cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peri-transplant aminophylline in pediatric kidney transplant recipients of donation after brain death: a double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial

During kidney transplantation, the transplanted kidney undergoes ischemia reperfusion injury, with adenosine being a major mediator. This study aimed to assess whether aminophylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist, improves early graft function and reduces incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) and slow graft function (SGF). Single center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. Pediatric patients admitted for renal transplantation from donation after brain death donors were randomized into a treatment arm receiving aminophylline and a placebo arm receiving normal saline infusions. Primary outcome was estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 5 days post-transplant. Secondary outcomes were rates of DGF/SGF and urinary neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels. Twenty-three patients were randomized to aminophylline and 27 to placebo. There was no difference in day 5 eGFR, rate of DGF/SGF, or urine NGAL/Creatinine level between aminophylline vs. placebo arm (eGFR 67.39 ± 38.9 ml/min/1.73m2 vs. 80.48 ± 52.1 ml/min/1.73m2p = 0.32; DGF/SGF 5/23 (21.7%) vs. 3/27 (11.1%) p = 0.31; urine NGAL/creatinine 300.5 ng/mg IQR 105.5–1464.5 ng/mg vs. 425.4 ng/mg IQR 140.3–1126.2 ng/mg, p = 0.95; respectively). At 12 months, there was 100% patient survival and 98% graft survival. eGFR at 12 months was similar between the two arms. There was no benefit in peri-transplant aminophylline administration. Our results are limited by small sample size, since sample calculations were based on primary outcome of day 5 eGFR and low rate of DGF/SGF, which may have precluded us from demonstrating efficacy. Further clinical studies are necessary to determine any benefit of aminophylline in kidney transplant recipients, particularly from high-risk donors.
Clinical Manifestations of Acute Pancreatitis

There are no specific clinical features that readily distinguish pancreatitis from a variety of other illnesses. Abdominal pain occurs in almost all cases of acute pancreatitis. It may reach full intensity in a matter of minutes or more gradually over several hours. Pain is usually localized in the epigastrium. It is occasionally more intense to the left or right of the epigastrium, or diffuse in the upper abdomen. If pancreatic exudation spreads diffusely throughout the peritoneal cavity, abdominal discomfort may become generalized. On rare occasions, abdominal pain is restricted exclusively to the lower abdomen such that a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is not even considered. Pain in the lower abdomen would presumably be caused by extension of pancreatic exudation through the mesentery of the small intestine to the region of the ileum and cecum.
Implied Presidential and Congressional Power

This article compares the Supreme Court’s treatment of implied presidential power to its treatment of implied congressional power. The implied powers literature usually focuses on a single branch of government’s implied power or a single implied power, such as the President’s implied foreign affairs power. This article defines implied power, something generally neglected in the literature. It then compares and evaluates the Court’s treatment of Congress and the President using three concepts underlying the leading implied power cases — constitutional custom, means/ends reasoning, and the congressional stance toward presidential power (from Justice Jackson’s concurrence in Youngstown). The article closes with a case study focusing on the question of whether a sitting President has an implied power to resist indictment to illustrate how our findings help illuminate open issues. Three somewhat surprising conclusions emerge from this analysis. First, the Court gives executive branch actions much more weight than legislation that Congress has enacted and Presidents have signed in evaluating constitutional custom. Second, the Court’s presidential powers decisions depend much more heavily on judicial institutional and policy preferences than upon express or implied congressional intent. Third, the Court often does not follow McCullogh’s holding that Congress may use any means toward the ends underlying its enumerated powers, while it sometimes applies Justice Marshall’s means/ends reasoning to create fresh presidential powers. This comparison reveals a judicial tendency to imply presidential powers more generously than congressional power, even though the Constitution’s text only authorizes implied congressional power. While the Court’s preferences for presidential power over foreign affairs and states’ rights underlie many of the examined cases, we show that the Court’s preference for presidential power goes beyond the areas of national security and foreign affairs to embrace implied presidential power to avoid legal accountability domestically. We offer a preliminary evaluation of whether the Court’s approach to implied powers undermines the rule of law. We suggest that the Court has adapted the Constitution to the needs of the Cold War and later the war on terrorism, but may need to change its approach to address the wave of authoritarianism currently sweeping the globe.
“More of a Girl Thing?” Examining the Role of Gender and Campus Context in Perceptions of Risk and the Shadow of Sexual Assault:

One of the most consistent predictors of fear of crime is gender, whereby women are more fearful of crime than men, despite their lower rates of victimization. An often-cited explanation for this a...
Linguistic Apartheid and the Quest for Freedom and Identity in the Republic of Cameroon

