cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A field test of density-dependent survival of simulated Gray Jay caches

L'effet de la densite des caches de nourriture sur la probabilite qu'elles se conservent assez longtemps pour etre retrouvees
Dead Celebrity (Deleb) Use in Marketing: An Initial Theoretical Exposition

The market for dead celebrities (Delebs) is large and growing. According to recent estimates, it is now worth $2.25 billion in annual licensing and royalty revenues (CBC, 2013; Kirsta, 2012). The practice is now so prevalent that Forbes began its annual ranking, in 2001, of the postmortem earnings of the “top-earning dead celebrities.” In this paper, the author examines this practice and does the following. First, key terms are defined. Next, some of the major similarities and differences between living and dead celebrities are looked at. Following this, six major streams of theory that might pertain to Delebs are examined. They are used to explain (a) why Delebs remain popular in the consumption culture (“Nostalgia” theory), (b) why Deleb possessions are often in demand (“Celebrity Contagion” theory), (c) why many people willingly accept the products of Deleb morphing and reanimation efforts, even though they know they are not real (the “Pleasure of Imagination”), (d), why Deleb morphing and reanimation efforts sometimes fail with some audiences (the “Savanna Principle”), (e) how Deleb reanimations are typically perceived by human audiences (the “Uncanny Valley”), and (f) how Delebs should be properly used by marketers (“Fit” theory). The author concludes with some key principles learned, in addition to looking at the limitations of this paper and future directions for Deleb research.
100-fold but not 50-fold dystrophin overexpression aggravates electrocardiographic defects in the mdx model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Dystrophin gene replacement holds the promise of treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Supraphysiological expression is a concern for all gene therapy studies. In the case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Chamberlain and colleagues found that 50-fold overexpression did not cause deleterious side effect in skeletal muscle. To determine whether excessive dystrophin expression in the heart is safe, we studied two lines of transgenic mdx mice that selectively expressed a therapeutic minidystrophin gene in the heart at 50-fold and 100-fold of the normal levels. In the line with 50-fold overexpression, minidystrophin showed sarcolemmal localization and electrocardiogram abnormalities were corrected. However, in the line with 100-fold overexpression, we not only detected sarcolemmal minidystrophin expression but also observed accumulation of minidystrophin vesicles in the sarcoplasm. Excessive minidystrophin expression did not correct tachycardia, a characteristic feature of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Importantly, several electrocardiogram parameters (QT interval, QRS duration and the cardiomyopathy index) became worse than that of mdx mice. Our data suggests that the mouse heart can tolerate 50-fold minidystrophin overexpression, but 100-fold overexpression leads to cardiac toxicity.
Kinetic Hysteresis in Enzyme and Fermentation Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter describes kinetic hysteresis as a useful tool in elucidating mechanisms in both enzyme and fermentation systems. In practice, hysteresis has been generalized to refer to deviations from not only an original or starting point but also from any point along a hysteresis trajectory. When the trajectory of ascent differs from the trajectory of descent of a process even though the starting and finishing point are the same, that phenomenon is referred to as hysteresis. Hysteresis may be particularly helpful in suggesting the presence of an enzyme not previously suspected in a fermentation system. As a tool for discrimination between models, hysteresis can be used to imply the presence of parallel pathways, of additional intermediate states, and of proteases countering the primary enzyme systems. Hysteresis may even be used to infer rates of enzyme induction, possibly suggesting constitutive and induced mechanisms. If used cautiously, in keeping with the limitations of the data, hysteresis curve analysis appears to aid in experimental design by reducing the number of experiments needed for the elucidation of fermentation mechanisms. As a gestalt, the entire kinetic hysteresis trajectory provides a graphical picture that apparently offers more than the sum of the ascending and descending branches.
Dynamic credit allocation in scientific literature

Collaboration among researchers is an essential component of the scientific process, playing a particularly important role in findings with significant impact. While extensive efforts have been devoted to quantifying and predicting scientific impact, the question of how credit is allocated to coauthors of publications with multiple authors within a complex evolving system remains a long-standing problem in scientometrics. In this paper, we propose a dynamic credit allocation algorithm that captures the coauthors' contribution to a publication as perceived by the scientific community, incorporating a reinforcement mechanism and a power-law temporal relaxation function. The citation data from American Physical Society are used to validate our method. We find that the proposed method can significantly outperform the state-of-the-art method in identifying the authors of Nobel-winning papers that are credited for the discovery, independent of their positions in the author list. Furthermore, the proposed methodology also allows us to determine the temporal evolution of credit between coauthors. Finally, the predictive power of our method can be further improved by incorporating the author list prior appropriately.
Standards-Based Data and Information Systems for Earth Observations – An Introduction

