cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nifedipine inhibits movement of cardiac calcium channels through late, but not early, gating transitions.

L-type Ca2+ channels were studied in guinea pig ventricular myocytes by examining how photoinactivation of nifedipine affected the Ca2+ current (ICa) and the Ca2+ channel gating current (Ig). ICa, ...
Understanding Acoustic Cavitation Initiation by Porous Nanoparticles: Toward Nanoscale Agents for Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy.

Ultrasound is widely applied in medical diagnosis and therapy due to its safety, high penetration depth, and low cost. In order to improve the contrast of sonographs and efficiency of the ultrasound therapy, echogenic gas bodies or droplets (with diameters from 200 nm to 10 μm) are often used, which are not very stable in the bloodstream and unable to penetrate into target tissues. Recently, it was demonstrated that nanobubbles stabilized by nanoparticles can nucleate ultrasound responsive microbubbles under reduced acoustic pressures, which is very promising for the development of nanoscale (<100 nm) ultrasound agents. However, there is still very little understanding about the effects of nanoparticle properties on the stabilization of nanobubbles and nucleation of acoustic cavitation by these nanobubbles. Here, a series of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with sizes around 100 nm but with different morphologies were synthesized to understand the effects of nanoparticle porosity, surface roughness, hydrop...
Respiratory motion-resolved, self-gated 4D-MRI using rotating cartesian k-space (ROCK).

Purpose To propose and validate a respiratory motion resolved, self-gated (SG) 4D-MRI technique to assess patient-specific breathing motion of abdominal organs for radiation treatment planning. Methods The proposed 4D-MRI technique was based on the balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) technique and 3D k-space encoding. A novel rotating cartesian k-space (ROCK) reordering method was designed which incorporates repeatedly sampled k-space centerline as the SG motion surrogate and allows for retrospective k-space data binning into different respiratory positions based on the amplitude of the surrogate. The multiple respiratory-resolved 3D k-space data were subsequently reconstructed using a joint parallel imaging and compressed sensing method with spatial and temporal regularization. The proposed 4D-MRI technique was validated using a custom-made dynamic motion phantom and was tested in six healthy volunteers, in whom quantitative diaphragm and kidney motion measurements based on 4D-MRI images were compared with those based on 2D-CINE images. Results The 5-minute 4D-MRI scan offers high-quality volumetric images in 1.2 × 1.2 × 1.6 mm3 and eight respiratory positions, with good soft-tissue contrast. In phantom experiments with triangular motion waveform, the motion amplitude measurements based on 4D-MRI were 11.89% smaller than the ground truth, whereas a −12.5% difference was expected due to data binning effects. In healthy volunteers, the difference between the measurements based on 4D-MRI and the ones based on 2D-CINE were 6.2 ± 4.5% for the diaphragm, 8.2 ± 4.9% and 8.9 ± 5.1% for the right and left kidney. Conclusion The proposed 4D-MRI technique could provide high-resolution, high-quality, respiratory motion-resolved 4D images with good soft-tissue contrast and are free of the “stitching” artifacts usually seen on 4D-CT and 4D-MRI based on resorting 2D-CINE. It could be used to visualize and quantify abdominal organ motion for MRI-based radiation treatment planning.
Frogs, Ponds, and Culture: Variations in Entry Decisions

Would you rather be the big frog in a small pond or the small frog in a big pond? In three studies, we demonstrate that the entry preference depends on culture. Study 1 found a higher big pond preference for East Asian, versus European American, students. Studies 2A and 2B replicated this big pond preference in behavioral intent across educational and organizational settings for Chinese, as compared to United States, working adults. Study 3 demonstrated cultural variation in frog–pond decisions was not explained by comparison processes that characterize postentry self-regard but rather by concerns for prestige. Together, findings highlight how a cultural lens informs psychological processes that shape entry decision-making.
Linear Recurrence Sequences

The best known linear recurrence sequence is the Fibonacci Sequence 1,1,2,3,5,8,..., where each term (after the first two terms) is a sum of the two preceding terms. We may extend it to become a “doubly infinite” sequence $$ ..., - 8,5, - 3,2, - 1,1,0,1,1,2,3,5,8,... . $$ .
Solid Organ Injury

Though there is a paucity of elderly specific data, management of solid organ injuries in the elderly should follow the same basic tenets of management as for all patients. The majority of patients with blunt injury to the liver, spleen, and kidney can be managed nonoperatively unless accompanied by hemodynamic instability or peritonitis. Elderly patients in shock do poorly, and the recognition of shock may be more challenging; thus, early recognition and treatment are important including prompt laparotomy when indicated. Certain caveats present in the elderly should be taken into consideration when deciding on nonoperative management and may include the patient’s physiologic reserve to tolerate hemorrhage or shock should bleeding develop, the use of anticoagulants, presence of comorbid conditions, and underlying renal function should angiography be necessary. Mortality is higher in the injured elderly than for younger patients for both operative and nonoperative management.
Modeling resolution effects on the seismic response of a hospital steel building

