cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The art of resilience: photo-stories of inspiration and strength among people with HIV/AIDS

Using the visual arts to aid healing is a common therapy for people with critical illness, yet the use of art to improve the lives of people with HIV is under-utilised. Eight male and 20 female participants living with HIV in urban areas of the Midwest, United States, participated in three group photovoice photo-sharing and discussion sessions, post-project individual interviews and a community photo exhibit. We used a grounded theory approach to analyse interview data and identified three key themes: (1) health and wellness, (2) fear and stigma and (3) restoring a threatened identity. Participants identified how taking photos, reflecting on and sharing them in focus groups helped them express themselves while living with and coping with HIV. Offering photography as form of expression is a way to foster strength and, consequently, improve the lives of people living with HIV. Our participants benefitted from the process of telling their story with images. They were able to express positive aspects of their...
Therapeutic strategies in neurodegenerative diseases

Until the 1990s, progress in developing therapy for neurodegenerative diseases was slow and there were few clinical trials. However, with the advent of animal models and the recent advances in understanding the basic pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the diseases, potential therapies to prevent, delay the onset or slow the progression of neurodegenerative disease are being identified at an ever increasing rate. High throughput technologies are being used to screen large numbers of potential therapeutic agents and new developments in the realms of immune modulation, RNA interference, viral vector delivery of gene products and stem cell therapy hold great promise for the future. There are still many unanswered questions regarding the mechanisms of disease and why beneficial therapy in animal models has not translated well into human clinical trials. Neurodegenerative diseases are rare, and so identifying enough patients to obtain studies with adequate power has been difficult. Novel phase II designs are now being used to screen greater numbers of agents and to better define correct dosing before proceeding to phase III trials. Multicenter phase III trials are being designed with adequate power, and using meaningful validated outcome measures that reduce the high dropout rates of past trials. Agents are now being tested in combination in order to detect possible additive effects. Focus is also being given to the need to better define the best symptomatic therapies in randomized controlled trials. Further research will prompt more targeted therapies that we hope will soon provide truly meaningful breakthroughs for neurodegenerative disorders.
Collagenase Injection and Closed Release for Dupuytren’s Contracture

This chapter describes in detail the steps for performing collagenase injections with closed release for Dupuytren’s contracture. The procedures for metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal contracture injection and release are included. Indications, surgical steps, postoperative care, an operative dictation template, and suggested readings/references are included.
Influence of sex on cardiovascular drug responses: role of estrogen

In this review we discuss the sex/estrogen-specific modulation of cardiovascular function and responses to current therapeutics. We discuss how anatomical differences such as a smaller kidney size, and lower glomerular filtration rate in females, reduce the clearance and increase the toxicity of some drugs in females. Other important sex differences include the dampening effect of estrogen on central sympathetic and renin angiotensin systems. Further, we discuss how a shift in myocardial redox status leads to paradoxical transformation of estrogen into a pro-inflammatory hormone. Finally, the review, along with cited recent publications, identify some areas that need further investigation to advance our understanding of the sex differences in cardiovascular disease outcomes to help develop female specific interventions for these anomalies.
Abstract 17311: Molecular Memory and the Epigenetic Regulation of Cardiac Intracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase-2

Introduction: We have identified an intracellular isoform of MMP-2 generated by oxidative stress activation of a promoter in the first intron of the MMP-2 gene. This generates a N-terminal truncated isoform of MMP-2 (NTT-MMP-2) which is enzymatically active and found in mitochondria. NTT-MMP-2 triggers the mitochondrial permeability transition leading to myocyte regulated necrosis and inflammation. We hypothesized that transient oxidative stress induces durable epigenetic changes in the NTT-MMP-2 alternate promoter resulting in enhanced injury in subsequent episodes of stress (molecular memory). Methods: The intronic promoter was mapped using a combination of PCR-based and intronic/luciferase constructs. In vivo studies used the hypomorphic ApoER61h/h SR-B1-/- murine model (HypoE mice) of diet-induced coronary atherogenesis and myocardial infarction. Chromatin immunopreciptation (ChIP) probed the RNA Pol II, H3K4Me1 and H3K27Me3 epigenetic marks. NTT-MMP-2 was measured by qPCR. Results: NTT-MMP-2 transcription start sites were mapped to two stress-activated basal promoters along with a stress-activated NF-κB enhancer element. HypoE mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 20 days, followed by gene repair of the hypomorphic ApoE alleles and returned to normal diet for 6-15 weeks. NTT-MMP-2 expression at 20 days of HFD was elevated two-three fold as compared to controls, remained elevated after 6 weeks of normal diet and returned to baseline at 15 weeks. ChIP of the intronic promoter revealed association of RNA Pol II at 6 weeks of normal diet and was not detectable at 15 weeks. In contrast, the pro-transcriptional mark H3K4Me1 remained elevated out to 15 weeks; the inhibitory H3K27Me3 mark returned to baseline at 15 weeks. A brief return to HFD (7 days) at 6 weeks increased NTT-MMP-2 expression resulting in myocyte inflammation and necrosis relative to controls exposed to only 7 days of HFD. Conclusions: Transient periods of oxidative stress lead to durable epigenetic changes in the NTT-MMP-2 promoter that facilitate exaggerated responses to otherwise minor levels of oxidative stress. Our findings may provide an explanation for the enhanced injury susceptibility to relatively minor stresses of patients with pre-existing cardiac disease.
Evaluation of energy savings potential of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) from variable air volume (VAV) in the U.S. climate locations

