cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
No Evidence of a Causal Association between Diabetes-Related Phenotypes and Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Several epidemiological studies have shown an association between increased fasting and 2-hour plasma glucose (FPG and 2hPG), hemoglobin A1C (A1C), and fasting insulin (FI) and risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess whether this relation is causal using genetic data from large populations of individuals of European descent. Methods: Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to obtain estimates of influence of the risk factors (FPG, 2hPG, A1C and FI) on risk of the outcome (AF). Instrumental variables (IVs) were constructed using the previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with each risk factor at p-value Results: Two-step MR with inverse variance weighted methods did not show any causal association between diabetes related phneotypes and AF [FPG (30 SNPs, p=0.7), 2hPG (7 SNPs, p=0.3), A1C (11 SNPs, p=0.3), or FI (13 SNPs, p=0.9)]. None of the IVs showed horizontal pleiotropy indicating that the used genetic variants affected the outcome only via their effect on the diabetes related phenotypes (p-values of 0.56, 0.09, 0.099, and 0.31 respectively for FPG, 2hPG, A1C, and FI). Calculated power based on the original set of SNPs in the MAGIC and estimated odds ratio of 1.2 were 99, 94, 99, and 84% respectively for FBG, 2hPG, A1C, and FI. Conclusion: This MR analysis does not support a causal role between genetically programmed diabetes related traits (FPG, 2hPG, A1C, or FI) and AF. These data suggest that drug treatment to reduce dysglycemia in nondiabetics may not be an effective strategy for AF prevention. Disclosure H. Harati: None. D. Zanetti: None. E. Ingelsson: None. J. Knowles: None.
Removing Disfavored Faces from Facebook: The Freedom of Speech Implications of Banning Sex Offenders from Social Media

The question of how to rehabilitate convicted sex offenders is a complicated, controversial, and pressing issue. States have chosen to answer this question in a multitude of ways. States frequently impose restrictions on the activities of sex offenders who are no longer in custody or under any form of supervised release, and some states have recently passed statutes that ban certain classes of sex offenders from using social media websites and Internet utilities. These statutes are meant to serve the purpose of protecting children from exploitation by sexual predators. Protecting children is an extremely important goal that both federal and state governments should seek to achieve. Unfortunately, child sexual abuse has been a very serious problem in this country for a long time, and it has been a problem that reaches people across socioeconomic status and ethnic group boundaries. Child sexual abuse has received frequent media
Modeling the Spatial Patterns of Intra-Day Crime Trends

Several prior studies have found that despite theoretical expectations otherwise, facilities (such as on-premise alcohol outlets) have consistent effects on crime regardless of time of the day (Bernasco et al., 2017; Haberman & Ratcliffe, 2015). We explain these results by failure to account for the regular background wave of crime, which results from ubiquitous patterns of human routine activities. Using eight years of data on assaults and robberies in Seattle (WA), we demonstrate the regularity of the within-day crime wave for all areas of the city. Then using models to predict when a crime will most likely occur, we demonstrate how schools and on-premise alcohol outlets cause bumps in the background wave at particular times of the day, such as when school dismisses. But those bumps dissipate quite rapidly in space, and are relatively small compared to the amplitude of the regular background wave of crime. Although facilities have theoretical times in which they should have a greater influence on crime patterns, they are situated within a community of other human activity uses, making it difficult to uniquely identify their effects separately from other aspects of the built environment.
Popular culture’s enduring influence on childhood: Fairy tale collaboration in the young adult series The Lunar Chronicles:

Fairy tales have a long history of providing educational morals for young women, particularly children. The lessons from older fairy tales have long influenced the metanarratives regarding how wome...
PHOTORESIST CONTACT PATTERNING OF QUANTUM DOT FILMS

Scalable and cost-effective protocols to pattern and integrate colloidal quantum dots (QDs) with high resolution have been challenging to establish. While their solubility can facilitate certain processes such as spin-casting into thin films, it also makes them incompatible with many conventional patterning techniques including photolithography that require solution processing. In this work, we present "photoresist (PR) contact patterning", a dry means to pattern QD films over large areas with high resolution while maintaining desired properties. Here, a PR layer on an elastomer substrate is patterned by conventional photolithography and used as a dry contact stamp to selectively peel off QDs in the contact regions, leaving behind a QD film with the negative of the PR pattern. Once patterned, QD films are readily transferred and integrated on foreign substrates by subsequent transfer printing processes. Patterned PR layers can also be transferred from elastomer substrates onto QD films and used as masking layers for subsequent deposition and patterning of additional materials, e. g., patterned metal electrodes or charge transport layers for QD-based devices. The study of the interfacial mechanics and energy of materials associated with PR contact patterning reveals why a lithographically patterned PR is superior for high-resolution QD film patterning. Applicability of PR contact patterning is demonstrated through the fabrication of red, green, and blue (RGB) QD light-emitting diode pixels. PR contact patterning presented in this work not only allows dry patterning of QD films but also enables high-resolution integration of functional multistack structures for future QD-based electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Shaming school children: A violation of fundamental rights?:

Children in schools are often shamed, at times intentionally, sometimes inadvertently. The question we pose is whether this practice violates their fundamental human rights, in particular that of f...
One-Way Ramp to a Two-Way Highway: Integrated Magnetic-Free Nonreciprocal Antenna Interfaces for Full-Duplex Wireless

Since the invention of the radio, transmission and reception have been separated to protect the receiver (Rx) from being jammed by self-interference (SI), i.e., the interference that comes from the colocated radio transmitter (Tx). This separation is called duplexing. Today's wireless systems still rely on duplexing to avoid SI-many short-range or local area radios, such as Bluetooth and WiFi transceivers, transmit and receive in nonoverlapping time slots, called time-division duplexing (TDD), while other modern wireless systems, such as the majority of today's cellular systems, use frequencydivision duplexing (FDD) to separate the transmission and reception in the frequency domain. Both TDD and FDD are half duplex, where the separation of the transmitted and received signals of a single user in either frequency or time causes
Microgametophytic selection for identifying maize with resistance to Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxin

Aflatoxin B1, produced by Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fries and A. parasiticus Speare on maize (Zea mays L.), is a potent carcinogen that is linked to liver cancer in animals and humans. Normally, g...
NET v1.0: A framework to simulate permanent damage in elastomers under quasi-static deformations

Abstract An analytical software for network evolution theory (NET) to describe the macroscopic behavior of filled rubber-like materials at different loading directions is presented. The software is based on a modular platform that is particularly designed to capture Mullins effect, permanent set, and deformation-induced anisotropy. Other inelastic features of elastomers can be modeled and added to the framework. Only the basic framework is covered in the NET v1.0, which is based on the decomposition of the network to two parallel networks of pure rubber (CC) and a polymer-filler (PP). NET v1.0 is developed in Maple © , has 7 material parameters that should be obtained by fitting, and 21 state variables that will be set internally. Experimental data can automatically be imported into NET from an Excel spreadsheet or direct output of a testing machine. To fit the experimental data, the model will be fitted to one full cycle by using the general Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. The code helps users to fit and optimize the response of an elastomeric component in conceptual and preliminary design before deciding on implementing in the large-scale FE analysis.
Patterns of seizure prophylaxis after oncologic neurosurgery.

Evidence supporting routine postoperative antiepileptic drug (AED) prophylaxis following oncologic neurosurgery is limited, and actual practice patterns are largely unknown beyond survey data. To describe patterns and predictors of postoperative AED prophylaxis following intracranial tumor surgery. The MarketScan Database was used to analyze pharmacy claims data and clinical characteristics in a national sample over a 5-year period. Among 5895 patients in the cohort, levetiracetam was the most widely used AED for prophylaxis (78.5%) followed by phenytoin (20.5%). Prophylaxis was common but highly variable for patients who underwent open resection of supratentorial intraparenchymal tumors (62.5%, reference) or meningiomas (61.9%). In multivariate analysis, biopsies were less likely to receive prophylaxis (44.8%, OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.33–0.67), and there was near consensus against prophylaxis for infratentorial (9.7%, OR 0.07, CI 0.05–0.09) and transsphenoidal procedures (0.4%, OR 0.003, CI 0.001–0.010). Primary malignancies (52.1%, reference) and secondary metastases (42.2%) were more likely to receive prophylaxis than benign tumors (23.0%, OR 0.63, CI 0.48–0.83), as were patients discharged with home services and patients in the Northeast. There was a large spike in duration of AED use at approximately 30 days. Use of seizure prophylaxis following intracranial biopsies and supratentorial resections is highly variable, consistent with a lack of guidelines or consensus. Current practice patterns do not support a clear standard of care and may be driven in part by geographic variation, availability of post-discharge services, and electronic prescribing defaults rather than evidence. Given uncertainty regarding effectiveness, indications, and appropriate duration of AED prophylaxis, well-powered trials are needed.
Progress in drug treatment for children with bronchial asthma

Pharmacotherapy is the main part of management of bronchial asthma in children.However, due to the heterogeneity of bronchial asthma, some patients are poorly controlled despite regular medication.Thus new drug and technologies need to be explored.With deep understanding of the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, a lot of new drugs were available to asthmatic patients, especially the targeted drugs dominated by monoclonal antibodies, which have become the hot spot of bronchial asthma treatment. Key words: Children; Bronchial asthma; Drug
Poincaré square series of small weight

We extend the author’s earlier computation and give coefficient formulas for the (quasimodular) Poincare square series of weight 3 / 2 and weight 2 for the dual Weil representation for an even lattice. These formulas can be used to compute Borcherds products for orthogonal groups of type O(2, 1) and O(2, 2).
Postpartum Marijuana Use, Perceptions of Safety, and Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration: An Analysis of PRAMS Data From Seven States, 2017.

