cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spindle Dynamics during Meiosis in Drosophila Oocytes

Mature oocytes of Drosophila are arrested in metaphase of meiosis I. Upon activation by ovulation or fertilization, oocytes undergo a series of rapid changes that have not been directly visualized previously. We report here the use of the Nonclaret disjunctional (Ncd) microtubule motor protein fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) to monitor changes in the meiotic spindle of live oocytes after activation in vitro. Meiotic spindles of metaphase-arrested oocytes are relatively stable, however, meiotic spindles of in vitro–activated oocytes are highly dynamic: the spindles elongate, rotate around their long axis, and undergo an acute pivoting movement to reorient perpendicular to the oocyte surface. Many oocytes spontaneously complete the meiotic divisions, permitting visualization of progression from meiosis I to II. The movements of the spindle after oocyte activation provide new information about the dynamic changes in the spindle that occur upon re-entry into meiosis and completion of the meiotic divisions. Spindles in live oocytes mutant for a lossof-function ncd allele fused to gfp were also imaged. The genesis of spindle defects in the live mutant oocytes provides new insights into the mechanism of Ncd function in the spindle during the meiotic divisions.
A MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF PERMEABILITY ALTERATION AROUND WELLS

This paper presents an analytical solution of the permeability alteration problem around the wellbore. This alteration may be a permeability reduction due to drilling fluid invasion or mudcake formation around the wellbore. On the other hand, the alteration may be a permeability increase resulting from stimulation by acidizing the formation matrix around the well. This permeability discontinuity in a reservoir forms a composite reservoir system. With the composite model, both the degree and the radial extent of permeability alteration can be adequately predicted. The conventional skin concept is inadequate and physically unrealistic in most of these cases. This paper describes the application of an automatic weighted constrained least-squares parameter estimation technique and the analytical model for pressure transient analysis. The parameters of the composite reservoir system are determined from a match of the pressure transient data. The behaviour of the pressure transient in such composite systems is presented using the analytical solution.
Genetic Population Structure of Remnant Lake Sturgeon Populations in the Upper Great Lakes Basin

Abstract Populations of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens have undergone dramatic declines in abundance and distribution in the Great Lakes basin and are a species of conservation concern throughout their range. While information regarding the genetic population structure of this species is critical for the development of effective management plans, little information currently exists. We examined both microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation as a means of estimating population genetic diversity within, and the degree of spatial population structuring among, 11 remnant lake sturgeon populations in the upper Great Lakes basin. Multiple measures of genetic diversity were consistently high across populations and were not significantly correlated with estimates of current adult population size. Despite substantial population declines, life history characteristics, including longevity and iteroparity, appear to have buffered lake sturgeon populations from losses of genetic diversity. Significant...
Another Step Towards Celiac Screening

In 1888, Samuel Gee1 described a disorder of chronic maldigestion and malabsorption that affected individuals of all ages, particularly children 1 to 5 years of age, that he termed, “coeliac affection.” Although he did not know the exact cause, he aptly suspected that the treatment was some form of dietary restriction, with a reduced allowance of “farinaceous foods,” rich in starch or flour. More than a century later, we understand that celiac disease is an increasingly common disorder that occurs when genetically susceptible individuals are exposed to gluten, resulting in immune-mediated inflammation of the small bowel and a variety of clinical manifestations that need not be limited to the gastrointestinal tract. As recently as 30 years ago, the disorder was thought to be relatively uncommon. In the 1980s, discovery of celiac-related antibodies and their use in serologic screening led to the identification of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases. With current screening, the incidence approaches 1% of the general North American population, with higher frequencies … Address correspondence to Richard J. Noel, MD, PhD, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Duke University Medical Center 102375, Durham, NC 27710. E-mail: richard.noel{at}dm.duke.edu
LB-Index: A Multi-Resolution Index Structure for Images

In many domains, the similarity between two images depends on the spatial locations of their features. The earth movers distance (EMD), first proposed by Werman et al. [8], measures such similarity. It yields higher-quality image retrieval results than the Lp-norm, quadratic-form distance, and Jeffrey divergence [6], and has also been used for similarity search on contours [3], melodies [7], and graphs [2].
Behavior Rating Scales for Assessment of Emotional Disturbance: A Critical Review of Measurement Characteristics

This review provides an overview and critique of the design characteristics, technical properties, and validity evidence of behavior ratings scales focusing on measurement of the characteristics of emotional disturbance. Manuals and published research supporting nine parent and teacher rating scales were reviewed. These rating scales included the Behavior Evaluation Scale-2: Home Version (McCarney, 1994a); the Behavior Evaluation Scale-2: School Version (McCarney, 1994b); the Behavior Disorders Identification Scale, Second Edition: Home Version (McCarney & Arthaud, 2000a); the Behavior Disorders Identification Scale, Second Edition: School Version (McCarney & Arthaud, 2000b); the Devereux Behavior Rating Scale-School Form (Naglieri, LeBuffe, & Pfieffer, 1993); the Emotional and Behavior Problem Scale, Second Edition: Home Version (McCarney & Arthaud, 2001a); the Emotional and Behavior Problem Scale, Second Edition: School Version (McCarney & Arthaud, 2001b); the Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance (...
Prosocialness and Sequential Request Compliance Techniques: Limits to the Foot-in-the Door and the Door-in-the-Face?.