Abstract Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are known for their high energy performance and thus can improve energy efficiency both in residential and commercial buildings. The energy savings potential of this system has been demonstrated in several studies by comparing the system performance with conventional HVAC systems such as rooftop variable air volume systems (RTU-VAV) and central chiller and boiler systems. This paper evaluates the performance of VRF and RTU-VAV systems in a simulation environment using widely-accepted whole building energy modeling software, EnergyPlus. A medium office prototype building model, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is used to assess the performance of VRF and RTU-VAV systems. Each system is placed in 16 different locations, representing all U.S. climate zones, to evaluate the performance variations. Both models are compliant with the minimum energy code requirements prescribed in ASHRAE standard 90.1-2010 — energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings. Finally, a comparison study between the simulation results of VRF and RTU-VAV models is made to demonstrate energy savings potential of VRF systems. The simulation results show that the VRF systems would save around 15–42% and 18–33% for HVAC site and source energy uses compared to the RTU-VAV systems. In addition, calculated results for annual HVAC cost savings point out that hot and mild climates show higher percentage cost savings for the VRF systems than cold climates mainly due to the differences in electricity and gas use for heating sources.
Gravity – for better or verse

No one has ever accused John Archibald Wheeler of moderation; and, with the publication of this book, it is a certainty that no one ever will. A Journey into Gravity and Spacetime is a brilliant, personal, outrageous, quirky, inspired, annoying, gorgeous, and in the end almost unreadable popular account of Einstein's general theory of relativity, and the conceptual framework surrounding that 'battle tested' theory. Unreadable though it may be, this is probably one of the two best popular books ever written on the subject, the other being (in my judgement) Robert Geroch's modest and closely reasoned, 1978 General Relativity from A to B.
Self-Formed Hybrid Interphase Layer on Lithium Metal for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are promising candidates for high-energy storage devices due to high theoretical capacities of both the sulfur cathode and lithium (Li) metal anode. Considerable efforts have been devoted to improving sulfur cathodes. However, issues associated with Li anodes, such as low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and growth of Li dendrites, remain unsolved due to unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and lead to poor capacity retention and a short cycling life of Li–S batteries. In this work, we demonstrate a facile and effective approach to fabricate a flexible and robust hybrid SEI layer through co-deposition of aromatic-based organosulfides and inorganic Li salts using poly(sulfur-random-1,3-diisopropenylbenzene) as an additive in an electrolyte. The aromatic-based organic components with planar backbone conformation and π–π interaction in the SEI layers can improve the toughness and flexibility to promote stable and high efficient Li deposition/dissolution. The as-formed durable ...
Continuous-time Analog Computing Circuits for Solving The Electromagnetic Wave Equation

Two continuous-time mathematical computing methods are proposed for solving the multidimensional wave equation leading to realizable analog computing circuits. The proposed analog computing processors will potentially be able to solve a certain special classes of computational problems involving partial differential equations, which are defined from continuous-time systems. The new analog computing methods are first derived and physically implemented for the first-time using low-frequency operational amplifier circuits in order to experimentally verify the correctness of the proposed methods. Both algorithms approximate the spatial domain partial derivatives using discrete finite differences. The first method performs a direct Laplace transform (with respect to the time variable) on the resulting expression. The second method applies the finite difference along the time dimension and then replaces the discrete time difference with a continuous-time delay operator, which in turn, can be realized as an analog all-pass filter. Analog circuit architectures are introduced for different boundary conditions relevant to common electromagnetic simulation problems. A low frequency prototype of the analog wave equation solver (based on method 1) has been designed, realized and tested using board-level operational amplifier circuits. Test results and measurements are provided to demonstrate the wave propagation in the space-time domain.
Emerging drugs for eosinophilic esophagitis.

