cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BUILDing SCHOLARS: enhancing diversity among U.S. biomedical researchers in the Southwest.

With funding from the National Institutes of Health, BUILDing SCHOLARS was established at The University of Texas at El Paso with the goal of implementing, evaluating and sustaining a suite of institutional, faculty and student development interventions in order to train the next generation of biomedical researchers from the U.S. Southwest region, where the need is dire among underserved communities. The focus is on supporting the infrastructure necessary to train and mentor students so they persist on pathways across a range of biomedical research fields. The purpose of this article is to highlight the design and implementation of BUILDing SCHOLARS’ key interventions, which offer a systemic student training model for the U.S. Southwest. In-depth reporting of evaluation results is reserved for other technical publications. BUILDing SCHOLARS uses a comprehensive regional approach to undergraduate training through a multi-institution consortium that includes 12 research partners and various pipeline partners across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Through faculty collaborations and undergraduate research training, the program integrates social and behavioral sciences and biomedical engineering while emphasizing seven transdisciplinary nodes of biomedical research excellence that are common across partner institutions: addiction, cancer, degenerative and chronic diseases, environmental health, health disparities, infectious diseases, and translational biomedicine. Key interventions aim to: (1) improve institutional capacities by expanding undergraduate research training infrastructures; (2) develop an intra- and cross-institutional mentoring-driven “community of practice” to support undergraduate student researchers; (3) broaden the pool of student participants, improve retention, and increase matriculation into competitive graduate programs; and (4) support faculty and postdoctoral personnel by training them in research pedagogy and mentoring techniques and providing them with resources for increasing their research productivity. Student training activities focus on early interventions to maximize retention and on enabling students to overcome common barriers by addressing their educational endowments, science socialization, network development, family expectations, and material resources. Over the long term, BUILDing SCHOLARS will help increase the diversity of the biomedical research workforce in the U.S. by meeting the needs of students from the Southwest region and by serving as a model for other institutions.
Being realistic: the challenge of theory change for a metaphysics of scientific realism

Chakravartty (2007) and others have pressed that the defender of scientific realism needs to supply a metaphysical story, most saliently a modal story, of how knowledge of the unobservable can be possible. Here I consider the challenge the problem of theory change poses to theories of modal metaphysics.
Coronary chronic total occlusions: How to dilate the tough ones

Several chronic total occlusions (CTOs) may be undilatable despite successful wire passage; several techniques can be used for lesion preparation, such as high-pressure balloon inflations, rotational atherectomy laser, cutting balloon, and scoring balloons. Presence of moderate to severe calcification and lesion length over 40 mm in association with comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus and reduced ejection fraction, may contribute to making a CTO lesion undilatable. Still, appropriate therapy selection for a patient with CTO should be individualized and procedure safety attended to.
Rare Variants in the Gene ALPL That Cause Hypophosphatasia Are Strongly Associated With Ovarian and Uterine Disorders.

Context Mutations in alkaline phosphatase (AlkP), liver/bone/kidney (ALPL), which encodes tissue-nonspecific isozyme AlkP, cause hypophosphatasia (HPP). HPP is suspected by a low-serum AlkP. We hypothesized that some patients with bone or dental disease have undiagnosed HPP, caused by ALPL variants. Objective Our objective was to discover the prevalence of these gene variants in the Vanderbilt University DNA Biobank (BioVU) and to assess phenotypic associations. Design We identified subjects in BioVU, a repository of DNA, that had at least one of three known, rare HPP disease-causing variants in ALPL: rs199669988, rs121918007, and/or rs121918002. To evaluate for phenotypic associations, we conducted a sequential phenome-wide association study of ALPL variants and then performed a de-identified manual record review to refine the phenotype. Results Out of 25,822 genotyped individuals, we identified 52 women and 53 men with HPP disease-causing variants in ALPL, 7/1000. None had a clinical diagnosis of HPP. For patients with ALPL variants, the average serum AlkP levels were in the lower range of normal or lower. Forty percent of men and 62% of women had documented bone and/or dental disease, compatible with the diagnosis of HPP. Forty percent of the female patients had ovarian pathology or other gynecological abnormalities compared with 15% seen in controls. Conclusions Variants in the ALPL gene cause bone and dental disease in patients with and without the standard biomarker, low plasma AlkP. ALPL gene variants are more prevalent than currently reported and underdiagnosed. Gynecologic disease appears to be associated with HPP-causing variants in ALPL.
Steroid Hormone-Binding Proteins

Steroid hormones bind to albumin but with low affinity, that is, with a relatively high dissociation constant (about 10−4) . However, because of albumin’s high concentration in the serum, this binding is of substantial significance.(1) The binding capacity of plasma albumin for the steroid hormones is far in excess of the physiological steroid hormone concentration.
Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy

The treatment options for patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias may include antiarrhythmic drugs, catheter ablation, and cardiac surgery (Figure 6-1). Treatment with catheter ablation or antiarrhythmic drugs alone are generally more effective in patients with structurally normal hearts and idiopathic forms of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. On the other hand, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators have become the first-line treatment for patients with structural heart disease who have ventricular tachyarrhythmias and no reversible cause, such as atherosclerotic coronary artery disease with prior myocardial infarction and primary or secondary cardiomyopathy.
Determinantal Representations of Stable Polynomials

For every stable multivariable polynomial p, with \(p(0)\;=\;1\), we construct a determinantal representation $$p(z)\;=\;\mathrm{det}(I\;-\;M(z))$$ where M(z) is a matrix-valued rational function with \(\parallel M(z)\parallel\;\leq\;1\) and \(\parallel M(z)^n\parallel\;<\;1\) for \(z\in\mathbb{T}^d\) and \(M(az)=aM(z)\) for all \(a\in\mathbb{C}\setminus {0}\)
The effect of the dispersion of rewarding and rewardless flowers on visitation and constancy by bumblebees ( Bombus impatiens )

Deceptive pollination strategies, in which plants rely on animal pollinators but provide no benefits to their pollinators, have evolved many times in angiosperms. However, the conditions that favour deceptive pollination strategies over mutualistic strategies are poorly understood. One factor that may be important for the success of deceptive strategies is the plants’ dispersion in relation to co-flowering, rewarding species. We compared pollinator behaviour across two artificial environments, one in which a rewardless species was mixed with a rewarding species and one in which the two species occurred in contiguous patches. Bumblebees both encountered and visited rewardless flowers more often when they were mixed with rewarding species. However, the rate of switching was also higher under those conditions, which could result in higher rates of interspecific pollen transfer. The environmental conditions most favourable to deceptive pollination strategies may vary depending on the vulnerability of the plant species to interspecific pollen transfer.
Informal STEM education will accelerate the bioeconomy.

The bioeconomy demands special approaches for attracting youth to science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines and cultivating the multidisciplinary skills needed for a future workforce.
A Study of LTE Radio Coexistance Risk with Narrow and Broadband RFI Noise

Impact of narrow and broadband RFI noise on LTE performance is quantitatively characterized. Both narrow and broadband RFI noise starts to decrease throughput at the level of −101 dBm/100kHz. However, broadband noise causes throughput degradation at higher rate of 1.7 Mbps/dB than 1.1 Mbps/dB of narrowband noise. This study provides understanding of RFI noise characteristics and quantitative RFI impact on LTE performance. It can also provide good insights for designers to design reliable mobile platform and radio communication.
Age-related changes in the passive properties of the plantarflexors: Influence of tissue size and quality.

Abstract Background Limited research exists examining the influence of age on the passive mechanical properties of the muscle-tendon unit. The purpose of the present study was to 1) investigate the age-related differences in maximum range of motion (MRoM), stretch tolerance (maximal tolerable torque), and the dissipation coefficient (DC), and 2) examine the influence of plantarflexor muscle size and quality on the age-related differences in the DC. Methods Twenty-one young and 14 older men completed a MRoM assessment to determine peak torque (PTpass), energy stored (area under the loading curve), energy restituted (area under the unloading curve), and the DC (normalized hysteresis) from the angle-torque curve. Ultrasonography was used to determine muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and subcutaneous fat corrected echo intensity (EI) of the gastrocnemii. Findings The PTpass, MRoM, and energy restituted were greater (P ≤ 0.046) in the young men, whereas the DC and EI were greater (P ≤ 0.024) in the older men. When accounting for CSA, differences between groups for the DC remained (P = 0.028), while there were no longer differences between groups when accounting for EI (P = 0.120). PTpass was also strongly related to MRoM (r = 0.755, P Interpretation Older men exhibited lower dorsiflexion MRoM and a greater DC, which may be explained by an altered stretch tolerance and qualitative changes (i.e., non-contractile tissue infiltration) in aged skeletal muscle leading to greater energy dissipated, respectively.
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR MECHANISMS OF TRAUMATIC CEREBRAL VASCULAR INJURY

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health care problem resulting in 50,000 deaths and nearly 50 billion dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity annually in the United States alone (Sosin et al. 1995). The physiologic deficit most likely responsible for this higher mortality is inadequate cerebral blood flow (CBF). Cerebral ischemia is caused by complex interactions between reduced blood pressure, impaired cerebral vasodilatory responsiveness, cerebral swelling and elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Prompt treatment of hypotension in head-injured patients is essential because even mild hypotension (systolic blood pressure 10–29 mm Hg below normal) has been associated with increased mortality (Chesnut et al. 1993). Although appropriate maintenance of cerebral perfusion pressure is critical for the effective treatment of head-injured patients, an important additional therapeutic strategy would be to restore the vasodilatory and vasoconstrictory properties of the cerebral vasculature that are intended to protect the brain by maintaining as constant and ideal an environment as possible.
Aortic regurgitation assessment by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and transthoracic echocardiography: intermodality disagreement impacting on prediction of post-surgical left ventricular remodeling.

