cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical and Financial Outcomes of Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections in Safety-Net Hospitals.

Abstract Background Prior work has demonstrated inferior outcomes for a multitude of medical and surgical conditions at hospitals with high burdens of underinsured patients (safety-net). The present study aimed to evaluate trends in incidence, clinical outcomes and resource utilization in the surgical management of necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI) at safety-net hospitals. Materials and methods Adults requiring surgical debridement/amputation following NSTI-related hospitalizations were identified in the 2005-2018 National Inpatient Sample. Safety-net status (SNH) was assigned to institutions in the top tertile for annual proportion of underinsured patients. Logistic multivariable regression was utilized to evaluate the association of SNH with mortality, hospitalization duration (LOS), costs and discharge disposition. Results Of an estimated 212,692 patients, 76,719 (36.1%) were managed at SNH. The annual incidence of NSTI admissions increased overall while associated mortality declined. After adjustment, SNH status was associated with greater odds of mortality (adjusted odds ratios: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03-1.26), LOS (β: +1.8 d, 95% CI: 1.3-2.2) and costs (β: +$4,400, 95% CI: 2,900-5,800). SNH patients had similar rates of amputation but lower likelihood of care facility or home health discharge. Conclusion With a rising incidence and overall reduction in mortality, safety-net hospitals persistently exhibit greater mortality and resource use for surgical NSTI admissions. Variation in access, disease presentation and timeliness of operative intervention may explain the observed findings.
Knowing Your Audience: Peer Effects in the Efficacy of Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest have come under heavy scrutiny lately, particularly in markets for expertise. This had led to the increasing popularity of disclosure policies. The principle motivating disclosure is the potential for a reputational sanction—the disclosure of a conflict of interest would shame a worker into avoiding the appearance of bias. Prior work has examined disclosure of advisors’ (e.g., doctors, lawyers, auditors) conflicts of interest to advisees. But the audience is a crucial determinant of a reputational incentive, and advisees are only one of many potential audiences for disclosure. I examine how an audience of peers can make disclosure more efficacious. This research examines disclosure in the context of pharmaceutical industry payments to physicians. Using data on all hospital admissions in New Jersey from 2008 to 2010, I find that physicians disclosed for receiving payments from pharmaceutical manufacturers have a significantly lower rate of prescribing branded drugs when working on cases with another physician, relative to cases where they are working alone; this effect only holds when the physician is working with physician of equal hierarchical status, but not with a subordinate. These physicians are not statistically significantly different from physicians who were never disclosed when they are acting alone. Thus while disclosure of these payments was meant to modify behavior by revealing information to the general public, these results suggest that this is not the relevant audience. I discuss the implications of this for markets for expertise, as well as for the health care industry specifically.
Developing an Analytical Pipeline to Classify Patient Safety Event Reports Using Optimized Predictive Algorithms.

Background Patient safety event reports provide valuable insight into systemic safety issues but deriving insights from these reports requires computational tools to efficiently parse through large volumes of qualitative data. Natural language processing (NLP) combined with predictive learning provides an automated approach to evaluating these data and supporting the work of patient safety analysts. Objectives The objective of this study was to use NLP and machine learning techniques to develop a generalizable, scalable, and reliable approach to classifying event reports for the purpose of driving improvements in the safety and quality of patient care. Methods Datasets for 14 different labels (themes) were vectorized using a bag-of-words, tf-idf, or document embeddings approach and then applied to a series of classification algorithms via a hyperparameter grid search to derive an optimized model. Reports were also analyzed for terms strongly associated with each theme using an adjusted F-score calculation. Results F1 score for each optimized model ranged from 0.951 (“Fall”) to 0.544 (“Environment”). The bag-of-words approach proved optimal for 12 of 14 labels, and the naive Bayes algorithm performed best for nine labels. Linear support vector machine was demonstrated as optimal for three labels and XGBoost for four of the 14 labels. Labels with more distinctly associated terms performed better than less distinct themes, as shown by a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.634. Conclusions We were able to demonstrate an analytical pipeline that broadly applies NLP and predictive modeling to categorize patient safety reports from multiple facilities. This pipeline allows analysts to more rapidly identify and structure information contained in patient safety data, which can enhance the evaluation and the use of this information over time.
Disseminated blastomycosis in a patient with polycythemia vera on ruxolitinib.

