cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The wrist is not the brain: Estimation of sleep by clinical and consumer wearable actigraphy devices is impacted by multiple patient- and device-specific factors.

Clinical actigraphy devices provide adequate estimates of some sleep measures across large groups. In practice, providers are asked to apply clinical or consumer wearable data to individual patient assessments. Inter-individual variability in device performance will impact such patient-specific interpretation. We assessed two devices, clinical and consumer, to determine the magnitude and predictors of this individual-level variability. One hundred and two patients (55 [53.9%] female; 56.4 [±16.3] years old) undergoing polysomnography wore Jawbone UP3 and/or Actiwatch2. Device total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset and sleep latency were compared with polysomnography. Demographics, sleep architecture and clinical measures were compared to device performance. Actiwatch overestimated total sleep time by 27.2 min (95% confidence limits [CL], 138.3 min over to 84.0 under), overestimated sleep efficiency by 6.8% (95% CL, 34.1% over to 20.5% under), overestimated sleep onset latency by 2.6 min (95% CL, 63.3 over to 58.2 under) and underestimated wake after sleep onset by 50.7 min (95% CL, 162.5 under to 61.2 over). Jawbone overestimated total sleep time by 59.1 min (95% CL, 208.6 min over to 90.5 under) and overestimated sleep efficiency by 14.9% (95% CL, 52.6% over to 22.7% under). In multivariate models, age, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, % N1 and apnea-hypopnea index explained only some of the variance in device performance. Gender also affected performance. Actiwatch and Jawbone mis-estimate sleep measures with very wide confidence limits and accuracy varies with multiple patient-level characteristics. Given these large individual inaccuracies, data from these devices must be applied only with extreme caution in clinical practice.
Chapter 13 – Ultrasonic Exposimetry and Acoustic Measurements

Ultrasound measurements center on transducers. Key data are the electrical impedance, pulse–echo signal, and spectrum and beam characteristics. Materials to make transducers as well as piezoelectrics, tissues, targets, and phantom materials are studied for their acoustic impedance, backscattering properties, absorption as a function of frequency, directivity, and anisotropy. Characteristics of phased arrays include element-to-element variability in impedance, pulse echo, sensitivity, crosstalk element directivity, and electrical (capacitance, opens, shorts) and beamformed acoustic field. Acoustic output measurements are made by radiation force balances and hydrophones, which need calibration and adhere to prescribed measurement protocols for imaging systems according to national and international regulations and standards. Performance of ultrasound methods can be evaluated by use of specialized phantoms. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) poses special acoustic output measurements that are under development but already are done with force balances, alternate targets, buoyancy force balances, optical and specialized hydrophones, and hybrid measurement-simulation methods for acoustic output and thermal rise prediction.
Application of Oxidative Stress to a Tissue-Engineered Vascular Aging Model Induces Endothelial Cell Senescence and Activation

Clinical studies have established a connection between oxidative stress, aging, and atherogenesis. These factors contribute to senescence and inflammation in the endothelium and significant reductions in endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity in aged patients. Tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) recapitulate the structure and function of arteries and arterioles in vitro. We developed a TEBV model for vascular senescence and examined the relative influence of endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell senescence on vasoreactivity. Senescence was induced in 2D endothelial cell cultures and TEBVs by exposure to 100 µM H2O2 for one week to model chronic oxidative stress. H2O2 treatment significantly increased senescence in endothelial cells and mural cells, human neonatal dermal fibroblasts (hNDFs), as measured by increased p21 levels and reduced NOS3 expression. Although H2O2 treatment induced senescence in both the endothelial cells (ECs) and hNDFs, the functional effects on the vasculature were endothelium specific. Expression of the leukocyte adhesion molecule vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) was increased in the ECs, and endothelium-dependent vasodilation decreased. Vasoconstriction and endothelium-independent vasodilation were preserved despite mural cell senescence. The results suggest that the functional effects of vascular cell senescence are dominated by the endothelium.
Pain and Addiction

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care. According to the 2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, an estimated 20.4% (50.0 million) of US adults had chronic pain, with higher prevalence of chronic pain reported among women, older adults, previously but not currently employed adults, adults living in poverty, adults with public health insurance, and rural residents. Providing adequate pain control in patients with addictive disorders presents unique challenges. The medicinal value of opium has been acknowledged for centuries. Even though possessing a widespread side-effect profile, morphine, isolated from opium more than 200 years ago, remains the gold standard for treating pain. While relapse in a recovering individual may occur despite appropriate pain management, inadequate pain relief is also a risk factor for relapse. Some of the challenges that physicians face include distinguishing between seeking pain relief and seeking drugs for euphoric effects and identifying predictable neuroadaptations such as tolerance and physiological dependence that can be misinterpreted as drug-seeking behavior. In addition, comorbid psychiatric and medical illnesses may complicate effective pain management. This chapter addresses the following areas related to successful pain management in patients with an addictive disorder: (1) substance-abuse terminology, (2) active addiction versus recovery, and (3) management strategy for acute, chronic, and end-of-life pain.
The relationship between insomnia and the intensity of drinking in treatment-seeking individuals with alcohol dependence

