cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Wired Neighborhood

Are communication technologies ushering in a wondrous new age of computer networks that connect people into worldwide virtual communities of like-minded individuals? Or are global computer networks isolating us from real relationships and from our society, as we stare into a screen instead of interacting face to face? In this eloquent and thoughtful book, Stephen Doheny-Farina explores the nature of cyberspace and the increasing virtualization of everyday life. He occupies a middle ground between these two extreme views of the net, arguing that electronic neighborhoods should be less important than geophysical neighborhoods in all their integrity, and that we must use the new technologies not to escape from our troubled communities but to reinvigorate them. Doheny-Farina offers a critical perspective on virtual reality and its social impact, showing us how people meet and converse on the net, how they teach and learn, and how they establish workplaces that can accompany them wherever they go. Along the way he reveals the advantages and hazards of making the computer the center of our public and private lives. Doheny-Farina argues that once we begin to divorce ourselves from geographic place and start investing ourselves in virtual communities, we further the dissolution of our real, dying communities. He speaks out in favor of a movement called civic networking, which promotes the proliferation of networks that originate locally to organize community information and culture and to foster pride in and responsibility to our neighborhoods.
Considering Rage and Gender in Donald Glover's “This is America”

I had a most interesting introduction to Donald Glover's video “This is America.” A former student, now friend, sent me a Facebook message and the link to the video. It read “Watch this!” and urged...
Postmortem Findings in a Young Man With Congenital Generalized Lipodystrophy, Type 4 Due to CAVIN1 Mutations.

Context Congenital generalized lipodystrophy, type 4 (CGL4) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in caveolae-associated protein 1. Patients with CGL4 also have myopathy and cardiomyopathy with a predisposition for sudden death due to ventricular arrhythmias. However, the underlying pathology for these morbidities remains unknown. Therefore, we report on an autopsy of a Hispanic boy with CGL4. Case description Our patient had early-onset generalized lipodystrophy, feeding difficulties, myopathy, atlanto-axial dislocation, and learning disabilities. He was diagnosed with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) at age 8 years, had poor compliance with medications, and died suddenly at age 15.3 years. Autopsy showed marked loss of subcutaneous and omental fat with no inflammatory cells in adipose tissue and normal adipocytes in the parathyroid glands. There were adipocytes interdigitating cardiac muscle fibers, with fibro-fatty infiltration in the right ventricle, near coronary sinus, and atrioventricular node. There was no evidence of coronary heart disease. The quadriceps femoris muscle did not show adipocyte infiltration, inflammation, or fibrosis. The muscularis mucosa layer was thickened in the esophagus and at the gastro-duodenal junction, and the esophagus had prominent, large nerves in the subserosa. The liver weighed 3000 g, with minimal chronic inflammation and steatosis in 40% of parenchyma, primarily in zones 2 and 3. There was no spermatogenesis in the spermatic tubules. Conclusions Our data suggest that fibro-fatty infiltration of the right ventricle may contribute to CPVT in patients with CGL4. Thick muscularis mucosa and large nerves in the esophagus likely contributed to dysphagia and dysmotility. A lack of spermatids suggests infertility in affected male patients.
Refrigeration in 2D: Electrostaticaloric effect in monolayer materials

As electrical device components are scaled down to atomic sizes, management of waste heat becomes a major issue in device performance. Minimizing energy consumption of electrical components and waste heat generation are critical issues in the operation of such devices. Interest in alternative cooling mechanisms, such as those provided by electrocaloric, magnetocaloric, elastocaloric, and thermoelectric materials, may also be necessary in mitigating issues associated with waste heat generation. In this work, we provide theoretical predictions for an alternative cooling mechanism, accomplished by utilizing electrostatic gating to induce structural phase transitions in monolayer materials. We refer to this mechanism as the electrostaticaloric effect in reference to the mechanism of electrostatic doping that drives the structural phase transformation and entropy change in the material. Recent predictions and experimental observation that electrostatic gating can induce structural phase transformations in monolayer materials opens the possibility for new application areas. Here, we explore the potential for electrostatically induced structural phase transformations in monolayer ${\mathrm{MoTe}}_{2}$ to be used in a Carnot refrigeration cycle. We predict that a temperature change of 10--15 K may be possible in devices that utilize monolayer ${\mathrm{MoTe}}_{2}$ as the active phase change material. This mechanism may prove useful for future electrical devices which require cooling at the component level, and for which small monolayer devices are necessary.
Acute stressors and clinical characteristics differentiate death by suicide, accident, or natural causes among illicit and prescription opiate users.

