cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symptom Dimensions of Depression and Apathy and Their Relationship With Cognition in Parkinson's Disease.

Objectives: Both depression and apathy, alone and in combination, have been shown to negatively affect cognition in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the influence of specific symptom dimensions of depression and apathy on cognition is not well understood. The current study investigated the relationship between symptom dimensions of depression and apathy, based on factors identified in Kirsch-Darrow et al. (2011), and memory and executive function in PD. Methods: A sample of 138 non-demented individuals with PD (mean age=64.51±7.43 years) underwent neuropsychological testing and completed the Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd Edition, and Apathy Scale. Separate hierarchical regression models examined the relationship between symptom dimensions of depression and apathy (“pure” depressive symptoms, “pure” apathy, loss of interest/pleasure [anhedonia], and somatic symptoms) and three cognitive domain composites: immediate verbal memory, delayed verbal memory, and executive function. Results: After adjusting for general cognitive status and the influence of the other symptom dimensions, “pure” depressive symptoms were negatively associated with the delayed verbal memory composite (p<.034) and somatic symptoms were positively associated with the executive function composite (p<.026). No symptom dimensions were significantly related to the immediate verbal memory composite. Conclusions: Findings suggest that specific mood symptoms are associated with delayed verbal memory and executive function performance in non-demented patients with PD. Further research is needed to better understand possible mechanisms through which specific symptom dimensions of depression and apathy are associated with cognition in PD. (JINS, 2018, 24, 269–282)
Neurobiology and Risk Factors of Late-Life Depression

Depressive disorders are a common cause of emotional suffering, increased disability, premature mortality, increased healthcare utilization costs, and cognitive decline in the elderly. There appear to be multiple unique pathophysiological pathways to late-life depression. This chapter seeks to review the research performed in this field over the last several decades, describing disturbances in fronto-subcortical function, genetic polymorphisms, chronic stress and inflammation, as well as vascular pathology. We also discuss structural and functional neuroimaging studies of late-life depression. Future research must explore outcomes of early intervention strategies combined with a personalized approach to the depressed elderly patient.
Popular culture as a tool for critical information literacy and social justice education: Hip hop and Get Out on campus

We live in a politically polarizing climate and at a time when there is great economic and social unrest in the United States. Our current moment brings to my mind other periods in our nation’s history. First, the 1857 Dred Scott decision, when the Supreme Court decided that slaves were not U.S. citizens and could not sue for their freedom. So that even if a slave escaped to the North, he or she was still considered the property of the slave owner and must be returned. 1 The second is in the 1960s, when the antiwar and civil rights movements occurred. 2,3
New Paradigms of Myocardial Regeneration Post-Infarction: Tissue Preservation, Cell Environment, and Pluripotent Cell Sources

Meta-analyses of intracoronary autologous bone marrow cell infusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction establish the procedure as safe. Nonetheless, the typical small increase in ejection fraction is of uncertain clinical significance, with little if any evidence of myocardial regeneration. In this paper, we describe 3 new paradigms of myocardial preservation and regeneration that provide reasonable hope that the goal of myocardial rejuvenation can be achieved. The first paradigm is that substantial preservation of myocardium is possible even during the period of coronary occlusion and immediate reperfusion, before interventions aimed at myocardial regeneration. The factors that induce myocardial preservation may also create an environment more receptive to subsequent myocardial regeneration. The second paradigm is that the local environment may regulate the behavior of cells in the ischemic/infarct region. For instance, adult cells may be induced to re-enter the cell cycle and proliferate with appropriate environmental modification. The final paradigm is that autologous cardiac stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells can create new myocytes and myocardium. Taken together, these new ideas, each still to be proven, suggest that the goal of regenerating functioning new myocardium can still be achieved.
Creating RSS for News Archives, Beyond.

RSS or Rich Site Summary is becoming an invaluable format/tool for news feeds. More and more news publishing organizations are realizing its benefits. Content publishers are joining the already heavily crowded RSS club. In the era of information explosion and peer-topeer sharing, RSS is a great format for doing content publishing, archiving, sharing and much more. However, it came late. We realize that this should have started at the same time Internet became popular and news organizations are making their on-line debut. During the last decade, an enormous amount of news articles had already been published, and (at the same time,) improperly archived due to the lack of a flexible and widely accepted format of archival. However, better late than never. As we now explore possibilities of RSS, this is the time to make the transition smooth for old unformatted news articles and make it uniform across all (new and old) news articles. To do that we realized that extracting metadata of old news articles is one of the ways to create their RSS versions. In this paper we talk about our progress in extracting news metadata with the use of support vector classifier and show that an ordering of applying the classifiers is more useful than applying them in random order. We also show preliminary results on applying TIMEX tags to extract news events, which can be very useful to go beyond RSS to create individual event lines instead of taking the whole story under a single timeline.
A SEER-based multi-ethnic picture of advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States pre- and post-the advent of gemcitabine/cisplatin.

