cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Cautery-Assisted Transbronchial Forceps Biopsies: Safety and Sensitivity Relative to Transbronchial Needle Aspiration.

Background Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)–guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is important in the evaluation of thoracic lymphadenopathy. Reliably providing excellent diagnostic yield for malignancy, its diagnosis of sarcoidosis is inconsistent. Furthermore, TBNA may not suffice when larger "core biopsy" samples of malignant tissue are required. The primary objective of this study was to determine if the sequential use of TBNA and a novel technique called cautery-assisted transbronchial forceps biopsy (ca-TBFB) was safe. Secondary outcomes included sensitivity and successful acquisition of tissue. Methods The study prospectively enrolled 50 unselected patients undergoing convex-probe EBUS. All lymph nodes exceeding 1 cm were sequentially biopsied under EBUS guidance using TBNA and ca-TBFB. Safety and sensitivity were assessed at the nodal level for 111 nodes. Results of each technique were also reported for each patient. Results There were no significant adverse events. In nodes determined to be malignant, TBNA provided higher sensitivity (100%) than ca-TBFB (78%). However, among nodes with granulomatous inflammation, ca-TBFB exhibited higher sensitivity (90%) than TBNA (33%). On the one hand, for analysis based on patients rather than nodes, 6 of the 31 patients with malignancy would have been missed or understaged if the diagnosis were based on samples obtained by ca-TBFB. On the other hand, 3 of 8 patients with sarcoidosis would have been missed if analysis were based only on TBNA samples. In some patients, only ca-TBFB acquired sufficient tissue for the core samples needed in clinical trials of malignancy. Conclusions The sequential use of TBNA and ca-TBFB appears to be safe. The larger samples obtained from ca-TBFB increased its sensitivity to detect granulomatous disease and provided adequate specimens for clinical trials of malignancy when specimens from needle biopsies were insufficient. For thoracic surgeons and advanced bronchoscopists, we advocate ca-TBFB as an alternative to TBNA in select clinical scenarios.
Swarm assignment and trajectory optimization using variable-swarm, distributed auction assignment and sequential convex programming

This paper presents a distributed, guidance and control algorithm for reconfiguring swarms composed of hundreds to thousands of agents with limited communication and computation capabilities. This algorithm solves both the optimal assignment and collision-free trajectory generation for robotic swarms, in an integrated manner, when given the desired shape of the swarm without pre-assigned terminal positions. The optimal assignment problem is solved using a distributed auction assignment that can vary the number of target positions in the assignment, and the collision-free trajectories are generated using sequential convex programming. Finally, model predictive control is used to solve the assignment and trajectory generation in real time using a receding horizon. The model predictive control formulation uses current state measurements to resolve for the optimal assignment and trajectory. The implementation of the distributed auction algorithm and sequential convex programming using model predictive control produces the swarm assignment and trajectory optimization SATO algorithm that transfers a swarm of robots or vehicles to a desired shape in a distributed fashion. Once the desired shape is uploaded to the swarm, the algorithm determines where each robot goes and how it should get there in a fuel-efficient, collision-free manner. Results of flight experiments using multiple quadcopters show the effectiveness of the proposed SATO algorithm.
The Effect of Hydrogen Ion Bombardment on Fluorocarbon Polymers

Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE), Polyvinylidene fluoride(PVFD), and Polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) thin films have been bombarded with a H 2 ion beam. The ion exposure time varied from 3 to 12 minutes corresponding to an ion dose of 10 17 H + /cm 2 to 10 18 H + /cm 2 . ESCA spectra showed that the fluorine intensity from the fluorocarbon polymers decreased after H 2 ion bombardment. Also the CF 2 type bond groups observed in the fluorocarbon polymers decreased leaving only the hydrocarbon type bond groups (CH 2 ) after H 2 ion bombardment. We speculate that the hydrogen atoms abstract fluorine from the polymer which decreases the fluorine concentration. ESCA has been used to determine the effect of chemical vs. inert (H 2 vs. He) ion bombardment on fluorocarbon polymers as a function of exposure time. The implication of these results to explain the differences between RIE and RIBE deposited polymers will be discussed.
Authoritarian attitudes and field dependence.

This study sought to investigate further the dependency of authoritarian attitudes on field dependence by using a factor analytically derived measure of authoritarian attitudes, the F + D scale. 523 college Ss completed the F + D scale, and the high and low scorers were selected from the extreme ends of the male distribution of 264 Ss. 20 Ss in each extreme group were individually administered Jackson's Short Form of the Embedded Figures Test (EFT), a measure of field dependence. High F + D scorers required significantly more time to complete the EFT than did low F + D scorers. They also obtained significantly lower SCAT verbal and total scores than did low F + D scorers. These two sets of findings were interpreted as resulting from the contrasting cognitive styles of the two F + D groups. It was concluded that, as measured by the tests in this study, high F + D scorers were more field dependent and less intelligent than low F + D scorers.
Abstract 3199: Ceramide restores the expression of wild-type p53 tumor suppressor in mRNA splicing through PP1 and ASF/SF2.

p53 mutants that have been detected in approximately 50% of tumors loss the activity in stabilizing the genome and tumor suppression, and further exhibit oncogenic function in cancer cells. Most tumors that exhibit disrupted p53 signaling pathways remain addicted to p53 mutants, and p53 mutants have emerged as perhaps the most important target to improve cancer treatment. Most works in restoring p53 activity focus on either altering protein conformations of the mutants or introducing foreign p53 gene into cells. Using gene silencing strategy and mass spectrometry, here we demonstrated that ceramide modulates the RNA splicing to restore the expression of wild-type p53 in p53 deletion-mutant ovarian cancer cells. Enhanced endogenous long-carbon chain ceramide species (C 16 - to C 24 -ceramides) and exogenous C 6 -ceramide, but not other sphingolipids, restored wild-type p53 mRNA (intact exon-5), phosphorylated p53 protein (Ser 15 in exon-5) and p53-responsive proteins (p21, Bax) in cells that dominantly expressed a deleted p53-mRNA and protein in exon-5. Thus, the restored p53 sensitized the cells to induced apoptosis. Furthermore, ceramide activated protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), rather than PP2a, increased the translocation of alternative splicing factor ASF/SF2 from cytoplasm to nucleus and thus determined the pre-mRNA splicing for wild-type p53. Alternative pre-mRNA splicing not only generates more than one protein isoform from single gene, it also results in gene mutants in cancer and other diseases. Our study elucidates a previous unrecognized mechanism in regulating the expression of wild-type versus mutant protein of p53 and indicates mutants can be restored in posttranscriptional levels by using an epigenetic approach. Citation Format: Yong-Yu Liu, Gauri A. Patwardhan. Ceramide restores the expression of wild-type p53 tumor suppressor in mRNA splicing through PP1 and ASF/SF2. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3199. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3199
Abstract 4481: Vitamin D pathway gene variants associated with vitamin D deficiency in African Americans

Background: Cancer incidence and mortality rate is disproportionate among the racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. and higher in African Americans (AAs) due to a combination of genes and environmental factors. The difference in serum vitamin D3, 25(OH)D, concentration among racial groups is suspected to be one of the sources of cancer health disparities. Vitamin D has protective effects against several types of cancer, and vitamin D deficiency is more common among AAs than the European Americans (EAs). Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) among EAs found vitamin D pathway gene (VDPG) variants associated with serum 25(OH)D level, but association between VDPG variants and serum 25(OH)D level has not examined in AAs. Here, we tested if thirty-nine VDPG variants are associated with serum 25(OH)D concentration. Samples and Methods: Nineteen variants in GC, VDR, CYP3A4, CYP2R1, and CYP24A1 were genotyped in a total of 462 AAs from Washington, D.C. and Chicago area. Twenty GWAS identified VDPG variants were genotyped in a subset of subjects (n=332). West Africa Ancestry (WAA) was estimated using STRUCTRE from 105 ancestry informative markers typed. Then, we tested for association adjusting for WAA, age, and skin color. Results: Eight GWAS identified SNPs (five in GC, one in CYP2R1, and two in DHCR7/NADSYN1) were associated with serum 25(OH)D levels and/or vitamin D deficiency. Among darker-skinned AAs, the VDR SNP rs11568820 (Cdx2), was significantly associated (P Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4481. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4481
A Daily Diary Study of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Romantic Partner Accommodation

Little is known about the role of romantic partner symptom accommodation in PTSD symptom maintenance. To explore the bidirectional associations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and romantic partner symptom accommodation over time, military servicemen (n=64) with symptoms of PTSD and their cohabiting heterosexual civilian romantic partners (n=64) completed a 2-week daily diary study. Cross-lagged, autoregressive models assessed the stability of men's PTSD symptoms and partners' accommodation, as well as the prospective associations of earlier PTSD symptoms with later accommodation and vice versa. Analyses used Bayesian estimation to provide point estimates (b) and Credible Intervals (CIs). In all models, PTSD symptoms (total and individual clusters) were highly stable (b=0.91; CI: 0.88-0.95), and accommodation was moderately stable (b=0.48; CI: 0.40-0.54). In all models, earlier PTSD symptoms (total and clusters) were significantly, positively associated with later accommodation (b=0.04; CI: 0.02-0.07). In contrast, earlier accommodation was significantly associated only with later situational avoidance (b=0.02; CI: 0.00-0.07). Thus, PTSD symptoms may lead to subsequent accommodating behaviors in romantic partners, but partner accommodation seems to contribute only to survivors' future situational avoidance symptoms. The findings reinforce the notion that PTSD symptoms have an impact on relationship behaviors, and that accommodation from partners may sustain avoidant behaviors in particular. Clinicians should attend to romantic partners' accommodating behaviors when working with survivors.
Efficiency Measures in Marketing

The marketing function is indisputably one of the more important of corporate activities. Products and services may be produced efficiently, but if they are not marketed efficiently, higher level organizational objectives may not be attained. An appropriate marketing concept, strategic marketing planning, sound product positioning, and timely product development and innovation are often essential to the maintenance of acceptable profitability, growth and quality performance. Consequently, a significant share of corporate resources is ordinarily allocated to marketing endeavors designed to inform and motivate customers and to facilitate distribution and sales. It is therefore important for management to be able to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing activities.
Can dips of Boyajian's star be explained by circumsolar rings?

Could the dips of "Boyajian's Star" (KIC 8462852) have been caused by matter in our Solar System? The interval between periods of deep dips is nearly twice the orbital period of the Kepler satellite. I consider heliocentric obscuring rings in the outer Solar System that graze the line of sight to the star once per orbit of Kepler. The hypothesis predicts that future dips may be observed from Earth during windows separated by a year, although their detailed structure depends on the distribution of particles along the ring. Dips observed at terrestrial sites separated by > 1000 km in a direction perpendicular to the Earth's orbital motion may be uncorrelated.
Rare case of an extraosseous cervical chordoma with both intradural and extensive extraspinal involvement.

Background Chordomas must be considered among the differential diagnoses for extradural spinal tumors, especially involving the clival or sacrococcygeal regions. They are often locally invasive and destructive to the osseous structures from which they arise, but rarely extend intradurally. Here, we report a unique chordoma that was intradural and spanned nearly four subaxial cervical vertebral levels. Case Description We report the case of an atypical intradural chordoma that spanned four subaxial levels of the cervical spine in an 81-year-old female. It also extended through multiple neural foramina but did not invade or destroy the bony elements of the cervical vertebrae. Notably, it demonstrated sizable extension into the deep carotid triangle abutting the internal jugular vein. Conclusion This case involved an extraosseous, intradural, four-level subaxial cervical chordoma that demonstrated significant extraspinal extension into the anterior soft tissues of the neck.
Papillomaviruses: General Features

Papillomaviruses are nonenveloped viruses with an 8 kbp double-stranded, circular DNA genome, which encodes six early and two late genes. The products of the early genes regulate transcription and replication of the virus and mitosis of the infected cell. The late genes form the viral capsid and are important for the infection process. Papillomaviruses infect mucosal and cutaneous epithelia in humans and other mammals. There are many types of remotely related papillomaviruses, and some are of great interest in public health, as they cause, in a type-specific manner, cervical and other types of anogenital cancers, genital and laryngeal warts, and skin warts. Treatment of papillomavirus lesions is done mostly by surgical procedures. Recently introduced prophylatic vaccinations may reduce the incidence of the most important papillomavirus lesions in the future.
The Combination of Data and Functional Partitioning to Parallelize Severe Accident Computer Codes

Severe accident codes, i.e., codes that model core meltdown and accident progression in light water reactors, do not currently make use of parallel processing technology. Previous efforts to parallelize severe accident codes using DO-loop or data partitioning have resulted in speedup factors of < 2.0 because of large serial code sections. Severe accident codes are more amenable to the functional partitioning approach, which splits a code into parallel tasks each representing a separate physical model. When combined, the two methods are able to partition 95% of the HECTR containment analysis code. Overall speedups of 2.6 and 3.2 on four and eight processors are obtained with the parallel HECTR code on an Alliant FX/80 parallel computer when modeling a moderately sized accident scenario. Speedups are expected to increase for larger severe accident codes, such as MELCOR, which contain more functional parallelism than the HECTR code.
Characteristics of discrepancies between self-reported visual function and measured reading speed. Salisbury Eye Evaluation Project Team.

Visual impairment is a risk factor for morbidity in the elderly and is often screened for by self-report. This study evaluates whether there are subsets for whom there is a discrepancy between self-reported and measured function.
On the Core of a Cartel

Consider an industry with a given set of firms producing a homogeneous product, in which all the firms have the same constant cost per unit output, but possibly different capacities. Each firm chooses a level of output, and the market price is determined by the total industry output and the industry demand function (the “Cournot model”). I show that the core of the corresponding game, in which the firms are the players, is not empty, and includes the allocation in which the firms’ outputs and profits are proportional to their respective capacities. The core is characterized by a convex “Lorenz curve” that limits the inequality in the distribution among firms of profit per unit capacity; this curve can be calculated explicitly, given the cost parameter and the industry demand function. I also consider a two-stage game in which, in the first stage, the firms choose their capacities noncooperatively, at a constant cost per unit capacity, and in the second stage they receive the proportional allocation described above. In the limit, as the number of firms increases without bound, total industry capacity and output are positive, but net profit is zero; price and output are in fact what would be optimal for the cartel if capacity were costless.
Reduced Myogenic and Increased Adipogenic Differentiation Capacity of Rotator Cuff Muscle Stem Cells.

Background:Fat accumulation commonly occurs in chronically torn rotator cuff muscles, and increased fat within the rotator cuff is correlated with poor clinical outcomes. The extent of lipid deposition is particularly pronounced in injured rotator cuff muscles compared with other commonly injured mu
Increasing Robustness to Synchronisation Errors in Molecular Communications

Achieving precise synchronisation between transmitters and receivers is particularly challenging in diffusive molecular communication environments. To this end, pointto-point molecular communication system design is examined wherein synchronisation errors are explicitly considered. Two transceiver design questions are considered: the development of a sequential probability ratio test-based detector which allows for additional observations in the presence of uncertainty due to miss-ynchronisation at the receiver, and a modulation design which is optimised for this receiver strategy. The modulation is based on optimising an approximation for the probability of error for the detection strategy and directly exploits the structure of the probability of molecules hitting a receiver within a particular time slot. The proposed receiver and modulation designs achieve strongly improved asynchronous detection performance for the same data rate as a decision feedback based receiver by a factor of 1/2.
Response rates to direct reprint requests

The response rates to mail reprint requests, time required to receive reprints and the cost of obtaining reprints were studied. Over 1,300 reprint requests representing articles published in 193 journals were sent to authors in 31 countries. A reprint was received for approximately 72% of the requests. Authors in the United States responded at a significantly higher rate (78.7%) than authors in foreign countries (64.5%) (p less than 0.001). About 75% of all reprints arrived within three months of their request. The mean number of days required to receive a reprint from an author in the United States was 55, while 99 days was the mean for authors outside the U.S. The estimated cost of obtaining reprints by mail was 22 cents per article received. The use of reprint request cards is a viable method of obtaining reprints within the limitations of an incomplete return rate and moderate delay in the arrival of the reprint.
Characteristics associated with human papillomavirus vaccination initiation and completion among young adults.

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has been recommended for young adults aged 18-26 years. Methods Data from the 2016 and 2017 National Health Interview Survey were pooled. Results The prevalence of HPV vaccination initiation (≥1 dose) was 32.54% in 2016 and 37.92% in 2017, and the prevalence of HPV vaccination completion (≥3 doses) was 17.05% in 2016 and 19.38% in 2017 among young adults aged 18-26 years. Being female sex (odds ratio: 4.74) was the leading indicator for receiving the HPV vaccine, followed by receipt of other recommended vaccines (pneumococcal, hepatitis B, and hepatitis A), begin born in the United States, being gay/lesbian, having a greater number of physician visits, being younger, not being married, living in the Northeast, ever having had a pap smear, higher education, being not Hispanic ethnicity, and having more physical activity. Meanwhile, being female sex (odds ratio: 7.23) was the leading indicator for completing the HPV vaccination, followed by receipt of other recommended vaccines (pneumococcal, hepatitis B, and hepatitis A), having a greater number of physician visits, being younger, being born in the United States, being gay/lesbian, living in the Northeast, and current drinking. Conclusions HPV vaccination coverage remains low among young adults, and HPV vaccine coverage was associated with a number of characteristics.
Implicit Jury Bias: Are Informational Interventions Effective?

The purpose of this chapter is to consider whether educational methods are — or could be — an effective way of tackling the implicit jury biases that threaten the fairness of trials. First, the chapter introduces the key ingredients of implicit bias, focusing particularly on their consequences for juries. It then reviews the efforts that have been made to use educational interventions to address implicit jury bias, as well as others that have been proposed. These existing and proposed interventions include jury orientation, jury instructions, expert testimony, individuation, and race salience. The chapter concludes by reviewing some of the primary obstacles to these kinds of efforts.
Differences in Trabecular Bone, Cortical Shell, and Endplate Microstructure Across the Lumbar Spine.

ABSTRACT Background The quality of the vertebral body structures such as endplate, cortex, and trabecular bone is important for understanding the performance of implants, particularly at the bone-implant interface. Although vertebral body structures have been analyzed separately in the literature, there is no comprehensive study to assess these anatomical measurements along with their interrelationships in the lumbar spine. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess variations in trabecular microstructure, vertebral endplate thickness and concavity, and vertebral body cortex thickness within the lumbar spine. Methods A total of 80 lumbar vertebrae (L1-L5) were dissected from 16 human cadaver specimens and imaged with microcomputed tomography to determine trabecular microstructure, vertebral cortex thickness, endplate thickness, and maximum endplate concavity depth. A paired t test and regression analysis were used to determine significant differences (P Results L1 vertebra had significantly better (P Conclusions Detailed reference data of these anatomical parameters for each lumbar vertebral body can aid in improved understanding of bone quality, particularly when assessing different implant designs and fixation approaches. Moreover, such anatomical knowledge may help clinicians with optimal implant design selection and surgical placement of these devices into their respective locations.
Aggressive case of early onset gastric cancer; identifying the knowledge gap.

A woman aged 30 years was referred for endoscopy for iron deficiency anaemia. Colonoscopy was normal. Upper endoscopy demonstrated multiple small, carpet-like, sessile polyps in the gastric fundus and a larger 4 cm polyp in the body (figure 1). The duodenum was normal without polyps. Endoscopic ultrasound demonstrated a 35×36 mm hypoechoic polypoid lesion arising from the mucosa and invading into the submucosa, but with well-defined borders suggesting lack of invasion into adjacent structures. Endoscopic mucosal resection was performed on a portion of this polyp for histology. Pathology showed a focus of high-grade dysplasia arising in hyperplastic polyp. Her mother and maternal grandmother had gastric cancer, and her sister had gastric polyps and a non-melanoma skin cancer. The patient underwent a laparoscopic total gastrectomy and surgical pathology demonstrated a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with 23 negative lymph nodes, stage pT1bN0M0 (figure 2). No adjuvant therapy was recommended, and surveillance CT scan at …
Exploring research trends in big data across disciplines: A text mining analysis:

Using big data has been a prevailing research trend in various academic fields. However, no studies have explored the scope and structure of big data across disciplines. In this article, we applied...
“When My Mother Died, I Think a Part of Me Died:” Maternal Fusion and the Relationship between Incarcerated Men and Their Mothers:

Drawing on theoretical literature on the mothering discourse, I explore how incarcerated men give meaning to their relationships with their mothers. Using 24 in-depth interviews with incarcerated a...
Perceived Risk as a Factor in Buying Foreign Clothes

The notion of perceived risk as an influence on consumer behaviour and the influence of knowledge of country of origin on the decision process have been well documented. Little research, however, has investigated the nature of risk associated with foreign products. This study uses Bettman's concept of inherent/handled risk to isolate the risk attributable to specific countries and relates the risk to willingness to buy clothing from the countries and the importance of the country of origin in the decision process.
Defender-Aware Attacking Guidance Policy for the Target–Attacker–Defender Differential Game

Deep reinforcement learning was used to train an agent within the framework of a Markov decision process (MDP) to pursue a target, while avoiding a defender, for the target–attacker–defender (TAD) ...
The Quality-Minded Dairy Practitioner

The concept of providing quality service to dairy clients has always been a hallmark of the veterinary profession. Whether your practice provides primarily individual cow and emergency services, or whether your primary aim is preventive medicine, or if you involve yourself in production medicine, dairy practitioners try to provide quality service that best fits client needs.
Geometric entropy and edge modes of the electromagnetic field

We calculate the vacuum entanglement entropy of Maxwell theory in a class of curved spacetimes by Kaluza-Klein reduction of the theory onto a two-dimensional base manifold. Using two-dimensional duality, we express the geometric entropy of the electromagnetic field as the entropy of a tower of scalar fields, constant electric and magnetic fluxes, and a contact term, whose leading-order divergence was discovered by Kabat. The complete contact term takes the form of one negative scalar degree of freedom confined to the entangling surface. We show that the geometric entropy agrees with a statistical definition of entanglement entropy that includes edge modes: classical solutions determined by their boundary values on the entangling surface. This resolves a long-standing puzzle about the statistical interpretation of the contact term in the entanglement entropy. We discuss the implications of this negative term for black hole thermodynamics and the renormalization of Newton's constant.
Predicting User Psychological Characteristics from Interactions with Empathetic Virtual Agents

Enabling virtual agents to quickly and accurately infer users' psychological characteristics such as their personality could support a broad range of applications in education, training, and entertainment. With a focus on narrative-centered learning environments, this paper presents an inductive framework for inferring users' psychological characteristics from observations of their interactions with virtual agents. Trained on traces of users' interactions with virtual agents in the environment, psychological user models are induced from the interactions to accurately infer different aspects of a user's personality. Further, analyses of timing data suggest that these induced models are also able to converge on correct predictions after a relatively small number of interactions with virtual agents.
Body Composition in Adolescence

Anatomists showed many years ago that some organs grow at rates that differ from that of the body as a whole. In recent decades we have witnessed the development of techniques that permit the assessment of certain features of body composition in the living subject. Humans rank among the fattest of mammals, and it is this fact, among others, which has stimulated the development of methods for estimating the relative proportions of lean and fat in our species; assays for total body Ca, P, and N have also been developed. These methods make it possible to define the contribution of each component to the adolescent growth process. Body composition data can also help in estimating certain nutritional requirements for growth. Although long a favorite of nutritionists, the metabolic balance method is not equal to this task (Wallace, 1959; Forbes, 1973, 1983), and one can look forward to more realistic estimates based on these newer techniques.
A calculus retention program for students at risk in engineering

Historically, calculus has served as a filter in many engineering schools. However, this entry level mathematics requirement is filtering far more than those who are not capable intellectually. This has become a national concern, and is the main thrust behind the calculus reform currently taking place in the mathematics community. During the 1994 spring semester, three faculty members at the University of Louisville's Speed Scientific School (the engineering school) initiated a pilot program whose main goal was to deepen students' understanding of the material in calculus. Additionally, the program was designed to create a more friendly environment in which to learn mathematics and help increase the retention rate of the engineering students. To address these goals, a group of African American and female students was recruited to work in small groups on problems related to the material being covered in calculus each week. These sessions utilized the Uri Treisman collaborative learning model currently in use at several other universities, with some modifications for this particular situation. The pilot program was fairly successful, and the effort continued with students during the summer and fall 1994 terms. The paper outlines the essential elements of this cooperative learning program, describes the modifications made over the year and discusses its successes and failures. An analysis is presented comparing students who had no or little participation in the program with students who attended the program regularly.
Effects of heat shock and thermoadaptation on the ultrastructure of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cells

Suspension culture cells of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) were examined using transmission electron microscopy to characterize morphological changes associated with hyperthermal stress. Cultures maintained at 26°C (unadapted cells) and 38°C (thermoadapted cells) were examined before and after exposure to elevated temperatures of 34°C and 45°C, respectively. Observations indicate that while there were significant ultrastructural differences between unadapted and thermoadapted cells, the following structural modifications in response to heat stress were observed in cells of both cultures: (a) almost a complete loss of polyribosomes, rough ER, and dictyosomes, (b) migration of intracellular waste material (presumably proteinaceous in composition) into the cell vacuole, (c) swelling of the nucleolus with assumed accumulation of preribosomal RNP granules, and (d) retraction of the tonoplast from the cytoplasm into the vacuoles of some cells. Heat shock granules (two size classes) were observed in the cytoplasm of stressed thermoadapted cells along with hollow-cored granules within the leucoplasts. Apart from a few minor differences, the morphological modifications that were made in apparent response to hyperthermal stress were remarkably similar in both cultures.
EFFECT OF THIOURACIL AND OTHER COMPOUNDS ON THE SUCCINOXIDASE SYSTEM OF RAT THYROID TISSUE

IT WAS REPORTED recently that cytochrome oxidase of thyroid tissue is inhibited by thiouracil, certain sulfonamides and other compounds such as glutathione and ascorbic acid (Paschkis, Cantarow, and Tillson, 1945). The latter compound was reported to inhibit completely. The basis for this inhibition was that less color was developed when thyroid tissue reacted with paraphenylenediamine in the presence than in the absence of these compounds. The free radicals derived by the univalent oxidation of paradiamines such as paraphenylenediamine are known as Wurster’s salts, and the color and stability of certain of these radicals have been compared by Michaelis, Schubert and Granick (1939). In this connection Potter (1942) has also shown that certain sulfhydryl-containing enzymes such as urease and succinic dehydrogenase are inhibited by split products of paradimethylaminoazobenzene (diamines) when they are oxidized, and the inhibition was correlated with both the autoxidizability of the diamines and their free r...
The Political Economy of Currency Boards: Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Currency Board Arrangements (CBAs) operate in several post-socialist European economies as an alternative to traditional central banking. The CBA literature primarily focuses on the discipline of the fixed exchange rate, suggesting that the gain of reduced exchange rate volatility and monetary stability outweigh the loss of independent monetary policy. It does not address the role and impact of foreign ownership of the banking system on currency board dynamics. Through a case study of the CBA in Bosnia and Herzegovina over a ten-year period, including the global financial crisis of 2008-09, this paper suggests that monetary policy is not abandoned; it is decentralized and privatized and critical to the maintenance of financial stability of the CBA.
QoI-Resistance Stability in Relation to Pathogenic and Saprophytic Fitness Components of Alternaria alternata from Citrus

Abstract The phenotypic stability, fitness components, and ability to cause disease of isolates of the Alternaria alternata tangerine pathotype resistant to quinone-outside inhibitors (QoIs) were s...
Human pressure perception values for constant and moving one- and two-point discrimination

Despite the need to evaluate sensibility for accurate diagnosis and the need to record the degree of sensation achieved in the postoperative period, the clinician has been without the ability to measure human pressure perception accurately. Traditionally, the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments were used to measure the static one-point discrimination threshold. A new sensory testing instrument, the Pressure-Specifying Sensory Device, was used to obtain normative data from the index and little finger of the dominant hand in 35 people ranging in age from 16 to 83 with no known neurologic impairment. Pressure perceptions for static one- and two-point discrimination (s1PD, s2PD) and moving one- and two-point discrimination (m1PD, m2PD) were recorded. The mean values (+/- SD) were 0.13 +/- 0.06, 0.24 +/- 0.12, 0.22 +/- 0.10, and 0.26 +/- 0.13 gm/mm2 for s1PD, s2PD, m1PD, and m2PD, respectively, on the index finger and 0.07 +/- 0.05, 0.16 +/- 0.12, 0.17 +/- 0.07, and 0.21 +/- 0.14 gm/mm2 for s1PD, s2PD, m1PD, and m2PD, respectively, for the little finger. The little finger was significantly more sensitive than the index finger (p less than 0.001). There was no significant change in pressure perception with increasing age.
Modeling and Control of a Nonlinear Mechanism for High Performance Microfluidic Systems

This brief presents modeling and control of a nonlinear mechanism for long-term and high-speed flow regulation in a three-lane microfluidic system. The principle of this mechanism is to modulate a mechanically coupled variable resistance and variable volume reservoir for pressure control at the inlets of microfluidic systems. We developed a dual-loop control system that consists of an inner-loop position controller and an outer-loop pressure controller. We show excellent agreements between analyses, simulations, and experimental results, and demonstrate bandwidth of 10 Hz and duration of 15 hours. We envision that this system will be useful to researchers in areas such as flow cytometry, chemical synthesis, drug delivery, and investigation of spatiotemporally integrated biological responses at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels.
Cell surface modulation of gene expression in brain cells by down regulation of glucocorticoid receptors

Abstract The concentration of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH; sn-glycerol-3-phosphate:NAD+ 2-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.8) had previously been determined to be regulated by glucocorticoids in rat brain cells in vivo and in cell culture. We now demonstrate that concanavalin A (Con A) can inhibit the induction of GPDH in dose-dependent manner in C6 rat glioma cells and in primary cultures of rat brain oligodendrocytes. Con A is not cytotoxic, because its effect can be prevented or reversed by α-methyl mannoside. The inhibition specifically prevents the appearance of new molecules of GPDH, although Con A does not significantly inhibit protein synthesis in these cells, nor does it affect the activity of another soluble enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase. The ability to block enzyme induction is not limited to Con A, because other lectins also inhibit induction, with Ricinus communis agglutinin 60 being the most potent (50% inhibition of induction at 0.0083 μM) and wheat germ agglutinin being the least potent (50% inhibition of induction at 1.2 μM). The molecular mechanism by which Con A inhibits GPDH induction appears to be by the “down regulation” of the cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors, because exposure to Con A results in the loss of more than 90% of the receptor activity. Con A does not inhibit the receptor assay and no direct interaction between the receptor and Con A could be demonstrated. This down regulation is not tumor cell specific and appears to be a general phenomenon, because it occurs in normal oligodendrocytes and even in normal astrocytes (a cell type in which the gene for GPDH is not expressed). The down regulation of glucocorticoid receptors in normal brain cells suggests two important corollaries. First, it demonstrates the existence of a rate-limiting step controlling the glucocorticoid-dependent gene expression in brain cells and possibly represents a regulatory site common to all glucocorticoid target cells. Second, it suggests that the response to glucocorticoids of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes can be regulated in vivo by cell surface contact with endogenous lectins, neighboring cells, or both.
ASSESSMENT OF EARLY CONTINENCE RECOVERY AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: PATIENT REPORTED SYMPTOMS AND IMPAIRMENT

Purpose: Patients considering radical prostatectomy often inquire as to when they can expect to regain urinary continence. However, there is a paucity of patient self-reported data regarding the recovery of continence during the initial 3 months after surgery. Our objectives were to assess urinary continence changes early in the postoperative period and determine which of 2 commonly used definitions of continence more closely relate to patient reported urinary impairment.Materials and Methods: A prospective study of 90 men with clinically localized prostate cancer who selected radical prostatectomy as primary therapy was conducted. Repeated measures of urinary continence as defined by 1) total urinary control, 2) the use of 1 or 0 pads daily, and 3) small or no problem with urinary function were obtained with a brief survey preoperatively and postoperatively.Results: At 56 days after removal of urethral catheters, the actuarial rates of urinary continence recovery based on definitions 1 to 3 were 43%, 84%...
α-Synuclein Misfolding and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Alpha-synuclein is an abundant presynaptic brain protein, misfolding, aggregation and fibrillation of which are implicated as critical factors in several neurodegenerative diseases. The list of the well-known synucleinopathies includes such devastating disorders as Parkinson's disease, Lewy body variant of Alzheimer's disease, diffuse Lewy body disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, and neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation type I. The precise functions of alpha-synuclein remain elusive, but there are evidence indicating its involvement in regulation vesicular release and/or turnover and synaptic function in the central nervous system. It might play a role in neuronal plasticity responses, bind fatty acids, regulate certain enzymes, transporters, and neurotransmitter vesicles, be involved in neuronal survival and even can act as a molecular chaperone. Structurally, alpha-synuclein is an illustrative member of the rapidly growing family of natively unfolded (or intrinsically disordered) proteins and considerable knowledge has been accumulated about its structural properties and conformational behavior. The molecular mechanisms underlying misfolding, aggregation and fibrillation of alpha-synuclein and the role of various environmental and genetic factors in stimulation and inhibition of these processes are relatively well understood. Here, the main structural features of alpha-synuclein, its functions, and involvement in various human diseases are summarized providing a foundation for better understanding of the biochemistry, biophysics and neuropathology of alpha-synuclein aggregation.
Potassium chloride inhibits proliferation of cerebellar granule neuron progenitors.

Abstract CNS neurogenesis involves a critical transition where neuronal progenitors exit the cell cycle and initiate terminal differentiation. Recent experiments have suggested that depolarization inhibits DNA synthesis in cortical progenitors. Depolarization of proliferating neuronal progenitors may thus activate mechanisms that prevent proliferation and allow the initiation of terminal differentiation. We present evidence that depolarizing concentrations of KCl (25–50 mM) reduce proliferation of developing postnatal cerebellar granule cells in culture. These studies show that KCl antagonizes the mitogenic response of granule cells to insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and that this reduction in proliferating cells is not the result of a selective cell death. We also examined the differentiation of granule cell cultures using Brn-5 expression as an early differentiation marker. In vivo Brn-5 expression occurs soon after developing granule cells exit the cell cycle and begin their final differentiation. In control cultures and cultures treated with high concentrations of KCl Brn-5 expression increased over 24–48 h of culture. Our results suggest depolarizing concentrations of KCl antagonize proliferation of cerebellar granule neuron progenitors however allow their continued differentiation.
Influence of Excitation Conditions in Dual-Frequency Tapping-Mode Atomic Force Microscopy

In this work, the influence of excitation conditions on the performance of a dual-frequency version of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy is studied. In the authors’ previous work, a relationship was identified between the interaction force regime(s) influencing the response of the probe and the specific spectral components observed to be significant in the response. Numerical studies are performed with a three-mode approximation of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe. This study is conducted by modifying the excitation strength to vary the free response magnitude and the response magnitude ratio, by varying the phase difference between the two excitation components, and by exploring other frequencies for the secondary excitation component. This study reveals undesirable amplitude discontinuities when the influence of the secondary excitation component is too strong, conditions where the accuracy of the relationship is improved, how the selection of the excitation phase difference can influence the results, and the potential of alternative frequency combinations. Through an improved understanding of the relationship, it may provide the means to perform simultaneous imaging and characterization with improved performance using standard AFM systems and AFM probes.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Measurement of anisotropic thermophysical properties of cylindrical Li-ion cells

Abstract Cylindrical Li-ion cells have demonstrated among the highest power density of all Li-ion cell types and typically employ a spiral electrode assembly. This spiral assembly is expected to cause large anisotropy in thermal conductance between the radial and axial directions due to the large number of interfaces between electrode and electrolyte layers in the radial conduction path, which are absent in the axial direction. This paper describes a novel experimental technique to measure the anisotropic thermal conductivity and heat capacity of Li-ion cells using adiabatic unsteady heating. Analytical modeling of the method is presented and is shown to agree well with finite-element simulation models. Experimental measurements indicate that radial thermal conductivity is two orders of magnitude lower than axial thermal conductivity for cylindrical 26650 and 18650 LiFePO 4 cells. Due to the strong influence of temperature on cell performance and behavior, accounting for this strong anisotropy is critical when modeling battery behavior and designing battery cooling systems. This work improves the understanding of thermal transport in Li-ion cells, and presents a simple method for measuring anisotropic thermal transport properties in cylindrical cells.
Gardening in Colonial Russian America

Abstract Soon after Russian fur hunters arrived in Alaska in the mid-18th century, they began gardening to supplement the limited foods they brought with them and the locally available food resources. Although published accounts of gardening become more numerous by the early 19th century, the details of such efforts in the Aleut region of southwestern Alaska remain unclear. Archaeological and ethnohistoric data from several locales in this area, especially the Korovinski site on Atka Island, indicate that gardening, particularly for potatoes, was an important subsistence enterprise during the Russian era, not only for the Russian colonial population but also for Aleuts (Unanga◯ 1 ), whose overall subsistence economy underwent profound changes following contact.
Insecticide residues in human milk.

The average content of DDT in 53 samples of human milk fat from two Pennsylvania regions was 2.40 p.p.m. (0.16 p.p.m. for heptachlor epoxide and 0.08 for lindane). About 74 per cent of the DDT was p,p′-DDE. Only eight samples had concentrations of DDT below 1.25 p.p.m., the federal tolerance set for DDT, DDD, and DDE in the milk fat of cows. Mothers who had nursed three or more babies had DDT concentrations in their milk fat below the average, whereas the four highest concentrations of DDT were in milk fat of mothers who were nursing an infant for the first time.