cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytic flexibility in laboratory aggression paradigms: Relations with personality traits vary (slightly) by operationalization of aggression.

Competitive reaction time tasks (CRTTs) have been used widely in social science research, but recent criticism has been directed at the flexible quantification strategies used with this methodology. A recent review suggests that over 150 different quantification strategies have been used in this literature, and there is evidence to suggest that different operationalizations can affect the results and interpretations of experiments using CRTTs. In the current investigation, we reanalyze data from four existing samples from two different sites (total N = 600) to examine how the relations between a range of personality traits and aggression vary based on how aggression is operationalized. Our results suggest that there is a modest degree of heterogeneity in effect size and direction for these relations, and that effect size and direction were most consistent for traits more generally related to lab aggression (e.g., psychopathy, low Five-Factor Model agreeableness). In addition, profile matching analyses suggest that different operationalizations yield empirical correlates that are quite similar to one another, even when quantifying absolute rather than relative similarity. These results were consistent across site, methodology, and type of sample, suggesting that these issues are likely generalizable across most labs using CRTTs. We conclude with suggestions for future directions, particularly emphasizing the need for adequately-powered samples, and for researchers to preregister a plan for how CRTT data will be analyzed.
Late Cenozoic structure and tectonics of the southern Sierra Nevada–San Joaquin Basin transition, California

This paper presents a new synthesis for the late Cenozoic tectonic, paleogeographic, and geomorphologic evolution of the southern Sierra Nevada and adjacent eastern San Joaquin Basin. The southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Basin contrast sharply, with the former constituting high-relief basement exposures and the latter constituting a Neogene marine basin with superposed low-relief uplifts actively forming along its margins. Nevertheless, we show that Neogene basinal conditions extended continuously eastward across much of the southern Sierra Nevada, and that during late Neogene–Quaternary time, the intra-Sierran basinal deposits were uplifted and fluvially reworked into the San Joaquin Basin. Early Neogene normal-sense growth faulting was widespread and instrumental in forming sediment accommodation spaces across the entire basinal system. Upon erosion of the intra-Sierran basinal deposits, structural relief that formed on the basement surface by the growth faults emerged as topographic relief. Such “weathered out” fossil fault scarps control much of the modern southern Sierra landscape. This Neogene high-angle fault system followed major Late Cretaceous basement structures that penetrated the crust and that formed in conjunction with partial loss of the region’s underlying mantle lithosphere. This left the region highly prone to surface faulting, volcanism, and surface uplift and/or subsidence transients during subsequent tectonic regimes. The effects of the early Neogene passage of the Mendocino Triple Junction were amplified as a result of the disrupted state of the region’s basement. This entailed widespread high-angle normal faulting, convecting mantle-sourced volcanism, and epeirogenic transients that were instrumental in sediment dispersal, deposition, and reworking patterns. Subsequent phases of epeirogenic deformation forced additional sediment reworking episodes across the southern Sierra Nevada–eastern San Joaquin Basin region during the late Miocene break-off and west tilt of the Sierra Nevada microplate and the Pliocene–Quaternary loss of the region’s residual mantle lithosphere that was left intact from the Late Cretaceous tectonic regime. These late Cenozoic events have left the high local-relief southern Sierra basement denuded of its Neogene basinal cover and emergent immediately adjacent to the eastern San Joaquin Basin and its eastern marginal uplift zone.
Solar Radiation Disturbance Torque Reduction for the Parker Solar Probe Observatory

This paper examines the methodology used for reducing solar pressure disturbance torques for the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Observatory by minimizing the offset between spacecraft's Center of Gravity (CG) and Center of Pressure (CP). The force due to solar radiation pressures encountered by the PSP spacecraft, particularly at the 9.86 solar-radii (Rs) closest approach point in the orbit, are of a sufficient magnitude to produce significant disturbance torques. Inside of 0.25 AU, the Observatory is required to keep its Thermal Protection System (TPS) pointed precisely towards the Sun in order to ensure the survivability of the observatory. It was crucial to reduce disturbance torques encountered during this phase of flight to a low enough level such that the guidance and control system of the spacecraft would be able to control attitude without requiring excessive or untimely propellant usage. We present the process used for proactively packaging a balanced spacecraft and analytically determining the spacecraft's mass properties throughout the entirety of the mission, including associated CG and inertia tensor changes due to propellant usage and movement of deployable hardware and mechanisms. We also present the process used for deriving the spacecraft's CP based on the geometry and optical properties of the hardware exposed to the full solar environment, as well as its shift due to degradation of those properties throughout the life of the mission. Using both of those data sets, we present the approach used to install ballast masses on the observatory in order to minimize the offset, as well as data collected during spacecraft mass properties testing concluded towards the end of PSP's assembly, test, and launch operations campaign. Finally, we present test correlated center of gravity and center of pressure data, and examine expected effects for the duration of the Parker Solar Probe mission.
Deciphering the notion of a raceless nation: Racial harmony and discrimination in Puerto Rican society