Abstract Background Opiate misuse has reached epidemic levels. Prevention efforts depend on distinguishing opiate users from abusers. The current study compared opioid users who died by natural cases, accidents, and suicide using psychological autopsy methods. Groups were compared on substance use characteristics, treatment history, experiences of negative life events, and circumstances at the time of death. Methods Substance use and suicide risk were evaluated using psychological autopsy methods in 63 decedents with positive toxicology for opiates at death divided into three groups: adults dying by suicide (n = 19), accident (n = 19), and natural causes (n = 25). Groups were compared on several dependent measures, using chi-square analyses to examine categorical variables and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) to examine continuous variables. Results Individuals who died by suicide were similar in many ways to adults who died by an accidental overdose. However, suicide completers were more likely to have struggled with severe depression, and previously attempted suicide, whereas the accidental overdose sample was more likely to display a chronic pattern of severe drug abuse. Conclusions The current study helps to distinguish between opiate users who are at risk for death by an accidental or intentional overdose. In the ongoing opiate crisis, clinicians must understand the risk of overdose and the nuances of accidental behaviors compared to purposeful ones. Signs of suicidal planning, relevant psychopathology, and ongoing life stress may be useful points of intervention for stopping the increasing number of deaths among opiate users.
Text messaging as an enhancement to home visiting: Building parents’ capacity to improve child language-learning environments

Abstract The amount and quality of language-related interactions young children experience is related to their later development. The field has developed strategies to address this need, but in practice, parents rarely use them consistently or with high levels of fidelity. Given the need to modify such interventions so that they are used consistently and with fidelity, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether text messaging used as an enhancement to the Promoting Communication Tools for Advancing Language in Kids (PC TALK) intervention would result in improvements in parent engagement in a home visiting program, parent fidelity of use of the Promoting Communication (PC) strategies, and child language outcomes. Standard analyses of differences associated with group assignment to text messaging versus a control group did not reveal differences in outcomes; however, secondary analyses within the text messaging group were conducted to determine whether unplanned variations in the number of text messages sent were related to parent engagement, parent strategy use, and consequently, child language outcomes. A greater number of PC strategy-focused text messages and the total number of text messages sent were associated with increases in parent engagement and parent fidelity of implementation of the PC strategies. Text messaging had an indirect effect on child communication outcomes via parent fidelity. Social validity data and implications for practice from these findings are discussed.
Reader response: Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics disorders: Relationship to Alzheimer biomarkers and cognition.

We read with great interest the article by Graff-Radford et al.,1 which showed that patients with high-convexity tight sulci (HCTS) were associated with a lower tau PET standard uptake value ratio than patients without HCTS. In the Geneva normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) cohort,2 we tested the hypothesis that patients with HCTS are associated with decreased CSF phosphorylated tau level. Eighty-three consecutive patients with suspicion of NPH (age: 76.5 ± 7.8 years; 32.5% female) who performed an analysis of CSF biomarkers were included. HCTS has been determined following the definition of the Radscale3: HCTS was considered positive when narrow parietal high-convexity sulci (assessed in the transverse plane in the most superior slices and in the coronal plane) = 2 (presence of vertex narrow sulci).
Resolution of Keratoacanthoma Type Squamous Cell Carcinoma Following Intralesional Therapy With Methotrexate.

Keratoacanthoma is considered a variant of squamous cell carcinoma prone to spontaneous involution, but it may also rapidly grow and invade surrounding tissues. Herein, we report a case of keratoacanthoma-type squamous cell carcinoma that resolved after intralesional therapy with methotrexate.
Biomarkers in renal vasculitis

Abstract Primary systemic vasculitides are classified according to their clinical, serological, and pathological features. The Chapel Hill Consensus conference updated the most recent nomenclature criteria of the classification in 2012. Vasculitis is best classified based on the size of the involved vessels into large, medium, and small vessel disease. Small vessel vasculitis (SVV) that includes glomerulonephritis is by far the most frequent vasculitic lesion in the kidney, and the defining renal lesion is a necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis. In this chapter, we review the biomarkers in small vessel vasculitis that affect the kidney, with emphasis on ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).
Genetic Variation and Hot Flashes: A Systematic Review

Context Approximately 70% of women report experiencing vasomotor symptoms (VMS, hot flashes and/or night sweats). The etiology of VMS is not clearly understood but may include genetic factors. Evidence acquisition We searched PubMed and Embase in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidance. We included studies on associations between genetic variation and VMS. We excluded studies focused on medication interventions or prevention or treatment of breast cancer. Evidence synthesis Of the 202 unique citations, 18 citations met the inclusion criteria. Study sample sizes ranged from 51 to 17,695. Eleven of the 18 studies had fewer than 500 participants; two studies had ≥ 1,000. Overall, statistically significant associations with VMS were found for variants in 14 of the 26 genes assessed in candidate gene studies. The cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A member 1 (CYP1B1) gene was the focus of the largest number (n = 7) of studies, but strength and statistical significance of associations of CYP1B1 variants with VMS were inconsistent. A genome-wide association study reported statistically significant associations between 14 single-nucleotide variants in the tachykinin receptor 3 gene and VMS. Heterogeneity across trials regarding VMS measurement methods and effect measures precluded quantitative meta-analysis; there were few studies of each specific genetic variant. Conclusions Genetic variants are associated with VMS. The associations are not limited to variations in sex steroid metabolism genes. However, studies were few and future studies are needed to confirm and extend these findings.
Normative Measures of Hip Strength and Relation to Previous Injury in Collegiate Cross-Country Runners

