. However, it is unclear whether gist-like representations reflect a loss of detail through degradation or the blending of experiences into statistical averages, and whether the strength of these representations increases, decreases, or remains stable over time. We report three behavioral experiments that address these questions by examining distributional learning during spatial navigation. In Experiment 1, human subjects navigated a virtual maze to find hidden objects with locations varying according to spatial distributions. After 15 minutes, 1 day, 7 days, or 28 days, we tested their navigation performance and explicit memory. In Experiment 2, we created spatial distributions with no object at their mean locations, thereby disentangling learned object exemplars from statistical averages. In Experiment 3, we created only a single, bimodal distribution to avoid possible confusion between distributions and administered tests after 15 minutes or 28 days. Across all experiments, and for both navigation and explicit tests, representations of the spatial distributions were present soon after exposure, but then receded over time. These findings suggest gist-like representations do not improve over time, helping to clarify the temporal dynamics of consolidation in human learning and memory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
COVID-19: Are Stocks on Sale?

What should investors do after a market crash? Whether stocks are likely to recover depends not on how much they declined, but rather, on why they declined. Perhaps surprisingly, it also depends on what you mean by “recover.”
Preferences to improve rounding efficiency amongst hospitalists: a survey analysis

Background: There is no ‘gold standard’ method of rounding for hospitalists. This study investigates hospitalist rounding preferences to improve efficiency based on resources categorized under work...
Using Therapeutic Alliance to Predict Treatment Attendance Among Couples

Premature termination is significantly understudied in couple and family therapy research yet is a prevalent issue for therapists and has a significant impact on therapeutic outcomes. While therapeutic alliance has been consistently linked to premature termination and other treatment outcomes, little is known about other factors, particularly couple factors, that may influence premature termination in couple therapy. Utilizing dyadic data combined from two different samples of couples seeking therapy, this study examines the influence of relationship satisfaction and therapeutic alliance on premature termination using an Actor Partner Independence Model. Additionally, a chi-square difference test was used to determine differences in therapeutic outcomes among termination-status type groups. Results showed that alliance was not predictive of termination status. Couple factors, particularly relationship satisfaction, were found to be associated with premature termination. That is, couples with lower relationship satisfaction were more likely to terminate therapy prematurely without agreement with their therapist. Findings suggest that couple influences showed stronger associations to premature termination than did therapeutic alliance alone. This highlights a need for therapists to assess how initial relationship satisfaction influences alliance and how each partner’s satisfaction and alliance influence that of the other partner.
ER-to-Golgi Traffic--This Bud's for You

How do protein-transporting vesicles, which bud from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), specifically dock to, and fuse with, the Golgi apparatus? In their Perspective, Brittle and Waters discuss new work (Allan et al.) suggesting that some vesicle-associated docking and fusion proteins are "programmed" during vesicle budding from the ER and direct downstream events that occur during fusion of these transport vesicles with the membranes of the Golgi.
Further Application of the Mass Loss Model to the GLC-305 and MS(1)-317 Airfoils

A model to simulate the mass loss due to splashing by large droplets impinging on an airfoil surface has been developed and successful validated for a single airfoil 1 : MS(1)-317 at angle of attack (AOA) of 0°. The published results on the comparison between experimental and predicted droplet impingement efficiency values have shown good agreement. Droplet impingement characteristic is essential for simulating ice shapes. Although current icing codes can predict ice buildup for Appendix C droplet sizes with acceptable degree of accuracy, they were less successful with supercooled large droplets (SLD) due to the droplet splashing effects. The proposed mass loss model accounts for this effect by including a splash parameter term into the computation of the droplet impingement efficiency. This parameter is a function of the droplet median volume diameter (MVD) and impact parameter (K), which is related to the droplet impact velocity (and angle). This paper presents further application of this mass loss model to the MS(1)-317 airfoil at AOA of 8°, and the GLC-305 airfoil at AOA of 1.5°.
Quitting time: When do honey bee foragers decide to stop foraging on natural resources?

