cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A stylistic analysis of the cacaxtla murals

This paper is a discussion of the nature of the style of the recently discovered Pre-Columbian murals at the site of Cacaxtla in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico. Descriptions of these murals have been published by members of the Proyecto Mexicano-Aleman which has carried extensive research in the Puebla and Tlaxcala regions (see for example D. Molina and D. Molina, 1977; M. Molina, 1978; Schmidt 1976) . This discussion will center upon an examination of the general style of the murals - this includes the overall structure of the representations, the nature of the portrayal of depth, the manner of creation of form and general spatial composition. This analysis of style, as well as a brief description of the iconography will permit a comparison of the Cacaxtla paintings with other Pre-Columbian murals from the Maya and Mexican areas. This in turn will allow for examination of stylistic affinities between these Highland Mexican works and known Pre-Columbian artistic areas, and a determination of the probable stylistic source for these murals.
Generality and Specificity in the Learning of Fine and Gross Motor Skills

Abstract This study was designed to determine the degree of generality and specificity in the learning of four motor skills. Forty junior high school students practiced mirror tracing, a pencil maze, disc tossing, and a hopscotch-type skill. Each of the skills was practiced for a five-day period. The findings generally support the concept of specificity in the learning and performance of skills. However, low correlation were found between disc-tossing performance and proficiency in the skills of hopscotch and mirror-tracing. General IQ scores and point-hour ratios showed no relationship to abilities to learn these skills.
The Chemistry of 4-Oxy- and 4-Keto-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroiso-quinolines

Publisher Summary The pomeranz-fritsch synthesis is the only isoquinoline synthesis involving a simple two-step sequence from common starting materials, and is one of the few methods that can be used to prepare isoquinolines substituted in the 7- and percentagepositions. The first step, Schiff base formation takes place readily, but the ring closure is difficult. The yields vary markedly with the concentration of sulphuric acid, and are generally low. Frequently the reaction fails completely. Most of the work described in this chapter was undertaken to circumvent these problems and to realize the potential promise of the synthesis. The 4-oxytetrahydroisoquinolines are key compounds in ring closures, they were chosen as the major focal point of this chapter. Although they are stable, isolable compounds with a unique structure, they are probably more interesting as intermediates leading to other isoquinoline derivatives. The 4-keto-1,2,3,4 tetrahydroisoquinolines are also important, both in their own right as synthetic intermediates and in their facile conversion into the 4-oxytetrahydroisoquinolines. The 4-oxytetrahydroisoquinolines have been prepared by three major routes and a few minor ones. The major routes involve the ring closures of benzylaminoacetals, the reduction of 4-ketotetrahydroisoquinolines, and the condensation of an aldehyde or ketone with a β-hydroxy-β-phenylethylamines. The chapter discusses the reactions of 4-Oxy- 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines, naturally occurring 4-Oxy-1, 2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines, and the state of the art of isoquinoline synthesis.
One-way versus shuttle avoidance conditioning

Rats were trained to avoid shock with either a one-way procedure, a shuttle procedure, or both. One-way conditioning was found to be consistent with a two-step all-or-none process and was a much simpler task then shuttle conditioning which could not be accounted for by that process or by a linear operator process.
Separation of Proliferative and Mature Cells in Stomach, Jejunum and Colon of Rat

SummaryA tissue-planing method has been adapted to separate proliferative and mature cells from stomach, distal colon and jejunum of rat. New mounting blocks have been designed to enable positioning of the tissues for the separation process. Movement of thymidine labeled cells from deeper to superficial layers of mucosa and changes in thymidine kinase activity have been observed in cells separated from stomach, jejunum and colon.
Hiao'double-c nurse on children with nephrotic syndrome who suffered edema of scrotum

Objective: To investigate effect of the Hiao' Double-C Nursing model in children with nephrotic syndrome who suffered edema of scrotum.Method: To carry out Hiao' Double-C Nursing in 40 children with nephrotic syndrome who suffered edema of scrotum,including Local wet packing with 1% Rivanol,systemic therapy and psychological support,and then evaluate the nursing effect.Result:The children could get symptom relief and alleviated suffering by use of the Hiao' Double-C Nursing.Conclusion: We should follow the Hiao' Double-C Nursing model for children to supply more quality patient care.
Influence of estrogens on vascular transudation and mucus production in the rabbit endocervix

