cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Racial disparities in perioperative outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery: a case-control matched study

Abstract Background Metabolic and bariatric surgery remains a safe and effective treatment for severe obesity. Ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by obesity but are less likely to undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery. There remains controversy about outcomes among black patients compared with other ethnic groups after bariatric surgery. Objective The purpose of this case-control matched study using the largest clinically available bariatric data was to determine if there is racial disparity in perioperative outcomes after primary bariatric surgery. Settings University Hospital, United States. Methods Patients who had a primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy in 2015 to 2016 were identified from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database. Case controlled–matched analyses were performed. Results We compared 80,238 equally matched nonHispanic black and white patients. Operative length and hospital stay were longer in black patients. All-cause mortality was 2-fold higher in black patients (P = .003). Black patients had significantly higher rates of 30-day readmission and reintervention (P Conclusion In this study, pulmonary embolism and mortality were significantly higher in black patients after sleeve gastrectomy. Further studies are needed to determine causality.
Addressing Climate Change Impacts and Resiliency in Contaminated Site Remediation

Abstract Climate change impacts and its resulting vulnerabilities are perhaps one of the most important and yet the most poorly understood issues in the world today. The contaminated sites, specifi...
Relatedness and genetic structure of big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) maternity colonies in an urban-wildland interface provides insight into rabies transmission dynamics

Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) are the bat species most frequently found to be rabid in North America and are a key source of sylvatic rabies in wildlife. Females can form summer maternity colonies in urban areas, often using access holes in the exterior of buildings to roost in relatively large numbers. In Flagstaff, Arizona, these roosts are commonly found in houses adjacent to golf courses, where habitat quality (food, water, shelter) is high for bats and for mesocarnivores such as striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Periodic rabies outbreaks in Flagstaff involving all three of these mammals are primarily caused by an E. fuscus variant of the disease. However, little is known about E. fuscus social behavior during the summer months and how it may drive space use and hence disease exposure to conspecifics and mesocarnivores. To address this knowledge gap, we collected 88 unique genetic samples via buccal swabs from E. fuscus captured at four maternity roosts surrounding a golf course during summer of 2013. We used 7 microsatellite loci to estimate genetic relatedness among individuals and genetic structure within and among colonies in order to infer whether females selected roosts based on kinship, and used genetics and radio telemetry to determine the frequency of roost switching. We found roost switching through genetics (two mother and adult daughter pairs at the same and different roosts) and telemetry, and no evidence of elevated genetic relatedness within colonies or genetic structure between colonies. These results have important implications for disease transmission dynamics in that social cohesion based on relatedness does not act to constrain the virus to a particular roost area. Instead, geographic mobility may increase disease exposure to neighboring areas. We discuss mitigating actions for bat conservation and public health.
The development and validation of the Attitudes Towards Individuals Who Sell Sex Inventory (ATISS)

The attitudes of others towards individuals who sell sex (ISS) can have a significant impact on how the population is treated in interpersonal interactions and social systems. The current study out...
Evaluations of Self-Focused Versus Other-Focused Arguments for Social Distancing: An Extension of Moral Matching Effects

The coronavirus pandemic has raised pressing questions about effective public health communication. Prior research has shown a persuasive advantage of arguments emphasizing a behavior’s benefits fo...
Stannous Chloride Reductive Treatment and Kinetics Using Hexavalent Chromium in Water Supplies

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] occurs in groundwater and poses potential health concern when present above 10 μg/L in drinking water. Cr(VI) redox conversion to Cr(III), a less toxic and soluble chro...
Muslim resiliency in the face of counter-terror and violent extremism

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs in the US attempt to prevent Muslims toward radicalization by encouraging them to build relationships with law enforcement agencies, educators, public he...
Reply to "Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on left ventricular mass index in men with coronary artery disease".

Citation:Azarbarzin A, White DP. Reply to “Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on left ventricular mass index in men with coronary artery disease.” J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(2):357.
Real-World Ethical Dilemmas in Laboratory Safety for Microbiology Under-Resourced and Outreach Teaching

With modernization of safety standards for microbiology outreach teaching laboratories, ethical challenges arise in teaching microbiology for the public good without short-changing students in under-resourced situations, or when institutional support is subpar. Still, educators want students to engage using applied skills for inquiry, research-based microbial learning activities - safely. Following several United States microbial outbreaks, federal investigation traced sources back to teaching laboratories. Policy discussions ensued. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Task Force provides recommended but not mandated guidelines; however, guidelines are not amenable by all. Here, a real-world, ethical scenario of a university-level outreach microbiology laboratory course hosted at several locations provides context for under-resourced challenges in safety compliance. In this example of biomedical and public health ethical considerations, upper administration puts the onus on instructors to assure safe labs for their students and the general public. Temporarily hired instructors without curriculum or sufficient institutional support are put in precarious positions with often egregious practices to get the job done. This scenario is examined with different public health ethical frameworks and principles: non-maleficence, beneficence, health maximization, efficiency of policy regulations, respect for institutional and instructor autonomy, justice, and proportionality balancing stakeholder concerns. Sample curricular strategies are employed to mitigate these challenges. Taking a utilitarianism framework of the greatest good for the most benefit, this paper advocates for social justice supporting access to education as a moral duty. Administrations should ensure instructors are supported sufficiently to provide safe, authentic learning experiences. Solutions for under-resourced outreach teaching are needed for public trust.
Photovoice as a Research Technique for Student Learning and Empowerment: A Case Study from a South Texas Border Town