Ruxolitinib (RUX) is a kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of various medical conditions and its mechanism of action involves suppression of the immune system. While beneficial in treatment of polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis and other indications, it can also increase a patient’s susceptibility to various infections, including bacterial, viral and fungal. We present a case of a patient being treated with RUX who presented with a disseminated fungal infection. This case emphasises the need for vigilance of endemic fungal infections in individuals who are on RUX therapy.
Simple Model Building: The Sector and Transaction Identities

The simplest kind of model building focuses on the sector and transaction identities of the flow of funds. For each sector, gross investment equals gross saving (apart from discrepancy) but when gross investment is decomposed into net financial investment and capital outlays, each sector will either show a surplus or a deficit. An excess of final product expenditures over receipts from the gross national product or an excess of investment over saving (Ii − Si > 0), indicates that a sector is a deficit sector and is exercising an expansionary effect on the economy A reverse situation (Si − Ii > 0) identifies a sector as a surplus sector, one which is exerting a damping effect on the economy. Alternatively, a deficit sector can be defined as one experiencing a net money inflow from financial transactions (Li − Ai > 0) and a surplus sector as one experiencing a net money outflow from financial transactions (Ai − Li > 0). Combining these two points of view indicates the underlying assumptions of surplus-deficit analysis about real-financial linkages. A deficit sector is one which converts financial sources into final product expenditures (Li − Ai = Ii − Si).
The Unarmed Army: Evolving Second Amendment Rights and Today's Military Member

In 1992, Department of Defense Directive 5210.56 and strict military regulations hollowed out the core of the Second Amendment for members of the United States Armed Forces. Consequently, more than two million military members show up to work each day — in defense of this nation — but lacking the inherent right of self-defense acknowledged in the Constitution by the Supreme Court and guaranteed to ordinary citizens. After a series of mass shooting events on military bases, it remains unconscionable that military men and women are left vulnerable at home in the United States.First, this Article addresses Second Amendment issues raised by the restrictive military gun regulations. In doing so, it investigates the historic tensions between the Supreme Court and military jurisprudence, and the balancing of military “order and discipline” against enumerated constitutional rights. Beginning with the Global War on Terror, the Supreme Court has demonstrated an increased willingness to involve itself in military matters — a stark contrast to its deference and avoidance during the Vietnam War.Second, this Article provides a survey of the Department of Defense Directive effecting these bans, and the implementation of the Directive through Army headquarters regulations and local base regulations. These regulations affect all members of the military community including uniformed service members, family members, civilian employees, contractors, and even retired veterans who access military installations for groceries and healthcare. By their association with the military, all of these individuals suffer severe restrictions on their Second Amendment rights.Third, this Article explores two landmark judicial decisions concerning Second Amendment rights. In each decision, the judiciary applied an in-depth textual and historical analysis, and found a right of self-defense to be the core of the Second Amendment. In both federal courts and state legislatures, a modern right of self-defense outside of the home with a handgun is now recognized. This right should equitably be extended to military members who are both citizens and soldiers of the United States. This Article concludes by proposing several means to restore this right to military members, while arguing for sensible policy and implementation.
Accurate measures of left ventricular ejection fraction using electron beam tomography: a comparison with radionuclide angiography, and cine angiography.

Background: Quantitative determination of ejection fraction is predicated on precise measurement of end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes of the left ventricle. Contrast enhanced electron beam tomography (EBT), with excellent temporal and spatial resolution, has the potential for highly accurate measures of ejection fraction. Methods: EBT protocol used a short axis scan of the left ventricle (8–12 levels, apex to base) during infusion of iodinated contrast. To assess the accuracy of the measured left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), we compared EBT with first-pass radionuclide angiography (RNA) and cine angiography (CINE). Results: A total of 41 patients (26 men and 15 women) underwent all three tests within 1 week. Resting ejection fraction using each modality was assessed in a linear regression model to assess inter-test correlation with the other two modalities. Correlation between CINE and EBT was high (r = 0.90, intercept 4.67, p 40%. For LVEF ≤ 40%, we demonstrated some disparate results between cine angiography and RNA and between EBT and RNA, indicating that CINE or EBT may provide more accurate assessment.
Manufacturer's cooperative advertising, demand uncertainty, and information sharing

Abstract We assume a manufacturer–retailer supply chain where the manufacturer opens an online channel and provides a monetary support to the retailer to implement a local advertising campaign. Both the manufacturer and the retailer have their own information about the state of market demand. We thus examine the value of manufacturer's cooperative advertising and its strategic influence on information sharing of the manufacturer and the retailer. Our results show that the manufacturer's cooperative advertising coordinates the dual-channel distributions effectively and helps improve the channel performance under the environment of demand uncertainty. However, the manufacturer's cooperative advertising also stimulates the retailer to distort its information while the manufacturer has a motivation to understate its forecast. Hence, an advertising agency should be employed to verify the shared information and help make an optimal investment in advertising, so that information distortion can be eliminated and optimum results can be achieved.
Systematic literature review of economics analysis on treatment of mild-to-moderate bleeds with aPCC versus rFVIIa

