cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoabsorption cross section of barium from 237.9 to 120 nm.

The relative photoabsorption cross section of barium in the spectral range from the ionization limit at 237.9 to 120 nm has been measured and the results of previous measurements extending to 170 nm confirmed. The cross section is found to rise slowly at wavelengths shorter than 130 nm and to decrease in the region between 140 and 130 nm.
Environmental Risk Factors and Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has long been described as a disease of "unknown etiology," one "suspected" of having developmental origination. In our review, we explore the emergence of schizophrenia and its origins. Our findings are presented sequentially across development, beginning with an examination of risk factors related to exposures or conditions of parents prior to conception. A major example of this category is advanced paternal age, a well-replicated risk factor for schizophrenia. We next consider prenatal development, and focus on the period between conception and birth. A discussion of in utero exposures to infectious agents, nutritional deprivation, and chemical exposures is included. The final developmental stage surveyed is the postnatal period, and those events or exposures, including obstetric complications at birth and exposure to trauma, which can be further divided into perinatal and later exposures. Throughout the review, we discuss the relevance of these factors to neurodevelopment, the strength o...
Optimizing a Linear Algorithm for Real-Time Robotic Control using Chronic Cortical Ensemble Recordings in Monkeys

Previous work in our laboratory has demonstrated that a simple linear model can be used to translate cortical neuronal activity into real-time motor control commands that allow a robot arm to mimic the intended hand movements of trained primates. Here, we describe the results of a comprehensive analysis of the contribution of single cortical neurons to this linear model. Key to the operation of this model was the observation that a large percentage of cortical neurons located in both frontal and parietal cortical areas are tuned for hand position. In most neurons, hand position tuning was time-dependent, varying continuously during a 1-sec period before hand movement onset. The relevance of this physiological finding was demonstrated by showing that maximum contribution of individual neurons to the linear model was only achieved when optimal parameters for the impulse response functions describing time-varying neuronal position tuning were selected. Optimal parameters included impulse response functions with 1.0- to 1.4-sec time length and 50- to 100-msec bins. Although reliable generalization and long-term predictions (60–90 min) could be achieved after 10-min training sessions, we noticed that the model performance degraded over long periods. Part of this degradation was accounted by the observation that neuronal position tuning varied significantly throughout the duration (60–90 min) of a recording session. Altogether, these results indicate that the experimental paradigm described here may be useful not only to investigate aspects of neural population coding, but it may also provide a test bed for the development of clinically useful cortical prosthetic devices aimed at restoring motor functions in severely paralyzed patients.
Domain analysis of supervillin, an F-actin bundling plasma membrane protein with functional nuclear localization signals

A growing number of actin-associated membrane proteins have been implicated in motile processes, adhesive interactions, and signal transduction to the cell nucleus. We report here that supervillin, an F-actin binding protein originally isolated from bovine neutrophil plasma membranes, contains functional nuclear targeting signals and localizes at or near vinculin-containing focal adhesion plaques in COS7-2 and CV1 cells. Overexpression of fulllength supervillin in these cells disrupts the integrity of focal adhesion plaques and results in increased levels of Factin and vinculin. Localization studies of chimeric proteins containing supervillin sequences fused with the enhanced green fluorescent protein indicate that: (1) the amino terminus promotes F-actin binding, targeting to focal adhesions, and limited nuclear localization; (2) the dominant nuclear targeting signal is in the center of the protein; and (3) the carboxy-terminal villin/gelsolin homology domain of supervillin does not, by itself, bind tightly to the actin cytoskeleton in vivo. Overexpression of chimeras containing both the amino-terminal F-actin binding site(s) and the dominant nuclear targeting signal results in the formation of large nuclear bundles containing F-actin, supervillin, and lamin. These results suggest that supervillin may contribute to cytoarchitecture in the nucleus, as well as at the plasma membrane. SUMMARY
POPULATION-DENSITY STUDIES ON COOL-SEASON TURFGRASSES GROWN IN A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE

Five cool-season turf grass mixtures were grown under two culling heights and two nitrogen levels. Turfs were sampled for population density each spring and fall for a three-year period, using the core-sampling method. Densities of all declined steadily throughout the period in all treatments. With one exception, populations of any one species were at the same low level at the end of the study, regardless of the treatment.
X-ray characterization of GaN single crystal layers grown by the ammonothermal technique on HVPE GaN seeds and by the sublimation technique on sapphire seeds

