cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colonic perforation from left ventricular assist device: a rare complication

A patient with idiopathic non-ischemic cardiomyopathy had a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted, while awaiting cardiac transplantation. The patient had been stable following a complicated and prolonged postoperative course, but was admitted to the hospital for suspected low-grade LVAD-related infection. Work-up for sepsis was suspicious for perforated viscus. An exploratory laparotomy revealed a perforated transverse colon with gross spillage of succus. Although infectious complications following LVAD implantation are common, sepsis as a result of gastrointestinal perforation secondary to LVAD erosion is not. This first report of viscus perforation despite the use of a Gore-Tex wrap highlights a rare complication of LVAD therapy.
MDMA DECREASES THE EFFECTS OF SIMULATED SOCIAL REJECTION

Abstract 3-4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) increases self-reported positive social feelings and decreases the ability to detect social threat in faces, but its effects on experiences of social acceptance and rejection have not been determined. We examined how an acute dose of MDMA affects subjective and autonomic responses to simulated social acceptance and rejection. We predicted that MDMA would decrease subjective responses to rejection. On an exploratory basis, we also examined the effect of MDMA on respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a measure of parasympathetic cardiac control often thought to index social engagement and emotional regulation. Over three sessions, healthy adult volunteers with previous MDMA experience (N = 36) received capsules containing placebo, 0.75 or 1.5 mg/kg of MDMA under counter-balanced double-blind conditions. During expected peak drug effect, participants played two rounds of a virtual social simulation task called “Cyberball” during which they experienced acceptance in one round and rejection in the other. During the task we also obtained electrocardiograms (ECGs), from which we calculated RSA. After each round, participants answered questionnaires about their mood and self-esteem. As predicted, MDMA decreased the effect of simulated social rejection on self-reported mood and self-esteem and decreased perceived intensity of rejection, measured as the percent of ball tosses participants reported receiving. Consistent with its sympathomimetic properties, MDMA decreased RSA as compared to placebo. Our finding that MDMA decreases perceptions of rejection in simulated social situations extends previous results indicating that MDMA reduces perception of social threat in faces. Together these findings suggest a cognitive mechanism by which MDMA might produce pro-social behavior and feelings and how the drug might function as an adjunct to psychotherapy. These phenomena merit further study in non-simulated social environments.
SUPERSYMMETRIC GAUGE THEORIES WITH AN AFFINE QUANTUM MODULI SPACE

All supersymmetric gauge theories based on simple groups which have an affine quantum moduli space, i.e., one generated by gauge invariants with no relations, W=0 , and anomaly matching at the origin, are classified. It is shown that the only theories with no gauge invariants (i.e., moduli space equal to a single point) are the two known examples, SU(5) with {ovr 5}+10 and SO(10) with a spinor. The index of the matter representation must be at least as big as the index of the adjoint in theories which have a nontrivial relation among the gauge invariants. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
The world's (truly) oldest profession: Social influence in evolutionary perspective

Consumer psychologists have devoted a great deal of research to understanding human social influence processes. Research on social influence could be enriched by incorporating several evolutionary principles, and viewing social influence processes through an adaptationist lens. Our central argument is that different social relationships are associated with different influence goals; one wants different things from a parent, a mate, a friend, an underling, a superior, and an out-group stranger. Therefore influence tactics should vary in success depending on the nature of the relationship between the target and the agent of influence. We consider different influence goals associated with different domains of social life and examine a set of six proven principles of social influence from this evolutionary perspective. We also consider how an evolutionary approach offers some new insights into why and when these principles of social influence will be differentially effective.
Voices from the Gambia: Parents' Perspectives on Their Involvement in Their Children's Education.

Research indicates the positive effects parental involvement can have in reinforcing learners' beliefs about their ability to succeed. In this article, the author explores the nature of parental involvement in children's education in the Republic of the Gambia. The Gambian example reemphasizes the value of parent-school partnerships as a constant and relentless process across cultural and national boundaries. It is an example of official mandates in education that are based on traditional practices of involving the community at the local level for improving the quality of education and care in schools.
Simulations of the bis-penicillamine enkephalin in sodium chloride solution: a parameter study.

