cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contemporary Tools for the Diagnosis and Management of Invasive Mycoses

Invasive fungal infections have become a major cause of morbidity and mortality over the past 3 decades. Organ transplantation, the use of aggressive chemotherapy, and the availability and widespread use of immunosuppressive treatments for many medical ailments have resulted in large populations of patients who are at risk for fungal disease. Early diagnosis and prompt therapy are instrumental to successful treatment of these infections, but conventional methods for diagnosis of fungal disease are slow and lack sensitivity. Important advances in diagnosing invasive mycoses, particularly in laboratory-based testing, have been realized over the years. Antigen-based assays, new laboratory methods for identification of fungi, and reference guidelines for susceptibility testing have been developed and validated for use in clinical laboratories. We review these technological advances and our understanding of their clinical application and impact.
In-situ evaluation of barrier-cream performance on human skin using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to evaluate the effect of barrier creams (skin protective creams) on human skin. A Nd: YAG laser at 1064 nm was used with a pulse energy of 100 mJ. A method was developed to measure the effectiveness of barrier creams against zinc ion absorption from aqueous zinc chloride solution and oil paste zinc oxide, which represent model hydrophilic and lipophilic metal compounds, respectively. Zinc was chosen since it posed no risk to human skin. 3 representative commercial barrier creams advertised as being effective against lipophilic and hydrophilic substances were evaluated by measuring zinc absorbed through the stratum corneum. 4 consecutive skin surface biopsies (SSB) were taken from biceps of the forearms of 6 volunteers at time periods of 0.5 h and 3 h after application of the protective cream. Results were compared with control skin where no barrier cream was used. The zinc atomic emission line at 213.9 nm was selected. Gate delay and gate width time was optimized to obtain the best signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and precision. This method provided a facile and rapid screening of the effectiveness of skin barrier creams against zinc ion penetration. The barrier creams were shown to provide appreciable protection against the penetration of both ZnCl 2 and ZnO into the skin.
Understanding hairy cell leukemia genetics.

By any estimate, hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare disease. The population incidence in the United Kingdom is only 2.9 cases per million [1] with similar rates having been described in the United...
Replacement of huntingtin exon 1 by trans-splicing

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by polyglutamine expansion in the amino-terminus of huntingtin (HTT). HD offers unique opportunities for promising RNA-based therapeutic approaches aimed at reducing mutant HTT expression, since the HD mutation is considered to be a “gain-of-function” mutation. Allele-specific strategies that preserve expression from the wild-type allele and reduce the levels of mutant protein would be of particular interest. Here, we have conducted proof-of-concept studies to demonstrate that spliceosome-mediated trans-splicing is a viable molecular strategy to specifically repair the HTT allele. We employed a dual plasmid transfection system consisting of a pre-mRNA trans-splicing module (PTM) containing HTT exon 1 and a HTT minigene to demonstrate that HTT exon 1 can be replaced in trans. We detected the presence of the trans-spliced RNA in which PTM exon 1 was correctly joined to minigene exons 2 and 3. Furthermore, exon 1 from the PTM was trans-spliced to the endogenous HTT pre-mRNA in cultured cells as well as disease-relevant models, including HD patient fibroblasts and primary neurons from a previously described HD mouse model. These results suggest that the repeat expansion of HTT can be repaired successfully not only in the context of synthetic minigenes but also within the context of HD neurons. Therefore, pre-mRNA trans-splicing may be a promising approach for the treatment of HD and other dominant genetic disorders.
The role of hepatic type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI‐1) during murine hemorrhagic shock

Hemorrhagic shock (HS) followed by resuscitation (HS-R) is characterized by profound physiological changes. Even if the patient survives the initial blood loss, these poorly understood changes can lead to morbidity. One of the tissues most often affected is liver. We sought to recognize specific hepatic changes induced by this stressor to identify targets for therapeutic intervention. Gene array analyses using mouse liver mRNAs were used to identify candidate genes that contribute to hepatic damage. To verify the role of one of the genes identified using the arrays, mice were subjected to HS-R, and multiple parameters were analyzed. A profound increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) mRNA was observed using hepatic mRNAs from C57Bl/6 mice after HS, both with and without resuscitation. Constitutive loss of PAI-1 resulted in notable tissue preservation and lower (P < .05) alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Fibrin degradation products (FDPs) and interleukins 6 and 10 (IL-6 and IL-10) were unaffected by loss of PAI-1; however, enhanced urokinase activity, an elevation of active hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), an increase in unprocessed transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1), and retention of ERK phosphorylation after HS-R were associated with improved hepatic function. In conclusion, PAI-1 protein is a negative effector of hepatic damage after HS-R through its influence on classic regulators of hepatic growth, as opposed to its role in fibrinolysis. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;42: 390-399.)
Evaluating maximum likelihood estimation methods to determine the Hurst coefficient

