cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Characterization of PAB2, a Member of the Multigene Family Coding for Poly(A)-Binding Proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana

The poly(A) tail of eukaryotic mRNAs associates with poly(A)-binding (PAB) proteins whose role in mRNA translation and stability is being intensively investigated. Very little is known about the structure and function of the PAB genes in plants. We have cloned multiple PAB-related sequences from Arabidopsis thaliana. Results suggest that PAB proteins are encoded by a multigene family. One member of this family (PAB2) is expressed in root and shoot tissues. The complete nucleotide sequence of PAB2 was determined. Study of the predicted PAB2 protein reveals a similarity in structure among vertebrate, insect, yeast, and plant PAB proteins. All contain two highly conserved domains: an amino-terminal sequence formed by four RNA recognition motifs and an uncharacterized carboxyl-terminal region of 69 to 71 amino acids. Possible roles for the carboxyl-terminal conserved domain are discussed in view of recently published data concerning the structure and function of PAB proteins.
A demonstration of SpatialHadoop: an efficient mapreduce framework for spatial data

This demo presents SpatialHadoop as the first full-fledged MapReduce framework with native support for spatial data. SpatialHadoop is a comprehensive extension to Hadoop that pushes spatial data inside the core functionality of Hadoop. SpatialHadoop runs existing Hadoop programs as is, yet, it achieves order(s) of magnitude better performance than Hadoop when dealing with spatial data. SpatialHadoop employs a simple spatial high level language, a two-level spatial index structure, basic spatial components built inside the MapReduce layer, and three basic spatial operations: range queries, k-NN queries, and spatial join. Other spatial operations can be similarly deployed in SpatialHadoop. We demonstrate a real system prototype of SpatialHadoop running on an Amazon EC2 cluster against two sets of real spatial data obtained from Tiger Files and OpenStreetMap with sizes 60GB and 300GB, respectively.
Impact of switching laboratory tests on reported trends in Chlamydia trachomatis infections

Improvements in the sensitivity and specificity of laboratory testing methods for Chlamydia trachomatis infections in recent years have created potential problems with interpreting data on chlamydia prevalence trends. A switch to a more sensitive test can result in an increase in chlamydia positivity even with no increase in the true disease prevalence. To examine the impact of switching laboratory testing methods on chlamydia positivity trends among women, the authors analyzed data from chlamydia screening programs in family planning clinics in two geographic areas of the United States. Data from 7,287 tests performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, indicated a 46% increase in positivity (from 4.1% to 6.0%) when the clinics switched from a nucleic acid probe assay to a ligase chain reaction test. Data from 35,306 tests performed in Oregon and Washington State laboratories showed a 21% increase in positivity (from 3.3% to 4.0%) when clinics switched from a direct immunofluorescent antibody testing procedure to an enzyme immunoassay with negative gray zone confirmation. These increases were within ranges consistent with the variability of the testing methods and occurred primarily in asymptomatic women and in women over age 20 years. Any switch in laboratory testing methods must be considered when interpreting data on chlamydial infection trends.
Histidine Methylation of Yeast Ribosomal Protein Rpl3p Is Required for Proper 60S Subunit Assembly

Histidine protein methylation is an unusual posttranslational modification. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the large ribosomal subunit protein Rpl3p is methylated at histidine 243, a residue that contacts the 25S rRNA near the P site. Rpl3p methylation is dependent upon the presence of Hpm1p, a candidate seven-beta-strand methyltransferase. In this study, we elucidated the biological activities of Hpm1p in vitro and in vivo. Amino acid analyses reveal that Hpm1p is responsible for all of the detectable protein histidine methylation in yeast. The modification is found on a polypeptide corresponding to the size of Rpl3p in ribosomes and in a nucleus-containing organelle fraction but was not detected in proteins of the ribosome-free cytosol fraction. In vitro assays demonstrate that Hpm1p has methyltransferase activity on ribosome-associated but not free Rpl3p, suggesting that its activity depends on interactions with ribosomal components. hpm1 null cells are defective in early rRNA processing, resulting in a deficiency of 60S subunits and translation initiation defects that are exacerbated in minimal medium. Cells lacking Hpm1p are resistant to cycloheximide and verrucarin A and have decreased translational fidelity. We propose that Hpm1p plays a role in the orchestration of the early assembly of the large ribosomal subunit and in faithful protein production.
Rotor Synchronous Response Control: Approaches for Addressing Speed Dependence

