cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scaling the Heights of Heaven: Sister M. Rosalia Walsh and the Use of Story in the Adaptive Way

Abstract The work of Sister M. Rosalia Walsh and the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart gave impetus to the reemergence of the use of story in catechetical materials designed and published in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century. Focused on catechetical needs of Catholic children who did not attend Catholic schools, The Mission Helpers' Adaptive Way method also systematically addressed the training of the catechists who would teach them. This article examines Sister M. Rosalia Walsh's contributions against the historical backdrop of the catechetical renewal movement that began in Europe in the late nineteenth century and made its way to the United States in the early decades of the twentieth century. It is in this transitional period that a wider use of story returns to Roman Catholic religious education following a centuries-long hiatus. Sister M. Rosalia Walsh was a pioneer in catechist training, bringing to light once again the power of the use of story in the Christian for...
EPR PERSISTENCE MEASUREMENTS OF UV‐INDUCED MELANIN FREE RADICALS IN WHOLE SKIN

— Electron paramagnetic resonance is used to detect the formation of free radicals caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation in chemically untreated rabbit skin. A fast jump in EPR signal level, occurring over a few seconds, is observed immediately after a skin sample is exposed to UV. This is followed by a slower increase toward an elevated steady-state signal over a period of hours as the skin is continuously exposed to a UV light source. Upon cessation of UV light exposure, EPR signal levels undergo an abrupt drop followed by a slower decay toward natural levels. Elevated free radical concentrations following UV exposure are found to persist for several hours in whole skin. These results are consistent with time-resolved EPR measurements of photoinduced radicals in various natural melanins.
A model-based meta-analysis of the effect of latanoprost chronotherapy on the circadian intraocular pressure of patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension

Several reports have demonstrated that the efficacy of latanoprost is influenced by the time of dosing. This model-based meta-analysis validates previous findings that evening dosing is superior to morning dosing and predicts the optimal time for dosing, based on the quantitative assessment of baseline and latanoprost-treated 24-h circadian intraocular pressure (IOP) curves. The results confirm the importance of the time of dosing as a factor that influences the extent of reduction in IOP and underline the need to take this factor into consideration in the design of glaucoma trials and therapy.
Correcting human heart 31P NMR spectra for partial saturation. Evidence that saturation factors for PCr/ATP are homogeneous in normal and disease states

Abstract Heart PCr/ATP ratios measured from spatially localized 31 P NMR spectra can be corrected for partial saturation effects using saturation factors derived from unlocalized chest surface-coil spectra acquired at the heart rate and approximate Ernst angle for phosphor creatine (PCr) and again under fully relaxed conditions during each 31 P exam. To validate this approach in studies of normal and disease states where the possibility of heterogeneity in metabolite T 1 values between both chest muscle and heart and normal and disease states exists, the properties of saturation factors for metabolite ratios were investigated theoretically under conditions applicable in typical cardiac spectroscopy exams and empirically using data from 82 cardiac 31 P exams in six study groups comprising normal controls ( n = 19) and patients with dilated ( n = 20) and hypertrophic ( n = 5) cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease ( n = 16), heart transplants ( n = 19), and valvular heart disease ( n = 3). When T R ⪡ T 1 ,(PCr), with T 1 (PCr) ⩾ T 1 (ATP), the saturation factor for PCr/ATP lies in the range 1.5 ± 0.5, regardless of the T 1 values. The precise value depends on the ratio of metabolite T 1 values rather than their absolute values and is insensitive to modest changes in T R . Published data suggest that the metabolite T 1 ratio is the same in heart and muscle. Our empirical data reveal that the saturation factors do not vary significantly with disease state, nor with the relative fractions of muscle and heart contributing to the chest surface-coil spectra. Also, the corrected myocardial PCr/ATP ratios in each normal or disease state bear no correlation with the corresponding saturation factors nor the fraction of muscle in the unlocalized chest spectra. However, application of the saturation correction (mean value, 1.36 ± 0.03 SE) significantly reduced scatter in myocardial PCr/ATP data by 14 ± 11% (SD) ( p ⩽ 0.05). The findings suggest that the relative T 1 values of PCr and ATP are substantially the same in chest and heart muscle and are unchanged in these disease states. The mean value for T 1 (PCr)/ T 1 (ATP) is 2.16 ± 0.29 SE.
Psychological Aspects of Turner Syndrome

Abstract Research findings concerning the psychological aspects of Turner syndrome are reviewed. The information is organized around the following questions: 1) Is there an increased incidence of mental retardation? 2) Are there specific cognitive dysfunctions? If so, what processing mechanisms underlie them and to what extent can such processing dysfunctions be linked to atypical brain organization and/or hormonal factors? 3) Do most women with Turner syndrome adopt a clearly female gender identity? What do we know about their sexual orientation, sexual drive, and degree of satisfaction in sexual relationships? 4) Is there a relatively high prevalence of psychopathology? 5) Is there a common personality profile? What difficulties arise with regard to social adjustment, and are these primarily attributable to short stature? 6) Are psychosocial difficulties linked in any way to cognitive dysfunctions? 7) To what extent does phenotypic expression of this sex chromosome abnormality depend on the quality of the family environment? Final answers to these questions are still forthcoming, but considerable progress has been made toward their resolution during the past 25 years.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for the oscillations of bounded solutions