Abstract Numerical finite element analysis is considered a reliable tool for response assessment of structures under extreme loadings. When developing finite element models, various geometrical and behavioral assumptions are typically made to simplify the modeling approach and to save on computational cost. The effect of these assumptions on analysis results, however, could be substantial and might significantly alter the decisions pertaining to design, assessment, or retrofit of the structure considered. The importance of accurate modeling, particularly of critical infrastructures, can be vital for post-disaster recovery management following an extreme event. In this study, the seismic response of a six-story hospital building with buckling-restrained braces, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is evaluated for different modeling resolution levels. Different pushover and non-linear time-history analyses are conducted to understand, compare, and evaluate the seismic performance of the structure using both 2-D and 3-D numerical models with and without soil. Various nonlinear features are considered in the simulations including realistic hysteretic behavior of the connections, buckling-restrained braces, and soil-foundation-structure interaction. The results highlight the importance of including representative member and connection models as well as realistic boundary conditions, while employing 3-D simulations, for accurate predictions of system response.
Intestinal transplants: review of normal imaging appearance and complications.

Intestinal transplant (IT) is one of the least common forms of organ transplant but is increasing both in volume of cases and number of centers performing intestinal transplants, with the busiest centers in North America and Europe. IT can be performed in isolation or as part of a multivisceral transplant (MVT). Intestinal failure either in the form of short gut syndrome or functional bowel problems is the primary indication for IT. The normal post-surgical anatomy can be variable due to both recipient anatomy in regard to amount of residual bowel and status of native vasculature as well as whether the transplant is isolated or part of a multivisceral transplant. Complications of isolated IT and IT as part of an MVT include complications shared with other types of organ transplants such as infection, rejection, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder and graft versus host disease. Mechanical bowel complications of the graft include bowel obstruction, stricture, leak, perforation and enterocutaneous f...
Mutations in the insulin receptor gene in genetic forms of insulin resistance.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mutations in the insulin receptor gene that have been identified in patients with genetic forms of insulin resistance. Two clinical features are commonly observed in patients with extreme insulin resistance irrespective of the biochemical mechanism which causes the insulin resistance: (1) acanthosis nigricans, which is a hyperkeratotic hyperpigmented skin lesion, and (2) hyperandrogenism, which is a clinical sign that is commonly observed in premenopausal women with extreme insulin resistance as a result of increased ovarian production of testosterone. The pathway of insulin receptor biosynthesis is complex and involves transcription of the gene, translation of the mRNA, and multiple posttranslational modifications. After the completion of biosynthesis, the mature receptor molecule is transported to the cell surface for insertion into the plasma membrane. Defects have been described that impair many of these steps and thereby lead to reduction in the number of insulin receptors on the cell surface. The chapter explains clinical syndromes of extreme insulin resistance. The chapter discusses two types of syndromes: (1) genetic type A insulin resistance including lipoatrophic diabetes, leprechaunism, and Rabson–Mendenhall and (2) autoimmune type B insulin resistance.
A Continent Colonic Urinary Reservoir: The Florida Pouch

AbstractA total of 92 patients underwent continent urinary diversion with an extended, detubularized right colonic segment as the urinary reservoir and the distal ileum as a continent catheterizable efferent system. In this series 65 patients were followed for 6 to 46 months (average 17 months). Our reservoir allows the accommodation of a large volume of urine; urodynamic studies in 28 patients demonstrated a maximum reservoir capacity varying between 550 and 1,200cc (average 747cc). Maximal reservoir pressures ranged from 10 to 58cm. water (average 35cm. water). Of the 127 ureterocolonic reimplantations 4 ureters were initially reimplanted with a modified Le Due procedure, 26 ureters were managed subsequently with the Goodwin transcolonic approach and 91 reimplantations were done with a direct (nontunneled) mucosa-to-mucosa anastomosis. The overall success rates with each of the 3 techniques (absence of reflux and obstruction) were 75, 88.6 and 90.1%, respectively. Six megaureters underwent imbrication a...
Suggestions for Directed Engineering of Reaction Centers: Metal, Substituent and Charge Modifications

The multifaceted biological roles fulfilled by porphyrin derivatives repeatedly illustrate the control of electronic and chemical properties exerted by variations in the porphyrin macrocycles as well as their metals, peripheral substituents, and protein microenvironments.1,2 The rapid advances in mutation technology3,4,5 and the recent developments in chromophore exchanges6 offer unprecedented opportunities to probe the structure-function interactions that control the photophysics and photochemistry of photosynthetic reaction centers (and antennas). We discuss here experimental and theoretical models that predict or rationalize the consequences of altering the metals and substituents of the chromophores as well as their protein environment. Specifically, we consider the following: 1) The substitution of zinc or nickel for the magnesium of the bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) in the reaction center (RC), or the insertion of these metals into the bacteriopheophytins (BPheo), both as redox modifiers and as EXAFS probes of their immediate coordination sphere. 2) Modifications of the peripheral substituents of the chromophores and their observed and predicted effects on the optical properties of RCs with particular attention to the large differences in phototrap energies in organisms comprised of BChls b and g. 3) The theoretical basis for electrochromic effects induced by the generation of cations and anions in RCs, or by the directed introduction of “charged” or highly polar residues.
UNIT 4.8 Primer Extension

