cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing uncertainty in measurement

In 1993 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), in cooperation with several other international organizations, issued Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement in order to establish, and standardize for international use, a set of general rules for evaluation and expressing uncertainty in measurement. The ISO recommendation has been of concern to many statisticians because it appears to combine frequentist performance measures and indices of subjective distributions in a way that neither frequentists nor Bayesians can fully endorse. The purpose of this review of the ISO Guide is to describe the essential recommendations made in the Guide, then to show how these recommendations can be regarded as approximate solutions to certain frequentist and Bayesian inference problems. The framework thus provided will, hopefully, allow statisticians to develop improvements to the ISO recommendations (particularly in the approximations used), and also better communicate with the physical science researchers who will be following the ISO guidelines.
Crossroads Dynamics in Foreign Policy: The Case of Latvia

Russia wants to exercise greater influence in its former client states, but in most cases its strategy is more opportunistic than militarily aggressive. While Latvia relies on NATO for its military defense, it is vulnerable to intimidation and reassertions of Russian hegemony economically as well as politically, through mobilization of its large Russian minority population.
Compositional and temperature effects on five-coordinated silicon in ambient pressure silicate glasses

Abstract Using 29Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy, silicon coordinated by five oxygens has recently been found in a number of alkali silicate glasses quenched from liquids both at high and ambient pressure. In this report, both the presence of this species in other ambient-pressure samples and the increase in its concentration with fictive temperature are confirmed. However, it has not been possible to detect this species in a hydrated cesium silicate glass sample or in a silica gel, the latter at a detection limit of about 0.02%. Also as previously noted for high-pressure samples, it is found that five-coordinated Si is more abundant in K2Si4O9 than in Na2Si4O9 glass. Given the effects of alkali size on the coordination and bonding to oxygen known from crystalline silicates, this finding supports a mechanism for the formation of the high-coordinate species that involves the consumption of non-bridging oxygens.
Localization of epstein-barr virus-encoded small RNA-1 by in situ reverse transcription: Demonstration of cDNA generation in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections

Reverse transcription (RT) followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been commonly used to detect viral and cellular transcripts in whole cell extracts. Application of this technique to tissue sections requires the in situ generation of cDNA. In this study, we selected an abundant transcript, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNA (EBER-1), as a model template to demonstrate cDNA generation in tissue sections. Using both digoxigenin-dUTP and primers which are complementary to EBER-1, we demonstrated specific EBER-1 cDNA generation both in vitro, and in tissue sections taken from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cell blocks of an EBV-infected cell line, B95-8. Furthermore, we utilized in situ RT in sections of EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinomas, and identified EBER-1 cDNA specifically in neoplastic cells, but not in the surrounding nonneoplastic stroma. EBER-1 cDNA was localized to the nucleus of these cells, with relative sparing of the nucleolus and the cytoplasm. No specific signal was evident if the reverse transcriptase was omitted, if ‘sense’ primers were used, or if RT was preceded by RNase digestion. The specificity of EBER-1 cDNA was further confirmed by in situ hybridization using the sense riboprobe, which has the same polarity as the EBER-1 transcript. Our results provide a successful example of using nonradioactive nucleotide analogue for cDNA generation in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. This approach would provide a visible assay to monitor RT in tissue sections, and allow further optimization of conditions for cDNA generation in tissue sections. Therefore, it potentially can be helpful for the future development of RT-PCR in tissue sections.
“Dangerous Indians” Evaluating the Depiction of Native Americans in Selected Trade Books

This study examined 20 trade books (1964-1997) to evaluate their accuracy in depicting Native American peoples and cultures. The criteria embodied an authenticity guideline based on the Five Great Values with a rating scale between 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest). The values include generosity and sharing, respect for elders and women, getting along with nature, individual freedom and leadership, and courage. The results indicate that 60% of the books are at least satisfactory in their depictions but that bias and stereotyping still persist enough to recommend the use of the guideline as a tool to allow educators to confidently identify these problems in their instructional materials.
Significant associations between lipoprotein(a) and corrected apolipoprotein B-100 levels in African–Americans

Objectives Lipoprotein(a), Lp(a), represents an apolipoprotein (apo) B-carrying lipoprotein, yet the relationship between Lp(a) and apoB levels has not been fully explored.
Sequential coupled process-performance simulation and multi-objective optimization of thin-walled tubes

Abstract A sequential coupled nonlinear finite element analysis framework is developed to investigate the effects of sheet-forming process and product design parameters on energy absorption characteristics of thin-walled, multicorner tubes made of a magnesium alloy. Coupling stems from the use of analysis results from one simulation to form the initial state in the subsequent simulation. High fidelity coupled process-performance simulations are used in design of computer experiments for developing analytical surrogate models of process and performance responses as functions of product geometry and process parameters. Rupture, thinning and springback are treated as the manufacturing responses whereas mean crush force, maximum crush force, and mass are used as structural performance measures. An integrated process-performance optimization problem is setup and solved using the multi-objective genetic algorithm approach. The results of coupled simulations show the importance of manufacturing effects on the crush response while the Pareto optimal set highlights the tradeoff among process and performance attributes.
EVIDENCE FOR TWO PARALLEL SODIUM PATHWAYS ACROSS ILEUM

