cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uncovering a New Step in Sliding Nucleosomes

Chromatin remodelers are ATP-driven motors that pump double-stranded DNA around the histone core of the nucleosome. Recent work by Chen and coworkers (Li et al., Nature, 2019 and Yan et al., Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol., 2019) has revealed an unexpected intermediate where initial translocation involves only one of the two DNA strands.
The One-minute Paper as a Catalyst for Change in Online Pedagogy

ABSTRACTOnline/virtual educators face challenges related not only to technology and pedagogy, but also to student assessment, which remains a critical function to reinforce. Brief assessment tools ...
Investigating Undergraduate Students' View of and Consistency in Choosing Empirical and Deductive Arguments.

Previous studies have shown that students who have completed differential and integral calculus often accept and employ empirical arguments as proofs, but this is not the case for students who have...
14 – PURE COMPETITION AND MONOPOLY

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the market structures of pure competition and monopoly. It discusses the different structures that affect the revenues and output decisions of the firms operating within them. The market structures of pure competition and monopoly is explained as a means of comparing the two ends of the market spectrum. The competitive process emphasizes the rivalry between firms—the effort on the part of a seller to outperform the competition. Competing firms may use a variety of things—quality of product, style, convenience of location, advertising, and price—to convince consumers that they are offering a better deal. Independent action and rivalry are the essential ingredients of the competitive process. Bridled by competition, self-interest leads to economic cooperation and provides a powerful fuel for the benefit of humankind. Thus, the competitive process occupies center stage in economic analysis, which seeks to explain the forces that direct the economic behavior of human beings. While pure competition is a market structure with many sellers and competitive forces, monopoly is just the opposite. The word monopoly, derived from two Greek words, means single seller. It is a market structure characterized by high barriers to entry and a single seller of a well-defined product for which there are no good substitutes.
Miniaturized Fontan Circulation Assist Device: Chronic In Vivo Evaluation.

We have miniaturized and optimized our implantable rotary blood pump developed to provide long-term mechanical right heart support for patients who have failing Fontan circulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the miniaturized Fontan circulation assist device (mini-FCAD) during 30-day sheep studies (n = 5). A complete right heart bypass was performed and all return flow was supported by the pump. Postoperatively, unfractionated heparin was given to maintain thromboelastography R times of 2× normal. The first two studies were terminated on day 0 and day 4 due to complications. In the final three studies, the animals remained healthy and were electively terminated at 30 ± 2 days. Pump flow was between 5 and 7 lpm, left atrial pressure remained normal, and inlet pressures were between 3 and 18 mm Hg with no incidents of suction. There was no evidence of hemolysis, end organ or pulmonary dysfunction, thromboembolic events, nor thermal damage to the surrounding tissue. Explanted devices from two studies were free of thrombi and in the third study there were unattached thrombi on the SVC inlet of the rotor. The mini-FCAD was successfully tested in vivo as a right heart replacement device demonstrating adequate circulatory support and normal physiologic pulmonary and venous pressures.
Controlled extrusion-based 3D printing of micro-channels with the geometric modelling of deposited roads

Abstract Extrusion-based 3D printing is the most accessible form of 3D printing technology with many applications such as the fabrication of micro-channels. In a controlled extrusion-based 3D printing process, it is of importance to control the 3D printing process using a more reliable road prediction model, which creates micro-features with a minimized size difference in comparison to their original design size. In this study, the sizes of deposited roads were first predicted using three geometric models of rectangle, oblong, and ellipse at different nozzle standoff distances and scan speeds. Then, two computer-aided procedures were developed using these geometric models: the first procedure generated three separate G-code programs for fabricating individual roads; and the second procedure generated three new G-code programs for fabricating micro-channels. It was found that the measured width and height of roads created by the rectangle, oblong, and ellipse models were 17.1 %, 9.7 %, and 22.6 % different than those in the CAD model of roads, respectively, which revealed the oblong model was a better option for controlled 3D printing of individual roads. It was hypothesized that the deviation between the CAD models and measured ones was due to the back-pressure effect and compressive forces caused by the nozzle tip. Moreover, the measured widths and depths of micro-channels created by the rectangle, oblong, and ellipse models had 8.0 %, 6.8 %, and 12 % difference with those in the CAD model, respectively, which indicated the oblong model was relatively a better choice for controlled 3D printing of micro-channels.
Effectiveness of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 Variant Beta (B.1.351) Among Persons Identified Through Contact Tracing in Israel (preprint)

