cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of the Site of Zinc Absorption in Rat Small Intestine

We have studied net uptake of zinc from segments of rat duodenum, jejunum, and ileum using in vivo intestinal perfusion. We have also evaluated the effect of pancreatic and bile secretions on duodenal zinc absorption. Segments of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and duodenum with bile and pancreatic duct obstruction, 10 cm in length, were studied in six rats each. Percentage absorption of zinc as determined by atomic absorption spectrophotomety was greater from the ileum (60.1%) when compared to duodenum (19.1%) or jejunum (20.2%). Exclusion of bile and pancreatic secretions from the lumen increased zinc absorption in the duodenum (32.0%). Postperfusion mucosal zinc content comprised 29.0% of absorbed zinc from jejunum, 7.4% from ileum, 5.2% from duodenum, and 2.7% from duodenum with bile and pancreatic duct obstructed, indicating rapid transport of zinc across epithelial cells after uptake from the duodenum and ileum. Our data indicate that the ileum has the greatest capacity for zinc absorption.
WORKSHOP SUMMARY: EXCISION REPAIR PATHWAYS IN BACTERIA

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the complexity of excision repair mechanisms in bacteria that underscores the need for further experimentation. The excision repair scheme involving incision, excision, resynthesis, and ligation is almost certainly well founded and considerable progress has been made toward understanding the details of individual steps. The excision of the cross-link appears to require the 5’→3’exonuclease of DNA polymerase I as well as the uvrD gene product. The chapter also discusses the difficulties caused by postirradiation DNA degradation and experiments involving high levels of DNA degradation, which should be interpreted cautiously. As of yet, the incision step at the site of pyrimidine dimers is not completely understood. As the nature and location of the incision probably determines the type of substrate available to excision and resynthesis enzymes, the incision event itself may dictate as to which of the available excision repair pathways is followed.
Reflection patterns for interactive knowledge capture

Current knowledge acquisition tools have limited understanding of how users enter knowledge and how acquired knowledge is used, and provide limited assistance in organizing various knowledge authoring tasks. In this paper, we present a novel extension to existing knowledge acquisition tools where the system 1) captures the episodes of knowledge acquisition and knowledge use through a set of declarative reflection patterns 2) performs assessment on how to improve the future knowledge acquisition and knowledge use based on captured episodes, and 3) provides assistance to the users by combining the assessment results.
Combination of triapine, olaparib, and cediranib for epithelial ovarian cancer therapy.

e17551Background: PARP inhibitors target BRCA-mutated or homologous recombination (HR) repair-defective epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, primary and recurrent EOC with proficient HR repair...
344 THE OUTCOME OF PENETRATING BRAIN INJURY FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES.

Object Since the introduction of the Guidelines for Management and Prognosis of Penetrating Brain Injury (PBI) in 2001, published data investigating its impact on the patients9 outcome have been limited. This study reports the outcome of PBI patients managed by these guidelines. Methods Retrospective medical record reviewing of PBI patients between 2001 and 2003 was performed. The following information was tabulated: patient demographic factors, injury types, postresuscitation GCS score, admitting blood pressure, oxygenation status, associating injuries, hospital course, incidence of infection, and seizure. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score was used to determine the outcome. One hundred six patients were available for the study. The average length of follow-up was 25 months (10-41 months). Ninety-seven were male and 9 were female. The average age was 26 (8-52 years). Forty-four patients had Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 3 to -5, 6 of 6 to 8, 16 of 9 to 11, and 40 of 12 to 15. Four patients had blood pressure below 90 mm Hg and four had PaO2 below 60 mm Hg. Thirty-one had other systemic penetrating injuries. Patients were treated with antibiotics and Dilantin when indicated by the guidelines. There was no related infection to the head wound and no seizure was reported. The overall mortality was 42% (GOS of 5) and 45% with GOS of 1 and 2. Conclusions The outcome for PBI patients with GCS of 3 to 5 remains to be poor with only 7% survival. However, with aggressive management of intracranial pressure, systemic blood pressure, and oxygenation, a better outcome was seen in patients with GCS of 6 to 12, with 86% alive and 47% independent.
Secondary lymphoid tissue and costimulation-blockade resistant rejection: A nonhuman primate renal transplant study.