Introduction: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is rare but incidence and prevalence is increasing. EoE is characterized by eosinophilic inflammation of the esophagus causing gastrointestinal ...
Diffusion constant for CO2 through urinary bladders of cats

Abstract Diffusion of CO 2 through tissue was studied by a simple technique which avoided error due to unstirred layers in a bathing medium and which accounted for CO 2 production in the tissue. The practice of dividing permeation data by solubility to yield the customary Fick diffusion coefficient (units of cm 2 min −1 ) is valid only in a homogeneous, isotropic substance, which tissue probably is not. Therefore the results are presented here in terms of the permeation coefficient, or Krogh's diffusion constant (units of cm 2 · min −1 · atm −1 ). The value at 25 °C was 5.0 × 10 −4 cm 2 .min −1 .atm −1 , and there was no appreciable change when metabolism was depressed after the tissue had been kept for four days in a deep freeze and then thawed.
Silence in Group Psychotherapy: A Powerful Communication

Silence in a psychotherapy group, including leader, member, subgroup, and whole-group silence, is a common phenomenon with many possible forms, uses, and meanings. Five common sources of silence in group psychotherapy are described: situational factors, individual dynamics, member-to-member interactions, group dynamics, and leader-related dynamics. Silence can reflect defenses or indicate conditions favorable to intensified group work. Silence, sometimes mistaken for psychological inactivity, should be viewed as significant communication.
My Walden: Tales From Dead Cow Gulch

My Walden: Tales From Dead Cow Gulch Diane McKenzie Information Services Librarian, Health Science Library, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599- 7585 USA. TEL: 919-962-0700 Baumgartner, Susan. My Walden: Tales From Dead Cow Gulch. Illustrated by Claudia McGehee. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 1992. 129 pp. US$12.95 paper ISBN: 0-89594-552-5. My Walden is a refreshing change from most books by Thoreauvian disciples [who] retire to the woods to live in a cabin and then bore everyone by writing about it (p. 8). Baumgartner describes the joys, but also the problems, with the simple life in the woods. Days and nights are beautiful, but it is dark a lot, kerosene lamps are too dim to be much good, and propane lights are noisy. Delicious solitude sometimes becomes lonely and edges into depression. Soothing and beautiful nature is sometimes brutal, as when a storm knocks over not only the stovepipe and outhouse -- somewhat acceptable since both are intruders in the natural world -- but also large, old trees that were the author's favorite landmarks. Baumgartner even deals with the usually unmentionable issue of needing money to live. The two-to-five page chapters are vignettes of Baumgartner's life in a small (9' x 12') cabin near Genesee, Idaho, over a ten-year period. Material is not presented chronologically, but there is a sense that earlier chapters reflect her earlier experiences. Block prints in black and white by Claudia McGehee fit well with the tone of the book. Baumgartner describes her life as the middle ground between city and country, between the woods and the fields, between nature and civilization. The major theme that emerges is that no choice is perfect and that compromises are necessary. The heart of her philosophy is the chapter Solitaire, in which she plays cards alone in her cabin by light too poor for reading or other activities. Although she cheats, there are definitive rules for when and how to cheat. Throughout the rest of the book, there are examples of the rules Baumgartner has set for cheating at living the simple life: she delights in hauling water, but showers in town; she has no phone and no electricity, but has solar power for her beloved computer; she loves her isolation, but buys a car and finally chooses to work part of each week at the University of Idaho in order to live in her cabin on weekends. I suspect that all of us who have chosen to live the Walden life cheat, but in our own ways -- our family had a telephone and running water. This is not a book that teaches the reader about nature. Unlike most Thoreauvian disciples, Baumgartner lives with nature, but is not and does not try to be a naturalist. Her goal is to see nature as nature sees itself, not to reveal its secrets. She may describe what she sees, but she is never pedantic. The publisher, Crossing Press, specializes in feminist works, and there may be a subtle feminist tone to My Walden; however, Baumgartner's gently humorous description of her experiences, problems, and successes should appeal to both men and women.
Antiprismlessness, or: Reducing Combinatorial Equivalence to Projective Equivalence in Realizability Problems for Polytopes

This article exhibits a 4-dimensional combinatorial polytope that has no antiprism, answering a question posed by Bernt Lindstrom. As a consequence, any realization of this combinatorial polytope has a face that it cannot rest upon without toppling over. To this end, we provide a general method for solving a broad class of realizability problems. Specifically, we show that for any first-order semialgebraic property that faces inherit, the given property holds for some realization of every combinatorial polytope if and only if the property holds from some projective copy of every polytope. The proof uses the following result by Below. Given any polytope with vertices having algebraic coordinates, there is a combinatorial "stamp" polytope with a specified face that is projectively equivalent to the given polytope in all realizations.
Thermocurrents and their role in high Q cavity performance

Over the past years it became evident that the quality factor of a superconducting cavity is not only determined by its surface preparation procedure, but is also influenced by the way the cavity is cooled down. Moreover, different data sets exist, some of which indicate that a slow cooldown through the critical temperature is favorable while other data states the exact opposite. Even though there were speculations and some models about the role of thermocurrents and flux-pinning, the difference in behavior remained a mystery. In this paper we will present a consistent theoretical model which we confirmed by data that describes the role of thermocurrents, driven by temperature gradients and material transitions. We will clearly show how they impact the quality factor of a cavity, discuss our findings, relate it to findings at other labs and develop mitigation strategies which especially address the issue of achieving high quality factors of so-called nitrogen doped cavities in horizontal tests.
Towards Low-Cost Mechanisms to Enable Restoration of Encrypted Non-Volatile Memories

