cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Culture and Depression: Clinical Considerations for Racial and Ethnic Minorities

With the current demographic shifts, the United States will soon become a “majority minority” country. US Census estimates that by 2044, the United States is projected to become a plurality nation, with no race or ethnic group projected to have a greater than a 50% share of the nation’s total population. As racial and ethnic minority groups (including Blacks, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans) continue to grow, there is a need to understand how depression affects these underserved populations. Although in some studies the prevalence of depression in racial and ethnic minorities has been found to be similar to that of whites, significant social factors such as socioeconomic status and poverty may contribute to risk for depression in these minority populations. Furthermore, significant disparities exist in depression diagnosis, access to care, and treatment, secondary to the interplay of patient-level and structural barriers (the latter defined as the systematic factors preventing access to healthcare resources and care). Interventions to better care for these populations, including clinician education and cultural competency training, have been developed. Having familiarity with the DSM-5 Outline for Cultural Formulation and the Cultural Formulation interview may allow individual clinicians to provide better care for racial and ethnic minorities with depression.
Chapter 8 – Automotive Instrumentation

This chapter describes electronic instrumentation. By the term instrumentation, we mean the equipment and devices that measure engine and other vehicle variables and parameters for control or to display their status to the driver.
Apolipoprotein E is a concentration-dependent pulmonary danger signal that activates the NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β secretion by bronchoalveolar fluid macrophages from asthmatic subjects.

Background House dust mite (HDM)–challenged Apoe−/− mice display enhanced airway hyperreactivity and mucous cell metaplasia. Objective We sought to characterize the pathways that induce apolipoprotein E (APOE) expression by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) macrophages from asthmatic subjects and identify how APOE regulates IL-1β secretion. Methods Macrophages were isolated from asthmatic BALF and derived from THP-1 cells and human monocytes. Results HDM-derived cysteine and serine proteases induced APOE secretion from BALF macrophages through protease-activated receptor 2. APOE at concentrations of less than 2.5 nmol/L, which are similar to levels found in epithelial lining fluid from healthy adults, did not induce IL-1β release from BALF macrophages. In contrast, APOE at concentrations of 25 nmol/L or greater induced nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat–containing protein (NLRP) 3 and pro–IL-1β expression by BALF macrophages, as well as the caspase-1–mediated generation of mature IL-1β secreted from cells. HDM acted synergistically with APOE to both prime and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. In a murine model of neutrophilic airway inflammation induced by HDM and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, APOE reached a concentration of 32 nmol/L in epithelial lining fluid, with associated increases in BALF IL-1β levels. APOE-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages was primarily mediated through a potassium efflux–dependent mechanism. Conclusion APOE can function as an endogenous, concentration-dependent pulmonary danger signal that primes and activates the NLPR3 inflammasome in BALF macrophages from asthmatic subjects to secrete IL-1β. This might represent a mechanism through which APOE amplifies pulmonary inflammatory responses when concentrations in the lung are increased to greater than normal levels, which can occur during viral exacerbations of HDM-induced asthma characterized by neutrophilic airway inflammation.
Correction to: The Accuracy of SPECT/CT for Diagnosing Lumbar Zygapophyseal Joint Pain: a Systematic Review

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the authorgroup section. Author Byron Schneider’s family name was incorrectly presented as “Schnieder”.
Fostering Fatherhood: Promoting Parenting Through Education

Background: Paternal involvement in the lives of their children has a positive influence on child and family outcomes, including breastfeeding rates, sleep training, nutrition and exercise, and developmental outcomes. Much of the research on paternal involvement, however, focuses on Caucasian fathers of middle and high socioeconomic status (SES). Within an urban, primarily Latino, lower SES community, we seek to involve and empower fathers through education on common child rearing topics. Methods: Fathers were recruited through collaboration with El Nido, a local community organization focused on …
Therapeutic amniocentesis using a vacuum bottle aspiration system.

Background Therapeutic amniocentesis has been performed traditionally by gravitational drainage or syringe aspiration. We describe a technique for relatively rapid, large-volume therapeutic amniocentesis using a negative-pressure vacuum bottle aspiration system. Technique The procedure involves insertion of a 20-gauge spinal needle into the amniotic cavity followed by connection to a 1-L vacuum bottle via noncollapsible tubing. Experience During a 5-year period, 86 therapeutic amniocenteses were performed on 26 women. The amniotic fluid removal rate was 89 mL/minute. There were three instances of transient preterm labor, three cases of ruptured membranes within a week of the procedure, and no cases of abruption, chorioamnionitis, or fetal distress. Conclusion The vacuum bottle aspiration technique for therapeutic amniocentesis permits expeditious removal of large volumes of amniotic fluid safely and effectively.
Effect of pH on the activity of ice-binding protein from Marinomonas primoryensis