Consider the neutral delay differential equationwhere p1,p2∊R and τ1, τ2, q, σ ∊ R +. We proved that every bounded solution of Eq. (1) oscillates if and only if its characteristic equation has no roots in (−∞, 0].
Analysis of trace oxygenated hydrocarbons in the environment

A technique has been developed which can measure low-molecular-weight (C2−C5) oxygenated hydrocarbons down to concentrations of less than 10 parts per trillion (10-12) in the atmosphere. The method uses cryogenic trapping of trace gases from the air, and two-dimensional gas chromatography (2DGC) with flame ionization and photo-ionization detectors to analyze the samples. The method has been used to make extensive measurements in the field, and it is capable of measuring all of the C2−C5 carbonyl compounds in clean tropospheric air. The 2DGC analytical system also makes it possible to prepare accurate, reproducible standards of the low-molecular-weight oxygenated hydrocarbons at trace levels.
The Diplomatic Role of Gasparo Cardinal Contarini at the Colloquy of Ratisbon of 1541

The greatest possibility for establishing concord between Protestantism and Rome during the Reformation occurred during the colloquy of Ratisbon of 1541. Along with Charles V one of the chief actors in the attempt to bring about such a concerd at the diet and its accompanying theological colloquy was Cardinal Contarini. He had been appointed papal legate by Paul III. Although Contarini's theological position on the question of justification was of crucial importance, the conflicting political forces represented at Ratisbon also helped to delineate the role he played there and its tragic denouement. In fact religious and political interests were so interwoven at Ratisbon that it is often hard to tell which came first. Whichever interests came first at any particular point, Contarini was, however, well equipped to deal with them, for he was both an experienced diplomat and a learned theologian.
Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein is Required for Synapse Elimination by the Activity-Dependent Transcription Factor MEF2

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common genetic form of mental retardation and autism, is caused by loss-of-function mutations in an RNA-binding protein, Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). Neurons from patients and the mouse Fmr1 knockout (KO) model are characterized by an excess of dendritic spines, suggesting a deficit in excitatory synapse elimination. In response to neuronal activity, myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) transcription factors induce robust synapse elimination. Here, we demonstrate that MEF2 activation fails to eliminate functional or structural excitatory synapses in hippocampal neurons from Fmr1 KO mice. Similarly, inhibition of endogenous MEF2 increases synapse number in wild-type but not Fmr1 KO neurons. MEF2-dependent synapse elimination is rescued in Fmr1 KO neurons by acute postsynaptic expression of wild-type but not RNA-binding mutants of FMRP. Our results reveal that active MEF2 and FMRP function together in an acute, cell-autonomous mechanism to eliminate excitatory synapses.
X-ray Scattering Measurements of the Ag(111) Surface Thermal Expansion

We have used synchrotron X-ray diffraction to study the thermal expansion of the Ag(111) surface. Throughout the temperature interval between 300 and 1100K, we observed that the separation between the first and the second atomic layers at the surface, 12 d, differs from its bulk counterpart, d, by less than 1%, indicating that the thermal expansion at the surface is similar to the one in the bulk. This result represents the first experimental confirmation of the predictions from molecular dynamics simulations, which indicate a small enhancement of the anharmonic effects at this surface.
Getting Ahead: Social Mobility among the Urban Poor

One of the most dramatic findings of the contemporary scholarship on the urban poor has been the extent to which this population has been affected by the departure of manufacturing, and industrial, employment from inner city areas. The effects of this have included the sharp rise in unemployment and the increase in the number of individuals on welfare rolls. Although writers such as Charles Murray and Lawrence Mead have argued that with the growth, and entrenchment, of welfare an attitude of “dependency” has arisen, more recent empirical research does not substantiate these claims of dependency and “shiftlessness” among the urban poor; these latter studies have raised more general questions concerning individual employment histories including attempts to reenter positions of stable and meaningful employment. The article addresses such questions by examining the responses of 27 black males, the majority of whom were out of work and/or receiving public assistance, to open-ended questions concerning their ex...
Goal! and the global sports film

The 2005 film Goal! exemplifies what the Hollywood sports film does best: it offers an emotionally engaging, utopian story of a talented athlete whose hard work and determination make possible the ...
Synthesis and biological properties of the lipophilic technetium-99m complex 99mTc(acac)3.

