cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization and control of phosphine hazards in photovoltaic cell manufacture

Abstract Phosphine (PH 3 ) is a highly toxic and flammable gas used in photovoltaic cell manufacturing. Its use can present serious occupational and public health hazards if appropriate prevention and control options are not effectively implemented. This report reviews technologies for controlling PH 3 emissions during routine operation and accidents, hazard prevention options, and emergency preparedness and response strategies. Routine PH 3 emissions can be controlled by using carbon adsorption for very low concentrations and thermal incineration or multistage chemical scrubbing for higher concentrations. Massive accidental releases are very difficult to control and could jeopardize the life and health of persons living near a plant. Options for preventing or minimizing accidental releases ( e.g. flow-restricting valves) need to be implemented to reduce such risks. Industry and community emergency response planning can further reduce the magnitude of these hazards.
Trauma in Tourist Towns

Communities with major recreational attractions tend to be rural and to have high injury experience both because of environmental hazards unique to rural areas and because they attract urban visitors who may be unfamiliar with the area andits roads, engaging in activities for which they are poorly prepared, and using equipment that is rented, in poor condition, or even of inherently hazardous design or construction. Alcohol abuse by visitors is often aproblem. Once injured, visitors may have difficulty gaining access to emergency care andwhen received, such care may be limited in both quantity and quality. While the influx of visitors to rural areas brings jobs and income, it also may bring crowding, violence, unintentional injury and other stresses. Most rural recreational communities do not actively plan as a community to deal with these problems, but rather approach them piecemeal and with limited communication among all necessary participants. Such planning is essential if progress is to be made.
Is histologic necrosis in the primary tumor of patients with renal-cell carcinoma a predictor for survival?

Is histologic necrosis in the primary tumor of patients with renal-cell carcinoma a predictor for survival?
WAVE PREDICTIONS AT THE SITE OF A WAVE ENERGY CONVERSION ARRAY

The SWAN spectral wave model was applied to a domain along the coast of Oregon State, USA with the purpose of establishing a better understanding of wave conditions at a location which has been proposed for the installation of an array of Wave Energy Converters (WECs). The model uses the directional spectrum measured at a nearby NDBC (National Data Buoy Center) buoy as input and in situ measurements of waves at the proposed WEC location for model validation. It was found that wind -wave generation and bottom friction were not significant over the domain between the NDBC buoy and the WEC site (domain size was 30km in the cross-shore and 230km in the along-shore directions). The predicted wave heights at the WEC location compared favorably to the in situ data wave heights with rms error of ~10 percent. It is suggested that some of this error may arise from the offshore boundary condition where the waves are assumed to be along-shore uniform. Future work is proposed to address this issue. Future work will also include modeling in two other domains, one very small domain to resolve individual WECs and a domain between the WECs and the shore to assess the impact of WECs on the coastline.
Cyclical and noncyclical unemployment differences among demographic groups.

The objective of this study was to determine if 1) the full employment-unemployment rate or natural unemployment rate changed between 1954-79 differentially for various subgroups in the US population; 2) minimum wage laws and unemployment compensation impacted differentially on subgroups in the population; and 3) there were structural shifts in the determinants of unemployment and labor force participation rates among subgroups. The 6 subgroups investigated were white and nonwhite teenagers white and nonwhite females and white and nonwhite males. Trends and cycles in unemployment were analyzed using regression techniques and basic time series models and structural changes in the unemployment rate were analyzed by using a technique developed by Brown Durbin and Evans to test for change in estimated regression coefficients. Results indicated that the natural unemployment rate in the US increased from 4.70% to 5.14% between 1959-79. This increase was due in part to the unemployment rate increases observed among different subgroups in the population and expecially among teenagers. In 1979 the unemployment rates among teenagers were 13.6% for whites and 28.72% for nonwhites. Respective rates in 1979 for white and nonwhite adult females were 4.20% and 9.98% and for white and nonwhite adult males they were 2.78% and 6.36%. Other findings were 1) increases in minimum wage had a positive impact on the nonwhite teenagers jobless rates no effect on the white teenager jobless rate and a negative impact on the adult unemployment rate; 2) increased unemployment compensation was positively associated with higher jobless rates for adult males and nonwhite teenagers; 3) the jobless rate was not significantly related to changes between 1954-79 in the proportion of different age sex and race groups in the population; and 4) structural shifts in the determinants of unemployment were observed for secondary workers only. Tables provided the results of the regression analysis estimates of unemployment rates by race sex and age for 1959 1969 and 1979 and labor force composition and employment rates by race sex and age for 1954 and 1981.
Glutathione peroxidase activity of inorganic selenium and seleno-DL-cysteine.