AbstractObjective:Two bypassing agents, activated prothrombin complex concentrates (aPCC) and recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa), have shown similar efficacy and safety in the treatment of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia and inhibitors as demonstrated through the only two head-to-head clinical trials. Given the economic burden of bypassing treatment, it is crucial to have a valid estimate of cost effectiveness of alternative treatments. The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic review of published pharmacoeconomic literature on the cost-effectiveness of aPCC versus rFVIIa to treat mild-to-moderate bleeds in patients with hemophilia and inhibitors, with a focus on the model assumptions and their impact on results.Methods:An English language search was conducted for original economic studies comparing aPCC and rFVIIa published between 1995 and July 2010. Detailed information on sponsorship, study design, assumptions and their impact on results was collected for each study.Results:A tot...
Exchange biasing and interface structure in MnNi/Fe(Mo) bilayers

The role of magnetic, structural, and chemical roughness on the origin of exchange biasing in polycrystalline Mn52Ni48/Fe92(Mo8) bilayers has been investigated by transmission x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three bilayer samples of MnNi(22 nm)/Fe(Mo) (6 nm) were grown by molecular beam epitaxy under ultrahigh vacuum conditions with the MnNi layer at temperatures of 200 °C, 250 °C, and 300 °C. The exchange bias, He was observed to be the largest for the 250 °C growth sample. The angular dependence of He can be well modeled in terms of a cosine series with odd terms confirming the unidirectional nature of the anisotropy energy. However, the coefficients are different for the three samples indicating different microscopic magnetic interactions at the interface. XMCD measurements showed no magnetic moment for Mn and Ni but showed systematic variations of the Fe moment, i.e., a decrease in Fe moment with increase in He ...
Mechanical Performance of Matrix Filled Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Nanocomposites

It is frequently reported that carbon nanotubes can efficiently be used to reinforce composite materials and considerably improve their structural mechanical properties. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the effective properties of such nanocomposites. In this work, an analytical approach is employed to derive the analytical exact solutions for the effective Young’s modulus and major Poisson’s ratio of a three-phase composite cylinder model representing a matrix filled single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) embedded in another host material. In this study, all three constituents are considered generally cylindrical orthotropic. For validation, results from finite element analysis of an identical 3-D model are compared to those obtained analytically. It is shown that both techniques are in excellent agreement and therefore analytical exact solutions for the prediction of effective axial Young’s modulus and major Poisson’s ratio of the filled SWCNT embedded in another host material and all having orthotropic properties are verified.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Detection, identification, and partial characterization of serine proteases and esterases in biological systems.

Abstract Serine proteases are important catalytic regulators of cellular and extracellular function. Tritium-labeled diisopropylfluorophosphate ([ 3 H]-DFP) has been used to stoichiometrically label serine proteases and the labeled proteases analyzed by autoradiography following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. By preincubating a serine protease, or a complex biological mixture containing serine proteases, with specific, synthetic, active-site inhibitors, the covalent incorporation of [ 3 H]DFP into the protease is prevented or substantially reduced. Since the synthetic inhibitors are amino acid or peptide anologs that reflect the preferred cleavage site of a specific serine protease, any inhibitor-dependent reduction in [ 3 H]DFP incorporation indicates the substrate specificity of the given serine protease. Inhibitor profiles (reflected in polyacrylamide gel autoradiographs) for the different classes of serine proteases have been generated by using a variety of purified serine enzymes preincubated with different inhibitors prior to, and during, [ 3 H]DFP labeling. These profiles were then compared to the more complex gel patterns obtained when cell lysates or conditioned culture medium were labeled with [ 3 H]DFP in the presence or absence of the different active-site inhibitors. A number of known and heretofore undescribed serine proteases were detected in various biological systems including transformed fibroblasts, activated macrophages, and mutant strains of Escherichia coli . This technique allows not only for the detection of serine enzymes in complex mixtures, but also indicates their molecular weight and substrate specificity. This method allows for the quantitative detection of 10 −13 mol of a serine protease. This additional use of this technique to screen for naturally occurring inhibitors of serine proteases is discussed.
Information Needs of Clinicians in Ambulatory Settings

Abstract While clinicians in ambulatory settings may not be located in rural or unaffiliated settings, they face problems similar to those of their rural colleagues in that they are located at a distance from the main hospital and its library. What are the information needs of these health care providers, what types of information sources do they prefer, and what library services can be offered to best support these needs? The study described in this article develops a picture of how hospital-based ambulatory care clinicians access and use library information resources in caring for their ambulatory care patients and assists hospital librarians in developing appropriate library and information services to serve this special population.
Synthesis of anhydrous metal chlorides by the action of chlorocarbon solvents on some metal oxides and sulfides