In the past several years, we have witnessed an explosive growth in the information technology, especially the Internet and Web. Web services have become the mainstream practices in Web applications. Web service interoperability and service chaining have become a reality, thanks to the interoperability standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS).
Interstitial Chemotherapy with Sustained-Release Polymer Systems for the Treatment of Malignant Gliomas

Malignant gliomas remain poorly responsive to conventional treatment consisting of surgical resection followed by external beam radiation therapy. Moreover, systemic chemotherapy has been generally disappointing in prolonging the survival of patients with malignant brain tumors, except for those with anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, where more encouraging results have recently been reported. The significant systemic toxicity associated with the large doses of chemotherapeutic agents required and the poor delivery of anticancer agents to areas of the brain “protected” by the blood-brain barrier are likely responsible for the limited effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Abstract 3875: SSX drives gain-of-function BAF complex chromatin affinity and genomic targeting in synovial sarcoma

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a soft-tissue malignancy driven by a recurrent chromosomal translocation (t(X;18)) that uniformly produces the SS18-SSX oncogenic fusion protein. SS18 is a core subunit of the mammalian SWI/SNF (BAF) complexes, which remodel nucleosomes in an ATP-dependent manner and antagonistically oppose gene-silencing activity of polycomb complexes to maintain transcriptional control throughout development and differentiation. We previously discovered that in SS, incorporation of the oncogenic SS18-SSX fusion into BAF complexes leads to eviction of the tumor-suppressor BAF47 (INI1/SMARCB1) subunit, and aberrant activation of polycomb target genes by displacement of H3K27me3-mediated repression. However, uncoupling the oncogenic consequences of two co-occurrent BAF complex perturbations, gain of 78- amino acids to SS18 and loss of BAF47 has remained a challenge for the field; understanding gain- versus loss-of-function properties of these molecular events is critical to the identification of effective targeted therapeutics for this patient population. Here we show that synovial sarcoma primary tumors and cell lines harbor a transcriptional signature markedly distinct from sarcomas such as malignant rhabdoid tumors, which are driven solely by biallelic loss of BAF47. Indeed, we show that SS18-SSX-containing BAF complexes exhibit distinct chromatin localization in that suppression of SS18-SSX results in a near complete genome-wide retargeting of BAF complexes. We find that SS18-SSX directs BAF complexes to polycomb-repressed sites to activate embryonic development and neuronal gene pathways hallmark to SS primary tumors. Strikingly, using biochemical affinity assays, we demonstrate that the SSX 78aa tail dramatically increases the affinity of BAF complexes for chromatin as well as their genomic footprint sizes upon ChIP-seq analyses. This is in stark contrast to the demonstrated decrease in chromatin affinity and genomic occupancy resulting from the loss of function of BAF47 in MRT. Moreover, using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated KO of BAF47 in SS cell lines, we show that the proliferative arrest of SS cell lines upon suppression of SS18-SSX is independent of the BAF47 reassembly into BAF complexes, thereby demonstrating a unique SSX-driven oncogenic mechanism distinct from BAF47 loss. Taken together, these studies uncover a novel functionality of the SSX tail that is required for SS oncogenesis, and inform the selection of appropriate targeted therapeutic agents for this gain-of-function BAF complex-driven cancer. Citation Format: Matthew J. McBride, John L. Pulice, Robert T. Nakayama, Nazar Mashtalir, Davis R. Ingram, Jack F. Shern, Javed Khan, Jason L. Hornick, Alexander J. Lazar, Cigall Kadoch. SSX drives gain-of-function BAF complex chromatin affinity and genomic targeting in synovial sarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3875. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3875
Thickness dependent response of domain wall motion in declamped {001} Pb(Zr0·3Ti0.7)O3 thin films

Abstract Scaling effects were investigated in tetragonal {001} textured Pb(Zr0·3Ti0.7)O3 thin films doped with 2 mol% Nb over a thickness range of 0.27 μm–1.11 μm. Scaling effects refer to the size-induced degradation of properties at length scales exceeding those associated with the ferroelectric stability limit. The irreversible Rayleigh coefficient was found to be thickness-dependent, indicating suppression of the extrinsic contributions to the relative permittivity for all clamped films. Both defects in the seed layer and substrate clamping contributed to the observed thickness dependence. The influence of the seed layer on dielectric properties was accounted for using a capacitor in series model. After the films were partially declamped from the substrate, the irreversible contributions increased up to 23% in Nb-doped films and became more frequency dependent (by up to 29%). The suppressed frequency dependence in the clamped films was attributed to the pinning of irreversible domain walls active at lower frequencies. Both the seed layer and substrate clamping contributed to the pinning of irreversible domain walls.
3.09 – HPHT Synthesis of Large, High-Quality, Single Crystal Diamonds