Glutathionperoxidase von Saugetieren ist als Selen enthaltendes Enzym bekannt. Die durch das Enzym gesteuerte Reaktion wird auch durch Natriumselenit und Seleno-Cystin katalysiert, wobei die Aktivitat dieser Verbindungen jedoch nur 1/5000 derjenigen des Selens im menschlichen Erythrozytenenzym entspricht.
INCREASING RESPONSE VARIABILITY OF MAND FRAMES WITH SCRIPT TRAINING AND EXTINCTION

We examined the effects of script training and extinction on response variability of mand frames used by children with autism. Results demonstrated that extinction following script training was effective for increasing variability for 2 of the 3 participants.
Restructuring Citizenship in Bolivia: El Plan de Todos

Current international development policies promote both free markets and democratic states through privatization and decentralization programs. Building on T.H. Marshall's concept of citizenship, this article examines how these programs have affected the rights associated with citizenship in Bolivia since 1993 when the administration of President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada introduced a broad set of economic and political reforms. His administration sold state firms that had accounted for 50% of government revenues at the same time as it adopted a new constitution that recognized the multicultural and pluri-ethnic nature of Bolivian society. His administration also began decentralization programs in government, health and education that transferred 20% of national revenues, as well as the responsibility for providing services, to municipal governments. I show how current development practice has strengthened a neoliberal citizenship regime in which civil rights associated with ownership of private property, and political rights associated with formal democracy and representation, have been promoted at the expense of social rights associated with access to health, education and welfare. Actuellement, les politiques de developpement internationales favorisent a la fois les marches libres et les etats democratiques par des programmes de privatisation et decentralisation. A partir du concept de citoyennete de T.H. Marshall, l'article examine comment ces programmes ont affecte les droits lies a la citoyennete en Bolivie depuis 1993, date a laquelle le gouvernement du President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada a lance un vaste train de reformes economiques et politiques. Il a vendu des entreprises publiques qui avaient represente 50% des recettes de l'Etat, tout en adoptant une nouvelle constitution reconnaissant la nature multiculturelle et pluri-ethnique de la societe bolivienne. De plus, il a entame des programmes de decentralisation au niveau du gouvernement, de la sante et de l'education, cedant aux autorites municipales 20% des revenus nationaux et la responsabilite de la fourniture de services. Ainsi, le developpement actuel a renforce un regime de citoyennete neo-liberal ou les droits civils relatifs a la propriete privee, et les droits politiques relatifs a la representation et la democratie officielles, ont ete avantages au detriment des droits sociaux lies a l'acca%s a la sante l'education et l'aide sociale.
Allosteric effects on oxidative and nitrosative reactions of cell-free hemoglobins.

Summary A review of the oxidative and nitrosative reactions of cell-free hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) shows that these reactions are intimately linked and are subject to allosteric control. Cross-linking reactions used to produce HBOCs introduce conformational constraints and result in Hbs with reduced responses to heterotropic and homotropic allosteric effectors. The Nernst plots of heme oxidation of cross-linked HBOCs are shifted to higher potentials relative to unmodified Hb in the absence of allosteric effectors, in accord with their T-state stabilization and right-shifted Hill plots of O2 binding. They exhibit enhanced rates of autoxidation and nitrite-induced oxidation, features that appear due to their having more solvent-accessible heme pockets. The stability of their NO-Hb derivatives varies as a result of allosteric effects on the extent of formation of pentacoordinate NO-heme geometry by a chains and subsequent oxidation of partner b chains. The physiological implications of these findings on the safety, efficacy and design of second generation HBOCs are discussed in the framework of a reaction scheme showing linkages between Hbmediated redox reactions. These redox reactions can drive formation of SNO-Hb and other reactive species and are of significance for the use of cell-free Hbs in vivo. IUBMB Life, 59: 498–505, 2007
NOTE ON THE FIRST ORDER RAMAN SPECTRUM OF CUCL.

Abstract : Measurements of the first order spectrum of CuCl yield values for the fundamental transverse and longitudinal optical phonon frequencies in agreement with the corresponding value derived from infrared oblique incidence transverse measurements on thin film. (Author)
GelMetric : semi-automated electrophoretic mobility analysis

GelMetric employs a 2-D digitizer to determine band and loading well positions, then constructs a calibration curve, calculates unknown molecular sizes, and prints the calibration curve and a tubular summary of the results. The user is guided through steps in which gel and lane headings are entered and in which well, band and mobility standard positions are marked
Activation of endothelial intrinsic NF-κB pathway impairs protein C anticoagulation mechanism and promotes coagulation in endotoxemic mice

