cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening of new human carbonic anhydrase II(hCA II) inhibitors

Aim To provide practical method for screening human carbonic anhydrase Ⅱ(hCA Ⅱ) inhibitors in drug discovery.Methods hCA Ⅱ protein was obtained from induced BL21(DE3) E.coli containing plasmid pET-28b-hCA Ⅱ.The hCA Ⅱ activity was detected under pH 7.6 and 25℃ by its esterase activity which could decompose PNPA to increase the photoabsorption at 348 nm. After the assay conditions were finally selected,35 new compounds were tested.Results A practical method for screening hCA Ⅱ inhibitors was successfully constituted by using recombinant hCA Ⅱ protein expressed in E.coli as the source of hCA Ⅱ enzyme.10 new compounds had better inhibitory effect and 9 new compounds had the same inhibitory effect on hCA Ⅱ compared with acetazolamide.Conclusions The hCA II inhibitor screening technique constituted in this work possesses advantages of being reliable,rapid,and practical. 19 new compounds are worth further research for developing high efficiency and low side effect drugs used for high-altitude illness.
Chaotic Parameters Analysis in Fault Diagnoses

The simulating fault vibration signals were collected on the established experimental equipment.Using phase space reconstruction theory,the time-series measured fault signal was reconstructed.In order to make the reconstructed phase space adequately reflect the motion characteristics of the system,delay time and embedding dimension must be properly selected.The delay times of the time series of different fault were determined with the method of mutual information function and the minimum embedding dimension was determined with the method of improved false nearest.On this basis,the correlation dimension and Lyapunov exponent were calculated.Taking the two chaotic parameters as the characteristic quantities,it is favorable for recognizing fault signal,enhancing reliability.It provides an identification method for the complex rotating machinery fault diagnosis.
Micro-Tube Hydroforming System Based on Floating Die Assembly

Micro tube hydroforming system based on floating a micro-die assembly in a pressurized chamber is an innovative system which can allow fabrication of complex micro tubular products. In this system, the fluid pressure inside the chamber which surrounds the die and punches is the same as the pressure required to hydroform the tube. The unique features of this system are its capability to hydroform complex micro tubular parts irrespective of whether the material require material feeding, the ability to hydroform very small tubing because material feeding can be achieved by employing non-hollow punches, and the ability to hydroform multiple parts with ease because the fluid intake to the pressurized chamber is independent of the number of micro tubes to be hydroformed.
File transfer system with computer using visible light communication technology on FPGA

Visible Light Communication (VLC) is promising candidate for replacing the traditional sources. The VLC is capable of providing communication and illumination concurrently. Besides, based on the flexibility in changing the design from users, embedded system using SoC on FPGA kit is becoming more popular and developed. In this paper, a SoC system is designed to read data from SD card and transfer to computer based on visible light communication technology. Manchester encoder is chosen as a VLC modulation method. Experimental mesurments of the prototype shows that the system is stable at resonable baud rate speed and distance in the commercially available white LED sources.
External Assessment of QoS Provisioning in Distributed Cloud Services

Given a distributed service support system S realized on a cloud (e.g., replicated data services), QoS assessment captures the SLA violations that may arise under various resource depletions and outages faced by S. The issue of less-than-100% guarantee of QoS arises due to the lax control of the underlying cloud resources and components that is typical of third-party providers. Our goal is to reason about how well the system-internal mechanisms are geared to offer a required level of service to the application. We employ computational models of S to determine the optimal feasible output and verify how close is the actual behavior of S to this 'gold-standard'. Case studies from diverse application domains are described to corroborate our assessment methodology.
Dance and Drama in French Baroque Opera: A History

Since its inception, French opera has embraced dance, yet all too often operatic dancing is treated as mere decoration. Dance and Drama in French Baroque Opera exposes the multiple and meaningful roles that dance has played, starting from Jean-Baptiste Lully's first opera in 1672. It counters prevailing notions in operatic historiography that dance was parenthetical and presents compelling evidence that the divertissement - present in every act of every opera - is essential to understanding the work. The book considers the operas of Lully - his lighter works as well as his tragedies - and the 46-year period between the death of Lully and the arrival of Rameau, when influences from the commedia dell'arte and other theatres began to inflect French operatic practices. It explores the intersections of musical, textual, choreographic and staging practices at a complex institution - the Academie Royale de Musique - which upheld as a fundamental aesthetic principle the integration of dance into opera.
CBIO-39DOWN-REGULATION OF NFIA SENSITIZES GLIOMA TO CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED APOPTOSIS

