cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tau pathology associates with in vivo cortical thinning in Lewy body disorders.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) co-pathology on an in vivo structural measure of neurodegeneration in Lewy body disorders (LBD). METHODS We studied 72 LBD patients (Parkinson disease (PD) = 2, PD-MCI = 25, PD with dementia = 10, dementia with Lewy bodies = 35) with either CSF analysis or neuropathological examination and structural MRI during life. The cohort was divided into those harboring significant AD co-pathology, either at autopsy (intermediate/high AD neuropathologic change) or with CSF signature indicating AD co-pathology (t-tau/Aβ1-42 > 0.3) (LBD+AD, N = 19), and those without AD co-pathology (LBD-AD, N = 53). We also included a reference group of 25 patients with CSF biomarker-confirmed amnestic AD. We investigated differences in MRI cortical thickness estimates between groups, and in the 21 autopsied LBD patients (LBD-AD = 14, LBD+AD = 7), directly tested the association between antemortem MRI and post-mortem burdens of tau, Aβ, and alpha-synuclein using digital histopathology in five representative neocortical regions. RESULTS The LBD+AD group was characterized by cortical thinning in anterior/medial and lateral temporal regions (P < 0.05 FWE-corrected) relative to LBD-AD. In LBD+AD, cortical thinning was most pronounced in temporal neocortex, whereas the AD reference group showed atrophy that equally encompassed temporal, parietal and frontal neocortex. In autopsied LBD, we found an inverse correlation with cortical thickness and post-mortem tau pathology, while cortical thickness was not significantly associated with Aβ or alpha-synuclein pathology. INTERPRETATION LBD+AD is characterized by temporal neocortical thinning on MRI, and cortical thinning directly correlated with post-mortem histopathologic burden of tau, suggesting that tau pathology influences the pattern of neurodegeneration in LBD.
Topological flatness of local models for ramified unitary groups. II. The even dimensional case

Local models are schemes, defined in terms of linear-algebraic moduli problems, which are used to model the etale-local structure of integral models of certain -adic PEL Shimura varieties defined by Rapoport and Zink. In the case of a unitary similitude group whose localization at is ramified, quasi-split , Pappas has observed that the original local models are typically not flat, and he and Rapoport have introduced new conditions to the original moduli problem which they conjecture to yield a flat scheme. In a previous paper, we proved that their new local models are topologically flat when is odd. In the present paper, we prove topological flatness when is even. Along the way, we characterize the -admissible set for certain cocharacters in types and , and we show that for these cocharacters admissibility can be characterized in a vertexwise way, confirming a conjecture of Pappas and Rapoport.
Multicenter, Head-to-Head, Real-World Validation Study of Seven Automated Artificial Intelligence Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Systems. Diabetes Care 2021;44:XXXX-XXXX.

We thank Dr. Soliz for his expedient comments (1) regarding our work evaluating seven artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in a head-to-head fashion (2). We welcome the opportunity to clarify these points of concern. We agree that the two U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved diabetic retinopathy (DR) systems, one of which was tested in our study, use a threshold of moderate nonproliferative DR (NPDR) or higher for referral. We set the threshold to any DR versus no DR because that represents the clinical practice at the Veterans Affairs (VA) teleretinal system, as stated in our methods. All participating companies were aware of the study threshold prior to submitting their algorithms and were allowed to adjust their algorithms accordingly. As the VA manages one of the largest teleretinal screening systems in the U.S., …
Interactive relations between maternal prenatal stress, fetal brain connectivity, and gestational age at delivery.

Studies reporting significant associations between maternal prenatal stress and child outcomes are frequently confounded by correlates of prenatal stress that influence the postnatal rearing environment. The major objective of this study is to identify whether maternal prenatal stress is associated with variation in human brain functional connectivity prior to birth. We utilized fetal fMRI in 118 fetuses [48 female; mean age 32.9 weeks (SD = 3.87)] to evaluate this association and further addressed whether fetal neural differences were related to maternal health behaviors, social support, or birth outcomes. Community detection was used to empirically define networks and enrichment was used to isolate differential within- or between-network connectivity effects. Significance for χ2 enrichment was determined by randomly permuting the subject pairing of fetal brain connectivity and maternal stress values 10,000 times. Mixtures modelling was used to test whether fetal neural differences were related to maternal health behaviors, social support, or birth outcomes. Increased maternal prenatal negative affect/stress was associated with alterations in fetal frontoparietal, striatal, and temporoparietal connectivity (β = 0.82, p < 0.001). Follow-up analysis demonstrated that these associations were stronger in women with better health behaviors, more positive interpersonal support, and lower overall stress (β = 0.16, p = 0.02). Additionally, magnitude of stress-related differences in neural connectivity was marginally correlated with younger gestational age at delivery (β = −0.18, p = 0.05). This is the first evidence that negative affect/stress during pregnancy is reflected in functional network differences in the human brain in utero, and also provides information about how positive interpersonal and health behaviors could mitigate prenatal brain programming.
Relative energetics of CH3CH2O, CH3CHOH, and CH2CH2OH radical products from ethanol dehydrogenation.