Naive T cell activation requires antigen presentation combined with costimulation through CD28, both of which optimally occur in secondary lymphoid tissues such as lymph nodes and the spleen. Belatacept impairs CD28 costimulation by binding its ligands, CD80 and CD86, and in doing so, impairs de novo alloimmune responses. However, in most patients belatacept is ineffective in preventing allograft rejection when used as a monotherapy, and adjuvant therapy is required for control of costimulation-blockade resistant rejection (CoBRR). In rodent models, impaired access to secondary lymphoid tissues has been demonstrated to reduce alloimmune responses to vascularized allografts. Here we show that surgical maneuvers, lymphatic ligation, and splenectomy, designed to anatomically limit access to secondary lymphoid tissues, control CoBRR and facilitate belatacept monotherapy in a nonhuman primate model of kidney transplantation without adjuvant immunotherapy. We further demonstrate that animals sustained on belatacept monotherapy progressively develop an increasingly naive T and B cell repertoire, an effect that is accelerated by splenectomy and lost at the time of belatacept withdrawal and rejection. These pilot data inform the role of secondary lymphoid tissues on the development of CoBRR and the use of costimulation molecule-focused therapies.
Demo Abstract: Deskbuddy: an Office Activity Detection System

We present Deskbuddy, a vibration-based system that can track a user's activities through their desk. Tracking sitting and other office related activities let us remind the user to have healthier working habits, as well as giving information about how office spaces are used. Many solutions have been proposed for office activity tracking, but they either require the user to wear a device, or they use cameras or microphones, which can make subjects uncomfortable. Our demo includes a small vibration sensor that sits on a table that can detect four office related activities. We capture the signal from the vibration sensor, extract features, and perform classification on the resulting features. The full functionality of the system will be shown in a video. In order for our demo to be more effective in a crowded environment, we have re-trained it to detect only typing versus not typing.
Multi-Center Outcomes of Chlorhexidine Oral Decontamination in Intensive Care Units.

Background: The efficacy of oral chlorhexidine (oCHG) for decontamination in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of oCHG decont...
The Syllabus as a Tool to Enhance Teaching & Learning in Construction Education

As the first item often distributed each semester, the syllabus sets expectations and requirements for the educational experience. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach to syllabi design...
An inter-species computational analysis of vibrotactile sensitivity in Pacinian and Herbst corpuscles

Vibration sensing is ubiquitous among vertebrates, with the sensory end organ generally being a multilayered ellipsoidal structure. There is, however, a wide range of sizes and structural arrangeme...
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Proximal Row Carpectomy and Four-Corner Arthrodesis.

Background The optimal surgical treatment for scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC) remains unclear. To inform clinical decision-makers, we conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing proximal row carpectomy (PRC) and four-corner arthrodesis (FCA). Methods A Markov microsimulation model was used to compare clinical outcomes, costs, and health utilities between PRC and FCA. The model used a 10-year time horizon and a 1-month cycle length, and it was evaluated from the societal perspective. Utilities and clinical parameters including transition probabilities for debridement for infection, removal of implants, conversion to total wrist arthrodesis, revision FCA, and revision total wrist arthrodesis were obtained from published literature. Timing of complications was estimated from the literature. Direct medical costs were derived from Medicare ambulatory surgical cost data, and indirect costs for missed work due to surgical procedures and complications were included. The effectiveness outcome was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and 1-way threshold analysis for utilities were performed. Results In the base-case model, PRC dominated FCA (i.e., PRC had lower cost and greater effectiveness). The mean (and standard deviation) for the total cost and QALYs per patient were $30,970 ± $5,931 and 8.24 ± 1.28, respectively, for PRC and $44,526 ± $11,205 and 8.23 ± 1.26, respectively, for FCA. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, PRC dominated FCA in 57% of the 1 million iterations. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve indicated that PRC is the most cost-effective strategy regardless of the willingness-to-pay threshold up to $100,000/QALY. Conclusions PRC dominated FCA in the base-case analysis and in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. These results suggest that PRC is the optimal strategy for Stage-I or II SLAC and for SNAC in patients ≥55 years of age. Level of Evidence Economic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Evidence for diverse lunar melt compositions and mixing of the pre-3.9 Ga crust from zircon chemistry

Abstract Lunar samples collected during Apollo missions are typically impact-related breccias or regolith that contain amalgamations of rocks and minerals with various origins (e.g., products of igneous differentiation, mantle melting, and/or impact events). The largest intact pre-Nectarian (∼≥3.92 Ga) fragments of igneous rock contained within the breccia and regolith rarely exceed 1 cm in size, and they often show evidence for impact recrystallization. This widespread mixing of disparate materials makes unraveling the magmatic history of pre-Nectarian period fraught with challenges. To address this issue, we combine U-Pb geochronology of Apollo 14 zircons (207Pb–206Pb ages from 3.93 to 4.36 Ga) with zircon trace element chemistry and thermodynamic models. Zircon crystallization temperatures are calculated with Ti-in-zircon thermometry after presenting new titania and silica activity models for lunar melts. We also present rare earth element (REE), P, actinide, and Mg + Fe + Al concentrations. While REE patterns and P yield little information about the parent melt origins of these out-of-context grains, U and Th concentrations are highly variable among pre-4.2 Ga zircons when compared to younger grains. Thus, the distribution of heat-producing radioactive elements in melt sources pervading the early lunar crust was heterogenous. Melt composition variation is confirmed by zircon Al concentrations and thermodynamic modeling that reveal at least two dominant magma signatures in the pre-4.0 Ga zircon population. One inferred magma type has a high alumina activity. This magma likely assimilated anorthosite-rich rocks (e.g., Feldspathic Highlands Terrane; FHT), though impact-generated melts of an alumina-rich target rock is a viable alternative. The other magma signature bears more similarities to KREEP basalts from the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT), reflecting lower apparent alumina activities. Melt diversity seems to disappear after 4.0 Ga, with zircon recording magma compositions that largely fall in-between the two main groups found for pre-4.0 Ga samples. We interpret
Bullying Victimization, Negative Emotions, and Digital Self-Harm: Testing a Theoretical Model of Indirect Effects