This protocol can be used to map the 5' terminus of an RNA and to quantitate the amount of a given RNA by extending a primer using reverse transcriptase. The primer is an oligonucleotide (or restriction fragment) that is complementary to a portion of the RNA of interest. The primer is end-labeled, hybridized to the RNA, and extended by reverse transcriptase using unlabeled deoxynucleotides to form a single-stranded DNA complementary to the template RNA. The resultant DNA is analyzed on a sequencing gel. The length of the extended primer maps the position of the 5' end of the RNA, and the yield of primer extension product reflects the abundance of the RNA.
Pro-Inflammatory Activation of A New Immortalized Human Microglia Cell Line.

The characterization of human microglia has been hampered by poor availability of human cell sources. However, microglia is involved in the physiopathology of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, HIV dementia, retinal degenerative diseases, cancer, and many other conditions. Therefore, there is an important need to have experimental paradigms of human microglia characterized and usable to study the role of microglia in the different pathologies in which it is involved. In the present work, we carried out an extensive characterization of Immortalized Human Microglia—SV40 cell line (IMhu), marketed by Applied Biological Material. The functional response of IMhu to a large variety of stimuli was studied. In particular, we investigated morphology, mortality, and changes in the production of different cytokines and chemokines, both under basal conditions and after stimulation. Moreover, western blotting analysis was conducted on phospho-mTOR (Ser 2448) and downstream parameters, p-P70S6K and 4EBP1, in order to understand if IMhu can be used for evaluations of mTOR pathway. In conclusion, IMhu cells proved to be a useful experimental model to investigate the physiopathology of inflammatory disease that involved microglia cells, including pathological conditions that involved the mTOR pathway.
The Conductivity of Porous Ni/ZrO2-Y2O3 Cermets

at 1000 °C has been measured as a function of the Ni content (15-50 vol.%) using cermets with two different ZrO2 particle sizes.
Gas Exchange Gamified: Teaching Respiration Physiology with a Novel Board Game

Pulmonary gas exchange is a complex component of respiratory physiology. For many students, the movement of unseen gases can seem abstract and confusing. The “Gas Exchange Game” is a novel board game designed for use in a second-semester anatomy and physiology course. Students apply textbook knowledge of the laws of gas exchange and use the game board and pieces to see concrete examples of how gases move in the human body.
Chladni and His Acoustic Experiments

In early 1809, a peculiar acoustics demonstration by Chladni, a German physicist, arose in Sophie Germain her intellectual curiosity. At that time, the learned community in Paris was once again vibrant, spurred by the support of Napoleon. The first graduates from the Ecole Polytechnique were working alongside senior researchers, paving new roads in applied mathematics and physics. Scientists from abroad were descending in Paris to learn from the French and to share with them their own scientific discoveries. Acoustics and elasticity theories were emerging.
CHAPTER 14 – Cholesterol biosynthesis

Publisher Summary Cholesterol's structure, biosynthetic pathway, and metabolic regulation have tested the ingenuity of chemists, biochemists, and cell biologists. The cholesterol biosynthetic pathway was understood to be a complex pathway of over 40 cytosolic and membrane-bound enzymes, at least two of which are subject to feedback regulation by the end product, cholesterol, and oxygenated forms of cholesterol (called oxysterols). Genes encoding the key enzymes were cloned, which revealed the transcriptional and post-translational control of these enzymes. Subsequently, the mechanisms of regulation were elucidated on a molecular level, although it was still not clear how cholesterol elicits all of the regulation. Factors that regulate cholesterol synthesis have been found to also control the synthetic pathways for fatty acids, triacylglycerols, and NADPH. Furthermore, the evidence is rapidly building that cholesterol's precursors and metabolites might serve as biologically active signaling molecules. Cholesterol is synthesized from acetyl-CoA via the isoprenoid pathway. Cellular cholesterol levels regulate at least 14 enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway.
Thinking like a lawyer: a new computer and society column

Have you ever heard the phrase, thinking like a lawyer? Perhaps the most commonly echoed phrase about law school is that students learn how to "think like a lawyer," but what does that mean? As a lawyer, who went through the initiating ritual of law school, sitting for the bar, and litigating cases, I have allegedly gained this skill called "thinking like a lawyer." As I reflect upon how the experience of becoming a lawyer and practicing law changed my thinking, a few things come to mind. First, I am subconsciously scanning for risks and liability everywhere, fabricating fictitious lawsuits in my head that might occur. Second, I care a lot about words, what exactly was said, and the meaning and truthfulness of the assertion when a strict vs. lenient interpretation of those words is applied. Third, I have the ability to navigate complex systems and to guide others less familiar with those systems through the maze. Finally, I have acquired a sobering view of what the legal system does and does not do, its promise and its shortcomings.
Inelastic Deformation Mechanisms in Shock Compressed Polycrystalline Pure Magnesium at Temperatures Approaching Melt

