cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Simple Approach to Multi-Predator Multi-Prey Pursuit Domain

We present a different approach to a class of pursuit games: the Multi-Predator Multi-Prey domain. In the typical game, a group of predators tries to capture a group of prey, and all the agents have perfect knowledge of prey and predator positions. In our problem definition the prey-agent and the predator-agent have only local information provided by its vision range, each predator independently tries to capture a prey in a one-predator-one-prey-pair way. The predator-prey-pair capture is not known in advance and both predators and prey are moving in the environment. We show that simple greedy local predator rules are enough to capture all prey.
The U.S. Federal Procurement System: An Introduction

The U.S. procurement market is one of the largest in the world, and the procurement law which guides that market, a regulatory regime which is both complex and mature, offers important lessons for other procurement systems around the world. This article provides a modest introduction to U.S. procurement law – especially federal procurement law, which generally is more extensively developed than state or local procurement law – and suggests possible lessons learned that may be useful for other systems. The article proceeds in several parts. The article reviews the history of the federal procurement system, which can be traced to the Revolutionary War, and the separate contract administration regime that the federal government has developed. The article discusses access to the market and the leading procurement methods, with a special emphasis on the multilateral competitive negotiations which had, by the end of the twentieth century, become a mainstay of complex federal procurements.​ The article reviews the leading contract types in U.S. procurement, and explains the strategic advantage that the United States gains through an effective cost-reimbursement contracting system. Finally, the article discusses bid challenges (called “bid protests” in the United States) by disappointed bidders, and reviews other anti-corruption strategies used in the U.S. system.
Gold Nanoparticles as X-Ray, CT, and Multimodal Imaging Contrast Agents: Formulation, Targeting, and Methodology

Computed tomography (CT) is among the most popular medical imaging modalities due to its high resolution images, fast scan time, low cost, and compatibility with all patients. CT scans of soft tissues require the localization of imaging contrast agents (CA) to create contrast, revealing anatomic information. Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) have attracted interest recently for their use as CT CA due to their high X-ray attenuation, simple surface chemistry, and biocompatibility. Targeting molecules may be attached to the particles to allow for the targeting of specific cell types and disease states. AuNP can also be readily designed to incorporate other imaging contrast agents such as rare earth metals and dyes. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of AuNP used as X-ray and multimodal contrast agents. Primary research is analyzed through the lens of structure-property-function to best explain the design of a particle for a given application. Design specification of particles includes size, shape, surface functionalization, composition, circulation time, and component synergy. Key considerations include delivery of a CA payload to the site of interest, nontoxicity of particle components, and contrast enhancement compared to the surrounding tissue. Examples from literature are included to illustrate the strategies used to address design considerations.
A Tríade do Guerreiro Estoico

Duas palestras de James Bond Stockdale sobre o Estoicismo, com verbetes sobre Epicteto e Flavio Arriano. Organizacao: Aldo Dinucci e Alexandre Cabeceiras.
Anatomy, Physiology and Cyclicity of the Male Reproductive Tract

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the current knowledge about the biology of male reproduction in Chiroptera. Special attention is given to the functional cyclicity and gross and microscopic morphology of the primary, accessory, and secondary sexual structures of the male reproductive tract. The general morphological plan of the organs that it comprises is relatively conservative in gross and microscopic structure. There is, however, variation in the complement and appearance of organs within and between taxonomic groups. Male bats also exhibit diversity in the timing and frequency of their reproductive cycles annually; in some species this may be expressed in a unique functional (dysynchronous) timing between primary (testes) and accessory (prostate, ampullary, seminal vesicles, urethral and Cowper's) sex glands. Permissive to this pattern can be the prolonged retention of viable spermatozoa in the caudae epididymidides and extended accessory sex gland function to effect additional intermittent winter mating by males who apparently retain their libido beyond the fall copulatory period. There are many gaps in the basic knowledge of the morphology and physiology of the male reproductive system of Chiroptera. Only a few taxa have been examined over an extended period of time (one or more annual cycles) in which seasonal changes in the system have been recorded and related to organ structure and physiological function.
Some properties of polynomials bounded at equally spaced points

Suppose the absolute value of a real polynomial, p(x), of degree d is bounded by 1 at k equally spaced points of the real line. For pairs (d, k) we present some results about how large are: (i) the absolute value of p(x) for a given real x; (ii) the maximum norm of p(x) on the span of the k points; (iii) the absolute values of the coefficients.
Nursing home aides experience increase in serious injuries.