Three new approaches to the design of synchronous response controllers for magnetic-bearing- supported rotors operating over a range of speeds are developed. Previously reported methods have the disadvantage of requiring either on-line estimation or gain scheduling via a look-up table. Both of these approaches increase controller complexity and cost. The controllers presented herein are either robust to operating speed variation or are gain scheduled via a simple function. In either case, the implementation of the synchronous response control algorithm is greatly simplified and, in some cases, may be achieved with simple analog circuits. An example problem is considered, and four synchronous response controllers are synthesized. Extension of the synthesis methods to provide robustness with respect to plant uncertainty is straightforward and is briefly examined.
On the Detection of Multiplicative Watermarks for Speech Signals in the Wavelet and DCT Domains

Blind multiplicative watermarking schemes for speech signals using wavelets and discrete cosine transform are presented. Watermarked signals are modeled using a generalized Gaussian distribution (GGD) and Cauchy probability model. Detectors are developed employing generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) and locally most powerful (LMP) approach. The LMP scheme is used for the Cauchy distribution, while the GLRT estimates the gain factor as an unknown parameter in the GGD model. The detectors are tested using Monte Carlo simulation and results show the superiority of the proposed LMP/Cauchy detector in some experiments.
The evaporation of mercury droplets in indoor spaces.

Based on experiments conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the evaporation of mercury droplets in air was modeled as an exponential decay, and values for the decay constant, kd , were estimated; values for k −1 d ranged from 0.7 days to 2.2 days over a temperature range of 302 K to 310 K. Although values of kd did not appear to vary significantly as a function of temperature, they did exhibit significant variability for the temperature range studied. These insights can be incorporated into stochastic-based uncertainty analyses when modeling various exposure scenarios for mercury spills in indoor spaces.
Insulin versus vasopressin and epinephrine to treat β-blocker toxicity

Objective. We compared insulin and glucose (IN/G) to vasopressin plus epinephrine (V/E) in a pig model of β-blocker toxicity. Primary outcome was survival over four hours. Methods. Ten pigs received a 0.5 mg/kg bolus of propranolol IV followed by a continuous infusion. At the point of toxicity 20 ml/kg normal saline was rapidly infused and the propranolol drip continued at 0.125 mg/kg/min over four hours of resuscitation. Each pig was randomized to either IN/G or V/E. The V/E group began with epinephrine at 10 mcg/kg/min titrated up by 10 mcg/kg/min every 10 min to 50 mcg/kg/min or until baseline was obtained. Simultaneously, these pigs received vasopressin at 0.0028 units/kg/min, titrated upwards every 10 min to 0.014 units/kg/min or until baseline was obtained. The IN/G group began with a 2 units/kg/hr drip and increased by 2 units every 10 minutes to 10 units/kg/hr, or until baseline hemodynamics were obtained. CO, SVR, systolic blood pressure, HR, MAP, glucose, and potassium were monitored. Glucose wa...
Robust neural networks

Neural networks are being increasingly used for modeling, analysis and prediction of financial data, particularly financial time series. Whatever the network architecture, the method for fitting a regression or prediction type network is almost always the method of least squares (LS), i.e., the minimization of the sum of squared errors (or prediction residuals). Unfortunately, the LS method is not robust: the estimated model can be highly effected by outliers of various kinds. In the financial time series context, the outliers might occur in isolation or in short patches. In the time series context, level shifts also cause havoc with LS fitting of neural networks. Contrary to some popular impressions, use of a neural network is not a cure-all for dealing with outliers and level shifts. We provide an introduction to statistical notions of robustness, and demonstrate the non-robustness of LS fitting of neural networks with some concrete examples where the neural network fitting is exceedingly bad due to the presence of outliers or level shifts. Then we discuss how to robustify the fitting of neural networks in both regression and time series prediction contexts. The robust methods are illustrated with several examples where the robust approach yields considerable improvement over LS fitting of neural networks.
Unsteadiness in flow over a flat plate at angle-of-attack at low reynolds numbers

Flow over an impulsively started low-aspect-ratio flat plate at angle-of-attack is investigated for a Reynolds number of 300. Numerical simulations, validated by a companion experiment, are performed to study the influence of aspect ratio, angle of attack, and planform geometry on the interaction of the leading-edge and tip vortices and resulting lift and drag coecients. Aspect ratio is found to significantly influence the wake pattern and the force experienced by the plate. For large aspect ratio plates, leading-edge vortices evolved into hairpin vortices that eventually detached from the plate, interacting with the tip vortices in a complex manner. Separation of the leading-edge vortex is delayed to some extent by having convective transport of the spanwise vorticity as observed in flow over elliptic, semicircular, and delta-shaped planforms. The time at which lift achieves its maximum is observed to be fairly constant over dierent aspect ratios, angles of attack, and planform geometries during the initial transient. Preliminary results are also presented for flow over plates with steady actuation near the leading edge.
Neurogenic Stuttering and Lateralized Motor Deficits Induced by Tranylcypromine

