cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Concept of biosimilar products in Jordan

After the expiration of patents on originator biological products, Jordanian local manufacturers and the agents of international pharmaceutical companies in Jordan started to submit registration dossiers for biosimilar products. The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) is the national regulatory authority responsible for the registration of biosimilar products. Biosimilars are registered under the same regulations used for drugs until specific guidelines for registration of biological and biosimilar products are released. Those regulations are called Criteria of Registration of Drugs, Vaccines, Sera and Biological Products, the Renewal of its Registration and the Cancellation of Any of them which was published in the official gazette in 2004 under the Provisional Law Number 80 of the year 2001, Drug and Pharmacy Law and its amendments of the year 2003. Also, the JFDA follows the EMA guidelines on similar biological medicinal products for specific active biological substances for non-clinical and clinical studies requirements and the EMA guideline on similar biological medicinal products containing biotechnology-derived proteins as active substance: quality issues. A post marketing surveillance study is requested after a biosimilar product is authorized. The JFDA keeps pace with all advances in the regulatory issues related to biosimilars in order to be capable of authorizing biosimilar products with a safe, effective and good quality profile.
Submicron carbon filament cement-matrix composites for electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract Carbon filaments of diameter 0.1 mm were found to be a much more effective additive than conventional carbon fibers of diameter 10 mm in providing cement pastes capable of electromagnetic interference shielding. With 0.54 vol.% filaments and a shield thickness of 4 mm, a shielding effectiveness of 30 dB was attained at 1–2 GHz. However, the filaments were less effective than the fibers for reinforcing and for providing strain sensing cement-matrix composites.
Massive Abdominal Wall Hemorrhage from Injury to the Inferior Epigastric Artery: A Retrospective Review

Purpose To identify the etiology of inferior epigastric artery injury (IEAI) in patients referred to the interventional radiology service and determine the efficacy of diagnostic imaging and embolization in these patients. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of patients referred to the interventional radiology departments at three university-affiliated hospitals from 1995 through 2007 was performed. Patients were identified and data were extracted from case log books and the electronic medical record. Results Twenty IEAIs were identified in 19 patients. The etiology of arterial injury was paracentesis in eight (40%), surgical trauma in three (15%), percutaneous drain placement in three (15%), blunt trauma in two (10%), subcutaneous injection in one (5%), stabbing in one (5%), and unknown in two (10%). Fifteen of 19 patients (79%) had an underlying coagulopathy. The diagnosis was confirmed by contrast medium–enhanced computed tomography (CT) in 14 (70%), tagged red blood cell scan in two (10%), and noncontrast CT in one (5%). Three patients (15%) had no diagnostic imaging. Contrast medium–enhanced CT showed active extravasation in nine of 14 patients (64%) and 13 of 14 exhibited active extravasation on subsequent arteriography. The sensitivity and specificity of contrast medium–enhanced CT for demonstrating active arterial bleeding were 70% and 100%, respectively. All 20 IEAIs were treated with transcatheter embolization, with an overall success rate of 90% and no complications. Conclusions IEAI is most often an iatrogenic injury in a coagulopathic patient. Contrast medium–enhanced CT can be diagnostic for active bleeding, but in the setting of ongoing hemorrhage a negative study result should not preclude arteriography. Embolization is an effective means to control hemorrhage.
Unidirectional Cross-Activation of GRPR by MOR1D Uncouples Itch and Analgesia Induced by Opioids

Spinal opioid-induced itch, a prevalent side effect of pain management, has been proposed to result from pain inhibition. We now report that the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) isoform MOR1D is essential for morphine-induced scratching (MIS), whereas the isoform MOR1 is required only for morphine-induced analgesia (MIA). MOR1D heterodimerizes with gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) in the spinal cord, relaying itch information. We show that morphine triggers internalization of both GRPR and MOR1D, whereas GRP specifically triggers GRPR internalization and morphine-independent scratching. Providing potential insight into opioid-induced itch prevention, we demonstrate that molecular and pharmacologic inhibition of PLCβ3 and IP3R3, downstream effectors of GRPR, specifically block MIS but not MIA. In addition, blocking MOR1D-GRPR association attenuates MIS but not MIA. Together, these data suggest that opioid-induced itch is an active process concomitant with but independent of opioid analgesia, occurring via the unidirectional cross-activation of GRPR signaling by MOR1D heterodimerization.
Sex determination from the acetabulum: test of a possible non-population-specific discriminant function equation.