Intestine activity is characterized by an efficient absorption of nutrients from lumen to blood; it is also characterized by large transmural fluxes of water and electrolytes and low electrical resistance. The effect of diffusional forces on net Na transport was therefore investigated. Rabbit lleum was mounted as a flat sheet between two chambers. Temperature, pressure and electrolyte solution (Ringer +10 mM glucose) were identical on both sides of the epithelium. Transmural Na fluxes were studied as a function of applied electrical potential, Ψms, (from +9 to -9mV). The net Na flux, JNanet, was found to be a linear function of Ψms (JNanet = -0.20 Ψms +1.89; r =0.99). In absence of electrochemical potential difference JNanet had the value of 2.07 ± 0.79 μeq/hr cm2), Each transmural unidirectional Na flux comprised a PD-dependent, Jd, and a PD-independent flux, J. In absence of electrochemical potential tne ratio of J from mucosa to serosa/Jd, from serosa to mucosa was 1.04, and the difference between Jc from mucosa to serosa minus Jc from serosa to mucosa was 2.07 μeq/hr cm2. These results clearly indicate the presence of two parallel pathways for Na across rabbit ileum. It is proposed that the PD-dependent pathway represents a paracellular pathway and the PD-independent pathway represents a cellular pathway.
Surgical perspective on invasive Candida infections.

Candida infections have become a major source of morbidity and mortality in the modern surgical intensive care unit. The most common risks for invasion and dissemination are the use of antibiotics, central venous lines, total parenteral nutrition, burns, immunosuppression, and other markers for severity of illness (APACHE > 10, ventilatory use for > 48 hours). Data suggest that colonization can be a late predictor of invasive disease in today’s critically ill surgical patient and that prophylaxis or early treatment in high risk patients is warranted, particularly before invasive/disseminated disease becomes life-threatening. When advanced disease is present, the diagnosis of invasive or disseminated Candida infection is often prompted by clinical suspicion and supported by consistent clinical data; laboratory tests alone lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity to direct therapeutic decision-making. Once the diagnosis of invasive or disseminated Candida infection is ascertained, early systemic treatment, along with treatment of localized infection, is as fundamental as with any other serious infectious disease. Reported toxicity and efficacy supports the use of fluconazole for most patients with invasive/disseminated Candida infections. For the most critically ill surgical patient amphotericin B remains the treatment of choice. Prophylaxis and early treatment strategies with minimally toxic agents may diminish the need to use more toxic therapy in the most severely ill patients.
Studies on the salt and water balance of Nereis diversicolor-II. Components of total sodium efflux

Abstract 1. 1. Radio-sodium was used as a tracer to study Na-efflux in N. diversicolor adapted to salinities from 0·5 to 96 per cent of normal sea water. 2. 2. Total Na+ efflux consists of three components, which vary in relative importance in different salinities: (a) passive diffusion through body wall, proportional to Na+ concentration in coelomic fluid in high salinities, but reduced in low salinities by reduction in permeability of body wall to Na+; (b) loss through urine, increasing in lower salinities as urine volume increases in response to increasing osmotic influx of water. Total urinary loss of Na[su+] decreases in low salinities due to decreasing concentration of Na+ in urine and to reduction of urine volume; (c) a component attributable to the “leaky pump” type of exchange diffusion, linked with active transport system for Na+, and present only in low salinities.
Rates of Vitamin C Loss and Discoloration in Clear Orange Juice Concentrate during Storage at Temperatures of 4−24 °C†

The rate of vitamin C degradation in clear orange juice concentrate (80.2 °Brix) produced by the combined membrane−evaporation technique was studied at storage temperatures of 4, 14, and 24 °C for 19 weeks. Absorption at 420 nm and CIE L*, a*, b* color parameters were determined to evaluate color changes due to nonenzymic browning during storage. Calculated values of reaction rate constants indicated that vitamin C degradation occurred slowly in clear orange juice concentrate at 4 °C. Rates of vitamin C degradation ranged from 4.79 × 10-4 to 3.13 × 10-2 per week. The activation energy for vitamin C degradation was on the order of 34.3 kcal/g·mol. Main color changes in stored clear orange juice concentrate in amber glass vials were due to increases in b* value and chroma. Keywords: Clear orange juice concentrate; vitamin C; color; browning, membrane
The taxonomic and ecological status of the environmentally restricted spongillid species of North America. III. Corvomeyenia carolinensis Harrison 1971

