cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Single Specimen J-Based Fracture Toughness Test for High Strength Steels

Abstract : A single specimen J-based fracture toughness test has been developed which results in accurate and reliable measurements for a high strength, low alloy steel with several yield strengths. The specimen used is a deeply cracked Charpy specimen tested in slow, three-point bending. A simple plastic stress analysis was performed which identifies a single point on the load-displacement trace at which the J-integral is calculated as an estimate of fracture toughness (KIc). The method can be applied inexpensively and may be used as a quality control measure of fracture toughness.
Phase I/pharmacokinetic study of enzastaurin plus temozolomide during and following radiation therapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma

A31 Background: Enzastaurin (ENZ), an oral serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, suppresses signaling through PKCβ and the PI3K/AKT pathways to induce apoptosis, reduce cell proliferation and suppress angiogenesis. PKCβ is activated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an angiogenic factor upregulated in most cases of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The goals of this study were to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ENZ (either 250mg or 500mg daily) given concurrently with radiation therapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ) and adjuvant with TMZ, in newly diagnosed GBM and to define the phase II dose for further study. Secondary objectives include evaluation of progression-free survival (PFS), safety, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters, changes in quality of life (QOL) while on this treatment and utility of perfusion imaging for the evaluation of ENZ. Methods: Patients ≥18 years of age with newly diagnosed GBM and a KPS of ≥ 60 were eligible. Pts could not be on enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs. Treatment started within 5 weeks of diagnosis. RT consisted of 60Gy over 6 weeks and TMZ was given at 75mg/m2 daily during RT and then at 200mg/m2 daily, from days 1-5 of a 28-day cycle. ENZ was given once daily during RT with a starting dose of 250mg/day, escalated to the 500 mg/day dose, if no more than 1/6 patients experienced a dose limiting toxicity (DLT) during RT and the first adjuvant cycle of TMZ. DLT was defined as any Grade ≥3 thrombocytopenia, Grade 4 anemia/neutropenia, or any nonhematologic Grade ≥3 toxicity. Planned duration of treatment was 1 year unless disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. Perfusion imaging and plasma biomarkers were used to assess QOL and multiple PK/PD endpoints. Results: Since Sep 2006, 12 pts enrolled. There was no DLT in the first 6 pts treated with 250mg ENZ. At 500mg, 2/6 pts experienced a DLT of grade 4 thrombocytopenia in the last week of RT. One pt recovered to Grade
Geographic Disparities in Clinical Characteristics of Duodenitis-Proximal Jejunitis in Horses in the United States.

Abstract Duodenitis–proximal jejunitis (DPJ) is an idiopathic and potentially fatal disease of horses characterized by abdominal pain, proximal intestinal inflammation, and subsequent gastric and small intestinal fluid accumulation. Although this disease is known to be costly and life threatening in the equine industry, the severity of clinical signs can vary widely, and an exact etiology has yet to be elucidated. This study looked to identify differences in clinical parameters of horses with DPJ between geographic regions in an effort to corroborate anecdotal reports and support theories of differing etiologies. Case records were compared from veterinary academic referral hospitals in three different geographic locations in the United States to determine if significant differences in clinical, clinicopathologic, and prognostic characteristics exist among horses with DPJ. Clinical measurements on presentation that were significantly different between regions included heart rate, peritoneal total protein, albumin, anion gap, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, sodium, chloride, potassium, and creatinine. Duration of hospitalization and maximum body temperature while hospitalized were also different between regions. There were no significant differences in peritoneal cell count, total white blood cell count, neutrophil count, band neutrophils, calcium, total plasma protein, temperature on presentation, duration of reflux, total reflux volume, or age between hospitals. The mortality rates between hospitals were not significantly different. Increased severity of clinical signs and biochemical abnormalities were identified in the Southeastern United States hospital compared with the Northeastern and Western hospitals. A prospective, multicenter case–control study could identify risk factors contributing toward regional differences in this disease in the future.
Spiritually Informed Interventions and Psychotic Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials:

Purpose:Including spirituality in the treatment of psychosis is controversial. To determine the effect of incorporating spirituality into treatment, we conducted a systematic review of spiritually ...
Quantum effects and 1H NMR chemical shifts of a bifurcated short hydrogen bond.

