cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forest Conservation and Sustainability in Indonesia: A Political Economy Study of International Governance Failure.: Bernice Maxton-Lee(New York: Routledge, 2020)

Why, despite so many international efforts to create conservation and sustainable forestry, has deforestation increased in the last two decades in Indonesia? While recognising the political economy...
241 Remotely Delivered Yoga Nidra for Insomnia and Anxiety during COVID-19

Introduction: Insomnia and related anxiety affect 30 - 50% of the US adult population. These conditions often coexist, and contribute to increased mortality from depression, heart disease, and stroke. The current COVID-19 pandemic has heightened anxiety and sleeplessness, and 53% of US adults report the pandemic has affected their mental health. There is a need for research into therapies for anxiety and insomnia that can be delivered remotely for increased accessibility to reach more individuals in need. Methods: To contribute to this need, we examined the effects of remotely delivered Yoga Nidra (translated to mean “yogic sleep”), a guided meditation practice, on anxiety and sleep. The practice was delivered in real-time before bed, or asynchronously via an online REDCap-based platform, once per week for 16-weeks from April to July (during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic). Results: Seventy-four individuals joined the study, of whom 71% reported subthreshold insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index score of 14 ± 4), and 74% reported anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Index score of 10 ± 5). Seventy-one (96%) participants accessed the asynchronous recordings. Remote delivery of this practice proved very feasible, with no adverse events reported, and although we provided no monetary compensation, 50% of our sample still completed a postintervention survey. Further, 52% of n=25 respondents who completed both pre- and post-intervention sleep surveys reported decreased sleep onset latency (SOL) the following day, with a mean decrease of 10 minutes (95% CI = -19.0, -0.5) for all respondents, and strongest change (-34 min;p=.017) measured for those who reported SOL between 30-120 min at baseline. Overall state anxiety was decreased by 41% for n=32 respondents who completed pre-post State Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) surveys surrounding a single practice (average score of 47 ± 11 before practice vs. 27 ± 8 after practice, p<.0001). Conclusion: Remotely delivered Yoga Nidra is feasible to deliver, and demonstrates potential benefits for anxiety and insomnia, warranting additional research. Support (if any): This work was supported by the R90 BRIDG grant at the Helfgott Research Institute at the National University of Natural Medicine.
How Faculty Status Impacts Student Evaluations of Teaching: A Study of Full- Versus Part-Time Marketing Faculty:

The present multiyear study sheds light on the effects of faculty status on student evaluations of teaching (SETs). By comparing actual SETs of full- versus part-time marketing faculty, this study ...
Higher Total Protein Intake During Exercise Training Improves Body Composition But Not Indices of Metabolic Syndrome

We retrospectively assessed the effect of total protein intake (TPro) during exercise training on body composition (BC) and indices of metabolic syndrome (MS) in overweight/obese middle-aged adults...
Library of structural analog cell macromodels for design of continuous-time reconfigurable /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulators

The design of reconfigurable /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulators requires cumbersome circuit-level simulations. Besides the challenges inherent to high-performance analog-to-digital converter (ADC) design, the gap between system-level specification and circuit-level implementation makes the design even more difficult and inefficient. Circuit macromodels are an efficient way of tackling these problems by speeding up simulation and offering insight into circuit design. This paper presents a library of structural macromodels customized for cells used in /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulator design. We present original structural macromodels for two operational amplifier (opamp) and one operational transconductor amplifier (OTA) circuits. These cells are used to implement the loop filter in continuous-time /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulators. The proposed library helps the designer capture circuit-level constrains and tradeoffs before doing circuit implementation. It also makes top-down design of analog circuits more efficient by meaningful abstracting circuit-level parameters to a higher design level.
El creciente éxito de las revistas de moda y belleza y la mujer española contemporánea

La cantidad de revistas de moda y belleza a la venta en Espana ha aumentado en el ultimo lustro a la vez que su difusion practicamente se ha doblado. De siete publicaciones en elano 2002 se ha pasado a las nueve actuales y de una difusion total de 767,233 ejemplares a 1.433,978. A pesar de que el sector de las revistas en general ha experimentado un descenso en ventas, las de alta gama estan en alza; las estadisticas muestran que las espanolas las adquieren cada vez mas (al igual que los otros dos tipos de publicaciones periodicas por cuadernos que mas se venden, las de decoracion y las del corazon.) El presente articulo indaga en el estado de estos medios de comunicacion centrados en moda y belleza y en el porque de su creciente popularidad en la actualidad, cuando la situacion de las mujeres espanolas es considerablemente menos tradicional que en el pasado.
DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER: A RESPONSE TO PAPE (2008)

