cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthetic biology: Four steps to avoid a synthetic-biology disaster.

Assess the ecological risks of synthetic microbes before they escape the lab, say Genya V. Dana, Todd Kuiken, David Rejeski and Allison A. Snow.
Predicting users’ review helpfulness: the role of significant review and reviewer characteristics

There are thousands of reviews constantly being posted for popular products on e-commerce websites. The number of reviews is rapidly increasing which creates information overload problem. To solve this problem, many websites introduced a feedback mechanism to vote for a review (helpful or not). The attracted votes reflect the review helpfulness. This study addresses the review helpfulness prediction problem and investigated the impact of review, reviewer and product features. Multiple helpfulness prediction models are built using multivariate adaptive regression, classification and regression tree, random forest, neural network and deep neural network approaches using two real-life Amazon product review datasets. Deep neural network-based review helpfulness prediction model has outperformed. The results demonstrate that review-type characteristics are most effective indicators as compared to reviewer and product type. In addition, hybrid combination (review, reviewer and product) of proposed features demonstrates the best performance. The influence of product type (search and experience) on review helpfulness is also examined, and reviews of search goods show strong relationship to review helpfulness. Our findings suggest that polarity of review title, sentiment and polarity of review text and cosine similarity between review text and product title effectively contribute to the helpfulness of users’ reviews. Reviewer production time and reviewer active since features are also strong predictors of review helpfulness. Our findings will enable consumers to write useful reviews that will help retailers to manage their websites intelligently by assisting online users in making purchase decisions.
Lack of Diversity in Simulation Technology: An Educational Limitation?

STATEMENT Despite increased attention on diversity in medicine and healthcare, heterogeneity in simulation technology has been slow to follow suit. In a nonsystematic review of simulation technology available in 2018 with respect to skin tone, age and sex, we found limited diversity in these offerings, suggesting limitations to educators' abilities to represent the full array of patients, conditions, and scenarios encountered in medicine and training. We highlight these limitations and propose basic strategies by which educators can increase awareness of and incorporate diversity into the simulation arena.
AORTIC STENOSIS INCREASES THE RISK OF MORTALITY IN HOSPITALIZATION FOR MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: A NATIONWIDE STUDY USING THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE

Aortic stenosis (AS) commonly co-exists with coronary artery disease, but the effects of AS presence on myocardial infarction (MI) related mortality is not well understood. Using the National Inpatient Sample (years 2005-2014), we analyzed MI hospitalization-related mortality risk, stratified by
Primary Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease

The advances in the detection and management of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have resulted in a 31% decline in the death rates attributable to CVD in the United States from 2001 to 2011 [1]. Coronary, or ischemic heart disease (CHD), is the largest contributor to CVD mortality. Deaths from CHD have declined in both men and women [2], however CVD and CHD still account for 31.3% of all deaths in the United States [1]. Eighty-six million Americans have CVD [1]. Nearly 800,000 people died of CVD in 2011 [1]. Each year, approximately 600,000 men and women will experience a first myocardial infarction (MI) and about 800,000 will have a stroke [1]. In addition, CVD is the leading cause of death world-wide, accounting for 17.5 million deaths/year in 2012 and is expected to rise to 22.2 million deaths/year by 2030 [3].
Attitudes of women participating in a clinical trial on point-of-care testing and home testing for STIs

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis infections are a public health concern and cost the United States’ healthcare system 16 billion dollars annually. By minimizin...
Impact of a Modified HistoGel Method for Processing Endocervical Curettage Specimens on Diagnostic Yield

OBJECTIVES Endocervical curettage (ECC) specimens may be limited by scant tissue. We evaluated whether a cellular concentration processing method could improve their diagnostic quality. METHODS Between October 2018 and June 2019, ECC specimens were assigned chronologically to one of two groups: nonconcentrated ECC (NECC) or concentrated ECC (CECC). NECC specimens underwent routine histologic processing. CECC specimens were processed using a published HistoGel-based cell block method. We reviewed diagnoses for ECCs, concurrent cervical biopsies and/or loop electrosurgical excision procedures (LEEPs), and preceding Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to evaluate the impact of processing method on ECC adequacy and discordance between Pap smear and worst tissue diagnoses. RESULTS NECC and CECC adequacy was 88.2% and 84.7% (P = .06). ECC adequacy was greater if concurrent biopsy/LEEP was performed (odds ratio [OR] = 1.76, P < .01). Discordance between Pap smear and worst tissue diagnoses was 9.5% and 13.3% (P = .04) for cases with NECC and CECC processing, although processing method was not significant in multivariate analysis (OR = 0.74, P = .11). Adequate ECC sampling and concurrent biopsy/LEEP were independently associated with concordance between Pap smear and worst tissue diagnosis (OR = 0.46, P < .01 and OR = 0.65, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS ECC processing method did not significantly affect either specimen adequacy (P = .06) or diagnostic discordance (P = .11) when controlled for other factors.
TMPRSS2 structure-phylogeny repositions Avoralstat for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis in mice

