cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflections on Bruce Bridgeman's insights into the Evolution of Consciousness and Cognition.

Abstract This tribute to Bruce Bridgeman has three parts, which were selected to illustrate his diverse approaches for linking consciousness and cognition. In Part 1 Bridgeman’s research on eye movements is used to show how the visual system is functionally divided into two very different streams: the temporal pathway is available for cognitive aspects available to consciousness and the parietal pathway is available to the motor system and is largely unconscious. Part 2 provides links to his Psycoloquy article that connects language and consciousness. The Psycoloquy format has other scholars write a response and then the author responds to each one. Part 3 covers Bruce Bridgeman’s book Psychology and Evolution, which is special because it covers many areas with examples not typically treated in introductory psychology textbooks. I decided to quote directly from Bridgeman’s writings throughout this essay. I can’t think of a better way to pay tribute to him and to inspire others to read his publications.
Hydride Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of Type-I Clathrate K8E8Ge38 (E = Al, Ga, In).

Type I clathrates of the composition K8E8Ge38 (E = Al, Ga, In) were prepared via the reaction of KH with E and Ge and thermoelectric properties measured in order to compare to K8Al8Si38, a promisin...
Building a Research-Quality Copy Number Variation Data Repository for Translational Research

Copy number variation (CNV) has known associations with population diversities and disease conditions. However, research communities face great challenges in reusing the CNV data due to the heterogeneity of existing CNV data sources. The objective of the study is to design, develop and evaluate a scalable CNV data repository based on a proposed common data schema for facilitating research-quality CNV data integration and reuse. We created a proposal for a CNV common data schema through analyzing multiple existing CNV data sources. We designed a collection of the CNV quality metrics and demonstrated its usefulness using the CNV data from a study of ovarian cancer xenograft models. We implemented a CNV data repository using a MongoDB database backend and established the CNV genomic data services that enable reusing of the curated CNV data and answering CNV-relevant research questions. The critical issues and future plan for the system enhancement and community engagement were discussed.
Building a Cancer Education Program in the Modern Era: Lessons from Stone Soup

In 2017, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced new guidelines for the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) application that requires reporting on education and career development activities in a section entitled, "Cancer Research Career Enhancement and Related Activities" (CRCERA). While these cancer education and training programs previously have been a required part of the CCSG application, the new guidelines require greater rigor in conducting and reporting these endeavors. In this commentary, I give my perspective of how I have built a cancer education program, first as a program director and then as an associate director of cancer education and mentoring, the critical role leadership plays in the process, and how I have recruited contributors to this educational "stone soup."
Feasibility and potential of three-dimensional printing in laryngotracheal stenosis.

Background The use of three-dimensional printing has been rapidly expanding over the last several decades. Virtual surgical three-dimensional simulation and planning has been shown to increase efficiency and accuracy in various clinical scenarios. Objectives To report the feasibility of three-dimensional printing in paediatric laryngotracheal stenosis and discuss potential applications of three-dimensional printed models in airway surgery. Method Retrospective case series in a tertiary care aerodigestive centre. Results Three-dimensional printing was undertaken in two cases of paediatric laryngotracheal stenosis. One patient with grade 4 subglottic stenosis with posterior glottic involvement underwent an extended partial cricotracheal reconstruction. Another patient with grade 4 tracheal stenosis underwent tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis. Models of both tracheas were printed using PolyJet technology from a Stratasys Connex2 printer. Conclusion It is feasible to demonstrate stenosis in three-dimensional printed models, allowing for patient-specific pre-operative surgical simulation. The models serve as an educational tool for patients' understanding of the surgery, and for teaching residents and fellows.
Monte Carlo Calculations of the Bremsstrahlung Radiation Environment Expected in the Future Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator Facility PBFA II

The Sandia National Laboratories Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator PBFA II is expected to produce significant amounts of prompt penetrating radiation from bremsstrahlung. In the present study the ra...
The British in India: A Social History of the Raj. By David Gilmour. (New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018. Pp. xiv, 480. $35.00.)

Public curiosity has always been high regarding what life was like for British overseas servicemen and women in far‐flung areas of the British Empire during its three hundred years of colonialism. ...
‘For ever England’: The figurative colonization of Flanders:

During the course of the First World War, the British presence in Belgium resulted in what one can describe as a figurative colonization of Flanders, an intensely defended region in which the Briti...
Exploring the associations between middle adolescent romantic activity and positive youth development.

