cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Algebra of the Riemann Curvature Tensor in General Relativity: Preliminaries

In a four-dimensional curved space-time it is well-known that the Riemann curvature tensor has twenty independent components; ten of these components appear in the Weyl tensor, and nine of these components appear in the Einstein curvature tensor. It is also known that there are fourteen combinations of these components which are invariant under local Lorentz transformations. In this paper, we derive explicitly closed form expressions which contain these twenty independent components in a manifest way. We also write the fourteen invariants in two ways; firstly, we write them in terms of the components; and, secondly, we write them in a covariant fashion, and we further derive the appropriate characteristic value equations and the corresponding Cayley-Hamilton equations for these invariants. We also show explicitly how all of the relevant components transform under a Lorentz transformation. We shall follow the very general and powerful methods of Sachs [1]. We shall not point out at every stage of the calculation which equations are due to Sachs, and which equations are new; this is easily ascertained. Generally speaking, however, the equations depending on the Einstein curvature tensor, and the emphasis placed on this tensor, appear to be new.
Complexity in Public Health Research: A Public Health of Consequence, September 2017

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including complexity in public health research, a systems science approach to population health, and the health aspects of in utero exposure to a 1918 flu pandemic.
CTMA: A More Efficient Channel Access Method for Networks with Hidden Terminals

Controlled-Tones Multiple Access (CTMA) is introduced for efficient channel access in wireless networks with hidden terminals. CTMA is based on the integration of collision-avoidance handshakes with tones indicating the ongoing reception of data packets or the acknowledgment of data packets. CTMA organizes the total bandwidth into a data channel and a control channel. Requests to transmit (RTS) and data packets are sent over the data channel, and tones are sent over the control channel. It is shown that a specific variant of CTMA using two tones (CTMA-2T) prevents data packets from colliding with other transmissions. The throughput of CTMA-2T is compared with the throughput of CSMA/CA and dual busy-tone multiple access (DBTMA), and the results of the analysis show that CTMA-2T is a more efficient channel-access scheme than the alternatives.
Outcomes in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awaiting Heart Transplantation

Background:Current organ allocation policy and the rapid growth of mechanical support favor heart transplant (HT) candidates on left ventricular assist devices. HT candidates with hypertrophic card...
A “SELF CORRECTING” ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC and VECTORCARDIOGRAPHIC LEAD SYSTEM

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a self-correcting electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic lead system. In this system, electrodes are placed simply and conveniently with the aim of only approximating a certain lead direction; and data subsequently collected from the patient is used to correct the initial assumptions as to the direction and magnitude of the lead vectors. In evaluating the dipolar electrical activity of the heart, mathematical methods have been developed that characterize heart vectors when the lead vectors are known and arbitrary, and the lead vectors when the heart vectors are known and arbitrary. An application of these analytical solutions has been developed so that lead vectors associated with an electrocardiographic lead system could be evaluated. New lead vectors as determined by the method are subsequently used in correcting the deflections associated with the system leads. The process is iterative and should accommodate by means of arbitrary time varying lead vectors some of the causes of nondipolarity, such as varying origin of the heart vector, multiple simultaneous dipoles, inhomogenieties in the conducting tissue, and proximity effects. This is done in an empirical way, disregarding any underlying theory of such non-dipolar effects.
Antioxidant Supplementation and Therapies

Excessive production and/or inadequate removal of reactive oxygen species results in oxidative stress, which contributes to the etiology and/or development of chronic and degenerative illness such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, effects of dietary antioxidants supplements in pathological condition have been intensively studied. Surprisingly, larger clinical trials show ineffective or harmful effect of antioxidant supplements, although many epidemiological studies showed their beneficial effect. This chapter reviews the mechanism of action of antioxidant supplements like vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, β-carotene, and essential metals. In addition, we will summarize the evidence of their therapeutic effects in human subjects and animal models on oxidative damage in CVD and cancer.
Naaman’s Healing and Gehazi’s Affliction: The Magical Background of 2 Kgs 5

Scholars tend to view the healing of Naaman and the subsequent affliction of Gehazi in 2 Kgs 5 as polemic against magic and non-Israelite ideas about disease and healing. However, in analyzing the motif of צרעת as literary device it can be demonstrated that 2 Kgs 5 is not opposed to magic. My paper will show instead how the consultation between the Aramean and the Israelite kings, the depiction of Naaman’s healing, as well as the circumstances of Gehazi’s affliction draw from generic ideas about magic to bring into sharper focus the power of the prophet and the presence of Yahweh in the land of Israel.
A systematic review of person-centered care interventions to improve quality of facility-based delivery

