cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflections on the state of consensus-based decision making in child welfare

Consensus approaches to child protection decision making such as mediation and family group conferencing have become increasingly widespread since first initiated about 25 years ago. They address but are also constrained by paradoxes in the child protection system about commitments to protecting children and to family autonomy. In a series of surveys, interviews, and dialogues, mediation and conferencing researchers and practitioners discussed the key issues that face their work: clarity about purpose, system support, family empowerment, professional qualifications, and coordination among different types of consensus-building efforts. Consensus- based decision making in child protection will continue to expand and grow but will also continue to confront these challenges. When the concept of using mediation to promote a more constructive approach to family involvement in child welfare decision making first arose about 25 years ago, it seemed both obvious and absurd. Obvious because the need for a better approach to dealing with families who are reported for abuse or neglect and are naturally suspicious, resistant, and fearful about entering into a cooperative relationship with child welfare professionals seems essential to more effective intervention. Mediation offers one way of helping families and professionals work out an intervention approach that protects children, respects the role of the family, and encourages respectful dialogue. How child protection mediation (CPM)— and other family-centered approaches such as family group conferencing (FGC)—can lead to a more effective approach to protecting children and preserving families is described and documented in this issue of Family Court Review . But the notion that mediation or other consensus-building approaches could be used successfully also seemed absurd (and to many still does). The child protection system is overstressed, inadequately funded, and bound by very strict parameters and timelines. Concerns about domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental illness are prevalent in many cases. The problems families face are systemic and long term. The resources to help them cope with these problems are limited. The idea that a short-term intervention, based on a cooperative communication model and emphasizing consensus-based problem solving could make a difference given all these structural obstacles seemed naive and unrealistic. The last thing the system needed was yet one more hoop for professionals and families to jump through, especially given the limited time and resources available.
Correlation of anti-idiotype network with survival following anti-G(D2) monoclonal antibody 3F8 therapy of stage 4 neuroblastoma.

Background A transient human anti-mouse antibody response was associated with significantly longer survival [Cheung et al. (1998): J Clin Oncol 16:3053] following antibody 3F8 (Ab1) treatment. We postulate that the induction of an idiotype network which included anti-anti-idiotypic (Ab3) and anti-G(D2) (Ab3') responses is associated with tumor control. Procedure Thirty-four patients with stage 4 neuroblastoma (NB) diagnosed at > 1 year of age were treated with anti-G(D2) monoclonal antibody 3F8 at the end of chemotherapy Results Long-term progression-free survival and overall survival correlated significantly with Ab3' andAb3, but not with non-idiotypic antibody responses. Only one of six individual specificities showed significant correlations with patient survival. Conclusions As in vitro correlates of idiotype network initiated by Ab1 treatment, Ab3 and Ab3' may provide convenient biologic endpoints for monoclonal antibody therapy of advanced NB, and a rationale for choosing specific anti-idiotypic antibodies for vaccine development.
Distributions in spaces with thick points

Abstract We present a theory of distributions in a space with a thick point in dimensions n ≥ 2 , generalizing the theory of thick distributions in one variable given in Estrada and Fulling (2007) [8] . The higher dimensional situation is quite different from the one dimensional case. We construct topological vector spaces of thick test functions and, by duality, spaces of thick distributions. We study several operations on these distributions, both algebraic and analytic, particularly partial differentiation. We introduce the notion of thick delta functions at the special point, not only of order 0 but of any integral order. We also consider the thick distributions constructed by the Hadamard finite part procedure. We give formulas for the derivatives of important thick distributions, including the finite part of power functions. We obtain the new formula ∂ ∗ 2 P f ( r − 1 ) ∂ x i ∂ x j = ( 3 x i x j − δ i j r 2 ) P f ( r − 5 ) + 4 π ( δ i j − 4 n i n j ) δ ∗ for the second order thick derivatives of the finite part of r − 1 in R 3 , where δ ∗ is a thick delta of order 0.
Graph database systems

We have investigated using graphs as the foundation for database systems by developing a graph-based DBMS. We have demonstrated that: 1. Graph-based representations are useful for representing genome data. 2. A graph data model tailored to the requirements of genome data can be used as the basis of a database management system. 3. A graph database management system is a viable technology for storing genome data. We have found that graph-based technologies are useful in multiple aspects of database development, and we plan to expand on the capabilities of graphs for developing genome databases. >
Differentiation of crude lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli strains using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

