cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plutonium uptake and distribution in mammalian cells: molecular vs. polymeric plutonium.

AbstractPurpose: To study the cellular responses to molecular and polymeric forms of plutonium using PC12 cells derived from a rat pheochromocytoma.Materials and methods: Serum starved PC12 cells were exposed to polymeric and molecular forms of plutonium for 3 h. Cells were washed with 10 mM ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA), 100 mM NaCl at pH 7.4 to remove surface sorbed plutonium. Localization of plutonium in individual cell was quantitatively analyzed by synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy.Results: Molecular plutonium complexes introduced to cell growth media in the form of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), citrate, or transferrin complexes were taken up by PC12 cells, and mostly colocalized with iron within the cells. Aged polymeric plutonium prepared separately was not internalized by PC12 cells but it was always found on the cell surface as big agglomerates; however, polymeric plutonium formed in situ was mostly found within the cells as agglomerates.Conclusions: PC12 cells can differen...
Density-vague population change.

Abstract Explicit density-dependence differs from density-vagueness in the sort of regulation imposed on populations. Explicit density-dependence implies regulation toward a central equilibrium point, whereas density-vagueness implies population change away from the two extremes of extinction and immense densities. Density-vagueness does not much concern regulation within the broad range of medial densities; it is ‘liberal'.
Surgical options in the treatment of subaxial cervical fractures: a retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Objective To compare clinical and radiographic parameters and outcomes in patients undergoing anterior vs. posterior surgery in unstable cervical subaxial spine fractures. Methods We analyzed a group of 33 patients with reducible cervical subaxial fractures. Patients underwent anterior or posterior cervical instrumentation. Inpatient and outpatient records were retrospectively reviewed, and the multiple pre-operative and post-operative clinical and radiographic factors were recorded and analyzed. Results Posterior cervical fixation was performed in 15 patients, and anterior cervical fixation in 18 patients. Operative time, blood loss, and number of levels instrumented were all significantly less in the anterior than the posterior cervical group. There was no difference in patient age, surgical complications, follow-up ASIA score, Rand SF-36 evaluation, or cost analysis between the two groups. Mean follow-up time was 11.8 ± 7 months. All patients achieved bony fusion and good alignment at follow-up. Conclusions In patients with reducible cervical subaxial dislocations, posterior cervical fixation entails a larger number of fused segments. Anterior surgery is associated with shorter operative times and less blood loss. Anterior instrumentation with interbody grafting can be the initial choice of treatment for stabilization for this subgroup of patients. Posterior surgery is indicated if radiographs after anterior instrumentation show failure.
Conformation-specific precipitation of human α2-macroglobulin by divalent zinc or calf thymus histone H3☆

Abstract Highly purified native α2-macroglobulin (α2M), α2M-trypsin, and α2M-methylamine were compared in experiments designed to study protein precipitation. Significant turbidity developed within 30 min in solutions containing histone H3 and either α2M-methylamine or α2M-trypsin, as determined by absorbance at λ = 550 nm. No turbidity was detected in solutions that contained histone H3 and native α2M or histone H3 alone. Experiments with radioiodinated histone H3 or radioiodinated proteinase inhibitor confirmed that both the H3 and the α2M “fast” forms (α2M-methylamine, α2M-trypsin) were present in the precipitates generated. As much as 70% of the 125I-α2M-methylamine was recovered in the precipitate after incubation with a 120-fold molar excess of H3 (concentration of α2M-methylamine, 0.28 μ m ). The ratio of histone to proteinase inhibitor by weight in the precipitate was approximately two. Under comparable conditions, somewhat less α2M-trypsin precipitated from solutions containing H3 than did α2M-methylamine; however, inactivation of the α2M-trypsin with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride prior to incubation increased the level of precipitation significantly. Solutions containing poly- l -lysine (Mr ~ 13,000) instead of histone did not form precipitates with any of the forms of α2M studied. In a second set of experiments, radioiodinated native α2M, α2M-trypsin, and α2M-methylamine were incubated in solutions containing ZnCl2, BaCl2, CdCl2, CuSO4, MgCl2, or NiCl2 (concentration of divalent cation between 5 μ m and 1.0 m m ). Native α2M was soluble in all of these salts. By contrast, α2M-methylamine and α2M-trypsin precipitated extensively from solutions containing greater than 100 μ m ZnCl2. Precipitation was greater than 90% complete at 1 m m ZnCl2. A similar effect was not observed with any of the other divalent cations.
Utilization of partial crack closure for fatigue crack growth modeling

Abstract Load ratio effects are of prime concern when modeling of fatigue crack growth (FCG) rate is required as a prerequisite for a reliable life prediction. The majority of research efforts regarding the load ratio effects are based on Elber's ΔK eff approach. However, there are intrinsic difficulties encountered with its consistent application to FCG prediction. In this paper two popular crack-growth-life prediction codes FASTRAN and AFGROW are modified utilizing the enhanced partial crack closure model. The proposed utilization aggregates apparent closure mechanisms involved and demonstrates a better correlation and a significant scatter reduction of FCG data taken from literature, especially in the near-threshold region.
Social Alienation: A Review of Current Literature