Research on digital self-harm – the anonymous or pseudonymous posting of hurtful or negative information about oneself on the internet and social media platforms – is in the early stages of develop...
Competition Among Proprietary and Open-Source Software Firms: The Role of Licensing on Strategic Contribution

In enterprise software markets, firms are increasingly using services-based business models built on open-source software (OSS) to compete with established, proprietary software firms. Because thirdparty firms can also strategically contribute to OSS and compete in the services market, the nature of competition between OSS constituents and proprietary software firms can be complex. Moreover, their incentives are likely influenced by the licensing schemes that govern OSS. We study a three player game and examine how open-source licensing affects competition among an open-source originator, open-source contributor, and a proprietor competing in an enterprise software market. In this regard, we examine: (i) how quality investments and prices are endogenously determined in equilibrium, (ii) how license restrictiveness impacts equilibrium investments and the quality of offerings, and (iii) how license restrictiveness affects consumer surplus and social welfare. Although some in the open-source community often advocate restrictive licenses such as GPL, because it is not always in the best interest of the originator for the contributor to invest greater development effort, such licensing can actually be detrimental to both consumer surplus and social welfare when it exacerbates this incentive conflict. We find such an outcome in markets characterized by software providers with similar development capabilities yet cast in favor of the proprietor. On the other hand, when either these capabilities become more dispersed or remain similar but tilt in favor of open-source, a more restrictive license instead encourages greater effort from the OSS contributor, leads to higher OSS quality, and provides a larger societal benefit.
Tissue regulatory T cells: regulatory chameleons.

The FOXP3+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells located in non-lymphoid tissues differ in phenotype and function from their lymphoid organ counterparts. Tissue Treg cells have distinct transcriptomes, T cell receptor repertoires and growth and survival factor dependencies that arm them to survive and operate in their home tissue. Their functions extend beyond immune surveillance to tissue homeostasis, including regulation of local and systemic metabolism, promotion of tissue repair and regeneration, and control of the proliferation, differentiation and fate of non-lymphoid cell progenitors. Treg cells in diverse tissues share a common FOXP3+CD4+ precursor located within lymphoid organs. This precursor undergoes definitive specialization once in the home tissue, following a multilayered array of common and tissue-distinct transcriptional programmes. Our deepening knowledge of tissue Treg cell biology will inform ongoing attempts to harness Treg cells for precision immunotherapeutics. Regulatory T cells present in non-lymphoid tissues such as the skin, fat and muscle are distinct from their counterparts in lymphoid tissues. Their functions extend beyond immune surveillance to the control of local metabolism, tissue repair and tissue cell progenitors, as discussed in this Review.
Embedding Adaptation is Still Needed for Few-Shot Learning.

Constructing new and more challenging tasksets is a fruitful methodology to analyse and understand few-shot classification methods. Unfortunately, existing approaches to building those tasksets are somewhat unsatisfactory: they either assume train and test task distributions to be identical -- which leads to overly optimistic evaluations -- or take a "worst-case" philosophy -- which typically requires additional human labor such as obtaining semantic class relationships. We propose ATG, a principled clustering method to defining train and test tasksets without additional human knowledge. ATG models train and test task distributions while requiring them to share a predefined amount of information. We empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of ATG in generating tasksets that are easier, in-between, or harder than existing benchmarks, including those that rely on semantic information. Finally, we leverage our generated tasksets to shed a new light on few-shot classification: gradient-based methods -- previously believed to underperform -- can outperform metric-based ones when transfer is most challenging.
Racial/ethnic and prior willingness disparities in potential living kidney donors' self-assessed responses to advancing American kidney health regulation.

