cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinician–Patient Racial/Ethnic Concordance Influences Racial/Ethnic Minority Pain: Evidence from Simulated Clinical Interactions

Objective Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States report higher levels of both clinical and experimental pain, yet frequently receive inadequate pain treatment. Although these disparities are well documented, their underlying causes remain largely unknown. Evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician-patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes. Yet whether clinician-patient racial/ethnic concordance influences pain remains poorly understood. Methods Medical trainees and community members/undergraduates played the role of "clinicians" and "patients," respectively, in simulated clinical interactions. All participants identified as non-Hispanic Black/African American, Hispanic white, or non-Hispanic white. Interactions were randomized to be either racially/ethnically concordant or discordant in a 3 (clinician race/ethnicity) × 2 (clinician-patient racial/ethnic concordance) factorial design. Clinicians took the medical history and vital signs of the patient and administered an analogue of a painful medical procedure. Results As predicted, clinician-patient racial/ethnic concordance reduced self-reported and physiological indicators of pain for non-Hispanic Black/African American patients and did not influence pain for non-Hispanic white patients. Contrary to our prediction, concordance was associated with increased pain report in Hispanic white patients. Finally, the influence of concordance on pain-induced physiological arousal was largest for patients who reported prior experience with or current worry about racial/ethnic discrimination. Conclusions Our findings inform our understanding of the sociocultural factors that influence pain within medical contexts and suggest that increasing minority, particularly non-Hispanic Black/African American, physician numbers may help reduce persistent racial/ethnic pain disparities.
Dominant and Recessive Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes Caused by SYT2 Mutations

Introduction We studied a patient with a congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) caused by a dominant mutation in the synaptotagmin 2 gene (SYT2) and compared the clinical features of this patient with those of a previously described patient with a recessive mutation in the same gene. Methods We performed electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies, genetic studies, muscle biopsy, microelectrode recordings and electron microscopy (EM). Results Both patients presented with muscle weakness and bulbar deficits, which were worse in the recessive form. EDX studies showed presynaptic failure, which was more prominent in the recessive form. Microelectrode studies in the dominant form showed a marked reduction of the quantal content, which increased linearly with higher frequencies of nerve stimulation. The MEPP frequencies were normal at rest but increased markedly with higher frequencies of nerve stimulation. The EM demonstrated overdeveloped postsynaptic folding, and abundant endosomes, multivesicular bodies and degenerative lamellar bodies inside small nerve terminals. Discussion The recessive form of CMS caused by a SYT2 mutation showed far more severe clinical manifestations than the dominant form. The pathogenesis of the dominant form likely involves a dominant-negative effect due to disruption of the dual function of synaptotagmin as a Ca2+ -sensor and modulator of synaptic vesicle exocytosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
How visual system configuration can play a role in individual recognition: a visual modeling study.

Many species rely on individual recognition (i.e., the use of individual signals to identify and remember a conspecific) to tune their social interactions. However, little is known about how the configuration of the sensory system may affect the perception of individual recognition signals over space. Utilizing a visual modeling approach, we quantified (1) the threshold distance between the receiver and the signaler at which individual recognition can no longer accurately occur, and (2) the regions of the head most likely to contain the individual recognition signals. We used chickens (Gallus gallus) as our study species, as they use visual individual recognition and additionally have a well-studied visual system. We took pictures of different individuals and followed a visual modeling approach considering color vision, visual acuity, and pattern processing of the receiver. We found that distance degrades the quality of information in potential individual recognition signals. We estimated that the neighbor distance at which a receiver may have difficulty recognizing a conspecific was between 0.25 and 0.30 m in chickens, which may be related to a decrease in available features of the potential signal. This signal perception threshold closely matches the recognition distance predicted by previous behavioral approaches. Additionally, we found that certain regions of the head (beak, cheek, comb, eye) may be good candidates for individual recognition signals. Overall, our findings support that recognition in chickens occurs at short distances due to constraints imposed by their visual system, which can affect the costs and benefits associated with social spacing in groups.
Is Textbook Oncologic Outcome a Valid Hospital-Quality Metric after High-Risk Surgical Oncology Procedures?

