cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
We don't Need Thousand Proposals: Single Shot Actor-Action Detection in Videos

We propose SSA2D, a simple yet effective end-to-end deep network for actor-action detection in videos. The existing methods take a top-down approach based on region-proposals (RPN), where the action is estimated based on the detected proposals followed by post-processing such as non-maximal suppression. While effective in terms of performance, these methods pose limitations in scalability for dense video scenes with a high memory requirement for thousands of proposals. We propose to solve this problem from a different perspective where we don't need any proposals. SSA2D is a unified network, which performs pixel level joint actor-action detection in a single-shot, where every pixel of the detected actor is assigned an action label. SSA2D has two main advantages: 1) It is a fully convolutional network which does not require any proposals and post-processing making it memory as well as time efficient, 2) It is easily scalable to dense video scenes as its memory requirement is independent of the number of actors present in the scene. We evaluate the proposed method on the Actor-Action dataset (A2D) and Video Object Relation (VidOR) dataset, demonstrating its effectiveness in multiple actors and action detection in a video. SSA2D is 11x faster during inference with comparable (sometimes better) performance and fewer network parameters when compared with the prior works. Code available at https://github.com/aayushjr/ssa2d
An appraisal of published clinical guidelines in anesthesiology practice using the AGREE II instrument

Clinical practice guidelines are developed to provide physicians with appraised scientific evidence and enhance their medical decision-making process. Poorly developed guidelines can have a negative impact on patient care, but the quality of clinical guidelines has not been evaluated in anesthesiology practice. We evaluated the quality of clinical practice guidelines in anesthesiology retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases from August 2013 to August 2018 using a validated appraisal instrument. Exclusion criteria excluded consensus statements, editorials, non-clinical/legal-themed manuscripts, institutional protocols, research methods, and chronic pain and surgical technique guidelines. A total of 96 clinical practice guidelines were included in the analysis. Seventy-one out of 96 (74%; 95% confidence interval, 65 to 83) guidelines had overall quality scores lower or equal to 5 and could not be recommended as published. Higher quality guidelines (overall score greater than 5) were published in journals with higher median [interquartile range] impact factors than lower quality guidelines (4.0 [3.5–6.5] vs 3.8 [2.3–4.7]; P = 0.02). The publication of a higher quality guideline was not associated with the year that the guideline was published or if the guideline was published by a society. The overall quality of most guidelines relevant to the practice of anesthesiology were poor, and the domains applicability and rigor of development rated particularly low. Future groups developing clinical guidelines should consider using methodological support to improve the quality of guidelines relevant to the practice of anesthesiology.
Food Insecurity and Its Association With Alcohol and Other Substance Use Among High School Students in the United States.

BACKGROUND Studies show that food insecurity is associated with adverse health behaviors for children and adults. However, published data among adolescents are limited. The objective of this study was to examine the association between food insecurity and substance use behaviors among US high school students. METHODS Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 10 states were combined to examine the association between household food insecurity and adolescent use of alcohol, marijuana, prescription opioid misuse, and illicit drugs using logistic regression. RESULTS Among surveyed respondents, 12.3% of high school students reported experiencing food insecurity. In unadjusted analyses, the prevalence of substance use was higher among students with food insecurity compared to food secure students: current binge drinking (16.2% vs 11.5%), current marijuana use (24.0% vs 16.2%), lifetime prescription opioid misuse (21.3% vs 12.6%), and lifetime use of illicit drugs (12.3% vs 5.0%) (all p < .05). In adjusted models, food insecurity was associated with lifetime prescription opioid misuse and lifetime use of illicit drugs (aPR 1.38 and 1.70, respectively). CONCLUSION Students with food insecurity are a potential group at a higher rise of substance misuse and may benefit from prevention programs designed to address their needs.
Gender variation in writing: Analyzing online dating ads

In the present study, a corpus of more than 18,000 online dating ads (downloaded from Craigslist.com, ~ 1.4 million words) is used to investigate differences in language use between men and women in the online dating context. Few studies have investigated gender differences in written texts, Newman, Groom et al. (2008), Mulac and Lundell (1994) and Koppel, Argamon et al. (2002) being the notable exceptions. These papers, however, differ remarkably in methodology and results. In the dataset studied here, regression analysis reveals marked differences the use of linguistic features such as emoticons or abbreviations. Writer gender and addressee gender emerge as predictors of variation. Schultz, p.2
Chapter 13 Hormonal Regulation of Renal Na+-H+ Exchange Activity

