cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single-bundle versus double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: scientific rationale and surgical technique

Despite many recent advances in the understanding of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and its function, the optimal treatment of PCL injuries remains controversial. Although it now is well known that the PCL is made up of two distinct bundles, each of which plays a vital role in achieving knee stability, questions abound regarding the need for double-bundle reconstruction rather than single-bundle techniques. Currently, the reconstruction technique is selected based on the injury pattern. In acute (< 3 weeks from the time of injury) combined PCL injuries (PCL/posterolateral corner, PCL/medial collateral ligament, and knee dislocations), a single-bundle reconstruction designed to replicate the anatomy of the anterolateral bundle is used. In acute or chronic PCL injuries in which both the posteromedial bundle of the PCL and the meniscofemoral ligaments remain intact, a single-bundle augmentation is used. A double-bundle reconstruction is performed when all three components of the PCL complex (anterolateral band, posteromedial band, and meniscofemoral ligaments) have been ruptured. These patterns are generally chronic, with severe knee laxity following a previous traumatic injury (PCL/posterolateral corner or knee dislocation). Tailoring the PCL reconstruction technique to the individual injury pattern will likely yield a reconstruction that better replicates the natural biomechanics of the native knee, thereby resulting in better functional outcomes.
From Allegorical Type and Sartorial Satire to Minstrel Dandy Stereotype, Zip Coon, Jim Crow, and Blackface-on-Black Violence

That religious, moral allegorical types could be exploited to yield racial stereotypes is the subject of Chap. 4, which takes up the influence of one major type of enduring foolish blackface stereotype, the black dandy, and demonstrates its deep roots in religious and didactic treatments of folly. Blackface often appeared as a humorous moral emblem of misplaced vanity in sermon exempla, medieval mystery plays, and allegorical Tudor moral interludes aimed at satirizing elite sartorial excess via courtly devils and diabolical Vices like Pride—all represented as black. Examples of this influential blackface type survived through the early modern period and resurfaced in the provocative symbolism embodied in the dandified Zip Coon and the would-be dandy “Jim Crow, Esquire.” In staging blackness through the guise of a foolish and vain black Stranger, antebellum minstrelsy built upon self-righteously moralizing comic traditions of blackface passed down from the religious drama of the Middle Ages. In particular, through his subjection of this dandy typology to the supposed “moral benefit” of mockery, T.D. “Jim Crow” Rice perpetuated Old World, metaphysically derived hierarchies that found self-righteous expression in “blackface-on-Black” violence and Jim Crow segregation alike.
What Hole Do: Elite Colleges Play?:

Prestigious institutions have always had a reputation for producing top leaders. Why is this? Do they truly offer a superior education or simply connections and influence? And what about students who attend good, but not elite, colleges? Does everyone have a chance to make it to the top?
Regulation Requires Records: Access to Fracking Information in the Marcellus/Utica Shale Formations

In the world of environmental regulation, records are the foundation on which all further regulatory action takes place. From permits that give industry permission to pollute in the name of economic activity, to annual production reports documenting how much fossil fuel is taken out of the ground, notices of violation issued by regulators, to complaints filed by citizens noticing contaminants in their water supply, recordkeeping is fundamental to regulation. Even as records are critical to understanding and contextualizing environmental problems, accessing and interpreting this information is an exceptionally difficult experience. This article will consider the regulatory recordkeeping context of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, the three most productive states in the Marcellus/Utica shale formation.
m-Health, Smartphones, and Apps for Behavioral Health: Human Factors for All Users

Healthcare delivery has changed dramatically with the emergence and maturation of telehealth and related technology-enabled platforms to connect patients and providers. Mobile technologies are readily on the general healthcare marketplace. With over 3.4 billion smartphone and tablet users around the world, it is estimated that at least 50% have downloaded mobile healthcare apps. Evidence suggests some apps have a positive impact on clinical workflow and patient outcomes, including those in behavioral health. A large number of health apps incorporate human factors methods in their design, development, and evaluation, but barriers and challenges exist so actual engagement is at best variable and oftentimes low. If an app is too difficult, clumsy, or annoying to use, it really does not matter if it does what one wants at the price one wants if no one uses it. Close attention to human factors throughout the app development and implementation cycle will help ensure that the majority of users will benefit from and experience high satisfaction with a given app. The proliferation of apps, when regulated or not, provides users with a wide array of options, so what does not work for one may work for another. Carefully defining an apps’ purpose (task) and knowing the user population will go a long way towards helping those developing and those selecting an app for effective and efficient use in behavioral health scenarios.
Abstract CN02-01: Factors that impinge on the p53 pathway modify cancer risk