Although there is agreement that the prosocialness of the target request moderates the effectiveness of the foot‐in‐the‐door and the door‐in‐the‐face, there is controversy regarding the form of that effect. In this paper we report a test of competing explanations of the influence of prosocialness on the effects of the two sequential request techniques. The results indicated that prosocialness did influence compliance, but that it had no demonstrable impact on the operation of either of the sequential request techniques. Effects were also obtained for both of the sequential request techniques. Discussion focuses on reconciliation of these findings with previous summaries of the literature.
The Mexican Urban Household: Organizing for Self ‐Defense

The Mexican Urban Household: Organizing for Self -Defense. Henry A. Selby, Arthur D. Murphy, and Stephen A. Lorenzen, with Ignacio Cabrera, Aida Castaneda, and Ignacio Ruiz Love. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1990. 238 pp. $27.50 (cloth). ISBN 0–292–78521–6.
Incorporating Temperature Variations Into Transmission-Line Models

This paper discusses a transmission-line modeling approach that incorporates available ambient temperature information. Several proposed line modeling techniques are studied and include distributed and lumped parameter models. In order to capture the nonuniformity of line parameters caused by temperature gradients, a model with multiple nonuniform segments is also proposed. An automated tool has been developed to obtain appropriate line model segmentation and parameter values of each segment, given a set of temperature measurements and their locations along the line.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging in the study of experimental liver diseases

We are investigating potential noninvasive new strategies for the assessment of liver injury, steatosis, and hepatic tumor development. These techniques employ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and spectroscopy. Accordingly, several experimental animal models of liver injury and steatosis produced in rats by ethanol, azaserine, L-ethionine, carbon tetrachloride, and D-galactosamine. Ethanol and L-ethionine induce acute steatosis without necrosis, whereas azaserine, carbon tetrachloride, and D-galactosamine are known to produce steatosis with varying degrees of hepatic necrosis. Triglyceride content and protein spin relaxation times were measured. T1 values were analyzed by using an inversion recovery technique at eight different tau values (20 msec to 2.50 sec) and T2 by Carr-Purcell-Meibloom-Gill pulse sequences with 10 spin echoes (4-40 msec). We also performed NMR imaging studies on controls and ethanol-induced steatosis using a 60-MHz Technicare 8-cm bore superconducting system. Results of these experiments indicate that varying degrees of steatosis produce striking changes in T2 without inducing changes in T1, whereas necrosis superimposed on steatosis produces T1 changes as well. Thus, these NMR spectroscopy and imaging studies demonstrated that steatosis may be clearly defined in vitro and in vivo.
Ad Hoc mobility management with uniform quorum systems

A distributed mobility management scheme using a class of uniform quorum systems (UQS) is proposed for ad hoc networks. In the proposed scheme, location databases are stored in the network nodes themselves, which form a self-organizing virtual backbone within the flat network structure. The databases are dynamically organized into quorums, every two of which intersect at a constant number of databases. Upon location update or call arrival, a mobile's location information is written to or read from all the databases of a quorum, chosen in a nondeterministic manner. Compared with a conventional scheme [such as the use of home location register (HLR)] with fixed associations, this scheme is more suitable for ad hoc networks, where the connectivity of the nodes with the rest of the network can be intermittent and sporadic and the databases are relatively unstable. We introduce UQS, where the size of the quorum intersection is a design parameter that can be tuned to adapt to the traffic and mobility patterns of the network nodes. We propose the construction of UQS through the balanced incomplete block designs. The average cost, due to call loss and location updates using such systems, is analyzed in the presence of database disconnections. Based on the average cost, we investigate the tradeoff between the system reliability and the cost of location updates in the UQS scheme. The problem of optimizing the quorum size under different network traffic and mobility patterns is treated numerically. A dynamic and distributed HLR scheme, as a limiting case of the UQS, is also analyzed and shown to be suboptimal in general. It is also shown that partitioning of the network is sometimes necessary to reduce the cost of mobility management.
Effects of Soil Moisture, Physical, and Chemical Characteristics on Abiotic Nitric Oxide Production