In this paper, we investigate inelastic deformation mechanisms in polycrystalline commercially-pure (99.9%) magnesium samples shock-compressed using reverse-geometry normal plate-impact experiments at elevated temperatures. The favorability of orientation for the possible deformation modes (i.e. basal slip, prismatic slip, pyramidal I & II slip and extension/contraction twinning) is investigated using Schmid Factor analysis using the EBSD data. The study is an extension of a recent study by the authors [Wang et al. in J Dyn Behav Mater 3:497–509, 2017], and is motivated by the need to better understand the underlying inelastic deformation mechanisms operative in shock-compressed Mg at incipient plasticity at near-melt temperatures. Electron Backscatter Diffraction analysis of the as-received polycrystalline magnesium samples at room temperature reveal that the $$\langle 10\bar{1}0\rangle$$ directions (normal to the prismatic planes) are parallel to the impact direction, while the [0001] poles are aligned with the radial directions (RD). Because of the unfavorable orientation for basal slip and the high Critical Resolved Shear Stresses (CRSS) for the other non-basal slip systems, extension twinning is observed to be the preferred deformation mode in the samples. In addition, results from samples tested at 400 °C, 500 °C, 610 °C and 630 °C, indicate progressive grain coarsening and a notable increase in extension twin activity at the two highest test temperatures used in the study, i.e. 610 °C and 630 °C. In general, for polycrystalline hcp metals, an increase in grain size and test temperatures are understood to promote dislocation-mediated slip and not dislocation twinning; however, in the present experiments, at the two highest test temperatures a notable increase in extension twin area fraction is observed, indicating an increased resistance (suppression) of dislocation slip at incipient inelasticity. These results, along with the experimentally measured particle velocity profiles at the two highest test temperature experiments (610 °C and 630 °C), provide evidence for transition in dislocation-based slip mechanisms from being thermally activated to viscous drag mediated under the normal shock compression and elevated temperature conditions of the present experiments.
Evaluation of the Role of Leisure Time Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Simultaneously on the Income-Overweight/Obesity Relationship.

In the United States, overweight/obesity is more prevalent among those with low-income; higher income is related to greater leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and sedentary behavior (SB), which are inversely related to overweight/obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the role of LTPA and SB simultaneously in the income-overweight/obesity relationship. Cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2014) were utilized (n = 10,348 non-older adults (aged 20–59 years)). A multiple mediator structural equation model was conducted to evaluate the indirect effects from income to overweight/obesity (Body Mass Index ≥25 kg/m2) through LTPA and SB simultaneously, controlling for confounding variables, including diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption. As expected, greater income was negatively associated with overweight/obesity. Income indirectly influenced overweight/obesity through LTPA (Indirect effect: B = −0.005; CI = −0.01, −0.003), and through SB (Indirect effect: B = 0.008; CI = 0.005, 0.01), in opposing directions. The direct effect from income to overweight/obesity remained statistically significant. LTPA partially accounted for the negative relationship between income and overweight/obesity; SB reduced the strength of the negative relationship between income and overweight/obesity. Targeted behavior approaches for weight management may be beneficial. Increasing LTPA among adults with lower income and decreasing SB among adults with higher income may provide some overweight/obesity protection.
Recurrent vulvar rashes in a girl aged 22 months for more than half a year

A girl, aged 22 months, attended the hospital due to recurrent vulvar rashes for more than half a year. Skin biopsy showed Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and evaluation of systemic conditions showed no systemic involvement. Therefore, the girl was diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (skin type). In conclusion, for rashes on the vulva alone, if there are no specific clinical manifestations, the possibility of Langerhans cell histiocytosis should be considered after molluscum contagiosum, sexually transmitted diseases, and Fordyce disease are excluded.
Dietary fat promotes antibiotic-induced Clostridioides difficile mortality in mice

Abstract Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and emerging evidence has linked dietary components with CDI pathogenesis, suggesting that dietary modulation may be an effective strategy for prevention. Here, we show that mice fed a high-fat/low-fiber “Western type” diet (WD) had dramatically increased mortality in a murine model of antibiotic-induced CDI compared to a low-fat/low-fiber (LF/LF) diet and standard mouse chow controls. We found that the WD had a pro-C. difficile bile acid composition that was driven in part by higher levels of primary bile acids that are produced to digest fat, and a lower level of secondary bile acids that are produced by the gut microbiome. This lack of secondary bile acids was associated with a greater disturbance to the gut microbiome with antibiotics in both the WD and LF/LF diet compared to mouse chow. Mice fed the WD also had the highest level of toxin TcdA just prior to the onset of mortality, but not of TcdB or increased inflammation. These findings indicate that dietary intervention to decrease fat may complement previously proposed dietary intervention strategies to prevent CDI in high-risk individuals. One Sentence Summary A high-fat/low-fiber Western type diet promoted mortality in a mouse model of antibiotic-induced C. difficile infection compared to a low-fat/high-fiber diet and chow diet, suggesting that lower dietary fat may be an effective strategy for preventing C. difficile pathology.
Effects of Active Learning Variants on Student Performance and Learning Perceptions

