cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Change in Health Insurance Coverage After Liver Transplantation Can Be Associated with Worse Outcomes.

Health insurance coverage changes for many patients after liver transplantation, but the implications of this change on long-term outcomes are unclear. To assess post-transplant patient and graft survival according to change in insurance coverage within 1 year of transplantation. We queried the United Network for Organ Sharing for patients between ages 18–64 years undergoing liver transplantation in 2002–2016. Patients surviving > 1 year were categorized by insurance coverage at transplantation and the 1-year transplant anniversary. Multivariable Cox regression characterized the association between coverage pattern and long-term patient or graft survival. Among 34,487 patients in the analysis, insurance coverage patterns included continuous private coverage (58%), continuous public coverage (29%), private to public transition (8%) and public to private transition (4%). In multivariable analysis of patient survival, continuous public insurance (HR 1.29, CI 1.22, 1.37, p < 0.001), private to public transition (HR 1.17, CI 1.07, 1.28, p < 0.001), and public to private transition (HR 1.14, CI 1.00, 1.29, p = 0.044), were associated with greater mortality hazard, compared to continuous private coverage. After disaggregating public coverage by source, mortality hazard was highest for patients transitioning from private insurance to Medicaid (HR vs. continuous private coverage = 1.32; 95% CI 1.14, 1.52; p < 0.001). Similar differences by insurance category were found for death-censored graft failure. Post-transplant transition to public insurance coverage is associated with higher risk of adverse outcomes when compared to retaining private coverage.
The Value of Emily Dickinson, by Mary Loeffelholz: Cambridge UP, 2016

In the final chapter of The Value of Emily Dickinson, Mary Loeffelholz proposes a provocative thought experiment, asking her readers to imagine that “somehow all of Dickinson’s manuscripts were los...
The Block form of Linear Systems over Commutative Rings with Applications to Control

This paper deals with a new approach to the study of linear time-invariant discrete-time systems whose coefficients belong to an arbitrary commutative ring. Such systems arise in the study of integer systems, systems depending on parameters, and multi-dimensional systems. The key idea is to consider the representation of systems over a ring in terms of a block-input/block-output form. By time-compressing the block representation, new results are derived on assignability by state feedback control including the construction of deadbeat controllers. A new type of state observer is then considered based on a block-output form for the update term in the state estimate. The results on state observers are combined with the time-compression approach to state feedback control to yield a new type of input/output regulator. In the last section of the paper the results are applied to the problem of state and output tracking of set points.
Electron Spectroscopy Studies of the Si-SiO 2 Interface

Electron spectroscopy has been used extensively for studies of the chemistry, morphology, and electronic structure, of the interface between single crystal silicon and thermally grown oxides as used in silicon integrated circuit technology. Results from these investigations, along with those from other techniques such as transmission electron microscopy,1, 2, 3 Rutherford backscattering,4, 5 and ellipsometry,6, 7 as well as the various electrical techniques,8 have provided us with probably a more detailed view of this interface than for any other solid-solid interface.
Evaluating the CTW model for producing educational television

This is the twelfth ERIC /ECTJ Annual Review Paper, preparation of which was supported by the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) Clearinghouse on Information Resources, Syracuse University. The material in this article was prepared pursuant to a contract with the National Institute of Education. U.S. Department of Education. Contractors undertaking such projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their judgment in professional and technical matters. Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent the official view or opinion of the NIE. - Ed.
A (new) specter haunts Europe: the political legibility of Spain’s hologram protests

This article analyzes the use of holograms in the 2015 public demonstrations by the collective “Holograms for Freedom” in Madrid in response to the “Ley Mordaza” or “Gag Law”. The protest calls int...
Nonoperative Management of Blunt Splenic Trauma: Outcomes of Gelfoam Embolization of the Splenic Artery.

Context: Nonoperative management (NOM) is the standard of care in hemodynamically stable trauma patients with blunt splenic injury. Gelfoam splenic artery embolization (SAE) is a treatment option used in trauma patients. Aims: The primary aim of this study was to retrospectively examine the use and outcomes of Gelfoam SAE in adult patients with blunt splenic injury. Settings and Design: One hundred and thirty-two adult patients with blunt splenic injury admitted to a Level 1 trauma center between January 2014 and December 2015 were included in the study. Patients treated with Gelfoam SAE, NOM, and splenectomies were reviewed. Descriptive statistics including patient age, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score (ISS), hospital days, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) days, splenic grade, and amount of blood products administered were recorded. Complications, defined as any additional factors that contributed to the patient's overall length of hospital stay, were compared between the three groups. Technical aspects of Gelfoam SAE and associated complications were reviewed. Subjects and Methods: Gelfoam SAE was performed in 25 (18.9%) of the 132 patients. Gelfoam SAE patients had fewer ICU days compared with those patients who had a splenectomy or NOM. There was no statistical difference in complications between patients who underwent Gelfoam SAE and those who did not. Patients who underwent Gelfoam SAE tended to have fewer complications including deep venous thrombosis's, PE, and infections and yielded no complications in 64% of the Gelfoam group. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis included descriptives, ANOVA, and nonparametric tests as appropriate. Conclusion: Gelfoam SAE can be used for blunt splenic injury for intermediate ISS and splenic grade as it reduced hospital and ICU days.
Mitochondrial transfer from mesenchymal stem cells to neural stem cells protects against the neurotoxic effects of cisplatin