A simulation study of DPDPE in sodium chloride solution has been performed and compared with previous simulations using a different interaction potential for the ions. Both global thermodynamics as well as a characterization of association to DPDPE have been calculated. We show that the parameters used for the ions have a profound effect on the association to the peptide in 1M NaCl. The observed differences suggest that individual associations in these and previous simulations are sensitive to parameters.
Bridged mesoporous silsesquioxanes as potential CO2 adsorbents

Mesoporous amino-functionalized adsorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture were synthesized by grafting and sol–gel methods. The silsesquioxane obtained by polycondensation of bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyl]amine without a cross-linker had the highest amount of surface amino groups. Their content was 8.4 times higher than in the grafted material prepared with the same precursor. All obtained materials were tested in CO2 reversible adsorption from a gas stream. The bridged silsesquioxane adsorbent had the adsorption capacity 4.7 times higher than the grafted sample obtained from the same precursor. Porosity study of this material revealed wide pore size distribution with notable fraction of macropores. The nature of adsorbed species was determined from the FTIR spectrum after adsorption. It was found that CO2 formed carbamate and bicarbonate species on the surface.
Far-Zone Focusing Lenses Designed by Complex Coordinate Transformations

In this letter, a transformation optics approach involving complex coordinates is presented for designing far-zone focusing lenses fed by a single radiating electromagnetic source. In contrast to conventional coordinate transformation (CT) methods that tailor only the real parts of the material parameters, a spatial amplitude tapering function containing either gain or loss is introduced within the lens, which provides an extra degree of freedom in controlling both the amplitude and phase distributions at the aperture of the lens, resulting in a controllable far-field radiation pattern. The concept is validated by full-wave lens simulations with parametric studies carried out to investigate the impact of both the geometrical and material properties of the lens on the far-field patterns. It is then demonstrated that the lens designs can be further optimized to control the sidelobe levels (peak as well as minor lobes) while maintaining a relatively high gain. Finally, it is shown that the lens exhibits a far-field radiation pattern comparable to that of a linear array with uniform element spacing, but is unidirectional rather than bidirectional. By providing a means to control both the amplitude and phase distribution across the lens aperture, the proposed complex CT design approach provides a pathway to constructing directive emitting devices with radiation properties similar to conventional antenna arrays but with only a single feeding source.
Correcting calcium nutritional deficiency prevents spine fractures in elderly women

We tested the spine antifracture and bone sparing efficacy of 1.2 g/day of oral calcium as carbonate in two groups of elderly women, one with prevalent fractures (PF, n = 94) on entry and the other without (NPF, n = 103). It was a prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in mostly rural communities in women over age 60 who were living independently and were consuming <1 g/day of calcium. We obtained annual lateral spine radiographs and semiannual forearm bone density over 4.3 + 1.1 years and determined vertebral fractures by radiographic morphometry augmented by physician assessment. In the PF group, 15 of 53 subjects on calcium had incident fractures, compared with 21 of 41 on placebo (p = 0.023, cH2). Calcium did not reduce the rate of incident fractures in the NPF group. Those with a prevalent fracture on entry and not treated with calcium were 2.8 times more likely to experience an incident fracture than all others. Change in the forearm bone mass on placebo in the PF group was −1.24 + 2.41%/year compared with +0.31 + 1.80%/year on calcium (p < 0.001). In the NPF group, the difference was less: −0.39 + 2.08%/year versus 0.00 + 1.64%/year (p = 0.2). We conclude that in elderly postmenopausal women with spine fractures and selfselected calcium intakes of <1 g/day, a calcium supplement of 1.2 g/day reduces the incidence of spine fractures and halts measurable bone loss.
Does motor lateralization have implications for stroke rehabilitation

Recent findings on motor lateralization have revealed consistent differences in the control strategies of the dominant and nondominant hemisphere/limb systems that could have implications for hemiplegic stroke patients. Studies in stroke patients have demonstrated deficiencies in the ipsilesional arm that reflect these distinctions; patients with right-hemisphere damage tend to show deficits in positional accuracy, and patients with left-hemisphere damage show deficits in trajectory control. Such deficits have been shown to impede functional performance; yet patients with severe dominant-side hemiplegia must often use the nondominant arm as the primary manipulator for activities of daily living. Nevertheless, the nondominant arm may not spontaneously become efficient as a dominant manipulator, as indicated by the persistence of deficits in chronic stroke patients. More research is necessary to determine whether motor therapy can facilitate a more effective transition of this arm from a nondominant to a dominant controller.
Real Spectra in Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians Having PT Symmetry

The condition of self-adjointness ensures that the eigenvalues of a Hamiltonian are real and bounded below. Replacing this condition by the weaker condition of $\mathrm{PT}$ symmetry, one obtains new infinite classes of complex Hamiltonians whose spectra are also real and positive. These $\mathrm{PT}$ symmetric theories may be viewed as analytic continuations of conventional theories from real to complex phase space. This paper describes the unusual classical and quantum properties of these theories.
Faecal Hydrogen Production in vitro as an Indicator for in vivo Hydrogen Producing Capability in the Breath Hydrogen Test

. In the assessment of carbohydrate malabsorption, it is important to determine if a flat breath hydrogen test is a false negative result. Currently, the only reliable way to do this is with a lactulose test. We determined the reliability of assessing faecal hydrogen production as an indicator of an adequate in vivo hydrogen producing colonic bacterial flora. Unfortunately, the results clearly show that the incidence of falsely positive and negative faecal hydrogen production, when compared with in vivo lactulose testing, is so high that the simple faeces screening test is unsuitable for routine use. Until a simpler alternative is found, centres using the breath hydrogen test to determine carbohydrate malabsorption must continue to rely on lactulose breath testing when it is necessary to exclude potential false negative results.
Special Variants of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Does It Alter the Extent of Surgery Versus Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer?

