cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety of the Zoster Vaccine Recombinant Adjuvanted in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Systemic Rheumatic Disease Patients: A Single Center's Experience With 400 Patients.

Objective Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) are at increased risk of developing herpes zoster (HZ). Zoster recombinant adjuvanted (ZRA) is a recombinant vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2018. Concern has been raised that the ZRA may trigger disease flares in rheumatology patients who are immunocompromised. We investigated the impact of the ZRA vaccine in patients with RA and SRD and measured the incidence of flares and side effects. Methods A flare was defined as occurring within 12 weeks of vaccine administration by either 1) documentation of RA flare in office notes, telephone encounter, or patient portal communication or 2) new or increased dose of corticosteroids. Results We identified 403 patients (239 patients with RA and 164 patients with SRD) who received the ZRA vaccine from February 1, 2018, to February 1, 2019. We measured a 6.7% (n = 27) incidence of flare. Side effects occurred in 12.7% (n = 51) of patients. All flares and side effects were regarded as mild. Three cases of HZ were reported as occurring 2, 10, and 11 months after the vaccination. Conclusion In 403 patients who received the ZRA vaccine, the incidence of disease flares was 7% or less and that of side effects was 13% or less, both of which are less than the incidence rates observed in the pivotal trials.
Effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on liver cirrhosis of decompensated stage

Objective To compare the curative effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate and compound ammonium glycyrrhetate in patients with liver cirrhosis of decompensated.Methods Eighty-six patients with liver cirrhosis of decompensated were enrolled into the study and randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group(n=43) were given magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate once a day in addition to routine treatment;the control group(n=43) were given compound ammonium glycyrrhetate once a day in addition to routine treatment.The clinical manifestation,including symptoms,signs and hepatic function were observed.The clinical lab data,including blood routine examination,urine routine test and kidney function of all patients from two groups were collected before and after the treatments.The adverse drug reactions were monitored throughout the whole therapy.Results ALT and AST turned to normal in 97.7%(42/43) and 90.7%(39/43) of patients respectively in the treatment group,which were significantly higher than those of 72.1%(31/43) and 74.4%(32/43) respectively in the control group( x2=9.86 and 4.73,respectively,Ps＜0.05). Time to turning to normal in ALT and AST were(21.6±9.1)d and(23.1±10.6)d in the treatment group,which were significantly lower than those of(37.5±17.8)d,and(46.7±19.4)d respectively in the control group(t=5.23 and 7.01,respectively,Ps＜0.01).Conclusion The results suggested that magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate had better effect on alleviating symptoms and decreasing enzyme in treatment of liver cirrhosis of decompensated stage. Key words: Liver cirrhosis; Magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate; Compound ammonium glycyrrhetate
Metabolically engineered Caldicellulosiruptor bescii as a platform for producing acetone and hydrogen from lignocellulose.

The production of volatile industrial chemicals utilizing metabolically engineered extreme thermophiles offers the potential for processes with simultaneous fermentation and product separation. An excellent target chemical for such a process is acetone (Tb = 56°C), ideally produced from lignocellulosic biomass. Caldicellulosiruptor bescii (Topt 78°C), an extremely thermophilic fermentative bacterium naturally capable of deconstructing and fermenting lignocellulose, was metabolically engineered to produce acetone. When the acetone pathway construct was integrated into a parent strain containing the bifunctional alcohol dehydrogenase from Clostridium thermocellum, acetone was produced at 9.1 mM (0.53 g/L), in addition to minimal ethanol 3.3 mM (0.15 g/L), along with net acetate consumption. This demonstrates that C. bescii can be engineered with balanced pathways in which renewable carbohydrate sources are converted to useful metabolites, primarily acetone and H2 , without net production of its native fermentation products, acetate and lactate.
Evaluation of Activities of Daily Living Tesbeds for Assessing Prosthetic Device Usability

Individuals with upper limb amputations rely on prosthetic devices to perform activities of daily living. However, these technologies are often reported as being difficult to use. Prior studies have used a variety of testbeds to assess the usability of prosthetic devices. However, there is no defined strategy for selecting the most effective batteries. This study developed a task selection strategy and a test battery to assess usability of upper-limb prosthetic devices. A combination of methods was applied, including a constrained literature review, sensitivity analysis, and review of fundamental upper-limb movements. Findings suggest that the clothespin relocation task (CRT) and Southampton hand assessment protocol (SHAP) are the most sensitive testbeds for usability assessment of upper-limb prosthetic devices and these tasks require similar limb movements to high frequency ADLs.
Optimizing smart manufacturing systems by extending the smart products paradigm to the beginning of life

