cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Troubled Hearts: Association Between Heart Rate Variability and Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Children.

Heart rate variability (HRV) captures the change in timing of consecutive heart beats and is reduced in individuals with depression and anxiety. The present study investigated whether typically-developing children without clinically recognized signs of depression or anxiety showed a relationship between HRV and depressive or anxiety symptoms. Children aged 9–14 years (N = 104) provided three minutes of cardiac signal during eyes closed rest and eyes open rest. The association between high frequency HRV, low frequency HRV, root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD), and pNN20 versus depressive symptoms (NIH Toolbox and Child Behavior Checklist) was investigated. Results partially confirm our hypothesis, with pNN20 positively correlated with the self-reported depression measure of loneliness while controlling for age, sex, social status, and physical activity. The association was stronger in male participants. However, there is no consensus in the literature about which HRV measures are associated with depressive symptoms in healthy children. Additional studies are needed which reliably account for variables that influence HRV to establish whether certain HRV measures can be used as an early marker for depression risk in children.
When Words Do Not Matter: Identifying Actions to Effect Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Academy:

It is time to move past the words—the well-crafted statements circulated by groups and organizations across the academy, the scholarly writing as displacement, the formal and informal critiques—as ...
Child, caretaker, and community: Testing predictors of anemia and response to iron supplementation in Peruvian preschool‐aged children

Objectives Despite repeated governmental and nongovernmental interventions, anemia remains a widespread public health concern in Peru. This article examines nutritional and disease factors associated with the prevalence of anemia and response to iron supplementation in Peruvian children, with the aim of understanding the lack of success of national programs. Methods Data come from children, aged 2-5 years (n = 102), living in peri-urban Lima. Predictors of anemia and response to iron supplementation were explored at the individual, maternal, household, and environmental levels using logistic regression models, adjusted for clustering by household. Results Half of the children in this sample were anemic and 50% of the anemic children responded to iron supplementation. We identified several factors that were associated with child anemia status and response to iron supplementation. Lower weight-for-age z-scores and the winter season were strong predictors of child anemia status and nonresponse to iron supplementation. Living with paternal grandparents was protective against anemia and elevated C-reactive protein at the time of the final interview was associated with a lack of response to iron supplementation. Conclusions The findings of this study document an association between children's anemia status and their nutritional and ecological environment, highlighting the importance of examining anemia within a specific context to better understand the factors driving this important health problem.
First report of pediatric aspergilloma presenting as an isolated subglottic mass

Abstract We report a case of a 12-year-old female with a history of cystic fibrosis presenting to a pediatric tertiary care hospital with acute respiratory distress and subglottic mass on flexible laryngoscopy. Direct laryngoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy revealed a pedunculated subglottic mass with near complete obstruction of airway. The mass was removed and final pathology was consistent with Aspergillus fumigatus without evidence of vascular invasion. She was placed on Voriconazole based on the limited literature that was available. Interval airway evaluation six weeks after the initial surgery demonstrated complete resolution of her disease process with confirmatory negative biopsies. To date, there are no reported cases of primary subglottic aspergilloma. We present a detailed report of this patient's management and provide a review of the literature regarding fungal infections of the airway.
Development and Interrater Reliability of an Observational School Environment Checklist: A Practical, Comprehensive Tool to Assess Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Opportunities in Schools.

IntroductionComprehensive, objective assessment of schools’ eating and physical activity environments is critical to developing and evaluating policies and interventions to reduce pediatric obesity...
High-throughput screening of the ReFRAME, Pandemic Box, and COVID Box drug repurposing libraries against SARS-CoV2 nsp15 endoribonuclease to identify small-molecule inhibitors of viral activity.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic, and has taken over 1.7 million lives as of mid-December, 2020. Although great progress has been made in the development of effective countermeasures, with several pharmaceutical companies approved or poised to deliver vaccines to market, there is still an unmet need of essential antiviral drugs with therapeutic impact for the treatment of moderate-to-severe COVID-19. Towards this goal, a high-throughput assay was used to screen SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 uracil-dependent endonuclease (endoU) function against 13 thousand compounds from drug and lead repurposing compound libraries. While over 80% of initial hit compounds were pan-assay inhibitory compounds, three hits were confirmed as nsp15 endoU inhibitors in the 1-20 uM range in vitro. Furthermore, Exebryl-1, a beta-amyloid anti-aggregation molecule for Alzheimers therapy, was shown to have antiviral activity between 10 to 66 uM, in VERO, Caco-2, and Calu-3 cells. Although the inhibitory concentrations determined for Exebryl-1 exceed those recommended for therapeutic intervention, our findings show great promise for further optimization of Exebryl-1 as an nsp15 endoU inhibitor and as a SARS-CoV-2 antiviral.
Robustness and the evolution of length control strategies in the T3SS and flagellar hook

