cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The kinetics of fibronectin synthesis and release in normal and tumor promoter-treated human lung fibroblasts.

The present study is a detailed kinetic analysis of the synthesis, release and multimerization of fibronectin (FN) in normal and tumor promoter-treated human lung fibroblasts. Pulse/chase and surface labeling experiments were performed to follow the fate of both newly synthesized and pre-existing cell-surface FN over time. The majority of FN (80%) left the intracellular compartment within one hour of synthesis. However, the rate of direct secretion was very low and after one hour, 70% of newly synthesized FN was still at the cell surface. This material was primarily dimeric. Dimeric and multimeric (very high molecular weight) FN was detectable at the cell surface and in the medium 4 hours after synthesis. Pulse-labeled FN multimer levels peaked at 12 hours and declined thereafter. After 24 hours, 85% of pulse-labeled FN had been shed into the medium and the labeled FN remaining at the cell surface was primarily multimeric. Surface labeling experiments confirmed that the majority of FN resides at the cell surface prior to release into the medium.
The Spindle Stage: Principles and Practice

When I published my first paper [Rosenfeld, 1950], one on what is now called the spindle stage, describing a simple device and conoscopic method for both orientation and measurement of the principal refractive indices of an optically anisotropic crystal, the existing determinative methods were clumsy, slow, and subject to error. At that time, refractive indices, inadequate though they appear in hindsight, played a large role in determining the compositions of nonopaque crystalline materials; and any improvement in optical methodology was welcome. The advent of the electron microprobe in the early sixties, capable of rapid and accurate chemical analysis, largely displaced the methods of chemical analysis relying on measurement of refractive indices. This change was reflected in many courses in optical mineralogy by deemphasis of the use of smelly and toxic refractive index liquids. The time freed was used for more intensive study of thin sections, a necessary kind of study for the formulation of penological problems if the electron probe is to be used effectively. However, the probe did not make use of the spindle stage totally obsolete for economic reasons and because, while the probe is essentially limited to determination of elemental composition, the optical properties determined with the spindle stage reflect features of the structural state of the mineral being examined and, in many cases, the valence state of contained elements. That knowledge can be useful to the petrologist. Further, for untwinned or singly twinned crystals a well-designed and well-constructed spindle stage on a good microscope is inherently superior to the more widely used universal stage because of low cost, accuracy, simpler geometry (with consequent need for few if any corrections in its application), and much greater procedural simplicity. As an example, a reasonably skilled microscopist can use the spindle stage both to determine the composition and to discriminate among structural states for a plagioclase feldspar grain in less than a half-hour. But even for this last task, the method of the spindle stage would seem to be inferior to that of X ray diffraction with regard to structural state. Thus, in perspective, the method of the spindle stage is elegant where optical properties constitute an end in themselves, but commonly achieves only ‘quick and dirty’ results where penological goals dominate. I believe the petrological literature reflects that perspective even though there are doubtless many papers that reflect elaborate and costly methods when ‘quick and dirty’ results would have been sufficient for the task at hand.
Is an Examinee's Cognitive Style Related to the Impact of Answer Changing on Multiple-Choice Tests?

Abstract Are some students advantaged when changing multiple-choice answers? The authors of this investigation assessed the importance of an examinee's cognitive style in the answer-changing process. Two separate studies were conducted using undergraduates (n = 125 and n = 84). One set of variables consisted of a measure of field dependence/field independence, a measure of impulsivity/reflectivity, and an introductory psychology unit examination made up of multiple-choice items. A second set of variables was formed by gathering two answer-changing scores for each subject using the scannable forms from the unit examination—one reflecting the effect of answer changes and the other representing the number of changes. Canonical correlation analysis was used to describe the relationship between the two sets of variables. Only the first canonical correlation coefficient was statistically significant in each study. The structure coefficients indicated that the cognitive-style variables had little impact on the c...
Jost functions and Jost solutions for Jacobi matrices, I. A necessary and sufficient condition for Szegő asymptotics

We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for a Jacobi matrix to produce orthogonal polynomials with Szegő asymptotics off the real axis. A key idea is to prove the equivalence of Szegő asymptotics and of Jost asymptotics for the Weyl solution. We also prove L^2 convergence of Szegő asymptotics on the spectrum.
Speech Enhancement Using Wavelet Neural Network with Sub-Band Adaptive Matched Filter