Abstract The research objective of this work is to enhance the perception of, sensing in, and control of smart manufacturing systems (SMS) by leveraging active sensor systems within smart products during the manufacturing phase. Smart manufacturing utilizes rich process data, usually collected by the SMS (e.g., machine tools), to enable accurate tracking and monitoring of individual products throughout the process chain. However, until now, the to-be-manufactured product itself has not contributed to the sensing and compilation of product and process data. More specifically, data measured from the product’s structure during its own fabrication. In this paper, we discuss and evaluate the opportunity to actively use the capabilities of smart products within a SMS in terms of technical and economic feasibility. This opportunity emerged only recently with the advancements in smart products engineering. In this research, we developed a smart product prototype and evaluated it on a SMS testbed (CPlab) with eight distinct, fully-connected manufacturing processes. The results of the conducted experiments show the possibility to uniquely identify two distinct ‘fingerprints’ of manufacturing processes solely based on data provided by sensors within the smart product itself. The sensor data was collected directly from the smart product before manufacture was completed, yet after the intended sensor functionality during the product’s use phase was activated. The capability to automatically, accurately, and reliably identify process signatures and even inform the optimization of manufacturing parameters creates new opportunities for improvements in quality, scheduling, and seamless transparency across the whole value chain.
Extending "Beyond Diversity": Culturally Responsive Universal Design Principles for Medical Education.

This commentary follows up on Maduakolam et al. (2020) “Beyond Diversity: Envisioning Inclusion in Medical Education Research and Practice,” which introduced Culturally Responsive Universal Design ...
Clinical application of home sleep apnea testing in children: a prospective pilot study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES (1) To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the home sleep apnea test (HSAT) performed in typically developing children who were diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during overnight attended laboratory polysomnography (LPSG) (2) To determine the utility of a screening questionnaire to identify children at increased risk for OSA. METHODS Subjects completed two consecutive study nights: first night with the HSAT followed by LPSG on the second night. The SHOOTS questionnaire, composed of six questions concerning sleep disordered breathing, was administered by the clinician prior to the first study night. RESULTS Thirty-eight subjects completed both studies. The mean age was 13.8 ±3.0 years. Twenty (53%) were male. Most subjects were obese. The mean LPSG total sleep time was 7.34 ±1.19 hours; the mean HSAT total recording time was 8.86 ± 1.73 hours (p<0.001). The median obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (oAHI) for LPSG and HSAT were 6.6 and 0.8, respectively. For HSAT, an oAHI ≥ 3.1, the sensitivity was 71.43% (95% CI: 41.9, 91.6) and specificity was 95.83% (95% CI: 78.9, 99.9) for identifying those with LPSG oAHI of ≥ 10. For SHOOTS score ≥ to 4 "yes" responses, the sensitivity and specificity were 85.7 % (95%CI: 57.2, 98.2) and 54.2% (95% CI 32.8,74.4), respectively, for identifying those with LPSG oAHI ≥ 10. CONCLUSIONS Using HSAT, we clinically applied cut off values to identify moderate to severe OSA in typically developing children. The SHOOTS questionnaire may aid in identifying children at risk for OSA and who are candidates for HSAT.
Analysis of the assembly pathway for membrane subunits of Complex I reveals that subunit L (ND5) can assemble last in E. coli

Abstract Respiratory Complex I, a multi-subunit, membrane-bound enzyme, oxidizes NADH in the electron transport chains of mammalian mitochondria, and many bacterial species. We have examined in vivo assembly of the membrane subunits of Complex I from E. coli. Complexes of J-K, L-M, M-N, and J-K-L-M-N were observed by both native gel electrophoresis and co-immunoprecipitation, when subsets of the genes were expressed. Subunit L (ND5 in humans), the most distal membrane subunit, with an unusual extended C-terminal segment, did not join with M-N, and but could join with J-K-M-N. When the genes were split between two plasmids, with L, M, and N subunits expressed in various combinations from one plasmid, the resulting enzyme activity in membrane vesicles dropped to 19–60% relative to expression from the whole operon encoded on one plasmid. When L was expressed after a time-delay, rather than simultaneously, the activity increased from 28% to 100%, indicating that it can efficiently join a pre-formed complex lacking L. In contrast, when larger groups of membrane subunits were expressed last, LMN or JKLMN, assembly was much less efficient. The two-plasmid expression system was used to re-analyze C-terminal mutations in subunit K (ND4L), which occur near the overlapping nuoK and L genes. These mutations were found to disrupt assembly, indicating the importance of the junction of L, N and K subunits. The results highlight the temporal and spatial aspects of gene expression that allow efficient assembly of the membrane subunits of Complex I.
Directly imaging steeply-dipping fault zones in geothermal fields with multicomponent seismic data