Abstract Bacterial cells construct many structures, such as the flagellar hook and the type III secretion system (T3SS) injectisome, that aid in crucial physiological processes such as locomotion and pathogenesis. Both of these structures involve long extracellular channels, and the length of these channels must be highly regulated in order for these structures to perform their intended functions. There are two leading models for how length control is achieved in the flagellar hook and T3SS needle: the substrate switching model, in which the length is controlled by assembly of an inner rod, and the ruler model, in which a molecular ruler controls the length. Although there is qualitative experimental evidence to support both models, comparatively little has been done to quantitatively characterize these mechanisms or make detailed predictions that could be used to unambiguously test these mechanisms experimentally. In this work, we constructed a mathematical model of length control based on the ruler mechanism and found that the predictions of this model are consistent with experimental data—not just for the scaling of the average length with the ruler protein length, but also for the variance. Interestingly, we found that the ruler mechanism allows for the evolution of needles with large average lengths without the concomitant large increase in variance that occurs in the substrate switching mechanism. In addition to making further predictions that can be tested experimentally, these findings shed new light on the trade-offs that may have led to the evolution of different length control mechanisms in different bacterial species.
Expanding the phenotypic spectrum of Mendelian connective tissue disorders to include prominent kidney phenotypes

Heritable connective tissue disorders are a group of diseases, each rare, characterized by various combinations of skin, joint, musculoskeletal, organ, and vascular involvement. Although kidney abnormalities have been reported in some connective tissue disorders, they are rarely a presenting feature. Here we present three patients with prominent kidney phenotypes who were found by whole exome sequencing to have variants in established connective tissue genes associated with Loeys-Dietz syndrome and congenital contractural arachnodactyly. These cases highlight the importance of considering connective tissue disease in children presenting with structural kidney disease and also serves to expand the phenotype of Loeys-Dietz syndrome and possibly congenital contractural arachnodactyly to include cystic kidney disease and cystic kidney dysplasia, respectively.
Multilinear algebra for minimum storage regenerating codes: a generalization of the product-matrix construction

An $$(n, k, d, \alpha )$$ -MSR (minimum storage regeneration) code is a set of n nodes used to store a file. For a file of total size $$k\alpha$$ , each node stores $$\alpha$$ symbols, any k nodes determine the file, and any d nodes can repair any other node by each sending out $$\alpha /(d-k+1)$$ symbols. In this work, we express the product-matrix construction of $$\bigl (n, k, 2(k-1), k-1\bigr )$$ -MSR codes in terms of symmetric algebras. We then generalize the product-matrix construction to $$\bigl (n, k, \frac{(k-1)t}{t-1}, \left( {\begin{array}{c}k-1\\ t-1\end{array}}\right) \bigr )$$ -MSR codes for general $$t\geqslant 2$$ , while the $$t=2$$ case recovers the product-matrix construction. Our codes’ sub-packetization level— $$\alpha$$ —is small and independent of n. It is less than $$L^{2.8(d-k+1)}$$ , where L is Alrabiah–Guruswami’s lower bound on $$\alpha$$ . Furthermore, it is less than other MSR codes’ $$\alpha$$ for a set of practical parameters. Finally, we discuss how our code repairs multiple failures at once.
Military Surgical Team Performance: The Impact of Familiarity, Team Size, and Nurse Anesthesia Students.

Abstract Purpose To examine the key factors impacting surgical team performance in a military medical center. Design A retrospective, exploratory, cross-sectional design. Methods We reviewed 751 orthopedic surgical cases to determine the association of surgical team familiarity, surgical complexity, team size, and the presence of student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) with the surgical performance measures of total operative time, turnover time, and on-time surgical start. Findings We found increases in surgical team familiarity significantly reduced turnover time by 7.84% (1-0.9216 = 0.0784; P = .0260) after controlling for surgical complexity and the presence of an SRNA on the team. Familiarity did not significantly impact total operative time or the odds of a first case on-time start. With a significant interaction of surgical complexity and team size on total operative time, the surgical complexity marginal effect (at the mean of team size) showed that a one-point increase prolonged total operative time by 6.89% (P Conclusions Surgical efficiency is a modifiable function of surgical teams. Although we suggest additional research, surgical leaders can potentially improve team performance by improving familiarity and forming small and cohesive surgical teams. As OR inefficiencies degrade the financial vitality of healthcare systems, surgical leaders should engage in a multifaceted program to improve efficiency by building familiarity and optimizing team size.
The agglomeration of headquarters

