cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of soft plaque detection with computed tomography.

Coronary calcium assessment is being increasingly used in clinical practice for risk stratification. Higher coronary calcium scores are associated with increased plaque burden and increased cardiovascular risk. One concern is the presence of isolated lipid-laden (soft) plaque in the setting of a
BRDF/BTF measurement device

Capturing surface appearance is important for a large number of applications. Appearance of real world surfaces is difficult to model as it varies with the direction of illumination as well as the direction from which it is viewed. Consequently, measurements of the BRDF (bidirectional reflectance distribution function) have been important. In addition, many applications require measuring how the entire surface reflects light, i.e. spatially varying BRDF measurements are important as well. For compactness we refer to a spatially varying BRDF as a BTF (bidirectional texture function). Measurements of BRDF and/or BTF typically require significant resources in time and equipment. In this work, a device for BRDF/BTF measurement is presented that is compact, economical and convenient. The device uses the approach of curved mirrors to remove the need for hemispherical positioning of the camera and illumination source. Instead, simple planar translations of optical components are used to vary the illumination direction and to scan the surface. Furthermore, the measurement process is fast because the device enables simultaneous measurements of multiple viewing directions.
On heterogeneous distributed geoscientific query processing

Geoscience studies produce data from various observations, experiments, and simulations at an enormous rate. With proliferation of geographic applications, scientific data formats, and storage systems, interoperability remains an important geoscientific data management issue that is often overlooked in current geoscientific query processing research. We present how some issues concerning interoperability in geoscientific query processing are addressed in the Conquest parallel geoscientific query processing system under development at UCLA. The design of Conquest is based on the Volcano extensive query processing system which encapsulates parallel computation through the exchange operator. Conquest extends the exchange operator to support multicasting of data streams and hides the heterogeneity in hardware and operating system platforms from users developing parallel geoscientific applications. The Conquest data model captures some important structural and semantic properties of common geoscientific datasets and is used as a canonical model for a wide variety of scientific and non-scientific datasets. In addition, Conquest supports a uniform interface to a variety of scientific data sources. Access to data managed by a remote data repository is optimized by "pushing" Conquest operators into data repositories to maximize use of local database capability and reduce the volume of data transfer between the data repositories and Conquest.
Delirium and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Exploring the Molecular Link

Delirium is a common problem among the elderly. The incidence of delirium will increase considerably in the coming decades as the proportion of the population over age 65 increases. Given that an FDA-approved drug to treat delirium is not available, efforts geared toward prevention are paramount. Several risk factors that predispose/precipitate delirium have been identified. A recently described, reversible risk factor for postoperative delirium is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this review, we focus on the molecular basis of delirium and its link to OSA. We present evidence that OSA modulates the levels of two factors, IGF-1 and cortisol, which both have been linked to postoperative delirium.
The Effects of Hearing Aid Compression Parameters on the Short-Term Dynamic Range of Continuous Speech

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate and quantitatively model the independent and interactive effects of compression ratio, number of compression channels, and release time on the dyna...
Flux resetting characteristics of several magnetic materials

EXPERIMENTAL data are presented on the rate of change of flux in four materials used in magnetic amplifiers. A test circuit which applied a constant magnetizing force to a test core was employed.1 The rate of change of flux was then observed as the induced voltage in a pickup coil. By observing the induced voltage wave on an oscilloscope, one can determine the peak and average rate of change of flux, along with the wave shape as a function of time. This information is helpful in understanding and improving the performance of magnetic amplifiers, as will be discussed later.
Circulating levels of DHA in growth hormone (GH) deficient children with normo-synthesis of cortisol

Thirty-one children with idiopathic GH-deficiency (7 with IGHD; 26 with MPHD) were subjected to multiple testing of hypothalamopituitary and pituitary-adrenal function. ACTH stimulation and insulin-induced hypoglycemia (I.I.H.) revealed all subjects had normo-synthesis of cortisol (Δ F being greater 10 /ug/dl for ACTH, and greater 7 UG/dl for I.I.H.). LH-RH testing recorded mixed results with 11 of the MPHD-patients showing a decreased level of stimulation. However, when the circulating levels of the major adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) were examined, the group of GH-deficient patients showed decreased levels compared with age-matched controls (p < 0.01), 11 being below normal range. We conclude that although the dynamic tests indicate a normally functioning adrenal corticosteroid secretion in GH-deficient subjects the level of DHA is of pathophysiological interest and may indicate towards a different mechanism with regard to the regulation for this hormone.
Synthesis and Characterization of Degradable Anhydride-co-imide Terpolymers Containing Trimellitylimido-l-tyrosine: Novel Polymers for Drug Delivery