Background: SARS-CoV-2 variant Beta (B.1.351) was designated as a Variant of Concern (VoC) after becoming the dominant strain in South Africa and spreading internationally. BNT162b2 showed lower levels of neutralizing antibodies against Beta than against other strains raising concerns about effectiveness of vaccines against infections caused by Beta. We estimated BNT162b2 effectiveness against Beta infections in Israel, a country with high vaccine uptake. Methods: The Ministry of Health (MoH) identified Beta cases through mandatory reporting of SARS-CoV-2 cases and whole genome sequencing (WGS) of specimens from vaccination-breakthrough infections, reinfections, arriving international travelers, and a selection of other infected persons. A cohort analysis was conducted of exposure events of contacts of primary Beta cases. WGS was conducted on available PCR-positive specimens collected from contacts. VE estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) against confirmed and probable Beta infections were determined by comparing infection risk between unvaccinated and fully-vaccinated ( > 7 days after the second dose) contacts, and between unvaccinated and partially-vaccinated (<7 days after the second dose) contacts. Findings: MoH identified 310 Beta cases through Jun 27, 2021. During the study period (Jan 1, 2021 – Mar 25, 2021), 164 non-institutionalized primary Beta cases, with 552 contacts aged > 16 years, were identified. 343/552 (62%) contacts were interviewed and tested. 71/343 (21%) contacts were PCR-positive. WGS was performed on 7/71 (10%) PCR-positive specimens; all were Beta. Among SARS-CoV-2-infected contacts, 48/71 (68%) were symptomatic, 10/71 (14%) hospitalized, and 2/71 (3%) died. Fully-vaccinated VE against confirmed or probable Beta infections was 72% (95% CI -5 - 97%; p =0.04) and against symptomatic confirmed or probable Beta infections was 100% (95% CI 19 - 100%; p =0.01). There was no evidence of protection in partially-vaccinated contacts. Interpretation: Two doses of BNT162b2 conferred protection against Beta infections and disease. Introductions of Beta did not interrupt control of the pandemic in Israel. Funding: None to declare. Declaration of Interest: Frederick Angulo, David Swerdlow, John McLaughlin, Farid Khan, Gabriel Mircus, Kaijie Pan, Jo Southern, and Luis Jodar hold stock and stock options in Pfizer Inc. Marc Lipsitch has provided advice on COVID-19 free of charge to Janssen, Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer, and COVAXX (United Biomedical), as well as to the nonprofit One Day Sooner and has received consulting income or honoraria from Merck, Pfizer, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Janssen, and Sanofi, and institutional research support from Pfizer. He is on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI). All other authors report no conflicts. Ethical Approval: This study was approved by MoH’s Institutional Review Board (CoR-MoH-080-2021).
Association of gynecologic versus medical oncology specialty with survival, utilization, and spending in women with gynecologic cancers

Objectives: Variation in care between specialists potentially contributes to suboptimal care and increased spending. We examined the association of gynecologic (GYO) versus medical oncology (MEDONC) based care with survival, health care utilization and spending outcomes in women undergoing chemotherapy for advanced gynecologic cancers. Methods: Women with newly diagnosed stage III-IV uterine, ovarian, and cervical cancers from 2000-2015 were identified in the SEER-Medicare dataset. Provider specialty was assigned based on plurality of claims associated with chemotherapy infusion visits. For ovarian cancer, we included those that underwent primary debulking surgery. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) and secondary outcomes were healthcare utilization (ED and admissions per month), and spending per month. We used multi-variable analyses stratified by diagnosis to assess the relationship between specialty and outcomes: cox modeling for OS, Poisson regression for utilization, and generalized linear models of log-transformed data for spending. Results: 7937 patients were included (4360 ovarian, 2934 uterine, 643 cervix). 37% were treated by GYO and 63% by MEDONC. For ovarian patients, GYO based care was associated with both improved OS (median OS 3.3 vs 2.9 years; 13% risk reduction for death, p=.0001) and decreased mean spending per month ($4015 vs $4316, 7% reduction, p=.0048), compared to MEDONC in adjusted analyses. For uterine patients, GYO was associated with similar OS compared to MEDONC, but decreased spending per month ($3573 vs $4081, 8% reduction, p=.0089), and decreased ED utilization (11% reduction, p=0.048). For cervix patients, GYO was associated with similar OS compared to MEDONC, but increased spending per month ($6135 vs $5758, 17% increase, p=0.009). Admissions did not differ across groups. (Table 1. * p-value Download : Download high-res image (151KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: GYO based care was associated with improved OS and less spending for patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer. For uterine and cervical cancer patients, GYO care was associated with similar OS but less spending in patients with uterine cancer and more spending in those with cervical cancer, compared to MEDONC.
Physical activity and diet quality in relation to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A cross-sectional study in a representative sample of U.S. adults using NHANES 2017-2018.