Criminal justice (CJ) education often includes culminating research courses as part of its curriculum. Many of these courses follow a traditional process of considering ethics, theory, research des...
Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) Juice Precipitate Pigmentation Is Mainly Polymeric Colors and Has Limited Impact on Soluble Anthocyanin Loss.

Anthocyanins degrade in fruit juice during storage, reducing juice color quality and depleting the health-promoting components of juice. Common water-soluble products of anthocyanins’ chemical degradation are known, but little is known about the contribution of the insoluble phase to loss processes. Cranberry juice and isolated anthocyanins were incubated at 50 °C for up to 10 days to determine polyphenol profiles and degradation rates. Anthocyanin-proanthocyanidin heteropolymers were analyzed via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI)- Time of Flight (TOF) Mass Spectrometry (MS). Formation of soluble protocatechuic acid accounted for 260 ± 10% and insoluble materials for 80 ± 20% of lost soluble cyanidin-glycosides in juice, over-representations plausibly due to quercetin and (epi)catechin in cranberry juice and not observed in the values of 70 ± 20% and 16 ± 6% in the purified anthocyanin system. Loss processes of soluble peonidin-glycosides were better accounted for, where 31 ± 2% were attributable to soluble vanillic acid formation and 3 ± 1% to insoluble materials in cranberry juice and 35 ± 5% to vanillic acid formation and 1.6 ± 0.8% to insoluble materials in the purified anthocyanin system. Free anthocyanins were below quantifiable levels in precipitate, implying most anthocyanins in precipitate were polymeric colors (PCs). PCs in the precipitate included cyanidin- and peonidin-hexosides and -pentosides covalently bonded to procyanidins. Therefore, formation of cranberry juice precipitate does not deplete a large portion of soluble anthocyanins; rather, the precipitate’s pigmentation results from PCs that are also present in the soluble phase.
Damage Detection and Monitoring in Composite Materials Using Metastable Alloy and Mechatronic Sensors

The state of the infrastructure is drawing much attention both in the US and abroad. Engineers have been seriously addressing and debating the various concerns regarding aging infrastructure for much of the previous decade. Bridges, tunnels, dams and other civil engineering structures have traditionally been designed and built with a finite design lifetime in mind. It has become necessary to develop safe and sound technical approaches for life extension as an alternative to costly replacement. Active [e.g., 1–3] and passive [e.g., 4–7] approaches for monitoring structural damage accumulation have been proposed.
Current state of virtual reality simulation in robotic surgery training: a review

Background Worldwide, the annual number of robotic surgical procedures continues to increase. Robotic surgical skills are unique from those used in either open or laparoscopic surgery. The acquisition of a basic robotic surgical skill set may be best accomplished in the simulation laboratory. We sought to review the current literature pertaining to the use of virtual reality (VR) simulation in the acquisition of robotic surgical skills on the da Vinci Surgical System.
Redox imbalance in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by preferential loss of dopaminergic neurons in an area of the midbrain called the substantia nigra (SN) along with occurrence of intraneuronal inclusions called Lewy bodies. The majority of cases of PD are sporadic in nature with late onset (95% of patients); however a few PD cases (5%) are seen in familial clusters with generally earlier onset. Although PD has been heavily researched, so far the exact cause of the rather selective cell death is unknown. Multiple lines of evidence suggest an important role for oxidative stress. Dopaminergic neurons (DA) are particularly prone to oxidative stress due to DA metabolism and auto-oxidation combined with increased iron, decreased total glutathione levels and mitochondrial complex I inhibition-induced ROS production in the SN which can lead to cell death by exceeding the oxidative capacity of DA-containing cells in the region. Enhancing antioxidant capabilities and chelating labile iron pools in this region therefore constitutes a rational approach to prevent or slow ongoing damage of DA neurons. In this review, we summarize the various sources of reactive oxygen species that may cause redox imbalance in PD as well as potential therapeutic targets for attenuation of oxidative stress associated with PD.
Adjustable Transmitter Spacing for MIMO Radar Imaging With Compressed Sensing

