cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prediction of outcome of bright light treatment in patients with seasonal affective disorder: Discarding the early response, confirming a higher atypical balance, and uncovering a higher body mass index at baseline as predictors of endpoint outcome

Abstract Background We tested the hypothesis that the early improvement in mood after the first hour of bright light treatment compared to control dim-red light would predict the outcome at six weeks of bright light treatment for depressed mood in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). We also analyzed the value of Body Mass Index (BMI) and atypical symptoms of depression at baseline in predicting treatment outcome. Methods Seventy-eight adult participants were enrolled. The first treatment was controlled crossover, with randomized order, and included one hour of active bright light treatment and one hour of control dim-red light, with one-hour washout. Depression was measured on the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-SAD version (SIGH-SAD). The predictive association of depression scores changes after the first session. BMI and atypical score balance with treatment outcomes at endpoint were assessed using multivariable linear and logistic regressions. Results No significant prediction by changes in depression scores after the first session was found. However, higher atypical balance scores and BMI positively predicted treatment outcome. Limitations Absence of a control intervention for the six-weeks of treatment (only the first session in the laboratory was controlled). Exclusion of patients with comorbid substance abuse, suicidality and bipolar I disorder, and patients on antidepressant medications, reducing the generalizability of the study. Conclusion Prediction of outcome by early response to light treatment was not replicated, and the previously reported prediction of baseline atypical balance was confirmed. BMI, a parameter routinely calculated in primary care, was identified as a novel predictor, and calls for replication and then exploration of possible mediating mechanisms.
Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, and Adiposity: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Associations in CARDIA

Introduction Higher sedentary time (ST) and lower moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) have each been associated with greater adiposity, but most studies are cross-sectional and measure ST and MVPA by self-report. This study evaluated associations between objective ST and MVPA with current and 5-year changes in BMI and waist circumference. Methods The Coronary Artery and Risk Development in Young Adults longitudinal cohort study recruited black or white young adults from four U.S. cities. This analysis (conducted in 2016) used data from 2005 to 2006 as baseline and 2010 to 2011 as 5-year follow-up. Accelerometers measured baseline ST (total and prolonged in bouts of ≥10 minutes) and MVPA (bouts of ≥10 minutes). BMI and waist circumference were assessed at baseline and repeated 5 years later. Regression models included sedentary time and MVPA simultaneously with adjustment for demographics and lifestyle factors. Results Participants ( n =1,826) were 57% female; 40% black; aged 38–50 years; and had a BMI of 28.7 (SD=6.3). At baseline, total and prolonged ST were directly associated with BMI and waist circumference, whereas MVPA was inversely related (all p p =0.033) and waist circumference (0.198 cm, p =0.028). Associations between ST and adiposity were more apparent in less active participants. Risk of ≥5% increase in BMI across assessments increased by 8%–10% ( p Conclusions Time spent sedentary was associated with increases in adiposity over time. Reducing sedentary time may be a novel strategy for weight control.
Signaling Mode of the Broad-Spectrum Conserved CO2 Receptor Is One of the Important Determinants of Odor Valence in Drosophila

Odor detection involves hundreds of olfactory receptors from diverse families, making modeling of hedonic valence of an odorant difficult, even in Drosophila melanogaster where most receptors have been deorphanised. We demonstrate that a broadly tuned heteromeric receptor that detects CO2 (Gr21a, Gr63a) and other odorants is a key determinant of valence along with a few members of the Odorant receptor family in a T-maze, but not in a trap assay. Gr21a and Gr63a have atypically high amino acid conservation in Dipteran insects, and they use both inhibition and activation to convey positive or negative valence for numerous odorants. Inhibitors elicit a robust Gr63a-dependent attraction, while activators, strong aversion. The attractiveness of inhibitory odorants increases with increasing background CO2 levels, providing a mechanism for behavior modulation in odor blends. In mosquitoes, valence is switched and activation of the orthologous receptor conveys attraction. Reverse chemical ecology enables the identification of inhibitory odorants to reduce attraction of mosquitoes to skin.
Energy Storage Technologies for Small Satellite Applications

Rapid advances in small satellite (often referred to as CubeSats) technology are providing opportunities for space exploration to a wide range of users (in particular universities) at substantially reduced costs. Many of the capabilities provided by larger satellites and spacecraft (>2000 kg) are now available through small satellite technologies. Ongoing improvements in attitude control, propulsion, advanced communications, and scientific instrumentation continue to enhance their benefits, even within such strict volume and mass constraints. With such advances in CubeSat technologies, the power and energy demands have also increased dramatically, necessitating the need for larger deployable solar arrays, lower power electronics, efficient energy storage systems, and even energy transfer/harvesting systems. In terms of energy storage, more advanced battery chemistries with higher energy densities and higher power capabilities over a wider operating temperature range are also a fundamental need. There already exist today numerous commercially available energy storage options suitable for CubeSat applications, although many missions rely on custom designs. Similar to standard satellite design, the selection of an appropriate energy storage system is driven by mission requirements related to power, energy, and lifetime. This paper will provide a general review of performance capabilities of state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery technologies, as well as other advanced energy storage systems for small satellite applications.
NEW SPECIES OF ARACEAE FROM THE RÍO CENEPA REGION, AMAZONAS DEPARTMENT, PERÚ

