cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The constitutive effective parameters of two-dimensional multilayered dielectric grating slab

The 2D regular lattice of multilayered dielectric resonant inclusions made from different dielectric and/or magnetic material embedded in the slab is considered in this paper. An equivalent magneto-dielectric slab is found using the first-principles homogeneous theory for extracting the effective permittivity and permeability. Example is presented to study the relationship between the physical parameters of multilayered dielectric inclusions arranged in 2D lattice and their effective parameters. This study can be used as a tool for designing metamaterials with negative permittivity and/or permeability using multilayered dielectric grating slab.
Sub- and Supercritical Water-Based Processes for Microalgae to Biofuels

Among the several biomass resources available, microalgae have the potential to produce more biofuels per acre than any other source without competing with food and feed production. One of the major challenges in utilization of microalgae is its high water content, high nitrogen (protein) content, and variable biochemical composition. The conventional thermochemical conversion processes such as pyrolysis and gasification require dry biomass for production of biofuels. Sub- and supercritical water (critical point: 374 °C, 22.1 MPa) technology, which can utilize wet biomass, capitalizes on the extraordinary solvent properties of water at elevated temperature for converting microalgae to high-energy density biofuels. Here, water acts as reactant as well as reaction medium in performing hydrolysis, depolymerization, dehydration, decarboxylation, and many other chemical reactions. Subcritical water can be used as green solvent to extract valuable bioproducts from microalgae. Further, sub- and supercritical water technology can be used for liquefaction of microalgae to produce liquid biofuels and for gasification to produce gaseous fuels such as methane, syngas, and hydrogen. In sub- and supercritical water-based processes, water is kept in liquid or supercritical phase by applying pressure greater than the vapor pressure of water. Thus, latent heat required for phase change of water is avoided. The chapter explains the theory of sub- and supercritical water-based processes for biofuels applications and the present state of the technology.
Exponential random graph modeling of a faculty hiring network: The IEOR case

AbstractFaculty hiring networks consist of academic departments in a particular field (vertices) and directed edges from the departments that award Ph.D. degrees to students to the institutions tha...
UTAH CARDIAC RECOVERY SCORE EFFECTIVELY PREDICTS MYOCARDIAL RECOVERY IN PATIENTS SUPPORTED WITH DURABLE LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICES

Predicting cardiac recovery (CR) in advanced heart failure (HF) patients (pts) before left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is challenging. We investigated whether CR after LVAD unloading can be predicted by cardiac functional and structural parameters along with other clinical
90. STRENGTHENING MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIPS: THE ADVOCACY LETTER PROJECT

Many medical problems intersect with legal issues. While medical providers may screen for such social determinants of health, they often lack the time, knowledge, tools and, agency to effectively advocate for their patients. Physicians may refer patients to a social worker or legal aid clinic, but these resources do not have sufficient capacity to address all patient needs. The Advocacy Letter Project worked with the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic (PAC), a legal aid clinic, at the University of Michigan Law School to identify important medical-legal issues and to build capacity among community providers by creating advocacy letter templates and training for their ideal utilization. This project is supported by an AAP CATCH grant. An initial needs assessment survey of providers identified which common medical legal issues are identified during patient visits. We developed advocacy letter templates to address these issues with the help of the PAC. Workshops were given for faculty and residents to optimize utilization of the letters. A reporting mechanism was created to track utilization of these templates within the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Pre and post implementation provider survey data will be used to monitor provider perception of efficacy and usefulness of the letter templates. EMR review of template utilization will be used to identify frequency of use for each letter type. Preliminary data from the needs assessment suggest a significant need to better intervene on patient's behalf regarding medical legal needs to improve health equity. Letter templates are being created, reviewed by PAC, and implemented in the EMR. Data on frequency of use and post implementation survey data as well as statistical analysis will be available in March. Medical providers often struggle to intervene on legal issues affecting patient's health. Strengthening a medical legal partnership and making patient advocacy letters easily accessible allows physicians to more effectively address their patients’ needs. The next step is increasing access to and utilization of these letter templates in our community.
Evaluation of the fracture resistance of asphalt concrete mixes including the effect of anisotropy

Semicircular Bending Test (SCB) is a commonly used procedure to evaluate the cracking resistance of Asphalt Concrete (AC). Ho wever, all the current procedures as described by ASTM as well as other agencies, a crack is initiated as a ‘notch’ in the vertical plane and the loading and crack propagation occurs in the horizontal direction. However, in pavements, most of the cracks in AC initiate in the horizontal plane, which propagates along the vertical direction. Therefore, there is a difference in loading and crack propagation direction between the test procedure and real pavement. This study evaluated the fracture resistance of AC in a vertical direction and compared it with the horizontal direction. Also, it is necessary to know how different material properties affect the fracture resistance of asphalt concrete. This study evaluated the fracture resistance of “X” mixes using the Semicircular Bending (SCB) test. The effect of binder grade, amount, and other mix parameters on the ultimate load, deformation to ultimate load, strain energy, and critical strain energy release rate (J-integral) was evaluated. It is observed that mix with soft binder allows a higher level of deformation before the initiation of cracking. Effective binder content in the mix affects J-integral value. The ultimate or maximum load in the SCB test shows a good correlation with the indirect tensile strength of the mix. The higher the Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) value, the higher the SCB strength. Displacement and strain energy showed clear anisotropic behavior. Higher values for lateral cores are obtained. J-integral showed some sort of anisotropy, however further studies with more mixes is recommended. 4 out of 7 mixes showed higher J-integral value for horizontal cores, 3 mixes showed the same value in both directions.
Women in refuge: Syrian women voicing health sequelae due to war traumatic experiences and displacement challenges.