A maximum likelihood estimation method implemented in S-PLUS (S-MLE) to estimate the Hurst coefficient (H) is evaluated. The Hurst coefficient, with 0.5<H<1, characterizes long memory time series by quantifying the rate of decay of the autocorrelation function. S-MLE was developed to estimate H for fractionally differenced (fd) processes. However, in practice it is difficult to distinguish between fd processes and fractional Gaussian noise (fGn) processes. Thus, the method is evaluated for estimating H for both fd and fGn processes. S-MLE gave biased results of H for fGn processes of any length and for fd processes of lengths less than 210. A modified method is proposed to correct for this bias. It gives reliable estimates of H for both fd and fGn processes of length greater than or equal to 211.
Merging isotopes and community genomics in a siliceous sinter‐depositing hot spring

[1] Thermophilic microbes in hydrothermal ecosystems have multiple metabolic strategies for taking up carbon and nitrogen, which may result in distinct stable isotopic compositions of C and N in living biomass, as well as other biosignatures that accumulate in the geologic record. Biofilms from “Bison Pool” at Yellowstone National Park display large variations in carbon and nitrogen isotopic values as a function of downstream sampling and illustrate the presence of large shifts in ecological functions as temperature decreases. This is the first study to couple isotopic data with community genomic analysis to predict dominant carbon fixation pathways that create hydrothermal biofilm signatures. The results also suggest nitrogen limitation through the chemotrophic zone and nitrogen fixation in the lower-temperature phototrophic zone.
Pressure chamber for use during differential thermal analyses

This article describes a simple cell suitable for use with the Du Pont 900 differential thermal analyzer to maintain pressures up to 150 psi. Also discussed are two applications of such a device.
Revision of vagal nerve stimulator electrodes through a posterior cervical triangle approach: technical note

Background We describe an approach to vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) lead replacement through the posterior cervical triangle. Scar around the structures of the carotid sheath is avoided and new leads are placed on a pristine section of the vagus nerve proximal to the original site. Clinical presentation Skin incision from the implantation surgery is incorporated and extended to allow access to the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). Dissection proceeds along the posterior border of the SCM. The SCM and jugular vein are retracted anterior to expose a fresh segment of the vagal nerve immediately superficial to the carotid artery and proximal to the original electrode site. Once the nerve is adequately exposed, electrode placement proceeds in the standard fashion. Dysfunctional electrodes are left in place, and the lead wire is cut as near the electrodes as can be easily accessed. Three patients have undergone lead revision with this approach. Lead placement was successful and free from complications in all cases. Conclusion The posterior cervical triangle approach provides a virgin dissection plane for VNS revision.
Low-linolenic acid soybean oil—Alternatives to frying oils

Oil was hexane-extracted from soybeans that had been modified by hybridization breeding for low-linolenic acid (18∶3) content. Extracted crude oils were processed to finished edible oils by laboratory simulations of commercial oil processing procedures. Oils from three germplasm lines N83-375 (5.5% 18∶3), N89-2009 (2.9% 18∶3) and N85-2176 (1.9% 18∶3) were compared to commercial unhydrogenated soybean salad oil with 6.2% 18∶3 and two hydrogenated soybean frying oils, HSBOI (4.1% 18∶3) and HSBOII (<0.2% 18∶3). Low-18∶3 oils produced by hybridization showed significantly lower room odor intensity scores than the commercial soybean salad oil and the commercial frying oils. The N85-2176 oil with an 18∶3 content below 2.0% showed no fishy odor after 10 h at 190°C and lower burnt and acrid odors after 20 h of use when compared to the commercial oils. Flavor quality of potatoes fried with the N85-2176 oil at 190°C after 10 and 20 h was good, and significantly better at both time periods than that of potatoes fried in the unhydrogenated oil or in the hydrogenated oils. Flavor quality scores of potatoes fried in the N89-2009 oil (2.9% 18∶3) after 10 and 20 h was good and equal to that of potatoes fried in the HSBOI oil (4.1% 18∶3). Fishy flavors, perceived with potatoes fried in the low-18∶3 oils, were significantly lower than those reported for potatoes fried in the unhydrogenated control oil, and the potatoes lacked the hydrogenated flavors of potatoes fried in hydrogenated oils. These results indicate that oils with lowered linolenic acid content produced by hybridization breeding of soybeans are potential alternatives to hydrogenated frying oils.
THE SUBJECTIVE THINKER AS ARTIST