Single crystal GaN substrates are a more reliable, efficient and low cost alternative to sapphire and SiC substrates that are currently being used for developing nitride based devices such as LEDs, high power FETs and laser diodes. GaN growth by two techniques are investigated here. In ammonothermal growth (analogous to hydrothermal growth which is commonly used for quartz), using potassium and lithium amide as mineralizers and GaN powders and vapor grown polycrystals as nutrients, thick GaN single crystal layers have been grown on both faces of (0001) HVPE GaN seeds in nickel based autoclaves. In GaN sublimation growth, Ga is transported under a temperature gradient in an ammonia atmosphere from a GaN powder source to the sapphire substrate which has a 3-6 micron GaN epilayer deposited on it. Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) was initially used to image the defect structures in the layers. High resolution x-ray diffraction experiments were also carried out and reciprocal space maps were recorded from the grown GaN layers. Characterization results will be discussed with respect to the growth conditions.
Medication use during pregnancy

Evaluating risk is an ongoing challenge Medication use during pregnancy is remarkably common. In the linked paper in this issue (doi:10.1136/bmj.g5159), Bech and colleagues assess the risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth after antiepileptic drug use during pregnancy, utilizing national health registers in Denmark from 1997 to 2008.1 The findings are largely reassuring, but studying the effects of drug use in pregnancy is always a challenge and confident conclusions about safety are rarely possible. Estimates of prescription drug use including vitamins and minerals during the first trimester have ranged from 33% to 69% in developed countries.2 The average number of over the counter and prescription drugs used by pregnant women in the United States increased from 2.5 in 1976-78 to 4.2 in 2006-08.3 And yet the quantity and quality of information about the risk to the fetus of medication use during pregnancy remains poor. A review of 172 medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2010 found that for 97.7% the teratogenic risk in human pregnancy was undetermined; for 73.3% there were no available data about the risk in pregnancy.4 However, because many pregnancies occur unintentionally, women who take medications can be exposed in …
Lion and man with visibility in monotone polygons

In the original version of the lion and man game, a lion tries to capture a man who is trying to escape in a circular arena. The players have equal speeds. They can observe each other at all times. We study a new variant of the game in which the lion has only line-of-sight visibility. That is it can observe the man's position only if the line segment connecting them does not intersect the boundary. We show that despite this limitation, the lion can capture the man in any monotone polygon in finite time.
High-Frequency Plasmid Transduction by Lactobacillus gasseri Bacteriophage φadh

Abstract The temperate bacteriophage adh mediates plasmid DNA transduction in Lactobacillus gasseri ADH at frequencies in the range of 10-8 to 10-10 transductants per PFU. BglII-generated DNA fragments from phage adh were cloned into the BclI site of the transducible plasmid vector pGK12 (4.4 kb). Phage adh lysates induced from Lactobacillus lysogens harboring pGK12 or the recombinant plasmids were used to transduce strain ADH to chloramphenicol resistance. The transduction frequencies of recombinant plasmids were 102- to 105-fold higher than that of native pGK12. The increase in frequency generally correlated with the extent of DNA-DNA homology between plasmid and phage DNAs. The highest transduction frequency was obtained with plasmid pTRK170 (6.6 kb), a pGK12 derivative containing the 1.4- and 0.8-kb BglII DNA fragments of adh. DNA hybridization analysis of pTRK170-transducing phage particles revealed that pTRK170 had integrated into the adh genome, suggesting that recombination between homologous sequences present in phage and plasmid DNAs was responsible for the formation of high-frequency transducing phage particles. Plasmid DNA analysis of 13 transductants containing pTRK170 showed that each had acquired intact plasmids, indicating that in the process of transduction a further recombination step was involved in the resolution of plasmid DNA monomers from the recombinant pTRK170::adh molecule. In addition to strain ADH, pTRK170 could be transduced via adh to eight different L. gasseri strains, including the neotype strain, F. Gasser 63 AM (ATCC 33323).
Design of experiments approach to gradient estimation and its application to CMOS circuit stochastic optimization

A method using orthogonal array (OA)-based design of experiments is applied to screening and stochastic gradient evaluation for a generalized yield/Taguchi 'loss' function and a general CMOS statistical model. In comparison with the Taguchi approach, the method does not require 'inner' and 'outer' table combinations. The method is shown to be much more efficient than an equivalent Monte Carlo approach on a practical CMOS circuit design example. >
Developing and assessing a force and motion learning progression

Learning progressions are ordered descriptions of students' understanding of a given concept. In this paper, we describe the iterative process of developing a force and motion learning progression and associated assessment items. We report on a pair of studies designed to explore the diagnosis of students' learning progression levels. First, we compare the use of ordered multiple-choice (OMC) and open-ended (OE) items for assessing students relative to the learning progression. OMC items appear to provide more precise diagnoses of students' learning progression levels and to be more valid, eliciting students' conceptions more similarly to cognitive interviews. Second, we explore evidence bearing on two challenges concerning reliability and validity of level diagnoses: the consistency with which students respond to items set in different contexts and the ways in which students interpret and use language in responding to items. As predicted, students do not respond consistently to similar problems set in different contexts. Although the language used in OMC items generally seems to reflect student thinking, misinterpretation of the language in items may lead to inaccurate diagnoses for a subset of students. Both issues are less problematic for classroom applications than for use of learning progressions in large-scale testing. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed93: 389–421, 2009
New Insights into S-nitrosylation in Multiple Sclerosis

