cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of Pulpispad using four different cell types.

Summary The cytotoxic effect of a zinc oxide-eugenol-based paste (Pulpispad) was evaluated in vitro after setting for 1 day and 1 week. Target cells were L929 cells, gingival, periodontal ligament and pulpal fibroblasts. The material was incubated with the cells for 4 and 24 hours, and its toxicity was evaluated with the 51Cr-release method. Puipispad was highly cytotoxic to all cell lines even after setting for 1 week. The use of Pulpispad is not recommended for future clinical application. The various responses among the four cell lines indicated that diploid cell lines can, under certain circumstances, be less sensitive than aneuploid cell lines. It is therefore suggested that in the evaluation of biomaterials the choice of cell lines should be carefully considered, as they can display varying sensitivities.
Evaluation of a web-based program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for adolescents: Teen Choice: Food and Fitness

This randomized clinical trial tested the impact of a website promoting nutrition and physical activity for adolescents (Teen Choice: Food and Fitness). Participants, (408) 12- to 17-year-old adolescents in the Houston area, completed online surveys measuring diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet/physical activity mediators at baseline. After randomization, they were asked to log onto either the intervention or the control condition website weekly for 8 weeks to review web content and set goals to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors. Post-test occurred after 8 weeks. Logistic regression analyses and one-way analyses of covariance were used in the analyses. At post, more intervention group adolescents reported eating three or more daily vegetable servings in the past week compared with the control group (P < 0.05); both groups reported significant increases in physical activity (P < 0.001) and significant decreases in TV watching (P < 0.01). Average log on rate was 75% over the 8 weeks; there was no difference by condition. The website enabled adolescents to improve vegetable intake and daily physical activity, reduce sedentary behavior and had a high log on rate. Future research should identify effective methods for disseminating this website to wider audiences.
Characterization of Conserved Bases in 4.5S RNA of Escherichia coli by Construction of New F′ Factors

To more clearly understand the function of conserved bases of 4.5S RNA, the product of the essential ffs gene of Escherichia coli, and to address conflicting results reported in other studies, we have developed a new genetic system to characterize ffs mutants. Multiple ffs alleles were generated by altering positions that correspond to the region of the RNA molecule that interacts directly with Ffh in assembly of the signal recognition particle. To facilitate characterization of the ffs mutations with minimal manipulation, recombineering was used to construct new F' factors to easily move each allele into different genetic backgrounds for expression in single copy. In combination with plasmids that expressed ffs in multiple copy numbers, the F' factors provided an accurate assessment of the ability of the different 4.5S RNA mutants to function in vivo. Consistent with structural analysis of the signal recognition particle (SRP), highly conserved bases in 4.5S RNA are important for binding Ffh. Despite the high degree of conservation, however, only a single base (C62) was indispensable for RNA function under all conditions tested. To quantify the interaction between 4.5S RNA and Ffh, an assay was developed to measure the ability of mutant 4.5S RNA molecules to copurify with Ffh. Defects in Ffh binding correlated with loss of SRP-dependent protein localization. Real-time quantitative PCR was also used to measure the levels of wild-type and mutant 4.5S RNA expressed in vivo. These results clarify inconsistencies from prior studies and yielded a convenient method to study the function of multiple alleles.
Bacterial cell cycle: Seeing the big picture with microarrays

Global assays of gene expression and protein stability during the Caulobacter crescentus cell cycle reveal that a surprisingly large fraction of the genome and proteome is affected as cells grow and divide. These studies are an important step toward understanding how the cell cycle is controlled in prokaryotes.
Pasteurella multocida produces a protein with homology to the P6 outer membrane protein of Haemophilus influenzae

An antibody specific for a 16-kDa outer membrane protein of a rabbit strain of Pasteurella multocida was used to probe representatives of all 16 somatic serotypes of P. multocida, as well as the vaccine strains CU and M9, and all were shown to express the protein. The gene encoding this protein was cloned and sequenced and found to have extensive sequence homology with the gene encoding the P6 protein of Haemophilus influenzae. The protein in P. multocida has been designated P6-like. The gene encoding the P6-like protein was used to probe members of the family Pasteurellaceae and other gram-negative bacteria. Representatives of all 16 somatic serotypes (as well as the vaccine strains CU and M9) of P. multocida hybridized with the P6-like gene under conditions of high stringency. The DNA from H. influenzae hybridized weakly with the P6-like gene under these conditions, but Pasteurella haemolytica (representatives of A and T biotypes), Bordetella bronchiseptica, B. avium, Actinobacillus suis, A. suis-like, A. lignieresii, A. ureae, A. rossii, A. pleuropneumoniae, A. equuli, and various members of the family Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella typhimurium) did not hybridize detectably. Under conditions of lower stringency, the P6-like gene also hybridized strongly with DNA from P. multocida, H. influenzae, and A. rossii but weakly with DNA from P. haemolytica and members of the genus Actinobacillus. These results suggest that the P6-like protein of P. multocida might be useful as an immunizing product to protect poultry from avian cholera. This suggestion stems from (i) our finding that the P6-like protein in P. multocida is widely distributed among all the somatic serotypes and (ii) the previous work of others demonstrating that the P6 protein of H. influenzae elicits a protective immune response in animal models of human disease.
Utility-Based Routing in Communication Networks with Unstable Links