Abstract In the development of technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals for the evaluation of regional cerebral perfusion, one series of complexes that has remained unexplored is the neutral lipophilic tris complexes formed with β-diketonato ligands. The prototype complex of this series, tris(2,4-pentanedionato) technetium(III), has been prepared via a new synthetic route and chemically characterized using 99Tc and the biodistribution of the no-carrier-added 99mTc complex has been determined. The 99mTc complex was found to be distributed throughout the body with persistant high blood levels indicative of a high degree of protein binding. The primary route of excretion was the hepatobiliary system as indicated by the appearance of 99mTc in the gut and feces at longer sample times post-injection. Although this complex was not retained by the brain, it does provide a starting point from which a more effective agent might be developed.
Antigen–antibody interface properties: Composition, residue interactions, and features of 53 non-redundant structures

The structures of protein antigen–antibody (Ag–Ab) interfaces contain information about how Ab recognize Ag as well as how Ag are folded to present surfaces for Ag recognition. As such, the Ab surface holds information about Ag folding that resides with the Ab–Ag interface residues and how they interact. In order to gain insight into the nature of such interactions, a data set comprised of 53 non-redundant 3D structures of Ag–Ab complexes was analyzed. We assessed the physical and biochemical features of the Ag–Ab interfaces and the degree to which favored interactions exist between amino acid residues on the corresponding interface surfaces. Amino acid compositional analysis of the interfaces confirmed the dominance of TYR in the Ab paratope-containing surface (PCS), with almost two fold greater abundance than any other residue. Additionally TYR had a much higher than expected presence in the PCS compared to the surface of the whole antibody (defined as the occurrence propensity), along with aromatics PHE, TRP, and to a lesser degree HIS and ILE. In the Ag epitope-containing surface (ECS), there were slightly increased occurrence propensities of TRP and TYR relative to the whole Ag surface, implying an increased significance over the compositionally most abundant LYS>ASN>GLU>ASP>ARG. This examination encompasses a large, diverse set of unique Ag–Ab crystal structures that help explain the biological range and specificity of Ag–Ab interactions. This analysis may also provide a measure of the significance of individual amino acid residues in phage display analysis of Ag binding.
Escape response of the rotifer Polyarthra: a high-speed cinematographic analysis

Cinefilms of unconstrained P. vulgaris at 17°C were taken at a low magnification (∼2x) and 120–200 fps to analyze body movements during swimming and escape responses mediated by movements of the 12 lateral, bladelike appendages or paddles. Cinefilms of partially constrained P. vulgaris and P. dolichoptera at 16°C were taken at a higher magnification (∼10x) and 300 fps, using interference contrast optics, to resolve paddle movements during escape responses. When swimming, P. vulgaris moved at a velocity of 0.348±0,025 (S.E.) mm·s-1 (2.64 body lenghs·s-1), having a Reynolds number of 0.05. During escape responses, P. vulgaris traveled 1.947±0.124 (S.E.) mm (15 body lengths) during 0.0564±0.0038 (S.E.) s, continuously moving at a velocity of 35.7±1.2 (S.E.) mm·s-1 (270 body lengths·s-1) and having a Reynolds number of 5. During these responses, P. vulgaris tumbled sinuously but mostly-88.9±2.3 (S.E.) %-in a constant direction; the angular change in direction from one frame to the next was 28±2 (S.E.) degrees, but the sign of the change in direction frequently alternated. Escape responses are caused by 1–3 cycles of paddle movements. In each cycle, the rigid paddles move up asynchronously until they are all directly overhead, and then they move downwards to their original resting positions, again asynchronously. Polyarthra's body moves along the flight path during all phases of this cycle. A single cycle may take as little as 26 ms, 13 ms for the paddles to elevate and 13 ms for them to descend. The asynchronous upward and downward movements of each of the 12 paddles explain why Polyarthra's body tumbles continuously through its low Reynolds number, viscous environment. Escape responses generally were initiated by contact with another rotifer. In one P. dolichoptera response, the time lag between such contact and the initiation of paddle elevation was about 7 ms. The very short lag time, great velocity, considerable displacement, and unpredictable directionality of Polyarthra's escape response make it a very effective defense against capture by some invertebrate predators.
Fundamental scientific research on interfaces in the US Department of Energy's Materials Sciences and Engineering program

Abstract This paper describes two facets of the Materials Sciences and Engineering program under the Office of Basic Energy Sciences at the US Department of Energy: (1) its organizational structure, mission, guiding principles, identification of national scientific user facilities, principal core research activities, identification of some unique portfolio activities, key focus areas, scientific challenges, and the linkage of these challenges to the mission of the Department of Energy; and (2) some recent accomplishments based on science funded under this program that relate to the atomic-level understanding and design of ceramic and metal interfaces.
Testing QCD with Hypothetical Tau Leptons

We construct new phenomenological tests of perturbative QCD by considering a hypothetical au lepton of arbitrary mass which decays hadronically through the electromagnetic current. Its adronic branching ratio can be computed directly as an integral over the e⁺e⁻ annihilation cross section ratio, R_ (e⁺e⁻). More generally, we can design a set of commensurate scale relations which test the applicability and self-consistency of leading twist QCD predictions by varying the weight function away from the form associated with the V-A decay of the physical τ . This method allows the wide range of R_(e⁺e⁻) data (or other similar observables which define an effective charge) to be used as renormalization scheme and scale invariant probes of QCD. [S0556-2821(99)05713-6].
Tailored electroactive nanorods for biospecific cell adhesion and differentiation

We report a strategy for the fabrication of tailored electroactive nanorod substrates for biospecific studies of cell adhesion and stem cell differentiation; to control the interfacial properties of the nanorods we formed self-assembled monolayers of an electroactive hydroquinone group that is able to chemoselectively immobilize oxyamine tethered ligands.
Sequential patterns of circulating LH and FSH in female sheep during the early postnatal period: effect of gonadectomy.