This study has examined the relative energetics of nine stationary points associated with the three different radical isomers generated by removing a H atom from ethanol at the O atom (ethoxy, CH3CH2O), the α C atom (CH3CHOH), and the β C atom (CH2CH2OH). For the first time, CCSD(T) geometry optimizations and harmonic vibrational frequency computations with the cc-pVTZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets have been carried out to characterize two unique minima for each isomer along with three transition state structures with Cs symmetry. Explicitly correlated CCSD(T) computations were also performed to estimate the relative energetics of these nine stationary points near the complete basis set limit. These benchmark results were used to assess the performance of various density functional theory (DFT) and wave function theory methods, and they will help guide method selection for future studies of alcohols and their radicals. The structures generated by abstracting H from the α C atom have significantly lower electronic energies (by at least 7 kcal mol−1) than the CH3CH2O and CH2CH2OH radicals. Although previously reported as a minimum on the ground-state surface, the 2A″ Cs structure of the ethoxy radical was found to be a transition state in this study with MP2, CCSD(T), and a number of DFT methods. An implicit solvation model used in conjunction with DFT and MP2 methods did not qualitatively change the relative energies of the isomers, but the results suggest that the local minima for the CH3CHOH and CH2CH2OH radicals could become more energetically competitive in condensed phase environments, such as liquid water and ethanol.
INFLUENCE OF MORPHOLOGY ON THE VISCOELASTIC BEHAVIOR OF A SOLVENT­ CAST S-B-S BLOCK COPOLYMER

It has recently been demonstrated in the literature that styrene block copolymers give rise to different morphological structures depending on the condition of sample preparation. Thus polymers cast from benzene will have a butadiene-continuous matrix in which are embedded polystyrene regions. On the other hand, methyl ethyl ketone/tetrahydrofuran mixture will render the sample styrene-continuous. In this work we have carried out stress-relation measurements on Kraton 101 over an extended temperature range (-150°C to 100°C). Viscoelastic master ciirves were constructed that cover 25 decades of time (in seconds). It is found that the MEK/THF cast samples possess considerably higher modulus than the benzene cast samples above the glass transition temperature. The shift factors utilized to effect time-temperature superposition do not follow the classical Williams-Landel-Ferry equation. Those for the benzene-cast block copolymer can be fitted to a modified WLF equation for a multiphase system. But those for the MEK/THF-cast ones cannot be adequately described by either of these equations. In addition, the presence of plasticizer is found to affect the viscoelastic behavior of the benzene-cast block copolymers in an unique manner. A model based on the possible morphological structures of these samples is introduced to explain the observed phenomena.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutant glial cell resist natural killer cell cytotoxicity (TUM2P.906)

Introduction: Mutations in IDH 1 and 2 are common in gliomas. Methylation-related epigenetic repression of gene expression is a feature of IDH mutant (IDHmut) tumors. Here, we demonstrate transcriptional repression of NKG2D activating ligands (NKG2DLs) in IDHmut tumors, and correlate this with decreased susceptibility to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytolysis in vitro Methods: Microarray: We compared IDHmut and IDHwt gene expression and NKG2DL mean methylation values in glioma patients using TCGA data. RT-PCR: NKG2DL expression was assayed using primers for NKG2D ligands. Cytotoxicity: Astrocytes were cultured with activated NK cells. Cytotoxicity was measured by flow cytometry. Results: mRNA expression values for NKG2DLs ULBP1 and ULBP3 were significantly reduced in IDHmut gliomas. Conversely, methylation values were significantly increased. NKG2DL hierarchical clustering of gene expression of shows genotype-based expression clusters. IDHmt astrocytes expressed a two to eight-fold reduction in the relative gene expression of NKG2DLs compared with IDHwt astrocytes. Cytotoxicity is significantly lower in IDHmut astrocytes/NK cell co-cultures compared with IDHmut/NK or U87/NK co-cultures. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate evidence for the transcriptional repression of NKG2DLs in IDHmut gliomas in silico and in vitro. Reduced NKG2D levels in IDHmut cells correlates with impaired NK-mediated cytotoxicity and suggests a role for NK cell resistance in IDH mutant tumors.
A Taxonomy of Internet Appliances