Summary Drugs targeting host proteins can act prophylactically to reduce viral burden early in disease and limit morbidity, even with antivirals and vaccination. Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) is a human protease required for SARS-CoV-2 viral entry and may represent such a target.1–3 We hypothesized drugs selected from proteins related by their tertiary structure, rather than their primary structure, were likely to interact with TMPRSS2. We created a structure-based phylogenetic computational tool 3DPhyloFold to systematically identify structurally similar serine proteases with known therapeutic inhibitors and demonstrated effective inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo.4,5 Several candidate compounds, Avoralstat, PCI-27483, Antipain, and Soybean-Trypsin-Inhibitor, inhibited TMPRSS2 in biochemical and cell infection assays. Avoralstat, a clinically tested Kallikrein-related B1 inhibitor,6 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication in human airway epithelial cells. In an in vivo proof of principle,5 Avoralstat significantly reduced lung tissue titers and mitigated weight-loss when administered prophylactically to SARS-CoV-2 susceptible mice indicating its potential to be repositioned for COVID-19 prophylaxis in humans.
Assessing the Real-time Influence of Racism-Related Stress and Suicidality Among Black Men: Protocol for an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Background: Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Black adults aged 18-35 years. Although men represent a majority of suicide deaths among Black adults, less is known regarding the extent to which unique cultural stressors, such as racism-related stress (eg, racial discrimination), are salient in exacerbating suicide risk among Black men. Moreover, few studies examine the daily influence of racism-related stressors on suicide outcomes using real-time smartphone-based approaches. Smartphone-based mobile health approaches using ecological momentary assessments (EMA) provide an opportunity to assess and characterize racism-related stressors as a culturally sensitive suicide risk factor among Black young adult men. Objective: The goal of this study is to describe a protocol development process that aims to capture real-time racism-related stressors and suicide outcomes using a smartphone-based EMA platform (MetricWire). Methods: Guided by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS), we developed a brief EMA protocol using a multiphased approach. First, we conducted a literature review to identify brief measures previously used in EMA studies, with special emphasis on studies including Black participants. The identified measures were then shortened to items with the highest construct validity (eg, factor loadings) and revised to reflect momentary or daily frequency. Feasibility and acceptability of the study protocol will be assessed using self-report survey and qualitative responses. To protect participants from harm, a three-tier safety protocol was developed to identify participants with moderate, elevated, and acute risk based on EMA survey response to trigger outreach by the study coordinator. Results: The final EMA protocol, which will be completed over a 7-day period, is comprised of 15 questions administered 4 times per day and a daily questionnaire of 22 items related to sleep-related impairment and disruption, as well as racism-related stress. Study recruitment is currently underway. We anticipate the study will be completed in February 2023. Dissemination will be conducted through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Conclusions: This protocol will address gaps in our understanding of Black men’s suicide outcomes in the social contexts that they regularly navigate and will clarify the temporal role of racism-related stressors that influence suicidal outcomes.
The MAb Squad: Delivering Covid-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Across a Large Geographic Region

Monoclonal antibody (MAb) treatments have been safe and effective in averting severe Covid-19 infections when given early, but supplies have been scarce. Intermountain Healthcare used its supply to...
Restaurant Man, by J. Bastianich

After reading this book, I would add a subtitle to the name of the book. Restaurant Man is really The Restaurant Business as Seen and Told by Joe Bastianich. Some of you may be asking, “Who is Joe ...
Coping with Implementation Dependencies in Real-Time System Verification

A major difficulty in verifying real-time systems is that behavior involving quantitative timing often depends on assumptions about the execution environment, in particular the availability of resources (e.g., number of CPUs) and the resource sharing policy of the run-time system (e.g., process scheduling algorithm). Thus a proof that a real-time program satisfies its quantitative specification is sensitive to assumptions about implementation dependencies. While these dependencies are in general unavoidable, it is important to isolate them in a proof of correctness so that if the execution environment changes, the impact of a change can be readily identified and understood. In this paper, we discuss a proof method that observes the principle of separation of concerns. This method involves two steps. In the first step, we determine if a timing property can be proved from the system specification, and identify implementationdependent assumptions, if any, that are required to derive a proof. In the second step, we determine if the system specification and other required implementation dependencies can be enforced by control structures that meet the required timing constraints. The advantage of this method is that implementation dependencies are explicitly identified and are brought in as needed. This separation of concerns is especially important for the maintenance of real-time programs. We show that both steps of this method can be accomplished by making use of the logic RTL (Real Time Logic).
Thiamylal: review of the literature and report of a suicide