Mdm2 and Mdm4 are critical inhibitors of the tumor suppressor p53 and keep p53 activity at bay under normal physiological conditions. Many tumors thus inactivate the p53 pathway by over producing Mdm2 and/or Mdm4. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Mdm2 was recently identified that associates with increased levels of Mdm2 and increased risk of breast cancer in Li-Fraumeni syndrome patients. To directly test the role of SNP309 in cancer risk, we generated SNP mice and show that mice inheriting two copies of SNP309G are at increased risk of developing tumors in normal mice compared to SNP309T homozygous mice. To examine the effects of environmental factors and carcinogens, we treated these mice with a low dose of ionizing radiation or with Benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BaP) a carcinogen found in tobacco smoke. Radiation increased the risk of cancers in SNP309G mice. However, in the skin model of BaP, the SNP309T allele conferred increased risk of papillomas. The data suggest that factors that regulate Mdm2 levels vary between different tissues and ultimately impinge on the risk of tumor development. Citation Format: Guillermina Lozano. Factors that impinge on the p53 pathway modify cancer risk. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr CN02-01.
Finite Difference Schemes for Incompressible Flows on Fully Adaptive Grids

We describe a finite difference scheme for simulating incompressible flows on nonuniform meshes using quadtree/octree data structure. A semi- Lagrangian method is used to update the intermediate fluid velocity in a standard projection framework. Two Poisson solvers on fully adaptive grids are also described. The first one is cell-centered and yields first-order accurate solutions, while producing symmetric linear systems (see Losasso, Gibou and Fedkiw [15]). The second is node-based and yields second-order accurate solutions, while producing nonsymmetric linear systems (see Min, Gibou and Ceniceros [17]). A distinguishing feature of the node-based algorithm is that gradients are found to second-order accuracy as well. The schemes are fully adaptive, i.e., the difference of level between two adjacent cells can be arbitrary. Numerical results are presented in two and three spatial dimensions.
Delineation of the intratemporal facial nerve in a cadaveric specimen on diffusion tensor imaging using a 9.4 T magnetic resonance imaging scanner: a technical note

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the intratemporal facial nerve could be delineated on 9.4 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using T2-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTI using a b value of 3000 and an isotropic resolution of 0.4 mm3 on a 9.4 T MRI scanner was performed on a whole-block celloidin-embedded cadaveric temporal bone specimen of a 1-year-old infant with normal temporal bones. The labyrinthine, tympanic, and mastoid segments of the facial nerve and the chorda tympani nerve were readily depicted on DTI. Therefore, DTI performed using a high b value on a high-field strength MRI scanner could help evaluate the intratemporal facial nerve in whole temporal bone ex vivo specimens.
Promoting Pedagogical Agility in Learning Spaces: Toward a Comprehensive Framework of Faculty Support and Innovation

Postsecondary instructors routinely face novel and complex challenges in physical classrooms and informal learning spaces. Instructors often bring these challenges, along with creative and aspirational solutions, to the attention of centers for teaching and learning (CFTL). Issues span a wide range of topics including blogs, clickers, immersive experiences, active learning, learning analytics, and more. We embrace these challenges and seek to co-create solutions by providing a wide net of resources and support characterized by: (1) Instructional technologies (2) Instructional design, (3) Faculty development, and (4) Research. These elements emerge as a generalizable framework that represents a dynamic research-to-practice cycle. The cycle begins with a combination of problem definition and existing research. An approach is then planned and executed that includes instructional technologies, instructional design, faculty development, and original research. In accord with the cyclical nature of the framework, research findings inform development of future instructional design and faculty development opportunities. These, in turn, inform future practice, and the cycle continues. In our CFTL an educational research team collaborates with an instructional design and development team to support and facilitate this research-to-practice cycle. In this manuscript, we illustrate the practical implementation of this recursive and generalizable framework as we report on a case study of one technology-enhanced experimental classroom space. We conclude with a discussion of how the framework might inform larger efforts to integrate research with instructional technology implementation, instructional design, and faculty development.
Effect of Forecast Accuracy on Day Ahead Prediction of Coincident Peak Days

Many Independent System Operators (ISOs) have programs with surcharges on days with highest system-wide demand, a coincident peak. Advance notice of these coincident peak days (CPs) may allow consumers to lower their demand and/or add generation to avoid the surcharge. In this paper, we focus on the prediction of five CP days per fiscal year (5CP) in an ISO. An all convolutional neural network classification model is used to predict 24 hours ahead whether a day is a 5CP. We consider four cases: I - knowing tomorrow’s power demand exactly (an oracle), II & III - knowing some information about tomorrow (an oracle + increasing noise), and IV - no knowledge of future. Over 21 years of data, the prediction on oracle data has a mean precision of 0.509 and mean recall of 0.886. As expected, increasing the amount of noise or having no future knowledge (case IV) reduces the performance of the models.
Integrating IAQ control strategies to reduce the risk of asymptomatic SARS CoV-2 infections in classrooms and open plan offices

Coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) has been referred to as an “invisible enemy” due to its ability to asymptomatically infect people. Airborne transmission of bioaerosols produced by asymptomatic individuals...
Efficiency and profitability of fungicides in controlling Bipolaris diseases and enhancing grain yield in cultivated wild rice (Zizania palustris)