Although the role of systemic activation of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway in septic coagulation has been well documented, little is known about the contribution of endothelial-specific NF-κB signaling in this pathologic process. Here, we used transgenic mice that conditionally overexpress a mutant I-κBα, an inhibitor of NF-κB, selectively on endothelium, and their wild-type littermates to define the role of endothelial-specific NF-κB in septic coagulation. In wild-type mice, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) caused markedly increased plasma markers of coagulation, decreased plasma fibrinogen level, and widespread tissue fibrin deposition, which were abrogated by endothelial NF-κB blockade in transgenic mice. Endothelial NF-κB blockade inhibited tissue factor expression in endothelial cells, but not in leukocytes. Endothelial NF-κB blockade did not inhibit LPS-induced tissue factor expression in heart, kidney, and liver. Endothelial NF-κB blockade prevented LPS down-regulation of endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) and thrombomodulin protein expressions, inhibited tissue tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme activity, reduced EPCR shedding, and restored plasma protein C level. Our data demonstrate that endothelial intrinsic NF-κB signaling plays a pivotal role in septic coagulation and suggests a link between endothelial-specific NF-κB activation and the impairment of the thrombomodulin-protein C-EPCR anticoagulation pathway.
Perturbing Hele-Shaw flow with a small gap gradient.

A controlled perturbation is introduced into the Saffman-Taylor flow problem by adding a gradient to the gap of a Hele-Shaw cell. The stability of the single-finger steady state was found to be strongly affected by such a perturbation. Compared with patterns in a standard Hele-Shaw cell, the single Saffman-Taylor finger was stabilized or destabilized according to the sign of the gap gradient. While a linear stability analysis shows that this perturbation should have a negligible effect on the early-stage pattern formation, the experimental data indicate that the characteristic length for the initial breakup of a flat interface has been changed by the perturbation.
Determining the order of the functional autoregressive model

This chapter is concerned with determining the order p in the FAR(p) model $$Z_{i} = \sum\limits_{j = 1}^{p}\phi_j(Z_{i - j}) + \varepsilon_i.$$ We describe a testing procedure proposed by Kokoszka and Reimherr (2011). At its core is the representation of the FAR(p) process as a fully functional linear model with dependent regressors.
Handoff ordering using signal prediction priority queuing in personal communications systems

Handoffs in a mobile cellular communications environment will become an increasingly important issue as cell sizes shrink to accommodate an increasingly large demand for services. A new handoff ordering method is proposed which can be used to provide rapid handovers with a smaller percentage of dropped calls than other methods. Signal prediction priority queuing (SPPQ) is a generic queuing method which can be adapted to almost any handover technique for the benefit of decreased dropped calls. In a typical personal communications system (PCS) environment, it is shown that for realistic call blocking probabilities (2-6%), SPPQ leads to about 15% fewer dropped calls compared to first in first out (FIFO) queuing. This benefit comes at the expense of a slight increase (<1%) in blocked call percentage. The proposed SPPQ scheme is also compared to a method called the measurement based priority scheme (MBPS) and, based on worst case scenarios, it is shown to outperform MBPS as well.
Free form surface representation and machining for complex parts

This paper presents a method for cutter path generation by directly intersecting the part surface with a plane to generate cutter contact (CC) points. The surface-plane intersection is traced out using the marching method. The surface patch is subdivided based on a loop detection criterion, and all the initial points can be found along the boundaries of subpatches. The biarc curve fitting is employed to fit the largest sequential data points on the intersection curve. The cutter location (CL) data is obtained for profile machining by offsetting the CC biarc curve in surface normal direction. For a general free form surface, approximation is taken to generate plane biarc curves to represent the CL data points. The method is tested in a rapid prototyping system for production a of foot last. >
Risky Business: Taking the Stigma Out of High-Risk Donation in Lung Transplantation

Background Outcomes data for high-risk donors (HRD) for transplantation are limited. We sought to elucidate the outcomes of lung transplant (LTx) recipients who received HRDs. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry from January 2005 to June 2013 to identify patients undergoing LTx. The Student t test and χ 2 test were used to identify differences in outcomes. A Cox proportional hazard model was developed to identify independent predictors of outcomes for HRD recipients. Results We identified 12,737 patients who underwent LTx. A total of 999 (7.8%) recipients received allografts from HRDs. Recipients in both the HRD and the non-HRD (NHRD) groups were similar. The HRDs had significantly higher rates of negative social behaviors and were likely to be thin young males who had died traumatically. Survival analysis demonstrated no survival benefit for patients receiving allografts from NHRDs ( p = 0.63). Interestingly, HRDs did not have significantly higher viral loads, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, hepatitis B core antibody (HBcV), or hepatitis B surface antigen. When controlling for age, sex, and lung allocation score of the recipient, HRD status was not significantly detrimental to survival. Conclusions Recipients receiving allografts from HRDs had at least equivalent survival to NHRD recipients. Our study supports the use of high-risk donation given limited resources. Centers interested in using these donors should educate prospective recipients willing to consider this option.
Modal Knowledge and Game Semirings1

