cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exciton microscopy and reaction kinetics in restricted spaces.

We describe the development of a new biologically non-invasive ultraresolution light microscopy, based on combining the energy transfer “spectral ruler” method with the micro-movement technology employed in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We use near-field scanning optical microscopy, with micropipettes containing crystals of energy packaging donor molecules in the tips that can have apertures below 5 nm. The excitation of these tips extends near field microscopy well beyond the 50 nm limit. The theoretical resolution limit for this spectrally sensitive light microscopy is well below 1 nm. Exciton microscopy is ideally suited for kinetic studies that are spatially resolved on the molecular scale, i.e., at a single molecule site. Moreover, the successful operation of the scanning exciton tip depends on an understanding of reaction kinetics in restricted spaces. In contrast to the many recent reviews on scanning tip microscopies, there is no adequate review of the recent revolutionary developments in the area of reaction kinetics in confined geometries. We thus attempt such a review in this paper. Reactions in restricted spaces rarely get stirred vigorously by convection and are thus often controlled by diffusion. Furthermore, the compactness of the Brownian motion leads to both anomalous diffusion and anomalous reaction kinetics. Elementary binary reactions of the type A + A → Products, A + B → Products and A + C → C + Products are discussed theoretically for both batch and steady-state conditions. The anomalous reaction orders and time exponents (for the rate coefficients) are discussed for various situations. Global and local rate laws are related to particle distribution functions. Only Poissonian distributions guarantee the classical rate laws. Reactant self-organization leads to interesting new phenomena. These are demonstrated by theory, simulations, and experiments. The correlation length of reactant production affects the self-ordering length-scale. These effects are demonstrated experimentally, including the stability of reactant segregation observed in chemical reactions in one-dimensional spaces, e.g., capillaries and microcapillaries. The gap between the reactant A (cation) and B (anion) actually increases in time, and extends over millimeters. Excellent agreement is found among theory, simulation, and experiment for the various scaling exponents.
Landscape Geochemistry as a Totality

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of landscape geochemistry as it has been outlined in Part II as a preliminary to the description of applications of the discipline given in Part III.
PW 0673 The changing opioid overdose epidemic in the united states – CDC response

Overall, drug overdose deaths have never been higher in the United States with over 63 000 deaths in 2016 alone. That year, two-thirds of drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. The impact of opioids is so pronounced that life expectancy decreased in the United States for the second consecutive year. The U.S. opioid overdose epidemic began in the late 1990s with deaths from prescription opioids increasing in lockstep with more proliferate prescribing practices. As prescription opioid-related deaths began to plateau in 2010, the heroin-related death rate increased almost 5-fold since then. More recently, the death rate from synthetic opioids other than methadone increased 6-fold since 2013 with illicitly manufactured fentanyl driving this increase. Unfortunately, the death rate from prescription opioids increased in 2016 too and has never been higher. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to prevent opioid-related morbidity and mortality including overdose, opioid use disorder, neonatal abstinence syndrome, hepatitis C infection, and other outcomes. CDC aims to improve data quality and track trends, to strengthen state capacity to scale up evidence-based interventions, to improve patient safety by giving clinicians the data, tools and resources they need, and to empower people to make safer choices with opioids. As deaths from illicit opioids increased, the CDC response expanded and involves enhancing collaboration and coordination with police and others in public safety. This presentation will provide an overview of the burden of the opioid epidemic in the United States and the multifaceted and multisector CDC response. It will include information about getting more timely, localized, and actionable surveillance data, funding states to tailor their prevention efforts, implementing the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, launching a successful prescription opioid communication campaign, and working more closely with public safety officials to accelerate community-level responses.
Live Demonstration: HemeChip - A Portable Microchip Electrophoresis Technology for Point-of-Care Sickle Cell Disease Screening

HemeChip is the first miniaturized, single-use cartridge-based microchip electrophoresis system for identifying and quantifying hemoglobin (Hb) variants from a drop of blood at the point-of-care (POC). It is estimated that 7% of world's population lives with a hemoglobin variant, and one of the most common and severe one being the recessively transmitted sickle hemoglobin which results in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). HemeChip (Fig. 1A,C) separates Hb variants on a strip of cellulose acetate (CA) paper that is housed in the HemeChip cartridge. This HemeChip cartridge is a mass-producible, single-use cartridge that maintains a controlled environment and a constant electric field (applied through the electrodes, Fig. 1B) for the Hb separation process. The cartridge also contains an in-chip blotting mechanism and an anti-fogging feature. The anti-fogging feature is essential for real-time imaging and tracking of Hb band(s) during the separation process. HemeChip is integrated with a portable reader (Fig. 1D) to detect the type(s) and fraction of hemoglobin types present in a blood sample. HemeChip technology has been designed and developed to offer a robust, user-friendly platform to detect, identify, and quantify Hb variants (responsible for SCD variants) even in a limited resource settings.
Diabetes, obesity, and subsequent risk of postmenopausal breast cancer among white and black women in the Southern Community Cohort Study

