cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case Study: A Transactional Analysis Model for a Single Mother and Her Adult Child With Bipolar Disorder:

This case study describes a transactional analysis model based on the strain of a single mother with an adult son suffering from bipolar I disorder. The study examines interaction patterns within the clinical setting; the therapeutic view examines contextual factors that affect this mother and her adult son through assessment and recovery with transactional analysis therapy. The 16-session therapeutic experience of a client and his mother is presented. The subjects in the case study were administered the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) assessment tool during the second and 16th sessions. There was a significant change from pretest to posttest stens scores regarding increased scores in emotional stability from 2 (extremely low) to 4 (average), rule consciousness from 1 (extremely low) to 3 (moderately low), openness to change from 6 (average) to 8 (moderately high), and self-control from 1 (extremely low) to 4 (average). Decreased scores included apprehension from 9 (extremely high) to 7 (a...
Skookum Root: Ethnobotany of Hellebore (Veratrum viride) in Northwest British Columbia

This research considers some of the uses and harvest protocols of one of the most important medicinal plants for Indigenous peoples throughout British Columbia, Vertarum viride (skookum root, green false hellebore, Indian poke, Indian hellebore). The medicinal qualities of V. viride are well respected given its equally powerful ability to paralyze and kill. Using botanical, ethnographic, ethnohistoric, and linguistic data, a broad overview of hellebore is provided for the northwest coast of North America, followed by an in-depth consideration of Gitxsan harvest protocol, witnessed through participant observation.
Morfodinâmica da Praia do Cassino, RS

The Cassino beach morphodynamic oscillates between the dissipative and intermediate states, accumulating sediments in the primary dunes and in long shore bars of combat to South Atlantic Western coastal storms. Approximately five years (1991-1996) of daily littoral environmental observations of wind, waves, long shore currents and beach width allied to coastlines transverse topographical profiles promoted a qualitative methodology which determined the physical agent's regime and its influences in the sedimentary beach stock and morphodynamic states. Three main incidence angles, South. Southeast (perpendicular to the coastline) and East were characterized in relation to the following factors: wave regime. omega parameter (W = Hb/Tp.Ws) and the mean sea level oscillations. The meteorological tides (storm surges) condition the destruction of the close bars to the beach face and occasionally the frontal dunes. These high wave energy events (hangover) are frequent for the South quadrant (12% a year). The Southeast quadrant (42% occurrences) presents conditions of swell which determine times of dynamic balance of the morphology. These conditions facilitate the development of an intermediary state with long shore bars troughts smaller variations in the sedimentary stock but significant alterations in the bars form. The East quadrant (46% a year) constantly governed by moderate winds and local waves with rare events of swell favours the enlargement to the backshore and coalition of the first bar with the beach face, typical intermediate state of beach in construction. The constructive intermediary state facilitates the largest beach sedimentary variation volume as it becomes more susceptible to strong storms (autumn storms). The dissipative state presents smaller mobility trought the soft slope, leaving the concave beach face, concentrating the storm effect in the surf zone and frontal dunes. We characterized periods of constructive and destructive beach profiles. where the omega parameter evidenced oscillations among the dissipative modal state, of larger frequency in the autumn and winter, and secondary intermediate states in the spring anti summer.
A geospatial study of the drought impact on surface water reservoirs: study cases from Texas, USA

Satellite images have been used historically to measure and monitor fluctuations in the surface water reservoirs. This study integrates remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techno...
Derrick Bell and Me

This paper describes Professor Derrick Bell’s life in the law, assesses his writings, appraises his struggles at Harvard Law School, and recounts his relationship with a colleague, Randall Kennedy, for whom he was a mentor, friend, and adversary.
The role of the interdisciplinary team in subacute rehabilitation for central pontine myelinolysis

Background: Central pontine myelinolysis is a rare condition that can result in debilitating symptoms. Recent evidence suggests a shift in hypothesized prognosis for individuals with this diagnosis...
Assessing plant production responses to climate across water-limited regions using Google Earth Engine

Abstract Climate variability and change acting at broad scales can lead to divergent changes in plant production at local scales. Quantifying how production responds to variation in climate at local scales is essential to understand underlying ecological processes and inform land management decision-making, but has historically been limited in spatiotemporal scale based on the use of discrete ground-based measurements or coarse resolution satellite observations. With the advent of cloud-based computing through Google Earth Engine (GEE), production responses to climate can be evaluated across broad landscapes though time at a resolution useful for ecological and land management applications. Here, GEE was employed to synthesize a multi-platform Landsat time series (1988–2014) and evaluate relationships between the soil-adjusted vegetation index (a proxy for plant production) and climate across deserts and plant communities of the southwestern U.S. A “climate pivot point” approach was adopted in GEE to assess the trade-off between production responses to increasing wetness and resistances to drought at 30-m resolution. Consistent with a long-term seasonal climate gradient, production was most related to climate variance during the cool-season in the western deserts, during the warm-season in the eastern deserts, and equally related to both seasons within several desert areas. Communities dominated by grasses and deciduous trees displayed large production responses to an increase in wetness and low resistances to water deficit, while shrublands and evergreen woodlands had variable responses and high drought resistances. Production in plant communities that spanned multiple deserts responded differently to seasonal climate variability in each desert. Defining these plant production sensitivities to climate at 30-m resolution in GEE advances forecasts of how long-term climate trajectories may affect carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and the vulnerability of water-limited ecosystems.
Start-up nationalism: The rationalities of neoliberal Zionism:

This article examines current manifestations of Zionist political-economy by analyzing discourses that frame Israel as a “Start-Up Nation”—that is, a unique economic achievement that offers a succe...
Anisotropic scattering in the goniopolar metal Na Sn 2 As 2

Recent experimental discoveries in axis-dependent conduction polarity, or goniopolarity, have observed that the charge carriers can conduct like either electrons or holes depending on the crystallographic direction they travel along in layered compounds such as $\mathrm{Na}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$. The original theoretical proposal is based on the opposite signs of the carrier effective mass, or the curvature of the Fermi surface, without examining the effect of electron lifetimes, thus leaving a crucial question to address. To elucidate this unusual transport behavior, we present an ab initio study of electron scattering in such systems. We study different microscopic scattering mechanisms in $\mathrm{Na}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$, and we present the electron-phonon scattering time distribution on its Fermi surface in momentum space, the open concave shape of which is proposed to be the origin of the axis-dependent conduction polarity. Further, we obtain the overall anisotropic lifetime tensors in real space at different electron chemical potentials and temperatures, and we discuss how they contribute to the macroscopic thermopower. While we find that the contribution of the in-plane and cross-plane lifetimes exhibits a similar trend, the concave portion of the Fermi surface alters the electron motion significantly in the presence of a magnetic field, thus flipping the conduction polarity as measured via the Hall effect. Our calculations and analysis of $\mathrm{Na}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$, in comparison with similar systems, also suggest the strong possibility of hydrodynamic electron flow in the system. Finally, our work has implications for anisotropic electron lifetimes in a broad class of goniopolar materials and provides key, general insights into electron scattering on open Fermi surfaces.
Fluorescence Quenching Effects of Tetrazines and Their Diels–Alder Products: Mechanistic Insight Toward Fluorogenic Efficiency

Inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reactions between s-tetrazines and strained dienophiles have numerous applications in fluorescent labeling of biomolecules. Herein, we investigate the effect of the dienophile on the fluorescence enhancement obtained upon reaction with a tetrazine-quenched fluorophore and study the possible mechanisms of fluorescence quenching by both the tetrazine and its reaction products. The dihydropyridazine obtained from reaction with a strained cyclooctene shows a residual fluorescence quenching effect, greater than that exerted by the pyridazine arising from reaction with the analogous alkyne. Linear and ultrabroadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy experiments reveal that resonance energy transfer is the mechanism responsible for the fluorescence quenching effect of tetrazines, whereas a mechanism involving more intimate electronic coupling, likely photoinduced electron transfer, is responsible for the quenching effect of the dihydropyridazine. These studies uncover parameters that can be tuned to maximize fluorogenic efficiency in bioconjugation reactions and reveal that strained alkynes are better reaction partners for achieving maximum contrast ratio.
Journalism and the Russo-Japanese War: The End of the Golden Age of Combat Correspondence

War correspondents have enormous allure for the historian of journalism, and even more so war correspondents who are famous authors in their own right. They bring zest, dash, and pep to the drudger...
Reducing Inappropriate Outpatient Medication Prescribing in Older Adults across Electronic Health Record Systems.

Background The American Geriatrics Society recommends against the use of certain potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older adults. Prescribing of these medications correlates with higher rates of hospital readmissions, morbidity, and mortality. Vanderbilt University Medical Center previously deployed clinical decision support (CDS) to decrease PIM prescribing rates, but recently transitioned to a new electronic health record (EHR). Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate PIM prescribing rates for older adults before and after migration to the new EHR system. Methods We reviewed prescribing rates of PIMs in adults 65 years and older, normalized per 100 total prescriptions from the legacy and new EHR systems between July 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019. The PIM prescribing rates before and after EHR migration during November 2017 were compared using a U-chart and Poisson regression model. Secondary analysis descriptively evaluated the frequency of prescriber acceptance rates in the new EHR. Results Prescribing rates of PIMs decreased 5.2% (13.5 per 100 prescriptions to 12.8 per 100 prescriptions; p Conclusion The prescribing rate of PIMs in adults aged 65 years and older was successfully decreased with the implementation of prescribing CDS. This decrease was not only maintained but strengthened by the transition to a new EHR system.
Review of Crip Camp co-directed by James LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham

Crip Camp (2020) follows the structure of a well-made film (Simon, 1972), and echoes the social issue film genre (Byars, 1991), thereby telling a clear, chronological story that reifies conservative family values as the solution to challenges faced by society. Through this structure, it fails to push for the change it claims to seek, while presenting content that objectifies people with cognitive disabilities, minimizes the contributions of Black disabled people and LGBT+ disabled people, and erases the voices of non-Black disabled people of color. Crip Camp fails to use the medium of film to present (through tools of filmmaking and the content within) alternative interdependent maps (Mitchell & Snyder, 2017), or reimagine what society can be.
Knockdown screening of chromatin binding and regulatory proteins in zebrafish identified Suz12b as a regulator of tfpia and an antithrombotic drug target

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is an anticoagulant protein that inhibits factor VIIa and Xa in the coagulation cascade. It has been shown that forkhead box P3 protein is a TFPI transcriptional repressor. However, there are no studies on chromatin remodeling that control TFPI expression. We hypothesized that the genome-wide knockdowns of the chromatin binding and regulatory proteins (CBRPs) in zebrafish could identify novel tfpia gene regulators. As an initial step, we selected 69 CBRP genes from the list of zebrafish thrombocyte-expressed genes. We then performed a 3-gene piggyback knockdown screen of these 69 genes, followed by quantification of tfpia mRNA levels. The results revealed that knockdown of brd7, ing2, ing3, ing4, and suz12b increased tfpia mRNA levels. The simultaneous knockdown of these 5 genes also increased tfpia mRNA levels. We also performed individual gene and simultaneous 5-gene knockdowns on the 5 genes in zebrafish larvae. We found that after laser injury, it took a longer time for the formation of the thrombus to occlude the caudal vessel compared to the control larvae. We then treated the larvae and adults with a chemical UNC6852 known to proteolytically degrade polycomb repressor complex 2, where SUZ12 is a member, and observed prolongation of time to occlude (TTO) the caudal vein after laser injury and increased tfpia mRNA levels in larvae and adults, respectively. In summary, our results have identified novel epigenetic regulators for tfpia and exploited this information to discover a drug that enhances tfpia mRNA levels and prolongation of TTO. This discovery provides the basis for testing whether UNC6852 could be used as an antithrombotic drug. This approach could be used to study the regulation of other plasma proteins, including coagulant and anticoagulant factors.
Investigating the effects of exploration dynamics on stiffness perception.

The utility of Human-in-the-loop telerobotic systems (HiLTS) is driven in part by the quality of feedback it can provide to the operator. While the dynamic interaction between robot and environment can often be sensed or modeled, the dynamic coupling of the human-robot interface is often overlooked. Enabling dexterous manipulation through HiLTS however, will require careful consideration of human haptic perception as it relates to the human's changing limb impedance at the human-robot interface. In this manuscript, we present results from a stiffness perception task run on a simple 1-DoF rotational kinesthetic device at three different angular velocities, based on participant's natural exploration strategy. We evaluated performance effects of exploration velocity as a proxy measurement for limb impedance and the results indicate the need to further investigate how the human body incorporates its knowledge of the body dynamics in kinesthetic perception under active exploration.
Fundamentals of Scholarly Peer Review: A Workshop for Health Professions Educators on Practicing Scholarly Citizenship.

Introduction Education scholarship requires peer reviewers. For novice scholars, reviewing is an important developmental activity that cultivates deeper participation in the scholarship community. ...
Synthesis of temozolomide loaded copper nanoclusters for glioblastoma multiforme theranostics

