cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Land Degradation and Environmental Change

Land degradation is a process resulting in a reduced ability of the land to provide ecosystem services. This phenomenon is affecting (directly or indirectly) billions of people around the world and may lead to the overexploitation of soil resources, loss of ecosystem productivity, shifts in vegetation composition, and/or loss of rural livelihoods. Here we review the main drivers of land degradation, evaluate its magnitude, impact, and significance, and discuss the conditions underlying the possible persistence and irreversibility of this phenomenon.
Triclosan: an Instructive Tale

ABSTRACT The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a final rule to ban triclosan and 18 other antimicrobial chemicals from soaps. We applaud this rule specifically because of the associated risks that triclosan poses to the spread of antibiotic resistance throughout the environment. This persistent chemical constantly stresses bacteria to adapt, and behavior that promotes antibiotic resistance needs to be stopped immediately when the benefits are null.
Expanded Scopes Of Practice For Dental Hygienists Associated With Improved Oral Health Outcomes For Adults

Dental hygienists are important members of the oral health care team, providing preventive and prophylactic services and oral health education. However, scope-of-practice parameters in some states limit their ability to provide needed services effectively. In 2001 we developed the Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index, a numerical tool to measure the state-level professional practice environment for dental hygienists. We used the index to score state-level scopes of practice in all fifty states and the District of Columbia in 2001 and 2014. The mean composite score on the index increased from 43.5 in 2001 to 57.6 in 2014, on a 100-point scale. We also analyzed the association of each state's composite score with an oral health outcome: tooth extractions among the adult population because of decay or disease. After we controlled for individual- and state-level factors, we found in multilevel modeling that more autonomous dental hygienist scope of practice had a positive and significant association with population oral health in both 2001 and 2014.
Design of a general autonomy payload for low-cost AUV R&D

Advances in computer hardware and sensing technologies have enabled the design and development of low-cost autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The reduced cost of new platforms such as the Bluefin SandShark present the opportunity for more frequent and high-risk AUV-based experiments and reduce the barrier to entry for multi-vehicle operations. The smaller size of these new vehicles compared to AUV platforms typically used for ocean exploration also makes deployment and operations possible in accessible smaller bodies of water such as lakes and rivers. However, the limited payload space and power availability of these platforms constrains the types of sensors that may be installed, demanding a compromise between operating range, mission duration, and sensor use. This paper describes the design of a standard payload for low-cost AUVs based on these constraints, and the implementation of that payload for autonomy, acoustic and environmental research in stand-alone configuration and on a Bluefin SandShark AUV.
Why don’t poor countries do R&D? Varying rates of factor returns across the development process

Abstract Using a global panel on research and development (R&D) expenditures, this paper documents that on average poor countries do far less R&D than rich as a share of GDP. This is arguably counter intuitive since the gains from doing the R&D required for technological catch up are thought to be very high and Griffith et al. (2004) have documented that in the OECD returns increase dramatically with distance from the frontier. Exploiting recent advances in instrumental variables in a varying coefficient context we find that the rates of return follow an inverted U: they rise with distance to the frontier and then fall thereafter, potentially turning negative for the poorest countries. The findings provide a new mechanism underlying the twin income peaks – poor countries cannot exploit technological transfer for convergence while middle income countries can converge rapidly to the frontier. The low returns found for poor countries does not diminish the centrality of technological transfer for development, but rather suggests the importance of factors complementary to R&D, such as education, the quality of scientific infrastructure, the overall functioning of the national innovation system, and the quality of the private sector, which become increasingly weak with distance from the frontier and offset the catch up effect.
Defining the role of Tim-3 in T cells

Chronic viral infection and the tumor microenvironment are two settings in which persistent immune stimulation can occur. Under such conditions, T cell activation becomes downregulated, likely in order to reduce immune pathology, resulting in a phenotype known as T cell ‘exhaustion’. Functionally exhausted T cells are characterized by reduced cytokine production, proliferative capability, and cytotoxic activity, with a corresponding expression of checkpoint receptors, including PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3 and Tim-3. While PD-1, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 have known mechanisms for reducing T cell effector function, the intrinsic effects of Tim-3 on T cell activation are largely unknown. In fact, recent evidence reveals divergent effects of Tim-3 in various infectious models. Data from our lab indicate that Tim-3 can enhance acute TCR signaling, while much of the existing literature associates Tim-3 expression with diminished effector function. Current approaches to study Tim-3 require persistent antigen stimulation or ectopic expression. We have developed a novel mouse model where the expression of Tim-3 is induced in vivo by Cre-mediated recombination. We hypothesize that inducible Tim-3 expression may cause T cells to become dysfunctional earlier by enhancing the initial response to stimulation. Using this model, we have found that the presence of Tim-3 enhances T cell activation after acute in vitro stimulation. We are currently testing how induction of Tim-3 will affect responses to a murine model of chronic viral infection, LCMV-clone13. Results from this study will address knowledge gaps about the effects of Tim-3 on T cells and will have practical applications in both chronic viral infection and cancer immunotherapy.
A coalitional game theory approach for cybersecurity information sharing