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfer healthy mitochondria to damaged acceptor cells via actin-based intercellular structures. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that MSCs transfer mitochondria to neural stem cells (NSCs) to protect NSCs against the neurotoxic effects of cisplatin treatment. Our results show that MSCs donate mitochondria to NSCs damaged in vitro by cisplatin. Transfer of healthy MSC-derived mitochondria decreases cisplatin-induced NSC death. Moreover, mitochondrial transfer from MSCs to NSCs reverses the cisplatin-induced decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Blocking the formation of actin-based intercellular structures inhibited the transfer of mitochondria to NSCs and abrogated the positive effects of MSCs on NSC survival. Conversely, overexpression of the mitochondrial motor protein Rho-GTPase 1 (Miro1) in MSCs increased mitochondrial transfer and further improved survival of cisplatin-treated NSCs. In vivo, MSC administration prevented the loss of DCX+ neural progenitor cells in the subventricular zone and hippocampal dentate gyrus which occurs as a result of cisplatin treatment. We propose mitochondrial transfer as one of the mechanisms via which MSCs exert their therapeutic regenerative effects after cisplatin treatment.
How Government and Community Nonprofit Collaboration and Non-Collaboration Affects Public Sector Outcomes

ABSTRACTThis four state foster care study seeks to understand what practices state public managers perform with regards to community nonprofits that contributes to effectiveness in producing better...
Curriculum Development in Gerontological Nursing Education

Many departments of nursing across the country are making concerted efforts to integrate gerontological nursing concepts into their curriculum. In general, many of these faculty members do not have advanced education in gerontology and, therefore, are unclear as to which concepts are vital in educating the generalist nurse. This, couple with the question of how to teach these concepts, leaves faculty wanting advice and direction. With the benefit of five years of federal funding, the authors share their experience of integrating content relative to the older adult into the nursing curriculum.
Reciprocal influences of rootstock and scion citrus cultivars challenged with Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus

Abstract The devastating citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB), associated with bacterial pathogens of the genus Candidatus Liberibacter, has spread across many citrus production areas worldwide causing devastating economic losses. In Florida, infection rates in most commercial citrus orchards approach 100 percent by the time trees are 3–4 years old. Most scion cultivars are highly susceptible to Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the pathogen prevalent in Florida, but significant tolerance has been identified within the species Poncirus trifoliata (trifoliate orange) and some of its hybrids that are commonly used as rootstocks. In this study we investigated the relative influence of rootstock and scion in citrus plants composed of susceptible and tolerant cultivars in both the scion and the rootstock position on HLB disease progression and expression of stress and disease-related genes. Experiments were conducted in the greenhouse using the susceptible cultivars ‘Valencia’ orange (Citrus sinensis) and ‘Cleopatra’ mandarin (C. reticulata), and the tolerant trifoliate hybrid cultivars ‘US-802’ (C. grandis × P. trifoliata), ‘US-897’ (C. reticulata × P. trifoliata), and ‘US-942’ (C. reticulata × P. trifoliata). Plants were either mock-inoculated or graft-inoculated with CLas. The incidence of CLas infection at 6 and 12 months after inoculation and the severity of the disease was different among scion/rootstock combinations. Typically, trees with a tolerant cultivar in the scion position contained a lower number of bacteria and were less damaged by infection than trees with a susceptible cultivar in the scion position, regardless of rootstock. Previous observations of significant influence from rootstock on field tree tolerance to CLas may be partially the result of differential rootstock ability to tolerate other stresses, or respond favourably to therapeutic treatments, under the weakened condition caused by the infection. Differential expression of defense-related and other genes found largest fold-differences between non-infected and infected plants when a susceptible cultivar was in the scion position. Fewer genes responded in roots than in leaves, and genes associated with starch metabolism responded strongly and in an opposite direction when comparing roots and leaves, probably indicative of carbon depletion occurring in roots of infected plants.
Intimacy in the Supervisory Relationship