Publisher Summary The kidney proximal tubule that carries out transepithelial transport of solutes and fluid, is characterized by cells with polarity. The brush border membrane of the mammalian renal proximal tubule contains the Na + –H + exchanger. The carrier couples Na + flux down its concentration gradient (lumen to cell) to the secretion of H + against its concentration gradient (cell to lumen). This chapter describes some properties of the Na + –H + exchanger in brush border membrane vesicles isolated from the rat renal cortex. It presents some initial experiments, describing how two hormones, thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids, regulate Na + –H + exchange and how exchange activity responds in metabolic acidosis. In addition, the chapter discusses a concept of hormonal hierarchy in the control of renal Na + –H + exchange activity. Na + –H + exchange participates in multiple proximal tubular functions. Na + –H + exchange activity was determined by two independent methods: (1) uptake of 22 Na + energized by H + gradient and the flux of H + into the vesicle energized by an imposed Na + gradient. The chapter enlists the extrinsic factors currently reported to regulate renal Na + –H + exchange activity. The hormones of distinct class and presumed action regulate the activity of the renal proximal tubule Na + –H + exchanger. Multiendocrine inputs and the temporal-dependent hierarchy of hormonal control of Na + –H + exchange represents an initial attempt to develop a concept for the mechanism that regulates the Na + –H + exchange activity.
The orientation of a T cell receptor to its MHC class II:peptide ligands.

The TCR found on CD4 T cells recognizes peptides bound to self MHC class II molecules as well as non-self MHC class II molecules. We have used the receptor on a cloned T cell line called D10.G4.1 (D10) to perform a structure-function analysis of this interaction. The D10 T cell clone recognizes not only a peptide from conalbumin (CA-wt) bound to syngeneic I-Ak against which it was raised, but also the allogeneic MHC molecules I-A(b,v,p,q,d). In the present study, we show that residue 30 in complementarity-determining region 1 (CDR1) of the TCR alpha-chain interacts with the I-A alpha-chain at hvr2 (residues 52, 53, and 55). We also show that residue 51 in CDR2 of the TCR alpha-chain interacts with the peptide at peptide residue 2. Finally, we show that residue 29 in CDR1 of the TCR beta-chain affects recognition of the glutamic acid at residue 66 in the I-A beta-chain. These data suggest an orientation of TCR relative to its peptide:MHC class II ligands. We argue that this orientation will be shared by all CD4 TCRs, and that it is only subtly different from the common orientation proposed for receptors binding to MHC class I.
Stochastic Optimization Based Economic Dispatch and Interruptible Load Management

In this chapter, stochastic optimization of economic dispatch (ED) and interruptible load management is investigated using short-term distributional forecast of wind farm generation using the proposed short-term distributional forecast of wind farm generation. Based on the distributional forecast model, the joint optimization of ED and interruptible load management is cast as a stochastic optimization problem. Additionally, a robust ED is formulated using an uncertainty set constructed based on the proposed distributional forecast, aiming to minimize the system cost for worst cases. The proposed stochastic ED is compared with three other ED schemes, namely the robust ED, the deterministic ED using the persistence wind generation forecast model, and the genie-aided ED with perfect wind generation forecasts.
Confrontation of Antimatter Cosmologies with Observational Data

The presence of large amounts of antimatter in the Universe would be detectable directly via the cosmic rays and indirectly via the annihilation γ-rays. The observational data is reviewed. There is no evidence whatever indicating the presence of astrophysically interesting amounts of antimatter in the Universe. From the available data we may conclude that the Galaxy is made entirely of ordinary matter and that if any antimatter at all is present in the Universe, it must be very well separated from ordinary matter. Furthermore, we show that the observational constraints on various symmetrical cosmological models strengthen the case against antimatter in the Universe.
End-of-Life Issues

End-of-life discussions play a central role in the management of critically ill ICU patients. The advanced life support technology that can be provided in the ICU is intended to provide temporary physiologic support for patients with potentially reversible organ failure or dysfunction. However, in many instances, the organ failures prove irreversible, with ICU care serving to merely prolong the dying process. In other instances, patients with clearly irreversible disease are admitted to the ICU, in the hope of a “miracle.” It should be appreciated that death is the only certainty of life, and that the ICU is not a halfway station between life on earth and the hereafter. The function of the ICU is not to prolong death. According to Hippocrates, the purpose of medicine is to “do away with the suffering of the sick, to lessen the violence of their diseases, and to refuse to treat those who are overmastered by their diseases, realizing that in such cases, medicine is powerless.” It is essential that as health care providers in the ICU, we acknowledge the limitations of our trade, acknowledge that death is universal, and allow dying patients a dignified and comfortable death. Advanced life support technology should not be used to prolong death. In terminal or incurable illnesses, our aim should not be to preserve biological life, but to make the life that remains as comfortable and as meaningful as possible. The purpose of life support technology is not to prolong biological life without qualification. In circumstances where there is no realistic possibility of the patient returning to any semblance of cognitive or sapient life, our goal should be to allow the patient a good death.
Integration as Integrity: Postmodernism, Psychology, and Religion on the Role of Moral Counseling in the Attorney-Client Relationship

