cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma of Liver: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS), previously known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), is rarely reported in the liver as a primary site. We report a case of a previously healthy 56-year-old male, who presented with abdominal pain and jaundice. The patient was originally diagnosed with cholecystitis, treated with cholecystectomy, which was complicated by abdominal abscess. One week following discharge, the patient was readmitted with fever, chills, and leukocytosis. Computed tomography (CT) guided liver biopsies demonstrated an epithelioid to spindle cell neoplasm with markedly atypical nuclei and prominent necrosis infiltrating between hepatocytes. Immunohistochemical studies were negative for epithelial, melanocytic, and hematolymphoid differentiation. Positron emission tomography (PET) was performed, which showed a single markedly hypermetabolic central hepatic mass (14 x 8.5 x 8.5 cm) with likely central necrosis, consistent with primary malignancy. The patient was treated with one cycle of chemotherapy (doxorubicin and ifosfamide), refusing additional cycle due to medication side effects. The patient subsequently succumbed to complications associated with the malignancy and died within 19 days of diagnosis.
Conductivity modeling of organic materials with the Kubo–Greenwood integral and a Gaussian density of states

The macroscopic d.c. conductivity of organic materials is modeled by employing the Kubo–Greenwood integral. Both a constant diffusivity and a window or gate function diffusivity are considered. Complete analytical formulas devoid of any mathematical approximations are developed. Also, the mathematical expressions developed in this article can easily be employed for finding the carrier mobility of organic materials. The method illustrated in this article is general enough to handle more complex energy-dependent diffusivity models.
Self-massage prior to stretching improves flexibility in young and middle-aged adults

We examined the influence of stretching alone (SS) or combined with self-massage (SM) on maximal ankle dorsiflexion angle, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque and calf muscle activity, and s...
Risk Factors of Infection and Role of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Totally Implantable Venous Access Port Placement: Propensity Score Matching

To evaluate risk factors of infection and effectiveness of preprocedural single-dose intravenous prophylactic antibiotic (PABX) during totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) placement in preventing procedure-related infections. This was a retrospective single-institution multicenter study evaluating short-term (30-day) infection outcomes after TIVAP placement. Correlation between infection rates and clinical factors, including hematologic versus non-hematologic malignancy, inpatient versus outpatient status, single versus double lumen and PABX, was investigated using univariate and multivariable analysis in the overall study population as well as the propensity-score-matched cohort. Overall, 5967 patients underwent TIVAP placement from 2005 to 2016, of which 3978 (67%) patients received PABX. On propensity score matching, 1952 patients with PABX were matched to the same number of patients without PABX. TIVAP was removed due to infection concern in 48 patients in unmatched and 30 patients in matched population. There was no difference in the rate of infection between those who received PABX and those who did not in both unmatched and matched population (p = 0.5387 and 0.9999). Although infection rate was significantly higher in patients who had TIVAP placement in inpatient setting (p < 0.0001), who received a double-lumen TIVAP (p < 0.0001), or who had hematologic malignancy (p = 0.0004) on univariate analysis, inpatient status was the sole factor associated with higher rate of TIVAP infection on multivariable analysis of both overall (odds ratio 2.31, p < 0.0001) and matched populations (odds ratio 4.36, p = 0.0004). Placement of TIVAP in inpatient setting increases the risk of TIVAP infection. PABX before TIVAP placement does not prevent short-term procedure-related infections.
Impact of a "Chart Closure" Hard Stop Alert on Prescribing for Elevated Blood Pressures Among Patients With Diabetes: Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: University of California at Los Angeles Health implemented a Best Practice Advisory (BPA) alert for the initiation of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) for individuals with diabetes. The BPA alert was configured with a “chart closure” hard stop, which demanded a response before closing the chart. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the implementation of the BPA was associated with changes in ACEI and ARB prescribing during primary care encounters for patients with diabetes. Methods: We defined ACEI and ARB prescribing opportunities as primary care encounters in which the patient had a diabetes diagnosis, elevated blood pressure in recent encounters, no active ACEI or ARB prescription, and no contraindications. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to compare the change in the probability of an ACEI or ARB prescription during opportunity encounters before and after BPA implementation in primary care sites that did (n=30) and did not (n=31) implement the BPA. In an additional subgroup analysis, we compared ACEI and ARB prescribing in BPA implementation sites that had also implemented a pharmacist-led medication management program. Results: We identified a total of 2438 opportunity encounters across 61 primary care sites. The predicted probability of an ACEI or ARB prescription increased significantly from 11.46% to 22.17% during opportunity encounters in BPA implementation sites after BPA implementation. However, in the subgroup analysis, we only observed a significant improvement in ACEI and ARB prescribing in BPA implementation sites that had also implemented the pharmacist-led program. Overall, the change in the predicted probability of an ACEI or ARB prescription from before to after BPA implementation was significantly greater in BPA implementation sites compared with nonimplementation sites (difference-in-differences of 11.82; P<.001). Conclusions: A BPA with a “chart closure” hard stop is a promising tool for the treatment of patients with comorbid diabetes and hypertension with an ACEI or ARB, especially when implemented within the context of team-based care, wherein clinical pharmacists support the work of primary care providers.
Mapping Emotions: Empirical Experiments on Power Places

The main goal of this paper is to explore the concept of place and the emotions felt at specific places. The paper is concentrated on power places, places in which people recharge and feel at peace, and places that evoke positive feelings. The reported project is based on a set of mapping experiments conducted in the city of Hamburg, Germany. Participants were asked to map their power places, describe their characteristics and the feelings they feel at these places. In total, 191 power places were identified, including the descriptions of their physical characteristics and emotions associated with these places. This paper summarizes the main findings of the empirical work.
Alcohol or Benzodiazepine Co-involvement With Opioid Overdose Deaths in the United States, 1999-2017.

Importance The use of benzodiazepines or alcohol together with opioids increases overdose risk, but characterization of co-involvement by predominant opioid subtype is incomplete to date. Understanding the use of respiratory depressants in opioid overdose deaths (OODs) is important for prevention efforts and policy making. Objective To assess the prevalence and number of alcohol- or benzodiazepine-involved OODs by opioid subtypes in the United States from 1999 to 2017. Design and Setting This repeated cross-sectional analysis used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database of all opioid-involved poisoning deaths from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2017, for the United States. State-level binge drinking prevalence rates for 2015 to 2017 were obtained from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and benzodiazepine prescribing rates for 2012 (most recent available data) were obtained from IMS Health, a commercial database. Data were analyzed from July 10, 2018, to May 16, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence of alcohol or benzodiazepine co-involvement for all OODs and by opioid subtype, nationally and by state. Results From 1999 to 2017, 399 230 poisoning deaths involved opioids, of which 263 601 (66.0%) were male, and 204 560 (51.2%) were aged 35 to 54 years. Alcohol co-involvement for all opioid overdose deaths increased nonlinearly from 12.4% in 1999 to 14.7% in 2017. By opioid subtype, deaths involving heroin and synthetic opioids (eg, fentanyl; excluding methadone) had the highest alcohol co-involvement at 15.5% and 14.9%, respectively, in 2017. Benzodiazepine co-involvement in all OODs increased nonlinearly from 8.7% in 1999 to 21.0% in 2017. Benzodiazepines were present in 33.1% of prescription OODs and 17.1% of synthetic OODs in 2017. State-level rates of binge drinking were significantly correlated with alcohol co-involvement in all OODs (r = 0.34;P = .02). State benzodiazepine prescribing rates were significantly correlated with benzodiazepine co-involvement in all OODs (r = 0.57;P Conclusions and Relevance This study found that alcohol and benzodiazepine co-involvement in opioid-involved overdose deaths was common, varied by opioid subtype, and was associated with state-level binge drinking and benzodiazepine prescribing rates. These results may inform state policy initiatives in harm reduction and overdose prevention efforts.
Studying molecular changes during gravity perception and response in a single cell

Early studies revealed a highly predictable pattern of gravity-directed growth and development in Ceratopteris richardii spores. This makes the spores a valuable model system for the study of how a single cell senses and responds to the force of gravity. Gravity regulates both the direction and magnitude of a trans-cell calcium current in germinating spores, and the orientation of this current predicts the polarization of spore development. Molecular techniques have been developed to evaluate the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of spores before and after gravity establishes the polarity of their development. Here we describe these techniques, along with protocols for sterilizing the spores, sowing them in a solid or liquid growth media, and evaluating germination.
Development and performance assessment of an integrated vermifiltration based treatment system for the treatment of feedlot runoff

Abstract The objective of this study was to treat feedlot runoff by developing an ecologically sustainable, affordable, and resilient treatment system having a relatively long life span. Three horizontal flow soil biofilters were utilized in this study: 1) without earthworms and plants (Biofilter (BF)), 2) with earthworms only (Vermifilter (VF)), and 3) with earthworms and plants (Macrophyte Assisted Vermifilter (MAVF)). The experiments were conducted with a hydraulic retention time of four days using Lumbricus terestrris earthworms and Carex frankii wetland plants. The average COD removal from the BF, VF, and MAVF were 23.2–30.4%, 61.4–69.1%, and 68.3–78.1%, respectively. Average TN removal efficiencies for BF, VF, and MAVF were 15.5–21.4%, 34.4–38.8%, and 39.1–44.0%, respectively. Additionally, average TP removals for BF, VF, and MAVF were 31.9–40.8%, 48.0–54.0%, and 51.1–58.3%, respectively. Comparison of results with literature indicate that the developed system can facilitate more nitrogen removal. Plant roots, along with earthworms, create an aerobic ecosystem within the treatment filter, leading to high organics oxidation and nitrification efficiency among BF, VF, and MAVF. Observational analysis indicates the system with earthworms is prone to clogging while the system with earthworms and plants was less prone to clogging. Thus, it can be concluded that if modularized, the application of MAVF systems can treat feedlot runoffs with higher removal efficiency and expanded life span.
Label-Free Visualization and Quantification of Biochemical Markers of Atherosclerotic Plaque Progression Using Intravascular Fluorescence Lifetime.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to systematically investigate whether plaque autofluorescence properties assessed with intravascular fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) can provide qualitative and quantitative information about intimal composition and improve the characterization of atherosclerosis lesions. Background Despite advances in cardiovascular diagnostics, the analytic tools and imaging technologies currently available have limited capabilities for evaluating in situ biochemical changes associated with luminal surface features. Earlier studies of small number of samples have shown differences among the autofluorescence lifetime signature of well-defined lesions, but a systematic pixel-level evaluation of fluorescence signatures associated with various histological features is lacking and needed to better understand the origins of fluorescence contrast. Methods Human coronary artery segments (n = 32) were analyzed with a bimodal catheter system combining multispectral FLIm with intravascular ultrasonography compatible with in vivo coronary imaging. Various histological components present along the luminal surface (200-μm depth) were systematically tabulated (12 sectors) from each serial histological section (n = 204). Morphological information provided by ultrasonography allowed for the accurate registration of imaging data with histology data. The relationships between histological findings and FLIm parameters obtained from 3 spectral channels at each measurement location (n = 33,980) were characterized. Results Our findings indicate that fluorescence lifetime from different spectral bands can be used to quantitatively predict the superficial presence of macrophage foam cells (mFCs) (area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve: 0.94) and extracellular lipid content in advanced lesions (lifetime increase in 540-nm band), detect superficial calcium (lifetime decrease in 450-nm band area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve: 0.90), and possibly detect lesions consistent with active plaque formation such as pathological intimal thickening and healed thrombus regions (lifetime increase in 390-nm band). Conclusions Our findings indicate that autofluorescence lifetime provides valuable information for characterizing atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries. Specifically, FLIm can be used to identify key phenomena linked with plaque progression (e.g., peroxidized-lipid–rich mFC accumulation and recent plaque formation).
FITNet: Identifying Fashion Influencers on Twitter

The rise of social media has changed the nature of the fashion industry. Influence is no longer concentrated in the hands of an elite few: social networks have distributed power across a broader set of tastemakers. To understand this new landscape of influence, we created FITNet --- a network of the top 10k influencers of the larger Twitter fashion graph. To construct FITNet, we trained a content-based classifier to identify fashion-relevant Twitter accounts. Leveraging this classifier, we estimated the size of Twitter's fashion subgraph, snowball sampled more than 300k fashion-related accounts based on following relationships, and identified the top 10k influencers in the resulting subgraph. We use FITNet to perform a large-scale analysis of fashion influencers, and demonstrate how the network facilitates discovery, surfacing influencers relevant to specific fashion topics that may be of interest to brands, retailers, and media companies.
Structural Organization of Insulin Fibrils Based on Polarized Raman Spectroscopy: Evaluation of Existing Models

Many different proteins undergo misfolding and self-assemble into amyloid fibrils, resulting in a range of neurodegenerative diseases. The limitations of conventional methods of structural biology for fibril characterization have led to the use of polarized Raman spectroscopy for obtaining quantitative structural information regarding the organization of amyloid fibrils. Herein, we report the orientation of selected chemical groups and secondary structure elements in aligned insulin fibrils, including β-sheets, which possess a high level of orientation in the cross-β core, and α-helices in the disordered portions of the fibrils. Strong orientation of disulfide bonds in amyloid fibrils was also revealed, indicating their association with the fibril core. The determined orientation of chemical groups provides strong constraints for modeling the overall structure of amyloid fibrils, including the core and disordered parts. The developed methodology allows for the validation of structural models proposed in t...
Long-Term Effects of Low Histidine Intake on Men

The purpose of this 85-day study was to investigate the long-term effects of histidine depletion on nitrogen utilization in young adult men. A low nitrogen (6.3 g/day), low histidine (10 mg/day) amino acid diet was fed to seven men for 8 weeks. Mean nitrogen balance became negative at the end of the 8-week period. Free histidine in postabsorptive plasma and 24-hour urine decreased significantly during the first 2 weeks of the depletion and remained low and constant for the remaining 6 weeks. Hemoglobin concentration decreased somewhat, and serum iron concentration increased significantly during histidine depletion. Lean body mass, urinary N'-methylhistidine and total creatinine did not change significantly. On addition of histidine to the low histidine diet for 2 weeks, nitrogen retention became positive, plasma and urinary histidine returned to initial values, serum iron fell, and hemoglobin concentration slowly increased. These parameters remained unchanged in two control men fed the same diet supplemented with histidine (1.05 g/day) for 8 weeks. The results suggest that histidine is indispensable for young men consuming a low nitrogen diet.
Type IV pili mechanochemically regulate virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Bacteria have evolved a wide range of sensing systems to appropriately respond to environmental signals. Here we demonstrate that the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa detects contact with surfaces on short timescales using the mechanical activity of its type IV pili, a major surface adhesin. This signal transduction mechanism requires attachment of type IV pili to a solid surface, followed by pilus retraction and signal transduction through the Chp chemosensory system, a chemotaxis-like sensory system that regulates cAMP production and transcription of hundreds of genes, including key virulence factors. Like other chemotaxis pathways, pili-mediated surface sensing results in a transient response amplified by a positive feedback that increases type IV pili activity, thereby promoting long-term surface attachment that can stimulate additional virulence and biofilm-inducing pathways. The methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein-like chemosensor PilJ directly interacts with the major pilin subunit PilA. Our results thus support a mechanochemical model where a chemosensory system measures the mechanically induced conformational changes in stretched type IV pili. These findings demonstrate that P. aeruginosa not only uses type IV pili for surface-specific twitching motility, but also as a sensor regulating surface-induced gene expression and pathogenicity.
Shifting values in information technologies

There has been a great deal of research since the turn of the century focused on the importance of values as they relate to human behaviour. This paper focuses on the dynamics of values in human behaviour and the ability to shift the emphasis of individuals from one set of values to another. This is done by first measuring shared group values. Once those values are known and areas of potential conflict noted, it might be possible to shift value emphasis to a set of shared values that are more in line with organisational goals and values. To validate this theoretical perspective, a five-year longitudinal study was conducted. The groups studied were part of an information systems implementation. Quantitative results of various value audits were compared across time. Results indicate that measurement of shared group values and an awareness of how values work can provide a mechanism for promoting a shift of values while diminishing or eliminating conflict.
Magnesium deficiency in celiac disease.

Balance studies were performed on a 16½-year-old white girl with hypomagnesemia due to celiac disease. During the initial phase of the study, a great magnesium loss in feces was demonstrated, with decreased magnesium excretion in urine and increased sodium and potassium retentions. Following the elimination of gluten in the diet, all mineral balances were restored to normal.
Are All Biologics the Same? Optimal Treatment Strategies for Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systematic Review and Indirect Pairwise Meta-Analysis.

BackgroundThe use of biologic agents has revolutionized the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is much uncertainty about whether any agent may be preferable.PurposeThe aim of the study was to evaluate the comparative efficacy of biologic agents with a disease-modifying antirheuma
Sleep, Cognition and Dementia

The older patient population is growing rapidly around the world and in the USA. Almost half of seniors over age 65 who live at home are dissatisfied with their sleep, and nearly two-thirds of those residing in nursing home facilities suffer from sleep disorders. Chronic and pervasive sleep complaints and disturbances are frequently associated with excessive daytime sleepiness and may result in impaired cognition, diminished intellect, poor memory, confusion, and psychomotor retardation all of which may be misinterpreted as dementia. The key sleep disorders impacting patients with dementia include insomnia, hypersomnolence, circadian rhythm misalignment, sleep disordered breathing, motor disturbances of sleep such as periodic leg movement disorder of sleep and restless leg syndrome, and parasomnias, mostly in the form of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD). RBD is a pre-clinical marker for a class of neurodegenerative diseases, the "synucleinopathies", and requires formal polysomnographic evaluation. Untreated sleep disorders may exacerbate cognitive and behavioral symptoms in patients with dementia and are a source of considerable stress for bed partners and family members. When left untreated, sleep disturbances may also increase the risk of injury at night, compromise health-related quality of life, and precipitate and accelerate social and economic burdens for caregivers.
Carbon-13 relaxation and molecular reorientation in dichloromethane

Abstract Carbon-13 spin-lattice relaxation times and nuclear Overhauser enhancements for dichloromethane were measured at various temperatures in the liquid phase. Derived correlation times were compared with those obtained from proton T1 experiments. It was determined that neglect of the spin-rotation interaction when analyzing the latter measurements leads to unreliably high estimates of the reorientational times. A comparison with correlation times derived from 35Cl relaxation suggests that reorientation in dichloromethane is highly anisotropic. Calculated rotational diffusion constants were observed to agree well with values predicted by the extended diffusion model of inertially controlled molecular reorientation. It was also determined that 13C spin-rotation relaxation times predicted by the model were in reasonable agreement with values determined directly from the experimental data.
The trace-form of an algebraic number field☆

Let F be the rational field or a p-adic field, and let K an algebraic number field over F. If ω1,…, ωn is an integral basis for the ring DL of integers in K, then the quadratic form Q whose matrix is (traceK∥F(ωiωj)) has integral coefficients, and is called an integral trace-form. Q is determined by K up to integral equivalence. The purpose of this paper is to show that the genus of Q determines the ramification of primes in K.
Suppression of antigen-specific antibody responses in mice exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid: Role of PPARα and T- and B-cell targeting.

AbstractT-cell-dependent antibody responses (TDAR) are suppressed in female C57BL/6N mice exposed to ≥3.75 mg/kg of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) for 15 days. To determine if suppression of humoral immunity by PFOA is peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα)-dependent and if suppression is associated with specific targeting of T- or B-cells, three separate experiments were conducted: (1) female PPARα constitutive knockout (PPARα KO; B6.129S4-Ppartm1GonzN12) and wild-type controls (WT; C57BL/6-Tac) exposed to 0, 7.5, or 30 mg PFOA/kg for 15 days were immunized on Day 11 with a T-cell-dependent antigen and sera then collected for measures of antigen-specific IgM titers (TDAR) 5 days later; (2) female C57BL/6N WT mice exposed to 0, 0.94, 1.88, 3.75, or 7.5 mg PFOA/kg for 15 days were immunized with a T-cell-independent antigen on Day 11 and sera were then collected for analyses of antigen-specific IgM titers (TIAR) 7 days later; and (3) splenic lymphocyte phenotypes were assessed in unimmuniz...
Post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta—an incidental finding two decades later

Traumatic rupture of the aorta following blunt trauma is a well described entity. Rupture of the ascending aorta is frequently associated with concomitant cardiac damage and immediate death with few long-term survivors described in the literature. A case of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta discovered two decades after the initial injury is reported.
Development of a dynamic heart phantom prototype for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

With the advent of the technology in medical imaging, cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), a non-invasive procedure, has been used to determine diagnostic information on cardiac function. Given the inherent difficulty in imaging the heart in motion, many efforts have been made to improve cardiac motion tracking and eliminate motion related artifacts. A dynamic heart phantom (DHP) capable of simulating true physiological motions is critical for improving the quality of MR images. In our previous work, a DHP prototype utilizing electronic controls and hydraulic actuation was generated. While the test confirmed the validity of the actuation method, the precision and repeatability were not satisfying. In this work, we focused on redesigning the computer and motor controls, hydraulic system, rotation system, and phantom region to improve the precision and repeatability of the device with the integration of a fiber optic feedback system.
Structural distinction between a metasedimentary cover and an underlying basement in the 600-m.y.-old Pan-African domain of northwestern Nigeria, West Africa

Structural data from an area of gneisses, migmatites, and low-grade metasedimentary rocks in northwestern Nigeria suggest the presence of two contrasting structural styles, one simple and monocyclic and the other complex and polycyclic. The simple structural style is coextensive with one of two distinctive metasedimentary formations, the Birnin Gwari Schist Formation, which is interpreted as a sedimentary cover infolded during the Pan-African event into a basement of complex style consisting of the second metasedimentary formation, the Kushaka Schist Formation, and the gneisses and migmatites. This infolding may have occurred within the limits 730 to 650 m.y. ago, and it was followed by the 550- to 530-m.y.-ago epeirogenic uplift and cooling of the basement assemblage and the later emplacement of the Kusheriki granite 500 ± 4 m.y. ago. The gneissic and migmatitic basement of the Birnin Gwari Schist Formation includes ∼2000-m.y.-old Eburnean rocks, but neither the depositional nor metamorphic ages of the Kushaka Schist Formation are known.
Epidemiology of Persistent Coagulase Negative Staphylococcal Bacteremia in Newborn Intensive Care Infants.

BACKGROUND: Coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CONS) bacteremia is the most common nosocomial infection in most newborn intensive care units (NBICU). Infected infants have increased mortality, and morbidity compared to uninfected peers. At the University of Utah NBICU increasing numbers of infants have developed persistent (cultures positive for >48 hours after initiation of antibiotics to which organisms are susceptible in vitro) and prolonged persistent (positive for > 96 hours) CONS bacteremia. OBJECTIVE: To determine rates of persistent CONS bacteremia in NBICU infants in 2002–2003 and to compare risk factors for prolonged persistent vs. persistent CONS bacteremia. DESIGN/METHODS: A computerized microbiology database identified positive NBICU blood cultures from 1999–2003. Chart review of infants with CONS bacteremia documented possible risk factors for persistent and prolonged persistent infection in 2002–2003. Discrete variables were analyzed by chi-square for trend. Analysis for normally distributed continuous variables was by t-test, for non-normally distributed continuous variables by Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: From 2001–2003, the frequency of bacteremia due to all bacteria has remained stable (0.03/1000 patient days, p= 0.9). From 1999–2003, CONS bacteremia increased (0.3–0.8–0.7–0.9/1000 admissions, p 48 hours despite appropriate antibiotics) also increased (0.0–0.2–0.3–0.4–0.5/1000 admissions, p 96 hours. Significant differences were found in days of antibiotics prior to onset (p=0.03), feeding intolerance at onset (p=0.03), and ventilator days associated with CONS (p 96 hours with respect to prior days of antibiotic exposure, feeding intolerance, and CONS associated ventilator days. Differences were not found in gestational age, DOL onset, birth weight, indwelling central line in the 72 hours prior to CONS onset or time to full enteral feeds.
On the secondary production of galactic cosmic ray electrons

The differential energy spectrum and charge ratio of primary cosmic ray electrons produced by collisions of primary cosmic ray particles with the interstellar medium is calculated by means of the two temperature statistical model of high-energy interactions. Two realistic models for the primary cosmic ray flux are considered. Contributions to the primary cosmic ray electron intensity from both the pion and kaon decay modes have been included. The distribution of matter in the galaxy and energy loss of produced secondaries and electrons are considered. The results are compared to recent experimental data.
On the characterization of the dipolar spin-spin interaction in molecular systems: A symbolic matrix element approach

Abstract A procedure for constructing H ss C I using the symbolic matrix method introduced by Liu and Yoshimine has been developed. Here Ĥ ss is the dipolar spin-spin portion of the Breit-Pauli interaction and C I satisfies ( H 0 - E I 0 ) C I = 0 , where Ĥ 0 is the non-relativistic electronic Born-Oppenheimer Hamiltonian. This approach permits, for the first time, treatment of Ĥ ss in the large configuration state function (CSF) spaces (10 5 -10 6 terms) presently used in the context of direct CI methods for the characterization of the non-relativistic wavefunction Ψ I 0 = Σ α C α I ψ α . Benchmark calculations of λ ss the spin-spin contribution to the fine-structure splitting parameter, for the 3 Σ − states of NH and NF are reported. The effects of electron correlation on λ ss are considered.
Electromyographic studies of the lumbar trunk musculature during the generation of low-level trunk acceleration

An understanding of how the support mechanisms of the spine behave during lifting may yield insight into the loading of the spine under occupational conditions and help shed light on the etiology of low-back disorders. Previous controlled laboratory studies of spinal loadings have been limited to isometric and isokinetic conditions. To evaluate the behavior of the trunk during acceleration, we recorded intra-abdominal pressure and trunk muscle activities during low-level acceleration. Twenty subjects performed controlled accelerations of the trunk under different trunk loading conditions. Muscle activity decreased as acceleration increased; however, the rate of decrease differed among muscles (mean decrease, < or = 1% of maximum per 10 degrees/s2 increase in acceleration), with the activity of the erector spinae muscles decreasing the most (1.88% of the maximum per 10 degrees/s2 increase in acceleration). No changes in intra-abdominal pressure were found as a function of acceleration. Relative coactivation of the muscles increased; however, this was a function of increases in trunk velocity and torque.
Interaction of Integrin αIIbβ3 with Multiple Fibrinogen Domains during Platelet Adhesion

We have investigated how modulation of integrin alpha IIb beta 3 function influences the mechanisms that initiate platelet thrombus formation onto surface-bound fibrinogen and isolated fibrinogen domains. Under stationary conditions and with full activation of platelets blocked by prostaglandin E1, the carboxyl-terminal gamma 400-411 sequence is necessary for establishing initial contact with the immobilized substrate. Molecules containing a single copy of this sequence, like the plasmin-generated fibrinogen fragment D, support platelet spreading, but the resulting attachment to the surface is loose and disrupted by minimal peeling force. In contrast, platelets adhere firmly to intact fibrinogen under the same conditions, suggesting that recognition of contact sites outside a single D domain can secure the firm interaction not supported by a single gamma 400-411 sequence. If platelets are activated, the gamma 400-411 sequence is no longer necessary to initiate the adhesion process but becomes sufficient, even as a single copy, to mediate stable surface attachment in the absence of shear stress. Under conditions of flow, however, intact fibrinogen but not fragment D can support adhesion, regardless of whether platelets have the potential to become activated or not. These results indicate the functional relevance of multiple fibrinogen domains during the initial stages of the platelet adhesion process.
Outpatient Freezing of Retinal Breaks

Since the introduction of a practical cryoprobe in 1963, this modality has gradually replaced diathermy as a method for produc­ ing a chorioretinal adhesion in retinal sur­ gery. The early questions regarding the strength of the adhesion produced have been answered by the experimental studies of Lincoff and others and clinical experience. Among its advantages over diathermy is the ability to treat transconjunctivally and with­ out scierai dissection. This has extended the use of cryopexy to include the prophylactic treatment of anterior retinal tears without significant detachment. Several clinical and autopsy studies have pointed out the relatively high incidence of peripheral retinal breaks that occur without detachment. These results have shown that the majority of retinal breaks and degenera­ tive lesions need not be subjected to prophy­ lactic treatment. However, certain peripheral lesions carry a higher propensity toward progression to frank retinal separation, and there is general agreement that these lesions should be treated prophylactically.' Such higher risk lesions include extensive lattice degeneration with breaks along the posterior edge of the lesion in fellow eyes of patients with detachments, large or multiple breaks, breaks posterior to the equator, breaks in the superior temporal quadrant, and horseshoe tears. Other important factors are myopia, aphakia, vitreous hemorrhage, and a history of retinal detachment in the fellow eye or in the family. This report describes a method used at the University of Minnesota to treat high-risk lesions. The general philosophy regarding
Interpreting Audiences: Cultural Anthropology in Market Research

A popular topic of discussion these days is "cultural diversity," otherwise known as multiculturalism. There is growing recognition that North American society is no longer dominated, at least demographically, by the stereotypical White Anglo Saxon Protestant Male. Instead, our cities, suburbs, and hinterlads are populated with folks of many colors and cultures.
Grooming in the Norway rat: displacement activity or "boundary-shift"?

The self-grooming behavior of 11 domestic male Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) was observed in silence (control condition) and when recorded rat screams were introduced. Upon exposure to the auditory stimulus, significant increases over control levels were observed in the total grooming time, number of grooming bouts, percentage of the total grooming time attributable to face washing, and the number of sample periods in which grooming occurred. Nonsignificant increases were evident for the average bout duration and the absolute time spent face washing. Twenty subjects were then soiled unilaterally with 30 ml of a 2% aqueous agar solution; 10 of these were observed in silence (undisturbed) and 10 in the presence of rat screams (disturbed). Undisturbed subjects groomed the soiled body side significantly more than the intact (clean) side. Disturbed subjects, however, showed no such clear preference in laterality. It is concluded that exposure to auditory stimuli resulted in alterations of grooming behavior. Furthermore, while local pelage factors served to orient grooming in the undisturbed subjects, such factors played a lesser role among disturbed subjects. Although these results are superficially suggestive of a displacement activity, they are more adequately considered within the framework of a more dynamic view of motivational control.
Development and characterization of nanostructured-perlite-cementitious surface compounds

The effect of perlite loading on the thermal resistivity, solar reflectance and indirect tensile strength of Nanostructured Cementitious Binder is studied. The main objective of this research is to constitute structural lightweight surface compounds and to improve their thermal resistivity and reflectivity with suitable mechanical performances as a surface compound. Portland White Cement (PWC) was partially substituted by nano clay. An optimum blend of type I PWC, and nano clay was determined based on indirect tensile strength. The perlite dosage was added to the optimum cement-nano clay blend at different ratios (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70%) by weight. Superplasticizer with different ratios was used to study the performance of the 70% perlite mixture. The mixes were prepared using water of consistence. The wet compounds were molded in PVC molds and left for 24 h, then demolded and cured in humid air (20 ± 1 °C & 100% RH) for 28 days. The molds are 50 mm in diameter and 27 mm height. The thermal resistivity and indirect tensile strength of the different compounds were evaluated for the cured samples at 7 and 28 days. It was found that the 2% nano clay improved the indirect tensile strength of the neat PWC. As expected the addition of the perlite has reduced the indirect tensile strength but increased the thermal resistivity of the compound by 250%. The increase of perlite loading has not affected the solar reflectivity of the compound. Sokalan HP 80 polycarboxylate ether superplasticizer was successfully used to recover about 50% of the loss in the indirect tensile strength of the newly formulated Nanostructure Perlite Cementious Surface Compounds (NPCSC) containing 70% perlite loading.
Labor's Love Lost: Worker Militancy in Communist China

Communist parties rule in the name of the proletariat. But just as not all workers actively supported the revolutions that propelled many communist parties to ascendancy, so not all sectors of the proletariat have benefitted equally from the Marxist-Leninist regimes established in the wake of these revolutionary movements. The fact that only certain elements of labor participated enthusi astically in the revolutionary enterprise and only some laborers gained substantially from communist takeovers raises obvious questions. What was the relationship between labor's support for the revolution and the revolutionaries' subsequent promotion of the proletariat? Was party pa tronage after the consolidation of communist rule distributed along similar lines to those that had divided the work force during the revolutionary struggle? And how did such differentiation structure worker militancy un der communism?
Luminescence tribochromism and bright emission in gold(I) thiouracilate complexes.

New dinuclear Au(I) complexes containing bridging thiouracilate and bis(diphenylphosphino)methane ligands have been synthesized and characterized structurally and spectroscopically. The compounds exhibit a unique behavior of solid-state luminescence tribochromism in which photoemission turns on upon gentle grinding of the sample and a sensitivity to pH in fluid solution. The emissive form in the solid state exhibits a bright blue or cyan emission upon irradiating at 375 nm. Structural studies show that the nonemissive form of the complexes has an extended helical ···Au···Au···Au··· structure in the solid with weak aurophilic interactions, whereas the blue emissive form has a strong intermolecular aurophilic interaction in the solid that leads to an arrangement of dimers of dinuclear (Au2) complexes. Interconversion between the two forms can be carried out by either recrystallization for solid-state samples or by exposure to vapors of volatile acid or base for fluid solutions of the complexes.
Many-body levels of optically excited and multiply charged InAs nanocrystals modeled by semiempirical tight binding