ABSTRACT New species from the Department of Amazonas in Peru are described as new in preparation for the treatment of the Araceae for the Flora del Cenepa y Areas Adyacentes Amazonas Peru. New species include: Anthurium apanui Croat, A. atamainii Croat, A. baguense Croat, A. brent-berlinii Croat, A. ceronii Croat, A. chinimense Croat, A. diazii Croat, A. galileanum Croat, A. huampamiense Croat, A. huashikatii Croat, A. kayapii Croat, A. kugkumasii Croat, A. kusuense Croat, A. leveauii Croat, A. lingulare Croat, A. mostaceroi Croat, A. penae Croat, A. quipuscoae Croat, A. rojasiae Croat, A. shinumas Croat, A. tsamajainii Croat, A. tunquii Croat, A. yamayakatense Croat, Dieffenbachia wurdackii Croat, Monstera aureopinnata Croat, M. cenepensis Croat, M. vasquezii Croat, Philodendron ampamii Croat, P. ancuashii Croat, P. barbourii Croat, P. brent-berlinii Croat, P. condorcanquense Croat, P. avenium Croat, P. huashikatii Croat, P. palaciosii Croat, P. reticulatum Croat, P. swartiae Croat, Rhodospatha acosta-solisii Croat, R. brent-berlinii Croat, R. katipas Croat, R. piushaduka Croat, Spathiphyllum barbourii Croat, S. brent-berlinii Croat, S. buntingianum Croat, S. diazii Croat, Stenospermation ancuashii Croat, S. parvum Croat & A. P. Gomez, Xanthosoma baguense Croat.
Gestational Hypoxia and Developmental Plasticity

Hypoxia is one of the most common and severe challenges to the maintenance of homeostasis. Oxygen sensing is a property of all tissues, and the response to hypoxia is multidimensional involving com...
Exercise Echocardiography After Myocardial Infarction

Recent studies have suggested that two-dimensional echocardiographic imaging before and immediately following low level treadmill exercise testing in early post-myocardial infarction patients contributes important prognostic information concerning left ventricular function. Studies in our laboratory indicate that it is comparable to upright bicycle exercise imaging for detecting exercise induced wall motion abnormalities. Also, our data and that of others show that new or worsening wall motion abnormalities after exercise are highly predictive of future cardiac events and that new areas of asynergy remote from the infarct location are indicative of multiple vessel disease. The success rate for obtaining adequate two-dimensional echocardiographic images for the evaluation of wall motion at rest and immediately after exercise is now approximately 90%. Future directions include the possible addition of Doppler flow velocity measurements to assess left ventricular performance during treadmill exercise. Thus, the addition of echocardiographic studies before and after standard post-myocardial infarction treadmill exercise testing is highly feasible and is of considerable value for detecting resting and exercise abnormalities in left ventricular function of prognostic value.
UNC-45: A Chaperone for Myosin and a Co-Chaperone for Hsp90

UNC-45 is a prototype of the protein family characterized by the presence of the C-terminal UCS (UNC-45/CR01/She4p) domain. These proteins function in various important actin- and myosin-dependent cellular processes that include myofibril organization and muscle functions, cell differentiation, embryonic development, cytokinesis and endocytosis. Mutations in the genes that code for UCS domain proteins cause serious defects in these actomyosin-based processes. Homologs of UCS domain proteins have been identified in fungi, nematodes, insects, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals. In addition to the UCS domain, the animal homologs (UNC-45) contain an N-terminal TPR domain and a conserved central region. UNC-45 has been shown to act as chaperone to fold the heads of myosin heavy chain of various types. Apart from assisting myosin heads to fold correcdy, UNC-45 is known to bind Hsp90 direcdy and several UCS protein complexes appear to be dependent on the Hsp90 chaperone machinery. These findings suggest that UNC-45 and other proteins containing the UCS domain are a new class of Hsp90 co-chaperones.
Extending the realm of Archean crust in the Great Falls tectonic zone: Evidence from the Little Rocky Mountains, Montana