A case of neurogenic stuttering induced by the monoamine oxidase inhibitor tranylcypromine is described. The association of neurogenic stuttering with acquired lateralized motor deficits in the patient described is discussed with reference to current theories regarding the pathogenesis of neurogenic stuttering.
MINACE filter classification algorithms for ATR using MSTAR data

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) system based on the minimum noise and correlation energy (MINACE) distortion-invariant filter (DIF) is presented. A set of MINACE filters covering different aspect ranges is synthesized for each object using a training set of images of that object and a validation set of confuser and clutter images. No prior DIF work addressed confuser rejection. We also address use of fewer DIFs per object than prior work did. The selection of the MINACE filter parameter c for each filter is automated using training and validation sets. The system is evaluated using images from the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) public database. The classification scores (PC) and the number of false alarm scores for confusers and clutter (PFA and PCFA respectively) are presented for the benchmark three-class MSTAR database with object variants and two confusers. The pose of the input test image is not assumed to be known, thus the problem addressed is more realistic than in prior work, since pose estimation of SAR objects has a large margin of error. Results for both confuser and clutter rejection are presented.
Purified hematopoietic stem cell engraftment of rare niches corrects severe lymphoid deficiencies without host conditioning

In the absence of irradiation or other cytoreductive conditioning, endogenous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are thought to fill the unique niches within the bone marrow that allow maintenance of full hematopoietic potential and thus prevent productive engraftment of transplanted donor HSCs. By transplantation of purified exogenous HSCs into unconditioned congenic histocompatible strains of mice, we show that approximately 0.1-1.0% of these HSC niches are available for engraftment at any given point and find no evidence that endogenous HSCs can be displaced from the niches they occupy. We demonstrate that productive engraftment of HSCs within these empty niches is inhibited by host CD4+ T cells that recognize very subtle minor histocompatibility differences. Strikingly, transplantation of purified HSCs into a panel of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice leads to a rapid and complete rescue of lymphoid deficiencies through engraftment of these very rare niches and expansion of donor lymphoid progenitors. We further demonstrate that transient antibody-mediated depletion of CD4+ T cells allows short-term HSC engraftment and regeneration of B cells in a mouse model of B(-) non-SCID. These experiments provide a general mechanism by which transplanted HSCs can correct hematopoietic deficiencies without any host conditioning or with only highly specific and transient lymphoablation.
Longitudinal control design and experiment for heavy-duty trucks

This paper addresses a model-based longitudinal control design and experimental work for heavy-duty vehicles. The engine braking effect, which is caused by the mismatch between engine speed and wheel speed when the fuel is released and drive-line is engaged, is united with Jake brake in a single model. A transmission retarder model is presented. Based on these models and the models proposed by the authors in previous work, the longitudinal control design has been carried out. The structure of the controller can be divided into upper level control and lower level control. The upper level control uses the sliding mode control to generate the desired engine/brake torque from the desired vehicle acceleration. The lower level control is divided into two branches: (1) engine control - from a positive desired torque to a desired fuel rate (engine control) using the static engine mapping which basically captures the intrinsic dynamic performance of the turbo-charged diesel engine; and (2) the brake control is to generate, from a negative desired torque, to the Jake brake ON time period, applied pneumatic brake pressure, and applied voltage of the transmission retarder. Test results are also reported.
After Tylor: British Social Anthropology 1888‐1951

After Tylor: British Social Anthropology 1888-1951. GEORGE W. STOCKING. JR. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1995. xx. 570 pp., illustrations, notes, references, manuscript sources, oral sources, index.
RelayCast: Scalable multicast routing in Delay Tolerant Networks

Mobile wireless networks with intermittent connectivity, often called delay/disruption tolerant networks (DTNs), have recently received a lot of attention because of their applicability in various applications, including multicasting. To overcome intermittent connectivity, DTN routing protocols utilize mobility-assist routing by letting the nodes carry and forward the data. In this paper, we study the scalability of DTN multicast routing. As Gupta and Kumar showed that unicast routing is not scalable, recent reports on multicast routing also showed that the use of a multicast tree results in a poor scaling behavior. However, Grossglauser and Tse showed that in delay tolerant applications, the unicast routing overhead can be relaxed using the two-hop relay routing where a source forwards packets to relay nodes and the relay nodes in turn deliver packets to the destination via ldquomobility,rdquo thus achieving a perfect scaling behavior of Theta(1). Inspired by this result, we seek to improve the throughput bound of wireless multicast in a delay tolerant setting using mobility-assist routing. To this end, we propose RelayCast, a routing scheme that extends the two-hop relay algorithm in the multicast scenario. Given that there are ns sources each of which is associated with nd random destinations, our results show that RelayCast can achieve the throughput upper bound of Theta(min(1, n/nsnd)). We also analyze the impact of various network parameters and routing strategies (such as buffer size, multi-user diversity among multicast receivers, and delay constraints) on the throughput and delay scaling properties of RelayCast. Finally, we validate our analytical results with a simulation study.
Dominant Audio Descriptors for Audio Classification and Retrieval