The world is evolving from one in which almost all access to the Internet comes from personal computers (PCs) to one in which so-called Internet appliances (IAs) will make up a greater share of end-user equipment. Today's PC is a general-purpose, highly configurable and extensible device - an "intelligent end-node" of the sort the Internet's designers had in mind. As such, it allows users much freedom of choice (such as which service provider to use, which Web sites to visit, and which new software to download) in exchange for dealing with associated complexity. An IA is a device connected to the Internet, but beyond that there is little consensus on functionality and target markets. There is, however, general agreement that it reduces the level of complexity seen by the user. A variety of approaches to reducing complexity are being pursued. These fall on a spectrum from totally fixing the function of devices, to automating the configuration of more general purpose systems. In the middle are devices whose functions appear more or less fixed to the user, but which retain some limited capability for upgrade through their Internet connection. We argue that truly fixed-function Internet-connected appliances make no sense unless they are extremely cheap, throwaway devices. We speculate that general-purpose end-user equipment will endure but evolve into a more modular form, driven by user frustration with a proliferation of devices with overlapping functionality and the desire for consistency across multiple environments (such as home, car and office). Finally, we observe that most appliances being developed today fall into the middle category. These vary in the degree to which they bind users to particular service providers, both technically and through their business model. Our analysis suggests that appliances in and of themselves do not introduce new opportunities for walling the Internet garden, but that industry players seeking to consolidate control over potential Internet choke points, such as broadband access networks or WAP gateways, may attempt to leverage appliances toward this goal. To the extent that appliances provide services already available over the PC-based Internet, we speculate that such efforts will fail.
Isolation and characterization of ovine ribonuclease A, B, and C from pancreatic secretion.

Abstract Chromatography over columns of CM-cellulose and Amberlite IRC-50 was used to fractionate the ribonucleases present in the pancreatic secretion of sheep. The chromatographic behavior of these enzymes was similar to that of the enzymes found in bovine pancreatic secretion, as was also their relative distribution. The principal component, ribonuclease A, accounted for ∼85% of the ribonuclease in the secretion. The remainder was present as several minor components, designated ribonucleases B, C, and D. Ribonucleases A, B, and C were isolated in a chromatographically homogeneous condition. Ribonuclease D, which may be a mixture of several components, was not studied further. Ribonucleases A, B, and C possessed the same amino acid composition, which differs by 8 residues from the composition of bovine ribonuclease A. Ovine ribonuclease B and C were found to be glycoproteins; ovine ribonuclease A was devoid of carbohydrate. Ribonuclease B contained ∼2 residues of N-acetylglucosamine and ∼6 of mannose. Ribonuclease C contained ∼5 residues of N-acetylglucosamine, ∼6 of mannose, ∼2 of galactose, ∼2 of fucose, and no sialic acid. Glycopeptides derived from residues 34 through 39 in the amino acid sequence of ovine ribonuclease (see Kobayashi, R., and Hirs, C.H.W. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 7833–7837) were isolated from tryptic hydrolysates of reduced, S-aminoethylated ribonuclease B and C. These glycopeptides have the NH2-terminal sequence Asn-Leu-Thr, a sequence homologous with the sequence in bovine ribonuclease B at which there is a site of carbohydrate-peptide attachment.
Calculations of atomic scattering from surfaces: I. An analytically soluble model for a rigid solid

Abstract The scattering of a monoenergetic beam of classical atoms from a crystal lattice is considered. A simple model of the gas-solid interaction is proposed for the rigid solid and an analytic expression for the differential scattering probability is obtained that exhibits many of the features observed in experimental studies of the scattering of neon from LiF and in the computer simulations of that system. The model potential consists of a square-well attractive energy plus a sinusoidal hard-wall repulsion. The model is solved for two dimensional scattering as well as for in-plane and out-of-plane scattering from a simple square lattice. A brief discussion is given of the comparison between previous results and the theoretical curves calculated in this work for specific choices of the parameters of the model. Although the quality of the agreement obtained is encouraging, several refinements are suggested that should improve the model considerably at the cost of losing the analytic character of the calculation.
A lumped element circuit model for monolithic transformers in silicon-based RFICs

This paper presents an ideal lumped-element equivalent circuit model for on-chip monolithic transformers on silicon substrates. R, L Foster networks in a T-topology are used to capture the frequency-dependent proximity and skin effects in the transformer windings as well as substrate eddy-current effects and, hence, the complete frequency-dependent self and mutual impedances of the transformer. The model is passive by construction and is compatible with transient simulations. A stacked transformer on a 10 ohm-centimeter CMOS substrate has been used to verify the model. The model exhibits good agreement with simulation data and measurements over a frequency range of 0.1 – 10 GHz.
Anthropologies of Violence and Resistance

Encounters with Violence in Latin America: Urban Poor Perceptions from Colombia and Guatemala. Caroline O. N. Moser and Cathy McIlwaine. New York: Routledge, 2004. 272 pp. Violence: Theory and Ethnography. Pamela J. Stewart and Andrew Strathern. New York: Continuum, 2002. 196 pp. Shadows of War: Violence, Power, and International Profiteering in the Twenty-First Century. Carolyn Nordstrom. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004. 293 pp.
Prenatal diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease reduces risk of death from cardiovascular compromise prior to planned neonatal cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.