Abstract In a recent study of pelvic dimorphism, Steyn and Patriquin 1 demonstrated that sex classification accuracies for a combined sample of South African blacks, South African whites, and Greeks living on Crete, differed very little from those obtained separately for the three groups. These results suggest that population-specific formulae may be unnecessary when using pelvic dimensions to discriminate sex, and according to the authors, the formulae derived in their study from a large and ethnically diverse sample should provide reliable standards for determining sex in a variety of populations. The purpose of the present study was to assess the accuracy of the discriminant function equation for acetabular diameter published by the aforementioned authors on a documented skeletal sample from France. The overall allocation accuracy obtained utilizing the pooled-group equation (84.1%) did not differ appreciably from that achieved using a sample-specific formula developed from the French dataset employed in this study (85.4%). This result is of practical importance to forensic anthropologists working in France, and elsewhere, particularly in situations where there is some question as to the population affinity of the skeletal remains. Future studies should continue to combine pelvic and non-pelvic data from disparate populations, to develop additional osteometric standards for discriminating sex with high accuracy across human groups.
The Effects of Social Influence on Perceptual and Affective Reactions to Scenes of Sexual Violence1

In 2 experiments, we examined the effect of social influence (discussion and modeling) on men's and women's perceptual and affective reactions to a sexually violent film scene depicting gang rape. In Experiment 1, women who discussed the film rated the perpetrators as more responsible compared to participants in all other conditions. Men who did not discuss the film reported higher levels of positive affect compared to participants in all other conditions. In Experiment 2, men and women were affected by the social influence manipulation similarly. As predicted, participants differed in their attributions of responsibility depending on a confederate's response to the film scene. Participants who heard a confederate say that the men in the film were responsible for the rape rated these men as relatively more responsible than did participants in a neutral confederate condition or in a condition in which the confederate said that the woman in the film was responsible for the rape.
Copper precipitation in cobalt-alloyed precipitation-hardened stainless steel

The influence of cobalt addition on precipitation of copper in a high-strength stainless steel was investigated using three-dimensional atom probe tomography. A decrease in copper precipitate size with narrowed distribution was observed in cobalt-containing steel. The concentration profile across the precipitate–matrix interface indicated rejection of cobalt atoms from the copper precipitates. This behavior was explained with first-principles calculations using energy-minimization criterion.
The Use of Damping to Mitigate Violent Snap-Through of Bistable Systems

The energy release associated with the snap-through phenomena when bistable systems transition from one stable equilibrium state to another leads to large transient oscillations which may often be unacceptable in morphing and other applications. This study, based on a bistable von-Mises truss, considers the role of damping in mitigating the transient oscillations as well as its impact on the snap-through behavior. The study also examines the energy transfer from potential to kinetic energy, and its dissipation, to understand the effect of load duration and amplitude on the behavior of bistable systems. The addition of damping was shown not to change the nature of whether or not the system will exhibit bistability. Increasing levels of damping result in the quicker decay of transient oscillations and settling of the system in the second equilibrium position, but also increase the time duration required for the system to snap-through. Damping levels in the range of 10–20% appear to result in a quick decay of the transient oscillations without causing the snap-through to become too sluggish. If the applied load is removed very quickly after snap-through there is still sufficient energy in the system to jump the energy barrier between the two equilibrium conditions and the system could settle in either position. Maintaining the load for a slightly longer duration allows the energy to dissipate (due to damping in the system), and the system is then unable to jump the energy barrier and remains in the second stable state. The applied load level determines the maximum amount of energy in the system, irrespective of how long the load is maintained. Increasing the applied load level results in additional energy in the system appearing as kinetic energy.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Microtubule-associated protein function: lessons from expression in Spodoptera frugiperda cells.

The phenotypes induced by the expression of neuronal microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) in Sf9 cells have provided data on the in situ function of these proteins. Both MAP2 and tau can induce long processes in Sf9 cells, and the processes contain bundles of microtubules. In both cases the microtubules are aligned with their plus ends distal. Tau expression usually induces a single process that is unbranched and of uniform caliber. Processes can form even when the cells are grown in suspension. Microtubules do not extend all the way to the tip; instead the terminal region contains an actin-rich meshwork. Taxol treatment of Sf9 cells also induces the assembly of microtubules into bundles but does not induce process formation in Sf9 cells. Therefore the in vitro properties of tau as a molecule capable of assembling, stabilizing, and bundling microtubules do not fully account for the in vivo ability of tau alone to transduce microtubule assembly into a change in cell shape. The morphological features of the processes induced by MAP2 differ in highly informative ways. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Planck's Principle.

Two views about the Darwinian revolution are tested: that nearly all scientists in Great Britain had been converted to a belief in the evolution of species within 10 years after the publication of the Origin of Species, and that younger scientists were converted much more rapidly than older scientists. Both views are shown to be less than accurate.
Cephalometric evaluation of patients with dentofacial disharmonies requiring surgical correction.

