cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autologous Whole Blood Donation in Allogeneic Marrow Harvest – Is It Truly Needed?

Authors Harvey, E, Abhyankar, S., Merkel, D., Shune, L. Background The collection of autologous units in allogeneic marrow donors, while no longer required by the National Marrow Donor Program, is still practiced by some collection centers. Collection centers have the option to request collection of autologous unit(s), however, this practice can cause a delay in time to transplant as well as the possibility of putting donors through procedures that are not needed. If a marrow collection is delayed or cancelled, autologous units may expire. Donors may also experience anemia prior to the harvest due to donation of autologous units. Method Our Center analyzed our marrow harvests collected between 2010 and July 2018. We checked a complete blood count (CBC) on the day of the harvest, both prior to and following completion of the marrow collection. Results Of the 227 marrow harvests that were reviewed, there were no donors that required transfusion support post-harvest. The average drop in the hemoglobin was 2.67 g/dL. (N=227 with a range of +1.3 g/dL to -6.8 g/dL). Of the donors whose hemoglobin dropped greater than 5 grams (N=6), 1 received 1 liter of IVF, one 1.3 L, 2 received 3 L and one received 5.5 L of IVF, possibly leading to hemodilution of these samples. Additionally, 2 of these were drawn from the IV line, which could also contribute to dilution of the sample. Average percentage of total blood volume taken from these 6 donors was 25%, which was consistent with the 21% average among all harvests, therefor the lower hemoglobin was felt to be dilutional and not an accurate portrayal of the actual hemoglobin. Conclusion Collection of autologous units is not needed in healthy allogeneic marrow donors. The practice of autologous unit collections can delay time to transplant for the recipient. It can also put the donors through additional and unnecessary procedures. Lastly, the units may be wasted if the harvest is delayed or cancelled.
Supplementing Spinning Reserves with Demand Response under Wind Generation Uncertainty

Grid operators are required to keep a certain level of spinning reserves to ensure system reliability. To keep the same level of reliability in systems with increased penetration of intermittent generation resources, such as wind and solar, these spinning reserves should be increased, leading to increased operations costs. This paper investigates the capability of demand response in eliminating the need for additional spinning reserves in systems with high levels of uncertainty due to wind resources. Demand response is modeled as a responsive load in which customers change their energy consumption with respect to change in the price of electricity. The cost of spinning reserves is computed using a day-ahead unit commitment and economic dispatch, while capturing load and generation uncertainties. Numerical simulations on a testbed power system indicate that an effective demand response program can offset the cost of operations by reducing the need for additional spinning reserves.
Rachel M. McMullin and Kerry R. Walton. Supporting Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Guide for Academic Libraries . Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2019. 144p. Paper, $52.00 (ISBN 978-1-4408-6396-7). LC 2018-59561.

Academic librarians may have noticed an increasing number of students with autism or ASD (autism spectrum disorder) on their campuses in recent years. In fact, the rate of diagnosis of ASD in the U.S. population grew from 1 in 150 in the year 2000 to 1 in 88 in 2008 (see “Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder, Centers for Disease Control web page: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html ), and many of those persons with autism who were diagnosed in 2008 are now of college age. Academic libraries serve diverse student populations, and students with neurodiversity (a classification term that includes students with autism) represent a group that could benefit from an intentional approach to support. While a sizable literature related to autism and ASD exists, including some research concerning academic libraries, authors Rachel M. McMullin and Kerry R. Walton identified a need for academic librarians to have access to practical information and advice for supporting students with autism.
Incomplete resection of necrotic bowel may increase mortality in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis

Infants with advanced necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) often need surgical resection of necrotic bowel. We hypothesized that incomplete resection of NEC lesions, signified by the detection of necrotic patches in margins of resected bowel loops, results in inferior clinical outcomes. We reviewed the medical records of infants with surgical NEC in the past 15 years for demographic, clinical, and histopathological data. We also developed statistical models to predict mortality and hospital stay. Ninety infants with surgical NEC had a mean (±standard error) gestational age of 27.3 ± 0.4 weeks, birth weight 1008 ± 48 g, NEC onset at 25.2 ± 2.4 days, and resected bowel length of 29.2 ± 3.2 cm. Seventeen (18.9%) infants who had complete resection of the necrosed bowel had fewer (4; 23.5%) deaths and shorter lengths of hospital stay. In contrast, a group of 73 infants with some necrosis within the margins of resected bowel had significantly more (34; 46.6%) deaths and longer hospital stay. The combination of clinical and histopathological data gave better regression models for mortality and hospital stay. In surgical NEC, incomplete resection of necrotic bowel increased mortality and the duration of hospitalization. Regression models combining clinical and histopathological data were more accurate for mortality and the length of hospital stay.
Broadening Our Horizons: Increasing Diversity of Scientific Publications From Taiwan Emergency Physicians, 2012-2017

