cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dinámica de la otra vida en la filosofía de Unamuno

Unamuno conceives the other life in its optimal form as a dynamism in Zubiri’s sense. He has read in the Book of Job the view of life and death as a military conscription or as a contract for hard labor. Unamuno’s short story «Juan Manso. Story of the Dead» (1892) rejects meekness and favors an existential «charging» before and after death. Unamuno’s crisis of 1897 to 1902 makes him fear the nothingness and seek relief in a passing conversion to Liberal Protestantism. But when his insecurity returns, he converts his uncertainty of salvation into a point of departure for his tragic philosophy of religion. In four successive phases, he deepens his dynamic conception of eternal life: in Life of Our Lord Don Quixote, Treatise on Love of God, The Tragic Sense of Life, and The Agony of Christianity.
Allerton Conference 2017: The Changing Landscape of Civil Practice: Technology, Ethics and Economics

The chief focus of the 2017 Allerton Conference, hosted by the Illinois State Bar’s Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, was on how technological changes have impacted the ethics and economics of legal practice in Illinois, as well as on what the future holds since further technological advances are anticipated. The Conference included a key note speaker as well as sessions on tech proficiency; less costly civil litigation practices; new business structures for legal practitioners; and, new alternative dispute resolution schemes, including out-of-court and on-line fora. Further, personal observations on the changing landscape were offered by two Illinois Supreme Court justices and several lower court Illinois judges. This reporter observed significant support from conference attendees for new lawyer mentoring schemes and for new technology education mandates for lawyers, as well as for certain changes to the Illinois court rules on discovery and on compulsory arbitrations of smaller dollar amount cases. Further, when alternative business structures are proposed, the Bench and Bar seem prepared to assess and respond quickly, with open minds focused on the pressing societal needs involving more expanded legal services that are both accessible and affordable.
Urban Neoliberal Debt Peonage: Prisoner Reentry, Work, and the New Jim Crow:

In this study, I analyze the experiences of people leaving prison and jail, using the concept of urban neoliberal debt peonage. I define urban neoliberal debt peonage as the push of race-class subj...
Risk of contralateral breast cancer according to first breast cancer characteristics among women in the USA, 1992-2016.

Estimates of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) risk in the modern treatment era by year of diagnosis and characteristics of the first breast cancer are needed to assess the impact of recent advances in breast cancer treatment and inform clinical decision making. We examined CBC risk among 419,818 women (age 30–84 years) who were diagnosed with a first unilateral invasive breast cancer and survived ≥ 1 year in the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program cancer registries from 1992 to 2015 (follow-up through 2016). CBC was defined as a second invasive breast cancer in the contralateral breast ≥ 12 months after the first breast cancer. We estimated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of CBC by year of diagnosis, age at diagnosis, and tumor characteristics for the first breast cancer. Cumulative incidence of CBC was calculated for women diagnosed with a first breast cancer in the recent treatment era (2004–2015, follow-up through 2016). Over a median follow-up of 8 years (range 1–25 years), 12,986 breast cancer patients developed CBC. Overall, breast cancer patients had approximately twice the risk of developing cancer in the contralateral breast when compared to that expected in the general population (SIR = 2.21, 95% CI = 2.17–2.25). SIRs for CBC declined by year of first diagnosis, irrespective of age at diagnosis and estrogen receptor (ER) status (p-trends < 0.001), but the strongest decline was after an ER-positive tumor. The 5-year cumulative incidence of CBC ranged from 1.01% (95% CI = 0.90–1.14%) in younger women (age < 50 years) with a first ER-positive tumor to 1.89% (95% CI = 1.61–2.21%) in younger women with a first ER-negative tumor. Declines in CBC risk are consistent with continued advances in breast cancer treatment. The updated estimates of cumulative incidence inform breast cancer patients and clinicians on the risk of CBC and may help guide treatment decisions.
Differential Behavioral and Neural Effects of Regional Cerebellar tDCS.

The human cerebellum contributes to both motor and non-motor processes. Within the cerebellum, different subregions support sensorimotor and broader cognitive functions, due to regional patterns in anatomical connectivity with the cerebral cortex and spinal and vestibular systems. We evaluated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting different cerebellar regions on language task performance and whole-brain functional activation patterns. Functional MRI data were acquired while 43 healthy young adults (15 males, 28 females; 23.3 ± 3.0 years) performed a sentence completion task before and after 20 min of 1.5 mA anodal tDCS. Participants received tDCS targeting either the anterior sensorimotor cerebellum (n = 11; 3 cm right of inion, over lobule V); the right posterolateral cerebellum (n = 18; 1 cm down and 4 cm right of inion, over lobule VII); or sham tDCS (n = 14). TDCS targeting the right posterolateral cerebellum improved task accuracy relative to the sham condition (p = 0.04) and increased activation in left frontal and temporal cortices relevant to task performance (post-tDCS > pre-tDCS; T 3.17, FDR p < 0.05 cluster correction). The regions of increased BOLD signal after right posterolateral cerebellar tDCS fell within the network showing functional connectivity with right cerebellar lobule VII, suggesting specific modulation of this network. In contrast, tDCS targeting the sensorimotor cerebellum did not impact task performance and increased BOLD signal only in one cluster extending into the precentral gyrus. These findings indicate that sensorimotor and cognitive functional cerebellar subregions differentially impact behavioral task performance and task-relevant activation patterns, further contributing to our understanding of the cerebellar modulation of motor and non-motor functions.
Modeling SARS-CoV-2 RNA Degradation in Small and Large Sewersheds

