cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ciliochoroidal effusion syndrome with central serous-like chorioretinopathy and secondary angle closure following exogenous testosterone use.

Abstract Purpose To report a unique presentation of ciliochoroidal effusion syndrome with central serous-like chorioretinopathy and secondary angle closure following exogenous testosterone use. Observations A 37 year-old man presented with a two week history of blurred vision, elevated intraocular pressure, and myopic shift in his right eye. Gonioscopy showed angle closure. After YAG iridotomy, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) showed ciliochoroidal effusion and anterior rotation of the ciliary processes. Subsequent color fundus photography, enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) and near-infrared reduced-illuminance autofluorescence imaging (NIR-RAFI) showed macular striae, choroidal folds, and increased choroidal thickness without presence of subretinal fluid (SRF) or pigment epithelial detachment (PED). Further questioning revealed the patient was using dermal testosterone gel for six months for treatment of hypogonadism. The patient stopped using the testosterone gel, and his visual acuity and intraocular pressure significantly improved six weeks later. Follow-up UBM showed significant improvement of the ciliochoroidal effusion, and repeat multimodal images demonstrated resolution of the macular striae and choroidal folds, and slightly improved choroidal thickness. Conclusions and importance Our patient demonstrates a rare case of ciliochoroidal effusion, central serous-like chorioretinopathy, and secondary angle closure that dramatically improved with cessation of testosterone. We believe that this unique clinical constellation is the first to be reported associated with exogenous testosterone use.
College students’ engagement in drunkorexia: Examining the role of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance, narcissism, and Greek affiliation

Drunkorexia is a term used to describe compensatory and calorie restriction behaviors that individuals engage in related to alcohol consumption. The present study examined the role of sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (internalization of the thin and muscular ideals, pressures from peers, family, media to modify appearance), narcissism (grandiose, vulnerable), and Greek life affiliation in drunkorexia behaviors among college students. This study involved 206 undergraduates who participated in the study in November and December 2017. Participants completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-4), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-16), the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS), the Compensatory Eating Behaviors Related to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS), and health and demographic questions via Qualtrics. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that internalization of the thin ideal was the strongest predictor of drunkorexia. Greek affiliation, pressure from peers, and internalization of the muscular ideal also emerged as predictors of drunkorexia dimensions. Notably, both internalization of the thin ideal and Greek affiliation were associated with drunkorexia across the alcohol effects and calorie compensation dimensions. Our results indicate that drunkorexia is a complex behavior pattern with multifaceted risk factors; therefore, individual and community-level factors should be considered in addressing this health-risk behavior.
Analysis of proteins in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids during pulmonary edema resulting from nitrogen dioxide and cadmium exposure

We have developed a new HPLC method by which quantitative measurements can be made on the biochemical constituents of the extracellular fluid lining of the lung as sampled by bronchoalveolar lavage. Nine of the fractions are proteins, two are phospholipids, and two fractions remained unidentified. Rats were subjected to the intrapulmonary deposition of cadmium, a treatment model known to induce pulmonary edema and cause a translocation of blood compartment proteins into the lung's alveolar space compartment. Resulting pulmonary edema was hallmarked by /approximately/25-fold increases in three major blood compartment-derived HPLC protein fractions, two of which have been identified as albumin and immunoglobulin(s). Analysis of lavage fluid from rats exposed to 100 ppM NO/sub 2/ for 15 min, an exposure regimen which also produces pulmonary edema, indicated that the three blood compartment proteins in the lavage fluids were elevated 35- to 72-fold over controls 24 h after exposure. These results demonstrate that HPLC can be used to provide a highly sensitive method for detection and quantitation of pulmonary edema that can occur in acute lung injuries resulting from environmental insults.
Reactivity to Accelerometer Measurement of Children With Visual Impairments and Their Family Members

The purpose of this study was to examine reactivity to accelerometer measurement in children with visual impairments (VI), their sighted siblings, and their parents. A sample of 66 participants (including 22 children with VI, 22 siblings, and 22 parents) completed a demographic survey and wore triaxial accelerometers for at least 4 consecutive days for 8 hr. An analysis of covariances with repeated measures was conducted, controlling for participant gender. Children with VI had 8.1% less moderate to vigorous physical activity time on Day 1 than Days 2–4 average. Their sighted siblings and parents had 7.8% and 7.1% more moderate to vigorous physical activity time on Day 1 than their Days 2–4 average, respectively. The reactivity percentage for parents and children without VI is consistent with existing literature. However, an inverse reactivity for children with VI was found, which is a unique contribution to the literature and will have implications for researchers using accelerometers for this population.
Criminal offending trajectories from adolescence through young adulthood and the risk of food insecurity: evidence from the Add Health study