A 28-year-old white male medical student was found hanging by the neck from the bathroom closet of a hotel room. An intravenous infusion line leading from a bottle of thiamylal sodium (an ultrashort-acting barbiturate) was inserted into the antecubital vein of the left arm. Blood was analyzed for alcohol and other volatiles and for acidic, basic, and neutral drugs. Only thiamylal was detected. Thiamylal was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection, and its presence was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The tissue distribution of thiamylal was 29 mg/L in blood, 1.4 mg/L in urine, 16 mg/L in bile, 135 mg/kg in liver, 25 mg/kg in kidney, and 0.4 mg in the stomach contents. The uptake and distribution of thiamylal is similar to thiopental. The distribution of the drug in this case was compared to that of other fatalities involving ultrashort-acting barbiturates.
ND10 Protein PML Is Recruited to Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Prereplicative Sites and Replication Compartments in the Presence of Viral DNA Polymerase

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection results in the disruption of ND10 (also called nuclear bodies, PODs, or PML-associated bodies), which are nuclear matrix domains of unknown function present in mammalian cells. After ND10 disruption, viral transcription and DNA replication occur in globular nuclear domains called replication compartments. In this report we define four stages of infection by using antibodies to ICP8 (also called SSB and UL29) and the ND10 antigen PML. Immediately after infection, cells contain intact ND10 as detected by staining for PMLs (stage I); within 1 hour, however, ND10 are disrupted and cells begin to exhibit diffuse staining for the major viral DNA binding protein, ICP8 (stage II). After all ND10 have been disrupted, foci which resemble but are not equivalent to ND10 appear, containing both PML and ICP8 (stage III). Cells infected with mutants defective in the helicase-primase or origin binding protein are unable to form stage III foci. Cells infected with a mutant that is null for the polymerase catalytic subunit, however, form stage III-like ICP8 foci which do not contain PML. Thus, stage III foci recruit the cellular PML protein in the presence but not the absence of HSV polymerase. PML was recruited to stage III foci in some but not all cells infected with a mutant defective in the polymerase accessory protein, UL42. Thus, UL42 is not required for the recruitment of PML to viral foci. In wild-type infection, stage III cells are quickly replaced by cells containing replication compartments (stage IV). PML and ICP8 staining are both observed within replication compartments, indicating a potential role for PML in HSV-1 replication. Models for the role of ND10 proteins in the formation of replication compartments are discussed.
Applications of Deep-Well Injection of Industrial and Municipal Wastewater in Texas

Publisher Summary Over the past 50 years, deep-well injection of industrial waste has developed a very significant record of protecting human health and the environment by protecting freshwater from pollution. The absence of instances of pollution of drinking water by Class I injection wells during the history of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's federally authorized underground injection control (UIC) program is indicative of well operators' and regulators' diligence in complying with these rules. While the various industrial uses that have been made of deep-well injection in Texas might be expected to continue in the future, the most significant areas for new application of the technology of underground injection appear to be providing geologic sequestration of CO2, and safe disposal of wastewater from desalination projects for public water supply. While the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality strongly advocates the reduction in the volume of generated waste and the recycling and reuse of waste materials to the fullest practical extent, it is recognized that a need, in the future, for environmentally protective wastewater disposal for residual waste volumes will remain.
An unusual epidemic of methemoglobinemia.

An outbreak of secondary methemoglobinemia was directly traceable to an aromatic amino compound present in the soap used for the preparation of enema solutions. This compound, while not itself a producer of methemoglobin, did, under the conditions of use, become converted into a substance which produced methemoglobin. Users of materials containing aromatic amino compounds should be aware of the possibility of such occurrences.
Shades of Guilt: Combating the Continuing Influence Upon Jury Selection of Racial Stereotyping in Post-Batson Trials

This Article addresses the role stereotypes, particularly racial stereotypes, play in the process of jury selection in criminal cases. This Article discusses the law that has evolved since Batson and uses empirical data to provide added insight into the exercise of peremptory challenges. Further, the authors consider how current scholarship in cognitive psychology reveals the influence of stereotypes on decision-making. In the final section, the authors offer practical approaches that both prosecutors and defense lawyers can use while making jury decisions
Early Phase Differential Effects of Slow and Fast Barbell Squat Training

To examine the importance of resistance training movement speed, two groups of women (24 4 years, 162 5 cm, 59 7 kg) squatted repeatedly at 1) 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down (slow, N 11); or 2) 1 second up, 1 second down (fast, N 10), doing three warm-up sets and three eight-repetition maximum sets, three times per week for 7 weeks. Tests included force platform and video analysis of the vertical jump, long jump, and maximum squat, and isometric and isokinetic knee extensor testing at speeds from 25 to 125 deg/sec. The groups improved similarly in many variables with training but also showed some differences. In the long jump, the fast group was superior in numerous variables including knee peak velocity and total-body vertical and absolute power. In the vertical jump, fast training affected the ankle and hip more (e.g., average power), and slow training mostly affected the knee (average torque). In isokinetic testing, the fast group improved strength most at the faster velocities, while the slow group stre...
Conventional liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry based metabolite identification and semi-quantitative estimation approach in the investigation of in vitro dabigatran etexilate metabolism