This article critiques the idea of Puerto Rico as a raceless nation by tracing its sources and looking at the discourses of intellectual and political elites during the “nation-building” process in the first half of the twentieth century, discourses in which race was generally either distorted or overlooked. I first analyze three incidents in which black Puerto Ricans were denied entrance to elite social clubs in San Juan because of their race. These events suggest that the racelessness idea was intertwined with actual discriminatory practices and a broad structural racism. Second, I examine the role of academic and cultural institutions such as the University of Puerto Rico, the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena, and the Division de Educacion para la Comunidad in promoting the notion of racelessness. That can be seen as part of a broad denial of racial discrimination in the attempt to forge Puerto Rico as a white nation.
Pyrrolocin C and equisetin inhibit bacterial acetyl-CoA carboxylase

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health and economic concern. Current antimicrobial agents are becoming less effective against common bacterial infections. We previously identified pyrrolocins A and C, which showed activity against a variety of Gram-positive bacteria. Structurally similar compounds, known as pyrrolidinediones (e.g., TA-289, equisetin), also display antibacterial activity. However, the mechanism of action of these compounds against bacteria was undetermined. Here, we show that pyrrolocin C and equisetin inhibit bacterial acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the first step in fatty acid synthesis. We used transcriptomic data, metabolomic analysis, fatty acid rescue and acetate incorporation experiments to show that a major mechanism of action of the pyrrolidinediones is inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis, identifying ACC as the probable molecular target. This hypothesis was further supported using purified proteins, demonstrating that biotin carboxylase is the inhibited component of ACC. There are few known antibiotics that target this pathway and, therefore, we believe that these compounds may provide the basis for alternatives to current antimicrobial therapy.
Overview and Initial Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Youth

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in childhood is increasing, largely due to the obesity epidemic in youth. Recent research has found that young adults who developed type 2 diabetes as children have alarmingly high rates of diabetes complications affecting the kidneys, eyes, heart, nerves, and adversely affecting pregnancy outcomes. More aggressive management of youth-onset type 2 diabetes is needed to prevent the development of these serious complications (TODAY2 results: tracking type 2 diabetes in youth. Beyond Type 2 2019. https://beyondtype2.org/today2-results-tracking-type-2-diabetes-in-youth/ [Accessed 5 December 2019]). Currently, lifestyle modifications, metformin, liraglutide, and insulin are the only medications approved for use in children. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology, initial management, and chronic management as frontline providers is important for the development of effective preventative and therapeutic strategies.
Under-ice mesocosms reveal the primacy of light but the importance of zooplankton in winter phytoplankton dynamics.

Factors that regulate planktonic communities under lake ice may be vastly different from those during the open-water season. Expected changes in light availability, ice cover, and snowfall associated with climate change have accelerated the need to understand food web processes under ice. We hypothesized that light limitation (bottom-up control) outweighs zooplankton grazing (top-down control) influence on phytoplankton biovolume and community structure under ice in a north temperate lake. Using in situ under-ice mesocosm experiments, we found that light had stronger effects on phytoplankton abundance than zooplankton, as expected. Specifically, low light limited growth of diatoms, cryptophytes, and chrysophytes. Zooplankton, however, also significantly affected some individual phytoplankton groups by decreasing diatoms and cryptophytes, in contrast to the common assumption that zooplankton grazing has negligible effects under ice. Ammonium and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were lowest in high light treatments presumably through uptake by phytoplankton, whereas ammonium and SRP were highest in high zooplankton treatments, likely a result of zooplankton excretion. In situ experimental studies are commonly applied to understand food web dynamics in open-water conditions, but are extremely rare under ice. Our results suggest that changes in the light environment under ice have significant, rapid effects on phytoplankton growth and community structure and that zooplankton may play a more active role in winter food webs than previously thought. Changes in snow and ice dynamics associated with climate change may alter the light environment in ice-covered systems and significantly influence community structure.
Symptom-Based Dispatching in an Emergency Medical Communication Centre: Sensitivity, Specificity, and the Area under the ROC Curve

Background: Measuring the performance of emergency medical dispatch tools used in paramedic-staffed emergency medical communication centres (EMCCs) is rarely performed. The objectives of our study were, therefore, to measure the performance and accuracy of Geneva’s dispatch system based on symptom assessment, in particular, the performance of ambulance dispatching with lights and sirens (LS and the specificity was 47.3%, 95%CI (47.0–47.6). When symptom-specific assessment protocols were used, the accuracy of the assessments was slightly improved. Conclusions: Performance measurement of Geneva’s symptom-based dispatch system using standard diagnostic test performance measurement tools was possible. The performance was found to be comparable to other emergency medical dispatch systems using the same reference standard. However, the implementation of specific assessment protocols for each symptom may improve the accuracy of symptom-based dispatch systems.
Transition Planning for Chronic Illnesses in the Time of COVID-19

