cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro binding of radioiodinated sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) follicle stimulating hormone to reptilian gonadal tissues.

Abstract Radioiodinated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas ( 125 I-labeled Ch FSH), was used as a radioligand to examine the specificity of gonadotropin binding in reptilian gonads. Highly purified human, ovine, and Chelonia FSH and LH (luteinizing hormone) were tested for their ability to compete with this radioligand for binding in gonadal homogenates from two turtles ( Trionyx spiniferus and Chelonia mydas ), a lizard ( Anolis carolinensis ), and a snake ( Thamnophis sirtalis ). Results were similar to those previously obtained when a human FSH was used as radioligand ( 125 I-labeled hFSH) in demonstrating a lack of specificity in reptilian FSH binding sites. In the turtles, human and ovine LH had little activity (0.3%), but Chelonia LH showed considerable activity compared to Chelonia FSH (25–30% in Chelonia and 220–350% in Trionyx ). In squamates, all three LH preparations showed relatively high activity in competing with radioiodinated FSH for binding. The similarity of results obtained for iodinated Chelonia and human FSH supports the view that LH and FSH may share some binding sites in reptilian gonads.
Workload Monitoring in Hybrid Clouds

In this paper, we describe architecture and design of an innovative integrated monitoring solution for monitoring workloads in a hybrid cloud. Using off-the-shelf commercially available monitoring products and services, the solution described here allows for monitoring of a workload deployed across public and private clouds separated by enterprise firewall. The monitored data from endpoints distributed across the hybrid cloud is aggregated in a centralized monitoring system for analysis and for performing higher level management functions. Our solution is automated and can be integrated with other IT service management functions. The solution can leverage any endpoint monitoring functions and services a cloud service provider may offer. The monitoring framework described in this paper forms the basis for the hybrid cloud monitoring capability in IBM's hybrid cloud offering,IBM Service Management Extensions for Hybrid Cloud.
Bone marrow deficient in IFN-γ signaling selectively reverses GVHD-associated immunosuppression and enhances a tumor-specific GVT effect

Vaccine-based expansion of T cells is one approach to enhance the graft-versus-tumor effect of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), but the complex immunobiology of the allogeneic environment on responses to tumor vaccines has not been well characterized. We hypothesized that subclinical graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) impairs immunity, but modulation of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) signaling could reverse this effect. Dendritic cell vaccines and donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) were incorporated into a minor histocompatibility antigen–mismatched, T cell–depleted, allogeneic BMT mouse model. Animals were then challenged with H-Y expressing tumors. CD4+ and CD8+ responses to H-Y were diminished in vaccinated allogeneic versus syngeneic BMT recipients with DLI doses below the threshold for clinical GVHD, especially in thymectomized hosts. IFN-γ receptor 1–deficient (IFN-γR1−/−) T cells cannot cause GVHD but also have diminished vaccine responses. Remarkably, IFN-γR1−/− bone marrow abrogates GVHD, allowing higher DLI doses to be tolerated, but improves vaccine responses and tumor protection. We conclude that tumor vaccines administered after allogeneic BMT can augment graft-versus-tumor if GVHD is avoided and that prevention of IFN-γ signaling on donor bone marrow is an effective approach to preventing GVHD while preserving immunocompetence.
Dielectric studies of proton transport in air-dried fully calcified and decalcified bone

Abstract Measurements of dielectric properties of calcified and decalcified bone were made in the electric field frequency range of 101-105 Hz and at temperatures from 22 to 250°C. The temperature dependencies of the complex dielectric constant of bone revealed two main molecular processes. The first process corresponds to the loss of water in the temperature ranges 22–160°C and 22–210°C for calcified and decalcified bone, respectively. The second is associated with the decomposition of collagen in bone, but this occurs only for decalcified bone above 210°C. Analysis of polarization and conduction mechanisms for bone in the α-dispersion region was explained in terms of dielectric relaxation time and activation energy.
Interlingual Influence in Bilingual Speech: Cognate Status Effect in a Continuum of Bilingualism.

The present study investigates voice onset times (VOTs) to determine if cognates enhance the cross-language phonetic influences in the speech production of a range of Spanish–English bilinguals: Spanish heritage speakers, English heritage speakers, advanced L2 Spanish learners, and advanced L2 English learners. To answer this question, lexical items with considerable phonological, semantic, and orthographic overlap (cognates) and lexical items with no phonological overlap with their English translation equivalents (non-cognates) were examined. The results indicate that there is a significant effect of cognate status in the Spanish production of VOT by Spanish–English bilinguals. These bilinguals produced /t/ with longer VOT values (more English-like) in the Spanish production of cognates compared to non-cognate words. It is proposed that the exemplar model of lexical representation (Bybee, 2001; Pierrehumbert, 2001) can be extended to include bilingual lexical connections by which cognates facilitate phonetic interference in the bilingual mental lexicon.
Helium-volume dynamics of Upper Freeport coal powder and lumps