This article supplements the general responses offered by other commentators to explore more deeply why attorneys do or do not counsel their clients on moral considerations. To address this issue, this article first examines the changes in lawyers’ roles in the last 200 years. The article then considers how postmodernism has impacted attorneys’ views on the propriety of the moral counseling of clients. The article next discusses both recent psychological studies and established religious principles that underscore why attorneys should raise moral considerations with their clients. The article then discusses proposed responses to the apparent lack of moral counseling in the attorney-client context and considers how ethics instruction of lawyers and law students could encourage attorneys to engage in such moral counseling. The article concludes that, in addition to the fact that such counseling may advance client interests, moral counseling affirms lawyers’ integrity by enabling them to integrate their personal convictions into their professional roles.
Two homologous zinc finger genes identified by multicopy suppression in a SNF1 protein kinase mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The MSN2 gene was selected as a multicopy suppressor in a temperature-sensitive SNF1 protein kinase mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. MSN2 encodes a Cys2His2 zinc finger protein related to the yeast MIG1 repressor and to mammalian early growth response and Wilms' tumor zinc finger proteins. Deletion of MSN2 caused no phenotype. A second similar zinc finger gene, MSN4, was isolated, and deletion of both genes caused phenotypic defects related to carbon utilization. Overexpression of the zinc finger regions was deleterious to growth. LexA-MSN2 and LexA-MSN4 fusion proteins functioned as strong transcriptional activators when bound to DNA. Functional roles of this zinc finger protein family are discussed.
Nonlinear feedback vs. linear feedback for robust stabilization

The relative merits of nonlinear feedback over linear feedback are investigated in the context of certain robust stabilization problems. In particular an absolute tight computable bound on the radius of unmodeled dynamics against which robust stabilization is possible using nonlinear (adaptive) feedback is presented. This is used to compare nonlinear and linear feedback for robust stabilization. A nonlinear/linear tradeoff ratio is developed to quantify this comparison. The results support the view that nonlinear feedback is of significant advantage in situations where the plant exhibits significantly more parametric modeling uncertainty than dynamic modeling uncertainty. >
Prolonged sympathetic innervation of sensory neurons in rat thoracolumbar dorsal root ganglia during chronic colitis.

Background Peripheral irritation-induced sensory plasticity may involve catecholaminergic innervation of sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Methods Catecholaminergic fiber outgrowth in the thoracolumbar DRG (T13-L2) was examined by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunostaining, or by sucrose-potassium phosphate-glyoxylic acid histofluorescence method. TH level was examined by Western blot. Colonic afferent neurons were labeled by retrograde neuronal tracing. Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of tri-nitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). Key Results The catecholaminergic fibers formed ‘basket-like’ structures around the DRG cells. At 7 days following TNBS treatment, the number of DRG neurons surrounded by TH-immunoreactive fibers and the protein levels of TH were significantly increased in T13, L1, and L2 DRGs (two- to threefold, P < 0.05). The DRG neurons that were surrounded by TH immunoreactivity were 200 kDa neurofilament-positive, but not isolectin IB4-positve or calcitonin gene-related peptide-positive. The TH-immunoreactive fibers did not surround but adjoin the specifically labeled colonic afferent neurons, and was co-localized with glial marker S-100. Comparison of the level of TH and the severity of colonic inflammation showed that following TNBS treatment, the degree of colonic inflammation was most severe at day 3, subsided at day 7, and significantly recovered by day 21. However, the levels of TH in T13-L2 DRGs were increased at both 3 days and 7 days post TNBS treatment and persisted up to 21 days (two- to fivefold increase, P < 0.05) as examined. Conclusions & Inferences Colonic inflammation induced prolonged catecholaminergic innervation of sensory neurons, which may have relevance to colitis-induced chronic visceral hypersensitivity and/or referred pain.
Drinking motives as mediators between PTSD symptom severity and alcohol consumption in persons with severe mental illnesses

Abstract Research has consistently shown that drinking to alleviate negative emotional states predicts alcohol use and relapse among clients with co-occurring disorders including depressive and posttraumatic stress disorders. However, studies examining the mediating role of drinking motives in persons with severe mental illness (SMI) are few. The current survey of 116 community mental health clients (51.7% men; 47.4% women) diagnosed with either a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (41, 35.3%) or major mood disorder (75, 64.7%) tested the hypothesis that convivial drinking and drinking to cope with negative emotions would mediate posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS-I) and alcohol consumption (QF). A series of path models revealed that convivial drinking fully mediated hyper-arousal symptoms and alcohol consumption, and negative coping fully mediated total posttraumatic stress symptoms, avoidance and hyper-arousal symptoms and alcohol consumption. The results support an emotional distress reduction model of alcohol use in people with severe mental illness, and highlight the need to assess specific drinking motives and target them in cognitive–behavioral treatment approaches. The cross sectional design employed limits cause–effect inferences regarding mediation, and highlights the need for longitudinal designs to sort out causal pathways among symptoms, drinking motives and alcohol consumption in clients with SMI.
A visual navigation system for querying neural stem cell imaging data