The taxonomic validity, present distribution, and specific threats to the existence of the freshwater sponge, Corvomeyenia carolinensis Harrison 1971 were investigated. This species, a valid environmentally restricted species, has not colonized other areas beyond the type locality, Adams Pond, Richland County, South Carolina. At present, the only threat to the existence of this species is the aggressive competition for substrate provided by Heteromeyenia baileyi, a sponge species recently colonizing the habitat. Habitat data, particularly physicochemical data, from Adams Pond and other components of the Mill Creek drainage system greatly extend the known environmental parameters of Corvomeyenia carolinensis, Heteromeyenia baileyi, Anheteromeyenia ryderi, Spongilla lacustris, and Trochospongilla pennsylvanica.
Artificial substrates which release nutrients: Effects on periphyton and invertebrate succession

Nutrient-diffusing substrates for periphyton were made from clay flower pots (O.D. = 8.8 cm), sealed with plastic petri dishes, and filled with 2% agar and specified nutrients. When placed in water, the nutrients slowly diffuse through the agar and clay walls of the pots, becoming available to organisms colonizing the outer surface. Forty-eight pots, 16 containing 0.1 M KH2PO4, 16 with 0.1 M NaNO3, and 16 with no added nutrients, were placed at 0.5 m depth in Douglas Lake, Michigan. Four pots of each nutrient treatment were sampled for algal periphyton and invertebrates after 7, 14, 25, and 36 days. A total of 72 algal species were enumerated. Of these, Epithemia adnata (Kutz.) Breb., Rhopalodia gibba (Ehr.) O. Mull, and Anabaena sp. experienced strong growth stimulation in response to phosphate addition. No significant effects of nitrate addition were noted. Measures of algal community structure also reflected the impact of phosphate addition. Final algal biomass was enhanced 10-fold, successional change was prolonged, and species diversity declined relative to nitrate and control pots. Chironomids, chydorid Cladocera, and gastropods dominated the invertebrate fauna found on the pots. Densities of the small, algivorous chironomid Corynoneura nr. lobata Edwards were highest on phosphate pots at the end of the study, in apparent response to the increase in periphyton biomass.
On-board Fault Diagnosis of HEV Induction Motor Drive at Start-up and During Idle Mode

The integrity of the electric motors in work and passenger vehicles can best be maintained by monitoring its condition frequently on-board the vehicle. In this paper, a signal processing based fault diagnosis scheme for on-board diagnosis of rotor asymmetry at start-up and idle mode is presented. Regular rotor asymmetry tests are done when the motor is running at certain speed under load with stationary current signal assumption. It is quite challenging to obtain these regular test conditions for long enough time during daily vehicle operations. In addition, automobile vibrations cause a nonuniform air-gap motor operation which directly affects the inductances of electric motor and results quite noisy current spectrum. Therefore, examining the condition of electric motor as part of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrain, conventional rotor fault detection methods become impracticable. The proposed method overcomes the aforementioned problems simply by testing the rotor asymmetry at zero speed. This test can be achieved and repeated during start-up and idle modes. The proposed method can be implemented at no cost basically using the readily available electric motor inverter sensors and microprocessing unit. Induction motor rotor asymmetry fault signatures are experimentally tested online employing the drive embedded master processor (TMS320F2812 DSP) to prove the effectiveness of the proposed method. It is experimentally shown that the proposed method detects the fault harmonics at start-up and standstill to determine the existence and the severity of faults in HEV powertrain.
On the role of persistent signaling and autocatalysis in the T-cell independent immune response

Abstract A kinetic model of the T -cell independent immune response is presented which includes two new mechanistic features. First, a persistent signaling mechanism is hypothesized which requires that proliferating cell receptor sites be continuously occupied in order for mitotic proliferation to occur. Second, an autocatalytic mechanism is introduced (coupled with the persistent signaling mechanism) which results in rapid termination of the B -cell response upon sufficient reduction of the antigen population.
Clinical outcome and complications of gamma knife radiosurgery for intracranial arteriovenous malformations.

We sought to evaluate the outcome of intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden) as a primary treatment as well as an adjunct therapy. GKRS has emerged as an important treatment option for intracranial AVM. However, the long term outcome of GKRS on AVM is not well understood. We performed a retrospective review of 85 patients with AVM from 2000–2012 who received GKRS. Out of 85 patients, 13 had undergone prior embolization. The study population was monitored clinically and radiographically after GKRS treatment. Outcome following GKRS for intracranial AVM showed significant variations in nidus obliteration (obliteration in 67 [79%] patients and increase of nidus size on MRI in 18 [21%] patients). The median time to nidus obliteration was 31 months. Overall two (2.3%) patients had intracranial bleeding and the annual bleeding risk was 1.6% after GKRS. Predictive factors for obliteration of the nidus in patients with AVM were low AVM score, Spetzler–Martin grade I–III and female sex. Seventeen (20%) and one (1.17%) patients underwent repeat GKRS and resection, respectively, after initial GKRS, due to increased size of the nidus and GKRS related cyst formation. Thus, GKRS offers a high obliteration rate of AVM, low risk of intracranial bleeding and neurological morbidity, both as primary modality and as an adjunctive treatment. Therefore, GKRS is an effective treatment option for new patients with AVM as well as an adjuvant therapy in patients with recurrent AVM.
Kinetics of the desulfurization of thiophene: Reactions of thiophene and butene