Exposure to 7 MPa of helium at room temperature alters the texture of Upper Freeport coal in a lump form. The differences in texture and porosity between coal powder and lumps may affect the transport and interaction of fluids and coal. In this work, the information about the coal texture and micro- and meso-porosity was obtained via the BET, BJH, and Dubinin–Astakhov analyses. We further investigated the free-fluid-phase volume (free-volume) effects due to helium interaction with the powder and the lumps. During the manometric experiment, helium penetration into the dry coal matrix resulted in slow relaxation of pressure. After exposure of coal to helium, there have been no significant changes of the macroscopic dimensions observed and the relaxation process can be attributed to microscopic ‘free-volume’ effects. Evolution of the sorption–desorption rates indicates that exposure to helium may change the texture and apparent (helium) density of dry coal.
Rate of convergence of numerical approximations to homoclinic bifurcation points

For x = f(x, λ), x ∈ R n , λ ∈ R, having a hyperbolic or semihyperbolic equilibrium p(λ), we study the numerical approximation of parameter values λ* at which there is an orbit homoclinic to p(λ). We approximate λ* by solving a finite-interval boundary value problem on J = [T − , T + ], T − < 0 < T + , with boundary conditions that say x(T − ) and x(T + ) are in approximations to appropriate invariant manifolds of p(λ). A phase condition is also necessary to make the solution unique. Using a lemma of Xiao-Biao Lin, we improve, for certain phase conditions, existing estimates on the rate of convergence of the computed homoclinic bifurcation parameter value λ, to the true λ* value λ*. The estimates we obtain agree with the rates of convergence observed in numerical experiments. Unfortunately, the phase condition most commonly used in numerical work is not covered by our results
Childhood Stressors and Coping Actions: A Comparison of Children and Parents’ Perspectives

At a time when many children and families are faced with enormous daily life hassles and major stressful events, it is crucial to understand issues pertaining to childhood stress and coping. The present study examined children and parents’ perceptions of childhood stressors and children’s coping actions. Findings reveal that children report higher stress levels than parents. The stressors identified by children range from peer related stressful situations such as being laughed at to internal factors such as lack of control, and major life events such as death of a loved one. Children and parents report a large range of coping actions with three predominant themes—cognitive, social, and emotional coping strategies. Implications for practice are discussed.
Effectiveness of a phishing warning in field settings

We have begun to investigate the effectiveness of a phishing warning Chrome extension in a field setting of everyday computer use. A preliminary experiment has been conducted in which participants installed and used the extension. They were required to fill out an online browsing behavior questionnaire by clicking on a survey link sent in a weekly email by us. Two phishing attacks were simulated during the study by directing participants to "fake" (phishing) survey sites we created. Almost all participants who saw the warnings on our fake sites input incorrect passwords, but follow-up interviews revealed that only one participant did so intentionally. A follow-up interview revealed that the warning failure was mainly due to the survey task being mandatory. Another finding of interest from the interview was that about 50% of the participants had never heard of phishing or did not understand its meaning.
Recent advances in DNA-based directed assembly on surfaces

In the last decade, “small” and “integrated” have been keywords in the field of device fabrication as the desire to exploit nanoscale phenomena and make electronic, photonic and magnetic arrays has grown. In an effort to improve resolution and control costs, much work has been dedicated to developing alternatives to conventional microfabrication technology. For this purpose, biomolecular assembly and DNA nanotechnology in particular are appealing owing to their inherent size and capacity for molecular recognition. Herein, we review recent achievements in DNA-based directed assembly on substrates. These include novel methods for patterning and depositing nanomaterials on DNA-modified surfaces as well as using synthetic DNA nanostructures such as DNA tiles and origami as templates to direct the assembly of nanoscale components. Particular attention is paid to integrating self-assembly with top-down lithography, and some possible directions for future work are discussed.
The stathmokinetic (mitostatic) effect of vincristine and vinblastine on human gliomas.

Twelve patients with gliomas received3H-thymidine intraarterially in combination with an i.v. mitostatic agent (Velban: 0.1 mg/kg or 3 mg/M2 of Vincristine) prior to tumor biopsy. The labeling index (LI) of each tumor was compared with the mitotic index divided by the elapsed time from administration of the mitostatic agent to biopsy (MI/t). Most of the malignant gliomas that had an LI of 5–15%, also yielded an MI/t value of 4–5×10−3, whereas tumors with an LI of less than 5% generally showed very slight (0.1×10−3) mitotic accumulation. Use of a mitostatic agent is suggested to differentiate the proliferative activity of various gliomas.
Symptomatic bilateral discoid menisci in children: A comparison with unilaterally symptomatic patients