Crude phenol-phase extracts containing bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from 5 strains of Escherichia coli were investigated to differentiate the strains using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis. The strains used were E. coli K12, E. coli DH5α, E. coli O157:H7, E. coli O157:H12, and E. coli O157:H19. LPS-containing extracts were isolated from each E. coli strain using a hot phenol-water extraction procedure. The extracts were 1st analyzed by deoxycholic acid-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by silver-staining. Analysis of the extracts from E. coli K12 and E. coli DH5α showed rough-type LPS on the lower half of the gel, whereas E. coli O157:H7, E. coli O157:H12, and E. coli O157:H19 yielded abundant smooth LPS (high-molecular-weight LPS that include the O-polysaccharides). Spectra (4000 cm-1 to 700 cm-1) of crude E. coli LPS extracts and intact cells were collected using a FTIR spectrometer. Spectral data were compressed by principle component analysis and analyzed using canonical variate analysis (CVA) of 4000 cm-1 to 700 cm-1 or 1200 cm-1 to 900 cm-1 spectral regions. CVA showed better separation between strains using LPS extracts than intact cells in the 1200 cm-1 to 900 cm-1 spectral region. The same separation trend was found using Mahalanobis distances that quantified spectral differences between the E. coli strains, providing 80% and >95% correct classifications of intact cells and LPS extracts, respectively. This article is the first to report the successful differentiation of E. coli strains at a serotype level using FTIR spectra of bacterial phenol-phase extracts (crude LPS preparations).
Cardiac stem cell niches

The critical role that stem cell niches have in cardiac homeostasis and myocardial repair following injury is the focus of this review. Cardiac niches represent specialized microdomains where the quiescent and activated state of resident stem cells is regulated. Alterations in niche function with aging and cardiac diseases result in abnormal sites of cardiomyogenesis and inadequate myocyte formation. The relevance of Notch1 signaling, gap-junction formation, HIF-1α and metabolic state in the regulation of stem cell growth and differentiation within the cardiac niches are discussed.
Methylmercury-mediated inhibition of 3H-d-aspartate transport in cultured astrocytes is reversed by the antioxidant catalase

Astrocytes are essential for removal of glutamate from the extracellular space in the central nervous system. The neurotoxic heavy metal methylmercury potently and specifically inhibits the transport of glutamate in cultured astrocytes by an unknown mechanism. Glutamate transport in astrocytes is also inhibited by reactive oxygen species. A glutamate-induced transporter current is inhibited both by reactive oxygen species and thiol oxidizing agents. These observations suggest that oxidation of the transporter might mediate methylmercury-induced inhibition of glutamate transport. In the present study, we examined the ability of thiol reducing or oxidizing agents to inhibit transport of 3H-D-aspartate, a glutamate analog, in primary cultures of neonatal rat astrocytes. To assess if methylmercury-mediated inhibition of 3H-aspartate transport was due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species, we tested the ability of Trolox, alpha-phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), or catalase to attenuate the methylmercury-induced inhibition of aspartate uptake. Neither the thiol reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT), nor the thiol oxidizing agent 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic) acid (DTNB) had any effect on 3H-aspartate transport suggesting that the thiol redox state does not alter transporter function. In contrast, the antioxidant catalase (1000 U/ml) significantly attenuated methylmercury-induced inhibition of 3H-aspartate uptake, suggesting that excess reactive oxygen species, specifically H2O2, inhibit the function of an astrocytic excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT1). Prolonged exposure (6 h) to inhibitors of glutamate transport significantly decreased EAAT1 mRNA levels suggesting that transporter expression is related to function. This study suggests that methylmercury-induced overproduction of H2O2 is a mechanism for inhibition of glutamate transport and transporter expression in cultured astrocytes.
Cone photoreceptors develop normally in the absence of functional rod photoreceptors in a transgenic swine model of retinitis pigmentosa.

Purpose Human and swine retinas have morphological and functional similarities. In the absence of primate models, the swine is an attractive model to study retinal function and disease, with its cone-rich visual streak, our ability to manipulate their genome, and the differences in susceptibility of rod and cone photoreceptors to disease. We characterized the normal development of cone function and its subsequent decline in a P23H rhodopsin transgenic (TgP23H) miniswine model of autosomal dominant RP. Methods Semen from TgP23H miniswine 53-1 inseminated domestic swine and produced TgP23H and Wt hybrid littermates. Retinal function was evaluated using ERGs between postnatal days (P) 14 and 120. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) responses were recorded to full-field stimuli at several intensities. Retinal morphology was assessed using light and electron microscopy. Results Scotopic retinal function matures in Wt pigs up to P60, but never develops in TgP23H pigs. Wt and TgP23H photopic vision matures similarly up to P30 and diverges at P60 where TgP23H cone vision declines. There are fewer TgP23H RGCs with visually evoked responses at all ages and their response to light is compromised. Photoreceptor morphological changes mirror these functional changes. Conclusions Lack of early scotopic function in TgP23H swine suggests it as a model of an aggressive form of RP. In this mammalian model of RP, normal cone function develops independent of rod function. Therefore, its retina represents a system in which therapies to rescue cones can be developed to prolong photopic visual function in RP patients.
Biosynthesis of glycoproteins involved in the pollen-stigma interaction of incompatibility in developing flowers of Brassica oleracea L.