Summary Dental casts, used alone, are insufficient for the diagnosis and treatment planning of dentofacial disharmonies, because the casts only demonstrate occlusal relationships of teeth. Cephalometric analysis is an indispensable tool, to be used in conjunction with clinical examination, dental casts, diagnostic set-ups, etc., to provide necessary information about skeletal and tooth-jaw relationships.11 Although numerous cephalometric analyses are available in the literature, all were specifically designed for either orthodontic or research purposes.6, 12, 13 For the surgeon, neither a complicated analysis nor an expensive cephalostat is necessary, if basic concepts are understood. The principle of natural head position provides a way to get usable head films with x-ray equipment found in the dental office. Simple measurements can provide insights into the nature of dentofacial relationships. Coordination of orthodontic and surgical efforts will significantly improve the final results.
Improving Low-Income Teen Health Behaviors with Internet-Linked Clinic Interventions

An exploratory study was conducted to determine if: (1) web-linked computer interventions can help low-income minority teens maintain or increase condom use; (2) directed use of computers for health purposes during clinic waiting room time is more helpful than is self-generated computer use. Teen clinics were randomly assigned to treatment and comparison conditions. Teens attending treatment clinics were directed to view one of two very brief condom-promoting PowerPoint presentations linked to teen-friendly health websites. Teens attending comparison clinics were allowed to use the computers for whatever purposes they chose. Treatment teens returning for follow-up appointments 3–6 months later knew more of the relevant information and were more likely to have “always” used condoms than comparison teens who did not have directed guidance in using the computers. This study suggests that to achieve meaningful outcome-based health education using computers and the Internet in clinics serving low-income minority youth, directed learning is likely to be more efficacious than unguided exploration or general use. Indeed, directed learning using technology may help reduce some of the health disparities experienced by low-income minority youth by increasing protective behaviors. Further research on this approach is merited.
Abstract B02: Promotores advancing knowledge and participation in cancer research studies.

Background and Purpose: Less than three percent of all adult cancer patients participate in cancer research studies. Participation is even lower for patients from underserved Latino populations. Community Health Workers (Promotores de Salud) have been shown to improve minority participation in clinical research and access to care. The objective is to describe the development and implementation of a theory-based, language and literacy appropriate training program to advance awareness and interest in cancer research studies among Latinos. Our central hypothesis is that a culturally sensitive, language and literacy appropriate program will improve a) knowledge about cancer research studies and b) attitudes regarding participation. Study Design: The study was carried out in three phases: 1) Building an infrastructure for a commu nity based participatory research program; 2) Training promotores utilizing a community-based curriculum; and 3) Using Paulo Freire's education model, we designed and implemented a cancer 101 and a cancer research studies training program. Prior to the training, Latino community members completed a pre-assessment that included demographic, socio-economic information, and open ended questions about cancer topics and cancer research studies. Results: A total of 27 Promotores enrolled in the training program and 22 (81.48%) completed the three sessions. At the end of the training session, 92% believed that it was very important for community members to learn about cancer research studies and 85% felt comfortable talking about cancer research studies in their communities. Impact: Our study demonstrated the feasibility of recruiting and engaging promotores to improve community knowledge of cancer research studies and attitudes regarding participation in cancer research studies. This initial step will inform the development of future community-based interventions. Citation Format: Ana Paula Cupertino, Johana Bravo De los Rios, Mercedes Saint-Elin. Promotores advancing knowledge and participation in cancer research studies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2012 Oct 27-30; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B02.
Mechanical Properties of Surgical Glues Used in Aortic Root Replacement

Background Surgical glues are used in mechanical, stentless bioprosthetic, and homograft aortic root replacements to seal and reinforce anastomotic suture lines. The aortic root normally undergoes substantial physiologic dilation and may be affected by the stiffness of applied sealants. We determined the material properties of four common commercial glues, comparing them with known properties of aortic root replacements. Methods Samples of BioGlue (CryoLife, Inc, Kennesaw, GA), CoSeal (Baxter Healthcare International, Palo Alto, CA), Tisseel (Baxter Healthcare Corp, Glendale, CA), and Crosseal (OMRIX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc, New York, NY) sealants underwent biaxial tensile testing. A Hookean strain energy function was fit to the stress-strain response of each sample, and the Young's modulus was obtained for comparison of material stiffness. Results Sealants demonstrate a relatively linear response to loading; mean elastic moduli for BioGlue (3,122.04 ± 1,639.68 kPa), CoSeal (100.02 ± 67.60 kPa), Tisseel (102.59 ± 41.13 kPa), and Crosseal (53.56 ± 32.59 kPa) varied greatly. CoSeal and Tisseel have no significant difference in stiffness ( p = 0.897) while Crosseal is more compliant than Tisseel ( p = 0.004) and CoSeal ( p = 0.055). BioGlue is stiffer than CoSeal, Tisseel, and Crosseal ( p ω 0.001). Furthermore, BioGlue is much stiffer than cited properties of Dacron grafts, glutaraldehyde-fixed porcine roots, and human aortic tissue. However, CoSeal and Tisseel are much more compliant than the aortic root conduits. Conclusions BioGlue is much less compliant than the other sealants studied and materials available for aortic root replacement. A surgeon's choice of glue should be determined by stiffness as well as sealant efficacy. Sealants with greater stiffness than aortic root replacement material may restrict normal physiologic dilation and cause anastomotic strictures.
Immunohistochemical detection of p16INK4a in liquid‐based cytology specimens on cell block sections