We conducted a systematic review to summarize the global evidence on person-centered care (PCC) interventions in delivery facilities in order to: (1) map the PCC objectives of past interventions (2) to explore the impact of PCC objectives on PCC and clinical outcomes. We developed a search strategy based on a current definition of PCC. We searched for English-language, peer-reviewed and original research articles in multiple databases from 1990 to 2016 and conducted hand searches of the Cochrane library and gray literature. We used systematic review methodology that enabled us to extract and synthesize quantitative and qualitative data. We categorized interventions according to their primary and secondary PCC objectives. We categorized outcomes into person-centered and clinical (labor and delivery, perinatal, maternal mental health). Our initial search strategy yielded 9378 abstracts; we conducted full-text reviews of 32 quantitative, 6 qualitative, 2 mixed-methods studies, and 7 systematic reviews (N = 47). Past interventions pursued these primary PCC objectives: autonomy, supportive care, social support, the health facility environment, and dignity. An intervention’s primary and secondary PCC objectives frequently did not align with the measured person-centered outcomes. Generally, PCC interventions either improved or made no difference to person-centered outcomes. There was no clear relationship between PCC objectives and clinical outcomes. This systematic review presents a comprehensive analysis of facility-based delivery interventions using a current definition of person-centered care. Current definitions of PCC propose new domains of inquiry but may leave out previous domains.
Simultaneous effects of temperature and vacuum and feed pressures on facilitated transport membrane for CO2/N2 separation

Abstract The facilitated transport of CO2 through an amine-containing polymeric membrane on a nanoporous PES substrate was studied at large feed-to-permeate pressure differentials that are relevant to post-combustion carbon capture. With the selective layer reinforced mechanically by incorporation of carbon nanotubes, the carrier saturation of amino groups by excessive CO2 was observed at high feed or permeate vacuum pressure. Nearly complete carrier saturation was observed at 7 atm feed pressure or a permeate vacuum near ambient pressure. At relatively low vacuum pressures, the vacuum degree and operating temperature affected the CO2 transport simultaneously. A vacuum pressure significantly lower than the water saturation pressure at certain temperature resulted in the dehydration of the selective layer, thereby a reduced CO2 permeance. This dehydration was mitigated at a moderate vacuum pressure. At the moderate vacuum pressure, the nanoporous PES substrate controlled the water permeation, leading to a sufficiently hydrated selective layer with high CO2 permeance and CO2/N2 selectivity. Overall, the membrane performed well with 0.3–0.6 atm vacuum pressures at 67 °C and a feed pressure of 4 atm, achieving the best membrane performance with a CO2 permeance of 1451 GPU and a CO2/N2 selectivity of 165.
Parasitic gut infection in Libellula pulchella causes functional and molecular resemblance of dragonfly flight muscle to skeletal muscle of obese vertebrates

We previously demonstrated the existence of a naturally occurring, metabolic disease phenotype in Libellula pulchella dragonflies, that shows high similarity to vertebrate obesity and type II diabetes, and is caused by a protozoan gut parasite. To further mechanistic understanding of how this metabolic disease phenotype affects male L. pulchella fitness in vivo , we examined infection effects on in situ muscle performance- and molecular traits relevant to L. pulchella flight performance in nature. Importantly, these traits were previously shown to be affected in obese vertebrates. Similar to obesity effects in rat skeletal muscle, dragonfly gut infection caused a disruption of relationships between body mass, flight muscle power output and alternative pre-mRNA splicing of troponin T, a trait known to affect muscle calcium sensitivity and performance in insects and vertebrates. In addition, when simulated in situ to contract at cycle frequencies ranging from 20-45Hz, infected individuals9 flight muscles displayed a left-shift in the power-cycle frequency curves, i.e., their optimal cycle frequency was significantly reduced. Interestingly, this left-shift resulted in power-cycle frequency curves that were similar to those produced by flight muscles of non-infected, teneral (i.e., physiologically immature) adult L. pulchella males. Overall, our results indicate that effects of metabolic disease on skeletal muscle physiology in natural insect systems are similar to those observed in vertebrates maintained in laboratory settings. More generally, they indicate that study of natural, host-parasite interactions can contribute important insight into how environmental factors other than diet and exercise may contribute to the development of metabolic disease phenotypes.
Intestinal dysmotility in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) shank3a;shank3b mutant model of autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently estimated to affect more than 1% of the world population. For people with ASD, gastrointestinal (GI) distress is a commonly reported but a poorly understood co-occurring symptom. Here, we investigate the physiological basis for GI distress in ASD by studying gut function in a zebrafish model of Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), a condition caused by mutations in the SHANK3 gene. To generate a zebrafish model of PMS, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce clinically related C-terminal frameshift mutations in shank3a and shank3b zebrafish paralogues (shank3abΔC). Because PMS is caused by SHANK3 haploinsufficiency, we assessed the digestive tract (DT) structure and function in zebrafish shank3abΔC+/− heterozygotes. Human SHANK3 mRNA was then used to rescue DT phenotypes in larval zebrafish. Significantly slower rates of DT peristaltic contractions (p < 0.001) with correspondingly prolonged passage time (p < 0.004) occurred in shank3abΔC+/− mutants. Rescue injections of mRNA encoding the longest human SHANK3 isoform into shank3abΔC+/− mutants produced larvae with intestinal bulb emptying similar to wild type (WT), but still deficits in posterior intestinal motility. Serotonin-positive enteroendocrine cells (EECs) were significantly reduced in both shank3abΔC+/− and shank3abΔC−/− mutants (p < 0.05) while enteric neuron counts and overall structure of the DT epithelium, including goblet cell number, were unaffected in shank3abΔC+/− larvae. Our data and rescue experiments support mutations in SHANK3 as causal for GI transit and motility abnormalities. Reductions in serotonin-positive EECs and serotonin-filled ENS boutons suggest an endocrine/neural component to this dysmotility. This is the first study to date demonstrating DT dysmotility in a zebrafish single gene mutant model of ASD.
Damped Lyman alpha Systems

