cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The interaction of corrosion fatigue and stress-corrosion cracking in a precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel

Fracture mechanics-based testing was used to quantify the stress-corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue behavior of a precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel (Custom 465-H950) in full immersion chloride-containing environments at two applied electrochemical potentials. A plateau in the cycle-based crack-growth kinetics (da/dN) was observed during fatigue loading at low ΔK and [Cl−] at and above 0.6 M. Evaluation of the fracture morphology and frequency dependence of this plateau behavior revealed an intergranular fracture surface morphology and constant time-dependent growth rates. These data strongly support a controlling stress-corrosion cracking mechanism occurring well below the established K ISCC for quasi-static loading. Low-amplitude cyclic loading below ΔK TH (i.e., “ripple loads”) is hypothesized to enable time-dependent intergranular-stress-corrosion cracking to occur below the K ISCC via mechanical rupturing of the crack-tip film and enhancement of the H embrittlement-based SCC mechanism. Modern high-strength stainless steels offer combined mechanical and corrosion resistance, but are susceptible to environmental cracking in aqueous chloride solutions, typical of coastal and marine environments. New insight into environmentally enhanced fatigue behavior is thus of practical value. A team led by James Burns at University of Virgina has now quantitatively characterized the stress-corrosion cracking and fatigue fracture behavior of a precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel in various aqueous chloride solutions and elucidated the relative contribution of each factor to overall crack growth. The obtained data indicates an interesting mechanism that governs intergranular-stress-corrosion cracking. The present understanding may enable rational design and prognosis of engineering materials for use in the field.
Attitudes towards three ultrasound-guided vascular access techniques in a paediatric emergency department.

Background: although nurses often place peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters, little is known about their perceptions regarding use of ultrasound guidance. Aim: the authors aimed to determine paediatric emergency department nurses' attitudes toward ultrasound-guided IV access techniques and assessed practice change after training. Method: In a cross-sectional study of nurses, they had didactic and hands-on practice sessions, using three short-axis ultrasound-guided IV access techniques on gel models. Outcomes included likability and ease of learning and performing the techniques. A 3-month follow-up questionnaire assessed attitudes and behavioural changes. Results: 18 nurses were enrolled and 17 analysed. Participants liked all three techniques and thought they were easy to learn and perform. Eighty-two percent of the nurses used at least one technique clinically. The two-person self-guided technique was most preferred (65%) and used 3 months later (65%). Conclusions: nurses reported generally positive a...
Violent Crime and Park Use in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods.

Introduction Crime and safety are often cited as potential hurdles to park use and park-based physical activity. Using comprehensive data sources including both objective and subjective measurements at the park level and the individual level, this study aimed to assess the association between crime rates and use of local parks in low-income urban neighborhoods. Methods The authors observed 48 parks and conducted local resident surveys in low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles during a 2-year study period (2013–2015). Crime data were geocoded within a 1-mile radius of parks’ addresses and longitudinal models were fitted to estimate the association between crime rates and park use outcomes in 2017. Results One gun-related violent crime per 10,000 people during the 6-month period prior to data collection was associated with an average of 13.5%–15.8% reduction in observed park use and park-based moderate to vigorous physical activity (p Conclusions Gun-related violent crimes have relatively long-term negative associations with population health by reducing utilization of outdoor park space. There can be additional population health benefits from controlling and reducing gun-related violent crimes beyond immediate impacts on public safety and mortality.
Automatic verification of database-centric systems

We present an overview of results on verification of temporal properties of infinite-state transition systems arising from processes that carry and manipulate unbounded data. The techniques bring into play tools from logic, database theory, and model checking. The theoretical results establish the boundaries of decidability and the complexity of verification for various models. We also describe verifier implementations with surprisingly good performance, suggesting that this line of research has real potential for practical impact.
A UNIAXIALLY REINFORCED ZIRCON-SILICON CARBIDE COMPOSITE

Zircon matrix composites uniaxially reinforced with as-supplied and BN-coated silicon carbide filaments were fabricated, and their mechanical properties were measured in flexure mode. A toughened-composite behaviour was displayed by the reinforced samples with strengths between 681 and 700 MPa and toughness between 24 and 41 kJ m−2. In comparison, the monolithic zircon failed in a brittle manner, had an average strength of 280 MPa and toughness of 0.95 kJ m−2. Influence of fibre-matrix interfacial shear stress on the first matrix cracking stress, ultimate failure strength and strain, toughness, and mode of failure were studied. The composite toughness was found to be dependent on the interfacial shear stress whereas the first matrix cracking stress was independent of the interfacial shear stress. These results on mechanical properties are compared with predictions from composite models.
Developing a Microloading Platform for Applications in Mechanotransduction Research