Abstract Two prominent features separate the Archean Wyoming and Hearne cratons: the Paleoproterozoic Great Falls tectonic zone (GFTZ) and the Medicine Hat block (MHB), neither of which is well defined spatially because of Phanerozoic sedimentary cover. Based on limited data, the MHB is thought to be a structurally complex mix of Archean (2.6–3.1 Ga) and Proterozoic (1.75 Ga) crust, but is recognized primarily by its geophysical signature, and its influence on the geochemistry of younger igneous rocks. Similarly, the GFTZ was recognized on the basis of broad differences in geophysical patterns, isopachs of Paleozoic sedimentary sections, and lineaments; however, juvenile arc rocks in the Little Belt Mountains (LBM) and strongly overprinted Archean rocks in southwestern Montana show it to be a dominantly Paleoproterozoic feature. The Little Rocky Mountains (LRM) of Montana provide access to exposures of the northeastern-most Precambrian crust in the MHB-GFTZ region. U/Pb ages of zircons from Precambrian rocks of the LRM range from 2.4 to 3.3 Ga, with most ages between 2.6 and 2.8 Ga. Whole-rock analyses yield Sm-Nd TDM from 3.1 to 4.0 Ga and initial eNd(T) values calculated at U-Pb zircon crystallization ages range from −0.9 to −10.5, indicating significant contributions from older Archean crust. The high proportion of 2.6–2.8 Ga U/Pb ages differentiates LRM crust from arc-related Paleoproterozoic magmatic rocks exposed in the LBM to the southwest. The age and isotopic composition of the LRM gneisses are similar to crust in the northern Wyoming Province (2.8–2.9 Ga), but Paleoproterozoic K-Ar cooling ages suggest crust in the LRM experienced the Paleoproterozoic metamorphism and deformation that characterizes the GFTZ. Consequently, its history differs markedly from the adjacent Beartooth-Bighorn magmatic zone of the northern Wyoming Province, which does not record Paleoproterozoic tectonism, but has a strong correlation with the Montana metasedimentary terrane that was strongly overprinted during the Paleoproterozoic Great Falls orogeny that defines the GFTZ. The LRM, therefore, likely provides a unique, and perhaps the only, opportunity to characterize Archean crust of the MHB.
Does Obesity Shorten Life? Or is it the Soda? On Non-manipulable Causes

Non-manipulable factors, such as gender or race have posed conceptual and practical challenges to causal analysts. On the one hand these factors do have consequences, and on the other hand, they do not fit into the experimentalist conception of causation. This paper addresses this challenge in the context of public debates over the health cost of obesity, and offers a new perspective, based on the theory of Structural Causal Models (SCM).
Willson: A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Planning Career

With A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Planning Career, Richard Willson has written a clear, practical, and thoughtful professional development guidebook that will be extremel...
Near shore distributions of phytoplankton and bacteria in relation to submarine groundwater discharge-fed fishponds, Kona coast, Hawai‘i, USA

Abstract Phytoplankton are important components of coastal marine ecosystems that are strongly influenced by freshwater inputs from land, including submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Although SGD generates sharp onshore – offshore gradients in physical and chemical conditions at several locations around Hawaii Island little is known about the biotic responses of water column microbes to these conditions. We studied the distributions of phytoplankton and bacteria at two contrasting sites with SGD-fed fishponds, Kiholo and Kaloko Bay, including the full range of salinity extending from the fishponds to the coastal ocean. We addressed the hypotheses that (1) SGD-fed fishponds support a higher biomass and different composition of phytoplankton than the adjacent ocean, and (2) phytoplankton biomass and composition are related to SGD-driven salinity gradients in the coastal ocean. Phytoplankton biomass in fishponds was elevated (10–100-fold) and accompanied by higher average cell size pico- and nano-phytoplankton (2–6 μm) relative to sites outside the fishpond. General additive models (GAMs) showed elevated biomass and average cell size at mid-range salinities and declining biomass at salinity
Covalent conjugation of bioactive peptides to graphene oxide for biomedical applications.

Graphene is a valuable material in biomedical implant applications due to its mechanical integrity, long-range order, and conductivity; but graphene must be chemically modified to increase biocompatibility and maximize functionality in the body. Here, we developed a foundational synthetic method for covalently functionalizing a reduced GO with bioactive molecules, focusing on synthetic peptides that have shown osteogenic or neurogenic capability as a prototypical example. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provides evidence that the peptide is covalently linked to the graphenic backbone. These peptide–graphene (Pep–G) conjugate materials can be processed into mechanically robust, three-dimensional constructs. Differences in their electrostatic charges allow the Pep–G conjugates to form self-assembled, layer-by-layer coatings. Further, the Pep–G conjugates are cytocompatible and electrically conductive, leading us to investigate their potential as regenerative scaffolds, as conductive surfaces can stimulate bone and nerve regeneration. Notably, PC12 cells grown on an electrically stimulated Pep–G scaffold demonstrated enhanced adhesion and neurite outgrowth compared to the control. The functionalization strategy developed here can be used to conjugate a wide variety of bioactive molecules to graphene oxide to create cell-instructive surfaces for biomedical scaffold materials.
Exploring Factors Contributing to Race Differences in Poststroke Disability