In contrast to psychopharmacology and other predominantly biologically based treatment approaches in psychiatry, where testable hypotheses can, with relative ease, be generated and validated, (verbal) psychotherapy remains more art than science. The number of relevant variables is staggering in both patient and therapist alike. The privacy demanded in the psychotherapeutic setting contraindicates all but the rarest of intrusions by a third party. Psychotherapy, itself an experience of intimacy, can be taught only by analogy — in the supervisory situation, itself a variety of intimate encounter. Therapists in training are occasionally required to permit a supervisor to be present at a session, or perhaps to carry out a diagnostic or prognostic evaluation, in his/her role as consultant. No supervisor has ever been present, even sitting quietly in the background, throughout the length and breadth of an extensive psychotherapy. Even the videotaping of a ten- or fifteen-session-long “brief psychotherapy” does not create a record of the customary unwitnessed therapeutic encounter. The Heisenberg principle of the observer affecting the observed is nowhere more in operation than in the realm of psychotherapy supervision. Psychotherapy and observed psychotherapy are comparable — but they are not the same. Similarly, supervision in the one-to-one situation and supervision where two or more trainees are present in the supervisor’s office are also comparable, but they can never be the same.
The effect of biological and anthropogenic sound on the auditory sensitivity of oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau

Many aquatic organisms use vocalizations for reproductive behavior; therefore, disruption of their soundscape could adversely affect their life history. Male oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) establish nests in shallow waters during spring and attract female fish with boatwhistle vocalizations. Males exhibit high nest fidelity, making them susceptible to anthropogenic sound in coastal waters, which could mask their vocalizations and/or reduce auditory sensitivity levels. Additionally, the effect of self-generated boatwhistles on toadfish auditory sensitivity has yet to be addressed. To investigate the effect of sound exposure on toadfish auditory sensitivity, sound pressure and particle acceleration sensitivity curves were determined using auditory evoked potentials before and after (0-, 1-, 3-, 6- and 9-day) exposure to 1- or 12-h of continuous playbacks to ship engine sound or conspecific vocalization. Exposure to boatwhistles had no effect on auditory sensitivity. However, exposure to anthropogenic sound caused significant decreases in auditory sensitivity for at least 3 days, with shifts up to 8 dB SPL and 20 dB SPL immediately following 1- and 12-h anthropogenic exposure, respectively. Understanding the effect of self-generated and anthropogenic sound exposure on auditory sensitivity provides an insight into how soundscapes affect acoustic communication.
Molluscum contagiosum in immunocompromised patients: AIDS presenting as molluscum contagiosum in a patient with psoriasis on biologic therapy

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common, self-limited cutaneous infection in immunocompetent individuals. However, in immunocompromised individuals the infection often has an atypical presentation and can be difficult to eradicate, making both the diagnosis and treatment challenging. Due to advancements in the management of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and cancer, there is a growing population of immunosuppressed individuals, signaling the need for dermatologists to recognize and manage related skin diseases. We present a case of an atypical MC eruption in a patient on biologic therapy for psoriasis and an unrecognized underlying HIV infection, followed by a current review of the presentation and treatment of MC in various immunosuppressed states. With a growing population of immunosuppressed patients, it is important to recognize MC as a potential indicator of underlying immunosuppression. Testing for HIV should be offered to any patient starting immunosuppressive therapy such as biologic agents.
Reign of Terror and The Tall Target: Theses on the Philosophy of History

This final chapter analyzes Anthony Mann’s Reign of Terror and The Tall Target, two films that blend noir aesthetics and action/thriller narrative structures with historical fiction, telling the stories of Maximilien Robespierre’s overthrow and a foiled assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln, respectively. The analysis primarily focuses on the question of how the films manage to build and maintain suspense (the key element of the action/thriller genre) despite the fact that their historical settings mean their story’s outcomes are mostly never in doubt. I show that the films principally accomplish this by directing audience attention away from overarching questions about large-scale narrative events and toward isolated spectacle. I conclude by considering the films’ endings, each of which returns suddenly and unexpectedly to a grander historical perspective. These sudden shifts, I argue, work to stage a dialectical confrontation between past and present.
Bayesian nowcasting with adjustment for delayed and incomplete reporting to estimate COVID-19 infections in the United States

Abstract Real-time estimates of the true size and trajectory of local COVID-19 epidemics are key metrics to guide policy responses. We developed a Bayesian nowcasting approach that explicitly accounts for reporting delays and secular changes in case ascertainment to generate real-time estimates of COVID-19 epidemiology on the basis of reported cases and deaths. Using this approach, we estimate time trends in infections, symptomatic cases, and deaths for all 50 US states and the District of Columbia from early-March through June 11, 2020. At the beginning of June, our best estimates of the effective reproduction number (Rt) are close to 1 in most states, indicating a stabilization of incidence, but there is considerable variability in the level of incidence and the estimated proportion of the population that has already been infected. One Sentence Summary A new method to track epidemiologic measures of COVID-19, available in the covidestim package for R.
Evaluation of an Unsanctioned Safe Consumption Site in the United States

Evaluation of Unsanctioned Safe Drug-Injection Site In a 5-year experience with an unsanctioned safe site where people could inject drugs, there were 10,514 injections and 33 opioid overdoses. All ...
Pain management modalities for hidradenitis suppurativa: a patient survey

Pain is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). We sought to identify pain management therapies used in HS and assess patient-perceived effectiveness. An ...
Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis of the Knee Joint Requiring Synovectomy and Arthrotomy.