Since Non-Volatile Memories (NVMs) started entering the mainstream memory/storage market, we must consider how to secure NVM-equipped computing systems. Recent Meltdown and Spectre attacks are a strong evidence that security must be intrinsic to computing systems instead of being added as an afterthought. Processor vendors are taking the first steps and are beginning to build security primitives into commodity processors. One security primitive that is associated with the use of emerging NVMs is memory encryption. Memory encryption, while necessary, is very challenging when used with NVMs because it exacerbates the write endurance problem. Secure architectures use cryptographic metadata that must be persisted and restored to allow secure recovery of data in the event of power-loss. Specifically, encryption counters must be persistent to enable secure and functional recovery of an interrupted system. However, the cost of ensuring and maintaining persistence for these counters can be significant. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme to maintain encryption counters without the need for frequent updates. Our new memory controller design, Osiris , repurposes memory Error-Correction Codes (ECCs) to enable fast restoration and recovery of encryption counters. Since different counter-mode encryption schemes are used in industry and research, we provide a versatile Osiris implementation that improves the performance and write-endurance in different memory encryption schemes. To evaluate our design, we use Gem5 to run eight memory-intensive workloads selected from SPEC2006 and U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) proxy applications, and three computation-intensive graph algorithms from CRONO. Compared to a write-through counter-cache scheme, on average, Osiris can reduce 45.8 percent of the memory writes (increase lifetime by 1.86x), and reduce the performance overhead from 44.7 percent(for write-through) to only 4.49 percent. Furthermore, without the need for backup battery or extra power-supply hold-up time, Osiris performs better than a battery-backed write-back (4.4 versus 5.7 percent overhead) and has less write-traffic (1.8 versus 5.4 percent overhead).
Recommendations for Teaching a Successful Design-Based Course: Hydraulic Structure Design

AbstractDesign-based courses often have more latitude with respect to implementing interesting and unique teaching styles and curricula; they can also provide opportunities for broader-context prob...
Covert sleep-related biological processes are revealed by probabilistic analysis in Drosophila

Sleep pressure and sleep depth are key regulators of wake and sleep. Current methods of measuring these parameters in Drosophila melanogaster have low temporal resolution and/or require disrupting sleep. Here we report analysis tools for high-resolution, noninvasive measurement of sleep pressure and depth from movement data. Probability of initiating activity, P(Wake), measures sleep depth while probability of ceasing activity, P(Doze), measures sleep pressure. In vivo and computational analyses show that P(Wake) and P(Doze) are largely independent and control the amount of total sleep. We also develop a Hidden Markov Model that allows visualization of distinct sleep/wake substates. These hidden states have a predictable relationship with P(Doze) and P(Wake), suggesting that the methods capture the same behaviors. Importantly, we demonstrate that both the Doze/Wake probabilities and the sleep/wake substates are tied to specific biological processes. These metrics provide greater mechanistic insight into behavior than measuring the amount of sleep alone.
A comparison between leukocyte reduced low titer whole blood vs non‐leukocyte reduced low titer whole blood for massive transfusion activation

Background Hemorrhagic shock is the leading cause of survivable death in trauma patients and recent literature has focused on resuscitation strategies including transfusing low-titer group O whole blood (LTOWB). Debate remains regarding whether leukocyte reduced (LR) whole blood is of clinical benefit or detriment to patients requiring massive transfusion. This study compares survival outcomes between LR-LTOWB and non-LR LTOWB. Study design and methods The objective of this prospective, observational study was to detect any difference in 24-hour survival between patients receiving LR-LTOWB and non-LR LTOWB during their massive transfusion activation. Secondary objectives were to report any difference in ICU LOS, ventilation days, in-hospital survival, and hospital LOS. Data collected included patient sex, age, mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score (ISS), Trauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS), cause of death, and number of LTOWB transfused. Results A total of 167 patients received 271 LTOWB transfusions. There were 97 patients that received 168 units of LR-LTOWB while 70 patients received 103 units of non-LR LTOWB. The two study groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, ISS, TRISS, and the number of LTOWB transfused. The use of LR LTOWB during the initial massive transfusion activation in traumatically injured patients was not associated with increased 24-hour survival compared to when using non-LR LTOWB. No transfusion associated adverse events were reported. Conclusions The administration of either LR or non-LR LTOWB was not associated with >24 hours survival in patients presenting with massive hemorrhage. The high cost and the rapid decline in platelet count of LR whole blood may be a consideration.
A Conceptual Framework for Development of a Simulation-Enhanced ECMO Training Program: Use of a Zone-Based Framework

