cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
User-Driven Functional Movement Training With a Wearable Hand Robot After Stroke

We studied the performance of a robotic orthosis designed to assist the paretic hand after stroke. It is wearable and fully user-controlled, serving two possible roles: as a therapeutic tool that facilitates device-mediated hand exercises to recover neuromuscular function or as an assistive device for use in everyday activities to aid functional use of the hand. We present the clinical outcomes of a pilot study designed as a feasibility test for these hypotheses. 11 chronic stroke (>2 years) patients with moderate muscle tone (Modified Ashworth Scale $\leq 2$ in upper extremity) engaged in a month-long training protocol using the orthosis. Individuals were evaluated using standardized outcome measures, both with and without orthosis assistance. Fugl-Meyer post intervention scores without robotic assistance showed improvement focused specifically at the distal joints of the upper limb, suggesting the use of the orthosis as a rehabilitative device for the hand. Action Research Arm Test scores post intervention with robotic assistance showed that the device may serve an assistive role in grasping tasks. These results highlight the potential for wearable and user-driven robotic hand orthoses to extend the use and training of the affected upper limb after stroke.
Novel, genetically induced mouse model that recapitulates the histological morphology and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment of metastatic peritoneal carcinomatosis

Background Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a hallmark of advanced peritoneal tumor progression, particularly for tubal/ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs). Patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis have poor survival rates and are difficult to treat clinically due to widespread tumor dissemination in the peritoneal cavity. Methods We developed a clinically relevant, genetically induced, peritoneal carcinomatosis model that recapitulates the histological morphology and immunosuppressive state of the tumor microenvironment of metastatic peritoneal HGSCs by intraperitoneally injecting shp53, AKT, c-Myc, luciferase and sleeping beauty transposase, followed by electroporation (EP) in the peritoneal cavity of immunocompetent mice (intraperitoneal (IP)/EP mice). Results Similar to the spread of human ovarian cancers, IP/EP mice displayed multiple tumor nodules attached to the surface of the abdomen. Histopathological analysis indicated that these tumors were epithelial in origin. These IP/EP mice also displayed a loss of CD3+ T cell infiltration in tumors, highly expressed inhibitory checkpoint molecules in tumor-infiltrating and global CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and increased levels of transforming growth factor-β in the ascites, all of which contribute to the promotion of tumor growth. Conclusions Overall, our tumor model recapitulates clinical peritoneal HGSC metastasis, which makes it ideal for preclinical drug screening, testing of immunotherapy-based therapeutics and studying of the tumor biology of peritoneal carcinomatosis.
Identification of Plasma Glycosphingolipids as Potential Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer (PCa) Status

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common male cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in United States men. Controversy continues over the effectiveness of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for distinguishing aggressive from indolent PCa. There is a critical need for more specific and sensitive biomarkers to detect and distinguish low- versus high-risk PCa cases. Discovery metabolomics were performed utilizing ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) on plasma samples from 159 men with treatment naive prostate cancer participating in the North Carolina-Louisiana PCa Project to determine if there were metabolites associated with aggressive PCa. Thirty-five identifiable plasma small molecules were associated with PCa aggressiveness, 15 of which were sphingolipids; nine common molecules were present in both African-American and European-American men. The molecules most associated with PCa aggressiveness were glycosphingolipids; levels of trihexosylceramide and tetrahexosylceramide were most closely associated with high-aggressive PCa. The Cancer Genome Atlas was queried to determine gene alterations within glycosphingolipid metabolism that are associated with PCa and other cancers. Genes that encode enzymes associated with the metabolism of glycosphingolipids were altered in 12% of PCa and >30% of lung, uterine, and ovarian cancers. These data suggest that the identified plasma (glyco)sphingolipids should be further validated for their association with aggressive PCa, suggesting that specific sphingolipids may be included in a diagnostic signature for PCa.
SALAD-BAAR: A numerical risk score for hospital admission or emergency department presentation in ambulatory patients with cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND While many interventions to reduce hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits for patients with cardiovascular disease have been developed, identifying ambulatory cardiac patients at high risk for admission can be challenging. HYPOTHESIS A computational model based on readily accessible clinical data can identify patients at risk for admission. METHODS Electronic health record (EHR) data from a tertiary referral center were used to generate decision tree and logistic regression models. International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes, labs, admissions, medications, vital signs, and socioenvironmental variables were used to model risk for ED presentation or hospital admission within 90 days following a cardiology clinic visit. Model training and testing were performed with a 70:30 data split. The final model was then prospectively validated. RESULTS A total of 9326 patients and 46 465 clinic visits were analyzed. A decision tree model using 75 patient characteristics achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75 and a logistic regression model achieved an AUC of 0.73. A simplified 9-feature model based on logistic regression odds ratios achieved an AUC of 0.72. A further simplified numerical score assigning 1 or 2 points to each variable achieved an AUC of 0.66, specificity of 0.75, and sensitivity of 0.58. Prospectively, this final model maintained its predictive performance (AUC 0.63-0.60). CONCLUSION Nine patient characteristics from routine EHR data can be used to inform a highly specific model for hospital admission or ED presentation in cardiac patients. This model can be simplified to a risk score that is easily calculated and retains predictive performance.
Motor Control: A Basal Ganglia Feedback Circuit for Action Suppression.