Objective To determine if prenatal diagnosis improves the chance that a newborn with critical congenital heart disease will survive to undergo planned cardiac surgery. Methods A systematic review of the medical literature identified eight studies which met the following criteria: compared outcomes between newborns with prenatal and those with postnatal diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease; compared groups of patients with the same anatomical diagnosis; provided detailed information on cardiac anatomy; included detailed information on preoperative cause of death. A meta-analysis was performed to assess differences in preoperative mortality rates between newborns with prenatal diagnosis and those with postnatal diagnosis. Patients with established risk factors for increased mortality (high risk) and those whose families chose comfort care rather than cardiac surgery were excluded. Results In patients with comparable anatomy, standard risk, a parental desire to treat and optimal care, newborns with a prenatal diagnosis of critical congenital heart disease were significantly less likely to die prior to planned cardiac surgery than were those with a comparable postnatal diagnosis (pooled odds ratio, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.08–0.84). Conclusions For newborns most likely to benefit from treatment for their critical congenital heart disease, because they did not have additional risk factors and their families pursued treatment, prenatal diagnosis reduced the risk of death prior to planned cardiac surgery relative to patients with a comparable postnatal diagnosis. Further study and efforts to improve prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease should therefore be considered. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
What is the appropriate reference spectrum for characterizing concentrator cells

Consensus standards for determining the efficiency of a concentrator cell or module have not been developed. NREL, Sandia National Laboratory, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy in Germany, and the Progress in Photovoltaics Efficiency Table authors have informally agreed upon concentrator-cell reference conditions. These conditions are 25/spl deg/C cell temperature, 1-sun = 1000 W/m/sup 2/ total irradiance, and the ASTM E891-87 direct-normal reference spectrum. Deficiencies in the direct reference spectrum are discussed, and a more representative reference spectrum for evaluating concentrator cells is proposed. The spectrum was generated by the SMARTS model, and the atmospheric parameters are as close as possible to the existing direct spectrum, with the exception that the aerosol optical depth at 500 nm is reduced from 0.27 to 0.085.
Coordinating tasks on the commons: designing for personal goals, expertise and serendipity

How is work created, assigned, and completed on large-scale, crowd-powered systems like Wikipedia? And what design principles might enable these federated online systems to be more effective? This paper reports on a qualitative study of work and task practices on Wikipedia. Despite the availability of tag-based community-wide task assignment mechanisms, informants reported that self-directed goals, within-topic expertise, and fortuitous discovery are more frequently used than community-tagged tasks. We examine how Wikipedia editors organize their actions and the actions of other participants, and what implications this has for understanding, and building tools for, crowd-powered systems, or any web site where the main force of production comes from a crowd of online participants. From these observations and insights, we developed WikiTasks, a tool that integrates with Wikipedia and supports both grassroots creation of site-wide tasks and self-selection of personal tasks, accepted from this larger pool of community tasks.
Towards a Feminist Aesthetics of Melancholia: Kristeva, Adorno, and Modern Women Writers

Melancholia is a hybrid concept, deployed in feminist and philosophical theories politics and aesthetics, but "properly" belonging to neither. This heterogeneity of melancholia as both an aesthetic and a political category allows us to interrogate the interrelationship between gender politics and aesthetics without, however, abolishing their differences. Reinterpreted in the context of a feminist aesthetics, melancholia not only points to art's origin in the unjust and gendered division of labor and power but also to the ethical and political task of art to bear witness to the mute suffering of women cut off from the signifying possibilities of language. Moving beyond the entrenched oppositions between historicism/subjectivism, subject/object, or formalism/materialism, my own approach to an aesthetics of melancholia in women's modern novels stresses unpredictable, conflicting migrations of pain between subjects and objects, political oppression and autonomous art, language and affect.
5' Modification of duplex DNA with a ruthenium electron donor-acceptor pair using solid-phase DNA synthesis

Incorporation of metalated nucleosides into DNA through covalent modification is crucial to measurement of thermal electron-transfer rates and the dependence of these rates with structure, distance, and position. Here, we report the first synthesis of an electron donor-acceptor pair of 5' metallonucleosides and their subsequent incorporation into oligonucleotides using solid-phase DNA synthesis techniques. Large-scale syntheses of metal-containing oligonucleotides are achieved using 5' modified phosporamidites containing [Ru(acac)(2)(IMPy)](2+) (acac is acetylacetonato; IMPy is 2'-iminomethylpyridyl-2'-deoxyuridine) (3) and [Ru(bpy)(2)(IMPy)](2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine; IMPy is 2'-iminomethylpyridyl-2'-deoxyuridine) (4). Duplexes formed with the metal-containing oligonucleotides exhibit thermal stability comparable to the corresponding unmetalated duplexes (T(m) of modified duplex = 49 degrees C vs T(m) of unmodified duplex = 47 degrees C). Electrochemical (3, E(1/2) = -0.04 V vs NHE; 4, E(1/2) = 1.12 V vs NHE), absorption (3, lambda(max) = 568, 369 nm; 4, lambda(max) = 480 nm), and emission (4, lambda(max) = 720 nm, tau = 55 ns, Phi = 1.2 x 10(-)(4)) data for the ruthenium-modified nucleosides and oligonucleotides indicate that incorporation into an oligonucleotide does not perturb the electronic properties of the ruthenium complex or the DNA significantly. In addition, the absence of any change in the emission properties upon metalated duplex formation suggests that the [Ru(bpy)(2)(IMPy)](2+)[Ru(acac)(2)(IMPy)](2+) pair will provide a valuable probe for DNA-mediated electron-transfer studies.
Antiangiogenic Therapy in Leukemia

