cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling the accuracy of certain regional predictions

Abstract A model is hypothesized specifying forecast error as a function of specific ‘year effects’, particular dates of forecast, and ‘time span effects’, length of projection horizon. Model estimation methodology is presented and empirical application is made to inaccuracies arising in the RAS procedure for projecting bivariate region/industry employment arrays for two sets of regional data. In both applications, the model is found to explain a large proportion of variation in forecast errors, and estimation results permit isolation of pure time effects on deterioration of model accuracy and quantification of relative ‘year effects’.
Immunological recovery post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: role of prophylactic prevention of infection in post-transplant period.

: Immunological recovery post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is variable. This depends upon the type of transplantation, source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation, prophylactic treatment for graft-versus-host disease and ongoing therapy for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease with immunosuppressive agents. Periodic numerical and functional assessment of recovery of the immune system after transplantation can identify the patients with inadequate immune system who are at risk for development of infectious complications. These patients should receive prophylactic therapy to decrease infection-related morbidity and mortality associated with transplantation procedures.
Overcoming the odds.

Introduction It’s July, which in my house means the Tour de France. It’s on when I wake up in the morning, and I often go to bed with the day’s highlights on the television. One can’t help but marvel at the fitness, skill, and intensity of these athletes. Even the least skilled rider in the Tour is a more finely tuned athlete than anyone I know. The stamina and concentration exhibited by these riders over 21 days of bicycle racing is incredibly impressive. They are, of course, professional riders who are paid to compete for a team that represents some corporate entity; they are also well trained, coached, and supported in their athletic efforts. However, for an athlete to make it to this competition level requires not only tremendous determination but good genetics. In the 70s, without maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), these athletes wouldn’t have a chance. Today, the vast majority of the population does not have the time, the coaching, the support, the skills, the stamina, or the genetics to exercise at this level. Yet somehow many get themselves to the gym or out on the road, or, in my case, onto an elliptical trainer 3 to 5 days per week. For those efforts, many of us are healthier and happier. As a family physician, I try to take the approach of the late George Sheehan, MD, who titled one of his essays, “Every Patient is an Athlete.” With that perspective in mind, I have cared for some incredible athletes. Their stories of overcoming the odds to maintain physically active lifestyles and even compete are inspiring. They may not have the VO2max of Lance Armstrong, but they have his determination. These are the individuals that inspire and motivate me to help others achieve a physically active lifestyle.
Effect of starvation, nutriment replacement, and hypothyroidism on in vitro hepatic T4 to T3 conversion in the rat.

To evaluate the effect of starvation, oral and i.v. nutriments, and hypothyroidism on the peripheral conversion of thyroxine (T4) to 3,3', 5-triiodothyronine (T3) in the rat and mouse, an in vitro system for assessing T4 conversion to T3 by fresh liver homogenates was used. A 2-day starvation in the rat reduced hepatic T3 generation from T4 by 47% +/- 3.5% (mean +/- SE) in six separate experiments and also impaired the metabolism of 125I-r-T3. Administration of carbohydrate (CHO) and amino acids (P), but not lipid (L), significantly increased T3 generation above values observed in the starved rat. The mean serum glucose concentration was similar in all nutriment-infused groups, but serum insulin was significantly greater in the CHO- and P-infused as compared to the L-infused rats. These findings suggest that CHO and P, but not L, are important modulators of hepatic outer ring thyronine deiodination in the rat, perhaps due to increased intracellular glucose. Hypothyroidism in the rat induced by thyroidectomy and congenital secondary hypothyroidism in the dwarf mouse resulted in a striking decrease in hepatic conversion of T4 to T3. This decrease was restored to normal by the daily s.c. administration of physiologic doses of T4 (1.5 microgram/100 g) or T3 (0.5 microgram/100 g) for 14 days, and was increased above normal following treatment of normal rate with greater than physiologic doses of T4 (3microgram/100 g) or T3 (1 microgram/100g). In vitro hepatic conversion of T4 to T3 is, therefore, dependent upon thyroid function. Since 2-days starvation in the rat was associated with decreased serum concentrations of T4, T3, and TSH, and hypothyroidism resulted in decreased conversion of T4 to T3, the effect of a constant 2-day infusion of physiologic doses of T4 or T3 in the starved rat on the in vitro deiodination of T4 was assessed. Thyroid hormone replacement did not enhance the conversion of T4 to T3 in the starved rat. These observations suggest that the starvation-induced decrease in hepatic generation of T3 from T4 is not due to hypothyroidism and that the mechanism(s) of the decreased T3 production observed in starvation and hypothyroidism is different.
Spatial nonstationarity and the scale of species-environment relationships in the Mojave Desert, California, USA