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the primary clinical imaging modality for the assessment of patients with isolated aortic regurgitation (AR) in whom TTE’s linear left ventricular (LV) dimension is used to assess disease severity to guide aortic valve replacement (AVR), yet TTE is relatively limited with regards to its integrated semi-quantitative/qualitative approach. We therefore compared TTE and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) assessment of isolated AR and investigated each modality’s ability to predict LV remodeling after AVR. AR severity grading by CMR and TTE were compared in 101 consecutive patients referred for CMR assessment of chronic AR. LV end-diastolic diameter and end-systolic diameter measurements by both modalities were compared. Twenty-four patients subsequently had isolated AVR. The pre-AVR estimates of regurgitation severity by CMR and TTE were correlated with favorable post-AVR LV remodeling. AR severity grade agreement between CMR and TTE was moderate (ρ = 0.317, P = 0.001). TTE underestimated CMR LV end-diastolic and LV end-systolic diameter by 6.6 mm (P < 0.001, CI 5.8–7.7) and 5.9 mm (P < 0.001, CI 4.1–7.6), respectively. The correlation of post-AVR LV remodeling with CMR AR grade (ρ = 0.578, P = 0.004) and AR volumes (R = 0.664, P < 0.001) was stronger in comparison to TTE (ρ = 0.511, P = 0.011; R = 0.318, P = 0.2). In chronic AR, CMR provides more prognostic relevant information than TTE in assessing AR severity. CMR should be considered in the management of chronic AR patients being considered for AVR.
Asthma IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE as A RISK FACTOR for Acute Chest Syndrome IN Pediatric PATIENTS.

Abstract 4610 OBJECTIVES Both asthma and sickle cell disease are major Public Health concerns. Previous studies have demonstrated that asthma among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) may increase the risk of developing acute chest syndrome (ACS), which can be life threatening. These respiratory complications may increase emergency department (ED) utilization, increase health care costs, and reduce life span among persons with SCD. The purpose of this study is to determine whether children with SCD and asthma have significantly more ED visits and if they are at higher risk of developing ACS compared to children with SCD who do not have asthma. METHODS We used MarketScan® Multi-State Medicaid Databases from Thompson Reuters (Ann Arbor, Michigan) for the years 2001 to 2005. These are proprietary datasets covering eight unidentified states. We used International Classification of Disease, 9 th Division, Clinical Modifications (ICD-9-CM) codes to identify SCD, asthma and ACS. RESULTS In 2005, there were 2428 children with SCD continuously enrolled in Medicaid. Among those, 369 (15.2%) patients were identified as having asthma. The mean number of emergency department visits was significantly higher among children with both SCD and asthma compared to children with SCD without asthma (p CONCLUSIONS Among children with SCD who are enrolled in Medicaid, asthma is a common comorbidity, which is associated with high incidence of ACS. Therefore asthma should be aggressively managed among SCD patients. Proper management of asthma may result not only in reduced pulmonary complications, but also reduced costs related to emergency department utilization and progression of lung disease into adulthood. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Evaluation of a Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training for student pharmacists

Abstract Background Suicide has been labeled a public health crisis. Training students in suicide prevention has been recommended. The objectives of this study were 1) test confidence and knowledge change associated with student pharmacists undergoing a discussion session led by a psychiatric pharmacist followed by Question Persuade Refer (QPR) training and 2) assess student feedback on the sessions. Materials and methods Second-year student pharmacists attended discussion sections led by a psychiatric pharmacist and participated in QPR training as part of a 6-week Neurology-Psychiatry Integrated Pharmacotherapy course. Anonymous pre and post surveys were used to evaluate the program for changes in confidence and knowledge using independent sample t-tests. Likelihood to intervene and likelihood to seek additional training were measured and used as dependent variables in logistic ordinal regression models. Open-ended responses were coded using a descriptive qualitative content analysis approach. Results All 111 students responded to both pre and post surveys. Students showed significant improvements in their confidence (p Conclusions This educational intervention pairing engagement with a psychiatric pharmacist and training in QPR was associated with significant increases in confidence and knowledge scores related to suicide gatekeeping. The analysis showed a positive association between confidence and likelihood to intervene with persons with suicide warning signs.
A high-order accurate scheme for Maxwell's equations with a Generalized Dispersive Material (GDM) model and material interfaces

