cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
hCG: Biological Functions and Clinical Applications.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced primarily by differentiated syncytiotrophoblasts, and represents a key embryonic signal that is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. hCG can activate various signaling cascades including mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 (Smad2), protein kinase C (PKC), and/or protein kinase A (PKA) in several cells types by binding to luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) or potentially by direct/indirect interaction with transforming growth factor beta receptor (TGFβR). The molecule displays specialized roles in promoting angiogenesis in the uterine endothelium, maintaining myometrial quiescence, as well as fostering immunomodulation at the maternal-fetal interface. It is a member of the glycoprotein hormone family that includes luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The α-subunit of hCG displays homologies with TSH, LH, and FSH, whereas the β subunit is 80–85% homologous to LH. The hCG molecule is produced by a variety of organs, exists in various forms, exerts vital biological functions, and has various clinical roles ranging from diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancy and pregnancy-related disorders to cancer surveillance. This review presents a detailed examination of hCG and its various clinical applications.
Attitude and management style matter in IT implementation: a study of small business owners

According to previous studies, a positive attitude towards information technology (IT) among small business owners appears to be a key factor in achieving high quality IT implementations. In an effort to extend this stream of research, case studies were conducted with small business owners. A surprising finding of this study was that high quality IT implementations resulted with owners who had either a positive or a negative attitude towards IT. Another finding was that these owners also all had an entrepreneurial, or shared, management style. By contrast, owners who had an uncertain attitude about IT uniformly practiced a traditional (non-entrepreneurial) management style. This group also uniformly had low quality IT implementations. It is proposed, based on case study data, that small business owners with an uncertain attitude towards IT might experience higher quality IT results in their organizations through practicing a more entrepreneurial, or shared, management style. The study provides insights for both computer specialists and small business owners planning IT implementations.
Ethics of maternal vaccination

Innovations in vaccine science have given us an incredible opportunity to leverage the maternal immune system to improve maternal, fetal, and infant health outcomes. Maternal vaccination reduces the risk of infant infection primarily through the transfer of protective maternal antibodies to the fetus ( 1 ). Although a growing number of countries are adopting maternal vaccine programs against diseases like influenza and pertussis, and there is an increased focus on including pregnant women in trials for new vaccines, there is little discussion of the ethical underpinnings of maternal vaccine programs ( 2 ). We see the proposals thus far as being overly paternalistic, founded on a too-limited conception of risk-benefit analyses that has potential to derail the development and use of lifesaving vaccines. By contrast, an ethical approach focused on mothers' primary interests in protecting themselves and their children could serve as the basis of the ethical framework that guides vaccine policies.
Advances in the Subcritical, Gas-Cooled, Fast Transmutation Reactor Concept

The design concept for a subcritical, He-cooled, fast reactor, fueled with transuranics (TRUs) from spent nuclear fuel in coated TRISO particles and driven by a tokamak D-T fusion neutron source, i...
Clinical implications of umbilical artery Doppler changes after betamethasone administration

Background: Betamethasone (BMZ) is commonly administered to patients with fetal growth restriction (FGR) and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler (UAD) velocimetry due to the increased risk of preterm...
Pollution of Aquatic Ecosystems I

The expanding human population and continuing pollution of aquatic resources threaten the survival of life on earth by reducing the quality and quantity of available water. Pollution sources are highly varied but can be categorized as point- and nonpoint source. Point source pollution is highly localized, easily identified, and relatively easily remedied. Nonpoint-source pollution, however, comes from diffuse sources and requires much greater effort to address. Loss of water, oxygen demands, and nutrient effects are examined in detail. Large impacts have been, and are, expected with continued water abstraction. Solutions include litigation and at worst armed conflict. Although oxygen demands from the addition of organic material can be significantly reduced by treating effluents, many parts of the world, especially developing countries, do not have the necessary funds or infrastructure. Significant progress has been made to relieve oxygen demand with in situ methods. These are expensive and require ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Excessive nutrients contribute to eutrophication, loss of oxygen, and ecosystem diversity. The recovery of some significant ecosystems after nutrient reductions is one of the not-so-dim parts of the chapter. Simply preventing aquatic pollution would be the most effective and least costly strategy to deal with it.
Bipolar Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Patella and Trochlea

ObjectiveTo evaluate clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes of patients who underwent bipolar osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCAT) of the patellofemoral joint (PFJ).DesignProspec...
Hinge epistemology and the prospects for a unified theory of knowledge