Transition from pediatric to adult care for those with chronic illnesses must have special considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has significantly disrupted social, economic, and health care practices globally. Young adults with special health care needs are at increased risk for poor outcomes during this unprecedented time. We have found that heightened anxiety, health care service disruption, and other logistical complications surrounding the new virus may further confound health care transitions. Increased communication and collaboration with young adults is necessary to provide patient-centered care and ensure they successfully cross the transition chasm.
Substitutional adsorptions of chloride at grain boundary sites on hydroxylated alumina surfaces initialize localized corrosion

To understand the chloride (Cl)-induced initiation mechanism of localized corrosion of Aluminum (Al) alloys, we apply density functional theory (DFT) calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations to investigate the interactions between Cl and hydroxylated α–Al2O3 surfaces, mainly (0001) orientation, under aqueous electrochemical conditions. Hydroxylated alumina surfaces thermodynamically stable in aqueous environments are constructed based on DFT calculations for both the single-crystal and bicrystal configurations. AIMD simulations suggest a Cl anion can only be stabilized on these surfaces by substituting a surface hydroxyl (OH) group. This substitution is thermodynamically favorable at sites on surface terminations of grain boundaries (GBs) in bicrystal configurations but not favorable at sites on single-crystal surfaces. Electronic structure analyses show that the different adsorption behaviors originate from the higher sensitivity of the Al–OH bond strength to the local coordination than its counterpart of the Al–Cl bond. The adsorbed Cl significantly increases the thermodynamic driving force for Al cation dissolution from alumina surfaces into the aqueous electrolyte, which can initiate localized corrosion.
Varroa mite and deformed wing virus infestations interactively make honey bees (Apis mellifera) more susceptible to insecticides

Abstract Varroa mite is one of the major adverse factors causing honey bee population decline. In this study, Varroa destructor-infested and uninfested honey bee colonies were established by selective applying miticide (Apivar® amitraz). Mite population was monitored monthly (April–October 2016), and deformed wing virus (DWV) loading was detected seasonally (April, July, and October). Four immunity- and two physiology-related gene expressions, natural mortality, and susceptibility to five insecticides were comparatively and seasonally examined in field-collected honey bee workers. Results showed that Apivar-treated bee colonies had minor or undetectable mite and DWV (using RT-qPCR) infestations in whole bee season, while untreated colonies had substantially higher mite and DWV infestations. In untreated colonies, Varroa mite population irregularly fluctuated over the bee season with higher mite counts in Jun (318 ± 89 mites dropped in 48 h) or August (302) than that (25 ± 4 or 34) in October, and mite population density was not dynamically or closely correlated with the seasonal shift of honey bee natural mortality (regression slope = −0.5212). Unlike mite, DWV titer in untreated colonies progressively increased over the bee season, and it was highly correlated (R2 = 1) with the seasonal increase of honey bee natural mortality. Significantly lower gene expressions of dor, PPO, mfe, potentially PPOa and eat as well, in untreated colonies also indicated an association of increased DWV infestation with decreased physiological and immunity-related functions in late-season honey bees. Furthermore, bees with lower mite/DWV infestations exhibited generally consistently lower susceptibilities (contact and oral toxicities) to five representative insecticides than the bees without Apivar treatment. All of these data from this study consistently indicated an interaction of Varroa/viral infestations with insecticide susceptibilities in honey bees, potentially through impairing bee's physiology and immunity, emphasizing the importance of mite control in order to minimize honey bee decline.
Manifestations of Damage from Ionizing Radiation in Mammalian Cells in the Postirradiation Generations

Publisher Summary Many methodologies have been applied to the study of irradiated cells, but attention has been focused mainly on cell behavior during the generation in which the radiation is delivered. Cell behavior is in several respects very different in the irradiated generation from what it is in the succeeding generations. In particular, some of the responses in the irradiated generation are transient, and certain responses seem unrelated to lethal damage—for example, even cells that are not killed may suffer a delay in reaching mitosis. In any case, the behavior of lethally irradiated cells during the postirradiation generations before they die is intrinsically of interest and should provide information concerning the nature of the lethal damage they harbor. This chapter reviews the behavior of irradiated cells and discusses the postirradiation generations, even though distinction between the irradiated and the postirradiation generations is in several respects arbitrary.
Chimney Formation and Flow Instabilities in a Mushy Layer with Deformed Boundaries