Introduction Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection endemic to the Southwestern United States, Mexico, and South America. While uncommon, inhalation of spores or direct cutaneous contact can lead to disseminated infection in the immunocompetent, with the involvement of the musculoskeletal and integumentary systems. Case Report A 49-year-old patient with a history of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis presented with the right knee pain and multiple symptomatic abscesses beneath the suprapatellar and infrapatellar fat pads. Arthrocentesis and culture confirmed the infection, and open synovectomy, arthrotomy, and drainage of the infection were performed without complication. Conclusion Disseminated coccidioidomycosis is an uncommon fungal infection that may involve joints and become refractory to pharmacotherapy. Management may require surgical intervention, along with infectious disease consultation and close follow-up. Patients from endemic regions should be evaluated with a comprehensive history of this disease.
From Good to Great Managers: The Case for a Structured Continuing Education Program in Library Management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of librarians toward continuing education (CE) in library management. Design/methodology/approach – The study followed survey design to collect perceptions of librarians from around the USA. In total, 166 usable surveys were returned and the bulk of the analysis examined responses from non-directors (n=96). Findings – Non-director librarians identified knowledge areas important for success as a manager including human resources, leadership, and organizational behavior. The majority of respondents assessed their own level of management knowledge as average to above average. In all, 38 percent of respondents indicated their management knowledge came from workshops, webinars, and conferences. Respondents reported that the opportunity for a salary increase, as well as a personal desire to learn were motivators for seeking CE in management. Practical implications – A CE program in management should extend the knowledge learned in the MLIS degree...
Effect of Workup Strategy on the Cost- Effectiveness of Fecal Occult Blood Screening for Colorectal Cancer

Abstract Physicians respond to a positive fecal occult blood test with a variety of workup strategies. To study the effect of the choice of strategy on the net costs and health benefits of colorectal cancer screening using this test, we used a decision analysis model to compare seven strategies that physicians might choose to examine a positive "screenee." Strategies using rigid or flexible sigmoidoscopy alone are not only insensitive, but also have high cost-effectiveness ratios. The strategy of air contrast barium enema alone had the lowest cost-effectiveness ratio. Rigid sigmoidoscopy combined with barium enema had a lower cost-effectiveness ratio than primary colonoscopy, but the strategy of primary colonoscopy could have an equal or better ratio depending on assumptions about test costs and the benefit of removing benign polyps. The primary colonoscopy strategy is both more effective and less costly than the combination of flexible sigmoidoscopy and barium enema. The optimal strategy will vary with local factors, and with the perspective of the decision-maker.
Super-resolution by microspheres and fibers - Myth or reality?

In 2011, super-resolution imaging by microspheres emerged as an extraordinary simple and broadband technique. The mechanism of imaging remains a mystery still today. The most likely candidates are the optical near fields, plasmonic resonances, photonic nanojets and whispering gallery modes. The critical problem in this area is the experimental definition of resolution which historically has been based on subjective criteria. In this work, we use the Houston resolution criterion and show that the image treatment techniques widely accepted in diffraction-limited optics can be extended in the super-resolution area, providing a phenomenological tool to determine the super-resolution values. Using this approach, we demonstrated imaging of Au and Al nanoplasmonic arrays by microspheres with the resolution ∼λ/7. We also demonstrated super-resolution imaging by microfibers with resolution of ∼λ/6 across the fiber and a millimetre-scale field-of-view along the fiber. Finally, we developed a technology of embedding high-index microspheres in PDMS films which can be translated along the sample to achieve a surface scanning functionality. Such thin films can become a standard component in super-resolution imaging of nanostructures and biological objects.
IL-4Rα Expression by Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Is Necessary and Sufficient for Host Protection against Acute Schistosomiasis

IL 4 receptor α (IL-4Rα) expression by non-bone marrow (BM)-derived cells is required to protect hosts against several parasitic helminth species. In contrast, we demonstrate that IL-4Rα expression by BM-derived cells is both necessary and sufficient to prevent Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice from developing severe inflammation directed against parasite ova, whereas IL-4Rα expression by non-BM-derived cells is neither necessary nor sufficient. Chimeras that express IL-4Rα only on non-BM-derived cells still produce Th2 cytokines, but overproduce IL-12p40, TNF, and IFN-γ, fail to generate alternatively activated macrophages, and develop endotoxemia and severe hepatic and intestinal pathology. In contrast, chimeras that express IL-4Rα only on BM-derived cells have extended survival, even though the granulomas that they develop around parasite eggs are small and devoid of collagen. These observations identify distinct roles for IL-4/IL-13 responsive cell lineages during schistosomiasis: IL-4Rα-mediated signaling in non-BM-derived cells regulates granuloma size and fibrosis, whereas signaling in BM-derived cells suppresses parasite egg-driven inflammation within the liver and intestine.
The presence of pepsin in the lung and its relationship to pathologic gastro-esophageal reflux.