I defend two theses here. First, I argue that at least many of the commitments that Wittgenstein identifies as “hinge commitments” are plausibly what cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence call “procedural knowledge.” Procedural knowledge can be implemented in cognitive systems in a variety of ways, and these modes of implementation, I argue, predict several properties of Wittgensteinian hinge commitments, including their functional profile, as well as other of their characteristic features. Second, I argue that thinking of hinge commitments as a kind of procedural knowledge allows a unified virtue-theoretic treatment of the generation of knowledge, the transmission of knowledge, and Wittgensteinian “hinge knowledge.” This last thesis is noteworthy, in that Wittgenstein and his defenders have so far failed to offer any unified epistemology of hinge commitments and the knowledge that such commitments are supposed to make possible.
Utilizing Response Time in On-the-Fly Multistage Adaptive Testing

On-the-fly multistage adaptive testing (OMST), which integrates computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and multistage testing (MST), has recently gained popularity. While CAT selects each item on-the-fly and MST bundles items to pre-assembled modules, OMST assembles modules on-the-fly after the first stage. Since item selection algorithms play a crucial role in latent trait estimation and test security in CAT designs, given the availability of response time (RT) in the current testing era, researchers have been actively striving to incorporate RT into item selection algorithms. However, most such algorithms were only applied to CAT whereas little is known about RT’s role in the domain of OMST. Building upon previous research on RT-oriented item selection procedures, this research intends to apply RT-oriented item selection algorithms to OMST. This study found that the relative performance of RT-oriented item selection methods in OMST was consistent with CAT. But the underlying item bank structure and test design features can make a huge difference with respect to estimation accuracy and test security.
Improved synthesis of 6,6,7,7-tetramethyl-1-azabicyclop[2.2.2]octan-2-one and its stability toward base-induced methanolysis

The published method for synthesis of the bridgehead lactam 6,6,7,7-tetramethyl-1-azabicyclo [2.2.2]octan-2-one yields polymers almost exclusively. Use of dilution techniques provides a 27% yield of this highly strained molecule. Base-induced methanolysis of this tetramethyl compound occurs exceedingly slowly compared to some other less crowded homologues. A buttressing effect is postulated to account for part of this effect.
Challenges Facing Development of Data Journalism in Non-Western Societies

As shown by several papers in this special issue, there has been an increasing interest in data among journalism scholars and practitioners worldwide including those in the Global South. While pape...
The American Taboo and Its Impact on Learning: Building Tolerance with More Politics, Not Less.

Today’s political environment continues to become more polarized as Americans find themselves taking sides on controversial issues. While this is certainly not new to the American democratic experi...
Assessing restoration potential for beaver (Castor canadensis) in the semiarid foothills of the Southern Rockies, USA

We used the Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool (BRAT) developed at Utah State University to develop spatially explicit estimates of maximum beaver‐carrying capacity in a 160 km² watershed in the foothills of the Southern Rockies. The watershed does not currently have beaver but has extensive evidence of past beaver occupation. BRAT uses input data on stream flow, topography, and vegetation. We compared BRAT results using three different types of vegetation inputs: the default LANDFIRE data at 30‐m spatial resolution and pixel‐based and object‐based image analysis (OBIA) with 1‐m resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery. OBIA produced the most accurate results relative to ground‐based vegetation mapping. Changes in vegetation input data resulted in substantial changes in BRAT estimates of beaver‐carrying capacity. Using historic LANDFIRE vegetation data and field evidence of past beaver activity, contemporary beaver‐carrying capacity is much lower than historical capacity throughout the watershed. These changes are especially pronounced in low‐order stream segments, suggesting that beaver reintroduction in this watershed could be facilitated by measures to restore riparian vegetation along low‐order streams. This case study demonstrates the value of using BRAT as a tool prior to beaver reintroduction and stream restoration.
Diagnostic Criteria and Prevalence of Sarcopenia in the Elderly

The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of sarcopenia in people over 65 years of age, to analyze instrumental and functional methods for studying skeletal muscle in the elderly. A case-control study of 230 participants 65 years of age and older, the average age of 74±6,5 years. Patients were divided into three age groups: 1st - 65-74 years old, 2nd - 75-84 years old, 3rd - 85 years and older. The calculation of muscle mass was carried out according to the index of appendicular muscle mass (AMM/m2) using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) with correction of patient growth. Muscle strength was measured with a «Jamar» hand dynamometer, muscle function was determined using a short set of physical activity tests (SPPB tests). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 30% in the presented sample and increased with increasing age of patients. There were no significant differences in the incidence of the most common chronic diseases, with the exception of obesity, which was less common in sarcopenic patients than in non-sarcopenic patients (p<0,0001). The results of the study showed that in sarcopenic patients, the AMM index (p<0,001) and muscle strength (p<0,001) were lower than in non-sarcopenic patients. The overall score of SPPB tests was low in both groups, however, in sarcopenic patients it was significantly lower than in non-sarcopenic patients (p=0,035) due to balancing tests.
Increasing the Frequency of Night Float Teaching with a Daily Management System: Where Medical Education Meets Quality Improvement