In this paper, we propose a new general low-level feature representation for audio signals. Our approach, called Dominant Audio Descriptor is inspired by the MPEG-7 Dominant Color Descriptor. It is based on clustering timelocal features and identifying dominant components. The features used to illustrate this approach are the well-known Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients. The performance of the proposed framework is evaluated on audio classification and retrieval tasks. In particular, the experiments are performed on a benchmark music data set. The results are compared to those previously obtained on the same data base. We show that our approach improved classification and retrieval results by more then 3%, and for the case of retrieval reached almost perfect retrieval rate of 99:36%. In addition, the paper presents comparative results against several state of the art classifiers, such as Hidden Markov Models, Support Vector Machines and k-Nearest Neighbors.
Observations of the decay of the El Chichon stratospheric aerosol cloud in Antarctica

Balloonborne measurements of stratospheric aerosol in the late October - early November period in 1983, 1984 and 1985 indicate that the sulfuric acid aerosol which formed in the stratosphere following the eruption of El Chichon in 1982, and which was subsequently transported to the polar regions, decayed over Antarctica with an exponential decay time of about one year, in reasonable agreement with extensive measurements at Laramie during this period. These results suggest that the increased aerosol burden over Antarctica, which occurred as a result of the El Chichon eruption, cannot be directly involved in the precipitous decline of stratospheric ozone in Antarctica since 1982, although indirect effects cannot be ruled out.
Olanzapine-Induced Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE:To report two cases of new-onset diabetes mellitus resulting after the initiation of olanzapine treatment.CASE SUMMARY:A 31-year-old African American man and a 44-year-old white man, both with schizoaffective disorder, developed diabetes mellitus within weeks or months of olanzapine initiation.DISCUSSION:Our reports of new-onset diabetes due to olanzapine are consistent with those in the literature. Although the mechanism is not yet known, it has been hypothesized that perhaps damage to the pancreatic islet cells, weight gain, dysregulation of the sympathetic system, and insulin resistance are contributing factors.CONCLUSIONS:Diabetes mellitus secondary to olanzapine use seems to be a rare occurrence. However, certain risk factors such as obesity, family history, and concomitant medications may predispose an individual to development of diabetes mellitus while taking olanzapine. An increased awareness of this reaction is essential in the treatment of patients at risk. Periodic serum glucose moni...
RNA and Protein Synthesis in Germinating Pine Pollen

The results of autoradiographic experiments demonstrate that, as with the pollen of most other species, both the generative and vegetative nuclei of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) actively engage in RNA synthesis from the very early stages of pollen germination. Unlike most other species, however, this newly synthesized RNA includes rRNA. Evidence is provided for the importance of this newly synthesized RNA in the process of continued pollen tube growth. One and two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis reveals a number of both qualitative and quantitative differences among the proteins synthesized during the early stages of germination and the later stages of pollen tube growth. One of the most notable of these is a 36 kD protein, the synthesis of which predominates during the later stages of pollen germination. A similar pattern of 36 kD protein synthesis is observed when mRNA extracted from pollen at each of these stages is translated in vitro.
A New Approach to Water Quality Trading: Applying Lessons from the Acid Rain Program to the Lower Boise River Watershed

Water quality trading is receiving great interest as a potential tool for achieving a watershed's water quality goals at less cost. It appeals to both regulators and watershed stakeholders as a voluntary, businesslike approach attracting a category of sources to the table that regulators have been unable to control using traditional enforcement tools—nonpoint sources. Non-point source pollution is a major source of the water quality problems still needing to be addressed in watersheds throughout the United States. Following the remarkable success of the Acid Rain Program's sulfur dioxide emissions trading system, however, expectations have been raised for all pollution trading systems. To date, water quality trading projects across the US have failed to deliver on those expectations because of the predominance of the “offset” trading model in their program design, which is characterized by significant costs in both time and resources to support trades. In this article, we argue that, although critical differences exist between water quality trading and the “cap and trade” model of the Acid Rain Program, water quality trading programs should consider incorporating certain key design elements that have contributed to the Acid Rain Program's success. We describe Idaho's Lower Boise River water quality trading framework as an example of how this can be done.
Optimizing bead size reduces errors in force measurements in optical traps

Optical traps are used to measure force (F) over a wide range (0.01 to 1,000 pN). Variations in bead radius (r) hinder force precision since trap stiffness (ktrap) varies as r3 when r is small. Prior work has shown ktrap is maximized when r is approximately equal to the beam waist (w0), which on our instrument was ~400 nm when trapping with a 1064-nm laser. In this work, we show that by choosing r ≈w0, we improved the force precision by 2.8-fold as compared to a smaller bead (250 nm). This improvement in force precision was verified by pulling on a canonical DNA hairpin. Thus, by using an optimum bead size, one can simultaneously maximize ktrap while minimizing errors in F.
Management of Patellar and Trochlear Chondral Injuries