In recent years considerable attention has been focused on delineation of the concept of alienation and on measurement of its relationship to modern social structure and function. This paper reviews the alienation literature, largely empirically oriented, for the last decade. Included with works of primarily theoretical and methodological importance are substantive studies of the relationships between the alienated individual and his social order. Suggestions for further research are given.
Studies of the ground-state properties of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model via the atomic coherent states

Abstract The ground-state energy of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick hamiltonian was estimated by the Bogoliubov-Lieb inequalities which involve the atomic coherent states. It was found that the so-called Q-representation of the pseudospin hamiltonian provides a good estimation of the ground-state energy. Furthermore, nuclear phase transitions can be vividly described by the deviations of the pseudospin from the southpole of the so-called Bloch sphere.
Canonical elements in local cohomology modules and the direct summand conjecture

One of the objectives of this paper is to show that the usual homological consequences of the existence of big Cohen-Macaulay (henceforth, C-M) modules (e.g., the new intersection conjecture of Peskine-Szpiro and Roberts and the Evans-Griffith syzygy conjecture) follow from the direct summand conjecture when the residual characteristic of the local ring is positive. This gives a new and substantially more elementary proof of the standard homological conjectures in case the characteristic of the ring itself is positive, and reduces the general case of all these conjectures to one rather down-to-earth conjecture. Of course, this places the direct summand conjecture in a position of central importance, so that it now merits an allout attack. Some partial results on this problem are given in Section 6. (The conjecture asserts that a regular Noetherian ring R is a direct summand (as an R-module) of every module-finite extension ring S 3 R.) The other main objective of this paper is to formulate and develop a theory of certain “canonical elements” in the local cohomology of special modules of syzygies. (Neither the modules of syzygies nor the induced maps between them are canonical, but the identification between the canonical elements is independent of the choices.) In particular, a canonical element qR E HZ (syz” K) is associated (see Section 3 for details) with each ndimensional local ring (R, m, K) (rings are commutative, associative, with identity; “local ring” means Noetherian ring with a unique maximal ideal). The conjecture that qR is nonzero for all local rings R turns out to be equivalent to the direct summand conjecture: for a given R, an infinite family of cases of the latter implies the former.
African American health issues: a selective annotated bibliography

African American men and women suffer from health problems such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, AIDS, sickle cell anemia, and various forms of cancer, often at a higher rate than the rest of the population. There is a need for information about these and other health problems affecting this particular community. This annotated bibliography includes recent articles, books, Internet resources, and Web sites. The audience for this essay includes the layperson, health‐care professionals, and information specialists who wish to provide information to patrons on these important health issues.
Nonsimilar calculations for free convection diffusion flames

Abstract Previously obtained results using a local similarity approximation are compared with results of nonsimilar calculations for the problem of a free convection diffusion flame burning on a vertical fuel surface. Comparisons are presented for burning rates and temperatures.
Outcome assessment of blunt trauma patients who are undertriaged

Background We investigated the outcomes of injured patients who were undertriaged and compared them with those meeting full trauma team activation (TTA) criteria. Methods Blunt trauma patients (July 2002–January 2008) meeting full TTA criteria and had a partial TTA were in the undertriage group (UTG). Data was collected on demographics, injury severity, OR delays, resource utilization, and outcomes. Excluded: penetrating trauma, transfers, burns, age Results One thousand four hundred and twenty-four patients with 318 (22.3%) in the UTG and 1,106 in the correctly triaged group (CTG). The CTG was 70.4% male (vs 67.1%; P = .26), 41.5 ± 19.8 years old (vs 45.8 ± 20.5; P Conclusion The UTG had a lower ISS and improved outcomes compared to the CTG with no differences in OR delays. Despite inherent challenges in TTA protocols, patients who were undertriaged at our institution appear to have satisfactory outcomes.
Turbulent Aeroheating on the Mars Science Laboratory Entry Vehicle

A series of calculations are carried out for a Mars Science Laboratory entry vehicle heat shield and compared with tests carried out in the Arnold Engineering Development Center for Mach 8 and 10 and a range of Reynolds numbers. Three turbulence models are employed that are implemented in the LAURA code: the Cebeci-Smith algebraic model, the 98 Wilcox k − ω model, and the k − ζ model. In general, good agreement is indicated with turbulent predictions. Because the flow is attached, the algebraic model performs as well as other models.
Cross-linking of a charged polysaccharide using polyions as electrostatic staples

