cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitric oxide-releasing emulsion with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E

S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is a naturally available S-nitrosothiol that can be incorporated into non-toxic formulations intended for topical use. The value of nitric oxide (NO) delivered topically relates to its well-studied physiological functions such as vasodilation, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Previously reported topical NO-releasing substrates include polymeric materials that exhibit non-toxic behaviors on dermal tissue such as polyethylene glycol. However, they do not serve as humectants nor provide vitamins to the skin. In this study, GSNO was added to an emulsion that was fortified with α-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) and hyaluronic acid. The average total NO content for the NO-releasing emulsion was 58 ± 8 μmol g−1 at 150 °C and the cumulative NO release over 53 h at physiological temperature (37.4 °C) was 46 ± 4 μmol g−1. The GSNO concentration in the lotion was optimized in order to reach a pH value similar to that of human skin (pH 5.5). The viscosity was analyzed using a rotational viscometer for the S-nitrosated and the non-nitrosated emulsions to obtain a material that can be readily spread on dermal tissue. The viscosity values obtained ranged from 7.88 ± 0.99 to 8.50 ± 0.36 Pa s. Previous studies have determined that the viscosity maximum for lotions is 100 Pa s. A low viscosity increases the diffusion coefficient of active ingredients to the skin given that they are inversely proportional as described by the Einstein–Smoluchowski equation. The effect of the S-nitrosated and non-nitrosated emulsions on adult human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) was assessed in comparison to untreated HDFs using Colorimetric Cell Viability Kit I-WST-8. The findings indicate that neither the S-nitrosated nor non-nitrosated emulsions induced cytotoxicity in HDFs.
Role of Fe(II) Content in Olivine Carbonation in WetSupercritical CO 2

Basalt geologic reservoirs are targeted for carbon storage because they are abundant in divalent silicates such as olivine [(Mg,Fe)2SiO4] that can carbonate to permanently trap CO2. Under reservoir...
Omnidirectional 360° Video Coding Technology in Responses to the Joint Call for Proposals on Video Compression With Capability Beyond HEVC

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications have seen rising popularity in recent years. Omnidirectional 360° video is a video format often used in AR and VR applications. To address the industry needs, a new HEVC edition recently published includes several supplemental enhancement information (SEI) messages to enable the carriage of omnidirectional video using HEVC. However, further improvement in 360° video compression efficiency is needed. In order to address this challenge, the Joint Video Exploration Team (JVET) of ITU-T VCEG and ISO/IEC MPEG has been investigating 360° video coding technologies, including projection formats, pre- and post-processing technologies, as well as 360°-video-specific coding tools since 2016. The joint call for proposals (CfP) recently issued by ITU-T VCEG and ISO/IEC MPEG on video compression technologies beyond HEVC included a category on 360° video. Twelve CfP responses in the 360° video category were received. This paper describes technologies relevant to 360° video for VVC. A summary of projection formats, pre- and post-processing methods, and 360°-video specific coding tool modifications in these proposals is provided.
Convex relaxation for optimal rendezvous of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles

Abstract In this paper, we present an optimal rendezvous approach that facilitates the coordination of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Of particular interest is the problem of UAV-UGV rendezvous for autonomous aerial refueling, which is an important capability for the future use of UAVs. The main contribution of this work is the development of a promising method for the generation of optimal rendezvous trajectories in real time using convex optimization. First, the UAV-UGV rendezvous problem is formulated as a nonconvex optimal control problem using an error dynamic model, where the state and control variables are highly coupled. Then, great effort is devoted to reducing the nonconvexity and coupling of the dynamics through change of variables. Based on a lossless convexification technique, a sequential convex programming algorithm is designed and the solution is obtained by solving a sequence of convex optimization problems. Theoretical proof is provided to demonstrate the exactness of convexification. Furthermore, a simple line search technique is introduced to handle the model error resulting from the linear approximations and to improve the convergence of the designed successive process. Simulation results of two refueling rendezvous situations validate that the proposed method is capable of converging to the solutions within a second, which shows great potential for real-time applications.
Cognitively unimpaired adults' reactions to disclosure of amyloid PET scan results.