Large-sized high-quality type IIa diamond crystals (8-10 ct, 10-12 mm across) have been successfully synthesized by a temperature-gradient method under high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT). The important aspects in the synthesis of the high-quality diamond crystals are adequate selection and optimization of solvent metals and additives, and meticulous HPHT control over a prolonged time period. The resultant synthetic diamond crystals have very few impurities and high crystalline quality, namely, few crystal defects and little internal strain. These characteristics make synthetic type IIa diamond crystals useful for a wide range of industrial and scientific applications. Furthermore, the excellent crystalline perfection of these high-quality synthetic diamond crystals helps in the evaluation of some of the essential properties of diamond.
A Short History of Myocardial Revascularization

An epidemic prevalence of coronary heart disease in our society and a lack of any previously satisfactory method of treatment have brought about the unprecedented growth of coronary artery bypass surgery. The placement of bypass grafts around obstructive lesions in the coronary artery was not applied nationwide until 1968, when surgeons began to use both internal mammary-artery-to-coronary-artery grafts and saphenous vein aortocoronary bypass grafts. Today more than 150,000 Americans have undergone bypass surgery, and during 1975 alone, 54,000 people had the operation. Such a rapid and large-scale application of a new operation is without parallel in the history of surgery.
A Better Way to Make RNA for Physical Studies

Studies on the structure and function of RNA have often been hampered by the difficulty in obtaining material in sufficient amounts for many physical methods. In addition, the variety of RNA sequences easily available for study is somewhat limited. Ideally, one would like a simple method to rapidly obtain multimilligram amounts of any RNA sequence desired. Although methods for the chemical synthesis of RNA have progressed rapidly in the past several years (1), they remain technically quite complex and are generally limited to fragments of less than 20 nucleotides. The enzymatic methods used by this laboratory to synthesize RNA by joining shorter fragments with T4 RNA ligase have also succeeded in preparing fragments up to 20 nucleotides long, but yield only very small amounts of material (2).
Metrics for understanding large-scale controls of multivariate temperature and precipitation variability

Two or more spatio-temporally co-located meteorological/climatological extremes (co-occurring extremes) place far greater stress on human and ecological systems than any single extreme could. This was observed during the California drought of 2011–2015 where multiple years of negative precipitation anomalies occurred simultaneously with positive temperature anomalies resulting in California’s worst drought on observational record. The large-scale drivers which modulate the occurrence of extremes in two or more variables remains largely unexplored. Using California wintertime (November–April) temperature and precipitation as a case study, we apply a novel, nonparametric conditional probability distribution method that allows for evaluation of complex, multivariate, and nonlinear relationships that exist among temperature, precipitation, and various indicators of large-scale climate variability and change. We find that multivariate variability and statistics of temperature and precipitation exhibit strong spatial variation across scales that are often treated as being homogeneous. Further, we demonstrate that the multivariate statistics of temperature and precipitation are highly non-stationary and therefore require more robust and sophisticated statistical techniques for accurate characterization. Of all the indicators of the large-scale climate conditions we studied, the dipole index explains the greatest fraction of multivariate variability in the co-occurrence of California wintertime extremes in temperature and precipitation.
Transverse Magnetoresistivity of α and β Plutonium

Transverse magnetoresistivity measurements have been made on pure, polycrystalline $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ plutonium. The magnetoresistivity of both phases is negative at 5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and low applied fields, and becomes positive at fields greater than 2000 G. The negative effect decreases with increasing temperature and is not dependent on sample texture. The higher-field results follow the ${H}^{2}$ dependence found in "normal" metals. It is concluded that the negative effect is due to magnetic ordering, which results from $s\ensuremath{-}f$ exchange, and the N\'eel temperatures are near 20-30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K for both phases. The high-field data are consistent with earlier models in which the electrical conductivity is dominated by a small number of holes in the $7s$ band.
To accept or reject heterospecific mates: behavioural decisions underlying premating isolation.

Premating isolation in animals involves decision-making processes that affect whether individuals accept or reject heterospecific mates. An integrative understanding of the behavioural processes un...
Should California Include Motor Vehicle Fuel Emissions in a Greenhouse Gas Cap-and-Trade Program?

Abstract California should include vehicle fuels as part of a greenhouse gas reduction cap-and-trade program. Numerous political, administrative and economic reasons that suggest otherwise are considered. They include compliance and enforcement concerns, other regulatory programs for transportation, belief that gains from inclusion would be small, jurisdictional linkage issues, and both political skepticism and agency inexperience with market-based regulation. However, consideration of most of these strongly favors inclusion. Inclusion also creates an important competition between the electricity sector and other vehicle fuels to shrink emissions over time as they vie to see which can most successfully replace ordinary gasoline and diesel.
Promoting the health of refugee women: a scoping literature review incorporating the social ecological model