The monoprotonated compound N,N′,N′′-tris(p-tolyl)azacalix[3](2,6)pyridine (TAPH) contains an intramolecular hydrogen bond that is formed from three N atoms in its cavity. Constrained by the macrocyclic molecular structure, the separations between the N atoms in this bifurcated hydrogen bond are about 2.6 A, considerably shorter than those typically observed for hydrogen bonded systems in the condensed phases. As such, TAPH exhibits significantly elongated N–H lengths in its hydrogen bond and a downfield 1H NMR chemical shift of 22.1 ppm. In this work, we carry out ab initio molecular dynamics and ab initio path integral molecular dynamics simulations of TAPH in the acetonitrile solution to reveal the geometry and proton sharing conditions of the bifurcated short hydrogen bond and uncover how the interplay of electronic and nuclear quantum effects gives rise to its far downfield 1H chemical shift. Taking a linear short hydrogen bond as a reference, we demonstrate the distinct features of competing quantum effects and electronic shielding effects in the bifurcated hydrogen bond of TAPH. We further use the degree of deshielding on the proton as a measure of the hydrogen bonding interactions and evaluate the strength of the bifurcated short hydrogen bond as compared to its linear counterpart.
Impact of Stay-at-home-orders and Cost-of-living on Stimulus Response: Evidence from the Cares Act (preprint)

During the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic, the US Congress passed the CARES Act that (among other measures) provides direct payments to households. Using a large debit cards database, we analyze consumer expenditures following the stimulus payments. We observe Zip code level daily transactions (approx. 12 million debit cards) before and immediately following the disbursements of stimulus checks. Empirical analysis exploits geographical variation in timing of Federal deposits to identify marginal propensity to consume (MPC) for stimulus payments. Our results estimate about half of the rebate is spent within few days of receipt. We find large cross-sectional heterogeneity with MPC estimates that are three times higher in magnitude in the most densely populated urban areas with higher cost-of-living. In areas with more restricted movement during the pandemic (as measured by Google Mobility Index) MPC estimates are approximately 70\% higher. Previous literature analyzing the impact of stimulus or tax rebates has largely ignored these geographic differences, which have important policy implications. We reanalyze data from the 2001 tax rebates and the 2008 fiscal stimulus and replicate main findings reported in the paper. Collectively our results highlight an important shortcoming in fiscal policies that ignore local environment, particularly cross-sectional differences in cost-of-living across the United States.
“Eyes in the Home”: Addressing Social Complexity in Veterans Affairs Home-Based Primary Care

BACKGROUND Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) has demonstrated success in decreasing risk of hospitalization and improving patient satisfaction through patient targeting and integrating long-term services and supports. Less is known about how HBPC teams approach social factors. OBJECTIVE Describe HBPC providers' knowledge of social complexity among HBPC patients and how this knowledge impacts care delivery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Between 2018 and 2019, we conducted in-person semi-structured interviews with 14 HBPC providers representing nursing, medicine, physical therapy, pharmacy, and psychology, at an urban Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. We also conducted field observations of 6 HBPC team meetings and 2 home visits. APPROACH We employed an exploratory, content-driven approach to qualitative data analysis. RESULTS Four thematic categories were identified: (1) HBPC patients are socially isolated and have multiple layers of medical and social complexity that compromise their ability to use clinic-based care; (2) providers having "eyes in the home" yields essential information not accessible in outpatient clinics; (3) HBPC fills gaps in instrumental support, many of which are not medical; and (4) addressing social complexity requires a flexible care design that HBPC provides. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE HBPC providers emphasized the importance of having "eyes in the home" to observe and address the care needs of homebound Veterans who are older, socially isolated, and have functional limitations. Patient selection criteria and discharge recommendations for a resource-intensive program like VA HBPC should include considerations for the compounding effects of medical and social complexity. Additionally, staffing that provides resources for these effects should be integrated into HBPC programming.
66361 TL1 Team Approach to Predicting Response to Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Low Back Pain

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Understanding how spinal cord stimulation works and who it works best for will improve clinical trial efficacy and prevent unnecessary surgeries. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an intervention for chronic low back pain where standard interventions fail to provide relief. However, estimates suggest only 58% of patients achieve at least 50% reduction in their pain. There is no non-invasive method for predicting relief provided by SCS. We hypothesize neural activity in the brain can fill this gap. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We tested SCS patients at 3 times points: baseline (pre-surgery), at day 7 during the trial period (post-trial), and 6 months after a permanent system had been implanted. At each time point participants completed 10 minutes of eyes closed, resting electroencephalography (EEG) and self-reported their pain. EEG was collected with the ActiveTwo system and a 128-electrode cap. Patients were grouped based on the percentage change of their pain from baseline to the final visit using a median split (super responders > average responders). Spectral density powerbands were extracted from resting EEG to use as input features for machine learning analyses. We used support vector machines to predict response to SCS. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Baseline and post-trial EEG data predicted SCS response at 6-months with 95.56% and 100% accuracy, respectively. The gamma band had the highest performance in differentiating responders. Post-trial EEG data best differentiated the groups with feature weighted dipoles being more highly localized in sensorimotor cortex. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Understanding how SCS works and who it works best for is the long-term objective of our collaborative research program. These data provide an important first step towards this goal.
Human electrocortical, electromyographical, ocular, and kinematic data during perturbed walking and standing