S-nitrosylation is a biologically relevant post-translational protein modification with signaling consequence. In eukaryotes, a large number of proteins have been identified as S-nitrosylation targets. Derangement in protein S-nitrosylation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of different disease entities including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). A growing body of evidence has shown that Nitric oxide (NO) plays a critical role in MS. NO and other reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are involved in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in MS. Signaling by RNS is carried out mainly by S-nitrosylation of critical cysteine residues in targeted proteins. In recent years, newer roles in MS have been attributed to RNS. These roles relate to S-nitrosylation of cysteines in proteins which has emerged as a potential new paradigm in signal transduction and regulation of protein function. In the present review we discuss the evidence for the diverse roles of S-nitrosylation in MS, including nitrosative stress-induced gene expression in MS, and S-nitrosylation of transcription factors in MS. In addition, S-nitrosylation can be therapeutically used in MS. Recent studies providing evidence for SNO-based therapy strategy in the treatment of MS will also be discussed. Undoubtedly, new exciting results will contribute to the expanding area of MS research.
Surface hydrolysis of poly(glycolic acid) meshes increases the seeding density of vascular smooth muscle cells

A procedure for surface hydrolysis of poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) meshes was developed to increase cell seeding density and improve attachment of vascular smooth muscle cells. Hydrolysis of PGA in 1N NaOH transformed ester groups on the surface of PGA fibers to carboxylic acid and hydroxyl groups. After hydrolysis, the polymer scaffold retained its original gross appearance and dimensions while the fiber diameter decreased. A plot of fiber diameter versus the hydrolysis time showed a linear relationship, with a rate of decrease in fiber diameter of 0.65 microm/min. The molecular weight and thermal properties of the polymer did not change significantly following surface hydrolysis. In cell seeding experiments, surface-hydrolyzed mesh was seeded with more than twice as many cells as unmodified PGA mesh. Vascular smooth muscle cells attached to the surface-hydrolyzed PGA mesh both as individual cells and as cell aggregates while only cell aggregates were observed on the unmodified mesh. Control experiments indicated that adsorption of serum proteins onto the surface-hydrolyzed PGA fibers was correlated with the increase in cell seeding density. These results demonstrate that optimization of biomaterial-cell interactions provides a strategy for increasing the initial cell seeding density for the engineering of tissues of high cell density.
TGF-β2 reduces nitric oxide synthase mRNA through a ROCK-dependent pathway in airway epithelial cells

Exhaled NO (eNO) is a potential noninvasive biomarker of inflammation in asthma. The significant intersubject variability of eNO within clinically similar patients has contributed to its limited cl...
Nonlinear tissue characterization with intravascular ultrasound harmonic imaging

Current intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) techniques of tissue characterization are morphology based, a characterization based on surface echogenicity and spectral parameters from the fundamental imaging alone. Complex harmonic signals develop as a result of heterogeneous composition of nonlinear tissue such as calcified lipids, not easily characterized in the fundamental mode. Tissue harmonic imaging (THI) offers substantial advantages such as nonlinear information, better lateral resolution, higher contrast resolution, low near field spatial variation and decreased sidelobes. The objective is to enhance tissue characterization with the extent of tissue nonlinearity for a better diagnosis.
Newborn Chemical Exposure from Over-the-Counter Skin Care Products

Human exposure to potentially toxic environmental chemicals is major concern to our society. Over-the-counter (OTC) skin care products are a potential source of environmental chemical exposure to newborns. A prospective study was undertaken to define existing newborn bathing practices and quantitate environmental chemical exposure from OTC skin care products. One hundred-ninety six mothers of infants discharged from our newborn nursery were asked to respond to a questionnaire concerning newborn bathing practices and OTC skin care product usage. Complete questionnaires were returned by 23% of the mothers. The average newborn had 8 ± 3 (± SEM) skin care products applied with the resultant exposure to 48 ± 18 different environmental chemicals. Forty-seven percent of our respondents used a baby powder. The average one month old was bathed 4 times a week and was shampooed 3 times weekly. Seventy-eight percent of the respondents reported that their newborn had a rash but only 45% of those reporting a rash sough...
Disaggregation methods to expedite product line forecasting