The Nuclear Factor I-A (NFIA) transcription factor was recently identified as a glioma tumor promoter. We previously reported that NFIA inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis glioblastoma (GBM) cells. However, the mechanism by which the NFIA regulates cell survival and drug resistance is not fully understood. We now report that NFIA enhances apoptosis evasion through activating the NFkB p65 and its downstream anti-apoptotic factors (TRAF1 and cIAPs). Induction of NFkB by NFIA is required to protect cells from apoptosis, and inhibition of NFkB (siRNA or inhibitors) effectively reversed NFIA anti-apoptotic effect. Conversely, NFIA knockdown decreased NFkB and anti-apoptotic gene expression and ultimately induced apoptosis. Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that NFIA positively regulates NFkB transcription and protein level. Interestingly we also found that NFkB activates the NFIA promoter and increases NFIA level and that knockdown of NFIA is sufficient to attenuate NFkB pro-survival effect, suggesting a reciprocal regulation between NFIA and NFkB. Consistent with our findings, NFIA and NFkB levels and expression are highly associated in human primary GBM and patient-derived GBM cells. Collectively, these data define previously unknown NFIA-NFkB feed-forward regulation that controls GBM cell survival and drug resistance.
Sub-THz power measurements with ambient pyroelectric detectors

We present a simple cross-calibration procedure for measuring THz power with room-temperature pyroelectric detectors. When efficiently coupled, large-area, metal-film-coated lithium tantalate pyroelectric detectors are perfectly capable of detecting microwatt average power levels or less from THz sources, pulsed or cw. Here we focus on a brass flared-horn coupling technique that increases the pyroelectric responsivity by about 5x compared to traditional, quasi-optical coupling.
Basic Concepts in Coagulation

The biochemical mechanisms in coagulation, kinin generation, and the fibrinolytic pathways are based on well-defined fundamental concepts, and as such, must be fully understood before attempting to examine the immunologic role of a given coagulation protein. In this section, terms such as hemostasis, vasoconstriction, platelet activation, coagulation cascade, and so on are discussed so that the interdependence of the components of each system becomes apparent and an appropriate testing procedure is utilized. Extensive reviews on biochemical mechanisms in coagulation and fibrinolysis have appeared in recent years and readers are referred to these for further information.6,15,22,82,102
Paradox of Self-Interaction Correction: How Can Anything So Right Be So Wrong?

Abstract Popular local, semilocal, and hybrid density functional approximations to the exchange-correlation energy of a many-electron ground state make a one-electron self-interaction error which can be removed by its orbital-by-orbital subtraction from the total energy, as proposed by Perdew and Zunger in 1981. This makes the functional exact for all one-electron ground states, but it does much more as well: It greatly improves the description of negative ions, the dissociation curves of radical molecules and of all heteronuclear molecules, the barrier heights for chemical reactions, charge-transfer energies, etc. PZ SIC even led to the later discovery of an exact property, the derivative discontinuity of the energy. It is also used to understand strong correlation, which is beyond the reach of semilocal approximations. The paradox of SIC is that equilibrium properties of molecules and solids, including atomization energies and equilibrium geometries, are at best only slightly improved and more typically worsened by it, especially as we pass from local to semilocal and hybrid functionals which by themselves provide a ladder of increasing accuracy for these equilibrium properties. The reason for this puzzling ambivalence remains unknown. In this speculative chapter, we suggest that the problem arises because the uncorrected functionals provide an inadequate description of compact but noded one-electron orbital densities. We suggest that a meta-generalized gradient approximation designed to satisfy a tight lower bound on the exchange energy of a one-electron density could resolve the paradox, providing after self-interaction correction the first practical “density functional theory of almost everything.”
Dynamic Workload Fluctuations in Driver/Non-Driver Conversational DYADS

We developed a new method for simultaneously assessing the workload of a driver and a non-driver engaged in natural conversation either in the vehicle or over a cell phone. For both the driver and non-driver, talking was found to be more demanding than listening and the pattern was identical for both passenger conversations and cell phone conversations. Operating the vehicle increased the workload for the driver over and above the conversation task. The effects of driving (or not) and talking (or not) were found to be additive. The data reveal a pattern of dynamic fluctuation in workload in driver/non-driver conversational dyads.
Explorando los métodos de planeación en las organizaciones

Este articulo es complementario al escrito “Una aproximacion teorica a la planeacion en las organizaciones”, originados dentro del marco del proyecto de investigacion sobre el comportamiento de los empresarios frente a los acuerdos de integracion. Su objetivo es explorar los metodos mas usuales dentro de la planeacion de las organizaciones, en aras de identificar los procesos que se adoptan en la toma de decisiones. Metodologicamente, el trabajo se desarrollo mediante una revision documental sobre el tema. Los resultados muestran que existen varios metodos que cada organizacion puede adaptar de acuerdo a su entorno y contexto.
Cell-secreted extracellular matrix, independent of cell source, promotes the osteogenic differentiation of human stromal vascular fraction