“Textbook oncologic outcome” (TOO) is a composite quality measure representing the “ideal” outcome for patients undergoing cancer surgery. This study sought to assess the validity of TOO as a metric to evaluate hospital quality. Patients who underwent curative-intent resection of gastric, pancreatic, colon, rectal, lung, esophageal, bladder, or ovarian cancer were identified in the National Cancer Database (2006–2017). Cancer site-specific TOO was defined as adequate lymph node yield, R0 resection, non-length-of-stay outlier, no hospital readmission, and receipt of guideline-concordant chemotherapy and/or radiation. Mixed-effects analyses estimated the adjusted TOO rate for each hospital stratified by cancer site. The association between hospital adjusted TOO rates and 5-year overall survival was assessed using mixed-effects Cox proportional hazards analyses. Among 852,988 cancer resections, the TOO rate varied across cancer sites as follows: stomach (31.8%), pancreas (25%), colon (66.9%), rectum (33.6%), lung (35.1%), esophagus (31.2%), bladder (43%), and ovary (44.7%). After characterization of adjusted hospital TOO rates into quintiles, an incremental improvement in overall survival was observed, with higher adjusted TOO rates. Similarly, with the adjusted hospital TOO rate treated as a continuous variable, there was a significant 4% to 12% improvement in overall survival for every 10% increase in the adjusted hospital TOO rate for gastric (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85–0.91), pancreatic (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.88–0.93), colon (0.93; 95% CI, 0.91–0.94), rectal (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.87–0.93), lung (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.95–0.97), esophageal (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90–0.95), bladder (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91–0.97), and ovarian (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94–0.98) cancer. A direct association exists between adjusted hospital TOO rates and survival after high-risk cancer procedures. As a valid hospital metric, TOO can be used to compare the overall quality of cancer care across hospitals.
Region-specific phenological sensitivities and rates of climate warming generate divergent temporal shifts in flowering date across a species' range.

Premise Forecasting how species will respond phenologically to future changes in climate is a major challenge. Many studies have focused on estimating species- and community-wide phenological sensitivities to climate to make such predictions, but sensitivities may vary within species, which could result in divergent phenological responses to climate change. Methods We used 743 herbarium specimens of the mountain jewelflower (Streptanthus tortuosus, Brassicaceae) collected over 112 years to investigate whether individuals sampled from relatively warm vs. cool regions differ in their sensitivity to climate and whether this difference has resulted in divergent phenological shifts in response to climate warming. Results During the past century, individuals sampled from warm regions exhibited a 20-day advancement in flowering date; individuals in cool regions showed no evidence of a shift. We evaluated two potential drivers of these divergent responses: differences between regions in (1) the degree of phenological sensitivity to climate and (2) the magnitude of climate change experienced by plants, or (3) both. Plants sampled from warm regions were more sensitive to temperature-related variables and were subjected to a greater degree of climate warming than those from cool regions; thus our results suggest that the greater temporal shift in flowering date in warm regions is driven by both of these factors. Conclusions Our results are among the first to demonstrate that species exhibited intraspecific variation in sensitivity to climate and that this variation can contribute to divergent responses to climate change. Future studies attempting to forecast temporal shifts in phenology should consider intraspecific variation.
Requirements of secure storage systems for healthcare records

Recent compliance regulations are intended to foster and restore human trust in digital information records and, more broadly, in our businesses, hospitals, and educational enterprises. In the health sector, storage and management of electronic health records have become a vital issue. Specifically, with the passing of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the security of medical records has come into focus. HIPAA and other regulations in the health sector require strict compliance with specific privacy and security requirements. Unfortunately, existing storage solutions do not live up to the task of ensuring compliance with mandated legislation. In this position paper, we discuss the main characteristics of the health sector record management regulations, and present a set of requirements for secure, trustworthy storage that complies with these regulations. We also briefly analyze existing storage models, and show that they are not suitable for meeting the requirements of health-care record storage.
Amphibian Acid phosphatase--II. The Effect of Parathyroid Extract on the Lysosomal Enzyme, Acid Phosphatase, in Tissues of Rana Pipiens

Abstract 1. 1. Acid phosphatase activity is influenced by parathyroid hormone in amphibian skeletal tissues and plasma. 2. 2. The enzymatic response to parathormone is tissue-specific, varying in time, magnitude and direction of change. 3. 3. The diaphysis and epiphysis of the femur respond slowly to parathyroid extract treatment; at 1 hr after injection, acid phosphatase activities were little changed from control levels, but subsequently, a progressive increase was observed. Plasma enzyme activity rises through 4 hr. 4. 4. The metaphyseal plate of the femur and the spongy coracoid bone of the pectoral girdle respond rapidly and strongly to hormone treatment; from 1–4 hr after injection, their acid phosphatase activities are significantly elevated. 5. 5. Daily hormone treatment for 1 week elevates acid phosphatase activity in plasma and all skeletal tissues studied except femoral epiphysis. On day 8, enzyme activity of the latter had sharply declined. 6. 6. A significant hypercalcemia accompanies the enzymatic changes in skeletal tissues and plasma.
Longitudinal Evaluation of a Statewide Network of Hospital Programs to Improve Child Passenger Safety