Meta-analyses have reported a small but positive association between diabetes and postmenopausal breast cancer risk, with summary relative risks of approximately 1.15. We analyzed data from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS) following an underserved population with high diabetes prevalence to prospectively examine whether diabetes was associated with subsequent postmenopausal breast cancer risk and whether obesity modified this effect. Women with incident breast cancer were identified through linkage with state cancer registries and the National Death Index (213 white, 418 black cases). Person-years were calculated from date of entry into the SCCS until the earliest of date of breast cancer diagnosis, date of death, or date of last follow-up (8,277 white, 16,458 black noncases). Data on diabetes diagnosis were obtained through baseline and follow-up surveys. Cox regression was applied to examine the association between diabetes and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. After adjustment for confounding, there was no association between self-reported diabetes and postmenopausal breast cancer risk among white (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75–1.40) or black (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.81–1.22) women. Nor was there evidence that obesity modified the effect of diabetes on postmenopausal breast cancer in women of either race. We found no evidence of the hypothesized increased risk of breast cancer among women with diabetes. The breast cancer risks among those with diabetes in this population suggest that the association between these two illnesses is complex.
Excitons in 2D Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites

Layered perovskites are hybrid 2D materials, formed through the self-assembly of inorganic lead halide networks separated by organic ammonium cation layers. In these natural quantum-well structures, quantum and dielectric confinement lead to strongly bound excitonic states that depend sensitively on the material composition. In this article, we review current understanding of exciton photophysics in layered perovskites and highlight the many ways in which their excitonic properties can be tuned. In particular, we focus on the coupling of exciton dynamics to lattice motion and local distortions of the soft and deformable hybrid lattice. These effects lead to complex excited-state dynamics, presenting new opportunities for design of optoelectronic materials and exploration of fundamental photophysics in quantum confined systems.
Effect of long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy on hemoglobin and serum iron levels after sleeve gastrectomy.

Abstract Background Iron deficiency anemia and iron deficiency are commonly seen after bariatric surgery. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is commonly associated with sleeve resections and warrants postoperative acid reducing therapy. Objective To analyze the impact of long-term proton pump inhibitors on iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) patients. Setting University hospital, USA. Methods A single-institution case control study included 2 groups of bariatric patients who underwent LSG. Patient characteristics such as age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists risk, body mass index, nutritional status, and co-morbidities were comparable. Postoperative follow-up was scheduled at 1-week, and 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month durations. All received standard postoperative iron, multivitamin therapy, and nutritional screening and evaluation. All patients were placed on postoperative proton pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy for at least 3 months. At third postoperative visit, anemia indicators were assessed by serum iron concentration, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation, red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Postoperative hemoglobin and serum iron levels were compared between those patients still taking PPIs to those not taking PPIs at 12 months. Results A total of 287 patients underwent LSG from January 2016 to December 2017, 203 were included and 84 patients were excluded. Patients taking long-term PPIs (>12 mo, n = 85) were compared with those not taking PPIs (n = 118) and outcomes were respectively as follows: mean pre- and postoperative hemoglobin levels (in g/DL) were 13.2 and 10.7, and 13.3 and 13.7; mean postoperative serum iron levels (in μg/DL) were 41.7 and 88.7. Results were computed using paired t test and odds ratio that showed iron deficiency anemia in 12.9% (11/85) in PPI group compared with 4.23% (5/118) in the non-PPI group (odds ratio of 3.3, 95% confidence interval [1.21–10], and P = .03). Iron deficiency was seen in 22.3% (19/85) in the PPI group and 11% (13/118) in the non-PPI group (odds ratio of 2.3, 95% confidence interval [1.07–5.02] and P = .031). Conclusions Our study indicates that PPIs can increase the severity of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in patients who underwent LSG. Aggressive surveillance is needed in those taking long-term PPIs after LSG. It is encouraged to further analyze these findings in a larger randomized study model design.
A kinetic-based hyperbolic two-fluid model for binary hard-sphere mixtures