De-novo synthesis of the S-allele-specific glycoproteins of Brassica oleracea is demonstrated in stigmas at different developmental stages. Excised stigmas incorporate 14C-labeled amino acids into their S-glycoproteins early in development and before the self-incompatibility response is acquired, but the rate of synthesis accelerates prior to anthesis, resulting in the accumulation of high levels of the S-glycoproteins in the stigma and coinciding with the acquisition of the pollen-stigma incompatibility response. Since the self-compatible and self-incompatible zones of developing inflorescences are very sharply delineated, a threshold quantity of S-glycoproteins appears to be critical for the onset of self-incompatibility. Incorporation experiments in which [35Smethionine was applied to intact stigma surfaces indicate that the papillae are the main sites of synthesis of the S-specific glycoproteins.
Mechanistic Studies on the Stereoselective Formation of β-Mannosides from Mannosyl Iodides Using α-Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effects

Stereoselective synthesis of β-mannosides is one of the most challenging linkages to achieve in carbohydrate chemistry. Both the anomeric effect and the C2 axial substituent favor the formation of the axial glycoside (α-product). Herein, we describe mechanistic studies on the β-selective glycosidation of trimethylene oxide (TMO) using mannosyl iodides. Density functional calculations (at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p):LANL2DZ level) suggest that formation of both α- and β-mannosides involve loose SN2-like transition-state structures with significant oxacarbenium character, although the transition structure for formation of the α-mannoside is significantly looser. α-Deuterium kinetic isotope effects (α-DKIEs) based upon these computed transition state geometries match reasonably well with the experimentally measured values: 1.16 ± 0.02 for the β-linkage (computed to be 1.15) and 1.19 ± 0.05, see table 2 for the α-analogue (computed to be 1.26). Since it was unclear if β-selectivity resulted from a conformational c...
An Adaptive Neural Network Filter for Improved Patient State Estimation in Closed-Loop Anesthesia Control

Recent studies in the controlled administration of intravenous propofol favor a robust automated delivery control system in lieu of a manual controller. In previous work, a Reinforcement Learning (RL) controller was successfully tested in silico and in human volunteers with promising results. In this paper, an Adaptive Neural Network Filter (ANNF) is introduced in an effort to improve RL control of propofol hypnosis. The modified controller was tested in silico on simulated intraoperative patients, and its performance was compared against previously published results. Results from the experiments show that the new controller outperformed the previous controller in the maintenance of propofol anesthesia, with modest improvement in performance during anesthetic induction.
Habitat choice of multiple pollinators in almond trees and its potential effect on pollen movement and productivity: A theoretical approach using the Shigesada–Kawasaki–Teramoto model

Abstract California's almond industry, valued at $2.3 billion per year, depends on the pollinator services of honey bees, although pollination by other insects, mainly solitary wild bees, is being investigated as an alternative because of recent declines in the number of honey bee colonies. Our objective is to model the movements of honey bees and determine the conditions under which they will forage in less favorable areas of a tree and its surroundings when other pollinators are present. We hypothesize that foraging in less favorable areas leads to increased movement between trees and increased cross pollination between varieties which is required for successful nut production. We use the Shigesada–Kawasaki–Teramoto model (1979) which describes the density of two species in a two-dimensional environment of variable favorableness with respect to intrinsic diffusions and intra and interspecific interactions of species. The model is applied to almond pollination by honey bees and other pollinators with environmental favorableness based on the distribution of flowers in trees. Using the spectral-Galerkin method in a rectangular domain, we numerically approximated the two-dimensional nonlinear parabolic partial differential system arising in the model. When cross-diffusion or interspecific effects of other pollinators was high, honey bees foraged in less favorable areas of the tree. In the model, high cross-diffusion also resulted in increased activity in honey bees which manifested itself in the field in terms of accelerations, decelerations, and changes in direction, indicating rapid redistribution of densities to an equilibrium state. Empirical analysis of the number of honey bees and other visitors in 2-min intervals to almond trees shows a negative relationship, indicating cross-diffusion effects in nature with the potential to increase movement to a different tree with a more favorable environment, potentially increasing nut production.
Characterization of the active site of homogeneous thyroid purine nucleoside phosphorylase

Abstract Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (purine-nucleoside : orthophosphate ribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.1) has been purified approx. 4000-fold and to electrophoretic homogeneity from bovine thyroid glands. The isolated enzyme has a specific activity of 17 μmol · min−1 · mg−1. The native enzyme appears to have a molecular weight of 92 000 as determined by sedimentation equilibrum ultra-centrifugation and is comprised of three subunits having a molecular weight of 31 000 each as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. The enzyme is irreversibly denatured below pH 5 and the enzyme-substrate complex is shown to have an ionization constant (pKa) of 9.2 which influences catalytic activity. The pH dependence of the kinetic constants identifies three amino acid ionizable protons. The binding of inosine is effected by an imidazole ring of histidine (pKa 5.65) and a sulfhydryl group of cysteine (pKa 8.5) and the maximal velocity is restricted by an e-amino group which is essential for phosphate binding. The requirement of these residues for activity was confirmed by group-specific chemical modification. The presence of phosphate protected only the lysyl residue while inosine protected all three residues from chemical titration. A model is proposed for the catalytic mechanism of purine nucleoside phosphorylase.
Electrical characterization of semi-insulating metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy GaAs grown by controlled oxygen incorporation

