cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sleep disturbance, psychosocial correlates, and cardiovascular disease in 5201 older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of self reported sleep disturbances in older men and women and to describe their relationships with health status and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of sleep disturbance, CVD, general health, psychosocial factors, physical function, and use of psychotropic medications. SETTING: Participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study, 5201 adults aged 65 and older recruited from a random sample of noninstitutionalized Medicare enrollees in four US communities. MEASURES: Self-reported sleep disturbances and standardized questionnaires for cardiopulmonary symptoms and diseases, depression, social support, activities of daily living, physical activity, cognitive function, and current medications, spirometry, ECG, echocardiography, and carotid ultrasound. RESULTS: Women were twice as likely as men to report difficulty falling asleep (30% vs 14%). Daytime sleepiness, difficulty falling asleep, and frequent awakenings increased in prevalence with age. All symptoms were related strongly to depression. Symptoms of daytime sleepiness were also related strongly to poor health and limitations in activities of daily living in men and women. In multivariate analysis, men taking benzodiazepines were likely to report difficulty falling asleep and daytime sleepiness, whereas women taking benzodiazepines reported difficulty falling asleep and waking up too early. After accounting for these factors, the only cardiovascular disease independently associated with sleep disturbances was angina. Men and women with confirmed angina were 1.6 times more likely to report trouble falling asleep. Independent relationships between sleep disturbances and cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, smoking, and diabetes were relatively weak and inconsistent, though smokers were less likely to report frequent awakenings. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances are relatively common in older men and women and are associated with poor health, depression, angina, limitations in activities of daily living, and the use of benzodiazepines.
Cardiac autonomic function and baroreflex changes following 4 weeks of resistance versus aerobic training in individuals with pre‐hypertension

Aim: Cardiac autonomic modulation and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) are altered in individuals with hypertension. Aerobic exercise (AE) training has been shown to improve both measures, yet little is known about the effects of resistance exercise (RE). The purpose of this study was to examine the heart rate variability (HRV) and BRS following 4 weeks of resistance or aerobic training in a population with borderline high blood pressure (BP). Methods: Twenty-nine mild hypertensives were recruited and randomly assigned to 4 weeks of RE or AE training. Before and after training, resting measures of HRV frequencies and BRS were obtained. Results: There was a significant decrease in resting systolic BP for both exercise training modes (RE 136 ± 3.0 pre- to 132 ± 3.4 post-training vs. AE 142 ± 4.0 pre- to 137 ± 3.6 mmHg post-training, P = 0.019). Diastolic BP decreased significantly following both exercise training modes (RE 78 ± 1.31 pre to 74 ± 1.1 post vs. AE 80 ± 1.7 pre to 77 ± 1.6 mmHg post, P = 0.002). A significant time by training mode interaction for low frequency : high frequency (HF) ratio (P = 0.017) with AE decreasing the ratio (275.21 ± 67.28 to 161.26 ± 61.49) and RE increasing this ratio (143.73 ± 65.00 to 227.83 ± 59.41). Natural log-transformed (ln) HRV values showed a time-by-training mode interaction for ln HF (P = 0.05) as ln HF increased (4.7 ± 0.38 to 5.4 ± 0.35 ms2) following AE and decreased (5.98 ± 0.37 to 5.76 ± 0.42 ms2) following RE. BRS increased following aerobic training and decreased after resistance training (6.74 ± 1.2 to 7.94 ± 1.3 and 10.44 ± 1.2 to 9.1 ± 1.2 ms mmHg−1 respectively, P = 0.021). Conclusions: Aerobic exercise improved the autonomic nervous system (increasing vagal tone, reducing sympathovagal balance while increasing BRS) while RE showed no improvements in cardiac autonomic tone and decreased BRS.
Water and electrolyte budgets of a free-living desert lizard,Sauromalus obesus

1. Seasonal water metabolism in the herbivorous desert lizardSauromalus obesus (chuckwalla) was measured with tritiated water (HTO). Electrolyte budgets were obtained from field and laboratory measurements. These data describe the roles of various excretory organs in maintaining balance and permit evaluation of some aspects of the physiological ecology of these lizards. 2. When vegetation was succulent, chuckwallas obtained more than enough water from their food to meet their needs (Table 5). The excess was excreted rather than being stored (Table 1). 3. Although water requirements of chuckwallas maintaining constant weights are low in comparison to some other desert vertebrates, metabolic water production is insufficient to balance losses. These lizards must eat succulent vegetation to maintain water balance. 4. When vegetation was dry (summer), chuckwallas remained in crevices most of the day and did not eat. This behavior resulted in a considerable reduction in water loss. 5. These lizards did not drink rain water. 6. During drought, chuckwallas became dehydrated (Fig. 2), but fractional fluid volumes were maintained at normal levels (Table 1), as were plasma electrolyte concentrations (Table 2). 7. Chuckwallas entered winter dens in October weighing only two-thirds as much as in April (Fig. 1). They did not grow in length during 1970. 8. The diet was always hyperosmotic with K+ predominating, but this load was excreted by the nasal salt glands and as precipitated potassium urate (Table 7). These avenues of electrolyte loss require little water (Table 6), resulting in effective separation of water excretion from electrolyte excretion.
authenticity and ambivalence in the text: a colonial Maya case

