cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insertional Achilles Tendon Injuries in the Athlete

Insertional Achilles tendon injuries are common among running and jumping athletes of all age ranges. Injuries to this site are often due to an overuse mechanism and are especially common in individuals who continue to participate in sports into middle age and beyond. They present with a broad spectrum of severity and chronicity from mild acute tendonitis to partial or complete tendon rupture. The causes of injuries and conditions of the distal Achilles tendon are often multifactorial and may include biomechanical factors, training errors, and medications that predispose the tendon to degeneration or tear. It is this variability of cause, severity, and chronicity coupled with many athletesʼ unwillingness to alter or curtail the inciting activity that makes determination of an ideal treatment option a challenge. Nonsurgical management, which may consist of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, shoewear modification, and training alterations, has been the mainstay of treatment for patients with tendon inflammation and early degeneration. However, when injuries become more chronic and debilitating or when complete rupture occurs at the calcaneal insertion, debridement to remove degenerative tissue and repair using a calcaneal anchor-based suture bridge are required. Augmentation of the repair with transfer of the flexor hallucis longus tendon may be required if more than 50% of the tendon has been damaged or if extensive debridement leads to inadequate tendon length. Recently, biological treatment options as well as less invasive procedures have become available for stimulating tendon healing.
Analysis of alternative energy harvesting methods to power atmospheric robotic explorers on Jupiter

WindBots is a NIAC funded concept for a long-duration atmospheric robot explorer targeting the region between 0.3 bar and 10 bar on Jupiter. The WindBot would explore this region, which extends from 15km above to 125km below the reference surface at 1 bar. Proposed WindBot mission scenarios include a glider which would use updrafts to gain altitude before gliding to find another updraft, mimicking the action of soaring birds such as frigate birds. In another mission scenario, a balloon-like WindBot would use buoyancy to maintain altitude within its operational region. An important requirement of a WindBot is survival with energy obtained in-situ to provide power for the 30–50W avionic payload envisioned for the mission. The solar intensity below Jupiter's clouds is small and a solar solution as well as a nuclear solution have been ruled out from this study. This paper analyzes methods of energy generation and harvesting in Jupiters atmosphere and offers a comparison of the relative power densities. Wind, thermal, and magnetic energy, as well as other modalities, are sources of energy for a WindBot to transform into mechanical or electrical energy. Mechanisms evaluated include vibration harvesting and turbine technologies to utilize small-scale wind velocity gradients. Natural atmospheric thermal and pressure gradients may be tapped to provide power to a WindBot. The possibility of inductive generation using Jupiters strong magnetic field is also considered. Finally, these methods are evaluated on their power density and applicability to proposed WindBot designs.
PHARMACOLOGIC MODIFICATION OF ADRENALINE NEURONS IN RAT BRAIN

4-Chloro- and 4,5-dichloro-1-aminoindans, like other noradrenaline N-methyltrans-ferase (NMT) inhibitors, decreased adrenaline but not noradrenaline or dopamine concentration in rat brain. Reserpine, Ro 4-1284, 6-hydroxydopamine, H77/77, 1-cyclohexyl-2-mercapto-imidazole and α-methyl-m-tyrosine all lowered adrenaline concentration in rat brain, and pargyline increased it. Imipramine and desipramine antagonized the lowering of adrenaline and noradrenaline by α-methyl-m-tyrosine. Thus many drugs previously known to affect noradrenaline and/or dopamine neurons in brain also affect adrenaline neurons. NMT inhibitors, the only agents reported so far to affect adrenaline neurons specifically, appear to be useful for studying physiologic functions of adrenaline neurons and for estimating adrenaline turnover in brain.
Annual Research Review: Suicide among youth - epidemiology, (potential) etiology, and treatment.

Background Suicide is a leading cause of death and a complex clinical outcome. Here, we summarize the current state of research pertaining to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in youth. We review their definitions/measurement and phenomenology, epidemiology, potential etiological mechanisms, and psychological treatment and prevention efforts. Results We identify key patterns and gaps in knowledge that should guide future work. Regarding epidemiology, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth varies across countries and sociodemographic populations. Despite this, studies are rarely conducted cross-nationally and do not uniformly account for high-risk populations. Regarding etiology, the majority of risk factors have been identified within the realm of environmental and psychological factors (notably negative affect-related processes), and most frequently using self-report measures. Little research has spanned across additional units of analyses including behavior, physiology, molecules, cells, and genes. Finally, there has been growing evidence in support of select psychotherapeutic treatment and prevention strategies, and preliminary evidence for technology-based interventions. Conclusions There is much work to be done to better understand suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth. We strongly encourage future research to: (1) continue improving the conceptualization and operationalization of suicidal thoughts and behaviors; (2) improve etiological understanding by focusing on individual (preferably malleable) mechanisms; (3) improve etiological understanding also by integrating findings across multiple units of analyses and developing short-term prediction models; (4) demonstrate greater developmental sensitivity overall; and (5) account for diverse high-risk populations via sampling and reporting of sample characteristics. These serve as initial steps to improve the scientific approach, knowledge base, and ultimately prevention of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth.
Biocatalysis: Nature's Chemical Toolbox