Abstract Introduction Although prior research has demonstrated romantic involvement can negatively impact adolescent well-being, it may also provide a context for developing characteristics of positive youth development (PYD). The present study explored the associations between adolescent romantic involvement and PYD. Study aim-1 determined if participation in different romantic activities was associated with PYD. Study aim-2 specifically focused on adolescents in romantic relationships, testing if relationship quality was associated with PYD. Methods The study was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the age-15 assessment of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Study aim-1 used data from 826 15-year-olds (50% female) who reported their romantic socializing, dating, and relationship involvement. Study aim-2 used data from 190 15-year-olds (52% female) in romantic relationships who reported positive and negative interactions in their relationships. For both study aims, PYD was assessed as psychosocial maturity, peer competence, and school bonding. Results Based on hierarchical regression models, romantic socializing was positively associated with psychosocial maturity, peer competence, and school bonding; dating was positively associated with peer competence and school bonding; and relationship involvement was negatively associated with psychosocial maturity and school bonding. In terms of relationship quality, only one significant association emerged such that positive interactions were positively associated with peer competence. Conclusions Overall, results supported the expectation that romantic involvement is associated with PYD during middle adolescence. However, the potential benefits of romantic involvement may be limited to the on-time romantic activities of romantic socializing and dating.
Conditional-UNet: A Condition-aware Deep Model for Coherent Human Activity Recognition From Wearables.

Recognizing human activities from multi-channel time series data collected from wearable sensors is ever more practical. However, in real-world conditions, coherent activities and body movements could happen at the same time, like moving head during walking or sitting. A new problem, so-called "Coherent Human Activity Recognition (Co-HAR)", is more complicated than normal multi-class classification tasks since signals of different movements are mixed and interfered with each other. On the other side, we consider such Co-HAR as a dense labelling problem that classify each sample on a time step with a label to provide high-fidelity and duration-varied support to applications. In this paper, a novel condition-aware deep architecture "Conditional-UNet" is developed to allow dense labeling for Co-HAR problem. We also contribute a first-of-its-kind Co-HAR dataset for head movement recognition under walk or sit condition for future research. Experiments on head gesture recognition show that our model achieve overall 2%-3% performance gain of F1 score over existing state-of-the-art deep methods, and more importantly, systematic and comprehensive improvements on real head gesture classes.
Intra-burst Theta During Burst-suppression Pattern in Comatose Post-cardiac Arrest Patients Correlates with Outcome; a Prospective Study (1316)

Objective: To examine the association of intra-burst frequency during electroencephalographic burst-suppression pattern (BSP) with clinical outcomes in comatose post-cardiac arrest (CA) patients. Background: Mechanisms of neuronal recovery are not well characterized after CA. Recent studies proposed BSP as a general mechanism when low levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are present leading to protection of membrane integrity in the setting of low metabolic substrate availability. In previous case series and a retrospective cohort analysis we found that theta-bursting (~4–7Hz) during BSP correlates with favorable outcomes after CA, indicating a recovery potential of the cortico-thalamic system. We aimed to validate our previous findings in an independent, prospective cohort. Design/Methods: We prospectively enrolled 53 comatose post-cardiac arrest patients and assessed key clinical variables and outcomes (CPC). In patients with BSP (n=17), additional quantitative EEG analyses were performed using multi-taper methods. Burst and suppression periods were analyzed separately using previously published methods. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test (continuous data) and Fisher’s exact test (categorical data). Results: Patients with BSP (n=17) and without BSP (n=36) did not significantly differ in most assessed clinical variables. In all 3 patients with BSP and favorable outcomes (CPC of 2), a prominent intra-burst theta (~4–7 Hz) peak was persistently present during BSP and/or the peak intra-burst frequency increased over time. In 7/14 patients with unfavorable outcomes (CPC 3–5) and BSP had featureless, flat spectra concentrating in low frequencies ( Conclusions: Prominent and persistent theta (~4–7Hz) peak or increasing intra-burst spectral peak frequency after anoxic brain injury may index a recovery potential. In the context of previous studies, our results emphasize the importance of optimizing metabolic substrate availability and stimulating the cortico-thalamic system during recovery from post-CA coma. Disclosure: Dr. Sehgal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Qing has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schiff has nothing to disclose. Dr. Forgacs has nothing to disclose.
Blood Pressure and Hospital Discharge Outcomes in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Reperfusion Therapy.