Wastewater-based epidemiology has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little is known about losses of SARS-CoV-2 in sewer networks. Here, we used advanced sewershed modeling software to simulate SARS-CoV-2 RNA loss in sewersheds across Houston, TX under various temperatures and decay rates. Moreover, a novel metric, population times travel time (PT), was proposed to identify localities with a greater likelihood of undetected COVID-19 outbreaks and to aid in the placement of upstream samplers. Findings suggest that travel time has a greater influence on viral loss across the sewershed as compared to temperature. SARS-CoV-2 viral loss at median travel times was approximately two times greater in 20 degrees Celsius wastewater between the small sewershed, Chocolate Bayou, and the larger sewershed, 69th Street. Lastly, placement of upstream samplers according to the PT metric can provide a more representative snapshot of disease incidence in large sewersheds. This study helps to elucidate discrepancies between SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater and clinical incidence of COVID-19. Incorporating travel time and SARS-CoV-2 decay can improve wastewater surveillance efforts.
SU-F-303-07: Expedited 4D Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Generalized Model and An Efficient Solution

Purpose: To establish a generalized model to guide prospective 4D magnetic resonance imaging (4DMRI) acquisition and to propose an efficient solution to expedite 4DMRI acquisition. Methods: The prospective 4DMRI acquisition process was generalized to a mathematical model with total scan time as target function and respiratory state, image contrast and image artifact as constraints. Given the irregular nature of human respiration, an efficient solution based on a greedy strategy (ESGS) was proposed in which a locally optimal decision was made at each stage with the hope to achieve a global optimum. The efficiency of the ESGS method was validated using both a simulation study and a human study. Comparisons were made to the previously reported respiratory state splitting (RSS) method. Results: The simulation study showed that the ESGS method reduced the total scan time by 37% compared to the RSS method. The average total scan time was below 9 minutes. The human subject study confirmed that high quality T2 weighted 4DMRI with 10 amplitude based respiratory states could be achieved in 7.3 minutes using the ESGE method. The breathing motion of the liver can be easily visualized on the acquired images. The reconstructed coronal plane images were free of motion artifact. Conclusion: We demonstrated the generalized model’s capability to guide the acquisition of high quality 4DMRI images and the ESGS method’s superiority in substantially reducing the prospective 4DMRI acquisition time.
Catalysis of α-Iminoglutarate Formation from α-Ketoglutarate and Ammonia by Bovine Glutamate Dehydrogenase

Abstract Bovine glutamate dehydrogenase, in the absence of coenzyme, was shown to catalyze the reversible formation of α-iminoglutarate from α-ketoglutarate and ammonia. The α-iminoglutarate was determined as glutamate following reductive trapping with sodium borohydride or sodium dithionite. The majority of the glutamate isolated was in the l configuration, indicating that a corresponding amount of the α-iminoglutarate was bound to the enzyme surface when it was reduced. Rates and equilibria for the nonenzymatic and enzymatic formation of α-iminoglutarate were determined. The amount formed in ½ min in the presence of enzyme was equivalent to 10% of the normal enzyme-mediated production of glutamate under the same conditions in the presence of NADH. The equilibrium concentration of α-imino-glutarate was increased in the presence of enzyme, indicating a binding of 0.3 mole per subunit of enzyme. This increment was about the same as the quantity of excess l isomer of glutamate formed from borohydride reduction. Substrate-competitive inhibitors decreased the amount of bound α-iminoglutarate to the same extent that they inhibited the normal catalytic reaction with NADH, and allosteric modifiers ADP, GTP, and methylmercuric chloride exerted effects on the amount of bound α-iminoglutarate reciprocal to the effects on the enzymatic reaction. Thus ADP and methylmercuric chloride decreased bound α-iminoglutarate and stimulated the catalytic reaction, and GTP increased the bound α-iminoglutarate and inhibited the enzyme catalysis. It was concluded that the rate-determining step in the measured net formation of α-iminoglutarate may have been the dissociation of α-iminoglutarate from the enzyme, and the allosteric modifiers probably acted by changing this rate. In the normal enzyme catalysis, the reduction in situ by NADH and subsequent dissociation of glutamate would presumably have a rate faster than α-iminoglutarate release. The enzyme did not catalyze the formation of N-alkyl-iminoglutarates when methylamine or benzylamine replaced ammonia. The synthesis and properties of d- and l-N-benzylpyroglutamic acid are described.
Asymmetric synchronous collaboration within distributed teams