Importance Clinical guidelines currently recommend against amyloid imaging for cognitively unimpaired persons. The goal of Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention, together with advances in understanding the pathophysiology of AD, however, has led to trials testing drugs in cognitively unimpaired persons who show evidence of AD biomarkers. Assuming the eventual success of such trials, millions of patients will be affected. There is a need to understand the effects of biomarker disclosure on those individuals. Design The Study of Knowledge and Reactions to Amyloid Testing (SOKRATES) involved 2 semi-structured telephone interviews with individuals who received amyloid PET scan results as part of screening for research participation. Post-disclosure interviews were conducted at 4 to 12 weeks and again 1 year later. Data were collected from November 5, 2014 to November 30, 2016. Interviews were transcribed and coded in NVivo 12.0. Participants 80 adults aged 65 and older: 50 who received "elevated" and 30 who received "not-elevated" amyloid PET scan results. Main outcomes Interviews examined four domains: (1) comprehension of the amyloid PET scan result; (2) implications of the result for sense of self, memory, and future; (3) sharing of results with others; and (4) AD risk-reduction behaviors. Results Participants who received an elevated amyloid PET scan result viewed the result as more serious and sensitive than other medical test results given its unique implications for identity, self-determination, and stigma. In contrast, participants who received a not-elevated amyloid PET scan result described feeling relief and reinterpreted perceived memory impairments as normal aging. Participants with elevated amyloid reported contemplating and making more changes to health behaviors and future plans than their peers with not-elevated amyloid. Conclusions Clinical practice in the diagnosis and treatment of persons with preclinical AD, a stage of the disease defined by the presence of biomarkers in the absence of cognitive impairment, will need to address matters of identity, stigma, and life-planning.
α-Ketoglutarate attenuates Wnt signaling and drives differentiation in colorectal cancer

Genetic-driven deregulation of the Wnt pathway is crucial but not sufficient for colorectal cancer (CRC) tumourigenesis. Here, we show that environmental glutamine restriction further augments Wnt signaling in APC mutant intestinal organoids to promote stemness and leads to adenocarcinoma formation in vivo via decreasing intracellular alpha-ketoglutarate (aKG) levels. aKG supplementation is sufficient to rescue low-glutamine induced stemness and Wnt hyperactivation. Mechanistically, we found that aKG promotes hypomethylation of DNA and histone H3K4me3, leading to an upregulation of differentiation-associated genes and downregulation of Wnt target genes, respectively. Using CRC patient-derived organoids and several in vivo CRC tumour models, we show that aKG supplementation suppresses Wnt signaling and promotes cellular differentiation, thereby significantly restricting tumour growth and extending survival. Together, our results reveal how metabolic microenvironment impacts Wnt signaling and identify aKG as a potent antineoplastic metabolite for potential differentiation therapy for CRC patients.
Disentangling the Meanings of Brand Authenticity: An Abstract

Consumer demand for authenticity is a foundation of modern-day marketing (Brown et al. 2003). Marketers increasingly tout their brand’s authenticity to tap this underlying consumer need: Manatee County, Florida, claims it is “Real. Authentic. Florida.” (Salmon 2012), and Sargento cheese asks consumers to “Taste the Real Difference.” The importance of brand authenticity is also reflected within the marketing literature, as a significant amount of research has been dedicated to the topic (e.g., Beverland and Luxton 2005; Leigh et al. 2006; Morhart et al. 2015; Napoli et al. 2014; Spiggle et al. 2012).
Non-IBD Noninfectious Colitis

The chapter systematically reviews the entities of non-IBD noninfectious colitis in a question-and-answer type format. A wide spectrum of diseases, including microscopic colitis, diverticular-disease-associated colitis, ischemic bowel injury, fibromuscular dysplasia, diversion colitis, pneumatosis intestinalis, radiation colitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, Behcet disease, and irritable bowel syndrome, belongs to the category of non-IBD noninfectious colitis. The most frequently encountered diagnostic questions and potential differential diagnosis are the focus of discussion. Multiple gross and microscopic photos are used to illustrate the concepts. Lastly, five cases are provided to strengthen the practice with detailed explanations followed.
A Game Theoretic Framework for Software Diversity for Network Security

Diversity plays a significant role in network security, and we propose a formal model to investigate and optimize the advantages of software diversity in network security. However, diversity is also costly, and network administrators encounter a tradeoff between network secu- rity and the cost to deploy and maintain a well-diversified network. We study this tradeoff in a two-player nonzero-sum game-theoretic model of software diversity. We find the Nash equilibrium of the game to give an optimal security strategy for the defender, and implement an algorithm for optimizing software diversity via embedding a graph-coloring approach based on the Nash equilibrium. We show that the opponent (i.e., adversary) spends more effort to compromise an optimally diversified network. We also analyze the complexity of the proposed algorithm and propose a complexity reduction approach to avoid exponential growth in runtime. We present numerical results that validate the effectiveness of the proposed software diversity approach.
Dispersal and Current Systems up to 1963

Current systems that deposited ancient clastics can be reconstructed by the mapping of dispersal patterns of clastic particles and unconformities as well as by mapping directional structures.
Integration of multi-seasonal Landsat 8 and TerraSAR-X data for urban mapping: An assessment

Accurate land cover maps provide critical information to scientists and decision-makers involved in urban monitoring and management. Satellite remote sensing can be used for producing mid-resolution urban maps at regional scale, especially when integrating multispectral optical information with SAR data. Starting from processing of Landsat 8 and TerraSAR-X multi-seasonal data (March-August 2014) covering a study area located in Lombardy region (Italy), we carried out an assessment of urban mapping performance using different non-parametric supervised classification algorithms and input features. The results show that best overall accuracy is generally reached with Random Forest (95.5%) and Support Vector Machines (93.6%), using both optical and SAR information. Adding X-band backscatter as input information produced an average accuracy improvement around 3%. Among various land cover classes, detection errors were concentrated on urban sparse fabric, and vegetated land cover, especially when SAR features are not used as input.
Studies on the organization of the brush border in intestinal epithelial cells. IV. Aminopeptidase activity in microvillus membranes of hamster intestinal brush borders.