Observations of damped Lyman alpha systems offer a unique window on the neutral-gas reservoirs that gave rise to galaxies at high redshifts. This review focuses on critical properties such as the H I and metal content of the gas and on independent evidence for star formation. Together, these provide an emerging picture of gravitationally bound objects in which accretion of gas from the IGM replenishes gas consumed by star formation. Other properties such as dust content, molecular content, ionized-gas content, gas kinematics, and galaxy identifications are also reviewed. These properties point to a multiphase ISM in which radiative and hydrodynamic feedback processes are present. Numerical simulations and other types of models used to describe damped Lyman alpha systems within the context of galaxy formation are also discussed.
The influence of workplace discrimination and vigilance on job satisfaction with people who stutter

Purpose The purpose of the present study is to examine the association between workplace discrimination, vigilance, and job satisfaction in people who stutter and compare this with people who do not stutter. Method Seventy-two people who stutter (PWS) and 92 people who do not stutter (PWNS) participated in an online survey. Participants completed a survey assessing 6 different areas: (a) background information, (b) job satisfaction, (c) everyday discrimination, and (d) heightened vigilance. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between the independent variables and dependent variable. Results There was a relationship between being a PWS and job satisfaction, discrimination, and vigilance. PWS were found to experience higher discrimination as well as be more vigilant. Discrimination and vigilance were found to mediate the relationship between stuttering and job satisfaction. Conclusion Results of this study indicate that the participants who stutter differ from PWNS in their job satisfaction, discrimination, and vigilance. Clinicians can prepare PWS with self-advocacy strategies, legal knowledge of what their rights are as an employee who identifies as a person who stutters with a disability, a legal understanding of workplace discrimination, and counseling on the impact of vigilance on workplace experiences.
Selective Coagulant Recovery from Water Treatment Plant Residuals Using the Domain Membrane Process

Let us consider solutions of aluminum sulfate (feed) and sulfuric acid (recovery) in a Donnan membrane cell divided into two chambers by a cation-exchange membrane that allows only cations to migrate from one side to the other but rejects any passage of anions according to Donnan's co-ion exclusion principle (9). At equilibrium, the electrochemical potential of aluminum ion Al3+ ion () in the feed solution will be the same as that in the recovery solution for both aluminum and hydrogen ions, which corresponds to the following Donnan equilibrium condition: If the ratio is 10, it means is 1000 times greater than . Thus, by maintaining high hydrogen ion concentration in the recovery solution, aluminum ions can be driven from the feed to the recovery side even against a positive concentration gradient, i.e., from a lower concentration region to a higher concentration one. Keywords: reverse osmosis; nanofiltration; ultrafiltration; Donnan membrane cell; co-ion exclusion
Does Eco-label Format Influence Consumers’ Valuation of Fruit-Producing Plants?

Consumer demand for environmentally friendly products has increased, and consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly fruit-producing plants. With the increased demand, however, the number and variety of eco-labels describing the environmentally friendly qualities of plants has also increased, which could confuse consumers and decrease label effectiveness. Previous studies found that well-designed eco-labels improve consumer understanding, clarity, and choice. This 6-page fact sheet written by Hayk Khachatryan, Alicia Rihn, and Xuan Wei and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department summarizes a study that addressed how different eco-label formats (text vs. logo) impact consumer visual attention, preferences, and valuations of fruit-producing plants. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1074
Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Risk for Select Spine Interventions: A Retrospective Cohort.