The basal ganglia regulate our behavior through the promotion and suppression of the actions that we perform. A new study has revealed a basal ganglia feedback circuit between the striatum and globus pallidus that can powerfully inhibit locomotion in mice.
Introducing an innovative design to examine human-environment dynamics of food deserts responding to COVID-19

Food desert communities face persistent barriers in accessing affordable fresh and healthy foods, particularly for the underserved and limited-resourced minority population. This research brief proposes an integrated design concept examining human-environment dynamics of food deserts to identify strategies that would provide effective planning to prevent, prepare for, or respond to disruptive events such as natural disasters or pandemics in the future. The North Carolina example we describe identifies the potential overlapping areas between food deserts and number of COVID-19 cases to demonstrate how an unpredictable event could exacerbate public health in food desert communities to a greater extent than in communities with better food access, availability, and accessibility. The improved understanding of food systems could help in addressing unprecedented challenges such as those due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Unexceptional segments

A famous perennial problem in Slavic phonology is yers: vowels that idiosyncratically alternate with zero (e.g., [mox] vs. [mx-a] ‘moss (nom/gen sg)’ alongside [nos] vs. [nos-a] ‘nose (nom/gen sg)’). The widely accepted analysis of these “ghost vowels” is that they must be underlyingly marked as exceptional on a segment-by-segment basis. Moreover, usually they are assumed to be underlyingly representationally defective—either nonmoraic or lacking features (Kenstowicz and Rubach 1987, inter alia). In this paper, I revisit yers from a different perspective. Instead of treating the segments as special, I argue that exceptionality is a property of whole morphemes. This theory of exceptionality has many incarnations (Chomsky and Halle 1968 et seq.), but my version is formalized as Lexically Indexed Constraints in Optimality Theory: in any given language, a universal constraint can be indexed to individual morphemes in the lexicon and ranked in two different positions in the language’s hierarchy (Pater 2000, 2006). In Russian, the relevant indexed constraint is *Mid, which penalizes the peripheral mid vowels [e] and [o]. The general, non-indexed constraint is independently needed to explain vowel reduction in unstressed syllables. The indexed version explains why only mid vowels alternate with zero in Russian. This generalization about yer quality is lost in representational accounts, since any vowel can be labeled as nonmoraic underlyingly. Another unsolved mystery about Russian yers is that only vowels in the final syllable of a morpheme can alternate with zero. This requires a phonological explanation—labeling only the alternating vowels as underlyingly special does not address the position problem.
Security Capsules: An Architecture for Post-Silicon Security Assertion Validation for Systems-on-Chip

In this paper, we propose a methodology for post-silicon validation through the evaluation of security assertions for systems-on-chip (SoC). The methodology is centered around a security architecture in which a "security capsule" is attached to each IP core in the SoC. The security capsule consists of a set of on-line and off-line assertion monitors, a dynamic trace-buffer to trace selected groups of signals, and a dynamic trace controller. The architecture is supported by a trace signal selection and grouping algorithm and a dynamic signal tracing method to evaluate the off-chip monitors. This paper presents the security capsule architecture, the signal selection and grouping algorithm, and the run-time signal tracing method. Results of using the methodology on two SoC architectures based on the OpenRISC-1200 and RISC-V processors are presented.
Improving the effects of ketogenic diet therapy in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the retention rate, efficacy, and safety of ketogenic diet therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy in children and compare the results with those of a previous cohort at our institution. METHODS A total of 634 children with drug-resistant epilepsy were included in this retrospective study. Patients were categorized into two groups. The previous cohort was included as a control group and included 317 children assessed between 2004 and 2011, whereas the current group included 317 children assessed between 2015 and 2019. The control group was provided care as usual, and the current group additionally adopted the goal and long-term management strategy. Outcomes were measured with respect to retention rate, seizure reduction, and adverse reaction. RESULTS Patient demographics were consistent between both cohorts. Compared to the past ten years, the retention rate significantly increased over time (3 months: 62.8% vs. 82.0%, p <0.001; 6 months: 42.0% vs. 60.6%, p <0.001; 12 months: 24.3% vs. 34.1%, p = 0.007), and the response rate was significantly improved (3 months: 35.0% vs. 55.5%, p <0.001; 6 months: 26.2% vs. 43.2%, p <0.001; 12 months: 18.6% vs. 31.5%, p <0.001). Constipation (n = 79, 24.9%) was the most common side effect in the current cohort. Food refusal and hypoproteinaemia reduced to 3.5% and 0.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION Goal and long-term management is effective for ketogenic diet therapy, which significantly improved the ketogenic diet retention rate, efficacy, and incidence of adverse reactions. This strategy has promising applicability in ketogenic diet therapy. CLINICAL REGISTRATION ChiCTR-IIR-16,008,342.
Photochemistry at Adsorbate-Metal Interfaces: Intra-adsorbate Bond Breaking

