cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood Poverty and Sex Differences in Live Donor Kidney Transplant Outcomes in the United States.

BACKGROUND Neighborhood poverty has been associated with worse outcomes after live donor kidney transplantation (LDKT), and prior work suggests that women with kidney disease may be more susceptible to the negative influence of poverty than men. As such, our goal was to examine whether poverty differentially affects women in influencing LDKT outcomes. METHODS Using data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and US Census, we performed multivariable Cox regression to compare outcomes among 18 955 women and 30 887 men who received a first LDKT in 2005-2014 with follow-up through December 31, 2016. RESULTS Women living in poor (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.50) and middle-income (aHR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.14-1.40) neighborhoods had higher risk of graft loss than men, but there were no differences in wealthy areas (aHR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.88-1.29). Women living in wealthy (aHR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59-0.87) and middle-income (aHR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74-0.92) neighborhoods incurred a survival advantage over men, but there were no statistically significant differences in mortality in poor areas (aHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72-1.01). CONCLUSIONS Given our findings that poverty is more strongly associated with graft loss in women, targeted efforts are needed to specifically address mechanisms driving these disparities in LDKT outcomes.
Interference Aided Wireless Energy Harvesting in Cache-assisted Cognitive Relay System

In this paper, we consider an underlay setting where primary and secondary networks exist together. The secondary network uses a decode and forward (DF) secondary relay that aids the communication between secondary transmitter and receiver in presence of primary interference. The secondary relay is equipped with caching capacity and additionally it harvests energy from secondary transmitter as well as primary interference. Secondary relay uses the harvested energy to decode and forward the information to secondary destination. At relay, we adopt a time switching (TS) based policy that switches between energy harvesting and information decoding followed by caching and retransmission. We formulate an optimization problem to maximize the energy stored at secondary relay constrained to primary as well as secondary network quality of service requirements. We carry out extensive mathematical analysis to solve the formulated problem and further present simulation results to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
Emergent Decompression of Intracranial Abscess in Eisenmenger Syndrome

Background Eisenmenger syndrome is a rare sequela of uncorrected congenital heart disease complicated by pulmonary hypertension, from which reversal of the pathologic left-to-right cardiovascular shunt and cyanosis follow. Right-to-left shunting can lead to paradoxical cerebral emboli—increasing the risk of spontaneous or iatrogenic stroke and cerebral abscess. Case Description A 38-year-old man presented with new focal seizures due to a brain abscess. Ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension were identified. Despite dexamethasone and broad-spectrum antibiotics, he developed hemiparesis and altered mental status and required emergent stereotactic abscess drainage. Despite the anesthetic hazards of Eisenmenger syndrome, the procedure was successful and the patient recovered completely. Conclusions Noncardiac perioperative mortality in Eisenmenger syndrome is historically reported up to 19%, and risks are further increased with prolonged case duration or hypotension, mandating vigilant attention to volume status. Correspondingly, shorter- or lower-risk procedures such as stereotactic drainage are recommended. Procedures should be performed only at centers with expertise in management of Eisenmenger syndrome and cardiac-specialized anesthesiologists whenever possible. Although a conservative approach with early, aggressive medical management is preferred, operative intervention may be required in the setting of progressive deterioration and excellent postoperative outcomes are achievable.
Exploring Errors in Reading a Visualization via Eye Tracking Models using Stochastic Geometry

Information visualizations of quantitative data are rapidly becoming more complex as the dimension and volume of data increases. Critical to modern applications, an information visualization is used to communicate numeric data using objects such as lines, rectangles, bars, circles, and so forth. Via visual inspection, the viewer assigns numbers to these objects using their geometric properties of size and shape. Any difference between this estimation and the desired numeric value we call the “visual measurement error”. The research objective of this paper is to propose models of the visual measure error utilizing stochastic geometry. The fundamental technique in building our models is the conceptualization of eye fixation points as might be determined by an eye-tracking experiment of viewers estimating size and shape of a visualization’s object configurations. The fixation points are first considered as a stochastic point process whose characteristics require comment before proceeding to the statistical shape analysis of the visualization. Once clarified the fixation points are reinterpreted as a sampling of the shape and size of the landmark configurations of geometric landmarks on the visualization. The ultimate end of these models is to find optimal shape and size parameters leading to minimum visual measurement error.
The impact of OpenGL 3.X and 4.0 on the teaching of computer graphics: panel discussion

The Khronos Group recently released two major updates to the OpenGL specification, versions 3.3 and 4.0, containing many exciting new features that offer greater speed, flexibility, and a much greater range of graphics capabilities. However, a number of standard long-time features, such as glBegin/glEnd and the fixed pipeline, are scheduled to go away. The loss of these older and simpler features will make teaching graphics at the introductory level more challenging because it will force the introduction of more complex code and material earlier in the course. This panel will give an overview of the main changes in OpenGL, focusing most on those features which will have the greatest impact our introductory graphics courses. The panelists will offer advice and suggestions for how instructors can incorporate the new versions into their courses in a way that is comprehensible to the students and yet also uses some of the new and exciting OpenGL features.
Investigating Power and Agency in Singular Diversity-Requirement Education Courses: Moving Beyond Content Analysis to Engage with Critical Praxis Analysis