The language question in Cameroon has become the elephant in the room. Of all the burning issues that continue to plague the post-colony, the language question is, perhaps, the thorniest. Cameroons linguistic conundrum has snowballed into what is now being touted as the national identity crisis. More than five decades after gaining token independence from imperial powers (France and Great Britain); the Republic of Cameroon still does not have a language policy that protects linguistic minorities. There is no policy that forestalls the marginalization of indigenous languages. Arguing along similar lines, Ayafor posits: There has been unrelenting efforts and frustration at the fact that language policy has not contributed to national integration through linguistic fusion (140). Unlike most African countries which give pride of place to the promotion of indigenous language education, French and English, languages of imperialists, remain official languages in Cameroon in stark contradiction of the national constitution which stipulates lucidly: The State shall guarantee the promotion of bilingualism throughout the country. It shall endeavor to protect and promote national languages (Article 1.3: 5). The question that begs to be asked at this juncture is why Cameroon with over 250 native languages does not have an official indigenous language policy. How can Cameroonian leaders reasonably pontificate on the need to nurture a national identity without putting in place an indigenous language policy that fosters indigenization and cultural symbiosis? These questions need to be addressed with the urgency they deserve. Cameroonian policy-makers seem to be oblivious of the fact that languages convey the cultural identity, worldview and imagination of the people that speak them. In short, language constitutes the memory-bank of a people; it is an embodiment of both continuity and change in the historical consciousness of the community of speakers. In other words, Cameroonian native languages carry with them the habits, mannerisms, and identity of native speakers. What prevails in Cameroon today is akin to linguicide, a term used to describe linguistic genocide. Linguicide is observable in all walks of life in Cameroon. In the judicial branch of government, for instance, the interpretation of the letter and spirit of the law is left to the whims and caprices of French-speaking judges who are ignorant of how the Anglo-Saxon legal system operates. This has resulted in countless instances of miscarriage of justice. In this paper I propose to examine the genesis and manifestations of the linguistic anomaly in Cameroon. The prime objective would be to propose a multi-pronged paradigm that serves as a platform for linguistic inclusion and national integration.
The Impact Of Self-attribution Bias and Overconfidence Bias on Perceived Market Efficiency

This study examines the mechanism by which self-attribution bias and overconfidence bias influences perceived market efficiency. For this purpose we use questionnaire and collect data from 200 investors of Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE). Most studies focus on well-developed financial markets and very little is known about investor’s behavior in less developed financial markets or emerging markets. The present study contributes to filling this gap in the literature. The findings suggest that self-attribution bias and overconfidence bias have significant negative impacts on perceived market efficiency.
Optimizing Outcomes in Cardiac Rehabilitation: The Importance of Exercise Intensity.

Exercise based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recognized internationally as a class 1 clinical practice recommendation for patients with select cardiovascular diseases and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Over the past decade, several meta-analyses have generated debate regarding the effectiveness of exercise-based CR for reducing all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. A common theme highlighted in these meta-analyses is the heterogeneity and/or lack of detail regarding exercise prescription methodology within CR programs. Currently there is no international consensus on exercise prescription for CR, and exercise intensity recommendations vary considerably between countries from light-moderate intensity to moderate intensity to moderate-vigorous intensity. As cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak)) is a strong predictor of mortality in patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure, exercise prescription that optimizes improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise capacity is a critical consideration for the efficacy of CR programming. This review will examine the evidence for prescribing higher-intensity aerobic exercise in CR, including the role of high-intensity interval training. This discussion will highlight the beneficial physiological adaptations to pulmonary, cardiac, vascular, and skeletal muscle systems associated with moderate-vigorous exercise training in patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure. Moreover, this review will propose how varying interval exercise protocols (such as short-duration or long-duration interval training) and exercise progression models may influence central and peripheral physiological adaptations. Importantly, a key focus of this review is to provide clinically-relevant recommendations and strategies to optimize prescription of exercise intensity while maximizing safety in patients attending CR programs.
The Inextricable Merits Problem in Personal Jurisdiction

In 1984, Hollywood star Shirley Jones convinced the Supreme Court to adopt an effects-based test for personal jurisdiction when she brought suit in California against a Florida defendant for defaming her reputation. After adopting the test in Calder v. Jones, the Court never returned to the issue, and in fact avoided personal jurisdiction questions entirely for more than two decades. This past spring, however, the Supreme Court not only revisited the personal jurisdiction doctrine but also signaled an intention to return to personal jurisdiction issues in the near future, with two justices calling specifically for development of the doctrine in cases involving modern “commerce and communication.” When the Court chooses to accept such a case, it will likely be to resolve an emerging issue that has divided lower courts - the proper scope of the Calder effects test. This Article seeks to limit the reach of the effects test. It argues that many of the conflicting cases in this area can be reconciled only by acknowledging courts’ implicit assumptions about the underlying merits of the case. The Article then demonstrates that once these assumptions are made explicit, the merits of the cases are so inextricably intertwined with the jurisdictional issues that courts cannot resolve the jurisdictional question without fully trying the case on the merits - an action that would require the defendant to forfeit the very constitutional interests that the personal jurisdiction doctrine was developed to protect. Finally, the Article examines how the development of the Internet destroyed previous assumptions about the litigation resources of likely defendants. It concludes that narrowing the effects-test doctrine would minimize the cost of forum selection for both plaintiff and defendant, would promote online commercial development, and would better protect a robust speech environment.
Remote Sounding of Multilayer Cirrus Cloud Systems Using AVHRR Data Collected during FIRE-II-IFO