As the complexity and number of cybersecurity incidents are growing, the traditional security measures are not sufficient to defend against attackers. In this situation, cyber threat intelligence capability substantially improves the detection and prevention of the sophisticated attacks. Cybersecurity information sharing is a key factor of threat intelligence, allowing organizations to detect and prevent malicious behaviors proactively. However, stimulating organizations to participate and deterring free-riding in such sharing is a big challenge. To this end, the sharing system should be equipped with a rewarding and participation-fee allocation mechanisms to encourage sharing behavior. In this paper, we investigate a rewarding and participation-fee calculation based on profit sharing in coalitional game theory. In particular, we formulate a coalitional game between organizations and analyze the well-known Shapley value and Nucleolus solution concepts in cybersecurity information sharing system.
Keystones of Entrepreneurship Knowledge

Book review by James W. Bronson. Rob van der Horst, Sandra King-Kauanui, and Susan Duffy, ed., Keystones of Entrepreneurship Knowledge, Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2005. ISBN 9781405139212
Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Plaque in Non-invasive Coronary Imaging

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over the last decade coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has gained wide acceptance as a reliable, cost-effective and non-invasive modality for diagnosis and prognostication of CAD. Use of CCTA is now expanding to characterization of plaque morphology and identification of vulnerable plaque. Additionally, CCTA is developing as a non-invasive modality to monitor plaque progression, which holds future potential in individualizing treatment. In this review, we discuss the role of CCTA in diagnosis and management of CAD. Additionally, we discuss the recent advancements and the potential clinical applications of CCTA in management of CAD.
Intraprosthetic Dislocation of Modular Dual-Mobility Total Hip Arthroplasty Components During Closed Reduction: A Report of Two Cases

Dual-mobility bearing total hip arthroplasty offers several advantages over traditional prosthesis designs in the treatment of degenerative hip disease. Over decades of use, they have shown proven benefits in both durability and stability. However, despite their practical and theoretical advantages, they present a unique mode of failure not seen with other implants. In this report, the authors present two patients who sustained intraprosthetic dislocation of their dual-mobility total hip arthroplasty components during closed reduction of a hip dislocation.
Generation of Ultra-Small PLGA Nanoparticles by Sequential Centrifugation

Direct, local delivery of polymer nanoparticles to the brain is a promising strategy to bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and safely deliver a large therapeutic payload. However, even with the aid of convection-enhanced delivery (CED) techniques, this approach has been limited by the inability to fabricate appropriately sized polymer nanoparticles. Here, we outline a versatile and efficient method for producing polymer nanoparticles that are <100 nm in diameter and can be delivered to the brain via CED.
Similarity analysis of frequent sequential activity pattern mining

Abstract Activity pattern classification is extensively studied using multi-person single-day mobile traces. However, human mobility exhibits intra-personal variability and thus single-day activity may not fully capture one’s activity patterns. This paper creates a methodological framework to analyze similarity of activity patterns using frequent sequential pattern mining when multi-person multi-day data is available. Frequent sequential pattern mining discovers the frequently occurring ordered subsequences and is a natural approach of analyzing multi-day travel patterns. Prefix-Span algorithm is implemented to extract frequent patterns for each individual. Then similarity measures are defined to describe the extent to which two travelers’ activity patterns are alike and the regularity of how one repeats her activity patterns from day to day. Based upon the pairwise similarity values between two individuals, hierarchical clustering is conducted to divide travelers into communities. To illustrate these methodologies, 349 travelers’ 19,130 travel activity sequences are extracted from the world’s first connected vehicle testbed in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Three major clusters are identified. Coupled with demographics, these clusters are characterized as “seniors”, “working class”, and “parents”, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression is employed to model to what extent the similarity of socio-demographics can explain that of travel patterns. This work can be extended to either infer an unknown user’s demographics (or customer profiling) based on her activity patterns, or to reconstruct an unknown user’s frequent activity patterns based on her demographics and other similar travelers’ patterns.
Range of Motion Testing of a Novel 3D-Printed Synthetic Spine Model:

Study Design:Biomechanical model study.Objective:The Barrow Biomimetic Spine (BBS) project is a resident-driven effort to manufacture a synthetic spine model with high biomechanical fidelity to hum...
The structure of Q-W algebras

We suggest two explicit descriptions of the Poisson q-W algebras which are Poisson algebras of regular functions on certain algebraic group analogues of the Slodowy transversal slices to adjoint orbits in a complex semisimple Lie algebra $$ \mathfrak{g} $$. To obtain the first description we introduce certain projection operators which are analogous to the quasi-classical versions of the so-called Zhelobenko and extremal projection operators. As a byproduct we obtain some new formulas for natural coordinates on Bruhat cells in algebraic groups.
Weathering Probation and Parole: The Protective Role of Social Support on Black Women’s Recent Stressful Events and Depressive Symptoms:

Despite an overrepresentation of Black women in the criminal justice system, Black women’s mental health at the precarious intersection of race, gender, and community-based correctional supervision...
Impact on Sea-Surface Electromagnetic Scattering and Emission Modeling of Recent Progress on the Parameterization of Ocean Surface Roughness, Drag Coefficient, and Whitecap Coverage in High Wind Conditions

Ocean surface wind stress is the force generating ocean surface roughness and whitecaps. The surface wind stress is related to the surface wind speed by the drag coefficient. Consequently, the magnitude of roughness and whitecaps calculated from wind speed input depends on the applied drag coefficient formula, which remains uncertain especially for high wind conditions. Because roughness and whitecaps are two major components of the ocean surface response in microwave remote sensing, a clear understanding of the drag coefficient, ocean surface roughness, and whitecap coverage is critical to interpreting the microwave signals emitted or scattered from the ocean surface. In reverse, the microwave signals represent precious data sources of these ocean surface properties [surface wind stress (or equivalently the drag coefficient), surface roughness, and whitecaps] that are difficult to measure with traditional oceanographic instruments, especially in severe weather conditions. This article describes the improvement of ocean surface properties achieved by incorporating microwave remote sensing measurements. In essence, the global data of microwave monostatic and bistatic radar cross sections contribute to the revision of ocean surface roughness spectrum model, and microwave radiometer measurements in tropical cyclones provide clarification regarding the dependence on wind speed of the drag coefficient and whitecap coverage. In return, the calculated excess emissivities and scattering radar cross sections are improved from implementing the updated results of drag coefficient, whitecap coverage, and surface roughness in microwave emission and scattering models.
Toxic Mask-ulinity: The link between masculine toughness and affective reactions to mask wearing in the COVID-19 era

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered numerous elements of social, political, and economic life. Mask wearing is arguably an essential component of the new normal until substantial progress is made on a vaccine. However, though evidence suggests the practice is a positive for public health and limiting the transmission of COVID-19, there is variation in attitudes and practices on the acceptance of mask wearing. Specifically, it appears there is a sex-based divide in mask wearing, with men more likely to resist wearing masks. Utilizing an original survey, we test the correlation between masculinity and mask wearing. We find that identification with norms of masculinity have a significant influence on affective responses toward mask wearing.
The Impact of Entertainment Education for Social and Emotional Learning in Elementary Schools

Background: Educational Entertainment (EE) is a promising delivery method for Social and Emotional Learning interventions focused on mental illness stigma reduction. Purpose: The purpose of this st...
German Art and War in the Year 1932

This article surveys German representations of the First World War in the year 1932. It focuses on four cases. Two are works by protagonists of the Weimar Republic’s modern artistic culture, Kathe ...
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / , Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / , کتابخانه دیجیتال جندی شاپور اهواز
Backup Control Barrier Functions: Formulation and Comparative Study.

The backup control barrier function (CBF) was recently proposed as a tractable formulation that guarantees the feasibility of the CBF quadratic programming (QP) via an implicitly defined control invariant set. The control invariant set is based on a fixed backup policy and evaluated online by forward integrating the dynamics under the backup policy. This paper is intended as a tutorial of the backup CBF approach and a comparative study to some benchmarks. First, the backup CBF approach is presented step by step with the underlying math explained in detail. Second, we prove that the backup CBF always has a relative degree 1 under mild assumptions. Third, the backup CBF approach is compared with benchmarks such as Hamilton Jacobi PDE and Sum-of-Squares on the computation of control invariant sets, which shows that one can obtain a control invariant set close to the maximum control invariant set under a good backup policy for many practical problems.
Domain Adaptation for Signal Extraction from Large Social Media Datasets

There has been increasing interest in using social media data for quantitative research in many different domains. Although using these datasets in different areas has significant promise, mounting evidence suggests that many of the results being produced could be misrepresented because of various types of noises. We introduce novel and efficient techniques combining Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to extract signals from social media text. The proposed framework makes a significant methodological contribution by developing a feature augmentation and sample reweighting based domain adaptation method. It reduces the training effort for signal extraction by re-using previously annotated data. The proposed framework was tested using several large real-world datasets from social media and outperforms other baseline methods by a large margin. The framework described in this paper can be used for a variety of purposes to yield improved analyses of social media and contributing to predictive analytics.
Abstract 037: History Of Weight Cycling Is Prospectively Associated With Shorter And Poorer Quality Sleep, And Higher Sleep Apnea Risk In Diverse Us Women: Results From The AHA Go Red For Women Strategically Focused Research Network

Introduction: Poor sleep and history of weight cycling (HWC) are associated with worse cardiovascular health, yet limited research has evaluated the association between HWC and poor sleep patterns....
Circumferential segmental vessel-wall enhancement on black blood MRI in patients referred for the evaluation of vasculopathy.