Abstract 1. 1. Microvillus membranes isolated from hamster intestinal epithelial cells are capable of hydrolyzing 8 di- and tripeptides at appreciable rates. Hydrolysis is most rapid at or near neutral pH. Cobalt and zinc restore activity when it is reduced by treatment of the membrane with EDTA. d -Leucyl-glycine, N -Z-leucyl-glycine and several proteins are not hydrolyzed. Enzymatic activity is not removed by deoxycholate treatment. 2. 2. The specific activity of membrane aminopeptidase measured with tripeptide substrates is comparable to that of membrane sucrase. 3. 3. Owing to a location at the luminal surface of the epithelial cell, an association with carbohydrate digestive hydrolases and a relatively high specific activity in isolated membranes, brush border aminopeptidase activity is concluded to play a role in terminal protein digestion at the peptide level.
The Principle of the Wall – Or How Space (May Have) Shaped Semiosis: A Note

In this text, I explore the possibility that semiosis emerged in human evolution through an integration of basic properties of perception and conceptualization on the one hand (iconicity and causal reconstruction), and basic properties of intersubjective gesturing (deictic attention-monitoring) on the other. The integration happened because these components all share a proto-semiotic spatial divide separating the proximal (an interior space) and the distal (an exterior space). This divide would stem from early human shelter building (architecture). Hence the title: it is about walls and openings. Corollary: Art consists in re-exploring the origins of semiosis. Science and religion have competing deictic enunciative structure based on semiosis.
Shouts, Murmurs and Votes: Acclamation and Aggregation in Ancient Greece*

TODAY we usually consider individuals’ political judgments, once transformed into votes, to be discrete and countable. Such a view underlies the use of majority or supermajority rule: we choose a precise vote threshold, a proportion of such individual judgments, to be necessary for the adoption of a policy or the election of a candidate. Yet the activity of counting inherent in the notion of aggregation—the idea that the outcome of democratic decisions ought to be determined by calculating the specific number of votes—was not always taken to be the critical means by which we might discover collective preferences. Systems of acclamation both preceded and endured long past the invention of aggregative mechanisms. Acclamation took the form of shouts or murmurs or, in a more complicated sense, the estimation of waved hands: what is salient is that these votes were heard or observed qua unified whole, rather than counted. Here
Abstract 19328: Clinical Predictors of Renal Failure in Heart Transplant Patients Following Initiation of Calcineurin Inhibitor Free Regimen

Purpose: Calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy has been the cornerstone of standard triple-drug immunosuppressive therapy that has significantly improved outcomes after heart transplantation (HTx). However, CNI-induced nephrotoxicity remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Renal-sparing protocols (RSP) using CNI-free regimens have improved renal function in some patients (pts). The clinical variables associated with development of renal failure despite RSP initiation are unknown. We therefore evaluated HTx pts on RSP for possible risk factors associated with renal failure. Methods: Of 1,424 HTx pts between 1/1994 to 1/2011, 61 were identified who underwent RSP. Creatinine values were obtained at time of RSP initiation and ≥3 months post-RSP. The CKD-EPI Cr Equation (2009) was used to estimate GFR. We assessed pts for type of CNI, prednisone use, ACE-inhibitor/ARB use, calcium-channel blocker use, sex, race, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. A logistic regres...
Global compilation of variations in slab depth beneath arc volcanoes and implications

[1] The location and motion of subducting plates relative to volcanic arcs provide a first-order constraint on theories of arc magmagenesis. We compile volcano-specific subduction parameters for 33,000 km of the global arc system at 839 volcanic centers, measuring the depth to the top of the slab (H) beneath each volcano. The compilation also includes estimates of slab strike and dip, incoming plate velocity, and age, all available in accompanying auxiliary material. The slab geometry is contoured from the top surface of Wadati-Benioff zones (WBZs) for a variety of teleseismic and local seismicity catalogs, which provides a reference surface for evaluating the distribution of seismicity within subducting plates. The WBZ thickness exceeds that expected from hypocentral errors in a manner correlating with plate age, indicating that old plates have thicker regions in which earthquakes can occur. When averaged over 500-km-long arc segments, H ranges from 72 to 173 km with a global average of 105 km, increasing by 20 km when hypocentral error effects are taken into account. These depths correlate poorly with most subduction parameters, but significant correlations exist between H and slab dip (correlation coefficient is 0.54 for 45 arc segments). The dip correlation can be explained if the melting region is displaced from the Wadati-Benioff zone by a constant-thickness boundary layer. For the north Pacific, H varies inversely with descent rate; this trend may reflect the manner in which wedge thermal structure affects arc location. Over short distances some arc segments exhibit abrupt variations in arc location but not slab geometry, indicating that upper-plate tectonic processes also exert control on H. These along-strike trends in H also correlate with geochemical proxies for the degree of melting, at least in one test case. Thus slab geometry and kinematics provide an important control on the melting that produces arc volcanoes.
Management of singlet and triplet excitons for efficient white organic light-emitting devices