Teams and individuals who care for patients requiring ECMO support must acquire cognitive, psychomotor, and teamwork skills related to cannulation, initiation, and maintenance of ECMO and management of ECMO emergencies. While simulation is a powerful training tool, to be most effective simulation-based educational activities should be designed to address specific learning objectives based on a robust needs assessment and should account for learners’ current knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This chapter presents a conceptual framework for the design of simulation-enhanced ECMO training, inclusive of technical, cognitive, and teamwork skills and with elements appropriate to a variety of multiprofessional learners from novice to expert.
A New Security Framework for Remote Patient Monitoring Devices

Digital connectivity is fundamental to the health care system to deliver safe and effective care. However, insecure connectivity could be a major threat to patient safety and privacy (e.g., in August 2017, FDA recalled 465,000 pacemakers because of discovering security flaws). Although connecting a patient’s pacemaker to the Internet has many advantages for monitoring the patient, this connectivity opens a new door for cyber-attackers to steal the patient data or even control the pacemaker or damage it. Therefore, patients are forced to choose between connectivity and security. This paper presents a framework for secure and private communications between wearable medical devices and patient monitoring systems. The primary objective of this research is twofold, first to identify and analyze the communication vulnerabilities, second, to develop a framework for combating unauthorized access to data through the compromising of computer security. Specifically, hiding targets from cyber-attackers could prevent our system from future cyber-attacks. This is the most effective way to stop cyber-attacks in their first step.
Use of Gadolinium in Individuals with Reduced Kidney Function.

A 79-year-old man with kidney failure due to renal cell carcinoma and bilateral nephrectomy who receives hemodialysis treatment three times a week was seen in the emergency department for severe abdominal pain, nausea, and weight loss. An abdominal computed tomography scan without the use of
On the calculation of free energies over Hamiltonian and order parameters via perturbation and thermodynamic integration

In this work, complementary formulas are presented to compute free-energy differences via perturbation (FEP) methods and thermodynamic integration (TI). These formulas are derived by selecting only the most statistically significant data from the information extractable from the simulated points involved. On the one hand, commonly used FEP techniques based on overlap sampling leverage the full information contained in the overlapping macrostate probability distributions. On the other hand, conventional TI methods only use information on the first moments of those distributions, as embodied by the first derivatives of the free energy. Since the accuracy of simulation data degrades considerably for high-order moments (for FEP) or free-energy derivatives (for TI), it is proposed to consider, consistently for both methods, data up to second-order moments/derivatives. This provides a compromise between the limiting strategies embodied by common FEP and TI and leads to simple, optimized expressions to evaluate free-energy differences. The proposed formulas are validated with an analytically solvable harmonic Hamiltonian (for assessing systematic errors), an atomistic system (for computing the potential of mean force with coordinate-dependent order parameters), and a binary-component coarse-grained model (for tracing a solid–liquid phase diagram in an ensemble sampled through alchemical transformations). It is shown that the proposed FEP and TI formulas are straightforward to implement, perform similarly well, and allow robust estimation of free-energy differences even when the spacing of successive points does not guarantee them to have proper overlapping in phase space.
The role of neuropathology in the management of progressive glioblastoma

1. What are the most important diagnostic considerations in reporting progressive glioblastoma? These recommendations apply to adults with progressive glioblastoma For patients who undergo biopsy or neurosurgical resection at the time of radiologic or clinical progression, it is recommended that the pathologist report the presence and extent of progressive neoplasm as well as the presence and extent of necrosis within the pathologic material examined. Furthermore, to ensure the proper interpretation of progressive glioblastoma, it is recommended that the pathologist take into account the patient’s previous diagnosis and treatment, as well as the current clinical and neuroimaging features that have led to a second biopsy or resection. 2. What techniques and ancillary studies are most useful in separating malignant progression from treatment effect? These recommendations apply to adults with progressive glioblastoma In the setting of prior radiation and chemotherapy, it is recommended to adhere to strict histologic criteria for microvascular proliferation and necrosis in order to establish a diagnosis of a glioblastoma. Immunohistochemistry and genetic studies are selectively recommended for distinguishing neoplastic cells from atypical reactive cells in progressive glioblastoma.
Psychophysiological Functioning, Arousal, Attention, and Learning during the First Year of Life

Publisher Summary Assessment of psychophysiological activity, even in utero, is feasible. However, detailed studies of autonomic response capabilities of the fetus have been limited by the relative inaccessibility of those systems that can be subjected to investigation. In contrast, the neonate provides a wider range of observable response systems and allows the experimenter greater control over the stimuli, which may be employed. For these reasons there has been substantially more research on neonates than on fetuses. This chapter delineates, specifically, the psychophysiological response capabilities of the neonate from immediately after birth through the first year of life. It reviews the literature linking these response capabilities to theoretical discussions of arousal, attention, and orientational behavior and explores the relationship of these constructs to conditioning and learning. Finally, the chapter reviews some of the methodological necessities of neonatal psychophysiological research, and some of the problems inherent in interpreting the results of experimentation.
Abstract 19640: Galectin-3 and Risk of Stroke: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Cohort