While photochemistry in gases, liquids and solids has a long and well-documented record [3.1], and photochemistry, including photoelectrochemistry, at semiconductor-adsorbate interfaces is well known [3.2], photochemistry at adsorbate-metal interfaces is a newly emerging and rapidly expanding area of surface chemistry. There are also a number of recent interesting experiments involving photochemistry of molecules adsorbed at insulator surfaces [3.3]. In this paper we focus on bond cleavage within the first monolayer of adsorbate rather than on adsorbate-metal bond cleavage or photochemistry in multilayers. The latter topic has been the subject of a number of investigations and reviews [3.4–6], Table 3.1 lists a number of recent successful photochemical intraadsorbate bond cleavage experiments [3.7–27]. An interesting comparison is given in Table 3.2, which lists experiments where no photochemistry was observed [3.28–31].
Microlaparoscopy Versus Conventional Laparoscopy in Transperitoneal Pyeloplasty

Abstract Background and Purpose: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty has emerged as the gold standard for repair of ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Microlaparoscopic (MLP, <3 mm) instrumentation has improved markedly and can now be used for suturing and complex dissection needed during laparoscopic pyeloplasty. We present our experience with microlaparoscopy compared with conventional laparoscopy for transperitoneal pyeloplasty. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of hybrid MLP, using a 5-mm camera in a hidden umbilical incision, and 1.9 or 3 mm working instruments and compared with patients undergoing conventional laparoscopic pyeloplasty (CLP). The data for MLP and CLP were compared using the Student t test, Pearson chi-square test, and Fisher exact test, where appropriate. Results: Between January 2009 and May 2013, there were 19 MLP and 27 CLP procedures performed. The MLP group mean age was younger than the CLP group (34 vs 50 years; P=0.0003). Body mass index, previous treatment rates, operative...
Geometric Perspectives on the Mechanics and Control of Robotic Locomotion

This paper uses geometric methods to study basic problems in locomotion. We consider in detail the case of “(undulatory locomotion,” which is generated by a coupling of internal shape changes to external nonholonomic constraints. Such locomotion problems can be modeled as a connection on a principal fiber bundle. The properties of connections lead to simplified results for both the dynamics and controllability of locomotion systems. We demonstrate the utility of this approach on a novel “Snakeboard” and a multi-segmented serpentine robot which is modeled after Hirose’s ACM.
Commutator ideals and semicommutator ideals of Toeplitz operators associated with flows II

We prove that for a flow with at most one fixed point, the commutator ideal and the semicommutator ideal of the associated Toeplitz algebra coincide. We further show that the situation becomes much more complicated for flows with at least two fixed points.
Drug prescribing during pregnancy. A controlled study of Tennessee Medicaid recipients.

Abstract The effect of pregnancy on prescribing was assessed in a population of pregnant Medicaid recipients and two matched groups of control women. Of the 2,528 gravidas, 62 per cent received systemic legend drugs (excluding dietary supplements) during their pregnancies. White women and women 30 years of age and older were most likely to receive these medications. Systemic anti-infectives were the most frequently prescribed category of drugs (excluding dietary supplements). One fourth of the women received a narcotic-containing drug and 13 per cent of the women received psychotropic drugs, most frequently diazepam. Barbiturates and narcotic-containing drugs were often “hidden” in a fixed combination medication. In general, prescribing did not decrease as a result of pregnancy. This study and other studies reviewed here emphasize the need for comprehensive drug-use guidelines for physicians who care for pregnant women.
N-terminal truncation of the scrapie-associated form of PrP by lysosomal protease(s): implications regarding the site of conversion of PrP to the protease-resistant state.

Scrapie and related transmissible spongiform encephalopathies result in the accumulation of a protease-resistant form of an endogenous brain protein called PrP. As an approach to understanding the scrapie-associated modification of PrP, we have studied the processing and sedimentation properties of protease-resistant PrP (PrP-res) in scrapie-infected mouse neuroblastoma cells. Like brain-derived PrP-res, the neuroblastoma cell PrP-res aggregated in detergent lysates, providing evidence that the tendency to aggregate is an intrinsic property of PrP-res and not merely a secondary consequence of degenerative brain pathology. The PrP-res species had lower apparent molecular masses than the normal, protease-sensitive PrP species and were not affected by moderate treatments with proteinase K. This suggested that the PrP-res species were partially proteolyzed by the neuroblastoma cells. Immunoblot analysis of PrP-res with a panel of monospecific anti-PrP peptide sera confirmed that the PrP-res species were quantitatively truncated at the N terminus. The metabolic labeling of PrP-res in serum-free medium did not prevent the proteolysis of PrP-res, showing that the protease(s) involved was cellular rather than serum-derived. The PrP-res truncation was inhibited in intact cells by leupeptin and NH4Cl. This provided evidence that a lysosomal protease(s) was involved, and therefore, that PrP-res was translocated to lysosomes. When considered with other studies, these results imply that the conversion of PrP to the protease-resistant state occurs in the plasma membrane or along an endocytic pathway before PrP-res is exposed to endosomal and lysosomal proteases. Images
Analysis of EM scattering by conducting bodies of revolution in layered media using the discrete complex image method