The health of refugee women after settlement in a new country, can be adversely or positively affected by individual, interpersonal, community, and organizational factors. While much of the previous literature highlights these factors individually, there is a lack of comprehensive synthesis regarding how the factors interact to influence the health of refugee women. We conducted a thematic analysis in our literature review to elucidate how providers can work with refugee women to prevent adverse health outcomes and intervene at multiple levels to improve their health outcomes after resettlement. We reviewed peer-reviewed literature from 2009 to 2019 from Google Scholar, JSTOR, Global Health, PubMed, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, and Social Service Abstracts, and also used citation chaining, to identify relevant information pertaining to refugee women’s health. The key terms used for our literature review were, health care, violence, social support, and mental health. In total, we included 52 articles, 3 books, and 8 other sources. We found that refugee women are vulnerable to violence during migration and typically have high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder. There were also concerns of secondary victimization by providers after resettlement. We also found that social support is an important factor for reducing isolation, and improving access to health care, as well as improving mental health outcomes. However, social support was often difficult to maintain, and was moderated by factors such as English language fluency. Health care was influenced by health literacy, cultural difference, communication concerns, and access issues. The findings suggest that at the individual and interpersonal levels there is a need to address language barriers, improve provider-patient communication, and provide appropriate medical and mental health screenings. At the organizational level, inter-organizational communication and awareness are vital. At the community level, providers can work with community leaders, to educate, create dialogue and collaboration, to help facilitate understanding and bolster community social support. Improved communication and knowledge about the unique needs and concerns of refugee women through an integrated, multi-system approach is necessary to improve their health outcomes.
Pharmacology of Vasopressin and the Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System

Pharmacological agents targeted toward renal pathophysiology have had a profound effect in medicine, serving to advance the understanding of both renal disease and normal physiology, and significantly improve disease outcomes in many circumstances. A review of the mechanisms of action of several of these agents will be reviewed here. In addition, new agents active in major hormonal pathways, including antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and the rennin–angiotensin system will be introduced. Keywords: antidiuretic hormone (ADH); rennin–angiotensin system; vasopressin; adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH); ACE inhibitor (ACEI)
Electron Microscopy of a Strain of Bordetella bronchiseptica

A strain of Bordetella bronchiseptica that had been isolated from a rat hepatoma cell culture was investigated by means of electron microscopy. Bacteria were examined after (i) negative staining with phosphotungstate or uranyl acetate, (ii) metal shadowing with platinum-palladium, and (iii) fixation with glutaraldehyde followed by embedding, sectioning, and staining. The multilayered bacterial cell walls appeared lobulated in negatively stained and in metal-shadowed specimens; the lobules were demarcated by grooves, 100 to 200 A in width, but without interruption of continuity in any layer of the cell wall. Cross sections of fixed material revealed wrinkled cell walls in many—but not all—preparations. Bacterial cell membranes and cytoplasm were similar to those of other gram-negative bacilli (e.g., Escherichia coli). Bacteria fixed in 1.5% glutaraldehyde contained intertwined or whorled fibrils, down to about 20 A in thickness. The flagella were peritrichous, measured about 200 A in width, and were composed of braided strands, about 20 A in width.
Genetic comparison of introduced and native populations of Miscanthus sinensis (Poaceae), a potential bioenergy crop

Miscanthus sinensis Anderss. is a perennial grass being considered for bioenergy production in the United States (USA) and elsewhere. Because M.Â sinensis is already naturalized in the USA, it is important to examine its potential to spread with further introduction. Introduced populations may harbor substantial genetic diversity or enable genetic admixture, which may enhance adaptation to novel environments. Here we compare genetic diversity in introduced US populations with native Japanese populations to understand the potential for invasiveness through genetic means in M.Â sinensis. Using 11 microsatellite markers, we determined genetic variation and structure in populations within and across the introduced and native ranges. We also correlated genetic diversity with population size in each range. Genetic diversity was substantial and similar in all populations, with only allelic richness (A, Ap) significantly lower in the USA than in Japan. Japanese populations were slightly more differentiated (I¸â=â0.098) than those in the USA (I¸â=â0.078) although both exhibited significant genetic admixture and were composed of a number of different genetic groups (Kâ=â3 or 7, depending on the STRUCTURE model). Genetic diversity (He) was positively correlated with population size, but only in the USA The lack of a genetic bottleneck and the consequent maintenance of genetic diversity and admixture in US populations suggest the potential for further spread of introduced populations, assuming such diversity is important for adaptation to novel environments. Potential invasiveness should be considered by breeders of new Miscanthus varieties for bioenergy and ornamental uses.
Meralgia Paresthetica and Femoral Acetabular Impingement: A Possible Association

Meralgia paresthetica consists of pain and dysesthesia in the anterolateral thigh. Etiology is divided into spontaneous and iatrogenic causes. To my knowledge this has never been attributed to femoral acetabular impingement. This case highlights the presence of lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy in the setting of femoral acetabular impingement syndrome thus raising the possibility of an association. Keywords Femoral acetabular impingement; Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve; Dysesthesia; Nerve conduction studies
Evaluation of higher order, mixed and Hermitean finite element procedures for dynamic analysis of saturated porous media using one‐dimensional models