Recently, more aggressive variants of so-called well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas have been identified such as the tall cell variant, columnar cell variant, diffuse sclerosing variant, insular carcinoma, and Hurthle cell (oncocytic, oxyphilic) carcinomas. An evidence-based review was performed to identify the optimal treatment recommendations for these thyroid cancers of intermediate differentiation. Although some variation exists within the group, aggressive surgical and medical management are recommended for these neoplasias. Any such recommendations should, however, be viewed in the light of the fact that the current literature mainly consists of case reports, case series, and limited reviews. The clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and surgical and medical management for these thyroid cancers with intermediate differentiation are discussed.
Check, Mate: Integrating Checklists Within Diagnostic Radiology Departments

Quality assurance measures have been at the forefront of medicine in the past decade. Many of these initiatives were generated in response to the 2000 Institute of Medicine report To Err Is Human [1], which attributed nearly 100,000 annual deaths to preventable medical errors. Numerous specialties established committees to address such concerns, with the goal of providing safe and effective health care. TheACRtaskforceonsafetyandthe ImageGentlycampaignareexamples of such efforts within radiology. The use of checklists for quality assurance is not unique to medicine. They are widely used in manufacturing, finance, and human resources, among numerous other fields. The industry that has received greatest acclaim in the medical literature for its adherence to checklists is aviation. The pressure to reduce errors is magnified when dozens of lives are at stake with every takeoff. Larson and Nance [2] elegantly characterized the aviation industry’s approach to quality improvement. They contrasted the traditional method of quality improvement, identifying and removing poor individual performers, with the more modern method, which involves disseminating best practices to reduce errors at the system level. David Levin [3] recently
The social construction of the Filipino woman

Abstract This critical review of the representations of Filipino women in social science research aims to throw light on the ideological and theoretical assumptions that hinder an accurate depiction of women's subordinate status. It begins with an exposition of how native lore touting women's superiority, recast with the appropriate rationale by colonial discourse, is etched in popular consciousness and has proven resistant to alteration. Conventional wisdom, for example, views the housewife's pursekeeper function along with household management as evidence of matriarchy. In examining the more significant empirical studies, in particular, those within the women-in-development category, the essay notes a slight departure from this perspective. Confronted with the reality of extensive poverty and women's location at the bottom of the occupational structure, social scientists have had to acknowledge women's inequality in the public sphere. Turning their focus on the private sphere, researchers document the existence of a rigid gender division of labor at the heart of the family. This finding results in the displacement of the notion of a matriarchy. But unaided by feminist frameworks, investigators fall short of interrogating the power relations embedded in gender assignments in the household. They fail to unmask the sanctified role of motherhood and the attendant valorization of women as morally superior. Instead, studies concentrating on decision-making have simply substituted egalitarianism for women's dominance and upheld the idea of gender complementarity based on the philosophy of “separate spheres.”
The dynamics of single-molecule DNA in flow

Abstract Within the last decade, fluorescence microscopy of single molecules of DNA in a plethora of flow fields has allowed an unprecedented examination of the dynamics of polymers in flow. As a result, new principles (e.g. “molecular individualism”) have been developed regarding these dynamics and old debates (e.g. conformational hysteresis of polymers in extensional flow) have received a fresh airing. The coupling of the microscopy, employing a spectrum of possible DNA molecules, fragments, and concatemers with dynamic simulation (e.g. Brownian dynamics) has created a tremendous opportunity to both revisit unanswered questions in the field of polymer solution dynamics (particularly in the nonlinear flow regime), as well as to examine new areas surrounding the engineering of flow dynamics of complex fluids in microfluidic devices. The foundation for future studies has been laid by careful experimentation and computer simulation of DNA dynamics in bulk or locally linear flows of many types. Future studies involving collective effects, complex flows, flow-induced reaction, adsorption and so forth are just beginning and again the promise is to develop a new understanding of these polymer processes by examining DNA “one molecule at a time.”
A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study of Sulfur Oxyfluoride Anion and Neutral Thermochemistry and Reactivity