Objectives To identify significant bleeding complications following spinal interventions in patients taking medications with antiplatelet or anticoagulation effect. Design Retrospective chart review of a 12-month period. Setting Outpatient academic medical practice. Interventions Injections during outpatient interventional spine clinical encounters, including 14 cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections, 26 cervical medial branch blocks, seven cervical radiofrequency neurotomies, three cervical facet joint injections, 88 lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections, 66 lumbosacral medial branch blocks, 18 lumbosacral radiofrequency neurotomies, 13 lumbar facet joint injections, one caudal epidural steroid injection, 11 sacral transforaminal epidural steroid injections, and 32 sacroiliac joint injections. Main outcome measure Epidural hematoma or other serious bleeding. Results In this cohort of 275 consecutive encounters with available records in which patients underwent a spinal injection while continuing medications with antiplatelet or anticoagulant effect, zero of the 275 clinical encounters (0%, 95% confidence interval = 0-1.4%) resulted in epidural hematoma or other serious bleeding. For antiplatelet medication, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were continued in 102 procedures, aspirin in 142, clopidogrel in 21, and meloxicam and/or Celebrex in 81; for anticoagulation medication, warfarin was continued in four procedures, apixaban in six, dabigatran in one, and fondaparinux in two. Of note, one patient suffered a deep vein thrombosis, which was identified at two-week follow-up despite continuing aspirin therapy. Conclusions This cohort adds to the growing evidence that the risk of serious bleeding complications from select spine interventions while continuing medications with antiplatelet or anticoagulant effect appears low.
Link Prediction for Temporally Consistent Networks.

Dynamic networks have intrinsic structural, computational, and multidisciplinary advantages. Link prediction estimates the next relationship in dynamic networks. However, in the current link prediction approaches, only bipartite or non-bipartite but homogeneous networks are considered. The use of adjacency matrix to represent dynamically evolving networks limits the ability to analytically learn from heterogeneous, sparse, or forming networks. In the case of a heterogeneous network, modeling all network states using a binary-valued matrix can be difficult. On the other hand, sparse or currently forming networks have many missing edges, which are represented as zeros, thus introducing class imbalance or noise. We propose a time-parameterized matrix (TP-matrix) and empirically demonstrate its effectiveness in non-bipartite, heterogeneous networks. In addition, we propose a predictive influence index as a measure of a node's boosting or diminishing predictive influence using backward and forward-looking maximization over the temporal space of the n-degree neighborhood. We further propose a new method of canonically representing heterogeneous time-evolving activities as a temporally parameterized network model (TPNM). The new method robustly enables activities to be represented as a form of a network, thus potentially inspiring new link prediction applications, including intelligent business process management systems and context-aware workflow engines. We evaluated our model on four datasets of different network systems. We present results that show the proposed model is more effective in capturing and retaining temporal relationships in dynamically evolving networks. We also show that our model performed better than state-of-the-art link prediction benchmark results for networks that are sensitive to temporal evolution.
Startups, relocation, and firm performance: a transaction cost economics perspective

Built on a transaction cost economics (TCE) perspective, this study investigates whether startups’ early growth prompts them to relocate to a new place, and, if so, how long-distance versus short-distance choices affect their post-relocation performance in the market. The empirical findings using 4928 US startups from the Kauffman Firm Survey dataset are three-fold. First, startups are more likely to move as they grow in the developmental process of entrepreneurship. Second, startups realize higher levels of performance in terms of firm survival and sales growth only through transaction cost-minimizing intra-state relocation, not through inter-state relocation. Third, the superior performance of intra-state relocation of startups seems to be mitigated when they conduct location-independent businesses using Internet-based on-line transactions. The study concludes with managerial and public policy implications from these empirical findings.
Revisiting magnetospheric CAPS TOF data post Cassini

Abstract The Cassini Plasma Spectrometer has a Time-of-Flight sensor capable of separating out the major magnetospheric ions at Saturn of protons, ions with a mass to charge of 2 amu/q, and water group ions (O + , OH + , H 2 O + and H 3 O + ), yet until this study a survey of their relative proportions in density with respect to radial distance has not been carried out. Most past work had used a standard code for the Time-of-Flight analysis, however we find that this code had a few features that resulted in it underestimating the relative proportion of water group ions and overestimating those of the light ions, which has consequences for past studies that relied on this code. Those features are addressed in this study to find that the water group ions dominate the equatorial magnetosphere out to ≈ 40 R S , further than previously assumed. The ions of mass to charge 2 amu/q (assumed to be H 2 + ) are the third most abundant ion group (after protons and the water group), with less than 12% of the total ion density. In addition, the presence of an H 2 + distribution is found that appears to have Titan as the source, since H 2 + ions can dominate the near Titan environment.
Care ecosystem training: Developing a free online dementia course for a growing lay health workforce

Author(s): Dulaney, Sarah; Allawala, Mahnoor; Thoma, Mark; Merrilees, Jennifer; Lynch, Shalini; Chodos, Anna H; Huffman, Sara; Chiong, Winston; Hooper, Sarah M; Possin, Kate L
Colored rice varieties of Russian breeding in terms of grain quality for development of functional rice varieties

