cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linking Statistics With Testing Policy to Manage COVID-19 in the Community.

Objectives To determine the public health surveillance severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing volume needed, both for acute infection and seroprevalence. Methods Required testing volumes were developed using standard statistical methods based on test analytical performance, disease prevalence, desired precision, and population size. Results Widespread testing for individual health management cannot address surveillance needs. The number of people who must be sampled for public health surveillance and decision making, although not trivial, is potentially in the thousands for any given population or subpopulation, not millions. Conclusions While the contributions of diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 have received considerable attention, concerns abound regarding the availability of sufficient testing capacity to meet demand. Different testing goals require different numbers of tests and different testing strategies; testing strategies for national or local disease surveillance, including monitoring of prevalence, receive less attention. Our clinical laboratory and diagnostic infrastructure are capable of incorporating required volumes for many local, regional, and national public health surveillance studies into their current and projected testing capacity. However, testing for surveillance requires careful design and randomization to provide meaningful insights.
AML-294: Predictors of Short-Term and Long-Term Mortality in Leukemia Patients with Neutropenic Fever

Context Infections cause substantial morbidity and mortality in acute leukemia patients. Neutropenic fever (NF) frequently complicates leukemia chemotherapy, but the mortality rate of NF and predictors of mortality are not fully defined for adult leukemia patients. We examined factors that influence mortality and type of infection in NF patients admitted to the hematologic malignancy service of a referral hospital. Design Retrospective chart review of NF patients admitted to University of Louisville from April 2016 to July 2018 who had AML, ALL, CML, CLL, or MDS, excluding active transplant patients. We used logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analysis to evaluate mortality predictors and the Kaplan-Meier method for survival. Median follow-up was 16.6 months. Results Sixty-two patients had 101 episodes of NF. Median age was 56. Frequent primary diagnoses were AML (70%), ALL (24%), CML (2%), and CLL (2%). Infections and bacteremia occurred in 72% and 54% of episodes, respectively. Mean length of stay was 19 +/- 12 days. Refractory/relapsed (R/R) disease (RR 1.53, p=0.034) and ANC nadir of 0 (RR 2.64, p=0.001) correlated with bacteremia. Thirty-day mortality was 14% and increased for R/R disease (OR 3.13, CI=0.99–9.92), bacteremia (OR 3.58, CI=0.94-13.7), and ICU-level care (OR 15.24, CI=4.11-56.5) in univariate analysis. ICU-level care (OR 29.1, CI=5.42–156) and R/R disease (OR 7.30, CI=1.43–37.4) retained significance in multivariate logistic regression. Gram +/- status, resistance pattern, neutropenia severity, age, and neutropenia duration did not influence short-term mortality. Eighty-six episodes had a high-risk MASCC score ( 60 (HR 2.16, CI=1.22–3.84), R/R disease (HR 5.58, CI=2.74–11.4) and ICU-level care (HR 4.96, CI=2.14–11.5) predicted long-term mortality. High-risk MASCC approached significance for OS; median OS 7.8 months (high-risk) versus not reached (low-risk, p = 0.076). Conclusions Bacteremia occurred in the majority of NF episodes we recorded. Thirty-day NF mortality was 14%. Mortality increases for patients with age > 60, R/R disease, and ICU-level care. Identification of high-risk factors in NF may guide the study of interventions such as myeloid growth factor support in appropriate populations.
Single-Axis Rotational Motion Driven by Real-Time Body-Mounted IMU Data for Applications in Electromechanical Prosthetics

In an effort to prevent transpelvic amputees from experiencing further medical complications from improper standing-to-sitting transitions, this research aimed to provide a proof-of-concept model of an electromechanical hip-joint prosthesis that could produce symmetrical, single-axis, hip-joint motion across the sagittal plane. A bi-directional motor was used to produce single-axis motion of the simulated hip-joint, while body-mounted inertial sensors generated positional data for motor commands. Inertial sensor and positional feedback data were processed by an embedded microcontroller. Tests were performed to verify the accuracy and stability of the system and a statistical analysis of the data was used to conclude the overall effectiveness of this hip-joint prosthesis analogue. Results from system tests concluded that the electromechanical prosthesis, when under a load representative of a plausible thigh prosthesis, produced accurate, precise, and stable single-axis motion symmetrical to the non-amputated hip-joint.
Video-mediated breaking bad news simulation.