Abstract Active balance control is critical for performing many of our everyday activities. Our nervous systems rely on multiple sensory inputs to inform cortical processing, leading to coordinated muscle actions that maintain balance. However, such cortical processing can be challenging to record during mobile balance tasks due to limitations in noninvasive neuroimaging and motion artifact contamination. Here, we present a synchronized, multi-modal dataset from 30 healthy, young human participants during standing and walking while undergoing brief sensorimotor perturbations. Our dataset includes 20 total hours of high-density electroencephalography (EEG) recorded from 128 scalp electrodes, along with surface electromyography (EMG) from 10 neck and leg electrodes, electrooculography (EOG) recorded from 3 electrodes, and 3D body position from 2 sensors. In addition, we include ∼ 18000 total balance perturbation events across participants. To facilitate data reuse, we share this dataset in the Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) data standard and publicly release code that replicates our previous event-related findings.
Combined Usage of Stem Cells in End‐Stage Heart Failure Therapies

Remarkable achievements have been made in the clinical application of mechanical circulatory support and cardiac transplantation for patients with end-stage heart failure. Despite the successes, complications associated with these therapies continue to drive cardiac regenerative research utilizing stem cell based therapies. Multiple stem cell lineages hold clinical promise for cardiac regeneration—mostly through cellular differentiation, cellular fusion, and paracrine signaling mechanisms. Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells are among the most intriguing and controversial cell types currently being investigated. Formidable barriers exist, however, in finding the ideal cardiac regenerative stem cell, such as identifying specific lineage markers, optimizing in vitro cellular expansion and improving methods of stem cell delivery. Hybrid approaches of cardiac regeneration using stem cell therapies in conjunction with immunomodulation after cardiac transplantation or with mechanical circulatory support produce cutting edge stem cell technologies. This review summarizes the current knowledge and therapeutic applications of stem cells in patients with end-stage heart failure, including stem cell therapy after implantation of mechanical circulatory support and cardiac transplantation. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 1217–1224, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New Type of Electrical Contacts for High Voltage Switchgear Applications

This study describes the development of new electrical contacts technology for high voltage (HV) applications, especially circuit breakers. A new type of arcing contact material, based on carbon/copper composite (C-Cu), has been compared with a more common one, based on tungsten/copper W-Cu material. It can be seen that carbon/copper composite materials is able to behave reasonably well. In particular, their erosion during switching tests was not excessive compared to those of W-Cu contacts. In addition, it is shown that, in some applications, the erosion of the circuit breaker nozzle due to arcing was lower than the one obtained with copper/tungsten composites. In parallel, the plasma composition calculations showed that, depending on conditions, graphite formation within the arcing chamber can be avoided. Such carbon/copper composite contacts present a promising technology
2,6-branched mannose and the regulation of poly-N-acetyllactosamine biosynthesis in N-linked oligosaccharides of Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Abstract Poly-N-acetyllactosamine (PL) sequences (repeating (3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1)n) in complex-type N-linked oligosaccharides often occur in branched tri- and tetraantennary chains containing alpha-linked mannosyl residues disubstituted by N-acetyllactosaminyl units at C-2 and C-6 (2,6-branched mannose). We report here our studies on the factors affecting PL biosynthesis and the branching of N-linked oligosaccharides in glycoproteins from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. For our studies, we utilized a mutant CHO cell line designated Lec8 CHO, which lacks the ability to galactosylate its glycoproteins and consequently synthesizes glycoproteins containing terminal GlcNAc residues and lacking poly-N-acetyl-lactosamine and sialic acid. Glycoproteins in extracts of [3H]glucosamine- or [3H]mannose-labeled Lec8 CHO cells were galactosylated by exogenous beta 1-4-galactosyltransferase and analyzed by chromatography on leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin-Sepharose, a lectin reactive with glycoproteins containing 2,6-branched mannosyl residues. Approximately 10% of the radiolabeled glycoproteins were bound, and these were primarily of high molecular mass. Structural analyses of the bound glycoproteins demonstrated that they quantitatively contained 2,6-branched mannose. We then determined whether the "small i" N-acetylglucosaminyl-transferase (iGNT), which initiates PL biosynthesis, could specifically recognize glycoproteins in vitro and whether recognition was dependent on the presence of 2,6-branched mannose. When the galactosylated glycoproteins in extracts of Lec8 CHO cells were incubated with UDP-[3H]GlcNAc, the endogenous iGNT quantitatively added GlcNAc in beta 1-3-linkage to terminal galactosyl residues in the leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin-bound glycoproteins. These results demonstrate for the first time that 2,6-branched mannosyl residues are restricted to a subset of CHO glycoproteins and that the iGNT in vitro preferentially recognizes glycoproteins containing the 2,6-branched mannose determinant.
Corporate Standards and Legal Rules