To determine the basis for the marked daily variability in circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) in the female lamb shortly after birth and to determine whether circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) exhibits similar variability during this period of life, serum levels of both gonadotropins were monitored frequently (20-min intervals) over a 3- or 6-hr period each week for the first 9 weeks of life. Similar measurements of circulating LH and FSH were made in lambsovariectomized at 2 weeks of age to assess whether the ovary influences the secretion of these gonadotropins. Pulsatile release of LH, but not FSH, was observed in both groups of lambs. Although mean concentrations of circulating FSH in intact female lambs were similar to basal levels of the cyclic adult, mean concentrations of serum LH were much higher. Because of the discontinuous release of LH in intact lambs after 4–5 weeks of age, patterns of LH were often indistinguishable from those of the long-term ovariectomized adult. At 9 weeks ...
The lesser of two evils.

The effect of exercise training on obstructive sleep apnea and sleep quality: a randomized controlled trial
Impact on Daphnia pulex of Predation by Young Yellow Perch in Oneida Lake, New York

Abstract The response of a Daphnia pulex population to fluctuations in abundance of young (age-0) yellow perch Perca flavescens was examined in Oneida Lake, New York, 1975–1979. Comparison of yellow perch biomass and Daphnia pulex abundance suggested daphnid populations could tolerate predation by 10 kg of young fish˙hectare-1 but reproduction could not compensate for predation when biomass of young exceeded 20–40 kg˙hectare-1. Consumption by young yellow perch exceeded Daphnia pulex production in 1975 and 1977, when daphnids disappeared, but maximum daily consumption was less than 27% of production in 1976 when daphnids were abundant through late summer. Since 1968, D. pulex populations have persisted through late summer in years when young yellow perch were scarce and disappeared when young were abundant. The decisive role of young yellow perch in the regulation of Daphnia pulex abundance is of importance to the broader fish community in Oneida Lake.
Exosomes Released by Islet-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Trigger Autoimmune Responses in NOD Mice

Exosomes (EXOs) are secreted, nano-sized membrane vesicles that contain potent immunostimulatory materials. We have recently demonstrated that insulinoma-released EXOs can stimulate the autoimmune responses in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, a spontaneous disease model for type 1 diabetes. To investigate whether primary islet cells can produce EXOs, we isolated cells from the islet of Langerhans of NOD mice and cultured them in vitro. Interestingly, cultured islets release fibroblast-like, fast-replicating cells that express mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers, including CD105 and stem-cell antigen-1. These islet MSC–like cells release highly immunostimulatory EXOs that could activate autoreactive B and T cells endogenously primed in NOD mice. Serum EXO levels and EXO-induced interferon-γ production were positively correlated with disease progression at the early prediabetic stage. Consistent with these observations, immunohistological analysis of pancreata showed that CD105+ cells are restricted to the peri-islet area in normal islets but penetrate into the β-cell area as lymphocyte infiltration occurs. Immunization with EXOs promoted expansion of transferred diabetogenic T cells and accelerated the effector T cell–mediated destruction of islets. Thus, EXOs could be the autoantigen carrier with potent adjuvant activities and may function as the autoimmune trigger in NOD mice.
Swelling‐assisted modification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by methacrylic acid

When a poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, film is heated in an aqueous solution of methacrylic acid in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as an initiator, it is found that the weight of the film is increased. The amount of methacrylic acid that may be added onto the film is dependent upon the concentration of the monomer, the initiator, and the temperature at which the reaction occurs. Pretreatment of the film with 1,1,2,2,tetrachloroethane causes swelling and the amount of add-on is increased as the swelling level increases. Methacrylic acid-modified PET films hydrolyze at room temperature in aqueous NaOH; the rate of hydrolysis is dependent upon the amount of add-on and the concentration of the base. This procedure leads to a chemically induced blend of polymethacrylic acid and PET, and grafting of the monomer onto the polymer film does not occur
A Re‐Evaluation of Story Grammars*

Black and Wilensky (1979) have made serious methodological errors in analyzing story grammars, and in the process they have committed additional errors in applying formal language theory. Our arguments involve clarifying certain aspects of knowledge representation crucial to a proper treatment of story understanding. Particular criticisms focus on the following shortcomings of their presentation: 1) an erroneous statement from formal language theory, 2) misapplication of formal language theory to story grammars, 3) unsubstantiated and doubtful analogies with English grammar, 4) various non sequiturs concerning the generation of non-stories, 5) a false claim based on the artificial distinction between syntax and semantics, and 6) misinterpretation of the role of story grammars in story understanding. We conclude by suggesting appropriate criteria for the evaluation of story grammars.
THE ROLE OF DECISION ANALYSIS IN INFORMED CONSENT: CHOOSING BETWEEN INTUITION AND SYSTEMATICITY

