cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Features and usability assessment of a patient-centered mobile application (HeartMapp) for self-management of heart failure

Abstract Background Mobile health technologies have emerged as a way to actively engage patients in their healthcare decision-making process. One who is well informed and motivated is thought to engage in self-management activities. Thus, the conceptual framework included "information, motivation, and behavioral change" model, with patient engagement as a mediator in the development and assessment of a mobile health application "HeartMapp" for chronic heart failure (CHF) self-management. Purpose To describe the development and features of the HeartMapp and preliminary assessment of the usability of HeartMapp. Method A descriptive survey design was employed. A total of 37 participants (25 patients with CHF and 12 health care workers) navigated the HeartMapp and completed self-confidence and usability questionnaires. Results More than half of the patients used mobile phones to obtain health information. Patients reported moderate self-confidence (mean 26.60±12.18) in using HeartMapp. One in five patients reported a lack of confidence in using the chest-worn Bluetooth device. The observational data indicated that all patients completed the task of navigating the HeartMapp with little or no help. The health care members (n=12) demonstrated high confidence in recommending HeartMapp to patients (mean 4.58±0.67) and in utilizing data from HeartMapp for clinical decision making (mean 4.50±0.67). The self-confidence and usability questionnaires showed good reliability in this sample. Conclusion Having access to CHF symptom monitoring and education readily available in a mobile app may motivate individuals to engage in the prescribed self-management skills to ultimately attain desired outcomes, which warrants further exploration.
Automatic Location of the Eyes in CT Images of the Head

A technique for locating the eyes in Computed Tomography (CT) brain scan data is described. The objective is to automatically localise the eyes for protection during radiotherapy planning. The image feature that is exploited is the circularity of the eyes. After data preprocessing to remove unwanted features in the images, signature analysis is performed to locate areas of interest. By applying the Canny edge detector to these areas, data is further reduced to the significant edge fragments. The Hough Transform is then applied to estimate radii and centres of the CT sections through the eyes. The Converging Squares algorithm is used as an efficient and robust method to search the Hough Transform parameter space. The results are processed by the hypothesis generation stage which clusters them according to the x,y,z coordinates of the suggested centres. The ISODATA algorithm is used for clustering. The hypotheses are assessed and sorted and the most valid hypothesis is selected and refined using a second Hough Transform. After the rejection of the invalid members of the hypothesis cluster, an ellipsoid is fitted to the new cluster centre and the results are drawn on the data. The method is fast and robust. The method was tested using five different, data sets and it performed well oil all of them.
Experimental Evaluation of System Models for PET with Block Detectors

Modern PET scanners use block detectors. The accuracy of the system models greatly affects the quality of reconstructed images. This work evaluates two approaches to the modeling of PET system response. The first one is a factored system matrix approach that combines analytical calculation and Monte Carlo simulation, while the second stems from purely analytical calculations of solid angle and crystal penetration. Both of them model the block structure. We conduct measurements on the microPET II scanner, which has 90 detector blocks forming 3 axial rings. Each detector block consists of 14times14 equally spaced scintillation crystals with a pitch of 1.15 mm. A Na-22 point source was scanned inside the field of view at every 2.0 mm along the horizontal and vertical directions, and at every 2.8 mm along the 45-degree trajectory within the central axial plane. Sinogram profiles were taken from the projection angle that is perpendicular to the corresponding trajectories. We compared the full width at half maximum (FWHM), peak location, peak intensity, and area under the curve of the measured projection and model-predicted profiles. The results clearly show the effect of detector blocks with the FWHM being piecewise flat as the point source moves away from the radial center. The discontinuous points are consistent with the actual geometry of the scanner. Both system models show reasonably good agreement with experimental measurements.
Tear lipid layer thickness with eye drops in meibomian gland dysfunction

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a lipid containing emollient eye drop, Soothe XP, which was reformulated in 2014 with a more stable preservative and buffer system, compared to a control, non-emollient, eye drop (Systane Ultra) in improving lipid layer thickness (LLT) in subjects with dry eye due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). PATIENTS AND METHODS This prospective single-center, open-label, cross-over, examiner masked-study enrolled subjects aged 30-75 years with lipid-deficient dry eye and a clinical diagnosis of MGD as determined by a slit lamp examination, an evaluation of meibomian gland drop out with meibography, and a standard patient evaluation of eye dryness questionnaire of >5. Eligibility was then determined by a LLT of <75 nm at baseline and the inability to increase LLT ≥15 nm with three blinks, as determined by interferometric methods. Subjects were randomized to receive a single emollient or non-emollient eye drop at Visit 1 and were crossed over for the alternate treatment at Visit 2. At each visit, LLT was measured prior to and 15 minutes following the instillation of the assigned eye drop. The primary endpoint was the change in LLT from baseline. RESULTS Subjects (n=40) were enrolled and 35 completed the two study arms. Mean (±SD) patient age was 55.7 years (10.9) and 69% were female. Mean (±SD) LLT at baseline was 49.5 nm (9.2). Instillation of Soothe XP resulted in an increase in LLT to 77.5 nm (29.3) 15 minutes following drop instillation, which is an increase of 28.0 nm (27.4) (P<0.001). In contrast, LLT 15 minutes after the instillation of Systane Ultra was 50.8 nm (14.1), which was not statistically significant when compared to the baseline LLT. CONCLUSION In this study of subjects with MGD, the emollient, or lipid containing eye drop, increased the LLT of tears when measured 15 minutes after instilling a single eye drop.
Verlängerte Überlebenszeit von Xenotransplantaten nach Organkultur