1122 Objectives: The goal of this study was to develop a 64Cu-incorporated copper nanocluster (64Cu-CuNCs) functionalized with temozolomide (TMZ), a front-line chemotherapeutic for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, with targeting of the overexpressed CXCR4 chemokine receptor using FC131 ligand. The designed synthesis protocol aimed to protect temozolomide, a prodrug, from premature activation to 5-(3-methyltriazen-1-yl)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (MTIC), and further degradation to the inactive metabolite, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AIC). Methods: The 64Cu-CuNCs were synthesized in a sodium acetate/acetic acid buffer at pH 5.6 and at 4 °C by the reduction of 64CuCl2 + CuCl2 with sodium borohydride. The radiolabeling yield and radiochemical purity of the as-prepared 64Cu-CuNCs was measured using instant thin layer chromatography and the size of non-radioactive nanoclusters were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The surface of the nanocluster was modified with the thioctic acid (TA) terminated ligands TA-PEG-OMe, TA-PEG-FC131, and TA-TMZ in equal amounts. The surface modification of the 64Cu-CuNCs and the integrity of the TMZ conjugated to the 64Cu-CuNCs were monitored using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Biodistribution of 64Cu-CuNCs-PEG-OMe in wild-type CD1 mice was conducted to evaluate the in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior. Results: The 64Cu-CuNCs were successfully synthesized with over 95% in both radiolabeling yield and radiochemical purity. The hydrodynamic diameter of the 64Cu-CuNCs was measured to be 5.5 ± 1.1 nm as determined by DLS while the core diameter of the 64Cu-CuNCs was approximately 2.6 ± 0.4 nm as determined by TEM. HPLC analyses showed that 98.2% of TA-TMZ was stable with less than 2% degradation post synthesis and its half-life was determined as 144.4 hours when stored at 4 C. Furthermore, each 64Cu-CuNC was conjugated with an average of 17 FC131 tumor-targeting agents and 28 TMZ on its surface. Initial invivo pharmacokinetic evaluation of 64Cu-CuNCs-PEG-OMe showed high blood (22.1 ± 3.5 %ID/g) retention and liver (24.5 ± 3.2 %ID/g) uptake at 1 hour post injection, followed by fast clearance at 24 hour post injection (blood: 1.0 ± 0.08 %ID/g, liver: 8.7 ± 1.1 %ID/g). Conclusions: We have prepared and optimized the synthesis of 64Cu-CuNCs loaded with TMZ and CXCR4 chemokine receptor targeting ligand, FC131, with desirable physicochemical properties. The rapid clearance and optimal organ distribution of 64Cu-CuNCs-PEG-OMe indicated the potential of theranostic 64Cu-CuNCs for glioblastoma multiforme imaging and therapy. Research Support: Funding for this project (MC-II-2017-661) was provided by the Children’s Discovery Institute of Washington University.
Psychosocial factors associated with preventive pediatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Background Identifying the factors that predict non-adherence to recommended preventive pediatric care is necessary for the development of successful interventions to improve compliance. Purpose Given the substantial decline in well-child visits and influenza vaccinations, we sought to examine sociodemographic (i.e., parent age, education, employment status, child age, insurance coverage, household size, race and ethnicity, income, COVID-19 incidence in state) and psychosocial (i.e., child temperament, parent mental health, parent personality traits) factors associated with preventative pediatric care (well-child visits, influenza vaccines) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods As part of a larger, ongoing study, 1875 parents (96% mothers, 65% age 35 or younger, 58% with a college degree) reported whether they had missed any recommended or scheduled well-child visits since the pandemic and whether they had vaccinated their child against the flu. Using data collected during fall 2020, we examine differences in these health outcomes across social/demographic factors and psychological profiles. In addition, we use lasso logistic regression models to (1) estimate the accuracy with which we can predict adherence from these characteristics and (2) identify factors most strongly, independently associated with adherence. Results Parent psychological factors were associated with outcomes above and beyond known demographic and social factors. For example, parent industriousness and orderliness were associated with greater likelihoods of attending well-child visits and vaccinating children, while parent conservatism and creativity were associated with lower rates. We also replicate prior work documenting that health insurance, income, and household size are major factors in receiving adequate pediatric care. Conclusions Adherence to preventive pediatric care varies as a function of psychological factors, suggesting that the current system of pediatric care favors some psychological profiles over others. However, the specific traits associated with non-adherence point to potentially fruitful interventions, specifically around increasing functional proximity.
iPSC-derived cranial neural crest-like cells can replicate dental pulp tissue with the aid of angiogenic hydrogel

Abstract The dental pulp has irreplaceable roles in maintaining healthy teeth and its regeneration is a primary aim of regenerative endodontics. This study aimed to replicate the characteristics of dental pulp tissue by using cranial neural crest (CNC)-like cells (CNCLCs); these cells were generated by modifying several steps of a previously established method for deriving NC-like cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). CNC is the anterior region of the neural crest in vertebrate embryos, which contains the primordium of dental pulp cells or odontoblasts. The produced CNCLCs showed approximately 2.5–12,000-fold upregulations of major CNC marker genes. Furthermore, the CNCLCs exhibited remarkable odontoblastic differentiation ability, especially when treated with a combination of the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) FGF4 and FGF9. The FGFs induced odontoblast marker genes by 1.7–5.0-fold, as compared to bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) treatment. In a mouse subcutaneous implant model, the CNCLCs briefly fated with FGF4 + FGF9 replicated dental pulp tissue characteristics, such as harboring odontoblast-like cells, a dentin-like layer, and vast neovascularization, induced by the angiogenic self-assembling peptide hydrogel (SAPH), SLan. SLan acts as a versatile biocompatible scaffold in the canal space. This study demonstrated a successful collaboration between regenerative medicine and SAPH technology.
The Critical Region in Finite-Sized Systems

The critical point in an infinite system is smeared out or “rounded” in a finite system into a “critical region.” This region has some structure associated with it, which is difficult to study except by means of simulations, i.e., Monte Carlo. I have begun a study of this structure in small two-dimensional Ising model systems, using the Markov property method.
Predictors of anticipatory cortisol reactivity to subsequent stressors.