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of soil water content, and other physical and chemical factors, on the abiotic component of nitric oxide (NO) production in laboratory studies using soils from agricultural fields in Minnesota, California, and Connecticut. In all soils, gross NO production decreased with increasing gravimetric water content (ϑ) in nitrite (NO 2 − )-amended sterilized soils. The rate coefficient describing nitrous acid (HNO2)-mediated NO production (kp) also decreased with increasing ϑ in both gamma-irradiated and autoclaved soils. Significant correlations were found between ln kp and several soil properties including: content of silt, clay, total carbon, total N, and extractable iron, and an estimate of the cation exchange capacity of the clay fraction. Multiple regression models incorporating these variables explained 85–93% of the variance in ln kp. The relationships obtained suggest that the mechanism of abiotic NO production is primarily mediated at the soil solution–surface interface. These findings provide consistent evidence of a previously unrecognized mechanism by which soil water content can affect NO production by mediating a chemical process. Application of a dynamic process model indicated that the simulated variation in NO emissions as a consequence of this effect is comparable to the variation observed in previous studies of NO emissions. Comparison of soils from two different long-term tillage studies also indicated that reduced pH in no-till systems may lead to greater NO emissions for a given level of NO 2 − accumulation. Overall, these results suggest that current views of controls over N oxide gas emissions may need to be revised to include abiotic reactions, in addition to microbial and physical processes, as yet another category of factors that is highly sensitive to soil water content.
Characterization of Opioid Receptors

This unit presents two convenient radioligand binding assay methods for opioid receptors. These are applicable to all three of the opioid receptors that have been cloned to date (the mu, kappa and delta receptors), and can be used with numerous commercially available radiolabeled ligands. Moreover, they can serve as reasonable starting points in the development of new assays. A method for determining the binding of radioligand to cloned opioid receptors expressed on the surface of cultured cells is detailed along with a similar method to study radioligand binding to receptors from tissue homogenates. Also included is a procedure for titrating inhibitors of opioid receptor-ligand binding, along with guidelines for analysis of the resulting data.
A Ras-mediated signal transduction pathway is involved in the control of sex myoblast migration in Caenorhabditis elegans

Sex myoblast migration in the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite represents a simple, genetically amenable model system for studying how cell migration is regulated during development. Two separable components of sex myoblast guidance have been described: a gonad-independent mechanism sufficient for the initial anterior migration to the mid-body region, and a gonad-dependent mechanism required for precise final positioning (J. H. Thomas, M. J. Stern and H. R. Horvitz (1990) Cell 62, 1041-1052). Here, we demonstrate a role for a Ras-mediated signal transduction pathway in controlling sex myoblast migration. Loss-of-function mutations in let-60 ras, ksr-1, lin-45 raf, let-537/mek-2 or sur-1/mpk-1 cause defects in sex myoblast final positions that resemble those seen in gonad-ablated animals, while constitutively active let-60 ras(G13E) trans-genes allow fairly precise positioning to occur in the absence of the gonad. A mosaic analysis demonstrated that let-60 ras is required within the sex myoblasts to control proper positioning. Our results suggest that gonadal signals normally stimulate let-60 ras activity in the sex myoblasts, thereby making them competent to sense or respond to positional cues that determine the precise endpoint of migration. let-60 ras may have additional roles in sex myoblast guidance as well. Finally, we have also investigated genetic interactions between let-60 ras and other genes important for sex myoblast migration, including egl-15, which encodes a fibroblast growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (D. L. DeVore, H. R. Horvitz and M. J. Stern (1995) Cell 83, 611-623). Since mutations reducing Ras pathway activity cause a different phenotype than those reducing egl-15 activity and since constitutive Ras activity only partially suppresses the migration defects of egl-15 mutants, we argue that let-60 ras and egl-15 do not act together in a single linear pathway.
Extended Sedation With Continuous Midazolam or Dexmedetomidine Infusion for Young Children Receiving 131 I-MIBG Radiopharmaceutical Therapy for Advanced Neuroblastoma.