Angiogenesis is a fundamental element of the physiological processes of embryogenesis and wound healing. During malignant transformation, dysregulation of angiogenesis leads to the formation of a vascular network of tumor-associated capillaries promoting survival and proliferation of the cancerous cells. Activation, migration, proliferation and differentiation of endothelial cells into mature blood vessels is driven by several cytokines and growth factors, known to be dysregulated in hematological malignancies. Thus, therapeutic interventions designed to eradicate the malignant clone should incorporate modulation of the angiogenic cascade. Antiangiogenic agents which target different components of the neovascularization process are being investigated in various solid tumors known to have increased vascularity. The role of angiogenesis in hematological malignancies, the rationale for the use of angiosuppressive therapy for these entities, and the status of novel antiangiogenic agents in clinical trials are discussed.
A Multifeed Offset Reflector Antenna for the INTELSAT V Communications Satellite

An array-fed offset reflector antenna is used to provide shaped hemispheric and zonal coverage for the INTELSAT V communications satellite. The objectives of frequency reuse via both sidelobe isolation and cross-polarization isolation and efficient beam shaping are accomplished by optimizing feeding coefficients and minimizing the circular cross-polarization of the square waveguide feed-array cluster. Corroborating measurements on the performance parameters, such as minimum coverage gain, maximum coverage gain variation, and side lobe and cross-polarization isolation, are presented.
Stimulation of spermatogonial DNA synthesis in slug gonad by a factor released from cerebral ganglia under the influence of long days.

Abstract Incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine into gonadal DNA was shown to increase 1 week after implantation into an immature slug ( Limax maximus ) of a “brain” (circumesophageal ring of ganglia) from a male-phase donor. Light microscope autoradiography revealed that in stimulated gonads labeling was localized primarily in the nuclei of spermatagonia. Implant-stimulated spermatogonial DNA synthesis was found to depend upon implantation of supraesophageal (cerebral) ganglia. Neither subesophageal ganglia implants nor immature supraesophageal implants had an effect. Thymidine incorporation could also be stimulated by exposure of slugs to long-day lightcycles (LD 16:8) for 3 to 4 weeks. Similar duration of long-day treatment was also adequate to trigger male-phase development even after animals were returned to short days (LD 8:16). The results are consistent with the view that 3 to 4 weeks of long-day lightcycles are required to promote irreversibly the release from slug cerebral ganglia of a male-phase gonadotropic factor which directly or indirectly promotes spermatogonial proliferation.
Sphalerons in the two-doublet Higgs model

The sphaleron structure in the two-doublet Higgs model is examined and an upper and lower bound for the sphaleron energy is obtained. Several illustrative parameter configurations are considered, and a useful estimate for the sphaleron energy, in terms of the sphaleron energy of a related one-doublet model, is given.
Pulmonary Recruitment, Adherence, and Chemotaxis of Neutrophils in a Rat Model of Cirrhosis and Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Cirrhotic rats have decreased pulmonary bactericidal activity and increased bacteremia after experimental pneumococcal pneumonia. To determine if this finding is due to impaired pulmonary recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was done on cirrhotic and normal rats after transtracheal challenge with pneumococcal types 3 and 1. Mean absolute numbers of recruited PMNL in BAL fluid (BALF) at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h after 10(7) cfu of type 3 challenge were similar in cirrhotic and normal rats. In both groups, lower numbers of PMNL were recruited after challenge with 10(5) cfu of type 3. Type 1 pneumococci stimulated recruitment of similar mean absolute numbers of PMNL (x10(7] in BALF (cirrhotics vs. normals) at 24 h after challenges with 10(5) cfu (0.3 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.3 +/- 0.1) and 10(7) cfu (2.9 +/- 1.3 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.7). Peripheral blood PMNL from cirrhotic and normal rats did not differ in adherence to nylon wool columns or in chemotaxis toward lipopolysaccharide-activated normal rat serum. Thus the impaired pulmonary defense against pneumococcal pneumonia in cirrhosis is not due to deficient pulmonary PMNL recruitment.
Use of Emergency Medical Service Transport Among Patients With ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Findings From the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Acute Coronary Treatment Intervention Outcomes Network Registry–Get With the Guidelines

Background—Activation of emergency medical services (EMS) is critical for the early triage and treatment of patients experiencing ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, yet data regarding EMS use and its association with subsequent clinical care are limited. Methods and Results—We performed an observational analysis of 37 634 ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction patients treated at 372 US hospitals participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry–Get With the Guidelines between January 2007 and September 2009, and examined independent patient factors associated with EMS transportation versus patient self-transportation. We found that EMS transport was used in only 60% of ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction patients. Older patients, those living farther from the hospital, and those with hemodynamic compromise were more likely to use EMS transport. In contrast, race, income, and education level did not appear to ...
Strategies for Preventing Neighborhood Violence: Toward Bringing Collective Efficacy into Social Work Practice