The structure, thermochemistry, and reactivity of numerous sulfur oxyfluorides have been examined in a combined theoretical and experimental study. Calculations were carried out for SOFn=0-5, SO2Fn=0-3, SO3Fn=0-1, and their corresponding anions using the Gaussian-2 procedure. Structural parameters, standard entropies, and integrated heat capacities were calculated at the MP2(full)/6-31G(d) level of theory. Electron affinities, vertical detachment energies, fluoride affinities, neutral bond dissociation energies, and neutral and anion heats of formation were derived from the G2 total energies (0 K) and enthalpies (298 K). This comprehensive dataset of thermochemical properties for both neutrals and anions is compared to available experimental results and to previous theoretical treatments of individual S/O/F compounds. A number of significant discrepancies are noted. Using a selected ion flow tube, a series of laboratory measurements were made to test the theoretical results and to examine SOmFn- reaction ...
The Fate of Hips That Are Not Prophylactically Pinned After Unilateral Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

Background The indications for prophylactic pinning of the contralateral hip after unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) remain controversial in part because the natural history of the contralateral hip is unclear.
The Impact of Heterogeneity and Dark Acceptor States on FRET: Implications for Using Fluorescent Protein Donors and Acceptors

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy is widely used to study protein interactions in living cells. Typically, spectral variants of the Green Fluorescent Protein (FPs) are incorporated into proteins expressed in cells, and FRET between donor and acceptor FPs is assayed. As appreciable FRET occurs only when donors and acceptors are within 10 nm of each other, the presence of FRET can be indicative of aggregation that may denote association of interacting species. By monitoring the excited-state (fluorescence) decay of the donor in the presence and absence of acceptors, dual-component decay analysis has been used to reveal the fraction of donors that are FRET positive (i.e., in aggregates)._However, control experiments using constructs containing both a donor and an acceptor FP on the same protein repeatedly indicate that a large fraction of these donors are FRET negative, thus rendering the interpretation of dual-component analysis for aggregates between separately donor-containing and acceptor-containing proteins problematic. Using Monte-Carlo simulations and analytical expressions, two possible sources for such anomalous behavior are explored: 1) conformational heterogeneity of the proteins, such that variations in the distance separating donor and acceptor FPs and/or their relative orientations persist on time-scales long in comparison with the excited-state lifetime, and 2) FP dark states.
Transient state isoelectric focusing: computational procedures for digital data processing with a desk-top programmable calculator.

Abstract Computational procedures (applicable to desk-top programmable calculators) have been described which are useful in the processing of data generated by transient state isoelectric focusing (TRANSIF) experiments. The system allows the calculation of methological parameters such as peak position, peak separation, segmental pH gradient, resolving power, and resolution. “Apparent” physical constants such as the isoelectric point (pI), diffusion coefficient (D), and the slope of the pH-mobility curve ( du d ( pH ) ) of amphoteric molecules can be calculated either by linear interpolation (pI) or by linear regression analysis (D and du d ( pH ) ). The computing programs are also capable of performing operations such as smoothing of raw data, conversion to absorbance, baseline detection and correction, and calculation of the higher statistical moments of Gaussian, bi-Gaussian, and asymmetric peak shapes. Moment analysis is carried out by direct statistical procedures, curve simulation, and slope detection methods. The above computational procedures provide a useful and necessary adjunct to the scanning isoelectric focusing assembly which is coupled to a digital data acquisition and recording system.
Parallelization of CABAC transform coefficient coding for HEVC

Data dependencies in CABAC make it difficult to parallelize and thus limits its throughput. The majority of the bins processed by the CABAC are used to represent the prediction error/residual in terms of quantized transform coefficients. This paper provides an overview of the various improvements to context selection and scans in transform coefficient coding that enable HEVC to potentially achieve higher throughput relative to AVC/H.264. Specifically, it describes changes that remove data dependencies in significance map and coefficient level coding. Proposed and adopted techniques up to HM-4.0 are discussed. This work illustrates that accounting for implementation cost when designing video coding algorithms can result in a design that can enable higher processing speed and reduce hardware cost, while still delivering high coding efficiency.
Effective Diet and Exercise Interventions to Improve Body Composition in Obese Individuals

Because higher body fat and lower lean mass is associated with excess morbidity and mortality, health care teams need specific science-based recommendations to advise clients on lifestyle approache...
Development and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci for the endangered dusky gopher frog, Rana sevosa, and two closely related species, Rana capito and Rana areolata

A microsatellite library was developed using genomic DNA of the endangered dusky gopher frog, Rana sevosa. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers and conditions are presented for R. sevosa (eight loci) and two sister taxa — other gopher frogs, Rana capito (seven loci) and crawfish frogs, Rana areolata (three loci). Polymorphism of each microsatellite locus was evaluated for each species. All loci have moderate to high genetic variation in terms of allelic richness (four to 10 alleles per locus), observed heterozygosity (0.595–0.946), and expected heterozygosity (0.531–0.856).
Family-Centered Intervention for Young Children at-risk for Language and Behavior Problems