The association of physical activity (PA) and dietary factors with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and NAFLD-related fibrosis have never been examined in a representative sample of U.S. adults using a more precise form of measuring NAFLD. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations of PA and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index [HEI]-2015) with NAFLD and a subset with advanced fibrosis (F3-4) as assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter in a representative sample of U.S. adults. This cross-sectional analysis uses data from 2017 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NAFLD was defined as controlled attenuation parameter ≥285 dB/m, and high likelihood of advanced fibrosis as liver stiffness measurements ≥8.6 kPa. Associations of HEI-2015 from 24-h dietary recalls and self-reported PA and sedentary behavior were estimated in multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models of NAFLD and advanced fibrosis. In 2892 adults, the prevalence of NAFLD and advanced fibrosis was 35.6% and 5.6%, respectively. We found that high adherence to U.S. dietary recommendations (highest vs. lowest HEI-2015 tertile) and more PA (middle tertile vs. lowest) were associated with reduced odds of NAFLD (Adjusted OR and 95% CI; 0.60 (0.44, 0.84) and 0.65 (0.42, 0.99), respectively). More PA was inversely associated with advanced fibrosis (Adjusted OR = 0.35, 95%CI 0.16, 0.75). Diet quality and PA are associated with reduced odds of NAFLD, and PA may be critical even for those with advanced liver disease. These behaviors should be the focus of targeted public health interventions.
Über den Personenkreis, der sich praktisch mit den Problemen der Kooperation befaßt

In jedem der vorhergehenden Kapitel wurden, manchmal direkt, manchmal auf Umwegen, die folgenden drei Tatsachen festgestellt: 1. Alle fuhrenden Manner, ihre Stabskrafte und sonstigen Mitarbeiter, befassen sich mehr oder minder erfolgreich mit kooperativen Phanomenen 1. Sie verfugen jedoch selten uber ein klares und logisch aufgebautes Gedankensystem, das ihnen das Eindringen in diese Erscheinungswelt erleichtern konnte. 2. Fur diese Kategorie von Erscheinungen lassen sich brauchbare Arbeitshypothesen aufstellen, Methoden entwickeln und Verallgemeinerungen vornehmen. Sie stellen mit anderen Worten ein selbstandiges Forschungsgebiet dar. 3. Die Sozialwissenschaften konnen einen wertvollen Beitrag zur Erforschung dieses Bereichs leisten. Wir besitzen heute nicht nur eine ganze Reihe von brauchbaren und praktischen Erkenntnissen, sondern konnen auch schon einen bedeutsamen Fortschritt in der theoretischen und praktischen Behandlung solcher kooperativer Erscheinungen durch Untersuchungen und Forschungen sich anbahnen sehen.
Specific systemic lupus erythematosus disease manifestations in the six months prior to conception are associated with similar disease manifestations during pregnancy

Past studies have focused on aggregate lupus disease activity during pregnancy and have produced conflicting results. Our study evaluated lupus activity based on involvement of five specific organ systems during the six months prior to conception and during pregnancy. We assessed 147 pregnancies among 113 women followed at Brigham and Women's Lupus Center, 1990-2013. Organ-specific activity included hematologic disorder, nephritis, skin disease, arthritis, and serositis. We hypothesized that the presence of organ-specific activity six months prior to conception would increase the risk for that same type of activity during pregnancy. Our study population was 68% white; 100% had a positive ANA and 30% had a history of nephritis. Among women with organ-specific lupus activity during the six months before conception, the crude odds for the same type of activity during pregnancy was 7.7- to 32.5-fold higher compared to women without that type of activity immediately before conception. An adjusted logistic regression model also indicated significantly higher odds of organ-specific activity during pregnancy if that type of activity were present six months before conception. Approaching lupus based on specific organ systems may be a useful way for women and their physicians to consider the potential risk for disease activity during pregnancy.
The Tile Complexity of Linear Assemblies

The conventional Tile Assembly Model (TAM) developed by Winfree using Wang tiles is a powerful, Turing-universal theoretical framework which models varied self-assembly processes. We describe a natural extension to TAM called the Probabilistic Tile Assembly Model (PTAM) to model the inherent probabilistic behavior in physically realized self-assembled systems. A particular challenge in DNA nanoscience is to form linear assemblies or rulers of a specified length using the smallest possible tile set. These rulers can then be used as components for construction of other complex structures. In TAM, a deterministic linear assembly of length N requires a tile set of cardinality at least N . In contrast, for any given N , we demonstrate linear assemblies of expected length N with a tile set of cardinality *** (logN ) and prove a matching lower bound of *** (logN ). We also propose a simple extension to PTAM called *** -pad systems in which we associate *** pads with each side of a tile, allowing abutting tiles to bind when at least one pair of corresponding pads match and prove analogous results. All our probabilistic constructions are free from co-operative tile binding errors and can be modified to produce assemblies whose probability distribution of lengths has arbitrarily small tail bounds dropping exponentially with a given multiplicative factor increase in number of tile types. Thus, for linear assembly systems, we have shown that randomization can be exploited to get large improvements in tile complexity at a small expense of precision in length.
Cell therapy for cardiac repair—lessons from clinical trials