The Spanish conquest of Yucatan created a new discourse in which Maya and Spanish systems of representation were encompassed, interacted, and then produced hybrid cultural forms. The Maya nobility played an important role early on in this process, through their participation in both Spanish and indigenous sectors of colonial society. This paper explores the ambivalence of the nobility by analyzing their letters, addressed to the Spanish Crown, in Maya language. The hybrid character of these texts is demonstrated in the forms of royal address, the representation of the Franciscans and the secular clergy, and the network of intertextual relations linking the letters to a broader contemporary discourse.
Photometric properties of the Martian satellites

New photoelectric observations yield V(1, alpha) equals 12.95 + 0.036 alpha + or - 0.05, B-V equals 0.65 + or - 0.03, and U-B equals 0.18 + or - 0.03 for Deimos and V(1, 0) equals 11.9 + or - 0.2 for Phobos. The derived geometric albedos of both satellites are near 0.065. Combined photometric and polarimetric results lead to the conclusion that the satellites have dusty surfaces and are possibly basaltic but more likely carbonaceous in composition.
Linking practice with research: the role of the unit research coordinator.

Scientific Inquiry provides a forum to facilitate the ongoing process of questioning and evaluating practice, presents informed practice based on available data, and innovates new practices through research and experimental learning.
Widespread variation in transcript abundance within and across developmental stages of Trypanosoma brucei

Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, undergoes a complex developmental cycle that takes place in mammalian and insect hosts and is accompanied by changes in metabolism and cellular morphology. While differences in mRNA expression have been described for many genes, genome-wide expression analyses have been largely lacking. Trypanosomatids represent a unique case in eukaryotes in that they transcribe protein-coding genes as large polycistronic units, and rarely regulate gene expression at the level of transcription initiation. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of mRNA expression in several stages of parasite development. Utilizing microarrays that have multiple copies of multiple probes for each gene, we were able to demonstrate with a high degree of statistical confidence that approximately one-fourth of genes show differences in mRNA expression levels in the stages examined. These include complex patterns of gene expression within gene families, including the large family of variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) and their relatives, where we have identified a number of constitutively expressed family members. Furthermore, we were able to assess the relative abundance of all transcripts in each stage, identifying the genes that are either weakly or highly expressed. Very few genes show no evidence of expression. Despite the lack of gene regulation at the level of transcription initiation, our results reveal extensive regulation of mRNA abundance associated with different life cycle and growth stages. In addition, analysis of variant surface glycoprotein gene expression reveals a more complex picture than previously thought. These data provide a valuable resource to the community of researchers studying this lethal agent.
Before Student Teaching: How Undergraduate Students in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs Describe Their Early Classroom-Based Experience

Classroom-based experiences, alternatively known as practica, are an integral component of undergraduate teacher preparation programs, which provide students essential opportunities to apply knowledge in practice. Though much is known about student teaching, much less is known about students’ earlier classroom-based experiences. This qualitative study explores how early childhood care and education students describe their early classroom-based experience. Thirty-four students enrolled in a teacher preparation program participated in interviews, submitted journals, and responded to survey questions about their early classroom-based experience. Results are presented in terms of how students talk about their experiences—belonging or not belonging in the classroom—and what students talk about when discussing their experiences, including communication, support, freedom, new learning, and “the children.” These themes are discussed in terms of students’ experiences in the classroom and implications for undergrad...
Detecting Personal Familiarity Depends on Static Frames in “Thin Slices” of Behavior

Brief glimpses of nonverbal behavior (or “thin slices”) offer ample visual information to make reliable judgments about individuals. Previous work has largely focused on the personality characteristics and traits of individuals; however, the nature of dyadic relationships (strangers, lovers, or friends) can also be determined (Ambady & Gray, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83, 947–961 2002). Judgments from thin slices are known to be accurate, but the motion features supporting accurate performance are unknown. We explored whether personal familiarity was detectable within the context of “thin slices” of genuine interaction, as well as the invariant properties of thin-slice recognition. In two experiments, participants sequentially viewed two 6-s silent videos on each trial of an individual interacting with an unfamiliar partner; the other depicted the same person interacting with a personally familiar partner. All sequences were cropped so that only the target individual was visible. In Experiment 1, participants viewed either the original sequences, reversed sequences, a static-image “slideshow” of the sequence, or a static-image slideshow with blank frames separating the images. In Experiment 2, all participants viewed the original sequences and clips played at either double speed or half speed. Participants’ performance was above chance in the forward and reverse conditions, but was significantly better in both the static-image slideshow conditions. When task speed was manipulated, we found a larger performance cost for fast than for slow videos. Detecting personal familiarity via spontaneous natural gestures depends on information in static images more than on face or body movement. Although static images are typically less important for recognizing nonverbal behavior, we argue they may be valuable for making familiarity judgments from thin slices.
Atomic mechanism for giant magnetoresistance in layered CrFe