As a project begun in 1979 to improve child passenger safety, a statewide network of hospital-based car safety seat rental and education programs was implemented by a coalition of volunteers, nurses, physicians, and state agencies. A car safety seat program was established at every hospital delivering newborns. To evaluate the effectiveness of this network of programs, 1,846 newborns (87% of hospital discharges) were observed at discharge at ten hospitals during 33 observation studies from 1979 to 1984. Mean correct car safety seat usage increased from less than 21% in 1979 to 82% in 1984. Concurrently, use of the dangerous lap or arms position decreased from 70% preprogram to 6% postprogram, and incorrect car safety seat usage decreased from 28% to 3%. In addition 1,597 children from 0 to 3 years of age were observed at an annual county fair from 1982 to 1984. Use of either a vehicle seat belt alone or car safety seat with harness and seat belt increased from 34% in 1982 to 67% in 1984. Car safety seat and seat belt misuse occurred in 42% of infants less than 1 year of age and 20% of children 1 to 3 years of age. These findings suggest that a network of hospital-based car safety seat rental and education programs is an effective means of improving the passenger safety of newborns, infants, and young children. Language: en
Monocyte Traffic, Dorsal Root Ganglion Histopathology, and Loss of Intraepidermal Nerve Fiber Density in SIV Peripheral Neuropathy

HIV-associated sensory neuropathy remains the most common neurological complication of HIV infection and is characterized by dorsal root ganglion (DRG) inflammation and intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) loss. Chronic peripheral immune cell activation and accumulation may cause damage to the DRG, but has not been fully investigated yet. By using an SIV-infected, CD8-lymphocyte–depleted rhesus macaque model, we defined immune cells surrounding DRG neurons and their role in DRG pathology, measured cell traffic from the bone marrow to the DRGs using 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) pulse, and serially measured IENFD. We found an increase in CD68 + and CD163 + macrophages in DRGs of SIV-infected animals. MAC387 + recently recruited monocytes/macrophages were increased, along with BrdU + cells, in the DRGs of SIV-infected macaques. We demonstrated that 78.1% of all BrdU + cells in DRGs were also MAC387 + . The number of BrdU + monocytes correlated with severe DRG histopathology, which included neuronophagia, neuronal loss, and Nageotte nodules. These data demonstrate that newly recruited MAC387 + BrdU + macrophages may play a significant role in DRG pathogenesis. IENFD decreased early (day 21), consistent with the development of sensory neuropathy in SIV-infected macaques. Decreased IENFD was associated with elevated BrdU + cells in the DRG. These data suggest that increased recruitment of macrophages to DRG is associated with severe DRG histopathology and IENFD loss.
Test generation of analog switched-current circuits

Based on possible defects on the layout of a practical non-ideal switch, fault model and test generation of current copiers, basic building block of switched-current circuits, are presented in this study. We consider two types of switches, current switches and voltage switches, which have been commonly used in both switched-current circuits and switched-capacitor circuits, and both catastrophic and non-catastrophic faults of transistors used as switches. The generated test sequence achieve full testability of current copiers. The tester and test process are readily applied for any switched-current circuits.
NMDA receptors amplify calcium influx into dendritic spines during associative pre- and postsynaptic activation

Long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength can be induced by synchronous pre- and postsynaptic activation, and a rise in postsynaptic calcium is essential for induction of LTP. Calcium can enter through both voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and NMDA-type glutamate receptors, but the relative contributions of these pathways is not known. We have examined this issue in layer V cortical pyramidal neurons, using focal flash photolysis of caged glutamate to mimic synaptic input and two-photon, laser-scanning microscopy to measure calcium levels in dendritic spines. Most of the calcium entry in response to glutamate alone was via voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, and NMDA receptors accounted for less than 20% of total Ca2+ entry. When glutamate was paired with postsynaptic action potentials, however, the NMDA-receptor-dependent component was selectively amplified. The same is likely to occur during paired physiological pre- and postsynaptic activation, providing a mechanism for the input specificity and Hebbian behavior of LTP.
The role of T cells and the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of theiler's virus demyeliating disease

The immune response to TMEV involves activation of both the innate and adaptive immune responses. The innate immune response is the initial response by the host to a viral infection. The adaptive immune response follows the initial response and is mediated by CD8+ and CD4+ T cell and antibody responses specific to the viral antigens. CNS pathogenesis in TMEV-IDD is associated with long-term virus persistence in CNS-resident microglia and macrophages which leads to the activation of a virus-specific CD4+ Th1 response. Myelin destruction is initiated by the bystander effector functions of CNS-resident mononuclear cells which are activated both directly by the innate immune response to persistent TMEV infection and indirectly by pro-inflammatory cytokines released by virus-specific Th1 cells. Initial myelin destruction leads to the release of myelin antigens and the subsequent activation of myelin epitope-specific autoreactive CD4+ Th1 cells via epitope spreading which are largely responsible for chronic disease progression.
Introduction for seminar series on urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation

The Leo and Anne Albert Institute for Bladder Cancer Care and Research was founded through the generosity of the Albert family with their broad mission to help people. In keeping with this goal, the Albert family trust set out to facilitate advancement in the specific medical diseases impacting their family. In 2014, the Albert Institute was formed to provide a vehicle to foster medical and scientific research and education in the care and treatment of patients with bladder cancer through collaborative research. As a part of its mission, the Institute developed an annual task oriented symposium to facilitate such research and disseminate the proceedings or novel findings for the general medical and public arenas. Specific areas of deficiencies in knowledge with regard to bladder cancer biology, therapeutics and care are identified and addressed in order to drive collaborative efforts that will fill these gaps and lead to new insight in ways to improve outcomes. The inaugural symposium was held in September of 2014 in Hartford, CT. Experts in the field were invited to
Siren Song: Chilean Water Law As a Model for International Reform