Dabigatran etexilate (DABE) is an oral prodrug that is rapidly converted by esterases to dabigatran (DAB), a direct inhibitor of thrombin. To elucidate the esterase-mediated metabolic pathway of DABE, a high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry based metabolite identification and semi-quantitative estimation approach was developed. To overcome the poor full-scan sensitivity of conventional triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, precursor-product ion pairs were predicted to search for the potential in vitro metabolites. The detected metabolites were confirmed by the product ion scan. A dilution method was introduced to evaluate the matrix effects on tentatively identified metabolites without chemical standards. Quantitative information on detected metabolites was obtained using "metabolite standards" generated from incubation samples that contain a high concentration of metabolite in combination with a correction factor for mass spectrometry response. Two in vitro metabolites of DABE (M1 and M2) were identified, and quantified by the semi-quantitative estimation approach. It is noteworthy that CES1 converts DABE to M1 while CES2 mediates the conversion of DABE to M2. M1 and M2 were further metabolized to DAB by CES2 and CES1, respectively. The approach presented here provides a solution to a bioanalytical need for fast identification and semi-quantitative estimation of CES metabolites in preclinical samples.
‘True’ Americans and ‘Violent’ Immigrants: Making Sense of Wife Murder in Chicago, 1870–1910

As a social category ‘immigrant’ can function rhetorically to constitute a line between self and Other. The case study of spousal murder in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Chicago illustrates that Americans attempted to make sense of these murders by scapegoating immigrants. Statistical data illustrate that immigrants were no more likely to murder a spouse than anyone else. Yet, analysis of the rhetoric about wife murder in Chicago newspapers shows that murderers were framed as immigrant Other. We identify three frames used in newspapers to constitute immigrants as Other and identify the contemporary relevance for public understandings of immigration. We argue that while explicit debates about immigration draw lines that constitute American identity, the most insidious rhetorical borders enter into the American imaginary through seemingly unrelated issues.
Surface composites: a novel method to fabricate adherent interfaces in thermal-mismatched systems

The utility of diamond as a wear-resistant coating has been severely limited by the inherent adhesion problems experienced in thermal expansion coefficient mismatched systems. Diamond's low thermal expansion coefficient relative to such materials as cemented carbides results in high residual stresses in the deposited film, which leads to poor adhesion characteristics. In this work, a novel process has been investigated for the formation of laser induced micro-rough surfaces on cemented carbide substrates. These surface structures have been used to produce diamond-coated cemented carbides (WC-6%Co) with compositionally graded interfaces, which are termed surface composites. Micro-Raman analysis of these structures showed significant modification of stress distribution within the deposited diamond film. Rockwell indentation testing of these structures showed concomitant improvement of film adhesion with increasing roughness of the interface.
Reconstruction of the Ross Ice Drainage System, Antarctica, at the Last Glacial Maximum

We present here a revised reconstruction of the Ross ice drainage system of Antarctica at the last glacial maximum (LGM) based on a recent convergence of terrestrial and marine data. The Ross drain...
THE EFFECTS OF ESCAPE CONDITIONING AND SHOCK INTENSITY ON RESPONDING DURING INESCAPABLE SHOCK

Eight albino rats, conditioned to press a lever to escape shock, continued to lever press during short inescapable shocks presented subsequently. The rate of this behavior was found to be higher for higher shock intensities regardless of the order in which shock values were presented. Relative to the immediately preceding escape rate, responding during inescapable shock was higher following conditioning at higher fixed-ratio escape requirements. Four subjects not conditioned to escape shock pressed the lever very infrequently during inescapable shock and showed little change with changes in shock intensity. The escape conditioning effects suggest that responding during inescapable shock is superstitious escape behavior. The effects of shock intensity on this behavior appear to be similar to reported effects of shock intensity on escape behavior.
When life is “difficult”: A comparison of street children's and non-street children's priorities

Research on street children has typically described the phenomenon and examined the risks of street life to healthy development. Thus far, research has not contextualized street children's psychosocial lives by comparing them with non-street children or street children undergoing rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to assess how the life priorities of Tanzanian street children, former street children and school-going children (n = 183) differ according to their living environment. The “Importance scale” was designed and validated for this study. It includes 29 four-level Likert items about relationships, activities and family, encompassing two subscales: current well-being (Cronbach's α = 0.65) and preparing for the future (Cronbach's α = 0.72). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and contingency tables to determine group-level differences. Post-hoc Bonferroni tests determined pairwise differences. The analyses demonstrate significant differences in 14 of 29 priorities according to liv...
Adaptive security-aware scheduling using multi-agent system

Internet protocol security (IPsec) provides real-time IP packets with confidentiality security service, making them robust against snooping security threats. Conventionally, the security level provided by such protocol cannot be modified according to the status of the network. In this paper, we propose a security-aware scheduling algorithm for a heterogeneous packet switched network. It provides real-time packet flows with guaranteed quality of service (QoS) while adaptively controls the packet's confidentiality security service level. The proposed scheme is modeled using the object-oriented multi-agent methodology. By applying a buffer estimation technique at the network's end nodes, the algorithm provides a real-time network congestion control hence satisfying the network performance metrics. In order to minimize the overhead of network association performed by the IPsec, the algorithm overloads the priority code point fields of the IEEE 802.1Q tagged frame format. This approach helps meet both QoS and security requirements for real-time data flows.
An interesting cause of rectal bleeding in an African immigrant.