Cellular biology deals with studying the behavior of cells. Current time-lapse imaging microscopes help us capture the progress of experiments at intervals that allow for understanding of the dynamic and kinematic behavior of the cells. On the other hand, these devices generate such massive amounts of data (250GB of data per experiment) that manual sieving of data to identify interesting patterns becomes virtually impossible. In this paper we propose an end-to-end system to analyze time-lapse images of the cultures of human neural stem cells (hNSC), that includes an image processing system to analyze the images to extract all the relevant geometric and statistical features within and between images, a database management system to manage and handle queries on the data, a visual analytic system to navigate through the data, and a visual query system to explore different relationships and correlations between the parameters. In each stage of the pipeline we make novel algorithmic and conceptual contributions, and the entire system design is motivated by many different yet unanswered exploratory questions pursued by our neurobiologist collaborators. With a few examples we show how such abstract biological queries can be analyzed and answered by our system.
Associations of APOE Gene Polymorphisms with Bone Mineral Density and Fracture Risk: A Meta-Analysis

Summary To determine the association of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) E4 gene polymorphism with bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures we conducted a meta-analysis of 17 reports. Despite lower trochanteric and lumbar BMD in APOE4 carriers, there is insufficient evidence to support a consistent association of APOE with bone health.
High-performance liquid chromatography at elevated temperatures: examination of conditions for the rapid separation of large molecules

Abstract Liquid chromatography of large molecules at temperatures between 25 and 200°C is theoretically examined for different operating conditions including the use of micropellicular sorbents. Liquid chromatography at high temperatures is found to be beneficial in terms of both speed and efficiency and compares favorably with supercritical fluid chromatography. In order to illustrate how the decomposition of an eluite at higher temperature might affect chromatographic efficiency, the influence of temperature on a first order irreversible on-column reaction is studied. Due to the high speed of separation afforded at elevated temperatures, the deleterious effects of accelerated on-column reactions are found to be largely mitigated. Practical aspects of operation at temperatures above the normal boiling point of the mobile phase are also discussed with respect to the requirements for column stability and appropriate instrumentation.
DNA methylation in fungi.

Article de synthese sur le role dans l'expression genique differentielle de la methylation des bases de l'ADN pendant le developpement des Fungi
The red graph and the Wetzel grid as methods of determining the symmetry of status and progress during growth.

S INCE 1940 the dynamics of growth in children with nutritive failure h:~s been a major study in the Nutrition Clinic. A primary objective in this study has been to determine the effect of. malnutrition on growth in children. Although there is no single r,~ethod for measuring the two attributes of growth, increase in size and increase in cell complexity, in every type of body tissue, ~ an estimation of bott~ attributes is vital for an understanding of the amount and the cause of nutritive failure in the young. There are chemical 2 and roentgenographic 3 techniques for differentiating between them in bone and in soft tissue. The preferred method in the chemical and roentgenographie techniques is to measure the speed at which a child is developing in terms of maturity iildicators ~, s, 4 rather than in terms of bulk or size. Maturity indicators are either the features of a body part and the secretory products of the cells of the part, or new phases of functioning that are attained in specific order2 They serve to identify the stage of cell differentiation which the organ or the part has attained. Indicators have been described both for single organs or anatomic systems and for the entire body. ~, 3, 5, 6 Of those available to date, the indicators de~ scribed by Todd ~ and Wetzel 6 have been used in the Nutrition Clinic for charting bone growth and general body growth, respectively. Both concepts treat growth as a process of progressive tissue maturing which has a universal order of change but a highly individualized speed of change. The Todd standard makes the speed of cartilage replacement by bone dynamic by timing the first appearance of the successive features of the child's joint surfaces and relating them to his age. The Wetzel Grid charts the growth for the body as a whole by first condensing the child's current stature and weight into (a) developmental levels (body size), and (b) physique channels (body build), and the,~ by relating developmental levels with ~ge to indicate speed a~ld ~chedu]e of body development. By the Todd method, the stage of development of the skeletal area chosen,, e.g., hand, is determined according to the speed of maturing of each bone in that area by comparison with a standard series of skeletal maturity indieators. In order to obtain what is known as skeletal age (Todd) each bone is assigned an age, and the assigned ages are averaged2 Comparison of skeletal age with
Pattern abnormalities induced in Drosophila imaginal discs by an ultraviolet laser microbeam.

Abstract Treatment of portions of excised imaginal leg discs with an uv laser microbeam was shown to kill cells in the treated region. Treated discs cultured in the abdomens of adult females underwent pattern regulation, either regenerating, duplicating, or triplicating, depending on the precise portion of the disc which was treated. The laser-induced pattern of regulation is similar to that induced by cell removal and by cell-lethal mutations, supporting the hypothesis that pattern regulation in response to all forms of wounding is controlled by the same pattern-forming system.
High-fidelity spectral rendering of backgrounds

Imaging electro-optical system simulations require high resolution digital terrain databases to support the image inputs into the simulation. These systems frequently employ spectral processing of the input data as a part of their operation. Generation of spectral signature data is critical to accurate simulations of these systems. This paper describes a prototype effort to generate background signatures which account for the spectral variations in the illumination sources and the background optical properties. These spectral signature data are subsequently employed in the rendering of high fidelity scenes to support the simulation.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ronchi Ruling Method for Measuring Gaussian Beam Diameter