Honey bee foragers may use both personal and social information when making decisions about when to visit resources. In particular, foragers may stop foraging at resources when their own experience indicates declining resource quality, or when social information, namely the delay to being able to unload nectar to receiver bees, indicates that the colony has little need for the particular resource being collected. Here we test the relative importance of these two factors in a natural setting, where colonies are using many dynamically changing resources. We recorded detailed foraging histories of individually marked bees, and identified when they appeared to abandon any resources (such as flower patches) that they had previously been collecting from consistently. As in previous studies, we recorded duration of trophallaxis events (unloading nectar to receiver bees) as a proxy for resource quality and the delays before returning foragers started trophallaxis as a proxy for social need for the resource. If these proxy measures accurately reflect changes in resource quality and social need, they should predict whether bees continue foraging or not. However, neither factor predicted when individuals stopped foraging on a particular resource, nor did they explain changes in colony-level foraging activity. This may indicate that other, as yet unstudied processes also affect individual decisions to abandon particular resources.
Controlling Inflation: The Problem of Non-Indexed Debt

We show that the presence of nominal non-indexed government debt could give rise to more than one equilibrium inflation rate. Conditions for this to occur are discussed in terms of ad hoc and micro-founded models. Solutions to the indeterminacy problem are examined; one solution is shown to be price indexation of debt instruments.
The barrel-shaped cervical carcinoma

Twelve patients had barrel-shaped cervical carcinoma among 493 new patients with primary invasive cervical carcinoma, at the Downstate Medical Center, New York from January, 1964 to December, 1972. The incidence of barrel-shaped lesions among invasive carcinoma of the cervix was 2.43%. All 12 patients were treated with external radiation to the whole pelvis followed by two radium applications. In six patients an extrafascial hysterectomy was performed 6 to 12 weeks after radiation. Six patients died and six survived (50%). Six patients survived for over 2 years after therapy with no evidence of recurrence. Of these, four are alive and well for over 5 years. All six patients died within 20 months after therapy. The barrel-shaped cervical carcinoma fared poorly (six deaths among 12 patients or 50%) when compared with the over-all Stage I and Stage II cervical carcinoma (87 deaths among 339 patients or 25.5%).
Why Powerful States Don’t Go It Alone

Coalitions of Convenience: United States Military Interventions after the Cold War. By Sarah E. Kreps. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. 223 pp., $27.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-19-975380-2). Military coalitions have long been prevalent in interstate conflicts. However, to date, there is scant research on the politics of coalitions. Coalitions of Convenience seeks to expand our understanding of coalition formation by exploring when states that could fight alone seek to form coalitions and what type of coalition will form under varying conditions. Using the nature of the threat faced by a state and the time horizon for dealing with the threat, Kreps creates a tight and parsimonious theory for explaining both coalition formation and structure. The central debate in the book is between power and norms. Do states form coalitions based upon power calculations or do states choose multilateralism because of norms against unilateralism? In the end, the theoretical argument is a blending of the two, with more emphasis placed upon power. Kreps argues that states always prefer higher levels of legitimacy associated with operating multilaterally. However, a desire to preserve power drives this aspiration for greater legitimacy. States seek legitimacy as normative theories predict; but the motivation for this action is power and not a concern with following norms. This realist correction to normative arguments is an important contribution of this book and is sure to stimulate further debate. Part of the motivation for the theory …
Long distance entanglement swapping and perspectives for a real quantum relay

Entanglement swapping of time-bin qubits over a distance of 1.1 km was demonstrated. The visibility of the 4-fold coincidences conditioned on a successful Bell state measurement was 75.5%/spl plusmn/5%, clearly indicating that the photons were entangled and could violate Bell inequalities (visibility of 70.7%). This latest results confirm that time-bin encoding is robust enough against several decoherence effects in optical fibers.
Parallel CFD Computing Using Shared Memory OpenMP

The eXtended Full-Potential (FPX) helicopter rotor Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code in its reduced two-dimensional version is successfully converted into a parallel version. The FPX code solves the full potential equation using an approximately factored finite-difference scheme. The parallel version of the code uses Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP) directives as parallel programming tool. Open MP based parallel code is portable and can be compiled with Fortran compiler that supports the OpenMP Fortran standard. OpenMP based parallel code can also be compiled using nonparallel Fortran compiler into a serial executable. The performance study of the parallel code is made. The results show that OpenMP is easy to use and a very efficient parallel programming tool for the present problem.
A Unifying View of Contour Length Bias Correction

Original active contour formulations may become ill-posed especially for boundaries characterized by prominent features. Attempts to yield well-posed formulations lead to bias towards short contours. We provide a framework to unify existing bias correcting energy methods and propose a novel local bias correcting scheme similar to non-maximum suppression. Our method can be seen as an approximation to a well-known algorithm that transforms a graph with positive and negative weights to a graph with only positive weights while preserving the shortest paths among the nodes.
Importing Accounting Quality? The Case of Foreign Reverse Mergers