This paper uses a micro data set on auxiliary establishments from 1977 to 1997 in order to investigate the determinants of headquarter agglomerations and the underlying economic base of many larger metro areas. The significance of headquarters in large urban settings is their ability to facilitate the spatial separation of their white collar activities from remote production plants. The results show that separation benefits headquarters in two main ways: the availability of differentiated local service input suppliers and the scale of other headquarter activity nearby. A wide diversity of local service options allows the headquarters to better match their various needs with specific experts producing service inputs from whom they learn, which improves their productivity. Headquarters also benefit from other headquarter neighbors, although such marginal scale benefits seem to diminish as local scale rises.
Gallbladder and Biliary Secretion

The gallbladder and biliary tree play key roles in digestive and excretory functions, linking the liver with the upper gastrointestinal tract and providing a conduit to deliver concentrated hepatobiliary secretions in a manner that can be coordinated with the delivery of components of the meal to the absorptive surface of the intestine.
Properties of Antisera to Ganglioside GM1 and Asialo GM1

The object of this study is to prepare antisera to purified glycosphingolipids for immunocytochemical studies. Rabbits were immunized with ganglioside G M1 complexed either to methylated BSA or to a glycoprotein isolated from human erythrocytes, and to asialo G M1 complexed to the erythrocyte glycoprotein. IgG and IgM antibody fractions were separated by chromatography on Sephadex G-200 and their properties were determined by complement fixation. IgG antibodies to asialo G M1 were highly specific and exhibited little cross-reactivity with G M1 or other glycolipids, but IgM antibodies cross-reacted extensively with gangliosides G M1 and G D1b . Complement fixation of IgG anti-asialo G M1 with asialo G M1 was completely inhibited by about 15 nmoles of ganglio-N-tetraose, the carbohydrate moiety of this glycolipid. Both IgG and IgM antibodies to G M1 cross-reacted extensively with asialo G M1 and G D1b , but specific IgG antibodies to G M1 were revealed by absorption with asialo G M1 . The specific and cross-reacting IgG antibodies to G M1 were inhibited by the pentaose moiety of this glycoplipid, but these antibodies were much harder to inhibit than IgG anti-asialo G M1 . These results demonstrate that it is possible to prepare specific antisera to purified glycolipids with a single administration of antigen, in contrast to previous studies in which repeated injections of ganglioside mixtures were employed.
Dissipative Processes Accompanying Fracture

Failure by crack growth in materials is a serious problem in our technological society, reaching into our daily lives in our transportation vehicles, our structures, and all forms of machines. Exposure to natural stresses such as wind and gravity, mechanical forces and accelerations, and to radiation and chemicals is frequently unavoidable and often leads to crack formation, crack growth, and ultimately to catastrophic failure. As we push our technology to higher and lower temperatures, higher levels of stress, and wider ranges of environments, demands on materials become continually more intense. The role of fracture mechanics in the design and development of new materials has been crucial and has served as a guide to probing failure on microscopic levels. In this paper, I would like to explore some fundamental aspects of fracture which may stimulate and encourage extension of mechanical analyses to deeper levels of materials structure. After a brief introduction, this will include discussion of: fluctuations associated with a moving crack (chaotic aspects of fracture) resulting roughness of fracture surfaces (e.g., fractal geometry features) dissipative processes in fracture of inorganic crystals and glass time and spatially resolved measurements of model fiber-matrix debonding and pullout.
Introduction of point mutations into cloned genes.

Publisher Summary The genetic analysis of essential genes still relies largely on the generation of point mutations in those genes for an alternative approach, exploiting repressible promoters and ubiquitin destabilization of the gene product. This chapter discusses briefly the principle of the plasmid shuffle technique, which is critical to the generation and analysis of point mutants in essential genes. The chapter also discusses the two approaches to in vitro generalized mutagenesis of cloned yeast genes and describes several methods for the introduction of mutations into a clonable DNA fragment. Where appropriate, methods for introduction of the mutagenized fragment into the full-length yeast gene are also described in the chapter. There are many available techniques for introducing sequence changes into cloned DNAs,
The Objective Method: Probabilistic Combinatorial Optimization and Local Weak Convergence

This survey describes a general approach to a class of problems that arise in combinatorial probability and combinatorial optimization. Formally, the method is part of weak convergence theory, but in concrete problems the method has a flavor of its own. A characteristic element of the method is that it often calls for one to introduce a new, infinite, probabilistic object whose local properties inform us about the limiting properties of a sequence of finite problems.
Employee Financial Literacy and Retirement Behavior: A Case Study

This paper uses administrative data on all active employees of the Federal Reserve System to examine participation in and contributions to the Thrift Saving Plan, the system’s defined contribution (DC) plan. We have appended to the administrative records a unique employee survey of economic/demographic factors including a set of financial literacy questions. Not surprisingly, Federal Reserve employees are more financially literate than the general population; furthermore, the most financially savvy are also most likely to participate in and contribute the most to their plan. Sophisticated workers contribute three percentage points more of their earnings to the DC plan than do the less knowledgeable, and they hold more equity in their pension accounts. Finally, we examine changes in employee plan behavior a year after the financial literacy survey and compare it to the baseline. We find that employees who completed an educational module were more likely to start contributing and less likely to have stopped contributing to the DC plan post-survey.
A System for Computer Analysis of Kinetic Enzyme Data from a Modified Beckman DSA-560