Abstract Background Although insomnia is highly prevalent in alcohol use disorders(AUD), its associations with the severity of alcohol use, pre-existing psychiatric comorbidities and psychosocial problems are understudied. The present study evaluates the interplay between these factors using a structural equation model (SEM). Methods We assessed baseline cross-sectional data on patients with AUD (N = 123) recruited to a placebo-controlled medication trial. Severity of alcohol use was measured by the Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (B-MAST). Insomnia Severity Index was used to assess insomnia symptoms. The Hamilton scales for Depression and Anxiety, Short Index of Problems and Timeline Follow Back evaluated psychiatric symptoms, psychosocial consequences of drinking and level of alcohol consumption respectively. We used logistic regression to evaluate the association between insomnia and severity of alcohol use while controlling for covariates. We constructed a SEM with observed variables to delineate the effect of psychiatric symptoms, psychosocial factors and current alcohol use on the pathway between alcohol use severity and insomnia. Results The sample was predominately male(83.9 %), Black(54.6 %) and employed(60.0 %). About 45 % of the participants reported moderate-severe insomnia.The association between insomnia and B-MAST attenuated after adjustment for demographics, psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial problems(OR[95 % CI] = 1.17(0.99–1.47). SEM findings demonstrated that B-MAST and insomnia were linked to psychiatric symptoms (95 % Asymptotic-Confidence Interval (ACI): 0.015−0.159, p Conclusion Among treatment-seeking patients with AUD, psychiatric burden mediated the relationship between severity of alcohol use and insomnia. Clinicians should screen for underlying psychiatric disorders among treatment-seeking patients with AUD complaining of insomnia.
Something's gotta give: How PCNA alters its structure in response to mutations and the implications on cellular processes.

Abstract Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is an essential protein that regulates the systematic recruitment and activity of proteins in a multitude of biochemical processes. Very few proteins, if any, bear similar responsibilities to those of PCNA, and its list of roles only continues to expand. However, even as one of the most well-studied proteins in research, many questions still remain about the complex quaternary structure and function of PCNA. Over the last forty years, we have gained a considerable amount of insight from studying amino acid substitutions within the protein. The combination of phenotypic and structural information about mutant PCNA proteins has shed light on the incredibly dynamic and accommodating nature of this important protein and why it stands at the crossroads of DNA metabolic pathways.
Sex differences in heart failure hospitalisation risk following acute myocardial infarction

Objective We evaluated the sex differences in 6-month heart failure (HF) hospitalisation risk in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors. Methods For this retrospective cohort analysis, adult survivors of an AMI between January and June 2014 were identified from the US Nationwide Readmissions Database. The primary outcome was a HF hospitalisation within 6 months. Secondary outcomes were fatal HF hospitalisation and the composite of index in-hospital HF or 6-month HF hospitalisation. Results Of 237 549 AMI survivors, females (37.9%) were older (70±14 years vs 65±13 years; p Conclusion In a large all-comers AMI survivors’ cohort, females had a higher HF hospitalisation risk that persisted after adjustment for baseline risk differences. This was consistent across several clinically relevant subgroups and was evident early on after the AMI.
Dosimetric Evaluation of Fractionated Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Skull Base Meningiomas Using HyperArc and Multicriteria Optimization

Abstract Purpose Treatment planning of skull based meningiomas can be difficult due to the irregular shaped target volumes and proximity to critical optic structures. This study evaluated the use of HyperArc (HA) radiosurgery optimization and delivery in conjunction with multicriteria optimization (MCO) to create conformal and efficient treatment plans for conventionally fractionated radiation therapy to difficult base-of-skull (BOS) lesions. Methods and Materials Twelve patients with BOS meningioma were retrospectively planned with HA-specific optimization algorithm, stereotactic normal tissue objective (SRS-NTO), and conventional automatic normal tissue objective to evaluate normal brain sparing (mean dose and V20 Gy). MCO was used on both SRS-NTO and automatic normal tissue objective plans to further decrease organ-at-risk doses and target dose maximum to within clinically acceptable constraints. Delivery efficiency was evaluated based on planned monitor units. Results The SRS-NTO in HA can be used to improve the mid- and low-dose spread to normal brain tissue in the irradiation of BOS meningiomas. Improvement in normal brain sparing can be seen in larger, more irregular shaped lesions and less so in smaller spherical targets. MCO can be used in conjunction with the SRS-NTO to reduce target dose maximum and dose to organ at risk without sacrificing the gain in normal brain sparing. Conclusions HA can be beneficial both in treatment planning by using the SRS-NTO and in delivery efficiency through the decrease in monitor units and automated delivery.
Fmdtools: A Fault Propagation Toolkit for Resilience Assessment in Early Design