Abstract Purpose High rate, persistent criminal offending has substantial negative health consequences. This study examines how criminal offending trajectories during adolescence influence the risk of food insecurity in early adulthood. Methods The study uses four waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to determine the association between criminal offending trajectory membership and food insecurity. The analysis controls for individual- and neighborhood-level risk factors and assesses the mediating effects of depression and household income. Results Five distinct offending trajectories were established using group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM). Membership in various offending trajectories predicts increased risk for food insecurity. Those in high rate, chronic offending trajectories have the highest risk of food insecurity in early adulthood (OR = 2.062; p Conclusions This is the first study to test the association between criminal offending trajectory membership from adolescence through young adulthood and the risk of food insecurity in adulthood. Access to nutrition assistance and support among individuals with chronic offending histories may minimize the risk of food insecurity. Those embedded in disadvantaged contexts are likely at heightened risk. Improvements to mental health services and employment opportunities may reduce food insecurity among these vulnerable populations.
Mechano-Activated Objects with Multidirectional ShapeMorphing Programmed via 3D Printing

Mechano-activation as a stimuli response in 4D printing offers advantages such as orthogonality to other stimuli and control over the magnitude of applied force. Herein, we demonstrate mechanically...
Similar Long-term Survival in Men and Women Despite Lower Risk Profile in Women in the Contemporary Heart Transplantation Era

Background Women continue to be under-represented as heart transplant (HT) recipients. Past studies on survival rates following HT and gender have suggested conflicting data. We compare long-term survival between male and female HT recipients in the contemporary heart transplantation era from 2000-2018 using novel methods. Methods We identified adult HT recipients between 2000 and 2018 in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Men and women were matched using overlap propensity score weighting. We compared 10-year survival with the Kaplan-Meier method. We constructed doubly-robust Cox proportional hazards regression models to determine the risk-adjusted influence of gender on survival. Models were adjusted for recipient and donor characteristic including IMPACT score and donor-recipient predicted heart mass (PHM) ratio. The proportionality assumption was tested by inspection of Shoenfeld residuals with covariates being converted to time-varying if significant. Results We included 36,606 HT recipients. When compared with men, women tended to be younger, have fewer comorbidities, higher PRA, larger IMPACT score and donor-recipient PHM ratio. Unadjusted 10-year estimated survival was similar between men and women (Figure). After risk-adjustment, women had a similar risk of 10-year survival than men (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.82-1.02; p=0.0974). When comparing between men and women at 1 (p Conclusions In this contemporary cohort of HT recipients, women had similar long-term survival to men despite an overall lower risk profile and greater likelihood to receive a size mismatched heart.
Learning-based Path Planning for Autonomous Exploration of Subterranean Environments

In this work we present a new methodology on learning-based path planning for autonomous exploration of subterranean environments using aerial robots. Utilizing a recently proposed graph-based path planner as a "training expert" and following an approach relying on the concepts of imitation learning, we derive a trained policy capable of guiding the robot to autonomously explore underground mine drifts and tunnels. The algorithm utilizes only a short window of range data sampled from the onboard LiDAR and achieves an exploratory behavior similar to that of the training expert with a more than an order of magnitude reduction in computational cost, while simultaneously relaxing the need to maintain a consistent and online reconstructed map of the environment. The trained path planning policy is extensively evaluated both in simulation and experimentally within field tests relating to the autonomous exploration of underground mines.
Functionalized High Mannose-Specific Lectins for the Discovery of Type I Mannosidase Inhibitors.

An engineered cyanovirin-N homolog that exhibits specificity for high mannose N-glycans has been constructed to aid type I α-1,2-mannosidase inhibitor discovery and development. Engineering the lectins C-terminus permitted facile functionalization with fluorophores via a sortase and click strategy. The resulting lectin constructs exhibit specificity for cells inherently presenting high mannose N-glycans. Importantly, these lectin constructs can also be applied to assess changes in cell surface glycosylation induced by type I but not type II mannosidase inhibitors. The utility of the lectin to aid the discovery and development of type I mannosidase inhibitors was assessed by preparing kifunensine derivatives, which led to type I mannosidase inhibitors with nanomolar potency. Cumulatively, these findings reveal the specificity and utility of the functionalized cyanovirin-N homolog constructs, and highlight their potential to fulfill the need for high mannose-specific lectins.
Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies in Geriatric Bariatric Patients

