cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global gene expression profiling of somatic motor neuron populations with different vulnerability identify molecules and pathways of degeneration and protection

Different somatic motor neuron subpopulations show a differential vulnerability to degeneration in diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy and spinobulbar muscular atrophy. Studies in mutant superoxide dismutase 1 over-expressing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis model mice indicate that initiation of disease is intrinsic to motor neurons, while progression is promoted by astrocytes and microglia. Therefore, analysis of the normal transcriptional profile of motor neurons displaying differential vulnerability to degeneration in motor neuron disease could give important clues to the mechanisms of relative vulnerability. Global gene expression profiling of motor neurons isolated by laser capture microdissection from three anatomical nuclei of the normal rat, oculomotor/trochlear (cranial nerve 3/4), hypoglossal (cranial nerve 12) and lateral motor column of the cervical spinal cord, displaying differential vulnerability to degeneration in motor neuron disorders, identified enriched transcripts for each neuronal subpopulation. There were striking differences in the regulation of genes involved in endoplasmatic reticulum and mitochondrial function, ubiquitination, apoptosis regulation, nitrogen metabolism, calcium regulation, transport, growth and RNA processing; cellular pathways that have been implicated in motor neuron diseases. Confirmation of genes of immediate biological interest identified differential localization of insulin-like growth factor II, guanine deaminase, peripherin, early growth response 1, soluble guanylate cyclase 1A3 and placental growth factor protein. Furthermore, the cranial nerve 3/4-restricted genes insulin-like growth factor II and guanine deaminase protected spinal motor neurons from glutamate-induced toxicity (P < 0.001, ANOVA), indicating that our approach can identify factors that protect or make neurons more susceptible to degeneration.
Generation of long read-through transcripts in vivo and in vitro by deletion of 3' termination and processing sequences in the human tRNAimet gene.

Abstract The effects of 3' deletions of the coding and flanking regions of the human tRNAimet gene on its transcription and subsequent processing have been studied both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that in the absence of the oligo T stop signal, polymerase III will read-through efficiently to the next available downstream stop signal. In mutations preserving the 3' terminal sequence of the coding region these read-through transcripts are efficiently processed, irrespective of their length and sequence by an endonucleolytic cleavage to yield both a mature tRNA and an intact trailer RNA. However, deletions involving the terminal regions up to +62 in the coding sequence produce an unprocessed co-transcript of tRNA and downstream sequences. Deletions further within the B promoter box abolish transcription. The use of these mutants as possible "portable" promoters is discussed.
Minimizing the Expected Makespan in Stochastic Flow Shops

The optimization problem of minimizing the completion time in permutation flow shop scheduling is considered under the assumption that the processing times of a job on different machines are independent and identically distributed random variables. Models with and without intermediate storage are considered. Solutions for special cases are found and based on these results a more general rule of thumb is obtained.
Primary anastomotic bonding in polytetrafluoroethylene grafts

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated that standard knitted and woven fabric grafts are forever dependent on the suture material for anastomotic tensile strength. Clinical experience with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and double velour knitted grafts have shown that there is extensive fibrous capsular bonding between the graft and the surrounding tissues. This would lead to increased anastomotic tensile strength. To test this theory, 34 mongrel dogs underwent replacement of their infrarenal aortas with grafts made of PTFE (10 dogs), of double velour knitted Dacron (DVD, 11 dogs), of single velour knitted Dacron (SVD, 5 dogs), and of woven Dacron (WD, 8 dogs). One anastomosis was constructed with 5-0 Prolene and the opposite anastomosis was constructed with 5-0 Dexon (average absorption time, 21 days). In five grafts each of PTFE and DVD, as well as in all eight WD grafts, the midgraft was divided and resutured with 5-0 Dexon. All grafts were harvested together with adjacent proximal and distal aorta between 3 and 10 months from the time of implantation. The tensile strength of each anastomosis was measured with a tensiometer. The mean graft-to-artery (absorbable suture) anastomotic tensile strength, in pounds, for PTFE (14.3) and DVD (12.6) was significantly higher than that for SVD (6.9) or WD (7.2) (p
Are some Indian banks too large? An examination of size efficiency in Indian banking

In this paper we use data from the years 1997–2003 to evaluate the size efficiency, as distinct from scale efficiency, of Indian banks. Following Maindiratta [Maindiratta A (1990) J Econ 46:39–56] we consider a bank to be “too large” if breaking it up into a number of smaller units would result in a larger output bundle than what could be produced from the same input by a single bank. When this is the case, the bank is not size efficient. Our analysis shows that many of the banks are, indeed, too large in various years. We also find that often a bank is operating in the region of diminishing returns to scale but is not a candidate for break up.
Results of the use of the Ex-PRESS miniature glaucoma implant in technically challenging, advanced glaucoma cases: a clinical pilot study.