Abstract A high-order accurate scheme for solving the time-domain dispersive Maxwell's equations and material interfaces is described. Maxwell's equations are solved in second-order form for the electric field. A generalized dispersive material (GDM) model is used to represent a general class of linear dispersive materials and this model is implemented in the time-domain with the auxiliary differential equation (ADE) approach. The interior updates use our recently developed second-order and fourth-order accurate single-stage three-level space-time finite-difference schemes, and this paper extends these schemes to treat interfaces between different dispersive materials. Composite overlapping grids are used to treat complex geometry, with Cartesian grids generally covering most of the domain and local conforming grids representing curved boundaries and interfaces. Compatibility conditions derived from the interface jump conditions and governing equations are used to derive accurate numerical interface conditions that define values at ghost points. Although some compatibility conditions couple the equations for the ghost points in tangential directions due to mixed-derivatives, it is shown how to decouple the equations to avoid solving a larger system of equations for all ghost points on the interface. The stability of the interface approximations is studied with mode analysis and it is shown that the schemes retain close to a CFL-one time-step restriction. Numerical results are presented in two and three space dimensions to confirm the accuracy and stability of the schemes. The schemes are verified using exact solutions for a planar interface, a disk in two dimensions, and a solid sphere in three dimensions.
Bridging leadership science and medical leadership using servant leadership theory

As the healthcare environment continues to evolve, the physician role is moving beyond medical expertise and demanding more leadership abilities. Medical leadership can range from implementing various doctor–patient care models, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, to understanding how physicians can positively influence productivity as board members.1 2 Traditionally, medical leaders have been selected on the basis of merit, but with today’s medical context being more volatile, a physician is looked on to make decisions beyond their clinical expertise.3 Today’s medical leaders require a different set of competencies that go beyond a command and control type of leadership, and require interdependence and the prioritisation of one’s patients, team members and community. Healthcare organisations must consider developing leaders in an effort to close this gap through practice efforts that capture this paradigm shift, and prepare physicians with the knowledge, skills and abilities to lead effectively in today’s world.4–6 Lees and Armit characterise medical leadership as an evidence-free zone, noting that the generalisability of existing leadership knowledge from other professions to medical leadership is sparse.4 As a result, the leadership models theorised and tested by leadership academics are often ignored. This is problematic to the advancement of medical leadership, as extending leadership models from the organisational sciences to healthcare could provide a healthcare-based leadership programme with the theoretical basis and rigorous measurement tools that need to be …
JA:2021-16. A Roadmap for Delivering Child Care in Agricultural Communities

Purpose: The “Protecting Children While Parents Work in Agriculture” project aims to establish safe and nurturing environments for farmworker children while their parents work. Access to good child...
In-Situ Synchrotron Diffraction and Modeling of Non-Equilibrium Solidification of a MnFeCoNiCu Alloy

The solidification mechanism and segregation behavior of laser-melted Mn35Fe5Co20Ni20Cu20 was firstly investigated via in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction at millisecond temporal resolution. The transient composition evolution of the random solid solution during sequential solidification of dendritic and interdendritic regions complicates the analysis of synchrotron diffraction data via any single conventional tool, such as Rietveld refinement. Therefore, a novel approach combining a hard-sphere approximation model, thermodynamic simulation, thermal expansion measurement and microstructural characterization was developed to assist in a fundamental understanding of the evolution of local composition, lattice parameter, and dendrite volume fraction corresponding to the diffraction data. This methodology yields self-consistent results across different methods. Via this approach, four distinct stages were identified, including: (I) FCC dendrite solidification, (II) solidification of FCC interdendritic region, (III) solid-state interdiffusion and (IV) final cooling with marginal diffusion. It was found out that in Stage I, Cu and Mn were rejected into liquid as Mn35Fe5Co20Ni20Cu20 solidified dendritically. During Stage II, the lattice parameter disparity between dendrite and interdendritic region escalated as Cu and Mn continued segregating into the interdendritic region. After complete solidification, during Stage III, the lattice parameter disparity gradually decreases, demonstrating a degree of composition homogenization. The volume fraction of dendrites slightly grew from 58.3 to 65.5%, based on the evolving composition profile across a dendrite/interdendritic interface in diffusion calculations. Postmortem metallography further confirmed that dendrites have a volume fraction of 64.7% ± 5.3% in the final microstructure.
Comparison of polymerases used for amplification of mitochondrial DNA from challenging hairs and hairs of various treatments.

Abstract Forensic DNA analysis of hair evidence typically involves the amplification and sequencing of the control region (CR) of the mitochondrial genome (mtgenome). In compromised hair samples, such as shed hairs, the number of mtgenome copies could be low; thus, it is imperative that the polymerase used in PCR is efficient to ensure maximum amplification. Considering this, the first phase of this study compared the yields obtained from 12 polymerases (sourced from a range of commercial companies) when amplifying the CR, hypervariable (HV) region II (HV2), and hypervariable subregion II-B (HV2B). This initial assessment was performed using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extracted from 2 cm of hair adjacent to the root from three donors of different self-reported ancestries and hair color/texture. PrimeSTAR HS and KAPA HiFi HotStart consistently generated significantly higher amplicon yields (p
Brief, Written Reflections Improve Interest of Introductory Animal Science Undergraduates.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of utility-value reflections designed to improve the interest of introductory animal science students. Building on previous work, this research discusses inte...
RisingEMOTIONS: Bridging Art and Technology to Visualize Public’s Emotions about Climate Change