In both the pseudonymous and nonpseudonymous writings of Sraren Kierkegaard a number of passages give the impression that the author opposes poetic or artistic forms of expression in human life. Romantic poetry and the romantic mode of ‘living poetically’ in particular are subjected to severe criticism in The Concept ofIrony and Either/Or, but in many instances the charges brought against the poetic in the authorship range beyond romantic forms to include poetry in general.’ A negative attitude toward the poetic is especially prominent in writings from the middle period of Kierkegaard’s authorship, e.g. Stages On Life’s Way, Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Works of Love, and The Point of View For My Work as an Author. These works declare, for example, that a union between the aesthetic and the ethical is a misalliance (SLW, 400), that a poetic relation to actuality is a misunderstanding and a backward step (CUP, 347), that religious pathos does not consist in singing, hymning, and composing verse but in existing (CUP, 348), that the poet cannot help us to understand life (WL, 63), and that we must move away from the poetical to a religious, more specifically a Christian, mode of life (PV, 74). Even in the later religious literature, where Kierkegaard views his own role as a ‘poet of the religious’ (JP, 6: 6511) and his writings as a form of ‘poet-communication’ (JP 6: 6528, 6574), imagination is likened to ‘an actor clad in rags’ (TC, 186), and the poet (next to the priest, who is regarded as no more than a poet) is declared to be the most dangerous of men (KAUC, 201-202). Although this decidedly negative posture toward the poetic is present throughout the authorship, it should be seen as constituting only one side, not the total viewpoint, of Kierkegaard and his pseudonyms on this subject. Running counter to it is another perspective in the literature which regards the poetic as an essential ingredient in ethical and religious forms of life.* Sometimes these forms of existence themselves are understood and characterised in aesthetic terms, making it possible to discern what may be called an existential or ethical-religious aesthetics in Kierkegaard’s thought.3 In the Concept of Irony, for example, the religious is described as an inward infinity that constitutes the truly poetic, and the ethical task incumbent upon every individual is understood as a demand to ‘live poetically’ in a religious sense (CI, 305, 3 13,3 14). Similarly, Judge William in Either/Or claims that the highest in aesthetics is reached when the ethical ideal is given concrete expression in daily life, and the ethical individual is described as feeling himself both ‘creating and created’, having become like ‘the experienced actor who has lived into his character and his lines’ (EO, 2: 137). We cannot consider here all the places in Kierkegaard’s writings where aesthetic categories are employed in portraying ethical and religious existence.
The Dollar Game: Questioning the Ethics of Capitalism and Bargaining:

In this half-hour class exercise, students who randomly receive index cards with dollar signs on the back of them negotiate with students who randomly receive blank index cards. The exercise raises issues of distributive justice, negotiating ethics, and unfair competitive advantages. The exercise addresses three key issues: (a) the ethics of people who control a scarce resource, (b) the ethics of people who do not control a scarce resource, and (c) the ethics of distributing less income than budgeted.
STRUCTURE OF THE ANISOGAMETES OF THE GREEN SIPHON PSEUDOBRYOPSIS SP. (CHLOROPHYTA)1

The fine structure of the male and female gametes of Pseudobryopsis, particularly that of the flagellar apparatus, is compared with that of swarmers of other green algae. There is general similarity, with differences in detail, to the Ulvales and other green siphons that have been studied. The similarities include overlapping basal bodies, the capping plate type of connective between basal bodies, terminal caps, and system II fibrous roots (rhizoplasts). The capping plate of the female gamete differs from that in other green siphons and the Ulvales in form and in the presence of a faint striation. A diagram illustrating the actual arrangement of the components of the flagellar apparatus is given, along with a discussion of the fact that the mirror image of the true arrangement has been given in some reports on ulvaphycean algae.
Mammography adherence and beliefs in a sample of low-income African American women.

The purpose of this article is to describe the relation of perceptions of perceived breast cancer risks and perceived benefits and barriers to mammography and stage of mammography adherence in a convenience sample of low-income African American women. The theoretical framework of the Health Belief Model and the Transtheoretical Model were used to identify concepts and stage of mammography adherence. Data were obtained in waiting rooms of multipurpose centers. Scores for susceptibility and benefits were lowest for those who were in (a) precontemplation (had not thought about having a mammogram); as compared to (b) contemplation (had thought about having a mammogram, but not yet acted); (c) action (had a mammogram as recommended by the American Cancer Society); and (d) relapse (had a mammogram in the past, but overdue). Barriers scores were highest for those who had not had a mammogram (precontemplators and contemplators). In addition, individual bamers were significantly lower for women in action. Results have implications for interventions to increase screening in low-income African American women.
Reluctant formation of a titanium(IV) arene complex

A new high-valent hexaethylbenzene complex of titanium is formed in the reaction of hexaethylbenzene with TiCl4, when AlCl3 is used.
Action of thiazolidine-2-carboxylic acid, a proline analog, on protein synthesizing systems.