Multiple-input multiple-output radar systems can offer improved performance over traditional single-input multiple-output systems, such as in radar imaging. Performance greatly depends on the recovery method used. For sparse targets, compressed sensing (CS) is used as it is well-suited as a target recovery method. Performance of CS is dependent on the sensing matrix, which includes the transmit sequence and antenna configuration. In this paper, we propose adaptively varying the transmit spacing in order to seek an optimal sensing matrix. Numerical results show the proposed method has potential to significantly improve image recovery under a variety of system conditions while using the same number of antennas.
In Vivo Comparison of Norepinephrine and Dopamine Release in Rat Brain by Simultaneous Measurements with Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry

Brain norepinephrine and dopamine regulate a variety of critical behaviors such as stress, learning, memory, and drug addiction. In this study, we demonstrate differences in the regulation of in vivo neurotransmission for dopamine in the anterior nucleus accumbens (NAc) and norepinephrine in the ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST) of the anesthetized rat. Release of the two catecholamines was measured simultaneously using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at two different carbon-fiber microelectrodes, each implanted in the brain region of interest. Simultaneous dopamine and norepinephrine release was evoked by electrical stimulation of a region where the ventral noradrenergic bundle, the pathway of noradrenergic neurons, courses through the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra, the origin of dopaminergic cell bodies. The release and uptake of norepinephrine in the vBNST were both significantly slower than for dopamine in the NAc. Pharmacological manipulations in the same animal demonstrated that the two catecholamines are differently regulated. The combination of a dopamine autoreceptor antagonist and amphetamine significantly increased basal extracellular dopamine whereas a norepinephrine autoreceptor antagonist and amphetamine did not change basal norepinephrine concentration. α-Methyl-p-tyrosine, a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, decreased electrically evoked dopamine release faster than norepinephrine. The dual-microelectrode fast-scan cyclic voltammetry technique along with anatomical and pharmacological evidence confirms that dopamine in the NAc and norepinephrine in the vBNST can be monitored selectively and simultaneously in the same animal. The high temporal and spatial resolution of the technique enabled us to examine differences in the dynamics of extracellular norepinephrine and dopamine concurrently in two different limbic structures.
Disparity-Space Images and Large Occlusion Stereo

A new method for solving the stereo matching problem in the presence of large occlusion is presented. A data structure — the disparity space image — is defined in which we explicitly model the effects of occlusion regions on the stereo solution. We develop a dynamic programming algorithm that finds matches and occlusions simultaneously. We show that while some cost must be assigned to unmatched pixels, our algorithm's occlusion-cost sensitivity and algorithmic complexity can be significantly reduced when highly-reliable matches, or ground control points, are incorporated into the matching process. The use of ground control points eliminates both the need for biasing the process towards a smooth solution and the task of selecting critical prior probabilities describing image formation.
Effect of band structure modification on the output characteristics of AlGaInP light emitting diodes

Summary form only given. Visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on the AlGaInP alloy system are very efficient in the 630-590 nm wavelength region compared with conventional light sources. However, at shorter wavelengths the efficiency decreases significantly due to carrier distribution among the direct and indirect conduction band extrema. We have directly determined the effect of carrier transfer to the indirect extrema in the active and cladding layers of AlGaInP LEDs by monitoring the electroluminescence (EL) output emission as a function of the energy separation between the different conduction bands. A quasi-continuous change in the separation between the AlGaInP direct minimum (/spl Gamma/A) and the indirect (X) levels in the active and cladding layers was achieved by varying the Al composition and by using hydrostatic pressure.
Development of a wound assessment system for quantitative chronic wound monitoring

Wound care technology is rapidly advancing, yet the treatment of wounds remains as much art as science. Much of the data currently collected on healing wounds is qualitative-varying by assessor and not easily tracked over time. The purpose of this research project is to evaluate several methods for quantitative wound assessment-wound volume, wound area, and wound coloration. By comparing various assessment parameters for the same patient population, conclusions can be drawn on which information is most useful to the clinical community and which information can be collected in a reasonable amount of time in the busy environment of the health care clinic.
The management of stage I--II Hodgkin's disease with irradiation alone or combined modality therapy: the Stanford experience

At Stanford University, between 1968 and 1978, 230 patients with pathologic stage I--II Hodgkin's disease were treated on prospective clinical trials with either irradiation alone or irradiation followed by 6 cycles of adjuvant combination chemotherapy. The actuarial survival at 10 yr was 84% for patients in either treatment group. Freedom from relapse at 10 yr was 77% among patients treated with irradiation alone and 84% after treatment with combined modality therapy [p(Gehan) = 0.09]. Freedom from second relapse at 10 yr was 89% and 94%, respectively [p(Gehan) = 0.56]. Several prognostic factors were evaluated in order to identify patients at high risk for relapse or with poor ultimate survival after initial treatment with irradiation alone. Systemic symptoms, histologic subtype, age, and limited extranodal involvement (E-lesions) did not affect the prognosis of patients and failed to identify patients whose survival could be improved by the routine use of combined modality therapy. Patients with large mediastinal masses (mediastinal mass ratio greater than or equal to 1/3) had a significantly poorer freedom from relapse when treated with irradiation alone than when treated initially with combined modality therapy [45% versus 81% at 10 yr, p(Gehan) = 0.03). The 10-yr survival of these patients, however, was not significantly different (84% versus 74%). The implications of these observations on the management of patient with early stage Hodgkin's disease are discussed.
Intratumoral injection of BCNU in ethanol (DTI-015) results in enhanced delivery to tumor--a pharmacokinetic study.

