cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Prediction of Sepsis From Clinical Data Using Single Light-GBM Model

Sepsis is a severe medical condition caused by body’s extreme response to an infection leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and even death. The emergence of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, allowed faster exploration of advanced way to recognize sepsis cases. In this paper, we present two main approaches that have been tested using the clinical data. The first method is the combination of survival analysis and neural networks, and the second one is based on booting trees. Our team participated under the name of BERCLAB UND. The proposed model obtained 0.172 on holdout set and 0.005 on the full test set with ranking of 69.
12.7 Vegetation Ecogeomorphology, Dynamic Equilibrium, and Disturbance

Early ecologists understood the need to document geomorphic form and process to explain plant species distributions. Although this relationship has been acknowledged for over a century, with the exception of a few landmark papers, only the past few decades have experienced intensive research on this interdisciplinary topic. Here the authors provide a summary of the intimate relations between vegetation and geomorphic/process on hillslopes and fluvial systems. These relations are separated into systems (primarily fluvial) in dynamic equilibrium and those that are in nonequilibrium conditions including the impacts of various human disturbances affecting landforms, geomorphic processes, and interrelated, attendant vegetation patterns and processes. The authors conclude with a conceptual model of stream regime focusing on sediment deposition, erosion, and equilibrium that can be expanded to organize and predict vegetation patterns and life history strategies.
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Adolescent Endometriosis and Advancements in Medical Management

Molecular and cellular features of ectopic endometriotic lesions differ from eutopic endometrium. Estrogen-mediated cell signaling is altered, and pro-inflammatory pathways develop in the local microenvironment along with impaired cellular immunity. A multitude of growth factors, cytokines, and angiogenic factors play a critical role. Refluxed endometrial cells eventually adhering, invading, and proliferating along with neovascularization result in progression to a disease state characterized by evasion of the immune surveillance system by ectopic endometrial tissue. This failure of natural clearance by the immune system and resistance to apoptosis by ectopic endometrial cells results in chronic progression of disease. There is increasing evidence for epigenetic mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The inflammation, scarring, and adhesions are symptomatically expressed as cyclic and acyclic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, bloating, and dyspareunia significantly compromising quality of life. An understanding of the complex pro-inflammatory pathways, hormonal influences, and underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of adolescent endometriosis could facilitate future medical treatment that would decrease disease symptomatology.
Inclusion Criteria for Extubation Readiness Testing in the Pediatric ICU: Too Exclusive?

Background: Extubation Readiness Testing (ERT) is a respiratory therapist (RT)-driven and monitored protocol of minimal ventilator support to test readiness for ventilator discontinuation. A protocol was developed and implemented as a quality improvement initiative in our pediatric intensive care unit in March 2017. Upon QI implementation, we observed ERT completed on patients who did not meet inclusion criteria, as decisions were made by the medical team on a case-by-case basis. The objective of this study was to determine if meeting inclusion criteria for ERT is predictive of ERT success. Methods: ERT data from March 2017-May 2018 was included (IRB approval). ERT was completed by the bedside RT at the direction of the medical team. Documentation, including ventilator settings and baseline and post-ERT physiologic parameters were entered into the electronic medical record by the bedside RT. Additional data extraction by the research team included demographics (age, sex, days of mechanical ventilation), information about screening and inclusion criteria. Patients receiving ERT were divided into 2 groups for data analysis: those who met inclusion criteria for ERT and those who did not. Results: During the study period, ERT was completed 158 times in 121 patients ages 5 days-24 y. Of these tests, 56% did not meet inclusion criteria. In patients who met inclusion criteria, 55% passed ERT, while 42% of those patients who did not meet inclusion criteria passed their ERT (P=0.15). After adjusting for age and ventilator days, meeting inclusion criteria was not significantly associated with passing ERT (OR 1.54; CI: 0.71-3.3). Primary reasons for not meeting inclusion criteria among those who passed ERT was a recent increase in ventilator support 48% and a blood gas outside the desired pH 36%. Among all tests where extubation occurred within 24 h, only one child who passed ERT required re-intubation within 48 h. In contrast, 6 of 51 (12%) children who failed ERT were re-intubated within 48 h of extubation (P=0.046) -none of these patients had met the inclusion criteria for the ERT. Conclusions: Our data suggests meeting inclusion criteria is not consistently predictive of ERT success, however failure is associated with re-intubation if extubation is performed. Further investigation is needed to determine ideal inclusion criteria to streamline patient selection for ERT and optimize respiratory outcomes for a heterogeneous population of PICU patients. Disclosures None.
Associations between Weather Conditions and Bovine Respiratory Disease in Feedlot Cattle

Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD) is the most common cause of disease in weaned cattle. Ambient environmental conditions affect nutritional requirements, metabolism, and BRD risk; however, data on associations between specific weather conditions and BRD morbidity in cattle are sparse. The goal of our study was to quantify associations between daily BRD incidence rates and preceding weather conditions in different lag periods (considering up to seven days from the current day of interest) in feedlot cattle.
Advancing salt marsh restoration for coastal resilience: a learning exchange

A multidisciplinary group of salt marsh professionals from Maine to Virginia participated in a collaborative learning exchange to improve restoration for the overall health and resilience of coastal wetlands. This was an unprecedented forum through which participants representing different geographies, backgrounds, and roles in salt marsh management were able to share and learn from one another to develop the best available restoration methods for on-the-ground projects that address multiple benefits. By including mosquito control agencies, restoration practitioners, regulatory agencies, academic researchers, and conservation organizations in the learning exchange, we developed an understanding and acceptance of different approaches. Regulators learned about project ideas and contributed to project designs in early development stages. Collaborating while engaged in on-the ground projects enabled participants to implement lessons learned in real time. Field trips to restoration sites at different stages of development allowed a greater and more fluid exchange of ideas and practical implementation advice. Practitioners leveraged resources and developed new collaborations. Lessons learned and shared through this faster and more flexible forum will inform the design, implementation, and monitoring of restoration projects across the region and improve overall marsh health and resilience in the face of climate change. Learning exchanges like this should be used more frequently to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of coastal restoration particularly when there is a windfall of cash and a short window of opportunity such as with post-disaster federal spending.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage: The Contribution of Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors

Introduction Health disparities among racial and ethnic and socioeconomic groups are pervasive, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not been an exception. This study explores key demographic and socioeconomic factors related to racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage. Methods Using recent (January–March 2021) data on adults from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, a regression-based decomposition method was used to estimate how much of the observed racial and ethnic disparities in vaccination coverage could be explained by particular socioeconomic and demographic factors (i.e., age, number of children and adults in household). Results Demographics, socioeconomic factors, and experiencing economic hardship during the pandemic each explained a statistically significant portion of vaccination coverage disparities between non-Hispanic White and racial/ethnic minority individuals. The largest disparity was observed among people who identified as Hispanic or Latino, whose vaccination coverage was 8.0 (95% CI=7.1, 8.9) percentage points lower than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Socioeconomic factors explained 4.8 (95% CI=4.3, 5.2) percentage points of this disparity, and economic hardship explained an additional 1.4 (95% CI=1.2, 1.6) percentage points. Conclusions This paper identified key factors related to racial and ethnic disparities in adult vaccination coverage. The variables that explained the largest portions of the disparities were age, education, employment, and income. The study findings can help inform efforts to increase equitable vaccine access and engage different segments of the population to prevent the further exacerbation of COVID-19 health disparities.
Tests of Dynamical Supersymmetries Via Charged Particle Transfer Reactions

We have investigated the (t, p) and (\(\vec t\), α) reactions on enriched , 191,193Ir targets. The resultant spectroscopic strengths are compared and contrasted with the expectations of the dynamical super symmetry scheme proposed for the Pt-Ir region.
Interview with the Super-wiki admin team

Interview with Hope, Leandra, Jules (aka Missyjack), and Vanae of the Super-wiki admin team on the wiki's creation, its content, and the challenges unique to crowd-sourced information and multiauthorship, conducted by Deborah Kaplan.
Noninvasive radiofrequency treatment effect on mitochondria in pancreatic cancer cells

BACKGROUND The development of novel therapeutic approaches for cancer therapy is important, especially for tumors that have poor response or develop resistance to standard chemotherapy and radiation. We discovered that noninvasive radiofrequency (RF) fields can affect cancer cells but not normal cells, inhibit progression of tumors in mice, and enhance the anticancer effects of chemotherapy. However, it remains unclear what physiological and molecular mechanisms this treatment induces inside cells. Here, we studied the effect of RF treatment on mitochondria in human pancreatic cancer cells. METHODS The morphology of mitochondria in cells was studied via electron microscopy. The alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ) was accessed using a Mitotracker probe. The respiratory activity of mitochondria was evaluated by analyzing changes in oxygen consumption rates determined with a Mito Stress Test Kit. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species was performed using flow cytometry. The colocalization of mitochondria and autophagosome markers in cells was performed using fluorescence immunostaining and confocal microscopy analysis. RESULTS RF fields treatment changed the morphology of mitochondria in cancer cells, altered polarization of the mitochondrial membrane, substantially impaired mitochondrial respiration, and increased reactive oxygen species production, indicating RF-induced stress on the mitochondria. We also observed frequent colocalization of the autophagosome marker LC3B with the mitochondrial marker Tom20 inside cancer cells after RF exposure, indicating the presence of mitochondria in the autophagosomes. This suggests that RF-induced stress can damage mitochondria and induce elimination of damaged organelles via autophagy. CONCLUSION RF treatment impaired the function of mitochondria in cancer cells. Therefore, mitochondria can represent one of the targets of the RF treatment. Cancer 2014;120:3418–3425. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
Simple Models of Self-Phase and Induced-Phase Modulation