Abstract Objective The Syrian war created a mass exodus of people to neighboring countries. Jordan hosts approximately 1.4 million Syrians who sought refuge and protection. This research represents an effort to understand the subjective narratives of Syrian refugee women's war traumatic experiences and displacement challenges while living in Jordan and the consequences on their physical and mental health. Methods Data gathered between March and June 2014 included 24 in-depth interviews with Syrian refugee women who sought services from humanitarian organizations in Jordan. Interviews were conducted in Arabic and were audio recorded. A team of four researchers translated and transcribed the interviews. Group narrative methodology was utilized to analyze the interviews. Results The study suggests that Syrian refugee women experienced diverse war atrocities including shelling, loss of property, separation from family members, and threats to their lives and their beloved ones, among a few. In Jordan, they reported on multiple displacement challenges, which are perceived as a continuous traumatic experience, as well as somatization. Narratives of women also included sequelae to their physical and mental health due to such stressors. Barriers to obtaining physical and mental health services are discussed, including inadequate medical treatment, lack of mental health services, and stigma on mental health, which might be associated to somatization of mental illnesses. Conclusion It is crucial that humanitarian organizations and host countries like Jordan bear the responsibility to enhancing accessibility to comprehensive trauma-focused physical and mental health services for Syrian refugees in a culturally and gender sensitive manner.
Synthesis, modular composition, and electrochemical properties of lamellar iron sulfides

Transition metal chalcogenides with layered structures are promising materials for energy storage, catalysis, and electronics, among other areas. We have identified a new layered phase of iron sulfide containing interlayer solvated cations. We present an optimized synthesis for the Li+-containing material from an Fe(III) xanthate complex. Structure and composition data indicate the material consists of poorly-ordered iron sulfide layers separated by solvated cations. The lamellar spacing in these materials can be tuned by changing the identity of the cation. Furthermore, the lamellar spacing can also be reversibly tuned by the degree of solvation of the material. The material is electrically conductive and can serve as a pseudocapacitor with comparable performance to commercial materials such as MnO2. Furthermore, these materials also show promise as lithium or sodium ion battery cathodes with good capacity and reversibility.
N95 Respirator Cleaning and Reuse Methods Proposed by the Inventor of the N95 Mask Material

There is currently a global shortage of N95 respirators. Many health care workers (HCWs) on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 are scrambling to resupply or are currently reusing N95, surgical, and homemade masks. I propose methods to clean and reuse N95 masks at little or no cost. N95 masks can be rotated every 3–4 days, heated for 60 min, steamed or boiled for 5 min, and then air-dried. These methods retain 92.4–98.5% filtering efficiency (FE). Using soap and water or medical grade alcohol significantly decreases the FE of the masks (54% and 67%, respectively) (1). These methods are recommended by the inventor of the N95 mask material, Dr. Peter Tsai, and are supported by research regarding surface stability time of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), World Health Organization technical briefs discussing boiling viral pathogens, and the National Institutes of Health research discussing SARS-CoV-2 inactivation times using dry heat on N95 masks. In addition, these methods meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emergency use authorization (EUA) criteria for N95 mask cleaning and reuse. In clinics and hospitals around the world that are experiencing N95 respirator shortages, these methods can be implemented immediately, with minimal cost and equipment, to protect HCWs from COVID-19. N95 masks are made in several layers. The middle filtering layers are made of polypropylene fibers with an embedded electrostatic charge. FE is achieved by both the mechanical structure of the polypropylene filter layer and the electrostatic charge. The electrostatic charge can augment the mechanical filtering efficiency by as much as 10 to 20 times. N95 Masks Can be Rotated, 1 Mask Every 3–4 Days Use 3–4 masks, numbered on the outside as 1–4, for each day. They can be used each day in numerical order. All SARS-CoV-2 viruses on the mask will be dead in 3 days (2). Masks should be kept at room temperature (21–23°C [70–73°F]) and 40% humidity. There is no change in the mask's properties.
Disease Gradients of Late Blight of Potato from Infrared Images of Commercial Fields

Controlled inoculation studies of dispersal in situ are often not possible due to the presence of background inoculum, as is the case with late blight of potato (caused by Phytophthora infestans) in the Columbia Basin in Washington. Six disease gradients were quantified from forty-eight infrared images of infected potato fields. The mean pixel value was recorded as a proxy for disease severity. Images taken at multiple dates revealed steeper gradients at the earliest date, suggesting less background infection at that time. The aggregated disease gradients were best fit by y = 3.82*105 (x + 5.94)−2.36 modified inverse power (MIP) function and y = 424.81e−0.034x exponential function. Simulations governed by the MIP function progressed faster than those governed by the exponential function across a range of input parameters. This research demonstrates the potential to describe dispersal in systems in which controlled experiments are not possible, and it provides a tool to control late blight of potato epidemics.
Three-tiered Subclassification System of High-risk Prostate Cancer in Men Managed With Radical Prostatectomy: Implications for Treatment Decision-making.

Objective To inform treatment decisions for patients with high-risk prostate cancer (PCa), we determined rates of adverse pathologic factors and overall survival (OS) among subgroups of high-risk men. Methods Using the National Cancer Database, 89,450 patients with clinical N0M0 unfavorable intermediate-risk, favorable high-risk (cT1c, Gleason 6, prostate-specific antigen [PSA] > 20 ng/mL or cT1c, biopsy Gleason 8, PSA 20 ng/mL), or very high-risk (cT3b-T4 or biopsy primary Gleason pattern 5) PCa treated with radical prostatectomy were identified. Rates of adverse pathologic factors (positive surgical margins, T4 disease, or pathologic lymph node involvement) were compared across subgroups. Results Patients with unfavorable intermediate-risk (n = 31,381) and favorable high-risk (n = 10,296) disease had similar rates of adverse features (7.6% vs 8.2%, adjusted odds ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.92-1.08, P= .974). Patients with standard high-risk (n = 30,260) or very high-risk (n = 7513) disease were significantly more likely to have adverse pathologic factors (15.9% and 26.5%, P Conclusion Unfavorable intermediate-risk or favorable high-risk PCa patients had low rates of adverse pathologic factors and similar OS. In contrast, standard and very high-risk PCa patients had significantly higher rates of adverse pathologic factors and worse OS. This 3-tiered subclassification of high-risk disease may allow for improved treatment selection among patients considering surgery.
Massive Perivillous Fibrin Deposition in Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: A Case Report.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most common congenital viral infections. Classically associated placental findings include chronic villitis with plasma cells, stromal hemosiderin depo...
Polygenic risk for traumatic loss-related PTSD in US military veterans: Protective effect of secure attachment style.

OBJECTIVES To examine whether attachment style moderates the relationship between polygenic risk scores (PRS) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) re-experiencing (PTSDREX) symptoms and the severity of and positive screen for traumatic loss-related PTSD. METHODS Data were analysed from 631 US veterans who endorsed 'unexpected death of a loved one' as their 'worst' traumatic event. Multivariable models evaluated the association between PRS for PTSDREX, attachment style, and their interaction in predicting severity and positive screen for PTSD. A gene enrichment analysis was conducted to identify possible molecular mechanisms underlying the association between PTSDREX PRS and PTSD. RESULTS PTSDREX PRS (β = 0.17; odds ratio [OR] = 1.85), attachment style (β= -0.33; OR = 0.14), and PTSDREX PRS × attachment style interaction (β= -0.12; OR = 0.53) were significant predictors of the severity and positive screen for PTSD. The most significant gene set detected was the gene ontology (GO) cellular component podosome set (GO:0002102, p < 3.95 × 10-5). CONCLUSIONS Having a secure attachment style may help mitigate polygenic risk for developing traumatic loss-related PTSD in US veterans. Podosomes, which are implicated in inflammatory and neuroplasticity processes, may contribute to the genetic liability to developing loss-related PTSD. Psychological treatments targeting attachment security may help mitigate increased polygenic risk for loss-related PTSD in this population.
Weber Herlinger, Ilse. Dancing on a Powder Keg: Letters and Poems. Translated from the German by Michal Schwartz, with afterword by Ulrike Migdal, and Theresienstadt essay by Ruth Bondy. Charlottetown, PE and Jerusalem: Bunim and Bannigan and Yad Vashem,

Review of Weber Herlinger, Ilse. Dancing on a Powder Keg: Letters and Poems. Translated from the German by Michal Schwartz, with afterword by Ulrike Migdal, and Theresienstadt essay by Ruth Bondy. Charlottetown, PE and Jerusalem: Bunim and Bannigan and Yad Vashem, 2016.
Diffraction Techniques in Structural Biology: Overview for unit 7 “Biophysical Analysis of Nucleic Acids” in: Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry

A detailed understanding of chemical and biological function and the mechanisms underlying the molecular activities ultimately requires atomic-resolution structural data. Diffraction-based techniques such as single-crystal X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and neutron diffraction are well established and they have paved the road to the stunning successes of modern-day structural biology. The major advances achieved in the last 20 years in all aspects of structural research, including sample preparation, crystallization, the construction of synchrotron and spallation sources, phasing approaches, and high-speed computing and visualization, now provide specialists and nonspecialists alike with a steady flow of molecular images of unprecedented detail. The present unit combines a general overview of diffraction methods with a detailed description of the process of a single-crystal X-ray structure determination experiment, from chemical synthesis or expression to phasing and refinement, analysis, and quality control. For novices it may serve as a stepping-stone to more in-depth treatises of the individual topics. Readers relying on structural information for interpreting functional data may find it a useful consumer guide. Curr. Protoc. Nucleic Acid Chem. 41:7.13.1-7.13.35. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: structural biology; diffraction; crystallization; electron microscopy; neutron scattering; X-ray crystallography
Rationale and Design of the Traditional versus Early Aggressive Therapy for MS (TREAT-MS) Trial (P5.426)

Objective: To describe the rationale and design of TREAT-MS trial. Background: Multiple sclerosis(MS) disease-modifying therapies target the relapsing phase of MS but have minimal impact once the progressive phase has begun. It is unclear if, in the relapsing phase, there is an advantage of early aggressive therapy with respect to preventing long-term disability. The risks associated with higher-efficacy treatments highlight the need to quantify their effectiveness in preventing disability. Design/Methods: TREAT-MS trial is a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial with two primary aims:1)to evaluate, jointly and independently among patients deemed at higher-risk versus lower-risk for disability accumulation, whether an “early aggressive” therapy approach, versus starting with a first-line therapy, influences intermediate-term risk of disability;2)to evaluate if, among patients deemed at lower-risk for disability who start on first-line therapies but experience breakthrough disease, those who switch to a higher-efficacy versus a new first-line therapy have different intermediate-term risk of disability. Results: The TREAT-MS final protocol was adjudicated by a Study Advisory Committee(includes patients; stakeholders; expert clinicians; statisticians). 900 participants are being categorized as being at lower-versus higher-risk of longer-term disability and then randomized, stratified by this risk, to higher-efficacy versus first-line therapies. We will evaluate if there is an intermediate-term benefit, with respect to disability, of higher-efficacy therapy and if that benefit differs based on baseline disability risk. We will also explore, in those deemed at lower-risk of long-term disability at onset, if switching to another first-line therapy versus escalation to a more aggressive medication has an impact on subsequent disability measures. Additional outcomes include patient-reported outcomes and imaging obtained as standard of care. Conclusions: There is a great unmet need to identify the most appropriate treatment strategy in MS, especially early in the disease course when it may be possible to maximize an individual’s chance for preventing long-term disability. TREAT-MS trial will address this critical gap in knowledge. Study Supported by: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Disclosure: Dr. Newsome has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shoemaker has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cassard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ogburn has nothing to disclose. Dr. Prince has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mowry has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for UpToDate (royalties). Dr. Mowry has received research support from Biogen, Genzyme, Teva, SunPharma.
Equilibrium and efficient provision of local public goods with peer effects

Abstract We study equilibrium and efficient allocations in a multi-community model with households that differ in income and a taste parameter, flexible housing supplies, and local public goods of quality impacted by community peer characteristics. An efficient allocation could be implemented by a type- and community-dependent tax that includes pricing of the peer externality in an otherwise laissez-faire economy. Based on an estimated model, we show the most empirically relevant case of Tiebout equilibrium provision with local property taxes is less efficient than equilibrium with expenditure equalization and an economy-wide property tax but with household sorting driven by peer effects.
HIV-1 protease substrate-groove: Role in substrate recognition and inhibitor resistance.

Abstract A key target in the treatment of HIV-1/AIDS has been the viral protease. Here we first studied in silico the evolution of protease resistance. Primary active site resistance mutations were found to weaken interactions between protease and both inhibitor and substrate P4-P4′ residues. We next studied the effects of secondary resistance mutations, often distant from the active site, on protease binding to inhibitors and substrates. Those secondary mutations contributed to the rise of multi-drug resistance while also enhancing viral replicative capacity. Here many secondary resistance mutations were found in the HIV-1 protease substrate-grooves, one on each face of the symmetrical protease dimer. The protease active site binds substrate P4-P4′ residues, while the substrate-groove allows the protease to bind residues P12-P5/P5′-P12′, for a total of twenty-four residues. The substrate-groove secondary resistance mutations were found to compensate for the loss of interactions between the inhibitor resistant protease active site and substrate P4-P4′ residues, due to primary resistance mutations, by increasing interactions with substrate P12-P5/P5′-P12′ residues. In vitro experiments demonstrated that a multi-drug resistant protease with substrate-groove resistance mutations was slower than wild-type protease in cleaving a peptide substrate, which did not allow for substrate-groove interactions, while it had similar activity as wild-type protease when using a Gag polyprotein in which cleavage-site P12-P5/P5′-P12′ residues could be bound by the protease substrate-grooves. When the Gag MA/CA cleavage site P12-P5/P5′-P12′ residues were mutated the multi-drug resistant protease cleaved the mutant Gag significantly slower, indicating the importance of the protease S-grooves in binding to substrate.
Performance and scaling of an electro-osmotic mixer

We report on the design, fabrication and detailed characterization of a microfluidic mixer, designed to mix two streams of electrolytic fluid rapidly and efficiently using electrokinetic forces. The effectiveness of the mixer as a function of the applied electric field, frequency and flow rate was characterized by the intensity distribution measured downstream from the mixing zone. The effectiveness is found to behave in a smooth and predictable manner over a wide range of operating conditions when the electric field is scaled by the mean flow velocity and the electro-osmotic mobility, and the frequency is scaled by the characteristic mixing chamber size and the mean flow velocity. It is confirmed that the Reynolds number effects are not important (the Re is O(1) at all times). It is also found that increased frequencies decrease effectiveness, but that at low frequencies, electrode saturation and bubble formation inhibit operation.
Hybrid Bishop-Hill model combined finite element analysis for elastic-yield limited design

Purpose – Microstructure-sensitive design (MSD), for optimal performance of engineering components that are sensitive to material anisotropy, has largely been confined to the realm of theory. The purpose of this paper is to insert the MSD framework into a finite element environment in order to arrive at a practical tool for improved selection and design of materials for critical engineering situations. Design/methodology/approach – This study applies the recently developed Hybrid Bishop-Hill (HBH) model to map the yield surface of anisotropic oxygen free electronic copper. Combining this information with the detailed local stresses determined via finite element analysis (FEA), a “configurational yield stress” is determined for the entire component. By varying the material choice/processing conditions and selecting the directionality of anisotropy, an optimal configuration is found. Findings – The paper provides a new FEA-based framework for MSD for yield-limited situations. The approach identified optimal directionality and processing configurations for three engineering situations that are particularly sensitive to material anisotropy. Research limitations/implications – The microstructure design space for this study is limited to a selection of eight copper materials produced by a range of processing methods, but is generalizable to many materials that exhibit anisotropic behavior. Originality/value – The introduction of MSD methodology into a finite element environment is a first step toward a comprehensive designer toolkit for exploiting the anisotropy of general materials (such as metals) in a way that is routinely undertaken in the world of fiber-based composite materials. While the gains are not as sizeable (due to the less-extreme anisotropy), in many applications they may be extremely important.
Direct and phonon-assisted indirect Auger and radiative recombination lifetime in HgCdTe, InAsSb, and InGaAs computed using Green's function formalism

Direct and phonon-assisted (PA) indirect Auger and radiative recombination lifetime in HgCdTe, InAsSb, and InGaAs is calculated and compared under different lattice temperatures and doping concentrations. Using the Green's function theory, the electron self energy computed from the electron-phonon interaction is incorporated into the quantum-mechanical expressions of Auger and radiative recombination, which renders the corresponding minority carrier lifetime in the materials due to both direct and PA indirect processes. Specifically, the results of two pairs of materials, namely, InAs0.91Sb0.09, Hg0.67Cd0.33Te and In0.53Ga0.47As, Hg0.38Cd0.62Te with cutoff wavelengths of 4 μm and 1.7 μm at 200 K and 300 K, respectively, are presented. It is shown that for InAs0.91Sb0.09 and Hg0.67Cd0.33Te, when the lattice temperature falls below 250 K the radiative process becomes the limiting factor of carrier lifetime in both materials at an n-type doping of 1015 cm−3, while at a constant temperature of 200 K, a high n...
Age-specific differences in the use of thrombolytic therapy and hospital outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a community-wide perspective

Background: Relatively limited information is available about recent, and trends over time, use of thrombolytic therapy in patients of different ages hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and the association between use of thrombolytic therapy and hospital outcomes. Methods: We conducted an observational study of 5601 residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area (1990 census = 437,000) with confirmed acute myocardial infarction in all local hospitals during 6 one-year periods between 1990 and 1999. Results: Despite relatively stable use of thrombolytic therapy between 1990 and 1995, decreases in the use of thrombolytic therapy in all patients with acute myocardial infarction were observed in 1997 and 1999. There was a 1.6 fold decrease in the use of thrombolytic therapy between 1990 and 1999 in patients <65 years. Patients 65–74 years (33.7% 1990; 11.7% 1999) and those 75 years and older (10.8% 1990; 6.7% 1999) experienced marked decreases in the receipt of thrombolytic therapy over time. Use of thrombolytic therapy was associated with reduced hospital mortality in each of the four age-specific groups under study (<55, 55–64, 65–74, ≥75) through the degree of benefit on hospital death rates associated with the use of thrombolytic therapy was attenuated after adjustment for additional confounders. Conclusions: Our findings indicate recent declines in the use of thrombolytic therapy in middle-aged and elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction. The impact of thrombolytic therapy on hospital outcomes was observed in each of our age strata under study though the magnitude of absolute and relative benefit varied according to age. Miniabstract. Declines in the use of thrombolytic therapy were observed between 1900 and 1999 in a population-based sample of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Use of thrombolytic therapy was associated with improved hospital survival to varying degrees in each of the age groups under study.
Pharmacological TLR4 Inhibition Protects against Acute and Chronic Fat-Induced Insulin Resistance in Rats.

Aims To evaluate whether pharmacological TLR4 inhibition protects against acute and chronic fat-induced insulin resistance in rats. Materials and Methods For the acute experiment, rats received a TLR4 inhibitor [TAK-242 or E5564 (2x5 mg/kg i.v. bolus)] or vehicle, and an 8-h Intralipid (20%, 8.5 mg/kg/min) or saline infusion, followed by a two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. For the chronic experiment, rats were subcutaneously implanted with a slow-release pellet of TAK-242 (1.5 mg/d) or placebo. Rats then received a high fat diet (HFD) or a low fat control diet (LFD) for 10 weeks, followed by a two-step insulin clamp. Results Acute experiment; the lipid-induced reduction (18%) in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (Rd) was attenuated by TAK-242 and E5564 (the effect of E5564 was more robust), suggesting improved peripheral insulin action. Insulin was able to suppress hepatic glucose production (HGP) in saline- but not lipid-treated rats. TAK-242, but not E5564, partially restored this effect, suggesting improved HGP. Chronic experiment; insulin-stimulated Rd was reduced ~30% by the HFD, but completely restored by TAK-242. Insulin could not suppress HGP in rats fed a HFD and TAK-242 had no effect on HGP. Conclusions Pharmacological TLR4 inhibition provides partial protection against acute and chronic fat-induced insulin resistance in vivo.
A CMOS process compatible high density magnetoresistive memory

A 128 K*8 bit random accessible nonvolatile magnetoresistive (MR) memory is presented. It has a cell size of 2.8*10 mu m/sup 2/ and is CMOS process compatible. A differential sensing scheme with dummy cells is used to eliminate unwanted pickup. MR memory cells have shown to be radiation hard and infinitely writable. >
Scalable Mining of Daily Behavioral Patterns in Context Sensing Life-Log Data.

Despite the advent of wearable devices and the proliferation of smartphones, there still is no ideal platform that can continuously sense and precisely collect all available contextual information. Ideally, mobile sensing data collection approaches should deal with uncertainty and data loss originating from software and hardware restrictions. We have conducted life logging data collection experiments from 35 users and created a rich dataset (9.26 million records) to represent the real-world deployment issues of mobile sensing systems. We create a novel set of algorithms to identify human behavioral motifs while considering the uncertainty of collected data objects. Our work benefits from combinations of sensors available on a device and identifies behavioral patterns with a temporal granularity similar to human time perception. Employing a combination of sensors rather than focusing on only one sensor can handle uncertainty by neglecting sensor data that is not available and focusing instead on available data. Moreover, by experimenting on two real, large datasets, we demonstrate that using a sliding window significantly improves the scalability of our algorithms, which can be used by applications for small devices, such as smartphones and wearables.
Modification of indium tin oxide electrodes with repeat polynucleotides: electrochemical detection of trinucleotide repeat expansion.

Genomic expansion of the triplet repeat sequences 5‘-(CTG)n and 5‘-(CGG)n leads to myotonic dystrophy and fragile X syndrome, respectively. Methods for determining the number of repeats in unprocessed nucleic acids would be useful in diagnosing diseases based on triplet repeat expansion. Electrochemical reactions based on the oxidation of guanine were expected to give larger signals per strand for expansion of repeats containing guanine. A novel PCR reaction was used to generate fragments containing 150, 230, 400, and 830 repeats of (CTG)n, which codes for myotonic dystrophy, and 130 and 600 repeats of (CGG)n, which codes for fragile X syndrome. These PCR fragments were immobilized to indium tin oxide electrodes, and oxidation of guanine in the fragments was realized using electrocatalysis by Ru(bpy)32+ (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine). The catalytic currents due to oxidation of the immobilized guanines by Ru(bpy)33+ increased with the number of repeats and were a linear function of the repeat number when normaliz...
Analgesic effects of serotonin and receptor-selective serotonin agonists in the rat spinal cord.

1. Serotonin (5-HT) and selective 5-HT receptor agonists were administered intrathecally (i.t.) in rats, and the antinociceptive efficacy of these agents was assessed on the tail-flick and hot plate tests. 2. The 5-HT receptor agonists examined in this study included the 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-N,N-dipropyl-2-aminotetralin (8-OH-DPAT), the 5-HT1B agonist m-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP), the 5-HT2 agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) and the 5-HT3 agonist phenylbiguanide (PBG). 3. None of these agents produced significant elevations in tail-flick latency (TFL) at doses which produced elevations in hot plate latency (HPL). 4. In contrast, the i.t. dose of 5-HT which elevated TFL also produced analgesia on the hot plate test. 5. Serotonin-induced elevations in TFL were reversed by pindolol, ritanserin and ICS 205-930, suggesting that 5-HT interacts with more than one 5-HT site in the spinal cord to produce analgesia on the tail-flick test. 6. The finding that ritanserin reversed 5-HT-induced elevations in HPL suggests that the 5-HT2 site is primarily responsible for mediating the spinal antinociceptive effects of 5-HT on the hot plate test.
Elastodynamics of Cracked Structures Using Finite Elements

W the past few years, a number of special crack-tip finite elements have been developed" for application to cracked structural components whose irregular geometry or otherwise inconvenient boundary conditions dictate a numerical analysis. Because these elements include in their formulation the r 1/2 crack-tip stress singularity inherent to two-dimensional fracture mechanics, their incorporation in a finite-element model permits an accurate and economical assessment of the stresses near a crack tip. Specifically and most importantly, the singularity element gives directly the value of the plane-deformation stress-intensity factors K} and Xn for the particular loads and crack length under consideration. All applications of this type with which the authors are familiar have been either for equilibrium problems or problems for which the inertia forces can reasonably be neglected. In this Note we present applications in elastodynamics of two singularity elements whose stiffnesses were characterized earlier by Aberson, Anderson, and Hardy. ~ 8 The elements, one for problems which are symmetric with respect to the crack (so that only the crack-opening mode of deformation is operative) and one for general plane applications (involving both the opening and sliding modes), are shown in Fig. 1. For symmetric problems only half of the region near the tip of a crack need be represented. The singularity element used for such applications is shown in Fig. la. It is rectangular with a 3:1 aspect ratio and has 8 nodes. The 16 displacement degrees of freedom correspond to the first 13 symmetric modes of deformation as given by Williams plus the 3 rigid-body degrees of freedom. The crack tip is located midway along the bottom edge of the element at the origin of the polar coordinate system. The upper crack face extends from this point horizontally to the left. As dictated by symmetry, nodes along the prolongation of the crack are restrained against vertical displacement. For asymmetric problems the entire region in the immediate vicinity of the crack
Pasteurization of Eggs in the Shell

A small percentage of all eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis (SE). To eliminate this hazard from the food supply, procedures for pasteurizing eggs in the shell have been developed. At least four research groups are attempting to devise a process to achieve a pasteurized shell egg. Only one of the groups has reported procedures and results. Sound shell eggs were washed to remove surface contaminants. The clean eggs were then inoculated with high levels of SE cells. The inoculated eggs were then heated by one of several means to a yolk temperature of about 55 C and held at that temperature for varying periods of time. The number of surviving cells was determined. It is possible to obtain a 7 log cycle reduction of SE in inoculated eggs without a significant change in functional or visual quality of the eggs.
A molecular dynamics simulation study of segment B1 of protein G.

The immunoglobulin binding protein, segment B1 of protein G, has been studied experimentally as a paradigm for protein folding. This protein consists of 56 residues, includes both beta sheet and alpha helix and contains neither disulfide bonds nor proline residues. We report an all-atom molecular dynamics study of the native manifold of the protein in explicit solvent. A 2-ns simulation starting from the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure and a 1-ns control simulation starting from the x-ray structure were performed. The difference between average structures calculated over the equilibrium portion of trajectories is smaller than the difference between their starting conformations. These simulation averages are structurally similar to the x-ray structure and differ in systematic ways from the NMR-determined structure. Partitioning of the fluctuations into fast ( 20 ps) components indicates that the beta sheet displays greater long-time mobility than does the alpha helix. Clore and Gronenborn [J. Mol. Biol. 223:853-856, 1992] detected two long-residence water molecules by NMR in a solution structure of segment B1 of protein G. Both molecules were found in the fully exposed regions and were proposed to be stabilized by bifurcated hydrogen bonds to the protein backbone. One of these long-residence water molecules, found near an exposed loop region, is identified in both of our simulations, and is seen to be involved in the formation of a stable water-mediated hydrogen bond bridge. The second water molecule, located near the middle of the alpha helix, is not seen with an exceptional residence time in either as a result of the conformation being closer to the x-ray structure in this region of the protein.
Learning about Cognitive Dissonance and Race Relations: A Study of the Personal Narratives of Older White Southern Women Who Grew up with Maids

A critical analysis of the content of a recent collection of personal narratives of 23 older White women from the Deep South who grew up with domestic servants in their homes was conducted to study how these Whites who enjoyed the fruits of segregation look upon their White privilege from the perspective of today. The interviews revealed much about the close bonds that formed across racial lines. However, they also provide a wealth of information about how the White individuals handled the dissonance or discrepancy between their personal values of today and their behavior and attitudes back then.
Four-wave theory of electrooptic gratings with a simple expansion for use in design.

A four-wave theory of phase gratings electrooptically induced in dielectric waveguides is analyzed and solutions to the coupled-wave equation are derived for incidence at the first Bragg angle. These solutions are compared with the solutions for the two-wave theory of Kogelnik, and expansions for the differences are obtained in reciprocal powers of the Nath parameter ρ. The leading terms in the expansion can be used to estimate the errors committed in designs using the simpler two-wave theory.
A Peptide Model for Calmodulin Trapping by Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II

Autophosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase) induces a more than 1000-fold increase in calmodulin (CaM)-binding affinity by dramatically decreasing the off-rate for CaM. In this report, we investigate the molecular mechanism for this phenomenon by comparing the rate of dissociation of a novel fluorescently labeled CaM from two synthetic peptides and from the phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms of a recombinant preparation of CaM-kinase. Dissociation of a complex of CaM and CKII(296-312), a peptide representing close to the minimum CaM-binding domain of the α subunit of CaM-kinase, exhibited a fast off-rate of 5.0 s−1. This was similar to the off-rate of 1.1 s−1 for the dissociation of CaM from the nonphosphorylated form of CaM-kinase. In contrast, dissociation of CaM from either autophosphorylated CaM-kinase or peptide CKII(290-314) was extremely slow with apparent off-rates of about 3-9 × 10−5 s−1. Along with information from the crystal structure of Ca2+/CaM bound to CKII(290-314) (Meador, W. E., Means, A. R., and Quiocho, F. A. (1993) Science 262, 1718-1721), our results suggest a model in which CaM-dependent autophosphorylation of CaM-kinase induces a conformational change in the region of the CaM-binding domain which allows the formation of additional stabilizing interactions with CaM. We predict that this involves amino acids 293-298 in CaM-kinase. The possible consequences of these observations on the reversibility of CaM trapping in native CaM-kinase are discussed.
The Arians of Alexandria

L'A. presente une courte etude historique sur la faction arianiste qui vecut a Alexandrie au cœur du IV e siecle apres J.C.. Dans une Eglise devoree par les querelles christologiques, Alexandrie est le foyer de naissance de l'heresie d'Arius qui niait la divinite du Christ ainsi que son egalite avec le Pere
Nicotine and food deprivation decrease the ability to resist smoking.

Rationale Attempts to simultaneously control food intake and smoking may lead to smoking cessation failure. We sought to model this relationship using a human laboratory paradigm of smoking lapse behavior.
Municipal Investment, Borrowing, and Pricing Under Decentralization: The Brazilian Case

Abstract Very few researchers have addressed the long‐term financing arrangements of municipal governments in developing countries. No research has evaluated empirically either the elements that affect municipal borrowing in developing countries or what those elements reveal about the municipal credit system. Analyzing Brazilian municipal loan and financial data with a series of simultaneous equations, this paper addresses the following questions: What factors determine municipal government investment levels, borrowing levels, and borrowing prices? What do empirical data reveal about the character of the Brazilian municipal credit system? The results show that investment, borrowing, and borrowing prices are interconnected. Furthermore, while some signs of a market‐based system exist, there is evidence that investment and borrowing decisions are made within an administered market.
Isopropyl N-(3-chlorophenyl) Carbarmate (CIPC) Effect on Nitrogenous Constituents of Potatoes

Potatoes treated with 1% or 3% CIPC and stored 16 weeks at 5°C and 20°C were analyzed for nitrogenous constituents. Treatment with 1% CIPC significantly (p < 0.025) increased total nitrogen and protein content in tubers of two cultivars compared to untreated control tubers following storage at 5°C and 20°C. Treatment with 3% CIPC increased total nitrogen and decreased protein in tubers stored at 20°C (p < 0.025), but decreased total nitrogen and protein in tubers stored at 5°C. Treating potatoes with CIPC prevented sprouting in both varieties and apparently caused the tuber to retain nitrogen.
Effects of ethanol on sensory processing in the central nervous system of an insect: The cercal-to-giant interneuron system of the house cricket

Abstract 1. 1. Perfusion of the abdominal cavity with ethanol at concentrations above 0.25% in saline causes potentiation of elicited giant-fiber activity. Spontaneous activity is evoked by 2% ethanol in the house cricket Acheta domesticus . 2. 2. The principal site of action is localized in the terminal ganglion. Input from the ipsilateral cercal nerve is required for giant-fiber activity, even in the presence of high ethanol concentrations but cercalnerve activity is unchanged by ethanol treatment. 3. 3. The orientation and shape of directional-response curves are maintained with ethanol treatments up to 2%. Higher ethanol concentrations cause directional curves to become skewed and distorted, probably by differentially affecting excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the giant interneurons. Contralateral inhibition was progressively diminished by 1–4% ethanol perfusion of terminal ganglia.
Inelastic electron scattering from low-lying states in the nuclei 36Ar and 40Ar

Abstract The low-lying level structure of 36 Ar and 40 Ar has been investigated using the technique of inelastic electron scattering. Data were collected at the National Bureau of Standards Linear Accelerator with incident electron energies between 65 and 115 MeV and scattering angles of 92.5° and 110°. The data span a range of momentum transfer squared between 0.29 and 0.92 fm −2 . Tassie model and Helm model analyses have been applied to data for levels at 1.97 and 4.18 MeV in 36 Ar and at 1.46, 2.52, 3.21 and 3.68 MeV in 40 Ar. A 2 + assignment to the 3.21 MeV state in 40 Ar is suggested. Transition strengths, transition radii, and mean lifetimes for these states are computed and compared with results of previous experiments.