Presentation des modeles aux elements finis d'ordre eleve base sur une formulation des deplacements, formulations mixtes representatives et sur une etude initiale d'une formulation hermitienne, pour la solution transitoire des problemes aux valeurs limites, dans laquelle les effets sont importants et le mouvement du fluide dans les pores significatif, dans un milieu poreux sature
Deoxycholate effects on plasma solute clearance by gut perfusion in dog

In vivo luminal perfusion of in situ intestinal segments isolated from continuity with the alimentary tract has been used to treat uremia. One prior study showed that 2 mM deoxycholate markedly increased clearances of inorganic phosphorus, urate, urea, and creatinine. The other investigation failed to confirm the increased inorganic phosphorus or urate clearance. Because of the clinical potential of the findings, we systematically examined the effects of perfusing deoxycholate (2, 7, 15, and 30 mM) on clearance of plasma solutes by a 90-cm jejunal Thiry-Vella loop in the conscious dog. During control perfusion, clearance of all solutes was in a steady state in the final five of seven successive 30-min samples. During deoxycholate perfusion, all solutes except inorganic phosphorus and urate also attained a steady state of clearance in these final five samples. Inorganic phosphorus and urate clearances were elevated several orders of magnitude above control, but only during the first two 30-min collection periods. This increase was deoxycholate concentration-dependent and progressively declined during the subsequent five 30-min collection periods (P < 0.0001). Steady-state clearances of sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and creatinine were increased (P < 0.05) by 2 mM deoxycholate. Clearance of urea was decreased by deoxycholate. In summary, (a) deoxycholate increased clearances of most solutes, but steady-state increases were modest; (b) clearances tended to increase further with increasing deoxycholate; (c) the markedly increased clearances in a prior study were probably non-steady state; (d) urea clearance was decreased by deoxycholate. We conclude that detergents such as deoxycholate cause only modest increases in steady-state gastrointestinal clearance of plasma solutes.
A Comprehensive Model for Cutting Dynamics

A three dimensional dynamic model describing turning operation involving whirling caused by mass imbalance is presented. Both the workpiece and tool deflections affected by nonlinear regenerative forces with instantaneous cutting speed and feed are included. The work piece is modeled as a system of three rotors; namely, unmachined, being machined and machined, connected by a flexible shaft. Special focus is given to the middle rotor where cutting forces act and the new surface is being generated. The nonlinear behavior of the system is studied using instantaneous frequency. The stable and unstable situations are illustrated in time domain as well as time-frequency domain. Models with and without whirling are considered and two sets of results are compared with the experimental results published in the literature.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
GaAs Travelling Wave Schottky Contact Coplanar Waveguide With Applications To Mimic

A unique "Travelling Wave" GaAs Schottky Contact Coplanar Waveguide device has been developed which has application to MIMICs. The device is useful as wide band voltage variable phase shifter, voltage variable attenuator and frequency multiplier and has the advantage of small size, low cost and simple structure. Additionally, it also has the unique feature of incorporating the complete circuit function into one elemental device.
Mobile phone-based video messages for diabetes self-care support.

Background:This study examined whether mobile phone-based, one-way video messages about diabetes self-care improve hemoglobin A1c (A1C) and self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG).Methods:This was a 1-year prospective randomized trial with two groups. The active intervention lasted 6 months. The study enrolled 65 people with A1C >8.0% who were established (>6 months) patients in the endocrinology clinics of the Walter Reed Health Care System. Participants were randomized to receive “usual care” or self-care video messages from their diabetes nurse practitioner. Video messages were sent daily to cell phones of study participants. Hemoglobin A1c and SMBG data were collected at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.Results:Participants who received the messages had a larger rate of decline in A1C than people who received usual care (0.2% difference over 12 months, adjusting for covariates; p = .002 and p = .004 for the interaction between time and group and for the quadratic effect of time by group, respectively). Hemog...
Development of surface area and pore structure for activation of anthracite coal

Abstract The use of anthracite coal as a feedstock for activated carbon is investigated. A rotating reactor was constructed to activate the coal in a carbon dioxide environment at three temperatures. The reaction was started and stopped by switching the gas atmosphere from carbon dioxide to nitrogen. The change in anthracite weight was followed over time, allowing a study of the overall kinetics of the reaction. Samples from the reactor were taken at specific time intervals and surface area was assessed. It was determined that BET and micropore surface areas were functions of conversion and activation temperature. Likewise, for each of the activation temperatures, good control of BET to micropore surface area ratios was demonstrated. Typical BET surface areas of nearly 1000 m2/g were obtained along with the ability to alter the micro- and meso-porous structure. Testing of these activated carbons for use in electric double layer capacitors displayed a capacitance of 140 F/g. These results are comparable to other research carbons for this application. Results on the activation of the two anthracite coal samples are reported along with details of the pore development and global kinetics of activation.
Environmental Inequality, Adverse Birth Outcomes, and Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution in Allegheny County, PA, USA