BACKGROUND (131) I-MIBG is increasingly used for treating neuroblastoma; however, administration requires careful adherence to radiation safety guidelines. We describe our experience using continuous sedation to facilitate safe (131) I-MIBG therapy for young children. PROCEDURE Patients were included in this case series if they received continuous midazolam or dexmedetomidine infusion for sedation during (131) I-MIBG therapy from November 1, 2012, to October 1, 2014. Key outcomes included adequacy of sedation for both (131) I-MIBG infusion and the duration of radioactive isolation, as well as sedative-related toxicities. Additionally, nuclear medicine scans before and after (131) I-MIBG therapy were assessed using the Curie score. These scores were compared qualitatively between midazolam, dexmedetomidine, and control (no sedative infusion) groups. RESULTS Of the 13 patients receiving continuous sedation for (131) I-MIBG therapy, seven achieved adequate sedation with midazolam, five achieved adequate sedation with dexmedetomidine, one patient (1.6 years old) failed to achieve adequate sedation with either medication and did not receive (131) I-MIBG therapy. Sedation was generally well tolerated. Common side effects for dexmedetomidine infusion included hypotension and relative bradycardia. Both treatment and control groups had multiple patients with increased Curie scores post-(131) I-MIBG therapy. However, one patient in the midazolam group and two in the dexmedetomidine group had decreased Curie scores after (131) I-MIBG therapy, while none decreased in the control group. CONCLUSIONS Although we cannot exclude the possibility of some inhibition of (131) I-MIBG uptake by midazolam or dexmedetomidine, this case series suggests that continuous infusions of either agent can provide effective sedation to allow safe administration of (131) I-MIBG to young patients.
The Future of Shared Governance

Healthy shared governance is foundational for a healthy university but few governing board members, administrators, or faculty members understand what shared governance is. Healthy shared governance is inextricably linked to the knowledge - creation mission of both the university and the academic profession, academic freedom, peer review, and faculty professionalism. The reason so few among the key stakeholder groups involved in shared governance understand these relationships is that higher education has failed to provide education on these topics to the stakeholder groups. This article defines healthy shared governance and explains why a university or college governing board wants healthy shared governance. It analyzes the major barriers to healthy shared governance.
Change in quantitative FDG-PET was significantly more accurate than change in size at predicting histopathologic response to neoadjuvant therapy in high grade soft tissue sarcomas

10017 Background: Change in size by RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) has been the standard to assess response to therapy in non-GIST soft tissue sarcomas (STS). Although recent...
Catalysis by Confinement: Enthalpic Stabilization of NO Oxidation Transition States by Micropororous and Mesoporous Siliceous Materials

Mesoporous silica and purely siliceous zeolites with voids of molecular dimensions (MFI, CHA, BEA) catalyze NO oxidation by O2 at near ambient temperatures (263–473 K) with reaction orders in NO and O2 identical to those for homogeneous routes and with negative apparent activation energies. These findings reflect the stabilization of termolecular transition states by physisorption on surfaces or by confinement within voids in processes mediated by van der Waals forces and without the involvement of specific binding sites. Such interactions lead to the enthalpic stabilization of transition states relative to the gaseous reactants; such enthalpic benefits compensate concomitant entropy losses upon confinement because of the preeminent role of enthalpy in Gibbs free energies at low temperatures. These data and their mechanistic interpretation provide clear evidence for the mediation of molecular transformations by confinement without specific chemical binding at active sites.
Catecholamine effects on intracellular sodium activity and tension in dog heart

Because catecholamines have been reported to stimulate the sodium pump and Na+-K+-ATPase in skeletal and cardiac muscle, we examined the effects of isoproterenol (0.2-1.0 X 10(-6) M) and norepinephrine (2-4 X 10(-7) M) on intracellular sodium activity (aiNa) and twitch tension in dog Purkinje strands and ventricular muscles, aiNa was measured with Na+-sensitive microelectrodes. During the initial rapid increase in tension induced by catecholamines in Purkinje strands, no changes in aiNa were found. After 5-10 min aiNa decreased by about 2 mM, coincident with a small decline in twitch tension. When the catecholamine was removed, tension declined rapidly to a level less than control. Recovery of tension to its control level less than control. Recovery of tension to its control level occurred simultaneously with recovery of aiNa. Comparable changes in aiNa occurred in ventricular muscle, but the biphasic effect of catecholamines on tension was not seen. These results are consistent with sodium pump stimulation in cardiac muscle. In Purkinje strands the resulting changes in aiNa may alter the direct positive inotropic effect of catecholamines, probably by influencing Na+-Ca2+ exchange.
Morphology Selection through Geometric Frustration in Twisted Filament Bundles and Fibers

