cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Thresholds Obtained With the Radioear B-71 and B-81 Bone-Conduction Transducers.

OBJECTIVES A new bone conduction transducer, the Radioear B-81, has been designed to be an improvement over the commonly used transducer, the Radioear B-71. Reference Equivalent Threshold Force Levels (RETFLs) were obtained with the new Radioear B-81. DESIGN Thresholds were obtained in accordance with ANSI-S3.6-2018 (Annex D) and participants were selected as prescribed in ISO 389.9-2009. Thresholds were obtained with automatic audiometry using circumaural earphones (Radioear DD450) and forehead placement of the bone vibrators. RESULTS Mean bone conduction thresholds obtained using the B-81 and B-71 bone oscillators for frequencies from 250 to 4000 Hz were not statistically different. RETFLs for the B-81 are identical to the values in ANSI S3.6-2018 for the B-71 bone vibrator. Air-bone gaps were observed for both transducers at low frequencies (250 and 500 Hz) due to occlusion effects produced by the circumaural earphone and at high frequencies (3000 and 4000 Hz), previously reported in several studies that used standard RETFLs. Test-retest differences for air conduction thresholds were analyzed and the results are presented in the Appendix A (Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/EANDH/A639). CONCLUSIONS RETFLs in ANSI S3.6-2018 and ISO 389.3-2016 are appropriate for use with the B-81 bone vibrator.
Insurance against Long-Run Volatility Risk: Demand, Supply, and Pricing

Despite its importance implied in asset pricing and macroeconomic models, insurance against long-run volatility risk has received little empirical documentation regarding its demand, supply, or pricing. This paper bridges the gap. First, I show that households have directly purchased large quantities of insurance against long- run volatility risk through the minimum return guarantees available in variable annuities, a form of retail retirement and savings product offered by life insurance companies. Total net assets with such insurance grew from zero when the guarantees were first introduced in the early 2000s to close to $1 trillion in 2015. To supply the guarantees to households, life insurance companies hedged themselves with large quantities of long-maturity (> 5Y) options and variance swaps, which led to a sharp increase in the prices of these long-term volatility assets: the ten- year implied volatility increased from 20.0% before 2000 to 27.3% afterwards while the short-term counterpart (VIX) has remained unchanged (from 19.2% to 19.7%). Insurers’ hedging activities therefore explain the significant steepening of volatility term structure in the early 2000s. Relative to the price they paid on hedging, how- ever, the price that life insurance companies charged on the guarantees was much lower, at 15.2% implied volatility prior to the Great Recession. I show evidence of extensive product-cross subsidization – under-pricing of guarantees was used to induce sales and lock in customers that would be subject to over-priced base fees and mutual fund expenses.
Understanding the Impact of Rainfall on Diarrhea: Testing the Concentration-Dilution Hypothesis Using a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Projected increases in extreme weather may change relationships between rain-related climate exposures and diarrheal disease. Whether rainfall increases or decreases diarrhea rates is u...
Hydrocyclones as cell retention devices for an N-1 perfusion bioreactor linked to a continuous-flow stirred tank production bioreactor

A continuous Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell culture process comprised of a highly proliferative N-1 perfusion bioreactor utilizing a hydrocyclone as a cell retention device linked to a production continuous-flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is presented. The overflow stream from the hydrocyclone, which is only partially depleted of cells, provides a continuous source of high viability cells from the N-1 perfusion bioreactor to the 5-20 times larger CSTR. Under steady-state conditions, this linked-bioreactor system achieved a peak volumetric productivity of 0.96 g/L/day, twofold higher than the optimized fed-batch process. The linked bioreactor system using a hydrocyclone was also shown to be 1.8-3.1 times more productive than a dual, cascading CSTR system without cell retention.
Nascent RNA sequencing defines dynamic aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling responses to wood smoke particles

Transcriptional responses to wildfire smoke, an increasingly important cause of human morbidity, are poorly understood. Here, using a combination of precision nuclear run-on sequencing (PRO-seq) and the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq), we identify rapid and dynamic changes in transcription and chromatin structure in Beas-2B airway epithelial cells after exposure to wood smoke particles (WSP). By comparing 30 and 120 minutes of WSP exposure, we defined three distinct temporal patterns of transcriptional induction and chromatin responses to WSP. Whereas transcription of canonical targets of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), such as CYP1A1 and AHRR, was robustly increased after 30 minutes of WSP exposure, transcription of these genes and associated enhancers returned to near baseline at 120 minutes. ChIP-qPCR assays and AHR knockdown confirmed a role for AHR in regulating these transcriptional responses, and we applied bioinformatics approaches to identify novel AHR-regulated pathways and targets including the DNA methyltransferase, DNMT3L, and its interacting factor, SPOCD1. Our analysis also defined a role for NFkB as a primary transcriptional effector of WSP-induced changes in gene expression. The kinetics of AHR- and NFkB-regulated responses to WSP were distinguishable based on the timing of both transcriptional responses and chromatin remodeling, with induction of several cytokines implicated in maintaining the NFkB response. In aggregate, our data establish a direct and primary role for AHR in mediating airway epithelial responses to WSP and identify crosstalk between AHR and NFkB signaling in controlling pro-inflammatory gene expression.
Identifying Topics and Trends in the Study of Common-Pool Resources Using Natural Language Processing

The rapid growth of the literature on the commons poses an immense challenge for the synthesis and advancement of knowledge. While it may have been reasonable for previous generations of scholars to keep up to date with a literature adding thirty to fifty papers each year, there are now hundreds of papers on the commons published each year in addition to those that might be relevant to researchers on the basis of particular sectors, methods, disciplines or theories. This paper exploits recent advances in natural language processing to identify topics and trends in the literature on the commons over the past thirty years using a dynamic topic model. The results highlight the centrality of key themes concerning resources, property rights and local management, alongside growing interest in the topics of conservation and local management. The results also demonstrate the diversity of the field with topics ranging from forests, fisheries and land to urban areas and software. Overall the dynamic topic model appears to provide a useful approach for synthesizing high-level features of the literature.
The Balkan War in Epirus: Religious Identity and the Continuity of Conflict

The scholarship about the Balkan Wars is a vast corpus that has expanded our knowledge of war experiences, violence, ethnic cleansing, state building, and has stressed the conflict as a point of ru...
Why the 1955 Austrian State Treaty Bans U-Boats

Why the 1955 Austrian State Treaty that restored Austria’s sovereignty to its landlocked 1938 borders also bans it from deploying submarines is a foreign policy puzzle submerged in a political joke...
Cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive surgery for women with ovarian masses

Objectives: For women with suspicious ovarian cysts of varying risk of malignancy, treatment often involves minimally invasive surgery (MIS). While there are a number of benefits to MIS, there is an increased risk of ovarian capsule rupture during the procedure compared to laparotomy. Capsule rupture has the potential to seed the abdominal cavity with malignant cells. This upstaging is associated with a 10-15% decrease in progression free survival. As the utilization of MIS has increased, there has been a corresponding increase in capsule rupture. We developed a decision model to compare the risks, benefits and effectiveness of MIS versus laparotomy in women with ovarian masses. Methods: A decision model was created to simulate the clinical trajectory of a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 women aged 45 years with ovarian masses concerning for malignancy who were undergoing surgical management. The initial decision point in the model was performance of surgery via laparotomy or an MIS approach. The second node was whether the cyst ruptured intra-operatively. The base case analysis estimated outcomes if the risk of malignancy was 5%. Based on population data, the risk of rupture was 21% for those undergoing laparotomy versus 26% in those who underwent MIS. Model probabilities, costs and utility values were derived with assumptions drawn from published literature and administrative data sources. The effectiveness was calculated in terms of average quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. The primary outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), expressed in 2018 US dollars/QALYs. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed to vary the assumptions across a range of plausible values. Results: MIS was the least costly strategy at $6,350, compared to a cost of $13,892 for laparotomy. In our hypothetical cohort, there were 64 cases of ovarian rupture in the MIS group and 53 in the open group (Table 1). There were 26 cancer related deaths in the MIS group and 25 in the laparotomy group. MIS was more effective than laparotomy (188,462 QALYs for MIS versus 187,631 QALYs for open) and MIS was cost-effective with an ICER of $-81,025/QALYs compared to laparotomy. In one-way sensitivity analyses, the probability of cancer and risk of rupture did not substantially impact the cost-effectiveness. Download : Download high-res image (50KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: MIS constitutes cost-effective management strategy for women with suspicious ovarian masses even though it is associated with both an increased risk of cyst rupture and death from ovarian cancer.
Patrons, Landscape, and Potlatch: Early Medieval Linear Earthworks in Britain and Bulgaria

Often seen as exceptional monuments, comparative analyses of linear earthworks are rare. Exploring Offa’s Dyke (Wales and England) and the Erkesiya (Bulgaria) as comparable expressions of authority in the early medieval landscape. This article is a revised and updated republication of an early study (Squatriti 2001), arguing that both linear monuments represent strategies to not only reflect, but actively create, royal power.
Chinese Grand Strategy

The rise of China from a poor, isolated country to a prosperous and powerful one in forty years’ time is one of the most interesting and impactful phenomena in international relations. China’s grand strategy has evolved over time from strategies of survival under Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping to regaining its standing as a major power under Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and now Xi Jinping. Xi’s China has been particularly proactive about building Chinese economic, military, and political power and explicit about leveraging it to become a global power and dominant power in Asia. In addition to external threats and opportunities, domestic factors also shape the contours of Chinese grand strategy. Debates about Chinese intentions, in particular towards international institutions and military expansion, colour perspectives on the potential impact of Chinese grand strategy and the degree to which other countries should attempt to undermine it. These topics—the evolution of Chinese grand strategy, its drivers, and its implications—are the subject of this chapter.
Integrating Data, Performing Quality Assurance, and Validating the Vehicle Model for the 2004 Prius Using PSAT

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), working with the FreedomCAR Partnership, maintains the hybrid vehicle simulation software, Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit (PSAT). The importance of component models and the complexity involved in setting up optimized control laws require validation of the models and control strategies. Using its Advanced Powertrain Research Facilities (APRF), ANL thoroughly tested the 2004 Toyota Prius to validate the PSAT drivetrain. In this paper, we will first describe the methodology used to quality check test data. Then, we will explain the validation process leading to the simulated vehicle control strategy tuning, which is based on the analysis of the differences between test and simulation. Finally, we will demonstrate the validation of PSAT Prius component models and control strategy, using APRF vehicle test data.
Developmental Morphology and Life Cycles of the Microsporidia

This chapter reviews the morphological features and development of the microsporidia. The general life cycle pattern of the microsporidia can be divided into three phases: the infective or environmental phase, the proliferative phase, and the sporogony or spore forming phase. The chapter discusses the host-parasite interface during parasite development. Microsporidia with host-produced interfacial envelopes are those that are separated from the hyaloplasm by host-produced membranes during proliferation through spore formation. Microsporidia having indirect contact between host- and parasite-produced interfacial envelopes are separated from the hyaloplasm by membranes and/or secretions produced by both the host and the parasite. The proliferative phase has been referred to as schizogonic and merogonic by some authors, however, different authors have assigned different types of nuclear activity to the terms merogony and schizogony with respect to the microsporidia. Recognizing the diversity of polaroplast morphology and organization in various species of microsporidia, Larsson described five types of polaroplast structural arrangements. In addition to environmental spores, some microsporidia produce autoinfective spores which become activated and germinate within the same host in which they were just produced. A few microsporidia of the genus Amblyospora have two host cycles with morphologically different spores in each and different development in the males and females of the same host species.
Abstract 11302: Sevoflurane Pre-Conditioning Effectively Ameliorates Diabetic Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Differential Regulation of p38 and ERK

Diabetes (DB) significantly exacerbates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Unfortunately, conventional pre-conditioning (PreCon) provides diminished cardioprotection during DB, due partially to impaired AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling. The current study investigated whether PreCon by inhaled anesthetic sevoflurane (SF-PreCon) remains protective in DB, and if so, to dissect the involved mechanisms. Non-diabetic (ND) or high-fat diet-induced DB mice were subjected to MI/R and randomized into control and SF-PreCon (3 cycles of 15 minute-exposures to 2% sevoflurane prior to MI) groups. As expected, SF-PreCon significantly reduced MI/R injury in ND mice. Importantly, SF-PreCon also significantly reduced MI/R injury in DB mice, as evidenced by reduced apoptosis (-23.1±1.6, P
Validation of the only commercially available immunoassay for synthetic cathinones in urine: Randox Drugs of Abuse V Biochip Array Technology

Deterrence of synthetic cathinone abuse is hampered by the lack of a high-throughput immunoassay screen. The Randox Drugs of Abuse V (DOA-V) Biochip Array Technology contains two synthetic cathinone antibodies: Bath Salt I (BSI) targets mephedrone/methcathinone and Bath Salt II (BSII) targets 3',4'-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV)/3',4'-methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone (MDPBP). We evaluated DOA-V synthetic cathinones performance and conducted a full validation on the original assay with calibrators reconstituted in water, and the new assay with calibrators prepared in lyophilized urine; both utilized the same antibodies and were run on the fully automated Evidence® Analyzer. We screened 20 017 authentic military urine specimens and confirmed positives by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for 28 synthetic cathinones. Limits of detection (LOD) for the original and new assays were 0.35 and 0.18 (BSI), and 8.5 and 9.2 µg/L (BSII), respectively. Linearity was acceptable (R(2) >0.98); however, a large negative bias was observed with in-house prepared calibrators. Intra-assay imprecision was <20% BSI-II, while inter-assay imprecision was 18-42% BSI and <22% BSII. Precision was acceptable for Randox controls. Cross-reactivities of many additional synthetic cathinones were determined. Authentic drug-free negative urine pH <4 produced false positive results for BSI (6.3 µg/L) and BSII (473 µg/L). Oxidizing agents reduced BSI and increased BSII results. Sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency of 100%, 52.1%, and 53.0% were obtained at manufacturer's proposed cut-offs (BSI 5 µg/L, BSII 30 µg/L). Performance improved if cut-off concentrations increased (BSI 7.5 µg/L, BSII 40 µg/L); however, there were limited confirmed positive specimens. Currently, this is the first and only fully validated immunoassay for preliminary detection of synthetic cathinones in urine. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Occipital Nerve Block

As with all interventional procedures, a thorough and in-depth understanding of the relevant anatomy is an absolute a priori requirement to both successful neural blockade and minimization of potentially deleterious consequences. Unfortunately, despite the common frequency with which this block is internationally performed, there exists no standardized protocol for performing the procedure in either daily clinical practices or peer-reviewed medical literature.
Chemical Basis of Trotter-Suzuki Errors in Quantum Chemistry Simulation

Although the simulation of quantum chemistry is one of the most anticipated applications of quantum computing, the scaling of known upper bounds on the complexity of these algorithms is daunting. Prior work has bounded errors due to discretization of the time evolution (known as ``Trotterization'') in terms of the norm of the error operator and analyzed scaling with respect to the number of spin orbitals. However, we find that these error bounds can be loose by up to 16 orders of magnitude for some molecules. Furthermore, numerical results for small systems fail to reveal any clear correlation between ground-state error and number of spin orbitals. We instead argue that chemical properties, such as the maximum nuclear charge in a molecule and the filling fraction of orbitals, can be decisive for determining the cost of a quantum simulation. Our analysis motivates several strategies to use classical processing to further reduce the required Trotter step size and estimate the necessary number of steps, without requiring additional quantum resources. Finally, we demonstrate improved methods for state preparation techniques which are asymptotically superior to proposals in the simulation literature.
Oasis culturales en la antigua california : las bibliotecas de las misiones de baja california en 1773

El desarrollo de tipos moviles fundidos de metal a mediados del siglo XVI, permitio el aumento de la produccion de libros, a la vez que se redujo su costo, y asi se amplio la divulgacion de conocimientos y la formacion de bibliotecas. Permitio, pues, las posibilidades del alfabetismo universal en el Occidente. La produccion, en numero de titulos, de la imprenta occidental por siglos ha sido calculada en 42 000 durante el siglo XVII; y 1 839 960 durante el siglo XVIII.
Long‐term outcomes of BRCA1/BRCA2 testing: risk reduction and surveillance

The increasing use of BRCA1/2 testing will impact public health only if receipt of a positive test result leads to increased use of breast and ovarian cancer risk reduction strategies. Among mutation carriers, risk reducing mastectomy (RRM) reduces breast cancer risk by about 90%1–4 and risk reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRBSO) reduces ovarian cancer risk by 85–90% and breast cancer risk by about 50% if performed premenopausally.5,6 Additionally, RRBSO has been demonstrated to reduce all-cause and cancer-specific mortality in carriers.7 The efficacy of other risk management options such as chemoprevention8 and breast and ovarian cancer screening are under investigation. To date, there have been no U.S. studies to prospectively evaluate the full spectrum of long-term risk management decisions and predictors of these decisions among women undergoing BRCA1/2 testing.
Understanding frameworks by exploration of exemplars

A framework is designed to cover a family of applications or subsystems in a given domain and is typically delivered as a collection of interdependent abstract classes, together with their concrete subclasses. The abstract classes and their interdependencies describe the architecture of the framework. Developing a new application reusing classes of a framework requires a thorough understanding of the framework architecture. We introduce the notion of an exemplar for documenting framework, and propose exploration of exemplars as a means for architecture understanding. An exemplar is a executable visual model consisting of instances of concrete classes together with explicit representation of their collaborations. For each abstract class in the framework, at least one of its concrete subclasses must be instantiated in the exemplar. Model level exploration of exemplars is unique among the prevalent approaches to framework based development; existing approaches still emphasize different class browsing and retrieval technologies, active cookbooks, or code tracing. >
Sharing of Data as It Relates to Human Subjects Issues and Data Management Plans

Researchers often wish to make knowledge publicly available, especially through publication, but may not wish to share their raw data. Human Subjects offices (IRBs) sometimes wish to keep all information private or even to have raw data destroyed. Funding agencies may hope for the data they finance collection of to be made publicly available to increase its impact. These motivations often conflict. This paper discusses how current Human Subjects regulations impact sharing of corpus data among researchers, how funding agencies influence this, and how researchers react to these forces. The paper also discusses potential future changes to the current outcomes, through changes to Human Subjects Protection regulations and changes to funding agency requirements on data sharing.
What does it mean to be literate in the age of Google

What does it mean to be literate at a time when you can search over billions of texts in less than 300 milliseconds? Although you might think that "literacy" is one of the great constants that transcends the ages, the skills of a literate person have changed substantially over time as texts and technology allow for new kinds of reading and understanding. Knowing how to read is just the beginning of it--knowing how to frame a question, pose a query, how to interpret the texts that you find, understand the information in context, how to organize and use the information you discover, how to understand your metacognition--these are all critical parts of being literate as well. In this talk I'll review what literacy is today, in the age of Google, and show how some very surprising and unexpected skills will turn out to be critical in the years ahead.
Syntheses and reactions of dinuclear μ-methylthiolate organometallic complexes☆

Products from reactions between [CpM(CO)2]2 (M = Fe, Ru) and [Me2SSMe]BF4 depend on the ratio of reactants, reaction time, and solvent. Two organometallic products, [Cp2M2(CO)4(μ-SMe)]BF4 and [CpM(CO)2(SMe2)]BF4 are generally formed. A proposed mechanism for this reaction involves initial addition of an SMe+ group of the bimetallic complex, followed by displacement of a CpM(CO)2 moiety by L (L = Me2S, CpM(CO)2SMe, or solvent). The reaction of [Me2SSMe]BF4 with a mixture of [CpFe(CO)2]2 and [MeCpFe(CO)2]2, which gives a statistical mixture of the possible thiolate-bridged species, is accommodated by this mechanism. Alternative syntheses of [cp2M2(CO)4(μ-SMe)]BF4 (cpM = CpFe, MeCpFe, CpRu) and [CpFe(CO)2(μ-SMe)M(CO)2cp]BF4 from [CpFe(CO)2(THF)]BF4 and cpM(CO)2SMe (cpM = MeCpFe, CpRu) provided pure samples of the thiolate-bridged complexes. Photolyses of these complexes result in formation of [CpFe(CO)(μ-SR)(μ-CO)M(CO)Cp]BF4 (M = Fe, Ru).
Inferring gene regulatory networks by thermodynamic modeling

To date, the reconstruction of gene regulatory networks from gene expression data has primarily relied on the correlation between the expression of transcription regulators and that of target genes. We developed a network reconstruction method based on quantities that are closely related to the biophysical properties of TF-TF interaction, TF-DNA binding and transcriptional activation and repression. The Network-Identifier method utilized a thermodynamic model for gene regulation to infer regulatory relationships from multiple time course gene expression datasets. Applied to five datasets of differentiating embryonic stem cells, Network-Identifier identified a gene regulatory network among 87 transcription regulator genes. This network suggests that Oct4, Sox2 and Klf4 indirectly repress lineage specific differentiation genes by activating transcriptional repressors of Ctbp2, Rest and Mtf2.
Control methods and the performance of the robotic testing system for human musculoskeletal joints.

Biomechanical testing of human musculoskeletal joints not only requires qualified testing machines and devices, but also needs an excellent control method to obtain better experimental results. In this paper, we take the human functional spinal unit (FSU) as an example to study how to improve the performance of the robotic testing system. First, the mechanical characteristics of FSU are described and the simplified model (rigid body–spring system) for the specimen is given. Because the location of the center of rotation (COR) of the specimen affects the performance of the system, a comprehensive analysis on the location of COR is carried out. The performance of the robotic testing system can also be improved through the improvement of the control method. Two control methods have been proposed in this paper: one is the improved hybrid control, the other is fuzzy logic control.
On the existence of certain solutions of a nonlinear differential equation

Die Differentialgleichung $$\frac{{d^2 \vartheta }}{{dt^2 }} + \alpha \frac{{d\vartheta }}{{dt}} + \sin \vartheta = \beta ,$$ wo α und β positive Grossen sind, kommt in der Elektrotechnik bei der Beschreibung der Schwingungen einer Synchronmaschine vor. Setzt many=dϑ/dt, so erhalt mandy/dt=β− sin ϑ−αy, und aus diesen zwei Gleichungen folgt $$\frac{{dy}}{{d\vartheta }} = \frac{{\beta - \sin \vartheta - \alpha y}}{y}.$$ Man beweist: Ist β α M , wo $$\alpha _M = \frac{{(3\pi - 4\vartheta _0 )\beta + 2(1 - \cos \vartheta _0 )}}{{\pi (\pi - 2\vartheta _0 )}},\sin \vartheta _0 = \beta , 0< \vartheta _0< \frac{\pi }{2}$$ sind, so existieren keine Losungen $$\bar y(\vartheta )$$ der vorigen Differentialgleichung mit den Eigenschaften $$(I) \bar y(\vartheta ) \mathbin{\lower.3ex\hbox{$\buildrel>\over{\smash{\scriptstyle=}\vphantom{_x}}$}} 0, und (II) \bar y(\vartheta ) = \bar y(\vartheta + 2\pi )$$ fur jedes ϑ. Ferner wird gezeigt, dass der Wert α M kleiner ist als der vonF. Tricomi undL. Amerio angegebene.
A new adhesion assay using buoyancy to remove non-adherent cells

Abstract A new adhesion assay was developed that utilizes buoyancy, rather than washing or centrifugation, to remove non-adherent cells. Biotinylated cells were added to wells containing cell monolayers or purified protein substrates. Non-adherent cells were then removed by floatation on a dense Percoll solution. The adherent cells were fixed tightly to the plate with a Percoll/glutaraldehyde fixative and quantitated by streptavidin: horseradish peroxidase chemistry. In a side-by-side comparison of buoyancy and washing assays, the buoyancy method detected B16F10 binding to purified fibronectin at a 4-fold lower fibronectin concentration and human umbilical vein endothelia cell (HUVEC) binding to laminin at a 10-fold lower laminin concentration than did washing assays. In cell to cell adhesion assays, the buoyancy method was able to detect significantly greater binding of mononuclear leukocytes and KM12-L4 colon carcinoma cells to IL-1β treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The binding of human promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells to control and IL-1β treated HUVEC was the same (approximately 60%) with the buoyancy method, while a washing assay demonstrated 8-fold higher binding (51% vs. 6%) of HL60 on IL-1β treated cells. The buoyancy assay is useful for detecting weak cell to protein adhesion and may be useful for detecting cell to cell adhesion when background binding is sufficiently low.
Composition gradients and segregation in Hg1−xMnxTe

Abstract We have studied the growth of Hg 1− x Mn x Te crystals, using both vertical Bridgman and vertical gradient freeze techniques. Due to the disparity between the size and weight of the mercury and manganese ions, the segregation of Mn in HgTe is quite large. This segregation can lead to large changes in the composition of the material along the length of the ingot. We have found that both the size of these composition gradients and the fraction of the ingot affected are closely related to the speed with which the melt is solidified, but only slightly related to the growth technique used. These results agree with earlier work on the Hg 1− x Cd x Te system, and tend to indicate that the crystallography of the two systems are quite similar.
Course and Outcome of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Children and Adolescents. 1043

During the summer of 1994, we performed a follow-up study of 42 of 58 children and adolescents seen in a chronic fatigue program to determine the course and outcome of their illness. Telephone interviews were conducted with 39 mothers and 3 young adult patients; of the remaining families, 8 did not respond to the phone messages, 3 had moved, and 5 did not wish to participate. Of the 42 pts, 3 were first seen during the 1989-90 school year, 5 in 1990-91, 12 in 1991-92, 12 in 1992-93, and 10 in 1993-94. At time of presentation, they were mean age 15.1 yrs (range 10-21), 73% female, 95% white and ill a mean of 10.1 (range 1-36) mos. On f/u evaluation, 43% of pts were considered“cured”, 52% “improved”, and 5% “same”. Demographic and clinical data did not differ between those who did or did not participate in the follow-up study. Pts reported to be doing well “most of the time” progressed from the first visit as follows:Table
Substance P in the cerebral vasculature: depletion by capsaicin suggests a sensory role

Abstract Measurements of substance P immunoreactivity confirms the presence of substance P-containing nerve fibers within the wall of cerebral blood vessels of guinea pigs, cats and rabbits. Low levels of somatostatin were also found in cerebral arteries of cats and rabbits. After treatment of guinea pigs with capsaicin, substance P levels in the cerebral circulation were markedly reduced, as was substance P in the mesenteric artery. Depletion of substance P by capsaicin suggests that cerebral arteries are innervated by primary afferent neurons, with a possible role in headache or reaction to trauma.
Attenuated ΔguaBA Salmonella typhi Vaccine Strain CVD 915 as a Live Vector Utilizing Prokaryotic or Eukaryotic Expression Systems to Deliver Foreign Antigens and Elicit Immune Responses

Attenuated Salmonella typhi strain CVD 915, harboring a deletion in guaBA that interrupts the biosynthesis of guanine nucleotides, was evaluated as a live vector vaccine for delivering foreign antigens utilizing prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression systems. Plasmids pTETnir15 and pcDNA3tetC encoding fragment C (Frag C) of tetanus toxin under the control of prokaryotic or eukaryotic promoters, respectively, were introduced into CVD 915 and administered intranasally to mice. Purified pcDNA3tetC and Frag C were given intramuscularly. High titers of serum IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b antibodies against Frag C were elicited by CVD 915(pTETnir15) and CVD 915(pcDNA3tetC). These responses were significantly higher than those induced by pcDNA3tetC. Proliferative responses and IL-2 and IFN-gamma production were observed in splenocytes exposed to S. typhi antigens and Frag C. We conclude that CVD 915 is a highly efficient live vector to carry foreign genes under eukaryotic or prokaryotic control and elicit potent immune responses.
Di(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)methanone oxime and 5,5′-(hydrazonomethylene)bis(1H-tetrazole) and their salts: a family of highly useful new tetrazoles and energetic materials

A family of new nitrogen-rich energetic tetrazoles, di(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)methanone oxime and 5,5′-(hydrazonomethylene)bis(1H-tetrazole), was synthesized in very good yields from inexpensive starting materials. These tetrazoles have excellent thermal stabilities and very high nitrogen content as well as very acceptable impact and friction sensitivities and were employed as precursors to nitrogen-rich energetic salts. The hydrazinium and hydroxyl ammonium salts of 5,5′-(hydrazonomethylene)bis(1H-tetrazole) exhibit excellent detonation velocities (9050 m s−1 and 8839 m s−1, respectively) as well as very good detonation pressures and thermal stabilities. The new compounds may have the potential to replace current nitrogen-rich energetic materials.
A constrained pseudo-newton control strategy for nonlinear systems

Abstract The duality of control theory and the theory on the solution of operator equations has been exploited to develop a nonlinear control law. The control law is developed by analogy to Newton's method and several related properties are shown. To handle the state and control variable constraints, the method is generalized to include a successive quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm. Stability properties for this algorithm have been studied. It was found that with large enough but finite sampling time, systems that are open-loop asymptotically stable in the large can approach the setpoint monotonically. Simulation results of two example problems demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Inherently Conservative Nonpolynomial-Based Remapping Schemes: Application to Semi-Lagrangian Transport

Abstract A group of new conservative remapping schemes based on nonpolynomial approximations is proposed. The remapping schemes rely on the conservative cascade scheme (CCS), which employs an efficient sequence of 1D remapping operations to solve a multidimensional problem. The present study adapts three new nonpolynomial-based reconstructions of subgrid variation to the CCS: the Piecewise Hyperbolic Method (PHM), the Piecewise Double Hyperbolic Method (PDHM), and the Piecewise Rational Method (PRM) for comparison with the baseline method: the Piecewise Parabolic Method (PPM). Additionally, an adaptive hybrid approximation scheme, PPM-Hybrid (PPM-H), is constructed using monotonic PPM for smooth data and local extrema and using PHM for steep jumps where PPM typically suffers large accuracy degradation because of its original monotonic filter. Smooth and nonsmooth data profiles are transported in 1D, 2D Cartesian, and 2D spherical frameworks under uniform advection, solid-body rotation, and deformational f...
Biosynthesis and release of neurophysin.

In vivo labeling of protein of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial tract was accomplished by slow infusion of 35S-cysteine into the third ventricle of dehydrated dogs. In shortterm experiments hypothalamo-median eminence tissue was found to contain labeled protein which possessed chemical and serological properties very similar to those of bovine neurophysin. The subcellular distribution of this material paralleled the distribution of vasopressin. When the animals were permitted to survive 10–21 days with free access to water, labeled neurophysin was found in their posterior pituitary glands. When hemilobes of these glands were incubated in vitro and challenged with elevated K+, there occurred a simultaneous increase in the release of radioactive vasopressin and neurophysin into the incubation medium compared with the amounts released during incubation in media containing either low K+ or high K+ in the presence of Mg++. Some evidence was also obtained for simultaneous release in vivo of hormone and carrier ...
Superior power density solid oxide fuel cells by enlarging the three-phase boundary region of a NiO-Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 composite anode through optimized surface structure.

In an effort to boost the power densities of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at intermediate temperatures (600–750 °C), novel powder synthesis methods have been studied with the goal of increasing the three-phase boundary region of the anode. Porous anodes composed of Ni and Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 (GDC) cermet are commonly studied in SOFCs, but the cell performance is limited by their dependency on the three-phase boundaries at which the electrochemical oxidation reaction takes place. This paper presents a remarkable improvement in the electrochemical performance through a significant enlargement of the three-phase boundary region by an optimization of the surface structure. The strategy starts with the premise that the oxide powder particles in aqueous solution carry a positive or negative electrical charge depending upon the pH of the solution, and the charge can be exploited to attach chelated metal ions to their surface, extending the three-phase boundary region. This modified NiO–GDC composite powder resulted in not only an extension of both electronic and O2− ionic conduction pathways, but also a suppression of grain growth in the anode during the process of cell fabrication. As the final outcome, the modified Ni–GDC anode-supported cells show far superior power densities (1.85 W cm−2 at 750 °C and 0.83 W cm−2 at 600 °C) in H2 compared to the conventional Ni–GDC anode-supported cells (0.61 W cm−2 at 750 °C and 0.26 W cm−2 at 600 °C).
Direct Monte Carlo simulation of chemical reaction systems: a Lindemann—Christiansen unimolecular reaction

Abstract We report a direct Monte Carlo simulation of a Lindemann—Christiansen unimolecular reaction system. The simulation is carried out at the molecular level and includes energy transfer among reactants and products as well as the reaction steps. The usual differential equations of chemical kinetics are eliminated. Under conditions leading to a nearly thermal distribution of reactant collisions the observed rates of reaction match those predicted by conventional analysis. The calculations are relatively simple and computation requirements are reasonably low.
Proteomic identification and quantification of S-glutathionylation in mouse macrophages using resin-assisted enrichment and isobaric labeling

S-Glutathionylation (SSG) is an important regulatory posttranslational modification on protein cysteine (Cys) thiols, yet the role of specific cysteine residues as targets of modification is poorly understood. We report a novel quantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic method for site-specific identification and quantification of S-glutathionylation across different conditions. Briefly, this approach consists of initial blocking of free thiols by alkylation, selective reduction of glutathionylated thiols, and covalent capture of reduced thiols using thiol affinity resins, followed by on-resin tryptic digestion and isobaric labeling with iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) for MS-based identification and quantification. The overall approach was initially validated by application to RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages treated with different doses of diamide to induce glutathionylation. A total of 1071 Cys sites from 690 proteins were identified in response to diamide treatment, with ~90% of the sites displaying >2-fold increases in SSG modification compared to controls. This approach was extended to identify potential SSG-modified Cys sites in response to H2O2, an endogenous oxidant produced by activated macrophages and many pathophysiological stimuli. The results revealed 364 Cys sites from 265 proteins that were sensitive to S-glutathionylation in response to H2O2 treatment, thus providing a database of proteins and Cys sites susceptible to this modification under oxidative stress. Functional analysis revealed that the most significantly enriched molecular function categories for proteins sensitive to SSG modifications were free radical scavenging and cell death/survival. Overall the results demonstrate that our approach is effective for site-specific identification and quantification of SSG-modified proteins. The analytical strategy also provides a unique approach to determining the major pathways and cellular processes most susceptible to S-glutathionylation under stress conditions.
Individualized behavior therapy for alcoholics

A behavior therapy for alcoholism was designed based on the rationale that alcoholic drinking is a discriminated, operant response. Treatment emphasized determining setting events for each subject's drinking and training equally effective alternative responses to those situations. Seventy male, hospitalized, Gamma alcoholics were assigned to a treatment goal of either nondrinking ( N =30) or controlled drinking ( N =40). Subjects of each group were then randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving 17 behavioral treatment sessions or a control group receiving only conventional treatment. Treatment of experimental groups differed only in drinking behaviors allowed during sessions and electric shock avoidance schedules. Nondrinker experimental subjects shaped to abstinence, while controlled drinker experimental subjects practiced appropriate drinking behaviors with little shaping, a result attributed to instructions. Follow-up measuring drinking and other behaviors found that experimental subjects functioned significantly better after discharge than control subjects, regardless of treatment goal. Successful experimental subjects could apply treatment principles to setting events not considered during treatment, suggesting the occurrence of rule learning. Results are discussed as evidence that some “alcoholics” can acquire and maintain controlled drinking behaviors. Tra ditional treatment of alcoholics may be handicapped by unvalidated beliefs concerning the nature of the disorder.
pH-dependent formation of lipid heterogeneities controls surface topography and binding reactivity in functionalized bilayers.

During direct cell-to-cell communication, lipids on the extracellular side of plasma membranes reorganize, and membrane-associated communication-related molecules colocalize. At colocalization sites, sometimes identified as rafts, the local cell surface topography and reactivity are altered. The processes regulating these changes are largely unknown. On model lipid membranes, study of simplified processes that control surface topography and reactivity may potentially contribute to the understanding and control of related cell functions and associated diseases. Integration of these processes on nanometer-sized lipid vesicles used as drug delivery carriers would precisely control their interactions with diseased cells minimizing toxicities. Here we design such basic pH-dependent processes on model functionalized lipid bilayers, and we demonstrate reversible sharp changes in binding reactivity within a narrow pH window. Cholesterol enables tuning of the membrane reorganization to occur at pH values not necessarily close to the reported pk a 's of the constituent titratable lipids, and bilayer reorganization over repeated cycles of induced pH changes exhibits hysteresis.
An empirical testing of user stereotypes of information retrieval systems

Stereotyping is a technique used in many information systems to represent user groups and/or to generate initial individual user models. However, there has been a lack of evidence on the accuracy of their use in representing users. We propose a formal evaluation method to test the accuracy or homogeneity of the stereotypes that are based on users' explicit characteristics. Using the method, the results of an empirical testing on 11 common user stereotypes of information retrieval (IR) systems are reported. The participants' memberships in the stereotypes were predicted using discriminant analysis, based on their IR knowledge. The actual membership and the predicted membership of each stereotype were compared. The data show that "librarians/IR professionals" is an accurate stereotype in representing its members, while some others, such as "undergraduate students" and "social sciences/humanities" users, are not accurate stereotypes. The data also demonstrate that based on the user's IR knowledge a stereotype can be made more accurate or homogeneous. The results show the promise that our method can help better detect the differences among stereotype members, and help with better stereotype design and user modeling. We assume that accurate stereotypes have better performance in user modeling and thus the system performance.Limitations and future directions of the study are discussed.
The initial impact of Medicare's new prospective payment system for kidney dialysis.

Background Medicare implemented a new prospective payment system (PPS) on January 1, 2011. This PPS covers an expanded bundle of services, including services previously paid on a fee-for-service basis. The objectives of the new PPS include more efficient decisions about treatment service combinations and modality choice. Methods Primary data for this study are Medicare claims files for all dialysis patients for whom Medicare is the primary payer. We compare use of key injectable medications under the bundled PPS to use when those drugs were separately billable and examine variability across providers. We also compare each patient's dialysis modality before and after the PPS. Results Use of relatively expensive drugs, including erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, declined substantially after institution of the new PPS, whereas use of iron products, often therapeutic substitutes for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, increased. Less expensive vitamin D products were substituted for more expensive types. Drug spending overall decreased by ∼$25 per session, or about 5 times the mandated reduction in the base payment rate of ∼$5. Use of peritoneal dialysis increased in 2011 after being nearly flat in the years prior to the PPS, with the increase concentrated in patients in their first or second year of dialysis. Home hemodialysis continued to increase as a percentage of total dialysis services, but at a rate similar to the pre-PPS trend. Conclusion The expanded bundle dialysis PPS provided incentives for the use of lower cost therapies. These incentives seem to have motivated dialysis providers to move toward lower cost methods of care in both their use of drugs and choice of modalities.