Abstract Biocatalysts provide an excellent opportunity to decrease waste of organic syntheses for green chemistry applications. Their regio-, stereo-, and chemoselectivity provides additional avenues for green syntheses of complex fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Here we present an introduction to current methods for the development of biocatalysts for industrial application, and we focus on three case studies that explore biocatalysts that facilitate C C bond formation: terpenoid synthases, polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases, and Diels-Alderase ribozymes.
LOW-FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF ESTUARINE SEA LEVEL TO NON-LOCAL FORCING

Abstract: Variability in estuarine sea level and net flow on time scales longer than the predominant tidal cycle have long been ignored. However, recent work by Elliott (1976) focuses on the transient nature of estuarine circulation and its relation to local and far-field forcing with periods from 2 to 20 days. This forcing is well correlated with atmosphere variability, primarily wind events. North Inlet, South Carolina, is an ideal estuary for studies of non-local forcing because of the near absence of freshwater discharge and the small size of the winding estuarine creeks. One-year time series records of sea level, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed and direction indicate two important sea level responses. A 3.2 cm high 6.0-day sea level wave is attributable to atmospheric pressure, and a 6.4 cm high sea level fluctuation varies with the alongshore wind stress with a period of 9.2 days. In each case, it is believed that the forcing is transferred to the estuary from the coastal ocean via continental shelf waves. In addition, the yearly cycle of mean sea level, which is primarily due to changes in ocean and estuarine water temperature, causes the surrounding marshes to flood to a greater extent in the fall. This may be an important factor in facilitating material exchanges between estuary and marshes and could also be responsible for controlling net fluxes in or out of the estuary.
Synergies and trade-offs between energy efficiency and resiliency to extreme heat – A case study

Abstract Recently, due to the increase in the number and severity of heat waves, there is a growing interest in understanding overheating inside buildings and the associated health risks. As a result, a new area of research inquiry is emerging, focusing on investigating the possible trade-offs and synergies between energy efficiency strategies and resiliency to heat in residential buildings. This study addresses this challenge using whole-building simulations to model the passive survivability of archetype residential buildings during power failure scenarios that coincide with extreme heat conditions in Houston, TX and Phoenix, AZ. Results suggest that in older constructions, the indoor thermal conditions will easily reach dangerous levels during such episodes. In both cities, the discomfort index reaches the critical threshold in less than 6 h after the power outage. In addition, while there is a notable overlap between the two objectives, the implication of energy efficiency strategies on building resiliency to heat depends strongly on building characteristics and underlying climate. Notably, in contrast to previous studies that consider colder climates, increasing the insulation and air-tightness are found to be beneficial to passive survivability. Finally, our analysis highlights the importance of the definition of thermal resiliency metrics in interpreting the results of the simulations.
The Evolving Regulatory Framework for Health Information Technology in the U.S.

With a large potential impact and a high level of complexity in the deployment of IT in healthcare in the U.S., the role of the federal government in setting the context is important. This study provides an overview of the current and evolving regulatory environment that healthcare organizations in the U.S. face when they deploy essential information technologies. We establish the framework of analysis using the socio-technical perspective of the systems theory and analyze the five key areas of healthcare IT regulations: electronic health records, clinical decision making, healthcare information exchange, privacy and security, and mobile and electronic health. We conclude by providing overview remarks on the overall structure of the HIT regulations in the U.S.
Straightbred comparison of a composite population and the Suffolk breed for performance traits of sheep.

A terminal sire Composite population was formed by mating Columbia rams to HampshireSuffok crossbred ewes. Subsequent generations were produced by inter se mating. The objective was to compare Composite sheep to purebred Suffolks for numerous performance traits. Young ewes lambing at 1 yr of age were evaluated separately from mature ewes (2, 3.4, and 5 yr old) of each population. Composite and Suffolk populations did not differ significantly in components of litter weaning weight per young ewe joined. Mature Composite ewes produced more wool than Suffolk ewes. Fertility of mature ewes did not differ significantly between populations. The greater prolificacy (P e .01) of mature Suffolk ewes was offset by a lower survival to weaning (P < .Ol), particularly for winborn lambs. Consequently, mature Composite and Suffolk ewes did not differ for number weaned and litter weaning weight per ewe joined. The average birth weight of lambs born to young and mature Composite ewes was greater (P < .02) than the average birth weight of Suffolk lambs. The average weaning weight of lambs born to young Composite ewes was greater (P < .05) than that of lambs born to young Suffolk ewes. Breed differences were not detected for preweaning daily gains, weaning weights, and postweaning daily gains of ewe lambs born to mature ewes. Likewise, weights of ewes at 125 d of age and weights of mature ewes at breeding did not differ significantly between breeds. Overall productivity of Composite ewes was at least equal to that of Suffolk ewes, and weights from weaning to maturity of Composite and Suffolk ewes were similar.
Psittacosis-lymphogranuloma group of viruses.