Supercontinuum (Alfano and Shapiro, 1970) generation is the production of nearly continuous spectra by propagating intense picosecond and subpicosecond laser pulses through nonlinear media. Induced supercontinuum (Manassah et al., 1985; Alfano et al., 1986) is the superbroadening of the spectrum of a weak pulse due to the presence of a strong pulse propagating simultaneously with it in a nonlinear medium. These observable physical effects form the motivation for the study of self-phase and induced-phase modulation. This chapter examines, for some idealized simple models of the nonlinear material and incoming pulse, the amplitude, phase, geometric shape, and spectral distribution of an outgoing pulse on exiting from the nonlinear material for cases of both absent and present pump. The chapter is limited in scope and extent; it is confined to some analytical and semianalytical cases developed by the author and co-workers. Effects related to group velocity dispersion (GVD) are not generally included among our models.
CHAPTER 8 – Premature Ovarian Failure

Menopause, defined strictly as the last episode of menstrual bleeding, typically occurs around age 51 and is generally considered premature if it occurs before the age of 40 years. How little is known about premature menopause is less surprising in view of how little is known about normal menopause. The events that signal menopause are unclear. Depletion of oocytes is obviously an important factor, and it has been documented that follicle depletion accelerates just prior to menopause. Although a few follicles may be present at menopause, they do not respond to folliclestimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). In an unsuccessful effort tastimulate follicular development and estradiol secretion, the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to secrete still more FSH and LH. Thus, an increase in serum FSH concentrations is an early sign heralding the cessation of ovarian function. potentially important in the regulation of the onset of menopause is the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Although oocyte depletion may provide the major reason for the occurrence of menopause in humans, numerous animal studies document changes in neurotransmitter and in central nervous system (CNS) feedback responses to estrogen with aging.
Action potential dynamics explain arrhythmic vulnerability in human heart failure: a clinical and modeling study implicating abnormal calcium handling.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine whether abnormalities of calcium cycling explain ventricular action potential (AP) oscillations and cause electrocardiogram T-wave alternans (TWA). Background Mechanisms explaining why heart failure patients are at risk for malignant ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia [VT]/ventricular fibrillation [VF]) are unclear. We studied whether oscillations in human ventricular AP explain TWA and predict VT/VF, and used computer modeling to suggest potential cellular mechanisms. Methods We studied 53 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction 28 ± 8% and 18 control subjects. Monophasic APs were recorded in the right ventricle (n = 62) and/or left ventricle (n = 9) at 109 beats/min. Results Alternans of AP amplitude, computed spectrally, had higher magnitude in study patients than in controls (p = 0.03), particularly in AP phase II (p = 0.02) rather than phase III (p = 0.10). The AP duration and activation restitution (n = 11 patients) were flat at 109 beats/min and did not explain TWA. In computer simulations, only reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake explained our results, causing calcium oscillations, AP amplitude alternans, and TWA that were all abolished by calcium clamping. On prospective follow-up for 949 ± 553 days, 17 patients had VT/VF. The AP amplitude alternans predicted VT/VF (p = 0.04), and was 78% concordant with simultaneous TWA (p = 0.003). Conclusions Patients with systolic dysfunction show ventricular AP amplitude alternans that prospectively predicted VT/VF. Alternans in AP amplitude, but not variations in AP duration or conduction, explained TWA at ≤109 beats/min. In computer models, these findings were best explained by reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake. Thus, in heart failure patients, in vivo AP alternans may reflect cellular calcium abnormalities and provide a mechanistic link with VT/VF.
Ecological response to global climatic change

Climate change and ecological change go hand in hand. Because we value our ecological environment, any change has the potential to be a problem. Geographers have been drawn to this challenge, and have been successful in addressing it, because the primary ecological response to climate changes in the past — the waxing and waning of the great ice sheets over the past 2 million years — was the changing geographic range of the biota. Plants and animals changed their location. Geographers have been deeply involved in documenting the changing biota of the past, and today we are called upon to help assess the possible responses to ongoing and future climatic change and, thus, their impacts. Assessing the potential responses is important for policy makers to judge the outcomes of action or inaction and also sets the stage for preparation for and mitigation of change.
Hybrid computational and experimental approach for the study and optimization of mechanical components

