cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P54 Youth CAN: Cultivating Community Change Through Youth-Driven Health Initiatives

Background The Youth CAN (Change.Activity.Nutrition.) project engages and empowers adolescents to become agents of change for health within their community. Students become active researchers through youth-led participatory action research (YPAR), an innovative approach to youth-driven community assessment and project development. Objective To engage low-income, urban youth to identify an issue; connect with community stakeholders; and propose, develop, and implement a community-based project to promote healthy eating and active living. Study Design, Setting, Participants Two cohorts of high school students were recruited to conduct community assessments; cohort 1 (n = 20) consisted of students from a neighborhood high school and cohort 2 (n = 30) included participants in a summer leadership program at a local, non-profit organization. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Youth shared their experiences through multiple mediums of YPAR: PhotoVoice (photography), Spoken Word (poetry), and Street Art (graffiti-style artwork). Project themes were compiled and used to facilitate discussions between youth and community stakeholders using the World Cafe method. Perceived barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and active living were explored and discussion outputs were synthesized into common themes to determine potential community-based projects. Results Students’ projects were displayed in an exhibit to inspire dialogue for the World Cafe. PhotoVoice (n = 32), Spoken Word (n = 8), and Street Art (n = 10) projects portrayed the lived experiences of youth in their community. The World Cafe consisted of discussions driven by youth (n = 20) with input from community stakeholders (n = 20). Themes included addressing the current school lunch environment, implementing community gardens, and introducing composting at schools. Students are currently working with community stakeholders and researchers to design and implement a community project. Conclusions Youth empowerment is fundamental in building connections within the community and yielding community projects to promote health. Future research efforts should incorporate multiple applications of YPAR into nutrition education programs to engage a broader youth audience.
Tertiary lymphoid structures with overlapping histopathologic features of cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma during neoadjuvant cemiplimab therapy are associated with antitumor response

The development of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy with anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/L1 monoclonal antibodies has led to a paradigm shift in cancer therapy. ICI neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery has become the standard of care for several advanced-stage cancers. The pathology associated with ICI therapy is vast and includes neoadjuvant-associated tissue reactions and activation of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) at the site of the tumor bed and off-target immune-related adverse events (irAEs). TLSs are thought to recapitulate lymph node function and may act as localized immune machinery to mount an antitumor response. B cell activation in TLSs during neoadjuvant ICI therapy has been correlated with antitumor response. We report a patient with a history of sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant ICI cemiplimab who developed clonal expansion of B cells in the TLSs of the tumor bed. The TLSs morphologically mimicked a low-grade B cell lymphoma with plasmacytic differentiation. Awareness of clonal expansion of B cells in TLSs during neoadjuvant ICI therapy is critical to recognize a response to ICI therapy and to avoiding an incorrect diagnosis of low-grade B cell lymphoma. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Multimodal Mobile Sleep Intervention for Young Adults Engaged in Risky Drinking: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background This paper describes the research protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a multimodal mobile sleep intervention for heavy-drinking young adults. Young adults report the highest rates of heavy, risky alcohol consumption and are a priority population for alcohol prevention and intervention efforts. Alcohol strategies that leverage other health concerns and use technology may offer an innovative solution. Poor sleep is common among young adults and is a risk factor for developing an alcohol use disorder. Moreover, young adults are interested in information to help them sleep better, and behavioral sleep interventions address alcohol use as a standard practice. Objective The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a 2-week multimodal mobile sleep intervention for reducing drinks consumed per week among heavy-drinking young adults. We will explore the effects on alcohol-related consequences, assessing quantitative and qualitative sleep characteristics as secondary aims. The study's goals are to identify the optimal combination of sleep intervention components for improving drinking outcomes, the feasibility and acceptability of these components, and the potential mechanisms by which these components may promote alcohol behavior change. Methods Young adults (aged 18-25 years) who report recent heavy drinking will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: mobile sleep hygiene advice (n=30), mobile sleep hygiene advice and sleep and alcohol diary self-monitoring (n=30), or mobile sleep hygiene advice, sleep and alcohol diary self-monitoring, and sleep and alcohol data feedback (n=60). For the feedback component, participants will complete two web-based sessions with a health coach during which they will receive summaries of their sleep and alcohol data, and the potential association between them along with brief advice tailored to their data. All participants will wear sleep and alcohol biosensors daily for 2 weeks for objective assessments of these outcomes. Results The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health in May 2018. Recruitment began in December 2018 and will be concluded in Spring 2021. As of February 4, 2021, we have enrolled 110 participants. Conclusions Ultimately, this research could result in an efficacious, low-cost intervention with broad population reach through the use of technology. In addition, this intervention may substantially impact public health by reducing alcohol use disorder risk at a crucial developmental stage. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03658954; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03658954. International registered report identifier (irrid) DERR1-10.2196/26557.
An Analysis of Data Collection Tools Used When Completing Functional Vision Assessments

Introduction:This study analyzed 39 data collection tools used by teachers of students with visual impairments when completing functional vision assessments (FVAs).Methods:In 2017, teachers of stud...
Bone resorption goes green.