Species distribution models (SDM) have become a fertile area of research interest at the confluence of spatial ecology and GIScience and have been used to study a wide range of biogeographical phenomena, including invasive species, vector-borne diseases, and biological diversity. Scale is one of the most important considerations in any spatial analysis study because different spatial patterns emerge at different scales. An issue related to the 'extent' concept of scale that has more recently been recognized as important is spatial nonstationarity, which exists when processes or models of processes vary across space. This research examined the scale of species-environment relationships by a relatively new (in SDM) statistical method, geographically weighted regression (GWR). We tested four different types of species and 10 different types of environmental (climate and topography) variables in univariate GWR models to explore how stationarity and explanatory power varied with scale (as a function of GWR bandwidth size). The results suggest that the scale of species-environment relationships varies for both different types of species and different types of environmental variables. The two metrics used here-stationarity index and explained variance-did not show congruity in terms of a 'characteristic scale.' Species' relationships with climate and elevation variables became stationary at broader scales, and in some cases the models did not become stationary at the largest bandwidth tested. The complex topographic variables used here operate at finer scales and were often stationary across all scales or became stationary at small bandwidths. In addition to being instrumental for examining the effects of scale on spatial nonstationarity and a model's explanatory ability, GWR can also be used to explore potential geographical factors that result in nonstationarity.
Comparative behavioral sensitization to stereotypy by direct and indirect dopamine agonists in CF-1 mice

The present experiments were designed to compare the properties of behavioral sensitization induced by the indirect agonists, amphetamine and cocaine, to that induced by the direct dopamine agonists, apomorphine and PPHT. Both classes of agonist produced sensitization when administered either in relatively low daily doses or in a single high dose. Mice sensitized to the indirect agonists were cross-sensitized to the direct agonists and vice versa. A pharmacological evaluation of the sensitization induced by the two types of agonist demonstrated both similarities and dissimilarities. Induction to the indirect agonists is blocked by CPP, DNQX and diltiazem, whereas only CPP and diltiazem blocked induction to the direct agonists. Furthermore, although none of these antagonists block the expression of sensitization by the direct agonists, all three were previously shown to block the amphetamine expression of sensitization. Striking differences were also observed in the persistence of the sensitization induced by the two types of agonists. While the indirect agonist-induced sensitization is long lasting, the direct agonist-induced sensitization is relatively short-lived. Furthermore, cross-sensitization of PPHT in amphetamine-sensitized animals was also short-lived, as was amphetamine cross-sensitization in PPHT-sensitized animals. The data suggest that the induction of sensitization consists of two separable mechanisms, one for induction per se, the other for persistence.
Borrelia burgdorferi EbfC defines a newly-identified, widespread family of bacterial DNA-binding proteins

The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, encodes a novel type of DNA-binding protein named EbfC. Orthologs of EbfC are encoded by a wide range of bacterial species, so characterization of the borrelial protein has implications that span the eubacterial kingdom. The present work defines the DNA sequence required for high-affinity binding by EbfC to be the 4 bp broken palindrome GTnAC, where ‘n’ can be any nucleotide. Two high-affinity EbfC-binding sites are located immediately 5′ of B. burgdorferi erp transcriptional promoters, and binding of EbfC was found to alter the conformation of erp promoter DNA. Consensus EbfC-binding sites are abundantly distributed throughout the B. burgdorferi genome, occurring approximately once every 1 kb. These and other features of EbfC suggest that this small protein and its orthologs may represent a distinctive type of bacterial nucleoid-associated protein. EbfC was shown to bind DNA as a homodimer, and site-directed mutagenesis studies indicated that EbfC and its orthologs appear to bind DNA via a novel α-helical ‘tweezer’-like structure.
Cutaneous injuries and envenomations from fish, sharks and rays

Although dermatologists may not live or work in a marine environment, they and their patients are likely to be spending some of their leisure time on or near the water. The intent of this article is to give a basic working knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of the more common as well as the most dangerous injuries that can result from the bites and stings from fish, sharks and rays.
How not to rethink research ethics.

Rosamond Rhodes proposes a new framework of “novel” policies for research ethics (Rhodes 2005). However, the new framework is not much different from the old one—namely, the current framework that ...
Rural Financial Market Performance: Implications of Low Delinquency Rates

In contrast to most developing countries, nonrepayment of agricultural loans has not been a problem for the Costa Rican banking system. Delinquency rates have in fact been lower for agricultural than nonagricultural loans and lowest on loans to small farmers. This good performance is due largely to efficient techniques developed for gathering information about potential borrowers and incentives for borrowers to repay promptly to maintain access to bank loans which carry interest rates substantially below equilibrium. The pattern of low delinquency rates reflects the structure of low interest rates which causes farmers, especially small farmers, to be rationed most severely.
Primary cilia regulates the directional migration and barrier integrity of endothelial cells through the modulation of Hsp27 dependent actin cytoskeletal organization