Obese individuals have high prevalence of thiamine deficiency and hypovitaminosis D. Our hypothesis is that geriatric, bariatric surgery patients are at risk for micronutrient deficiencies. In this retrospective study, 3 males and 30 females (gastric bypass: n = 27; vertical sleeve gastrectomy: n = 6) individuals were evaluated. Eight micronutrients are measured using commercial blood testing. Mean age is 70 yr, mean body mass index is 35 kg/m2, with a mean of 11 years after bariatric surgery. Hypovitaminosis D is identified in 32 of 33 patients. Low vitamin B12 is identified in 32%, low vitamin A in 16%, low vitamin E in 31%, low zinc in 22%, and low iron in 35%. Twenty patients (61%) have clinical thiamine deficiency. Geriatric patients have multiple micronutrient deficiencies after bariatric surgery. Focusing on deficiencies of thiamine, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iron in geriatric, bariatric patients could enforce treatments designed to prevent development of disabling deficiency syndromes.
Vaccine-induced interstitial lung disease: a rare reaction to COVID-19 vaccination.

After millions of deaths worldwide and months of widespread social and economic devastation, the first vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) was given emergency use listing by the WHO.1 Approved only 1 year after the virus was first identified in Wuhan, China, this historic achievement was the result of public and private institutional partnerships, as well as decades of foundational scientific research. Two of the earliest vaccines authorised for widespread use were the BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, demonstrating 95% and 94.1% efficacy, respectively, in phase II/III clinical trials. Notably, both vaccines have strong safety profiles, with the most common adverse events including injection site reactions, fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle and joint aches.2 3 Postauthorisation reports of severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been extremely rare, occurring in only 4.5 reported cases per million doses.4 In this issue of Thorax , Park and colleagues5 present the first published case of COVID-19 vaccine-related interstitial lung disease (ILD). An 86-year-old man developed an acute onset of fever, weakness, shortness of breath and hypoxaemia requiring high-flow nasal cannula 1 day after receiving a dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. He had no history of ILD, connective tissue …
Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope Predicts Adverse Outcome Following Atrial Switch Procedure.

Prior to the 1990s, d-TGA was palliated with the atrial switch procedure resulting in a systemic right ventricle associated with significant long-term morbidity and mortality. Determining the optimal timing of heart transplantation (HT) in these patients has been difficult. While cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is commonly used to try and risk stratify these patients, traditional exercise parameters have lacked the sensitivity and specificity to assess long-term risk. We sought to assess changes in exercise parameters over time in order to determine if any CPET parameter or combination of parameters could reliably identify risk for adverse outcome in this patient group. A retrospective review of serial CPET for 40 patients over 17 years was completed. Patients with adverse event within 6 months prior to CPET were noted. CPET parameters were compared and linear mixed model regression with repeated measures was performed on serial tests for longitudinal assessment. The linear mixed model regression identified OUES indexed to BSA to be the most sensitive parameter in identifying patients at risk of adverse event and became a stronger predictor of adverse event when combined with peak heart rate. CPET is useful in identifying patients with atrial switch at increased risk of adverse outcome. Indexed OUES and peak heart rate are better prognostic indicators than VO2 and VE/VCO2.
An Examination of the Means-End Model of Price, Quality and Value in the Service Industry

The intangible nature of services often complicates the marketing process. Many service industries such as the hotel industry face the difficult task of managing the temporal demand for their products. Also, the supply of the various services has outpaced the demand over the last decade. Given this level of competition, service firms must decided whether to focus on obtaining a sustainable competitive advantage through offering lower prices or providing high quality and/or a unique product. Zeithaml (1988) presented a means-end model illustrating consumer perceptions of the proposed relationships between price, quality, and value. Perceived quality and perceived price were proposed to have a combined effect on perceived value, and the consumer’s decision to purchase a product was proposed to be directly related to his/her evaluation of value. Other authors have focused on the relationship between price and quality, and many authors have studied the determinants of service quality and satisfaction (e.g., SERVQUAL and SERVPERF). Script theory provides the most practical approach to understanding consumer perceptions of services and the decision-making process. A general description of script theory is that a consumer’s satisfaction with a service is related to a confirmation or disconfirmation of expectations. The purpose of this paper is to empirically test a simplified version of the Zeithaml model to evaluated the importance of perceived value in determining customer satisfaction.
Automata-Based Model Counting for String Constraints

Most common vulnerabilities in Web applications are due to string manipulation errors in input validation and sanitization code. String constraint solvers are essential components of program analysis techniques for detecting and repairing vulnerabilities that are due to string manipulation errors. For quantitative and probabilistic program analyses, checking the satisfiability of a constraint is not sufficient, and it is necessary to count the number of solutions. In this paper, we present a constraint solver that, given a string constraint, (1) constructs an automaton that accepts all solutions that satisfy the constraint, (2) generates a function that, given a length bound, gives the total number of solutions within that bound. Our approach relies on the observation that, using an automata-based constraint representation, model counting reduces to path counting, which can be solved precisely. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a large set of string constraints extracted from real-world web applications.
Non-Darcian flow in low-permeability media: key issues related to geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste in shale formations