Lipoaspirates contain a readily accessible heterogeneous cell source for use in bone regeneration collectively referred to as the stromal vascular fraction (SVF). However, the osteogenic potential of SVF is inferior to other progenitor cell populations, thereby requiring alternative strategies to potentiate its effective use in cell-based therapies of bone repair. Cell-secreted extracellular matrix (ECM) is a promising substrate to guide cell phenotype or for use in biomaterial design, yet the instructional capacity of ECMs produced by various cell types is unknown. To determine whether the bioactivity of cell-secreted ECM was dependent on cell source, we assessed the osteogenic response of human SVF on ECMs secreted by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adipose stromal cells (ASCs), and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Tissue culture plastic (TCP), type I collagen, and ECM induced expression of integrin subunits α2, α5, and β1 in SVF, yet seeding efficiency was only improved on MSC-derived ECM. Regardless of ECM source, SVF deposited over 8- and 1.3-fold more calcium compared to TCP and collagen-coated controls, respectively. Flow cytometry confirmed that SVF cultured on ECM retained CD31 and CD34 positive cell populations better than TCP. After depleting accessory cells, ASCs deposited significantly less calcium compared to donor-matched SVF. This function was partially restored in the presence of MSC-derived ECM when donor-matched endothelial cells (ECs) were added in an ASC/EC co-culture, confirming a role for ECs in osteogenic differentiation. These findings support the use of cell-derived ECM as a means to promote cell retention and osteogenic differentiation of SVF.
Alignment of Liquid Crystals in the Vicinity of the SmA-N Transition

e(T) and e(H) data were obtained for a number of cells having SiO2 aligning layers, e-beam deposited at oblique angles. The cells were filled with a mixture of cyanobiphenyls which has a narrow nematic phase between its SmA and I phases. In general, the cell alignment depends on the angle of deposition as was found for pure nematics, except that the smectic phase dominates. Cybotactic domains determine the average tilt at small angles of evaporation. At larger deposition angles, the smectic configuration persists throughout the entire nematic region.
Using Exposomics to Assess Cumulative Risks from Multiple Environmental Stressors

Humans are exposed to a milieu of environmental stressors of a chemical, physical, and social nature that may change over time. Interaction of these stressors with various intrinsic factors such as genetics, sex, life stage, and health status determines susceptibility to related diseases. Cumulative risk assessment seeks to determine the combined risks to health from exposures to multiple agents or stressors. This can be achieved by expanding beyond a G × E approach—where “G” represents genetic susceptibility and “E” (environment) represents a limited range of exposures—to an I × E approach—where “I” (intrinsic) represents the many inter-related biological factors that contribute to disease susceptibility and “E” (extrinsic) represents all nongenetic factors including the exposome. Exposomics is poised to advance this concept and make significant advances in environmental health science and our understanding of the causes of chronic diseases. The internal exposome can be assessed using targeted and untargeted exposomics tools to measure individual chemicals, groups of chemicals, or the totality of chemicals acting on a particular receptor or biological pathway in a functional assay. Comprehensive data on the internal, external, and public health components of the exposome together could inform risk assessment and ultimately guide risk management. These approaches could be applied in vulnerable populations such as migrants or those burdened with multiple types of stressor simultaneously as identified through map- or indicator-based approaches. Development and refinement of additional exposomics tools that can be applied in prospective human epidemiology studies should be a focus of future studies.
Rapid Routing with Guaranteed Delay Bounds

We consider networks in which each individual link is characterized by two delay parameters: a (usually very conservative) guaranteed upper bound on the worst-case delay, and an estimate of the delay that is typically encountered, across the link. Given a source and destination node on such a network and an upper bound on the end-to-end delay that can be tolerated, the objective is to determine routes they typically experience a small delay, while guaranteeing to respect the specified end-to-end upper bound under all circumstances. We formalize the problem of determining such routes as a shortest-paths problem on graphs, and derive algorithms for solving this problem optimally.
Safety and Efficacy of Transjugular Liver Biopsy in Patients with Left Lobe–Only Liver Transplants

Abstract Purpose To evaluate efficacy and safety of transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) via the left hepatic vein in patients with left lobe–only liver transplants (LLOTs). Materials and Methods Retrospective review revealed 43 TJLBs performed in 26 patients with LLOTs (mean age 51.3 y; range, 18–73 y) between January 2009 and June 2016 at a single institution. A comparison group of 44 randomly selected TJLBs performed in 37 orthotopic whole liver transplant (OWLT) recipients (mean age 57.6 y; range, 35–74 y) during the same time period was evaluated. Patient demographics, type and age of transplant, technical success, adequacy of samples, number of portal tracts obtained, pathologic diagnosis, and complication rate were reviewed. Results Technical success was achieved in 98% (42/43) of LLOT procedures. TJLB failed in 1 patient with LLOT, in whom no patent hepatic veins were identified. Technical success was achieved in 100% (44/44) in the OWLT group. Mean (SD) number of needle passes was 4.12 (1.25) in the LLOT group vs 3.95 (1.28) in the OWLT group (P = .54). Mean (SD) specimen length was 1.16 (0.75) cm in the LLOT group vs 1.19 (0.58) cm in the OWLT group (P = .78). Mean (SD) number of portal tracts obtained in the LLOT group was 10.7 (5.26) vs 12.3 (4.68) in the OWLT group (P = .17). No major complications were observed in either group. Conclusions TJLB in adult patients with LLOTs appears safe and feasible, with favorable rates of technical success and adequacy of sampling.
High-dose areas are unintentionally created as a result of gap shifts when the prescribed dose in the two adjacent areas are different