Our meta-analysis offers strong theoretical and empirical evidence for higher rates of substance use in lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth that was consistent across: (a) large and small-sample studies, (b) multiple types of drugs and patterns of drug use, (c) multiple operational definitions of homosexuality, and (d) multiple diagnostic tests of the statistical conclusion validity of the results, including outlier analyses. In addition to this robust set of findings we noted a ‘trend’ such that the effect sizes that were associated with ‘hard’ drugs appeared larger than those associated with more common drugs. But this was not an a priori hypothesis, and by no means a central finding of our study. In fact it was described (conservatively) in the context of other effects that seemed to defy the trend. For example, the effect size for lifetime cigarette use was larger than the effect size for cocaine or composite measures of hard drugs. As we noted in the original paper, the observed variability across the different types of drugs ‘may account for some of the observed heterogeneity of effects in the overall model’.
Real-time prediction of gas contaminant concentration from a ground intruder using a UAV

This work presents a combined computational fluid dynamics-controls approach that guides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in a region of a plume and provides real-time estimates of gas concentration from a ground mobile source with unknown location and release rate. The contaminant concentration field is estimated in real-time on the UAV via the use of a state estimator that is based on a Luenberger observer design. UAV-affixed concentration sensors provide measurements which are used by the controls scheme to guide the UAV into regions of useful information in order to expedite the estimation of the contaminant concentration field. The estimator is solved in real-time using a finite-volume with total-variation-diminishing scheme on adapted grids. The UAV guidance scheme is coupled to the estimator performance through Lyapunov redesign methods, according to which the UAV is guided towards areas of larger estimation error. Numerical examples illustrate the performance of the scheme for different atmospheric conditions and mobile contaminant sources.
Originating CDT Projects

In a work entitled the 'Dream Lucian describes how as a boy he was confronted by two women who ask him to choose under whose guidance he should make his career. One was charming and ladylike who introduced herse l f as 'Education' the other hardhanded, rude and dusty who represented 'Sculpture' . 'Education' implored the youth not to practice the Arts. It was, she said, social l y disreputable and even if he could prove himself to be another Phidias, he would still be one of the hoi polloi, another craftsman, a mechanic. The boy took her advice and sought education and finally relates, with a degree of smugness, of his growing reputation as a literary man, received even in the most exclusive circ l es.
Indexing function-based categories for generic recognition

The authors report the implementation and evaluation of a function-based recognition system that takes an uninterrupted 3-D object shape as its input and reasons to determine if the object belongs to the superordinate category furniture, and if so, into which (sub)category it falls. The system has analyzed over 250 input objects, and the results largely agree with intuitive human interpretation of the objects. The study confirms that a relatively small number of knowledge primitives may be used as the basis for defining a relatively broad range of object categories. The greatest derivation from intuitive human interpretation occurs with objects that humans would not typically label as one of the known categories defined, but which have some novel orientation in which they could serve the function of one of these categories. This is because the system uses a purely function-based definition of the object category. >
Control of Deoxyribonucleic Acid and Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis in Pyrimidine-Limited Escherichia coli

The effects of pyrimidine limitation on chromosome replication and the control of ribosomal and transfer ribonucleic acid syntheses were investigated. Chromosome replication was studied by autoradiography of 3H-thymine pulse-labeled cells. Pyrimidine limitation did not affect the fraction of cells incorporating radioactive thymine during a short pulse, indicating that when growth is limited by the supply of pyrimidine, the time required for chromosome duplication increases in proportion to the time required for cell duplication. Control of ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA syntheses was examined by chromatographing cell extracts on methylated albumin kieselguhr columns. When growth was controlled by carbon-nitrogen limitation, the ratio of tRNA to total RNA remained roughly constant at growth rates above 0.5 doublings per hour. During pyrimidine limitation, however, the control of rRNA synthesis was apparently dissociated from the control of tRNA synthesis: the ratio of tRNA to total RNA increased as the growth rate decreased.
Investigations of positronium formation and destruction using PsARS

A new method of spectroscopy PsARS (positronium annihilation ratio spectroscopy) has been developed where ratios are determined of detected coincidence signals resulting from the three γ-ray decay of ortho-Ps to coincidence signals from the two γ decay of para-Ps and conversion of ortho-Ps into two 511 keV γ-rays. Some of the initial results obtained from using PsARS to investigate the formation of positronium in gases and the destruction of ortho-Ps at a surface are presented.
Analysis, understanding, and visualization of hyperspectral data as convex sets in n space

Convex and affine geometry in n-dimensions provide powerful tools for the analysis, understanding, and visualization of hyperspectral data. The ubiquitous mixed pixel problem can be exploited as an advantage and is easily cast in an n-d convexity context. Convexity concepts can be used to identify the purest pixels in a given scene and to unravel spectral mixing, both fully and partially. Visualization techniques based on these concepts permit human interpretation of all spectral information of all image pixels simultaneously. Convex geometry forms a natural framework for the unique challenges associated with analysis of hyperspectral data.
Sensitization to soybean hull allergens in subjects exposed to different levels of soybean dust inhalation in Argentina.