BackgroundLittle is known about breastfeeding initiation and duration in the context of postpartum marijuana use and safety beliefs.Research Aims(1) To describe characteristics of women who used ma...
Prevalence of Oral, Pharyngeal and Respiratory Infection in Mycoplasma bovis Experimentally Infected Neonatal Calves

Mycoplasma bovis is an important etiologic agent of neonatal calf disease such as pneumonia, arthritis, otitis media, and conjunctivitis. Oral colonization of calves with M. bovis may be an important risk factor in the development of these disease conditions. Many pharmaceuticals used to treat calfhood infectious disease are often ineffective against M. bovis, due to the unique physiologic characteristics of the pathogen. Establishing effective animal model systems to study the pathophysiology and treatment of mycoplasmosis is important. The objective of this study was to establish oral, pharyngeal, and respiratory system colonization of M. bovis in milk-fed calves using a virulent, outbreak, wild type strain in experimentally infected neonatal bull calves. We hypothesized pathogenic wild type strains of M. bovis would be more effective in establishing respiratory colonization than previous ATCC strains tested in our model system.
Pulmonary Pressure: Beginner

Echocardiography can be utilized to assess pulmonary pressures. Pulmonary pressures are an important part of the hemodynamic assessment and carry significant prognostic and therapeutic implications. The benefits of using echocardiography for assessing pulmonary pressures include the noninvasive nature of the assessment with no known risks, the ability to perform the study at bedside and repeat as needed, and the availability of complementary information (e.g., right ventricular size and function) that can help understand that pathologic process and its impact on the heart. It is essential to understand which pulmonary pressure (e.g., systolic, diastolic, or mean) is measured by each technique in order to have a comprehensive assessment, as well as compare data across various techniques. The most commonly used measurement to assess pulmonary pressure is the interrogation of tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity. This allows for calculation of the pulmonary artery systolic pressure, which provides a good estimate for the presence and severity of pulmonary hypertension.
CollabAlly: Accessible Collaboration Awareness in Document Editing

Collaborative document editing tools are widely used in both professional and academic workplaces. While these tools provide some accessibility features, it is still challenging for blind users to gain collaboration awareness that sighted people can easily obtain using visual cues (e.g., who edited or commented where and what in the document). To address this gap, we present CollabAlly, a browser extension that makes extractable collaborative and contextual information in document editing accessible for blind users. With CollabAlly, blind users can easily access collaborators’ information, track real-time or asynchronous content and comment changes, and navigate through these elements. In order to convey this complex information through audio, CollabAlly uses voice fonts and spatial audio to enhance users’ collaboration awareness in shared documents. Through a series of pilot studies with a coauthor who is blind, CollabAlly’s design was refined to include more information and to be more compatible with existing screen readers.
PROLAPSED BILATERAL URETEROCELES LEADING TO INTERMITTENT OUTFLOW OBSTRUCTION

A ureterocele refers to a cystic dilatation of the distal ureter. It may be unilateral or bilateral and may be associated with a duplex system in some cases. We present an unusual case where a young patient was found to have large bilateral ureteroceles which prolapsed into the urethra, causing intermittent incontinence and obstruction. We discuss the case and review the literature concerning this rare anomaly.
To Elicit Or To Tell: Does It Matter?

While high interactivity has been one of the main characteristics of one-on-one human tutoring, a great deal of controversy surrounds the issue of whether interactivity is indeed the key feature of tutorial dialogue that impacts students' learning results. There are two commonly held hypotheses regarding the issue: a widely-believed monotonic interactivity hypothesis and a better supported interaction plateau hypothesis. The former hypothesis predicts increasing in interactivity causes an increase in learning while the latter states that increasing interactivity yields increasing learning until it hits a plateau, and further increases in interactivity do not cause noticeably increase in learning. In this study, we proposed the tactical interaction hypothesis which predicts beyond a certain level of interactivity, further increases in interactivity do not cause increase in learning unless they are guided by effective tutorial tactics. Overall our results support this hypothesis. However, finding effective tactics is not easy. This paper sheds some light on how to apply Reinforcement Learning to derive effective tutorial tactics.
A Conceptual Framework for Management of Carbon Sequestration Data and Models

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of data management options and recommendations for different forms of carbon sequestration, based on results of previous major data system efforts. Data management systems are essential for preserving the primary information from carbon sequestration observations, experiments, and management activities, and making them available for others to build upon. This chapter outlines a conceptual framework for carbon sequestration data management, a first step in capturing the information that can lead to archives organized in a way that is useful for synthesis and integration activities. This framework will also inform carbon resource managers about sequestration processes and efficacy from local to global scales.
A functional fatiguing protocol and deceleration time of the shoulder from an internal rotation perturbation.