In this issue of Cell, McDonald et al. show that giant multinucleated, bone-resorbing osteoclasts dissolve into smaller cells, termed "osteopmorhs," which re-form into osteoclasts at distal bone sites (McDonald et al., 2021). These findings overturn the long-standing premise that osteoclasts differentiate solely from hematopoietic precursors and undergo apoptosis after completing resorption.
Learning Topology: Bridging Computational Topology and Machine Learning

Topology is a classical branch of mathematics, born essentially from Euler’s studies in the XVII century, which deals with the abstract notion of shape and geometry. Last decades were characterised by a renewed interest in topology and topology-based tools, due to the birth of computational topology and Topological Data Analysis (TDA). A large and novel family of methods and algorithms computing topological features and descriptors (e.g. persistent homology) have proved to be effective tools for the analysis of graphs, 3d objects, 2D images, and even heterogeneous datasets. This survey is intended to be a concise but complete compendium that, offering the essential basic references, allows you to orient yourself among the recent advances in TDA and its applications, with an eye to those related to machine learning and deep learning.
Orchard Management and Landscape Context Mediate the Floral Microbiome of Pear

Crop-associated microbiota are key factors affecting host health and productivity. Most crops are grown within heterogeneous landscapes, and interactions between management practices and landscape context often affect plant and animal biodiversity in agroecosystems. However, whether these same factors typically affect crop-associated microbiota is less clear. Here, we assessed whether orchard management strategies and landscape context affected bacterial and fungal communities in pear (Pyrus communis) flowers. We found that bacteria and fungi responded differently to management schemes. Organically-certified orchards had higher fungal diversity in flowers than conventional or bio-based integrated pest management (IPM) orchards, but organic orchards had the lowest bacterial diversity. Orchard management scheme also best predicted the distribution of several important bacterial and fungal genera that either cause or suppress disease, with organic and bio-based IPM best explaining the distributions of bacterial and fungal genera, respectively. Moreover, patterns of bacterial and fungal diversity were affected by interactions between management, landscape context, and climate. When examining the similarity of bacterial and fungal communities across sites, both abundance- and taxa-related turnover were mediated primarily by orchard management scheme and landscape context, and specifically the amount of land in cultivation. Our study reveals local- and landscape-level drivers of floral microbiome structure in a major fruit crop, providing insights that can inform microbiome management to promote host health and high-yielding quality fruit.IMPORTANCE.In tree fruits, proper crop management during bloom is essential for producing disease-free fruit. Tree fruits are often grown in heterogeneous landscapes; however, few studies have assessed whether landscape context and crop management affect the floral microbiome, which plays a critical role in shaping plant health and disease tolerance. Such work is key for identification of tactics and/or contexts where beneficial microbes proliferate, and pathogenic microbes are limited. Here, we characterize the floral microbiome of pear crops in Washington State, USA, where major production occurs in inter-mountain valleys and basins with variable elevation and microclimates. Our results show that both local- (crop management) and landscape-level (habitat types and climate) factors affect floral microbiota, but in disparate ways for each kingdom. More broadly, these findings can potentially inform microbiome management in orchards for promotion of host health and high-quality yields.
Improving Learning: Using a Learning Progression to Coordinate Instruction and Assessment

We describe the development and implementation of a learning progression specifying transitions in reasoning about data and statistics when middle school students are inducted into practices of visualizing, measuring, and modeling the variability inherent in processes ranging from repeated measure to production to organismic growth. A series of design studies indicated that inducting students into these approximations of statistical practice supported the development of statistical reasoning. Conceptual change was supported by close coordination between assessment and instruction, where changes in students’ ways of thinking about data and statistics were illuminated as progress along six related constructs. Each construct was developed iteratively during the course of design research as we became better informed about the forms of thinking that tended to emerge as students were inducted into how statisticians describe and analyze variability. To illustrate how instruction and assessment proceeded in tandem, we consider progress in one construct, Modeling Variability. For this construct, we describe how learning activities supported the forms of conceptual change envisioned in the construct, and how conceptual change was indicated by items specifically designed to target levels of the construct map. We show how student progress can be monitored and summatively assessed using items and empirical maps of items’ locations compared to student locations (called Wright maps), and how some items were employed formatively by classroom teachers to further student learning.
Right hemicolectomy for ileocolonic intussusception in an adult with active COVID-19 infection: a case report

The most common symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are fevers, fatigue and dry cough. However, growing data suggest gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations occur in the majority of patients. Small bowel obstruction remains a significant cause of surgical abdominal emergencies in the adult population, although most cases are secondary to adhesive disease. We present a case of ileocolonic intussusception in an adult with active COVID-19 infection. Our patient presented with small bowel obstruction 4 days after diagnosis of COVID-19 with typical respiratory symptoms. Imaging revealed ileocolonic intussusception and possible cecal mass for which a right hemicolectomy was performed. Recovery was unremarkable. Pathology suggested necrosis without an identifiable mass. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of small bowel obstruction secondary to ileocolonic intussusception in an adult related to GI manifestation of COVID-19.
Positive Youth Development in the Digital Age: Expanding PYD to Include Digital Settings