Durch die Theorie der allogenen Interaktion wird postuliert, das die klassischen serologisch definierten Antigene (SD) allein nicht in der Lage sind, die Immunantwort gegen ein Organtransplantat zu induzieren. Hinweise fur die Richtigkeit dieser Theorie sind: 1. Nicht-lymphoide Zellen stimulieren in der gemischten Lymphocytenkultur (MLC) nicht oder nur gering. 2. Behandlung von lymphoiden Zellen mit UV-Strahlen oder Hitze eliminiert ihre Fahigkeit zur Stimulation, obwohl die SD-Antigene intakt bleiben. 3. In geeigneten Kombinationen kommt es in der MLC zu einer starken Proliferation zwischen SD-identischen Zellen. 4. Gereinigte SD-Antigene in loslicher Form stimulieren Lymphocyten nicht.
Effects of current density on adhesion of copper electrodeposits to polyimide substrates

To provide protection, electrical conductivity, or a decorative finish, plastic components are often metallized by a three-step process: deposition of a catalytic palladium layer followed by electroless and electrolytic plating. In this paper we focused on determining the relationship between applied current density used to electrodeposit copper and adhesion of the metal to a polyimide substrate. To test a range of current densities on a single sample, we deposited a series of copper strips on a planar sheet of the polyimide material and electrodeposited copper in a modified Hull cell. From peel tests we found that strips subjected to higher current density adhered more strongly to the substrate. This experimental procedure should be generally applicable to other metal-polymer systems.
HORMONES AND GENDER | Sex Differences in Seizure Sensitivity

Sex differences in epilepsy have been reported with respect to incidence, progression and severity of the disease, responsiveness to therapy, and occurrence of adverse drug effects. Thus, it is necessary to design sex-specific treatment strategies. Similarly, more animal studies are needed to determine the underlying mechanisms for sex differences in seizure susceptibility. Preclinical testing of antiepileptic drugs should include separate testing to determine the effectiveness or possible adverse effects in males and females.
The Case for Complement and Inflammation in AMD: Open Questions

The complement cascade has been identified as a key factor in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As a result, pharmacological modulation of the complement cascade is being investigated as a therapeutic strategy for AMD. The genetic data point to a triggering of the complement cascade, which subsequently cannot be damped down. Despite promising genetic, preclinical and immunolabeling data, important questions remain to be answered regarding the role of complement in the pathogenesis of AMD. The involvement of the complement cascade in the vision threatening stages of AMD, e.g. geographic atrophy and choroidal neovascularization, remain unknown. Additionally, the optimal component(s) of the complement cascade to be targeted for modulation still need to be identified. Answering these and other questions will provide investigators with a clear framework with which to evaluate progress in the field and help guide the development of future clinical therapeutics.
Polycythemia Vera and Other Polycythemic Disorders — Biological Aspects

Myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) constitute a subset of hematological malignancies characterized by a stem cell-originated clonal proliferation of aberrant myeloid cells, one of which is polycythemia vera (PV). PV is the most common myeloproliferative disorder with an annual incidence of at least 23 cases per million in North America and Western Europe. PV patients suffer high risk of thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications and propensity to clonal evolution to acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Current treatment involves reduction of whole blood erythrocytosis by phlebotomy to reduce blood viscosity and use of myelo-suppressive therapy. On average, after 10 years of treatment, a significant portion of PV patients (5–15%) progress to postpolycythemic myeloid metaplasia and/or leukemia; the majority of these patients (70%) die within 3 years. Distinguishing PV from other polycythemic disorders can be very challenging and in this chapter PV will be discussed in the context of other polycythemic disorders. Recent research breakthroughs in the understanding of its molecular basis have improved our understanding of PV pathophysiology and open the possible vista of specific pharmaceutical intervention.
Event Knowledge and Verb Knowledge Predict Sensitivity to Different Aspects of Semantic Anomalies in Aphasia