We define the following criteria for enzyme assays as being beyond compromise: narrow bandpass double-beam spectrophotometer, multiple readings on the sample (kinetic procedure), temperature control of assay reaction mixture to ±0.1°C, wash-out between samples less than 1% of the preceding sample, and sample size of 100 µl or less. In addition, the following specifications for a system were considered desirable: automatic handling of the sample from initial pipetting through readout, adequate computer compatibility, versatility so that new procedures and different methods could be used, relatively short set-up time, and hard-copy backup in the event the computer failed. We have developed a system for enzyme assays that meets all of the above criteria. It consists of an analyzer (Beckman DSA-560) coupled to two modified Eskalab Spectrophotometers Alpha. The system is controlled via a special-purpose hybrid computer designed and built in our laboratory. Data from the system is analyzed on-line by an IBM 1800 computer. Details of the operation and reliability of the system in a routine clinical chemistry laboratory are discussed.
Foveal light adaptation as affected by the spectral composition of the test and adapting stimuli.

Foveal light adaptation has been investigated as a function of wavelength by the luminance discrimination method using three nearly monochromatic lights (red, green, and blue) employed in all possible adapting stimulus-test flash combinations. Subjects viewed two fields of light. The larger subtended 4°, 44′ (the adapting stimulus), and the smaller subtended 47′ (the test flash) and was superimposed upon the adapting stimulus.The data indicate that: (1)The largest selective effect of wavelength occurred from 0.00 to +0.05 sec, where the following results were obtained: (a) The greatest adaptive effects uniformly occurred for monochromatic combinations. (b) A lesser effect occurred for heterochromatic combinations.(2)These selective effects were in the same direction but greatly reduced after fifteen minutes of adaptation.(3)Both as a test flash and as an adapting stimulus, the blue acted as if it were transmitting more luminous flux than it actually was.(4)Light adaptation under these experimental conditions was virtually complete after thirty seconds of adaptation.The results seem to indicate that the degree of interaction between groups of neural elements which react selectively to various wavelengths is reflected in the psychophysical changes in thresholds reported in this study. In addition, the striking differences in the contributions of the blue mechanism to luminance and to chromaticness have also been reflected in the psychophysical data.
Atypical clinical presentations associated with the MELAS mutation at position 3243 of human mitochondrial DNA

Abstract Mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is commonly associated with an A → G transition at position 3243 of the mitochondrial DNA. To determine the diversity of clinical syndromes associated with this mutation, 91 patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies that did not conform to the MELAS phenotype were screened. Twenty one patients with the 3243 mutation, most of whom had progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO) were found. Clinical features did not distinguish PEO patients with the 3243 mutation from those with large-scale deletions of mtDNA. However, most cases with single large-scale mtDNA deletions were sporadic, whereas most patients with the 3243 mutation had affected maternal relatives. Histochemical studies of muscle showed that cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency was more severe in patients with PEO than in patients with typical MELAS, even though PEO patients had a lower percentage of mutant genomes in muscle. These data imply that the 3243 mutation is a major cause of familial PEO, and suggests that the threshold number of mtDNAs harboring the 3243 mutation necessary to affect a particular tissue vary in different patients. The proportion of mutant genomes in combination with other, still undefined, tissue-specific modulating factors seem to determine the overall clinical syndrome.
Monitoring potential neurotoxic effects of hazardous waste disposal.

This report reviews neurotoxicological principles relevant to situations of hazardous waste disposal. Some of the diagnostic techniques currently used for field assessment of nervous system dysfunc...
WIDOW'S PEAK SCALP-HAIR ANOMALY AND ITS RELATION TO OCULAR HYPERTELORISM

Abstract A hypothesis which explains the association between ocular hypertelorism and widow's peak was suggested by findings in an unusual case of ocular hypertelorism in which surrounding scalp-hair growth was suppressed by an ectopic eye. The widow's peak scalp-hair anomaly is interpreted as being the result of a lower than usual position of intersection of the bilateral periorbital fields of hair-growth suppression on the forehead. This can occur because the periorbital fields of hair-growth suppression are smaller than usual or because they are widely spaced. The latter explains the association between ocular hypertelorism and widow's peak.
Trade-Offs In Optical Computing