Context: Muscular fatigue impedes sensorimotor function and may increase the risk of shoulder injury during activity. The effects of fatigue on the sensorimotor system of the shoulder have been studied with various results. Deceleration times have been used to study neuromuscular control of the shoulder; however, no studies involving the effects of fatigue on deceleration times have been reported. Objective: To compare shoulder deceleration times after a shoulder internal rotation perturbation before and after a repetitive throwing exercise protocol. Design: A 2 × 2 repeated-measures design. Setting: Exercise and sport injury laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty healthy, recreationally active men (age = 24.76 ± 4.03 years, height = 178.41 ± 8.36 cm, mass = 80.16 ± 15.20 kg) volunteered to participate in the study. To ensure familiarity with the overhead motion, all subjects chosen had previously participated in an overhead throwing sport. Intervention(s): The independent variables were time (preintervention and postintervention) and session (experimental and control). The intervention consisted of continuous overhead throwing. The subjects were considered fatigued when a 10% decrease in velocity was noted on 3 consecutive pitches. Main Outcome Measure(s): Time necessary to decelerate from an internal rotation perturbation. Results: Deceleration time was significantly increased by the fatiguing intervention ( P = .001). Conclusions: The decreased ability to decelerate may be an adaptive response by the subjects to dissipate a lower percentage of force per second.
Corruption: Spurring China to Engage in International Law

This article introduces China’s participation in international anti-corruption efforts by focusing on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). It argues that, in light of the congruence of UNCAC’s aims with the Chinese government’s domestic concerns, UNCAC presents an advantageous two-way street. Going one direction, China is poised to serve an active, constructive role in the Convention’s future. In the opposite direction, China’s engagement in UNCAC is stimulating domestic legal initiatives that have the potential to benefit its citizens.
Evidence that Solar X-Ray Emission is of Purely Thermal Origin (Also Observation of Far UV Flash During 28 August 1966 Proton Flare)

X-ray emission from the sun, as thus far observed, is fully interpretable as thermal plasma emission from sets of hot plasmas at different temperatures. Solar minimum conditions are characterized by the presence of only a few plage regions, which dominate X-ray emission below 20 A. Activity events under these conditions can cause a large increase in flux below 20 A in coincidence with a decrease in emission between 44 and 60 A, as the silicon and magnesium ions that dominate 44–60 A emission move to higher stages of ionization. Under flare conditions temperatures rise to the 10–30 million degree regime, with the higher temperature portions of the plasma dominating the shorter wavelength portions of the spectrum. Thus, flare temperatures calculated from the ratio of Sxv and Sxvi lines are slightly higher than values calculated from the Si xiii and Si xiv lines, and no major discrepancy exists between these temperatures and temperatures calculated from X-ray continuum emission in the 4–6 A part of the spectrum. The emission from most flares in the 1–6 A region is from plasmas that are too cool to contain observable numbers of one-electron iron and calcium ions. The short bursts of very high energy X-rays accompanying strong explosive type flares also show a multithermal spectral character. None of the hard (> 20keV) X-ray spectra show evidence of monoenergetic electron swarms.
Fine-needle aspiration diagnosis of high grade adenoid cystic carcinoma metastatic to the pancreas

Pancreatic tumors are mostly primary tumors, with only rare metastatic tumors described in the literature. Here we report an unusual case of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis of high grade adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid gland metastatic to the pancreas. The aspirate smears were moderately cellular and revealed numerous basaloid neoplastic cells. The cytomorphologic differential diagnosis included primary pancreatic tumor with small cell morphology as well as metastatic tumors. By immunocytochemistry, the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratins (AE1/AE3, CAM5.2, and CK7), and CD117 (C-KIT), and negative for CD45, WT1, synaptophysin, chromogranin, CD56, TTF-1, and CK20. The cytomorphologic features and immunoprofile in our case were consistent with high-grade carcinoma metastases from patient's known salivary gland primary. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first reported encounter of FNA diagnosis of pancreatic metastasis with small cell morphology from a salivary gland neoplasm as primary site.
Neutral genetic variation among wild North American populations of the weedy plant Arabidopsis thaliana is not geographically structured

We investigated neutral genetic variation within and among 53 wild-collected populations of the weedy annual plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, in North America, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A. thaliana is thought to have been introduced to North America from Eurasia by humans; such an introduction might be expected to leave a clear geographical signal in the genetic data. To detect such patterns, we sampled populations at several hierarchical geographical levels. We collected individuals from populations in two areas of the Southeast and one in the Midwest, as well as individuals from populations in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast. To estimate within-population variation, we sampled eight individuals from each of six populations in the Southeast and Midwest. Among all 95 individuals analysed, we detected 131 polymorphic AFLP fragments. We found no evidence for continental or regional diversification. Individuals sampled from Midwestern and Southeastern populations intermingled in a neighbour-joining tree, and Mantel tests conducted within the Midwestern and Southeastern regions as well as the full data set failed to detect any significant relationship between geographical and genetic distance. These results mirror those found for most global surveys of neutral genetic variability in A. thaliana. Surprisingly, we detected substantial amounts of neutral genetic variability within populations. The levels of genetic variation within populations, coupled with the nongeographical nature of divergence among populations, are consistent with contemporary gene flow and point to a complex and dynamic population history of A. thaliana in North America.
The prediction of maximal oxygen uptake before and after physical training in children.