This paper aims to examine the relative impacts of three different models of learning (collaborative learning, traditional lecturing and process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL)) on student performance and learning perceptions. In a controlled case study, we measured the learning outcomes of 57 undergraduates in a chemistry course taught by the different learning modules, using quizzes and exams as performance measures. In one academic quarter, the collaborative learning method was used exclusively whereas all three models were used subsequently in a second quarter by dividing up lectures into 4 different modules. Student quiz and exam outcomes indicated significant difference between collaborative learning and traditional lecturing (P = 0.01) but not within the active learning variants or POGIL versus traditional lecturing (P > 0.05), suggesting students performed best on content taught by collaborative learning. When prompted to pick a learning module, 67% of the students chose collaborative learning but not POGIL, indicative of student preference for one active learning variant over the other. However, student engagement and higher-order thinking appeared to be higher under the POGIL module though both skills were also evident during the collaborative learning period. Based on the outcome of the present study, it is recommended that purely inquiry-based lectures should employ short-burst intermittent lecturing to overcome student resistance and negative perceptions.
The Theorem of Alexandroff

Any subset of a metric space is itself a metric space, with the same distance function. It is obvious that any closed subset of a complete metric space is complete with respect to the same metric. When can a subspace be remetrized so as to be complete? This question is answered by the following
Salmonella bredeney meningitis; case report of a 19 day old infant.

A case of Salmonella bredeney meningitis with recovery in a 19 day old infant is reported. This is the youngest patient with Salmonella meningitis known to have recovered. This is the second known case of Salmonella meningitis with recovery in a patient less than one month of age. Treatment with multiple antibiotics and chemotherapy both parenterally and intrathecally produced rapid improvement. An equally effective supportive blood transfusion may have aided this recovery. The use of chloromycetin after discontinuance of all other antibiotics was effective in producing a clinical recovery without relapse. No sequelae were noted at the end of a three month observation period. Attempts at discovering the carrier state of the infesting organism by careful examination of the family revealed no source of infection.
Stigma and Schizophrenia: Directions in Student Training.

Abstract The persistence of stigma related to schizophrenia is addressed as a continuing challenge for social work students working in mental health. Student education is best grounded in direct clinical work with clients in conjunction with field supervision and classroom education. Through direct practice in individual and group sessions, students learn to help clients recognize and cope with stigma so that the potentially negative effects can be lessened. An assertive stance is suggested. Students are encouraged to initiate the topic and, because schizophrenia often affects cognitive abilities, work with clients at their level of understanding. Clinical interventions with first episode of schizophrenia clients by masters level social work students are illustrated and discussed.
Perceptions About Breast Cancer Patients

Undergraduate students (N = 155) read one of three descriptions of a breast cancer patient that were identical except for the degree of relationship (mother, neighbor, or family friend) they were to imagine that they had with the patient. They then completed a 12-item questionnaire concerning their perceptions of and reactions to the patient. Significant differences among the relationship conditions were found for 6 of the 12 questions, and significant differences were found between the responses of male and female students for 2 of the 12 questions. A significant interaction effect was observed for one question. For all instances in which a significant effect for condition emerged, the neighbor or the family friend received more negative reactions than did the mother. The male students were less likely than were the female students to believe that the patient could return to work within three months after hospitalizatlon and to fear they would get cancer after visiting the patient. The results are discus...
Finite dimensional representations of the ${\rm SU}(2)$-current Lie algebra

We give a complete classification of the finite dimensional solutions for the Lie functional equations ofSU(2).
Biological Mechanisms Involved in the Formation of Deoxy Sugars IV. ENZYMATIC CONVERSION OF THYMIDINE DIPHOSPHOGLUCOSE-4T TO THYMIDINE DIPHOSPHO-4-KETO-6-DEOXYGLUCOSE-6T

Abstract The reaction mechanism for the first biosynthetic step leading to the formation of deoxy sugars has been studied with a specifically tritiated substrate, thymidine diphosphoglucose-4T. In the presence of partially purified TDP-glucose oxidoreductase from Escherichia coli B, the substrate was converted quantitatively to TDP-4-keto-6-deoxyglucose-6T. No exchange of tritium with the medium occurred during the reaction. Chemical degradation revealed that all of the tritium originally present on carbon 4 of the glucose had migrated to carbon 6 of the 4-keto derivative. The evidence for the possible intermediary formation of a nucleotide-bound 4-keto-5,6-glucoseen is discussed.
GALPROP: modeling cosmic ray propagation and associated interstellar emissions

