cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Perspectives on Gout and Gout Treatments: A Patient Panel Discussion That Informed the 2020 American College of Rheumatology Treatment Guideline.

Objective The objective of this study was to understand patient perspectives to inform the voting process for the 2020 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) gout treatment guideline. Methods We conducted a panel meeting of eight patients with gout in Birmingham, Alabama. Patients were referred to the project by private and academic rheumatologists in the Birmingham area. All participants received orientation related to the guideline development process and evidence rating at the beginning of the meeting. With the help of a physician moderator, the patient panel reviewed nine key clinical scenarios and the supporting evidence and discussed their views and perspectives related to each. They also provided their preference for one of the two treatment options for each clinical scenario. Results The patient panel included eight men with gout. Of these eight participants, seven received their gout care from a rheumatologist and one from a primary care physician. Patients favored more active urate-lowering therapy (ULT) management and interventional management of gout flares to achieve desired clinical outcomes, resulting in unanimous consensus on choices related to six clinical scenarios: ULT initiation in gout, treat-to-target management strategy, use of pegloticase for refractory gout, starting ULT during a gout flare, using injectable treatments (over oral) for acute gout flares, and use of febuxostat in people with cardiovascular disease. Conclusion Knowledge of patient preferences and values is valuable and was influential for the development of the 2020 ACR gout treatment guideline.
Healthcare provider self-reported observations and behaviors regarding their role in the spiritual care of cancer patients.

The provision of spiritual care by an interprofessional healthcare team is an important, yet frequently neglected, component of patient-centered cancer care. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between individual and occupational factors of healthcare providers and their self-reported observations and behaviors regarding spiritual care in the oncologic encounter. A cross-sectional survey was administered to healthcare providers employed at a large Comprehensive Cancer Center. Pearson’s chi-square test and logistic regression were used to determine potential associations between provider factors and their observations and behaviors regarding spiritual care. Among the participants emailed, 420 followed the survey link, with 340 (80.8%) participants completing the survey. Most participants were female (82.1%) and Caucasian (82.6%) with a median age was 35 years (IQR: 31–48). Providers included nurses (64.7%), physicians (17.9%), and “other” providers (17.4%). There was a difference in provider observations about discussing patient issues around religion and spirituality (R&S). Specifically, nurses more frequently inquired about R&S (60.3%), while physicians were less likely (41.4%) (p = 0.028). Also, nurses more frequently referred to chaplaincy/clergy (71.8%), while physicians and other providers more often consulted psychology/psychiatry (62.7%, p < 0.001). Perceived barriers to not discussing R&S topics included potentially offending patients (56.5%) and time limitations (47.7%). Removing extrinsic barriers and understanding intrinsic influences can improve the provision of spiritual care by healthcare providers.
Hematologic and Immunologic Abnormalities Associated with Multisystem Failure

Summary Patients with multisystem failure have a grave prognosis, and other factors further impinge on the outcome. Drug-related injury to the hematopoietic system may lead to the loss of adequate red blood cells, neutrophils, or platelets. Dysfunction of these cell lines may also occur, because of drugs or disease, and will adversely affect patient recovery. Coagulopathy is a frequent complication of multisystem failure and adds to morbidity and mortality in such patients. Coagulopathy may be a result of the failure of other organs, such as the liver or kidneys, or may be part of the ongoing disease process, such as in endotoxic shock or TIP. An understanding of the mechanisms involved and the expectation of this complication may improve the management and outcome of the patients. Immunologic dysfunction in severely ill patients is very likely a contributor to increased morbidity and mortality. Currently, the assessment of immunologic abnormalities involves evaluation of numbers and functions of the effector cell populations. Management is currently speculative. It is therefore clear that there is much work to be done in resolving certain of the complications of multisystem failure that contribute to the problem. Knowledge and management of the hematologic and immunologic abnormalities associated with critical illness, shock, and trauma are important assets in developing an appropriate management plan, and it is hoped they will contribute to an improved outcome for such seriously ill patients.
Inter-platform competition in a regulated ride-hail market with pooling

Abstract This paper studies an aggregate ride-hail market in which two platforms compete with each other, as well as with transit, under different supply and regulatory conditions. The duopoly is built on a general market equilibrium model that explicitly characterizes the physical matching process, including pairing two passengers for a pooling ride. Depending on whether drivers’ work affiliation with a platform is exclusive or not, the duopoly is said to have a single- or multi-homing supply mode. We describe the outcome of the duopoly pricing game as a Nash Equilibrium (NE) and solve it by transforming it into a variational inequality problem (VIP). When a regulatory constraint is imposed, the duopoly equilibrium becomes a generalized NE, which corresponds to a quasi VIP. We show that multi-homing may lead to disastrous outcomes in an unregulated duopoly and demonstrate it through numerical experiments constructed using data from Chicago. Specifically, passenger and driver surplus, as well as platform profits, are all significantly lower in a multi-homing duopoly than in a single-homing counterpart. This disaster arises because (i) the multi-homing duopoly is locked in a self-destructive pricing war analogous to the tragedy of the commons; and (ii) the competition among passengers limits economy of scale in trip production. We show that the negative consequences of this tragedy can be mitigated by (i) discouraging multi-homing behavior; (ii) imposing a minimum wage on both platforms; and (iii) encouraging the platforms to specialize in different services. The results also show the efficiency in matching passengers and drivers is a crucial asset for a platform’s competitiveness, more so in a multi-homing duopoly. In general, the platform with a higher matching efficiency ends up making more money and providing a better level of service.
Furthering Visual Accessibility with Extended Reality (XR): A Systematic Review.