Given recent pushes toward homogenous teacher education, teacher educator pedagogy necessitates modeled critical practice. The research presented here provides an analysis to ground the call for a move beyond teacher education pedagogy focused on the dissemination of knowledge about critical issues in classrooms. Utilizing two methodological traditions – namely, critical discourse analysis and phenomenography – this paper reports on the discursive moments enacted in a graduate course that sought to foster critical understandings of issues in urban science education, intending to lead to critical practices employed by this population of teacher candidates and doctoral students. Findings support that not only was there a preponderance of the dissemination model of teaching and learning, but also that the students within this course, even when working in groups, were unable to generate critical unit plans for prospectus science lessons in K-12 classrooms. Implications for this study are discussed in relation to the literature on critical teacher education.
Amphiphilic Protein Microfibrils from Ice-Templated Self-Assembly and Disassembly of Pickering Emulsions

Amphiphilic protein microfibrils have been generated for the first time by ice-templated self-assembly of aqueous globular protein colloids and subsequent selective disassembly in polar MeOH, EtOH,...
On some Prepositions that Look DP-internal

The article shows that, in spite of their DP-internal appearance, many instances of the English preposition of and of the French preposition de can be reanalyzed as being VP-external. Moreover, it is argued that what looks like movement of a bare quantifier turns out to be remnant movement. It is also claimed that each +N subpart of DP must get its own Case, which means that (non-head) phrases never have Case.
"The thinking cap 2.0": preliminary study on fostering growth mindset of children by means of electroencephalography and perceived magic using artifacts from fictional sci-fi universes

Interventions aimed at promoting a growth mindset in children range from teaching about the brain's ability to change to playing computer games. In this work, we explore a novel approach to foster a growth mindset by means of interaction with a "magic hat" system which consists of using objects from sci-fi and pop-cultural references like Avengers or Star Wars. The artifacts are "enhanced" with embedded Electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes. In an initialization phase, the "magic hat" uses established Brain-Computer Interface algorithms to recognize certain mental processes of the child and the child is then able to use their brain signals to control a robot. We report on an experiment that validates the system with children who were asked to solve math problems. We evaluated their mindset before and after use of the system. In comparison with a control group, the children who used the system self-reported having a stronger growth mindset.
Non-canonical cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in IBD.

Vagus nerve stimulation has shown promise in treating inflammatory bowel disease. A new study identifies a hepatic vagal branch pathway necessary to maintain colonic immune cell homeostasis in experimental colitis, challenging the dogma that an anti-inflammatory reflex requires an intact spleen and that α7-nicotinic receptor agonists are a panacea for inflammatory conditions.
Investigating small unoccupied aerial systems (sUAS) multispectral imagery for total suspended solids and turbidity monitoring in small streams

Small unoccupied aerial systems (sUAS) are increasingly used for field data collection and remote sensing purposes. Their ease of use, ability to carry sensors, low cost, precise manoeuvrability an...
Palliative Spine Surgery in a Patient with Advanced Cancer: A Case Report and Decision-Making Guide.

The spine is a frequent site of cancer metastasis leading to intractable pain, functional impairment, and poor quality of life. When analgesic regimens and nonpharmacological interventions fail, sp...
Picophytoplankton dynamics in a large temperate estuary and impacts of extreme storm events.

Picophytoplankton (PicoP) are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to primary productivity and phytoplankton biomass in coastal and estuarine systems. Remarkably though, PicoP composition is unknown or not well-resolved in several large estuaries including the semi-lagoonal Neuse River Estuary (NRE), a tributary of the second largest estuary-system in the lower USA, the Pamlico-Albemarle Sound. The NRE is impacted by extreme weather events, including recent increases in precipitation and flooding associated with tropical cyclones. Here we examined the impacts of moderate to extreme (Hurricane Florence, September 2018) precipitation events on NRE PicoP abundances and composition using flow cytometry, over a 1.5 year period. Phycocyanin-rich Synechococcus-like cells were the most dominant PicoP, reaching ~ 106 cells mL-1, which highlights their importance as key primary producers in this relatively long residence-time estuary. Ephemeral "blooms" of picoeukaryotic phytoplankton (PEUK) during spring and after spikes in river flow were also detected, making PEUK periodically major contributors to PicoP biomass (up to ~ 80%). About half of the variation in PicoP abundance was explained by measured environmental variables. Temperature explained the most variation (24.5%). Change in total dissolved nitrogen concentration, an indication of increased river discharge, explained the second-most variation in PicoP abundance (15.9%). The short-term impacts of extreme river discharge from Hurricane Florence were particularly evident as PicoP biomass was reduced by ~ 100-fold for more than 2 weeks. We conclude that precipitation is a highly influential factor on estuarine PicoP biomass and composition, and show how 'wetter' future climate conditions will have ecosystem impacts down to the smallest of phytoplankton.
The Future of Pediatric Pulmonology: A Survey of Division Directors, Assessment of Current Research Funding, and Discussion of Workforce Trends.