Solvent facilitated perfusion (SFP) has been proposed as a technique to increase the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumors. SFP entails direct injection of the agent into the tumor in a water-miscible organic solvent, and because the solvent moves easily through both aqueous solutions and cellular membranes it drives the penetration of the solubilized anticancer agent throughout the tumor. To test this hypothesis, we compared the pharmacokinetics (PK) of 14C-labeled 1,3-bis-chlorethyl-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) in intra-cerebral 9L rat gliomas after intravenous (IV) infusion in 90% saline –10% ethanol or direct intratumoral (IT) injection of 14C-BCNU in 100% ethanol (DTI-015). Treatment with DTI-015 yielded a peak radioactive count (Cmax) for the 14C label that was 100–1000 fold higher in the tumor than in all other tissues in addition to a concentration in the tumor that was 100-fold higher than that achieved following IV infusion of 14C-BCNU. Pathologic and auto-radiographic analysis of tissue sections following IT injection of 14C-BCNU in ethanol into either tumor or normal rat brain revealed both an enhanced local volume of distribution and an increased concentration of BCNU delivered to tumor compared to non-tumor bearing brain. To investigate the mechanism behind the SFP of BCNU to the tumor both dynamic contrast and perfusion MRI were performed on 9L tumors before and after treatment and demonstrated a decrease in tumor perfusion following IT injection of DTI-015. Finally, initial PK of patient blood samples following administration of DTI-015 into relapsed high-grade glioma indicated a 20-fold decrease in systemic exposure to BCNU compared to IV infusion of BCNU providing further evidence for the enhanced therapeutic ratio observed for DTI-015.
The Relationships among Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Sexual Risk Taking in Men from Urban STD Clinics

This study sought to examine the relationships among emotion regulation difficulties, childhood maltreatment, and risky sexual behavior in a sample of 320 heterosexual men recruited from urban STD clinics. Overall childhood maltreatment and several specific types of child abuse were significantly associated with emotion dysregulation, number of sexual partners, and STI diagnosis. There was evidence of an additive effect of multiple forms of maltreatment on difficulties with emotion regulation and sexual risk-taking. Impulse control difficulties and access to emotion regulation strategies, two components of emotion dysregulation, were related to measures of risky sexual behavior. Furthermore, limited access to emotion regulation strategies mediated the relationship between frequency of childhood sexual abuse and a greater number of lifetime sexual partners. This study has important implications for developing effective interventions to reduce the spread of STI's and HIV by expanding affect regulation and distress tolerance strategies among men who have experienced childhood maltreatment.
A Global Information Approach to Computerized Adaptive Testing

Most item selection in computerized adaptive testing is based on Fisher information (or item information). At each stage, an item is selected to maximize the Fisher information at the currently estimated trait level (θ). However, this application of Fisher information could be much less efficient than assumed if the estimators are not close to the true θ, especially at early stages of an adaptive test when the test length (number of items) is too short to provide an accurate estimate for true θ. It is argued here that selection procedures based on global information should be used, at least at early stages of a test when θ estimates are not likely to be close to the true θ. For this purpose, an item selection procedure based on average global information is proposed. Re sults from pilot simulation studies comparing the usual maximum item information item selection with the pro posed global information approach are reported, indicat ing that the new method leads to improvement in terms of bias and mean squ...
Estrogen receptors in the medial basal hypothalamus of the rat following complete hypothalamic deafferentation.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of complete hypothalamic deafferentation (CHD) on the estrogen receptor (ER) concentration in the MBH as well as LH and FSH secretion. Adult female rats underwent CHD using a Halasz-Pupp knife. Sham CHD and intact animals served as controls. Five days after CHD all the rats were ovariectomized and 2 days later they were decapitated and trunk blood collected and the plasma analysed for LH and FSH by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The brains were rapidly removed and the MBH and preoptic area (POA) were dissected. Brain tissues were homogenized in 2.0 ml of phosphate buffer, centrifuged and the supernatant (cytosol) withdrawn. The cytosols were then incubated at 0–4°C for 3 h with [3H]E2 or [3H]E2 + unlabeled E2. Bound and free receptor was separated using 5–30% sucrose gradient centrifugation, Sephadex LH-20 column or hydroxylapatite receptor assays. CHD resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the concentration of ER in the MBH when compared with controls. ER concentration in the POA of the CHD group was not significantly different from the control group. CHD also resulted in a significant (P < 0.005) reduction in the plasma concentration of LH and FSH when compared with the controls. These data suggest that the estrogen receptors in the MBH are influenced by the connections with extrahypothalamic regions and that the effect of hypothalamic deafferentation on gonadotropin secretion may be in part secondary to this reduction of receptors in the MBH.
Assessment of the application of percolation theory to a water repellent soil