Context Running related injury occurs frequently in collegiate cross-country runners. Hip strength is one factor that may be important in the rehabilitation and training of cross-country runners. However, no normative values exist to inform these strategies. Objective Establish normative values for hip abduction and external rotation isometric strength in collegiate cross-country runners and explore the association between strength and previous injury. Design Mixed methods using descriptive epidemiology and retrospective cross-sectional designs. Setting University Laboratory Patients or Other Participants: Eighty-two NCAA Division III cross-country runners (38 males, 44 females) participated in this study. Main outcome measure(s) Isometric hip strength and reported injury Results: Males demonstrated greater absolute hip strength than females. Measures of hip strength were not different between sexes when normalized to height and mass. Hip abduction asymmetry was associated with previous injury in males. A combination of at least one leg with hip abduction weakness and bilateral external rotation weakness was associated with previous injury in females. Conclusions Knowledge of normative values of hip strength may help inform rehabilitation strategies in collegiate cross-country runners. Males and females may demonstrate differing strength profiles following running related injury.
Stakeholder Perceptions of White Oak Supply in Kentucky: A SWOT-AHP Analysis

Growing demand for white oak (Quercus alba) timber and difficulties in regenerating this species point toward future supply issues. Implementing forest policy and management interventions to support its long-term supply will be necessary particularly in Kentucky, where bourbon industry relies solely on casks made from white oak. To increase the probability that these actions will be successful, it is advisable to consider perceptions of stakeholders who are most likely to be involved with and impacted by those decisions. The combined Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat and Analytic Hierarchy Process technique used in this study facilitated independent capturing and ranking of perceptions from three key stakeholder groups (members of woodland owners, forest industry, and distillers industry associations) regarding long-term supply of white oak. The results of this study suggest implementing forest policy and management decisions that have the most support among stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainable supply of white oak are: (1) encourage and incentivize sustainable forest management, and (2) address poor harvesting practices.
Towards a Democratic Theory of Silence

Contemporary democratic theory is focused on empowering the voices of citizens in collective decision-making. The opposite of voice is silence. Increasingly, citizens are remaining silent rather th...
Nonpharmacologic Management of Procedural Pain in Pediatric Burn Patients: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Pain following burn injury is associated with long-term health consequences in the pediatric population. Literature suggests nonpharmacologic treatment may provide improved pain control as an effective adjunct for these patients. This study aims to summarize randomized controlled trials on nonpharmacologic procedural pain management in pediatric burn patients. A systematic review was conducted on nonpharmacologic procedural pain management techniques used in the pediatric burn population. Fifteen studies were included and involved virtual reality, distraction devices, child life therapy, directed play, digital tablet games, cartoons, hypnosis, and music therapy. Treatment was effective in 8 out of 15 studies. Compared to controls, nonpharmacologic treatments reduced mid procedure pain by 19.7% and post procedure pain by 20.1%. This study demonstrates nonpharmacologic therapy can be an effective adjunct in pediatric procedural burn pain management, however further studies are needed to develop standardized algorithms to integrate nonpharmacologic treatments with pharmacologic therapies.
The Complexity of VLSI Computations

While designing computational structures such as VLSI designs and printed circuit boards, a designer has to solve hard problems of assignment and layout. Once a design is finished it is difficult to evaluate its quality. Suppose the designer had no success in the layout of the structure in the available area using the admissible number of metal layers. This means either that the quality of the used CAD is low or that the restrictions are so severe that this problem has no solution at all.
Â¬Slast Licksâ¬?: Do They Really Help?