THE interrelation of corporate standards and legal rules, of ethics and law, is perhaps the preserve of philosophers, and the intrusion of a bureaucrat may be regarded as poaching. However, I am not writing on ethical standards as a theologian. Nor do I want to occupy the role of a Pollyanna, even though I firmly believe that a proper function of the Securities and Exchange Commission is to raise standards in the industry. I should like to focus upon the role of the counselor in business transactions. To what extent should he advise that standards-not yet law-nonetheless be observed? Lest you think I am trying to convert lawyers into philosophers, I would emphasize the practicality of advising clients on the basis of tomorrow's law. The man whose vision is limited to the scope of the West Reporter System in my opinion is not a valued counselor. I hope to be able to convey the wisdom in being sensitive to, and anticipating, public reactions that may crystallize into legal restraints. Let us begin with definitions. The law-which we are all presumed to know-represents the standards presently imposed by a governmental or quasi-governmental authority. Ethical action, on the other hand, is that which is motivated by a self-imposed standard rather than compelled by law. The wise counselor will assess the need for ethical restraint because
The Predictive Validity of the Graduate Record Examinations for Subgroups of Students in Different Academic Disciplines

This study examined the relationship between graduate grade point average and subtests of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Aptitude Test for subsamples of graduate students in different acade...
Ethics and the Conduct of Public Health Surveillance

Efforts to distinguish between public health surveillance and epidemiological research are burdened by history. The authors of this Policy Forum say the moment is right to reframe the policy discussion and to recognize the imperative of ethical review of surveillance as well as research.
Personalized approaches to the treatment of hemophilia A and B

The recognition that individuals respond differently to the same medication is not new and dates almost to the founding of western medicine. In the last century it came to be recognized that genetic factors influence the heterogeneity of individual responses to medications with respect to both toxicity and effectiveness. Nonetheless, it has been challenging to integrate pharmacogenetic approaches in the routine practice of medicine as the identification of biomarkers is difficult due to the inherent complexity of biological systems. Here, we present potential applications of pharmacogenetics in managing hemophilia A and B. We discuss how predicting and circumventing immunogenicity, an important impediment to treating hemophilia patients, particularly lends itself to a pharmacogenetic approach. In addition, we discuss new trends toward personalizing the management of hemophilia in clinical settings.
Evolutionary algorithms for reinforcement learning

There are two distinct approaches to solving reinforcement learning problems, namely, searching in value function space and searching in policy space. Temporal difference methods and evolutionary algorithms are well-known examples of these approaches. Kaelbling, Littman and Moore recently provided an informative survey of temporal difference methods. This article focuses on the application of evolutionary algorithms to the reinforcement learning problem, emphasizing alternative policy representations, credit assignment methods, and problem-specific genetic operators. Strengths and weaknesses of the evolutionary approach to reinforcement learning are presented, along with a survey of representative applications.
Διαβητική Δυσλιπιδαιμία: Παλαιότερα και Σύγχρονα δεδομένα

Ο σακχαρώδης διαβήτης τύπου 2 (ΣΔ2) αποτeλeί ένα ιδιαίτeρα συχνό και μeίζον πρόβλημα υγeίας που στις μέρeς μας έχeι λάβeι διαστάσeις eπιδημίας στις ανeπτυγμένeς χώρeς. Η μeγάλη αύξηση της συχνότητας του διαβήτη συνδυάζeται μe την παράλληλη eξάπλωση της παχυσαρκίας. Η τeλeυταία, ιδίως όταν οφeίλeται σe κeντρική eναπόθeση της πeρίσσeιας λίπους, σe συνδυασμό μe τη μeίωση της σωματικής δραστηριότητας αλλά και μe γeνeτικούς παράγοντeς, διαδραματίζeι κeντρικό ρόλο στην παθογένeια του ΣΔ2 καθώς αποτeλeί καθοριστικό γeνeσιουργό παράγοντα της αντίστασης στην ινσουλίνη. Η αντίσταση στην ινσουλίνη προκαλeί αντιδραστική υπeρινσουλιναιμία μe αποτέλeσμα να αντιρροπeίται η τάση για αύξηση των τιμών σακχάρου στο αίμα. Ωστόσο, όταν τα β-κύτταρα αδυνατούν πλέον να αντιρροπήσουν την ινσουλινοαντίσταση eμφανίζeται ο κλινικός διαβήτης... (excerpt)
Nonlocal effects in effective medium response of nanolayered metamaterials

We demonstrate that the majority pf plasmonic nanolayered composites, despite being subwanelength, are not described by effective medium theory and develop an adequate description of electromagnetism in these systems.
Design of RF power coupler for superconducting cavities

A new power coupler has been designed and is being prototyped by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for use with any of the ANL proposed superconducting (SC) half- or quarter-wave cavities for SARAF [1] and Project-X [2]. The 50 Ohm coaxial capacitive coupler is required to operate in the CW regime with up to 15 kW of forward power and under any condition for the reflected power. A key feature is a moveable copper plated stainless steel bellows which will permit up to 3 cm of axial stroke and adjustment of the external quality factor by roughly one order of magnitude in the range of 105 to 106. The mechanical and vacuum design includes two ceramic windows, one operating at room temperature and another at 70 Kelvin. The two window design allows the portion of the coupler assembled onto the SC cavity in the clean room to be compact and readily cleanable. Other design features include thermal intercepts to provide a large margin for RF heating and a mechanical guide assembly to operate cold and under vacuum with high reliability.
Heart Disease as the Number One Cause of Death Among the Elderly