Teams performing physical tasks must often be distributed in space, and are often organized hierarchically. This means that systems to support collaboration between members must account for the asymmetry in physical environment, organizational roles, and available technology. Using urban search and rescue as an example, we first describe the factors that cause this asymmetry. We then discuss the way information should be shared, and the type of awareness that should be supported. We suggest the use of very different display and interaction devices for operators at the organizational levels, to complement their situations and needs.
Activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling by extracts of teak and other wood dusts

Wood dusts, as a group, are categorized as known human carcinogens, but the risks of exposure to specific types of wood dusts and the carcinogenic chemicals they contain are not well studied. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that is linked to the carcinogenic action of specific classes of chemicals. Here we examined whether chemicals in various wood dusts had the potential to activate AhR signaling as a potential toxic mechanism of action. We found that methanol extracts of teak, walnut, mahogany, and poplar dusts contained a wide range of AhR ligand activity, whereas extracts of oak, pine, and other softwoods did not contain appreciable activity. Teak dust extract, being particularly potent, was subjected to chemical analysis. The 2-methylanthraquinone (2-MAQ) accounted for the AhR ligand activity and was present at an average concentration of 0.27 parts per hundred in teak dust. Pure 2-MAQ potently induced AhR signaling (EC50 115 nM), confirming that this was the active ligand. Aqueous extracts of teak dust made using yeast or mammalian cell culture medium also contained robust AhR activity, suggesting the 2-MAQ ligand is soluble at bioactive concentrations in physiologically relevant fluids. The high concentration and potency of 2-MAQ in teak wood suggest it may mediate toxic effects through activation of AhR signaling in exposed wood workers.
A Diffeomorphism-Invariant Cut-Off Regularization of the Determinant of a Scalar Particle in a Euclidean Gravitational Field

Continuing the thrust of our recent work, but with an important new idea, we find a cut-off regularization of the determinant of a scalar particle in a classical Euclidean gravitational field. The field is assumed asymptotically flat, and the regularization is diffeomorphism-invariant under coordinate changes that are the identity at infinity. The scalar field is expanded in term of variables that depend on the gravitational field, with wavelet localization of each variable. A renormalization group structure is thus automatically present. A similar construction is carried out for the determinant of a scalar field in a background Yang-Mills field.
The Library Future:: Computers

The factor that will influence American libraries most in the next decade is the computer. Another major influence on libraries is falling budgets relative to the cost of library materials. In the next ten years we should see a tremendous growth in automation, with online catalogs becoming much more numerous and successful. They will become the central databases for integrated library-wide systems used for acquisitions and circulation. Serials may be more difficult to integrate into these automated systems, however. The crying need for research libraries in the next decade-a national information network-is likely to be unfilled. Finally, the author expresses less than profound faith in his predictions.
Nonspecific Inhibition of the Motor System during Response Preparation.

Motor system excitability is transiently inhibited during the preparation of responses. Previous studies have attributed this inhibition to the operation of two mechanisms, one hypothesized to help resolve competition between alternative response options, and the other to prevent premature response initiation. By this view, inhibition should be restricted to task-relevant muscles. Although this prediction is supported in one previous study (Duque et al., 2010), studies of stopping ongoing actions suggest that some forms of motor inhibition may be widespread (Badry et al., 2009). This motivated us to conduct a series of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) experiments to examine in detail the specificity of preparatory inhibition in humans. Motor-evoked potentials were inhibited in task-irrelevant muscles during response preparation, even when the muscles were contralateral and not homologous to the responding effector. Inhibition was also observed in both choice and simple response task conditions, with and without a preparatory interval. Control experiments ruled out that this inhibition is due to expectancy of TMS or a possible need to cancel the prepared response. These findings suggest that motor inhibition during response preparation broadly influences the motor system and likely reflects a process that occurs whenever a response is selected. We propose a reinterpretation of the functional significance of preparatory inhibition, one by which inhibition reduces noise to enhance signal processing and modulates the gain of a selected response. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Motor preparation entails the recruitment of excitatory and inhibitory neural mechanisms. The current experiments address the specificity of inhibitory mechanisms, asking whether preparatory inhibition affects task-irrelevant muscles. Participants prepared a finger movement to be executed at the end of a short delay period. Transcranial magnetic stimulation over primary motor cortex provided an assay of corticospinal excitability. Consistent with earlier work, the agonist muscle for the forthcoming response was inhibited during the preparatory period. Moreover, this inhibition was evident in task-irrelevant muscles, although the magnitude of inhibition depended on whether the response was fixed or involved a choice. These results implicate a broadly tuned inhibitory mechanism that facilitates response preparation, perhaps by lowering background activity before response initiation.
Elemental composition of the estuarine teleost Fundulus heteroclitus (L.)