Abstract Introduction Acute management of blood pressure in ischemic stroke treated with reperfusion therapy remains uncertain. We evaluated blood pressures during the first 24-hours after reperfusion therapy in relation to in-hospital outcomes. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective study of blood pressure in the first 24 hours among ischemic stroke patients who underwent reperfusion therapy with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) or mechanical thrombectomy (MT) at a tertiary referral center. Blood pressure variability was expressed as the range between the highest and the lowest pressures. Outcomes of interest were discharge disposition and in-hospital mortality. Favorable outcome was defined as a discharge destination to home or inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed with adjustment for age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, and patients receiving reperfusion therapy. Results Among the 140 ischemic stroke patients (117 IVT, 84 MT and 61 both), 95 (67.8%) had favorable discharge disposition and 24 (17.1%) died. Higher 24-hour peak systolic blood pressures (SBPs) and peak mean arterial pressures (MAPs) were independently associated with a lower likelihood of favorable discharge disposition, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.868, 95 % CI 0.760 - 0.990 per 10 mm Hg for SBP and aOR 0.710, 95% CI 0.515 - 0.980 for MAP, and with increased odds of death aOR 1.244, 95% CI 1.056-1.467 and aOR 1.760, 95% CI 1.119 - 2.769 respectively. Greater variability of SBP and MAP was also associated with odds of death aOR 1.327, 95% CI 1.104 - 1.595 and aOR 1.577, 95% CI 1.060- 2.345 respectively, without a significant effect on discharge disposition. Conclusion In the first 24 hours after reperfusion therapy, higher peak and variable blood pressures are associated with unfavorable discharge outcomes and increased in-hospital mortality. Further studies in stroke patients undergoing reperfusion therapy might target blood pressure reduction and variability to improve patient outcomes.
Does Intolerance of Single-Lung Ventilation Preclude Robotic Off-Pump Totally Endoscopic Coronary Bypass Surgery?

ObjectiveRobotic off-pump totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) usually requires isolated single (right) lung ventilation to adequately expose the surgical site. However, in some patien...
Self-centered and self-employed: Gender and the relationship between narcissism and self-employment

Abstract The present study draws from Person-Environment (P-E) Fit theory to examine the relationship between Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and self-employment status as well as the potential for gender to moderate this relationship. Two-wave archival data involving 29,000 respondents of a representative sample provided overall support for our predictions. The results show that although there is a small positive overall effect linking NPD with self-employment, this relationship is moderated by gender such that narcissistic women are less likely to be self-employed than narcissistic men. Moreover, exploratory results demonstrate that narcissists do not ultimately benefit from self-employment status. Specifically, there was no difference in the incomes of narcissists who were self-employed and those who were not. These results suggest that the effects of narcissism on career choice is more complicated than initially believed.
A Survey and Analysis on SoC Platform Security in ARM, Intel and RISC-V Architecture

Modern heterogeneous computing including IoT devices and Networks deliver optimized and enhanced performance along with high speed but rely on an increased number of components to achieve the desired results. The design productivity for hardware accelerators with machine learning platforms for various application has significant progress on system-on-chip architectures. Most of these technologies provide the desired performance, however, there is always a tradeoff between security and performance. The major role in developing frameworks for hardware security attacks depends on the IP and system architecture. RISC-V provides a platform for custom implementation of security extensions when compared to other traditional architectures. This paper provides a brief survey of different hardware/software security attacks and summarizes a comparison of security features in RISC-V and other traditional architectures along with security extensions that can be achieved by RISC-V.
Whole-heart ventricular arrhythmia modeling moving forward: Mechanistic insights and translational applications

Ventricular arrhythmias are the primary cause of sudden cardiac death and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Whole-heart computational modeling offers a unique approach for studying ventricular arrhythmias, offering vast potential for developing both a mechanistic understanding of ventricular arrhythmias and clinical applications for treatment. In this review, the fundamentals of whole-heart ventricular modeling and current methods of personalizing models using clinical data are presented. From this foundation, the authors summarize recent advances in whole-heart ventricular arrhythmia modeling. Efforts in gaining mechanistic insights into ventricular arrhythmias are discussed, in addition to other applications of models such as the assessment of novel therapeutics. The review emphasizes the unique benefits of computational modeling that allow for insights that are not obtainable by contemporary experimental or clinical means. Additionally, the clinical impact of modeling is explored, demonstrating how patient care is influenced by the information gained from ventricular arrhythmia models. The authors conclude with future perspectives about the direction of whole-heart ventricular arrhythmia modeling, outlining how advances in neural network methodologies hold the potential to reduce computational expense and permit for efficient whole-heart modeling.
Course-based undergraduate research in upper-level engineering electives: A case study

Course-based research experiences (CUREs) have been implemented and studied throughout the sciences, with well-documented benefits now clear for both students and faculty. Despite their increasingly widespread application, there remain very few documented implementations within engineering curricula. In the present work, we describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a CURE module in an upper-level engineering elective, specifically a junior-level fluid dynamics course in mechanical engineering. By coordinating the increased availability of rapid-prototyping equipment with real research needs across campus, student participants were successfully engaged in a semester-long research experience with prolonged impact. In each project, student groups were tasked with designing, fabricating, documenting, and sharing a rapid-prototyped device that could be used to measure or generate fluid flows. Details of the course motivation, design, learning outcomes, and deliverables are described herein. Quantitative assessment of the course was also conducted, which highlighted improvements in the studentsâ€™ self-perceived efficacy as scientists and engineers after completing the course module. As has been demonstrated in other scientific fields, CURE courses are a potentially powerful mechanism to increase accessibility and diversity in engineering research.
Enzymology of Cysteine S-Conjugote β-Lyases