Rope-like assemblies of twisted protein filaments constitute a common materials archetype appearing in a range of biological contexts from extracellular filament bundles to amyloid fibrils. Owing to the numerous distinctions in molecular structure and interactions underlying these diverse assemblies, a common framework to predict and classify the basic mechanisms of structure formation in twisted filament assemblies is still lacking. In this study, we exploit a recent and surprising connection between the assembly of self-twisting filaments and assembly on spherically-curved 2D surfaces to develop a universal theory of morphology selection in twisted fibers and bundles. This theory shows that the size and cross-sectional shape of self-assembled fibers is determined by competition between the elastic costs of inter-filament frustration, bending deformation of constituent filaments and surface energy of fibers. We find that for sufficiently large twist, isotropic (cylindrical) bundles are generically unstable to developing anisotropic cross-sections (helical tapes). Critically, the anisotropy of fiber cross-sections is found to give a direct measure of the anisotropy of inter-filament vs. intra-filament elasticity. We corroborate the universal predictions of our theory with numerical simulations of self-twisting fibers and compare the morphology diagram structural observations of anisotropy of micron-scale amyloid fibers assembled from hydrolyzed protein fragments.
The Vichian “Renaissance” between Giuseppe Ferrari and Jules Michelet

La sorte di Vico sia un avvertimento per ogni italiano.Giuseppe Ferrari, La mente di VicoElsewhere I have described how several generations of Italian intellectuals, starting with Francesco De Sanc...
Genetic variations in GPSM3 associated with protection from rheumatoid arthritis affect its transcript abundance

G protein signaling modulator 3 (GPSM3) is a regulator of G protein-coupled receptor signaling, with expression restricted to leukocytes and lymphoid organs. Previous genome-wide association studies have highlighted single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs204989 and rs204991) in a region upstream of the GPSM3 transcription start site as being inversely correlated to the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-this association is supported by the protection afforded to Gpsm3-deficient mice in models of inflammatory arthritis. Here, we assessed the functional consequences of these polymorphisms. We collected biospecimens from 50 volunteers with RA diagnoses, 50 RA-free volunteers matched to the aforementioned group and 100 unmatched healthy young volunteers. We genotyped these individuals for GPSM3 (rs204989, rs204991), CCL21 (rs2812378) and HLA gene region (rs6457620) polymorphisms, and found no significant differences in minor allele frequencies between the RA and disease-free cohorts. However, we identified that individuals homozygous for SNPs rs204989 and rs204991 had decreased GPSM3 transcript abundance relative to individuals homozygous for the major allele. In vitro promoter activity studies suggest that SNP rs204989 is the primary cause of this decrease in transcript levels. Knockdown of GPSM3 in THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line, was found to disrupt ex vivo migration to the chemokine MCP-1.
Breaking Trade Dependency: A Global Simulation of Third World Proposals for Alternative Trade Regimes

Calls for a New International Economic Order included proposals for revision of the Liberal trade system in ways which would facilitate Third World development. To assess possible costs and consequences of these proposals a simulation model of the international trade system is employed here to explore changes in trade patterns which could result from alternative trade orders. Specifically, two proposed alternatives are compared to the existing order: one relatively moderate strategy which calls for concessionary tariffs to be granted to developing countries by advanced nations, and a second, more radical strategy which counsels economic disengagement of the South from the North in favor of Collective Self-reliance for the developing nations. The simulation exercise reveals potential difficulties associated with these strategies, including highly unequal distribution of benefits and costs, and the internal incompatibility of the multiple development objectives which these proposals contain. Should global trade relations be governed by the classic liberal norms of openness, non-discrimination and reciprocity, or should the world trade system be structured to facilitate progress in developing areas? For four decades now, trade relations between the industrialized North and the developing South have been deeply politicized because antagonisms go well beyond the individual commercial policies of particular countries and revolve around the trade regime itself. The industrialized countries were largely successful in establishing a liberal world trade order shortly after World War II. Developing nations questioned the underlying norms of this order from the outset and developed proposed regime alternatives over the ensuing years. As scholars, our understanding of the postwar liberal order and proposed alternatives-and thus our understanding of the North-South debate-has been limited by the fact that our observations are quite naturally restricted to outcomes produced by that existing Author's note: The research reported in this paper was conducted while the author was a research scientist in the Global Modeling Group of the International Institute of Comparative Social Research, Science Center Berlin. The extensive support of that institution is gratefully acknowledged. The author would also like to thank the editors of ISQ and three anonymous reviewers for several constructive criticisms and suggestions, and wishes it were possible to have been more responsive to these. An earlier version of this paper was delivered at the 22nd Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, March 1981.
Anatomy of the Thigh and Posterior Axial Region of Two Genera of Indian Hedgehogs