Abstract Surface observations show that multilayer clouds frequently occur in frontal areas where cirrus clouds overlie boundary layer convective clouds or stratus clouds. In this paper, an algorithm is presented for the retrieval of cirrus cloud optical depths and ice crystal sizes in multilayer cloud systems based on the theory of radiative transfer and parameterizations. For the validation of the retrieval program, AVHRR data is analyzed for two dates during FIRE-II-IFO in which cirrus clouds overlie a layer of low stratus cloud. It is shown that the domain-averaged retrieved cloud temperatures are within the boundaries of cirrus clouds determined from the collocated replicator, radar, and lidar data. The retrieved ice crystal mean effective sizes and optical depths are also in general agreement with the values determined from the balloon-borne replicator and 2D probe data.
Air Pollution-Related Illness: Effects of Particles

Particle pollutants are estimated to cause more than 500,000 deaths annually. In his perspective, Nel describes how the adverse effects of ultrafine air particles are linked to their ability to gain access to the lung and systemic circulation, where toxic components lead to tissue damage and inflammation. Increased insight into which particle components are most damaging, and the molecular mechanisms of injury, will help to prevent PM mortality.
Saturation transfer EPR measurements of the rotational motion of a strongly immobilized ouabain spin label on renal Na,K-ATPase.

The rotational motion of an ouabain spin label with sheep kidney Na,K-ATPase has been measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and saturation transfer EPR (ST-EPR) measurements. Spin-labelled ouabain binds with high affinity to the Na,K-ATPase with concurrent inhibition of ATPase activity. Enzyme preparations retain 0.61 ± 0.1 mol of bound ouabain spin label per ATPase αβ dimer. The conventional EPR spectrum of the ouabain spin label bound to the ATPase consists almost entirely (> 99%) of a broad resonance which is characteristic of a strongly immobilized spin label. ST-EPR measurements of the spin labelled ATPase preparations yield effective correlation times for the bound labels of 209 ± 11 μs at 0°C and 44 ± 4 μs at 20°C. These rotational correlation times most likely represent the motion of the protein itself rather than the independent motion of mobile spin probes relative to a slower moving protein. Additional ST-EPR measurements with glutaraldehyde-crosslinked preparations indicated that the observed rotational correlation times predominantly represented the motion of entire Na,K-ATPase-containing membrane fragments, rather than the motion of individual monomeric or dimeric polypeptides within the membrane fragment. The strong immobilization of the ouabain spin label will make it an effective paramagnetic probe of the extracellular surface of the Na,K-ATPase for a variety of NMR and EPR investigations.
Lipid–Polymer Nanomaterials

The sections in this article are Introduction Lipopolymers Synthesis and Fabrication of Lipopolymers Properties and Characterization of Lipopolymers Applications of Lipopolymers in the Life Sciences Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Synthesis and Fabrication of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Synthesis of Polymer-Protected Lipidic Nanoparticles Synthesis of Lipid-Coated Polymeric Nanoparticles Characterization of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Applications of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Synthesis of Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Characterization of Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Applications of Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Summary and Future Perspective Keywords: biomaterial; lipopolymer; conjugate; hybrid nanoparticles; films; coatings; drug delivery; nanomedicine
A computer science courseware factory

A model for computer science courseware development within universities is proposed. This model asserts that masters level graduate and undergraduate students are a valuable software development resource that can be utilized to design, prototype, field test, and refine quality courseware. To support this contention four prototype courseware packages are used to briefly describe the Visible Algorithms project at Northridge. These packages provide tutorials on, and graphic animations of: linked list, binary tree, B-tree, and memory management algorithms.
Quantifying the effects of different rough surface statistics for mine detection using the FDTD technique

The finite difference time domain technique, FDTD, is used to calculate the scattered field din the n era zone from 1D random rough surfaces. Different statistics for the random surface will be assumed in this work. First, the random rough surface will be characterized by one-scale roughness with Gaussian distribution for the heights and Gaussian auto-correlation function. In the second part, the surface will be assumed to have two-scale roughness with the same Gaussian statistics as before. The statistics of the scattered fields are calculated in this work using Monte Carlo simulations. Numerical results comparing scattered fields from one-scale roughness and two-scale roughness are shown. The results obtained indicate that the distortion in the scattered signals is primarily due to the small-scale roughness while the two-scale roughness causes more time delay In the scattered signals. Different rough surface parameters will be used to quantify their effect on the statistics of scattered signals.
Population genetics of Cryptosporidium parvum.

