cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low density lipoprotein receptor mutations in a selected population of individuals with moderate hypercholesterolemia

Abstract To evaluate mutations in the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) gene in moderate primary hypercholesterolemia, a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing, was used to screen the LDL-R gene in a selected population of 82 unrelated individuals with moderate elevation of plasma LDL-C [mean 4.55±0.55 mmol/l (176.4±21.6 mg/dl)]. Four subjects (5%) were found to be heterozygotes for missense mutations in the LDL-R gene. These mutations were located in four different exons (exons 6, 7 15 and 17) and all alters highly conserved residues of LDL-R protein. None of these mutations were detected in 79 normocholesterolemic individuals. The mutation in exon 15 (T705I) was previously reported in a compound heterozygote for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). In the proband carrying the mutation in exon 17 (R793Q), an in vivo LDL turnover study was performed and it demonstrated a reduction of LDL catabolism. These findings demonstrate that mutations in the LDL-R may occur in primary moderate hypercholesterolemia. They also extend the concept that some FH patients may present with a mild phenotype.
Feedback: Beyond behaviorism.

Consistent behavior patterns are created by variable acts, and generally repeat only because detailed acts change. The accepted explanation of this paradox, that "cues" cause the changes, is irrelevant; it is unsupported by evidence, and incapable of dealing with novel situations. The apparent purposefulness of variations of behavioral acts can be accepted as fact in the framework of a control-system model of behavior. A control system, properly organized for its environment, will produce whatever output is required in order to achieve a constant sensed result, even in the presence of unpredictable disturbances. A control-system model of the brain provides a physical explanation for the existence of goals or purposes, and shows that behavior is the control of input, not output. A systematic investigation of controlled quantities can reveal an organism's structure of control systems. The structure is hierarchical, in that some quantities are controlled as the means for controlling higher-order quantities. The output of a higher-order system is not a muscle force, but a reference level (variable) for a lower-order controlled quantity. The highest-order reference levels are inherited and are associated with the meta-behavior termed reorganization. When controlled quantities are discovered, the related stimulus-response laws become trivially predictable. Variability of behavior all but disappears once controlled quantities are known. Behavior itself is seen in terms of this model to be self-determined in a specific and highly significant sense that calls into serious doubt the ultimate feasibility of operant conditioning of human beings by other human beings.
Pride and prejudice: how might ethics consultation services minimize bias?

Although most healthcare professionals take pride in their ability to assess and respond to a clinical situation objectively and fairly, more than three decades of research regarding decision makin...
Striving for a culturally responsive process in training health professionals on Asian American and Pacific Islander youth violence prevention

The quality of youth violence prevention practice is dependent on the quality of education and training of professionals who will care for disadvantaged and/or underserved youth. The authors propose that culturally responsive youth violence prevention curricula, focused on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, should: 1) target institutions that train health professionals likely to serve Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; 2) promote the professional development of Asian American and Pacific Islander students and enhance all students' comfort in addressing behavioral, social, and cultural concerns; 3) cover specific issues relevant to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the role of acculturative stress, socioeconomic hardship, and other risk factors that may account for mental health disparities; and 4) continuously engage researchers, educators, and community stakeholders in cooperatively and creatively applying new knowledge to clinical challenges. The authors summarize resources for youth violence prevention education that have been used for training healthcare professionals in a multicultural context.
Effect of Alkali Administration on Calcium Metabolism

ABSTRACT In 12 patients with hypoparathyroidism, administration of calcium carbonate (10.0–18.0 g/day) was effective in increasing serum calcium by 2.5 to 4.0 mg/100 ml. Tracer studies with 47Ca were performed one or more times in 6 individuals before or after treatment with calcium carbonate or other salts. With these isotope data, and utilizing a 2-compartment open-ended model to describe calcium distribution, compartment sizes and rates of movement of miscible calcium were calculated. The results indicated that increasing serum calcium by use of calcium carbonate in hypoparathyroid patients expanded the size of fast- and slow-exchanging compartments, but decreased calcium interchange between these compartments and reduced calcium deposition in bone. Alkali administration to a single normal individual whose serum calcium was stable also decreased calcium interchange between fast- and slow-exchanging compartments, and, in addition, decreased size of these compartments. The effect of acid salts on calcium...
ECG Conduction Delays Associated with Massive Bupropion Overdose

AbstractBackground: Bupropion, a relatively new antidepressant, is highly regarded for its safety profile in therapeutic doses and in the overdose. Seizure is the primary adverse reaction associated with bupropion overdoses. Clinically significant cardiovascular complications are rare. Case Report; We report the case of an adult male who ingested 9 g bupropion and developed neurologic toxicity as well as intraventricular conduction disturbances on electrocardiogram. Cardiac monitoring of these patients should be considered.
Effects of alternating high and medium concentrate diets on fermentation in a semi-continuous rumen culture system