In order to develop rice breeding material of a functional direction, technological and biochemical grain quality traits of varieties bred by the Federal Scientific Rice Centre (Rubin, Mars, Mavr, Gagat, Yuzhnaya noch) with a colored grain pericarp, high content of anthocyanins and intended for functional nutrition were studied. The varieties were grown in the valley agrolandscape zone of Krasnodar region (Russia) in 2017–2019. The studied rice varieties are included in the State Register of Protected Breeding Achievements. The grain size by weight of 1000 absolutely dry grains (weight of 1000 a.d.g.) was determined according to GOST 10842-89, fracturing on a DSZ-3 diaphanoscope, protein content was measured using an Infralum FT-10 device. The determination of amylose was carried out colorimetrically using the amylose-iodine reaction according to Juliano. The varieties have a medium-sized caryopsis (21.5-27.0 g of 1000 grains); of them, the variety Yuzhnaya noch is characterized by the smallest grain. The variety Mars belongs to the low amylose group, varieties Mavr, Rubin and Gagat to the medium amylose group, Yuzhnaya noch to the waxy group. In terms of protein content in grain, all varieties are classified as medium protein. The maximum grain fracture was in variety Mavr in the range of 19-25% and the minimum in Mars and Gagat, respectively 2-5 and 2-6%. Variations in grain size indicators, amylose and protein content of varieties are weak in all varieties of special purpose, which testified to their high stability under growing conditions.
Role of Chest CT in COVID-19

In December 2019, a disease attributed to a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), broke out in Wuhan, China and has spread rapidly throughout the world. CT has been advocated in selected indications as a tool toward rapid and early diagnosis. The CT patterns of COVID-19 include ground glass opacities GGO, consolidation, and crazy paving. Additional signs include a "rounded morphology" of lesions, vascular enlargement sign, nodules, and fibrous stripe. Signs of healing and organization include subpleural bands, a reticular pattern, reversed halo sign and traction bronchiectasis. Cavitation and tree in bud signs are absent and pleural effusions are rare. There is a high incidence of pulmonary embolism associated with COVID-19. CT findings in COVID-19 appear to follow a predictable timeline with maximal involvement approximately 6-11 days after symptom onset. The stages of evolution include early stage (days 0-4) with GGO being the predominant abnormality, progressive stage (days 5-8) with increasing crazy paving; and peak stage (days 9-13) with predominance of consolidation and absorption phase (after day 14) with gradual absorption of consolidation with residual GGO and subpleural bands. CT findings in COVID-19 have a high sensitivity and low specificity, determined to be 98% and 25% in a retrospective study of 1014 patients. The low specificity of CT for the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia is due to the overlap of CT findings with other viral pneumonias and other infections, lung involvement in connective tissue disorders, drug reaction, pulmonary edema, and hemorrhage.
A computational study of cooperative binding to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins.

Structure-based drug design targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been greatly facilitated by available virus-related protein structures. However, there is an urgent need for effective, safe small-molecule drugs to control the spread of the virus and variants. While many efforts are devoted to searching for compounds that selectively target individual proteins, we investigated the potential interactions between eight proteins related to SARS-CoV-2 and more than 600 compounds from a traditional Chinese medicine which has proven effective at treating the viral infection. Our original ensemble docking and cooperative docking approaches, followed by a total of over 16-micorsecond molecular simulations, have identified at least 9 compounds that may generally bind to key SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Further, we found evidence that some of these compounds can simultaneously bind to the same target, potentially leading to cooperative inhibition to SARS-CoV-2 proteins like the Spike protein and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. These results not only present a useful computational methodology to systematically assess the anti-viral potential of small molecules, but also point out a new avenue to seek cooperative compounds toward cocktail therapeutics to target more SARS-CoV-2-related proteins.
Republics of Knowledge: Nations of the Future in Latin America . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2020. 304p. Paper, $39.95 (ISBN 9780691176758).

In Republics of Knowledge : Nations of the Future in Latin America , Nicola Miller, Professor of Latin American history at the University College London, offers a two-part book addressing the history of knowledge in Spanish America from independence in 1810 to 1910, when governments understood the importance of access to public knowledge as a key feature of modern nations. From a multipractice perspective, Miller addresses the contribution to knowledge by different people, institutions, societal manifestations, public debates, policy-making, and collective identities. The author relies on three case studies involving Chile, Argentina, and Peru and the transnational connections that are made during the nineteenth century with other countries in Spanish America. Miller’s academic narrative style, set to Arno, and Old-style serif typeface in the classic Venetian tradition, is supported by citations and tables, taking the reader on a 10-chapter journey back in history covering topics including national and public libraries, literacy, infrastructure, land and territory, and the purpose of education.
Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Dopaminergic Damage: In vitro Pathways and In Vivo Imaging Reveals Mechanism of Neuronal Damage