A mixed-potential integral equation (MPIE) is formulated for conducting bodies of revolution (BORs) embedded in plane stratified-media. The axis of BOR is assumed to be perpendicular to the material layers. The spectral integrals that arise in the MPIE kernels are efficiently evaluated by the discrete complex image method (DCIM). Sample numerical results are presented for a pillbox scatterer in a half-space environment.
The effects of space environment on silicon vertical junction solar cells on the LIPS III satellite

The preliminary analysis and results of a space experiment to evaluate the performance of a new generation of silicon vertical junction solar cells and three adhesives for attaching coverglass to the solar cells are presented. Two of the adhesives are used for the first time in coverglass applications where they are subjected to the space environment. SOLAREX vertical junction solar cells which are of 10 Omega -cm silicon with back surface fields (BSF) and back surface reflectors (BSR) are compared to SOLAREX planar junction cells of the same type. The results for up to 566 days in space indicate that the two types of solar cell show about the same rate of degradation in power output. There are no significant difference at this point in the performance of the three adhesives. >
Practice Variation: Learned and Socio-Economic Factors

Much variation exists in the practice of dentistry with regard to diagnosis of caries and recommendations for treatment. This is a particular problem with respect to the replacement of restorations, with responsible factors related to both the patient and the dentist. The aim of this paper is to look at factors, exclusive of clinical data, that may explain why there is so much variation in the practice of dentistry, and specifically pertaining to replacement of restorations. Due to the paucity of studies related specifically to dentists, findings from physician studies will be presented. No studies are available that compare variation in medical and dental practices, but since both professions deal with the provision of health care and function in similar circumstances, comparisons are arguably generalizable between the two groups. Development of clinical judgment will be explored based on dental training experiences, and two explanatory models of practice pattern variation will be discussed--the dentist as a self-fulfilling practitioner and the dentist as the patient's agent. Along with these models, the matter of uncertainty in clinical practice and the development of routines will also be discussed in light of explaining variations.
The Relation of Serum Parathyroid Hormone and Serum Calcium to Serum Levels of Prostate-Specific Antigen: A Population-Based Study

Experimental and clinical data implicate calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the development of prostate cancer. However, epidemiologic data on the role of these variables in prostate health are sparse. We examined the relationship between serum levels of calcium, PTH, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), an established marker of prostate growth, in a large, population-based study using multivariate linear regression. We studied 1,273 men in National Health and Nutrition Survey 2005 to 2006 who were ≥40 years of age and who were without clinical prostate cancer. Adjusted for age, race, body mass index, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, serum levels of PTH were significantly positively correlated with serum PSA ( P = 0.01). Serum levels of PTH and calcium each were correlated significantly with free PSA ( P = 0.05 and 0.008, respectively). The percentage of men who had elevated serum levels of PTH (PTH, ≥66 pg/mL) was significantly greater among African American men (19.2 versus 9.6%, P = 0.04). Compared with men whose PTH was at the lower end of the reference range, the predicted PSA for men with a PTH of 66 pg/mL was increased 43%. These findings support the hypothesis that serum calcium and serum PTH stimulate prostate growth in men without clinical prostate cancer and have implications for the use of PSA as a screening tool for prostate cancer. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(11):2869–73)
Childlessness, health, and marital satisfaction

Abstract Data on the health and well‐being of 2,480 married couples in an urban area‐probability sample suggest that parenthood detracts from the physical and psychological health of husbands and wives, particularly among younger couples. Rates of joint marital satisfaction also were lower for active parents than for former parents and childless couples, regardless of the duration of the marriage and the wife's age and employment status. That parenthood may be detrimental to both health and marital satisfaction is suggested by the finding that former parents were better off than active parents on both indices, though not as well off as childless spouses.
Driver hand activity analysis in naturalistic driving studies: challenges, algorithms, and experimental studies

We focus on vision-based hand activity analysis in the vehicular domain. The study is motivated by the overarching goal of understanding driver behavior, in particular as it relates to attentiveness and risk. First, the unique advantages and challenges for a nonintrusive, vision-based solution are reviewed. Next, two approaches for hand activity analysis, one relying on static (appearance only) cues and another on dynamic (motion) cues, are compared. The motion-cue-based hand detection uses temporally accumulated edges in order to maintain the most reliable and relevant motion information. The accumulated image is fitted with ellipses in order to produce the location of the hands. The method is used to identify three hand activity classes: (1) two hands on the wheel, (2) hand on the instrument panel, (3) hand on the gear shift. The static-cue-based method extracts features in each frame in order to learn a hand presence model for each of the three regions. A second-stage classifier (linear support vector machine) produces the final activity classification. Experimental evaluation with different users and environmental variations under real-world driving shows the promise of applying the proposed systems for both postanalysis of captured driving data as well as for real-time driver assistance.
Osmotic and activity coefficients of aqueous bile salt solutions at 25, 37, and 45°C