Semi-insulating GaAs layers were produced by low pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) through the intentional incorporation of oxygen. A commercially available oxygen precursor, diethyl aluminum ethoxide (DEALO, (C 2 H 5 ) 2 AlOC 2 H 5 ), was used as the oxygen source. Bulk resistivity of the oxygen-doped GaAs (GaAs: O) was determined by current-voltage (I-V) measurement on n-i-n mesa structure. Resistivities greater than 6 × 10 9 Ω cm at 297.5 K have been achieved. Constant capacitance values obtained from steady state capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements on the n-i-n structure indicate a very low net free carrier concentration in GaAs: O. Activation energy deduced from temperature-dependent resistivity measurement was found to be concentration-dependent. A second-order power law dependence of resistivity on DEALO mole fraction was observed. These observations coincide with the highly non-linear oxygen incorporation behavior using DEALO as the oxygen precursor
A new ab initio potential energy surface describing acetylene/vinylidene isomerization

Abstract A new potential energy surface for C 2 H 2 that describes acetylene/vinylidene isomerization is reported. The surface is an accurate, least-squares fit to nearly 10,000 symmetry-equivalent, ab initio electronic calculations obtained at the CCSD(T) level of theory, with an aug-cc-pVTZ basis. The ab initio geometries and normal-mode frequencies of the acetylene and vinylidene minima, and saddle point are reproduced very well by the fitted potential energy surface. Full-dimensional calculations of low-lying acetylene vibrational energies are also reported and compared to experiment.
Myocardial adaptation during acute hibernation: mechanisms of phosphocreatine recovery

Objectives: Acute hibernation, defined as a prolonged period of moderately reduced oxygen supply and stable haemodynamic function, results in metabolic adaptation characterised primarily by an increase in phosphocreatine. The mechanism of this increase in phosphocreatine is unknown, but has been postulated to result from either an increase in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production or a decrease in ATP utilisation under conditions of constant myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2). These experiments were performed to test the hypotheses that (1) acute hibernation could be modelled in an isolated perfused rat heart exhibiting metabolic adaptation: and (2) recovery of phosphocreatine could be explained by alterations in relative creatine kinase flux during hibernation. Methods: Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used in an isolated, perfused rat heart model of acute hibernation to determine the changes in metabolites and creatine kinase kinetics. A flow reduction from 12.5 to 5.4 ml·min−1 was employed for two hours, followed by reperfusion. Results: Reduction of flow resulted in a stable 44% reduction in rate-pressure product. Phosphocreatine had a significant decrease of 9% within the first 15 minutes of ischaemia, but recovered to control values by the end of ischaemia. ATP and [ADP], although unchanged in the early phase of ischaemia, were progressively reduced during the later phase of ischaemia. Intracellular pH fell from 6.99(0.04) to 6.92(0.03) after 15 minutes of ischaemia with little recovery. Saturation transfer measurements showed stability of the forward flux in the creatine kinase reaction during ischaemia. but a progressive reduction in the calculated reverse flux. Conclusions: These data show that acute hibernation can be modelled in an isolated perfused heart, exhibiting recovery of phosphocreatine despite progressive reductions in ATP. Metabolic changes during acute hibernation have a phasic response characterised by an early ischaemic phase and a later adaptive phase. There is a time related change in measured creatine kinase flux, consistent with a differential change in either ATP production via an increase in MB creatine kinase isoenzyme or a shift in the activity of mitochondrial v cytosolic creatine kinase, a reduction in ATP utilisation via increased efficiency of ATP utilisation at the myofibril, or a changing contribution of glycolytically produced ATP. Cardiovascular Research 1993; 27 :2044-2051
Paraelectric resonance of annealed KCl:KOH crystals

Abstract Paraelectric resonance is used to study the tunneling behavior of OH − in both as-grown and annealed KCl crystals. The differences observed between the two types of crystals indicate that internal stresses broaden the resonance lines, and in as-grown crystals internal stresses displace the energy levels within the lowest manifold of tunneling states.
A refined model of the metal surface and its interaction with gases in the field ion microscope

Abstract A molecular orbital model of the metal surface has been used for the description of the field ionization process. Field ion images are interpreted as projections of regions where the fully occupied orbitals of inert image gas atoms can easily overlap with the partially occupied single or hybridized orbitals of the surface metal atoms. Regional brightness, zone decoration, and the influence of chemisorbed gas are discussed in terms of this model.
The privatization of public interest: theorizing NGO discourse in a neoliberal era