Increasing scarcity, conflict, and environmental damage are critical features of the global water crisis. As governments, international organizations, NGOs, and corporations have tried to respond, Chilean water law has seemed an attractive alternative to older legislative and regulatory approaches. Boldly introduced in 1981, the Chilean model is the worlds leading example of a free market approach to water law, water rights, and water resource management. Despite more than a decade of international debate, however, a comprehensive, balanced account of the Chilean experience has been unavailable. Siren Song is an interdisciplinary analysis combining law, political economy, and geography. Carl Bauer places the Chilean model of water law in international context by reviewing the contemporary debate about water economics and policy reform. He follows with an account of the Chilean experience, drawing on primary and secondary sources in Spanish and English, including interviews with key people in Chile. He presents the debate about reforming the law after Chile‘s 1990 return to democratic government, as well as emerging views about how water markets have worked in practice. The resulting book provides insights about law, economics, and public policy within Chile and lessons for the countries around the world that are wrestling with the challenges of water policy reform.
Color and similarity

Similarity claims about the colors, for instance that blue is more similar to purple than to yellow, are Sometimes held to pose a serious problem for physicalism about color: the view that colors are physical properties of some kind. I examine various responses to this problem, find them wanting, and give my own solution, which appeals to the way colors are visually represented. Finally, I argue that the proposed account removes the principal motivation for Lewis's and Walker's response to Kripke's Wittgenstein, in terms of “natural” properties.
Paternal and Maternal Mind-Mindedness and Preschoolers' Theory of Mind: The Mediating Role of Interactional Attunement.

The present investigation explored (1) fathers' contributions to children's theory of mind (ToM) development, (2) the similarity between maternal and paternal mind-mindedness (MM) in relation to children's ToM, and (3) the relative predictive strength of two concurrently administered measures of MM (an online and an interview assessment) in relation to children's ToM. Thirty-nine fathers, mothers, and their four-year-olds participated. Paternal MM was positively correlated with children's ToM performance. In addition, the two groups of parents performed similarly on both measures of MM. The findings also suggest that mothers and fathers who scored higher on the MM interview were more attuned to their children's mental processes during the online interaction measure of MM. The online measure of MM was found to mediate the relationship between the interview measure of MM and children's ToM for the maternal–child data only.
INHIBITION BY BRADYKININ OF VOLTAGE-ACTIVATED BARIUM CURRENT IN A RAT DORSAL ROOT GANGLION CELL LINE : ROLE OF PROTEIN KINASE C

The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to record Ba2+ currents through voltage-activated calcium channels in the clonal dorsal root ganglion cell line F11-B9. The pain-producing peptide bradykinin (BK; 100 nM) reduced the sustained Ba2+ current in F11-B9 cells by 30%. In cultures prelabeled with 3H-arachidonic acid and tested under ionic conditions similar to those used for recording Ba2+ currents, BK also induced a concentration-dependent, transient, 2.7-fold accumulation of 3H-diacylglycerol. Both the elevation of 3H-diacylglycerol and the inhibition of Ba2+ current began within 5 sec following BK exposure, and the effective concentration range of BK was similar for the 2 responses. In whole-cell recordings, extracellularly applied 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG; 0.5-5 microM) mimicked the degree of block and occluded the block of sustained current by BK. Another protein kinase C (PKC) activator, 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (diC8), blocked 70-100% of sustained current when applied intracellularly or extracellularly at 5 microM, whereas extracellular application of ethylene glycol dioctanoate (5 microM), an analog reported not to stimulate PKC, inhibited only 14% of sustained current. The pseudosubstrate peptide PKC19-36 (2 microM in pipette) and the lipid staurosporine (100 nM in pipette), both inhibitors of PKC, reduced the effects of maximal concentrations of OAG or BK by 55-60%. Dynorphin A applied intracellularly (2 microM) as a control for nonspecific effects of PKC19-36 did not inhibit the block of sustained current by BK. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that BK inhibits whole-cell sustained Ba2+ current in F11-B9 cells via a mechanism that involves activation of PKC.
Atrial Fibrillation and the Autonomic Nervous System