BACKGROUND Colposcopy biopsy procedure is a standard recommendation for atypical squamous cell cannot exclude high-grade lesion (ASC-H) in abnormal Papanicolaou smears. p16 (p16INK4a), a cell cycle regulator, has been shown to be overexpressed in squamous dysplasia. To further improve the diagnostic accuracy of the ASC-H Papanicolaou smear and to reduce unnecessary procedures, the authors evaluated the utility of immunodetection of p16 in liquid-based cytology specimens on cell blocks. METHODS Seventy-five liquid-based (SurePath; TriPath Imaging, Inc. Burlington, NC) cytology specimens were prepared for cell blocks. Three groups (G1, G2, and G3) of cases were included: G1 comprised 44 cases of ASC-H; G2, 14 cases of high-grade dysplasia; and G3, 17 negative/reactive cases. All cases in G1 were confirmed by cervical biopsy or Digene Hybrid Capture 2 (Digene, Gaithersburg, Md) human papilloma virus (HPV) testing. Immunodetection for p16 was performed on cell blocks. RESULTS In G1, 26 of 44 (59%) cases showed squamous dysplasia, with 14 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) cases. Twenty-two of 28 (79%) p16-positive cases were confirmed by surgical biopsy or HPV testing, with a diagnostic sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 67%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 79%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 75%. Four cases with false-negative staining for p16 were identified. All 28 cases of HSIL (14 from G1 and 14 from G2) were positive for p16. CONCLUSIONS 1) p16 is a sensitive marker to confirm the diagnosis of ASC-H on a cell block; 2) Multiple unstained slides with adequate cellularity can be obtained from each cell block; and 3) Additional markers can be used to further increase diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Social welfare in the absence of national policy: the case of the medically indigent

This article describes the medically indigent population in the United States and the governmental care provided to this population. The level of care is a product of one's state of residence and generally is very inadequate. The situation is exacerbated by increasing competition among hospitals and the growing use of very sophisticated medical technology. A national health care solution appears unlikely because of the huge federal deficity and the continuing influence of governmental structure and ideology.
The Heart Failure Adherence and Retention Trial (HART): design and rationale.

Background Heart failure (HF) is increasing in prevalence and is associated with prolonged morbidity, repeat hospitalizations, and high costs. Drug therapies and lifestyle changes can reduce hospitalizations, but nonadherence is high, ranging from 30% to 80%. There is an urgent need to identify cost-effective ways to improve adherence and reduce hospitalizations. Trial Design The Heart Failure Adherence and Retention Trial (HART) evaluated the benefit of patient self-management (SM) skills training in combination with HF education, over HF education alone, on the composite end points of death/HF hospitalizations and death/all-cause hospitalizations in patients with mild to moderate systolic or diastolic dysfunction. Secondary end points included progression of HF, quality of life, adherence to drug and lifestyle regimens, and psychosocial function. The HART cohort was composed of 902 patients including 47% women, 40% minorities, and 23% with diastolic dysfunction. After a baseline examination, patients were randomized to SM or education control, received 18 treatment contacts over 1 year, annual follow-ups, and 3-month phone calls to assess primary end points. Self-management treatment was conducted in small groups and aimed to activate the patient to implement HF education through training in problem-solving and 5 SM skills. The education control received HF education in the mail followed by a phone call to check comprehension. Conclusions The significance of HART lies in its ability to determine the clinical value of activating the patient to collaborate in his or her care. Support for the trial hypotheses would encourage interdisciplinary HF treatment, drawing on an evidence base not only from medicine but also from behavioral medicine.
Serological Methods for the Assessment and Management of IgE-Mediated Diseases

induced suppressor activity. Cell. lmmunot. 69:101. 2. Beer, D. J., M. E. Osband, R. P. MeCaffrey, et al. ( 1981 ). Nonspecific suppressor cell function in atopic individuals. N. Engl. J. Med 306:454. 3. Beer, D., L. Rosenwasser, C. Dinarello, et al. (1982). Supernatants containing human leukocyte pyrogen replace the adherent cell requirement in human suppressor cell systems. J. Clin. Invest., 70:393. 4. Canoniea, G. W., M. C. Mingan, G. Melioli, et al. (1979). Imbalances of T cell subpopulations in patients with atopic diseases and effect of specific immunotherapy. J. Immunol. 123:2669. 5. Damle, N. K., and S. Gupta. (1981). Autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction in man. II. Histamine-induced suppression of the autologous mixed lymphocytc reaction by T cell subsets defined with monoclonal antibodies. J. Clin. Immunol. 1:241. 6. Lima, M., and R. E. Rocklin. ( 1981 ). Histamine modulates in vitro lgG production by human mononuclear cells. Cell. Immunol. 64:324. 7. Matloff, S. M., I. Kiselis, and R. E. Rocklin. (1983). Reduced production of histamine-induced suppressor factor (HSF) by atopic mononuclear cells and decreased prostaglandin Ee output by HSF-stimulated atopic monocytes. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 72:359.
The role of homoacetogenic bacteria as efficient hydrogen scavengers in microbial electrochemical cells (MXCs)