Osmotic coefficients measured by vapor pressure osmometry are reported for aqueous bile salt solutions at 25, 37, and 45°C. Solute activities decrease rapidly with increasing concentration due to premicellar association and micelle formation. In all cases, activities of the dihydroxy bile salts are lower than those of the trihydroxy bile salts. Osmotic coefficients and activity coefficients increase with increasing temperature. It is suggested that hydrophobic forces contribute substantially to the stability of primary bile salt aggregates and micelles.
The will to truth in Kierkegaard'sPhilosophical Fragments

Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments opens with the question: "Can the truth be taught?" Johannes Climacus, the pseudonymous author, first spells out the conditions for attaining truth from a Socratic perspective: The learner already has the truth latently and acquires it explicitly by recollection. Hence the moment of explicit awareness of the truth is unimportant, since the essential condition is already there. He next defines a radically un-Socratic perspective by assuming a point of view in which the moment of acquisition would be of decisive significance and he spells out the conditions for attaining truth from that perspective. One of the conditions advanced by Climacus is that the learner must will to attain the truth. "But first of all, he must will it."1 It should be noted, also, that Climacus states, as another condition, that the willing of the learner will not be enough. "...[H]e will not be able to set himself free [from untruth]."2 Thus, from the un-Socratic perspective, willing to attain the truth is a necessary but not sufficient condition for attaining it. How should we assess Climacus' view of the role of the will in attain-
Identification of estrogen receptor beta RNA in human breast and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Abstract This study reports the initial observation of the novel estrogen receptor, ERβ, in human subcutaneous adipose tissue. Human adipose tissue was obtained from various anatomic sites including the subcutaneous depots of lipectomy patients (healthy controls), and from subcutaneous abdominal and breast depots of lean and obese women with breast cancer. ERβ mRNA expression, determined by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), was present in each adipose tissue sample examined. Cloning and sequencing of the PCR product confirmed its identity as ERβ. Separation of adipose tissue into component fractions indicated that ERβ was expressed in both adipocytes and the stroma-vasculature. Primary culture of human preadipocytes indicated that ERβ mRNA was present only after differentiation to the adipocyte phenotype. This novel observation of ERβ mRNA indicates that this receptor subtype may have a role in ER-mediated responses in human adipose tissue.
Angular distributions for elastic and inelastic scattering of 40-MeV alpha particles by carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and argon

Abstract Angular distributions for elastic and inelastic scattering of 40-MeV alpha particles by carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and argon were obtained. Gas targets were used. Angles of observation ranged from 7° to 130° (laboratory) for carbon and over lesser intervals for the other elements. Elastic scattering angular distributions are characterized by sharply defined diffraction-like structure at the forward angles with maxima and minima spaced very regularly in sin 1 2 θ (c.m.), deep minima near 90° (c.m.), and appreciable cross sections at angles beyond 90°. A black nucleus diffraction interpretation gives reasonable absolute cross sections for the forward maxima and good agreement with observed locations of maxima and minima. Inelastic scattering angular distributions were obtained for C12(Q = −4.43, −7.65 and −9.61 MeV); for O16 [Q = −6.06 and −6.14 MeV (unresolved), −6.91 and −7.12 MeV (unresolved)]; and A40 (Q = −1.462 MeV). Direct interaction analysis verifies previously assigned spins and parities and indicates an assignment of 0+ or 2+ to the 9.61-MeV level of C12. Integrated cross sections for inelastic scattering to individual levels may be as high as 6 per cent of πR2. Interaction radii determined from diffraction analysis of the elastic scattering data are (in units of 10−13 cm) 5.11±0.20 for C12, 5.37±0.17 for N14, 5.64±0.29 for O16, and 6.38±0.32 for A40. Interaction radii calculated from inelastic scattering data are consistently larger. Compound nucleus contributions to observed cross sections appear to be small or zero.
Proteins From Oyster Shell: Biomineralization Regulators and Commercial Polymer Analogs