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare, lethal cancer with 5-year survival of less than 10%. Although incidence rates have been increasing in the United States, ethnic variations in survival have not been investigated. We examined multi-ethnic variation in overall survival (OS) and CCA-specific survival (CSS) using data from the population-based Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program in the 4-year period after introduction of gemcitabine/cisplatin (GC) as treatment for CCA, compared with prior years. Methods: The study included data from 5,616 advanced, intrahepatic CCA cases reported in SEER between 1990 and 2013. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to examine OS and CSS by ethnicity, age, gender and in the pre- and post-GC era (1990–2000, 2001–2009 vs. 2010–2013). Results: Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics had poorer 3-year OS (HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03–1.20) and 3-year CSS (HR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05–1.25). Similarly, non-Hispanic Blacks had 3-year OS (HR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.10–1.34) and 3-year CSS (HR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.09–1.35). Males and older patients had shorter survival compared to females and younger patients. OS and CSS were both improved for patients’ post-advent of GC. Statistically significant improvement in CSS pre- and post-advent of GC was noted in non-Hispanic Whites, while Hispanics actually had worsened survival. Conclusions: Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks have worse survival after diagnosis with advanced, intrahepatic CCA. Further studies are needed to determine determinants of poor survival among these groups.
The Propagation of Short Period Air Pressure Micro-Oscillations

Air pressure micro-oscillations of the impulse-type (period: 10–25 seconds) as recorded by Macelwane Electromagnetic Microbarographs in a small tripartite arrangement at Florissant, Missouri (near Saint Louis) are propagated in the direction and with a speed that is of the same order of magnitude as the wind speed in the lower layers of the atmosphere but not necessarily at the surface.
What Americans Think About Gun Control: Evidence from the General Social Survey, 1972–2016

Objective Gun control is a classic case of policy gridlock and we commonly assume public opinion is at the foundation of this gridlock. However, public opinion analyses of attitudes about gun control often say little about the topic itself and do not fully leverage our long‐running survey data to assess partisan, regional, and temporal trends in attitudes toward gun control. Methods I use over 26 waves of General Social Survey data from 1972 to 2016 to analyze the main public opinion cleavages (partisanship, urban/rural distinctions, and Census regions) of gun control. Results I find that partisanship and ruralness are not robust predictors of attitudes about gun control and that partisan polarization is only partial and recent. Further assumptions about regional variation in attitudes toward gun control need reevaluation. Conclusion Gun control policy gridlock says more about polarization at the elite level than at the mass level. Future research can also do well to assess issue‐linkage concerns on specific gun control policy measures.
Pediatric Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a symptom that can have long-term health implications as well as a negative impact on function and quality of life. Although pain is often a symptom of a disease or injury, chronic pain is a disease process of its own related to chemical adaptations and neuroplasticity. Chronic pain in children can have undesirable long-term consequences related to the impact that unrelenting pain may have on the social and cognitive development of a child. Research in chronic pain should take a theory-driven approach (Huget et al. 2011). The biopsychosocial model has been utilized often in the study of chronic pain in both children and adults. A newer theory, the theory of unpleasant symptoms, can also be used in studying chronic pain as it considers the impact that symptoms have on function, an important aspect of the persistence of pain. An interdisciplinary approach is considered the standard of care in pediatric chronic pain management (Hechler et al. 2015). Along with pharmacologic, physiological, and psychological therapies, integrative medicine techniques have been found useful in reducing pain and increasing function in children that suffer from chronic pain.
Kinetics of hydration of tricalcium silicate in presence of calcium chloride by thermal methods

Abstract Thermal methods were applied to investigate the influence of CaCl 2 on the hydration of tricalcium silicate from a few minutes to a month. Both TGA and DTA methods showed a good correlation for the estimation of Ca(OH) 2 at different degress of hydration. In presence of CaCl 2 the dormant period was reduced, and with 5% it was reduced from 4 to 2 h. The extent of hydration at 6 h in terms of estimated Ca(OH) 2 was in the order C 3 S* + 4% CaCl 2 &>; C 3 S + 1% CaCl 2 &>; C 3 S + 0% CaCl 2 and at 30 days C 3 S + 1% CaCl 2 &>; C 3 S + 0% CaCl 2 &>; C 3 S + 4% CaCl 2 In terms of the disappearance of C 3 S, however, the extent of hydration at 6 h or 30 days was in the order C 3 S + 4% CaCl 2 &>; C 3 S + 1% CaCl 2 &>; C 3 S + 0% CaCl 2 These results indicate that in presence of higher percentages of CaCl 2 , C 3 S hydrates to form CSH 1 with a higher CaO/SiO 2 ratio. Thermal curves showed an endothermic effect at 550 to 590°C during the dormant period in samples hydrated with CaCl 2 . This could be attributed to the formation of a surface complex of chloride on the C 3 S surface in presence of water. An intense exothermic effect which appeared at the acceleratory period is ascribed to an interaction of the chemisorbed chloride on the CSH surface as well as to the presence of chloride in the interlayer spaces. Adsorption of chloride may play a more important role than the “compound or free CaCl 2 ” mechanisms for acceleration.
Estimating the economic impact of the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa: an empirical approach