A large number of methods have been described for matching adjacent fields to prevent over- or underdosage at a field junction. Most authors recommend that the location of field junctions be shifted to different locations during the course of the treatment in an effort to "smear out" any dose inhomogeneity regardless of which field matching technique is used. This report focuses on the considerable variation in dose that can occur when the dose in the two adjacent treatment areas is different at the time of the gap shift. In a typical cranio-spinal treatment we found a 16% dose increase over the prescribed central axis dose.
A Comparison of Methods to Sample Model Errors for Convection-Allowing Ensemble Forecasts in the Setting of Multiscale Initial Conditions Produced by the GSI-Based EnVar Assimilation System

AbstractA gridpoint statistical interpolation (GSI)-based hybrid ensemble–variational (EnVar) scheme was extended for convective scales—including radar reflectivity assimilation—and implemented in ...
Feasibility of using reactive silicate particles with temperature-responsive coatings to enhance the security of geologic carbon storage

Abstract The large-scale deployment of geologic carbon storage will require minimizing the risk of CO2 leakage. Here we report on a novel strategy to seal leakage pathways by injecting functionalized reactive calcium silicate (CaSiO3) particles. The particles consist of a mineral silicate core within a temperature-sensitive Poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) coating that limits contact between the core and the surrounding CO2(aq) above a switching temperature making them relatively unreactive deep in the subsurface. If the CO2 leaks to shallower depths and cooler temperatures, the coatings would extend and enable the silicate core to react with CO2(aq) to form solid carbonate precipitates that reduce the permeability of the fracture or flow path. A combined laboratory- and simulation-based investigation was conducted to explore key early-stage research questions related to the feasibility of this leakage management strategy. Sand columns were injected with either coated or uncoated CaSiO3 particles and the permeability was measured before and after exposure to CO2. Experiments were conducted at 35 °C and 70 °C, a range that spans the switching temperature for the coatings. Results show that at the cooler temperature the coating effectively enabled reaction and permeability reduction. At higher temperatures, the coated particles limited mineral carbonation and the permeability decrease was minimal compared to columns with uncoated particles. The morphology and location of the precipitates provides insight about permeability evolution. Model simulations of 2D radial particle transport from an injection point provided insight into the effects of particle size, coating properties, and concentrations of particles in several representative rock formations.
Identifying a Safe Carotid Stump Pressure Threshold for Selective Shunting During Carotid Endarterectomy.

Background There is no current consensus on the best criteria for selective shunting during carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The choice of continuous neurologic assessment during awake CEA, intraoperative electroencephalogram, or carotid stump pressure monitoring as the basis for shunt placement is primarily dependent on surgeon preference. Our goal is to define a safe stump pressure threshold as a guide for selective shunting. Methods The study is a single-surgeon retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent CEA under general anesthesia with selective shunting based on intraoperative stump pressure measurements from 2001 to 2019. Demographic and periprocedural variables were analyzed using standard statistical techniques. Results Among 399 patients, 68% were male with a mean age of 70. One-third of the patients were symptomatic, with amaurosis fugax in 12%, transient ischemic attack in 7%, and stroke in 16%. In total, 60 (15%) patients underwent shunting: 34 for a confirmed preoperative acute ischemic stroke, 22 for a stump pressure Conclusions This is one of the largest contemporary series of CEA using a 30 mm Hg threshold for selective shunting that demonstrated exceedingly low 30-day death and stroke events. Intraoperative carotid stump pressure measurements are a useful guide for selective shunting and reduction in perioperative stroke complications after CEA.
High-resolution mass spectrometry

Abstract High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) can determine the masses of compounds with much greater precision than low-resolution mass spectrometers, with mass differences as low as 0.0001 Da, making it possible to distinguish between compounds based on exact mass rather than integer mass. Traditionally, many studies have relied on low-resolution mass spectrometry due to its widespread availability and lower cost; however, HRMS has many advantages for breath research applications. In this chapter, the fundamental concepts of HRMS are presented and discussed, as are popular types of mass analyzer, including time-of-flight (TOF), Orbitrap, and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR). The usefulness of HRMS for nontargeted analyses of complex breath samples to detect unknown compounds that may be important for assessing health state or environmental exposure of individuals is discussed, and the current techniques that are being used to analyze exhaled breath, exhaled breath condensate (EBC), and exhaled breath aerosol (EBA) matrices are highlighted.
Fungal Infections in Children

Abstract Most fungal infections occur in healthy children and cause self-limited, skin and mucous membrane disease. In contrast, immunocompromised and hospitalized children can suffer from invasive fungal infections that result in significant morbidity and mortality. Many of the features of invasive fungal disease are shared between adults and children. However, there are important age-related differences in disease. This is especially true for premature neonates and children with primary immunodeficiencies. In this article, we review invasive fungal infections due to Candida and Aspergillus spp., the most common causes of invasive fungal diseases in children, with a special focus on the unique characteristics of pediatric disease.
Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