Over the past decade, extended reality (XR) applications have increasingly been used as assistive technology for people with low vision (LV). Here we present a systematic literature review of 216 publications from 109 different venues assessing the potential of XR technology to serve as not just a visual accessibility aid but also as a tool to study perception and behavior in people with low vision and blind people whose vision was restored with a visual neuroprosthesis. These technologies may be used to visually enhance a person's environment for completing daily activities, train LV participants with residual vision, or simulate either a specific visual impairment or the artificial vision generated by a prosthetic implant. We also highlight the need for adequate empirical evaluation, the broadening of end-user participation, and a more nuanced understanding of the suitability and usability of different XR-based accessibility aids.
THE DISINFECTANT DIVERSION: FRAMING STRATEGIES OF PARTISAN MEDIA IN INTERPRETING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Following the rise of Donald Trump leading up to the 2016 US presidential election, political communication scholars have turned a critical eye towards the role of conservative media outlets in the construction of an overarching meta-narrative, largely referred to in the existing literature as the “deep story” (Hochschild, 2016). The aim of the present study to extend this seminal work to analyze how mainstream, conservative, and liberal outlets rely on meta-narratives to construct meaning in their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing qualitative methods, we analyze the coverage that six American news outlets afforded the April 23rd 2020 Coronavirus Task Force news briefing, where President Trump insinuated injections of disinfectant could be a useful way to fight COVID-19. Our analysis includes 115 news articles, 41 Facebook posts and 87 television clips from these outlets. Our results reveal that both the left and right wing media systems employed overarching narratives in their coverage. The left-wing media heavily emphasized the tendency to deny or argue scientific fact among conservatives. In contrast, we observed that the right-wing media constantly used similar framing strategies in an attempt to vilify the left-wing media and liberals. Considering the existing literature (Kreiss, 2018: Poletta & Callahan, 2019), we observed many instances where right-wing pundits and journalists relied on previously established heuristics, cuing audiences to perceive the left-wing media as elitist out to discredit Trump. Our findings provide an in-depth analysis of how partisan media relies on meta-narratives to convey meaning to their audiences.
Models for estimating parameters of neutral detergent fiber digestion by ruminal microorganisms

Model assumptions included number of concurrently degrading entities (or pools) and expected distributions of undegraded NDF. Degradation processes modeled included a single pool with ruminal age-constant rates (exponential distribution), a single pool with a ruminal age-dependent rate, two pools with age-constant rates, two pools with age-dependent and age-constant rates, and a continuum of pools with a gamma distribution of age-constant rates. Various sizes of ingestively masticated fragments of bermudagrass hay or corn silage were obtained via wet sieving of esophageal masticate and incubated in vitro with ruminal fluid for 0 h, every 6 h up to 48 h, and every 12 h up to 168 h. Models assuming a single pool of age-constant or age-dependent rates had larger mean residual mean squares (P < 0.05) than did the gamma mixture model or the two-pool models. Degradation rates estimated by the gamma mixture model indicated distribution of rates ranging from near exponential, age-constant distribution to a near normal bell-shaped distribution of age-constant rates for different datasets. Superior fit by the two-pool models in most datasets (83%) indicated that having two resolvable entities of potentially degradable NDF with different degradation rates was causal of a biphasic distribution of lifetimes. Increasing order of age-dependency modeled in the two-pool model improved fit and precision of estimation (standard error of estimate) for the limit parameters of time delay and indigestible NDF. Both the gamma mixture continuum of age-constant rate model and the two-pool, age-dependent models with a discrete time delay provided similar fit to data and flexibility for fitting data with lifetime distributions ranging from simple exponential to sigmodial. The two-pool, age-dependent and gamma-distributed, age-constant models were better in fitting the dominant biphasic lifetime distributions that occurred when the two pools of degrading entities were of similar size and in estimating the discrete time delay when strategic, quality data were available. Having fewer parameters (four), the gamma-distributed, age-constant model was superior when data quality was limited.
Infantile Spasms Respond Poorly to Topiramate