Daytime resident rotations have a well-established system for incorporating didactic teaching into clinical rotations. However, how to create and sustain a parallel system of didactics for night rotations is less established. We aimed to use Lean methodology to increase the frequency of didactic teaching at night and improve house staff perception of the educational value of night float. Our educational intervention was comprised of the implementation of a daily management system (DMS) with a visual dashboard to track whether evening report was held and a repository of prepared lectures. With this intervention, the rate of evening report tripled from 18 to 55%, demonstrating that a daily management system can be successfully used to improve performance of an educational outcome by increasing attending and resident engagement on night float.
Cybersecurity: Risk management framework and investment cost analysis

Abstract As organizations accelerate digital transformation with mobile devices, cloud services, social media, and Internet of Things services, cybersecurity has become a key priority in enterprise risk management. While improving cybersecurity leads to higher levels of customer trust and increased revenue opportunities, rapidly evolving data protection and privacy regulations have complicated cybersecurity management. Against the backdrop of rapidly rising cyberbreaches and the emergence of novel cybersecurity technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, this article introduces a cyber risk management framework, discusses a cyber risk assessment process, and illustrates a continuous improvement of cybersecurity performance and cyberinvestment cost analysis with a real-world cybersecurity example.
Positive Externalities of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation for Human Health: A Review and Conceptual Framework for Public Health Research.

Anthropogenic climate change is adversely impacting people and contributing to suffering and increased costs from climate-related diseases and injuries. In responding to this urgent and growing public health crisis, mitigation strategies are in place to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) while adaptation strategies exist to reduce and/or alleviate the adverse effects of climate change by increasing systems’ resilience to future impacts. While these strategies have numerous positive benefits on climate change itself, they also often have other positive externalities or health co-benefits. This knowledge can be harnessed to promote and improve global public health, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. Previous conceptual models in mitigation and adaptation studies such as the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) considered health in the thinking, but health outcomes were not their primary intention. Additionally, existing guidance documents such as the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance for Climate Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable Health Care Facilities is designed primarily for public health professionals or healthcare managers in hospital settings with a primary focus on resilience. However, a detailed cross sectoral and multidisciplinary conceptual framework, which links mitigation and adaptation strategies with health outcomes as a primary end point, has not yet been developed to guide research in this area. In this paper, we briefly summarize the burden of climate change on global public health, describe important mitigation and adaptation strategies, and present key health benefits by giving context specific examples from high, middle, and low-income settings. We then provide a conceptual framework to inform future global public health research and preparedness across sectors and disciplines and outline key stakeholders recommendations in promoting climate resilient systems and advancing health equity.
Soft Tissue Infection of the Forearm With Scedosporium apiospermum Complex and Neisseria spp. Following a Dog Bite

We report a case of a complex skin and soft tissue infection caused by Scedosporium apiospermum complex and Neisseria spp. following a dog bite. While Neisseria skin and soft tissue infections after dog bites have been reported, only one case of subsequent infection caused by Scedosporium spp. has been noted in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of coinfection of these particular organisms following a dog bite.
The secret order of disorder.

A seemingly disordered network of nanowires governed by thermodynamics is used as the physical ‘reservoir’ in a memristive implementation of reservoir computing to process spatiotemporal information.
Estrogen-dependent expression and subcellular localization of the tight junction protein claudin-4 in HEC-1A endometrial cancer cells.

Abstract Endometrial cancer is the most common female reproductive cancer in the United States and is associated with deregulated tight junction protein expression. Given the highly estrogen-responsive nature of this tissue, we investigated the effects of estrogen and its agonist, 4-OH TAM, on the expression and subcellular localization of the tight junction protein claudin-4 (CLDN-4), in HEC-1A endometrial cancer cells. In untreated HEC-1A cells, we observed dramatic overexpression of claudin-4 protein. In addition, differential detergent extraction analysis indicated that claudin-4 was localized primarily in the membrane but also found in the cytosolic, nuclear and cytoskeletal fractions. Upon exposure of HEC-1A to estradiol (E2), we observed a biphasic effect both on the overall expression of claudin-4 protein and on its cytosolic and cytoskeletal presence as demonstrated by immunoblot analysis. Immunofluorescence analysis also revealed a biphasic effect of E2 on claudin-4 expression. In contrast, we observed no changes in expression levels nor in the subcellular distribution patterns of claudin-4 in HEC-1A cells treated with different concentrations of 4-OH TAM. The intracellular presence of CLDN-4 coupled with the biphasic effects of E2 on CLDN-4 expression in the cytoskeleton suggest that this protein may be involved in cell signaling to and from TJs.
Butting heads over bicycle helmets