Background and Purpose- Cross sectional analyses have found large race differences in poststroke disability, yet these analyses do not account for prestroke disability, hospitalization factors, postacute care, transitions, or mortality. In this context, we explore mortality, nursing home placement, and disability in a longitudinal analysis of older stroke survivors who survived at least 90 days poststroke. Methods- A prospective cohort of black or white stroke survivors from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2009-2016) linked to Medicare were used. Disability was assessed during in-person interviews with validated scales (0-7). We used cox proportional hazards models to separately assess mortality and nursing home admission adjusting for age, sex, sociodemographics (marital status, education, income, insurance status, social network size), comorbidities, hospitalization factors, postacute care, and 90-day readmissions. To estimate racial differences in disability, we used a multilevel linear regression model initially adjusting for age and sex and then compared with a model adjusted for sociodemographics, comorbidities, hospitalization factors, postacute care, and 90-day readmissions. Results- There were 282 stroke survivors, of which 76 (12.6%) were black. There were no race differences in long-term mortality (hazard ratio for black, 1.2 [95% CI, 0.7-2.2]; P=0.5) or nursing home placement (hazard ratio for black, 0.7 [95% CI, 0.2-2.4]; P=0.5). The largest race differences in disability were observed immediately prestroke, estimated age- and sex-adjusted activity limitations were (2.6 [2.0-3.2] in blacks versus 1.4 [1.0-1.8] in whites, mean difference, 1.2 [0.5-1.9], P<0.001) and immediately poststroke (2.6 [2.0-3.3] in blacks versus 1.7 [1.2-2.1] in whites, mean difference, 1.0 [0.2-1.7], P<0.01). Full adjustment did not substantially change the associations between race and disability. Conclusions- Race differences in nursing home placement, long-term mortality, sociodemographics, comorbidities, hospitalization factors, postacute care, and readmissions are unlikely to be large contributors to race differences in poststroke disability. Further research is needed to understand the drivers of race differences in poststroke disability.
High-Density Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of Pl18 and Pl20 in Sunflower by Whole-Genome Resequencing.

Downy mildew (DM) is one of the severe biotic threats to sunflower production worldwide. The inciting pathogen, Plasmopara halstedii, could overwinter in the field for years, creating a persistent threat to sunflower. The dominant genes Pl18 and Pl20 conferring resistance to known DM races have been previously mapped to 1.5 and 1.8 cM intervals on sunflower chromosomes 2 and 8, respectively. Utilizing a whole-genome resequencing strategy combined with reference sequence-based chromosome walking and high-density mapping in the present study, Pl18 was placed in a 0.7 cM interval on chromosome 2. A candidate gene HanXRQChr02g0048181 for Pl18 was identified from the XRQ reference genome and predicted to encode a protein with typical NLR domains for disease resistance. The Pl20 gene was placed in a 0.2 cM interval on chromosome 8. The putative gene with the NLR domain for Pl20, HanXRQChr08g0210051, was identified within the Pl20 interval. SNP markers closely linked to Pl18 and Pl20 were evaluated with 96 diverse sunflower lines, and a total of 13 diagnostic markers for Pl18 and four for Pl20 were identified. These markers will facilitate to transfer these new genes to elite sunflower lines and to pyramid these genes with broad-spectrum DM resistance in sunflower breeding.
Polylithic Modeling and Solution Approaches

This chapter deals with polylithic modeling and solution approaches. Such approaches allow to considerably extending the set of solvable practical problems both in their quality (structure) and in their size (the number of variables and constraints). These approaches are illustrated by problems from paper industry, which were solved with the help of polylithic modeling and solution approaches. In detail, roll minimization based on column generation, simultaneous minimization of waste, and the number of used patterns, as well as format production, are treated.
Teaching the US 2018 midterm elections: a survey of secondary social studies teachers

The goal of this study was to identify teacher-reported practices related to teaching the 2018 US Midterm Elections and contemporary social and policy issues. In particular, we sought to identify f...
Cellular and Metabolic Significance of Cellular Acid-Base Shifts in Human Stroke

Stroke is most often due to the occlusion of a single intracranial artery, resulting in incomplete focal ischemia. This has an immediate deleterious effect upon cerebral energy metabolism and dependent processes (Lowry and Passonneau, 1964). There is a rapid decrease of high-energy phosphate intermediates, a shift toward reduction of mitochondrial respiratory chain metabolites, increased lactic acid, and acidosis in the ischemic focus (Goldberg et al., 1966; Michenfelder and Theye, 1970). Most investigators have considered that acidosis causes or contributes in a major way to cellular damage in ischemic brain (for a review, see Welch and Barkley [1986]). In recent clinical studies of acute focal ischemic stroke, using the capability of 31p nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS) to dynamically measure the brain intracellular pH, we observed a transition from acidosis to alkalosis in ischemic brain as early as 18 hr after the onset of stroke (Levine et al., 1987). Positron emission tomography (PET) has corroborated the finding of alkalosis in clinical studies of subacute and late focal ischemic stroke (Syrota et al., 1985; Hakim et al., 1987). A rapid transition from acidosis to alkalosis has also been observed in experimental stroke models of either focal or global complete or incomplete ischemia, with or without reperfusion (Kogure et al., 1980; Mabe et al., 1983; Paschen et al., 1985; Yoshida et al., 1985). In this chapter we explore in clinical patients with cerebral ischemia (1) the significance of brain acidosis and (2) the currently unknown mechanisms and meaning of what we have termed the acid-to-base pH “flip-flop.”
Examining the role of organizational variables in the salesperson job satisfaction model

Job satisfaction has been one of the most studied variables in seeking to understand employee behaviors and attitudes. This has been especially true in sales research because salesperson job satisfaction has been shown to impact a number of key job related attitudes (organizational commitment) and behaviors (potential turnover of salespeople) (Johnston, Parasuraman, Futrell, and Black 1990; Behrman and Perreault 1984). Brown and Peterson (1993) performed a meta-analysis on salesperson job satisfaction that provides an important synthesis of research in this area. Moreover, Brown and Peterson (1994) demonstrated the consistency of several research results concerning key antecedents and consequences of job satisfaction. Importantly, they also point to certain inconclusive findings such as the role of the salesperson performance construct in the job satisfaction model.
Investment Distortions Caused by Debt Financing