In clay or other low-permeability media, water flow becomes non-Darcian and characterized by the non-linear relationship between water flux and hydraulic gradient. This work is devoted to addressing a number of key issues related to geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste in clay/shale formations. It is demonstrated that water flow velocity in the damaged zone (often considered as a potential preferential advection paths in a repository) surrounding the tunnel is extremely small, as a result of non-Darcian flow behavior, such that solute transport is dominated by diffusion, rather than advection. The finding is also consistent with the often-observed existence of persistent abnormal pressures in shale formations. While relative permeability is the key parameter for modeling the unsaturated flow process, without incorporating non-Darcian flow behavior, significant errors can occur in the determination of relative permeability values from traditional measurement methods. An approach for dealing with temperature impact on non-Darcian flow and a formulation to calculate non-Darcian water flux in an anisotropic medium are presented, taking into consideration that a geological repository is subject to temperature evolution in the near field as a result of heat generated by nuclear waste, and that shale formations are generally anisotropic.
Ammonia Stimulates Heme Oxygenase-1 Gene Expression in Human Endothelial Cells

Ammonia is continuously generated during cell metabolism via the catabolism of purines, pyrimidines and polyamines, and deamination of amino acids. Although endothelial cells (ECs) produce substantial amounts of ammonia, the role of this gas in ECs is not known. Since heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an important regulator of EC function, we investigated whether ammonia modulates the expression of HO-1 in cultured human umbilical vein ECs. Treatment of ECs with ammonia, given as ammonium chloride or ammonium hydroxide, stimulated a concentration- and time-dependent increase in HO-1 protein. A significant rise in HO-1 protein was first detected after 4 hours and levels progressively increased over 24 hours of ammonia exposure. Ammonia-mediated increases in HO-1 protein expression were paralleled by significant elevations in HO-1 mRNA. The induction of HO-1 by ammonia was dependent on de novo RNA synthesis since it was blocked by the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D. Ammonia also stimulated a rapid and sus...
HUMAN SUBJECT PROTECTIONS Some Thoughts on Costs and Benefits in the Humanistic Disciplines

The federal regulations designed to protect human subjects of research in the United States have historically been scandal-driven and are heavily rooted in a biomedical research paradigm. This paradigm is not a good fit for much scholarly work in the humanities, and evidence is emerging that the mismatch of regulation to these activities is causing projects to be delayed, abandoned or never undertaken because of the effects of well-meaning but probably misplaced oversight. Problems are increasing as Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in universities and health-care institutions - de facto gatekeepers for a huge amount of scholarly inquiry - experience "mission creep" from general bureaucratic accretion and make hyper-cautious decisions due to heightened fears of liability and following federal interventions and a spate of program shutdowns. Such excess caution was catalyzed by controversy over scientific advances (human cloning, etc.), and recent deaths in clinical trials - not from any scandals in the humanistic disciplines. In the current national dialogue on how best to protect human subjects of biomedical research, we must expand our review to assess how regulations affect activities outside, as well as within, that arena. The agenda should include both conceptual and procedural aspects, should identify activities that are/are not research requiring formal oversight, and should direct the development of new, written guidance for IRBs. This guidance should be developed collaboratively within and across the humanistic disciplines such that it can be consistently and fairly applied when projects are developed and research protocols are reviewed. It must be rooted in ethical principles, fit the methodologies used in the humanistic disciplines, and improve the balance of protection and burden in regulating scholarly activities.
Human Motor Control

Motor Control is a complex process that involves the brain, muscles, limbs, and often external objects. It underlies motion, balance, stability, coordination, and our interaction with others and technology. This book is a comprehensive introduction to motor control, covering a complex topic in an approachable way encompassing the psychological, physiological, and computational approaches to motor control. Human Motor Control, 2e cuts across all movement related disciplines: physical education, dance, physical therapy, robotics, etc. This second edition incorporates advances to the field, and integrates throughout the book how research harkens back to four critical questions: how do we select our actions of the many actions possible? How are these behaviors sequenced for appropriate order and timing between them? How does perception integrate with motor control? And how are perceptual-motor skills acquired? As before, the book retains its signature organization around activity systems. These activity systems include walking, looking, reaching, drawing and writing, keyboarding, speaking and singing, and smiling. Chapters here exemplify rather than encompass all the behaviors related to them. Hence smiling discusses physical and neural control of the face used in other expressions besides smiling, as well as the origins of emotional expression, and the importance of emotion expression in social interaction. These chapters on activity systems are preceded by chapters on basics, with an introduction and information on the physiological and psychological foundations of movement. The last section discusses integration of movements, individual differences, theories of motor control, and the contributions of both genetics and technology to motor control. Special features of the second edition: Organization by major activity systems New: brain imaging, social action, embodied cognition, advances in genetics and technology Detailed treatment of motor neuroscience Further Readings section added to each chapter * Retains unique organization of first edition: Part 1 on Preliminaries, Part 2 on Activity Systems, Part 3 on Principles and Prospects * Emphasizes exciting advances in the field and promising new directions * Well-illustrated with entertaining figures
Production scheduling for continuous manufacturing systems with quality constraints