Patellofemoral chondral injuries are noted in a significant subset of patients with anterior knee pain. These injuries occur as a result of both acute traumatic events and chronic patellofemoral malalignment. Focal grade III and IV chondral defects of the patella or trochlea present a significant management challenge. Anatomic factors, including an increased quadriceps angle, tight lateral retinaculum and weakened vastus medialis oblique muscle produce maltracking, which results in overload of the lateral patellofemoral joint. Patella alta, trochlear dysplasia and hyperlaxity can result in patellofemoral instability and subluxation. These factors play a role in the development of patellofemoral chondral injuries and must be addressed. A trial of 6 months of conservative management is indicated for most patients. Surgical options often include a realignment procedure in addition to treatment of the chondral injury. Traditional cartilage resurfacing techniques including debridement, abrasion arthroplasty and microfracture have been used but are limited by the inferior wear characteristics of the fibrocartilage tissue which forms over the defect. Newer cartilage repair techniques include autologous chondrocyte implantation and osteochondral autograft transfer (mosaicplasty) attempt to repair the chondral defect with hyaline cartilage. Osteochondral allograft transfer is an option for large chondral defects in which the surface contour of the patella or trochlea has been lost. Patellofemoral arthroplasty may be superior to total knee arthroplasty in patients with isolated patellofemoral joint collapse. Newer techniques such as arthroscopic autologous chondrocyte implantation using biologic scaffolds in place of the periosteal cover are currently being investigated.
Doctors, Duties, Death and Data: A Critical Review of the Empirical Literature on Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform

In recent years, the issue of medical malpractice has been prominent in political campaigns and state legislative sessions. A number of states - responding to a perceived medical malpractice crisis - have enacted sweeping reforms of the medical malpractice litigation process. Much of this debate, however, has been devoid of reference to hard evidence. Assertions about the existence - or absence - of a malpractice crisis are often made based on anecdotal evidence describing the experience of a particular doctor, patient, or lawyer. Similarly, policy reforms are touted without reference to their demonstrated real-world effects.This is unfortunate. The importance of the medical malpractice debate cannot be understated. It is also surprising, given the emergence of a strong body of empirical literature on medical malpractice and tort reform, and the availability of a number of data sets applicable to questions that commonly arise in discussions of malpractice litigation and tort reform. This paper, the Lead Article in a "Medical Malpractice: Emerging Issues & the Effects of Tort Reform" symposium held on the campus of Northern Illinois University in April, 2006, offers a critical literature review of recent work in the area in order to bring the evidence center-stage in the policy debate.
The influence of Holocene vegetation changes on topography and erosion rates: a case study at Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, Arizona

Abstract. Quantifying how landscapes have responded and will respond to vegetation changes is an essential goal of geomorphology. The Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) offers a unique opportunity to quantify the impact of vegetation changes on landscape evolution over geologic timescales. The WGEW is dominated by grasslands at high elevations and shrublands at low elevations. Paleovegetation data suggest that portions of WGEW higher than approximately 1430 m a.s.l. have been grasslands and/or woodlands throughout the late Quaternary, while elevations lower than 1430 m a.s.l. changed from a grassland/woodland to a shrubland ca. 2–4 ka. Elevations below 1430 m a.s.l. have decadal timescale erosion rates approximately 10 times higher, drainage densities approximately 3 times higher, and hillslope-scale relief approximately 3 times lower than elevations above 1430 m. We leverage the abundant geomorphic data collected at WGEW over the past several decades to calibrate a mathematical model that predicts the equilibrium drainage density in shrublands and grasslands/woodlands at WGEW. We use this model to test the hypothesis that the difference in drainage density between the shrublands and grassland/woodlands at WGEW is partly the result of a late Holocene vegetation change in the lower elevations of WGEW, using the upper elevations as a control. Model predictions for the increase in drainage density associated with the shift from grasslands/woodlands to shrublands are consistent with measured values. Using modern erosion rates and the magnitude of relief reduction associated with the transition from grasslands/woodlands to shrublands, we estimate the timing of the grassland-to-shrubland transition in the lower elevations of WGEW to be approximately 3 ka, i.e., broadly consistent with paleovegetation studies. Our results provide support for the hypothesis that common vegetation changes in semi-arid environments (e.g., from grassland to shrubland) can change erosion rates by more than an order of magnitude, with important consequences for landscape morphology.
Distributed average consensus with deterministic quantization: An ADMM approach