This paper addresses the issue of forecasting individual items within a product line; where each line includes several independent but closely related products. The purpose of the research was to reduce the overall forecasting burden by developing and assessing schemes of disaggregating forecasts of a total product line to the related individual items. Measures were developed to determine appropriate disaggregated methodologies and to compare the forecast accuracy of individual product forecasts versus disaggregated totals. Several of the procedures used were based upon extensions of the combination of forecast research and applied to disaggregations of total forecasts of product lines. The objective was to identify situations when it was advantageous to produce disaggregated forecasts, and if advantageous, which method of disaggregation to utilize. This involved identification of the general conceptual characteristics within a set of product line data that might cause a disaggregation method to produce relatively accurate forecasts. These conceptual characteristics provided guidelines for forecasters on how to select a disaggregation method and under what conditions a particular method is applicable.
Cyanobacterial Secondary Metabolites

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are among the most primitive of organisms, having an evolutionary history spanning some four billion years. These procaryotic, photosynthetic microorganisms, which have the morphology and physiology of both bacteria and plants, are ubiquitous and adaptive to a wide variety of environments, including hot springs and polar ice caps. Although the most conspicuous species are found in freshwater and terrestrial habitats, it is estimated that the total number of autonomous marine species is more than double that of strictly terrestrial ones.
Direct 3-dimensional measurement of scapular kinematics during dynamic movements in vivo

The purpose of this study was to describe 3-dimensional scapular motion patterns during dynamic shoulder movements with the use of a direct technique. Direct measurement of active scapular motion was accomplished by insertion of 2 1.6-mm bone pins into the spine of the scapula in 8 healthy volunteers (5 men, 3 women). A small, 3dimensional motion sensor was rigidly fixed to the scapular pins. Sensors were also attached to the thoracic spine (T3) with tape and to the humerus with a specially designed cuff. During active scapular plane elevation, the scapula upwardly rotated (mean [SD] = 50° [4.8°]), tilted posteriorly around a medial-lateral axis (30° [13.0°]), and externally rotated around a vertical axis (24° [12.8°]). Lowering of the arm resulted in a reversal of these motions in a slightly different pattern. The mean ratio of glenohumeral to scapulothoracic motion was 1.7:1. Normal scapular motion consists of substantial rotations around 3 axes, not simply upward rotation. Understanding normal scapular motion may assist in the identification of abnormal motion associated with various shoulder disorders. (J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2001;10:269-77.) Proper scapular motion and stability is considered to be crucial to normal function of the shoulder. The scapula must serve as a stable base for glenohumeral function but it also must move through a substantial arc of motion. This motion is required to maintain optimal muscle length-tension relations and glenohumeral joint alignment during elevation of the arm. Because of these demands, abnormal scapular motion has been found to
An octave-range watt-level fully integrated CMOS switching power mixer array for linearization and back-off efficiency improvement

Non-constant envelope modulation schemes have become commonplace in cellular applications due to their higher spectral efficiency. Linear PAs driven by an RF transmitter are usually used to generate these signals faithfully at the expense of power efficiency. Separate processing of amplitude and phase information (e.g., EER or polar modulation) has been proposed [1] as a way of improving the system power efficiency. However, many of these schemes require an efficient high-power low-frequency supply modulator to reconstruct the amplitude information. This can be done, for instance, using a switching DC-to-DC converter with its own limitations in efficiency, bandwidth, and area that also requires an external inductor [2]. Even for an ideal supply modulator, the amplitude dynamic range of the PA itself is limited by the gate-to-drain feedthrough and its associated AM-to-AM and AM-to-PM conversion. (For example, in [3] a 10dB change in the supply results in a 5° phase shift at the output.) Although a digitally-modulated polar PA [4] has been shown as a possible solution at lower power levels, its implementation in a wideband watt-level fully-integrated CMOS PA for non-constant modulation has not yet been demonstrated.
Peripheral Effects of Iron Deficiency

• Clinical manifestations of iron deficiency were described since 1500 bc and were well known in 16th and 17th century Europe as part of the disease “chlorosis”.
New Economic Space, Policies, and Social Actors: The Development of the Kang Nam Area from an Urban Fringe to the Center of a New Economy and Relational Governance

The urban spatiality is inseparable from new industrial growth in the realm of the post-industrial cultural economy. Many empirical studies have provided cases where the amenity of urban space – access to various lifestyle, places for entertainment and socialization, and affordable residential and office spaces – functioned as an important magnet of talented people and jobs. Echoing with this line of thought, existing research on the Teheran Valley (TV, the major digital content industry cluster in Kang Nam area in Seoul, Korea), perceives the urban amenity of Kang Nam area as the main factors that gave the rise of TV, right after the 1997 financial crisis. However, this account does not adequately answer the following question: how did the Kang-Nam area successfully reinvent itself from a peripheral middle class residential area and second tier office district to the focal point of the new economy despite two severe economic downturns (the financial crisis in 1997 and the dot.com crash in early 2000s)?A historic analysis on national and metropolitan level spatial policies and the corresponding urban office market growth reveals different narratives: In an effort to facilitate the knowledge-based economy, the coalition of national and metropolitan city level governments aimed to establish the Kang-Nam area as the center for international trade, commerce, and new knowledge-based industry sectors. This political project conditioned the Kang-Nam area to grow into a major employment center and entertainment corridor which provided the stability of the local economy despite the repeated economic misfortune. However, the way the multi-level governance delivered its political goal is distinctive from explicit spatial strategies that are observed in other Asian cases. Instead of designating a ‘special zone’ where the government applies different rules of regulations on foreign direct investment, labor union, and infrastructure investment, the relocation of important government functions, schools, and promotion of office market development were deployed. This implicit and subtle approach to the selective spatial development is, I argue, the reflection of the Korean government’s conspicuous choice to reduce any social resistance toward its political project.
Conserved SecA Signal Peptide-Binding Site Revealed by Engineered Protein Chimeras and Förster Resonance Energy Transfer