Ronchi rulings may be used for fast, accurate measurements of Gaussian beam diameters. In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis of the Ronchi measurement method. The major theoretical result is a very simple relationship between beam diameter and the measured parameters, P max and P min. The Ronchi method is then compared with the more conventional pinhole, slit, and knife edge methods. The major advantages of the Ronchi method are discussed, and some notes on the application of the method are given.
Triplet state (T1) resonance Raman spectroscopy of phenazine and acridine

Abstract Resonance Raman spectra of the photoexcited lowest triplet states of phenazine and acridine in solution observed by time-resolved techniques are reported. Nine fundamentals in phenazine and fourteen in acridine are observed and assigned. The phenazine triplet (≈3 × 10 −4 M) in cyclohexane is observed to decay by a second-order process at a rate constant (2 k ) of (4.8 ± 1.0) × 10 9 M −1 s −1 .
HIV-1 Vpr deregulates calcium secretion in neural cells

The lack of productive infection of neurons by HIV-1 suggests that the neuronal damage seen in AIDS patients with cognitive disorders is caused indirectly via viral and cellular proteins with neurotoxic activity. Among HIV-1 proteins, Vpr has been shown to deregulate expression of various important cytokines and inflammatory proteins in infected and uninfected cells. However, the mechanisms underlying these changes remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that neurons can take up Vpr that is released into the supernatant of HIV-infected microglia. We also found that administration of recombinant Vpr (rVpr) to human neurons resulted in a slow but sustained elevation of intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i. Interestingly, our data also show that [Ca2+]i elevation by Vpr leads to ROS production and impairs glutamate signaling in neuronal cells. Vpr disturbs calcium homeostasis through downregulation of endogenous PMCA. Finally, we found that the permeability of the plasma membrane increases in neurons treated with Vpr. Therefore, we conclude that soluble Vpr is a major viral factor that causes a disturbance in neuronal communication leading to neuronal dysfunction. The outcome of these studies will advance the understanding of HIV-1 pathogenesis and will help in the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Mentoring and tutoring within administrative internship programs in American universities

The article presents a significant national research project conducted by the authors and sponsored by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration. It analyzes the varying aspects of administrative internships in American universities today. Professors of Educational Administration from around the nation were surveyed on‐line and at the NCPEA 2002 annual conference held in Burlington, Vermont. This article targets the utilization of mentoring and tutoring of administrative interns by both university supervisors and P‐12 campus and district mentors. Additional variables related to mentoring and tutoring administrative interns include time constraints, finances, structures, accreditations, and other barriers to success. Strengths, weaknesses, and commonalities are analyzed as well as conclusions, implications, and recommendations for further research.
Electronic Excited States Of Copper(I) Substituted-1,10-Phenanthroline And Substituted-Phosphine Mixed-Ligand Complexes

A series of five title complexes was investigated spectroscopically in glasses at 77 K. Absorption and emission measurements revealed that the lowest singlet charge-transfer state moves closer in energy to both the ligand triplet and the charge-transfer triplet as the basicity of the phosphine ligands increases. The result is accompanied by a change in the relative distribution of the emissions from the latter two states. As the states become closer in energy the rate of internal conversion between singlets of disparate electronic configurations becomes slower. This is a key feature of the proposed model for this optical behavior. Consequently, intersystem crossing becomes competitive with internal conversion leading to changes in the relative yields of ligand and charge-transfer phosphorescence.
Does the Framingham Risk Score Predict Risk in Women as Well as It Does in Men

The current guidelines for classifying women into high, intermediate and low risk based on the Framingham Risk Score and National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines are biased against women, deprive many women at risk of coronary heart disease of potentially effective lipid-lowering drug therapy, and likely contribute to a very high prevalence of vascular disease, cognitive disorders, disability, and reduced active life expectancy for women. Prevalence of atherosclerosis beginning early in life, use of noninvasive imaging of atherosclerosis, better measurement of lipoprotein levels, awareness of importance of diseases that increase risk of coronary heart disease among women, and earlier and more frequent use of effective therapies to prevent cardiovascular disease are necessary to greatly improve women’s cardiovascular health.
Synthesis of cyclic and acyclic Nα-methyl-Nω-alkyl-l-arginine analogues

Abstract A series of N α-methyl-alkyl- l -arginine (Arg) analogues have been synthesized from inexpensive, commercially available starting materials. These analogues, once incorporated into pharmaceutically relevant peptides, are expected to increase binding affinity, receptor selectivity, lipophilicity, and stability as demonstrated with analogues of similar design and structure.
Thyroid function testing in psychiatric illness: Usefulness and limitations