There has been considerable debate as to whether linguistic and world knowledge are dissociable and make distinguishable contributions to language comprehension (e.g. Hagoort et al. in Science 304:438–441, 2004; Warren & McConnell in Bulletin & Review 14:770–775, 2007). To address this question, we related people with aphasia’s performance on independent tests of event knowledge and linguistic knowledge to their sensitivity to violations of selectional restrictions and possibility in a self-paced reading task, using materials from Warren et al. (Lang Cognit Neurosci 30(8):1–8, 2015). Results suggested that better performance on a task designed to index verb argument structure knowledge predicted increased sensitivity to selectional restriction violations, whereas better performance on a task designed to index event knowledge predicted increased sensitivity to possibility violations. Consistent with previous findings, this pattern provides evidence that behavioral responses to violations of linguistic and event knowledge may diverge. The relationships between sensitivity to violations and task performance additionally support the assumption that selectional restrictions are a feature of verb knowledge, whereas possibility is a feature of event knowledge.
Dataset on hydrophobicity indices and differential scanning calorimetry thermograms for poly(HEMA)-based hydrogels

Abstract Hydrophobicity indices for poly(HEMA)-based hydrogels: HEMA, AEMA, and DMAEMA calculated from two different methods: 1) Partition coefficients, and 2) Kyte-Doolittle scale are depicted. Thermograms from differential scanning calorimetry of poly(HEMA)-based hydrogels containing AEMA, DMAEMA, and a mixture of AEMA and DMAEMA are included to represent the glass transition temperature (Tg) values of the hydrogels. More information on the methodology to calculate the hydrophobicity indices using the aforementioned methods and the procedure for using a differential scanning calorimeter and analysis of a thermogram is described. Details of how the changes in the feed composition of poly(HEMA)-based hydrogels was made is provided in the research article ‘MOLECULAR ENGINEERING OF POLY(HEMA-co-PEGMA)-BASED HYDROGELS: ROLE OF MINOR AEMA AND DMAEMA INCLUSION’ (Bhat et al., 2019).[1].
Consistency of Neutron Cross-Section Data, SN Calculations, and Measured Tritium Production for a 14-MeV Neutron-Driven Sphere of Natural Lithium Deuteride

The authors present algorithms, describe a computer program, and gives a computational procedure for the statistical consistency analysis of neutron cross-section data, S /SUB N/ calculations, and measured tritium production in 14-MeV neutron-driven integral assemblies. Algorithms presented include a reduced matrix manipulation technique suitable for manygroup, 14-MeV neutron transport calculations. The computer program incorporates these algorithms and is expanded and improved to facilitate analysis of such integral experiments. Details of the computational procedure are given for a natural lithium deuteride experiment performed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Results are explained in terms of calculated cross-section sensitivities and uncertainty estimates. They include a downward adjustment of the /sup 7/Li(n,xt) 14-MeV cross section from 328 + or - 22 to 284 + or - 24 mb, which is supported by the trend of recent differential and integral measurements. It is concluded that with appropriate refinements, the techniques of consistency analysis can be usefully applied to the analysis of 14-MeV neutron-driven tritium production integral experiments.
A Chatbot-based Mobile Application to Predict and Early-prevent Human Mental Illness

The paper outlines the design of a chatbot mobile application for human mental health, which can determine whether an individual has a mental illness and suggest prevention methods by using machine learning algorithms. There are some popular mental counseling applications in the markets, most of which are based on one mental survey or examination. We noticed that this can be done in a more natural/intelligent way - texting, talking or even videoing. Our application can interact with users by texting, talking and videoing, which are based on natural language processing (NLP) and integrated continuous emotion dialogue analysis and sentence/audio generation.
Human papillomavirus: The other invisible enemy.

• The world is working with unprecedented fervor and spending billions of dollars to find a vaccine for COVID-19. • Nearly 381,500 people worldwide died from human papillomavirus-related cancers in 2018 despite a safe and effective vaccine. • With the momentum from our fight against this pandemic, we can improve vaccine implementation.
The Impact of Volunteering: A Multi-State Study of 4-H Youth Development Volunteers

Volunteers are vital to youth development programming as a key piece of the workforce. This evaluation measured the impact of volunteers in the 4-H youth development program and demonstrated the value volunteers bring to youth development environments. The north central region 4-H volunteer impact study was conducted with volunteers in the 4-H Youth Development program across 12 states. The purpose of the study was to better understand the value of being a 4-H volunteer. Results showed that volunteers personally benefited from their involvement in these settings by becoming more experienced at working with youth and by learning skills that transferred to other settings. Volunteers also served as guides for youth as they gained leadership skills and gave back to their communities. In addition, the Extension organization benefits included volunteer time, donations of money and supplies, and volunteers serving as ambassadors for youth development programs.
The Interaction between Dietary Selenium Intake and Genetics in Determining Cancer Risk and Outcome