The ability of an ice-binding protein (IBP) from Marinomonas primoryensis (MpIBP) to influence ice crystal growth and structure in nonphysiological pH environments was investigated in this work. The ability for MpIBP to retain ice interactivity under stressed environmental conditions was determined via (1) a modified splat assay to determine ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) of polycrystalline ice and (2) nanoliter osmometry to evaluate the ability of MpIBP to dynamically shape the morphology of a single ice crystal. Circular dichroism (CD) was used to relate the IRI and DIS activity of MpIBP to secondary structure. The results illustrate that MpIBP secondary structure was stable between pH 6 and pH 10. It was found that MpIBP did not interact with ice at pH ≤ 4 or pH ≥ 13. At 6 ≤ pH ≥ 12 MpIBP exhibited a reduction in grain size of ice crystals as compared to control solutions and demonstrated dynamic ice shaping at 6 ≤ pH ≥ 10. The results substantiate that MpIBP retains some secondary structure and function in non-neutral pH environments; thereby, enabling its potential utility in nonphysiological materials science and engineering applications.
Health Competition: The Why and How of Public-Plan Choice

The debate over health care reform has increasingly centered on the issue of “public-plan choice” — whether Americans younger than 65 who lack employment-based coverage should have the choice of enrolling in a new public health insurance plan that competes with regulated private plans. The idea — largely ignored in 2008 when it was endorsed by then-presidential-candidate Barack Obama — has come to dominate an increasingly polarized national debate.
The magneto-seismic method in geoscience

Abstract Key concepts and potential applications associated with a phenomenon hitherto unexplored by the geoscience community, which we have named the magneto-seismic effect, are introduced. The me...
Freezing on the beach: A robust coral sperm cryopreservation design.

Abstract Cryopreservation of coral sperm requires reliable, travel-ready, inexpensive hardware. To this end, we developed and tested a robust, second-generation, conduction-based cryovial cooling rack assembled from 3D-printed and commercially available parts. Cooling rates from −10 to −80 °C were found to be repeatable at −22.9 ± 1.9 (rate ± SD) °C/min for 1-mL samples and −35.4 ± 3.3 °C/min for 0.5-mL samples. This represents an improvement on the variability of cooling rates in an older design, which was found to be −31.8 ± 7.1 °C/min for 1-mL samples. Design files and a manual were produced to encourage widespread use and the development of derivative designs.
Infrared complex reflectance micro-spectroscopy

Far-field infrared (IR) spectroscopy techniques, such as ellipsometry and FTIR, can yield extremely accurate measurements of the optical constants (n,k) which characterize the electronic and lattice-structural degrees of freedom in novel materials and devices. However, large systematic uncertainty has plagued extensions of these techniques to small length scales. A low uncertainty embodiment would enable high quality studies of, for example, the newest correlated condensed matter systems - where typically only a small sample is available early on. Here we present mature far-field IR microscope. Most notably, an asymmetric interferometer is used to directly measure the infrared reflectance amplitude and absolute phase shift. The complex optical constants can then be extracted without the large uncertainty that arises with an amplitude measurement alone.
What is attention

We define attention as "the set of evolved brain processes that leads to adaptive and effective behavioral selection." Our emphasis is on understanding the biological and neural mechanisms that make the behavioral properties of attention possible. Although much has been learned about the functional operation of attention by postulating and testing different aspects of attention, our view is that the distinctions most frequently relied upon are much less useful for identifying the detailed biological mechanisms and brain circuits. Instead, we adopt an evolutionary perspective that, while speculative, generates a different set of guiding principles for understanding the form and function of attention. We then provide a thought experiment, introducing a device that we intend to serve as an intuition pump for thinking about how the brain processes for attention might be organized, and that illustrates the features of the biological processes that might ultimately answer the question. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Psychology > Attention Philosophy > Psychological Capacities.
Farnesoid X Receptor as Target for Therapies to Treat Cholestasis-Induced Liver Injury

Recent studies on liver disease burden worldwide estimated that cirrhosis is the 11th most common cause of death globally, and there is a great need for new therapies to limit the progression of liver injuries in the early stages. Cholestasis is caused by accumulation of hydrophobic bile acids (BA) in the liver due to dysfunctional BA efflux or bile flow into the gall bladder. Therefore, strategies to increase detoxification of hydrophobic BA and downregulate genes involved in BA production are largely investigated. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has a central role in BA homeostasis and recent publications revealed that changes in autophagy due to BA-induced reactive oxygen species and increased anti-oxidant response via nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), result in dysregulation of FXR signaling. Several mechanistic studies have identified new dysfunctions of the cholestatic liver at cellular and molecular level, opening new venues for developing more performant therapies.
Lentiviral-Driven Discovery of Cancer Drug Resistance Mutations.