The aim of algebraic logic is to compact series of small steps of general logical inference into larger (in)equational steps. Algebraic structures that have proved very useful in this context are modal semirings and modal Kleene algebras. We show that they can also model knowledge and belief logics as well as games without additional effort; many of the standard logical properties are theorems rather than axioms in this setting. As examples of the first area, we treat the classical puzzles of the Wise Men and the Muddy Children. Moreover, we show possibilities of handling knowledge update and revision algebraically. For the area of games, we generalize the well-known connection between game logic and dynamic logic to the setting of modal semirings and link it to predicate transformer semantics, in particular to demonic refinement algebra. We think that our study provides evidence that modal semirings are capable of handling a wide variety of (multi-)modal logics in a uniform algebraic fashion.
Glucocorticoid Receptors in Rat Kidney: The Rinding of Tritiated-Dexamethasone1

The effects of glucocorticoid hormones are thought to be initiated by binding to stereospecific intracellular receptor proteins in target tissues. The kidney enjoys a variety of functions influenced by glucocorticoid hormones. High affinity glucocorticoid receptors have been demonstrated in adrenalectomized rat kidney by the specific binding of dexamethasone (DM). These receptors have been designated Type II, and can be distinguished from high affinity mineralocorticoid receptors (Type I) and the CBGlike corticosterone receptors (Type III) on the basis of differing affinities for a series of physiological and synthetic steroids. By Scatchard plot analysis, the equilibrium (dissociation) constant of the 3HDM–cytoplasmic receptor complex was 5 X 10-9M (25 C), and the concentration of binding sites 1.6 X 10-13 moles per mg protein in the cytoplasmic high speed supernatant (HSS). Similar concentrations of receptor were found in outer cortex and medulla—papilla. The affinity of the Type—II receptor for steroid...
Unequal loss protection: graceful degradation of image quality over packet erasure channels through forward error correction

We present the unequal loss protection (ULP) framework in which unequal amounts of forward error correction are applied to progressive data to provide graceful degradation of image quality as packet losses increase. We develop a simple algorithm that can find a good assignment within the ULP framework. We use the set partitioning in hierarchical trees coder in this work, but our algorithm can protect any progressive compression scheme. In addition, we promote the use of a PMF of expected channel conditions so that our system can work with almost any model or estimate of packet losses. We find that when optimizing for an exponential packet loss model with a mean loss rate of 20% and using a total rate of 0.2 bits per pixel on the Lenna image, good image quality can be obtained even when 40% of transmitted packets are lost.
The role of continuous electroencephalography in childhood encephalitis.

Abstract Background Seizures are a known complication of encephalitis. We sought to determine the incidence of seizures and the relative utility of routine and continuous electroencephalography in children with suspected encephalitis. Methods Records from all 217 children (ages 0-20 years, enrolled 2004-2011) from our institution who had diagnostic samples sent to the California Encephalitis Project were reviewed. Results One hundred children (46%) had at least one seizure observed clinically or recorded on electroencephalography. Diffuse abnormalities (e.g., generalized slowing) were more common than focal or epileptiform abnormalities (88.9% vs 63.2% and 57.3%, respectively; P P = 0.04] and 89.2% [ P = 0.05], respectively vs 76.9%). Fifty-four patients (25%) had at least 1 day of continuous electroencephalography. When used, continuous electroencephalography recorded a seizure in more than half of patients. Six children had no recognized seizure (clinical or electrographic) before continuous electroencephalography was performed. Twenty-two children (10%) had a seizure recorded by continuous electroencephalography after routine electroencephalography did not record a seizure. Overall, continuous electroencephalography was more likely to capture a seizure, capture a subclinical seizure, or rule out a concerning event as a seizure than routine electroencephalography (all comparisons P Conclusions Children with suspected encephalitis are at high risk for seizures. Continuous electroencephalography is better able than routine electroencephalography to determine whether seizures are present. Further, continuous electroencephalography can guide treatment by classifying a clinical event as seizure or seizure-mimic. Our findings support the expanded use of continuous electroencephalography in children with suspected encephalitis.
Relationship between Exercise Professionals' Behavioral Styles and Clients' Adherence to-Exercise

Exercise professionals (n = 15) were tested to assess whether specific personal traits or behavioral styles were associated with their clients' adherence to exercise. Assessments with the Personal Profile and the Personal Strengths Profile yielded one trait, "Controlling," that showed a mean difference (z = 2.99, p < .01) between the high and low adherence groups of professionals. Controlling was also significantly correlated (rs = .66, p < .01) with clients' adherence. This trait may be consistent with the interpersonal delivery requirements of interventions known to support adherence to exercise. Limitations and practical implications across exercise venues and types of participants were discussed.
Preliminary Static Aeroelastic Analysis of Reusable Launch Vehicle Stability and Control Derivatives

During the development and design of the X-33 reusable launch vehicle, loads and control analyses had been done using propulsive and aerodynamic loads derived from such sources as computational e uid dynamics and wind-tunnel models of a rigid vehicle. Required control forces and moments were determined using rigid vehicle trajectory analyses, and the detailed control load distributions were determined for achieving the required control forces and moments, again using rigid vehicle analyses. However, static aeroelastic effects on load distributions were not being considered. The objective of the work reported here was the development of models and solutions for including static aeroelasticity in the calculation of X-33 loads and in the determination of stability and control derivatives. The theory underlying the NASTRAN solutions is presented, and some of the results for the stability and control derivatives are discussed.
Does vaccine-primed pancreatic cancer offer better candidates for immune-based therapies?