Traditional Dijkstra and Bellman-Ford routing algorithms can only provide the best route to each destination based on a fixed link cost model. We propose a utility-based routing model that can provide different optimal routes for different routing requirements captured by the benefit value of the successful delivery of a data packet in a network with unstable links. The challenges lie in the identification of the relationship between the benefit values and the optimal routes without exhausting all possible routes. This can be exponential to the number of nodes in the worst case. We analyze the relationship between the benefit values and the optimal routes, and the relationship between different optimal routes. Based on this analysis, we propose an efficient algorithm that can compute all optimal routes by exploiting a unique property of the model. We also implement the algorithm in a distributed and parallel way, and conduct intensive simulations to verify our results.
Abridgment of excitation systems their influence on short circuits and maximum power

Since 1920, when the general subject of excitation systems was reviewed at the White Sulphur Springs Convention, two important problems regarding these systems have arisen: One relates to the required excitation characteristics during system disturbances, and the other to the characteristics which are necessary in order to increase the maximum power above the steady slate or static limit — i. e., in order to operate the synchronous machines under the condition of dynamic stability. With respect to the former problem, the advantages and disadvantages of quick response excitation are considered. Such excitation tends, of course, to hold up the voltage during system disturbances, and is thus advantageous. However, it also increases the short-circuit current which circuit breakers must interrupt. The general trend in installing such systems is therefore in the direction of requiring larger circuit breakers. Such an excitation system is justified in many cases, and, indeed, it is essential in some. The extent to which the quickness of response and the maximum value of the excitation voltage are carried, is a question which, at present, should be settled by the conditions of the particular case. As to increasing power limits, results are given which are very promising with respect not only to long distance transmission, but also to power systems which have approached the power limit as determined by the condition of present normal operation. A new regulator, unique in its operating characteristic, has been developed which makes it possible to sustain stable operation under the condition of dynamic stability, thus increasing the maximum power by taking advantage of a heretofore unexploited range of operation of synchronous machines. Comparative test results are given for different types of regulators. The new regulator alone showed extraordinary gain, giving an increase of maximum power from a steady state (steady-field excitation) value of 110 kw., to a maximum of 415 kw., on a system comprising a synchronous generator supplying power directly to a synchronous motor. This shows the extent of improvement obtainable in the machines themselves. With an artificial 500-mile straightaway transmission line between the machines, a maximum power (received at the motor) equal to 90 per cent of the “infinite bus” value was obtained. The infinite bus value was 61 kw., 55 kw. was obtained, 44 kw. being the steady state power limit. The excitation system, as controlled by the new regulator, provides a component of excitation voltage which is at all instants equal to the i r drop in the field circuit during the necessary small oscillation under dynamic stability. The i r drop is therefore compensated, the characteristic of the regulator being to introduce the effect of negative resistance. And with zero effective field resistance, the maximum power corresponds to the condition of constant flux linkages — the power under that condition is greatly increased above the constant field current value. This condition is approached by the new regulator.
Molecular evidence for early activity-dependent development of hamster motor neurons.

Monoclonal antibody Cat-301 recognizes a surface antigen on subsets of neurons in many areas of the mammalian CNS, including Y-cells in the cat dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and spinal motor neurons in several species. We have shown previously that the Cat-301 antigen is expressed relatively late in postnatal development, with a time course that matches that of late developmental features of both LGN and spinal cord neurons. The developmental time course of the expression of the Cat-301 antigen in the LGN correlates with the period during which visual deprivation can alter LGN Y-cells. Neonatal visual deprivation (by monocular lid suture or dark rearing) suppresses Cat-301 expression on Y-cells, while deprivation in adult animals has no effect on antigen expression. These results suggested that the onset of Cat-301 immunoreactivity provides a positive molecular marker for the end of a critical period in cat visual system development. To determine if Cat- 301 might be a general marker for experience-dependent development in other areas of the CNS we have examined antigen expression on hamster spinal cord motor neurons. Here, we report that Cat-301 immunoreactivity develops on hamster motor neurons between postnatal days 7 and 14. Altering neuromuscular activity by sciatic nerve crush or thoracic hemicordotomy inhibits Cat-301 expression on motor neurons if performed before the onset of Cat-301 immunoreactivity. Other motor neuron antigens are unaffected by this procedure. In adult animals, nerve crush or cordotomy has no effect on Cat-301 immunoreactivity, demonstrating that Cat-301 expression is not simply dependent on ongoing neural activity. These observations suggest that motor neurons, like LGN neurons, require some pattern of neuronal activity during a critical period in development and, further, that the phenotypic changes in neurons consequent to early activity are reflected by the expression of specific molecules. The identification and characterization of such molecules may yield a description of the molecular mechanisms of experience-dependent development.
An optically driven phased array antenna utilizing heterodyne techniques