Incorporating resilience in design is important for the long-term viability of complex engineered systems. Complex aerospace systems, for example, must ensure safety in the event of hazards resulting from part failures and external circumstances while maintaining efficient operations. Traditionally, mitigating hazards in early design has involved experts manually creating hazard analyses in a time-consuming process that hinders one’s ability to compare designs. Furthermore, as opposed to reliability-based design, resilience-based design requires using models to determine the dynamic effects of faults to compare recovery schemes. Models also provide design opportunities, since models can be parameterized and optimized and because the resulting hazard analyses can be updated iteratively. While many theoretical frameworks have been presented for early hazard assessment, most currently-available modelling tools are meant for the later stages of design. Given the wide adoption of Python in the broader research community, there is an opportunity to create an environment for researchers to study the resilience of different PHM technologies in the early phases of design. This paper describes fmdtools, an attempt to realize this opportunity with a set of modules which may be used to construct different design models, simulate system behaviors over a set of fault scenarios and analyze the resilience of the resulting simulation results. This approach is demonstrated in the hazard analysis and architecture design of a multi-rotor drone, showing how the toolkit enables a large number of analyses to be performed on a relatively simple model as it progresses through the early design process.
License to Sell: Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Usedsoft v. Oracle, and the Impending Disruption of the International Software Licensing Landscape

In March of 2013, the Supreme Court held that the first sale doctrine is applicable to copies of copyrighted material made outside of the United States, so long as those copies are lawfully made in accordance with Title 17 of the United States Code. In July of 2012, the CJEU held that where a software distributor licenses software to an end-user for an unlimited period, that license is recognized as a sale. Thus, if consumers who acquire software in the EU are regarded as owners rather than licensees, and the copies those consumers acquire are lawfully made, can those consumers then resell those copies to United States buyers? If so, by what mechanism? This paper argues that consumers might now use the above-referenced SCOTUS and CJEU holdings, as well as 17 U.S.C. § 117, to effect transfers of software in the secondary market to overcome the licensing fiction software distributors have used for decades to circumvent the first sale doctrine. To curtail growth of an international secondary market for software, software distributors may be wise to shift to a software-as-a-service model.
Psychiatric Effects of Ketogenic Diet Therapies on Adults with Chronic Epilepsy (P1.5-004)

Objective: To survey adults starting and currently on ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) for chronic epilepsy and determine whether there are beneficial effects on depression and anxiety. Background: Ketogenic Diet Therapies are nonpharmacologic treatments shown to be effective in children and adults with intractable epilepsy. Little is known about the effects of KDT on mood for adults with epilepsy. An estimated 37% of people with epilepsy have psychiatric disturbances. Although KDTs require certain diet restrictions, a low carbohydrate, high fat diet may improve negative affect in patients with or without existing comorbid psychiatric disorders. Design/Methods: For adults already on a KDT for 3 months or more, a retrospective survey was administered assessing their mood prior to and while on a KDT. Patients that were diet naive completed a prospective pre-diet survey as well as one or more on-diet surveys after 3 months or more on-diet. KDT responders were defined as experiencing ≥ 50% seizure reduction. Results: Of 33 adults on KDT that completed the retrospective survey, 91% reported symptoms of anxiety (28) and/or depression (29) prior to starting. Sixteen (48%) reported reduction in either anxiety (1), depressive symptoms (5), or both (10) on KDT. Thirty-three percent had anxiety and/or depressive symptoms worsen. Twenty-seven percent had all symptoms remain the same or solely anxiety symptoms remain the same. In 3 patients who completed prospective surveys, 66% showed dramatically improved anxiety and depressive symptoms and all participants responded to KDT. One participant without improvement reported increased anxiety. Conclusions: Chronic psychiatric symptoms may be under-reported in adults with epilepsy. The majority of anxiety and depressive symptoms improved among nearly half of patients examined retrospectively and two thirds of patients examined prospectively. Patients with worsening symptoms were symptomatic at baseline, indicating KDT likely did not result in development of psychiatric symptoms. KDT may reduce psychiatric symptoms in adults with chronic epilepsy. Disclosure: Dr. Shegelman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cervenka has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Nutricia North America. Dr. Cervenka has received research support from Nutricia North America, Vitaflo. Dr. McDonald has nothing to disclose. Dr. Henry-Barron has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Nutricia, BioMarin, and Therachon. Dr. Henry-Barron has received research support from Nutricia and Vitaflo.
The Role of Cell-Surface Antigens in Progressive Tumor Growth (Immunological Surveillance Re-revisited)

There has been a massive effort mounted during the last decade to understand malignancy in immunobiological terms. One cannot say at present that there exists a consensus among workers in the field of tumor immunology as to the role, if any, that the immune systems of the host play in the emergence and expansion of a malignant clone to form a visible tumor that can then continue to grow, metastasize, and kill the host. The current status of knowledge in the field has been most succinctly stated by Moller and Moller (1979). They have summarized the evidence that supports the assumption that most if not all tumors are clonal in origin, and reviewed our understanding, or lack thereof, of the role of the immune system in progressive tumor growth. Their discussion revolves around the postulate that the role of the T-cell system is immunological surveillance, and that the emergence of a tumor is due to its failure. They conclude that this postulate is untenable in its present form. They have described the assumptions inherent in the theory as follows: “The only chance for tumors to appear is either when the T cell system has failed or when tumors possess very weak TSTA which are not efficiently recognized.”
Lake levels for the past 19,000 years from the TL05-4 cores, Tulare Lake, California, USA: Geophysical and geochemical proxies