Cancer immunotherapy is considered to be one of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer therapy in the last decade. However, the success of immunotherapy has so far been limited to a few solid malignancies including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a few hematologic malignancies. In 2011, ipilimumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody that blocks CTLA-4, the bona fide immune checkpoint, was US FDA-approved for advanced melanoma [1]. Subsequently, other checkpoint inhibitors including anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 blockade antibodies were also demonstrated to yield an objective response in approximately 20–30% of patients of these malignant diseases; and among the patients who had an objective response, many had a durable response [2–4]. One of anti-PD-1 antibodies (pembrolizumab) was most recently approved by US FDA for unresectable or metastatic melanoma. In addition, sipuleucel-T, a dendritic cell vaccine, has been shown to improve the overall survival of metastatic prostate cancer and subsequently gained FDA approval [5]. Nevertheless, significant objective response and durable responses were not seen in sipuleucel-T-treated pancreatic cancer patients. Melanoma, renal cell carcinoma and NSCLC were unique in their high infiltration of effector lymphocytes in tumor microenvironment (TME) [6]. By contrast, many other solid malignancies including pancreatic cancer are characterized by a highly immunosuppressive TME [7]. Immune tolerance mechanisms within the TME are a major obstacle to effective treatment of these cancers with immunotherapy. Pancreatic cancer and many other malignancies are thus considered ‘nonimmunogenic’ neoplasms. This notion has drastically slowed the development and application of immune-based therapies for these diseases.
Iron and manganese homeostasis in chronic liver disease: relationship to pallidal T1-weighted magnetic resonance signal hyperintensity.

Iron deficiency resulted in increased erythrocyte Mn concentrations presumably due to increased Mn absorption. Erythrocyte Mn concentrations were further correlated with MR T1-weighted signal hyperintensities of the globus pallidus. We recommend that patients with chronic liver disease and poor iron status improve their iron status with increased dietary intake of lean meat, poultry and fish, and not consume Mn supplements without concurrent nonheme iron supplementation.
Exome resequencing reveals signatures of demographic and adaptive processes across the genome and range of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa)

Extant variation in temperate and boreal plant species has been influenced by both demographic histories associated with Pleistocene glacial cycles and adaptation to local climate. We used sequence capture to investigate the role of these neutral and adaptive processes in shaping diversity in black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa). Nucleotide diversity and Tajima's D were lowest at replacement sites and highest at intergenic sites, while LD showed the opposite pattern. With samples grouped into three populations arrayed latitudinally, effective population size was highest in the north, followed by south and centre, and LD was highest in the south followed by the north and centre, suggesting a possible northern glacial refuge. FST outlier analysis revealed that promoter, 5′-UTR and intronic sites were enriched for outliers compared with coding regions, while no outliers were found among intergenic sites. Codon usage bias was evident, and genes with synonymous outliers had 30% higher average expression compared with genes containing replacement outliers. These results suggest divergent selection related to regulation of gene expression is important to local adaptation in P. trichocarpa. Finally, within-population selective sweeps were much more pronounced in the central population than in putative northern and southern refugia, which may reflect the different demographic histories of the populations and concomitant effects on signatures of genetic hitchhiking from standing variation.
Modulation of involucrin and envelope competence in human keratinocytes by hydrocortisone, retinyl acetate, and growth arrest.

Involucrin accumulation and ionophore-assisted envelope for mation, markers of keratinocyte differentiation, were found to be highly dependent on culture conditions in the malignant epidermal keratinocyte line, SCC-13, derived from a human squamous cell carcinoma. In confluent cultures, approximately one-half of the cells were competent to form envelopes when grown in medium without hydrocortisone or retinyl acetate supplementation. Ad dition of hydrocortisone to the medium during growth resulted in up to 90% competence, while addition of retinyl acetate instead resulted in as low as 10% competence. Hydrocortisone partially antagonized the effect of retinyl acetate when both agents were added together. Involucrin levels, measured by radioimmunoassay, were modulated essentially in parallel with envelope com petence under the various conditions tested. When the cells were grown in medium supplemented with hydrocortisone, the levels shortly after confluence were over 50-fold higher than in sparse cultures. Regardless of hydrocortisone or retinyl acetate addition, less than 1% of the cells were competent in sparse cultures of growing cells, but up to 90% exhibited this property after growth arrest in serum-free medium containing hydrocortisone. High levels of competence were correlated with cessation of cell division but not with loss of colony-forming efficiency; under optimal conditions, two-thirds of the cells were capable of both envelope formation and colony initiation. Normal human epidermal cells showed a 4- to 5-fold increase in envelope competence from sparse to confluent culture but were insensitive to the suppressive effect of retinyl acetate. The results suggest that some potential differentiated character of malignant keratinocytes may be suppressed in vivo by physiological agents such as vitamin A.
Web-based Application for Virtual Exercise Regimen (Abstract Only)