Cilia are mechanosensing organelles that communicate extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Altered functions of primary cilia play a key role in the development of various diseases including polycystic kidney disease. Here, we show that endothelial cells from the oak ridge polycystic kidney (Tg737orpk/orpk) mouse, with impaired cilia assembly, exhibit a reduction in the actin stress fibers and focal adhesions compared to wild type. In contrast, endothelial cells from polycystin-1 deficient mice (pkd1null/null), with impaired cilia function, display robust stress fibers and focal adhesion assembly. We found that the Tg737orpk/orpk cells exhibit impaired directional migration and endothelial cell monolayer permeability compared to the wild type and pkd1null/null cells. Finally, we found that the expression of heat shock protein 27 (hsp27) and the phosphorylation of FAK are down regulated in the Tg737orpk/orpk cells and overexpression of hsp27 restored both FAK phosphorylation and cell migration. Taken together, these results demonstrate that disruption of the primary cilia structure or function compromises the endothelium through the suppression of hsp27 dependent actin organization and focal adhesion formation, which may contribute to the vascular dysfunction in ciliopathies.
On the Nonthermal Emission and Acceleration of Electrons in Coma and Other Clusters of Galaxies

Some clusters of galaxies, in addition to thermal bremsstrahlung (TB), emit detectable diffuse radiation from the intracluster medium (ICM) at radio, EUV, and hard X-ray (HXR) ranges. The radio radiation must be due to synchrotron by relativistic electrons, and the inverse Compton scattering by the cosmic microwave background radiation of the same electrons is the most natural source for the HXR and perhaps the EUV emissions. However, simple estimates give a weaker magnetic field than that suggested by Faraday rotation measurements. Consequently, nonthermal bremsstrahlung (NTB) and TB have also been suggested as sources of these emissions. We show that NTB cannot be the source of the HXRs (except for a short period) and that the difficulty with the low magnetic field in the IC model is alleviated if the effects of observational selection bias, nonisotropic pitch angle distribution, and spectral breaks in the energy distribution of the relativistic electrons are taken into account. From these considerations and the strength of the EUV emission, we derive a spectrum for the radiating electrons and discuss possible acceleration scenarios for its production. We show that continuous and in situ acceleration in the ICM of the background thermal electrons is difficult and requires unreasonably high energy input. Similarly, acceleration of injected relativistic electrons, say, by galaxies, seems unreasonable because it will give rise to a much flatter spectrum of electrons than required, unless a large fraction of energy input is carried away by electrons escaping the ICM, in which case one obtains EUV and HXR emissions extending well beyond the boundaries of the diffuse radio source. A continuous emission by a cooling spectrum resulting from interaction with ICM of electrons accelerated elsewhere also suffers from similar shortcomings. The most likely scenario appears to be an episodic injection acceleration model, whereby one obtains a time-dependent spectrum that for certain phases of its evolution satisfies all the requirements.
Effect of the 16-hour work limit on general surgery intern operative case volume: a multi-institutional study.

Importance The 80-hour work-week limit for all residents was instituted in 2003 and studies looking at its effect have been mixed. Since the advent of the 16-hour mandate for postgraduate year 1 residents in July 2011, no data have been published regarding the effect of this additional work-hour restriction. Objective To determine whether the 16-hour intern work limit, implemented in July 2011, has adversely affected operative experience. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective review of categorical postgraduate year 1 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs from the intern class (N = 52) (with 16-hour work limit) compared with the 4 preceding years (2007-2010; N = 197) (without 16-hour work limit). A total of 249 categorical general surgery interns from 10 general surgery residency programs in the western United States were included. Main Outcomes and Measures Total, major, first-assistant, and defined-category case totals. Results As compared with the preceding 4 years, the 2011-2012 interns recorded a 25.8% decrease in total operative cases (65.9 vs 88.8, P = .005), a 31.8% decrease in major cases (54.9 vs 80.5, P P = .008). There were statistically significant decreases in cases within the defined categories of abdomen, endocrine, head and neck, basic laparoscopy, complex laparoscopy, pediatrics, thoracic, and soft tissue/breast surgery in the 16-hour shift intern era, whereas there was no decrease in trauma, vascular, alimentary, endoscopy, liver, and pancreas cases. Conclusions and Relevance The 16-hour work limit for interns, implemented in July 2011, is associated with a significant decrease in categorical intern operative experience. If the 16-hour shift were to be extended to all postgraduate year levels, one can anticipate that additional years of training will be needed to maintain the same operative volume.
Compartmentalizing metabolic pathways in organelles.