Abstract Elements that were consistently present in whole ashed Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) as determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy were Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Sr, and Zn; not measurable were Ag, Al, Au, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Li, Ni, Pb, Rb, and Tl. This pattern was not affected by the age of the fish, its sexual condition, or the season of collection. Changes in whole body content of selected elements were observed with increasing age: in the range between 46 and 118 mm total body length, large fish contained more Ca and Sr of less K, Mg, Na,and Zn than small fish; Fundulus intermediate in size exhibited intermediate values for these elements. On an ash weight basis, heads were comparatively low in K, Fe, Mg, Zn, and Sr and carcasses comparatively high in K and low in Cu, Fe, Sr, and Na. Viscera contained high concentrations of most elements when compared with heads and carcasses, especially Fe, Zn, Sr, and Cu. In a study of the effect on whole body elemental content of two size ranges of Fundulus, at two water temperatures, two salinities, and two acclimatization periods, we found that Fundulus 84 mm in length contained more Ca, and less Cu, K, Mg, Na, and Zn per unit weight than those measuring 47 mm. Within each size group, fish kept at 5 or 20 °C at salinities of 9%0 or 27%0 exhibited essentially the same elemental composition after 30 days: however, fish held for 30 days when compared with those held for only three days contained significantly less Ca, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Mn. In another study on effects of three sea-water formulations, two feed frequencies, and two medium replacement rates on whole body elemental composition, changes were least pronounced during a 30-day period among fish that were fed daily as compared with weekly, that were held in a sea-water formulation developed by our laboratory as compared with natural sea water or a commercial preparation, and among groups with the medium replaced twice weekly compared with no replacement. Selected data on the elemental composition of other species of teleosts and elasmobranchs are presented and discussed.
Interactions of Diabatic Heating in Convective Superbursts with Energy Conversion Processes in the Genesis of Cape Verde Hurricanes from African Easterly Waves

AbstractThis paper defines a mechanism for the genesis of tropical cyclones from African easterly waves (AEWs) over the eastern Atlantic, the so-called Cape Verde storms. Convective “superbursts” produce strong diabatic heating, which then strengthens the African easterly jet (AEJ), leading to enhanced barotropic energy conversions, which occur at the critical developmental stages of the system.Diabatic heating is calculated using the Ertel isentropic potential vorticity (IPV) equation, while energy conversions are determined using energy equations first derived by Lorenz. The genesis mechanism is developed from studying Hurricane Bill (2009), as well as Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Helene, and a nondeveloping AEW, all from the 2006 NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (NAMMA) field experiment, using the NCEP Final (FNL) analyses and the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-ARW) simulations.A striking and singular maximum in the diabatic heating due to the convective...
A posteriori aircraft control signal recovery via sparsity-inducing norm minimization

The inclusion of large-scale data-monitoring and data-storage systems has presented researchers with new methods and opportunities for understanding air traffic systems. Traditionally, the study of air traffic systems has required laborious real-time monitoring of human pilots and controllers for analysis that yields only qualitative descriptions of the subjects' behavior. Computer systems can rapidly automate many analysis processes on historical data sets covering weeks, months, and even years. This paper takes a step in the direction of data-driven analysis by introducing an off-line algorithm for detecting aircraft trajectory changes in heading, speed, and altitude. The algorithm recovers control signal inputs (e.g. heading changes) via sparsity-inducing norm minimization. The algorithm is able to overcome noise in position measurements to construct reliable estimates of the number of maneuvers and inter-maneuver aircraft states (e.g. ground-speed, heading, and their derivatives).
Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: associations with homozygosity for the C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase mutation.

Abstract The association between nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and coagulation disorders was prospectively assessed at least 3 months after the occurrence of ocular vascular events in 12 white patients in an outpatient clinical research center. Two community-based ophthalmologists evaluated the 12 NAION patients in the consecutive order of their referral. Polymerase chain reaction–complementary DNA assays of gene mutations associated with coagulation disorders and serologic coagulation measurements in study patients were compared with those in 36 healthy, normal race-, sex-, and age-matched controls, with 3 controls matched for each case. Of the 12 patients, 4 men and 8 women (mean age 62 ± 15 years, 3 of them 55 years or older), 8 had unilateral NAION (bilateral in 4). The 12 patients with NAION were more likely than controls to demonstrate homozygosity for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutation (50% vs 11 %; Fisher's P = .009, with the likelihood of a type I error quite small, 0.9%). Our sample size had a power of 80% to detect this case-control difference in C677T MTHFR homozygosity at an α value of .05. Of the 12 NAION patients, 7 (58%) had at least 1 gene mutation in the C677T MTHFR, G1691A V Leiden, or G20210A prothrombin gene, compared with 5 of 36 controls (14%) (χ2 = 9.48, P =. 002, with the likelihood of a type I error quite small, 0.2%). Our sample size had a power of 85% to detect this case-control difference at alpha =. 05. Of the 8 women with NAION, 5 (63%) first experienced the condition while taking hormone replacement therapy (n = 4) or during pregnancy (n = 1), with superposition of estrogen-induced thrombophilia on heritable thrombophilia and hypofibrinolysis. Confirmation of a causal relationship between coagulation disorders and NAION should facilitate its preven tion and treatment and help protect against thrombi in other vascular beds.
Degenerates with Dusty Disks: White Dwarfs and Cataclysmic Variables in the Infrared