Maximal oxygen consumption (V O2 max) expressed in ml/kg/min and predicted V O2 max were determined before and after 8 weeks of training in 24 boys 10-12 years. Training involved 13 of them while 11 were controls. Predicted V O2 max was based on submaximal cycling heart rate according to the Astrand-Rhyming procedure. Pre-training, V O2 max was underpredicted by 12 per cent. This resulted mainly from an apparently low cycling efficiency in these subjects compared to that implicit in the prediction equation. Although adjustments in the prediction equation could equalize the means for V O2 max and predicted V O2 max, the rather low correlation (r = .55) between these measures precluded the accurate prediction of individual scores. V O2 max remained unchanged with training while submaximal heart rate during bicycle and treadmill exercise showed a significant decrease, resulting in predicted increases in V O2 max in children. Since V O2 max was actually unchanged, the prediction falsely indicated an improvement. Furthermore, despite a significantly lower heart rate in the trained group, there was no difference in predicted V O2 max between the groups post-training. These findings indicate that if V O2 max is the parameter of interest, it would seem to be more satisfactory to measure it directly until more reliable methods of prediction are developed.
Asymptotic conditional test procedures for relative difference under inverse sampling

Abstract For measuring the excess harmful effect of a risk factor, Sheps (New England J. Med. 259 (1958) 1210–1214; Biometrics 15 (1959) 87–97) suggests use of the relative difference (RD), defined as the ratio between the difference in morbidity (or mortality) rates in the exposed and the unexposed and the underlying proportion of the people who would not have the disease otherwise in the unexposed. Recently, Lui (Biometrical J. 39 (1997) 215–225) derives estimation and exact test procedures for the RD under a stratified negative binomial sampling. However, when the number of index subjects or the number of strata is large, calculation involved in application of the exact test and the exact interval estimation for the RD can be quite tedious and difficult. This paper provides an alternative by developing the asymptotic procedures in closed form for testing if the underlying relative difference equals any given specified value in a series of independent 2×2 tables and the corresponding asymptotic procedure for interval estimation. To evaluate the finite-sample performance of these asymptotic test procedures, this paper applies Monte Carlo simulation. This paper shows that these asymptotic procedures can be useful even when the number of index subjects per comparison group per stratum is not large.
Christian materialism in a scientific age

Many Christians who argue against Christian materialism direct their arguments against what I call ‘Type-I materialism’, the thesis that I cannot exist without my organic body. I distinguish Type-I materialism from Type-II materialism, which entails only that I cannot exist without some body that supports certain mental functions. I set out a version of Type-II materialism, and argue for its superiority to Type-I materialism in an age of science. Moreover, I show that Type-II materialism can accommodate Christian doctrines like the Resurrection of the Body, the Incarnation, and the “intermediate state” (if there is one).
Detection of dynamic spatiotemporal response to periodic chemical stimulation in a Xenopus embryonic tissue.

Embryonic development is guided by a complex and integrated set of stimuli that results in collective system-wide organization that is both time and space regulated. These regulatory interactions result in the emergence of highly functional units, which are correlated to frequency-modulated stimulation profiles. We have determined the dynamic response of vertebrate embryonic tissues to highly controlled, time-varying localized chemical stimulation using a microfluidic system with feedback control. Our approach has enabled localized spatiotemporal manipulation of the steroid hormone dexamethasone (DEX) in Animal Cap (AC) tissues isolated from gastrulating Xenopus embryos. Using this approach we investigated cell-scale responses to precisely controlled stimulation by tracking the redistribution of a GFP-tagged DEX-reporter constructed from the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR). We exposed defined regions of a single AC explant to different stimulation conditions—continuous stimulation, periodic stimulation, and no stimulation. We observed collective behavior of the GR transport into the nucleus was first-order. Furthermore, the dynamic response was well-modeled by a first-order differential equation with a single time derivative. The model predicted that responses to periodic stimulations closely matched the results of the frequency-based experiments. We find that stimulation with localized bursts versus continuous stimulation can result in highly distinct responses. This finding is critical as controlled space and time exposure to growth factors is a hallmark of complex processes in embryonic development. These complex responses to cellular signaling and transport machinery were similar to emergent behaviors in other complex systems, suggesting that even within a complex embryonic tissue, the overall system can converge toward a predictive first-order response.
Are preferential flow paths perpetuated by microbial activity in the soil matrix? A review