Neighborhood violence has profound effects on issues associated with social work practice, such as health, safety, and the positive development of children, youth, and families. This article brings together the literatures in criminology and public health that examine violence and social work's history in community practice to develop violence prevention strategies. One important concept from the criminology and public health literatures is collective efficacy, defined as neighbors having shared values, trust, and a willingness to intervene in neighborhood problems. By building on the community practice literature and studies from peacemaking criminology, the article provides examples of ways that collective efficacy can be built and implemented in low income neighborhoods. Strategies include awareness of collective efficacy, relationship building, bystander education, and restorative justice.
Wise and Proper Use of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Data

This article provides examples of how serious misconceptions can result when only “all student” scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are used for simplistic state-to-state comparisons. Suggestions for better treatment are presented. The article also compares Kentucky's eighth grade EXPLORE testing to NAEP results for the same cohorts, finding that NAEP math and reading proficiency rates are astonishingly close to the reported percentages of those same students scoring at or above the EXPLORE Benchmark scores, which indicate those students are on track for success in college.
Tutorial on Multiple Choice Items

The purpose of this paper is to enlighten the marketing educator with regard to multiple choice test items. Major emphasis is given to the advantages and disadvantages of the multiple choice item and the effects of certain item-writing practices on reliability and validity. General suggestions for writing multiple choice items are made.
Dichloroacetate: Effects on exercise endurance in untrained rats

The effect of dichloroacetate (DCA), an activator of pyruvate dehydrogenase, on the performance of fed, untrained rats was evaluated while swimming for different durations. DCA-treated rats were able to swim almost 40% longer than controls (354 ± 18 versus 255 ± 18 sec, p < .001). This was associated with lower levels of blood and muscle lactate at rest and after 210 and 240 sec of swimming. At exhaustion, blood lactate was the same in the two groups even though the DCA rats had worked for an additional 99 sec (16.9 ± 1.2 versus 15.8 ± 1.2 mM/L NS). Pretreatment with DCA did not alter the usual exercise-induced decreases in muscle ATP and creatine phosphate or liver glycogen. After 210 sec of exercise, plasma FFA and blood glucose and acetoacetate were also the same in the two groups; however, β-hydroxybutyrate was somewhat higher, and there was a small but significant sparing of muscle glycogen in the DCA group. The data indicate that DCA enhances the ability of rats to exercise at near maximal work loads. They are consistent with the notion that improved endurance is a consequence of a decreased rate of lactate accumulation; however, the possibility that it is secondary to some other action of DCA cannot be excluded.
Participants' reactions to “Equity with the world”

Abstract According to traditional Equity theory, the injustices that an individual encounters in one relationship should not affect his other relationships. By definition, the equitableness of one relationship (say the AB relationship) depends entirely on how much Participants A and B contribute to the relationship and how much they get out of it. Austin, in Austin and Walster (1973) , however, argues that Equity theory must make transrelational predictions. He argues that persons attempt to maintain both “Person-specific Equity” and “Equity with the World” (e.g., Equity with others in general). The authors predicted (and found) that whether a person focuses on “Person-specific Equity” or “Equity with the World” depends on whether or not he feels “accountable” for his behavior. When participants knew they could not be held accountable for their actions, they routinely sacrificed Person-specific Equity in order to maintain Equity with the World. However, when they knew they would have to confront their second partner eventually, they rarely sacrificed Person-specific Equity. (Evidently, they assumed their partners would not sympathize with their desire to maintain transrelational equity.) In this experiment, we predicted (and found) that such pessimism (by persons wishing to restore “Equity with the World”) is not justified. Inequitably treated partners' dissatisfaction and hostility were markedly blunted when individuals believed that their “unfair” partner was attempting to restore “Equity with the World“.
N,N'-Dimethylbenzamidine and derivatives : Preparations, structures, and hydrogen bond networks therein

Abstract Reported herein are the syntheses of N,N′-dimethylbenzamidine (HDMBA, 1) and its phenyl substituted derivatives HYDMBA with phenyl substituents Y as 3-CH3O (2), and 3-CF3 (3), and the determination of single crystal structures of compounds 1–3. In addition, the crystal structures of the salts of 1 with HBF4 (1a), oxalic acid (1b), terephthalic acid (1c), and 2 with HCl (2d) are also reported. Interesting configurations and H-bonding patterns due to the orientation of two methyl groups were observed.
Hydrolysis of acyloxy nitroso compounds yields nitroxyl (HNO).

Nitroxyl (HNO/NO-), the reduced form of nitric oxide, has gained attention based on its separate chemistry and biology from nitric oxide. The inherent reactivity of HNO requires new and mechanistically unique donors for the detailed study of HNO chemistry and biology. Oxidation of cyclohexanone oxime with lead tetraacetate yields 1-nitrosocyclohexyl acetate, whereas oxidation of oximes in the presence of excess carboxylic acid gives various acyloxy nitroso compounds. These bright blue compounds exist as monomers as indicated by their infrared, proton, and carbon NMR spectra, and X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals the nitroso groups possess a “nitroxyl-like” bent configuration. Hydrolysis of these compounds produces nitrous oxide, the dimerization and dehydration product of HNO, and provides evidence for the intermediacy of HNO. Both thiols and oxidative metal complexes inhibit nitrous oxide formation. Hydrolysis of these compounds in the presence of ferric heme complexes forms ferrous nitrosyl comple...
Dipetalonema spirocauda in Alaskan marine mammals