Identifying resistance mutations in a drug target provides crucial information. Lentiviral transduction creates multiple types of mutations due to the error-prone nature of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). Here we optimized and leveraged this property to identify drug resistance mutations, developing a technique we term LentiMutate. This technique was validated by identifying clinically relevant EGFR resistance mutations, then applied to two additional clinical anti-cancer drugs: imatinib, a BCR-ABL inhibitor, and AMG 510, a KRAS G12C inhibitor. Novel deletions in BCR-ABL1 conferred resistance to imatinib. In KRAS-G12C or wild-type KRAS, point mutations in the AMG 510 binding pocket or oncogenic non-G12C mutations conferred resistance to AMG 510. LentiMutate should prove highly valuable for clinical and preclinical cancer drug development.
Biochemical and rheological analysis of human colonic culture mucus reveals similarity to gut mucus.

Abstract The goal of this project was to validate the functional relevance and utility of mucus produced by an in vitro intestinal cell culture model. This is facilitated by the need to physiologically replicate both healthy and abnormal mucus conditions from native intestinal tissue, where mucus properties have been connected to intestinal disease models. Mucus harvested from colonic cell cultures derived from healthy donors was compared to mucus collected from surgically resected, noninflamed transverse colon tissue. The rheological and biochemical properties of these mucus samples were compared using oscillational rheometry, particle-tracking microrheology, multiangle laser light scattering, refractometry, and immunohistochemical imaging. An air-liquid interface culture of primary human colonic epithelial cells generated a continuous monolayer with an attached mucus layer that displayed increasing weight percent (wt%) of solids over 1 week (1.3 ± 0.5% at 2 days vs. 2.4 ± 0.3% at 7 days). The full range of mucus concentrations (0.9–3.3%) observed during culture was comparable to that displayed by ex vivo mucus (1.3–1.9%). Bulk rheological measurements displayed similar wt%-based complex viscosities between in vitro and ex vivo mucus, with the complex viscosity of both systems increasing with wt% of solids. Particle-tracking microrheology showed higher complex viscosities for ex vivo mucus samples than in vitro mucus which was explained by a greater fraction of water present in in vitro mucus than ex vivo, i.e., in vitro mucus is more heterogeneous than ex vivo. Refractometry, multiangle laser light scattering, and immunostaining showed increased mucus complex size in ex vivo mucus compared with in vitro mucus, which may have been due to the admixture of mucus and cellular debris during ex vivo mucus collection. The air-liquid interface culture system produced intestinal mucus with similar composition and rheology to native human gut mucus, providing a platform to analyze pathological differences in intestinal mucus.
Deviation of the B Cell Pathway in Senescent Mice Is Associated with Reduced Surrogate Light Chain Expression and Altered Immature B Cell Generation, Phenotype, and Light Chain Expression

B lymphopoiesis in aged mice is characterized by reduced B cell precursors and an altered Ab repertoire. This likely results, in part, from reduced surrogate L chains in senescent B cell precursors and compromised pre-BCR checkpoints. Herein, we show that aged mice maintain an ordinarily minor pool of early c-kit(+) pre-B cells, indicative of poor pre-BCR expression, even as pre-BCR competent early pre-B cells are significantly reduced. Therefore, in aged mice, B2 B lymphopoiesis shifts from dependency on pre-BCR expansion and selection to more pre-BCR-deficient pathways. B2 c-kit(+) B cell precursors, from either young or aged mice, generate new B cells in vitro that are biased to larger size, higher levels of CD43, and decreased kappa L chain expression. Notably, immature B cells in aged bone marrow exhibit a similar phenotype in vivo. We hypothesize that reduced surrogate L chain expression contributes to decreased pre-B cells in aged mice. The B2 pathway is partially blocked with limited B cell development and reduced pre-BCR expression and signaling. In old age, B2 pathways have limited surrogate L chain and increasingly generate new B cells with altered phenotype and L chain expression.
A clean slate design for secure wireless ad-hoc networks — Part 1: Closed synchronized networks

We propose a clean-slate, holistic approach to the design of secure protocols for wireless ad-hoc networks. We design a protocol that enables a collection of distributed nodes to emerge from a primordial birth and form a functioning network. We consider the case when nodes are synchronized and the network is closed, in that no other nodes can join. We define a game between protocols and adversarial nodes, and describe a protocol that is guaranteed to achieve the max-min payoff regardless of what the adversarial nodes do. Moreover, even though the adversarial nodes always know the protocol a priori, we show an even stronger result; the protocol is guaranteed to achieve the min-max payoff. Hence there is a saddle point in the game between protocols and adversarial strategies. Finally, we show that the adversarial nodes are in effect, strategically confined to either jamming or conforming to the protocol. These guarantees are contingent on a set of underlying model assumptions, and cease to be valid if the assumptions are violated.
Mayerling Revisited: The Short Life and Death of Mary Vetsera