Various iron-oxide nanoparticles have been in use for a long time as therapeutic and imaging agents and for supplemental delivery in cases of iron-deficiency. While all of these products have a specified size range of ∼40 nm and above, efforts are underway to produce smaller particles, down to ∼1 nm. Here, we show that after a 24-h exposure of SHSY-5Y human neuroblastoma cells to 10 μg/ml of 10 and 30 nm ferric oxide nanoparticles (Fe-NPs), cellular dopamine content was depleted by 68 and 52 %, respectively. Increases in activated tyrosine kinase c-Abl, a molecular switch induced by oxidative stress, and neuronal α-synuclein expression, a protein marker associated with neuronal injury, were also observed (55 and 38 % percent increases, respectively). Inhibition of cell-proliferation, significant reductions in the number of active mitochondria, and a dose-dependent increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) were observed in neuronal cells. Additionally, using a rat in vitro blood–brain barrier (BBB) model, a dose-dependent increase in ROS accompanied by increased fluorescein efflux demonstrated compromised BBB integrity. To assess translational implications, in vivo Fe-NP-induced neurotoxicity was determined using in vivo MRI and post-mortem neurochemical and neuropathological correlates in adult male rats after exposure to 50 mg/kg of 10 nm Fe-NPs. Significant decrease in T 2 values was observed. Dynamic observations suggested transfer and retention of Fe-NPs from brain vasculature into brain ventricles. A significant decrease in striatal dopamine and its metabolites was also observed, and neuropathological correlates provided additional evidence of significant nerve cell body and dopaminergic terminal damage as well as damage to neuronal vasculature after exposure to 10 nm Fe-NPs. These data demonstrate a neurotoxic potential of very small size iron nanoparticles and suggest that use of these ferric oxide nanoparticles may result in neurotoxicity, thereby limiting their clinical application.
Use of Methadone in Opioid Maintenance Treatment

Many studies have repeatedly shown that the daily administration of methadone decreases morbidity and mortality in patients with an addiction to opioids and related substances. First established in the 1960s, methadone programs soon become an essential component for the treatment of this patient population. In addition to the dispensing of methadone, the program provides medical and counseling services that are active components of the treatment plan. The legal aspects that regulate the MMT programs and the unique pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methadone require special attention.
Domestic Violence: How to Ask and How to Listen

Significant numbers of women experience physical, sexual, and psychological abuse by their partners or family members and come to the emergency department for care. The nurse has a unique opportunity to make a difference in these women's lives by simply asking about the abuse in a caring and confidential manner. Listening and thinking in terms of a stage-based approach to behavioral change with battered women may guide the emergency nurse toward more effective intervention strategies. The goal is not to "fix it" but rather to partner with her and offer options that may help shift her trajectory toward more safety and less isolation.
Underutilization of implantable cardioverter defibrillators post coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with systolic dysfunction.

Background: Evaluation of the need for prophylactic internal cardiac defibrillators among patients with ischemic cardiomyopathies should be deferred until at least 3 months after revascularization procedures to allow adequate time for recovery of ventricular function. Methods: Among patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the proportion of patients who are risk stratified postoperatively with reassessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is unknown. Results: One hundred and six patients with LVSD (LVEF < 40%) who underwent CABG during 2004–2006 and survived 3 months post CABG were evaluated. Follow-up was assessed by chart review and telephone contact. LVEF was not reassessed in 24% (25/106) of the population, none of whom underwent internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation. Of those with LVEF reassessed, persistent LVSD was present in 20/81 (25%), 12 of whom were referred for prophylactic ICD placement. Conclusion: One-fourth of patients with LVSD who undergo CABG do not have LVEF reassessed postoperatively which may lead to underutilization of ICDs. (PACE 2010; 33:727–733)
Sequence verification as quality-control step for production of cDNA microarrays.

To generate cDNA arrays in our core laboratory, we amplified about 2300 PCR products from a human, sequence-verified cDNA clone library. As a quality-control step, we sequenced the PCR products imm...
Relief of amplification inhibition in PCR with bovine serum albumin or T4 gene 32 protein

The benefits of adding bovine serum albumin (BSA) or T4 gene 32 protein (gp32) to PCR were evaluated with reaction mixtures containing substances that inhibit amplification. Whereas 10- to 1,000-fold more FeCl3, hemin, fulvic acids, humic acids, tannic acids, or extracts from feces, freshwater, or marine water were accommodated in PCR when either 400 ng of BSA per microl or 150 ng of gp32 per microl was included in the reactions, neither BSA nor gp32 relieved interference significantly when minimum inhibitory levels of bile salts, bilirubin, EDTA, NaCl, sodium dodecyl sulfate, or Triton X-100 were present. Use of BSA and gp32 together offered no more relief of inhibition than either alone at its optimal level, and neither protein had any noticeable effect on amplification in the absence of inhibitors.
Polyacetylene: a real material linking condensed matter and field theory