In response to the threat posed by sea-level rise, coastal cities must rapidly adapt and transform vulnerable areas to protect endangered communities. As such, raising awareness and engaging affected communities in planning for adaptation strategies is critical. However, in the US, public engagement with climate change is low, especially among underrepresented populations. To address this challenge, we designed and implemented RisingEMOTIONS, a site-specific collaborative art installation situated in East Boston that combines public art with digital technology. The installation depicts the impacts of sea-level rise by visualizing local projected flood levels and the public’s emotions toward this threat. The community’s engagement with our project demonstrated the potential for public art to create interest and raise awareness of climate change. We discuss the potential for continued growth in the way that digital tools and public art can support equitable resilience planning through increased public engagement.
Where Does CER Stand on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? Insights from a Literature Review

In the wake of the ongoing nationwide antiracist movement, the academy at large has been reflecting on its role in society and the pursuit of social justice. Here, we examine the state of diversity...
Clonal analysis of human dendritic cell progenitor using a stromal cell culture

Different dendritic cell (DC) subsets co-exist in humans and coordinate the immune response. Having a short life, DCs must be constantly replenished from their progenitors in the bone marrow through hematopoiesis. Identification of a DC-restricted progenitor in mouse has improved our understanding of how DC lineage diverges from myeloid and lymphoid lineages. However, identification of the DC-restricted progenitor in humans has not been possible because a system that simultaneously nurtures differentiation of human DCs, myeloid and lymphoid cells, is lacking. Here we report a cytokine and stromal cell culture that allows evaluation of CD34+ progenitor potential to all three DC subsets as well as other myeloid and lymphoid cells, at a single cell level. Using this system, we show that human granulocyte–macrophage progenitors are heterogeneous and contain restricted progenitors to DCs.
Trajectories of aggression from toddlerhood to age 9 predict academic and social functioning through age 12

BACKGROUND: Using longitudinal data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examined behavior problems and social and academic outcomes from ages 9 through 12 in children classified into five trajectories of physical aggression, on the basis of maternal ratings obtained from 24 months through 9 years (N = 1195). METHODS: Outcome data were obtained from teacher reports, observations of children's behavior, and children's self-reports. RESULTS: Children on the high-stable aggression trajectory (3% of sample) showed the most severe adjustment problems, including poorer social skills, higher levels of externalizing problems, and more self-reported peer problems; those on the moderate-stable aggression trajectory (15%) showed poor regulation and inattention. Although children with moderate levels of early aggression that decreased sharply by school entry (12%) appeared well adjusted at follow-up, those who showed a low level of stable aggression (25%) evidenced some unanticipated social and behavior problems. Children in the contrast group (45%) were consistently very low in aggression from toddlerhood onward. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight links between different patterns (stable or decreasing) and levels (high, moderate, low, very low) of aggression across childhood and children's later adjustment. For example, even quite low aggression that is stable appears to be a risk factor for some social problems; in contrast, moderate aggression that decreases sharply to no aggression by school entry is associated with good adjustment at age 12. Language: en
PARTIAL EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION (PET) FOR TREATMENT OF PRIAPISM IN CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE (SCD)

PARTIAL EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION (PET) FOR TREATMENT OF PRIAPISM IN CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE (SCD)
Specific interaction of SPARC with endothelial cells is mediated through a carboxyl-terminal sequence containing a calcium-binding EF hand.

Abstract SPARC is a secreted, Ca(2+)-binding protein that modulates cell shape and gene expression (Sage, E.H., and Bornstein, P. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 14831-14834). In the present study we questioned whether SPARC interacted with an endothelial cell surface receptor. The binding of 125I-SPARC to bovine aortic endothelial cells was dependent on Ca2+ and was sensitive to small changes in extracellular pH; maximal binding occurred at pH 7.1. Scatchard analysis indicated approximately 2.3 x 10(7) binding sites/cell with an apparent KI of 1.1 nM. The interaction was diminished specifically by competition with synthetic peptides corresponding to amino acids 54-73 (SPARC 54-73) and 254-273 (SPARC254-273). The binding of 125I-SPARC254-273, a sequence containing a Ca(2+)-binding EF-hand, was saturated within 45 min at a concentration of 5 microM; Scatchard analysis indicated 4.2 x 10(7) sites/cell and a KI of 2.4 nM. Iodinated proteins from plasma membranes were affinity-chromatographed on SPARC254-273; several proteins with apparent masses ranging from 153 to 100 kDa (unreduced) or from 153 to 122 kDa (reduced) were eluted with the soluble peptide. These proteins represent candidates for a SPARC receptor(s) that mediates the biological activity of this protein on endothelial cells.
Self-Protection against Attacks in an Autonomic Computing Environment.