Charged polysaccharides play an essential role in biology and also serve as a promising class of biomaterials. We demonstrate, at the single molecule level, a simple method to cross-link anionic polysaccharides using polyions as electrostatic staples; positive charges on the polyion bridge opposite charges on the polysaccharide and trap its conformation. Cross-linking is detected by measuring step-like conformational transitions when the polysaccharides are stretched using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The probability of cross-linking can be tuned by either titrating or screening the polysaccharide charges; this probability is measured from the width of transitions in the AFM force–extension curves. Polyion mediated cross-linking can be used to reversibly fold polysaccharides and engineer carbohydrates as a stimuli-responsive material that responds to changes in pH and ionic environment.
Stepwise molecular display utilizing icosahedral and helical complexes of phage coat and decoration proteins in the development of robust nanoscale display vehicles

Abstract A stepwise addition protocol was developed to display cargo using bacteriophage P22 capsids and the phage decoration (Dec) protein. Three-dimensional image reconstructions of frozen-hydrated samples of P22 particles with nanogold-labeled Dec bound to them revealed the locations of the N- and C-termini of Dec. Each terminus is readily accessible for molecular display through affinity tags such as nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid, providing a total of 240 cargo-binding sites. Dec was shown by circular dichroism to be a β-sheet rich protein, and fluorescence anisotropy binding experiments demonstrated that Dec binds to P22 heads with high (∼110 n m ) affinity. Dec also binds to P22 nanotubes, which are helically symmetric assemblies that form when the P22 coat protein contains the F170A amino acid substitution. Several classes of tubes with Dec bound to them were visualized by cryo-electron microscopy and their three-dimensional structures were determined by helical reconstruction methods. In all instances, Dec trimers bound to P22 capsids and nanotubes at positions where three neighboring capsomers (oligomers of six coat protein subunits) lie in close proximity to one another. Stable interactions between Dec and P22 allow for the development of robust, nanoscale size, display vehicles.
An Essential Aspartic Acid at Each of Two Allosteric cGMP-binding Sites of a cGMP-specific Phosphodiesterase

The amino acid sequences of all known cGMP-binding phosphodiesterases (PDEs) contain internally homologous repeats (a and b) that are 80-90 residues in length and are arranged in tandem within the putative cGMP-binding domains. In the bovine lung cGMP-binding, cGMP-specific PDE (cGB-PDE or PDE5A), these repeats span residues 228-311 (a) and 410-500 (b). An aspartic acid (residue 289 or 478) that is invariant in repeats a and b of all known cGMP-binding PDEs was changed to alanine by site-directed mutagenesis of cGB-PDE, and wild type (WT) and mutant cGB-PDEs were expressed in COS-7 cells. Purified bovine lung cGB-PDE (native) and WT cGB-PDE displayed identical cGMP-binding kinetics, with ~1.8 μM cGMP required for half-maximal saturation. The D289A mutant showed decreased affinity for cGMP (Kd > 10 μM) and the D478A mutant showed increased affinity for cGMP (Kd≈ 0.5 μM) as compared to WT and native cGB-PDE. WT and native cGB-PDE displayed an identical curvilinear profile of cGMP dissociation which was consistent with the presence of distinct slowly dissociating (koff = 0.26 h−1) and rapidly dissociating (koff = 1.00 h−1) sites of cGMP binding. In contrast, the D289A mutant displayed a single koff = 1.24 h−1, which was similar to the calculated koff for the fast site of WT and native cGB-PDE, and the D478A mutant displayed a single koff = 0.29 h−1, which was similar to that calculated for the slow site of WT and native cGB-PDE. These results were consistent with the loss of a slow cGMP-binding site in repeat a of the D289A mutant cGB-PDE, and the loss of a fast site in repeat b of the D478A mutant, suggesting that cGB-PDE possesses two distinct cGMP-binding sites located at repeats a and b, with the invariant aspartic acid being crucial for interaction with cGMP at each site.
Predictors of second language acquisition in Latino children with specific language impairment.

Purpose This study evaluated the extent to which the language of intervention, the child’s development in Spanish, and the effects of English vocabulary, use, proficiency, and exposure predict diff...
The bicoherence theory of situational irony

Situational irony concerns what it is about a situation that causes people to describe it as ironic. Although situational irony is as complex and commonplace as verbal and literary irony, it has received nowhere near the same attention from cognitive scientists and other scholars. This paper presents the bicoherence theory of situational irony, based on the theory of conceptual coherence (Kunda & Thagard, 1996; Thagard & Verbeurgt, 1998). On this theory, a situation counts as ironic when it is conceived as having a bicoherent conceptual structure, adequate cognitive salience, and evokes an appropriate configuration of emotions. The theory is applied to a corpus of 250 examples of situational ironies gathered automatically from electronic news sources. A useful taxonomy of situational ironies is produced, new predictions and insights into situational irony are discussed, and extensions of the theory to other forms of irony are examined.
Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings

In this study we investigated whether mothers' typical expressive style and specific emotional responses to children's behaviors are linked to children's prosocial and competence self-ratings. Eight-to 12-year-old children and their mothers rated how mothers had felt when children behaved pro-socially and antisocially, achieved and failed to achieve. Children rated self-descriptiveness of prosocial and achievement-related traits. Mothers' positive expressiveness was associated with children's higher achievement-related self-ratings. Mothers' positive- and negative-dominant expressiveness was associated with children's lower prosocial self-ratings. Mothers' happiness about both children's prosocial and achievement-related behavior was associated with children's higher self-ratings for both domains. Mothers' anger about children's antisocial behavior was related to children's lower self-ratings for both domains. When mothers were higher in negative-submissive expressiveness, and responded with more sadness ...
Identification of CELF splicing activation and repression domains in vivo

CUG-BP and ETR-3 like factor (CELF) proteins are regulators of pre-mRNA alternative splicing. We created a series of truncation mutants to identify the regions of CELF proteins that are required to activate and to repress alternative splicing of different exons. This analysis was performed in parallel on two CELF proteins, ETR-3 (CUG-BP2, NAPOR, BRUNOL3) and CELF4 (BRUNOL4). We identified a 20-residue region of CELF4 required for repression or activation, in contrast to ETR-3, for which the required residues are more disperse. For both ETR-3 and CELF4, distinct regions were required to activate splicing of two different alternative exons, while regions required for repression of an additional third exon overlapped with regions required for activation. Our results suggest that activation of different splicing events by individual CELF proteins requires separable regions, implying the nature of the protein–protein interactions required for activation are target-dependent. The finding that residues required for activation and repression overlap suggests either that the same region interacts with different proteins to mediate different effects or that interactions with the same proteins can have different effects on splicing due to yet-to-be defined downstream events. These results provide a foundation for identifying CELFinteracting proteins involved in activated and/or repressed splicing.
Role of B7 costimulatory molecules in the adjuvant activity of the heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli.

Much interest has been directed at understanding the adjuvant properties of the heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli (LT). In this study, we have assessed how LT compared with the nonenzymatic mutant LT (E112K) affect the level of B7-1 and B7-2 expression on APCs, and we determined how these costimulatory molecules influence their adjuvant properties. Analysis of B7-1 and B7-2 expression on B cells revealed that LT enhanced B7-2 but not B7-1, while LT (E112K) had no effect on the expression of either costimulatory molecule. Treatment of macrophage or dendritic cells with LT resulted in a predominant enhancement of B7-2, while LT (E112K) induced mainly B7-1 expression. Analysis of LT- and LT (E112K)-treated B cells, macrophage, and dendritic cells also revealed significant differences in their ability to enhance anti-CD3-stimulated CD4 + T cell proliferative responses via B7-1 and B7-2. Furthermore, the ability of LT to enhance both Ab and CD4 + T cell responses to a coadministered Ag was severely abrogated in B7-2- but not B7-1-deficient mice. In contrast, the in vivo adjuvant properties of LT (E112K) appeared to be mediated by both B7-1 and B7-2 for optimal CD4 + T cell responses, while B7-1 appeared to be the predominant B7 molecule involved in the ability of LT (E112K) to augment Ab responses to a coadministered Ag. These findings demonstrate distinct differences in the ability of LT and LT (E112K) to enhance B7-1 and B7-2 on APC, as well as a dependence upon these costimulatory molecules for their adjuvant properties.
Identifying living arrangements that heighten risk for loneliness in later life: Evidence from the U.S. national social life, health, and aging project

Studies have identified living alone as a risk factor for loneliness in later life without examining whether other living arrangements might also pose risk. The authors used data from a national sample of adults aged 57 and older to estimate associations between a variety of living arrangements and loneliness. In contrast to respondents living with a spouse/partner, respondents who were living alone, living with children without a spouse/partner, and living with other relatives or friends without a spouse/partner reported more loneliness. Living alone was associated with greater loneliness among men than women, but living with children without a spouse/partner was associated with greater loneliness among women. Results suggest the importance for interventions aimed at reducing loneliness to target adults who live alone, as well as adults who live with others besides intimate partners, and to consider gender differences in the propensity for particular types of living arrangements to affect loneliness.
Coupled-mode analysis of light propagation in optically active crystals

A new mathematical formalism, based on a coupled-mode approach, is presented to describe light propagation in birefringent optically active crystals. An arbitrary light wave in the medium is represented as an expansion in terms of linearly polarized eigenmodes; explicit solutions of the equations for the coupled-wave amplitudes show how power is transferred between the principal components in the presence of optical activity. The (generally elliptically polarized) eigenmodes of the optically active crystal are also derived by a diagonalization of the coupled-mode equations. The analysis is extended to include electro-optic crystals, yielding a more general, complex coupling parameter. The predictions of the theory are in excellent agreement with spectral-transmission measurements in AgGaS2 near its isoindex point at 497 nm.
New Insights in Human Memory Interference and Consolidation

