cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pan-Trk immunohistochemistry is a sensitive and specific ancillary tool for diagnosing secretory carcinoma of the salivary gland and detecting ETV6-NTRK3 fusion.

Aims Secretory carcinoma (SC) of the salivary gland typically harbours ETV6-NTRK3 fusion, which can be utilised clinically to assist with diagnosis. Pan-Trk inhibitor therapy has demonstrated drastic responses in patients with NTRK-translocated tumours, including SC. Pan-Trk immunohistochemistry (IHC) is emerging as a sensitive and specific tool for detecting NTRK1, NTRK2 and NTRK3 fusions in various cancers. We aimed to establish the specificity and sensitivity of pan-Trk IHC in diagnosing SC and detecting ETV6-NTRK3 fusion. A literature review on the utility of pan-Trk IHC was conducted. Methods and results Pan-Trk IHC was performed on 83 salivary gland neoplasms (29 SCs and 54 non-SCs). ETV6-NTRK3 fusion status was established in 25 cases. With any staining (nuclear or cytoplasmic) as a positive threshold, the sensitivity and specificity of pan-Trk IHC were 90% and 70% in diagnosing SC, and 100% and 0% in detecting NTRK3 fusion. When only pan-Trk nuclear staining was considered as positive, the sensitivity and specificity were 69% and 100% in diagnosing SC, and 92% and 100% in detecting NTRK3 fusion. Conclusions Nuclear pan-Trk IHC is highly specific for SC diagnosis, with a specificity approaching 100%, making it a useful and precise diagnostic tool for differentiating SC from its histological mimics. On the other hand, any pan-Trk staining (nuclear or cytoplasmic) is highly sensitive for SC, and can serve as an attractive, cheap, fast and accessible screening tool for selecting patients to undergo confirmative molecular testing for clinical trials using TRK inhibitors.
An Exploration of Patient Ergonomics in Historically Marginalized Communities

The growing field of patient ergonomics is built on an understanding that patients and their social network members increasingly play a key role in managing their health and healthcare across a wid...
A Novel Approach to Realistic Conservatism in Nuclear Criticality Safety Analysis

The standard approach in nuclear criticality safety analysis is to rely quite heavily—and in some cases exclusively—on passive controls, such as assuming all worst-case conditions are by default at...
Catastrophes of the 21st Century

There are few ways to better display our ignorance than by speculating on the long-term future. At the same time, making wise decisions depends upon both anticipating an uncertain future and the limits of what we can know. This paper takes a broad look at global trends in place today, where they may be taking us, and the implications for thinking about catastrophes of the 21st century. I suggest three types of catastrophes lie ahead. The familiar – hazards that we have come to expect based on experience and knowledge, such as earthquakes and typhoons. The emergent – hazards that are the product of a complex, interconnected world, such as financial meltdowns, supply chain disruption and epidemics. The extraordinary – hazards that may or may not be foreseen or foreseeable, but for which we are wholly unprepared, such as an asteroid impact, massive solar storm, or even fantastic scenarios found only in fiction, such as the consequences of contact with alien life. I will argue that our collective attention and expertise is, perhaps understandably, disproportionately focused on the familiar. The consequence, however, is a sort of intellectual myopia. We know more than we think about the familiar and less than we should about the emergent and the extraordinary. Yet our ability to deal with the hazards of the future likely depends much more on our ability to prepare for the emergent and the extraordinary. The paper concludes with recommendations for what a robust and resilient global society might look like in the face of known, unknown and unknowable risks of the 21st century.
Preparing Candidates in Physical Education Teacher Certification: A Look at the New Components Added to the National Standards for Initial Physical Education Teacher Education.

SHAPE America recently revised the National Standards for Initial Physical Education Teacher Education (2017) and added four new components to standards that PETE programs need to meet: 1 & 2) 1.a ...
Generation of Femtosecond Pulses at 1080 nm and 1200 nm in Ytterbium-Doped Fiber

We demonstrate a synchronously-pumped Raman oscillator that generates a 48 nJ Stokes pulse at 1200 nm and a 43 nJ pulse at 1080 nm, extending the spectral range of conventional ytterbium-doped silica fiber-based ultrafast sources.
EIGEN: Event Influence GENeration using Pre-trained Language Models.