This research is motivated by a real world production scheduling problem in a continuous manufacturing system involving multiple objectives, multiple products and multiple processing lines with various inventory, production and quality constraints. Because of the conflicting objectives, a global optimization approach is considered as not feasible by the plant management. Given a customer demand forecast, two practical heuristic or sequential optimization algorithms are developed to generate daily production schedules for two primary objectives: minimize shipment delays (pull-backward procedure) and minimize average inventory levels (push-forward procedure). A third heuristic algorithm (reduce switch-over procedure) which is based on the current management practice is also developed to serve as a benchmark. A factorial experiment was performed to evaluate the performance of the heuristic procedures and to identify factors that might affect the performance differences among heuristics. Since each heuristic ...
A Formal Approach for Horizontal Fragmentation in Distributed Deductive Database Design

Fragmentation of base relations in a distributed database management system increases the level of concurrency and therefore system throughput for query processing. Algorithms for horizontal fragmentation of relations in relational, object-oriented, or deductive databases exist; however, horizontal fragmentation techniques based on variable bindings appeared in user queries are lacking in deductive databases. In this paper we propose a horizontal fragmentation algorithm for distributed deductive database systems by partitioning a base or derived relation along its tuples according to the bindings imposed on user queries. The proposed fragmentation technique facilitates the design of distributed deductive database systems.
Pulmonary pharmacokinetics of desfuroylceftiofur acetamide after nebulisation or intramuscular administration of ceftiofur sodium to weanling foals

Summary Reasons for performing study Administration of ceftiofur sodium via nebulisation has been recommended for the treatment of bronchopneumonia in horses, despite the lack of pharmacokinetic and safety data. Objectives To compare concentrations of desfuroylceftiofur acetamide (DCA) in plasma and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) of foals after nebulisation or i.m. administration of ceftiofur sodium and to determine if nebulisation of ceftiofur sodium induces airway inflammation. Study design Randomised experimental study. Methods Six weanling foals received ceftiofur sodium (2.2 mg/kg bwt daily for 5 doses) by the i.m. route and 6 foals received the same dose by nebulisation. Concentrations of DCA in plasma and PELF were measured after Doses 1 and 5, and differential cell counts were performed on bronchoalveolar lavage samples obtained after Dose 5. Results Foals receiving ceftiofur sodium via nebulisation had significantly lower peak concentrations (0.15 ± 0.12 vs. 6.15 ± 0.75 mg/l) and area under the curve (1.26 ± 0.96 vs. 37.63 ± 4.01 mg●h/l) in plasma compared with those receiving the drug by the i.m. route. In contrast, foals receiving ceftiofur sodium via nebulisation had significantly higher peak concentrations (4.52 ± 2.91 vs. 0.73 ± 0.73 mg/l) and area under the curve (24.14 ± 14.09 vs. 5.91 ± 3.28 mg●h/l) in PELF compared with those receiving the drug by the i.m. route. Cell concentration and differential cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of foals nebulised with ceftiofur sodium were not significantly different from those of foals nebulised with saline. Conclusions Administration of ceftiofur sodium via nebulisation is well tolerated and DCA concentrations in PELF remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration of the drug required to inhibit the growth of 90% of Streptococcus zooepidemicus for approximately 24 h after administration. Nebulised ceftiofur sodium warrants further investigation for the treatment of bacterial infections of the lower respiratory tract in horses.
Self-focusing of ultrashort pulses above the threshold for catastrophic collapse

Summary form only given. Understanding the propagation of high-power femtosecond laser pulses in optically transparent solids is important for a wide range of intense-field interactions including plasma formation, laser damage, and frequency conversion. Self-focusing is perhaps the most fundamental nonlinear optical process that occurs when a high power pulse propagates through a material. The dynamics of self-focusing in the femtosecond regime is substantially more complicated than in the long-pulse regime, due to the effects of dispersion which strongly couple the spatial and temporal degrees of freedom of the pulse. By analyzing the pulse splitting dynamics that occur as the pulse self-focuses, recent experimental and theoretical results indicate that the slowly-varying envelope approximation breaks down even for pulses that are initially much longer than a single optical cycle.
The regulation of synaptic strength within motor units of the frog cutaneous pectoris muscle