Learning new facts and skills in succession can be frustrating because no sooner has new knowledge been acquired than its retention is being jeopardized by learning another set of skills or facts. Interference between memories has recently provided important new insights into the neural and psychological systems responsible for memory processing. For example, interference not only occurs between the same types of memories, but can also occur between different types of memories, which has important implications for our understanding of memory organization. Converging evidence has begun to reveal that the brain produces interference independently from other aspects of memory processing, which suggests that interference may have an important but previously overlooked function. A memory's initial susceptibility to interference and subsequent resistance to interference after its acquisition has revealed that memories continue to be processed 'off-line' during consolidation. Recent work has demonstrated that off-line processing is not limited to just the stabilization of a memory, which was once the defining characteristic of consolidation; instead, off-line processing can have a rich diversity of effects, from enhancing performance to making hidden rules explicit. Off-line processing also occurs after memory retrieval when memories are destabilized and then subsequently restabalized during reconsolidation. Studies are beginning to reveal the function of reconsolidation, its mechanistic relationship to consolidation and its potential as a therapeutic target for the modification of memories.
Globally basal centres of endemism: the Tasman-Coral Sea region (south-west Pacific), Latin America and Madagascar/South Africa

The New Zealand wrens (Acanthisittidae) are basal in passerine birds and in New Caledonia, the closest country to New Zealand, Amborella is basal in angiosperms. A review of molecular studies indicates that 29 other locally or regionally endemic clades around the Tasman and Coral Sea basins have cosmopolitan or globally widespread sister groups. Other areas that have local endemics basal to diverse global groups include Borneo, Madagascar/South Africa/Tanzania, southern China–Taiwan–Japan, and different parts of Latin America, especially the Guayana Plateau and western Mexico. Basal clades are widely interpreted as ancestral and their location is generally taken to represent a centre of origin for the group as a whole. In the present study, basal groups are treated simply as small (less speciose) sister groups. The Tasman and western Mexico/Caribbean regions have important biogeographic and tectonic ties with each other and with the central Pacific. Large igneous provinces (Ontong Java, Hikurangi-Manihiki, and Gorgona Plateaus) formed in the central Pacific in the Cretaceous. Fossil wood is found on the Ontong Java Plateau, and formerly emergent seamounts up to 24 km across occur on Hikurangi Plateau. Many terranes in New Zealand, New Caledonia, New Guinea and western America represent former island arcs (or their products) that formed in the central Pacific and later accreted to the Pacific margins. Long-term survival of taxa as metapopulations on the ephemeral volcanic islands and atolls of plate margins and fissures may explain the biogeographical connections among the Tasman region, the central Pacific, and the accreted terranes of western America. Branching sequences in cladograms and phylogenetic trees have been interpreted as dispersal events, but instead probably indicate the sequence of differentiation in an already widespread ancestor. Major disjunctions of tens of thousands of kilometres often occur between taxa at consecutive nodes on a tree and dispersal by physical movement is unlikely. The break between the globally basal centres and the rest of the world marks the initial site of differentiation of a widespread ancestor, with subsequent or more or less simultaneous differentiation occurring in other areas. Differentiation of the modern angiosperms, passerines and other groups first took place around the Tasman region, or at least the terranes now accumulated there, and then around other centres, especially Madagascar–South Africa and Mexico–north-west South America. Angiosperms are now recognized as basal to extant gymnosperms and major tectonic dynamism around the globally basal centres during the Mesozoic, involving terrane accretion, orogeny, and rifting could have been involved with the last important modernization of angiosperms, birds and other groups. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 96, 222–245.
Family Life and Racial and Ethnic Diversity An Assessment of Communitarianism, Liberalism, and Conservatism

This article examines the debates among communitarians, liberals, and conservatives regarding contemporary family issues and critically evaluates these perspectives. Current orientations inadequately address the impact of large-scale bureaucratic organizations on family life and do not confront problems relating to racial and ethnic discrimination. The implications of the authors' perspective are brought to the fore when discussing education and the criminal justice system. The authors conclude that students of family relations need to consider larger issues associated with democratic theory, particularly as these relate to racial and ethnic diversity and to the manner in which multinational organizations are eroding family life.
Phase Stability of CdF2‐LiF‐AIF3‐PbF2 Glasses

The techniques of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and dark-field transmission electron microscopy were combined to study the phase stability of CdF2-LiF-AlF3-PbF2 glasses. The selected compositions, presumed to be exceptionally stable, exhibited a liquid-liquid immiscibility phase transition; this led to the formation of two amorphous phases consisting of a matrix near the original glass composition and an isolated spherical phase which was richer in CdF2 and poorer in PbF2 than the matrix. Subsequent secondary-phase separation and crystallization were observed following heat treatments near the glass transition temperature.
College Students' Responses to Content-Specific Advisories regarding Television and Movies

Extending Ingold's research on adult viewers' responses to mature content advisories, this study examined the likelihood of viewing television programs and of viewing theatrical movies with general and content-specific advisories. The results show that among the 63 undergraduate men, viewing likelihood was increased significantly with the provision of all types of mature content advisories, whereas among the 122 undergraduate women viewing interest increased with the 'sexuality' advisory but decreased with the 'violence' advisory. Language: en
Musculoskeletal Findings of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome

Background: Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a recently recognized multisystemic disorder caused by mutations in the genes encoding the transforming growth factor-beta receptor. It is characterized by aggressive aneurysm formation and vascular tortuosity. We report the musculoskeletal demographic, clinical, and imaging findings of this syndrome to aid in its diagnosis and treatment. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the demographic, clinical, and imaging data of sixty-five patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome seen at one institution from May 2007 through December 2008. Results: The patients had a mean age of twenty-one years, and thirty-six of the sixty-five patients were less than eighteen years old. Previous diagnoses for these patients included Marfan syndrome (sixteen patients) and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (two patients). Spinal and foot abnormalities were the most clinically important skeletal findings. Eleven patients had talipes equinovarus, and nineteen patients had cervical anomalies and instability. Thirty patients had scoliosis (mean Cobb angle [and standard deviation], 30° ± 18°). Two patients had spondylolisthesis, and twenty-two of thirty-three who had computed tomography scans had dural ectasia. Thirty-five patients had pectus excavatum, and eight had pectus carinatum. Combined thumb and wrist signs were present in approximately one-fourth of the patients. Acetabular protrusion was present in approximately one-third of the patients and was usually mild. Fourteen patients had previous orthopaedic procedures, including scoliosis surgery, cervical stabilization, clubfoot correction, and hip arthroplasty. Features of Loeys-Dietz syndrome that are important clues to aid in making this diagnosis include bifid broad uvulas, hypertelorism, substantial joint laxity, and translucent skin. Conclusions: Patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome commonly present to the orthopaedic surgeon with cervical malformations, spinal and foot deformities, and findings in the craniofacial and cutaneous systems. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Lymphocyte Activation, Anergy, and Apoptosis in Polymicrobial Sepsis

Sepsis and multiple organ failure (MOF) are reported to be responsible for up-wards of 60% of the deaths which occur in the surgical intensive care unit [1], de- spite the use of specific antibiotics, aggressive operative intervention and nutritional support, and also the use of new therapeutic agents in clinical trails, such as antibodies to endotoxin and the pro-inflammatory cytokines [1, 2]. A number of studies have suggested that the link between cell and organ dysfunction associated with MOF lies in the initial presentation of sepsis (Gram-negative, Grampositive, and/or fungal in nature) [3]. In this respect, it has been reported that patients exposed to various forms of trauma and soft tissue injury as well as those with sepsis exhibit a broad spectrum of alterations in both innate and acquired immunity which are eventually deleterious to host survival.
The Unbalanced Triad

We have been asked to discuss the effect of the United States on European Japanese relationships in telecommunications and trade. In fact, the real issues are different. They are the balance and evolution of two bilateral relationships; that between the United States and Europe on the one hand and between the United States and Japan on the other. The triad, very simply, is unbalanced.
Review: Nitrogen sustainability and beef cattle feedyards: II. Ammonia emissions123

Sustainable management of nitrogen of beef cattle feedyards helps avoid environmental degradation and loss of manure fertilizer value because of ammonia volatilization. In this review we report the state of the science concerning feedyard NH3 and evaluate methods to mitigate NH3 losses. Up to 90% of feedyard NH3 originates from urine deposited in animal pens, but the magnitude of this loss depends on both weather and management practices. Feedyard NH3 emissions were higher in summer than winter, largely because of increased temperature. Both urea excretion and subsequent NH3 emission increased with dietary CP concentration. Per capita NH3 emissions rates for feedyard cattle ranged from 50 to 280 g/d, equivalent to 28 to 72% of fed N. Annualized per capita NH3 emissions rates for feedyard cattle ranged from 90 to 120 g/d. Constant emission factors and most current empirical models to predict feedyard NH3 produce relatively coarse estimates based on limited research. Process-based mechanistic models offer more precise emission estimates for open-lot systems because of inclusion of management and environmental factors related to NH3 production. Managing cattle diets to meet, but not exceed, metabolic CP requirements is the most practical way to reduce N losses; however, diets must be changed carefully to avoid unintended negative consequences on animal production. Other possible mitigation approaches are (1) dietary manipulation to decrease N excretion, (2) inhibition of urea hydrolysis, and (3) capture of ionic ammonium in manure with pen-surface amendments (e.g., urease inhibitors, alum, and zeolites).
Bridging time-scales in solid dynamics: asynchronous variational integrators

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a class of asynchronous variational integrators (AVI) for nonlinear elastodynamics. The AVIs are characterized by a number of distinguishing attributes; the algorithms permit the selection of independent time steps in each element, the local time steps need not bear an integral relation to each other, and the algorithms derive result from a discrete version of Hamilton's principle. As a consequence of this variational structure, the algorithms conserve linear and angular momentum exactly. The chapter presents several numerical tests to reveal that energy is also conserved—a property that can probably be traced to the symplectic nature of the algorithm. The remarkable computational savings stemming from the asynchronous updates are also illustrated through the simulation of the dynamics of a helicopter rotor blade.
Femtosecond Laser Deposition of Diamond-Like Carbon Films