This paper develops efficient algorithms for distributed average consensus with quantized communication using the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). When rounding quantization is employed, a distributed ADMM algorithm is shown to converge to a consensus within 3 + ⌈log1+δ Ω⌉ iterations where δ > 0 depends on the network topology and O is a polynomial of the quantization resolution, the agents' data and the network topology. A tight upper bound on the consensus error is also obtained, which depends only on the quantization resolution and the average degree of the graph. This bound is much preferred in large scale networks over existing algorithms whose consensus errors are increasing in the range of agents' data, the quantization resolution, and the number of agents. To minimize the consensus error, our final algorithm uses dithered quantization to obtain a good starting point and then adopts rounding quantization to reach a consensus. Simulations show that the consensus error of this algorithm is typically less than one quantization resolution for all connected networks with agents' data of arbitrary magnitudes.
A Study of Bridged Delaminations in High Temperature Laminates Under Heat Flux Loading

High temperature ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are material considered in many applications where high heat fluxes constitute a significant contribution to loading. The laminates can fulfill their function as thermal protection layers only if they stay intact, i.e. without internal delaminations or spalling, such that the heat flux remains undisturbed by such events. Crack bridging is an important effect in CMCs, and its implication to CMC laminates under thermal loading is investigated.© 2003 ASME
Influence of Cadmium on Physical Characteristics of Chicken Spleen Lymphocytes Memberane Cultivated in vitro

To make a research into the influence of cadmium on spleen lymphocytes membranes of chicken,the lymphocytes were exposed to CdCl2,with the concentration of 10 μmol/L. After 12,24,36,48 and 72 h′s cultivation,cell supernatant was gathered separately to collect membrane. Changing to permeability and mobility of membrane by cadmium was studied through the testing of lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) activity,lymphocytes membrane′s degree of polarization and micro-viscosity and sialic acid(SA) contents. The results showed that the LDH leakage from lymphocytes was increased(P0.01),the degree of polarization and micro-viscosity were increased(P0.01 or P0.05)and the SA contents was decreased(P0.01),indicating that cadmium could change permeability and decrease the mobility of lymphocytes membrane.
An introduction to benchmarking in healthcare

Benchmarking--the process of establishing a standard of excellence and comparing a business function or activity, a product, or an enterprise as a whole with that standard--will be used increasingly by healthcare institutions to reduce expenses and simultaneously improve product and service quality. As a component of total quality management, benchmarking is a continuous process by which an organization can measure and compare its own processes with those of organizations that are leaders in a particular area. Benchmarking should be viewed as a part of quality management programs, not as a replacement. There are four kinds of benchmarking: internal, competitive, functional and generic. With internal benchmarking, functions within an organization are compared with each other. Competitive benchmarking partners do business in the same market and provide a direct comparison of products or services. Functional and generic benchmarking are performed with organizations which may have a specific similar function, such as payroll or purchasing, but which otherwise are in a different business. Benchmarking must be a team process because the outcome will involve changing current practices, with effects felt throughout the organization. The team should include members who have subject knowledge; communications and computer proficiency; skills as facilitators and outside contacts; and sponsorship of senior management. Benchmarking requires quantitative measurement of the subject. The process or activity that you are attempting to benchmark will determine the types of measurements used. Benchmarking metrics usually can be classified in one of four categories: productivity, quality, time and cost-related.
Influence of Phosphatidylcholine on Lymphatic Absorption during Peritoneal Dialysis in the Rat

The mechanism whereby i.p. administration of phosphatidylcholine increases net ultrafiltration and solute clearances after long-dwell exchanges is not established. We performed 4-h exchanges in rat...
Introduction: The Question of Whig Resistance Theory

One important outcome of the Revolution of 1688 in England was the public expression of a justification of resistance to government.In November 1688, and for years thereafter, a theory of resistance was articulated, mainly by politicians and authors identified withwhat was known as the Whig cause. This Whig theory, like so manyother aspects of English liberal political thought, involved paradox, conflation and ambiguity. Seventeenth and eighteenth-century Whigs characterized the Revolution of 1688 as an extraordinary but not extra-constitutional event, as an act of resistance in extreme necessity which did not involve civil war or the entire dissolution of the government. The explanation they offered – that James II had effectively abdicated the government, and simply left a vacancy in the throne – was meant to clarify and contain these troubling, unpredictable and unprecedented events. The ‘abdication and vacancy’ resolution, passed by a Convention meeting in that winter of 1689, was aimed to encompass both a right of resistance to tyranny and the preservation of England’s ancient constitution of king–in–parliament.This Whig theory of the Revolution gained acceptance precisely because of this duality, and because it founded a theory of resistance upon the history, laws, traditions and myths of English society.
Keeping it in the family: the impact of marital status and next of kin on cancer treatment and survival