The WAVER (Web-based Application for Virtual Exercise Regimen) project takes advantage of available 3D motion technology to provide stroke patients with an inexpensive and more accessible alternative to conventional rehabilitation. Specifically, WAVER uses the LEAP device to assist patients who have mobility and dexterity limitations due to a stroke, disability, or even sports-related injury. Patients may face physical adversity in pursuing rehabilitation. Not all patients are conveniently distanced from a medical facility and may find that commuting daily worsens their pain, lightens their wallets, and forces them from the comfort of their homes as they deal with pain and circumstances affected by their disability. The WAVER solution to these problems is a web-based application that utilizes the 3D LEAP Motion sensory controller, which is an affordable and compact device that can be used by any home computer or laptop. WAVER presents exercises to a patient that can be performed by the patient in their own 3D space, which is then tracked by WAVER for on-screen feedback to the patient, as well as the potential to share the results remotely with a therapist.
KCNJ10 (Kir4.1) potassium channel knockout abolishes endocochlear potential.

Stria vascularis of the cochlea generates the endocochlear potential and secretes K+. K+ is the main charge carrier and the endocochlear potential the main driving force for the sensory transductio...
Microarray gene expression data with linked survival phenotypes: diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma revisited

SUMMARY Diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive malignancy of mature B lymphocytes and is the most common type of lymphoma in adults. While treatment advances have been substantial in what was formerly a fatal disease, less than 50% of patients achieve lasting remission. In an effort to predict treatment success and explain disease heterogeneity clinical features have been employed for prognostic purposes, but have yielded only modest predictive performance. This has spawned a series of high-profile microarray-based gene expression studies of DLBCL, in the hope that molecular-level information could be used to refine prognosis. The intent of this paper is to reevaluate these microarray-based prognostic assessments, and extend the statistical methodology that has been used in this context. Methodological challenges arise in using patients’ gene expression profiles to predict survival endpoints on account of the large number of genes and their complex interdependence. We initially focus on the Lymphochip data and analysis of Rosenwald et al. (2002). After describing relationships between the analyses performed and gene harvesting (Hastie et al., 2001a), we argue for the utility of penalized approaches, in particular least angle regression-least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Efron et al., 2004). While these techniques have been extended to the proportional hazards/partial likelihood framework, the resultant algorithms are computationally burdensome. We develop residual-based approximations that eliminate this burden yet perform similarly. Comparisons of predictive accuracy across both methods and studies are effected using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves. These indicate that gene expression data, in turn, only delivers modest predictions of posttherapy DLBCL survival. We conclude by outlining possibilities for further work.
Genetic Engineering of Molecular and Supramolecular Structure in Polymers

The development of new advanced materials with useful optical, electronic and mass transport properties will require increasingly precise control of solid state organization at the supramolecular level. Polymeric materials offer special advantages in this regard as a result of their characteristic extended molecular connectivity, which limits the number of possible configurations of the system. On the other hand, polymeric materials suffer from the statistical nature of the processes used to prepare them, and from the associated heterogeneity in their molecular structures. New methods of synthesis that afford homogeneous populations of chains will offer important advantages in the control of supramolecular organization. At present, biological polymerization processes provide the only clear route to polymeric materials characterized by uniformity of chain length, sequence and stereochemistry. With the advent of two related technologies (gene synthesis and recombinant DNA), it has become possible to imagine the exploitation of biological polymerizations - and protein biosynthesis in particular - to prcxiuce new materials of predictable and desirable properties. We describe herein our own first steps toward this objective.
Improved method for the determination of hemoglobin A2 by starch-gel electrophoresis; with some observations on the technic.

It has been shown that variations in the preparation of the starch gel and in photographic interpretation can significantly affect the accuracy of the measurement of hemoglobin A2. An improved method for the determination of hemoglobin A2 by starch-gel electrophoresis has been presented which affords greater accuracy than was previously achieved. Hemoglobin A2 concentrations for healthy persons and patients with sickle cell trait, various nonthalassemic anemias, and thalassemia trait have been presented.
Phosphate transport in human jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles

Abstract Phosphate transport was studied in isolated brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from human jejunum. Transport consisted of two components: passive diffusion across the brush border, and sodium-dependent, carrier-mediated uptake. Both carrier-mediated transport and passive diffusion of phosphate were significantly greater at pH 6.1 than at pH 7.4. Sodium-dependent uptake was saturable at both pH values; the apparent K m was not affected by pH, whereas V max was significantly greater at pH 6.1 (179.3 vs. 118.4 pM/mg per 15 s). Phosphate uptake was half-maximally stimulated by a sodium concentration of 34 mM at pH 7.4, and a sodium concentration of 76 mM at pH 6.1. At both pH values, Hill coefficients were > 1 and were unaffected by pH. Moreover, sodium-dependent phosphate uptake was electroneutral at pH 7.4 and electrogenic at pH 6.1. These data suggest that at acid and neutral pH, both monovalent and divalent phosphate are transported across the human jejunal brush border membrane. The transport of each phosphate molecule is associated with the cotransport of two sodium ions.
Energy saving practice diffusion in online networks