Dipetalonema spirocauda were found in 17 of 369 (4.6%) free-living ringed seals (Phoca hispida), 4 of 47 (8.5%) spotted seals (Phoca vitulina largha), 17 of 99 (17.2%) harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii), 1 of 19 (5.3%) ribbon seals (Phoca fasciata), and 2 of 51 (3.9%) bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) collected from March, 1975 through September, 1979 in Alaskan waters. This is the first report of D. spirocauda in ribbon and bearded seals. Certain species of marine mammals from the families Ursidae, Otarridae, Odobenidae, Balaenidae, Phocaenidae and Monodontidae also were examined but none was found to be infected.
Respiratory properties of blood of the gray seal halichoerus grypus

1. This study examined the O2 and CO2 transport and acid-base properties of blood of the gray seal. Phocid seals use theblood as an oxygen store for aerobic metabolism during diving. Particular objectives were to determine whether CO2 exerts a specific effect on blood oxygen affinity, and whether the Bohr coefficient varies between different levels of oxygen saturation. 2. Hematocrit (0.50), blood hemoglobin concentration (12.8 mM heme) and cell hemoglobin concentration (25.4 mM) were, high compared to terrestrial mammals but similar to other seals (Table 2). Isoelectric focusing resolved the same four hemoglobin components in six individuals, with the most important components constituting 60% and 20% of the total. Oxygen affinity (P50=27.1 Torr at pH 7.4, 37.5°C) and equilibrium curve shape (nH=2.59) were similar to other phocid seals and terrestrial mammals (Tables 1,4). The Bohr coefficient for CO2 induced pH change (−0.51) was only slightly higher than that for fixed acid incuded pH change (−0.47), implying little oxygen-linked carbamino formation (Table 1). The bohr coefficients were at the upper end of the range found in terrestrial mammals, and did not vary with oxygen saturation (Table 1). 3. Blood buffer value was high (31.5 mM/pH), in accord with the high hemoglobin concentration (Table 3). The Haldane effect (−0.32 mol CO2 per mol O2, Fig. 2) was similar to those in blood of other seals and dog, but higher than that in human blood. Hydrogen ion uptake by hemoglobin upon deoxygenation (0.40 mol/mol O2) was greater than in human blood, in proportion to the larger fixed acid Bohr coefficient in the seal. 4. Blood of the gray seal, like that of other phocid seals, is distinguished from that of terrestrial mammals primarily by high hemoglobin concentration and oxygen capacity, which increase blood oxygen stores available for use during diving. Other properties are similar to those of terrestrial mammals or differ only as a consequence of the high hemoglobin concentration.
On the Optimal Government Size in Europe: Theory and Empirical Evidence

The optimal government size for the representative European country is estimated by investigating the role of public services in the production process. The empirical results support the following conclusions: (i) government services are significantly productive; (ii) there is no evidence that government services (on average) are not optimally provided; (iii) the optimal government size is 16 per cent (±3 per cent) for the average ICP European country; (iv) the marginal productivity of government services may be negatively related to government size.
New Techniques for Rearing Horn Flies at Kerrville, 1967

More than a year ago, we reported the procedures used to rear the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), at Kerrville (Schmidt et al. 1967). Since that time, several changes have been made that improve fly production or reduce costs.
Comparison of somatic mutation rates induced in Tradescantia by chemical and physical mutagens.

Summary When genes for flower color and other phenotypic characteristics are present in a Heterozygous condition in Tradescantia plants, they can be used as genetic markers for the study of induced mutation. The procedure used is to expose cuttings containing young flower buds to chemical or physical mutagens. 1 to 3 weeks later the resultant mutant pink or colorless cells can be seen in mature flowers, and after relatively simple scoring procedures somatic mutation rates can be calculated. Dose-response curves for ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and 1,2-dibromoethane (DBE) were obtained and compared with existing X-ray dose-response curves. Two clones, 02 and 4430 were exposed to known levels (from 5–250 ppm) of EMS in gaseous form for periods of from 1–19 h. After exposure to X-rays pink mutation rates showed similar sensitivities for both clones but the rate for colorless was much higher for clone 4430 and the slope much steeper. After treatment with EMS both colorless and pink rates were appreciably higher for clone 4430 than for clone 02. Preliminary data show similar differences in clonal sensitivity following exposures to DBE. The large differences in mutation rates between loci and between clones after chemical and physical mutagen treatments are not understood at present. Possibly differences in mutation rates between the two clones after EMS treatment may be associated with a larger amount of heterochromatin or a greater number of SAT-chromosomes in clone 4430. The genetic basis for the phenotypic changes (pink and colorless) is not definitely known but may be associated with chromosome breakage, gene mutation, chromosome non-disjunction, or somatic crossing over.
Teaching introductory AI from first principles