The entire metabolic pathway for producing a biofuel is confined within a yeast organelle to increase yield over the endogenous pathway split between two compartments.
Cardiovascular Effects of Sustained Norepinephrine Infusions. II. Morphology

The major toxic effect of norepinephrine (NE) infusion in dogs, cats, and rabbits in doses relatively comparable to those used clinically has been shown to be on the heart. Noncardiac lesions were those of congestion, and were seen in animals receiving the higher doses. The dogs in these dose groups showed evidence of progressive deterioration of cardiac function. All dogs which developed cardiac lesions also developed an acute adrenalitis. The cardiac lesions in all animals consisted of focal degeneration and necrosis of myofibers, and subendocardial hemorrhage. These lesions healed within two weeks by fibrosis.
Spectra of Bipartite P- and Q-Polynomial Association Schemes

Let Y=(X,{R i }0≤i≤D) denote a symmetric association scheme with D≥3, and assume Y is not an ordinary cycle. Suppose Y is bipartite P-polynomial with respect to the given ordering A0, A1,…, A D of the associate matrices, and Q-polynomial with respect to the ordering E0, E1,…,E D of the primitive idempotents. Then the eigenvalues and dual eigenvalues satisfy exactly one of (i)–(iv).
Phase lags and coherence of X-ray variability in black hole candidates

The ``low'' (hard or ``non-thermal'') state of black hole candidates is sometimes modelled via an optically thick, hot Compton cloud that obscures a softer input source such as an accretion disk. In these models the observed output spectra consist entirely of photons reprocessed by the cloud, making it difficult to extract information about the input spectra. Recently Miller (1995) has argued that the Fourier phase (or time) lag between hard and soft X-ray photons in actuality represents the phase lags intrinsic to the input source, modulo a multiplicative factor. The phase lags thus would be a probe of the input photon source. In this paper we examine this claim and find that, although true for the limited parameter space considered by Miller, the intrinsic phase lag disappears whenever the output photon energy is much greater than the input photon energy. The remaining time lags represent a ``shelf'' due to differences between mean diffusion times across the cloud. As pointed out by Miller, the amplitude of this shelf -- which is present even when the intrinsic time lags remain -- is indicative of the size and temperature of the Compton cloud and is a function of the two energies being compared. However, we find that with previous instruments such as Ginga the shelf, if present, was likely obscured by counting noise. A more sensitive measure of Compton cloud parameters may be obtainable from the coherence function, which is derived from the amplitude of the Fourier cross power spectral density. This function has been seen to exponentially decrease at high Fourier frequencies in Cygnus X-1. Coherence loss is characteristic of Compton clouds that undergo large variations of size and/or temperature on time scales longer than about 10 seconds. We argue that observing phase lags and coherence
A practical toolbox for design and analysis of landscape genetics studies

Landscape genetics integrates theory and analytical methods of population genetics and landscape ecology. Research in this area has increased in recent decades, creating a plethora of options for study design and analysis. Here we present a practical toolbox for the design and analysis of landscape genetics studies following a seven-step framework: (1) define the study objectives, (2) consider the spatial and temporal scale of the study, (3) design a sampling regime, (4) select a genetic marker, (5) generate genetic input data, (6) generate spatial input data, and (7) choose an analytical method that integrates genetic and spatial data. Study design considerations discussed include choices of spatial and temporal scale, sample size and spatial distribution, and genetic marker selection. We present analytical methods suitable for achieving different study objectives. As emerging technologies generate genetic and spatial data sets of increasing size, complexity, and resolution, landscape geneticists are challenged to execute hypothesis-driven research that combines empirical data and simulation modeling. The landscape genetics framework presented here can accommodate new design considerations and analyses, and facilitate integration of genetic and spatial data by guiding new landscape geneticists through study design, implementation, and analysis.
Measuring Drug Court Adherence to the What Works Literature The Creation of the Evidence-Based Correctional Program Checklist–Drug Court

Quality correctional programming is important, particularly for drug courts. In this article, we chronicle the development of a tool designed to evaluate juvenile and adult drug courts, the Evidence-Based Correctional Program Checklist–Drug Court (CPC-DC). The history of the CPC-DC is traced by exploring research that indicates why program evaluation is important. This article also discusses the development of two predecessor assessment tools designed to measure how closely correctional programs adhere to evidence-based practice, the Correctional Program Assessment Inventory (CPAI) and the Evidence-Based Correctional Program Checklist (CPC). Results are briefly presented on the outcomes of the CPC-DC assessments completed to date by the University of Cincinnati (UC). Finally, recommendations are offered for operating an evidence-based drug court.
Painterly Ceramics in Classical Athens and Renaissance Italy