BACKGROUND In previous studies, 5% to 20% of patients with a discoid lateral meniscus eventually require surgery bilaterally for symptomatic discoid menisci. However, there are little published data specifically on children who require treatment for discoid menisci in both knees. The purpose of this study is to identify differences in clinical and arthroscopic findings between children who require bilateral versus unilateral treatment for symptomatic discoid lateral menisci. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients aged 18 years or younger requiring treatment of discoid lateral meniscus between 1998 and 2007. Data were collected on 16 patients (32 knees) with symptomatic bilateral discoid menisci and 60 patients treated unilaterally with an asymptomatic contralateral knee. RESULTS At initial presentation, children who were treated bilaterally for discoid menisci were younger than those treated unilaterally (10.4 vs. 12.5 y; P=0.021). Patients under 12 years of age were 4.6 times more likely to eventually require surgery on both knees (P=0.015). Watanabe classification was as follows: complete, 65% bilateral versus 30% unilateral; incomplete, 22% bilateral versus 68% unilateral; and Wrisberg, 13% bilateral versus 2% unilateral (P<0.001). The odds of current or future bilateral symptoms requiring treatment were 4.5 times higher in patients with a complete discoid meniscus (P=0.0017) and 8.4 times higher in those with a Wrisberg type (P=0.048). A tear of the lateral meniscus was more likely to be found intraoperatively in unilateral knees than bilateral (90% vs. 72%; P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS Patient education and long-term follow-up are important for children who present with a discoid meniscus at a young age or with a complete or Wrisberg type, as these patients may be at increased odds of symptomatic discoid meniscus in the contralateral knee, even several years later. Furthermore, evaluation and treatment of discoid lateral meniscus requires vigilance for meniscal tears. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level III.
Familial cardiac myxoma

The majority of cardiac myxomas occur sporadically as isolated lesions in the left atrium of middle-aged women. However, a "familial" form and a "syndrome" form of this lesion have been identified. The syndrome myxoma can present with pigmented skin lesions and peripheral or endocrine neoplasms. The familial and syndrome forms of cardiac myxomas can usually be distinguished from the sporadic form by the presentation at a younger age, the unusual location and multicentricity of the lesions, and the presence of rare pathological conditions. In addition, a higher rate of recurrent lesions is usually associated with the familial and syndrome forms of this disease. To date, 15 families with cardiac myxomas have been reported in the world's literature. Here we present 2 additional case reports.
A simplified proof of a theorem about group representations

It is a standard theorem of group representation theory that the dimension of an irreducible representation is a divisor of the order of the group. This paper gives a new, relatively simple proof, intended to make the theorem understandable to readers unfamiliar with algebraic integers.
Regulation of Rat Glomerular Epithelial Cell Proteoglycans by High-Glucose Medium

In diabetic nephropathy the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) content of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is reduced but the cellular mechanisms involved have not been studied. Glomerular epithelial cells (GEC) are thought to be the source of HSPG present in the GBM. In this study we examined if proteoglycan metabolism of the rat GEC in culture is dysregulated in a metabolic environment simulating diabetes. Following incubation for 8 days with a serum-supplemented medium containing 30 mM glucose and no added insulin, a significant increase in the overall synthesis of 35SO4-labeled molecules by the GEC was seen compared to control monolayers incubated with medium containing 5 mM glucose and insulin. Ion exchange chromatography revealed that 30 mM glucose did not alter the anionic charge density of proteoglycans, but significantly increased the amount of 35S-labeled low-anionic macromolecules in the medium; mannitol induced similar changes. Sepharose CL-4B chromatography, glycosaminoglycan analysis and immunoprecipitation of control cell layer proteoglycans demonstrated the presence of HSPG of hydrodynamic size, Kav 0.4, resembling rat GBM HSPG in size and antigenic nature. Incubation of GEC with 30 mM glucose resulted in a significant reduction (58%) in this HSPG species, an effect not seen with equimolar mannitol. Additionally, 30 mM glucose induced a significant increment in synthesis of a small HS species (Kav 0.71 on Sepharose CL-4B column) present in the cell layer. Our findings suggest that both osmotic and nonosmotic mechanisms are operative in dysregulation of glycopeptide metabolism by high-glucose medium and that reduced synthesis by the GEC may contribute to decreased content of GBM HSPG in diabetic nephropathy.
Nitric oxide synthase and renin–angiotensin gene expression and NOS function in the postnatal renal resistance vasculature

Nitric oxide (NO), produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), critically counteracts angiotensin-II-enhanced vascular resistance in the immature kidney, perhaps due to the developmental regulation of NOS expression and function in the postnatal preglomerular resistance vessels (PRV). Our experiments measured the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) gene expression of neuronal NOS (nNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS), and components of the renin-angiotensin system (renin, AT1 and AT2 receptors), by real-time RT-PCR, as well as NOS enzymatic activity by citrulline assay in PRVs (afferent, interlobular, and arcuate arterioles) obtained from swine ages newborn, 7 and 21 days, and adult. NOS enzymatic activity was upregulated in PRVs immediately after birth but decreased to adult levels with maturation. Neuronal NOS, renin, and AT2 receptor expression in PRVs were upregulated in the newborn and decreased with age to lowest levels in the adult. In contrast, eNOS and AT1 receptor expression were downregulated at birth but increased to the highest levels in the adult. Upregulated NOS enzymatic activity in newborn PRVs supports the critical neonatal role for NO renal vascular vasodilation. Upregulated nNOS gene expression, concomitant with downregulated eNOS gene expression in neonatal PRVs, suggests that the nNOS isoform may be responsible for counteracting angiotensin II increased vascular resistance in immature porcine PRVs.
HVAC System Energy Minimization via Optimization of Lumped System Models