John LeBlanc[1][1] actually reinforces my concern that the number of cyclists has decreased after bicycle helmet legislation.[2][2] His study was designed to maximize the number of cyclists observed in a fixed time interval, and he chose sites and circumstances accordingly. However, despite this
Toxicologic responses to a complex coal conversion by-product: mammalian cell mutagenicity and dermal carcinogenicity

The overall toxicity of complex mixtures cannot be predicted simply by adding the toxicities of known toxic compounds in the mixture. The toxicity of some of the components in the mixture is often unknown and synergisms and antagonisms, which cannot be predicted solely on the basis of the chemical composition, may occur. To better understand the chemical and biochemical interactions that modify the ultimate toxicity of mixtures, we are isolating and characterizing well-defined chemical classes of chemicals and determining the toxicity of these chemical class fractions with in vivo andin vitro bioassays. The need for this approach with coal conversion materials has recently been demonstrated by interactive effects observed in both in vitro and in vivo toxicity assays. For example, a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal conversion materials inhibited the bacterial mutagencity of benzo[a]pyrene (Haugen and Peak, 1983) and potentiated the mutagenicity of 2-aminoanthracene (Pelroy and Peterson, 1979; Kawalek and Andrews, 1981) as measured in the Salmonella/microsome assay. In addition, tumorigenic responses to carcinogenic components of coal conversion materials were greater than those determined for the whole material (Mahlum, 1984).
Millimeter-wave CMOS device modeling and simulation

Challenges for modeling and simulating active and passive 130 nm CMOS devices at mm-wave frequencies (>30 GHz) are discussed. Small-signal lumped circuits with appropriate parasitic elements are used to model the active transistor devices with excellent broadband accuracy. Passive element transmission lines are discussed as generic scalable reactive elements suitable for forming resonant circuits with intrinsic transistor capacitance. The trade-offs between physical and electrical circuit models for the transmission lines are presented. Our approach demonstrates that relatively simple models can be used to accurately predict the small-signal performance of CMOS active and passive devices from DC up to mm-wave frequencies.
A Two-Port Model for Antennas in a Reverberation Chamber

We present an improved model for characterizing fundamental antenna parameters based on the concept of a passive realizable two-port network. The proposed model is consistent with circuit theory-based approaches and allows for quantitative description and subsequent experimental determination of antenna efficiency, loss, and mismatch. A derivation of the model is given along with a discussion of the implications of the model. In addition, we discuss how the model behaves in a low-loss reverberation chamber, and give analytical and numerical methods for estimating the parameters of the model in a low-loss environment. An application of the proposed antenna model is shown to yield a lower bound for an antenna's radiation efficiency, although this bound is useful only when the losses in the chamber are sufficiently low. Derivation and application of the model is carried out in the context of a reverberation chamber, but the results are potentially applicable to an arbitrary environment.
Modulation-Doped Fets And Other High Speed III-V Transistors

Advances in the science and technology of thin films, interfaces, and heterojunctions have revolutionized research programs oriented towards high speed computation and telecommunication. For some material systems, it is now possible to form heterojunctions with little or no constraints by the lattice parameter of the host semiconductor. The ability to synthesize and tailor the structure of heterojunction thin films has already led to the fastest transistor with the oscillation frequencies well over 200 GHz and smallest noise contribution. These heterojunction systems require expertise in semiconductor physics, material science and device engineering. Concepts, technologies, performance and fundamental issues of high speed devices are reviewed. Among the devices treated are the modulation doped conventional AlxGal, As/GaAs, pseudomorphic Al x Gai, As/ [fixGal, As and new InxA l-x As/ InxGa 1-x As (lattice matched to InP) heterojunction field effect transistors (MODFETs), and the AlxGa1-x As/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). Lattice and thermal mismatch induced strain effects on the performance of high speed devices are discussed.
Diffraction of light by a periodically modulated dielectric half-space

Abstract : We present an exact solution for the diffraction of p-polarized light incident from a vacuum onto a half-space whose dielectric constant is periodically modulated along the longitudinal direction. We use 'a modal theory', in which the amplitude of modulation is not assumed to be small. In contrast with earlier treatments of this problem the average dielectric constant of the half-space is assumed to be negative. As a result of this assumption the incident light can couple into the surface polaritons that propagate along the planar vacuum-dielectric interface, through the periodicity of the dielectric constant of the substrate. We have implemented the theory numerically for models of an artificial metallic superlattice and for modulation-doped GaAs, both employing the Drude dielectric constant with a sinusoidally varying plasma frequency and damping parameter. Reflectivity dips down to 0.5 are found together with ninefold enhancements in the squared modulus of the field at the surface. Keywords include: Diffraction; Light (visible radiation); Surface plasmons; Gallium arsenides.
Development of long-lifetime, low-contamination beam dumps for NIF