“Is this Dr Goodwin?” “Yes.” “DrGoodwin,mynameisJohnFenton.Iworkatthe coroner’s office.” “Hi.” “Hello, were you aware that your patient, Mr Black, passed away yesterday?” “My patient Mr Black?” “Marvin Black, an 89-year-old man who lived on Elliot Street? His daughter said you were his physician.” “I think I remember. Hold on just a second and I can get the electronic record.” Two minutes pass. “Here it is. I saw him about every 6 months; last time was about a year ago. Not a lot of medical problems. He was on drugs for blood pressure and nocturia. He had increasing trouble getting around. Very frail. How did he die?” “He died at home. His daughter calls him every morning, and when he didn’t answer the phone on Wednesday, she went over to his house and found him dead in bed. He apparently died some time during the night.Iwaswonderingifyouwouldbewillingtosignthe death certificate and state the cause of death.” “I don’t know the cause of death. I haven’t seen him for a year. He died at home. The cause of death is unknown.” “If you say unknown causes, that makes it a medical examiner’s case and requires an autopsy. The family would like to avoid that. If you give a cause of death and signthedeathcertificate,wecanreleasethebodytothe funeral home. Just the acute and underlying causes of death, plus any contributing factors.” “I don’t know. He was very old. He was going down-hill.” “I’m afraid we’ll need a specific cause of death.” “I suppose it was natural causes.” “Natural causes or senility or old age are not acceptable. The CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines say there should be a clear and distinct etiologicsequenceincauseofdeath,evenintheelderly.1 If a physician cannot determine that sequence, then it becomes a medical examiner case.” “When I worked in Minnesota, I could use natural causes on the death certificate.” “The guidelines are the same everywhere in the country, but different places interpret them differently. Some allow the physician to list natural causes. Others don’t object to unknown causes. But we follow the CDC guidelines1 strictly and require a specific underlying cause of death.” “Wow. OK, let’s see … let me think … he had some mildhypertension.Whenhewasdiscovered,didhehave a pulse?” “No, he had been dead for several hours.” “All right, no pulse … so his heart stopped. That sounds like cardiac arrest for the immediate cause of death, right?” “Sorry to be such a pest, but a description of the actual event, like cardiac arrest, is not allowed.” “Really?Backtothedrawingboard,Iguess.Ifhehad a cardiac arrest, then I guess it must have been from an MI [myocardial infarction].” “Myocardial infarction is fine, Dr Goodwin, for the immediate cause of death. What is the underlying cause of death?” “Well,ifhisheartstopped,thatsoundslikeheartdisease, so that must be the underlying cause of death.” “Thanks, Dr Goodwin. Heart disease it is.”
Toxicity of nano-zero valent iron to freshwater and marine organisms.

We tested whether three commercial forms (uncoated, organic coating, and iron oxide coating) of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) are toxic to freshwater and marine organisms, specifically three species of marine phytoplankton, one species of freshwater phytoplankton, and a freshwater zooplankton species (Daphnia magna), because these organisms may be exposed downstream of where nZVI is applied to remediate polluted soil. The aggregation and reactivity of the three types of nZVI varied considerably, which was reflected in their toxicity. Since levels of Fe2+ and Fe3+ increase as the nZVI react, we also evaluated their toxicity independently. All four phytoplankton species displayed decreasing population growth rates, and Daphnia magna showed increasing mortality, in response to increasing levels of nZVI, and to a lesser degree with increasing Fe2+ and Fe3+. All forms of nZVI aggregated in soil and water, especially in the presence of a high concentration of calcium ions in groundwater, thus reducing their transports through the environment. However, uncoated nZVI aggregated extremely rapidly, thus vastly reducing the probability of environmental transport and potential for toxicity. This information can be used to design a risk management strategy to arrest the transport of injected nZVI beyond the intended remediation area, by injecting inert calcium salts as a barrier to transport.
A study of inapparent infections of Plasmodium vinkei in the adult hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

Abstract Adult golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus ) inoculated each with 50 million P. vinckei -parasitized red cells showed no evidence of parasite development when examined by the routine blood smear method for a period of 196 days. A quiescent and submerged P. vinckei infection was revealed in 16 of 36 hamsters, (44·4%) whose cardiac blood was subinoculated into susceptible CF white mice. The inapparent infection lasted for 162 days. The possibility of long-lasting, submerged plasmodial infections in semi-susceptible hosts, which cannot be detected by routine blood smear methods, is discussed in the light of experimental evidence brought forth.
Commercial property market prices and valuations: Analysing the correspondence

Summary Previous studies of the correspondence between prices and valuations in the UK are considered to be deficient in their formulation of the regression relationship between prices and valuations, in their statistical analyses and in their interpretation of pricing accuracy. Applying a rigorous econometric approach, this paper reports the results of more extensive testing than has been undertaken to date, thereby enabling robust conclusions. In particular, evidence is found for valuation bias under three different market environments. This supports the claim that valuers may not be using all available information at the time of valuation. Figures for pricing/valuation accuracy are reported, showing a wide range of uncertainty as regards the eventual selling price. The results imply that performance measurement and league table rankings may need to be qualified and that the routine application of fixed parameter unsmoothing procedures to valuation‐based property indices may be invalid.
Evidence for nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activation in rat cerebellar slices