A few hydrophobic grains in otherwise hydrophilic sand render the soil hydrophobic and can completely alter the flow of water through unsaturated sands. In this paper we examine whether percolation theory can explain the phenomenon. Percolation theory has been used to describe the dependence of large-scale flow phenomena on heterogeneities found at the pore scale and should, therefore, be able to explain the water flow behaviour in hydrophobic soil. We show that the theory is valid, in general, for a hydrophilic soil into which a small but increasing fraction of highly hydrophobic grains is mixed. However, the application of percolation theory is limited by the complex interactions of matric potential and contact angle effects due to the introduction of hydrophobic particles.
Influence of Altitude and Caffeine during Rest and Exercise on Plasma Levels of Proenkephalin Peptide F.

The purpose of this study was to examine the resting and exercise response patterns of plasma Peptide F immunoreactivity (ir) to altitude exposure (4300 m) and caffeine ingestion (4 mg.kg b.w.-1). Nine healthy male subjects performed exercise tests to exhaustion (80-85% VO2max) at sea level (50 m), during an acute altitude exposure (1 hr, hypobaric chamber, 4300 m) and after a chronic (17-day sojourn, 4300 m) altitude exposure. Using a randomized, double-blind/placebo experimental design, a placebo or caffeine drink was ingested 1 hour prior to exercise. Exercise (without caffeine) significantly (p less than 0.05) increased plasma Peptide F ir values during exercise at chronic altitude only. Caffeine ingestion significantly increased plasma Peptide F ir concentrations during exercise and in the postexercise period at sea level. Conversely caffeine ingestion at altitude resulted in significant reductions in the postexercise plasma Peptide F ir values. The results of this study demonstrate that the exercise and recovery response patterns of plasma Peptide F ir may be significantly altered by altitude exposure and caffeine ingestion. These data support further study examining relationships between Peptide F (and other enkephalin-containing polypeptides) and epinephrine release in response to these types of physiological stresses.
Treatment of oil-water emulsion by ultrafiltration : A numerical approach

Abstract The objective of this work is study of permeate flow variation through a membrane by measuring pressure and concentration of the oil-water emulsion. As a first approach, the tests were made without agitation. For the numerical approach, we developed the cubic finite element method coupled with the Rosenbrock method for the space and temporal discretization of the parabolic partial derivative equations. This method allowed us to solve our equations with boundary conditions of the Fourier type. We proposed and studied various models of permeate flow. The model adopted is that which takes account of the variation of viscosity with level of the polarization layer.
The financial impact of unrepaired cleft lip and palate in the Philippines.

Abstract Objectives There are over 96 million people in the Philippines. Close to 77 thousand persons in this country have orofacial clefting. We estimate nearly 64 thousand are unrepaired. Unemployment and underemployment because of the communication disorders associated with unrepaired clefts will affect family income and hence tax revenues. The purpose of this study is to understand the financial impact of unrepaired cleft lip and/or palate on families and identify how that would translate to the Philippine government in tax revenues. Methods The incidence of orofacial cleft in the Philippines was estimated to be at least 1 in 750 people, with only 16% anticipated to be repaired under current conditions. Assuming a 21% unemployment rate in subjects with untreated clefts, and a tax rate of 6–12.4%, projected lost personal income and federal tax revenue was calculated. Results In 2012 alone the financial impact on the families may be as much as $US 73–88 million in lost revenue from unemployment and underemployment. This would cost the government between $8.0 and $9.8 million dollars in lost tax revenue. Over a 20 year period at least $US 1.7 billion dollars in family income would be affected costing the government at least $US 194 million in taxes. Conclusion By appropriately caring for the cleft population tax revenues should increase substantially. The development of the infrastructure for surgical care of this problem would be costly but could be more than offset by revenues. Inattention to surgically correctable causes of communication disorders is not affordable.
Accumulation of Pantothenic Acid by the Isolated Choroid Plexus and Brain Slices In Vitro