Abstract The integrated disease management program for Bipolaris spp. in cultivated wild rice (Zizania palustris) paddies includes the use of one or two fungicide sprays within the growing season, but their effectiveness was questioned due to recent epidemics. To test the efficacy of fungicide applications, on-farm trials were conducted in four Minnesota locations from 2016 to 2018 using five fungicide combinations: QuiltXcel (a.i. propiconazole and azoxystrobin) followed by Quadris (a.i. azoxystrobin) (QX/Q), one early application of QuiltXcel (QX/-), early application of Quadris followed by Quadris (Q/Q), one early Quadris application (Q/-), and one late Quadris application (-/Q). A control treatment without fungicide (-/-) was used. Although there was variation by years and locations, overall, disease severity was reduced and grain yield enhanced in some of the fungicide treated plots compared to the non-treated control. Further, a meta-analysis found that the average disease severity in fungicide treated plants was significantly reduced (p–value = 0.0016) compared to the control. Grain yield of treated plots were also superior to the control (p-value = 0.0061). Grain yield for QX/Q, QX/-, and Q/Q applications were statistically differently from the control with overall grain increases of 200 kg/ha (SEM = 46.7), 123 kg/ha (SEM = 50.2), and 179 kg/ha (SEM = 46.0), respectively. The probability of offsetting fungicide costs for the overall treatments was 85.5% but it differed by treatment from 57% (Q/-) to 87% (QX/Q). Together, these results indicate that the fungicides used within the current disease management program reduce disease and often enhance grain yield in cultivated wild rice paddies.
Equations of State of a Pure Material, Binodal, Spinodal, Critical Point, and Sample Problem

The material presented in this lecture is adapted from Chapters 8 and 7 in T&M. In this lecture, we will continue discussing pure materials (n = 1). First, we will discuss the mathematical relation between P, V, and T, referred to as the volumetric equation of state, or in short, the equation of state (EOS). In particular, we will discuss the ideal gas EOS and the van der Waals EOS, including providing an underlying molecular interpretation for both EOS. Second, we will solve Sample Problem 17.1 to calculate the excluded volume between two spheres of equal radius. Third, we will examine the various forms of the isotherms in a pressure (P)-volume (V) phase diagram at temperatures which are high, equal, or low relative to the critical temperature. Fourth, we will discuss the coexistence curve, the spinodal curve, and the critical point, including providing mathematical criteria to calculate them. Finally, we will discuss stability, metastability, and instability, including providing mathematical criteria to characterize these behaviors, as well as useful mechanical analogies to rationalize what each behavior entails.
Non-isothermal Modeling of Static Recrystallization in Hydroformed Steel Tube Using a Coupled Cellular Automata and Finite Element Model

A thermo-microstructural modeling setup was developed to model the progress of static recrystallization (SRX) during annealing of hydroformed steel tube under non-isothermal annealing condition. In this model, a coupled Cellular Automata and Finite Element thermal model was implemented to predict the kinetics of SRX, which accounts for the impact of multiaxial deformation and annealing temperature regime. First, an analytical solution was developed to calculate the flow behavior of the steel tube during hydroforming experiment based on the data extracted from digital image correlation (DIC) measurements. Second, the actual microstructure and texture of the as-deformed material was obtained with EBSD test. Third, the calculated deformation characteristics as well as the obtained crystallographic and microstructural data were imported to the developed Finite Element-Cellular Automata model to predict the progress of SRX and temperature changes during annealing. The results show a reasonable agreement between the experimental data and predictions, confirming the accuracy of the developed modeling setup in the prediction of the kinetics of SRX within hydroformed steel tubes.
Inflammation Drives Stiffness Mediated Uptake of Lipoproteins in Primary Human Macrophages and Foam Cell Proliferation

Macrophage to foam cell transition and their accumulation in the arterial intima are the key events that trigger atherosclerosis, a multifactorial inflammatory disease. Previous studies have linked arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease and have highlighted the use of arterial stiffness as a potential early-stage marker. Yet the relationship between arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis in terms of macrophage function is poorly understood. Thus, it is pertinent to understand the mechanobiology of macrophages to clarify their role in plaque advancement. We explore how substrate stiffness affects proliferation of macrophages and foam cells, traction forces exerted by macrophages and uptake of native and oxidized low-density lipoproteins. We demonstrate that stiffness influences foam cell proliferation under both naive and inflammatory conditions. Naive foam cells proliferated faster on the 4 kPa polyacrylamide gel and glass whereas under inflammatory conditions, maximum proliferation was recorded on glass. Macrophage and foam cell traction forces were positively correlated to the substrate stiffness. Furthermore, the influence of stiffness was demonstrated on the uptake of lipoproteins on macrophages treated with lipopolysaccharide + interferon gamma. Cells on softer 1 kPa substrates had a significantly higher uptake of low-density lipoproteins and oxidized low-density lipoproteins compared to stiffer substrates. The results herein indicate that macrophage function is modulated by stiffness and help better understand ways in which macrophages and foam cells could contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerotic plaque.
Direct instruction of inter- and intrapersonal skills for business education