There is considerable interest in the trace element selenium as a possible cancer chemopreventive dietary component, but supplementation trials have not indicated a clear benefit. Selenium is a critical component of selenium-containing proteins, or selenoproteins. Members of this protein family contain selenium in the form of selenocysteine. Selenocysteine is encoded by an in-frame UGA codon recognized as a selenocysteine codon by a regulatory element, the selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS), in the 3'-untranslated region of selenoprotein mRNAs. Epidemiological studies have implicated several selenoprotein genes in cancer risk or outcome based on associations between allelic variations and disease risk or mortality. These polymorphisms can be found in or near the SECIS or in the selenoprotein coding sequence. These variations both function to control protein synthesis and impact the efficiency of protein synthesis in response to the levels of available selenium. Thus, an individual's genetic makeup and nutritional intake of selenium may interact to predispose them to acquiring cancer or affect cancer progression to lethality.
Searching for answers? An examination of search engine advertisement strategy, ranking and keywords to generate clicks

Search engine advertisements are paid search results that appear above the organic search results retrieved by Google. These search engine advertisements typically generate a 2% click-through rate, but browsers are more inclined to click when purchase intentions are high. This study examined almost 100,000 instances of search engine advertisements measured in weeks from an insurance company. Results point to generic search engine advertisements generating more clicks than specific. Search engine advertisements ranked first receive far more clicks than subsequent rankings. Lastly, near-synonyms such as 'cover' and 'protect' generate more clicks than an expected keyword such as 'insure'. Managerial implications are discussed to help companies maximise search engine advertising campaigns.
Electron-Positron Annihilation Radiation from Sagittarius A East at the Galactic Center

Maps of the Galactic electron-positron annihilation radiation show evidence for three distinct and significant features: (1) a central bulge source, (2) emission in the Galactic plane, and (3) an enhancement of emission at positive latitudes above the Galactic center. In this paper, we explore the possibility that Sgr A East, a very prominent radio structure surrounding the Galactic nucleus, may be a significant contributor to the central bulge feature. The motivation for doing so stems from a recently proposed link between this radio object and the EGRET γ-ray source 2EG J1746-2852. If this association is correct, then Sgr A East is also expected to be a source of copious positron production. The results presented here show that indeed Sgr A East must have produced a numerically significant population of positrons, but also that most of them have not yet had sufficient time to thermalize and annihilate. As such, Sgr A East by itself does not appear to be the dominant current source of annihilation radiation, but it will be when the positrons have cooled sufficiently and they have become thermalized. This raises the interesting possibility that the bulge component may be a result of the relics of earlier explosive events like the one that produced Sgr A East.
The effect of SFAS 142 on the ability of goodwill to predict future cash flows

Abstract This study examines the effect of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142 (SFAS 142) on the ability of goodwill to predict future cash flows. SFAS 142 allows substantial managerial discretion and leads to a significant magnitude of economic impact on financial statements, resulting in critical debates over the consequence of its adoption. I find that the ability of goodwill to predict future cash flows has improved since the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) adopted SFAS 142. Furthermore, sub-sample analyses fail to reveal compelling evidence that reporting discretion induced by SFAS 142 is used opportunistically or informatively, contrasting with the pervasive view based on the opportunistic reporting hypothesis. Overall, contrary to the position of critics of SFAS 142, the results support the view taken by the FASB and proponents of SFAS 142: eliminating systematic amortization and adopting fair value estimates improve representational faithfulness of goodwill reporting.
High Rate of Systolic Heart Failure in Patients with Hereditary Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloid

Purpose Hereditary Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis (hATTR- CM) is an infiltrative cardiomyopathy that is usually associated with significant ventricular hypertrophy and restrictive diastolic dysfunction. Recent studies have demonstrated that patients with the V122Ile hATTR-CM variant present with worse functional status at diagnosis compared to wild-type and other hereditary variants. Therefore, we sought to assess the prevalence of systolic heart failure and associated clinical characteristics at the time of diagnosis of V122Ile hATTR-CM patients in our single, tertiary care center. Methods 69 patients were diagnosed with V122Ile hATTR-CM between 2013 - 2020 by genetic testing in combination with technetium pyrophosphate scanning or endomyocardial biopsy. Demographic and diagnostic data were collected by retrospective chart review and patients with systolic heart failure, defined as EF ≤ 40%, were identified. All data is reported as mean ± standard error or percentage of whole. Results Among our cohort of 69 patients with V122Ile hATTR-CM, 46 (67%) were found to have systolic heart failure with a LVEF of 26% ± 10.1, IVS thickness of 17.4 mm ± 4.1, and LV Mass Index was 166.2 g/m2 ± 61.2. Troponin I and BNP biomarkers averaged 0.26 ± 0.61 and 885 ± 561, respectively. The most prominent extra-cardiac manifestations among the systolic heart failure group were bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome in 25 (54%) patients, lumbar stenosis in 11 (24%), and polyneuropathy in 9 (20%). A significant delay in diagnosis was seen with an average time of 19 months from time of presentation to ATTR diagnosis. Average survival time after diagnosis was 2.5 ± 1.8 years and 6 (16%) patients underwent successful orthotopic heart transplant. 33% of patients with systolic heart failure were found to have primary prevention ICDs. Conclusion In a cohort of 69 V122Ile hATTR-CM patients, 67% were found to have systolic heart failure at the time of initial diagnosis. A significant delay was noted in time to diagnosis, which is consistent with the existing literature. Despite the delay in diagnosis and depressed LVEF at presentation, average survival remained > 2 years. Delayed diagnosis remains a critical problem for hATTR-CM patients.
AURKB/Ipl1 restarts replication forks to recover from replication stress