Background Scientific publications and academic research are objective indicators that provide dynamic views of the evolution of emergency medicine (EM). This study is aimed to evaluate the academic contribution of Taiwan emergency departments (EDs) by analyzing scientific publications. Methods This is an observational study and all publications between 2012 and 2017 were retrieved from the Scopus database. The EM journals were adopted from the 2016 Journal Citation Reports (JCR) category of EM. Three groups of publications were enrolled: (1) publications with first authors affiliated with Taiwan EDs in EM journals; (2) publications with first authors affiliated with Taiwan EDs in non-EM journals; (3) publications with first authors affiliated with Taiwan other than EDs in EM journals. Data regarding the name and category of the publishing journal, the publication year, the publication type, and the number of citations were collected for further analysis. The publication and category numbers were also merged with previous study to obtain a longer trend analysis from 1992. Results A total of 291 publications affiliated with Taiwan EDs were published in EM journals and 697 publications in 275 non-EM journals. A total of 286 publications in EM journals affiliated with Taiwan but other than ED. The trend of publication numbers in all three groups and category numbers since 1992 were increasing (all p < 0.001). Publication numbers in non-EM journals increased the most and obtained the highest cited times. The 275 non-EM journals were classified into 69 categories. The leading five categories were Medicine, General & Internal, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Surgery, Infectious Diseases, Geriatrics & Gerontology. Conclusions The importance of researches originating from Taiwan EDs has been increasingly recognized by both the global EM community and by other medical specialties during the past 25 years. The advancement of academic contribution by Taiwan EDs is evident from the perspectives of quantity and breadth.
Residual Stress Modeling with Phase Transformation for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing of B91 Steel

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is an energy-efficient manufacturing technique used for near-net-shape production of functional industrial components. However, heat accumulation during deposition and the associated mechanical and metallurgical changes result in complex residual stress profiles across the cross section of the fabricated components. These residual stresses are detrimental to the service life of the components. In this study, sequentially coupled thermomechanical analysis of WAAM B91 steel is conducted to quantify the residual stress variation across the component. The thermomechanical analysis includes a transient heat transfer model and a static stress model that incorporates the transformation-induced plasticity due to martensitic phase transformation. The experimentally calibrated heat transfer model mirrors the temperature variation of the system during the deposition. The results from the stress model are validated via x-ray diffraction measurements, and the numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data.
Misfit matters: A re-examination of interest fit and job satisfaction

Abstract Vocational interest researchers have long held that individuals will be satisfied when their interests match the characteristics of their work environments. Yet, meta-analyses have found little relationship between interest fit and overall job satisfaction. Notably, studies underlying past meta-analyses shared common limitations. They rarely accounted for unique forms of misfit (environmental excess and deficiency) or differences between fit at low and high levels of the person and environment variables. Accounting for these limitations, we extend fit theory to suggest the interest fit – job satisfaction relationship is sometimes asymmetric, is dependent on the nature of the fit comparison (subjective fit or “accuracy of self-assessment”), may change across RIASEC interests, and that job satisfaction increases for fit from low to high levels of the person and environment variables. We used polynomial regression and response surface methodology to evaluate fit effects across two large samples. Results suggest misfit asymmetry often exists for interests and job satisfaction and the form of asymmetry may change across fit comparisons and interests. Moreover, job satisfaction sometimes increased for fit from low to high levels of the person and environment variables. These findings largely differ from the constraints imposed by single-index fit measures characterizing much of past interest fit research. Instead of following a supplementary fit model, interests better follow a complementary fit theory—needs-supplies fit.
Smart Shoes for Temporal Identification and Corrections to Assist People with Abnormal Walking Patterns

Arthritis is a very common medical issue which describes joint pain or joint disease. The most common type, being Osteoarthritis, is due to the cartilage in a joint wearing away over time which leaves the bones to rub against each other causing pain and discomfort. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 50 million adults have been diagnosed with Arthritis in the United States of America which is 1 in 5 adults. This equates to a financial cost of $304 Billion in 2013 between direct medical cost and lost wages. Over a period of time, it has been observed that an uneven distribution of pressure (body weight) across the foot while walking increases wear and tear to knee cartilage and thus leads to Osteoarthritis. Therefore, we propose a novel smart shoe for temporal identification and correction for people with abnormal walking patterns consisting of uneven pressure distributions. Our smart shoes include five pressure sensors, four vibrators, memory storage, a processor, a Bluetooth transceiver, a power supply, and a Smart Software application on a Smartphone which houses a Decision Tree (DT) for walking pattern predictions. Our Machine Learning approach has a 91.68% accuracy and shows promise for assisting people with Arthritis.
Closing the gap: Identification and management of familial hypercholesterolemia in an integrated healthcare delivery system