In vitro, the transport of [14C]pantothenic acid into and from the isolated rabbit choroid plexus, an anatomical locus of the blood-CSF barrier, and brain slices was studied. The choroid plexus accumulated [14C]pantothenic acid from the medium against a concentration gradient, although at low concentrations (less than 1 microM) there was substantial intracellular phosphorylation and binding of the [14C]pantothenic acid. The saturable accumulation process in choroid plexus was inhibited by probenecid and caproic acid but not by nicotinic acid or by weak bases. The accumulation process was markedly inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, poly-L-lysine (which blocks sodium transport), and low temperatures. [14C]Pantothenic acid was readily released from choroid plexus by a temperature-dependent process. Brain slices also accumulated and, at low concentrations, phosphorylated [14C]pantothenic acid from the medium by a temperature-, probenecid-, and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive saturable process. However, unlike choroid plexus, brain slices did not concentrate free pantothenic acid and [14C]pantothenic acid accumulation was not sensitive to poly-L-lysine. [14C]Pantothenic acid was readily released from brain slices by a temperature-sensitive process. These results are consistent with the view that [14C]pantothenic acid enters the isolated choroid plexus and brain slices by active transport and facilitated diffusion, respectively.
Acculturation, Enculturation, Ethnic Identity, and Conscientiousness as Predictors of Latino Boys’ and Girls’ Career Decision Self-Efficacy:

This study examined the role of culture and personality on the career decision self-efficacy of 338 Latino seventh-grade public middle school students. Specifically, we examined the role of accultu...
A new method for synthesizing radiation dose-response data from multiple trials applied to prostate cancer.

Purpose: A new method is presented for synthesizing dose-response data for biochemical control of prostate cancer according to study design (randomized vs. nonrandomized) and risk group (low vs. intermediate-high). Methods and Materials: Nine published prostate cancer dose escalation studies including 6,539 patients were identified in the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases and reviewed to assess the relationship between dose and biochemical control. A novel method of analysis is presented in which the normalized dose-response gradient, {gamma}{sub 50}, is estimated for each study and subsequently synthesized across studies. Our method does not assume that biochemical control rates are directly comparable between studies. Results: Nonrandomized studies produced a statistically significantly higher {gamma}{sub 50} than randomized studies for intermediate- to high-risk patients ({gamma}{sub 50} = 1.63 vs. {gamma}{sub 50} = 0.93, p = 0.03) and a borderline significantly higher ({gamma}{sub 50} = 1.78 vs. {gamma}{sub 50} = 0.56, p = 0.08) for low-risk patients. No statistically significant difference in {gamma}{sub 50} was found between low- and intermediate- to high-risk patients (p = 0.31). From the pooled data of low and intermediate- to high-risk patients in randomized trials, we obtain the overall best estimate of {gamma}{sub 50} = 0.84 with 95% confidence interval 0.54-1.15. Conclusions:more » Nonrandomized studies overestimate the steepness of the dose-response curve as compared with randomized trials. This is probably the result of stage migration, improved treatment techniques, and a shorter follow-up in higher dose patients that were typically entered more recently. This overestimation leads to inflated expectations regarding the benefit from dose-escalation and could lead to underpowered clinical trials. There is no evidence of a steeper dose response for intermediate- to high-risk compared with low-risk patients.« less
Stress-induced phase transformation in nanocrystalline UO2

We report a stress-induced phase transfonnation in stoichiometric UO{sub 2} from fluorite to the {alpha}-PbO{sub 2} structure using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. MD simulations, performed on nanocrystalline microstructure under constant-stress tensile loading conditions, reveal a heterogeneous nucleation of the {alpha}-PbO{sub 2} phase at the grain boundaries followed by the growth of this phase towards the interior of the grain. The DFT calculations confinn the existence of the {alpha}-PbO{sub 2} structure, showing that it is energetically favored under tensile loading conditions.
Analysis and representation of BSDF and BRDF measurements

BSDF and BRDF measurements of randomly rough surfaces are often limited to the plane of incidence. For a surface with no change in optical properties upon rotation in the plane of the sample, this is sufficient to completely represent the BRDF or BSDF of a material at a specific frequency. We apply a simple empirical model that accurately represents the full bi-directional dependence of the scatterance or reflectance based on this limited experimental data set. From these models the total integrated reflectance, total integrated scatterance, and emittance can be obtained. Example measurements of opaque painted flat surfaces, transparent samples, and fibers are presented.
A Notch updated

Cell–cell signaling mediated by the Notch receptor is iteratively involved in numerous developmental contexts, and its dysregulation has been associated with inherited genetic disorders and cancers. The core components of the signaling pathway have been identified for some time, but the study of the modulation of the pathway in different cellular contexts has revealed many layers of regulation. These include complex sugar modifications in the extracellular domain as well as transit of Notch through defined cellular compartments, including specific endosomes.
Electron-Phonon Umklapp Scattering Processes in the Low-Temperature Ultrasonic Attenuation and Electrical Resistivity of Potassium

The theoretical treatment by Rice and Sham of the electron-phonon contribution to the attenuation of ultrasound in the local limit and the ideal (phonon-limited) electrical resistivity of potassium is extended to include a careful evaluation of the role of umklapp scattering processes at low temperatures. The results have been explicitly separated into normal and umklapp scattering components and the rapid decrease of the umklapp components, and hence the total, at very low temperatures, is emphasized for both the attenuation and resistivity. The results obtained from a realistic phonon model are compared in one case with those from an isotropic Debye-like model with a quadratic dispersion relationship and purely longitudinal and transverse polarization vectors.
G protein-coupled mechanisms and nervous signaling