Background Communication between clinicians, patients, and families is a core component of medical care that requires deliberate practice and feedback to improve. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden transformation in communication practices because of new physical distancing requirements, necessitating physicians to communicate bad news via telephone and video-mediated communication (VMC). This study investigated students' experience with a simulation-based communications training for having difficult conversations using VMC. Methods Thirty-eight fourth-year medical students preparing for their surgical residency participated in a simulated scenario where students discussed a new COVID-19 diagnosis with a standardised family member (SFM) of a sick patient via VMC. Learners were introduced to an established communications model (SPIKES) by an educational video. After the simulation, SFM and course facilitators guided a debrief and provided feedback. Learners completed surveys evaluating reactions to the training, preparedness to deliver bad news, and attitudes about telehealth. Results Twenty-three students completed evaluation surveys (response rate=61%). Few students had prior formal training (17%) or experience communicating bad news using telehealth (13%). Most respondents rated the session beneficial (96%) and felt they could express empathy using the VMC format (83%). However, only 57% felt ready to deliver bad news independently after the training and 52% reported it was more difficult to communicate without physical presence. Comments highlighted the need for additional practice. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated the value and feasibility of teaching medical students to break bad news using VMC as well as demonstrating the need for additional training.
Science Fairs, Exhibitions, and Research Competitions

Other terms synonymous with science fair include “science exhibition” and “science research competition.” A science exhibition could differ from a Science fair in that it may allow models or demonstrations to be presented along with actual experimentation type projects.
Glanzmann thrombasthenia in a 17-year-old Peruvian Paso mare

A 17-year-old Peruvian Paso mare was evaluated for bilateral epistaxis that had been present for at least 3 years. The mare had mild ane- mia, platelet count within the reference interval, unremarkable coagula- tion times, and a negative Coggins test. On endoscopic examination, structural abnormalities were not observed in the nasal cavities, pharynx, larynx, trachea, or either guttural pouch, but petechiation was noted in the nasal mucosa. Additional tests revealed prolonged cutaneous bleeding time, normal concentration of von Willebrand factor antigen, an abnormal clot retraction test, and failure of plalelet aggregation in response to ago- nists, suggesting a functional disorder of platelets. Genetic analysis indi- cated the horse was homozygous for a 10-base-pair deletion that included the last 3 base pairs of exon 11 and the first 7 base pairs of intron 11 of the gene encoding glycoprotein IIb. The diagnosis was Glanzmann thrombas- thenia (GT) caused by a structural defect in glycoprotein IIb. GT is an au- tosomal recessive disorder caused by a defect in the glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex on platelet surfaces. Separate genes encode each glycoprotein, and mutations in either gene can result in GT. This case of GT is unique given the age of the mare at the time of diagnosis. We conclude that GT, although an inherited disorder, should be considered in horses with sus- pected dysfunctional platelets, regardless of age.
GENERATION OF NATURALLY PROCESSED PEPTIDE/MHC CLASS I COMPLEXES IS INDEPENDENT OF THE STABILITY OF ENDOGENOUSLY SYNTHESIZED PRECURSORS

Proteolysis of endogenously synthesized cellular proteins is essential for constitutive display of processed peptide/MHC class I complexes on the APC surface for stimulating CD8+ T cells. However, the extent to which normal protein turnover serves as the source of processed peptides is not clear. To address this question, we used pairs of novel N-end rule substrates that varied in their intracellular stability and served as precursors for generating peptide/MHC class I (OVA257-264/Kb or influenza nucleoprotein 366-374/Db) complexes. Surprisingly, although each of three precursor pairs tested varied profoundly in their intracellular stability, they were indistinguishable in either T cell stimulation assays, or in the amounts of naturally processed peptides in the APC extracts. Our findings demonstrate that the proteolytic turnover of endogenously synthesized proteins is not directly proportional to the generation of processed antigenic peptide/MHC class I complexes.
Overview of Supervised Learning

The first three examples described in Chapter 1 have several components in common. For each there is a set of variables that might be denoted as inputs, which are measured or preset. These have some influence on one or more outputs. For each example the goal is to use the inputs to predict the values of the outputs. This exercise is called supervised learning.
Incidence, severity and prognosis associated with hypernatremia in dogs and cats

Background Hypernatremia has been associated with substantial morbidity and death in human patients. The incidence and importance of hypernatremia in dogs and cats has not been determined. Hypothesis/Objectives To describe the incidence of and prognosis associated with hypernatremia in dogs and cats at a university teaching hospital. Animals A total of 16,691 dogs and 4,211 cats with measured blood or serum sodium concentration. Methods Retrospective study. Medical records of animals with a blood or serum sodium concentration measured during a 60-month period were reviewed to determine the severity of hypernatremia and its associated case fatality rate. Cases with moderate (11–15 mmol/L above the reference range) or severe hypernatremia (≥16 mmol/L above the reference range) were further reviewed. Results A total of 957 dogs (5.7%) and 338 cats (8.0%) were diagnosed with hypernatremia. Case fatality rates of dogs and cats with hypernatremia was 20.6 and 28.1%, respectively compared to 4.4 and 4.5% with a normal blood or serum sodium concentration (P < .0001). The magnitude of hypernatremia was linearly associated with a higher case fatality rate (P < .0001). Hypernatremia was associated with a higher case fatality rate than hyponatremia. Among the animals with moderate or severe hypernatremia, 50% of dogs and 38.5% of cats presented with community-acquired hypernatremia, and 50% of dogs and 61.5% of cats developed hospital-acquired hypernatremia. Conclusions and clinical importance Hypernatremia was found infrequently in this population but was associated with increased case fatality rates in dogs and cats. Presence and severity of hypernatremia might be useful as a prognostic indicator.
Ethnographic Research 2.0: The potentialities of emergent digital technologies for qualitative organizational research