Positive Youth Development (PYD) has called attention to the dynamic interactions between youth and settings as critical to their growth and development. In-person settings (e.g., peer, family, school, and community) have been the primary focus of previous research and practice. This chapter introduces the digital setting as salient to today’s youth growth and development and argues for the integration of such setting into PYD models, measures, and practices. We first summarize the current literature that predominantly views digital settings from a risk lens. Next, we highlight existing studies to suggest PYD can and does occur in digital settings. We then make recommendations for adopting a PYD lens to the digital space in order to harness the potential of this space for promoting youth identity exploration, social and emotional skill development, relationship building, self-directed learning, agency, and advocacy. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for research, policy, and practice.
Use of Situational Judgment Tests to Teach Empathy, Assertiveness, Communication, and Ethics.

Objective. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop SJT scenarios for use in teaching empathy, assertiveness, and interprofessional communication in second-year pharmacy (P2) students, and ethics in third-year (P3) pharmacy students, (2) determine if SJTs developed were effective at measuring student’s communication skills and ethical judgment, (3) compare the performance of individual P3 students to the performance of teams of P3 students on the ethics SJT and (4) evaluate student feedback about SJTs as a teaching tool. Methods. Pharmacy faculty developed five SJT scenarios related to communications and five SJT scenarios related to ethics and piloted the scenarios with P2 and P3 students, respectively. P2 students completed SJTs individually while P3 students completed theirs individually and as a team. Scenarios and responses were discussed with faculty after completion of the SJT. Students completed a questionnaire to provide feedback on the SJT. Results. The communications SJT was completed by 59 P2 students with a mean score of 67.5% and reliability of α=0.594. The ethics SJT was completed by 57 P3 students with a mean score of 80.1% and reliability of α=0.789. The ethics SJT was also completed by 10 teams of P3 students resulting in a mean score of 93.2%. Students indicated the SJT content was realistic and the tests provided the opportunity to reflect on how to approach challenging situations. Conclusion. SJTs were useful for teaching empathy, assertiveness, interprofessional communication, and ethics in pharmacy students. Future research should focus on predictive validity of SJTs for these content areas.
The Significance of Variations in the Strontium Content of Deep Sea Cores

An Atlantic equatorial eupelagic core, Lamont A180-76, was systematically analyzed for strontium and calcium at 10-cm intervals down the core. The globigerina contribution to the core was found to contain essentially a constant strontium-to-calcium ratio independent of depth in the core. When the globigerina contribution to the strontium and calcium contents of the core are subtracted, a variation in the strontium-to-calcium ratio for the fine fraction is observed which is related to the Ericson temperature curve for the core—the high strontium-to-calcium ratio corresponding to a time of high surface ocean temperature. It is postulated that this sympathetic variation is best explained as the representation of the relative abundance of celestite tests secreted by an acantharian radiolaria. If the carbonate and lutite sedimentation rates are sensibly constant, then Acantharia productivity is temperature dependent. On the other hand, recent work has shown that the rate of sedimentation in the Atlantic equatorial region during the last glacial period was twice as high as the present rate. Since the strontium-to-calcium ratio of the fine fraction is roughly half as great for glacial time relative to recent times, this may be interpreted as the expression of a constant rate of celestite deposition.
Precipitation in ion-implanted Al during electron beam pulsed annealing

We have used TEM and ion channeling to examine the microstructure of Al implanted with Zn or Sb following pulsed electron beam annealing with deposited energies of 0.7–1.6 J/cm 2 . The Zn-implanted samples show a high density of dislocations in the near surface region. Zn precipitation is not seen in the electron diffraction patterns. For Sb, randomly oriented AlSb precipitates are observed, and precipitation is inferred to have occurred in molten Al. This is accounted for with the Al-Sb binary phase diagram.
A critical role for endocytosis in Wnt signaling