This study investigated the effects of a family-centered intervention that involved parents in weekly assessments and daily routine activities for promoting young children’s language and behavior. Forty-one 3–5-year-old children at-risk for language and behavior problems, recruited from three developmental pre-schools, were randomly assigned to a control and an intervention group that received parent–professional support. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to examine whether groups differed on post-test scores on the Test of Early Language Development—Third Edition and Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory, using pre-test scores as a covariate. Results showed that children in the intervention group outperformed children in the control group on both tests. The study indicated that family-centered intervention is an effective method for empowering parents to identify and implement concrete solutions to their children’s problems, especially when done as part of a professional collaboration.
Ordering in GaInP grown at low temperatures

Abstract Ordering has been studied in Ga x In 1 − x P with x ≈ 0.52 grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy at a rate of 0.5 μm/h. The GaAs substrates were misoriented from the (001) plane toward the [110] direction by angles of 0, 3, 6, and 9°. Growth temperature is a key factor in determining both the rate of the ordering process, occurring at the surface during growth, and the annealing process, occurring in the layer after growth. Results are reported for growth at temperatures as low as 520°C. The CuPt type ordering in the epitaxial layers was characterized mainly using photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PL peak energy decreases as the degree of order increases. For growth at 520°C the layers are not strongly ordered. The lowest 10 K PL peak energy of 1.936 eV, about 60 meV below that of highly disordered Ga 0.52 In 0.48 P, occurs for a misorientation angle of 9°. The degree of order, judged from the PL peak energy, generally increases with increasing misorientation angle. The results indicate that the annealing process is slow at 520°C, but so is the ordering process. Nevertheless, the layers are partially ordered and the presence of [110] steps accelerates the surface ordering process.
Scopolamine-induced deficits in spontaneous alternation performance: attenuation with lateral ventricle injections of glucose.

This experiment determined whether centrally administered glucose can attenuate scopolamine-induced deficits in spontaneous alternation performance. All rats were surgically prepared with indwelling cannulae directed at the lateral ventricle. Thirty min prior to alternation tests, rats received systemic (ip) injections of saline or scopolamine (3 mg/kg). Ten or thirty min prior to training, the rats also received a direct injection into the lateral ventricle of either artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or glucose (3 μg in 1 μl). Scopolamine significantly impaired spontaneous alternation performance relative to controls. Additional treatment with ICV glucose 30 min, but not 10 min prior to testing, significantly attenuated the scopolamine-induced deficit. These results add support to the view that glucose acts directly on brain systems to attenuate behavioral effects of cholinergic antagonists.
Determination of the Local Stress-Strain Response of Foams

A new specimen for determining the local stress-strain response of foams under uniaxial compression is presented along with the corresponding theory. The drawback of using conventional cubic specimens is that average stresses and strains are calculated, which introduces size effects due to structural and material inhomogeneities of commercial foams. Under compression, foam cubes develop unstable regimes, which involve localized deformation. The instabilities cause difficulties in establishing the correct stress- strain response of the material. Tapering specimens can enable controlled motion of the boundary separating the unstable and stable regimes. This concept is exploited in the present paper in experiments on closed-cell aluminum foam trapezoids. A crushing front propagates down the tapered specimen during compression, while the deformed region develops a new lateral shape. The experimental results are used along with several assumptions to extract a more representative stress-strain response of foam. The response is characterized by the initial plateau stress, shape exponent and densification strain. The significant effect of the variable Poisson 's ratio during crushing is also introduced. The results provide a basis for developing local constitutive behavior of foams.
Beyond a means of exposure: a new view of the mother in toxicology research

Toxicological studies generally view pregnant animals as a conduit through which gestational exposure of offspring to chemicals can be achieved, allowing for the study of developmental toxicity. One class of compounds, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), has been shown to interfere with hormone signalling in a number of in vivo models, with effects that are more pronounced when exposures occur during development. Yet, evidence has also accumulated that the traditional means of assessing the health effects of EDCs, using test guidelines, are not sufficient to fully capture the effects of these compounds. Our work has focused on the effects of EDCs on more complex, integrated endpoints than the ones typically examined in test guidelines (such as organ weight, histopathology, number of live/dead offspring). Here, we review evidence that EDCs interfere with the display of maternal behaviours, integrated endpoints affected by multiple hormones and other signalling molecules. We discuss a number of assays that can be easily conducted to assess the effects of environmental chemicals on maternal behaviours, as well as molecular assays of the medial preoptic area (MPOA), considered one of the principal regions in the brain responsible for maternal responsiveness. We propose that studies of emerging EDCs of concern should examine maternal behaviours in developmental toxicity tests, and when effects are observed, the maternal brain should be examined as well. We further advise that researchers avoid viewing the mother as simply a means of exposing the group of interest (i.e. the offspring), and instead recognize how the mother can greatly influence the behavioural phenotype and health of her offspring.
Coupling spectral elements and modes in a spherical Earth: an extension to the ‘sandwich’ case