Signal peptides are critical for the initiation of protein transport in bacteria by virtue of their recognition by the SecA ATPase motor protein followed by their transfer to the lateral gate region of the SecYEG protein-conducting channel complex. In this study, we have constructed and validated the use of signal peptide-attached SecA chimeras for conducting structural and functional studies on the initial step of SecA signal peptide interaction. We utilized this system to map the location and orientation of the bound alkaline phosphatase and KRRLamB signal peptides to a peptide-binding groove adjacent to the two-helix finger subdomain of SecA. These results support the existence of a single conserved SecA signal peptide-binding site that positions the signal peptide parallel to the two-helix finger subdomain of SecA, and they are also consistent with the proposed role of this subdomain in the transfer of the bound signal peptide from SecA into the protein-conducting channel of SecYEG protein. In additio...
Has the Pakistan Army Islamized? What the Data Suggest

This essay interrogates popular beliefs about Islamization of the Pakistan Army officer corps and the polity from which the army recruits. It first assembles and synthesizes the extant secondary literature on Islamization of Pakistan generally, and the army in particular. As access to the Pakistan Army diminished after 1990 when numerous U.S. sanctions on Pakistan limited defense cooperation and other forms of bilateral engagements were imposed, this secondary literature is generally truncated to 1990. To expand what is known about the Pakistan Army, this essay next presents the results of an ongoing quantitative analysis of district-level officer recruitment (and retirement data). This ecological study finds that districts that produce army officers are actually more socially liberal and urban than is commonly believed. This essay discusses the implications of the changes in the officer corps and concludes with a call for a robust research agenda on the Pakistan Army.
A two phase field model for tracking vesicle–vesicle adhesion

A multi-phase-field model for simulating the adhesion between two vesicles is constructed. Two phase field functions are introduced to simulate each of the two vesicles. An energy model is defined which accounts for the elastic bending energy of each vesicle and the contact potential energy between the two vesicles; the vesicle volume and surface area constraints are imposed using a penalty method. Numerical results are provided to verify the efficacy of our model and to provide visual illustrations of the different types of contact. The method can be adjusted to solve endocytosis problems by modifying the bending rigidity coefficients of the two elastic bending energies. The method can also be extended to simulate multi-cell adhesions, one example of which is erythrocyte rouleaux. A comparison with laboratory observations demonstrates the effectiveness of the multi-phase field approach.
Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition of Copper Films Using Borane Dimethylamine as the Reducing Co-reagent

The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Cu metal films was carried out by a two-step process with Cu(OCHMeCH2NMe2)2 and BH3(NHMe2) on Ru substrates and by a three-step process employing Cu(OCHMeCH2NMe2)2, formic acid, and BH3(NHMe2) on Pd and Pt substrates. The two-step process demonstrated self-limited ALD growth at 150 °C with Cu(OCHMeCH2NMe2)2 and BH3(NHMe2) pulse lengths of ≥3.0 and ≥1.0 s, respectively. An ALD window was observed between 130 and 160 °C, with a growth rate of about 0.13 A/cycle. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed rough Cu films that likely originate from the Cu nanoparticle seed layer. The Cu films exhibited poor electrical conductivity because of their nanoparticulate natures. The three-step process showed self-limited ALD growth on Pd and Pt at 150 °C with Cu(OCHMeCH2NMe2)2, formic acid, and BH3(NHMe2) pulse lengths of ≥3.0, ≥ 0.3, and ≥1.0 s, respectively. ALD windows were observed between 135 and 165 °C on both Pd and Pt, with growth rates o...
O-077 Measurement Of Respiratory Mechanics And Thoracoabdominal Asynchrony Indicies In Neonates By Respiratory Inductance Plethysmography During Non-invasive Ventilation

