cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grammaticalization degrees in Catalan anar vs. estar + adjective in the 19th and 20th centuries: A language contact, corpus-based distributional approach

The present study constitutes an exploratory analysis of the use of the Catalan constructions anar (‘to go’) + adjective and estar (‘to be’) + adjective in writing during the 19th and 20th centuries. In modern Catalan, anar and estar can be used before an adjective as copulas, with an identical or similar meaning (e.g., en Joan va begut, en Joan esta begut ‘John is drunk’). Both constructions show evidence of being highly grammaticalized and are apparently found in free variation rather than complementary distribution. However, a closer approach seems to reveal certain underlying linguistic factors that might be informing such contrast, specifically within the semantic-pragmatic sphere. This is here explored using the narrow theory of grammaticalization (Hopper & Traugott 2003), a multistage process by which lexical (i.e., contextual) items eventually become functional (i.e., grammatical) over time. A corpus-based search was conducted using the electronic version of the Corpus Textual Informatitzat de la Llengua Catalana (CTILC), which comprises literary and non-literary texts published between 1833 and 1988. Anar + adjective and estar + adjective tokens were obtained from a sample of texts, then sorted into four different groups corresponding to century halves. The search results from the corpus were randomly sorted in terms of genre and date and, from these, the top 250 tokens on the list of results for each construction were selected and subsequently analyzed. Whereas few instances of both constructions are found overall in the first half of the 19th century, estar already prevails over anar when followed by an adjective. During the first half of the 20th century, however, this trend starts to be reversed. This suggests the possibility that anar and estar might have traditionally been found in free variation in a number of contexts, with 19th century texts showing a clear preference for estar.
The Goldilocks Dilemma: When is Digital Regulation “Just Right”?

The year 2019 was transformational in terms of changing political, academic, and practitioner attitudes towards the regulation of business activity in the digital domain, particularly platforms. The main transformation on which we focus is the view that digital business activities merit much greater competition oversight, especially as the companies operating here have been, in some sense, operating in aWildWest, where those with market power effectively make the rules for the markets they oversee.
COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: We Need to Start Now

In this perspective, we discuss the importance of developing a vaccine to help curb transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The question remains: Once a safe and effective vaccine is developed, will the public be willing to get it? We present information from one of the first tracking polls to assess public attitudes and perceptions toward a possible coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine that suggests public hesitancy over a potential vaccine, concern regarding accelerating clinical trials, and unease over the vaccine approval process. Public health experts, government officials, advocates, and others in the scientific community should respect the signals of hesitancy and communicate sensitivity, applying lessons not only to how we message, but also in how we build this urgently needed vaccine if we are to have successful uptake once available.
Some Remarks on the $$C^0$$ C 0 -(In)Extendibility of Spacetimes

The existence, established over the past number of years and supporting earlier work of Ori (Phys Rev Lett 68(14):2117–2120, 1992), of physically relevant black hole spacetimes that admit $$C^0$$ metric extensions beyond the future Cauchy horizon, while being $$C^2$$ -inextendible, has focused attention on fundamental issues concerning the strong cosmic censorship conjecture. These issues were recently discussed in the work of Sbierski (The $${C}^0$$ -inextendibility of the Schwarzschild spacetime and the spacelike diameter in Lorentzian geometry. arXiv:1507.00601v2 , (to appear in J. Diff. Geom.), 2015), in which he established the (nonobvious) fact that the Schwarzschild solution in global Kruskal–Szekeres coordinates is $$C^0$$ -inextendible. In this paper, we review aspects of Sbierski’s methodology in a general context and use similar techniques, along with some new observations, to consider the $$C^0$$ -inextendibility of open FLRW cosmological models. We find that a certain special class of open FLRW spacetimes, which we have dubbed ‘Milne-like,’ actually admits $$C^0$$ extensions through the big bang. For spacetimes that are not Milne-like, we prove some inextendibility results within the class of spherically symmetric spacetimes.
Ammonia vs. Lactic Acid in Predicting Positivity of Microbial Culture in Sepsis: The ALPS Pilot Study

Objective: The use of serum ammonia as a novel marker for sepsis compared to lactic acid levels in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Design and Interventions: Single arm, prospective clinical trial to collect arterial blood samples from patients with sepsis. Serial ammonia and lactic acid levels were sent every six hours for a total of three days. Measurements and results: Compare mean levels of ammonia and lactic acid in terms of diagnosing sepsis and patient outcome, including length of stay and mortality. A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the pilot study. On admission, mean ammonia level was 35.7 μmol/L and lactic acid was 3.06 mmole/L. Ammonia levels checked at the end of day 2 (ammonia 2-4) and the beginning of day 3 (ammonia 3-1) were higher in patients who had a microbial culture-proven sepsis (p-values 0.029 and 0.002, respectively) compared to those without culture-positive sepsis. Ammonia levels did predict a longer hospital stay; ammonia level of more than 40 μmol/L had a mean hospital stay of 17.6 days vs. patients with normal levels who had a mean hospital stay of 9.62 days (p-value 0.0082). Conclusion: Elevated ammonia level can be a novel biomarker for sepsis, comparable to conventional markers. Ammonia levels have a prognostic utility as elevated levels were associated with longer hospital stay.
Feasibility and Initial Outcomes of a Group-Based Teletherapy Psychiatric Day Program for Adults With Serious Mental Illness: Open, Nonrandomized Trial in the Context of COVID-19.