Background Pepsin has been proposed as a biomarker of reflux-related lung disease. The goal of this study was to determine (i) if there is a higher reflux burden as measured by pH-MII in patients that are pepsin positive in the lung, and (ii) the sensitivity of pepsin in predicting pathologic reflux by pH, MII, and EGD. Methods We recruited children between the ages of 1–21 with chronic cough or asthma undergoing bronchoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and multichannel intraluminal impedance (pH-MII) probe placement. The reflux profiles were compared between those patients who were pepsin positive and negative; proportions were compared using Chi-squared analyses and means were compared using t-testing. Key Results Only the mean number of non-acid reflux events was associated with pepsin positivity (0.04). The sensitivity and specificity of pepsin in predicting pathologic reflux by pH-MII or EGD was 57% and 65%, respectively. The positive predictive value of pepsin in predicting pathologic reflux by pH, MII or EGD was 50% (11/22), and the negative predictive value was 71% (20/28). There was a significantly higher mean LLMI in patients who were pepsin positive compared with pepsin negative patients (81 ± 54 vs 47 ± 26, P = 0.001). Conclusions & Inferences Lung pepsin cannot predict pathologic reflux in the esophagus, but its correlation with lung inflammation suggests that pepsin may be an important biomarker for reflux-related lung disease.
A Computer Program to Aid the Detection of Biased Test Items

This program was written to identify items on ability tests that favor one particular group of examinees in relation to another. That is, controlling for group differences in ability, do some items have a greater likelihood of being correctly answered in one of two groups?'
Nerve size in chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy varies with disease activity and therapy response over time: a retrospective ultrasound study.

Introduction: Nerves are often enlarged in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). In this investigation we studied changes with treatment over time. Methods: We retrospectively compared serial ultrasound measurements of median and ulnar nerve size with clinical and electrodiagnostic evaluations in 23 CIDP subjects. We defined remission as stable clinical improvement on low or decreasing amounts of medication. Results: Nerves were normal at last follow-up more often in subjects who achieved remission than in those who did not (10 of 13 vs. 0 of 10, P = 0.0001). Nerves were normal or smaller (>30% reduction) more often in subjects whose grip strength improved or remained strong compared those whose grip strength weakened (12 of 16 vs. 0 of 3, P = 0.04), and in subjects whose demyelinating electrodiagnostic features resolved compared with those whose demyelination persisted (7 of 7 vs. 6 of 12, P = 0.04). Over time, nerve size decreased more in subjects with baseline nerve enlargement who achieved remission than in those who did not (−41% vs. 7%, P = 0.04). Conclusion: In CIDP, enlarged nerves normalized or decreased with remission. Muscle Nerve 50: 733–738, 2014
Temporal and spatial trends in air temperature on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii

We examined trends in minimum and maximum temperatures in the Oahu during the period of past 39 (1969–2007) and 25 (1983–2007) years. We found a strong spatial and temporal variability in the temperature trends on Oahu. During the past 39 years, island-wide minimum temperature has increased by 0.17 °C/decade and shows a considerable variability in trends at individual location. There was no detectable trend found in maximum temperature over the same time period. The year 1983 was identified as the change point in the island-wide minimum temperature. During the recent 25 years annual and summer maximum temperature showed a decline while minimum temperature continued to increase. Trend in diurnal temperature range (DTR) shows a decline during the past 39 years with a stronger decreasing trend during the recent 25 years. The trend in DTR for Oahu is much higher compared to the global DTR trend indicating a rapid warming in minimum temperature. Extreme temperature indices show a general warming during the past 39 years. There has been significant increase in tropical and warm nights at the two urban stations. Maximum temperature generally followed the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) except the period when there is an increase in Hawaii Rainfall Index (HRI). In contrast, minimum temperature showed better agreement with HRI compared to the PDO, at least up until 1999 after which it showed an increase. Despite the relative cooling in PDO during the recent decade an increase in minimum temperature can be attributed to a decline in HRI.
Age structure in predator-prey systems. I. A general model and a specific example

Abstract To study the effects of age structure in predator-prey systems, a general, analytically tractable model is formulated and solved. We demonstrate the usefulness of the model in a study of a specific system of two mites. We show that to maintain stable equilibrium between the herbaceous (pest) mite and the predacious mite, the nonintuitive strategy of reducing the growth rate of the predator may be necessary. The modelling technique allows a determination of the magnitude of the effect of age structure on stability.
Gamma-ray sensitivity of spermatogonia of the mouse.