Question: A 30-year-old Sudanese-born man who emigrated to the United States 10 years ago with a past medical history of hepatitis B as well as recently treated Helicobacter pylori gastritis presented for outpatient follow-up for management of hepatitis B. His previous symptoms of heartburn and dyspepsia had improved with treatment of H pylori. He now complained of rectal bleeding with anal pruritus. He had no recent travel, no sick contacts, and had not started any new medications. On physical examination, he was afebrile with stable vital signs. He seemed well nourished. He had no scleral icterus. His abdominal examination was benign. He had no rash or jaundice. Rectal examination revealed no abnormalities. Complete blood count with differential revealed a white blood count of 3.1 K/ L with 6.1% eosinophils. Chemistry was normal. Liver function tests were unremarkable other than a stable total bilirubin of 1.8 g/dL. A flexible sigmoidoscopy (Figure A) was performed which revealed erythematous mucosa in the sigmoid colon, which was biopsied for pathologic examination (Figure B and C). What is the diagnosis? How should this patient be treated? See the GASTROENTEROLOGY web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
What religious ethics can and cannot tell us about reproduction and sexuality

The Religious Right movement maintains that only sexual activity open to reproduction is morally acceptable, and that violating this imperative violates God's will. Religious progressives and secular humanists deny these positions, arguing instead that the moral quality of sex is determined by how its participants treat each other. However, religious progressives (but not secular humanists) continue to believe that religion has some authority in ethics. This paper shows why no such arguments are successful, and concludes that any compelling case against the Religious Right sexual ethic and in support of a humane one must be based in secular ethics.
Self Learning Analog/Mixed-Signal/RF Systems: Dynamic Adaptation to Workload and Environmental Uncertainties

Real-time systems for wireless communication, digital signal processing and control experience a wide gamut of operating conditions (signal/channel noise, workload demand, perturbed process conditions). As device bandwidths expand, it becomes increasingly expensive, from a power consumption and reliability perspective, to operate such real-time systems for worst-case (static) performance requirements. In contrast, it is attractive to design algorithms, architectures and circuits that are power-performance tunable and can adapt dynamically, via self-learning techniques, to the requirements of system-level applications for extended battery usage and device lifetime. Such future systems will feed application level demands to the underlying algorithm-architecture-circuit design fabric through built-in sense-and-control infrastructure (hardware, software). The sense functions assess instantaneous application level demands (e.g. throughput, signal integrity) as well as the performances of the individual hardware components as determined by manufacturing process conditions. The control functions actuate algorithm-through-circuit level tuning knobs that continuously trade off performance vs. power of the individual software and hardware modules in such a way as to deliver the end-to-end desired application level Quality of Service (QoS), while minimizing energy/power consumption. Application to wireless communications systems, digital signal processing and control algorithms is discussed.
Epidermal growth factor induces the accumulation of calpactin II on the cell surface during membrane ruffling.

Confluent and proliferatively quiescent T51B rat liver epithelial cells provide a cellular model for the study of epidermal growth factor (EGF) effects in non-neoplastic cells. Immunoreactive calpactin II, a well-known substrate for EGF-receptor kinase, was found predominantly in the cytosol, although a second im-munoreactive pool was found in a Triton X-100-extractable membrane fraction. Stimulation with EGF resulted in a rapid and transient (2–;5 min) formation of ruffles at the cell surface and at the cell-cell contacts. Both calpactin II and filamentous actin were found co-localized at the membrane ruffles. Immunopre-cipitations of membrane-bound calpactin II from 32P-labeled cells indicate a transient EGF-dependent phosphorylation of calpactin II correlating with membrane ruffling. These results suggest a temporal (2–5 min) function for calpactin II at the plasma membrane during the EGF-induced mitogenesis of T51B cells.
Representation of continuous curves on the 3-dimensional rotation group

we show that each differentiable 3 x 3-dimensional orthogonal-matrix-valued function with bounded derivative on T can be represented by a differentiable 3-dimensional vector-valued function with bounded derivative on T. In other words, there is a bijective correspondence between the family of the 3 × 3dimensional orthogonal-matrix-valued functions with bounded derivative on T and the family of the 3-dimensional vector-valued functions with bounded derivative on T. The bijective mapping J and its inverse J- 1 = H are constructed. In Section 3, we show that "almost every" continuous 3 x 3-dimensional orthogonal-matrix-valued function on T can be represented by a continuous 3-dimensional vector-valued function on T. The term "almost every" refers to the standard Wiener measures defined on the respective continuous function spaces. More specifically, a bijective correspondence exists between a subfamily of the continuous 3 x 3-dimensional orthogonal-matrix-valued functions on T
Fibroblast growth factors mobilize peritoneal macrophage intracellular calcium