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been increasingly employed as a therapeutic modality to maintain sinus rhythm. However, the procedure is potentially associated with major complications and its long-term efficacy is relatively poor. Thus, the quest for additional non-pharmacological, non-ablative therapies for the management of patients with AF continues. Present methodology for catheter ablation of AF includes pulmonary vein isolation by applying radiofrequency current around the pulmonary vein ostia, in order to prevent the ectopic activity arising from the pulmonary veins from reaching the atria and thereby inducing AF. However, this approach failed to answer the fundamental question of how the generally short episodes of focal firing in the pulmonary veins are converted into AF. Experimental work has provided many lines of evidence linking the intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system with focal firing from the pulmonary veins via activation of the ganglionated plexi (GP) adjacent to these veins. Autonomic denervation is common following pulmonary vein isolation and has been associated with decreased risk of AF recurrence. Recent clinical studies where GP ablation was performed either in addition to the standard procedure of pulmonary vein isolation, or as a stand-alone procedure support these experimental data. These intriguing new concepts and data linking the autonomic nervous system to AF will herein be briefly reviewed.
Hepatic Overexpression of Steroid Sulfatase Ameliorates Mouse Models of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes through Sex-specific Mechanisms

The steroid sulfatase (STS)-mediated desulfation is a critical metabolic mechanism that regulates the chemical and functional homeostasis of endogenous and exogenous molecules. In this report, we first showed that the liver expression of Sts was induced in both the high fat diet (HFD) and ob/ob models of obesity and type 2 diabetes and during the fed to fasting transition. In defining the functional relevance of STS induction in metabolic disease, we showed that overexpression of STS in the liver of transgenic mice alleviated HFD and ob/ob models of obesity and type 2 diabetes, including reduced body weight, improved insulin sensitivity, and decreased hepatic steatosis and inflammation. Interestingly, STS exerted its metabolic benefit through sex-specific mechanisms. In female mice, STS may have increased hepatic estrogen activity by converting biologically inactive estrogen sulfates to active estrogens and consequently improved the metabolic functions, whereas ovariectomy abolished this protective effect. In contrast, the metabolic benefit of STS in males may have been accounted for by the male-specific decrease of inflammation in white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle as well as a pattern of skeletal muscle gene expression that favors energy expenditure. The metabolic benefit in male STS transgenic mice was retained after castration. Treatment with the STS substrate estrone sulfate also improved metabolic functions in both the HFD and ob/ob models. Our results have uncovered a novel function of STS in energy metabolism and type 2 diabetes. Liver-specific STS induction or estrogen/estrogen sulfate delivery may represent a novel approach to manage metabolic syndrome.
Design and Synthesis of Brefeldin A Sulfide Derivatives as Prodrug Candidates with Enhanced Aqueous Solubilities

The addition of a variety of thiols to the alpha,beta-unsaturated lactone functionality present in brefeldin A has been carried out, and the resulting sulfides have been oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxides. These sulfoxides have the potential to undergo syn elimination to regenerate brefeldin A. The sulfoxides were more active than the sulfides as cytotoxic agents in a variety of human cancer cell cultures with the activities of the sulfoxides approaching that of brefeldin A itself. The cytotoxicities of the sulfoxides may be due to their conversion back to brefeldin A. The kinetics of sulfoxide elimination to form brefeldin A were studied in four cases, and the results indicate that substantial amounts of brefeldin A are likely to be generated during the cytotoxicity assays of the sulfoxide derivatives. Since the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides is a common metabolic reaction, the sulfides derived from brefeldin A can be considered as potential brefeldin A prodrugs. Several of the sulfide derivatives were determined to have enhanced aqueous solubilities relative to brefeldin A itself. A number of brefeldin A succinates, glutarates, oxidation products, and sulfone derivatives were also prepared and evaluated for cytotoxicity in cancer cell cultures. Some of the more active brefeldin A derivatives were tested in an in vivo animal model in which hollow fibers containing cancer cell cultures were implanted subcutaneously (SC) and intraperitoneally (IP), and the compounds were administered IP. Greater cytotoxic activity was observed at the SC site than at the IP site for the majority of these compounds, an observation which is consistent with the hypothesis that they are acting as brefeldin A prodrugs in vivo.
423 MODIFIED GENTAMICIN (G) DOSING SCHEDULE FOR PRETERM NEONATES

As part of a study of factors affecting G pharmacokinetios in neonates, we recommended a modified dosing interval for preterm babies: q12° if ≥38 wks gestational age (GA), q18° if 30-37 wks GA, and q24 if <30 wks GA. After 3 doses, 3 G levels were drawn and pharmacokinetlcs analyzed. To evaluate the effect of the modified dosing schedule, we reviewed a 6 month period prior to the study (72 courses of therapy in 67 patients ≤37 wks) and compared peak and trough levels with calculated peak and trough levels from a 6 month period during the study (71 courses in 65 patients ≤37 wks). Control (C) infants had received G at 8°(2), 12°(56), 18° (13) and 24°(1) intervals. Study (S) infants received G at 8°(2), 12°(16), 18°(3*0 and 24°(19) intervals. The table shows values that fell outside the accepted therapeutic range.
Recursive Coordinate Reduction: An Addendum