Lighting accounts for approximately 22 per cent of the electricity consumed in buildings in the United States, with 40 per cent of that amount consumed by inefficient (approximately 15 lm W(-1)) incandescent lamps. This has generated increased interest in the use of white electroluminescent organic light-emitting devices, owing to their potential for significantly improved efficiency over incandescent sources combined with low-cost, high-throughput manufacturability. The most impressive characteristics of such devices reported to date have been achieved in all-phosphor-doped devices, which have the potential for 100 per cent internal quantum efficiency: the phosphorescent molecules harness the triplet excitons that constitute three-quarters of the bound electron-hole pairs that form during charge injection, and which (unlike the remaining singlet excitons) would otherwise recombine non-radiatively. Here we introduce a different device concept that exploits a blue fluorescent molecule in exchange for a phosphorescent dopant, in combination with green and red phosphor dopants, to yield high power efficiency and stable colour balance, while maintaining the potential for unity internal quantum efficiency. Two distinct modes of energy transfer within this device serve to channel nearly all of the triplet energy to the phosphorescent dopants, retaining the singlet energy exclusively on the blue fluorescent dopant. Additionally, eliminating the exchange energy loss to the blue fluorophore allows for roughly 20 per cent increased power efficiency compared to a fully phosphorescent device. Our device challenges incandescent sources by exhibiting total external quantum and power efficiencies that peak at 18.7 +/- 0.5 per cent and 37.6 +/- 0.6 lm W(-1), respectively, decreasing to 18.4 +/- 0.5 per cent and 23.8 +/- 0.5 lm W(-1) at a high luminance of 500 cd m(-2).
440 V AlSiN-passivated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor with 40 GHz bandwidth

AlSiN is showing promise as a passivation material for AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) [1]. The negative fixed charged provided by the dielectric allows for controlled depletion of the ungated portions of the channel, which suggests that this passivation scheme would allow for higher operating voltages without the use of a field plate. Here we report the performance of AlSiN-passivated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs without field plates and small feature sizes for power switching applications.
Consequences of detritus type in an aquatic microsystem: effects on water quality, micro‐organisms and performance of the dominant consumer

SUMMARY 1. Variation in detritus quality and quantity can have significant effects on aquatic invertebrate food webs. Allochthonous inputs of detritus are the principal energy source for organisms in aquatic tree hole microsystems. We compared the effects of two major detritus types found in tree holes, senescent leaves (Sugar Maple and White Oak) and invertebrate carcasses (dead adult fruit flies and crickets), on several water quality characteristics of laboratory microcosms as well as on mass, survival and population performance of the dominant tree hole consumer, Ochlerotatus triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae). To date, no study has documented the effects of animal detritus in tree hole microsystems or on resident consumers. 2. Aquatic environments receiving invertebrate carcasses had significantly greater total nitrogen, total reactive phosphorus and higher pH, than leaf-based environments. Decay rate of invertebrate carcasses was greater compared to leaf material. Consumption of O2 by micro-organisms increased with increasing detritus amounts, but we detected no difference between detritus types. 3. Ochlerotatus triseriatus larvae grew faster in animal-based treatments, and mean mass of larvae was significantly greater when more animal detritus was used. The effect of animal-based treatments on larvae translated into higher performance for adults, which were three times heavier than counterparts from plant-based containers. Survivorship and estimated population growth rates were significantly greater for O. triseriatus reared on animal-based versus plant-based detritus. 4. We hypothesise two mechanisms for the pronounced effect of invertebrate carcasses on mosquito performance relative to that associated with leaf detritus: (i) invertebrate carcasses decompose more quickly and release nutrients more effectively into the aquatic environment; or (ii) O. triseriatus larvae may directly ingest nutrient-rich components of invertebrate carcasses. Because even relatively small animal detritus additions can have strong effects on O. triseriatus populations, studies need to be conducted to explore the overall role of animal detritus in tree holes in nature.
Anorectal symptoms of emotional origin.