An important goal of informed consent is to present information to patients so that they can decide which medical option is best for them, according to their values. Research in cognitive psychology has shown that people are rapidly overwhelmed by having to consider more than a few options in making choices. Decision analysis provides a quantifiable way to assess patients' values, and it eliminates the burden of integrating these values with probabilistic information. In this paper we evaluate the relative importance of intuition and systematicity in informed consent. We point out that there is no gold standard for optimal decision making in decisions that hinge on patient values. We also point out that in some such situations it is too early to assume that the benefits of systematicity outweigh the benefits of intuition. Research is needed to address the question of which situations favor the use of intuitive approaches of decision making and which call for a more systematic approach.
Molecular Reconstruction of Extinct LINE-1 Elements and Their Interaction with Nonautonomous Elements

Non-long terminal repeat retroelements continue to impact the human genome through cis-activity of long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) and trans-mobilization of Alu. Current activity is dominated by modern subfamilies of these elements, leaving behind an evolutionary graveyard of extinct Alu and L1 subfamilies. Because Alu is a nonautonomous element that relies on L1 to retrotranspose, there is the possibility that competition between these elements has driven selection and antagonistic coevolution between Alu and L1. Through analysis of synonymous versus nonsynonymous codon evolution across L1 subfamilies, we find that the C-terminal ORF2 cys domain experienced a dramatic increase in amino acid substitution rate in the transition from L1PA5 to L1PA4 subfamilies. This observation coincides with the previously reported rapid evolution of ORF1 during the same transition period. Ancestral Alu sequences have been previously reconstructed, as their short size and ubiquity have made it relatively easy to retrieve consensus sequences from the human genome. In contrast, creating constructs of extinct L1 copies is a more laborious task. Here, we report our efforts to recreate and evaluate the retrotransposition capabilities of two ancestral L1 elements, L1PA4 and L1PA8 that were active ∼18 and ∼40 Ma, respectively. Relative to the modern L1PA1 subfamily, we find that both elements are similarly active in a cell culture retrotransposition assay in HeLa, and both are able to efficiently trans-mobilize Alu elements from several subfamilies. Although we observe some variation in Alu subfamily retrotransposition efficiency, any coevolution that may have occurred between LINEs and SINEs is not evident from these data. Population dynamics and stochastic variation in the number of active source elements likely play an important role in individual LINE or SINE subfamily amplification. If coevolution also contributes to changing retrotransposition rates and the progression of subfamilies, cell factors are likely to play an important mediating role in changing LINE-SINE interactions over evolutionary time.
A queueing system with two arrival streams and reserved servers with application to cellular telephone

The authors consider a service system in which n servers render service to two classes of prioritized traffic, which arrive to the system according to independent Poisson processes. Newly arriving call requests are granted server access on a first-come-first-served (FCFS) basis as long as there are fewer than g servers occupied. If fewer than g servers are free at the arrival time of a lower priority customer, the higher priority call requests are granted immediate service unless all servers are busy, in which case the call is dropped. This model has been used to study the handoff problem in a cellular telephone system, but the analytic approach taken was very complicated. The authors present a simple, novel, alternative approach to solving for the equilibrium probabilities for the number of lower priority calls in the queue and other quantities of interest. They describe two additional alternative approaches based on Neuts' matrix analytic approach for checking results, and point out that while the results of all these approaches agree with each other, they differ from previously published results. Because these three approaches are essentially independent, it is conjectured that there are problems with the earlier numerical results. Further work has revealed that this is the case. >
Steerable antenna for wireless routers and indoor communications

A software controlled quasi-endfire antenna is proposed that can be used for beam steering. Switching devices such as PIN diodes, RF MEMS switches, mechanically vertical pieces of material with a large dielectric constant, or mechanically vertical piece of dielectric with a metal strip placed on the top side can be used to steer the main beam. The larger F/B ratio, in comparison to phased array antennas, makes this design an attractive option for indoor communications. In addition, when all four sides are excited simultaneously, a conical shaped radiation pattern can be realized that makes this antenna structure suitable for use as a wireless router when it is placed on the ceiling of a room.
Behavioral Effects of Liothyronine (L-T3) in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the Presence and Absence of Resistance to Thyroid Hormone