Wavelet neural network (WNN) is a time-frequency analysis method, which detects the subtle small changes in the signal frequency domain. Adaptive filter provides a kind of simple and applied method for processing signals in noise. In this paper, we proposed a new speech enhancement technique which is based on wavelet neural network using adaptive matched filter adjusting weight. We choose the signal with noise pollution as the input signal and then put it to the trained wavelet neural network. Wavelet decomposition and wavelet neural network weights processing adopt signal sub-band adaptive matched filter, the output signal of wavelet neural network is an approximation form of original signal. The results show that the WNN is a quite effective method for the speech enhancement and improving the ration of signal to noise.
Polyamine effects on succinate-linked and αketoglutarate-linked rat liver mitochondrial respiration

Summary At 0.6–1.17 mM Mg ++ , physiological spermine levels strikingly enhance respiratory control ratios of rat liver mitochondria with αketoglutarate by suppressing respiration which occurs after added ADP is converted to ATP. Respiration with added ADP is enhanced at 0.6 but not at 1.17 mM Mg ++ . Conversely, with succinate, spermine at high concentrations depresses respiratory control ratios but only slightly affects respiration. Spermidine with αketoglutarate increases respiratory control ratios but suppresses respiration both during and after added ADP-ATP conversion. However, suppression is greater after this conversion. With succinate, spermidine also increases respiratory control but its effects on respiration during or after added ADP-ATP conversion vary with Mg ++ concentration. Thus, polyamines seem to affect mitochondrial metabolism.
A modified assay for cholinesterase

Abstract A radioisotopic assay for cholinesterase activity is described, which was developed by combining parts of existing systems. Easily used microliter volumes are employed. Labeled acetylcholine and acetate are separated by liquid cation-exchange chromatography. The method is sensitive, rapid, and easy to perform.
Which surfactant for treatment of respiratory-distress syndrome.

Clinicians have continued to explore how this remarkably effective agent can best be used. The indications for treatment have expanded modestly to term infants with other causes of respiratory failure, such as pneumonia and meconium aspiration. Although several small trials suggest benefit from its use in patients with acute lung injury, its value in older children and adults remains to be validated. The question of when to give surfactant to infants with RDS has been answered to most clinicians’ satisfaction: as soon as is convenient after the patient’s condition has been initially stabilised.The interval between birth and treatment ranges from minutes to several hours, according to local circumstances. 2 Unintubated infants with high oxygen needs seem to benefit from elective intubation followed by surfactant treatment, then extubation after a clinical response to surfactant. 3
3D Tree-Structured Object Tracking for Autonomous Ground Vehicles

Safe and effective vision analysis is a key capability for autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) guidance systems. The complexity of natural settings requires the use of a robust image understanding technique. The proposed novel 3D tree-structured object tracking approach is implemented by tracking 2D objects in successive video frames using a wavelet-domain tree structure. It is robust and reliable due to its powerful data structure and also adaptable for moving and stationary object tracking as well as the tracking problem when the vehicle itself is in motion. This approach consists of wavelet decomposition, spatial object detection and temporal object tracking. The results show this approach can produce precise detection and tracking results.
Adaptive Blocking: Learning to Scale Up Record Linkage

Many data mining tasks require computing similarity between pairs of objects. Pairwise similarity computations are particularly important in record linkage systems, as well as in clustering and schema mapping algorithms. Because the number of object pairs grows quadratically with the size of the dataset, computing similarity between all pairs is impractical and becomes prohibitive for large datasets and complex similarity functions. Blocking methods alleviate this problem by efficiently selecting approximately similar object pairs for subsequent distance computations, leaving out the remaining pairs as dissimilar. Previously proposed blocking methods require manually constructing an index- based similarity function or selecting a set of predicates, followed by hand-tuning of parameters. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive framework for automatically learning blocking functions that are efficient and accurate. We describe two predicate-based formulations of learnable blocking functions and provide learning algorithms for training them. The effectiveness of the proposed techniques is demonstrated on real and simulated datasets, on which they prove to be more accurate than non-adaptive blocking methods.
The business of fashion visualizing the financial and competitive situation of fashion companies

Abstract The paper describes and compares financial results of fashion companies (Gap, Hilfiger, Polo, and Nike) using the visualization tool of the Income/Outcome™ simulation company board. Differences and similarities between the three companies are highlighted and a competitive analysis based on their financial results is presented. The Income/Outcome company board™ provides the simultaneous visualization of the structural elements of the balance sheet and the dynamic components of the income statement of a company. Visualization allows a strategic evaluation of the corporate situation without becoming lost in too much detail. Using Porter's Five Forces model an example of a competitive analysis based on the company displays is described. The paper shows how fashion companies are seen from a commercial and financial viewpoint, and how their competitive situation is influenced not only by fashion design, but also by their financial strategies.
Water immersion of model photoresists: interfacial influences on water concentration and surface morphology