AbstractThe optical analog computer offers the user a very high -speed one -dimensional or two -dimensional system for conducting spectrum analysis, matched filtering, or correlation detection. This type of computer offersa significant advantage in hardware performance (equivalent bits per second per dollar) over the digitalcomputer in certain important signal- processing areas.IntroductionTechnology often places stringent limitations on the approach taken to a particular signal processing task. One usually turns to the digital computer to conduct signal analysis. This technology provides theuser with the capability of performing calculations to essentially any degree of precision with almost in-finite flexibility as to both type and scope of the problem addressed. The user also benefits from ease ofprogramming and from the transferability of software. This is due to the universality of most major program-ming languages and to the general availability of digital computing facilities.In certain special cases, however, the signal processing task makes demands which the digital computer
Urinary bladder, cystitis and nerve/urothelial interactions

A hallmark of functional pain syndromes, such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) is pain in the absence of demonstrable infection or pathology of the viscera or associated nerves. There are no clear definitions of this syndrome, no proven etiologies and no effective treatments able to eradicate the symptoms. This condition is characterized by suprapubic pain, associated with bladder filling and can also be accompanied by a persistent strong desire to void, increased frequency of urination and nocturia. Severe cases of this disorder, which affects primarily women, can have considerable impact on the quality of life of patients due to extreme pain and urinary frequency, which are often difficult to treat. In addition, BPS/IC patients may also suffer co-morbid conditions where pain is a common symptom (such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia). Theories explaining the pathology of bladder pain syndrome are many and include an altered bladder lining and possible contribution of a bacterial agent.
Defining Social Capital for Nursing: Experiences of Family Caregivers of Children with Chronic Conditions:

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the multidimensional nature of social capital as experienced by parental caregivers of children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Social capital is defined broadly as an investment in relationships. To define social capital more fully in the context of families of CSHCN, a structural definition was developed through a thematic analysis of focus-group discussions with parents. Twenty-three parents of CSHCN participated in focus groups that were audiotaped and transcribed for data analysis by the researcher. Thematic analysis of data was guided by van Kaam’s four-phase phenomenological method: extraction of descriptive expressions, identification of dimensions, intuitive categorization of expressions, and identification of common elements. Implications for practice include the importance of reframing social support as an outcome of social interactions and focusing on social capital to facilitate a contextual assessment of support for families and C...
Perceptive sorting: a method for understanding responses to products

Products engender complex experiences that go far beyond aesthetics and ease of use. We believe that by better understanding people's functional and emotional relationships to existing products, we might better understand how to design future products. This paper presents the Perceptive Sorting exercise (PS), a method inspired by the field of visual research to gain responses to product familiarity, product function, and aesthetic considerations. We report on a study using the PS with coffeemakers, watches, and consumer robotic products. The results provided information about how participants assess product attributes, assign value, and tell stories of product use.
Evolution of scalability with synchronized state in virtual environments

Developing scalable software architectures to suit virtual environment applications has been a challenge even in face of extraordinary advancements in computing and bandwidth power. In virtual environments, modifications to the world must be broadcasted across all clients, creating a network and processing complexity on the server-side that grows at an O(N2) rate. Therefore, scalability will always be hard to obtain for any virtual environment architecture.
Saponification value determination of difficultly saponifiable drying oil products

The use of n-butyl alcohol as a solvent for saponification of a representative series of drying oils has been studied. It appears from this work that n-butyl alcoholic potassium hydroxide reagent, containing 5% of water added to the reaction mixture, gives very acceptable results based upon calculated saponification values. With the exception of maleic-modified oils of certain types, the solvent system of ethyl alcohol-pyridine exhibits excellent results based upon calculated values. However it has the disadvantages that it is a two-solvent system, and the pyridine must be of reagent grade to avoid end-point difficulties. The end-point in the butyl alcohol system is not as sharp as the normal saponification end-point in ethyl alcohol. This may be caused by the two-phase nature of the titration mixture. Addition of ethyl alcohol to the n-butyl alcoholic saponification reaction mixture gives improvement, although the end-point is not as sharp as in the regular ethyl alcohol system. Work is continuing on methods for improvement of the end-point.
Frequency-Dependent Charge Pumping on 4H-SiC MOSFETs

The quality of the SiC/SiO2 interface is critical to the stability and performance of MOS-based SiC power devices. Charge pumping is a flexible interface characterization technique. In this work, a significant portion of the total traps are found to be located in the near-interface oxide using frequency-dependent charge pumping. Oxide trap tunneling mechanisms are discussed, and trap profile as a function of depth is calculated. The trap density is shown to increase exponentially as it gets closer to the interface.
Comparison of the lysis centrifugation and radiometric blood culture systems for recovery of yeast.