Evidence that the thyroid may play a role in the pathogenesis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comes from observations that 48% to 73% of children with the syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) have ADHD. Casual observations in subjects with RTH have suggested that treatment with thyroid hormone may improve the symptoms of ADHD. The aim of this study was to determine whether thyroid hormone has a beneficial effect on the behavior of children with RTH. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the rapid acting thyroid hormone, liothyronine (L-T3), on the behavior of 8 children with ADHD + RTH, and 9 children with ADHD and normal thyroid function (ADHD Only). Parent and teacher ratings of hyperactivity (Conners scale) and a computerized continuous performance test (CPT) were used as objective measures of hyperactivity, attention and impulsivity. L-T3 had no effect on Conners Hyperactivity Index in 7 of 9 children with ADHD Only; it caused improvement and deterioration in 1 subject each. In contrast, the rating in 5 of 8 subjects with ADHD + RTH showed improvement, whereas 3 of 8 subjects remained unchanged. L-T3 was associated with increased commission errors in 5 of 8 children with ADHD Only and decreased commission errors in 4 of 7 with ADHD + RTH. In children with RTH and ADHD, particularly those that exhibit hyperactivity, L-T3 in supraphysiological doses may be beneficial in reducing hyperactivity and impulsivity. In the majority of children with ADHD who do not have RTH, L-T3 treatment has no effect or may be detrimental.
Renal and visceral protection in thoracoabdominal aortic surgery.

Objectives Open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair traditionally carries substantial perioperative morbidity and mortality, primarily from distal aortic ischemia. Advances in surgical techniques, adjuncts, and strategies have greatly improved outcomes. Methods We analyzed outcomes of 1267 open consecutive TAAA repairs between January 2005 and September 2013. We provided cold crystalloid renal perfusion whenever the renal ostia were accessible; according to extent of repair, we selectively used left heart bypass and provided isothermic blood to the celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery. Repair was extensive (Crawford extent I and II) in 717 cases (57%). Left heart bypass was used in 645 (51%) cases, cold crystalloid renal perfusion in 987 (78%), and isothermic visceral perfusion in 318 (25%). Additional patient-specific surgical adjuncts included endarterectomy of renal or visceral vessels, open stent placement within these vessels, or use of both techniques; at least one was used in 447 repairs (35%). Results Thirty-day survival was 95% (1198/1267); overall operative mortality was 8% (104/1267). Acute renal dysfunction occurred in 155 (12%), renal failure requiring hemodialysis at hospital discharge in 84 (7%), and bowel ischemia in 9 ( Conclusions Contemporary protective strategies allow open TAAA repair with substantially fewer renal and visceral ischemic complications. Although bowel ischemia is uncommon, renal failure remains a concern, especially in extent II and extent III TAAA repairs. Additional studies are needed to identify and improve renal protection strategies.
Contribution of cytoskeletal elements to the axonal mechanical properties

Background Microtubules, microfilaments, and neurofilaments are cytoskeletal elements that affect cell morphology, cellular processes, and mechanical structures in neural cells. The objective of the current study was to investigate the contribution of each type of cytoskeletal element to the mechanical properties of axons of dorsal root and sympathetic ganglia cells in chick embryos.
Childhood Poverty and Health Cumulative Risk Exposure and Stress Dysregulation

A massive literature documents the inverse association between poverty or low socioeconomic status and health, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying this robust relation. We examined longitudinal relations between duration of poverty exposure since birth, cumulative risk exposure, and physiological stress in two hundred seven 13-year-olds. Chronic stress was assessed by basal blood pressure and overnight cortisol levels; stress regulation was assessed by cardiovascular reactivity to a standard acute stressor and recovery after exposure to this stressor. Cumulative risk exposure was measured by multiple physical (e.g., substandard housing) and social (e.g., family turmoil) risk factors. The greater the number of years spent living in poverty, the more elevated was overnight cortisol and the more dysregulated was the cardiovascular response (i.e., muted reactivity). Cardiovascular recovery was not affected by duration of poverty exposure. Unlike the duration of poverty exposure, concurrent poverty (i.e., during adolescence) did not affect these physiological stress outcomes. The effects of childhood poverty on stress dysregulation are largely explained by cumulative risk exposure accompanying childhood poverty.
Resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy of the 13-electron triatomic Si2N

Abstract Resonant two-photon ionization spectra of 28Si2N, 28,29Si2N, and 28,30Si2N have been collected between 32000 cm−1 and 36000 cm−1. A fit of the rotationally resolved spectrum of the most intense band of 28Si2N at 34314 cm− reveals the transition to be 2 Σ u + a X 2 ∏ g , 1 2 . A molecular orbital analysis is made to justify the assignment. The geometric structure is determined to be linear and centrosymmetric in both the ground and excited state with r 0 ″ ( SiN ) = 1.6395 ± 0.0014 A and r′( SiN ) = 1.6343 ± 0.0014 A . The ionization energy energy is determined to be less than 8.51 eV.
Effects of long-term, high-altitude hypoxia on the capillarity of the ovine fetal heart

To determine the effect of chronic hypoxia on myocardial capillarity, we exposed pregnant ewes to an altitude of 3,820 m from day 30 today 139 of gestation and compared the fetus to low-altitude (∼...
Architecture of the Scalable Communications Core

The scalable communications core (SCC) is a power- and area-efficient solution for physical layer (PHY) and lower MAC processing of concurrent multiple wireless protocols. Our architecture consists of coarse-grained, heterogeneous, programmable accelerators connected via a packet-based 3-ary 2-cube network on chip (NoC). The combination of the accelerators, which were developed for key communications operations, and the NoC results in an architecture that is flexible for multiple protocols, extensible for future standards and scalable to support multiple simultaneous streams
Nitroxyl, Redox Switches, Cardiac Myofilaments, and Heart Failure A Prequel to Novel Therapeutics?