Abstract The kinetics of the desulfurization of thiophene on a representative CoOMoO 3 Al 2 O 3 were studied in the temperature range of 250–313 °C for partial pressures of thiophene from 20 to 160 Torr and for partial pressures of hydrogen from 550–750 Torr. Rates of butene hydrogenation were determined in the same experiments for butene partial pressures from 3 to 31 Torr. In addition, separate experiments were carried out on the direct hydrogenation of 1-butene in the absence of thiophene on the same catalyst. Results are also presented for kinetics of the isomerization of 1-butene. The rate correlations developed for these data are generally consistent with the view that the primary hydrogenolysis of thiophene and the hydrogenation of butene occur on different sites, although there is some parallelism of the response of these reactions to pyridine poisoning. A combined model is presented to represent the contributions of strongly and reversibly chemisorbed hydrogen in the reaction of thiophene.
The Effect of «Non-critical» (<50%) Stenosis on Vein Graft Longitudinal Resistance and Impedance

Objective: vein graft stenoses <50% cause minimal flow impairment, velocity elevation, or symptomatology and are therefore usually assumed to be “non-critical”. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of <50% vein graft stenosis on vein graft longitudinal impedance, as elevated impedance has been found to correlate with clinical graft failure. Methods: eight segments of non-reversed cryopreserved vein (mean length 23±1 cm; mean outer diameter 4.7±0.2 mm) were saline-perfused in vitro utilising a variable pulsatile perfusion pump, Windkessel, and clamp resistor simulating the haemodynamic conditions of arterial bypass. Proximal (Pprox) and distal (Pdist) pressure were continuously measured by fluid-filled catheter transduction, and flow (Q) by ultrasonic transit-time flowmetry. Waveforms were digitally recorded at 200 Hz at pulse rates ranging from 60–180 b.p.m. with mean flow (Q;) of 154 ml/min and mean proximal pressure (P;prox) of 100 mmHg (max/min 120/90). Graded mid-graft stenoses of <50% were created using an inflatable vascular occluder and measured by the corresponding changes in mean pressure gradient (ΔP=Pprox−P;dist) and Q; (%stenosis=1−{ΔP;baselineQ;stenosis/ΔP;stenosisQ;baseline}1/4). Vein graft longitudinal resistance (RL) was calculated as ΔP;/Q. After Fourier transformation, vein graft longitudinal impedance (ZL) was calculated as ΔP/Q at each harmonic, with ZL determined by integration over 0–4 Hz. Results are reported as mean±.e.m. Results: the desired levels of pressure and flow were established in all vein segments. Graded inflation of the occluder resulted in vein graft stenosis of 23±3% and 39±3%. This was accompanied by a mild reduction in Q (12% and 30%) and considerable increases in both RL (180% and 710%) and ZL (140% and 430%). Conclusions:“non-critical” vein graft stenosis (<50%) causes minimal change in mean flow, but substantial elevations in longitudinal resistance and impedance. The contribution of “non-critical” stenosis to vein graft failure may be under-appreciated.
An Environment For Software System Development

This paper presents an implementation of an expert system shell which has the capability of reasoning non-monotonically. An expert system is then developed which is capable of reasoning about software system development. The implementation of this expert system provides a working prototype that models a full scale environment for complex software system development.
Comparing a Script Concordance Examination to a Multiple-Choice Examination on a Core Internal Medicine Clerkship

Background: Script concordance (SC) questions, in which a learner is given a brief clinical scenario then asked if additional information makes one hypothesis more or less likely, with answers compared to a panel of experts, are designed to reflect a learner's clinical reasoning. Purpose: The purpose is to compare reliability, validity, and learner satisfaction between a three-option modified SC examination to a multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination among medical students during a 3rd-year internal medicine clerkship, to compare reliability and learner satisfaction of SC between medical students and a convenience sample of house staff, and to compare learner satisfaction with SC between 1st- and 4th-quarter medical students. Methods: Using a prospective cohort design, we compared the reliability of 20-item SC and MCQ examinations, sequentially administered on the same day. To measure validity, scores were compared to scores on the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) subject examination in medi...
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal-Axis Hyperactivity in Bulimia

Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, demonstrated by nonsuppression of plasma cortisol in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), has been found in about 50% of patients with major depression. We administered the DST to 47 patients with bulimia and to 22 age- and sex-matched normal controls. Among the bulimics, 47% were nonsuppressors, significantly higher than the 9% prevalence of nonsuppressors in the controls, but similar to the prevalence reported for patients with major depression in other studies. This finding is consistent with evidence from studies of phenomenology, family history, and treatment response which suggest that bulimia may be related to affective disorder.
Wertorientierte Berichterstattung zum Kundenkapital – eine empirische Analyse der DAX 30-Unternehmen