Abstract Electrical resistivity due to spin-selective scattering by displaced interface atoms has been computed for a layered CrFe superlattice, using full-potential multiple scattering theory with no free parameters. Consistent with earlier calculations on layered CuCo, magnetoresistance due to this scattering mechanism is found to be very large. For parallel layer magnetizations, the electronic current is predicted to be spin-polarized in the minority spin sense in CrFe, opposite to the predicted spin sense in CuCo.
Geriatric Teams in the Long-term Care Facility

Geriatric teams have emerged as an accepted method of health care delivery to the elderly patient in ambulatory and acute inpatient settings. As one model of specialized health care teams, geriatric teams vary in structure, membership, and type. The purposes may be diverse, ranging from providing primary care to multidimensional functional and diagnostic assessment. Geriatric teams have convincingly demonstrated benefit to the care of the elderly. Overcoming significant barriers to their formation, geriatric teams are beginning to develop in long-term care facilities as a result of economic and educational pressures. However, the unique environment and needs of the long-term care facility have resulted in differences in leadership, membership, and structure of long-term care teams. Pharmacist involvement in the long-term care geriatric team could benefit the facility, patient care, and the profession. The key to future involvement by pharmacists in teams appears to depend on their interest, ability to acq...
SU‐E‐T‐387: Evaluation of VMAT Dosimetric Effect Caused by Slowing MLC Leaves Using MapCHECK

Purpose: This study is to report the effects on the quality of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) dose delivery by simulating multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf speed errors that do not trigger any MLC motion interlocks (i.e. 85% criterion for a gamma‐index of 3%/3mm. There was only a small passing rate difference (<1%) between the original and the modified plans. The DVH calculations of the modified plans demonstrated very minimal changes in PTV and OAR doses. Conclusions: By introducing the leaf speed error without triggering the MLC motion interlock, the dose changes cannot be detected by MapCHECK. However, the consequential effects on target and OAR doses are also negligible, which supports the reliability of current patient IMRT QA method for VMAT plan verification.
Oral health activities of U.S. children: results of a national health interview survey.

Data from the 1989 National Health Interview Survey show oral health activities for U.S. children aged 2-17. Key population subgroups neither received optimal preventive care nor visited a dentist regularly.
WS05‐02Sonohysterography in patient treated with SERMs

Sonohysterography (SHG) is an established method for detection of polyps, evaluation of submucosal intracavitary fibroids and adhesions as well as abnormal areas of endometrial thickening. This presentation will describe SHG findings for evaluation of punctate cysts both within and adjacent to the endometrium seen in women on selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) Tamoxifen®, and Roloxifene®. The clinical significance of these findings will be discussed. Cystic endometrial atrophy and focal adenomyosis of patients receiving SERMS may the histologic correlate of abnormal sonographic appearances.
Hemoptysis: Clinicians' Perspectives

Clinicians who were interested and considerably experienced in assessing patients with hemoptysis were surveyed during a computer-assisted interactive presentation at the 1988 ACCP Annual Scientific Assembly. The approach to ambulatory patients with minor bleeding was consistent with recently published guidelines: fiberoptic bronchoscopy has a central role, with a less apparent impact of other new technologies. Although specific diagnostic results were significantly more useful (p (Chest 1990; 97:469–75)
BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL CONTENT OF SERUM AND TISSUES, AND ATHEROGENESIS IN THE RAT : THE EFFECT OF VARIATIONS IN BLOOD PRESSURE ON THE CHOLESTEROL CONTENT OF SERUM AND TISSUES AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN RATS ON A HIGH CHOLESTEROL DIET

Rats on a stock diet with added cholesterol, cholic acid, and thiouracil developed increased concentrations of cholesterol, total lipide, and beta lipoprotein in the serum, and an increased content of cholesterol in the liver and carcass, despite the fact that the diet produced a cessation of endogenous cholesterol synthesis. Rats with high serum lipide concentrations developed intimal lesions similar to those of human atherosclerosis. The induction of hypertension by desoxycorticosterone and salt accelerated the development of hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipemia, increase in tissue cholesterol content, and atherosclerotic changes in the intima. Hypertension induced by renal artery constriction also intensified the hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipemia. On the other hand, rats receiving desoxycorticosterone acetate without salt or salt without desoxycorticosterone acetate did not show any intensification of hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipemia. The extent of the atherosclerotic lesions was correlated with the concentration of cholesterol in the serum. There was also a positive correlation between blood pressure and the degree of hypercholesterolemia. It remained uncertain whether the increase in atherosclerosis in the hypertensive animals was dependent on the increased lipide content of serum and tissues or on a local effect of the elevated blood pressure.
A nanogram and picogram method for amino acid analysis by gas-liquid chromatography.