Abstract Thiazolidine-2-carboxylic acid, or β-thiaproline, is a proline analog in which the β methylene group of proline is substituted by a sulfur atom. It has been demonstrated that β-thiaproline is activated and transferred to tRNA Pro by Escherichia coli and rat liver aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and inhibits proline incorporation into polypeptides in protein synthesizing systems from E. coli , rat liver or rabbit reticulocytes. In mammalian systems β-thiaproline inhibits also leucine incorporation; in rabbit reticulocyte lysate it inhibits ribosome run-off. Both these effects may be explained by the fact that β-thiaproline once incorporated into the growing polypeptide chain impairs its further elongation, as shown by experiments made with puromycin. All tests were performed in comparison with thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, or γ-thiaproline, another proline analog having the γ methylene group substituted by a sulfur atom; it was shown that in all the reactions studied both compounds act as competitive inhibitors of proline. Some differences in the effects of the two analogs have been evidenced: in almost all the reactions and mainly in the whole protein synthesizing systems, β-thiaproline shows an higher inhibitory activity.
Lattice-gas and lattice-Boltzmann models of miscible fluids

We introduce new lattice-gas and lattice-Boltzmann models for simulating miscible fluids in two dimensions. The inclusion of a nonlocal interaction produces a lattice gas with lower diffusivity than achieved before. To overcome some observed unphysical properties of this lattice gas, we introduce a lattice-Boltzmann analogue of the model. We first formulate a miscible two-component lattice-Boltzmann model with local interactions only, and show that its diffusivity is determined by an eigenvalue of the linearized collision operator. Diffusivity is then reduced by including nonlocal interactions. The utility of the model is demonstrated by a simulation of two-dimensional viscous fingering.
Systemic Effects of Inhaled Ultrafine Particles in Two Compromised, Aged Rat Strains

Epidemiological studies associate morbidity and mortality with exposure to particulate air pollution in elderly individuals with existing cardiopulmonary disease. These associations led to the hypothesis that inhaled particles can exert adverse effects outside of the lung, particularly on the cardiovascular system. We tested this hypothesis by examining the pulmonary and peripheral effects of inhaled ultrafine carbon particles in old rats that were injected with endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) to model systemic gram-negative bacterial infection. Fischer 344 rats (23 mo) and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats (11-14 mo) were injected with LPS (2 mg/kg, i.p.) immediately before being exposed to inhaled ultrafine carbon particles for 6 h (150 microg/m(3), CMD = 36 nm). Controls were injected with sterile saline or were sham exposed. Twenty-four hours after LPS injection, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, cells, and blood were obtained to assess endpoints of inflammation, oxidant stress, coagulability, and the acute-phase response. LPS did not cause an influx of neutrophils (PMNs) into the alveolar space, but did increase the number and percentage of circulating PMNs and the concentration of plasma fibrinogen in both rat strains. Inhaled ultrafine particles did not induce lung inflammation in either rat strain. In both strains, ultrafine particles (UFP) were found to decrease the number of blood PMNs, increase the intracellular oxidation of a fluorescent dye (DCFD) in blood PMNs, and affect plasma thrombin-anti-thrombin (TAT) complex and fibrinogen levels. UFP were also found to interact with ip LPS with respect to plasma TAT complex levels and blood PMN DCFD oxidation. Differences between the two rat strains were also found for TAT complex levels, BAL cell reactive oxygen species release, and DCFD oxidation in both BAL macrophages and blood PMNs. These results suggest that inhaled ultrafine carbon particles inhaled at concentrations mimicking high episodic increases in urban air can exert extrapulmonary effects in old rats and that they can change the systemic response to an inflammatory stimulus.
Sequential sampling for adult coccinellids in wheat

Adult aphidophagous coccinellids are important predators of cereal aphids in wheat in the Great Plains of the United States for which sampling methods are needed to facilitate improved management. An equation relating the mean number of adult coccinellids per m 2 in a wheat field to its variance was obtained using Taylor's power law. A sequential sampling procedure was developed to estimate the number of adult coccinellids per m 2 with constant average statistical precision (standard error/mean). The procedure was constructed by an equation relating the number of adult coccinellids per m 2 to the number of adult coccinellids per minute of counting incorporating into the Taylor's power law relationship. The procedure involves conducting a series of 1-min counts while walking through a field at a constant velocity of 10 m per minute. After each 1-min count sequential sampling stop-lines are consulted to determine if the specified level of precision has been achieved. Two methods, a statistical procedure and comparison with independent data, were used to assess the consistency with which the specified level of precision was achieved by the procedure. Results indicated that observed precision was close to that specified by the user over a wide range of adult coccinellid density.
Molecular orbital theory of the hydrogen bond. 25. Water–uracil complexes in excited n → π states