Purpose – This article aims to present current and potential uses of innovative social research methodologies which harness emergent technologies. This article also seeks to note ethical issues surrounding emergent technologies.Design/methodology/approach – Specifically, the use of social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook as well as their applications will be explored. The use of iPhones as data gathering devices will also be explored as an example of the utility of ubiquitous technologies to ethnographic work.Findings – This paper finds that emergent technologically‐mediated ethnographic methods are of potential value to organizational ethnographers and that methodological barriers can be overcome to best leverage new media technologies in organizational ethnography.Research limitations/implications – This article has not been designed as a comprehensive overview of these social research methods nor as a primer to implement them. Rather, the main purpose of it is to begin to explore their potential...
V-edge: fast self-constructive power modeling of smartphones based on battery voltage dynamics

System power models are important for power management and optimization on smartphones. However, existing approaches for power modeling have several limitations. Some require external power meters, which is not convenient for people to use. Other approaches either rely on the battery current sensing capability, which is not available on many smartphones, or take a long time to generate the power model. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new way of generating power models from battery voltage dynamics, called V-edge. V-edge is self-constructive and does not require current-sensing. Most importantly, it is fast in model building. Our implementation supports both component level power models and per-application energy accounting. Evaluation results using various benchmarks and applications show that the V-edge approach achieves high power modeling accuracy, and is two orders of magnitude faster than existing self-modeling approaches requiring no current-sensing.
On VLSI interconnects

The author reviews some recent approaches to the computation of transient response of VLSI circuits interconnected by transmission lines and discontinuities such as angled-bends. These approaches are based on modeling of the interconnects as subcircuits consisting of ordinary lumped elements, controlled sources and sections of ideal transmission lines (delay elements). In this way, the transient solution of the entire circuit can be obtained from a SPICE-like simulator, and FFT, discrete convolution or inversion of the Laplace transform can all be avoided. Examples of models of lossy transmission lines and 90 degrees bends are given. >
The Bilingual Brain

Increased understanding of the ways in which multiple languages are represented in bilingual speakers’ brains would undoubtedly advance several theoretical issues in areas such as language acquisition and performance theory. The progress of science forces linguists to draw upon relevant data from neurolinguistics and opens a new avenue for SLA researchers. This literature review will examine neurolinguistic models that have been proposed as an explanation for the coexistence of multiple languages in a single brain and the mechanisms of linguistic segregation. An overview of the study of language localization will be presented, followed by a discussion of neurolinguistic studies investigating the cerebral representation of language in bilinguals. A particular area of focus will be factors affecting language representation in the bilingual brain.
Mouse Epididymal Spam1 (PH-20) Is Released in the Luminal Fluid With its Lipid Anchor

ABSTRACT: Previously we demonstrated that the murine sperm adhesion molecule 1 (Spam1 or PH-20) is synthesized by the epididymal epithelium, preferentially in the distal region, and is released into the luminal fluid. We also showed that whereas testicular and epididymal Spam1 have hyaluronidase activity at neutral pH, they are under different transcriptional regulation. The aim of this study was to further compare characteristics of the two forms of this glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked protein and their transcripts, and to determine whether secreted epididymal Spam1 is released with its lipid anchor. With GeneRacer amplification of the 3′ end of the complementary DNA we show that the poly(A) tails are significantly (P < .05) shorter in the epididymis than in the testis. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with immunoblotting reveals one to three isoforms for epididymal Spam1 with the isoelectric point (pl) ranging from 7.3 to 9.0, and four isoforms ranging from 6.6 to 9.0 pl for testicular Spam1. Two isoforms with a pl ranging from 7.6 to 9.0 were observed for caudal sperm. Lectin blotting analysis shows that Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin, Lycopersicon esculentum lectin (LEL), and Solanum tuberosum lectin, which all bind to N-linked chains, recognize a 67 kd band in the epididymis and caudal sperm, but not in the testis. Treatment of the protein extracts with anti-Spam1 serum prior to blotting with LEL led to the disappearance of the banding, indicating Spam1 specificity of the staining. The lectin peanut agglutinin, which preferentially binds to O-linked side chains, recognizes a 67 kd band in all three cell types. Enzymatic deglycosylation studies confirmed the presence of an O-linked glycan in all three cell types. Ultracentrifugation of the luminal fluid reveals that epididymal Spam1 is secreted predominantly as insoluble particles, which when treated with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C or Triton X-100, reveal that the majority of epididymal Spam1 is released with its lipid anchor, a form in which it can bind to sperm.
Dream Orientation as a Function of Hyperactivating and Deactivating Attachment Strategies

