cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Contributing to Problem-Solving Performance in First-Semester Organic Chemistry.

Problem solving is a highly valued skill in chemistry. Courses within this discipline place a substantial emphasis on problem-solving performance and tend to weigh such performance heavily in assessments of learning. Researchers have dedicated considerable effort investigating individual factors that influence problem-solving performance. The purpose of this study is to inspect the influences of a core set of factors (prior science achievement, knowledge structures, spatial ability, gender, and ethnicity) and their overall contributions to problem solving in organic chemistry using multivariate regression analyses. Results indicate that knowledge structures are a key predictor of problem-solving performance and account for a significant proportion of the variation in students’ problem-solving scores. Implications for research and practice in chemistry are discussed.
Black Home-owners as a Gentrifying Force? Neighbourhood Dynamics in the Context of Minority Home-ownership:

A significant portion of the literature on gentrification has implied, if not explicitly described, a racial dynamic associated with the process whereby White households replace Black households as...
The therapeutic potential of botulinum toxin.

Background. Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A; commercial preparation BOTOX) is most well known for its effect on muscle contraction because of the BTX binding to the presynaptic nerve terminal, inhibiting the release of acetylcholine (ACH). The therapeutic benefit of BTX-A, however, can also be isolated to pain relief alone, suggesting that BTX-A also works through additional modes of action. Objective. This article provides insight by an experienced physician into four different case reports. Each case demonstrates the therapeutic potential of BTX-A and the possibility of a different mechanism of action for BTX other than the inhibition of ACH release. Results. Four patients, each with different symptoms such as relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, postherpetic neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, and severe tingling caused by herniation of cervical vertebrae at the level of C8, were treated with BOTOX, and their symptoms were alleviated. Conclusions. The BTX-A mechanism providing pain relief is hypothesized to be something other than muscle relaxation by inhibiting the release of ACH at the neuromuscular juncture, such as inhibition of the release of substance P or the blocking of autonomic pathways, etc. This article is intended to continue to keep physicians using this substance for dermatologic indications aware of the potential unsuspected effects.
Surface Plasmon Dynamics of High-Aspect-Ratio Gold Nanorods

Ultrafast transient absorption studies are reported for high-aspect-ratio gold nanorods that were fabricated by electrochemical deposition in polycarbonate templates. The nanorods are 60 nm in diameter with distribution of lengths of up to 6 μm. The average aspect ratio was ∼50, resulting in a longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (SPRL) band in the mid-IR, as well as a transverse (SPRT) band in the visible. The rods were excited at 400 nm and probed at a range of wavelengths from the visible to the mid-IR to interrogate both SPR bands. The dynamics observed, including the electron–phonon coupling time and coherent acoustic breathing mode oscillations, closely resemble those previously reported for gold spherical nanoparticles and smaller-aspect-ratio nanorods. The electron–phonon coupling time was similarly determined to be 3.3 ± 0.2 ps for both of the SPR bands. Also, oscillations with a 32-ps period were observed for probing near the SPRT band in the visible region due to impulsive coherent excitation of the acoustic breathing mode, which are consistent with the 60-nm diameter of the nanorods determined by scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that the dynamics for long gold nanorods are similar to those for smaller nanoparticles.
Uncertainties about the physical electronics of n+ and p+ silicon, with applications for solar cells

After brief surveys of the significance of n(+) and p(+) silicon for the conversion efficiency of solar cells, the work in this paper is concentrated on uncertainties in the characterization of n(+) and p(+) regions. The topics treated include the quantum density states of the majority carrier band and the position of the Fermi level relative to the edge of this band, the resulting force field on the minority carriers accompanying a space dependence of the energy gap narrowing, and the interpretation of measurements of the energy gap narrowing and the minority carrier diffusivity and mobility. The treatment seeks to show how these uncertainties relate to solar cell design and to estimates of attainable conversion efficiency.
A Call to Craft

Educational institutions must begin training tissue engineers to think as both biomedical investigators and fabricators.
Electrophysiology of Ethacizin: Effects on Arrhythmias in the In Situ Heart and Transmembrane Action Potentials of Purkinje Fibers and Ventricular Muscle Cells

Therapeutic and Toxic Effects of Ethacizin. Ethacizin is a new antiarrhythmic drug that is a derivative of ethmozine. We confirmed the early findings that ethacizin reduces the arrhythmias that occur in dogs 24 hours after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. However, we found that QRS duration and R-on-T beats were increased by ethacizin, and that sudden death occurred in one-third of the dogs. In control experiments, etbmozine (n = 6) and quinidine (n = 6) produced antiarrhythmic effects comparable to those of ethacizin, but sudden death did not occur. Studies then were carried out on canine cardiac tissues using standard microelectrode techniques. Ethacizin 300 ng/mL decreased dV/dtmax in Purkinje fibers and ventricular muscle. These decreases were rate dependent. Ethacizin decreased action potential plateau duration (APD-60 mV) in false tendon Purkinje fibers, and increased it in ventricular muscle. In spontaneously firing Purkinje fibers, ethacizin consistently decreased high-potential (normal) and low-potential (abnormal) automaticity to 14% and 12% of control, respectively. The effects of ethacizin on catecholamine-enhanced high-potential automaticity were more variable. Automaticity decreased in about half of the fibers, but did not change greatly in the remainder. The antiarrhythmic actions of ethacizin may result from reduction of impulse initiation or conduction in Purkinje fibers or myocardial cells. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 1, pp. 411–425, October 1990)
Brightness discrimination loss after lesions of the corpus striatum in the white rat