Neuronal nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) activation is known to enhance glutamate and GABA release in different brain areas. Moreover, nAChRs play an important role in neuronal differentiation. By using the patch-clamp technique, we have investigated the presence of nAChRs in cerebellar granule cells in slices from P5-P14 rats. Application of ACh (1 mM) could elicit a variety of effects. Some cells did not respond at all. In other cells, a somatic current was activated. In a proportion of cells, postsynaptic currents (PSCs), with or without somatic current, were elicited. Somatic nAChRs are likely to be of the alpha(4)beta(2) subtype, but the presence of other subunit combinations (alpha(7)- or beta(4)-containing receptors) cannot be ruled out. The ACh-induced PSCs were glutamatergic in nature. Thus, in a reasonable proportion of cells, nicotinic receptors are present presynaptically. They are likely to be alpha(7) receptors whose activation elicits Glu release via a TTX-sensitive mechanism. Our experiments are the first electrophysiological evidence showing, in a native cerebellar preparation, the presence of nicotinic receptors at the mossy fibre-granule cell synapse at early developmental stages.
Indoor Air Pollution and Sick Building Syndrome. Monitoring Aerosol Protein as a Measure of Bioaerosols

Excess aerosol protein concentration is suggested to be a diagnostic marker for biological causes of impaired air quality of a building. A simple inexpensive instrument has been developed to measure aerosol protein concentration. Aerosol particles are collected by allowing injected steam to condense upon them, thus resulting in their growth, followed by cooling and impaction. The liquid stream, bearing dissolved and suspended aerosol constituents, is put through a silica preconcentration column that is eluted subsequently with dilute H3PO4. The eluite stream is reacted with acidic Coomassie blue G; the color of the protein-dye adduct is detected by optical absorbance at ∼600 nm. Optimization efforts have been carried out to choose the best stationary phase for protein preconcentration and reagent composition. In liquid-phase experiments, bovine serum albumin (BSA) displays a limit of detection (LOD) of 16 ng. In aerosol experiments, there is some increased noise and the LOD deteriorates by ∼2×. The system...
A consideration of copulatory behavior and activity level as reinforcement of female rat behavior

In studies of copulatory behavior between rats, it has been found that copulation can have a reinforcing effect on the male animal. This effect on the female rat is in question. The present study attempted to determine if copulatory behavior was reinforcing for the female rat: (1) when comparing estrous and diestrous Ss, and (2) when comparing sexual aggressiveness or sexual passivity of the male mate. Results suggested the possibility of reinforcement for estrous rats, although, due to the measure used, the results might have been influenced by the general activity of the animal. The results with active and passive Ss tend to support this conclusion.
The role of parents in facilitating autonomous self-regulation for education:

Self-determination theory identifies three dimensions of parenting — autonomy support versus control, involvement, and structure — as facilitating children's autonomous motivation in school. Resear...
Selective breeding for oral opioid acceptance or rejection in rats

Lines of rats were selectively bred to diverge bidirectionally from a randomly bred control line in the propensity to self-administer an opioid orally. These lines seek or avoid the high-potency opioid etonitazene in a situation in which it is presented continuously as a choice with water. Over seven generations, preferences were measured and selection pressure imposed to develop the accepting and rejecting lines. These animals represent the only contemporary selective breeding program for opioid preference or self-administration, and hold the promise of being a useful resource in the drug-abuse field.
Influence of Route of Administration on Drug Availability

In therapeutics, dose requirements are sometimes larger for a drug given orally than are needed following parenteral administration. This might be the case despite complete and rapid absorption of the drug and arises when a large fraction of the oral dose is eliminated on first passage through the liver. The basis of determining clearance from the area under the blood or plasma concentration-time curve following an intravenous dose is examined. By using area analysis, an equation is derived which allows an estimate of the availability of a completely absorbed, orally administered drug. The availability of oral aspirin is examined with this equation. The importance of clearance concepts in bioavailability studies, drug design, and enzyme induction studies is discussed.
Solvent perturbation studies of heme proteins and other colored proteins.