This study establishes a connection between adult attachment style and attitudinal orientation toward dreams. Presumably, the frequently emotional nature of dreams would lead adults high on attachment anxiety to construe their dreams as more important and, consequently, to engage with them more extensively than those low on attachment anxiety, whereas adults high on attachment avoidance (compared to those low on avoidance) would disengage from their dreams and minimize their importance. In the present study 173 women and 79 men participating via the internet reported three dreams and completed questionnaires assessing their attachment style, beliefs and attitudes about dreams, and dream experiences. Asexpected, attachment anxiety predicted high involvement with dreams, while attachment avoidance generally predicted dismissiveness toward dreams.
Effect of Succinic Acid on the Respiration of Normal Human Muscle and Various Myopathies

SUCCINIC acid has long been known to be oxidized rapidly by muscle and many other tissues. Experiments of Szent-Gyorgyi and co-workers1 suggested that succinic acid and certain other dicarboxylic acids catalyse the aerobic respiration of muscle tissue. Conclusive proof for this catalysis in muscle tissue was given by Stare and Baumann2, and its application to liver and kidney tissue was shown by Stare3.
It Takes a (Dysfunctional) Village to Raise a Tumor

The tumor microenvironment is known to play an important role in tumorigenesis. In this issue, Yang et al. (2008) demonstrate that mast cells heterozygous for the Nf1 gene promote the growth of neurofibromas in a mouse model of neurofibromatosis and that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of these cells is sufficient to block tumor growth.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in collegiate American football players, by position.

Objective: The authors' purpose in this study was to determine overweight and obesity prevalence in a collegiate football team. Participants: Eighty-five National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football players volunteered to participate. Methods: The authors measured height, weight, and waist circumference (WC), and estimated body fat percentage (% BF) from bioelectrical impedance. Results: Body mass index (BMI), WC, and % BF were all positively correlated (p 30 kg/m2), WC (> 102 cm), and % BF (> 25%). Conclusions: BMI alone is not a valid indicator of overweight and obesity in a strength-trained athletic population. However, some collegiate football players, especially linemen, mee...
Elastic scattering and some vibrational excitation cross sections for electron collisions with Si2H6

Absolute elastic cross sections for e-disilane collisions have been measured by using incident kinetic energies of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 40, and 100 eV and recorded over a scattering angular range of 10-130 degrees . These cross sections have been integrated by employing a nonlinear phase shift fitting procedure to generate a list of integral elastic and momentum transfer cross sections for the same energy range. The angular distributions have been found to agree reasonably well with a continuum multiple scattering calculation using only local potentials and also with a multichannel Schwinger variational calculation. Limited experiments on vibrationally inelastic scattering reveal the existence of a shape resonance with a peak at approximately 2 eV that is characteristic of trapping by a valence orbital with Si-H antibonding character analogous to that encountered in e-monosilane scattering.
New directions in marine management, education and training, an overview

In recent years vessels have gotten larger and more dependent on high technology for safety and operations. This paper examines changes in some of the traditional classroom and apprenticeship methods of preparing officers for command. Among these are - a trend toward greater reliance upon academic training to supplant sea time, - changes in international regulations regarding seatime and equivalent classroom work, - the development, use and economics of simulators and scale models of VLCCs, - courses in shiphandling for experienced mariners using electronically derived information and simple formulae from wave theory, and -innovations in maritime authority and management structures.
Differential transfers of reduced flavin cofactor and product by bacterial flavin reductase to luciferase.

It is believed that the reduced FMN substrate required by luciferase from luminous bacteria is provided in vivo by NAD(P)H−FMN oxidoreductases (flavin reductases). Our earlier kinetic study indicates a direct flavin cofactor transfer from Vibrio harveyi NADPH-preferring flavin reductase P (FRPH) to the luciferase (LH) from the same bacterium in the in vitro coupled luminescence reaction. Kinetic studies were carried out in this work to characterize coupled luminescence reactions using FRPH and the Vibrio fischeri NAD(P)H-utilizing flavin reductase G (FRGF) in combination with LH or luciferase from V. fischeri (LF). Comparisons of Km values of reductases for flavin and pyridine nucleotide substrates in single-enzyme and luciferase-coupled assays indicate a direct transfer of reduced flavin, in contrast to free diffusion, from reductase to luciferase by all enzyme couples tested. Kinetic mechanisms were determined for the FRGF−LF and FRPH−LF coupled reactions. For these two and the FRGF−LH coupled reactions...
Scattering by Stripe Grating

When bismuth is substituted at certain lattice points of rare earth garnet crystals, a material is formed which exhibits an almost ideal magnetic stripe domain structure. The structure consists of a one-dimensional periodic array of regions of nearly constants magnetization, so that the magnitudes of the magnetization vectors in two adjacent regions are the same, but their directions are opposite. This condition produces the alternating-sign magnetic permeability tensors shown in section 1.7(3). When a beam of light is passed through such a film, it splits into many diffracted beams, all sharing a plane defined by the periodicity direction (i.e., the y-component of all the wave vectors is the same; see Figure 1.1). The angles of the diffracted-beam directions relative to the incident-beam direction are determined by the periodicity length.
Correcting Lateral Chromatic Aberrations by Image Processing

