cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signal processing everywhere you look

Whether designing an auditorium, interpreting a marine mammal song, analyzing a sonar signal, or extracting information from ambient noise, signal processing is there. With active research in the field, signal processing provides a multitude of tools that are critical for solutions of complex acoustic problems. With time-series analysis, time-frequency representations, higher-order statistics, model-based and Bayesian processing, compressed sensing, and many other approaches, acoustic signal processing brings together physics, mathematics, and statistics, theory and computation, for the better understanding of acoustical phenomena. The diversity of the field is evidenced by the fact that members of the Technical Committee on Signal Processing in Acoustics also have membership in a multitude of other technical committees: underwater acoustics, acoustical oceanography, animal bioacoustics, and architectural acoustics, to name a few. Additionally, many special sessions at Acoustical Society Meetings are cosp...
Pharmacotherapy for Persistent Posttraumatic Headaches in Children and Adolescents: A Brief Review of the Literature

Concussion, now most often referred to as mild traumatic brain injury in recent literature, is common in pediatrics, and headache is often the most common complaint post-injury. Although most children and adolescents recover within 1–2 weeks, some develop frequent and debilitating headaches that can last for months or longer. Most clinicians would agree on the importance of managing both acute and persistent posttraumatic headaches appropriately to speed recovery, minimize disability, maximize function, and improve quality of life, but there are no well-established guidelines to instruct physicians in doing so. As this continues to be a developing field, there is much we still need to learn about concussion and the appropriate strategies to prevent and treat these injuries and their sequelae. This review is intended to help providers understand the current evidence, and sometimes the lack thereof, and ultimately to lead to improved care for children with headaches after mild traumatic brain injury.
Wechselwirkungen zwischen Entwurf und Betrieb von Kläranlagen

Die Notwendigkeit dieser Arbeitstagung wird klar durch die gut bekannte, aber selten veroffentlichte Tatsache begrundet, das viele Klaranlagen in den USA mit einem viel geringeren als dem geplanten Wirkungsgrad arbeiten. Die meisten Anlagen sind im Hinblick auf Be-triebsfuhrung auf ziemlich altertumliehem Stand, wenn man sie mit industriellen Arbeitsweisen vergleicht, und grobe Fehler, wie Blah-schlamm und „saure“ anaerobe Faulbehalter sind all zu haufig. Uber viele Betriebsprobleme wurde berichtet; Michel z. B.1 berichtet bei 1500 Prufungen 499 Beispiele von Betriebsstorungen auf Klaranlagen, verursacht durch Regenwasser und Infiltration, Auserbetriebnahme fur Routinearbeiten und mechanische Fehler. Der Wirkungsgrad der Anlagen schwankt stark, und zwar nicht nur von Anlage zu Anlage, son-dern auch von Tag zu Tag und von Stunde zu Stunde in der gleichen Anlage. Tagliche Schwankungen im BSB-Abbau von 60–95% sind nicht ungewohnlich und Thomann2 zeigte durch eine statistische Analyse der Ablaufwerte von acht Klaranlagen, das diese Schwankungen von grosem Einflus auf die Wasserqualitat des Vorfluters sein konnen.
Influence of Ten Ground Cover Systems on Growth and Market Value of Eastern Hemlock and Eastern White Pine

Growth, mineral nutrient content, and market value of young eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.) and eastern white pine (Pine strobus L.) were evaluated using 10 ground cover treatments over a 4 to 5 year growing cycle. Hemlocks were taller and had greater market value when managed with straw mulch, bare ground, and cultivation than with tall broadleaf complex, orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), or ‘Kentucky 31’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Hemlocks grown with blackberry (Rubus spp.), short broadleaf complex, nimblewill (Mulenbergia schreberi J.F. Gmel.), or Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) ground covers were intermediate. Mulched white pine had greater height, stem diameter, branches per node, and market value compared to trees in tall fescue. Higher P and K concentrations in needles were associated with poor growth. Straw mulch, short broadleaves and nimblewill have the potential for replacing Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass and tall fescue in conifer planting systems.
He Has a Gun and Wants to Kill Himself

In this chapter, we will explore a case involving a young adult with a history of depression who attempts to end his life using a firearm. Questions will guide exploration of patient barriers to receiving mental health care, firearm-related violence statistics, and physician responsibilities with regard to maintaining patient confidentiality and obtaining informed consent. While working through the case, learners will be challenged to critically assess a clinical scenario and offer a framework for identifying potential interventions. At the conclusion of the case discussion, learners should be able to choose among potential courses of action when an obligation to maintain confidentiality conflicts with a duty to protect the patient and their community.
A 1.1-V 10-nm Class 6.4-Gb/s/Pin 16-Gb DDR5 SDRAM With a Phase Rotator-ILO DLL, High-Speed SerDes, and DFE/FFE Equalization Scheme for Rx/Tx