The anorectal region is an area of the body which produces strong emotional reactions, so it is not surprising that functional symptoms are commonly located there. Although the proctologist has made great progress in the diagnosis and treatment of organic conditions; he has nevertheless given too little of his attention to the problem of functional disease. It is somewhat difficult to understand why the organic-minded physician, who so readily blames a minor structural deviation for severe and persistent symptoms, will reject consideration of the role of the brain and nervous system as a possible cause. In this age of narrow specialization it is easy to focus on a part, and forget the patient. Too often the specialist takes credit for relieving symptoms, and fails to realize that the patient is still not well, because the underlying emotional problem is still present and the symptoms have merely been shifted to another part of the body. It is unfortunate that treatment of functional illness is still so unsatisfactory, yet, progress is bound to come. The policy of nonrecognition of emotionally induced symptoms, and the technic of substitution of an organic-sounding diagnosis serve only to delay the eventual solution. Until then, the proctologist should implement his scope and scalpel with common sense and a broad understanding. Sometimes the greatest aid to a broad understanding occurs when the physician, after trying to cope with these functional symptoms day after day, finally develops a few of them himself.
Human Amygdala Development in the Absence of Species-Expected Caregiving

In altricial species, like the human, caregiver presence is necessary for typical emotional development. Children who have been raised in institutional care early in life experience caregiver deprivation and are at significantly elevated risk for emotional difficulties. The current manuscript examines the non-human and human literatures on amygdala development following caregiver deprivation and presents an argument that in the absence of the species-expected caregiver presence, human amygdala development exhibits rapid development and perhaps premature engagement that results in some of the emotional phenotypes observed following early institutional care.
Dynamic versus static grip strength: How grip strength changes when the wrist is moved, and why dynamic grip strength may be a more functional measurement

The synergistic relationship between wrist/forearm range of motion (ROM) and grip strength (GS) is arguably one of the most important aspects of hand function. Clinically, GS is measured with the wrist in a standardized static position, and the results of such tests have been deemed valid and reliable. The question remains, however, whether this static GS (SGS) measurement is an accurate indication of how an individual functionally grips objects--that is, most functional tasks require the fingers to grasp an object forcibly while moving the proximal joints such as the wrist and forearm. Therefore, further analysis of an individual's dynamic GS (DGS) during wrist/forearm movements may improve the clinician's understanding of hand function and provide more pertinent guidelines for assessing functional gripping, e.g., for vocational and avocational tasks and in designing workstations. The purpose of this study is twofold: to describe and assess a DGS testing device that utilizes optically encoded gyroscopes and a strain-gauge dynamometer to simultaneously measure GS and wrist/forearm position over real time; and to assess and compare grip force production differences in SGS and DGS in uninjured wrists, using this novel device. Twenty-nine uninjured wrists of men (n = 15) and women (n = 14)--age range, 21 to 43 years--were tested with the DGS device. Subjects were excluded if they had any previous wrist/forearm fracture, pain, or limitation of motion. The DGS device was designed and fabricated with two optically encoded gyroengines, a vertical gyroscope with two axes for measuring flexion/extension and radial/ulnar deviation, and a directional gyroscope with one axis for measuring supination/pronation, mounted on a strain-gauge dynamometer. The signals from the gyroscopes and dynamometer were processed by means of a data aquisition board and analog-to-digital circuitry and collected on a 486-MHz computer. The methods included repeated testing of each gyroscope axis to known angular measurements, and randomly assigned maximal gripping trials from the 29 subjects. The standard deviation of gyroengines is 1 degree to 2 degrees for each ROM axis. Maximal DGS is significantly less (mean 14%) than SGS, and SGS is 29% less than DGS at the same three-dimensional ROM positions. Gyroengines are feasible three-dimensional tracking devices that can be used to monitor wrist/forearm ROM in conjunction with GS.
Use of memantine in treatment of canine compulsive disorders

Abstract Medication plays an important role in the treatment of canine compulsive disorders (CCD). Not all cases can be managed with the current medications, and new pharmacological options are needed. This case series assesses the efficacy of the NMDA receptor blocker memantine as a possible new treatment option for CCD. Thirteen dogs with different manifestations of CCD were enrolled in the study, and data from 11 dogs were available for analysis. A behavioral and clinical history was obtained for each dog. Further medical tests were performed if deemed necessary. The main presenting complaints in the included cases were light/shadow chasing, spinning/circling, and tail chasing. All dogs were either treated with memantine alone or memantine was added to ongoing fluoxetine treatment. All owners of dogs included in the study were provided with a specific behavior modification plan in addition to the pharmacological treatment. Memantine was administered orally twice a day at a starting dose of 0.3-0.5 mg/kg. The dose was increased over time if necessary, and side effects permitting, to a dose not higher than 1 mg/kg. The owners were asked to use a clinical global impression scale (CGI) on a daily basis to assess the severity of their dog's compulsive behaviors. This score was obtained daily for up to 4 consecutive weeks, and average weekly scores were calculated. Seven (64%) of the dogs included in the study showed a reduction in the severity of CCD, with CGI scores reduced by the second week of treatment. Only 1 out of 11 dogs showed a side effect (increased frequency of urination) that was potentially related to the medication. The results suggest that memantine may be an effective, well-tolerated option for the treatment of CCD either as a sole treatment or as an add-on to fluoxetine. Further studies are needed to investigate the efficacy of memantine in the treatment of CCD.
Reasoning about ACL2 file input