We evaluated the consumption of hydrogen gas at the anode of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) and characterized the significance of new interactions between anode respiring bacteria (ARB) and homo-acetogens. We demonstrated the significance of biofilm limitation for direct consumption of H 2 over acetate by ARB, using the deep biofilm model. Selective inhibition of the major competing hydrogen sink at the biofilm anode, methanogenesis, resulted in significant increase in electron recovery as electric current (∼10–12 A/m 2 ). The presence of acetate at high concentration in the anode compartment and detection of formate, a known intermediate of the acetyl-CoA pathway, provide evidence towards the role of homoacetogenic bacteria. We also assessed the activity of homoacetogens with reverse transcription quantitative PCR targeting formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS) transcripts, and observed a comparable decrease in the FTHFS transcript numbers with current density and acetate concentrations as we decreased the HRT below 4.5 h. The biofilm anode community was predominated by Deltaproteobacteria (70% of total readouts) along with a fraction of the homoacetogenic genus, Acetobacterium (4% of total readouts), established by pyrosequencing targeting the V6 region of the 16S rRNA. Homoacetogens seem to play a major role as syntrophic members of the biofilm anode community when electron recovery is high.
Impact of postmastectomy radiation on locoregional recurrence in breast cancer patients with 1-3 positive lymph nodes treated with modern systemic therapy.

Purpose Postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) remains controversial for patients with 1-3 positive lymph nodes (LN+). Methods and Materials We conducted a retrospective review of all 369 breast cancer patients with 1-3 LN+ who underwent mastectomy without neoadjuvant systemic therapy between 2000 and 2007 at Cleveland Clinic. Results We identified 271 patients with 1-3 LN+ who did not receive PMRT and 98 who did receive PMRT. The median follow-up time was 5.2 years, and the median number of LN dissected was 11. Of those not treated with PMRT, 79% received adjuvant chemotherapy (of whom 70% received a taxane), 79% received hormonal therapy, and 5% had no systemic therapy. Of the Her2/neu amplified tumors, 42% received trastuzumab. The 5-year rate of locoregional recurrence (LRR) was 8.9% without PMRT vs 0% with PMRT ( P =.004). For patients who did not receive PMRT, univariate analysis showed 6 risk factors significantly ( P 25% (HR 2.7), extracapsular extension (ECE) (HR 3.7), and Bloom-Richardson grade III (HR 3.1). The 5-year LRR rate was 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1%-6.8%] for patients with 0-1 risk factor vs 14.6% [95% CI, 8.4%-20.9%] for patients with ≥2 risk factors ( P =.0006), respectively. On multivariate analysis, ECE (HR 4.3, P =.0006) and grade III (HR 3.6, P =.004) remained significant risk factors for LRR. The 5-year LRR was 4.1% in patients with neither grade III nor ECE, 8.1% with either grade III or ECE, and 50.4% in patients with both grade III and ECE ( P P =.0004), respectively. Conclusions PMRT offers excellent control for patients with 1-3 LN+, with no locoregional failures to date. Patients with 1-3 LN+ who have grade III disease and/or ECE should be strongly considered for PMRT.
Enhanced compartmentalization of a complex reservoir with sub-seismic faults from geological inversion

Abstract Sealing faults are fundamental for delimitation of compartments in a reservoir and they are usually identified by geological interpretation of 3D seismic data which are limited to the resolution of seismic sections. Dynamic production data may suggest in some cases the existence of smaller faults or vertical discontinuities which may not be detected from seismic. It is reasonable to assume that, with increasing resolution of 3D seismic, large faults could be accurately identified while faults with strike slip or small throw may remain invisible to seismic. This paper proposes a geological inversion approach for modeling sub-seismic vertical discontinuities or faults using dynamic data. The methodology is based on a prior self-similar generation of faults which are geometrically downscaled from larger faults interpreted from seismic. Then, the approach follows an iterative inverse Gauss–Newton modeling technique to update fault size and location parameters based on the reservoir pressure response. The convergence criteria include comparing both the observed and model calculated shut-in bottom-hole pressure (SBHP) and flowing well head pressure (FWHP) until the squared differences between the observed and model calculated pressures diminish to a minimum. If the convergence criteria were not met, the fault pattern is modified and the geocellular grid is cut with updated faults to generate a new version of the faulted simulation model for the next iteration. As an alternative, commercial assisted history match (AHM) software can be utilized to expressively adjust fault locations in the simulation model to match the production history; however, such perturbations are not done at the geological level as in the proposed approach. Thus, the approach in this paper has the advantage of preserving the spatial and geological integrity of the geocellular model. In addition, the spatial consistency between the geological and simulation models is always guaranteed in the proposed approach.
An empirical analysis of cross-national economic growth, 1951-1980

Abstract Using pooled cross-section/time-series data on 113 countries, we investigate empirical regularities in post-war economic growth. We find that coefficient values vary widely across identifiable groups of countries, with evidence supporting the convergence hypothesis apparent only in the OECD country sample. Among other results, we find that the growth of government consumption is significantly negatively correlated with the economic growth in three of four subsamples, including the OECD, and that political repression is negatively correlated with growth in Africa and Central and South America.
Nanorice: a hybrid plasmonic nanostructure.