Background Measurement of respiratory mechanics during non-invasive ventilation (NIV) precludes use of the traditional airway flow sensor. Increasing use of NIV in premature infants necessitated novel instrumentation for measuring airflow without interfering with the nasal/oral interface. Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP), in addition to providing chest wall motion analysis, may be used for volume and airflow measurements when properly calibrated. Objective To develop an efficient RIP calibration technique to allow bedside measurement of respiratory mechanics and to validate it’s accuracy against traditional pneumotachometer (PNT) measurements while simultaneously computing thoracoabdominal asynchrony indices in premature infants. Design/methods RIP ribcage and abdominal signals were recorded simultaneously with facemask PNT signals. RIP was calibrated by qualitative diagnostic calibration and multiple linear regression algorithms on artefact-free breaths with amplitudes within the mean±1SD. A sequence of optimising iterations for computer breath selection produced best-fit regression coefficients with the PNT flow. Transpulmonary pressure was measured by esophageal catheter. Lung compliance and airway resistance were computed by a least mean square technique. Ribcage to abdominal phase angle (phi), Laboured breathing index (LBI), and phase relation in total breath (PhRTB) were computed from analysis of RIP ribcage and abdomen excursions. Validation measurements were performed on 18 infants of 28–35wks GA. Results Correlation coefficients for compliance and resistance by PNT vs. RIP were r 2 =0.9737 and 0.8980 respectively. LBI for these infants was 1.2 ± 0.6, phi was 54.4 ± 7.4 degrees and PhRTB was 33.4 ± 3.1%. Conclusion When properly calibrated, RIP derived respiratory mechanics measurements provide sufficient diagnostic accuracy in infants receiving NIV support.
Long-Term Population-Based Cerebral Ischemic Event and Cognitive Outcomes of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Compared With Warfarin Among Long-term Anticoagulated Patients for Atrial Fibrillation.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been used in clinical practice in the United States for the last 4 to 6 years. Although DOACs may be an attractive alternative to warfarin in many patients, long-term outcomes of use of these medications are unknown. We performed a propensity-matched analysis to report patient important outcomes of death, stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), bleeding, major bleeding, and dementia in patients taking a DOAC or warfarin. Patients receiving long-term anticoagulation from June 2010 to December 2014 for thromboembolism prevention with either warfarin or a DOAC were matched 1:1 by index date and propensity score. Multivariable Cox hazard regression was performed to determine the risk of death, stroke/TIA, major bleed, and dementia by the anticoagulant therapy received. A total of 5,254 patients were studied (2,627 per group). Average age was 72.4 ± 10.9 years, and 59.0% were men. Most patients were receiving long-term anticoagulation for AF management (warfarin: 96.5% vs DOAC: 92.7%, p <0.0001). Rivaroxaban (55.3%) was the most commonly used DOAC, followed by apixaban (22.5%) and dabigatran (22.2%). The use of DOACs compared with warfarin was associated with a reduced risk of long-term adverse outcomes: death (p = 0.09), stroke/TIA (p <0.0001), major bleed (p <0.0001), and bleed (p = 0.14). No significant outcome variance was noted in DOAC-type comparison. In the AF multivariable model patients taking DOAC were 43% less likely to develop stroke/TIA/dementia (hazard ratio 0.57 [CI 0.17, 1.97], p = 0.38) than those taking warfarin. Our community-based results suggest better long-term efficacy and safety of DOACs compared with warfarin. DOAC use was associated with a lower risk of cerebral ischemic events and new-onset dementia.
Manifestations of color Doppler ultrasonography of transient synovitis of the hip in children

Objective:To investigate the value of colour Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosis and subsequent follow-up of the transient synovitis of the hip in children.Methods:Color Doppler ultrasonography was performed on 38 children with synovitis of the single hip.The characteristics of the blood signal changes in the synovial membrane of the hip joint were observed with CDFI before treatment,1 and 2 w after treatment,while,the normal hip joints were examined as the controls.Results:Obviously increased blood signal of the all injured side was detected with injury before treatment.Flow velocity was increased in swelling group,but gradually decreased 1 w after treatment.Flow velocity was in fluid group,but gradually increased 1 w after treatment.After 2 w,blood signal be came similar to the healthy side.Conclusion:CDFI has an important role in monitoring changes of blood supply,and affords clinical application value in the therapeutic effect observation in transient synovitis of the hip in children.
"Carcinosarcoma of the ovary, fallopian tube, and peritoneum: Prognostic factors and treatment modalities".