Kundenbeziehungen werden in Wissenschaft und Praxis haufig als eine der bedeutendsten Einflussfaktoren und mit als wichtigste immaterielle Vermogenswerte fur den Unternehmenserfolg betrachtet. Die Kommunikation dieser wertrelevanten Informationen an den Kapitalmarkt erfordert die Ausrichtung der externen Berichterstattung borsennotierter Unternehmen auf das Kundenkapital als zentrales Element des Value Reporting. Welche Bedeutung dem Kundenkapital aktuell hierbei in der externen Berichterstattung der DAX 30-Unternehmen zukommt, untersucht der vorliegende Beitrag im Rahmen einer empirischen Analyse.
Central injection of a σ opioid receptor agonist alters body temperature of cats

Abstract The prototype σ opioid receptor agonist Nallyl-normetazocine (SKF 10,047) was injected into the third cerebral ventricle of conscious, unrestrained cats, and their temperature was monitored automatically from the retroperitoneal space. In a cold environment (0°C) a small, but not dose-related, hypothermia occurred after doses of 100–500 μg. This response was not antagonized by naloxone given intraventricularly either 15 min before or 1 hr after the opioid. A smaller hypothermia resulted after 250 μg SKF 10,047 when the environmental temperature was 22°C, whereas hyperthermia developed in a hot environment (34°C). Thus SKF 10,047 appears to allow body temperature to drift, upward in the heat and downward in the cold, a pattern indicative of thermoregulatory depression. These results are similar to those obtained in the first 2–3 hr after pentazocine administration, and they support a previous classification of the initial temperature response to centrally injected pentazocine as due to stimulation of σ opioid receptors.
The Inventiveness of Nature: An Interview with Werner Arber

I admit to having a soft spot for the bacterial phenomenon of host-specific modification and restriction. I vividly remember first learning about this mechanism to stave off marauding DNA as a beginning graduate student in the mid-1970s. Preceding the discovery of its modern-day defensive counterpart, CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) by about 50 years, restriction and modification was not only a remarkable story in itself, but also spawned extremely useful technology. In past issues, I have interviewed Hamilton Smith, who isolated the first type II restriction enzyme, as well as Herb Boyer, whose production of recombinant DNA in collaboration with Stan Cohen launched the biotech industry. For this interview, I was able to go back even farther into the tale and hear first-hand how restriction and modification came to be understood at the molecular level.
Myocardial Stunning Following Respiratory Arrest

Myocardial stunning is defined as a prolonged myocardial dysfunction with gradual return of contractile activity after a brief episode of severe ischemia. Usually it is seen in patients with myocardial infarction following treatment with thrombolytic agents, in patients with angina, and in patients recovering from cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. We report an interesting case of myocardial stunning following respiratory arrest.
Neurologic Recovery after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Study Design Retrospective review. Objective The objective of this study is to describe the natural history of neurologic recovery after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Methods Patients between 18 and 80 years of age, diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy, who underwent single-level ACDF and were followed for a minimum of 2 years were identified from a single-center database. Sensory and motor deficits were documented and graded based on physical examination findings at preoperative and postoperative visits, and used to calculate deficit rates. Results One hundred eighteen patients were included in the study. Mean age was 46 ± 9.2 years and mean follow-up time was 3.8 ± 2.1 years. At the time of surgery, 66% had a sensory deficit. Recovery of sensory function was seen in 85% of patients within 1 year. At final follow-up, new sensory deficits had developed in 30% of patients, 60% of whom had adjacent-level sensory deficits. Patients with preoperative sensory deficits tended to be more likely to develop a new deficit postoperatively ( p = 0.05). At the time of surgery, 55% had a motor deficit. Recovery of motor function was seen in 95% of patients within 1 year, and 14% developed new postoperative motor deficits by final follow-up. Of those patients who developed a new motor deficit postoperatively, 76% did so at an adjacent level. Conclusions In our series, a high percentage of patients recovered neurologic function during the first year after ACDF. Adjacent-level and remote-level degeneration were large contributors to neurologic deficits that occurred in subsequent years.
Overweight children: are they at increased risk for severe injury in motor vehicle collisions?