The recent influx of foreign companies to the U.S. capital markets via reverse mergers, transactions that bypass the scrutiny given to IPOs, has raised concerns about the quality of financial reporting by the resulting firms. Using an array of proxies for reporting quality, we find that the reporting quality of these reverse merger (RM) firms, regardless of country of origin, is lower than that of their domestic industry peers and foreign cross-listed companies. However, the evidence is less conclusive regarding the alleged inferior quality of foreign RM firms relative to that of RM firms originating in the U.S. We also find that important determinants of the inferior reporting quality of RM firms are their lower audit quality and weaker external monitoring by the investing public. With few exceptions, investors appear to recognize this quality differential by tempering their reaction to accounting information reported by RM firms, and discounting these firms’ equity values relative to their non-RM industry peers. The findings have implications for investors, market regulators and auditors. They are also relevant for the discussion on the costs and benefits of harmonizing accounting standards and for the debate on the desirability of capital market stimuli in the form of relaxed reporting and disclosure rules.
Fraud and Comparative Fault

The evolution of comparative fault is among this generation's most important tort law developments. Today, nearly every state follows some form of the rule, seeking to better align liability with culpability. Despite this guiding premise, states have struggled to define comparative fault's boundaries within the context of doctrine that developed in an earlier era. Courts have addressed many issues as part of this effort. One question that has escaped significant attention, however, is whether comparative fault should apply in a fraud action. This Article asserts that comparative fault jurisdictions should not bar plaintiffs from recovering in fraud when they fail to establish justifiable reliance on a misrepresentation. Rather, courts should apply comparative fault principles and evaluate all parties' conduct in assessing damages. The Article begins by providing a brief overview of fraud, including the traditional element of justifiable reliance. It then considers the forces arrayed against the extension of comparative fault to fraud. These include the argument that justifiable reliance is merely a proxy for other elements of fraud, as well as courts' historical hesitation to apply comparative fault in any intentional tort claim or actions for purely economic harm. From there, the Article questions the status quo. It suggests that, in fact, some courts do take justifiable reliance seriously. It also notes that historical barriers to comparative fault's application in the area might be eroding. The Article then asserts that the application of comparative fault in fraud actions makes sense. It notes that policies relied upon by scholars who would limit the extension of comparative fault do not inherently apply in the area of fraud. More positively, the Article suggests that extending comparative fault to fraud would serve policies that led courts and legislatures to adopt comparative fault in the first place, as well as policies that underlie tort law generally. In sum, the refusal of courts to apply comparative fault to fraud is a vestige of an earlier day in which “ all-or-nothing” rules dominated tort law. The policies that led to the development of comparative fault in almost every other area of tort law also deserve consideration in fraud.
Insect Distribution in a Spring Pea-Winter Wheat-Spring Barley Crop Rotation System

The effects of tillage method (conventional or conservative) and weed management level (recommended or minimum) on insect distribution in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)...
Detection of Gunshot Residue by Use of the Scanning Electron Microscope

Particle analysis techniques provide much more information useful for identification of gunshot residue than the conventional analytical techniques that measure only the concentration of elements averaged over the entire specimen. By combining the morphological information by microscopy with elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence, the SEM provides definitive identification of residue particles. Therefore, the particle analysis technique should be more revealing in situations where conventional methods fail as the quantity of residue approaches the background level.
Fuzzy logic-based direct load control of residential electric water heaters and air conditioners recognizing customer preferences in a deregulated environment

With the impending deregulation of electric utility industry, customer satisfaction with utility services will be crucial. Utilities will need to place a greater emphasis on their customers' preferences and desires. This would include the recognition and inclusion of customer comfort and satisfaction into utility demand side management programs. This paper presents a fuzzy logic-based water heater and air conditioner direct load controller recognizing several important customer preferences and desires. Study results show that the proposed controller successfully shifts the average power demand of customer loads and thus improves the utility's load factor.
Post-Hartree-Fock studies on the structure of bis(ortho-substituted phenyl)methylenes.