Molluscan shell is a composite made up of µm-sized CaCO3 crystals and an organic phase (matrix). This report outlines our studies on the structure and activities of matrix proteins isolated from the inner calcite layer of shell of the Eastern oyster, including their cellular origin and structure and their relationship to the crystalline mineral phase. In addition, we present results of the synthesis and commercialization of polypeptide polymers which are based on the structure and activities of the oyster proteins. Extracted shell proteins are polyanionic and range in size from relatively small soluble forms to those which are crosslinked and insoluble. The soluble forms are capable of adsorbing to calcite in vitro and in the process changing its growth habit and acting as threshold growth inhibitors. Their function in vivo is not understood, but they may serve to control shell crystal morphology. The insoluble protein forms gels readily and may serve to provide resiliency to the shell and, from in vitro and in situ observations, appears to serve as a site for nucleation of crystals. However, from studies in vitro, these gels do not lower the energy of activation for nucleation, as previously expected. Matrix protein aggregates are identifiable by AFM on the surface of crystals, but as such do not serve as nucleation sites for new crystal growth. If the aggregates are removed, then ectopic crystal growth proceeds readily revealing orientation of the underlying crystals. All the matrix proteins contain domains rich in aspartic acid, are heavily phosphorylated, crossreact in antibody studies and may belong to a limited number of gene families with individuals modified post-synthesis. The proteins are made by a specialized group of cells located primarily some distance from the growing edge of the shell and appear to be assembled into sheets soon after secretion. Soluble anti-scalants and crosslinked insoluble water absorbents have been developed based on the structure and activity of the matrix proteins. These are primarily poly(aspartates) which can be made in large scale via thermal polycondensation of aspartic acid. The soluble forms are commercially used as biodegradable water treatment chemicals among other applications.
Spectroscopic and density functional theory studies of the blue-copper site in M121SeM and C112SeC azurin: Cu-Se versus Cu-S bonding.

S K-edge X-ray absorption, UV−vis absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and resonance Raman spectroscopies are used to investigate the electronic structure differences among WT, M121SeM, and C112SeC Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a) azurin. A comparison of S K-edge XAS of WT and M121SeM azurin and a CuII−thioether model complex shows that the 38% S character in the ground state wave function of the blue−copper (BC) sites solely reflects the Cu−SCys bond. Resonance Raman (rR) data on WT and C112SeC azurin give direct evidence for the kinematic coupling between the Cu−SCys stretch and the cysteine deformation modes in WT azurin, which leads to multiple features in the rR spectrum of the BC site. The UV−vis absorption and MCD data on WT, M121SeM, and C112SeC give very similar C0/D0 ratios, indicating that the C-term MCD intensity mechanism involves Cu-centered spin−orbit coupling (SOC). The spectroscopic data combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that SCys and SeCys have sim...
The Durability of Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication: 11-Year Outcomes

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) has become the most commonly performed antireflux procedure since its introduction in 1991. There are few studies with greater than 5-year outcomes. Herein we report a series of 312 consecutive patients who underwent primary LNF before 1996. Follow-up of more than 6 years was available in 166 patients, and the mean follow-up was 11 years (median 11.1 years, range 6.1-13.3 years). Prospective data collection included preoperative and current symptom scores (scale 0 = none to 3 = severe), as well as the level of patient satisfaction and use of antireflux medications. Total symptom score for each patient was summed from seven symptoms for a maximum value of 21. Heartburn and regurgitation were the most improved symptoms; however, all symptoms were significantly improved (P < 0.01). The total symptom score at follow-up was 2.6 down from 7.5 at baseline, with a mean difference of -4.9 (range -12 to 3). The percentage of patients stating they would have the procedure again was 93.3%, and 70% were off daily antireflux medications. Outcomes at a mean of 11 years after LNF are excellent, and the majority of patients had their symptoms resolved or significantly improved and are satisfied with their results.
The metabolism of cholesterol esters in rat adrenal cell suspensions.

The regulation of cholesterol ester metabolism was studied using cell suspensions of capsular and decapsulated portions of rat adrenal glands. The cell suspensions were prepared using collagenase as a dispersing agent, and incubations were performed in Krebs-Ringer buffer containing 0.1% albumin. The cellular uptake and esterification of exogenously added labeled oleic acid was time and temperature dependent in both capsular and decapsulated cell preparations. Synthetic ACTH caused a decrease in cholesterol ester incorporation with capsular preparations, while no net change was observed in cells from decapsulated adrenal tissue. An increase in oleic acid incorporation into cholesterol esters was observed for both cell preparations when aminoglutethimide was added, particularly in the presence of ACTH. A similar increase was seen with cycloheximide. Corticosterone production, which was stimulated 5–20-fold by ACTH, was reduced to control levels with addition of aminoglutethimide or cycloheximide. When chol...
Wavelet-based signal processing applied to deformable mirror PZT actuators for wavefront control

The objective of this paper is to address one of the more difficult problems in astronomical Adaptive Optics (AO): on future Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT), the computing power required for the requisite number of actuators will exceed the computing power presently available. The PZT actuators for Deformable Mirrors (MD) have three axes: tilt, tip and piston. It is envisioned that these three axes can be controlled by adaptive wavelet filter banks. Adaptive echo cancellation will be applied to achieve wavefront correction in a manner analogous to that used to cancel telephone echoes. This approach will provide a viable alternative to those presently available and reduce the number of computations.
Production of 18F-labeled compounds with 18F− produced with a 1-MW Research reactor☆