Fired clay vessels began to be produced in the Near East about 8,000 years ago; these vessels were utilitarian, undecorated, fired at a relatively low temperature and seem to have been derived from brick-making practices. By about 6,000 B.C., pottery making was a well developed craft and the use of slip coatings, ocher red and black decoration with control of oxidation-reduction during firing, impressed designs, rouletting, manganese oxide and spinel black pigments, coil and slab construction, burnishing, joining, paddle and anvil shaping, carving, trimming and preparing clays by decanting a suspension were widely known [1]. By the fifth millennium, these techniques had become quite sophisticated and were used to produce polychrome wares and glossy surfaces. Painted and glazed designs were confined to decorative motifs appropriate to a particular technique and culture. Among the early depictions of narrative events on pottery are Attic funeral amphora which show funerary and battle scenes of which an eighth century B.C. monumental amphora vase from the Dipylon Gate cemetery is best known. Beginning in the latter part of the seventh century, narrative scenes depicting Greek mythology and the ’Heroic Age’ of Homer were produced which came to be a major category of deluxe pottery. They were manufactured continuously until the end of the Classical period in Greece toward the end of the fourth century [2]. The beginnings of modern depictions of narrative scenes on pottery began in Renaissance Italy toward the end of the fifteenth century. Istoriato (story telling) maiolica was produced in which the principle scenes of the narrative pictures were taken from biblical stories and Roman and Greek mythology. In the view of Warren Cox [3] “the pictorial and narrative element which was entirely out of place on pottery became dominant and most destructive of the art. The Italians never seem to grasp the beauty of an object in itself, but always had a yen to wrap it with stories, sentiments and emotions.” Analyses of the decorative techniques used for these objects have shown that technological advances in paint and glaze preparation moved forward in parallel with the development of painterly techniques. The pottery served essentially as a ground for painting; these were the high technology, high value-added ceramic products of their time. We propose to explore the interactions between these new technologies, the development of new painterly traditions and their relationships to social structures.
Fostering a Supportive Environment At Work

Supportive social contacts at work affect job satisfaction and protect against job-induced psychological distress and health risks. Accordingly, interventions to create and improve oppurtunities for supportive social contact are a high priority. Guidelines for the development of such interventions and to whom they should be targeted are described.
Markup estimation using neural network methodology

Abstract This paper introduces a neural network-based model for solving the percent markup estimation problem. Neural networks (NNs) are utilized as systems able to generalize solutions by learning from a set of examples representing previous encounters of problems and their corresponding solutions or decisions. NNs utilize these holistic examples (without their underlying logic) as patterns, to simulate the decision process and its related knowledge for devising solutions to new encounters even with incomplete and/or noisy information. In this paper, existing markup estimation models are reviewed and their limitations identified. The characteristics that render the markup problem more suitable for NN modeling are outlined. The markup estimation process is analyzed and the decision-governing attributes identified. Two alternative designs for the NN model are examined and their results compared. The first model is based on a single neural network architecture and the second is based on a five-network hierarchical system. As opposed to the single large network, the hierarchical model consists of four sub-networks, pertaining to the assessment of: job uncertainty; job complexity; marked conditions; and company capabilities. The results of the four sub-networks form the input to a macro-level neural network designed to estimate the optimum markup, for a given project environment. A questionnaire survey is developed to elicit the required knowledge, from general contractors in Canada and the U.S.A., pertaining to bidding situations or encounters of some past projects. Analyses of the survey responses are utilized to structure, design, implement, train and test the two NN models. The results show that the two NN models can be trained satisfactorily on the training examples presented, however the single-network model generalizes unseen examples better than the hierarchical model. Issues regarding practical implementation of the NN model, improving its generalization capabilities and integration with other decision analysis tools are outlined.
Solar photodecomposition of decabromodiphenyl ether: products and quantum yield.

Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) is a widely used flame retardant, yet information regarding its environmental transformation rates and pathways are largely unknown. Because photochemical transformation is often suggested as a potentially important fate process for BDE209, the reaction rate and products of the solar degradation under favorable solvent conditions were determined in this study. Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209), dissolved in hexane, reacts in minutes via direct solar irradiation, at midlatitude (40°29‘ N, 86°59.5‘ W) in afternoon July and October sunlight. Observed first-order reaction rate constants, kobs, at the different exposure times were kobs = 1.86 × 10-3 s-1 (July) and kobs = 1.11 × 10-3 s-1 (October). The photodecomposition quantum yield was calculated from these data and from the solar irradiance data measured at 300, 305.5, 311.4, 317.6, 325.4, 332.4, and 368 nm reported at a USGS UVB monitoring station located nearby. The range of wavelengths where both the molar absorptivity of ...
Social Interactions at School of Children Who Are Medically Fragile and Developmentally Delayed

The social interactions ( n = 576) of 11 children who were medically fragile and developmentally delayed (MF/DD) were analyzed. Children interacted with a range of 5–23 people ( M = 13.82) during the course of a school day, averaging 52 social encounters (range, 27–75). Most interactions (83.5%) were with adults and often occurred while the adults were providing care and teaching. Only 4.2% of social encounters were initiated solely for play, and 7.2% included play with another activity. Network members initiated most interactions, and 60% were reciprocal. Children who are MF/DD require assistance and support to play and interact with other children.
A synergistic damage mechanics approach for composite laminates with matrix cracks in multiple orientations