Abstract Background Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that causes markedly elevated risk for early onset coronary artery disease. Despite availability of effective therapy, only 5–10% of affected individuals worldwide are diagnosed. Objective To develop and evaluate a novel approach for identifying and managing patients with FH in a large integrated health system with a diverse patient population, using inexpensive methods. Methods Using Make Early Diagnosis/Prevent Early Death (MEDPED) criteria, we created a method for identifying patients at high risk for FH within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California electronic medical record. This led to a pragmatic workflow for contacting patients, establishing a diagnosis in a dedicated FH clinic, and initiating management. We prospectively collected data on the first 100 patients to assess implementation effectiveness. Results Ninety-three (93.0%, 95%CI: 86.1%–97.1%) of the first 100 evaluated patients were diagnosed with FH (median age = 38 years) of whom only 5% were previously recognized; 48% were taking no lipid-lowering therapy, and 7% had acute coronary symptoms. 82 underwent successful genetic testing of whom 55 (67.1%; 95%CI: 55.8%–77.1%) had a pathogenic mutation. Following clinic evaluation, 83 of 85 (97.6%) medication-eligible patients were prescribed combination lipid-lowering therapy. 20 family members in the healthcare system were diagnosed with FH through cascade testing. Conclusions This novel approach was effective for identifying and managing patients with undiagnosed FH. Care gaps in providing appropriate lipid-lowering therapy were successfully addressed. Further development and dissemination of integrated approaches to FH care are warranted.
Letting the Sun in: Redeveloping a Derelict Office Building in Chicago

Obtaining community development bank support for renovating a derelict city-owned building in Chicago's South Side was just part of the challenge. Despite being seasoned residential real estate investors, a couple must nonetheless overcome many hurdles: Obtaining bank financing, participating in extensive city project review and approval, meeting elaborate labor requirements, and attaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, among others. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0156 Rev. Dec. 7, 2012 LETTING THE SUN IN: REDEVELOPING A DERELICT OFFICE BUILDING IN CHICAGO The yellow taxi pulled over to the curb, and Clarence Hall climbed into the back seat, sliding over to allow his wife, Lisa, to enter. The driver, of Middle Eastern origin, glanced in his rear-view mirror expectantly. “Cafe Trinidad, 75th Street, please,” Clarence said. . . .
This Great Catastrophe: Bungling Pandemics from 1918 to Today

In examining how badly the United States bungled its COVID-19 pandemic response, it is worth going back to the commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the 1918 flu pandemic. Author after author cautioned that the next pandemic would overwhelm the United States health system and that the demand for hospital beds, treatments, and medical staff would quickly outstrip supply. These prescient predictions from just two years ago. Why, when the risks were so obvious and so clearly understood, were they ignored? In answering that question there is blame enough to go around. The American public increasingly refused vaccines for communicable diseases, resisted spending for health research, and elected anti-science candidates. Those elected officials in turn failed to take obvious steps to ward off an entirely foreseeable disaster. Some of these developments are new(ish), relating to the specifics of the current political climate. Yet what is most striking is how readily official responses fell into virtually the same patterns that stymied effective pandemic response in 1918, and how structural racism predicted which communities would be hardest hit and least served by government responses. Instead of learning from the mistakes of the 1918 pandemic we have largely repeated them. This paper traces some of the threads of complacency, hubris, isolationism, and distrust that got in the way both times, and draws some broader lessons we must learn about American political culture before the pandemic next time.
Mediation analysis of social isolation and mortality by health behaviors.

Abstract Social isolation associated with greater risk for mortality is well documented, however, it is unclear whether and the extent to which social isolation influences mortality through health behaviors. We therefore assessed the mediation between social isolation and mortality by health behaviors. 15,000 adults ages 18–89 years in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US (NHANES III) (1988–1994) were followed through 2015. The outcomes of overall and cause-specific mortality were assessed by linking with the National Death Index. Social isolation was based on a modified Social Network Index. Mediation analyses were conducted under the counterfactual framework. Compared with participants who were not socially isolated, those who were isolated had significantly increased risk for overall mortality (HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.15–1.54), cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01–1.62) and mortality from causes other than CVD or cancer (HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.22–1.90). Social isolation was not independently associated with risk for cancer-specific mortality. The association between social isolation and cancer-specific mortality was largely (74%) mediated by health behaviors, including smoking, physical activity and quality of diet. The associations between social isolation and CVD or other specific mortality were partly (about one-fifth) explained by unhealthy behaviors. In conclusion, the extent to which social isolation and mortality was mediated by healthy behaviors varies by causes of death. Given mounting evidence that social isolation is increasing in society, it is important to add social isolation to the list of public health concerns in addition to conventional risk factors.
System Demonstration of Spiral: Generator for High-Performance Linear Transform Libraries