Soft skills are highly sought by employers and linked to academic and personal success. Employers lament a perceived “skills gap” in new graduates, but few studies have examined faculty perspective...
Bayesian joint optimization for topic model and clustering

Statistical clustering is the method for dividing the given samples by assumed distributions. In high dimensional problems, such as document or image clustering, the direct method is suffered from over-fitting and the curse of the dimensionality. In many cases, we firstly reduce the dimensionality, then apply the clustering algorithm. However these methods neglect the interaction among two processes. In this report, we propose the hierarchical joint distribution of Latent Dirichlet Allocation and Polya Mixture and give the parameter estimation algorithm by Gibbs sampling method. Some benchmarks show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Flutter of two-bay flat panels of infinite span at supersonic mach numbers

Abstract : The flutter of two-bay clamped-edge and simply supported panels at supersonic Mach numbers is studied to determine the influence of structural and aerodynamic coupling. It is found that the effect of structural coupling between the panel bays is unimportant both for the 'single-degree-offreedom' flutter modes that are critical at the lower supersonic Mach numbers and for the critical coupled flutter modes that develop at higher supersonic Mach numbers. The effect of aerodynamic coupling is found to be of importance for the 'single-degree-of-freedom' flutter modes only. Furthermore, the severity of this effect is highly dependent upon the panel boundary conditions. (Author)
Electromagnetic scattering from two identical pseudospheres

In an attempt to gain some insight into the problem of how close particles have to be on the average before phase effects become important, we have calculated the cross section and phase matrices for two identical particles as a function of the distance between their centers for both broadside and end-on illumination. We employed the point dipole approximation to build two pseudospherical particles each consisting of 32 dipoles with an effective size parameter of 0.9283 and refractive index of l.54–0.0i.
Self-Verifying Axiom Systems

We introduce a class of First Order axiom systems which can simultaneously verify their own consistency and prove more Π1 theorems than Peano Arithmetic. Despite these strengths, our axiom systems do not violate Godel's Incompleteness Theorem because they treat multiplication as a partial function.
Cumulus Ensemble Effects on the Large-Scale Vorticity and Momentum Fields of GATE. Part I: Observational Evidence

Abstract The relationship between the residual of the large-scale vorticity budget, Z, and organized cumulus convectionis studied using the data taken during Phase III of GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE). The appearanceof large vorticity budget residuals is clearly associated with intense cumulus convection. The association isclearest in the upper and middle troposphere. A positive peak appears in the Phase III-mean vedcal profile of 2 near the 200 mb level. Large day-to-dayvariations, however, exist in the time series of the area-mean 2 near this level. The horizontal distributions of2 at the same level for major convective events show distinct dipole patterns over areas of deep convection.These features are attributed to the detrainment of weaker horizontal momentum from deep clouds. Near 400mb, negative values of 2 are dominant. Peaks of n-egative 2 are associated with the activity of deep cumulusconvection and positive vertical vorticity gradient, δλ/δp, suggesting the effects of vertical adve...
Deregulating technology transfer in agriculture : reform's impact on turkey in the 1980s

Turkey is one of a handful of developing countries that have liberalized regulation of agricultural inputs and welcome private firms delivering technology and inputs. The authors show that Turkish regulatory reform affecting seeds and other inputs in the 1980s: 1) Greatly increased private technology transfer into Turkey. 2) Encouraged market entry for more foreign and domestic companies involved in production and trade in Turkey. 3) Allowed private firms to increase their share of input markets. 4) Where inputs brought new technology, allowed farmers to significantly increase yields and production. The authors recommend that the World Bank and other donors involved with agriculture pay more attention to the regulation of inputs in developing countries. They also recommend that developing country governments revise regulations to leave choices about technology performance to farmers and markets - and to focus instead on externalities, removing unnecessary obstacles to provide technology transfer through the production and trade of inputs. Other countries that have similarly reformed the regulation of agricultural inputs include Chile (in the 1970s), Bangladesh and India (at the end of the 1980s), Malawi (in 1995-96), and Romania (in 1997).
On the Social Construction of Hellenism Cold War Narratives of Modernity, Development and Democracy for Greece

Hellenism is one of those overarching, ever-changing narratives always subject to historical circumstances, intellectual fashions and political needs. Conversely, it is fraught with meaning and conditioning powers, enabling and constraining imagination and practical life. In this essay I tease out the hold that the idea of Hellas has had on post-war Greece and I explore the ways in which the American anti-communist rhetoric and discussions about political and economic stabilization appropriated and rearticulated Hellenism. Central to this history of transformations are the archaeologists; the archaeologists as intellectuals, as producers of culture who, while stepping in and out of their disciplinary boundaries, rewrote and legitimized the new ideological properties of Hellenism while tapping into the resources of their profession.
Recording psychiatric consultations: a preliminary report.