Multiple bilateral electrolytic lesions destroying the posterior regions of the corpus striatum (including the globus pallidus) in the rat produced a marked deficit in retention of a brightness discrimination habit. Lesions placed more anteriorly within the corpus striatum had little effect. No effect on retention followed bilateral lesions of either the nucleus accumbens septi, infralimbic area, or frontal cortex. It would appear that the posterior division of the corpus striatum must be included within the “general memory system” (along with the brainstem reticular formation) by virtue of its contribution to the expression of a wide variety of learned responses.
Quantitative dynamic models of arthritis progression in the rat

Purpose This comparison employs mathematical disease progression models to identify a rat model of arthritis with the least inter-animal variability and features lending to better study designs.
Nutrition and wet litter problems in poultry

Abstract The use and management of suitable bedding material is a crucial part of bird welfare in intensive production systems. Litter cushions the bird from the hard floor, provides insulation and has the capacity to both absorb and facilitate evaporation of faecal, urinary and spilled water. In poultry production, an increase in water excretion rate is commonly referred to as flushing, because urine and faeces are excreted simultaneously through the cloaca, making it difficult to distinguish elevated urine output or polyuria from increased faecal water loss or diarrhoea. In today's intensive production systems even relatively minor nutritionally induced osmoregulatory perturbation can cause flushing. Whilst this increase in water excretion is often initially the result of a physiological diuresis or diarrhoea, nutritionally induced pathological change may aggravate the polyuria by compromising water recovery, or increase the severity of the diarrhoea by causing enteritis. Flushing is commonly the result of a normal physiological response to nutritionally induced water, electrolyte, pH or osmotic imbalance, but sustained imbalance frequently leads to pathological change. Similarly, diets with a high proportion of non starch polysaccharides, animal protein, saturated free fatty acids, anti-nutritional factors or toxins can cause pathological change indirectly, by inducing a detrimental shift in the composition of the intestinal microbiota (dysbacteriosis), or directly, by causing toxic damage. Inflammation of the renal or gastrointestinal lining compromises water and nutrient transfer, which increases the amount of water, mucus and non-digested nutrients in the excreta. Apart from loading the litter with water, the mucus and non-digested lipid in particular, reduce the litter's water buffering capacity and exacerbate the consequences of flushing.
GPU-accelerated visualization of protein dynamics in ribbon mode

Proteins are biomolecules present in living organisms and essential for carrying out vital functions. Inherent to their functioning is folding into different spatial conformations, and to understand these processes, it is crucial to visually explore the structural changes. In recent years, significant advancements in experimental techniques and novel algorithms for post-processing of protein data have routinely revealed static and dynamic structures of increasing sizes. In turn, interactive visualization of the systems and their transitions became more challenging. Therefore, much research for the efficient display of protein dynamics has been done, with the focus being space filling models, but for the important class of abstract ribbon or cartoon representations, there exist only few methods for an efficient rendering. Yet, these models are of high interest to scientists, as they provide a compact and concise description of the structure elements along the protein main chain. In this work, a method was developed to speed up ribbon and cartoon visualizations. Separating two phases in the calculation of geometry allows to offload computational work from the CPU to the GPU. The first phase consists of computing a smooth curve along the protein's main chain on the CPU. In the second phase, conducted independently by the GPU, vertices along that curve are moved to set up the final geometrical representation of the molecule.
Are acquisitions a poison pill for innovation

Executive Overview The recent wave of acquisition activity may be damaging the innovative capabilities of American firms, thus making them less competitive in the global marketplace. In fact, acquisitions often serve as a substitute for innovation, which may cause further neglect of internal research and development (R&D) programs. Additionally, acquisitions often lead to increases in leverage, diversification, and absorb significant amounts of executive time, which may lead to reduced managerial commitment to innovation. In this article, evidence is presented suggesting that acquisition activity may result in reductions in R&D inputs and outputs. On average, the 191 firms in the sample reduced their allocations to R&D relative to their competitors following acquisitions. Furthermore, the firms also experienced reductions in the number of patents. Implications from this evidence are offered for executives and acquisition strategies. Specifically, based on our results, we propose that firms can compensate ...
Having faith, being critical, and seeking truth: A response to Dale W. Cannon