It sounds at first bizarre, but one of the most active subjects of recent research at the interface between field theory and statistical mechanics concerns a real material that seems more properly to belong to the arcana of organic chemistry than to either field theory or statistical mechanics. The material is polyacetylene ((CH)X), a quasi-one dimensional organic polymer with some very interesting and potentially exotic properties.1 In this necessarily brief discussion, I will try to give a pedagpgical introduction to some of the recent theoretical studies2–9 of polyacetylene and to convey some of the reasons for the intense excitement in this area. To provide this overview, I will have to survey the work of many individuals, and thus most of what I will present is not my own research. The small part that I have contributed has been done in a close and fruitful collaboration with Alan Bishop and Klaus Fesser.9,10
Serrate2 is disrupted in the mouse limb-development mutant syndactylism

The mouse syndactylism ( sm ) mutation impairs some of the earliest aspects of limb development and leads to subsequent abnormalities in digit formation1,2,3. In sm homozygotes, the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) is hyperplastic by embryonic day 10.5, leading to abnormal dorsoventral thickening of the limb bud, subsequent merging of the skeletal condensations that give rise to cartilage and bone in the digits, and eventual fusion of digits. The AER hyperplasia and its effect on early digital patterning distinguish sm from many other syndactylies that result from later failure of cell death in the interdigital areas4,5. Here we use positional cloning to show that the gene mutated in sm mice encodes the putative Notch ligand Serrate2. The results provide direct evidence that a Notch signalling pathway is involved in the earliest stages of limb-bud patterning and support the idea that an ancient genetic mechanism underlies both AER formation in vertebrates and wing-margin formation in flies6,7. In addition to cloning the sm gene, we have mapped three modifiers of sm, for which we suggest possible candidate genes.
Molecular diagnostics of lung carcinomas.

Abstract Context.—The development of targeted therapies in the treatment of lung carcinoma is a rapidly growing area that requires a precise histologic classification of lung carcinomas and the imp...
Intracellular calcium levels do not change during contact-mediated collapse of chick DRG growth cone structure

When the growth cone of a chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurite contacts the neurite of a chick retinal ganglion cell in vitro, the growth cone typically responds by withdrawing its lamellipodia and filopodia and collapsing. We have used the fluorescent calcium indicator dye fura-2 and digital imaging microscopy to measure calcium levels within DRG growth cones and to determine whether changes in calcium levels are responsible for the collapse of growth cone morphology when a DRG growth cone contacts a retinal ganglion cell neurite. Calcium levels within DRG growth cones were stable during neurite outgrowth. Calcium was typically distributed homogeneously throughout the growth cone, though occasionally gradients of free calcium were present. When calcium gradients were observed, calcium levels appeared higher in the active veil regions than in the central core region. Calcium levels in DRG growth cones appeared to remain stable during the period of contact-mediated growth cone collapse. Low concentrations of the calcium ionophore ionomycin increased calcium levels two- to threefold without having any observable morphological effects on DRG growth cones. Likewise, depolarization with 15 mM KCl caused a transient two- to threefold increase in calcium levels without having any observable morphological effect. These results suggest that changes in calcium levels are not responsible for contact-mediated collapse of growth cone structure. A growth cone collapsing activity has been solubilized from embryonic chick brain (Raper and Kapfhammer, 1990). Application of this material to cultures of DRG neurons caused growth cones to collapse but had no effect on calcium levels within the growth cones. The crude growth cone collapsing activity was not blocked by the presence of cobalt, nickel, lanthanum, nifedipine, or reduced-calcium medium, suggesting that transmembrane calcium fluxes were not required for growth cone collapse. These results suggest that the morphological changes associated with the collapse of growth cone structure can be independent of changes in growth cone calcium levels, and that second messengers other than calcium are likely to be involved in the regulation of many growth cone behaviors.
Trauma exposure predicts alcohol, nicotine, and drug problems beyond the contribution of PTSD and depression in patients with cardiovascular disease: data from the Heart and Soul Study.