Abstract This paper treats the problem of elastic response of composite laminates containing matrix cracks in plies of multiple orientations. The approach taken has been described as synergistic damage mechanics (SDM) and has been previously illustrated for [ 0 m / ± θ n / 0 m / 2 ] s laminates with cracks of equal density in + θ and - θ plies [Singh, C.V., Talreja, R., 2008. Int. J. Solids Struct. 45(16), 4574–4589]. The current work extends the approach to [ 0 m / ± θ n / 90 r ] s and [ 0 m / 90 r / ± θ n ] s laminates with cracks additionally in the 90°-plies. The interaction between the ± θ -cracks and the 90°-cracks is analyzed in terms of the crack surface displacements using a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model and found to be significant only for crack orientations close to 90°. The stiffness degradation of the laminate with all cracking modes simultaneously present is formulated by continuum damage mechanics using a second order tensor characterization of damage. The elastic moduli changes predicted by the SDM procedure are validated by independent three-dimensional FE calculations. For a particular case of quasi-isotropic [ 0 / 90 / ∓ 45 ] s laminate, the elastic moduli predictions are evaluated against experimental data. Finally, a parametric study is performed to examine the effects of ply thickness changes on stiffness properties.
Sarin intoxication elevates plasma pralidoxime.

Abstract Groups of guinea pigs were injected with a range of dosages for sarin (0, 140, 279, 557 μg/kg) followed by pralidoxime (2-PAM) and atropine sulfate (16 mg/kg). Poisoning by sarin in these animals elevated plasma pralidoxime content in a dose-dependent manner within 10 min of intoxication. Plasma levels after administration of 3.12 mg/kg of 2-PAM were elevated from a control mean of 6.18 μg/ml to a maximum of 13.78 μg/ml in animals given 557 μg/kg of sarin at 2 min after the injection of the therapeutic compounds. This suggests that pathophysiological changes following intoxication by potent inhibitors of cholinesterase result in a decrease in the rate and extent of distribution of therapeutic compounds. This effect is most likely a consequence of changes in cardiovascular functions influencing blood flow to various organs.
Sarcoidosis of the aortic root.

Sarcoidosis is a clinical entity characterized by noncaseating epithelioid granulomas affecting multiple organs. The cause remains perplexing, but the available evidence points to an exaggerated cellular response as the feature of the disorder. The granulomas, composed of mononuclear phagocytes encircled by CD4 T lymphocytes, have the potential for distorting tissue architecture and thus compromising organ function. Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease, but its symptoms are usually secondary to lung, liver, skin, lymph node, and eye involvement. Clinically manifest cardiac involvement is seen in 5% of patients. It is characterized by conduction anomalies, pericarditis, and congestive heart failure, with the potential for causing sudden death. We report on an unusual case of cardiac sarcoidosis resulting in aortic valve insufficiency and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction.
DNAPROBE, a computer program which generates oligonucleotide probes from protein alignments

We describe a program to assist in designing oligonucleotide probes on the basis of protein alignments and the codon usage of the target organism. If necessary, the input sequences can be weighted to neutralise the effect of closely similar sequences or to bias the output in favour of a particular taxon.
Thomas Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma

In 1832 Thomas Hodgkin, a physician at Guy’s Hospital in London, published a description of seven cases of lymph nodes with unusual changes. Little did he suspect that this publication would lead to recognition of the now-familiar entity that has come to be known as Hodgkin lymphoma. In the years that have passed since that publication, diagnostic criteria and a straightforward system for subclassification of Hodgkin lymphoma have been established. The cell of origin for the characteristic neoplastic cell, the Reed-Sternberg cell, was identified after much scientific struggle. With improvements in therapy, the prognosis for Hodgkin lymphoma patients has improved remarkably; indeed, the development of effective treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma serves as a medical success story. Current investigation focuses on better understanding of the intricacies of the complex biology of Hodgkin lymphoma, including the genetic changes underlying its pathogenesis, and improving therapy for the minority of patients who do not respond well to currently available treatment.
Modeling and characterization of dynamic failure of borosilicate glass under compression/shear loading☆

Abstract In this paper, we study the impact-induced dynamic failure of a borosilicate glass block using an integrated experimental/analytical approach. Previous experimental studies on dynamic failure of borosilicate glass have been reported by Nie et al. [Nie X, Chen WW, Sun X, Templeton DW. Dynamic failure of borosilicate glass under compression/shear loading – experiments. J Am Ceram Soc, in press.] using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique. The damage growth patterns and stress histories have been reported for various glass specimen designs. In this study, we propose to use a continuum damage mechanics (CDM)-based constitutive model to describe the initial failure and subsequent stiffness reduction of glass. Explicit finite element analyses are used to simulate the glass specimen impact event. A maximum shear stress-based damage evolution law is used in describing the glass damage process under combined compression/shear loading. The impact test results are used in quantifying the critical shear stress for the borosilicate glass under examination. It is shown that with only two modeling parameters, reasonably good comparisons between the predicted and the experimentally measured failure maps can be obtained for various glass sample geometries. Comparisons between the predicted stress histories for different sample designs are also used as model validations.
Dying for a cause: invertebrate genetics takes on human neurodegeneration