Physically impaired and socially isolated, many residents of nursing homes greatly depend on nursing aides and other employees; in providing care the workers themselves incur disabling injuries, often to the back. Language: en
GrainsOpen image in new window

Throughout the world, there is a great variety of types and amounts of grain products that are selected to be consumed by individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) and many countries including the United States stress the nutritional importance of grains as a foundation of a good diet.
State policy in the field of civil society cooperation, executive and local government: legal and managerial aspects

The article describes the main factors of the development of civil society in Ukraine. Civil society as an independent and self-governing institution can and must play a powerful transformative and protective role in periods threatening for the state. It is thanks to civil society institutions that the state has a chance to escape from the threat of authoritarianism and disintegration through the development of volunteer, charitable and voluntary movements and the example of the Ukrainian state in recent years is another confirmation of this. Interaction of civil society and state institutions should be based on partnership, mutual interest in achieving the goals related to the process of democratization of all spheres of public administration and public life, socio-economic and spiritual progress, and comprehensive protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen. It is the state of development of relations between local executive authorities, local self-government bodies and structural entities of political parties, civil society institutions that demonstrates the democratic and publicity of processes and the realism of the steps of the formation of civil society in the regions of the country. An important part of this process is the creation of effective mechanisms for coordinating the communicative efforts of public authorities, which will enable united efforts in solving common problems, avoid duplication of functions, and simplify organizational structure. However, the article analyzes the principles of interaction of civil society organizations with state authorities and their influence on the development of the rule of law, identifies a number of problematic issues regarding cooperation between the authorities and the public, as well as suggests ways of solving problems in the interaction of civil society institutions with state authorities.
Muon Spin Relaxation: A Novel Magnetic Resonance Technique to Study Dynamic and Static Magnetism

The novel muon-spin-relaxation technique is discussed in some detail with emphasis on the application in Solid State Physics, and especially with regard to studies in dynamic and static magnetism. A comparison with other magnetic resonance techniques is given. A future outlook on muon spin research in magnetic dynamics is presented.
A New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-positive isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae causing catheter-related bloodstream infection in an ambulatory hemodialysis patient

The New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) is a mediator of broad antimicrobial resistance among the Enterobacteriaceae and other gram-negative pathogens that cause opportunistic and nosocomial infections. In the decade since its discovery, NDM has spread worldwide and represents an increasing threat to public health. NDM is capable of hydrolyzing nearly all known β-lactam antibiotics, including the carbapenems, and due to its zinc ion-dependent catalytic mechanism is unaffected by available β-lactamase inhibitors. We report a case of catheter-related bloodstream infection caused by a pan-resistant, NDM-positive isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae in an ambulatory end-stage renal disease patient started on hemodialysis approximately 8 weeks prior. The absence of any recent hospitalization indicates that the infection was likely acquired from a hemodialysis center in the United States. This case demonstrates the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in ambulatory as well as inpatient healthcare settings, and highlights the particular risk of the outpatient hemodialysis facility as an optimal environment for colonization with multidrug- and pandrug-resistant pathogens.
Development and Characterization of a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Lexicon for Virginia Hard (Alcoholic) Ciders

In the United States, the market for “hard” (alcoholic) ciders is growing rapidly, with over $1 billion USD in sales in 2018. These ciders present a broad range of sensory profiles, especially for ...
The Effects of Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor Fungicide Dose and Mixture on Development of Resistance in Venturia inaequalis.

Understanding how fungicide application practices affect the selection for fungicide resistance is imperative for continued sustainable agriculture. We examined the effect of field applications of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI), fluxapyroxad, at different doses and mixtures on the SDHI sensitivity of Venturia inaequalis, the apple scab pathogen. Fungicide applications were part of selection programs involving dose (high or low) and mixture (with a second single-site or a multi-site fungicide). These programs were tested in two apple orchards over four years to determine potential cumulative selection effects on resistance. Each year following program applications, apple scab lesions were collected, and relative growth assays were conducted to understand shifts in fluxapyroxad sensitivity. After four years, there was a trend towards a reduction in sensitivity to fluxapyroxad for most selection programs in comparison to the non-selection control. In most years, the selection program plots treated with low dose fluxapyroxad applications resulted in a higher number of isolates with reduced sensitivity, supporting use of higher doses for disease management. Few significant differences (P Importance Of much debate is the effect of fungicide application dose on resistance development, as fungicide resistance is a critical barrier to effective disease management in agricultural systems. Our field study in apples investigated the effect of fungicide application dose and mixture on the selection of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor resistance in Venturia inaequalis, a fungal pathogen causing the economically important disease apple scab. Understanding how to best delay the development of resistance can result in increased efficacy, fewer applications, and sustainable fungicide use. Results from this study may have relevance to other perennial crops that require multiple fungicide applications and are impacted by the development of resistance.
The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium Score at Admission Is Prognostic of Covid-19 Disease Severity.