Much has been written about the home field advantage in sports. Baseball and softball are unusual games, in that the rules are explicitly different for home versus visiting teams, since by rule home teams bat second in each inning (they have â¬Slast licksâ¬?). This is generally considered to be an advantage, which seems to be contradicted by the apparent weakness of the home field advantage in baseball compared to that in other sports. In this paper we examine the effect of â¬Slast licksâ¬? on baseball and softball team success using neutral site college baseball and softball playoff games. We find little evidence of an effect in baseball, but much greater evidence in softball, related to whether a game is close late in the game. In softball games that are tied at the end of an inning, batting last seems to be disadvantageous later in the game, apparently related to the chances of the team scoring first to break the tie. By also examining games where one team was playing on its home field, we are able to say something about benefits from playing at home that are not related to â¬Slast licks.â¬?
Urban Ecology: Patterns of Population Growth and Ecological Effects

Currently, over 50% of the world's population lives in urban areas. By 2050, this estimate is expected to be 70%. This urban growth, however, is not uniformly distributed around the world. The majority of it will occur in developing nations and create megacities whose populations exceed at least 10 million people. Not all urban areas, however, are growing. Some are actually losing populations because of changing economic conditions and population demographics. Whether a city is growing or losing population, governances face unique challenges with respect to infrastructural, water and transportation needs. To meet these challenges, agencies within city government are cooperating by pooling resources and removing conflicting policies, partnering with the private sector to offset costs of infrastructure, and taking new approaches to design infrastructure. By linking ecological theory with urban design, a more integrative approach to create liveable spaces, which are sustainable, can be achieved in rapidly expanding and shrinking urban areas. Key Concepts: Megacities and shrinking cities are our future. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, most of the world's population lived in rural areas. With economic shifts people moved into cities to find employment, better health services, and improved education opportunities. Future cities represent major ecological, social and economic challenges and opportunities. Rapid urban growth creates economic incentives but can fragment, destroy or degrade existing natural ecosystems. Similarly, population losses create economic and ecological opportunities for expansion and growth. Integrating ecological theory in urban design can create a framework for sustainable cities that are adaptive and resilient. Often, infrastructure is designed to meet engineering specifications but do not incorporate ecological functionality. By integrating ecological with the engineering, infrastructure can meet regulations at the same time enhancing the environment. Keywords: urban; megacities; shrinking cities; ecological design; resilience
Ligand State of Intraerythrocytic Circulating HbC Crystals in Homozygote CC Patients

Whole blood and Stractan-Percoll fractions of blood from splenectomized patients with homozygous hemoglobin C (CC) disease were studied under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Erythrocytes containing typical CC crystals are found in the densest fraction as documented by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. We report that the intraerythrocytic Hb C circulating crystals are in the oxygenated liganded state as demonstrated by melting upon deoxygenation and by absorption spectroscopy. Furthermore, crystals are more likely to form in cells with low concentration of Hb F. Changes of ligand state (which results in melting of the intraerythrocytic crystal) might be involved in the pathophysiology of this disease, removing the danger of vasoocclusive episodes.
Disaggregative Mechanisms: The New Frontier of Mass-Claims Resolution Without Class Actions

Aggregation has long been viewed as the primary if not sole vehicle for mass claims resolution. For a half-century, scholars have consistently viewed the consolidated litigation of similar claims through joinder, class actions and more recently multi-district litigation as the only mechanism for efficiently resolving mass claims. In this Article, I challenge that long-standing and fundamental conception. The Article seeks to reconceptualize our understanding of mass claims resolution, arguing that we are witnessing the birth of a second, unexplored branch of mass claims resolution mechanisms — which I term “disaggregative” dispute resolution systems because they lack the traditional aggregation of common questions that has been the hallmark of traditional mass claims litigation. Disaggregation returns to a focus on the individual akin to that of the single-plaintiff system, but uses either procedural or substantive streamlining, or a shift of costs to the defendant, to correct the asymmetries that prompted the creation of class actions. Many of our most innovative claims structures — from the BP GCCF and the fund created in the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster, to the common single-plaintiff arbitration clauses in consumer and employment agreements — use this new, bottom-up model of disaggregative mass claims resolution instead of the familiar top-down aggregative model.These next-generation systems have been heralded as a significant advancement in mass claims resolution, capable of awarding more compensation to claimants more quickly and at lower cost than aggregate litigation. But like the single-plaintiff and aggregate litigation systems that preceded it, disaggregation has its flaws. Because the defendant typically designs these systems, they often give rise to questions about legitimacy and the accuracy of compensation. More shockingly, situating disaggregation within the existing doctrinal trends reveals that the rise of disaggregation allows corporations to avoid class actions in a far broader swath of cases than has previously been identified — such that class actions will, as a practical matter, proceed only at the defendant’s election, raising substantial questions about the viability of private actions as a mechanism for the enforcement of law. Yet, because these systems are the product of contract, attempts to restrict these systems have largely failed. The answer to these problems lies in an unlikely and potentially controversial approach: expanding rather than restricting the availability of disaggregation, by creating a public mechanism for disaggregation — comparable to the existing public aggregation mechanisms.
Expression of uptake hydrogenase and hydrogen oxidation during heterotrophic growth of Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