Abstract Background: Soybean hulls (SHs) have been identified as the source of aeroallergens responsible for soybean asthma outbreaks. However, the prevalence of sensitization to SH allergens in subjects from Argentina, a country where soybeans are produced, is unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of sensitization to SH by in vivo and in vitro tests in subjects with asthma or allergic rhinitis and in control subjects from Argentina who have been exposed to different levels of soybean dust inhalation (SDI). Methods: Exposure to SDI is defined as follows: (1) direct=occupational, (2) indirect=proximity to soybean fields or grain elevators, and (3) urban=urbanized areas without a known source of SDI. Two groups were studied. Group 1 consisted of 365 subjects with asthma or allergic rhinitis and group 2 (control group) of 50 healthy individuals. Subjects from both groups were classified according to their exposure to SDI. All subjects completed standard questionnaires. Prick skin tests (STs) with an SH extract and with common allergens were performed on all subjects. Specific IgE and IgG4 to SH were measured in sera of 51 of 56 subjects from group 1 who had a positive ST to SH and in all sera from group 2. Results: Fifty-six (15.3%) subjects from group 1 and no subjects from group 2 had a positive ST to SH (wheal SH/wheal histamine ≥0.5). In group 1, positive STs to SH were 38.7%, 20.3%, and 8.2% in subjects with direct, indirect, and urban exposures, respectively ( P P P P P P P Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there was (1) a high prevalence of sensitivity to SH in subjects with asthma or allergic rhinitis from Argentina and (2) an association between sensitivity to SH and severity of asthma and level of exposure to SDI. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105:570-6.)
Mathematics Self-Efficacy, Ethnic Identity, Gender, and Career Interests Related to Mathematics and Science

Abstract Four-hundred and fifteen 11th-grade parochial school students were surveyed to assess their mathematics self-efficacy (SE), ethnic identity, and career interests in mathematics and science. Path analysis disclosed a direct effect of gender on students' career interest (CI). In addition, CI was predicted by mathematics SE, and SE was, in turn, influenced by ethnic identity, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status. Educational implications are discussed, and recommendations are made for further study.
TECHNETIUM ACTIVITIES AT MASS 97

A technetium activity believed to be ${\mathrm{Tc}}^{97g}$ has been observed to decay with molybdenum $K$ x-rays and to possess a half-life in the range of ${10}^{4}$ to ${10}^{5}$ years.
Exit Probabilities and Optimal Stochastic Control

This paper is concerned with Markov diffusion processes which obey stochastic differential equations depending on a small parametere. The parameter enters as a coefficient in the noise term of the stochastic differential equation. The Ventcel-Freidlin estimates give asymptotic formulas (ase→0) for such quantities as the probability of exit from a regionD through a given portionN of the boundary ∂D, the mean exit time, and the probability of exit by a given timeT. A new method to obtain such estimates is given, using ideas from stochastic control theory.
Neural networks for the classification of nondestructive evaluation signals

The paper proposes the use of massively parallel learning networks for interpreting signals from electromagnetic transducers used in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) problems. Nondestructive testing techniques are used in a variety of industries for evaluating the structural integrity of critical components in a noninvasive manner. A major aspect of research in nondestructive testing is related to the inverse problem and is commonly referred to as defect characterisation. This involves the classification of the eddy current signals in terms of the shape and size of the underlying defects in the test object. A key contribution of the proposed network is the ability to obtain a rotation and translation-invariant internal representation of the signal. Results showing the merits of this approach as well as a comparison with traditional techniques for the classification of signals are presented.
Comparative utilization of inorganic and organic compounds as sole nitrogen sources by the submergent duckweed, Lemna trisulca L.

The capability of the submergentLemna trisulca L. to utilize various inorganic and organic sources of nitrogen was studied using both non-axenic and axenic cultures. When doubling time for frond production was measured, the nitrogen sources in order of effectiveness were urea, aspartic acid, nitrate, glutamic acid, arginine, ammonium and casein hydrolysate. Nitrite supported a relatively rapid growth rate after an initial lag of 7 days. Other parameters of growth such as fresh or dry weight per frond or ohlorophyll content did not oorrelate well with rate of frond production. Casein hydrolysate and urea were found to elicit a morphology different from that seen in cultures containing the other nitrogen sources. These preferences for source of nitrogen were different than those known for the emergent species ofLemnaceae. The unique value ofL. trisulca as a subject for plant physiological research is discussed. This study also provides a possible explanation for the existence of nutritional niches existing in aquatio ecosystems containing several different species ofLemnaceae.
Sites of cleavage of glucagon by insulin-glucagon protease.

Abstract To study the mechanism of degradation of glucagon with purified insulin-glucagon protease, glucagon was reacted with the enzyme at various times of incubation. The proteolysis was followed by the production of flourescamine-reacting material as well as reaction with dansyl chloride, cleavage by acid hydrolysis, and identification by thin layer chromatography. For quantitative measurement of the degradation products, [ 14 C] dansyl derivatives were produced, identified by autoradiography, and counted. In the degradation products in addition to histidine, the dansyl derivatives of tyrosine, phenylalanine, two leucines, alanine and lysine were identified. For comparison, glucagon was also reacted with chymotrypsin and the degradation products consisted of threonine, serine, two leucines and valine. Thus, insulin-glucagon protease degrades glucagon in a manner distinct from that of chymotrypsin.
Recognizing the centrality of gender identity and stereotype knowledge in gender development and moving toward theoretical integration: reply to Bandura and Bussey (2004).