Among the apicomplexan parasites of medical interest, Cryptosporidium is the least studied. Consistent with other members of this phylum, the generally accepted life cycle of Cryptosporidium comprises a sexual phase during which gamete differentiation and fertilization occurs. This process can affect the population structure of this parasite because of the possibility of genetic recombination between genotypes. Experimental evidence has confirmed that recombinant genotypes can emerge from mixed infections. A recent study of Cryptosporidium parvum populations infecting humans and livestock in Aberdeenshire, UK, shows that recombination also takes place in nature. Distinct population structures were identified among C. parvum types (species) infecting humans and livestock.
CM cycles and nonvanishing of class group L--functions

Let $K$ be a totally imaginary quadratic extension of a totally real number field $F$, and assume that $F$ has narrow ideal class number 1. Let $\chi$ be a character of the ideal class group $\Cl(K)$ of $K$, and let $L_K(\chi,s)$ be its associated $L$--function. In this paper we prove that for all $\epsilon > 0$, \begin{align*} \# \{\chi \in \textrm{CL}(K)^{\wedge}:~L_K(\chi,\frac{1}{2}) \neq 0\} \gg_{\epsilon, F} d_K^{\frac{1}{100}-\epsilon} \end{align*} as the absolute discriminant $d_K \rightarrow \infty$.
Low concentrations of copper in drinking water increase AP-1 binding in the brain

Copper (Cu) in trace amounts is essential for biological organisms. However, dysregulation of the redox-active metal has been implicated in different neurological disorders such as Wilson's, Menkes', Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. Since many households use Cu tubing in the plumbing system, and corrosion causes the metal to leach into the drinking water, there may be adverse effects on the central nervous system connected with low-level chronic exposure. The present study demonstrates that treatment with a biologically relevant concentration of Cu for 3 months significantly increases activation of the redox-modulated transcription factor AP-1 in mouse brains. This was independent of an upstream kinase indicated in AP-1 activation. Another redox-active transcription factor, NF-κB, was not significantly modified by the Cu exposure. These results indicate that the effect of Cu on AP-1 is unique and may involve direct modulation of DNA binding.
Reduced expression of voltage-gated chloride channel genes in Caenorhabditis elegans: Implications for the mode of action of chloride channel-directed nematicides

Abstract Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes (fourth-stage larvae) were exposed for 24 h to long (4 μg/μl) or short (5 μg/μl) double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of two voltage-gated chloride channel (VGCC) genes, ceclc-1 and ceclc-2 , coding for two VGCC proteins, CeClC-1 and CeClC-2. The treatments reduced expression of these genes in F 1 progeny in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Progeny with reduced expression of ceclc-2 (but not ceclc-1 ) showed significant phenotypic effects, such as increased pharyngeal contractions and decreased locomotion, which were maximal in 48 h old worms. Generally, there was little effect on the worms when expression of ceclc-1 alone was reduced. F 1 progeny with reduced expression of both ceclc-1 and ceclc-2 had a higher percentage showing affected locomotion than were present with reduced expression of ceclc-2 alone, whereas the increase in frequency of pharyngeal contractions was not different from that obtained with reduced expression of ceclc-2 alone. These phenotypic effects were consistent with the known expression patterns of ceclc-1 and ceclc-2 in C. elegans tissues. A strong negative correlation was observed between in vitro concentration of long dsRNA and ceclc-2 expression level, as well as between ceclc-2 expression level and corresponding phenotypic effects. The effects of dsRNA exposure are similar to previous studies in which 24-h incubation in 50 ppm of anion transporter (AT) blockers DIDS, 9-AC, IAA-94, or NPPB increased pharyngeal contractions and the proportion of nematodes exhibiting impaired locomotion. These findings confirm that the principal mechanism of nematicidal activity of AT blockers may arise from the inhibition of CeClC-2.
Quasi-optical reflection circulator: progress in theory and millimeter wave experiments

Development of a reflection circulator designed for use in quasi-optical beam systems is reported. Requirements of a millimeter-wave radar motivated the project, but the attractive performance features of the device, including broad bandwidth and high power capability, make it suitable for other applications as well. The discussion includes the underlying principle of nonreciprocity, problems of Faraday rotation, refraction, and polarization- insensitive anti-reflection matching at oblique angles of propagation. Comparisons of experimental measurements with a computational model show excellent agreement.
Formation & Elimination of Ethanol in Sugar Beet Roots