Recently, the interactions between soil structure and microbes have been associated with water transport, retention and preferential or column flow development. Of particular significance is the potential impact of microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on soil porosity (i.e., hydraulic conductivity reduction or bioclogging) and of exudates from biota, including bacteria, fungi, roots and earthworms on the degree of soil water repellency. These structural and surface property changes create points of wetting instability, which under certain infiltrating conditions can often result in the formation of persistent preferential flow paths. Moreover, distinct differences in physical and chemical properties between regions of water flow (preferential flow paths) and no-flow (soil matrix) provide a unique set of environmental living conditions for adaptable microorganisms to exist. In this review, special consideration is given to: (1) the functional significance of microbial activity in the host porous medium in terms of feedback mechanisms instigated by irregular water availability and (2) the related physical and chemical conditions that force the organization and formation of unique microbial habitats in unsaturated soils that prompt and potentially perpetuate the formation of preferential flow paths in the vadose zone.
Varicella-zoster vaccine virus: evolution in action.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella or chickenpox, and the virus persists for the lifetime of the individual. VZV may subsequently reactivate to cause zoster or shingles. The live Oka varicella vaccine licensed in 1995 has a number of properties that are unique among human vaccines. First, it is the only licensed vaccine that establishes a latent infection. Second, the varicella vaccine is the only vaccine that is licensed for prevention of human herpesvirus infections. Third, a high-potency formulation of the Oka VZV vaccine licensed in 2006 to reduce the incidence of shingles is the first vaccine that enhances preexisting natural immunity and reduces reactivation of an established virus infection. Thus, the live Oka vaccine virus serves as a paradigm for development of other human herpesvirus vaccines and therapeutic vaccines to reduce disease associated with established infections. For all of these reasons, it is critical to understand how the VZV vaccine functions in humans and to assess its safety. The article by Quinlivan et al. (1) in this issue of PNAS is an important advance in describing the biology of the vaccine virus in the human host.
An interaction of three resonant modes in a nonlinear lattice

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Hamiltonian H = J1 + 2J2 + 3J3 + αJ1(2J2)12 cos(2φ1 − φ2) + 2β(J1J2J312 cos(φ1 + φ2 − φ3, where the Jk's are canonically conjugate to the φk's (k = 1, 2, 3). In the case β = 0 or α = 0 the corresponding Hamilton equations are integrable. A computer study of the full Hamiltonian was made by Ford and Lunsford (Phys. Rev. A. 1 (1970), 59–70). The present paper obtains analytical results that are confronted with the computer study. The results are obtained by expanding the Hamiltonian into a power series about a certain equilibrium point and constructing the corresponding Gustavson normal form up to 4th-order terms. The Gustavson normal form appears as a member of the enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra SO(2, 1). It is shown that the normal form can be used to explain certain features of Figures 5–9 of the above-mentioned computer study. Moreover the Komogloroff-Arnold-Moser theory is invoked to prove that the quasiperiodic solutions of the β = 0 case can be analytically continued to nonzero but sufficiently small βα.
Personality assessment: Does the medium matter? No☆

Abstract The equivalence of an Internet administration of personality tests with two other administration formats was assessed using Item Response Theory (IRT) and various other statistical methods. The analyses were conducted on measures of Neuroticism, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. A total of 728 participants took part in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three administrative conditions: paper-and-pencil, proctored computer lab, and unproctored Internet. Analyses with IRT, factor analysis, criterion-related validity, and mean differences supported the equivalence of Internet and traditional paper-and-pencil administrations of personality tests.
HAZOP Analysis of Product Requirements for Early Failure Mode Identification

Safety risk assessment begins with hazard identification, followed by elicitation of causes that could result in those hazards. Cause identification early in the design phase is function-based by necessity, since components and sub-systems are not fully defined. These system functions are defined by the product requirements. Applying HAZOP guideword analysis to product requirements can provide a list of initial hazard causes and functional failure modes of the system. This method provides early insight into safety risk controls that should be planned for and implemented early in the product design, when cost and schedule impacts are lowest.
Cross-Regulation of C/EBPα and PPARγ Controls the Transcriptional Pathway of Adipogenesis and Insulin Sensitivity

Abstract Mice deficient in C/EBPα have defective development of adipose tissue, but the precise role of C/EBPα has not been defined. Fibroblasts from C/EBPα(−/−) mice undergo adipose differentiation through expression and activation of PPARγ, though several clear defects are apparent. C/EBPα-deficient adipocytes accumulate less lipid, and they do not induce endogenous PPARγ, indicating that cross-regulation between C/EBPα and PPARγ is important in maintaining the differentiated state. The cells also show a complete absence of insulin-stimulated glucose transport, secondary to reduced gene expression and tyrosine phosphorylation for the insulin receptor and IRS-1. These results define multiple roles for C/EBPα in adipogenesis and show that cross-regulation between PPARγ and C/EBPα is a key component of the transcriptional control of this cell lineage.
Induced malignancy in cells from rat myocardium subjected to intermittent anaerobiosis during long propagation in vitro.