Abstract Objective Ovarian carcinosarcoma (OCS) is a rare malignancy accounting for only 1–4% of all ovarian cancers. The treatment of OCS is largely based on data from small case series and management of other histologic subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer. We reviewed the literature pertinent to the pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of women with OCS. Methods MEDLINE was searched in English for literature on OCS, focusing on the past 30years. Given the rarity of this tumor, studies were not limited by design or number of reported patients. Results Molecular, epidemiologic, genetic, and histologic data indicate that most OCS are monoclonal. Patients with OCS generally present with advanced stage disease. Most of the available retrospective studies support the role of cytoreductive surgery in the management of OCS, with optimal debulking associated with improved survival. Platinum-based chemotherapy is the current accepted adjuvant treatment. Given the limited data regarding the management of recurrent OCS, patients are usually treated similarly to women diagnosed with other subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer. Conclusion OCS represent a rare and aggressive histologic subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer. The goal of surgery is comprehensive staging in patients with early-stage disease and optimal cytoreduction patients with advanced-stage tumors. Platinum-based chemotherapy is the mainstay of adjuvant systemic treatment. Future studies are needed in order to elucidate the molecular basis for OCS and to evaluate the role of targeted therapy in its management.
The Associations of Chronic Condition Type and Individual Characteristics With Transition Readiness

Abstract Objective Identifying differences in transition readiness according to chronic condition is essential for understanding whether special emphasis within specific populations is warranted. Youth with chronic conditions (type 1 diabetes, Turner syndrome, spina bifida, autism spectrum disorder [ASD]) representing various types of impairments were compared with youth without chronic conditions. It was hypothesized that differences would be observed according to condition type, with youth with cognitive/behavioral conditions showing less readiness than youth with other conditions and youth without chronic conditions showing the highest levels of transition readiness. Methods Patients (N = 163) ages 12 to 22 were recruited via outpatient clinics at a large freestanding children's hospital. Demographic characteristics (age, sex, race, and maternal education), health literacy, perceptions about health care responsibility, importance and confidence about transfer to adult health care, and the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) were included. Results Significant differences in transition readiness were found according to condition type; youth with ASD had the lowest transition readiness scores. Patient and family characteristics and condition were predictors of TRAQ scores and self-perceived readiness to take responsibility for health care and transfer to adult care. Item-level analysis indicated that medication, appointment-keeping, and activities of daily living accounted for differences in TRAQ scores according to condition. Conclusions Disparities in transition readiness were detected across condition types, with potentially modifiable mechanisms identified to address gaps in readiness for youth transferring to adult health care systems. Developing interventions that assist providers in addressing these modifiable characteristics might improve transition to adult health care for adolescents with various chronic conditions.
Radiologic evaluation of tendon injuries.

This article reviews the imaging choices available to assess the tendons of the shoulder, knee, ankle, and wrist. Principles of tendon imaging and fundamental considerations of computer- derived image techniques are briefly discussed, with particular reference to magnetic resonance imaging. Although the criteria used to classify various tendon abnormalities are provided, the clinical role of imaging is emphasized.
Nanocarriers from GRAS Zein Proteins to Encapsulate Hydrophobic Actives.

One factor limiting the expansion of nanomedicines has been the high cost of the materials and processes required for their production. We present a continuous, scalable, low cost nanoencapsulation process, Flash Nanoprecipitation (FNP) that enables the production of nanocarriers (NCs) with a narrow size distribution using zein corn proteins. Zein is a low cost, GRAS protein (having the FDA status of “Generally Regarded as Safe”) currently used in food applications, which acts as an effective encapsulant for hydrophobic compounds using FNP. The four-stream FNP configuration allows the encapsulation of very hydrophobic compounds in a way that is not possible with previous precipitation processes. We present the encapsulation of several model active compounds with as high as 45 wt % drug loading with respect to zein concentration into ∼100 nm nanocarriers. Three examples are presented: (1) the pro-drug antioxidant, vitamin E-acetate, (2) an anticholera quorum-sensing modulator CAI-1 ((S)-3-hydroxytridecan-4...
Multifunctional power electronic converters for flexible energy management in shipboard power systems

Multifunctional power electronic converters are used in shipboard power systems for various needs including energy conversion from one form to the other, power generation, and transmission. The ability to do more functions with a single power electronic converter is desired in shipboard power systems, especially when there is an inadequate energy management resource, or unexpected demand that may appear as a result of battle damage or power system topology change. The ability to do more functions with a single device may also help meet growing power demand in shipboard power systems. This paper suggests control architecture for a power electronics converter that allows maximization of its possible functionalities of a voltage source converter. The suggested control architecture allows to extend the functionality of a power electronic converter to such modes of operation as harmonic compensator, reactive power compensator, current balancing compensator, active current source, etc. As a multifunctional voltage source converter can perform more possible functions, better utilization of energy management resources onboard of a ship may be achieved.
Managing Diversity Through Triple-Loop Learning: A Call for Paradigm Shift

The purpose of this article is to conceptualize the meaning and explore the potential for triple-loop learning in the context of diversity management. Three different paradigms of diversity managem...
Dynamic Linkages Between Trading Volume and Price Movements: Evidence for Small Firm Stocks

Recent theoretical and empirical studies suggest that volume conveys useful information to forecast stock price movements. We investigate the information content of volume for the stock indices of small-capitalization firms in the US and France. Information asymmetry problems tend to be more important for small-capitalization firms and it can be argued that the information content of volume should be more significant. We find that volume does indeed forecast returns of the small-capitalization stock indices. We also detect a positive contemporaneous relation between volume and absolute value of returns. The findings are qualitatively the same for data from the US and France.
Partner unmitigated communion moderates communal coping benefits in type 2 diabetes.