We have developed an image processing algorithm that reduces lateral chromatic aberration. It analyzes a captured image to detect aberration without lens information, and reduces aberration by methods optimized for raw images and in-camera-processed images.
FGF-10 induces SP-C and Bmp4 and regulates proximal-distal patterning in embryonic tracheal epithelium

The induction, growth, and differentiation of epithelial lung buds are regulated by the interaction of signals between the lung epithelium and its surrounding mesenchyme. Fibroblast growth factor-10 (FGF-10), which is expressed in the mesenchyme near the distal tips, and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), which is expressed in the most distal regions of the epithelium, are important molecules in lung morphogenesis. In the present study, we used two in vitro systems to examine the induction, growth, and differentiation of lung epithelium. Transfilter cultures were used to determine the effect of diffusible factors from the distal lung mesenchyme (LgM) on epithelial branching, and FGF-10 bead cultures were used to ascertain the effect of a high local concentration of a single diffusible molecule on the epithelium. Embryonic tracheal epithelium (TrE) was induced to grow in both culture systems and to express the distal epithelial marker surfactant protein C at the tips nearest the diffusible protein source. TrE cultured on the opposite side of a filter to LgM branched in a pattern resembling intact lungs, whereas TrE cultured in apposition to an FGF-10 bead resembled a single elongating epithelial bud. Examination of the role of BMP4 on lung bud morphogenesis revealed that BMP4 signaling suppressed expression of the proximal epithelial genes Ccsp and Foxj1 in both types of culture and upregulated the expression of Sprouty 2 in TrE cultured with an FGF-10 bead. Antagonizing BMP signaling with Noggin, however, increased expression of both Ccsp and Foxj1.
Research on Microstructure and Mechanical Property of S30432 Supreheater Pipe Aged at 700°C

The microstructure and performance of S30432 supreheater pipe were investigated before and after it is aged 3000 h at 700°C. A lot of twins disappeared after aging, M23C6 particles precipitated along the grain boundary and MX particles precipitated near the dislocation. After the endurance experiment of the aged pipe, M23C6 precipitations with the size of about 50 nm pinned dislocations and the cavity appeared on the grain boundary. The aged S30432 supreheater pipe showed the ductile fracture. Increasing temperature made the inter-granular fracture transfer the quasi-cleavage fracture and the equiaxed morphology change the parabola morphology. The strength of the untreated specimen decreased with the temperature increasing. The hardness and the impact energy of the aged specimen were larger than those of the untreated specimen. Tensile strength and elongation of untreated specimen were larger than that of aged specimen.
Self-Esteem, Teasing and Quality of Life: African American Adolescent Girls Participating in a Family-Based Pediatric Overweight Intervention

Two studies investigated overweight in African American girls. First, African American adolescent girls (BMI was ≥ 85th percentile) and their mothers participated in focus groups addressing weight and eating. Although mothers and daughters shared some similar views on these issues, there were important discrepancies, with mothers expressing greater doubt about the potential success of a healthy weight program. The second study evaluated baseline data from 39 African American girls participating in a weight management program; mothers' reports were also analyzed. In both studies, adolescents reported significant teasing, and in the second study, teasing was inversely associated with social quality of life (β=.55, t=3.01, p=.007). Motivation to participate was positively associated with teasing (r=.50, p < .01). Self-esteem was inversely related to positive health habits (all p < .05). Mothers who viewed their daughters as having higher self-esteem were less concerned about their daughters' weight. Differences in mothers' and daughters' perceptions highlight the importance of a family approach in pediatric overweight interventions. Results provide evidence that overweight African American girls face significant weight stigmatization and suggest areas to target regarding intervention implementation.
The C-Terminal Domain of Yeast PCNA Is Required for Physical And Functional Interactions With Cdc9 DNA Ligase

There is compelling evidence that proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a DNA sliding clamp, co-ordinates the processing and joining of Okazaki fragments during eukaryotic DNA replication. However, a detailed mechanistic understanding of functional PCNA:ligase I interactions has been incomplete. Here we present the co-crystal structure of yeast PCNA with a peptide encompassing the conserved PCNA interaction motif of Cdc9, yeast DNA ligase I. The Cdc9 peptide contacts both the inter-domain connector loop (IDCL) and residues near the C-terminus of PCNA. Complementary mutational and biochemical results demonstrate that these two interaction interfaces are required for complex formation both in the absence of DNA and when PCNA is topologically linked to DNA. Similar to the functionally homologous human proteins, yeast RFC interacts with and inhibits Cdc9 DNA ligase whereas the addition of PCNA alleviates inhibition by RFC. Here we show that the ability of PCNA to overcome RFC-mediated inhibition of Cdc9 is dependent upon both the IDCL and the C-terminal interaction interfaces of PCNA. Together these results demonstrate the functional significance of the β-zipper structure formed between the C-terminal domain of PCNA and Cdc9 and reveal differences in the interactions of FEN-1 and Cdc9 with the two PCNA interfaces that may contribute to the co-ordinated, sequential action of these enzymes.
Fabrication of Vertically Oriented TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Using Dimethyl Sulfoxide Electrolytes