Research in many areas of modern physics and astrophysics such as, e.g., indirect searches for dark matter (DM), particle acceleration in SNR shocks, and the spectrum and origin of extragalactic gamma-ray background, rely heavily on studies of cosmic rays (CRs) and associated diffuse emissions. New or improved instrumentation to explore these open issues is ready or under development. A fleet of ground-based, balloon-borne, and spacecraft instruments measures many CR species, gamma rays, radio, and synchrotron emission. Exploiting the data collected by the scientific missions to the fullest requires reliable and detailed calculations using a numerical model. GALPROP is the current state-of-the-art numerical CR propagation code that has become a standard analysis tool in CR and diffuse gamma-ray research. It uses astrophysical information, nuclear and particle data as input to self-consistently predict CRs, gamma rays, synchrotron emission and other observables. This paper reviews recent GALPROP developments and results.
Variability in wheelchair propulsion: a new window into an old problem

Manual wheelchair users are at great risk for the development of upper extremity injury and pain. Any loss of upper limb function due to pain adversely impacts the independence and mobility of manual wheelchair users. There is growing theoretical and empirical evidence that fluctuations in movement (i.e., motor variability) are related to musculoskeletal pain. This perspectives paper discusses a local review on several investigations examining the association between variability in wheelchair propulsion and shoulder pain in manual wheelchair users. The experimental data reviewed highlights that the variability of wheelchair propulsion is impacted by shoulder pain in manual wheelchair users. We maintain that inclusion of these metrics in future research on wheelchair propulsion and upper limb pain may yield novel data. Several promising avenues for future research based on this collective work are discussed.
Legislation, Product Liability and Advertising: Dangerous Omens in the Global Environment

Recent changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, combined with the changes in the European Economic Community have increased the pressures on our markets, our marketing system, and our legal system, as we try to factor in the necessary conditions for competing in the global economy. Marketing strategists must react to or try to anticipate changes in the marketing environment that are not under the control of the firm, especially those reflecting consumer trends, economic issues, and government policies that have a direct impact on competitive advantage. Survival in a global economy increasingly mandates that operations conform to the baseline requirements of all the potential markets for the firm's products. The need to maintain a level playing field among all the global competitors drives each nation desirous of receiving the fruits of global productivity to conform their economic environment to emerging standards.
Predicting depth of anesthesia using bispectral parameters in neural networks

Features like the spectral edge and median frequency derived from power spectrum of the EEG have so far failed to show any consistent changes with the depth of anesthesia. One of the disadvantages of using power spectrum is that it suppresses phase information in the signal. A third order spectrum or bispectrum preserves phase information. A bispectral parameter called bicoherence index was derived from the EEG prior to a tail clamp. Using the bicoherence index and the estimated MAC level of the dog at that time a neural network was able to correctly classify all the 36 data points from a test group corresponding to either an awake or an asleep dog.
Authoritarianism and the Growth of the State in Latin America: An Assessment of Their Impacts on Argentine Public Policy, 1930-1970

The discussion focuses on the effects that changing forms of authoritarian rule and the growth of a bureaucratic state had on A gentine public policies during the 1930-1970 interval. Hitherto quite...
The literary project and representations of anthropology

In the 1980s, the publication of three works, `Ethnographies as Texts', Writing Culture, and Anthropology as Cultural Critique, signaled the arrival of a significantly literary project claimed as a critique of anthropology, widely reviewed and discussed at the time (both pro and con). These works have continued to have a major impact on anthropological practice, particularly in the United States. In this article, I return to these `early works' in the literary project, as well as to Geertz's `Thick Description', which I see as seminal to their production. I argue that the `crisis of representation' claimed in these works is a misrepresentation of the core intentions and efforts of the anthropological enterprise. The perspective presented here is one in which the focus on representation is seen as having encumbered rather than enlightened the work of anthropologists, and argues for an anthropology grounded in life, not literature.
Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations do not accurately predict growth hormone deficiency in children with brain tumours