Introduction: Galectin-3 is a biomarker of atherosclerotic disease associated with risk of heart failure, and may therefore be a useful marker for stroke risk. HYPOTHESIS: Galectin-3 is associated with stroke risk in a biracial cohort. METHODS: REGARDS enrolled and examined 30,239 US participants in 2003-07 (41% black, 59% white, 55% living in the southeastern stroke belt). Baseline galectin-3 was measured in 594 subjects with incident stroke and a 947 participant cohort random sample (CRS). In the CRS, sample weighting was used to estimate baseline associations of galactin-3 with cardiovascular risk factors. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) of stroke by quartiles of galectin-3. RESULTS: In the CRS, baseline galectin-3 was higher with older age, black race, female sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate th versus 1 st quartile of galectin-3 had a 2.3-fold increased stroke risk (95% CI 1.6, 3.3). Adjustment for age, race, and sex attenuated this HR to 1.3 (CI 0.9, 1.8). There was a suggestive difference in results by age (p interaction galectin-3*age =0.08). Among those younger than age 64, baseline galectin-3 in the 2 nd -4 th quartiles was associated with increased stroke risk in a fully adjusted model, but this was not the case among older participants (table). CONCLUSION: Galectin-3 was associated with incident stroke in younger, but not older individuals. More research is needed to determine the significance of this finding to stroke etiology.
QoS and scheduling based schemes for a generalized hybrid request TDMA/CDMA protocol for wireless multimedia

With the increasing demands of mobile users for fast transmission of high quality multimedia over wireless networks, R&D on QoS for wireless multimedia has received a great deal of attention. Recently, we have developed an efficient request TDMA/CDMA protocol for wireless multimedia traffic support. In this paper, we generalize the analysis of the hybrid TDMA/CDMA protocols, and introduce several QoS factors such as non-constant user block rates and non-constant system timeout lengths. We also investigate the effect of QoS and scheduling on the generalized hybrid TDMA/CDMA protocol.
Learning Information Patterns in Biological Databases - Stochastic Data Mining

This chapter aims at developing the computational theory for modeling patterns and their hierarchical coordination within biological sequences. With the exception of the promoters and enhancers, the functional significance of the non-coding DNA is not well understood. Scientists are now discovering that specific regions of non-coding DNA interact with the cellular machinery and help bring about the expression of genes. Our premise is that it is possible to study the arrangements of patterns in biological sequences through machine learning algorithms. As the biological database continue their exponential growth, it becomes feasible to apply in-silico Data Mining algorithms to discover interesting patterns of motif arrangements and the frequency of their re-iteration. A systematic procedure for achieving this goal is presented.
Team Meetings, Health Care

Health-care team meetings are designed to synergize the interdependent expertise of health practitioners from different disciplines in order to provide a more integrated and cohesive patient care experience. Meetings are primarily task oriented, emphasizing activities such as sharing information, setting goals, making decisions, and planning interventions. Language and Social Interaction approaches to studying these meetings emphasize how members reflexively enact, negotiate, ratify, and contest institutional roles through their participation in the practical communicative activities that constitute health-care teamwork. Keywords: health communication; identity; interdisciplinarity; organizational communication; role enactment
Potential solar radiation climates of man

A deterministic system of models relates man and other vertical objects to horizontal shortwave radiation under cloudless conditions, and permits comparison of actual conditions with an ideal standard. This is the first in a system of increasingly more complex models which will eventually solve the entire energy balance equation in bioclimatology. The parameters examined are concerned with direct solar radiation, diffuse sky radiation, diffuse radiation reflected from the ground, and the total solar heat load on man. Each latitude and each season has its own characteristic pattern of these components, which often differ drastically from data applicable to horizontal surfaces. Depending on the season, direct solar radiation on vertical objects poleward of latitude 30/sup 0/ can exceed several times the amounts incident on an equivalent horizontal surface. Direct solar radiation on vertical objects equatorward of latitude 30/sup 0/ is less than that incident on the horizontal interface.
Complete lung parenchyma–sparing resection of the right main stem bronchus and bronchus intermedius

cardiopulmonary bypass, or an off-pump hybrid procedure. As there was no need to exchange the well-functioning mitral prosthesis itself, we decided to go for the last option. Approaching the paravalvular leak from the left ventricular apex turned out to be much easier than expected. The guidewire, which was approached first, fell more or less by itself into the dehiscence between the sewing ring and annulus. However, there was one delicate situation. During the pushing of the Amplatzer device out of the sheath, one leaflet of the mitral valve was blocked. It was hard to determine whether the umbrella itself or the sheath was responsible was responsible for this blockade. We pulled the introducer sheath back without detaching the umbrella. Fortunately,
NiO–Al2O3 aerogel from (CH2O)2Ni and AlOOH sol