Abstract Most of the critique in the A. Bandura and K. Bussey (see record 2004-18097-001) commentary is a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the points made by C. L. Martin, D. N. Ruble, and J. Szkrybalo in their 2002 Psychological Bulletin article (see record 2002-18663-003). First, Martin et al. never intended to present a comprehensive theory; instead, it was a review of 2 different cognitive approaches to gender development. Second, there is no time line test that has been failed; instead, gender cognitions may occur earlier than initially believed. Third, Bandura and Bussey dismissed central gender cognitions-gender identity and gender stereotype knowledge-despite considerable evidence in their support. Fourth, Bandura and Bussey never addressed the gaps and ambiguities inherent in their theory that Martin et al. questioned in their earlier article. Finally, Bandura and Bussey's misunderstandings of cognitive theorists' views on socialization agents, sociocultural influences, agency, and motivation created theoretical rifts where none exist.
Glutathione Peroxidase-Based Amperometric Biosensor for the Detection of S-Nitrosothiols

A new biosensor is described for the detection of S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) based on their decomposition by immobilized glutathione peroxidase (GPx), an enzyme containing selenocysteine residue that catalytically produces nitric oxide (NO) from RSNOs. The enzyme is entrapped at the distal tip of a planar amperometric NO sensor. The new biosensor shows good sensitivity, linearity, reversibility, and response times towards various RSNO species in PBS buffer, pH 7.4 . In most cases, the response time is less than 5 min, and the response is linear up to 6 μM of the tested RSNO species. The lowest detection limit is obtained for S-nitrosocysteine (CysNO), at approx. 0.2 μM. The biosensor's sensitivity is not affected by the addition of EDTA as a chelating agent; an advantage over other potential catalytic enzymes that contain copper ion centers, such as CuZn-superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase. However, lifetime of the new sensor is limited, with sensitivity decrease of 50% after two days of use. Nonetheless, the new amperometric GPx based RSNO sensor could prove useful for detecting relative RSNO levels in biological samples, including whole blood.
World Romance: Genre, Internationalism, and W. E. B. Du Bois

Du Bois, in commenting upon it, configured a meaning for The Crisis that is hardly a simple translation of Gandhi's note. His note, in much smaller, italicized print to the left of Gandhi's big typeface, acts as both biography and pedagogy. It begins, quite literally, with "Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the greatest colored man in the world, and per- haps the greatest man in the world." Du Bois then provides some details about Gandhi's education in England and his public life in South Africa, where "He gave up the law and devoted himself to the Indian people who were being persecuted along with the natives in the land." During the Boer War, Gandhi served with the Red Cross, "attending friend and foe alike. . . . For twenty years he toiled in South Africa to remove race prejudice." Upon returning to India, Gandhi was disillusioned by the repression following the First World War, "the massacre of Amritsar, and the infamous Rowlatt bills," at which point He came out for Home Rule and announced his great Gospel of con- quest through peace. Agitation, non-violence, refusal to cooperate with the oppressor, became his watchword and with it he is leading all India to freedom. Here and today, he stretches out his hand in fel- lowship to his colored friends of the West. (Du Bois and Gandhi) Du Bois here acts as both interlocutor and introducer, as much explicator as translator: he introduces and contextualizes Gandhi, but he also defines for his readership the note and the man who wrote it. He transfigures Gandhi into a specifically Christian and United States idiom: a colored man preaching a "great Gospel of conquest through peace." Du Bois's
Vigilance before and after sleep.

In an auditory vigilance (signal detection) task, 13 Ss missed more signals and made more false reports 10 min. after awakening in the morning than at night before bed. Higher confidence levels were associated with correct signal detections made before bed than with those made in the morning, and Ss were more confident when they responded to signals than when they made false reports.
Clinical Recognition of Varicella Zoster Virus Vasculopathy

Introduction: It is important to recognize acutely evolving ischemic stroke attributable to reactivation of varicella zoster virus vasculopathy since antiviral agents are effective. Methods: Three cases seen by the author over a 2-year period are highlighted. Results: All patients presented with an evolving arterial or venous ischemia in the background of postherpetic neuralgia proceeding for weeks to months. Conclusion: Chronic neuralgic pain in a dermatomal distribution of an evolving central nervous system vasculopathy is an important clue to its recognition.
Sporadic late onset nemaline myopathy