The goal of this work is to synthesize a polymer specifically designed to deliver vaccine antigens. To accomplish this goal, a series of anhydride-co-imide terpolymers based on trimellitylimido-l-tyrosine (TMA-Tyr), sebacic acid (SA), and 1,3-bis(carboxyphenoxy)propane (CPP) was synthesized by melt condensation polymerization. It is desirable to incorporate tyrosine into the backbone of the polymer system due to its inherent ability to enhance the immune response to vaccine antigens. CPP and SA were copolymerized with the tyrosine derivative, TMA-Tyr, in order to develop a polymer with suitable material properties for drug delivery (e.g., high molecular weight, amorphous, and good solubility in low-boiling organic solvents), as well as to provide a series of polymers capable of a wide range of degradation and antigen release properties. To our knowledge, this paper represents the first report of the synthesis and characterization of terpolyanhydrides designed specifically to deliver drugs such as vaccine ...
Appointed and Elected Leader Responses to Favorableness of Feedback and Level of Task Activity from Followers1

Leader evaluations of four types of followers, providing either positive or negative feedback with either high or low task activity, were studied. Forty-six subjects, 20 female and 26 male, were randomly placed in the appointed or elected conditions of leader legitimacy and told they were leading four same-sex followers in a group problem-solving task. The dependent measure was a score made up of their semantic differential ratings of each follower. A three-way interaction indicated that elected and appointed leaders responded differentially to high and low activity followers under the negative feedback condition, but similarly under the positive feedback condition. In addition, a main effect showed that elected leaders were generally more positive than appointed leaders in judgments of their followers. The results were interpreted within a social exchange perspective on leader-follower relations.
Effect of acute arecoline, tacrine and arecoline + tacrine post-training administration on retention in old mice

The amnesias characteristic of Alzheimer's disease and other age-related dementias are refractory to conventional pharmacotherapy. A recent treatment strategy is to combine drugs to improve their memory enhancing effect. We previously reported that in young weakly trained mice, the combination of arecoline and tacrine was more effective on a mg/kg basis than either drug administered alone. This was true whether the route of administration was intracerebroventricular, subcutaneous or oral. We now report that 24 month old mice trained to avoid footshock in a T-maze show poor retention when tested one week later. Subcutaneous administration of arecoline, tacrine (also referred to as tetrahydroaminoacridine, THA) and arecoline plus tacrine administered immediately after T-maze footshock avoidance training enhanced retention of 24 month old mice compared to the saline-injected control. Since the combination was as effective as the single drug treatments even though 96% less arecoline and 99.7% less tacrine was administered, the combination showed marked potentiation of drug action of memory processing.
Chelated Anionic Aluminum

Two equivalents of the bidentate ligands, 2.4-(R)2-6-(CH2NHR′)PhOH (where R′ = alkyl and R = H (L1) and tBu(L2)) are combined with LiAlH4 to form unique chelated aluminates of the form [(L1)2Al]Li(THG)2 (R′ = iPr (1), iBu (2), tBu (3), Dipp (4) (Dipp = 2,6-(iPr)2Ph)) and [(L2)2Al]Li(THF)2(R′ = iPr (5), iBu (6), tBu (7)). Compound 7 undergoes a salt elimination when combined with Me2AlCl to form the bimetallic derivative, (L2)2Al (AlMe2) (R′ = tBu (8)). By comparison a related reaction with [ArO4Al][Li(thi)4] (Ar = 2,4-(tBu)2Ph (9)) leads to elimination of one of the aryloxide groups and the consequent formation of neutral species. All of the compounds were characterized by Mp, analyses, 1H NMR, IR and, in the case of 4 and 7–9, by X-ray crystallography.
Increased germ cell degeneration and reduced germ cell:Sertoli cell ratio in stallions with low sperm production

To determine the relationship between germ cell degeneration or germ cell:Sertoli cell ratio and daily sperm production, testes were obtained during the months of May to July (breeding season) and November to January (nonbreeding season) from adult (4 to 20-yr-old) stallions with either high (n = 15) or low (n = 15) sperm production. Serum was assayed for concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone. Testes were assayed for testosterone content and for the number of elongated spermatids, after which parenchymal samples were prepared for histologic assessment. Using morphometric procedures, the types and numbers of spermatogonia, germ cells and Sertoli cells were determined. High sperm producing stallions had greater serum testosterone concentration, total intratesticular testosterone content, testicular parenchymal weight, seminiferous epithelial height, diameter of seminiferous tubules, numbers of A and B spermatogonia per testis, number of Sertoli cells per testis, and number of B spermatogonia, late primary spermatocytes, round spermatids and elongated spermatids per Sertoli cell than low sperm producing stallions (P < 0.05). The number of germ cells (total number of all spermatocytes and spermatids in Stage VIII tubules) accommodated by Sertoli cells was reduced in low sperm producing stallions (18.6 +/- 1.3 germ cells/Sertoli cell) compared with that of high sperm producing stallions (25.4 +/- 1.3 germ cells/Sertoli cell; P < 0.001). The conversion from (yield between) early to late primary spermatocytes and round to elongated spermatids was less efficient for the low sperm producing stallions (P < 0.05). Increased germ cell degeneration during early meiosis and spermiogenesis and reduced germ cell:Sertoli cell ratio was associated with low daily sperm production. These findings can be explained either by a compromised ability of the Sertoli cells to support germ cell division and/or maturation or the presence of defects in germ cells that predisposed them to degeneration.
A study on the pervaporation of ethanol/water mixtures on the basis of pore flow model