Macrophages have been implicated in the propagation of inflammatory disease. The evidence linking macrophages to inflammation stems from their elicited responses to various extracellular ligands eventually culminating in the elaboration of a variety of inflammatory mediators. As part of an investigation of fibroblast growth factors role in promoting inflammation, we examined one aspect of transmembrane signal transduction, intracellular calcium mobilization following culture of murine peritoneal macrophages with acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor. Peritoneal macrophages displayed a rapid rise in cytosolic calcium from a basal level of 147.6 +/- 25.4 nM to 261.9 +/- 49.9 nM at 3.5 minutes following culture with acidic fibroblast growth. A similar rise in calcium was noted with basic fibroblast growth factor. Titration revealed the maximal effective dose of aFGF and bFGF with respect to calcium response to be 10 ng/ml. Using blockers of both voltage and non-voltage gated channels, the FGF induced rise in cytosolic calcium was specifically abolished. Similarly, using specific 5-lipoxygenase (A69412) or cyclooxygenase (Indomethacin) blockers, the aFGF induced rise in maximal calcium response was reduced by 41% and 96% respectively. On the basis of these data, we speculate on some possible roles that FGF may play in the inflammatory response.
Traditional smallpox vaccination with reduced risk of inadvertent contact spread by administration of povidone iodine ointment

One concern with traditional smallpox vaccination is inadvertent spread of virus to atopic or immunocompromised contacts. To reduce this risk, we tested the ability of povidone iodine to inactivate infectious virus at the vaccination site beginning at 7 days after transcutaneous smallpox vaccination. This ointment rapidly inactivated virus on the skin without reducing neutralizing antibody titers or antiviral T cell responses. Moreover, there was no delay in healing/eschar separation following povidone iodine application. Together, this indicates that administration of an antiviral/antimicrobial cream can effectively block virus shedding after traditional smallpox vaccination and reduce the risks of autoinoculation or contact spread.
KL4-surfactant (Lucinactant) protects human airway epithelium from hyperoxia.

Exogenous surfactant is critical in the treatment of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. Lucinactant (Surfaxin; Discovery Laboratories, Inc.) is a surfactant replacement therapy containing sinulpeptide, which may reduce lung inflammation. This study tested whether Lucinactant reduces markers of inflammation, damage and remodeling in human airway epithelial cells exposed to hyperoxia. Calu-3 monolayers cultured at an air–liquid interface were treated apically with 140 μL of normal saline, Lucinactant or Beractant (Survanta; Abbott Laboratories, Inc.). Treated monolayers were exposed to 60% O2/5% CO2 for 24 or 72 h. Transepithelial resistance (TER; p < 0.001) and cell viability (p < 0.05) were greater in both surfactant groups compared with saline; by 72 h Lucinactant cells had greater TER than Beractant (p < 0.001). Surfactant treated groups secreted less IL-8 than saline (p < 0.001), whereas Lucinactant cells secreted less IL-6 than saline and Beractant (p < 0.001). Matrix metalloproteinase 7, expressed by saline and Beractant treated cells at 24 h, was attenuated by 72 h by Beractant (p < 0.001), but was never detected in Lucinactant cells. Histology indicated less injury with Lucinactant relative to Beractant and saline. These data suggest that Lucinactant was protective compared with Beractant and control.
Sources of Social Self-Efficacy Expectations: Their Measurement and Relation to Career Development

Abstract The present study resulted in the development of a measure for the four sources of self-efficacy expectations postulated by Bandura's (1977, 1997) theory in the domain of social behaviors. The four sources subscales were internally consistent and related as postulated to relevant criterion measures and theoretical constructs. Examination of the degree to which the four sources of social self-efficacy were empirically (as opposed to theoretically) distinct provided conclusions similar to those of previous research on the sources of mathematics self-efficacy expectations, most importantly the clustering of Past Performance, Emotional Arousal, and Social Persuasion (all direct learning experiences) distinct from Vicarious Learning, an indirect learning experience.
Investigation of Antiestrogenic Properties of Unleaded Gasoline in Female Mice