We demonstrate Spiral, a domain-specific library generation system. Spiral generates high performance source code for linear transforms (such as the discrete Fourier transform and many others) directly from a problem specification. The key idea underlying Spiral is to perform automatic reasoning and optimizations at a high abstraction level using the mathematical, declarative domain-specific languages SPL and Σ-SPL and a rigorous rewriting framework. Optimization includes various forms of parallelization. Even though Spiral provides complete automation, its generated libraries often run faster than any existing hand-written code.
Selective inactivation of guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G-protein) α and βγ subunits by urea

G-protein-coupled receptors activate signal-transducing G-proteins, which consist of an α subunit and a βγ dimer. Membrane extraction with 5–7M urea has been used to uncouple receptors from endogenous G-proteins to permit reconstitution with purified G-proteins. We show that α i subunits are inactivated with 5M urea whereas the βγ dimer requires at least 7M urea for its inactivation. There is no significant loss of receptors. Surprisingly, Western-blot analysis indicates that the urea-denatured α i subunit remains mostly membrane-bound and that β is only partially removed. After 7M urea treatment, both α i1 and βγ subunits are required to restore high-affinity agonist binding and receptor-catalysed guanosine 5′-[γ-thio]triphosphate binding. We demonstrate the generality of this approach for four G i -coupled receptors (α 2A -adrenergic, adenosine A1, 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A and µ -opioid) expressed in insect cells and two mammalian cell lines. Thus a selectivity of urea for G-protein α versus βγ subunits is established in both concentration and mechanism.
Analysis of sequential steps of nucleotide excision repair in Escherichia coli using synthetic substrates containing single psoralen adducts.

Escherichia coli ABC excinuclease initiates the removal of dodecanucleotides from damaged DNA in an ATP-dependent reaction. Using a synthetic DNA fragment containing a psoralen adduct at a defined position we have investigated the interaction of the components of the enzyme with substrate by DNase I footprinting. We find that the UvrA subunit binds to DNA specifically in the absence of cofactors and that the binding affinity is stimulated about 4-fold by ATP and only marginally inhibited by ADP. The UvrA.DNA complexes formed in the absence of co-factors or in the presence of either ATP or ADP are remarkably similar. In contrast, adenosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) increases nonspecific binding and completely abolishes the UvrA footprint. The UvrB subunit can associate with the UvrA subunit on DNA in the absence of ATP, but this ternary UvrA.UvrB.DNA complex is qualitatively different from that formed in the presence of ATP. The UvrC subunit elicits no additional change in the UvrA-UvrB footprint. Helicase II (UvrD protein) does not alter the UvrA-UvrB footprint but does appear to interact at the 5'-incision site of the postincision complex. DNA polymerase I fills in the excision gap in the presence or absence of helicase II and apparently releases the ABC excinuclease from the repaired DNA. Nearly 90% of the repair patches are 12 nucleotides long, and this length is not affected by helicase II. We see no evidence by DNase I footprinting for the formation of a multiprotein complex encompassing the UvrA, -B, -C, and -D proteins and DNA polymerase I.
Focused Line Source Linear Array Holography Using a Three Dimensional Computer Reconstruction System

This paper describes a unique holographic scanning configuration and computer reconstruction technique for the inspection of thick-walled nuclear pressure vessels.
Critical Reverse Engineering: The Case of Twitter and Talkopen

As more scholars study digital communications, there is a pressing need for new critical methodologies that both draw on older methods while taking notice of new affordances and constraints built into digital systems and network architectures. To this end, this paper engages with the engineering and legal literatures on reverse engineering to propose a methodology for studying Internet-based communication systems: "critical reverse engineering." Drawing on the reverse engineering literature, I will argue that this approach is valuable because of four orientations. First, reverse engineers are pragmatic: they consider the technology they have at hand, not an ideal technological assemblage. They do not simply throw away older technology, but modify it, hack it, and alter it. They accept the positive side of technology while working against the bad. Second, reverse engineers also consider the historical development of a technology. They take an existing technology and trace its genealogy backwards, looking at a whole host of artifacts to uncover how the technology was developed: white papers, press releases, previous versions, vanquished competitors, design specifications, and prototypes. This provides an antidote to technological hype which consistently holds that new things are radically new or radical breaks with the past. In contrast to this, reverse engineering understands technology to have a history. Third, reverse engineering is also useful in a time of proprietary software that lives on distant servers. The centralization of the Web and the skillful valorization of user labor has led to social media sites becoming incredibly economically and politically powerful. And that means they have high-octane lawyers. Reverse engineering has a tradition of legal protections in states such as the United States and the European Union. Finally, reverse engineers do their work in order to build new systems. Thus, they have a normative position: usually they want to copy something to sell it, or take a part a set of machinery to maintain themselves rather than relying on the manufacturer. We can take this further and suggest critical reverse engineering for political/economic and media justice.To illustrate critical reverse engineering, this paper will explore the case of an alternative social media system, TalkOpen (a short-lived Twitter alternative). The paper uses the four orientations of reverse engineering to catalog how TalkOpen reverse engineered Twitter. This cases illustrates how Internet scholars can critically reverse engineer current social media sites and see how the resulting knowledge might be implemented in new, alternative social media sites.
Postcolonial Pragmatism? Ethno-Religious Conflict and Education in Postcolonial Spaces