Aurora kinase B (AURKB in human, Ipl1 in S. cerevisiae) is a master regulator of mitosis and its dysregulation has been implicated in chromosome instability. AURKB accumulates in the nucleus in S-phase and is regulated by CHK1 but has not been implicated in in the DNA Damage Response (DDR). Here we show that AURKB has a conserved role to recover from replication stress and restart replication forks. Active AURKB is localized to replication forks after a prolonged arrest. CHK1 phosphorylation of AURKB induces activating phosphorylation of PLK1 and both Aurora and Plk1 are required to deactivate the DDR. Clinical trials with AURKB inhibitors are designed to target established roles for AURKB in mitosis. Our data suggest combinations of AURKB inhibitors and DNA damaging agents could be of therapeutic importance.
Has Enrollment in HSA-Eligible Health Plans Stalled?

Both the number of health savings accounts (HSAs) and enrollment in HSA-eligible health plans have grown significantly since HSAs first became available in 2004. In 2017, enrollment estimates in HSA-eligible health plans vary considerably from 21.4 million to 33.7 million policyholders and their dependents. But there is one consistency between the enrollment estimates – most sources show that growth appears to have slowed in 2017, especially when looking at the market share of HSA-eligible health plan enrollment. This Issue Brief examines trends in enrollment in HSA-eligible health plans. It compares surveys of individuals, employers, and health plans. It also puts enrollment trends in the context of the health policy environment. This Issue Brief examines the findings from five surveys. ○ Two surveys (conducted by EBRI/Greenwald & Associates and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)) interview individuals with private health insurance obtained either through employment, directly from insurers, or through public exchanges. ○ Two surveys (conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Mercer) interview employers to determine enrollment. ○ One survey (conducted by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)) polls insurance companies and obtains estimates for individuals with private health insurance either through employment, directly from insurers, or through public exchanges. Enrollment estimates for 2017 range from 21.4 million to 33.7 million individuals. AHIP, whose estimates generally are the lowest, has not released 2017 estimates yet. AHIP, EBRI/Greenwald & Associates, and NCHS estimates are in the low 20-million range, while KFF and Mercer estimates are in the lower 30million range. Surveys conducted by AHIP, EBRI/Greenwald & Associates, and NCHS cover the entire privately insured market, whereas those conducted by KFF and Mercer cover only employment-based health plans. Hence, the AHIP, EBRI/Greenwald & Associates, and NCHS estimates should be larger than those reported by KFF and Mercer, but the data show just the opposite. All of the surveys find substantial growth in HSA-eligible health plan enrollment since HSAs were established in 2004. The surveys consistently find that there was very little growth in HSA-eligible health plan enrollment from 2014 to 2017. Two studies focus on growth in the number of HSAs rather than enrollment growth in HSA-eligible health plans. Devenir collects data from about 100 HSA providers and tracks the number of accounts universally. It finds that the number of accounts increased from 16.8 million at the end of 2015 to 20 million at the end of 2016. The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) HSA Database, which contains 5 million HSAs as of the end of 2016, finds that most HSAs have been established relatively recently and this indirectly supports the notion that we should be seeing growth in enrollment in HSA-eligible health plans. Data from the EBRI HSA Database show that 21 percent of HSAs were established in 2016.
Financial Integration and the Correlation between International Debt and Equity Flows

This paper empirically documents a number of stylized facts of international debt and equity flows and theoretically investigates the roles of these two financial assets in international risk sharing. Using a data set of debt and equity flows since 1970 for a sample of 104 countries, I find that international debt and equity flows have become increasingly volatile in the past decades due to the increased world financial integration. In addition, there is a negative correlation between debt and equity flows and such negative correlation has become stronger over time. Using a simple two-country model with international capital flows, I show that negatively correlated debt and equity flows arise as two countries trade equity assets and bond to hedge against income uncertainties. The numerical analysis shows that the model can replicate the dynamics of the volatilities and correlation between debt and equity flows in the data as the financial integration progresses.
Polarimetric Array Processing for Nonstationary Signals

Time-frequency distributions (TFDs) have evolved to be a powerful technique for nonstationary signal analysis and synthesis. With the use of a multi-sensor array, spatial time-frequency distributions (STFDs) have been developed and successfully applied to high-resolution direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimations and blind recovery of the source waveforms. In this paper, we introduce the spatial polarimetric time-frequency distribution (SPTFD) as a platform to process nonstationary array signals with two orthogonal polar-ization components, such as horizontal and vertical. The use of dual polarization empowers the STFDs with additional degrees-of-freedom (D0Fs) and improves the robustness of the signal and noise subspaces. This improvement serves to enhance DOA estimation and signal recovery. To demonstrate the ef-fectiveness of the SPTFD platform, the polarimetric timefrequency ESPRIT (PTF-ESPRIT) method is proposed and is shown to outperform time-fre-quency, polarimetric, and conventional ESPRIT methods.
Further theoretical investigation of the laminar boundary layer overrotating blades and yawed infinite wings.