Bone cell mechanotransduction involves the process by which bone cells sense and coordinate their activity in response to mechanical loading. Classic mechanotransduction models include the parallel plate flow and cone viscometer systems. These systems apply fluid flow to bone cells to study the effects of fluid shear on cellular activity. In this study a microactuated loading device to subject bone cells to a complex state of deformation utilizing a deformable membrane was developed. To model the loading profile, finite element analysis was utilized with material properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) determined from mechanical testing to model a cell substrate and loading platen to apply accurate, reproducible and physiologically appropriate loading.
Dialogue, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation

So goes the difficult work of dialogue, the process by which members of differing groups come together with the hope of increasing understanding and transforming deep-rooted issues of conflict. It is rarely a smooth road; there is no formulaic path to understanding, forgiveness, or reconciliation. In most cases, dialogue requires people to encounter painful feelings that have polarized them for so long and to face themselves and others in ways that lead to new perceptions and relationships. In many historically conflicted communities, dialogue processes are often used to provide safe and structured dimensions to reconciliation among fractured parties. This chapter will explore both the theoretical and practical dimensions of dialogue as a tool in forgiveness and reconciliation and a particular case study where dialogue has served as a platform for moving conflicted parties forward at the intergroup level.
Investigating Software Maintenance Challenges in Small Organizations

Software Maintenance (SM) constitutes a critical function that enables organizations to continually leverage their IT capabilities. However a majority of the SM methodologies are geared toward large organizations. This is detrimental to small organizations (SO), for which SM remains an important function. This research contributes to the discipline by a) evaluating the appropriateness of existing SM methodologies for small organizations b) investigating the explicit needs of a small organization through a case based empirical study. The preliminary findings of the research indicate a lack of alignment of existing SM processes to the overall needs of the small organization. Also, the empirical investigation suggests that SM processes in small organizations are ad-hoc, resulting in a reliance on key actors for project success. Consequently, a taxonomy of the key actors is suggested and initial insights are provided about its implications on project success and important functions such as communication, collaboration and coordination.
Characteristics of Acute Heart Failure Hospitalizations Based on Presenting Severity.

Background: Hospitalizations for acute heart failure (HF) are significant events with downstream implications for patients, as well as healthcare systems and payers. However, from anecdotal experie...
Fracture and Flow in Brittle Solids

Finite strain theories are described for brittle anisotropic single crystals and polycrystals undergoing shock compression loading, wherein inelastic deformation may arise from fracture and crack sliding, pore crushing, bulking, and stress-induced amorphization. The internal energy function depends on a logarithmic measure of thermoelastic material strain, entropy, and internal state variables accounting for defect accumulation, for example effects of micro-cracks on the tangent stiffness of the solid. Versions of the theory with pertinent mechanisms enabled are applied towards planar shock loading of single crystals of quartz and polycrystalline boron carbide ceramic. Analytical or numerical solutions to these problems provide close agreement with Hugoniot data and lend insight into the physical mechanisms responsible for strength deterioration at shock stresses exceeding the Hugoniot elastic limit.
The Importance of Unsupervised Individual Learning in Education

Abstract This chapter introduces the key concepts of the book and provides context for the experimental work to be reported in later chapters. First, we discuss the importance of unsupervised individual learning in education and the importance of homework. A brief history of homework in American education, from the early 19th century to the present, is presented. The development of homework as a standard part of formal education is reviewed, and the recurring issues in favor of and against homework are discussed. The relationship of unsupervised individual learning to supervised group learning and the relationship of unsupervised individual learning to homework are discussed.
The Problem of School Disorder

The public’s concern with what is widely perceived as burgeoning crime and violence in the nation’s public schools is reflected in and fostered by spectacular media attention to the topic, the results of public opinion surveys, and continuing Congressional hearings. Testimonial accounts of school crime, such as the national magazine reports (e.g., “City Schools in Crisis.” 1977; “High Schools under Fire,” 1977), the Congressional hearings, and a book titled Violence in Schools (McPartland & McDill, 1977) are useful, but they are sensationalized accounts.
Arthroscopically Assisted Reduction in a Chronic Locked Posterior Shoulder Dislocation

Neglected posterior shoulder dislocation is a difficult condition in terms of decision making and surgical technique. Not only the bony deformity but also the soft tissue and patient's underlying disease are of concern. Whether the poor results are associated with a time delay or the treatment method is not clear yet. To date, there is neither a consensus nor treatment guidelines. We describe an arthroscopically assisted reduction and open McLaughlin procedure. The advantage of this procedure is preservation of the soft tissue of the anterior part of the shoulder during the surgical reduction technique for chronic neglected posterior shoulder dislocation cases.
Work-limiting health, earnings, and employment: an analysis with SIPP data

ABSTRACTThis study examines the role of work-limiting health conditions on employed people’s earnings, employment status, and working hours, and distinguishes between the different degree and sever...
Applications with a Rydberg Atom-based Radio Frequency Antenna/Receiver

We discuss several recent extensions of quantum radio frequency (RF) electric field sensors to antenna/receiver applications. These Rydberg atom-based sensors have been previously studied for SI-traceable RF field measurements. We demonstrate the reception of modulated signals, including analog audio and pseudorandom bit sequences, RF phase detection, weak field detection, and the recording of musical instruments.
A Classical Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of Interfacial and Bulk Solution Aggregation Properties of Dirhamnolipids.