Abstract Efficient diffusion of information regarding energy conservation is imperative for the widespread adoption of sustainable behavior. Although some researchers have argued that this phenomenon can unfold similarly to an epidemic, especially in online communication networks, others have found that information disseminates within a narrow range, propagating only a few levels deep in a social network. To address this issue, 108,771 energy saving practice tweets were collected from Twitter and then used to develop an information cascade model. The model was then validated by comparing simulation results with empirical data. A variance-based global sensitivity analysis determined the impact of two network attributes—network density and the number of an initiator's connections—to four other factors on information cascading. The empirical data showed that energy saving information failed to generate deep cascades and the simulation results demonstrated that the network attributes, network density and the number of an initiator's connections had limited influence on information cascades unless combined with other factors. These findings suggest that massive network structures and a large number of potential recipients cannot guarantee deep cascades of energy saving information in online social networks.
Streptococcus iniae: an Emerging Pathogen in the Aquaculture Industry

The aquaculture industry, which is increasingly being developed, has not yet been recognized to result in significant human disease. Aquaculture in North America involves diverse farming systems in diverse areas. The criticisms concern contamination of the environment by aquaculture systems through unwanted obstructions to coastal navigation, unsightly cages or pens, aquaculture effluents such as excess food and chemotherapeutics, and the use of nonnative species or native species that are either domesticated or genetically different from wild stocks. The level of contamination of aquaculture products with pathogenic bacteria depends on the environment and the bacteriological quality of the water where the fish are cultured. It should be noted that nonindigenous bacteria of fecal origin could be introduced into aquaculture ponds via contamination by birds and wild animals associated with farm waters. Streptococcus iniae has also been reported to be the causative agent of ongoing infection and excess mortality of tilapia in Texas aquaculture farms. Overcrowding in farms and during transport may have contributed to the increasing importance of streptococcal infections in fish. Finally, although S. iniae commonly colonized the surfaces of tilapia and other species of fish, isolates are genetically diverse. Although S. iniae is capable of causing invasive disease in humans, serious disease appears to be rare, and if people take the proper precautionary measures when handling whole, uncooked fish, infections caused by S. iniae can be prevented.
How Genomics Has Shaped Our Understanding of the Evolution and Emergence of Pathogenic Vibrio cholerae

The main symptom of cholera, profuse rice water stool, is primarily caused by the action of cholera toxin (CT), a very potent AB-type enterotoxin that consists of five binding B subunits and one active A subunit. Many bacterial pathogens attain or increase their virulence potential through HGT of genetic material carried on mobile and integrative genetic elements (MIGEs) such as plasmids, bacteriophages, pathogenicity islands (PAIs), integrons, and integrative conjugative elements (ICEs). The impact of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) on bacterial evolution--particularly its role in the emergence of many human gastrointestinal pathogens--is unquestionable. This chapter gives a brief overview of the features that differentiate integrative genetic elements such as integrases, transposases, phage structural genes, or plasmid conjugal transfer genes, from one another. In evolutionary terms, while phylogenetic analysis of housekeeping gene mdh groups V. cholerae and V. mimicus strains separately, both species group together based on the nanH gene, which indicates recent HGT between the species. The authors identified 24 regions, gaps in the genome atlas, of greater than 10 kb that were unique to RIMD2210633. 22 members of the family Vibrionaceae in the genome database were examined, and only 5 species encode neuraminidase: V. cholerae pathogenic isolates, V. mimicus, V. parahaemolyticus strain 16, V. shilonii AK1 and Vibrio sp. strain MED222. The last two are the only strains to encode sialic acid scavenging, synthesis, and catabolism genes.
The Price of Perspective Taking: Child Depressive Symptoms Interact With Parental Empathy to Predict Immune Functioning in Parents

Parental empathy is generally held as a positive characteristic; however, might there be contexts in which parental empathy is actually harmful? The present study examined whether adolescents' depressive symptoms might have immunologic costs for more empathic parents. One hundred forty three parents and their children completed self-report measures of empathy and depressive symptoms, respectively. One year later, production of four pro-inflammatory cytokines in parents' blood was measured in response to in vitro exposure to a bacterial product. Significant interactions across all inflammatory markers emerged, such that parents who were higher in empathy showed greater inflammatory cytokine production if their children also reported high levels of depressive symptoms, but lower cytokine production if their children reported low levels of symptoms. Less empathic parents showed the opposite pattern. These results provide support for the hypothesis that parents high in empathy may be especially sensitive physiologically to their children's psychopathologic symptoms.
FLUCTUATIONS IN CURRENCY VALUE AND THE AGGREGATE PROFIT OF THE U.S. MANUFACTURING SECTOR