Abstract Two new forms, specifically designed for computer processing of data from a contemporary consultation-liaison service, are described. The need for such data and their immediate applicability to problems currently facing this psychiatric subspecialty are discussed. Clinical, administrative, and evaluation uses are reviewed. It is hoped that this work will provide a stimulus to consultation-liaison practitioners to use this system or to develop similar systems that will permit documentation, exploration, and enhancement of the consultation-liaison effort.
Gene Expression Profiling in Breast Cancer Research

The gene expression profiles of breast cancers can now be determined with microarray technologies which measure the expression of tens of thousands of genes. By applying statistical and bioinformatics tools to gene expression data, tumors can be classified into biologically and clinically relevant categories. In addition to improving tumor classification, gene expression signatures have been identified which are related to BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status, ER status, and patient prognosis. Beyond its impact on research into the basic mechanisms of breast tumor progression, continued progress in tumor gene expression profiling appears likely to lead to clinically useful gene expression tests.
Effects of fasting on growth and glycolysis of the ehrlich ascites tumor.

C57BL/6 male mice bearing the Ehrlich escites tumor were subjected to two schedules of intermittent starvation, and the effect on the tumor's growth and production of lactic acid was determined. Fasting resulted in a linear dose--response inhibition of tumor growth, but did not alter its lactic acid production.
Designing a master's level graduate program in technical communication: roundtable discussion

The goals are to define the core curricular content, core learning activities, and delivery-of-instruction options for a new master's level graduate program in technical communication. The following questions are considered: what is the core curriculum for master's level competence in technical communication? What is master's level competence? What preparation should be required of students admitted to a master's program? What are viable and significant elective emphases? What are the core technology requirements? How much of a program can be distance-based? What are the basic requirements for face-to-face learning? What would it take to design a program that might achieve ABET accreditation? How large a part of the core faculty can be affiliated or adjunct?.
Investigation of the vortex flap concept on a 75-deg sweep delta wing at supersonic speeds

An experimental investigation of the aerodynamic performance of vortex flaps on a 75-deg sweep delta wing has been conducted in the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at Mach numbers from 1.7 to 2.8. The sharp leading edge vortex flaps consisted of the outboard 30 percent of the local wing semispan. Flap deflections of 0, 5, 10, and 15 deg were investigated, for both a wing-alone and a wing-body configuration. The flaps were effective in reducing the drag across the lift-coefficient range. Integration of the upper surface pressure distributions showed that the suction pressures induced by the vortex on the flap were responsible for the drag reductions. At some lift conditions, the minimum drag condition permitted hinge line separation or vortex migration inboard of the hinge line. This result is in contrast to subsonic results, where optimum conditions call for no hinge line separation. The magnitude of the drag reduction due to flap deflection generally decreased as Mach number increased. The effect of a cylindrical forebody on the drag reduction due to flap deflection was minimal.
Maximum and minimum weighted diagonal sums of certain non-negative matrices

Abstract This paper extends the notion of diagonal sums of a square matrix to “weighted diagonal sums”. Using simple probabilistic arguments, most of the results of Wang [5] concerning the maximum and minimum diagonal sums of doubly stochastic matrices are extended to maximum and minimum weighted diagonal sums of stochastic matrices (Sec. 3). Two stronger versions of one of Wang's conjectures are also proven (Theorems 4.1 and 5.1), of which the latter easily generalizes to the case of non-negative matrices (Theorem 5.2). The paper ends with a few open questions and counter-examples.
Initiation of light adaptation in barnacle photoreceptors

Intracellular recordings were used to measure the action spectrum of light adaptation in barnacle photoreceptors. The action spectrum closely resembles the absorption spectrum of rhodopsin (lambdamax at 530 nanometers) and is clearly different from that of metarhodopsin (lambdamax at 495 nanometers). These results suggest that absorption of light by rhodopsin initiates both excitation and light adaptation. The previously reported antagonistic process initiated by metarhodopsin does not appear to play a role at moderate light intensities.
Depletion of folate-receptor-positive macrophages leads to alleviation of symptoms and prolonged survival in two murine models of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease involving deposition of immune complexes in normal tissues and the consequent accumulation of immune cells and tissue injury. Activated macrophages are thought to contribute to disease pathogenesis by releasing inflammatory mediators that both cause direct tissue damage and attract other immune cells that augment inflammation. Previous studies in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis have shown that activated macrophages express a folate receptor that can be targeted with folate-linked haptens, leading to (1) marking of the activated macrophages with highly immunogenic haptens, (2) recognition of the marked cells by Fc receptor-expressing immune cells, and (3) destruction of the antibody-coated macrophages by the body’s own immune system. Here we demonstrate that the same folate–hapten-targeted immunotherapy can greatly suppress symptoms of SLE in two animal models of the disease, resulting in reduced immune complex deposition, diminished damage ...
Coevolution can reverse predator–prey cycles