Covid-19 is a systemic viral respiratory illness that can cause gastrointestinal manifestations. There is evidence that Covid-19 can infect liver tissue and may cause transaminemia. A prognostic model is needed to aid clinicians in determining disease severity. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium (MELD-Na) score is a mortality assessment tool in liver transplant patients that has been found to be prognostic in other clinical situations. This study aimed to determine if the MELD-Na score was associated with disease severity in patients with Covid-19, as assessed by multiple clinical outcomes including death within 30 days of discharge and development of an acute kidney injury (AKI). This is a retrospective cohort study that analyzed patients admitted to a community academic hospital with the diagnosis of Covid-19. The 30-day MELD-Na score was found to be significantly higher in those who died (14.38 ± 6.92) relative to those who survived (9.68 ± 5.69; p = 0.03). Additionally, patients with a MELD-Na score greater than 10 were found to have higher risk of developing an AKI (odds ratio (OR) 3.31 (1.08, 10.17); p = 0.03), need for hemodialysis (OR 9.69 (1.74, 53.96); p = 0.007), require vasopressors (OR 4.55 (1.22, 16.99); p = 0.02), and have a longer hospital stay (OR 4.17 (1.05, 16.47); p = 0.03). The MELD-Na score may serve as a useful clinical scoring system for prognosis in patients admitted to the hospital with Covid-19.
Complementary Use of U.S. FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System and Sentinel System to Characterize Direct Oral Anticoagulants-Associated Cutaneous Small Vessel Vasculitis.

Background Cutaneous small vessel vasculitis (CSVV) has been reported after exposure to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban. Objective We used the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) to describe clinical characteristics associated with CSVV among DOAC-exposed patients. Furthermore, we characterized this signal in the Sentinel System to relate the clinical data from the individual FAERS cases to population-based electronic healthcare data. Methods We queried FAERS for all cases of CSVV associated with DOACs from U.S. approval date of each DOAC through March 16, 2018. Within the Sentinel System, we identified incident CSVV cases using ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes among adults aged ≥ 30 years who received a DOAC in the prior 90 days between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2018. We excluded patients with evidence of select autoimmune diagnoses in the 183 days prior to their CSVV diagnoses and reported patient characteristics in the 183-day period prior to CSVV diagnoses. Results In FAERS, we identified 50 cases of CSVV reported with rivaroxaban (n=26), apixaban (n=14), dabigatran (n=9), and edoxaban (n=1). Approximately 50% of the cases reported time to onset within 10 days after DOAC exposure. When specified, the predominant type of CSVV reported was leukocytoclastic vasculitis (n=31), followed by Henoch-Schonlein purpura (n=4). Hospitalization occurred in most of the cases (n=37). Switching of the offending agent after the development of CSVV was reported (n=26). Three rivaroxaban (n=3) cases and one dabigatran case (n=1) reported positive rechallenge. In the Sentinel system, we identified 3659 CSVV cases with prior DOAC exposure, with 85% of events occurring within 10 days. Conclusions The assessment of FAERS cases, combined with the temporal clustering of the Sentinel System cases suggest a possible causal relationship of DOACs and CSVV. Future efforts should characterize the risk of CSVV among the various DOAC users.
Internet of Things Based E-Hooding in a Smart City

The advertisement boards are acting as mediators nowadays for business development. In upcoming days, the smart hooding boards will lead the marketing smarter in the smart cities. The hooding boards are now becoming user-friendly by implementing the Internet of Things (IoT). Recently, at main centers/junction points, there is huge traffic so, the hooding boards are in high demand for marketing purposes. But the marketing for all businesses may not be flexible here in this IoT-based method, i.e., smart hooding boards it will more accessible and reduce the pollution. In the concept of smart cities, the administration is done by utilization of smart hooding boards which provide a smarter way of providing public services like municipal, electric bills and also receives complaints area wise accordingly. This concept of the smart hooding system will be beneficial to the politicians, film industry, sports events with the smart hooding system, mobile e-film facilities, fan park system, for conducting a political meeting, newly released films, e-medicine events, online sports matches.
The Blunt Instrument

Punishment is an ugly, brutal thing. By definition, punishment involves the deliberate infliction of pain and suffering on another. It is the intentional creation of harm. Though we ordinarily think of punishment as a response to crime, we should be ever mindful of the fact that—by any known society's definition--punishment is crime, unless it is fully justified by some other and higher end. Worse yet, punishment is organized crime, and it is highly open and notorious crime, as it is usually associated with a regularized, state-sponsored public spectacle. For these reasons, it has long been acknowledged that the wanton brutality that is punishment must be strictly and completely justified as serving some worthwhile aim--indeed, that ultimately the infliction of punishment does more good than its obvious and immediate harm, and that both the manner and the degree of punishment is in fact strictly necessary to the achievement of that good. Thus, the structure of the justification for punishment is precisely the same as the justification for the commission of an act that otherwise would be a crime: that the deliberately injurious act is the "lesser evil," as its commission is necessary to avoid an even greater harm.
The Impact of Having a Child With Special Healthcare Needs on Length of Military Service.