Abstract Understanding the nature, predictors, and consequences of anticipatory biological stress responses are important in understanding long-term effects of repeated stressors. We examined anticipatory cortisol responses after an individual has actually experienced and reacted to a stressor once and is anticipating a second similar stressor. We hypothesized that how an individual reacts to the first stressor may predict that individual's anticipatory responses to further stressors. In Session 1, 77 male participants delivered speeches and performed arithmetic tasks in front of two evaluators. In Session 2 one week later, participants were told that they would do the same tasks again in front of evaluators. Stress cortisol reactivity in Session 1 (increase in cortisol from pre-stressor to post-stressor) predicted anticipatory cortisol reactivity in Session 2 (increase in cortisol from baseline to immediately pre-stressor). In addition, trait measures of low self-esteem and a “Submissive and Disconnected” interpersonal orientation predicted stronger anticipatory cortisol reactivity in Session 2. If the cortisol response to an initial stressor does in fact shape consequent anticipatory cortisol responses, this self-perpetuating nature of the initial cortisol response may contribute to negative long-term effects of repeated stressors on health. One factor that may be able to counteract this effect is a dominant and confident interpersonal orientation, which may lead to lower anticipatory cortisol reactions regardless of the response to the initial stressor.
Minority Ownership and TARP Investments

Minority and black owned banks were significantly less likely to receive funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Community Development Capital Initiative (CDCI). A non-minority bank with the median characteristics was approximately ten times more likely to obtain TARP funds than an African American owned bank after controlling for other factors. We also find prior TARP recipients and banks with fewer troubled assets were more likely to obtain money from this program.
B. W. Zweifach award lecture: Regulation of the microcirculation

Microcirculatory blood flow and transport are controlled to meet local and systemic demands for material exchange and body fluid balance. Control mechanisms act through effectors (smooth muscle cells) at many sites within the microvascular bed. Responses at different sites are not uniform, resulting in a broadly heterogeneous distribution of pressures and flows which is constantly changing. Simplified, uniform models of microvascular networks have made it possible to identify the principles governing blood circulation and blood-tissue transport. However, knowledge of how these principles are integrated at the microcirculatory level requires the variability and heterogeneity to be taken into account. Indeed, there is much reason to believe that heterogeneity is an important part of microcirculatory control.
Stream-based versus structured video objects: issues, solutions, and challenges

An emerging area of database system research is to investigate techniques that ensure a continuous display of video objects. As compared to the traditional data types, e.g., text, a video object must be retrieved at a prespecified rate. If it is retrieved at a lower rate then its display may suffer from frequent disruptions and delays, termed hiccups. This paper describes two alternative approaches to representing video objects (stream-based and structured) and the issues involved in supporting their hiccup-free display. For each approach, we describe the existing solutions and the future research directions from a database systems perspective.
Robust image watermarking based on hybrid transformation

Watermarking techniques are mainly used for protecting intellectual property right. The transparency and robustness of watermarks are critical. However, they are often conflicting. We propose a new image watermarking scheme, which incorporates two kinds of transformation technologies to provide the better compromises between the visual quality and the robustness for resisting various signal processing or degradation. This algorithm utilizes the wavelet multiresolutional structure to select the location for the watermark. The quantization errors in the discrete cosine transform domain achieve the smallest visual degradation. Embedding the watermark within the image by introducing reduced distortion into transformed coefficients provides the robustness for the watermark detection without degrading the image quality. Besides, the proposed method does not require the original image to detect the watermark. Some experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme is more robust than previous schemes in terms of certain perceptual quality.
Literature and Medicine in Nineteenth-Century Britain: From Mary Shelley to George Eliot

Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: Romantic materialism 2. Science and sympathy in Frankenstein 3. Natural supernaturalism in Thomas Carlyle and Richard Owen 4. Wuthering Heights and domestic medicine: the child's body and the book 5. Literalization in the novels of Charlotte Bronte 6. Charles Darwin and Romantic medicine 7. Middlemarch and the medical case report: the patient's narrative and the physical exam Notes Bibliography Index.
The Impact of Differential Regulation on Bacterial Speciation

The family Enterobacteriaceae, whose members are often referred to as the enterics, comprises several bacterial species that are known because of the diseases they cause in humans and/or in animals or plants of economic importance. This chapter presents four possible genetic scenarios to account for the differences that exist between the closely related bacterial species, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli. It also illustrates how variation in gene regulatory strategies can result in distinct bacterial behaviors. The comparative studies discussed in this chapter have revealed two distinct aspects that distinguish individual enteric species. First, organisms often vary in the environments in which the polymyxin B resistance proteins are produced, and this is often due to changes in the amino acid sequence of a regulatory protein. Second, two related organisms can synthesize the resistance proteins in response to the same signals but achieve dissimilar resistance levels as a consequence of the particular architecture that individual species utilize to promote expression of the resistance genes. The types of genetic differences that distinguish closely related species can be quite different depending on whether one is considering bacterial versus eukaryotic species.
Effects of Biotin Deficiency on Serum Fatty Acid Composition: Evidence for Abnormalities in Humans

In three patients who developed biotin deficiency during parenteral alimentation, serum fatty acid compositions of the four major lipid classes (phospholipid, cholesteryl ester, triglyceride and free fatty acid) were measured. Relative to the normal range, percent compositions of an odd-chain fatty acid (either 15:0 or 17:0 or both) were increased in each class of lipid, and these abnormalities generally returned to normal or decreased toward normal with biotin therapy. Abnormalities in particular fatty acids in the omega 6, omega 3 and omega 9 pathways were also found, but these abnormalities did not resolve with biotin therapy. These data provide evidence in favor of the conclusion that biotin deficiency causes increases in the composition of some odd-chain fatty acids in humans, perhaps by the same mechanism that leads to odd-chain fatty acidemia in the inborn deficiency of the biotin-dependent enzyme propionyl-CoA carboxylase.
Properties of Simulated Tornado-Like Vortices