The physiological properties of frog neuromuscular junctions may vary widely in a single muscle. In order to understand the factors that contribute to this variation, we have studied populations of synapses belonging to individual motor units of the frog cutaneous pectoris muscle. Motor units in this muscle differ widely in twitch strength. A motor axon's synaptic contacts could be found throughout the muscle, at both singly and polyneuronally innervated endplates. Indeed, over 36% of the endplates contacted by each isolated motor axon were polyneuronally innervated. Comparisons of synapses on muscle fibers in large twitch motor units with those in small twitch motor units reveal that endplate potential amplitude, transmitter release, and muscle fiber diameter are positively correlated with the strength of the motor unit contraction. Large and small twitch motor units differ more in their transmitter release than in their nerve terminal length, indicating that larger twitch motor units have a higher release per unit length of terminal. Among motor units of roughly similar twitch tension, transmitter release at endplates receiving only one axonal input is remarkably constant, independent of postsynaptic muscle fiber input resistance, or, presumably, nerve terminal size. In cases where two different motor axons contribute to a single endplate, the synaptic strength of each input is again related to properties of the contributing motoneuron, although the individual synaptic inputs are markedly reduced in strength and size relative to singly innervated endplates. Additionally, the diameter of polyneuronally innervated muscle fibers appears related to properties of both innervating motoneurons. Thus, the pre- and postsynaptic characteristics of neuromuscular junctions may be determined both by the motoneuron and by peripheral interactions between motoneurons.
Optimal switching for systems governed by nonlinear evolution equations

Optimal switching for a nonlinear evolution equation is considered. A type of approximating problems with value functions {uu0<u<u0} is studied. We prove that each uu is the unique viscositY solution of corresponding Hami1ton-Jacoby system, uu convergesto the value function u of the original problem as µ goes to 0, and an optimal control is determined.
Endocrinology of testicular neoplasms

The hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis finely regulates levels of circulating sex steroids--especially testosterone and estradiol--and spermatogenesis. Testosterone, directly as an androgen and as a prehormone for estradiol, regulates LH secretion at both hypothalamic and pituitary levels. Leydig cells, principally under the control of LH, produce testosterone. Sertoli cells, under the control of FSH, and sensitive to intratesticular levels of testosterone, produce estradiol. This locally produced estrogen seems to be necessary for maturation of the germ cells. An abnormality in this sensitive control system, leading to elevations in gonadotrophins or steroid levels, may be etiologically important in both germ cell and nongerm cell neoplasia. Testicular cancers are associated frequently with endocrinologic manifestations, which may be more disabling to the patient than the malignant potential of the tumor, especially with childhood Leydig cell tumors. Estrogen dominance with an elevated estrogen/testosterone ratio can be seen in any testicular neoplasm and may result in gynecomastia. It may be due to a decrease in circulating testosterone or to an increase in estrogens. Virilization is seen frequently in Leydig cell tumors of adolescents. Further elucidation of hormonal interrelationships should lead to better understanding of the genesis of testicular neoplasia and to more effective therapy.
Minimum-Fuel control of high-order systems

The minimum-fuel control problem is of special interest in various space systems. To date, solutions of minimum-fuel control problems have been carried out for relatively low-order systems. Space structures, however, are generally characterized by a large number of degrees of freedom, so that minimum-fuel control of such systems requires a new approach. In the independent modal-space control (IMSC) method, the control laws are designed in the modal space for each mode independently. The minimum-fuel problem reduces to that of a set of independent second-order systems, so that minimum-fuel control is possible. This paper shows how the IMSC method can be used to control a space structure with a minimum amount of fuel. A numerical example is presented.
Effect of temperature on laboratory growth, reproduction and life span of Octopus bimaculoides

Laboratory culture of 40 Octopus bimaculoides from April 1982 to August 1983 through the full life cycle at 18°C vs 23°C provided information on the growth, reproductive biology and life span of this California littoral octopus. At 18°C, the cephalopods grew from a hatchling size of 0.07 g to a mean of 619 g in 404 d; the largest individual was 872 g. Octopuses cultured at 23°C reached their highest mean weight of 597 g in 370 d; the largest individual grown at this temperature was 848 g after 404 d. Growth data revealed a two-phase growth pattern: a 5 mo exponential phase followed by a slower logarithmic (power function) phase until spawning. At 5 mo octopuses grown at 23°C were over three times larger than their 18°C siblings. However, beyond 6.5 mo, growth rates were no higher at 23°C than at 18°C. At 13.5 mo, the mean weight of the 18°C group surpassed that of the 23°C group. The slope of the length/weight (L/W) relationship was significantly different for the two temperature regimes, with the 23°C octopuses weighing 18% less than their 18°C siblings at a mantle length of 100 mm. Females weighed more than males at any given mantle length. Males grew slightly larger and matured before females. The L/W relationship indicated isometric body growth throughout the life cycle. Higher temperature accelerated all aspects of reproductive biology and shortened life span by as much as 20% (from approximately 16 to 13 mo). O. bimaculoides has one of the longest life cycles among species with large eggs and benthic hatchlings. Extrapolations to field growth are made, and the possible effects of temperature anomalies such as El Nino are discussed.
Understanding the structure and formation of uranyl peroxide nanoclusters by quantum chemical calculations.