The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa is one of the most devastating in history. The devastating nature of this epidemic drew worldwide attention as it spread across borders. This study therefore, aimed at evaluating the economic impact of the epidemic in countries affected. The study adopted an innovative methodology that captures the contemporaneous impact of the outbreak on key economic variables of interest. The results from the study revealed that in addition to the adverse impact of the Ebola disease, the isolation of countries affected by the epidemic contributed immensely in worsening their economic conditions. Thus, the study noted the need for strengthening healthcare systems, enhancing the capacity of health workers, non-restriction on the movement of persons and goods and the need for regional coordination of efforts in combating epidemic outbreaks in the future.
Clinical Social Work in Child Foster Care, Family Preservation, and the Schools

The clinical social work outcomes in the traditional practice areas of foster children, schools, and family reunification are disappointing—a multitude of poorly conducted studies that fail to support the field’s claims of effective practice but that perpetuate the soothing fictions of social welfare in America. There is little credible evidence that social work practice actually pursues let alone achieves any of its grand goals, notably including its clinical promises of successful treatment. In fact, American social welfare policy has rarely if ever endorsed the field’s aspirations as a paladin of the poor and the oppressed in the actual job descriptions of social workers.
Living Mycelial Clothing as A Multispecies Habitat

Illustrated description of a fashion-art hybrid methodology. This article will begin with a descriptive text which will summarize my art practice.
EMT, MET, Plasticity, and Tumor Metastasis.

Cancer cell identity and plasticity are required in transition states, such as epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET), in primary tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. The functional roles of EMT, MET, and the partial state (referred to as pEMT) may vary based on the type of tumor, the state of dissemination, and the degree of metastatic colonization. Herein, we review EMT, MET, pEMT, and plasticity in the context of tumor metastasis.
Superhydrophobic Thermoplastic Surfaces with Hierarchical Micro-Nanostructures Fabricated by Hot-Embossing

Hierarchical micro-nanostructures comprising nanopillars superimposed onto micropillars were successfully fabricated over larger areas on thermoplastic cyclic olefin polymer (COP) substrates. Both the nanostructures (100 nm to 500 nm diameter) and microstructures (14–20 µm diameter) were hot-embossed monolithically using an intermediate fluorinated polymer mold replicated from a Si master. The as-fabricated thermoplastic hierarchical micro-nanopillar surfaces are superhydrophobic with advancing contact angles greater than 150°. Superhydrophobic surfaces with static contact angle as large as 167° were achieved on COP substrates using nanopillars as small as 150 nm and following post-fabrication fluorocarbon coating. The sliding angle of a water drop on the superhydrophobic surface is 2.5°.
Comparison of tulathromycin, tilmicosin, and gamithromycin for metaphylactic treatment of high-risk calves for control of bovine respiratory disease

Cross-bred heifer calves (n = 579; initial bodyweight 404 ± 27.4 lb; 183.3 ± 12.4 kg) were utilized in a randomized, complete block design to compare 3 different antibiotics for control of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in light-weight feeder heifers. Cattle originated from southeast Texas and were shipped approximately 700miles(1125 km) to the Clayton (New Mexico) Livestock Research Center. Heifers were randomly allocated off the truck into 30 pens, and administered 1 of 3 metaphylactic treatments at initial processing: 1) tulathromycin (TUL; 1.13 mg/lb (2.5 mg/kg)); 2) tilmicosin (TIL; 6 mg/lb (13.3 mg/kg)); or 3) gamithromycin (GAM; 2.72 mg/lb (6.0 mg/kg)). Heifers administered TUL had 0.29 lb (0.13 kg) greater (95% Cl = 2.27 to 2.46) average daily gain than cattle administered GAM. Cattle administered TUL had a lower (5.2%; 95% Cl = 1.2 to 9.1) morbidity rate than calves in the TIL (14.6%; 95% Cl = 6.7 to 22.5) and GAM (12.79%; 95% Cl = 7.7 to 17.9) groups. There were no differences in DM I or mortality in cattle between treatments.
Using Wireless Technology to Support Social Connectedness in Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Focus Group Study:

Despite the pervasive use of wireless technology in today’s society, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have limited access to technology. Technology is underutilized by ...
Nutritive value, silage fermentation characteristics, and aerobic stability of 3 round-baled, perennial-grass forages ensiled with or without a propionic-acid-based preservative