Abstract Anhydrous metal chlorides have been prepared by the action of chlorocarbon solvents on some metal oxides and metal sulfides. Octachlorocyclopentene converted Nb(V), Fe(III), Ti(IV), and V(V) oxides to anhydrous Nb(V), Fe(III), Ti(IV), and V(III) chlorides, respectively, at the normal boiling point of the solvent (285°C). This solvent converted W(VI), V(V), and Mo(IV) oxides to WOCl 4 , VOCl 3 , and MoOCl 3 , respectively, whereas MoO 3 gave a mixed product. Iron pyrite, FeS 2 , and FeS gave FeCla 3 when reacted with octachlorocyclopentene. A number of other metal oxides and sulfides proved to be unaffected by this chlorinating agent at its normal boiling point. Hexachlorocyclopentadiene converted WO 3 to WOCl 4 but gave little or no metal chloride with Fe 2 O 3 , FeS, and FeS 2 . Hexachloropropene also showed no reaction with certain metal sulfides.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The inhomogeneous distribution of MS may represent an important clue about the cause of the disease. The prevalence of MS appears to be increasing in many regions of the world, although it is likely that in a majority of regions surveyed, this increase is attributable to differences in ascertainment over the relatively short period that MS has been surveyed worldwide, which is almost exclusively the last 50 years. MS occurs most frequently in regions populated by northern Europeans, and in these areas, it is much more common in the northern European population than in the indigenous populations. MS occurs in relatives of MS patients at a rate 10- to 50-fold greater than in the general population. On average, the absolute risk to a first-degree relative of an MS patient is 2% to 5%, depending on the exact degree of relatedness. Although the mode of transmission is not certain, a multigenic pattern best fits the observed pattern of transmission. A majority of monozygotic twins are discordant for MS, indicating that a major component of MS susceptibility is environmentally determined, although recent observations in adopted relatives suggest that this risk is not transmissible. Rare epidemics of MS involving small numbers of individuals in geographically isolated regions have been reported. A number of migrant studies suggest that the risk of acquiring MS may be altered by migration, although some also support genetic factors. Analytic approaches to address the role of various risk factors include ecologic studies, case-control studies, and cohort studies. Ecologic studies are best suited for addressing risk factors that influence overall population risk, whereas case-control studies are best suited for addressing risk factors that pertain to individuals within a population. If a risk factor is distributed homogeneously in a given population, a case-control study is insensitive to its effect. Improved methodology to diminish the biases inherent in case-control studies and identification of other important risk factors from basic scientific studies undoubtedly will be important for analytic epidemiologic studies of the future. Furthermore, analysis of highly informative populations, such as discordant identical twins and adoptive siblings of MS patients, likely will improve the specificity of case-control studies by minimizing the vast number of potential differences between cases and controls.
Berger on Fictional Names

Alan Berger defends a strictly Kripkean view of reference and referring, but puts an original and very useful twist on it by making anaphoric relations central to his own version. He begins by distinguishing two sorts of referring expression: the "F-type," whose reference-transmitting causal-historical chain goes back to a dubbing grounded in a perceptual encounter with the designated object, and the "S-type," whose causal-historical chain goes back to a dubbing grounded in an attributively used description purporting to be uniquely satisfied by something unperceived. The distinction applies to both singular and general terms, but I shall restrict my discussion here to proper names. Each type of term has a characteristic backing of "anaphoric background statements" ("A-B"). For an F-type term there is an ostensive stipulation and its presuppositions ("Let that star be called 'Hesperus'"; "There is (something taken to be) a very bright star out tonight" (p. 6)); as the example illustrates, the referencefixing predication need not actually be true of the referent. For an S-type term, there is an existential claim and then a stipulation ("Some woman will be the forty-fifth President of the United States"; "Let that woman whoever she may be be called 'Alice'" (p. 8)), and the referent will be whoever does uniquely satisfy the description. Turning to semantics: Berger takes the direct-reference view of names. A sentence containing a nonempty name expresses a singular proposition. But what of empty or vacuous names? Since Berger allows neither that a nonexistent object can be a constituent of a singular proposition nor that a vacuous name abbreviates a description, he is in a tight spot. Accordingly, he makes a bold move. A vacuous name might be either F-type or S-type, since its source could be either a dubbing based on a nonveridical perceptual encounter or an attributive naming based on a false existential belief. But in either case, the containing sentence expresses no proposition at all (pp. 95-96). Nonetheless it expresses "a possible proposition^] in the sense that the proposition such an utterance expresses is dependent upon what satisfies its A-B condition in a given context in which the name and its A-B sentence is introduced" (ibid.). For example, the sentence "Vulcan is a small planet" would express a definite singular proposition had it been introduced by way of the A-B sen-
What changes energy consumption? Prices and public pressures

Policymakers often seek to limit energy prices following market shocks, and instead issue public appeals to reduce demand. This article presents new evidence on how price changes and conservation appeals affect energy consumption, using household-level data from California's energy crisis during 2000 and 2001. The evidence indicates that when policymakers cap energy prices following market shocks, they preclude substantial—and quite rapid—reductions in energy use. The data also reveal that conservation appeals and informational programs can produce sustained reductions in energy demand.
Incremental quantity discounts in a periodic–review stochastic inventory model with a general demand distribution