Abstract A gas—liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the analysis of samples containing nanogram to picogram amounts of amino acids. The procedural details of the method are presented with the reaction conditions for conversion of 1 to 1000 ng of amino acids to their N-trifluoroacetyl n-butyl esters. The developed method was found to be essentially quantitative. Recoveries were greater than 80% when 5 ng of each amino acid were taken through the total method by comparison with diluted macro standard solutions. Also, an injection port solvent vent-chromatographic system was invented which allows injection of the total derivatized samples (up to 100 μl) on a standard packed analytical column. This device prevents the solvent and excess acylating reagent from traversing the column and entering the detector, while allowing quantitative transport of the amino acid derivatives through the column. Samples containing seventeen amino acids at the 50 and 5 ng levels were taken through the total derivatization and chromatographic procedure, and then analyzed by GLC incorporating the solvent vent device. To achieve higher sensitivities, the detection of the N-trifluoroacetyl and N-heptafluorobutyryl n-butyl esters of selected amino acids by 03Ni electron capture was studied. The minimum detectible amounts of various amino acid derivatives were determined by demonstrating that 1 to 50 pg can be clearly observed by this method. Studies were made on the N-TFA n-butyl ester derivatives of eight amino acids, and on the N-HFB n-butyl esters of methionine and cysteine. Analyses of the water extracts of the Returned Lunar Samples (Apollo flights 11 and 12) are presented with none of the common amino acids being detected above the background detection limit of ca. 4 to 5 ng/gram. However, several unidentified chromatographic peaks were observed, particularly in the Apollo 12 sample, which expected content of the compounds of interest is extremely small. The broad spectrum of application for this technique has already included the search for amino acids in the Returned Lunar Samples, and would range from studies at the cellular level, investigations on the molecular basis of disease, to the analysis for trace amounts of environmental pollutants.
Heme A synthase does not incorporate molecular oxygen into the formyl group of heme A

Heme A is an obligatory cofactor in all eukaryotic and many prokaryotic cytochrome c oxidases. The final step in heme A biosynthesis requires the oxidation of the C8 methyl substituent on pyrrole ring D to an aldehyde, a reaction catalyzed by heme A synthase. To effect this transformation, heme A synthase is proposed to utilize a heme B cofactor, oxidizing the substrate via successive monooxygenase reactions. Consistent with this hypothesis, the activity of heme A synthase is found to be strictly dependent on molecular oxygen. Surprisingly, when cells expressing heme A synthase were incubated with (18)O(2), no significant incorporation of label was observed in heme A, the C8 alcohol intermediate, or the C8 overoxidized byproduct. Conversely, when the cells were grown in H(2)(18)O, partial labeling was observed at every heme oxygen position. These results suggest that the oxygen on the heme A aldehyde is derived from water. Although our data do not allow us to exclude the possibility of exchange with water inside of the cell, the results seem to question a mechanism utilizing successive monooxygenase reactions and support instead a mechanism of heme O oxidation via electron transfer.
Purification of peptides derived from proenkephalin A on Bio-Rex 70

The weakly acidic, cation-exchange resin Bio-Rex 70 was used at a low pH for chromatography of enkephalins and other peptides containing enkephalin sequences. Recoveries of various peptide standards and peptides in adrenal chromaffin cell extracts were greater than 85%. Catecholamines and other substances such as density gradient media are not retained by the resin under the conditions employed. A significant purification of enkephalins and larger peptides containing enkephalin sequences with respect to total protein was also obtained by this method. This chromatographic technique should be useful where a low-cost, preliminary purification of samples containing peptides derived from proenkephalin A is required and may be adaptable to other peptides as well.
Comparison of Intravenous versus Intramuscular Administration of Corticotropin‐Releasing Hormone in Healthy Cats

Background Because of the lack of a current validated assay for feline endogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in response to administration of currently available ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (oCRH) preparations, a complete evaluation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in cats has not been possible. Objective This study was undertaken to (1) determine the pituitary (ACTH) and adrenal (cortisol) response to both IV and IM administration of a currently available oCRH product in healthy cats, and (2) validate an endogenous ACTH assay for use in cats. Animals Seventeen healthy cats receiving oCRH (n = 11) or placebo (n = 6). Methods Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. oCRH at 1 μg/kg or placebo was given either IM or IV. Endogenous cortisol and ACTH concentrations were evaluated after the injection. A comparison of IM versus IV and placebo versus treatment was made. Results The DiaSorin immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) assay for ACTH performed well, showing both parallelism and acceptable intra- and interassay coefficients of variation. There was a significant difference between groups (P = .025) and a significant difference between times (P = .025) when endogenous ACTH concentrations were compared after oCRH IV or IM. No significant differences were observed in cortisol concentrations comparing IV to IM oCRH. Conclusions IM administration of oCRH results in significantly greater ACTH concentrations but not cortisol concentrations when compared with IV administration. Samples should be drawn before and at 60 minutes after the injection. The Diasorin IRMA is valid for feline endogenous ACTH measurements.
Admissible Control of Linear Singular Delta Operator Systems