The manner in which estrogens mediate cyclical changes in the viscoelastic properties and volume of cervical mucus is unclear. To identify the response to estrogens of each of the major mucus components (mucin[s], soluble proteins, and small electrolytes and water), the authors quantitated their accumulation rates before and during estrogen stimulation in the rabbit. Circulating radiolabeled markers (35S-sulfate and 131I-albumin) were used to monitor the incorporation of small and large molecular weight intravascular substances into the cervical mucus. The accumulation rate of mucins was unaffected by exogenous estrogen administration, despite significant increases in mucus volume. This increase in mucus volume was attributed to a significantly increased transudation of water and small electrolytes increasing mucus hydration as early as the first 2 hours of estrogen administration. Water, small electrolytes, and soluble proteins significantly increased during the third and fourth hours of estrogen administration, not only when compared with the unstimulated basal levels, but also when compared with the levels found during the first 2 hours of estrogen administration. No significant change occurred in mucin production, while significant changes occurred in the accumulation of proteins and small electrolytes, whether estrogen was given initially or terminally in the experiment protocol.
Factors that Influence Frequency of ADHD Diagnosis

Factors associated with the probability of attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) diagnosis among third grade US elementary school children were investigated in a nationally representative sample of 9278 children in the 2002 follow-up of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey Cohort conducted at University of Texas, Austin, TX.
The transparent traveler: the performance and culture of airport security

Rachel Hall’s The Transparent Traveler: The Performance and Culture of Airport Security intervenes into current debates in feminist surveillance and surveillance studies, performance studies, and m...
Sensing Lower Body Lifting Posture through Disposable Sensing Coveralls

Back injuries are the most common type of work injuries in the U.S. today (Bereau of Labor Statistics, 2013). These injuries can occur when excessive force is applied to the back during lifting with poor posture. This study focuses on the detection of lower body posture to assist workers in the prevention of posture related injuries by integrating stitched stretch sensors into a commonly worn type of personal protective equipment (PPE), disposable coveralls.
Mental representation of fractions: It all depends on whether they are common or uncommon.

This study examined whether common and uncommon fractions are mentally represented differently and whether common ones are used in accessing the magnitudes of uncommon ones. In Experiments 1 and 2,...
Multiple Reactivations of Rigid Basement Block Margins: Examples in the Northern Reading Prong, USA

Fundamental zones of crustal weakness that were established in the northern Reading Prong, central Appalachians during Grenvillian orogenesis were reactivated multiple times during subsequent tectonic events. The rocks in these fault zones contain complexly overprinted mylonites, cataclasites, and breccias with distinct kinematics and mineralizations. By studying the similarities and differences of rocks from three different fault zones across the Reading Prong of eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the southeastern New York, the tectonic succession and a relative chronology can be determined. As many as seven phases of reactivation can be identified within the major Ramapo, Reservoir, and Morgan Hill fault zones. These weak zones between the rigid crystalline basement blocks exhibit these multiple and intense deformational episodes because they absorbed the majority of the strain that was transmitted through the basement rocks during the subsequent intense tectonic events. The cover sequence was also heavily deformed during these events. The crystalline blocks between the major faults, on the other hand, show relatively little post peak-Grenville deformation. The only evidence of these events are minor faulting and several phases of jointing. The rigid crystalline blocks simply adjusted to the renewed stresses by movement along their boundaries. Depending upon stress and metamorphic conditions, the previously formed mylonites and cataclasites were either sheared in ductile or semi-brittle deformation or fragmented into physically separated blocks.
Notch Signaling in Cancer Metastasis

The evolutionarily-conserved Notch signaling pathway is not only essential for normal cell fate determination, tissue homeostasis and embryonic development, but also plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of human hematologic and solid malignancies. Notch has been shown to regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in a wide variety of cancer cells and recent studies have implicated Notch signaling in multiple aspects of tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Specifically, Notch signaling appears to contribute to epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor cell adhesion and invasion, tumor angiogenesis, and the formation and maintenance of cancer stem cells (or cancer initiating cells). In this chapter, we will review the molecular, cellular and phenotypic effects of Notch signaling on a wide range of cancers and how these contribute to tumor metastasis.
Hospital Charges and Length of Stay Following Radical Cystectomy in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Era.

Objective To report our center's experience with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for radical cystectomy (RC), specifically evaluating complications, LOS, 30- and 90-day readmissions, and hospital charges. Pathways of this type have been shown to decrease the length of stay (LOS) and postoperative ileus. However, concerns persist that ERAS is costly and increases readmissions. To date, limited studies have evaluated these concerns. Materials and Methods Our ERAS protocol was implemented for RC in December 2015. Outcomes in ERAS patients were compared with those in RC patients from the time period before ERAS. Patients were excluded if they underwent concomitant nephroureterectomy. Results Fifty-six consecutive ERAS patients were compared with 54 pre-ERAS patients. The median charge for index hospitalization was $31,090 in the ERAS group and $35,489 in the pre-ERAS group ( P = .036). The median LOS was 5.0 days in the ERAS group and 8.5 days in the pre-ERAS group ( P = P = .28). Thirty- and 90-day readmissions also remained similar (19.0% vs 14.8%, P = .55, and 31.0% vs 27.7%, P = .64). The most common readmission reason was infection, specifically urinary tract infection. Conclusion Implementation of the ERAS pathway at our center resulted in significantly reduced LOS and total hospital charge, with comparable rates of complication and readmission, highlighting the need for ERAS pathways in patients undergoing RC.
Foundations of Active Interrogation