The laser architecture of the NIF beamlines requires small-area beam dumps to safely absorb back reflections from the output and leakage through the PEPC switch. The problems presented by these beam dumps are that fluences they must absorb are very large, beyond the damage threshold of any material, and ablation of beam dump materials potentially contaminates adjacent optical components. Full scale tests have demonstrated that a stainless steel beam dump will survive fluence levels and energies as high as 820 j/CM{sup 2} and 2.5 kJ, respectively. Small scale tests with tungsten, tantalum, and stainless steel have demonstrated erosion rates less than about 0.5 {mu}m/shot, with stainless steel having the smallest rate. They also suggest that increased angles of incidence ({ge}60{degree}) will greatly reduce the material ablated directly back along the beam path.
Biofeedback and self-regulation in the treatment of diffuse esophageal spasm: A single-case study

Diffuse esophageal spasm is an uncommon esophageal motor disorder characterized clinically by chest pain and difficulty swallowing. A case is described in which failure of conventional medical treatment in the face of continued weight loss led to consideration for surgery. The need for surgery was obviated by the successful application of relaxation training, which resulted in a significant reduction in painful esophageal spasms, weight gain, and an improvement in psychological state; there was, however, no change in the underlying esophageal motor disorder. The use of a second coping strategy—double swallowing—had an additional beneficial effect, and clinical improvements were maintained and increased at 6-month follow-up. The rationale and the effects of this method at the physiological level are described. It is suggested that double swallowing is a promising new approach to helping patients cope with disordered esophageal motility and that its more general applicability warrants further study.
Microphase separation and shear alignment of gradient copolymers: Melt rheology and small-angle X-ray scattering analysis

The degree of microphase or nanophase segregation in gradient copolymers with compositions varying across the whole copolymer backbone is studied via low-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) measurements and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Studies are done as a function of comonomer segregation strength, molecular weight (MW), gradient architecture and temperature. Controlled radical polymerization is used to synthesize strongly segregating styrene/4-acetoxystyrene (S/AS) and the more weakly segregating S/n-butyl acrylate (S/nBA) gradient copolymers. Results are compared to those from S/AS and S/nBA random and block copolymers. The higher MW S/AS gradient copolymer exhibits LAOS behavior similar to the highly microphase segregated S/AS block copolymer, while the lower MW S/AS gradient copolymer exhibits complex, nonterminal behavior indicative of a lower degree of microphase segregation. The S/nBA gradient copolymers demonstrate more liquidlike behavior, with the lower MW sample exhibiting near-Newtoni...
Potential Clinical Utility of CA-125 in Responsive but Persistent Large-Volume Ovarian Cancer Following Platinum-Based Chemotherapy:

Abstract Background. Despite the demonstrated clinical utility of the serum CA-125 antigen level in ovarian cancer, controversy exists regarding interpretation of "discordant" results between changes in this tumor marker and measurable disease masses. Case. A patient with ovarian cancer cared for in the Gynecologic Cancer Program of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation receiving second-line single-agent carboplatin for recurrent disease demonstrated a major response in serum CA-125, but minimal shrinkage of a large painful abdominal mass. A laparotomy was performed both to define the nature of this mass and to attempt to relieve symptoms. The mass was found to be a large "inflamed pseudotumor with central necrosis." No viable tumors cells were found. Conclusion. This case represents an excellent example of the remarkably complex biology of malignant disease and suggests how evaluation of changes in CA-125 in women with ovarian cancer may be utilized in individual patients to develop optimal management plans.
A Flexible Computer Program for Evaluation of Emission Spectrometric Data

We have designed a single program, for use with a direct-reading spectrometer, to include the following functions for a variety of sample types, excitation methods, and analytical concentration ranges: (1) Background correction by linear relation of background at analytical lines to background at other wavelengths; (2) Use of background, internal standard and analytical channels interchangeably; (3) Use of either standard dilution or variable composition standards; (4) Standard curve fitting by least squares regression. Curves as high as 6th order can be fitted in order to utilize shoulder and toe areas of these analytical curves without distorting straight-line segments.
A Tale of Two Villages: Institutional Structure and Sustainable Community Organizations

This paper describes the organizational features of community-controlled economic development ventures associated with heritage sites located in two contrasting rural communities, one in Ireland and the other in Belize. The paper demonstrates that sustainable community organizations share institutional governance features that reflect general principles previously identified by scholars of common pool resources and community heritage tourism projects. The paper argues that archaeologists or heritage specialists working with local communities to develop sustainable economic development projects are more likely to succeed if attention is paid to the establishment of appropriate governance institutions for the project that are rooted in local conditions but follow proven governance principles.
The Politics of the Pipe: Clay Pipes and Tobacco Consumption in Galway, Ireland