Computing systems have steadily evolved into more complex, interconnected, heterogeneous entities. Ad-hoc techniques are most often used in designing them. Furthermore, researchers and designers from both academia and industry have focused on vertical approaches to emphasizing the advantages of one specific feature such as fault tolerance, security or performance. Such approaches led to very specialized computing systems and applications. Autonomic systems, as an alternative approach, can control and manage themselves automatically with minimal intervention by users or system administrators. This paper presents an autonomic framework in developing and implementing autonomic computing services and applications. Firstly, it shows how to apply this framework to autonomically manage the security of networks. Then an approach is presented to develop autonomic components from existing legacy components such as software modules/applications or hardware resources (router, processor, server, etc.). Experimental evaluation of the prototype shows that the system can be programmed dynamically to enable the components to operate autonomously.
The archaeology of body modification: Identifying symbolic behaviour through usewear and residues on flaked stone tools

The origins of modern human behaviour have been construed by some archaeologists as a question of the origins of symbolism. In this thesis I take the position that consciousness is embodied and that body modifications are a key element in generating symbolic behaviour, and I develop criteria by which body modification tools can be recognised archaeologically. Â The possibility that body art preceded the first unequivocal archaeological evidence of symbolic behaviour has been long acknowledged but regarded as an intractable problem because of its archaeological invisibility. Archaeological evidence for body modifications shows that they were practiced from the Upper Palaeolithic, but the reliance on preservation of skeletal material and soft tissue, and the difficulty of interpreting ancient art, means that there are limitations to establishing their presence prior to this. The most abundant archaeological remains in the Palaeolithic are stone tools, and I demonstrate that in more recent contexts these are routinely used for head shaving, scarification, and surgery such as finger amputations and genital modifications. The presence of use-wear and human body residues on stone tool edges provides a means of detecting symbolic body practices that is not dependent on stylistic judgements of stone tool form, controversial "non-utilitarian" art objects, burials or changes in brain structure and size, none of which have satisfactorily proved that symbolic behaviour existed before 60,000 BP. To test this I analyse a collection of flaked bottle glass razors used for shaving the head from the Andaman Islands. The results of this analysis are compared to a further series of glass and obsidian razors from Antigua, New Guinea, Mexico and Egypt, and experimental obsidian razors. I conclude that the combination of residues such as blood and hair, and wear traces that indicate a scraping/slicing motion, allow razor use to be identified on stone tools. There is ample archaeological evidence to show that blood residues on stone tools can survive up to 300,000 years, and hair is also extremely well preserved. If body modification tools can be identified prior to 60,000 BP they would provide evidence for the use of complex symbolic constructs and hence an earlier genesis of language than currently accepted.
Iron Status and Infant Feeding Practices in an Urban Ambulatory Center

The relationship of infant feeding practices to iron status was examined in a group of 280 infants, 9 to 12 months of age, attending a "well-baby" clinic. Of this group, 7.6% were found to be iron depleted, 19.7% were iron deficient without anemia, and 8.2% were iron deficient with anemia. The incidence of iron-deficiency anemia was significantly greater in the black infants than the white infants (14.3% v 2.7%). The introduction of whole cow9s milk into the diet had occurred prior to 6 months of age in 29.2% of the infants, and 62.1% of these infants had laboratory evidence of nutritional iron inadequacy, as contrasted with only 21.8% of those with iron deficiencies fed cow9s milk after 6 months of age. Of the 21 infants with iron-deficiency anemia, 19 (90.5%) had been fed whole cow9s milk prior to 6 months of age. Iron deficiency remains a nutritional problem for infants in an urban setting and is largely a result of the early introduction of whole cow9s milk into the diet.
Pleading Standards: The Hidden Threat to Actavis

In FTC v. Actavis, the Supreme Court held that a brand drug company’s payment to a generic firm to settle patent litigation and delay entering the market could violate the antitrust laws.Since the decision, the issue of the pleading requirements imposed on plaintiffs has slipped under the radar. Along those lines, it is concerning that courts recently have imposed unprecedented hurdles. For example, the court in In re Effexor XR Antitrust Litigation failed to credit allegations that a generic delayed entering the market because a brand promised not to introduce its own “authorized generic” that would have dramatically reduced the true generic’s revenues. The same judge, in In re Lipitor Antitrust Litigation, dismissed a complaint despite allegations that the generic delayed entry in return for the brand’s forgiveness of hundreds of millions of dollars in potential damages in separate litigation.This Essay explains why the excessive pleading standards in Effexor and Lipitor are not consistent with Actavis or the leading caselaw on pleading. It discusses cases that apply a more justifiable analysis. And it concludes that the imposition of inappropriate pleading standards significantly weakens the antitrust analysis of potentially anticompetitive settlements.
The source galerkin method for scalar field theory