Background Racial/ethnic disparities in living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) are large, and rates of LDKT may be limited by indirect costs of living donation. A 2019 Executive Order- Advancing American Kidney Health (AAKH)- sought to remove indirect costs through an expanded reimbursement program. We examine how potential living kidney donors in the U.S. believe regulation stemming from the AAKH initiative will impact their living donor evaluation likelihood, how these beliefs vary by minority race/ethnicity and prior willingness to be evaluated, and how differences are explained by ability to benefit or knowledge and attitudes. Methods Data from a 2019 online survey (Families of Renal Patients Survey) were used. Respondents are U.S. adult (> 18 years) members of the Qualtrics Survey Panel who reported having relatives with weak or failing kidneys (N = 590). Respondents' likelihood to be evaluated for living kidney donation are measured by self-report. Prior willingness is measured by past donation-related actions and current attitudes. Ability to benefit is measured by self-reported labor force participation and financial strain. Transplant knowledge is measured by self-report and a knowledge test, and transplant-related attitudes are measured by self-report. Average marginal effects of minority race/ethnicity and prior willingness for response to each provision in fully-adjusted models were estimated. Formal tests of mediation were conducted using the Karlson, Holm, and Breen (KHB) mediation model. Stata/MP 14.2 was used to conduct all analyses. Results Majorities of all groups report favorable responses to the provisions stipulated in AAKH regulation. Responses to provisions are significantly associated with race/ethnicity and prior willingness, with racial/ethnic minorities and those not previously willing to be evaluated less likely to report favorable responses to these provisions. Prior willingness differences are partially explained by group differences in ability to benefit and transplant-related knowledge and attitudes, but racial/ethnic differences largely are not. Conclusions Regulation stemming from the AAKH initiative is likely to effectively promote LDKT, but may also exacerbate racial/ethnic disparities. Therefore, the regulation may need to be supplemented by efforts to address non-financial obstacles to LDKT in racial/ethnic minority communities in order to ensure equitable increases in LDKT rates and living donor support.
Chronic Hematuria Increases Chronic Kidney Injury and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in 5/6 Nephrectomy Rats

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common outcome of many kidney diseases. Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) is a histologic hallmark of CKD. Hematuria is a common symptom in many human kidney diseases. Free hemoglobin may affect tubular epithelial cells by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the tubular epithelial cells has been shown to play an important role in the IFTA development. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of chronic hematuria on the CKD progression in 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6NE) rat model of CKD. 5/6NE rats were treated with oral warfarin (0.5 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (control). The animals were monitored for 26 weeks, prothrombin time (PT), serum creatinine (SCr), and hematuria were measured weekly. Stainings for iron, trichrome, and EMT (vimentin, E-cadherin, smooth muscle actin) markers were performed on the remnant kidneys. ROS were detected in the kidneys by protein carbonyl assay at the end of the study. Warfarin treatment resulted in a PT increase 1.5-2.5 times from control and increase in hematuria and serum creatinine. Histologically, warfarin-treated animals had more iron-positive tubular epithelial cells and increased IFTA as compared to control (42.9±17% vs 18.3±2.6%). ROS were increased in the kidney in warfarin-treated rats. The number of tubules that show evidence of EMT was significantly higher in warfarin-treated 5/6NE as compared to control 5/6NE rats. Chronic hematuria results in increased iron-positive tubular epithelial cells, EMT, and more prominent IFTA in CKD rats. Our data suggests an important role of chronic hematuria in the progression of CKD.
Mindsets matter: Implications for branding research and practice

Implicit theories provide an important framework to help understand consumer behavior. In this article, we focus on applications within the context of branding research and practice. First, we explore application areas of relevance to branding practitioners, such as brand advertising and positioning, brand extensions, brand architecture, and brand dilution. We situate propositions forwarded by Murphy and Dweck into traditional areas of branding research to discuss their importance to branding and suggest extensions of these ideas. Second, we consider application areas of personal relevance to consumers. We discuss how mindsets can affect the benefits consumers derive from using brands, such as self-enhancement, self-threat recovery, and overcoming difficult challenges in their lives.
Biochemical analysis of CRM 66. A nonfunctional Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A.

Abstract Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) is an ADP-ribosyltransferase which inactivates protein synthesis by covalently attaching the ADP-ribose portion of NAD+ onto eucaryotic elongation factor 2 (EF-2). A direct biochemical comparison has been made between ETA and a nonenzymatically active mutant toxin (CRM 66) using highly purified preparations of each protein. The loss of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity and subsequent cytotoxicity have been correlated with the presence of a tyrosine residue in place of a histidine at position 426 in CRM 66. In the native conformation, CRM 66 demonstrated a limited ability (by a factor or at least 100,000) to modify EF-2 covalently and lacked in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity, yet CRM 66 appeared to be normal with respect to NAD+ binding. Upon activation with urea and dithiothreitol, CRM 66 lost ADP-ribosyltransferase activity entirely yet CRM 66 retained the ability to bind NAD+. Replacement of Tyr-426 with histidine in CRM 66 completely restored cytotoxicity and ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. These results support previous findings from this laboratory (Wozniak, D. J., Hsu, L.-Y., and Galloway, D. R. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 85, 8880-8884) which suggest that the His-426 residue of ETA is not involved in NAD+ binding but appears to be associated with the interaction between ETA and EF-2.
Abstract 15567: Glutamine Regulates Cardiac Stem Cell Metabolism and Competency