Recent infrared observations, particularly from the Spitzer Space Telescope and Widefield Infrared Survey Explorer, of white dwarfs, cataclysmic variables and other interacting compact binaries, have revealed the presence of dust in many systems. I briefly review the discovery and observational properties of dust around white dwarfs and cataclysmic variables.
The maintenance of therapeutic effect in children with enuresis. A follow-up study.

This study focuses on the ability of enuretic children, 5 to 14 years of age, to maintain therapeutic gains resulting from a 3 month psychologically oriented treatment with several newer psychopharmacologic agents. One-hundred and sixty-one treated enuretic children were evaluated 18 months after a final clinic visit. Average progress was maintained, and those children who made the greater gains during treatment exhibited the greater tendency to maintain progress. The therapeutic implications and the issue of spontaneous remission are discussed.
Ab Initio and Density Functional Theory Calculations on Heteroatom Analogues of Trimethylenemethane Radical Ions. Can a Quartet Be the Ground State

To answer the question, “Can a quartet be the ground state of heteroatom analogues of trimethylenemethane (TMM)?”, B3LYP, CASSCF, and CASPT2 calculations have been performed on the lowest doublet and quartet states of the positive and negative radical ions of TMM and of several heteroatom-substituted analogues. Of the molecules on which calculations were performed, all those containing three π electrons, including AlO3•, were found to have doublet ground states. However, a quartet ground state was computed for O(SiH2)3•+, a radical ion containing five π electrons. Calculations on H3• and HeH3• models revealed a similar difference between the three- and five-electron cases. A doublet was computed to be the ground state of H3• at all D3h geometries, but at some He−H distances the quartet was computed to be the ground state of D3h HeH3•. The model calculations lead to an explanation of why radicals containing three π electrons are all predicted to have doublet ground states; whereas, the quartet is computed ...
Pathology of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: A ten-year experience

We reiewed pathology specimens from 84 patients seen during a 10-year period with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, and these findings were correlated with clinical features. Coagulation (ischemic) necrosis, inflammation, and bacterial overgrowth were all present in the intestine of nearly all patients but with individual variability in the severity of these findings. Overall, coagulation necrosis was more severe than any other finding in most infants, indicating the importance of ischemia in the pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis. Reparative tissue changes such as epithelial regeneration, granulation tissue formation, and fibrosis, found in two thirds of cases, suggested ongoing tissue injury of at least several days' duration. Birth weight, Apgar score, age, feeding status, and the presence of respiratory distress syndrome were not correlated with any particular histologic feature. The pathologic changes of necrotizing enterocolitis suggest that its cause is multifactorial, with ischemia, inflammation, bacterial overgrowth, and reparative tissue changes all playing important roles.
Kinetic analysis of the swimming behavior of the goldfish, Carassius auratus, exposed to nickel: hypoactivity induced by sublethal concentrations.

The discharge of nickel into aquatic environments from numerous industries poses a threat to fish populations because of its toxcity. Although little is known, however, about the precise mechanism of its toxicity in freshwater fish, it produces some of the symptoms associated with heavy-metal poisoning in general; it accumulates in fish tissues and results in alterations in gill structure, including hypertrophy of respiratory and mucous cells, separation of the epithelial layer from the pillar cell system, cauterization and sloughing, and necrosis of the epithelium. The destruction of the gill lamellae decreases the ventilation rate and if severe, as after acute exposure, may cause blood hypoxia and death. The effects of short-term exposure of fish to sublethal concentrations of nickel and not as well defined. The kinetic method of Ellgaard et al., which uses locomotor activity to assess the general health of fish, is ideally suited to examine whether sublethal concentrations of nickel adversely affect fish. In previous studies, the measured changes in locomotor activity observed when fish are exposed to pollutants correlate with more specific changes, e.g., physiological, biochemical, histological or neurosensory changes, which occur under the same conditions. Thus, the kinetic method also meets the criterial for pollution earlymore » warning systems as discussed by Cairns and van der Schale. This method has previously been used to demonstrate that short-term exposure to sublethal concentrations of the heavy metals cadmium, chromium, and zinc and copper are detrimental to the health of bluegills. The present study examines the effects of short-term exposures of sublethal concentrations of nickel on the locomotor activity of the goldfish, Carassius auratus. 11 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less
Predicting smoking stage of change among emergency department patients and visitors