Hybrid mule mice were given a range of doses from 5 to 100 r of Co gamma rays, killed 72 hours after irradiation, and all spermatogonia counted in 100 tubule cross sections per mouse. Young primary spermatocytes at stages VII and VIII in the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium also were counted. Late type A, intermediate, and early type: B spermatogonia were uniformly sensitive, with an LD/sub 50/ of approximately 20 to 24 r of Co gamma rays. Scoring of all type A spermatogonia gave survival comparable to intermedate and type B cells at 5 to 25 r, and a significantly higher survival at 30 to 100 r. The curve obtained for type A cells has been interpreted as resulting from a mixed population of cells with at least two different levels of sensitivity. These differences in sensitivity could not be correlated with specific stages in the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium, but appeared to exist even in the dormant period, where uniform radiation response might have been expected. Earlier work had shown that intermediate spermatogonia can be identified cytologically at stages II and III. On the basis of radiation data of the present investigation, this differentiation can be detectedmore » one stage earlier in the cycle of the semidferous epithelium, namely, at late stage 1 to early stage H. Differentiation of intermediate spormatogonia from type A cells appears to be unaffected by radiation. (auth)« less
Active aging in community centers and ICT design implications

In recent years, the wellness of seniors has become more important than ever before in our rapidly aging society. In the U. S., approximately 11,000 community senior centers provide a broad spectrum of programs for seniors to improve their overall health and wellness in their community. Although numerous studies have reported on the various benefits of participation in such programs, little is known about how information and communications technology (ICT) can support seniors' participation in this practice. We describe findings from a two-phase qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, site visits, and focus groups with seniors and staff of senior centers located in urban and suburban areas of Chicago, IL and Tampa, FL. Based on the results, we discuss design implications for technologies that could facilitate seniors' engagement with their local community including senior centers.
Conformation and aggregation of a polysaccharide: In solution, as transported in Golgi vesicles, and in an extracellular matrix

The structure of the extracellular matrix polysaccharide (ECMP) of Opuntia ficus-indica was studied by transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy and image analysis. In isolated form, in solution, the ECMP appears long and unbranched. Linear mass measurements indicate that, in solution, aggregation of the polysaccharide chains into bundles occurs. The gelling properties at various pHs and the structure of the gels' junction zones were studied by using Alcian blue 8GX as an artificial gelling agent. The ECMP-Alcian blue junction zones are electrostatic in nature. They are constructed from parallel ECMP strands cross-bridged by Alcian blue molecules with lateral and axial repeats of 30 and 35 A, respectively. Similar structures can be formed with polygalacturonic, alginic, and hyaluronic acids and heparin. Parallel studies on the polysaccharides morphology, as transported in Golgi vesicles and in the extracellular matrix, were carried out on thin sections stained for polysaccharides.
Influence Of Film And Processing On Film-Screen Image Noise

This paper describes experiments which explore the ways in which variations in film and processing influence noise through their effects on the sensitometric curve shape and silver granularity. These include comparisons of several film types and processing conditions for which total radiographic noise from screen exposures and granularity from light exposures are analyzed relative to the instantaneous gradient at the measured density. It is seen that film granularity may indeed contribute substantially to total noise under conditions of low quantum mottle visualization.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On the development of crack closure with crack advance in a ferritic steel

Etude du taux de developpement de l'arret des fissures en fonction de leur progression dans un acier ferritique. Le niveau d'arret se developpe rapidement et atteint celui d'une fissure longue, expliquant la croissance anormale des fissures courtes
Role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β type I and TGF-β type II receptors in the TGF-β1-regulated gene expression in pituitary prolactin- secreting lactotropes

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) inhibits pituitary lactotrope proliferation and secretion of PRL in an autocrine/paracrine manner. In this study, the role of TGF-β1 type I (TβR-I) and TGF-β type II (TβR-II) receptors in TGF-β1-regulated gene expression in lactotropes was determined using anterior pituitary cells known to be responsive to TGF-β1 growth inhibition and using a transformed PR1 cell line known to be nonresponsive to TGF-β1 growth inhibition. Treatment with TGF-β1 inhibited cell proliferation and decreased PRL mRNA levels in anterior pituitary cells, but in PR-1 cells, the treatment caused only decreased PRL mRNA levels. Affinity labeling of TGF-β binding proteins indicated that anterior pituitary cells contain several TGF-β-binding protein complexes, including the 65 kDa size TβR-I and 95 kDa size TβR-II. In the PR1 cells, the major complex found was similar to the 65 kDa size of TβR-I. Immunocytochemistry identified TβR-I and TβR-II receptor proteins in lactotropes but detected primari...
Characterization of HOCH2CH2O and its dissociation pathway

Abstract The structure of HOCH 2 CH 2 O has been studied at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. Two conformers were found, the more stable of which possesses an intramolecular hydrogen bond. The activation energy for carbon–carbon bond fission was studied using the complete basis set approaches CBS-4 and CBS-q, and modified versions thereof. The low activation barrier of about 8 kcal/mol supports the experimental finding that dissociation is the major fate of the HOCH 2 CH 2 O radical at ambient pressure and temperature.
An Overview of Sustainability Indicators and Metrics for Discrete Part Manufacturing