Abstract The membrane performance data were computed for different values of parameters involved in the transport equations for pervaporation developed on the basis of the pore flow model. For the calculation the separation of ethanol/water mixtures by pervaporation was chosen as an example. The applicability of the transport equations was tested by examining the agreement between tendencies observed in the calculated data and those in a variety of experimental data recorded in the literature. The effects of the downstream pressure and the temperature on the pervaporation performance were also discussed from theoretical and experimental view points.
Reducing uncertainty about objective functions in adaptive management

This paper extends the uncertainty framework of adaptive management to include uncertainty about the objectives to be used in guiding decisions. Adaptive decision making typically assumes explicit and agreed-upon objectives for management, but allows for uncertainty as to the structure of the decision process that generates change through time. Yet it is not unusual for there to be uncertainty (or disagreement) about objectives, with different stakeholders expressing different views not only about resource responses to management but also about the appropriate management objectives. In this paper I extend the treatment of uncertainty in adaptive management, and describe a stochastic structure for the joint occurrence of uncertainty about objectives as well as models, and show how adaptive decision making and the assessment of post-decision monitoring data can be used to reduce uncertainties of both kinds. Different degrees of association between model and objective uncertainty lead to different patterns of learning about objectives.
Time series analysis of CO concentrations from an Eastern Kentucky coal fire

Abstract Coal fires in natural outcrops, in abandoned and active coal mines, and in coal and coal-refuse piles are responsible for the uncontrolled emissions of gases, including CO, CO 2 , H 2 S, hydrocarbons, and volatile aromatics. Typically, measurements of gases at a mine vent are made over a short time interval, perhaps no more than 10 min, including the time for replicate measurements. Such timing provides little information on longer-term variations in emissions, although comparisons of seasonal measurements suggest such changes do occur. To address this problem, we placed temperature and CO data loggers in coal fire vents to collect time series measurements for a period of up to three weeks. For one experiment, 11 days of data at one-minute intervals indicated that the CO emissions were generally in the 400–550 ppmv range. However near daily depressions in CO concentrations occurred and in some cases fell below 50 ppmv; followed by an increase to ~ 700–800 ppmv; in turn followed by a return to the ambient conditions. Data for a separate 21-day collection period in a different vent of the same fire exhibited similar trends, albeit at a higher CO concentration. The drop in CO concentration may be associated with a meteorologically-driven inhalation cycle of the fire, whereby air diluted the combustion generated CO. We propose this was followed by an increase in the intensity of the fire due to increased O 2 from the inhaled air, producing increased CO concentrations, before settling back to the ambient conditions.
Protein modules that manipulate histone tails for chromatin regulation

Histones are the predominant protein components of chromatin and are subject to specific post-translational modifications that are correlated with transcriptional competence. Among these histone modifications are acetylation, phosphorylation and methylation, and recent studies reveal that conserved protein modules mediate the attachment, removal or recognition of these modifications. It is becoming clear that appropriate coordination of histone modifications and their manipulations by conserved protein modules are integral to gene-specific transcriptional regulation within chromatin.
Characterization of Plasma-Modified Fluoropolymer Surfaces Using Steady-State and Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Poly(hexafluoropropylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (FEP) has been widely used in biotechnology because of its unique surface properties and biocompatibility. Recent work from our group has shown that plasma discharge-modified FEP can be used as the substratum for development of a very stable immunosensor. This result has prompted us to study further this new surface under ambient conditions. In this paper, we report on the covalent immobilization of a pyrene residue (-Py) onto FEP-APS (FEP-aminopropyl silane) surfaces and the characterization of FEP-APS-Py using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Among the immobilization schemes tested, we found that the covalent coupling of pyrene-sulfonyl chloride to FEP-APS is the easiest and yields the most photostable FEP-APS-Py derivative. Steady-state emission spectra of FEP-APS-Py in contact with H2O, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) aqueous solutions differ considerably from those of Py-SO3- in solution. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of FEP-APS-Py demonstrates that the decay kinetics are strongly affected by the presence of ionic quenchers and molecular oxygen, as well as β-CD and SDS. The results are consistent with the suggestion that the APS-Py moiety undergoes a slow time-dependent reconfiguration at the FEP/APS interface.
Innovative Approach for Estimating Fugitive Gaseous Fluxes Using Computed Tomography and Remote Optical Sensing Techniques