Objectives: Little is known about whether emergency department (ED) patients or those who accompany them (visitors) are interested in smoking cessation. The authors hypothesized that several variables would be associated with stage of change, including nicotine dependence, self-efficacy, presence of a smoking-related illness, and anticipated cessation-related health improvement. Methods: For two 24-hour periods, consecutive patients and visitors aged 18 years and older presenting to four Boston EDs were interviewed. The authors assessed a range of smoking-related constructs. Exclusion criteria included severe illness, cognitive insufficiency, and acute distress. Results: One thousand ten subjects were screened (56% patients, 44% visitors). Two hundred thirty-seven (23%) subjects were current smokers, with 57% being in precontemplation, 31% in contemplation, and 12% in preparation stages. When ordinal regression was used, the variables most strongly associated with stage of change were as follows: self-efficacy (odds ratio [OR] = 5.1; p < 0.001), anticipated cessation-related health improvement (OR = 2.7; p = 0.02), and having a smoking-related health problem (OR = 1.9; p = 0.08). Conclusions: Because many disenfranchised Americans use the ED as a regular source of health care, increased attention to smoking in the ED setting holds tremendous public health potential. This study's results reinforce the validity of the stage-of-change model within the ED setting. Developers of ED-initiated interventions will have to consider the heterogeneity in stage of change when designing their treatments.
Undergraduate Agriculture Curricula in Sustainability: An Evaluation Across Borders

ABSTRACT This paper focused on the evaluation of undergraduate study programs in agriculture for a selected group of universities from Louisiana and Texas in the US, and France and Italy. Eight samples of graduating students (n = 20) from each institution participated in a quantitative survey. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with sixteen respondents (one faculty member and one administrator of each university). A document analysis review provided more qualitative data on the foundations of agricultural curricula at these institutions and other schools around the world. Such a variety of data collection methodologies allowed for a triangulation of the results, which enhanced the validity of the study. Every university recognized the emergence of a sustainable agriculture model, despite the curricular diversity across national borders and the different levels of sensitivity toward the issue. Although more work is needed to incorporate sustainable agriculture principles in the agricultural...
Drug Resistance in B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Predictable by In Vitro Evaluation with a Multiparameter Flow Cytometric Cytotoxicity Assay

Background: Patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) often demonstrate variable responses to similar treatments. It would be highly desirable to develop a personalized therapeutic strategy for selection of appropriate drugs or regimens based on the drug sensitivity profiles of leukemic cells from individuals. Methods: We applied a multiparameter flow cytometric drug cytotoxicity assay to evaluate drug effects specifically on B-CLL cells from 43 individuals after leukemic cells were incubated in vitro with fludarabine, chlorambucil, cladribine, or prednisolone. Results: We demonstrated that different B-CLL cell populations from 43 individuals showed a marked variability in drug sensitivity. In vitro resistance to fludarabine was greatest in B-CLL cells with deletions of p53, a cytogenetic abnormality that is almost invariably associated with a poor therapeutic response clinically. Conclusions: In vitro drug sensitivity profiles analyzed by a multiparameter flow cytometric cytotoxicity assay may serve as a tool to facilitate individualized selection of appropriate drugs for treatment in B-CLL. Prospective trials will be needed to validate the clinical utility of this flow cytometric cytotoxicity assay. q 2007
USE OF TENSIOMETERS IN MEASURING AVAILABILITY OF WATER TO PLANTS.

Efforts by several investigators to measure availability of water to plants by vapor pressure (2,12) and other methods (10,14) have indicated that the potential of water at the permanent wilting percentage is approximately 16 x 10e ergs per gram, whereas others (1, 11) have obtained results which indicate somewhat lower values. A great many experiments (3, 4, 5, 6, 13) have demonstrated that soil moisture seems to be equally available to plants at all times, as measured by the response of plants, as the moisture content is decreased from a high value to about the permanent wilting percentage. This conclusion seems to be general for all plants which have been studied. Evidently plants do not respond markedly enough to show any change in availability of water until the soil moisture is reduced to about the permanent wilting percentage. On the other hand, physical measurements show that the energy required to remove water from the soil, changes materially as the soil-moisture content decreases. It was surprising therefore, when Rogers (9) found, while working with strawberry plants in pots, that the plants wilted severely at a tension of 60 cm. of mercury (potential of 0.8 ? 10e ergs per gram). Furthermore, his illustration shows plants wilted slightly at 47 centimeters (0.6 x 10e ergs per gram). The maximum potential measurable by tensiometers is less than 1 x 10e ergs per gram. The work reported herein was undertaken largely in an effort to explain this apparent discrepancy.
Aluminum Nitride nano-plate infrared sensor with self-sustained CMOS oscillator for nano-watts range power detection