Objective: To review the clinicopathologic features and outcome of sporadic late onset nemaline myopathy (SLONM). Background: Non-HIV–related SLONM is an uncommon disease of undefined etiology. Methods: This study is based on clinical, EMG, histochemical, immunocytochemical, and electron microscopy evaluation, and long-term follow-up of 14 patients observed at the Mayo Clinic between 1975 and 2003. Results: The disease presented between 43 and 81 years and evolved subacutely. The weakness was predominantly proximal in 11, equal proximally and distally in 3, and asymmetric in 4; dysphagia was a symptom in 6. The EMG showed myopathic features with fibrillations but the serum CK level at the time of initial examination or reevaluation was normal or below the Mayo Clinic’s range of normal values for sex and age at the time of the assay. Seven patients had an associated monoclonal gammopathy. On light microscopy, the nemaline structures were best identified in 3-μm-thick frozen sections stained trichromatically or immunostained for α-actinin or myotilin. Electron microscopy done in 12 cases identified the rods in all and revealed additional structural abnormalities. Seven patients with monoclonal gammopathy were followed for 1 to 5 years; five died of respiratory failure. Five patients without monoclonal gammopathy were followed for 4 to 23 years and none died of the disease. Immunotherapy in eight patients was of uncertain benefit. Conclusions: 1) Subacutely evolving weakness after age 40, normal to low CK level, myopathic EMG with fibrillations, and often a monoclonal gammopathy are clues for the diagnosis of sporadic late onset nemaline myopathy. 2) The diagnosis is confirmed by visualizing the rods in trichrome or immunostained cryosections. 3) An associated monoclonal gammopathy heralds an unfavorable prognosis.
Multirate sensor fusion for GPS using Kalman filtering, fuzzy methods, and map matching

With the advent of the Global Position System (GPS), we now have the ability to determine absolute position anywhere on the globe. Although GPS system work well in open environments with no overhead obstructions, they re subject to large unavoidable errors when the reception from some of the satellites is blocked. This occurs frequently in urban environments, such as downtown New York City. GPS systems require at least four satellites visible to maintain a good position 'fix', and tall buildings and tunnels often block several, if not all, of the satellites. Additionally, due to selective availability, where small amounts of error are intentionally introduced, GPS errors can typically range up to 100 ft or more. This paper proposes several methods for improving the position estimation capabilities of a system by incorporating other sensor and data technologies, including Kalman filtered inertial navigation system, rule- based and fuzzy-based senors fusion techniques, and a unique map-matching algorithm.
Triad dynamics: investigating social forces, roles, and storylines

This is a phenomenological study of the relationships between university supervisors, in‐service and pre‐service teachers (triads). Two triads participated in a joint pre‐service and in‐service professional development project. Multiple in‐depth interviews were completed with each triad member to better record and resolve the varied experiences of the participants. Through using positioning theory as a lens for interpreting data, triad dynamics were explicated to understand relationships within these groups and the factors surrounding these relationships. The following are the key research findings: (1) when triads were engaged in projects that promoted participants’ synthesis of products as they enlist what they are learning, collaborative positioning occurred; (2) adequate time for interactions led to another influential social force: the establishment of trust and relationships; and (3) uncertainty in expectations can act as an inhibitive social force for collaborations.
Small deformations superposed on large deformations of an elastic-plastic material

Abstract In the context of a purely mechanical rate-type theory of plasticity, and utilizing a strain space formulation, an infinitesimal theory is developed for motions superposed on any given motion of an elastic-plastic material. The given motion may involve all forms of elastic-plastic deformation, including both loading and unloading, and in addition, the loading conditions are allowed to change due to the superposed motion. The infinitesimal theory is properly invariant under arbitrary finite superposed rigid motions.
The best EBLUP in the Fay-Herriot model

We show that in the case of Fay–Herriot model for small area estimation, there is an estimator of the variance of the random effects so that the resulting EBLUP is the best in the sense that it minimizes the leading term in the asymptotic expansion of the mean squared error (MSE) of the EBLUP. In particular, in the balanced case, i.e., when the sampling variances are equal, this best EBLUP has the minimal MSE in the exact sense. We also propose a modified Prasad–Rao MSE estimator which is second-order unbiased and show that it is less biased than the jackknife MSE estimator in a suitable sense in the balanced case. A real data example is discussed.
Photorefractive phase shift induced by nonlinear electronic transport.

A photorefractive phase shift can be generated under dc applied fields if the dominant photocarriers have a nonlinear velocity-field dependence with a vanishing differential mobility. Phase shifts as large as π/2 are possible when velocity saturation disables dielectric relaxation while still permitting large drift rates. The inability of the space-charge field to relax leads to a saturated trap density that mimics trap-limited behavior. All direct-gap photorefractive semiconductors have strong velocity saturation from hot-electron transport effects, most widely known for the origin of the Gunn effect. Previous photorefractive trap-limited-field studies may have to be reevaluated in the context of transport nonlinearity.
The Development of Clostridium Difficile in Heart Transplant Patients on Different Immunosuppression Regimens