The global impetus to identify curative therapies has been fuelled by the unmet needs of patients in the context of a growing heart failure pandemic. To date, regeneration trials in patients with cardiovascular disease have used stem-cell-based therapy in the period immediately after myocardial injury, in an attempt to halt progression towards ischaemic cardiomyopathy, or in the setting of congestive heart failure, to target the disease process and prevent organ decompensation. Worldwide, several thousand patients have now been treated using autologous cell-based therapy; the safety and feasibility of this approach has been established, pitfalls have been identified, and optimization procedures envisioned. Furthermore, the initiation of phase III trials to further validate the therapeutic value of cell-based regenerative medicine and address the barriers to successful clinical implementation has led to resurgence in the enthusiasm for such treatments among patients and health-care providers. In particular, poor definition of cell types used, diversity in cell-handling procedures, and functional variability intrinsic to autologously-derived cells have been identified as the main factors limiting adoption of cell-based therapies. In this Review, we summarize the experience obtained from trials of 'first-generation' cell-based therapy, and emphasize the advances in the purification and lineage specification of stem cells that have enabled the development of 'next-generation' stem-cell-based therapies targeting cardiovascular disease.
Semiclassical quantum mechanics

We consider the ℏ→0 limit of the quantum dynamics generated by the HamiltonianH(ℏ)=−(ℏ2/2m)Δ+V. We prove that the evolution of certain Gaussian states is determined asymptotically as ℏ→0 by classical mechanics. For suitable potentialsV inn≧3 dimensions, our estimates are uniform in time and our results hold for scattering theory.
PHINet: A Plug-n-Play Content-centric Testbed Framework for Health-Internet of Things

Named Data Networking, a future networking paradigm, allows for features such as the naming of content for identification and routing as well as router-based caching for ubiquitous storage. These features are well suited for an Internet of Things (IoT) which can network identifiable and addressable electronic devices such as sensors that, in an IoT, are often configured in a Wireless Body Area Network. To bridge the gap between research approaches in the area of both Health-IoT and content centric networking, this paper presents the first content centric networking test bed framework called PHI Net for experimentation with Health-IoT. PHI Net aims to fulfill the following goals: ease of use, seamless scaling, support for testing, development and integration of health services and sensors, support for experimentation with live traffic underneath, and integration of the cloud into Health-IoT. Architecture, design, and implementation of PHI Net is presented. Furthermore, through several use cases, we demonstrate the applicability of the proposed work.
Preventing active timing attacks in low-latency anonymous communication

Low-latency anonymous communication protocols in general, and the popular onion-routing protocol in particular, are broken against simple timing attacks. While there have been few proposed solutions to this problem when the adversary is active, several padding schemes have been proposed to defend against a passive adversary that just observes timing patterns. Unfortunately active adversaries can break padding schemes by inserting delays and dropping messages. We present a protocol that provides anonymity against an active adversary by using a black-box padding scheme that is effective against a passive adversary. Our protocol reduces, in some sense, providing anonymous communication against active attacks to providing a padding scheme against passive attacks. Our analytical results show that anonymity can be made arbitrarily good at the cost of some added latency and required bandwidth. We also perform measurements on the Tor network to estimate the real-world performance of our protocol, showing that the added delay is not excessive.
DIVERGENT PROBLEM SOLVING

On compare les performances d'adolescents hindous (N = 70) et americains (N = 94) habitant des bourgs agricoles, dans deux epreuves de creativite (divergent thinking). Les resultats montrent que les sujets americains donnent plus de reponses nouvelles aux problemes, tandis que les Hindous repondent de facon routiniere, ce qui ne convient pas aux tâches proposees. On peut interpreter ces differences de deux manieres: ou bien c'est l'environnement pris globalement qui entraine une capacite differentielle a penser de facon creatrice; ou bien il s'agit d'une influence specifique de la maison et de l'ecole. Une replique partielle de la premiere etude a ete realisee a New Delhi (Inde): le milieu urbain presente des ressemblances avec l'environnement global des adolescents americains, tout en conservant les traditions hindoues en matiere d'habitat et d'ecole. Les resultats sont en faveur de l'hypothese selon laquelle ce sont les differences dans l'environnement global qui influent sur la creativite.
Reduction of Dynamic Matrices

In the discretization process, it is sometimes necessary to divide a structure into a large number of elements because of changes in geometry, loading, or material properties. When the elements are assembled for the entire structure, the number of unknown displacements, that is, the number of degrees of freedom, may be quite large. As a consequence, the stiffness, mass, and damping matrices will be of large dimensions. The solution of the corresponding eigenproblem to determine natural frequencies and modal shapes will be difficult and, in addition, expensive. In such cases it is desirable to reduce the size of these matrices in order to make the solution of the eigenproblem more manageable and economical. Such reduction is referred to as condensation.
Banking and Industry in Spain, 1829–1874

The object of this dissertation is to analyze the role of the banking system in the process of industrialization in Spain from 1829 to 1874. The reasons for taking these two dates as starting and closing points in my investigation will be evident as the exposition proceeds.
Patterning microfluidic device wettability with spatially-controlled plasma oxidation

Microfluidic devices can form double emulsions with uniform properties, but require cumbersome fabrication steps to pattern their wettability. We demonstrate spatially-controlled plasma oxidation to create wettability patterns for forming double emulsions. Our method performs comparably to chemical techniques but is simpler, more reliable, and scalable to patterning large arrays of drop makers.
In Vitro Sensitivity of Torulopsis glabrata to Amphotericin B, 5-Fluorocytosine, and Clotrimazole (Bay 5097)