The presence of debt in a firm's capital structure may induce equity claimants to choose an investment policy that is not in the best interest of all claimants. Since Myers (1977) and Jensen and Meckling (1976), the debt overhang and asset substitution investment distortions are well recognized. However, the previous literature did not reach a consensus as to the magnitude of such costs. This paper re-examines the debt overhang problem, but in a framework where the firm is allowed to recapitalize at any point in time and where the investment level rather than the binary operating policy is used to measure the size of the underinvestment caused by debt financing. The debt overhang problem is shown to do little harm to equity claimants. In bad economic conditions when the marginal productivity of capital is low, equity claimants actually benefit from the underinvestment. They only suffer in better economic conditions.
Clostridium difficile Disease

This chapter reviews the salient features of infection caused by Clostridium difficile. C. difficile inhabits the lumen of the colon and is not invasive. Nearly all strains produce toxins A and B, although some strains that produce only toxin B have been shown to cause disease. The genes tcdA and tcdB, which encode toxins A and B, respectively, are downregulated by the gene tcdC. C. difficile colitis was originally recognized exclusively as a nosocomial infection and, subsequently, as a problem in extended care facilities. Strains of C. difficile have been identified by restriction enzyme analysis (REA), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the pathogenicity locus that includes genes for toxin production (toxinotyping), and PCR for tcdC, which encodes a binary toxin. Using these techniques, many distinct strains have been identified in patients with C. difficile disease (CDD). In the epidemiologic setting of hospitalization with prior antimicrobial and/or chemotherapy, the clinical syndrome of CDD is usually easy to recognize. Abdominal discomfort and diarrhea, generally > 3 loose or watery bowel movements per day, develop over a period of a few days. Oral vancomycin was used to treat ‘‘staphylococcal enterocolitis’’ and clindamycin-associated diarrhea before the discovery that C. difficile was responsible. Rifaximin is only minimally absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration. Use of hypochlorite solution as a disinfectant and disposable rectal thermometers are also effective.
Studies on the subunits of Escherichia coli coenzyme A transferase. Reconstitution of an active enzyme.

Abstract The α and β subunits of the acetyl-CoA:acetoacetate-CoA transferase were purified by isoelectric focusing of the enzyme in the presence of 6 M urea. The purified β subunit, in which the active center of the enzyme is located, exhibits low catalytic activity (2% of the specific activity of the native enzyme) which is stimulated 5–6-fold in the presence of an equimolar concentration of α subunit. The presence of the substrate, acetoacetyl-CoA, is required to recover the catalytic activity of the β subunit and of mixtures containing purified α and β subunits. When the enzyme is dissociation in the presence of 6 M urea and the subunits are not fractioned, removal of the urea by dialysis results in the recovery of 88–98% of enzymic activity and the native α 2 β 2 subunit structure. However, analysis of this renatured enzyme by immunochemical techniques shows that the enzyme does not refold to a completely native conformation. This renatured enzyme exhibits an immunological reactivity more closely resembling the isolated α subunit. The results indicate that the α subunit serves as a structural subunit, or possibly a maturation subunit, imposing a conformation on the β subunit that is catalytically more competent.
Water-soluble glycosphingolipids of dog gastric mucosa. Characterization of a branched ceramide heptasaccharide.

Two glycosphingolipids, the carbohydrate portion of which consisted of galactose, glucose and N-acetylgalactosamine, have been isolated from the aqueous phase of buffered tetrahydrofuran extract of dog gastric mucosa. The structures of these glycolipids were identified by partial acid hydrolysis, sequential degradation with specific glycosidases and methylation analysis. The structure of glycolipid I (GalNAcα13GalNAcβ13Galα14Galβ14Glcceramide) was found to be identical to that of Forssman hapten. The branched structure of glycolipid II, as determined by the combination of enzymatic degradation and comparison of the permethylation products of the enzyme-degraded compounds, is proposed to be:
Implementation of a mortality prediction rule for real-time decision making: feasibility and validity.

BACKGROUND A previously published, retrospectively derived prediction rule for death within 30 days of hospital admission has the potential to launch parallel interdisciplinary team activities. Whether or not patient care improves will depend on the validity of prospectively generated predictions, and the feasibility of generating them on demand for a critical proportion of inpatients. OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility of generating mortality predictions on admission and to validate their accuracy using the scoring weights of the retrospective rule. DESIGN Prospective, sequential cohort. SETTING Large, tertiary care, community hospital in the Midwestern United States PATIENTS Adult patients admitted from the emergency department or scheduled for elective surgery RESULTS Mortality predictions were generated on demand at the beginning of the hospitalization for 9312 (92.9%) out of a possible 10,027 cases. The area under the receiver operating curve for 30-day mortality was 0.850 (95% confidence interval: 0.833-0.866), indicating very good to excellent discrimination. The prospectively generated 30-day mortality risk had a strong association with the receipt of palliative care by hospital discharge, in-hospital mortality, and 180-day mortality, a fair association with the risk for 30-day readmissions and unplanned transfers to intensive care, and weak associations with receipt of intensive unit care ever within the hospitalization or the development of a new diagnosis that was not present on admission (ie, complication). CONCLUSIONS Important prognostic information is feasible to obtain in a real-time, single-assessment process for a sizeable proportion of hospitalized patients. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2014;9:720–726. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine
Load Balancing in High Performance GIS: Declustering Polygonal Maps