ABSTRACT Objective Propionic-acid-based products are used commonly for storage of dry hay but generally not for baled silages. The objective for this study was to compare perennial-grass-silage bales made with 2 application rates of a propionic-acid-based preservative against untreated controls for storage efficiency, nutrient preservation, fermentation characteristics, and aerobic stability. Materials and Methods This study evaluated 3 preservative treatments applied to 3 perennial-grass forages (meadow fescue, orchardgrass, or tall fescue) that had been field wilted to respective moisture concentrations of 31.1, 42.1, or 41.4% before baling. A propionic-acid-based preservative was applied at rates of 0.01 (control), 0.48, or 0.77% of wet bale weight to 24 round bales. After an 84-d storage period, aerobic stability was assessed by exposing bales to outside weather conditions during October for 14 d. Results and Discussion On a pre-ensiled basis, preservative application increased (P Implications and Applications Application of a propionic-acid-based preservative improved aerobic stability in relatively dry grass silages, but cost must be weighed in any decision before use.
MMR Vaccine and COVID-19: Measles Protein Homology May Contribute to Cross-Reactivity or to Complement Activation Protection.

A recently published study by Jeffrey E. Gold et al. (1) presents data that strongly suggest that measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination negatively correlates with the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related symptoms. Another study by Alba Grifoni et al. (2) demonstrated that antibody titers to spike protein in some unexposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) subjects may reach substantial levels, thus suggesting preexisting immunity to the coronavirus. This preexisting immunity may be due to the cross-reactivity with other antigens, for example the ones resulting from previous immunizations. Other studies reported that COVID-19 mortality is higher in countries where Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination is not routinely administered (3). Why previously received MMR vaccine may aid in reducing the …
Postirradiation characterization of palladium as an additive for fuel cladding chemical interaction mitigation in metallic fuel

Abstract This work describes the microstructural and elemental characterization of irradiated metallic fuels containing palladium as an additive. The use of additives has been proposed to control Fuel-Cladding Chemical Interaction (FCCI) and thus to promote higher fuel utilization (i.e., higher burnup). In this work, Pd has been investigated as a potential additive to metallic fuel to bind lanthanides, impeding their migration and attack on the cladding. The influence of Pd on the microstructure, chemistry and performance of metallic fuel has been characterized via scanning electron microscopy for two metallic fuel designs—namely, annular and solid fuel. Pd was observed to play an important role in the chemistry of the fuel. Indeed, the addition of Pd leads to the formation of new phases. Pd was detected to combine not only with the lanthanides, as intended, but also with Zr, a main element of the fuel matrix. While Pd proved to be effective in preventing lanthanide migration and their attack on the cladding, the Pd-Zr compound may potentially lead to other unexpected fuel-performance issues, such as the formation of low-melting point phases and increased unalloyed U available for FCCI interaction with Fe in the cladding. Even the increase of Zr to 13wt%. did not completely mitigate this adverse phenomenon generated by the Pd-Zr interaction. Thus, the efficacy of using this additive needs further investigation.
Activating Tasks for the Study of Visual-Spatial Attention in ADHD Children: A Cognitive Anatomic Approach:

The clinical label attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suggests that this syndrome is a disorder of attention. However, the presumed attentional deficits have not been linked either to specific cognitive operations or to specific neural systems. To provide this link, theories of the cognitive anatomy of attention were used to generate hypotheses about specific visual-spatial attentional deficits in children with ADHD. A cued reaction-time test was used to assess covert and overt shifts of attention theoretically linked to two neuroanatomically defined attentional systems in the posterior and anterior parts of the human brain. The early, posterior-based covert shift of attention was found to be normal in ADHD children, but a later, anterior-based overt shift of attention was abnormal as reflected by a significant lateral difference in reaction time. This was interpreted as a failure to sustain focused attention.
Detection of trace gas contaminants using diode laser based methods

In recent years, tunable diode laser based sensors have found widespread applications to the sensitive and selective detection of environmentally important atmospheric trace gases in real time. Numerous analytical tools based on different optical and non-optical techniques have been developed in the past. However, an ideal gas sensor technology that meets such diverse requirements as high sensitivity and selectivity, wavelength tunability of multi-component detection, fully computerized, room temperature operation (i.e. no liquid nitrogen cooling), large dynamic range, compactness, high reliability (insensitive to vibrations and large variations in ambient temperature), relative ease of use and cost-effectiveness in terms of initial and maintenance costs, is a challenging research and development task. Recent significant technological advances of semiconductor diode lasers and tunable all solid state lasers, novel bulk and waveguide infrared nonlinear materials for parametric optical frequency conversion, optical fiber amplifiers and couplers, thermoelectric coded low noise infrared detectors, and advanced data acquisition and signal processing techniques have had a considerable impact on development of state of the art of diode laser based trace gas sensors.
Accumulation of a thermostable endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase in the apoplast of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves

Plant biomass, the most abundant renewable resource on earth, is a potential source of fermentable sugars for production of alternative transportation fuels and other chemicals. Bioconversion of plant biomass to fermentable glucose involves enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, a major polysaccharide constituent. Because commercially available microbial cellulases are prohibitively expensive for bioethanol processes, we have investigated the feasibility of producing these enzymes in plants as a low-cost, potentially high-volume alternative to traditional production methods. We have successfully expressed the catalytic domain of a thermostable (Topt=81 °C) endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase from the eubacterium, Acidothermus cellulolyticus, in the apoplast of tobacco BY-2 suspension cells and leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. The apoplast-targeting cassette designed for this work consists of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, the tobacco mosaic virus Ω translational enhancer, the sequence encoding the tobacco Pr1a signal peptide, and the polyadenylation signal of nopaline synthase. Recombinant E1 catalytic domain was targeted to the ER by the signal peptide and secreted into the apoplast via the default pathway. Secretion of the enzyme did not detectably affect the growth rate of transgenic BY-2 cells, although the protein was enzymatically active at elevated temperatures. Similarly, transgenic plants exhibited no abnormal phenotypes correlating with expression of the enzyme. Close agreement between independent immunochemical and activity-based assays indicates that the enzyme accumulated to concentrations up to 26% of the total soluble protein in leaves of primary A. thaliana transformants. The amount of functional endoglucanase produced illustrates that plants can accumulate very large quantities of enzyme for commercial biomass conversion.
Correlations of vitamin A and E intakes with the plasma concentrations of carotenoids and tocopherols among american men and women

The authors investigated the association of diet and other factors with the plasma concentrations of carotenoids, retinol and tocopherols in a sample of 121 men and 186 women participating in two prospective investigations of dietary etiologies of chronic diseases. Lycopene (mean concentration, 0.82 mumol/L in men, 0.76 mumol/L in women), beta-carotene (mean 0.46 mumol/L in men, 0.58 mumol/L in women) and lutein (mean 0.28 mumol/L in men, 0.27 mumol/L in women) were the major circulating carotenoids. Among nonsmokers, dietary carotenoid, as typically calculated in epidemiologic studies, was significantly correlated with plasma beta-carotene (r = 0.34 in men, r = 0.30 in women), alpha-carotene (r = 0.52 in men, r = 0.37 in women) and lutein (r = 0.36 in men, r = 0.19 in women), but not with plasma zeaxanthin (r = 0.11 and r = 0.02) or lycopene (r = 0.13 and r = 0.01) after adjusting for plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, body mass index and energy intake. Total vitamin E intake was positively associated with plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol (r = 0.51 in men, r = 0.41 in women) and inversely associated with plasma concentrations of gamma-tocopherol (r = -0.51 in men r = -0.42 in women), but this was primarily due to use of vitamin E supplements. Measurements of specific carotenoids can provide independent information beyond the usual calculation of carotene intake in epidemiologic studies.
Cultural Cognition and Synthetic Biology Risk Perceptions: A Preliminary Analysis

We describe the results of a study to determine the synthetic-biology risk perceptions of a large and diverse sample of Americans (N = 1,500). The survey found that hierarchical, conservative, and highly religious individuals - one who normally are skeptical of claims of environmental risks (including those relating to global warming) - are the most concerned about synthetic biology risks. We offer an interpretation that identifies how selective risk-skepticism and risk-sensitivity can convey a cultural commitment to traditional forms of authority.
Multicenter Validation of Surgeon Assessment of Renal Preservation in Comparison to Measurement With 3D Image Analysis.

Objective To validate the findings of a prior single-surgeon series with a multi-institutional comparison of three-dimensional imaging of volume preservation (3DVP) and surgeon assessment of volume preservation (SAVP) as predictors of renal function after partial nephrectomy (PN). Baseline renal function and preservation of functioning renal parenchyma are the strongest predictors of function after PN for presumed renal cancer. Prior studies have confirmed that measurement of volume preservation with 3DVP is accurate, but limited data exist to compare this time-consuming approach with SAVP. Materials and Methods 3DVP and SAVP were calculated for 157 patients operated on by 13 surgeons at 2 institutions having both pre- and postoperative cross-sectional imaging. Renal function was assessed by univariable and multivariable linear regression methods. Results Median ipsilateral parenchymal preservation was 87% by 3DVP (interquartile range: 76%-95%) and 85% by SAVP (interquartile range: 75%-90%). Both correlated strongly with each other (P Conclusion SAVP has been validated in a multicenter cohort of PN patients demonstrating it to provide a reliable estimate of renal functional preservation that is reproducible in contemporary practice. We propose that SAVP reporting should be performed routinely to facilitate analysis of PN outcomes and 3DVP used for research purposes.
Productivity with performance: property/behavior-based automated composition of parallel programs from self-describing components