Dale W Cannon, in his "Having Faith, Being Neutral, and Doing Justice" (MTSR, 5/2 [1993], 155-76)—a response to Arvind Sharma's request (1984) for a more critically evaluative approach to the study of religions—asks religionists to go beyond the phenomenological approach and take a doubly transcendental position. He offers reasons for this recommendation, reasons which help to define what he is asking. His reasons are good ones, I believe, as is his analysis of the limits of the phenomenological method. But his comments do not go far enough. They continue to skirt the delicate issue in the study of religion of whether it is legitimate to criticize the truth-claims, basic value judgments, and other aspects of a religion that is not one's own, as Sharma requested.
The performance of KIMS in image recognition tasks

Abstract KIMS is an acronym for a K nowledge-Based I mage M anagement S ystem developed in the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory ( RAIL ) at North Carolina A&T State University. KIMS model architecture consists of rules which are developed through statistical experimentation with thresholding and quality control chart algorithms. The control architecture of KIMS is driven by the pattern of these rules. KIMS can analyze features of an X-ray image of a manufactured product such as printed circuit board in a real-time mode and make decisions on whether there are defect symptoms in the product. In this paper we present the current performance of KIMS in product inspection decision.
Luminescence mechanisms of Ag+ cubic centres in strontium fluoride crystals

The spectroscopic properties of Ag+-doped strontium fluoride crystals were investigated at various temperatures, using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. The system exhibits a strong ultraviolet emission upon excitation into the two principal absorption bands. The azimuthal dependence of the degree of polarization of this luminescence is analysed, as well as its dynamics. The monovalent silver ions are shown to substitute for a host cation, with cubic symmetry. This is the first reported example of a cubic coordination for the Ag+ ions in an insulator. This cubic field, together with the strong ionic character of the framework, confers rather original spectroscopic properties to this system. The luminescence mechanisms are interpreted on the basis of the measured decay times and with the aid of energy diagram calculations. Two closed thermalized spin-orbit levels, with symmetry A2g and T2g respectively, are involved in the luminescence processes. The pure spin triplet A2g only emits at low temperatures (T<15 K), whereas the T2g level ( approximately 2% spin singlet character) emits in turn upon warming the crystal. One-dimensional configuration coordinate diagrams are proposed to interpret the peculiar temperature dependence of the emission band maximum.
Ascoli's theorem for functions vanishing at infinity and selected applications

Abstract We give a new form of the Ascoli theorem for functions on R N tending to some given closed subset Z of a complete metric space E at infinity. For instance, when E is a normed space and Z={0}, the usual uniform decay requirement is replaced by the assumption that the 0 function is the only continuous function produced by some limiting process. This formulation, which has significant practical value in concrete applications, is described in its general form, but with emphasis on the case when Z is totally disconnected. Variants in Sobolev spaces and the properness of nonlinear ordinary differential operators are discussed.
Characterization of chemisorption by LEED

Abstract LEED observations have been made on the interaction of a tungsten (100) surface with a number of adsorbates, including H 2 , N 2 , CO, Th and O 2 . Based on these results, a discussion is given of the interpretation of LEED data for chemisorption systems. It is suggested that simple adatom addition, rather than surface reconstruction, may account for most of the diffraction data but an exact analysis of structure is in general prevented by the occurrence of multiple scattering. The information available from LEED patterns of incomplete structures is examined by means of some simple models and, finally, the interactions leading to superstructure formation are considered.
The role of the ratio of vector and host densities in the evolution of transmission modes in vector-borne diseases. The example of sylvatic Trypanosoma cruzi

Pathogens may use different routes of transmission to maximize their spread among host populations. Theoretical and empirical work conducted on directly transmitted diseases suggest that horizontal (i.e., through host contacts) and vertical (i.e., from mother to offspring) transmission modes trade off, on the ground that highly virulent pathogens, which produce larger parasite loads, are more efficiently transmitted horizontally, and that less virulent pathogens, which impair host fitness less significantly, are better transmitted vertically. Other factors than virulence such as host density could also select for different transmission modes, but they have barely been studied. In vector-borne diseases, pathogen transmission rate is strongly affected by host-vector relative densities and by processes of saturation in contacts between hosts and vectors. The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi which is transmitted by triatomine bugs to several vertebrate hosts is responsible for Chagas' disease in Latin America. It is also widespread in sylvatic cycles in the southeastern U.S. in which it typically induces no mortality costs to its customary hosts. Besides classical transmission via vector bites, alternative ways to generate infections in hosts such as vertical and oral transmission (via the consumption of vectors by hosts) have been reported in these cycles. The two major T. cruzi strains occurring in the U.S. seem to exhibit differential efficiencies at vertical and classical horizontal transmissions. We investigated whether the vector-host ratio affects the outcome of the competition between the two parasite strains using an epidemiological two-strain model considering all possible transmission routes for sylvatic T. cruzi. We were able to show that the vector-host ratio influences the evolution of transmission modes providing that oral transmission is included in the model as a possible transmission mode, that oral and classical transmissions saturate at different vector-host ratios and that the vector-host ratio is between the two saturation thresholds. Even if data on parasite strategies and demography of hosts and vectors in the field are crucially lacking to test to what extent the conditions needed for the vector-host ratio to influence evolution of transmission modes are plausible, our results open new perspectives for understanding the specialization of the two major T. cruzi strains occurring in the U.S. Our work also provides an original theoretical framework to investigate the evolution of alternative transmission modes in vector-borne diseases.
Circulating antiangiogenic proteins in obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension

Summary Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes endothelial dysfunction and is an independent risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Although vasoactive agents and sympathoexcitation have been implicated and operational in the pathogenesis of hypertension associated with OSA the exact mechanisms underlying hypertension have not been established. Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and soluble endoglin (sEng) are released under hypoxic stress and cause endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in humans and animals. The present study was conducted to investigate the role of these antiangiogenic proteins in OSA and to determine their clinical significance. Methods In 22 untreated OSA patients with apnea-hypopnea index ≥30 events/h (11 with hypertension and 11 without hypertension) we measured plasma concentrations of endothelin-1, epinephrine, norepinephrine, nitric oxide metabolites, sFlt-1 and sEng. Results The apnea-hypopnea indices were 81 ± 11 and 76 ± 9 events/h ( P =ns) and the sleep times with SaO 2 P =ns) for normotensives and hypertensives, respectively. Both groups had similarly elevated levels of catecholamines with normal endothelin-1 levels. Nitric oxide metabolites were depressed in both groups with no inter-group differences. On the other hand, both sFlt-1 (90.0 ± 4.6pg/ml vs. 74.0 ± 4.4pg/ml, P =0. 018) and sEng (4.9 ± 0.34 ng/ml vs. 3.50 ± 0.42 ng/ml, P =0.016) were significantly elevated in the hypertensive patients compared to the normotensive subjects. Conclusion These data show that sFlt-1 and sEng are increased in the circulation of patients with OSA and hypertension and suggest that they may be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension.
Development of magnetically aligned phospholipid bilayers in mixtures of palmitoylstearoylphosphatidylcholine and dihexanoylphosphatidylcholine by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Abstract This study reports the solid-state NMR spectroscopic characterization of a long chain phospholipid bilayer system which spontaneously aligns in a static magnetic field. Magnetically aligned phospholipid bilayers or bicelles are model systems which mimic biological membranes for magnetic resonance studies. The oriented membrane system is composed of a mixture of the bilayer forming phospholipid palmitoylstearoylphosphatidylcholine (PSPC) and the short chain phospholipid dihexanoylphosphatidylcholine (DHPC) that breaks up the extended bilayers into bilayered micelles or bicelles that are highly hydrated (approx. 75% aqueous). Traditionally, the shorter 14 carbon chain phospholipid dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) has been utilized as the bilayer forming phospholipid in bicelle studies. Alignment (perpendicular) was observed with a PSPC/DHPC q ratio between 1.6 and 2.0 slightly above Tm at 50°C with 2H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. Paramagnetic lanthanide ions (Yb3+) were added to flip the bilayer discs such that the bilayer normal was parallel with the static magnetic field. The approx. 1.8 (PSPC/DHPC) molar ratio yields a thicker membrane due to the differences in the chain lengths of the DMPC and PSPC phospholipids. The phosphate-to-phosphate thickness of magnetically aligned PSPC/DHPC phospholipid bilayers in the Lα phase may enhance the activity and/or incorporation of different types of integral membrane proteins for solid-state NMR spectroscopic studies.
Uptake of trifluoroacetate by Pinus ponderosa via atmospheric pathway

Abstract Trifluoroacetate (TFA, CF 3 COO − ), a break down product of hydro(chloro)-fluorocarbons (HFC/HCFCs), has been suggested to contribute to forest decline syndrome. To investigate the possible effects, Pinus ponderosa was exposed to TFA applied as mist (150 and 10,000 ng l −1 ) to foliar surfaces. Needles accumulated TFA as a function of concentration and time. However, no adverse physiological responses, as plant morphology, photosynthetic and conductance rates, were observed at the TFA concentrations used in this study.
Long term follow-up of bone mineral status in children with renal disease.

Bone mineral content (BMC) was measured by photon absorptiometry in the non-dominant forearm of children with chronic renal failure followed for a total of 2472 months. From 48 children, 302 measurements were made, and changes which occurred in BMC over time were correlated with several factors. Patients were divided into those who had received glucocorticoids (group 1) and those who had not (group 2). Group 1 patients had a lower mean serum creatinine (Cr) (p 0.02) and were more demineralized than group 2 patients. There was no correlation between BMC and height velocity or estimated creatinine clearance. BMC and height Z-score (SDS) were highly correlated. Over the period of study, group 1 patients remained shorter, had a lower height velocity, a lower BMC Z-score and a lower BMC for each serum creatinine level. Long-term therapeutic intervention with oral 1,25(OH)2D improved bone mineral status in three children in the nonsteroid group, but none of those in the steroid group. This study demonstrates that steroid administration is probably the most important factor causing bone demineralization, possibly even more important than renal failure.
Resonance-assisted hot electron femtochemistry at surfaces.

A theory of resonance-assisted, hot-electron-induced femtochemical processing at surfaces (HEFATS) has been developed in terms of inelastic electron scattering via negative-molecular-ion shape resonances associated with molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces. Two examples, one involving a broad band of laser-excited hot electrons and the other a tunable narrow band produced by a solid state tunnel junction, are used to illustrate the potential of HEFATS in chemical bond breaking as, for instance, in desorption.
PKD at the crossroads of DAG and PKC signaling

Diacylglycerol (DAG) and its primary target protein kinase C (PKC) regulate many important cellular responses, yet the molecular mechanisms that control the specificity of DAG and PKC signaling are not fully understood. As such, targeting the PKC pathway for therapeutic purposes has been challenging. Protein kinase D (PKD), a novel DAG receptor, has been the subject of intense investigation in recent years. DAG regulates the intracellular localization of PKD and also activates PKD through PKC by phosphorylation. The PKC–PKD signaling cascade is crucial to PKD function in cells. Important discoveries have been made regarding the roles of PKD in cell growth, gene expression, survival, motility, protein trafficking and lymphocyte biology. This kinase is implicated in pathological processes such as cardiac hypertrophy, tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. Thus, PKD represents a novel therapeutic target for the DAG–PKC signaling network.
Piezoelectric composites for sensor and actuator applications

In the last 25 years, piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composites have been conceptualized, prototyped, fabricated, and implemented in an array of applications encompassing medical imaging and military missions, among others. A detailed snapshot of the materials used, and a detailed account of the major innovative methods developed in making various piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composites are presented. The salient aspects of processing of such composites are summarized, and structure-processing-property relations are described using connectivity as the unifying central concept. Computer-aided design (CAD)-based fabrication methods, which result in composites whose structural complexity surpass that of composites obtained with traditional methods, are described to introduce the reader to novel concepts in processing of piezocomposites. A brief survey of some recent advances made in modeling of (0-3), (1-3), and (2-2) composites also is provided.
AN ORGANISM RESEMBLING BACILLUS ACTINOIDES ISOLATED FROM PNEUMONIC LUNGS OF WHITE RATS

An organism obtained from the pneumonic lungs of eleven white rats is described. It has been maintained in pure culture in a number of instances. In young cultures the organism appears as a long slender bacillus. In older cultures on coagulated serum media characteristic club-like capsular material is formed. On blood agar characteristic swellings appear at one or both ends of the rod. These become more refringent, and the body of the organism begins to shrink. Finally only rounded spore-like refringent bodies are found. The organism is Gram-negative.
Bioassessments to Detect Changes in Pacific Northwest River Fish Assemblages: A Malheur River Case Study

The EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program large-river assessment protocol was applied to assess the ecological condition, major stressors, and likely human disturbances of the mainstem Malheur River, OR. We used inflatable rafts to allow launching and retrieving from difficult access points and to sample river reaches inaccessible to most other boat types or wading crews, including areas with river obstacles such as rapids and small dams. Electrofishing twenty-four 1-2 km long reaches within the lower 150 km of the river during the summers of 2006 and 2007 revealed: (1) the absence of native mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni; (2) the presence of previously undocumented endemics, mountain sucker Catostomus platyrhynchus and leopard dace Rhinichthys falcatus; (3) the existence of previously undocumented aliens, flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris, tadpole madtom Noturus gyrinus, pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, fathead minnow Pimephales promelas, and western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis; (4) possible range extensions into the main river by two alien basin-reservoir inhabitants, largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and yellow perch Perca flavescens; and (5) index of biological integrity scores that declined from a high of 53 for an upstream site to 0.5 for a site 6 km from the river mouth. Regular standardized direct assessments of large-river fish assemblages can provide important information used to update river-basin management plans and inform water-resource managers.
Vehicle state estimation within a road network using a Bayesian filter

A histogram filter is used to estimate the state of a vehicle traveling along a known road network. Our contribution is to provide a framework to estimate vehicle states without knowing its route or the final destination. The vehicle is constrained to travel on the road network with an unknown but bounded speed. We account for road intersections by applying a likelihood to the possible direction of travel during the prediction step of the filter. These likelihoods are determined by system parameters that model how likely roads will be taken, and the maneuvers that the vehicle will likely perform.
Screening for psychiatric morbidity in a medical outpatient clinic for HIV infection: the need for a psychiatric presence.

Objective:To ascertain the prevalence and type of psychiatric morbidity present in HIV infected patients presenting for the first time to a specialty HIV medical clinic. Also, to develop a way of screening for psychiatric cases in this setting using established self-report questionnaires.Method:Fifty patients who presented consecutively for medical care at the Johns Hopkins Hospital General HIV Clinic participated in this study. These patients were first screened using the General Health Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory and subsequently underwent a comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation.Results:Fifty-four percent were found to suffer from a psychiatric disorder with an additional 22 percent from an active substance use disorder. These rates are one-and-one-half to two times higher than those reported from other medical clinics. The GHQ and BDI used together as screens could identify psychiatric “cases” with a sensitivity of 81 percent and a specificity of 61 percent, an efficacy similar ...
Vitamin D insufficiency: no recommended dietary allowance exists for this nutrient

Rickets, a defect in bone growth during infancy and childhood, was first characterized in 1650. Although cod-liver oil was used as a folk remedy in northern Europe starting in the late 1700s, it was not until 1922 that the medical community realized that something in it prevented and cured rickets.[
Light-controlled release of nitric oxide from solid polymer composite materials using visible and near infra-red light.

Photochemical Nitric oxide releasing composite materials (Photo-NORMs) were prepared using biocompatible polymers and the photochemical nitric oxide donor complex (CrONO). We have demonstrated nitric oxide (NO) release from the solid composites for extended (>30 hours) and controlled (20–100 pmoles s−1) durations after visible light irradiation. Quantitation of the efficiency of NO release from the composites shows that polymer gas permeability most dramatically affects the overall efficiency (QY) of photochemical NO release, where polymers with higher gas permeability have a higher QY of nitric oxide release. Composites were also prepared with β-phase lanthanide-doped NaYF4 upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs). Controlled Nitric oxide release was achieved via near infrared (NIR) irradiation. A prototype LED device shows proof-of-concept that such photoresponsive NO-releasing composites could be applied to implantable systems, where the amount of NO released is modulated by changing irradiation time and light intensity. This research provides the guidelines necessary to move towards device fabrication and testing in actual tissue to evaluate the photo-NORMS as a reliable option for nitric oxide release in vivo.
A light and electron microscopic study of the pineal gland of the ground squirrel, Citellus tridecemlineatus.

The pineal gland of the 13-lined ground squirrel (Citellus tridecemlineatus) has been examined at the light and electron microscopic level. This gland is composed of low-density parenchymal cells interspersed among which are occasional glial, vascular and neural elements. Punctuating the glandular parenchymal mass are prominent perivascular and intercellular spaces. The parenchymal cells possess numerous mitochondria and less prominent profiles of rough and smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. Golgi apparatus, microtubules and lipid droplets of varying size and electron density constitute regular cytoplasmic features, with dense-core vesicles being present occasionally. The parenchymal cells have numerous processes. One among these in each cell extends for several micra to terminate in a bulbous expansion containing both clear and dense-core vesicles and occasional electron-dense inclusions. These bulbous terminals are found within the perivascular and intercellular spaces where they course in close proximity to both other parenchymal elements and axon terminals. Glial cells and their processes invest the pineal periphery and incompletely separate the parenchymal cells.
Engineering Hydrogen Sulfide Production and Cadmium Removal by Expression of the Thiosulfate Reductase Gene (phsABC) from Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Escherichia coli

The thiosulfate reductase gene ( phsABC ) from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was expressed in Escherichia coli to overproduce hydrogen sulfide from thiosulfate for heavy metal removal (or precipitation). A 5.1-kb DNA fragment containing phsABC was inserted into the pMB1-based, high-copy, isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside-inducible expression vector pTrc99A and the RK2-based, medium-copy, m -toluate-inducible expression vector pJB866, resulting in plasmids pSB74 and pSB77. A 3.7-kb DNA fragment, excluding putative promoter and regulatory regions, was inserted into the same vectors, making plasmids pSB103 and pSB107. E. coli DH5α strains harboring the phsABC constructs showed higher thiosulfate reductase activity and produced significantly more sulfide than the control strains under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Among the four phsABC constructs, E. coli DH5α (pSB74) produced thiosulfate reductase at the highest level and removed the most cadmium from solution under anaerobic conditions: 98% of all concentrations up to 150 μM and 91% of 200 μM. In contrast, a negative control did not produce any measurable sulfide and removed very little cadmium from solution. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the metal removed from solution precipitated as a complex of cadmium and sulfur, most likely cadmium sulfide.
Functional block design using VHDL simulation and synthesis

This is a case study comparison between traditional and VHDL design methods of a small sized logic module (1500 gates). The areas where design cycle improvements and gate count reductions were realized are discussed as well as VHDL development strategies undertaken to reduce the impact of the design tools' limitations. >
Economic benefits and costs associated with target vaccinations.

BACKGROUND: As a therapeutic class, vaccines are generally considered to be the health care intervention that provides the best value. In the pharmacoeconomic study of vaccines, it is common for researchers to conduct their analyses from a societal perspective, including direct medical costs as well as indirect costs. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the data elements of pharmacoeconomic analyses of vaccines and review recently published analyses of emerging vaccines. SUMMARY: Myriad pharmacoeconomic analyses of vaccines currently in use have been conducted with varying results. A number of products, such as the diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, and varicella vaccines, have been shown to be cost-effective from a societal perspective. Yet, other products, such as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, have demonstrated less benefit than the cost of their respective vaccination programs. In general, these analyses can be used as a starting point to frame the benefits of specific vaccines in managed car...
Recovery from blocking achieved by extinguishing the blocking CS

Extinction-induced attenuation of single-phase and two-phase blocking was examined with rats in a conditioned lick-suppression task. In Experiment 1, which compared the effectiveness of single- and two-phase blocking, it was found that single-phase blocking was facilitated by the initiation of training with an A-US trial rather than an AX-US trial. Single-phase (but not two-phase) blocking was attenuated as a result of 200 extinction trials with the blocking stimulus (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 revealed recovery from two-phase blocking after 800 extinction trials with the blocking stimulus. Recovery from both types of blocking was specific to the blocked CS trained in compound with the extinguished stimulus (Experiment 4). This is the first article to report that the blocking deficit can be reversed by extinguishing the blocking stimulus. These results are discussed in light of acquisition models (i.e., retrospective revaluation) and expression models (i.e., the comparator hypothesis).
Response to “Review of Trace Mineral Requirements for Preterm Infants: What Are the Current Recommendations for Clinical Practice?”

Inadequate nutrient stores at birth are an inevitable consequence of being born prematurely. Preterm infants also have high nutrient requirements, which increase with earlier gestational ages. As a result, early nutrition intervention is required to prevent further deficits that, if not corrected, can affect growth and long-term outcomes. Preterm infants often require several weeks of parenteral nutrition (PN) support, which includes trace mineral supplementation. Trace minerals are considered essential nutrients, unable to be synthesized in the human body. Deficiencies of trace minerals have been reported, yet evidence-based guidelines for assessment and supplementation have not been clearly defined. Food and Drug Administration-approved parenteral trace mineral intake guidelines are more than 30 years old. In an effort to more clearly define trace mineral supplementation and monitoring guidelines for preterm infants, a review of literature was performed with the purpose to (1) summarize trace mineral roles in preterm infants, (2) describe clinical signs of deficiency and toxicity, and (3) present intake recommendations and considerations for preterm infants based on current available literature. Review of literature was completed using PubMed and Cochrane databases to find relevant studies specific to trace mineral requirements for preterm infants, trace mineral supplementation of PN, human milk fortifiers, and preterm infant formulas. Review of literature supports that trace mineral depletion can lead to clinical compromise in preterm infants; therefore, suggesting that every effort be made to ensure adequate provision of trace minerals is given to preterm infants. Practical considerations for the clinical nutrition management of preterm infants were also identified in this review.
Regulated transport of sulfate and oxalate by SLC26A2/DTDST

Nephrolithiasis in the Slc26a6−/− mouse is accompanied by 50–75% reduction in intestinal oxalate secretion with unchanged intestinal oxalate absorption. The molecular identities of enterocyte pathw...
RegPlace: a high quality open-source placement framework for structured ASICs

Structured ASICs have recently emerged as an exciting alternative to ASIC or FPGA design style as they provide a new trade-off between the high performance of ASIC design and low non-recurring engineering (NRE) costs of FPGA design. To fully utilize the benefits of structured ASICs, key physical design stage like placement should be made aware of modularity of their architecture. In this work, we propose a novel solution to placement for structured ASICs. In particular, we propose creation of intermediate virtual platform to exploit the regularity of structured ASIC and Integer Linear Program and network flow formulations for satisfying constraints associated with typical structured ASIC clock architectures. A preliminary version of this work recently won the structured ASIC placement contest by eASIC [1]. Our placer achieves 35% and 5% wirelength improvement over other placers and can place a design of 1 million cells in approximately 4 hours.
EFFECT OF IRON ON FLUORESCENCE IN GLASS

The mechanism of fluorescence as it occurs in a uranium glass when irradiated with ultraviolet light is discussed with special reference to factors affecting both the intensity and spectral distribution of the fluorescence. The destructive effect of iron on the fluorescence of the glass is discussed and is illustrated by spectral absorption curves and by recorded fluorescence spectra. Conclusions based on these data indicate that iron not only absorbs a large portion of the exciting radiation, thereby decreasing the fluorescence emission, but also re-emits this absorbed radiation in the infrared, thus bringing about the infrared quenching of the fluorescence. Iron also causes an electrical disturbance around the fluorescing centers and is apparently capable of preventing the absorption of exciting radiation by these centers, further decreasing the intensity of fluorescence. A slight shift of the fluorescence spectrum toward shorter wave lengths is brought about by the presence of iron and is evidence of a weakening of the binding forces within the glass.
Polymorphisms in the lcrV Gene of Yersinia enterocolitica and Their Effect on Plague Protective Immunity