We have designed and fabricated a new hybrid nanoparticle that combines the intense local fields of nanorods with the highly tunable plasmon resonances of nanoshells. This dielectric core−metallic shell prolate spheroid nanoparticle bears a remarkable resemblance to a grain of rice, inspiring the name “nanorice”. This geometry possesses far greater structural tunability than either a nanorod or a nanoshell, along with much larger local field intensity enhancements and far greater sensitivity as a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) nanosensor than any dielectric−metal nanostructures reported previously. Invoking the plasmon hybridization picture allows us to understand the plasmon resonances of this geometry, as arising from a hybridization of the primitive plasmons of a solid spheroid and an ellipsoidal cavity inside a continuous metal.
Predictors of self-esteem variability

Self-esteem (SE) variability has been shown to prospectively predict symptoms of depression. We examined four potential contributors to SE variability (limited sources of self-esteem, defectiveness, negative generalization, and adverse events). College students with and without a history of depression symptoms completed ratings of current self-esteem and adverse events for 14 days. Adverse interpersonal events predicted SE variability, as did their interaction with defectiveness and with generalization. Generalization also contributed uniquely to the prediction of SE variability. More severe symptoms of past depression were associated with more defectiveness, negative generalization, adverse events, and SE variability. Results support J. E. Roberts and S. M. Monroe’s (1994) theoretical model of vulnerable self-esteem and depression and help to elucidate the process by which SE variability occurs.
Physical properties of purified human respiratory mucus glycoproteins: effects of sodium chloride concentration on the aggregation properties and shape.

The biophysical properties of purified native (nonreduced) mucus glycoproteins (mucins) isolated from lung mucus secretions of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and subjects with normal lungs were studied using the technique of light scattering. The effects of different NaCl concentrations and 6 M guanidine hydrochloride on the molecular size of mucins, their ability to form aggregates, and their shape were investigated. Under the concentration range studied (0.05-3.5 mg/ml), in buffered 0.03 and 0.01 M NaCl, the CF mucins had higher molecular weights (12.2 x 10(6) to 17.1 x 10(6) and 9.5 x 10(6) to 10.4 x 10(6), respectively) than those observed in buffered 0.15 M NaCl (4.3 x 10(6) to 6.6 x 10(6]. These results were interpreted in terms of CF mucins self-aggregating in buffered 0.03 and 0.01 M NaCl. In contrast, in the both buffered 0.3 and 0.15 M NaCl, the normal respiratory mucins had molecular weights of 6.3 x 10(6) to 8.6 x 10(6), thus suggesting the absence of normal mucin aggregation in buffered 0.03 M NaCl. In the presence of 6 M guanidine HCl both CF and normal mucins had molecular weights of about 5 x 10(6) and showed more extended structure (i.e., larger radius of gyration) than in the presence of 0.03 or 0.15 M NaCl. Studies of the relationship of the light scattering intensity with scattering angle showed that, under the above experimental conditions studied, both CF and normal respiratory mucins were polydisperse flexible coil-shaped molecules. The increased aggregation of CF mucins observed at lower salt concentrations may alter the viscoelastic properties of CF lung mucus secretions.
Design of hands for aerial manipulation: Actuator number and routing for grasping and perching

This paper examines aspects of robot hand performance specific to grasping and perching from an aerial vehicle and shows how various hand design parameters affect performance. Specifically, we consider hand performance when subject to external forces imparted to the hand from carrying a payload or from perching on a fixed item and explore the impact of design and grasp parameters including tendon routing/pulley ratio, object size, and palm size on the performance of both fully and underactuated designs. Our results show that underactuated designs utilizing a single actuator per finger are sufficient in all cases we studied, but that fully actuated designs can perform better for perching applications. Additionally, we find that increasing the palm width improves performance both when perching and grasping, and that a small distal/proximal pulley ratio is beneficial for payload carriage but counterproductive for perching. I. INTRODUCTION As aerial vehicles begin to take on increasingly greater roles in both civilian and military applications, physically interacting with the world through aerial manipulation is becoming possible. However, the challenges associated with grasping and manipulation from aerial vehicles are many: necessity for lightweight structures, prompting simplistic and efficient designs; low impedance and instability of the vehicle during flight, requiring and allowing relatively small contact force magnitudes and in only a few directions; and limited ability to orient an end-effector with respect to the vehicle, among others. The design of the hand for an aerial manipulator must take into account these challenges and limitations in order to allow for good performance. In this paper we discuss how the choice of the number of actuators, the routing of those to the links of a hand, and other factors such as palm width affect the ability of the hand to perform both payload carriage and perching tasks. While aerial manipulation platforms are becoming more prevalent, there have been few concerted efforts to investigate designs of grippers for these systems. Instead, most vehicles are equipped with simple manipulators or repurposed hands based on existing designs (1-9). Many of these systems have utilized underactuated hand designs because the benefits of underactuation, including adaptability, robustness, and lower hand complexity and mass. Although beneficial during all kinds of manipulation
Development of an Adult Sensory Processing Scale (ASPS)