Abstract Background High resolution intracranial vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging, or black blood MRI, has recently gained traction as an adjunct to computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, and digital subtraction angiography in the characterization of atherosclerosis, vasculitides, and inflammatory changes in the aneurysm wall. However, the occurrence of uniform circumferential segmental arterial vessel wall enhancement (CSWE) in patients without these diagnoses has not previously been studied. The purpose of this study is twofold: 1) to evaluate the prevalence of CSWE in the major intracranial arteries in patients without vasculitides, symptomatic atherosclerosis, or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and 2) to determine the association, if any, between such enhancement and risk factors for cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease. Materials & methods A retrospective study of vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging examinations was performed to evaluate for CSWE in 26 patients without known vessel wall pathology such as aneurysms or vasculitides and intracranial hemorrhage. Further evaluation of CSWE association with major intracranial atherosclerotic disease risk factors including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking was performed. Results and conclusion 46% of the cohort of patients demonstrated CSWE. Among the patients with CSWE, there was increased prevalence of CSWE in the posterior circulation vasculature with particular predilection to the V4 vertebral artery segments (92%), although there was greater association of anterior circulation CSWE with risk factors for atherosclerosis. Patients with anterior circulation CSWE also demonstrated the most number of segments with CSWE. We therefore propose that CSWE, particularly in the anterior circulation, may portend early atherosclerosis.
Design of Decoupling for a Class of Right Invertible Systems

In this paper, a design algorithm of static state feedback decoupling for a class of right invertible systems is presented. The condition is described by system interactor, and the method is based on polynomial matrix fraction form. Examples are included.
Electromagnetic Theory and Computation: A Topological Approach

Although topology was recognized by Gauss and Maxwell to play a pivotal role in the formulation of electromagnetic boundary value problems, it is a largely unexploited tool for field computation. The development of algebraic topology since Maxwell provides a framework for linking data structures, algorithms, and computation to topological aspects of three-dimensional electromagnetic boundary value problems. This book attempts to expose the link between Maxwell and a modern approach to algorithms.
Characterization of cDNA and genomic sequences encoding a chicken phospholamban.

Abstract We report on the isolation and characterization of cDNA and genomic sequences encoding a chicken cardiac phospholamban. Three mRNAs, 0.6, 1.1, and 3.3 kilobase pairs in size, were detected in cardiac and slow-tonic muscle RNAs on Northern blots. We determined that these mRNAs differ in the length of their 3'-untranslated regions, perhaps because they utilize alternative polyadenylation signals. We studied the developmental and tissue-specific expression of phospholamban mRNA using nuclease mapping analysis. There appeared to be considerable homology between coding and 3'-untranslated regions of phospholamban mRNAs from cardiac and slow-tonic muscles during development, strongly suggesting that these mRNAs are encoded by the same gene. The phospholamban gene, which is present as a single copy in the chicken genome, is about 10 kilobase pairs long, with approximately 6.5 kilobase pairs representing the intron sequences. Primer extension and nuclease mapping analyses of the 5' end of the phospholamban mRNA showed that the three transcripts are initiated from the same initiation site. Analysis of the putative promoter region revealed "TATA box" and "CAAT box" sequences, putative muscle-specific elements, and a cyclic AMP-responsive element.
RAW 2015 Keynote

As the Information and Communication (ICT) infrastructure continues to evolve, throughput and energy efficiency have become key metrics. This talk explores FPGA-based parallel architectures and algorithms for a variety of streaming applications arising in Telecom and Big Data. We show high performance accelerators for deep packet inspection, regular expression matching, packet classification, traffic classification, heavy hitter detection, etc. in core routers, data center networks and in software defined networking (SDN). We propose high throughput and energy efficient accelerator designs to realize the "Green ICT" vision. Our approach is based on high level abstractions of the reconfigurable platforms and efficient data structures and algorithms. We illustrate the performance improvements for such systems and demonstrate the suitability of FPGAs for these computations. We show that SRAM/DRAM based solutions combined with FPGA based architectures lead to high throughput as well as reduced power dissipation compared with the state-of-the-art solutions based TCAMs. We then consider hardware support for Big Data applications. We show high throughput and energy optimal solutions for sorting, data base and graph analysis. We introduce the notion of energy balanced architectures to understand tradeoffs between power and performance in application specific architectures and show algorithmic optimizations to effectively use the hardware resources of FPGAs. We also show comparisons with multi-core and GPU implementations.
Hydroxyurea therapy lowers transcranial Doppler flow velocities in children with sickle cell anemia