Abstract Introduction Infantile spasms are seizures typical of an age-related epileptic encephalopathy. Although evidence supporting topiramate for infantile spasms is lacking, many clinicians use it for this indication. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of infantile spasm remission with topiramate at our institution. A low rate of infantile spasm remission was hypothesized. Methods This was a single-center retrospective medical record review of patients treated with topiramate for infantile spasms between January 2009 and September 2013. Records were reviewed for accuracy of diagnosis and outcome. Clinical remission of infantile spasms was defined as resolution for at least 28 days at any time during treatment with topiramate. For patients with clinical remission, posttreatment electroencephalographs were reviewed to assess for electrographic remission. To assess for confounding variables affecting remission rate, demographics and outcomes were compared with patients treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone within the same period using the same criteria for remission. Results Three of 31 (9.7%) patients achieved clinical remission with topiramate, two of whom also experienced electrographic remission. The third patient had electrographic remission with previous adrenocorticotropic hormone treatment but infantile spasm remission only after receiving topiramate. All three of these patients experienced subsequent electroclinical relapse during topiramate therapy. Although there were no significant demographic differences between the topiramate and adrenocorticotropic hormone cohorts, more adrenocorticotropic hormone patients achieved clinical remission (9.7% versus 56%; P Discussion Remission of infantile spasms with topiramate was uncommon and no patient experienced persistent electroclinical remission. These findings suggest that infantile spasms respond poorly to topiramate.
Power Laws in Biological Networks

The rapidly developing theory of complex networks indicates that real networks are not random, but have a highly robust large-scale architecture, governed by strict organizational principles. Here, we focus on the properties of biological networks, discussing their scale-free and hierarchical features. We illustrate the major network characteristics using examples from the metabolic network of the bacterium Escherichia coli. We also discuss the principles of network utilization, acknowledging that the interactions in a real network have unequal strengths. We study the interplay between topology and reaction fluxes provided by flux-balance analysis. We find that the cellular utilization of the metabolic network is both globally and locally highly inhomogeneous, dominated by “hot-spots”, rep-resenting connected high-flux pathways.
Tutorial 3: Data Mining with Decision Trees

In this tutorial, we survey recent developments in learning tree-based models for classification and regression called predictor trees. The tutorial has three parts: (1) A general overview of tree-based classification and regression. (2) A survey of methods to construct predictor trees. (3) An overview of scalable data access methods to construct predictor trees from very large training databases.
A quartic nonlinear optimization method

In this paper we present a new algorithm - called the quartic method - for one-dimensional optimization. The quartic method is the third and final member of a family of algorithms called the Taylor Approximation Methods which includes Newton's method and Euler's method. Like its two distinguished relatives, the new method is also expected to be very efficient in practice. We present preliminary numerical results comparing the quartic method with both Newton's method and other fourth order algorithms. The numerical results suggest that the new method is significantly faster than Newton's method (and other fourth order algorithms) both in terms of the number of iterations and the actual running time. Theoretical considerations and preliminary numerical results suggest that the quartic method could emerge as a serious candidate for practical use in the future.
A Bayesian Approach to Analyzing Replicated Preference Tests

Replicated preference tests have become important tools for assessing consistency in consumer preferences in repeated tests as well as overall consumer preference. Replicated preference tests can also provide the means for separating discriminators from nondiscriminators. Despite the increasing popularity of replicated preference tests, there are relatively few statistical tools for their analysis, especially when one is interested in examining the consistency of consumer preferences across tests. This paper presents flexible Bayesian methods for examining overall consumer preference and consistency of consumer preference in replicated preference tests. In particular, this paper presents Bayesian methods for forced-choice preference testing with two tests and then extends this methodology to include forced-choice preference testing with more than two tests and replicated preference testing with a no-preference or no-choice option. The methods produce intuitive and easily interpreted probabilities. These methods are applied to various replicated preferences test data from the literature. Practical Applications The Bayesian methods presented in this paper will help sensory scientists and statisticians working with sensory data to explore data from replicated preference tests more thoroughly. Much of the currently used methodology only allows scientists to assess the overall preference for a particular product, although a measure of overdispersion is sometimes incorporated. The methodology in this paper allows for a wider array of questions to be answered. In particular, this paper focuses on consumers' ability to consistently choose the same product. Initiallly, the methods apply to forced-choice tests, but they are later extended to include a no-preference option. Allowing for a no-preference options is another important contribution of this work.
In vivo molecular imaging in cells using time-resolved microspectrofluorimetry

Time-resolved laser spectroscopy and microscopy can be employed to sense endogenous and exogenous molecular compounds in living cells. We describe how the method is applied to detect in vivo molecular interactions with nanometer scale sensitivity.
A Review of “The End of Inequality: One Person, One Vote and the Transformation of American Politics”

Years after Baker v. Carr (1962), Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that the ruling was the most important one made during his tenure on the Supreme Court, more significant than even Brown v. Board o...
Social Facts, Constitutional Interpretation, and the Rule of Recognition