In 2018-2020, The American Thoracic Society's Pediatric Pulmonology Division Directors Association (PPDDA) and Pediatric Pulmonology Training Directors Association (PEPTDA) convened a series of workshops to analyze workforce issues from the perspectives of current leaders within the discipline. In this, the report from the 3rd workgroup, we examine future workforce issues from several perspectives. We describe a PPDDA survey regarding current state and future needs of the discipline; an assessment of the current NIH research funding portfolio for major children's respiratory disorders; and an estimate of workforce trends in training, based mainly on ABP data. We conclude that current fellowship graduation rates appear to be sufficient to maintain and even grow the total number of pulmonologists, but demand for pediatric pulmonologists may still be greater than supply, and there are geographical disparities in access to care. New treatments for CF, growth of hospitalist services, care of technology dependent children, and multidisciplinary care for complex chronic disease, will likely change our practice over the next 10 years. Research funding appears to be robust for asthma, CF, BPD, microbiome, and pulmonary hypertension, compared to other chronic respiratory disorders. Few of these grants are led by pediatric pulmonologists. Thus, our discipline needs to adjust our training of fellows and junior faculty to take advantage of existing funding opportunities as well as advocate for greater funding for the other disorders we manage. Finally, we highlight opportunities for the discipline to enhance its roles in addressing emerging respiratory pathogens and expanding the diversity of its workforce. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Synthetic Pentasaccharide Fondaparinux (Arixtra®) Reduces Sepsis Induced Coagulopathy and Promotes Survival in the Baboon Model of E. coli Sepsis

Abstract Bacterial sepsis triggers profound dysfunction of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems leading to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), characterized by consumptive coagulopathy and bleeding. DIC may contribute to multiple organ failures due to occlusion of microvasculature and tissue hypoperfusion. Bacteria and/or bacteria-derived molecules initiate the activation of both the intrinsic/contact phase and extrinsic pathways of coagulation that activate factor X (FX). Active FX (FXa) is the enzyme of the prothrombinase complex that leads to thrombin generation and subsequent formation of fibrin clots. Arixtra® (Fondaparinux Sodium), a synthetic pentasaccharide, binds to antithrombin and thereby selectively inhibits FXa. Here, a baboon model of E. coli sepsis was used to investigate the effect of FXa inhibition on sepsis-induced activation of coagulation and fibrinolytic pathways. Two experimental baboon groups were studied:(i) E. coli challenge (n=4) , (ii) E. coli + Arixtra® (n=4). E. coli (1-2 x 1010 CFU/kg, LD100 dose) was infused intravenously over a 2 hour period. Arixtra® (0.08mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously to achive therapeutic concentration at the time of E. coli challenge (T0). The activation of coagulation was studied by measuring plasma levels of inhibitory complexes of antithrombin (AT) with activated factors: FXa-AT, FXIa-AT, thrombin-AT (TAT) and FVIIa-AT. E. coli challenge induced the activation of coagulation pathway as early as 2 hours post-challenge as evident by increase in plasma level of FXa-AT and TAT complexes. Contact pathway activation (FXIa-AT), as well as FVII activation (FVIIa-AT), were significantly reduced in Arixtra® treated animals. FXa-AT and TAT complexes were maximally present at 4-8 hours post-challenge and were reduced by more than 50% in Arixtra® treated animals (Fig. 1, A and B). Similarly, Arixtra® reduced activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time as well as fibrinogen consumption following E. coli challenge. In line with the above observation, the plasma levels of fibrinolysis markers, fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, D-Dimer and plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP) were significantly reduced in the Arixtra® treated group (Fig. 1, C and D). Platelets consumption/thrombocytopenia was similar in both the Arixtra® treated and the untreated groups. Moreover, neutrophil activation as measured by myeloperoxidase activity in plasma was reduced in the Arixtra® treated group. Two out of four animals survived in Arixtra® treated groups compared to 100% mortality in untreated group [Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test P=0.0037]. Notably, Arixtra® treated non-survivor animals demonstrated prolonged survival times. Overall, the data suggests that Arixtra® reduced both coagulation and fibrinolytic pathway activation, thereby preventing DIC and providing survival benefits in E. coli sepsis. Download : Download high-res image (145KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Changes in Infrapatellar Fat Pad Volume From 6 to 12 months Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Associations with Patient-Reported Knee Function