For characterizing geothermal systems, it is important to have clear images of steeply-dipping fault zones because they may confine the boundaries of geothermal reservoirs and influence hydrothermal flow. Elastic reverse-time migration (ERTM) is the most promising tool for subsurface imaging with multicomponent seismic data. However, conventional ERTM usually generates significant artifacts caused by the cross correlation of undesired wavefields and the polarity reversal of shear waves. In addition, it is difficult for conventional ERTM to directly image steeply-dipping fault zones. We develop a new ERTM imaging method in this paper to reduce these artifacts and directly image steeply-dipping fault zones. In our new ERTM method, forward-propagated source wavefields and backward-propagated receiver wavefields are decomposed into compressional (P) and shear (S) components. Each component of these wavefields is separated into left- and right-going, or downgoing and upgoing waves. The cross correlation imaging condition is applied to the separated wavefields along opposite propagation directions. For converted waves (P-to-S or S-to-P), the polarity correction is applied to the separated wavefields based on the analysis of Poynting vectors. Numerical imaging examples of synthetic seismic data demonstrate that our new ERTM method produces high-resolution images of steeply-dipping fault zones.
Stable isotopes: essential tools in biological and medical research

The renaissance of interest in stable isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur within the last ten years is based upon the development of new instrumentation, on the greater availability of enriched isotopes and on an espousal of non-radioactive techniques for human studies on ethical grounds. In order to put the present use of stable isotopes into perspective, we should examine both its antecedents and its expectations, so that we can judge the benefits to be expected.
A Conceptual Framework for Software Technology Transition

Abstract : We present a conceptual framework that integrates and describes the intersections of three life cycles of software technology transition; research and development, new product development, and adoption and implementation in organizations. We then apply the framework to the technology transition experiences of the Software Engineering Institute.
Reading Disability in Boys and Girls: No Evidence for a Differential Genetic Etiology.

In order to test the hypothesis that genetic influences are moreimportant as a cause of reading disability in girls than in boys,composite reading performance data from identical and fraternal twinpairs were analyzed using both concordance and multiple regressionmethods. The sample included 206 identical (99 male, 107 female), 159same-sex fraternal (90 male, 69 female), and 117 opposite-sex fraternaltwin pairs, in which at least one member of each pair had readingdifficulties. Although the difference between the concordance rates forreading disabilities in female identical and same-sex fraternal twinpairs was somewhat greater (65% for identical twins vs.32% for fraternal twins) than the difference in concordance ratesfor boys (68% vs. 39%), loglinear analysis of thesecategorical data revealed that the interaction between sex, zygosity,and concordance was not significant (p > 0.70). Moreover,the heritability of reading disability(h 2 g) estimated from regression analysisof the reading performance data in males was nearly identical to that infemales (h 2 g = 0.58 and 0.59,respectively; p > 0.90). Thus, results of this studyprovide little or no evidence for the hypothesis of greater geneticinfluence on reading difficulties in girls than in boys.
Measuring the readability of automatic speech-to-text transcripts.

This paper reports initial results from a novel psycholinguistic study that measures the readability of several types of speech transcripts. We define a four-part figure of merit to measure readability: accuracy of answers to comprehension questions, reaction-time for passage reading, reaction-time for question answering and a subjective rating of passage difficulty. We present results from an experiment with 28 test subjects reading transcripts in four experimental conditions.
A wavelet approach to high power microwaves

Wavelet decomposition and reconstruction are utilized to synthesize a high power microwave (HPM) signal at a frequency below the frequency of the employed radiating sources. Employing a larger number (on the order of ten) of smaller sources that produce short radiating pulses combined with appropriate amplitude scaling and shifting of the individual pulses enables the generation of a single waveform of longer duration. We describe the mathematical approach to the wavelet synthesis and give examples. For instance, an array of 10 sources, each producing a 0.5 ns pulse can be adjusted to generate a sinusoidal wave with a period of approximately 2 ns. The results of low power experiments are discussed in detail to demonstrate the practical feasibility of the wavelet approach.
A diffusion barrier maintains distribution of membrane proteins in polarized neurons

The asymmetric distribution of proteins to distinct domains in the plasma membrane is crucial to the function of many polarized cells. In epithelia, distinct apical and basolateral surfaces are maintained by tight junctions that prevent diffusion of proteins and lipids between the two domains1. Polarized neurons maintain axonal and somatodendritic plasma membrane domains without an obvious physical barrier. Indeed, the artificial lipid DiI encounters no diffusion barrier at the presumptive domain boundary, the axon hillock2. By measuring the lateral mobility of membrane proteins using optical tweezers, we show here that some membrane proteins exhibit markedly reduced mobility in the initial segment of the axon. Disruption of F-actin and low levels of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) abolish this diffusion barrier and lead to redistribution of membrane markers that had previously been polarized. Immobilization in the initial segment may reflect, at least in part, differential tethering to cytoskeletal components. Therefore, the ability to maintain a polarized distribution of membrane proteins depends on a specialized domain at the initial segment of the axon, which restricts lateral mobility and serves as a new type of diffusion barrier that acts in the absence of cell–cell contact.
Emitter coupled logic and cascode current switch testability and design for test

Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are frequently utilized in applications demanding the highest circuit performance. Gate delays under 300 ps are now achievable using emitter coupled logic (ECL) and cascode current switch (CCS). However, as performance increases, so does the difficulty and cost of testing for quality parts. The design and operation of ECL and CCS and their sensitivities to chip failure mechanisms are discussed. By applying DC-level shifts to the internal signals, these faults can become testable. An approach to the design and test of these gates which enhances the testability of both AC and DC defects is given. >
Importance of mucopolysaccharides as substrates for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron growing in intestinal tracts of exgermfree mice.