In this paper, clay pipes and the historical record are used to explore the illicit importation of tobacco in seventeenth-century Galway, Ireland. This is part of a wider tradition of the politics of smoking, including the proliferation of the clay pipe, the widespread smuggling of tobacco, and the overtly political nineteenth-century pipes that touted nationalist emblems. Here, the juxtaposition of the archaeological and historical records locates subversive local agency in the face of overarching colonial mandates. Colonialism, trade, consumption, and identity are linked in an examination of a merchant community's maneuvers through the expanding Atlantic economy and the restricted colonial mandates that marked the world around them.
Hyphal and yeast forms of Histoplasma capsulatum growing within 5 days in an automated bacterial blood culture system

An afebrile, 37-year-old, HIV-positive man, noncompliant with antiretroviral therapy, presented to the emergency department (ED) complaining of shortness of breath for 3 weeks. After an unremarkable chest radiograph, a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and the collection of other diagnostic specimens,
NANOPARTICLES FOR SKIN WOUND HEALING

Over the past two decades, there has been a surge in the development of nanoparticle technologies for therapeutic applications. In the area of skin wound healing, silver nanoparticles have been long used as topical antibacterials, but new types of multifunctional nanosystems that can provide more comprehensive therapeutic effects on wounds are being rolled out. The ability to provide a reservoir of bioactive molecules that can be released over time is a feature of many of these systems, which is critically important for nonhealing wounds, where there often is a persistent bacterial load and a chronic lack of growth factors necessary for healing. A great advantage of nanosystems is that by virtue of their extremely small size, they can be easily incorporated into a wide variety of topical treatments that are currently available for use in the clinic. For example, nanoparticles can be easily introduced into decellularized skin products as well as other bioengineered skin substitutes. The design options avai...
Compactly supported tight and sibling frames with maximum vanishing moments

The notion of vanishing-moment recovery (VMR) functions is introduced in this paper for the construction of compactly supported tight frames with two generators having the maximum order of vanishing moments as determined by the given refinable function, such as the mth order cardinal B-spline Nm. Tight frames are also extended to “sibling frames” to allow additional properties, such as symmetry (or antisymmetry), minimum support, “shift-invariance,” and inter-orthogonality. For Nm, it turns out that symmetry can be achieved for even m and antisymmetry for odd m ,t hat minimum support and shift-invariance can be attained by considering the frame generators with twoscale symbols 2 −m (1 − z) m and 2 −m z(1 − z) m , and that inter-orthogonality is always achievable, but sometimes at the sacrifice of symmetry. The results in this paper are valid for all compactly supported refinable functions that are reasonably smooth, such as piecewise Lip α for some α> 0, as long as the corresponding two-scale Laurent polynomial symbols vanish at z =− 1. Furthermore, the methods developed here can be extended to the more general setting, such as arbitrary integer scaling factors, multi-wavelets, and certainly biframes (i.e., allowing the dual frames to be associated with a different refinable function).  2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Comparing Student Outcomes in Blended and Face-to-Face Courses

This article reports on a study of student outcomes in a pair of matched courses, one taught face-to-face and one taught in a blended format, in which students completed most of the work online but met several times face-to-face. Learning objectives, course content, and pedagogical approaches were identical but the mode of instruction was different. The data suggest academic performance was not influenced by the mode of instruction. Additionally, the data show few differences between the sections in terms of attitudinal outcomes, although students in the blended section reported a lower sense of community. However, one notable outcome was the tendency of students to drop out of the online activities after having a face-to-face session. Lessons for the design of blended courses are discussed.
Chemical Modifications of Therapeutic Proteins Induced by Residual Ethylene Oxide

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is widely used in sterilization of drug product primary containers and medical devices. The impact of residual EtO on protein therapeutics is of significant interest in the biopharmaceutical industry. The potential for EtO to modify individual amino acids in proteins has been previously reported. However, specific identification of EtO adducts in proteins and the effect of residual EtO on the stability of therapeutic proteins has not been reported to date. This paper describes studies of residual EtO with two therapeutic proteins, a PEGylated form of the recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (Peg-GCSF) and recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) formulated with human serum albumin (HSA). Peg-GCSF was filled in an EtO sterilized delivery device and incubated at accelerated stress conditions. Glu-C peptide mapping and LC-MS analyses revealed residual EtO reacted with Peg-GCSF and resulted in EtO modifications at two methionine residues (Met-127 and Met-138). In addition, tryptic peptide mapping and LC-MS analyses revealed residual EtO in plastic vials reacted with HSA in EPO formulation at Met-328 and Cys-34. This paper details the work conducted to understand the effects of residual EtO on the chemical stability of protein therapeutics.
A 22-mm probe for the XL-100-15 NMR spectrometer