ABSTRACT This paper presents a new approach to quantify emissions from fugitive gaseous air pollution sources. The authors combine Computed Tomography (CT) with Path-Integrated Optical Remote Sensing (PI-ORS) concentration data in a new field beam geometry. Path-integrated concentrations are sampled in a vertical plane downwind from the source along several radial beam paths. An innovative CT technique, which applies the Smooth Basis Function Minimization method to the beam data in conjunction with measured wind data, is used to estimate the total flux from the fugitive source. The authors conducted a synthetic data study to evaluate the proposed methodology under different meteorological conditions, beam geometry configurations, and simulated measurement errors. The measurement errors were simulated based on data collected with an Open-Path Fourier Transform Infra-Red system. This approach was found to be robust for the simulated errors and for a wide range of fluctuating wind directions. In the very spa...
The Development of Prey Recognition and Predatory Behaviour in the American Kestrel Falco Sparverius

Nine hand-reared American kestrels were exposed to a series of objects, stationary and moving, ranging from a tissue-paper ball, a crude tissue-paper mouse, through stuffed and dead mice, and finally live mice. Only one bird responded consistently to paper models, and only to moving mouse-models. All birds attacked live mice, including five that had not responded to models or dead mice. Two of the five inexperienced birds attacked their first live mouse in less than 10 sec. Attacks on paper models were desultory and disoriented and are believed to represent play rather than predatory behaviour. Attacks on live mice were intense, rapid, sustained and well-oriented, with the mouse being grasped by the thorax, neck or head and biting directed to the head or neck. Eight of nine birds attacked their first mouse (live, dead, or stuffed) expertly and all nine birds achieved consistent, expert perfonnance in less than six trials. The inference is drawn that experience plays a minor role in the development of recognition, capturing and killing of mice by kestrels.
Inverse polarity techniques for high-speed/low-power multipliers

Various high-speed techniques have been developed for multipliers, but with the increasing popularity of mobile computing, a recent goal has been to minimize power dissipation. A popular delay-reduction technique applied to adder circuits is polarity inversion of bits. As this optimization reduces transistor count, it also has the potential for lowering power dissipation, and can be effectively applied to Wallace tree partial product reduction stages. We illustrate how this technique reduces power, interconnect capacitance, and chip area. Power reduction of up to 25% is achieved.
Nonmetric tests of ratio vs. subtractive theories of stimulus comparison

Theories of stimulus comparison were tested by examining ordinal properties of data obtained with six scaling tasks. Subjects judged simple “ratios” or “differences” of stimulus pairs constructed from a factorial design. In four additional tasks, the same judges also compared relations between pairs of stimulus pairs, judging “ratios of ratios,” “ratios of differences,” “differences of ratios,” and “differences of differences.” The data were consistent with a subtractive theory, which asserts that two stimuli are compared by subtraction, regardless of the task, but that judges can compare two stimulus differences by either a ratio or a difference. All six tasks could be related by the subtractive theory using a single set of scale values. Other simple theories, including the theory that “ratio” judgments can be represented by a ratio model, could not reproduce the six rank orders (of the six sets of data) using a single set of scale values.
The effects of an academic environment intervention on science identification among women in STEM

Academic environments can feel unwelcoming for women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Two studies examined academic environments of female undergraduates majoring in STEM fields at a university in the United States. In Study 1, we compared women in STEM who are in a welcoming environment to those in a traditional STEM environment in order to identify factors that may make environments seem welcoming to women. Women in the welcoming environment received more messages about women in STEM, were more likely to wear or carry markers of their major, and had more peer role models in STEM. In Study 2, we developed an intervention based on these factors to improve women’s implicit beliefs about their participation in STEM. In a sample of women in traditional STEM environments, we manipulated exposure to the intervention and the self-relevance of the intervention. The intervention decreased stereotyping concerns and indirect STEM stereotyping, and it increased implicit STEM identification when the intervention was made self-relevant. This research demonstrates the importance of a welcoming academic environment for women in STEM, and it also provides a model for how key elements of intensive university programs targeting women can be translated into a more general approach that reaches a wider audience.
Hyper-Acetylation of Histone H3K56 Limits Break-Induced Replication by Inhibiting Extensive Repair Synthesis

Break-induced replication (BIR) has been implicated in restoring eroded telomeres and collapsed replication forks via single-ended invasion and extensive DNA synthesis on the recipient chromosome. Unlike other recombination subtypes, DNA synthesis in BIR likely relies heavily on mechanisms enabling efficient fork progression such as chromatin modification. Herein we report that deletion of HST3 and HST4, two redundant de-acetylases of histone H3 Lysine 56 (H3K56), inhibits BIR, sensitizes checkpoint deficient cells to deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate pool depletion, and elevates translocation-type gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCR). The basis for deficiency in BIR and gene conversion with long gap synthesis in hst3Δ hst4Δ cells can be traced to a defect in extensive DNA synthesis. Distinct from other cellular defects associated with deletion of HST3 and HST4 including thermo-sensitivity and elevated spontaneous mutagenesis, the BIR defect in hst3Δ hst4Δ cannot be offset by the deletion of RAD17 or MMS22, but rather by the loss of RTT109 or ASF1, or in combination with the H3K56R mutation, which also restores tolerance to replication stress in mrc1 mutants. Our studies suggest that acetylation of H3K56 limits extensive repair synthesis and interferes with efficient fork progression in BIR.
Unpacking self‐control.