Amidst the dramatic background of Vienna in the 1890s, a romance quickly developed between the Crown Prince Rudolf and a young socialite, Mary Vetsera. Ultimately this romance would end in tragedy with their fateful murder suicide at Mayerling. The circumstances surrounding the Crown Prince’s death have been widely written about, but questions regarding Mary Vetsera’s motives still linger. Using the memoirs of one of Mary’s best friends and research into those last days at Mayerling, this paper outlines the pressures in Mary’s life and attempts to uncover some reasons why she would enter into a suicide pact with Prince Rudolf.
Labour Supply, Life Satisfaction, and the (Dis)Utility of Work*

In economic theory, it is typically assumed that there is a “disutility of labour”. However, empirical research on subjective well-being has consistently shown that unemployed people are less happy than employed people, even after taking income differences into account. In this paper, we attempt to reconcile both findings. We show that happiness and work hours exhibit an inverse U-shaped relation – working longer raises the level of happiness, as long as the total working time is not too long. Hence, working can be beneficial for happiness and, at the same time, it can exert a disutility at the margin.
Determination of unconjugated 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol by liquid chromatography for monitoring inhibition of monoamine oxidase activity in plasma.

We describe a simple method for extracting 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) from plasma. The sample is applied to a 1-mL "Extrelut" column (EM Industries) and eluted 15 min later with ethyl acetate. After mixing the eluate with pentane and back-extraction into water, we inject 25 or 50 microL of the aqueous phase onto a Beckman 15 cm x 4.6 mm (i.d.) column packed with 5-micron ODS particles (Beckman). Peaks are detected with a coulometric detector. The resulting chromatogram is clean, with few extraneous peaks. The extraction recovery of MHPG is 55-60%, which allows for detection of as little as 0.2 microgram of the analyte per liter. The decrease in the concentration of MHPG in plasma of patients treated with phenelzine agrees with the decrease in monoamine oxidase activity in platelets of these patients.
Notes: Gross Conversion Efficiencies of Mummichog and Spotfin Killifish Larvae from a Georgia Salt Marsh

Abstract We conducted two experiments to determine gross food conversion efficiencies (K 1) for larvae of two common salt-marsh fundulids, mummichogs Fundulus heteroclitus and spotfin killifish Fundulus luciae. Larvae were fed a known number of brine shrimp nauplii (Artemia sp.) daily in both experiments. In experiment 1, conducted at 27°C and with a 14-h light (L): 10-h dark (D) photoperiod, mummichog larvae had a mean daily specific growth rate (G, mg/mg) of 0.284 and a mean K 1 of 34.7%. In experiment 2 (24°C, 12 h L:12 h D), mummichog larvae consumed less food and their growth rate was lower (G = 0.240), but there was no significant change in conversion efficiency (K 1 = 37.8%). Spotfin killifish larvae, which were included only in experiment 2, were more efficient (K 1 = 49.7%) and grew faster (G = 0.278) than mummichog larvae under the same conditions. There was a direct relationship between final larval weight and K 1 for mummichogs but not for spotfin killifish. In contrast, final larval weight wa...
Patience and Perspective

In much of Western philosophy, patience tends to be either overlooked or described as being non-moral and valuable only instrumentally. This is in stark contrast with its central role in Buddhist ethics. Offered here is a Buddhistinspired account of how patience can be a moral virtue. It is argued that virtuous patience involves having a perspective on the place of our own desires and values among others and a sense of their relative importance.
The In Vitro Elution Characteristics of Vancomycin and Tobramycin From Calcium Sulfate Beads

The purpose of this study was to determine the elution characteristics of vancomycin and tobramycin when mixed with calcium sulfate to form antibiotic beads. Calcium sulfate was combined with vancomycin and tobramycin separately to form 2 types of antibiotic beads, which were packaged and labeled separately. The packaged calcium sulfate beads with vancomycin and tobramycin were then gas sterilized. The beads were placed in phosphate-buffered saline and kept at 36°C for 6 weeks. Two separate series of assays were run simultaneously for both types of beads. In one assay, a bead containing vancomycin was placed in a fresh vial of phosphate buffered saline after each assay. The same was done with beads containing tobramycin. In the second series of assays, 9 vials of phosphate buffered saline each containing 1 vancomycin bead and 9 vials of phosphate buffered saline each containing 1 tobramycin bead was arranged. The phosphate-buffered saline was then assayed at predetermined times for both the vancomycin bead series and the tobramycin bead series. The amount of vancomycin and tobramycin assayed nearly equaled the calculated amount of antibiotic per bead measured before bead construction. Also, the elution of antibiotic from the calcium sulfate was complete within 72 hours. In conclusion, the construction and gas sterilization of calcium sulfate beads containing vancomycin and tobramycin does not destroy vancomycin and tobramycin. Also, the complete elution of available vancomycin and tobramycin in calcium sulfate beads occurs within 72 hours.
WEIGHT AND COLOR CHANGES DURING STORAGE OF BEEF STEAKS PACKAGED IN CLEAR PLASTIC, FOAM AND PULP TRAYS