Background: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many behavioral health services have transitioned to teletherapy to continue delivering care for patients with mental illness. Studies that evaluate the outcome of this rapid teletherapy adoption and implementation are pertinent. Objective: This single-arm, nonrandomized pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility and initial patient-level outcomes of a psychiatric transitional day program that switched from an in-person group to a video teletherapy group during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Patients with transdiagnostic conditions who were at risk of psychiatric hospitalization were referred to the Adult Transitions Program (ATP) at a large academic medical center in the United States. ATP was a 3-week intensive outpatient program that implemented group teletherapy guided by cognitive and behavioral principles delivered daily for 3 hours per day. Feasibility was assessed via retention, attendance rate, and rate of securing aftercare appointments prior to ATP discharge. Patients completed standardized patient-reported outcome measures at admission and discharge to assess the effectiveness of the program for improving quality of mental health, depression, anxiety, and suicide risk. Results: Patients (N=76) started the program between March and August of 2020. Feasibility was established, with 70 of the 76 patients (92%) completing the program and a mean attendance of 14.43 days (SD 1.22); also, 71 patients (95%) scheduled at least one behavioral health aftercare service prior to ATP discharge. All patient-level reported outcomes demonstrated significant improvements in depression (95% CI –3.6 to –6.2; Cohen d=0.77; P<.001), anxiety (95% CI –3.0 to –4.9; Cohen d=0.74; P<.001), overall suicide risk (95% CI –0.5 to –0.1; Cohen d=0.41; P=.02), wish to live (95% CI 0.3 to 1.0; Cohen d=0.39; P<.001), wish to die (95% CI –0.2 to –1.4; Cohen d=0.52; P=.01), and overall mental health (95% CI 1.5 to 4.5; Cohen d=0.39; P<.001) from admission to discharge. Conclusions: Rapid adoption and implementation of a group-based teletherapy day program for adults at risk of psychiatric hospitalization appeared to be feasible and effective. Patients demonstrated high completion and attendance rates and reported significant improvements in psychosocial outcomes. Larger trials should be conducted to further evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of the program through randomized controlled trials.
Overview of Various Components of the Science of Patient Input: Advancing the Use of Patient-Reported, Real-World Evidence for Medical Device Evaluation of Innovative Products for the Treatment of Kidney Failure Using Strategically Coordinated Registry Networks (CRNs)

In the United States, 746,557 individuals live with ESKD, with approximately 70% receiving dialysis ([1][1]). Dialysis, although life sustaining, is a life-changing therapy for patients. In a survey of patients with CKD on dialysis, 51.9% of patients reported that their decision to be treated with
A method for percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy tube placement without sedation as a bridge to lung transplantation

Gastrostomy tube placement is an appropriate option for long-term nutritional support for patients who cannot tolerate oral intake. Common indications for a gastrostomy tube include head and neck tumors and neurological disorders. Several methods for gastrostomy tube insertion exist (eg, surgical, endoscopic, and radiologic) that require sedation or general anesthesia, which can pose risks of cardiopulmonary compromise and postsurgical pulmonary complications. Unlike other methods, our practice uses a percutaneous balloon-assisted gastrostomy tube insertion method for which we can perform without sedation. We report a case of a percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy procedure for a patient with end stage lung disease as a bridge to lung transplantation, who is not a candidate for sedation and is high-risk for general anesthesia. Through enteral feeds administered through the successfully placed gastrostomy tube, the patient showed steady improvement in weight gain over the course of several months before approval for listing by the lung transplant selection committee. Our case highlights how gastrostomy tube placement can be safely performed in patients who are not sedation candidates using the minimally invasive balloon-assisted gastrostomy tube insertion method and local anesthetic.
What’s positive and negative about generics: a constrained indexical approach

Nguyen argues that only his radically pragmatic account and Sterken’s indexical account can capture what we call the positive data. We present some new data, which we call the negative data, and argue that no theory of generics on the market is compatible with both the positive data and the negative data. We develop a novel version of the indexical account and show that it captures both the positive data and the negative data. In particular, we argue that there is a semantic constraint that, in any context, the semantic value of GEN is upward monotone and non-symmetric. On the other hand, the pragmatic account has difficulty accommodating the negative data. This is because no pragmatic principles have been developed that can explain the negative data. In the paper, we focus on only the pragmatic account and the indexical account, but our discussion has broad implications for the debate on generics: any empirically adequate accounts of generics must be flexible enough to accommodate the positive data and yet constrained enough to accommodate the negative data.
Clinical Significance of Postoperative Antibiotic Treatment for Positive Islet Cultures After Total Pancreatectomy With Islet Autotransplantation.