If invertebrate neurons are injured by hostile environments or aberrant proteins they die much like human neurons, indicating that the powerful advantages of invertebrate molecular genetics might be successfully used for testing specific hypotheses about human neurological diseases, for drug discovery and for non-biased screens for suppressors and enhancers of neurodegeneration. Recent molecular dissection of the genetic requirements for hypoxia, excitotoxicity and death in models of Alzheimer disease, polyglutamine-expansion disorders, Parkinson disease and more, is providing mechanistic insights into neurotoxicity and suggesting new therapeutic interventions. An emerging theme is that neuronal crises of distinct origins might converge to disrupt common cellular functions, such as protein folding and turnover.
Is the noradrenergic "feeding circuit" in hypothalamus really an olfactory system?

Since the act of feeding releases catecholamines from certain areas of the rat's hypothalamus, we have examined the possibility of a sensory component underlying this release. An individual diencephalic site in the unanesthetized rat was radiolabeled by microinjection of 1.0–2.0 μCi of 14C-NE, in a volume of 0.5–1.0 μ1, through a permanently implanted guide cannula. Then 30 min later, the labeled site was perfused by means of push-pull cannulae, with an osmotically balanced CSF solution at a rate of 25 μl/min. The interval of perfusion was 5 min with 10 min intervening. In the midpoint of a sequence of 7 perfusions, either the rat was allowed to consume food, or one of two odoriferous substances was placed beneath its cage floor, i.e., peanut butter or pyridine. During the presentation of either of the two olfactory stimuli to the animal, the efflux of 14C-NE was enhanced from the same circumscribed site of perfusion in which feeding augmented similarly the release of the 14C-NE isotope. An analysis of selected hypothalamic perfusates by TLC verified quantitatively the alteration in the profile of 14C-NE and its labeled metabolites. Our results thus support the view that the changes in the catecholamine release within the hypothalamus reflect synaptic activity of the sensory pathways which mediate the olfactory input to this diencephalic structure.
Transient blockade of the inducible costimulator pathway generates long-term tolerance to factor VIII after nonviral gene transfer into hemophilia A mice

Formation of inhibitory antibodies is a common problem encountered in clinical treatment for hemophilia. Human factor VIII (hFVIII) plasmid gene therapy in hemophilia A mice also leads to strong humoral responses. We demonstrate that short-term therapy with an anti-ICOS monoclonal antibody to transiently block the inducible costimulator/inducible costimulator ligand (ICOS/ICOSL) signaling pathway led to sustained tolerance to hFVIII in hFVIII plasmid–treated hemophilia A mice and allowed persistent, high-level FVIII functional activity (100%-300% of normal). Anti-ICOS treatment resulted in depletion of ICOS+CD4+ T cells and activation of CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in the peripheral blood, spleen, and lymph nodes. CD4+ T cells from anti-ICOS–treated mice did not proliferate in response to hFVIII stimulation and produced high levels of regulatory cytokines, including interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β. Moreover, CD4+CD25+ Tregs from tolerized mice adoptively transferred dominant tolerance in syngeneic hFVIII plasmid-treated hemophilia A mice and reduced the production of antibodies against FVIII. Anti-ICOS–treated mice tolerized to hFVIII generated normal primary and secondary antibody responses after immunization with the T-dependent antigen, bacteriophage Φx 174, indicating maintenance of immune competency. Our data indicate that transient anti-ICOS monoclonal antibody treatment represents a novel single-agent immunomodulatory strategy to overcome the immune responses against transgene product after gene therapy.
Primary glia expressing the G93A-SOD1 mutation present a neuroinflammatory phenotype and provide a cellular system for studies of glial inflammation

Detailed study of glial inflammation has been hindered by lack of cell culture systems that spontaneously demonstrate the "neuroinflammatory phenotype". Mice expressing a glycine → alanine substitution in cytosolic Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (G93A-SOD1) associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) demonstrate age-dependent neuroinflammation associated with broad-spectrum cytokine, eicosanoid and oxidant production. In order to more precisely study the cellular mechanisms underlying glial activation in the G93A-SOD1 mouse, primary astrocytes were cultured from 7 day mouse neonates. At this age, G93A-SOD1 mice demonstrated no in vivo hallmarks of neuroinflammation. Nonetheless astrocytes cultured from G93A-SOD1 (but not wild-type human SOD1-expressing) transgenic mouse pups demonstrated a significant elevation in either the basal or the tumor necrosis alpha (TNFα)-stimulated levels of proinflammatory eicosanoids prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4); inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and •NO (indexed by nitrite release into the culture medium); and protein carbonyl products. Specific cytokine- and TNFα death-receptor-associated components were similarly upregulated in cultured G93A-SOD1 cells as assessed by multiprobe ribonuclease protection assays (RPAs) for their mRNA transcripts. Thus, endogenous glial expression of G93A-SOD1 produces a metastable condition in which glia are more prone to enter an activated neuroinflammatory state associated with broad-spectrum increased production of paracrine-acting substances. These findings support a role for active glial involvement in ALS and may provide a useful cell culture tool for the study of glial inflammation.
VisTrails: enabling interactive multiple-view visualizations