One consequence of the disturbing chain of events since September 11, 2001, is the growing realization that what happens in the rest of the world matters to us in the affluent West. The collapse of society under a fundamentalist tyranny in Afghanistan matters to us. The failure to resolve ethnic and religious tensions in the Balkans matters to us. What is taught and how in Pakistani or Saudi or Philippine madaris matters to us. And because these things matter, they demand our attention and engagement. But it cannot be the neo-imperialist militarism of the current U.S. administration. Nor should it ignore the ways in which our prior colonial and neocolonial engagements with the developing world have helped to create some of the very problems we face today. This colonial past, rather than an argument for disengagement is in fact a powerful ethical argument for finding ways to work in solidarity with citizens of other countries to redress both the problems we helped to create as well as those we did not, but whose solution, we now understand, matters deeply to us. Education has a role to play in this international engagement, though it, too, carries colonial and neocolonial baggage that must be critically interrogated and shed.
Uncoating of poliovirus by isolated plasma membranes.

Abstract Poliovirus type I LSc strain labeled with 14C-uridine was adsorbed onto isolated plasma membranes and incubated with them. When membranes from Hep-2 or Vero cells were used, 22% of the label was converted to a trichloroacetic acid-soluble form, when trypsin or ribonuclease was added, the fraction rendered soluble was increased, and when the two enzymes were added in sequence, 85% or more of the label became trichloroacetic acid-soluble. This labilization of poliovirus could be reproduced when butanol-solubilized proteins from membranes were substituted for the whole plasma membranes, but it did not occur with membranes from polio-virus-resistant calf kidney or BHK-21 cells.
Astrocytic TGF-β Signaling Limits Inflammation and Reduces Neuronal Damage during Central Nervous System Toxoplasma Infection

The balance between controlling infection and limiting inflammation is particularly precarious in the brain because of its unique vulnerability to the toxic effects of inflammation. Astrocytes have been implicated as key regulators of neuroinflammation in CNS infections, including infection with Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite that naturally establishes a chronic CNS infection in mice and humans. In CNS toxoplasmosis, astrocytes are critical to controlling parasite growth. They secrete proinflammatory cytokines and physically encircle parasites. However, the molecular mechanisms used by astrocytes to limit neuroinflammation during toxoplasmic encephalitis have not yet been identified. TGF-β signaling in astrocytes is of particular interest because TGF-β is universally upregulated during CNS infection and serves master regulatory and primarily anti-inflammatory functions. We report in this study that TGF-β signaling is activated in astrocytes during toxoplasmic encephalitis and that inhibition of astrocytic TGF-β signaling increases immune cell infiltration, uncouples proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine production from CNS parasite burden, and increases neuronal injury. Remarkably, we show that the effects of inhibiting astrocytic TGF-β signaling are independent of parasite burden and the ability of GFAP(+) astrocytes to physically encircle parasites.
Search and target acquisition: single line of sight versus wide baseline stereo

This study investigates observer performance in visual search and target detection tasks for two different conditions of image viewing: binocular viewing of single line of sight images versus stereoscopic display of wide baseline stereo images. A multiple baseline imagery database was obtained during a field test. The targets were personnel wearing forest camouflage uniforms. They were arrayed at two rural terrain sites. The weather condition at the first site was clear to partly cloudy and at the second site overcast with light rain. The preliminary analysis of the first site database indicated that wide baseline stereo can improve search and target acquisition, but that the baseline used was too wide for many of the closer targets at that site. The database from the second site was then analyzed through observer testing, with single line of sight and wide baseline stereo displays. The results indicate that with training, stereo vision effectively reduces false alarm detection by a factor of 2. Additionally, guidelines are obtained for optimum stereo display that can be used to improve positive target detection by 20%.
Struggling to Stay Afloat: Dynamic Models of Poverty-related Adversity and Child Outcomes

This chapter outlines several promising ways to capture the respective roles of poverty (as defined by falling below a federally defined threshold based on families’ total household income and family size), and co-occurring risks (such as job loss, residential, and household instability ) in research on child outcomes in the context of adversity. As high-quality longitudinal data has become increasingly available and the methods for analyzing data are more sophisticated, our approaches to the measurement of poverty-related risk have become more complex. Exposure to poverty-related risk can be understood as dynamic, with consequences for children likely to vary as a function of timing, type, and context (e.g., households, schools, and neighborhoods). The impact of poverty-related adversity may also depend on both adults’ and children’s subjective experiences of material hardship and level of disadvantage relative to neighbors or peers. The authors draw upon a preschool experiment and subsequent long-term longitudinal follow-up of over 600 low-income children (the Chicago School Readiness Project or CSRP) to illustrate these approaches.
Prevention of behavioral disorders in primary care.