OBJECTIVES Islet cultures are routinely performed in total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT), and the need for empiric antibiotic treatment based on culture results is unknown. We evaluated the effect of postoperative antibiotic treatment for positive islet cultures on clinical infection. METHODS Seventy-nine patients undergoing TPIAT were reviewed. Prophylactic perioperative ceftriaxone and metronidazole were administered, and transplanted islet preparations included ciprofloxacin. Postoperative antibiotics were not routinely given for positive cultures unless a clinical infection was suspected. The primary end point was 30-day infectious complications. RESULTS Fifty-one patients (65%) had a positive culture. Overall, 39 patients (87%) had organisms susceptible to our perioperative antibiotic regimen. There was no difference in the infectious complication rate between those with positive compared with negative cultures (16% vs 29%, P = 0.17). Patients with a positive culture had similar 30-day postoperative infectious complication rates whether receiving postoperative antibiotics (n = 7) or not (14% vs 16%, P = 0.91). Only 1 patient had a correlation of clinical and islet cultures. CONCLUSIONS Beyond prophylactic antibiotics, empiric antibiotic treatment for a positive culture is not warranted and provides a rationale for the abandonment of routine cultures in TPIAT.
A population‐based prospective study of energy‐providing nutrients in relation to all‐cause cancer mortality and cancers of digestive organs mortality

The effect of dietary composition on mortality in low-income countries is largely unknown. We evaluated whether percentages of dietary energy derived from protein, fat and carbohydrates were associated with all-cause and cancer mortalities in a Bangladeshi population. Data from a prospective population-based cohort study of 17,244 men and women were used. Percentages of dietary energy derived from protein, fat and carbohydrates, assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire at baseline, were analyzed in relation to mortality over an average of 9 years (155,126 person-years) of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios for all cause, all cancer and cancers of the digestive organs mortalities. Percentage of dietary energy from protein appeared to be significantly associated with cancer mortality. Fully adjusted hazard ratios for cancer mortality in increasing tertiles of percentage of dietary energy from protein were 1.0 (reference), 1.21 (0.73, 2.00) and 1.84 (1.08, 3.15) (p for trend = 0.023). These associations were much stronger for deaths from cancers of the digestive organs with fully adjusted hazard ratios in increasing tertiles of percentage of dietary energy from protein being 1.0 (reference), 2.25 (0.91, 5.59) and 4.85 (1.88, 12.51) (p for trend = 0.001). No significant associations in relation to cancer-related mortality were observed for percentage of dietary energy from fat. Novel findings from this prospective study show protein is an important risk factor or proxy to an important risk factor for cancer mortality especially from digestive organ cancers in Bangladesh.
Introduction of an anatomy multi-station integrated table conference (343.1)

Assessment is the culmination for any educational activity. Anatomy assessments in medical school traditionally consist of multiple choice and cadaver practical exams. When the University of Utah School of Medicine adopted an integrated curriculum the mode of assessments also changed including the addition of Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs) as the summative form of clinical assessment. An OSCE is a one-on-one exam with multiple stations testing communication, physical exam, clinical knowledge, and radiographic interpretation among other skills. We asked the question, “How can we as anatomy professors create an assessment similar to the OSCE?” We implemented an anatomy multi-station, integrated table conference into the dissection schedule. Three times throughout the Foundations of Medicine Unit medical and dental students were tested one-on-one regarding their knowledge of anatomy. The anatomy questions were standardized and had correlations to clinical medicine, histology, embryology and radi...
Modular Forms and Galois Cohomology

Preface 1. Overview of modular forms 2. Representations of a group 3. Representations and modular forms 4. Galois cohomology 5. Modular L-values and Selmer groups Bibliography Subject index List of statements List of symbols.
Influence of the Rate of Cell Growth and Cell Density on Interferon Action in Chick Embryo Cells

Chick embryo cells became more sensitive to the action of interferon the longer they remained in culture. This phenomenon was found even before confluency had been reached. The relative insensitivity of newly seeded cells was not due to a loss of receptors. Cells synthesizing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) at a high rate were less sensitive to interferon action than cells synthesizing DNA at a low rate, but the inhibition of DNA synthesis had no effect on interferon action. An increase in the number of cells used for seeding resulted in an earlier appearance of increased sensitivity to interferon action. These results are discussed in relation to the induction process in animal cells.
Bachelor's degree for women with children: A promising pathway to poverty reduction