Abstract Background Obesity is an epidemic in the United States. The relationship between traumatic injury and obesity in children is not well-studied. We hypothesized that overweight children suffer more severe injuries, different distributions of injuries and improper use of restraints in motor vehicle collisions. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of the CIREN database of motor vehicle collisions of subjects 2–17 years old. Overweight was defined as a BMI percentile for age >85%. Significant injury was an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15 or an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score greater than one. Further analysis looked at injuries classified as head, trunk, or extremities and appropriateness of restraints. Odds ratios compared the overweight to lean groups. Results 335 subjects met inclusion criteria with 35.5% of cases being overweight. For significant injury, overweight cases had an odds ratio of 1.2 [95% CI: 0.8–1.9]. Analysis by AIS for overall significant injury and to specific body regions also did not show any significant associations. Overweight versus lean subjects had an odds ratio of 1.3 [95% CI: 0.8–2.1] for improper use of restraints. Conclusions We found no significant relationship between pediatric injury severity, distribution of injuries, or restraint use and being overweight. Limitations of this study were the small sample size in this database and the large number of unrestrained subjects.
Thin anisotropic metasurfaces for simultaneous light focusing and polarization manipulation

The possibility of integration of two important categories of optical components, i.e., circular polarizer and lens, into a thin plasmonic metasurface is examined, for the realistic case when metal losses cannot be neglected, for example when operating in the visible spectrum, or at infrared when non-noble metals are used. We introduce a metasurface made of nanoantennas that offer enough degrees of freedom to control both amplitude and phase of the reflection coefficient. First a theoretical formulation is developed and then an optimal design for a polarizing lens at mid-infrared wavelengths near 4.3 μm is presented. A two-dimensional array of Y-shaped nanoantennas with polarization-dependent and spatially varying phase response offers the possibility of balancing the losses experienced by the x- and y-polarized incident fields and is the basis for such a compact polarizing lens.
Natural Convection in Trenches of High Aspect Ratio

Filling deep trench-like features by electrodeposition is often limited by ion transport from the electrolyte bath to the plating surface at the feature bottom. This transport may be substantially enhanced by buoyancy-driven convection induced by metal-ion depletion adjacent to the plating surface. Numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes and species transport equations are used to determine the magnitude of transport enhancement, expressed as a Sherwood number, for Rayleigh numbers ranging from 10 3 to 10 8 and for feature aspect ratios of depth to width ranging from 1 to 16 both for open trenches and for fully enclosed rectangular domains. To facilitate extrapolation of these numerical results, an exact analytical solution is derived for aspect ratios much greater than unity. This is used in conjunction with the known asymptotic behavior for large Rayleigh numbers to construct a composite formula relating the Sherwood number to the Rayleigh number and aspect ratio. The results indicate that buoyancy-driven convection may provide significant transport enhancement during electrodeposition into features having depths greater than about 100 μm and that enhancement exceeding a factor of ten may occur in LIGA features having depths of 1 mm or more. It is also shown that a moderate inclination of the substrate helps to suppress the formation of multiple vertically stacked convective cells that would otherwise reduce the overall transport.
Regulation of mammary differentiation by the extracellular matrix.

In multicellular organisms cell growth and differentiation are influenced by soluble factors, cell-cell interactions and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. We have used the rat mammary gland a...
PGE measurement in mouse embryos and uterine/embryo tissue

Abstract Embryonic tissue of rodents and other species has been reported to produce prostaglandins (PG) of the E series during gestation. We attempted to establish the presence of PGE in C57BL/6J mouse embryos and peri-embryonic tissue as an initial step in examining the role of maternal ethanol treatment on PG production. Gestation day 10 embryos were found not to produce or degrade PGE. However, a tissue complex which included embryonic tissue, peri-embryonic membranes, placenta and uterus was capable of producing PGE from both endogenous and exogenous arachidonic acid. Furthermore, in vivo and in vitro aspirin was able to suppress PGE production from this tissue. It is concluded that gestation day 10 C57BL/6J mouse embryonic tissue, unlike that of rat, is not capable of measurable PGE production. However, uterine and peri-embryonic tissues, needed to support pregnancy, are capable of significant PGE production.
Users' Attitude and Strategies in Information Management With Multiple Computers

This article reports the result of a survey study on how users utilize multiple computers in personal information management tasks. Two hundred ninety-five experienced computer users answered questions regarding the selective use of computers in three usage scenarios in managing multiple types of information: files, bookmarks, and e-mails. Results showed that users pursue simple computing environment by simplifying multiple computer configurations, avoiding distribution of information among multiple computers, and avoiding conceptual distinction of multiple computers. Selective use of a computer was based on the characteristics of the computers and the tasks to be performed. Information retrieval was still primarily done manually due to problems of memory decay and information overload. It was concluded that user attitudes and strategies in using multiple computers were characterized by reactive coping and avoidance of challenges. This article provides evidence of users' problems with multiple computers a...
An X-ray transparent microfluidic platform for screening of the phase behavior of lipidic mesophases