We examine a periodic–review stochastic inventory model in which the buyer places orders to meet stochastic demands under an incremental quantity discount schedule with a single price–break point. With a general demand distribution, we prove the optimality of a state–dependent base–stock policy for the single–period problem and provide simple bounds on the optimal order–up–to levels for the multiple–period problem. We also solve the infinite horizon problem by using the policy iteration method. Our computational results suggest that a state–dependent base–stock policy is also optimal for the multiple–period and infinite–horizon problems.
Mechanical characterization of a woven ceramic fibre/ceramic matrix composite

On etudie la resistance a la flexion et les modules de traction et flexion de composites formes de fibres Nextel 312 (alumine, oxyde de bore, silice) dans une matrice de SiC
Surgical Anatomy of the Jugular Foramen

The complexity of the jugular foramen can be appreciated once its deep location, variability in shape and size, and neurovascular contents are recognized. Safe surgical access to this foramen is hindered by surrounding structures. Structures that traverse the jugular foramen are the sigmoid sinus, inferior petrosal sinus, jugular bulb, glossopharyngeal nerve, vagus nerve, accessory nerve, Jacobson’s nerve, Arnold’s nerve, meningeal branches of the ascending pharyngeal and occipital arteries, and the cochlear aqueduct. The classic description of the jugular foramen divides this structure into two discrete compartments, the pars nervosa and the pars venosa. However, microanatomical studies have demonstrated that this compartmentalization of the jugular foramen is an oversimplification and has no surgical significance. Instead, it is more useful to describe the petrosal, sigmoid, and intrajugular portions of the jugular foramen. The petrosal portion contains the inferior petrosal sinus. The sigmoid portion receives the sigmoid sinus. The intrajugular portion contains cranial nerves IX, X, and XI. All of the surgical approaches to this region require thorough knowledge of the temporal bone, which forms the lateral, posterior, and superior boundaries of the jugular foramen.
Function of pref-1 as an inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation

During conversion of preadipocytes to adipocytes, growth arrest and subsequent activation of adipocyte genes by the transcription factors, C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma, lead to adipogenesis. During differentiation, these cells not only start expressing those genes necessary for adipocyte function, but also undergo changes in morphology to become rounded lipid filled adipocytes. Various factors in cell-cell communication or cell-matrix interaction may govern whether preadipocytes are kept in an undifferentiated state or undergo differentiation. In an attempt to identify molecules that play critical roles in the conversion of preadipocytes to adipocytes, we cloned by differential screening several regulatory molecules, including pref-1. Pref-1 is an inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation and is synthesized as a plasma membrane protein containing 6 EGF-repeats in the extracellular domain. Pref-1 is highly expressed in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, but is not detectable in mature fat cells. Dexamethasone, a component of standard differentiation agents, inhibits pref-1 transcription and thereby promotes adipogenesis. Downregulation of pref-1 is required for adipose conversion and constitutive expression of pref-1 inhibits adipogenesis. Conversely, decreasing pref-1 levels by antisense pref-1 transfection greatly enhances adipogenesis. The ectodomain of pref-1 is cleaved to generate a biologically active 50kDa soluble form. There are four major forms of membrane pref-1 resulting from alternate splicing. Two of these forms which have a deletion that includes the putative processing site proximal to the membrane do not produce a biologically active soluble form. This indicates that alternate splicing may determine the range of action, juxtacrine or paracrine, of pref-1.
Potassium, sodium ion estimates in a closed in vivo system using glass electrodes

Summary A study of ionic components of the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs required continuous measurements of sodium and potassium concentrations in a closed in vivo system. For this purpose, electrodes were constructed that could be inserted into cannulae implanted in the ventricles of dogs' brains. Construction of these electrodes is described, as well as their use in the unanesthetized animal. Certain problems in converting the observed EMF readings to concentrations of ions were encountered. Solutions to these problems were achieved; a digital computer program and a theoretical discussion of this problem are also presented. A combination of in vivo and in vitro calibration was found to be required. The in vitro calibration was used to determine the sensitivity of the electrode to known changes in concentrations of Na+ and K+ cations. The in vivo calibration was used to determine the relationship of a baseline millivolt reading to Na+ and K+ concentrations determined by flame spectrophotometry in the closed in vivo system. The results of the application of this method to the specific problem of the correlation of cation activity in the cerebrospinal fluid with the electrophysiological response of the central nervous system to low level radiation have been published by Sams et al.15.
Glucocorticoids affect gonadotropin-releasing hormone immunoreactivity in musk shrew brain.

Abstract Multiple interactions between the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal and the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal systems exist. In this study, we asked if glucocorticoid administration affected gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) immunoreactivity. We found that musk shrews treated with dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, had more GnRH-immunoreactive (ir) cells in the forebrain than did cortisol- or control-treated animals. The effects of DEX were noted rapidly, within 15 min, after administration. These effects were observed in the forebrain as a whole and also in specific subpopulations of GnRH-ir cells located in the medial septum/diagonal band and the hypothalamus.
Validating running memory span: Measurement of working memory capacity and links with fluid intelligence.