This article describes the development of the Adult Sensory Processing Scale (ASPS), a sensory processing questionnaire for adults. The ASPS measures self-reported responses to input from distinct sensory systems and is intended to be sensitive to individual differences in the adult population. ASPS construction involved two phases: item development and instrument construction. During item development, content validity of 71 items was assessed by means of expert ratings. During instrument construction, items were evaluated using data from an online survey of 491 adults. Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis yielded an optimal solution of eight factors representing vestibular overresponsiveness, auditory overresponsiveness, visual overresponsiveness, social tactile overresponsiveness, proprioceptive seeking, general underresponsiveness, vestibular‐proprioceptive underresponsiveness affecting postural control, and vestibular overresponsiveness‐intolerance to movement. The final ASPS contains 39 items and demonstrates acceptable internal consistency, strong content validity, and adequate construct validity.
Introduction to Jebsen's paper

Brief comment on a 1921 paper by Jebsen. This work provides the first published proof of “Birkhoff's” theorem. The author, who seems to have been an undergraduate at the time (tragically, he died shortly afterwards) understood (as did many others) that Einstein's equations reduced considerably in a “minimal,” namely two-component, metric in a simple gauge such as Schwarzschild's; a good part of the paper is devoted to deriving this interval form. The originality of his work lies instead in showing that time-independence of the exterior Schwarzschild solution need not be assumed, but is a consequence of Einstein's equations. From a modern perspective, it is a bit surprising that this result was not found earlier: for example, Einstein studied the spherical solution in the linearized theory, whose kinship to Maxwell's might have suggested the obvious parallel to charge conservation. In current language, the theorem states gauge theories forbid monopole radiation because they have no helicity zero modes.
Using machine learning to blend human and robot controls for assisted wheelchair navigation

This work presents an algorithm for collaborative control of an assistive semi-autonomous wheelchair. Our approach is based on a statistical machine learning technique to learn task variability from demonstration examples. The algorithm has been developed in the context of shared-control powered wheelchairs that provide assistance to individuals with impairments that affect their control in challenging driving scenarios, like doorway navigation. We validate our algorithm within a simulation environment, and find that with relatively few demonstrations, our approach allows for safe traversal of the doorway while maintaining a high level of user control.
Economic analyses of genetic tests in personalized medicine: clinical utility first, then cost utility

Economic analyses of genetic tests in personalized medicine: clinical utility first, then cost utility
Vertebrobasilar Arterial Insufficiency with Dementia. Controlled Trials of Treatment with Betahistine Hydrochloride

: A double-blind cross-over study was made of the effects of betahistine hydrochloride in 50 patients who had symptoms and signs of vertebrobasilar insufficiency associated with dementia, confirmed by detailed neurologic and clinical investigation. They were treated for six weeks by oral administration of either betahistine-HCl (32 mg daily in four doses) or an identical-appearing placebo, and then for six weeks by these preparations in reverse order. Evaluations made initially and at six-week intervals included detailed assessment of neurologic functions rated according to a quantitative scale. A series of neuropsychologic tests was also given before and after each treatment period. Statistical analyses of neurologic and of psychologic status showed significant improvement with betahistine-HCl therapy, particularly with respect to verbal and nonverbal cognition, memory, language use, spatial construction, perceptual-motor coordination and perception. Measurements of regional and mean cerebral blood flow indicated a significant increase with betahistine therapy.
Immunological response to long‐term transport stress in mature horses and effects of adaptogenic dietary supplementation as an immunomodulator