Abstract Tornado-like vortices, simulated in the laboratory by Ward, have shown (1) a systematic increase in core radius with increased imposed swirl and (2) an instability at a critical value of the imposed swirl in which the usual single-line-vortex configuration undergoes transition to a two-line-vortex configuration. An in-viscid irrotational flow model with a low speed core of almost constant pressure yields a theoretical relation between core radius and imposed swirl which compares favorably with experiment. The vortex-splitting instability is shown to be explainable as a nonlinear boundary-induced instability. As a result of the viscous torque exerted on the vortex flow by the solid boundaries, the usual single-vortex configuration is dynamically impossible beyond a critical value of the imposed swirl. Under conditions for which the single-vortex configuration is dynamically impossible, the two-vortex configuration is dynamically possible suggesting the transition to he a viscous torque reduction p...
1,1'-Dimethoxy-3,3'-dimethyl-3,3'-(hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(triazen-2-ium-2-olate): a nitric oxide donor.

The title compound, C10H24N6O4, is the most stable type of nitric oxide (NO) donor among the broad category of discrete N-diazeniumdiolates (NO adducts of nucleophilic small mol­ecule amines). Sitting astride a crystallographic inversion center, the mol­ecule contains a symmetric dimethyl­hexane-1,6-diamine structure bearing two planar O 2-methyl­ated N-di­azeniumdiolate functional groups [N(O)=NOMe]. These two groups are parallel to each other and have the potential to release four mol­ecules of NO. The methyl­ated diazenium­diolate substituent removes the negative charge from the typical N(O)=NO− group, thereby increasing the stability of the diazeniumdiolate structure. The crystal was nonmerohedrally twinned by a 180° rotation about the real [101] axis. This is the first N-based bis-diazeniumdiolate compound with a flexible aliphatic main unit to have its structure analyzed and this work demonstrates the utility of stabilizing the N-dia­zeniumdiolate functional group by methyl­­ation.
Three-dimensional object recognition using wavelets for feature denoising

ABSTRACT Recognition of three-dimensional objects independent of size, position, and rotation is an important anddifficult subject in computer vision. A three-dimensional feature extraction method referred to as the OpenBall Operator (OBO) is proposed as an approach to solving the 3-D object recognition problem. The OBOfeature extraction method has the three characteristics of invariance to rotation, scaling, and translationinvariance. Additionally, the OBO is capable of distinguishing between convexities and concavities in thesurface of three-dimensional object. The OBO also exhibits a good robustness to noise and uncertaintycaused by inaccuracies in 3-D measurements. A wavelet de-noising method is used for filtering out noise contained in the feature vectors of three-dimensional objects. Key words: Three-dimensional Object Recognition, Invariants (Scale, Translation, Rotation ), Feature Extraction, Open-Ball Operator, Wavelets, De-noising. 1. INTRODUCTION Three-dimensional object recognition is one of the most important issues in computer vision. For decades
Heparin protects basic and acidic FGF from inactivation

The ability of heparin or that of hexuronyl hexosaminoglycan sulfate (HHS-4) to protect basic or acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) from acid or heat inactivation has been analyzed. Both freshly prepared basic and acidic FGF stimulate the growth of baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells exposed to medium supplemented with transferrin and insulin. Freshly prepared basic FGF was 10 fold more potent than acidic FGF. The addition of heparin to the medium decreased the potency of basic FGF while it potentiated that of acidic FGF. Upon storage of FGF at -80 degrees C, a decline in potency of both basic and acidic FGF was observed. Heparin, when added to the medium, potentiated their activities, which became similar to that of freshly prepared basic FGF. In order to test whether heparin could protect basic or acidic FGF from inactivation, both mitogens were exposed to acid conditions (1% trifluoroacetic acid, pH 1.08, 2 h) or heat (65 degrees C, 5 min) which inactivate basic or acidic FGF. When exposed to such treatment in the presence of heparin or HHS-4, basic and acidic FGF retained their potency. The effect of heparin and HHS-4 on the bioactivity of basic and acidic FGF is truly of a protective nature, since they had no effect when added after inactivation of the mitogens. Potentiation of the bioactivity of the protected mitogens or of the inactivated one could only be observed when cells were exposed to high heparin or HHS-4 concentrations. This indicates that heparin and HHS-4, in addition to protecting FGF from inactivation, also acts at another locus, as yet unidentified.
Fetal diaphragmatic hernia and upper limb anomalies suggest Brachmann-de Lange syndrome.

We describe two independent cases of Brachmann-de Lange syndrome (BDLS) in which second trimester fetal sonographic studies showed the presence of a diaphragmatic hernia and upper limb anomalies. In both cases the karyotypes were normal. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) developed in the third trimester. Postnatal and postmortem physical examinations demonstrated typical physical findings associated with BDLS. The prenatal diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia with associated anomalies should prompt consideration of an underlying genetic etiology.
Stimulus-dependent inhibition of superoxide generation by prostaglandins.