Publisher Summary This chapter is concerned with the recent contributions on the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma (P-LV) group of viruses. An important general biologic characteristic of P-LV viruses is latency of infections in birds, mammals, and possibly in human beings. The chapter discusses the human and animal P-LV viruses. It is customary to segregate newly recovered viruses possessing morphologic characters of P-LV viruses on the basis of the common group antigen. Attention has been directed toward finding suitable diagnostic methods and improving existent methods in order to study antigenic relationships. The chapter is confined to interpretations and in some respects integration of data, particularly on the antigenic relationships between various members of the group. It also discusses the antigenic structure of P-LV and the developmental cycle of the virus. Studies concerned with sources of metabolic energy and nutritional factors essential for growth of P-LV viruses are based partially on models of bacteriophage multiplication, with the exception that the P-LV viruses have a number of distinct properties separating them from the smaller viruses. The chapter summarizes the essential findings of the biochemical studies and discusses some further properties of P-LV viruses.
Programmed death ligand 1 and CD8+ immune cell infiltrates in resected primary tracheal malignant neoplasms.

Objectives Many patients with primary malignant tracheal neoplasms are not surgical candidates nor do they experience residual or recurrent disease after surgery and may benefit from alternative therapies. This study explores the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in patients with primary tracheal malignancy as a biomarker for candidacy for treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 23 patients with resected primary tracheal malignant tumours from 2010 to 2016. Paraffin-embedded blocks of tumour tissue were evaluated immunohistochemically to determine the expression of PD-L1 and infiltration by CD8+ immune cells. Results We identified 14 (61%) adenoid cystic carcinomas, 4 (17%) squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 4 (17%) mucoepidermoid carcinomas and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma. PD-L1 expression was observed in 3 (75%) cases of SCC and 1 (100%) case of adenosquamous carcinoma, but it was absent in cases of adenoid cystic carcinomas and mucoepidermoid carcinomas. PD-L1 expression was significantly higher in tumours with a SCC component than in salivary-type tumours (P = 0.001). The presence of CD8+ immune cells in the tumour or peritumoural stroma was significantly higher in cases of tracheal tumours with a SCC component than in salivary-type tumours. Conclusions Salivary-type primary malignant tracheal tumours do not significantly express PD-L1. In contrast, most primary tracheal tumours with a SCC component show membranous expression of PD-L1 and larger numbers of infiltrating CD8+ immune cells. PD-L1 expression may serve as a biomarker in patients with primary tracheal squamous cell malignant neoplasms when the patients are being considered for alternative treatments and inclusion in clinical trials. Irb approval Protocol No. 2017P000415 (22 March 2017).
Insar Mission-Level Products on Demand - do we Need Range-Doppler?

InSAR time series analysis of deformation fields, a goal of many modern radar systems, almost always starts with processed range-Doppler single look complex (SLC) radar images. These images are precisely coregistered and pairwise phase differences form the interferograms. Computing coregistered SLCs directly in a desired geometry saves significant data storage and readily produces data products that are easy to analyze in coordinate systems that are well matched to a desired application. Here we demonstrate InSAR data products created using a backprojection algorithm that skips the range- Doppler, coregistration, and elevation compensation steps. Implementing this in an on-demand system saves not only on the volume of products that must be computed, stored, and delivered, it further greatly simplifies analysis by the end user and opens up InSAR techniques to a wider group of applications.
Expanding Water Markets in the Western United States: Barriers and Lessons from Other Natural Resource Markets

AbstractThis article identifies key barriers to the expansion of surface water markets in the western United States and examines the lessons learned from the development of market-based management ...
The student experience in an integrative, project-based course on quantitative engineering analysis

Quantitative Engineering Analysis is an eight-credit, two semester, experiential project-based course at F. W. Olin College of Engineering, for second and third semester engineering students. The course is designed to improve students facility and confidence in choosing and using the power tools of analysis in solving engineering problems. The goal of this workshop is to expose faculty from other institutions to the student experience in the first semester of this class, where participants will work through a number of activities based on activities done by students in the course. These goals align with the goals of FIE as we aim to expose participants to innovative teaching practice on multiple fronts including experiential, project-based learning of fundamental mathematics, physics and engineering material, approaches to teaming for students as well as interdisciplinary faculty, and scaffolding self-directed learning. Additionally, we will work with participants to initiate designs of activities which draw on these ideas that are adapted to the contexts of their home institutions.
Thermal Stability of Homologous Neutral Metalloendopeptidases in Thermophilic and Mesophilic Bacteria: Structural Considerations