This paper presents an addendum to the Recursive Coordinate Reduction (RCR) algorithm for the efficient numerical analysis and simulation of modest to heavily constrained multi-rigid-body dynamic systems. The RCR algorithm can accommodate the spatial motion of broad categories of multi-rigid-body systems containing arbitrarily many closed loops in O(n + m) operations overall for systems containing n generalized coordinates, and m independent algebraic constraints. The presented approach does not suffer from the performance (speed) penalty encountered by most other of the so-called “(n)” state-space formulations, and does not require additional constraint violation stabilization procedures (e.g. Baumgartes method, coordinate partitioning, etc.). Due to these characteristics, the presented algorithm should offer superior computing performance relative to other methods in many situations involving both large n and m. This paper will specifically address an unpublished recursive step in the handling of “floating” loop base bodies, as well as present an extension to “spur” topologies.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
An Iterative Treatment Of Double-Mode Pulsation

The iterative nonlinear pulsation theory is extended to the bimodal case, and a series of equations derived which are complete to second order. Solutions to these equations are obtained for a number of long-period double-mode Cepheid models in the vicinity of th interaction resonance ..omega../sub 1/+..omega../sub 0/ =..omega../sub 3/ and the harmonic resonance P/sub 2//P/sub 0/=0.5. We show that the resonant second-order amplitudes and phases change abruptly as the center of the resonance is approached. In addition, it is demonstrated that, inward of the hydrogen ionization zone, the amplitudes strongly resemble the linear eigenfunctions to which they are resonantly linked. Thus the resonances are shown to have spatial as well as temporal content. Due to nonadiabatic effects the second-order terms are particularly strong in the H I ionization zone, a circumstance which suggests that this region could play an important role in determining limiting-amplitude behavior.
Nonlinear optical properties of organic solids: ab initio polarizability and hyperpolarizabilities of nitroaniline derivatives

Abstract The static dipole polarizability, first and second hyperpolarizability tensors of molecules with nonlinear optical characteristics are calculated via ab initio coupled-perturbed Hartree-Fock theory. A study of the effect of basis set augmentation on the calculated properties for the nitrobenzene molecule emphasizes the importance of diffuse functions. The method is then applied to a series of methyl substituted nitroanilines, and comparison with existing experimental data and other computational data is presented. The results indicate that the present approach works well to reproduce experimentally observed trends
ENTHALPY EFFECTS ON HYPERVELOCITY BOUNDARY-LAYER TRANSITION : GROUND TEST AND FLIGHT DATA

Boundary-layer-transitionexperiments on a 5-deg half-anglecone at 0-deg angle of attackwere performed in the T5 hypervelocity shock tunnel. The test gases investigated included air, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Reservoir enthalpies were varied from 3 to 27MJ/kg and reservoir pressures from 10 to 95MPa, depending on the gas and tunnel settings. No clear relationship is found to exist between the transition Reynolds number based on the boundary-layer-edge conditions and the reservoir enthalpy. However, when the reference temperature conditions are used instead, the different test gases are distinguishable and ordered according to their dissociation energy. Data from a free- ight experiment are also compared with the shock tunnel experiments. When the transition Reynolds numbers are evaluated at the boundary-layer-edge conditions, they are an order of magnitude higher than the tunnel results. However, when the reference conditions are used, the  ight data fall within the same range as the experiments, although the trend with reservoir enthalpy is reversed.
The North Mexican Cattle Industry, 1910-1975: Ideology, Conflict, and Change

By the end of the nineteenth century the cattle industry in northern Mexico was thriving. Large haciendas, based on the peonage system and many of them foreign-owned, produced hundreds of thousands of head of cattle that enriched "hacendados" and filled ranges in both Mexico and the United States. But the Revolution of 1910 overturned Mexico's social and economic structure, and by the 1920s large holdings were being broken up and almost 70 percent of the vast herds were gone. Machado examines the devastation of the revolutionary period, when herds were slaughtered to feed armies or appropriated for sale to finance arms and munitions; the slow climb back after the Revolution when changes in land tenure and limits on herd size made reinvestment risky; and more recent problems with disease control, which required and eventually received cooperation between Mexico and the United States. The conflicts and compromises between agrarian radicalism and the basic conservatism of the "norteno "cattle industry, between institutionalizing reform and independent enterprise, and between Mexican nationalism and close economic ties with the United States are thoughtfully delineated.
A spectroscopic study of the reaction of formaldehyde with deoxyribonucleic and ribonucleic acids.