To evaluate how disparities in the distribution of environmental air pollution impact birth outcomes in Allegheny County, PA, we utilized the National Air Toxics Assessment modeled air pollution at the census tract level to evaluate pollution levels and census estimated median income for all census tracts throughout the county. The distribution of air pollution and its contribution to adverse birth outcomes were assessed with concentration curves and multivariable logistic regression models. We determined that benzene, diesel particulate matter, and trichloroethylene levels are significantly higher in census tracts with the lowest median income levels (p < 0.01). In addition, for every 1 μg/m3 increase in diesel particulate matter, the odds of a low birth weight outcome increase 14 % (p = 0.024) and the odds of a preterm birth increase 16 % (p = 0.004). There may be ongoing environmental justice issues wherein poor pregnancy outcomes among the less affluent and minority residents of Allegheny County, PA, may be partially attributed to higher pollution levels in those neighborhoods.
Cultivation techniques for animal coronaviruses: Emphasis on feline infectious peritonitis virus, canine coronavirus, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, and porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus.

Techniques are described for the growth and characterization of some mammalian coronaviruses. Because of the fastidious nature of their growth requirements, most will replicate only in cells derived from the natural host or a closely related species. Fetal cat cells are used to grow FIPV, and porcine cells are used to grow TGEV and HEV. However, CCV will replicate in both feline and canine cells. Although all four of these viruses prefer to replicate in a cell in the stationary phase of growth, FIPV is able to replicate in an actively growing cell. Each virus causes a cytopathic effect in monolayer cell cultures under agar or media 18 to 72 h postinfection. Primary isolation of each virus from field specimens is difficult, although most can usually be isolated after 1 to 3 blind passages in the cell culture.
Subgroups of free solvable groups

A consequence of Schreier's formula is that if G is a subgroup of the free group F of rank n 1) and that H is not cyclic. Thus Stallings' theorem [11] that a finitely generated torsionfree group with a free subgroup of finite index is itself free has an even stronger counterpart in the variety of groups solvable of length at most l (l > 1): a torsionfree group in that variety with a non-cyclic free subgroup of finite index coincides with this subgroup. The proof relies on the following theorem: If S is a free solvable group, J is the group of automorphisms of S which induce the identity on S/S', and I is the group of inner automorphisms of S, then J/I is torsion-free. The proofs of these theorems form the bulk of the first four sections.
An interinstitutional model for the reform of teacher education

One of the writers can still recollect vividly the whoop and holler generated by one speaker at a conference for public school teachers in his first year of teaching over a decade ago, when he said, ". . . and it's high time institutions of higher learning get off their hind quarters and start adequately preparing teachers for teaching." Even in that more innocent time, this statement of plaintive naivete probably should not have elicited such credible acceptance from such an educated audience. The ovation incited by that message did suggest a deep dissatisfaction by teachers with their own professional preparation. In the intervening years, this dissatisfaction apparently has spread through society and even permeated teacher education divisions of institutions of higher learning who prepare teachers, as witnessed by the spate of articles in our learned journals. Many suggestions from the viewpoint of the colleges and universities have been advanced concerning strategies for improvement of teacher education programs. Much criticism has been offered from the perspective of local education agencies. Officials of state departments of education and federal agencies have joined in the clamor for teacher-education program reforms from their vantage points. Each of these institutions holds a significant interest in what occurs in the preparation of teachers, for each institution possesses a crucial stake in teacher education, either as contributor, consumer, or regulator. This essay assumes that any discussion of major reforms in teacher preparation must account for basic interests of many institutions and persons directly affected by those reforms. Thus, we set forth a comprehensive model which welds into consortium relevant institutions involved in teacher education and suggests an innovative teacher education program to intertwine theory and application. A modified version of this model resulted from experiences associated with the federally-funded Career Opportunities Program (COP) in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. That program has shown great promise in reforming teacher education practices in that region.
On conservation of parity and time reversal and composite models of particles

We show that it is possible to consider parity and time reversal, as basic geometric symmetry operations, as being absolutely conserved. The observations of symmetry-violating pseudoscalar quantities can be attributed to the fact that some particles, due to their internal structure, are not eigenstates of parity or CP, and there is no reason that they should be. In terms of a model it is shown how, in spite of this, pseudoscalar terms are small in strong interactions. The neutrino plays an essential role in these considerations.
Influence of geometry and topology of quantum graphs on their nonlinear optical properties