Heart failure (HF) remains to be the leading cause of death in developed countries, and the prevalence of HF worldwide continues to escalate.1 Despite enormous efforts made to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of HF and to develop effective therapies, HF remains to be a therapeutic challenge. One hallmark of HF is altered cardiac myofilament responsiveness to intracellular Ca2+, resulting in depressed contraction. Although increasing intracellular Ca2+ is a possible strategy for strengthening contraction, currently available inotropic agents, such as β-agonists and phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which raise intracellular cAMP levels can lead to deleterious side effects when given as a long-term therapy.2 Recently, promising inotropic agents targeting novel mechanisms have been developed, including (1) nitroxyl (HNO) released from HNO donors, (2) istaroxime, an inhibitor of Na+/K+-ATPase and an activator of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump (SERCA), (3) cardiac myosin activator, and (4) ryanodine receptor stabilizer.2 In this issue, Gao et al3 report that HNO can increase myofilament Ca2+ responsiveness by inducing disulfide bonds between key cysteine residues in the myofilament, suggesting that HNO donors may improve cardiac function in patients with HF without the possible deleterious consequences of continued Ca2+ manipulation (Figure). Figure. Schematic representation of nitroxyl (HNO)-induced disulfide effects on cardiac myofilaments . A , Chemical reactions showing (1) the release of HNO from nitrosocyclohexyl acetate (NCA) by hydrolysis; (2) reaction of HNO with thiols on cysteine forming N-hydroxysulfenamide intermediates, which leads to sulfinamide or disulfide formation in the presence of an additional free thiol. B, Schematic drawing showing that disulfide bond formation between key cysteines in actin and tropomyosin and in myosin light chain 1 (MLC1) and myosin heavy chain (MHC) increases maximum force and Ca2+ sensitivity. Modified with permission from Moss …
Biodehalogenation: Active site versus enzymatic and whole cell rates with cytochromes P‐450

The products stoichiometry and kinetics of the reduction of trichloronitromethane (chloropicrin), bromotrichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene dibromide and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane by iron(II) deuteroporphyrinlX, rat liver P-450PB and P-450 cam were compared with the reactions of reduced liver microsomes and the whole-cell model Pseudomonas putida (PpG-786). The polyhalomethanes in all cases undergo quantitative reductive hydrogenolysis The vicinal halides are Quantitatively converted by all P-450 components to the corresponding olefins In contrast to the steric retardation of the rates exhibited by P-450 cam, the rate constants for the mammalian enzyme were the same as those obtained for the heme in homogeneous solution. Microsomal reactions followed the same general reactivity patterns but on a much compressed scale. The whole-cell conversions are apparently controlled in part by permeation; thus the microbial dehalogenation processes proceed at much slower rates than the actual chemistry that occurs at the active site. The results establish that the reductase capacities of widely divergent P-450 cytochromes are consistent with the chemistry and mechanisms established for hemes in homogeneous solutions. Both microorganisms and mammals have the capacity to dehalogenate these substances.
Creatine Phosphokinase Activity and Clinical Symptomatology: A Study in Acute Schizophrenic Patients

Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and aldolase activities determined at admission and throughout hospitalization in 34 acute schizophrenic patients revealed 22 with increased activity of one or both enzymes. There was no difference in the percentage of paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic diagnoses in the patients with or without increased serum CPK or aldolase activities, nor were the magnitude of the increases in serum CPK or aldolase activities significantly different. The second-order factor scores of the Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Scale also did not differentiate patients with elevated or normal serum enzyme activities. Results indicate the necessity of studying psychotic patients from the onset of gross psychotic symptoms with repeated study of both serum CPK and aldolase activities throughout hospitalization before subgroups of psychotic patients with and without increased serum CPK or aldolase activities may be reliably discriminated.
Life Stress as a Precursor to Adolescent Drug Dependence

Though drug dependence is often characterized as a stress-produced disorder, there seems to be little or no quantitative data relating stress and drug dependence. In this study a recognized instrument for the measurement of stress, Coddington's Life Event Record, was administered to 31 drug-dependent adolescents by estimating levels of life stress during the year preceding their first illicit drug use. The drug-dependent subjects showed significantly higher life stress scores than did a standard normal population of adolescents. The null hypothesis of no difference was rejected at the .005 level. A stress-reduction theory of drug dependence gains support from these results.
Strategies for prevention of Clostridium difficile infection

Infection control is the most essential component of an effective overall management strategy for prevention of nosocomial Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). The cornerstones of CDI prevention are appropriate contact precautions and strict hand hygiene. Other important tactics are effective environmental cleaning, identification and removal of environmental sources of C. difficile, and antibiotic stewardship. Hospitalists, as coordinators of care for each patient and advocates for quality care, can spearhead these efforts.
Efficient availability mechanisms in distributed database systems