The study goal was to determine whether partner’s level of unmitigated communion moderated the relation of partner communal coping to patient health. Couples in which one person was recently diagno...
Rapid Iodine Sensing on Mechanically Treated Carbon Nanofibers.

In this work, we report on a rapid, efficient electrochemical iodine sensor based on mechanically treated carbon nanofiber (MCNF) electrodes. The electrode’s highly graphitic content, unique microstructure, and the presence of nitrogen heteroatoms in its atomic lattice contribute to increased heterogeneous electron transfer and improved kinetics compared to conventional pyrolytic carbons. The electrode demonstrates selectivity for iodide ions in the presence of both interfering agents and high salt concentrations. The sensor exhibits clinically relevant limits of detection of 0.59 µM and 1.41 µM, in 1X PBS and synthetic urine, respectively, and a wide dynamic range between 5 µM and 700 µM. These results illustrate the advantages of the material’s unique electrochemical properties for iodide sensing, in addition to its simple, inexpensive fabrication. The reported iodine sensor eliminates the need for specimen processing, revealing its aptitude for applications in point-of-care diagnostics.
Construction and validation of a Survey to measure perceptions of snakes

We developed a survey to measure education program participants' perceptions of snakes. This survey was created from new and existing items, pilot tested, and edited to final items representing attitude and behavior dimensions. We implemented the final survey as pre- and posttest among participants of snake education programs in Athens, Georgia and national citizen science programs. A Principal Component Analysis of posttest survey data (N = 259) revealed six dimensions (Moralistic-Ecologisitic, Negativistic, Utilitarian-Ecologistic, Scientistic, Contact Willingness, and Protection Advocacy). Factor loadings and reliability coefficients indicated the survey measured appropriate dimensions and was a valid and reliable instrument assessing education participants' snake perceptions.
Non-destructive Detection of Screw Dislocations and the Corresponding Defects Nucleated from Them During SiC Epitaxial Growth and Their Effect on Device Characteristics

In high-volume manufacturing of SiC power devices like Schottky barrier diodes and MOSFETs, especially with the high demands of high reliability applications like the automotive market, the issue of reliability needs to be tackled from multiple angles. It becomes important to isolate and eliminate failure mechanisms at the source rather than just rely on electrical tests. As we enter volume production on 150-mm substrates, an added layer of reliability and improved yield can be added if potential sources of defects are identified and removed. In this work, we present the non-destructive detection of a subset of screw dislocations in N+ doped substrates, trace the preferential nucleation of V-type epitaxial defects and stacking faults from these screw dislocations, and study their electrical effects on Schottky diodes. This enables the screening of highly defective substrates even before committing them to epitaxial growth.
PU.1 binding to the p53 family of tumor suppressors impairs their transcriptional activity

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 2786 The transcription factor PU.1 is essential for terminal myeloid differentiation, B and T cell development, erythropoiesis, and hematopoietic stem cell maintenance. PU.1 functions as oncogene in Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia and as tumor suppressor in acute myeloid leukemias. Moreover, Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia requires maintenance of PU.1 expression and the disruption of p53 function greatly accelerates disease progression. It has been hypothesized that p53-mediated expression of the p21Cip1 cell cycle inhibitor during differentiation of pre-erythroleukemia cells promotes selection against p53 function. In addition to the blockage of erythroblast differentiation provided by increased levels of PU.1, we propose that PU.1 alters p53 function. We demonstrate that PU.1 reduces the transcriptional activity of the p53 tumor suppressor family and thus inhibits activation of genes important for cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. Inhibition is mediated through binding of PU.1 to the DNA binding and/or oligomerization domains of p53/p73 proteins. Lastly, knocking-down endogenous PU.1 in p53 wild-type REH B cell precursor leukemia cells leads to increased expression of the p53 target p21Cip1.
The relevance of irrelevance

This research describes the formalization of statements of the form fact f is irrelevant to fact g given theory M. We motivate the need for representing and reasoning with such statements in problem-solving systems, and outline the semantics and properties of statements about irrelevance. We then describe a logic irrelevance that serves as a language for specifying irrelevance claims in the world, and present an associated calculus that allows us to draw new irrelevance conclusions from given ones. The utility of the formalization and the types of inferences it sanctions are demonstrated with examples from data interpretation, representation reformulation and experiment design.