Development of efficient and correct parallel programs is a complex task. These parallel codes have strong requirements for performance and correctness and must operate robustly and efficiently across a wide spectrum of application parameters and on a wide spectrum of execution environments. Scientific and engineering programs increasingly use adaptive algorithms whose behavior can change dramatically at runtime. Performance properties are often not known until programs are tested and performance may degrade during execution. Many errors in parallel programs arise in incorrect programming of interactions and synchronizations. Testing has proven to be inadequate. Formal proofs of correctness are needed. This research is based on systematic application of software engineering methods to effective development of efficiently executing families of high performance parallel programs. We have developed a framework (P-COM 2) for development of parallel program families which addresses many of the problems cited above. The conceptual innovations underlying P-COM 2 are a software architecture specification language based on self-describing components, a timing and sequencing algorithm which enables execution of programs with both concrete and abstract components and a formal semantics for the architecture specification language. The description of each component incorporates compiler-useable specifications for the properties and behaviors of the components, the functionality a component implements, pre-conditions and postconditions on the inputs and outputs and state machine based sequencing control for invocations of the component. The P-COM2 compiler and runtime system implement these concepts to enable: (a) evolutionary development where a program instance is evolved from a performance model to a complete application with performance known at each step of evolution, (b) automated composition of program instances targeting specific application instances and/or execution environments from self-describing components including generation of all parallel structuring, (c) runtime adaptation of programs on a component by component basis, (d) runtime validation of pre-and post-conditions and sequencing of interactions and (e) formal proofs of correctness for interactions among components based on model checking of the interaction and synchronization properties of the program. The concepts and their integration are defined, the implementation is described and the capabilities of the system are illustrated through several examples.
A barrier composed of chemically cross- linked hyaluronic acid (Incert) reduces postoperative adhesion formation

Abstract Objective: To test whether a barrier of chemically cross-linked pure hyaluronic acid reduces postoperative adhesion formation. Design: The material was evaluated in the murine uterine horn model using excision and electrocautery injuries and in animals who had amounts of material inserted into the abdomen to evaluate toxicity. Setting: Academic medical center. Subject(s): Mice. Intervention(s): Insertion of the barrier between uterine horns and into the peritoneal cavity. Main Outcome Measure(s): Adhesion formation at 14 days; the histology of the peritoneum, liver, and spleen at 42 days; and the number, differential count, morphology, and flow cytometry of peritoneal leukocytes 3 days postoperatively. Result(s): Fewer adhesions were present when excision injuries were separated by the barrier (12 of 28 sites [43%] versus 23 of 26 control sites [88%]), whereas the number of adhesions was unchanged after electrocautery injuries (14 of 26 sites [54%] versus 17 of 26 control sites [65%]). The uterine horn sites covered by the barrier were histologically indistinguishable from controls. No adverse impact on the peritoneum and peritoneal fluid leukocyte population was observed with barrier insertion. Conclusion(s): The use of a barrier composed of a chemically cross-linked hyaluronic acid derivative (Incert, Anika Therapeutics, Inc., Woburn, MA) reduced postoperative adhesion formation in this model without any adverse impact on the peritoneum and peritoneal leukocyte population. This barrier material shows promise in preventing postoperative adhesions and deserves clinical evaluation.
Thinking about the Gym: Greek Ideals, Newtonian Bodies, and Exercise in Early Eighteenth-Century England

Revival of Greek ideas about exercise in the British and Irish Enlightenment by doctors led to a shift in understandings about the independent mind by establishing a relation between bodily and mental health. By the late 1730s, interest shifted away from mind and body and towards the sentiments and passions, which marked gender distinctions and held together national communities. Gilbert West's writing about the Olympics in the 1740s indicated the difficulty in resolving tensions about exercise and sport producing aristocratic distinction and violent passions as against their encouragement of healthy minds and civic virtue in the nation.
Segregation of noisy Mendelian traits and the effect of age‐dependence: A prolegomenon

A discussion of the primordial confusion between the multiplicative Galtonian ("lognormal") trait and the imperfectly segregating Mendelian trait is laid out from a probabilistic standpoint. Several criteria used in comparing them (bimodality; bitangentiality; goodness of fit to the multinomialized form of the distribution; cumulants of the distributions) are reviewed and the inadequacy of their probabilistic properties discussed in some detail. The logical asymmetry of the normalized score ("Roberts" correction") and hence its invalidity as a criterion for distinguishing between the models is pointed out. The form of a mixture of two Gaussian distributions with fixed and equal variances but with differing age-dependent means ("the Platt model") is explored. The epistemological implications are exhibited. As a first step to restoring symmetry, a general model is proposed of which these and other models in wide use emerge as special cases. No attempt is made to deal here with the statistical aspects of the problem.
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during pregnancy and risk of congenital jaw and oral malformation.