Purpose To report results of implantation of the Ex-PRESS Miniature Glaucoma Implant (Optonol, Neve Ilan, Israel) shunt directly under the conjunctiva in advanced glaucoma. Design Noncomparative case series. Methods Chart review of eleven cases of Ex-PRESS implantation. Outcome measures included intraocular pressure (IOP), complications, visual acuity, and additional interventions. Failure was defined as unacceptably high IOP requiring revision or explantation. Results Four patients (36%) failed. Ten (91%) experienced hypotony during postoperative week one. In the seven nonfailures, mean pre and postoperative IOPs were 30.3 ± 9.3 mm Hg and 13.6 ± 4.4 mm Hg, respectively (P = .006). The logMAR visual acuity did not change significantly from baseline to follow up (logMAR 1.1 ± 0.9 and 1.4 ± 0.9, respectively, P = .13). There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperative complications in the 11 eyes included choroidal detachment in 3 (27%) and suprachoroidal hemorrhage in 2 (18%). Of the 7 successful cases, additional interventions were required in 4 (57%). Conclusions Despite significant IOP reduction, the incidence of complications following Ex-PRESS implantation directly under the conjunctiva was unacceptably high in this group of patients.
Circulating activated (DR-positive) T lymphocytes in a patient with autoeczematization.

A patient with classical hypostatic dermatitis-related autoeczematization was found to have an elevated ratio of helper to suppressor T lymphocytes and increased circulating activated T cells in the absence of detectable levels of circulating interferon. Despite the high levels of activated T cells, peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes did not produce interferon spontaneously in culture. These findings suggest that autoeczematization is a form of cell mediated autoimmunity and that activated T cells and interferon production may be unrelated in vivo.
On the formation and regulation of anger and aggression. A cognitive-neoassociationistic analysis.

Noting that a wide variety of unpleasant feelings, including sadness and depression, apparently can give rise to anger and aggression, I propose a cognitive-neoassociationistic model to account for the effects of negative affect on the development of angry feelings and the display of emotional aggression. Negative affect tends to activate ideas, memories, and expressive-motor reactions associated with anger and aggression as well as rudimentary angry feelings. Subsequent thought involving attributions, appraisals, and schematic conceptions can then intensify, suppress, enrich, or differentiate the initial reactions. Bodily reactions as well as emotion-relevant thoughts can activate the other components of the particular emotion network to which they are linked. Research findings consistent with the model are summarized. Experimental findings are also reported indicating that attention to one's negative feelings can lead to a regulation of the overt effects of the negative affect, I argue that the model can integrate the core aspect of the James-Lange theory with the newer cognitive theories of emotion. Language: en
Mediational styles: An individual difference variable in Children’s learning ability

A mediational production task was developed whereby Ss’ reported mediators to a PA list were scaled along a dimension of mediational complexity. Three groups of 5th-grade children were identified: complex mediational producers, simple mediational producers, and variable producers. Each group then learned another PA’ list. In addition, Ss in each group were supplied with complex mediators, simple mediators, or no mediators. The results indicated that complex and variable producers learned at significantly faster rates than did simple producers. Regardless of mediational style, complex E-supplied mediators facilitated learning.
Common carotid artery intima–media thickness is as good as carotid intima–media thickness of all carotid artery segments in improving prediction of coronary heart disease risk in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Aims Carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT) and plaque information can improve coronary heart disease (CHD) risk prediction when added to traditional risk factors (TRF). However, obtaining adequate images of all carotid artery segments (A-CIMT) may be difficult. Of A-CIMT, the common carotid artery intima–media thickness (CCA-IMT) is relatively more reliable and easier to measure. We evaluated whether CCA-IMT is comparable to A-CIMT when added to TRF and plaque information in improving CHD risk prediction in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Methods and results Ten-year CHD risk prediction models using TRF alone, TRF + A-CIMT + plaque, and TRF + CCA-IMT + plaque were developed for the overall cohort, men, and women. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), per cent individuals reclassified, net reclassification index (NRI), and model calibration by the Gronnesby–Borgan test were estimated. There were 1722 incident CHD events in 12 576 individuals over a mean follow-up of 15.2 years. The AUC for TRF only, TRF + A-CIMT + plaque, and TRF + CCA-IMT + plaque models were 0.741, 0.754, and 0.753, respectively. Although there was some discordance when the CCA-IMT + plaque- and A-CIMT + plaque-based risk estimation was compared, the NRI and clinical NRI (NRI in the intermediate-risk group) when comparing the CIMT models with TRF-only model, per cent reclassified, and test for model calibration were not significantly different. Conclusion Coronary heart disease risk prediction can be improved by adding A-CIMT + plaque or CCA-IMT + plaque information to TRF. Therefore, evaluating the carotid artery for plaque presence and measuring CCA-IMT, which is easier and more reliable than measuring A-CIMT, provide a good alternative to measuring A-CIMT for CHD risk prediction.
The optimal combination of hyperthermia and carbogen breathing to increase tumor oxygenation and radiation response

Abstract Purpose: To determine the most effective combination of carbogen breathing with mild temperature hyperthermia (MTH) to increase the oxygenation and radiation response in murine tumors. Methods and Materials: MTH at 41.5°C for 60 min was applied by immersion of the tumor in a precisely controlled water bath. The tumor pO 2 was measured with a polarographic microelectrode. The radiation response of the tumor was determined using the in vivo / in vitro assay for surviving tumor cells. Results: In the FSaII fibrosarcoma the median pO 2 increased from a control value of 6.5 ± 0.5 mm Hg to 16.6 ± 1.1 mm Hg immediately after MTH and was 10.9 ± 1.3 mm Hg 24 h later. Carbogen breathing for 5 min increased the FSaII pO 2 to 19.9 ± 2.1 mm Hg. Carbogen breathing for 5 min beginning immediately after MTH increased the median pO 2 more than 5 times to 35.4 ± 3.8 mm Hg. This combined treatment also substantially increased the response of the tumors to a radiation exposure of 20 Gy. In another tumor model, the SCK mammary carcinoma, MTH treatment increased the median pO 2 from the control level of 4.4 ± 0.2 mm Hg to 12.6 ± 1.2 mm Hg, and it returned to 4.3 ± 0.3 mm Hg 24 h later. Carbogen breathing for 5 min increased the SCK tumor pO 2 to 17.1 ± 1.4 mm Hg. The median SCK pO 2 was increased about 7 times to 31.2 ± 4.2 mm Hg when MTH was followed immediately with carbogen breathing for 5 min. The radiation response was also markedly increased by this combination. When the animals breathed carbogen for 15 or 30 min, the pO 2 and radiosensitivity in both tumor types either remained the same or was lower than that after 5 min of breathing. In addition, both FSaII and SCK tumors were radiosensitized 24 h after MTH treatment alone or with 5 min of carbogen breathing. Conclusions: A shorter carbogen breathing time immediately after MTH causes the most tumor radiosensitization. The results of this study also demonstrate that MTH increases radiosensitivity with and without carbogen breathing up to 24 h after the mild hyperthermia treatment.
Expanding the role of perfusionists in the era of new treatment options for cardiovascular disease.

Treatment for cardiovascular disease has dramatically changed the surgical patient population over the past 10 years. Advances in medical management and interventional cardiovascular procedures hav...
Photosynthesis, photooxidation of chlorophyll and fluorescence of normal and manganese-deficient Chlorella with and without hydrogenase

Growth, chlorophyll content, chloroplast structure, photosynthesis, photooxidation of chlorophyll and fluorescence were studied in normal and manganese-deficient, closely related Chlorella strains with hydrogenase (Chlorella vulgaris f. tertia 211-8k) and without hydrogenase (Chlorella vulgaris 211-8m). Under Mn-deficient conditions, algae with hydrogenase grow slowly for several weeks without becoming chlorotic and without any major change in thylakoid structure, whereas those without hydrogenase show a rapid loss of most of their chlorophyll, followed by a breakdown of thylakoid structure. In algae without hydrogenase, the inhibition of photosynthesis by Mn deficiency is much less pronounced when photosynthesis is determined on a chlorophyll rather than on a cell-volume or dry-weight basis. Thus the little remaining chlorophyll of these algae is photosynthetically much more active than the chlorophyll of the Mn-deficient, non-chlorotic algae with hydrogenase. Photooxidation of chlorophyll under pure O2 in very strong light is always accelerated by Mn deficiency. Only in algae containing hydrogenase is there under aerobic conditions a pronounced peak of fluorescence at the beginning of illumination. This is indicative of a high degree of reduction of Q, the primary electron acceptor of System II of photosynthesis. The fluorescence peak can be eliminated by either 1 min preillumination with far red (λ=717 nm) or by treatment in the dark for 1 hr with pure O2. In algae without hydrogenase, in contrast, fluorescence intensity at the onset of illumination is lower than the steady-state level, indicating an oxidized state of Q. In these algae a high start of fluorescence can only be produced by prolonged anaerobic incubation. These results indicate that even under aerobic conditions algal hydrogenase, or a biochemical system very closely associated with it, has some residual activity which enables it to feed electrons into System II of photosynthesis, thereby keeping Q in a reduced state with correspondingly high fluorescence at the beginning of illumination. In organisms without hydrogenase, in contrast, this can only be achieved by prolonged anaerobiosis. In addition, the presence of hydrogenase seems to protect the chlorophyll against photooxidative destruction when the cells are under Mn deficiency.
Conceptualizing design affordances from a cognitive perspective

The term affordance carries multiple meanings for designers. Traditionally, affordances were discussed within a Gibsonian framework as arising from direct perception of physical constraints. However, some authors extended the meaning to include learned cultural constraints, leading to a theoretical debate about whether designers should draw a distinction between perceptual affordances and learned cultural conventions. In this dissertation it is suggested that a broader meaning of affordance is more appropriate for designers and that a unified account of affordances can be achieved using a cognitive conceptualization of perceived affordances. Within this cognitive framework, perceived affordances arise from automatic processes in the user that either are inborn or have developed over time as consistent interactions produce changes in long-term memory. Well learned conventions are examples of the latter. The cognitive mechanisms responsible for how perceived affordances arise and how they affect the cognitive system are presented along with a flowchart to help guide designer decisions. Three experiments examining empirical differences between affordances and conventions are reported. The first experiment asked whether users have developed conventions in the absence of affordances. A simple task was used in which participants pressed buttons in response to directional cues. The results showed that affordances exist when the spatial configuration of the buttons is congruent with directional cues. In the absence of affordances, most participants demonstrated consistent button-to-action mapping that represented a convention. Behavioral differences between affordances and conventions were not found. The second experiment confirmed that in ambiguous tasks, conventions guide expectancies about button-to-action mappings. The cognitive attributes of affordances and conventions were examined in the third experiment by manipulating working memory load and expected interaction congruency. Results indicated some behavioral differences between acting on affordances and acting on conventions. However, violating the button-to-action mappings defining either an affordance or a convention produced similar performance costs. Taken together, the results suggest that after the initial learning period, conventions play a critical role in the perception of a design's available actions, just as do perceptual affordances. Therefore, designers ought to employ perceptual affordances when possible and when that is not feasible reuse established conventions.
JAK2 V617F: implications for thrombosis in myeloproliferative diseases.

Purpose of reviewA major cause of morbidity in myeloproliferative disorders is thrombosis, although the pathophysiology of this process remains poorly understood. The review will explore the relationship between thrombosis and the recently identified gain-of-function mutation in Janus kinase 2, foun
Stability of stationary endwall boundary layers during spin-down

Since Bodewadt's (1940) seminal work on the boundary layer flow produced by a fluid in solid-body rotation over a stationary disk of infinite radius there has been much interest in determining the stability of such flows. To date, it appears that there is no theoretical study of the stability of Bodewadt's self-similar solution to perturbations that are not self-similar. Experimental studies have been compromised due to the difficulty in establishing these steady flows in the laboratory. Savac (1983, 1987) has studied the endwall boundary layers of flow in a circular cylinder following impulsive spin-down. During the first few radians of rotation, the endwall boundary layers have a structure very similar to Bodewadt layers. For certain conditions, SavaC has observed a series of axisymmetric waves travelling radially inwards in the endwall boundary layers. The conjecture is that these waves represent a mode of instability of the Bodewadt layer. Within a few radians of rotation however, the centrifugal instability of the sidewall layer dominates the spin-down process and the endwall waves are difficult to examine further.Here, the impulsive spin-down problem is examined numerically for Savac’ (1983, 1987) conditions and good agreement with his experiments is achieved. New experimental results are also presented, which include quantitative space-time information regarding the axisymmetric waves. These agree well with both the numerics and the earlier experimental work. Further, a related problem is considered numerically. This flow is also initially in solid-body rotation, but only the endwalls are impulsively stopped, keeping the sidewall rotating. This results in a flow virtually identical to the usual spin-down flow for the first few radians of rotation, except in the immediate vicinity of the sidewall. The sidewall layer is no longer centrifugally unstable and the circular waves on the endwalls are observed without the influence of the sidewall instability.
The Neural Substrates of Reward Processing in Humans: The Modern Role of fMRI:

Experimental work in animals has identified numerous neural structures involved in reward processing and reward-dependent learning. Until recently, this work provided the primary basis for speculations about the neural substrates of human reward processing. The widespread use of neuroimaging technology has changed this situation dramatically over the past decade through the use of PET and fMRI. Here, the authors focus on the role played by fMRI studies, where recent work has replicated the animal results in human subjects and has extended the view of putative reward-processing neural structures. In particular, fMRI work has identified a set of reward-related brain structures including the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, ventral striatum, and medial prefrontal cortex. Moreover, the human experiments have probed the dependence of human reward responses on learned expectations, context, timing, and the reward dimension. Current experiments aim to assess the function of human reward-processing structures to determine how they allow us to predict, assess, and act in response to rewards. The authors review current accomplishments in the study of human reward processing and focus their discussion on explanations directed particularly at the role played by the ventral striatum. They discuss how these findings may contribute to a better understanding of deficits associated with Parkinson's disease.
Rape by Acquiescence The Ways in Which Women “Give in” to Unwanted Sex With Their Husbands

In this article, the author examines women's processes of acquiescence to unwanted sex in marriage. Through analyses of 41 interviews with women who have experienced some form of unwanted sex in a marital or long-term intimate relationship, the author uncovers five types of acquiescence to unwanted sex and discusses the conditions under which women adopt a given type. This research extends Finkelhor and Yllo's nonphysical types of coercion to better understand the contexts in which women experience unwanted sex in marriage. It is argued that the processes and consequences of “giving in” to unwanted sex with an intimate have not been given as much scholarly attention as other forms of forced sex that have traditionally been identified as rape.
A fine-grid model for evaluating multidisciplinary team experiences

A model having five interconnected component blocks is presented for evaluating multidisciplinary team experiences. These blocks feature project selection, use of skill sets, team dynamics, faculty mentoring and project reporting. Similar to the coarse-grid ABET's matrix used to assess the implementation of the overall continuous improvement process, this fine-grid model applies specifically to the multidisciplinary teams outcome. Five levels ranging from very limited activity (Level 1) to a highly developed capability (Level 5) are identified for each component block. The model has been applied at the University of Kansas, USA, to improve team experiences for electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering students in undergraduate control classes having 10 to 15 teams each spring over a three-year period. All teams performed at Levels 1 and 2 during the first year; many teams this year performed at Level 3 for most model components. Student teams are being asked now to provide their own assessments of component levels.
Control oriented 1D electrochemical model of lithium ion battery

Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries provide high energy and power density energy storage for diverse applications ranging from cell phones to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). For efficient and reliable systems integration, low order dynamic battery models are needed. This paper introduces a general method to generate numerically a fully observable/controllable state variable model from electrochemical kinetic, species and charge partial differential equations that govern the discharge/charge behavior of a Li-ion battery. Validated against a 313th order nonlinear CFD model of a 6 Ah HEV cell, a 12th order state variable model predicts terminal voltage to within 1% for pulse and constant current profiles at rates up to 50 C. The state equation is constructed in modal form with constant negative real eigenvalues distributed in frequency space from 0 to 10 Hz. Open circuit potential, electrode surface concentration/reaction distribution coupling and electrolyte concentration/ionic conductivity nonlinearities are explicitly approximated in the model output equation on a local, electrode-averaged and distributed basis, respectively. The balanced realization controllability/observability gramian indicates that the fast electrode surface concentration dynamics are more observable/controllable than the electrode bulk concentration dynamics (i.e. state of charge).
K-Ca-Ar systematics of authigenic sanidine from Waukau, Wisconsin, and the diffusivity of argon

Authigenic sanidine occurs in almost monomineralic beds in the basal St. Peter Sandstone near Waukau, Wisconsin. The high purity of this K-feldspar indicates that it formed at low temperature either contemporaneously with deposition or during later diagenesis. K-Ca analyses of two samples from the same bed yield discordant ages of 436 +/- 4 and 407 +/- 3 Ma. Because /sup 40/Ca loss is unlikely at the low temperatures to which these minerals have been subjected, these ages are interpreted as the times of formation of the sanidine. Both ages are younger than the estimated stratigraphic age of the St. Peter Sandstone. K-Ar analyses of splits of these same two samples give ages of 402 and 377 Ma, respectively. These ages are lower by about 8% than the K-Ca ages because of the diffusive loss of radiogenic argon over geologic time. An estimate of the diffusion coefficient for argon in the sanidine on the basis of the differences between the K-Ca and K-Ar ages suggests that diffusion of argon is about five orders of magnitude faster at low temperatures than an extrapolation of high-temperature experimental data would indicate. Comparison of K-Ca and K-Ar ages may be useful in general for distinguishingmore » diffusive loss from recrystallization events in feldspars.« less
Gene-expression profiles and transcriptional regulatory pathways that underlie the identity and diversity of mouse tissue macrophages

We assessed gene expression in tissue macrophages from various mouse organs. The diversity in gene expression among different populations of macrophages was considerable. Only a few hundred mRNA transcripts were selectively expressed by macrophages rather than dendritic cells, and many of these were not present in all macrophages. Nonetheless, well-characterized surface markers, including MerTK and FcγR1 (CD64), along with a cluster of previously unidentified transcripts, were distinctly and universally associated with mature tissue macrophages. TCEF3, C/EBP-α, Bach1 and CREG-1 were among the transcriptional regulators predicted to regulate these core macrophage-associated genes. The mRNA encoding other transcription factors, such as Gata6, was associated with single macrophage populations. We further identified how these transcripts and the proteins they encode facilitated distinguishing macrophages from dendritic cells.
Affine laminations and their stretch factors

A lamination L embedded in a manifold M is an ane lamination if its lift L to the universal cover ~ M of M is a measured lamination and each covering translation multiplies the measure by a factor given by a homomorphism, called the stretch homomorphism, from 1(M) to the positive real numbers. There is a method for analyzing precisely the set of ane laminations carried by a given branched manifold B embedded in M. The notion of the \stretch factor" of an ane lamination is a generalization of the notion of the stretch factor of a pseudo-Anosov map. The same method that serves to analyze the ane laminations carried by B also allows calculation of stretch factors. Ane laminations occur commonly as essential 2-dimensional laminations in 3-manifolds. We shall describe some examples. In particular, we describe ane essential laminations which represent classes in real 2-dimensional homology with twisted coecients. The rst version of this paper was written in 1988, at about the same time as the paper [HO1], which is a study of spaces of ane laminations in surfaces. Since then, there has been a renewed interest in ane laminations, see for example [L] and [Ca]. The current version includes a new section on ane 2-laminations in 3-manifolds. These arise, for example, as realizations of classes in the real homology with twisted coecients of a 3-manifold. More general constructions show that ane essential laminations are, in some sense, abundant in 3-manifolds, see [GO] for background on essential laminations.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Palliative Care

Racial and ethnic disparities in health care access and quality are well documented for some minority groups. However, compared to other areas of health care, such as disease prevention, early detection, and curative care, research in disparities in palliative care is limited. Given the rapidly growing population of minority older adults, many of whom will face advanced serious illness, the availability of high-quality palliative care that meets the varied needs of older adults of all races and ethnicities is a priority. This paper reviews existing data on racial and ethnic disparities in use of and quality of palliative care and outlines priorities for future research.
Alternative architectures for narrowband varactor-tuned bandpass filters

A unique design approach for narrowband tunable bandpass filters is presented which focuses on engineering the tuned center-frequency dependence of the coupling coefficient between adjacent resonators. New architectures are presented, and equations for the coupling coefficient are derived from energy expressions. A microstrip prototype with independently-tunable center frequency and bandwidth was built and tested, and exhibits excellent performance.
Effect of inflammation upon human gingival cyclic AMP metabolism.

The effect of the increasing degree of human gingival inflammation on adenylate cyclase (basal, fluoride stimulated) and low Km and high Km cAMP phosphodiesterase activities were evaluated in separate studies. Human gingival biopsies were classified by the Loe Bleeding Index as mildly, moderately, and markedly inflamed. Basal and F- stimulated adenylate cyclase (cAMP synthesis) activities were found to be unaltered by the increasing degree of inflammation when the data were expressed on either a mg wet wt, or mg protein basis. A significant loss of F- stimulated adenylate cyclase (mg protein) activity was observed in the moderately inflamed group when the data were compared with either the mildly or markedly inflamed groups of tissue. The low Km, and high Km cAMP phosphodiesterase activities (cAMP degradation) were found to be unaffected by gingival inflammation. This suggests that neither cAMP synthesis, nor degradation are stimulated in human gingiva by inflammation.
3-D Target-Based Distributed Smart Camera Network Localization

For distributed smart camera networks to perform vision-based tasks such as subject recognition and tracking, every camera's position and orientation relative to a single 3-D coordinate frame must be accurately determined. In this paper, we present a new camera network localization solution that requires successively showing a 3-D feature point-rich target to all cameras, then using the known geometry of a 3-D target, cameras estimate and decompose projection matrices to compute their position and orientation relative to the coordinatization of the 3-D target's feature points. As each 3-D target position establishes a distinct coordinate frame, cameras that view more than one 3-D target position compute translations and rotations relating different positions' coordinate frames and share the transform data with neighbors to facilitate realignment of all cameras to a single coordinate frame. Compared to other localization solutions that use opportunistically found visual data, our solution is more suitable to battery-powered, processing-constrained camera networks because it requires communication only to determine simultaneous target viewings and for passing transform data. Additionally, our solution requires only pairwise view overlaps of sufficient size to see the 3-D target and detect its feature points, while also giving camera positions in meaningful units. We evaluate our algorithm in both real and simulated smart camera networks. In the real network, position error is less than 1" when the 3-D target's feature points fill only 2.9% of the frame area.
Observations of small-scale solar magnetic fields

Spectrograms, obtained during moments of good seeing with the high spatial resolution afforded by the 80-cm solar image at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, show the following: (1) Magnetic fields of several hundred gauss occur in tiny areas easily as small as 500 km in extent in regions of the solar surface sometimes well removed from areas of sunspot activity. (2) In these tiny areas of magnetic field, many Fraunhofer lines seem to be weakened, appearing on spectrograms as discontinuities or gaps in the absorption lines. (3) Although the small-scale magnetic fields are manifested by local weakenings of many absorption lines, these fields often correspond to local darkenings in the continuum, suggesting that the small-scale fields often occur in the dark lanes and pores of the granulation. (4) These tiny areas of relatively strong magnetic field correspond to regions of bright Ca+ K232 emission, not to the so-called K2V bright points seen on spectroheliograms.
Average-case technology mapping of asynchronous burst-mode circuits

This paper presents a technology mapper that optimizes the average performance of asynchronous burst-mode control circuits. More specifically, the mapper can be directed to minimize either the average latency or the average cycle time of the circuit. The input to the mapper is a burst-mode specification and its NAND-decomposed unmapped network. The mapper preprocesses the circuit's specification using stochastic techniques to determine the relative frequency of occurrence of each state transition. Then, it maps the NAND-decomposed network using a given library of gates. Of many possible mappings, the mapper selects a solution that minimizes the sum of the delays (latency or cycle time) of all state transitions, weighted by their relative frequencies, thereby optimizing for average performance. We present experimental results on a large set of benchmark circuits, which demonstrate that our mapped circuits have significantly lower average latency and cycle time than comparable circuits mapped with a leading conventional mapping technique which minimizes the worst case delay. Moreover, these performance improvements can be achieved with manageable run-times and significantly smaller area.
On the electric potentials inside a charged soft hydrated biological tissue: streaming potential versus diffusion potential.

The main objective of this study is to determine the nature of electric fields inside articular cartilage while accounting for the effects of both streaming potential and diffusion potential. Specifically, we solve two tissue mechano-electrochemical problems using the triphasic theories developed by Lai et al. (1991, ASME J. Biomech Eng., 113, pp. 245-258) and Gu et al. (1998, ASME J. Biomech. Eng., 120, pp. 169-180) (1) the steady one-dimensional permeation problem; and (2) the transient one-dimensional ramped-displacement, confined-compression, stress-relaxation problem (both in an open circuit condition) so as to be able to calculate the compressive strain, the electric potential, and the fixed charged density (FCD) inside cartilage. Our calculations show that in these two technically important problems, the diffusion potential effects compete against the flow-induced kinetic effects (streaming potential) for dominance of the electric potential inside the tissue. For softer tissues of similar FCD (i.e., lower aggregate modulus), the diffusion potential effects are enhanced when the tissue is being compressed (i.e., increasing its FCD in a nonuniform manner) either by direct compression or by drag-induced compaction; indeed, the diffusion potential effect may dominate over the streaming potential effect. The polarity of the electric potential field is in the same direction of interstitial fluid flow when streaming potential dominates, and in the opposite direction of fluid flow when diffusion potential dominates. For physiologically realistic articular cartilage material parameters, the polarity of electric potential across the tissue on the outside (surface to surface) may be opposite to the polarity across the tissue on the inside (surface to surface). Since the electromechanical signals that chondrocytes perceive in situ are the stresses, strains, pressures and the electric field generated inside the extracellular matrix when the tissue is deformed, the results from this study offer new challenges for the understanding of possible mechanisms that control chondrocyte biosyntheses.
Establishment of introduced reptiles increases with the presence and richness of native congeners

Darwin proposed two contradictory hypotheses to explain the influence of congeners on the outcomes of invasion: the naturalization hypothesis, which predicts a negative relationship between the presence of congeners and invasion success, and the pre-adaptation hypothesis, which predicts a positive relationship between the presence of congeners and invasion success. Studies testing these hypotheses have shown mixed support. We tested these hypotheses using the establishment success of non-native reptiles and congener presence/absence and richness across the globe. Our results demonstrated support for the pre-adaptation hypothesis. We found that globally, both on islands and continents, establishment success was higher in the presence than in the absence of congeners and that establishment success increased with increasing congener richness. At the life form level, establishment success was higher for lizards, marginally higher for snakes, and not different for turtles in the presence of congeners; data were insufficient to test the hypotheses for crocodiles. There was no relationship between establishment success and congener richness for any life form. We suggest that we found support for the pre-adaptation hypothesis because, at the scale of our analysis, native congeners represent environmental conditions appropriate for the species rather than competition for niche space. Our results imply that areas to target for early detection of non-native reptiles are those that host closely related species.
THE EFFECTS OF WETLAND HABITAT STRUCTURE ON FLORIDA APPLE SNAIL DENSITY

ABSTRACT Wetlands often support a variety of juxtaposed habitat patches (e.g., grass-, shrub- or tree-dominated) differentially suited to support the inhabiting fauna. The proportion of available habitat types has been affected by human activity and consequently has contributed to degrading habitat quality for some species. The Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) has drawn attention as a critical prey item for wetlands wildlife and as an indicator of wetlands restoration success in peninsular Florida, USA. An apparent contradiction has evolved wherein this species appears intolerant of drying events, but these disturbances may be necessary to maintain suitable habitat structure for apple snails. We recently reported that assertions regarding intolerance to dry downs in this species were inaccurate. Here, we compared snail density in habitats with (wet prairie) and without (slough) emergent macrophytes, as well as evaluating the effects of structural attributes within the broad wet prairie habitat type....
Universelle Variablen und Zermelo

Es darf nicht angenommen werden, das die Konvention der typenmasigen Mehrdeutigkeit damit, das sie die Indizes, die die unterscheidenden Merkmale der vielen Variablensorten sind, unterdruckt, auch die Wirkung hat, die Typentheorie der einsortigen oder einfachen Quantorenlogik anzupassen. Eine Formel wie z.B.
Sound Symbolism in the Reduplicative Vocabulary of the Shijing

The present study begins with an introduction to “sound symbolism” from a cognitive linguistic perspective. Such frameworks provide that while the relationship between sound and meaning within the lexicon is in general arbitrary, languages may also feature specific, statistically significant relationships between particular sounds and particular semantic domains, whether language specific or motivated by more general cognitive tendencies. An example from modern Mandarin leads to a broader consideration of this phenomenon within Old Chinese (OC), with particular reference to the reduplicative vocabulary, or dieyin ci 疊音詞, of the Book of Odes corpus. The author presents a series of persistent associations between sound and meaning in this subset of the OC lexicon, with statistical evidence adduced in support of their cognitive reality for OC speakers. Finally, this article offers a tentative exploration of the role of such “expressive” or “ideophonic” vocabulary in producing particular poetic effects relating to point of view and to conceptual metaphor.
Industrial Waste Disposal: A Symposium: Introduction

The conservation of water resources is of importance to the health and prosperity of the people of the United States. Life in modern cities is impossible without adequate public water supplies, and...
Hydrolysis of Arginine Esters by Male Accessory Sexual Tissues

SummaryCertain esters of arginine, but not those of a number of other amino acids, are hydrolyzed rapidly by some lobes of the prostate gland of a number of species. Marked differences in the activity of this arginine ester hydrolyzing enzyme in different lobes of the prostate gland of various rodents have been observed. Dog prostatic fluid is extremely rich in this enzyme, whereas the human prostate hydrolyzes arginine esters rather slowly. The activity of the enzyme in rodent prostatic tissue is depressed after castration. Some properties of this enzyme, and its relationship to other proteolytic enzymes in prostatic secretion as well as to the process of semen coagulation are discussed.
The effects of thyroid state on rat liver glucose-6-phosphatase activity and glycogen content.

SummaryTreatment of animals with 100 μxg of L-thyroxine resulted in great increases in liver G-6-Pase activity and depleted glycogen stores. Comparable animals rendered hypothyroid by radiothyroidectomy exhibited a decrease in G-6-Pase activity and considerable deposition of glycogen when compared to thyrotoxic animals. No differences in glycogen content were noted between euthyroid and hypothyroid animals. Possible physiological consequences of these changes were discussed.
Study on data fusion technology based on expert knowledge

The advantages and problems of the multi-sensor data fusion technology are analysed,the methods of the data fusion based on the expert knowledge are suggested,the model of the data fusion is given,and the methods and feasibility of the data acquisition and fusion are analyzed and studied,and the applications combining the examples are shown.The data fusion technology based on the expert knowledge doesn't contain the complicated mathematical operations and some parameters which are difficult to ascertain.It is comparatively simple,has very strong practicability,and can be widely applied in the data fusion of the multi-sensor system.
Monocyte-derived recruiting activity: kinetics of production and effects of endotoxin.

Cultured monocytes release a factor, monocyte-derived recruiting activity (MRA), which stimulates fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and T lymphocytes to produce colony-stimulating activity (CSA). We studied the kinetics of MRA production using a technique in which MRA levels were measured in a two stage bioassay. We used umbilical vein endothelial cells as the MRA-responsive (CSA-producing) cells, and normal colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM)-enriched bone marrow cells (T lymphocyte- and monocyte-depleted, low density bone marrow cells) as the CSA-responsive cells. MRA stimulated a 30- fold increase in CSA production by endothelial cells. MRA production was detected in supernatants from as few as 10(3) monocytes per milliliter, required the presence of fetal calf serum, and was inhibited by cycloheximide (10 to 100 micrograms/mL) and puromycin (10 to 50 micrograms/mL). Production was detectable after 24 hours of monocyte incubation, was maintained for three days, and fell to undetectable levels by seven days. With the addition of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) (50 micrograms per 10(6) cells), MRA was detectable after only three hours of incubation, and levels peaked at 24 hours. Further, maximum MRA levels in the supernatants of LPS-stimulated monocytes were up to ten times greater than peak levels in the supernatants of unstimulated monocytes. Endotoxin augmented monocyte production of MRA to a greater extent than it did CSA production, indicating that the stimulation of CSA production by endotoxin may be at least partly indirect. The responsiveness of MRA production to endotoxin in vitro is consistent with the notion that MRA may be a biologically relevant regulator of CSA production by cells of the hematopoietic microenvironment.