Starting from coupled Boltzmann–Enskog (BE) kinetic equations for a two-particle system consisting of hard spheres, a hyperbolic two-fluid model for binary, hard-sphere mixtures is derived with separate mean velocities and energies for each phase. In addition to spatial transport, the BE kinetic equations account for particle–particle collisions, using an elastic hard-sphere collision model, and the Archimedes (buoyancy) force due to spatial gradients of the pressure in each phase, as well as other forces involving spatial gradients (e.g. lift). In the derivation, the particles in a given phase have identical mass and volume, and have no internal degrees of freedom (i.e. the particles are adiabatic). The ‘hard-sphere-fluid’ phase is obtained in the limit where the particle diameter in one phase tends to zero with fixed phase density so that the number of fluid particles tends to infinity. The moment system resulting from the two BE kinetic equations is closed at second order by invoking the anisotropic Gaussian closure. The resulting two-fluid model for a binary, hard-sphere mixture therefore consists (for each phase ) of transport equations for the mass , mean momentum (where is the velocity) and a symmetric, second-order, kinetic energy tensor . The trace of the fluctuating energy tensor is where is the phase temperature (or granular temperature). Thus, is the total kinetic energy, the sum over of which is the total kinetic energy of the system, a conserved quantity. From the analysis, it is found that the BE finite-size correction leads to exact phase pressure (or stress) tensors that depend on the mean-slip velocity , as well as the phase temperatures for both phases. These pressure tensors also appear in the momentum-exchange terms in the mean momentum equations that produce the Archimedes force, as well as drag contributions due to fluid compressibility and a lift force due to mean fluid-velocity gradients. The closed BE energy flux tensors show a similar dependence on the mean-slip velocity. The characteristic polynomial of the flux matrix from the one-dimensional model is computed symbolically and depends on five parameters: the particle volume fractions , , the phase density ratio , the phase temperature ratio and the mean-slip Mach number . By applying Sturm’s Theorem to the characteristic polynomial, it is demonstrated that the model is hyperbolic over a wide range of these parameters, in particular, for the physically most relevant values.
Comparing treatment patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma at academic centers and non-academic centers within the Mountain Region.

Abstract Background Our objective is to explore differences in survival and treatment approaches for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between academic centers (ACs) and non-academic centers (NACs), which may contribute to disparities in the Mountain Region (MR). Methods Using the National Cancer Database, HCC cases from 2004 to 2015 in the MR were divided into AC and NAC subgroups. Cox-proportional hazard regression and binary logistic regression were performed to analyze survival, compare treatment patterns, and examine the effect of facility type and surgical approach on margin status. Results Treatment at ACs, compared to NACs, is associated with improved survival. At ACs, the odds of surgical or systemic treatment were higher. The odds of receiving radiation and positive margins was lower. Overall, the odds of positive margins was higher with laparoscopic compared to open or an unspecified surgical approach; this relationship persisted on subgroup analysis of NACs, but not ACs. Conclusions Treatment of HCC at an AC in the MR increases the odds of surgery and improves survival. A laparoscopic approach increases the odds of positive margins, irrespective of center type.
National Report on the United States

Affiliation of corporations through parent-subsidiary relationships or common control creates numerous issues under diverse laws in the United States. This chapter focuses, however, on the two central legal challenges created by such corporate groups: (i) Protecting minority shareholders of subsidiaries and controlled corporations from misappropriation and unfair freeze-outs by parent companies and controlling shareholders, and (ii) protecting creditors of subsidiaries and controlled corporations from misappropriation, fraud, and externalization of risk in undercapitalized subsidiaries by parent companies and controlling shareholders.
Religious Belief and Socially Responsible Investing

In this study we investigate the effects of social considerations on the investment behavior of mutual fund managers. We propose a measure of investments in corporate social responsibility (CSR) by fund managers that captures the level of a manager’s tendency to invest in firms that engage in socially responsible activities. We find large and persistent cross-sectional variation in mutual funds’ CSR preferences. However, funds with greater CSR preference neither deliver higher returns nor enjoy higher flows. Religious belief, on the other hand, is shown to have a positive impact on a fund manager’s investment in firms with good CSR performance. We show funds that are located in highly religious areas and whose managers graduated from colleges in regions with high religiosity are more likely to invest in high-CSR stocks. Our results are consistent with non-pecuniary “pro-social” motives influencing the investment decisions of money managers.
ZebraSense: A Double-sided Textile Touch Sensor for Smart Clothing

ZebraSense is a novel dual-sided woven touch sensor that can recognize and differentiate interactions on the top and bottom surfaces of the sensor. ZebraSense is based on an industrial multi-layer textile weaving technique, yet it enables a novel capacitive sensing paradigm, where each sensing element contributes to touch detection on both surfaces of the sensor simultaneously. Unlike the common "sensor sandwich" approach used in previous work, ZebraSense inherently minimizes the number of sensing elements, which drastically simplifies both sensor construction and its integration into soft goods, while preserving maximum sensor resolution. The experimental evaluation confirmed the validity of our approach and demonstrated that ZebraSense is a reliable, efficient, and accurate solution for detecting user gestures in various dual-sided interaction scenarios, allowing for new use cases in smart apparel, home decoration, toys, and other textile objects.
Thermal Properties and Ion Transport

Rigid models made of wooden balls and metal rods are used to represent crystal structures, but the atoms in a real solid are in ceaseless motion, oscillating rapidly about their equilibrium sites. As Dame Kathleen Lonsdale wrote, “a crystal is like a class of children arranged for drill, but standing at ease, so that while the class as a whole has regularity both in time and space, each individual child is a little fidgety” [1].
Indoor air pollution exposure is associated with greater morbidity in cystic fibrosis.