Lipidic mesophases are a class of highly ordered soft materials that form when certain lipids are mixed with water. Understanding the relationship between the composition and the microstructure of mesophases is necessary for fundamental studies of self-assembly in amphiphilic systems and for applications, such as the crystallization of membrane proteins. However, the laborious formulation protocol for highly viscous mesophases and the large amounts of material required for sample formulation are significant obstacles in such studies. Here we report a microfluidic platform that facilitates investigations of the phase behavior of mesophases by reducing sample consumption 300-fold, and automating and parallelizing sample formulation. The mesophases were formulated on-chip using less than 80 nL of material per sample and their microstructure was analyzed in situ using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The 220 μm-thick X-ray compatible platform was comprised of thin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers sandwiched between cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) sheets. Uniform mesophases were prepared using an active on-chip mixing strategy coupled with periodic cooling of the sample to reduce viscosity. We validated the platform by preparing and analyzing mesophases of the lipid monoolein (MO) mixed with aqueous solutions of different concentrations of β-octylglucoside (βOG), a detergent frequently used in membrane protein crystallization. Four samples were prepared in parallel on chip, by first metering and automatically diluting βOG to obtain detergent solutions of different concentration, then metering MO, and finally mixing by actuation of pneumatic valves. Integration of detergent dilution and subsequent mixing significantly reduced the number of manual steps needed for sample preparation. Three different types of mesophases typical for MO were successfully identified in SAXS data from on-chip samples. Microstructural parameters of identical samples formulated in different chips showed excellent agreement. Phase behavior of samples on-chip (~80 nL per sample) corresponded well with that of samples prepared via the traditional coupled-syringe method using at least two orders of magnitude more material (“off-chip”, 35-40 μL per sample), further validating the applicability of the microfluidic platform for on-chip characterization of mesophase microstructure.
The effect of hole versus electron photocurrent on microwave&#8212;Optical interactions in IMPATT oscillators

The effect of hole versus electron photocurrent on the microwave properties of IMPATT oscillators is presented and correlated with static I-V characteristics. The composition of the photocurrent was altered by fabricating both flip-chip (FC) and top-mounted (TM) devices and using an optical source with an absorption depth comparable to both the depletion-layer thickness and substrate diffusion length. The importance of the order of magnitude difference in effect of hole versus electron photocurrent is discussed.
Mariner 9 celestial mechanics experiment: gravity field and pole direction of Mars.

Analysis of the Mariner 9 radio-tracking data shows that the Martian gravity field is rougher than that of earth or the moon, and that the accepted direction of the Mars rotation axis is in error by about 0.5 deg. Contours of equivalent surface heights deduced from a sixth-degree solution for the Martian gravity field are presented. These contours represent the deviations from sphericity of a uniformly dense body with an external potential which is given by the first sixth-degree solution. In addition to Doppler observations, ranging or group-delay measurements have been made regularly since orbit insertion.
Copper status of mice fed hydrogenated vegetable oil, cocoa butter, fresh and cured pork from high and low nitrate/nitrite containing diets

Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of hydrogenated vegetable oil, cocoa butter, fresh and cured pork from high (spinach = 0.2%) and low (spinach = 0.02%) nitrate/nitrite containing diets on copper status of mice. The dietary treatments had no significant effects on urinary and fecal copper excretions and whole blood and liver copper contents of mice. However, there were significant (p
A statistical framework for streaming graph analysis

In this paper we propose a new methodology for gaining insight into the temporal aspects of social networks. In order to develop higher-level, large-scale data analysis methods for classification, prediction, and anomaly detection, a solid foundation of analytical techniques is required. We present a novel approach to the analysis of these networks that leverages time series and statistical techniques to quantitatively describe the temporal nature of a social network. We report on the application of our approach toward a real data set and successfully visualize high-level changes to the network as well as discover outlying vertices. The real-time prediction of new connections given the previous connections in a graph is a notoriously difficult task. The proposed technique avoids this difficulty by modeling statistics computed from the graph over time. Vertex statistics summarize topological information as real numbers, which allows us to leverage the existing fields of computational statistics and machine learning. This creates a modular approach to analysis in which methods can be developed that are agnostic to the metrics and algorithms used to process the graph. We demonstrate these techniques using a collection of Twitter posts related to Hurricane Sandy. We study the temporal nature of betweenness centrality and clustering coefficients while producing multiple visualizations of a social network dataset with 1.2 million edges. We successfully detect vertices whose triangle-forming behavior is anomalous.
Multiple channel optical correlator via rotating grating on LCTV.

Presentation d'un correlateur a balayage. Superposition d'un reseau par diffraction sur un ecran LCTV a l'aide d'un microordinateur
Role of unusual O-glycans in intercellular signaling