The field of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus is broad and includes diseases affecting the anterior segment, the posterior segment, visual development, and efferent function. Among the diverse range of potential topics, we have chosen to focus on four areas: amblyopia, cataract, retinopathy of prematurity, and strabismus. These four areas cover important topics that reflect diseases commonly encountered by pediatric ophthalmologists. The clinical studies relevant to each of these topics have been selected as foundational for the influence that these studies play in defining current clinical practice and treatment.
From Mouse Brain Tissue to Cortical Networks

The (BTS) enables detailed measurement and visualization of mouse brain microstructure at a neuronal level of detail. We report here methods to process the volume data produced by the BTS and reconstruct the three-dimensional microstructure — the neuronal forests and fibers — of the scanned mouse tissue. We then turn to modeling the geometry and topology of the reconstructed mouse cortical network. Only a small percentage of neurons are stained and rendered visible by the procedures prescribed here. Hence reconstructed neurons are augmented with synthetic neurons and putative synapses based on measured biological neurons, to construct the columns of the mouse cortical network.
Identification of closed fatigue fractures in synthetic human tibia using vibro-acoustic nonlinear technique: an experimental investigation

Our research group had previously worked on the experimental identification of low-frequency vibrational modes of human tibia and identified corresponding natural frequencies in the sub-kHz range. Here we highlight our current progress in using those specific frequencies in vibro-acoustic nonlinear characterization of closed stress fracture in synthetic human tibia. We uniquely use tuning forks tuned at frequencies close to the identified modal frequencies of tibia to generate high amplitude low frequency vibration, and we couple that with low amplitude high frequency ultrasonic waves generated using a novel omnidirectional shear transducer. Unlike the case where there is no fracture in the bone, the presence of a fatigue crack leads to the generation of sideband peaks centered around the ultrasonic excitation frequency. The fatigue fracture in tibia is created using a dynamic three-point bending test rig. We also consider the effectiveness of this technique in the presence of a soft-tissue layer at the tuning fork excitation region.
Anthelmintics: The best way to predict the future is to create it.

‘The best way to predict the future is to create it.’ When we look at drugs that are used to control parasites, we see that new knowledge has been created (discovered) about their modes of action. This knowledge will allow us to predict combinations of drugs which can be used together rationally to increase the spectrum of action and to slow the development of anthelmintic resistance. In this paper we comment on some recent observations of ours on the modes of action of emodepside, diethylcarbamazine and tribendimidine. Emodepside increases the activation of a SLO-1 K+ current inhibiting movement, and diethylcarbamazine has a synergistic effect on the effect of emodepside on the SLO-1 K+ current, increasing the size of the response. The combination may be considered for further testing for therapeutic use. Tribendimidine is a selective cholinergic nematode B-subtype nAChR agonist, producing muscle depolarization and contraction. It has different subtype selectivity to levamisole and may be effective in the presence of some types of levamisole resistance. The new information about the modes of action may aid the design of rational drug combinations designed to slow the development of resistance or increase the spectrum of action.
Chapter 57 Child Labor

Abstract In recent years, there has been an astonishing proliferation of empirical work on child labor. An Econlit search of keywords “child lab*r” reveals a total of 6 peer reviewed journal articles between 1980 and 1990, 65 between 1990 and 2000, and 143 in the first five years of the present decade. The purpose of this essay is to provide a detailed overview of the state of the recent empirical literature on why and how children work as well as the consequences of that work.
Reactions of co-ordinated ligands—IV: Synthesis of iron isontrile complexes by the transalkylation reaction

Abstract When tetrabenzylisocyano iron (II) cyanide or cyanopentabenzylisocyano iron (II) bromide is heated with an alkyl halide (R'X) and if the benzylhalide formed is continuously removed during the reaction, products of the general formulae (R'NC) x (C 6 H 5 CH 2 NC) y FeCNX ( x + y = 5) (X = halogen); (R'NC) 5 FeBr 2 and (R'NC) 4 Fe(CN) 2 are formed.
The Constitution and America's Destiny: What Can Be Governed? Constituting Policy Authority

The compromises on policy agency wrecked the foundation of Madison's plan for far-reaching national powers. As the selection of policy makers grew more complicated, the delegates grew more wary of national authority. Madison's opponents had battled to limit the government's reach and to protect the states' authority to manage their internal affairs. This inclination grew as the drive for proportional representation faltered. Key delegates, concerned about slavery, trade, and other vital interests, came around to Connecticut's argument that the national and state governments should share sovereignty. The Constitutional Convention began to mark out this dual sovereignty with a crucial political deal that enabled the national government to supervise trade with other nations while allowing the states to manage slavery. The delegates reinforced shared sovereignty further by allowing the states substantial authority to manage property, commerce, economic development, the military, individual behavior, and rights. They could not avoid giving the national government the power to levy taxes, but they designed taxing authority to make it hard to use national taxes to help or harm particular constituencies. Other provisions gave the national government tools that could facilitate market-driven economic development without threatening individual states. The Constitution, though, left undefined many boundary issues between state and national authority. It delegated disputes about these boundary issues, along with contentious problems such as public lands, debts, and the location of the capital, to the politics of the new national policy-making process.
Evidence for confounding in computer-based instruction studies: Analyzing the meta-analyses