This paper examines recent policy discussions on non-governmental organiz­ations (NGOs) and their central role in the democratization of civil society. The author argues that the policy debate on NGOs exemplifies the conflict between liberalism and socialism, or more specifically between private interest and public good. The contemporary context of neoliberal economic policies and structural adjustment represents a vindication of liberal norms, and the ascendancy of NGOs is theorized in this context. An analysis of recent policy positions on NGOs and their role in promoting governance and development is illustrative of the complex ways in which NGOs, at local and international levels, are being incorporated into the neoliberal model of civil society.
Visual Maps: To Merge or Not To Merge

A recent study of a child born with one cerebral hemisphere has revealed an extreme developmental reorganization of visual cortex. Self-organizing visual maps demonstrate a surprisingly flexible restructuring in response to cortical loss.
Bicultural oscillation as a long-term adaptation to cultural frontiers: Cases and questions

Comparison of two nomadic peoples, one pastoral, the other food-collecting, reveals that rapid bicultural oscillation of both is an adaptation to their multizoned environments. One may speak of their being flexible in the face of temporally variable environmental hazards and opportunities. For each people, the more nomadic of their two cultures is associated with norms of propriety, the more sedentary one entails what Freilich calls “smart norms.” It is argued that this complementation gives both cultures continuing appeal, thereby facilitating rapid change. A major difference between decisionmaking mechanisms in the two cases underscores that we treat a system type in a very abstract sense. Other, possibly similar cases are noted from ethnographic literature. A formal theory is put forward concerning the tendency of people under certain conditions to develop oscillating biculturalism. Such rapidly oscillating systems are proposed to have a biological analogue in versatile acclimatizers.
Adult-Onset Acid Maltase Deficiency: Case Report of an Adult with Severe Respiratory Difficulty

Pompe's disease (acid maltase deficiency) classically affects infants and children, with a few sporadic cases occurring in adults. An adult patient initially have progressive muscular weakness, exertional dyspnea, diaphragmatic paralysis, and objective evidence of restrictive respiratory disease. Muscle biopsy established the diagnosis of acid maltase deficiency. The patient's brother had died at the age of 44 years, after 23 years of a "progressive muscular dystrophy." Acid maltase deficiency should be considered in the differential diagnosis of progressive respiratory insufficiency associated with weakness.
Software Review: Crime Analysis and Mapping with GeoDa 0.9.5-i

As a Windows-based application, GeoDa 0.9.5-i is now much more user-friendly compared to its predecessor, the SpaceStat package and its Arc View Extension, DynESDA. GeoDa provides some very useful tools for doing exploratory spatial data analysis, including dynamically linked windows and data brushing. As a stand-alone program, it has a variety of options for data manipulation and transformation, mapping, exploratory spatial data analysis, spatial weights construction, descriptive statistics, spatial autocorrelation statistics, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression with spatial diagnostics, and spatial regression modeling.
Varenicline and its role in smoking cessation.

Varenicline is a partial agonist of α4β2 nicotinic receptors. It was recently approved for smoking cessation in the United States. It is administered at a dosage of 0.5 mg once a day for an initial period of 3 days followed by 0.5 mg twice a day for the next 4 days. Following this, the drug is administered at a dosage of 1.0 mg twice a day. The total duration of therapy is 12 weeks. Common adverse effects include nausea, headache, and insomnia. Recent studies show that varenicline is almost twice as effective as bupropion SR in smoking cessation. Given the increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity secondary to smoking, especially in the elderly, varenicline is a major therapeutic tool in the fight against smoking.
Assessment of ischemia reperfusion injury in skeletal muscle by macromolecular clearance.

Abstract Qualitative changes in skeletal muscle injury after ischemia are well known; however, quantitative assessments have not been well documented. We have determined microvascular permeability changes by measuring the clearance of fluorescein-labeled dextran of MW 150,000 (FITC-Dextran-150). The cremaster muscle of anesthetized rats was fashioned as a single layer, splayed on a lucite chamber and suffused with bicarbonate buffer solution at 35°C. Clearance is the product of suffusion rate times the ratio of suffusate to plasma concentrations of FITC-Dx 150. After a 1-hr period of baseline data collection, ischemia was produced by cross-clamping the cremasteric vascular pedicle for periods of 30 min and 2 hr in separate experiments. Clearance of FITC-Dx 150 increased from a control value (mean ± SE) of 8.3 ± 2.7 to 29.9 ± 8.1 μl/min/g after reperfusion following a 30-min period of ischemia, and from a control value of 36.2 ± 13.6 to 274 ± 94.5 after 2 hr of ischemia. The differences were statistically significant ( P
Coherent and Differential ICI Cancellation for Mobile OFDM with Application to DVB-H

We develop a reduced-complexity hybrid frequency/time-domain orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) channel estimation algorithm for high-mobility scenarios where the channel varies significantly within each OFDM block, resulting in severe intercarrier interference (ICI). The algorithm exploits the banded and symmetric structure of the channel matrix in the frequency domain and its sparse structure in the time-domain to achieve significant complexity reductions, which we quantify for the Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) system. Furthermore, we compare coherent and differential mobile OFDM detection for DVB-H.
Overexpression of the A1 adenosine receptor in adipose tissue protects mice from obesity-related insulin resistance.