We manipulated running memory span tasks to examine effects on recall and relations with criterion measures of working memory capacity and general fluid intelligence. The goal of the manipulations was to limit or enhance opportunities for active input processing and response preparation in advance of test. We manipulated presentation rate in Experiment 1. Recall was higher at slow than at fast rates, but correlations with criterion measures were much the same across rate conditions. In Experiment 2, we manipulated the time at which the number of items to report was made known to the participants. They were given that information in advance (precue) or at test (postcue). Recall scores and correlations with criterion measures were much the same across cuing conditions. We conclude that running memory span provides valid measurement of working memory capacity that is predictive of higher order cognition across a wide range of conditions.
The Health Benefits of Yoga and Exercise: A Review of Comparison Studies

Abstract Objectives: Exercise is considered an acceptable method for improving and maintaining physical and emotional health. A growing body of evidence supports the belief that yoga benefits physical and mental health via down-regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The purpose of this article is to provide a scholarly review of the literature regarding research studies comparing the effects of yoga and exercise on a variety of health outcomes and health conditions. Methods: Using PubMed® and the key word “yoga,” a comprehensive search of the research literature from core scientific and nursing journals yielded 81 studies that met inclusion criteria. These studies subsequently were classified as uncontrolled (n = 30), wait list controlled (n = 16), or comparison (n = 35). The most common comparison intervention (n = 10) involved exercise. These studies were included in this review. Results: In the studies reviewed, yoga interventions appeared ...
Investigation of correlations between chemical parameters of metal ions and acute toxicity in mice and drosophila

A systematic study of the correlations between physico-chemical properties associated with metal ions and their observed toxicity is being conducted. One approach employs chemical concepts of hard and soft acids and bases. To test these ideas, a set of LD50 values for acute toxicity in mice for 24 metal ions was obtained under uniform conditions. With these new data, a better correlation between LD50 and Pearson's softness parameter, sigma/sub p/, can be obtained. This suggests that even better correlations might exist for parameters more relevant to biological systems. From a wide range of parameters, not necessarily limited to ions of a given charge as is sigma/sub p/, it was found that the electrode potential can give as good a correlation as sigma/sub p/. Some interpretations of these findings are presented. (ERB)
High Activity Solid Super Base Catalysts Employing Nanocrystals of Metal Oxides: Isomerization and Alkylation Catalysis, Including Conversion of Propylene-Ethylene Mixtures to Pentenes and Heptenes

Abstract Nanocrystalline MgO doped with potassium metal caused the formation of highly basic sites that are capable of alkene isomerization and alkene alkylation, including the conversion of propylene–ethylene mixtures to pentenes and heptenes. The total number of basic sites closely correlates with the estimated number of ions that exist on edges/corners on the polyhedral crystallites. Only a fraction of these sites are basic enough to cause the alkylation reactions, and these were formed more prevalently on nanocrystalline MgO as compared with microcrystalline MgO. The results represent another example of nanocrystalline materials possessing unique surface chemistry.
Physiological and dietary influences on midgut redox conditions in generalist lepidopteran larvae

Abstract We examined the effects of host plant foliage and redox active compounds on the midgut physicochemistry of several species of lepidopteran larvae. Midgut pH varied among Helicoverpa zea, Heliothis virescens, Pseudoplusia includens and Hyphantria cunea but was not affected by the host plant they fed upon (cotton, clover, wild geranium or soybean). However, redox potential was influenced by both plant and lepidopteran species. Midgut redox potentials closely matched the redox potential of foliage homogenized under alkaline, but not neutral pH, suggesting that alkalinity has a strong influence on the reducing strength of foliage in the gut lumen. Artificial diet containing redox active compounds, including thiol reducing agents and plant allelochemicals, significantly lowered midgut redox potential of H. zea when ingested. Juglone induced a 205% drop in redox potential in the lumen, whereas caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, pyruvate, cysteine, dithiothreitol and ascorbic acid had more moderate effects (34–44% reduction). Quebracho, tannic acid, o -coumaric and p -coumaric acids had no significant effects. These findings suggest that much of the variation in midgut redox conditions observed in folivorous caterpillars is due to the redox activity of host plant chemicals at the alkaline pH of the gut.
Measuring university students' self-efficacy to use drinking self-control strategies