In this paper, we study the problem of state feedback admissible control for the linear singular delta operator systems that result from linear singular continuous systems. By introducing the concept of delta operator, for a given linear singular continuous system, we establish its corresponding delta operator model and this discrete model converges to its continuous counterpart as the sampling period decreases. Sufficient conditions for desirable controllers in terms of matrix inequalities and linear matrix inequalities are given, and the explicit expressions of the controllers are derived. Some examples as well as numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Low-power tunable nanocircuits with DG-MOSFETs for current sensing applications

Highly-integrated mixed-mode nanocircuits are required to interface nanosensors with mainstream information systems based on advanced sub-50nm CMOS architectures. Such nanocircuits may serve a number of crucial signal processing tasks such as current sensing, filtering and amplification. Most importantly they are required to have 'adaptive' or programmable features that can deal with the signal integrity concerns and fluctuations in nanosensor characteristics. Yet another requirement for nanocircuits serving to nanosensors is low-power and high-linearity whereby impact to the working ambient is minimized and signal quality is ensured, respectively. In this work we introduce a range of mixedmode nanocircuits built using double-gate (DG) MOSFET technology expected to replace the planar bulk CMOS in sub-50nm regime, i.e. within the next decade.
US communication policy after convergence

The laws and policies that govern communication in the US have evolved over time to treat different media with distinct doctrines. The press, the post, broadcasting and the telephone each abide by different rules, defining who can build and operate the underlying communication systems, who can use them, along what patterns, to convey what information. As these regimes evolved, they adjusted to reflect social, political, economic and technological change. Occasionally over the past century, the advent of a major new communication technology – radio, television, cable, microwave – changed the system of incentives and thus the equilibrium of the policy environment. This prompted more than a marginal adjustment to the rules, resulting in new rules within existing categories, or the creation of new categories to encompass the new technology.
Case-control study of antibiotic use and subsequent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in hospitalized patients.

Objective.To determine which antibiotics increase or decrease the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD).Design.Retrospective case-control study.Setting.Nonprofit, integrated healthcare delivery system in Northern California.Patients.Study participants included patients with cases of hospital-acquired CDAD that occurred during the period from 1999 through 2005 (n = 1,142) and control patients (n = 3,351) matched for facility, calendar quarter during which hospitalization occurred, diagnosis related group for the index hospitalization, and length of hospital stay. All case and control patients had received antibiotics in the 60 days before the index date. For each antibiotic, the risk of CDAD was examined in relation to whether the patient received the antibiotic, after adjustment for use of other antibiotics, demographic characteristics, selected health conditions, and use of healthcare services.Results.The following antibiotics were associated with a significantly increased risk of acquiring CDAD: imipenem-cilastin (odds ratio [OR], 2.77), clindamycin (OR, 2.31), cefuroxime (OR, 2.16), moxifloxacin (OR, 1.88), ceftazidime (OR, 1.82), cefpodoxime (OR, 1.58), ceftizoxime (OR, 1.57), and ceftriaxone (OR, 1.49). Metronidazole and doxycycline were associated with a significantly reduced risk of CDAD (OR for metronidazole, 0.67; OR for doxycycline, 0.41). Other factors associated with an increased risk of CDAD were older age, longer hospital stays, use of proton pump inhibitors, prior gastrointestinal disease, and prior infection (not including C. difficile infection.)Conclusions.Some antibiotics appear to increase the risk of acquiring CDAD, notably clindamycin, third-generation cephalosporins, and carbapenems, whereas metronidazole and doxycycline appear to be protective, compared with other antibiotics.
The impacts of non-resident parking restrictions at commuter rail stations

At commuter rail stations in many affluent suburban communities of New Jersey, non-residents are prohibited from parking or are charged a higher fee. This paper examines the impacts of non-resident parking restrictions on rail usage. It uses data from a large survey of commuter rail passengers, a detailed parking inventory of station parking lots, and data from the American Community Survey. It compares the catchment areas of stations and the likelihood of individuals boarding at stations with and without parking restrictions by using ordinary least squares, mixed regression, and logit models. It further examines the rail use propensity of communities when the nearest station prohibits non-resident parking by ordinary least squares and tobit models. The analyses show that, all else being equal, stations with non-resident parking restrictions have smaller catchment areas and passengers are less likely to use these stations compared to stations without restrictions. The implications are discussed.
Sensitive and fast recognition of explosives using fluorescent polymer sensors and pattern recognition analysis