The emergence of immersion lithography as a potential alternative for the extension of current lithography tools requires a fundamental understanding of the interactions between the photoresist and an immersion liquid such as water. The water concentration depth profile within the immersed photoresist films is measured with neutron reflectometry. The polymer/substrate interface affects both the water concentration near the interface and the surface morphology of the film. Immersed films are not stable (adhesive failure) over the course of hours when supported on a silicon wafer with a native oxide surface, but are stable when the substrate is first treated with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). The bulk of the polymer films swells to the equilibrium water concentration, however, a gradient in water concentration is observed near the polymer/HMDS substrate interface with a concentration of approximately 17% by volume fraction and extending up to 50 A into the film. Thus, polymers that absorb more than this amount exhibit depletion near the interface, whereas polymers that absorb less exhibit a water excess layer. These concentration gradients extend approximately 50 A away from the interface into the film. As the total film thickness approaches this length scale, the substrate-induced concentration gradients lead to a film-thickness-dependent swelling; enhanced or suppressed swelling is witnessed for the excess or depleted interfacial concentrations, respectively. The substrate also influences the surface morphology of immersed thin films. The film surface is smooth for the HMDS-treated substrate, but pin-hole defects with an average radius of 19±9 nm are formed in the films supported on the native oxide substrates.
Depression and childhood illness

Childhood depression as a component of the impact of childhood illness or developmental impairment on the latency age child is studied in relation to three diagnostic groups: children with asthma, cancer, and psychiatric diagnoses of behavioral disorders. The study revealed a range of coping styles to deal with the anxiety, loss and feelings induced by the specific crises. The special dimensions of stress and coping adaptations affected the child's developing self concept, the separation individuation process and the child-parent relationships. Depressive symptoms were variously present within and between the three groups of children.
On LQG control across a stochastic packet-dropping link

In this paper, we consider the problem of optimal linear quadratic Gaussian control of a system in which communication between the sensor and the controller occurs across a packet-dropping link. We first prove a separation principle that allows us to solve this problem using a standard LQR state-feedback design, along with an optimal algorithm for propagating and using the information across the unreliable link. Then we present one such optimal algorithm, which consists of a Kalman filter at the sensor side of the link, and a switched linear filter at the controller side. Our design does not assume any statistical model of the packet drop events, and is thus optimal for any arbitrary packet drop pattern. Further, the solution is appealing from a practical point of view because it can be implemented as a small modification of an existing LQG control design.
Why are the meanders of the North Atlantic Current stable and stationary

A simple, 1.5-layer, reduced gravity model of an f-plane jet with a symmetric cross section is employed to explain the stability and stasis of meanders in the North Atlantic Current. The main factors affecting the current's stability are the highly contrasting water masses on both its sides and the current's vertical density structure. The stability and stasis of the NAC results from (1) the near-surface shoaling of the deep isopycnals inshore of the Subpolar Front and (2) a small internal radius of deformation which is due mainly to the small upper-to-lower-layer density difference. In the absence of unstable modes, the dominant wavelength of the meanders is determined by the bathymetry, so the NAC simply follows those contours.
Long-term Decreases in Stream Nitrate: Successional Causes Unlikely; Possible Links to DOC?

Huntington (2005) poses the hypothesis that ‘‘immobilization of inorganic N, in combination with region-wide recovery from past disturbances may explain the decrease in stream water nitrate in recent decades’’ that we observed in 28 White Mountain, New Hampshire streams (Goodale and others 2003). We focus our response on Huntington s suggestions, and note that a range of additional factors not discussed here can have marked impacts on long-term patterns of NO3 ) loss (for example, N deposition, insect outbreaks, climate variation and extreme events such as soil frost). Below, we address Huntington s suggestion in two parts, first considering the role of region-wide recovery from historical disturbances and then considering recent changes in environmental factors that might have increased soil N immobilization through increased belowground productivity. We then introduce a hypothesis that suggests that changes in stream NO3 ) might be partly linked to observed changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC). We agree with Huntington that historical disturbances have had substantial impacts on forest carbon and nitrogen dynamics in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (see for example, Bormann and Likens 1979; Covington 1981; Thorne and Hamburg 1985). We have previously considered in some depth the role of the region s disturbance history as a major driver of patterns of organic matter accumulation and watershed N retention (see for example, Vitousek and Reiners 1975; Aber and Driscoll 1997; Goodale and others 2000; Goodale and Aber 2001). We agree that re-accumulation of soil organic matter in re-growing forests provides important sinks for atmospheric CO2 and N deposition across large parts of the eastern U.S. (see for example, Huntington 1995; Hooker and Compton 2003). However, we do not believe that forest re-growth and soil re-accumulation explain the approximately 70% decrease in stream NO3 ) concentration (mean decrease of 25 lmol/L) that we observed between 1973)4 and 1996–97 (Goodale and others 2003). First, we emphasize that we observed large decreases in stream NO3 ) concentration in both aggrading successional systems and in several oldgrowth watersheds that had no evidence of standlevel disturbance by historical logging or fire (see Goodale and others 2003 Figure 6; see also Martin and others 2000). Second, the observed decreases in stream NO3 ) between the 1970s and the 1990s would require a synchronous increase in the rate of soil re-accumulation during this time period across all watersheds. Few successional factors could cause an increase in soil re-accumulation rate, and such factors are unlikely to occur simultaneously in both old-growth and successional watersheds.
Syndactyly in a litter of cats