Objective: Cardiac stem cells (CSCs) increase myocardial function in the damaged heart; however, the mechanisms that contribute to their reparative qualities remain poorly understood. Because intermediary metabolism likely integrates characteristics involved in CSC competency, we examined CSC metabolism in the undifferentiated and early differentiated cell states. Methods and Results: CSCs (c-kit+/lin-) isolated from mouse heart were positive for mesenchymal stem cell antigens (e.g., CD24/CD29/CD90.2/CD105) and relatively devoid of markers of differentiated cardiovascular cells. Early differentiation of CSCs increased the expression of smooth muscle, endothelial, and/or cardiomyocyte markers up to 60-fold, and increased expression of paracrine factors such as adiponectin (p Conclusions: CSCs have mesenchymal stem cell characteristics and rely primarily upon glutamine to meet metabolic demands. Differentiation increases the expression of not only markers of cardiovascular cells, but also that of paracrine factors and the glutamine transporter. Interventions that increase glutamine uptake may improve CSC therapeutic efficacy by enhancing CSC metabolism and proliferation.
The Effect of a Pectin-Supplemented Elemental Diet on Intestinal Adaptation to Massive Small Bowel Resection

The effect of a pectin-supplemented elemental diet on intestinal adaptation to massive small bowel resection in the rat was investigated in this study. Sixty adult Sprague-Dawley rats underwent placement of a feeding gastrostomy and swivel apparatus. Control animals (N = 16) were then returned to their cages while the remaining animals underwent an 80% small bowel resection and anastomosis (resected, N = 44). Postoperatively, animals were randomly assigned to receive either a fat- and fiber-free elemental diet (no pectin) or the same diet supplemented with 2% pectin (pectin). After 8 days of full strength diet, samples of jejunum, ileum, and colon were obtained for analysis. The weights per unit length of the ileum and colon were significantly greater in the resected pectin group than either the resected no pectin or pectin control groups. Mucosal parameters (unit weight, DNA, RNA, and protein content) were significantly increased in the jejunum and ileum of both the resected pectin and resected no pectin groups relative to their respective control groups. However, jejunal and ileal mucosal parameters were significantly greater (1.3- to 2-fold) for the resected pectin group than for the resected no pectin group. All the mucosal parameters of the colons were significantly greater for the pectin resected group than for the pectin control group, while only colonic mucosal RNA was significantly greater for the no pectin resected group than for the no pectin control group. These data indicate that the addition of pectin to an elemental diet significantly enhanced intestinal adaptation to massive small bowel resection in the rat.
Oral administration of theophylline to modify pressor responsiveness to angiotensin II in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension

Abstract Normally, women become refractory to the pressor effects of infused angiotensin-II (A-II) early in pregnancy. Gravid women destined to develop pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) lose this refractoriness to A-II several weeks prior to the detection of hypertension. Normal pregnant women also lose their A-II refractoriness after treatment with prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors and, in this regard, become similar to gravid women who are destined to develop PIH. From this observation, we have concluded that a prostaglandin(s) or a prostaglandin-related substance(s) is likely involved in the mediation of vascular reactivity to A-II during pregnancy. The present study was conducted to ascertain if control of vascular reactivity during pregnancy also involves the cyclic nucleotides. Since theophylline is known to inhibit the action of phosphodiesterase, an action that results in increased cellular levels of cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), we evaluated the effective pressor dose of A-II before and after the administration of theophylline to women with mild PIH who were beyond the 28th week of gestation. The effective pressor dose of A-II in these women with PIH before theophylline treatment was 7.3 ± 1.4 ng. × kg. −1 × min. −1 (mean and standard error). Following treatment of these women with the equivalent of 500 mg. of theophylline daily for four days, the effective pressor dose of A-II was 16.7 ± 3.8 ng. × kg. −1 × min. −1 ( p
Multiquark hadrons. II. Methods

Techniques for estimating the masses and decay couplings of multiquark hadrons (${Q}^{m}{\overline{Q}}^{n}$, $n+mg3$) are developed with specific reference to the ${Q}^{2}{\overline{Q}}^{2}$ sector. The dynamics is based on a quark-bag model of light, colored, and permanently confined quarks gauge-coupled to non-Abelian colored gluons. The SU (6) of "color-spin" generated by color SU (3) and the SU (2) of relativistic $j=\frac{1}{2}$ quarks dominates the spectrum. Color-spin rules analogous to Hund's rules of atomic spectroscopy dictate that the lightest multiquark handrons are not exotic, are of low spin, and are coupled predominantly to strange ${Q}^{3}$ and $Q\overline{Q}$ decay channels, Multiquark hadrons are consequently elusive and may be misclassified as conventional $Q\overline{Q}$ mesons or ${Q}^{3}$ baryons.
Entrainment and vehicle following controllers design for autonomous intelligent vehicles

Entrainment and vehicle following controllers are proposed for autonomous intelligent vehicles in both non-tight and tight vehicle following manoeuvres. A nonlinear vehicle model is used for designing the controllers. The proposed vehicle following controller is designed based on a constant time headway policy; whereas, the proposed entrainment controller is designed based on a k-factor headway policy. The proposed vehicle following controller not only provides local individual vehicle stability but also guarantees asymptotic platoon stability without the availability of feed forward information. Furthermore, the achieved asymptotic platoon stability is shown to be theoretically robust with respect to sensor delays. Computer simulations demonstrate the performance of the proposed controllers.
Phoenix - the first Mars scout mission (a mid-term report)