Abstract The feasibility of routine production of fluorine-18 labeled compounds for biomedical research with a 1 MW research reactor (1013 n cm−2s−1) was examined. Studies were made of production of 18F by the 6Li(n, α)3H, 16O (3H, n)18F reactions, of the separation of 18F-fluoride from the 6LiOH·H2O target material, and of the effects of other anions (introduced during work-up) on nucleophilic substitution reactions of fluoride. 1. (1) The practical half-saturation yield of 18F was limited to about 40 mCi because of local flux depression in the core of the reactor. 2. (2) Techniques of separation of no-carrier-added 18F from target material by ion-exchange chromatography are described in detail and compared with methods based on absorption on metal oxides and on distillation. All these methods yielded reactive, near-anhydrous acetonitrile solutions of the tetraethylammonium cation and 100–1000 μmol of anions other than fluoride. 3. (3) Methanesulfonate, nitrate and chloride were considerably, and hydroxide somewhat, less nucleophilic than fluoride. Sulfate, and especially acetate, inhibited nucleophilic substitution reactions of fluoride. 4. (4) Two-hour irradiations of 3 g of 6LiOH·H2O gave net yields of up to 5–8 mCi of 18F compounds.
Reactions of Laser-Ablated Boron Atoms with Methyl Halides in Excess Argon. Infrared Spectra and Density Functional Theory Calculations on CH3BX, CH2BX, and CHBX (X = F,Cl,Br)

Laser-ablated boron atoms react with methyl fluoride in an argon stream to form two major products: CH2BF and CHBF. In similar reactions of boron with methyl chloride and methyl bromide, both CH2BX and CHBX are also observed, as well as the primary insertion products, CH3BCl and CH3BBr, respectively. Infrared spectra of isotopic combinations of B and CH3X and density functional theory frequency calculations provide evidence for the product identification. Both products form via insertion into the C−X bond followed by loss of one or two H atoms for all reactions. Comparisons are made with the products of the reactions of B with C2H6, CH3NH2, and CH3OH, all of which are isoelectronic with CH3F. The calculations not only predict the vibrational frequencies exceptionally well, but also predict that there is no dative bonding in either CH2BX or CHBX, despite the empty p-orbital on B and the filled p-orbitals on the halogen atom.
Suppression of self-pulsing behavior in erbium-doped fiber lasers with a semiconductor optical amplifier

We experimentally demonstrate that the stability of cw and mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring lasers can be improved significantly with a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) inside the cavity. The fast saturable gain of the SOA suppresses significantly the self-pulsing that is due to ion pairs in the erbium-doped fiber, which acts as a saturable absorber. A linear stabilization analysis of the laser system agrees with our experimental results.
Antidepressant Treatment Patterns and Success Rates in a Managed Care Organization

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment patterns and success rates with antidepressants utilized by patients in a managed care organization (MCO). Data were extrapolated from a claims database from an MCO with 225 000 members. Treatment patterns were determined by creating episodes of care for each patient. Successful treatment was defined as a therapeutic dose for at least 180 days of continuous therapy. Success rates were stratified by the type of antidepressant used. Depression-related and total healthcare costs were analyzed in relation to whether a patient’s treatment was successful. A minority of patients received continuous therapeutic doses for 180 days for their first treatment episode (26.5%) or all treatment episodes of depression (32.9%). Monotherapy was the most common treatment pattern. Treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) was associated with a significantly higher success rate than treatment with a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), in patients with depression (36.6 vs 13.3%). In patients with depression who were receiving SSRIs, the success rates were 37.2% with fluoxetine, 36.2% with paroxetine, and 36.1% with sertraline; there were no significant differences in the success rates among the SSRIs. Patients completing a successful treatment episode were associated with higher pharmacy, depression-related, and total healthcare costs. Only a minority of patients with depression attained a satisfactory treatment episode with their antidepressant therapy. SSRI therapy was associated with a significantly higher success rate than TCAs. Although monotherapy regimens were the most commonly used treatment strategy, the multivariate analysis reveals that multiple regimen changes (defined as complex in this analysis) may be required to achieve successful treatment. Physicians and MCOs need to monitor patients and be open to necessary regimen changes. Physicians and MCOs must also work together to develop improved strategies to monitor and detect patients with depression who do not comply with their antidepressant regimen.
CXCR2 stimulation primes CXCR1 [Ca2+]i responses to IL-8 in human neutrophils.

Neutrophil (PMN) priming and subsequent responses to the IL-8 presented on pulmonary endothelial surfaces may be crucial determinants of the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome after injury. Elevated plasma ELR+ C-X-C chemokine (CXC) levels might contribute to PMN priming after trauma, but the role of CXCs in priming circulating PMNs is unstudied. We evaluated the interactions of IL-8 and GRO-alpha in priming human PMN calcium fluxes [Ca2+]i within circulatory environments. At physiologic concentrations, GRO-alpha primes PMN for IL-8 mediated [Ca2+]i mobilization, whereas IL-8 abolishes GRO-alpha responses. Repeated GRO-alpha exposures further enhance IL-8 responses. PMN priming for IL-8 responses in normal plasma was CXCR2 dependent. CXCR2 was more responsive than CXCR1 to low levels of IL-8, together suggesting that CXCR2 is the important CXC receptor at circulating (i.e., low) agonist concentrations. CXCR1 stimulation down-regulated CXCR2 surface expression, whereas CXCR2 stimulation upregulated CXCR1 expression. GRO-alpha/ CXCR2 signaling enhanced post-receptor IL-8 initiated PMN [Ca2+]i influx as well as efflux. Sufficient stimulation of the CXCR1 terminated this cooperative relationship by downregulating surface expression of CXCR2. This study is the first to report that at physiologic concentrations, C-X-C chemokines can act on circulating human PMNs as an integrated system where CXCR2 agonists, rather than cross-desensitizing CXCR1, act to enhance signaling of IL-8 at CXCR1 both by receptor and post-receptor mechanisms. Such CXCR2 mediated priming of CXCR1/ IL-8 interaction may enhance PMN attack on the lung after injury.
The kinetics that govern the release of tritium from neutron-irradiated lithium oxide