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems comprise nearly one third of annual household energy consumption in the United States. Energy savings can be gained by optimizing HVAC performance using a system of controls. This study applies a novel control method towards a system with an arbitrary steady-state load distribution. The new method applies multi-dimensional interpolation of optimized control configurations for various steady-state load distributions. These optimal configurations are derived using a lumped parameter simulation of the HVAC system. The new method is applied to a three-room HVAC system to demonstrate a power savings of 40% compared to an uncontrolled system. These savings compare favorably to predictions using the Variable-Air-Volume (VAV) method (37% power savings) and VAV with chiller control (33% power savings).Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Crohn's Disease of the Foregut

Since Crohn's 1932 publication of a report on 14 patients with regional ileitis, surgeons, gastroenterologists, and researchers have sought to understand this perplexing disease. 8 In the years since the publication of this seminal article, thousands of articles about Crohn's disease have reflected many advances and highlighted the limited understanding of this sometimes devastating disease. Although investigators continue to expand the armamentarium of medical therapy, surgeons have a vital role in managing the complications associated with Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease may involve any portion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from the mouth to the anus. Thus, surgeons treating patients with inflammatory bowel disease must be familiar with the spectrum of disease involvement. In 1937, Gottlieb and Alperts 25 were the first investigators to describe a patient with duodenal Crohn's disease, but the literature about disease of the duodenum, esophagus, and stomach is scarce. This article examines the literature on Crohn's disease of the foregut. The prevalence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, medical management, surgical indications, and surgical techniques used to treat patients with Crohn's disease of the duodenum, esophagus, and stomach are presented.
Drug metabolizing enzyme activities versus genetic variances for drug of clinical pharmacogenomic relevance

Enzymes are critically important in the transportation, metabolism, and clearance of most therapeutic drugs used in clinical practice today. Many of these enzymes have significant genetic polymorphisms that affect the enzyme's rate kinetics. Regarding drug metabolism, specific polymorphisms to the cytochrome (CYP) P450 enzyme family are linked to phenotypes that describe reaction rates as "ultra", "intermediate", and "poor," as referenced to "extensive" metabolizers that are assigned to wildtype individuals. Activity scores is an alternate designation that provides more genotype-to-phenotype resolution. Understanding the relative change in enzyme activities or rate of clearance of specific drugs relative to an individual's genotypes is an important component in the interpretation of pharmacogenomic data for personalized medicine. Currently, the most relevant drug metabolizing enzymes are CYP 2D6, CYP 2C9, CYP 2C19, thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT). Each of these enzymes is reactive to a host of different drug substrates. Pharmacogenomic tests that are in routine clinical practice include CYP 2C19 for clopidogrel, TPMT for thiopurine drugs, and UDP-1A1 for irinotecan. Other tests where there is considerable data but have not been widely implemented includes CYP 2C9 for warfarin, CYP 2D6 for tamoxifen and codeine, and CYP 2C19 for the proton pump inhibitors.
Current therapeutic approaches for dysthymic disorder

The purpose of this article is to review the literature regarding current treatments for dysthymic disorder. We will first discuss definitions of dysthymic disorder, demographics of these patients, clinical course and family history. We will then review treatment studies for psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and combined treatment, discuss treatment guidelines for dysthymic disorder, render an ‘expert opinion’ regarding problems in the definition of dysthymic disorder, elaborate on areas for future research and speculate on a ‘five-year view.’
The Role of Physician Specialty Board Certification Status in the Quality Movement

The Institute of Medicine's reports and discussions on quality of medical care have focused on a systems-based approach to quality improvement. Our objective is to summarize evidence and theory about the role of a physician's current board certification status in quality improvement. The first body of evidence includes the validity of board certification demonstrated by the testing process, the relationship of examination scores with other measures of physician competence, and the relationship between certification status and clinical outcomes. The second body of evidence involves the adaptation of error prevention theory to medical care. Patient safety is enhanced when problem-solving uses readily accessed habits of behavior, the same behavior necessary to achieve board certification. The third body of evidence, obtained through a Gallup poll, demonstrates that certification and maintenance of certification are highly valued by the public. The majority of respondents thought it important for physicians to be reevaluated on their qualifications every few years and that physicians should do more to demonstrate ongoing competence than is currently required by the profession. We conclude that a physician's current certification status should be among the evidence-based measures used in the quality movement.
Visualization of biomass solubilization and cellulose regeneration during ionic liquid pretreatment of switchgrass