Abstract We used two approaches to determine whether the mucopolysaccharide chondroitin sulfate is an important source of carbon and energy for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the intestinal tracts of germfree mice. First, we tested the ability of three mutants that grew poorly or not at all on chondroitin sulfate to colonize the intestinal tract of a germfree mouse and to compete with wild-type B. thetaiotaomicron in this model system. One mutant (CG10) was rapidly outcompeted by the wild type. However, since this mutant was unable to grow on chondroitin sulfate because it could not grow on N-acetyl-galactosamine, one of its monosaccharide components, this mutant might also be unable to utilize glycoprotein mucins. Two mutants (46-1 and 46-4) were isolated that grew poorly on chondroitin sulfate but normally on both component sugars. One of them was outcompeted by the wild type, but the percent wild type increased more slowly than with CG10. In one experiment, the percent wild type never reached 100%. The other (46-4) was not outcompeted by the wild type. These results indicate that, although chondroitin sulfate may be a carbon source in the animal, it is not of major importance. Our second approach was to determine by immunoblot analysis whether a 28-kilodalton outer membrane protein that is produced by B. thetaiotaomicron only when it is grown on chondroitin sulfate or hyaluronic acid was being produced at induced level by B. thetaiotaomicron growing in the ceca of exgermfree mice. There was no evidence for induction of this protein in vivo. Thus, the immunoblot results are consistent with results of the mutant competition experiments.
Call processing model for wireless network

The switching network consists of a number of switches connected by trunks. The wireless network is built of base stations connected to switches. A call from a mobile user is set up through a base station and a number of switches. A switch has the input queue for the source and the output queue. The packets are held in the input queue if the output queue in the switch is full. The input queue is a buffer that holds the packets if the required bandwidth exceeds the available bandwidth. The switch design allows for collision free packet transfer between the input and the output queue. A variable buffer is employed based upon the protocol carried, with a priority technique used to service time sensitive protocols. A multiplexing mechanism is used to allow other protocols to enter the queue during time-outs. This paper proposes a call processing model for wireless networks. Wireless communication can cause congestion in high-speed switching networks depending on the volume of calls, their origination and the network architecture. In congested areas where wireless services are extensively used, the switching network can become congested. In addition, the quality of wireless communication can decrease because of the frequency range that allows for limited number of calls made within the cell. The call processing model allows for evaluation of those limitations and for choosing the best possible solution.
Age, affective experience, and television use.

Background The reasons for the reportedly high levels of TV watching among older adults despite its potential negative health consequences are not known. Purpose To investigate age differences in time use and affective experience in TV use in a nationally representative sample. Methods Using an innovative assessment of affective experience in a nationally representative sample, several putative reasons were examined for age-related increases in TV use. A sample of 3982 Americans aged 15–98 years who were assessed using a variant of the Day Reconstruction Method, a survey method for measuring how people experience their lives, was analyzed. To understand age increases in TV use, analyses examined whether older people (1) enjoy TV more; (2) watch TV because it is less stressful than alternatives; or whether (3) TV use was related to age differences in demographics, being alone, or life satisfaction. Data were collected in 2006 and analyzed in 2008–2009. Results Adults aged >65 years spent threefold more waking time watching TV than young adults. Despite this trend, older people enjoyed TV less, in contrast to stable enjoyment with other leisure activities. Older adults did not seem to experience the same stress-buffering effects of watching TV as did young and middle-aged adults. This negative age-associated trend in how TV was experienced was not accounted for by demographic factors or in time spent alone. Greater TV use, but not time spent in other leisure activities, was related to lower life satisfaction. Conclusions Older adults watch more TV but enjoy it less than younger people. Awareness of this discrepancy could be useful for those developing interventions to promote reduced sedentary behaviors in older adults.
Cooperative navigation for heterogeneous autonomous vehicles via approximate dynamic programming