The Wnt signaling pathway regulates many processes during embryonic development, including axis specification, organogenesis, angiogenesis, and stem cell proliferation. Wnt signaling has also been implicated in a number of cancers, bone density maintenance, and neurological conditions during adulthood. While numerous Wnts, their cognate receptors of the Frizzled and Arrow/LRP5/6 families and downstream pathway components have been identified, little is known about the initial events occurring directly after receptor activation. We show here that Wnt proteins are rapidly endocytosed by a clathrin- and dynamin-mediated process. While endocytosis has traditionally been considered a principal mechanism for receptor down-regulation and termination of signaling pathways, we demonstrate that interfering with clathrin-mediated endocytosis actually blocks Wnt signaling at the level of β-catenin accumulation and target gene expression. A necessary component of Wnt signaling occurs in a subcellular compartment distinct from the plasma membrane. Moreover, as internalized Wnts transit partially through the transferrin recycling pathway, it is possible that a "signaling endosome" serves as a nexus for activated Wnt pathway components.
Surgical salvage improves overall survival for patients with HPV-positive and HPV-negative recurrent locoregional and distant metastatic oropharyngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) tumor status and surgical salvage are associated with improved prognosis for patients with recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Current data regarding types of surgery and the impact of surgery for patients with distant metastatic disease are limited. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with recurrent OPSCC from 2 institutions between 2000 and 2012 was performed. p16 immunohistochemistry and/or in situ hybridization, as clinically available, were used to determine HPV tumor status. Clinical characteristics, distribution of recurrence site, and treatment modalities were compared by HPV tumor status. Overall survival (OS) was examined using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards methods. RESULTS: The current study included 108 patients with 65 locoregional and 43 distant metastatic first recurrences. The majority of patients were HPV-positive (80 patients). HPV-positive tumor status was associated with longer time to disease recurrence (P<.01). Anatomic site distribution of disease recurrences did not differ by HPV tumor status. HPV-positive tumor status (adjusted HR [aHR], 0.23; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.09-0.58 [P 5.002]), longer time to disease recurrence (1 year; aHR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18-0.74 [P 5.006]), and surgical salvage (aHR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.12-0.61 [P 5.002]) were found to be independently associated with OS after disease recurrence. Surgical salvage was independently associated with improved OS compared with nonsurgical treatment among patients with both locoregional (aHR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.04-0.56 [P 5.005]) and distant (aHR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.05-0.75 [P 5.018]) metastatic disease recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical salvage was found to be associated with improved OS for patients with recurrent locoregional and distant metastatic OPSCC, independent of HPV tumor status. Further prospective data are needed to confirm the role of surgical salvage for distant metastases. Cancer 2015;121:1977-84. V C 2015 American Cancer Society.
OPIOIDS MOBILIZE CALCIUM FROM INOSITOL 1,4,5-TRISPHOSPHATE-SENSITIVE STORES IN NG108-15 CELLS

Opioids elicit an increase in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid NG108–15 cells, which, depending upon growth conditions, results from either Ca2+ influx in differentiated cells or Ca2+ release from internal stores in undifferentiated cells (Jin et al., 1992). In this report we describe fura-2-based digital imaging studies that demonstrate that opioid- evoked Ca2+ release in these cells results from the activation of phospholipase C (PLC) and subsequent mobilization of the inositol 1,4,5- trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive store. D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin (DA-DLE) evoked concentration-dependent increases in [Ca2+]i (EC50 approximately equal to 4 nM). The response was blocked by naloxone (1 microM). In single cells, sequential application of selective opioid agonists (10 nM) evoked responses of the rank order DADLE = D-Pen2, D-Pen5- enkephalin (DPDPE) > trans-(+/-) 3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-[1- pyrrolidinyl]cyclohexyl) benzeneacetamide (U50488) > D-ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly5-ol-enkephalin (DAMGO), consistent with activation of a delta- opioid receptor. Forty percent (n = 198) of the cells responded to 100 nM DADLE with a net [Ca2+]i increase of 483 +/- 40 nM. Bradykinin (100 nM) elicited a response in 91% of the cells with a mean net amplitude of 707 +/- 36 nM. The DADLE-evoked responses were not blocked by removal of extracellular Ca2+; instead, they were abolished by treatment with 10 nM thapsigargin, an agent that depletes and prevents refilling of IP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores. A 1 microM concentration of U73122, an aminosteroid inhibitor of PLC, completely blocked the DADLE- evoked [Ca2+]i increase, while an inactive analog, U73433, was without effect. To explore the possible role of G-proteins in mediating opioid- induced [Ca2+]i increases in NG108–15 cells, we pretreated cells with pertussis or cholera toxin; pertussis toxin blocked the opioid-induced response while cholera toxin was without effect, consistent with a Gi- or Go-mediated effect. Activation of the opioid inhibitory pathway previously described for these cells appears to stimulate the phosphoinositide (PI) cascade as well. Including the PI cascade among the multiple second messenger systems modulated by opioids may be key to understanding the biochemical events that underlie acute and chronic opioid action.
Long-term survival for patients with metabolic syndrome after bioprosthetic or mechanical valve replacement.