Abstract An optical sensor array consisting four fluorescent polymer thin films was investigated to recognize nitro containing explosive, TNT (2,4,6-trinitro toluene) and its simulants. The fluorescence quenching behaviour in presence of these analyte vapors was measured at peak emission of fluorescent materials upon excitation at 440 nm under ambient conditions. The time-dependence of fluorescence intensity for each polymer was obtained in presence of the analyte vapors. Feature patterns, like fluorescence quenching percentage at a certain time, were extracted from the time-dependent fluorescence intensity curve and were used as the input for pattern recognition tools. Even though the explosives were not distinguishable by principle component analysis (PCA) in 2 s, support vector machine (SVM) neural network showed 90% recognition rate. However, the recognition rate of SVM neural network was improved to 100% in 5 s whereas the fuzzy ARTMAP network had a perfect recognition rate in 6 s. Furthermore, the developed recognition system showed robustness to additive noise and can detect and discriminate between simulants and the explosive TNT within 10 s at sub parts per billion (ppb) level.
The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007: drug safety and health-system pharmacy implications: introduction.

In the past, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was criticized for delays in the approval of potentially life-saving drugs; this criticism led to efforts to expedite the drug-approval process. However, the studies used to obtain product approval typically involve limited patient populations, and
Capturing the circadian rhythms of free-running blind people with 0.5 mg melatonin

We have recently shown that six of seven totally blind people (who had free-running circadian rhythms with periods longer than 24 h) could be entrained (synchronized) to a nightly dose of 10 mg melatonin. After treatment discontinuation and re-entrainment to the 10 mg dose, we further found in three of these subjects that the dose could be gradually reduced to 0.5 mg without loss of effect. The question then arose: can a de novo (starting) dose of 0.5 mg initially capture free-running rhythms? Following withdrawal of the stepped-down 0.5 mg dose and consequent release into a free-run, the same three individuals were given 0.5 mg of melatonin de novo. All entrained within a few weeks.
Multitype age-dependent branching processes and cell cycle analysis

Abstract In this article a model of the cell cycle based on the theory of multitype age-dependent branching processes is developed. The article begins with a brief description of the G 1 , S , G 2 , and M phases of the cell cycle, and in Section 2 a detailed account of the application of the theory of multitype age-dependent branching processes to cell cycle analysis is given. By letting each phase of the cell cycle correspond to a type in the general theory of multitype age-dependent branching processes, it is possible to derive formulas for the frequencies of cells in each of the four phases in a large population of dividing cells. In section 3 it is shown how those formulas for the theoretical frequencies of cells in each of the four phases G 1 , S , G 2 , and M may be used to estimate the mean time a cell spends in each phase, providing we have estimates of the frequencies of cells in each phase in a large population of dividing cells and the total mean generation time of a cell. Finally, a numerical example is given illustrating how the formulas developed in the article may be used in cell cycle analysis. The principal novelty of the results presented in this article center around a statistical method that allows an experimenter to estimate, in a precise way, the mean time a cell spends in each of the four phases G 1 , S , G 2 , and M from the frequencies of these phases in a large population of dividing cells.
Dermatomyositis and female malignancy

Six female patients, all with dermatomyositis (DM) and malignancy, have been evaluated and followed over a period of up to 6 years. Five patients had malignancy prior to the diagnosis of DM. Two of these five patients had uterine endometrial adenocarcinoma and another two patients had cervical carcinomas (one each adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma), and one had adenocarcinoma of the breast. In these five patients there was no evidence of malignancy at the time of diagnosis of DM. One of these five patients had an additional primary malignancy (adenocarcinoma of the breast) which complicated her course. An ovarian adenocarcinoma was present in the sixth patient. The ovarian carcinoma was discovered because of progressive cutaneous disease, and resection and chemotherapy led to a partial control of the DM. The patient with adenocarcinoma of the cervix developed metastases which were discovered when the DM became resistant to therapy. Although DM can parallel the course of a malignant disease, this was not generally the case in this group of patients.
Hans Rosenberg at Brooklyn College: A Communist Student's Recollections of the Classroom as War Zone

I shall teach this course as a stiff graduate course, and if you don't like it, get out now. The words came with a pronounced German accent, which somehow made them all the scarier to a college junior. Having taken two semesters of European economic histry with this professer, I had no illusions. He meant what he said. For those of us who had naively considered his “baby” courses in economic history draconian, his words were all the more frightening. What the devil were we in for on this round? Whether anyone “did not like it,” I have no idea, but no one dropped.
Interpretation of an Enhanced Diffusion Observed in a Solid-State Plasma