A 1.1-V 6.4-Gb/s/pin 16-Gbit DDR5 is presented in 10-nm class CMOS technology. Various functions and circuits’ techniques are newly adopted to improve performance and power consumption compared with DDR4 SDRAM. First, to realize two times higher speed than DDR4, the injection-locked oscillator (ILO) delay locked loop (DLL) is adopted for the low jitter high-speed performance. The proposed DLL with phase rotator (PR) and ILO allows to minimize the clock tree of DRAM, lowering skew and jitter in the DRAM internal clock path. Second, for the high-speed write operation, DQS gate opening control and write leveling are very important to minimize the turnaround time of DRAM, and thus new sequence and logic for the write-level training are introduced in this article. Third, to maximize the data valid window of read DQs, duty cycle adjustable serialize circuit methods are proposed. Finally, to improve the interface speed, the decision feedback equalization (DFE) and feedforward equalization (FFE) are adopted to Rx and Tx, respectively. By implementing all the items mentioned earlier, the 1.1-V 6.4-Gb/s/pin 16-Gbit DDR5 achieved 6.4-Gb/s/pin performance at 1.05-V $V_{DD}$ , with its power bandwidth efficiency 30% higher than that of DDR4.
Patient perspectives on the diagnostic journey to a monogenic diabetes diagnosis: Barriers and facilitators.

Most monogenic diabetes is misdiagnosed as either type 1 or type 2 diabetes (T1D/T2D). Few studies have examined the diagnostic challenges from the patients' perspective. This qualitative study aimed to investigate patients' journeys to obtaining a diagnosis of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) by elucidating the range of factors that can act as barriers and facilitators throughout this process. We recruited participants from the Personalized Diabetes Medicine Program (PDMP) at University of Maryland and used respondent-driven sampling to recruit additional patients. We conducted qualitative phone interviews between October 2016 and June 2017 with nine patients with diagnoses of monogenic diabetes (one HNF4A-MODY, seven GCK-MODY, and one HNF1A-MODY) and one parent of a patient with INS-MODY. Interview data were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed both inductively and deductively using thematic content analysis. All patients were female, with a mean age of 35 (range: 7-67 years). The amount of time these patients were misdiagnosed ranged from a few months to 41 years. We identified barriers and facilitators in three broad themes: (a) patient-related (nature of MODY symptoms, perceived test utility, individual personality); (b) provider-related (provider awareness and knowledge, provider communication); and (c) healthcare system-related (cost of testing, access to knowledgeable providers, patient education, and support resources). The diverse range of barriers and facilitators reiterates the complexity of the MODY diagnostic process. Limited awareness and knowledge of MODY from healthcare professionals and patients themselves account for most diagnostic delays described in this study. Efforts to promote awareness of MODY and expand access to screening and testing may result in quicker diagnosis and ensure the downstream benefits of proper treatment.
The effects of resistance training with or without peanut protein supplementation on skeletal muscle and strength adaptations in older individuals.

Several studies suggest resistance training (RT) while supplementing with various protein supplements can enhance strength and muscle mass in older individuals. However, to date, no study has examined the effects of RT with a peanut protein powder (PP) supplement on these outcomes. Herein, 39 older, untrained individuals (n = 17 female, n = 22 male; age = 58.6 ± 8.0 years; body mass index =28.7 ± 5.8) completed a 6-week (n = 22) or 10-week (n = 17) RT program, where full-body training was implemented twice weekly (ClinicalTrials.gov trial registration NCT04015479; registered July 11, 2019). Participants in each program were randomly assigned to consume either a PP supplement once per day (75 total g powder providing 30 g protein, > 9.2 g essential amino acids, ~ 315 kcal; n = 20) or no supplement (CTL; n = 19). Right leg vastus lateralis (VL) muscle biopsies were obtained prior to and 24 h following the first training bout in all participants to assess the change in myofibrillar protein synthetic rates (MyoPS) as measured via the deuterium-oxide (D2O) tracer method. Pre- and Post-intervention testing in all participants was conducted using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), VL ultrasound imaging, a peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scan at the mid-thigh, and right leg isokinetic dynamometer assessments. Integrated MyoPS rates over a 24-h period were not significantly different (p < 0.05) between supplement groups following the first training bout. Regarding chronic changes, there were no significant supplement-by-time interactions in DXA-derived fat mass, lean soft tissue mass or percent body fat between supplementation groups. There was, however, a significant increase in VL thickness in PP versus CTL participants when the 6- and 10-week cohorts were pooled (interaction p = 0.041). There was also a significant increase in knee flexion torque in the 10-week PP group versus the CTL group (interaction p = 0.032). In conclusion, a higher-protein, defatted peanut powder supplement in combination with RT positively affects select markers of muscle hypertrophy and strength in an untrained, older adult population. Moreover, subanalyses indicated that gender did not play a role in these adaptations.
Chronic pectoralis major rupture in a 32-year-old man

A 32-year-old, active man who worked in the military presented with left shoulder pain and weakness 6 months after sustaining an injury while bench-pressing 175 kg. On physical examination, he had a diminished anterior axillary fold (“s” sign) deformity of the left pectoralis muscle with
Insights Into Epidemiologic Assessments of the Microbiome and Challenges in Identifying Microbiome Relationships with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

We describe different methods for microbiome assessment and analysis and highlight some of the challenges of using omics data in epidemiologic studies of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Human microbiomes are dynamic and vary by ancestry and geography. The composition and dynamics of the vaginal microbiome have been associated with risk of preterm birth. There are several different methods for characterizing the microbiome. Choice of method depends on the research question and resources available. Added to known challenges of conducting and analyzing epidemiologic studies are the unique challenges associated with microbiome detection and analysis. The resulting omics assessments of human microbial communities have great potential to identify prognostics, diagnostics, and potentially therapeutics for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Systematic Review of Care Coordination Interventions Linking Health and Social Services for High-Utilizing Patient Populations.