Context Hypertrophy of the Infrapatellar Fat Pad (IFP) in idiopathic knee osteoarthritis has been linked to deleterious synovial changes and joint pain related to mechanical tissue impingement; yet, little is known regarding the IFP's volumetric changes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Objective To examine changes in IFP volume between 6 and 12 months following ACLR and determine associations between patient-reported outcomes and IFP volume at each time point, as well as volume change over time. In a subset of individuals, we examined inter-limb IFP volume differences 12 months post-ACLR. Study design Prospective cohort study Setting: Laboratory Patients or Other Participants: We included 26 participants (13 females, 13 males, 21.88±3.58 years, 23.82±2.21 kg/m2) for our primary aims and 13 of those participants (8 females, 5 males, 21.15±3.85 years, 23.01±2.01 kg/m2) for our exploratory aim. Main outcome measure(s) Using magnetic resonance imaging, we evaluated IFP volume change between 6 and 12 months post-ACLR in the ACLR limb and between-limb differences at 12 months in a subset of participants. International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee evaluation (IKDC) scores were collected at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups and associations between IFP volume and patient-reported outcomes were determined. Results IFP volume in the ACLR limb significantly increased from 6 (19.67±6.30 cm3) to 12 (21.26±6.91 cm3) months post-ACLR. Greater increases of IFP volume between 6 and 12 months significantly associated with better 6-month IKDC scores (r=0.44, P=0.03). IFP volume was significantly greater in the uninjured limb (22.71±7.87 cm3) compared to the ACLR limb (20.75±9.03 cm3) 12 months post-ACLR. Conclusions IFP volume increased between 6 and 12 months post-ACLR; however, the IFP volume of the ACLR limb remained smaller than the uninjured limb at 12-months. Additionally, those with better knee function 6 months post-ACLR demonstrated greater increases in IFP volume between 6 and 12 months post-ACLR. This suggests greater IFP volumes may play a role in long-term joint health following ACLR.
What is Spiritual Support and How Might It Impact the Design of Online Communities

Spirituality is an understudied topic in social computing; however, for Online Health Community (OHC) users facing life-threatening illness, it is of fundamental importance. Through in-depth focus groups with OHC stakeholders in a US context, we derive a definition of "spiritual support" for use by designers and researchers who study online social support. We show that spiritual support is an integral dimension that underlies other social support types, and that if we ignore spirituality in design, we fail to mitigate problematic issues that arise in online spaces when users' spiritual values clash. Based on participants' ideations, we provide design implications for OHCs and other social media to better facilitate spiritual support through: (1) representing spiritual beliefs, (2) assistance with supportive communication, (3) support network visualization and mobilization, and (4) advance care planning and digital legacy.
Effective recruitment strategies in an exercise trial for patients with fibromyalgia

Recruitment of fibromyalgia populations into long-term clinical trials involving exercise interventions is a challenge. We evaluated the cost and randomization yields of various recruitment methods used for a fibromyalgia trial in an urban setting. We also investigated differences in participant characteristics and exercise intervention adherence based on recruitment source. We recruited individuals with fibromyalgia in the greater Boston area to a randomized controlled trial (RCT) using six recruitment strategies: newspaper advertisements, web advertisements, flyers, clinic referrals, direct mailing to patients in a clinic database, and word of mouth. We used the American College of Rheumatology 1990 and 2010 diagnostic criteria to screen and enroll participants. During an initial phone call to an interested participant, the study staff asked how they heard about the study. In this study, we compared the cost and yield of the six recruitment strategies as well as baseline characteristics, adherence, and attendance rates of participants across strategies. Our recruitment resulted in 651 prescreens, 272 screening visits, and 226 randomized participants. Advertisements in a local commuter newspaper were most effective, providing 113 of 226 randomizations, albeit high cost ($212 per randomized participant). Low-cost recruitment strategies included clinical referrals and web advertisements, but they only provided 32 and 16 randomizations. Community-based strategies including advertisement and flyers recruited a more racially diverse participant sample than clinic referrals and mailing or calling patients. There was no evidence of difference in adherence among participants recruited from various strategies. Newspaper advertisement was the most effective and most expensive method per randomized participant for recruiting large numbers of individuals with fibromyalgia in an urban setting. Community-based strategies recruited a more racially diverse cohort than clinic-based strategies. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01420640 . Registered on 19 August 2011.
Expectancies about the frequency of a target-similar distractor impact target selection