A thirty percent sample of the computer-based instruction (CBI) studies meta-analyzed by Kulik et al was examined for evidence of confounding. The purpose of the analysis was to explore the validity of competing claims about the contribution of the computer to measured achievement gains found in CBI studies. Some of these claims propose that CBI effects are overestimated and others argue that CBI effects are underestimated. The result of the analysis strongly suggests that achievement gains found in these CBI studies are overestimated and are actually due to the uncontrolled but robust instructional methods embedded in CBI treatments. It is argued that these methods may be delivered by other media with achievement gains comparable to those reported for computers. Construct validity cautions are offered for those who wish to use meta-analytic results as evidence for implementing CBI in schools and for the design of future CBI research.
The mechanism of action of uridine diphosphoglucose dehydrogenase. Uridine diphosphohexodialdoses as intermediates.

Abstract Uridine diphospho-α-d-galacto-hexodialdose (UDP-Gal-6-CHO) and uridine diphospho-α-d-gluco-hexodialdose (UDP-Glc-6-CHO) were produced from UDP-galactose through the use of galactose oxidase and UDP-glucose 4-epimerase. UDP-Glc-6-CHO was shown to be an intermediate in the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, indicating that the conversion of UDP-glucose to UDP-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcUA) proceeds by two steps with UDP-Glc-6-CHO as an enzyme-bound intermediate. The first step, the formation of UDP-Glc-6-CHO from UDP-glucose, involves nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as the oxidant, is reversible, and is highly specific for the substrate structure. UDP-Glc-6-CHO was reduced to UDP-glucose by the dehydrogenase and NADH, while UDP-Gal-6-CHO would not undergo an analogous reaction. The second step, formation of UDP-GlcUA from UDP-Glc-6-CHO, evidently accounts for the irreversibility of the over-all reaction and is less specific toward substrate structure. Both UDP-Glc-6-CHO and UDP-Gal-6-CHO will undergo this oxidation reaction with the enzyme and NAD+, although the latter reacts at about one-sixth of the rate of the former. The oxidation of UDP-Glc-6-CHO to UDP-GlcUA proceeds at exactly the same rate as does oxidation of UDP-glucose to UDP-GlcUA. The reduction of the UDP-hexodialdose with NaB3H4 constitutes a very economical synthesis of radioactive UDP-galactose.
Impacts of Withdrawal Periods of Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles on Quality Attributes of Fresh Pork Bratwursts and Bacon

Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), which have partially replaced traditional livestock feedstuffs in recent years, contain unsaturated dietary fat that can lead to changes in the characteristics of pork fat with subsequent effects on further processed meat products. The objective of this study was to determine the impact that swine diets with varying levels (control, high, withdrawal, step down, and low concentrations) of DDGS had on the quality of fresh bratwursts and bacon. Iodine values showed that meat from animals fed higher concentrations of DDGS contained more unsaturated fats, and texture profile analysis confirmed that bacon fat was firmer in the control. In fresh bratwursts, increased dietary concentrations of DDGS negatively impacted color stability, lipid oxidation and texture of bratwursts. While fewer negative quality impacts were observed in bacon than in bratwursts, this study indicated that DDGS fed at these levels can negatively impact certain processed meat quality attributes. Practical Applications Dietary dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) are known to affect quality of fresh pork fat, predominantly by increasing the amount of unsaturated fatty acids. As an important component of processed meat products, it is critical to understand the impact of this altered fat on processed meat quality. Pork from pigs fed varied concentrations of DDGS was used to manufacture fresh bratwursts and bacon, which were evaluated for quality factors such as color, texture and lipid oxidation. Traditional laboratory analysis methods were followed along with novel, simple methods that would allow the evaluation of pork fat quality by small meat processors who may not have access to sophisticated equipment for more advanced analysis. This study not only reports impacts of DDGS on bacon and fresh bratwurst quality but also provides novel methods for fat quality analysis to be applied by the meat industry.
Thermoplastic Filament Winding with On-Line Impregnation:

A novel concept for filament winding with a thermoplastic matrix has been explored The impregnation of the unidirectional reinforcement is performed in line with the winding operation, and the impregnated reinforcement is wound into rings with in situ consolidation. The reinforcement is impregnated with the matrix powder, after which it is melt impregnated in a small pultrusion die to form a well-defined rectangular cross sec tion. The matrix of the impregnated reinforcement is kept in its molten state until it reaches the contact point on the nng, where it is welded to the previously wound layer by means of controlled pressure and a concentrated and controlled heat source. The initial work presented here has proved the method to be Successful.
Calorimetric evaluation indicates that lignin conversion to advanced biofuels is vital to improving energy yields