Purpose Clostridium Difficile is a common complication after heart transplant especially in those patients receiving prophylactic antibiotics. It has not been demonstrated if a specific immunosuppression regimen leads to more development of C.Difficile after heart transplant. Therefore, we evaluated our heart transplant patients and divided them into patients who were on induction therapy vs no induction and further divided those into TAC/MMF vs CSA/MMF. Methods and Materials Between 2000 and 2010, we evaluated 580 heart transplant patients and reviewed them for development of 1st year C. Difficile. Patients were divided into those that received induction therapy (anti-thymocyte gamma globulin) and those did not receive induction therapy. Patients were also divided into those that received CSA/MMF and TAC/MMF. Results Induction was a significant risk factor for the development of 1st year C.Difficile (6% vs 1%, p=0.001) which was seen in those patients also receiving TAC/MMF. There was a trend for more 1st year C. Difficile in the TAC/MMF vs CSA/MMF groups in the induction group (8% vs 3%, p=0.082), but was not seen in the non-induction group (see table). The average length of time of C. Difficile infection in the induction vs non-induction groups was similar (8 ± 5 vs 7 ± 3 days, p=0.779). Conclusions Risk for C. Difficile appears to be greater in patients who have received ATG induction particularly if they have received TAC/MMF immunosuppression. In those patients receiving ATG induction with TAC/MMF, close monitoring for C. Difficile is warranted. Development of C. Difficile in the 1st Year All Patients CSA/MMF Group TAC/MMF Group p-value Induction 20/318 (6%) 3/104 (3%) 17/214 (8%) 0.082 Non-Induction 2/236 (1%) 0/49 (0%) 2/187 (1%) 0.469 p-value 0.001 0.233 0.001
Reactions of aquatitanium(II) with hypervalent chromium species.

Titanium(II) solutions, prepared by dissolving titanium metal in triflic acid and HF, react readily with derivatives of Cr(VI), Cr(V) and Cr(IV). Reductions of Cr(VI) and Cr(IV), carried out with [Co(NH3)5Br]2+ as a scavenger for Cr(II), yield no detectable Co2+, indicating that 2e− steps, bypassing Cr(V) and Cr(III), are not operative. Catalysis by Ti(IV) is observed only for reduction of Cr(VI). Rates for reduction by Ti(III) are remarkably similar to those for the corresponding reductions by Ti(II). The addition of Ti(III) to triflic acid and HF results in rapid and quantitative disproportionation to Ti(II) and Ti(IV).
Delamination growth behavior of a fabric reinforced laminated composite under Mode I fatigue

The purpose of this study is to investigate the delamination growth behavior of a glass fabric reinforced laminated composite under Mode I fatigue loading and to examine the applicability of a new fatigue crack growth rate model to this material. In this study, double cantilever beam specimens were subjected to tension-tension cyclic loads with three different load ratios and the delamination growth rate was measured using the compliance method. The delamination growth rate was related to the strain energy release rate during fatigue cycling by a power law equation that takes into account not only the effect of the strain energy release rate range, but also the effect of delamination growth at various stages of loading using a weight average strain energy release rate. It was observed that this new model can represent the delamination growth rate of the fabric reinforced laminated composite at three different load ratios in a single unifying curve.
Eustatic implications of late Miocene depositional sequences in the Melilla Basin, northeastern Morocco

Abstract The age (∼5.78 Ma or lower chron C3r) of the major drawdown of the Paleo-Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian Salinity Crisis has been established by combining results from stratigraphy, paleontology, magnetostratigraphy, and argon dating for a late Miocene sedimentary succession in the Melilla Basin, NE Morocco. This event is inferred from a marine-to-continental series of carbonate and siliciclastic rocks that record the end of Messinian marine deposition in the Melilla Basin and presumably marks the final isolation of the Paleo-Mediterranean Sea. The evidence from the Melilla Basin is approximately coeval with an increase in benthic foraminiferal δ 18 O values from a deep-marine section in the Bou Regreg valley, NW Morocco (Hodell et al., 1994). This increase suggests that a glacio-eustatic lowering of sea level, at least, contributed to the final closure of the Mediterranean during the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The marine-to-continental succession onlaps a carbonate complex that contains evidence for multiple relative sea-level changes leading up to the main drawdown. From bottom to top, the carbonate complex is composed of: (1) an onlapping ramp; (2) a prograding bioclastic platform; (3) a prograding and, locally, downstepping Porites -reef complex; and (4) a topography-draping sequence composed of grainstones, Porites reefs, and stromatolites (terminal carbonate complex of Esteban, 1979). The transgressive ramp correlates to relatively low values of benthic foraminiferal δ 18 O values from a Tortonian-to-lower Messinian section at Bou Regreg (Hodell et al., 1994). This correlation indicates, at least in part, a link between rising sea level and a reduction in global ice volume during deposition of the ramp. A major fall in relative sea level (∼60 m) occurred near the demise of the reef complex during chron C3n.1n at 5.95 ± 0.10 Ma. This signals the initiation of drawdown and changing environmental conditions in the Melilla Basin (a marginal basin), and perhaps the entire Paleo-Mediterranean Sea. A megabreccia interpreted as forming by solution collapse of evaporites on the basin margin of the reef complex occurs at the base of the terminal carbonate complex. Updip, a major subaerial unconformity separates the reef complex and terminal carbonate complex. Evaporite deposition likely occurred during this exposure event and has been dated at 5.82 ± 0.02 Ma near the base of chron C3r. We contend that these evaporites, restricted to the shallow Melilla Basin, are related to the continuation of the initial stage of the major drawdown of the Paleo-Mediterranean Sea.
Stress effects on immunity and its application to clinical immunology