Hunter College teaches introductory AI as a one semester, advanced undergraduate elective that focuses on issues in three areas: state-space search and control, knowledge representation, and Lisp. The search component defines AI methodology and conveys how the computing world views the field; knowledge representation illustrates how AI sees the real world; and Lisp shows how to make AI happen. The history and format of the course as it has evolved over a period of fifteen years is covered, along with a description of the course content today and a rationale for teaching AI from this perspective.
A radar-based sensor network for bridge displacement measurements

The development of effective structural health monitoring (SHM) strategies is critical as aging infrastructure remains a national concern with widespread impact on the quality of our daily lives. Wireless smart sensor networks (WSSNs) are an attractive alternative to traditional SHM systems for their lower deployment cost and their ability to enable new methods of distributed data processing. While acceleration has been the primary measurement utilized in most WSSN SHM applications, practically and accurately capturing structural deflections has been proven much more challenging. Displacement sensors produce reliable low-frequency measurements but are often difficult to implement in long-term field deployments. Conventional technologies for measuring deflection, both dynamic and static, are either too bulky or expensive to be integrated into WSSNs or lack sufficient accuracy. This paper presents the validation and characterization of a network of low-cost, wireless radar-based sensors for the enhancement of low-frequency vibrationbased bridge monitoring and the measurement of static bridge deflections. Experimental results utilizing a laboratoryscale truss bridge are presented and the performance of the wireless radar sensors is compared to conventional vibration and displacement transducers. In addition, challenges associated with detection distance, interference rejection and signal processing are discussed.
Phase And Frequency Control Of Millimeter Wave Sources

As the use of the millimeter wave (MMW) bands increases, the need for better spectral control of sources also increases because of widening application of this spectrum to Doppler radar, communication, and measurement systems. As the millimeter bands become more crowded, better frequency control will become necessary to avoid interference. There is also a real advantage to be gained in source power stability by phase-locking; locked sources typically exhibit output power stabilities of a few tenths of one percent. Phase-locking of MMW sources to a frequency standard also provides the basis for frequency measurements which are perhaps the most accurate measurements of any physical quantity ever made, with accuracies of 1 X 10-12 being attainable. Phase-Lock circuits using both linear and digital techniques are available to the MMW system designer, and both types are discussed in this paper along with some typical results obtained.
When Is Student Teaching Teacher Education

Abstract This paper presents a conceptual framework that relates empirical aspects of student teaching (facts about the experience) to considerations of value (what student teachers ought to learn). First, the authors explain what they mean by calling student teaching an “occasion for teacher learning.” Next based on their observational and interview data, the authors present two cases of student teaching to illustrate how the relative influence of program, setting, and participants interact to shape opportunities for teacher learning. One teaching episode that elicited considerable pride in each student teacher is presented to highlight how and what the students teachers learned. The conclusion appraises the lessons learned in student teaching in terms of the framework and suggests how teacher educators can increase the educative power of the student teaching experience.
Asymptotic Expansion Homogenization Method for Carbon Fiber Composite Structures Reinforced With Carbon Nanotubes

The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with their high mechanical, thermal and electrical properties have attracted the attention of the research community. The wide variety of possible applications of composite structures containing single-walled or multi-walled CNTs has grown the need for correct characterization and understanding of the behavior of such composite structures. The identification of effective properties of CNT composites has been studied extensively the last decade by many researchers.© 2009 ASME
The effects of ketogenic dieting on skeletal muscle and fat mass

Background Very low carbohydrate ( 70 %) ketogenic diets (VLCKD) diets have previously been shown to have favorable changes in body composition (increased lean mass and decreased fat mass) in obese or overweight individuals. However, the impact of this form of dieting relative to a traditional high carbohydrate diet has not yet been investigated in resistance trained athletes. PURPOSE: Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of VLCKD verses a traditional western diet on changes in muscle and fat mass.
Accelerating leadership performance at the top: Lessons from the Bank of America's executive on-boarding process

Abstract This article examines the critical role that on-boarding processes play in the successful development of executive leadership talent. It is based on an in-depth case analysis of one organization's sophisticated on-boarding intervention. Specifically, we explore the potential of these interventions both to pre-empt leadership failures and to accelerate the knowledge and relationships necessary to step into an executive role. Lessons are provided on designing on-boarding interventions for senior leaders.
Altered Vascular Responsiveness in Isolated Perfused Lungs from Aging Rats

Systemic vascular byporesponsiveness has been well documented in aged rats, but a similar decreased vasoreactivity of the pulmonary vasculature has not been reported. Isolated lungs from young (3–5 months) and middle-aged (12–14 months) rats were perfused with whole blood and challenged alternately with alveolar hypoxia, angiotensin II, and 5-hydroxytryptamine. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction was less in the aging rats during both 5-min and 10-min hypoxic exposures. Likewise, log-dose response curves for angiotensin II and 5-hydroxytryptamine were right-shifted in the aging rats, indicating decreased responsiveness to the vasoactive agents. Since the vascular responses to all three vasoconstrictors were lower in the older animals, a generalized pulmonary vascular hyporeactivity with advancing age is suggested