We detail anodic oxidation variables affecting the fabrication of vertically oriented TiO2 nanotube arrays using an electrolyte of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) containing either hydrofluoric acid (HF), potassium fluoride (KF), or ammonium fluoride (NH4F). Various anodization variables including F- ion concentration, voltage, anodization time, water content, and previous use of the electrolyte can be combined to achieve nanotube arrays with length and morphology relevant to required applications. Using an anodization potential of 60 V with an electrolyte of 2% HF in DMSO, 70 h duration, nanotubes are achieved having a length of 101 μm, inner diameter 150 nm, and wall thickness 15 nm for a calculated geometric area of 3475. The weak adhesion of the DMSO fabricated nanotubes to the underlying oxide barrier layer and low tube-to-tube adhesion facilitates their separation for applications where dispersed nanotubes are desired. We examine the photoelectrochemical properties of 45 μm long nanotube arrays, crystalli...
Complement of fuzzy k -partitions

Abstract We define the unary operation of complementation on the set of all fuzzy k -partitions of a finite set of objects. We show that for k = 2 the complement of fuzzy k -partition results in Zadeh's complementation of fuzzy sets. Some further properties of the complement of fuzzy k -partitions are investigated.
Functions of privacy in wilderness environments

Abstract Westin (1967), in his Privacy and Freedom, suggests that there are four basic functions of privacy in society (personal autonomy, emotional release, self‐evaluation, limited and protected communication). Westin's theoretical model was examined for its utility in understanding the functions of privacy in wilderness environments. Importance ratings of 106 wilderness users for 28 scale items which characterized the privacy functions were factor analyzed. The factor analysis yielded five functions instead of Westin's four; however, Westin's model served as a valuable tool for interpreting the functions. “Emotional release” was rated the most important function, while “resting the mind from anxiety and mental fatigue” was the highest rated individual item.
Complexes pairing hypohalous acids with nitrosyl hydride. blue shift of a NH bond that is uninvolved in a H-bond.

Correlated calculations are used to analyze the interaction between nitrosyl hydride (HNO) and hypohalous acids (HOF, HOCl, and HOBr). Two minima are located on the potential energy surface of each complex, in both of which HOX acts as proton donor. Donation to the N atom of HNO makes for a more strongly bound complex, as compared to the OH··O bond in the secondary minimum. Binding energies of the global minimum are about 22 kJ/mol, as compared to 18 kJ/mol for the secondary structure; there is little sensitivity to the identity of the halogen atom. Whereas the covalent OH bond of HOX stretches and shifts to the red upon complexation, the NH bond of HNO, whether involved in a H-bond or not, behaves in the opposite manner.
Holographic dispersal and recovery of information

A simple scheme for dispersal and recovery of digital information based on the discrete Fourier transform is discussed. The author presents a different implementation of M.O. Rabin's (J. ACM, vol.36, no.2, p.335-48, Apr. 1989) scheme, whose recovery cost is O(log m+k) operations per character, assuming m= Theta (n); for example, when k= Theta (log n), this cost drops from O(m) to O(log m) per character. Since the implementation is based on the Fourier transform, it is termed holographic. >
The behaviour of 39 pesticides in surface waters as a function of scale

A portion of applied pesticides runs off agricultural fields and is transported through surface waters. In this study, the behaviour of 39 pesticides is examined as a function of scale across 14 orders of magnitude from the field to the ocean. Data on pesticide loads in streams from two US Geological Survey programs were combined with literature data from field and watershed studies. The annual load as percent of use (LAPU) was quantified for each of the fields and watersheds and was used as the normalization factor across watersheds and compounds. The in-stream losses of each pesticide were estimated for a model stream with a 15 day travel time (similar in characteristics to the upper Mississippi River). These estimated in-stream losses agreed well with the observed changes in apparent LAPU values as a function of watershed area. In general, herbicides applied to the soil surface had the greatest LAPU values and minimal in-stream losses. Soil-incorporated herbicides had smaller LAPU values and substantial in-stream losses. Insecticides generally had LAPU values similar to the incorporated herbicides, but had more variation in their in-stream losses. On the basis of the LAPU values of the 39 pesticides as a function of watershed area, a generalized conceptual model of the movement of pesticides from the field to the ocean is suggested. The importance of considering both field runoff and in-stream losses is discussed in relation to interpreting monitoring data and making regulatory decisions. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurements of right ventricular volumes in man from single plane cineangiograms. A comparison to the biplane approach.