Unmanned ground and aerial vehicles are becoming crucial to many applications because of their ability to assist humans in carrying out dangerous missions. These vehicles can be viewed as networks of heterogeneous unmanned robotic sensors with the goal of exploring complex environments, to search for and, possibly, pursue moving targets. The robotic vehicle performance can be greatly enhanced by implementing future sensor actions intelligently, based both on prior knowledge and on the information obtained by the sensors on line. In this paper, we present an approximate dynamic programming (ADP) approach to cooperative navigation for heterogeneous sensor networks. The mobile sensor network consists of a set of robotic sensors modeled as hybrid systems with processing capabilities. The goal of the ADP algorithm is to coordinate a team of heterogeneous autonomous vehicles (i.e., ground robot and quadrotor UAV) to navigate within an obstacle populated environment while satisfying collision avoidance constraints and searching for stationary and mobile targets. It is assumed that the ground vehicle has a small sensor footprint with high resolution. The quadrotor, on the other hand, has a large sensor field-of-view but low resolution. The UAV provides a low resolution look-ahead map to the ground robot which in turn uses this information to plan its actions. The proposed navigation strategy combines artificial potential functions for target pursuing with ADP for learning C-obstacles on line. The efficacy of the proposed methodology is verified through numerical simulations.
Perturbations in the B3Π(0+) state of CIF: A new low-lying electronic state

Abstract Perturbations in the relational structure of the high-resolution laser excitation spectrum of the B 3 Π(O + -X 1 Σ + system of CIF have been observed. Details of these perturbations are given and are used to infer details about the perturbing state.
Cessation of BES User program at the Lujan Center

The Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) United States President's budget submission, released on March 4, stated that “The BES operations of the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center will cease and funding is reques...
Nuclear rRNA transcript processing versus internal transcribed spacer secondary structure

rRNA is one of the few universal features of life, making it uniquely suited to assess phylogenetic relationships. The processing of the initial polycistronic rRNA transcript is also a conserved process, involving numerous cleavage events and the generation of secondary structures. The secondary structure of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear rRNA transcripts are well known for a wide variety of eukaryotes and have been used to aid in the alignment of these sequences for phylogenetic comparisons. By contrast, study of the processing of the initial rRNA transcripts has been largely limited to yeast, mice, rats, and humans. Here I examine the known cleavage sites in the two ITS regions and their positions relative to the secondary structure. A better understanding of the conservation of secondary structures and cleavage sites within the ITS regions will improve evolutionary inferences based on these sequences.
Gravity Investigation of the Depth of Source of the Piedmont Gravity Gradient in Davidson County, North Carolina

The Piedmont gravity gradient is perhaps the most striking feature of the gravity field of the southeastern United States. It extends more or less linearly through the Piedmont, separating positive gravity values to the southeast from negative gravity values to the northeast. Analysis of data from a detailed gravity survey in central North Carolina indicates that the source of the anomaly is located within the upper crust. The best model that we were able to obtain consisted of a block 7.6 km thick located at the surface of the ground. The block has a density contrast of +0.213 gm-cm −3 relative to rock to the northwest. The block may be bounded on the northwest by a vertical interface. The higher density rocks causing the anomaly lie within the Carolina Slate Belt.
The Contents of Introductory Psychology Textbooks: A Follow-Up

Results of the content analysis of 60 introductory psychology textbooks published or revised between 1969 and 1975 were compared with another analysis of 52 texts published or revised between 1980 and 1989. Recent texts were found to be not only more voluminous and more comprehensive but also more readable than their predecessors. However, within the set of newer texts, book length was negatively correlated with readability scores. Examination of the most frequently and least frequently used terms revealed some interesting trends in the contents of introductory psychology textbooks since 1975.
Relation of elevated plasma endothelin in congenital heart disease to increased pulmonary blood flow

Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET), a potent vasoconstrictor peptide, has been found to be elevated in children with pulmonary hypertension associated with congenital heart defects. To evaluate the effect of pulmonary blood flow on ET concentrations, 5 ml blood samples were obtained peripherally at cardiac catheterization from 35 patients, ages 0.13 to 17 years (median 2). Plasma was extracted and ET measured by radioimmunoassay. Patients were classified into 2 groups based on the presence (group A) or absence (group B) of increased pulmonary blood flow defined as a Qp Qs ≥1.5 . When the 13 patients (37%) in group A were compared with the 22 patients (63%) in group B there were no significant differences in age, cardiac index, or pulmonary and systemic resistances. ET concentrations were significantly higher in group A patients (median 3.25, range 0 to 16.5 vs median 0, range 0 to 6.35 pg/ml; p ≤ 0.05). Pulmonary Mood flow and pulmonary artery pressure were also higher in group A patients (p ≤ 0.01). When patients within group A were subdivided into those with and without pulmonary hypertension, no difference was present in their ET concentrations ( mean/SD : 4.4 4.3 vs 4.0 6.4 pg/ml, p = NS ). Thus, ET is elevated in patients with congenital heart disease associated with left-to-right shunts and it appears that this increase is related to increased pulmonary blood flow independent of pulmonary artery pressure.
EIT in Microcavities: Towards Ultra-Low Power Optical Nonlinearities

With our detailed theoretical studies, we show how inserting materials that support electro-magnetically induced transparency into microcavities enables design of microcavities with extraordinarily long lifetimes, and enables all-optical signal processing at single photon energy levels.
Hepatic Ultrastructure and Histochemistry in Mucolipidosis II (I-Cell Disease)