Reasoning about events and tracking their influences is fundamental to understanding processes. In this paper, we present EIGEN - a method to leverage pre-trained language models to generate event influences conditioned on a context, nature of their influence, and the distance in a reasoning chain. We also derive a new dataset for research and evaluation of methods for event influence generation. EIGEN outperforms strong baselines both in terms of automated evaluation metrics (by 10 ROUGE points) and human judgments on closeness to reference and relevance of generations. Furthermore, we show that the event influences generated by EIGEN improve the performance on a "what-if" Question Answering (WIQA) benchmark (over 3% F1), especially for questions that require background knowledge and multi-hop reasoning.
Depression and Glycemic Control in the Primary Care Setting: An Overview for Primary Care Providers.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression are frequently comorbid health conditions. Outcomes are generally poorer when the two diseases states co-occur, including the risk of long-term complications, quality of life, mortality, and associated healthcare costs. Objective The purpose of this article is to review the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression, as well as to provide recommendations on the integration of their management in primary care. Methods Utilizing PubMed and CINAHL, a literature review was completed to identify research pertaining to comorbid depression and diabetes. Reference lists of identified articles were also explored for relevance. Results There is evidence demonstrating the relationship between diabetes and depression, and a myriad of screening tools and treatment options that can be implemented within the primary care setting. Conclusions Based on current evidence, it is recommended that mood symptoms should be addressed as part of standard diabetes care in the primary care setting, and patients diagnosed with depression should be screened for diabetes. Implications for nursing Addressing both depression and diabetes are within the primary care scope of practice. The call to primary care providers to holistically, collaboratively, and simultaneously improve the outcomes of these comorbid conditions is now.
The rise and fall of anandamide: processes that control synthesis, degradation, and storage

Anandamide is an endocannabinoid derived from arachidonic acid-containing membrane lipids and has numerous biological functions. Its effects are primarily mediated by the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, and the vanilloid TRPV1 receptor. Anandamide is known to be involved in sleeping and eating patterns as well as pleasure enhancement and pain relief. This manuscript provides a review of anandamide synthesis, degradation, and storage and hence the homeostasis of the anandamide signaling system.
Stable and Monodisperse Iron Nitride Nanoparticle Suspension for Magnetic Diagnosis and Treatment: Development of Synthesis and Surface Functionalization Strategies

The past decade has seen tremendous progress in the synthesis and surface functionalization of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) for a variety of biomedical applications. However, there is still a g...
Ranking 67 Florida Reefs for Survival of Acropora cervicornis Outplants

Over the past three decades, coral populations have declined across the tropical and subtropical oceans because of thermal stress, coral diseases, and pollution. Restoration programs are currently attempting to re-establish depauperate coral populations along the Florida reef tract. We took an integrated Bayesian approach to determine which Florida reefs ranked highest based on the survival of outplanted colonies of Acropora cervicornis from 2012 to 2018. Survival of A. cervicornis outplants was highly variable in the upper Florida Keys with some reefs showing the highest likelihood of survival (e.g., North Dry Rocks, Carysfort, Key Largo Dry Rocks, and Conch Reef), whereas some adjacent reefs showed the lowest likelihood of survival (e.g., an Unnamed Reef, Pickles Reef, and U47 Patch Reef). Similarly, survival was highly variable in the middle and lower Florida Keys and in the Broward-Miami subregions. Survival was high and less variable in Biscayne Bay and low and less variable in the Marquesas subregions. The reefs that ranked lowest for outplant survival were exposed to high wave energy. Partitioning out the spatial effects of reefs and subregions from the model, we detected spatial latent effects of low survival that were most evident in the middle and the upper Florida Keys, particularly between 2015 and 2017. The overall high spatial and temporal variability in survival among adjacent reefs highlights a need to outplant nursery-reared colonies strategically, in order to optimize coral-population recovery efforts in Florida.
Digital Knowledge Mapping as an Instructional Strategy to Promote Visual Literacy: A Case Study