Auto-fluorescent mapping of plant cell walls was used to visualize cellulose and lignin in pristine switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) stems to determine the mechanisms of biomass dissolution during ionic liquid pretreatment. The addition of ground switchgrass to the ionic liquid 1-n-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate resulted in the disruption and solubilization of the plant cell wall at mild temperatures. Swelling of the plant cell wall, attributed to disruption of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding between cellulose fibrils and lignin, followed by complete dissolution of biomass, was observed without using imaging techniques that require staining, embedding, and processing of biomass. Subsequent cellulose regeneration via the addition of an anti-solvent, such as water, was observed in situ and provided direct evidence of significant rejection of lignin from the recovered polysaccharides. This observation was confirmed by chemical analysis of the regenerated cellulose. In comparison to untreated biomass, ionic liquid pretreated biomass produces cellulose that is efficiently hydrolyzed with commercial cellulase cocktail with high sugar yields over a relatively short time interval.
Cardiovascular response to apneic immersion in cool and warm water.

The influence of prior exposure to cool water and the influence of lung volume on the responses to breath holding were examined. The bradycardia and vasoconstriction that occur during breath-hold diving in man are apparently the resultant of stimuli from apnea, relative expansion of the thorax, lung volume, esophageal pressure, face immersion, and thermal receptor stimulation. It is concluded that the bradycardia and vasoconstriction associated with breath holding during body immersion are not attenuated by a preexisting bradycardia and vasoconstriction due to cold.
Structural basis for the bacterial transcription-repair coupling factor/RNA polymerase interaction

The transcription-repair coupling factor (TRCF, the product of the mfd gene) is a widely conserved bacterial protein that mediates transcription-coupled DNA repair. TRCF uses its ATP-dependent DNA translocase activity to remove transcription complexes stalled at sites of DNA damage, and stimulates repair by recruiting components of the nucleotide excision repair pathway to the site. A protein/protein interaction between TRCF and the β-subunit of RNA polymerase (RNAP) is essential for TRCF function. CarD (also called CdnL), an essential regulator of rRNA transcription in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, shares a homologous RNAP interacting domain with TRCF and also interacts with the RNAP β-subunit. We determined the 2.9-A resolution X-ray crystal structure of the RNAP interacting domain of TRCF complexed with the RNAP-β1 domain, which harbors the TRCF interaction determinants. The structure reveals details of the TRCF/RNAP protein/protein interface, providing a basis for the design and interpretation of experiments probing TRCF, and by homology CarD, function and interactions with the RNAP.
Accounting Fraud at Xerox Corporation

The accounting and ethical issues at Xerox in the late 1990s were many and highly interesting. It appears that Management at Xerox Corporation faced with strategic mistakes and a tough economic environment including Japanese competition resorted to creative accounting practices to meet financial targets and Wall Street expectations. This case presents a brief history of Xerox Corporation going back to 1906 when Xerox was founded in New York. This is followed by a discussion of Xerox's corporate culture in the 1980s and 90s and the SEC investigation of its accounting practices in the 1990s. The focus of the case is the actions of an assistant treasurer, James Bingham, one of several finance managers that top management used to guide Xerox through tough economic times and help make financial results go their way. Mr. Bingham, at least initially, viewed helping management meet financial targets as a challenge. However, in due course he realized that all he is doing is help mask bigger and bigger problems that would lead Xerox in only one direction-bankruptcy. A short teaching note is also included. The teaching note includes several suggested questions along with a brief discussion. The focus in the teaching note is on the actions of James Bingham and ethical issues. The case also presents an opportunity to present or reintroduce the Institute of Management Accountant's Statement of Ethical Professional Practice to students. The IMA's Statement of Ethical Professional Practice provides guidance for accountants to act in a responsible and ethical manner in conducting their day to day activities. The case requires the students to apply the IMA's Statement of Ethical Professional Practice to the actions of James Bingham and other accounting personnel at Xerox Corporation.
Self-assembly approaches to nanomaterial encapsulation in viral protein cages

A perspective on abiotic material encapsulation inside virus capsids is provided. The emphasis is on the physical principles of virus assembly relevant to packaging, strategies for encapsulation and capsid modification, and on emerging applications.
Concurrent isolation of granulocytes and lymphocytes with unaltered permeability, energy state, and metabolic capacity in vitro.