Abstract Geochemical and geophysical proxy data from the TL05-4 lake-plain cores of Tulare Lake, California, are reported on here representing most of the past 19,000 years. The new record consists of carbon/nitrogen ratios, total organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen (N), total inorganic carbon (TIC), grain size, and magnetic susceptibility analyses from samples taken at 1-cm intervals (∼45 yr/sample). Age control is provided by 22 radiocarbon dates. The first part of the record (∼19.0–14.5 cal ka BP) consists of elevated sand and silt percentages and higher sedimentation rates interpreted as elevated runoff associated with melting of the Tioga-age Sierra Nevada ice cap. The TIC was undetectable and TOC and N were low suggesting low productivity in a relatively sterile, freshwater lake. From 14.5 to 10.3 cal ka BP, the deposits consisted of 50% clay and 50% silt with TIC and TOC extremely low, which is consistent with a stable, low productivity lake. From 10.3 to 7.5 cal ka BP, an initial pulse of fining upward sand gave way to increased clay deposition that suggests a lake transgression to a stable highstand, coeval with the deep water event found in previously published records of Tulare Lake and other lakes from central and southern California, including Owens Lake and Lake Elsinore. A few-hundred-year duration spikes in TIC centered at 8.0 cal ka BP is suggestive of evaporating lake conditions toward the end of this early Holocene highstand. Tulare Lake dropped quickly to a relative low at 7.5 cal ka BP, but then lake level increased steadily until 3.0 cal ka BP. High amplitude fluctuation in almost all proxies occurs from 2.5 to 1.8 cal ka BP at the end of the record, suggesting that this time interval was characterized by rapid fluctuations in lake level. Tulare Lake levels during the Holocene vary in conjunction with sea surface temperature (SST) records from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1017 located off the coast of central California, which suggests that variations in SSTs throughout the Holocene drove changes in precipitation in the Sierra Nevada and hence, Tulare Lake level. Since historic lake-level histories have been shown to be directly related to stream discharge from the Sierra Nevada, this observation will be integral in forecasting future decadal-scale changes in southern San Joaquin Valley water supply due to anticipated climate change.
Correcting for signal saturation errors in the analysis of microarray data

A variety of technical errors have arisen in data analysis when using cDNA or oligonucleotide microarrays. One of the most insidious problems is the saturation of the hybridization signal of high-abundant transcripts. This problem arises from the truncation of the laser fluorescence signal. When the hybridization signal on the microarray is very strong, this truncation can result in serious consequences that may not be readily apparent to the user. As an illustration of this problem, two subclasses of normal human tissue samples (six liver and six lung samples) were analyzed with GeneChip® probe arrays to evaluate the patterns of expression for approximately 7000 human genes. Five of these data sets were found to suffer from signal truncation. This caused several tissues to be incorrectly classified using hierarchical clustering. To rectify this problem so that the gene expression data could be properly compared and clustered, we developed a “filtering” procedure that identifies a subset of genes least af...
Binding determinants of the small heat shock protein, αB‐crystallin: recognition of the ‘IxI’ motif

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) play a central role in protein homeostasis under conditions of stress by binding partly unfolded, aggregate‐prone proteins and keeping them soluble. Like many sHSPs, the widely expressed human sHSP, αB‐crystallin (‘αB’), forms large polydisperse multimeric assemblies. Molecular interactions involved in both sHSP function and oligomer formation remain to be delineated. A growing database of structural information reveals that a central conserved α‐crystallin domain (ACD) forms dimeric building blocks, while flanking N‐ and C‐termini direct the formation of larger sHSP oligomers. The most commonly observed inter‐subunit interaction involves a highly conserved C‐terminal ‘IxI/V’ motif and a groove in the ACD that is also implicated in client binding. To investigate the inherent properties of this interaction, peptides mimicking the IxI/V motif of αB and other human sHSPs were tested for binding to dimeric αB‐ACD. IxI‐mimicking peptides bind the isolated ACD at 22°C in a manner similar to interactions observed in the oligomer at low temperature, confirming these interactions are likely to exist in functional αB oligomers.
Germ-Tube Formation by Candida albicans

Germ-tube formation by Candida albicans has been reported as a significant factor in pathogenicity. Wide variation has been seen in the formation of germ tubes in saliva specimens obtained from both healthy and systemically ill individuals. However, germ tubes were found more frequently and in higher numbers in the saliva of diseased individuals.
Estradiol, caerulein and size of meal in female rats.