Purpose – In spite of the War on Poverty programs of the 1960s and the economic boom of the 1990s, poverty remains consistently high among families with children in the USA. The main source of income for these families is employment, which is largely a function of educational attainment. The purpose of this paper is to turn to aggregate and individual level data and demonstrate the power of college education in economic well‐being of women with children.Design/methodology/approach – A nationally representative sample of single and married mothers was retrieved and the role of education in economic well‐being of these women was examined using descriptive, bi‐variate, and multiple ordinal logistic regression.Findings – Both married and single mothers benefit immensely from a bachelors degree.Practical implications – In recent years, policy makers in the USA have trimmed resources that promote education among poor women with children. This analysis, underscores the importance of postsecondary education in th...
Abstract P6-16-02: Oncolytic viral therapy enhances the survival of mice in a novel model of breast cancer brain metastases

Breast cancer [BC] is one of the leading causes of brain metastases. The 2 year survival rate of patients with breast cancer brain metastases [BM] is less than 2%. Oncolytic viruses exploit the aberrant molecular and genetic pathways found in cancer cells to selectively replicate in and destroy tumors while sparing normal tissues. Here, we demonstrate the oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus [HSV-1], 34.5ENVE, can specifically target and destroy BC brain metastases. The 34.5ENVE virus expresses anti-angiogenic Vstat120 and its replication is transcriptionally driven by the cancer specific promoter Nestin. Vstat120 expression is reduced in brain, renal, and gastric cancers, however its expression status in BC is not known. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed a 52% reduction in Vstat120 expression in invasive ductal breast carcinomas [n=69] compared to normal breast tissue [n=389; P Citation Format: W Hans Meisen, Samuel Dubin, Steven Sizemore, Haritha Mathsyaraja, Katie Thies, Norm Lehman, Peter Boyer, Alena C Jaime-Ramirez, J Bradley Elder, Kimerly Powell, Michael Ostrowski, Balveen Kaur. Oncolytic viral therapy enhances the survival of mice in a novel model of breast cancer brain metastases [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-16-02.
An analysis of apprentices in the US construction trades: An overview of their training and development with recommendations for policy makers

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to provide an in‐depth analysis of the labor market for apprentice training in the US construction industry. Also, the paper analyzes the learning process of apprentices and discusses the role of apprenticeships as a pathway to higher education.Design/methodology/approach – The interdisciplinary approach of this research integrates both the economic, institutional and educational aspects of apprenticeship training to show the process of developing the construction labor force in the USA.Findings – The major finding of this research is to highlight the importance of apprenticeship programs in the US construction industry and how these programs can be used as a way to help rebalance the labor market. By increasing the number of workers with intermediate skills, we can insure the distribution of skills more closely matches the distribution of available jobs.Research limitations/implications – Because of space constraints, the research limitations are that little is s...
Investigation of Refractory Black Carbon-Containing Particle Morphologies Using the Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2)

An important source of uncertainty in radiative forcing by absorbing aerosol particles is the uncertainty in their morphologies (i.e., the location of the absorbing substance on/in the particles). To examine the effects of particle morphology on the response of an individual black carbon-containing particle in a Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2), a series of experiments was conducted to investigate black carbon-containing particles of known morphology using Regal black (RB), a proxy for collapsed soot, as the light-absorbing substance. Particles were formed by coagulation of RB with either a solid substance (sodium chloride or ammonium sulfate) or a liquid substance (dioctyl sebacate), and by condensation with dioctyl sebacate, the latter experiment forming particles in a core-shell configuration. Each particle type experienced fragmentation (observed as negative lagtimes), and each yielded similar lagtime responses in some instances, confounding attempts to differentiate particle morphology using cur...
Reactions of the parent ions in vinyl chloride and vinyl fluoride as studied by ion cyclotron resonance

Abstract The absolute thermal energy rate constants for the reactions of the parent ions in C 2 H 3 Cl and C 2 H 3 F have been measured for the first time. The rate constants measured were 9.6 × 10 −11 and 2.1 × 10 −10 cm 3 molecule −1 sec −1 respectively. Relative rate constants have also been measured that agree with previously reported ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) values. The quantitative kinetic energy dependence of the above rate constants has been measured from thermal energies to above 6 eV. Previously published single source medium pressure work and tandem mass spectral results indicate that the reactions have two pathways; one second order and the other one third order (under their operating conditions) and the product distributions of the second and third order pathways were measurably different. Correlation has been made between the present work and the previously published work that indicates that the medium pressure source and tandem instruments create ions with a substantially larger amount of excess internal and/or kinetic energy than does ICR. A unified picture for the parent ion condensation reactions in C 2 H 3 Cl and C 2 H 3 F emerges when the different ion energetics are considered. Exact solutions of two possible kinetic schemes are presented and compared with published and present data.
Cognitive-behavioral interventions for increasing motivation

Interventions aimed at improving students' achievement behavior by promoting adaptive attributions for success and failure are described. Issues concerning identification of appropriate recipients of these interventions, content and method of training, and evaluation of treatment effectiveness are discussed.
Living polymerization of α-olefins with an α-diimine Ni(II) catalyst : Formation of well-defined ethylene-propylene copolymers through controlled chain-walking