Hydrogen bonding of uracil with water in excited n → π* states has been investigated by means of ab initioSCF-CI calculations on uracil and water–uracil complexes. Two low-energy excited states arise from n → π* transitions in uracil. The first is due to excitation of the C4O group, while the second is associated with excitation of the C2O group. In the first n → π* state, hydrogen bonds at O4 are broken, so that the open water–uracil dimer at O4 dissociates. The “wobble” dimer, in which a water molecule is essentially free to move between its position in an open structure at N3H and a cyclic structure at N3H and O4 in the ground state, collapses to a different “wobble” dimer at N3H and O2 in the excited state. The third dimer, a “wobble” dimer at N1H and O2, remains intact, but is destabilized relative to the ground state. Although hydrogen bonds at O2 are broken in the second n → π* state, the three water–uracil dimers remain bound. The “wobble” dimer at N1H and O2 changes to an excited open dimer at N1H. The “wobble” dimer at N3H and O4 remains intact, and the open dimer at O4 is further stabilized upon excitation. Dimer blue shifts of n → π* bands are nearly additive in 2:1 and 3:1 water:uracil structures. The fates of the three 2:1 water:uracil trimers and the 3:1 water:uracil tetramer in the first and second n → π* states are determined by the fates of the corresponding excited dimers in these states.
Absorption spectra and color of aluminium-cyanidin 3-glucoside complexes as influenced by pH

Abstract The effects of pH on the color and the absorption spectra of a solution of cyanidin 3-glucoside (3·5×10 −5 M) complexed with AlCl 3 .6H 2 O (7×10 −4 M) were determined. Increasing pH from 2·21 to 6·16 influenced the type of aluminium-anhydro base complex formed and greatly affected the wavelength of maximum absorption of the sample. The color of the solution changed from red to blue-violet as pH increased. The color change was most pronounced in the pH range of 3·00–3·50.
The precomputed-branch architecture: efficient branches with compiler support

Abstract Accurate instruction fetch and branch prediction is increasingly important in today's superscalar architectures. Fetch prediction is the process of determining the next instruction to request from the memory subsystem. Branch prediction is the process of predicting the likely outcome of branch instructions. A branch target buffer (BTB) is often used to provide target addresses for taken branches and to predict the destination of indirect jumps. Using a BTB avoids the delay needed to recalculate the destination address and reduces the misfetch penalty. However, an effective branch target buffer can be large and can possibly increase the cycle time of a processor. We propose that a design used in older computers, such as the PDP-8, be used in modern architectures instead of a BTB design. The compiler would pre-compute the branch destination for most branch instructions, allowing the branch information to be stored with the instruction. We consider computing branch destinations at link time and as instructions are fetched into the instruction cache; both alternatives offer similar performance with different advantages. A very small BTB is still useful to predict indirect branches, which cannot be pre-computed. Our results show that the Precomputed-Branch architecture performs better than an architecture using only a BTB, and has significant hardware savings. This is particularly true for larger programs more representative of modern applications.
Comparison of Cortical and White Matter Traumatic Brain Injury Models Reveals Differential Effects in the Subventricular Zone and Divergent Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Pathways in Neuroblasts and Oligodendrocyte Progenitors

The regenerative capacity of the central nervous system must be optimized to promote repair following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may differ with the site and form of damage. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) maintains neural stem cells and promotes oligodendrogenesis. We examined whether Shh signaling contributes to neuroblast (doublecortin) or oligodendrocyte progenitor (neural/glial antigen 2 [NG2]) responses in two distinct TBI models. Shh-responsive cells were heritably labeled in vivo using Gli1-CreERT2;R26-YFP bitransgenic mice with tamoxifen administration on Days 2 and 3 post-TBI. Injury to the cerebral cortex was produced with mild controlled cortical impact. Yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) cells decreased in cortical lesions. Total YFP cells increased in the subventricular zone (SVZ), indicating Shh pathway activation in SVZ cells, including doublecortin-labeled neuroblasts. The alternate TBI model produced traumatic axonal injury in the corpus callosum. YFP cells decreased within the SVZ and were rar...
A Radiographic and Clinical Survey of the Hip Joint in Sero-Positive Rheumatoid Arthritis

(1969). A Radiographic and Clinical Survey of the Hip Joint in Sero-Positive Rheumatoid Arthritis. Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica: Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 346-364.
URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING EDUCATION REVISITED: READING THE DIALS AND STEERING THE SHIP

Now, more than ever, the planning and management of transportation systems in the real world is beset by change and uncertainty. Under these conditions, the quality of transportation education continues to be a matter of concern for the profession because of continuing demands and commitments at several levels. From an academic standpoint, topics such as public involvement, strategic management of capital resources, soft systems methodology, and applied ethics need to be incorporated in the curriculum in more substantial ways. On the basis of the demands of professional practice, as suggested by hiring agencies, the political working of the real world also needs to be understood by entry-level graduates. These and other relevant issues, relevant particularly for a graduate-level course on urban transportation planning, are described and discussed. On the basis of the "Millennium State-of-the-Art and Future Directions White Paper" sponsored by the Committee on Transportation Education, students are expecte...
Phospholipase A1 activity and catalytic mechanism of pancreatic cholesterol esterase