Hydroxyurea has hematologic and clinical efficacy in sickle cell anemia (SCA), but its effects on transcranial Doppler (TCD) flow velocities remain undefined. Fifty-nine children initiating hydroxyurea therapy for clinical severity had pretreatment baseline TCD measurements; 37 with increased flow velocities (> or = 140 cm/s) were then enrolled in an institutional review board (IRB)-approved prospective phase 2 trial with TCD velocities measured at maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and one year later. At hydroxyurea MTD (mean +/- 1 SD = 27.9 +/- 2.7 mg/kg per day), significant decreases were observed in the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) (166 +/- 27 cm/s to 135 +/- 27 cm/s, P < .001) and left (MCA) (168 +/- 26 cm/s to 142 +/- 27 cm/s, P < .001) velocities. The magnitude of TCD velocity decline was significantly correlated with the maximal baseline TCD value. At hydroxyurea MTD, 14 of 15 children with conditional baseline TCD values improved, while 5 of 6 with abnormal TCD velocities whose families refused transfusions became less than 200 cm/s. TCD changes were sustained at follow-up. These prospective data indicate that hydroxyurea can significantly decrease elevated TCD flow velocities, often into the normal range. A multicenter trial is warranted to determine the efficacy of hydroxyurea for the management of increased TCD values, and ultimately for primary stroke prevention in children with SCA.
A Periodic Inventory Model for Stocking Modular Components

We study the benefit obtained by exploiting modular product design in fulfilling exogenous demand for both a complete assembly and its components in a service parts inventory system. Our goal is to reduce overall service system costs by allowing assembly and/or disassembly (A/D) to occur at some unit cost per A/D action. In an extensive set of computational experiments, we compare a naive stocking and operating policy that treats all items independently and ignores the modular product structure and related A/D capability to the optimal base stock policy, and to a policy that allows A/D from the naive stocking levels. While extensive computational analysis shows that the optimal base stock policy improves the system cost between 3 to 26% over the naive approach, simply allowing A/D from the naive stocking levels captures a significant portion (an average of 67%) of the naive–optimal gap. Our computational results demonstrate that the optimization shifts the component-assembly mix from the naive levels and that limiting A/D capacity affects this mix. Limiting A/D capacity can actually increase the expected number of A/D actions (versus the uncapacitated case), since the optimization shifts stocking levels to reduce the probability that “too many” actions will be required.
A Thickness-Mode AlGaN/GaN Resonant Body High Electron Mobility Transistor

A multigigahertz AlGaN/GaN resonant body transistor (RBT) is reported, wherein the mechanical resonance and electrical signal modulation are achieved simultaneously. A 175-Å-thick AlGaN layer is used as the piezoelectric transduction layer, and the 2-D electron gas present at the AlGaN/GaN interface is employed as the bottom electrode as well as the transistor conducting channel. The carrier concentration of the channel is modulated when the device undergoes acoustic strain. A quality factor of 250 and acoustic transconductance of 25 μS is achieved at resonance frequency of 4.23 GHz, marking the highest frequency and highest transconductance reported to date for GaN-based RBTs. The frequency×Q of this device is among the best reported for GaN-based resonators.
Bayesian confidence intervals for the product of three normal means

Abstract The problem of estimating the product of three normal means of three independent normal distributions is considered. These types of estimation problems arise in many environmental applications, such as exposure assessment and risk modeling. Classical confidence interval estimates are available in the literature; we consider the problem from the Bayesian approach using two different proper prior distributions and one non-informative prior distribution. Assuming the quadratic loss, Bayesian estimates and Bayesian confidence intervals are given. Numerical integration or simulation are necessary to evaluate such confidence intervals. Computer programs written in Fortran are given to calculate these confidence intervals. Examples are provided.
Unique D Box and KEN Box Sequences Limit Ubiquitination of Acm1 and Promote Pseudosubstrate Inhibition of the Anaphase-promoting Complex

The anaphase-promoting complex (APC) regulates cell division in eukaryotes by targeting specific proteins for destruction. APC substrates generally contain one or more short degron sequences that help mediate their recognition and poly-ubiquitination by the APC. The most common and well characterized degrons are the destruction box (D box) and the KEN box. The budding yeast Acm1 protein, an inhibitor of Cdh1-activated APC (APCCdh1) also contains several conserved D and KEN boxes, and here we report that two of these located in the central region of Acm1 constitute a pseudosubstrate sequence required for APCCdh1 inhibition. Acm1 interacted with and inhibited substrate binding to the WD40 repeat domain of Cdh1. Combined mutation of the central D and KEN boxes strongly reduced both binding to the Cdh1 WD40 domain and APCCdh1 inhibition. Despite this, the double mutant, but not wild-type Acm1, was poly-ubiquitinated by APCCdh1 in vitro. Thus, unlike substrates in which D and KEN boxes promote ubiquitination, these same elements in the central region of Acm1 prevent ubiquitination. We propose that this unique property of the Acm1 degron sequences results from an unusually high affinity interaction with the substrate receptor site on the WD40 domain of Cdh1 that may serve both to promote APC inhibition and protect Acm1 from destruction.
Renal Effects of Low-dose Methoxyflurane with Cardiopulmonary Bypass