Abstract Chronic exposure of female B6C3F1 mice to a high concentration of unleaded gasoline (UG) vapor induced liver tumors and caused uterine changes suggestive of estrogen antagonism. These effects of UG may be related, since estrogens inhibit hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. The purpose of this study was to determine if antiestrogenic properties of UG could be demonstrated in sensitive short-term assays. Competitive binding to estrogen receptors was assayed in vitro in uterine cytosols prepared from ovariectomized (OVEX) mice. UG did not inhibit specific binding of 17 -[3H]estradiol (E2) to uterine cytosols. To determine if UG induced estrogen metabolism, hepatocyte suspensions were prepared from female mice treated by intragastric intubation (ig) for 3 days with corn oil (control) or UG (1800 mg/kg/day). In a quantitative in vitro assay, hepatocytes isolated from UG-treated mice converted E2 and 17 -ethinyl estradiol to water soluble metabolites at a three-fold faster rate than control hepatocytes. Dose-response studies confirmed the induction of E2 metabolism by UG doses as low as 600 mg/kg/ day. In a 3-day uterotrophic assay, immature female mice cotreated with UG (600 or 1800 mg/kg/day, ig) and E2 (1 ?g/day, sc) had similar relative uterus weights and uterine peroxidase activity as mice cotreated with corn oil and E2. In a modified uterotrophic assay, OVEX mice treated with corn oil or UG (2400 mg/kg/day, ig) on Days 1-4 and cotreated with E2 (4 ?g/kg/day, sc) on Days 3-4 had similar uterus weights on Day 5. Thus, while ig treatment of mice with UG induced estrogen metabolism in isolated hepatocytes, this induction did not have functional antiestrogenic consequences as measured by uterotrophic assays. These data suggest that the uterine effects caused by chronic exposure of mice to UG vapor may not be due to direct antiestrogenic effects of UG.
The Alexis Quire and the cult of saints at St. Albans

The Alexis Quire is often considered to be an integral part of the St. Albans Psalter but was originally a stand-alone booklet and was only later added to the larger manuscript. This article examines the context surrounding the production of the booklet, and it is argued that the Alexis Quire is best understood as an expression of the concerns of the entire monastic community of St. Albans. The manuscript was one component of the community's efforts to establish a cult of St. Alexis, and is here considered in light of the two other illustrated hagiographical manuscripts made in Anglo-Norman England in the first half of the twelfth century.
The Next Steps in Competency-Based Medical Education: Milestones, Entrustable Professional Activities and Observable Practice Activities

Competency-based medical education (CBME) organizes the educational experience around competencies, emphasizes performance outcomes, promises greater accountability to patients and society, and is flexible and learner-centered.1 Competencies are multifaceted and integrated. Hence, our approach to competency assessment must involve an integrated assessment system and focus on performance in the workplace. Focusing on the workplace activities of trainees and inferring competence based on learner performance on those activities is most appropriate.2 Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are an attractive assessment framework because they focus on day-to-day activities and inherently address multiple competencies and skills at once.2,3
Pedestrian detection and tracking in infrared imagery using shape and appearance

In this paper, we present an approach toward pedestrian detection and tracking from infrared imagery using joint shape and appearance cues. A layered representation is first introduced and a generalized expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is developed to separate infrared images into background (still) and foreground (moving) layers regardless of camera panning. In the two-pass scheme of detecting pedestrians from the foreground layer: shape cue is first used to eliminate non-pedestrian moving objects and then appearance cue helps to locate the exact position of pedestrians. Templates with varying sizes are sequentially applied to detect pedestrians at multiple scales to accommodate different camera distances. To facilitate the task of pedestrian tracking, we formulate the problem of shot segmentation and present a graph matching-based tracking algorithm that jointly exploits the shape, appearance and distance information. Experimental results with both OSU Infrared Image Database and WVU Infrared Video Database are reported to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of our algorithm.
Picosecond time-resolved fluorescence from vibrationally unrelaxed perylene: Limiting relaxation rates in the statistical limit

Abstract An intense, tunable picosecond laser source has been used for selective excitation of vibronic bands of perylene in n -heptane crystals near 4 K. Measurements of resonance fluorescence signaIs show relaxation times to have limiting values near 45 ps at vibrational energies above about 2000 cm − . At lower energies, the duration of resonance fluorescence signals appears to be considerably shorter, indicating the probable involvement of internal vibrational modes of the heptane matrix.
Impact of nurse integrated rounds on self-reported comprehension, attitudes, and practices of nurses and resident physicians in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Objectives:To evaluate the impact of nurse integrated rounds (NIRs) on self-reported comprehension, attitudes, and practices of nurses and resident physicians (RPs) in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Materials and methods:A self-reported comprehension, attitude, and practice survey of RPs and nurses was done prior to (T0), 3 months (T3), and 15 months (T15) after initiation of NIRs in our PICU. Responses were graded on Likert-type scale from 1 to 5. The RPs, attending physicians, and nurses also ranked their overall perception of NIRs during these 3 survey time periods.Results:All 3 components of the surveys showed statistically significant improvement (P < .05) from the T0 to T3 and T15 in RPs and nurses. A complete or almost complete reversal of attitude was noted for most questions in the attitude section in both RPs and nurses when T15 was compared to T0. The overall perception that NIRs was good for patient care also showed significant improvement in the survey of nurses and physicians.Conclus...
Solvent/water partitioning of dimethylmethylphosphonate (DMMP) as a probe of solvent acidity