This essay is a chapter in a volume that examines constitutional law in the United States through the lens of H.L.A. Hart's "rule of recognition" model of a legal system. My chapter focuses on a feature of constitutional practice that has been rarely examined: how jurists and scholars argue about interpretive methods. Although a vast body of scholarship provides arguments for or against various interpretive methods -- such as textualism, originalism, "living constitutionalism," structure-and-relationship reasoning, representation reinforcement, minimalism, and so forth -- very little scholarship shifts to the meta-level and asks: What are the considerations that jurists and scholars bring to bear in arguing that one or another interpretive method is legally favored? And can we "make sense" of this body of argument? Is there a model of legal discourse that both accurately describes how U.S. jurists and scholars actually argue about interpretive methods, and that vindicates this discourse (in the sense of seeing these actors as making valid arguments)?I find that Hart's rule-of-recognition model fails to describe or vindicate how U.S. jurists and scholars argue about interpretive methods. The problem, in a nutshell, is that Hart sees legal argument as asserting or presupposing the social fact of contemporary official acceptance of a rule of recognition. By contrast, jurists and scholars typically point to social facts other than contemporary official acceptance in arguing for the legal status of an interpretive method -- for example, the fact that the method is supported by Framers' intent, or by U.S. culture and tradition, or by precedent. Further, jurists and scholars very often argue that some interpretive method is legally favored even though the method is controversial. On Hart's model, such a claim is problematic -- because, on his model, the content of the rule of recognition is not controversial, but rather a matter of consensus among officials.The upshot may just be that Hart's model is a failure. However, another possibility is to adopt an "error theory" of U.S. constitutional discourse. It may perhaps be the case that U.S. jurists and scholars often make claims for the favorable legal status of some interpretive method that are inconsistent with the best understanding of the nature of law.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of metal-binding to histone deacetylase 8

Histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) was originally classified as a Zn(II)-dependent deacetylase on the basis of Zn(II)-dependent HDAC8 activity in vitro and illumination of a Zn(II) bound to the active site. However, in vitro measurements demonstrated that HDAC8 has higher activity with a bound Fe(II) than Zn(II), although Fe(II)-HDAC8 rapidly loses activity under aerobic conditions. These data suggest that in the cell HDAC8 could be activated by either Zn(II) or Fe(II). Here we detail the kinetics, thermodynamics, and selectivity of Zn(II) and Fe(II) binding to HDAC8. To this end, we have developed a fluorescence anisotropy assay using fluorescein-labeled suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (fl-SAHA). fl-SAHA binds specifically to metal-bound HDAC8 with affinities comparable to SAHA. To measure the metal affinity of HDAC, metal binding was coupled to fl-SAHA and assayed from the observed change in anisotropy. The metal KD values for HDAC8 are significantly different, ranging from picomolar to micromolar for Zn(II) and Fe(II), respectively. Unexpectedly, the Fe(II) and Zn(II) dissociation rate constants from HDAC8 are comparable, koff ∼0.0006 s−1, suggesting that the apparent association rate constant for Fe(II) is slow (∼3 × 103 M−1 s−1). Furthermore, monovalent cations (K+ or Na+) that bind to HDAC8 decrease the dissociation rate constant of Zn(II) by ≥100-fold for K+ and ≥10-fold for Na+, suggesting a possible mechanism for regulating metal exchange in vivo. The HDAC8 metal affinities are comparable to the readily exchangeable Zn(II) and Fe(II) concentrations in cells, consistent with either or both metal cofactors activating HDAC8.
Distribution of an Inducible Hexose-Phosphate Transport System Among Various Bacteria

A transport system for glucose-6-phosphate, which is inducible by glucose-6-phosphate but not glucose or β-glycerophosphate, occurs in a variety of bacterial genera. The correlation of the fosfomycin sensitivity with the presence of the transport system is described.
Measurements of positronium formation cross sections in positron-Mg collisions

We report measurements of positronium (Ps) formation cross sections for 0.1\char21{}60 eV positrons scattered by Mg atoms. There is reasonable agreement between the measured cross sections and recent calculations of those values, both of which indicate an unusually steep increase of the Ps formation cross section from zero to a large peak value as the positron energy is increased from the Ps formation threshold to less than 1 eV above that threshold.
Risk Factors for Ectopic Pregnancy

To the Editor.— In the report of their case-control study that appeared in the March 25 issue ofTHE JOURNAL, Marchbanks et al 1 estimated the risk of ectopic pregnancy in current users of intrauterine devices (IUDs) to be 13.7 times that of nonusers. However, we believe that because of the way the authors defined their control group that this value seriously overstates the true excess risk associated with the use of an IUD. Ideally, controls in a case-control study should be all or a sample of that population at risk for the disease from which the cases arose. For practical reasons, often this ideal is not met, and it is necessary to choose as controls persons who have conditions or illnesses that are different than the one under investigation. This choice will produce a valid result only to the extent that the controls selected have a frequency of exposure
View reconstruction from images by removing vehicles