We have deposited unhydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with 100 femtosecond laser pulses, at intensities in the 3x1014 - 6.5x1015 W/cm2 range. Film surface topography, optical property, and bonding structure were examined, respectively, with atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopie ellipsometry (SE) and Raman spectrometry. The femtosecond pulse generated plasma was studied through time-of-flight (TOF) experiment. The most probable kinetic energy of carbon ions was estimated to be in the 300 – 2000 eV range, increasing with laser intensity. In addition, a unique ‘suprathermal’ component with kinetic energy ranging from 4 to 40 keV was observed in the TOF spectrum. This high energy peak is believed to originate from fast ions in a solid density plasma created during the absorption of each femtosecond laser pulse.
Comparing residue exposure and topical application techniques for assessing permethrin resistance in house flies (Diptera: Muscidae).

A residue on glass exposure technique was compared with topical application as a method of assessing permethrin resistance in a house fly ( Musca domestica L.) population. Multiple levels of treatment permitted development of significant dosage-mortality lines with both techniques. Average resistance factors were ca. 150 with the topical application technique and 154 with the residue on glass method. The residue on glass technique provided less variable results, more closely reproduced the mode of real-life acquisition of residual insecticides and would be reasonable to use with small and delicate insects for which topical applications are not feasible.
Infant Co‐Bedding: Practices and Teaching Strategies

Purpose Studies show that co-bedding is a common cause of death in babies. The purpose of this study is to identify teaching strategies that can be used to increase safe sleep practices. Design and Methods A rigorous systematic literature search identified articles that expressed ways in which to provide co-bedding teaching or provided recommended approaches to educating mothers and families about co-bedding risks. NOTARI software, from OVID Tools, was used to appraise articles, extract data, and thematically organize the findings, resulting in meta-aggregation. Results Two major findings were synthesized from four categories. First, co-bedding occurred despite knowing risks and having received teaching. Second, families should receive co-bedding messages tailored to their specific circumstances and risks. Practice Implications Findings showed that the lack of dialogue in co-bedding teaching often deters caregivers and families from seeking further education or consultation. Nurses need to ensure that safe sleep practices are taught and that the material provided pertains to the caregiver's specific cultural and familial situation.
Application of continuous renal replacement in the treatment of COPD patients complicated with acute renal failure and type II respiratory failure

Objective To study the curative effect of continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) for COPD patients complicated with type Ⅱ respiratory failure and acute renal failure(ARF).Methods 74 COPD patients complicated with type Ⅱ respiratory failure and ARF in Xuanwu Hospital were divided into the Scr 400 μmol / L group and the Scr≥400 μmol / L group based on their serum creatinine level before CRRT.The changes of SCr,urea nitrogen,and blood gas analysis results were compared between the two group before and after CRRT.The differences of CRRT time,average duration of hospital stay and mortality were compared between the two groups.Results The improvement of SCr,urea nitrogen,and blood gas analysis results was more pronounced after the CRRT treatment(P 0.05).The mortality was obviously lower in the Scr 400 μmol/L group than in the Scr≥400 μmol/L group(8.57% vs 28.21%,P = 0.03).Conclusion CRRT can effectively improve the prognostic outcomes of COPD patients complicated with type Ⅱ respiratory failure and ARF,which has a better curative effect when the patients,whose SCr level is less than 400 mmol / L,receive the treatment.
Surplus: The Politics of Production and the Strategies of Everyday Life, edited by Christopher T. Morehart and Kristin De Lucia

The concept of surplus has a long history in anthropology and economics. Economists talk about consumers or producers of surplus when a buyer purchases for less than what was expected or a seller r...
Economic and Migration Facts

Western Europe makes up about 3 percent of the land surface of the world, and contains about 10 percent of its population. The population of the six Common Market countries is 180 million (exclusive of West Berlin) and that of the seven European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, 93 million. It is a largely urban society — the density of the population in the Common Market is fourteen times greater than that of the world as a whole — at a high and increasing level of economic development, production and consumption, and dependence on international trade.1
The Lower Extremity Muscle Exercise for the Ostoarthristis of the Knee

There are many conservative treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee joint. We stressed that the muscle exercise of the lower extremities is one of the most significant treatment. The exercises we recommend are the straight leg raising and the abducting the hip joint. These exercises provides the stability of the knee joint and makes the functional axis of the lower extremity vertcal during walking. We proved the efficacy of these exercises for osteoarthritis of the knee joint by control study.
Control performance of a pneumatic silicon outer fence mold actuator

In this paper, we propose a new type of soft actuator (pneumatic silicon outer fence mold actuator) whose sponge is covered with silicon rubber. Since the stiffness of the actuator is controlled by pressure in the sponge chamber, it is possible to realize a soft mechanism by using pressure compressibility. From some experimental results, the basic characteristics of the actuator are cleared.
Design and analysis of a V-type fractional-slots IPMSM with distributed winding for electric vehicles