Abstract The catalytic mechanism of bovine pancreatic cholesterol esterase (CEase) has been probed by using lipid p-nitrophenyl esters and thiophospholipids as substrates. The rate of CEase-catalyzed hydrolyses of p-nitrophenyl esters is highest for substrates that have fatty acyl chains of intermediate length, while solvent isotope effects decrease with increasing chain length. Nucleophilic trapping experiments indicate that kcat for these substrates is rate limited by hydrolysis of acylenzyme intermediates. The kcat for CEase-catalyzed hydrolysis of 1(3)-decanoylthio-2-decanoyl-phosphatidylcholine is nearly the same as that for p-nitrophenyl decanoate, which demonstrates that phospholipolysis is also rate limited by deacylation. Hence, the CEase and serine protease catalytic mechanisms are similar pro forma. This information is used to guide the design of mechanism-based inhibitors, two classes of which, phosphates and enolphosphates, are described herein.
Firm racial segregation and affirmative action in the highway construction industry

In this paper I document that highway construction firms in California, particularly those owned by blacks and Asians, exhibit considerable racial segregation in that they are disproportionately located in zip codes with the greatest concentration of own-race residents. I find that segregated firms serve a larger market than minority-owned firms that are not segregated and that this effect is concentrated in black-owned firms. I next exploit the segregation of firms to examine the effect of affirmative action on the success of minority-owned firms. Following the significant curtailment of affirmative action in California due to a direct statewide ballot initiative, the number of highway construction establishments located in zip codes with the highest concentrations of black and Asian residents fell relative to the rest of the state, even conditional on the number of non-construction establishments. This suggests that affirmative action policies may play a role in the net survival rates of minority-owned firms.
Between Incas and Indians Inca Kola and the construction of a Peruvian-global modernity

Inca Kola is the only national cola to outsell Coca-Cola in its own territory. This article situates the marketing and success of Inca Kola within broader theoretical debates on the relationship between the local and the global and underscores the usefulness of more nuanced understandings of the local by bringing to the forefront internal heterogeneity and local hegemonic discourses. I suggest that Inca Kola is successful in large part because it bridges the gap between the local and the global and the traditional and the modern by presenting an alternative to Coca-Cola's American-global modernity through the construction of a Peruvian-global modernity. I then complicate notions of the local by analyzing how the Peruvian-global modernity represented in Inca Kola's ads is internally hegemonic and suggest that Inca Kola's marketing is better understood in terms of its embeddedness in urban white-mestizo racial hierarchies.
Dose of reduced z-axis length of computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the chest for pulmonary embolism using 64-detector rows and adaptive iterative reconstruction techniques

The objective of this study is to compare the dose of CT angiography (CTA) for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) performed using a reduced z-axis to conventional CTA for PE, both using adaptive iterative reconstruction technique on a 64-detector row device. The institutional review board approved a waiver of informed consent. A study was performed to consecutive patients having CTA for PE in the emergency department (ED). The patients underwent a reduced z-axis CTA from the top of the aortic arch to the bottom of the heart using the appropriate CT parameters and standard IV contrast injections. All patients had scans performed with 40 % ASIR and had a breast shield placed to limit breast dose. Per ED ordering criteria, the reduced z-axis protocol was appropriate for patients under 50 years old with no significant comorbidity. The control group consisted of patients from the same time period under 50 years of age who received a full z-axis scan. Technical parameters were the same for both groups other than scan length. Dose–length product (DLP) and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) were the parameters used to evaluate differences in radiation dose to patients. The average effective dose of the full z-axis group was significantly higher (10.9 mSv (SD 4.7, range = 2.8–22)) compared to the reduced z-axis group (5.5 mSv (SD 3.0, range = 1.6–13, p < 0.001). The average effective dose for the reduced z-axis group was 49 % less than that of the full z-axis group. Reducing the z-axis of a CTA for PE significantly reduces effective radiation dose.
An Update on Treatment of the Anxiety Disorders

The recently discovered high prevalence of the anxiety disorders, as well as studies demonstrating their strong association with psychophysiologic symptoms, will probably increase referrals for these disorders to psychiatric clinicians. The authors review developments since 1983 in the psychopharmacologic and psychologic-behavioral treatment of the anxiety disorders. They find a growing body of empirical evidence that a variety of pharmacologic and cognitively oriented behavioral therapies are effective treatments. Less evidence is available for the utility of psychodynamic therapies, although recent studies provide some support. The authors believe that as a general rule, treatment of the more severe anxiety symptoms should always include pharmacotherapy.
Extending progressive meshes for use over unreliable networks