An optically driven phased array antenna system that utilizes heterodyne techniques to generate the microwave carrier frequency and phases is proposed. The heterodyning at each antenna element requires three injection-locked lasers. The microwave carrier frequency is determined by the order of the modulated sideband used in the injection-locking scheme. A design is also presented for an integrated optical fast Fourier transform (FFT). This device can perform the necessary phase processing for both beam steering and detection-of-arrival angle. Recent results on the noise properties of injection-locked semiconductor lasers are applied to the proposed antenna system. The effect of noise on the gain, signal-to-noise ratio, and the bandwidth of the antenna system is examined. It is shown that the performance degradation of the system, due to the noise in the lasers, is minimal, and therefore the bandwidth promise of optical drive could well be achieved with the use of heterodyne laser locking techniques. >
The Efficient Market Hypothesis, Price Multiples, And The German Stock Market

One of the great exercises of financial research is to examine the efficiency of the stock markets. There are many reasons for this endeavor. One is due to the importance efficiency has on the allocation of capital and the impact on economic activity. Others center on the desire to find an exploitable anomaly for active investment management. This paper sought to do both. The paper explores the German stock market over a five year period ending December 31, 2007. The objective was to examine the value of price multiples in developing portfolios that would not only question the efficient market hypothesis for the market but provide an investment tool to achieve above market risk adjusted returns for an active investment style. The paper explored this by creating portfolios of (1) top ranked (low) price multiples and (2) bottom ranked (high) price multiples. Three multiples were chosen. These were (1) Price to Book (PBK); (2) Price to Current Earnings (PEC), and (3) Price to Normalized Earnings (PER). The hypotheses were that low price multiples would outperform, on a risk adjusted basis, high price multiples, and hedged (long/short) would likewise outperform the market on a risk adjusted basis. Support for either of these hypotheses questions the efficiency of the markets and could provide a pragmatic investment strategy. The results of the study suggest not only that the efficiency of the German stock market can be questioned but that a workable investment strategy involving price multiples could be implemented. The results noted that low price multiples outperformed high price multiples in all cases but not necessarily on a risk adjusted basis. Hedged portfolios likewise outperformed the universe and population. Hedged PBK had an Adjusted Sharpe Ratio of 0.50; the Hedged PEC had an Adjusted Sharpe Ratio of 0.30; and the Hedged PER had an Adjusted Sharpe Ratio of 0.23. These should be compared against an Adjusted Sharpe Ratio for the market of 0. Finally, an equally-weighted Hedged position of PBK, PEC, and PER had an Adjusted Sharpe Ratio of 0.44.
Inhibition of nitric oxide production is associated with enhanced weight loss, decreased survival, and impaired alloengraftment in mice undergoing graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow transplantation

The pathophysiologic role of nitric oxide (NO) in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was investigated in a murine bone marrow (BM) transplantation model where donor and recipient were H-2-matched but differed at multiple minor histocompatibility antigens. Host AKR/J (H-2K) mice received lethal total body irradiation as pretransplant conditioning followed by transplantation of donor B10.BR (H-2K) BM cells with or without spleen cells as a source of GVH-reactive T cells. NO production, as assessed by serum nitrate and nitrite levels, was increased for up to 3 weeks posttransplant in animals undergoing both moderate and severe GVHD. Administration of NG-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, to animals undergoing GVHD resulted in effective suppression of NO production when compared with saline-treated GVHD control animals. Suppression of NO production by L-NMA in GVHD animals was associated with enhanced weight loss early posttransplant and decreased overall survival. Histologic analysis of tissues from L-NMA-treated and saline-treated GVHD animals showed that early weight loss was not because of an exacerbation of GVHD, indicating that NO did not appear to play an immunosuppressive role in this experimental model. L-NMA-treated animals with enhanced weight loss were observed to have splenic atrophy, decreased extramedullary hematopoiesis, and a reduction in BM cellularity when compared with GVHD control mice that were weight-matched before transplant. Analysis of T-cell chimerism in the spleen showed that L-NMA treatment impaired donor T-cell repopulation. In vitro colony-forming unit (CFU) assays were performed to further assess the role of NO on BM progenitor cell growth. L-NMA added directly into culture had no effect on CFU-granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM) formation in normal murine BM. In contrast, total CFU-GM from L-NMA-treated animals were significantly reduced when compared with GVHD controls or BM control animals who did not develop GVHD. Collectively, these data indicate that inhibition of NO impairs hematopoietic reconstitution and support the premise that NO appears to play a novel role in the facilitation of alloengraftment posttransplant.
A Research Development Program for Minority Honors Students