Self-controlled behavior refers to actions aligned with valued, longer-term goals in the face of conflicting impulses to seek immediate gratification. In this article, we argue that the psychological processes that contribute to self-controlled behavior can be grouped into two functionally distinct categories: Volitional processes facilitate self-controlled behavior and include executive functions as well as learned metacognitive strategies like planning, attention deployment, and psychological distancing. In contrast, impulsigenic processes undermine self-controlled behavior and include reward sensitivity, sensation seeking, and domain-specific cravings. A disproportionate amount of research has addressed the former at the expense of understanding individual and developmental differences in the latter. This imbalance is now being rectified. Distinguishing between self-controlled behavior and its antecedent psychological processes helps illuminate normative developmental changes in self-control and points to directions for measurement and intervention.
The pharmacological and physiological profile of glutamate receptors at the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction

. Drosophila larval muscles are commonly used for developmental assessment in regard to various mutations of synaptically relevant molecules. In addition, the molecular sequence of the glutamate receptors on the muscle fibre have been described; however, the pharmacological profiles to known agonists and antagonists have yet to be reported. Here, the responses of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA), l-glutamate, kainate, quisqualic acid, NBQX, AP5 and DNQX are characterized with regard to synaptic transmission and direct effects on the muscle fibres. The muscle fibres depolarize to application of glutamate or quisqualate and the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) amplitudes are diminished. Kainate does not alter the muscle membrane potential but does reduce the EPSP amplitude. The known antagonists NBQX, AP5 and DNQX have no substantial effect on synaptic transmission at 1 mm, nor do they block the response of quisqualate. Kainate may be acting as a postsynaptic antagonist or via autoreceptors presynaptically to reduce evoked transmission.
Ultrarapid freezing reveals that skeletal muscle caveolae are semipermanent structures.

Abstract Rat myofibers in the resting state and under imposed conditions of moderate to severe physiological, pharmacological, and mechanical stress were prepared by ultrarapid freezing and examined by freeze fracture. In rapidly frozen rat myofibers, caveolae morphology and distribution were found to be unchanged by brief or prolonged rest, brief direct electrical stimulation and concomitant contractile activity, prolonged direct electrical stimulation (to fatigue), myofiber stretch (within normal myofiber limits), or careful compressive scission. However, caveolae were greatly reduced or eliminated in number and size by severe mechanical disruption (shredding and/or tearing) of myofibers. Thus, we conclude that unlike apparently similar surface specialization in other cell types, skeletal muscle caveolae are not transient stages in a caveolae ↔ vesicle endocytotic-exocytotic cycle, nor are they a membrane reservoir for normal stretch/contractile activity. Rather, they are (semi)permanent structures in the muscle plasma membrane with as yet undetermined function and kinetics.
31P NMR SPECTROSCOPY IN CHRONIC ADRIAMYCIN CARDIOTOXICITY

Abnormal cardiac energy metabolism has been postulated as a mechanism for adriamycin induced cardiotoxicity. This study was designed to determine high energy phosphate stores at rest and with hemodynamic stress in perfused rat hearts after animals had been chronically exposed to adriamycin (2 mg/kg weekly for 14 weeks). Morphologic and hemodynamic changes were mild in this model. Phosphorus-31 NMR determined intracellular pH and levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and ATP were comparable in treated and control hearts. Phosphocreatine (PCr) levels were markedly decreased in treated hearts (0.89 ± 0.07 units/g versus 1.7 ± 0.13 units/g, p < 0.001). The PCr/Pi ratio decreased in both groups during hemodynamic stress. It recovered earlier in controls and there was a marked overshoot after cessation of rapid pacing in this group which was not present in adriamycin treated hearts. These results suggest that metabolic regulation in response to hemodynamic stress is impaired after chronic adriamycin exposure. PCr depletion and delayed metabolic recovery after hemodynamic stress appear to be potentially useful markers for the effect of adriamycin on the heart. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
An alcohol-sensing site in the calcium- and voltage-gated, large conductance potassium (BK) channel.