Purpose of reviewThis article reviews selected parenting programs for children aged 2–8 years old to inform primary-care pediatricians about options for families of children with behavior problems.Recent findingsYoung children with aggressive and oppositional behavior are at risk for serious antisoc
An investigation of fibroblast mitochondria enzyme activity and respiration in response to metallic ions released from dental alloys.

Most cellular functions evaluated for biocompatibility are high-energy processes such as proliferation and therefore are not usually affected before a decrease in energy production is observed. Several studies have shown that metabolic functions are altered at much lower concentrations than several normally used biocompatibility tests such as viability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth evaluation of metallic ion effects on mitochondria function and thereby biocompatibility. These studies evaluated the mitochondrial function of human gingival fibroblasts exposed to the salt solutions of ions released from nickel-based dental alloys, particularly beryllium (Be2+), chromium (Cr6+ and Cr3+), nickel (Ni2+), and molybdenum (Mo6+). Mitochondrial function was examined by NADH:CoQ reductase activity, succinate dehydrogenase activity, and oxygen consumption. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 50, 598–604, 2000.
Incorporation of fibres in geothermal well cements

Fibre-reinforced cements are of potential value in geothermal well cementing jobs due to their ability to withstand higher tensile stresses than conventional cements. Screening tests were performed to evaluate different fibre types with the objective of identifying systems offering the greatest improvement in cement tensile strength. The fibres investigated included steel, stainless steel, carbon, basalt and glass. The baseline cement matrix was standard Class G cement/40% silica flour and variations on this were latex-modification and lightweight formulations incorporating either perlite or microspheres. The fibres that showed the best performance at low volume fraction were 13 mm brass-coated round steel fibres. Steel and carbon microfibres also improved the tensile strength provided the volume fraction was high enough. Thermal and hydraulic properties of cements reinforced with steel fibres were measured and compared with unreinforced mixes. Based on the results, selected fibre types will be used in further property characterization studies and engineering analysis of geothermal wells completed with fibre-reinforced materials.
Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers and diabetes mellitus

Objective The aim of the current study is to investigate the association of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of environmental pollutants, with diabetes mellitus. Animal studies link PAHs to inflammation and subsequent development of diabetes mellitus. In addition, occupational studies suggest that exposure to other aromatic hydrocarbons such as dioxins may be associated with diabetes risk in humans. Design We examined participants from the merged National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2002, 2003–2004 and 2005–2006. Exposures of interest were eight urinary monohydroxy-PAHs. Our outcome was diabetes mellitus defined as a glycohemoglobin level (HbA1c) ≥6.5%, a self-reported physician diagnosis of diabetes or use of oral hypoglycaemic medication or insulin. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, race, alcohol consumption, poverty–income ratio, total cholesterol and serum cotinine. Results We observed a positive association between urinary biomarkers of 1 and 2-hydroxynapthol, 2-hydroxyphenanthrene and summed low molecular weight (LMW) PAH biomarkers, and diabetes mellitus. Compared with participants with summed LMW PAH biomarkers in the lowest quartile, the multivariable-adjusted OR of diabetes mellitus among those in the highest quartile was 3.1 (95% CI 1.6 to 5.8). Conclusions Urinary biomarkers of 1 and 2-hydroxynapthol, 2-hydroxyphenanthrene and summed LMW PAH biomarkers are associated with diabetes mellitus in US adults 20–65 years of age. The association of a one-time biomarker of PAH exposure has limitations commonly associated with cross-sectional studies, yet is consistent with experimental animal data and is worthy of additional consideration.
LUNG COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE IN CONGENITAL UNILATERAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA

The lungs of five infants dying with unoperated diaphragmatic hernia were studied by morphological and biochemical methods. The hypoplastic “H-Lung” was greatly reduced in size and weight (P<.001) as compared to the contralateral control “C-Lung”. DMA analyses suggested a marked reduction in cell number within the H-Lung (23.5 mg/HL vs 103.3 mg/CL). Glycogen levels were variable but tended to be elevated in H-Lungs. H-Lungs contained less total lipid (1.12 mg/mg DNA) than C-Lungs (1.56 mg/mg DNA). The phospholipid fraction was only slightly depressed (0.46 mg/mg DNA vs 0.55 mg/mg DNA). Phosphotidylcholine (PC) was significantly (P<.02) decreased in H-Lungs (0.22 mg/mg DNA vs 0.37 mg/mg DNA). Electron Microscopic studies revealed mild retardation in pneumonocyte cytodifferentiation in the C-lung (as compared to the lungs of age matched infants without hernia); the H-lung showed severe growth and developmental retardation at the substructural level. Comparisons of H- and C-Lungs revealed no significant alterations in the ratio of type II pneumocytes/non-type II pneumocytes. Collectively these findings offer an explanation for the observed susceptibility of the H-Lung to hyaline membrane disease and edema following surgical correction. Supported by USFHS NIH Grant HL-17328-03.
Flow Control and Rent Capture in Solid Waste Management