Abstract A method has been developed based on sedimentation, discontinuous density gradient centrifugation, and differential lysis for the concurrent isolation from the same sample of blood of granulocytes and lymphocytes with yields of 27 and 38%, respectively. The isolated cellular fractions were characterized by a lack of cross-contamination and by the virtual absence of erythrocytes and platelets. Plasma membrane integrity, energy status, and metabolic capacity of the isolated cells were assessed by the cell contents of potassium, sodium, ATP, and by the uptake of oxygen. The respective values for these parameters of cell viability compared favorably with previously reported data for separately isolated granulocytes and lymphocytes. The cellular characteristics determined immediately after the isolation of the cells were maintained throughout a 2-hr period at room temperature.
Operation-oriented advanced process control

Since the 1980s, the world-wide process industries have adopted and benefited from the applications of advanced process control (APC), particularly the model predictive control (MPC). Among many implementations of the APC technology, some successfully demonstrated substantial financial benefits but others failed to exhibit much advantage over conventional control technologies. These failures might have cost general acceptance of this technology in the process industries. In several regions, the acceptance of APC in the process industry has been extremely slow. The slow adoption of this well-proven technology has caused the losses of the industry's potential productivities and financial benefits. As the global-oriented economy is driving for the future of process industries, applications of such technology can become crucial to boost the competitiveness of the industries regardless of its location or culture. The failures of APC can be attributed to various factors. Based upon the observation from many successful applications, an APC design that addresses more of the daily process operation issues has better chance of successes. Therefore, using a successful project as an example, the article promotes an "operation oriented" APC design concept.
Spectrum and Prevalence of Vasculopathy in Pediatric Neurofibromatosis Type 1

To describe the spectrum and associated clinical features of peripheral and cerebral vasculopathy in pediatric patients with neurofibromatosis type 1, children seen at a single center from 2000–2010 with appropriate imaging studies were identified. Scans were assessed for vascular disease by two pediatric neuroradiologists. Of 181 children, 80 had pertinent imaging studies: 77 had brain imaging, 6 had peripheral imaging, and 3 had both. Vasculopathy was identified in 14/80 children (18%, minimum prevalence of 14/181; 8%). Of those with vascular abnormalities, 2/14 had peripheral vasculopathy (1% minimum prevalence) and 12/14 had cerebrovascular abnormalities (7% minimum prevalence). No associations were found between vasculopathy and common clinical features of neurofibromatosis type 1 including optic pathway glioma, plexiform neurofibroma, skeletal abnormalities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or suspected learning disability. Both peripheral and cerebral vasculopathy are important complications of pediatric neurofibromatosis type 1 and should be considered in the management of this complex disease.
Pulmonary hypertension associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: acute hemodynamic effects of inhaled iloprost

AbstractIloprost, an inhaled synthetic prostacyclin analogue, improves hemodynamic and clinical status with minimal systemic adversity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Our single-site, prospective case series aimed to determine the effects of iloprost in subjects with group 2 pulmonary hypertension and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Patients referred to Boston Medical Center for initial evaluation of suspected pulmonary hypertension received a test dose of 2.5 μg inhaled iloprost, followed by two subsequent doses of 5 μg. Hemodynamic measurements were recorded for each inhalation after 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes. Results were analyzed via paired t test and signed-rank test. Eight subjects fulfilled criteria and elected to enter the study. There was a reduction of pulmonary arterial pressure (by an average of 7.0 mmHg [P = 0.005] and 4.7 mmHg [P = 0.021] with the first and second 5-μg inhalations, respectively) and pulmonary vascular resistance (by an average of 161.9 dyn·...
Non-parametric detection in underwater environments

Motivated by the recurring use of the generalized Gaussian family to model different underwater noise sources and the asymptotic performance levels of some commonly used detectors for this family, the authors examined the performance of these detectors for several different underwater noise sources. The sources considered are non-Gaussian, highly correlated, and generally nonstationary, and they vary from being lighter- to heavier-tailed than Gaussian. Although the linear detector had the best performance, the linear rank detector and the L-level uniform quantizer consistently had similar performance levels. Because of their simplicity and robustness, either of these detectors would seem to be the best choice for these environments. >
Individual and combined effects of estrogen/progestin therapy and lovastatin on lipids and flow-mediated vasodilation in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease.

Abstract OBJECTIVES We sought to examine the individual and combined effects of estrogen/progestin therapy versus lovastatin on lipids and flow-mediated vasodilation in postmenopausal women with heart disease. BACKGROUND Little information is available regarding the relative benefits of estrogen replacement therapy versus reductase inhibitors and the potential utility of their combination as lipid-lowering therapy for postmenopausal women. METHODS We conducted a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial in 24 postmenopausal women, each of whom received the following drug regimens during three consecutive six-week treatment periods: 1) hormone replacement (oral dose of 0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogens and 2.5 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate); 2) 20 mg lovastatin/day and 3) hormone replacement plus lovastatin. RESULTS Total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were significantly lowered and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly increased by all three regimens compared with baseline (p CONCLUSIONS In postmenopausal women with coronary disease and hyperlipidemia, conjugated equine estrogen produced significant improvements in lipids and vasodilator responses despite the concurrent administration of low dose medroxyprogesterone acetate. Low dose lovastatin produced greater reductions in LDL, but less dramatic improvements in vasodilator responses. Estrogen/progestin plus lovastatin may provide additional benefits via a greater reduction in the LDL/HDL ratio and attenuation of estrogen-associated hypertriglyceridemia. More information is needed about the safety and efficacy of such combinations of hormone replacement and reductase inhibitor therapy.
Design and theoretical analysis of a vector field segmentation algorithm