Progressive meshes [Hoppe, H., August 1996] provide an attractive mechanism for transmitting 3D geometry over networks. Progressive meshes (PM) transmit a coarse initial mesh and refinements that can be applied to the initial mesh. However, these techniques assume a reliable network protocol such as TCP/IP is used for data transmission. When transmitting 3D geometry for graphical applications such as concurrent virtual environments distributed over wide area networks with some nodes potentially using wireless networks, many losses will occur. TCP/IP performance degrades in the presence of packet loss and multicast communication mechanisms typically do not provide reliable communication. These applications motivate the issue of transmitting geometric data over unreliable networks. In this paper, we discuss several errors that are caused when reconstructing PM geometries after some packets have been lost. We modify the PM data structures to improve robustness during packet loss. We use these modifications to improve a hybrid transmission technique that uses TCP to transmit the base mesh and portion of the initial mesh and then use UDP to transmit the remainder of the mesh to improve transmission performance.
Augmented intelligence: the Web and human intelligence

Prof. von Ahn began his discussion of the possibilities of augmented intelligence with a description of his invention (with colleagues) of the Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) [[1][1]], often encountered as a random sequence of distorted letters,
Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and holmium laser lithotripsy: a novel approach to the management of common bile duct stones

Background Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) have proved to be safe and effective ways of managing common bile duct (CBD) stones. Clearance of large or impacted CBD stones by routine endoscopic maneuvers can be challenging, often requiring more invasive techniques such as open CBD exploration, which increases morbidity. This report presents a novel approach to managing impacted CBD stones using laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration and holmium laser lithotripsy with favorable outcomes.
Quantifying Behind Armor Debris Fragments from CTH Using the Interdisciplinary Computing Environment

The multi-material, large deformation, strong shock wave, solid mechanics code CTH is heavily used for armor penetration applications. It would be extremely beneficial to be able to use this type of physics based simulation to produce a realistic behind armor debris (BAD) field as input to survivability and lethality codes. Utilizing the capabilities of the Interdisciplinary Computing Environment (ICE) we have developed a tool that is capable of identifying individual fragments in a CTH flat mesh or AMR calculation. Additionally, this tool produces an estimate of the volume (thus mass) and velocity of these arbitrarily shaped fragments, outputting the results into a text file that is suitable for use as input to survivability/lethality calculations.
ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL FOR PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY

Process control in photolithography will be a key requirement for the successful manufacturing of 0.25 micron semiconductor products. A program to study photolithography process control techniques was recently undertaken at Texas Instruments. The target for this program was 0.35 micron technology, and the lithography used a combination of conventional wet developed resists and surface-imaging dry developed resists along with both i-line and deep UV steppers. Advanced process control techniques were applied in order to achieve lithography control without lot send-ahead wafers or test wafers. A notable conclusion was the need for the development of real-time sensor technology, particularly for the stepper exposure process. Lithography for the program demonstration was performed both with conventional i-line processing and with surface imaging and dry develop. Acceptable process control was achieved without lot send-ahead wafers or test wafers by a program of short-loop SPC and regular monitoring of equipment states. The fundamental lithography processes appear to have sufficient short term control in general, but sudden excursions and long term drifts still occur. The goal of fully automated process control can only be met when there are real time sensors and control software on the key steps in the lithography process. The most pressing need is for a sensor that could control the exposure on the stepper. With such a system variations in the incoming wafer state could be compensated, even for short run ASIC lots, to provide an on-target pattern every time.
Reply to “Inconclusive Reverse Transcription-PCR Assay Comparison for Dengue Virus Detection and Serotyping”

With great interest, we read the letter entitled [“Inconclusive Reverse Transcription-PCR Assay Comparison for Dengue Virus Detection and Serotyping”][1] written by Drs. Munoz-Jordan and Santiago ([1][2]), and we appreciate the opportunity to respond in print. These authors voice their
A changed perspective: How gratitude can affect sense of coherence through positive reframing

We hypothesized that gratitude would be related to sense of coherence via positive reframing, which is a process by which negative events or circumstances are seen in a positive light. We tested this hypothesis in two studies. In Study 1 (N = 166) we found a strong, robust relationship between trait gratitude and sense of coherence above and beyond life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, happiness, and social desirability. Study 2 (N = 275) showed that gratitude at Time 1 predicted sense of coherence at Time 2, controlling for baseline scores. Positive reframing mediated the relationship between gratitude and SOC. Results are discussed in terms of their practical implications.
Creating and Sustaining Academic–Practice Partnerships: Lessons Learned

This article outlines how one community's academic–practice partnership evolved over time as it sought to address the community's needs for a qualified competent nursing workforce. Both organization and system changes were essential in the establishment of formal structures to address nursing workforce shortage needs. Both practice and education leaders were actively engaged in setting the strategic priorities at multiple system levels in the creation of these formal structures. We anticipate that the formation of these new formal structures will advance and sustain our academic–practice partnerships. Five key lessons were learned: (a) change is inevitable, (b) leadership matters at all levels, (c) succession planning is essential, (d) persistence toward established goals is necessary, and (e) relationships are the glue to sustain forward movement.
Acute renal failure in pregnancy