The performance of the Isolator (lysis centrifugation) and Bactec (radiometric) detection systems for the recovery of fungi from blood was studied prospectively by comparison of 2,188 paired cultures obtained at two geographically separated teaching hospitals. Eighty-three yeast isolates were recovered from 78 (3.6%) cultures that were obtained from 43 patients. Seventy-three (88%) yeast strains were recovered using the Isolator system, and 60 (72%) were recovered in the Bactec system. The average time for recovery of yeast was 2.3 days for the Isolator system and 3.1 days for the Bactec system. Optimal recovery can be accomplished through the use of both systems.
Modified reciprocity theorem for bianisotropic media

A modified reciprocity theorem is formulated for general bianisotropic media through the definition of a complementary medium. A bianisotropic medium is one in which the field vectors D and H depend on both E and B, and a moving mediucm appears bianisotropic to the laboratory observer even if it is isotropic in its rest frame. The conditions under which the modified reciprocity relationship will hold for moving gyrotropic and biaxial media are discussed.
Conditions for approximation of the bias and mean squared error of a sample mean under nonresponse

Abstract This paper gives rigorous statements of sufficient conditions for some moment approximations under nonresponse. Approximations are stated in terms of sequences of populations and simple random samples. Nonresponse is handled through a quasirandomization approach, in which selected sample units respond with different probabilities.
An unusual case of neurotrophic ulcer of the tongue.

Abstract An unusual case of neurotrophic ulcer of the tongue has been presented. The lesion occurred after a prolonged interruption of the function of the lingual nerve following mandibular block anesthesia.
The Polarity Protein Partitioning-Defective 1 (PAR-1) Regulates Dendritic Spine Morphogenesis through Phosphorylating Postsynaptic Density Protein 95 (PSD-95)

The polarity protein PAR-1 plays an essential role in many cellular contexts, including embryogenesis, asymmetric cell division, directional migration, and epithelial morphogenesis. Despite its known importance in different cellular processes, the role of PAR-1 in neuronal morphogenesis is less well understood. In particular, its role in the morphogenesis of dendritic spines, which are sites of excitatory synaptic inputs, has been unclear. Here, we show that PAR-1 is required for normal spine morphogenesis in hippocampal neurons. We further show that PAR-1 functions through phosphorylating the synaptic scaffolding protein PSD-95 in this process. Phosphorylation at a conserved serine residue in the KXGS motif in PSD-95 regulates spine morphogenesis, and a phosphomimetic mutant of this site can rescue the defects of kinase-dead PAR-1. Together, our findings uncover a role of PAR-1 in spine morphogenesis in hippocampal neurons through phosphorylating PSD-95.
Comparison of 2-dimensional echocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging for diagnosing myocardial infarction in emergency department patients.

Abstract Background Both 2-dimensional echocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with technetium-99m based agents have been used to identify patients in the emergency department with myocardial infarction (MI). However, the inclusion of small numbers of patients in prior studies limits the accurate assessment of sensitivity of the 2 techniques. Methods Gated MPI was used as part of the initial triage process in patients initially considered at low to moderate risk for acute coronary syndromes (no ST elevation or depression). Patients diagnosed with MI also underwent echocardiography. MPI results were considered positive if there was a perfusion defect associated with abnormal wall motion or thickening, and echocardiographic results were considered positive if there were segmental wall motion abnormalities or ejection fraction of less than 40%. Results Both tests were performed on 141 patients. The sensitivities for MI for echocardiography (91%; 95% CI, 86%-95%) and MPI (89%; 95% CI, 83%-94%) were similar. Patients who had either negative echocardiographic results (peak creatine kinase level [CK], 325 ± 206 vs 582 ± 614 U/L; P = .003) or negative MPI results (peak CK, 313 ± 227 vs 590 ± 620 U/L; P = .001) had smaller MIs as estimated with peak CK values. Ejection fraction was highly correlated between the 2 techniques (r = 0.82; P
Discovering Self Relationships Between African Identity and Academic Achievement

The present study explored connections between African identity, study habits, and academic achievements. Correlation analyses, using data from 96 Black high school students, indicated multiple con...
Reflections on the superconductor-insulator transition

The anomalously long superconducting coherence lengths observed in YBCO/PBCO multilayers are interpreted in terms of a boson localization picture for the superconductor-insulator transition in YBCO as Pr is substituted for Y. It is suggested that the combination of finite vortex mass and reduced superfluid density for the proximity-induced order parameter in PBCO should lead to enhanced quantum creep in these multilayer samples.
Narrow-band collisional activation technique for ion trap mass spectrometers

Narrow-bandwidth signals were applied to the end caps of an ion trap mass spectrometer to excite ions during collisional activation. Excitation waveforms were created from a single-frequency component and a random noise component using a multiplier circuit. Tandem and higher order mass spectrometry experiments (MS3) can be performed without optimization of the supplemental frequency applied to the end cap electrodes. The usefulness of this method of ion excitation is demonstrated using singly and multiply protonated peptide ions as well as sodium-cationized carbohydrates.
X-ray magnetic circular dichroism—a high energy probe of magnetic properties