Abstract Background Exposure to higher levels of outdoor air pollution is associated with increased morbidity in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Limited information exist regarding the potential adverse effects of indoor air pollution on those with cystic fibrosis. Methods Individuals with cystic fibrosis who were enrolled in the Twin and Sibling Study from 2000-2013, self-reported exposure to four known sources of indoor air pollution (secondhand smoke, forced hot air, wood stove and fireplace). Change in lung function, rates of hospitalizations and pulmonary exacerbations were followed over 4 years to compare outcomes in those who were exposed to those who were not exposed. Results Of 1432 participants with data on secondhand smoke exposure, 362 (25.3%) were exposed. Of 765 individuals with data on forced hot air exposure, 491 (64.2%) were exposed. Of 1247 participants with data on wood stove exposure and 830 with data on fireplace exposure, 182 (14.6%) and 373 (44.9%) were exposed, respectively. In longitudinal analysis, pediatric individuals either exposed to secondhand smoke or to forced hot air had a 0.60% predicted/year decrease in FEV1% predicted (P=0.002) or a 0.46% predicted/year decrease in FEV1% predicted (P=0.048), respectively compared to individuals who were not exposed. Adults exposed to secondhand smoke had a 42% increased yearly risk of hospitalization compared to those who were not exposed (P=0.045). Conclusions Our questionnaire-based data suggest that exposure to sources of indoor air pollution increase morbidity in both the pediatric and adult cystic fibrosis populations. Future studies with quantitative indoor air quality assessments are needed.
Online Search Behavior Related to COVID-19 Vaccines: Infodemiology Study

Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 is an important public health strategy to address the ongoing pandemic. Examination of online search behavior related to COVID-19 vaccines can provide insights into the public's awareness, concerns, and interest regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe online search behavior related to COVID-19 vaccines during the start of public vaccination efforts in the United States. Methods: We examined Google Trends data from January 1, 2021, through March 16, 2021, to determine the relative search volume for vaccine-related searches on the internet. We also examined search query log data for COVID-19 vaccine-related searches and identified 5 categories of searches: (1) general or other information, (2) vaccine availability, (3) vaccine manufacturer, (4) vaccine side-effects and safety, and (5) vaccine myths and conspiracy beliefs. In this paper, we report on the proportion and trends for these different categories of vaccine-related searches. Results: In the first quarter of 2021, the proportion of all web-based search queries related to COVID-19 vaccines increased from approximately 10% to nearly 50% of all COVID-19–related queries (P<.001). A majority of COVID-19 vaccine queries addressed vaccine availability, and there was a particularly notable increase in the proportion of queries that included the name of a specific pharmacy (from 6% to 27%; P=.01). Queries related to vaccine safety and side-effects (<5% of total queries) or specific vaccine-related myths (<1% of total queries) were uncommon, and the relative frequency of both types of searches decreased during the study period. Conclusions: This study demonstrates an increase in online search behavior related to COVID-19 vaccination in early 2021 along with an increase in the proportion of searches related to vaccine availability at pharmacies. These findings are consistent with an increase in public interest and intention to get vaccinated during the initial phase of public COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
It Takes More than Grades: Estimating College Major Course-Taking with Transcript Data

This paper studies the association between major ability beliefs and course-taking patterns, and finds that previous works have likely inflated the role of ability sorting. Using administrative transcript data, I find that before declaring their first major, most students have completed at least 10% of the course requirements in many majors. I create a dynamic course-taking to interpret these diverse course-taking patterns. The model informs my estimation strategy of the association between ability beliefs and course histories on subsequent course-taking. I find positive associations between ability beliefs and continuing to satisfy a majors’ course requirements. These associations substantially attenuate when controlling for course histories, suggesting the effort costs needed to graduate act against ability sorting.
NMR Studies of Membrane Transport

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that membrane transport processes are fundamental to life, without them growth and reproduction are impossible. Improved methods for studying transmembrane transport are, thus, of key importance in biology and medicine. Over the last decade, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has made a major contribution to the understanding of the transport of small molecules and ions across membranes, both in model membrane systems as well as in living cells and perfused organs. In cell biology changes in membrane, permeability can play a key role not only in nerve response, but also in such fundamental processes as cell growth, mitogenesis, and differentiation. The chapter discusses that under favorable conditions, it is possible to monitor the in vivo fluxes of metabolites between the various membrane-bound compartments, within cells, using the NMR techniques. At the molecular level, it is necessary to understand the chemical factors determining the binding constants and transport rates characterizing membrane carriers, such as the ionophore antibiotics. NMR provides a unique way of measuring these parameters and considerable progress has been made in this direction. The chapter also makes a general comparison of the NMR methods with some other non-NMR techniques for measuring membrane transport.
URINARY CALCULI ASSOCIATED WITH PREGNANCY.