This case study discusses the effectiveness of concept mapping and graphic organizers as an instructional strategy to promote visual literacy in an online graduate-level course. The challenge for teachers is to select instructional strategies that integrate visual literacy into the curriculum. Students utilizing visual thinking strategies to interpret and produce visuals will help foster a higher level of learning. Knowledge mapping as an instructional strategy promotes meaningful learning. Digital knowledge mapping offers the potential to link knowledge of complex theories and concepts to text, images, websites, virtual learning environments, and audio and video resources. Graphic organizers are knowledge visualization tools that support meaningful learning. Gowin’s Knowledge Vee diagram facilitates students’ use of their metacognitive processes to newly acquired information in order to make meaningful connections. In 1984, Novak and Gowin presented two constructivist techniques for learning: concept maps and the Knowledge Vee diagram. The Knowledge Vee enables students not only to understand the structure and meaning of knowledge but also in making important learning connections. A content analysis was used to examine the presence of themes within students’ final digital knowledge map justification assignment that provided insights on students’ thought processes, creation, and justification of concept map topics used to provide evidence of higher thinking levels and visual literacy approaches. The chapter discusses the study results and recommends instructional strategies to promote visual literacy.
The interaction of aminoacyl transferase II and ribosomes.

Abstract The kinetics of aminoacyl transfer from aminoacyl soluble ribonucleic acid to ribosomal protein has been examined with rat liver preparations. A lag in the initial rate of incorporation with resolved aminoacyl-transferring enzymes is observed with low (4 mm) concentrations of reduced glutathione; this lag is abolished when transferase II is incubated with a sulfhydryl compound, such as glutathione or 2-mercaptoethanol, prior to the addition of the other reaction components. The sulfhydryl activation is dependent on time and on glutathione concentration, and is inhibited by oxidized glutathione. The total extent of amino acid incorporation is also dependent on sulfhydryl concentration. A sulfhydryl requirement in aminoacyl transfer, other than for the activation of transferase II, was not detected. The initial rate of amino acid incorporation is markedly stimulated when transferase II, glutathione, ribosomes, guanosine triphosphate, and NH4Cl are incubated prior to the addition of aminoacyl soluble RNA and transferase I. This transferase II-ribosome interaction, which involves GTP and a monovalent cation, yields a product which is partially protected against inhibition by oxidized glutathione.
Reading the Dialectical Ontology of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Against the Ontological Monism of Adaptation

‘Postmodern’ is a concept now deposited in the word banks of both highbrow cinephiles and lowbrow arbiters of popular filmic taste. How these two groups of critics deploy the term, however, widely differs. Critiquing Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), for instance, Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Glieberman writes: ‘Once again, [Anderson] creates a hermetic, glassed-in movie world of postmodern anachronisms that charms and distances in equal measure’ (2004). Characteristic of most reviewers of Life Aquatic, Glieberman uses ‘postmodern’ in a purely aesthetic sense. Although this apolitical use of the term is endemic to the business of popular film criticism, part of the reason critics deployed ‘postmodern’ bereft of all cultural and political connotations in the case of Life Aquatic can be chalked up to the film itself. Any overtly political meaning in the film is mediated by what Todd Gilchrist (2004) calls the film’s ‘fantastic, just-left-of-reality universe.’ Anderson’s idiosyncratic filmmaking style ‐ his penchant for what Josh Bell calls ‘empty collections of quirks’ and ‘irrelevant eccentricities’ which prize ‘false cleverness over story and content’ ‐ exacerbates the problem of politicizing Life Aquatic’s postmodernism (2004). A growing cult of the author (and his artifacts) begets the facile dismissal or deification of Life Aquatic based on tenuously apolitical criteria. Interestingly, critics praised Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman’s Adaptation (2003) for being postmodern and post-postmodern. Jough Dempsey’s article for Cinema Review, titled “Adaptation: Beyond Postmodernism” (2004), informs discerning cineastes that the film’s ‘ironic take on ironic postmodernism results in a sincere look at writer’s block, human
Digital Signal Processing: Principles, Algorithms, and Applications