Ethanol alters BK (slo1) channel function leading to perturbation of physiology and behavior. Site(s) and mechanism(s) of ethanol–BK channel interaction are unknown. We demonstrate that ethanol docks onto a water-accessible site that is strategically positioned between the slo1 calcium-sensors and gate. Ethanol only accesses this site in presence of calcium, the BK channel’s physiological agonist. Within the site, ethanol hydrogen-bonds with K361. Moreover, substitutions that hamper hydrogen bond formation or prevent ethanol from accessing K361 abolish alcohol action without altering basal channel function. Alcohol interacting site dimensions are approximately 10.7 × 8.6 × 7.1 A, accommodating effective (ethanol-heptanol) but not ineffective (octanol, nonanol) channel activators. This study presents: (i) to our knowledge, the first identification and characterization of an n-alkanol recognition site in a member of the voltage-gated TM6 channel superfamily; (ii) structural insights on ethanol allosteric interactions with ligand-gated ion channels; and (iii) a first step for designing agents that antagonize BK channel-mediated alcohol actions without perturbing basal channel function.
Sexual risk typologies and their relationship with early parenthood and STI outcomes among urban African-American emerging adults: a cross-sectional latent profile analysis.

Objectives Identifying sexual risk patterns associated with HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STI) and early parenthood within population subgroups is critical for targeting risk reduction interventions. Methods Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to identify sexual behaviour typologies to predict sexual risk outcomes among 274 (63% female) unmarried, sexually active African–American emerging adults (M age=19.31 years) living in disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods. Participants were enrolled in a larger cross-sectional observational study of risk and protective behaviours. LCA defined membership into discrete risk classes based on reported sex risk behaviours. Results Three groups were identified: The ‘low contraception use’ risk class (32%) had low rates of condom or other birth control use, moderate rates of sexual initiation before age 16 years, and the highest pregnancy/early parenthood and STI rates. The predominately male ‘early sex’ risk class (32%) had higher rates of early initiation and multiple partners, risks that were countered by higher contraception and condom use. Both these risk groups showed higher probability to use substances before sex relative to the ‘low sex risk’ class (36%), which showed low rates on all risk behaviours. Conclusions LCA identified distinct risk clusters that predicted sexual health outcomes and can inform targeted interventions for a minority youth population disproportionately affected by HIV, other STIs, and early parenthood.
Electroshock amnesia to aversive heart-rate conditioning in rats.

Rats were administered a single classical heart-rate-conditioning trial by pairing of a tone with footshock. Retention of the conditioned heart-rate response, measured 24 hr later, was indicated by a marked decrease in rate to the tone alone. Retention of this response was not observed in groups of animals receiving a 50-mA electroshock either 0.1 or 60 sec after training. These data indicate not only that electroshock may produce retention deficits for conditioned heart-rate responses, but that the lack of an electroshock gradient for these responses may be seen with training-electroshock intervals that have reliably produced behavioral gradients. It is not known whether these results reflect a true extension of an electroshock gradient or an effect of electroshock on other possible mechanisms of memory processing.
Timing of Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy in Colorectal Cancers

Surgery remains the only curative therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC); however, several studies have proved that adjuvant chemotherapy improves the curative rate. A growing body of evidence indicates that significant deviations from recommended treatment plans are frequent. Patients may experience delays in the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy that can reduce its survival benefit. To date, few studies have examined factors associated with the timing of adjuvant chemotherapy or have described the effects of delayed therapy on overall survival. In this review, we discuss the extent and predictors of delay in administration of adjuvant chemotherapy as well as the relationship between timing and outcomes in CRC.
Dynamics of supertubes

Abstract We find the evolution of arbitrary excitations on 2-charge supertubes, by mapping the supertube to a string carrying traveling waves. We argue that when the coupling is increased from zero the energy of excitation leaks off to infinity, and when the coupling is increased still further a new set of long lived excitations emerge. We relate the excitations at small and large couplings to excitations in two different phases in the dual CFT. We conjecture a way to distinguish bound states from unbound states among 3-charge BPS geometries; this would identify black hole microstates among the complete set of BPS geometries.
Cigarette Smoke Alters the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche.

Effects of tobacco smoke on hematologic derangements have received little attention. This study employed a mouse model of cigarette smoke exposure to explore the effects on bone marrow niche function. While lung cancer is the most widely studied consequence of tobacco smoke exposure, other malignancies, including leukemia, are associated with tobacco smoke exposure. Animals received cigarette smoke exposure for 6 h/day, 5 days/week for 9 months. Results reveal that the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) pool size is reduced by cigarette smoke exposure. We next examined the effect of cigarette smoke exposure on one supporting cell type of the niche, the mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Smoke exposure decreased the number of MSCs. Transplantation of naive HSPCs into irradiated mice with cigarette smoke exposure yielded fewer numbers of engrafted HSPCs. This result suggests that smoke-exposed mice possess dysfunctional niches, resulting in abnormal hematopoiesis. Co-culture experiments using MSCs isolated from control or cigarette smoke-exposed mice with naive HSPCs in vitro showed that MSCs from cigarette smoke-exposed mice generated marked expansion of naive HSPCs. These data show that cigarette smoke exposure decreases in vivo MSC and HSC number and also increases pro-proliferative gene expression by cigarette smoke-exposed MSCs, which may stimulate HSPC expansion. These results of this investigation are clinically relevant to both bone marrow donors with a history of smoking and bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients with a history of smoking.
Recent Bereavement and Registration for Death Studies Courses