SUMMARY We present an extension to the coupling scheme of the spectral element method (SEM) with a normal-mode solution in spherical geometry. This extension allows us to consider a thin spherical shell of spectral elements between two modal solutions above and below. The SEM is based on a high-order variational formulation in space and a second-order explicit scheme in time. It combines the geometrical flexibility of the classical finite-element method with the exponential convergence rate associated with spectral techniques. In the inner sphere and outer shell, the solution is sought in terms of a modal solution in the frequency domain after expansion on the spherical harmonics basis. The SEM has been shown to obtain excellent accuracy in solving the wave equation in complex media but is still numerically expensive for the whole Earth for high-frequency simulations. On the other hand, modal solutions are well known and numerically cheap in spherically symmetric models. By combining these two methods we take advantage of both, allowing high-frequency simulations in global Earth models with 3-D structure in a limited depth range. Within the spectral element method, the coupling is introduced via a dynamic interface operator, a Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator which can be explicitly constructed in the frequency and generalized spherical harmonics domain using modal solutions in the inner sphere and outer shell. The presence of the source and receivers in the top modal solution shell requires some special treatment. The accuracy of the method is checked against the mode summation method in simple spherically symmetric models and shows very good agreement for all type of waves, including diffracted waves travelling on the coupling boundary. A first simulation in a 3-D D �� -layer model based on the tomographic model SAW24b16 is presented up to a corner frequency of 1/12 s. The comparison with data shows surprisingly good results for the 3-D model even when the observed waveform amplitudes differ significantly from those predicted in the spherically symmetric reference model (PREM).
Discovery of molecular associations among aging, stem cells, and cancer based on gene expression profiling.

The emergence of a huge volume of “omics” data enables a computational approach to the investigation of the biology of cancer. The cancer informatics approach is a useful supplement to the traditional experimental approach. I reviewed several reports that used a bioinformatics approach to analyze the associations among aging, stem cells, and cancer by microarray gene expression profiling. The high expression of aging- or human embryonic stem cell-related molecules in cancer suggests that certain important mechanisms are commonly underlying aging, stem cells, and cancer. These mechanisms are involved in cell cycle regulation, metabolic process, DNA damage response, apoptosis, p53 signaling pathway, immune/inflammatory response, and other processes, suggesting that cancer is a developmental and evolutional disease that is strongly related to aging. Moreover, these mechanisms demonstrate that the initiation, proliferation, and metastasis of cancer are associated with the deregulation of stem cells. These findings provide insights into the biology of cancer. Certainly, the findings that are obtained by the informatics approach should be justified by experimental validation. This review also noted that next-generation sequencing data provide enriched sources for cancer informatics study.
STABILITY OF PROCAINE IN DEUTERIUM OXIDE

Stability of procaine in protium oxide and deuterium oxide was studied over the pH and "apparent" pH range 8 to 11. Studies were conducted at 40 and 100°.
Cognitive Networks of Services

In this article, the author examines qualities of service industries, focusing on five service sectors as exemplars: airlines, tourism, health care, social issues, and religions. The author compare...
ADAPT-NMR Enhancer

Summary: ADAPT-nuclear magnetic resonance (ADAPT-NMR) offers an automated approach to the concurrent acquisition and processing of protein NMR data with the goal of complete backbone and side chain assignments. What the approach lacks is a useful graphical interface for reviewing results and for searching for missing peaks that may have prevented assignments or led to incorrect assignments. Because most of the data ADAPT-NMR collects are 2D tilted planes used to find peaks in 3D spectra, it would be helpful to have a tool that reconstructs the 3D spectra. The software package reported here, ADAPT-NMR Enhancer, supports the visualization of both 2D tilted planes and reconstructed 3D peaks on each tilted plane. ADAPT-NMR Enhancer can be used interactively with ADAPT-NMR to automatically assign selected peaks, or it can be used to produce PINE-SPARKY-like graphical dialogs that support atom-by-atom and peak-by-peak assignment strategies. Results can be exported in various formats, including XEASY proton file (.prot), PINE pre-assignment file (.str), PINE probabilistic output file, SPARKY peak list file (.list) and TALOS+ input file (.tab). As an example, we show how ADAPT-NMR Enhancer was used to extend the automated data collection and assignment results for the protein Aedes aegypti sterol carrier protein 2. Availability: The program, in the form of binary code along with tutorials and reference manuals, is available at http://pine.nmrfam.wisc.edu/adapt-nmr-enhancer. Contact:whlee@nmrfam.wisc.edu or markley@nmrfam.wisc.edu
The split ring resonator