Long-lived triplet bisarylmethylenes are now well-known. Experimental data (primarily ESR hyperfine parameters) suggest that the carbon framework of long-lived bisarylmethylenes approaches D2d symmetry, as ortho-substitution forces the central angle to approach 180°. According to DFT modeling, the approach of the central angle to 180° is accompanied by a dramatic shortening of the central CC bonds and severe quinoid distortion of the phenyl rings. In contrast, X-ray investigation of bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methylene shows a structure closer to the carbene valence bond representation with less seriously distorted phenyl rings, a more acute central angle, and a longer bond from the methylene carbon to the aryl substituent. We address the difficulty of achieving a balance of cumulene and carbene character, treating the model systems diethynylmethylene, dicyanomethylene, and diisocyanomethylene by post-Hartree−Fock methods CAS and CCSD as well as DFT models, and applying the perturbation-corrected CAS metho...
Tuberculosis. A persistent health care problem.

Tuberculosis (TB) persists as a serious public health problem in the United States in spite of the fact that effective chemotherapy has been available for over 35 years. Over 20,000 new cases and 1800 deaths still occur each year. The continued occurrence of hundreds of cases in young children is especially alarming, as newborns and children under 3 years of age are at great risk of disseminated disease and its lethal complications. The disease persists in part because many health care providers do not consider it a problem. Nurse-midwives care for a number of groups at high risk of infection (innercity populations, Indochinese and Latin American immigrants, and American Indians) and can be important in helping to eliminate TB. This article provides information about the transmission, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of the disease, as well as guidelines for screening, diagnosis and treatment of TB in both pregnant and nonpregnant women and in newborns.
Morbidity in obese adolescents who meet the adult National Institutes of Health criteria for bariatric surgery

Abstract Purpose Some have suggested that the criteria for weight loss surgery in adolescents be stricter than those currently recommended for adults by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The aim of the current study is to define the characteristics of adolescents who meet NIH consensus criteria for bariatric surgery in adults to determine their level of morbidity. Materials and Methods Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2000-2004, children designated as meeting NIH criteria were 13 to 17 years of age with (1) a body mass index ≥40 or (2) a body mass index >35, and one or more comorbidity. We contrasted surgery candidates with noncandidates. We examined items that comprise a screener for identifying children with special health care needs. The Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) was used to assess child functioning. Results There were 134 children identified as candidates for bariatric surgery and 4736 noncandidates in the same age range. Candidates were more likely to have special health care needs (36% vs 23%) and more likely to have a CIS above 16 (34% vs 16%). Candidates for weight loss surgery were 2.36 times as likely to have a CIS score of 16 or higher and 1.87 times as likely to be identified as a child with special health care needs ( P ≤ .001). Conclusions We conclude that adolescents who meet NIH consensus criteria for weight loss surgery in adults require specialized health services and have functional impairment. Thus, we advocate the use of the standard adult criteria defined by the NIH as the initial screening requirements so that enhanced access to weight loss surgery for morbidly obese adolescents may be achieved.
Age Differences in Demographic Predictors of Retirement Investment Decisions

Increased longevity coupled with inadequate savings makes retirement savings and investment research increasingly important. A policy-capturing method was used to examine the relative importance of 6 demographic predictors on the retirement investment decisions of 64 working adults. All predictors were significant predictors of the investment. In addition, although age differences on amount of investment were not significant, interactions between participant age and vignette information were found. Results indicate that older and younger adults make similar decisions using different pieces of information. These findings have implications for individuals planning for retirement and financial professionals who help others make decisions.
Removing Size as a Determinant of Quality: A Per Capita Approach to Ranking Doctoral Programs in Finance.

Rankings of finance doctoral programs generally fall into two categories: a qualitative opinion survey or a quantitative analysis of research productivity. The consistency of these rankings suggests either the best programs have the most productive faculty, or that the university affiliations most often seen in publications are correlated with institutional quality, which biases the rankings towards larger programs. The authors introduce a per capita measure of research output to evaluate finance programs in a context that removes absolute size as a variable. The results indicate that smaller programs in the field are frequently overlooked in traditional rankings.
A Swimming Pool Hadron Calorimeter

A new type of hadron calorimeter is described which measures the energy of ahadronby detecting the Cherenkov light produced by the hadronic shower it initiates in a large tank of water. The device features large aperture with good uniformity, good energy containment, andmodest resolution at modest cost. The response was studied as a function of particle type and momentum. Resolution of 40% (RMS) has been achieved at 20 GeV.
Effectiveness of Intravenous Infusion Algorithms for Glucose Control in Diabetic Patients Using Different Simulation Models