Strains I-110 ARS, SR, USDA 136, USDA 137, and AK13 1c of Bradyrhizobium japonicum induced Hup activity when growing heterotrophically in medium with carbon substrate and NH4Cl in the presence of 2% H2 and 2% O2. Hup activity was induced during heterotrophic growth in the presence of carbon substrates, which were assimilated during the time of H2 oxidation. Strains I-110 ARS and SR grown heterotrophically or chemoautotrophically for 3 days had similar rates of H2 oxidation. Similar rates of Hup activity were also observed when cell suspensions were induced for 24 h in heterotrophic or chemoautotrophic growth medium with 1% O2, 10% H2, and 5% CO2 in N2. These results are contrary to the reported repression of Hup activity by carbon substrates in B. japonicum. Bradyrhizobial Hup activity during heterotrophic growth was limited by H2 and O2 and repressed by aerobic conditions, and CO2 addition had no effect. Nitrogenase and ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase activities were not detected in H2-oxidizing cultures of B. japonicum during heterotrophic growth. Immunoblot analysis of cell extracts with antibodies prepared against the 65-kilodalton subunit of uptake hydrogenase indicated that Hup protein synthesis was induced by H2 and repressed under aerobic conditions. Images
Driver Responses to High-Mounted Brake Lights in Actual Traffic

This study evaluated brake responses of unsuspecting drivers to brake-signal presentations using a conventional brake- lamp system with and without supplemental high-mounted brake lamp(s). The signals were presented in actual traffic during the daytime at speeds of 48 to 72 kmlh. The main finding is that the signals given by the systems with one or two supplemental high-mounted brake lamps were more likely to produce a brake response by a following driver. On the other hand, the reaction times of the brake responses did not vary between the systems.
Ethnic and age-related fat free mass loss in older Americans: The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)

Background Although age-related loss of fat free mass (FFM) is well known, there is paucity of data on national estimates, and on the differential influence of ethnicity on the decline in FFM with increasing age. We determined whether age-related loss in FFM and fat free mass index (FFMI) vary by gender and or ethnicity, using representative data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).
Toward a Nonviolent Koinonia

While many churches now affirm the importance of nonviolence as a missional strategy, it is not clear that this has yet affected their ecclesial self-understanding. What have the ecumenical churches said about the church and nonviolence? Have they developed enough of a nonviolent ecclesiology? In this study, I contend that it is essential that the Christian churches be a nonviolent koinonia . The true church is the nonviolent church. Drawing upon major ecumenical documents, and listening to the voices of three theologians who have endorsed nonviolent theology, I outline a vision of the nonviolent church as a koinonia which participates in the life of the Triune God. As the community which is centred on the eucharist, I argue that the nonviolent koinonia is a community of anamnesis , of prolepsis , and of philoxenia .
Buckling of a beam on a Wieghardt-type elastic foundation

The paper gives a computation of the buckling load for a rod with pinned ends and elastic embedding according to Wieghardt. The influence of shearing stresses on the bending is taken into account. The result is compared with the buckling load holding for elastic embedding according to Winkler. The important differences in the results of two theories are emphasized.
Resuscitation of Thermally Injured Patients with Oxygen Transport Criteria as Goals of Therapy

Resuscitation from shock based on oxygen transport criteria has been widely used in trauma and surgical patients, but has not been examined in thermally injured patients. To study the possible efficacy of this type of resuscitation, the oxygen transport characteristics of burn resuscitation were studied in nine adults, of whom six had inhalation injuries, with a mean burn size of 45% total body surface area and a mean age of 33.4 years, who were resuscitated based on oxygen transport criteria. Pulmonary artery balloon flotation catheters were placed and hemodynamic and oxygen transport parameters (Fick method) were measured hourly for 6 hours. Patients received fluid boluses in addition to resuscitation calculated by the Parkland formula, until the pulmonary artery wedge pressure reached 15 mm Hg, after which dobutamine infusions (5 micrograms/kg/min) were initiated. Cardiac index increased from 2.51 to 6.57 L/min/m2 (p < 0.05), whereas systemic vascular resistance fell from 1534 to 584 dyne sec/cm5 (p < 0.05). Oxygen delivery (DO2I) and oxygen consumption (VO2I) indexes increased significantly during the study period (573 +/- 47 to 1028 +/- 57, and 132 +/- 8 to 172 +/- 16 ml/min/m2, respectively; p < 0.05). VO2I appeared dependent on DO2I at levels of DO2I less than 800 ml/min/m2. In this study, depressed cardiovascular function in patients with burn injuries responded to volume loading and inotropic support much as it does in patients with shock of other etiologies. Whether oxygen transport-based resuscitation is effective in improving survival or the incidence of multiple organ failure is unknown and will need to be evaluated in randomized trials.
On inertially-controlled flow patterns in a β-plane ocean