We obtain band diagrams for a two-dimensional periodic structure consisting of an infinite square array of infinitely thin concentric circles (split rings) with narrow gaps. Our approach exploits the narrowness of the gaps and yields algebraic equations relating the frequency to the Bloch wavenumber and geometric properties of the array. Further asymptotic analysis indicates that the gravest mode has a frequency that scales in an inverse logarithmic fashion with the size of the gap and that exhibits anomalous dispersion. Near the origin of the Brillouin zone this ‘acoustic’ mode is dispersionless. Numerical solution of the eigenvalue problem in the single-gap case confirms these conclusions. The two lowest modes of the split ring can be interpreted as a splitting of the gravest propagating Rayleigh mode.
Coordinating Centers and Multi–Practice-based Research Network (PBRN) Research

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) have emerged as laboratories in which to address important primary care challenges. In 2011, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality9s PBRN database included more than 130 networks, most regional and some national, with member practices in every state. Regional networks may have certain advantages over national networks with respect to practice recruitment and project quality control because of closer relationships and shorter distances. However, national networks often can achieve larger numbers of practices with greater diversity, resulting in broader generalizability of results. Increasingly, regional networks are collaborating on multinetwork projects, but this creates significant study coordination challenges. A potential solution is to incorporate PBRN coordinating centers similar to those used in many National Institutes of Health and industry-sponsored multi-center clinical trials. In this article, we discuss the potential functions of a coordinating center in multi-region PBRN studies based on our experience with 2 recent studies.
Allele-specific and peptide-dependent recognition of swine leukocyte antigen class I by human cytotoxic T-cell clones.

Background The T-cell mediated immune responses play a major role in xenograft rejection. However, the mechanisms behind human T-cell recognition of porcine xenoantigens remain to be elucidated. Methods. Human CD8 + T-cell lines were generated against porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAECs) from y/y and z/z haplotypes of Yucatan inbred swine. T-cell clones were obtained by limiting dilution. The human T-cell receptor (TCR)-swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class I interaction was characterized. Results. The human CD8 + T-cell mediated direct recognition of PAECs was SLA haplotype-specific. The haplotype specificity was restricted by the SLA class I allelic polymorphism. To characterize the role of 5,-Abound peptides in the human TCR-SLA class I interaction, we stripped peptides from SLA molecules by a brief acid treatment. Using z/z-specific CD8 + T cells as effectors, we demonstrated that the acid-treatment, which stripped SLA molecules of bound peptides, decreased the lysis of PAECs by 72%. Addition of peptides eluted from affinity purified z/z SLA class I molecules, but not from the irrelevant y/y SLA class I, restored the lysis of acid-treated z/z PAECs. In addition, the lysis of a human HLA class I negative cell line, 721.221, transfected with a relevant SLA class I allele derived from the z/z haplotype, was significantly increased with the addition of relevant z/z peptides. These experiments indicated that both SLA class I and bound peptides were required for recognition by human CD8 + T cells. Cloning studies identified two groups of xenoreactive T-cell clones. Group I clones recognized distinct porcine peptides in the context of SLA class I molecules, whereas group II clones recognized human endogenous cross-reactive peptides presented by SLA class I. Conclusions. Our results demonstrated that, despite the differences in MHC molecules between species, human T-cell recognition of porcine MHC is similar to direct allo-recognition, that is, human TCR recognizes xenogeneic SLA-peptide complexes.
The contribution of consensus within staff and client groups as well as concordance between staff and clients to treatment engagement.

Abstract Two nonspecific organizational factors— consensus , defined as agreement within staff and client groups, and concordance , defined as agreement between staff and client groups—were shown to influence client engagement in treatment in a national sample of 80 residential substance abuse treatment programs including 595 staff and 3,732 clients. Agreement was tested using a combined therapeutic community, cognitive–behavioral therapy, and 12-step treatment scale completed by staff and clients. Treatment engagement was measured by the combined scores on the three scales completed by the clients, including engagement, rapport with the counseling process, and confidence in treatment. Within-group consensus was measured by the standard deviations of the mean scores, whereas between-groups concordance was measured by the standard error of the difference between staff and client mean scores. Regression analyses showed that staff consensus was a significant independent predictor of client treatment engagement ( p p p
Disambiguating the recognition of 3D objects