INTRODUCTION In 2010, the National Survey of Children with Special Healthcare Needs revealed that parents of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) report employment decisions are influenced by healthcare coverage needs. The U.S. military healthcare system arguably offers service member parents of CSHCN with the most comprehensive, inexpensive, long-term healthcare in the country-potentially increasing their incentive to remain in the military. This study explored the effect of having a CSHCN on the length of parental military service. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective cohort was formed using the Military Health System database from 2008 to 2018. Included children were <10 years in 2010 and received ≥1 year of military healthcare between 2008 and 2010. The Pediatric Medical Complexity Algorithm categorized children as having special healthcare needs via ICD 9/10 codes as having complex chronic (C-CD), non-complex chronic (NC-CD), or no chronic disease (CD). Families were classified by the child with the most complex healthcare need. Duration of military healthcare eligibility measured parental length of service (LOS). ANOVA and linear regression analysis compared LOS by category. Logistic regression determined odds of parental LOS lasting the full 8-year study length. Adjusted analyses controlled for child age and sex, and military parent sex, rank, and marital status. RESULTS Over 1.45 million children in 915,584 families were categorized as per the algorithm. Of individual children included, 292,050 (20.1%) were CSHCN including those with complex chronic and non-complex chronic conditions. After grouping by family, 80,909 (8.8%) families had a child/children with C-CD (mean LOS 6.39 years), 170,787 (18.7%) families had a child/children with NC-CD (mean LOS 6.41 years), and 663,888 (72.5%) families had children with no CD (mean LOS 5.7 years). In adjusted analysis, parents of children with C-CD and NC-CD served 0.4 [0.37-0.42] and 0.33 [0.31-0.34] years longer than parents of children with no CD; odds of parents serving for the full study period were increased 33% (1.33 [1.31-1.36]) in families of children with C-CD and 27% (1.27 [1.26-1.29]) in families of children with NC-CD. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that military parents of CSHCN serve longer military careers than parents of children with no chronic conditions. Continued provision of free, high-quality healthcare coverage for dependent children may be important for service member retention. Retaining trained and experienced service members is key to ensuring a ready and lethal U.S. military.
Dynamic surface control of neuromuscular electrical stimulation of a musculoskeletal system with activation dynamics and an input delay

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is the application of an external electrical potential across a neuromuscular effector to generate desired limb movements. Some of the challenges faced during closed-loop control of NMES include: an electromechanical delay (EMD) in the neuromuscular activation dynamics and uncertain nonlinear musculoskeletal dynamics. In this paper, a dynamic surface control (DSC) approach was used to design an NMES controller that compensates for EMD in the activation dynamics. EMD was modeled as a known constant delay embedded in the control input to the first-order muscle activation dynamics that is cascaded to the second-order uncertain musculoskeletal system. The DSC approach was employed to avoid the “explosion of terms” associated with an integrator backstepping approach. The Lyapunov stability analysis confirmed that the DSC approach achieves semi-global uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB) tracking for the delayed musculoskeletal system. Simulations were performed on a 1-degree of freedom knee extension dynamics to illustrate the performance of the developed controller during a trajectory tracking task.
Social anxiety and social phobia in youth: Characteristics, assessment, and psychological treatment.

Chapter 1: Definition and History of Social Phobia and Related Concepts in Youth Chapter 2: Major Characteristics of Youths with Social Anxiety and Social Phobia Chapter 3: The Etiology of Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Youths Chapter 4: Research-Based Assessment of Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Youths Chapter 5: Clinical Assessment of Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Youths Chapter 6: The Treatment of Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Youths Chapter 7: Treating Youths with Social Anxiety and Social Phobia: Laying the Groundwork Chapter 8: Treating Youths with Social Anxiety and Social Phobia: Developing Advanced Skills Chapter 9: Treating Youths with Social Anxiety and Social Phobia: Exposure-Based Practices Chapter 10: Prevention, Difficult Cases, and Future Directions References
Do peer guidelines or editorial policies affect the reporting and discussion of race and ethnicity in pediatric research

Objectives Two policy statements published in pediatric journals encouraged researchers not to use race and ethnicity [R/E] to explain cohort differences without collecting and analyzing data that examine the potential underlying social mechanisms. We sought to determine if these statements had any impact on the reporting and discussion of R/E and sociodemographic markers [SM]. Methods Articles in three general pediatric journals between July 2002 and June 2003 were reviewed, and were compared with previously collected data from July 1999–June 2000. We recorded whether the articles documented R/E or SM, or both, in the results, and whether they discussed their significance. Researchers were surveyed to determine whether and why they collected R/E data. Results Race was reported in 156 of 228 articles (68%), but discussed in only one-third (75). Although there is wide interjournal variability, there was little change between the two periods. Seventy-two percent of respondents thought that R/E was or might ...
Should measuring haemoglobin among chronic kidney disease patients be a performance measure