Aquatic plants have a natural stem adaptation which permits gases from the atmosphere to be transported to the submerged root system. Sifton (9, 10) has cited various references establishing the role of highly developed intercellular spaces that permit the flow of oxygen from leaf to root. In the case of nonaquatic plants, however, the importance of soil-oxygen stress is not clear. James (2) has questioned the occurrence of oxygen stress in roots under field conditions. He has cited several examples of lysigenous duct formation in roots in association with flooded soil conditions. These data are supported by more recent findings with various upland crops grown in Japan (13). James suggested that under conditions of high water tables plants may not endure anaerobiosis but rather evade it. However, Russell (8) concluded, without quantitative verification, that the large volume of qualitative information seems to justify the thesis that soil aeration, in many instances, is a major factor in plant growth. The compounds which commonly accumulate in higher plants during anaerobiosis are ethanol and lactic acid (12). Ethanol appears to be the common indicator of anaerobiosis in sugar beet roots (2, 11). Ethanol was formed anaerobically in excised barley and rice roots and did not disappear upon return to aerobic conditions (6, 7). These conclusions were based primarily upon nonspecific chemical and physical determinations of ethanol. In the dichromate procedure for ethanol determination, the standard chemical method, substances such as methanol and acetaldehyde are also oxidized (1). These investigations were initiated to determine the feasibility of using an anaerobic end-product of carbohydrate metabolism as an indication of oxygen stress in roots of sugar beet plants. The study was aimed at: A. determining the principal anaerobic end-product in sugar beets, B. ascertaining the pattern of accumulation of an anaerobic end-product in sugar beet root tissue and its rate of elimination during an aerobic recovery period, and C. evaluating the role of foliage in the dissipation of this material from root tissue and as a source of oxygen during normal growth.
Induction of ent -kaurene biosynthesis by low temperature in dwarf peas

Germinating pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds of two dwarf cultivars, “Progress No. 9” and “Green Arrow”, and two tall cultivars, “Alaska” and “Alderman”, were treated with low temperature (3–5°C) for 14 days and then transferred to normal growing conditions (19–21°C for 16 h/14.5–16.5°C for 8 h) for an additional 10 days. Biosynthesis of [14C]ent-kaurene from [14C]2-mevalonic acid (2-MVA) was assayed in cell-free enzyme extracts prepared from shoot tips 10 days after cold treatment and was compared with activity in enzyme extracts prepared from noncold-treated, 10-day-old control plants. Shoot lengths of cold-treated plants were measured throughout a 35-day period and compared with shoot lengths of plants grown without cold treatment for 25–35 days. Low temperature induced a five-to 10-fold enhancement ofent-kaurene, hence potentially gibberellin (GA), biosynthesis in seedlings of the two dwarf cultivars but not in the tall cultivars. However, the lack of an increase in growth rate in the cold-treated dwarfs indicated that endogenous GA biosynthesis remained blocked at some point beyondent-kaurene in the biosynthetic pathway. Since the late-flowering “Alderman” cultivar did not exhibit enhanced biosynthesis ofent-kaurene, it appears that if vernalization in late-flowering cultivars of peas is correlated with enhanced GA biosynthesis, it is not the early part of the biosynthetic pathway which is affected.
Effect of the atomic core on the fine-structure splitting for excited nd and nf states of the alkali-metal atoms

We have calculated the second-order interaction between the spin-orbit coupling perturbation H/sub SO/ proportional r/sup -1/(dV/dr) l x s acting on the core electrons and the exchange Coulomb interaction between the valence and core electrons. This calculation was previously carried out for two alkali nd states (Na 3d and Rb 4d), and was shown to result in the observed inversion of the fine-structure interval ..delta nu.. for these d states. In the present paper we have evaluated the second-order correction ..delta nu../sub 2/ for the nf states of Na, and we have found that ..delta nu../sub 2//..delta nu../sub 1/ approx. = -0.07 for Na 11f and Na 14f, in good agreement with the experiment of Gallagher et al., who have observed that the fine-structure interval of Na 11f, 13f, and 14f is normal, i.e., noninverted, and slightly smaller than the hydrogenic value ..delta nu../sub 1/ (by approx. 5%). Calculations have also been carried out for Na 3d, 4d, 5d, 11d, and 14d, and the results for ..delta nu../sub 1/ + ..delta nu../sub 2/ are negative, in good agreement with the observed inverted fine structure for these states. Additional calculations have been carried out for Cs 4f, 5f, and 6f.
Guide sporomorphae in the upper cretaceous-lower tertiary of eastern Montana (U.S.A.)

Abstract Fourteen sporomorphae are listed which are characteristic of either the uppermost Cretaceous (Hell Creek Formation) or lowermost Tertiary (Tullock Formation) of eastern Montana. Their distribution elsewhere, if any, is also given. One genus and four species are described as new.
Typos of Principia Mathematica

Principia Mathematic goes to great lengths to hide its order/type indices and to make it appear as if its incomplete symbols behave as if they are singular terms. But well-hidden as they are, we cannot understand the proofs in Principia unless we bring them into focus. When we do, some rather surprising results emerge – which is the subject of this paper.
II. Mechanisms of Elevated Temperature Methanol Electro-oxidation and Poisoning on Pt/C-Nafion Catalyst Layers