Three-dimensional linear flow instabilities and initial formation of chimneys in a mushy region during solidification of a binary alloy are investigated. Chimneys are vertical channels that can lead to freckles in the solidified material. Freckles are imperfections that interrupt the uniformity of the solidified material and cause areas of mechanical weakness. A stability analysis and numerical computations for deformed liquid-mush and mush-solid interfaces provide information on the neutral stability curve, velocity data and density data for the solid fraction perturbation in the mushy layer that leads to local regions of chimney formation. The results for the flow pattern in the form of hexagons indicate two distinct hexagonal modes of convection. The importance and roles of these two modes are discussed in relation to chimney formation in the mushy layer, as well as to future nonlinear instability and high gravity research with application to freckles elimination.
Predicting Dissolved Inorganic Carbon in Photoautotrophic Microalgae Culture via the Nitrogen Source

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and pH are key factors that control the growth rate of microalgae growing photoautotrophically. Being able to quantify how DIC and pH independently affect growth kinetics requires a means to control each parameter independently. In this study, we used the Proton Condition (PC) to develop means to control pH and DIC independently. Using the PC, we found that different N sources systematically affect the alkalinity and the DIC in distinct ways. With pH controlled at a fixed level by CO2 addition, using nitrate as the N source increased the alkalinity and DIC concentration in proportion to the increase in biomass concentration. In contrast, using ammonium caused the alkalinity and DIC to decline, while using ammonium nitrate left the DIC nearly unchanged. Experiments with a model photoautotroph cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, in batch experiments with modified BG-11 media and a pH-stat confirmed all of the DIC predictions of the PC-based model. Thus, this study pr...
The Culture of Morality: Social Judgments and Social Contexts

To do as others do is therefore not more fundamental than to deviate from them. —Solomon Asch, Social Psychology , 1952 Since much of the debate about social capital is over whether matters have gotten worse or not, the idea is not unrelated to the often stated view that American society is experiencing moral decay. If social capital has decreased, as Putnam asserts, then it is claimed that the social fabric has deteriorated. If social capital is at the same or higher levels, as Ladd asserts, then it is claimed that the social fabric is vibrant and functioning well. Moreover, the idea of social capital gains importance in these views because it is presumed to be closely linked to trust among members of society. Part of Putnam's analysis was that the decrease in civic and social participation brought with it less trust in others and in society. Putnam offers as evidence of a decrease in trust findings from surveys that asked whether most people can be trusted. In 1960, 58 percent stated that most people could be trusted, whereas in 1993 only 30 percent thought so. Putnam (1995) argues that social trust and civic engagement are strongly correlated, and that they are two facets of social capital.
Regulation of cardiac performance in clinical heart disease. Interactions between contractile state mechanical abnormalities and ventricular compensatory mechanisms.

Cardiac function in clinical heart disease is governed by ventricular (1) preload, (2) contractility, (3) afterload, (4) heart rate, and (5) dyssynergy. The major types of pathophysiologic abnormalities include inotropic disturbances, systolic mechanical pressure and volume overloads and diastolic mechanical ventricular underloading. In contractility and systolic mechanical disorders, the cardiac compensatory mechanisms of (1) Frank-Starling principle, (2) ventricular hypertrophy, and (3) sympathetic nervous system furnish substantial but limited protective reserve for maintaining cardiac output. Assessment of cardiac performance by pump (hemodynamics) and muscle (isovolumic and ejection mechanics) characteristics, including measurements of inotropic indexes of contractile force and velocity properties, provides quantitative analysis of ventricular function determinants and compensatory system interactions in heart disease. Congestive heart failure is compensated when resting cardiac output is maintained at normal levels by the adaptive reserves with their deleterious early effects: dyspnea (preload rise), angina pectoris (increased mass) and tachycardia (adrenergic activity). Decompensated congestive heart failure is the inability of the heart to deliver normal basal cardiac output with attendant late symptoms of fatigue at rest and body organ failure despite maximal use of protective reserves. The compensatory responses utilized and the critical level of depressed contractility causing decompensation are dependent on the specific pathophysiologic condition. Thus, the fundamental variable in congestive heart failure is inotropic integrity of which its abnormal degree determines decompensation in chronic heart disease. Compensation can be sustained by reserve mechanisms at a lower inotropic state in cardiomyopathy than in systolic mechanical disorders in which volume overload can be compensated for at a more depressed level of contractility than pressure overload. The standard classification of clinical function in congestive heart failure is based more on early symptoms consequent to secondary adjustments (compensatory mechanisms) than on disturbances of the primary factors of decompensation: cardiac output (crucial hemodynamic variable) and contractility (the fundamental determinant).
Optimality measures for coverage in 3D wireless sensor networks

Sensor networks are becoming increasingly important as tools for monitoring remote environments. Networking together hundreds or thousands of inexpensive sensor nodes allows users to accurately monitor a remote environment by intelligently combining the data from the individual nodes. In this paper, contrary to existing techniques, the deployment and coverage problems in a three dimensional space are studied. A solution to the problem of optimal node 3D placement and algorithms for minimizing the number of active nodes while covering a region are presented. The minimum number of nodes will serve as optimality measures for coverage in three dimensional space.
Studies on the soluble antigen of influenza virus. I. The release of S antigen from elementary bodies by treatment with ether.