Objective: We attempted to: (1) to assess whether or not adequate evidence exists to advocate the measurement of anaemia in chronic kidney disease as a performance measure; and (2) to determine what the appropriate benchmarks might be for health systems seeking to implement this performance measure. Design: Our study was conducted in two phases: (1) we used the United States Preventive Service Task Force chain of evidence methodology to determine six key questions that were subsequently reviewed to determine if adequate evidence existed to recommend haemoglobin testing among patients with chronic kidney disease; and (2) in order to establish a benchmark for a potential performance measure we measured the number of patients who had a test for anaemia during the preceding year and during the preceding three years. We established these benchmarks using chronic kidney disease defined both by estimated glomerular filtration rate and ICD-9 codes. Setting: Benchmarking was undertaken at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, which serves the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metropolitan area, and Kaiser Permanente Georgia, which serves the Atlanta metropolitan area. Participants: Patients with chronic kidney disease identified by either estimated glomerular filtration rate or ICD-9 code. Main Outcomes Measurement: Serum haemoglobin Intervention: This was an observational study. Results: Our review of the evidence found no direct evidence that testing for anaemia among patients with chronic kidney disease improved patient morbidity or mortality. The ideal test for anaemia was serum haemoglobin. We found that available treatments of anaemia improve fatigue, but may increase mortality and stoke. We also found that an overwhelming majority of patients with chronic kidney disease defined by either estimated glomerular filtration rate or ICD-9 codes, over one or three years had had a haemoglobin measurement. Conclusion: There is currently inadequate evidence to recommend haemoglobin measurement among patients with chronic kidney disease as a performance measure. In addition, most patients with chronic kidney disease have already had haemoglobin measurement, minimizing the potential benefit of a performance measure.
Leveraging social media and mobile technology in anatomical science education (725.3)

In the current trend of decreasing student-instructor contact hours in basic science curricula, an innovative way to engage the current generation of technology-savvy and “socially-connected” stude...
Backlash, the Political Economy, and Structural Exclusion

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)' is both a civil rights bill passed by Congress with the intent of ending employer discrimination and an economics bill, intended to increase the relative wages and employment of disabled people by "leveling the playing field."2 However, just as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 produced a backlash by those who feared that minorities and women would take jobs away from them, the ADA has been subject to recent backlash by the public, our elected officials, and the courts. The most prominent hostility towards the ADA has come from business, though this may not technically be a "backlash" given that the business sector largely opposed the Act from the start. For instance, the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Banking Association, and the National Federation of Businesses all publicly voiced opposition to the ADA.3 Ongoing resistance from business interests is nonetheless significant in that it exposes the economic nature of opposition to enforcement of the Act. The year the ADA was signed, the Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, called on President George Bush "to ask Congress to reconsider" the ADA since, from the standpoint of free enterprise, it represented a re-regulation of the economy that was harmful to business.4 Paul Craig Roberts, an economist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, warned on the day the Act was signed that "[the ADA] will add enormous costs to businesses that will cut into their profits."5 Rick Kahler opined in a piece entitled "ADA Regulatory Black Hole" that "the ADA make[s] getting out of business look more profitable all the time,"6 while Trevor Armbrister wrote
Religion, Volunteering, and Educational Setting: The Effect of Youth Schooling Type on Civic Engagement