Abstract This event study examines the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court's May 1994 ruling that flow-control laws are unconstitutional on the $30 billion a year solid waste industry. Flow-control ordinances were enacted ostensibly to help finance the construction of multimillion dollar waste-to-energy facilities by ensuring supplies of solid waste and were challenged in court by waste hauling and landfill firms. Owing to large standard errors, I fail to reject the null hypothesis that the Supreme Court decision did not have significant effects on the expected profits of either hauling–landfill or waste-to-energy firms. This is consistent with relatively easy entry into hauling–landfilling and local government capture of any supernormal profits in waste-to-energy due to flow control. It suggests that the actual casualty of the repeal of flow control may be the ability of local governments to provide additional waste-related services, including household hazardous waste collection and curbside recycling.
SPONTANEOUS PERICARDIAL HEMATOMA IN AN INFANT

The finding of a pericardial hematoma is rare in the pediatric population. Its occurrence in an otherwise healthy 3-month-old infant is unprecedented in the literature. The hematoma was initially identified by echocardiography. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging did not contribute to the identification of the mass. An exploratory thoracotomy was necessary to rule out a neoplastic process. The final diagnosis of hemorrhagic pericarditis was made.
Relaxation effects during core ionization in metal—metal-bonded complexes

Abstract Using the ligand group shift model to calculate metal binding energies (BE's), comparisons of BE(calc) and BE(obs) values reveal a correlation between relaxation energy and the extent of metal—metal bonding. No significant difference in relaxation energy is detected between monometal complexes and the dipalladium complexes which contain a single MM bond. However, substantially larger relaxation energies (1–2 eV) relative to monometal complexes are found for multiply MM-bonded complexes. The magnitude of the additional relaxation energy is in the range expected on the basis of comparisons with other systems.
Positive-Ion Emission, a Neglected Phenomenon

About fifty years ago, much scientific work was done on the passage of electricity in air between two electrodes, one of which was red hot. A little later, as an outgrowth from these experiments, electron emission in a high vacuum proved to be of such interest and promise in the new but expanding science of electronics that the phenomenon in air has been all but forgotten. However, a new, interesting, and useful leak detector has been developed from this neglected effect, and there is reason to believe that positive-ion emission may well be of importance for other applications.
A first step toward detecting SSH identity theft in HPC cluster environments: discriminating masqueraders based on command behavior

Recent attacks enabled by stolen authentication passwords and keys have allowed intruders to masquerade as legitimate users on high performance computing clusters. With the motivation of detecting masqueraders on clusters, this work seeks to discriminate different types of users based on their command behavior - in particular, user command behavior on a multi-user public machine versus user command behavior on a high performance computing cluster. Our intuition is that these users act differently and the unique high performance cluster environment is constrained such that command behavior discrimination is enhanced versus enterprise environments. We formalize this into a classification problem to be solved by a support vector machine with TF-IDF feature construction techniques from the field of Information Retrieval. We present results showing the effectiveness of this approach exhibiting high precision depending on the length of monitoring in both time and number of commands. In particular we show that as few as 10 commands may be enough to recognize a masquerading attacker on a high performance computing cluster.
Current sexual trauma among high-risk teen mothers.

PROBLEM: The highest rate of reported intimate partner violence (IPV) is among women 15-45 years old (Hart and Jamieson, 2001) with 20% of pregnant teens reporting abuse (Campbell, 1999); however, little research on IPV and American Indian teen mothers has been done. METHOD: The purpose of this paper is to describe the degree of IPV and current sexual trauma among a group of Northern Plains adolescents being served by an American Indian teen mother program. FINDINGS: The relationship of trauma, substance abuse, and trauma symptoms are described. IPV was reported by 61% of the participants, with 37.5% reporting IPV during pregnancy and 22.5% reporting current sexual trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Development and testing of interventions for American Indian teen mothers, specifically related to trauma, are needed in addition to primary mental health services by agencies caring for this population. Language: en
Peoples Temple and Black Religion in America