An enhanced Bohm-like diffusion across a magnetic field observed in a germanium plasma near thermal equilibrium can be interpreted in terms of vortex diffusion due to plasma convections which are thermally excited. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulation show good agreement with the experimental observations. 8 refs.
Dual-Fuel Diesel Engine Combustion With Hydrogen, Gasoline, and Ethanol as Fumigants: Effect of Diesel Injection Timing

Premixed compression ignition (CI) combustion has attracted increasing research effort recently due to its potential to achieve both high thermal efficiency and low emissions. Dual-fuel strategies for enabling premixed CI have been a focus using a low reactivity fumigant and direct diesel injection to control ignition. Alternative fuels like hydrogen and ethanol have been used as fumigants in the past but typically with diesel injection systems that did not allow the same degree of control or mixing enabled by modern common rail systems. In this work we experimentally investigated hydrogen, ethanol and gasoline as fumigants and examined three levels of fumigant energy fraction (FEF) using gasoline over a large direct diesel injection timing range with a single cylinder diesel engine. It was found that the operable diesel injection timing range at constant FEF was dependent on the fumigant’s propensity for autoignition. Peak indicated gross cycle efficiency occurred with advanced diesel injection timing and aligned well with combustion phasing near TDC as we found in an earlier work. The use of hydrogen as a fumigant resulted in very low HC emissions compared with ethanol and gasoline, establishing that they mainly result from incomplete combustion of the fumigated fuel. Hydrogen emissions were independent of diesel injection timing and HC emissions were strongly linked to combustion phasing, giving further indication that squish and crevice flows are responsible for partially burned species from fumigation combustion.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Visualization of NMDA receptor - Dependent AMPA receptor synaptic plasticity in vivo

Regulation of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) membrane trafficking is critical for synaptic plasticity, as well as for learning and memory. However, the mechanisms of AMPAR trafficking in vivo remain elusive. Using in vivo two-photon microscopy in the mouse somatosensory barrel cortex, we found that acute whisker stimulation led to a significant increase in the intensity of surface AMPAR GluA1 subunit (sGluA1) in both spines and dendritic shafts and a small increase in spine size relative to prestimulation values. Interestingly, the initial spine properties biased spine changes following whisker stimulation. Changes in spine sGluA1 intensity were positively correlated with changes in spine size and dendritic shaft sGluA1 intensity following whisker stimulation. The increase in spine sGluA1 intensity evoked by whisker stimulation was NMDA receptor dependent and long lasting, similar to major forms of synaptic plasticity in the brain. In this study we were able to observe experience-dependent AMPAR trafficking in real time and characterize, in vivo, a major form of synaptic plasticity in the brain.
A DFT Study of the Interresidue Dependencies of Scalar J-Coupling and Magnetic Shielding in the Hydrogen-Bonding Regions of a DNA Triplex

Scalar coupling constants and magnetic shieldings in the imino hydrogen-bonding region of Hoogsteen-Watson-Crick T A-T and Ct G-C triplets have been calculated as a function of the distance between proton donor and acceptor nitrogen atoms. The Fermi contact contributions to (h2)J(N-15-H . . . N-15), (1)J(N-15-H- 1), and (h1)J(H-1 . . . N-15) were computed using density functional theory/finite perturbation theory (DFT/ FPT) methods for the full base triplets at the unrestricted B3PW91/6-311G** level. Chemical shifts B(H-1) and delta(N-15) were obtained at the same level using the gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method for magnetic shielding. All three scalar couplings and all three chemical shifts are strongly interrelated and exhibit monotonic changes with base pair separation. These correlations are in conformity with experimental data for a 32-nucleotide DNA tripler. The results suggest that both chemical shifts and coupling constants can be used to gain information on H-bond donor-acceptor distances in nucleic acids. In addition to the DFT/FPT calculations, a simple three-orbital model of the N-H H bond and a sum-over-states analysis is presented. This model reproduces the basic features of the H-bond coupling effect. In accordance with this model and the DFT calculations, a positive sign for the (h2)J(NN) coupling is determined from an E.COSY experiment.
What stresses men? predictors of perceived stress in a population-based multi-ethnic cross sectional cohort

Perceived stress (PS) is a risk factor for a variety of diseases. However, relatively little is known about age- or ethnicity-specific differences in the effect of potential predictors of PS in men. We used a population-based survey of 6,773 White, 1,681 Black, and 617 Hispanic men in Southeastern Pennsylvania to evaluate the relationship of self-reported PS and financial security, health status, social factors, and health behaviors. Interactions across levels of age and ethnicity were tested using logistic regression models adjusted for overall health status, education, and household poverty. High PS decreased significantly with age (p < 0.0001) and varied by ethnicity (p = 0.0001). Exposure to health-related and economic factors were more consistently associated with elevated PS in all ethnicities and ages, while social factors and health behaviors were less strongly or not at all associated with PS in most groups. Significant differences in the relationship of high PS by age and ethnicity were observed among men who are medically uninsured (p = 0.0002), reported missing a meal due to cost (p < 0.0001), or had spent a night in the hospital (p = 0.020). In contrast, not filling a prescription due to cost and diagnosed with a mental health condition were associated with high PS but did not differ by age and ethnicity subgroup. These data suggest that some, but not all, factors associated with high PS differ by age and/or ethnicity. Research, clinical, or public health initiatives that involve social stressors should consider differences by age and ethnicity.
Return to Work After Burn Injury