In this case report, we describe the clinical and radiographic features of a litter of kittens affected with complex syndactyly. We also provide guidelines for the diagnosis, possible treatment and prevention of propagation of this condition. This is the first report of syndactyly in a litter of kittens and syndactyly affecting both the pectoral and pelvic limbs.
An exact reanalysis algorithm using incremental Cholesky factorization and its application to crack growth modeling

SUMMARY In this paper, an exact reanalysis algorithm based on an incremental Cholesky factorization is presented, which can solve a linear system of equations when a small portion of the coefficient matrix is modified. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated by modeling quasi-static crack growth in the extended finite element method. The example presented shows that a 60% to 70% reduction in computational time is achievable by using the reanalysis approach for solving crack growth problems. It is shown that the reanalysis approach has increasing benefits as the mesh density increases. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Area minimizing flows

Several active contour models have been proposed to unify the curve evolution framework with classical energy minimization techniques for segmentation, such as snakes. The essential idea is to evolve a curve (in 2D) or a surface (in 3D) under constraints from image forces so that it clings to features of interest in an intensity image. The evolution equation has been derived from first principles as the gradient flow that minimizes a modified length functional, tailored to features such as edges. However, because the flow may be slow to converge in practice, a constant (hyperbolic) term is added to keep the curve/surface moving in the desired direction. We provide a justification, for this term based on the gradient flow derived from a weighted area functional, with an image dependent weighting factor. When combined with the earlier modified length gradient flow we obtain a partial differential equation (PDE) which offers a number of advantages, as illustrated by several examples of shape segmentation on medical images. In many cases the weighted area flow may be used on its own, with significant computational savings.
Mastication of almonds: effects of lipid bioaccessibility, appetite, and hormone response

Background: Epidemiologic and clinical data indicate that nuts can be incorporated into the diet without compromising body weight. This has been attributed to strong satiety properties, increased resting energy expenditure, and limited lipid bioaccessibility. Objective: The role of mastication was explored because of evidence that the availability of nut lipids is largely dependent on the mechanical fracture of their cell walls. Design: In a randomized, 3-arm, crossover study, 13 healthy adults (body mass index, in kg/m 2 : 23.1 6 0.4) chewed 55 g almonds 10, 25, or 40 times. Blood was collected and appetite was monitored during the following 3 h. Over the next 4 d, all foods were provided, including 55 g almonds, which were consumed under the same chewing conditions. Complete fecal samples were collected. Results: Hunger was acutely suppressed below baseline (P , 0.05), and fullness was elevated above baseline longer (P , 0.05) after 40 chews than after 25 chews. Two hours after consumption, fullness levels were significantly lower and hunger levels were significantly higher after 25 chews than after 10 and 40 chews (P , 0.05). Initial postingestive glucagon-like peptide-1 concentrations were significantly lower after 25 chews than after 40 chews (P , 0.05), and insulin concentrations declined more rapidly after 25 and 40 chews than after 10 chews (both P , 0.05). Fecal fat excretion was significantly higher after 10 chews than after 25 and 40 chews (both P , 0.05). All participants had higher fecal energy losses after 10 and 25 chews than after 40 chews (P , 0.005). Conclusion: The results indicate important differences in appetitive and physiologic responses to masticating nuts and likely other foods and nutrients. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00768417. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:794‐800.
Survey and DNA Barcoding of Poaceae in Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens State Natural Area, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Abstract A survey of grasses from the Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens State Natural Area in Murfreesboro, Tennessee was undertaken during the 2008 growing season with the goal of creating a comprehensive list of grass species living in a single glade environment. Twenty four different species were identified during the survey. All had been previously recorded in Tennessee but two had not been noted in cedar glades, Sprorobilus clandestinus and Elymus hystrix, and one, Dichanthelium scoparium, had not been demonstrated in Rutherford County. The survey also provides information on species distribution within the glade, amount of sunlight exposure, and flowering time within the growing season. The plastid matK and rbcL genes and the trnH-psbA intergenic spacer region were sequenced from the specimens and are cataloged in GenBank. Variance analysis of matK and rbcL loci was conducted with the sequences produced in this study as well as GenBank archived sequences from other grasses. Our data conservatively ...
Paleo‐MARSPEC: gridded ocean climate layers for the mid‐Holocene and Last Glacial Maximum