The effectiveness of closed-loop insulin infusion algorithms is assessed for three different mathematical models describing insulin and glucose dynamics within a Type I diabetes patient. Simulations are performed to assess the effectiveness of proportional plus integral plus derivative (PID) control, feedforward control, and a physiologically-based control system with respect to maintaining normal glucose levels during a meal and during exercise. Control effectiveness is assessed by comparing the simulated response to a simulation of a healthy patient during both a meal and exercise and establishing maximum and minimum glucose levels and insulin infusion levels, as well as maximum duration of hyperglycemia. Controller effectiveness is assessed within the minimal model, the Sorensen model, and the Hovorka model. Results showed that no type of control was able to maintain normal conditions when simulations were performed using the minimal model. For both the Sorensen model and the Hovorka model, proportional control was sufficient to maintain normal glucose levels. Given published clinical data showing the ineffectiveness of PID control in patients, the work demonstrates that controller success based on simulation results can be misleading, and that future work should focus on addressing the model discrepancies.
PM-13BIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF HISTONE MUTATIONS IN THE MAMMALIAN BRAIN

Pediatric diffuse high-grade gliomas (HGG) account for 20 percent of primary brain tumors in children and have a devastating outcome with a 2-year survival rate of 10-30 percent. Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), brainstem HGG found almost exclusively in children, represent approximately 50 percent of all pediatric HGG. Frequent recurrent somatic mutations in histone H3 distinguish the genetic drivers among pediatric and adult HGG. Mutually exclusive somatic heterozygous H3F3A or HIST1H3B mutations encoding a K27M variant of histone H3.3 or H3.1, respectively, are found in nearly 80 percent of DIPGs and 22 percent of non-brainstem HGG, where they occur predominantly in thalamic and other midline tumors. Strikingly, heterozygous H3F3A mutations encoding histone H3.3 G34R or G34V occur in approximately 14 percent of non-brainstem HGG, are associated predominantly with cortical tumors arising in older children through young adulthood, and suggest a distinct developmental origin compared to the majority of tumors harboring K27M mutations. DNA methylation signatures and gene expression patterns distinguish G34R/V and K27M tumors, but the oncogenic mechanisms and brain region selectivity of these mutations remain uncertain. To study these mutations in the developing mammalian brain, we generated conditionally activated, epitope-tagged knock-in mice to express K27M, G34R or non-mutated H3.3 proteins from the endogenous H3f3a locus. When activated in neural and glial precursor cells, extensive H3f3a expression was observed throughout the embryonic brain, and H3.3-K27M induces loss of H3K27me3, as has been shown in DIPGs. Notably, we also found that neural progenitor cells derived from embryonic hindbrain and forebrain expressing H3.3-K27M demonstrate a striking in vitro growth advantage compared to H3.3-G34R or H3.3-WT expressing neural progenitor cells. We will present an analysis of the epigenetic landscape and gene expression patterns from various brain regions expressing these different histone H3 mutations as well as a phenotypic analysis of the mutant mice.
The Motivations of First-Semester Hispanic Two-Year College Students

In this study, the researcher developed an instrument to assess college attendance motivations in order to assess the motivations of 179 entering Hispanic freshmen and to explore the relationship between demographics and motivation. Student motivations formed a hierarchy with knowledge at the top, followed by self-improvement, job enhancement, increased social status, and improvement of social life, respectively. The desire to improve social life was higher for those from lower-income backgrounds and for males.
Disentangling race and socioeconomic status: a key to understanding health inequalities.

This article addresses one of the most vexing problems facing health disparities researchers, the confounding of race and socioeconomic status. This article does the following: (1) it outlines the magnitude of confounding between race and socioeconomic status; (2) it demonstrates problems caused by this confounding; (3) it examines the degree to which race disparities are a function of socioecomic status; and (4) it discusses considerations for advancing research on health disparities after accounting for the confounding of race and socioeconomic status.
Powassan virus infection: case series and literature review from a single institution

Powassan virus is a flavivirus related to eastern hemisphere’s tick-borne encephalitis viruses. It can cause a rare but potentially life-threatening disease including encephalitis. We report four cases of POWV infection in Minnesota and North Dakota with known exposure to tick bites in 2011. Our first case was an 18-year-old male who dramatically presented with seizure and headache with positive serum analysis for Powassan virus immunoglobulin M. The second case was a 60 year old gentleman with intraparenchymal hemorrhage and was diagnosed via cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Thirdly, a 61 year old male developed altered mental status and encephalitis. Our fourth patient was a 69 year old male who had headache and non-focal weakness who was diagnosed with serum analysis. Symptoms of Powassan virus infection ranged from headaches to seizures and severe neurological symptoms. This study serves to highlight the increased detection of Powassan virus infection in the central north United States. This report focuses on the increasing incidence that can lead to increasing efforts for raising awareness regarding this infection. There is a need for clinician vigilance and public attention due to its increasing detection, westward progression and varied clinical presentations.
Radio-label and mass determinations of inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate formation in rat cerebral cortical slices: differential effects of myo-inositol.