The assessment of thyroid function in psychiatric patients may be obscured by several effects of the psychiatric condition on both thyroid hormone and TSH levels. Acute psychiatric decompensation may result in elevation in total T(4) and free T(4) index, and less frequently in hypothyroxinemia. In addition, psychiatric illnesses can cause suppressed TSH levels, blunted TSH response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) (particularly in depression), and elevated TSH values that may result in diagnostic errors. Even though mechanisms similar to the ones responsible for thyroid function test changes in other nonthyroidal illness could account for some of these abnormalities, other mechanisms involving dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary function seem to play an important role. TRH stimulation testing has also been used for the diagnosis and prognosis of some psychiatric disorders. This test, however, appears to have low sensitivity and specificity and little clinical usefulness for this purpose and may be replaced by basal TSH levels determined by highly sensitive assays. In this review, in addition to discussing the usefulness and limitations of thyroid function tests in the setting of a psychiatric condition, we provide a stepwise approach, using sensitive TSH as a first-line test in the assessment of thyroid function in psychiatric patients.
Role of HLA class II genes in susceptibility and resistance to multiple sclerosis: Studies using HLA transgenic mice

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory and demyelinating autoimmune disease of CNS has both, a genetic and an environmental predisposition. Among all the genetic factors associated with MS susceptibility, HLA class II haplotypes such as DR2/DQ6, DR3/DQ2, and DR4/DQ8 show the strongest association. Although a direct role of HLA-DR alleles in MS have been confirmed, it has been difficult to understand the contribution of HLA-DQ alleles in disease pathogenesis, due to strong linkage disequilibrium. Population studies have indicated that DQ alleles may play a modulatory role in the progression of MS. To better understand the mechanism by which HLA-DR and -DQ genes contribute to susceptibility and resistance to MS, we utilized single and double transgenic mice expressing HLA class II gene(s) lacking endogenous mouse class II genes. HLA class II transgenic mice have helped us in identifying immunodominant epitopes of PLP in context of various HLA-DR and -DQ molecules. We have shown that HLA-DR3 transgenic mice were susceptible to PLP(91-110) induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), while DQ6 (DQB1*0601) and DQ8 (DQB1*0302) transgenic mice were resistant. Surprisingly DQ6/DR3 double transgenic mice were resistant while DQ8/DR3 mice showed higher disease incidence and severity than DR3 mice. The protective effect of DQ6 in DQ6/DR3 mice was mediated by IFNγ, while the disease exacerbating effect of DQ8 molecule was mediated by IL-17. Further, we have observed that myelin-specific antibodies play an important role in PLP(91-110) induced EAE in HLA-DR3DQ8 transgenic mice. Based on these observations, we hypothesize that epistatic interaction between HLA-DR and -DQ genes play an important role in predisposition to MS and our HLA transgenic mouse model provides a novel tool to study the effect of linkage disequilibrium in MS.
Amino acids in the blood and urine of normal and arthritic subjects before and after a glycine load given with and without adrenocorticotropin.

Observations have been made on the specific free amino acids (chromatographic analysis) and other nitrogenous constituents in the serum and urine of normal and arthritic men under controlled dietar...
Technique for Monitoring the Etching Rate of Alumina

The effect of chemical and thermal treatments on the grains and grain boundaries of polycrystalline α-Al2O3 has been examined using a combination of microscopy techniques. Commercially available alumina samples (Lucalox™) were chemically etched in phosphoric acid at 200°C in increments of 15 min. Thermal treatments were carried out at 1650°C before chemical treatments. Using maps obtained by visible-light microscopy (VLM) as a guide, the same regions were re-examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM) after subsequent treatments. Variations in the dissolution rates of different grains and grain boundaries could then be studied using AFM. The geometry of the grain-boundary grooves was compared after thermal and chemical treatments. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) patterns recorded in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to obtain crystallographic orientations of the grains which enabled variations in dissolution rates between grains to be correlated to orientation.
Quantitative analysis of RNA-protein interactions on a massively parallel array reveals biophysical and evolutionary landscapes.

Repurposing a DNA sequencing instrument for high-throughput analysis of RNA-protein interactions enables detailed analysis of sequence-function relationships.
From Leaderless Group Discussions To The Cross-National Assessment of Managers

To prepare this autobiographical account, I noted the linkages between various lines of investigation with which I have been involved. This resulted in the outline of the work pursued since 1948, shown in Figure 1. The review, organized according to the outline, is an account of the kinds of personal and instructional factors that inspired my efforts to balance concern for theory with concern for empirical research and application.
Socioeconomic and racial disparities among infertility patients seeking care.