This paper presents, for the first time, a fast (thermal time constant of 1.3 ms) and sensitive (responsivity of 310 Hz/μW) Infrared detector consisting of an Aluminum Nitride (AlN) nano-plate resonator (NPR) connected to a compact and low power CMOS self-sustained oscillator (fabricated in the AMIS 0.5 μm CMOS process) as a direct frequency readout. A high performance (quality factor Q = 1283 and electromechanical coupling coefficient kt2 = 1.56%) MEMS resonant structure based on a thin AlN (250 nm thick) NPR coated with Si3N4 (100 nm thick) as IR absorber was fabricated and tested, showing a measured temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of -35 ppm/K and FEM simulated temperature rise factor of 72.5 mK/μW. Thanks to the high electromechanical performance of the MEMS resonator, a compact and low power (2.3 mW) self-sustained CMOS oscillator circuit was used as a direct frequency readout, enabling the demonstration of a novel uncooled IR detector with a low Noise Equivalent Power (NEP) of 3.5 nW/Hz1/2.
Computer emulated oral exams: rationale and implementation of cue-free interactive computerised tests.

Some of the shortcomings of multiple choice and short essay tests in medical school can be overcome by using computer assisted testing. It is difficult, however, to use even these tests to effectively examine reasoning and decision making ability. Traditionally, these skills have been most effectively tested by oral examination. Oral exams, however, have severe drawbacks, paramount among which is the faculty time involved. This constraint and other limitations of oral examinations can be alleviated by using the computer to emulate oral testing. This paper describes recently developed software which makes this possible. Preliminary use of this software on microcomputers with a medical school class is described and the implications of this experience are discussed.
The Canonical Notch Signaling Pathway: Unfolding the Activation Mechanism

Notch signaling regulates many aspects of metazoan development and tissue renewal. Accordingly, the misregulation or loss of Notch signaling underlies a wide range of human disorders, from developmental syndromes to adult-onset diseases and cancer. Notch signaling is remarkably robust in most tissues even though each Notch molecule is irreversibly activated by proteolysis and signals only once without amplification by secondary messenger cascades. In this Review, we highlight recent studies in Notch signaling that reveal new molecular details about the regulation of ligand-mediated receptor activation, receptor proteolysis, and target selection.
Metal-induced sequential transitions among DNA conformations.

The action of [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 on poly(dGdC) · poly(dGdC) can lead to a series of consecutive reactions, in which B-DNA is first converted to Z-DNA [M. Behe and G. Felsenfeld (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA78, 1619–1623], which in turn is transformed into an unidentified conformer that we tentatively call “U”, and finally the highly associated anisotropic ψ-DNA is produced. Conditions are given under which the sequence B ⇄ Z ⇄ “U” ψ(+) can be stopped at any point in the direction from left to right. The reverse processes, from right to left, occur when ψ(+) or “U”-DNA are treated with various amounts of salt concentrations and lowering temperature. Thus it is demonstrated that four conformers of poly(dGdC) · poly(dGdC) are readily interconvertible, and that Z-DNA and “U” conformers are intermediates in the reversible transformations of B- and ψ-DNA.
Detectability of simulated brain activation using dual radioisotope SPECT based on size and intensity of the focal hyperactivity.

Rationale and Objectives. Simultaneous single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) neuroimaging with both technetium-99m ( 99m Tc) hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) and iodine-123 ( 123 I) N -isopropyl-iodoamphetamine is a recently introduced method with potential for assessing activation phenomena in the brain. However, there is limited information on the accuracy of the technique for detecting focal cortical sites of neuroactivation. We determined, in vitro, what levels of activation could be detected as a function of the size of the activated region. Methods. A Lucite brain phantom was filled with both 123 I and 99m Tc so as to simulate both a nonactivated state ( 123 I) along with focal sites of activation ( 99m Tc). Simulated activations ranged from 0 to 18% in volumes of 7, 14, 20, and 27 cm 3 . Imaging was performed with a triple-detector gamma camera using a 10% symmetric window at 140 keV and 10% asymmetric window around 159 keV. No correction was made for gamma cross-talk. To determine whether a simulated activation was “detected,” the 99m Tc: 123 I count ratios in the activated regions were compared by t test with ratios in nonactivated regions of similar volume. Detection sensitivities also were calculated as the fraction of the activated 99m Tc: 123 I ratios that were greater than the mean + 2 standard deviations of the corresponding nonactivated ratios. Results. All sites of simulated activations of 10% or greater were detected. The detection sensitivity was 100% (95% confidence interval, 90–100%) for the two largest chambers with simulated activations of 13–18%. Activations in the 3–6% range, in the same-sized chambers, were detected with a limited sensitivity (67% with a confidence interval of 45–84%). In the 14-cm 3 chamber, simulated activations in the 13–18% range were detected with 90% sensitivity (confidence interval, 74–98%). In general, the detection sensitivity was greater for larger chambers and higher levels of simulated activation. Conclusion. We conclude that the dual-radioisotope technique using triple-detector SPECT systems and low-energy all-purpose (LEAP) collimators should be highly reliable for identifying focal brain activations above 13% that cover at least 14 cm 3 of brain cortex. Smaller, less intense sites of activation will be detected with reduced frequency. These conclusions are based on our assessment of only the physical parameters involved in this methodology and other factors (e.g., the possibility that the relation between cerebral radiotracer concentration and regional cerebral blood flow) may affect the results obtained with patients.
Prenatal exposure to ethanol during late gestation facilitates operant self-administration of the drug in 5-day-old rats