Abstract Infiltrating phagocytes generate superoxide anion (O 2 − ) and prostaglandin (PG) at sites of inflammation. Thus PG-O 2 − interactions may be important to the initiation and control of inflammation. PGE 1 , PGE 2 , and PGD 2 inhibit O 2 − generation (as measured by superoxide dismutase-inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome c ) in a dose-dependent manner (10 −6 –10 −9 M ) when human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) are stimulated with 10 −7 M of the chemotactic peptide, N -formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). These PG did not alter O 2 − generation when PMN were stimulated with 0.1 μg/ml phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or 1 mg/ml serum-treated zymosan (STZ). Increments of cyclic AMP (cAMP) (peak: fourfold) in PGE 1 , PGE 2 , and PGD 2 treated PMN stimulated with PMA or STZ (in which O 2 − was not reduced) were similar to those in PG-treated PMN stimulated with FMLP (in which O 2 − was reduced markedly). High concentrations of theophylline and dibutyryl cAMP reduced FMLP and STZ stimulated O 2 − generation but had no effect on PMA stimulation, suggesting that the stimuli induce different sensitivities to the effects of cellular cAMP. PGF 2α had little effect on O 2 − generation or cAMP levels regardless of the stimulus. PGE 1 did not inhibit binding of FML( 3 H)P to PMN and did not scavenge O 2 − anions. Therefore the effect of PG on O 2 − production is dependent on the specific stimulator and an increased concentration of cAMP in activated PMN is by itself not sufficient to limit O 2 − generation induced by all stimuli.
An innovative dicrotic notch detection algorithm which combines rule-based logic with digital signal processing techniques

Automated, real-time localization of the dicrotic notch, a component of the arterial pressure waveform, represents a deceptively complex problem in computerized biomedical signal processing. The high-frequency nature of the notch can make it difficult to distinguish from artifactual noise or from other high-frequency physiological components of the waveform. In addition, the contour of the notch varies with vascular status and with propagation through arterial beds, requiring any detection algorithm to recognize various possible notch conformations. Finally, location of the notch along the waveform may vary widely depending on other hemodynamic variables, further complicating detection algorithms. We have reviewed various published algorithms and have implemented a number of them to determine the strengths and shortcomings of each. We then developed a reliable and accurate hybrid algorithm which utilizes the strengths of the various algorithmic approaches reviewed; after analyzing the waveform, the algorithm selects the most appropriate method for accurate notch localization based on a series of waveform features. The application of rule-based logic represents a relatively unique approach to digital signal processing.
Roles of Hormonal and Nutritional Factors in the Regulation of Rat Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activity and Ethanol Elimination Rate in Vivo

Fasting reduced the liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity by 51% (p less than 0.001). Insulin, within 2 hr, increased the ADH activity found in fasted animals by 28% (p less than 0.02). Insulin administration failed to stimulate the reduced ADH activity in diabetic rats. However, ADH activity in the diabetic-fed rats decreased by 52-54% (p less than 0.001) compared to normal-fed rats regardless of whether they were meal-fed or refed the normal chow. Glucagon blocked by 15% (p less than 0.02) the increase in ADH activity associated with refeeding. Furthermore, insulin caused a marginal stimulation of ethanol elimination rate (EER) when administered to fasted rats. All these results imply that insulin and glucagon may not be the only determining factors in the control of liver ADH activity associated with fasting and refeeding. Meal-feeding or refeeding a high carbohydrate fat-free diet compared to the normal chow-diet caused 29% (p less than 0.001) and 36% (p less than 0.05) decreases in ADH activity, respectively. Concomitant decreases in EER caused by high carbohydrate fat-free diet feeding were also observed under identical conditions. These results raise the possibility that the amount and the type of carbohydrate may be crucial in the regulation of ADH and EER. Alternatively, the presence of fat may be important in maintaining the normal level of ADH and EER.
Overexpression of the Coactivator Bridge-1 Results in Insulin Deficiency and Diabetes

Multiple forms of heritable diabetes are associated with mutations in transcription factors that regulate insulin gene transcription and the development and maintenance of pancreatic β-cell mass. The coactivator Bridge-1 (PSMD9) regulates the transcriptional activation of glucose-responsive enhancers in the insulin gene in a dose-dependent manner via PDZ domain-mediated interactions with E2A transcription factors. Here we report that the pancreatic overexpression of Bridge-1 in transgenic mice reduces insulin gene expression and results in insulin deficiency and severe diabetes. Dysregulation of Bridge-1 signaling increases pancreatic apoptosis with a reduction in the number of insulin-expressing pancreatic β-cells and an expansion of the complement of glucagon-expressing pancreatic α-cells in pancreatic islets. Increased expression of Bridge-1 alters pancreatic islet, acinar, and ductal architecture and disrupts the boundaries between endocrine and exocrine cellular compartments in young adult but not ne...
Mono(cycloheptatrienyl) tantalum chemistry: synthesis and characterization of new tantalum halide, hydride, and alkyl species.