Abstract A nickel–alumina aerogel with fine Ni particles was synthesized. A uniform and monolithic NiO–Al 2 O 3 aerogel was prepared from a mixture of cyclic nickel glycoxide, (CH 2 O) 2 Ni, and boehmite sol by increasing the pH gradually. The gel was allowed to stand in ethanol for 3 days, followed by supercritical drying with ethanol and subsequent calcination. Ni was uniformly incorporated throughout the alumina where both the metal and the support exist in the aerogel forms, i.e., Ni–O–Al bond was considered to be formed in the NiO–Al 2 O 3 aerogel.
Isopeptide bonds block the mechanical extension of pili in pathogenic Streptococcus pyogenes.

In the early stages of an infection, pathogenic bacteria use long fibrous structures known as pili as adhesive anchors for attachment to the host cells. These structures also play key roles in colony and biofilm formation. In all those processes, pili must withstand large mechanical forces. The pili of the nasty Gram-positive human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes are assembled as single, micrometer long tandem modular proteins of covalently linked repeats of pilin proteins. Here we use single molecule force spectroscopy techniques to study the mechanical properties of the major pilin Spy0128. In our studies, we engineer polyproteins containing repeats of Spy0128 flanked by the well characterized I27 protein which provides an unambiguous mechanical fingerprint. We find that Spy0128 is an inextensible protein, even when pulled at forces of up to 800 pN. We also found that this remarkable mechanical resilience, unique among the modular proteins studied to date, results from the strategically located intramolecular isopeptide bonds recently identified in the x-ray structure of Spy0128. Removal of the isopeptide bonds by mutagenesis readily allowed Spy0128 domains to unfold and extend, albeit at relatively high forces of 172 pN (N-terminal domain) or 250 pN (C-terminal domain). Our results show that in contrast to the elastic roles played by large tandem modular proteins such as titin and fibronectin, the giant pili of S. pyogenes evolved to abrogate mechanical extensibility, a property that may be crucial in the pathogenesis of this most virulent bacterium and, therefore, become the target of new therapeutic approaches against its infections.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and autoimmunity—Mutually exclusive entities?

Loss of normal immune homeostasis occurs in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). We evaluated patients at the University of Cincinnati and New York University Medical Centers for serologic evidence of autoimmune changes. Specifically, tests for antinuclear and organ-specific antibodies by immunofluorescence, antisperm and anti-seminal plasma antibodies, rheumatoid factor by latex and sensitized sheep cell agglutination techniques, anti-polyadenosine (poly A), and single-stranded DNA antibodies were performed in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody-positive sera. A parallel study of mitogen responsiveness was performed and showed inhibition of response by AIDS and AIDS-related complex (ARC) sera. In spite of evidence of polyclonal B-cell activation, hyperglobulinemia, and the presence of antibodies to many infectious agents, as well as the known cellular immune abnormalities, the patients tested had a striking absence of these autoantibodies. The only major difference noted from normal controls, was a low but significant level of antibody binding to poly A. The autoimmune connective tissue diseases were not observed in this group of patients.
The circular harmonic transform for SPECT reconstruction and boundary conditions on the Fourier transform of the sinogram

The circular harmonic transform (CHT) solution of the exponential Randon transform (ERT) is applied to single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for uniform attenuation within a convex boundary. An important special case also considered is the linear (unattenuated) Radon transform (LRT). The solution is on the form of an orthogonal function expansion matched to projections that are in parallel-ray geometry. This property allows for efficient and accurate processing of the projections with fast Fourier transform (FFT) without interpolation or beam matching. The algorithm is optimized by the use of boundary conditions on the 2-D Fourier transform of the sinogram. These boundary conditions imply that the signal energy of the sinogram is concentrated in well-defined sectors in transform space. The angle defining the sectors depends in a direct way on the radius of the field view. These results are also obtained for fan-beam geometry and the linear Radon transform (the Fourier-Chebyshev transform of the sinogram) to demonstrate that the boundary conditions are a more general property of the Radon transform and a not a property unique to rectangular coordinates. >
An Integrated Approach to Aerospace Motor Design

This paper discusses some of the requirements which must be met by motors for aerospace applications, and presents an integrated approach to the design of a complete line of machines to meet these needs. Work carried out during the design study, design integration, and final design phases of the program is described.
Small-signal modeling and controller design of an isolated Quasi-Switched-Capacitor DC/DC converter