In this chapter the fundamental basis of active interrogation (AI) as a detection technique is presented. The chapter starts with a brief overview of limitations of passive measurement techniques and how detectability could be improved via AI in many scenarios. The follow-up discussion on AI techniques is limited to those based on induced fission reaction and nuclear resonance fluorescence, because these have shown the most potential for practical implementation in the field to detect special nuclear materials. Availability of new cross section data has recently enabled more reliable simulation of the AI process, beneficial to system design, development and evaluation. Some recent notable achievements are summarized here. In principle, AI techniques are not limited by the weak intrinsic radioactivity of certain nuclear materials. Thus, they could provide improved detectability. However, AI techniques still face many limits, such as signature attenuation, intense active background and interference introduced by the interrogating radiation. These are discussed in detail at the end of this chapter.
Solar-Induced Fluorescence Detects Interannual Variation in Gross Primary Production of Coniferous Forests in the Western United States

Quantifying gross primary production (GPP), the largest flux of the terrestrial carbon cycle, remains difficult at the landscape scale. Evergreen needleleaf (coniferous) forests in the western United States constitute an important carbon reservoir whose annual GPP varies from year‐to‐year due to drought, mortality, and other ecosystem disturbances. Evergreen forest productivity is challenging to determine via traditional remote sensing indices (i.e., NDVI and EVI), because detecting environmental stress conditions is difficult. We investigated the utility of solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) to detect year‐to‐year variation in GPP in four coniferous forests varying in species composition in the western United States (Sierra Nevada, Cascade, and Rocky Mountains). We show that annually averaged, satellite‐based observations of SIF (retrieved from GOME‐2) were significantly correlated with annual GPP observed at eddy covariance towers over several years. Further, SIF responded quantitatively to drought‐induced mortality, suggesting that SIF may be capable of detecting ecosystem disturbance in coniferous forests.
Cellular Senescence as a Mechanism and Target in Chronic Lung Diseases

Cellular senescence is now considered an important driving mechanism for chronic lung diseases, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Cellular senescence is due to replicative and stress-related senescence with activation of p53 and p16INK4a, respectively, leading to activation of p21CIP1 and cell cycle arrest. Senescent cells secrete multiple inflammatory proteins known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, leading to low-grade chronic inflammation, which further drives senescence. Loss of key antiaging molecules sirtuin-1 and sirtuin-6 may be important in acceleration of aging and arises from oxidative stress reducing phosphatase PTEN (phosphatase tensin homolog), thereby activating PI3K (phosphoinositide-3-kinase) and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin). MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a), which is regulated by PI3K-mTOR signaling, plays a pivotal role in reducing sirtuin-1/6, and its inhibition with an antagomir results in their restoration, reducing markers of senescence, reducing senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and reversing cell cycle arrest in epithelial cells from peripheral airways of patients with COPD. miR-570 is also involved in reduction of sirtuin-1 and cellular senescence and is activated by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. These miRNAs may be released from cells in extracellular vesicles that are taken up by other cells, thereby spreading senescence locally within the lung but also outside the lung through the circulation; this may account for comorbidities of COPD and other lung diseases. Understanding the mechanisms of cellular senescence may result in new treatments for chronic lung disease, either by inhibiting PI3K-mTOR signaling, by inhibiting specific miRNAs, or by deletion of senescent cells with senolytic therapies, already shown to be effective in experimental lung fibrosis.
Equations of state for the NaCl-H2O-CH4 system and the NaCl-H2O-CO2-CH4 system: Phase equilibria and volumetric properties above 573 k

Abstract An equation of state (EOS) based on thermodynamic perturbation theory is presented for the NaCl-H 2 O-CH 4 system. This equation consistently reproduces PvTX properties and phase equilibria with an accuracy close to that of data in the temperature, pressure and concentration ranges from 648 K to 873 K, 0 to 2500 bar and up to 2.37 mol % NaCl. Good agreement with recent ternary immiscibility data from 673 K to 873 K suggests that the EOS may provide accurate predictions for NaCl concentrations as high as 40 mol %. We could not find any experimental data above 873 K that can be used to validate the predictions of the EOS inside the ternary. However, parameters for the mixed ternary system were established from parameters evaluated for pure and binary systems and accurate combination rules. Therefore, predictions in the ternary should be reliable to the high temperatures and pressures where the EOS for the lower order systems are valid (about 1300 K and 5000 bar). Using the same combining approach, an EOS for the quaternary NaCl-H 2 O-CO 2 -CH 4 is constructed on the basis of parameters from our earlier model for the NaCl-H 2 O-CO 2 system and the present NaCl-H 2 O-CH 4 model. This suggests that predictions of the quaternary EOS are reliable also to about 1300 K and 5000 bar.
Do menu-labelling laws translate into results? The disparate impacts on population obesity and diabetes

ABSTRACTDespite their joint importance to health care costs, the nature of the relationship between obesity and diabetes is contested within the medical literature. We leverage California’s 2008 la...
Preliminary Evidence of the Impact of Hospice Payment Reform on Social Service Visits in the Last Week of Life.