VisTrails is a new system that enables interactive multiple-view visualizations by simplifying the creation and maintenance of visualization pipelines, and by optimizing their execution. It provides a general infrastructure that can be combined with existing visualization systems and libraries. A key component of VisTrails is the visualization trail (vistrail), a formal specification of a pipeline. Unlike existing dataflow-based systems, in VisTrails there is a clear separation between the specification of a pipeline and its execution instances. This separation enables powerful scripting capabilities and provides a scalable mechanism for generating a large number of visualizations. VisTrails also leverages the vistrail specification to identify and avoid redundant operations. This optimization is especially useful while exploring multiple visualizations. When variations of the same pipeline need to be executed, substantial speedups can be obtained by caching the results of overlapping subsequences of the pipelines. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of VisTrails, and show its effectiveness in different application scenarios.
To build a biofilm.

Development is not restricted to so-called higher organisms. Developmental processes in bacteria include differentiation of a single cell, such as the swarmer-to-stalk transition by Caulobacter crescentus and spore formation by Bacillus subtilis . Other microbes, such as Myxococcus xanthus , produce
The initial value problem for the sequence of generalized Korteweg-de Vries equations

On considere le probleme aux valeurs initiales pour l'equation ∂u/∂t=∂ G m (u)/∂x=K m (u), m≥1
Comparison of Dynamic Sonography to Stress Radiography for Assessing Glenohumeral Laxity in Asymptomatic Shoulders

Background: Stress radiography has been the established imaging method for quantifying glenohumeral joint laxity. Dynamic ultrasound is an alternative imaging method that may be used to measure glenohumeral laxity; however, validity and repeatability have not been examined.Objective: To determine criterion-related validity and repeatability of a sonographic imaging method for measuring glenohumeral laxity in asymptomatic shoulders.Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.Methods: In experiment 1, 20 subjects were assessed for glenohumeral laxity using stress radiography and dynamic ultrasound. In the second experiment, 13 subjects were assessed for laxity in 2 separate test sessions using the dynamic ultrasound technique.Results: Correlational analysis between the sonographic and radiographic measures revealed an r = 0.79 (r2 = 0.62), indicating excellent criterion-related validity for the sonographic imaging method. Test-retest repeatability was 0.72 and 0.85 for anterior and posterior translation, resp...
Microdilution Antibiotic Susceptibility Test: Examination of Certain Variables

A semiautomated microdilution susceptibility test is described. The effect of certain parameters such as inoculum size, growth media, incubation conditions, and inoculum dispensing systems was studied. Both medium type and inoculum size caused significant variations in the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of certain antibiotic-organism combinations. No effect on MIC was observed as a function of incubator type. Efforts to read a reproducible MIC value in less than 12 h failed. A commercially available wire pronged inoculator was determined to be inaccurate and unsafe. Disposable dropper pipettes proved to be economical, accurate, and precise. Although a standard method for microdilution antibiotic susceptibility testing is not proposed, data are presented which show that future attempts at standardized procedures are mandatory if inter- and intralaboratory reliability is desired.
Development of Closed-Loop Neural Interface Technology in a Rat Model: Combining Motor Cortex Operant Conditioning With Visual Cortex Microstimulation

Closed-loop neural interface technology that combines neural ensemble decoding with simultaneous electrical microstimulation feedback is hypothesized to improve deep brain stimulation techniques, neuromotor prosthetic applications, and epilepsy treatment. Here we describe our iterative results in a rat model of a sensory and motor neurophysiological feedback control system. Three rats were chronically implanted with microelectrode arrays in both the motor and visual cortices. The rats were subsequently trained over a period of weeks to modulate their motor cortex ensemble unit activity upon delivery of intra-cortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the visual cortex in order to receive a food reward. Rats were given continuous feedback via visual cortex ICMS during the response periods that was representative of the motor cortex ensemble dynamics. Analysis revealed that the feedback provided the animals with indicators of the behavioral trials. At the hardware level, this preparation provides a tractable test model for improving the technology of closed-loop neural devices.
Providing complex (rather than complicated) chronic care.

With health care reform underway, the results of the study by Sharma et al[1][1] emphasize the foundational role of primary care in our multimorbidity-based chronic care system. They found that the majority of patients with 14 high-cost chronic conditions saw general rather than specialist