Background and Objectives This study examined the role of lifetime trauma exposure in a longitudinal study of adults with cardiovascular disease to determine the unique contribution of trauma exposure to risk for drug and alcohol problems and smoking. Methods Data were drawn from the Heart and Soul Study, a prospective cohort study designed to determine the mechanisms of associations between psychological factors and increased risk of cardiovascular events in high-risk patients (n = 1,022). Results Lifetime exposure to a higher number of trauma types predicted substance use outcomes beyond risk explained by PTSD and depression. In addition, across trauma types, interpersonal traumas were most strongly associated with substance use problems. Conclusions Our results suggest that, though PTSD and depression play a role in the association between trauma exposure and substance use, many other factors also contribute; therefore focusing on these psychological comorbidities alone is not sufficient. Scientific Significance The integration of mental health care and/or case management support with primary and specialty medical care may improve detection and treatment for patients with substance use and comorbid mental and physical health problems. Screening for trauma exposure is an important part of good clinical care. (Am J Addict 2014;23:53–61)
Forging connections between life and class using reading assignments: a case study

This paper describes an experiment involving incorporating reading assignments into an introductory programming class at the university level. Results indicate that assignments of this type help students make connections between the concepts they are studying, and computer science in general, with their everyday lives.
Motives and consequences of IPOs in cold periods

Abstract We analyze the motives and long-term stock price performance of firms that pursue IPOs in cold IPO periods. We find that firms are more likely to engage in an IPO during a cold period when their earnings are relatively high and are expected to decline in the future. We also find that IPO firms during a cold period are more likely to have managed their earnings prior to the IPO. Furthermore, we find that cold IPO firms experience significantly weaker stock price performance than hot IPO firms, and results are robust to different criteria for defining hot and cold IPO periods, different measures of stock price performance, and different investment holding periods. We find that investment opportunities, the backing of a venture capitalist, and an increase in earnings in the year of the IPO lead to significantly higher long term stock price performance of IPO firms. Our multivariate models confirm the adverse cold IPO period effect on stock price performance even after controlling for the IPO motives and the firm's earnings performance. Our results also hold within the post-Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) era.
Cognitive validity of students’ self-reports of classroom mastery goal structure: What students are thinking and why it matters

Abstract Cognitive interviews were employed to systematically examine the cognitive validity of self-report survey items extensively used to assess classroom mastery goal structure. In a sample of elementary and middle school students, items were identified that functioned according to their intended meaning and those eliciting less accurate interpretations as conceptually defined by mastery goal structure cognitive validity criteria. Evidence suggested that items framed to focus on students’ teachers (i.e., teacher goals) were more cognitively valid than were items that focused students on their classroom context. Items with abstract terms yielded less accurate interpretations. We discuss implications of determining the cognitive validity of scales used to assess achievement goal structure and related self-report instruments.
Radiotherapy for early vocal cord cancer: A dosimetric analysis of 60CO versus 6 MV photons

Background Currently, many patients with early vocal cord cancers are treated with 6 MV photons, but almost all the published radiotherapy data are based on patients treated with 60Co, 2-MV, or 4-MV X-rays. A theoretical risk of underdosage exists with higher energy beams due to lack of dose build-up. This dosimetric study compares 6-MV photons with 60Co. Methods A tissue-equivalent phantom was constructed of a stack of 0.5-cm-thick acrylic plates. With a male subject in treatment position as the model, the external surfaces of the phantom were machined to match the contour of the neck. To precisely represent the internal contour of the airway, computed tomography (CT) was performed on the subject in treatment position, with images at 0.5-cm intervals, and the airway shown on the CT was cut out of each corresponding acrylic plate. Thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) rods were inserted into the phantom. For each measurement, a calculated tumor dose of 10 Gy was delivered to the volume specified as the entire right true vocal cord in the phantom, with either 60Co or 6-MV photons (15 measurements were made with each). In a second series of eight experiments with each modality, TLD minichips were used to measure the dose received by the immediate surface of the vocal cords with delivery of a calculated tumor dose of 0.5 Gy. Results The doses received at the vocal cords, as well as a point 6 mm beneath the anterior skin surface, did not differ significantly for the two energies compared. The dose delivered to the skin and a point 3 mm beneath the anterior skin surface was significantly lower with the use of 6-MV photons. Conclusion Although there is no difference in the dose received by the vocal cords, underdosage of the anterior tissues may occur with the use of 6-MV photons. HEAD & NECK 1996;18:167–173 © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Dielectric analysis of epoxy/amine resins using microwave cavity technique

Dielectric properties (permittivity and dielectric loss factor) of stoichiometric mixtures of DGEBA (diglycidylether of bisphenol A) epoxy (DER 332) and amine (diaminodiphenyl sulfone; DDS) as a function of temperature and extent of cure have been measured at a microwave frequency of 2.45 GHz. Permittivity and dielectric loss factor of this resin increase with increasing temperature and decrease with increasing extent of cure. Dielectric loss factor is more dependent on temperature in the early stages of cure but becomes less dependent on temperature as the cure proceeds. Dielectric loss data can be related to extent of cure in order to monitor the cure process. Online measurements of temperature- and cure-dependent dielectric loss factor show three material structure stages and significant changes in dielectric loss factor during the microwave cure process. Dielectric Joss factor is also found to be the same for both thermal and microwave cured samples.