A C2-symmetric Ni(II) catalyst was found to polymerize α-olefins with high levels of ω,2-regiochemistry. The resulting products are ethylene−propylene-type copolymers with methylene sequences of precise length between methyl branches. Modification of reaction conditions can introduce ω,1-enchainments into the polymers which increases the average length of methylene sequences between methyl branches.
Lamb wave scattering by a symmetric pair of surface-breaking cracks in a plate

Abstract The scattering problem of a Lamb wave incident on a symmetric pair of surface-breaking transverse cracks in a plate is considered. The Lamb wave is assumed to be obliquely incident on the crack plane. Since the cracks are part-through, the scattered field will contain reflected as well as transmitted waves. The energy of the incoming wave is partitioned into reflected and transmitted wave modes. Energy coefficients of the reflected and transmitted waves are calculated as a function of incident frequency and crack depth. The incidence angle of the incoming wave is also treated as a parameter. Both the reflected and transmitted wave fields are considered as linear superpositions of all real and complex wave modes in the plate. Decomposition of modes is achieved with the help of an orthogonality condition based on the principle of reciprocal work. Continuity of displacement and stress fields is imposed at the crack plane. Energy coefficients for reflection and transmission are obtained from the mode amplitudes. Energy coefficients are shown to be a strong function of incident frequency and crack depth. Experiments are conducted with a PZT transducer network interacting with a symmetric pair of machined cracks in an aluminum plate. Trends predicted by the analysis are reflected in the experimental results.
Positron Emission Tomography Measures of Benzodiazepine Binding in Alzheimer's Disease

Objective: To evaluate the integrity of neurons and neuropil in metabolically affected association cortices of patients with Alzheimer's disease by measuring central benzodiazepine binding sites with the use of positron emission tomography. Design: In patients with Alzheimer's disease, we determined the cerebral distribution of flumazenil tagged with carbon 11 ([ 11 C]flumazenil), a ligand that binds to the gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABA A ) receptor complex, and the distribution of fludeoxyglucose tagged with fluorine 18 fludeoxyglucose F 18), a measure of local cerebral glucose metabolism. Tracer kinetic analysis was applied to quantify data in regions of interest. These data were compared with those of normal control subjects. Subjects: Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease ([ 11 C]flumazenil, n=13; fludeoxyglucose F 18, n=11) and normal elderly control subjects ([ 11 C]flumazenil, n=6; fludeoxyglucose F 18, n=10). Results: Significant decreases of the [ 11 C]flumazenil transport rate were found in hypometabolic parietal and temporal association cortices, but [ 11 C]flumazenil binding was not significantly decreased. Conclusions: When measured in living patients, association cortical benzodiazepine binding sites are relatively preserved, suggesting structurally intact cortical neuropil underlying the glucose hypometabolism identified in Alzheimer's disease.
Nerve endings in the temporomandibular joint of the Rhesus macaque

Methylene blue preparations and silver impregnated material were used to demonstrate the sensory nerve endings in the temporomandibular joint of the Rhesus monkey. Sixteen millimeter motion picture sequences of the various nerve endings were photographed while the microscope was slowly focused up and down through the entire thickness of the nerve ending. A 15-minute film with descriptive sound track was prepared to demonstrate these nerve endings in three dimensions. The following types of nerve endings (listed in decreasing order of frequency) were seen in the articular capsule and peripheral portions of the articular disk: free, Ruffini, Golgi, and Paciniform endings. The sphenomandibular and stylomandibular ligaments in these monkeys gave no gross appearance of a ligamentous structure and did not contain any specialized proprioceptive nerve endings. Physiologic studies indicate that the nerve endings seen in the temporomandibular joint provide sensory mechanisms for the rception of pain, the autonomic control of vascular supply, and the recording of information concerning joint position and change in rate of movement.
On strictly dissipative matrices

Abstract For a square complex matrix A with positive definite imaginary component (A − A ∗ )⧸ 2 i , this paper studies: Hermitian congruence, distribution of the eigenvalues {αj} of A −1 A ∗ relative to a line in the complex plane, variational properties of the arguments, real parts and imaginary parts of {αj}, and inequalities for determinants and singular values.
A comparison of vaporization models in spray calculations

Abstract : The effects of different gas- and liquid-phase models on the vaporization behavior of a single-component isolated droplet are studied for both stagnant and convection situations in a high-temperature gas environment. In conjunction with four different liquid-phase models, namely, d2 law, infinite conductivity, diffusion limit, and internal vortex circulation, the different gas-phase models include a spherically symmetric model in the stagnant case and Ranz-Marshall correlation plus two other axisymmetric models in the convective case. A critical comparison of all these models is made. The use of these models in a spray situation is examined. A transient one-dimensional flow of an air- fuel droplet mixture is considered. It is shown that the fuel vapor mass fraction can be very sensitive to the particular liquid- and gas-phase models. The spherically symmetric conduction or diffusion limit model is recommended when the droplet Reynolds number is negligible compared to unity, while the simplified vortex model accounting for internal circulation is suggested when the droplet Reynolds number is large compared to unity. Keywords include: Spray; Droplet; Evaporation; Combustion; Modeling.
Galanin plasticity in the cholinergic basal forebrain in Alzheimer’s disease and transgenic mice

Abstract Galanin (GAL) is a biologically active 29 amino acid (30 in humans) which participates in the modulation of several ascending neurotransmitter systems including cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons, which undergo extensive degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). GAL immunoreactive fibers within the CBF display hypertrophy and hyperinnervate surviving CBF neurons in late AD. Over the years, this unique neuronal plasticity response has been an active area of research for our group. We have examined tissue from a clinically well characterized cohort of retired elderly clergy to determine whether people with mild cognitive impairment display GAL hyperinnervation upon CBF neurons. We found that GAL hyperinnervation is a late stage event and that CBF neuron reduction is not correlated with GAL over expression during prodromal AD. Interestingly, findings from our laboratory using tau immunohistochemistry and single cell gene array technologies suggest that GAL remodeling may influence neurofibrillary tangle formation by altering tau phosphorylation events in CBF neurons in AD. Studies using GAL-tg mice suggest that GAL over expression reduces the cholinergic phenotype but does not produce a frank loss of CBF cells. This phenotypic down regulation of ChAT is reminiscent of the lack of a frank CBF neuron loss in prodromal AD. Moreover, studies using mice transgenic for both the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin-1 (PS1) bearing AD-related mutations (APPswe/PS1Δ9) displayed increased GAL immunoreactive fibers, neurities and plaques in cortex and hippocampus. These fin'dings provide evidence for a mechanistic relationship between amyloidosis and GAL over expression in AD. Understanding GALs role in the clinical and pathological features of AD, may lead to novel drug treatments for this disease.
Routings : "Race," African Diasporas, and Swedish Belonging

This paper discusses the fissures and disjunctions in calls for African diasporic community in Stockholm, Sweden and shows how the "local" (which in this case is formulated as national) is tinged with a particular Swedish moral discourse in relationship to racism. A disjuncture expresses itself in stories of the national past and people. This is a past described as homogeneous and which strategically "routes" racism to specific transnational spaces and time periods that are outside of the Swedish community. Following the work of anthropologist Jacqueline Nassy Brown (1998,2000), I suggest that such "routings" push us to consider the specific manners in which "the global" is used to negotiate "local" power relations. The relevance of "routings" emerges in two manners in this paper: in how informants' narratives of the Swedish past are used strategically to comment upon and debate the historically tabooed topic of racism in Sweden, and in how a variety of African diasporic meanings get created and negotiated by Swedes of African ancestry when they discuss belonging and racism.
Food deprivation-induced activity in normal and hypothalamic obese rats

Obesity and reduced wheel-running activity were produced in adult male rats by parasagittal knife cuts through the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). When deprived of food the obese VMH-cut rats initially displayed little increase in running activity but as their weight fell to below normal levels they showed a terminal burst of activity similar to that seen in sham-operated controls. The results demonstrate that hypothalamic knife cuts do not block deprivation-induced running activity, but the obesity they produce does inhibit such activity, and this is consistent with previous findings that hypothalamic obesity suppresses hunger drive. It was also found that obese VMH-cut rats survive terminal food deprivation longer, lose weight at a slower rate, and die at a lower body weight than do normal rats.
A two step sorting algorithm

A parallel algorithm based on neural networks for solving sorting problems is presented. The proposed algorithm uses O ( n 2) processing elements called binary neurons, where n is the number of unsorted elements. It requires two and only two iteration steps, while the conventional parallel sorting algorithm using ( On ) processors proposed by F.T. Leighton (1984) requires the computation time O (log n ). A set of simulation results substantiates the proposed algorithm. The hardware system based on the proposed parallel algorithm is also presented
Intra-arterial liver-directed therapies for neuroendocrine hepatic metastases

Hepatic metastases, which are frequently seen in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), have a major adverse impact on the patient's quality of life and survival. Surgery is the treatment of choice for hepatic metastases but is possible in only a small percentage of patients. Systemic chemotherapy yields disappointing results. Somatostatin analogs are effective in controlling symptoms in many of these patients; however, the disease can become refractory to treatment. Transcatheter intra-arterial liver-directed therapies, such as hepatic artery embolization, chemoembolization, and radioembolization are frequently used in patients with NETs metastatic to the liver, especially in patients with refractory, unresectable, or recurrent disease. These treatments are effective in palliating the hormonal symptoms as well as achieving objective tumor responses. This review focuses on the technique, safety, and clinical efficacy of hepatic artery embolization, chemoembolization, and radioembolization in patients with metastatic NETs.
Statistical emission at high excitation energies

Abstract Two methods for calculating inclusive yields for processes consisting of chains of sequential emissions are discussed. Both are based on partial widths (emission rates) and related branching ratios. One of these, involving detailed simulations of the decay chains, is reformulated to facilitate approximations which are required at high energy where full simulations become impractical. An approximation is discussed and illustrated. The second method, based on time-integration of a specific decay rate, is shown to be closely related to the reformulated simulation method.
Specific attachment and migration of human astrocytoma cells on human but not murine laminin

Attachment sites and biological functions of laminin isolated from murine EHS sarcoma have been well studied. Recently several variants of laminin including human placental laminin have been shown to be distinct from EHS-laminin. This study was undertaken to determine attachment, proliferation, and migration phenomena of human astrocytoma cell lines to human and murine sarcoma EHS-laminin. Using short-term attachment assays human placental laminin was shown to be the better substrate for cell adhesion. EHS-laminin mediated approximately 30-50% of the effect observed on human laminin. The astrocytoma cells expressed beta 1, beta 3, and beta 4 subunit mRNA as determined by RT-PCR. Anti-beta 1 antibodies blocked adhesion to EHS-laminin, but antibodies against beta 1, beta 4, and alpha v subunits were all ineffective in blocking adhesion to human laminin. A migration assay showed that astrocytoma cells on human laminin dispersed from a central seeding area, while cells on EHS-laminin remained where they were seeded. The pattern of dispersion could not be accounted for by changes in growth rates of astrocytoma cells on the different proteins, since both cell lines grew equally well on the two laminins. We conclude that unique epitopes on human laminin are recognized by novel receptors on human astrocytoma cells which confer a migratory phenotype to the cells.
STRUCTURE OF THE COMPLEX OF L-BENZYLSUCCINATE WITH WHEAT SERINE CARBOXYPEPTIDASE II AT 2.0-A RESOLUTION

The structure of the complex of L-benzylsuccinate (Ki = 0.2 mM) bound to wheat serine carboxypeptidase II has been analyzed at 2.0-A resolution for native and inhibited crystals at -170 degrees C. The model has been refined and has a standard crystallographic R-factor of 0.176 for 57,734 reflections observed between 20.0- and 2.0-A resolution. The root mean square deviation from ideal bonds is 0.017 A and from ideal angles is 2.6 degrees. The model consists of 400 amino acids, 4 N-linked saccharide residues, and 430 water molecules. L-Benzylsuccinate occupies a narrow slot in the active site defined by Tyr 60, Tyr 239, and the polypeptide backbone. One carboxylate forms hydrogen bonds to Glu 145, Asn 51, the amide of Gly 52, and the catalytic His 397, suggestive of how the peptide C-terminal carboxylate is recognized by the enzyme. The phenyl ring stacks between Tyr 239 and Tyr 60, while the other carboxylate occupies the "oxyanion hole". One of the oxygens accepts hydrogen bonds from the amides of Tyr 147 and Gly 53, while the other forms a very close contact (2.3 A) with the O gamma of Ser 146, forcing the side chain into a conformation alternative to that found in the resting state of the enzyme. The inhibitor occupies the active site in a way that suggests that it can be regarded as a transition-state analogue of serine carboxypeptidases. The model suggests a novel enzymatic mechanism, involving substrate-assisted catalysis, that might account for the low pH optimum (4.0-5.5) of peptidase activity unique to this family of serine proteinases.
The relationship between sex and symmetry in thyroid eye disease.

© 2014 Kavoussi et al. This work is published by Dove Medical Press Limited, and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress.com/permissions.php
P-E Fit as moderator of the accountability – employee reactions relationships: Convergent results across two samples

Abstract The current two-sample investigation, which incorporated Conservation of Resources (COR) and Person-Environment (P-E) fit theories, investigated the interaction effects of felt accountability × P-E fit on the work outcomes of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, depressed mood, and work intensity. Consistent with the conceptual underpinnings of felt accountability as either a threat or opportunity, satisfaction, work intensity, and organizational commitment increased in settings possessing both heightened answerability and high levels of P-E fit. Further, individuals reported a reduction in depressed mood when heightened accountability was coupled with high P-E fit perceptions. These findings were consistent across samples providing evidence of generalizability. Implications, strengths and limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
Latitudinal variation in plasma testosterone levels in birds of the genus Zonotrichia.

Birds breeding in northern latitudes generally have elevated plasma testosterone levels throughout the breeding season with a peak at the onset of the breeding season. In contrast, tropical birds tend to have extremely low plasma testosterone levels year round with only a slight increase during breeding. While these patterns have been consistent in the species investigated, closely related species have not been investigated across a range of latitudes. Birds of the genus Zonotrichia present an ideal opportunity to investigate latitudinal variation in plasma testosterone levels as breeding populations occur from northern Alaska to southern Argentina. We studied three taxa of Zonotrichia: (1) Gambel’s white-crowned sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii, breeding at high latitude in northern Alaska, (2) Puget Sound white-crowned sparrows, Z. l. pugetensis, breeding at mid-latitude in Washington state, and (3) an equatorial population of the rufous-collared sparrow, Z. capensis, in Ecuador. To compare both baseline breeding and maximal testosterone levels, males from the three taxa were either bled immediately upon capture during the breeding season or first challenged with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and then bled. As a control, another group of birds experienced a saline challenge. Two-way ANCOVA, with treatment and taxa as factors and testis volume as a covariate, showed a significant effect of treatment on plasma testosterone levels. There was also a significant interaction between taxa and treatment. Contrary to expectations, the equatorial species exhibited greater plasma testosterone levels in response to the GnRH challenge than the high latitude species. There were no differences between the mid- and high-latitude species. The equatorial species had the smallest average testis size and within each taxa there were no relationships between plasma testosterone and testis size. These data suggest that latitudinal clines in plasma testosterone levels in Zonotrichia do not follow previously described patterns and that tropical birds can have levels of testosterone similar to northern latitude species.
On the stable numerical evaluation of caputo fractional derivatives

The computation of Caputo's fractional derivatives in the presence of measured data is considered as an ill-posed problem and treated by mollification techniques. It is shown that, with the appropriate choice of the radius of mollification, the method is a regularizing algorithm, and the order of convergence is derived. Error estimates are included together with numerical examples of interest.
Use of 3-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography to measure stroke volume in human beings: comparison with thermodilution.

Background The availability of accurate noninvasive measurements of cardiac output (CO) would be useful in assessing disease severity and the effects of therapeutic interventions in many different clinical settings. Current noninvasive methods are limited by their dependence on geometric assumptions. We tested the feasibility of a new technique for CO measurements based on 3-dimensional color Doppler echocardiographic (3D-CD) imaging. Objective We sought to compare the accuracy of CO determination in human beings as measured by 3D-CD and conventional 2-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) using thermodilution as the gold standard for comparison. Methods Simultaneous 3D-CD, 2DE, and thermodilution data were acquired in 47 patients postcardiac transplantation with good acoustic windows who required routine hemodynamic evaluation with a pulmonary artery catheter. Data were stored on compact disc and analyzed offline using custom software. Echocardiographic data were compared against thermodilution using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Results Correlation coefficients for 3D-CD and 2DE of the left ventricular outflow tract were r = 0.94 and r = 0.78, respectively. Correlation coefficients for 3D-CD and 2DE of the mitral valve were r = 0.93 and r = 0.75, respectively. Compared with 2DE, 3D-CD demonstrated a smaller bias and narrower limits of agreement in the left ventricular outflow tract (−1.84 ± 16.8 vs −8.6 ± 36.2 mL) and mitral valve inflow (−0.2 ± 15.6 vs 10.0 ± 26 mL). Conclusion The 3D-CD determination of CO is feasible and accurate. Compared with previous noninvasive modalities, 3D-CD has the advantages of independence of geometric assumptions and ease of image acquisition and analysis.
Relating crack-tip deformation to mineralization and fracture resistance in human femur cortical bone

The risk of bone fracture increases with age because of a variety of factors that include, among others, decreasing bone quantity and quality. Despite recent advances, the roles of bone microstructure and trace mineralization in the fracture process are not well understood. In this study, we utilize a combination of in-situ fracture toughness testing, digital strain mapping, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques to characterize the near-tip strain field, fracture toughness, and chemical elements on the fracture surface of bone specimens from donors of two ages (48-year-old and 78-year-old females). We show that age-related embrittlement of bone fracture is associated with higher near-tip strains by lamellar shear and crack deflection at lamellar interfaces in the young bone and their absence in the old bone. The different near-tip deformation behaviors may be associated with the presence of Si and Zn in the young bone but more Ca and P and the lack of Si and Zn in the old bone.
The human resources approach to manpower, education and income distribution planning

Abstract This paper first presents the hypothesis relating the education of the labor force to production, along with some observations about its statistical verification. The conceptual basis for the manpower approach to educational planning appears next, followed by a discussion of its use with and without the assumption of constant labor productivity. Finally, the human resources approach to manpower and educational planning is extended to include income distribution planning. The method developed is applied to Mexico.
Predicting Common Foldings of Homologous RNAs

Abstract A new approach is proposed for determining common RNA secondary structures within a set of homologous RNAs. The approach is a combination of phylogenetic and thermodynamic methods which is based on the prediction of optimal and suboptimal secondary structures, topological similarity searches and phylogenetic comparative analysis. The optimal and suboptimal RNA secondary structures are predicted by energy minimization. Structural comparison of the predicted RNA secondary structures is used to find conserved structures that are topologically similar in all these homologous RNAs. The validity of the conserved structural elements found is then checked by phylogenetic comparison of the sequences. This procedure is used to predict common structures of ribonuclease P (RNase P) RNAs.