In a randomized prospective study of ten patients anesthetized with small doses of methoxyflurane (mean arterial concentration 7.8 ± 1.0 mg/100 ml) for operations involving cardiopulmonary bypass, no changes in renal function were found. Results were compared with those in a control group of ten pat
Preliminary experience with a new design for a tunneled, cuffed catheter for hemodialysis

Purpose: The use of tunneled, cuffed central venous catheters for hemodialysis is associated with poor flow, thrombosis, and infections due to the transcutaneous nature of these devices. A new design for a sutureless, tunneled cuffed catheter was evaluated in hemodialysis patients to determine the effect of its design on the incidence of exit site infection. Methods: A polyurethane conduit with a uniquely designed cuff and subcutaneous skirt covered with Dacron velour was attached to standard double lumen central venous catheters. Seven (7) Ash catheters and one (1) Tesio catheter were fitted with the overtube and skirt and implanted in eight (8) patients undergoing routine hemodialysis. Patients were monitored for exit site infection, tunnel infection, bacteremia, cuff extrusion, and serosanguineous exudate. Results: Catheters were implanted for 6 to 26 weeks. All catheters remained patent and no cases of bacteremia were observed. There was no evidence of exit site or tunnel infection, and no reported serosanguineous exudate from the exit site. Exit site care consisted of soap and water cleansing by the patient. Patients were able to shower or bathe 4 weeks post-implant. Conclusions: The new design for a subcutaneous cuff and skirt appears to inhibit exit site infection and other common complications of central venous catheters.
Isolation and characterization of neural progenitor cells from post-mortem human cortex

Post-mortem human brain tissue represents a vast potential source of neural progenitor cells for use in basic research as well as therapeutic applications. Here we describe five human neural progenitor cell cultures derived from cortical tissue harvested from premature infants. Time-lapse videomicrography of the passaged cultures revealed them to be highly dynamic, with high motility and extensive, evanescent intercellular contacts. Karyotyping revealed normal chromosomal complements. Prior to differentiation, most of the cells were nestin, Sox2, vimentin, and/or GFAP positive, and a subpopulation was doublecortin positive. Multilineage potential of these cells was demonstrated after differentiation, with some subpopulations of cells expressing the neuronal markers beta-tubulin, MAP2ab, NeuN, FMRP, and Tau and others expressing the oligodendroglial marker O1. Still other cells expressed the classic glial marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). RT-PCR confirmed nestin, SOX2, GFAP, and doublecortin expression and also showed epidermal growth factor receptor and nucleostemin expression during the expansion phase. Flow cytometry showed high levels of the neural stem cell markers CD133, CD44, CD81, CD184, CD90, and CD29. CD133 markedly decreased in high-passage, lineage-restricted cultures. Electrophysiological analysis after differentiation demonstrated that the majority of cells with neuronal morphology expressed voltage-gated sodium and potassium currents. These data suggest that post-mortem human brain tissue is an important source of neural progenitor cells that will be useful for analysis of neural differentiation and for transplantation studies.
Stem cell therapy for muscular dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is a heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders that manifests as progressive muscle weakness, muscle wasting and, in many cases, death. Although there has been enormous progress in the molecular understanding of muscular dystrophy, there is still no cure. There are, however, several different therapeutic options under investigation, including adult-derived stem cell transplantation. Encouraging and pioneering experiments in mouse models for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD) demonstrated that myoblasts could be transplanted into dystrophic muscle; these myoblasts repaired a small proportion of damaged myofibres. Subsequent work has been devoted to optimisation of this technique. In doing so, a number of adult-derived stem cells have been isolated, characterised and used in promising animal transplantation experiments. Further research is ongoing, and is clearly necessary to make this therapy a viable treatment option for patients with muscular dystrophy.
Helical arylamide foldamers: structure prediction by molecular dynamics simulations

We present a molecular dynamics (MD) study on a series of helical arylamide oligomers with systematically varying building blocks and linkage types. This study showcases a computational approach for the prediction of secondary structure properties of arylamide foldamers and their solution dynamics. We demonstrate that the conformational characteristics of foldamers, such as the number of units per turn, helical pitch, and pore diameter, can be predicted by MD simulations of small oligomers significantly shorter than the foldamers in question. Importantly, the curvature angle, the key geometrical parameter in helical arylamide structures, can be accurately determined by MD simulation of tetramers, entities with often less than one helical turn. The curvature angle is found to be a local property associated with one single residue/unit, which enables highly accurate predictive power for designing oligomers with various scaffolds and sizes. In addition, MD simulations with the improved force field parameters capture solvent effects in terms of both protic solvent competition with intramolecular H-bonds and solvophobic effects. The computational approach can provide useful insight into dynamical, mechanistic and functional properties of the arylamide oligomer class, which will facilitate rational design of foldamers.
Ring shaped nucleoli in the primary spermatocytes of rats and mice.