Reconstructing views of real-world from satellite images, surveillance videos, or street view images is now a very popular problem, due to the broad usage of image data in Geographic Information Systems and Intelligent Transportation Systems. In this paper, we propose an approach that tries to replace the differences among images that are likely to be vehicles by the counterparts that are likely to be background. This method integrates the techniques for lane detection, vehicle detection, image subtraction and weighted voting, to regenerate the "vehicle-clean" images. The proposed approach can efficiently reveal the geographic background and preserve the privacy of vehicle owners. Experiments on surveillance images from TrafficLand.com and satellite view images have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
ARE SYMBOLIC RACISM AND TRADITIONAL PREJUDICE PART OF A CONTEMPORARY AUTHORITARIAN ATTITUDE SYNDROME

This research used the General Social Survey for 1988 to investigate the extent to which traditional racial prejudice and symbolic racism had syndromic qualities among white Americans. The correlations between the measures of traditional prejudice and a wide variety of authoritarianism-related social attitudes were often moderately high. However, the associations of the measure of symbolic racism with these attitudes typically were similar. Additionally, the loadings of both types of prejudice on a general attitudinal authoritarianism factor were moderately high. Moreover, the measures of traditional prejudice and symbolic racism had substantial correlations with one another. Thus there was little in the findings to support the characterization by Sears and his associates of symbolic racism as a distinctive racial disposition.
Improving computer architecture education through the use of questioning

Learning is not a spectator sport! Yet, the majority of classroom time is spent lecturing. While traditional lecture might be useful for disseminating information, textbooks and web pages already do that. Why spend valuable class time telling students what the book says. Students need to be more engaged than listening and note taking allow! In-class questioning can be very effective at actively engaging students. This paper provides some background information about questioning, supplies some process suggestions for those wishing to enhance their use of questions, and provides some Computer Architecture specific examples of questions.
Year-round temperature simulation of cold climate lakes

Abstract A dynamic simulation model of lake water temperature developed for summer conditions is extended to accomplish the year-round one-dimensional, unsteady simulation of hydrothermal processes in a lake located in the temperate region. New submodels for the winter cover and for the heat exchange with lake bottom sediments are added to the existing summer stratification model. This extension enhances the applicability of the model. Numerical results were obtained with the expanded simulation model for Lake Calhoun, Minnesota, and compared with some field data.
Classification and prevalence of pigmented lesions in patients with total-body photographs at high risk of developing melanoma.

BACKGROUND The classification of many pigmented lesions is not well defined, and an association with melanoma has not been established. OBJECTIVE To better define the spectrum of pigmented lesions (excluding common and dysplastic nevi) and explore links to melanoma. METHODS Retrospective review of patients with total-body digital photographs at high risk of developing melanoma from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Dermatology Service. RESULTS Among 598 patients, 7.7% had cafe au lait spots, 2.8% had nevi spilus, 2.3% had congenital nevus-like nevi, 2% had "other" lesions, 1.2% had segmental speckled lentiginous nevi, and 1% had agminated nevi. There was no statistical difference in the prevalence rates of these pigmented lesions in patients with or without a history of melanoma or >or= 100 nevi. CONCLUSIONS A wide range of pigmented lesions require further classification and study to explore possible links to melanoma.
Ecosystem studies using profiling polarization LiDAR

Airborne lidar has been demonstrated to be a useful tool to obtain horizontal distributions and vertical profiles of fish, zooplankton, and phytoplankton. Polarization filtering allows scattering from larger irregular particles like fish and plankton to be distinguished from the general background scattering. When combined with other observations, airborne lidar has been demonstrated to be a useful tool to investigate the effects of physical processes on the ecosystem and the interactions between different trophic levels.
Native Hawaiian Traditional Healing: Culturally Based Interventions for Social Work Practice

Developing cultural competence is a key requirement for social workers in the multicultural environment of the 21st century. However, the development of social work interventions that are syntonic with specific cultural groups is a great challenge. Interventions that are based on the traditional healing practices of a particular culture ensure cultural relevance and consistency with its values and worldview. This article discusses the importance of culturally based interventions within a cultural competence framework and offers examples of such interventions used with Native Hawaiians. Two interventions are discussed, targeted to the micro (direct practice) level and macro (community practice) level of practice. Culturally based social work interventions may be most appropriate for client systems within a particular culture; however, some methods, such as ho'oponopono, have been successfully used with clients from other cultures as well.
Antiviral Effect of Pyran Against Systemic Infection of Mice with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2

