cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial remodeling: Rearranging, recycling, and reprogramming

Mitochondria are highly dynamic and responsive organelles that respond to environmental cues with fission and fusion. They undergo mitophagy and biogenesis, and are subject to extensive post-translational modifications. Calcium plays an important role in regulating mitochondrial functions. Mitochondria play a central role in metabolism of glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids, and generate ATP with effects on redox poise, oxidative stress, pH, and other metabolites including acetyl-CoA and NAD(+) which in turn have effects on chromatin remodeling. The complex interplay of mitochondria, cytosolic factors, and the nucleus ensure a well-coordinated response to environmental stresses.
Investigating the zonal wind response to SST warming using transient ensemble AGCM experiments

The response of the atmospheric circulation to greenhouse gas-induced SST warming is investigated using large ensemble experiments with two AGCMs, with a focus on the robust feature of the poleward shift of the eddy driven jet. In these experiments, large ensembles of simulations are conducted by abruptly switching the SST forcing on from January 1st to focus on the wintertime circulation adjustment. A hybrid, finite amplitude wave activity budget analysis is performed to elucidate the nonlinear and irreversible aspects of the eddy-mean flow interaction during the adjustment of the zonal wind towards a poleward shifted state. The results confirm the results from earlier more idealized studies, particularly the importance of reduced dissipation of wave activity, in which the midlatitude decrease of effective diffusivity appears to be dominant. This reduction in dissipation increases the survival of midlatitude waves. These surviving waves, when reaching the upper propagation level in the upper troposphere, are subject to the influence of the increase of reflection phase speed at the poleward side of the mean jet, and thus more waves are reflected equatorward across the jet, giving rise to a poleward transport of momentum and thus an eddy momentum flux convergence for the poleward shift. The relative importance of wave breaking-induced PV mixing versus diabatic PV source in the evolution of the Lagrangian PV gradient is also investigated. The former plays the dominant role in the PV gradient formation during the initial phase of the jet shift, while the latter actually opposes the evolution of the Lagrangian PV gradient at times.
Non-nutritive Sweeteners and Human Bladder Cancer: Preliminary Findings

The non-nutritive sweeteners, saccharin and cyclamate, were not associated with the risk of human bladder cancer in a controlled investigation. The prior intake of such sweeteners in any and all forms was not greater or more prolonged among 209 recently diagnosed bladder cancer patients than among 209 otherwise similar patients without bladder disease. These findings were unaffected by case-control differences in diabetic histories or smoking practices.
Biochemical Markers in Prostatic Cancer

SUMMARY The status of the biochemical markers that have been explored for use in patients with carcinoma of the prostate have been reviewed. No unique marker has been identified for carcinoma of the prostate. The concentration of a variety of substances, primarily enzymes and specific proteins, has been evaluated in serum, urine, and prostatic fluid for a possible role in the diagnosis, staging, treatment evaluation, and follow-up of patients with carcinoma of the prostate. Despite many advances in technique, their main value remains in staging and monitoring the response to therapy. The concentration of acid phosphatase and its prostatic fraction in the serum continues to be the most widely used and, very likely, the most useful tumor marker in patients with carcinoma of the prostate. The concentration and excretion of hydroxyproline in the urine and the concentration of complement C3 in prostatic fluid have promise of providing useful information. We anticipate a continuing effort to define the role of biochemical markers that have been, or are currently, utilized in the management of patients with carcinoma of the prostate, along with further attempts to identify new ones.
Endovascular Management of Concomitant Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Ruptures Resulting from Brucellosis Aortitis

Background Acute aortic symptomatology is an unusual manifestation of Brucella melitensis infection. We present a rare case of acute multifocal thoracic and abdominal aortic ruptures arising from Brucellosis aortitis managed exclusively with endovascular surgery. Methods A 71-year-old Hispanic male with a history of atrial fibrillation and prior stroke on chronic anticoagulation presented with shortness of breath and malaise. In addition, he had been treated approximately 1 year previously in Mexico for B. melitensis bacteremia after eating fresh unpasteurized cheese. Computed tomography (CT) angiography demonstrated an acute rupture of the descending thoracic aorta just proximal to the celiac trunk and synchronous rupture at the abdominal aortic bifurctation. Results The patient was taken emergently to the hybrid operating room, where synchronous supraceliac thoracic aorta and abdominal aortoiliac stent grafts were deployed under local anesthesia. Completion angiography demonstrated total exclusion of the thoracic and abdominal extravasation with no evidence of endoleak. Twenty hours postoperatively, the patient became acutely obtunded and hypotensive. Repeat CT angiography demonstrated contrast extravasation at the level of the excluded aortic bifurcation. Emergent angiography confirmed a type II endoleak with free extraluminal rupture. Multiple coils were placed at the level of the aortic bifurcation between the left limb of the stent graft and the aortic wall to tamponade the endoleak. No further extravasation was noted on final aortography. Postoperatively, blood cultures confirmed the diagnosis of B. melitensis . The patient was treated with systemic doxycycline, gentamicin, and rifampin. Resolution of the acute event occurred without additional sequelae and he was discharged from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility. Conclusions Concomitant multifocal aortic ruptures arising from Brucellosis aortic infection is a very rare event. In this case, the patient was successfully treated with thoracic and abdominal endovascular stent-graft exclusion, coiling, and long-term targeted antibiotics.
Electronic Thin-Film Reliability: Grain-boundary diffusion

Introduction Most of the metallic thin films used in microelectronic devices are polycrystalline rather than monocrystalline. Grain-boundary diffusion is of concern. It has caused two very well-known failure modes in Si devices: electromigration in Al interconnects and Al-penetration into Si through diffusion barriers. In electromigration, it is known that voids are formed at the triple point of grain boundaries and extend out along grain boundaries. The topic of electromigration and electromigration-induced failure will be covered in the next two chapters. On Al-penetration, Al forms a pit in Si and short in p - n junction, and also Si precipitates decorate the Al grain boundaries. In general, atomic diffusion along grain boundaries is faster than in the bulk of grains. This assumes that atoms have a lower activation energy of motion in the boundary and also that vacancy formation within a grain boundary is easier because of the excess volume in the boundary [1–5]. The behavior of grain-boundary diffusion is shown by examining a few experiments. (1) By comparing tracer diffusivities of Ag* in single crystal Ag and polycrystalline Ag, it has been found that the diffusivity is faster in the polycrystalline Ag at temperatures below 750°C. (2) Radioactive tracers deposited on a bulk bicrystal show deeper penetration along the grain boundary in auto-radiography images. (3) We compare thin-film reactions in two sets of Pb/Ag/Au samples: one was epitaxially grown on rock salt and the other was deposited on fused quartz to grow polycrystalline grains.
Where We Want to Live: Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities, by Ryan Gravel

The Atlanta (GA) Beltline is an emerging ring of parks, trails, and a proposed transit rail line intended to encircle the core of the city of Atlanta. The Beltline is an example of a recent spate o...
Precision timing detectors with cadmium-telluride sensor

Abstract Precision timing detectors for high energy physics experiments with temporal resolutions of a few 10 ps are of pivotal importance to master the challenges posed by the highest energy particle accelerators such as the LHC. Calorimetric timing measurements have been a focus of recent research, enabled by exploiting the temporal coherence of electromagnetic showers. Scintillating crystals with high light yield as well as silicon sensors are viable sensitive materials for sampling calorimeters. Silicon sensors have very high efficiency for charged particles. However, their sensitivity to photons, which comprise a large fraction of the electromagnetic shower, is limited. To enhance the efficiency of detecting photons, materials with higher atomic numbers than silicon are preferable. In this paper we present test beam measurements with a Cadmium-Telluride (CdTe) sensor as the active element of a secondary emission calorimeter with focus on the timing performance of the detector. A Schottky type CdTe sensor with an active area of 1 cm 2 and a thickness of 1 mm is used in an arrangement with tungsten and lead absorbers. Measurements are performed with electron beams in the energy range from 2 GeV to 200 GeV. A timing resolution of 20 ps is achieved under the best conditions.
Learned Contextual Feature Reweighting for Image Geo-Localization

We address the problem of large scale image geo-localization where the location of an image is estimated by identifying geo-tagged reference images depicting the same place. We propose a novel model for learning image representations that integrates context-aware feature reweighting in order to effectively focus on regions that positively contribute to geo-localization. In particular, we introduce a Contextual Reweighting Network (CRN) that predicts the importance of each region in the feature map based on the image context. Our model is learned end-to-end for the image geo-localization task, and requires no annotation other than image geo-tags for training. In experimental results, the proposed approach significantly outperforms the previous state-of-the-art on the standard geo-localization benchmark datasets. We also demonstrate that our CRN discovers task-relevant contexts without any additional supervision.
Peptide Inhibitor of Complement C1 (PIC1) Inhibits Growth of Pathogenic Bacteria

Peptide Inhibitor of Complement C1 (PIC1) is a family of 15 amino acid peptides that inhibit complement activation via the classical and lectin pathways and inhibit myeloperoxidase. PIC1 peptides were originally derived from a region of limited homology with defensin human neutrophil peptide 1 (HNP-1). Despite having undergone extensive rearrangements of amino acid sequence subsequently, PIC1 peptides retain the defensin-like characteristics of being cysteine rich and amphiphilic. To date, defensin-like antimicrobial activity for PIC1 has not been explored. Here we report the antimicrobial activity of PIC1 for multiple pathogenic bacteria tested in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)-type assays. PIC1variant PA-dPEG24 was found to have antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Gardnerella vaginalis, and Prevotella bivia. Confocal microscopy demonstrated PIC1 localized to the surface of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus consistent with the defensins. Testing PIC1 variants with amino acid substitutions revealed differences in complement inhibition and antimicrobial effects suggesting these occur via independent mechanisms. PIC1 inhibited P. aeruginosa growth in normal human serum suggesting the antimicrobial effect was dominant versus the survival benefit resulting from complement inhibition. In summary, these experiments demonstrate that PIC1 peptides have broad antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria similar to defensins.
Serum biomarkers in periprosthetic joint infections

Objectives The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is difficult and requires a battery of tests and clinical findings. The purpose of this review is to summarize all current evidence for common and new serum biomarkers utilized in the diagnosis of PJI. Methods We searched two literature databases, using terms that encompass all hip and knee arthroplasty procedures, as well as PJI and statistical terms reflecting diagnostic parameters. The findings are summarized as a narrative review. Results Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were the two most commonly published serum biomarkers. Most evidence did not identify other serum biomarkers that are clearly superior to ESR and CRP. Other serum biomarkers have not demonstrated superior sensitivity and have failed to replace CRP and ESR as first-line screening tests. D-dimer appears to be a promising biomarker, but more research is necessary. Factors that influence serum biomarkers include temporal trends, stage of revision, and implant-related factors (metallosis). Conclusion Our review helped to identify factors that can influence serum biomarkers’ level changes; the recognition of such factors can help improve their diagnostic utility. As such, we cannot rely on ESR and CRP alone for the diagnosis of PJI prior to second-stage reimplantation, or in metal-on-metal or corrosion cases. The future of serum biomarkers will likely shift towards using genomics and proteomics to identify proteins transcribed via messenger RNA in response to infection and sepsis. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2018;7:85–93.
Using the interaction geography slicer to visualize New York City Stop & Frisk

This paper adapts and uses a dynamic visualization environment called the Interaction Geography Slicer (IGS) on how this environment provides new ways to view, interact with and query large-scale data sets over space and through time to support analyses of and public discussion about New York City's Stop & Frisk Program.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) to Detect Botulinum Toxins Using High Titer Rabbit Antisera

Botulinum toxin types A through G are potent neurotoxic proteins produced by heterogeneous clostridia.1–5 Conventional testing for botulinum toxin is done by mouse bioassay. Toxin type is determined by the mouse protection assay using specific botulinum toxin antisera.6 The mouse bioassay is a useful test allowing a direct and sensitive determination of LD50 and antibody titers. However the test involves tedious manipulations and the use of live animals. Notermans et al.7 pioneered the development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for toxins A, B, and E. Since then, numerous radioimmunoassays8 and ELISAs9–18 for detecting botulinum toxins have been published. All are immunoassays, and therefore the results are not strictly comparable to the biological activity measured in the mouse bioassay. Since antibodies and toxin standards needed to perform ELISAs are not generally available, these tests cannot readily be duplicated by other laboratories.
The AMS 700 Inflatable Penile Prosthesis: Long-Term Experience with the Controlled Expansion Cylinders

A total of 214 patients underwent implantation of the AMS 700 penile prosthesis with the controlled expansion cylinders. Followup ranged from 9 to 86 months, with a mean of 56 months. Life table analysis to calculate the probability of the cylinder and the device as a whole surviving 6 years revealed 97% for the cylinder and 90% for the device as a whole. No aneurysmal dilatation of the cylinders occurred. The incidence of cylinder leak was 0.7%. The infection rate in patients undergoing primary implantation of the device was 0.5% compared to 6.6% in patients undergoing revision surgery. The controlled expansion cylinders have significantly reduced the incidence of mechanical failures and, thus, the need for reoperation. As a consequence of the decreased need for reoperation the incidence of device infection has also decreased.
No more pediatric code blues on the floor: evolution of pediatric rapid response teams and situational awareness plans

Reducing or eliminating code blues that occur on the inpatient, noncritical care units of children’s hospitals is a challenging yet achievable goal. The mechanism to accomplish this involves several levels of effort. The implementation of effective pediatric rapid response teams is a well identified part of the process. Rapid response teams can allow for appropriate clinical interventions for deteriorating patients and may ultimately result in a reduction in hospital-wide mortality as well as efficient transfer to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) when necessary. The timely deployment of rapid response teams is dependent upon the appropriate recognition of patients at risk for deterioration. This recognition can be optimized by relying on assessments as simple as utilization of parental intuition to those as complex as big data models which utilize multiple predictor variables extracted from the electronic medical record. Ultimately, the goal to proactively identify patients at risk of deterioration may allow for prevention of clinical decline via appropriate and timely interventions, and if unsuccessful at that level, may allow for improved outcomes via optimized resuscitation care in the PICU.
Explorations in the Transmission of the Ramayana in Sri Lanka

This essay explores the identification of the island of Sri Lanka with the ‘Lankapura’ of Ramayana literary fame, tracing the transmission of the mythical geography of the epic from late medieval S...
The compelling case for low‐violence‐risk preclusion in American prison policy

This article recommends the development of broad policies of preclusion regarding the use of incarceration for offenders who are highly unlikely to commit a violent crime in the future. The proposal builds on the new Model Penal Code: Sentencing's provision on the limited utilitarian purposes of incarceration. Such low-violence-risk-preclusion strategies (LVRPs) would stand on the most powerful predictive capabilities of today's risk assessment technology. If implemented properly, there is reason to believe that substantial drops in prison rates could be realized in most states. The preclusion groups would include defendants who should not be sent to prison or jail by sentencing judges even though the law allows for such penalties; those serving prison sentences who should be released by parole boards or other releasing authorities at the earliest opportunity; and probation and parole violators who should not be revoked to prison or jail. The strongest objection to the LVRP proposal is the fear of racial or other unacceptable biases in its apportionment of reduced-incarceration benefits. Given current high levels of disproportionality in prison and jail populations, however, there is reason to think that the benefits of LVRP would be especially pronounced in disadvantaged communities.
How EIC can help us to understand heavy-ion collisions

Abstract I give a brief overview of the science cases of the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) with a particular emphasis on the connections to the physics of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.
A Self-Determination Theory Perspective on Human Agency, Desistance from Crime, and Correctional Rehabilitation

Despite the attention paid to the role of human agency in the desistance process, there is a lack of consensus on how agency should be defined, what motivates or thwarts its exercise, and how it can be applied meaningfully in criminological research. The goal of the current article is to highlight how self-determination theory (SDT) can be used to those ends. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of former offenders to assess how they conceptualized their own processes of desistance and the factors that helped and hindered those processes. Data were analyzed using an inductive framework. Participants’ initial moves away from crime resulted from the realization of psychological need frustration. Subsequent efforts made to help in the desistance process reflected either volitional behavior or the acceptance of assistance from others that would fulfill those needs. Participants also recounted their experiences with correctional rehabilitation as being need thwarting. SDT’s conceptualization of agentic behavior and the factors that motivate/thwart its exercise can be used to integrate existing findings on desistance from crime. Moreover, measures used in prior SDT-based psychological research have implications for the quantitative measurement of agency in our own field. Implications for correctional theory and policy are also discussed.
INSSEPT: An open-source relational database of seismic performance estimation to aid with early design of buildings:

Performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) assessments are data-, effort-, and time-intensive, usually requiring a detailed structural model and limiting their integration with early design. D...
Mapping QTLs conferring early blight (Alternaria solani) resistance in a Lycopersicon esculentum x L. hirsutum cross by selective genotyping

Most commercial cultivars of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., are susceptible to early blight (EB), a devastating fungal (Alternaria solani Sorauer) disease of tomato in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world. Currently, sanitation, long crop rotation, and routine application of fungicides are the most common disease control measures. Although no source of genetic resistance is known within the cultivated species of tomato, resistant resources have been identified within related wild species. The purpose of this study was to identify and validate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring EB resistance in an accession (PI126445) of the tomato wild species L. hirsutum Humb. and Bonpl. by using a selective genotyping approach. A total of 820 BC1 plants of a cross between an EB susceptible tomato breeding line (NC84173; maternal and recurrent parent) and PI126445 were grown in a greenhouse. During late seedling stage, plants were inoculated with mixed isolates of A. solani and subsequently evaluated for EB symptoms. The most resistant (75 plants = 9.1%) and most susceptible (80 = 9.8%) plants were selected and subsequently transplanted into a field where natural infestation of EB was severe. Plants were grown to maturity and evaluated for final disease severity. From among the 75 resistant plants, 46 (5.6% of the total) that exhibited the highest resistance, and from among the 80 susceptible plants, 30 (3.7% of the total) that exhibited the highest susceptibility, were selected. The 76 selected plants, representing the two extreme tails of the response distribution, were genotyped for 145 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers and 34 resistance gene analogs (RGAs). A genetic linkage map, spanning approximately 1298 cM of the 12 tomato chromosomes with an average marker distance of 7.3 cM, was constructed. A trait-based marker analysis (TBA), which measures differences in marker allele frequencies between extreme tails of a population, detected seven QTLs for EB resistance, one on each of chromosomes 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11. Of these, all but the QTL on chromosome 3 were contributed from the resistant wild parent, PI126445. The standardized effects of the QTLs ranged from 0.45 to 0.81 phenotypic standard deviations. Four of the seven QTLs were previously identified in a study where different populations and mapping strategy were used. The high level of correspondence between the two studies indicated the reliability of the detected QTLs and their potential use for marker-assisted breeding for EB resistance. The location of several RGAs coincided with locations of EB QTLs or known tomato resistance genes (R genes), suggesting that these RGAs could be associated with disease resistance. Furthermore, similar to that for many R gene families, several RGA loci were identified in clusters, suggesting their potential evolutionary relationship with R genes.
Modernist Literature and Modernist Mathematics II: Mathematics and Event, with Mallarmé, Gödel, and Badiou

This chapter continues the examination of the relationships between modernist literature and modernist mathematics begun in chapter “Modernist Literature and Modernist Mathematics I: Mathematics and Composition, with Mallarme, Heisenberg, and Derrida.” That chapter discussed a modernist movement, in literature and mathematics, toward the dominance of thinking in terms of technology, specifically the technology of composition, as against thinking in terms of ontology. This chapter continues the exploration of this movement, focusing on Stephane Mallarme’s (1842–1898) theoretical ideas and the philosophy of Alain Badiou (1937–), for whom Mallarme is a major inspiration as he concerns the role of mathematics in literature and philosophy. There is, however, a crucial difference, which I explore here: Mallarme’s view of mathematical thinking is technological, compositional, while Badiou’s is ontological.
Medical Spanish Musculoskeletal and Dermatologic Educational Module.

Introduction While many medical schools provide opportunities in medical Spanish for medical students, schools often struggle with identifying a structured curriculum. The purpose of this module wa...
Do trait psychological characteristics moderate sympathetic arousal to racial discrimination exposure in a natural setting

Personality and psychological traits are known to influence how individuals react to and cope with stress, and thus, have downstream health and aging consequences. However, research considering psychological health traits as individual-level difference factors moderating the links been racism-related stress and health for racial and ethnic minorities in the United States is rare. Using intensive daily diaries and a wearable sensor that continuously recorded sympathetic nervous system arousal in a sample of racial and ethnic minority college students (80% African American, first-generation Black, or African; 20% Latinx), we linked arousal to racism-related experiences dynamically throughout the day as participants naturally went about their lives. Findings suggest that multiple traits are associated with increased arousal in real time when interpersonal discrimination is perceived, but that only anger and anxiety also predicted increased arousal during moments of rumination and reflection on race-related inequities. Vicarious discrimination exposure moments were also linked to suppressed arousal in general, but particularly for more anxious individuals. We use a stress appraisal and coping framework to elucidate the ways in which individual psychological differences may inform physiological responses to race-related stress. The biopsychosocial pathways by which cognitive appraisal and interpersonal race-related stress contribute to racial health disparities are also discussed.
Comparison of BaSIC(DMM) and BaSIC(EMM) Topologies to Enhance Short-Circuit Capability in SiC Power MOSFETs

SiC power MOSFETs have poor short-circuit (SC) withstand capability compared to Si IGBTs. A new method, called BaSIC, with a low voltage silicon MOSFET in series with the source of the SiC power MOSFET, has been recently demonstrated for improvement of the SC capability with minimal impact on normal circuit operation. In this paper, the two BaSIC implementations using either a depletion-mode MOSFET (DMM) or an enhancement-mode MOSFET (EMM) are compared for the first time. The user-configurable BaSIC(EMM) topology was found to result in a superior overall performance. A 1.86x improvement in SC capability was achieved with the BaSIC(EMM) topology with 4% increase in on-resistance and 13 % increase in switching loss versus the BaSIC(DMM) topology which achieved a 2.4x improvement in SC capability with a 19% increase in on-resistance and a 40% increase in switching loss. The BaSIC(DMM) topology offers simplicity of implementation, while the BaSIC(EMM) topology offers a unique user-programmable capability for power electronics engineers.
Deep Learning Based Link-Level Abstraction for mmWave Communications

Link abstraction is an efficient way for predicting link-level performance (e.g., whether the receiver successfully receives packets through communication links). It can be used to support system-level simulation and facilitate link adaption. Nonetheless, it is challenging to quantify the collective impact of modulation, channel coding, interleaving, guard intervals, and other components on error performance of the communication link. In addition, the existing link abstraction schemes assume ideal hardware with perfect channel estimation. To address this issue, we design a deep learning approach to carry out link-level abstraction for millimeter wave (mmWave) communications. Specially, we conduct link-level simulation based on IEEE 802.11ay single carrier (SC) communication to collect training data, and describe the detailed training and prediction procedures in our approach. We further discuss model reuse and adaptation so that the trained model can be applied to different systems in different environments. Through extensive performance evaluation with data collected on 60 GHz mmWave channels from four environments, we show the prediction accuracy of our approach with respect to feature selection, learning model structure, and the amount of training data. We also demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in model reuse in cross-environments and cross-systems.
The Effect of Agarose Overlay on Plaque Formation by a Small-Plaque-Forming Virus of Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Agarose overlay greatly enhanced plaque formation by a small-plaque-forming virus of foot-and-mouth disease on primary bovine kidney cell monolayers. In contrast, plaques formed under the regular agar overlay were inhibited and barely visible.
Multi-parameter estimation for cognitive radar in compound Gaussian clutter

In this paper, we consider the problem of multi-parameter estimation in the presence of compound Gaussian clutter for cognitive radar using the variational Bayesian approach. The main advantage of variational Bayesian is that the estimation of multi-variate parameters is decomposed to multiple estimation of univariate parameters, thus enabling analytically tractable approximations. Numerical tests demonstrate that the proposed approach leads to improved estimation accuracy than the expectation maximization (EM) method, particularly in the case of non-Gaussian nonlinear models and a small sample size.
Distribution of heart potentials on the body surface in five normal young men. With a critical commentary on technic.

Abstract The present study was designed to facilitate the speed and accuracy of obtaining isopotential maps from body surface potentials. The chests of 5 healthy young men were marked using a cage-shaped protractor at 9 equally spaced levels of 20 equally spaced points each. The electrocardiographic waveform at each site was recorded for 100 heart cycles from which an averaged QRS complex in digitized form was taken for study. Digital computation permitted time alignment of the data and the construction of equipotential maps. Great similarity in the surface pattern of potential distribution among individuals was found early in ventricular repolarization with increasing disparity late in the QRS complex. This is compatible with the concept that as ventricular activation spreads outward from the cavity, the factors that enhance uniformity in surface effect become dissipated.
The Rise and Fall of the Fraternal Life Insurer: Law and Finance in U.S. Life Insurance, 1870-1920

This paper studies the rise and fall of fraternal life insurance in the decades surrounding 1900. It shows that the rise of the fraternal life insurer took place while it was exempt from the solvency regulations that governed other insurance companies, and its fade into obscurity followed soon after this exemption ended. Enactment of fraternal regulation at the state level was associated with large drops in fraternal insurer formations. The evidence challenges the notion that claimant protection laws "enabled" insurance organizations to succeed by enhancing public confidence in their operations, suggesting instead that they were a burden on industry.
Systemic Morphine-Induced Fos Protein in the Rat Striatum and Nucleus Accumbens Is Regulated by μ Opioid Receptors in the Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area

To characterize how systemic morphine induces Fos protein in dorsomedial striatum and nucleus accumbens (NAc), we examined the role of receptors in striatum, substantia nigra (SN), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Morphine injected into medial SN or into VTA of awake rats induced Fos in neurons in ipsilateral dorsomedial striatum and NAc. Morphine injected into lateral SN induced Fos in dorsolateral striatum and globus pallidus. The morphine infusions produced contralateral turning that was most prominent after lateral SN injections. Intranigral injections of [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly-ol5]-enkephalin (DAMGO), a mu opioid receptor agonist, and of bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist, induced Fos in ipsilateral striatum. Fos induction in dorsomedial striatum produced by systemic administration of morphine was blocked by (1) SN and VTA injections of the mu1 opioid antagonist naloxonazine and (2) striatal injections of either MK 801, an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, or SCH 23390, a D1 dopamine receptor antagonist. Fos induction in dorsomedial striatum and NAc after systemic administration of morphine seems to be mediated by dopamine neurons in medial SN and VTA that project to medial striatum and NAc, respectively. Systemic morphine is proposed to act on mu opioid receptors located on GABAergic interneurons in medial SN and VTA. Inhibition of these GABA interneurons disinhibits medial SN and VTA dopamine neurons, producing dopamine release in medial striatum and NAc. This activates D1 dopamine receptors and coupled with the coactivation of NMDA receptors possibly from cortical glutamate input induces Fos in striatal and NAc neurons. The modulation of target gene expression by Fos could influence addictive behavioral responses to opiates.
Low Radiation Coronary CT

With the increasing use of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) as a noninvasive tool to evaluate for coronary artery disease, physicians who request, perform, or interpret these studies should be aware of the associated potential risks of ionizing radiation. This article provides an overview of radiation issues in CT, the risks of diagnostic-level ionizing radiation, and strategies that can be adopted to minimize exposure to radiation of patients undergoing CCTA.
Survey of Educationally Qualified and Board‐Eligible Prosthodontists on the Board‐Certification Process

Purpose A survey of prosthodontists who have not achieved diplomate status from the American Board of Prosthodontics was conducted to identify the reasons why they have or have not pursued and/or achieved board certification in prosthodontics. Materials and Methods A survey was sent to 500 educationally qualified or board-eligible prosthodontists in the summer of 1997. A total of 364 responses were received, for a response rate of 73%. The responses and comments were analyzed. Results The majority of respondents listed private practice as their primary area of professional activity. Personal accomplishment was cited by 80% of the respondents as a major motivational factor. Three major impediments to taking the examination included: time away from practice (65%), time away from family (59%), and financial sacrifice (57%). More than one third of the respondents believed there was no advantage to attempting the board examination. Less than half of the respondents have attended The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP)-sponsored Board Preparation Course, and half have used the ACP Study Guide. The respondents have perceived these to be useful in their preparation efforts. The survey presented four potential changes in the exam format that might encourage greater participation in the board-certification process. Respondents showed the greatest support (64%) for the concept of a written examination only (ie, elimination of Parts 2, 3, and 4). Conclusions Personal accomplishment was the most important motivational factor in starting the examination process. The greatest impediments to pursuing board certification were the time involved and financial resources expended. The greatest interest in a potential change in the examination format was the use of a written examination only.
RNAi mediated MMP-1 silencing inhibits human chondrosarcoma invasion

Previous work indicates that matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) gene expression is a prognostic factor for local recurrence and metastasis in human chondrosarcoma. The current study evaluates the effects of MMP-1 knock-down via RNA interference on chondrosarcoma metastasis in vitro. Of nine siRNA oligos tested, one showed a 90% inhibitory effect on MMP-1 gene expression. Stable attenuation of MMP-1 in chondrosarcoma cells was achieved by using a plasmid vector-based siRNA system. Pronounced MMP-1 activity suppression was accompanied by marked inhibition of tumor cell invasion. Cells in which MMP-1 has been stably silenced are useful tools to elucidate the mechanism of MMP-1 mediated tumor metastasis.
Alternative Perspectives on Community Impacting: Toward Complementary Theory and Application

Community impact analysis has been limited in applied effectiveness and sociological contribution because of its primary reliance on an ecological system paradigm and the conservative ideology imbedded therein. It is argued that the quality of community impact analysis and similar social change work would be improved by increased concern with matters of theory. Specifically, improvements can come from: (1) use and further development of alternate sociological perspectives appropriate to the impacting topic, especially those perspectives that deal with community and adaptive processes; and (2) empirical determination of the extent to which various theoretical perspectives fit conditions of specific community cases. The concerns of critical and interactionist theory are discussed as alternatives to the dominant structural-functional perspective, and a case is made for blending perspectives consistent with themes of “general systems” theory. This blending incorporates structural concerns, but offers more complete guidance by emphasizing relevant process considerations. Aspects of the “dramaturgical” analogy, applied more broadly than usual, illustrate abstract points in the complementarity of the several theories.
Downwelling Longwave Irradiance at the Ocean Surface: An Assessment of In Situ Measurements and Parameterizations

Abstract Two sets of ocean surface longwave irradiance measurements collected during the FASINEX and MILDEX experiments are analyzed for quality and variability studies. Using concomitant radiosonde data, the clear-sky contribution to the downward flux at the surface is computed and, subsequently, the effect of clouds from the surface measurements is deduced. The longwave irradiance computations are performed using a broadband model, a simpler parameterization, and an empirical formula. The three schemes are chosen because they represent different, possible approaches for computing surface longwave irradiance. They are intercompared, separating clear and cloud components, and verified against in situ measurements. During both experiments, which took place in midlatitudes during different seasons, variations in the downward longwave flux associated with clear-sky variations (air temperature, humidity changes) and cloud effects are found to be of the same order of magnitude (≈70 W m−2). Applied to radiosond...
Anorexia nervosa in seventeenth century England as viewed by physician, philosopher, and pedagogue an essay

In 1667, 22 years before Richard Morton's seminal descriptions, an 18 year old English girl named Martha Taylor developed anorexia nervosa. Within 75 months she had become so famous (and notorious), that 3 books were published in London describing her illness in detail. In addition, a lengthy report, sent by a prominent physician to the Royal Society, requested it to petition the king, Charles II, to establish a royal investigatory commission to determine whether the patient was genuinely ill or a cheat. Martha Taylor's many visitors included the clergy, the peerage, and physicians. Thomas Hobbes, England's leading philosopher and political theorist, wrote a long description about Martha's illness. Excerpts from all reports are included herein.
ASME Code Needs for Very High Temperature Generation IV Reactors

Subsection NH “Components in Elevated Temperature Service” of Section III was originally developed to provide structural design criteria and limits for elevated-temperature design of Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) systems and some gas-cooled systems. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and its Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) reviewed the design limits and procedures in the process of reviewing the Clinch River Breeder Reactor (CRBR) for a construction permit in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and identified issues that needed resolution. In the years since then, the NRC, DOE and various contractors have evaluated the applicability of the ASME Code and Code Cases to high-temperature reactor designs such as the VHTGRs, and identified issues that need to be resolved to provide a regulatory basis for licensing. Since the 1980s, the ASME Code has made numerous improvements in elevated-temperature structural integrity technology. These advances have been incorporated into Section II, Section VIII, Code Cases, and particularly Subsection NH of Section III of the Code. The current need for designs for very high temperature and for Gen IV systems requires the extension of operating temperatures from about 1400°F (760°C) to about 1742°F (950°C) where creep effects limit structural integrity, safe allowable operating conditions, and design life. This paper (1)identifies the structural integrity issues in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, including Section II, Section VIII, Section III, Subsection NH (Class 1 Components in Elevated Temperature Service) and Code Cases that must be resolved in order to support licensing of Generation IV Nuclear Reactors, particularly Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (VHTRs); (2) describes how the Code addresses these issues; and (3) identifies the needs for additional criteria to cover unresolved structural integrity concerns for very-high-temperature service.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Scintigraphic quantification of pharyngeal retention following deglutition

A procedure is described for quantifying the amount of bolus material retained in the pharynx after completion of a swallow, using radionuclide swallow techniques. Data are derived from scintigraphic time-activity curves. The procedure takes into consideration the differential attenuation of radioactivity through various regions in the body, and expresses the result as a percentage of the total radioactivity in the ingested bolus. Illustrative examples are provided for swallows by normal individuals and patients with head and neck cancer.
Deep-Sea Archaea Fix and Share Nitrogen in Methane-Consuming Microbial Consortia

Nitrogen-fixing (diazotrophic) microorganisms regulate productivity in diverse ecosystems; however, the identities of diazotrophs are unknown in many oceanic environments. Using single-cell–resolution nanometer secondary ion mass spectrometry images of ^(15)N incorporation, we showed that deep-sea anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea fix N_2, as well as structurally similar CN^–, and share the products with sulfate-reducing bacterial symbionts. These archaeal/bacterial consortia are already recognized as the major sink of methane in benthic ecosystems, and we now identify them as a source of bioavailable nitrogen as well. The archaea maintain their methane oxidation rates while fixing N_2 but reduce their growth, probably in compensation for the energetic burden of diazotrophy. This finding extends the demonstrated lower limits of respiratory energy capable of fueling N_2 fixation and reveals a link between the global carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles.
Basic fibroblast growth factor induces cell migration and proliferation after glia-specific gene transfer in mice

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is overexpressed in most high-grade human gliomas, implying that it is involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors. To assess the biological effect of inappropriate production of bFGF in normal astrocytes, we developed a system for glia-specific gene transfer in transgenic mice. A transgene encoding the receptor for subgroup A avian leukosis virus and controlled by the astrocyte-specific glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter permits efficient glia-specific transfer of genes carried by subgroup A avian leukosis virus vectors. With this system, we have demonstrated that bFGF induces proliferation and migration of glial cells in vivo, without the induction of tumors.
Microvalves and Micropumps for BioMEMS

This review presents an extensive overview of a large number of microvalve and micropump designs with great variability in performance and operation. The performance of a given design varies greatly depending on the particular assembly procedure and there is no standardized performance test against which all microvalves and micropumps can be compared. We present the designs with a historical perspective and provide insight into their advantages and limitations for biomedical uses.
Physicians' attitudes about obesity and their associations with competency and specialty: A cross-sectional study

Physicians frequently report negative attitudes about obesity which is thought to affect patient care. However, little is known about how attitudes toward treating obese patients are formed. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of physicians in order to better characterize their attitudes and explore the relationships among attitudes, perceived competency in obesity care, including report of weight loss in patients, and other key physician, training, and practice characteristics. We surveyed all 399 physicians from internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry specialties at one institution regarding obesity care attitudes, competency, including physician report of percent of their patients who lose weight. We performed a factor analysis on the attitude items and used hierarchical regression analysis to explore the degree to which competency, reported weight loss, physician, training and practice characteristics explained the variance in each attitude factor. The overall response rate was 63%. More than 40% of physicians had a negative reaction towards obese patients, 56% felt qualified to treat obesity, and 46% felt successful in this realm. The factor analysis revealed 4 factors–Physician Discomfort/Bias, Physician Success/Self Efficacy, Positive Outcome Expectancy, and Negative Outcome Expectancy. Competency and reported percent of patients who lose weight were most strongly associated with the Physician Success/Self Efficacy attitude factor. Greater skill in patient assessment was associated with less Physician Discomfort/Bias. Training characteristics were associated with outcome expectancies with newer physicians reporting more positive treatment expectancies. Pediatric faculty was more positive and psychiatry faculty less negative in their treatment expectancies than internal medicine faculty. Physician attitudes towards obesity are associated with competency, specialty, and years since postgraduate training. Further study is necessary to determine the direction of influence and to explore the impact of these attitudes on patient care.