Publisher Summary This chapter addresses recent findings concerning the identity of the cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases in mammals, the reactions catalyzed by these enzymes, and the pharmacological aspects of the cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases are addressed. It also discusses β-elimination reactions with cysteine S-conjugates in detail. Relatively little attention has been given to the role of cysteine S-conjugates in human health. Prolonged exposure to low levels of pollutants that can be activated through a glutathione conjugate may predispose certain individuals to risk of kidney disease and others perhaps to inexorable loss of brain function. From this epidemiological point of view, the cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases deserve more attention. However, these enzymes are also interesting in their own right. Cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases thus far shown to occur in mammals belong to three classes: (1) those present in enteric bacteria, (2) a liver form (kynureninase), and (3) a kidney form (glutamine transaminase K). In addition, because of its unique substrate specificity, the enzyme may be the target of prodrugs designed to deliver anticancer drugs to the kidney. Indeed, some progress has already been made in this area.
Controversies and future approaches

Cardiology is a rapidly moving field that has recently seen significant medical and invasive advances. This has resulted in improved patient outcomes. While this is good, we are reminded that there are numerous areas in the management of ACS that remain somewhat controversial or unsettled. This uncertainty in the optimal management of unstable coronary patients is a fertile area for continued debate and future research. In this chapter, the first area of discussion is optimal reperfusion therapy for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, followed by optimal revascularization for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The last section touches upon future approaches to the management of cardiovascular disease.
Immunology for the Clinical Pharmacist

Major advances in the field of immunology within the past decade have led to greater understanding of the immune network. The immune system is finely balanced, with cells communicating both by direct contact and through soluble mediators. Drugs may exert their effects at different sites within the immune network. To understand fully how these drugs act and how side effects may occur, clinicians must comprehend the basic workings of the immune system.
Informed Trading With Multiple Competitive Brokers

We study competitive, but strategic, brokers executing trades for an informed trader in a single and multi-period setting. When brokers act as principals and agents in the same transaction, informed traders benefit and uninformed traders are hurt relative to a model with no brokers. This result is opposite to related models with a single broker. When brokers act as principals and agents in different transactions, they can choose to execute the order, as agents, first, and trade for themselves, as dealers afterwards; or, trade for themselves first and execute the order later. The informed trader always prefers to have his order executed first. Surprisingly, for greater than a critical number of brokers, brokers also prefer to execute the informed trader's order first. We empirically show that this critical number is exceeded for the futures contracts in our sample. An important implication of our result is that competition between brokers can mitigate trading abuses (such as front-running) arising from a conflict between brokers' agency and principal functions.
Plasmacytoma of the Clivus Presenting as Bilateral Sixth Nerve Palsy.

Background and Importance Plasmacytomas are monoclonal proliferations of plasma cells that may arise within soft tissue or bone. The skull base is a rare site for plasmacytomas to occur, and few cases have been reported in the literature. When present in the skull base, plasmacytomas may result in cranial neuropathies and often progress to multiple myeloma more rapidly than other intracranial or skeletal plasmacytomas. Clinical Presentation A 69-year-old man presented with a primary complaint of diplopia and an examination consistent with bilateral abducens nerve palsy. No other deficits were noted. Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull base demonstrated a large T1 isointense moderately enhancing lesion centered within the clivus. Endoscopic biopsy of the mass revealed sheets and aggregates of mature monoclonal plasma cells. The patient's initial systemic work-up revealed that this was a solitary lesion, and he was treated with radiation therapy to the skull base with a durable local effect at 18-month follow-up. Unfortunately he progressed to multiple myeloma with peripheral osteolytic lesions but has been stabilized on chemotherapeutics. Conclusion The clivus is an unusual site for intracranial plasmacytomas, and enhancing lesions must be differentiated from chordoma. Characteristic findings on histopathology include an immunoglobulin light-chain restricted clonal proliferation of plasma cells. Treatment is most commonly radiotherapy with surgery reserved for biopsy and palliation. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of progression to multiple myeloma in skull base plasmacytomas.
A Case Report on the Anxiolytic Properties of Nitrous Oxide during Labor

Widely used in Europe as a labor analgesic, nitrous oxide (N2O) is making a dramatic return in the United States. Valued for its analgesic properties, N2O also has anxiolytic characteristics. Fear and anxiety in childbirth have been associated with various negative effects, and N2O may have the potential to lessen these effects for some women. Women in the United States should have the option of using N2O during labor.
The Development of Catabolic Pathways for the Uncommon Aldopentoses

Those aldehyde sugars that are five carbons in length are known as aldopentoses. Alternate positions of the hydroxyl groups can give rise to eight possible epimeric structures: d- and l-ribose, d- and l-arabinose, d- and l-lyxose, and d- and l-xylose. The different hydroxyl configurations of these eight sugars can be seen in Fig. 1.
The Blooming Anatomy Tool (BAT): A Discipline-Specific Rubric for Utilizing Bloom's Taxonomy in the Design and Evaluation of Assessments in the Anatomical Sciences.