The immunomodulator pyran markedly protected 5-week-old mice from lethal intravenous infection with herpes simplex virus type 2. The 50% lethal dose was increased almost 100-fold in pyran-treated mice as compared with controls. Although the protection was not as marked in older mice (10 and 16 weeks old), there was a significant increase in mean survival time. When the pathogenesis of herpesvirus disease was monitored in control and drug-treated mice, the effect of pyran was most evident in the spinal cord, where virus was recovered from 20 of 25 control mice and from only 6 of 25 pyran-treated mice. There was also a significant reduction in the titer of virus present, and virus appeared later in the spinal cord of pyran-treated mice than in control mice. The protective effect of pyran was observed only when the drug was administered 24 h before viral challenge, was seen after both intraperitoneal and intravenous injection, and was not due to direct inactivation of the virus.
POLLEN MORPHOLOGY AND THE RELATIONSHIPS OF CIRCAEASTER, OF KINGDONIA, AND OF SARGENTODOXA TO THE RANUNCULALES

The pollen of three monotypic genera, Circaeaster, Kingdonia, and Sargentodoxa has been examined by light and scanning electron microscopy and in the case of the last genus, also by transmission electron microscopy. The type of tectum found in Circaeaster and Kingdonia, derivations of a compound layer of striae, has a restricted distribution in the Order Ranunculales. Of 64 genera examined in this order only six had species with a similar tectum. They include Achlys, Epimedium, Jeffersonia, and Vancouveria of the Berberidaceae s.l., the controversial Hydrastis, and Trollius of the Ranunculaceae. Circaeaster and Kingdonia have been considered as related since both have rare and primitive vegetative characteristics, the most notable being open dichotomous leaf venation. They are probably best treated as a ditypic family, Circaeasteraceae. The pollen of Sargentodoxa, especially the structure of the exine, closely resembles that of the Lardizabalaceae. However, the fruits of Sargentodoxa have been considered to be distinct from those of the Lardizabalaceae, suggesting that it be treated as a separate, but closely allied, family.
Mechanism of transfer RNA maturation by CCA-adding enzyme without using an oligonucleotide template

Transfer RNA nucleotidyltransferases (CCA-adding enzymes) are responsible for the maturation or repair of the functional 3' end of tRNAs by means of the addition of the essential nucleotides CCA. However, it is unclear how tRNA nucleotidyltransferases polymerize CCA onto the 3' terminus of immature tRNAs without using a nucleic acid template. Here we describe the crystal structure of the Archaeoglobus fulgidus tRNA nucleotidyltransferase in complex with tRNA. We also present ternary complexes of this enzyme with both RNA duplex mimics of the tRNA acceptor stem that terminate with the nucleotides C74 or C75, as well as the appropriate incoming nucleoside 5'-triphosphates. A single nucleotide-binding pocket exists whose specificity for both CTP and ATP is determined by the protein side chain of Arg 224 and backbone phosphates of the tRNA, which are non-complementary to and thus exclude UTP and GTP. Discrimination between CTP or ATP at a given addition step and at termination arises from changes in the size and shape of the nucleotide binding site that is progressively altered by the elongating 3' end of the tRNA.
Time-resolved fluorescence using synchrotron radiation excitation: A powered fourth-harmonic cavity improves pulse stability

The pulsed nature or ‘‘time structure’’ of synchrotron radiation from electron storage rings is used to measure the kinetics of the decay of electronically excited states and is particularly useful because the wavelength of excitation can be chosen at will. However, changes in the length of the pulses of radiation from a storage ring resulting from the gradual decrease of current circulating in the ring during the course of a ‘‘fill’’ limit the duration of data collection, and hence photometric sensitivity. A fourth‐harmonic cavity that was recently added to the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) storage ring at the National Synchrotron Light Source slows the loss of current during a fill, and thus increases the total number of photons produced. When operated in a passive (unpowered) mode, however, the fourth‐harmonic cavity increases both the average width of the photon pulses and the changes in width that occur during a fill, thus reducing the usefulness of the VUV ring in timing experiments. We demonstrate that ...
Lithographically defined 3D nanoporous nonenzymatic glucose sensors.

Abstract Nonenzymatic glucose oxidation is demonstrated on highly faceted palladium nanowflower-modified porous carbon electrodes fabricated by interference lithography. Varying electrodeposition parameters were used to control the final shape and morphology of the deposited nanoparticles on the 3D porous carbon which showed a 12 times increase in the electrochemically active surface area over analogous planar electrodes. Extremely fast amperometric glucose responses (achieving 95% of the steady state limiting current in less than 5 s) with a linear range from 1 to 10 mM and a detection limit of 10 μM were demonstrated. The unusual surface properties of the pyrolyzed photoresist films produced strongly adhered palladium crystal structures that were stable for hundreds of cycles towards glucose oxidation without noticeable current decay.
Prevalence and patterns of silent myocardial ischemia during daily life in stable angina patients receiving conventional antianginal drug therapy.