As the first of the new Mars scouts missions, the Phoenix project was selected by NASA in August of 2003. Over its initial 18 months, the project has completed its advertised formulation phase activities, and has recently been approved for continuation to formulation, culminating in a launch planned for August 3, 2007. The Mars scouts missions are principle investigator (PI) led, lower cost missions, intended to be responsive to previous discoveries of the Mars Program. Mr. Peter Smith from the University of Arizona is the PI for Phoenix. Phoenix "follows the water" responding directly to the recently published data from Dr. William Boynton, PT (and Phoenix co-I) of the Mars Odyssey gamma ray spectrometer (GRS). GRS data indicate extremely large quantities of water ice (up to 50% by mass) within the upper 50 cm of the northern polar regolith. Phoenix will fly the inherited Mars surveyor program 2001 lander, and will land within this north polar region (65N - 72N) identified by GRS and provide in-situ confirmation of this extraordinary find. Our mission will investigate water in all its phases, and will investigate the history of water as evidenced in the soil characteristics that will be carefully examined by the powerful suite of onboard instrumentation. Access to the critical subsurface region expected to contain this information is made possible by a third generation robotic arm capable of excavating the expected Martian regolith to a depth of 1m. Phoenix has four primary science objectives: 1) determine the polar climate and weather, interaction with the surface, and composition of the lower atmosphere around 70/spl deg/ N for at least 90 sols focusing on water, ice, dust, noble gases, and C0/sub 2/ and determine the atmospheric characteristics during descent through the atmosphere; 2) characterize the geomorphology and active processes shaping the northern plains and the physical properties of the near surface regolith focusing on the role of water; 3) determine the aqueous mineralogy and chemistry as well as the adsorbed gases and organic content of the regolith. Verify the Odyssey discovery of near-surface ice. 4) characterize the history of water, ice, and the polar climate. Determine the past and present biological potential of the surface and subsurface environments. This paper covers the mission design, progress made in the formulation phases, key system trades, future plans and challenges.
Comparison of Bacterial and Eukaryotic Replisome Components

Replisomes that duplicate genome DNA are composed of many different proteins that work together like gears in a machine. Sequence and structure comparisons reveal that replisome machines have evolved twice, once for bacteria and again for eukaryotes/archaea. This review compares the current state of knowledge on the structure and mechanisms of the central proteins that act directly at replication forks in bacteria to those of eukaryotes. Then the way these proteins organize their functions within a dynamic replisome machine is compared for these two distinct domains of life.
Turing Machines and Effective Computability

In this lecture we introduce the most powerful of the automata we will study: Turing machines (TMs), named after Alan Turing, who invented them in 1936. Turing machines can compute any function normally considered computable; in fact, it is quite reasonable to define computable to mean computable by a TM.
Using Mini-Reports to Teach Scientific Writing to Biology Students

Anyone who has taught an introductory biology lab has sat at their desk in front of a towering stack of lengthy lab reports and wondered if there was a better way to teach scientific writing. We propose the use of a one-page format that we have called a “mini-report,” which we believe better allows students to understand the structure and characteristics of proper scientific writing and reduces the grading-time investment for instructors.
Optimization of the preparation of fluorine‐18‐labeled steroid receptor ligands 16alpha‐[18F]fluoroestradiol (FES), [18F]fluoro furanyl norprogesterone (FFNP), and 16beta‐[18F]fluoro‐5alpha‐dihydrotestosterone (FDHT) as radiopharmaceuticals

Fluorine-18-labeled steroid receptor tracers, 16α-[18F]fluoroestradiol (FES), [18F]fluoro furanyl norprogesterone (FFNP), and 16β-[18F]fluoro-5α-dihydrotestosterone (FDHT), are important imaging tools for studies of breast and prostate cancers using positron emission tomography (PET). The automated production of these ligands with high specific activity (SA) as radiopharmaceuticals requires modification and optimization of the currently reported methods. [18F]FES with high SA was synthesized in over 60% radiochemical yield (RCY) at the end of synthesis (EOS) using a small amount of precursor (1) (as low as 0.3 mg) and 1 M H2SO4 for deprotection of the intermediate (2). [18F]FFNP was synthesized in up to 77% RCY at EOS using the triflate precursor (4) at room temperature or in 25% RCY using the mesylate precursor (6) at 65°C. Both methods are highly reproducible and afford high SA. [18F]FDHT was synthesized by radiofluoride incorporation at room temperature, reduction with NaBH4, and deprotection with HCl/acetone, giving [18F]FDHT in up to 75% yield (RCY). All of these methods can be easily translated to automated production. The information provided here will aid in the development of automated production of these steroid receptor tracers with high or improved yields, optimal SA, and ease of processing for research and clinical use. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identity, Attitudes, and the Voting Behavior of Mosque-Attending Muslim-Americans in the 2000 and 2004 Presidential Elections