Extract: In the liver of a 25-month-old patient with mucolipidosis II (I-cell disease), intracellular vacuoles caused marked distension of portal mononuclear cells, sinusoidal Kupffer cells, and granulomatous epithelioid cells. It was determined by electronmicroscopy that these vacuoles were limited by single membranes and contained either fine fibrillogranular material, membranous lamellae, or lipoid globules. Hepatic parenchymal cells were only slightly affected by the storage process, and abnormal extracellular material was not evident. Histochemical staining revealed sudanophilic inclusions within Kupffer cells and demonstrated increased acid phosphatase activity within Kupffer cells and epithelioid cells. Speculation: The observed intracellular storage vacuoles are possibly derived from altered lysosomes which have accumulated excesses of both acid mucopolysaccharides and glycolipids. The unusual occurrence of epithelioid cell granulomas in this case may reflect the impaired immunologic function of macrophages laden with storage substances.
The impact of an invasive African bunchgrass (Pennisetum setaceum) on water availability and productivity of canopy trees within a tropical dry forest in Hawaii

Summary 1. Tropical dry forests are among the Earth’s most threatened ecosystems. On the Island of Hawaii the African bunchgrass Pennisetum setaceum (fountain grass) dominates the understorey of the few remaining fragments of native dry forests and is contributing to the degradation of this once diverse ecosystem. In this study, we examined the impacts of Pennisetum on water use and productivity of the dominant native canopy tree, Diospyros sandwicensis . 2. Over a 3-year period, measurements were made on tree growth rates, and physiological and morphological responses of the most common dry forest native tree, D. sandwicensis , growing with an understorey dominated by Pennisetum , and on trees growing in plots maintained free of grasses. 3. Analysis of stable oxygen isotope ratios indicated that trees growing in the absence of Pennisetum used a higher proportion of water from shallow soil sources. They also sustained higher mid-day water potentials, especially during drier periods. At the leaf level, no significant differences were found in gas exchange measurements between Diospyros trees growing with or without Pennisetum . However, trees growing without Pennisetum had 30% lower leaf mass per unit area and 40% higher diameter growth than trees growing with Pennisetum . 4. These results demonstrate that invasion by Pennisetum has a pronounced negative impact on resource acquisition and use by the dominant native tree of this dry forest ecosystem. Although tree death due to these impacts would be much slower than through more immediate processes such as fire and grazing, our findings suggest that long-term conservation of ecosystems threatened by invasions, such those in Hawaiian dry forests, will ultimately require active management of the invading species.
Successful Skeletal Aging: A Marker of Low Fracture Risk and Longevity. The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF)

Successful aging is multidimensional, and many phenotypes have been proposed. We examined a biomarker of aging based on repeated measures of BMD for up to 15 yr and hypothesized that maintenance of BMD will be associated with low fracture risk and disability and improved survival. We studied 9704 women recruited at four U.S. clinical centers and enrolled in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, a longitudinal cohort study. Of these, 8224 women had at least one hip BMD measurement. Hip BMD was measured a maximum of five times over 15 yr. Random effects regression was used to determine a BMD slope for each subject. Three groups were formed—“maintained” BMD: slope ≥0, n = 724 (9%); “expected” BMD loss: slope <0 to <1 SD below mean, n = 6478 (79%); and “accelerated” BMD loss: slope ≥1 SD below mean, n = 1022 (12%). Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the relative hazard (RH; 95% CI) of fracture, incident mobility disability, and mortality in the maintained and accelerated groups compared with the expected. A 1 SD decrease in the BMD slope was associated with an increased risk of all outcomes. In multivariate models, the RH of nonspine fracture was 0.81 (0.71–0.93) and of hip fracture was 0.36 (0.25–0.53) for women in the maintained compared with the expected group. The incidence of mobility disability was lower in the maintained versus expected group (RH = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.59–0.83), but this was largely explained by other factors. Women who experienced accelerated bone loss were more likely to develop disability (RH = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.33–1.84). Mortality risks were lower in the maintained compared with the expected group (RH = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.42–0.58). In conclusion, a subset of older women maintained their BMD up to 15 yr, suggesting that bone loss is not an inevitable consequence of aging. These women experienced a lower risk of fractures, disability, and mortality, suggesting that this phenotype may be a marker of successful aging.
Vesicoscopic cross-trigonal ureteral reimplantation for primary reflux