The detailed anatomy of the skeleton and musculature of the thigh and tail region of the two Indian hedgehogs, Paraechinus micropus micropus Blyth and Hemiechinus auritus collaris Gray, is presented. Certain ratios between the different regions of the innominate are correlated with generic characteristics. The functional aspects of the muscles, the reduction of the tail and the structure of the cutaneous muscles in this region of the body are discussed from the point of view of their importance in the rolling of the animal. In hedgehogs, the caudal muscles are specialized in having insertions on the dorsal skin, thus facilitating rolling and unrolling of the animal. Phylogeny of muscles is discussed. A comparison is made of the present findings with those described for some other insectivores.
[(89)Zr]Trastuzumab: Evaluation of Radiation Dosimetry, Safety, and Optimal Imaging Parameters in Women with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate safety, human radiation dosimetry, and optimal imaging time of [89Zr]trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Twelve women with HER2-positive breast cancer underwent [89Zr]trastuzumab positron emission tomography (PET)/X-ray computed tomography (CT) twice within 7 days post-injection. Biodistribution data from whole-torso PET/CT images and organ time-activity curves were created using data from all patients. Human dosimetry was calculated using OLINDA with the adult female model. High-quality images and the greatest tumor-to-nontumor contrast were achieved with images performed 5 ± 1 day post-injection. Increased [89Zr]trastuzumab uptake was seen in at least one known lesion in ten patients. The liver was the dose-limiting organ (retention of ∼12 % of the injected dose and average dose of 1.54 mSv/MBq). The effective dose was 0.47 mSv/MBq. No adverse effects of [89Zr]trastuzumab were encountered. [89Zr]trastuzumab was safe and optimally imaged at least 4 days post-injection. The liver was the dose-limiting organ.
Aanalysis of knowledge,attitude and sources of information about HIV/AIDS among five sub- population in Fengyang county from 2011 to 2013

Objective To analyze related knowledge,attitude,practice( KAP) and its influent factors among five subpopulation from 2011 to 2013 in Fengyang county. Methods : The cross- sectional study with randomly cluster sampling and self- administration questionnaire was conducted from 2011 to 2013. There were five populations of Fengyang county were enrolled in this study. Results The awareness of HIV / AIDS was 60. 54%,64. 33% and 71. 69%,respectively from2011 to 2013. Except the senior school students,the awareness of HIV / AIDS in other four populations had increased trend.The awareness of HIV / AIDS were significantly different between genders( P 0. 05). The main sources of HIV / AIDS information were television,newspapers and books and network. There were significant difference between different gender,age group and educational level of AIDS knowledge sources( P 0. 01). Multivariate analysis showed that marital status,the number of information sources and education background were positive factors and the gender was the negative factors to the knowledge scores. Conclusion It is necessary to take population- aimed health education to improve the awareness of HIV / AIDS.
Comparison of follicular response in patients with one or two ovaries in a program of in vitro fertilization

Some patients undergoing in vitro fertilization have had a previous oophorectomy. The purpose of this study was to provide a preliminary comparison of the follicular response to ovulation induction with sequential clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) in patients with one (n = 14) or two (n = 14) ovaries. No statistically significant differences were detectable in the following parameters: mean number of ampules of hMG required, mean number of days of hMG therapy, mean number of follicles greater than 15 mm on ultrasound, mean number of mature or number of immature oocytes, mean number of embryos transferred, and number of pregnancies. Patients with both ovaries in situ demonstrated a trend for greater numbers of follicles greater than 15 mm aspirated at laparoscopy (5.9 versus 3.4, P = 0.03). We conclude that the presence of a single ovary does not appear to influence the outcome of in vitro fertilization.
A model for lipopolysaccharide-membrane interaction.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria, is a complex macromolecule both structurally and functionally (1). It induces metabolic and cellular changes mediating host defenses as well as pathogenesis (2,3). Unlike many macromolecules of biological importance, there is little data on the nature of the target cell structure with which LPS interacts. The structure of LPS and the importance of lipid A in biological activities has led to the assmuption that LPS interacts hydrophobically with the plasma membrane of target cells by edge attachment of LPS bilayers (4). However, since the prototype monomer of LPS is an amphiphile, LPS exists as bilayer or vesicular aggregates in solution, arrangements without edges (5). In addition, there is scant direct evidence in the literature that LPS interaction with cell membranes is hydrophobic. One recent paper examined fluorescence anisotropy of macrophages exposed to LPS using DPH; however, the time and temperature did not preclude the possibility that the measurements made reflected changes in internal membranes due to physiological activation by LPS (6). A few studies have demonstrated an interaction between LPS and phospholipid monolayer or bilayer films as detected by changes in surface pressure and surface potential (7,8).
Rethinking the Design of Robotic Pets for Older Adults

Robots are seen as a potential solution to the perceived needs of the aging population. Thus far, research has primarily focused on robotics for the functional and emotional support of older adults. Robotic pets have been developed primarily for the older adult who is perceived as lonely and isolated, and fears have consequently arisen that robots will replace human caregivers and deceive older adults into developing relationships with them. Missing is the perspective of older adults on the ethics of and potential uses for robotic companion pets. In this study, we conducted focus groups with 41 older adults. We discuss concepts raised by focus group participants such as giving into the fiction of the robotic pet, the social role of the robot, and the role of reciprocity in building a relationship with a robotic pet. We present resulting considerations for new directions for robotic pet design for older adults.
Surgical management of chronic pelvic pain.