Recognizing that social factors influence patient health outcomes and utilization, health systems have developed interventions to address patients' social needs. Care coordination across the health...
Comparing ecological and evolutionary variability within datasets

Many key questions in evolutionary ecology require the use of variance ratios such as heritability, repeatability, and individual resource specialization. These ratios allow researchers to understand how phenotypic variation is structured into genetic and non-genetic components, to identify how much organisms vary in the resources they use or how functional traits structure species communities. Understanding how evolutionary and ecological processes differ among populations and environments therefore often requires the comparison of these ratios across groups (i.e., populations, sexes, species). Inference based on comparisons of ratios can be limited, however. Variance ratios can remain the same across group despite very different values in the numerator and denominator variances. Moreover, evolutionary ecologists are most often interested in differences in specific variance components among groups rather than in differences in variance ratios per se. Recommendations for how to infer whether groups differ in variance are not clear in the literature. Using simulations, we show how questions regarding the estimation of variance components and their differences among groups can be answered with linear mixed models (LMMs). Frequentist and Bayesian frameworks have similar abilities to identify differences in variance components. However, variance differences at higher levels of organization can be difficult to detect with low sample sizes. We provide tools to conduct power analyses to determine the appropriate sample sizes necessary to detect differences in variance of a given magnitude. We conclude by supplying guidelines for how to report and draw inferences based on the comparisons of variance components and variance ratios Many critical questions in ecology and evolution use variance ratios, such as repeatability, heritability, or individual resource specialization, to make inferences about ecological and evolutionary processes. In many cases, these inferences rely on the comparison of variance ratios among datasets (populations, sexes, or environments). In this article, we show that current approaches of drawing inferences about group differences from comparisons of ratios are inappropriate because ratios can differ due to differences in the numerator, denominator, or both. We investigated how questions regarding differences in variance ratios and constituent variance components can be evaluated using linear mixed model (LMM) approaches and provide guidance for appropriate sampling schemes under different scenarios and discuss common pitfalls associated with estimation of differences in variance component among datasets.
Virus Infection Induces Keap1 Binding to Cytokine Genes, Which Recruits NF-κB p50 and G9a-GLP and Represses Cytokine Transcription

Proinflammatory cytokine gene transcription must be moderated to avoid the pathological consequences of excess cytokine production. The relationships between virus infection and the mechanisms that moderate cytokine transcription are incompletely understood. We investigated the influence of Keap1 on cytokine gene induction by Sendai virus infection in mouse embryo fibroblasts. Virus infection induced Keap1 binding to the Ifnb1, Tnf, and Il6 genes. Keap1 moderated viral induction of their transcription by mechanisms that did not require Nrf2. Keap1 was required for NF-κB p50 recruitment, but not for NF-κB p65 or IRF3 recruitment, to these genes. Keap1 formed complexes with NF-κB p50 and NF-κB p65, which were visualized using bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis. These bimolecular fluorescence complementation complexes bound chromosomes in live cells, suggesting that Keap1 could bind chromatin in association with NF-κB proteins. Keap1 was required for viral induction of G9a-GLP lysine methyltransferase binding and H3K9me2 modification at cytokine genes. G9a-GLP inhibitors counteracted transcription repression by Keap1 and enhanced Keap1 and NF-κB recruitment to cytokine genes. The interrelationships among Keap1, NF-κB, and G9a-GLP recruitment, activities, and transcriptional effects suggest that they form a feedback circuit, which moderates viral induction of cytokine transcription. Nrf2 counteracted Keap1 binding to cytokine genes and the recruitment of NF-κB p50 and G9a-GLP by Keap1. Whereas Keap1 has been reported to influence cytokine expression indirectly through its functions in the cytoplasm, these findings provide evidence that Keap1 regulates cytokine transcription directly in the nucleus. Keap1 binds to cytokines genes upon virus infection and moderates their induction by recruiting NF-κB p50 and G9a-GLP.
Financial Liberalization, Financial Development, and Macroeconomic Risks in an Open Economy

In an open economy with endogenous risks, financial development and capital account liberalization reduce the volatilities of home equity and bond prices, and appreciate the home currency at the stochastic steady state. Financial development lowers the equilibrium real interest rate when exchange rate floats and increases it when exchange rate is fixed. Capital account liberalization increases the real rate in both exchange rate regimes. Monetary policy should be countercyclical to the volatilities of home equity and bond prices, and procyclical to the volatilities of foreign bond price and exchange rate. Proper reactions to the risks make central banks less constrained by the Mundell-Fleming trilemma.
SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 encoded protein contains a histone mimic, disrupts chromatin regulation, and enhances replication

SARS-CoV-2 emerged in China at the end of 2019 and caused the global pandemic of COVID-19, a disease with high morbidity and mortality. While our understanding of this new virus is rapidly increasing, gaps remain in our understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 can effectively suppress host cell antiviral responses. Recent work on other viruses has demonstrated a novel mechanism through which viral proteins can mimic critical regions of human histone proteins. Histone proteins are responsible for governing genome accessibility and their precise regulation is critical for a cells ability to control transcription and respond to viral threats. Here, we show that the protein encoded by ORF8 (Orf8) in SARS-CoV-2 functions as a histone mimic of the ARKS motif in histone 3. Orf8 is associated with chromatin, binds to numerous histone-associated proteins, and is itself acetylated within the histone mimic site. Orf8 expression in cells disrupts multiple critical histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) including H3K9ac, H3K9me3, and H3K27me3 and promotes chromatin compaction while Orf8 lacking the histone mimic motif does not. Further, SARS-CoV-2 infection in human cell lines and postmortem patient lung tissue cause these same disruptions to chromatin. However, deletion of the Orf8 gene from SARS-CoV-2 largely blocks its ability to disrupt host-cell chromatin indicating that Orf8 is responsible for these effects. Finally, deletion of the ORF8 gene affects the host-cell transcriptional response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in multiple cell types and decreases the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived lung alveolar type 2 (iAT2) pulmonary cells. These findings demonstrate a novel function for the poorly understood ORF8-encoded protein and a mechanism through which SARS-CoV-2 disrupts host cell epigenetic regulation. Finally, this work provides a molecular basis for the finding that SARS-CoV-2 lacking ORF8 is associated with decreased severity of COVID-19.
Selected Pharmacological Methods

This chapter illustrates selected pharmacological methods, such as binding experiments and functional assays. The aim of binding experiments is to measure the binding of a radioligand (or ligand that is traceable by other means) to a receptor. The objective is to obtain an estimate of the equilibrium dissociation constant of the radioligand-receptor complex and also the maximal number of binding sites. In this process, the receptor preparation is incubated with a range of concentrations of radioligand and again in the presence of a high concentration of nonradioactive receptor-selective ligand to give a measure of nonspecific binding (nsb). After a period of equilibration (30 to 90 min), the amount of bound ligand is quantified and the total binding and nsb are fit to simultaneous equations to yield a measure of the ligand specifically bound to a receptor. In functional assays the aim is mathematical estimation of concentrations on a dose-response curve that produces the same magnitude of response as those on another dose-response curve. This is a procedure common to many pharmacological methods aimed at estimating dose-response curve parameters. In this process a function is fit to both sets of data points and a set of responses is chosen that has data points for at least one of the curves that is within the range of the other curve. A metameter of the fitting function is then used to calculate the concentrations of agonist for the other curve that produces the designated responses from the first curve.
Automated recycling free fluid isotachophoresis : Principle, instrumentation and first results

Abstract Most investigations involving preparative isotachophoresis report the use of solid support media in which sample loads of up to 1 g are fractionated within several hours. Larger throughputs and simpler recovery of purified proteins have been achieved by continuous flow isotachophoresis. This method is based on a thin film of fluid flowing between two parallel plates with the electric field applied perpendicular to flow direction. Both the leading and the terminating electrolytes, as well as the sample, are continuously admitted to one end of the electrophoretic chamber and are collected through an array of outlet tubes at the other. In recycling isotachophoresis the effluent from each channel is reinjected into the cell through a corresponding influent port. The development of automated recycling isotachophoresis with a computer controlled counterflow of leading electrolyte is described together with its prospective use as a downstream processing unit operation in biotechnology.
Molecular cloning and characterization of a rice phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C gene, OsPI-PLC1, that is activated in systemic acquired resistance☆☆☆

Abstract Phospholipid signaling is an important component in eukaryotic signal transduction pathways; in plants, it plays a key role in growth and development as well as in responses to environmental stress. We cloned and characterized a gene from rice encoding phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (OsPI-PLC1, Oryza sativa L. phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C1). OsPI-PLC1 encodes a 599 amino acid protein containing the catalytic X and Y domains, as well as a C2-like domain, characteristics of this class of enzymes. Expression of OsPI-PLC1 was induced by various chemical and biological inducers of plant defence pathways, including benzothiadiazole (BTH), salicylic acid (SA), dichloroisonicotinic acid, probenazole (PB), jasmonic acid (JA) and its methyl ester,Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, and wounding. All of these treatments were shown to induce resistance in rice against blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea. OsPI-PLC1 was activated within 6 h after inoculation with the blast fungus in BTH-treated rice seedlings and in the incompatible interaction between a resistant genotype of rice andM. grisea , whereas the expression in the BTH-untreated seedlings and in the compatible interaction was only induced to a relatively low level at later time points (30 h) after inoculation, indicating that expression ofOsPI-PLC1 is associated with the resistance response and/or the incompatible interaction. In addition, BTH treatment also induced systemic expression of OsPI-PLC1. These results suggest that OsPI-PLC1 may be involved in the signaling pathways leading to disease resistance in rice.
Alteration of terminal glycosylation sequences on N-linked oligosaccharides of Chinese hamster ovary cells by expression of beta-galactoside alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase.

Abstract In this report we describe the alteration of the N-linked oligosaccharide terminal sequences of Chinese hamster ovary cell glycoproteins by expression of a beta-galactoside alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase cDNA. While wild type cells normally produce sugar chains terminating in the NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal linkage, the expressed enzyme competes with the endogenous sialyltransferase to attach an alternative terminal sequence, NeuAc alpha 2,6Gal. Subcellular localization of the NeuAc alpha 2,6Gal product by lectin-gold electron microscopy revealed localization throughout the Golgi apparatus cis to trans, post-Golgi membranes and vesicular structures. The results demonstrate the potential for purposefully altering terminal carbohydrate structures in vivo by "mis-expressing" terminal glycosyltransferases that compete with the endogenous enzyme normally produced by the cells.
Thermally‐induced chemistry and the Jovian icy satellites: A laboratory study of the formation of sulfur oxyanions

Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that magnetospheric radiation in the Jovian system drives reaction chemistry in ices at temperatures relevant to Europa and other icy satellites. Here we present new results on thermally-induced reactions at 50-100 K in solid H2O-SO2 mixtures, reactions that take place without the need for a high-radiation environment. We find that H2O and SO2 react to produce sulfur Oxyanions, such as bisulfite, that as much as 30% of the SO2 can be consumed through this reaction, and that the products remain in the ice when the temperature is lowered, indicating that these reactions are irreversible. Our results suggest that thermally-induced reactions can alter the chemistry at temperatures relevant to the icy satellites in the Jovian system.
Mountains and Midlatitude Aridity

The geological record provides evidence that suggests a link between mountain uplift and changes in climate over substantial regions of the world.1 One approach to understanding the effect of mountain uplift on the evolution of climate is to investigate the role of present-day orography in determining the modern distribution of climates. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which the global distribution of mountains affects today’s climate may shed light on the changes in climate that would occur in response to changes in orography. Unfortunately, even to understand the role of modern orography presents a difficult task that is not likely to be accomplished using observations alone, because the interaction among the many components of the climate system limits our ability to isolate mountain effects from other influences such as the location, size, and shape of the continents or the spatial distribution of incoming solar radiation.
Ischemic Stroke in Pregnancy and Postpartum: A Descriptive Case Series (P1.079)

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of a case series of pregnancy-associated ischemic strokes. BACKGROUND: Our understanding of the processes underlying pregnancy-associated stroke remains incomplete. The rarity of these events limits our opportunities to study mechanisms and outcomes. METHODS: Using the SPOTRIAS/NIH StrokeNet databases, we identified 19 consecutive patients ages 18-40 admitted to a tertiary care center from 01/2008-06/2008 with ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or cerebral venous thrombosis during pregnancy or the 12 weeks postpartum. We reviewed charts for demographics, comorbidities, stroke location and severity, etiology, timing, and maternal outcomes. RESULTS: Median age of the 19 patients was 30. Proportions of hypertension (10[percnt]), diabetes (0[percnt]) and hyperlipidemia (0[percnt]) were low. A total of 5 cases (26.3[percnt]) had urinary tract infection at the time of the stroke and 6 (31.6[percnt]) had an underlying hypercoagulable state. Stroke etiologies (including TIAs) were cardioembolic (3), cryptogenic (8), cervical artery dissection (3), venous sinus or cortical vein thrombosis (4), and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (1), with no strokes related to large-vessel or small-vessel disease. Median NIHSS was 1. There were 8 anterior circulation strokes (42[percnt]), 5 posterior circulation (26[percnt]), 2 venous infarcts (10[percnt]) and 4 TIAs (21[percnt]). A total of 13 cases (68.4[percnt]) occurred postpartum, 4 (21[percnt]) in the 1st trimester, and 1 each (5[percnt]) in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Strokes occurred after spontaneous miscarriage in 4 cases (21[percnt] of total, 30.7[percnt] of postpartum strokes). Out of the 19 strokes, 6 (31.6[percnt]) had a discharge mRS of 3 or higher. CONCLUSIONS: In our series of 19 pregnancy-associated ischemic strokes, mechanisms appeared unrelated to traditional vascular risk factors, and there was a substantial proportion of poor outcomes. Strokes were commonest in the 12 weeks postpartum, almost one third of which occurred following a miscarriage. Further exploration with a larger cohort is planned. Disclosure: Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yaghi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Boehme has nothing to disclose. Dr. Willey has nothing to disclose. Dr. Elkind has received personal compensation for activities with BMS-Pfizer Partnership, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi-Sankyo, Boehringer-Ingelheim Biogen IDEC, Biotelemetry and Organon/Merk as a consultant. Dr. Elkind has received personal compensati Dr. Marshall has nothing to disclose.
Bloemetjes en bijtjes of zaadjes en eitjes? (Opvattingen over) seksuele opvoeding in Nederland

Nederland heeft internationaal de reputatie een bijzonder open houding te hebben ten aanzien van seksualiteit van jongeren. Deze studie gaat na of dit inderdaad zo is en of deze open houding ook kinderen onder de twaalf jaar betreft. Onderzocht is welke aan seksualiteit gerelateerde thema's ouders bespreken met kinderen van 4 tot 17 jaar, welke informatie zij op welke leeftijd belangrijk vinden, of ze zichzelf in staat achten om deze informatie te geven en hoe zij denken over de rol van school. Een representatieve groep van 789 vaders en 802 moeders tussen de 20 en 68 jaar ( M = 42.9, SD = 6.79) vulde een online vragenlijst in. De resultaten laten zien dat de open houding ten aanzien van seksualiteit vooral jongeren betreft. Bij kinderen van 4 tot 8 zijn verliefdheid op iemand van hetzelfde geslacht en voortplanting gevoelige thema's, met kinderen van 8 tot 12 wordt door een minderheid van de ouders gesproken over seksueel gedrag of voorbehoedsmiddelen. Tien tot vijftien procent van de ouders wil ook liever niet dat de school deze informatie geeft. Relationele en seksuele vorming op de basisschool blijft van belang, omdat kinderen anders het risico lopen dat zij met gevoelens of situaties worden geconfronteerd, zonder over juiste en genuanceerde informatie te beschikken.
Stereo photogrammetry reveals substantial drag on cloud thermals

Stereo photogrammetry, which uses two synchronized cameras to measure three-dimensional positions, is applied here to ascertain whether drag plays a role in the ascent of cloud thermals. In particular, stereo cameras are used to measure the sizes and speeds of cloud thermals in Florida. Using the vertical momentum equation, it is found that a substantial amount of drag (a drag coefficient on the order of 1) is needed to match both the stereo-photogrammetric data and the known buoyancy of clouds from previous in situ measurements and large-eddy simulations. Empirical data on form drag and theoretical calculations of wave drag reveal that, for the observed Froude numbers of cloud thermals, a drag coefficient of about one is to be expected.
When home isn't safe: Children and domestic violence

The following excerpt is from a forthcoming book about the impact of witnessing violence on young children. The author is the founding director of the Child Witness to Violence Project at Boston Medical Center. This program was founded in 1992 and provides mental health services to young children and their families who have been bystanders to traumatic violence. The book, Children Who See Too Much: Lessons Learned from the Child Witness to Violence Project will be published by Beacon Press in winter 2002. This excerpt focuses on the particular risks of exposure to domestic violence for young children.
Redox-sensitive nanoparticles from amphiphilic cholesterol-based block copolymers for enhanced tumor intracellular release of doxorubicin.

Abstract A novel amphiphilic cholesterol-based block copolymer comprised of a polymethacrylate bearing cholesterol block and a polyethylene glycol block with reducible disulfide bonds (PC5MA-SS-PEO) was synthesized and evaluated as a redox-sensitive nanoparticulate delivery system. The self-assembled PC5MA-SS-PEO nanoparticles (SS-NPs) encapsulated the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) with high drug loading (18.2% w/w) and high encapsulation efficiency (94.9%). DOX-encapsulated PC5MA-SS-PEO self-assembled nanoparticles (DOX-encapsulated SS-NPs) showed excellent stability and exhibited a rapid DOX release in response to dithiothreitol reductive condition. Importantly, following internalization by lung cancer cells, the reducible DOX-encapsulated SS-NPs achieved higher cytotoxicity than the non-reducible thioester NPs whereas blank nanoparticles were non-cytotoxic. Furthermore, in vivo imaging studies in tumor-bearing severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice showed that the nanoparticles preferentially accumulated in tumor tissue with remarkably reduced accumulation in the healthy non-target organs. The results indicated that the SS-NPs may be a promising platform for cancer-cell specific delivery of hydrophobic anticancer drugs. From the Clinical Editor The use of nanocarriers for drug delivery against tumors has been under intense research. One problem of using carrier system is the drug release kinetics at tumor site. In this article, the authors continued their previous study in the development of an amphiphilic cholesterol-based block copolymer with redox-sensitive modification, so that the payload drug could be released in response to the microenvironment. The interesting results should provide a new direction for designing future novel nanocarrier systems.
Exploration of peer leader verbal behaviors as they intervene with small groups in college general chemistry