Understanding how species have responded to climate change during recent glacial cycles has the potential to inform our understanding of how species will respond to future climate change over the next century. Glacial refugia and historical range shifts over geological time have traditionally been inferred by examining the fossil record or the distributions of sister species using phylogeographic approaches and, more recently, with species distribution models. Species distribution modeling has become a popular tool for projecting range expansions and contractions under climate-change scenarios in terrestrial ecosystems; however, such models are less commonly applied to the study of marine ecosystems despite a similar need for understanding species' vulnerabilities to fluctuating climates. Here I present gridded climatologies for the world ocean representing the annual mean, range, variance, and extremes in sea surface temperature and salinity for the mid-Holocene (6 ka) and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 21 ka) obtained from coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation models available through the second phase of the paleoclimate modeling intercomparison project (PMIP2). Furthermore, I present geophysical layers representing bathymetry, distance to shore, and six measures of topographic complexity during the LGM, when sea level was approximately 120 meters lower than today. All data layers are global in spatial extent, are downscaled to a 5-arc-minute spatial resolution, and are provided in ESRI raster grid format suitable for analysis in ArcGIS or in R using the raster package. These paleoclimatic data layers complement the modern bioclimatic and geophysical data layers contained in the MARSPEC database and should facilitate further studies on the historical response of marine species to late-Quaternary climate change, including but not limited to inferences based on species distribution models.
Spatial reading system for individuals with blindness

In this research we introduce a novel reading system that enables Individuals with Blindness or Severe Visual Impairment (IBSVI) to have equivalent spatial reading experience to their sighted counterparts, in terms of being able to engage in different reading strategies e.g. scanning, skimming, and active reading. IBSVI are enabled to read in a self-paced manner with spatial access to the original layout of any electronic text document. This system renders text on iPad-type devices, and reads aloud each word touched by the user's finger. The user could move her finger smoothly along the lines to read continuously with the support of tactile landmarks. A tactile overlay on the iPad screen helps IBSVI to navigate a page, furnishing a framework of tactile landmarks to give IBSVI a sense of place on the page. As the user moves her finger along the tangible pattern of the overlay, the text on the screen that is touched is rendered audibly to speech. The system supports IBSVI to develop and maintain a cognitive map of the structure and the layout of the page. IBSVI are enabled to fuse audio, tactile landmarks, and spatial information in order to read. The system's initial design is founded on a theoretical hypothesis. A participatory design approach with IBSVI consultants was then applied to refine the initial design. The refined design was tested in a usability study, which revealed two major issues with the tested design. These issues are related to the lack of instant feedback from the system (psycho-motorical problem), and the lack of conveying the semantic level of the page structure. We adapted the reader design to solve the usability problems. The improved design was tested in an experience sampling study. The results showed a leap in the system usability. IBSVI participants successfully self-paced read spatial text. Further reading support was then added to the system to improve the user experience while reading and interacting with the system. We tested the latest design of the reader system with respect to its featured function of enabling self-paced reading and re-finding information. A decomposition study was conducted to evaluate the main components of the system; the tactile overlay, and the intelligent active reading support. The results showed that both components are required to achieve the best performance in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and spatial perception. We conducted an evaluation study to compare our reader system to the state-of-the-art iBook with VoiceOver. The results show that our reader system is more effective than iBook with VoiceOver in finding previously read information and in estimating the layout of the page, implying that IBSVI were able to construct a cognitive map for the pages they read, and perform advanced reading strategies. Our goal is to enable IBSVI to access digital reading materials effectively, so that they may have equal learning opportunities as their sighted counterparts.
Do industrial companies respond to the guiding principles of the Integrated Reporting framework? A preliminary study on the first companies joined to the initiative

Abstract The current crisis puts pressure on companies to be more transparent about their business model, their value proposal, their risks and future impacts with a short, medium and long term focus. To address this need for transparency and with the aim of providing a common framework to meet all these needs, The International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) has developed a framework called Integrated Reporting (IR). The objective of this research is to understand the state of affairs in the level of attention of the principles of Integrated Reporting in the industrial companies which have adopted this initiative in their communications concerning the achievement of a sustainable environment. The results show that, despite the efforts of the analyzed companies to address the guiding principles, they still have a long way to go, especially in relation to the principle of “conciseness”. It has also been proven that the companies analyzed were not influenced by the environment relating to the level of attention given to the incorporation of this type of reporting.
Clinical epidemiology: application to laboratory data.