Abstract A semi-continuous culture system was used to determine effects of percent dietary concentrate and method of feeding on in vitro fermentation. Treatments consisted of four feeding regimens 1) 85% concentrate: 85% concentrate diet fed at 0700 and 1900h; 2) alternate: 85% concentrate diet fed at 0700h and 55% concentrate fed at 1900h; 3) 70% concentrate: equal mixture of the 85 and 55% concentrate diets fed at 0700 and 1900h, and 4) 55% concentrate: 55% concentrate diet fed at 0700 and 1900h. Total volatile fatty acid concentrations and molar proportions of propionate were highest for the 85% concentrate regimen with no differences among other treatments. Acetate (molar proportion) was lower for the high concentrate diet than for other treatments. Concentrations of fermentation liquor ammonia were 13.4, 11.7, 12.6, and 9.8mg/100ml for 85% concentrate, alternate, 70%, and 55% concentrate groups. Culture pH was similar for all treatments. Apparent organic matter digestibilities were 41.0, 40.1, 39.6, and 34.6% and true organic matter digestibilities were 46.3, 45.4, 44.4, and 39.5% for 85% concentrate, alternate, 70%, and 55% concentrate regimens. Bacterial numbers were 1.06, 1.33, .86, and .85×10 9 per ml.
Why flow-completion time is the right metric for congestion control

Users typically want their flows to complete as quickly as possible. This makes Flow Completion Time (FCT) an im portant - arguably the most important - performance metric for the user. Yet research on congestion control focuses almost entirely on maximizing link throughput, utilization and fairness, which matter more to the operator than the user. In this paper we show that with typical Internet flow sizes, existing (TCP Reno) and newly proposed (XCP) congestion control algorithms make flows last much longer than necessary - often by one or two orders of magnitude. In contrast, we show how a new and practical algorithm - RCP (Rate Control Protocol) - enables flows to complete close to the minimum possible
Electric vehicle test and evaluation program: Site operators' experience

A total of 35 private companies and federal, state, and local agencies are currently participating in the Department of Energy's Electric Vehicle Test and Evaluation Program. These participants are operating, in aggregate, 712 electric vehicles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, and reporting monthly to the Department of Energy (DOE) on their operating and maintenance experience with the vehicles. When the program closes in 1985, an estimated 25 000 vehicle-months of data will have been collected. At this time, approximately 6000 vehicle-months of data have been collected since the program's first fully operational fleet was put into service in January 1980. The data show that battery reliability and maintenance constitute a significant problem in the vehicles now in operation.
Nomic necessity and empiricism

L'A. defend l'approche empiriste de la loi naturelle contre le postulat metaphysique d'une necessite nomique a l'oeuvre dans le caractere modal de la loi. Examinant la these de la survenance humienne adoptee par D. Lewis et J. Earman, l'A. presente une version contextuelle de l'empirisme fondee sur l'approche perspectiviste du meilleur-systeme (perspectival best-system account), et montre que cette definition de la necessite nomique est essentielle pour la theorie et la pratique scientifiques
Studying the spin structure of the proton using the solenoidal tracker at RHIC

The primary goal of RHIC is to produce nuclear matter under extremes of temperature and density sufficient to excite the QCD vacuum, resulting in the creation of a deconfined plasma of quarks and gluons. A second goal central to the RHIC scientific program is to advance the study of the spin structure of the proton significantly beyond what has been learned from deep inelastic scattering (DIS) measurements by studying spin asymmetries in strong processes involving the partonic constituents of polarized protons.
Herbal remedy knowledge acquisition and transmission among the Yucatec Maya in Tabi, Mexico: A cross-sectional study

Ethnobotanical knowledge continues to be important for treating illness in many rural communities, despite access to health care clinics and pharmaceuticals. However, access to health care clinics and other modern services can have an impact on the distribution of medical ethnobotanical knowledge. Many factors have been shown to be associated with distributions in this type of knowledge. The goal of the sub-analyses reported in this paper was to better understand the relationship between herbal remedy knowledge, and two such factors, age and social network position, among the Yucatec Maya in Tabi, Yucatan. The sample consisted of 116 Yucatec Maya adults. Cultural consensus analysis was used to measure variation in herbal remedy knowledge using competence scores, which is a measure of participant agreement within a domain. Social network analysis was used to measure individual position within a network using in-degree scores, based on the number of people who asked an individual about herbal remedies. Surveys were used to capture relevant personal attributes, including age. Analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between age and the herbal medicine competence score for individuals 45 and under, and no relationship for individuals over 45. There was an insignificant relationship between in-degree and competence scores for individuals 50 and under and a significant positive correlation for those over 50. There are two possible mechanisms that could account for the differences between cohorts: 1) knowledge accumulation over time; and/or 2) the stunting of knowledge acquisition through delayed acquisition, competing treatment options, and changes in values. Primary ethnographic evidence suggests that both mechanisms may be at play in Tabi. Future studies using longitudinal or cross-site comparisons are necessary to determine the whether and how the second mechanism is influencing the different cohorts.
Evolving treatment plan quality criteria from institution-specific experience.

Purpose: The dosimetric aspects of radiation therapy treatment plan quality are usually evaluated and reported with dose volume histogram (DVH) endpoints. For clinical practicality, a small number of representative quantities derived from the DVH are often used as dose endpoints to summarize the plan quality. National guidelines on reference values for such quantities for some standard treatment approaches are often used as acceptance criteria to trigger treatment plan review. On the other hand, treatment prescription and planning approaches specific to each institution warrants the need to report plan quality in terms of practice consistency and with respect to institution-specific experience. The purpose of this study is to investigate and develop a systematic approach to record and characterize the institution-specific plan experience and use such information to guide the design of plan quality criteria. In the clinical setting, this approach will assist in (1) improving overall plan quality and consistency and (2) detecting abnormal plan behavior for retrospective analysis. Methods: The authors propose a self-evolving methodology and have developed an in-house prototype software suite that (1) extracts the dose endpoints from a treatment plan and evaluates them against both national standard and institution-specific criteria and (2) evolves the statistics for themore » dose endpoints and updates institution-specific criteria. Results: The validity of the proposed methodology was demonstrated with a database of prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy cases. As more data sets are accumulated, the evolving institution-specific criteria can serve as a reliable and stable consistency measure for plan quality and reveals the potential use of the ''tighter'' criteria than national standards or projected criteria, leading to practice that may push to shrink the gap between plans deemed acceptable and the underlying unknown optimality. Conclusions: The authors have developed a rationale to improve plan quality and consistency, by evolving the plan quality criteria from institution-specific experience, complementary to national standards. The validity of the proposed method was demonstrated with a prototype system on prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) cases. The current study uses direct and indirect DVH endpoints for plan quality evaluation, but the infrastructure proposed here applies to general outcome data as well. The authors expect forward evaluation together with intelligent update based on evidence-based learning, which will evolve the clinical practice for improved efficiency, consistency, and ultimately better treatment outcome.« less
Digital CMOS logic operation in the sub-threshold region

Numerous efforts in balancing the trade-off between power, area and performance have been carried out in the medium performance, medium power region of the design spectrum. However, not much study has been done at the two extreme ends of the design spectrum, namely, the ultra-low power with acceptable performance at one end, and high performance with power within limit at the other. In this paper, we focus on the ultra-low power end of the spectrum where performance is of secondary importance. One solution to achieve the ultra-low power requirement is to operate the digital logic gates in sub-threshold region. In this paper, we analyze both CMOS and Pseudo-NMOS logic operating in sub-threshold region. We compare the results with CMOS in normal strong inversion region and with other known low-power logic, namely, energy recovery logic. Results show energy/switching reduction of two orders of magnitude from an 8×8 carry-save array multiplier when it is operated in the sub-threshold region.
Translation Control: A Multifaceted Regulator of Inflammatory Response

A robust innate immune response is essential to the protection of all vertebrates from infection, but it often comes with the price tag of acute inflammation. If unchecked, a runaway inflammatory response can cause significant tissue damage, resulting in myriad disorders, such as dermatitis, toxic shock, cardiovascular disease, acute pelvic and arthritic inflammatory diseases, and various infections. To prevent such pathologies, cells have evolved mechanisms to rapidly and specifically shut off these beneficial inflammatory activities before they become detrimental. Our review of recent literature, including our own work, reveals that the most dominant and common mechanism is translational silencing, in which specific regulatory proteins or complexes are recruited to cis-acting RNA structures in the untranslated regions of single or multiple mRNAs that code for the inflammatory protein(s). Enhancement of the silencing function may constitute a novel pharmacological approach to prevent immunity-related inflammation.
Dynamic Modeling and Optimum Load Control of a PM Linear Generator for Ocean Wave Energy Harvesting Application

This study presents a permanent magnetic linear generator based system for ocean wave energy harvesting applications. The use of linear generator as energy converter enables a direct coupling of the motion of the buoy to the energy harvesting system. Mathematical model governing the system is presented; frequency domain analysis reveals that conversion rate varies with respect to load resistance. Detailed numerical results including average power, system efficiency are obtained using MATLAB®, Simulink®, SimPower-Systems®. The optimum load value is found based on the fully physics simulation of the system. To this end, current control application to the boost converter is presented. Presented results show that the controller successfully regulates the current. The proposed system is designed to operate with the optimum load value.
The use and misuse of V c,max in Earth System Models

Earth System Models (ESMs) aim to project global change. Central to this aim is the need to accurately model global carbon fluxes. Photosynthetic carbon dioxide assimilation by the terrestrial biosphere is the largest of these fluxes, and in many ESMs is represented by the Farquhar, von Caemmerer and Berry (FvCB) model of photosynthesis. The maximum rate of carboxylation by the enzyme Rubisco, commonly termed V c,max, is a key parameter in the FvCB model. This study investigated the derivation of the values of V c,max used to represent different plant functional types (PFTs) in ESMs. Four methods for estimating V c,max were identified; (1) an empirical or (2) mechanistic relationship was used to relate V c,max to leaf N content, (3) V c,max was estimated using an approach based on the optimization of photosynthesis and respiration or (4) calibration of a user-defined V c,max to obtain a target model output. Despite representing the same PFTs, the land model components of ESMs were parameterized with a wide range of values for V c,max (−46 to +77 % of the PFT mean). In many cases, parameterization was based on limited data sets and poorly defined coefficients that were used to adjust model parameters and set PFT-specific values for V c,max. Examination of the models that linked leaf N mechanistically to V c,max identified potential changes to fixed parameters that collectively would decrease V c,max by 31 % in C3 plants and 11 % in C4 plants. Plant trait data bases are now available that offer an excellent opportunity for models to update PFT-specific parameters used to estimate V c,max. However, data for parameterizing some PFTs, particularly those in the Tropics and the Arctic are either highly variable or largely absent.
Quantum vacuum cosmology.

Abstract It is shown for the case of a conformally flat vacuum that the curvature of space-time may be viewed as the observable consequence of particle interactions involving a scalar field φ, rather than the independent agency of the gravitational field by itself. The quantum nature of gravity comes in as a consequence of the quantum properties of the φ-field (“vacuum fluctuation”), and a direct analogy is drawn between the renormalizations of charge and mass. Cosmological solutions are derived: These being just the conventional Friedmann solutions, or the de Sitter solution. It is pointed out that a totally empty universe must be Minkowskian.
Lynette D. Myles. Beyond Borders: Female Subjectivity in African American Women's Narratives of Enslavement : New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.

In Beyond Borders, Lynette D. Myles examines the importance of establishing self-consciousness for African American women and how this occurs through recognizing and rejecting hegemonic power. The ...
Newtonian viscosity model could overestimate wall shear stress in intracranial aneurysm domes and underestimate rupture risk

Objective Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of intracranial aneurysm hemodynamics usually adopt the simplification of the Newtonian blood rheology model. A study was undertaken to examine whether such a model affects the predicted hemodynamics in realistic intracranial aneurysm geometries. Methods Pulsatile CFD simulations were carried out using the Newtonian viscosity model and two non-Newtonian models (Casson and Herschel-Bulkley) in three typical internal carotid artery saccular aneurysms (A, sidewall, oblong-shaped with a daughter sac; B, sidewall, quasi-spherical; C, near-spherical bifurcation). For each aneurysm model the surface distributions of shear rate, blood viscosity and wall shear stress (WSS) predicted by the three rheology models were compared. Results All three rheology models produced similar intra-aneurysmal flow patterns: aneurysm A had a slowly recirculating secondary vortex near the dome whereas aneurysms B and C contained only a large single vortex. All models predicted similar shear rate, blood viscosity and WSS in parent vessels of all aneurysms and in the sacs of B and C. However, large discrepancies in shear rate, viscosity and WSS among predictions by the various rheology models were found in the dome area of A where the flow was relatively stagnant. Here the Newtonian model predicted higher shear rate and WSS values and lower blood viscosity than the two non-Newtonian models. Conclusions The Newtonian fluid assumption can underestimate viscosity and overestimate shear rate and WSS in regions of stasis or slowly recirculating secondary vortices, typically found at the dome in elongated or complex-shaped saccular aneurysms as well as in aneurysms following endovascular treatment. Because low shear rates and low WSS in such flow conditions indicate a high propensity for thrombus formation and rupture, CFD based on the Newtonian assumption may underestimate the propensity of these events.
GLOBALIZATION AND SOVEREIGNTY. By John Agnew.

(2011). Globalization and Sovereignty. By John Agnew. Geographical Review: Vol. 101, No. 2, pp. 287-289.
Synthesis of dispersive signals and applications in wireless communications

In this paper, we propose a novel synthesis algorithm for time-varying transformations of signals With dispersive structures or that have been transmitted in highly non-linear dispersive mediums. Our algorithms are based on transformation techniques that counteract the effects of non-linear dispersive group delay changes by converting them to constant or linear group delay changes. In particular, we apply the algorithm to synthesize a signal with hyperbolic group delay structure from its Altes Q-distribution (QD). Such algorithms are important in recovering relevant dispersive signal segments after processing such as filtering in the time-frequency plane. We demonstrate the importance of our new synthesis algorithms in suppressing dispersive time-varying interference or impulsive artifacts in dispersive mediums, such as the ocean, in wireless communications applications. We demonstrate that the new approach using synthesis of dispersive structures successfully improved the system's bit error rate performance when compared to the use of techniques that use synthesis of linear structures.
Variable-conductance, level-set curvature for image denoising

This paper describes a partial differential equation for denoising images. The proposed method is demonstrably superior to anisotropic diffusion (and its many variations) for denoising images that are approximately piecewise constant. The method relies on an equation that is the level-set equivalent of the anisotropic diffusion equation proposed by Perona and Malik (1990). This proposed equation has come up in the literature, but has failed to be fully utilized due to a lack of analysis and the need for a stable, accurate numerical implementation. Our analysis shows that the proposed method is more aggressive than anisotropic diffusion at enhancing and preserving edges, and is less sensitive to the edge contrast parameter. Empirical results confirm these advantages, and show that for certain classes of images, one should always prefer the proposed method over anisotropic diffusion.
Structural Equation Model of the Consumer-Directed Theory of Empowerment in a Vocational Rehabilitation Context.

One model that is potentially useful in the rehabilitation field is the Consumer-Directed Theory of Empowerment (CDTE; Kosciulek, 1999a). However, additional empirical data are needed to further develop and critically evaluate the CDTE. To accomplish this task, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesized structural model CDTE in a vocational rehabilitation context. Using data on 721 vocational rehabilitation consumers drawn from the Longitudinal Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program database, structural equation modeling results provided support for a revised version of the CDTE. Findings provide data useful for guiding future CDTE-related research and practice.
The Childhood Obesity Epidemic as a Result of Nongenetic Evolution: The Maternal Resources Hypothesis

Over the past century, socioenvironmental evolution (eg, reduced pathogenic load, decreased physical activity, and improved nutrition) led to cumulative increments in maternal energy resources (ie, body mass and adiposity) and decrements in energy expenditure and metabolic control. These decrements reduced the competition between maternal and fetal energy demands and increased the availability of energy substrates to the intrauterine milieu. This perturbation of mother-conceptus energy partitioning stimulated fetal pancreatic β-cell and adipocyte hyperplasia, thereby inducing an enduring competitive dominance of adipocytes over other tissues in the acquisition and sequestering of nutrient energy via intensified insulin secretion and hyperplastic adiposity. At menarche, the competitive dominance of adipocytes was further amplified via hormone-induced adipocyte hyperplasia and weight-induced decrements in physical activity. These metabolic and behavioral effects were propagated progressively when obese, inactive, metabolically compromised women produced progressively larger, more inactive, metabolically compromised children. Consequently, the evolution of human energy metabolism was markedly altered. This phenotypic evolution was exacerbated by increments in the use of cesarean sections, which allowed both the larger fetuses and the metabolically compromised mothers who produced them to survive and reproduce. Thus, natural selection was iatrogenically rendered artificial selection, and the frequency of obese, inactive, metabolically compromised phenotypes increased in the global population. By the late 20th century, a metabolic tipping point was reached at which the postprandial insulin response was so intense, the relative number of adipocytes so large, and inactivity so pervasive that the competitive dominance of adipocytes in the sequestering of nutrient energy was inevitable and obesity was unavoidable.
Repair of UV-Induced DNA Damage and Melanoma Risk

Melanoma is relatively uncommon compared with nonmelanoma skin cancers, but it causes a vast majority of skin-cancer deaths. Sunlight exposure, particularly intermittent sun exposure early in life, is a well-established risk factor for melanoma. Because only a fraction of those exposed to sunlight ever developed melanoma, genetic susceptibility has long been suspected to be an etiological factor in sunlight-induced melanoma. For example, people who have a strong family history of dysplastic nevus syndrome have an increased risk of melanoma. The extremely high frequency and early onset of melanomas in patients with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), a rare autosomal-recessive disease of mutated DNA repair genes that confer hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light, suggest that DNA repair is involved in the etiology of melanoma. Until recently, not enough population-based data were available to support the idea that DNA repair plays a role in the etiology of sporadic melanoma, but recent studies suggest that patients with sporadic melanoma, particularly those with sunlight-sensitive skin, have a low DNA repair capacity (DRC). This theory was also supported by studies showing that patients with melanomas on sun-exposed skin had a lower DRC than did patients with melanomas on unexposed skin. Furthermore, studies found that the risk of melanoma increased as DRC decreased. Taken together, these new data suggest that reduced DRC contributes to genetic susceptibility to sunlight-induced sporadic melanoma in the general population. More studies are needed to validate that DRC is a marker for genetic susceptibility to melanoma. With advances in high-throughput technology, individuals at increased risk for melanoma could be screened for functional variants of DNA repair genes, leading to primary prevention of sunlight-induced melanoma in the general population.
Comparison of Audio Versus Written Feedback on Writing Assignments

Abstract Introduction The primary objective of this article is to evaluate recorded audio feedback compared to written feedback for writing assignments for pharmacy students. Secondary objectives were to assess student perceptions regarding the use of recorded audio feedback. Methods Recorded audio feedback from two assignments was randomly selected and compared to a matched set of written feedback from a previous course offering. Feedback was analyzed for quantity and content using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) 2007. Students were surveyed regarding their preference for audio feedback as well as their perceptions regarding acceptance and effectiveness. Results Recorded audio feedback provided significantly more feedback compared to the historical control group. Linguistic analysis revealed that audio feedback was less negative and contained more directed feedback. Students generally preferred audio feedback and felt it more personal in nature. Conclusion Recorded feedback appears to be an effective alternative for feedback on written assignments.
Regulation of the mitochondrial permeability transition by matrix Ca2+ and voltage during anoxia/reoxygenation

We studied the interplay between matrix Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ) in regulation of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) during anoxia and reox...
VSS-induced NiSi2 Nanocrystal Memory

NiSi 2 nanocrystals were synthesized and used as the floating gate for nonvolatile memory application. Vapor-solid-solid mechanism was employed to grow the NiSi 2 nanocrystals by introducing SiH 4 onto the Ni catalysts-covered SiO 2 /Si substrate at 600°C. The average size and density of the NiSi 2 nanocrystals are 7∼10nm and 3×10 11 cm -2 , respectively. Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor memory with NiSi 2 nanocrystals was fabricated and characterized. Programming/erasing, retention and endurance measurements were carried out and good performances were demonstrated.
A new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from southern Laos

ÐA specimen of the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827, collected in Xepian National Biodiversity and Conservation Area, Champasak Province, southern Laos, is here referred to a new species, Cyrtodactylus buchardi sp. nov. The holotype, a juvenile male, differs from other known species by the combination of a slender body, a barely visible lateral fold, a slender but short tail, only 12 subdigital lamellae beneath 4 toe, 25 rows of tuberculate dorsal scales, no precloacal groove, three series of enlarged precloacal scales, no enlarged femoral scales, no distinctly enlarged subcaudal scales, 13-14 supralabials, a dorsal pattern made of five transversal series of irregular blotches, and a nuchal collar not reaching the posterior margin of the eyes. The new species is compared with other species known from the Indo-Chinese Peninsula and Thailand. It appears to be related to Cyrtodactylus angularis (Smith, 1921) and C. papilionoides Ulber & Grossmann, 1991, both from central and eastern Thailand.
Genetic distance among certain species of Mucor.

A comparison of homologous enzymes in mycelial extracts of 20 species of Mucor was made using starch gel electrophoresis and staining techniques for 11 different enzymes. On the basis of genetic distance, a computerized cluster analysis was used to arrange the species into groups reflecting quantitative phylogenetic relationships among the examined species Conclusions are drawn about the validity of present concepts of Mucor phylogenetics.
Tunnel FET Current Mode Logic for DPA-Resilient Circuit Designs

Emerging devices have been designed and fabricated to extend Moore’s Law. While traditional metrics such as power, energy, delay, and area certainly apply to emerging device technologies, new devices may offer additional benefits in addition to improvements in the aforementioned metrics. In this sense, we consider how new transistor technologies could also have a positive impact on hardware security. More specifically, we consider how tunnel transistors (TFETs) could offer superior protection to integrated circuits and embedded systems that are subjected to hardware-level attacks – e.g., differential power analysis (DPA). Experimental results on a light-weight cryptographic circuit, KATAN32, show that TFET-based current mode logic (CML) can both improve DPA resilience and preserve low power consumption in the target design. Compared to the CMOS-based CML designs, the TFET CML circuit consumes 15 times less power while achieving a similar level of DPA resistance.
Advanced Therapeutic Strategies for Chronic Lung Disease Using Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery

Chronic lung diseases include a variety of obstinate and fatal diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and lung cancers. Pharmacotherapy is important for the treatment of chronic lung diseases, and current progress in nanoparticles offers great potential as an advanced strategy for drug delivery. Based on their biophysical properties, nanoparticles have shown improved pharmacokinetics of therapeutics and controlled drug delivery, gaining great attention. Herein, we will review the nanoparticle-based drug delivery system for the treatment of chronic lung diseases. Various types of nanoparticles will be introduced, and recent innovative efforts to utilize the nanoparticles as novel drug carriers for the effective treatment of chronic lung diseases will also be discussed.
Aberrant DNA Methylation in CML Is Associated with Disease Progression and Resistance to Imatinib Mesylate.

DNA methylation is important in leukemia pathogenesis and progression. Its role in CML is suggested but incompletely understood. We analyzed 123 blood samples from patients at various CML stages (62 CP, 39 AP, 22 BP) for methylation of promoter-associated CpG islands of 10 genes previously cloned as hypermethylated in K562 leukemic cell line, prostate cancer cell lines, and polycythemia vera cells: ABL, CDH13, DPYS, NOR1 (C1orf102), NPM2, p15INK4b, PGRA, PGRB (isoforms of progesterone receptor), RIL (PDLIM4), and TFAP2E. Thirty-four patients were untreated, 33 were imatinib naive (mostly treated by interferon-alpha before the era of imatinib mesylate), and 56 patients were imatinib-resistant or intolerant. Bisulfite treatment of DNA followed by PCR and pyrosequencing were used to quantitatively measure cytosine methylation of CpG sites close to transcription start sites. We used nonparametric tests and the significance level of p
Does Organizational and Coworker Support Moderate Diabetes Risk and Job Stress Among Employees

Purpose:Examine the moderating role of perceived organizational and coworker support on the relationship between job stress and type 2 diabetes risk among employees.Design:A cross-sectional survey ...
Definition and Frameworks on a Life-Cycle Negative Growth Rate for Energy and Carbon in an Academic Campus

The construction sector accounts for 30–40 % of the world’s energy use and produces 40–50 % of the greenhouse emissions, and therefore construction techniques with low environmental emissions have been studied and developed. Most low-energy and net-zero energy building (NZEB) concepts defined by international agencies primarily use operational energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies to minimize the impact of new buildings on global warming. The increase in the embodied energy of buildings has not been included in most NZEB definitions. A definition including life cycle zero energy and emissions is a more reliable approach to address the total environmental impact of new buildings. This study defines a framework which integrates life-cycle analysis of energy and greenhouse gas emissions at a campus level to evaluate the relative portion of embodied energy in the campus energy and emissions growth and also outline optimal conditions for extensive energy retrofits in existing campus buildings and net-zero-capable new construction within a life cycle approach. The implications of a life-cycle-based definition of “net-zero energy” can run counter those derived from net-zero energy definitions that focus on the use and operation portion of the building lifecycle. In this paper we develop a method for a comparative analysis of different scenarios for a reduction in embodied energy and operational energy and addition of renewable energy supplies. With the implementation of these methods, the goal of producing a campus with a negative life-cycle emission growth rate while increasing the number of buildings is explored.
Hylomorphism and Resurrection

Hylomorphism provides an attractive framework for addressing issues in philosophical anthropology. After describing a hylomorphic theory that dovetails with current work in philosophy of mind and in scientific disciplines such as biology and neuroscience, I discuss how this theory meshes with Christian eschatology, the doctrine of resurrection in particular.
Media exposure and tobacco product addiction beliefs: Findings from the 2015 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS–FDA 2015)

Background Addiction beliefs about tobacco use are associated with intentions to use and use of tobacco products. Exposure to information about tobacco products in media sources may affect addiction beliefs.
American Society for Radiation Oncology 2016 Annual Meeting: Central Nervous System Abstracts

The American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO) 2016 scientific program presented a number of excellent abstracts focusing on brain and spine tumors. Selected abstracts will be reviewed in this article.
Three-Dimensional Morphology Control Yielding Enhanced Hole Mobility in Air-Processed Organic Photovoltaics: Demonstration with Grazing-Incidence Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering

Polymer organic photovoltaic (OPV) device performance is defined by the three-dimensional morphology of the phase-separated domains in the active layer. Here, we determine the evolution of morphology through different stages of tailored solvent vapor and thermal annealing techniques in air-processed poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl)/phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester-based OPV blends. A comparative evaluation of the effect of solvent type used for vapor annealing was performed using grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, and UV–vis spectroscopy to probe the active-layer morphology. A nonhalogenated orthogonal solvent was found to impart controlled morphological features within the exciton diffusion length scales, enhanced absorbance, greater crystallinity, increased paracrystalline disorder, and improved charge-carrier mobility. Low-boiling, fast-diffusing isopropanol allowed the greatest control over the nanoscale structure of the solvents evaluated and yielded a cocontin...
Modeling the Spine and Upper and Lower Extremities for Impact Scenarios

Abstract In this chapter, anatomies of bony tissues in the spine, upper extremity, and lower extremity are briefly reviewed, followed by descriptions of various injury types and corresponding severities associated with these structures. A brief review of scientific literature highlights many finite element models developed for studying impact-associated injuries in the spine, upper extremities, and lower extremities. Although great advances have been made over the last 2 decades, most models developed for these three regions are highly similar in nature. To improve the accuracy of model predictions in terms of injury severity and fracture location, a large-scale material property research effort is recommended.
Predicting Information Popularity: A Study of Sina Weibo

In this paper, we explore if information characteristics, including accuracy, familiarity, fluency, importance, informativeness and relevance, can predict the popularity of a message posted and reposted on Sina Weibo, the most popular social media platform in mainland China. Based on past literature, we propose that the factors mentioned above can determine the likelihood that information is spread through various social media venues. But, it is under explored if the relationships between these factors and information popularity would remain in the context of Sina Weibo. In an experiment, we use actual Weibo posts to test the effects of these characteristics on information popularity, operationalized as reposting likelihood. The results show that a short message perceived as familiar, objective, and relevant to oneself would be more likely to be forwarded. Subjects also indicate that boring, implausible, and useless information would be less popular while interesting information would be more viral online. Finally, we provide theoretical and practical implications.
Increased Expression and Modulated Regulatory Activity of Coinhibitory Receptors PD-1, TIGIT, and TIM-3 in Lymphocytes From Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

Objective Immune dysfunction is an important component of the disease process underlying systemic sclerosis (SSc), but the mechanisms contributing to altered immune cell function in SSc remain poorly defined. This study was undertaken to measure the expression and function of the coinhibitory receptors (co-IRs) programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3), and lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) in lymphocyte subsets from the peripheral blood of patients with SSc. Methods Co-IR expression levels on subsets of immune cells were analyzed using a 16-color flow cytometry panel. The functional role of co-IRs was determined by measuring cytokine production after in vitro stimulation of SSc and healthy control peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the presence of co-IR-blocking antibodies. Supernatants from cultures of stimulated PBMCs were added to SSc fibroblasts, and their impact on fibroblast gene expression was measured. Mathematical modeling was used to reveal differences between co-IR functions in SSc patients and healthy controls. Results Levels of the co-IRs PD-1 and TIGIT were increased, and each was coexpressed, in distinct T cell subsets from SSc patients compared to healthy controls. Levels of TIM-3 were increased in SSc natural killer cells. PD-1, TIGIT, and TIM-3 antibody blockade revealed patient-specific roles of each of these co-IRs in modulating activation-induced T cell cytokine production. In contrast to healthy subjects, blockade of TIGIT and TIM-3, but not PD-1, failed to reverse inhibited cytokine production in SSc patients, indicating that enhanced T cell exhaustion is present in SSc. Finally, cytokines secreted in anti-TIM-3-treated PBMC cultures distinctly changed the gene expression profile in SSc fibroblasts. Conclusion The altered expression and regulatory capacity of co-IRs in SSc lymphocytes may contribute to disease pathophysiology by modulating the cytokine-mediated cross-talk of immune cells and fibroblasts at sites of inflammation and/or fibrosis.
A General Approach of Studying Random Environmental Models

The consequences of introducing random effects have been a major issue in models for survival analysis. Survival models that incorporate random effects provide a useful framework for determining the effectiveness of interventions. In this paper we shall present a general approach of incorporating the random environmental effect in both univariate and multivariate models. The reliability measures, namely, the failure rate, the survival function and the mean residual life function are compared with or without the environmental effect. Examples are presented to illustrate the results.
The role of allopurinol and oxygen free radical scavengers in liver preservation.

The increased use of long-distance procurement for donor livers has recently created a dire need for prolonged hepatic preservation. To date, a variety of experimental liver preservation techniques have been studied; however, consistent success for more than 12 hours has yet to be achieved.1–3 Methods for testing the efficacy of preservation solutions that successfully and safely prolong the cold preservation time are needed and might offer a realistic solution to this problem. Toledo-Pereyra et al.4,5 and Lambotte et al.6 have suggested that the use of hyperosmolar perfusates may be beneficial in achieving prolonged hepatic cold-storage times. In addition, Toledo-Pereyra et al4 and Fuller et al 7 have reported on enhanced hypothermic preservation of donor livers following the use of pulsatile perfusion with specially made perfusates. Nevertheless, the vulnerability of the liver to both warm and cold ischemic damage and reperfusion injury remains as the major obstacle to immediate posttransplantation graft function.
Acute Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation upon the Skin

Light and UV radiation hitting the skin cause various biologic effects, many of which can be harmful. Some of the important barrier functions of the skin serve (1) to minimize damage by injurious agents such as radiation, (2) to repair the damage that occurs, and (3) to enable the skin to undergo adaptive changes that protect the organism damage from future exposures.
Unified Gauge Theories

A review is presented of the general principles and recent developments in unified gauge theories of the weak, electromagnetic, and strong interactions.