Abstract X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy is a powerful emerging technique that measures difference in absorption of left- and right-circularly polarized X-rays by a magnetized sample, often at cryogenic temperatures. It is already well established in magnetic materials science, and it is likely to become a significant tool for the inorganic and bioinorganic communities. As with all X-ray spectroscopies, XMCD has the advantage of being element specific. Interpretation of the spectra can: provide quantitative information about the distribution of spin and orbital angular momenta from simple “sum rules”; determine spin orientations from the sign of the XMCD signal; infer spin states from magnetization curves; and separate magnetic and non-magnetic components in heterogeneous samples. With new synchrotron radiation sources and improved end stations, XMCD measurements on dilute samples such as metals in enzymes, are becoming more routine. This review first details the technology currently available for XMCD measurements and outlines the theory underlying interpretation of the spectra. It then illustrates the strengths of the XMCD technique using examples taken from bioinorganic chemistry and materials science. In this way, we aim to encourage chemists, materials scientists, and biologists to consider XMCD spectroscopy as an approach to understanding the electronic and magnetic structure of their samples.
Underpotential deposition of lead on Pt(111) in the presence of bromide: RRDPt(111)E and X-ray scattering studies

Abstract The underpotential deposition (upd) of Pb onto Pt(111) in solution containing Br− was examined by classical RRDPt(111)E electrochemical methods in combination with in situ surface X-ray scattering measurements. The results show that Pb upd onto Pt(111) in the presence of bromide is a competitive process with the total amount of Pb deposited at underpotential being only ca. 0.51±5% ML, less than the amount needed to form a close-packed monolayer, 0.63 ML (1 ML equals 1 Pb atom per Pt surface atom). Deposition of Pb adatoms is accompanied by desorption of about one-half of the bromide adsorbed on the Pt surface at higher potentials, leaving co-adsorbed bromide both in and on-top-of the adlayer. In the potential region where the ratio of co-adsorbed species is close to one (E≈0 V) there is the slow formation (over a period of ca. 2 h) of an ordered surface alloy, which has a p(2×2) unit cell. No other ordered structures of Pb are observed in the underpotential region. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.
Reduced expression of fatty acid biosynthesis genes in the prefrontal cortex of patients with major depressive disorder.

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with central and peripheral deficits in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), particularly those in the omega-3 fatty acid family. However, the etiology of these deficits remains poorly understood, and there is currently little known about the expression of genes that mediate fatty acid biosynthesis in MDD patients. Methods The expression of FADS1 (Δ5 desaturase), FADS2 (Δ6 desaturase), HELO1 [ ELOVL5 ] (elongase), PEX19 (peroxisome), and SCD (stearoyl-CoA desaturase [Δ9 desaturase]) was determined in the postmortem prefrontal cortex of MDD patients ( n = 10) and non-psychiatric controls ( n = 10) by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results After correcting for multiple comparisons, FADS1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in MDD patients relative to controls (−27%, p = 0.009), and there were trends for lower expression of FADS2 (−30%, p = 0.07), HELO1 (−37%, p = 0.02), and SCD (−43%, p = 0.02). PEX19 mRNA expression did not differ between controls and MDD patients (−2%, p = 0.92). There were no significant gender effects, and relative reductions in FADS1, HELO1 , and SCD expression were greater in patients that did not commit suicide compared with patients that did commit suicide. Limitations The sample size was small, and all MDD patients were receiving antidepressant medications. Conclusions Principal genes involved in LC-PUFA and monounsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis are down-regulated in the postmortem prefrontal cortex of MDD patients. Additional studies are needed to replicate and extend these findings in a larger sample that includes antidepressant-free MDD patients.
A file integrity checking system to detect and recover from program modification attacks in multi-user computer systems

The purpose of this paper is to identify and contend with the threat of program modification attacks such as computer viruses. A system that detects the presence of a virus is presented. The system is also capable of taking its own automatic countermeasures. The security system is ''a posteriori'' because it detects viruses only after an infection has occurred. A method to immunize the security system from viral infection is also presented. The a posteriori security system is intended to complement the existing security access controls of a computer system.
Cortical signal-to-noise ratio: insight into the pathophysiology and genetics of schizophrenia