SUMMARY 4 trials were conducted using 144 U.S. Choice-grade beef round steaks packaged in pulp, foam and clear plastic trays overwrapped with PVC film. Percent weight losses, at the end of 2 and 4 days of storage, were significantly greater for those steaks packaged in pulp trays as compared to clear or foam trays (P<.01). Evaporation losses from the various types of trays employed in this study were relatively uniform and differences in steak weight losses were primarily accounted for by absorbed or free juices in the tray. The color acceptability of all steaks declined during storage and there was no particular color advantage associated with any tray type. Visibility of steak undersides through clear plastic trays remained at an acceptable level throughout the storage period. A stacking effect was observed as top packages of stacks lost more weight and showed greater color discoloration than bottom packages.
Contrast or assimilation: choosing camps in simple or realistic modeling

The contrast effect is a psychological phenomenon in which people exaggerate their differences. When making social comparisons, people cope with the discomforts associated with negative comparisons by criticizing others and splitting into smaller groups of similar others or by assimilation, depending on whether they perceive themselves as the member of a majority or minority group, respectively. This contrast or assimilation phenomena can explain the exaggeration of differences among computational simulation scholars. Those exaggerations are discussed in this paper as well as some realistic reasons for differences. Recognition of our status as minority group members and the virtues of assimilation and mutual support are advocated.
Black-box/white-box simplification and applications to quantifier elimination

This paper describes a new method for simplifying Tarski formulas. The method combines simplifications based purely on the factor structure of inequalities ("black-box" simplification) with simplifications that require reasoning about the factors themselves. The goal is to produce a simplification procedure that is very fast, so that it can be applied --- perhaps many, many times --- within other algorithms that compute with Tarski formulas without ever slowing them down significantly, but which also produces useful simplification in a substantial number of cases. The method has been implemented and integrated into implementations of two important algorithms: quantifier elimination by virtual term substitution, and quantifier elimination by cylindrical algebraic decomposition. The paper reports on how the simplification method has been integrated with these two algorithms, and reports experimental results that demonstrate how their performance is improved.
Mistaken diagnosis of psychogenic gait disorder in a man with status cataplecticus ("Limp Man Syndrome")

We report on a 45-year-old man with a history of multiple psychiatric admissions for a gait disorder and episodic weakness thought to be psychogenic who was subsequently diagnosed with status cataplecticus due to narcolepsy. The gait difficulties resolved with venlafaxine. This case demonstrates that status cataplecticus can be misdiagnosed as a psychogenic gait disorder.
Targeting autoantigen-specific T cells and suppression of autoimmune encephalomyelitis with receptor-modified T lymphocytes.

We demonstrate here the feasibility of antigen-specifically redirecting T cells against autoreactive T lymphocytes and thereby treating a model autoimmune disease. We created and transgenically expressed on T cells a heterodimeric chimeric receptor that genetically links an autoantigenic peptide, its restricting MHC, and the signal transduction domain of the T-cell receptor (TCR) ζ-chain. Engagement of the chimeric receptor by the TCR of autoreactive T cells activated the receptor-modified T cells in vitro and in vivo, inducing proliferation and cytolysis. Adoptively transferred receptor-modified T cells prevented and treated a model autoimmune disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), even after epitope spreading had diversified the autoantigenic response. Treatment reduced disease severity and increased survival of affected animals, and was durable for >75 days. The receptor-modified cells acted both by strongly attenuating T-cell response to autoantigen as well as by shifting the residual response from an immunopathologic Th1 to a protective Th2 format.
The logarithmic error and Newton's method for the square root

The problem of obtaining optimal starting values for the calculation of the square root using Newton's method is considered. It has been pointed out elsewhere that if relative error is used as the measure of goodness of fit, optimal results are not obtained when the inital approximation is a best fit. It is shown here that if, instead, the so-called logarithmic error is used, then a best initial fit is optimal for both types of error. Moreover, use of the logarithmic error appears to simplify the problem of determining the optimal initial approximation.
Fatigue Life Improvement of the Roller Swashplate Bearing of an Axial Swashplate Type Piston Pump