Abstract The prevalence and patterns of silent myocardial ischemia were evaluated in 105 stable angina patients receiving conventional antianginal drug therapy. During 2,520 hours of electrocardiographic monitoring, silent ischemia was detected in 45 (43%) patients. A total of 188 ischemic episodes was observed; 163 (87%) were silent and accounted for a total ischemic duration of 5,771 minutes. There was no difference in the baseline clinical characteristics between the patients with and without ambulatory silent ischemia. However, patients with silent ischemia on ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring had earlier onset of ischemia during exercise testing. The highest density of silent ischemic events occurred between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Comparison of the class or combination of antianginal agents used by the 2 groups revealed no difference. However, in patients with silent ischemia the mean duration per event was shorter for those receiving 2 (p
Outcome of Acute Myocardial Infarction According to the Specialty of the Admitting Physician

Background In order to limit costs, health care organizations in the United States are shifting medical care from specialists to primary care physicians. Although primary care physicians provide less resource-intensive care, there is little information concerning the effects of this strategy on outcomes. Methods We examined mortality according to the specialty of the admitting physician among 8241 Medicare patients who were hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction in four states during a seven-month period in 1992. Proportional-hazards regression models were used to examine survival up to one year after the myocardial infarction. To determine the generalizability of our findings, we also examined insurance claims and survival data for all 220,535 patients for whom there were Medicare claims for hospital care for acute myocardial infarction in 1992. Results After adjustment for characteristics of the patients and hospitals, patients who were admitted to the hospital by a cardiologist were 12 percent le...
Fertility of dehydrated bull semen.

The preservation of living cells is the ultimate goal of freezing and dehydration or freeze drying. Living cells usually contain 15 to 25% protein and 75 to 85% water. Extended semen contains about 86.8% removable water at room temperature and reduced atmospheric pressure (less than 30 mTorr). When water is immobilized by freezing, the cell metabolism ceases and is preserved unless damage has occurred, Cells can be successfully frozen and recovered in viable form under carefully controlled conditions of chemical environment and cooling rate, The frozen cell is in effect dry, because the water in the cell is crystallized into a solid state and thus not utilized for normal cellular functions, Therefore, this water could be removed without causing deleterious effects on the cell. During this process, frozen water is removed via vacuum while the specimen is kept frozen. Utilizing this principle, enormous success has been reported in dehydrating biological specimens. However, the preservation of living cells is a more-complex problem because death may occur either during freezing, dehydration, storage after dehydration, or during the period of reconstitution. Survival experiments are not easy to interpret because it is difficult to determine when death occurred. The ultimate assay for determining viability of dehydrated and rehydrated semen is fertility. The objective of
Left atrial size, pressure, and V wave height in patients with isolated, severe, pure mitral regurgitation

In recent years, some concepts regarding the etiology and hemodynamics present in the syndrome of mitral regurgitation have changed. Coronary artery disease and mitral valve prolapse have replaced rheumatic heart disease as the most frequent cause of mitral regurgitation. Hemodynamic studies have shown that tall V waves in the pulmonary capillary wedge tracings are neither specific nor sensitive in detecting the presence of mitral regurgitation. In this study, we evaluated the role of various clinical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic findings with regard to left atrial (LA) size, pressure, and V wave height. We found that the mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCW) and V wave height for the subset of patients with acute mitral regurgitation (PCW = 24.1 +/- 10.9; V = 41.2 +/- 20.7 mm Hg) was similar to the subset with chronic mitral regurgitation (PCW = 17.9 +/- 7.5; V = 32.0 +/- 18.2 mm Hg). In addition, we found that there was a significant logarithmic relationship between the LA size and the duration of the mitral regurgitation (y = 1.404 [log X] + 3.948; R = 0.678; p less than 0.0005). Lastly, we found that LA size, compliance, regurgitant volume, and regurgitant valve orifice area all increase with time.
Who Cares? Families and Feelings in Movement

This paper explores the emotional dimensions of human mobility and transnational family life. The author argues that while feelings of non-belonging are part and parcel of human nature and thus not restricted to migrants, experiences of loss and homelessness can be directly caused by migrant-specific predicaments. After a discussion of some of the recent debates around transnationalism and emotions, and an introduction of the major themes that link the papers in the Special Issue, the author reflects on her own experiences of transnational care. The analysis focuses on issues such as family obligations, moral expectations, the experiential dialectics of proximity and distance, and the impact of changing communication technology on emotional processes. The paper uses a theoretical perspective that examines emotions as discourses, practices and embodied experiences.
Quantitative pulmonary single photon emission computed tomography for radiotherapy applications.