Abstract In the last two decades, our knowledge of the role of glycans in development and signal transduction has expanded enormously. While most work has focused on the importance of N -linked or mucin-type O -linked glycosylation, recent work has highlighted the importance of several more unusual forms of glycosylation that are the focus of this review. In particular, the ability of O -fucose glycans on the epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) repeats of Notch to modulate signaling places glycosylation alongside phosphorylation as a means to modulate protein–protein interactions and their resultant downstream signals. The recent discovery that O -glucose modification of Notch EGF repeats is also required for Notch function has further expanded the range of glycosylation events capable of modulating Notch signaling. The prominent role of Notch during development and in later cell-fate decisions underscores the importance of these modifications in human biology. The role of glycans in intercellular signaling events is only beginning to be understood and appears ready to expand into new areas with the discovery that thrombospondin type 1 repeats are also modified with O -fucose glycans. Finally, a rare form of glycosylation called C -mannosylation modifies tryptophans in some signaling competent molecules and may be a further layer of complexity in the field. We will review each of these areas focusing on the glycan structures produced, the consequence of their presence, and the enzymes responsible.
EFFECT OF RENAL TRANSPLANTATION ON BIOMARKERS OF INFLAMMATION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS

Background Chronic kidney disease patients have a high prevalence of inflammation and oxidative stress, and this has been associated with the excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality observed in this population. Because maintenance hemodialysis is ineffective in controlling these factors, we hypothesized that restoration of kidney function by transplantation would be required to improve uremic inflammation and oxidative stress. Methods This was a prospective cohort study evaluating time-dependent changes in biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress before and after renal transplantation. Nineteen end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients (age 38.3+/-13.7 years, 58% male, 95% white, 21% diabetic) undergoing living-donor renal transplantation were enrolled. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, protein-associated carbonyl content, and F2-isoprostanes were assessed at 1 week pretransplantation and at 1 week and 2 months posttransplantation. Results Pretransplant levels of the pro-inflammatory proteins IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP, as well as the oxidative stress markers plasma protein carbonyls and F2-isoprostanes, were significantly elevated in ESRD patients compared with healthy control subjects. We observed rapid and significant declines in all of these biomarkers after transplantation that persisted for 2 months. Conclusions Our findings indicate that restoration of renal function by transplantation improves the chronic inflammation and increased oxidative stress associated with uremia, which may contribute to the improved survival afforded to ESRD patients by renal transplantation.
Leukemia inhibitory factor mRNA expression is upregulated in macrophages and olfactory receptor neurons after target ablation.

After target ablation by olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), the murine olfactory epithelium (OE) undergoes degenerative changes leading to apoptosis of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) followed by regenerative changes that include proliferation of progenitor cells leading to neurogenesis and ORN replacement. Macrophages recruited to the OE after OBX are involved in both the degenerative and regenerative processes. Relative quantitative RT-PCR was used to demonstrate that within hours of OBX, mRNAs encoding three key components in the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) signaling pathway, including LIF, LIF receptor (LIFR), and STAT3, as well as cyclin D1, a growth factor sensor indicative of progenitor cell transformation, were upregulated. These mRNAs reached peak levels of expression on or before day 3 post-OBX, coincident with the peak time for macrophage recruitment and progenitor cell proliferation. Cells expressing LIF mRNA in the OE of mice at 3 days post-OBX, the time point at which LIF mRNA expression peaked, were identified using non-isotopic in situ hybridization. LIF mRNA was localized in infiltrating macrophages; near-adjacent sections exhibited macrophages immunoreactive for F4/80, a marker for activated macrophages, in numbers commensurate with those expressing LIF mRNA. LIF mRNA was also localized in surviving ORNs, identified by their expression of olfactory marker protein (OMP) mRNA and protein in near-adjacent sections. Our data suggest that LIF functions as a mitogen originating from recruited macrophages through an intercellular signaling pathway that stimulates proliferation of progenitor cells leading to neurogenesis and regeneration, and as an intracellular survival factor for traumatized ORNs.
Rhesus macaque brain microvessel endothelial cells behave in a manner phenotypically distinct from umbilical vein endothelial cells

Abstract Activation of endothelium is a critical step in leukocyte recruitment to the CNS and in development of neurological diseases, such as HIV-associated dementia. Due to limited availability of early disease course data, it is important to develop in vitro models of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) that can be used to address these early events. No such model of the BBB has been established for the macaque. Here, we characterize rhesus microvascular brain endothelial cells (MBEC), comparing them with rhesus umbilical vein endothelial cells (RUVEC), and discuss their suitability for future use in developing in vitro models of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) neuropathogenesis. We conclude that MBEC are distinct from RUVEC with respect to growth characteristics, culture requirements, morphology and expression of surface molecules important for leukocyte adhesion and immune activation.
Signal from noise

In this article, some of the history of rapidly spreading infectious disease pandemics were reviewed as well as the individual technologies currently under development that were presented at the IFMBE meeting. A summary of current strategies to integrate these independent solutions and strategies for future development was presented . Ongoing efforts to address the challenges of detecting signals, developing methods for processing information, and establishing integrated frameworks for effective dissemination of information to manage and combat a global pandemic were also presented.
Complete Duplication or Extreme Fenestration of the Basilar Artery

We describe a 42-year-old man with complete duplication or extreme fenestration of the basilar artery. We review the developmental anatomy and embryology and discuss the possible clinical implications and associated findings of this anomaly.