Half-cell measurements using fuel cell catalysts at elevated temperatures were made in a pulsed reactant electrochemical flow cell. Kinetics of methanol and the poisoning adlayer electro-oxidation were investigated on 20%Pt/Vulcan C-Nafion catalyst layers at 95°C. Transient measurement of the adlayer coverage during methanol electro-oxidation at 0.30 V r h e and 95°C showed that the surface reached a steady-state adlayer coverage after 30 s. Almost no change in adlayer coverage or current occurred from 30 to 300 s, indicating that steady-state conditions were maintained at 95°C. With increasing potential from 0.30-0.40 Vine in 0.015 M methanol, the steady-state CO coverage decreased from 0.44 to 0.28 monolayers, while the steady-state current increased from 3.3 to 29 mA/mg Pt. The kinetics of CO adlayer oxidation were determined independently over this potential range for adlayers prepared by repeated, 60 s periods of methanol oxidation. The initial rates of adlayer electro-oxidation were 80-90% of the steady-state methanol electro-oxidation rates throughout the potential range. This indicates high selectivity through the CO adlayer at 95°C. Poisoning adlayer electro-oxidation occurred with faster kinetics on Pt(110) facets relative to Pt(100) facets. Dissociative adsorption of methanol at 0.05 V r h e and 95°C was also studied. The adlayer coverage reached 0.36 monolayers after a 60 s exposure to 0.015 M methanol, indicating that the Pt/C electrocatalyst reacts with methanol under these conditions.
Time-dependent patterning of the mesoderm and endoderm by Nodal signals in zebrafish

The vertebrate body plan is generated during gastrulation with the formation of the three germ layers. Members of the Nodal-related subclass of the TGF-β superfamily induce and pattern the mesoderm and endoderm in all vertebrates. In zebrafish, two nodal-related genes, called squint and cyclops, are required in a dosage-dependent manner for the formation of all derivatives of the mesoderm and endoderm. These genes are expressed dynamically during the blastula stages and may have different roles at different times. This question has been difficult to address because conditions that alter the timing of nodal-related gene expression also change Nodal levels. We utilized a pharmacological approach to conditionally inactivate the ALK 4, 5 and 7 receptors during the blastula stages without disturbing earlier signaling activity. This permitted us to directly examine when Nodal signals specify cell types independently of dosage effects. We show that two drugs, SB-431542 and SB-505124, completely block the response to Nodal signals when added to embryos after the mid-blastula transition. By blocking Nodal receptor activity at later stages, we demonstrate that Nodal signaling is required from the mid-to-late blastula period to specify sequentially, the somites, notochord, blood, Kupffer's vesicle, hatching gland, heart, and endoderm. Blocking Nodal signaling at late times prevents specification of cell types derived from the embryo margin, but not those from more animal regions. This suggests a linkage between cell fate and length of exposure to Nodal signals. Confirming this, cells exposed to a uniform Nodal dose adopt progressively more marginal fates with increasing lengths of exposure. Finally, cell fate specification is delayed in squint mutants and accelerated when Nodal levels are elevated. We conclude that (1) Nodal signals are most active during the mid-to-late blastula stages, when nodal-related gene expression and the movement of responding cells are at their most dynamic; (2) Nodal signals specify cell fates along the animal-vegetal axis in a time-dependent manner; (3) cells respond to the total cumulative dose of Nodal signals to which they are exposed, as a function of distance from the source and duration of exposure.
The double switch for atrioventricular discordance

Conventional surgery for atrioventricular discordance usually associated with ventricular arterial discordance leaves the morphologic right ventricle in the systemic circulation. Long-term follow-up results with this approach reveal a high incidence of right ventricular failure. The double switch procedure was introduced to restore the morphologic left ventricle to the systemic circulation. This operation is performed in two main ways: the atrial-arterial switch and the atrial switch plus Rastelli procedure. This double switch approach has been successful at least in the medium term in abolishing morphologic right ventricular failure and its associated tricuspid valve regurgitation. In the atrial-arterial switch group, there is an incidence of morphologic left ventricular dysfunction, sometimes associated with neoaortic valve regurgitation, and the minority of cases need aortic valve replacement. The long-term function of the morphologic left ventricle and the aortic valve need careful surveillance in the future. The atrial-Rastelli group of patients has not in the medium term shown evidence of ventricular dysfunction but will require change on a regular basis of their ventricular to pulmonary artery valved conduits.
Cellular shape and pressure may mediate mechanical control of tissue composition in tendons.

In vivo studies have suggested that mechanical factors are involved in the regulation of the morphology and biochemical composition of tendons that wrap around bones. In these tendons fibrocartilage is found in the segment wrapped around the bone, and tendon far from the bone displays normal tendon histomorphology. Recent in vitro studies have shown that intermittently loaded connective tissue cells are sensitive to changes in cellular shape and hydrostatic pressure: stretching and distortion of the cells enhances production of fibrous matrix and hydrostatic pressure enhances production of cartilaginous matrix. We used finite-element analysis to determine whether the regions of increased development of cartilaginous matrix in tendons that wrap around bones correspond to regions in which tendon cells are subjected to higher pressures, and whether the maintenance and rearrangement of fibrous extracellular matrix in these tendons is associated with regions of stretching and distortion of cells. We found that regions of cartilaginous matrix and fibrous matrix formation and turnover correlate well with patterns of hydrostatic compressive stress and distortional strain in the tendon. Although further experiments clearly are needed to establish the predictive value of our approach, hydrostatic stress and distortional strain history—parameters intimately related to changes in cellular pressure and shape, respectively—appear to be important tissue-level mechanical stimuli that regulate cartilaginous and fibrous matrix composition of connective tissues.
Vibrational energy transfer in CH3I