Two groups of students, those who had registered for a course entitled The Sociology of Death and those who had registered for another sociology class were compared as to their death related experiences. Students in the Sociology of Death class reported more deaths of friends and relatives over two five-year periods, and more work experiences in death related settings than students in the control group. The differences were significant at the .05 level. No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of anticipated occupations in death related settings.
Why and How States Open Frontiers

This article outlines a theory explaining why and how states open territorial frontiers, an inquiry overlooked by students of international relations because of assumptions that most territorial sovereignty issues had been decided following the Second World War—that territoriality was of declining relevance in international affairs, and that the state would be eclipsed by transnational political actors. States open frontiers for the same reason they acquire client states: additional territory offers additional power resources—strategic military position, access to natural resources, captive markets, and international prestige—which are important in an international environment characterized by anarchy. Assertion of sovereign claims to new territory is the precursor to economic development and perhaps settlement. The latter require the state to absorb unrecoverable costs as well as much of the economic risk for private firms and settlers.
Identification of human translocation chromosomes by quinacrine fluorescence patterns

Quinacrine stained human chromosomes fluoresce with distinctive patterns when exposed to UV light. These patterns are detectable visually in high contrast photographs of metaphase figures and permit the identification of each chromosome. A variety of cases with translocation chromosomes have been studied by this method in our laboratories and the chromosomes involved identified with much greater accuracy than previously possible. Included are the following translocations: (3p−; 18q+), (5p−; 14q+), (5p+; 10q−) [preliminary], (13q13q), (13q14q), (14q21q), and (21q21q). The fluorescence patterns are distinctive enough, for instance, to differentiate the t(14q21q) from the C-group chromosomes and a t(13q13q) from the chromosomes no. 3. This method now provides a rapid means for distinguishing cytologically between t(21q21q) and t(21q22q). Also, of significance is the relative ease with which the 14q+ chromosome in the cells with a t(5p−; 14q+) can be recognized. That a D-group chromosome was involved in this translocation was previously shown only with great effort (deCapoa et al. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 19 586, 1967). It should now be possible to differentiate more readily between the several possible abnormal karyotypes and the normal one in the progeny of such a translocation carrier.
Earnings per Share: A Review of the New Accounting Standard

For the past three years, corporations have been reporting earnings per share under the new accounting rule, SFAS 128. What are the differences between the new and the old standard? And which industries are most affected by the potential dilution of earnings for a firm? © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Isotropic high-temperature plasticity of graphite

Abstract A study of the dimensional changes accompanying the high-temperature plastic deformation of a substrate-nucleated pyrolytic carbon suggests that this material deforms like a homogeneous, isotropic solid for elongations greater than about 8%. The initial deformation behaviour in tension parallel to the substrate (layer plane) orientation is dominated by a structural transformation involving graphitization and an increase in preferred orientation texture. However, with continued deformation, both the width and the thickness of the gauge section (parallel and normal, respectively, to the layers) decrease at the same rate as a function of elongation, as expected for an isotropic material. Except for a density increase due to graphitization during the first stage, the deformation occurs at constant volume. The implications of this behaviour for the fundamental deformation and diffusion mechanisms in graphite are discussed.
Delayed diagnosis of duodenal rupture

background : Although duodenal rupture is usually diagnosed during the course of surgery for other injuries, a small portion of such injuries occur in isolation. In such cases, the significance of the clinical and diagnostic findings may not be appreciated for an extended period. The primary determinant of mortality in duodenal rupture is the presence of associated injuries, but delay in diagnosis is often a secondary factor. methods : A retrospective case review of 8 patients with isolated duodenal rupture that was diagnosed more than 24 hours following the injury. results : In 5 cases, physicians did not look for the occult injury. In 3, patients did not seek medical attention. Two patients were initially treated with primary duodenal repair and drainage with poor results. All patients were eventually treated with pyloric exclusion that resulted in no deaths and no duodenal fistulas. Three patients developed abscesses after pyloric exclusion. They were drained without difficulty. conclusion : Pyloric exclusion appears to offer a satisfactory option for dealing with the inflammation and contamination that result from prolonged soilage by duodenal contents.
Hidden 19S IgM Rheumatoid Factor in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary: One-hundred twenty-five serum samples from 82 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) were studied for the presence of hidden rheumatoid factor (RF) in an effort to find a better serologic marker to define JRA. Hidden 19S IgM RF was detected by means of a hemolytic assay utilizing the IgM-containing fraction of serum. The IgM fraction was obtained after acid separation of serum on a Sephadex G-200 column. Hidden 19S IgM RF was present in 68% of patients with seronegative JRA with a mean titer of 1:63. The mean titer for the polyarticular JRA group was 1:83, for the pauciarticular JRA group, it was 1:32, and for the systemic type-onset JRA patients, it was 1:32. When disease was active, the mean titer for all JRA patients was 1:108, for the active polyarticular JRA group it was 1:119, for the active pauciarticular JRA, it was 1:97, and for the active systemic JRA patients, it was 1:64. All values were significant at the P ≤ 0.001 when compared to disease and normal controls. The hemolytic assay for RF on the IgM-containing fraction of serum thus enhances the serologic capabilities of defining JRA. Speculation: These studies showing the correlation of disease activity and the presence of hidden rheumatoid factor will aid in evaluating and following disease activity in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
THE EFFECTS OF EPINEPHRINE ON THE METABOLISM OF 17-HYDR0XYC0RTIC0STER0IDS IN THE HUMAN