A high performance geographic information system (GIS) is a central component of many real-time applications of spatial decision making. The GIS may contain gigabytes of geometric and feature data (e.g. location, elevation, soil type etc.) stored on a hierarchy of memory devices and represented as grids and large sets of polygons. The data is often accessed via range queries (like polygon clipping) and map-overlay queries. For example, a real-time visualization program retrieves the visible subset of GIS data around the current location of simulator via range queries fetching a million points/second. Such performance can be obtained only with major advances in exploiting parallelism and spatial database techniques within the computational geometry algorithms for range and map-overlay queries.
Ashkenazi Jews in Mexico: Ideologies in the Structuring of a Community

Ashkenazi Jews in Mexico: Ideologies in the Structuring of. Community. Adina Cimet. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1997. 231 pp.
Can postural instability tests improve the prediction of future falls in people with Parkinson's disease beyond knowing existing fall history?

This study sought to determine whether the backward-stepping Push and Release (P&R) Test and the Pull Test, or comprehensive batteries of postural instability (the Mini-BESTest and Brief-BESTest), significantly improve the prediction of future falls beyond knowing a person’s baseline fall history. Complete data were available for 43 of 80 participants with PD. At baseline, participants completed the BESTest (which was scored for all versions and includes the P&R Test), the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor section (which includes the Pull Test), and the participants’ reported falls experienced in the previous 6 months. Participants were classified as recurrent fallers if they reported more than one fall in the 12 months subsequent to baseline. Stepwise logistic regressions determined whether the P&R Test, Pull Test, Brief-BESTest, Mini-BESTest, or UPDRS motor score improved predictions of recurrent fallers independent of baseline fall-group status. Independently, all assessments significantly predicted future recurrent fallers, but only the Mini-BESTest and Brief-BESTest significantly improved predictions of future recurrent fallers independent of baseline fall-group status. The results suggest that, although single tests of reactive postural control do not offer significant predictive benefit, predictions of future recurrent fallers with PD do benefit from a balance examination in addition to knowing whether an individual has a recent history of falls.
The association reactions of Pb+ ion with CH3 OH and CH3NH2 in the gas phase

Abstract Enthalpy, entropy, and Gibb's free energy changes for the ion/neutral association reactions Pb + (M) n −1 + M = Pb + (M) n where n = 1 or 2, and M is CH 3 OH and CH 3 NH 2 , have been determined in the gas phase using a high pressure mass spectrometer technique. Like other Pb + ion complexes, the bonding of Pb + to the first two CH 3 OH and CH 3 NH 2 is much stronger than expected from simple electrostatic interaction considerations. A covalent interaction mechanism, as well as another model which considers that the bonding of small lead ion complexes is electrostatic in nature, but bonding is greatly enhanced by the hybridization of 6 s and 6 p orbitals of the Pb + , are discussed to interpret the results. From a thermochemical view, we expect that in the atmosphere there is an appreciable amount of lead ion clusters, containing one or two CH 3 NH 2 , and NH 3 along with Pb + water clusters. In addition, the thermochemical properties for the association reaction of Na + with CH 3 NH 2 have also been determined. Enthalpy, entropy, and Gibb's free energy changes for the reaction are −Δ H 0 = 32.1 kcal mol −1 , −Δ S 0 = 30.3 cal mol −1 K −1 , and −Δ G 0 = 23.1 kcal mol −1 , respectively.
Award address formation and properties of network polymeric materials

A general model for thermosetting materials which relates polymerization to properties is discussed. In particular, a phase diagram relates the four states of matter encountered (i.e., liquid, rubber, ungelled glass and gelled glass) to gelation and vitrification phenomena. The model is extended to rubber-modified thermosetting systems to show that, by control of the time to gelation, a given chemical formulation can provide different morphologies and hence different material behavior. The principal experimental approach uses a torsional braid analyze (TBA), an automated version of which is described. Use of the technique to measure gelation and vitrification times is discussed.
High-path-difference optical compensator: its use in the observation of solid-solid phase transformations

A simple experimental method has been developed for permitting the visual observation of subtle structural transformations in transparent birefringent solids. The method makes use of an optical compensator with a large path difference in conjunction with standard equipment for polarized light microscopy. This method has been applied successfully in the observation of subtle phase transformations in p-diiodobenzene and in phenanthrene.
Alzheimer disease with amygdala lewy bodies : A distinct form of α-synucleinopathy