Research on civic engagement shows that volunteering rates decline as young people move from adolescence into emerging adulthood. Using panel data spanning this period of the life course, we examine the impact of secondary schooling type—public, Catholic, Protestant, private nonreligious, and homeschool—on sustaining volunteering into emerging adulthood. We apply a framework that posits pathways between secondary schooling and sets of opportunities to volunteer embedded in institutions and social networks. We also posit a link between schooling type and durable motivational dispositions to volunteer. Results indicate substantial differences by schooling type, although our measures of opportunity structure and motivation do not adequately account for these differences. Those educated in Protestant secondary schools are considerably more likely than other young people to continue to volunteer, even accounting for potential spurious influences. Those schooled at home or in private nonreligious settings are significantly less likely to continue volunteering. We conclude by discussing two alternative accounts that should be addressed in further research: one focused on the role of habituated social practices and the other focused on differences in organizational efforts to link adolescent volunteering to emerging adult volunteering.
A new mercury-penicillin V derivative as a probe for ultrastructural localization of penicillin-binding proteins in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The precise ultrastructural localization of penicillin-binding protein (PBP)-antibiotic complexes in Escherichia coli JM101, JM101 (pBS96), and JM101(pPH116) was investigated by high-resolution electron microscopy. We used mercury-penicillin V (Hg-pen V) as a heavy-metal-labeled, electron-dense probe for accurately localizing PBPs in situ in single bacterial cells grown to exponential growth phase. Biochemical data derived from susceptibility tests and bacteriolysis experiments revealed no significant differences between Hg-pen V and the parent compound, penicillin V, or between strains. Both antibiotics revealed differences in the binding affinities for PBPs of all strains. Deacylation rates for PBPs were slow despite the relatively low binding affinities of antibiotics. Cells bound most of the Hg-pen V added to cultures, and the antibiotic-PBP complex could readily be seen by electron microscopy of unstained whole mounts as distinct, randomly situated electron-dense particles. Fifty to 60% of the antibiotic was retained by cells during processing for conventional embedding so that thin sections could also be examined. These revealed similar electron-dense particles located predominantly on the plasma membrane and less frequently in the cytoplasm. Particles positioned on the plasma membranes were occasionally shown to protrude into the periplasmic space, thereby reflecting the high resolution of the Hg-pen V probe. Moreover, some particles were observed free in the periplasm, suggesting, for the first time, that a proportion of PBPs may not be restricted to the plasma membrane but may be tightly associated with the peptidoglycan for higher efficiency of peptidoglycan assembly. All controls were devoid of the electron-dense particles. The presence of electron-dense particles in cells of the wild-type JM101, demonstrated that our probe could identify PBPs in naturally occurring strains without inducing PBP overproduction.
Suffering the Promise of God: Engaging Oswald Bayer

This article examines Oswald Bayer's wide-ranging constructive appropriation and application of Luther's theology of the Word. Bayer grounds theology in the divine word of promise, understanding theology and the Christian life as a vita receptiva in which human action is, from first to last, responsive. He pits Luther against modern theological evasions of the Word in his insistence on the distinctively Christian pathos of existence, and his ethic of categorical gift reflects this. I conclude with a commendation of Bayer's theology of the Word, a question about the relation between God's revelation and hiddenness and a concern that he may at times compromise the definitive self-revelation of God in Christ.
Desarrollo regional y entidades no gubernamentales en el nordeste brasileño

Regional development should be considered an economic, social an institutional process as well as ultimately a political activity. This means that it is not and that it should not be steered only by the State in spite of the fact that public intervention is undoubtedly one of the most important factors in the allocation and, thus, in the spatial and interpersonal distribution of resources within the society. It is in this sense that non government organizations play a key role on the distribution of resources in space (inter as well as intraregionally) and among social groups. The relation is much more visible when the non government organization is an agent of local or regional development such as in the case of colonization. Their activity is basically aimed at influencing on the decision making process of public agents and, as such, their role is usually imbedded with a politically explicit role. Assuming the role, among others, of socially mobilizing the population in associations (unions, neighborhood organizations, politicall parties, etc.) towards the achievement of specific goals. They aim is at opinion building through information in diverse local and regional topics. The number, nature and ways of non government organizations in a particular region at a particular moment depend on several factors such as "political climate", economic opportunity, historical rootage of the groups in the region and others. It is in this perspective that the paper analizes the concrete experiences of non government organizations in the Northeast of Brazil, one of the largest poor region in Latin America today.
Topological effects and particle physics analogies beyond the massless Dirac-Weyl fermion in graphene nanorings

Armchair and zigzag edge terminations in planar hexagonal and trigonal graphene nanorings are shown to underlie one-dimensional topological states associated with distinctive energy gaps and patterns (e.g., linear dispersion of the energy of an hexagonal ring with an armchair termination versus parabolic dispersion for a zigzag terminated one) in the bands of the tight-binding spectra as a function of the magnetic field. A relativistic Dirac-Kronig-Penney model analysis of the tight-binding Aharonov-Bohm behavior reveals that the graphene quasiparticle in an armchair hexagonal ring is a condensed-matter realization of an ultrarelativistic fermion with a position-dependent mass term, akin to the zero-energy fermionic solitons with fractional charge familiar from quantum-field theory and from the theory of polyacetylene. The topological origins of the above behavior are highlighted by contrasting it with the case of a trigonal armchair ring, where we find that the quasiparticle excitations behave as familiar Dirac fermions with a constant mass. Furthermore, the spectra of a zigzag hexagonal ring correspond to the low-kinetic-energy nonrelativistic regime of a lepton-like massive fermion. A one-dimensional relativistic Lagrangian formalism coupling a fermionic and a scalar bosonic field via a Yukawa interaction, in conjunction with the breaking of the ${Z}_{2}$ reflectional symmetry of the scalar field, is shown to unify the above dissimilar behaviors.
The electrochemical reduction of arylmethoxycarbene complexes of chromium, molybdenum and tungsten