A high-performance 22-mm large-sample-tube NMR probe for the XL-100-15 NMR spectrometer has been developed. The sensitivity of this probe for 13C nuclei matches the performance of the best wide-bore superconducting NMR systems. The sensitivity per milliliter of the 22-mm probe gives this probe system a twofold time advantage in sample limited cases over existing large-sample-tube probes for compounds where solubility problems preclude the use of smaller tubes.
Multilevel X-Pol: a fragment-based method with mixed quantum mechanical representations of different fragments

The explicit polarization (X-Pol) method is a fragment-based quantum mechanical model, in which a macromolecular system or other large or complex system in solution is partitioned into monomeric fragments. The present study extends the original X-Pol method, where all fragments are treated using the same electronic structure theory, to multilevel representations, called multilevel X-Pol, in which different electronic structure methods are used to describe different fragments. The multilevel X-Pol method has been implemented into a locally modified version of Gaussian 09. A key ingredient that is used to couple interfragment electrostatic interactions at different levels of theory is the use of the response density for the post-self-consistent-field energy. (The response density is also called the generalized density.) The method is useful for treating fragments in a small region of the system such as a solute molecule or the substrate and amino acids in the active site of an enzyme with a high-level theory, and the fragments in the rest of the system by a lower-level and computationally more efficient method. Multilevel X-Pol is illustrated here by applications to hydrogen bonding complexes in which one fragment is treated with the hybrid M06 density functional, Moller-Plesset perturbation theory, or coupled cluster theory, and the other fragments are treated by Hartree-Fock theory or the B3LYP or M06 hybrid density functionals.
Frequency distribution of lithium in leaves of Lycium andersonii

Abstract Lvcium andersonii A. Gray is an accumulator of Li. Assays were made of 200 samples of it collected from six different locations within the Northern Mojave Desert. Mean concentrations of Li varied from location to location and tended not to follow loge normal distribution, and to follow a normal distribution only poorly. There was some negative skewness tp the loge distribution which did exist. The results imply that the variation in accumulation of Li depends upon native supply of Li. Possibly the Li supply and the ability of L. andersonii plants to accumulate it are both loge normally distributed. The mean leaf concentration of Li in all locations was 29 μg/g, but the maximum was 166 μg/g.
Single-column chromatographic analysis of labeled glutamine and other amino acids in whole blood.

Abstract A method is presented for single-column analysis of the concentrations and specific activities of the free amino acids in both whole blood and plasma. Interference from glutadiione in whole blood was eliminated by the use of sodium sulfite although losses of about one-half of the cystine and methionine occurred. Seventy-five percent ± 1 of the glutamine was recovered consistently in both whole blood and plasma so that corrections for this loss readily could be made. Elimination of the baseline shift due to ammonia was accomplished by passing the buffers through ion-exchange columns before entering the sample loops. There were several significant differences between amino acid concentrations and specific activities in whole blood and in plasma, indicating that care should be taken in interpreting data on metabolism of amino acids.
Albumin loss and faecal excretion of polyvinylpyrrolidone in x-irradiated mice with implanted rat bone-marrow.

SummaryProtein-loss in x-irradiated mice implanted with rat bone-marrow was studied, using 131I-labelled human-serum albumin, and gastro-intestinal loss of macromolecules was studied, using the enzyme-resisting macromolecule 131I-labelled polyvinylpyrrolidone. Comparisons were made with normal control mice and with irradiated mice treated with isologous bone-marrow. An increase in the fractional rate of loss of serum albumin occurred in the rat-marrow-injected mice in the second week after treatment and in some animals persisted at least 10 weeks; liver hypertrophy was also observed. Faecal excretion of labelled polyvinylpyrrolidone was generally greatest in the mice treated with rat marrow, suggesting that in these mice the wall of the gastro-intestinal tract is abnormally permeable to macro-molecules.
Religious homogeneity and suicide.

In a study of 296 Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas in 1980, suicide rates were lower in those regions in which church membership was higher, Roman Catholics more common, and religious homogeneity greater. Language: en
On the use of the Von Foerster equation for the solution and generalization of a problem studied by S. A. Tyler and R. Baserga

In a population of cells labeled with a single injection of tritiated thymidine at timet=0, it is assumed that a constant fraction, 1−z, of the cells which are potentially able to divide fail to do so, and that the cells which do divide all have identical generation time,D. Death and emigration of cells are neglected. In mitosis, the partitioning of label among the two daughter cells is supposed to follow the binomial probability law. Using the formalism developed by H. Von Foerster the fraction of labeled cells in the total population is computed as a function oft, the time after injection of label. Ift is an integral multiple ofD the results coincide with those of S. A. Tyler and R. Baserga.
Thermodynamic analysis and fluorescence imaging of homochiral amino acid–amino acid interactions at the air/water interface