Bloom's taxonomy is a resource commonly used to assess the cognitive level associated with course assignments and examination questions. Although widely utilized in educational research, Bloom's taxonomy has received limited attention as an analytical tool in the anatomical sciences. Building on previous research, the Blooming Anatomy Tool (BAT) was developed. This rubric provides discipline-specific guidelines to Blooming anatomy multiple-choice questions (MCQs). To test the efficacy of the BAT, a group of volunteers were randomly split up and asked to Bloom a series of anatomy MCQs using either the BAT or a traditional Bloom's reference called Bloom's Learning Objectives (BLO). Both groups utilized each rubric for a different series of MCQs. Examination question categorizations made using each rubric were tested for accuracy and interrater reliability. In addition, previous experience in anatomy and Bloom's taxonomy were considered. Results demonstrated that volunteers using the BAT had consistently higher levels of interrater reliability, but accuracy varied and was similar between rubrics. Neither measure was substantially impacted by experience in Bloom's taxonomy or anatomy. A poststudy survey indicated that volunteers strongly preferred the BAT and felt it was more helpful in categorizing anatomy MCQs than the BLO. These results suggest that the BAT can be useful in educational research in the anatomical sciences to aid in aligning observer judgment on Bloom taxonomic levels and improve consistency, especially when used in conjunction with a norming session prior to data collection.
Identification of potent water soluble purine-scaffold inhibitors of the heat shock protein 90.

Hsp90 is a chaperone protein that allows cancer cells to tolerate the many components of dysregulated pathways. Its inactivation may result in targeting multiple molecular alterations and, thus, in...
Influential Factors in the Econometric Modeling of the Price of Wheat in the United States of America

Wheat is a staple agricultural grain commodity used within the United States and is grown in nearly every state. Modeling the price of Hard Winter Red wheat (the most common type of wheat) is of extreme economic and social importance. The 2008 financial crisis had a drastic effect on the price of food in real terms, tightening household budgets and increasing the US percentage of citizen classed below the poverty line. Understanding the influential factors in the econometric modeling of the price of wheat allows for more effective governmental intervention and price stabilization. Results indicate that the price of wheat is influenced by a combination of 5 separate functions: “supply”, “demand”, “macroeconomic”, “climate” and “natural resource” related functions. These functions derive from a wide variety of different data sources. The functions were determined and then incorporated into an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model taking into account variable interaction, variable transformation and time. This regression exercise resulted in a good model, explaining just over 90% of the variation in the price of wheat. Yet, results indicate that the model though sensitive to sharp decreases in the price of wheat is insensitive to sharp increases in the price of wheat. Ideas are discussed of ways of improving the price model. These include the addition of other variables, such as financial speculation/increased use of climate related variables and the idea of using alternative statistical modeling techniques in place of robust OLS regression modeling, such as SVAR models and Spline GARCH models. This research implies that further research into the modeling of the price of wheat within the US has useful potential for a more productive outcome.
New challenges, new alliances: union politicization in a post-NAFTA era

The ascendency of neoliberalism, anti-state ideologies, and increased corporate power has taken its toll on labor movements around the globe. Today, the proportion of unionized workers in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries is half what it was in the 1970s. I argue that unions are dealing with the crises presented by neoliberal economic integration by entering new political coalitions and nontraditional advocacy areas – particularly relating to immigration, environment, and trade – in an effort to increase their relevance, influence, and allies. I examine how the North American Free Trade Agreement helped politicize unions to move beyond traditional workplace-centered struggles and engage in broader and more diverse political struggles linked at the domestic and the transnational level. Union positions vis-a-vis immigrants have shifted dramatically from supporting draconian legislation to leading a broad-based movement for immigrants' rights. Key unions joined with environment...
Role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To systematically evaluate the literature addressing the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and prognosis of early undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods We performed a systematic literature review of the performance characteristics of MRI for diagnosing and prognosticating RA. We searched Ovid, supplementing this with manual searches of bibliographies, journals, meeting proceedings, and the ClinicalTrials.gov web site. To identify diagnostic studies, we included studies of any duration that prospectively examined whether MRI findings predicted RA diagnosis and reported adequate information to calculate sensitivity and specificity. To identify prognostic studies, we included prospective studies with at least a 12-month followup period that measured both baseline MRI findings and clinical and/or radiographic outcomes. Results For diagnostic studies (n = 11), sensitivity and specificity of MRI findings for RA diagnosis ranged from 20–100% and 0–100%, respectively, depending upon the criteria used. Diagnostic performance of MRI improved when lower-quality studies or studies with longer disease duration were excluded. For prognostic studies (n = 17), MRI findings did not predict clinical remission, and the ability to predict radiographic progression varied significantly (range 18–100% for sensitivity and 5.9–97% for specificity). Restricting the analysis to specific MRI findings or earlier disease improved MRI prognostic performance. The only prognostic study reporting 100% of a priori quality criteria found MRI bone edema to be the strongest predictor of radiographic progression. Conclusion Data evaluating MRI for the diagnosis and prognosis of early RA are currently inadequate to justify widespread use of this technology for these purposes, although MRI bone edema may be predictive of progression in certain RA populations.
Anaphylatoxin formation during hemodialysis: comparison of new and re-used dialyzers.