A hallmark of Lotka–Volterra models, and other ecological models of predator–prey interactions, is that in predator–prey cycles, peaks in prey abundance precede peaks in predator abundance. Such models typically assume that species life history traits are fixed over ecologically relevant time scales. However, the coevolution of predator and prey traits has been shown to alter the community dynamics of natural systems, leading to novel dynamics including antiphase and cryptic cycles. Here, using an eco-coevolutionary model, we show that predator–prey coevolution can also drive population cycles where the opposite of canonical Lotka–Volterra oscillations occurs: predator peaks precede prey peaks. These reversed cycles arise when selection favors extreme phenotypes, predator offense is costly, and prey defense is effective against low-offense predators. We present multiple datasets from phage–cholera, mink–muskrat, and gyrfalcon–rock ptarmigan systems that exhibit reversed-peak ordering. Our results suggest that such cycles are a potential signature of predator–prey coevolution and reveal unique ways in which predator–prey coevolution can shape, and possibly reverse, community dynamics.
Parametric optimization of digitally controlled nonlinear reactor dynamics using Zubov-like functional equations

The present work aims at the development of a systematic method to optimally choose the parameters of digitally controlled nonlinear reactor dynamics. In addition to traditional performance requirements for the controlled reactor dynamics such as stability, fast and smooth regulation, disturbance rejection, etc., optimality is requested with respect to a physically meaningful performance. The value of the performance index is analytically calculated via the solution of a Zubov-like functional equation and becomes explicitly parameterized by the digital controller parameters. A standard static optimization algorithm yields subsequently the optimal values of the above parameters. Within the proposed framework, stability region estimates are also provided through the solution of the above functional equation. Finally, a nonlinear chemical reactor example following Van de Vusse kinetics is used in order to illustrate the proposed parametric optimization method.
Pyrimidine dimer formation in ultraviolet irradiated TMV-RNA.

— The formation of pyrimidine dimers on ultraviolet irradiation of TMV-RNA in water is demonstrated in the region from 254 nm to 302 nm. No dimer is present in either unirradiated E. coli ribosomal RNA or TMV-RNA. Dimer formation was also examined in TMV-RNA irradiated in the presence of 5times10-6 M proflavin, in high salt, on dry ice, and in 90% methanol. No correlation of pyrimidine dimers with any biologically defined lesion is presently possible and it is suggested that dimer may not be involved in the inactivation of this material.
Megakaryopoiesis in the mammalian embryo is associated with rapid lineage maturation and synthesis of platelets with altered activation

We have previously determined that megakaryocyte (MK) progenitors first emerge in the yolk sac of E7.5 mouse embryos and are subsequently found in the E10.5 liver, concomitant with initiation of platelet release into the bloodstream (Tober, Blood 2007). While megakaryopoiesis is established prior to hematopoietic stem cell emergence, little is known regarding the differentiation and function of the MK lineage during embryogenesis. We have now compared E12.5 fetal liver versus the adult marrow and find that primary embryonic MKs have lower mean ploidy than adult MKs. Unlike adult MKs, low-ploidy embryonic MKs reveal evidence of maturation, including mature cell surface marker expression and the presence of a punctate pattern of a-granule components and demarcation membranes in the cytoplasm. These differences between embryonic and adult MKs appear to be cell intrinsic, since MKs derived from the in vitro culture of E9.5 yolk sac versus adult marrow have lower ploidy and late-stage cell surface marker expression. While we had previously shown that embryonic platelets are larger, more reticulated, with small a-granules than adult platelets, our recent histochemical studies reveal similar distribution patterns of the a-granule components VEGF and endostatin. To begin to determine if there are functional differences between embryonic and adult platelets, we first compared expression of transcripts associated with signaling cascades regulating platelet activation. While the transcripts for many components are similar, embryonic platelets express much lower levels of ADP-receptors (P2Y12, P2Y1) and P-selectin. Consistent with these results, E12.5 platelet activation failed to increase P-selectin on the platelet surface. Taken together, our findings indicate that embryonic MKs are characterized by low ploidy and rapid maturation leading to the generation of platelets with marked differences in size, structure and function compared to adult platelets. Hypothesizing that differentiating ES cells recapitulate early embryonic events, we find that MKs generated from ES cells have the low ploidy and rapid maturation characteristics of primary embryonic MKs. A better understanding of embryonic megakaryopoiesis will lay a foundation for the development of clinically useful platelet therapies from ES/iPS cell sources.
Preclinical assessment of novel therapeutics on the cough reflex: cannabinoid agonists as potential antitussives.