Abstract Previous works have reported vibration—vibration and vibration—translation transfer rates in the methyl halides. Using the technique of laser induced infrared fluorescence we have studied energy transfer in the concluding member of this series, CH3I. Following excitation by resonant lines of a Q-switch CO2 laser, infrared fluorescence has been observed from the v2, v5 as well as the 2v5, v1, v4 vibrational energy levels of CH3I. All the observed states exhibit a single exponential decay rate of 23 ± 2 ms−1 torr−1. Measurements have also been made on deactivation of the various modes by rare gases. The risetime of the v2, v5 levels was found to be approximately 101 ± 20 ms−1 torr−1, while that of the 2v5, v1, v4 levels was approximately 225 ± 45 ms−1 torr−1. Fluorescence was not detected from the v3 level. These results are discussed in terms of SSH type theoretical calculations, and comparison is made with the results obtained for other members of the methyl halide series, namely CH3F, CH3Cl and CH3Br.
A cyclophilin-related protein involved in the function of natural killer cells.

Abstract Natural killer cells are non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted large granular lymphocytes that can recognize and destroy tumor cells without prior stimulation. A 150-kDa molecule on the surface of human natural killer cells was identified as a component of a putative tumor-recognition complex. We report here the isolation of cDNAs coding for the 150-kDa tumor-recognition molecule from human and mouse cDNA libraries. The amino terminus of the predicted protein contains a large hydrophobic region followed by a domain that is highly homologous to cyclophilin/peptidylprolyl cis-trans isomerase. The remainder of the protein is extremely hydrophilic and contains three homologous positively charged clusters. There are also three regions that contain extensive arginine- and serine-rich repeats. Comparison of the human and mouse predicted amino acid sequences revealed > 80% homology.
Dependence Relations Among the Shifts of a Multivariate Refinable Distribution

Refinable functions are an intrinsic part of subdivision schemes and wavelet constructions. The relevant properties of such functions must usually be determined from their refinement masks. In this paper, we provide a characterization of linear independence for the shifts of a multivariate refinable vector of distributions in terms of its (finitely supported) refinement mask.
Environmental tobacco smoke and behaviors of inner-city children with asthma.

Objective To explore the relationship between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and behavior among inner-city children with significant asthma. Methods We analyzed baseline data for 200 children 4 to 10 years old who were enrolled in an asthma program. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure was measured by the child's salivary cotinine level. Caregivers completed the 28-item Behavior Problem Index (BPI). Positive responses were summed for a total BPI score, and children with scores >14 were considered to have significant behavior problems. We conducted Student t tests and multivariate regression analyses to determine the association of children's cotinine levels with BPI scores. Results Overall, 56% of children were male, 65% were black, and 72% had Medicaid. Mean cotinine level was 1.47 ng/mL. Overall, 30% of children had total BPI scores >14. Children with cotinine values >1.47 ng/mL had significantly higher scores compared with children with lower cotinine values on total BPI (12.5 vs 10.2), as well as externalizing (9.0 vs 7.2), antisocial (2.3 vs 1.7), and immature (2.1 vs 1.6) subscales. In a multivariate model, log cotinine remained independently associated with externalizing ( P = .04), headstrong ( P = .04), and antisocial behavior ( P = .04). Conclusions Cotinine levels are independently associated with problem behaviors among this sample of urban children with asthma.
Randomized Phase 2 Trial To Evaluate the Clinical Efficacy of Two High-Dosage Tigecycline Regimens versus Imipenem-Cilastatin for Treatment of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia

ABSTRACT In a previous phase 3 study, the cure rates that occurred in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia treated with tigecycline at the approved dose were lower than those seen with patients treated with imipenem and cilastatin (imipenem/cilastatin). We hypothesized that a higher dose of tigecycline is necessary in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia. This phase 2 study compared the safety and efficacy of two higher doses of tigecycline with imipenem/cilastatin in subjects with hospital-acquired pneumonia. Subjects with hospital-acquired pneumonia were randomized to receive one of two doses of tigecycline (150 mg followed by 75 mg every 12 h or 200 mg followed by 100 mg every 12 h) or 1 g of imipenem/cilastatin every 8 h. Empirical adjunctive therapy was administered for initial coverage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, depending on the randomization regimen. Clinical response, defined as cure, failure of treatment, or indeterminate outcome, was assessed 10 to 21 days after the last day of therapy. In the clinically evaluable population, clinical cure with tigecycline 100 mg (17/20, 85.0%) was numerically higher than with tigecycline 75 mg (16/23, 69.6%) and imipenem/cilastatin (18/24, 75.0%). No new safety signals with the high-dose tigecycline were identified. A numerically higher clinical response was observed with the 100-mg dose of tigecycline. This supports our hypothesis that a higher area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h in the steady state divided by the MIC (AUC/MIC ratio) may be necessary to achieve clinical cure in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia. Further studies are necessary. (The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier for this clinical trial is NCT00707239.)
Falcon Codes: Fast, Authenticated LT Codes (Or: Making Rapid Tornadoes Unstoppable)