Soluble (S) antigen is readily released from influenza virus particles by exposure to ether. In order to obtain reproducible results with maximal yields of S and minimal damage to or loss of hemagglutinating and virus (V) antigen activities the technique described by Hoyle was modified and standardized. Elementary body suspensions which contained at least 5120 HA units per milliliter, and which failed to react per se with anti-S, were exposed to 12 volume of anesthetic ether at room temperature for periods up to 2 hours under constant agitation by a magnetic stirrer. Under these conditions, the hemagglutinating activity, as measured with guinea pig red cells, increased up to sixteenfold with all four influenza A strains tested; agglutination of chicken red cells was slightly enhanced with one of the strains and reduced twofold or more with the other three. The V antigen levels remained essentially unaltered. On the average, about 40 HA units of standard elementary bodies were required to yield one unit of S. Release of S became apparent within a few minutes of treatment. This was accompanied by nearly complete loss of infectivity and the sedimentation of the HA activity by high-speed centrifugation was markedly reduced. These results do not necessarily imply that the virus particles are disintegrated, as has been discussed.
Unrestricted code motion: a program representation and transformation algorithms based on future values

We introduce the concept of future values. Using future values it is possible to represent programs in a new control-flow form such that on any control flow path the data-flow aspect of the computation is either traditional (i.e., definition of a value precedes its consumers), or reversed (i.e., consumers of a value precede its definition). The representation hence allows unrestricted code motion since ordering of instructions are not prohibited by the data dependencies. We present a new program representation called Recursive Future Predicated Form (RFPF) which implements the concept. RFPF subsumes general if-conversion and permits unrestricted code motion to the extent that the whole procedure can be reduced to a single block. We develop algorithms which enable instruction movement in acyclic as well as cyclic regions and give examples of various optimizations in RFPF form.
EGTA (ethyleneglycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: EGTA (ethyleneglycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-n,n,n′,n′-tetraacetic acid)
A dual‐primal finite‐element tearing and interconnecting method combined with tree‐cotree splitting for modeling electromechanical devices

The dual-primal finite-element tearing and interconnecting (FETI-DP) method is combined with the tree-cotree splitting (TCS) method to expand the capability and improve the efficiency of the finite-element analysis of electromechanical devices. With the FETI-DP method, an original large-scale problem is decomposed into smaller subdomain problems and parallel computing schemes are then employed to reduce the computation time significantly. The TCS method is adopted to deal with the low-frequency breakdown problem, which often accompanies the finite-element analysis of electromechanical problems. On the basis of the computed magnetic field values, the force is computed with the use of the Maxwell stress tensor method. The proposed technique is applied to solve both high-contrast magnetostatic problems and eddy-current problems. Results are compared with both measurement data and brute-force finite-element calculations without domain decomposition. Comprehensive tests are conducted to investigate the parallel efficiency and numerical scalability. The results show that the proposed method can achieve a good parallel efficiency and an excellent numerical scalability with respect to the number of subdomains and the size of the problem. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acidosis and Bone

Human metabolism leads to the production of ∼1 mmol/kg of acid (protons, H+) per day, which is termed endog­enous acid production.1,2 Additional endogenous acid production occurs during disorders such as diarrhea, diabetic ketoacidosis, and lactic acidosis. This additional acid results in a reduction of systemic pH, which is termed metabolic acidosis. The physiologic response to metabolic acidosis is to rapidly increase extracellular fluid pH toward the physiologic neutral of 7.40 to maintain optimal cellular function.1 The homeostatic response to metabolic acidosis involves first buffering of the acid, then increasing respiratory rate to lower the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Pco2), and finally renal excretion of the additional acid. The initial step, buffering of the additional acid, is critical to the immediate restoration toward neutral pH allowing the preservation of life. The final step, renal excretion of the acid, begins hours after the acid challenge and is complete only days later. Renal acid excretion relies upon normal kidney function; as we age, our ability to excrete acid declines and humans become slightly, but significantly, more acidemic.3
Ionospheric effects of whistler waves from rocket‐triggered lightning