We introduce the logical story behind file input in ACL2 and discuss the types of theorems that can be proven about file-reading operations. We develop a low level library for reasoning about the primitive input routines. We then develop a representation for Unicode text, and implement efficient functions to translate our representation to and from the UTF-8 encoding scheme. We introduce an efficient function to read UTF-8-encoded files, and prove that when files are well formed, the function produces valid Unicode text which corresponds to the contents of the file.We find exhaustive testing to be a useful technique for proving many theorems in this work. We show how ACL2 can be directed to prove a theorem by exhaustive testing.
L2 estimates for the perturbed phase transitions in unbounded one-dimensional nonlinear viscoelasticity

The motion of one-dimensional viscoelastic materials with a cubic stress-strain relation is considered in an unbounded region. Energy estimates are established for the perturbed travelling wave solutions including the dynamic phase transitions
First Observational Evidence for Condensation of Io's SO2 Atmosphere on the Nightside

Abstract In this note we search for the condensation of Io's tenuous SO 2 atmosphere on the night- (Jupiter-illuminated) side of the satellite by observing color changes on Voyager 2 images. We find that the nightside of Io is consistently bluer than the same regions viewed under solar illumination. The most likely explanation for this color change is the condensation of SO 2 frost. This measurement is the first observational evidence for such condensation.
TCP ex machina: computer-generated congestion control

This paper describes a new approach to end-to-end congestion control on a multi-user network. Rather than manually formulate each endpoint's reaction to congestion signals, as in traditional protocols, we developed a program called Remy that generates congestion-control algorithms to run at the endpoints.In this approach, the protocol designer specifies their prior knowledge or assumptions about the network and an objective that the algorithm will try to achieve, e.g., high throughput and low queueing delay. Remy then produces a distributed algorithm---the control rules for the independent endpoints---that tries to achieve this objective.In simulations with ns-2, Remy-generated algorithms outperformed human-designed end-to-end techniques, including TCP Cubic, Compound, and Vegas. In many cases, Remy's algorithms also outperformed methods that require intrusive in-network changes, including XCP and Cubic-over-sfqCoDel (stochastic fair queueing with CoDel for active queue management). Remy can generate algorithms both for networks where some parameters are known tightly a priori, e.g. datacenters, and for networks where prior knowledge is less precise, such as cellular networks. We characterize the sensitivity of the resulting performance to the specificity of the prior knowledge, and the consequences when real-world conditions contradict the assumptions supplied at design-time.
READABILITY OF PUBLISHED DENTAL EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

ABSTRACT Background A growing number of adult Americans are functionally illiterate. These people often do not understand educational documents written by health care professionals, especially if English is the reader's second language. This problem has received little attention in dentistry. Methods In this study, the author selected a sampling of 24 patient educational documents from several dental resources and reviewed them for readability, using a computer-based program that assigns a reading level of understanding on the basis of a standard formula known as the Flesch-Kincaid Formula. The author also conducted a subjective review of each document to identify seemingly unnecessary professional jargon and words that were unlikely to be understood by many readers. Results Reading levels varied from third to 23rd grade (according to the Flesch-Kincaid Formula), and 41.7 percent of the materials were written at greater than the recommended level for understanding by most patients (mean level: seventh to ninth grade). Many dental specialty publications were written at or near college levels. Many documents had multiple grammatical errors. Seventy-nine words in the reviewed documents were considered to be jargon or potentially obscure to many lay readers. Conclusions More attention needs to be focused on the preparation of written educational materials for dental patients, to make the documents more understandable to the average patient. Guidelines for acceptable writing are available in the medical, nursing and pharmaceutical literature.
Short cervical length after history-indicated cerclage: is a reinforcing cerclage beneficial?

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine if a reinforcing cerclage improves outcome in women with a history-indicated cerclage who develop a short cervix on ultrasound. Study design The management of women with a history-indicated transvaginal cerclage who subsequently developed a short cervix (≤25 mm) on transvaginal ultrasound before 24 weeks was retrospectively reviewed. Exposed subjects that received a reinforcing cerclage were compared with similar unexposed subjects that were followed with expectant management. The primary outcome was preterm delivery Results Twenty-four eligible women were identified, of which 5 received a reinforcing cerclage and 19 were managed expectantly. There was no difference in patient demographics and risk factors between the exposed and unexposed groups. Reinforcing cerclage was associated with a significantly earlier gestational age at delivery (20.8 vs 32.9 weeks, P =.002) as well as higher rates of both preterm delivery P =.01) and previable delivery P =.01). Conclusion In pregnancies with a history-indicated cerclage and subsequently diagnosed ultrasound cervical shortening before 24 weeks, placement of a reinforcing cerclage is associated with earlier delivery than expectant management.
Ultraviolet-evoked prostaglandin biosynthesis in varying stages of keratinocyte differentiation in guinea pig skin.