In the United States, an estimate of 1.3 million women suffering from epilepsy are in their childbearing age. Potential teratogenicity of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is of concern to these women considering pregnancy because discontinuing pharmacotherapy during pregnancy may not be advised due to the risk of seizures that may be dangerous to the mother as well as the fetus. Using a Relational Online Analytical Processing (ROLAP) software licensed by Simultek, we searched for medications reported for congenital jaw and oral cavity malformation on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS), a voluntary adverse event reporting program that contains over 55 million adverse event reports of medical products in the United.States. Our results indicate that various forms of valproic acid, and more importantly, newer generation antiepileptic agents including lamotrigine, topiramate, and gabapentin show signals for either congenital jaw or oral malformation. Although teratogenic potential of valproic acid has long been confirmed, information on teratogenicity of the newer generation antiepileptic drugs is relatively scarce and inconclusive. Early safety signals on the teratogenic potential of AEDs detected in this study are crude statistics that do not establish causation nor exclude confounding. The results require validation and further investigation via properly controlled epidemiological studies.
The influence of excess methionine on the free amino acids of brain and liver of the weanling rat.

Abstract— —High circulating levels of l-methionine produced by inclusion in the diet or parenteral injection of the amino acid caused alterations in the free amino acid pattern of liver and brain tissues. Acute effects following l-methionine injection were more pronounced than those following long term feeding where adaptation played a role. The net effect following parenteral injection was to increase the total free amino acids of liver while decreasing those of brain. Individually, hepatic levels of aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, and alanine were depressed while levels of taurine, cystathionine, methionine, lysine, and ornithine were markedly elevated. Brain levels of aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, alanine, and γ-aminobutyric acid were markedly depressed and increased levels of cystathionine, methionine, lysine, and glutamine were observed. A generalized aminoaciduria occurred shortly after excessive methionine intake. Disruption of the free amino acid pools was of two kinds. The first depended on the continued presence of excess l-methionine, the second did not.
The DNA Polymerase III Holoenzyme: An Asymmetric Dimeric Replicative Complex with Leading and Lagging Strand Polymerases

The DNA Polymerase III holoenzyme forms initiation complexes on primed DNA in an ATP-dependent reaction. We demonstrate that the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, ATP gamma S, supports the formation of an isolable leading strand complex that loads and replicates the lagging strand only in the presence of ATP, beta, and the single-stranded DNA binding protein. The single endogenous DnaX complex within DNA polymerase III holoenzyme assembles beta onto both the leading and lagging strand polymerases by an ordered mechanism. The dimeric replication complex disassembles in the opposite order from which it assembled. Upon ATP gamma S-induced dissociation, the leading strand polymerase is refractory to disassembly allowing cycling to occur exclusively on the lagging strand. These results establish holoenzyme as an intrinsic asymmetric dimer with distinguishable leading and lagging strand polymerases.
Towards a Research Agenda for Pharmaceutical Issues

Currently, the most important issue in US pharmaceutical policy is probably cost containment. Research into pharmaceutical issues should therefore concentrate on this area. Analysis of changing trends in pharmaceutical expenditures, particularly during the early 1990s, would be a useful starting point. Research into the costs and returns associated with the development of pharmaceuticals, and into the levels, constituent parts, and impact on system costs of pharmaceutical expenditures would also be helpful. Cost-containment systems themselves should also be studied, particularly in terms of how they work, what they cost, what they save, their effects on patients, their effects on patterns of drug diffusion, and their impact on drug research and development as well as on international competitiveness.
Two-photon laser scanning microscopy of epithelial cell-modulated collagen density in engineered human lung tissue

Tissue remodeling is a complex process that can occur in response to a wound or injury. In lung tissue, abnormal remodeling can lead to permanent structural changes that are characteristic of important lung diseases such as interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and bronchial asthma. Fibroblast-mediated contraction of three-dimensional collagen gels is considered an in vitro model of tissue contraction and remodeling, and the epithelium is one factor thought to modulate this process. We studied the effects of epithelium on collagen density and contraction using two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM). TPLSM was used to image autofluorescence of collagen fibers in an engineered tissue model of the human respiratory mucosa -- a three-dimensional co-culture of human lung fibroblasts (CCD-18 lu), denatured type I collagen, and a monolayer of human alveolar epithelial cell line (A549) or human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE14o(-)). Tissues were imaged at days 1, 8, and 15 at 10 depths within the tissue. Gel contraction was measured concurrently with TPLSM imaging. Image analysis shows that gels without an epithelium had the fastest rate of decay of fluorescent signal, corresponding to highest collagen density. Results of the gel contraction assay show that gels without an epithelium also had the highest degree of contraction (19.8% +/- 4.0%). We conclude that epithelial cells modulate collagen density and contraction of engineered human lung tissue, and TPLSM is an effective tool to investigate this phenomenon.
Cross Polarization of Scattered Radio Waves

The polarization of the signal reaching a receiving antenna by the scattering mechanism proposed by Booker and Gordon is investigated. Equations are presented which give the response of dipole antennas oriented horizontally, vertically, and axially, relative to a linear polarized source. The relative response of the three antennas is calculated for selected values of the scattering parameters and a comparison made with the measured response of similar antennas to a 102.9-mc signal arriving over a path length of 147 miles.
SU‐FF‐T‐100: Aperture Effects in Dynamic Fields