[1] Lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP) is one of the primary mechanisms for energetic electron loss from Earth's radiation belts. While previous works have emphasized lightning location and the return stroke peak current in quantifying lightning's role in radiation belt electron loss, the spectrum of the lightning return stroke has received far less attention. Rocket-triggered lightning experiments performed at the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing (ICLRT) at Camp Blanding, Florida, provide a means to directly measure the spectral content of individual lightning return strokes. Using an integrated set of numerical models and directly observed rocket-triggered lightning channel-base currents we calculate the latitudinal dependence of the precipitation signature. Model results indicate that rocket-triggered lightning may produce detectable LEP events and that return strokes with higher ELF (3 Hz–3 kHz) content cause proportionally more ionospheric ionization and precipitate more electrons at higher latitudes than return strokes with proportionally higher VLF (3 kHz–30 kHz) content. The predicted spatio-temporal signature of the induced electron precipitation is highly dependent upon the return stroke spectral content. As a result, we postulate that rocket-triggered lightning experiments enable us to the estimate the spectral profile of energetic electrons precipitated from the Earth's radiation belts.
Ongoing Cerebral Vasculitis During Treatment of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Abstract Background Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tickborne infection that produces a systemic small-vessel vasculitis; its prognosis is excellent if appropriate treatment is initiated early. Because the advent of effective antirickettsial therapies predates the widespread use of brain magnetic resonance imaging, there are limited data on the effect of untreated Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection on neuroimaging studies. Patient Description We describe a 7-year-old girl with delayed treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever who suffered severe neurological impairment. Serial brain magnetic resonance images revealed a progressive "starry sky appearance," which is proposed to result from the same small vessel vasculitis that causes the characteristic skin rash of this infection. Conclusion Neurological injury can continue to occur despite specific antirickettsial therapy in Rocky Mountain spotted fever. This child's clinical features raise questions about the optimal management of this infection, particularly the utility of immune modulating therapies in cases of delayed treatment and neurological involvement.
Cinnamon polyphenols increase oxygen-glucose deprivation of decreased PGE2 production by upregulation of SIRT1 and alleviation of the anti-inflammatory effects (830.11)

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important mediator of many biological functions, including vasodilation, both anti- and proinflammatory actions, and modulation of sleep/wake cycles. It is well known ...
You Are What You Buy: Mass‐Mediated Judgments of People's Worth

Based on only a list of supermarket purchases—cbic “upscale” products or generic brands—people make different judgments about other men's and women's character and responsibility, with heavier media consumers judging buyers of brand-name products as also possessing more personal uirtues.
Preparation of 1,1-disubstituted silacyclopentadienes

Abstract Several new 1,1-disubstituted siloles containing substituents on the ring carbon atoms have been synthesized. The new siloles: 1,1-dihydrido-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenylsilole (5), 1,1-dihydrido-2,5-dimethyl-3,4-diphenylsilole (6), 1,1-dimethoxy-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenylsilole (7), 1,1-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenylsilole (8), 1,1-dipropoxy-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenylsilole (9), and 1,1-dibromo-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenylsilole (13) were prepared from reactions originating from the previously reported, 1,1-bis(diethylamino)-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenylsilole (1) or 1,1-bis(diethylamino)-2,5-dimethyl-3,4-diphenylsilole (2). In addition, three other new organosilane byproducts were observed and isolated during the current study, bis(4-methoxyphenyl)bis(phenylethynyl)silane (11), bis(4-methoxyphenyl)di(propoxy)silane (12) and 1-bromo-4-bromodi(methoxy)silyl-1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-3,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene (14). Compounds 13 and 14 were characterized by X-ray crystallography and 14 is the first 1,1-dibromosilole whose solid state structure has been determined.
Plasma instabilities due to ion temperature gradients

The dispersion relation for an inhomogeneous, low-pressure, collisionless magnetized plasma with ion temperature gradients is solved numerically in the regime where the plasma dispersion function cannot be expanded in a power series. The plasma is found to be unstable to low frequency, electrostatic perturbation at least in the range , 0.2 Te/Ti lap; 5, ω k||vi, and possibly for a wider range of parameters (where ri as the ion Larmor radius, T the temperature, vi the ion thermal velocity, the wave vector). It is believed that the magneto-ionic acoustic waves observed in a thermal potassium plasma are manifestations of such instabilities. Additional experimental evidence is given in support of this assertion.
Effects of chronic administration of agonists and antagonists on the density of beta-adrenergic receptors

It is frequently hypothesized that drug-induced alterations in the density of beta-adrenergic receptors underlie tolerance to and physical dependence on agonists and antagonists at beta-adrenergic receptors. Two approaches to determining the effect of treatment with drugs on the density of beta-adrenergic receptors are described. In the first, the density of beta-adrenergic receptors was measured on leukocytes taken from human subjects during and after drug treatment. Treatment with the antagonist propranolol caused an increase in the density of beta-adrenergic receptors on leukocytes, whereas treatment with the agonists terbutaline and ephedrine, or pindolol, an antagonist with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, caused a decrease in the density of beta-adrenergic receptors. In the second approach, the effect of agonists on the density of beta-adrenergic receptors on C6 glioma cells in culture was determined. Incubation with the full agonist isoproterenol decreased the density of both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors. In contrast, incubation with pindolol or celiprolol, also an antagonist with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, selectively decreased the density of beta 2-adrenergic receptors. Pindolol and celiprolol may be useful in situations in which selective stimulation of beta 2-adrenergic receptors and blockade of beta 1-adrenergic receptors is desirable.
Behavioral research on diabetes at the Oregon Research Institute