Abstract This is part I of a two-part series on the Source Galerkin method. This approach is based on the differential formulation of quantum field theory. On a finite lattice, the functional differential equations for a theory in the presence of an external source becomes a set of coupled differential equations for the generating functional Z . Systematic approximations to these equations are found using the Galerkin method. Calculations are straightforward to perform, and are executed rapidly compared to Monte Carlo. The bulk of the computation involves a single matrix inversion. In addition, bosons and fermions are treated in a symmetric manner. In this paper, we consider power series solutions for scalar field theory in D = 2, 3,4. Propagators and mass gaps are calculated for a number of systems. The calculations in this paper were made on a work station of modest power using a fourth order polynomial expansion for lattices of size 8 2 , 4 3 , 2 4 in 2D 3D, and 4D. In part II we consider the fermionic formulation.
Interleukin-1 alpha in human sweat is functionally active and derived from the eccrine sweat gland

We wished to establish the presence of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in human sweat (5) and clarify its origin and mechanism of secretion. IL-1 alpha concentration ([IL-1 alpha]) in clean sweat from the back increased with the sweat rate, plateauing at the maximal sweat rate ([IL-1 alpha]max). The mean [IL-1 alpha]max was 545 pg/ml (n = 17) for men and 1,324 pg/ml for women in back sweat. The mean [IL-1 alpha]max for axillary sweat in men was 1,568 (n = 6). Palmar sweat was 9.2 ng/ml (n = 5) for IL-1 alpha and 7.9 ng/ml for IL-1 beta. [IL-1 alpha]max decreased to one-third that of the first sweat test, when second sauna sweat tests were conducted after 2 h of continuous sweating on the same day. Western blot analysis of the purified sweat IL-1 alpha fraction revealed bands at 17, 29, and 33 kDa. Immunoreactive IL-1 alpha was localized mainly in the secretory coil lumen, intercellular canaliculi, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and near plasma membranes. Polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of IL-1 alpha mRNA in the sweat gland and in cultured human eccrine secretory coil cells. Both sweat IL-1 alpha and human recombinant IL-1 alpha at 500 pg/ml strongly stimulated interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 production in cultured fibroblasts. We conclude that the IL-1 alpha-like immunoreactive substance in sweat is IL-1 alpha itself, is derived from the sweat gland, and is biologically active at concentrations normally present in fresh sweat.
Towards identification of Wiener systems with the least amount of a priori information: IIR cases

In this paper, we investigate what constitutes the least amount of a priori information on the nonlinearity so that the linear part is identifiable in the non-Gaussian input case. Under the white noise input, three types of a priori information are considered: quadrant information, point information, and monotonic information. In all three cases, identifiability has been established, and the corresponding nonparametric identification algorithms are developed along with their convergence proofs.
Self-reported use of Vitamin Mineral Supplements in a Pilot Study with Elderly Participants

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify the frequency of vitamin/mineral supplement use among eldelrly participants. As more studies are conducted regarding nutrient intake and dietary habits of the elderly, findings may reveal the need for modification of current recommendations. This pilot study was conducted to evalute nutrient intake of elderly participants. The Block Food Frequency Questionnaire, Short Version, which addresses dietary intake and vitamin/mineral usage, was administered to thirty, free-living, urban elderly men(12) and women (18), ages 60-99; mean age 70.57. Of the 30 participants, 21 (70%) reported taking supplements. Nine of 12 males (75%) and 12 of 18 females (66.7%) reported using a supplement. Based on educational level, 20% of those with 17+years, 36.7% of those with 12-16 years, and 16.7% with 12 or less years of education took a supplement. The type of supplements taken were: One-a-day type -15(71%), of which 4 took only this; Calcium -11 (52.4%); Vitamin C -8(38.1%); Vitamin E -(33.3%): Zinc or Theragran-type vitamin -2(9.5%); Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin B 69 Vitamin B 120 Beta-carotene, Vitamin B 19 or Vitamin A -1 (4.8%). To summarize, a greater percentage of the male then female participants took vitamins. Those with some college education were more likely to take supplements than those who did not go to college. The top four ingested supplements identified in this study agree with those reported in other studies. Further investigation with the elderly of the comparison of dietary analysis with supplement use, the reason(s) for taking the supplements, and the source of information about perceived need for supplements, would provide a more complete picture of supplementation by this population
Progesterone administration in vivo stimulates release of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in vitro

The release of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) from tissue from the mediobasal hypothalamic-anterior hypothalamic-preoptic area of prepuberal female rats was measured in a perfusion system. Measurements were also made of the concentrations of LHRH in these tissue fragments and of luteinizing hormone in serum obtained when the rats were killed. Four groups of immature rats were studied: intact, ovariectomized, ovariectomized and implanted with estradiol-containing capsules, and ovariectomized rats primed with estradiol and injected with progesterone. The release of LHRH from the tissue of ovariectomized animals was significantly less than that of intact females and was not modified when the ovariectomized rats received estradiol. However, there was a four- to fivefold increase in LHRH release from tissue of ovariectomized rats primed with estradiol when they were killed 6 hours after they received an injection of progesterone. The concentrations of LHRH in tissue and of luteinizing hormone in serum varied among groups and with the time of day that the animals were killed. The interactions among luteinizing hormone, gonadal steroids, and the photoperiod seem to set the appropriate conditions for neural processes triggering a complete and normal release of luteinizing hormone.
Conflicts among Multinational Ethical and Scientific Standards for Clinical Trials of Therapeutic Interventions