Purpose: We have measured collimator and phantom scatter factors (Sc, Sp) as a function of field size for a variety of moving slit widths and compared them with static field factors. Dynamic treatment plans were devised to compare the ability of two planning systems to model the aperture effect on dose delivery, especially for small targets. Method and Materials: An 80 leaf Varian 2300cd and a 120 leaf Varian 21ex accelerator were used with 6 MV photons. 0.6 cm3ionization chambers were used, for both Sc and Scp measurements. 1–10mm leaf gaps were dynamically scanned across a range of field sizes (4×4–14×40). To mimic the small aperture effect in a treatment plan, we defined a series of cylindrical targets, 1–20 mm diameter by 3cm length and an IMRT plan using Eclipse or Pinnacle3 was developed to optimally treat them. EDR2 films were taken and used to compare delivered with planned doses. Results: The dynamic measurements of Sc and Scp were very similar on the two Varian machines and clearly demonstrated an aperture effect in the Sc measurements of as much as 30% (1mm gap, 4×4 field) which smoothly converged to the static field distribution as the gap was increased. Derived Sp values were approximately independent of gap width, essentially matching the static field cases. Planning system intercomparison of small target doses seem to indicate the Pinnacle3 system to be slightly better at correctly including aperture effect. Conclusions: Conventionally obtained output factors, using the secondary collimators, even extended down to 1–2 cm2 still do not describe the same head scatter contribution as is delivered by a dynamic aperture. Consequently, dose uncertainty may be amplified in the treatment of single or multiple small lesions using IMRT techniques.
Exfoliated soluble graphite

Reduction of graphite by lithium in liquid ammonia yields graphite salts that can be reacted with dodecyl iodide to yield soluble dodecylated graphite. The height of the soluble graphite nanoplatelets was determined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to be 3.5 nm, corresponding to approximately 10 layers of graphene. Solubility in organic solvents was determined to be 20 mg/L in chloroform and 70 mg/L in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.
Blood Testosterone Values in Patients with Congenital Virilizing Adrenal Hyperplasia1

To evaluate the usefulness of blood testosterone (T) in monitoring the effects of therapy in congenital virilizing adrenal hyperplasia due to 21- or 11-hydroxylation defect (CVAH), T levels were measured on 45 occasions in 13 patients with CVAH; 32 urinary 17-ketosteroid levels and 31 pregnanetriol values were available for comparison. Boneage levels, growth data, and medication are listed to help assess the clinical state of the patient at the time of each T determination. Blood T values were above normal for age and sex in untreated patients with CVAH and declined with glucocorticoid suppression. A blood T value of 20 ng/100 ml appeared to distinguish between well-controlled cases and those with inadequate steroid suppression. Serial measurement of blood T in girls and in prepubertal boys with CVAH provides assistance in evaluating chemical control of the disease, particularly when accurate 24-h urine collections cannot be obtained for 17-ketosteroid and pregnanetriol assessments.
Extremal metrics for spectral functions of Dirac operators in even and odd dimensions

Abstract Let ( M n , g ) be a closed smooth Riemannian spin manifold and denote by ∇ its Atiyah–Singer–Dirac operator. We study the variation of Riemannian metrics for the zeta function and functional determinant of ∇ 2 , and prove finiteness of the Morse index at stationary metrics, and local extremality at such metrics under general, i.e. not only conformal, change of metrics. In even dimensions, which is also a new case for the conformal Laplacian, the relevant stability operator is of log-polyhomogeneous pseudodifferential type, and we prove new results of independent interest, on the spectrum for such operators. We use this to prove local extremality under variation of the Riemannian metric, which in the important example when ( M n , g ) is the round n-sphere, gives a partial verification of Branson's conjecture on the pattern of extremals. Thus det ∇ 2 has a local (max, max, min, min) when the dimension is ( 4 k , 4 k + 1 , 4 k + 2 , 4 k + 3 ) , respectively.
The ant and the grasshopper revisited: The present psychological benefits of saving and future oriented financial behaviors

Abstract This study examines the impact of saving and future-oriented financial behaviors on young adults’ well-being. Using two-timed longitudinal data (N = 748) collected both prior to and during the economic crisis, we tested and confirmed a psychological process model (i.e., financial attitude → behavioral intention → actual behavior → well-being), one that included parental norms, perceived behavioral control and financial planning horizon as antecedent factors. Our findings indicate that the more positive a young adult’s attitude toward financial behaviors, and the greater his/her perception of parental expectations, then the stronger will be this young adult’s intention to perform such behaviors. We found that behavioral intention at Time 1 contributed to actual financial behaviors at Time 2, which in turn was positively related to a young adult’s present sense of well-being. We also found that perceived behavioral control and financial planning horizon influenced both behavioral intention and actual behavior. Although perceived impact of the economic crisis moderated the link between past and present well-being, it did not affect the hierarchical flow of the model. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our study pertaining to consumer financial education.