cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the impact and sustainability of health information exchanges in the hospital supply chain

Healthcare costs continue to rise in the US and some other countries. There have been calls to stem these increases while providing valuable healthcare services. Health information exchanges (HIEs) play a vital role in healthcare systems by enabling healthcare professionals to securely access and transmit patient information electronically. HIEs aim to reduce costs while improving speed and quality of patients care. HIE activities in the US have been largely government supported, but such support has continued to decline - threatening HIEs continued existence. Therefore, frameworks and business models that foster HIEs sustainability are needed. We use a conceptual methodological framework to discuss and propose ways that HIEs can generate revenue and hence continue to be sustainable. Among other things, we also provide propositions which can be tested to extend research in this crucial area in the operation of hospital supply chains, in particular, and healthcare systems, in general.
Tobacco use and the interplay of internalizing, externalizing and substance use problems: A latent class analysis of data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study

Abstract Background Cigarette smoking is disproportionately high among adults with two or more psychiatric disorders (psychiatric comorbidities), yet research on non-cigarette tobacco use among this population is scant. Additionally, most studies on tobacco use this among this population rely on psychiatric diagnoses rather than individual symptoms, potentially excluding individuals with symptom-specific issues that increase their risk for tobacco use but do not meet the criteria for diagnosis. The objectives of this study were to identify unique classes of individuals based on symptoms of psychiatric disorders and to assess differences in demographic characteristics and tobacco use behaviors between classes. Methods This study used data from Wave 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study adult dataset. Latent class analysis was used to classify individuals based on internalizing, externalizing and substance use problems. Bivariate and multivariable models examined the association between latent class membership and current use of cigarettes, cigar products, electronic nicotine delivery systems, pipe, hookah and smokeless tobacco products. Poly tobacco use was also examined. Results Three latent classes were identified. The “normative” class reported low prevalence of all symptoms, the “severe internalizing and non-violent externalizing” class reported severe internalizing problems and non-violent externalizing problems and the “severe” class reported high prevalence of all symptoms. Tobacco use was highest for the “severe” class and lowest for the “normative” class across products. Conclusions Individuals in the “severe” class may be at elevated risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality and would likely benefit from targeted tobacco control interventions.
Ion Channel Functions in Early Brain Development.

During prenatal brain development, ion channels are ubiquitous across several cell types, including progenitor cells and migrating neurons but their function has not been clear. In the past, ion channel dysfunction has been primarily studied in the context of postnatal, differentiated neurons that fire action potentials – notably ion channels mutated in the epilepsies – yet data now support a surprising role in prenatal human brain disorders as well. Modern gene discovery approaches have identified defective ion channels in individuals with cerebral cortex malformations, which reflect abnormalities in early-to-middle stages of embryonic development (prior to ubiquitous action potentials). These human genetics studies and recent in utero animal modeling work suggest that precise control of ionic flux (calcium, sodium, and potassium) contributes to in utero developmental processes such as neural proliferation, migration, and differentiation.
Linking family and intimate partner relationships to chronic pain: An application of the biobehavioral family model.

INTRODUCTION Research is needed to determine mechanisms of effect linking family relationships and chronic pain for adults. Guided by the Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM), the present study examined indirect effects between a negative family emotional climate and chronic pain disease activity, as mediated by biobehavioral reactivity. METHOD Data for this study are from the Midlife Development in the United States; specifically, a subsample of participants who reported experiencing chronic pain (n = 1,461, ages 32-84). Participants self-reported family strain, biobehavioral reactivity (i.e., anxiety, depression), and chronic pain disease activity (i.e., pain interference, global health). A subsample of participants (n = 1,070) completed an intimate partner strain measure, indicating they were married/in a committed relationship. Structural equation models were tested with maximum likelihood estimation and bootstrapping. RESULTS Family strain was indirectly associated with chronic pain disease activity via biobehavioral reactivity-Model 1; χ²(10) = 40.75, p < .000, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .07, comparative fit index [CFI] = .96, standardized root-mean-square residual [SRMR] = .04; partial mediation occurred for partnered participants. This finding was replicated when modeling family strain simultaneously with intimate partner strain, though intimate partner strain was not associated with chronic pain disease activity-Model 2; χ²(5) = 8.29, p = .14, RMSEA = .03, CFI = .99, SRMR = .01. DISCUSSION These findings add to the growing literature that emphasizes the role of family relationships in chronic pain. Future research is needed to replicate our use of the BBFM to specify pathways of effect, incorporating relational and observational data, with diverse samples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Participation at What Cost? Teaching Accessibility Using Participatory Design: An Experience Report