Summary In-vitro studies have implicated the A1 adenosine receptor (A1AR) of adipocytes in inhibition of lipolysis, stimulation of lipogenesis and enhancement of the action of insulin on glucose metabolism. To determine whether any of these activities were physiologically relevant in an intact animal, A1AR was overexpressed in adipose tissue of transgenic mice. Lower plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels were observed in the transgenic mice relative to the litter-matched controls, supporting a significant physiological role for adipocyte A1AR in the control of lipolysis. However, no differences were observed in body weights or body composition. On a high fat diet, both the transgenic mice and the litter matched controls, male and female, became equally obese. Unlike the control mice, however, the transgenic mice did not develop insulin resistance, as demonstrated by serum glucose and insulin levels and glucose and insulin tolerance tests. These findings demonstrate that adipocyte A1AR plays an important physiological role in the control of insulin sensitivity in an intact animal and therefore should be considered to be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity-related insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Music Education and Mentoring as Intervention for At-Risk Urban Adolescents: Their Self-Perceptions, Opinions, and Attitudes

This study describes the role and importance of music education as intervention for at-risk urban adolescents through participation in performance groups while receiving mentoring. Students' self-perceptions over six domains, including musical competency, were measured by scales administered pretest and posttest. Opinions and attitudes of students were gathered in structured interviews and coded for themes. Results showed a significant increase in the students' self-perception of musical competence. A change from a moderate positive relationship to a low positive relationship between perceived musical competency and global self-worth indicated that musical participation in students' lives was domain-specific, related to global self-worth, but not synonymous with it. Students ranking music as important in their lives increased from 76% to 82% over the course of the study. Interviews resulting in 101 themes provided evidence of the importance and role of music, music education, and the music teacher as ment...
Drug-Induced Glomerular Disease: Attention Required!

Drugs and toxins frequently are associated with the development of various types of acute kidney disease and CKD. Although medications are a widely known cause of tubulointerstitial damage, drug-related glomerular injury is not well appreciated but nonetheless, important. Glomerular damage that occurs after exposure to medications can be caused by direct cellular injury involving the mesangial, endothelial, or visceral epithelial cells (podocytes). Examples include nodular glomerulosclerosis associated with smoking and endothelial injury with thrombotic microangiopathy from a number of medications. Podocyte injury with the development of a minimal change or FSGS lesion has also been described with various medications. Glomerulopathies may also be associated with drug-induced immune-mediated processes. Through various pathways, drugs may promote the formation of a number of antibodies, which may, ultimately, affect the glomerulus. Examples include lupus-like renal lesions and ANCA-related pauci-immune vasculitis. It is critical to recognize these conditions early, because in many patients, there is improvement in renal parameters on stopping the offending medication.
Glycemic control during pancreas transplantation: continous infusion versus bolus.

Pancreas transplantation is a method to restore endogenous insulin secretion in insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Because glycemia >150 mg/dL may harm pancreatic graft beta cells, early glucose control using insulin administration is recommended during transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of strict glycemic control during pancreas transplantation by comparing two types of insulin and glucose administration: continuous infusion and bolus. Capillary glucose was measured every 30 minutes after anesthetic induction for pancreas transplantation alone or simultaneously with kidney transplantation. Intravenous regular insulin was administered for values >150 mg/dL or glucose for values <100 mg/dL. The following timepoints were evaluated: anesthetic induction, before pancreatic graft reperfusion, and the first 4 minutes after reperfusion. Pancreatic graft ischemia time was significantly lower in the bolus group (P < .02). Immediately after reperfusion, there was a small increase in glycemia with a decrease in subsequent measurements in both groups. No significant difference in glycemia was observed between the groups at any time. Induction values were greater than all other timepoints in both groups. Glycemic control is important; it was successfully obtained with both methods. The trend to decrease glucose after reperfusion suggest early graft function.
Measurement and analysis of student engagement in university classes where varying levels of PBL methods of instruction are in use