Caerulein, a decapeptide extracted from the skin of frogs, has been shown to mimic the meal-limiting actions of cholecystokinin. Caerulein was administered systemically (.25, .50, .75 μg/kg) and intraventricularly (.05, .10, .25 μg/kg) to estradiol (5 μg) and oil-primed ovariectomized rats. Estradiol pretreatment did not enhance the meal-restricting effects of caerulein nor did it increase the binding of tritiated caerulein by the ventromedial hypothalamus. It was concluded that gut hormones do not underlie estradiol's effect on size of meal.
Pilot study of 12-month outcomes of nursing home patients with aspiration on videofluoroscopy.

The 12-month clinical outcomes of nursing home patients who underwent videofluoroscopic swallowing evaluation was determined. A retrospective review of 40 patients in a teaching nursing home who had videofluoroscopic swallowing studies from 1987 through 1989 was performed. Clinical outcomes measured included feeding tube placement, rehospitalization within 1 year, prolonged nursing home stay (>6 months), pneumonia, and pneumonia death. It was determined if outcomes were associated with the presence of aspiration on videofluoroscopy and subsequent feeding tube placement. In the 12-month follow-up period, 17 of 40 patients (43%) who underwent videofluoroscopic swallowing evaluation developed pneumonia and 18 of 40 (45%) died. Twenty-two patients demonstrated aspiration on videofluoroscopy. Increased rehospitalization was the only outcome measure that was associated with the presence of aspiration on videofluoroscopy (p≤0.05). Of 22 patients with aspiration, 15 had feeding tubes placed. This group had a higher rate of pneumonia (p≤0.05) and pneumonia death (p≤0.05) compared with the 7 patients with aspiration who did not receive feeding tubes. Patients with nasogastric tubes had a higher death rate (7/9) than patients with gastrostomy tubes (2/8; p≤0.05), but similar rates of rehospitalization and pneumonia. Nursing home patients who underwent videofluoroscopic swallowing evaluation had poor clinical outcomes at 12 months, regardless of their test results. Though limited by its small size and retrospective nature, this pilot study questions whether videofluoroscopic swallowing studies accurately identify patients at risk for developing aspiration pneumonia and whether feeding tubes prevent aspiration or improve clinical outcomes. A larger, prospective study is needed to address these issues.
A study of downhole electromagnetic sources for mapping enhanced oil recovery processes

An evaluation of downhole electromagnetic (EM) sources has been made for mapping 3-D enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes. Two types of sources considered were vertical magnetic dipoles and vertical to near‐vertical electric dipoles and bipoles. These sources were used to produce magnetic field responses expected of EOR processes for crosswell configurations. A borehole‐to‐surface configuration was also studied for the downhole electric source, since this configuration can be highly sensitive to shallow 3-D EOR targets. For the crosswell arrays, the criteria used to evaluate the sources were the magnitudes of the observed signals with and without the process and the amount these signals change because of a migrating process. Instrumental noise was considered in the evaluation. Findings show that either electric or magnetic sources can produce truly significant changes in the fields, provided the fields before and after the initiation of the process are compared. An order of magnitude change in the fields...
Controllability and completion of partial upper triangular matrices over rings

Abstract For a given partial upper triangular matrix A and a matrix b over a ring, we characterize the existence of a completion Ac of A such that the pair (Ac, b) is controllable, in terms of irreducibility.
Osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint : the pathophysiology of articular cartilage degeneration. II: Articular wear patterns in the osteoarthritic joint

An anatomic and radiographic study of the osteoarthritic trapeziometacarpal joint was conducted on 27 surgical specimens harvested during basal joint arthroplasty. Surface wear patterns were analyzed by hyaline cartilage staining, and relative involvement of trapezium and metacarpal was calculated as the trapezium/metacarpal eburnation ratio. Eburnation occurred only on facing trapeziometacarpal surfaces in contact areas of the palmar compartment. Metacarpal degeneration began at the palmar joint margin adjacent to the beak ligament and extended dorsally, while trapezial degeneration originated on the central palmar slope and spread centrifugally with more advanced disease. Eburnation consistently involved a greater surface area on the trapezium than on the metacarpal in a ratio of nearly 3:1. A decreasing trapezium/metacarpal eburnation ratio correlated closely with worsening radiographic stage. These observations suggest translation of metacarpal on trapezium in the production of arthritic surface lesions and support a hypothesis of pathologic joint instability as the cause of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis.
Hypersensitive Glutamate Signaling Correlates with the Development of Late-Onset Behavioral Morbidity in Diffuse Brain-Injured Circuitry