Possible flow patterns in a rectangular, β-plane, ocean are generated by assuming that the ocean basin can be divided into an interior region in which the dynamical balance is of the Sverdrup type (1947) and a boundary region where the dynamical balance is governed by inertial forces. The flow pattern which was derived by Carrier & Robinson (1962) is shown to be the only possible pattern for a one-layer and a two-layer ocean when friction is not taken into account. The importance of friction is discussed and possible alternatives are mentioned for cases in which friction is included. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1963.tb01363.x
Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in Business Education

Abstract This study was designed to identify effective strategies for teaching critical thinking skills in business education courses. Sixty-seven high school business teachers, representing 50 high schools in North Carolina, participated in the study. The study's results indicate that, with careful thought and planning, business teachers at all levels can encourage critical thinking in students by encouraging open discussion, allowing time for thinking, encouraging improvement, and promoting interactive learning. The most effective traditional teaching methods were identified as case studies or problem-solving techniques, simulations, group and individual projects, and group discussions. The most effective testing methods for encouraging critical thinking were found to be practical task completion, case studies, and argumentative essays.
Cutting and independent stacking of intervals

Methods of cutting and stacking intervals have been frequently used in ergodic theory to construct transformations with special properties. We show that for independent stacking the partition into subintervals is a Markov partition. In particular, if the resulting transformation is mixing it must be a Bernoulli shift.
Allelic replacement of the streptococcal cysteine protease SpeB in a Δsrv mutant background restores biofilm formation

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a Gram-positive human pathogen that is capable of causing a wide spectrum of human disease. Thus, the organism has evolved to colonize a number of physiologically distinct host sites. One such mechanism to aid colonization is the formation of a biofilm. We have recently shown that inactivation of the streptococcal regulator of virulence (Srv), results in a mutant strain exhibiting a significant reduction in biofilm formation. Unlike the parental strain (MGAS5005), the streptococcal cysteine protease (SpeB) is constitutively produced by the srv mutant (MGAS5005Δsrv) suggesting Srv contributes to the control of SpeB production. Given that SpeB is a potent protease, we hypothesized that the biofilm deficient phenotype of the srv mutant was due to the constitutive production of SpeB. In support of this hypothesis, we have previously demonstrated that treating cultures with E64, a commercially available chemical inhibitor of cysteine proteases, restored the ability of MGAS5005Δsrv to form biofilms. Still, it was unclear if the loss of biofilm formation by MGAS5005Δsrv was due only to the constitutive production of SpeB or to other changes inherent in the srv mutant strain. To address this question, we constructed a Δsrv ΔspeB double mutant through allelic replacement (MGAS5005Δsrv ΔspeB) and tested its ability to form biofilms in vitro. Allelic replacement of speB in the srv mutant background restored the ability of this strain to form biofilms under static and continuous flow conditions. Furthermore, addition of purified SpeB to actively growing wild-type cultures significantly inhibited biofilm formation. The constitutive production of SpeB by the srv mutant strain is responsible for the significant reduction of biofilm formation previously observed. The double mutant supports a model by which Srv contributes to biofilm formation and/or dispersal through regulation of speB/SpeB.
Predictors and outcome of early- versus late-onset major bacterial infections in liver transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus (FK506) as primary immunosuppression.

Major bacterial infections and the predictors of early (within 100 days of transplantation) versus late onset (after 100 days post-transplant) bacterial infections were prospectively assessed in 130 consecutive liver transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus (FK506) as primary immunosuppression. The median follow-up period was 38 months. Overall, 35% (45/130) of the patients developed 67 episodes of major bacterial infections (0.52 episodes/patient). Sixty-three percent of the major bacterial infections occurred early, and 37% occurred in the late post-transplant period. Eighty-four percent of the abdominal infections occurred early, whereas 38% of the cases of pneumonia, 60% of the cases of primary bacteremia, and 50% of the biliary infections occurred late. By logistic regression analysis, portal vein thrombosis was the most significant independent risk factor for early-onset major bacterial infection (odds ratio 4.1;95% Cl 1.4–12.2), and recurrent hepatitis C was the most significant independent predictor of late-onset major bacterial infections (odds ratio 6.21;95% Cl 1.9–20.2). Thus, sources and risk factors differ for early versus late-onset bacterial infections after liver transplantation. Knowledge of the differences in the potential sources, the pathogens, and the predictors of early versus late-onset bacterial infections can be valuable in the evaluation and empiric treatment of liver transplant recipients with bacterial infections.
Columnar Connectivity and Laminar Processing in Cat Primary Auditory Cortex