This paper reports evidence that the aggregate profit of the U.S. manufacturing industry is affected by fluctuations in the real exchange rate of the dollar. Using quarterly data covering the 1975Q1-1993Q4 period, regression of the manufacturing profit on the exchange rate and other key variables reveals a significant negative relationship between the dependent variable and the exchange rate. The estimated regression coefficient indicates that a 1% change in the dollar value will change the profit in the opposite direction by 0.56%. It was also found that the manufacturing unit labor cost and raw materials price are negatively related to the manufacturing profit and that the manufacturing capacity utilization rate and the aggregate income level are positively related to the profit level. Unit root and cointegration tests ascertained that the variables have long-run equilibrium relationships. A vector autoregressive analysis further confirmed the relationship. I. INTRODUCTION The exchange rate of the dollar is now widely recognized as one of the important determinants of U.S. business profit because fluctuations in the value of the dollar affect all prices in the economy. Interest in the effect of the exchange rate on U.S. corporations has recently been heightened by the extraordinary volatility of the dollar exchange rate during the mid-1980s and the ever-increasing exposure of U.S. firms to foreign competition. There has been a considerable number of empirical studies analyzing the effect of exchange rate changes on import and export prices and on external balances. However, there has been a relative paucity of empirical investigations into the direct relationship between the value of the dollar and the profitability of American firms. Many of the previous investigations focused on the relationship between changes in the foreign exchange values and the export or import prices (the socalled pass-through effect) and have implied the profitability of domestic firms. Thus Mann [15], using quarterly data from 1977 to 1985, discovered evidence that about 60% of the dollar exchange rate changes was passed through to the dollar price of non-oil imports over a two-year period. From this, she inferred that as the dollar depreciated (appreciated) foreign profit margins tended to fall below (rise
Noninvasive Free Flap Monitoring Using Eulerian Video Magnification

Eulerian Video Magnification (EVM) can enhance subtle changes in videos to reveal what was once invisible to the naked eye. In this proof of concept study, we investigated using EVM as a novel form of free flap monitoring. Free flaps with skin paddles were filmed in the operating room with manipulation of their pedicles. In a representative 77-year-old female who received a latissimus dorsi-serratus-rib composite free flap, EVM was able to detect blockage of arterial or venous supply instantaneously, providing a visible representation through degree of color change in videos. EVM has the potential to serve as a powerful free flap monitoring tool with the benefit of being noninvasive, sensitive, easy-to-use, and nearly cost-free.
Effect of Insulin, Adrenal Cortical Hormones, Salt and dl-Alanine on Carbohydrate Metabolism in Scurvy.∗:

SummaryThe injection of insulin or adrenal cortical extract in guinea pigs deficient in ascorbic acid did not materially alter the disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism characteristic of scorbutic animals; glycogen levels were still low, intestinal absorption impaired and blood sugar levels high after feeding glucose. Oxygen consumption of animals fed glucose then injected with insulin before and after depletion was unchanged. The addition of sodium chloride to the drinking water of deficient animals failed to improve any aspect of carbohydrate metabolism studied. Ardenaline given to both members of the pair produced higher blood sugar levels in the normal than in deficient animals and slightly higher levels of liver glycogen. Normal animals demonstrated much greater ability to convert dl-alanine to liver glycogen than did the deficidnet.
Fractional flow reserve: Current applications and overview of the available data

Flow fractional reserve (FFR) allows to evaluate the functional significance of coronary artery lesions, through the ratio of the mean coronary artery pressure after the stenosis to the mean aortic pressure during maximum hyperemia. The actual widely accepted cut-off value is 0.80. Below this value a coronary lesion is considered significant and therefore it requires invasive revascularization. Several studies [in particular Fractional Flow Reserve vs Angiography for Multivessel Evaluation 1 (FAME-1) and FAME-2] have shown the relationship between FFR measurement and hard end-points (death, myocardial infarction, and urgent revascularization). Consequently, FFR evaluation represents the cornerstone in the decision-making in intermediate coronary lesions. Recent studies paved the way for further applications of FFR evaluation in complex and tricky clinical settings. In this paper, we perform an overview of the data regarding contemporary application of FFR. In particular, we review the use of FFR in: left main intermediate stenoses, serial stenoses, evaluation after stenting, guidance in coronary artery bypass surgery, and acute coronary syndrome. All the data presented in our overview confirm the essential role of FFR assessment in the daily clinical practice. The shift from "operator-dependent" to "FFR-dependent" evaluation in intermediate coronary artery stenosis is of paramount importance in order to improve the prognosis of our patients, through the discrimination of the functional role of every single coronary stenosis.