Objective To examine sociodemographic differences based on patient race/ethnicity among infertility patients seeking care in a state with mandated coverage of infertility treatment. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting University-hospital-based fertility center. Patient(s) A total of 1,500 consecutive women who presented for infertility care. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Self-report questionnaire assessing patient race/ethnicity, diagnosis, income, education level, and duration of infertility before seeking care. Result(s) African American women experienced a significantly longer duration of infertility before seeking care compared with Caucasian women (4.3 vs. 3.3 years, respectively; P =.03). With regard to infertility diagnosis, a significantly greater proportion of African American and Hispanic women had tubal factor infertility compared with Caucasian women (24.0% and 27.3% vs. 5.3%, respectively; P =.001). Looking at the highest level of education attained by patients, a significantly greater proportion of African American and Hispanic women had less than a 4-year college degree compared with Caucasian women (48% and 40.9% vs. 13.2%, respectively; P P Conclusion(s) African American women are more likely to seek infertility treatment after a longer duration of failed conception compared with Caucasian women. Furthermore, African American, and Hispanic women are more likely to have tubal factor infertility, a lower education level, and a lower household income compared with Caucasian women.
Reflection and Diffraction of Slow Electrons from Single Crystals of Tungsten

Measurements have been made of the elastic reflection coefficient and total secondary electron coefficient for electrons with energies from 1-206 eV incident normally on single crystals of tungsten (112), (100), and (110). The apparatus permitted visual observation of the full diffraction pattern in the same energy range. Ultra-high vacuum techniques were used. The major features of the elastic reflection coefficient for incident energies below 20 eV were found experimentally to be associated with the specularly reflected or 0-0 diffraction beam. A model based on superposition of atomic scattering was found to give a better over-all description of the observations than a model based on a potential varying only along the normal to the crystal.
The structure of atomic oxygen and carbon overlayers on the Mo(001) surface studied by low energy ion scattering

The bonding geometry of atomic overlayers composed of submonolayer quantities of pure oxygen, pure carbon, and a mixture of carbon and oxygen on a Mo(100) surface has been studied for the first time by low energy angle‐resolved K+ and Li+ ion backscattering. The surface composition and long range ordering of the clean and adsorbate‐covered surfaces were also characterized by Auger and LEED. The overlayers were generated in UHV by dissociative adsorption of O2 or CO or by thermal cracking of C2H4 on the clean Mo(100) surface. The absence of double scattering along the [110] direction for the oxygen overlayer compared to the clean surface indicates that the oxygen atoms are located in fourfold hollows on the surface. This is confirmed by Monte Carlo simulations of the K+ scattering. Li+ scattering results corroborate this structural model. The K+ scattering energy distributions from pure carbon and mixed carbon/oxygen overlayers are very similar to the oxygen overlayer suggesting that carbon is also situate...
Passive Activation of Store-Operated Ca2+ Entry in Myotubes Depends on the Rate of RyR1-Dependent Ca2+ Leak

In spite of extensive studies of store operated calcium entry (SOCE), the detailed mechanism of SOCE activation in skeletal muscle remains largely unknown. We recently reported that STIM1-Orai1 coupling is required for SOCE activation in myotubes. However, other proteins that control sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content may also contribute to SOCE activation. We hypothesized that passive SOCE activation in skeletal muscle depends on the rate of SR Ca2+ leak through the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1). To test this hypothesis, we conducted a series of whole-cell patch-clamp measurements of SOCE current (ISOC) in myotubes obtained from normal and RyR1-null (dyspedic) mice. Myotubes were bathed in external solution containing (in mM): 138 TEA-methanesulfonate, 10 CaCl2, 10 HEPES, 1 MgCl2, 0.1 nifedipine, pH 7.4. The internal patch pipette solution contained (in mM): 140 mM Cs-methanesulfonate, 10 HEPES, 20 Na-EGTA, 4 MgCl2, pH7.4. SOCE was activated by passive SR Ca2+ depletion following intracellular dialysis with 20 mM EGTA. ISOC in myotubes exhibited many hallmarks of SOCE including strong inward rectification and inhibition by La3+, Gd3+, BTP-2, and 2-APB. ISOC current density at −80 mV was significantly (p<0.01) larger in normal myotubes (1.05 ± 0.09 pA/pF, n = 33) compared to that from dyspedic myotubes (0.74 ± 0.07 pA/pF, n = 18). Moreover, the speed of ISOC activation was slower in dyspedic myotubes. Specifically, the time to 10%, 50%, and 90% maximal activation were 4.95 ± 0.65 s, 15.3 ± 1.4 s, and 53.9 ± 7.5 s (n = 19), respectively, in normal myotubes and 67.5 ± 11.1 s, 114 ± 13 s, and 159 ± 17 s (n = 18), respectively, in dyspedic myotubes. These results indicate that RyR1 Ca2+ leak promotes passive SOCE activation.
Increased concentrations of potassium in heartwood of trees in response to groundwater contamination

The wood of tuliptrees (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) growing above groundwater contamination from a hazardous-waste landfill in Maryland contained elevated concentrations of potassium (K). The groundwater contamination also contained elevated concentrations of dissolved K, as well as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chloride (Cl), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and organic solvents. The dissolved K is derived from disposed smoke munitions. The excess K in the tuliptrees is concentrated in the heartwood, the part of the xylem most depleted in K in trees growing outside of the contamination. These data show that the uptake and translocation of K by tuliptrees can be strongly influenced by the availability of K in groundwater contamination and suggest the utility of this species as an areal indicator of groundwater contamination.
Status of general medicine training and education in psychiatry residency.