Thermolysin and neutral protease A are neutral metalloendopeptidases having similar specificity, molecular weight, metal content, and amino acid composition. Thermolysin, derived from the thermophilic organism Bacillus thermoproteolyticus, is heat inactivated at about 84° whereas neutral protease A, derived from the mesophilic organism Bacillus subtilis, is inactivated at about 59°. Structural analyses reveal that the two enzymes are homologous.Of the 326 residues of neutral protease A, 171 have been placed in sequence and 49% of these have been found in identical loci in thermolysin. These include many of the residues corresponding to the active site of thermolysin. The sensitivity of both enzymes to thermal inactivation is dependent upon the presence of calcium and neutral protease appears to bind less calcium than thermolysin. Structural data indicate that many of the ligands associated with calcium sites 1 and 2 (double site of thermolysin) are present in neutral protease and that calcium site 4 cannot exist in neutral protease. The structural homology and functional analogy of these two proteins support the concept that they have similar conformations. The known structure of thermolysin is used as a model to discuss structural differences which might be related to thermal stability.
The Stranger as Friend. The Poetics of Friendship in Homer, Dante, and Boccaccio

The principal aim of this study is to participate in the current renewed discourse on the meaning of friendship, initiated in 1994 by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida with his Politics of Friendship, by combining the philosophical method of inquiry with the hermeneutical approach to poetic representations of friendship in the Iliad, the Divine Comedy, and the Decameron. It examines friendship not only as the unique love between two persons based on familiarity and proximity, but as the love for the one who is far away, the stranger, for this is a natural extension of the implicit love of the distant other, of the other-as-stranger – what Emmanuel Levinas has called "the infinity of the Other" – which is concealed in our friend, and which, in the words of Maurice Blanchot, puts us "authentically in relation" with him or her.
What Are High-Leverage Practices for Special Education Teachers and Why Are They Important?:

Improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities and others who struggle in school largely depends on teachers who can deliver effective instruction. Although many effective practices ...
Population pharmacokinetic modeling of PF-06439535 (a bevacizumab biosimilar) and reference bevacizumab (Avastin®) in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

The objectives of this analysis were to characterize the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of PF-06439535 (a bevacizumab biosimilar) and reference bevacizumab (Avastin®) sourced from the European Union (bevacizumab-EU) in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to quantify the difference in PK parameters between the two drug products via covariate analysis. Pooled PF-06439535 and bevacizumab-EU serum concentration data from a comparative clinical efficacy and safety study (NCT02364999) in patients with NSCLC (N = 719) were analyzed using a non-linear mixed-effects modeling approach. Patients received PF-06439535 plus chemotherapy or bevacizumab-EU plus chemotherapy every 21 days for 4–6 cycles, followed by monotherapy with PF-06439535 or bevacizumab-EU. PF-06439535 or bevacizumab-EU was administered intravenously at a dose of 15 mg/kg. Effects of patient and disease covariates, as well as the drug product (PF-06439535 versus bevacizumab-EU), on PK were investigated. Overall, 8632 serum bevacizumab concentrations from 351 patients in the PF-06439535 group and 354 patients in the bevacizumab-EU group were included in the analysis. A two-compartment model adequately described the combined data. Clearance (CL) and central volume of distribution (V1) estimates were 0.0113 L/h and 2.99 L for a typical 71-kg female patient with NSCLC administered bevacizumab-EU. CL and V1 increased with body weight and were higher in males than females even after accounting for differences in body weight. The 95% confidence intervals for the effect of drug product on CL and V1 encompassed unity. The population PK of PF-06439535 and bevacizumab-EU were well characterized by a two-compartment model. Covariate analysis did not reveal any appreciable differences between PK parameters for PF-06439535 and bevacizumab-EU in patients with NSCLC. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02364999.
SLEEPIR: Synchronized Low-Energy Electronically Chopped PIR Sensor for True Presence Detection

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors are widely used in motion sensing and lighting control. However, stationary occupants always trigger false-negative detects of PIR sensors and result in uncomfortable lighting swings and short lifetime of electronic appliances. To address this issue, a synchronized low-energy electronically chopped PIR (SLEEPIR) sensor is developed in this letter for true presence detection, where a liquid crystal (LC) optical shutter is proposed to electrically chop signals received by the PIR sensor in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) region (8–12 μ m), where human skin radiates the most. Utilizing the anisotropic absorption property of the LC material, the shutter shows high modulation with a low driving voltage ( ${V_{{\rm{rms}}}}$ = 4.17 V). Instead of using the mechanical shutters previously developed by our group that are driven by motors, the SLEEPIR sensor reduces the power consumption,weight, volume, and noise level by 90.5%, 83.8%, 82.6%, and 100%, respectively, while maintaining high sensitivity and reliability. Thanks to the high modulation of the LC shutter in the LWIR region, the experimental results show that the SLEEPIR sensor could detect stationary occupants with high accuracy within the range of 4.0 m and with a large field-of-view of 100°.
172 nm patterning of optical components on polymers (Conference Presentation)