1. Introduction. 2. Discrete-Time Signals and Systems. 3. The Z-Transform and Its Application to the Analysis of LTI Systems. 4. Frequency Analysis of Signals and Systems. 5. The Discrete Fourier Transform: Its Properties and Applications. 6. Efficient Computation of the DFT: Fast Fourier Transform Algorithms. 7. Implementation of Discrete-Time Systems. 8. Design of Digital Filters. 9. Sampling and Reconstruction of Signals. 10. Multirate Digital Signal Processing. 11. Linear Prediction and Optimum Linear Filters. 12. Power Spectrum Estimation. Appendix A. Random Signals, Correlation Functions, and Power Spectra. Appendix B. Random Numbers Generators. Appendix C. Tables of Transition Coefficients for the Design of Linear-Phase FIR Filters. Appendix D. List of MATLAB Functions. References and Bibliography. Index.
Calcification of diced tomatoes by liquid dipping versus electrostatic powder coating

Diced tomatoes are commonly dipped in calcium solutions to increase their firmness and drained weights. Electrostatic powder coating may be an alternative method to evenly distribute calcium without wastewater production. The objective of this study was to determine if electrostatic powder coating would be as effective as liquid dipping for applying calcium to diced tomatoes. Tomato dices were dipped in a calcium solution for 0-240 s or powder-coated electrostatically with 0-500 mg/kg calcium. Drained weight and firmness increased with dip time and amount of calcium added for both methods. The diced tomatoes that were powder-coated electrostatically with calcium were firmer than the diced tomatoes dipped in calcium solution with the same final calcium content. Drained weights were not significantly different between the two treatments. Electrostatic powder coating could be used in the tomato processing industry to produce optimum firmness at lower calcium concentrations compared to liquid dipping.
Distributed Data Management Support for Collaborative Computing

This paper proposes a framework for distributed data management in collaborative computing systems. The Collaborative Computing Data Space (CCDS) is a system that provides a group of participants with a space of shared data objects, as well as a simple interface to operations on objects therein.
Shock response and phase transitions of MgO at planetary impact conditions

The moon-forming impact and the subsequent evolution of the proto-Earth is strongly dependent on the properties of materials at the extreme conditions generated by this violent collision. We examine the high pressure behavior of MgO, one of the dominant constituents in Earth's mantle, using high-precision, plate impact shock compression experiments performed on Sandia National Laboratories' Z Machine and extensive quantum calculations using density functional theory (DFT) and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods. The combined data span from ambient conditions to 1.2 TPa and 42 000 K, showing solid-solid and solid-liquid phase boundaries. Furthermore our results indicate that under impact the solid and liquid phases coexist for more than 100 GPa, pushing complete melting to pressures in excess of 600 GPa. The high pressure required for complete shock melting has implications for a broad range of planetary collision events.
Systematic review of topical amitriptyline for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Summary What is known and objective Neuropathic pain is a common disorder for which patients seek treatment. The most common causes of neuropathic pain are diabetes, herpetic infection and chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Oral administration of amitriptyline has traditionally been used for treating neuropathic pain; however, it has dose-related anticholinergic effects, which may limit its use in some individuals. Pharmacotherapeutic agents that are commonly used to treat neuropathic pain include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioids and opioid-like substances, and topical medications. The objective of this paper is to review the effectiveness of topical amitriptyline in patients with neuropathic pain. Methods We utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to provide a systematic and transparent reporting method. The literature search was performed using PubMed (1966 through October 2014) applying the MeSH ‘amitriptyline’ and ‘drug administration, topical’ and ‘neuropathy’. Web of Science (1945 through October 2014) was searched using the text words ‘amitriptyline’ and ‘neuropathy’. Bibliographies of retrieved articles were scanned for relevant articles. Cochrane databases were also searched for methods to treat neuropathic pain. Broad subject headings, including ‘neuropathic pain’, were used to search the database for review articles. All data sources in English and in humans were considered for inclusion. Results and discussion Topical application of amitriptyline has the theoretical advantage of local effects with fewer systemic side effects. The clinical trials and case reports describing the use of topical amitriptyline we reviewed show mixed results concerning the efficacy and the presence of adverse reactions. Controlled clinical trials reveal that topical amitriptyline is not effective in treating neuropathic pain. The uncontrolled clinical trials did support efficacy of topical amitriptyline; however, the data from these trials may be biased due to the nature of the study design. Finally, there have been several case reports that claim patients achieved pain relief with the use of topical amitriptyline. Data from these cases are limited due to the fact that there were no controls to which the amitriptyline treatments could be compared, and the majority of the patients in these cases were on other analgesics. What is new and conclusion Although there are reports that describe the benefits of topical amitriptyline for neuropathic pain, data from evidence-based controlled clinical trials do not support efficacy in patients who use topical amitriptyline for neuropathic pain control.
Travel Demand Modeling