In two strains of fibroblasts originating from fragments of myocardium from a 5 day old rat of the Slonaker-Addis strain, a strain known to develop tumors but rarely, abnormal morphologic alterations took place which eventuated in neoplastic changes. This happened only after repeated exposure of the cultures to an atmosphere of nitrogen (anaerobiosis) and did not occur in the control cultures of fibroblasts originating from the same rat heart, and grown continuously throughout the same period (2 ½ years) without exposure to nitrogen.
Racial differences in renal kallikrein excretion: Effect of the ovulatory cycle

Racial differences in renal kallikrein excretion: Effect of the ovulatory cycle. Background Renal kallikrein excretion is diminished in essential hypertension, especially in African-Americans, and evidence exists for a major gene effect on the kallikrein phenotype. In addition, urinary kallikrein excretion differs by gender, with ovulating females having greater kallikrein excretion than males or postmenopausal females. Recent studies have shown that renal kallikrein excretion varies in females during the ovulatory cycle, with levels rising during the luteal phase and returning during the follicular phase to levels that are similar to those of males. In family studies, gender differences in urinary kallikrein excretion were present in white subjects, but not black subjects. We therefore hypothesized dysregulation of kallikrein biosynthetic responses in African-Americans. Methods We determined urinary kallikrein activity [chromogenic substrate S2266 (D-val-leu-arg-paranitroanilide) assay; in μU/mg creatinine] in white ( N = 15) and black ( N = 11) ovulating females during the ovulatory cycle. Serum progesterone, estrogen, plasma renin activity as well as urinary aldosterone, and urinary electrolytes were determined to investigate changes between mid-follicular and mid-luteal phases in the two groups. Results White and black groups were matched for age, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate and renal function. Ovulatory cycle phases were confirmed by serum progesterone determinations, which increased significantly in whites and blacks to a comparable degree [0.84 ± 0.14nmol/liter (mid-follicular) to 29.77 ± 4.70nmol/liter (mid-luteal) in whites, 0.67 ± 0.08nmol/liter (mid-follicular) to 28.62 ± 5.83nmol/liter (mid-luteal) in blacks; P P = NS for race effect and race X cycle interaction]. Urinary kallikrein activity increased from 623 ± 86 μU/mg creatinine (mid-follicular) to 948 ± 142 μU/mg creatinine (mid-luteal) in whites, but did not change in blacks during the ovulatory cycle [239 ± 73 μU/mg creatinine (mid-follicular] to 244 ± 41 μU/mg creatinine (mid-luteal)]. Two-way ANOVA revealed significant effects on urinary kallikrein for race ( P P P Conclusions These results suggest pronounced blunting of menstrual cycle changes in urinary kallikrein excretion in black females. Blunted urinary kallikrein responses during the ovulatory cycle are consistent with dysregulation of renal kallikrein biosynthetic responses in African-Americans, a group at increased risk for hypertension.
Identification and mapping of a chromosomal gene cluster of Borrelia burgdorferi containing genes expressed in vivo.

A clone containing a 6.4 kb Borrelia burgdorferi chromosomal DNA insert reacted only with sera from patients with Lyme disease and not with any normal human or rabbit sera. Restriction enzyme analysis indicated that this DNA fragment was located on the B. burgdorferi chromosomal map between rpoB and p22A; its direction of transcription was towards p22A. Sequence analysis suggests that LA006 encodes six proteins : three previously described immunodominant lipoproteins of the 39 kDa Bmp protein family, BmpA, BmpB and BmpC; a 51 kDa MgtE magnesium transporter protein; a 16 kDa protein kinase C inhibitor; and a 56 kDa protein with similarity to an uncharacterized Escherichia coli chromosomal open reading frame.
The crystal and molecular structure of a pentakis (alkyl phosphite) nickel(II) perchlorate, Ni(P(OC2H3)3)5(ClO4)2

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of pentakis-2,8,9-trioxa-1-phosphaadamantane-nickel(II) perchlorate, Ni(P(OC 2 H 3 ) 3 ) 5 (ClO 4 ) 2 , has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray data collected by counter techniques. Due to disorder in one of the perchlorate groups and the large number of parameters involved, only isotropic refinement was carried out, to a final R factor of 0.15. The material crystallized in space group P 1 with lattice parameters a = 11.53(5), b = 18.92(7), c = 12.61(5) A, α =96.4(5), β = 103.4(6) and γ = 96.9(5)°. There are two molecules per unit cell and the calculated density is 1.67 g/cc. The inner coordiantion about the nickel atom is approximately trigonal bipyramidal. The average axial bond distance is somewhat shorter than the equitorial distance 2.14(1) vs. 2.19(1) A.
Trace elements in continental-margin magmatism: Part I. Trace elements in the Clarno Formation of central Oregon and the nature of the continental margin on which eruption occurred: Summary