To investigate the effects of increasing concentrations ofmyo-inositol (inositol) on receptor stimulated [3H]inositol polyphosphate formation in the absence of lithium, slices of rat cerebral cortex were incubated with various concentrations of [3H]inositol (1 to 30 μM). Carbachol stimulated formation of [3H]inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) and [3H]inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate {Ins(1,3,4,5)P4} increased several fold when the inositol concentration was increased reaching a plateau at approximately 12 μM inositol. Time course studies revealed that in the presence of low concentrations of inositol (1 μM), [3H]InsP3 and [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 formation in response to carbachol stimulation increased slowly over a 10 to 20 min time period, whereas in the presence of 4 and 12 μM inositol, carbachol stimulated [3H]InsP3 and [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 formation was rapid and essentially complete within 3 to 5 min after carbachol addition. Although the carbachol dose response in 12 μM inositol had a much greater maximal efficacy, there was no change in potency. Similar to the effects of carbachol on [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 formation from prelabeled phosphoinositides, muscarinic receptor stimulation increased Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 mass formation by seven fold. Furthermore, Li+ (8 mM) completely inhibited carbachol stimulated increases in Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 mass formation. In contrast to the effects of increasing inositol on carbachol stimulated formation of radiolabeled inositol phosphates, increasing inositol had no effect upon mass formation of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. These results show that when measuring inositol polyphosphate formation by the radiolabeling technique in the absence of Li+, increasing the inositol concentration greatly increases the stimulated component of [3H]InsP3 and [3H]Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 formation. However, this inositol induced increase in agonist stimulated Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 formation is not reflected as an increase in mass formation.
Development of tissue engineered vascular grafts and application of nanomedicine

Vascular Tissue Engineering belongs to a rapidly expanding discipline. Tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVG) have a broad range of clinical application extending from use as small diameter vascular grafts in adult peripheral vasculature to serving as large vessel conduits in pediatric cardiovascular surgery. Several approaches have been utilized by different groups to design these grafts. Preliminary outcomes are exceedingly promising. These grafts have demonstrated the ability to transform into living blood vessels with growth potential and while the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, it has been shown that inflammatory pathways may play an important role. Small animal experiments, development of cell seeding techniques and the application of nanotechnology have all contributed vastly to our understanding of the mechanisms involved in TEVG remodeling. The application of nanomedicine in TEVG design continues to expand at a rapid rate and has provided some clues as to how vascular graft design can be pursued in the future. In this review we discuss the current state of the field of tissue engineered vascular grafts and how the principles of nanomedicine are being applied to aid in the design of second-generation grafts.
A Bayesian approach to identifying and compensating for model misspecification in population models

State-space estimation methods are increasingly used in ecology to estimate productivity and abundance of natural populations while accounting for variability in both population dynamics and measurement processes. However, functional forms for population dynamics and density dependence often will not match the true biological process, and this may degrade the performance of state-space methods. We therefore developed a Bayesian semiparametric state-space model, which uses a Gaussian process (GP) to approximate the population growth function. This offers two benefits for population modeling. First, it allows data to update a specified “prior” on the population growth function, while reverting to this prior when data are uninformative. Second, it allows variability in population dynamics to be decomposed into random errors around the population growth function (“process error”) and errors due to the mismatch between the specified prior and estimated growth function (“model error”). We used simulation modeling to illustrate the utility of GP methods in state-space population dynamics models. Results confirmed that the GP model performs similarly to a conventional state-space model when either (1) the prior matches the true process or (2) data are relatively uninformative. However, GP methods improve estimates of the population growth function when the function is misspecified. Results also demonstrated that the estimated magnitude of “model error” can be used to distinguish cases of model misspecification. We conclude with a discussion of the prospects for GP methods in other state-space models, including age and length-structured, meta-analytic, and individual-movement models.
Influences of season and water depth on the clonal biology of the seagrassThalassia testudinum

Ramet density, leaf relative growth rates, leaf chlorophyll levels, and proximate constituent levels were determined on three dates in 1988 at three water depths for aThalassia testudinum Banks ex Konig meadow in lower Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Density varied seasonally in patterns unique to each depth. Leaf relative growth rates indicated a unimodal, rather than bimodal, growth pattern at this site. Leaf chlorophyll levels reflected both depth-related and seasonal influences, with levels at all depths increasing in times of high light attenuation. Based on results from leaf relative growth rates and proximate constituent levels, the degree of ramet interdependence appears to vary with sampling date and water depth. The degree of ramet interdependence appears to be maximal in times of genet expansion (June and August) and minimal in times of energy storage (November). Interdependence of ramets varies spatially as well; ramets are maximally integrated in shallow regions (on those dates when genet proliferation occurs), and minimally integrated at deep edges. Depth-related differences in ramet integration are probably due to the spatial heterogeneity of the primary resource limitation varying with water depth, and to depth-related differences in ramet population dynamics. Patterns of ramet physiological integration inT. testudinum are similar to the patterns reported for terrestrial clonal plants.
The leucine zipper: a hypothetical structure common to a new class of DNA binding proteins

A 30-amino-acid segment of C/EBP, a newly discovered enhancer binding protein, shares notable sequence similarity with a segment of the cellular Myc transforming protein. Display of these respective amino acid sequences on an idealized alpha helix revealed a periodic repetition of leucine residues at every seventh position over a distance covering eight helical turns. The periodic array of at least four leucines was also noted in the sequences of the Fos and Jun transforming proteins, as well as that of the yeast gene regulatory protein, GCN4. The polypeptide segments containing these periodic arrays of leucine residues are proposed to exist in an alpha-helical conformation, and the leucine side chains extending from one alpha helix interdigitate with those displayed from a similar alpha helix of a second polypeptide, facilitating dimerization. This hypothetical structure is referred to as the "leucine zipper," and it may represent a characteristic property of a new category of DNA binding proteins.
Uterine rupture during induction of labor at term with intravaginal misoprostol.

Background: Misoprostol (prostaglandin E1) compares favorably with dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2) and oxytocin for labor induction at term. Excessive uterine activity has been reported using high-dose regimens, but no negative effect on outcomes has been observed. Case: Labor was induced in a 34-year-old multipara at 39 weeks' gestation using intravaginal misoprostol tablets. Five hours after administration of the second 25-μg dose, fetal bradycardia prompted emergency cesarean delivery. Hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy were necessary to control bleeding from a 15-cm posterior uterine wall rupture. Conclusion: Misoprostol can cause excessive uterine activity and uterine rupture.
Vertical and off-diagonal eddy diffusivities in the Northern Hemispheric stratosphere and lower mesosphere

Meteorological rocket soundings, launched between 1968-74 at six locations representative of low, middle and high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, are employed to determine the vertical, meridional, and off-diagonal components of the eddy diffusivity in the Northern Hemispheric stratosphere and lower mesosphere. It is shown that the distribution of the vertical and meridional components of the eddy diffusivity are similar in the Northern Hemisphere, although the magnitude of the former is ten million times smaller than that of the latter; the magnitude of the off-diagonal eddy diffusivity is about one thousand times smaller than that of the meridional eddy diffusivity. In the troposphere, a maximum eddy diffusivity occurs in the mid-latitude at about 7 km above the mean sea level for both the summer and winter seasons.
Determinants of Public Opinion Toward Juvenile Waiver Decisions

This study examines the determinants of public opinion toward three types of juvenile crimes deemed suitable for trial in criminal court. The public overwhelmingly supports juvenile waivers, especially for juveniles charged with violent crimes. However, such an overall consensus in public opinion can be a result of an inadequate survey design. The public needs to be given more contextual information regarding juvenile offenses and possible consequences resulting from transferring juveniles to the adult system.
Mercury Speciation and Transport via Submarine Groundwater Discharge at a Southern California Coastal Lagoon System