Gratings, Fresnel lenses, phase masks, and waveguides are among the optical components that have been fabricated by 172 nm irradiation of various polymers through photomasks. Intensities above ~ 70 mW/cm^2 are now commercially available at 172 nm with flat Xe2 lamps. Such optical fluences are capable of precisely (< 500 nm lateral and 20 nm depth resolution) ablating a wide range of polymers, including PMMA and ABS, thereby allowing for a variety of 3D optical and biomedical components to be realized economically by dry processing.
Mortality and Hospitalizations for Dually Enrolled and Nondually Enrolled Medicare Beneficiaries Aged 65 Years or Older, 2004 to 2017

Importance Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid (dually enrolled beneficiaries) have drawn the attention of policy makers because they comprise the poorest subset of the Medicare population; however, it is unclear how their outcomes have changed over time compared with those only enrolled in Medicare (nondually enrolled beneficiaries). Objective To evaluate annual changes in all-cause mortality, hospitalization rates, and hospitalization-related mortality among dually enrolled beneficiaries and nondually enrolled beneficiaries. Design, Setting, and Participants Serial cross-sectional study of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 years or older between January 2004 and December 2017. The final date of follow-up was September 30, 2018. Exposures Dual vs nondual enrollment status. Main Outcomes and Measures Annual all-cause mortality rates; all-cause hospitalization rates; and in-hospital, 30-day, 1-year hospitalization-related mortality rates. Results There were 71 017 608 unique Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older (mean age, 75.6 [SD, 9.2] years; 54.9% female) enrolled in Medicare for at least 1 month from 2004 through 2017. Of these beneficiaries, 11 697 900 (16.5%) were dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid for at least 1 month. After adjusting for age, sex, and race, annual all-cause mortality rates declined from 8.5% (95% CI, 8.45%-8.56%) in 2004 to 8.1% (95% CI, 8.05%-8.13%) in 2017 among dually enrolled beneficiaries and from 4.1% (95% CI, 4.08%-4.13%) in 2004 to 3.8% (95% CI, 3.76%-3.79%) in 2017 among nondually enrolled beneficiaries. The difference in annual all-cause mortality between dually and nondually enrolled beneficiaries increased between 2004 (adjusted odds ratio, 2.09 [95% CI, 2.08-2.10]) and 2017 (adjusted odds ratio, 2.22 [95% CI, 2.21-2.23]) (P Conclusions and Relevance Among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 years or older, dually enrolled beneficiaries had higher annual all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalizations, and hospitalization-related mortality compared with nondually enrolled beneficiaries. Between 2004 and 2017, these differences did not decrease.
Who Is at Risk? Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the Kyrgyz Republic

Violence against women perpetrated by intimate partners is a sufficiently serious social issue in the countries of the former Soviet Union to warrant focused attention and sociological research. In...
Partial Credit Part 1

Often tests includes partial credit items. The computation of “measures” for a partial credit test is harder to understand for those learning Rasch than when analysing a multiple choice test or a rating scale survey. This chapter presents both the thinking of what it means to measure with partial credit items and the steps needed to conduct a Rasch analysis of partial credit test data. Links are made to Rasch Analysis in the Human Sciences analyses of dichotomous test data, analyses of rating scale data, and Wright Maps for both dichotomous tests and rating scale data. In this chapter partial credit analyses are presented in which all partial credit items of a potential maximum point total have the same rating scale structure. Also partial credit analyses are presented in which items are allowed to have their own unique rating scale structure.
“Building Together” in Baltimore? Corporate Megadevelopment and Coalitions for Community Power:

We consider how various coalitions influence redevelopment projects in cities, especially as communities demand more inclusion in the development process. Based on qualitative research, we investig...
Consumer Financial Protection and Community Banks

The Dodd-Frank Act (the “Act,” or “Dodd-Frank”) took shape after the 2007-2008 financial crisis led to calls in Washington to protect average Americans from the depredations of Wall Street. Its proponents in Congress diagnosed greed as the root cause of the crisis and business practices at big commercial and investment banks as the immediate cause. It became clear that the largest financial institutions would face stiffer restrictions on their activities from Dodd-Frank than from any legislation since the Great Depression. The public and political perception of community banks lacked the same clear storyline. Situated somewhere between Main Street and Wall Street, community bankers engage in the financial business by establishing deposit accounts for customers, lending to individuals and businesses at interest, and offering payment card services. Yet politicians of both parties
Neuroblastic and Schwannian stromal cells of neuroblastoma are derived from a tumoral progenitor cell