Cough, a reflex defense mechanism, is a common symptom of many airway inflammatory diseases. At present there are no satisfactory treatments for cough that have an acceptable side effect profile. Recent data have described the inhibitory effect of selective cannabinoid CB2 receptor agonists on sensory nerve activity in vitro and the cough reflex in a guinea pig model. CB2 receptor expression is limited in the central nervous system (CNS) and hence the development of selective agonists may provide a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of cough devoid of the CNS-mediated side effects that are normally associated with nonselective cannabinoid agonists.
Accelerated Venovenous Hemofiltration: Early Technical and Clinical Experience

Background Renal replacement therapies other than intermittent hemodialysis are often required in hemodynamically unstable patients. Continuous renal replacement therapies use a slow blood flow rate, necessitating anticoagulation and prolonged treatment times that may create difficulties with staffing and limit patient diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. We developed an alternative strategy based on a higher blood flow rate that allows increased rates of hemofiltration, no anticoagulation, and a shorter ("accelerated") treatment period. We report our technical and clinical experience with accelerated venovenous hemofiltration (AVVH). Study Design Case series. Setting & Participants Hemodynamically unstable patients requiring renal replacement therapy in the medical or surgical intensive care unit of an academic medial center. Outcomes & Measurements Achieved dose, blood flow rate, mean arterial pressure, serum chemistry test results, patient weight, filter clotting, and patient survival. Results 100 patients received 457 AVVH treatments (average, 4.1 treatments/patient during 5.6 days). Mean Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was 24 ± 7.1. Treatment consisted of 36 L of predilution hemofiltration during 9 hours. Mean blood flow was 362 mL/min, and net fluid removal was 2.5 L/treatment. Anticoagulation was not used and filter clotting was seen in only 3.3% of treatments. 86% of patients received the prescribed dose. Pre- and post-AVVH chemistry test results showed a significant decrease in blood urea nitrogen (from 69.6 ± 24.8 to 50.7 ± 22.0 mg/dL) and serum creatinine levels (from 4.3 ± 2.0 to 2.9 ± 1.3 mg/dL). Weight was decreased significantly (from 98.8 ± 26.4 to 93.4 ± 23.1 kg). Pre- and post-AVVH mean arterial pressure comparison showed an increase from 72.8 ± 13.6 to 74.4 ± 15.2 mm Hg. Patient survival rate was 53%. Limitations Retrospective analysis, absence of a comparison group. Conclusion AVVH is an alternate renal replacement therapy for patients in the intensive care unit and appears to provide adequate volume and solute control without the need for anticoagulation. The shorter treatment period offers flexibility for staffing and other patient diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Modified phase-shift keying-a new line code for digital subscriber loops

A new line code is presented which may be useful for future digital subscriber loops. To minimise crosstalk interference into adjacent cable pairs, a triangular waveform is employed along with controlled signal transitions. The code description, power spectrum and eye diagram are presented.
Structure-based design of a potent, selective, and irreversible inhibitor of the catalytic domain of the erbB receptor subfamily of protein tyrosine kinases.

We report the use of structure-based drug design to create a selective erbB-1 (a.k.a. epidermal growth factor receptor) and erbB-2 (a.k.a. neu/her2 growth factor receptor) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Using the X-ray crystal structure of the ternary complex of the cAMP-dependent Ser/Thr kinase together with a sequence alignment of the catalytic domains of a representative set of Ser/Thr and Tyr protein kinases, we have examined the nucleotide binding site for potential positions to attach an irreversible inhibitor. This information, combined with homology modeling of the erbB-1 and erbB-2 tyrosine kinase catalytic domains, has led to the identification of Cys797 of erbB1 and Cys805 of erbB2, which are structurally equivalent to Glu127 in the cAMP dependant Ser/Thr kinase as potential target residues. The X-ray structure of the cAMP Ser/Thr kinase shows Glu127 to be involved in a hydrogen-bonding interaction with the 2'-OH of the ribose portion of ATP. Using molecular modeling, it was predicted that the Cys side chains in erbB-1 and erbB-2 performed an analogous role, and it was postulated that the replacement of the 2'-OH of adenosine with a thiol might allow for a covalent bond to form. Since only erbB-1 and erbB-2 have a Cys at this position, the inhibitor should be selective. This model was subsequently tested experimentally by chemical synthesis of 2'-thioadenosine and assayed against the full length erbB-1 receptor and the catalytic domains of erbB-2, insulin receptor, beta-PDGF receptor, and the FGF receptor. Our results show that thioadenosine covalently inactivates erbB-1 with a second-order rate constant of k(max)/K(S) = 2000 +/- 500 M(-1) s(-1). Inactivation is fully reversed by 1 mM dithiothreitol, suggesting that inactivation involves the modification of a cysteine residue at the active site, presumably Cys797. The rate of inactivation saturates with increasing thioadenosine concentrations, suggesting that inactivation occurs through initial formation of a noncovalent complex with K(D) = 1.0 +/- 0.3 microM, followed by the slow formation of a disulfide bond with a rate constant of k(max) = (2.3 +/- 0.2) x 10(-3) s(-1). This approach may have application in the design of selective irreversible inhibitors against other members of the kinase family.
Effect of recombinant human interferon-alpha in vitro and in vivo on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis in cats.