Bertil Hille Department of Physiology and Biophysics University of Washington Seattle, Washington, 98195 Signaling systems using receptors coupled to GTP- binding regulatory proteins (C proteins) are an essen- tial component of animal nervous systems. We know of hundredsof homologous receptorsand manyintra- cellular biochemical cascades that they control. This review considers the significance for nervous signal- ing of this diversity and of the branching intracellular events set in motion. Many of these questions have been reviewed before (Ross, 1989). My intention, how- ever, is to describe how molecular aspects of this sys- tem may bear on the neuroanatomy and integrative functions of the nervous system. Signaling via a Cascade The first G protein-coupled signaling pathway to be understood in any depth was the 8-adrenergic path- way, which leads to CAMP-dependent phosphoryla- tion of many target proteins. All the molecules car- rying the signal have been identified, purified, and sequenced. The canonical pathway starts with three membrane proteins (Figure IA): the B-adrenergic receptor (an integral membrane protein), the GTP- binding regulatory protein C, (a membrane-associ- ated protein), and a primary effector, the enzyme ade- nylyl cyclase (another integral protein). Binding of the extracellular agonist turns the intracellular face of the receptor into a catalyst that can dock with G, and promote the exchange of cytoplasmic GTP for the GDP normally bound to G, at rest. The unstimulated C&GDP is a stable heterotrimer,
Feminism, pacifism, nationalism, and the United Nations decade for women

Abstract This paper examines theoretical and actual linkages between feminism, pacifism, and nationalism during the first half of the UN Decade for Women, from the first UN Conference on Women in 1975 to the second in 1980. After a brief examination of the origins of the Decade, the author conceptualizes three stages in the development of the current international women's movement: stage 1, in which Western feminists placed the issue on the world's agenda, stage 2, from 1975 to the early 1980s, in which both conflict and communication are evident, and stage 3, likely by 1985, in which consolidation of the movement occurs. She then examines the theoretical linkages between feminism and pacificism by means questions to each. A brief review of the two conferences themselves precedes a discussion of the linkages between equality, development, and peace (the themes of the Decade) at the conferences, and changes in these from one conference to the other. The author concludes that feminism and pacifism are both theoretically and pragmatically relevant to each other, and that international coalition-building along the lines of congruence between them is necessary to the success of the women's movement, and that this is beginning as a result of the two Decade Conferences so far.
Self and Community in a Fourth-Grade Global Education Project: Necessary Conditions for the Emancipatory Agenda.

This naturalistic study focuses on a global education project in a fourth-grade class. The concepts of self, community, generalized other, and intersubjectivity are elaborated on and connected to the data. The analysis suggests that by understanding the dynamics of these concepts within classroom acts, both teachers and students have the potential to resist values of the dominant ideology, such as negative competition and individualism. In conclusion, a counterhegemonic platform is proposed that incorporates these concepts as a challenge to mainstream consciousness.
EFFECTS OF ENZYMES IN SERUM ON CARBOHYDRATES AND THEIR RELATION TO BACTERIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUE.

It has been shown that enzymes in serum will change maltose, dextrin, and starch so that they will react as dextrose in media. These enzymes are destroyed by heating to 60°C. for 15 minutes, but they are present in sera that have been refrigerated for as long as 18 months. The practice of using carbohydrate media containing unheated serum should be discouraged, and if it is used the possibility that the carbohydrate may be changed by the enzymes present must be considered.
Clq Nephropathy: A Pediatric Clinicopathologic Study

We report on 15 children with proteinuria, at the nephrotic level in the majority of cases, who had no histologic glomerular alterations (eight cases), or focal and segmental glomerular scarring with (three cases) or without (four cases) mesangial proliferation. In all cases, immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy showed prominent mesangial Clq deposits with variable amounts of immunoglobulins. Ultrastructurally, most had conspicuous mesangial electron-dense deposits. Cases with no glomerular histologic alterations were histologically indistinguishable from minimal change disease (MCD), yet they uniformly had an unsatisfactory response to oral prednisone. Thus, the presence of immune deposits with a prominent Clq contribution identifies a group of cases that respond poorly to steroids and that, if light microscopy is considered in isolation, might otherwise be designated MCD.
Enhancing biomethane production from flush dairy manure with turkey processing wastewater