The coexistence of neuroblastic and Schwannian stromal (SS) cells in differentiating neuroblastoma (NB), and derivation of Schwannian-like cells from neuroblastic clones in vitro, were accepted previously as evidence of a common pluripotent tumor stem line. This paradigm was challenged when SS cells were suggested to be reactive in nature. The advent of microdissection techniques, PCR-based allelic analysis, and in situ fluorescent cytometry made possible the analysis of pure cell populations in fresh surgical specimens, allowing unequivocal determination of clonal origins of various cell subtypes. To overcome the complexity and heterogeneity of three-dimensional tissue structure, we used: (a) Laser-Capture Microdissection to obtain histologically homogeneous cell subtype populations for allelotype analysis at chromosomes 1p36, 11q23, 14q32, and 17q and study of MYCN copy number; (b) multiparametric analysis by Laser-Scanning Cytometry of morphology, DNA content, and immunophenotype of intact cells from touch imprints; and (c) bicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization on touch imprints from manually microdissected neuroblast and stroma-rich areas. Histologically distinct SS and neuroblastic cells isolated by Laser-Capture Microdissection had the same genetic composition in 27 of 28 NB analyzed by allelic imbalance and gene copy number. In all 20 cases studied by Laser-Scanning Cytometry, SS cells identified by morphology and S-100 immunostaining had identical DNA content and GD2-staining pattern as their neuroblastic counterparts. In 7 cases, fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrated the same chromosomal makeup for SS and neuroblastic cells. These results provide unequivocal evidence that neuroblastic and SS cells in NB are derived from genetically identical neoplastic cells and support the classical paradigm that NB arises from tumoral cells capable of development along multiple lineages.
Academic Medical Product Development: An Emerging Alliance of Technology Transfer Organizations and the CTSA

To bring the benefits of science more quickly to patient care, the NIH National Center Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) supports programs that enhance the development, testing, and implementation of new medical products and procedures. The NCATS clinical and translational science award (CTSA) program is central to that mission; creating an academic home for clinical and translational science and supporting those involved in the discovery and development of new health-related inventions. The technology transfer Offices (TTO) of CTSA-funded universities can be important partners in the development process; facilitating the transfer of medical research to the commercial sector for further development and ultimately, distribution to patients. The Aggregating Intellectual Property (IP) Working Group (AWG) of the CTSA public private partnerships key function committee (PPP-KFC) developed a survey to explore how CTSA-funded institutions currently interface with their respective TTOs to support medical product development. The results suggest a range of relationships across institutions; approximately half have formal collaborative programs, but only a few have well-connected programs. Models of collaborations are described and provided as examples of successful CTSA/TTO partnerships that have increased the value of health-related inventions as measured by follow-on funding and industry involvement; either as a consulting partner or licensee.
The Ultimate Penalty Box: Fayetteville-Manlius is Disqualified from the State Playoffs for Playing Too Many Games

Instead of playing in the state tournament, the Fayetteville-Manlius boy's hockey team was disqualified because they played too many games. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association limits hockey teams to 20 regular season games, but Fayetteville-Manlius mistakenly considered one of its competitions to be a scrimmage instead of a regular season game.
High performance isotropic polymer/metal composite for interconnect applications

A paste composed of thermoplastic binder, silver particles, and solvent is compounded for directly interconnecting a chip to a substrate. The thermoplastic nature of the binder has three distinct advantages: (i) the interconnection is fully reworkable, (ii) the bonding time interval between the dispensing and assembling operation is indefinite, enabling a true 'bumping' technology, and (iii) the paste is stored at room temperature with well over 6 month shelf-life. The bond is formed by drying the solvent and applying pressure at a bond temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polymer. The resultant polymer/metal composite (PMC) bond is an isotropic conductor with electrical conductivity provided by continuous channels of Ag particles. With PMC electrical conductivity higher than solder and fine-pitch screenability, we are developing this material as an interconnect for flip-chip attach (FCA) technology. In this paper, we report our results on the dispensability and rheological behavior of the paste and some results on our bonding process optimization study using response surface analysis.
The Internet and information technologies and consumer empowerment

In this article, we describe the benefits for people with disabilities of using the Internet and information technologies. We include brief case studies to illustrate how people with different functional limitations use electronic resources in their everyday lives. The examples illustrate the ways that the Internet and information technologies can empower people with disabilities by (1) enhancing access to information about the community, (2) providing venues for electronic publishing, (3) offering opportunities for networking and advocacy, (4) increasing access to education, and (5) enhancing employment opportunities. People with disabilities encounter a number of barriers when attempting to use the Internet and information technologies. Although we outline some of the barriers, the focus of this article is on the benefits of the Internet and information technologies. We strongly advocate that rehabilitation professionals acquire expertise necessary to assist people with disabilities in gaining access to and the effective use of information networks, thus improving their quality of life, opportunities for employment, education and recreation. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
SCP-relevance and class-effect in performance – A comparative analysis of restaurants and petroleum firms

Abstract The importance of industry-specific factors for a firm's performance has often attracted the attention of researchers, managers, and investment analysts. This research uses random-effect variance component analysis to examine the relevance of structure-conduct-performance (SCP) paradigm in the context of restaurant and petroleum/natural gas firms. The study further investigates class-effect in firm performance by analyzing whether the relative importance of industry-and-firm-level effects varies across different performance groups. Results suggest a direct relevance of the SCP paradigm and industry-specific factors for firm performance, and a distinct dominance of industry-effect over firm-effect regardless of the choice of accounting or value based performance measures. Results further reveal varying roles of industry and firm-level factors (corporate or strategic) across middle-of-the road and non-average (exceptional) performance groups. As such the importance of SCP paradigm and the strategic role of both industry-and-firm effect factors for value creation in US based restaurant firms is better understood.
Tensile fixation strengths of absorbable Meniscal Repair devices as a function of hydrolysis time : An in vitro experimental study