Quantum chemical calculations were performed to understand the formation of nanoscale cage clusters based on uranyl ions. We investigated the uranyl−peroxide−uranyl interaction and compared the geometries of clusters with and without such interactions. We show that a covalent interaction along the U−Operoxo bonds causes the U−O2−U dihedral angle to be bent, and it is this inherent bending of the configuration that encourages curvature and cage cluster formation. The U−O2−U dihedral angle of the peroxo bridge is tuned by the size or electronegativity of the counterion present.
WATCHING KUSHNER WITH FOOTNOTES: REFLECTIONS ON THE INTELLIGENT HOMOSEXUAL'S GUIDE TO CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM WITH A KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES, BY TONY KUSHNER

“The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures” is a play by Tony Kushner. Unlike Kushner's other works, “The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide . . .” places a discussion of labor history at the center of this work about Brooklyn, urban development, the fate of social movements, and debates about reform vs. revolutionary strategies of social change. The play is steeped in references to historic social actors, such as Vito Anthony Marcantonio, a Congressional representative and member of the American Labor Party, who was in and out of office from the 1930s to 1950s.
Consumers with differing reaction speeds, scale advantages and industry structure

Abstract The development of an industry is seen as the outcome of a differential game in which market shares flow in response to price differences. It is hypothesized that while all consumers eventually react to price differences, some are slower than others. If scale advantages have some influence on marginal costs around average market share, then, under reasonable conditions, only skewed size distributions can be locally stable steady states. In addition, and contrary to common belief, the largest firm need not eventually monopolize the industry.
Specific and non-specific affinities of the extracellular glucosyltransferase complex of Streptococcus mutans 6715.

Abstract Glucosyltransferases (GTF) from different strains of streptococci exhibited different elution profiles when fractionated on insoluble-dextran affinity columns. The proportions of unadsorbed and adsorbed GTF were not related to their extent of stimulation by exogenous dextran, and GTF preparations exposed to, and freed from, clinical dextran prior to fractionation lost their ability to bind to the dextran columns. Different proportions of bound GTF were released by irrigation of columns with different concentrations of salt and clinical dextran, and the “specific” binding and release of GTF exhibited by a column possessing covalently linked, clinical dextran ligands was duplicated on a control column that did not possess the dextran ligands. These results, and the high affinity of GTF for hydrophobic alkyl (Shaltiel) ligands, demonstrate that ionic and hydrophobic properties of impure GTF aggregates may lead to erroneous characterization of the dextran affinity of some protein fractions. Fractionations on DEAE-Sepharose and on hydroxylapatite showed that the two dextran-dependant GTF activities (GTF-S and GTF-I) were present in the major enzyme fraction ( Streptococcus mutans 6715) recovered from a Sephacryl S-200 affinity column. A minor, dextran-independent GTF was not adsorbed onto the Sephacryl column. The presence of SDS (0.005%) and Triton X100 (0.01%) stabilized GTF activity during gel filtration and improved the separation of GTF-S and GTF-I in hydroxylapatite fractionation of the highly aggregated enzyme. A comparable separation of the two enzyme forms on DEAE-Sepharose was achieved only if T10 dextran (10 mg/mL) was included with the detergent mixture in the column irrigant.
Responding to diversity: workforce intermediation in a transitioning regional economy

In this paper I examine workforce intermediation as a tool for regional economic transition. While most studies of workforce intermediation in the United States focus on targeted programs that work with less-advantaged socioeconomic groups, I examine strategies adopted by state-funded community colleges that have a more encompassing or universalistic mandate. Through a case study of North Carolina's BioWork initiative I examine college-level strategies for assisting two distinct groups of job seekers in biopharmaceuticals—those with less education and traditional manufacturing backgrounds and those with college degrees and considerable technology experience. In documenting these strategies I suggest lessons for other regions seeking to influence local labor-market conditions and, in turn, balance the employment needs of diverse socioeconomic groups.
An investigation of the reconfiguration of the electric field in the stratosphere following a lightning event