This chapter describes the principal types of both passenger and freight demand models in use today, providing a brief history of model development supported by references to a number of popular texts on the subject, and directing the reader to papers covering some of the more recent technical developments in the area. Over the past half century a variety of methods have been used to estimate and forecast travel demands, drawing concepts from economic/utility maximization theory, transportation system optimization and spatial interaction theory, using and often combining solution techniques as varied as Box-Jenkins methods, non-linear multivariate regression, non-linear mathematical programming, and agent-based microsimulation.
Gelatin‐embedded cell–polymer constructs for histological cryosectioning

Many tissue-engineering strategies involve the delivery of cells via porous polymer scaffolds. Obtaining histological sections of the emerging tissue is often necessary to analyze numerous characteristics of the microscopic environment. However, difficulties arise upon applying standard histological techniques to cell-seeded polymer scaffolds. This report describes a simple and reliable method for cryosectioning cell-polymer constructs embedded in gelatin. Solvent-soluble (PLGA) and insoluble (PGA) scaffolds were cultured in vitro with preosteoblasts, followed by histological processing with paraffin, OCT, or gelatin. Although paraffin-embedded PGA scaffolds withstood standard sectioning and rinsing steps, paraffin-embedded PLGA scaffolds were partially dissolved during the clearing step. OCT-embedded scaffolds produced sections that did not adhere well to slides, and most of the sample was lost during rinsing steps. In contrast, gelatin-embedded scaffolds exhibited adequate structural integrity during cryosectioning, adhered well to the slides, retained the actual polymer morphology, and exhibited compatibility with common stains.
A comparison of learned aversions to gustatory and exteroceptive cues in rats

The experiment provides a direct comparison of the ability of subjects (rats) to associate gustatory and exteroceptive stimuli with illness. Previous experiments which have made similar comparisons between gustatory and exteroceptive cues have suffered from certain methodological problems involving stimulus control and compounding. The present experiment utilized a between-subjects design wherein half of the subjects had an auditory cue associated with poisoning and half had a taste cue. In both cases, the other cue was present, but was not predictive of poisoning, The auditory cue, like the taste cue, occurred only during drinking. This comparison was made in both an immediate and a delayed poisoning situation. The experiment found that while subjects were able to quickly associate a taste cue with illness, they were unable to form a similar association between poisoning and the exteroceptive stimulus. Results also showed that subjects will fail to acquire a taste aversion to a novel and salient gustatory cue when that cue is followed by illness only 50% of the time. This latter effect was more pronounced in the delayed poisoning situation.
Association of gadolinium based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