Abstract Anaphylatoxin formation during hemodialysis: Comparison of new and re-used dialyzers. Hemodialysis of 11 endstage renal failure patients with new cuprophan hollow fiber dialyzers produced significant leukopenia as well as increased plasma levels of both C3a and C5a antigens during the initial phases of the procedure. Formalin-fixed new dialyzers produced quantitatively similar phenomena in eight of these same patients. By contrast, hemodialysis with re-used dialyzers, that is dialyzers exposed to blood prior to formalin sterilization, produced only a 20 to 30% decline in peripheral blood leukocyte counts. Correspondingly, C3a antigen formation within re-used dialyzers was only 20% of that observed in new dialyzers. Re-used dialyzers also differed significantly from either new or formalin-fixed new dialyzers in that C3b antigen could be readily detected within them even after extensive washing. These observations suggest that C3b deposition on the cellulosic membrane surface during first use markedly diminishes the complement activating potential of cuprophan dialyzers when they are subsequently re-used. Formation d'anaphylatoxines pendant l'hemodialyse: Comparaison entre les dialyseurs neufs et reutilises. L'hemodialyse de 11 malades en insuffisance renale terminale avec des dialyseurs neufs a fibres capillaires en cuprophan a entraine une leucopenie significative, ainsi qu'une elevation des niveaux plasmatiques des antigenes C3a et C5a pendant les phases initiales du traitement. Des dialyseurs neufs fixes a la formaline ont entraine des phenomenes quantitativement similaires chez huit des memes malades. A l'oppose, l'hemodialyse avec des dialyseurs reutilises, c'est-a-dire des dialyseurs exposes a du sang avant la sterilisation a la formaline, n'a produit qu'une diminution de seulement 20 a 30% de la numeration des leucocytes sanguins peripheriques. En meme temps la formation d'antigenes C3a dans les dialyseurs reutilises n'etait que de 20% de celle observee dans les dialyseurs neufs. Les dialyseurs reutilises etaient egalement significativement differents des dialyseurs neufs ou fixes a la formaline en ce que l'antigene C3b pouvait etre facilement detecte a l'interieur, meme apres lavage extensif. Ces observations suggerent que le depot de C3b a la surface de membranes en cellulose pendant la premiere utilisation diminue de facon marquee le potentiel d'activation du complement des dialyseurs en cuprophan lorsqu'ils sont ensuite reutilises.
Antitransforming growth factor-β therapy in fibrosis: recent progress and implications for systemic sclerosis

Purpose of reviewTransforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is required for tissue homeostasis but is also implicated in disease processes including fibrosis, and thus represents a molecular target for therapy.Recent findingsMultiple strategies for inhibiting excessive TGF-β function exist. The three prin
Optimal control of distributed energy resources using model predictive control

In an isolated power system (rural microgrid), distributed energy resources (DERs), such as renewable energy resources (wind, solar), energy storage and demand response, can be used to complement fossil fueled generators. The uncertainty and variability due to high penetration of wind makes reliable system operations and controls challenging. In this paper, an optimal control strategy is proposed to coordinate energy storage and diesel generators to maximize wind penetration while maintaining system economics and normal operation performance. The problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem with the goals of minimizing fuel costs and changes in power output of diesel generators, minimizing costs associated with low battery life of energy storage, and maximizing the ability to maintain real-time power balance during operations. Two control modes are considered for controlling the energy storage to compensate either net load variability or wind variability. Model predictive control (MPC) is used to solve the aforementioned problem and the performance is compared to an open-loop look-ahead dispatch problem under high penetration of wind. Simulation studies using different prediction horizons further demonstrate the efficacy of the closed-loop MPC in compensating for uncertainties in the system caused by wind and demand.
Nuclear pre-mRNA splicing in plants