In diffuse brain-injured rats, robust sensory sensitivity to manual whisker stimulation develops over 1 month post-injury, comparable to agitation expressed by brain-injured individuals with overstimulation. In the rat, whisker somatosensation relies on thalamocortical glutamatergic relays between the ventral posterior medial (VPM) thalamus and barrel fields of somatosensory cortex (S1BF). Using novel glutamate-selective microelectrode arrays coupled to amperometry, we test the hypothesis that disrupted glutamatergic neurotransmission underlies the whisker sensory sensitivity associated with diffuse brain injury. We report hypersensitive glutamate neurotransmission that parallels and correlates with the development of post-traumatic sensory sensitivity. Hypersensitivity is demonstrated by significant 110% increases in VPM extracellular glutamate levels, and 100% increase in potassium-evoked glutamate release in the VPM and S1BF, with no change in glutamate clearance. Further, evoked glutamate release showed 50% greater sensitivity to a calcium channel antagonist in brain-injured over uninjured VPM. In conjunction with no changes in glutamate transporter gene expression and exogenous glutamate clearance efficiency, these data support a presynaptic origin for enduring post-traumatic circuit alterations. In the anatomically-distinct whisker circuit, the injury-induced functional alterations correlate with the development of late-onset behavioral morbidity. Effective therapies to modulate presynaptic glutamate function in diffuse-injured circuits may translate into improvements in essential brain function and behavioral performance in other brain-injured circuits in rodents and in humans.
RELATION OF LANGUAGE DISTANCE TO LEARNING TO PRONOUNCE GREENBERG AND JENKINS' LIST I CCVCS

Summa~y.-Greenberg and Jenkins' (1964) S and language values for their List I CCVCs were hypothesized to correlate significantly with 4 measures related to the acquisition of the correct pronunciation of the CCVCs by 30 Ss. Mean scale values were computed for each CCVC for each of the 4 measures. The range of correlations of the 4 sets of scale values with corresponding S and language distance values is .71 to .97 (disregarding sign), with the median at .89. The hypothesis remains tenable. Greenberg and Jenkins (1964) devised a logic for a language substitution, S, scale for phonemes in the order of CCVC. Application of the logic to any non-English word in the form of CCVC results in a number on a 16-point scale that represents the distance of the word from English. Low values indicate words close to English. They used their logic to construct 24 CCVCs with S values ranging from 1 to 16. Upon test, they found a nearly linear relationship between judgments of the distance of the CCVCs from English and the S values of the CCVCs. The product-moment correlation between the S values and language distance judgments was .90. The CCVCs with the lowest S values in Greenberg and Jenkins' (1964) List 1 are homophones such as /tr,k/. They involve articulatory sequences that are well practiced by Ss whose native language is English. The homophones also involve familiar, meaningful sounds which are readily recognized. At the high end of the S scale are found phonemic sequences s~lch as /mbol/. The phonetic equivalents of these CCVCs involve articulatory sequences that these Ss have practiced infrequently if at all. In addition, these sounds and/or their sequences are not meaningful and appear to be strange, foreign or unusual. Psychologically, the concept of language distance is not well defined, even though the logic of the S scale can be applied without error to CCVCs. Practically, increasing S values and increasing language distance should result in sound sequences that are increasingly difficult to perceive as well as to pronounce correctly. Consequently, the hypothesis of this note is that Greenberg and Jenkins' (1964) S values and language distance estimates for the 24 CCVCs of their List 1 should correlate significantly with four measures related to the acquisition of the correct pronunciation of sounds corresponding to the phonemic sequences. The first of the four measures was S's rating of each CCVC, on a 5-point scale, of the estimated degree of diffici~lt~ involved in learning to pronounce the
Effects of acute amphetamine exposure on two kinds of Pavlovian approach behavior

Two kinds of Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior are possible: approach of the CS (sign-tracking) and approach of the US (goal-tracking). We hypothesized that administration of AMP would increase sign-tracking and decrease goal-tracking. However, increasing doses of AMP (up to 2.0 mg/kg) decreased measures of sign-tracking while simultaneously increasing measures of goal-tracking. Administration of AMP may shift responding from cues distant from the CS to cues closer to the CS.
Should the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage status be used as a guide to treatment for skin and soft tissue infections?

Summary Objective Previous skin carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) leads frequently to empiric antibiotic MRSA coverage for skin & soft tissue infections. Methods Retrospective cohort study of orthopaedic patients hospitalized at Geneva University Hospitals (MRSA prevalence; 30%); community-acquired MRSA excluded. Results A total of 378 skin and soft tissue infections in 346 patients were retrieved. Overall cure was achieved in 330 episodes (87%) after a median antibiotic administration of 15 days. Among all episodes, 102 revealed a positive current MRSA status (during 2 weeks preceding infection; 27%) and 70 (19%) were MRSA carriers in the past. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of current MRSA skin carriage to predict abscesses due to MRSA were 0.68, 0.77, 0.19, and 0.97, respectively. Fifty-four current MRSA carriers (54/102, 53%) and 30 past carriers (43%) were successfully treated with a non-MRSA antibiotic agent. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, anti-MRSA coverage (hazard ratio 1.2, 95%CI 0.5–2.8) and duration of antibiotic therapy (HR 1.0, 95%CI 0.96–1.02) did not influence treatment failure among patients with positive MRSA carriage. Conclusions Current or past HA-MRSA skin carriage poorly predicts the need for anti-MRSA coverage for the antibiotic treatment of skin and soft tissue infections in hospitalized orthopaedic patients.
Smoking and Stress: Cigarettes and Marihuana:

Summary.--In a sample of 88 undergraduates, smoking cigarettes and marihuana was associared with more recent stressful events, while smoking cigarettes was associated with higher scores on Type A personality. To explore whether smokers differed from nonsmokers on scores for stress and Type A personality, 88 undergraduate students at a state college (Mage=24.3 yr,, SD=6.7; 57% male) were administered an anonymous questionnaire which inquired about their smoking behavior and included a stress scale asking about events during the last six months (Insel & Roth, 1991; M = 209.8, SD = 126.8) and a measure of Type A behavior (Goldberg, 1978; M=77.9, SD=8.1). Sex and age were not related to the measures. Smokmg cigarettes was associated with stress scores (point biserial r =.61, p<.001) and Type A scores (r = 21, p < .05); smoking marihuana was also associated with stress scores (r=.39, p<.Ol) but not with Type A scores (r = -.O3). Those who smoked both cigarettes and marihuana had the highest stress scores (M= 307), followed by those smoking cigarettes only (M=231), those smoking marihuana only (M= 1531, and those smoking neither (M= 109). For Type A scores, those smoking only cigarettes had significantly higher scores than did the other three groups. Thus, in this study, undergraduate smokers of cigarettes and marlhuana had experienced more recent stress and smokers of cigarettes had higher Type A scores.
Camptothecin and Zeocin Can Increase p53 Levels during All Cell Cycle Stages

The ability of DNA damage to stabilize p53 in all cell cycle stages has not been examined in actively growing cells. The chemotherapeutic drug camptothecin is a topoisomerase I poison. Zeocin is a member of the bleomycin/phleomycin family of antibiotics, known to bind DNA. Both increase the level of p53 albeit by different mechanisms. We have utilized centrifugal elutriation to separate exponentially growing ML-1 cells (containing wild-type p53) into cell cycle fractions and have subsequently treated these cells with the two drugs. We provide evidence that both drugs can mediate an increase in p53 protein levels independent of the cell cycle stage. The p53 induced by both drugs was able to bind to DNA; however, only the p53 induced by camptothecin was phosphorylated at serine-392. This is the first demonstration that camptothecin and Zeocin can differentially signal for increased levels of modified p53 during all stages of the cell cycle.
A novel intramolecularly stabilized nitronic acid, 2-aci-nitro-1,3-propanediol

Abstract A stable nitronic acid, 2-aci-nitro-1,3-propanediol, may be prepared from nitromethane and paraformaldehyde under fluoride ion catalysis.
The Acyl Homoserine Lactone Receptor, SdiA, of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Does Not Respond to Indole

ABSTRACT In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the SdiA proteins of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium respond to indole. While indole was found to have effects on gene expression and biofilm formation, these effects were not sdiA dependent. However, high concentrations of indole did inhibit N-acyl-l-homoserine lactone (AHL) sensing by SdiA. We conclude that SdiA does not respond to indole but indole can inhibit SdiA activity in E. coli and Salmonella.
A mathematic model of occlusal adjustment

A mathematic algorithm was developed to calculate mandibular repositioning resulting from occlusal equilibration. A formula to determine the amount of tooth reduction necessary for the adjustment also was derived.
Zoned garnets in metapelites in western Fiordland, southwest New Zealand: polychronic crystallisation and insight into the nature and extent of early Cretaceous regional metamorphism

Abstract Two distinct types of compositional zoning are recognised in idioblastic to subidioblastic garnets in amphi‐bolite facies metapelites in western Fiordland. One type occurs in kyanite (± sillimanite)‐bearing rocks and is characterised by a core to rim increase in CaO content, and a sympathetic decrease in FeO and MgO, with MnO remaining essentially constant, or decreasing slightly near the rim. This zoning pattern formed during garnet growth, and records adjustment of mineral equilibria under conditions of increasing load pressure. Garnets showing the same zoning pattern occur within metapelitic rocks in rafts within nearby Western Fiordland Orthogneiss (equivalent to western Fiordland granulites), and within a contamination zone overprinting this orthogneiss at the margin of a highly aluminous raft. Garnet zoning thus provides evidence that these rocks experienced the same Early Cretaceous tectono‐metamorphic event. The pressure increase has been attributed to crustal thickening by tectonic loadi...
Long-range superconducting proximity effect in template-fabricated single-crystal nanowires

A long-range superconducting proximity effect is investigated in single-crystal nanowires of Zn, Sn, and Pb, of length up to 60 μm, electrochemically deposited into the pores of anodic aluminum oxide membranes and polycarbonate membranes. Using an in situ self-contacting method, single nanowires are electrically contacted on both ends to a pair of macroscopic film electrodes of Au, Sn, or Pb pre-fabricated on both surfaces of the membranes. Superconductivity in the nanowires is strongly suppressed when Au electrodes are used. When electrodes having higher superconducting transition temperatures are used, the nanowires become superconducting at the transition temperatures of the electrodes. Microscopy analyses of the structure and the chemical composition of the nanowires are presented, which demonstrate a sharp interface between the nanowires and the macroscopic film electrodes. Measurements of the I-V characteristics provide evidence that this proximity effect occurs along the length of the nanowires.
The rate of hazard confronting new firms and plants in U.S. manufacturing