Background Metabolic diseases are thought to negatively impact the long-term survival of cardiac patients and have been shown to be associated with reduced durability of bioprosthetic heart valves. The purpose of this study is to determine whether long-term survival of post-valve replacement patients is affected by the presence of metabolic disease, and whether choice of tissue versus mechanical prosthesis impacts survival. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all isolated valve replacements performed between 2002 and 2011 from the STS adult cardiac database of Emory Healthcare Hospitals. A total of 1,222 cases were reviewed, of which 909 patients had AVR (661 tissue, 248 mechanical), and 313 MVR (190 tissue, 123 mechanical). Cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS), in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, was present in 242 of 1,222 (19.8%) cases in entire cohort, 203 of 909 (22.3%) in AVR, and 39 of 313 (12.5%) in MVR. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to calculate long-term survival after adjusting for propensity score (PS), Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality (STS PROM), and direct covariates for valve and implant type and stratifying by CMS. Results In PS adjusted AVR, patients with CMS risk factors had worse survival compared to metabolic risk-free patients (AHR = 3.47), as was the case for MVR (AHR = 4.06). Tissue MVR patients with CMS had higher hazard of death compared to patients with no diabetes and no metabolic risk factors after adjusting for PROM (AHR = 3.33) and direct covariates (AHR = 3.91). Conclusions Metabolic diseases negatively impact long-term survival of aortic and mitral valve replacement (MVR) patients. Tissue prostheses are associated with worse long-term survival following MVR. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12246 (J Card Surg 2014;29:26-34)
Factors Affecting the Design and Implementation of a Workable Community Noise Ordinance

Municipal governments have the power to restrict the operation and use of many noise sources within their areas of jurisdiction. The success of programs to regulate community noise depends upon a number of factors: (a) identification of major noise sources; (b) training of personnel; (c) funding available for implementation and continued enforcement; (d) success in overcoming legal challenges; and (e) education of and support from the public. This paper summarizes the types of noise legislation available to communities and describes their primary features. Design of effective and enforceable noise regulations for smaller communities with limited resources is emphasized. Methods for avoiding community noise problems, including prediction of noise levels, land-use planning, and zoning ordinances, are discussed briefly.
Engaged Pedagogy Dialogue and Critical Reflection

This article challenges faculty to adopt “engaged pedagogies” that are grounded in dialogue and critical reflection. It first situates this challenge in the academic culture where the scholarship of teaching is given little attention. Then it highlights the importance of conversation, a fundamental aspect of dialogue, and develops the radical character of dialogical teaching. The article then turns to ways in which critical reflection might foster dialogue.
Liquid chromatographic separation of the enantiomers of cyclic β-amino esters as their N-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl derivatives

Abstract A variety of cyclic N-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl β-amino esters has been synthesized and resolved by chiral HPLC. The β-amino esters were derived from β-lactams formed by the [2+2] cycloaddition of N-chlorosulfonyl isocyanate with simple olefins. Chromatographic separation of the enantiomers of these N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-β-amino esters on three π-basic chiral stationary phases is described and the origin of the observed chiral recognition considered.
Topiramate enhances GABA-mediated chloride flux and GABA-evoked chloride currents in murine brain neurons and increases seizure threshold

The anticonvulsant topiramate is effective in laboratory animals against maximal electroshock seizures, amygdala kindling, and spike-wave discharges and has demonstrated efficacy in humans for the treatment of complex partial seizures. However, its mechanism of action has yet to be clearly elucidated. When the chloride-sensitive fluorescent probe N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide (MQAE) was used as a tool for estimating the effect of anticonvulsant drugs on GABA receptor function, topiramate was observed to enhance GABA-stimulated chloride (Cl-) flux. At a therapeutic concentration, topiramate (10 microM) enhanced GABA-stimulated (10 microM) Cl- influx into cerebellar granule neurons but did not significantly increase Cl- influx alone. Phenytoin (10 microM) and acetazolamide (300 microM) did not enhance GABA-stimulated Cl- influx. In patch-clamp electrophysiological studies, topiramate also enhanced GABA-evoked whole cell Cl- currents in mouse cerebral cortical neurons in culture. In vivo anticonvulsant studies confirmed that topiramate, like phenytoin, is primarily effective against tonic extension seizures induced by maximal electroshock and is ineffective against clonic seizures induced by the subcutaneously administered chemoconvulsants pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), bicuculline (Bic), and picrotoxin (Pic). In contrast to phenytoin, topiramate, at a dose equivalent to the MES median effective dose (ED50), was found to elevate seizure threshold as estimated by the intravenous PTZ seizure threshold test. Taken together these results support the conclusion that enhancement of GABA-mediated Cl- flux may represent one mechanism that contributes to the anticonvulsant activity of topiramate.
New heteroscorpionate ligands with hydrogen bond donor and acceptor groups: synthesis, characterization and reactivity with divalent Co, Zn and Ni ions

Abstract Three new N2O heteroscorpionate ligands designated L6OH, L7OH and L9OH, containing either appended hydrogen bond donating or accepting residues have been synthesized and characterized. Metal complexes of these ligands with Co(II) and Ni(II) have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. A facile decomposition pathway leading to C–N bond cleavage and isolation of metal pyrazole complexes was also identified.
Pipeline unplugging experiments with the Fluidic Wave-Action Technology