Referee: Dr. Gabor Lazar, Chief, Dept. of Molecular Biology, Massachsetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Wellman Eleven, Boston, MA 02114 The coding regions of about 80% of plant nuclear genes contain one or more noncoding intervening sequences (introns). The transcription of these genes results in a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) with coding sequences (exons) and introns. The noncoding intervening sequences are then accurately removed and the coding regions are joined in the nucleus to generate functional mRNAs by a process called pre-mRNA splicing. In addition to basic/constitutive splicing, many plant pre-mRNAs, like metazoan pre-mRNAs, undergo alternative splicing, thereby contributing to proteomic complexity. The splicing of pre-mRNAs takes place in a large RNA-protein complex named the spliceosome, which is made up of several small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) particles and other associated proteins. Until recently, it was thought that there is only one type of spliceosome in all eukaryot...
The effect of cadaverine on the formation of anabasine from lysine in hairy root cultures of Nicotiana hesperis.

Unlabelled cadaverine did not diminish the incorporation into anabasine of 14C from L-[U-14C] lysine supplied to hairy root cultures of Nicotiana nesperis, despite causing a stimulation of anabasine production. The finding is discussed in the context of previous observations indicating that free cadaverine is not an intermediate in the biosynthesis of anabasine from lysine.
Policy Issues Relevant to Evaluation of Interactive Health Communication Applications

Abstract This article provides an analysis of policy-related issues associated with the evaluation of interactive health communication (IHC) applications. These include an assessment of the current health and technology policy environment pertinent to public (government, education, public health) and private (medical care providers, purchasers, consumers, IHC developers) IHC stakeholders and discussion of issues likely to merit additional consideration by these stakeholders in the future.
1,1′-Bis(N-benzimidazolylidene)ferrocene: synthesis and study of a novel ditopic ligand and its transition metal complexes

Diiridum complexes containing 1,1′-bis(N-benzimidazolylidene)ferrocene, a novel ditopic ligand comprised of two N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) linked directly via their N-substituents to each cyclopentadienyl ring of a ferrocene moiety, were synthesized. Crystallographic analyses of these C2-symmetric bimetallic complexes revealed the benzimidazolylidene moieties were intramolecularly stacked in nearly opposing orientations, effectively forming Janus-type bis(NHC) structures in the solid state. Using a variety of electrochemical techniques, the oxidation potentials of the ferrocenyl groups in these complexes were found to depend on the auxillary ligands coordinated to the Ir centers (i.e., 1,5-cyclooctadiene vs. carbonyl). Similarly, the νCO of carbonyls ligated to the Ir centers varied in accord with the oxidation state of the ferrocene contained with the bis(NHC) ligand. These results suggest that the Ir and Fe centers in these complexes are electronically coupled and that the electron donating ability of the bis(NHC) ligand reported herein can be tuned electrochemically.
Cardiac Actions of Antihistamines

Two of the nonsedating antihistaminic drugs, terfenadine and astemizole, have recently been recognized in rare cases to induce the syndrome of torsades de pointes, i.e. QT interval prolongation and life-threatening ventricular tachycardia. Each was found to prolong cardiac repolarization when its metabolic elimination was impaired, such as by liver disease or drugs that inhibit the 3A family of cytochrome P450. In vitro studies indicate that this action is due to blockade of one or more of the cardiac potassium channels that determine the duration of the action potential. Prescription guidelines are now available to reduce the risk of developing arrhythmias with these two drugs. Two agents recently marketed in the United States, Ioratidine and cetirizine, appear to lack the ability to prolong repolarization and induce torsades de pointes. Evaluation of the potential cardiac actions of investigational antihistamines is essential and may be of value for some of the older conventional agents.
Control of serial microfluidic droplet size gradient by step-wise ramping of flow rates

This paper describes a method to control and detect droplet size gradient by step-wise flow rate ramping of water-in-oil droplets in a microfluidic device. The droplets are generated in a cross channel device with two oil inlets and a water inlet. The droplet images are captured and analyzed in a time sequence in order to quantify the droplet generation frequency. It is demonstrated that by controlling the ramping of the oil flow rates it is possible to manipulate the ramping of droplet sizes. Increasing or decreasing of droplet sizes is achieved for a step-wise triangular ramping profile of the oil flow rate. The dynamic behavior of droplets due to the step-wise flow pulses is investigated. Uniform linear size ramping of water-in-oil droplets from 73 to 83 μm in diameter is generated with an oil flow ramping range from 1 to 11 μL/min in a minimum of five steps while water flow rate is held constant at 2 μL/min.
Plasma immersion ion implantation of cold-work steel