Thirty-five strains of Torulopsis glabrata were tested by a tube dilution method for their susceptibility to amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, and clotrimazole (Bay 5097). Amphotericin B was the most active in vitro, inhibiting all strains at a concentration of 1 μg/ml and killing all strains at 2 μg/ml. 5-Fluorocytosine inhibited over 80% of strains at 0.24 μg/ml, but three strains required ≥7.8 μg/ml for killing. A concentration of 2 μg of clotrimazole per ml inhibited less than 50% of strains, and 8 μg/ml killed only 10% of strains. Most strains of T. glabrata were killed by therapeutically achievable concentrations of amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine, but not clotrimazole.
African‐American Race Modifies the Influence of Tacrolimus Concentrations on Acute Rejection and Toxicity in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Tacrolimus (TAC) is the most commonly used immunosuppressant in transplantation and considered the cornerstone of contemporary maintenance immunosuppressive therapy. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of TAC in kidney transplantation, using 12-hour trough concentrations to approximate total exposure, is advocated in national guidelines and utilized in most transplant centers.1, 2 Despite this commonly accepted practice,3 evidence to support TAC TDM in improving clinical outcomes, either through reduction in acute rejection rates or toxicities, is conflicting. Recent data, pooled from three randomized controlled trials and conducted in a predominantly low-risk cohort of kidney transplant recipients, suggests that achieving therapeutic TAC trough concentrations early posttransplant is not associated with reduced rejection rates.4 However, other studies have demonstrated that TAC trough concentrations are associated with improved efficacy in higher risk patients.5–7 It is well established that African-Americans (AAs) are at substantially higher risk of acute rejection and graft loss following transplant.8–10 In addition, AAs require significantly higher doses of TAC to achieve therapeutic trough concentrations,11, 12 which is likely a reflection of differences in gene variants associated with drug absorption and metabolism.13 Outside of pharmacokinetic issues, AA patients are also at higher immunologic risk, which may be related to differences in the pharmacodynamics of immunosuppressants including TAC.8, 14, 15 Despite these data, a paucity of studies have assessed if AA race modifies the impact of TAC trough concentrations on clinical outcomes in kidney transplantation. This is likely because of an underrepresentation of AA patients in previous studies analyzing associations between TAC trough concentrations and clinical outcomes in transplantation.4–6, 16–19 Thus the objectives of this study were to determine the overall impact of TAC trough concentrations on clinical outcomes in kidney transplantation while assessing if AA race modifies these associations.
Smoking and the association of advanced colorectal neoplasia in an asymptomatic average risk population: analysis of exposure and anatomical location in men and women.

Identifying risk factors for advanced colorectal adenomas may aid in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, especially in light of the American College of Gastroenterology’s recent guidelines, emphasizing cancer prevention through identification and removal of advanced adenomas. Smoking is an important risk factor for advanced adenomas but there is little data regarding levels of exposure for genders. The aim of this study was to use an existing database to examine the genders separately with respect to exposure level and anatomic location of advanced adenomas. Our database was designed to study smoking in an asymptomatic, screening population. Data included demographics, family history of CRC, smoking exposure (pack-years and years smoked), alcohol, diabetes, medications, exercise and dietary history. We excluded patients with a first degree relative with CRC. Compared to non-smokers, female smokers had an increased risk for advanced adenomas with an exposure of 10–30 pack-years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.88–9.01) as well as for ≥30 pack-years (AOR = 2.54; 95% CI, 1.08–5.96) while men had an increased risk with smoking ≥30 pack-years (AOR = 3.10; 95% CI, 1.71–5.65). An increased association with smoking was observed for proximal advanced adenomas (AOR = 4.06; 95% CI, 1.62–10.19) and large hyperplastic polyps in women. Women smokers had an increased risk for advanced adenomas at a lower exposure level and had a greater risk for proximal lesions. These findings may have an impact on CRC screening for women.
Stochastic microcrack nucleation in lamellar solids

Growth of a crack across an interface between two grains of an elastic lamellar material having different lamellar orientations is investigated for materials having a heterogeneous spectrum of individual lamellar toughnesses. Numerical analyses carried out using a cohesive zone model and the finite element method show that microcracking in the adjacent lamellae can preferentially occur at low-toughness lamellae spatially remote from the crack tip rather than at higher-toughness lamellae close to the crack tip. An analytic model based on linear elastic fracture mechanics and an initial microcrack is shown to predict the location and macroscopic toughness at which microcrack nucleation and growth occur in good agreement with the numerical analyses, using only the initial microcrack size as a single parameter. These results demonstrate that microcrack nucleation requires a sufficiently high stress over a sufficiently large region and thus that microcrack nucleation ahead of a main crack can be the dominant small-scale damage mechanism in such heterogeneous systems.
Bioactive Terpenoids and Flavonoids from Ginkgo Biloba Extract Induce the Expression of Hepatic Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes Through Pregnane X Receptor, Constitutive Androstane Receptor, and Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor-Mediated Pathways