We measured total mercury (Hg(T)) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations in coastal groundwater and seawater over a range of tidal conditions near Malibu Lagoon, California, and used (222)Rn-derived estimates of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to assess the flux of mercury species to nearshore seawater. We infer a groundwater-seawater mixing scenario based on salinity and temperature trends and suggest that increased groundwater discharge to the ocean during low tide transported mercury offshore. Unfiltered Hg(T) (U-Hg(T)) concentrations in groundwater (2.2-5.9 pM) and seawater (3.3-5.2 pM) decreased during a falling tide, with groundwater U-Hg(T) concentrations typically lower than seawater concentrations. Despite the low Hg(T) in groundwater, bioaccumulative MMHg was produced in onshore sediment as evidenced by elevated MMHg concentrations in groundwater (0.2-1 pM) relative to seawater (∼0.1 pM) throughout most of the tidal cycle. During low tide, groundwater appeared to transport MMHg to the coast, resulting in a 5-fold increase in seawater MMHg (from 0.1 to 0.5 pM). Similarly, filtered Hg(T) (F-Hg(T)) concentrations in seawater increased approximately 7-fold during low tide (from 0.5 to 3.6 pM). These elevated seawater F-Hg(T) concentrations exceeded those in filtered and unfiltered groundwater during low tide, but were similar to seawater U-Hg(T) concentrations, suggesting that enhanced SGD altered mercury partitioning and/or solubilization dynamics in coastal waters. Finally, we estimate that the SGD Hg(T) and MMHg fluxes to seawater were 0.41 and 0.15 nmol m(-2) d(-1), respectively - comparable in magnitude to atmospheric and benthic fluxes in similar environments.
The interpretation of multiple-step transient-state kinetic isotope effects.

Abstract In contrast to steady-state kinetic isotope effects (KIEs), transient-state tKIEs are both time and signal dependent and therefore require a very different form of theory for their interpretation. We have previously provided such a theory for the case of single-step isotopic substitutions. No such properly derived theory applicable to the analysis of multiple-step isotopic substitutions required by transient-state solvent isotope effect studies has been available up to this time. Here, we set forth a more general form of that theory which is applicable to multiple-step substituted cases. We prove three theorems: 1. the observed transient-state KIE for any given reactive component in the reaction sequence evaluated at zero time (tKIE 0 ) is in fact the arithmetic product of the intrinsic KIEs of all the steps that precede the formation of that component. 2. The observed tKIE 0 is completely independent of the intrinsic KIEs of any reverse step in the reaction. 3. The intrinsic KIE of any step may be obtained by dividing the value of the tKIE 0 for that step by the value of the tKIE 0 of the immediately preceding step in the reaction sequence.
Human cutaneous dendritic cells express two glycoproteins T6 and M241 which are biochemically identical to those found on cortical thymocytes.

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies anti-T6 and anti-M241 define unique cell populations within different lineages: cortical thymocytes and dendritic cells in the skin. T6 positive cutaneous dendritic cells are located predominantly in the epidermis and belong to the Langerhans/indeterminate lineage, whereas, most of the M241 positive cells are located in the perivascular regions of the dermis. Biochemical analysis of thymocytes and cutaneous dendritic cells was performed in order to determine weather the reactivity of these antibodies with these cell types is due to sharing of antigenic determinants by two unrelated proteins, or whether similar proteins are present on cells of different lineages. Our results indicate that T6 antigens are borne by the same glycoprotein (49K) on cortical thymocytes and Langerhans/indeterminate cells. Similarly, M241 antigens isolated from thymocytes and cutaneous dendritic cells are found on the same glycoprotein (43K).
Iridium optical constants from x-ray transmission measurements over 2 to 12 keV

Precise transmission measurements of free standing iridium foils and of iridium coatings supported on thin polyimide film have been made at the X8 beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source, at energies from 2 to 12 keV. These measurements were conducted to provide iridium optical constants in support of NASA's Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). Transmission data were collected at small energy increments across iridium M and L absorption edges to study detailed edge structures. From these data, the imaginary components of the index of refraction were computed. The data also allows computation of the real parts, using the Kramers-Kronig dispersion integral. Preliminary results indicate a measurement accuracy of better than one percent for transmission. Absorption coefficients deviate by varying amounts from values predicted from Henke data table, which is consistent with the accuracy claimed for those table.s Nonuniform thickness in our iridium foils may be a source of errors in our analysis and improved foils are being sought. Additional measurements will also be needed with foils of different thickness to account and correct for possible effects of sample thickness on the determination of absorption edge fine structure. To our knowledge, transmission measurements of this degree of accuracy and precision have not been previously reported in the literature for iridium in the 2- 12 keV energy range.
Scintigraphic evaluation of the growth plate

Multiphase bone scintigraphy is used to assess growth plate function in the growing skeleton. It can identify an evolving total or segmental closure by comparing an affected plate with a contralateral normal plate. Although visual interpretation is usually adequate, quantitative methods permit a more objective assessment. Total or partial closure occurs in response to trauma and infection; plate closure also may be induced surgically to prevent progressive leg lenght inequality. As new orthopaedic procedures for correcting early plate closure are developed, the need for accurate physiological assessment of the growth plate is critical.