This article reviews the basic clinical epidemiologic principles as they apply to clinical pathology of the horse.
Clarifying the Mechanisms of Antidepressants

Commentary on Domschke, et al., Magnetoencephalographic correlates of emotionalprocessing in major depression before and after pharmacological treatment. Understanding the therapeutic effects of psychotropic medication has typically been approached, reasonably enough, with an analysis of the effects on brain chemistry. For example, the effective antidepressant mirtazapine is thought to affect both norepinephrine and serotonin neuromodulators, both of which are important to mood disorders such as major depression. However, understanding the full neuropsychopharmacology of a therapeutic agent requires an analysis of the multiple levels of neural self-regulation that are involved in the disorder and that are affected by the drug. It has long been apparent that if the mechanism of drug action were simply a correction of a biochemical imbalance, then the therapeutic effect would be rapid, limited only by the pharmacokinetics (Cooper et al., 2002). Instead, antidepressants typically require weeks of continued administration before they achieve a therapeutic effect. Although the complexity of drug action is familiar to most psychopathology researchers, clinicians are typically provided with only a superﬁcial training on the neurophysiological and neuropsychological mechanisms for both psychopathology itself and the therapeutic effects of drugs. The result of this limited training is that a patient with depression, for example, is often told by the physician they have a “biochemical imbalance” that will be corrected by drug therapy. Not only is this explanation scientiﬁcally incorrect, …
Spinal Cord Perfusion and Protection During Surgical and Endovascular Treatment of Descending Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms

95 DOI: 10.1007/978-4-431-99237-0_15, © Springer 2009 Although the treatment in aortic surgery centers of carefully selected patients with thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms by surgical and endovascular techniques yields acceptable results, the fact remains that the majority of patients with extensive aneurysms are too frail for surgical resection, and cannot be treated by endovascular techniques because of the inability to revascularize aortic branches. Promising techniques for revascularizing the four abdominal branches (extraanatomical debranching and branched grafts) are under development, but the problem of preserving spinal cord perfusion and viability remains a major roadblock. It is our belief, however, that routine sacrifice of all intercostal and lumbar vessels is well within reach, and only awaits a more thorough understanding of spinal cord perfusion. To this end, we have carried out a number of experimental studies in a chronic pig model in which neurological function can be monitored intraoperatively, blood flow can be ascertained using microspheres, and outcome can be assessed in terms of behavioral recovery and histology. In experiments involving crossclamping of the aorta, decreasing the body temperature from 37 to 32°C doubles the safe ischemic interval of the spinal cord, from 25 to 50 minutes, Fig. 1. Concomitant studies show that decreasing the body temperature from 37 to 32°C also halves the spinal cord blood flow. If a pig with intact segmental arteries is subjected to severe ischemia at normothermia, the spinal cord blood flow shows an immediate and dramatic hyperemic response upon release of the crossclamp, Fig. 2. If all segmental vessels are sacrificed in the experimental situation–as may be required with open repair of extensive thoracoabdominal aneurysms, and will be inevitable if one wants to treat TAA/A with endografts–this does not result in loss of function, as reflected by motor evoked potentials (MEP), for at least an hour. Spinal cord perfusion pressure, which can be measured directly via a small catheter in a lower thoracic or upper lumbar segmental artery stump after it is detached from the aorta, falls to 20% of aortic pressure five hours after extensive segmental artery sacrifice; recovers to 60% of aortic pressure at 48 hours, and to 80% of aortic pressure Spinal Cord Perfusion and Protection During Surgical and Endovascular Treatment of Descending Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms
Youth-Community Partnerships for Adolescent Alcohol Prevention: “We Can’t Do It Alone”

Adolescent alcohol use proves to be a continued challenge for public health, given that approximately 35 % of the USA’s high school age youth used alcohol in the past 30 days. This book describes an innovative collective approach to create community transformational resilience, which we define here as the ability of a community collective group to work together to transform ecological factors in order to limit risk factors and to promote protective factors. A low-income ethnic enclave community transformed themselves from a low level of community readiness rooted in denial and tolerance of adolescent alcohol use to institutionalization of community-level prevention activities. Over an 8-year period, the South Tucson Prevention Coalition evolved from Phase 1, building youth leadership and critical consciousness through after-school programs to Phase 2, building a youth-community coalition to change alcohol norms and alcohol availability. South Tucson Prevention Coalition was successful in developing a functioning coalition whose participatory action research led to critical consciousness of the environmental context surrounding adolescent alcohol use which spurred collective action for change.
Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Low Dose Emetine against Human Cytomegalovirus.

Infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a threat for pregnant women and immunocompromised hosts. Although limited drugs are available, development of new agents against HCMV is desired. Through screening of the LOPAC library, we identified emetine as HCMV inhibitor. Additional studies confirmed its anti-HCMV activities in human foreskin fibroblasts: EC50−40±1.72 nM, CC50−8±0.56 μM, and selectivity index of 200. HCMV inhibition occurred after virus entry, but before DNA replication, and resulted in decreased expression of viral proteins. Synergistic virus inhibition was achieved when emetine was combined with ganciclovir. In a mouse CMV (MCMV) model, emetine was well-tolerated, displayed long half-life, preferential distribution to tissues over plasma, and effectively suppressed MCMV. Since the in vitro anti-HCMV activity of emetine decreased significantly in low-density cells, a mechanism involving cell cycle regulation was suspected. HCMV inhibition by emetine depended on ribosomal processing S14 (RPS14) binding to MDM2, leading to disruption of HCMV-induced MDM2-p53 and MDM2-IE2 interactions. Irrespective of cell density, emetine induced RPS14 translocation into the nucleus during infection. In infected high-density cells, MDM2 was available for interaction with RPS14, resulting in disruption of MDM2-p53 interaction. However, in low-density cells the pre-existing interaction of MDM2-p53 could not be disrupted, and RPS14 could not interact with MDM2. In high-density cells the interaction of MDM2-RPS14 resulted in ubiquitination and degradation of RPS14, which was not observed in low-density cells. In infected-only or in non-infected emetine-treated cells, RPS14 failed to translocate into the nucleus, hence could not interact with MDM2, and was not ubiquitinated. HCMV replicated similarly in RPS14 knockdown or control cells, but emetine did not inhibit virus replication in the former cell line. The interaction of MDM2-p53 was maintained in infected RPS14 knockdown cells despite emetine treatment, confirming a unique mechanism by which emetine exploits RPS14 to disrupt MDM2-p53 interaction. Summarized, emetine may represent a promising candidate for HCMV therapy alone or in combination with ganciclovir through a novel host-dependent mechanism.
Semifields antiisomorphic to themselves

ABSTRACTWe construct a large collection of semifields of all prime characteristics, quadratic over a weak nucleus, that are antiisomorphic to themselves.
Predictors of bystander behaviors and sexual assertiveness among college women attending a sexual assault prevention program

Identifying predictors of bystander behaviors and sexual assertiveness can help to inform sexual assault prevention programs on college campuses. College sorority members (N = 141) completed measures of sexual assault history, rape myth acceptance, bystander self-efficacy, sexual assertiveness, and bystander behaviors before attending The Women's Program, which is a bystander-based sexual assault prevention program. Regression analyses were conducted. Lower rape myth acceptance and greater bystander self-efficacy predicted more engagement in bystander behaviors and higher sexual assertiveness. A total of 28 participants completed a 2-week follow-up survey that included measures of rape myth acceptance, bystander self-efficacy, and sexual assertiveness. T-test analyses were conducted. Rape myth acceptance was significantly lower among participants at 2-week follow-up compared to baseline. Implications for sexual assault prevention on college campuses are discussed.
Considerations when choosing a genetic model organism for metabolomics studies

Model organisms are important in many areas of chemical biology. In metabolomics, model organisms can provide excellent samples for methods development as well as the foundation of comparative phylometabolomics, which will become possible as metabolomics applications expand. Comparative studies of conserved and unique metabolic pathways will help in the annotation of metabolites as well as provide important new targets of investigation in biology and biomedicine. However, most chemical biologists are not familiar with genetics, which needs to be considered when choosing a model organism. In this review we summarize the strengths and weaknesses of several genetic systems, including natural isolates, recombinant inbred lines, and genetic mutations. We also discuss methods to detect targets of selection on the metabolome.
A novel algorithm for computing the zeros of transfer functions by local minima

We present a novel technique for computing the zeros of rational transfer functions in partial fraction form, by finding the local minima of the magnitude of the determinant of a block matrix comprised of state-space sub-matrices and the Laplace variable s. In this paper, the technique is developed for systems with real poles and residues, and successfully applied to a 10th order numerical example. In a separate paper, we further develop the technique to systems with complex-conjugate pairs of poles and residues.
Preoperative preparation. Value, perspective, and practice in patient care.