Increased demands on the performance and efficiency of me- chanical components impose challenges on their engineering design and optimization, especially when new and more demanding applica- tions must be developed in relatively short periods of time while satisfy- ing design objectives, as well as cost and manufacturability. In addition, reliability and durability must be taken into consideration. As a conse- quence, effective quantitative methodologies, computational and experi- mental, should be applied in the study and optimization of mechanical components. Computational investigations enable parametric studies and the determination of critical engineering design conditions, while ex- perimental investigations, especially those using optical techniques, pro- vide qualitative and quantitative information on the actual response of the structure of interest to the applied load and boundary conditions. We discuss a hybrid experimental and computational approach for investiga- tion and optimization of mechanical components. The approach is based on analytical, computational, and experimental solutions (ACES) meth- odologies in the form of computational, noninvasive optical techniques, and fringe prediction (FP) analysis tools. Practical application of the hy- brid approach is illustrated with representative examples that demon- strate the viability of the approach as an effective engineering tool for analysis and optimization. © 1998 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engi- neers. (S0091-3286(98)00405-X)
Special Section: Training Practicing Anthropologists

No more than 60 American Indians and Alaska Natives currently hold doctoral degrees in the fields of anthropology, psychiatry, psychology, social work, and sociology. Only a few of these persons actually work in positions where they can directly impact American Indian and Alaska Native mental health programs. Moreover, lacking graduate level trained Indian professionals, many of these programs—as within the Indian Health Service, for example—have become almost solely dependent upon an Indian paraprofessional workforce. Communities and service agencies alike, however, prefer more trained Indian and Native psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, medical sociologists, and medical anthropologists.
Beryllium-10 contents of shergottites, nakhlites, and Chassigny

Accelerator mass spectrometry gives the following Be-10 contents (dpm/kg) for the SNC meteorites: Shergotty, 13.0 + or - 1.5 and 17.3 + or - 2.7; Zagami, 18.6 + or - 2.5 and 20.0 + or - 3.2; ALHA 77005, 15 + or - 3; EETA 79001A, 7.8 + or - 1.1 and 6.3 + or - 0.5; EETA 79001B, 8.5 + or - 1.1; Nakhla, 19.7 + or - 3.3; Lafayette, 18.1 + or - 2.5; Governador Valadares, 25.6 + or - 3.6; Chassigny, 20.5 + or - 3.1. The Be-10 contents of the NC meteorites indicate that significant accumulation of cosmogenic nuclides occurred in decimeter rather than planetary-size bodies. The agreement of the He-3, Ne-21, and Be-10 exposure ages of the shergottites also supports small-body irradiation. A long terrestrial age for EETA 79001 appears unlikely.
Critical Parameters and Vapor Pressure Measurements for 1,1,1-Trifluoroethane (R-143a)

An apparatus to measure the critical pressure, density, and temperature by visual observation of the meniscus in an optical cell is presented. The critical parameters and vapor pressures for 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) were measured to confirm the reliability of the measurements with the present apparatus. The critical pressure, density, and temperature of 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (R-143a) were determined to be 3.7639 MPa, 434 kg·m-3, and 345.861 K, respectively. Thirteen vapor pressures of R-143a were obtained at temperatures from 263 K to the critical temperature. The uncertainties of pressure, density, and temperature measurements are estimated to be within ±2.6 kPa, ±2 kg·m-3, and ±6 mK, respectively.
Selective isobar suppression for accelerator mass spectrometry and radioactive ion-beam science

Several applications of AMS will benefit from pushing further the detection limits of AMS isotopes. A new method of selective isobar suppression by photodetachment in a radio-frequency quadrupole ion cooler is being developed at HRIBF with a two-fold purpose: (1) increasing the AMS sensitivity for certain isotopes of interest and (2) purifying radioactive ion beams for nuclear science. The potential of suppressing the 36S contaminants in a 36Cl beam using this method has been explored with stable S- and Cl- ions and a Nd:YLF laser. In the study, the laser beam was directed along the experiment's beam line and through a RF quadrupole ion cooler. Negative 32S and 35Cl ions produced by a Cs sputter ion source were focused into the ion cooler where they were slowed by collisions with He buffer gas; this increased the interaction time between the negative ion beam and the laser beam. As a result, suppression of S- by a factor of 3000 was obtained with about 2.5 W average laser power in the cooler while no reduction in Cl- current was observed.
Emotional and Outcome Responses to Experiences of Negative Rewards

Self-described experiences by 75 public school teachers indicated a significant emotional aspect to the rewards they perceived as “negative” which in some cases resulted in a decrease in their job satisfaction and commitment toward the job.
Energy Conversion Efficiency of an Exponentially Graded Thermoelectric Material

This work describes an analytical model that predicts the effects of property gradients on the energy conversion efficiency of a functionally graded thermoelectric material (FGTEM) with an exponentially varying Seebeck coefficient S, electrical resistivity ρ, and thermal conductivity k. The figure-of-merit parameter, Z = S2/(ρk), thus also varies exponentially. A closed-form solution for the temperature distribution in the FGTEM and the efficiency as a function of current density are obtained. The peak efficiency and the optimal current density are determined from the efficiency solution. It is found that the efficiency may be increased by about 30% using appropriate property gradients.
From victim to political activist: An empirical examination of a statewide victims' rights movement