Three different factors are hypothesized to shape the hazard function confronting new businesses — the extent of scale economies relative to start-up size, the technological environment, and ownership structure. Using a longitudinal data base tracking the post-entry performance of more than 12,000 U.S. manufacturing establishments, a semi-parametric Cox regression model is used to estimate the hazard function. The evidence suggests that while the presence of high scale economies, a high-technological environment, and a relatively small initial start-up size tend to elevate the exposure of risk confronting new businesses, these factors apparently exert no influence on the likelihood of survival for new branches and subsidiaries established by existing enterprises.
Leaving Mango Street: Speech, Action and the Construction of Narrative in Britton’s Spectator Stance

This paper attempts to unite The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros with the participant and spectator theories of James Britton and D. W. Harding in the hopes that such a union will provide new insights into each. In particular, this article explores how the speech acts of Esperanza, the novel’s protagonist, are indicative of a shifting stance during the course of the novel. This shift, from participant to spectator, enables Esperanza to objectify her experience and eventually narrate her departure from Mango Street. Aside from its attempts to join theory and literature, this argument has implications for the classroom as well, a space in which the value of the spectator stance is often overlooked.
An institutional perspective of the MNC as a social change agent: the case of environmentalism

Purpose – Using an institutional theory perspective this paper aims to examine the influence of multinational corporations (MNCs) on host country institutional environments.Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual piece that introduces the concept of the country institutional profile (CIP) as a useful theoretical framework for analyzing the host country institutional environment.Findings – The existing model that describes the MNC as a social change agent within host country institutions is extended. This is accomplished by utilizing the CIP as a more formal conception of the host country institutional environment. The model is then used to examine a specific case of the MNC impact on the host country level of environmentalism.Originality/value – The value of the contribution lies in the application of the CIP for analyzing the host country institutional environment. Furthermore, this framework is applied to the case of the MNC's impact on host country environmentalism.
N2 fixation by purified components of the N2-fixing system of Clostridium pasteurianum

Abstract 1. N 2 fixation, reductant-supported ATP utilization and ATP-dependent H 2 evolution are catalyzed by combined molybdoferredoxin and azoferredoxin, the two purified components of the N 2 -fixing system of Clostridium pasteurianum . No additional protein components are needed. At this stage of purity, neither of the two components of the N 2 -fixing system catalyzed any of these reactions without the other. 2. The utilization of ATP by the N 2 -fixing system involves a single P i elimination; the rate of P i release from ATP is exactly matched by ADP formation. The product ADP inhibits each of the reactions catalyzed by the enzyme components. 3. Aided by a more sensitive colorimetric analysis for NH 3 with ninhydrin, N 2 fixation is routinely obtained with ATP as the sole source of energy. No ATP-generating system is needed. 4. With the purified components, the stoichiometry of P i released per electron pair for H 2 evolution and N 2 fixation is 4.
A hydrogel-based microfluidic device for the studies of directed cell migration

We have developed a hydrogel-based microfluidic device that is capable of generating a steady and long term linear chemical concentration gradient with no through flow in a microfluidic channel. Using this device, we successfully monitored the chemotactic responses of wildtype Escherichia coli (suspension cells) to α-methyl-DL-aspartate (attractant) and differentiated HL-60 cells (a human neutrophil-like cell line that is adherent) to formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (f-MLP, attractant). This device advances the current state of the art in microchemotaxis devices in that (1) it demonstrates the validity of using hydrogels as the building material for a microchemotaxis device; (2) it demonstrates the potential of the hydrogel based microfluidic device in biological experiments since most of the proteins and nutrients essential for cell survival are readily diffusible in hydrogel; (3) it is capable of applying chemical stimuli independently of mechanical stimuli; (4) it is straightforward to make, and requires very basic tools that are commonly available in biological labs. This device will also be useful in controlling the chemical and mechanical environment during the formation of tissue engineered constructs.
Fragmentation of oligoribonucleotides from gas-phase ion-electron reactions.

We have recently demonstrated that both electron capture dissociation (ECD) and electron detachment dissociation (EDD) can provide complementary sequence-specific cleavage of DNA compared with collision activated dissociation (CAD) and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD). However, EDD is preferred because of more extensive fragmentation at higher sensitivity (due to its negative ion mode operation). Here, we extend the radical ion chemistry of these two gas-phase ion-electron reaction techniques to the characterization of RNA. Compared with DNA, rather limited information is currently available on the gas-phase fragmentation of RNA. We found that the ECD fragmentation patterns of the oligoribonucleotides A6, C6, and CGGGGC are nucleobase dependent, suggesting that cleavage proceeds following electron capture at the nucleobases. Only limited backbone cleavage was observed in ECD. EDD, on the other hand, provided complete sequence coverage for the RNAs A6, C6, G6, U6, CGGGGC, and GCAUAC. The EDD fragmentation patterns were different from those observed with CAD and IRMPD in that the dominant product ions correspond to d-and w-type ions rather than c- and y-type ions. The minimum differences between oligoribonucleotides suggest that EDD proceeds following direct electron detachment from the phosphate backbone.