Experimentally determined partition coefficients for DMMP between NaCl-saturated water and 20 solvents were correlated using the solvatochromic parameters α, β, and π*. An inverted LSER was then used to predict α for 7 additional solvents. The new cohesion parameters αβ and π*2 were found to be more representative of cavity formation than δ H 2 . Most importantly, it was essential to include either αβ or δ H 2 in the LSER. The partition method appears to be a useful adjunct to solvatochromic techniques in refining and extending the α scale of solvent acidity and could be used to rationalize solvent selection in extraction processes.
Detection characterization of Cd1-xZnxTe detectors for x-ray linear arrays

In this paper, the detected signal-to-noise was measured and related to the tube current (mA) setting. The line spread function amplitude (LSF) dependence on drift distance of a 3 mm thick detector, for 100 kVp, 100 mA, with an applied electric field of 50 V/mm, and 100 V/mm, were measured. In addition, the dependence of the modulation transfer function [MTF(f)] of the x-ray detector system on the applied bias voltage has been experimentally determined. The experimental setup, although is not offered for large field-of-view imaging applications, offers capabilities for feasibility studies, research and evaluation of the temporal response and noise characteristics of a Cd 1-x Zn x Te detector, for fast digital radiographic and CT applications. The experimental results indicate that Cd 1-x Zn x Te detectors exhibit both a high signal-to-noise ratio and linear response, as well as a good spatial resolution within the diagnostic energy range. Tor system improves both with increasing applied bias voltage and decreasing detector thickness. A study is in process aimed at improving the spatial resolution of the x-ray system by suitable optimization of the system geometry as well as the system temporal response.
Expression of a transfected mouse muscle-creatine kinase gene is induced upon growth factor deprivation of myogenic but not of nonmyogenic cells.

Abstract To determine whether mitogen-regulated expression of skeletal muscle genes is independent of cell type, muscle and nonmuscle cells were transfected with cloned 5′-flanking sequences of muscle creatine kinase (MCK) fused to a heterologous reporter gene and tested for expression in high and low mitogen culture conditions. Consistent with the behavior of endogenous MCK, a −3300MCK-CAT gene is expressed at high levels in differentiated muscle cells but at low to undetectable levels in proliferating myoblasts and in either mitogen-deprived or stimulated nonmuscle cells of mesodermal, ectodermal, or endodermal origin. A −776MCK-CAT gene behaves similarly with respect to its cell type specificity but it supports only an intermediate expression level in response to mitogen deprivation in skeletal muscle cells. These data suggest that the −3300 to +7 nucleotide region of mouse MCK contains one or more elements which are activable by mitogen deprivation only in myogenic cells.
The anxiogenic drug yohimbine reinstates palatable food seeking in a rat relapse model: a role of CRF1 receptors.

The major problem in treating excessive eating is high rates of relapse to maladaptive eating habits during diet treatments; this relapse is often induced by stress or anxiety states. Preclinical studies have not explored this clinical problem. Here, we adapted a reinstatement model (commonly used to study relapse to abused drugs) to examine the role of stress and anxiety in relapse to palatable food seeking during dieting. Rats were placed on restricted diet (75–80% of daily standard food) and for 12 intermittent training days (9 h/day, every other day) lever-pressed for palatable food pellets (25% fat, 48% carbohydrate) under a fixed ratio 1 (20-s timeout) reinforcement schedule. Subsequently, the rats were given 10 daily extinction sessions during which lever presses were not reinforced, and were then injected with yohimbine (an α-2 adrenoceptor antagonist that induces stress and anxiety in humans and non-humans) or given a single food pellet to assess reinstatement of food seeking. The rats rapidly learned to lever press for the palatable pellets and across the training days the ratio of timeout nonreinforced lever presses to reinforced lever presses progressively increased more than three-fold, suggesting the development of compulsive eating behavior. After extinction, yohimbine injections and pellet priming reliably reinstated food seeking. The corticotropin-releasing factor1 (CRF1) receptor antagonist antalarmin attenuated the reinstatement induced by yohimbine, but not pellet priming. Antalarmin also reversed yohimbine's anxiogenic effects in the social interaction test. These data suggest that CRF is involved in stress-induced relapse to palatable food seeking, and that CRF1 antagonists should be considered for the treatment of maladaptive eating habits.
Hot hole transport in a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells

The transport behavior of photogenerated minority carriers in an a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cell is dependent on the energy distribution function (EDF) of the carriers impinging on the hetero-interface. The high field region at the interface results in a strongly non-Maxwellian distribution of holes incident on the surface, which has implications for current collection and a significant impact on the overall efficiency of the device. This work studies the effect of the high field transport on photogenerated carriers at the hetero-interface through a combination of Monte Carlo simulations and analysis of defect assisted transport. A three band warped non-parabolic band model is implemented to describe the valence band in order to accurately represent high energy photocarriers. Also, percolation path theory is applied to study defect assisted transport in the intrinsic amorphous region by considering mechanisms such as defect capture through tunneling, emission through Poole - Frenkel effect, and emission through tunneling.