We propose novel algorithms for the detection, segmentation, recognition, and pose estimation of three-dimensional objects. Our approach initially infers geometric primitives to describe the set of 3D objects. A hierarchical structure is constructed to organize the objects in terms of shared primitives and relations between different primitives in the same object. This structure is shown to disambiguate the object models and to improve recognition rates. The primitives are obtained through our new Invariant Hough Transform. This algorithm uses geometric invariants to compute relations for subsets of points in a specific object. Each relation is stored in a hash table according to the invariant value. The hash table is used to find potential corresponding points between objects. With point matches, pose estimation is achieved by building a probability distribution of transformations. We evaluate our methods with experiments using synthetic and real 3D objects.
Rawls on Liberty and Domination

One of the central elements of John Rawls’ argument in support of his two principles of justice is the intuitive normative ideal of citizens as free and equal. But taken in isolation, the claim that citizens are to be treated as free and equal is extremely indeterminate, and has virtually no clear implications for policy. In order to remedy this, the two principles of justice, together with the stipulation that citizens have basic interests in developing their moral capacities and pursuing their conceptions of the good life, are meant to provide a more precise interpretation of what is involved in treating citizens as free and equal. Rawls’ critics, however, have argued that satisfying the two principles of justice is not the most appropriate or plausible way to respect the status of citizens as free and equal. In relation to this debate, the present paper has two aims. The first is to examine Rawls’ account of the type of freedom that a just society must guarantee equally to its citizens. I will argue that those who think of Rawls as a theorist of freedom as non-interference are mistaken, because his notion of liberty resembles in important respects the republican notion of freedom as non-domination. Second, I will consider the extent to which Rawls’ principles of justice successfully protect the freedom as non-domination of all citizens so as to effectively treat them as free and equal.
Continuous haematocrit monitoring during intradialytic hypotension: precipitous decline in plasma refill rates

Background. Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) during ultrafiltration remains a major source of haemodialysis related morbidity, despite technological advances including continuous haematocrit monitoring and automated blood volume controlled dialysis machines. We hypothesized that studying the relationship between ultrafiltration rate and plasma refill rate (UFR, PRR) before and during IDH would provide insight into its mechanism and possible prevention. Methods. We retrospectively identified 17 patients (mean age 50 years) with IDH treated solely by turning off the ultrafiltration, none having received hypertonic saline, mannitol or albumin. All patients had archived data for continuous haematocrits, UFR, ultrafiltration goal, vital signs and symptoms. We used the Crit-Line III TM optical haematocrit monitor to calculate the PRR for intervals preceeding and during IDH. Results. Prior to IDH the PRR was 1360±550 ml/h; which was less than the UFR of 1471±602 ml/h and was associated with a 4.4% rise in haematocrit. However, during IDH the PRR was dramatically lower (P 0.05) with the absolute, per cent change or rate of rise in haematocrit, UFR, ultrafiltration goal or heart rate. Conclusions. On-line haematocrit monitoring allows for the calculation of plasma volume changes, UFR and PRR, and the mismatch in those rates helps explain the physiology of hypotension episodes. The precipitous fall in PRR during sudden IDH supports activation of the cardiodepressor Bezold-Jarisch reflex. As both the UFR and PRR variables can change during a single dialysis session, this supports the use of devices with automated continuous adjustments of the UFR and suggests additional profiling methodologies.
Tribological characteristics of polyethylene bearings of knee prostheses

This paper deals with the problem of tribological failure of artificial knee prostheses. The clinical problem is introduced by analysis of worn knee bearings made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Three different failure mechanisms are described: subsurface-originated contact fatigue failure, surface-originated wear of the articulating surface, and surface-originated wear of the back (non-articulating) surface. The wear processes were simulated in a rolling/sliding wear tester built for this specific purpose. The influence of gamma-irradiation dose on wear and contact fatigue was determined. Wear was greatest at the portion of the wear track where the lubricating fluid film was thinnest and a boundary or mixed lubrication regime prevailed.
Provably good algorithm for low power consumption with dual supply voltages

The dual-voltage approach has emerged as an effective and practical technique for power reduction. In this paper, we explore power optimization with dual supply voltages under given timing constraints. By analyzing the relations among the timing slack, delay and power consumption in a given circuit, we relate the voltage-scaling power optimization to the maximal weighted independent set (MWIS) problem, which is polynomial-time solvable on a transitive graph. Then we develop a provably good lower-bound algorithm based on MWIS to generate the lower bound of the power consumption. Also, we propose a fast approach to predict the optimum supply voltages. The maximum power reduction is obtained by using a modified lower-bound algorithm with optimum voltages. Experimental results show that the resulting lower bound is tight for most circuits and that the estimated optimum supply voltage is exactly, or very close to, the best choice of actual voltages.