This paper presents the small-signal modeling and controller design of an isolated Quasi-Switched-Capacitor (QSC) dc/dc converter. The converter serves as an auxiliary power supply in automotive applications, connecting the highvoltage battery and the 14 V power net. It employs a front-stage QSC dc/ac circuit with a 3:1 voltage step-down ratio, and a poststage synchronous-rectifier, current-doubler circuit. The output power of the converter is regulated by the switching frequency control. A small-signal model of the converter is derived by the method of state-space averaging. Comparison of the open-loop simulation results from the derived small-signal model and a detailed circuit model showcases the effectiveness of the small-signal model. A closed-loop voltage controller with feed-forward compensation is designed to regulate the output voltage. Closed-loop simulation results from both the small-signal model and the detail circuit model, and experiment results from a 1-kW prototype are provided to verify the closed-loop control.
Comparison of the inhibitory effect of ouabain and dihydroouabain on the Na+-K+ ATPase from frog skin

Abstract 1. The effects of ouabain and dihydroouabain (DHO) on Na+-K+ ATPase from frog skin were investigated. 2. Ouabain seemed to be a more effective inhibitor, reaching near maximum inhibition at 10−5 M while DHO reached near maximum at 10−3 M. 3. Both inhibitors acted within the first few minutes, but ouabain inhibited more strongly over virtually the whole 2 hr considered. 4. Pre-incubation of the enzyme with ATP or Na+ reduced the level of inhibition due to subsequent ouabain or DHO, but preincubation with K+ did not.
Improving Discovery of and Access to Digital Repository Contents Using Semantic Web Standards: Columbia University's Academic Commons

This article describes the progress made towards developing Academic Commons (AC), Columbia University's digital repository, as an interoperable repository, through the use of RDF and non-RDF Semantic Web technologies. Approaches taken include the implementation of microdata to add semantic markup to HTML content; a collaboration with Oregon State University's (OSU) digital repository, ScholarsArchive@OSU (SA@OSU), to implement an application that indexes RDF data from OSU for use in AC; as well as an exploration of the recently released MODS RDF.
The iron hypothesis : Does iron cause atherosclerosis ?

Women experience only 30–50% of the coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence and mortality of age-matched men. Since oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is important in atherosclerosis, and oxidation is catalyzed by iron, it has been hypothesized that the lower iron stores of women reduce their risk of CHD through lessened lipid peroxide. The biochemistry of oxidation is well described in the literature and involves iron as a catalyst in the formation of powerful free radicals which subsequently modify LDL cholesterol. Chelating iron with desferrioxamine stops oxidation. Iron is present in atherosclerotic gruel and this gruel stimulates lipid peroxidation. Serum deficient in iron has minimal oxidative capacity which increases with iron repletion. At least seven epidemiologic studies have found a positive association between CHD and various indicators of body iron. Conversely, 18 epidemiologic studies have found a negative or no association. While biochemically appealing, the iron hypothesis remains unproven.
Association mapping in forest trees and fruit crops

Association mapping (AM), also known as linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping, is a viable approach to overcome limitations of pedigree-based quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. In AM, genotypic and phenotypic correlations are investigated in unrelated individuals. Unlike QTL mapping, AM takes advantage of both LD and historical recombination present within the gene pool of an organism, thus utilizing a broader reference population. In plants, AM has been used in model species with available genomic resources. Pursuing AM in tree species requires both genotyping and phenotyping of large populations with unique architectures. Recently, genome sequences and genomic resources for forest and fruit crops have become available. Due to abundance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within a genome, along with availability of high-throughput resequencing methods, SNPs can be effectively used for genotyping trees. In addition to DNA polymorphisms, copy number variations (CNVs) in the form of deletions, duplications, and insertions also play major roles in control of expression of phenotypic traits. Thus, CNVs could provide yet another valuable resource, beyond those of microsatellite and SNP variations, for pursuing genomic studies. As genome-wide SNP data are generated from high-throughput sequencing efforts, these could be readily reanalysed to identify CNVs, and subsequently used for AM studies. However, forest and fruit crops possess unique architectural and biological features that ought to be taken into consideration when collecting genotyping and phenotyping data, as these will also dictate which AM strategies should be pursued. These unique features as well as their impact on undertaking AM studies are outlined and discussed.
Environmental benefits from marketable discharge permits or an ecological vs. economical perspective on marketable permits

Abstract Economists typically extol the virtues of marketable discharge permits based on their ability to obtain a given environmental standard at least cost. Previous empirical studies of marketable permits have quantified the benefits from the use of permits relative to a command-and-control system in terms of cost savings. Occasionally, the benefits of a permit system are described by noting that the efficiency of such systems would allow improved environmental quality relative to a command-and-control system for the same cost. That is, the increased efficiency resulting from a permit system would allow environmental regulators to tighten emission standards, resulting in less pollution while still holding costs at their initial level. This paper presents a simple conceptual model that examines the potential emission savings from a marketable permit system. The conceptual model is empirically implemented with data on abatement costs for light-duty vehicles in California. The emission saving potential is directly compared with the cost saving potential. Although cost savings from a marketable permit system in this context are found to be relatively modest, on the order of 1% to 10%, the emission savings potential is found to be much larger. Estimates of the emission savings possibilities range from about 7% to 65%.