Objective: To describe trends in hospice social work visits in the last week of life before and after the introduction of the service intensity add-on (SIA) payment reform in 2016. Background: SIA ...
Non-linear Non-Iterative transient inverse conjugate heat transfer method applied to microelectronics

Abstract Solving for temperature profiles given boundary conditions, geometry, and material properties is relatively straightforward given the wealth of analytical and computational techniques available. However, experimentally we often measure temperatures and seek to understand unknown boundary conditions or material properties. This problem is generally ill-posed. Thus, to get the value of these input parameters, we use inverse methods: knowing the output of the system (i.e., temperature), we can compute the value of the unknown parameters (e.g., thermal conductivity or heat fluxes). In microelectronics, the location and magnitude of the boundary conditions including local heat generation rates are often unknown or difficult to model due to the compactness of the current microchips and active thermal management schemes that distribute computations between different cores causing time-varying heat generation within the chips. This information can be retrieved using inverse heat transfer methodologies by tracking the temperature distributions in space and time. In this work, we develop a new, non-iterative inverse methodology to retrieve the heat flux inside of 3D geometries of stacked microchips. This method not only provides good agreement between the imposed and the retrieved heat flux with a linear form of the heat diffusion equation, but also predicts the imposed heat flux with good accuracy in situations with non-linearities. Here we numerically and experimentally validate our new approach using a microchip with 25 heaters that can be operated independently to create different spatial and temporal heat flux patterns. During testing, the system is in a controlled environmental chamber and the temporal and spatially varying temperature of the top surface of the chip is measured using infrared thermography for input to the inverse method. The system and model include non-linearities through varying convective heat transfer boundary conditions on different parts of a test article and temperature-dependent thermal properties of the constituent materials. The inverse methodology retrieves the local heat generation rates with good agreement in time, space, and magnitude. An uncertainty analysis of the computation and the experiments is also detailed. Our methodology is unique compared to past work because non-linearity is solved without the need of using iterative processes, which makes the algorithm computationally efficient. Ultimately, this method is useful for the determination of the location and magnitude of the heat flux in any 3D system based on external temperature measurements with real heat transfer properties without the need of an iterative procedure.
Laparoscopy as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Modality for Chronic Abdominal Pain of Unknown Etiology: A Literature Review.

Abstract Background Investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic utility of laparoscopy in the management of patients with chronic abdominal pain of unknown origin. Methods Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases were queried to identify relevant published studies. Data on the diagnostic and therapeutic utility of laparoscopy were abstracted and summarized. Results Laparoscopy achieved a diagnosis in 65% to 94% of patients with chronic abdominal pain of unknown origin. Common intraoperative findings included adhesions, chronic appendicitis, hernias, and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. These findings corresponded with the therapeutic procedures that were performed, including laparoscopic adhesiolysis, appendectomy, and hernia repair. Therapeutic utility of laparoscopy based on pain relief, patient satisfaction, and quality of life ranged from 63% to 94%. Conclusions Based on current available evidence, diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) is a safe and effective method for identifying organic causes of chronic abdominal pain. Laparoscopic treatment also resulted in substantial pain relief for a majority of patients. However, the efficacy of laparoscopic adhesiolysis remains controversial. We would recommend the use of DL as an early diagnostic tool, but more robust studies are needed to establish the breadth of its therapeutic utility in clinical practice.
A New Approach to the Modeling and Analysis of Fracture through Extension of Continuum Mechanics to the Nanoscale

In this paper we focus on the analysis of the partial differential equations arising from a new approach to modeling brittle fracture based on an extension of continuum mechanics to the nanoscale. It is shown that ascribing constant surface tension to the fracture surfaces and using the appropriate crack surface boundary condition given by the jump momentum balance leads to a sharp crack opening profile at the crack tip but predicts logarithmically singular crack tip stress. However, a modified model, where the surface excess property is responsive to the curvature of the fracture surfaces, yields bounded stresses and a cusp-like opening profile at the crack tip. Further, two possible fracture criteria in the context of the new theory are discussed. The first is an energy-based crack growth condition, while the second employs the finite crack tip stress the model predicts. The classical notion of energy release rate is based upon the singular solution, whereas for the modeling approach adopted here, a not...
Abstract PR08: Leveraging single-cell epigenomics to uncover regulatory programs in lung adenocarcinoma

A hallmark of cancer development is the loss of cellular identity due to the dysregulation of regulatory networks that maintain functional, differentiated states. Chromatin state has been linked to this control of cellular identity and developmental processes; however, the mechanisms by which these regulatory landscapes are disrupted during cancer progression are not well understood. To this end, we leveraged an optimized single-cell ATAC-sequencing (scATAC-seq) strategy using a combinatorial indexing-based technology to assess chromatin state changes that occur in a mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We utilized a well-established LUAD mouse model in which mice conditionally express the KrasG12D mutation and lose p53 expression in alveolar type II cells following Cre-mediated recombination, termed the KP model. In this model, KP tumors progress from early-stage hyperplasias to metastatic, advanced adenocarcinomas without acquiring additional somatic mutations, suggesting that these phenotypic transitions may be driven in part by epigenetic mechanisms. Using scATAC-seq, we profiled 16,044 normal lung, primary KP tumor, and metastatic cells to assess chromatin state changes across LUAD progression. We found that LUAD tumor evolution was characterized by a heterogeneous epigenomic continuum that was associated with loss of alveolar identity and progression to metastasis. Interestingly, we identified a reproducible metastatic state that was homogeneous, suggesting that cancer cells funnel towards a stable epigenetic state. In addition, we utilized novel computational tools to assess combinatorial transcription factor (TF)-driven programs that delineate stages of cancer progression in the KP model. From these analyses, we identified a clear transition point that corresponded to progressive gain of RUNX2 transcription factor activity. Using CRISPR activation and knockout strategies, we found that RUNX2 regulated the chromatin accessibility of several regulatory programs involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, suggesting that RUNX2 signaling is a critical event in LUAD progression and metastasis. In addition, gene signatures derived from this RUNX-activated state were highly predictive of survival in human LUAD. Together, these results demonstrated the power of single-cell epigenomics to identify TF-driven regulatory programs as key biomarkers of tumor progression. This abstract is also being presented as Poster A40. Citation Format: Lindsay M. LaFave, Vinay Kartha, Sai Ma, Kevin Meli, Isabella Del Priore, Caleb Lareau, Venkat Sanker, Santiago Naranjo, Peter Westcott, Zachary Chiang, Alison Brack, Travis Law, Aviv Regev, Jason D Buenrostro, Tyler Jacks. Leveraging single-cell epigenomics to uncover regulatory programs in lung adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling; 2020 Mar 2-5; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PR08.
Gaming masculinity: trolls, fake geeks & the gendered battle for online culture

Megan Condis’ Gaming Masculinity: Trolls, Fake Geeks, & the Gendered Battle for Online Culture (2018) is a short but powerful book providing a succinct and clear argument of what enables and perpet...
Identification of new marker genes from plant single-cell RNA-seq data using interpretable machine learning methods

An essential step in the analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data is to classify specific cell types with marker genes. In this study, we have developed a machine learning pipeline called Single cell Predictive markers (SPmarker) to identify novel cell-type marker genes in the Arabidopsis root. Unlike traditional approaches, our method uses interpretable machine learning methods to select marker genes. We have demonstrated that our method can (1) assign cell types based on cells that were labeled using published methods, (2) project cell types identified by trajectory analysis from one dataset to other datasets, and (3) assign cell types based on internal GFP markers. Using SPmarker, we have identified hundreds of new marker genes that were not identified before. As compared to known marker genes, we have found more orthologous genes of these new marker genes in corresponding rice single cell clusters. We have also found 172 new marker genes for trichoblast in five non-Arabidopsis species, which expands number of marker genes for this cell type by 35-154%. Our results represent a new approach to identify cell-type marker genes from scRNA-seq data and pave the way for cross-species mapping of scRNA-seq data in plants.
Prediction of Residual Alveolar Bone Height in the Posterior Maxilla following Dental Extractions

Purpose After tooth extraction in the posterior maxilla, bone resorption often limits implant placement unless additional grafting procedures are performed. However, it is difficult to predict the amount of bone that will remain after extraction based on current evidence. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for predicting the post-extraction alveolar bone height in the posterior maxilla. Methods The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study that included all patients who were treated for the extraction and replacement of a maxillary first molar with a dental implant from 2008 to 2019. Potential predictor variables included thirteen pre-extraction radiographic measurements obtained via cone-beam computed tomography. The outcome variable was having more than 6mm of bone height from the alveolar crest to the sinus floor after extraction. Decision tree analyses were used to search for the best predictors of this outcome using random forest analysis with a maximum of 3 randomly chosen covariates in each candidate tree. Results A total of 63 patients were included in the study; 55.6% were women and the mean age was 57.6 ± 14.5 years. In this study population, having a bone height from the furcation to the maxillary sinus floor of 6mm of bone height postoperatively, whereas those patients with ≥6.7mm at the same position preoperatively had a 61.9% chance of having >6mm of bone height postoperatively (p Conclusion This study suggests that patients with
The effects of diuretics and adrenergic-blocking agents on plasma lipids.

Abstract Antihypertensive medications cause the following changes in plasma lipids and lipoproteins: Thiazide and loop diuretics increase triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels with no change in high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. β-Adrenergic antagonists increase triglyceride and decrease HDL cholesterol levels. A rise in very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol balances the decrease in HDL cholesterol, so that there is no significant change in total cholesterol. α-Adrenergic antagonists decrease triglyceride, increase HDL cholesterol and may decrease VLDL and LDL cholesterol. Labetalol, with both α- and β-adrenergic antagonistic activity, does not affect plasma lipids in a small number of studies. The calcium channel blockers nifedipine and verapamil also have no consistent effect on lipoprotein levels in a small number of studies.
Principles of Neurotransmission and Implications for Network Modeling

ABSTRACT Interneuronal communication in vertebrate nervous systems is carried out mainly by a process of chemical transmission using a variety of small molecules and peptides. After being released at synaptic junctions, neurotransmitters are usually assumed to act locally. However, diffusion is sometimes sufficient to permit these substances to reach more distant sites of action. Synapses were once considered to be structurally immutable in adult nervous systems, but they are now thought to exhibit considerable remodeling in response to normal experiences (including learning). The time course of neurotransmitter action varies enormously, ranging from rapid opening or closing of membrane ion channels to slower but longer-lasting alterations in neuronal gene expression. These slower processes, which are mediated by a cascade of second messengers and transcription factors, are likely to participate in the mechanisms of neural plasticity and information storage.
Multivariate conditional hazard rate functions - an overview

In this paper, we describe the usefulness and the applications of the multivariate conditional hazard rate functions. First, we define these, as well as the accumulated hazard functions, and then give some properties of them. Using these definitions and properties, we describe the total hazard construction and its main traits. Using the technical tools described previously, we define and discuss various stochastic orders, various positive dependence concepts, and various aging notions that entail nonnegative multivariate random vectors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
At the Crossroads: Supported Employment a Decade Later

Supported employment has grown rapidly within the past decade, fueled by the consumer empowerment and inclusion movements. The program has resulted in thousands of people with severe disabilities entering the labor force for the first time. Many consumers have expanded their vocational expectations, and employers have developed a new appreciation of the potential contribution individuals with disabilities can make to the workforce. Unfortunately, despite these dramatic gains, the supported employment movement appears to have lost much of its early momentum and is increasingly at a crossroads. This article addresses major challenges that consumers and professionals alike must face. Conversion of day programs to integrated work options, expansion of program capacity, the need to insure consumer choice and self-determination, and the achievement of meaningful employment outcomes in a highly competitive economy are among the challenges that those dedicated to the supported employment movement must solve in th...
Parataxonomic classification of fossil chelonian and gecko eggs

ABSTRACT The probability of fossil preservation of eggs with a soft or pliable shell or of small eggs with a thin hard shell layer is very poor. As result, their structural and parataxonomic classification has been almost non-existant. To fill this gap, the following parataxonomic groups have been established: 1) for chelonian eggs two oofamilies Testudoolithidae and Testudoflexoolithidae with the oogenera Testudoolithus and Testudoflexoolithus and three oospecies, and 2) for gecko eggs one oofamily Gekkoolithidae, with the oogenus Gekkoolithus and one oospecies. This paper also provides some condensed background information about amniote eggshell, its identification, structural and parataxonomical classification, and the potential of eggshell to fossilize.
Inhibition by guanidino compounds of platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate

Abstract Various guanidino and related compounds were tested for their ability to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate. The effect of the more active compounds on several platelet functions and on thrombic activity was also determined. Some amino alkylguanidines, alkylenediguanidines, and substituted alkylenediguanidines proved to be quite potent inhibitors, with no antithrombic activity or damaging effect on platelets. The most active compound tested was 1,4-diguanidino diphenylsulfone, of which 0.038 mM caused 50 per cent inhibition.
Qualitative inquiry of best practices and challenges faced by faculty engaged in learning through service efforts

Learning Through Service (LTS) is a pedagogical method that encompasses curricular and extracurricular service learning in engineering. Though the numerous benefits of LTS are apparent to those who engage in it, the barriers are also plentiful, as evident by the reluctance of many instructors to engage in LTS. As a joint effort to create a community of LTS scholars, a summit held in Fall 2011 brought together faculty members actively engaged in LTS activities in a wide variety of capacities and from a wide variety of disciplines. In addition to the many workshops conducted as part of the summit, three semi-structured focus groups were held during which open dialogue ensued regarding the best practices and challenges in the execution of LTS. The current study presents thematic findings that emerged from these focus groups.
Molecular-neurobehavioral associations in females with the fragile X full mutation