Purpose Though many reports exist on minimally-invasive methods of managing renal anomalies, relatively few exist for the definitive correction of vesicoureteral reflux, specifically for those who prefer a transvesical approach. We wish to present our initial experience on "vesicoscopic" cross-trigonal ureteral reimplantation. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent vesicoscopic ureteral reimplantation. Briefly, under cystoscopic guidance, a 5 mm camera port was placed in the dome and two 3 mm ports placed laterally as working channels. Under CO2 “pneumovesicum”, in a manner analgous to open surgery, the ureters are mobilized transvesically, cross-trigonal tunnels created and ureters transposed to the contralateral sides. Ureters are sutured in place, mucosal defects closed, and bladder ports closed followed by port site closure. Urethral catheters were left indwelling for 36 hours. Ultrasonography and nuclear cystography were performed one and three months post operatively, respectively. Results Over a 2-year period, 81 children underwent attempted vesicoscopic repair with 3 open conversions. Of the 78 children with completed repairs, 59 have had adequate follow up and 55/59 (93%) have had resolution of reflux. Cystoscopy in those with persistent reflux demonstrated small ureterovesical fistulae suggestive of ischemic injury from ureteral dissection. Two children did develop ureteral obstruction secondary to extrinsic obstruction from urinomas that had developed posterior to the bladder. Modifications of the dissection technique during the course of the series led to a decrease in complications. Conclusions Vesicoscopic cross-trigonal ureteral reimplantation is a procedure with relatively high success rates. There is a significant learning curve, but once mastered, leads to success rates nearly equivalent to open Cohen repairs.
Statistical analysis of target motion in gated lung stereotactic body radiation therapy

An external surrogate-based respiratory gating technique is a useful method to reduce target margins for the treatment of a moving lung tumor. The success of this technique relies on a good correlation between the motion of the external markers and the internal tumor as well as the repeatability of the respiratory motion. In gated lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), the treatment time for each fraction could exceed 30 min due to large fractional dose. Tumor motion may experience pattern changes such as baseline shift during such extended treatment time. The purpose of this study is to analyze tumor motion traces in actual treatment situations and to evaluate the effect of the target baseline shift in gated lung SBRT treatment. Real-time motion data for both the external markers and tumors from 51 lung SBRT treatments with Cyberknife Synchrony technology were analyzed in this study. The treatment time is typically greater than 30 min. The baseline shift was calculated with a rolling average window equivalent to ∼20 s and subtracted from that at the beginning. The magnitude of the baseline shift and its relationship with treatment time were investigated. Phase gating simulation was retrospectively performed on 12 carefully selected treatments with respiratory amplitude larger than 5 mm and regular phases. A customized gating window was defined for each individual treatment. It was found that the baseline shifts are specific to each patient and each fraction. Statistical analysis revealed that more than 69% treatments exhibited increased baseline shifts with the lapse of treatment time. The magnitude of the baseline shift could reach 5.3 mm during a 30 min treatment. Gating simulation showed that tumor excursion was caused mainly by the uncertainties in phase gating simulation and baseline shift, the latter being the primary factor. With a 5 mm gating window, 2 out of 12 treatments in the study group showed significant tumor excursion. Baseline shifts alone could cause up to 20% of tumor excursion outside the gating window. It is concluded that baseline shifts may increase with the treatment time and are more likely to act as a time-dependent systematic error. For phase-based gated lung SBRT, a baseline shift may be one of the major sources of targeting error during treatment.
An Aqueous Thermodynamic Model for the Pb2+ -Na+ -K+ -Ca2+ -Mg2+ -H+ -Cl- SO42- H2O System to High Concentration: Application to WIPP Brines

The development of an aqueous thermodynamic model for the Pb2+–Na+–K+–Ca2+–Mg2+–Cl−–SO42−–H2O system is presented, which is valid to high ionic strengths at 25°C. The model is based on the equations of Pitzer and has been parameterized from existing solubility, osmotic, electromotive force (emf), and spectroscopic data. To accurately represent the aqueous thermodynamics of Pb2+ in concentrated chloride containing solutions required the inclusion of four Pb chloride species (i.e., PbCl+, PbCl2(aq), PbCl3−, and PbCl42−) along with the necessary Pitzer ion interaction parameters for these species with the major electrolyte ions. The reliability of the final equilibrium model is tested against experimental solubility data on PbCl2(c) and PbSO4(c) in high ionic strength Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) brines obtained as part of this study. On an overall basis the model accurately predicted the aqueous speciation, based on comparisons with our UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements, as well as the observed solubility. The model also proved satisfactory in predicting the observed solid phase assemblages, with the possible exception of those found in solutions high in KCl.
Application of multiple comparison type procedures to the eigenvalues of §-1 1:§2:

On etudie les applications possibles des procedures de tye comparaison multiple a l'inference relative aux valeurs propres de Σ 1 −1 Σ 2 ou Σ 1 et Σ sont les matrices de covariance de deux populations normales multivariables
CHEMO-IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON CONJUGATED CARBOHYDRATE-PROTEINS : II. IMMUNOLOGICAL SPECIFICITY OF SYNTHETIC SUGAR-PROTEIN ANTIGENS.