Various stressors, including both psychological as well as physiological, have been demonstrated to influence the immune response, presumably through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system. Anecdotal evidence, and retrospective and prospective studies, have demonstrated an effect of psychological and physiological stress on immune-based diseases such as asthma, atopy and infections. Alterations in immune function, in particular the type-1/type-2 cytokine balance, secondary to increased psychological stress, are thought to mediate these changes in health. The field of psychoneuroimmunology seeks to establish the link between behaviour, neuroendocrine functions, immune responses and health. The current review will describe the effect of psychological stress on immune function, the impact of psychological stress on immune-based pathology, and the future directions of research to determine the mechanisms and clinical significance of the field of psychoneuroimmunology.
Ubiquitin–proteasome system profiling in acute leukemias and its clinical relevance

The ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) plays a major role in the homeostasis of cellular protein. We demonstrate that each of the major hematologic diseases (AML, ALL, and MDS) has a specific and different plasma profile of UPS protein and enzymatic activities. While high levels of proteasome and ubiquitin proteins and enzymatic activities are detected in the plasma samples from patients, normalizing enzymatic activities, show that each proteasome has lower enzymatic activities in these diseases as compared with normal controls. Proteasome protein levels in AML are strong predictor of survival independently of cytogenetics, performance status and age. The Ch-L activity when normalized to the level of proteasome protein show significant negative correlation with survival in ALL.
Hoarseness in children: the role of laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Summary Objective The role of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in hoarseness in children is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of LPR in hoarse children. Methods Retrospective chart review identified 337 children with hoarseness over a 3-year period. Data collected: mode of presentation, associated symptoms, endoscopic findings, laboratory testing, and therapeutic interventions and their outcomes. Results Mean age at presentation was 7.2 ± 4.3 years with a male:female ratio of 1.7:1. Of the 295/337 (88%) children who underwent endoscopy, 107/295 (36%) had LPR changes alone, 86/295 (29%) had vocal fold nodules, 63/295 (20%) had both LPR and vocal fold nodules; and 22/295 (7%) had a finding other than LPR or nodules. Of the children diagnosed with LPR by endoscopy (with or without nodules), 93/170 (55%) underwent at least one additional test for reflux with 69/93 (74%) having a positive test. Of the children diagnosed with LPR by endoscopy, neither cough nor throat clearing was identified in 82/170 (48%) of children. At the first follow-up visit, an average of 3 months from initial presentation, 50% of 169 children who were treated for reflux had improved or resolved. By the second follow-up visit, 4.5 months later, 68% of those children had improved or resolved. Conclusions LPR appears to be a very common cause of hoarseness in children, and is an increasingly important symptom in identifying children with LPR. Treatment of LPR often results in improvement of hoarseness.
Dynamic small animal lung imaging via a postacquisition respiratory gating technique using micro-cone beam computed tomography.

Rationale and objectives Micro computed tomography is an important tool for small animal imaging. On many occasions, it is desirable to image lungs in a live instead of postmortem small animal to perform a pulmonary physiology study. Because the lungs are moving, gating with respect to the ventilatory phase has to be performed to reduce motion artifacts. Precapture ventilation gating may be difficult to achieve in some situations, which motivates us to propose and implement a simple postacquisition gating method. Materials and methods Rats were used as the subjects in this study. A sequence of low-dose projection images were acquired at 30 frames per second for each view angle. During each capture sequence the rat undergoes multiple ventilation cycles. Using the sequence of projection images, an automated region of interest algorithm, based on integrated grayscale intensity, tracts the ventilatory phase of the lungs. In the processing of an image sequence, multiple projection images are identified at a particular phase and averaged to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The resulting averaged projection images from different view angles are input to a Feldkamp cone-beam algorithm reconstruction algorithm to obtain isotropic image volumes. Results Reconstructions with reduced movement artifacts are obtained. In the gated reconstruction, registration of the bone is much better, the edge of the lung is clearly defined, and structures within the lung parenchyma are better resolved. Also, different phases of a breathing cycle can be reconstructed from one single tomographic scan by the proposed gating method. Conclusion A postacquisition gating method using the phase information encoded in the 2-dimensional cone beam projections is proposed. This method is simple to implement and does not require additional experimental set-up to monitor the respiration. It may find applications in lung tumor detection, dynamic pulmonary physiology studies, and the respiratory systems modeling. Minimal motion artifact data sets improve qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques that are useful in physiologic studies of pulmonary structure and function.
Late Pleistocene and Holocene population history of east Asia based on dental variation

The purpose of this communication is to provide a summary description and analysis of 28 dental traits studied in a number of skeletal samples that originated in eastern Asia. The objectives of the analysis are to define the nature of Mongoloid dental variation, use it to measure Asian intergroup relationships, and develop in greater detail and with larger samples a dental anthropological model of the late Pleistocene and Holocene population history of eastern Asia.
Leishmania inhibits STAT1-mediated IFN-γ signaling in macrophages: increased tyrosine phosphorylation of dominant negative STAT1β by Leishmania mexicana