The rhamnolipids are a unique class of biosurfactants produced by the bacteria Pseu- domonas aeruginosa. These molecules display a high level of surface activity as well as biodegradability. In the present study nonionic dirhamnolipid was investigated utilizing molec- ular dynamics simulation at the air-water interface as well as in bulk water. Detailed structural analysis is presented for both the interfacial simulations as well as the simulations in solu- tion. A systematic comparison was made between our previous work on the monorhamnolipid at the air-water interface and in bulk water. The presence of a second rhamnose group in dirhamnolipid did not show any significant change in the aggregation at the air-water inter- face. An increase in the molecular weight resulted in the larger surface area per monomer for dirhamnolipid compared to monorhamnolipid at the air-water interface. However, aggre- gation of dirhamnolipid in bulk water was affected by the presence of a second rhamnose group. Dirhamnolipid...
PAC Learning from Distributed Data in the Presence of Malicious Nodes

When data is distributed over a network, statistical learning needs to be carried out in a fully distributed fashion. When all nodes in the network are faultless and cooperate with each other, it is understood that the objective is probably approximately correct (PAC) learnable. However, when there are malicious nodes trying to sabotage learning by injecting false information in the network, PAC learnability of the objective remains an open question. In this paper, we discuss the distributed statistical learning problem when the risk function is strictly convex. We show that the model is PAC learnable in the presence of malicious nodes by proposing and analyzing a distributed learning algorithm. Experiments in non-convex settings are also performed to further discuss the PAC learnability of non-convex statistical learning problems from distributed data.
A Rare Presentation of Cryptococcal Meningitis in a Treatment-Native Patient with Sarcoidosis

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated, yeast-like fungus that commonly lives in the environment due to soil contamination by the faeces of birds, especially pigeons. Cryptococcus is an opportunistic fungal infection frequently diagnosed in immunocompromised patients with HIV, steroid use, malignancy, history of organ transplantation, or, rarely, sarcoidosis. There have been only a few reports of cryptococcus infection in sarcoidosis patients who were not on steroid treatment. Here, we highlight the importance of considering opportunistic fungal infection in asymptomatic treatment-naive sarcoidosis patients. We present a patient with a history of asymptomatic, treatment-naive sarcoidosis who presented with headache and was diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis in the presence of an idiopathic T-cell lymphopenia. LEARNING POINTS Cryptococcus is an opportunistic fungal infection commonly diagnosed in immunocompromised patients.Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic disease characterized by the formation of granulomas in various organs, most commonly found in the lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes.
Complications and Medicolegal Considerations

SUMMARY The cases presented in this article represent a broad assortment of morbidities and mortalities. Some are patient-derived whereas others represent iatrogenic or operator mishandling or misadventure. They give us pause to reflect and avoid smugness. People have died in the dentist's chair secondary to a “simple shot of local” as well as to miscalculation, lack of education and training, hypersensitivity, inadequate monitoring, and inadequate early resuscitative care. We cannot avoid all adverse effects if we are to continue to treat people. We can try to prepare ourselves and our personnel to anticipate the unexpected. Although percentages and incidences are certainly important considerations, a fatality in your office is 100% and you will surely make the 6 P.M. news.
Oophorectomy significantly impacts response to immune therapy regimens in preclinical models of ovarian cancer

Objectives: We have previously shown that PARP inhibition (PARPi) synergizes with CTLA-4 immune checkpoint blockade, improving survival in syngeneic high grade serous ovarian cancer models. This combination is currently being tested in clinical trials (NCT02571725 and NCT04034927). In the same models, no therapeutic benefit was seen when PARPi was combined with PD-1 blockade. We attribute the selective synergy of CTLA-4 antibody with PARPi to changes in the ovarian tumor microenvironment (TME). An increase in IFNg production as a result of treatment with PARPi/CTLA-4 antibody was a predictor of improved survival. These results illustrate the importance of establishing cancer models that accurately represent conditions in the ovarian TME. Most preclinical studies are conducted in mice with intact ovarian function, while women with ovarian cancer are postmenopausal or undergo oophorectomy as part of their treatment. Immunotherapy clinical trials have observed differences in outcomes based on sex. Emerging evidence shows that estrogen affects immune function. Therefore, we tested the impact of oophorectomy on the immune microenvironment and its effects on disease outcome. Methods: Oophorectomy was performed on five-week-old female FVB mice that were subsequently injected intraperitoneally with BR5-Akt high grade serous ovarian cancer cells. Three days after tumor challenge, mice received a PARP inhibitor (ABT-888) and immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD1 antibody or CTLA-4 antibody). Mice that had undergone laparotomy without oophorectomy (sham) or no surgery served as controls. On day 24, peritoneal T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry for phenotype and IFNg production. Tumor burden was measured by non-invasive bioluminescence imaging. Results: Estrogen depletion through oophorectomy affects T cell phenotypes, increasing the proportion of central memory CD8 T cells compared to controls in the anti-PD1 combination treatment group. In the same group, estrogen depletion is associated with an increase in IFNg production by both CD4 and CD8 T cells. These changes were associated with a decrease in tumor burden. The same effects were not seen in mice treated with combination PARPi and CTLA-4 antibody. Conclusions: The data presented here confirm that estrogen impacts tumor associated lymphocyte phenotype and function, affecting parameters that are associated with improved disease outcomes in combination of PARPi and immune checkpoint blockade. With knowledge of the significant impact of estrogen on anti-tumor immune function, we can develop pre-clinical models that accurately reflect the immune microenvironment established in ovarian cancer. This will facilitate the development of highly effective immunotherapeutic regimens that will enhance their translational potential and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Changes in the pitch-accent system of Gernika Basque

espanolEl sistema acentual del norte de Vizcaya emplea el tono para distinguir palabras lexicales acentuadas y no acentuadas (singular y plural), mientras que la duracion no es un correlato acentual. En este trabajo analizamos si dicho sistema se mantiene en el habla de Gernika, una variedad del norte de Vizcaya. Los resultados indican que los hablantes jovenes (18-45 anos de edad) que provienen de casas castellano-parlantes tienden a no mostrar una diferencia tonal, siempre y que estos tambien se socialicen en redes sociales de habla castellana. Aunque algunos hablantes emplean la duracion como correlato acentual, esto no indica que sea consecuencia de la perdida del contraste tonal. euskaraBizkaiko Iparraldeko doinu-azentu sistemak hitz azentudunak edo azentugabeak ezberdintzen ditu (adibidez, singularra eta pluralen artean), baina iraupenak ez du azentuarekiko garrantzirik. Lan honetan, Gernikako doinu-azentu sistema gazteen artean mantentzen den aztertzea dugu helburu. Emaitzek erakusten dute gazteek (18-45 urte bitartekoak) singularra eta pluralaren arteko ezberdintasuna ez dutela mantentzen guraso elebidunak edo erdaldun elebakarrak badituzte, baina baldin eta sare sozial erdaldunak badituzte ere. Nahiz eta hiztun batzuek iraupena erabiltzen duten silaba azentudunak markatzeko, iraupenak duen garrantzia ez du zerikusi handirik hiztunek tonu diferentziarekiko duten galera aldetik. EnglishThe pitch-accent system in Northern Bizkaian Basque (nbb) is characterized for making a pitch distinction between lexical accented/unaccented words (i.e. singular vs. plural contrast) and for lacking a durational correlate of accentual prominence. The present study examines whether such system is maintained in Gernika Basque, a variety of nbb. Results show that younger speakers (ages 18-45) from Spanish speaking households are more likely to show no pitch differences to convey a singular/plural contrast if they also belong to Spanish-speaking social networks. Although duration correlates were found among some speakers, its use was not directly related to the loss of contrast in pitch.
A Life Course Approach to Understanding Volunteering Practices Among Ethnic-Racial Minority Immigrants on the US-Mexico Border:

Drawing insights from the life course perspective, this study examined individual and contextual factors that shaped volunteering practices among ethnic-racial minority immigrants across their life...
Reconsidering Logical Positivism

Preface Introduction Part I. Geometry, Relativity, and Convention: 1. Moritz Schlick's Philosophical Papers Postscript: general relativity and General Theory of Knowledge 2. Carnap and Weyl on the foundations of geometry and relativity theory 3. Geometry, convention, and the relativized a priori: Reichenbach, Schlick and Carnap 4. Poincare's conventionalism and the logical positivists Part II. Der Logische Aufbau der Welt: 5. Carnap's Aufbau reconsidered 6. Epistemology in the Aufbau Postscript: Carnap and the Neo-Kantians Part III. Logico-Mathematical Truth: 7. Analytic truth in Carnap's Logical Syntax of Language 8. Carnap and Wittgenstein's Tractatus 9. Tolerance and analyticity in Carnap's philosophy of mathematics Bibliography Index.
A preliminary report of percutaneous craniofacial osteoplasty in a rat calvarium.

Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate the potential for injectable, permanent bone augmentation by assessing the biocompatability and bioactivity of subperiosteal hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) deposition in a rat model. Study Design Randomized controlled animal model. Methods Fourteen adult Sprague Dawley rats were injected in the parietal skull with 0.2 ml of hydroxylapatite (10 animals) or 0.2 ml of a carrier gel control (4 animals), using a subperiosteal injection technique on the right and a subcutaneous injection technique on the left. At 1, 3, and 6 months, three rats (1 negative control, 2 variables) were sacrificed and the calvaria were harvested. At 12 months, the remaining five rats were sacrificed. After each harvest, the specimens were processed and then examined under both light and polarized microscopy for new bone growth at the injection sites. Results The inflammatory response was limited with both hydroxylapatite and carrier injections. Injectables were still present 12 months after the injection. New bone formation was only observed when the injection was located deep to a disrupted periosteum The odds of new bone formation was 48.949 times higher (95% confidence intervals CI [2.637, 3759.961]; P = 0.002) with subperiosteal hydroxylapatite injections compared to all other combinations of injection plane and injectable. Conclusions This preliminary report of subperiosteal hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) injection in a rat model has verified the biocompatibility of injectable hydroxylapatite at the bony interface and suggests the potential for new bone formation. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 124:1550–1553, 2014
A Philosopher’s Guide to Empirical Success

The simple question, what is empirical success? turns out to have a surprisingly complicated answer. We need to distinguish between meritorious fit and ‘fudged fit’, which is akin to the distinction between prediction and accommodation. The final proposal is that empirical success emerges in a theory dependent way from the agreement of independent measurements of theoretically postulated quantities. Implications for realism and Bayesianism are discussed.
HIV replication and evolution in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Treatment of HIV-1 infection with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) reduces viremia to below the detection limit of ultrasensitive clinical assays. However, HIV-1 persists in resting CD4+ T cells and possibly other reservoirs. In patients on HAART, HIV-1 persistence is evidenced not only by the latent reservoir in resting CD4+ T cells but also by free virus in the plasma. Given the short half-life of free virus, this residual viremia indicates active virus production. This virus production may reflect low-level ongoing replication that continues despite HAART and/or release of virus from latently infected cells that become activated or from other stable cellular reservoirs. With respect to the issue of drug resistance, it is of particular importance to determine whether ongoing replication continues on HAART because the evolution of resistance can only take place if there are new cycles of replication. The direct characterization of residual viremia provides a window into this state of virologic suppression and a means for determining the importance of different mechanisms of viral persistence. Characterization of this residual viremia has been limited because of the technical difficulties involved in the analysis of extremely low numbers of viral RNA templates. To obtain sufficient numbers of independent viral clones from the plasma of patients on HAART, we have carried out intensive sampling in a series of patients and analyzed plasma virus genotypes with a sensitive RT-PCR method. Viral variants in the plasma were compared to viruses in the latent reservoir. The results provided evidence that in some patients on HAART, much of the residual viremia is due to continued production of a small number of viral clones over prolonged periods without evident sequence change by cells that are not well represented in the circulation. The static nature of the residual viremia is not consistent with ongoing viral replication. These results have implications for understanding HIV-1 persistence and treatment failure.
SIGN, a WIMP Detector Based on High Pressure Gaseous Neon

A newWIMP detector concept based on the measurement of Scintillation and Ionization in Gaseous Neon (SIGN) is presented. The detector employs room temperature gaseous neon at a pressure of ≥100 bars as the WIMP target. The ionization is readout using either charge gain or electrofluorescence or both in a modified cylindrical proportional chamber geometry. The primary scintillation is detected by placing a CsI photocathode on the inside wall of the cylindrical chamber. The neon is doped with xenon (≤0.5%) for signal enhancement. Theoretical considerations suggest that the measurement of both scintillation and ionization will provide discrimination between nuclear and electron recoils in this gas mixture.
Assessing women's sexual arousal in the context of sexual assault history and acute alcohol intoxication.

ABSTRACT Introduction Few studies have examined differences in women's sexual arousal based on sexual assault history (SAH) or in-the-moment alcohol intoxication. Only one has examined combined effects. Findings regarding the relationship between SAH and arousal are contradictory. Aim We aimed to determine the relationship between SAH, alcohol intoxication, and sexual arousal. Methods Women were randomly assigned to an alcohol (target blood alcohol level = 0.10%) or control condition and categorized as having an SAH or not. After beverage administration, all women watched erotic films while genital arousal (vaginal pulse amplitude; VPA) was measured. Afterward, self-reported sexual arousal was measured. Main Outcome Measures Genital response was measured by VPA using vaginal photoplethysmography while watching erotic films. Self-reported sexual arousal was assessed after watching erotic films. Results Women with an SAH had smaller increases in genital arousal in response to the films than women without an SAH. Intoxicated women had smaller increases in genital arousal than sober women. However, no differences for SAH or intoxication were found in self-reported arousal. Conclusion SAH and alcohol intoxication are associated with smaller increases in genital arousal compared to women without an SAH and sober women, suggesting that these co-occurring factors impact sexual arousal. Gilmore AK, Schacht RL, George WH, Otto JM, Davis KC, Heiman JR, Norris J, and Kajumulo KF. Assessing women's sexual arousal in the context of sexual assault history and acute alcohol intoxication.
Single-Cell Biochemical Assays for the Molecular Targets of Disease

Molecularly targeted therapies are at the forefront of clinical science, and are expected to lead to personalization of medical treatments for each patient. Most such therapies are directed at inhibiting specific signal transduction enzymes or pathways, thus creating a critical need for assays capable of measuring the activities of these proteins in disease models and in patient samples. The ability to measure relevant enzyme activity in primary cell samples at baseline and/or after treatment would provide the ability to tailor patient therapy based on aberrant signal transduction, validate mechanisms of resistance in patients, and would offer an invaluable pharmacodynamic tool to assess whether resistance is associated with inadequate target inhibition. Here we report our current efforts to create the analytical and chemical tools needed to directly measure the enzymatic activities of therapeutic targets including protein kinases, lipid modifying enzymes and the proteasome. Fluorescent reagents are under development that report the activity of these various enzymes in model cells lines and primary cells. The basic design incorporates enzyme substrates that are modified to create compounds which can be loaded into cells where they are modified by the enzyme of interest. Work has included modification of peptides to confer membrane permeability and to achieve long intracellular lifetimes. Microelectrophoretic separations combined with low-level fluorescence detection enable the quantitative analysis of these compounds from single mammalian cells. This capability addresses three major issues currently faced in the biochemical analysis of clinical samples: the need for direct measurement of the enzymatic activity of target proteins; sample size requirements that are feasible for clinical implementation; and sample heterogeneity that can mask pertinent aspects related to therapeutic response.
Clara Louise Maass: Heroine or Martyr of Public Health?

Clara Louise Maass had a brief career that culminated in her participation in a fatal yellow fever experiment. For making this choice, she has been called a hero and a martyr. For her lifelong devotion to nursing the ill and her selfless assistance in determining the etiology of yellow fever, her memory has been accorded many honors.
Customer Health Perceptions of Selected Fast-Food Restaurants According to Their Nutritional Knowledge and Health Consciousness

Though many researchers and media report about the unhealthy nature of fast foods, American people have developed a taste for fast foods. Americans also have an increased interest for nutrition in fast food, as they have become more health conscious. These studies claimed that the trend was that consumers wanted low calorie and light and low fat menu items. In this situation, marketers who manage fast food restaurants need to understand how their customers think of their menu items. Thus, the first step marketers should go through is to investigate consumers' perceptions of fast food menu items served by their restaurants. This is an important step to respond to consumers' new demands with respect to the increased health consciousness. We conducted a study to discover the health perceptions of fast food company's menus by college students, the largest segment of the fast food industry. We tested to see if these perceptions were affected by nutrition knowledge, health consciousness and gender. All factors ...
Instability in the Imma phase of Si

The Imma phase of Si is found by first-principles calculations to have unstable states at the two ends of its structural range. These instabilities force first-order transitions to both the β-Sn and the simple hexagonal phase. These transitions occur for the non-vibrating crystal at 96 and 110 kbar, respectively. Two special computational procedures are described that have been developed to find the instabilities.
Oxygen Pressure Effect on the Y2O3—Bao—Cuo Liquidus

Concurrent DTA, TGA, and oxygen pressure measurement were used to determine liquidus temperature for compositions near YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}}. Liquidus temperatures were measured for oxygen partial pressures from 2 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} to 1 bar. Liquidus temperatures decreased for lowered oxygen pressure. The ternary eutectic is 930{degrees}C for 1 bar and 854{degrees}C for 0.02 bar oxygen pressure. Incongruent melting of YB{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}} occurs at 1034{degrees}C for 1 bar and 938{degrees}C for 2 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} bar oxygen pressure. Some implications for processing are discussed.
Constructing smooth potential functions for protein folding

Abstract A protein folding potential function ideally has several properties: it favors the native conformations for a number of protein sequences over a variety of nonnative folds; it can guide the search over conformations for the native state; it reflects changes in stability of the native fold due to changes in sequence; and it is relatively insensitive to small changes in conformation. While these are not mutually incompatible goals, attaining one property does not ensure that the others are satisfied. Examples are given of simple potentials having one property but lacking others. A new functional form of a folding potential is described where interactions between all nonhydrogen atoms are used to estimate interresidue interactions and implicit solvation. Its parameters can be adjusted to satisfy the above properties at least for barnase and a few other proteins. © 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc.
Reduction of axonal transport in the rat optic system after direct application of methylmercury.

Abstract Fast axonal transport of proteins in the optic nerve and tract was quantified by scintillation counts of protein-bound radioactivity along the visual pathway after an intraocular injection of [3H]proline. In control rats the label traveled at a rate of about 60 mm/day, reaching the optic chiasm at 4 h and the lateral geniculate body at 8 h postinjection. When methylmercury was injected simultaneously with [3H]proline, the label traveled at a rate of about 30 mm/day. At 8 h postinjection, the labeled protein had reached the optic chiasm, but the more distal pathway was unlabeled. The same pattern was observed histologically by emulsion autoradiography of the pathway. Some label was detected in the lateral geniculate of methylmercury-treated animals at 8 h, but this may have resulted from local incorporation, as judged by a similar level of labeling in the contralateral visual pathway. Alternatively, it may be the case that a small fraction of the axons in the treated pathway continued to transport proteins in a normal fashion. The very heavy label observed throughout the pathway in controls was present only in the proximal half of the pathway in methylmercury-treated rats. Methylmercury signficantly reduced incorporation of [3H]proline in the rat retina, but this reduction was not as great as the effect in the optic nerve. In contrast, cycloheximide, a potent protein synthesis inhibitor, reduced labeled protein in the optic nerve only to the same extent as it reduced incorporation. These results suggest that methylmercury's effect on transport is not dependent solely on its effects on protein synthesis, but represents a separate mechanism of neurotoxicity.
Riboflavin analogs utilized for metabolism by a Lactobacillus casei mutant.

Abstract 1. 1. Several new halogen-containing riboflavin analogs that are antagonists for the stock strain of Lactobacillus casei have been found to be utilized by a mutant strain of the microorganism for growth and acid production. 2. 2. Riboflavin analogs consisting of all combinations of a single aliphatic group (methyl or ethyl) and a single halogen group (chloro or bromo) in positions 7 and 8 of the isoalloxazine nucleus possess this property. 3. 3. The analog devoid of substituents in positions 7 and 8 and the analog possessing a methyl group in position 7 and a cysteinyl group in position 8, were inert for both strains of the microorganism.
Orientation and Alkylation Effects on Cation-π Interactions in Aqueous Solution

We have investigated the orientation dependence of the cation-π interaction between a phenyl ring and a pyridinium ring in the context of a flexible model system in water. Of the four possible positions of the pyridinium nitrogen, ipso, ortho, meta, and para, we found a variation in the interaction energy of about 0.75 kcal mol-1, with the stacking of the ipso-pyridinium ring providing the strongest interaction. The observed stability is attributed to the maximization of the electrostatic interaction, minimization of rotamers, and possible differences in hydration phenomena arising from alkylation.
Turbomachinery unsteady load predictions with nonuniform inflow

A two-dimensional frequency domain source-doublet based potential paneling formulation is developed to predict steady and unsteady turbomachinery blade loadings. The method employed blade-to-blade periodic boundary condition and interblade phase angles to simulate the complex blade-wake interactions in turbomachinery stages. The method is used in the present paper to simulate the unsteady response on Space Shuttle main engine high-pressure oxidizer turbopump diffuser blades. The amplitude of unsteady pressure and the wave propagation characteristics are discussed by comparing similar studies.
Acute Kidney Injury Secondary to Exposure to Insecticides Used for Bedbug (Cimex lectularis) Control

Bedbug (Cimex lectularis) infestation is becoming a worldwide epidemic due to the emergence of insecticide-resistant strains. Pyrethroids are approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency for use against bedbugs and are considered minimally toxic to humans, with known respiratory, neurologic, and gastrointestinal effects. We present the first reported case of pyrethroid-induced toxic acute tubular necrosis (ATN). A 66-year-old healthy woman receiving no prior nephrotoxic medications presented with extreme weakness, decreased urine output, and acute kidney injury. She had administered multiple applications of a bedbug spray (permethrin) and a fogger (pyrethrin), exceeding the manufacturer's recommended amounts. She was found to have severe nonoliguric acute kidney injury associated with profound hypokalemia. Kidney biopsy revealed toxic ATN with extensive tubular degenerative changes and cytoplasmic vacuolization. With conservative management, serum creatinine level decreased from 13.0 mg/dL (estimated glomerular filtration rate, 3 mL/min/1.73 m2) to 1.67 mg/dL (estimated glomerular filtration rate, 37 mL/min/1.73 m2) within 6 weeks. Literature review uncovered no prior report of pyrethroid insecticide–induced ATN in humans, although there are reports of ATN with similar tubular vacuolization in rats exposed to this agent. Bedbug insecticides containing pyrethroids should be used with caution due to the potential development of toxic ATN after prolonged exposure.
Introduction[: public affairs informatics research]

This paper presents various fields of study under the public affairs rubric and highlights the importance of cooperation among varying public service organisations if complex social and health problems are to be solved. Informatics research will provide armamentaria to practitioners and organisational leaders for collecting, mining and analysing data under guided theoretical frameworks to generate scientific information that can support evidence-based decision making. Such decisions ultimately increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of public goods.
The effects of control and lack of control on active and passive avoidance in rhesus monkeys