• Acute renal failure is a most challenging clinical problem when it occurs in pregnancy. It requires an understanding of the normal physiology of the kidney in pregnancy and the natural history of different underlying renal diseases when pregnancy occurs. Because patients with chronic renal disease may present with worsening proteinuria, hypertension, and renal function, these disorders must be excluded from those conditions that cause acute deterioration of renal failure in otherwise normal women during pregnancy. As in all patients who develop acute renal failure, prerenal and obstructive causes must be excluded. Particularly important causes of prerenal azotemia in pregnancy include hyperemesis gravidarum and uterine hemorrhage, especially if it is unsuspected as in abruptio placentae. Infectious causes of acute renal failure in the pregnant woman include acute pyelonephritis and septic abortion. The clinical presentation of both these conditions should be apparent, and appropriate diagnosis and treatment can then be promptly instituted. Renal cortical necrosis is another cause of renal failure that occurs more frequently in pregnancy, and it must be differentiated from the many causes of acute tubular necrosis that may be associated with pregnancy. Those conditions that cause renal failure unique to pregnancy must always be considered when renal function deteriorates in the last trimester or the postpartum period. Severe preeclampsia, acute fatty liver of pregnancy, and idiopathic postpartum acute renal failure may all present similar complications, but the approach to each of these clinical disorders must be individualized. By understanding the causes of renal functional deterioration in pregnancy, a logical differential diagnosis can be established, allowing appropriate therapeutic decisions to preserve both maternal and fetal well-being. ( Arch Intern Med 1988;148:2347-2357)
Work in progress — Phenomenographic approach to understanding students' ways of experiencing human-centered design

Human-centered approaches to design contribute to innovations in engineering design and have been shown to increase productivity, improve quality, reduce errors, improve acceptance of new products, and reduce development costs. Understanding the ways in which students understand and experience human-centered design is needed to create effective design learning experiences to develop the skills needed for human-centered design. To address that need, we are conducting a phenomenographic study of students' ways of experiencing human-centered design within the context of “designing for others”. Thirty-three student designers from a variety of academic contexts were interviewed using a semi-structured, open-ended approach in which they discussed concrete experiences designing for a customer or client, and reflections and meanings associated with those experiences. Analysis of the data yielded seven qualitatively different ways in which the students experienced human-centered design, or categories of description. The seven categories of description are logically related and comprise the outcome space. A description of the categories, their differences, and hierarchical relationship will be presented.
An examination of theory and promising practice for achieving permanency for teens before they age out of foster care

article i nfo In this paper research is presented that examines the efficacy of Independent Living (IL) services in preparing foster youth to live "independently", and calls into question the appropriateness of an "independence" goal for youth aging out of foster care. The paper then reviews the emerging conceptualization of youth permanency in child welfare practice that focuses on lifelong connections to kin and fictive kin as requirements for permanency. The paper then reports on the success of a federally-funded demonstration project that served youth in residential treatment facilities and group homes in New York City aging out of care. It examines elements of the project model that were highly successful in achieving family-based permanency for a significant proportion of youth referred to the program and concludes that it is a promising practice model for the profession.
Dynamically generated Mott gap from holography.

In the fermionic sector of top-down approaches to holographic systems, one generically finds that the fermions are coupled to gravity and gauge fields in a variety of ways, beyond minimal coupling. In this Letter, we take one such interaction---a Pauli, or dipole, interaction---and study its effects on fermion correlators. We find that this interaction modifies the fermion spectral density in a remarkable way. As we change the strength of the interaction, we find that spectral weight is transferred between bands, and beyond a critical value, a gap emerges in the fermion density of states. A possible interpretation of this bulk interaction then is that it drives the dynamical formation of a (Mott) gap, in the absence of continuous symmetry breaking.
Current Status of Immunomodulatory and Cellular Therapies in Preclinical and Clinical Islet Transplantation

Clinical islet transplantation is a β-cell replacement strategy that represents a possible definitive intervention for patients with type 1 diabetes, offering substantial benefits in terms of lowering daily insulin requirements and reducing incidences of debilitating hypoglycemic episodes and unawareness. Despite impressive advances in this field, a limiting supply of islets, inadequate means for preventing islet rejection, and the deleterious diabetogenic and nephrotoxic side effects associated with chronic immunosuppressive therapy preclude its wide-spread applicability. Islet transplantation however allows a window of opportunity for attempting various therapeutic manipulations of islets prior to transplantation aimed at achieving superior transplant outcomes. In this paper, we will focus on the current status of various immunosuppressive and cellular therapies that promote graft function and survival in preclinical and clinical islet transplantation with special emphasis on the tolerance-inducing capacity of regulatory T cells as well as the β-cells regenerative capacity of stem cells.