As institutions respond to market demand in their training of the next generation of technology designers, there is an increasing awareness of the need to add accessibility to computer science and informatics curricula. Advocates have suggested three strategies for including accessibility and discussions of disability in courses: changing a lecture, adding a lecture or adding a new course. In this paper we report on our experiences with the latter; incorporating accessibility within two new graduate and undergraduate inclusive design courses taught concurrently. We found that while the use of participatory design was decidedly effective in supporting student learning and ameliorating ableist attitudes, creating and managing teams comprised of students and visually impaired co-designers proved challenging. Despite these challenges, overall, students demonstrated steady growth in their grasp of inclusive design concepts as they tackled accessibility challenges through a series of mobility-related group projects. Efficiencies were also realized through the concurrent teaching of both courses though the pace of course deliverables proved challenging at times for undergraduates. We argue that a review of our experience may help others interested in teaching accessibility related courses, specifically in course design and execution.
ADAM10 and ADAM17 cleave PD-L1 to mediate PD-(L)1 inhibitor resistance.

ADAM10 and ADAM17 expression and soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) predict poor prognosis in many malignancies, including in patients treated with PD-(L)1 inhibitors. The mechanism of soluble PD-L1 production...
The Fastest Way to Stop: Inhibitory Control and IFG-STN Hyperdirect Connectivity

Chen et al present data describing millisecond interactions in a human hyperdirect pathway that connects the inferior frontal gyrus and the subthalamic nucleus. They study this circuit during a stop-signal task in the context of inhibitory control.
Analysis of diagonal G and subspace W approximations within fully self-consistent GW calculations for bulk semiconducting systems

Author(s): Singh, Y; Wang, LW | Abstract: Fully self-consistent GW (sc-GW) methods are now available to evaluate quasiparticle and spectral properties of various molecular and bulk systems. However, such techniques based on the full matrix of G and W are computationally demanding. The routinely used single-shot GW approximation (G0W0) has an undesirable dependency on the choice of initial exchange-correlation functional. In the literature, many so-called self-consistent GW methods are based on diagonal approximation of G and low-ranking approximation of W. It is thus worth checking how good such approximations are in comparison with the full matrix method. In this work, we consider AlAs, AlP, GaP, and ZnS as the prototype systems to perform sc-GW calculations by expressing the full G matrix using a plane-wave basis set. We compared our sc-GW results with the diagonal G and subspace W approximated sc-GW results (sc-GW-diagG and sc-GW-subW methods). In the sc-GW-diagG method, interacting G is expanded in the eigenvectors of noninteracting G such that only diagonal elements are retained, whereas the number of eigenmodes is truncated in sc-GW-subW calculations. A systematic analysis of the results obtained from the above techniques is presented. The differences in the quasiparticle band gap between the approximated and the full matrix sc-GW approaches are mostly less than 1.7%, which validates such widely adopted approximations, and also shows how such low-ranking approximation can be used to include higher-order terms such as the vertex correction.
Magnetic and vibronic terahertz excitations in Zn-doped Fe 2 Mo 3 O 8

Doping with Zn makes the rich spectrum of low-energy excitations in the polar antiferromagnet Fe${}_{2}$Mo${}_{3}$O${}_{8}$ even richer and leads to a beautiful example of a broad electric-dipole active vibronic excitation band. In an applied magnetic field, the evolution of the spectra clearly reflects the emergence of a metastable ferrimagnetic polar state that could host interesting dynamic magnetoelectric phenomena.
Artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening: primary care provider preferences.

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being proposed for use in medicine, including breast cancer screening (BCS). Little is known, however, about referring primary care providers' (PCPs') preferences for this technology. Methods We identified the most important attributes of AI BCS for ordering PCPs using qualitative interviews: sensitivity, specificity, radiologist involvement, understandability of AI decision-making, supporting evidence, and diversity of training data. We invited US-based PCPs to participate in an internet-based experiment designed to force participants to trade off among the attributes of hypothetical AI BCS products. Responses were analyzed with random parameters logit and latent class models to assess how different attributes affect the choice to recommend AI-enhanced screening. Results Ninety-one PCPs participated. Sensitivity was most important, and most PCPs viewed radiologist participation in mammography interpretation as important. Other important attributes were specificity, understandability of AI decision-making, and diversity of data. We identified 3 classes of respondents: "Sensitivity First" (41%) found sensitivity to be more than twice as important as other attributes; "Against AI Autonomy" (24%) wanted radiologists to confirm every image; "Uncertain Trade-Offs" (35%) viewed most attributes as having similar importance. A majority (76%) accepted the use of AI in a "triage" role that would allow it to filter out likely negatives without radiologist confirmation. Conclusions and relevance Sensitivity was the most important attribute overall, but other key attributes should be addressed to produce clinically acceptable products. We also found that most PCPs accept the use of AI to make determinations about likely negative mammograms without radiologist confirmation.
Temporally averaged speckle noise in wavefront sensors for beam projection in weak turbulence.

Adaptive optics (AO) compensation for imaging or coherent illumination of a remote object relies on accurate sensing of atmospheric aberrations. When a coherent beacon is projected onto the object to enable wavefront sensing, the reflected reference wave will exhibit random variation in phase and amplitude characteristics of laser speckle. In a Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS) measurement, speckle effects cause fluctuations in the intensity of focal spots and errors in the position of their centroids relative to those expected from purely atmospheric phase aberrations. The resulting error in wavefront measurements negatively impacts the quality of atmospheric phase conjugation. This paper characterizes the effect of reflected laser speckle on the accuracy of SHWFS measurements for ground-to-space beam projection systems in weak turbulence conditions. We show via simulation that the speckle-induced error in centroiding depends on the ratio between beacon diameter and the diffraction-limited resolution of the lenslet and confirm these results with experimental data. We provide experimental validation that averaging of SHWFS lenslet spot intensities over speckle realizations converges to the incoherent intensity as expected. We further show that the effects of shot noise and speckle noise add in quadrature, simplifying noise analysis. Finally, we characterize the effect of temporal averaging under typical conditions of target motion and integration time. This work provides a straightforward set of relations that can help investigators more accurately estimate the required integration time for wavefront sensing in the presence of laser speckle.
A Pilot Study to Estimate the Impact of High Matrix Image Reconstruction on Chest Computed Tomography.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to estimate the impact of high matrix image reconstruction on chest computed tomography (CT) compared to standard image reconstruction. Material and Methods: This retrospective study included patients with interstitial or parenchymal lung disease, airway disease, and pulmonary nodules who underwent chest CT. Chest CT images were reconstructed using high matrix (1024 × 1024) or standard matrix (512 × 512), with all other parameters matched. Two radiologists, blinded to reconstruction technique, independently examined each lung, viewing image sets side by side and rating the conspicuity of imaging findings using a 5-point relative conspicuity scale. The presence of pulmonary nodules and confidence in classification of internal attenuation was also graded. Overall image quality and subjective noise/artifacts were assessed. Results: Thirty-four patients with 68 lungs were evaluated. Relative conspicuity scores were significantly higher using high matrix image reconstruction for all imaging findings indicative of idiopathic lung fibrosis (peripheral airway visualization, interlobular septal thickening, intralobular reticular opacity, and end-stage fibrotic change; P ≤ 0.001) along with emphysema, mosaic attenuation, and fourth order bronchi for both readers (P ≤ 0.001). High matrix reconstruction did not improve confidence in the presence or classification of internal nodule attenuation for either reader. Overall image quality was increased but not subjective noise/artifacts with high matrix image reconstruction for both readers (P < 0.001). Conclusion: High matrix image reconstruction significantly improves the conspicuity of imaging findings reflecting interstitial lung disease and may be useful for diagnosis or treatment response assessment.
Beyond the limits of circadian entrainment: Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, shift work, and social jet lag

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWWhile the vast majority of humans are able to entrain their circadian rhythm to the 24-hour light-dark cycle, there are numerous individuals who are not able to do so due to disease or societal reasons. We use computational and mathematical methods to analyze a well-established model of human circadian rhythms to address cases where individuals do not entrain to the 24-hour light-dark cycle, leading to misalignment of their circadian phase. For each case, we provide a mathematically justified strategy for how to minimize circadian misalignment. In the case of non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, we show why appropriately timed bright light therapy induces entrainment. With regard to shift work, we explain why reentrainment times following transitions between day and night shifts are asymmetric, and how higher light intensity enables unusually rapid reentrainment after certain transitions. Finally, with regard to teenagers who engage in compensatory catch-up sleep on weekends, we propose a rule of thumb for sleep and wake onset times that minimizes circadian misalignment due to this type of social jet lag. In all cases, the primary mathematical approach involves understanding the dynamics of entrainment maps that measure the phase of the entrained rhythm with respect to the daily onset of lights.
The Family Check Up and Adolescent Depression: An Examination of Treatment Responders and Non-Responders

The Family Check Up (FCU) is a family-centered intervention for reducing children’s problem behavior through improving parenting skills and family interactions. Although the FCU was designed to prevent conduct problems, we have also found the program to be effective in preventing escalating symptoms of depression in early adolescence. The current analyses examine heterogeneous patterns of response to treatment in an effort to identify factors associated with differential response to family intervention. We examined heterogeneity in trajectories of youth-reported depressive symptoms from grades 6 to 9, using a Latent Growth Mixture Modeling framework to identify patterns of treatment response and non-response. Three symptom trajectories were identified, including the following: (1) a large class exhibiting stable, low symptom levels, (2) a class exhibiting high and stable depressive symptoms, and (3) a class exhibiting low initial symptoms that increased over time. Significant intervention effects were identified only among the third class, as a preventive effect on depression from 7th to 9th grade for youth with low initial symptoms. No effect of intervention was observed in the other two classes. Comparisons of classes 2 and 3 suggested that class 3 members were more likely to be females with high baseline antisocial behavior, but lower initial levels of depression. The findings suggest the importance of exploring heterogeneity within a prevention design, as well as the importance of tailored approaches to the prevention of adolescent depression.
Direction finding by complex L 1 -principal-component analysis

In the light of recent developments in optimal real L 1 -norm principal-component analysis (PCA), we provide the first algorithm in the literature to carry out L 1 -PCA of complex-valued data. Then, we use this algorithm to develop a novel subspace-based direction-of-arrival (DoA) estimation method that is resistant to faulty measurements or jamming. As demonstrated by numerical experiments, the proposed algorithm is as effective as state-of-the-art L 2 -norm methods in clean-data environments and significantly superior when operating on corrupted data.
Dean Pound's Dissatisfaction with the 'Sporting Theory of Justice': Where Are We a Hundred Years Later?

Procedural law in civil courts came in for a good deal of criticism in Dean Roscoe Pound’s 1906 speech on The Causes of Popular Dissatisfaction with the Administration of Justice. The system of courts, he said, “is archaic and our procedure behind the times.” The results are “[u]ncertainty, delay and expense, and above all, the injustice of deciding cases upon points of practice.” His assault on civil procedure was broad-brushed, and he hit the high point with his metaphor of the “sporting theory of justice,” which focused on undue adversariness and a system that rewarded gamesmanship. His critique of trials, juries, lawyers, and judges have been answered by some significant changes in the American legal system and altered social conditions, but they still have relevance and bite today. A hundred years later, Americans still consider litigation as something of a sport to watch, and trials are a major source of entertainment in movies and television. Nevertheless, the opportunities for sensationalism by lawyers have been reduced. His criticisms of the structure of the American legal system as to such matters as mechanical pleading rules, decisions based on points of practice, overuse of errors to deny finality, and jurisdictional divisions no longer carry the same significance but still provide a continuing insight into our legal system.
Fire-Setting Behavior in Individuals With Klinefelter Syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome is a sex chromosome disorder with an incidence of approximately two per 1,000 male newborns.1 Eighty percent of individuals with Klinefelter syndrome are 47,XXY, whereas the other 20% have a variant sex chromosomal constitution with additional supernumerary X or Y chromosomes (ie, 48,XXXY, 48XXYY) or are mosaic.2 Individuals with Klinefelter syndrome have small testes which usually cannot produce sperm or normal amounts of testosterone. The results of this are infertility and undermasculinization. Behavioral and psychiatric problems are also common in individuals with Klinefelter syndrome and include personality disorder, reactive depression, schizophrenia, mental deficiency, sexual deviation, criminal behavior, and alcoholism.3
Abstract 102: Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Clinical Trial Control Groups: Time Capsules for Discovery of Secular Trends---Fraction of Patients with Good Neurological Outcomes, 1985 to Present

Introduction: Over time there have been changes in consensus therapy for out of hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA), including changes in BLS-ACLS, and recently targeted temperature management. There has been only limited success, however, in determining the effect of specific interventions on neurological outcome using randomized clinical trials (RCT’s) and registries. Hypothesis: The control groups in OOHCA RCT’s can be utilized to identify the presence or absence of potential trends in neurological outcome related to secular changes in care. Methods: Comprehensive online search for RCT’s in OOHCA with n > 50 in control group, and reporting neurological outcome, 1960 to present. Extraction of demographic and outcome variables. Analysis, fraction of resuscitated patients with good neurological outcome (GNO), defined as CPC 1 or 2 as a function of year. Results: n=32 usable RCTS were identified, all since 1985. No significant trends in the fraction of patients with GNO were identified (Figure). There was rela...
Weakly interacting stable hidden sector pions

An unbroken discrete symmetry, analogous to $G$ parity in QCD, exists in standard model extensions with vectorlike coupling of electroweak $SU(2)$ to ``hidden sector'' fermions that are confined by a strong gauge force. For an arbitrary irreducible $SU(2)$ representation of the hidden sector fermions, the lightest hidden sector states form an isotriplet of ``pions'' with calculable mass splittings and couplings to standard model fields. The parity can be extended to fermions in real representations of color $SU(3)$, and can provide dark matter candidates with distinct collider signatures.
A Review of “John Paul II on the Vulnerable”

Jeffrey Tranzillo has compiled a thick text here: exhaustive, but not exhausting; multi-faceted, but focused. The book is an impressive analysis of the theological anthropology expressed in John Pa...
Religion and homosexuality

This article provides an overview of attitudes toward same-sex eroticism and homosexuality in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, indigenous traditions, and new religious movements. It also covers LGBTQ organizing, movements, and identities within those religions. The overall theme of the article is one of variation, because each religion interacts with the cultures in which it finds itself, as well as being influenced by its LGBTQ members. The result is that there is no single stance on homosexuality in any religion, but rather a variety of opinions. Keywords: bisexual; gay; homosexuality; lesbian; queer; religion
Efficient identification procedure for inversion processing [magnetospheric imaging]

Model extrapolation and data inversion are two important steps in control. Model extrapolation is a step to find control variables that are viable for the control process. Data inversion is a step to estimate the control variables from the sensor data. The assumptions and goals are different in these two steps. The model extrapolation step searches for the control variable that gives minimum errors between modelled and true measurements; the data inversion step searches for the values of the control variables that give minimum errors between the modelled and observed measurements. This paper discusses the control processing used in the magnetospheric image setting. The magnetosphere exists in the region of space that surrounds the Earth several hundred kilometres above the Earth's surface, extends and is filled with magnetic field lines passing through the Earth's surface. The magnetospheric image process is to estimate the ion-population within the field. The ion-population variables and the magnetospheric images have no easily modelled physical relationship. The gradient formula is hard to define, therefore gradient dependent optimization techniques are not applicable. Chase and Roelof (1995) use the Powell algorithm for magnetospheric model extrapolation. Unfortunately, the Powell method is a trial-and-error type of search algorithm and may break down in data inversion, due to high-noise sensors and multiple root problems. This paper shows that simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation is more efficient than the Powell algorithm and performs well in the data inversion problems.
Transition scheduling in (multiclass real-time database systems

The issue of priority assignment is addressed, in firm multiclass real-time database systems (RTDBSs) where classes are distinguished by their mean sizes. It is shown that the earliest deadline scheduling principle, upon which a number of existing priority assignment policies are based, discriminates significantly against longer transactions. This observation has motivated the development of a novel dynamic priority assignment scheme that improves the chances for long transactions to meet their time constraints, thereby providing a fairer mechanism for use in multiclass RTDBS transaction scheduling. >
Test cost reduction for SOCs using virtual TAMs and lagrange multipliers

Recent advances in tester technology have led to automatic test equipment (ATE) that can operate at up to several hundred MHz. However, system-on-chip (SOC) scan chains typically run at lower frequencies (10-50 MHz). The use of high-speed ATE channels to drive slower scan chains leads to an underutilization of resources, thereby resulting in an increase in testing time. We present a new technique to reduce the testing time and test cost by matching high speed ATE channels to slower scan chains using the concept of virtual test access mechanisms (TAMs). We also present a new TAM optimization framework based on Lagrange multipliers. Experimental results are presented for three industrial circuits from the ITC'02 SOC test benchmarks.
System integration of a coaxial ferrimagnetic nonlinear transmission line array

This paper describes the system integration of a four element, nonlinear transmission (NLTL) array. The HPM system components include a negative polarity 40 kV capacitor charging supply, a trigatron spark gap, a solid-state trigger generator, four delay lines with biasing coils, four coaxial ferrimagnetic NLTLs with biasing coils, eight dc current supplies, and four TEM horn antennas. A National Instruments cRIO FPGA based controller is used to interface the capacitor charging supply, the biasing coil power supplies and the trigger generator to a laptop based GUI. In order to minimize impact from EMI, all lines were properly shielded and the data acquisition equipment was located a sufficient distance away from the NLTL array. The GUI consists of options for controlling the current output on all 8 power supplies for biasing purposes, as well as pulse options that include repetitive pulsing based on the number of pulses or for a specific length of time. Pulse duration for the capacitor charger, the command charge, and the trigger can also be adjusted. An emergency stop button is included for safe shutdown of the trigger generator and all power supplies. A diagnostics setup is outlined describing the placement of inline coaxial D-Dot probes and a high voltage probe for laboratory testing.
Altered Islet Composition and Disproportionate Loss of Large Islets in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Human islets exhibit distinct islet architecture with intermingled alpha- and beta-cells particularly in large islets. In this study, we quantitatively examined pathological changes of the pancreas in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Specifically, we tested a hypothesis that changes in endocrine cell mass and composition are islet-size dependent. A large-scale analysis of cadaveric pancreatic sections from T2D patients (n = 12) and non-diabetic subjects (n = 14) was carried out combined with semi-automated analysis to quantify changes in islet architecture. The method provided the representative islet distribution in the whole pancreas section that allowed us to examine details of endocrine cell composition in individual islets. We observed a preferential loss of large islets (>60 µm in diameter) in T2D patients compared to non-diabetic subjects. Analysis of islet cell composition revealed that the beta-cell fraction in large islets was decreased in T2D patients. This change was accompanied by a reciprocal increase in alpha-cell fraction, however total alpha-cell area was decreased along with beta-cells in T2D. Delta-cell fraction and area remained unchanged. The computer-assisted quantification of morphological changes in islet structure minimizes sampling bias. Significant beta-cell loss was observed in large islets in T2D, in which alpha-cell ratio reciprocally increased. However, there was no alpha-cell expansion and the total alpha-cell area was also decreased. Changes in islet architecture were marked in large islets. Our method is widely applicable to various specimens using standard immunohistochemical analysis that may be particularly useful to study large animals including humans where large organ size precludes manual quantitation of organ morphology.
Hypertrophic subaortic stenosis complicated by aortic insufficiency and subacute bacterial endocarditis.

Abstract An unusual case is described in which the association of functional subvalvular left ventricular outflow obstruction, valvular aortic insufficiency, and subacute bacterial endocarditis was present. It was not possible to decide whether aortic valvular abnormality antedated the clinical episode of SBE, but the probability is that it did not. The importance of high clinical suspicion of IHSS and the usefulness of transseptal left heart catheterization are emphasized.
Distribution of Releasing Factors, Biogenic Amines, and Related Enzymes in the Bovine Median Eminence

The bovine median eminence was dissected into eight different subdivisions: rostral, nterior internal, anterior external, middle externalmedial, middle external lateral, middle internal medial, middle internal lateral, and caudal. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was found in the highest concentrations in the middle external medial and lateral subdivisions; luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) was concentrated in the middle external lateral and anterior internal subdivisions. Among the various neurotransmitters and enzymes assayed, only dopamine and choline acetyltransferase were present in highest concentrations in the same subdivisions of the bovine median eminence found to be rich in TRH and LHRH. The distributions of norepinephrine, dopamine-) β-hydroxylase, serotonin, tryptophan hydroxylase, phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and histamine appeared to correlate poorly with the major distributions of TRH and LHRH. These findings suggest that at the level of...
Protein recognition using synthetic surface-targeted agents

The design of synthetic agents to disrupt protein-protein interactions has received relatively little attention in recent years. In this review we describe strategies for targeting different types of protein surfaces using mimetics of protein secondary or tertiary structure. In this way strong and selective binding to a protein surface has be achieved and disruption of clinically important protein-protein interactions has been demonstrated in models of human disease.
Strategy for process monitoring based on radial basis function network and polygonal line algorithm

In this paper, a strategy for the reduction of dimensionality of nonlinear data based on radial basis function network and polygonal line algorithm is proposed. This strategy utilizes the polygonal line algorithm to define the number of nodes in the hidden layer of the network, which is mostly heuristic in case of other proposed methods. All the parameters related to the hidden layer are calculated using a polygonal line algorithm and hence reduce the training complexity. Kernel density estimation is used for robust estimation of the confidence limits. The proposed methodology is applied for fault detection and identification. A twin reactors virtual plant is selected as the case study to show the efficiency of the proposed strategy. The result shows that the proposed method is a promising direction for the fault detection and identification in real-time, nonlinear systems.
Occurrence and Origin of Mississippian Gas in Four Corners Region

In the Four Corners region (junction of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona), uncommon amounts of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and helium occur in carbonates of Mississippian age. About 80 per cent of the reservoir beds are gray, tan to brown, crystalline and sucrose, microcrystalline to very fine-grained, secondary dolomite. Vuggy, intercrystalline, fracture, earthy, and interoolitic porosity are present in the dolomite intervals. Vuggy and intercrystalline porosity are the most common; fracture porosity is probably more prevalent than has been noted. Tan to brown, partly dolomitic, microcrystalline to very fine-grained limestone beds constitute about 20 per cent of the reservoir intervals. Carbon dioxide ranges from 0.3 per cent to 97.5 per cent; nitrogen from a trace to 89.03 per cent; and helium from a trace to a maximum of 7.5 per cent. The amounts of nitrogen and helium decrease with distance from the Defiance uplift in the southern half of the area. There is a general increase in the percentage of nitrogen and helium with depth in individual boreholes in both Mississippian and Pennsylvanian rocks. A plot of helium and the sediment thickness from the top of the Mississippian to the top of the Precambrian shows high helium in the thinner stratigraphic intervals (450-650 feet). Nitrogen and argon were not separately plotted against the sediment thickness, but a similar relationship is believed to exist. A comparison of carbon dioxide and the same stratigraphic interval shows that seven of eight carbon dioxide occurrences in the 60-100 per cent range are 800-1,600 feet above the top of the Precambrian. In both Mississippian and Pennsylvanian rocks the N2/He ratio is nearly 10 : 1, the N2/A ratio nearly 100 : 1, and the ratio of He to A nearly 10 : 1. The relatively good correlation between the abundance of these gases suggests strongly that they were derived from a common source. It is concluded that this source was Precambrian basement rocks, particularly those of the Defiance uplift. The decay of nitrogenous material has undoubtedly contributed a little nitrogen to the Four Corners gases. The origin of the hydrocarbon gases in the Mississippian reservoirs has not been established with certainty. They are probably indigenous to the Mississippian reservoirs, but may have migrated into the Mississippian sediments from Devonian, or, more likely, from Pennsylvanian beds. Though there are a number of possibilities for the origin of the carbon dioxide, the writer favors: (1) an indirect intrusive source (by metamorphism of Mississippian carbonates during Laramide or younger intrusions); and (2) a contribution of environmental carbon dioxide. Methane, ethane, and carbon dioxide are not in chemical equilibrium. This disequilibrium state is attributed to either kinetic factors in the production of the gases and (or) to a mixing of gases at a temperature sufficiently low so that equilibrium has not been attained since the time of mixing.
Optical properties of block copolymers containing pendant carbazole groups and in situ synthesized CdS nanoclusters

Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra and photoluminescence spectra were used to demonstrate efficient charge-carrier migration in a novel bulk heterogeneous block copolymer system. One moiety of the block copolymer was functionalized with charge-transporting carbazole groups, whereas the other block formed domains suitable for the in situ synthesis of CdS nanoclusters. The excitation of the cluster-free copolymers with 350-nm-wavelength radiation led to a strong emission peak at 450 nm that was associated with the carbazole groups. When CdS clusters were present in nearby but spatially distinct domains, the carbazole emission was completely quenched and replaced by a very broad emission in the visible range (near 560 nm). The implications of these observations are discussed in the context of the energy-transfer mechanism and possible device applications. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 177–182, 2003
Broken bridges: an exchange of slurs between African Americans and second generation Nigerians and the impact on identity formation among the second generation

Abstract This article examines the use of slurs between members of different ethnic groups within the black racial category in the United States—specifically, the second generation of Nigerian ancestry and African Americans, as reported by the second generation of Nigerian ancestry. Studies on inter-group usage of slurs have mostly focused on the use of racial slurs targeting African Americans, the use of racial and ethnic slurs targeting non-black racial/ethnic groups, and the use of sexist slurs targeting people of different gender and sexual orientation. There has been limited analysis of use of slurs between ethnic groups within the black racial category in the United States. My investigation shows that slurs are part of the process of identity formation for the second generation. Also, the use of slurs between these two ethnic groups within the black category provides more evidence for Croom's (2010, 2011, and 2013) point that slurs do not always have to be used in a derogatory manner. It adds to what we know about the nonderogatory use of slurs by showing that a slur can be used as a socialization tool for young in-group members. I show that slurs can be appropriated by the group using the slur to target out-group members and that slurs can also be used within their own group to send a cautionary message to group members based on the derogatory meanings that are infused into the slur.
Modulation of neurogenic inflammation: novel approaches to inflammatory disease

Neurogenic inflammation, which involves the release of neuropeptides from capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves, may contribute to inflammatory diseases of the airways, joints, bladder, skin, eye and gut. Peter Barnes and colleagues review some of the therapeutic strategies that can be used to inhibit this neurogenic inflammation, with particular reference to the respiratory tract.
Anomalies in sedimentation. II. Testing the entanglement hypothesis.

Zones of T2 DNA were sedimented through uniform solutions of T7 DNA to determine if the smaller DNA molecules would become entangled in the larger. No entanglement could be demonstrated even at high DNA concentrations. It is suggested that molecular entanglement is not responsible for the sudden loss of DNA from solution which occurs in high centrifugal fields. This communication also includes observations on the effects of rotor speed on the sedimentation behavior of DNA in high centrifugal fields, distortion of zone shape at high concentrations, and hydrodynamic interactions between DNA and MS2 bacteriophage particles.
Integrated control of silicon-photonic micro-resonator wavelength with balanced homodyne locking

We present a new method for active control of photonic micro-resonator modulator and filter wavelength that is insensitive to environmental and optical perturbations and readily integrated on-chip. Experimental results demonstrating precise filter locking are shown.
Spectrophotometric and stoichiometric titrations of ribonuclease in eight molar urea.

Abstract Stoichiometric and spectrophotometric titration curves of ribonuclease in 8 M urea indicate that the six tyrosyl hydroxyls are equally capable of dissociating hydrogen ions and follow a monotonic titration curve with p K (int) of 10.67 and w = 0.018. That three of these groups in water show much lower potencies as hydrogen-ion donors than the other three is presumed to result from intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The low value of w , the electrostatic interaction factor in urea, suggests “unfolding” of the molecule of ribonuclease, and the rather low p K (int) of the six groups suggests that hydrogen bonding of the hydroxyls to urea occurs in the urea solutions. Since ribonuclease is active in 8 M urea solution, the structure involved in hydrogen bonding of the tyrosyl hydroxyls is not essential to enzyme action.
In conversation: transforming experience into learning

To transform experience into learning, reflection that often occurs through the medium of conversation is necessary. Specifically, we focus on conversation in debriefing and processing sessions fol...
Doing What We Want to Become: Preparing New Urban Teachers.

The shortage of competent, caring professionals who see themselves as urban educators has long been recognized as a problem that teacher preparation programs need to address. The authors argue that situating an entire elementary teacher education program in an urban school setting and engaging candidates in ongoing conversations about difficult social issues can make a difference in how graduates see themselves and how they judge their ability to succeed as the next generation of urban teachers.
Self-powered electric propulsion of satellite power systems

Electric propulsion using argon ion bombardment thrusters is described as a means of transferring solar power satellites from low earth orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO). A portion of the satellite GaAs solar array is constructed in LEO and provides power for ascent propulsion; the remainder of the array is constructed in GEO. The electric propulsion system is returned to LEO by detaching a section of the solar array. Alternatively, an autonomous electric propulsion vehicle is assembled in LEO and transports power satellite materials to a GEO construction site. Maximum thrust per thruster and minimum argon consumption are achieved at specific impulse (Isp) 13,000 s. The thrust/power relationship leads to minimum transportation vehicle mass, including the solar array, at Isp 9,000 s. Thruster screen, accel, and discharge supplies are obtained directly from the solar array.
Genetically engineered synthesis and structural characterization of cobalt-precorrin 5A and -5B, two new intermediates on the anaerobic pathway to vitamin B12: definition of the roles of the CbiF and CbiG enzymes.

Two new cobalt corrinoid intermediates, cobalt−precorrin 5A and cobalt−precorrin 5B, have been synthesized with the aid of overexpressed enzymes of the vitamin B12 pathway of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium. These compounds were made in several regioselectively 13C-labeled forms, and their structures have been established by multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. The addition of CbiF to the enzymes known to synthesize cobalt−precorrin 4 resulted in the formation of cobalt−precorrin 5A, and the inclusion of CbiG with CbiF produced cobalt−precorrin 5B, which has allowed us to define the role of these enzymes in the anaerobic biosynthetic pathway. CbiF is the C-11 methylase, and CbiG, an enzyme which shows homology with CobE of the aerobic pathway, is the gene product responsible for the opening of the ring A δ-lactone and extrusion of the “C2” unit. The discovery of these long-sought intermediates paves the way for defining the final stages of the anaerobic pathway. It is of considerable evolutionary in...
Androgen-insensitive rats are defeminised by their testes.

SOME chromosomal XY male humans1, mice2,3 and rats4 are born with a vagina, labia and clitoris instead of scrotum and penis. The expression of the female phenotype in these individuals is thought to be due to an insensitivity to androgenic hormones which are secreted by the testes. This phenomenon has been termed the androgen-insensitivity syndrone or testicular feminisation. Typically, androgen-insensitive humans are identified and adopt a female gender identity5. Androgen-insensitive rats, on the other hand, seem to be incapable of showing a high degree of feminine behaviour in adulthood even when given oestrogen and progesterone6,7. It is shown here that androgen-insensitive male rats are capable of responding to ovarian hormones with the display of feminine sexual behaviour if they are castrated at birth but not when castrated 10 d after birth. Although these rats are insensitive to their testicular secretions in terms of genital differentiation, the neural substrate of sexual behaviour is differentiated by the presence of testes during the first few days after birth.
Mullerian Inhibiting Substance Recruits ALK3 to Regulate Leydig Cell Differentiation

Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) not only induces Mullerian duct regression during male sexual differentiation but also modulates Leydig cell steroidogenic capacity and differentiation. MIS actions are mediated through a complex of homologous receptors: a type II ligand-binding receptor [MIS type II receptor (MISRII)] and a tissue-specific type I receptor that initiates downstream signaling. The putative MIS type I receptors responsible for Mullerian duct regression are activin A type II receptor, type I [Acvr1/activin receptor-like kinase 2 (ALK2)], ALK3, and ALK6, but the one recruited by MIS in Leydig cells is unknown. To identify whether ALK3 is the specific type I receptor partner for MISRII in Leydig cells, we generated Leydig cell-specific ALK3 conditional knockout mice using a Cre-lox system and compared gene expression and steroidogenic capacity in Leydig cells of ALK3(fx/fx)Cyp17(cre+) and control mice (ALK3(fx/fx)Cyp17(cre-) or ALK3(fx/wt)Cyp17(cre-) littermates). We found reduced mRNA expression of the genes encoding P450c17, StAR, and two enzymes (17βHSD-III and 3βHSD-VI) that are expressed in differentiated adult Leydig cells and increased expression of androgen-metabolizing enzymes (3α-HSD and SRD5A2) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in Leydig cells of ALK3(fx/fx)Cyp17(cre+) mice. Despite down-regulation of steroidogenic capacity in ALK3(fx/fx)Cyp17(cre+) mice, the loss of MIS signaling also stimulates Leydig cell proliferation such that plasma testosterone and androstenedione concentrations are comparable to that of control mice. Collectively, these results indicate that the phenotype in ALK3 conditional knockout mice is similar to that of the MIS-knockout mice, confirming that ALK3 is the primary type I receptor recruited by the MIS-MISRII complex during Leydig cell differentiation.