Summary Reasons for performing study: Little information exists on the immunological effects of transport or the use of supplements to minimise transport stress. Objectives: To establish baseline ranges and evaluate immunophenotypic and functional changes associated with transport and a nutritional ‘adaptogen’ supplement. Methods: Horses received either supplement (n = 10) or placebos (n = 9) during the 30 day study. After 28 days in stalls, 12 horses (6 supplement; 6 placebo) were transported for 24 h, then unloaded and recovered. Venous blood samples were collected on Days 1, 14 and 28 to establish baselines, and on Days 28, 29 and 30 to examine changes during transport and recovery. Results: Transport prompted elevations (P<0.05) in cortisol concentration, neutrophil count and white blood cell counts, while lymphocyte subpopulation counts (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD21+) decreased (P<0.05). Normal phenotypic lymphocyte profiles returned within 24 h of recovery. Supplement effects on immunophenotype (CD21+ and CD8+) were observed in stabled horses (P<0.05), but not in transported horses. Conclusions: These results provide insights into the immunological mechanisms associated with long-term transport. Potential relevance: The existence of a small window of immunological uncertainty follows long-term transportation, enhancing the potential risk of infectious disease in susceptible individuals.
Perovskite-like rare earth gallium oxides prepared at atmospheric pressure☆

Abstract The rare earth gallium oxide perovskites, RGaO3, RSmEr, have been synthesized at normal pressure, quenched from temperatures exceeding 1650°C. Lattice constants of these and of newly prepared LaGaO3, PrGaO3 and NdGaO3 by solid state reaction have been measured. The c and a vs. atomic number plots are characteristic of the lanthanon contraction with cusps at gadolinium.
Review of advances in the thin layer chromatography of pesticides: 2012–2014

Publications reporting techniques and applications of thin layer chromatography (planar chromatography) for the separation, detection, qualitative, and quantitative determination, and preparative isolation of pesticides and their metabolites are reviewed for the period from November 1, 2012 to November 1, 2014. Analyses are described for a variety of sample types and pesticide classes. In addition to references on residue analysis, studies such as pesticide structure - retention relationships, identification and characterization of natural and synthesized pesticides, metabolism, bioactivity, degradation, soil mobility, and lipophilicity are covered.
Design considerations for the high-performance, power efficient electric racecar

The Energy Invitational is an annual competition hosted by the University of California, Irvine, in southern California in order to bring together high-school, college-, and OEM-level cars to compete in a one-hour endurance race on a limited allotment of fuel. Gamma is UC Irvine's all-electric entry car into the 2012 race. A number of BEV-specific concerns are addressed in order to make the vehicle competitive, the main focus of which is a torque bias system to allow for improved handling and cornering behavior. The current status of Gamma is as a testbed prototype used to assess the drivetrain and torque bias systems performance.
A patch-based cross masking model for natural images with detail loss and additive defects

Visual masking is an effect that contents of the image reduce the detectability of a given target signal hidden in the image. The effect of visual masking has found its application in numerous image processing and vision tasks. In the past few decades, numerous research has been conducted on visual masking based on models optimized for artificial targets placed upon unnatural masks. Over the years, there is a tendency to apply masking model to predict natural image quality and detection threshold of distortion presented in natural images. However, to our knowledge few studies have been conducted to understand the generalizability of masking model to different types of distortion presented in natural images. In this work, we measure the ability of natural image patches in masking three different types of distortion, and analyse the performance of conventional gain control model in predicting the distortion detection threshold. We then propose a new masking model, where detail loss and additive defects are modeled in two parallel vision channels and interact with each other via a cross masking mechanism. We show that the proposed cross masking model has better adaptability to various image structures and distortions in natural scenes.
Urinary Nitrogen and Vitamin E Status of Calves Fed Heat-Denatured Soluble Milk Proteins

Abstract Twenty male Holstein calves were assigned at 3 days of age across four dietary treatments. Treatments were whole milk and milk with 25%, 50%, and 75% of the soluble protein denatured. All diets were fed at 10% of body weight for 10 wk. Three 5-day nitrogen balance trials were conducted during the experiment. Chopped wheat straw was fed ad lib. Several basic nitrogenous compounds and zinc excretion were measured in urine samples. Packed cell volume and in vitro erythrocyte hemolysis were measured on whole blood samples. Vitamin E was measured on samples of plasma. Denatured proteins failed to change body weights, nitrogen balance, nitrogen retained, or nitrogen digested. All amounts of denatured protein increased packed cell volumes. Hemolysis of erythrocytes and vitamin E in plasma were not changed. Vitamin E in plasma was low. Denatured protein decreased daily excretion of urinary zinc. Denatured protein did not increase urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine, but it did decrease urinary excretion of 1-methylhistidine and increased an "unknown 4". Heat-denatured proteins had an effect on mineral metabolism and on nitrogen metabolism through excretion of a specific basic nitrogenous compound.
Theoretical study of the ionization potential of thymine : effect of adding conjugated functional groups.

Abstract The ionization potential of thymine functionalized at the C5 position with the truncated linker groups, –CHCHCO2CH3 and –CHCHCONHCH3, was examined using density functional theory. Results indicate that the addition of the carboxyl group to thymine lowers the adiabatic ionization potential by 0.4 eV. Further, modification of the carboxyl group by an amino group lowers the ionization potential by another 0.2 eV. The effect of solvation and base pairing with adenine on the modified thymine ionization energies was also investigated. The results provide evidence that linker groups can dampen the influence of adenine base pairing on thymine charge transfer.