Energy density measurements using bomb calorimetry were applied along with mass yields to calculate energy yields from combinations of individual processes and lignocellulosic feedstocks. Sample preparation and the calorimetric method were fine-tuned for the biofuel process pathway prior to measuring the energy density of liquid fuels and catalysts and solid biomass types (untreated, pelletized, pretreated, and enzymatically hydrolyzed). To statistically establish the method, correlations between biomass composition and energy densities were tested. Strong correlations with lignin, hemicellulose, and ash concentrations were observed and statistically validated (Pearson's coefficient, r = 0.92 and −0.81, respectively). Finally, energy densities were applied along with mass yields on a process pathway including ionic liquid pretreatment (6 L) and saccharification (2 L) of three feedstocks. From switchgrass, eucalyptus, and mixed feedstocks, mass yields of 54.4, 62.0, and 61.7% led to energy yields that were observed to be 59.2, 55.9, and 61.0%, respectively. The disparity in change in mass and energy yields between switchgrass and eucalyptus was identified to have originated from the varied lignin removal during pretreatment. The overall energies recovered from 600 g of switchgrass, eucalyptus, and mixed feedstocks, were 9.8, 10.3, and 10.1 MJ, respectively. Calorimetry can promptly evaluate an integrated multi-process pathway to convert a discrete or mixed feedstock to sugars and other metabolites and eventually to advanced biofuels that can either be hydrocarbons or a mixture thereof. In this particular study, calorimetry and mass yields indicated that lignin removal led to lower energy yield to liquid fuels.
Time-average electric field of the plasma presheath determined by analysis of the particle interactions

Summary form only given, as follows. Particle interactions were directly determined from the lateral compression of two-dimensional plasma dust crystals confined in a parabolic potential well. The shape of the parabolic potential well was confirmed by observing trajectories of single particles falling within the well. Particle trajectories are in good agreement with values calculated using gas temperatures derived from laser induced fluorescence measurements of the argon metastable velocity distributions and assuming diffusive gas scattering. Measured particle separations combined with an equation of state for the crystal were used to derive values for the particle screening length and the charge on the particles. Particle screening length and charge were measured for a range of plasma power, pressure and particle diameter (mass). Analysis of the particle heights and charge were used to derive the time average electric fields at edge of the RF driven plasma sheath. These measurements show that the particles are confined to the on the bulk plasma side of the classical Bohm point and that the sheath has an exponential spatial dependence, not linear.
Impact of State Medicaid Coverage on Utilization of Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Among Patients With Stroke

Background and Purpose—Poststroke rehabilitation is associated with improved outcomes. Medicaid coverage of inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) admissions varies by state. We explored the role of state Medicaid IRF coverage on IRF utilization among patients with stroke. Methods—Working age ischemic stroke patients with Medicaid were identified from the 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Medicaid coverage of IRFs (yes versus no) was ascertained. Primary outcome was discharge to IRF (versus other discharge destinations). We fit a logistic regression model that included patient demographics, Medicaid coverage, comorbidities, length of stay, tissue-type plasminogen activator use, state Medicaid IRF coverage, and the interaction between patient Medicaid status and state Medicaid IRF coverage while accounting for hospital clustering. Results—Medicaid did not cover IRFs in 4 (TN, TX, SC, WV) of 42 states. The impact of State Medicaid IRF coverage was limited to Medicaid stroke patients (P for interaction <0.0...
Cooperation between Thrombospondin-1 Type 1 Repeat Peptides and αvβ3 Integrin Ligands to Promote Melanoma Cell Spreading and Focal Adhesion Kinase Phosphorylation

CD47-binding sequences from the carboxyl-terminal domain of thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) are known to regulate activity of the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin (Gao, G., Lindberg, F. P., Dimitry, J. M., Brown, E. J., and Frazier, W. A. (1996) J. Cell Biol. 135, 533-544). Here we show that peptides from the type 1 repeats of TSP1 also stimulate alpha(v)beta(3) integrin function in melanoma cells. Addition of soluble peptide 246 (KRFKQDGGWSHWSPWSS) enhances spreading of A2058 melanoma cells on several alpha(v)beta(3) integrin ligands, including vitronectin, recombinant TSP1 fragments containing the Arg-Gly-Asp sequence, and native TSP1. This activity requires the Trp residues and is independent of CD36-binding sequences in the type 1 repeats. Recombinant type 1 repeats expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein also enhance spreading on vitronectin and TSP1. Activation of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin by the soluble peptide 246 stimulates organization of F-actin and increases tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. In contrast, direct adhesion of melanoma cells on immobilized peptide 246 inhibits tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. Stimulation of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin function by the type 1 repeat peptide differs from that induced by CD47-binding TSP1 peptides in that heparan sulfate proteoglycans are required and pertussis toxin does not inhibit the former activity. Thus, the type 1 repeats contain a second sequence of TSP1 that can enhance alpha(v)beta(3) integrin signaling, and these two sequences stimulate recognition of both vitronectin and TSP1 by the alpha(v)beta(3) integrin.
Co-Clustering Image Features and Semantic Concepts

In this paper, we present a novel idea of co-clustering image features and semantic concepts. We accomplish this by modelling user feedback logs and low-level features using a bipartite graph. Our experiments demonstrate that (1) incorporating semantic information achieves better image clustering and (2) feature selection in co-clustering narrows the semantic gap, thus enabling efficient image retrieval.
Retrospective study of the efficacy of narrowband UVB and acitretin for the treatment of psoriasis 1