The new tantalum(II) complex (η6-C7H8)TaCl2(PMe3)2 (1) was synthesized by the reduction of TaCl5 with n-butyllithium in the presence of PMe3 and cycloheptatriene. Compound 1 adopts a four-legged piano stool structure in which the tantalum center is bound to a η6-cycloheptatriene ring in addition to two chlorides and two phosphine ligands in a transoid arrangement. Treatment of 1 with methyllithium results in a loss of the equivalents of HCl and formation of the η7-cycloheptatrienyl complex (η7-C7H7)TaCl(PMe3)2 (2), whereas treatment of 1 with sodium or sodium borohydride affords small amounts of the η5-cycloheptadienyl complex (η5-C7H9)TaCl2(PMe3)2 (3). Compound 2 adopts a three-legged piano stool structure; the η7-C7H7 ring is fully aromatic and planar. The molecular structure of 3 is similar to that of 1, except for the η5 binding mode of the seven-membered ring. Treatment of the previously described sandwich compound (C5Me5)Ta(C7H7) with allyl bromide affords the tantalum(V) product (C5Me5)Ta(C7H7)Br (...
Integral weyl invariants and the borel homomorphism for spin(n)

We examine the Weyl invariant subring H *(BT)W of the integral singular cohomology ring H *(BT) of the classifying space BT of the maximal torus T in a connected compact Lie group K. We show that H *(BT)W is not a polynomial algebra for K = Spin(n) when n ≥10. We describe the connection of this result with the Borel homomorphism H *{BT) → H *{K/T).
Ontogenetic differences in retention of spatial learning tested with Morris water maze

Two experiments examined retention of spatial learning in rats using a Morris water maze. Retention was scored in terms of probe trial performance when the platform was removed. Latency to reach the platform location, percent of time in the quadrant that had contained the platform, and relative frequency of visits to the platform location were analyzed. Results of the first experiment showed that preweanlings and juveniles exhibited substantial forgetting at 3- and 7-day retention intervals. Forgetting in adults was much lower than that found in the younger animals, and no differences in amount of forgetting appeared between the 3- and 7-day retention intervals at any age. The second experiment showed that forgetting in juveniles was alleviated by a single training trial administered just prior to the probe trial. These results are discussed in terms of ontogenetic differences in memory processing and measurement issues pertinent to the Morris water maze test procedure.
Waveguiding in an exponentially decaying gain medium

Abstract The propagating mode solutions for a medium with an exponentially decaying gain profile are obtained. The mode profiles and the wavefronts were calculated numerically. The result explains satisfactorily the far field distribution observed in some of our new lasers.
Magi and Majesty: A Study of Romanesque Sculpture and Liturgical Drama

Romanesque statues of the Madonna in Majesty form a distinct class of sculptures.1 Figures 1, 2, and 5 illustrate examples which are very typical but nevertheless are still less well known than their quality merits.2 All such statues, which are often referred to as “Majesties” (Maiestates) in the contemporary texts, are small, usually measuring about three feet in height. Without exception they are made of wood.3 Most of them are carved on all sides including the back and are true freestanding sculptures (Figs. 3, 4, 7). The iconography of costume and pose varies slightly according to region, but the basic theme is the sedes sapientiae; Mary is interpreted as the Seat or Throne of Wisdom.4 She herself is majestically seated on a throne, an unvarying and meaningful essential in the iconography, and she ordinarily assumes a frontal, regal pose with the Christ Child rigidly centered and enthroned in her lap. Her importance as the throne for Christ or as the Seat of Wisdom is thus clear.
Robot selection decision support system: A fuzzy set approach

Arriving at the decision to install a robot can be a difficult and complicated process. Even after the initial decision to acquire a robot is made, the problem of which robot to select from the many that are available can confound managers who often lack the time and expertise to understand an extensive search and analysis. Furthermore, the present trend indicates that the number of robot manufacturers and suppliers are increasing as engineers continue to find more applications for robots. This paper presents a decision support system to aid the manager in the selection of a preferred robot for a particular application. The selection model is based on the fuzzy set theory to solve multicriteria decision making problems. This DSS provides many ''what if'' scenarios that allow decision makers to review all possible alternatives before reaching a final choice. Extended applications for this DSS are also discussed.
Decentralisation and government provision of public goods: The public health sector in Uganda

While many developing countries have devolved health care responsibilities to local governments in recent years, no study has examined whether decentralisation actually leads to greater health sector allocative efficiency. This paper approaches this question by modeling local government budgeting decisions under decentralisation. The model leads to conclusions not all favourable to decentralisation and produces several testable hypotheses concerning local government spending choices. For a brief empirical test of the model we look at data from Uganda. The data are of a type seldom available to researchers–actual local government budgets for the health sector in a developing country. The health budgets are disaggregated into specific types of activities based on a subjective characterisation of each activity's ‘publicness’. The empirical results provide preliminary evidence that local government health planners are allocating declining proportions of their budgets to public goods activities.