Abstract 1.1. The problem of urinary stone and pregnancy in two private hospitals is reviewed. The study includes 12 pregnant and 6 postpartum patients. 2.2. There appears to be a definite correlation between size of the calculi and its locale, symptoms, and measures necessary for successful management.
Thermoelectric transport perpendicular to thin-film heterostructures calculated using the Monte Carlo technique

The Monte Carlo technique is used to calculate electrical as well as thermoelectric transport properties across thin-film heterostructures. We study a thin InGaAsP barrier layer sandwiched between two InGaAs contact layers, when the barrier thickness is in the $50\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}--2000\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ range. We found that with decreasing size, the effective Seebeck coefficient is increased substantially. The transition between pure ballistic thermionic transport and fully diffusive thermoelectric transport is also described.
The Interactions of Hydrazine, Ferrous Sulfamate, Sodium Nitrite, and Nitric Acid in Nuclear Fuel Processing Solutions

Hydrazine and ferrous sulfamate are used as reductants in a variety of nuclear fuel processing solutions. An oxidant, normally sodium nitrite, must frequently be added to these nitric acid solutions before additional processing can proceed. The interactions of these four chemicals have been studied under a wide variety of conditions using a 2/sup P/ factorial experimental design. It was determined that the desired oxidations of Fe/sup 2 +/, NH/sub 2/NH/sup +//sub 3/, and NH/sub 2/SO/sub 3/H to Fe/sup 3 +/ and N/sub 2/ occur at ambient temperatures with nitric acid concentrations less than or equal to 3M without complicating side reactions. The rate of oxidation of Fe/sup 2 +/ by nitrous acid proceeds at about the same rate as the scavenging of nitrous acid by sulfamic acid. At nitric acid concentrations >3M and at elevated temperatures, hydrolysis of sulfamic acid to NH/sub 4/HSO/sub 4/ and decomposition of both hydrazine and nitrous acid become important side reactions.
Cell Differentiation and Spatial Organization in Yeast Colonies: Role of Cell-Wall Integrity Pathway

Many microbial communities contain organized patterns of cell types, yet relatively little is known about the mechanism or function of this organization. In colonies of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sporulation occurs in a highly organized pattern, with a top layer of sporulating cells sharply separated from an underlying layer of nonsporulating cells. A mutant screen identified the Mpk1 and Bck1 kinases of the cell-wall integrity (CWI) pathway as specifically required for sporulation in colonies. The CWI pathway was induced as colonies matured, and a target of this pathway, the Rlm1 transcription factor, was activated specifically in the nonsporulating cell layer, here termed feeder cells. Rlm1 stimulates permeabilization of feeder cells and promotes sporulation in an overlying cell layer through a cell-nonautonomous mechanism. The relative fraction of the colony apportioned to feeder cells depends on nutrient environment, potentially buffering sexual reproduction against suboptimal environments.
Implantable bimorph piezoelectric accelerometer for feedback control of functional neuromuscular stimulation

This paper describes the design, fabrication and testing results of a novel bimorph piezoelectric accelerometer (built on a parylene beam with ZnO film) and its application in an injectable neuromuscular stimulator (BION/spl trade/). In order to control limb motion using such stimulation, it is necessary to sense the acceleration of the body or its inclination with respect to the gravitational field. This paper describes a MEMS piezoelectric accelerometer that meets the requirements of this application, which include small size, extremely low power consumption, simple detection circuit and high sensitivity. The unamplified sensitivity of the bimorph piezoelectric accelerometer is around 7.0 mV/g and the minimum detectable signal level is around 0.01 g. The working frequency range is from 60 Hz down to sub Hz with high linearity of the sensitivity.
FDTD investigation of a microwave link for data telemetry in retinal prosthesis applications

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are leading causes of blindness worldwide. It has been shown that patients suffering from such diseases can recover partial vision by means of controlled electrical stimulation of the retina. Thus, a retinal prosthesis can be developed where the functionality of permanently damaged retinal photoreceptors is replaced by a 2D array of electrodes, which can provide electrical stimulation on the surface of the retina. A high bandwidth (of up to 30 MHz) microwave data telemetry link for a retinal prosthesis is computationally investigated. A pair of appropriately sized microstrip patch antennas (extra- and intraocular) has been designed. A high spatial resolution (0.25 mm) head-eye model has been developed and the coupling between the extraocular and intraocular units computed in free space and with the receiving antenna embedded in the model. A power coupling of -30 dB is obtained with the receiving antenna embedded in the model and -26 dB of coupling is obtained in free space. Modification of the current antenna designs to improve their gains is expected to lead to an enhancement in the coupling efficiency. Such high bandwidth data telemetry links can contribute to other potentially data intensive biomedical applications requiring chronically implanted electronic prosthetic devices.
Properties and Structure of PONH Glasses

Abstract Phosphorus oxynitride glasses containing up to 17 wt% N and up to 2.5 wt% H were prepared by decomposing NH 4 H 2 PO 4 in ammonia at 720°C for various times. In general, glasses with greater N-contents have higher dilatometric softening temperatures, lower thermal expansion coefficients and better aqueous durabilities. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses reveal that N is chemically incorporated in both PNP and PNH x bonds. The hydrogen species, including −OH groups, depolymerize the glass structure, counteracting the effects of the cross-linking phosphorus-nitride bonds on the glass properties.
Extremely low frequency pulsed DC electric fields promote neutrophil extension, metabolic resonance and DNA damage when phase-matched with metabolic oscillators.