Summary An area-length expression for RV volume determination from single plane cineangiograms has been developed and verified against the biplane volumes with the aid of the RV human casts. A close correlation was found to exist between the two methods (r = 0.93). Ten patients with normal hearts were subsequently studied. Biplane and single plane RV cineangiographic analyses yielded virtually identical results. The single plane expression was equally valid in the end-systolic and the end-diastolic volume analysis.
Inhibition of axoplasmic transport in the developing visual system of the rat—I. Structural changes in the retina and optic nerve with graded doses of intraocular colchicine

In order to study the role of axonal transport in the mediation of transneuronal metabolic stimulations upon a population of differentiating neurons, colchicine, a potent inhibitor of rapid and slow phases of axonal transport, was injected into the eye of albino rats at 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days postnatal in concentrations ranging from 10-5 M to 2 X 10-2 M and in quantities of 0.3 to 0.5 microliter. Quantitative light and electron microscopy were subsequently employed to assess reactive alterations in the developing retina and optic nerve. Application of colchicine severely retarded the development of the sensory elements, with disappearance of synaptic ribbons of sensory cell axons, a significant reduction in the thickness of the inner plexiform layer, due to the presence of numerous shruken synaptic elements and the appearance of rosettes of sensory cells displaced to the inner nuclear layer. These alterations were found to be dose-dependent. Counts of ganglion cell populations at various times after application of colchicine demonstrated optimal concentrations which could be injected at each postnatal age without causing ganglion cell degeneration. Ultrastructural examination of such cells revealed varying degrees of disorganization and dissolution of the endoplasmic reticulum with the formation of occasional small cytoplasmic vacuoles. Higher concentrations of colchicine caused extensive vacuole formation in all classes of retinal neurons, scattered hyperchromic cells and widespread degeneration and autolysis. The diameter of the optic nerve was reduced to 60-95% of normal following intraocular colchicine, depending on the concentration employed, but electron microscopy revealed normal patterns of distribution of axoplasmic microtubules and filaments in control and experimental animals and quantitative analysis revealed no significant loss of axons. While no reactive changes took place in individual elements, the periphery of the nerve was often indented by a highly-folded glia limitans. Maximal doses of intraocular colchicine for each age level were established by this study. These were: 1 day. 10-3 M: 5 days, 5 x 10-3 M; 10 days, 5 X 10-3 M; 15 and 20 days, 10-2 M. The information derived from this morphological analysis provides the foundation for subsequent measurements of axonal transport inhibition in the developing visual system to be reported in the second article of this series.
3-Ethoxy-β-carboline: A high affinity benzodiazepine receptor ligand with partial inverse agonist properties

Abstract 3-Ethoxy-β-carboline binds with high affinity to benzodiazepine receptors in the central nervous system (Ki ∼ 10.1, 15.3, and 25.3 nM) in rat cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus, respectively). This compound has pharmacological actions reminiscent of benzodiazepine receptor partial inverse agonists such as FG 7142 and 3-carboethoxy-β-carboline. Thus, while not a convulsant, 3-ethoxy-β-carboline potentiated the convulsant actions of pentylenetetrazole in mice. Furthermore, this compound reduced both the time spent and the total entries in the open arms of an elevated plus maze and also inhibited stress-induced ulcer formation, effects that are also observed with benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists. These findings suggest that 3-ethoxy-β-carboline is a partial inverse agonist at benzodiazepine receptors which may prove useful for in vivo studies since it has a higher affinity for benzodiazepine receptors and better solubility than the commonly used partial inverse agonist FG 7142. Furthermore, 3-ethoxy-β-carboline appears to be less vulnerable to metabolic degradation than ester analogs with a similar pharmacological profile such as 3-carboethoxy-β-carboline.
The horror at Fort Hood: disseminating American exceptionalism

American exceptionalism – the constitutive myth of American national identity – has been disseminated through literature, film, and foreign policy. This article analyzes another site: online comments in response to the New York Times coverage of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. It is a site in which citizens participate in myth-making and maintenance. This article makes two broad claims. First, that readers’ comments in response to the Fort Hood shootings constitute messages about American national identity, particularly American exceptionalism vis-a-vis the military – the military-idea, the symbol of a unified, coherent force is central to the myth of American exceptionalism. Second, events considered to be failures of the military threaten the coherence of American exceptionalism (by fracturing the military-idea). The Fort Hood incident was considered such a failure and one readers identified as part of a larger problematic involving the US’s post-9/11 ‘war on terror’. In this mediated activity, readers put...
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles for treating spinal cord injury