Des empreintes et frottis de testicule de rat et de souris ont ete prepares et colores par la solution de Giemsa-Ionescu. Des nucleoles annulaires ont ete observes dans les spermatocytes primaires. Une correlation possible est envisagee entre ces nucleoles annulaires et la multiplication rapide des cellules seminiferes.
Development of an "early" detection battery for dementia of the Alzheimer type.

Abstract 1. To develop a diagnostic battery sensitive to and specific for the early detection of Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia, the authors reviewed over 400 journal articles dealing with the diagnosis of A.D. or senile dementia and cognitive assessment in organic brain dysfunction and closed head injury. 2. We culled those studies that met our criteria for solid, reliable and statistically significant results and recommend the testing paradigms that most often produced good discrimination of mild AD dementia from normal senescence. 3. These include tests of language, verbal and non-verbal memory, perception, praxis, attention and reasoning. 4. The battery we assembled takes less than 1 hour to administer, requires no special equipment, and was designed as an early screen for use by psychologists, psychiatrists and other trained health care professionals; it is not intended for repeated administration, as in pharmacological or longitidudinal studies.
Modulation of the complement system in the prevention and treatment of sepsis

Abstract The complement system has long been recognized as an important component of host immunity. The proteins of the complement cascade are known to participate in several physiologic and pathophysiologic processes relevant to the development and progression of bacterial invasion. A brief overview of complement activation and the inhibitors of the cascade is provided. Some of the investigations that have enhanced understanding of the antiinfective role of complement and the pathophysiologic consequences of unregulated complement activation in advanced bacterial sepsis are summarized. New areas of research that could lead to novel strategies for preventing and treating bacterial sepsis in children are explored. They include exploiting the role of complement in the immune response to foreign antigens for the development of vaccines, the use of cytokines to enhance the synthesis and secretion of complement components, and the use of complement inhibitors to prevent complications of advanced bacterial sepsis. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Hope and its Ramifications for Politics

Since the seventeenth century, at least, Western political philosophy has for the most part been articulated in terms of one or the other of two incompatible positions. One position would claim that there is some knowable, anterior, fundamentally ahistorical order which serves as standard, criterion, or guiding principle for political conduct. One this view, politics can reasonably aspire to being a science, in the classical sense of that term. Orthodox or scientific Marxism is an example of this position.
TIP39 modulates effects of novelty-induced arousal on memory

Tuberoinfundibular peptide of 39 residues (TIP39) is a neuropeptide localized to neural circuits subserving emotional processing. Recent work showed that mice with null mutation for the gene coding TIP39 (TIP39-KO mice) display increased susceptibility to environmental provocation. Based on this stressor-dependent phenotype, the neuroanatomical distribution of TIP39, and knowledge that novelty-induced arousal modulates memory functions via noradrenergic activation, we hypothesized that exposure to a novel environment differently affects memory performance of mice with or without TIP39 signaling, potentially by differences in sensitivity of the noradrenergic system. We tested TIP39-KO mice and mice with null mutation of its receptor, the parathyroid hormone 2 receptor (PTH2-R), in tasks of short-term declarative and social memory (object recognition and social recognition tests, respectively), and of working memory (Y-maze test) under conditions of novelty-induced arousal or acclimation to the test conditions. Mice lacking TIP39 signaling showed memory impairment selectively under conditions of novelty-induced arousal. Acute administration of a PTH2-R antagonist in wild-type mice had a similar effect. The restoration of memory functions in TIP39-KO mice after injection of a β-adrenoreceptor-blocker, propranolol, suggested involvement of the noradrenergic system. Collectively, these results suggest that the TIP39/PTH2-R system modulates the effects of novelty exposure on memory performance, potentially by acting on noradrenergic signaling.
Coherent-potential-approximation calculation of the valence bands of the quaternary alloy In x Ga 1-x As y P 1-y

The empirical bond-orbital model and the coherent-potential approximation (CPA) are used to study the valence-band structures of the quaternary alloy ${\mathrm{In}}_{x}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{As}}_{y}{\mathrm{P}}_{1\ensuremath{-}y}$ in a manner similar to our previous work on the ternary III-V compound alloys. The densities of states and the self-energies are correlated with the bond-energy levels and their fluctuations. The concentration variation of the valence-band edge (at ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{15}$) obtained in CPA for the quaternaries matched to the lattice parameters of GaAs and InP are compared with the results from the virtual-crystal approximation. The valence band is shown to contribute significantly to the bowing of the band-gap energy of these alloys.
A Distributed and Distance Learning Course “Fluid Flows in Nature”