The Clarno Formation is an Eocene to lower Oligocene volcanic and volcaniclastic formation in central Oregon. It was apparently formed in response to subduction of Pacific Ocean crust under the western margin of North America. Clarno flow rocks, which constitute at least 50% of the formation, are compositionally intermediate between flow rocks typical of continental margins and those typical of island arcs. The dominant rock type is andesite, in a range from rhyolite to basalt, and the SiO 2 frequently distribution is unimodal about a mean of 60%. The principal phenocryst in the basalts and andesites is clinopyroxene. Abundances of lithophile elements (K, Rb, and Ba) in the basalts are very similar to average abundances in calc-alkalic basalts of island arcs. Lithophile abundances in Clarno andesites, however, are generally greater than those of island-arc andesites and less than those of andesites from continental margins. The Clarno Formation may be inferred to have formed on a crust intermediate between oceanic and continental; a thickness of 20 to 30 km can be estimated from K 2 O contents and also from Rb-Sr relationships.
Ordinal Measures of Association and Forms of Hypotheses

This paper suggests a new way of applying “Proportional-Reductions-in-Error” related measures (i.e., Gamma, dyx, dxy, and Kendall's Tau's) to link logical forms of hypotheses types of ordinal measures of association. First, the basic form of associations for ordinal data are examined. Second, the analytical properties of “P-R-E” related measures are investigated. Finally, it is proposed that “P-R-E” related measures be used in testing the logical form of the relationship between variables implied in a hypothesis.
Multiplicity reactivation and radiation survival of aggregated vaccinia virus. Calculation of plaque titer based on MR and particle aggregation seen in the electron microscope

Abstract The survival of plaque-forming units of vaccinia virus after ultraviolet irradiation is strongly dependent upon aggregation among the particles at the time of titration. Enhanced survival is shown to be closely correlated with the degree of aggregation observed in virus samples sedimented directly for observation in the electron microscope. This enhancement is attributed to multiplicity reactivation, MR. The data provide a means of testing the concept that there are a limited number n of critical points in the viral DNA that are subject to random photon damage. An expression has been derived for the plaque titer as a function of n, of the observed degree of particle aggregation, and the fraction of the particles that produced plaques before irradiation. Computer machine test of this function reveals that n = 5 for the virus gives an excellent fit with survival data from preparations differing widely in aggregation. All the virus particles appear to be functional in reactivating the damaged plaque-forming particles.
Challenges in Cardiac Risk Assessment in Bariatric Surgery Patients

Bariatric surgery has serious associated medical comorbidity and procedure-related risks and is thus considered an intermediate- to high-risk noncardiac surgery. Most patients referred for bariatric surgery have a low or very low functional capacity, making cardiac risk assessment imperative. Stress echocardiography has a high negative predictive value and can avoid some of the table weight and torso diameter problems associated with myocardial perfusion imaging. Echocardiograph contrast agents improve the ability to identify endocardial borders and assess ventricular wall motion and may be used with stress and nonstress imaging protocols. Single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) imaging with attenuation correction, combined supine and prone imaging, use of technetium isotope, and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging may all provide some advantage for myocardial perfusion imaging for the obese patient.
The effect of disability on personal quality of primary care received by older adults.

Purpose. To quantify the association between disability and patient-rated personal quality of primary care among older adults.Methods. Participants were community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 enrolled in traditional Medicare or a Medicare health maintenance organisations. Functional status was evaluated twice (1998 and 1999) using nine activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs. Respondents were classified as having no, persistent, incident or previous disability based on the combination of their functional statuses at the two measurements. Self-reported personal quality of primary care was assessed using the Primary Care Assessment Survey in five domains.Results. Compared to those with no disability, respondents with previous disability reported lower quality of care by 0.497 (p = 0.001) of a standard deviation, whereas persistent or incident disability was not associated with a difference in personal quality of care.Conclusions. Previous disability appears to have a negative eff...
Altered immune response to glycine-rich sequences of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Prior studies have shown that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased number of circulating Epstein-Barr virus-infected B lymphocytes and elevated titers of antibody to Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen4 (EBNA-I), the major nuclear antigen expressed in latently infected B cells. However, it is not known whether antibodies from RA patients recognize the same epitopes as antibodies from normal subjects. Most of the anti-EBNA-1 antibodies in normal subjects are directed at the glycine-alanine repeating region of the molecule. Antibodies specific for this region are also somewhat more prevalent in RA patients than in normal subjects. A panel of synthetic peptides derived from EBNA-1 was used to analyze the immune response to antigenic epitopes outside the glycine-alanine region, using the peptides as solid-phase antigen. Sera from RA patients and from systemic lupus erythematosus patients contained elevated levels of IgG antibodies to 2 nonglycine-alanine peptides and to 3 non-glycine-alanine peptides, respectively. Two of the 3 peptides are glycinerich, but antibodies that react with them are distinct from each other, as well as from those that react with Publication number 5474-BCR from the Research Institute
A Galerkin finite element method for an optimal shape design semiconductor problem

Abstract An optimal shape design problem which appears in semiconductor device physics is transformed into an equivalent variational inequality one. The approximation is made by finite element methods. Optimal control methods are used to show the existence of a solution for the variational problem and for the approximate problem. For solving the discretized problem, an algorithm using Newton's method for nonlinear algebraic systems is proposed. An example, together with experimental results, is presented.