Abstract Although the victims' rights movement has had substantial success in altering the justice process in recent years, the movement has not been examined empirically. Some scholars have suggested that the victims' movement has departed from its original efforts, which focused upon reducing the trauma of a “second victimization” at the hands of police, prosecutors, and judges. They suggest that the movement has been transformed into a conservative, crime-control approach coopted by the state. This argument has not, however, been tested empirically. This article presents data collected in a statewide survey on victim issues in one southeastern state. Path analytic procedures were utilized to predict the effects of demographic and attitudinal variables on victim activism. The results suggest that the disproportionately white victims' rights movement in the state examined may have been denying a voice in reforms to those segments of the population at greatest risk of victimization.
Protein-Lipid Interactions in Concentrated Infant Formula

Radiolabeled milk proteins ([carbon-14] beta-lactoglobulin or [carbon-14] kappa-casein) were added to raw skim milk used to prepare concentrated humanized infant formula. Ultracentrifugation of the sterilized product allowed separation of three fractions: lipids and the proteins associated with them; free casein micelles and other dense particles; and the fluid phase. Distribution of radiolabeled tracer proteins or of protein measured by chemical methods among these three phases varied significantly with differences in processing conditions (time and temperature of sterilization) or amount of certain additives (potassium hydroxide or urea). In the range of 0 to 8 meq/L of potassium hydroxide added to the formula after homogenization but before sterilization, the lipid layer content of carbon-14 from [carbon-14] kappa-casein in the sterilized product decreased by 4.7% for each 1 meq/L of added potassium hydroxide. Lipid layer content of protein decreased by 2 g/L (of a total of 32 g/L) for each 1 meq/L potassium hydroxide. Such differences in the structure of the product, related to interactions of protein with lipid, protein, or calcium phosphate, may correlate with physical properties and stability of milk-based lipid-rich products.
Clinical diagnosis of the pain-dysfunction syndrome

Chronic malocclusion as an etiologic factor in TMJ disorders must be differentiated from acute malocclusion which is a symptom rather than a cause. The TMJ pain-dysfunction syndrome must also be differentiated from other diseases for proper diagnosis and successful therapy.
Benefits of customer and competitive orientations in industrial markets

Abstract In recent years, considerable research attention has focused on what constitutes a customer and competitive orientation, and how each may impact business performance. In this study, we empirically investigate the influence of customer and competitive orientations on business performance in the context of the machine tool industry. In our analysis, we discovered that there are four latent dimensions underlying customer and competitive orientations, and we have interpreted these dimensions as basic market orientation, competitive benchmarking, customization, and international orientation. We then evaluated the influence of these dimensions on four perceptual measures of business performance. Our results indicate that basic market orientation has a stronger impact on performance than the other dimensions. We also discovered that international orientation has an inverted U-shaped relationship with business performance in the short-term, and a positive linear relationship in the long-term. Managers could use the four-part conceptualization of customer and competitive orientations to assess strengths and weaknesses and in long-term planning. We also discuss some areas for future research.
Marinade pH Affects Textural Properties of Beef

Marinades of different pH were prepared from 0.1M phosphate buffers ranging in pH from 3.25 to 10.15, 0.1M sodium chloride, 0.4M phosphoric acid or 0.7M acetic acid. Beef cores were marinated and composition, texture, and structural properties were evaluated. Low and high muscle pH after marinating had positive effects on texture and resulted in increased water-binding capacity, moisture content and decreased cooking losses. Electron microscopy indicated a loss of the M-line at low pH and a loss of Z-line material at high pH. Overall, both high and low marinade pH altered the textural properties of meat although, more rapid changes occurred at lower pH.
Trypanosoma lewisi: body weight gains and food consumption of riboflavin-deficient rats given living cells, cell homogenates and cell metabolic products.

Abstract 1. 1. Riboflavin deficiency was studied in rats infected with Trypanosoma lewisi . 2. 2. Body weight gains in rats on complete, riboflavin-deficient or pair-fed control diets and given living cells or homogenate of T. lewisi showed significant increases over uninoculated controls. 3. 3. Irrespective of dietary group, animals receiving living cells or homogenate of T. lewisi ate more food than the control animals beginning 12 days after inoculation. 4. 4. Regardless of diet, no differences in weight gain or food consumption were seen in animals inoculated with physiological saline or metabolic products of T. lewisi when compared with uninoculated controls.
Effect of selenium compounds and thiols on human mammary tumor cells