This course was originally designed and conventionally taught to build upon and broaden a basic, traditional engineering knowledge of fluid flows into new and stimulating areas concerning a wide variety of natural occurrences and phenomena that involve fluid motions in important ways. Topics covered include: continuity and consequences in nature, drag of sessile systems and motile animals; gliding and soaring; flying and swimming; internal flows in organisms; low Reynolds number flows; fluid-fluid interfaces and stratified flows; unsteady flows in nature; atmospheric flows and wind engineering; and environmental fluid mechanics. The course is intended for upper-level students in engineering and science and presumes a background in the fundamentals of fluid flows at the level of a first engineering course in fluid mechanics. It proved popular with students majoring in mechanical, civil, aerospace and ocean engineering with occasional students from mathematics and sciences for a typical enrollment of 80–100 students. An unexpected, but welcome and powerful, benefit occurs in the form of reinforcing and deepening student understanding of traditional topics in engineering fluid mechanics by contrast with the often very different situations encountered in nature. An OnLine version of the course was introduced for the Spring Semester of 2006. Enrollment promptly and steadily increased to the point where 230 students registered in the Spring Semester of 2010. It is felt that a course of this type where conventional instructional materials do not exist is particularly suited to the OnLine format.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Changes in rest and exercise myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function 3 to 26 weeks after clinically uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction: effects of exercise training.

The effects of exercise training on exercise myocardial perfusion and left ventricular (LV) function in the first 6 months after clinically uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were assessed in 53 consecutive men aged 55 ± 9 years. Symptom-limited treadmill exercise with thallium myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and symptom-limited upright bicycle ergometry with equilibrium gated radionuclide ventriculography were performed 3, 11 and 26 weeks after AMI by 23 men randomized to training and 30 randomized to no training. Peak cycle capacity increased in both groups between 3 and 26 weeks (p
Controlled endoscopic retrieval of ectopic ureteral catheters using fluoroscopic guidance

The double-J ureteral catheter has been popularized as an ideal internal ureteral stent. Migration of the distal end of the catheter up the ureter, however, can complicate its safe removal. A safe, controlled method of stent extraction is described using a C-arm fluoroscopic unit.
Collisional population transfer in trapped Yb + ions

Long-lived metastable states of Yb+ ions are used for atomic frequency standards, precision measurements, and quantum information research. The effect of population trapping and transfer in these states must be well understood. We report here the transfer of Yb+ ions into the long-lived {sup 2}F{sub 7/2} state by means of collisions between He buffer gas and Yb+ ions held in a linear Paul trap. Transfer rates were measured as functions of buffer-gas pressure and repump-laser power, and the collisional population transfer rates were extracted. The measured transfer rate coefficients are 8.32(75)x10-11 and 8.65(33)x10-11 cm3/s for the collisional processes {sup 2}P{sub 1/2}{yields}{sup 2}D{sub 5/2} and {sup 2}D{sub 3/2}{yields}{sup 2}F{sub 7/2}, respectively.
A stochastic recursive interactive programming model for farm firm policy analysis

Abstract A first-generation, farm level recursive interactive programming model for analyzing the impacts of commodity farm programs on typical farms (FLIPRIP) is described and demonstrated. FLIPRIP uses a specialized linear programming algorithm (XMP) and the farm managementpolicy components of FLIPSIM. A Texas cotton farm is analyzed using stochastic crop prices and yields under two farm policy options to demonstrate the type of policy data generated by FLIPRIP.
Discussion of ''Implied Equity Duration: A New Measure of Equity Risk''

Equity duration offers an interesting new approach to measuring stock risk. The cross-sectional relation between duration and returns is puzzling and invites further investigation.
Determination of behaviorally effective tobacco constituent doses in rats.

Introduction While nicotine has been established as the primary addictive drug that promotes tobacco use, recent peer-reviewed studies suggest that tobacco smoke contains additional chemical constituents that may have addictive potential. Additional research is necessary to determine the addictive potential of these tobacco constituents individually and in combination with tobacco smoke condensate; however, the behaviorally effective constituent doses necessary to conduct such studies are unclear. The primary objective of this study was to conduct behavioral studies in adult rats to determine the relevant behaviorally effective doses of the tobacco constituents, cotinine, myosmine, and anatabine to be used in future studies assessing the addictive potential of these compounds. Methods Separate groups of adult male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with vehicle, nicotine, or various doses of cotinine, mysomine, or anatabine. Effects on locomotor activity were measured in 10-min bins for 60min. Results Nicotine (0.8mg/kg) produced a biphasic effect on locomotor activity, with hypoactivity during the first 10min and hyperactivity at 40-50min. In contrast, cotinine (0.1mg/kg) and myosmine (10-50mg/kg) decreased activity without a later increase. Anatabine significantly increased locomotor activity at 1mg/kg, but decreased it at 10mg/kg. Prominent effects on overt behavior were observed at anatabine doses of 10mg/kg and above. Conclusion Nicotine, cotinine, myosmine, and anatabine produced distinct time- and dose-dependent patterns of effects on locomotor activity. Results from the study will aid in the selection of relevant doses for future studies assessing the addictive potential of these non-nicotine tobacco constituents.