First among Standards of the American Society of Anesthesiologists is Basic Standards of Preanesthesia Care.2 Approved by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) House of Delegates on October 14, 1987, these standards are considered "minimum requirements for sound practice" based on "generally accepted principles for patient management." As stated in the guidelines, "An anesthesiologist shall be responsible for determining the medical status of the patient, developing a plan of anesthesia, and acquainting the patient or the responsible adult with the proposed plan." The standards call for a review of medical records; an interview and examination of the patient; a discussion of the patient's medical history, previous anesthetic experiences, and current drug therapy, and provisions for obtaining and reviewing laboratory and diagnostic tests indicated for the conduct of anesthesia. They also require that the responsible anesthesiologist verify that the above requirements have been "properly performed and documented in the patient's record." They provide for modification and documentation of the reasons for modification in the patient's record under unusual circumstances, such as extreme emergencies. Can the official statement of the ASA on the subject of preoperative preparation be summarized? How these standards can be best implemented is a subject of debate. Some authors believe that a preinduction assessment satisfies these requirements; others advocate a preparation process that begins days before a planned anesthetic.35 Common sense and experience suggest that these published standards do not address the full range of possible issues surrounding preoperative preparation. Changes in health care delivery, health assessment standards, information management, and perioperative care patterns have resulted in the reconceptualization of virtually every aspect of preoperative preparation. The vocabulary used to discuss issues has changed to reflect the shifting emphases of perioperative care better. In a report due in 2000 from the Task Force on Preanesthesia Evaluation, the ASA is expected to make an expanded statement on what constitutes acceptable preanesthetic care. In this article, preoperative preparation is presented as having distinct but overlapping preanesthetic and preprocedural components. Value is discussed, and the roles of various perspectives are considered as determinants of the practices that shape the structure and function of preparation processes. Preanesthesia preparation then is discussed as a practical activity. A discussion of future issues concludes this article.
It’s Not Easy Building Green: The Impact of Public Policy, Private Actors, and Regional Logics on Voluntary Standards Adoption

Human-induced climate change is one of the most daunting challenges of the 21st century. Addressing climate change will require new sectors that create economically and ecologically sustainable pro...
Memorable cerebral inflammation

Exposure to peripheral inflammation induces microglia to alter subsequent course of stroke and Alzheimer’s pathologies.
Multi-Resolution HDD Contact Detection Technique for Low SNR Applications

A quick and reliable active flying height calibration is critical in today’s hard disc drive short product development and high volume production cycles. In addition to the servo signals, passive HDI acoustic and proximity monitoring techniques are tracking equilibrium of the head gimble assembly and air bearing modes. Passive acoustic HDI monitoring had been proven to be capable in active head protrusion detection applications [1] where derived passive and active Air Bearing flying profiles help to set active flying clearance. With enhanced sensitivity, passive acoustic techniques such as AE can detect embedded particles [2]. The drawback of this technique is that noisy HDD environment causes loss of detectability of the useful AE signal [3]. Special attention has to be paid for extracting desirable HDI information. On the other hand, recording head based proximity probes are immune to torsional HDI modes and operate on pitch mode induced modulation. Advanced HDD today uses a combination of recording head based proximity sensors that are designed to sense HDI modulation at close proximity to the disc. It has to be pointed out that interpretation of proximity probe contact signatures always has been challenging.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Conjugated equine estrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate are associated with decreased risk of breast cancer relative to bioidentical hormone therapy and controls

Objective By the 1990s it became popular for women to use hormone therapy (HT) to ease menopause symptoms. Bioidentical estrogen and progesterone are supplements whose molecular structures are identical to what is made in the human body, while synthetic supplements are ones whose structures are not. After the Women's Health Initiative found that the combined use of the synthetics conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) increased breast cancer risk, prescriptions for synthetic HT declined considerably. Since then there has been an increased interest in bioidentical HT; today there are a plethora of websites touting their benefits. However, no peer-reviewed articles support these claims. We performed a retrospective study with the objective of verifying the hypothesis that bioidentical HT is associated with decreased breast cancer risk than CEE & MPA. Methods We searched The Northwestern Medicine Enterprise Data Warehouse for women who initiated HT use after age 50. Women who did not take any HT drug after age 50 served as controls. Nine HT protocols were investigated for breast cancer risk. Results Significant results include CEE Alone is associated with decreased breast cancer risk (HR = 0.31), Other Synthetic Estrogen Alone is associated with increased breast cancer risk (HR = 1.49), Bioidentical Estrogen Alone is associated with decreased breast cancer risk(HR = 0.65), CEE & MPA is associated with reduced breast cancer risk (HR = 0.43), and CEE & MPA is associated with reduced breast cancer risk relative to Bioidentical Estrogen & Progesterone (HR = 0.25). Discussion Our results indicate CEE & MPA is superior to bioidentical HT as far as breast cancer risk. Furthermore, this combination is associated with decrease of breast cancer risk, contrary to previous findings. Additional retrospective studies are needed to confirm our results.