The effect on cell viability and growth rate of sodium selenite, selenocystine, sodium selenate, and selenomethionine at selenium concentrations of 6.25 and 12.5 uM was studied in vitro on cells of the human mammary tumor cell line HTB123/DU4475. Selenite and selenocystine affected both cell viability and growth rate of the tumor cells at these selenium concentrations. Selenite and selenocystine decreased intracellular glutathione concentrations, but did not affect tumor cell glutathione peroxidase activity. After six days of exposure to either selenate or selenomethionine, the viability of tumor cells remained stable, but cell growth, as measured by numbers of cells, was retarded. Neither selenate nor selenomethionine produced changes in concentrations of intracellular glutathione. The toxic effect of selenite on tumor cells was enhanced by addition of 0.25 mM glutathione to the growth medium. Preincubation of the tumor cells with 62.5 uM buthionine sulfoximine decreased cellular glutathione to 15% of controls at 24 h and enhanced the toxicity of selenite toward the tumor cells. Glutathione, 2-mercaptoethanol, andl-cysteine were all toxic to the tumor cells in a dose-dependent manner.
Documenting motion sequences with a personalized annotation system

We present a novel technique for motion annotation that adapts to a person's style and vocabulary of basic movements (gestures). The system segments continuous motion sequences into gestures, which it then documents in a personalized annotation with an intuitive hierarchical representation. Initial testing suggests that software based on this technique could be an effective teaching aid for dance and sports.
Agrobacterium -mediated transformation of Citrus stem segments and regeneration of transgenic plants

A method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Citrus and organogenic regeneration of transgenic plants is reported. Internodal stem segments were co-cultured with Agrobacterium harboring binary vectors that contained the genes for the scorable marker s-glucuronidase (GUS) and the selectable marker NPT-II. A low but significant percentage (≤ 5%) of the shoots regenerated in the presence of 100 μg/ml kanamycin were GUS+. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis confirmed that GUS+ shoots contained T-DNA. Two plants established in soil were shown to be transgenic by Southern analysis.
Line-level incremental resynthesis techniques for FPGAs

FPGA logic density is roughly doubling at every process generation. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly challenging for FPGA CAD tools to keep up with the growing complexities of high-speed designs while keeping CAD run-times reasonable. In this paper, we present a novel incremental resynthesis tool called Line-Level Incremental reSynthesis (LLIS), integrated within an industrial tool suite, that addresses the problems of timing closure as well as CAD runtime (patent pending). We describe a general framework that can incrementally reuse results from a previous compile based on automatic differencing of HDL changes. We show that it is possible to reduce synthesis runtime by 6.5x for common HDL changes. As compared with complete resynthesis, we preserve known good timing solutions more than 82% of the time. This represents a 3X improvement vs. non-incremental techniques.
The Analysis of Mammalian Tissue into Lipid and Lipid-Free Fractions Using X and Gamma Radiation

The fat and fat-free (muscle) constituents of soft tissue have mass absorption coefficients which are sufficiently separated in the 10-100 keV range as to allow the relative proportions of each of these components to be non-destructively determined by photon absorptiometry. The use of a dual photon beam eliminates variations due to sample density and thickness, thus making the method suitable for in vivo as well as in vitro work.
Giant Nonlinear Gain Coefficient of an InAs/AlGaInAs Quantum Dot Laser

The linewidth enhancement factor (LEF) and nonlinear gain coefficient of an InAs/AlGaInAs quantum dot (QD) laser are measured using an injection locking technique. The nonlinear gain coefficient was found by curve-fitting the measured LEF as a linear function of the output power. The LEF of the InAs/AlGaInAs quantum dot laser was measured to be 1.2 to 8.6 at output powers from 2 to 10.2 mW, leading to a corresponding nonlinear gain coefficient of 1.4 x 10 -14 cm 3 . This value for the nonlinear gain coefficient is three orders of magnitude higher than the typical quantum well nonlinear gain coefficient of 10 -17 cm 3 . Consequently we expect that the dynamics under optical injection and external feedback of this type of quantum dot laser will be dramatically different than in quantum well lasers, suggesting that a careful re-examination of the dynamics of this type of laser is needed.
Stuck in the middle: longitudinal HIV-related health disparities among men who have sex with men and women.

INTRODUCTION Men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) have been shown in cross-sectional studies to suffer HIV-related health disparities above and beyond those found among men who have sex with men only (MSMO). We conducted a secondary data analysis over a 7-year time frame of participants in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, a long-standing prospective cohort study, to examine whether MSMW had persistently higher rates of depression symptoms, polydrug use, and (among HIV-positive men who have sex with men) HIV viral load levels compared with MSMO. METHODS Men were behaviorally defined as bisexual if they reported sexual activity with at least 1 male and 1 female partner between study waves 38 and 50. We used generalized mixed modeling with repeated measures to test differences in CES-D score, polydrug use, and viral load between sexually active MSMO (n = 1514) and MSMW (n = 111), adjusting for age, income, race/ethnicity, and recent seroconversion. RESULTS MSMW were significantly more likely than MSMO to have higher CES-D scores, polydrug use, and viral load levels (all P < 0.01). Outcome trajectories did not differ significantly over time between these groups. Black and Hispanic HIV-positive MSMW had higher viral load levels relative to white HIV-positive MSMW (P < 0.01). DISCUSSION Compared with MSMO, MSMW in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study suffer from profound and persistent HIV-related health disparities across biological, behavioral, and psychosocial domains. Further qualitative and quantitative research contextualizing the pathways underlying these disparities is recommended for intervention development targeting MSMW at risk for HIV acquisition and transmission.
Magnetic properties of potassium dithioferrate: A linear chain antiferromagnet and model compound for the exchange interactions in two-iron ferredoxins