To determine the effect of hydrolysis time on the fixation strength of absorbable meniscal repair devices, adult bovine menisci were repaired with five devices and a suture. The ultimate tensile strength of the repair was then tested in six specimens immediately or after 6, 12, or 24 weeks of incubation at 37 degrees C in a saline solution containing antibiotics, antimycotics, and protease inhibitors. Immediately after implantation the Bionx Meniscus Arrow had a significantly higher failure strength (57.7 +/- 13.8 N) than the Linvatec BioStinger (35.1 +/- 6.7 N), the Innovasive Clearfix screw (34.9 +/- 13 N), the Surgical Dynamics S-D-sorb staple (9.4 +/- 4.6 N), and the Mitek Meniscal Repair System (polydioxanone) (27.2 +/- 6.0 N). However, there was no significant difference between the Bionx Meniscus Arrow and a 2-0 polydioxanone vertical suture (51.6 +/- 2.7 N). The polydioxanone-based implants demonstrated a significant decrease in failure strength at 12 and 24 weeks. Similarly, the Surgical Dynamics S-D-sorb staple lost all fixation strength by 24 weeks. The remaining devices showed no significant loss of failure strength over the 24-week period, suggesting that 24 weeks of hydrolysis does not adversely affect the ultimate holding power of poly L-lactide-based meniscal fixation devices.
Shock capturing with PDE-based artificial viscosity for DGFEM: Part I. Formulation

Artificial viscosity can be combined with a higher-order discontinuous Galerkin finite element discretization to resolve a shock layer within a single cell. However, when a non-smooth artificial viscosity model is employed with an otherwise higher-order approximation, element-to-element variations induce oscillations in state gradients and pollute the downstream flow. To alleviate these difficulties, this work proposes a higher-order, state-based artificial viscosity with an associated governing partial differential equation (PDE). In the governing PDE, a shock indicator acts as a forcing term while grid-based diffusion is added to smooth the resulting artificial viscosity. When applied to heat transfer prediction on unstructured meshes in hypersonic flows, the PDE-based artificial viscosity is less susceptible to errors introduced by grid edges oblique to captured shocks and boundary layers, thereby enabling accurate heat transfer predictions.
Influence of Ca2+ on the plasma membrane potential and electrogenic uptake of glycine by myeloma cells: involvement of a Ca2+-activated K+ channel

Abstract The involvement of Ca2+-activated K+ channels in the regulation of the plasma membrane potential and electrogenic uptake of glycine in SP 2/0-AG14 lymphocytes was investigated using the potentiometric indicator 3,3′-diethylthiodicarbocyanine iodide. The resting membrane potential was estimated to be −57 ± 6 mV (n = 4) , a value similar to that of normal lymphocytes. The magnitude of the membrane potential and the electrogenic uptake of glycine were dependent on the extracellular K+ concentration, [K+]o, and were significantly enhanced by exogenous calcium. The apparent V max of Na+-dependent glycine uptake was doubled in the presence of calcium, whereas the K 0.5 was not affected. Ouabain had no influence on the membrane potential under the conditions employed. Additional criteria used to demonstrate the presence of Ca2+-activated K+ channels included the following: (1) addition of EGTA to calcium supplemented cells elicited a rapid depolarization of the membrane potential that was dependent on [K+]o; (2) the calmodulin antagonist, trifluoperazine, depolarized the membrane potential in a dose-dependent and saturable manner with an IC50 of 9.4 μM; and (3) cells treated with the Ca2+-activated K+ channel antagonist, quinine, demonstrated an elevated membrane potential and depressed electrogenic glycine uptake. Results from the present study provide evidence for Ca2+-activated K+ channels in SP 2/0-AG14 lymphocytes, and that their involvement regulates the plasma membrane potential and thereby the electrogenic uptake of Na+-dependent amino acids.
Three-dimensional metallo-dielectric photonic crystals with cubic symmetry as stacks of two-dimensional screens.

Metallo-dielectric photonic crystals with cubic symmetries have been studied here both experimentally and theoretically in the millimeter wavelength region (15–60 mm). In a direct analogy to linear systems, we considered the three-dimensional lattices as a stack of two-dimensional resonating screens. The overall three-dimensional structure was introduced in the calculation through a structural phase. Such an approach proved useful in understanding the related mode propagation and guided us in a study of the transition between cubic and centered body cubic symmetries.
Syncope in the Elderly