For successful achievement of any task, it is critical to select goal-relevant information while suppressing distractors. Previous research has demonstrated that attentional allocation is biased by a target template that increases the gain of target-relevant features while decreasing the gain of other features. However, it remains unclear how attentional selection and suppression are related when they come into conflict (i.e. when distractors are similar to the target). We investigated this issue with event-related potentials, focusing on the N2pc and Pd components, which are indices of attentional selection and suppression, respectively. A visual search task was used in which the target was defined by a combination of color and shape, and distractors differed from the target in color and/or shape. We manipulated the frequency of a target-colored distractor over blocks, such that the probability of a target-colored distractor was 75% (high-frequency blocks) or 25% (low-frequency blocks). We hypothesized that in high-frequency blocks, participants would decrease the gain on the target color in order to reduce distraction by the frequent target-colored distractors. The results confirmed our hypothesis. Reaction times in the high-frequency block (compared to low-frequency block) were longer to targets that appeared without a target-colored distractor, but shorter when a target-colored distractor was present. Consistent with the behavioral data, the N2pc for the target (without a target-colored distractor) was reduced and the Pd was larger in high-frequency blocks compared to low-frequency blocks. Moreover, the N2pc to the target-colored distractor was smaller and the Pd was larger in high-frequency blocks than in low-frequency blocks. These results indicate that expectancies about target-similar distractors not only impact the ability to suppress them but also affect the ability to select the target. This suggests that feature-based attentional gain was adjusted to maximize the balance between the need to suppress distractors and to select targets. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015. Language: en
More than Victims: Versions of Feminine Power in Bapsi Sidhwa’s Cracking India

On a surface level, the women in Bapsi Sidhwa’s Cracking India appear to be entirely victimized: the female inhabitants of Ranna’s village are brutally beaten and raped, Ayah is forced into a life of prostitution, and Lenny and her mother are unable to intervene. Accordingly, critics have focused on the oppression of women in Cracking India and other partition literature; Ananya Kabir points out how the violence of the partition "is primarily inscribed on the body of women...[who] bear the additional burden of gender." While I acknowledge that the female characters in Sidhwa’s text are outwardly disempowered -- religious, economic, and social life could all be classified as male domains, with men serving as both the principal authorities and agents of change--I assert that these women are also, in many situations and senses, able to possess and exert power over their circumstances. In this paper I explore how the unique feminine connections to the communal, the traditional, and the familial provide women with an exclusive power through which they are able to subvert patriarchal authority. Rather than simply perceiving Sidhwa’s women as disempowered and victimized, I examine how the female characters in Cracking India demonstrate not only survivorship, but also agency, using their unique connections and abilities to bring healing.
Examining the Relationship Between Sleep and Obesity Using Subjective and Objective Methods

47 INTRODUCTION 48 METHODS 49 RESULTS 53 DISCUSSION 54 TABLES AND FIGURES 59 REFERENCES 64 CHAPTER IV: AN OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT OF SLEEP ACROSS THE LIFE CYCLE IN FEMALES. 66 ABSTRACT 66 INTRODUCTION 67 METHODS 70 DATA ANALYSIS 72 RESULTS 72 DISCUSSION 73 TABLES AND FIGURES 76 REFERENCES 80 CONCLUSIONS 82 APPENDIX A: SLEEP AND BODY WEIGHT STUDY RECRUITMENT AND CONTACT MATERIALS 84 APPENDIX B: SLEEP AND BODY WEIGHT CONSENT/ASSENT FORMS ...... 85 APPENDIX C: SLEEP AND BODY WEIGHT SLEEP LOG 95 REFERNCES 97 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 108
Nicotinate Phosphoribosyltransferase of Human Erythrocytes PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES

Abstract Nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase from human erythrocytes has been purified approximately 30,000-fold. The purified enzyme migrates as a single protein band on disc electrophoresis at pH 7.9 and 9.5. The protein forms an inactive precipitate in salt concentrations below 50 mm. Addition of 25% glycerol protects against this precipitation. ATP stimulates the enzymatic reaction but is not an obligatory substrate. When present, ATP is hydrolyzed to ADP and Pi. This hydrolysis is stoichiometric with nicotinate mononucleotide formation. In the presence of saturating concentrations of ATP, the apparent Km values for nicotinate and 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate are decreased from 24 to 0.5 µm and 100 to 5 µm, respectively. The enzyme is not an ATPase in the absence of any of the other substrates. Its molecular weight is 86,000 by gel filtration in the absence or presence of 1.0 mm MgATP.
Process Arithmetic: How to Solve Problems in Wharton’s OPIM 631

VERSION 2.3 These notes are for Wharton's OPIM 631, the first MBA course on operations. It focuses on (1) step by step instructions: a "how to solve it," (2) problem recognition: when to use what analysis? (3) just the arithmetic. No motivational examples.
Integrated Criminal Justice Technologies: An Introduction

Criminal justice systems around the country are at a critical crossroads in the development and use of information and communication technologies. Decisions being made right now and during the next year will set the course for the next twenty years. Will we have an integrated system in which everyone who routinely works with the criminal justice system (including law enforcement, social services, schools, courts, prosecutors, public defenders, corrections, probation and parole offices) has easy, cheap and quick access to accurate and relevant information? Or, will we have what Chief Justice Ronald M. George of the Supreme Court of California calls the Electronic Tower of Babel, where every agency and player in the justice system is technologically equipped but, because of uncoordinated planning, everyone is technologically isolated from each other?
Effect of methamphetamine on tryptophan hydroxylase activity: role of hyperthermia.

Abstract A single administration of methamphetamine (15 mg/kg, s.c.) decreased activity of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-synthesizing enzyme, tryptophan hydroxylase, in rat striatum 1 h after administration. Methamphetamine also increased core body temperatures by greater than 3°C in these rats. Prevention of hyperthermia attenuated the methamphetamine-induced decrease in tryptophan hydroxylase activity. Core temperature at the time of injection (from 37.7°C to 40°C) did not influence the magnitude of this decrease. Moreover, augmenting methamphetamine-induced hyperthermia (from approximately 41 to 42°C) did not cause a further decrease in tryptophan hydroxylase activity. These data indicate that temperature contributes to, but is not solely responsible for, methamphetamine-induced 5-HT neuronal impairment.
On the origin of efficient photoluminescence in silicon nanocrystals

Discrepancies exists regarding the nature of photoluminescence from quantum-confined silicon nanocrystals. Here, using hydrostatic pressure, x-ray diffraction, and optical spectroscopy, we provide fundamental insights regarding whether emission arises from nanocrystal surface or core states.
Sliding Clamp of the Bacteriophage T4 Polymerase Has Open and Closed Subunit Interfaces in Solution

The sliding clamps of bacteriophage T4 (gp45), Escherichia coli (β clamp), and yeast (PCNA) are required for processive DNA synthesis by their cognate DNA polymerases. The X-ray crystal structures of all three of these clamps have been shown to be closed, circular complexes. This paper reports investigations of the solution structure of bacteriophage T4 gp45 by analytical ultracentrifugation, fluorescence, and hydrodynamic modeling. Mutants of gp45 with inter- and intrasubunit disulfide bonds were created to alter the solution structure of gp45, with additional mutagenesis used to investigate the importance of the proline-rich loop region found between the two domains of each gp45 monomer. The wild-type gp45 trimer assembles from monomers cooperatively with a dissociation constant of 0.21 μM2 and values between 0.088 and 0.32 μM2 for the mutants. Velocity ultracentrifugation experiments showed that wild-type gp45 possesses a sedimentation coefficient strongly dependent on concentration, typical of asymmet...
Human recognition of infrared images

This paper presents the results of an experiment that studied human recognition of infrared images. An experiment is described in which human observers were asked to to discriminate between different types of modern armored vehicles at various resolutions. In the original study', Johnson was concerned with the four criteria of detection, orientation, recognition, and identification, and a limited number of objects were used. This experiment used many more vehicles than Johnson, but concerns only the tasks of identification friend or foe (1FF), and identification. The vehicles are ones that would be commonly encountered in a modern day confrontation between NATO and Warsaw Pact forces. Simulated infrared images of these vehicles were presented to trained observers and the resolution threshold for the identification friend or foe task was determined.
Neuroelectrical correlates of categorical speech perception in adults.

Abstract Auditory evoked potentials were recorded from the left and right hemispheres of 16 adults during a phoneme identification task. The use of multivariate statistics enabled researchers to identify a number of cortical processes related to categorical speech perception which were common to both hemispheres, as well as several which disinguished between the two hemispheres.
Rhythmic theta and delta activity of cortical and hippocampal neuronal networks in genetically or pharmacologically induced N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction under urethane anesthesia

N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists mimic several symptoms of schizophrenia in healthy subjects, and are used in preclinical disease models. In the present study, the impact of pharmacologically and genetically induced NMDAR hypofunction was assessed in rats and mice, including the NMDAR hypomorphic (Grin1) mice, with respect to neuronal network oscillations. Field potentials were recorded from the ventro-medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (CA1) in rats, as well as spontaneous and elicited hippocampal theta oscillations in response to brainstem stimulation in Grin1 and wild-type (WT) mice under anesthesia. Effects of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor positive allosteric modulator LY451395 were tested in Grin1 mice and in WT mice following an MK-801 challenge. Recordings from the mPFC and CA1 in rats revealed regular delta and theta oscillations, respectively, which were disrupted by MK-801. In WT mice, MK-801 reduced both spontaneous and elicited hippocampal theta power. Age-matched Grin1 mice showed abnormal hippocampal field potentials, resembling activity seen after administration of MK-801 in WT mice, but also epileptiform discharges. Administration of MK-801 achieved high levels of NMDAR occupancy (84-98%) in both rats and mice, which is comparable to the approximately 90-95% reduction of NMDAR expression in the Grin1 mouse. Impaired elicited CA1 theta oscillation in WT mice following MK-801, or Grin1 mice was significantly improved by LY451395. These findings demonstrate similar, although not identical, changes in network activity following reduction in functioning NMDARs induced by acute pharmacological or genetic manipulations, indicating that these novel neurophysiological models could be used in evaluating drug candidates targeting glutamate neurotransmission.
Linear polybenzyls. II. Lack of structure control in benzyl chloride polymerization

Polybenzyls were prepared from benzyl chloride with different catalysts and solvents and at different temperatures. A model compound reaction for the polymerization was studied by reacting benzyl chloride with an excess amount of diphenylmethane to determine the effect of reaction conditions on substitution distribution. The degree of branching of polybenzyl samples was characterized from the infrared absorption spectra by using peaks assigned to para and ortho disubstitution products and monosubstitution units. The degree of branching so obtained correlated well with the results from the model compound reactions and with the thermal stabilities of the polymers. Anthracene unit formation was also related to the isomer content, and addition of complexing agents such as SO2 or tetranitromethane caused a reduction in branching during polymerization. An unusual glass transition behavior was observed in these polymers.
The Nominations Presidents Make: Appointing Supreme Court Justices

Much scholarly attention has focused on the politics of appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices. The following is a historical institutionalist approach to explaining Court appointments. Specificall...
Spectrofluorometric analysis of the effect of centrophenoxine on lipofuscin accumulation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

A 41.3% mean decrease in lipofuscin was found in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans following treatment of 6.8 mM centrophenoxine for 21 days. It is proposed that the spectrofluorometric technique is a convenient and more accurate method for determining cellular content of lipofuscin than planimetric and histochemical methodologies. This study further demonstrates the similarity of nematode lipofuscin to mammalian age pigment and provides a rapid, inexpensive method for evaluating the effects of pharmaceuticals on age-related lipofuscin accumulations.
Homozygosity For HLA‐B27

The effect of homozygosity for HLA-B27 on the clinical expression of rheumatic disease was studied in two families. The 1 homozygous patient in each of two families demonstrated extraordinarily severe peripheral and axial arthritis compared to other affected heterozygous relatives. In addition, predominant peripheral or axial disease appeared to segregate with different B27 haplotypes. The 2 homozygous patients were not homozygous at the HLA-A, C, or D loci.
Fire history of a lower elevation Jeffrey pine-mixed conifer forest in the eastern Sierra Nevada, California, USA.

For thousands of years, fire has shaped coniferous forests of the western United States. In more recent time, land use practices have altered the role fire plays in the Sierra Nevada. By understanding the past, land managers can design better fuel treatments today. This research explores the fire regimes of Sagehen Experimental Forest in the eastern Sierra Nevada, California, through a fire scar reconstruction of lower elevation Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Balf.) and Jeffrey pine-mixed conifer stands. Prehistoric and historic land use practices, fuel accumulation, and climate influenced the fire regime over three periods of time: pre-settlement (1700 to 1859), settlement (1860 to 1925), and suppression (1925 to 2006). Over the period of analysis, 293 fire scars were assigned calendar years. The mean composite fire return interval for all samples in the study area was two years. The mean composite fire return interval was significantly longer for the suppression period than both the pre-settlement and settlement periods. The lack of sufficient fire intervals for analysis using a filter that included fires that scarred at least three or more trees and 25% of the total sample indicates that fires in the study area are small in spatial extent. The proportion of dormant season fires increased from pre-settlement through the suppression period. No fires were recorded as middle and early earlywood during the suppression period. A superposed epoch analysis found significant correlation to warmer (Pacific Decadal Oscillation) and wetter (Palmer Drought Severity Index) conditions three years prior to large fire events during the pre-settlement period. During the post-settlement era, large fire years were correlated to El Nino conditions for two consecutive years prior. Little synchrony of fire events was recorded between fire scarred tree clusters. These findings suggest that small frequent prescribed burns would best mimic the pre-settlement fire regime if fire is reintroduced into the ecosystem.
Catastrophic pediatric sports injuries.

The high school sports of wrestling, gymnastics, ice hockey, baseball, track, and cheerleading should receive closer attention to prevent injury. Safer equipment and sport-specific conditioning should be provided and injuries strictly monitored. Greater attention must also be paid to swimming and diving techniques, and continued observation is needed for heat stroke and heat intolerance in sports such as football, wrestling, basketball, track and field, and cross-country. An increased awareness of commotio cordis in sports other than baseball should include ice hockey, football, track field events, and lacrosse. American football because of the sheer numbers and associated catastrophic injury potential must continue to be monitored at the highest medical levels! Language: en
A three-parameter shooting method as applied to a problem in combustion theory

Abstract The two-step reaction A + X → 2X, 2X + M → 2P + M is considered, with high activation energy Arrhenius kinetics in the first step and zero activation energy in the second. A model of an assumed thin flame layer is shown to have a solution, using a three parameter shooting method and topological degree theory.
DRESSED-ELECTRON STATIONARY STATES IN QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS.