1. 1. The formaldehyde reaction of Fraenkel-Conrat has been used as a measure of the degree of denaturation of calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid subjected to heat or pH change. Under the proper conditions the formaldehyde reaction seems to be at least as sensitive and may be more sensitive than viscosity measurements for detecting a low degree of denaturation of deoxyribonucleic acid. 2. 2. Using the reaction with formaldehyde as a criterion for denaturation of deoxyribonucleic acid, it has been found that no very sharp transition temperature occurs for the conversion of native to denatured deoxyribonucleic acid unless the time of heating is kept short. Deoxyribonucleic acid will denature rather completely at 70°, by the above criterion, if heating is sufficiently prolonged. 3. 3. Using the criterion of reaction with formaldehyde, a reversible and an irreversible type of denaturation of deoxyribonucleic acid can be distinguished. Reversal of the reversible denaturation can be accomplished by adjusting the pH to 8.5. 4. 4. The reaction with formaldehyde of heat-denatured calf-thymus deoxyribonucleic acid, reisolated by alcohol precipitation from iM sodium chloride solution, has been compared with the reaction of ribonucleic acid with formaldehyde. The two materials behave in a remarkably similar manner. 5. 5. The possibility of using the formaldehyde reaction to decide whether a reversibly denatured deoxyribonucleic acid can act as a primer in Bollum's system for deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis has been discussed.
Expression of estrogen receptor and aromatase mRNAs in embryonic and posthatch zebra finch brain.

Male zebra finches sing and females normally do not. This sexually dimorphic behavior is mediated by a sexually dimorphic series of interconnected nuclei that are larger and more developed in males. Estradiol administered to females as early as the day of hatching (P1) causes profound masculinization of this song system. The exact timing of estrogen action is unknown, and there is little information concerning the times and sites of expression of estrogen receptors and aromatase before P5. We measured the expression of mRNAs encoding these proteins in brain during late embryogenesis and on P1 to determine if estrogen synthesis or receptor-mediated actions on the song system, as part of the program of sexual differentiation, might be possible during this period. Using highly sensitive and specific in situ hybridization procedures for mRNAs encoding ERα, ERβ, and aromatase, we detected mRNA for ERs in archistriatal regions as early as embryonic stage 34, and in diencephalic regions as early as embryonic stage 30. ERα mRNA was also detected in the dorsal mesencephalon at P1. Aromatase mRNA expression was present as early as embryonic stage 30 in diencephalic and mesencephalic regions. No obvious sex differences in the spatio-temporal pattern of mRNA expression were detected. Our results suggest that estrogen can influence cell growth and differentiation in zebra finch brain well before hatching and into posthatching life. The results fail to provide support for the hypothesis that sexual differentiation of the song system is mediated by sex differences in the expression of these mRNAs at these ages. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 55: 204–219, 2003
Fast First-Order Methods for Composite Convex Optimization with Backtracking

We propose new versions of accelerated first-order methods for convex composite optimization, where the prox parameter is allowed to increase from one iteration to the next. In particular, we show that a full backtracking strategy can be used within the FISTA and FALM algorithms while preserving their worst-case iteration complexities of $$O(\sqrt{L(f)/\epsilon })$$ O ( L ( f ) / ∈ ) . In the original versions of FISTA and FALM the prox parameter value on each iteration must be bounded from above by its value on prior iterations. The complexity of the algorithm then depends on the smallest value of the prox parameter encountered by the algorithm. The theoretical implications of using full backtracking in the framework of accelerated first-order and alternating linearization methods allow for better complexity estimates that depend on the "average" prox parameter value. Moreover, we show that in the case of compressed sensing problem and Lasso, the additional cost of the new backtracking strategy is negligible compared to the cost of the original FISTA iteration. Our computational results show the benefit of the new algorithm.
Barriers to supplemental calcium use among women in suburban family practice: a report from the Cleveland Clinic Ambulatory Research Network (CleAR-eN).

Background: The majority of adult women in the United States fail to meet daily calcium intake recommendations. This study was undertaken to (1) identify predictors of calcium supplement use versus non-use, (2) understand barriers to calcium supplementation, and (3) determine the potential impact of physician recommendation on calcium supplement use. Methods: Surveys were self-administered by 185 women, ages 20 to 64, presenting consecutively for care at 6 suburban community-based family medicine practices within the Cleveland Clinic Ambulatory Research Network (CleAR-eN). We compared demographic characteristics, health beliefs, and health behaviors of those women who reported never using calcium supplements with those who presently took calcium supplements. Women who never took calcium were also queried about reasons for non-use and whether physician recommendation would influence their adoption of calcium supplementation. Results: Multivitamin use, self-perceived risk of osteoporosis, and age were independent predictors of calcium supplement use. Leading barriers for never-users were lack of knowledge about the need/importance of increasing calcium intake, lack of motivation to start supplements, and the belief that their dietary calcium intake alone was sufficient. Ninety-six percent of never-users reported that they would consider taking a calcium supplement if recommended by their physician. Conclusions: Many patient-identified barriers to calcium supplementation seem amenable to focused and brief office-based interventions that could increase the number of women meeting calcium intake guidelines.
‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being Black’: Race, Class, and Victorian Vancouver First Lifeguard

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a black man, Joe Fortes, received much admiration from the city of Vancouver's white population. Fortes’s life and career presents an interesting study of race and class not only in Vancouver but also in the larger North American society during this period. Around the turn of the twentieth century, a social hierarchy based on Social Darwinism developed and affirmed the superiority of the white, heterosexual, male of means. Through his role as a lifeguard, however, Fortes challenged the stereotypical assumptions of non-whites and achieved a degree of acceptance in a predominantly white society through the sport of swimming. This paper discusses Fortes’ journey to respectability by adopting the values and beliefs learned from organised sport and physical recreation.
Reference in 160 Characters or Less: The Role of Text Messaging in Virtual Reference Services