Abstract Prenatal ethanol exposure modifies postnatal affinity to the drug, increasing the probability of ethanol use and abuse. The present study tested developing rats (5-day-old) in a novel operant technique to assess the degree of ethanol self-administration as a result of prenatal exposure to low ethanol doses during late gestation. On a single occasion during each of gestational days 17–20, pregnant rats were intragastrically administered ethanol 1 g/kg, or water (vehicle). On postnatal day 5, pups were tested on a novel operant conditioning procedure in which they learned to touch a sensor to obtain 0.1% saccharin, 3% ethanol, or 5% ethanol. Immediately after a 15-min training session, a 6-min extinction session was given in which operant behavior had no consequence. Pups were positioned on a smooth surface and had access to a touch-sensitive sensor. Physical contact with the sensor activated an infusion pump, which served to deliver an intraoral solution as reinforcement (Paired group). A Yoked control animal evaluated at the same time received the reinforcer when its corresponding Paired pup touched the sensor. Operant behavior to gain access to 3% ethanol was facilitated by prenatal exposure to ethanol during late gestation. In contrast, operant learning reflecting ethanol reinforcement did not occur in control animals prenatally exposed to water only. Similarly, saccharin reinforcement was not affected by prenatal ethanol exposure. These results suggest that in 5-day-old rats, prenatal exposure to a low ethanol dose facilitates operant learning reinforced by intraoral administration of a low-concentration ethanol solution. This emphasizes the importance of intrauterine experiences with ethanol in later susceptibility to drug reinforcement. The present operant conditioning technique represents an alternative tool to assess self-administration and seeking behavior during early stages of development.
Visual enhancement of myelinated tissues in the central nervous system of the rat using Sudan black B.

Abstract : This report investigated the quantitative distribution of radio labelled compounds in the central nervous system of the rate using autoradiographic techniques. To complement our autoradiographic images, we searched for a suitable fiber stain delineating myelinated structures using fresh frozen tissue. Surprisingly, the majority of staining procedures were exclusive to fixed tissues. These techniques applied to fresh frozen brain tissue produced poor differentiation of myelinated and nonmyelinated areas and were generally unsatisfactory. Therefore, we preformed a series of studies using lipid soluble dyes such as oil red O, Luxol fast blue, hematoxylin and Nile blue in an effort to enhance differentiation of myelin. We found Sudan black B to be superior to enhance differentiation of myelin. We found Sudan black B to be superior for our purpose.
Morphology of flightlessness in Chendytes, fossil seaducks (Anatidae: Mergini) of coastal California

ABSTRACT The anatid genus Chendytes comprises two species from the Pleistocene and early Holocene of California: the comparatively large C. lawi and the smaller (poorly represented) C. milleri. Osteological comparisons confirm that Chendytes is a member of the Mergini, probably most closely related to the eiders (Somateria). Peculiarities of the pectoral skeleton of C. lawi include features of the humerus, ulna, and carpometacarpus. C. lawi exceeded the largest extant seaduck, the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima), in most dimensions of the skull and pelvic limb. Pectoral reduction in C. lawi was among the most extensive known for Anseriformes; reductions in C. milleri were of lesser magnitude. Distal wing elements of C. lawi had undergone the greatest shortening, whereas the elongate pelvic limb of C. lawi was characterized by disproportionately short femora and long tibiotarsi. Based on femur lengths and body masses of modern Mergini, estimated body masses of C. lawi and C. milleri are 2,550–3,700 g a...
Transport in heterogeneous sediments with multimodal conductivity and hierarchical organization across scales

Abstract We consider here the Lagrangian approach for stochastic modeling of the transport of inert solutes in porous media. A general global covariance function of log conductivity in sediments with hierarchical organization has been developed by combining proportions, transition probabilities, and covariances of log conductivity. The global integral scale is derived from the global covariance function with two types of correlation lengths: integral scales of local log conductivity and correlation scale of indicator space functions. The macrodispersion coefficients have been derived for the solute transport in two- and three-dimensional domains. An example is used to illustrate the time evolution trends and the relative contributions of the auto and cross terms. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the values of macrodispersion coefficients are positively related to the changes of indicator correlation scale, integral scale and the difference of the mean log conductivity between different units. But, in this example the macrodispersion coefficients are more sensitive to the indicator correlation scale than to the integral scale. The cross term in the macrodispersion coefficients has an increasing contribution when the contrast of the mean log conductivity increases. Under the condition of high contrast of log conductivity between different units, only the cross terms contribute to the macrodispersion coefficients and the auto terms can be ignored. At the large time limit, the longitudinal coefficient shows clearly a linear dependence on the global variance of log conductivity.