The roller swashplate bearing in hydraulic piston pumps is very unique in applications of roller element bearings. The main advantages of this type of bearings are low friction, very small difference between start torque and steady state torque, and no additional pressure source is required for their functioning. Therefore, better control performance and higher efficiency can be expected from piston pumps with roller swashplate bearings, compared with pumps with hydrostatic or plain ones. However, it is particularly challenging to design a roller swashplate bearing to meet the very demanding and widely varying load requirements for heavy duty off-highway machine operations, considering cost and pump size limitations. Quite different from most other roller bearing applications, a roller swashplate bearing for heavy duty hydraulic piston pumps is subject to (a) extremely high contact pressure between rollers and races due to high system pressure, (b) high frequency oscillating forces in three dimensions caused by the torque ripple and discharge pressure ripple inherent in pump rotating group, (c) very unfavorable local lubrication conditions when the pump is operated with no or little displacement change, and (d) sliding between rollers and races because of frequent sudden pump displacement changes. Based on the observed failure modes of bearings in this application, this paper discusses several measures to improve the fatigue life of the swashplate roller bearing for an axial swashplate type piston pump used in a heavy duty off-highway machine. Analyses, simulation results, and machine operation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed measures.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
What does the future hold for Top Down mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (MS) research has revolutionized modern biological and biomedical fields. At the heart of the majority of mass spectrometry experiments is the use of Bottom Up mass spectrometry methods where proteins are first proteolyzed into smaller fragments before MS interrogation. The advent of electron capture dissociation and, more recently, electron-transfer dissociation, however, has allowed Top Down (analysis of intact proteins) or middle down (analysis of large polypeptides) mass spectrometry to both experience large increases in development, growth, and overall usage. Nevertheless, for high-throughput large-scale proteomic studies, Bottom Up mass spectrometry has easily dominated the field. As Top Down mass spectrometry methodology and technology continue to develop, will it genuinely be able to compete with Bottom Up mass spectrometry for whole proteome analysis? Discussed here are the current approaches, applications, issues, and future view of high-throughput Top Down mass spectrometry.
Starch-metabolic growth characteristics of Humicola grisea var. thermoidea

Very low extracellular amylase levels measured during the growth of Humicola grisea var. thermoidea in starch-yeast medium appeared to be sufficient to metabolize the starch relatively rapidly. A maximum mycelial dry weight of about 65 mg was measure after six days of incubation.
Scheduling open shops with parallel machines

The parallel shop and the open shop are two machine environments that have received much attention in the literature of scheduling theory. A common generalization-the open shop with parallel machines-is considered in this paper. Polynomial-time algorithms are presented for obtaining minimum-length preemptive schedules for three cases. Open shops with single-operation machines of equal speed are scheduled with essentially no more difficulty than an ordinary open shop. Open shops with multiple-operation machines of equal speed are scheduled with the aid of a sequence of network flow computations. The general open shop problem with parallel machines of arbitrary speeds can be solved by linear programming, in much the same way as an optimal preemptive schedule can be found for unrelated parallel machines.
Optimizing radiology in the new picture archiving and communication system environment

Picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) have inescapably altered the face of radiology. Images are available to radiologists and clinicians alike, nearly instantaneously. For patient care management, service has improved, but without inclusion of input from radiologists. Effecting timely report availability requires reorganization of radiology. In a hospital-wide PACS environment, we undertook to render a preliminary report on all nonprocedural computed radiography examinations within 30 minutes in a teaching environment. Two periods of time in the same month were analyzed, one before reorganization and one after. Of 686 reports, 117 were examined with a statistical significance of α=.05 (95% confidence) and a power of 90%. Average times for examination acquisition to preliminary report availability on the PACS decreased from 5 hours to 31 minutes. Standard deviation in report generation times decreased from 8 hours to 30 minutes. This preliminary study suggests that business process reengineering can effect improvement in information flow within a teaching facility resulting in radiologists rejoining the patient care management team. Successes, pitfalls, and future requirements are discussed.
Lysozyme action on the cockroach, Periplaneta americana, and its intracellular symbionts.

Abstract Egg-white lysozyme in doses sufficient to eliminate the intracellular bacterial symbionts of the cockroach is toxic to the insect. It induces an increase in blood volume that is correlated with reduced cellularity, increased coagulation time, and ease and volume of bleeding. The increase in blood volume is derived equally from the outflow of tissue water into the haemolymph and the intake of water through the intestinal wall. It attains a maximum in 2 to 3 weeks and evidently results from the injury and increased permeability of tissue cells. Although this injury, which involves organised tissue, such as the gonads, as well as the mycetocytes, may be partly due to products of disintegration of the symbiotic bacteria, experimental evidence points to the direct action of lysozyme, indicating the presence of reactive sites on the tissue cells. The effects of lysozyme in the cockroach resemble certain characteristics of inflammation. The toxicity of lysozyme and its action on the gonads preclude any assurance at the present time of the extent, if any, to which growth and reproduction are under the control of the symbionts.
Negative mood regulation (NMR) expectancies: a test of incremental validity

Abstract Negative mood regulation (NMR) expectancies are beliefs in one’s ability to initiate behaviors to alleviate a negative mood or induce a positive mood. They are one of many cognitive factors that appear to contribute to individual differences in depressed mood. However, it remains unclear whether NMR expectancies predict depressed mood above and beyond related constructs, and whether they predict depressed mood over a time interval. We investigated the incremental validity of NMR expectancies in the prediction of depressed mood in a sample of 122 adults, 73 of whom were reassessed approximately one year later. At baseline, both NMR expectancies and negative affect (NA) accounted for non-overlapping variance in depressed mood. However, NMR expectancies were the only significant predictor of depressed mood at follow-up, even after controlling for NA and baseline depressed mood. These findings support the incremental validity of NMR expectancies as specific mechanisms involved in maintenance of depressed mood.
Development of a Statewide Program for Surveillance and Reporting of Hospital-Acquired Infections