Purpose: We investigated the recently discovered association between gadolinium based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents and the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with chronic kidney disease or acute kidney injury.Materials and Methods: A systematic review of the PubMed® database and publicly available patient databases was performed to characterize nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and its possible association with exposure to gadolinium based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents.Results: Data from case series reports, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis patient databases, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis case reporting to the Food and Drug Administration after gadolinium contrast agent exposure and retrospective case control studies suggest a strong association between the use of gadolinium based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents and the subsequent development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with renal disease. These data also suggest that the risk of nephro...
Depressed mothers as informants on child behavior: Methodological issues

Mothers with depressive symptoms more frequently report behavioral problems among their children than non-depressed mothers leading to a debate regarding the accuracy of depressed mothers as informants of children's behavior. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify methodological challenges in research related to the debate. Data were extracted from 43 articles (6 theoretical, 36 research reports, and 1 instrument scoring manual). The analysis focused on the methodologies considered when using depressed mothers as informants. Nine key themes were identified and I concluded that researchers should incorporate multiple informants, identify the characteristics of maternal depression, and incorporate advanced statistical methodology. The use of a conceptual framework to understand informant discrepancies within child behavior evaluations is suggested for future research. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 34:520–532, 2011
Identifying Lys359 as a Critical Residue for the ATP-dependent Reactions of Drosophila DNA Topoisomerase II

Substituting Lys359 with either Gln or Glu in the highly conserved QTK-loop in the DNA gyrase B protein homologous domain of Drosophila topoisomerase II inactivates its catalytic activities. Although strand passage and DNA-dependent ATPase activities are affected in these mutant proteins, their DNA cleavage activity is comparable with the wild-type enzyme and can be stimulated to the same level by topoisomerase-targeting anticancer drugs. The sequence specificity in the DNA cleavage reaction remains unaltered for the mutant proteins. We have used both glass fiber filter binding assay and CsCl density gradient ultracentrifugation to monitor the formation of a salt-stable, protein-clamp complex. Both Gln and Glu mutant proteins can form a clamp complex in the presence of 5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate, albeit with a lower efficiency than the wild-type enzyme. However, the mutant proteins can form a stable complex either in the presence of ATP or in the absence of any cofactors. These results are in an interesting contrast with the wild-type enzyme, which cannot form a stable complex under similar conditions. Our data suggest that Lys359 is critical for the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II and may have an important function in the ATP signaling process.
The Paramyxovirus SV5 V Protein Binds Two Atoms of Zinc and Is a Structural Component of Virions

The paramyxovirus simian virus 5 (SV5) cysteine-rich V protein has been shown to be a virus structural protein by analysis of the polypeptides of purified SV5 virions. In addition, the V protein has been identified as a component of the virus nucleocapsid core both by the analysis of the polypeptides present in radioactively labeled preparations of purified nucleocapsids and by immunoelectron microscopy. Quantitative autoradiography was used to determine that there are approximately 350 molecules of the V protein in virions. The V protein has been purified from V recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells and by using inductively coupled argon plasma atomic emission spectroscopy it was found that each molecule of V binds two zinc atoms.
Women, the Family, and Economic Restructuring: the Singapore Model?

Singapore is promoting itself as a model for Asian development, citing its high growth rates and stable society. It contends that its approach differs dramatically from that of the West because of its solid value system regarding families and community. This paper examines the ways women and changing family policies have been critical components of Singapore's growth. It shows, however, that rather than having a long-term consistent view of appropriate family size and roles, the Singaporean government adopted strikingly different policies (particularly toward fertility) over the past three decades, as it attempted to affect the supply of labor in the short-run and over the longer term and thereby maintain growth rates. This sheds a different light on Singapore's claims regarding its stable approach to families, particularly since policy changes since the mid-1980s have placed intense demands on women's limited time by encouraging increased female labour force participation and increased fertility.
Etiology and Management of Masticatory Myofascial Pain