Using a Web-based, self-administered questionnaire, we assessed 498 university-student drinkers' self-efficacy to use 31 different behavioral strategies to reduce excessive drinking in each of three different locations (bar, party, own dorm/apartment). Averaging all 31 items within each drinking situation to create a single scale score revealed high internal consistency reliabilities and moderate inter-item correlations. Testing the association of self-efficacy with drinking location, sex, and frequency of recent binge drinking, we found that respondents reported higher self-efficacy to use these strategies when drinking in their own dorm/apartment than when drinking in bars and at parties; women reported higher mean self-efficacy than men; and drinkers who engaged in 3-or-more binges in the previous 2 weeks reported lower self-efficacy than those who reported either 0 or 1-or-2 binges in the same time period. This questionnaire could be used to identify self-efficacy deficits among clients with drinking problems and as an outcome measure to assess the degree to which interventions influence reported confidence to use specific drinking-reduction strategies in high-risk drinking situations.
Effects of aging on the acquisition and extinction of excitatory conditioning in Drosophila melanogaster

Young (7-day-old), middle-aged (28-day-old), and old (49-day-old) Drosophila melanogaster were compared for acquisition, then extinction, of excitatory conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response. The contribution of nonassociative processes (sucrose-induced Central Excitatory State, Pseudoconditioning) in the elicitation of conditioned responses was simultaneously assessed. Old flies displayed a faster and stronger acquisition than middle-aged ones, whereas no significant acquisition was stated in young flies. The influence of nonassociative processes on the acquisition was of minor importance, even though Central Excitatory State increased with age. Old flies proved also to be the slowest to extinguish. Because nonassociative contamination was not involved during extinction, one may wonder whether extinction was delayed in old flies mainly due to a higher level of acquisition or to a behavioral rigidity.
Long-term monitoring of the introduced emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) egg parasitoid, Oobius agrili (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Michigan, USA and evaluation of a newly developed monitoring technique

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is a serious invasive pest of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in North America from China. The egg parasitoid Oobius agrili Zhang and Huang (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was introduced from China as a biological control agent for this pest in Michigan and throughout the infested area of the United States. A critical component of any biological control program is post-release monitoring and evaluation; however, because of the small size and cryptic nature of O. agrili, evaluation of its impact is difficult. We compared two methods for measuring parasitism of emerald ash borer eggs: (1) timed visual searches of bark on standing ash trees and (2) bark collection, sifting, and sorting. Both methods were carried out in paired parasitoid-release and control plots, the visual search method over a six-year period (2008–2013) and the more recently developed bark-collection and sifting method for 2 years (2012–2013). The visual search method found parasitism in release plots remained low (0.7–4.2%) in samples taken from 2008 to 2012 and reached 10.6% in 2013. In comparison, the bark-sifting method found that rates of egg parasitism were considerably higher in release plots, 21.8% and 18.9% for samples taken in 2012 and 2013, respectively. These findings indicate that the population-level impact of O. agrili is increasing and may be an important source of mortality for EAB populations. We recommend the bark-collection and sifting method as the more effective method to recover parasitoids and estimate parasitism rates of O. agrili.
Just evidence: the limits of science in the legal process.

“Relying on Science, Romney Files Death Penalty Bill.” With that headline, a press release on April 28, 2005 announced that Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was seeking to reintroduce by legislation the death penalty that the state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled unconstitutional in 1984. The remainder of the text left little doubt that science was a major basis for the governor's action. The press release quoted Romney as saying that the bill provided a “gold standard for the death penalty in the modern scientific age.” Positing a symmetry that will be questioned below, Romney also declared, “Just as science can free the innocent, it can also identify the guilty.” The bill itself deferred to science by calling for corroborating scientific evidence, multiple layers of review, and a novel “no doubt” standard of proof. By raising the required standard of evidence and by restricting the class of capital crimes, the proposed law hoped to correct the defects of other death penalty statutes.
Crystal nucleation and growth in Pd–Ni alloys: a molecular simulation study

Using molecular simulation methods, we determine the microscopic mechanisms underlying crystal nucleation and growth (up to crystallites of a 2.5 nm radius) in various Pd–Ni alloys under ambient pressure. For all compositions, the critical nucleus is predominantly of the face-centered cubic structure. The concentration in Pd is higher in the nucleus than in the liquid alloy. However, our results show that the structure of the critical nucleus strongly depends on the composition. Increasing the mole fraction in Ni in the alloy leads to a decrease in the face-centered cubic character of the critical nucleus. Simulations of the growth of critical nuclei into large post-critical nuclei show that these trends also govern crystal growth of Pd–Ni. Throughout growth, the concentration in Pd in the nuclei always remains higher than in the liquid alloy. We also observe two different growth mechanisms. When the Pd mole fraction is greater than 0.5, we obtain large face-centered cubic post-critical nuclei with a few stacking faults. On the contrary, when Ni is predominant, the post-critical nuclei rapidly lose their structural identity during crystal growth, leading to highly polycrystalline nuclei.
Type‐specific localization of monoamine oxidase in the enteric nervous system: Relationship to 5‐hydroxytryptamine, neuropeptides, and sympathetic nerves