An estimated 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) occur every year in the United States. A small oxidative molecule responsible for secondary injury, acrolein, is an important target in SCI. Acrolein attacks essential proteins and lipids, creating a feed-forward loop of oxidative stress in both the primary injury area and the surrounding areas. A small molecule used and FDA-approved for hypertension, hydralazine, has been found to "scavenge" acrolein after injury, but its delivery and short half-life, as well as its hypertension effects, hinder its application for SCI. Nanomedical systems broaden the range of therapeutic availability and efficacy over conventional medicine. They allow for targeted delivery of therapeutic molecules to tissues of interest, reducing side effects of untargeted therapies in unwanted areas. Nanoparticles made from silica form porous networks that can carry therapeutic molecules throughout the body. To attenuate the acrolein cascade and improve therapeutic availability, we have used a one-step, modified Stober method to synthesize two types of silica nanoparticles. Both particles are “stealth-coated” with poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) (to minimize interactions with the immune system and to increase circulation time), which is also a therapeutic agent for SCI by facilitating membrane repair. One nanoparticle type contains an amine-terminal PEG (SiNP-mPEG-Am) and the other possesses a terminal hydrazide group (SiNP-mPEG-Hz). The former allows for exploration of hydralazine delivery, loading, and controlled release. The latter group has the ability to react with acrolein, allowing the nanoparticle to scavenge directly. The nanoparticles have been characterized and are being explored using neuronal PC-12 cells in vitro, demonstrating the potential of novel silica nanoparticles for use in attenuating secondary injury after SCI.
Factors Influencing Antibody Responses to Streptococcal M Proteins in Humans

In a defined population of 174 children followed at one- to two-week intervals for 23 months, the development of M type-specific antibodies to four different types of group A streptococci was assayed in 408 serum samples from 68 children who acquired one or more of these types in the upper respiratory tract and/or skin lesions. M type 6, a classic pharyngitis strain, was isolated almost exclusively from the upper respiratory tract. Acquisition of this type resulted in the highest percentage of responders with antibody to M protein and in the greatest magnitude of type-specific bactericidal activity as compared with M types 31, 49, and 52, which were commonly associated with pyoderma lesions. Factors that appeared to influence the M type-specific antibody response included the streptococcal type, the age of the child, the number of culturepositive visits, and the stage of the outbreak. The site(s) of isolation by itself and the serum opacity reaction of the infecting strain did not appear to be important determinants of the M type-specific antibody response.
Generalized coprime array configurations

A coprime array consists of two uniform linear subarrays that construct an effective difference co-array with certain desirable characteristics. In this paper, we propose a generalized coprime array concept through the compression of the interelement spacing of one constituting subarray. As such, the existing variations of coprime array and nested array structures are represented as special cases. The achievable unique lags as well as consecutive lags in the resulting virtual array are analytically expressed, and the direction-of-arrival estimation performance is examined using both the MUSIC algorithm and sparse signal reconstruction techniques.
Sum rules and other properties involving resonance projection operators

A sum rule is derived for the auxiliary eigenvalues of an equation whose eigenspectrum pertains to projection operators which describe electron scattering from multielectron atoms and ions. The sum rule's right-hand side depends on an integral involving the target system eigenfunctions. The sum rule is checked for several approximations of the two-electron target. It is shown that target functions which have a unit eigenvalue in their auxiliary eigenspectrum do not give rise to well-defined projection operators except through a limiting process. For Hylleraas target approximations, the auxiliary equations are shown to contain an infinite spectrum. However, using a Rayleigh-Ritz variational principle, it is shown that a comparatively simple aproximation can exhaust the sum rule to better than five significant figures. The auxiliary Hylleraas equation is greatly simplified by conversion to a square root equation containing the same eigenfunction spectrum and from which the required eigenvalues are trivially recovered by squaring.
Bayesian Image Analysis of Dexamethasone and Shear Stress-Induced Glucocorticoid Receptor Intracellular Movement

Endothelial cells are continuously exposed to hemodynamic shear stress, which has been shown to induce an array of physiological responses at the cellular and molecular levels. Uniform high shear stress is protective against vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis which preferentially occur at regions of disturbed flow and low shear. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a member of the steroid nuclear receptors with anti-inflammatory functions, has been shown to be activated by shear stress. Using a unique expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm based on Bayesian statistics, we have developed an image analysis algorithm to quantitatively assess GR nuclear translocation based on time-lapse images of green fluorescence protein-tagged GR (GFP-GR) under continuous exposure to a shear stress of 10 or 25 dynes/cm2 as well as to Dexamethasone, a GR agonist. Average fluorescence brightness is generated for nucleus and cytoplasm. Real-time imaging of sheared cells revealed a steady and significant nuclear GFP-GR increase of approximately 20% within 2 h, compared to a rapid 60% increase in Dexamethasone-treated cells within 30 min. Furthermore, we found that that GFP-GR nuclear translocation under shear is not dependent on an intact cytoskeleton. Our image analysis algorithm provides a novel quantitative method to further study shear-sensitive mechanotransduction pathways in endothelial cells.
Elbow Stiffness: Etiology, Treatment, and Results

Elbow stiffness is a common problem after trauma to the elbow. The goal of treatment should be to achieve a functional range of motion (30°–130°). Nonsurgical options are physical therapy and splinting. Surgical options depend on the degree of degenerative change in the elbow joint. With mild to moderate degenerative changes, procedures such as soft-tissue releases, debridement, and Outerbridge-Kashiwagi arthroplasties may be performed either open or arthroscopically. With more severe degenerative changes, the options are more limited depending on the age and activity level of the patient.