In this paper the problems of the laminar boundary layer on rotating blades and yawed infinite wings have been considered theoretically by using the parametric method proposed by Loitsianskii. The spanwise boundary-layer equations in both cases have been reduced to universal form by transferring the parameters expressing the influence of external conditions characteristic of each particular problem to the number of independent variables. The universal partial-differential equations in the one-parameter approximation are solved numerically by an implicit finite-difference scheme on an IBM system 360 computer. Numerical computations for rotating blades reported in this paper are for symmetrical profiles at zero angle of attack rotating steadily with uniform angular velocity, though the analysis permits the use of more general cambered and nonzero angle-of-attack profile shapes. The solutions obtained are valid for all wing profiles satisfying the criteria of the independence principle.
Neurotransmitter Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways as Modulators of Carcinogenesis

The autonomic nervous system with its two antagonistic branches, the sympathicus and the parasympathicus, regulates the activities of all body functions that are not under voluntary control. While the autonomic regulation of organ functions has been extensively studied, little attention has been given to the potential role of neurohumoral transmission at the cellular level in the development of cancer. Studies conducted by our laboratory first showed that binding of the parasympathetic neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, as well as nicotine or its nitrosated cancer-causing derivative, NNK, to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors comprised of alpha7 subunits activated a mitogenic signal transduction pathway in normal and neoplastic pulmonary neuroendocrine cells. On the other hand, beta-adrenergic receptors (Beta-ARs), which transmit signals initiated by binding of the catecholamine neurotransmitters of the sympathicus, were identified by our laboratory as important regulators of cell proliferation in cell lines derived from human adenocarcinomas of the lungs, pancreas, and breast. The tobacco-specific carcinogen NNK bound with high affinity to Beta1- and Beta2-ARs, thus activating cAMP, protein kinase A, and the transcription factor CREB. Collectively, neurotransmitter receptors of the nicotinic and Beta-adrenergic families appear to regulate cellular functions essential for the development and survival of the most common human cancers.
The Sonic Mirror

When I was around ten, my piano teacher, Diana Graa, had me play on the radio. She took me to the Municipal Building in lower Manhattan, to the wnyc studio, where several students of other teachers and I would tape a piece or two each, to be heard later that week on a program that may have been called "Young American Artists." It was a strange experience. I'd never been recorded before. I'd never heard myself recorded. I'd never been to the Municipal Building. I'd never been to a recording studio?although I'd spent a lot of time listening to piano music on both wnyc and wqxr. I'd never met these kids, who seemed both older and quite used to this kind of thing. One girl, I recall, wore sneakers so as not have her performance?of a Chopin nocturne?marred by intermittent foot stomping. It was beautiful. She was pretty, too. My own perfor mance, however, was a bit of a disaster. Although my first piece?a Mazurka?went all right, my second?something by Bartok?didn't. I kept having memory lapses and so was never able to play the thing all the way through. After three or four attempts, each one worse than the last, I was asked to stop. I'm not sure by whom. Imagine my shame?made so much worse by the fact that no one said anything about this fiasco. Needless to say, I assumed the Bartok couldn't make it onto the broadcast. But it did. Some technician had managed to splice together a perfect recording. So, to my surprise, it sounded like I'd nailed the thing. It sounded a lot better than I was. Or than I thought I was. But I don't think surprise?or pleasant surprise?was the only feeling connected with that primal self-audi tion. I imagine I was also, still, a bit ashamed. One thing you should know about me?maybe the one thing?is that I didn't always want to be an English professor. I used to want to be a pianist. But it wasn't till I was around twenty that I had to accept my now rather obvious limitations. I lack virtuoso tech nique?for which I'm still petty enough to blame Mrs. Graa. And I lack musical intelligence?for which I don't even have genetics to blame. My older brother, Robert, is a successful pianist. (Bob, in fact, is the one I heard most, growing up. And many of the pieces
The value of information sharing for truckload shippers

Abstract This study explores the potential value to shippers of sharing load offers with carriers and obtaining carriers’ responses in advance of the scheduled pickup date. Using a private transactional dataset from a large national shipper, we find that truckload spot prices increase considerably as the lead time before pickup decreases. As an extension of this empirical analysis, we develop a method to estimate near-real-time market prices, which does not currently exist in the truckload industry. A key insight is that market prices persist through time, meaning that current prices are good predictors of future prices.
Update on prolactinomas. Part 1: Clinical manifestations and diagnostic challenges