Students participate more in a classroom and also report a better understanding of course concepts when steps are taken to actively engage them. The Student Engagement (SE) Survey was developed and used in this study for measuring student engagement at the class level and consisted of 14 questions adapted from the original National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) survey. The adapted survey examined levels of student engagement in 56 classes at an upper mid‐western university in the USA. Campus‐wide faculty members participated in a program for training them in innovative teaching methods including problem‐based learning (PBL). Results of this study typically showed a higher engagement in higher‐level classes and also those classes with fewer students. In addition, the level of engagement was typically higher in those classrooms with more PBL.
Single sample extraction protocol for the quantification of NAD and NADH redox states in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A robust redox extraction protocol for quantitative and reproducible metabolite isolation and recovery has been developed for simultaneous measurement of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and its reduced form, NADH, from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Following culture in liquid media, yeast cells were harvested by centrifugation and then lysed under nonoxidizing conditions by bead blasting in ice-cold, nitrogen-saturated 50 mM ammonium acetate. To enable protein denaturation, ice cold nitrogen-saturated CH(3)CN/50 mM ammonium acetate (3:1 v/v) was added to the cell lysates. Chloroform extractions were performed on supernatants to remove organic solvent. Samples were lyophilized and resuspended in 50 mM ammonium acetate. NAD and NADH were separated by HPLC and quantified using UV-Vis absorbance detection. NAD and NADH levels were evaluated in yeast grown under normal (2% glucose) and calorie restricted (0.5% glucose) conditions. Results demonstrate that it is possible to perform a single preparation to reliably and robustly quantitate both NAD and NADH contents in the same sample. Robustness of the protocol suggests it will be (i) applicable to quantification of these metabolites in other cell cultures; and (ii) amenable to isotope labeling strategies to determine the relative contribution of specific metabolic pathways to total NAD and NADH levels in cell cultures.
A Newtonian metaphor for organizational change

A Newtonian metaphor for describing the effect of a radical change stimulus on the productive ability of work groups is presented in this paper. The impact of a downsizing process on a Fortune 500 company was modeled in terms of its effect on employee perceptions of their work context and their capacity for doing productive work. Also investigated was the extent to which downsizing led to entropy (disorder) or negentropy (order) as employees revised their work schemas. The results indicate that a mechanistic shift in information processing perceptions and a decline in capacity to maintain effective work behaviors occurred as a result of the downsizing. An interesting finding was that the magnitude of this productivity decline depended only on the initial and terminal information processing perceptions of the managers and not their intermediate perceptions, suggesting that the managers' perceptual state demonstrated the open systems property of equifinality. >
Synthesis of sFlt-1 by platelet-monocyte aggregates contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia

Objective Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) is an important mediator in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. We sought to determine whether platelet-monocyte aggregates (PMAs) produced sFlt-1 and whether PMAs contributed to sFlt-1 production in preeclampsia. Study Design This was a case-control study of sFlt-1 release from PMAs using blood samples from women with preeclampsia matched by gestational age to pregnant controls. A third group of nonpregnant, reproductive-age women comprised an additional control group. Experiments were also performed using blood from nonpregnant women to elucidate whether inducing PMAs could stimulate sFlt-1 production and, if so, to determine the necessary receptors and pathways. Results Women with preeclampsia had increased total Flt-1 concentrations in platelets and monocytes at baseline compared with pregnant controls (25 vs 10 pg/mL, P = .0003). sFlt-1 production was elicited from monocytes incubated with thrombin-activated platelets from nonpregnant women. sFlt-1 production was regulated at the transcriptional level by p38 and nuclear factor-κB–dependent pathways. Conclusion Activated platelets in preeclampsia bind monocytes to generate sFlt-1. PMAs are a previously unrecognized source of sFlt-1 that may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation commonly observed in preeclampsia.
The magnetic field dependence of proton spin relaxation in tissues.

The magnetic field dependence of water-proton relaxation is reported for a simple protein solution, a cross-linked protein solution, and a series of rat tissues, fresh, dried and rehydrated. The shape of the magnetic field dependence associated with water proton relaxation in tissues is accounted for by magnetic dipole-dipole interactions between the mobile water spins and the immobile spin populations of the nonrotating components of the tissue coupling the behavior of the immobilized spin system to that of the mobile water spin system. The effect of this coupling is to impart the field dependence of the relaxation associated with the immobilized spin population to that of the mobile water spins that are observed in most relaxation and imaging experiments. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
Association between cocaine abuse in pregnancy and placenta-associated syndromes using propensity score matching approach.

Abstract Aims We used propensity scores matching techniques to assess the association between maternal cocaine abuse in pregnancy and the occurrence of placenta-associated syndromes (PAS). Study design Mothers who abused cocaine (n=5026) were matched to controls (n=5026) from a sample of 1,693,197, unexposed mothers in Florida from 1998 to 2007. Cocaine abuse was identified using the ICD-9 principal and secondary diagnosis codes (304.2 for cocaine dependence and 305.6 for cocaine abuse). The outcome of interest, PAS, was identified as any indication in diagnosis field of ICD-9-CM codes for: placental abruption (641.2), oligohydramnios (658.0), placental infarction (656.7, 656.8, 656.9), gestational hypertension (642.3, 642.9), preeclampsia (642.4, 642.5, and 642.7) or eclampsia (642.6). Results Nearly 6% of mothers in the study sample experienced a condition associated with PAS prior to matching. Women who abused cocaine were 58% more likely to have PAS when compared to women who did not (OR=1.48, 95% confidence interval: 1.33, 1.66). Women who abused cocaine were at elevated odds for placental abruption, placenta infarction and preeclampsia with the most pronounced odds noted for placental abruption (OR=2.79, 95% confidence interval: 2.19, 3.55). Conclusions These findings indicate that cocaine abuse during pregnancy is associated with more placenta-related disorders than previously reported.
Bariatric Surgery and the Gut Hormone Response