Abstract A 7.62-cm diameter pipeline network was built at Florida International University in order to facilitate data acquisition for design optimization and performance evaluation of a pipeline unplugging technology by NuVision Engineering that was based on the fluidic wave-erosion principle. Three types of plug materials were used at three different test bed lengths (86.87, 189.28, and 547.73 m) to determine the effectiveness of the technology with respect to pipeline length. Erosion rates were determined for each plug type and at each test bed length. Although some correlation was observed between erosion rates and other test parameters, the parameters that directly influenced it were not easily discernible. The unplugging technology was observed to create an amplification of pressure at the plug location which was correlated to the process control parameters (i.e. an increase in drive time for the same drive pressure will increase the amplification factor an increase in suction time will decrease the amplification factor). It was also noted that the cavity size affected the amplification factor and resulting wave speeds. A numerical method based on the Method of Characteristics was used to predict the pressure and flow rates generated by the fluid transients caused by unplugging technology in the pipe. It was found that the results obtained from the numerical model was in good agreement with the pressure variation measured in the pipeline and that the modeling can be used to predict unplugging performance at longer pipelines.
Opinion change as a function of stress and communicator credibility

Abstract An experiment investigating the effects of audience stress and communicator credibility on opinion change was conducted. High and low stress and high-relevant, high-irrelevant, and low communicator credibility comprised a 2 × 3 factorial design. The nature of the stress was unrelated to the topic of the communication. Sixty subjects were each randomly assigned to one of the six experimental conditions. It was predicted that differences in communicator credibility would lead to differences in opinion change under low stress, and that under high stress opinion change would not be affected significantly by differences in communicator credibility. The results supported these predictions.
Mixing and oceanic productivity

Abstract An unusual oceanographic event in 1969 has allowed us to investigate how nutrients are mixed into the euphotic zone of the oligotrophic central gyre of the North Pacific. A doubling of the rate of primary production and a significant increase in the standing crop of zooplankton were the original evidence. Our interpretation of these and of the physical data has led us to believe that a mixing episode, or rather a series of small mixing events, took place. We hypothesize that the mixing was upward from below the euphotic zone rather than downward from the surface. We observed a layer where the depth variance of isotherms was at a maximum. This was also a maximum in the frequency of temperature inversions. While the layer could be due to a large number of intrusions of water of anomalous temperatures and therefore at a given density anomalous salinity, our T-S diagrams do not indicate that such anomalous salinities were present. Thus we interpret the depth variance of the isotherm layer as being the result of up and down movement of the water, perhaps internal waves. Although present in other years, this layer was shoaler in 1969, bringing it to the top of the nutricline and closer to the bottom of the euphotic zone. We suggest that shear induced turbulence or breaking internal waves, or both, may act as a nutrient pump in an otherwise stably stratified water column.
Synthesis and structure‐activity studies of some antitumor congeners of L‐canavanine

A number of congeners of the antitumor compound L-canaline, [l-2-amino-4-(aminooxy)butyric acid], a structural analog of L-ornithine, have been synthesized and their growth-inhibitory effects evaluated in cultured MIA-PaCa-2 cells, a human pancreatic adenosarcoma, by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The results indicate that L-canaline congeners in which the carbon chain length has been increased by one methylene unit exhibit a significant loss in cytotoxicity relative to the parent compound. Congeners in which the carbon chain length is decreased by one methylene unit retain the cytotoxicity of the parent compound against cultured MIA-PaCa-2 cells. Loss of the aminooxy or α-amino group of L-canaline severely curtails cell growth-inhibitory activity. With the exception of the n-octyl ester, esterification of L-canaline with simple alcohols has little effect on overall growth-inhibiting activity. It is noteworthy that the unnatural D-enantiomer of canaline is as deleterious to MIA-PaCa-2 cell growth as the naturally occurring L-enantiomer. Drug Dev. Res. 47:170–177, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Libraries in continental Europe: the 40s and the 90s

Purpose – Part of the “JDoc at 60” series, this paper aims to discuss, evaluate and compare writings on the state of libraries in Continental Europe in the 1940s and the 1990s.Design/methodology/approach – Four papers published in Journal of Documentation, three from 1945 and one from 1994, are analysed and compared, and their significance discussed.Findings – Finds that there are similarities and differences between the situation facing European libraries at the end of the 1939‐1945 war, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union.Originality/value – Both historical and current policy perspectives are included.
Analysis of function and predictors of failure in women undergoing repair of Crohn's related rectovaginal fistula.

Crohn’s-related rectovaginal fistulae have significant impact on quality of life including sexual function. The aim of this study was to obtain long-term follow-up of Crohn’s related rectovaginal fistulae to assess variables that influence surgical success and determine its effects on quality of life and sexual function. All women with Crohn’s-related rectovaginal fistulas who underwent surgical repair from 1997 to 2007 were contacted for long-term follow-up. Variables assessed were age, body mass index, smoking, presence of active Crohn’s disease, type of surgical procedure performed, use of perioperative seton or stoma, number of previous procedures, time interval between last repair and current repair, use of immunomodulators, and steroids. SF-12, Fecal Incontinence Quality-of-Life Scale, and Female Sexual Function Index were used to assess quality of life and sexual function. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify variables associated with surgical failure. Sixty-five women were identified at median follow-up of 44.6 months (interquartiles, 13.1–79.1) of which 30 patients (46.2%) were successfully healed. Methods of repair included advancement flap (n = 47), episioproctotomy (n = 8), colo-anal anastomosis (n = 7), and fibrin glue or plug (n = 3). Twenty-eight women (43.1%) were sexually active at follow-up, and of those, nine complained of dyspareunia, all within the unhealed group of patients. On multivariate analysis, only immunomodulators were associated with successful healing (p = 0.009). Smoking and steroids were associated with failure (p = 0.04). Sexual function and quality-of-life scores were comparable between healed and unhealed groups. Crohn’s-related rectovaginal fistulae are difficult to treat. Healing increased with use of immunomodulators; however, smoking and steroids were predictors of failure. Dyspareunia was higher in unhealed women.
Clinical outcomes and fate of the distal aorta following 1-stage repair of extensive chronic thoracic aortic dissection