Several objective functions for vector field segmentation are presented. Y. G. Leclerc's (1989) MRF (Markov random field) model is extended by the addition of information-theoretic penalties for regions and distinct means. Standard methods of signal detection and estimation are used to develop a theoretical performance analysis which quantitatively predicts the performance at realistic noise levels. The theoretical performance analysis demonstrates the need for qualitative change from the scalar case; separate penalties for boundary structure and region existence are very beneficial for high d (dimensional). The theoretical analysis also indicates the merit of an objective function before an optimization algorithm has been developed. It also serves as a benchmark for optimization algorithm performance. Theoretical and experimental results agree fairly well. >
Motivational Processes Underlying Substance Abuse Disorder

Drug addiction is a syndrome of dysregulated motivation, evidenced by intense drug craving and compulsive drug-seeking behavior. In the search for common neurobiological substrates of addiction to different classes of drugs, behavioral neuroscientists have attempted to determine the neural basis for a number of motivational concepts and describe how they are changed by repeated drug use. Here, we describe these concepts and summarize previous work describing three major neural systems that play distinct roles in different conceptual aspects of motivation: (1) a nigrostriatal system that is involved in two forms of instrumental learning, (2) a ventral striatal system that is involved in Pavlovian incentive motivation and negative reinforcement, and (3) frontal cortical areas that regulate decision making and motivational processes. Within striatal systems, drug addiction can involve a transition from goal-oriented, incentive processes to automatic, habit-based responding. In the cortex, weak inhibitory control is a predisposing factor to, as well as a consequence of, repeated drug intake. However, these transitions are not absolute, and addiction can occur without a transition to habit-based responding, occurring as a result of the overvaluation of drug outcomes and hypersensitivity to incentive properties of drug-associated cues. Finally, we point out that addiction is not monolithic and can depend not only on individual differences between addicts, but also on the neurochemical action of specific drug classes.
Distant Metastases From a Small Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) less than 3 cm in diameter rarely metastasizes. In this report, we present the case of a metastatic RCC in which the primary tumor was 1.6 cm. We further review the relevant literature to highlight this rare but important clinical presentation.
Role of Perceived Maternal Favoritism and Disfavoritism in Adult Children’s Psychological Well-Being

Objectives The detrimental consequences of parents' differential treatment on children's well-being have been documented in earlier stages of the life course; however, little is known about this pattern in midlife. Drawing from theories of equity and social comparison, we tested whether psychological well-being was affected only by adult children's perceptions that their mothers treated some offspring in the family differently or by their perceptions that they were favored or disfavored. Further, we explored the extent to which these patterns differed by race. Method Multilevel regression modeling was conducted using data collected from 725 adult children nested within 309 later-life families as part of the Within-Family Differences Study-II. Results Depressive symptoms were higher when offspring perceived that they had the most emotional closeness to mothers or the greatest conflict with mothers. Depressive symptoms were also higher when respondents identified themselves as being the children in whom the mothers were most disappointed. Discussion The findings shed new light on the role of intergenerational relations in adult children's well-being in midlife by taking into consideration the respondents' direct reports of their perceptions of their mothers' favoritism and disfavoritism. Further, the findings provide evidence that the association between maternal differentiation and psychological well-being in adulthood is stronger in Black than in White families. These patterns suggest that the association between psychological well-being and both favoritism and disfavoritism can be accounted for by processes involving social comparison rather than equity for both Black and White adult children in midlife.
Radial Access for Rescue Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Underutilized and Underappreciated.

Although the adoption of radial access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the United States was delayed as compared with the rest of the world, there has been a recent acceleration in the widespread utilization of this access site for PCI. From 2007 to 2012, transradial PCI increased
Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination under Rapid Anthropogenic Environmental Change: Evolution at a Turtle’s Pace?