Abstract We present a kinetic model that describes the release of tritium from a neutron-irradiated lithium oxide crystal. According to our model, the release is 1. (1) controlled by diffusion of tritium through the crystal when ak D > 10 2. (2) controlled by the desorption of tritiated water from the crystal when ak D 3. (3) controlled by a combination of these processes when 1 D , where a is a characteristic crystal size, k is the governing desorption rate constant, and D is the governing diffusion coefficient. Our model explains the lack of agreement among prior studies because it predicts both diffusion-controlled and desorption-controlled kinetics. As an initial test of this model, we performed preliminary release experiments in the desorption-controlled region. As expected, the observed release was consistent with a desorption-controlled theory. In addition, we found k to be (6.5 × 102e−(019kJ/mol)/RT cm/s.
How Common is Housing Discrimination? Improving on Traditional Measures

Abstract Fair housing audits are an important tool for measuring the incidence of racial and ethnic discrimination in housing markets. Traditional measures of incidence calculate the proportion of cases in which the white auditor is favored (gross adverse treatment) or the difference between the proportion of white-favored and minority-favored audits (net adverse treatment). The gross measure may overstate discrimination because treatment differences sometimes arise from differences in circumstances across auditor visits. On the other hand, the net measure understates discrimination because audits in which the minority auditor is favored for systematic reasons are incorrectly subtracted. This paper presents a model of agent behavior that more fully accounts for the audit design and employs the estimated parameters to calculate bounds on the incidence of discrimination. This approach leads to a lower bound for the incidence of discrimination that is often substantially higher than the simple net measure and to an upper bound that is close to and sometimes above the simple gross measure.
The Value of Serial Serum Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Determinations in Hospitalized Patients with Lung Disease

Abnormal serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity has been reported in various human lung disorders and in laboratory animals with acute lung injuries. To test the value of serum ACE activity as an indicator of lung damage and its assistance in diagnosis or prognosis, 328 serum samples were obtained from 108 hospitalized patients with lung disease and 26 normal subjects. When patients were clinically grouped by disease entity, only the sarcoidosis group showed elevated mean serum ACE. Significantly increased serum ACE was found in 17 patients with various lung diseases (15% of hospitalized patients) 12 of whom also had concomitant liver disease. It is hypothesized that the liver may play a role in the normal metabolism of ACE being released by lung endothelial injury. Significantly low levels were seen in many acute and chronic lung injuries; specifically the groups with chronic obstructive lung disease, lung cancer, acute pneumonia, aspiration pneumonitis, gram-negative sepsis, acute myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure. Serial measures of ACE in 71 patients with lung injuries showed that significantly decreasing levels over successive days were associated with a very high mortality. A single ACE measurement did not predict the presence or extent of lung injury, or aid in diagnosis or prognosis, but serial levels are of value prognostically.
Thin torus perturbative analysis of elementary excitations in the Gaffnian and Haldane-Rezayi quantum Hall states

We present a systematic perturbative approach to study excitations in the thin cylinder/torus limit of the quantum Hall states. The approach is applied to the Haldane-Rezayi and Gaffnian quantum Hall states, which are both expected to have gapless excitations in the usual two-dimensional thermodynamic limit. For the Haldane-Rezayi state, we confirm that gapless excitations are present also in the ``one-dimensional'' thermodynamic limit of an infinite thin cylinder, in agreement with earlier considerations based on the wave functions alone. In contrast, we identify the lowest excitations of the Gaffnian state in the thin cylinder limit, and conclude that they are gapped, using a combination of perturbative and numerical means. We discuss possible scenarios for the crossover between the two-dimensional and the one-dimensional thermodynamic limit in this case.
Beam‐plasma interactions as a heat source in the magnetosphere

Strong electron precipitation fluxes are frequently accompanied by strong downward heat conduction fluxes, deduced from simultaneous high and low altitude electron temperature measurements. It is shown that the heat input due to beam-plasma interactions is of the correct order of magnitude to sustain the observed heat flux.
Infectious diseases of refugees and immigrants.

This series is based on the Infectious Diseases section of the web site Refugee Health ∼ Immigrant Health, available on the World Wide Web at http://www.baylor.edu/~Charles_Kemp/refugee_health.htm. The site was developed through a contract with the Texas Department of Health as part of an ongoing effort to improve the health of refugees and immigrants.