This study focuses on how and why academic library patrons choose text message reference, particularly when other mediums are available. Researchers evaluated three years of text reference data to assess the peak usage times, types of questions received, the number of unique and repeat users, and the complexity of questions. Our analysis of data shows that text reference can fill a role within virtual reference services. We further identify reasons why text message services have not seen greater use, including students’ lack of awareness, limitations of the medium, and patron satisfaction with other modes of reference.
Effects of individual vs. group rearing on the sexual behavior of prepuberal beef bulls: Mount orientation and sexual responsiveness

Abstract The objective of the present study was to relate early mounting experience to the sexual behavior of prebuberal beef bulls when exposed to estrous females. Ten male Hereford beef bulls ( Bos taurus ) were reared from birth in two groups of five animals, and 10 bulls were physically isolated in individual pens. At 3, 4.5 and 6 months of age subjects were exposed to adult estrous females, and the incidence and orientation of mounting behavior was noted. Individually-raised subjects initially exhibited a significantly higher proportion of disoriented (side) mounts toward the stimulus females than the group-reared animals. Whereas the proportion of rear-oriented mounts by individually-reared animals increased with mounting experience, the mount orientation of group-raised animals did not change over time and reflected individual mounting behaviors in their respective all-male rearing groups. It was concluded that prepuberal beef bulls acquire appropriate rear-oriented mount orientation through mounting experience in social groups. Other aspects of sexual responsiveness were not affected by individual rearing.
Cheating, Lying, and Everyday Morality. Spotlight on Lene Arnett Jensen

My research combines cultural and developmental approaches to the study of moral psychology across the life span. With respect to college students, I have recently carried out three studies pertaining to moral values. These studies centered on academic dishonesty, lying to parent, and everyday moral experiences.
Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and clonal deletion of both 17p13.1 and 11q22.3 have a very poor prognosis

Summary Detection of a 17p13.1 deletion (loss of TP53) or 11q22.3 deletion (loss of ATM), by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients is associated with a poorer prognosis. Because TP53 and ATM are integral to the TP53 pathway, we hypothesized that 17p13.1- (17p-) and 11q22.3- (11q-) occurring in the same cell (clonal 17p-/11q-) would confer a worse prognosis than either 17p- or 11q-. We studied 2184 CLL patients with FISH (1995–2012) for the first occurrence of 17p-, 11q-, or clonal 17p-/11q-. Twenty (1%) patients had clonal 17p–/11q-, 158 (7%) had 17p- (including 4 with 17p- and 11q- in separate clones), 247 (11%) had 11q-, and 1759 (81%) had neither 17p- nor 11q-. Eleven of 15 (73%) tested patients with clonal 17p-/11q- had dysfunctional TP53 mutations. Overall survival for clonal 17p-/11q- was significantly shorter (1·9 years) than 17p- (3·1 years, P = 0·04), 11q- (4·8 years, P ≤ 0·0001), or neither 17p- nor 11q- (9·3 years, P ≤ 0·0001). Clonal 17p-/11q- thus conferred significantly worse prognosis, suggesting that loss of at least one copy of both TP53 and ATM causes more aggressive disease. Use of an ATM/TP53 combination FISH probe set could identify these very-high risk patients.
Delay test resource allocation and scheduling for multiple frequency domains

As the number of frequency domains aggressively grows in today's SOCs, the delivery of high delay test quality across numerous frequency domains while meeting test budgets is crucial. This goal necessitates not only the consideration of fault coverage but also the distinct characteristics of each domain such as frequency and the distribution of path lengths and, additionally, the delay test quality tradeoffs across these domains. This paper proposes a method to identify the optimal test time allocation per domain based on the distinct characteristics of each in order to minimize overall delay defect escape level. The proposed method not only considers test time allocation but also concurrent scheduling of domains to optimize the delay test quality for SOCs that support the testing of multiple frequency domains in parallel.
Epitaxial growth of ferroelectric T.B. Sr1−xBaxNb2O6 films for optoelectronic applications

This paper reports preliminary results of epitaxial growth of tetragonal ferroelectric Sr1−xBaxNb2O6 (SBN) thin films by the liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) technique. Several V5+-containing flux systems were investigated; however, the BaV2O6 flux was found to be the most effective in producing SBN solid-solution films. Although the film growth rate was much faster on the (001) direction, film quality was best on the (100) and (110) directions with thickness in the range 5 to 20 μm. Lattice constant measurements indicate that the films are Ba2+-rich, with compositions close to Sr0.46Ba0.54Nb2O6 and Sr0.4Ba0.6Nb2O6. This technique offers a unique opportunity to develop simple or complex bronze films of superior quality for several optoelectronic device applications.