The resiliency of distributed database systems can be realized through a collection of integrated faulttolerance mechanisms. These include clata replication techniques, failure detection, failure isolation through reconfiguration and adaptability, and non-blocking atomic commitment. Collectively, these mechanism enhance the availability and operability of the syste]n in the presence of various types of site and communication failures. In this paper, we focus on mechanisms for data replication, failure detection, and reconfiguration. We present the implementation details of each of these mechanisms along with their integration within the RAID system developed at Purdue. Data replication is implemented through the partial replication of data relations, and through the use of a library of replication control methods. An on-line replication control server (RC) provides highly available database operations through the adaptable use of these methods. Failuredetection isirriplementedvi aa reliable surveillance facility that rnonitorsthe changes in system connectivity. Such failures include site and communication failures as well as network partition. Repairs andnetwork merges are also detected by this facility, thus leading to the automatic initiation of recovery. We wilI show how failure isolation is achieved through data and server reconfiguration and by the adaptable use of replication methods.
On multi-UAV scheduling for human operator target identification

We address the problem of a single human operator in charge of monitoring multiple UAVs in a reconnaissance mission. The human operator must classify targets as they appear on video feeds from the various aircraft as friends or foes. We introduce the idea of the human monitoring a single screen and a decision aid that automatically selects the video feed to be displayed on that screen. In this setting and given that the location of the targets is unknown and decision must be made in real time, the challenge here addressed is the development of a scheduling strategy which queues the video feeds in such a way that no target is missed and all targets are looked at for a specified amount of time. We present a Linear Programming (LP) formulation to this problem for the simple case of two UAVs and two equidistant targets. We develop an online algorithm that uses this LP as a building block to be applied to the more general case of multiple non-equidistant targets. We further show that in order to guarantee the feasibility of the scheduling strategy and ensure that no targets are missed it is sufficient to enforce a lower bound on the distance between targets.
Exploring the Influence of Race Relations and Public Safety Concerns on Public Support for Racial Profiling during Traffic Stops

The purpose of the present study was to explore hypotheses related to the influence of race relations and perceptions of safety on public opinion regarding racial profiling in traffic stops. Using a representative sample of the United States of America, our results indicate that views regarding race relations influenced public opinion on racial profiling in traffic stops, but perceptions of safety did not influence this view.
A Wrist and Finger Force Sensor Module for Use During Movements of the Upper Limb in Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke

Previous studies using robotic devices that focus on the wrist/fingers following stroke provide an incomplete picture of movement dysfunction because they do not consider the abnormal joint torque coupling that occurs during progressive shoulder abduction loading in the paretic upper limb. This letter introduces a device designed to measure isometric flexion/extension forces generated by the fingers, wrist, and thumb during robot-mediated 3-D dynamic movements of the upper limb. Validation data collected from eight participants with chronic hemiparetic stroke are presented in this paper.
Span-Symmetric Generalized Quadrangles

A generalized quadrangle (GQ) of order (s,t) is a point-line incidence geometry S = (P,L,I) with pointset P, lineset L and incidence relation I satisfying the following: (1) Two points are incident with at most one line in common. (2) If x ∈ P, L ∈ L, and x I L (i.e. x is not incident with L),there is a unique pair (y,M)∈ P × L for which x I M I y I L. (3) Each point (respectively, line) is incident with 1 + t lines (respectively, 1 + s points).
A study of the dynamics of seizure propagation across micro domains in the vicinity of the seizure onset zone.

Objective. The use of micro-electrode arrays to measure electrical activity from the surface of the brain is increasingly being investigated as a means to improve seizure onset zone (SOZ) localization. In this work, we used a multivariate autoregressive model to determine the evolution of seizure dynamics in the Hz high frequency band across micro-domains sampled by such micro-electrode arrays. We showed that a directed transfer function (DTF) can be used to estimate the flow of seizure activity in a set of simulated micro-electrode data with known propagation pattern. Approach. We used seven complex partial seizures recorded from four patients undergoing intracranial monitoring for surgical evaluation to reconstruct the seizure propagation pattern over sliding windows using a DTF measure. Main results. We showed that a DTF can be used to estimate the flow of seizure activity in a set of simulated micro-electrode data with a known propagation pattern. In general, depending on the location of the micro-electrode grid with respect to the clinical SOZ and the time from seizure onset, ictal propagation changed in directional characteristics over a 2?10 s time scale, with gross directionality limited to spatial dimensions of approximately . It was also seen that the strongest seizure patterns in the high frequency band and their sources over such micro-domains are more stable over time and across seizures bordering the clinically determined SOZ than inside. Significance. This type of propagation analysis might in future provide an additional tool to epileptologists for characterizing epileptogenic tissue. This will potentially help narrowing down resection zones without compromising essential brain functions as well as provide important information about targeting anti-epileptic stimulation devices.