Background: In this retrospective analysis the effect of narrowband ultraviolet B treatment in combination with acitretin is reviewed in 40 patients with plaque psoriasis. Narrowband UVB is highly effective for plaque psoriasis, but requires multiple phototherapy treatments, making patient compliance problematic. Oral acitretin is moderately effective as monotherapy, but when combined with ultraviolet B or PUVA, its use has reduced the number of treatments required for clearing, and has resulted in clearing of patients otherwise refractory to these phototherapeutic modalities. There is only sparse data on the combination of acitretin with narrowband UVB. We therefore analyzed data on 40 patients treated with this combination. Results: The majority of patients treated had psoriasis that was refractory to treatment with broadband ultraviolet B, monotherapy with narrowband UVB, monotherapy with acitretin, or the combination of acitretin and broadband UVB. In this difficult-to-treat group of patients, the combination of low dose acitretin (25 mg po daily) and narrowband UVB 3 per week resulted in greater than 75% improvement in 29 (72.5%) patients. Only 5 (12.5%) patients had less than 50% improvement. The combination was well tolerated and associated with typical retinoid and narrowband UVB side effects including elevation of serum lipids, burn and cheilitis. Conclusions: The combination of acitretin with narrowband UVB results in faster improvement even in more difficult-to-treat psoriasis patients. In combination the treatments appear to have synergistic effects. (J Dermatol Treat (2003) 14 (suppl 2): 17-20
Failure of low doses of amrinone to produce sustained hemodynamic improvement in patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure.

Although amrinone produces acute hemodynamic improvement in patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure (CHF), it has not produced clinical benefits in long-term controlled trials. To determine if the administration of subtherapeutic doses of amrinone may account for its lack of efficacy in these studies, the dose requirements of the drug were investigated in 30 patients with severe CHF. Doses of 100 mg of oral amrinone produced moderate increases in cardiac index (0.35 liters/min/m 2 ) and decreases in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (6.8 mm Hg) and systemic vascular resistance (16%) (all p 2 ) and substantial decreases in left ventricular filling pressure (9.9 mm Hg) and systemic vascular resistance (30%) (all p
The effect of neurobiotin on membrane properties and morphology of intracellularly labeled neurons

The effect of neurobiotin on membrane properties and morphology of rat neostriatal neurons were investigated with intracellular recording and staining techniques in vivo. Using electrodes with 3% neurobiotin in 2 M potassium acetate, no significant changes in membrane properties were observed if iontophoresis was performed for 15 min with 0.5 nA depolarizing current pulses. If the current was greater than 1 nA, the spike width was significantly increased. The spike width was also significantly increased if the electrode was maintained in the cell for more than 30 min without current injection. With electrodes containing 2 M potassium acetate alone, no significant change was observed on spike width after 1 nA current injection, suggesting that the change was caused by the neurobiotin. The recovery rate of labeled neurons decreased with increasing survival period. The recovered neurons were strongly stained 12 h after labeling and faded significantly by 48 h. No signs of degeneration were observed in any labeled neurons. The present study indicates that neurobiotin has no significant effects on membrane properties except for increased spike width of the recorded neurons. Neurons can be recovered up to 48 h after intracellular staining with neurobiotin.
Effects of detergents on the West Nile virus protease activity.

Abstract Detergents such as Triton X-100 are often used in drug discovery research to weed out small molecule promiscuous and non-specific inhibitors which act by aggregation in solution and undesirable precipitation in aqueous assay buffers. We evaluated the effects of commonly used detergents, Triton X-100, Tween-20, Nonidet-40 (NP-40), Brij-35, and CHAPS, on the enzymatic activity of West Nile virus (WNV) protease. Unexpectedly, Triton X-100, Tween-20, and NP-40 showed an enhancement of in vitro WNV protease activity from 2 to 2.5-fold depending on the detergent and its concentration. On the other hand, Brij-35, at ⩾0.001% enhanced the protease activity by 1.5-fold and CHAPS had the least enhancing effect. The kinetic analysis showed that the increase in protease activity by Triton X-100 was dose-dependent. Furthermore, at Triton X-100 and Tween-20 concentrations higher than 0.001%, the inhibition of compound B, one of the lead compounds against WNV protease identified in a high throughput screen (IC50 value of 5.7 ± 2.5 μM), was reversed. However, in the presence of CHAPS, compound B still showed good inhibition of WNV protease. Our results, taken together, indicate that nonionic detergents, Triton X-100, Tween, and NP-40 are unsuitable for the purpose of discrimination of true versus promiscuous inhibitors of WNV protease in high throughput assays.
Improving pain management communication: how patients understand the terms "opioid" and "narcotic".

Background/Objectives Pain specialists often advocate discontinuing use of the term “narcotic,” with the negative connotations it bears for many patients, in favor of the term “opioid.” To contribute empirical data to this argument, we elicited and compared patient understandings of the terms “narcotic” and “opioid.”