Lewy bodies (LBs) are alpha-synuclein-immunoreactive neuronal inclusions with a predilection for specific cortical and subcortical regions, including the amygdala. In this study, the presence of LBs was assessed in 347 cases of Alzheimer disease (AD). In 87 cases, LB pathology was diagnostic of brainstem (n=3), transitional (n=32), or diffuse (n=52) Lewy body disease (LBD). The remaining 260 cases of AD were screened for amygdala LBs (AD/ALB) and 62 (24%) cases were found. If AD/LBD cases are included, LBs were detected in 149 (43%) cases of AD. The presence alpha-synuclein pathology was assessed in multiple brain regions of the 62 cases of AD/ALB and 57 randomly selected cases of AD, and only sparse alpha-synuclein pathology was detected in both. The burden of alpha-synuclein pathology in brainstem nuclei, amygdala, and neocortex was significant lower in AD/ALB than in AD/LBD. In comparison to AD/LBD, AD/ALB did not differ in age at death, disease duration, male-to-female ratio, brain weight, Braak neurofibrillary tangle stage, average senile plaque density, or apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele frequency. The results suggest that AD/ALB is pathologically different from AD/LBD, suggesting that it is a neuropathologically distinct and isolated alpha-synucleinopathy.
Superior temporal gyrus and the course of early schizophrenia : progressive, static, or reversible?

Accumulating evidence suggests alterations in brain structure, especially in the prefrontal and temporal cortex, in schizophrenia. Previous studies examining the progression of brain structural alterations in schizophrenia have led to conflicting results. Morphometric studies of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) volumes were conducted in a series of neuroleptic-naive first-episode schizophrenic patients, non-schizophrenic first-episode psychotic patients, and matched healthy controls. Three-dimensional MRI scans were carried out in these subjects before and after one year of treatment. Volume reductions were seen at baseline in the left superior temporal gyrus (adjusted for intracranial volume) in both of the patient groups. Pretreatment illness duration was inversely related to the volume of the left superior temporal gyrus; this relation was confined to males. One-year follow-up MRI investigations in a smaller subset of patients suggested that the STG volume reductions may be reversible. No significant changes were noted in the STG volumes in matched healthy controls who were also scanned at baseline as well as at one-year follow-up. These findings have implications for understanding the nature of the neuropathological processes in early schizophrenia, as well as the potential impact of early treatment.
Composition optimization of self-lubricating chromium-carbide-based composite coatings for use to 760 C

This paper describes new compositions of self-lubricating coatings that contain chromium carbide. A bonded chromium carbide was used as the base stock because of the known excellent wear resistance and the chemical stability of chromium carbide. Additives were silver and barium fluoride/calcium fluoride eutectic. The coating constituents were treated as a ternary system consisting of: (1) the bonded carbide base material, (2) silver, and (3) the eutectic. A study to determine the optimum amounts of each constituent was performed. The various compositions were prepared by powder blending. The blended powders were then plasma sprayed onto superalloy substrates and diamond ground to the desired coating thickness. Friction and wear studies were performed at temperatures from 25 to 760 C in helium and hydrogen. A variety of counterface materials were evaluated with the objective of discovering a satisfactory metal/coating sliding combination for potential applications such as piston ring/cylinder liner couples for Stirling engines.
Unusual Longevity in Persistent Common Atrioventricular Canal

Five of 139 patients with persistent common atrioventricular canal (AVC) confirmed at necropsy had lived to the age of 46 years or older. The complete type of the malformation was present in one, the transitional type in one and the partial type in three. The oldest of the latter group was 79 years of age at the time of death. In a study of ages at death among 139 cases of AVC the following observations were made. Of the 91 patients with the complete type of AVC, 37 percent survived more than one year and 17.6 percent more than five years. Of the 48 patients with the transitional and partial types of the defect, 67 percent lived more than one year and 37.5 percent beyond five years. One of our cases was highly unusual in that AVC was associated with corrected transposition.
The role of heavyweight product manager in new product development

Purpose – This paper seeks to empirically investigate how a heavyweight product manager (HW) can impact the cross‐functional team and project performance (PP) through actively influencing the ways and the extent of strategic alignment (SA), shared project mission, and clarity of project targets in the early front‐end stage.Design/methodology/approach – Based on past studies on leadership role theory and goal‐setting theory for teams, this study hypothesizes that the role of the HW for SA of the project, shared project mission, and clarity of the project target are positively related. The study further hypothesizes that these roles of the HW can have a positive impact on PP measures such as product cost, time, and customer satisfaction.Findings – Primary data collected from 191 new product development (NPD) projects from the US automotive industry were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. All the hypotheses presented in this study regarding the role of the HW in a cross‐functional team a...
Constraint-Based Pattern Mining in Dynamic Graphs

Dynamic graphs are used to represent relationships between entities that evolve over time. Meaningful patterns in such structured data must capture strong interactions and their evolution over time. In social networks, such patterns can be seen as dynamic community structures, i.e., sets of individuals who strongly and repeatedly interact. In this paper, we propose a constraint-based mining approach to uncover evolving patterns. We propose to mine dense and isolated subgraphs defined by two user-parameterized constraints. The temporal evolution of such patterns is captured by associating a temporal event type to each identified subgraph. We consider five basic temporal events: The formation, dissolution, growth, diminution and stability of subgraphs from one time stamp to the next. We propose an algorithm that finds such subgraphs in a time series of graphs processed incrementally. The extraction is feasible due to efficient patterns and data pruning strategies. We demonstrate the applicability of our method on several real-world dynamic graphs and extract meaningful evolving communities.
Algebraic methods for intersections of quadric surfaces in GMSOLID