Author(s): Atencio, Craig A; Schreiner, Christoph E | Abstract: BackgroundRadial intra- and interlaminar connections form a basic microcircuit in primary auditory cortex (AI) that extracts acoustic information and distributes it to cortical and subcortical networks. Though the structure of this microcircuit is known, we do not know how the functional connectivity between layers relates to laminar processing.Methodology/principal findingsWe studied the relationships between functional connectivity and receptive field properties in this columnar microcircuit by simultaneously recording from single neurons in cat AI in response to broadband dynamic moving ripple stimuli. We used spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) to estimate the relationship between receptive field parameters and the functional connectivity between pairs of neurons. Interlaminar connectivity obtained through cross-covariance analysis reflected a consistent pattern of information flow from thalamic input layers to cortical output layers. Connection strength and STRF similarity were greatest for intralaminar neuron pairs and in supragranular layers and weaker for interlaminar projections. Interlaminar connection strength co-varied with several STRF parameters: feature selectivity, phase locking to the stimulus envelope, best temporal modulation frequency, and best spectral modulation frequency. Connectivity properties and receptive field relationships differed for vertical and horizontal connections.Conclusions/significanceThus, the mode of local processing in supragranular layers differs from that in infragranular layers. Therefore, specific connectivity patterns in the auditory cortex shape the flow of information and constrain how spectrotemporal processing transformations progress in the canonical columnar auditory microcircuit.
Dissociation of proto-oncogene induction from growth response in normal human fibroblasts

Proto-oncogenes are cellular homologues of viral oncogenes that are known to be associated with regulation of growth and differentiation. The c-myc and c-fos proto-oncogenes have been extensively studied by using established cell lines but to a lesser extent by using normal cells. Using physiologic growth modulators, we have shown that mitotic stimulation of normal human dermal fibroblasts is associated with induction of c-myc and c-fos, but that growth inhibition of these cells is not necessarily accompanied by their down-regulation. When treated with both serum and interferon-alpha during quiescence, fibroblasts were delayed in their progress into the S-phase of the cell cycle as compared to cells treated with serum alone and displayed substantial growth inhibition as measured by cell number at the end of 1 week. However, this growth inhibition was not preceded by down-regulation or delay in induction of c-myc and c-fos mRNA. The above studies suggest that in normal fibroblasts growth inhibition is not necessarily dependent on down-regulation of transcription of either c-myc or c-fos and that interferon may act to inhibit cell growth either through a post-transcriptional effect on cellular proto-oncogenes necessary for cell proliferation or through induction of other, as yet unrecognized gene(s) associated with growth arrest.
ULTRASTRUCTURAL DIFFERENTIATION OF THE MÜLLERIAN BODY GLYCOGEN PLASTID OF CECROPIA PELTATA L.

The developmental ultrastructure of the glycogen plastids produced in Miillerian body cells of Cecropia peltata was studied. Cells of the trichilium, before Miillerian body initiation, possess chloroplasts. Once cell division begins in the initiation of a food body, the choroplasts dedifferentiate to proplastids. As cell division and development proceed the proplastids divide and enlarge so that each cell of the Miillerian body contains 20-30 of these organelles. With maturation of a Miillerian body the proplastids begin to synthesize and store glycogen. Each developing glycogen plastid possesses an inclusion composed of protein and glycogen, and, based on cytochemical evidence, it is suggested that the glycogen synthesizing enzymes are
Effects of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis or tetanus vaccination on allergies and allergy-related respiratory symptoms among children and adolescents in the United States.

Abstract Background: Findings from animal and human studies confirm that diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis (DTP) and tetanus vaccinations induce allergic responses; associations between childhood vaccinations and subsequent allergies have been reported recently. Objective: The association of DTP or tetanus vaccination with allergies and allergy-related respiratory symptoms among children and adolescents in the United States was assessed. Methods: Data were used from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on infants aged 2 months through adolescents aged 16 years. DTP or tetanus vaccination, lifetime allergy history, and allergy symptoms in the past 12 months were based on parental or guardian recall. Logistic regression modeling was performed to estimate the effects of DTP or tetanus vaccination on each allergy. Results: The odds of having a history of asthma was twice as great among vaccinated subjects than among unvaccinated subjects (adjusted odds ratio, 2.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.59 to 6.74). The odds of having had any allergy-related respiratory symptom in the past 12 months was 63% greater among vaccinated subjects than unvaccinated subjects (adjusted odds ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 2.54). The associations between vaccination and subsequent allergies and symptoms were greatest among children aged 5 through 10 years. Conclusions: DTP or tetanus vaccination appears to increase the risk of allergies and related respiratory symptoms in children and adolescents. Although it is unlikely that these results are entirely because of any sources of bias, the small number of unvaccinated subjects and the study design limit our ability to make firm causal inferences about the true magnitude of effect. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2000;23:81–90)
Evidence that the potential antipsychotic agent rimcazole (BW 234U) is a specific, competitive antagonist of sigma sites in brain.