Sustainable manufacturing has become an emerging environmental, economic, societal, and technological challenge to the industry, the academia, and the government entities. Numerous research and development (R&D) efforts have been launched, and many global and domestic efforts have been initiated toward a long-term sustainable world. This paper provides an overview of R&D efforts in the measurement of manufacturing sustainability, based on an intensive literature search. It focuses on sustainability metrics that apply to unit machining processes for discrete part manufacturing. The authors present results from assessing the scope of indicators that exist for sustainability measurement in general, with a quick visit to the taxonomy of manufacturing activities and different classifications of existing SM metrics by unit machining processes. Most metrics at the unit machining level were developed to measure environmental impacts with respect to energy, materials, water, wastes, and air emissions, while a relatively smaller effort was developed to gauge societal or economic impacts. We report on an analysis of energy metrics available for various unit machining processes at the sub-device and sub-unit process level.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Emerging Role for Antioxidant Therapy in Protection Against Diabetic Cardiac Complications: Experimental and Clinical Evidence for Utilization of Classic and New Antioxidants

Diabetes mellitus (DM) markedly potentiates the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among individuals with diabetes as compared to the non-diabetic population. After myocardial infarction (MI), DM patients have a higher incidence of death than do non-diabetics. The excess mortality and poor prognosis of these patients results primarily from the development of recurrent MI and heart failure (HF). Although several lines of evidence support a role for increased oxidative stress in a range of cardiovascular diseases, clinical trials examining the therapeutic efficacy of antioxidants have yielded conflicting results. The reasons for these incongruous results is multifactorial. An underlying theme has been lack of patient inclusion based on elevated indices of oxidative stress which could have diluted the population susceptible to benefit in the clinical trials. Laboratory evidence has accumulated indicating that oxidative stress is dramatically accentuated in cardiac abnormalities inherent in DM. In this review, we provide the emergence of experimental and clinical evidence supporting antioxidant supplementation as a cardioprotective intervention in the setting of DM. Specifically, focus will be directed on preclinical animal studies and human clinical trials that have tested the effect of antioxidant supplements on MI and HF events in the presence of DM.
Immunolocalization of IL-17A, IL-17B, and Their Receptors in Chondrocytes During Fracture Healing

Fracture healing in long bones is a sequential multistep cascade of hemostasis, transient inflammation, chemotaxis of progenitor cells, mitosis, differentiation of cartilage, and replacement with bone. This multistep cascade is orchestrated by cytokines and morphogens. Members of the interleukin (IL)-17 family, including IL-17B, have been identified in cartilage, but their expression during fracture healing is unknown. In this study, we determined the immunolocalization of cytokines IL-17A and IL-17B, along with the IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) and IL-17 receptor-like protein (IL-17RL), during the sequence of fracture repair in a standard model. The results were extended to developmental changes in the epiphyseal growth plate of long bones. Members of the IL-17 family were localized in chondrocytes in the fracture callus. Moreover, we found significant parallels to the localization of these cytokines and their receptors in chondrocytes during an endochondral differentiation program in the epiphyseal growth plate.
Effect of secondary elements on bridge structural system reliability considering moment capacity

Secondary elements such as barriers, sidewalks, and diaphragms may increase the load carrying capacity of girder bridges. This in turn affects reliability. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential benefit of secondary elements on the system reliability of girder bridges, if these elements are designed with the structural system to participate resisting vehicular live loads. Simple span, two lane structures are considered, with composite steel girders supporting a reinforced concrete deck. For structural analysis, a finite element procedure is developed that combines a grillage model of the bridge deck with solid elements for edge-stiffening effects. Random variables considered are composite girder, barrier, and sidewalk flexural strengths (each in turn composed of many random variables), load magnitude (dead load and truck traffic live load), and live load position. System resistance parameters are estimated with a point integration method. System resistance is evaluated in terms of maximum load carried at ultimate capacity. It was found that the interaction of typical secondary element combinations has a varying effect on system reliability, depending on element stiffness, bridge span, and girder spacing.
OD Reaches Adolescence: An Exploration of Its Underlying Values

"I am trying to understand the identity, potentialities, struggles, and dilemmas of OD by exploring a set of values and philosophies which underlie it and have contributed to its development. The interplay of three values-rationalism, pragmatism, and existentialism-is described as a means toward this understanding. All three values are essential ingredients of OD; yet each lends to OD a different and sometimes contradictory identity.
"The New Math" Quantification, the "New" History, and the History of Education

Historians of the urban schools have avoided or neglected alternative explanations and quantitative analysis.
Ileal transport of bile acids conjugated with norleucine and lysine