Abstract The algebraic geometry of quadric surfaces is applied to the construction of boundary representations for computer models of solid objects. A version of this approach is currently operational in the GMSOLID system developed at General Motors. A general method is presented for finding critical points on the intersection curves of quadric surfaces and for determining whether the curves are planar. This information is needed for GMSOLID's computer representation of a designed solid. The method is also used to find intersection points of a plane and two quadrics. The method is sufficiently general to handle all quadric surfaces but has been implemented only for the quadrics of GMSOLID: cylinders, spheres, and cones. The numerical methods used in the implementation are also discussed.
Dynamic myosin phosphorylation regulates contractile pulses and tissue integrity during epithelial morphogenesis

Apical constriction is a cell shape change that promotes epithelial bending. Activation of nonmuscle myosin II (Myo-II) by kinases such as Rho-associated kinase (Rok) is important to generate contractile force during apical constriction. Cycles of Myo-II assembly and disassembly, or pulses, are associated with apical constriction during Drosophila melanogaster gastrulation. It is not understood whether Myo-II phosphoregulation organizes contractile pulses or whether pulses are important for tissue morphogenesis. Here, we show that Myo-II pulses are associated with pulses of apical Rok. Mutants that mimic Myo-II light chain phosphorylation or depletion of myosin phosphatase inhibit Myo-II contractile pulses, disrupting both actomyosin coalescence into apical foci and cycles of Myo-II assembly/disassembly. Thus, coupling dynamic Myo-II phosphorylation to upstream signals organizes contractile Myo-II pulses in both space and time. Mutants that mimic Myo-II phosphorylation undergo continuous, rather than incremental, apical constriction. These mutants fail to maintain intercellular actomyosin network connections during tissue invagination, suggesting that Myo-II pulses are required for tissue integrity during morphogenesis.
Experimental parameter tuning of power system stabilizer

Power system stabilizers (PSS) have been studied for many years as a method to increase power system stability. This paper is focused on the tuning and structure of the PSS. The generator control system is introduced to illustrate the working environment of the PSS. The mathematic model of the generator, automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and PSS are analyzed, and the system transfer function in presence of the PSS is derived. Base on the transfer function, a new tuning method is introduced which does not require all the system parameters. It is an experiment based tuning method of which frequency response tests are at the core. The feasibility of this tuning method is illustrated and verified for the real power system in the power control lab of the PCS2000 Company. Our experiments show that after tuning, system damping is increased and the oscillation is reduced which proves the effectiveness of our PSS tuning method.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION OF OXIDIZED AND REDUCED NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDES.

Abstract Sharp column chromatographic separations of NAD and NADH at neutral and acid pH and of NADP and NADPH at neutral pH by discontinuous elution with volatilizable eluents are described. The presence of impurities in NAD and NADH was elucidated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, by which purification may be readily achieved. The detrimental effect of freezing or lyophilizing of NADH is described. The ratio of the absorbance at 260 mμ to that at 340 mμ of the purest NADH preparations obtained is 2.24. The molar absorbance of NADH at 260 mμ is estimated at 14.0 × 10 3 × liter −1 × mole −1 and that for NAD at 17.4 × 10 3 × liter −1 × mole −1 .
Crack-cocaine use and health status as defined by the SF-36.

The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) was administered to 443 not-in-treatment, crack-cocaine smokers to explore the relationship between frequency of crack, alcohol, and tobacco use, addiction to these drugs, and health status. The reliability of the SF-36 with crack smokers was also assessed. Statistically significant, negative associations emerged between frequency of crack use and all SF-36 subscales except physical functioning. There were not significant associations between frequency of alcohol or tobacco use and any SF-36 subscale. Self-assessed addiction to crack was strongly and negatively associated with all SF-36 subscales; alcohol and tobacco addiction were also negatively associated with health status, but not to the degree of crack. The SF-36 produces reliable data on the health status of crack users and, as such, may have a useful role in assessments involving crack-using populations.
Transient mild hypothermia differentially alters mitotic activity in normal and post-ischemic hippocampal slices from neonatal rats

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if mild hypothermia alters mitotic activity in normal and post-ischemic hippocampal slices. (1) Normothermic oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD 60 min) increased mitotic activity in the hippocampus up to 4d post-OGD. (2) Mild hypothermia (33 °C for 24 h) initiated after OGD stress reduced mitotic activity compared to normothermic controls up to 8 d post-OGD. (3) Mild hypothermia stimulated mitotic activity in normal (no OGD stress) hippocampus up to 24 h post-hypothermia. In conclusion, mild transient hypothermia can increase or decrease mitotic activity depending upon the experimental condition of the hippocampal slices when hypothermia is induced.