Abstract Background This study examines the impact of marriage and next of kin identity on timing of diagnosis, treatment, and survival in cancer patients. Methods Retrospective review of patients with 5 solid tumor types treated at an academic medical center from 2002 to 2012. Exposures of interest were marriage status at time of diagnosis and familial relationship with next of kin (NOK). Association with overall survival determined via Cox regressions and with early diagnosis (stage I to II) and receipt of surgery via logistic regressions. Results Marriage was not associated with early diagnosis for any cancer type. After adjustment, being married was associated with significantly higher odds of receiving surgery only for pancreatic cancer and with improved survival for breast and lung cancers. Having a nuclear relationship with NOK was not associated with any outcomes. Conclusions Marriage status was associated with improved outcomes for certain cancers whereas familial relationship with NOK was not.
Autonomous sweat extraction and analysis applied to cystic fibrosis and glucose monitoring using a fully integrated wearable platform

Perspiration-based wearable biosensors facilitate continuous monitoring of individuals’ health states with real-time and molecular-level insight. The inherent inaccessibility of sweat in sedentary individuals in large volume (≥10 µL) for on-demand and in situ analysis has limited our ability to capitalize on this noninvasive and rich source of information. A wearable and miniaturized iontophoresis interface is an excellent solution to overcome this barrier. The iontophoresis process involves delivery of stimulating agonists to the sweat glands with the aid of an electrical current. The challenge remains in devising an iontophoresis interface that can extract sufficient amount of sweat for robust sensing, without electrode corrosion and burning/causing discomfort in subjects. Here, we overcame this challenge through realizing an electrochemically enhanced iontophoresis interface, integrated in a wearable sweat analysis platform. This interface can be programmed to induce sweat with various secretion profiles for real-time analysis, a capability which can be exploited to advance our knowledge of the sweat gland physiology and the secretion process. To demonstrate the clinical value of our platform, human subject studies were performed in the context of the cystic fibrosis diagnosis and preliminary investigation of the blood/sweat glucose correlation. With our platform, we detected the elevated sweat electrolyte content of cystic fibrosis patients compared with that of healthy control subjects. Furthermore, our results indicate that oral glucose consumption in the fasting state is followed by increased glucose levels in both sweat and blood. Our solution opens the possibility for a broad range of noninvasive diagnostic and general population health monitoring applications.
Four Web-Based Interactive Endocrine Case Studies for Use in Undergraduate Medical Education

Introduction This resource is a collection of four case-based exercises intended to provide medical students with structured and focused opportunities to link basic science with clinical applicatio...
Agricultural Info Tronic Systems for Precision Crop Production

Abstract Recent advances in precision agriculture have transformed U.S. agriculture from a state of broad scale mechanization to a state of mechanization with precision Although the precision agriculture technology has provided framers opportunities in improving the profitability and enhancing production sustainability, the increase in information intensity make it difficult for farmers to manage and utilize the information effectively Agricultural infotronic system (AIS) is an emerging technology which links on-machinery sensors and in-office computers, and presents the operation information in ready-to-use formats to support efficient precision operations. This paper presents an AIS developed for a wheel-type agricultural tractor. Field evaluation on row crop cultivation using the developed tractor AIS system indicates that the AIS technology is capable of assisting farmers to perform effective precision operations.
The Vaginal Microbiome and its Potential to Impact Efficacy of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for Women

This review describes existing evidence addressing the potential modulation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) products, specifically 1% tenofovir (TFV) gel and oral tenofovir-based PrEP, by vaginal dysbiosis and discusses future considerations for delivering novel, long-acting PrEP products to women at high risk for vaginal dysbiosis and HIV. We describe results from analyses investigating the modification of PrEP efficacy by vaginal dysbiosis and studies of biological mechanisms that could render PrEP ineffective in the presence of specific microbiota. A secondary analysis from the CAPRISA-004 cohort demonstrated that there is no effect of the 1% TFV gel in the presence of non-Lactobacillus dominant microbiota. Another recent analysis comparing oral tenofovir-based PrEP efficacy among women with and without bacterial vaginosis in the Partners PrEP Study found that oral PrEP efficacy is not modified by bacterial vaginosis. Gardnerella vaginalis, commonly present in women with vaginal dysbiosis, can rapidly metabolize TFV particularly when it is locally applied and thereby prevent TFV integration into cells. Given that vaginal dysbiosis appears to modulate efficacy for 1% TFV gel but not for oral tenofovir-based PrEP, vaginal dysbiosis is potentially less consequential to HIV protection from TFV in the context of systemic drug delivery and high product adherence. Vaginal dysbiosis may undermine the efficacy of 1% TFV gel to protect women from HIV but not the efficacy of oral PrEP. Ongoing development of novel ring, injectable, and film-based PrEP products should investigate whether vaginal dysbiosis can reduce efficacy of these products, even in the presence of high adherence.
Challenges in Developing New Therapies for Vascular Access Dysfunction.