This report describes the evaluation of syncope in 210 elderly patients as compared with 190 younger patients. The elderly group had a mean age of 71 years (range 60 to 90) and the younger group had a mean age of 39 years (range 15 to 59). A cardiovascular cause was found in 33.8 percent of the elderly and in 16.8 percent of the young (p = 0.0001), a noncardiovascular cause in 26.7 percent of the elderly and 37.9 percent of the young (p = 0.02), and unknown cause in 38.5 percent of the elderly and 45.3 percent of the young (NS). Prolonged electrocardiographic monitoring established the diagnosis in 17 percent of the elderly but in only 8 percent of the young (p = 0.008). Syncope resulted in trauma in 39 percent of the elderly and in 32 percent of the young, but the elderly more often had major trauma. The two-year overall mortality was 26.9 +/- 3.4 percent in the elderly and 8.3 +/- 2.1 percent in the young (p less than 0.0001). The overall mortality and incidence of sudden death in the elderly with a cardiovascular diagnosis were similar to those in the young; however, in the elderly with a noncardiovascular diagnosis and syncope of unknown cause, the mortality and incidence of sudden death were higher. Multivariate analyses using mortality and sudden death as endpoints revealed that a cardiovascular cause of syncope was a very strong risk factor. In patients with a noncardiovascular cause or unknown cause of syncope, a history of congestive heart failure, older age, and male sex are important prognostic factors.
Selfing for the design of genomic selection experiments in biparental plant populations.

Self-fertilization (selfing) is commonly used for population development in plant breeding, and it is well established that selfing increases genetic variance between lines, thus increasing response to phenotypic selection. Furthermore, numerous studies have explored how selfing can be deployed to maximal benefit in the context of traditional plant breeding programs (Cornish in Heredity 65:201–211,1990a, Heredity 65:213–220,1990b; Liu et al. in Theor Appl Genet 109:370–376, 2004; Pooni and Jinks in Heredity 54:255–260, 1985). However, the impact of selfing on response to genomic selection has not been explored. In the current study we examined how selfing impacts the two key aspects of genomic selection—GEBV prediction (training) and selection response. We reach the following conclusions: (1) On average, selfing increases genomic selection gains by more than 70 %. (2) The gains in genomic selection response attributable to selfing hold over a wide range population sizes (100–500), heritabilities (0.2–0.8), and selection intensities (0.01–0.1). However, the benefits of selfing are dramatically reduced as the number of QTLs drops below 20. (3) The major cause of the improved response to genomic selection with selfing is through an increase in the occurrence of superior genotypes and not through improved GEBV predictions. While performance of the training population improves with selfing (especially with low heritability and small population sizes), the magnitude of these improvements is relatively small compared with improvements observed in the selection population. To illustrate the value of these insights, we propose a practical genomic selection scheme that substantially shortens the number of generations required to fully capture the benefits of selfing. Specifically, we provide simulation evidence that indicates the proposed scheme matches or exceeds the selection gains observed in advanced populations (i.e. F 8 and doubled haploid) across a broad range of heritability and QTL models. Without sacrificing selection gains, we also predict that fully inbred candidates for potential commercialization can be identified as early as the F 4 generation.
A piece in the puzzle of puberty.

The onset of puberty in mammals is determined by a poorly understood mix of genetics and environment. A survey of the epigenetic methylation landscape provides insight into a potential mechanism for the onset of puberty in females involving emancipation from a repressive gene complex in hypothalamic neurons.
Neutrophil endopeptidase inhibitor improves pulmonary function during reperfusion after eighteen-hour preservation

Abstract Background: Reperfusion injury remains a significant problem after lung transplantation and is thought to be in part mediated by neutrophils. Ulinastatin inhibits release of elastase and cathepsin G from neutrophil granules. We hypothesized that inhibition of these neutrophil endopeptidases (proteases) would attenuate pulmonary reperfusion injury. Methods: With an isolated, whole blood–perfused, ventilated rabbit lung model, we studied the effects of ulinastatin. All lungs were flushed with cold Euro-Collins solution, harvested en bloc, stored inflated at 4° C for 18 hours, and reperfused with whole blood. The 18-hour control lungs ( n = 8) were stored and reperfused. Low-dose ( n = 8) and high-dose ( n = 7) groups were treated with total doses of ulinastatin of 25,000 and 50,000 units, respectively, during flush and reperfusion. An additional control group of lungs ( n = 8) was harvested, flushed, and immediately reperfused. Results: The pulmonary artery pressure was significantly lower in the high-dose group than in the 18-hour control group (36.7 ± 1.8 vs 44.8 ± 2.9 mm Hg, p = 0.034). The percentage decrease in dynamic airway compliance was significantly less in the high-dose group than in the 18-hour control group (-13.8% ± 4.4% vs -25.1% ± 3.7%, p = 0.032). Both low-dose and high-dose ulinastatin treatments did not result in a significant improvement in oxygenation with respect to the 18-hour control group (72.2 ± 25.8 vs 32.5 ± 4.9 mm Hg, p = 0.21). Conclusions: Ulinastatin diminishes reperfusion injury after 18 hours of hypothermic pulmonary ischemia, with resultant improvements in pulmonary artery pressure and airway compliance. Improvement in pulmonary function after preservation and reperfusion with a neutrophil endopeptidase inhibitor confirms the role of endopeptidases in reperfusion injury and suggests an intervention to reduce their detrimental effects on early graft function. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1996;112:607-13)