Abstract The reduction of a series of (arylmethoxycarbene)pentacarbonyltunsten(0) compounds was studied by cyclic voltammetry and a dependence of E 1 2 of the quasi-reversible voltammogram on the conformation of the aryl ring of the carbene complex was observed.
Anxiety reduction following exercise and meditation

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the influence of acute physical activity and meditation (“noncultic”)on state anxiety. Seventy-five adult male volunteers served as Ss with 25 Ss randomly assigned to either an exercise, meditation, or control group. Physical activity was performed at 70% of self-imposed maximal exercise heart rate for 20 minutes by Ss in the exercise group; Ss assigned to the meditation group practiced Benson's Relaxation Response for 20 minutes; and Ss in the control group simply rested quietly in a “Lazyboy” chair for 20 minutes. State anxiety was measured with the Spielberger Scale, and it was assessed (1)prior to, (2)immediately following, and (3)10 minutes following each treatment. Oxygen consumption, heart rate, skin temperature, and blood pressure were also measured as confirmatory variables under selected conditions. The data were analyzed by means of a two-way repeated measures ANOVA, and this analysis revealed that a significant reduction in anxiety occurred for each treatment. This held for both those Ss falling within the normal range for state anxiety and those Ss regarded as high-anxious. It was also noted that none of the physiological variables differed significantly following the control and meditation treatments. The present evidence suggests that acute physical activity, noncultic meditation, and a quiet rest session are equally effective in reducing state anxiety.
Convergence and complexity of interpolatory—newton iteration in a Banach space☆

Abstract The class of interpolatory—Newton iterations is defined and analyzed for the computation of a simple zero of a non-linear operator in a Banach space of finite or infinite dimension. Convergence of the class is established. The concepts of “informationally optimal class of algorithms” and “optimal algorithm” are formalized. For the multivariate case, the optimality of Newton iteration is established in the class of one-point iterations under an “equal cost assumption”.
Tailoring of crystal surface morphology by induced spatiotemporal oscillations of temperature

This paper presents the model for pattern formation in the course of stable (unfaceted) and unstable (faceted) crystal growth from the vapor phase, which is influenced by the rapid spatiotemporal variations of the substrate and film temperature. In the model, such variations result from the interference heating of a substrate by weak pulsed laser beams. The ensuing form of the temperature field perturbation from the ground state is fairly generic and simple, and thus it may as well serve to model other situations. In the stable case the surface relaxational dynamics is influenced by surface diffusion transport of adatoms from the hot to the cold regions of a substrate; this leads to the accumulation of mass in the cold regions and depletion in the hot regions. In the unstable case the underlying faceting instability coupled to the directed diffusion transport leads to the formation of the stationary hill-and-valley structure, where the hills may terminate sharply or have the rough tops. The characteristic lateral scale of this structure increases as the wavelength of the temperature nonuniformity decreases, but the coarsening rate of the transients decreases. By effectively redistributing adatoms through the enhanced, spatially inhomogeneous diffusion the mechanism also delays the onset of the spatiotemporal chaos as the growth rate increases. These scenarios are modeled using the framework of the classical continuum theory of the morphological evolution, enriched with the recently developed regularization method for the ill-posed, unstable evolution partial differential equation (PDE), and coupled to the concept of the spatiotemporal oscillatory surface temperature as the ``tailoring force'' for the evolution dynamics. A mass-conserving finite volume method is developed that is capable of the accurate computation of the large-slope solutions of the unstable, strongly nonlinear, sixth order evolution PDE for the surface height.
A dual PET/MR imaging nanoprobe: 124I labeled Gd3N@C80

Abstract: The current report describes the development of a dual modality tomographic agent for both positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI). The dual-modality agent in this study was based on a 124 I (PET) radiolabeled tri-gadolinium endohedral metallofullerene Gd 3 N@C 80 (MRI) nanoprobe platform. The outer surface of the fullerene cage of the Gd 3 N@C 80 metallofullerenes was surface functionalized with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups (f-Gd 3 N@C 80 ) using previously developed procedures and subsequently iodinated with 124 I to produce 124 I-f-Gd 3 N@C 80 nanoprobe. Orthotopic tumor-bearing rats were infused intratumorally by convection-enhanced delivery (CED) with the 124 I-f-Gd 3 N@C 80 agent and imaged by MRI or micro PET. The anatomical positioning and distribution of the 124 I-f-Gd 3 N@C 80 agent were comparable between the MRI and PET scans. The 124 I-f-Gd 3 N@C 80 dual-agent distribution and infusion site within the tumor was clearly evident in both T
Use of tetraphenylethylene in quantitative GLC of hyoscyamine and scopolamine

Hyoscyamine and scopolamine as free bases were simultaneously quantitated by GLC, using tetraphenylethylene as an internal standard. A linear relationship was found between the ratios of the integrated peak areas of alkaloid to the internal standard and the actual weight ratios of alkaloid to the internal standard for both hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Pure compounds and extracts from Hyoscyamus niger Linne powder were analyzed. The combined precision of the extraction procedure of plant materials with the GLC procedure was determined.
Utilization of β-hydroxybutyric Acid by Fed and Fasted Rats.