Abstract During the past two decades, it has been convincingly demonstrated that schizophrenic patients and subjects genetically at risk for schizophrenia show abnormalities of cortical and particularly prefrontal function. Depending on clinical state and task conditions, hypo- and hyperfrontality have been frequently described with functional neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques; however, the underlying neurophysiological deficits remained largely obscure. There is now growing empirical evidence that cortical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during information processing is fundamentally disturbed and may be key to a further understanding of schizophrenic pathophysiology. The evidence comes from animal and human electrophysiological and neuroimaging investigations as well as neuropsychological and computational simulation studies. This research has also shown that dopamine signaling in prefrontal cortex is a critical factor in modulation of cortical SNR and in neurocognitive performance. Moreover, it was recently demonstrated that genetically determined variations in dopamine signaling, mediated by a functional polymorphism in the gene for the enzyme catechol- o -methyltransferase, has a significant impact on the cortical SNR, prefrontal information processing, and as a result, is a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia. This review summarizes the current state of research on the pathophysiology of schizophrenia with emphasis on cortical-SNR and the involvement of potentially relevant, molecular and genetic determinants of the cortical dopaminergic signaling.
Production of Endocarditis with Staphylococcus Aureus and Streptococcus Mitis in Dogs with Aortic Insufficiency

Following the induction of aortic insufficiency, 15 dogs received intravenous injections of either Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus mitis . The clinical course and pathologic picture resembled those of acute and subacute bacterial endocarditis respectively. The valvular lesions were confined largely to contacting surfaces of aortic and mitral leaflets. The dogs given S. mitis often developed an acute diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis. No such valvular or renal lesions were noted in 10 control dogs, including 2 with sham operations, given similar bacterial injections.
Experimental investigation on the operating variables of a near-field electrospinning process via response surface methodology

Abstract The past decade has seen tremendous advances in producing nanofibers and nanowires from a variety of materials for applications in sensors, photovoltaic devices and regenerative medicine. Nano and sub-micron fibers produced from a conventional electrospinning process are relatively inexpensive to produce but result in entangled and randomly oriented fibers. In this research, we have utilized a modified form of the electrospinning process, wherein polymeric fibers of Poly-caprolactone (PCL) are deposited in controlled pattern orientations by the ‘near-field electrospinning’ process. The process variables are interdependent and greatly influence the final deposition and diameters of the fibers. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to obtain a quantitative and systematic understanding of the near-field deposition process and its relationship with the process parameters. A response surface function was empirically determined with fiber diameter as the observed response and the deposition parameters as the variables. Fibers of diameter ranging for 500–1500 nm were produced with a reasonable R2 value of 0.74, which indicates approximately seventy five percent of the variation in the response variable can be explained by the explanatory variables and the rest by the inherent process variability.
Guidelines for Adapting Content Area Textbooks Keeping Teachers and Students Content

Textbook adaptations are often necessary in working with mainstreamed special education students
Extraordinary capabilities of optical devices incorporating guided-mode resonance gratings: Application summary and recent examples

For selected device concepts that are members of an evolving class of photonic devices enabled by guided-mode resonance (GMR) effects, we review physics of operation, design, fabrication, and characterization. We summarize the application potential of this field and provide new and emerging aspects. Our chosen examples include resonance elements with extremely wide reflection bands. Thus, in a multilevel structure with conformal germanium (Ge) films, reflectance exceeds 99% for spectral widths approaching 1100 nm. A simpler design, incorporating a partially etched single Ge layer on a glass substrate, exhibits a high-reflectance bandwidth close to 900 nm. We present a couple of interesting new device concepts enabled by GMRs coexisting with the Rayleigh anomaly. Our example Rayleigh reflector exhibits a wideband high-efficiency flattop spectrum and extremely rapid angular transitions. Moreover, we show that it is possible to fashion transmission filters by excitation of leaky resonant modes at the Rayleigh anomaly in a subwavelength nanograting. A unique transmission spectrum results, which is tightly delimited in angle and wavelength as experimentally demonstrated. We update our application list with new developments including GMR-based coherent perfect absorbers, multiparametric biosensors, and omnidirectional wideband absorbers.
The Miami pediatric quality of life questionnaire: parent scale.

Because there were limited measures available to assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) in children with chronic illnesses, this study was initiated to develop an empirically derived questionnaire for use in evaluating HRQL issues in children treated for cancer. Extensive interviews were conducted with 30 families of children with cancer, 10 of pre-school age, 10 of school age and 10 of adolescent age. Responses were videotaped and transcribed, then categorized to develop a pool of 56 items, which were administered to 132 children with cancer and to their parents. This report focuses on parental responses to objective items and ratings of importance of each of these items. Three primary categories, Self-Competence, Emotional Stability and Social Competence, were identified, each of which had solid internal consistency, sensitivity and reliability across 1-month intervals. The measure demonstrated the ability to discriminate between children with different types of cancer, offers an alternative to measures relying on expert judgment to assess HRQL and may lead to greater inclusion of psychological and social concerns as primary factors in determining HRQL in children participating in clinical trials.
Review article: Ethical issues in the study of second language acquisition: resources for researchers

Two recent books provide varied resources for exploring ethical issues in the social sciences. Reflection on ethical issues aims to sensitize scholars to a range of consequences of their research, ...