Abstract Application of extremely low frequency pulsed DC electric fields that are frequency- and phase-matched with endogenous metabolic oscillations leads to greatly exaggerated neutrophil extension and metabolic resonance wherein oscillatory NAD(P)H amplitudes are increased. In the presence of a resonant field, migrating cell length grows from 10 to ≈40 μm, as does the overall length of microfilament assemblies. In contrast, cells stop locomotion and become spherical when exposed to phase-mismatched fields. Although cellular effects were not found to be dependent on electrode type and buffer, they were sensitive to temporal constraints (phase and pulse length) and cell surface charge. We suggest an electromechanical coupling hypothesis wherein applied electric fields and cytoskeletal polymerization forces act together to overcome the surface/cortical tension of neutrophils, thus promoting net cytoskeletal assembly and heightened metabolic amplitudes. Metabolic resonance enhances reactive oxygen metabolic production by neutrophils. Furthermore, cellular DNA damage was observed after prolonged metabolic resonance using both single cell gel electrophoresis (‘comet’ assay) and 3′-OH DNA labeling using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. These results provide insights into transmembrane signal processing and cell interactions with weak electric fields.
The use of a modified sphygmomanometer to detect atrial fibrillation in outpatients

This study was designed to assess the accuracy of a modified sphygmomanometer, that measures pulse irregularity, to detect atrial fibrillation (AF). An irregularity index, defined as the standard deviation of the time intervals between beats divided by the mean of the time intervals, was used to analyze standard 12-lead ECGs from hospitalized patients. A threshold irregularity index was selected such that all ECGs with AF exceeded this irregularity index value. A modified automatic blood pressure monitor was designed to detect AF by calculating the irregularity index of the pulse. The device was used to calculate the irregularity index in an unselected group of outpatients during scheduled office visits in which a standard 12-lead ECG was performed. A total of 125 ECGs, 53 with AF, were analyzed. Using a threshold irregularity index of 0.066, the sensitivity for detecting AF was 100%, the specificity was 92% and diagnostic accuracy 95%. A modified sphygmomanometer was used to analyze the pulse of 450 outpatients, 54 of whom were documented by ECG to be in AF. When paired readings were analyzed, the rhythm was considered to be irregular if both readings were greater than the threshold index. Using a threshold index of 0.06, all the AF patients were correctly identified while 37 non-AF patients also exceeded the threshold irregularity index. In this analysis, the sensitivity was 100%, the specificity 91%, and the diagnostic accuracy 92% for detecting AF. The irregularity index determined using a modified sphygmomanometer can accurately identify AF.
Zeolitic Diagenesis in Oligocene Volcanic Sediments, Trans-Pecos Texas

Volcanic sedimentary rocks of the Veija Group of Trans-Pecos Texas contain zeolite, montmorillonite, and silica minerals that formed during diagenesis in an open hydrologic system. Volcanic glass shards dissolved in ground water to provide constituents for authigenic minerals. Diagenic mineral zones, from top to bottom, are (1) montmorillonite-opal-glass, (2a) montmorillonite-opal-clinoptilolite, (2b) montmorillonite-quartz-clinoptilolite, (3a) montmorillonite-quartz-analcime, and (3b) analcime-quartz. During diagenesis the original vitroclastic texture of volcanic sediment was preserved. Montmorillonite formed coatings on glass shards that preserved their outline during replacement by clinoptilolite. Clay or clinoptilolite cement filled much of the remaining inter-granular space. Analcime replaced both pseudomorphs of shards and interstitial cement that first formed as clinoptilolite. All authigenic minerals formed at low temperature and low pressure at burial depths no greater than a few hundred meters. Rocks in each zone were buried less deeply, and boundaries between zones are stratigraphically higher in the northeastern than in the southwestern part of the area. Distribution of clinoptilolite and analcime were controlled locally by permeability of the host rocks. Diagenesis converted sediment with an original composition similar to that of rhyolite into rock composed of Na2O, CaO, Al2O3, and SiO2, but relatively depleted in K2O. Field evidence shows that diagenesis occurred in early Oligocene time, but zeolites began to form only after a critical thickness of a few hundred meters of sediment had accumulated.
Fc receptor phosphorylation during receptor-mediated control of B-cell activation.