This article overviews the scope and progression of research on behavioral aspects of diabetes over the past decade at the Oregon Research Institute. Our research team has investigated several topics including: (a) conceptual models of self-management; (b) social learning factors associated with regimen adherence; (c) individual and group-based interventions to enhance diabetes self-management; (d) rates and determinants of participation in diabetes education; (e) determinants of glycemic control; and (f) patient models (beliefs) about diabetes and its treatment.
Endogenous Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase-3 Ligand levels are not altered in mice after a severe burn and infection

Background Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 ligand (Flt3L) is a hemopoietic cytokine and dendritic cell (DC) growth factor that promotes the proliferation and differentiation of progenitor cells into DCs. We have previously found that treatment of severely burned mice with recombinant Flt3L significantly enhances DC production and bacterial clearance from infected burn wounds, and increases global immune cell activation and survival in response to a burn wound infection. These significant benefits of Flt3L treatment after burn injury have prompted the question of whether or not severe burn injury induces deficits in endogenous Flt3L levels that could affect DCs and subsequent responses to infection.
Relationship between microtubule dynamics and lamellipodium formation revealed by direct imaging of microtubules in cells treated with nocodazole or taxol

Microtubules (MTs) contribute to the directional locomotion of many cell types through an unknown mechanism. Previously, we showed that low concentrations (<200 nM) of nocodazole or taxol reduced the rate of locomotion of NRK fibroblasts over 60% without altering MT polymer level [Liao et al., 1995: J. Cell Sci. 108:3473-3483]. In this paper, we directly measured the dynamics of MTs in migrating NRK cells injected with rhodamine tubulin and treated with low concentrations of nocodazole or taxol. Both drug treatments caused statistically significant reductions (approx. twofold) in growth and shortening rates and less dramatic effects on rescue and catastrophe transition frequencies. The percent time MTs were inactive (i.e., paused) increased greater than twofold in nocodazole- and taxol-treated cells, while the percent time growing was substantially reduced. Three parameters of MT dynamics were linearly related to the rates of locomotion determined previously: rate of shortening, percent time pausing and percent time growing. The number of MTs that came within 1 microm of the leading edge was reduced in drug-treated cells, suggesting that reduced MT dynamics may affect actin arrays necessary for cell locomotion. We examined two such structures, lamellipodium and adhesion plaques, and found that lamellipodia area was coordinately reduced with MT dynamics. No effect was detected on adhesion plaque density or distribution. In time-lapse recordings, MTs did not penetrate into the lamellipodium of untreated cells, suggesting that MTs affect lamellipodia either through their interaction with factors at the base of the lamellipodium or by releasing factors that diffuse into the lamellipodia. In support of the latter hypothesis, when all MTs were rapidly depolymerized by 20 microM nocodazole, we detected the rapid formation of exaggerated protrusions from the leading edge of the cell. Our results show for the first time a linear relationship between MT dynamics and the formation of the lamellipodium and support the idea that MT dynamics may contribute to cell locomotion by regulating the size of the lamellipodium, perhaps through diffusable factors.
Elastic and plastic contribution to x-ray line broadening of InGaAsP/InP heterostructures

The coherency state of MOCVD grown InGaAsP/InP double-heterostructure wafers was examined and their effects on the structural properties were determined in this study. Lattice mismatches were measured using {511} asymmetric and (400) symmetric x-ray reflections. The chemical lattice misfit and the elastic strain were also calculated. Misfit dislocations were examined by both x-ray topography and photoluminescence imaging. The x-ray full width at half maximum (FWHM) varied with the degree of mismatch. The largest FWHM was obtained for samples containing the misfit dislocations. It was found that FWHM is influenced not only by the plastic deformation, but also by the elastic strain. To model the dependence of the FWHM, the radius of curvature was measured, and its contribution to the x-ray line broadening was calculated. Also, the contribution from misfit dislocations was taken into account. This model assumes that the dislocations are planar and interact weakly with each other. Good agreement between measured and calculated values was obtained. Thus, it is concluded that the major contribution to x-ray line broadening ofelastically strained sample is the lattice curvature induced by misfit strain, and that the dominant factor affecting x-ray FWHM ofplastically deformed sample is lattice relaxation induced by misfit dislocation.
The mystery of the lignin-carbohydrate complex: a computational approach