Abstract Prostaglandin (PG) production by guinea pig epidermal cells was evaluated at various incubation intervals in normal and UV-exposed cultures. Prostaglandins have been implicated as mediators of the early phase of erythema in skin exposed to sunlight or UV-radiation. Using a density gradient centrifugation procedure, the epidermal cells were fractionated according to the various maturation sta s of epidermal keratinocytes: high-density epidermal cells (HDEC) consisting of round, less mature cells; low-density epidermal cells (LDEC) consisting of polygonal keratinized cells; and intermediate-density epidermal cells (IDEC) consisting of both HDEC and LDEC. When cultures of 1 × 10 6 cells were incubated at 37°C in 5% C0 2 the highest concentrations of five PG moieties measured were present in supernatants from the LDEC cultures as compared to those of IDEC or HDEC. Levels of PGF 2α were much higher than the rest, which were found in the order PGF 2α > PGE 2 > PGE 1 > 6-keto-PGF 1α > thromboxane (TX)B 2 . UV-irradiation induced increases in all but TXA 2 production. These results identify and quantitate five compounds produced as a result of exaggerated activity of the cyclooxygenase induced by UV-irradiation.
Coordinated regulation of cholinergic motor neuron traits through a conserved terminal selector gene

The authors show that the transcription factor UNC-3 acts via a common cis element to regulate the battery of genes that confer cholinergic identity on a subset of motor neurons in the nematode. This study provides further insight into the mechanisms by which the coordination of genetic programs acts to specify neuronal subtypes.
Pros and cons of new oral anticoagulants

The availability of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) targeting either thrombin (dabigatran etexilate) or factor Xa (rivaroxaban and apixaban) for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis has been highly anticipated. NOACs have major pharmacologic advantages over vitamin K antagonists (eg, warfarin), including rapid onset/offset of action, few drug interactions, and predictable pharmacokinetics, eliminating the requirement for regular coagulation monitoring. Regulatory agencies have approved several NOACs for specific indications based on the results of clinical trials demonstrating efficacy and safety that are at least as good, if not better, than warfarin (for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism) or low-molecular-weight heparin, which is injectable (for initial treatment of venous thromboembolism and thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty). However, the adoption of this new therapeutic class into clinical practice has been slower than expected due to several factors including concerns regarding medication adherence without laboratory monitoring, uncertainty about dosing in some patient populations (eg, renal dysfunction, marked extremes of body weight), and higher drug costs compared with warfarin. Other issues are the current absence of specific antidotes for NOACs and assays to measure drug levels at most centers. The indications for NOACs on the market will expand and at least one additional agent (edoxaban) will likely gain approval within the next 2 years. As practitioners gain familiarity with the drugs and healthcare systems adapt to their use, NOAC use will increase substantially over time. Warfarin, however, will continue to be an appropriate anticoagulant choice for many patients.
Global ocean wind power sensitivity to surface layer stability

Global ocean wind power has recently been assessed (W. T. Liu et al., 2008) using scatterometry-based 10 m winds. We characterize, for the first time, wind power at 80 m (typical wind turbine hub height) above the global ocean surface, and account for the effects of surface layer stability. Accounting for realistic turbine height and atmospheric stability increases mean global ocean wind power by +58% and −4%, respectively. Our best estimate of mean global ocean wind power is 731 W m−2, about 50% greater than the 487 W m−2 based on previous methods. 80 m wind power is 1.2–1.5 times 10 m power equatorward of 30° latitude, between 1.4 and 1.7 times 10 m power in wintertime storm track regions and >6 times 10 m power in stable regimes east of continents. These results are relatively insensitive to methodology as wind power calculated using a fitted Weibull probability density function is within 10% of power calculated from discrete wind speed measurements over most of the global oceans.
Efficacy and safety of chlorambucil in intractable noninfectious uveitis: the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary experience.