Organisms become adapted to their environment by evolving through natural selection, a process that generally transpires over many generations. Currently, anthropogenically driven environmental changes are occurring orders of magnitude faster than they did prior to human influence, which could potentially outpace the ability of some organisms to adapt. Here, we focus on traits associated with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), a classic polyphenism, in a model turtle species to address the evolutionary potential of species with TSD to respond to rapid climate change. We show, first, that sex-ratio outcomes in species with TSD are sensitive to climatic variation. We then identify the evolutionary potential, in terms of heritability, of TSD and quantify the evolutionary potential of 3 key traits involved in TSD: pivotal temperature, maternal nest-site choice, and nesting phenology. We find that these traits display different patterns of adaptive potential: pivotal temperature exhibits moderate heritable variation, whereas nest-site choice and nesting phenology, with considerable phenotypic plasticity, have only modest evolutionary potential to alter sex ratios. Therefore, the most likely response of species with TSD to anthropogenically induced climate change may be a combination of microevolution in thermal sensitivity of the sex-determining pathway and of plasticity in maternal nesting behavior.
Educational Needs and Technological Preferences of Fathers of Youth With Type 1 Diabetes.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to identify the educational needs and technological preferences of fathers of youth aged 6 to 17 years with type 1 diabetes (T1DM).MethodsParticipants completed 2 surveys and 1 in-person semistructured interview. Survey data were collected via Qualtrics; interviews were recorded and transcribed. The quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS 22.ResultsThirty fathers/stepfathers of youth 6 to 17 years old with T1DM participated in the study. Participants reported high levels of unmet diabetes-related educational needs, including needs in fundamental areas of diabetes management such as treatment of hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and calculating and adjusting insulin doses. A majority of participants identified educational needs in more nuanced aspects of diabetes management, indicating a need for more information about insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors, managing diabetes at school, and finding help for diabetes challenges. All participants used smartphone techn...
Fatty acid composition of feces and fecaliths.

SummaryThe relative proportions of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids in lipids extracted from fecaliths and feces are compared by means of gas-liquid chromatography. Fecaliths, in contrast to feces, contain little oleic acid and no apparent linoleic acid. Thin-layer chromatography was used to determine the types of lipids found in fecaliths and feces. The former contain less triglyceride and more free fatty acids than the latter. Fatty acid soaps were not found in fecaliths.
Layer Thickness Dependence of Transport Properties in Y1Ba2Cu3O7-y Superconducting Multilayer Films

Multilayers of Y1Ba2Cu3O7-y/Y1Ba2(Cu1-xNix)3O7-ysuperconducting thin films have been grown epitaxially on (100) ZrO2 substrates using a pulsed laser deposition technique. The thickness of the Y1Ba2Cu3O7-y layer was varied from 60 A to 900 A and the thickness of the Y1Ba2(Cu1-xNix3O7-y layer was varied from 60 A to 100 A to determine the effect of the Ni-doped layers on the superconducting properties. Variations of critical current density were investigated as a function of temperature in magnetic fields up to 5 T. Magnetic field dependence of normalized critical current density, Jc(H)/Jc(O), is improved by the growth of Ni-doped multilayer structures, possibly due to an increase in flux pinning force.
A Comparison of Work and Nonwork Predictors of Life Satisfaction

The article focuses on a study which examined the relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction in a multivariate context. The study indicated that job satisfaction and working condit...
Aqueous Solute Partitioning and Mesh Size in HEMA/MAA Hydrogels

Using two-photon confocal microscopy, equilibrium partition coefficients, k, were measured for aqueous Na-fluorescein, fluorescently labeled dextrans with molecular masses ranging from 4 to 20 kDa, two fluorescently labeled proteins with opposite charges, anionic bovine serum albumin (BSA), and cationic avidin in anionic 70 wt % hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)/30 wt % methacrylic acid (MAA) gels saturated with aqueous phosphate buffer solution. Cross-linking density with ethylene glycol–dimethacrylate (EGDMA) ranged from 0 to 1 wt %. All partition coefficients, except for avidin, were considerably less than unity and diminished strongly with increasing Stokes–Einstein diameter of the free aqueous solute. The average mesh size of the wet gels, obtained from the zero-frequency oscillatory shear-storage gel modulus, ranged from 3.6 to 8.3 nm over the cross-link ratios studied. Except for Na-fluorescein, solute hydrodynamic diameters were larger than the smallest average gel mesh size. Yet, all solutes perme...
Application of GIS Tools for Three-Dimensional Slope Stability Analysis of Pre-Existing Landslides

In the United States alone, landslides are estimated to cause an annual loss of about $1.5 billion and at least 25 fatalities, with much more damage occurring around the world. Therefore, analyses of previous and potential landslide regions are of great interest. Currently, there are a number of different software programs and methods being utilized for slope stability analysis to evaluate the safety margin of a slope. These methods range from the more commonly used simplified 2D method, to the more time consuming 3D method (each of these can produce a slightly different safety factor value). In this research, a new approaches to both 2D and 3D slope stability analysis have been implemented that utilizes ArcGIS Spatial Analyst, and the ArcGIS 3D Analyst extensions in calculating the factor of safety of a pre-existing landslide located in the Ilam district of Nepal. Tracing out the contours for ground geometry, sliding surface, and water table gave a 3D rendering of the physical surfaces. Those surfaces were utilized to perform both 2D and 3D slope stability analyses. The calculated factors of safety from each method were compared. The study result shows that mid-section was not a critical section for 2D slope stability analysis. A section located at the right side from the mid-section exhibited the lowest factor of safety. BACKGROUND