We analyze the nonlinear optics of quasi-one-dimensional quantum graphs and manipulate their topology and geometry to generate nonlinearities in a simple system approaching the fundamental limits of the first and second hyperpolarizabilities. We explore a huge configuration space in order to determine whether the fundamental limits may be approached for specific topologies, independent of molecular details, when the geometry is manipulated to maximize the intrinsic response. Changes in geometry result in smooth variations of the nonlinearities. Topological changes between geometrically similar systems cause profound changes in the nonlinear susceptibilities that include a discontinuity due to abrupt changes in the boundary conditions. We demonstrate the same universal scaling behavior for quantum graphs that is predicted for general quantum nonlinear optical systems near their fundamental limits, indicating that our results for quantum graphs may reflect general structure-property relationships for globally optimized nonlinear optical systems.
Public Administration and the Overseas Territories What's a Mother Country to Do?

The United States finds itself in the historically anomalous position of maintaining exclusive or shared sovereignty in a number of islands in the Pacific and the Caribbean. Their dependent political status imposes more than financial obligations on the United States. Although U.S. domestic resources are stretched thin, some modest steps can be taken to help the islands govern more effectively. These include continuing attempts to improve administration, developing new models of public administration, and clarifying and stabilizing the political status of the territories.
Down-regulation of Jab1, HIF-1α, and VEGF by Moloney murine leukemia virus- ts1 infection: A possible cause of neurodegeneration

Moloney murine leukemia virus-temperature sensitive (MoMuLV-ts1)-mediated neuronal death is a result of both loss of glial support and release of cytokines and neurotoxins from ts1-infected glial cells. Here the authors propose vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) down-regulation as another contributory factor in neuronal degeneration induced by ts1 infection. To determine how ts1 affects VEGF expression in ts1-infected brain, the authors examined the expression of several proteins that are important in regulating the expression of VEGF. The authors found significant decreases in Jun-activating domain-binding protein 1 (Jab1), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, and VEGF levels and increases in p53 protein levels in ts1-infected brains compared to noninfected control brains. The authors suggest that a decrease Jab1 expression in ts1 infection leads to accumulation of p53, which binds to HIF-1α to accelerate its degradation. A rapid degradation of HIF-1α leads to decreased VEGF production and secretion. Considering that endothelial cells are the most conspicuous in virus replication and production in ts1 infection, but are not killed by the infection, the authors examined the expression of these proteins using infected and noninfected mouse cerebrovascular endothelial (CVE) cells. The ts1-infected CVE cells showed decreased Jab1, HIF-1α, and VEGF mRNA and protein levels and increased p53 protein levels compared with noninfected cells, consistent with the results found in vivo. These results confirm that ts1 infection results in insufficient secretion of VEGF from endothelial cells and may result in decreased neuroprotection. This study suggested that ts1-mediated neuropathology in mice may result from changes in expression and activity of Jab1, p53, and HIF-1α, with a final target on VEGF expression and neuronal degeneration.
Predicaments in Researching Spirituality and Religion: A Response to Glicksman's “Contemporary Study of Religion and Spirituality Among the Elderly”

Glicksman's perceptive critique calls attention to significant recurrent issues in the study of religion and spirituality that point to the need for humility by all who engage in it. Among these issues are implicit questions: What is spirituality? Is it a universal feature of humanity even though its manifestations are very diverse? How do researchers' assumptions and answers to those questions affect the methodologies they use to study religion and spirituality? Is theology relevant? Examples of overlapping scriptures of Judaism and evangelical Protestantism show how easily theological doctrines and philosophical values are misinterpreted by outsiders and how important they are for understanding the faith-related behavior of any group of people. Multidisciplinary research on the spirituality of people from all religions and none, global comparisons of the results, and painstaking analyses of the findings can bring us closer to comprehending the mysteries of spirituality and using them for the benefit of ...
Oral Enoximone Pharmacokinetics in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

The pharmacokinetics of enoximone and its sulfoxide metabolite were determined following administration of a single oral dose of 1 or 2 mg/kg in seven patients with congestive heart failure, and in two normal volunteers following a single 75-mg capsule, and were compared to those published previously. Plasma concentrations of the metabolite were higher than enoximone, and their terminal slopes were parallel. Enoximone and enoximone sulfoxide plasma concentration-time data were fitted to a simple model that included a lag time. Absorption half-lives in patients and normal volunteers averaged 17 minutes; the elimination half-life of enoximone in patients averaged 2.9 hours, and was slightly prolonged as compared with normal volunteers. The elimination half-life of enoximone sulfoxide averaged 17 minutes in patients and normal volunteers, and was considerably shorter than that reported in other studies. The oral clearance of enoximone in patients averaged 99 L/hr, and was lower than that observed in normal volunteers. The ratio of the area under the plasma concentration time curve of enoximone sulfoxide to enoximone averaged 4.7 in patients, and was similar to that observed in normal subjects. Enoximone oral clearance and the ratio of metabolite to parent were related to liver blood flow (determined by indocyanine green). Enoximone is 65% bound to albumin, which accounts for most of the drug bound to human plasma protein.
Influence of surface structure on the ion exchange of proteins—The effect of protein charge on uptake of acid proteases