In a post-September 11 world, no religious group in the United States has become more important yet remains more misunderstood than Muslim-Americans. This is particularly true with respect to the manner in which religious and political attitudes influence Muslim-Americans’ political behavior. This article addresses this issue by using data gathered from surveys taken in 70 mosques throughout the United States. With these data, this article maps the political and religious attitudes and behavior of mosque-attending Muslim-Americans and then analyzes the voting behavior of these respondents in the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections. It will show that the cultural and religious traditions of Islam have resulted in most mosque-attending Muslim-Americans being social conservatives and, as a result, report having voted for Bush in 2000. It will also show that increasingly negative perceptions of the manner in which the United States war in Iraq has affected Muslims living American led many to switch loyalties and cast their ballots for Kerry in 2004.
Development of a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model in discontinuous media for carbon sequestration

Abstract Geomechanical alteration of porous media is generally ignored for most shallow subsurface applications, whereas carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) injection, migration, and trapping in deep saline aquifers will be controlled by coupled multifluid flow, energy transfer, and geomechanical processes. The accurate assessment of the risks associated with potential leakage of injected CO 2 and the design of effective injection systems require that we represent these coupled processes within numerical simulators. The objectives of this study were to develop a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model into a single software and to examine the coupling of thermal, hydrological, and geomechanical processes for simulation of CO 2 injection into the subsurface for carbon sequestration. A numerical model was developed to couple nonisothermal multiphase hydrological and geomechanical processes for prediction of multiple interconnected processes for carbon sequestration in deep saline aquifers. The geomechanics model was based on the Rigid Body-Spring Model (RBSM), a discrete method for modeling discontinuous rock systems. Poisson’s effect that was often ignored by RBSM was considered in the model. The simulation of large-scale and long-term coupled processes in carbon capture and storage projects requires large memory and computational performance. The Global Array Toolkit was used to build the model to permit high-performance simulations of coupled processes. The model was used to simulate a case study with several scenarios to demonstrate the impacts of considering coupled processes and Poisson’s effect for the prediction of CO 2 sequestration. As a demonstration of the coupled model, a conceptual 3D model was used to explain the double-lobe uplift pattern observed in the Krechba gas field at In Salah (Algeria), a site that demonstrated the success of a CO 2 sequestration effort into a deep saline formation.
Diaphragm pacing with natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery: potential for difficult-to-wean intensive care unit patients

Up to 50% of the patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) require mechanical ventilation, with 20% requiring the use of a ventilator for more than 7 days. More than 40% of this time is spent weaning the patient from mechanical ventilation. Failure to wean from mechanical ventilation can in part be attributable to rapid onset of diaphragm atrophy, barotrauma, posterior lobe atelectasis, and impaired hemodynamics, which are normally improved by maintaining a more natural negative chest pressure. The authors have previously shown that laparoscopic implantation of a diaphragm pacing system benefits selected patients. They now propose that an acute ventilator assist with interventional neurostimulation of the diaphragm in the ICU is feasible and could facilitate the weaning of ICU patients from mechanical ventilation. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has the potential to expand the benefits of the diaphragm pacing system to this acute patient population by allowing it to be performed at the bedside similarly to insertion of the common gastrostomy tube. This study evaluates the feasibility of this approach in a porcine model. Pigs were anesthetized, and peritoneal access with the flexible endoscope was obtained using a guidewire, needle knife cautery, and balloon dilation. The diaphragm was mapped using a novel endoscopic electrostimulation catheter to locate the motor point (where stimulation provides complete contraction of the diaphragm). An intramuscular electrode then was placed at the motor point with a percutaneous needle. The gastrotomy was managed with a gastrostomy tube. Four pigs were studied, and the endoscopic mapping instrument was able to map the diaphragm to identify the motor point. In one animal, a percutaneous electrode was placed into the motor point under transgastric endoscopic visualization, and the diaphragm could be paced in conjunction with mechanical ventilation. These animal studies demonstrate the feasibility of transgastric mapping of the diaphragm and implantation of a percutaneous electrode for therapeutic diaphragmatic stimulation.
Experimental alteration of tryptophan metabolism by methionine: neuropharmacologic implications.