Abstract The effect of recombinant human interferon-alpha (rHuIFN-α) in vitro and in vivo on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis was evaluated in specific-pathogen-free cats. Pre-incubation of isolated feline peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in vitro with either 10 4 or 10 3 International Units (U) of rHuIFN-α for 24 h significantly suppressed ( P −3 U/ml) neither suppressed nor enhanced mitogenesis. In the absence of phytomitogens, incubation of PBL with 10 4 –10 2 U ( P P 3 H] thymidine into newly synthesized cellular DNA. Cultures of PBL exposed continuously for 4 days to rHuIFN-α doses of 10 4 U/ml or less did not demonstrate specific reductions in cell viability, indicating that the observed antiproliferative actions of IFN apparently were independent of any direct cytotoxic effects. To investigate the dose-response effects of rHuIFN-α in vivo on lymphocyte blastogenesis, individual groups of cats were evaluated on 3 consecutive days before and then 24 h after each cat was inoculated intramuscularly with either a high dose (10 6 U/kg), moderate dose (10 4 U/kg), or a relatively low dose (10 2 U/kg) of rHuIFN-α. Cats inoculated with 10 6 U ofrHuIFN-α/kg had significantly reduced ( P =0.037) blastogenic responses to Con a at 24 h postinoculation compared to preinoculation values; mean PWM responses were also decreased, but this effect was not statistically significant. In contrast, inoculation of cats with either 10 4 or 10 2 U of rHuIFN-α/kg significantly enhanced ( P =0.05 or 0.008, respectively) Con A-induced blastogenesis and had no discernible effect on PWM responses. These findings suggest that very high doses of rHuIFN-α given parenterally may be associated with suppression of certain T-cell responses in cats; conversely, much lower doses may be immunoenhancing.
The Rankings of Marketing Programs in China

ABSTRACT This paper reports how Chinese marketing educators perceive the relative quality of Chinese marketing programs. The rankings and evaluative criteria adopted indicate that Chinese marketing educators consider more on the inputs to the program, for instance faculty quality and strength, whilst output characteristics like competence of graduates receive no attention. The evidence presented in this paper seems to indicate that the faculty quality and strength of Chinese marketing educators are at the moment very weak. Innovative measures, for instance the marketing teaching company scheme, should be adopted.
Genetics, infectivity and virulence of California serogroup viruses

The California serogroup of viruses includes 14 viruses which take their name from California encephalitis virus, the prototype of the serogroup, which was isolated in California in the 1950s (Hammon and Reeves, 1952). This serogroup is part of the Bunyauirus genus within the family Bunyaviridae (Gonzalez-Scarano and Nathanson, 1990; Kolakofsky, 1991; Whitman and Shope, 1962). La Crosse virus, the most medically significant member of the California serogroup, was isolated in 1964 from a fatal case of encephalitis diagnosed in La Crosse, Wisconsin (Thompson et al., 1965). Although California encephalitis virus was initially reported in association with a few cases of encephalitis, it is not an important human pathogen. On the other hand, La Crosse virus is a common cause of encephalitis in the pediatric age group, with an average of about 75 reported cases of encephalitis each year (Kappus et al., 1983). In years when other arboviruses are not epidemic, La Crosse virus is the most important cause of arbovirus encephalitis in the United States. The virus is estimated to cause more than 100,000 inapparent infections annually which are concentrated in the midwest (Grimstad et al., 1984), which is the principal habitat of Aedes triseriatus, its major mosquito vector. Bunyavirions are roughly spherical particles about 100 nm in diameter consisting of a lipid envelope containing nucleocapsids representing the three different RNA species (L segment, 6.8 kb; M segment, 4.5 kb; and S segment, 0.9 kb) which comprise the negative-sense genome (Elliott, 1990; Gonzalez-Scarano and Nathanson, 1990). The viral envelope contains two glycoproteins, Gl and G2, and
Evaluation of steam as a sweep gas in low temperature thermal desorption processes used for contaminated soil clean up

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to compare the effectiveness of steam as a sweep gas in the low temperature thermal desorption (LTTD) process. The intent is to determine if steam may be substituted for nitrogen, which is the sweep gas of choice for many thermal desorption processes. Steam has several advantages over nitrogen. Among those advantages is lower cost and the availability of on-site generation facilities. The study was conducted by placing a stainless steel tube containing a predetermined amount of contaminated soil in an electrical furnace. The tube had openings at each end. One end of the tube was connected to the source of the sweep gas with the other end being connected to a ice bath condenser. The effectiveness of steam and nitrogen were compared as sweep gasses at similar operating conditions. The contaminants of interest in this study were: volatile compounds, p -xylene (Normal Boiling Point (NBP), 138°C), trichloroethylene — TCE (NBP, 86.9°C), and a semi-volatile compound, phenanthrene (NBP, 340°C). Sweep gas flow rate was varied over a range that would be expected in a commercial size LTTD unit. The sweep gas efficiency was evaluated over a series of exposure times and three temperatures of 177, 232, and 288°C. The residual concentration of the contaminant was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. Rates of contaminant desorption were determined as a function of time, sweep gas volume, and specific contaminant. The data generated allowed a general comparison of nitrogen and steam as sweep gases. In most cases tested, the treatments using steam as the sweep gas exhibited characteristics that were comparable to or better than nitrogen sweep gas treatments. The advantage of steam was more pronounced with the higher boiling point semi-volatile compound phenanthrene.