1. When two chemically different carbohydrate derivatives are bound to the same protein, the newly formed antigens exhibit distinct immunological specificity. 2. When the same carbohydrate radical is conjugated with two chemically different and serologically distinct proteins both of the sugar-proteins thus formed acquire a common serological specificity. 3. The newly acquired specificity of the artificially prepared sugar-proteins is determined by the chemical constitution of the carbohydrate radical attached to the protein molecules. Simple differences in the molecular configuration of the two isomers,-glucose and galactose-suffice to orientate protein specificity when the corresponding glucosides of the two sugars are coupled to the same protein. 4. The unconjugated glucosides, although themselves not precipitable in immune serum, inhibit the reaction between the homologous sugar-protein and its specific antibody. The inhibition test is specific. 5. The sugar derivatives unattached to protein exhibit the properties of carbohydrate haptens; they are non-antigenic but specifically reactive, as shown by inhibition tests, with antibodies induced by proteins containing the homologous diazotized glucoside. 6. The specificity of artificially prepared sugar-proteins is discussed with reference to the chemo-immunological nature of the bacterial antigens containing complex sugars.
Exploring game design for cybersecurity training

Cybersecurity awareness and cyber skills training are vitally important and challenging. A huge number of attacks against everyday users occur routinely. Prevention techniques and responses are wide ranging but are only effective if used effectively. The objective of this research is to teach everyday users the requisite cybersecurity skills through gaming, beyond the current state of practice. Because the skill level of the trainees is also wide ranging, from causal computer users to software engineers to system administrators to managers, the games must also be capable of training this wide range of computer users. Computer games can provide a media for delivering training in an engaging format at levels appropriate for the individual trainees. In this paper we (1) describe the state of practice by describing the gaming tool used in most cyber challenges at high schools and colleges in the U.S, i.e., the cybersecurity gaming tool CyberNEXS™ (Science Applications International Corporation), (2) outline some of the additional topics that should be addressed in cybersecurity training and (3) note some other approaches to game design that might prove useful for future cybersecurity training game development beyond CyberNEXS.
Variance in direct exposure measures of typing force and wrist kinematics across hours and days among office computer workers.

To determine the number of direct measurements needed to obtain a representative estimate of typing force and wrist kinematics, continuous measures of keyboard reaction force and wrist joint angle were collected at the workstation of 22 office workers while they completed their own work over three days, six hours per day. Typing force and wrist kinematics during keyboard, mouse and idle activities were calculated for each hour of measurement along with variance in measurements between subjects and between day and hour within subjects. Variance in measurements between subjects was significantly greater than variance in measurements between days and hours within subjects. Therefore, we concluded a single, one-hour period of continuous measures is sufficient to identify differences in typing force and wrist kinematics between subjects. Within subjects, day and hour of measurement had a significant effect on some measures and thus should be accounted for when comparing measures within a subject. Practitioner ...
Matrix Metalloproteinase-10 (MMP-10) Interaction with Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 BINDING STUDIES AND CRYSTAL STRUCTURE

Matrix metalloproteinase 10 (MMP-10, stromelysin-2) is a secreted metalloproteinase with functions in skeletal development, wound healing, and vascular remodeling; its overexpression is also implicated in lung tumorigenesis and tumor progression. To understand the regulation of MMP-10 by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), we have assessed equilibrium inhibition constants (Ki) of putative physiological inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 for the active catalytic domain of human MMP-10 (MMP-10cd) using multiple kinetic approaches. We find that TIMP-1 inhibits the MMP-10cd with a Ki of 1.1 × 10−9 m; this interaction is 10-fold weaker than the inhibition of the similar MMP-3 (stromelysin-1) catalytic domain (MMP-3cd) by TIMP-1. TIMP-2 inhibits the MMP-10cd with a Ki of 5.8 × 10−9 m, which is again 10-fold weaker than the inhibition of MMP-3cd by this inhibitor (Ki = 5.5 × 10−10 m). We solved the x-ray crystal structure of TIMP-1 bound to the MMP-10cd at 1.9 A resolution; the structure was solved by molecular replacement and refined with an R-factor of 0.215 (Rfree = 0.266). Comparing our structure of MMP-10cd·TIMP-1 with the previously solved structure of MMP-3cd·TIMP-1 (Protein Data Bank entry 1UEA), we see substantial differences at the binding interface that provide insight into the differential binding of stromelysin family members to TIMP-1. This structural information may ultimately assist in the design of more selective TIMP-based inhibitors tailored for specificity toward individual members of the stromelysin family, with potential therapeutic applications.
Retrieval of interaction coefficients from total vapor pressure-composition data

A numerical-derivative method, employing a running cubic spline, has been developed to infer coefficients in power series expansions of total vapor pressure vs. composition data. The technique makes it possible to determine values of the coefficients individually, avoiding a generic problem in least squares analysis, viz., that the regression parameters are highly coupled and that their derived values depend strongly on the number of constants used in fitting data. The numerical derivative method also indicates when errors of measurements will preclude the determination of meaningful values of higher-order terms in polynomical representations of data.