The localization in the guinea pig enteric nervous system (ENS) of monoamine oxidase (MAO) types A and B was investigated at the light and electron microscopic levels. Immunocytochemistry was used to visualize the enzyme protein and histochemistry was employed to study catalytic activity. Type specificity was achieved in histochemical studies by using deprenyl (0.5 μM) to inhibit MAO-B or clorgyline (0.1 μM) to inhibit MAO-A. The distribution of MAO-B immunoreactivity in the ENS corresponded to that of the sites of MAO activity found histochemically to be inhibited by deprenyl, but not clorgyline. MAO-B was observed to be the primary type of MAO found in the intrinsic elements of the ENS and was located in subsets of neurons in both submucosal and myenteric plexuses. MAO-B was not demonstrated immunocytochemically or histochemically in enteric glia, nor, at the light microscopic level, was there significant MAO-B activity or immunoreactivity in serotonin (5-HT)-immunoreactive neuronal cell bodies. In the submucosal plexus about 50% of the neurons expressed MAO-B; these neurons also contained neuropeptide Y (NPY) and/or calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), but not substance P or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). About 10% of myenteric neurons were intensely reactive for MAO-B; again MAO-B was co-localized with NPY and/or CGRP. In contrast to intrinsic neurons, extrinsic CGRP-immunoreactive nerve fibers contained no demonstrable MAO activity or immunoreactivity. Moreover, the sympathetic innervation, identified as varicose axons that degenerated after administration of 6-hydroxydopamine, contained abundant MAO-A, but no MAO-B activity or immunoreactivity. It is concluded that MAO-B is characteristic of a subset of intrinsic enteric neurons, while MAO-A is confined to the sympathetic innervation, which is extrinsic. At the electron microscopic level individual cells varied greatly in their degree of immuno- or cytochemically demonstrable MAO-B, which was most concentrated on the outer membranes of mitochondria. MAO-B immunoreactivity (but not cytochemical activity) was found on mitochondria in some serotoninergic perikarya identified by the simultaneous radioautographic detection of the uptake of 3H-5-HT. Mitochondria in most serotoninergic axon terminals displayed both MAO-B activity and immunoreactivity. Neurons receiving serotoninergic synapses often, but not invariably, contained MAO-B. Inhibition of neither MAO-B nor MAO-A appeared to slow the disappearance of 3H-5-HT loaded into enteric neurons significantly, even when intraneuronal storage of 5-HT was inhibited with tetrabenazine. Alternative pathways for 5-HT catabolism, such as glucuronidation, which do not occur in the brain, may be available to enteric serotoninergic neurons. The role of MAO-B in enteric neurons that are not monoaminergic but peptidergic remains to be determined.
The matrix equation XA=ATX and an associated algorithm for solving the inertia and stability problems☆

Abstract We develop a constructive procedure for generating nonsingular solutions of the matrix equation XA = A T X and establish an interesting relationship between a given solution X of the above equation and the associated matrix polynomial p ( A ). The latter is then used to develop an algorithm for computing the inertia of a matrix. The algorithm is more efficient than the other common procedures.
Growth of mammary epithelial cells from neonatally sex hormone-exposed mice in serum-free collagen gel culture.

Abstract Neonatal sex hormone treatments are known to cause an increase in mammary tumors in female mice with expressed mammary tumor virus (MTV). The growth of mammary epithelial cells from mice treated neonatally with sex hormones was studied in response to growth-stimulatory factors in a serum-free collagen gel culture system which sustains the growth of normal mammary epithelial cells. Animals were treated with hormones or oil-vehicle for the first 5 days after birth. Cells from control mice at 2 and 3 months of age showed a maximal growth response to insulin at 5–10 μg/ml and LiCl at 5–20 mM. Cells responded to epidermal growth factor at all concentrations used (1, 10 and 50 ng/ml). In contrast, mammary epithelial cells from mice treated neonatally with estrogen (estradiol and diethylstilbestrol (DES)) showed a reduced growth response to the growth factors tested.
CO + O2 and CO + NO Reactions over Pd/Al2O3 Catalysts

The kinetics of the CO + NO and CO + O2 reactions have been studied over several different Pd/Al2O3 powder catalysts covering a wide range of average Pd particle sizes. The structure-insensitive nature of the CO + O2 reaction over Pd has been exploited to determine the relative dispersions in several Pd/Al2O3 powder catalysts by measuring the rate of that reaction and normalizing against surface area. This method, assuming particles of hemispherical shape, yields average particle sizes that are consistent with observations using TEM. For the CO + NO reaction over the same catalysts, a pronounced structure sensitivity is evident that results in higher reaction activities over larger Pd particles. Differences between CO oxidation rates for the CO + O2 reaction prior and subsequent to exposure to the CO + NO reaction are suggestive of the formation of an inhibiting, site-blocking species during the latter reaction. These results are discussed with reference to surface science and kinetics studies over single...