IT is well known that Fc receptors for IgG (FcRII) on macrophages mediate the endocytosis of antibody–antigen complexes and signal the release of inflammatory and cytotoxic agents1. FcRII are also expressed at high levels on B cells where they are less involved in endocytosis than in modulating B-cell activation by membrane immunoglobulins2,3. Although crosslinking of membrane immunoglobulins can result in B-cell differentiation and proliferation through stimulation of phospholipase C, mobilization of intracellular Ca2+, and activation of protein kinase C, crosslinking FcR with membrane immunoglobulins confers a dominant inhibitory signal that prevents or aborts activation2–6. This form of regulation may have a role in the induction of tolerance by IgG7 and in controlling the B-cell repertoire by anti-idiotypes8,9. The different functions of FcR on B cells and macrophages may reflect the fact that these cell types express closely related but distinct FcR isoforms. We have recently found that the main lymphocyte FcR isoform, FcRII-B1, is unable to mediate endocytosis by way of coated pits and coated vesicles owing to an in-frame insertion of 47 amino acids in its cytoplasmic tail10,11. Here we show that this insert, absent from the FcRII-B2 macrophage isoform, also contains serine phosphorylation sites that may have a role in the ability of FcR to regulate B-cell activation through membrane immunoglobulins.
Importance of grass-legume choices on cattle grazing behavior, performance, and meat characteristics.

We determined if tall fescue in a mixture with either tannin-containing sainfoin or saponin-con- taining alfalfa affected cattle foraging behavior, perfor- mance, meat quality, and consumer acceptance of meat. Foraging behavior, BW, and pasture biomass before and after grazing were monitored when cattle strip-grazed 3 replications of 2 treatments from May through Septem- ber 2010 (12 calves/replication) and from June through September 2012 (8 calves/replication). Animals were allowed a choice between tall fescue and sainfoin (SAN) or tall fescue and alfalfa (ALF) growing in strips (fescue, legume, and fescue-legume mixture). Incidence of use (scan samples) of legumes increased from the beginning to the end of the trials (P 0.05). No incidences of bloat were detected. When cattle (3 calves/treatment in 2010 and 8 calves/treatment in 2012) were slaugh- tered in September to assess meat quality and consumer acceptance, carcasses were lean (4% to 6% fat content of the longissimus muscle), but compared with ALF, SAN had higher marbling scores, quality grades (Select versus Standard), and back fat thicknesses (P 0.05). Thus, cattle incorporated a lower-quality grass into their diets even when legumes were available ad libitum during most grazing trials. Choices between tall fescue and legumes differing in the type of secondary compound (tannins vs. saponins) and bloating potential influenced patterns of forage use by cattle and led to differences in meat quality.
Radioimmunoassay of DSIP-like material in rat brain

Abstract KASTIN, A. J., C. NISSEN, A. V. SCHALLY AND D. H. COY. Radioimmunoassay of DSIP-like material in rat brain . BRAIN RES. BULL. 3 (6) 691–695, 1978.—Antibodies generated in a rabbit by immunization with synthetic delta-sleep inducing peptide (DSIP) showed no cross-reactivity with 19 naturally-occurring peptides or analogues and were used to establish a radioimmunoassay. Since DSIP is not readily iodinated by conventional methods, N-Tyr-DSIP was synthesized to prepare the tracer; the dose-response curve for N-Tyr-DSIP was exactly parallel to that for DSIP. With this assay, DSIP-like immunoreactivity was detected in the brain of rats. The highest brain values were found in the thalamus (11.9 ± 1.3 pg/mg). The widespread presence of DSIP-like material throughout the body as well as the shared amino acid sequences of DSIP with other proteins suggest caution in defining the material being measured by this new assay. Nevertheless, the demonstration of DSIP-like activity in brain tissue and elsewhere warrants consideration of functions in addition to a possible role in sleep.
The thallium-iodine phase diagram

Abstract The melting point-composition diagram for the thallium-iodine system has been determined. There are three compounds: TlI, Tl 3 I 4 , and TlI 3 . From Tl to TlI the solids and liquids are immiscible. From TlI to I 2 there is one liquid phase. Solid Tl 3 I 4 melts incongruently at 260 °C to a liquid (atom fraction iodine = 0.77) and solid TlI. Solid TlI 3 melts incongruently at 129 °C to a liquid (atom fraction iodine = 0.84) and solid Tl 3 I 4 . A eutectic occurs with liquid (atom fraction iodine = 0.88), solid TlI 3 , and solid I 2 at 90 °C. The X-ray powder patterns of Tl 3 I 4 and TlI 3 are reported.
Economics of Forestry in an Evolving Society

A debate that has raged for centuries is unlikely to be resolved by me in one lecture. However, I shall do my best to set forth the issues and indicate what ought to be the crucial factors that a jury should consider in rendering its verdict on the matter. The issue is one between forestry experts and the general public on the one side and professional economists and profit-conscious businessmen on the other. At first blush this would seem to suggest that economists are on the side of the interests and are not themselves members of the human race. But, as I hope to show, sound economic analysis is needed to do justice to the cases put forward by either of the adversary parties.
Stress and Coping Strategies Among Community College Students

The purpose of the study was to determine the degree of stress perceived by students at two community colleges in southern Illinois. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to gather data from 212 students enrolled in regularly scheduled psychology classes. Of the students, 75% were in a moderate stress category; 12% in a high stress category, and 13% in a low stress category. Women students were more stressed than men; there were no statistically significant differences between traditional and nontraditional students. The most often used activities to cope with stress included talking to family and friends, leisure activities, and exercising. Less desirable coping strategies were drinking alcohol, smoking, and using illegal drugs. Suggestions for community college personnel to use in assisting students cope with stress are discussed.
Redistribution of epidermal growth factor receptor as a function of cell density, cell-cell adhesion and calcium in human (A-431) cells.

Abstract Cell surface expression of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in several cell lines declines as a function of increased cell density and is associated with diminished responsiveness to EGF. However, the mechanism whereby this density-induced down regulation of receptors occurs has not been discerned. In the present study the distribution of the EGF receptor in A-431 cells as a function of cell density using (1) two polyclonal antibodies raised against peptide specific sequences of the EGF receptor that recognize either the cytoplasmic or extracellular domains of the receptor, respectively, and (2) biotinylated EGF, a specific probe for the cell surface receptor is now investigated. Immunolocalization of the receptor using the polyclonal antibodies or the biotin-EGF revealed that the receptor was homogeneously distributed on the cell surface of individual cells, or in cells plated at low density. In contrast, as cell density increased, prominent EGF immunoreactivity and biotin-EGF staining became limited to the periphery of the cells, at sites of cell-cell apposition, and was characterized by a honeycomb pattern, typical of a basolateral distribution. The effects of low Ca++ treatment, known to cause cells to round up and detach from one another, on EGF receptor distribution in cells at high cell density were then examined. Confocal microscopy of immunostained preparations revealed that incubation of high density cultures in Ca++-free media for as little as 10 min restored the homogeneous distribution of the EGF receptor and resulted in strong intracellular staining. Three-dimensional reconstruction of serial optical sections revealed that redistribution of the EGF receptor following low Ca++ treatment involved a heretofore undetected ‘ruffling’, an immunostaining pattern characterized by stripes of intense fluorescence signal interspersed with complete absence of fluorescence. Next, cell-cell adhesion was disrupted with antisera to the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. Although the antisera caused cells to detach from one another, eventually leading to cell rounding and redistribution of the EGF receptor, the receptor ‘ruffling’ immunostaining pattern rendered by the low Ca++ treatment was not detected. These results suggest that an association may exist between the plasma membrane EGF receptor distribution, density-induced EGF receptor down regulation, and the growth effects of low Ca++ observed in previous studies.
The impact of social capital in ethnic religious communication networks on Korean immigrant's intercultural development

Abstract The current study examined the structural composition of the communication networks of Korean immigrants’ ethnic church community, which became the main sources of their social capital. The study measured the effect of their network characteristics (i.e., size, diversity, and centrality) on individuals’ monocultural and intercultural orientations. A total of seven hypotheses, drawn from Smith's (1999) theoretical propositions on intercultural communication networks, were tested. An organizational member survey ( N = 178) of a Korean immigrant church was used to construct the whole network of the organization. Additionally, the relationships between major constructs (i.e., social capital and intercultural development) were analyzed with hierarchical regression modeling. Results suggested that network diversity had a positive influence on intercultural orientation while network centrality had a positive influence on monocultural orientation among Korean immigrant church members. Network size was positively associated with network diversity after controlling for the effect of English proficiency. Among the three groups of Korean immigrant occupations (i.e., professional, unskilled labor, unemployed), the professional group and the unskilled group showed a significant difference in their intercultural orientation. The research findings suggest that regardless of an individual immigrant's will, over-embeddedness in intra-cultural communication networks can increase one's ethonocentric cultural attitudes and beliefs.
Relationship of myocardial perfusion imaging findings to outcome of patients with heart failure and suspected ischemic heart disease.

Abstract Background We retrospectively identified heart failure patients with suspected ischemic heart disease who underwent myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) to examine the relationship of MPI findings to subsequent patient outcomes. Methods The study group consisted of 336 patients with heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction Results Overall, the 5-year mortality rate was high at 49.2% ± 3.1%. Mortality was significantly different ( P = .009) among the 3 subgroups. Groups A and B had a similar 5-year mortality rates >50%. Group C had a relatively better, but still substantial 5-year mortality rate of 40%. The overall revascularization rate was low (9.7% in 5 years). Conclusion These results indicate a high 5-year mortality rate in patients with large myocardial perfusion defects (fixed or reversible) and presumably an ischemic etiology for their heart failure. Patients with no large or absent perfusion defects had more favorable survival outcomes.