Summary The amino acids tryptophan and methionine are known to be involved in behavioral alterations and their metabolites have been implicated in mental illness. To learn more about the metabolic interrelationships of these two amino acids, rats were placed on amino acid diets deficient in nicotinic acid and nicotinamide and pair-fed with and without intestinal-antibiotics. Excess methionine (4%) added to such diets resulted in rats showing a decrease in body weight and urinary N 1 -methylnicotinamide (MNA) and an increase in urinary xanthurenic acid (XA) and total indoleacetic acid (TIAA) in comparison with controls. Urinary creatinine (CR) was relatively unchanged. Intestinal-antibiotics did not affect the overall methionine effect. The overall results demonstrate that excess-dietary methionine alters the tissue metabolism of tryptophan, and gives rise to urinary excretion patterns of tryptophan metabolites claimed to occur in mental illness. The observed data point to a metabolic alteration involving vitamin B 6 . A natural competition may exist between methionine and tryptophan for vitamin B 6 which is utilized in the metabolic pathways of both amino acids. Our work suggests that tolerance load tests of methionine and tryptophan in behavioral alteration studies must take into account the metabolic competition between these two amino acids for vitamin B 6 , as well as the formation of psychotogenic metabolites by N-methylation and O-methylation reactions.
Automatic segmentation of cortical vessels in pre- and post-tumor resection laser range scan images

Measurement of intra-operative cortical brain movement is necessary to drive mechanical models developed to predict sub-cortical shift. At our institution, this is done with a tracked laser range scanner. This device acquires both 3D range data and 2D photographic images. 3D cortical brain movement can be estimated if 2D photographic images acquired over time can be registered. Previously, we have developed a method, which permits this registration using vessels visible in the images. But, vessel segmentation required the localization of starting and ending points for each vessel segment. Here, we propose a method, which automates the segmentation process further. This method involves several steps: (1) correction of lighting artifacts, (2) vessel enhancement, and (3) vessels' centerline extraction. Result obtained on 5 images obtained in the operating room suggests that our method is robust and is able to segment vessels reliably.
Complications of radical cystectomy and correlation with nutritional assessment

Single stage radical cystectomy and ileal conduit remains the procedure of choice for invasive bladder cancer and is a formidable operation performed on an elderly population. A retrospective review of 69 radical cystectomies was done to evaluate not only operative mortality and complication rate, but also the nutritional status of the patients and its relationship to the frequency of complications. Preoperative nutritional status was assessed by total lymphocyte count and serum albumin. There was an operative mortality rate of 2.9 per cent and early complication rate of 41 per cent. The findings suggest that patients with severe nutritional depletion should receive hyperalimentation prior to cystectomy to reduce serious postoperative complications.
Estimation of the molecular size of C-reactive protein and CX-reactive protein in serum.

Abstract 1. 1. In order to determine the molecular weights of C-reactive protein and of C x -reactive protein as they occur in serum, acute phase human and rabbit sera were studied by gel filtration and density gradient centrifugation techniques. The average value found for the mean molecular radius of serum C-reactive protein was 48.8 A (range 48.6–49.0 A). The sedimentation coefficient was 6.6 S (range 6.5–6.7 S). The approximate molecular weight of C-reactive protein as it exists in serum, calculated from these values, lies between 135 000 and 140 000, consistent with a molecule composed of 6 subunits of approximate molecular weight 23 000. The presence in serum of a pentameric form as well was suggested by an asymmetric elution pattern on gel filtration. 2. 2. The average sedimentation constant of serum C x -reactive protein was 6.4 S (range 6.25–6.6 S) and the Stokes radius 43.2 A (range 42.7–43.7 A). Calculations based on these values indicated an approximate molecular weight lying between 114 000 and 123 000. Evidence for multiple polymeric forms was not obtained for C x -reactive protein. 3. 3. Diffusion rates of C-reactive protein and of C x -reactive protein in agarose were identical for all acute phase sera tested, permitting the use of radial diffusion techniques for quantitation of these acute phase proteins.
Discount pricing policies for new products

Abstract This paper picks up the issue of pricing new products where marketing strategists leave off, typically at the growth stage of the product life cycle. Within the finite planning horizon of the growth stage, models are developed for jointly optimizing discount price and replenishment schedule of a product for one or more buyers. The procedures include instruments for negotiation such that total savings resulting from a discounting scheme may be shared between the vendor and purchaser(s) in some predetermined manner.
Prosthetic alignment effects on gait symmetry: a case study.

The loss of a significant portion of a lower extremity causes changes in the usual pattern of human ambulation. These changes have been documented kinematically, kinetically and metabolically, giving insight into the costs of limb amputation relative to ambulatory efforts. The role of the prosthetist is to provide a limb substitute to achieve the best gait performance, while assuring maximum comfort for the patient. This case study examined the effects of antero-posterior alignment of a below-knee prosthesis on sagittal plane gait kinematics by comparing the anatomical side with the prosthetic side. The greatest changes due to variations of alignment were found during the prosthetic stance phase; knee angles showed the greatest asymmetry between anatomical and prosthetic sides. The stance phase on the prosthetic side was reduced with anterior socket displacement due to early knee flexion and toe-off. Posterior socket displacement caused a greater maximum centre of gravity height, but anterior socket displacement caused greater knee flexion which decreased the maximum centre of gravity height. Asymmetries in temporal and other kinematic parameters were not always minimal at the optimal alignment subjectively selected by a certified prosthetist. Comparisons of asymmetry ratios with prosthetic side data revealed the subclinical sensitivity of this amputee to antero-posterior alignment discrepancies.