The research literature suggests but does not test the hypothesis that differential factors determine when a patient will return to work after serious burn injury. In this study, factors influencing time before return to work after serious burn injury were investigated prospectively as part of a large burn research project. Sixty-five patients with burns who had returned to work were followed. Several variables were examined, including percent total body surface area burned, total percent of partial-thickness burn, total percent of full-thickness burn, duration of treatment, payment source for treatment, sex, race, type of burn, and age. The most significant predictor of time before return to work was percent total body surface area burned, followed by percent body surface area with full-thickness burns, percent body surface area with partial-thickness burns, and number of weeks of treatment, respectively. Sufficient data were available to develop a regression equation to specifically predict time before return to work. The data presented here are useful in informing patients, families, employers, and health-funding agencies as to the probable delay before return to work that can be expected after serious burn injury. In particular, predictability refinements are possible with the regression equation developed in this study. Language: en
Combined effects of a converging beam of light and mirror misalignment in Michelson interferometry

We have derived an expression for the combined effects of a converging beam of light and mirror misalignment on the interferograms obtained with a Michelson interferometer. Each effect has been considered separately by others and leads to symmetric interferograms whose modulation is less than 100%. The combined effect produces an asymmetry in the interferogram as well as a decrease in the modulation. The magnitude of the asymmetric term is given in terms of the optical parameters of the interferometer.
Pulse trimming of thin-film resistors

Resistivity decreases can be induced in Cr-SiO films by current pulses of short duration. Precision resistance measurements between pulses permit trimming of film resistors to 0.1 percent in less than one second, provided pulse power, duration, and frequency are adjusted properly. A trimmer system that contacts several resistors through multiple probes and controls the process through a paper-tape reader is described. Pulse trimming has been applied to film resistors ranging from pure Cr up to Cr-40 mole % SiO. After annealing at 400°C, additional resistance decreases of at least 20 percent are possible with all compositions containing SiO. The interval between 15 and 30 mole % SiO is most suitable because substantial resistance changes are obtained at pulse powers well below the limits at which resistors burn out.
Energy management and control algorithms for integration of energy storage within microgrid

This paper discusses energy management and control algorithms of microgrid with energy storage. Specific management framework within microgrid presented here includes: a) help prioritizing the renewable energy sources (RES) to provide power to local loads, b) manage battery to avoid deep-discharging and overcharging, c) maintain dc link voltage at a specified value, and d) regulate ac voltage buses at nominal voltage and frequency. The system analyzed here is adopted from Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS) microgrid test bed. While the generation priority is from RES, the system also has a thermal generation unit to compensate for renewable energy variability and intermittency. Depending on battery state of charge (SOC) and power difference between photovoltaic (PV) and the load, the energy management can work with several modes: charging, discharging, export power, import power, and halt. The system is simulated in PSCAD platform and shows that energy management and control algorithms work as expected.
Activation of constitutive nitric oxide synthases by oxidized calmodulin mutants.

Several calmodulin (CaM) mutants were engineered in an effort to identify the functional implications of the oxidation of individual methionines in CaM on the activity of the constitutive isoforms of nitric oxide synthase(NOS). Site-directed mutagenesis was used to substitute the majority of methionines with leucines. Substitution of all nine methionine residues in CaM with leucines had minimal effects on the binding affinity or maximal enzyme activation for either the neuronal (nNOS) or endothelial (eNOS) isoform. Selective substitution permitted determination of the functional consequences of the site-specific oxidation of Met 1 4 4 and Met 1 4 5 on the regulation of electron transfer within nNOS and eNOS. Site-specific oxidation of Met 1 4 4 and Met 1 4 5 resulted in changes in the CaM concentration necessary for half-maximal activation of nNOS and eNOS, suggesting that these side chains are involved in stabilizing the productive association between CaM and NOS. However, the site-specific oxidation of Met 1 4 4 and Met 1 4 5 had essentially no effect on the maximal extent of eNOS activation in the presence of saturating concentrations of CaM. In contrast, the site-specific oxidation of Met 1 4 4 (but not Met 1 4 5 ) resulted in a reduction in the level of nNOS activation that was associated with decreased rates of electron transfer within the reductase domain. Thus, nNOS and eNOS exhibit different functional sensitivities to conditions of oxidative stress that are expected to oxidize CaM. This may underlie some aspects of the observed differences in the sensitivities of proteins in vasculature and neuronal tissues to nitration that are linked to NOS activation and the associated generation of peroxynitrite.