The Rayleigh-Ritz procedure for functionalities is used to make a partial determination of the approximate stationary states associated with a free relativistic electron.
Sums of exponentials with polynomial coefficients

A homotopy continuation method is proposed for solving an inverse interpolation problem where the data is assumed to be sampled from a system whose dynamics are given by sums of decaying exponentials with polynomial coefficients. For the coordinate function F of the homotopy method the region R of invertibility of JF, the Jacobian of F, is identified. It is noted that the geometry of the region R depends only on the exponential factors and the leading coefficients of their polynomial coefficients.
Microfluidic simulations for immersion lithography

The premise behind immersion lithography is to improve resolution by increasing the index of refraction in the space between the final projection lens of an exposure system and the device wafer by inserting a high-index liquid in place of the low-index air that currently fills the gap. We present a preliminary analysis of the fluid flow characteristics of a liquid between the lens and the wafer. The objectives of this feasibility study are to identify liquid candidates that meet the fluid mechanical requirements and to verify modeling tools for immersion lithography. The filling process was analyzed to simplify the problem and identify important fluid properties and system parameters. Two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of the fluid between the lens and the wafer are developed and used to investigate a passive technique for filling this gap, in which a liquid is dispensed onto the wafer as a puddle, and then the wafer and liquid move under the lens. Numerical simulations include a parametric study of the key dimensionless groups influencing the filling process, and an investigation of the effects of the fluid/wafer and fluid/lens contact angles and wafer direction. The model results are compared with experimental measurements.
THE MECHANISM OF STREPTOMYCIN INHIBITION OF ERYTHROCYTE ANTIBODIES.

Summary An attempt was made to determine the means by which streptomycin inhibits erythrocyte antibodies. These studies indicate that the site of streptomycin action is the erythrocyte antibody, which is prevented from fixing to its surface-bound antigen. The streptomycin effect is not due to denaturation; the bond between antibody and antibiotic appears loose and can be separated by dialysis. The inhibitory action of streptomycin did not appear to be due to an analogue of the antigen inactivating the antibody by antibody-antigen interaction. Rather, a non-immunologic mechanism appears to be involved which possibly represents a generalized phenomenon. It is postulated that streptomycin reacts with serum globulins establishing a physical state which markedly reduces the fixation of such globulins to particulate surfaces. Resume Une tentative a ete faite de determiner le mecanisme par lequel la streptomycine inhibe les anticorps anti-erythrocytaires. Ces recherches demontrent que le lieu d'action de la streptomycine est l'anticorps anti-erythrocytaire qui est detourne de sa fixation habituelle a la surface de l'antigene. L'effet de la streptomycine n'est pas du a une denaturation. La liaison entre l'anticorps et l'antibiotique apparait etre lâche et peut etre defaite par dialyse. L'action inhibitrice de la streptomycine ne semble pas etre due a un phenomene analogue a celui de l'interaction antigene-anticorps ou l'antigene inactive l'anticorps. Bien plutot, il doit s'agir d'un mecanisme non immunologique qui vraisemblablement represente un phenomene generalise. On pense que la streptomycine reagit avec les globulines seriques en etablissant un etat physique qui reduit d'une maniere significative la fixation de ces globulines a des surfaces bien determinees. Zusammenfassung Es wurde versucht abzuklaren, in welcher Weise Streptomycin Erythrozytenanti-kurper zu hemmen vermag. Es zeigte sich, das Streptomycin auf die Antikurper in der Weise einwirkt, das diese nicht mehr imstande sind, sich an Oberflachenantigene der Erythrozyten zu binden. Der Streptomycineffekt beruht aber nicht auf einer einfachen Denaturation. Die Bindung zwischen dem Antikurper und dem Anti-biotikum ist vielmehr so lose, das die beiden durch Dialyse voneinander getrennt werden kunnen. Die Hemmwirkung scheint nicht darauf zu beruhen, das Streptomycin wegen einer Strukturanalogie mit dem Antigen die Antigen-Antikurper-Reaktion kompetitiv hemmt. Es handelt sich wahrscheinlich um einen nicht-immunologischen Mechanismus, dem vielleicht allgemeine Bedeutung zukommt. Die Annahme scheint naheliegend, das Streptomycin die Serumglobuline in einen Zu-stand versetzt, der ihr Fixationsvermogen an korpuskularen Oberflachen erheblich beeintrachtigt.
Impact of travel distance on the disposition of patients presenting for emergency psychiatric care.

For veterans presenting for emergency psychiatric care, this research tested the hypothesis that patients with poor geographic accessibility to ambulatory mental health services would be more likely to be hospitalized. Logistic regression results indicated that distant patients (>60 miles) were 4.8 times more likely (p<.05) to be admitted for acute psychiatric treatment than were proximal patients (<60 miles), controlling for clinical and demographic case-mix factors. This finding suggests that the Department of Veterans Affairs might be less effective in its effort to substitute intensive out-patient care in place of expensive inpatient treatment for rural veterans with emergent mental health problems.