The authors provide an update on the clinical manifestations and diagnostic challenges of prolactinomas. Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary adenoma seen in clinical practice. Secondary causes of hyperprolactinemia should be ruled out by assessment of the clinical history, including current medications, physical examination, pregnancy test, routine biochemical analysis with a thyroid function test, and neuroimaging, before a confirmatory diagnosis of prolactinoma is made. Prolactinomas are associated with endocrine dysfunction, affecting gonadal function and causing neurological deficits due to mass effect. The progress in elucidating the pathogenesis of prolactinomas and advances in diagnostic methods, including more sensitive diagnostic hormone assays and neuroimaging, have enriched the current diagnostic approach and management. Making the correct diagnosis is crucial to implementing the appropriate therapy. Dopamine agonist therapy remains the first line of treatment for prolactinomas, as it is effective in normalizing serum prolactin levels and reducing tumor size. Surgery is typically indicated for patients who are resistant to medical therapy or intolerant of its adverse side effects, or for those experiencing progressive neurological deficits. Nevertheless, curative surgical resection as a primary mode of treatment for smaller prolactinomas has recently gained attention as an alternative to lifelong dopamine agonist treatment.
The role of IL-12 in the induction of intravenous tolerance in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Intravenous administration of autoantigen is an effective method to induce Ag-specific tolerance against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). IL-12 is a potent Th1 stimulator and an essential cytokine in the induction of EAE. The role of IL-12 in the induction of i.v. tolerance is not clear. In this study, we induced tolerance by i.v. administering myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide Ac1–11 (MBP1–11) in EAE. We observed significant suppression of IL-12 production by the lymph node cells of MBP1–11-injected mice. To see whether the low level of IL-12 is the cause or effect of tolerance, we administered IL-12 to the EAE mice at the time of i.v. MBP1–11 injection. Exogenous IL-12 abrogated the suppression of clinical and pathological EAE by i.v. tolerance. IL-12 blocked the suppressive effect of i.v. tolerance on the proliferative response to MBP1–11 and MBP1–11-induced production of IL-12 and IFN-γ. Furthermore, IL-12 completely blocked the i.v. tolerance-induced type 1 T regulatory cell response. These data suggest that i.v. administration of autoantigen results in the suppression of endogenous IL-12 and the consequent switching of the immune response from an immunogenic to a tolerogenic form.
Nitric oxide induces Ca2+-independent activity of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII).

Both signaling by nitric oxide (NO) and by the Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II α isoform (CaMKIIα) are implicated in two opposing forms of synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory, as well as in excitotoxic/ischemic neuronal cell death. For CaMKIIα, these functions specifically involve also Ca2+-independent autonomous activity, traditionally generated by Thr-286 autophosphorylation. Here, we demonstrate that NO-induced S-nitrosylation of CaMKIIα also directly generated autonomous activity, and that CaMKII inhibition protected from NO-induced neuronal cell death. NO induced S-nitrosylation at Cys-280/289, and mutation of either site abolished autonomy, indicating that simultaneous nitrosylation at both sites was required. Additionally, autonomy was generated only when Ca2+/CaM was present during NO exposure. Thus, generation of this form of CaMKIIα autonomy requires simultaneous signaling by NO and Ca2+. Nitrosylation also significantly reduced subsequent CaMKIIα autophosphorylation specifically at Thr-286, but not at Thr-305. A previously described reduction of CaMKII activity by S-nitrosylation at Cys-6 was also observed here, but only after prolonged (>5 min) exposure to NO donors. These results demonstrate a novel regulation of CaMKII by another second messenger system and indicate its involvement in excitotoxic neuronal cell death.
College Affordability: Implications for College Opportunity

By examining trends in college affordability, this article explores the extent to which the public perception that college is not affordable is justified. First, the article describes trends in national indicators that contribute to ability to pay, including income growth, health care costs, debt burden, and personal savings rates. Trends in college pricing, including tuition and fees, unmet financial need, and student aid, are then examined. Finally, the article considers the potential contribution of these trends to college opportunity. Based on this examination, it is clear that college affordability has declined in recent years, especially for those in lowincome and lower-middle-income families. In order to promote equality of college access and choice, policymakers should consider ways to improve affordability, particularly by targeting financial aid resources toward students from lowand lower-middle-income backgrounds. Comments Reprinted from NASFAA Journal of Student Financial Aid, Volume 36, Issue 1, 2006, pages 7-24. Publisher URL: http://www.nasfaa.org/Annualpubs/Journal/ This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gse_pubs/33 7 NASFAA JOURNAL OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID College Affordability: Implications for College
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of pharmacological and behavioural treatment of lexical-semantic deficits in aphasia