In 1974, a statewide program was begun to improve surveillance of nosocomial infection in Virginia hospitals. Infection control practitioners were trained at the University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville, and were encouraged to submit monthly surveillance reports for analysis. In the first three years of the project, 141 students from 65 hospitals within the state attended a two-week basic course, with eight to 10 students per class. Of the 98 Virginia hospitals that sent students, 75 (73%) submitted monthly reports. The consistency of reporting (number of monthly reports received divided by the number of possible reporting months) was 83%. The sensitivity of reported data was estimated in comparative daily prospective surveys to be 69% for participating hospitals, and the specificity was 99%. The crude infection rate for the first 1.1 million patients at risk was 3.3%.
Luminescence properties of defects in GaN

Gallium nitride (GaN) and its allied binaries InN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds have gained an unprecedented attention due to their wide-ranging applications encompassing green, blue, violet, and ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors (in photon ranges inaccessible by other semiconductors) and high-power amplifiers. However, even the best of the three binaries, GaN, contains many structural and point defects caused to a large extent by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates. These defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material and can seriously degrade the performance and reliability of devices made based on these nitride semiconductors. Even though GaN broke the long-standing paradigm that high density of dislocations precludes acceptable device performance, point defects have taken the center stage as they exacerbate efforts to increase the efficiency of emitters, increase laser operation lifetime, and lead to anomalies in electronic devices. The p...
Duality inequalities as a numerical aid

This note re-examines the problem of estimating the minimum value of a convex program. To obtain a lower bound to this value a dual program is formulated. The dual involves only explicitly given functions and only inequality constraints. No nonlinear equality constraints appear. Thus a numerically feasible algorithm is obtained.
Differences in Occupational Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Construction Workers

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that one in four persons in the United States will be of Hispanic origin by 2050, up from one in eight in 2002. Driven by immigration, this dramatic growth in the Hispanic population will present unique challenges in the workplace. In construction, the increase in the Hispanic population has enabled the industry to meet its workforce demands. Unfortunately, this has occurred with costs in the health and safety of Hispanic construction workers. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' current population survey, current employment survey, survey of occupational injuries and illnesses, and census of fatal occupational injuries, this study examines relative differences in injuries, illnesses, and fatalities between Hispanic and non-Hispanic construction workers by occupation. The findings show that differences in injuries, illnesses, and fatalities exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic construction workers, although not always unfavorably toward Hispanics, and the difference does vary by occupation. The implication of the increasing size of the Hispanic construction workforce with respect to construction safety and health training needs is discussed.
Nutrient economy of red pine is affected by interactions between Pisolithus tinctorius and other forest-floor microbes

Summary • The influence of interactions between the mycorrhizal fungus, Pisolithus tinctorius , and saprotrophic organisms on nutrient transfer to host red pine ( Pinus resinosa ) seedlings is presented here. Red pine seedlings were grown axenically, and with P. tinctorius and forest-floor microbes (both individually and in combination), in two experiments varying in nitrogen availability. Root and shoot growth, as well as tissue nitrogen and phosphorus content, were analyzed after harvesting. At low nitrogen availability, forest-floor microbes, but not P. tinctorius , significantly reduced seedling nitrogen content. Moreover, P. tinctorius did not ameliorate this negative effect. However, seedling phosphorus content increased with forest-floor microbes and P. tinctorius individually, and these combined to give an additive effect. Forest-floor microbes and P. tinctorius , individually, significantly increased seedling nitrogen and phosphorus contents at high nitrogen availability, interacting to give additive and synergistic effects on nitrogen and phosphorus content, respectively. The effect of ectomycorrhizal fungi on host-plant nutrition might depend strongly on the nutrient status of coexisting saprotrophic soil microbes. When nutrients are not limiting, their beneficial effects on host nutrition may be additive or synergistic.
3-D pose from 3 points using weak-perspective

This correspondence discusses computing the pose of a model from three matching point pairs under weak-perspective projection. A new approach to the problem that is motivated geometrically is described. Like previous methods, the method here involves solving a biquadratic equation, but here the biquadratic's solutions, comprised of an actual and a false solution, are interpreted graphically. The final equations take a new form, which leads to a simple expression for the image position of any unmatched model point. >
Aerodynamic Characteristics of Forward and Aft Swept Arrow Wings

D ESPITE aerodynamic advantages, aeroelastic complications have precluded the wide-scale adoption of the forward swept wing planform [1]. Forward swept wings may demonstrate liftdependent drag benefits due to spanwise load distributions that are closer to elliptic then an equivalent aft swept wing [2]. Fuselageinduced spanwise flow is also beneficial for forward swept wings; it reduces the effective sweep, whereas the opposite is true for aft swept wings [3]. The most apparent benefit of the forward sweep configuration is in lateral control; spanwise flow toward the root delays flow separation over the ailerons, whereas the opposite is true for aft swept wings [4]. Little information is available on the effect of highly swept wingswith forward sweepwhere flow separation is enforced. Consequently, an investigation has been undertaken using a 65 deg sweep arrow wing with fore and aft extensions.
Sphere templating methods for periodic porous solids