Objective To analyze clinical outcomes and distal segmental aortic growth and aortic reoperation rates following 1-stage open repair of extensive chronic aortic dissection that included resection and graft replacement of the aneurysmal descending thoracic aorta. Methods Among 68 patients undergoing extensive 1-stage repair of chronic aortic dissection that included the ascending aorta, arch, and varying lengths of the descending thoracic aorta, 66 were hospital survivors (early mortality 2.9%). Fifty-one of these patients (77%) had serial imaging studies suitable for calculation of growth rates of the remaining thoracic and upper abdominal aorta. The mean duration of follow-up was 5.8 years and extended to 13.7 years. Results The overall growth rate of the distal aorta for the entire cohort was 0.10 mm/year. For 28 patients followed for >5 years, the growth rate was 0.03 mm/year. Three patients required reoperation on the contiguous thoracic or abdominal aorta for aneurysmal degeneration 8 months, 34 months, and 6.2 years postoperatively. Actuarial freedom from reoperation for aneurysmal growth of the distal aorta at 5 and 10 years was 96.3% and 93.3%, respectively. Actuarial freedom from any aortic reoperation at 5 years and 10 years was 88.6% and 82.7%, respectively. Actuarial survival at 5, 7, and 10 years was 78.2%, 71.2%, and 57.3%, respectively. Conclusions Our extended experience with the 1-stage procedure confirms its safety and feasibility for treatment of extensive chronic thoracic aortic dissection. It is associated with a low incidence of reoperation on the contiguous aorta for aneurysmal degeneration. It represents a viable alternative to 2-stage and hybrid procedures that are also used to treat this condition.
Isomeric Forms of Heavier Main Group Hydrides: Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the [Sn(Ar)H]2 (Ar = Terphenyl) System

A series of symmetric divalent Sn(II) hydrides of the general form [(4-X−Ar‘)Sn(μ-H)]2 (4-X−Ar‘ = C6H2-4-X-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-iPr2)2; X = H, MeO, tBu, and SiMe3; 2, 6, 10, and 14), along with the more hindered asymmetric tin hydride (3,5-iPr2−Ar*)SnSn(H)2(3,5-iPr2−Ar*) (16) (3,5-iPr2−Ar* = 3,5-iPr2−C6H-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-iPr3)2), have been isolated and characterized. They were prepared either by direct reduction of the corresponding aryltin(II) chloride precursors, ArSnCl, with LiBH4 or iBu2AlH (DIBAL), or via a transmetallation reaction between an aryltin(II) amide, ArSnNMe2, and BH3·THF. Compounds 2, 6, 10, and 14 were obtained as orange solids and have centrosymmetric dimeric structures in the solid state with long Sn···Sn separations of 3.05 to 3.13 A. The more hindered tin(II) hydride 16 crystallized as a deep-blue solid with an unusual, formally mixed-valent structure wherein a long Sn−Sn bond is present [Sn−Sn = 2.9157(10) A] and two hydrogen atoms are bound to one of the tin atoms. The Sn−H hydrogen atoms...
Evaluation of J.C. Eldredge popcorn collection for resistance to corn earworm, fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Discovery that popcorn (Zea mays L.) PI 340856 was resistant to corn earworm ( Heliothis zea (Boddie)) led us to evaluate 34 additional lines developed by J. C. Eldredge for resistance to corn earworm, European corn borer (Ostrinta nubtlalis (Hubner)), and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith). The 35 lines were evaluated for corn earworm resistance in the field with artificial infestation at Ames, Iowa, and Tifton, Ga., and with natural infestation at Hermiston, Oreg. None of the lines was better than the resistant check, ‘Zapalote Chico’ (PI 217413), at any of the three locations. Several lines had significantly better damage ratings than the susceptible checks. A bioassay of these materials for corn earworm resistance was run in the laboratory at Ames and Tifton by adding dried maize silks to laboratory diets and monitoring insect growth and development. Six lines were evaluated as resistant at both locations. In the field at Ames, two of these six lines were rated resistant to European corn borer. Fall armyworm field resistance ratings at Tifton indicated that one line was resistant after 7 d, but it was intermediate after 14 d. The J. C. Eldredge collection of popcorns provides sources of antibiosis to corn earworm and European corn borer and is available for use by plant breeders. Corn earworm resistance may be enhanced by breeding for husk protection, which may provide an environment that will capitalize on the antibiotic factors found in the maize silks.
Separating preferential and matrix flows using subsurface tile flow data 1

Abstract Preferential flow is primary mechanism for faster movement of agricultural chemicals to groundwater. Subsurface tile flow data were used to quantify the contributions of preferential flow and matrix flow at the field scale over time. Tile flow hydrographs were constructed using hourly tile flow data related to rainfall events that were equal to or greater than 25.4 mm. A hydrograph separation technique was applied to separate preferential and matrix flow components of the subsurface tile flows. On the average, preferential flow was found to contribute about 13% of the total subsurface tile outflow for all the rain events, and an annual contribution of 10–20% is reasonable approximation. However, considerable spatial and temporal variability was observed, even among contiguous plots. Preferential flow for some rain storms was found to be as high as 60% of the total subsurface tile flow. This study also indicated that for storms greater than or equal to 25.4 mm, the subsurface tile outflow, on the ...
Rates of cancellous bone remodeling and turnover in osteopenia associated with primary biliary cirrhosis

Osteoporosis and fracturing are well-recognized manifestations of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), but the abnormalities of bone remodeling and turnover that result in bone loss are poorly understood. We used dynamic histomorphometric techniques to measure tissue level rates of cancellous bone resorption, formation, and turnover in 12 premenopausal women with PBC and in 12 normal premenopausal women. We compared these values with estimates of bone resorption and formation obtained concurrently in the same subjects by radiocalcium kinetics and biochemical markers. Rates of bone turnover were analyzed as a function of a risk score that reflects the severity of hepatic disease and cholestasis (Mayo proportional-hazards model). Positive correlations were observed between tissue level and whole skeletal estimates of bone remodeling. At the remodeling site (bone multicellular unit [BMU]), the depth of eroded lacunae was unaltered by PBC, but wall thickness was decreased. At the level of bone tissues, mean bone turnover was increased in PBC patients but varied widely and increased as hepatic disease and cholestasis worsened. We conclude that PBC causes a reduction in the volume of bone formed at the remodeling site and that the overall level of bone remodeling and turnover in PBC is strongly influenced by the severity of hepatic disease and cholestasis. We hypothesize that the rate of bone loss in PBC may be decreased by therapeutic agents that slow bone turnover, and that further bone loss may be halted by liver transplantation.
Persistence in Prayer: Luke 18:1–8:

The Parable of the Persistent Widow, Luke 18:1–8, gives us a reason to keep on trusting and praying, “Thy kingdom come,” even as we wait in a world where the “already” of God's victory at the cross has not fully supplanted the “not yet” that we see in a world of evil around us. The parable does not tell us that we must badger God; rather it shows us that, if even an evil judge will provide justice for a helpless widow, how much more will our loving Father bring in his Kingdom. The parable encourages us to tackle difficult issues with confidence; it cautions us not to expect difficult results; it assures us that God's justice will prevail in the end. In the midst of uncertain times, we must keep praying in the confidence that at the right time God will answer us suddenly, swiftly, and fully.
The Disability Factor Scale—General: Second-Order Factor Structure

Abstract This study examined the second-order factor structure of Siller's (1969) Disability Factor Scale—General. Factor analysis of the seven attitudinal factors toward disabled individuals, based on the responses of 200 college students, yielded two major second-order factors. These two second-order factors of Net Affect and Authoritarian Virtuousness are further discussed in light of their intrafactor and interfactor relationships.
High internal phase CO2-in-water emulsions stabilized with a branched nonionic hydrocarbon surfactant

Abstract A nonionic-methylated branched hydrocarbon surfactant, octa(ethylene glycol) 2,6,8-trimethyl-4-nonyl ether ( 5b -C 12 E 8 ) emulsifies up to 90% CO 2 in water with polyhedral cells smaller than 10 μm, as characterized by optical microscopy. The stability of these concentrated CO 2 /water (C/W) emulsions increases with pressure and in some cases exceeds 24 h. An increase in pressure weakens the attractive van der Waals interactions between the CO 2 cells across water and raises the disjoining pressure. It also enhances the solution of the surfactant tail and drives the surfactant from water towards the water–CO 2 interface, as characterized by the change in emulsion phase behavior and the decrease in interfacial tension ( γ ) to 2.1 mN/m. As the surfactant adsorption increases, the greater tendency for ion adsorption is likely to increase the electrostatic repulsion in the thin lamellae and raise the disjoining pressure. As pressure increases, the increase in disjoining pressure and decrease in the capillary pressure (due to the decrease in γ ) each favor greater stability of the lamellae against rupture. The electrical conductivity is predicted successfully as a function of Bruggeman's model for concentrated emulsions. Significant differences in the stability are observed for concentrated C/W emulsions at elevated pressure versus air/W or C/W foams at atmospheric pressure.