THE factors regulating the secretion of the adrenocorticotropic. hormone (ACTH) by the adenohypophysis and consequently those governing the secretion of adrenal corticosteroids have not been well defined. Cannon demonstrated some years ago that many stressful situations are accompanied by the release of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla and by stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (1, 2). Subsequently Selye and others presented evidence that the effects which are produced by adrenocortical hormones are accentuated after stress— the “alarm reaction” of Selye (3–6). Because somewhat similar effects may be produced by epinephrine administration, it has been postulated that epinephrine may be the so-called “common-denominator” in stimulating the pituitary-adrenal system under conditions of stress (7, 8). Although many investigators have agreed that epinephrine is capable of inducing release of ACTH by the anterior pituitary, the evidence has been based in most instances on the development of change...
The Atomic Metron – a Basis for Synthesis of Metal Sub-Nanometer Particles with a Discrete Number of Atoms

Few techniques are available to systematically synthesize and characterize metal particles below 1nm in size. We build nanoparticles in an atomically defined manner through the use of a high-fidelity molecular container we call an atomic metron, which is used to select and count the metallic ions that will make up the resultant nanoparticle. After a defined number of ions are selected, the metron may be spatially isolated and the metallic ions reduced to an isolated nanoparticle. Each step in the process is characterized via analytical methods. AFM is used to demonstrate the formation of sub-nanometer particles. The counting of atoms, isolation, and formation of nanoparticles, shows high potential for easy synthesis of sub-nanometer particles with fine control over the number of atoms in each particle.
Methanogens, Methane and Gastrointestinal Motility

Anaerobic fermentation of the undigested polysaccharide fraction of carbohydrates produces hydrogen in the intestine which is the substrate for methane production by intestinal methanogens. Hydrogen and methane are excreted in the flatus and in breath giving the opportunity to indirectly measure their production using breath testing. Although methane is detected in 30%-50% of the healthy adult population worldwide, its production has been epidemiologically and clinically associated with constipation related diseases, like constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation. While a causa- tive relation is not proven yet, there is strong evidence from animal studies that methane delays intestinal transit, possibly act- ing as a neuromuscular transmitter. This evidence is further supported by the universal finding that methane production (measured by breath test) is associated with delayed transit time in clinical studies. There is also preliminary evidence that anti- biotic reduction of methanogens (as evidenced by reduced methane production) predicts the clinical response in terms of symptomatic improvement in patients with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome. However, we have not identi- fied yet the mechanism of action of methane on intestinal motility, and since methane production does not account for all constipation associated cases, there is need for high quality clinical trials to examine methane as a biomarker for the diagnosis or as a biomarker that predicts antibiotic treatment response in patients with constipation related disorders.
Designing a Calculational Proof of Cantor's Theorem

Cantor's Diagonalization The one purpose of this little Note is to show that formal arguments need not be lengthy at all; on the contrary, they are often the most compact rendering of the argument. Its other purpose is to show the strong heuristic guidance that is available to us when we design such calculational proofs in sufficiently small, explicit steps. We illustrate our approach on Georg Cantor's classic diagonalization argument [chosen because, at the time, it created a sensation]. Cantor's purpose was to show that any set S is strictly smaller than its powerset g9S (i.e., the set of all subsets of S). Because of the 1-1 correspondence between the elements of S and its singleton subsets, which are elements of gPS, S is not larger than gPS, and our proof can now be focussed on the "strictly", i.e., we have to show that there is no 1-1 correspondence between S and gUS. We can confine ourselves to non-empty S.
A Room-Temperature Diffusion Constant for Hydrogen in Proton-irradiated Steel

RECENT measurements of hydrogen diffusion-rates in α-iron by Johnson and Hill1 gave approximately 2 × 10−7 cm.2/sec. for the value of D at room temperature; and in steel by Frank, Lee, and Williams2 gave approximately 1 × 10−7 cm.2/sec. Johnson and Hill measured re-emission of hydrogen from cylinders previously soaked in hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures, while Frank et al. used a mass spectrometer to measure the emission of hydrogen and deuterium from thin sheets. Frank, Swets and Fry3, observing the build-up of hydrogen permeating through thin sheets of steel, obtained for D at room temperature values about an order of magnitude higher.