Interpretation of new and already published magnetic susceptibility data indicates that potassium dithioferrate (KFeS2) is a linear antiferromagnet with the value of the exchange coupling constant, J, being approximately —200 cm−1. Evidence is found of anisotropy in the exchange interaction. An analysis of electron spin resonance spectra of a single crystal of KFeS2, in conjunction with previous magnetic data, shows the presence of similarities between KFeS2 and the active site in two-iron ferredoxins. These similarities indicate that the model for the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling in the active site of the two-iron ferredoxins, recently proposed by W. R. Dunham, G. Palmer, R. H. Sands and Alan J. Bearden (Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 253 (1971) 373), is correct.
Mapping quantitative trait loci controlling seed dormancy and heading date in rice, Oryza sativa L., using backcross inbred lines

To detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling seed dormancy, 98 BC1F5 lines (backcross inbred lines) derived from a backcross of Nipponbare (japonica)/Kasalath (indica)//Nipponbare were analyzed genetically. We used 245 RFLP markers to construct a framework linkage map. Five putative QTLs affecting seed dormancy were detected on chromosomes 3, 5, 7 (two regions) and 8, respectively. Phenotypic variations explained by each QTL ranged from 6.7% to 22.5% and the five putative QTLs explained about 48% of the total phenotypic variation in the BC1F5 lines. Except for those of the QTLs on chromosome 8, the Nipponbare alleles increased the germination rate. Five putative QTLs controlling heading date were detected on chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, respectively. The phenotypic variation explained by each QTL for heading date ranged from 5.7% to 23.4% and the five putative QTLs explained about 52% of the total phenotypic variation. The Nipponbare alleles increased the number of days to heading, except for those of two QTLs on chromosomes 2 and 3. The map location of a putative QTL for heading date coincided with that of a major QTL for seed dormancy on chromosome 3, although two major heading-date QTLs did not coincide with any seed dormancy QTLs detected in this study.
Anharmonic splittings and vibrational energy levels of octahedral molecules: Application to the nv3 manifolds of 32SF6☆

Abstract The expression relating the Hecht vibrational splitting parameters G33 and T33 to the normal coordinate force constants has been derived for molecules of octahedral symmetry. Using a model calculation for the anharmonic energy levels that is believed to be reasonably correct, it has been possible to derive values in the anharmonic energy levels of v3 of 32SF6 up to v3 = 4. It is possible to find allowed transitions forming a multiple-photon pathway resonant with the CO2 P(20) laser line (with perhaps 50 kW power broadening) for these levels, thus reinforcing the Cantrell and Galbraith explanations for the resonant absorption processes in terms of anharmonic splittings, together with rotational splittings.
A test of axioms of all-or-none concept identification models

Three groups of 24 S s each were presented respectively three concept identification tasks varied with respect to degree of overlap between instances and non-instances of the concept. Specific concepts and presentation orders were balanced with tasks in a 3 × 3 Greco-Latin square design. Examination of error and hypothesis-guessing data indicated that S s permanently eliminated many hypotheses early and did not sample them subsequently. Data also indicated that S s processed information on correct R trials.
What happens when the patent ductus arteriosus is treated less aggressively in very low birth weight infants

What happens when the patent ductus arteriosus is treated less aggressively in very low birth weight infants?
Structural Interpretation of Immiscibility in Oxide Systems: III, Effect of Alkalis and Alumina in Ternary Systems

The structural interpretation of immiscibility expounded in Parts I and II is extended to include the effect of homogenizers, i.e., alkalis and alumina. Consistent with previous deductions, coordination configurations are postulated to illustrate the dominant role of the homogenizer cation in coordinating incompatible structural units of the melt. Two semi-independent methods are used to arrive at a quantitative estimation of the amount of homogenizer required for complete miscibility in ternary silicate and borate systems. Both methods yield values of the proper order of magnitude when compared with the limited amount (both in extent and accuracy) of available observed data.
Two point mutations increase targeted transduction and stabilize vector association of a modified retroviral envelope protein