Current literature has emphasized the lack of research into verbal behaviors of teachers as a barrier to understanding the effectiveness of instructional interventions. This study focuses on the verbal behaviors of peer leaders, who serve as de facto teachers in a college chemistry teaching reform based on cooperative learning. Video data obtained throughout a semester of General Chemistry I from two different peer leaders, each interacting with a different group of students, was subjected to two rounds of qualitative data analysis. First, Toulmin's argumentation scheme was used to characterize the arguments constructed by group members during peer leader intervention. Next, verbal behaviors exhibited by the peer leaders during intervention were examined. Findings of this study showed that peer leaders used an array of verbal behaviors to guide students to build chemistry knowledge, and that a relationship existed between student argument components and peer leader verbal behaviors, with data most frequently emerging in response to short questions from the peer leader, and warrants in response to probing and clarifying questions. The findings from this study have implications for professional development of teachers at all levels, specifically for demonstrating the interplay between group intervention strategies and student discourse within cooperative learning groups.
Physicochemical properties of freshly baked and stored whole-wheat muffins with and without flaxseed meal

Whole-wheat muffins and batter were prepared with 0–5% flaxseed meal or by direct substitution of vegetable oil with flaxseed oil, and were evaluated for physicochemical properties. The storage properties of muffins were evaluated over 5 days at 0.44 relative vapor pressure (RVP) and ambient temperature. Batter viscosity increased from 2730 ± 530 to 12,775 ± 4425 cps with increasing flaxseed meal content while other properties were unaffected. When flaxseed meal was added at 5%, the maximum force for compression of freshly baked muffins increased from 369.6 ± 3.0 to 594.6 ± 10.2 g while the internal elasticity decreased from 60.2 ± 0.5 to 55.4 ± 1.6. Freshly baked muffins with flaxseed meal had lower color scores, L, andavalues than control muffins. The storage stability of muffins was unaffected by the addition of flaxseed meal. Flaxseed meal or oil can be used in muffins to enhance the nutritional value without detrimentally changing the freshness or storage properties.
Comparative analysis for the G/G/R machine repair problem

Abstract Using approximate formulas for the probability density function of the number of failed machines in a G/G/R machine repair system obtained through diffusion approximation, a comparison between the approximate results with some of the exact existing results is made. The diffusion approximation approach is accurate enough for practical purposes and is a useful method for solving complex machine repair problems.
Evaluation of activity of temafloxacin against Bacteroides fragilis by an in vitro pharmacodynamic system.

An in vitro pharmacodynamic system has been successfully adapted to simulate in vivo antimicrobial pharmacokinetics under anaerobic conditions. This system was used to perform time-kill kinetic studies which were designed to compare the activity of temafloxacin to ciprofloxacin and cefotetan against two strains of Bacteroides fragilis (ATCC 25285 and ATCC 23745). All experiments were performed as single-dose, 24-h, duplicate runs. Starting bacterial inocula of 10(7) CFU/ml were exposed to starting antimicrobial concentrations of 5 micrograms of temafloxacin per ml, 5 micrograms of ciprofloxacin per ml, and 100 micrograms of cefotetan per ml. Terminal half-lives of 8, 4, and 4 h were simulated for each antimicrobial agent. Temafloxacin was rapidly bactericidal against B. fragilis. Ciprofloxacin was not bactericidal ( or = 3 log10 unit decline in bacterial numbers) to each strain but killed at a slower rate than temafloxacin. Times to 3 log10 unit declines of strain ATCC 25285 were 2, 4, and > 24 h, whereas those of strain ATCC 23745 were 4, 4, and > 24 h for temafloxacin, cefotetan, and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Total logarithmic declines of strain ATCC 25285 were > 4.5, > 4.5, and 2.9 log10 CFU/ml, whereas those of strain ATCC 23745 were 4.1, > 4.5, and 1.2 log10 CFU/ml for each drug, respectively. These and other studies demonstrated that temafloxacin showed potential as an agent that could have been further developed for use in the treatment of anaerobic infections. However, the drug was removed from the market by its manufacturer because of toxicity issues. Although the release of newer fluoroquinolones that possess significant activity against anaerobic bacteria does not appear imminent, the time-kill studies performed in this study demonstrate that further research is warranted in the development of fluoroquinolones which possess significant antianaerobic activity.
Low-velocity impact behavior of CNF-filled glass-reinforced polyester composites

A significant improvement in fiber-reinforced polymeric composite materials can be obtained by incorporating a very small amount of nanofillers in the matrix material. In this study, an ultrasonic ...
Cholecystokinin-Stimulated mebrofenin (99mTc-Choletec) hepatobiliary scintigraphy in asymptomatic postcholecystectomy individuals: assessment of specificity, interobserver reliability, and reproducibility.