Purpose The objective of the current study is to investigate the hypothesis that bioactive terpenoids and flavonoids of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) induce human hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and transporters through the selective activation of pregnane X receptor (PXR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR).
Recursive unary algebras and trees

Abstract A unary algebra is an algebraic system A = (A, ƒ 0 ,…,ƒ n ) , where ƒ 0 ,…,ƒ n are unary operations on A and n ∈ ω. In the paper we develop the theory of effective unary algebras. We investigate well-known questions of constructive (recursive) model theory with respect to the class of unary algebras. In the paper we construct unary algebras with a finite number of recursive isomorphism types. We give the notions of program, uniform, and algebraic dimensions of models, and then we investigate these notions on unary algebras. We find connections between algebraic and effective properties of r.e. representable unary algebras. We also deal with finitely generated r.e. (positive) unary algebras. We show the connections between trees and unary algebras. Our interests also concern recursive automorphisms groups, r.e. subalgebra and congruence lattices of effective unary algebras.
Focused Ultrasound to Expel Calculi from the Kidney: Safety and Efficacy of a Clinical Prototype Device

Purpose: Focused ultrasound has the potential to expel small stones or residual stone fragments from the kidney, or move obstructing stones to a nonobstructing location. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ultrasonic propulsion in a live porcine model.Materials and Methods: Calcium oxalate monohydrate kidney stones and laboratory model stones (2 to 8 mm) were ureteroscopically implanted in the renal pelvicalyceal system of 12 kidneys in a total of 8 domestic swine. Transcutaneous ultrasonic propulsion was performed using an HDI C5-2 imaging transducer (ATL/Philips, Bothell, Washington) and the Verasonics® diagnostic ultrasound platform. Successful stone relocation was defined as stone movement from the calyx to the renal pelvis, ureteropelvic junction or proximal ureter. Efficacy and procedure time was determined. Three blinded experts evaluated histological injury to the kidney in the control, sham treatment and treatment arms.Results: All 26 stones were observed to move during treatment and 17 (65%)...
1108 BACTERIOPHAGE HYALURONIDASE (BHase) ANTIBODY RESPONSE IN ACUTE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS (AGN) FOLLOWING GROUP A STREPTOCOCCAL (GAS) INFECTION

The factors contributing to the development of AGN following infection with a nephritogenic GAS are not well understood. To test the hypothesis that lysogeny with a temperate bacteriophage might confer nephritogenicity, 283 sera from 69 children were examined for presence of IgG and IgM antibodies to M 49 GAS BHase using an enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). Patients were classified as follows: 1) NAGN, 21 patients without AGN, non-nephritogenic GAS infection; 2) NAGN-M49, 31 patients without AGN. nephritogenic M 49 GAS infection; 3) AGN-M49, 15 patients with AGN, M 49 GAS infection; 4) AGN-M57, 2 patients with AGN, M 57 infection. The maximum IgG titer change (log10) was greatest in AGN-M49 (0.71), and was significantly higher than in NAGN-M49 (0.45, p=0.016) or NAGN (0.15, p<0.001). NAGN-M49 also had significantly greater titer changes than NAGN (p<0.001). Both AGN-M49 (0.25) and NAGN-M49 (0.21) had significantly greater maximum IgM titer changes than NAGN (0.10, p=0.004, p<0.001 respectively), but were not different from each other (p=0.46). Magnitude of antibody titer change (≥p.3 log change) differed significantly between individuals infected with M 49 GAS versus other GAS sero-types whether or not AGN was present; highest antibody titer changes (≥0.7 logs), however, were seen following AGN. It was concluded that, despite significant rises in IgG and IgM antibody to BHase, antibody response could not be used to investigate the relationship between lysogeny and AGN due to its presence in both patients with and without AGN following M 49 GAS infection.
Fatigue crack growth behavior of aluminum alloy 2020 (AlCuLiMnCd)

Abstract In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in understanding the mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of aluminum alloys containing lithium, because of their potential for extensive use in aerospace applications. In the present paper the fatigue crack propagation behavior of aluminum alloy 2020 (AlCuLiMnCd) in the peak strength temper is examined over a wide range of growth rates (from 10 −6 to 10 −11 m cycle −1 ). It was found that alloy 2020 shows crack propagation rates that are up to an order of magnitude slower at intermediate ΔK levels and up to two orders of magnitude slower in the near-threshold region, when compared with aluminum alloy 7075 under conditions of similar yield strength, load ratio, frequency and environment. Extensive analyses of the crack path for alloy 2020 reveal that pronounced deflection and branching of the fatigue crack occur at all growth rate levels as a result of a highly crystallographic mode of crack advance. The micromechanisms of fatigue crack growth in alloy 2020 are examined in terms of crack profile, fracture surface features, microstructure and environment.
Use of stun guns for venomous bites and stings: a review

During the past 2 decades, articles suggesting that stun guns be utilized to treat venomous bites and stings have appeared in both the lay and medical press. Although never widely considered to be standard therapy for venomous bites and stings, stun guns are still considered to be a treatment option by some medical practitioners and outdoor enthusiasts. A Medline search was performed using these terms: venomous bites, venomous stings, snake bites, spider bites, electrical, stun gun, high voltage electricity, low amperage electricity, direct current, and shock therapy. Articles selected included laboratory-based isolated venom studies, animal studies, and case reports involving humans in which a stun gun or some other source of high voltage, low amperage direct current electric shocks were used to treat actual or simulated venomous bites or stings. We concluded that the use of stun guns or other sources of high voltage, low amperage direct current electric shocks to treat venomous bites and stings is not supported by the literature.
Biophysics of Tumor Cell Adhesion: From single molecules to multi-cellular interactions

Cell adhesion plays a critical role in tumor formation, invasion and metastasis. The complex processes underlying adhesion to other cells and the extra-cellular matrices are dynamic and inherently multi-scale. Unfortunately, computational and mathematical models aimed at understanding adhesion have traditionally focused on a single length-scale and have been unable to link events at the atomic and molecular scale to bulk behaviors seen in experiments. In addition, most adhesion models have been blind to the effects of matrix structure and mechanics, molecular sequence and conformations and hence can only make qualitative predictions.Using a combination of molecular dynamics to generate conformations, coarse-graining of these results for single-chain mean field theory and then further coarse graining too study processes at the bulk level, we have developed a fully multi-scale model of cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions. Our models are rooted in principles of thermodynamics, statistical and continuum mechanics and are able to capture cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion events at a single molecular, cellular, multi-cellular and tissue level. We are also able to study the effects of soluble and insoluble ligands, functionalized nano-particles and tethered surfaces. Thus our model is able to make quantitative predictions in both in vivo and in vitro environments.
Information Literacy in the Study of American Politics: Using New Media to Teach Information Literacy in the Political Science Classroom

Students have access to a vast amount of information about American politics through new media outlets (e.g., the Internet). We survey the perils and promise of this new landscape through a case study of a political science class at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY), that examined congressional races in the 2010 election season. We find that students have access to a diversity of information and opinion about House of Representative races that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. However, the students’ information literacy skills and the ability of students to sort and weigh the value of various perspectives to inform their own conclusions was limited. Unlike much of the celebratory tone of studies that proclaim the emancipatory value of new media for citizens and students alike, we argue that educators interested in the potential of new media must devote considerable attention to both the variety and reliability of new media outlets, as well as provide the historical a...
Alignment of multi-layered muscle cells within three-dimensional hydrogel macrochannels.

Abstract This work describes the development and testing of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels with independently controlled dimensions of wide and deep macrochannels for their ability to promote alignment of skeletal myoblasts and myoblast differentiation. A UV-photopatterned thiol-ene mold was employed to produce long channels, which ranged from ∼40 to 200 μm in width and from ∼100 to 200 μm in depth, within a PEG–RGD hydrogel. Skeletal myoblasts (C2C12) were successfully cultured multiple cell layers deep within the channels. Decreasing channel width, increasing channel depth and, interestingly, increasing cell layer away from the channel base all contributed to a decreased interquartile range of cell angle relative to the long axis of the channel wall, indicating improved cell alignment. Differentiation of skeletal myoblasts into myotubes was confirmed by gene expression for myoD, myogenin and MCH IIb, and myotube formation for all channel geometries, but was not dependent on channel size. Qualitatively, myotubes were characteristically different, as myotubes were larger and had more nuclei in larger channels. Overall, our findings demonstrate that relatively large features, which do not readily facilitate cell alignment in two dimensions, promote cell alignment when presented in three dimensions, suggesting an important role for three-dimensional spatial cues.
Some Observations on the Morphology and Division of Balantidium coli and Balantidium caviae (

SYNOPSIS. Studies of the body ciliature of Balantidium coli and B. caviae (?) after Breslau's opal-blue and Klein's silver nitrate techniques revealed a preoral-dorsal suture area where some of the ciliary rows fail to reach the peristomial margin. The incomplete kineties ranged up to a dozen in number and were variable in arrangement. In a count of 100 specimens of B. caviae (?) the incomplete kineties were at the right of the suture in 39, at the left in 24 and on both sides of the suture line in 37. At the posterior end not many kineties reach the pole but no sutural pattern was seen in that region. Scattered irregularities in the ciliary rows were sometimes seen. Studies of the oral region tend to confirm the view of Faure-Fremiet that the peristomial ciliature consists of short rows of cilia which are continuations of the anterior body kineties. Membranelles were not found. Thus, some species of Balantidium, at least, show affinities with the Holotricha in agreement with Nie and Faure-Fremiet. Fission commonly produces two equal-sized daughters but many cases of unequal division were observed. In both these species conjugants are much smaller than vegetative animals and two preconjugant divisions are indicated, the first of which may be unequal. During the early stages of fission, the anterior ends of the kineties of the posterior daughter change direction, becoming oblique in the fission zone. In this region the kinetosomes multiply; possibly some of the kineties also divide but evidence for this is incomplete. No evidence of reorganization at the anterior end of the anterior daughter was seen. Attempts to infect hamsters with B. coli and B. caviae (?) failed. No parasites were found in two collared peccaries repeatedly examined.
Augmentation of the Cheeks, Chin and Pre-jowl Sulcus, and Nasolabial Folds

The demand for augmentation of central and lower facial features continues to increase. There are several safe and effective materials available for this purpose, and techniques have become highly refined. The relative strengths and weaknesses of silicone, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and merseline mesh are discussed for augmentation of the chin/pre-jowl sulcus and cheek. Materials for augmentation of the nasolabial folds (NLF) are also discussed. There are various forms of solid ePTFE that have been developed for soft tissue augmentation. These are particularly well suited for the NLF. Techniques for facial skeletal and soft tissue augmentation are presented.
Many-body central force potentials and properties of grain boundaries in NiAl

Abstract Empirical many-body central force potentials of the Finnis-Sinclair type have been constructed for B2 NiAl by fitting a number of equilibrium properties of this alloy and reproducing the asymmetric behaviour of constitutional point defects in off-stoichiometric NiAl. At the same time these potentials ensure the structural and mechanical stability of the B2 lattice and reproduce quite adequately the equilibrium properties of Ni3Al. Using these potentials, grain boundaries in NiAl have been studied by computer simulation. It was found that in stoichiometric NiAl alloy boundaries with a surplus of aluminium have appreciably lower cohesive strength than the stoichiometric boundaries or boundaries with a surplus of nickel. From the structural point of view, boundaries with a surplus of aluminium possess the largest expansions and large ‘holes’ usually occur in the boundary regions. On the other hand, boundaries with the stoichiometric configuration or with a surplus of nickel have more compact structures. The interaction of the antisite defects and vacancies with grain boundaries was also studied and segregation of nickel and aluminium in off-stoichiometric alloys discussed with the help of these results.
Lymphatic mapping helps to define resection margins for midgut carcinoids

Background The extensive mesenteric lymphadenopathy associated with midgut carcinoids often causes lymphatic obstruction and leads to the development of alternative lymphatic drainage pathways. We hypothesized that altered lymphatic drainage makes traditional determination of resection margins inadequate. Methods One hundred and seventy patients underwent cytoreductive surgery for neuroendocrine tumors from November 2006 to August 2008. Forty-nine patients underwent intra-operative lymphatic mapping with lymphazurin dye as a single agent. Twenty-seven patients had midgut primaries. We reviewed operative findings and pathology to evaluate the safety and efficacy of lymphatic mapping for midgut carcinoids. Lymphatic mapping defined resection margins were compared to traditional surgical margins. Results There were no adverse events associated with the 49 lymphatic mapping procedures. Twenty-five (92%) patients had ileal and 2 had jejunal primaries. Lymphatic mapping changed traditional resection margins in 88% of patients. We preserved the ileocecal valve in 6 of 15 (40%) of patients with terminal ileal primaries. Conclusion Lymphatic mapping seems to be a safe, time efficient, and effective way to determine adequate resection margins for midgut carcinoids. We advocate using lymphatic mapping for patients with midgut carcinoids to identify adequate resection margins and assist in preservation of the ileocecal valve in patients with terminal ileal primary carcinoids.
Framing same-sex marriage: Media constructions of California's Proposition 8

Abstract Legislation regarding the legalization of same-sex marriages has been advocated for and opposed across distinct states in the United States. Claims makers on either side of the issue have attempted to have their voices heard in local and national newspapers. Newspaper personnel determine how to frame the issue, deciding which meanings associated with same-sex marriage will be highlighted and which will go unrepresented. This paper analyzes the media framing of Proposition 8 in California, a voter initiative prohibiting same-sex marriage, comparing frames across three newspapers: one local to California, the San Francisco Chronicle , and two national, the New York Times and the Washington Post . The paper illustrates shifts in frames from May 2008 to August 2010, a time period extending from the vote on the initiative through two court challenges. Overall, the results indicate that these newspapers more frequently frame same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue and that those attempting to block same-sex marriage do so as a function of discrimination. Less frequently, they frame same-sex marriage as a threat to heterosexual marriage. The findings show that the frequency with which the frames appear shift across newspapers as well as the time period of study.
The effects of multiple impacts on the cushioning properties of closed‐cell foams

Manufacturers of closed-cell cushioning materials traditionally publish cushion curves for a given material only for a limited number of impacts. The goal of this research was to describe the change in the cell structure of a close-cell foam due to multiple impacts, and to extend the range of application of these cushion curves as they relate to reusable packaging. Cushion curves and stress-strain curves for up to 15 compressions were generated for three different molded closed-cell foams. The cushion curves demonstrate a constant increase in the shock transmitted with each impact due to significant permanent deformation in the form of cell-wall fatigue and rupture. The results also show that although the mean percentage increase in transmitted shock was greatest from the first impact to the fifth impact, the change continued to be significant with subsequent impacts.