This investigation replicated and extended an earlier study of naming disorders (McNeil. et al. 1995) by administering a placebo and pharmacological agents (d-amphetamine and selegiline) in the presence and absence of a behavioural intervention termed lexical-semantic activation inhibition therapy (L-SAIT) to examine their effects on naming performance in two adults with stroke-induced aphasia. Results revealed acquisition and maintenance effects of L-SAIT on targeted lexical items, no effects of placebo or active pharmacological agents in the absence of L-SAIT, and no differential effects between placebo + L-SAIT and pharmacological agents + L-SAIT. Thus, positive treatment effects were attributed to L-SAIT. Generalization to untrained items within and across form class was not observed, nor was generalization to measures of informativeness of connected speech. Subject 1 evidenced improvement on the Rapid Automatized Naming Test (Denckla and Rudel 1976).
Tables of Percentage Points for the Studentized Maximum Absolute Deviate in Normal Samples

Abstract * The authors wish to acknowledge the valuable computing assistance of Mrs. Ina R. Hughes. Tables of upper and lower limits on the upper 5 per cent and 1 per cent points of the distribution of the studentized maximum absolute deviate in normal samples are presented. The method of computation and the reliability of the tables are described, and approximations which may be used to supplement the table are derived and discussed. Examples of the use of the tables are given with special attention devoted to their use for multiple significance testing on a set of means.
Descriptive Analysis of Crashes Involving Pedestrians in Florida, 1990-1994

A descriptive analysis was conducted of pedestrian crash data used to categorize pedestrian crashes according to a variety of factors, including pedestrian gender and age, time of day, pedestrian's contributing cause of crash, injury severity, weather condition, road system identifier, and so forth, to the specific sequence of events perceived to influence the crash. The results reported are based on 5 years (1990-1994) of pedestrian crash data in Florida. The database contained 44,541 or 100 percent of the pedestrian crashes that were reported to law enforcement that occurred in Florida during this period. The process of categorizing pedestrian crashes in the manner described provides a valuable analytical tool for developing effective and practical countermeasures to reduce the deaths and injuries incurred by pedestrians involved in traffic crashes in Florida and elsewhere. Analysis of the pedestrian crash data can provide information about to whom and where, when, and how crashes occur in Florida.
Sentence comprehension and relative pronouns

Doubly self-embedded sentences, differing only in whether the relative pronouns were present or deleted, were presented to two groups of Ss who were required to respond to a word beginning with a particular letter in each sentence and to paraphrase the sentence. The results of both the phoneme monitor task and the paraphrase task indicated that comprehension was better when the relative pronouns were present than when they were deleted. These results are consistent with earlier results for the paraphrase task but are not consistent with earlier results for the phoneme monitor task. Possible reasons for the inconsistency were considered. It was concluded that the phoneme monitor task does reflect comprehension difficulty in a manner consistent with the paraphrase task and that deleting the relative pronouns does make comprehending self-embedded sentences more difficult.
Leakage of cellular enzyme during replication of oncogenic and nononcogenic adenoviruses.

Leakage of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase was monitored as an indicator of cell damage during a 48- hour period in which maximum virus replication occurred. There was increased leakage of the enzyme from HEp-2 cells infected with highly oncogenic adenovirus type 12. Leakage from cells infected with adenovirus types 18 and 31 (highly oncogenic), types 3,7 and 14 (weakly oncogenic), and types 1, 2 and 5 (nononcogenic) was similar to that from uninfected HEp-2 cells, even after the appearance of advanced virus-induced cytopathology.
Low-molecular-weight zinc-binding ligand: A regulatory modulator for intestinal zinc transport

Abstract 1. 1. In the last two decades, vast numbers of studies on the zinc nutriture of animals and man have been made. However, the biochemical and physiological events in controlling zinc nutrition are still poorly understood. This report concerns the progress made toward understanding the intestinal zinc absorption and secretion mechanisms. 2. 2. Evidence is accumulating that zinc absorption is a facilitated diffusion while zinc secretion is an active transport. 3. 3. It is known that a low molecular weight zinc-binding ligand (LMW-ZBL) is a key regulator of intestinal zinc absorption, possibly a carrier molecule across the intestinal mucosal cells. Some high molecular weight zinc-binding ligands also appear to be involved in regulating intestinal zinc transport. 4. 4. The identity of the LMW-ZBL is a matter of controversy and its specific role in regulating intestinal zinc transport is not well defined. 5. 5. According to the available literature, no systemic investigations have been made to elucidate the intestinal zinc transport mechanisms, and much more information is needed to fully understand them.
Measuring Aggregate-Level Ideological Heterogeneity

Ideological heterogeneity is a key variable for the study of legislative and electoral politics. Scholars have long recognized that members with more ideologically heterogeneous constituencies behave differently than members with more homogeneous ones. empirical tests of these theories, however, have typically been stymied by a lack of appropriate measures. w e corrected this shortcoming by developing a measurement model for ideological heterogeneity, and we used our method to generate estimates for the 50 u.S. states and 435 congressional districts. Beyond the specific results presented here, a key contribution of our model is its flexibility: our technique can be used to produce similar estimates in a variety of contexts. Ideological heterogeneity is a key explanatory variable for the study of legislative politics. Seminal works by Fenno (1978) and Fiorina