ABSTRACT Current efforts to develop plague vaccines focus on LcrV, a polypeptide that resides at the tip of type III secretion needles. LcrV-specific antibodies block Yersinia pestis type III injection of Yop effectors into host immune cells, thereby enabling phagocytes to kill the invading pathogen. Earlier work reported that antibodies against Y. pestis LcrV cannot block type III injection by Yersinia enterocolitica strains and suggested that lcrV polymorphisms may provide for escape from LcrV-mediated plague immunity. We show here that polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies raised against Y. pestis KIM D27 LcrV (LcrVD27) bind LcrV from Y. enterocolitica O:9 strain W22703 (LcrVW22703) or O:8 strain WA-314 (LcrVWA-314) but are otherwise unable to block type III injection by Y. enterocolitica strains. Replacing the lcrV gene on the pCD1 virulence plasmid of Y. pestis KIM D27 with either lcrVW22703 or lcrVWA-314 does not affect the ability of plague bacteria to secrete proteins via the type III pathway, to inject Yops into macrophages, or to cause lethal plague infections in mice. LcrVD27-specific antibodies blocked type III injection by Y. pestis expressing lcrVW22703 or lcrVWA-314 and protected mice against intravenous lethal plague challenge with these strains. Thus, although antibodies raised against LcrVD27 are unable to block the type III injection of Y. enterocolitica strains, expression of lcrVW22703 or lcrVWA-314 in Y. pestis did not allow these strains to escape LcrV-mediated plague protective immunity in the intravenous challenge model.
The effects of a marijuana extract on the general motor activity of the squirrel monkey

The general motor activity of three squirrel monkeys was examined under two dosage levels of a marijuana extract following delays from time of administration of 30, 45, or 60 min. The results indicated the presence of activating as well as suppressing properties which were dosage and delay dependent.
Dual Roles of MDM2 in the Regulation of p53: Ubiquitination Dependent and Ubiquitination Independent Mechanisms of MDM2 Repression of p53 Activity

MDM2 oncogenic protein is the principal cellular antagonist of the p53 tumor suppresser gene. p53 activity needs exquisite control to elicit appropriate responses to differential cellular stress conditions. p53 becomes stabilized and active upon various types of stresses. However, too much p53 is not beneficial to cells and causes lethality. At the steady state, p53 activity needs to be leashed for cell survival. Early studies suggested that the MDM2 oncoprotein negatively regulates p53 activity through the induction of p53 protein degradation. MDM2 serves as an E3 ubiquitin ligase of p53; it catalyzes polyubiquitination and subsequently induces proteasome degradation to downregulate p53 protein level. However, the mechanism by which MDM2 represses p53 is not a single mode. Emerging evidence reveals another cellular location of MDM2-p53 interaction. MDM2 is recruited to chromatin, specifically the p53 responsive promoter regions, in a p53 dependent manner. MDM2 is proposed to directly inhibit p53 transactivity at chromatin. This article provides an overview of the mechanism by which p53 is repressed by MDM2 in both ubiquitination dependent and ubiquitination independent pathways.
Frequency of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin Cry1Ab in an Iowa Population of European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Abstract The refuge plus high-dose strategy for resistance management assumes that the frequency of resistance alleles is low. We used an F2 screen to estimate the frequency of resistance to transgenic corn that produces Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner Cry1Ab toxin (Bt corn) in an Iowa population of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). We also proposed a modification to the statistical analysis of the F2 screen that extends its application for nonuniform prior distributions and for repeated sampling of a single population. Based on a sample of 188 isofemale lines derived from females caught at light traps during the 2nd flight of 1997, we show with 95% confidence that the frequency of resistance to Bt corn was <3.9 × 10−3 in this Iowa population. These results provide weak evidence that the refuge plus high-dose strategy may be effective for managing resistance in O. nubilalis to Bt corn. Partial resistance to Cry1Ab toxin was found commonly. The 95% CI for the frequency of partial resistance...
Photonic Generation of Ultra-Wideband Signals via Pulse Compression in a Highly Nonlinear Fiber

A simple and reconfigurable scheme for photonic generation of ultra-wideband (UWB) waveforms is proposed, simulated, and demonstrated. The technique relies on pulse compression in a highly nonlinear fiber and subsequent differential detection. A center frequency of 25 GHz and a fractional bandwidth of 120% are obtained. The generated waveform is also adjusted to closely approximate the spectral mask for unlicensed UWB indoor wireless communications.