We introduce Falcon codes, a class of authenticated error correcting codes that are based on LT codes and achieve the following properties, for the first time simultaneously: (1) with high probability, they can correct adversarial corruptions of an encoded message, and (2) they allow very efficient encoding and decoding times, even linear in the message length. Our design framework encompasses a large number of such coding schemes. Through judicious use of simple cryptographic tools at the core LT-coding level, Falcon codes lend themselves to secure extensions of any LT-based fountain code, in particular providing Raptor codes that achieve resilience to adversarial corruptions while maintaining their fast encoding/decoding times. Falcon codes also come in three variants, each offering different performance trade-offs. For instance, one variant works well with small input messages (100s of KB to 10s of MB), but two other variants are designed to handle much larger messages (several GB). We study Falcon codes in a novel adversarial model for rateless codes over computational (corrupting) channels and prove their security under standard assumptions. We analyze the performance of our new coding schemes through a prototype implementation of their Raptor-code extension and a thorough experimental study that demonstrates their high efficiency in practice. Applied to data transmission, Falcon codes can provably protect Raptor codes against targeted-erasure attacks, which were recently shown by Lopes and Neves [Oakland, 2014] to cause decoding failures of RaptorQ---the most advanced, standardized (IETF RFC6330) rateless code used in practice. Applied to data storage, Falcon codes can provide significant efficiency gainings as drop-in replacements of Reed-Solomon codes; in particular, a 35% speed-up over the state-of-the-art PoR scheme by Shi et al. [CCS, 2013].
Adaptations to temperature in the cellular membranes of crustacea: membrane structure and metabolism

Abstract 1. 1.|Acute changes in environmental temperature have deleterious effects on the structure and function of cellular membranes of crustaceans, as well as other poikilothermic animals. Low temperature increases membrane order, and decreases “fluidity”, in addition to influencing the activity of membrane-bound enzymes. 2. 2.|Crustaceans adapt to prolonged exposure to low temperatures by increasing the fluidity of membrane lipids, which serves to restore membrane function. 3. 3.|Membrane fluidity is regulated by changing the proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on membrane phosphatides at different temperatures. Unsaturation increases at low temperatures. 4. 4.|The proportion of different phospholipid head groups also changes in response to temperature, particularly among winter-active crustaceans. Ethanolamine phosphatides increase at the expense of choline phosphatides at low temperatures. 5. 5.|The experimental evidence for various metabolic mechanisms of membrane restructuring in crustaceans is discussed.
Effectiveness of cross-linking posterior segmental instrumentation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a 2-year follow-up comparative study

Abstract Background context Surgeons continue to debate the need for a cross-link (CL) in posterior spinal instrumentation constructs with segmental pedicle screws in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Advantage of CLs is increased stiffness of the construct, and disadvantages include added expense and risk of late operative-site pain and pseudarthrosis. Purpose To compare the effectiveness of using CLs versus using no cross-links (NCLs) in posterior segmental instrumentation in AIS. Study design Retrospective comparative study, level of evidence 3. Patient sample Seventy-five AIS patients less than 21 years of age, who underwent posterior spinal instrumentation with segmental pedicle screws (25 with CLs and 50 with NCLs) at a single institution with 2-year follow-up, are described. Outcome measures Physiologic measures include imaging: thoracic and lumbar Cobb angles, correction rate, apical vertebral translation (AVT), and apical vertebral rotation (AVR); self-report measures include Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) domain outcome scores. Methods Preoperative (pre-op) and postoperative first erect, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up radiographs were measured. Instrumentation-related complications and normalized SRS scores were recorded. Independent sample t test, χ 2 test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used for analyses. Results The average age at surgery was 14 years, the mean pre-op Cobb angle was 57°, and the mean number of levels fused was 10.9. The groups were similar preoperatively with respect to age, sex, Lenke curve, Cobb angle, AVT, and Risser grade and were similar intraoperatively for levels fused and anchor density. There was no difference in AVR, Cobb angle, correction rate, or AVT between the groups (p>.05). Complications included one wound infection in the CL group and one painful scar in the NCL group. There were no differences in SRS domain scores. Conclusion We observed no differences in maintenance of correction, SRS scores, and complications with or without cross-linking posterior segmental instrumentation in AIS patients over 2-year follow-up. Further follow-up is necessary.