This paper reviews methods that employ colloidal crystals, composed of monodisperse silica or polymer spheres, to template periodic porous solids. The resulting structures can be regarded as inverse replicas of the template array, or inverse opals. A large number of compositions have been prepared by various modifications of a colloidal crystal templating process, including silicates and organosilicates, metal oxides, metals, metal chalcogenides and carbon allotropes. Regardless of the product composition, the methods involve several common steps. In a first step, colloidal crystals are formed by packing uniform spheres into three-dimensional or sometimes two-dimensional arrays. In a second step, the interstitial space is filled by a fluid that is subsequently converted into a solid skeleton. In a final step, the spheres are removed, creating a solid skeleton in the location of the former interstitial spaces and interconnected voids where the spheres were originally located. Each of these steps, together with appropriate synthesis conditions (or literature references) are outlined for diverse compositions. Potential applications of the macroporous solids include photonic crystals, catalysts, supports, sensors, and porous electrodes or electrolytes.
Effects of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate on the isolated perfused rat heart

Abstract Perfusion of hearts by the Langendorff method with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP, 100 μl/liter, 2.5 × 10 −4 m ), a plasticizer reported to leach from plastics utilized for biomedical applications, significantly decreased spontaneous heart rate, coronary flow, and isometric systolic tension, but elevated diastolic tension. Tissue concentrations of glycogen, adenosine 5′-triphosphate, total adenine nucleotides, and creatine phosphate decreased 40 to 50%, while d -glucose 6-phosphate, l -(−)-glycerol 1-phosphate, adenosine 5′-monophosphate, and lactate values increased 50 to 300% after 60 min of perfusion with DEHP-containing buffer. Lactate in the coronary effluent of DEHP-perfused hearts was 400% greater than control values after 60 min, and phosphorylase a activity was also significantly enhanced. PR and QT intervals in electrical recordings were prolonged by DEHP.
A role for nucleus accumbens glutamate transmission in the relapse to cocaine-seeking behavior.

Abstract This study investigated the effect of ionotropic glutamate receptor agonist or antagonist administration into the nucleus accumbens on the maintenance of cocaine self-administration and the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. The stimulation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid or N -methyl- d -aspartate glutamate receptors in the nucleus accumbens with either α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid or 1-aminocyclobutane- cis -1,3-dicarboxylic acid, respectively, decreased the number of cocaine-reinforced responses, suggesting an enhancement in the rewarding properties of cocaine. In contrast, blockade of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid receptors with N -methyl- d -aspartate, or N -methyl- d -aspartate receptors with dizocilpine maleate or 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid had no selective effect on the maintenance of cocaine self-administration. Following one week of extinction from the reinforcing cue of the drug-paired lever, both α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid and 1-aminocyclobutane- cis -1,3-dicarboxylic acid treatment in the nucleus accumbens reinstated cocaine-seeking behavior. However, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid treatment increased responding only on the drug-paired lever, while 1-aminocyclobutane- cis -1,3-dicarboxylic acid increased responding on both the drug-paired and non-drug-paired levers. These results suggest that stimulation of glutamate receptors in the nucleus accumbens augments the reinforcing effect of cocaine, yet glutamate transmission is not required to maintain cocaine self-administration. In addition, increased glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens may be involved in facilitating the relapse to cocaine-seeking behavior.
Incidence and correlates of pathological Internet use among college students

This study surveyed 277 undergraduate Internet users, a population considered to be high risk for pathological Internet use (PIU), to assess incidence of PIU as well as characteristics of the Internet and of users associated with PIU. Pathological use was determined by responses to 13 questions which assessed evidence that Internet use was causing academic, work or interpersonal problems, distress, tolerance symptoms, and mood-altering use of the Internet. Approximately one-quarter of students (27.2%) reported no symptoms (NO) while 64.7% reported one to three symptoms (Limited Symptoms) and 8.1% reported four or more symptoms (PIU). Based on popular stereotypes as well as previous research, it was predicted that pathological Internet users would more likely be males, technologically sophisticated, use real-time interactive activities such as online games and chat lines, and feel comfortable and competent online. Further, it was hypothesized that pathological users would be more likely to be lonely and to be socially disinhibited online. Partial confirmation of this model was obtained. Pathological users were more likely to be males and to use online games as well as technologically sophisticated sites, but there was no difference in Internet Relay Chat use. Although reported comfort and competence with the Internet was in the expected direction, differences were not significant. Pathological users scored significantly higher on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and were socially disinhibited online.