This article describes an experiential undergraduate honors research program for minority students. Through a participatory and mentoring process students are able to complete a research project, present it at a national colloquium, and prepare it for publication in a 2-year program. A review of the literature on different methods to teach research was presented. The outcome of the project suggests the model was highly successful in achieving its goals.
Phase stability of a standing-wave free-electron laser

The standing-wave free-electron laser (FEL) differs from a conventional linear-wiggler microwave FEL in using irises along the wiggler to form a series of standing-wave cavities and in reaccelerating the beam between cavities to maintain the average energy. The device has been proposed for use in a two-beam accelerator because microwave power can be extracted more effectively than from a traveling-wave FEL. A simplified numerical simulation indicates that, with appropriate prebunching, the standing-wave FEL can produce an output signal that is effectively the same in all cavities. However, changes in the beam energy of less than 1% are found to introduce unacceptably large fluctuations of signal phase along the device. Analytic calculations and single-particle simulations are used here to show that the phase fluctuations result from beam synchrotron motion in the initial signal field, and an approximate analytic expression for the signal phase is derived. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the dependence of phase fluctuations on the beam prebunching, the beam-current axial profile, and the initial signal amplitude.
Adhesion Behavior of PIQ to Si/SiO2 Surfaces

The present paper reports the results of an investigation of the adhesion characteristics of PIQ13, an isoindaloquin-azolinedione-modified polyimide, to silicon wafers. The wafers were used both untreated and pretreated with a layer of CVD SiO2. Also investigated was the adhesion behavior of a condensation-type polyimide, P15878. A comparison is made between the behavior of the PIQ with two different coupling agents, an aluminum chelate (Coupler 3) and γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (A-1100). Superior adhesion performance of the A-1100 is indicated; and with A-1100, the adhesion of the two resins is similar.
Use of Bacterial Vaccines for Prevention of Pneumococcal and Meningococcal Disease in the Day Care Setting

The pneumococcus causes severe disease, including meningitis and bacteremia, in children of day care age. It is also a frequent cause of otitis media. Unfortunately, the currently available pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine has not been efficacious in children under 24 months old; research is currently underway on methods for increasing immunogenicity in young children. The meningococcus is a rare cause of meningitis in day care aged children, but children in day care are likely to be at increased risk of secondary disease if a case occurs in a center. The currently available polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine is poorly immunogenic in children younger than two and does not include the group B polysaccharide, which is responsible for 70% of disease in children younger than five years. Therefore, chemoprophylaxis with rifampin is recommended for decreasing the risk of secondary spread. When a group B meningococcal vaccine immunogenic in young children becomes available, vaccination will be indicated for all children in day care.
The Hoffmann-Schiff dichotomy:on the reaction between chloral and amines

In the nearly two centuries since the discovery of chloral (2,2,2-trichloroacetaldehyde), numerous nitrogenous reactants have been used to generate products resulting from attack at the carbonyl group by nitrogen. The resulting tetrahedral species, a carbinolamine, is often unstable and has been reported to lose water to produce an imine as well as to lose chloroform to produce an amide. We find that the path, and hence the product, is a function of the electron density at the nitrogen of the reacting amine. The weaker arylamines produce imine whilst the more strongly basic alkylamines produce amide.
Field Evaluation of Commercially Produced Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner Used for Control of Lepidopterous Larvae on Crucifers

Commercially produced samples of spore material of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner were tested in sprays and dusts on cauliflower and cabbage plants for control of cruciferous insects. With coverage an important factor, dusts appeared to be better than sprays. No control of the beet armyworm, Laphygma exigua . (Hbn.), was obtained. For at least 80% kill of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hbn.), and of the imported cabbageworm. Pieris rapae (L.), a minimum dosage of 25X 1012 spores per acre was required. However, it is likely that higher dosage levels of up to 68X1012 spores per acre may be necessary for insect control in some situations. The materials were rather short lived on the plants and lost their effect after 5 to 10 days.
Cybernetic Space: Bringing the Virtual and Real Together

With the increasing prevalence of digital tools in our everyday lives, it is often the case that individuals and institutions are simultaneously living in the “real” and the “virtual.” This duality...
462 TRANSGENIC CORNEAL NEUROFLUORESCENCE IN MICE: A NEW MODEL FOR IN VIVO INVESTIGATION OF NERVE STRUCTURE AND REGENERATION.

Purpose This study quantifies the level of neuron-specific fluorescence in the cornea of transgenic mice expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) driven by the thy1 promoter and examines the viability of using thy1-YFP mice as a model for studying nerve regeneration in vivo. Methods The structure of corneal innervation in mice homozygous for the thy1-YFP transgene visible with reporter gene fluorescence was compared with that visible with traditional immunofluorescence techniques. The percentage of corneal nerves with YFP fluorescence in whole-mounted corneas and trigeminal neuron cultures was determined. Regeneration of fluorescent corneal neuronal processes after wounding was monitored in vivo. Results In the mouse cornea, neuron-specific immunostaining determined that nerve bundles traveled in the stroma after entering at the limbus and then sent branches anteriorly to form a sub-basal plexus beneath the corneal epithelium. Fine nerves from this plexus traveled superficially to the ocular surface. Neuron-specific expression of YFP allowed visualization of nearly all large nerve bundles of the stroma, but many finer nerves of the sub-basal plexus and surface were not visible. In the sub-basal neuron plexus, 46% of the total neuronal processes exhibited YFP neurofluorescence. In vitro, 22% of cultured trigeminal neurons exhibited YFP neurofluorescence. After corneal nerve sectioning, nerve processes distal to the site of injury degenerated, whereas those proximal to the site regenerated in a pattern different from original nerve architecture. Conclusions Thy1-YFP mice display corneal neurofluorescence and provide a novel model for monitoring the patterning, injury, and growth of corneal nerves in vivo.
Survey on rate of planning immunization in children of Tongchuan District of Dazhou City from 2004 to 2009

Objective To evaluate the situtation of immunization coverage rate in Tongchuan District and to provide effective support for improving the quality of vaccination.Methods Children in eight blocks and two agricultural markets were selected by adopting the mothod for sampling according to Nationa1 Surveillance Project for Routine Immunization Coverage Rate from 2004 to 2009.Results The entire vaccination rates of 4 kinds vaccines including BCG,OPV,DPT,and MV were 83.9% in 2004,84.4% in 2005,87.2% in 2006,89.4% in 2007,92.2% in 2008 and 93.9% in 2009.respectively.Average rate for single vaccination of these 4 vaccines was raised from less than 86.7% in 2004 to 96.5% in 2009.The vaccination rates of HBV were 92.8%,93.3%,94.4%,95%,97.2% and 97.8% in the period from 2004 to 2009 respectively.The rate of card construction,rate of certification and vaccinated scar rate were increased by more than 97%.Conclusion The results showed that the expanding programme for children immunization is improved.All these indexes were increased annually,but this work is still not entirely satisfaction.
283 SERIOUS CARDIORESPIRATORY EVENTS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE PRECURSORS TO SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME.

The Collaborative Home Infant Monitoring Evaluation (CHIME) revealed a high incidence of cardiorespiratory events in preterm infants but at the age of highest risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the incidence of these events was indistinguishable statistically from those of term infants. The argument that serious events are not precursors to SIDS would be bolstered if epidemiological risk factors were not correlated with events, once prematurity is controlled. SIDS risk factors examined were low maternal age and education, African American ethnicity, premature rupture of the membranes (PROM), maternal smoking, male gender, and parity ≥ 2. Additional variables examined: Asian ethnicity, placenta previa, C-section, and BPD. Serious events, apnea ≥ 30 sec, accompanied by either bradycardia (≤80 bpm for 5 sec in infants ≤ 40 wks and ≤ 60 bpm in infants > 40 wks), oxygen desaturation (≤ 90% for 5 sec) or both, were examined in 345 term and 412 preterm infants if their monitoring duration exceeded 50 hours. Only babies with PMA ≤ 44 weeks were evaluated. Prematurity, the number of hours monitored, and postmenstrual age (PMA) were highly predictive of having at least one extreme event; therefore, prematurity and monitoring hours were always used as covariates in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. None of the SIDS risk factors were significantly related to having at least one serious event, including low education (OR = 0.94, p = .107), African American ethnicity (OR = 0.7, p = .35), PROM (OR = 0.9, p = .334), maternal smoking (OR = 0.9, p = .751), male gender (OR = 0.7, p = .122), and parity ≥ 2 (OR = 0.7, p = .118). Of the remainder, only placenta previa exhibited a significant odds ratio (OR 5.6 p = .008). A lack of correlation between serious events and SIDS risk factors argues against their precursor status.
Secondary production and seasonal development of epiphytic Enallagma civile Hagen, 1861 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) in a newly constructed urban wetland floodway ecosystem

ABSTRACTSecondary production and seasonal development of the damselfly Enallagma civile Hagen, 1861 were determined as part of an epiphytic macroinvertebrate study in the Dallas Floodway Extension Trinity River Project Lower Chain of Wetlands, Dallas, TX, USA. These wetlands were constructed to mitigate flooding of the Trinity River, but also provided quality wildlife habitat and removal of wastewater effluent contaminants. Variations in life history were observed between two macrophytes and three different wetlands of varying age, effluent source, and vegetation establishment. Mean annual production of E. civile was 1393 mg/m2/year, standing stock biomass was 1376 mg/m2/year, cohort production/biomass (P/B) ratio was 4.30/year, and annual P/B was 10.18/year. These values are in the upper range of known Odonata production values from a lentic system. Enallagma civile biomass growth rates were observed to be higher from populations on the better established macrophyte (Potamogeton nodosus Poiret, 1816) and...
Autologous Islets Transplantation

A characteristic critical to the success of cell-based regenerative medicine approaches to treatment of disease is the ability of cells or tissue to engraft. Successful islet autotransplantation (IAT) following near-total or total pancreatectomy (TP) was the first clear proof that human islet tissue could engraft at an ectopic site and maintain insulin independence. This clinical observation holds promise for other regenerative medicine strategies aimed at treating diabetes. Follow-up observations have documented that if early insulin independence is achieved, then long-term function, 10 years or longer, is possible, indicating that intrahepatic β-cell residence is durable. Clinically, if pancreatectomy is to be done for benign diseases of the pancreas, IAT should accompany it, as the risks of surgical diabetes outweigh the risks of IAT. Surmounting the differences between IAT and allogeneic islet transplant may improve the therapeutic potential of cellular based replacement treatments for type 1 diabetes.
Kelsen’s View of the Addressee of the Law: Primary and Secondary Norms

The conventional wisdom, among both laypersons and academics, is that laws address the citizenry, or at least those citizens who could face liability prescribed by a given law. Hans Kelsen, in contrast, argued in several of his major works that the primary addressees of laws are the state actors who must implement, enforce, and apply the laws, and that the governed citizens are, at most, secondary addressees. This approach is logically consistent with Kelsen’s overall views of the law and the state, and is phenomonologically consistent with the formulations used in modern codes, which use indicative mood rather than imperative mood for the verbs. Nevertheless, Kelsen’s view remains unpopular in the United States, because it grates against American ideals of populism and democracy, as well as the cultural tendency to treat all political issues as moral issues. Yet Kelsen’s approach provides a fertile analytic tool for understanding the persistence of technical terms and jargon within American codes, despite decades of attempted “plain language” reforms across the American legal system. His framework also has much to offer for understanding interpretive rules pertaining to legislative delegations of authority to executive agencies, boundaries of executive and judicial power, and problems with outsourcing state functions to private corporations. This chapter reviews Kelsen’s core discussions of the addressee issue and explores its implications for these and other areas of legal research.
A low-power 12.5 Gbps serial link transmitter ASIC for particle detectors in 65 nm CMOS

This paper presents a 12.5 Gbps serial link transmitter application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed in a 65-nm CMOS technology. The ASIC mainly includes an LC-VCO phase-locked-loop (PLL), a 16:1 serializer and a CML driver. Simulation results show that the PLL achieves a 7-to-14 GHz frequency tuning range and an RMS jitter of 0.4 pS. The serializer has a deterministic jitter of 9 pS and a programmable output swing from 200 mV to 1.0 V. The PLL and the serializer consumes 39.6 mW and 73 mW from a 1.2 V power supply, respectively.
Methods for Effective Mimicry-based Teleoperation of Robot Arms

In this research, I report on novel methods to afford more intuitive and efficient robot teleoperation control using human motion. The overall premise of this work is that allowing users to control robots using the natural input space of their arms will lead to task performance and subjective measure benefits over more traditional interfaces. In this paper, I outline completed work on a mimicry-based teleoperation control system that enables improved task proficiency for novice users by mapping their arm motion to a robot arm in real-time, as well as ongoing and future research that will further improve this control paradigm.
Neural, physiological, and behavioral correlates of visuomotor cognitive load

Visuomotor ability is quite crucial for everyday functioning, particularly in driving and sports. While there is accumulating evidence regarding neural correlates of visuomotor transformation, less is known about the brain regions that accommodate visuomotor mapping under different cognitive demands. We concurrently measured cortical activity and pupillary response, using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and eye-tracking glasses, to examine the neural systems linked to pupil dilation under varying cognitive demands. Twenty-three healthy adults performed two sessions of a navigation task, in which the cognitive load was manipulated by either reversing the visuomotor mapping or increasing the speed of the moving object. We identified a region in the right superior parietal lobule that responded to both types of visuomotor load and its activity was associated with larger pupillary response and better performance in the task. Our multimodal analyses suggest that activity in this region arises from the need for increased attentional effort and alertness for visuomotor control and is an ideal candidate for objective measurement of visuomotor cognitive load. Our data extend previous findings connecting changes in pupil diameter to neural activity under varying cognitive demand and have important implications for examining brain-behavior associations in real-world tasks such as driving and sports.
Foxp3-independent mechanism by which TGF-β controls peripheral T cell tolerance

Peripheral T cell tolerance is promoted by the regulatory cytokine TGF-β and Foxp3-expressing Treg cells. However, whether TGF-β and Treg cells are part of the same regulatory module, or exist largely as distinct pathways to repress self-reactive T cells remains incompletely understood. Using a transgenic model of autoimmune diabetes, here we show that ablation of TGF-β receptor II (TβRII) in T cells, but not Foxp3 deficiency, resulted in early-onset diabetes with complete penetrance. The rampant autoimmune disease was associated with enhanced T cell priming and elevated T cell expression of the inflammatory cytokine GM-CSF, concomitant with pancreatic infiltration of inflammatory monocytes that triggered immunopathology. Ablation of the GM-CSF receptor alleviated the monocyte response and inhibited disease development. These findings reveal that TGF-β promotes T cell tolerance primarily via Foxp3-independent mechanisms and prevents autoimmunity in this model by repressing the cross talk between adaptive and innate immune systems.
Anti-Resorptive Therapy

The goal of medical management of osteoporosis is to reduce fracture risk, preferably at all skeletal sites. The two approaches to treatment of osteoporosis are decreasing bone resorption and increasing bone formation. Currently available anti-resorptive therapies include calcium plus vitamin D, selective estrogen receptor modulators, hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonates, RANKL antagonist denosumab, and strontium ranelate. Anti-resorptive therapy may be started in patients with a prior fragility fracture or in patients with a T-score of less than −2.5. Maintaining an adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is a standard part of the treatment of osteoporosis. Calcium is required for the bone formation phase of bone remodeling, while vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption from the intestine. Estrogen deficiency is the most recognized risk factor for the development of osteoporosis. Hormone replacement therapy is no longer recommended as a first line therapy for the treatment of prevention of osteoporosis. Prolonged use of hormone replacement therapy, especially in elderly women, increases the risk of breast cancer, thromboembolic disease, and cerebrovascular accidents. Selective estrogen receptor modulators bind to estrogen receptors and act as agonists to decrease bone resorption and normalize bone turnover. Selective estrogen receptor modulators are predominantly prescribed to women with vertebral osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates are anti-resorptive agents which act via the inhibition of osteoclasts, leading to reduced bone turnover, increased bone mass, and improved mineralization. They are generally considered first line agents in the treatment of osteoporosis. The fracture risk reduction in postmenopausal women treated with bisphosphonates has been well documented. The most frequent complications seen are GI disturbances. Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a rare complication. Atypical subtrochanteric proximal femur fractures have also been reported in patients who have received prolonged alendronate treatment. Denosumab is the first biologic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis. Denosumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to and neutralizes the activity of RANKL, thereby inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. Its effectiveness and biannual administration make it a promising anti-resorptive agent. Strontium ranelate is a newer treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis, which reduces both the risk of vertebral as well as non-vertebral fractures. It is the first medication that simultaneously increases bone formation as well as decreases bone resorption. There is a great interest and clinical need for developing new therapeutic targets for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Vaccine adjuvants: Softness makes it better.

An effective adjuvant for the induction of humoural and cellular immunity is achieved by a Pickering emulsion formulation that allows pliability and mobility of loaded antigens.
Digital Humanities as Community Engagement: The Digital Watts Project

Abstract The Digital Watts Project was a graduate-level English class taught in summer of 2016 that focused on the 1965 Watts “Uprising” or “Riots.” The class worked with the Southern California Library (SCL) to make available, through a digital public humanities project, primary sources intended to expand the narrative around the events of 1965, and to situate them in a broader context of the history of race and racism in Los Angeles. Exploring the ways in which our background in the humanities could positively enrich our work with the SCL, Melanie Hubbard, a Digital Scholarship Librarian at Loyola Marymount University, and Dermot Ryan, an Associate Professor of English, designed a class that drew on literary texts, history, and information science, as well as including a number of speakers with disciplinary expertise and firsthand experience to inform the generation of metadata for this project.
Medical Countermeasures: Mission, Method, and Management

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the journal on topics including best practices and innovation in the provision of medical countermeasures (MCMs) for large-scale public health emergencies, influenza pandemic treatments, and health care coalitions.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement for bicuspid aortic valve stenosis.

Surgery remains the standard of care, but transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an emerging, viable option for some.
Modeling and Simulation: Part 2

Chapter 8 continues with our discussion of modeling. In particular, we will discuss modeling in the context of simulation, a term that we will soon discuss in detail. The terms model and simulation can be a bit confusing because they are often used interchangeably; that is, simulation as modeling and vice versa. We will make a distinction between the two terms and we will see that in order to simulate a process we must first create a model of the process. Thus, modeling precedes simulation, and simulation is an activity that depends on exercising a model. This may sound like a great deal of concern about the minor distinctions between the two terms, but as we discussed in Chap. 7, being systematic and rigorous in our approach to modeling helps insure that we don’t overlook critical aspects of a problem. Over many years of teaching and consulting, I have observed very capable people make serious modeling errors, simply because they felt that they could approach modeling in a casual manner, thereby abandoning a systematic approach.
Carbon isoscapes of rodent diets in the Great Plains USA deviate from regional gradients in C4 grass abundance due to a preference for C3 plant resources

Abstract Diet is an ecological attribute that species may adjust to cope with changing environments and may indicate how a population responds to changes in resource availability. In the Great Plains, plants utilizing the C4 photosynthetic pathway may increase in abundance in the future because of their high tolerance for warm and dry environments, which are projected to increase. How increased C4 abundance will influence grassland food webs remains unknown. Here, we evaluate how rodent diets vary relative to C4 plant biomass at the regional scale of the southern Great Plains in the U.S. We measured δ13C values of hair from 534 individuals of 14 rodent species. Resulting isoscapes of δ13C values were statistically compared to three proxies for local abundance of C4 grasses across the region. Overall, diets of most rodent species were dominated by C3-derived resources with a few species relying on C4 resources. Ordinary least squares linear regressions indicate that proxies for regional abundance of C4 grasses explain very little of the variance in δ13C values in hair for the entire rodent community, however the isoscape of rodent hair δ13C values does broadly correspond to that for δ13C values of soil organic matter. The difference between median δ13C values of granivores and folivores is significantly and highly correlated with SOM δ13C values. Results from this study can be used as a baseline for characterizing dietary shifts in response to environmental change both in the geological past and in the future, and they identify which dietary categories may be most sensitive to future changes in the regional abundance of C4 grasses.
Temporal and spatial dynamics of spinal sensorimotor processing in an intersegmental cutaneous nociceptive reflex

We have physiologically studied an intersegmental reflex exploring detailed temporal, stimulus strength-based, stimulation history-dependent, lateral and segmental quantification of the reflex resp...
The stellar velocity dispersion of the lens galaxy in MG2016+112 at z=1.004

We present a direct measurement of the stellar velocity dispersion of the early-type lens galaxy D in the system MG2016+112 (z=1.004), determined from a spectrum obtained with the Echelle Spectrograph and Imager (ESI) on the W.M. Keck-II Telescope, as part of the Lenses Structure and Dynamics (LSD) Survey. We find a velocity dispersion of sigma_ap=304+-27 km/s inside an effective circular aperture with a radius of 0.65'', corresponding to a central velocity dispersion of sigma=328+-32 km/s. From a Hubble Space Telescope F160W-band image, we measure the effective radius and effective surface brightness in order to determine the offset of the lens galaxy with respect to the local Fundamental Plane. The offset corresponds to an evolution of the rest-frame effective mass-to-light ratio of Delta log(M/L_B)=-0.62+-0.08 from z=0 to z=1.004. By interpreting colors and offset of the FP with two independent stellar population synthesis models, we obtain a single-burst equivalent age of 2.8+-0.8 Gyr (i.e. z_f>1.9) and a supersolar metallicity of log[Z/Z_sun]=0.25+-0.25. The lens galaxy is therefore a massive elliptical dominated by an old and metal rich stellar population at z>1. The excellent agreement of the stellar velocity dispersion with that predicted from recent lens models confirms that the angular separation of the multiple images of the background QSO is predominantly due to the lens galaxy, and not to a massive ``dark cluster'', in agreement with recent weak lensing and X-ray observations. However, the significant overdensity of galaxies in the field might indicate that this system is a proto-cluster, in formation around galaxy D, responsible for the ~10% external shear inferred from the strong lens models.
The Propagation and Breaking of Gravity Waves Excited by Forcing in the Troposphere

A two-dimensional numerical model is used to study the propagation and breaking at high altitudes of gravity waves forced by tropospheric sources. The model is based on the anelastic approximation to the Navier-Stokes equations with Coriolis forces neglected. Gravity waves are generated by air flow over deflections of the lower boundary. It is shown that dispersion produces a wave field at high altitudes that is dominated by nearly monochromatic wavetrains, even though the boundary forcing excites a localized wavepacket. The morphology of wave breaking depends on the horizontal wavelength: for longer waves, breaking is confined to a relatively small fraction of the wavelength, near the wave crest but, for sufficiently short waves, it involves a large fraction of the wavelength. In common with other studies, it is found that breaking waves undergo “self-acceleration”, such that the intrinsic frequency remains approximately constant in spite of large changes in the background wind. It is also shown that many of the features obtained in the calculations can be understood in terms of linear wave theory. In particular, linear theory provides insight into the position of the wave breaking region relative to the source and the minimum and maximum altitudes where breaking occurs. Wave breaking ceases at the altitude where the background dissipation rate (which in our model is a proxy for molecular diffusion) becomes greater than the rate of dissipation due to wave breaking. This altitude — in effect, the model turbopause — is shown to depend on a relatively small number of parameters that characterize the waves and the background state.