In this study, young females with the fragile X [fra(X)] full mutation (fM) were assessed using quantitative measures of mutation amplification size (Amp) as well as the ratio of active normal X chromosome to total normal X chromosome (activation ratio-AR). Neurobehavioral assessments of females with the fM were performed and included specific and general measures of cognitive and behavioral/developmental functioning. To investigate molecular-behavioral associations, Amp and AR were used as independent variables, while cognitive and behavioral scores were used as dependent variables. Significant correlations were observed between both molecular variables (Amp and AR) and measures of cognitive functioning, with AR showing the most consistent and robust correlations. As AR increased, overall IQ and specific subtest and area scores from the cognitive tests increased. Conversely, as Amp increased, the overall IQ and specific subtest and area cognitive scores decreased. No significant associations were observed between AR or Amp and measures of behavior or development. The molecular-cognitive associations were generally consistent with the cognitive profile previously described in studies comparing females with fra(X) to age-matched controls. Amp and AR were not associated with one another, nor were they associated with the same cluster of cognitive measures. Though this report does not conclusively show that AR and Amp can be used to clinically assess the risk of a female with the fM for cognitive disability, the evidence presented does suggest that these molecular variables, especially AR, reflect important underlying genetic factors contributing to the fra(X) phenotype.
A backward Monte Carlo estimator for the multiple scattering of a narrow light beam

Abstract A backward Monte Carlo estimator is derived for the multiple scattering of a narrow light beam of arbitrary spatial distribution incident on a plane parallel layer. A means of obtaining an error estimate which provides an upper bound on the actual error is suggested. The intuitively clear result that the higher order intensities asymptotically approach each other for all optical radii was observed. It is observed that at reasonably modest optical distances from the beam, consideration of only the first or second orders of scatter in the evaluation of the diffuse light field will lead to erroneous results.
TNF-dependent BALB/c murine macrophage apoptosis following Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection inhibits bacillary growth in an IFN-γ independent manner

Abstract Setting : In vitro model of murine macrophage M. tuberculosis infection. Objective : To evaluate the association and cytokine control of host cell apoptosis and bacillary killing in M. tuberculosis -infected murine peritoneal macrophage (PM). Design : Murine PM from different strains of mice were infected with H37Ra. Bacillary growth and macrophage apoptosis were evaluated under different cytokine conditions. Results : Like human alveolar macrophages, PM from BALB/c mice were found to undergo apoptosis after infection with M. tuberculosis in a TNF-dependent manner. Neutralizing TNF with anti-TNF antibody inhibited PM apoptosis following infection, and resulted in increased bacillary growth. Pre-treatment of PM with interferon (IFN-γ) resulted in significant killing of the infecting bacilli, which was not dependent on TNF or apoptosis of the cells. In contrast to BALB/c mice, PM from C3H/HeJ mice did not undergo apoptosis following infection and did not undergo TNF- and apoptosis-dependent inhibition of bacillary growth. Conclusion : These findings suggest that TNF contributes to macrophage inhibition of M. tuberculosis growth by a mechanism that is dependent on apoptosis and independent of IFN-γ activity. This protective phenotype was not seen in all strains of mice and merits investigation as a marker of mycobacterial host susceptibility.
A bibliometric analysis of health economics articles in the economics literature: 1991-2000

This paper describes and analyzes trends in health economics articles indexed in the economics literature from 1991 to 2000, demonstrating the robust state of publication in the field during the past decade. While articles, pages, and the number of journals increased, single authorship declined dramatically from almost half of articles published to only one-third, and papers with four or more authors increased three-fold. Over three-fourths of articles were analyses of healthcare markets or health production, while policy oriented articles constituted the third largest share. Author concentration ratios decreased almost by half and the Herfindhal-Hirschman index of author concentration declined from 14 in 1991 to only 4 in 1999.
Longitudinal forces in ampère's wire-arc experiment

Abstract Most mathematical attempts made to show the equivalence of Ampere's action-at-a-distance law and the magnetic force law of field theory ignore many experiments performed in the past 160 years, which all demonstrate the existence of longitudinal forces generated within metallic current circuits. These forces are predicted by Ampere's law and are not discussed in presently taught electromagnetism. It is explained here how Ampere's famous wire-arc experiment may be modified to reveal longitudinal forces. The modified experiment is similar to the recent demonstration of longitudinal recoil forces in railguns.
An artificial intelligence program to advise physicians regarding antimicrobial therapy.