Abstract Purpose To report our experience with the use of chlorambucil for otherwise treatment-resistant uveitis and to assess its safety and efficacy. Design Noncomparative interventional case series. Participants Twenty-eight patients with intractable noninfectious uveitis. Methods We reviewed the records of 28 patients (56 eyes) with chronic noninfectious uveitis who were treated with chlorambucil from 1987 to 2000. Diagnoses included Adamantiades-Behcet’s disease (ABD) (7 patients), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA)–associated uveitis (10 patients), pars planitis (2 patients), sympathetic ophthalmia (1 patient), idiopathic uveitis (6 patients), Crohn’s disease (1 patient), and HLA-B27–associated uveitis (1 patient). All patients were refractory to other immunomodulatory therapy and systemic steroids. The median duration of treatment with chlorambucil was 12 months (range, 4–50 months), whereas the median daily dosage was 8 mg (range, 4–22 mg). Patients were followed for a median follow-up period of 46 months (range, 4–166 months) after chlorambucil treatment was begun and continued to be followed for relapse after cessation of therapy. Main outcome measures Visual outcome, response to treatment, treatment-related side effects, drug dosage, previous and final treatment, discontinuation of systemic corticosteroids. Results Chlorambucil was discontinued in seven patients because of side effects: two females had temporary amenorrhea develop, two patients had unacceptable gastrointestinal intolerance, one patient had infection, and 2 patients had progressive leukopenia. Nineteen patients (68%) showed positive clinical response to the treatment, four (14%) initially responded then relapsed after discontinuation of the drug, three patients with ABD had improvement of ocular disease but worsening of systemic symptoms, and two had persistent inflammation. Visual acuity was improved in 24 eyes (43%), stable in 22 (39%), and worsened in 10 eyes (18%). Systemic prednisone was successfully discontinued in 19 of the 28 patients (68%), and 14 patients were free of inflammation at the end of follow-up without any systemic medication. Conclusions Chlorambucil can be a safe and effective alternative for preserving vision in patients with otherwise treatment resistant uveitis.
New Orientalism in popular fiction and memoir: an illustration of type

Abstract This paper looks at works of recent fiction and memoir with the Middle East or Muslims as their subject, in order to examine the underlying assumptions about Muslims carried by the text, highlight some of the common narrative conceits used to cast the Middle East and the Islamic world in the role of the morally deficient opposite of the West, and to raise concerns about the ability of these texts to both normalize these assumptions in popular culture and, in doing so, help engender support for US foreign policies of intervention in the ‘Orient’. These works are examined using the framework of criticism toward material culture elaborated first by Edward Said in his writings about Orientalism, and refined by more recent scholars to include a criticism of ‘New Orientalism’, which relies on native or semi-native testimony while promoting the same problematic assumptions about Muslims as did classical Orientalist scholarship and material culture. I argue that these texts function as producers of meani...
Attention Contributes to Functional Reach Test Scores in Older Adults with History of Falling

We explored the role of attention in functional reach, a measure of balance that has been shown to predict recurrent falls in older adults, in 157 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 76.5 years) with a history of falling. Functional reach was measured as well as physical measures (timed up and go and ankle dorsiflexion and knee extension strength), attention measures (visual attention and spatial and verbal working memory), and visual measures (acuity, contrast sensitivity, and field performance). The results suggest that functional reach is related to attention. Further study of these relationships and the exploration of the interface between cognitive interventions and physical rehabilitation may improve strategies to prevent falls in elders.
Mentoring Within the Field of Counseling: A Preliminary Study of Multicultural Perspectives

Although the concept of mentoring is receiving increasing attention in the counseling field, the intersection between multiculturalism and mentoring has not been formally addressed. This article explores mentoring relationships between faculty and students within counselor education from a multicultural perspective. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore African American, Asian American and Latina/o American counselor education graduate students’ perspectives on mentoring. Three similar themes (trust/comfort/honesty; respect; and teacher/student/guide) emerged for all three racial/ethnic groups as important key elements in the mentoring relationship, but with some distinctive culturally relevant variations in emphasis. Also, all three groups to some degree reported that having a mentor who was culturally competent and sensitive was helpful, adding further weight to the view that cultural issues play a role in mentoring relationships. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Molecular Breast Cancer Subtypes in Premenopausal African-American Women, Tumor Biologic Factors and Clinical Outcome

Breast cancer is currently viewed as a heterogeneous disease made up of various subtypes, with distinct differences in prognosis. Our goal was to study the distribution and to characterize the clinical and biological factors that influence the behavior and clinical management of the different molecular breast cancer subtypes in premenopausal African-American women. A retrospective analysis of Howard University Hospital tumor registry, for all premenopausal African-American women aged less than 50 years, diagnosed with breast cancer from 1998–2005, was performed. The luminal A subtype was the most prevalent (50.0%), vs basal-cell-like (23.2%), luminal B (14.1%), and HER-2/neu (12.7%). However when stratified by age groups, results showed that in the age group <35 years the basal-cell-like subtype was the most prevalent (55.6%), vs 25.9%, 14.8%, and 5.6% for luminal A, luminal B, and HER-2/neu subtypes, respectively (P < .000). P53 mutation was more prevalent in the basal-cell-like subtype compared to luminal A (48.0% vs 18.6%, P < .01). The expression of the Bcl-2 gene differed by subtype, with the luminal A and luminal B subtypes more likely to overexpress the Bcl-2 gene (89.1% luminal A, 80.0% luminal B vs 47.6% basal-cell-like and 40.0% HER-2/neu, P < .000). Though not statistically significant, HER-2/neu and basal-cell-like subtypes had the shortest survival time (P < .31). The high prevalence of the basal-cell-like subtype in young premenopausal African-American women aged <35 years may contribute to the poorer prognosis observed in this cohort of African-American women.