Abstract Cholic and deoxycholic acid were conjugated to the α-amino group of l -lysine to form bile salt derivatives possessing both positive and negative charges on the side chain. These amphoteric bile salts were tested for transport by the bile salt transport system. The everted guinea pig gut sac preparation was used. The introduction of a positive charge on the side chain of a derivative already possessing a negative charge resulted in a marked inhibition, or possible elimination, of its ability to be pumped against a chemical gradient by the intestinal cells. In the case of the deoxycholyl conjugate of lysine an interaction with the bile salt transport system was suggested as evidenced by its apparent ability to enter the ileal mucosal cells, but not the mucosal cells from proximal tissue, and by its ability to inhibit the transport of taurocholate. These observations agree with the idea that the active site of the transport carrier carries a negative and positive charge in proximity to each other which function in the normal uphill transport process of anionic bile salts. When this active site is occupied by a substrate bearing both types of charges, transport against a concentration gradient would not be expected to take place.
Carboxylation of a μ3-Diazo Methylidyne Triosmium Cluster

The unsaturated cluster Os3(CO)8(Ph2PCH2P(Ph)C6H4)(μ-H) (1) reacts with CH2N2 at −10 to 25 °C to give two novel compounds Os3(CO)7(μ3-CN2)(μ-dppm)(μ-H)2 (2) and Os3(CO)7(μ3-CCO2H)(μ-dppm)(μ-H)3 (3) characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Compound 2 is converted to 3 in almost quantitative yield by reaction with CO (atmospheric pressure) and trace H2O. The reaction of 2 with molecular hydrogen at atmospheric pressure at 80 °C yields Os3(CO)8(μ-dppm)(μ-H)2 (4) and Os3(CO)10(μ-dppm) (5).
Platelet-like Nanoparticles: Mimicking Shape, Flexibility, and Surface Biology of Platelets To Target Vascular Injuries

Targeted delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents in the vascular compartment represents a significant hurdle in using nanomedicine for treating hemorrhage, thrombosis, and atherosclerosis. While several types of nanoparticles have been developed to meet this goal, their utility is limited by poor circulation, limited margination, and minimal targeting. Platelets have an innate ability to marginate to the vascular wall and specifically interact with vascular injury sites. These platelet functions are mediated by their shape, flexibility, and complex surface interactions. Inspired by this, we report the design and evaluation of nanoparticles that exhibit platelet-like functions including vascular injury site-directed margination, site-specific adhesion, and amplification of injury site-specific aggregation. Our nanoparticles mimic four key attributes of platelets, (i) discoidal morphology, (ii) mechanical flexibility, (iii) biophysically and biochemically mediated aggregation, and (iv) heteromultivalent presentation of ligands that mediate adhesion to both von Willebrand Factor and collagen, as well as specific clustering to activated platelets. Platelet-like nanoparticles (PLNs) exhibit enhanced surface-binding compared to spherical and rigid discoidal counterparts and site-selective adhesive and platelet-aggregatory properties under physiological flow conditions in vitro. In vivo studies in a mouse model demonstrated that PLNs accumulate at the wound site and induce ∼65% reduction in bleeding time, effectively mimicking and improving the hemostatic functions of natural platelets. We show that both the biochemical and biophysical design parameters of PLNs are essential in mimicking platelets and their hemostatic functions. PLNs offer a nanoscale technology that integrates platelet-mimetic biophysical and biochemical properties for potential applications in injectable synthetic hemostats and vascularly targeted payload delivery.
The Explanatory Power of Models and Simulations: A Philosophical Exploration

Some computer simulations have explanatory goals. In a typical case, the computer simulation exemplifies a model generating a phenomenon under investigation. For the simulation to be explanatory, the model has to be explanatory. Models that fully explain phenomena are rare, but a model may offer a partial explanation of a phenomenon. It does this if an isomorphism holds between certain features of the model and certain features of a natural system realizing the phenomenon. The first two sections elaborate this account of a simulationâs explanatory power. The third section illustrates the account by applying it to Brian Skyrmsâs (2004) simulations of the evolution of cooperation. The final section uses the account to suggest ways of increasing those simulationsâ explanatory power.
Deepening of the wind-mixed layer: A model of the vertical structure

A new non-linear model of mixing and convection based upon a modelling by two buoyant interacting fluids is applied to the deepening of the wind-mixed layer. In view of simple algebra, the model is one-dimensional, frictionless, and neglects the turbulence production by the mean-flow shear in the thermocline. The potential-energy increase required for deepening is thus supplied by the turbulence input at the surface (turbulent erosion model). A non-similar analytical solution is found in the case of a well-mixed layer bounded below by a sharp thermocline, treated as a boundary layer. This solution is valid if the frictional Richardson number, Ri , defined as the ratio of the total mixed-layer buoyancy to the friction-velocity squared, is much greater than unity. The model predicts an entrainment rate proportional to Ri -1 , and a ratio of thermocline thickness to mixed-layer depth of the order of Ri -3/4 . The thermocline shallows as h -1/2 , as the mixed-layer depth, h , increases with time. The vertical structure throughout the mixed layer and thermocline is given by the solution, and vertical profiles of mean values and vertical fluxes are plotted. These profiles are comparable to those obtained by turbulence-closure numerical models. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1981.tb01782.x