OBJECTIVE The growth hormone (GH)-dependent growth factors insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) may be superior to provocative GH testing in diagnosing GH deficiency (GHD) in children. In adults with brain tumours (BT) and GHD, however, provocative GH testing more accurately reflects GHD than either IGF-I or IGFBP-3. We assessed growth factor levels in children with GHD due to BT with respect to brain tumour type, pubertal stage, growth velocity, bone age delay, and body mass index (BMI). DESIGN Retrospective case review of all patients followed at our centre with GHD following treatment of BT. PATIENTS 72 children (51 M, 21 F) with BT diagnosed with GHD by clinical and auxological criteria, including provocative GH testing, in whom pre-GH treatment IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were obtained. MEASUREMENTS Auxological data, including height, weight, growth velocity, and pubertal stage; and biochemical data, including GH response to provocative GH testing and pre-GH treatment serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations. RESULTS IGF-I levels were normal (above −2 SD) in 19 of 70 children (27%), and IGFBP-3 levels were normal in 21 of 42 (50%). In children with GHD, pubertal stage correlated significantly with both IGF-I (r = 0.328, p < 0.006) and IGFBP-3 (r = 0.364, P < 0.02). Normal IGF-1 levels were found in 1/15 children with craniopharyngioma (Cranio) (7%), 10/30 with primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNET) (33%), and 5/12 children with hypothalamic/chiasmatic glioma (HCG) (42%) (P < 0.05). IGFBP-3 levels were normal in 4/13 Cranio patients (31%), 8/15 PNET patients (53%), and 6/8 HCG patients (75%) (P = ns). Tanner staging varied significantly among tumour types: mode = 1 for Cranio and PNET vs. mode = 3 for HCG (P < 0.03). BMI did not differ between patients with low vs. normal growth factor levels. CONCLUSIONS Low IGF-I levels were more predictive of growth hormone deficiency than low IGFBP-3 levels in our brain tumour patients, but both were poor predictors of growth hormone deficiency in children with hypothalamic-chiasmatic glioma and in pubertal children. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels, therefore, do not always reflect growth hormone deficiency in children with brain tumours, particularly in those with hypothalamic-chiasmatic glioma or those already in puberty.
The behaviour of caesium iodide cluster ions produced by fast-atom bombardment

Abstract Metastable ion and collisionally-activated dissociation spectra of several cluster ions of the type [Cs n +1 I n ] + , formed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FABMS) of CsI, have been studied: It is found that particular cluster ions are more stable than others. Less stable ions undergo more unimolecular dissociation and have larger cross-sections for collisional dissociation than do the more stable ions, and this leads to unexpected anomalies in the FAB mass spectrum of CsI. The collision spectrum of [Cs 35 I 34 ] + ( m/z 8966) has been acquired at an accelerating potential of 10 kV; the extent of both unimolecular and collisionally-activated dissociation of this ion is remarkably high and leads to collision/ transmission efficiencies of 85% for our tandem mass spectrometer. Clusters formed by FAB of an equimolar mixture of CsI and KI have also been studied by their collisionally-activated dissociation (CAD) and metastable ion (MI) spectra.
Detrimental clinical interaction between ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors and vinblastin in HIV-infected patients with Hodgkin lymphoma

Background: Pharmacokinetic interaction between Vinca alkaloids and antiretrovirals has been widely demonstrated, even though its clinical relevance is still debated. The incidence of Hodgkin's lymphoma appears to be rising in HIV-infected people, and vinblastine - containing chemotherapy regimens are widely recommended in these pts. Supplement: Abstracts of the Tenth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1758-2652-13-S4-info.pdf Conference: Tenth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection 7-11 November 2010 Glasgow, UK (Published: 8 November 2010) doi:10.1186/1758-2652-13-S4-P215 Cite this article as: Cingolani et al.: Detrimental clinical interaction between ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors and vinblastin in HIVinfected patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2010 13(Suppl 4):P215. Full text: PubMed Central: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3113000/
Study of the stereoselectivity of 2-azido-2-deoxygalactosyl donors: relationship to the steric factors of glycosyl acceptors

Abstract The stereoselectivity of a 2-azido-2-deoxygalactosyl (GalN3) donor is found to strongly depend on the nature of the acceptors in glycosylation reactions. The order of the acceptor, the stereochemistry, and the configuration of the monosaccharide all affect the stereochemistry outcome. More reactive acceptors are observed to favor β-products, while less reactive acceptors afford more α-products.
gProximity: Hierarchical GPU-based Operations for Collision and Distance Queries

We present novel parallel algorithms for collision detection and separation distance computation for rigid and deformable models that exploit the computational capabilities of many-core GPUs. Our approach uses thread and data parallelism to perform fast hierarchy construction, updating, and traversal using tight-fitting bounding volumes such as oriented bounding boxes (OBB) and rectangular swept spheres (RSS). We also describe efficient algorithms to compute a linear bounding volume hierarchy (LBVH) and update them using refitting methods. Moreover, we show that tight-fitting bounding volume hierarchies offer improved performance on GPU-like throughput architectures. We use our algorithms to perform discrete and continuous collision detection including self-collisions, as well as separation distance computation between non-overlapping models. In practice, our approach (gProximity) can perform these queries in a few milliseconds on a PC with NVIDIA GTX 285 card on models composed of tens or hundreds of thousands of triangles used in cloth simulation, surgical simulation, virtual prototyping and N-body simulation. Moreover, we observe more than an order of magnitude performance improvement over prior GPU-based algorithms.
Recognition of former nestmates during colony founding by the social wasp Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

In the laboratory overwintered females of Polistes fuscatus preferentially associated with former nestmates during the founding of a colony. They did not associate with non-nestmates or only with nestmates with whom they had overwintered, but affiliated with all former nestmates, regardless of where the former nestmates overwintered.
Ad hoc and Selective Translations of Scientific and Technical Journal Articles: Their Characteristics and Possible Predictability.