Acknowledgments1. Peoples Temple as Black Religion: Re-Imagining the Contours of Black Religious Studies/ Anthony B. Pinn 2. Daddy Jones and Father Divine: The Cult as Political Religion/ C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence Mamiya 3. An Interpretation of the Peoples Temple and Jonestown: Implications for the Black Church/ Archie Smith, Jr. 4. Demographics and the Black Religious Culture of People Temple/ Rebecca Moore 5. Peoples Temple and Housing Politics in San Francisco/ Tanya Hollis 6. To Die for the Peoples Temple: Spirit, Politics, and Meaning-Making after Black Power/ Duchess Harris and Adam John Waterman 7. Jim Jones and Black Church Traditions/ Milmon Harrison 8. Breaking the Silence: Reflections of a Black Panther/ J. Alfred Smith 9. America Was Not Hard to Find/ Muhammed Isaiah Kenyatta 10. The Church in Peoples Temple/ Mary R. SawyerContributors Index
Sociocultural theory and blind taste-tests

In his entertaining 1986 book, The Real Coke, the Real Story, Thomas Oliver tells the story of the now infamous “New Coke”, a story retold in Malcolm Gladwell’s (2005) best-seller Blink. In the early 1980s, Pepsi began running commercials in which people took a sip from two glasses, not knowing which was Coke and which Pepsi. The majority preferred Pepsi. The Coca-Cola Company replicated these blind taste-tests and found the same result. Losing market share, Coke—long the dominant brand—changed its old formula and came out with “New Coke”, a soda made to a new formula, one that in a new round of blind taste-tests came out above Pepsi. But New Coke was a disaster.Consumers hated it. Coke not only returned to its old formula, but Pepsi never did overtake Coke, which remains today the dominant brand world-wide.
Leading-edge research: PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and directed migration.

New studies reveal the dynamic accumulation of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5) trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) at the leading edge of primary neutrophils during chemotaxis. They also demonstrate that SHIP1, rather than phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN), is responsible for the degradation and localization of this lipid in neutrophils and shed light on the role of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 in directional sensing.
Nonlinear parameter estimation for probabilistic finite-state automata

In this report, a nonlinear parameter estimation technique is employed to compute state transition probabilities of probabilistic finite-state automata. The technique is applied to the modelling of the DNA meiosis process. Using the nonlinear estimation method, transition probabilities are estimated which project an external behavior for the model that is very close to experimental data. The estimation method depends strongly upon the initial values supplied. Since it is not possible to iterate to an optimal set of initial values, the selection of initial values must be an intuitive process. However, a very close fit can be obtained in a small number of executions. The nonlinear estimation method is applicable to the estimation of transition probabilities of probabilistic finite-state automaton models for any stochastic system.
The Effects of Doubling the CO2 Concentration on the climate of a General Circulation Model

Abstract An attempt is made to estimate the temperature changes resulting from doubling the present CO2 concentration by the use of a simplified three-dimensional general circulation model. This model contains the following simplications: a limited computational domain, an idealized topography, no beat transport by ocean currents, and fixed cloudiness. Despite these limitations, the results from this computation yield some indication of how the increase of CO2 concentration may affect the distribution of temperature in the atmosphere. It is shown that the CO2 increase raises the temperature of the model troposphere, whereas it lowers that of the model stratosphere. The tropospheric warming is somewhat larger than that expected from a radiative-convective equilibrium model. In particular, the increase of surface temperature in higher latitudes is magnified due to the recession of the snow boundary and the thermal stability of the lower troposphere which limits convective beating to the lowest layer. It is ...
Coastal zone management for the new century

Abstract This essay surveys the field of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in terms of its readiness to handle coastal resources conservation problems of the Twenty First Century. It discusses each of the main components of ICZM including, inter alia, boundaries, objectives, coordination mechanisms, issues, techniques, institutional and legal arrangements, permits, environmental assessments (EA), protected areas, constraints, and success factors. It advocates use of modern computer and e-mail/world web utilities. It concludes that the incremental approach to ICZM is best for the next century and that EA is the best tool for controlling coastal development. The essay also targets the Strategy Plan as the key element in program development and stakeholder participation as the best way to gain support for ICZM.
Bankoe v. Dome: Traditions and Petitions in the Ho-Asogli Amalgamation, British Mandated Togoland, 1919-1939

This article investigates Ewe engagement with British administrative policy via the story of a chieftaincy dispute in Ho, British Mandated Togoland, that erupted when Britain attempted to amalgamate two neighboring chieftaincies, Ho-Dome and Ho-Bankoe, by deploying a model with an ‘ethnic stamp’, that of the neighboring Akan states. Colonial-era chieftaincy has received substantial scholarly attention. This article argues that the relationship between the models deployed to reorganize chiefly power and the roles of protagonists is just as significant as the layered conflicts within chieftaincies and their respective clans. Two responses to ‘Akanized’ amalgamation are investigated: the petitions of its opponents, and the rituals developed by chiefs, priests and peasants to herald the amalgamations.