Utilizing a sorted compendium of international clinical trial standards, investigators identified 15 conflicts among ethical and methodological guidance. Analysis distinguishes interpretational issues, lack of clarity, and contradiction as factors to be addressed if international trial guidance is to be improved.
Open quiz solution: Case report 839

A case of an elastofibroma in the right scapular region in a 56-year-old woman was reported. The clinical and pathological findings were discussed. The location of this lesion was uncommon. The common sites were mentioned. The differential diagnosis and magnetic resonance findings were also described.
Recent pulse width and linewidth measurements on the mode-locked Kr(+)-ion laser.

The output power of six lines is studied for Spectra-Physics Kr/sup +/-ion lasers models 171k. (AIP)
Proximal row carpectomy: Indications, surgical technique, and long-term results

Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) can be an effective procedure in the treatment of painful arthritis of the wrist. Many conditions—most commonly untreated scaphoid nonunions and chronic scapholunate dissociation—can result in scapholunate advanced collapse pattern of arthritis, whereby the radioscaphoid and midcarpal joint become degenerative. Typically, the radiolunate joint, which is the basis for motion-preserving reconstructive procedures such as proximal row carpectomy, is spared. PRC converts a complex link joint to a simple hinge joint by creating a radiocapitate articulation. The ideal candidate for PRC has radioscaphoid arthritis with preservation of the capitate articular surface and the lunate fossa of the radius. This paper describes preoperative evaluation, surgical technique of both standard PRC and PRC with capsular interposition, postoperative rehabilitation, and results. Proximal row carpectomy is effective in treating posttraumatic arthritis of the wrist, has a low failure rate, and leaves the patient with a functional arc of motion and acceptable grip strength. With long-term follow-up, many patients show radiographic evidence of progressive radiocapitate arthritis, but do not manifest a corresponding deterioration in clinical function.
Severe Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis: Successful Surgical Correction by Extended Aortoplasty

Surgical treatment of severe discrete supravalvular aortic stenosis by placement of a patch graft across the narrowed area of aorta at one point has been associated with a substantial incidence of residual stenosis. Successful relief of a severe stenosis was achieved by a modification of a previously reported technique in which the stenotic area is expanded at two points. Use of this technique should be considered in cases of severe discrete supravalvular aortic stenosis.
An Assessment of Future Clinical Pharmacy Service Delivery in the Patient-Centered Medical Home.

Two health care reform initiatives—patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and payment reform—in combination have the potential to increase clinical pharmacy involvement in patient care. However, the ...
Damping at high homologous temperature in pure Cd, In, Pb, and Sn

Typically, if a material possesses the stiffness necessary to be considered a structural material, its damping is low. Conversely, materials with high damping usually do not possess the stiffness necessary to be considered a structural material. Candidate materials for the high stiffness-low damping phase exist in abundance, whereas candidate materials for the moderate stiffness-high damping phase remain to be identified. One possible class of candidate materials for the moderate stiffness-high damping phase is metals at high homologous temperatures. Shear moduli of the specimens at 100 Hz are as follows: 4.1 GPa for indium, 5.7 GPa for lead, 15.7 GPa for tin, and 20.7 GPa for cadmium. Considering the behavior typical of metals, one may think of In and Pb as relatively compliant, while Sn and Cd could be called moderately stiff. The results are of some technological interest in view of the utility of materials with moderately high stiffness and damping. The combination of moderate stiffness and reasonably high loss tangent makes Cd the most promising metal tested with respect to technological applications. The shear modulus of Cd was highest of the metals tested (and very near that of aluminum (G = 27 GPa), which exhibits a loss tangent ofmore » about 0.001 at room temperature). The loss tangent of Cd at audio-frequencies was as high or higher than that of the other metals. In addition, frequency dependence of loss tangent was not as large as that observed in the other metals. No clear pattern relating damping to melting point emerged. An understanding in terms of viscoelastic mechanisms is not forthcoming at this time. Among the metal studied, cadmium exhibited a substantial loss tangent of 0.03 to 0.04 over much of the audio range, combined with a moderate stiffness, G = 20.7 GPa.« less
Examination of possible renal origin of the humoral factor responsible for saline diuresis in the dog.

The hypothesis of renal origin of the humoral factor responsible for the natriuresis which follows saline infusion in the dog was tested in a cross-circulation model especially designed for the purpose. Renal venous blood of saline loaded donor dogs was pumped directly into the system perfusing the right (“assay”) kidney of oliguric recipient animals. In control and recovery periods, recipients own renal venous blood was substituted for the blood of saline-infused donors.