The current strategy of targeting retroviral vector transduction by inserting a peptide ligand into the envelope protein has met with several obstacles. These modified proteins redirected vector binding to a new cognate receptor on a specific cell type but gave little or no gene transfer because they did not fuse the vector and target cell membranes. They dissociated readily from vectors and often required coassembly of wild-type envelope protein. Here we report a novel strategy to overcome the fusion and stability defects of modified retroviral envelope proteins. We inserted a prototypic ligand, the receptor binding domain of amphotropic murine leukemia virus, into an ecotropic murine leukemia virus envelope protein mutant containing glutamine 227-to-arginine plus aspartate 243-to-tyrosine substitutions. This modified protein increased transduction redirected to human cells expressing the amphotropic receptor to a level within 10-fold that of wild-type amphotropic virus, an increase of as great as 2000-fold over transduction by modified protein lacking the mutations. In addition to suppressing the fusion defect, these mutations unexpectedly stabilized the association of the modified protein with vector particles. Insertion of clinically relevant ligands into this envelope mutant should improve the efficiency and reliability of retroviral transduction of specific cell types for gene therapy applications.
Polynomial–Exponential Equations in Two Variables

Abstract We consider equations of the formF(x, y, αx, βy)=0 in integer unknownsxandy, whereFis a polynomial with complex coefficients, andαandβare non-zero complex numbers. We prove, outside of some exceptional cases, that if such an equation has infinitely many solutions, thenαandβare algebraic.
Tuning Antigen Receptor Signaling by CD22: Integrating Cues from Antigens and the Microenvironment

J. G. C. is a Pew scholar and C. C. G. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Antigens and Antigenic Variability of the African Trypanosomes

SYNOPSIS. The recent literature on the physical, chemical and biological characterization of antigens from the African trypanosomes is reviewed. The antigens are divided into three major groups: a) variant-specific antigens, b) common antigens, and c) host-like antigens. The variant-specific antigen(s) are relatively small molecular weight proteins located on the surface of the trypanosome, and are involved in protection and agglutination. It is suggested that there is more than a single variant-specific antigen on the cell surface. In contrast, the common antigens are internal or somatic antigens which are believed to have structural or enzymatic functions but are not involved in either protection or agglutination. In addition, evidence is also presented which suggests that there are host-like antigens within the surface coat and/or membranes of the trypanosomes. The importance of these three groups of antigens, and the mechanis(s) of antigenic variation are discussed in relationship to the immune response of the host to the African trypanosomes. Several possible approaches for future investigations are described.
Cooperative crug isolation

With the widespread deployment of multi-core hardware, writing concurrent programs has become inescapable. This has made fixing concurrency bugs (or crugs) critical in modern software systems. Static analysis techniques to find crugs such as data races and atomicity violations are not scalable, while dynamic approaches incur high run-time overheads. Crugs pose a greater challenge since they manifest only under specific execution interleavings that may not arise during in-house testing. Thus there is a pressing need for a low-overhead program monitoring technique that can be used post-deployment.We present Cooperative Crug Isolation (CCI), a low-overhead instrumentation technique to isolate the root causes of crugs. CCI inserts instrumentation that records occurrences of specific thread interleavings at run-time by tracking whether successive accesses to a memory location were by the same thread or by distinct threads. The overhead of this instrumentation is kept low by using a novel cross-thread random sampling strategy. We have implemented CCI on top of the Cooperative Bug Isolation framework. CCI correctly diagnoses bugs in several nontrivial concurrent applications while incurring only 2--7% run-time overhead.
Treatment outcomes for specific subtypes of dental fear: Preliminary clinical findings

In order to examine the clinical treatment outcome for dental fears, we examined 111 active patient records retrospectively using an 80-item structured format. Subjects were from three fear subtypes: needle phobic (N = 15), gagger (N = 11), and non-specific dental fear (N = 85). Mean subtype Dental Fear Survey scores ranged from 72.3 to 81.0. Patients received either behavioral therapy alone (N = 85) or behavioral therapy with a nitrous oxide or IV sedation adjunct (N = 26). Mean psychological treatment time was 3.9 hours (SD = 2.8 h) and did not differ by fear subtype (p > 0.05). All patients successfully completed initial dental treatment. Relapse of fear requiring additional psychological treatment occurred only in the nonspecific fear subtype (rate = 11.2%). Patients receiving pharmacological adjuncts to behavior therapy (nitrous oxide) experienced less relapse.
Obesity treatment: The role of surgery

Abstract Obesity, defined as an excess in body fat, constitutes one of the most common and significant health problems in the United States today. The current prevalence of overweight is 33.4% of US adults. Obesity has been shown to be an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, myocardial infarction and stroke. Death from cardiovascular causes increases significantly with body weight. This article will review the modalities of treatment available with particular attention to surgical treatment of obesity. The indications, associated risks, current procedures, and expected results of surgical treatment of obesity will be discussed.