Abstract The surgical procedures used for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain, their indications, and success rates are reviewed. A thorough preoperative evaluation is presented that will enable the physician to detect patients at high risk for surgical failure and those who will be more appropriately managed with nonsurgical treatment modalities.
Balanced Content Replication in Peer-to-Peer Online Social Networks

This paper presents an effective content replication scheme for peer-to-peer online social networks (P2P-OSN). The topology of P2P-OSN is defined by the social network of the participants. P2P-OSN allow people to share content and run applications with their 1-hop friends in decentralized fashion, while denying access to their potentially private data to other users. Content replication in these networks is difficult because users can place replicas only at their 1-hop friends, and this could substantially skew the storage availability in the network. Our main contribution is a distributed replication method that prevents the skewness of available replication storage across the network and improves replication fairness/success without relying on global knowledge of the social network. We developed a new centrality metric, EasyRank, which is calculated at each peer and finds the underlying connectivity structure responsible for introducing the skewness of storage availability. Our distributed replica placement algorithm places the replicas after ranking the potential storage peers using their EasyRank scores and currently available storage. We evaluated our solution with social graphs from Facebook and Google+ having more than 4,900 vertices and 720K edges. The evaluation is done for both stable and emerging social networks. The results show that EasyRank-based replication achieves the fairest storage allocation and maintains the most balanced storage availability among the tested methods. Thus, it provides the highest replication success rate.
Abstract 38: Segment-Specific Association of Body Mass Index with Carotid Plaque and Intima-Media Thickness: The Northern Manhattan Study

Objective: Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque are markers of subclinical atherosclerotic disease. The differential r...
Aspects of the cellular uptake and retention of hematoporphyrin derivative and their correlation with the biological response to PRT in vitro.

The photosensitizer hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) is known to be retained selectively in neoplastic tissues, which is the basis for its current use in the diagnosis of early neoplastic lesions, as well as in photoradiation therapy of a wide range of different tumors (1). The reason for porphyrin retention in tumors is not yet known. Porphyrin trapping in the tumor environment due to leaky vascularization and/or poor lymphatic drainage has been suggested as the mechanism (2). However, in view of the selective retention of HPD in very small CIS lesions (3,4), this explanation is not entirely satisfactory. Efforts to detect a special affinity for HPD to malignant cells in vitro have yielded controversial results (5–7). Uncertainty also prevails over the cellular target(s) of photoradiatfon injury. Damage to the cell membrane (8) as well as nuclear damage (9–11) have been reported.
Predictive Modeling of a Buoyancy-Operated Cooling Tower Under Saturated Conditions—I: Adjoint Sensitivity Model

AbstractA cooling tower discharges waste heat produced by an industrial plant to the external environment. The amount of thermal energy discharged into the environment can be determined by measurem...
An approach to modeling trace component activities in silicate melts: NiO

This report presents a model predicting activities for NiO in a wide range of silicate melts that include the components SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, MgO, FeO, CaO, Na2O, and K2O. The conceptual simplicity of this model, combined with its success in modeling complex variations in activity with melt composition, suggests that the approach may provide insight into the character of trace components in the melt. The model presented in this report considers NiO to exist as Ni2+ and O2− in the melt, and predicts the activity of NiO by modeling variations in both aNi2+ and aO2−. Activities of Ni2+ are modeled assuming that NiO mixes randomly with a hypothetical ‘mixing pool’ of cations dominated by cations of similar size and charge to Ni2+, mainly Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Ni2+. aO2− is modeled as a function of total oxygen − 2·network-forming cations, with the understanding that O2− in silicate melts exists in equilibrium with bridging and non-bridging oxygens through reactions of the type Si–O–Si + O2− → 2 Si–O. For illustration, the model is applied to reduced mafic lunar samples that may have equilibrated with a Ni-bearing metal phase.
10B-2 Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Imaging of Mechanical Stiffness Propagation within Myocardial Tissue

Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging has been shown to be capable of imaging the local myocardial stiffness changes of heart throughout the cardiac cycle. Expanding on these results, we have experimentally assessed cardiac ARFI imaging to be a suitable method in visualizing the propagation of mechanical stiffness waves through a heartbeat. ARFI images of the left ventricular free wall of an exposed canine heart were acquired. Images were formed while the heart was external paced by one of two electrodes positioned on the epicardial surface and either side of the imaging plane. Two-line M-mode ARFI images were acquired at a sampling frequency of 120 Hz while the heart was being paced from either stimulating electrode. Passive ARFI images, where the radiation force pulse amplitude was set to zero, were acquired to determine the levels of physiological motion artifact within the ARFI images. Two- dimensional ARFI images that were also triggered off the stimulating electrodes were formed with multi-beat synthesis across seven heartbeats at a frame rates of 65 Hz. Directions and speeds of myocardial stiffness propagation were measured within the ARFI images. In all of these images, the direction myocardial stiffness wave was seen to be away from the stimulating electrode. Within the M-mode ARFI images, the stiffness waves were seen to propagate with similar velocity magnitudes (0.519 m/s and 0.500 m/s). The two dimensional ARFI image estimated a higher stiffness propagation velocity (-0.734 m/s).
HIV and Stroke

Stroke has been defined as symptoms of neurological deficits due to decreased blood flow to the brain. The average age of stroke patients is 48.4 years, whereas the average age for stroke patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is 42.9 years old. Worldwide, there are an estimated 36.7 million people living with HIV though this number is likely conservative, given the lack of census data from many rural areas (WHO). It is clear that many of these people are at an increased risk for suffering from stroke and the morbidities and mortality associated with strokes.
Mechanical response of 99.999% purity aluminum under dynamic uniaxial strain and near melting temperatures

Abstract A series of reverse geometry normal plate impact experiments are employed to investigate the incipient plastic behavior of commercial purity polycrystalline aluminum under ultra-high strain-rates (∼105 /s) and test temperatures up to melt (i.e. 643 °C). The applied stress at the aluminum/target interface, as inferred from the measured normal free-surface particle velocity record, shows progressive weakening with increasing test temperatures ranging from 23–620 °C; at higher temperatures (470–620 °C) this rate of weakening is observed to decrease, and at the highest test temperatures employed in the study, i.e. temperatures approaching the melt point of aluminum (643 °C), a net increase in the longitudinal stress is observed. Additionally, estimates of longitudinal elastic impedance of the sample material, as inferred via impedance matching from the particle velocity states at shock plateau show similar monotonic decrease with temperature, except for the highest test temperature case, in which reversal of this trend is observed. Though slight, these noticeable changes in the impedance, and stress/velocity states likely indicate variances in the strengthening/hardening response of the material, which can be linked to transition in the dominant plastic flow mechanisms as the sample approaches the melting point. Scanning electron microscopy of the impact surface of the post-test samples reveal coarsening of the sample grains due to static recrystallization during the heating phase of the experiment. Additional experiments are performed on annealed specimens to probe the effects of microstructural changes, i.e. grain size, and/or relief of residual strains in the interpretation of the measured response of aluminum. The results, which show a decrease in the longitudinal acoustic impedance, and decrease in the levels of stress/particle velocity under shock loading, indicate that the effects of annealing may play a role in the observed response by promoting softening of the dynamic strength, and/or lessening of the rate of hardening in a post-yield regime.
Credit Migration in Residential Mortgages: Fico Drift as a Prelude to Loan Performance

This article represents an extension of the expansive credit risk and credit migration literature, prominent in option pricing risk analysis of corporate bond and securities investment, to an analysis of the drift of consumer credit scores over the first 3 years of a mortgage loan. A rich data set of residential mortgages is used in the development of models to predict credit score migration and then to illustrate the potential of credit score transition as a precursor of default and prepayment. The results are especially useful for servicing agents and investors in a fashion similar to credit ratings on commercial paper.
Revisiting high-reliability organizing: obstacles to safety and resilience

The purpose of this paper is to complicate and critique contemporary scholarship on high-reliability organizations (HROs). This paper argues that although HRO scholarship helps to identify communicative patterns that facilitate reliability and safety, it also simplifies processes that undermine the effectiveness of existing recommendations for HROs.,This paper frames high-reliability organizing as the enactment of mindfulness, which is the theoretical mechanism behind each of the five principles of high-reliability organizing. Using this framework, this paper then elaborates on each of the HRO principles: preoccupation with failure, reluctance to simplify interpretations, sensitivity to operations, commitment to resilience, and deference to expertise.,This paper details how research guided by HRO theory must address the following obstacles to safety and resilience: information accessibility limiting preoccupation with failure, identity constructions encouraging the simplification of interpretations, message fatigue repressing sensitivity to operations, the information environment within HROs weakening commitment to resilience, and generational differences impeding deference to expertise.,This paper highlights key issues obstructing safety and reliability in organizations that have been largely ignored by extant literature and encourages scholars to do more to acknowledge the role communication plays in constituting and reconstituting organizational reliability. Failing to fully address complex communicative interactions in HROs obstructs efforts to safeguard employee health and safety.