Cholecystokinin-stimulated mebrofenin ( 99m Tc-Choletec) hepatobiliary scintigraphy in asymptomatic postcholecystectomy individuals: assessment of specificity, interobserver reliability, and reproducibility
Monoxenic culture of Caloglyphus berlesei (Acarina: Acaridae) on fungi

Abstract Caloglyphus berlesei was cultured monoxenically on 15 fungal isolates of the genera Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium , and Pencillium growing on malt-extract agar (MEA). Parameters measured were percentage of egg hatchability, mortality, age and percentage of survival at onset of oviposition, longevity, and fecundity and weight of mated females. Controls were MEA which did not support development and an axenic artificial diet that supported C. berlesei well. Overall development on the diet was superior to that on any of the fungal isolates, but some individual parameters set on the diet were equaled by those on certain fungi: e.g., the oviposition time of females reared on P. lilacinum ; egg hatchabilities on A. flavus and A. ochraceous 5175; and longevity on A. niger . Mean weight per mated female and fecundity were always lower on the fungi than on the diet, yet C. berlesei populations increased 30 times in 21 days on A. wentii and P. viridicatum . It was demonstrated that fungus feeding could serve as more than a means of simple survival for C. berlesei .
Conjunctival Melanomas: Can the Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis be Applied?

Conjunctival melanoma patients often follow an unpredictable course with significant rates of recurrence and metastases despite optimal treatment. Can we better understand conjunctival melanomas by applying the cancer stem cell hypothesis? The cancer stem cell hypothesis posits that cancers exist as a hierarchical system where cancer stem cells generate and maintain tumors. Targeting cancer stem cells may be the key to future treatments. Directed treatments need to focus on key differences between cancer stem cells and normal tissue stem cells. These directed treatments may lead to curative therapies and decrease the number of recurrences and metastases.
Agriculture, livelihoods, and globalization: The analysis of new trajectories (and avoidance of just-so stories) of human-environment change and conservation

Globalization offers a mix of new trajectories for agriculture, livelihoods, resource use, and environmental conservation. The papers in this issue share elements that advance our understanding of these new trajectories. The shared elements suggest an approach that places stress on: (i) the common ground of theoretical concepts (local-global interactions), methodologies (case study design), and analytical frameworks (spatio-temporal emphasis); (ii) farm-level economic diversification and the dynamics of agricultural intensification-disintensification; (iii) the pervasive role of agricultural as well as environmental institutions, organizations, and governance issues; (iv) the ‹agency of nature’ that blends the roles of non-human organisms and the cultural and social practices of people both at the local scale and beyond; (v) the framing of sustainability initiatives and outcomes through the perspective of historical change; (vi)␣spatial environmental dynamics of the ‹new geographics of environmental conservation’ that impact agriculture, food production, and resource management; and (vii) successful and promising policies, projects, and developments mapping out possible spaces of hope for agricultural sustainability, aquitable development, and food security. The adoption and application of these elements is successful also in avoiding the tendency toward just-so accounts or overly simplified stories of agrarian and environment successes amid the often grim realities of globalization and its impacts.
Offshore Balancing Revisited

The “Through the Looking Glass” contributors reveal that U.S. hegemony is a double‐edged sword. As the debate about future U.S. grand strategy unfolds after September 11, offshore balancing should become the successor strategy to primacy.
Modified bladder neck reconstruction in patients with incontinence after staged exstrophy/epispadias closures.

Purpose: Reconstruction of the urethra without adequate circumferential muscular support is a significant problem in bladder neck surgery for urinary incontinence. Fascial, muscular and artificial slings have been used for support of the bladder neck after reconstruction. We used a demucosalized detrusor muscle pedicle to wrap around the bladder neck base along with other continence techniques in children who experienced incontinence after staged closure of exstrophy and epispadias. We describe our experience using the pedicle wraparound along with the Mitchell modification of Young-Dees-Leadbetter bladder neck reconstruction.Materials and Methods: We reviewed our continence rates using a detrusor wraparound in 8 eligible patients with failed staged exstrophy-epispadias repair. We defined incontinence as any degree of leakage through the bladder neck day or night.Results: Of the 8 patients studied 2 were female and 6 were male. Mean patient age at surgery was 7.6 years (range 4 to 11). Mean followup was 3...
Synergism of Penicillin and Gentamicin against Listeria monocytogenes in Ex Vivo Hemodialysis Culture

A new technique of ex vivo hemodialysis culture was used to study the effects against Listeria monocytogenes of penicillin G and gentamicin administered intra-muscular, singly and in combination, in the goat. Bactericidal synergism of the combination was detected despite rapidly diminishing concentrations of the drugs in the blood plasma and dialysate.
Justice and Peaceful Cooperation

Justice is important, but so is peaceful cooperation. In this article, I argue that if one takes seriously the autonomy of individuals and groups and the fact of moral pluralism, a just system of cooperation cannot guarantee peaceful cooperation in a pluralistic world. As a response to this consideration, I develop a contractarian theory that can secure peace in a pluralistic world of autonomous agents, assuming that the agents who exist in this world expect that peaceful cooperation is the most beneficial form of interaction for them in the long run. The theory specifies the restrictions on the behavior of autonomous individual and collective agents that are indispensable for peaceful cooperation in a pluralistic world. In particular, I argue for the need of (i) a globally valid rule of conflict resolution to settle all intra- and inter-group conflicts that cannot be resolved locally, (ii) a world court to apply this rule in cases where local group authorities are inadequate to do so, and to serve as a f...