Surface pressure-molecular area (Π-A) isotherms and fluorescence microscopy were used to investigate the interactions between N-stearoyl-glutamic acid (l- and d-) and l-arginine at the air/water interface. N-stearoyl-glutamic acids (C18-Glu) with different chirality (l- and d-) were spread at the air-water interface onto subphases containing varied concentrations of l-arginine at pH 5. The apparent binding affinity of C18-Glu to l-arginine was obtained by fitting the plots of the change in mean molecular area of C18-Glu vs. l-arginine concentration. The thermodynamic properties of the binding events such as binding constant and Gibbs free energy were estimated from the binding curves. We found that N-stearoyl-l-glutamic acid (C18-l-Glu) had a stronger binding affinity to l-arginine as compared to N-stearoyl-d-glutamic acid (C18-d-Glu) at low to moderate surface pressures (below ∼22mN/m). The C18-d-Glu had stronger binding to l-arginine at higher surface pressure. Domains with different shapes in C18-l-Glu and C18-d-Glu monolayers were observed under a fluorescence microscope in situ at the air/water interface. Herein, we present a mechanism for C18-l-Glu and C18-d-Glu interacting with l-arginine at the air/water interface.
Structure- and Fluid-Borne Acoustic Power Sources in 90 Degree Piping Elbows Excited by Turbulent Flow

The structure-borne and fluid-borne vibro-acoustic power spectra induced by turbulent fluid flow over the walls of a continuous 90 degree piping elbow are computed. Although the actual power input by the wall pressure fluctuations to the piping is distributed throughout the elbow, equivalent total powers input to various structural wavetypes (bending, torsion, axial) and fluid (plane waves) at the inlet and discharge of the elbow are computed. The powers at the elbow ‘ports’ are suitable inputs to wave-based and statistically-based models of larger piping systems that include the elbow. Calculations for several flow and structural parameters, including pipe wall thickness, flow speed, and flow Reynolds number are shown. The power spectra are scaled on flow and structural-acoustic parameters so that levels for conditions other than those considered in the paper may be estimated, subject to geometric similarity constraints (elbow radius/pipe diameter). The approach for computing the powers, which links Computational Fluid Dynamics, Finite Element and Boundary Element modeling, and efficient random analysis techniques, is general, and may be applied to other piping system components excited by turbulent fluid flow, such as U-bends and T-sections.© 2006 ASME
Control of hemoglobin synthesis by oxygen tension in a cell-free system.

Abstract The effect of oxygen concentration and heme on hemoglobin synthesis has been studied in avian erythrocyte nuclei. These studies show that concentrations of oxygen higher or lower than 10–15% ( v v ) inhibit the incorporation of C 14 -labeled amino acid into protein. This inhibition can be relieved by the addition of heme. The incorporation of Fe 59 heme is inversely related to oxygen concentration and parallels the inhibition of protein synthesis by concentrations of oxygen over 5%. Heme or protoporphyrin and iron stimulate significantly the incorporation of amino acids into globin, and heme synthesis appears to be limiting for protein synthesis in this system. These findings are compatible with a model whereby oxygen concentration regulates the synthesis of heme, which in turn controls the synthesis of globin.
A New Phase Function Normalization Approach for Radiative Transfer Analysis in Highly Anisotropic Scattering Media

A new phase function normalization approach is applied to both the DOM and FVM for predicting radiative heat transfer in an extreme condition — highly anisotropic scattering media. Previous attempts to normalize the DOM result in a distortion of the overall phase function asymmetry factor. The splitting of each solid angle into numerous sub-angles in the FVM is shown to also produce a lack of conservation of asymmetry factor, even though scattered energy is conserved. The current normalization technique is crafted such that scattered energy and asymmetry factor are accurately conserved after both DOM and FVM discretization. The change in scattering effect when asymmetry factor is not conserved is examined for both methods. Wall flux profiles generated by DOM with old and new normalization techniques as well as FVM with and without phase function normalization are compared to isotropic scaling law profiles to gauge the accuracy of the techniques. The effects of changes in both optical thickness and scattering albedo are investigated. It is found that the current normalization approach vastly improves accuracy of flux profiles. The current procedure also greatly decreases FVM convergence time by eliminating the need for large amounts of solid angle splitting.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Counseling the Adult Learner: a Selective Review of the Literature:

This review examines selected literature on counseling the adult learner. It is organized in terms of (1) the need for counseling adult learners, (2) meeting the adult learner's specific needs, (3) the life-span developmental perspective, (4) new forms of counseling services and (5) new ap proaches and techniques for counseling adults. Despite the recent increased participation of adults in education and hence the growing demand and awareness of a need for counseling ser vices to serve them, little systematic research could be found directed toward the many problems of counseling adult learners. Much of the literature is prescriptive or hortatory, and theoretical analyses are far better developed than the data bases needed to substantiate them. The review concludes with some suggestions for needed research.