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the quantity and quality of biogas produced by co-digesting flushed dairy manure (FDM) and turkey processing wastewater (TPW). An attached growth digester with working volume of 15 L and a 3 L head space was operated at a 5 d hydraulic retention time using five feed mixes containing 100, 67, 50, 33, and 0% FDM by volume. The biogas yield ranged from 0.072 to 0.8 m 3 [g VS −1 ] and the methane content (quality) of the gas ranging from 56% to 70%. Both the quantity and quality of the biogas increased as the proportion of TPW in the feed increased. An energy balance for the digester based on a dairy farm with 150 animals, showed that augmenting FDM with TPW at 1:1 and 1:2 ratios, feeds C and D, respectively, produced biogas with net positive energy to all year round. The gas produced was enough to run a 50 kW generator to produce electricity for about 5.5 and 9 h for the 1:1 and 1:2 feed mixes. However, the economics were not favorable if the benefits of the digester are based only on the value electricity to be produced. Either, other possible revenues such as carbon credit, renewable energy credits, green tags for electricity, putting a value to the environmental benefits of AD should be considered or subsidies from grants or other incentives programs to make the system economically viable.
Effects of body mass index-related disorders on cognition: preliminary results.

Background Well-known risk factors for cognitive impairment are also associated with obesity. Research has highlighted genetic risk factors for obesity, yet the relationship of those risk factors with cognitive impairment is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the associations between cognition, hypertension, diabetes, sleep-disordered breathing, and obesity. Genetic risk factors of obesity were also examined.
Over-the-counter and Prescription Sleep Medication and Incident Stroke: The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke Study

Background Preliminary evidence suggests sleep medications are associated with risk of vascular events; however, the long-term vascular consequences are understudied. This study investigated the relation between sleep medication use and incident stroke. Methods Within the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study, 21,678 black participants and white participants (≥45 years) with no history of stroke were studied. Participants were recruited from 2003 to 2007. From 2008 to 2010, participants self reported their prescription and over-the-counter sleep medication use over the past month. Suspected stroke events were identified by telephone contact at 6-month intervals and associated medical records were retrieved and physician-adjudicated. Proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios for incident stroke associated with sleep medication use (0, 1-14, and 15+ days per month) controlling for sociodemographics, stroke risk factors, mental health symptoms, and sleep apnea risk. Results At the sleep assessment, 9.6% of the sample used prescription sleep medication and 11.1% used over-the-counter sleep aids. Over an average follow-up of 3.3 ± 1.0 years, 297 stroke events occurred. Over-the-counter sleep medication use was associated with increased risk of incident stroke in a frequency-response relationship ( P = .014), with a 46% increased risk for 1-14 days of use per month (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], .99-2.15) and a 65% increased risk for 15+ days (HR = 1.65; 95% CI, .96-2.85). There was no significant association with prescription sleep medications ( P = .80). Conclusions Over-the-counter sleep medication use may independently increase the risk of stroke beyond other risk factors in middle-aged to older individuals with no history of stroke.
Self-Care and Mothering in African American Women With HIV/AIDS:

African American women are the most rapidly growing group of people in the United States diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of self-care and mothering among African American women with HIV/AIDS. It is important to recognize how culture affects illness management, childrearing, and daily living to design culturally appropriate nursing interventions for African American women. Critical ethnography was used to study 10 African American mothers from the rural Southeast who were HIV positive and mothered children who were HIV positive. Domains derived from the research were disabling relationships, strong mothering, and redefining self-care. The cultural theme was creating a life of meaning. African American mothers with HIV/AIDS in the rural Southeast used culturally specific self-care and mothering strategies reflective of cultural traditions. This study acknowledges strengths of African American women and generates theory that will enhance nursing care to this population.
The identification of ICU-specific outcome predictors: a comparison of medical, surgical, and cardiothoracic ICUs from a single institution

Objectives: To identify ICU-specific predictors of mortality. Design: An inception cohort study. Setting: Barnes Hospital, an academic tertiary care center. Patients: Consecutive patients, requiring mechanical ventilation, admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) (75 patients), surgical ICU (100 patients), and cardiothoracic ICU (102 patients). Interventions: Prospective data collection and outcomes evaluation. Measurements and Main Results: Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified the following variables to be independent predictors of mortality for the individual ICUs: medical ICU, an Organ System Failure index (OSFI) greater than or equal to 3; surgical ICU, OSFI greater than or equal to 3; cardiothoracic ICU, OSFI greater than or equal to 3, requiring acute dialysis, and the occurrence of an iatrogenic event. The same analysis was repeated after removing the OSFI as a potential confounding variable. Independent predictors of mortality identified in this subsequent analysis were as follows: medical ICU, occurrence of renal failure; surgical ICU, supine head positioning, acute physiology score greater than or equal to 10, preadmission lifestyle score greater than or equal to 2; cardiothoracic ICU, requiring acute dialysis, occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and the occurrence of an iatrogenic event. Conclusions: We identified the presence of ICU-specific predictors of mortality amongst the three ICUs examined. These data suggest that ICU-specific interventions could be developed to improve the quality of patient care and potentially to reduce patient mortality.