Abstract Rimcazole (BW 234U) is a potential antipsychotic agent which in open-clinical trials appears to be effective in acute schizophrenic patients. In the present study, rimcazole was found to block the specific binding of [3H]−(+)−SKF 10,047 to sigma sites in rat and guinea pig brain (IC50 = 5.0 x 10−7 M). The compound was 100 times weaker as a blocker of phencyclidine sites (IC50 = 4.3 x 10−5 M). At 1 x 10−5 M, rimcazole had only weak effects on μ, δ, κ and ϵ opioid receptors. Scatchard analysis of the binding data from guinea pig brain revealed an apparent KD for [3H]−(+)− SKF 10, 047 of 85 ± 5 nM and a Bmax of 824 ± 27 fmole/mg protein. In the presence of 5 x 10−7 M BW 234U, the apparent KD was 165 ± 35 nM, but the Bmax (892 ± 146 fmoles/mg protein) was not affected. This suggests that rimcazole is a competitive inhibitor of sigma sites. The agent was also capable of blocking sigma sites in vivo (ID50 = 6 mg/kg i.p., mice) as judged by an in vivo sigma receptor binding assay. Thus, if the antipsychotic activity of rimcazole is confirmed in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, it would be the first compound whose mechanism of antipsychotic activity may best be explained by a direct blockade of sigma sites and not by a direct blockade of dopamine (D2) receptors in brain.
LASER PROCESSING OF HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTING THIN FILMS

ABSTRACT High quality thin films of high temperature superconductors (HTS) have been fabricated using pulsed or cw lasers as physical vapor deposition sources. There is current interest in scaling the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique to coat 3-in. wafers with HTS. Process control and diagnostics relevant to achieving the required scaling and reproducibility will be reviewed.
Action of calcium-binding proteins in egg maturation and fertilisation.

Abstract There is considerable evidence that calcium acts as a primary trigger for egg maturation and fertilisation in diverse phyla. Calcium regulation has been demonstrated or suggested for numerous specific events in fertilisation, including: sperm motility, the acrosome reaction, sperm-egg binding and fusion, metabolic activation of the egg, etc. However, very little is known concerning the mechanisms whereby calcium exerts its effects. Some calcium-regulated events are mediated through calmodulin and others are likely to be as well. Additionally, protein kinase C has recently been implicated in some processes related to egg maturation and activation, although the evidence presented thus far has been indirect. Other pathways dependent upon calcium but not involving either CaM or PKC have also been identified. Much more research will be required before the multiple involvements of calcium-binding proteins in egg maturation and fertilisation are clarified.
Influence of Dissolved Sodium and Cesium on Uranyl Oxide Hydrate Solubility

The solubility of uranium-containing minerals can control the mobility of uranium in contaminated soil and groundwater. The identity and solubility of these minerals are strongly influenced by solution composition. The influence of dissolved sodium and cesium on the solubility of uranyl oxide hydrates has been investigated in a series of batch experiments conducted with synthetic metaschoepite ((UO2)8O2(OH)12·10H2O). During reaction of metaschoepite in NaNO3, CsNO3, and NaF solutions, an initial increase in the dissolved uranium concentration was followed by a decrease as uranium was incorporated into a secondary solid phase. Given sufficient reaction time, metaschoepite was completely transformed to a clarkeite-like sodium uranyl oxide hydrate or a cesium uranyl oxide hydrate that has not previously been described. These secondary solid phases exhibited X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra that were distinct from those of the original metaschoepite. Dissolved uranium concentrations in equilibrium...
Multigigahertz range-Doppler correlative processing in crystals

Spectral-spatial holographic crystals have the unique ability to resolve fine spectral features (down to kilohertz) in an optical waveform over a broad bandwidth (over 10 gigahertz). This ability allows these crystals to record the spectral interference between spread spectrum waveforms that are temporally separated by up to several microseconds. Such crystals can be used for performing radar range-Doppler processing with fine temporal resolution. An added feature of these crystals is the long upper state lifetime of the absorbing rare earth ions, which allows the coherent integration of multiple recorded spectra, yielding integration gain and significant processing gain enhancement for selected code sets, as well as high resolution Doppler processing. Parallel processing of over 10,000 beams could be achieved with a crystal the size of a sugar cube. Spectral-spatial holographic processing and coherent integration of up to 2.5 Gigabit per second coded waveforms and of lengths up to 2047 bits has previously been reported. In this paper, we present the first demonstration of Doppler processing with these crystals. Doppler resolution down to a few hundred Hz for broadband radar signals can be achieved. The processing can be performed directly on signals modulated onto IF carriers (up to several gigahertz) without having to mix the signals down to baseband and without having to employ broadband analog to digital conversion.