Abstract This paper describes the results of a brief but systematic experimental investigation and mathematical analysis of the ion exchange of proteins. A preliminary model of protein ion exchange, which explains some of our own experimentally observed behavior, is developed. The model emphasizes the influence of protein charge and solution ionic strength on the nature of the protein sorption isotherm. The experimental results and their comparison to model predictions have lead us to a new point of view on the mechanism of protein ion exchange and suggest that protein sorption, even to so called “coated” resins, is not a surface phenomenon but rather a bulk sorption process.
Technische Realisierung von Btx für die Deutsche Bundespost

Als Ergebnis einer Ausschreibung erhielt die IBM Deutschland GmbH im November 1981 von der Deutschen Bundespost den Auftrag, den Bild-schirmtext-Dienst als Regeldienst zu realisieren. Mit seinen Dimensionen handelt es sich bei diesem Projekt um eines der bedeutendsten der 80er Jahre im Bereich der Kommunikationstechnik.
Linear plasmids of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi have covalently closed ends

The genetics of spirochetes, a division of eubacteria, has been little studied. Double-stranded linear plasmids were found in Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. A 49-kilobase linear plasmid contained the ospA and ospB genes, which encode the major outer membrane proteins of strain B31. Molecules of the 49-kilobase plasmid rapidly reannealed after alkaline denaturation; rapid renaturation was prevented if the 49-kilobase plasmids were first treated with S1 nuclease. When denatured plasmid molecules were examined directly, single-stranded circles of approximately 100-kilobase circumference were seen. These studies provide direct visual evidence that the linear plasmids have covalently closed ends. This form of DNA occurs in some animal viruses, but it has not heretofore been described in prokaryotic organisms.
Measuring pursuits, marking self: Meaning construction in chronic illness

This study addresses how people with chronic illnesses (1) measure their pursuits as indicators of their health and (2) adopt such measures as markers of who they are and are becoming. Ultimately, such markers can become part of the person's selfconcept. This article notes how work generates measures, but emphasizes those that people derive from their avocational interests. Measuring pursuits includes scrutinizing involvements, accounting for illness, and setting priorities. I describe how people interpret and construct markers from their measures and how they preserve self through fitness and then conclude by discussing the implications of the analysis. 165 qualitative interviews of chronically ill persons form the data of the study and grounded theory methods provide the guidelines for analysis. Key words: Chronic illness, self, meaning construction, pursuits, fitness, grounded theory
Application note: Knowledge-based architecture for a personal ISDN workstation

In this paper, we first provide an example illustrating the operation of a knowledge-based ISDN workstation. Next, we discuss in detail the knowledge-based system and operating system requirements. After specifying the requirements, we describe the proposed knowledge based system and operating system architectures for the workstation. Finally, the test hardware architecture of the ongoing research installation is described.
Evaluating the positive predictive values of antidote signals to detect potential adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the medical intensive care unit (ICU)

Purpose Signals are used to alert clinicians of potential ADRs. Positive predictive values (PPVs) of antidote signals in ICUs are unknown. The primary purpose was to determine PPVs of six signals. The secondary objective was to determine the sensitivity of various ADR detection strategies including manual chart review, administrative data review, and voluntary reporting at identifying the same ADRs discovered using antidotes as a signal. Methods Adult patients admitted to a medical ICU from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 who were prescribed select signals were eligible. Evaluated antidote signals included injectable diphenhydramine, protamine, phytonadione, dextrose 50%, injectable methylprednisolone, and sodium polystyrene. For each signal, a random sample of 50 patients was evaluated for the presence of an ADR. ADR occurrences were determined using two objective causality instruments through retrospective chart review. Agreement between the instruments was required for ADR consideration. PPVs were determined for each signal. Results Two hundred and twenty three patients (52% male) were evaluated, with a mean ± SD age of 60 ± 17 years, and a median simplified acute physiology score (SAPSII) of 48. PPVs were 0.64, 0.50, 0.38, 0.26, 0.24, and 0.02 for protamine, sodium polystyrene, dextrose 50%, diphenhydramine, phytonadione, and methylprednisolone, respectively. Sensitivity of other detection strategies from highest to lowest was chart review for explicit documentation, administrative database review, and voluntary reporting. Conclusions Protamine and sodium polystyrene performed the best by detecting ADRs in at least one out of two evaluations. Detection strategies other than signals were not as sensitive at identifying the same ADRs as antidote signals. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.