Abstract The solvent perturbation technique of difference spectroscopy has been applied and extended to the study of the location of the aromatic tryptophyl and tyrosyl residues in the heme proteins. Based on experiments on unfolded hemoglobin and myoglobin and their apoproteins in 8 m urea and acid solutions, and their model compound analogs, corrections for the heme-contribution to the difference spectra in the 270–295-mμ aromatic region have been suggested, and their validity and limitations have been described and tested. These corrections are based on extrapolations dictated by the difference spectra of the nonaromatic, neighboring bands, or the γ-and δ-bands in the case of the heme proteins. The location of the tryptophyl residues in horse heart cytochrome c, beef liver catalase, sperm whale myoglobin, and horse hemoglobin, in the ferri state have been studied, using 20% ethylene glycol, glycerol, sucrose, and 90% deuterium oxide as perturbants. The data obtained on cytochrome c suggest that the single tryptophyl residue in this protein is about 55 to 68% exposed. In the case of beef liver catalase, a much larger subunit protein, a substantially greater fraction of the approximately 40 tryptophyls appear to be buried. In this protein 35 to 40% of the tryptophyl seem to be affected by the perturbing influence of solvent. Comparison of the hemoglobin and myoglobin data indicate a somewhat greater degree of burial of the tryptophyls in hemoglobin than in myoglobin (in myoglobin there are two tryptophyls whereas in hemoglobin there are six such groups). A more detailed discussion and analysis of the horse hemoglobin data based on studies with six perturbants, as well as the perturbation data for five other mammalian hemoglobins obtained with 20% ethylene glucol, is presented in the accompanying paper.
The limited role of aquifer heterogeneity on metal reduction in an Atlantic coastal plain determined by push-pull tests

Abstract Sixty push-pull experiments were conducted to determine the factors controlling Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction in a well-characterized, shallow, coastal plain aquifer near Oyster, VA, USA. The five multi-level samplers each equipped with 12 ports sampled a heterogeneous portion of the aquifer from 4.4 to 8 m-bgs. Each multi-level sampler (MLS) was injected with groundwater that contained NO 3 - and Br− along with: (1) just groundwater (control treatment), (2) humics, (3) lactate (conducted twice) and (4) lactate plus humics. Microbially mediated Fe(III) reduction caused the aqueous FeTot concentrations to increase at every depth in the lactate treatment with significant increases within 1 day even while NO 3 - was present. Little change in the FeTot concentrations were observed in the control and humics treatment. Humics may have acted as an electron shuttle to increase Fe(III) reduction in the lactate plus humics treatment. The amount of Mn(IV) reduction was significantly lower than that of Fe(III) reduction. Geochemical modeling indicated that gas formation, sorption on reactive surfaces, and mineral precipitation were important processes and that Fe(III) and S O 4 2 - reduction were co-occurring. Conditions were favorable for the precipitation of Fe-carbonates, Fe-sulfides and Fe-silicates. In the lactate treatment protist concentrations increased then decreased and planktonic cell concentrations steadily increased, whereas no change was observed in the control treatment. Correlations of Fe(III) reduction with physical and chemical heterogeneity were weak, probably as a result of the abundance of Fe(III) bearing minerals relative to electron donor abundance and that the push-pull test sampled a representative elemental volume that encompassed the microbial diversity within the aquifer. This work indicates that stimulating metal reduction in aquifer systems is a feasible method for remediating heterogeneous subsurface sites contaminated with metals and radionuclides.
An Elasto-Plastic Analytical Solution for the Shrink-Fit Problem with a Thin Strain-Hardening Hub and an Elastic Solid Shaft:

An analytical solution is obtained in this article for the axisymmetric shrink fit problem with a thin strain hardening hub and an elastic solid shaft. The solution is based on the deformation theory of Hencky, the yield criterion of von Mises, and the assumption of infinitesimal deformations. An elastic power law plastic material model is employed to represent the stressstrain relation of the hub material, with the compressibility of material being included. The solution is derived by using a stress formulation and with the help of a modified Nadai's auxiliary variable method and the extended Michell theorem. All expressions for the stress, strain, and displacement components are derived in explicit forms in terms of an auxiliary variable and four constant parameters that are determined from given boundary conditions by an iterative process. Three specific solutions are presented as limiting cases of the solution. Numerical results are also provided to show quantitatively applications of the solution. Th...
Cameras, Corn, Christopher Williams, and the Cold War

In the summer of 2006, I was invited to be on a jury of a photographic competition at the Museu Serralves in Porto. When I arrived, I discovered that the proceedings were taking place largely in Portuguese, which somewhat challenged my participation. Thankfully, this circumstance allowed me to spend the bulk of my two days in the museum’s temporary exhibition: Christopher Williams’s For Example: Dix-Huit Lecons Sur La Societe Industrielle (Revision 4), the fourth iteration of Williams’s presentation of a series begun in 2003. Previous exhibitions had been held at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver, the Kunstverein Braunschweig, Germany, and the Vienna Secession, and though the Serralves show contained many of the same photographs as had been displayed at these venues, it was completely different as an exhibition. I was grateful for the opportunity to spend time in Williams’s show because up until that point, though I had admired his work from afar, I had never seen a solo exhibition in the flesh. Instead I knew some catalogs and had read various essays on his work.3 Seeing the work at Serralves was an extraordinary and very
Brimonidine Blocks Glutamate Excitotoxicity-Induced Oxidative Stress and Preserves Mitochondrial Transcription Factor A in Ischemic Retinal Injury