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States and is reaching epidemic levels in many other countries. Although obesity itself can have deleterious effects, the attributed comorbidities contribute greatly to the overall health decline of affected populations. Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions. Medical, psychological, and endoscopic therapies for weight loss have been tried; however weight loss is usually only modest, with weight regain common. Bariatric surgery has been reported to be the most effective method for achieving major, long-term weight loss, with weight loss ranges of 35%-40% lasting as long as 15 years. Patients often lose weight at a rapid rate, with resolution or remission of many obesity-related comorbidities. Although the procedure itself plays a role in the weight loss after surgery, the resultant metabolic changes have been linked to alterations in the gut hormones. Although these changes have been the focus of much research, they are not completely understood. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this conflicting data. The hindgut hypothesis suggests that the quick transit of nutrients to the distal bowel improves glucose metabolism by stimulating secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 and other appetite-suppressing gut peptides. The foregut hypothesis suggests that there is a yet unknown factor that promotes insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further research is essential and could lead to less invasive therapies with fewer complications and side effects than bariatric surgery.
CONTRIBUTION TO REFRACTIVE INDEX AND ABBE VALUE OF OXIDE COMPONENTS IN GLASS

A plot is given showing the relationship between the refractive index, n, and the Abbe value, v, for many oxide components forming constituents of a glass, particularly of the silicate type. The n and v values were derived previously by various authors. A comparison is also given of the refractive indices of borate, silicate, germanate, and phosphate glasses.
Acheulian Occupation Sites in the Middle East and Africa: A Study in Cultural Variability

on the living sites and on the prehistorian's ability, aided by his colleagues in the natural and social sciences, to assess and interpret the significance of the evidence. The studies of distribution patterns of associated finds-artifacts, fauna, or vegetable remains-and their relationships to the natural and artificial features of the occupation site itself, are immeasureably increasing knowledge of man's capabilities and activities at this cultural level and of his relationship to the other components of the eco-system of which he formed an inseparable part. Excavations recently undertaken or in active progress in stratigraphically sealed and dated deposits have shown that, not only is it possible to find living sites that are undisturbed dating from such an early time, but that the data they preserve are both rich and startling. The recovery of total or representative occurrences now makes it possible to begin to compare significantly the various Acheulian handaxe industries of Africa with those of Europe and so to attempt to assess the degree of variability that differing ecological conditions and the limitation of technical skill permitted at this time.
Angioscope-assisted occlusion of venous tributaries with prolamine in in situ femoropopliteal bypass: Preliminary results of canine experiments

Abstract Ten mongrel dogs underwent left lower extremity in situ femoropopliteal bypass with femoral vein. A 20 to 25 cm myocutaneous bridge was left between femoral and popliteal anastomoses. A 2.8 mm angioscope was introduced intraluminally to visualize venous tributaries (VT). A balloon occlusion catheter was placed alongside the angioscope and directed in each VT. Prolamine was injected into each VT to effect occlusion. Seven dogs were followed up for 1 week and three dogs for 1 month. A total of 34 VT (range one to five per dog) were available for attempted occlusion. Twenty-nine of 84 (85%) VT were able to be occluded based on comparison of pre-VT and post-VT occlusion angiograms. Poor visualization of VT or VT too small to admit the 5F catheter were reasons for failure. We conclude that (1) in the canine model studied angioscope-assisted occlusion of femoropopliteal during bypass is technically feasible, (2) this technical detail makes unnecessary medial thigh dissection for exposure of the vein graft, and (3) during short-term observation prolamine appeared to be a suitable occluding substance. (J Vasc Surg 1989;9:704–9.)
Bayesian Image Super-Resolution

The extraction of a single high-quality image from a set of low-resolution images is an important problem which arises in fields such as remote sensing, surveillance, medical imaging and the extraction of still images from video. Typical approaches are based on the use of cross-correlation to register the images followed by the inversion of the transformation from the unknown high resolution image to the observed low resolution images, using regularization to resolve the ill-posed nature of the inversion process. In this paper we develop a Bayesian treatment of the super-resolution problem in which the likelihood function for the image registration parameters is based on a marginalization over the unknown high-re solution image. This approach allows us to estimate the unknown point spread function, and is rendered tractable through the introduction of a Gaussian process prior over images. Results indicate a significant improvement over techniques based on MAP (maximum a-posteriori) point optimization of the high resolution image and associated registration parameters.
Self-ascription, Self-knowledge, and the Memory Argument

is tendentious. (Throughout this paper I shall refer to this claim as ‘the central assumption.’) Since I will be hanging much on a somewhat nonstandard take on the self-knowledge debate, I will review the debate with an eye towards motivating the central assumption; in the section that follows I reconstruct an argument whose point (I claim) is to challenge that assumption. Many people worry about the compatibility of the following two claims: