cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Childhood Experience of Being a War Orphan: A Study of the Effects of Father Loss on Women Whose Fathers Were Killed in World War II

Asking the research question, “What is the lived experience of women whose fathers died in World War II?” led to awareness of the unexplored impact of war loss on children. It was hypothesized that this research would show that women who experienced father-loss due to war would share commonality in certain areas. Areas of exploration including current demographic information; circumstances at the time of the father's death; data on the mother, father, stepfather, grandparents, and siblings; life perceptions; family relationships; romantic partnerships; and midlife experiences, were addressed in a heuristic interview process. Seven women were interviewed and told their father-loss stories. Inquiry into the experience of childhood bereavement due to father loss is integrated into this study.
Fundamental Aerosol Studies with an Ultrasonic Nebulizer

Laser scattering particle size measurements, together with aerosol and vapor mass transport, were used to characterize the aerosol generated with an ultrasonic nebulizer (USN). Several fundamental aspects of the ultrasonic primary and tertiary aerosols were studied, including drop size distributions, Sauter mean diameters, analyte mass transport, and solvent mass transport. These characteristics were compared with comparable data obtained with a concentric, all-glass (Meinhard type) pneumatic nebulizer. It was found that the ultrasonic nebulizer generated a primary aerosol which had a substantially broader size distribution than the pneumatic nebulizer. However, overall both analyte and solvent mass transport for the USN were much greater than for the pneumatic nebulizer.
Mechanical fabrication of reactive metal laminate powders

A new mechanical method for creating reactive laminate powders has been developed using a two-step process; in the first step bulk reactive materials are created by cold-rolling stacks of alternating sheets of nickel and aluminum into foils with bilayer thicknesses ranging from 2.9 to 1.8 μm. This step establishes the average reactant spacing and, hence, the reactivity of the material. In the second step the rolled foils are then ground into laminate powders and sieved based on their diameters, which range from 850 to 53 μm. Our processing methodology allows the particle size and the reactant spacing to be varied independently. Powders made by this method have heat releases within a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) that vary with the average reactant spacing, similar to rolled and sputter deposited foils. However, the measured heats also vary with the average diameter of the powders, as smaller particles show a systematic decrease in heat. Furthermore, this effect is magnified for the powders with the coarsest microstructure, as they show the largest drop in DSC heat release. The physical densities also vary as a function of particle size. The powders with the largest average bilayer thickness become Ni-rich at the smallest particle sizes, powders with the next finest average bilayer thickness become Al-rich, and powders with the smallest average bilayer thickness show little variation. We attribute the particle size dependence of the DSC heats to small powders being broken from regions of the original rolled foils that contain a high volume fraction of Ni-rich and Al-rich bilayers. These microstructural and chemical variations alter the exothermic reactions that are seen during slow heating in a DSC, as well as the heats of reaction that are measured in the DSC as a function of powder size. We support this hypothesis of non-random breakup during grinding by simulating bimodal distributions of bilayer chemistry within powders and modeling their densities and heats of reaction. The simulations are compared with measured values. Finally, we normalize the effects of particle size and bilayer thickness by plotting the measured DSC heats of reaction versus the number of bilayers per particle; the values merge toward one curve, with the largest decrease in heat occurring when there are fewer than 150 bilayers in each particle. This ratio proves useful when selecting particles for particular applications.
Measuring stroke impact with the stroke impact scale: telephone versus mail administration in veterans with stroke.

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to examine response rate, mode effects, and reliability of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) in a veteran stroke population using mail and telephone modes of administration.Methods:Patients who had suffered a stroke were identified using national VA administrativ
Neurotransmitter analog tethered to a silicon platform for neuro-bioMEMS applications†

The design of chemically well-defined, machinable surfaces containing neuroactive molecules offers potential for fundamental neuroscience and clinical neural engineering applications. Here we report the assembly and characterization of silicon platforms containing a tethered form of muscimol. Muscimol, an analog of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), is a potent agonist at postsynaptic GABAA and GABAC receptors. Surfaces were assembled using covalent avidin conjugation to silanized silicon followed by high-affinity avidin-biotin binding of a biotinylated derivative of muscimol (muscimol-biotin). Contact angle measurements, ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were conducted to characterize the wettability, thickness, and chemical composition of progressively deposited surface layers. The data demonstrate successful incorporation of a neurotransmitter analog as part of a layered, silicon-based structure possessing robust and specific biomolecular composition. These findings represent a step toward the design of platforms for applications involving control and modulation of neural signaling. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Measuring outcomes in outpatient child psychiatry: Reliable improvement, deterioration, and clinically significant improvement:

Given the increasing interest in demonstrating effectiveness in psychiatric treatment, the current paper seeks to advance outcome measurement in child psychiatry by demonstrating how more informative analytic strategies can be used to evaluate treatment in a real world setting using a brief, standardized parent-report measure. Questionnaires were obtained at intake for 1294 patients. Of these, 695 patients entered treatment and 531 (74%) had complete forms at intake and follow-up. Using this sample, we analyzed the data to determine effect sizes, rates of reliable improvement and deterioration, and rates of clinically significant improvement. Findings highlighted the utility of these approaches for evaluating treatment outcomes. Further suggestions for improving outcome measurement and evaluation are provided.
Modeling situational awareness in network centric systems

Modeling Situation awareness (SA) in NCO/NCW environments is inherently challenging due to the complexity of the underlying network, highly dynamic nature of processes, and the need for real time analysis. In this paper, we present a performance model for SA using the Network Centric Operations Performance & Prediction (NCO-PP) framework, an established framework for analyzing and predicting performance of NCO/NCW networks. In this paper, we continue to formulate a realistic model that represents dynamism in both the information and network spaces and also their effects on each other. We validate our model via simulations that compare the performance of SA under various information sharing and filtering paradigms. We provide and define a number of relevant performance metrics for SA and show with experimental results that modeling the dynamism in the network lead to superior SA. We also show that the performance of the SA can be significantly improved with proactive resource allocation that takes into account the real time predictions of the future states of the network and the environment.
A compact data structure for storing, retrieving and manipulating line drawings

The field of graphical man/machine interaction is customarily split into hardware and software areas. The former can be considered to have come of age: there are over twenty-five brands of off-the-shelf consoles with all the requisite input devices, and new techniques and improvements are constantly being developed. Many consoles are also provided with primitive supporting software which allow one to draw points, lines, arcs, etc., in a symbolic language of some sort. Less well understood and developed, however, is that aspect of display software concerned with representing and manipulating the problem model from which these primitive point/line/arc pictures are derived. The "data structure" is the machine representation of the often complex and hierarchical problem model. It must be judiciously derived from the model on the one hand and, on the other, lead readily to the reduced console display file of points, lines and arcs which cause the actual visual display. Furthermore, the data structure must be efficiently stored and processed (usually contradictory requirements).
Ethanol elimination rates in normal and ethanol dependent animals

Abstract Ethanol elimination rates were determined in rats using an intravenous route of ethanol administration after several experimental manipulations. Twenty-four hr food deprivation resulted in a 30% reduction to 35 mg/100ml blood/hr in elimination rate from a non-deprived rate of 50 mg/100 ml blood/hr. After 2 months of ethanol drinking (5% v/v), 24 hr starvation resulted in only a 10% reduction in elimination rate (45 mg/100 ml blood/hr), and did not increase the non-food-deprived rate (49.2 mg/100 ml blood/hr) over that obtained in the above animals' drinking water rather than 5% ethanol. Animals which chronically overdrank ethanol or water for 3 months on a schedule-induced polydipsia procedure, known to result in ethanol physical dependence, showed a decreased rate of ethanol elimination (37.9 mg/100 ml blood/hr for ethanol drinkers; 35.0 mg/100 ml blood/hr for water drinkers) in the non-food deprived condition. By providing 750 mg of liver powder daily as a food supplement in the ethanol overdrinking regimen, the ethanol elimination rate remained at a rate comparable to the normal animal (48.4 mg/100 ml blood/hr).
Analysis of a Multicomponent Thermostable DNA Polymerase III Replicase from an Extreme Thermophile

This report takes a proteomic/genomic approach to characterize the DNA polymerase III replication apparatus of the extreme thermophile, Aquifex aeolicus. Genes (dnaX, holA, and holB) encoding the subunits required for clamp loading activity (τ, δ, and δ′) were identified. The dnaX gene produces only the full-length product, τ, and therefore differs from Escherichia coli dnaX that produces two proteins (γ and τ). Nonetheless, theA. aeolicus proteins form a τδδ′ complex. ThednaN gene encoding the β clamp was identified, and the τδδ′ complex is active in loading β onto DNA. A. aeolicus contains one dnaE homologue, encoding the α subunit of DNA polymerase III. Like E. coli, A. aeolicus α and τ interact, although the interaction is not as tight as the α−τ contact in E. coli. In addition, theA. aeolicus homologue to dnaQ, encoding the e proofreading 3′–5′-exonuclease, interacts with α but does not form a stable α·e complex, suggesting a need for a brace or bridging protein to tightly couple the polymerase and exonuclease in this system. Despite these differences to the E. coli system, the A. aeolicus proteins function to yield a robust replicase that retains significant activity at 90 °C. Similarities and differences between the A. aeolicus and E. coli pol III systems are discussed, as is application of thermostable pol III to biotechnology.
Vitrification of trehalose by water loss from its crystalline dihydrate

Trehalose dihydrate, on careful dehydration below its fusion point, retains its original crystal facets but becomes X-ray amorphous, an unusual example of direct crystal-to-glass transformation. From DSC studies, the glass obtained by this route seems to be of abnormally low enthalpy, but after an initial scan, the normal form of glass transition is exhibited, withTg=115‡C, a higher value than previously reported. We give a preliminary thermal and mechanical characterization of this material and find it to be a very fragile liquid. The highTg is shown to rationalize the exceptionally high water content of the trehalose+water solution that vitrifies at ambient temperature (i.e.Tg=298 K), and hence helps explain its use by Nature as a desiccation protectant. The spontaneous vitrification of crystalline materials during desolvation is related to the phenomenology of pressure-induced or decompression-induced vitrification of crystals via the concept of limiting metastability.
Estimating Spect Count Densities, Scatter Fractions, and Statistical Noise

To provide a quantitative understanding for the interdependence of radiopharmaceutical uptake, detector efficiency, and reconstruction parameters on SPECT statistical accuracy, a unified approach to estimating %rms noise has been developed. The procedure consists of the following steps: 1) Determine an acceptable geometric model for the organ system including radionuclide concentration Qs. 2) Select desired transverse and axial resolutions. 3) Select an acceptable imaging time Tscan. 4) Compute the total number Nt of expected gamma photons in slice using: Nt = ?·Rs·Reff·Lslice·Qs·?·Tscan·Abody where ? is the detection efficiency (measured in air for a point source), Rs is the physical source radius, Reff is the reduced source radius resulting from self-absorption, Lslice is the slice thickness, and Abody is the attenuation factor of surrounding body tissue. 5) Compute the %rms noise using an equation that includes the effects of spatial filtering and attenuation compensation. Values of Nt and %rms noise predicted by the model are compared with experimental data obtained with one research and four commercial SPECT systems. An expression is derived to estimate the average scatter fraction SFavg for cylindrical sources embedded within a surrounding attenuating medium. SFavg is calculated as a function of source radius and effective attenuation coefficient, and the results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations. The results indicate that the mathematical model is useful in evaluating SPECT performance, providing guidance in the selection of acquisition and reconstruction parameters, improving SPECT quantification, and estimating the usefulness of proposed SPECT radiopharmaceuticals.
Relationship of Chronic Pain and Opioid Use with Respiratory Disturbance during Sleep

This research assessed: 1) whether patients thought to have sleep disordered breathing would have more severe symptoms if they were taking opioids; 2) whether severity of sleep disordered breathing was associated with class or dose of opioid; and 3) whether pain intensity was associated with sleep disordered breathing. A descriptive cross-sectional study of patients referred for assessment of sleep disorders was conducted. Data were collected on a total of 419 subjects (no pain [n = 171], chronic pain without opioid treatment [n = 187], and chronic pain with opioid treatment [n = 61]). The findings suggest that regardless of opioid drug or dose, the management of chronic pain with opioids is not likely to exacerbate obstructive sleep apnea at stable doses. However, central sleep apnea was associated with opioid use. Patients with chronic pain taking opioids had a mean of 5 ± 13 central apneic events per hour compared with 1.6 ± 7 events per hour in patients without pain and not taking opioids. Oxygen saturation mean nadir 83.5% (opioid group) versus 82.9% (no pain, pain without opioid) was not significantly different. The clinical relevance of the effect is unknown, so the potential for marginal respiratory disturbance (an increase of 2.8 central events per hour for every 100 mg morphine-equivalent opioid dose) must be weighed against the therapeutic value of pain management with opioids.
L2 pragmatic development in study abroad: A longitudinal study of Spanish service encounters

Abstract The present study examines L2 pragmatic development in study abroad, reporting on longitudinal research of service encounters recorded in situ between L2 learners of Spanish and local Spanish service providers in Toledo, Spain. The participants in the study were seven U.S. students who studied abroad for one semester in Spain. The data consist of naturalistic audio recordings that participants made of themselves while visiting local shops, banks, and other establishments. The study was longitudinal with recordings made at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester by each student, for a total of 113 recordings. Additional data included students’ weekly journals and interviews with participants. The analysis focuses on openings and requests and examines the ways in which students’ pragmatic choices shifted over time, considering the role of language socialization and explicit instruction in pragmatics in that development.
Polyamines and Polyamine Biosynthesis in Cells Exposed to Hyperthermia

The issue of how polyamines act to sensitize cultured cells to the lethal effects of hyperthermia was investigated using Chinese hamster cells which were induced to express thermotolerance. Intracellular levels of these naturally occurring polycations were manipulated in certain situations by treating whole cells with methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of the S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylases. Exogenous spermine as low as 100 ..mu..M in the culture media dramatically sensitized cells expressing thermotolerance to the lethal effects of subsequent 42/sup 0/C exposures. When thermotolerance was differentially induced in cultures exposed to 42.4/sup 0/C by varying the rate of heating from 37 to 42.4/sup 0/C, the most resistant cells and the highest levels of intracellular spermidine and spermine. This finding was explainable in part by the observation that the putrescine-dependent S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase activity was minimally affected in cells expressng the greatest degree of thermotolerance. When this enzyme activity was inhibited by drug, lowered intracellular polyamine levels did not correspond with subsequent survival responses to heat. Interestingly, cultures treated with methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) 24 hr previous to heat exposure showed a reduced capacity to express rate of heating-induced thermotolerance. Together, these results demonstrate that the polyamines, especially spermidine and spermine, enhance hyperthermia-induced cell killing by some mechanismmore » involving the plasma membrane. Further, our data suggest that methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) can act to affect thermal responses by a mechanism(s) other than modification of intracellular polyamine levels.« less
SIMPLIFIED FORMULAS FOR STANDARD ERRORS IN MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD FACTOR ANALYSIS

Standard errors for maximum likelihood estimates of factor loadings are expressed in terms of the inverse of an augmented information matrix. This formulation arises naturally by viewing the problem as one in constrained maximum likelihood estimation. The constraints correspond to the form of rotation used. Results are given for canonical rotation and analytic rotations in the orthomax family.
Amino-aromatic interactions in proteins

Geometric analysis of 33 refined high-resolution protein crystal structures (2 A or higher) demonstrates that side-chain amino groups interact with aromatic side chains. Positively charged or δ(+) amino groups of lysine, arginine, asparagine, glutamine and histidine are preferentially located within 6 A of the ring centroids of phenylalanine, tyrosine and trytophan, where they make van der Waals' contact with the δ(−) π-electrons and avoid the δ(+) ring edge. This geometric pattern is different from the distribution expected due to random close packing of side chains in a protein. It is opposite to oxygen- and sulfur-aromatic interactions, similar to aromatic-aromatic interactions, and almost certainly electrostatic in origin.
Forms and Pathology of Drinking in Three Polynesian Societies1

1 No exact figures exist on the comparative rates of alcoholism among agringados and conservative Mexican-Americans. Police, parole, and probation officers interviewed, however, all agree that alcoholism is far more common among the agringados than among the conservatives. My own observations among informants and in police courts further substantiate the concept that alcoholism increases with accelerated acculturation but incompleted assimilation. 2 Active field work of the Hidalgo Project on Differential Culture Change and Mental Health continued from 1957 to 1961. The staff consisted of: Antonieta Espejo, Albino Fantini, William Madsen (director), Octavio Romano, Arthur Rubel. The research was sponsored and financed by the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, the University of Texas. 3 Unpublished research of Jack O. Waddell, University of Texas.
Yeast Homologues of Tomosyn and lethal giant larvae Function in Exocytosis and Are Associated with the Plasma Membrane Snare, Sec9

We have identified a pair of related yeast proteins, Sro7p and Sro77p, based on their ability to bind to the plasma membrane SNARE (SNARE) protein, Sec9p. These proteins show significant similarity to the Drosophila tumor suppressor, lethal giant larvae and to the neuronal syntaxin–binding protein, tomosyn. SRO7 and SRO77 have redundant functions as loss of both gene products leads to a severe cold-sensitive growth defect that correlates with a severe defect in exocytosis. We show that similar to Sec9, Sro7/77 functions in the docking and fusion of post-Golgi vesicles with the plasma membrane. In contrast to a previous report, we see no defect in actin polarity under conditions where we see a dramatic effect on secretion. This demonstrates that the primary function of Sro7/77, and likely all members of the lethal giant larvae family, is in exocytosis rather than in regulating the actin cytoskeleton. Analysis of the association of Sro7p and Sec9p demonstrates that Sro7p directly interacts with Sec9p both in the cytosol and in the plasma membrane and can associate with Sec9p in the context of a SNAP receptor complex. Genetic analysis suggests that Sro7 and Sec9 function together in a pathway downstream of the Rho3 GTPase. Taken together, our studies suggest that members of the lethal giant larvae/tomosyn/Sro7 family play an important role in polarized exocytosis by regulating SNARE function on the plasma membrane.
Analysis of photorefractive Fabry–Perot étalons: a novel device

We propose and analyze the properties of photorefractive Fabry–Perot etalons that consist of photorefractive crystal plates with high-reflectance coatings. Some new phenomena such as nonreciprocity, bandwidth narrowing, and broadening are presented.
Supernatant protein factor stimulates HMG-CoA reductase in cell culture and in vitro.

Abstract Supernatant protein factor (SPF) is a 46-kDa cytosolic protein that stimulates squalene monooxygenase in vitro and, unexpectedly, cholesterol synthesis in cell culture. Because squalene monooxygenase is not thought to be rate-limiting with regard to cholesterol synthesis, we investigated the possibility that SPF might stimulate other enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. Substitution of [ 14 C]mevalonate for [ 14 C]acetate in McARH7777 hepatoma cells expressing SPF reduced the 1.8-fold increase in cholesterol synthesis by half, suggesting that SPF acted on or prior to mevalonate synthesis. This conclusion was supported by the finding that substitution with [ 14 C]mevalonate completely blocked an SPF-induced increase in squalene synthesis. Evaluation of 2,3-oxidosqualene synthesis from [ 14 C]mevalonate demonstrated that SPF also stimulated squalene monooxygenase (1.3-fold) in hepatoma cells. Immunoblot analysis showed that SPF did not increase HMG-CoA reductase or squalene monooxygenase enzyme levels, indicating a direct effect on enzyme activity. Addition of purified recombinant SPF to rat liver microsomes stimulated HMG-CoA reductase by about 1.5-fold, and the SPF-concentration/activation curve paralleled that for the SPF-mediated stimulation of squalene monooxygenase. These results reveal that SPF directly stimulates HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting step of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, as well as squalene monooxygenase, and suggest a new means by which cholesterol synthesis can be rapidly modulated in response to hormonal and environmental signals.
The Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Tuned-Mass Damper for Suppression of Single-Mode Vibration Under Random and Harmonic Excitation

Whenever a tuned-mass damper is attached to a primary system, there is potential for utilization of motion of the absorber body in more than one degree of freedom relative to the primary system. In this paper, we propose that more than one mode of vibration of an absorber body relative to a primary system be tuned to a single natural frequency of the primary system. We cast the problem of optimizing the multi-degree-of-freedom connection between the absorber body and primary structure as a decentralized control problem, and develop optimization algorithms based on the H2 and H-infinity norms to minimize the response to random and harmonic excitations, respectively. We find that a two-DOF absorber can attain better performance than the optimal SDOF absorber, even for the case where the rotary inertia of the absorber tends to be zero. With properly chosen connection locations, the two-DOF absorber can achieve better vibration suppression than two separate absorbers of optimized mass distribution. We also find that a two-DOF absorber with negative dampers in some of the connections to the primary system can obtain much better performance than absorbers with only positive dampers.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Infrared spectra of high polymers. VI. Polystyrene

The infrared spectrum of polystyrene has been obtained in the region of 70 cm.−1 to 3200 cm.−1. These data, plus Raman scattering data from the literature, are used to make a complete assignment of the normal modes of the polystyrene molecule. The benzene ring modes have been analyzed in detail in terms of C2v symmetry, and a set of normal vibrations has been proposed. On the basis of previous analyses of the benzene and monosubstituted benzenes, and a study of the combination bands, it has been possible to make a fairly satisfactory assignment of all of the benzene ring fundamentals. Assignments of the CH2, CH, and skeletal modes are made on the basis of previous studies of spectra of high polymers. The interpretation of the spectrum is in agreement with other evidence that the chain configuration is a random one, i.e., that the polymer is amorphous.
CPC-037 Continuity of Care in Paediatric Patients: Prospective Study at Hospital Discharge

Background A variety of problems can occur at hospital discharge. Optimization of this multidisciplinary process is essential to ensure a high quality of care. Purpose To assess drug problems encountered by paediatric patients at hospital discharge; prospective clinical study. Materials and Methods Inclusion of French-speaking paediatric patients ( Semi-structured phone interview of parents (drug supply, knowledge of the treatment) at 72 hours Questionnaire for community pharmacists Results 109 patients were included (ED 64; MED 45). 88% were interviewed (ED 88%; MED 89%). 68% of questionnaires were returned to us (ED 59%; MED 89%). 79% of parents said they obtained all drugs immediately (ED 86%; MED 70%). The main reasons for not obtaining a drug were: drug not in stock (50% of cases; ED 38%; MED 58%), and not going to the pharmacy (20%; ED 25%; MED 17%). 65% obtained them later (ED 50%; MED 75%), of which 60% were obtained within a day (ED 38%; MED 50%). The total number of drugs prescribed was 241 (ED 124; MED 117). Global parents’ knowledge of treatment indications (71% of drugs; ED 65%; MED 87%), duration (52%; ED 31%; MED 73%), doses (71%; ED 56%; MED 87%), and frequencies (69%; ED 53%; MED 85%) were good. Pharmacy questionnaires showed similar results with drugs obtained immediately in 82% of cases (ED 89%; MED 61%).The main reasons for not obtaining drugs were: drug not in stock 48%, compounded drugs 24%, and parents’ refusal 10%. Results Compared to the emergency department, obtaining all the prescribed medicines was more difficult for patients leaving the medical ward but parents’ knowledge of the treatment seemed to be higher. Interventions to improve drug supply and knowledge of the treatment by parents will be implemented and evaluated. No conflict of interest.
Open systems architecture and commercial off the shelf technology applied to retrofit military display subsystems

This paper presents considerations and tradeoffs in using an Open Systems Architecture (OSA) and Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology to meet the needs of retrofit military avionics display systems applications. The issues that systems designers must consider when applying OSA/COTS to retrofit aircraft applications are listed and discussed. The role of OSA and COTS in modular avionics systems is also discussed. Choices available for OSA/COTS are reviewed for their impact on system performance and cost. The F-16 Advanced Display Processor (ADP) and Display Unit (DU) system are reviewed as an example of a modular open system COTS based aircraft display sub-system.
Adipose Stromal Cells Differentiate Along a Smooth Muscle Lineage Pathway upon Endothelial Cell Contact via Induction of Activin A

Rationale: Adipose stromal cells (ASC) are therapeutically potent progenitor cells that possess properties of pericytes. In vivo, ASC in combination with endothelial cells (EC) establish functional multilayer vessels, in which ASC form the outer vessel layer and differentiate into mural cells. Objective: To identify factors responsible for ASC differentiation toward the smooth muscle cell phenotype via interaction with EC. Methods and Results: An in vitro model of EC cocultivation with ASC was used, in which EC organized into vascular cords, accompanied by ASC migration toward EC and upregulation of α-smooth muscle actin, SM22α, and calponin expression. Conditioned media from EC–ASC, but not from EC cultures, induced smooth muscle cell protein expression in ASC monocultures. EC–ASC cocultivation induced marked accumulation of activin A but not transforming growth factor-β1 in conditioned media. This was attributed to induction of activin A expression in ASC on contact with EC. Although transforming growth factor-β and activin A were individually sufficient to initiate expression of smooth muscle cell antigens in ASC, only activin A IgG blocked the effect of EC–ASC conditioned media. Although transforming growth factor-β was able to induce activin A expression in ASC, in cocultures this induction was transforming growth factor-β independent. In EC–ASC cocultures, activin A IgG or ALK4/5/7 receptor inhibitors blocked expression of α-smooth muscle actin in ASC in the absence of direct EC-cord contact, but this inhibition was circumvented in ASC by direct EC contact. Conclusions: EC initiate a smooth muscle cell differentiation program in adjacent ASC and propagate this differentiation in distant ASC by induction of activin A expression.
Prognostic Factors for Survival in Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (ED-SCLC): The Importance of Smoking History, Socioeconomic and Marital Statuses, and Ethnicity

Background: We investigated whether independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer such as ethnicity, smoking history, socioeconomic, and marital statuses are also applicable to extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). Methods: SCLC patients diagnosed from 1991 to 2005 from 3 Southern California counties were identified. Prognostic factors for ED-SCLC patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Of the 4782 SCLC patients analyzed, only 2.5% of the patients were never-smokers and 71.7% of patients presented with ED-SCLC. By multivariate analysis, a positive smoking status was a statistically significant poor prognostic factor for OS in ED-SCLC patients (versus never-smoker; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.310; p = 0.0125), in addition low socioeconomic status (SES) (from the lowest to the highest SES score; p trend = 0.0128) and being unmarried (versus married; HR=1.179; p p = 0.0076). Female gender was another independent favorable prognostic factor (versus male; HR=0.823; p Conclusions: A positive history of smoking, low SES, and being unmarried are independent unfavorable prognostic factors for OS in ED-SCLC while Asian ethnicity and female gender are independent favorable prognostic factors for OS in ED-SCLC by multivariate analysis.
Parallel Stochastic Global Optimization Using Radial Basis Functions

We develop a parallel implementation of a stochastic radial basis function (RBF) algorithm for global optimization by Regis and Shoemaker [Regis, R. G., C. A. Shoemaker. 2007a. A stochastic radial basis function method for the global optimization of expensive functions. INFORMS J. Comput.19(4) 497--509]. The proposed parallel algorithm is suitable for the global optimization of computationally expensive objective functions and does not require derivatives. Each iteration of the algorithm consists of building an RBF model to approximate the expensive function and using this model to select multiple points for simultaneous function evaluation on multiple processors. The function evaluation points are selected from a set of random candidate points according to two criteria: estimated function value based on the RBF model, and minimum distance from previously evaluated points and previously selected points within each iteration. We compare the performance of our parallel stochastic RBF algorithm against alternative parallel global optimization methods, including two multistart parallel finite-difference quasi-Newton methods, a multistart implementation of Asynchronous Parallel Pattern Search [Hough, P., T. G. Kolda, V. J. Torczon. 2001. Asynchronous parallel pattern search for nonlinear optimization. SIAM J. Sci. Comput.23(1) 134--156], a parallel implementation of Probabilistic Global Search Lausanne [Raphael, B., I. F. C. Smith. 2003. A direct stochastic algorithm for global search. Appl. Math. Comput.146 729--758], a parallel evolutionary algorithm, and a deterministic parallel RBF algorithm by Regis and Shoemaker [Regis, R. G., C. A. Shoemaker. 2007c. Parallel radial basis function methods for the global optimization of expensive functions. Eur. J. Oper. Res.182(2) 514--535]. We report good results for our parallel stochastic RBF method when using one, four, or eight processors in comparison with the alternatives on 20 test problems and on 3 optimization problems involving groundwater bioremediation.
A hybrid control system design and implementation for a three tank testbed

This paper discusses methodologies for designing limited lookahead supervisory controllers for a class of embedded systems that can be modeled as switching hybrid system (SHS). In the limited lookahead control approach, a limited forward horizon of possible behaviors is explored at each time step. The controller uses a cost function to determine the immediate action that moves the system toward the "best" state on the horizon. We discuss the controller design and implementation for a three-tank system test-bed with distributed sensor and actuation units. A set of real-time fault adaptive control experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach
Discussion of “utility and drawbacks of traditional approaches”

I have three comments on the topics which were touched upon this morning by other people concerning the predictive power of closure and other models. I think the situation is slightly better than suggested by various people. There is one particularly good success. You know that the inverse cascade which takes place in twodimensional incompressible flow turbulence was predicted first on the basis of absolute equilibrium models, and DIA and DIA-related models by Bob Kraichnan [1], and before there was any serious evidence that it existed. The evidence came later in numerical form [2,3,4]. I'm sure one can find other successful closure-based predictions but this one is especially prominent.
Compact modeling of interconnect and substrate coupling at GHz frequencies

Interconnect performance can be solved to within arbitrary accuracy by numerical electromagnetic (E/M) simulation, but it is a much more challenging task to translate these results into an accurate, fast and robust lumped element model compatible for circuit simulation. The schematic is first chosen to reflect the physics as much as possible; and this helps to minimize the functional complexity of the lumped element values (parasitics). Nevertheless the parasitics still display frequency-dependences that should not be ignored. The models must be very robust to deal with the extremes of layout variations such as coupling between two metal lines that may be distant or may overlap or cross if they are on different layers. Some of the coupling parasitics can be determined with a 2-dimensional approach; but at the other extreme, substrate coupling requires a full 3-dimensional treatment. Attention must also be given to the circuit configuration of coupled lines: If each line provides the return path for the other, the current density concentrates toward the edge of the lines closest to the opposite line-significantly affecting the resistances and inductances at these frequencies. Finally there are the substrate doping and trench options that are useful depending on the situation, and these should also be modeled. A tool was developed (named HIPER) that calculates the lumped element values. HIPER is also used to calculate interactions with bond-pads (very short and fat lines) and with spiral inductors. Most models for spiral inductors assume a nearby ground, which is the case when they are measured-an assumption that can now be lifted.
Approach to Knee Injections: A Review of the Literature.

Many factors should be considered when managing a joint injection for an osteoarthritic knee. Along with the type of needle, medication to be injected, and how often the injections need to be done, the actual step-by-step procedure should be carefully considered. Studies have shown variability between medial vs. lateral approaches, and guidance by ultrasound or anatomical landmarks. The lateral midpatellar site was found to have a 93% accuracy compared to the anteromedial and anterolateral with only 75% and 71% accuracy, respectively (Strengthofrecommendation - SOR B)8. Ultrasound has been shown to increase accuracy rates as well, providing 95.8% injection accuracy for the knee joint compared to only 77.8% without using any imaging (p < 0.001)(SOR C)8. Cost effectiveness is another issue and revolves around whether the increased benefits outweigh the cost of ultrasound in knee injections. Studies show they do in the hospital setting, with spending at 58% less on overall procedures ($224) compared to conventional (anatomically guided) methods (p < 0.0001)(SOR B)10. The aim of this literature review is to discuss the most up-to-date material on knee injections and the approaches which: 1) have the most efficacy, 2) produce the least side effects, 3) have the easiest inter-physician reliability, and 4) are most cost effective. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative, and debilitating disease commonly found in old age. OA affects 13.9% of adults aged 25 and older and 33.6% of those greater than 65 years old in the US population. From 1990-2005, OA prevalence increased by almost 6 million people and will continue to increase given the aging U.S. population . 1 OA is characterized by deteriorated articular cartilage and osteophyte bone formation, commonly referred to as bone spurs, within the joint. In patient’s refractory to pain medication, osteopathic manipulation, and other conservative measures, physicians may offer injectable corticosteroids, analgesics, or hyaluronic acid preparations to help alleviate the pain. Physicians doing knee injections have varied accuracy and several techniques and methods have been experimented with in order to find the most precise and accurate technique for injection of the knee joint. This review will provide an up to date summary of the most recent research regarding knee injections, focusing on those with the greatest success in areas of pain reduction, duration of alleviation, cost, and accuracy of procedure.
RNA-seq reveals a diminished acclimation response to the combined effects of ocean acidification and elevated seawater temperature in Pagothenia borchgrevinki

Abstract Purpose The IPCC has reasserted the strong influence of anthropogenic CO2 contributions on global climate change and highlighted the polar-regions as highly vulnerable. With these predictions the cold adapted fauna endemic to the Southern Ocean, which is dominated by fishes of the sub-order Notothenioidei, will face considerable challenges in the near future. Recent physiological studies have demonstrated that the synergistic stressors of elevated temperature and ocean acidification have a considerable, although variable, impact on notothenioid fishes. The present study explored the transcriptomic response of Pagothenia borchgrevinki to increased temperatures and pCO2 after 7, 28 and 56 days of acclimation. We compared this response to short term studies assessing heat stress alone and foretell the potential impacts of these stressors on P. borchgrevinki's ability to survive a changing Southern Ocean. Results P. borchgrevinki did demonstrate a coordinated stress response to the dual-stressor condition, and even indicated that some level of inducible heat shock response may be conserved in this notothenioid species. However, the stress response of P. borchgrevinki was considerably less robust than that observed previously in the closely related notothenioid, Trematomus bernacchii, and varied considerably when compared across different acclimation time-points. Furthermore, the molecular response of these fish under multiple stressors displayed distinct differences compared to their response to short term heat stress alone. Conclusions When exposed to increased sea surface temperatures, combined with ocean acidification, P. borchgrevinki demonstrated a coordinated stress response that has already peaked by 7 days of acclimation and quickly diminished over time. However, this response is less dramatic than other closely related notothenioids under identical conditions, supporting previous research suggesting that this notothenioid species is less sensitive to environmental variation.
Electrostatic force distribution on an electrodynamic screen

Abstract The enormous potential of solar energy harvesting plants to provide clean energy is severely limited by dust accumulation on their optical surfaces. In lieu of the most commonly-practiced manual cleaning method of using high-pressure water jets, electrodynamic screen (EDS) technology offers an attractive solution for removing dust particles from optical surfaces using electrostatic forces. In this paper, the impacts of different EDS design parameters in the electric field distribution on an EDS have been studied. Furthermore, based on electric field expressions, closed-form solutions for multipolar dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces in the EDS application are provided. Detailed evaluation of the EDS performance necessitates investigation of different forces involved in the dust removal process. Different comparisons are made between repelling and attracting forces exerted on dust particles deposited on an EDS surface. These comparisons elucidate EDS performance in the removal of a given size range of dust particles. The significant detrimental impact of relative humidity upon the dust removal process is quantitatively addressed. It is shown how just a 10 percent increase in relative humidity can make the repelling force ineffective in the dust removal process.
Derived Equivalence Relations of Geometry Skills in Students with Autism: An Application of the PEAK-E Curriculum.

The present study evaluated the efficacy of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) as described in the PEAK-E curriculum (Dixon, 2015) for promoting the emergence of derived geometry skills in two children with high-functioning autism. The results suggested that direct training of shape name (A) to shape property (B) (i.e., A-B relations) was effective for both participants. Following A-B training, both participants demonstrated emergent relations that are consistent with symmetry (B-A), as well as emergent shape name (A) to shape picture (C) relations that are consistent with transitivity (A-C). The results expand on existing literature by demonstrating the emergence of an A-C relation when neither A nor B stimuli were ever trained to C stimuli and illustrate the efficacy of EBI for training geometry skills.
HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY AND CONTEMPORARY PATTERNS OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA VARIATION IN WHITE-TAILED DEER FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was used to characterize patterns of geographic variation among white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States. Fifteen restriction enzymes were employed to survey and map 99 restriction sites in 142 deer from 18 localities in five southeastern states. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three primary groups of haplotypes: (1) southern Florida and the Florida Keys, (2) the remainder of peninsular Florida northward to South Carolina, and (3) the Florida panhandle westward to Mississippi. Geographical heterogeneity in haplotype frequencies suggests that stochastic lineage sorting or isolation by distance are not important determinates of mtDNA differentiation among deer populations. The pattern of mtDNA variation in white-tailed deer is concordant spatially with those observed in unrelated taxa suggesting the common influence of historical biogeographic events. The data (1) support previous hypotheses that relate contemporary patterns of intraspecific phylogeography in northern Florida to the physiogeographic history of the region; and (2) suggest that genetic differentiation in southern Florida may be attributable to episodes of Pleistocene dispersal. Despite potentially high vagility and human intervention, ecological and demographic characteristics of deer have effectively preserved the historical pattern of intraspecific mtDNA differentiation.
An electrostatic theory to explain violent spore liberation by Drechslera turcica and other fungi.

SUMMARY Measurement of voltages associated with sporulating maize leaf lesions revealed electrical charges that appeared to relate to violent liberation of conidia. Under precisely controlled conditions (relative humidity, temperature, light and air flow) maize leaf lesions became electrically charged in saturated air. Violent release of conidia triggered by either decreasing the relative humidity (RH), increasing the RH or exposing specimens to redinfrared radiation, was accompanied by significant voltage changes. Similar electrical changes were associated with healthy maize leaves growing under greenhouse conditions. On the basis of these experiments and other evidence, it is proposed that violent liberation of spores involves an exogenous surface electrical phenomenon whereby spores, sporophores and surrounding surfaces become charged (like charges) during periods of high humidity and this initiates an electrostatic repulsion between spore and sporophore. Lowering of the RH causes the charge to become static and also causes a weakening of the juncture between spore and sporophore. When the anatomical bond is sufficiently weakened the juncture breaks and the electrostatic force propels the spore into the air. Surface charges appear to originate mainly from the surface electrical phenomena associated with evaporation and condensation of water, and also under certain conditions from rain. An exogenous electrostatic mechanism should apply to all fungi having exposed nonmucilaginous spores (conidia, sporangia and basidiospores) borne on sporophores with a constriction between spore and sporophore, or between spores when in chains.