This paper presents an optimization design and analysis of a 30kW V-type interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (VIPMSM) with distributed winding used in electric vehicles using finite element analysis (FEA). In order to reduce cogging torque, increase efficiency and avoid using winding skew, 48 slots 10 poles V-type fractional-slots IPMSM is selected in the design. Structure optimization including stator and rotor structure size, permanent magnet size, magnetic bridge and air gap length are analyzed and simulated by ANSYS Maxwell 2D FEA. Torque characteristic of VIPMSM and circle diagram are analyzed to better understand the operation of VIPMSM. The constant torque and constant power performance are considered in the motor design. The final comparison results indicate the prototype essentially satisfies the design specification.
Diagnostic features of quantitative comb-push shear elastography for breast lesion differentiation.

Background Lesion stiffness measured by shear wave elastography has shown to effectively separate benign from malignant breast masses. The aim of this study was to evaluate different aspects of Comb-push Ultrasound Shear Elastography (CUSE) performance in differentiating breast masses. Methods With written signed informed consent, this HIPAA- compliant, IRB approved prospective study included patients from April 2014 through August 2016 with breast masses identified on conventional imaging. Data from 223 patients (19–85 years, mean 59.93±14.96 years) with 227 suspicious breast masses identifiable by ultrasound (mean size 1.83±2.45cm) were analyzed. CUSE was performed on all patients. Three regions of interest (ROI), 3 mm in diameter each, were selected inside the lesion on the B-mode ultrasound which also appeared in the corresponding shear wave map. Lesion elasticity values were measured in terms of the Young’s modulus. In correlation to pathology results, statistical analyses were performed. Results Pathology revealed 108 lesions as malignant and 115 lesions as benign. Additionally, 4 lesions (BI-RADS 2 and 3) were considered benign and were not biopsied. Average lesion stiffness measured by CUSE resulted in 84.26% sensitivity (91 of 108), 89.92% specificity (107 of 119), 85.6% positive predictive value, 89% negative predictive value and 0.91 area under the curve (P 0.21). Conclusion CUSE was able to distinguish between benign and malignant breast masses with high sensitivity and specificity. Continuity of stiffness maps allowed for choosing multiple quantification ROIs which covered large areas of lesions and resulted in similar diagnostic performance based on average and maximum elasticity. The overall results of this study, highlights the clinical value of CUSE in differentiation of breast masses based on their stiffness.
Dispersive contributions to K 0 − K ¯ 0 mixing and CP violation

We consider the role of dispersive contributions in the analysis of the K/sub L/-K/sub S/ system. These long-distance pieces can be present in both the real and imaginary parts of the mixing element M/sub 12/. We provide an estimate of one such effect in Im M/sub 12/, the eta' pole, which turns out to be potentially significant. These terms can substantially modify phenomenological studies, as we demonstrate for several cases. Improved experimental bounds on epsilon'/epsilon can provide a strong limit on dispersive effects in Im M/sub 12/, and may in the near future remove the uncertainties caused by these contributions.
GRadient Adaptive Decomposition (GRAD) Method: Optimized Refinement Along Macrostate Borders in Markov State Models

Markov state models (MSM) are used to model the kinetics of processes sampled by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MSM reduce the high dimensionality inherent to MD simulations as they partition the free energy landscape into discrete states, generating a kinetic model as a series of uncorrelated jumps between states. Here, we detail a new method, called GRadient Adaptive Decomposition, which optimizes coarse-grained MSM by refining borders with respect to the gradient along the free energy surface. The proposed method requires only a small number of initial microstates because it corrects for errors produced by limited sampling. Whereas many methods rely on fuzzy partitions for proper statistics, GRAD retains a crisp decomposition. Two test studies are presented to illustrate the method and assess its accuracy: the first analyzes MSM of idealized model potentials, while the second is a study of the dynamics of unstacking of the deoxyribose adenosine monophosphate dinucleotide.
Adaptation of Stability during Perturbed Walking in Parkinson’s Disease

Gait and balance disorders are major problems that contribute to falls among subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). Strengthening the compensatory responses through the use of balance perturbations may improve balance in PD. To date, it is unclear how PD affects the ability to react and adapt to perturbations delivered while walking. This study aims to investigate how PD affects the ability to walk, respond to balance perturbations, and produce acute short-term effects to improve compensatory reactions and gait stability. A cable-driven robot was used to train nine patients with PD and nine age-matched controls with multidirectional waist-pull perturbations while walking on a treadmill. Margin of stability and base of support were evaluated while walking without cables and reacting to the perturbations. PD was associated with a reduced stability in the forward direction and the inability to produce proactive anticipatory adjustments. Both groups were able to improve the response to the disturbances and produce short-term aftereffects of increased gait stability once the cables were removed. A single session of perturbation-based balance training produced acute effects that ameliorated gait instability in PD. This result is encouraging for designing new therapeutic interventions that remediate falls risk.