SummaryThere is no significant difference in the rate of utilization of administered β-hydroxybutyric acid by fed or fasted rats receiving glucose. The spontaneous ketogenesis of fasted rats is inhibited by glucose administration and may account for the apparent ketolytic activity reported by others.
Proper Management of Pericardial Tamponade as a Late Complication of Implantable Cardiac Device Placement

Cardiac tamponade as a late complication of device placement is exceedingly rare, with only several case reports previously published. We sought to characterize our institution's experience with cardiac tamponade occurring >30 days after permanent pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement. From January 2000 to June 2003, 2,535 patients received an implantable cardiac device at our institution. Four patients (0.17%) presented with cardiac tamponade >30 days after the procedure. A fifth patient who had undergone implantation at another institution but was referred to our group with tamponade was also included in the analysis. The baseline characteristics varied widely with respect to age, gender, device type, and anticoagulation status. Lead parameters were altered in 2 of 5 patients. Two patients were treated with pericardiocentesis, 1 patient had pericardiocentesis followed by lead extraction, and 2 patients required cardiac surgical intervention. Pericardial fluid culture and cytologic findings were negative in all patients. All patients had normal recovery and were well at a mean follow-up of 31 months. In conclusion, cardiac tamponade is a rare, but serious late complication of permanent pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement. The patient characteristics and mode of presentation vary widely. Once tamponade is recognized and treated, these patients appear well at long-term follow-up, with no other device-related problems. A role for lead manipulation does not appear to exist in the standard treatment of these patients.
Maturation of pyramidal cell form in relation to developing afferent and efferent connections of rat somatic sensory cortex.

Abstract Golgi and axonal labeling methods were used to examine the maturation of pyramidal cells in layers III and V of the rat somatic sensory cortex. The material came from animals late in the gestation period, postnatal, ranging from 0 to 43 days of age and at maturity. Special attention was paid to the period (0–7 days of age) during which it is known that thalamic and callosal fibers grow into the cortex. It is shown that the basic features of the pyramidal cell form are established before the long afferent fibers arrive in layers III and V and before the large number of synapses are established in these layers. Nevertheless, considerable dendritic growth and spine formation occurs after the afferent fibers establish an adult-like pattern of distribution. It is also shown that even at 1 day of age, the axons of pyramidal cells in all layers have reached the vicinity of targets such as the striatum, thalamus, brainstem, spinal cord and contralateral cortex. At 0–1 day the immature pyramidal cells are essentially bipolar in the upper cortical plate, but in the developing infragranular layers they have a few short, almost spine-free, basal dendrites and, rarely, a few oblique branches of the apical dendrite. The apical dendrite extends to the pial surface and the dendritic branches end in growth cones. The dendrites of cells in all layers increase in size and complexity of branching over the first postnatal week; the maturation of dendrites in layer V leads that of dendrites in the supragranular layers by about 2–3 days. As maturation proceeds, basal dendrites acquire secondary and tertiary branches and more oblique branches appear on the apical dendrite. Dendritic spines appear after 4 days of age but remain sparse up to 7–8 days. At 14 days of age, the spine density is much higher than in 7-day-old animals but remains at a much lower density than in 4-week-old, 6-week-old, or adult animals. By 7–14 days, the difference in maturity between superficial (layer III) and deep (layer V) pyramidal cells is difficult to discern qualitatively. All the pyramidal cells now have relatively complex, highly branched dendritic trees when compared to younger cells, but the dendritic tree is still immature in terms of the number, length and complexity of branching of the apical and basal dendritic systems. It can be concluded that the growth of the long axon of cortical pyramidal neurons precedes the acquisition of afferent connections and when these afferent fibers arrive in the cortex the dendritic tree of the pyramidal cell is still highly immature. Thus it remains possible that the finer modeling of the dendritic tree and the formation of spines may be affected by extrinsic influences such as the afferent fibers.
Pulmonary hypertension in women

Female predominance in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been known for several decades and recent interest in the effects of sex hormones on the development of disease has substantially increased our understanding of this epidemiologic observation. Basic science data suggest a beneficial effect of estrogens in the pulmonary vasculature both acutely and chronically, which seems to contradict the known predilection in women. Recent human and rodent data have suggested that altered levels of estrogen, differential signaling and altered metabolism of estrogens in PAH may underlie the gender difference in this disease. Studies of the effects of sex hormones on the right ventricle in animal and human disease will further aid in understanding gender differences in PAH. This article focuses on the effects of sex hormones on the pulmonary vasculature and right ventricle on both a basic science and translational level.