Glutamate excitotoxicity-induced oxidative stress have been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal ischemia and optic neuropathies including glaucoma. Brimonindine (BMD), an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist, contributes to the neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) against glutamate excitotoxicity or oxidative stress. However, the molecular mechanisms of BMD-associated mitochondrial preservation in RGC protection against glutamate excitotoxicity-induced oxidative stress following retinal ischemic injury remain largely unknown. Here, we tested whether activation of alpha 2 adrenergic receptor by systemic BMD treatment blocks glutamate excitotoxicity-induced oxidative stress, and preserves the expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex in ischemic retina. Sprague-Dawley rats received BMD (1 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (0.9% saline) systemically and then transient ischemia was induced by acute intraocular pressure elevation. Systemic BMD treatment significantly increased RGC survival at 4 weeks after ischemia. At 24 hours, BMD significantly decreased Bax expression but increased Bcl-xL and phosphorylated Bad protein expression in ischemic retina. Importantly. BMD significantly blocked the upregulations of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors 1 and 2A protein expression, as well as of SOD2 protein expression in ischemic retina at 24 hours. During the early neurodegeneration following ischemic injury (12-72 hours), Tfam and OXPHOS complex protein expression were significantly increased in vehicle-treated retina. At 24 hours after ischemia, Tfam immunoreactivity was increased in the outer plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, inner plexiform layer and ganglion cell layer. Further, Tfam protein was expressed predominantly in RGCs. Finally, BMD preserved Tfam immunoreactivity in RGCs as well as Tfam/OXPHOS complex protein expression in the retinal extracts against ischemic injury. Our findings suggest that systemic BMD treatment protects RGCs by blockade of glutamate excitotoxicity-induced oxidative stress and subsequent preservation of Tfam/OXPHOS complex expression in ischemic retina.
Broad band light emission from Ag-ion implanted silicon nanocrystals

Silicon nanoparticles formed using low energy (<50 keV) silver ion implantation in crystalline Si exhibit broad band light emission from ultraviolet (UV) to green. The formation of nanoparticles is confirmed using high resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) and the resulting microscopy is used to obtain the size distribution of Si nanoparticles. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra were observed in the range of the UV to the green. The origin of emission is most likely from highly localized defects at the Si/SiO2 which is further confirmed from Photoluminescence Excitation (PLE) and effective mass theory estimation.
A technique for evaluation of centric relation tooth contacts. Part I: During normal temporomandibular joint function

An indirect method to locate the first tooth contacts in centric relation was described in this study. Mounted casts with an associated table and styli were used to locate the position of contact points in three planes. The method was tested using the anterior occlusal stop with chin point guidance and bimanual manipulation for recording centric relation. Ten records from one subject were analyzed statistically for each method. At the p less than .05 level of significance, the anterior occlusal stop produced a centric relation position more posterior than that found with bimanual manipulation. There was no statistically significant difference in the vertical and mediolateral planes. The anterior occlusal stop method produced more consistent tooth contacts in all three planes. The centric relation points found on the recording plates correlated well with the initial tooth contacts marked on the cast. This indirect method is an accurate means of recording and reevaluating changes in tooth contact positions in three planes.
Survival after resection of ampullary carcinoma: a national population-based study.

Ampullary cancer is the second most common periampullary cancer, with a resection and survival rate more favorable than that for pancreatic cancer. However, most reports have been conducted at single institutions with small sample sizes, and results may not reflect the practices and outcomes in the community. Our objective was to complete a population-based analysis of patients undergoing resection for ampullary carcinoma and compare it with outcomes in the published literature. Patients diagnosed with ampullary cancer reported in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (1988–2003) were collected. Primary outcome was survival (5-year), and secondary outcome was stage at presentation. Comparisons were made with outcomes reported in the literature (resection rate, perioperative mortality, and 5-year survival). Of the 3292 ampullary cancer patients, 1301 (40%) underwent resection. Thirty-seven percent presented with stage I tumors. Perioperative mortality (30 day) was 7.6% after resection, and 5-year survival was 36.8%. Few patients died if they survived at least 5 years. The cancer registry data showed less early stage disease, higher perioperative mortality, and lower 5-year survival compared with published reports. This is the largest population-based analysis of ampullary carcinoma. Resection rates and survival at the national level are lower, in general, compared with cancer center reports, which may have implications for regionalizing these procedures. Many patients surviving at least 5 years seem to be cured by surgical resection.
Selection rules for vibrational energy loss by resonant electron impact in polyatomic molecules

Approximate expressions for inelastic elements of the S matrix are given in terms of integrals over vibrational functions and R-matrix electron states. The magnitude and symmetry of these integrals determine the vibrations that are excited by various resonances, and the present analysis successfully predicts the spectra measured for benzene, ethylene, and formaldehyde. The recently observed s-wave component in the rotational excitation of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ is also explained by the treatment. The theory shows how vibrational excitation can give information about the symmetries of resonant electronic states. This can be particularly useful when angular distribution measurements are unavailable.