Previous studies have demonstrated that Leishmania donovani attenuates STAT1-mediated signaling in macrophages; however it is not clear whether other species of Leishmania, which cause cutaneous disease, also interfere with macrophage IFN-gamma signaling. Therefore, we determined the effect of Leishmania major and Leishmania mexicana infection on STAT1-mediated IFN-gamma signaling pathway in J774A.1 and RAW264.7 macrophages. We found that both L. major and L. mexicana suppressed IFNgammaRalpha (alpha subunit of interferon gamma receptor) and IFN-gammaRbeta (beta subunit of interferon gamma receptor) expression, reduced levels of total Jak1 and Jak2, and down-regulated IFN-gamma-induced Jak1, Jak2 and STAT1 activation. The effect of L. mexicana infection on Jak1, Jak2 and STAT1 activation was more profound when compared with L. major. Although tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1alpha was decreased in IFN-gamma stimulated macrophages infected with L. major or L. mexicana, those infected with L. mexicana showed a significant increase in phosphorylation of the dominant negative STAT1beta. These findings indicate that L. major and L. mexicana attenuate STAT1-mediated IFN-gamma signaling in macrophages. Furthermore, they also demonstrate that L. mexicana preferentially enhances tyrosine phosphorylation of dominant negative STAT1beta, which may be one of the several survival mechanisms used by this parasite to evade the host defense mechanisms.
Not just "getting by": factors influencing providers' choice of interpreters

Background Providers consistently underutilize professional interpreters in healthcare settings even when they perceive benefits to using professional interpreters and when professional interpreters are readily available. Little is known about providers’ decision-making processes that shape their use of interpreters.
CXCR3-deficiency protects influenza-infected CCR5-deficient mice from mortality.

Mice lacking the chemokine receptor CCR5 are susceptible to mortality from a normally non-lethal influenza infection. Here we found that CXCR3-deficiency rescued CCR5-deficient mice from influenza-induced mortality. The number of mononuclear phagocytes in the airways was transiently increased in CCR5-deficient mice but not in CXCR3-CCR5 double-deficient mice. Antigen-specific CXCR3-CCR5 double-deficient CD8 effector cells were less efficient at entering the airways compared to wild-type or CCR5-deficient CD8 effector cells. The decrease in inflammatory cell infiltrates in CXCR3-CCR5 double-deficient infected mice correlated with a decrease in CCL2 and IFNγ production in the airways. Finally, CXCR3-CCR5 double-deficient mice that survived the primary viral challenge were protected from a lethal secondary challenge, indicating that T cell-mediated protective memory was not compromised in mice lacking these chemokine receptors. In conclusion, CXCR3 deficiency attenuated the lethal cellular immune response in CCR5-deficient influenza-infected mice without hindering viral clearance or long-term immunity.
Experience of nervousness and anxiety disorders in Puerto Rican women: Psychiatric and ethnopsychological perspectives

Analyses of case materials describe variations in the experiences of Puerto Rican women diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder, in treatment with mental health clinicians, physicians, or traditional healers. Their common complaints are examined as core symbolic elements in culturally patterned complexes of meanings focused around personal trauma, stressful life events, personal and social reactions, expectations about treatment, and the course of illness. Many of these women report themselves to be “nervous,”; to be “sick from nerves,”; or to have had an "ataque de nervios.”; “Nervousness”; is the base symbolic domain in Puerto Rico of what psychiatry labels “anxiety disorder,”; although it is also a common complaint of many disorders. What “nervousness”; means to patients/clients and their clinicians or healers is examined within the frames of multilayered popular and biomedical interpretations. The special difficulties of women in Puerto Rico are highlighted, and psychiatric and ethnopsychological (Spi...
Power shift: Creatingan empowered workforce

To do more with less requires being able to empower others so that they areaccountable and responsible. In many situations, staff resist empowerment and often make comments to the effect that it is the manager's job to get certain things done—not theirs! In moving toward empowerment, the most difficult first step must be a personal step to gain insight into the type of power the manager uses to achieve outcomes. If in the process of self-examination they find that their personal style of power does not support empowerment, then they must first make a power shift to a style that creates an environment where staff empowerment can be accomplished.
Thoracoscopy for diagnosis of diffuse lung disease

Diffuse lung diseases due to a wide variety of conditions are amenable to diagnosis by means of clinical evaluation, bronchoalveolar lavage, transbronchial biopsy, and lung biopsy. The recently introduced technique of thoracoscopic wedge biopsy provides the potential advantages of greater selection of biopsy sites and reduced postoperative pain compared with that associated with standard open lung biopsy. Its overall accuracy cited in initial reports has exceeded 90%. Although it is supplanting open lung biopsy as the most common operative technique for diagnosing diffuse pulmonary abnormalities, the availability of thoracoscopic lung biopsy should not alter the current indications for the initial use of bronchoscopic techniques in selected patients. In addition, because of the additional risk carried by thoracoscopic lung biopsy, open lung biopsy should still be used preferentially in patients suffering from acute decompensation, pulmonary hypertension, or coagulation disorders.