Many-body levels of optically excited and multiply charged InAs nanocrystals are studied with the semiempirical tight-binding model. Single-particle levels of unstrained spherical InAs nanocrystals are described by the sp 3 d 5 s* nearest-neighbor tight-binding model including spin-orbit coupling. For optically excited InAs nanocrystals, first-order corrections of electron-hole Coulomb and exchange interaction to exciton levels and the oscillator strengths of the exciton levels determine several low-lying, bright-exciton levels. The origin of the large oscillator strengths of the bright exciton levels is explained by the analysis of dominant angular momenta of exciton envelope functions. Good agreement with photoluminescence excitation experiments is achieved for the size dependence of the three lowest bright-exciton energies of InAs nanocrystals with radius larger than 20 A. For multiply charged InAs nanocrystals, polarization of the nanocrystal environment is approximated by modeling the environment with a uniform dielectric medium. This polarization model incorporated into the tight-binding model provides a reasonable description of electron and hole addition energies in scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments.
Linked lexitropsins and the in vitro inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase RNA-directed DNA polymerization: a novel induced-fit of 3,5 m-pyridyl bisdistamycin to enzyme-associated template-primer.

Five classic DNA minor groove-binding drugs and a series of bis-linked lexitropsins based on netropsin and distamycin have been screened for their effectiveness in inhibiting transcription by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) on a poly(rA).oligo(dT) template-primer (TP). The two most effective drugs, 3,5 m-pyridyl-linked bisdistamycin (MPyr) and trans-vinyl-linked bisdistamycin (TVin), show (1) enhanced inhibition in reactions initiated with pre-incubated enzyme template-primer (ETP) and (2) reduced affinity for a "free" TP analog, when compared with the parent drug distamycin. All three drugs lack the ability to inhibit processive incorporation of nucleotide, suggesting drug intervention instead at initiation or termination of processive cycles. The two bis-linked drugs exhibit different kinetic behavior with reverse transcriptase's two substrates: template-primer and nucleotide. When primer is the variable substrate, TVin is partially noncompetitive and MPyr is dead-end competitive (Ki = 6.5 microM). With nucleotide as substrate, TVin is noncompetitive at low drug concentrations and MPyr is uncompetitive. Gel band mobility shift assays with MPyr indicate that the drug inhibits via entrapment of TP on the enzyme rather than displacement of TP from the enzyme surface. The conformation of nucleic acid is most likely altered upon MPyr binding, enhancing the induced fit of enzyme to hybrid duplex. The relevance of this novel mode of inhibition is considered in relation to enzyme association/dissociation with TP that occurs prior to (-)-DNA strand transfer, and to the structural implications of an enzyme-bound hybrid RNA/DNA nucleic acid.
A treatment strategy for postmyocardial sexual dysfunction

The resumption of sexual intimacy following myocardial infarction is a problem of concern to many patients. This paper describes one systematic effort at providing brief sexual counseling in conjunction with an ongoing medical rehabilitation program. Specific steps to intervention and a typical couple's experience are presented.
What is important when modeling the economic impact of energy efficiency standards

Abstract Energy efficiency standards are often cited as a potential economic driver for states that implement them. We identify the major factors that need to be included when determining the economic impact of energy efficiency standards and discuss how these determinants may be incorrectly estimated or ignored within the economic impact literature. Finally, we find that there is a tendency to over-estimate the economic impact of energy efficiency standards and that any jobs created may come at the cost of reduced employment in relatively well-paid sectors.
The effect of pass/fail grading and weekly quizzes on first-year students' performances and satisfaction.

BACKGROUND. In 1992–93 the University of Michigan Medical School revised its first-year curriculum. An evaluation system using honors, high-pass, pass, and fail grading and only two examinations (a midterm and a final) was replaced with a system using pass/fail grading and weekly quizzes in addition
Simplified graphical approach for complex PSA cycle scheduling

A simple, graphical, unit block approach for rapid complex pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycle scheduling has been developed. This new methodology involves a priori specifying the cycle steps, their sequence, and the number of beds, and then following a systematic procedure that requires filling in a 2-D grid. The outcome or solution is a unit block which can easily be extended to form the complete cycle schedule. This new approach has been tested successfully against several multi-bed and multi-step cycle schedules taken from the literature. It should thus be very useful for quickly scrutinizing different PSA cycle schedules for further PSA process development.
Making Sense of Settlement: Class Transformation, Cultural Struggle, and Transnationalism among Mexican Migrants in the United States

Mexicans have been migrating to the United States in significant numbers for more than a hundred years. From the outset, the great majority of this migration has been temporary and circular. Contrary to popular opinion, people have generally come for periods ranging from a few months to a couple of years and then returned home (Cockcroft 1982; Cornelius 1979). Since the late 1960s, however, there has been a marked growth in settlement. While temporary migration continues to predominate, it has become increasingly common for people to stay for extended periods and to establish new homes north of the border (Chavez 1988; Cornelius, in press). How should we understand the experiences of these recent settlers? What kinds of influence have they faced, and how have they responded? More importantly, how should we theorize and conceptualize their relationship to the contexts in which they have lived? For more than forty years, the ethnographically based literature on Mexican migration has been dominated by two closely related tendencies.' First, migration in general has been analyzed