Vascular access dysfunction impedes the provision of effective hemodialysis. Dysfunction of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) largely reflects maturational failure, whereas dysfunction of arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) is mainly driven by recurrent stenosis and thrombosis at the venous anastomosis. There
Live demonstration: A 1600 by 1200, 300 mW, 40 fps multi-spectral imager for near-infrared fluorescence image-guided surgery

We have designed, fabricated, and tested a multi-spectral imager for near-infrared fluorescence image-guided surgery capable of simultaneously imaging both color and near-infrared fluorescence information with high sensitivity at 40 frames per second. The imaging sensor is composed of 1600 by 1200 imaging elements covered by pixelated spectral interference filters. The imaging sensor was successfully used in a preclinical study to assess and compare altered dynamic arterial perfusion in a murine model.
A note on identities for elementary symmetric and power sum polynomials

We provide a lightweight algorithm to express each of the elementary symmetric polynomials as a linear combination of (products of) power sum symmetric polynomials and, also, the power sums purely in terms of the elementary symmetric polynomials. Our method does not use Newton’s identities, which give such relations only implicitly. Each identity in the sequence is generated through a single differentiation.
Abstract 14287: Ang II-induced Pathological Autophagy is Inhibited by IL-10 via Akt Dependent Inhibition of Beclin 1 in Mice Heart

Although, autophagy is an essential cellular salvage process to maintain cellular homeostasis, pathological autophagy can lead to cardiac abnormalities and ultimately heart failure. Therefore, a ti...
Skeletal muscle perfusion in peripheral arterial disease a novel end point for cardiovascular imaging.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterized by lower limb arterial obstruction due to atherosclerosis. There are over 8 million people with PAD in the U.S at present (1). As a consequence of impaired tissue perfusion, PAD patients can experience pain, diminished exercise capacity, and tissue loss, with some ultimately requiring amputation (2). The presence of PAD is a high risk marker of additional cardiovascular disease as the annual rate of events including myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death is 5% to 7% (3). Presently used diagnostic methods include the ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse volume recordings, duplex ultrasonography, venous plethysmography and angiography by X-ray, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging, all of which have limitations.
Top Ten Pressing Questions About the Development of Emotion Regulation

The papers in this special issue highlight the diversity of methods used to study the development of emotion regulation, and the substantial progress that has been made in understanding how children learn to manage strong emotions. This commentary poses 10 questions that focus on how developmental psychologists conceptualize emotions and regulation, measure emotions in research, and understand the interplay of individual and contextual variables. The discussion here outlines issues to guide future work; answers to these substantial questions will require much additional research.
Is there a context-dependent advantage of extra-pair mating in Tree Swallows?

ABSTRACT The “good-genes” hypothesis to explain female extra-pair mating states that females benefit from this behavior by acquiring better genes for their offspring. Despite extensive research, results are mixed, and the predictions of the good-genes hypothesis have been met in fewer than half of published papers. One possible explanation for this lack of consensus is that the benefits of extra-pair copulation are context-dependent. Here we use chick size, the probability of fledging, and telomeres, the protective caps of chromosomes, as markers for individual quality. Telomere length (TelL) integrates across many stressors and covaries with probability of survival and reproductive success. To test whether benefits to extra-pair (EP) matings are context-dependent we look at the telomere length of extra-pair and within-pair offspring (EPO and WPO, respectively) reared either in experimentally enlarged broods or in broods left at their natural size. We predicted that EPO would have longer telomeres than WP...
A prospective, randomized, single-blinded trial for improving health outcomes in rhinology by the use of personalized video recordings

BACKGROUND Clear patient-physician communication is critical in improving patient compliance, outcomes, and satisfaction. However, constraints of shortened clinic visits, patient anxiety, and poor recall can cause significant barriers to effective communication. We hypothesized that the ability to view patient-physician counseling videos at home would improve health outcomes. METHODS Patients in a tertiary rhinology clinic were enrolled into a single-blinded prospective study after obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval and informed consent. All enrollees had a short summary of their clinical encounter video-recorded with a tablet using Medical Memory, a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant software system. Patients were randomized to receive access to their videos by our research coordinator, and outcomes included questionnaires at the first postoperative visit to assess patient recall and satisfaction. RESULTS A total of 101 patients were enrolled. Half of those with video access watched the video at least once, on average 3.44 times. Of those without access, 90% would have liked the option. Those with video access had a higher percentage of correct answers to questions regarding surgical risk and extent of surgery; however, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Our results show that patients in both groups were enthusiastic about this technology and often shared their videos with family and friends. Video-recordings of physician-patient encounters may be a possible solution to improve physician-patient communication.