cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial copper alloys decreased bacteria on stethoscope surfaces

Background Stethoscopes may serve as vehicles for transmission of bacteria among patients. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of antimicrobial copper surfaces to reduce the bacterial concentration associated with stethoscope surfaces. Methods A structured prospective trial involving 21 health care providers was conducted at a pediatric emergency division (ED) (n = 14) and an adult medical intensive care unit located in tertiary care facilities (n = 7). Four surfaces common to a stethoscope and a facsimile instrument fabricated from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency–registered antimicrobial copper alloys (AMCus) were assessed for total aerobic colony counts (ACCs), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , gram-negative bacteria, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci for 90 days. Results The mean ACCs collectively recovered from all stethoscope surfaces fabricated from the AMCus were found to carry significantly lower concentrations of bacteria (pediatric ED, 11.7 vs 127.1 colony forming units [CFU]/cm 2 , P P 2 ) by at least 25×, supporting that the stethoscope warrants consideration in plans mitigating microbial cross-transmission during patient care. Conclusions Stethoscope surfaces fabricated with AMCus were consistently found to harbor fewer bacteria.
Social Networks and Careers

Social networks affect a range of career outcomes including job search, promotion, and wage determination. Networks also affect major career transitions, including entry into entrepreneurship and exit into retirement. Across a range of studies, individuals are found to use their networks to deal with two perennial problems they face in labor markets and organizations: the scarcity of information and the absence of trust. I review the literature with an eye towards understanding which features of a person’s network help them solve these problems at different career stages. I conclude by considering how the rising importance of information technology will affect the networks-career link moving forward.
Integrating Authentic Scientific Research in a Conservation Course–Based Undergraduate Research Experience

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been developed to overcome barriers including students in research. However, there are few examples of CUREs that take place in a conservation and natural resource context with students engaging in field research. Here, we highlight the development of a conservation-focused CURE integrated to a research program, research benefits, student self-assessment of learning, and perception of the CURE. With the additional data, researchers were able to refine species distribution models and facilitate management decisions. Most students reported gains in their scientific skills, felt they had engaged in meaningful, real-world research. In student reflections on how this experience helped clarify their professional intentions, many reported being more likely to enroll in graduate programs and seek employment related to science. Also interesting was all students reported being more likely to talk with friends, family, or the public about wildlife conservation issues after participating, indicating that courses like this can have effects beyond the classroom, empowering students to be advocates and translators of science. Field-based, conservation-focused CUREs can create meaningful conservation and natural resource experiences with authentic scientific teaching practices.
Electron injection study of photoexcitation effects on supported subnanometer Pt clusters for CO2 photoreduction

Using density functional theory, we study the effect of injected electrons (simulating photoexcited electrons) on the energetics, structures, and binding sites available to CO2 molecules on subnanometer Pt clusters decorated onto anatase TiO2(101) surfaces, shedding light on the first and key step of CO2 photoreduction. Upon the addition of one, two, or three electrons, the O–C–O angles of adsorbed CO2 become progressively smaller in binding sites that directly contact Pt clusters, while no significant change is found in the intra bond length of the adsorbed CO2 and in the bonding distances between the adsorbed CO2 and supported clusters. The extra electrons lead to the stabilization of adsorption sites identified on neutral slabs, including previously metastable configurations, suggesting the enhancement of accessible CO2 binding sites. Furthermore, supported clusters are able to populate the electronic states of adsorbed CO2 species, facilitating the formation of the CO2− anion. To help interpret experimentally observed frequencies, conversion factors are proposed to gain insight into the charge state and O–C–O angle of the adsorbed CO2. Interestingly, upon electron addition, cluster reconstruction may exist due to the bonding inclination between CO2 and atoms in the Pt cluster, further stabilizing the intermediate complexes. Finally, the rate-limiting step (C–O bond cleavage) in the CO2 dissociation to CO is slightly reduced by the introduction of an extra electron. Our results show that subnanometer metal cluster based photocatalysts are good candidates for CO2 photoreduction.
Symbolic path cost analysis for side-channel detection

We present a static, scalable analysis technique for detecting side channels in software systems. Our method is motivated by the observation that a sizable class of side-channel vulnerabilities occur when the value of private data results in multiple distinct control flow paths with differentiable observables. Given a set of secret variables, a type of side channel, and a program, our goal is to detect the set of branch conditions responsible for potential side channels of the given type in the program, and generate a pair of witness paths in the control flow graph for the detected side channel. Our technique achieves this by analyzing the control flow graph of the program with respect to a cost model (such as time or memory usage), and identifies if a change in the secret value can cause a detectable change in the observed cost of the program behavior. It also generates a pair of witness paths in the control flow graph, differing only on the branch conditions influenced by the secret, and whose observable output under the given side channel differs by more than some user defined threshold. We implemented our approach in a prototype tool, CoCo-Channel (Compositional Constraint-based side Channel analyzer), for analyzing Java programs.
Law, Bubbles, and Financial Regulation

Introduction: The Regulatory Instability Hypothesis Part 1: The Economics and Legal History of Bubbles 1. The Economics of Bubbles 2. A Legal History of Bubbles Part II: The Regulatory Instability Hypothesis 3. Boom, Bust, and the Regulatory Stimulus Cycle in Financial Markets 4. Epidemics of Fraud and Compliance Rot 5. Regulatory Arbitrage Frenzies and the Hydraulics of Investor Demand 6. Deregulation and Regulatory Arbitrage Spirals: a Dance for Two 7. Procyclical Regulation & Herd-Promoting Regulation Part III: Fighting Bubbles, Feeding Bubbles 8. Anti-bubble Laws 9. Credit and Leverage: The Monetary Dimension of Financial Regulation Part IV: The Panic of 2007-2008 as Master Class in Regulatory Instability: The Shadow Banking Bubble 10. The Shadow Banking System: a Thumbnail Sketch 11. '"Lawyers, Runs, and Money": The Rise and Collapse of Shadow Banking Part V: Lessons and Solutions: 12. Conclusion: Adaptive Laws and Channeling Politics: Designing Robust Regulations and Institutions
OVERVIEW OF HBV THERAPY

The natural history of infection in patients with active HBV viral replication (HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA positive) tends to be progressive, with development of long-term complications such as portal hypertension and hepatic decompensation. As well, the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increased 10 to 390-fold in patients with chronic HBV infection,1 and in regions where HBV is endemic, HCC is the leading cause of cancer related deaths. Evolving therapies, discussed in this chapter, may be changing the natural history of HBV infection and even reducing the risk of HCC development.
The Metamodel in Perspective: Statistical Considerations in Simulation Experiments

Simulation experiments are, of course, designed with particular objectives in mind — although, to be sure, many simulation studies are multi-objective. Some typical goals of computer simulation in various diverse areas are forecasting, estimation, comparing alternative competing systems, optimization, ranking and selection, and what-if analysis. Once the simulation experiment thus designed has been carried out, the statistical analysis of the output data generated by the simulation model generally makes use of a variety of appropriate statistical techniques, including metamodeling. Indeed, as we will see, many of the well-known statistical techniques implicitly fall under the general umbrella known as simulation metamodeling.
Introduction to Active Control

In comparison with passive energy dissipation, research and development of active structural control technology has a more recent origin. In structural engineering, active structural control is an area of research in which the motion of a structure is controlled or modified by means of the action of a control system through some external energy supply. In comparison with passive systems, a number of advantages associated with active systems can be cited; among them are (a) enhanced effectiveness in motion control. The degree of effectiveness is, by and large, only limited by the capacity of the control system; (b) relative insensitivity to site conditions and ground motion; (c) applicability to multi-hazard mitigation situations. An active system can be used, for example, for motion control against both strong wind and earthquakes; and (d) selectivity of control objectives. One may emphasize, for example, human comfort over other aspects of structural motion.
Parental Care in Intertidal Fishes

The chapter describes parental care in intertidal fishes by addressing two themes: if there is something unique about parental care in this group, and if intertidal fishes can help to understand the broader issues of parental care in fishes. Parental care is defined as any investment by the parent in an individual offspring that increases the offspring's chance of surviving at the cost of the parent's ability to invest in other offspring. In fishes, parental care can take a variety of forms, including guarding, nest building and maintenance, substrate cleaning, fanning, internal gestation, removal of dead eggs, oral brooding, retrieval of eggs or fry that stray from the nest or school, cleaning of eggs or fry, external egg carrying and splashing. Guarding is the predominant form of care, occurring in 95% of care-giving fishes. Uniparental care is most common (78% of families providing care have solitary male or solitary female care). Male care is more common than female parental care (61% of families showing care have male care).
Relationship Between Time-constants and 3dB Cutoff of High-Order Damped LTI Systems

This paper deals with linear time-invariant (LTI) systems and examines the link between the 3dB cutoff and time-constants. It shows that the cutoff frequency of a low-pass damped network can be estimated from the reciprocal of a p-norm calculated from the system's time-constants. Furthermore, to achieve good accuracy the p factor must have a fractional value, for example, p=1.7. Two formulas are derived, and their performance evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations which reveal a sub-3% error for most cases.
Stuttering and CNV

Publisher Summary This chapter describes an experiment to study the relationship between stuttering and Contingent Negative Variation (CNV) in humans. The paradigm involved measuring vertex and left and right inferior frontal CNVs, generated in a 1500 msec interval between visual presentation of a single word, and a signal to speak the word. Eight stutterers and six normal speakers were studied. DC amplifiers were used and artifact-free trials averaged. Non-stutterers showed CNV at vertex and in the i.s.i. and also showed a larger negative shift at the left inferior frontal electrode than the right. Stutterers, when speaking normally, showed a CNV at vertex but no shift at either left or right inferior frontal electrode. The application of SP techniques yield data that reopen the dominance theory of stuttering for consideration and demonstrate speech-related lateral SP differences in normal speakers.
How price promotions work: A review of practice and theory

Abstract In many markets, price promotions are a primary mechanism by which prices are adjusted. This chapter presents an overview of how retail price promotions work in theory and in practice. While there is a heavy emphasis on fast moving consumer goods (e.g., items sold in grocery stores or CPG), we discuss price promotions more broadly. We show that financial flows that support price promotions are typically larger than advertising expenditures and dwarf spending on R&D. We find that both theoretical and empirical models often fail to recognize that price promotions are the result of a long-term, planned, negotiated process in a vertical channel. Finally, the chapter bridges practice and academia by identifying opportunities for future research.
Systematic investigation of hydrogen-bond propensities for informing co-crystal design and assembly

Co-crystallizations can be utilized for generating new solid forms of a target substance in order to alter or enhance some specific bulk physical property. Generally, selection of the co-former (the necessary partner for the target molecule) is based on existing structural information about molecular recognition events involving complementary functional groups, and extensive experimental screening methods. In this study, we utilize structure-informatics in an attempt to predict if two different molecules will form a co-crystal or not. Our study is based on hydrogen-bond propensity (HBP), and the key premise of our approach rests on whether target–co-former interactions are more likely to take place than either target–target or co-former–co-former hydrogen bonds. We examined six different target molecules in combination with 25 possible co-formers each and used the HBP protocol for predicting if a co-crystal would form or not. The predictions were then compared with results from an experimental co-crystal screen of the 150 different combinations. The correct outcome was successfully predicted 92–95% of the time which shows that for this series of small molecules, HBP is a very reliable indicator for determining if a co-crystal will form between a target molecule and a particular co-former.
Multi-Principal-Element Approach to High-Performance Thermoelectric Materials

High-entropy alloys are characterized by high configurational entropy. Since the discovery of high-entropy alloys (HEA) in 2004, entropy engineering has provided a promising direction for exploiting composition, lattice disorder, band structure, and microstructure effects to advance thermoelectric performance. This review discusses the impact of entropy on thermoelectric properties and looks back at the role of multi-principal-element alloys, a weaker version of HEA, on the development of compositionally complex thermoelectric alloys in achieving high thermoelectric performance. The experimental and theoretical efforts in a wide range of material systems such as TAGS, LAST, half-Heusler, liquid-like copper chalcogenides, SnTe, and CuInTe2 chalcopyrites provide insights into the entropy engineering approach and also promise an emerging paradigm of high-entropy thermoelectrics.
Stone Tools, Steel Tools

Most of us probably implicitly attribute the rapid disappearance of aboriginal stone-working traditions after European contact to the quick recognition by native groups of the technical superiority of metal tools, and, possibly because of this assumption, this disappearance is not often a research domain in itself. However, there are at least two reasons why the transition from stone to metal deserves our attention.
Sexual Differences in Mitochondrial Proteins in Rat Cerebral Microvessels: A Proteomic Approach

ABSTRACT Sex differences in mitochondrial numbers and function are present in large cerebral arteries, but it is unclear whether these differences extend to the microcirculation. We performed an assessment of mitochondria-related proteins in cerebral microvessels (MVs) isolated from young, male and female, Sprague-Dawley rats. MVs composed of arterioles, capillaries, and venules were isolated from the cerebrum and used to perform a 3 vs. 3 quantitative, multiplexed proteomics experiment utilizing tandem mass tags (TMT), coupled with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). MS data and bioinformatic analyses were performed using Proteome Discoverer version 2.2 and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. We identified a total of 1,969 proteins, of which 1,871 were quantified by TMT labels. Sixty-four proteins were expressed significantly (p Synopsis Energy-producing proteins in the cerebral microvessels (MVs) of male and female rats were examined by quantitative discovery-based proteomics to gain insight into the sex-dependent etiology of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Females expressed more mitochondrial proteins involved in energy production, membrane structure, anti-oxidant activity, and fatty acid oxidation. In contrast, males exhibited more mitochondria-destructive proteins such as mitochondrial eating protein. Our findings reveal for the first time the sexual dimorphism of mitochondria-related proteins in cerebral MVs, which may explain functional sex-related differences in MVs during health and in the etiology of neurological pathologies of cerebrovascular origin.
Monitoring pinyon-juniper cover and aboveground biomass across the Great Basin

Since the mid-1800's Pinyon-Juniper (PJ) woodlands have been encroaching into sagebrush-steppe shrublands and grasslands such that they now comprise 40% of the total forest and woodland area of the Intermountain West of the United States. More recently, PJ ecosystems in select areas have experienced dramatic reductions in area and biomass due to extreme drought, wildfire, and management. Due to the vast area of PJ ecosystems, tracking these changes in woodland tree cover is essential for understanding their consequences for carbon accounting efforts, as well as ecosystem structure and functioning. Here we present a carbon monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system for characterizing total aboveground biomass stocks and flux of PJ ecosystems across the Great Basin. This is achieved through a two-stage remote sensing approach by first using Spatial Wavelet Analysis to rapidly sample tree cover from very high-resolution imagery (1 m), and then training a Random Forest model which maps tree cover across the region from 2000 to 2016 using temporally-segmented Landsat spectral indices obtained from the LandTrendr algorithm in Google Earth Engine. Estimates of cover were validated against field data from the SageSTEP project (R2=0.67, RMSE=10% cover). Biomass estimated from cover-based allometry was higher than estimates from the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) at the plot-level (bias=5 Mg ha-1 and RMSE=15.5 Mg ha-1) due in part to differences in tree-level biomass allometrics. County-level aggregation of biomass closely matched estimates from the FIA (R2=0.97) after correcting for bias at the plot level. Even after many previous decades of encroachment, we find forest area (i.e. areas with ≥10% cover) increasing at a steady rate of 0.46% per year, but 80% of the 9.86 Tg increase in biomass is attributable to infilling of existing forest. This suggests that the known consequences of encroachment such as reduced water availability, impacts to biodiversity, and risk of severe wildfire may have been increasing across the region in recent years despite the actions of sagebrush steppe restoration initiatives.
Causal Markov Decision Processes: Learning Good Interventions Efficiently.

We introduce causal Markov Decision Processes (C-MDPs), a new formalism for sequential decision making which combines the standard MDP formulation with causal structures over state transition and reward functions. Many contemporary and emerging application areas such as digital healthcare and digital marketing can benefit from modeling with C-MDPs due to the causal mechanisms underlying the relationship between interventions and states/rewards. We propose the causal upper confidence bound value iteration (C-UCBVI) algorithm that exploits the causal structure in C-MDPs and improves the performance of standard reinforcement learning algorithms that do not take causal knowledge into account. We prove that C-UCBVI satisfies an $\tilde{O}(HS\sqrt{ZT})$ regret bound, where $T$ is the the total time steps, $H$ is the episodic horizon, and $S$ is the cardinality of the state space. Notably, our regret bound does not scale with the size of actions/interventions ($A$), but only scales with a causal graph dependent quantity $Z$ which can be exponentially smaller than $A$. By extending C-UCBVI to the factored MDP setting, we propose the causal factored UCBVI (CF-UCBVI) algorithm, which further reduces the regret exponentially in terms of $S$. Furthermore, we show that RL algorithms for linear MDP problems can also be incorporated in C-MDPs. We empirically show the benefit of our causal approaches in various settings to validate our algorithms and theoretical results.
Abstract 1933: Improved DAMP assays for the in vitro assessment of immunogenic cell death

The extracellular levels of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released during immunogenic cell death (ICD) are positively correlated with the magnitude and efficacy of the resulting in vivo immune response. Therefore, extracellular ATP (eATP) and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) have been identified as key biomarkers for their predictive capacity during in vitro ICD screening activities. Current methods for identifying eATP and HMGB1 inducers are laborious, costly, and hampered by poor throughput. To overcome these challenges, we developed easy-to-use, homogeneous, bioluminescent assays that measure dose-dependent release of these immunostimulatory agents directly in cell culture. The eATP assay utilizes an optimized ATP detection chemistry that can be employed directly to assess live-cell kinetic responses for up to 24 h, with even longer exposures supported by a staggered reagent addition approach. The HMGB1 assay measures the protein9s concentration at exposure endpoint in the same sample well using complementary luciferase fragment-labelled monoclonal antibodies. We tested the utility of the assays using U20S, Jurkat and U937 cells dosed with serial dilutions of known ICD inducers (doxorubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone, and bortezomib). The resulting data suggest the potency of eATP and HMGB1 release is dependent upon cell model and agent but can be reproducibly and robustly measured in 96 and 384 well environments. Further, the eATP assay produced remarkable early dose-dependent response resolution whereas the HMGB1 data provided a confirmatory post-mortem ICD parameter. This new ICD biomarker detection workflow may help to efficiently define and rank-order the capacity of new chemical entities to induce apoptosis and immunogenic cell death. Citation Format: Andrew L. Niles, Kevin R. Kupcho, Dan F. Lazar, James J. Cali. Improved DAMP assays for the in vitro assessment of immunogenic cell death [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1933.
Sexual selection and physical attractiveness : Implications for mating dynamics.

Sexual selection processes have received much attention in recent years, attention reflected in interest in human mate preferences. Among these mate preferences are preferences for physical attractiveness. Preferences in and of themselves, however, do not fully explain the nature of the relationships that individuals attain. A tacit negotiation process underlies relationship formation and maintenance. The notion that preferences for physical attractiveness evolved under parasite-driven "good genes" sexual selection leads to predictions about the nature of trade-offs that individuals make between mates' physical attractiveness and investment potential. These predictions and relevant data are explored, with a primary emphasis on women's preferences for men's qualities. In addition, further implications of trade-offs are examined, most notably (a) the impact of environmental variations on the nature of mating and (b) some effects of trade-offs on infidelity and male attempts to control women.
Kinetics of hydration and functional specific gravity of fibrous feed by-products.

Five studies were conducted to evaluate the kinetics of digestion, hydration, and functional specific gravity (FSG) of various feed by-products (FBP) in vitro. The water-holding capacity (WHC) of alfalfa and orchardgrass (1.428 and 1.005 g/g of insoluble DM [IDM], respectively) was higher (P < .05) than the WHC of FBP, which ranged from .175 for distillers grains to .481 g/g of IDM for brewers grains pellets. Rate of hydration was the highest in brewers grains pellets and beet pulp (.215 and .252 min-1, respectively), whereas the lowest hydration rates were observed in orchardgrass, corn cob pellets, and soyhulls (.055 to .066 min-1). Loss of associated gasses from feed particles fermented in vitro increased (P < .05) their FSG when the contents of incubation tubes were transferred to pycnometers, compared with that when the incubation was carried out directly in the pycnometers (1.17 vs 1.13) to determine their FSG. Gas produced during fermentation delayed the increase in the FSG of all sources of brewers grains and beet pulp, corn gluten feed, distillers grains, orchardgrass, alfalfa, and wheat middlings but not of corn cob pellets, cottonseed hulls, and soyhulls. Averaged across hours of incubation, the FSG of FBP (except beet pulp) was either higher (P < .05) or tended to be higher than that of alfalfa and orchardgrass. Particle size of FBP did not influence FSG during fermentation in vitro. The WHC and FSG of feeds may be helpful in predicting the rate of passage of feeds through the rumen.
Preliminary design of the Space Station internal thermal control system

The baseline preliminary design configuration of the Internal Thermal Control system (ITCS) of the U.S. Space Station pressurized elements (i.e., the Habitation and U.S. Laboratory modules, pressurized logistics carrier, and resources nodes) is defined. The ITCS is composed of both active and passive components. The subsystems which comprise the ITCS are identified and their functional descriptions are provided. The significant trades and analyses, which were performed during Phase B (i.e., the preliminary design phase) that resulted in the design described herein, are discussed. The ITCS interfaces with the station's central Heat Rejection and Transport System (HRTS), other systems, and externally attached pressurized payloads are described. Requirements on the ITCS with regard to redundancy and experiment support are also addressed.
A Training Program Designed to Increase the Capacity of Community Health Centers Along the United States-Texas-Mexico Border to Treat HIV Infection

Abstract Resource poor regions, medically underserved by most measures, face particularly difficult challenges with regard to maintaining an adequate pool of HIV-competent physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners. This paper describes a project designed to expand HIV care capacity in a resource poor community along the United States-Texas-Mexico border, utilizing existing community health centers. The authors describe their experiences in implementing and evaluating an AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) physician training program. doi:10.1300/J187v05n02_07
The Uneven Patterning of Welfare Benefits at the Twilight of AFDC: Assessing the Influence of Institutions, Race, and Citizen Preferences

Scholars have been slow to test welfare state theories on the extensive subnational variation in the United States during the recent period of retrenchment. We assess institutional politics theories, literature on race and social policy, and public opinion arguments relative to levels of support in states' Aid to Families Dependent Children programs from 1982 until its elimination in 1996. Pooled time-series results demonstrate that the determinants of spending during retrenchment are mostly similar to those driving development and expansion. Pro-spending actors and professionalized state institutions limit benefit curtailment, while jurisdictions with larger African- American populations have lower benefits. Additionally, liberal citizens positively impact support and strengthen the effects of state institutions, but this effect is attenuated in states with larger African-American populations.
Transient analysis of adaptive filters

This paper develops a framework for the mean-square analysis of adaptive filters with general data and error nonlinearities. The approach relies on energy conservation arguments and is carried out without restrictions on the probability distribution of the input sequence. In particular, for adaptive filters with diagonal matrix nonlinearities, we provide closed form expressions for the steady-state performance and necessary and sufficient conditions for stability. We carry out a similar study for long adaptive filters that employ error nonlinearities relying on a weaker form of the independence assumption. We provide expressions for the steady-state error and bounds on the step-size for stability by exploiting the Cramer-Rao bound of the underlying estimation process.
Cognitive deficits related to memory impairments in alcoholism.

Cognitive impairments related to alcoholism are examined in terms of input, intervening, and output variables. Respectively, the dysfunctions are represented by visuospatial/perceptual abnormalities, affective/conative deficits, and strong perseverative response tendencies. Defects in one or more of these aspects of cognitive functioning may appear as problems of memory. Functional differences between subgroups of alcoholics who do and do not develop severe anterograde amnesia characteristic of Korsakoff’s syndrome presumably are attributable to differences in the distribution and extent of brain pathology. Both subgroups have widespread cortical pathology, which may play an important role in stimulus-processing deficiencies observed in both. Korsakoffs have demonstrated a more significant degree of pathology in diencephalic and basal forebrain structures than that observed in non-Korsakoff alcoholics; this may contribute to the greater memory and affective impairments in the former. However, in no subgroup of alcoholics can a single functional system or brain region be implicated as the major contributory factor. Rather, damage to multiple brain regions likely is responsible for the plethora of cognitive difficulties reported in the alcoholism literature.
Deleterious network : A testable pathogenetic concept of Alzheimer's disease

Cumulative evidence has indicated that a deleterious network is formed on the basis of close interactions among abnormal amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism, oxidative damage, compromised energ
Effective Potential Model for Calculating Nuclear Corrections to the Energy Levels of Hydrogen

The present work is an attempt to re-evaluate the nuclear corrections to the energy levels of hydrogen by using an effective potential approach. The basic idea is to infer from electron-proton scattering a potential which may then be applied to the bound-state problem. In lowest order, the potential is chosen from the first-order Feynman diagram for the scattering. With this choice the Breit equation is obtained. It is then solved in an approximate way, in the non-relativistic limit of the proton, to obtain wave functions which are accurate enough for use in evaluating the effects of perturbations of the potential. The reduced mass corrections to the fine structure and the hyperfine structure levels are readily found. The effect on the hyperfine splitting of the distribution of the proton charge and magnetic moment is obtained by correcting the lowest-order potential to include the proton form factors. A further modification is needed in evaluating additional recoil corrections, of relative order $\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}m}{M}$, to the fs and the hfs. This additional term accounts for the failure of the iteration of the lowest-order potential to reproduce the scattering obtained from the second-order Feynman diagrams. The $\frac{{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{2}m}{M}$ contribution to the state-dependent mass corrections to the hfs is also analyzed within the context of this approach. All the corrections found are in complete agreement with previous results obtained by the Bethe-Salpeter (BS) equation, but the present method has the virtue of conceptual simplicity.
Fate and levels of 14C ring-labeled acifluorfen applied to tomato plants.

Abstract Tomato plants sprayed at the four‐leaf stage with ring‐labeled 14C‐acifluorfen were sampled periodically throughout the growing season. Analysis by combustion and scintillation counting revealed the herbicide was not translocated within the plants and that harvest fruit contained no detectable residues. Thin layer chromatography of the plant extracts showed some conjugation with plant constituents but no cleavage of the diphenylether bond.
Image-related corporate name changes: Their effect upon firms’ stock prices

We examine prior research on the effect of a corporate name change (CNC) related to a change in corporate image upon a firm's stock price. In doing so, we aim to answer three primary research questions. First, what is the effect of a CNC related to a change in corporate image, as opposed to a change in corporate entity (for example, acquisition) on a firm's stock price? Second, what is the effect of a major change versus a minor change to the corporate name on a firm's stock price? Third, what is the effect of a non-brand name altering CNC versus a brand name altering CNC on a firm's stock price? By applying the event study methodology to investigate these questions, we expand and refine the previous research on CNCs.
Small-intestinal or colonic microbiota as a potential amino acid source in animals

Factors affecting physiological impacts of the microbiome on protein nutrition are discussed for hind-gut fermenters (humans, pigs, rodents). The microbiome flourishes in all gastrointestinal organs, and is a major source of amino acids to fore-gut fermenting animals. In humans, rats and pigs the net effect of microbiome biomass synthesis on amino acid requirements is much less certain. Dietary proteins, amino acids, peptides, endogenous-secreted protein and recycled urea may all be utilized as nitrogen source by growing bacteria in the small intestine and colon. The inclusions of radiolabelled amino acid precursors will result in labeled bacteria which can be digested and absorbed in the ileum and to some degree in the colon. This does not necessarily indicate a significant nutritional role of the microbiome in humans, pigs and rodents. The physiological attributes required for small-intestinal and colon microbiome utilization are a vigorous proteolytic digestion with pancreatic or intestinal enzymes and the presence of amino acid transporters. Findings to date seem to suggest that these two physiological attributes for effective bacterial protein utilization are present in the small intestine; however, these attributes have a much lower capacity/impact in the colon. The gastrointestinal microbiome is likely a protein source of medium to high nutritional quality, but overall the microbiome is not an important amino acid source in humans and animals fed amino acids at requirement levels.
Evidence for differences in the circadian organization of hamsters exposed to short day photoperiod

Djungarian hamsters,Phodopus sungorus, depend mainly on day length to cue seasonal adjustments in reproduction and thermoregulation. These photoperiod-induced changes are mediated by changes in the daily release of pineal melatonin. However, some hamsters fail to respond to chronic short day exposure, and these individuals lack typical short day rhythms for both daily activity and pineal melatonin content. These results indicate that nonresponding hamsters lack the circadian organization responsible for proper coding of day length. Although the nature of the disruption in circadian organization is yet not known, these results clearly demonstrate the central importance of circadian rhythms in regulating photoperiod-induced adjustments in reproduction and thermoregulation.
Membrane and protein properties of freeze-dried mouse platelets.

Membrane properties and the overall protein secondary structure of freeze-dried trehalose-loaded mouse platelets were studied using steady state fluorescence anisotropy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR results showed that fresh control mouse platelets have a main phase transition at ~14°C, whereas, freeze-dried platelets exhibited a main phase transition ~12°C. However, the cooperativity of the transition of the rehydrated platelets was greatly enhanced compared to that of control platelets. Anisotropy experiments performed with 1,6 diphenyl-1,3,5 hexatriene (DPH) complemented FTIR results and showed that the lipid order in the core of the membrane was affected by freeze-drying procedures. Similar experiments with trimethyl ammonium 1,6 diphenyl-1,3,5 hexatriene (TMA-DPH), a membrane surface probe, indicated that membrane properties at the membrane/water interface were less affected by freeze-drying procedures than the core of the membrane. Lyophilization did not result in massive ...
Aplanatic Gonioscopic Contact Lens of One Piece for Glaucoma Laser Surgery

A heterocentric aplanatic contact of one piece has been designed for optimal efficiency of laser surgery for ALT and YLT in the angle of the anterior chamber.
Updates in Preeclampsia

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, specifically preeclampsia, cause significant morbidity and mortality in both the mother and fetus. Changes in the diagnostic criteria have attempted to improve the ability to identify and initiate treatment. Recently, it has been discovered that a placenta-derived anti-angiogenic environment directly contributes to the pathological cause of preeclampsia. The early identification of these anti-angiogenic markers may enhance diagnosis of the disease in the future. Patients with preeclampsia need to be treated with caution in regard to airway and coagulation; however, neuraxial anesthesia, when appropriate, is preferred. During labor, the increase in placental blood flow secondary to epidural analgesia can improve fetal perfusion. Spinal and epidural anesthesia are safe for cesarean delivery in mothers with preeclampsia, and may be preferred over general anesthesia. Preeclampsia is a complex disorder that impacts day to day decisions of anesthesia care provider.
Temporal response of medical liquid crystal displays.

Displays based on liquid crystal technology suffer from slow temporal response due to the dynamics of the molecular rearrangement in response to a pixel voltage change. A slow display can affect the visualization by the human observer of subtle contrast in dynamic presentation of volumetric image datasets or real-time image sequences. In this paper, we describe a measurement method for the characterization of the temporal response of medical liquid crystal displays(LCDs). The ratio of luminance difference to noise at the gray levels of concern determines the reliability of measurements. Coefficients of variations are used to represent the measurement reliability. We optimized the repeatability of most response time measurements to less than 10%. However, poor repeatability is encountered for the response of adjacent gray levels. 256 × 255 inter-gray-level transition time matrices were measured for four medical displays and one high-definition TV LCD display. Response times range from below 20 ms to above 150 ms . For each display, response times are not uniformly distributed, with a faster response for large gray-level transitions. Transition times are smaller when the starting gray level is between 10 and 20 for a target between 25 and 150. The difference could be over 100 ms for different transitions within a display. For transitions with poor temporal response, the luminance after 1, 3, and 5 frames reaches only 12, 45, and 75% of the target value, respectively. We also found that LCD response time depends on temperature, with 1 h warm-up reducing the response time by a factor of 2.
Wargaming: past, present and future

Col John (Buck) Surdu, Ph.D. will provide this year's keynote address. His broad ranging military experience and academic credentials combine with his passion for the history of wargaming to make him uniquely qualified to provide a historical perspective on simulation support to the military. From the pre-cursor to chess, through the sand table to the mixed reality solutions of tomorrow, this presentation is sure to appeal to anyone interested in military modeling and simulation.
Auricular flutter associated with complete heart block.

Abstract A review of the literature of seventy-one cases of auricular flutter associated with complete heart block is presented. The incidence, age, etiology, electrocardiographic study, prognosis, and treatment are discussed. A single case is reported in which unusual transient changes in rhythm were observed in serial electrocardiograms. Auricular sounds were demonstrated phonocardiographically. The case presented here is of particular interest, for several possible etiologic factors existed. These consisted of severe, arteriosclerotic heart disease with probable focal septal-wall infarction, although no diagnostic ECG evidence of the latter was documented. Serial ECG changes revealed conversion of the complete heart block with auricular flutter to first stage atrioventricular block, with the ultimate pattern of a well-controlled auricular fibrillation. It is concluded that the association of complete heart block plus auricular flutter may be more common than realized, particularly in elderly patients with arteriosclerotic and coronary heart disease. Digitalis therapy is of benefit in the majority of cases, since they are frequently complicated by congestive failure.
Effect of cyclodextrin and membrane lipid structure upon cyclodextrin-lipid interaction.

Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) can be used to exchange membrane lipids between different vesicles in order to prepare model membrane vesicles with lipid asymmetry. To help define what factors influence lipid exchange, we studied how lipid interaction with cyclodextrins (CDs) was affected by lipid and CD structure. The decrease in light scattering upon CD-induced vesicle solubilization and the change in Forster resonance energy transfer of labeled lipids upon vesicle solubilization and lipid exchange were used to detect phospholipid-CD interaction. Of the CDs examined, MβCD, hydroxypropyl-α-cyclodextrin (HPαCD), and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) were the three with the most suitable phospholipid interaction properties. Only MβCD was observed to dissolve lipid vesicles (at least at CD concentrations below 125 mM). Solubilization of lipid vesicles was half complete at 10-80 mM MβCD with progressively higher MβCD concentrations required as phospholipid acyl chain length increased from 14 to 22 carbons. Phospholipid acyl chain unsaturation and lipid headgroup structure also affected the amount of MβCD needed for solubilization. All three CDs studied were able to carry out phospholipid exchange. MβCD, which retained the ability to carry out lipid exchange below MβCD concentrations needed for solubilization, exchanged lipid more efficiently than HPαCD or HPβCD. However, the ability of HPαCD to exchange phospholipids, coupled with its inability to interact with cholesterol, indicates that it will be useful for preparing asymmetric vesicles with controlled amounts of cholesterol.
Development and psychometric evaluation of the exercise benefits/barriers scale.

Initial psychometric evaluation of an instrument to measure perceived benefits of exercise and perceived barriers to exercise was based on the responses of 650 adults and included item analysis, factor analysis, and reliability measures. Factor analysis yielded nine factors, five benefits and four barriers, which explained 64.9% of the variance in the 43-item instrument. Second order factor analysis resulted in a two-factor solution, one a benefits factor and the other a barriers factor. The standardized Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients were: 0.952 for the total scale, 0.953 for the benefits scale, and 0.886 for the barriers scale. Use of the instrument in research involving perceptions of the benefits of exercise and the barriers to exercise appears warranted.
Two-Dimensional Fourier Compression

A two-dimensional Fourier compression method has been developed as a tool for portable sensors. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) yields an advanced chemical sensor for monitoring trace quantities of compounds in air. Two-dimensional Fourier compression can increase the compression efficiency without compromising the quality of compressed data. A criterion for the automatic determination of the compression efficiency or cutoff frequency has been developed and evaluated with IMS data. IMS data were compressed by 97% without significant loss of information.
Meteoritics: A question of timing.

Meteorites record the early history of the inner Solar System. A unique object that has been found in one meteorite may add support to a revolutionary idea about how the Solar System formed.
The binding of barium and calcium ions by the antibiotic beauvericin

Abstract The ion-transporting antibiotic beauvericin has been shown to have a high affinity for calcium and barium ions in addition to the more usual affinity for monovalent cations. As judged by crystallization, extraction into organic solvent, and U-tube transport the cation selectivity is Rb>Ba>K>Na⪢Ca⋙Li. For these studies an improved method for the synthesis of beauvericin has been developed.
DESIGN OF MULTIPLE-VEHICLE DELIVERY TOURS I. A RING-RADIAL NETWORK

Abstract Certain aspects of what is commonly described as the “Vehicle Routing Problem” are discussed. We wish to deliver items to a large number of points randomly distributed over some region by means of vehicles, each of which can deliver to only C points. The key to any detailed routing to minimize the cost of delivery (by hand or computer) is first to partition the region into zones in which individual vehicles make deliveries. We assume here that there are many such zones, an average density of points δ, that the “unit of length” δ -1/2 is large compared with the spacing between roads, and C ⪢ 1. To minimize the delivery cost, zones should be approximately rectangular in shape with a width comparable with δ -1/2 and length comparable with C δ -1/2 . In order to illustrate some numerical methods of approximation, we will first analyze, in considerable detail, the routing of vehicles on an idealized ring-radial network including how one would distort the shape of the zones near the origin and at boundaries. In Part II we will generalize this to other network geometries, and in Part III consider modifications in strategy if the items (people, for example) are valuable. In contrast with presently available computer programs for which the accuracy may decrease with increasing number of points in the region, the methods described here are essentially asymptotic approximations; the more points there are in the region, the more accurate are the results.