Abstract An antimicrobial therapy consultation system has been developed which utilizes a flexible representation of knowledge. The novel design facilitates interactive advice-giving sessions with physicians. An ability to display reasons for making decisions at the request of the user permits the program to serve a tutorial as well as consultative role. The feasibility of the judgmental rule approach which the program uses has been demonstrated with a limited knowledge base of approximately 100 rules. Its ultimate success as a clinically useful tool depends upon acquisition of additional rules and thus upon co-operation of infectious disease experts willing to improve the program's knowledge base. The techniques for acquisition, representation, and utilization of knowledge, plus considerations of natural language processing, draw upon and contribute to current Artificial Intelligence research.
Malleable environments and the pursuit of spatial justice in the Bronx

A design team in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx used methodologies of performance and collaborative, location-based storytelling to contend with the effects of urban spatial injustice in the community. Ideation via a series of participatory performances led to creation of a mobile cinema application as the starting point for public, location-based cinema walks. The application accepts user-generated content, acting as a new form of generative monument to the neighborhood as it evolves. The project exemplifies how installing situated technologies for an embodied form of participation can help translate local concerns to outside audiences, in this case using a metaphorical, locative media platform to discuss the evolving nature of environmental discrimination, over-incarceration, and urban spatial justice in New York City.
Persistent chemicals found in breast milk and their possible interactions

Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs), hexachlorobenzene, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane (p,p � -DDE), methylmercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were selected as an important subset of persistent chemicals detected in breast milk for the purpose of reviewing data on their joint toxic actions following oral exposure. Epidemiological studies of possible health hazards associated with exposure to biopersistent chemicals in breast milk identify mild neurodevelopmental deficits as a possible health hazard. However, the studies did not analyze all the components of the above defined mixture, and, therefore, they are not directly useful for the purposes of conducting exposure-based assessments of hazards associated with this mixture. For this purpose, component-based methodology such as binary weight-of-evidence, the hazard index (HI) and the target-organ toxicity dose (TTD) approaches are recommended. Weight-of-evidence evaluation of the limited animal studies’ data on interactions among CDDs, hexachlorobenzene, p,p-DDE, methylmercury, and PCBs indicates that the data are inadequate to warrant a concern for deviations from the additivity assumption. Further, exposure-based health assessments are used, in conjunction with evaluation of community-specific health outcome data, consideration of community health concerns, and biomedical judgement, to assess the degree of public health hazard presented by mixtures of substances released into the environment. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Solubility of polychlorinated biphenyls and capacitor fluid in water

Abstract A quantitative method to determine the solubility of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and used capacitor fluid in water was developed employing high-resolution glass capillary-column gas chromatography. The responses of the electron capture detector to mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-chlorobiphenyls and an internal standard were used to estimate the solubility of the PCBs. Results of the rate of dissolution of Aroclor 1242 and used capacitor fluid in water indicated that a period of five months was required to reach equilibrium. The water-solubile fractions of Aroclor 1242 and used capacitor fluid (Aroclor 1242-impregnated) were found to be identical. Certain isomers of the mono-, di- and poly-biphenyls in Aroclor 1242 were relatively soluble and were identified as 2-mono-, 2,4′-di-, 2,5.2′-tri-, 2.3,2′-tri-, 2,5.4′-tri-, 2,5.2′,5′-tetra-, 2,4.2′,5′-tetra-, 2,4.2′,4′-tetra-, 2,3.2′,5′-tetra- and 2,4.3′,4′-tetra-chlorobiphenyl. In general, the water-soluble fractions of the PCB mixtures were richer in the lower chlorinated isomers than the original PCB mixtures. The solubilities of Aroclor 1016, 1221, 1242, and 1254 were 906. 3516, 703 and ∼70μg1 −1 , respectively, whereas the solubility of the used capacitor fluid was the same as that of Aroclor 1242.
Experimental and experiential approaches to teaching face‐to‐face and computer‐mediated group discussion

The contrast of face‐to‐face (FTF) communication with computer‐mediated communication (CMC), either experimentally or experientially, may be a valuable way for teaching group dynamics and group decision making in educational settings. Our review of the literature and a controlled study illustrate the potential strengths of FTF and CMC formats for group discussion. While students produced significantly more ideas using CMC in our study, they reported that FIT groups were significantly more effective, easier to use, and more satisfying than CMC groups. Given the gap between students' perceptions of CMC effectiveness and an objective measure of effectiveness, suggestions are offered that facilitate the use of CMC in single‐session experimental and experiential exercises, as well as multi‐session group projects.
Relationship Between Test Morphology and Bathymetry in Recent Bolivina albatrossi Cushman, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico: ABSTRACT

An automated video digitizer and closed-form Fourier series analysis were used in this study to quantify benthic foraminiferal test morphology. This approach allows morphology to be described rapidly, objectively, and accurately and to be compared statistically to important environmental variables. Canonical discriminant analysis reduced the variable dimensions and revealed specific shape components relatable to bathymetry in Holocene specimens of Bolivina albatrossi Cushman from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Populations of B. albatrossi exhibit reduced test triangularity and increased surface sculpture relief with increasing water depth. Margin lobateness decreases with increasing depth. A depth classification algorithm using Fourier harmonic amplitudes divides the ba hyal zone into four subzones. With further development this approach could allow paleoenvironmental reconstructions to be automated and quantified. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1422------------