Pulmonary imaging using single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) is the focus of current radiotherapy research, including dose-responseanalysis and three-dimensional (3D) radiation treatment planning. Improvement in the quantitative capability of SPECT may help establish its potential role in this application as well as others requiring accurate knowledge of pulmonary blood flow. The purposes of this study were to quantitatively evaluate SPECT filtered backprojection (FBP) and ordered subset-expectation maximization (OS-EM) reconstruction implementations for measuring absolute activity concentration in lung phantom experiments, and to incorporate quantitative SPECT techniques in 3D-RTP for lungcancer. Quantitative FBP (nonuniform iterative Chang attenuation compensation, scatter correction, and 3D postreconstruction Metz filtering) and OS-EM implementations were compared with a “clinical” implementation of FBP (uniform multiplicative Chang attenuation compensation and post-reconstruction von Hann filtering), for their ability to improve quantification of inactive and active spherical defects in the lungs of an anthropomorphic torso phantom. Activity concentration estimates were found to depend on many factors, such as region of interest size, scatter subtraction constant (k), postreconstruction deconvolution filtering and, in the case of OS-EM, total number of iterations. In general, reconstruction implementations incorporating compensation for nonuniform attenuation and scatter provided reduced bias relative to the clinical implementation. Potential applications to lungradiotherapy, including dose-functional histograms and treatment planning are also discussed. SPECT has the potential to provide accurate estimates of lung activity distributions that, together with improved image quality, may be useful for the study and prediction of therapeutic response.
Due to numerous computer-generated errors which were introduced in the correction stage, this article, which originally appeared in Journal of Asthma, 21(1), 1984, is being reprinted in its entirety. The publisher apologizes for any inconvenience to our readers

(1985). Due to numerous computer-generated errors which were introduced in the correction stage, this article, which originally appeared in Journal of Asthma, 21(1), 1984, is being reprinted in its entirety. The publisher apologizes for any inconvenience to our readers. Journal of Asthma: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 159-163.
Processing Changes in Complete Dentures Constructed from Pour Resins

In this study, the dimensional changes that occur during processing of complete dentures constructed from two acrylic pour resins were determined. No significant differences were observed between the two products tested. It was found that the average amount of linear dimensional shrinkage that occurred would be undetectable clinically; however, considerable contraction occurred while the processed dentures were stored in distilled water. There was minimal decrease in the vertical occlusal dimension of individual dentures. However, the loss in both upper and lower dentures, combined with selective grinding to perfect the occlusion, will reduce the vertical occlusal height and some overclosure can result unless this loss is compensated for. The clinical significance of the loss is discussed as are future objectives for study of pour technique denture base materials.
Reaction of the iodo-bridged tungsten(IV) dimer [(PhN)W(CO)2I2]2 with LiOCH3

Abstract Reaction of the iodo-bridged tungsten dimer [(PhN)W(CO)2I2]2 with 2 equiv of LiOCH3 produced new dimers of the type [(PhN)W(CO)2I(OCH3)]2. The intermediate iodo-bridged dimer [(PhN)W(CO)2(μ-I)(OCH3)]2 (5) reacted with PMe3, P(OMe)3 or NH2C6H2Me3 to yield mononuclear derivatives of the type (PhN)W(CO)I(OCH3)L2 [for 10: L=PMe3, for 11: P(OMe)3] or (PhN)W(CO)2I(OCH3)(NH2C6H2Me3) (9). In solution, 5 slowly isomerized to [(PhN)W(CO)2I(μ-OCH3)]2 (6), for which an X-ray crystal structure confirmed the presence of bridging methoxide ligands. Further reaction of 6 with excess LiOCH3 resulted in substitution of methoxide for the remaining iodides of 6 to produce [(PhN)W(CO)2(OCH3)2]2 (7) in low yield.
The role of adolescent nutrition and physical activity in the prediction of verbal intelligence during early adulthood: A genetically informed analysis of twin pairs

A large body of research has revealed that nutrition and physical activity influence brain functioning at various stages of the life course. Nevertheless, very few studies have explored whether diet and exercise influence verbal intelligence as youth transition from adolescence into young adulthood. Even fewer studies have explored the link between these health behaviors and verbal intelligence while accounting for genetic and environmental factors that are shared between siblings. Employing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the current study uses a sample of same-sex twin pairs to test whether youth who engage in poorer fitness and nutritional practices are significantly more likely to exhibit reduced verbal intelligence during young adulthood. The results suggests that, independent of the effects of genetic and shared environmental factors, a number of nutritional and exercise factors during adolescence influence verbal intelligence during adulthood. Limitations are noted and suggestions for future research are outlined.
Transnational Gestational Surrogacy: Exploitative or Empowering?

In the target article, Kirby (2014) explores conditions under which gestational surrogacy in developing countries (in this case India) may (or may not) be considered as exploitative. The author pro...
SELECTED COSMIC-RAY ORBITS IN THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD

A set of 663 charged-particle orbits in the earth's dipole magnetic field has been obtained by integration, using the AVIDAC computer of the Argonne National Laboratory. The orbits integrated were selected according to their usefulness in the analysis of cosmic-ray intensity increases associated with solar flares. The calculation of intensity increases for different locations on the earth is discussed using the orbit results.