Abstract Molecular mechanics calculations were performed on model linear chains of lignin and carbohydrate polymeric structures of living plants and soil humic materials. Among possible lignin chain conformers that result from minimum-energy conformers of dimeric units, a broad regular helix may contain a carbohydrate ribbon inside itself. This structure provides an energy gain in comparison with other ways of mutual adjustment of lignin and carbohydrate polymers. Oxidation of lignin into respective humic acids sharply changes the spatial organization of the initial polymer only if it is not associated with a carbohydrate.
Pain suppressive systems of the brain

Abstract Studies of stimulation-produced analgesia generated the hypothesis that the brain has potent intrinsic mechanisms of pain suppression, an idea greatly reinforced by the subsequent discovery of endogenous opioid peptides. At least two analgesia substrates are now thought to exist within the central nervous system. Opioid peptides appear to play a significant role in only one of these. A focus of recent interest has been in determining the natural stimuli that activate endogenous mechanisms of analgesia. Certain forms of stress seem to have this property.
Political equilibria with electoral uncertainty

After an election, when party positions and strengths are known, there may be a centrally located large party at the core position. Theory sug- gests that such a core party is able to form a minority government and control policy. In the absence of a core party, theory suggests that the outcome be a lottery associated with coalition risk. Stochastic models of elections typically indicate that all parties, in equilibrium, will adopt positions at the electoral cen- ter. This paper first presents an existence theorem for local Nash equilibrium (LNE) under vote maximization, and then constructs a more general model using the notion of coalition risk. The model allows for the balancing of office and policy motivations. Empirical analyses of elections in the Netherlands and Israel are used as illustrations of the model and of the concept of a structurally stable LNE.
The role of competence in the effects of choice on motivation

Abstract Four experiments explored whether initial perceptions of task competence influence preference for having task choices and the effects of choice provision on motivation and performance. In Study 1, participants read a series of scenarios and expressed the greatest preference for choosing on tasks they would be most competent. Across three additional studies, the provision of choice generally enhanced motivation when initial perceptions of task competence were high, but diminished motivation when perceived competence was low. Results were relatively consistent whether initial perceived competence was measured (Study 2) or manipulated by contextual variables (i.e. task difficulty in Study 3 and competence feedback in Study 4). Results also suggested that the conditional effect of choice on intrinsic motivation was mediated by post-choosing perceptions of competence (Studies 2, 3, and 4), though the relationship between perceived competence and intrinsic motivation also appeared to be reciprocal (Study 4). Further, results suggested that choice may conditionally influence both willingness to engage in the target task in the future (Studies 2, 3, and 4) and task performance indirectly via intrinsic motivation (Studies 3 and 4). The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Marine biology: No head start

Non-genetic transgenerational acclimation cannot always be relied upon to provide populations with an effective, short-term response to climatic changes.
Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation A Surgical Emergency

Cystic adenomatoid malformation is an uncommon but potentially curable cause of respiratory distress in the neonate. This report emphasizes the key diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers involved in its proper management.
Charge accumulation and frequency characteristics of sequential tunneling.

This paper, as an addendum to Phys. Rev. B 46, 4714 (1992), provides a study of the finite frequency spectrum of noise current in sequential tunneling through double-barrier structures and the effect of space-charge accumulation.
Influenza C virus CM2 integral membrane glycoprotein is produced from a polypeptide precursor by cleavage of an internal signal sequence

The influenza C virus CM2 protein is a small glycosylated integral membrane protein (115 residues) that spans the membrane once and contains a cleavable signal sequence at its N terminus. The coding region for CM2 (CM2 ORF) is located at the C terminus of the 342-amino acid (aa) ORF of a colinear mRNA transcript derived from influenza C virus RNA segment 6. Splicing of the colinear transcript introduces a translational stop codon into the ORF and the spliced mRNA encodes the viral matrix protein (CM1) (242 aa). The mechanism of CM2 translation was investigated by using in vitro and in vivo translation of RNA transcripts. It was found that the colinear mRNA derived from influenza C virus RNA segment 6 serves as the mRNA for CM2. Furthermore, CM2 translation does not depend on any of the three in-frame methionine residues located at the beginning of CM2 ORF. Rather, CM2 is a proteolytic cleavage product of the p42 protein product encoded by the colinear mRNA: a cleavage event that involves the recognition and cleavage of an internal signal peptide presumably by signal peptidase resident in the endoplasmic reticulum. Alteration of the predicted signal peptidase cleavage site by mutagenesis blocked generation of CM2. The other polypeptide species resulting from the cleavage of p42, designated p31, contains the CM1 coding region and an additional C-terminal 17 aa (formerly the CM2 signal peptide). Protein p31, in comparison to CM1, displays characteristics of an integral membrane protein.