Abstract Plasma immersion ion implantation can be used to modify the near surface region of steels at temperatures lower than 400°C. Hence even the surface properties of heat-sensitive steels like cold-work steels, which are not accessible for conventional nitriding, can be enhanced by reducing the friction coefficient and improving wear behaviour. Subsequent implantation of nitrogen and carbon into X155CrVMo12.1 steel using voltage pulses of −30 kV with combined doses up to 2.7×10 18 cm −2 was performed at different temperatures between 300 and 400°C. Layers of e-Fe 2+ x (C,N) of several micrometers were detected using X-ray diffraction and glow discharge optical spectroscopy. Wear tests were performed with an oscillating ball-on-disc tribometer using a stainless steel ball and contact pressures between 0.7 and 1.4 GPa. For the lower contact pressure, a reduction of the abrasive wear by one order of magnitude was observed while the friction coefficient was reduced by 75%. At the higher contact pressures the wear mechanism changed from adhesive wear to slightly abrasive wear after nitrogen/carbon implantation, eliminating the cold welding between a stainless steel ball and the untreated sample completely. An optimum treatment temperature of 350°C was found.
Universality behaviors and fractal dimensions associated with M-furcations

We study the universality behavior and scaling property associated with an arbitrary M-furcation fixed point in a one-dimensional iterative map. We use both the direct-search method and the renormalization-group method to evaluate the fixed-point function ${f}^{\mathrm{*}}$(x) and the universal constants \ensuremath{\alpha} and \ensuremath{\delta}. The agreement between these two methods is very satisfactory. The basin of attraction of ${f}^{\mathrm{*}}$(x) forms a nearly self-similar Cantor set. We use this approximate self-similarity property to compute the capacity and the information dimensions of the attractor. We summarize M-furcation results for all M\ensuremath{\le}7 basic cycles in several tables.
Validating Measures of Leader Authenticity: Relationships Between Implicit/Explicit Self-Esteem, Situational Cues, and Leader Authenticity

Using a student sample in a lab setting, we examined the relationships between explicit and implicit self-esteem and two measures of leader authenticity: self-reported authentic leadership as measu...
EVOLUTION OF THE Hα LUMINOSITY FUNCTION

The Smithsonian Hectospec Lensing Survey (SHELS) is a window on the star formation history over the last 4 Gyr. SHELS is a spectroscopically complete survey for R tot < 20.3 over 4 °. We use the 10k spectra to select a sample of pure star-forming galaxies based on their Hα emission line. We use the spectroscopy to determine extinction corrections for individual galaxies and to remove active galaxies in order to reduce systematic uncertainties. We use the large volume of SHELS with the depth of a narrowband survey for Hα galaxies at z ~ 0.24 to make a combined determination of the Hα luminosity function at z ~ 0.24. The large area covered by SHELS yields a survey volume big enough to determine the bright end of the Hα luminosity function from redshift 0.100 to 0.377 for an assumed fixed faint-end slope α = –1.20. The bright end evolves: the characteristic luminosity L* increases by 0.84 dex over this redshift range. Similarly, the star formation density increases by 0.11 dex. The fraction of galaxies with a close neighbor increases by a factor of 2-5 for L Hα L* in each of the redshift bins. We conclude that triggered star formation is an important influence for star-forming galaxies with Hα emission.
On single angle major axis flexure

Abstract The present study employs experimentally verified nonlinear finite element analysis techniques to study the ultimate response of single angle beams bent about the major principal axis. The results of the finite element studies show that the current American steel specification predicts nominal moment capacities well below those achieved in the numerical tests. Similarly, the American code does not allow for the design of single angle beams using plastic analysis and design techniques. The work reported herein demonstrates that single angles bent about the major principal axis are indeed suitable for proportioning by plastic design methodologies. Minimum cross-sectional compactness values are given, as is a design equation relating single angle plate slenderness, beam slenderness, yield stress, and rotation capacity. Imperfection sensitivity is also studied through the use of an out-of-plane load, of varying magnitude, imposed at the single angle mid-span shear center. The results show that single angle beams, bent about the major principal axis, enjoy a high degree of imperfection insensitivity.
Training for Library Patrons Who Are Hard of Hearing.

An increasing number of library patrons are hard of hearing. The U.S. Bureau of Census projected that 35 million North Americans would suffer from hearing loss by the year 2005 based on the age-population projections. These individuals would have at one time been labeled as deaf due to the lack of assistive hearing technology such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. The advances in technology have created a new group of individuals who are mainstreamed into society and interested in library services. Libraries must create trainings for these individuals who are hard of hearing. Universal design has been used to create an atmosphere that is not only inviting to patrons who are hard of hearing, but also benefits other patrons with hidden disabilities. Assistive technologies have increased the literacy rates of children, adults, and individuals for whom English is a second language.