Abstract Most studies which have examined the effects of lack of control have utilized test tasks in which active responding is required, and generally they have found impaired learning. Those few studies which have required passive responding in the test task generally have found facilitation of learning. The present two experiments examined the effects of lack of control in both active and passive avoidance tasks in a primate species ( Macaco mulatta ) not previously used in this research area. In Experiment 1, although the group without control (IE) tended to be inferior at active and superior at passive avoidance in comparison to the group with control (E), there were no significant differences. In Experiment 2, utilizing a difficult discrimination task in which subjects were required to learn when and when not to respond actively to avoid aversive stimulation, greater group differences were found. Two monkeys from Group IE failed to escape in active avoidance acquisition and, as a whole. Group IE was somewhat slower to respond than Group E. At passive avoidance, however. Group IE was superior to Group E and, as a consequence, more efficiently solved the discrimination problem. Implications of the present results for interpretation of the effects of lack of control as deficits are discussed.
Intermittent Light Stimuli in Egg Production of Chickens

Abstract THE stimulation of egg production by the use of artificial lights is well known to poultrymen. However, the minimum quantity of light that will sustain egg production in birds once it is initiated has not been determined. The successful use by Staffe (1951) of light shocks to increase winter egg production in chickens suggested that the total amount of light could be less than 12 hours in 24. Earlier work by Dobie et al. (1946) showed that chicken hens with 3 hours of intermittent light per day would produce at a low rate. A test by Rider (1938) indicated that raising pullets in darkness does not prevent their coming into production. It has been suggested by Farner et al. (1953) that the light-sensitive gonadotropic mechanism becomes active almost immediately after the photoperiod begins and has a persistent carry-over period of activity after the end of the photoperiod. If this were …
Some factors that influence the steady state in steady-state free precession

Steady-state free precession (SSFP) and particularly the spatially periodic magnetization response with wavelength lambda that results in the presence of an applied gradient is discussed. The maximum SSFP magnetization does not always occur at the Larmor frequency but rather depends on both the phase cycling of the rf pulses and on the rf tip angle. The slow flow sensitivity of SSFP also depends on lambda. Experimental data of the flow sensitivity is shown to be parameterized by a dimensionless dephasing parameter phi defined as the ratio of the distance traveled by a spin in one cycle of the SSFP sequence as compared to lambda. An example of the creation of a moving reference frame with the SSFP sequence is given. The modulation in image intensity that results when the gradients are nearly but not exactly compensated and lambda becomes large (i.e., tens of pixels long) is demonstrated. The pixel length must be an integral number of lambda's in order to have a uniform image intensity from a uniform phantom.
Selective binding of RNase B glycoforms by polydopamine-immobilized concanavalin A.

Glycoanalysis is important in the manufacture and quality control of protein therapeutics. An emerging method for glycoanalysis is the use of lectin arrays. Critical to the performance of these arrays is the immobilization of lectin molecules. Polydopamine has recently been shown to adsorb to a wide variety of surfaces. In this study, polydopamine (pDA) was used to modify gold, indium, and iridium surfaces and promote the adhesion of the α-mannose-specific lectin concanavalin A (Con A). The activity of the surface-bound lectin was demonstrated with the α-mannose-presenting glycoprotein ribonuclease B (RNase B). Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPRS) was used to demonstrate the selective affinity of RNase B for Con A. Surface-MALDI-TOF MS experiments revealed that the affinity of polydopamine-immobilized Con A for the glycoforms of RNase B is significantly affected by slight variations in oligosaccharide structure and composition. Specifically, surface-bound Con A binds certain Man7, Man8, and Man9 ...
Interaliasing distance of the flow convergence surface for determining mitral regurgitant volume: a validation study in a chronic animal model

Abstract OBJECTIVES We aimed to validate a new flow convergence (FC) method that eliminated the need to locate the regurgitant orifice and that could be performed semiautomatedly. BACKGROUND Complex and time-consuming features of previously validated color Doppler methods for determining mitral regurgitant volume (MRV) have prevented their widespread clinical use. METHODS Thirty-nine different hemodynamic conditions in 12 sheep with surgically created flail leaflets inducing chronic mitral regurgitation were studied with two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. Color Doppler M-mode images along the centerline of the accelerating flow towards the mitral regurgitation orifice were obtained. The distance between the two first aliasing boundaries (interaliasing distance [IAD]) was measured and the FC radius was mathematically derived according to the continuity equation (Rcalc= IAD/(1 − √ v 1 / v 2 ), v1and v2being the aliasing velocities). The conventional 2D FC radius was also measured (Rmeas). Mitral regurgitant volume was then calculated according to the FC method using both Rcalcand Rmeas. Aortic and mitral electromagnetic (EM) flow probes and meters were balanced against each other to determine the reference standard MRV. RESULTS Mitral regurgitant volume calculated from Rcalcand Rmeascorrelated well with EM-MRV (y = 0.83x + 5.17, r = 0.90 and y = 1.04x + 0.91, r = 0.91, respectively, p CONCLUSIONS Good correlation was observed between MRV derived from Rcalc(IAD method) and EM-MRV, similar to that observed with Rmeas(conventional FC method) and EM-MRV. The Rcalcusing the IAD method has an advantage over conventional Rmeasin that it does not require spatial localization of the regurgitant orifice and can be performed semiautomatedly.