Objective With the current emphasis on integrated care, the role of psychiatrists is expanding to either directly provide medical care or coordinate its delivery. The purpose of this study was to survey general psychiatry programs on the extent of general medicine training provided during residency.
Infinite available gain in a 115 GHz SIS mixer

Abstract We report the observation of infinite available conversion gain at 115 GHz with an SIS mixer. The output impedance can be smoothly changed from positive, through infinite, to negative. The mixer consists of a series array of N = 14 thermally recyclable Pb-alloy tunnel junctions in a reduced-height waveguide mount. The best mixer noise temperatures measured are consistent with a quantum noise temperature of Nħω/k.
Nano-patterned liquid metal electrode for the synthesis of novel Prussian blue nanotubes and nanowires

We report the fabrication of Prussian blue nanotubes and nanowires via a novel technique wherein a liquid metal surface is nano-patterned with a porous polycarbonate membrane used as a hard mask. Prussian blue as 1D nanowires and nanotubes is an excellent candidate for ultra-low level sensing, optical waveguides and model systems to test the one-dimensional Ising model. One of the most feasible techniques for nanowire fabrication is to use a porous template. However, Prussian blue dissolves in strong acids and decomposes in strong bases. Conventional procedures which use porous alumina blocked with a back side metal contact require strong acid and base treatment in the various steps of the nanowire fabrication. We report a novel technique which will pave a new route for the facile synthesis of nanowires and nanotubes of materials that are sensitive to strong acidic or basic treatment. Hence, nano-patterning of a liquid metal (Hg, which functions as a top-side metal contact) with polycarbonate membrane instead of porous alumina membrane excludes the necessity of both strong acid and base during the fabrication of nanowires. By attempting this innovative technique, we report the synthesis of novel organic Prussian blue nanotubes and nanowires.
WARRIORS OF GOJA: PAINS AND PLEASURES OF THE SIKH (MALE) BODY

Taking a widely received, winning entry in a televised Indian talent show entitled the Warriors of Goja as its point of departure, my paper is organized around discussions of the body, pain, and pleasure. I aim to raise questions around the subject/objectification of the Sikh male body and examine points of continuity from the colonial era typification of Sikh men as a martial race to contemporary renderings of Sikh men as hyper-macho. I examine the centrality of pain to a kind of Sikh hetero-masculinity that is being constituted on the entertainment stage and circulated transnationally. Alongside, I investigate how machismo and masochistic martyrdom come to evoke Sikh masculinity through mass cultural images. I put forth a reading of the mutilated Sikh male body as an image commodity that accretes value in its circulation. I also explore, whether, and to what extent, the viral Warriors of Goja can be situated within a broader transnational visual economy of maimed Sikh male bodies, namely of martyr figures.
Effects of Errors in the Age Adjustment of First Lactations

Abstract The Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) age factors of Kendrick and McDaniel were compared using 10,620 first lactations made in Michigan Holstein herds during the period 1961–63. The effectiveness of the alternative age adjustments was judged by the impact on sire ranking and on the statistical properties of the standardized records. Bulls were found to rank almost identically, regardless of the manner of age adjustment. Rank correlations between proofs based on actual and age-corrected records were about .95. There were significant regressions of age-adjusted production on age, for both sets of factors. It was concluded that standard age adjustments may not be satisfactory in research applications requiring a high degree of accuracy.
Kinetics and Mechanisms of Activation of α-Amino Acid Ester Prodrugs of Camptothecins

The α-amino acid ester prodrugs of the antitumor agent camptothecin and a more potent, lipophilic silatecan analogue, DB-67, have been shown by NMR spectroscopy and quantitative kinetic analyses to...
Perceiving Social Injustice: Observations on the Relationship Between Liberal Attitudes and Proximity to Social Problems

It was proposed that social injustice is more easily perceived in situations distant from self than in situations proximate to self. A corollary of this proposition, the Liberal Distance Function (LDF), was explored in the present research. Formally stated, the LDF proposes that the degree of favorable support for a social reform will increase as the distance between the subject and the locus of reform increases. Attitudes toward (a) a prison reform program and (b) a proposed public housing project were sampled from groups living at various distances from these projects. Predictions generated by the LDF were generally confirmed, with the groups most distant from the reforms being the most favorable toward these reforms. The implications of the present findings for predicting public reactions to social reform were briefly discussed, and it was argued that public response to reform proposals can be accurately gauged only when respondents can weigh realistically the expected costs and benefits of those reforms.
Update on the Guytonian view of hypertension.

Purpose of reviewDr Arthur Guyton hypothesized that the capacity of the kidney to excrete sodium ultimately dictates long-term changes in blood pressure. This model has had a profound influence on our understanding of blood pressure regulation. The goal of this article is to review a selection of cl