Translation is identified as the most widely used method for overcoming the foreign language barrier. After defining the varieties of translation, a study of ad hoc and selective translations of scientific and technical journal articles is described. On the basis of two random samples, one of translated and one of untranslated foreign language articles, the differences between translated and untranslated articles, with respect to original language, subject, number of references, number of authors, and frequency with which their authors are cited in other works, are presented and discussed. Finally, the possibility of using the differences between translated and untranslated articles for predicting the future need for ad hoc or selective translations is explored.
Establishment and job context influences on the use of hiring practices

Pourquoi les organisations utilisent-elles certaines methodes de selection professionnelle? Si beaucoup de travaux portent sur les procedures qu'elles devraient suivre, peu de recherches ou de theories existent sur le pourquoi de ce qui se fait reellement. Ceci est d'autant plus surprenant que beaucoup d'entreprises font appel a des pratiques de recrutement que la litterature specialisee juge inefficaces. Apres avoir examine plusieurs explications, on propose un point de vue relevant de la psychologie de l'evolution en raison de l'importance que celle-ci accorde a la genese et aux fonctions des modeles sociaux (Campbell, 1975). D'apres cette approche, ce sont des facteurs issus de l'environnement qui rendraient compte du choix des pratiques de selection. On a emis huit hypotheses qui ont ete mises a l'epreuve des donnees recueillies aupres de 62 etablissements. Les resultats montrent que les caracteristiques de l'organisation sont en correlation avec l'exploitation de tests standardises, que les caracteristiques des postes le sont avec la pratique des entretiens et que la rotation du personnel entretient un lien avec l'instauration de periodes d'essai. L'article traite ensuite des processus psychologiques qui determinent les habitudes et conclut sur les retombees concernant chercheurs et praticiens. Why do establishments use the hiring practices that they do? Although considerable research exists on the hiring methods that establishments should use, little theory or research exists on why current practices are used. This is curious because many establishments use hiring practices that the research literature regards as ineffective. After reviewing different explanations for utilisation, a perspective based on socio-cultural evolution is adopted because of its emphasis on the origins and functions of social patterns (Campbell, 1975). This perspective suggests that contextual factors may affect the use of hiring practices. Eight hypotheses were derived and tested on data collected from 62 establishments. The results indicated that establishment characteristics correlated with the use of standardised tests, job characteristics correlated with the use of interviews, and turnover correlated with the use of probationary periods. The paper concludes with suggestions about the psychological processes affecting usage, and with implications for research and practice.
Disability and rehabilitation: do we ever think about needed dental care? A case study: the USA.

Purpose. To foster an awareness of the need for oral health care as a component of a programme for rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities.Method. A case study of the USA is used to illustrate the evolving community residential settings for individuals with disabilities and the resulting complexities in the delivery of health services. Examples of oral health conditions frequently present in individuals with disabilities are provided.Results. National and local reports indicate that barriers exist in the delivery of oral health services for individuals with intellectual/developmental and later life disabilities.Conclusion. Oral health care is a component of rehabilitation, as long as attendant pain erodes energy and aspirations of individuals with disabilities. Dental practitioners face many of the same complex difficulties encountered by other health practitioners in the provision of services for individuals with disabilities. The need is for the practitioners in the many health fields to play an...
Triple-Decker Sandwich Compounds Bearing Compact Triallyl Tripods for Molecular Information Storage Applications

The design of redox-active molecules that afford multistate operation and high charge density is essential for molecular information storage applications. Triple-decker sandwich compounds composed of two lanthanide metal ions and three porphyrinic ligands exhibit a large number of oxidation states within a relatively narrow electrochemical window. High charge density requires a small footprint upon tethering triple deckers to an electroactive surface. All triple deckers examined to date for information storage have been tethered via the terminal ligand and have exhibited large footprints (∼670 A2). Five new homonuclear (Eu or Ce) triple deckers have been prepared (via statistical or rational methods) to examine the effect of tether attachment site on molecular footprint. Three triple deckers are tethered via the terminal ligand (porphyrin) or central ligand (porphyrin or imidazophthalocyanine), whereas two triple deckers each bear two tethers, one at each terminal ligand. The tether is a compact triallyl ...
Distribution and Morphology of Diatoms in High Altitude Streams on Kauai (Hawaii)

Diatom samples collected from Kawaikoi Stream differ in species composition and relative abundance from those in Kokee Stream. Kuwaikoi collects drainage from the Alakai Swamp, which developed on a 1200–1500 m elevation ridge of Mt. Waialeale extending at a right angle to the NE winds. Kokee lies about 2000 m further west at about 1100 m elevation. Frustulia and Eunotia species characteristic of low conductivity waters predominate. Greater diversity of Achnanthes, Navicula, Pinnularia and Surirella taxa occurs in the somewhat more conductive waters of Kokee. The morphological species observed bear a close, but not exact, resemblance to mainland taxa described in the literature. Morphological variations are documented using light and scanning electron microscopy.