Abstract In recent papers Baginski and Hodel (1994) and Baginski and Jarriel (1994) discussed some peculiarities in the late-time electric field and Maxwell current density signatures following a lightning event. In the present paper we extend the analysis to investigate the temporal relationship between the vertical and horizontal electric field in the stratosphere (altitudes 30–50 km) and consider how a quasi-planar region can be defined by introducing the angular orientation ( θ = tan −1 ( E z E r ) ) between the respective field components. The geometry, constitutive parameters and assumptions used in the earlier modeling are employed here also. Special attention is given to two dimensional graphical representations of the behavior of the electric field that clearly illustrate that a relatively thin segregated region can be defined between a time-varying upper and lower region were the maximum rate of change of the orientation of the field occurs at z p (t) = h s log ( τ(z) t ) . The research reinforces the model presented by Greifinger and Greifinger. An empirical model is also derived from previous research that is in good overall agreement with the simulations.
Near-Field Tsunami Edge Waves and Complex Earthquake Rupture

The effect of distributed coseismic slip on progressive, near-field edge waves is examined for continental shelf tsunamis. Detailed observations of edge waves are difficult to separate from the other tsunami phases that are observed on tide gauge records. In this study, analytic methods are used to compute tsunami edge waves distributed over a finite number of modes and for uniformly sloping bathymetry. Coseismic displacements from static elastic theory are introduced as initial conditions in calculating the evolution of progressive edge-waves. Both simple crack representations (constant stress drop) and stochastic slip models (heterogeneous stress drop) are tested on a fault with geometry similar to that of the M w = 8.8 2010 Chile earthquake. Crack-like ruptures that are beneath or that span the shoreline result in similar longshore patterns of maximum edge-wave amplitude. Ruptures located farther offshore result in reduced edge-wave excitation, consistent with previous studies. Introduction of stress-drop heterogeneity by way of stochastic slip models results in significantly more variability in longshore edge-wave patterns compared to crack-like ruptures for the same offshore source position. In some cases, regions of high slip that are spatially distinct will yield sub-events, in terms of tsunami generation. Constructive interference of both non-trapped and trapped waves can yield significantly larger tsunamis than those that produced by simple earthquake characterizations.
Axial Vector Anomaly in K(L) and Related Decays

The ${K}_{L}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decay is examined in the context of gauge models of weak and electromagnetic interactions. It is shown that the decay is possible because of the existence of an anomaly in the divergence of the axial-vector current that transforms like ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{6}$ under SU(3). The existence of such an anomaly is first shown in an SU(2) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} U(1) gauge model containing only the familiar quarks, and then generalized and calculated for the realistic case of the SU(4) model of Glashow, Iliopoulos, and Maiani. The ${K}_{L}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rate is obtained as a function of the amount of SU(4) breaking, which is determined to be of the order of 1.5 ${\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$. In addition, the ${K}_{L}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\overline{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{\mu}$ decay is examined within the context of the above models and is shown to be sufficiently suppressed. Moreover, the examination of ${K}_{S}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decay and the ${K}_{L}\ensuremath{-}{K}_{S}$ mass difference leads to an interesting relation independent of mass parameters. Also, in the case of the SU(4) model, the calculation of those processes leads to the determination of the quark mass parameters.
Outcome analysis of early laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy experience.

Background and Objectives: Laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) was initially performed as the first stage of biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch in the superobese population. In the past few years, however, LSG has been performed as a definitive procedure because of its promising early and midterm results. In this study we describe our initial experience and outcomes with LSG as a potential independent bariatric operation. Methods: A prospectively maintained database including all patients between 2008 and 2011 was reviewed. Results: A total of 100 initial consecutive patients (69 women and 31 men) were included, with a mean age of 50 years (range, 19–79 years) and body mass index of 49 kg/m 2 (range, 36.6–70.3 kg/m 2 ). The mean operative time was 106 minutes (range, 58–212 minutes) with a 2% conversion rate. Thirty-day perioperative complications included port-site hemorrhage (1.0%) and the inability to tolerate oral intake resulting in dehydration (3%). The reoperation rate was 2%, and the mean length of stay was 3.1 days (range, 2–12 days). In one patient with a prolonged hospital stay, an acute cholecystitis developed, and prosthetic heart valve complications developed in another patient. The mean excess body weight loss was 18%, 31.7%, 45%, 52%, 58.4%, and 64% at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months postoperatively, respectively. No deaths occurred in this series. Conclusions: Satisfactory outcomes and low complication rates were observed after LSG. Our findings suggest that LSG is safe and effective to serve as a definitive bariatric procedure.
Fault locator for high-voltage lines

THE LOCATION of high-voltage power line faults has received considerable attention during the postwar years. Three systems of locating faults by echo-ranging means have been covered in previous papers.1,2