SUMMARYMyofascial pain [MP] is a regional muscle pain disorder characterized by localized muscle tenderness and pain and the most common cause of persistent regional pain. The affected muscle may also display an increased fatigability, stiffness, subjective weakness, pain in movement, and slight restricted range of motion that is unrelated to joint restriction. Although the exact etiology of MP in unclear, recent research has improved our understanding of factors that contribute to the development and progression of MP. Understanding these factors can help to validate an explanatory model for etiology and treatment of masticatory myofascial pain [MMP]. This model includes peripheral mechanisms from local biomechanical strain leading to the onset of early cases of MMP while central mechanisms associated with psychosocial factors lead to increased chronicity of MMP. As MP persists, chronic pain characteristics often precede or follow its development. Management of the syndrome naturally follows from this mo...
Constitutive relations of micromorphic thermoplasticity

The constitutive theory of micromorphic thermoplasticity has been formulated in Lagrangian form. The generalized Lagrangian strains, strain rates, temperature, temperature rate and temperature gradients are considered as the independent constitutive variables. Internal variables, including generalized Lagrangian plastic strains, are incorporated. The axioms of objectivity and equipresence are strictly followed. The entropy inequality has been fully utilized to guide the derivations of the constitutive relations. No restrictive assumption has been made to the magnitude of any independent constitutive variables. Finite element formulations for micromorphic thermoplasticity are developed based on the balance laws and the constitutive theory.
Patterns of mobility aid use among working-age persons with multiple sclerosis living in the community in the United States

Abstract Background Difficulty walking is the most visible sign of disability among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about mobility aid use by persons with MS living in the community. Objectives To explore perceptions of mobility problems related to MS and patterns of mobility aid use by persons with MS residing in communities across the United States. Methods We conducted a 30-minute telephone survey in mid-2007 with 703 community-dwelling, working-age adults who self-reported having MS. We identified potential survey respondents using membership lists of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, oversampling individuals living in zip codes with relatively high poverty rates. All analyses, including calculation of simple percentages, used sampling weights to produce population estimates. The overall response rate was 73.4%. Survey questions asked basic information about all mobility aids used by respondents and details about up to two different aids. We used multivariable polychotomous logistic regression to predict use of various mobility aids accounting for demographic and disease characteristics. Results In questions about the previous 2 weeks, needing to concentrate on walking because of MS was the most common problem cited (weighted percent = 79.3%), followed by MS making standing more difficult (69.9%), increased effort needed to walk (59.0%), and needing to hold onto furniture, walls, or someone's arm when walking indoors every day (40.0%). Among the 703 respondents, 434 (weighted percent = 60.5%) reported using at least one mobility aid; the majority of these individuals reported using more than one type of aid. Manual wheelchairs were the most common mobility aid (63.4%), followed by canes (56.7%), power wheelchairs (36.7%), and scooters (32.2%). Among those using three or more different types of mobility aids, the large majority used manual wheelchairs (88.2%), followed by canes (65.4%). Persons who are married or living with partners were much less likely to use powered equipment than those who were never married (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.13–0.82). Women were much less likely than men to use powered equipment (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.21–0.75). Conclusion The vast majority of persons with MS who use at least one mobility aid own more than one type and about half own three or more different types of mobility aids. Persons with MS appear to “mix and match” different devices to suit their specific mobility needs. Given restrictive health insurance coverage policies for mobility aids, these findings raise questions about how persons acquire and pay for higher-technology mobility aids.
Accuracy characteristics of the generalized cross-spring pivot

The cross-spring pivot, formed by crossing two leaves symmetrically at their midpoints, has been exploited extensively in a precision machine. However, the parasitic motions of this pivot are not small enough. The generalized cross-spring pivot improves the characteristics of center shift by changing the cross point to an arbitrary position along the leaf length. In this paper, a center shift model for the generalized cross-spring pivot is firstly developed without loss of generality. Then the characteristics of parasitic motions are investigated based on the model, and a pivot with small center shift is obtained by locating the cross point appropriately. Meanwhile, the influences of machining imperfections on design parameters are analyzed in order to evaluate the actual performance of the pivot, especially for parasitic motions. Furthermore, a compound generalized cross-spring pivot with large motion range but small parasitic motions is proposed. According to an equivalent model, the expressions for its center shift prediction are derived. Finally, the accuracy characteristics, revealed by the analysis model, are validated by finite element analysis (FEA).
Long-Term Outcomes of Corrective Osteotomy for the Treatment of Distal Radius Malunion:

Corrective osteotomy is an established but challenging treatment for distal radius malunion. Short- and intermediate-term results have been previously published while long-term results have not. The long-term results of 22 patients treated with corrective osteotomy for symptomatic distal radius malunion are presented (range 6-24 years, mean 13 years). All patients completed the DASH questionnaire and the modified Gartland and Werley, and Green and O'Brien scores postoperatively. Wrist alignment was assessed through standard wrist radiographs. Average wrist flexion-extension was 72.5% of the contralateral limb. Grip strength averaged 71%. The DASH score averaged 16 points corresponding to mild perceived disability. Results were categorized as fair on both the Gartland and Werley score (average 9 points) and the modified Green and O'Brien score (average 67 points). Wrist alignment was maintained over time but 13 patients presented mild to moderate symptomatic wrist arthritis. The outcome presented may be a reflection of the use of stricter evaluation instruments or reflect the development of post-traumatic arthritis.
Structure and Evaluation of an 8-Hour Bioreadiness Training Program

Abstract ISSUE: There is an ongoing effort to prepare the United States for a potential bioterrorism attack. Educating healthcare workers, first responders, safety professionals, and industrial hygienists is an essential component of such planning. The University of South Florida Center for Biological Defense has developed an 8-hour bioreadiness program to help address this training need. PROJECT: The program uses a “Train-the-Trainer” concept, which is provided at no cost. Attendees complete a pre-test, post-test, and course evaluation in order to measure program effectiveness and continually improve the training. Following completion of the class, participants receive course materials and a CD-ROM with all of the presentations. Program objectives include: 1) define bioterrorism and name two potential targets along with a possible delivery system, 2) list the CDC Category A Agents, 3) describe three practical ways to help protect a building against biological attack, and 4) list the contraindications to smallpox vaccination. Individual lectures cover the following topics: Historical Perspective on Biological Warfare, Recognizing the Threat, Selected Agents of Bioterrorism, Protecting Buildings from a Biological Attack, The U.S. Smallpox Response Plan, and Personal Protective Equipment. RESULTS: Eight programs have been delivered to over 300 attendees. Seventy percent rated coverage of course objectives as excellent, and 26% believed coverage was good. Overall, 68% felt the course was excellent, while 27% felt it was good. The highest-rated lectures were Historical Perspective and Selected Agents of Bioterrorism. Eighty-eight percent believed the course met their professional needs, and 92% would recommend the course to a colleague. LESSONS LEARNED: The program received high ratings from participants. Instructors used attendee evaluations to improve the program, for example, to increase the time for questions, offer interactive scenarios, and give short breaks after each lecture. The lectures are continually updated, particularly the U. S. Smallpox Vaccine Program, to reflect the most current information. Educating persons who are responsible for protecting the safety of all Americans is essential. This program is one method to help achieve this important task.
Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) is an essential downstream effector of the c-MYC oncoprotein.

The c-myc oncogene is among the most commonly overexpressed genes in human cancer. c-myc encodes a basic helix–loop–helix/leucine zipper (bHLH/LZ) transcription factor (c-MYC) that activates a cascade of downstream targets that ultimately mediate cellular transformation. Although a large number of genes are regulated by c-MYC, only a few have been functionally linked to c-MYC-mediated transformation. By expression profiling, the metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) gene was identified here as a target of the c-MYC oncoprotein in primary human cells, a result confirmed in human cancer cells. MTA1 itself has been previously implicated in cellular transformation, in part through its ability to regulate the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and metastasis. MTA1 is a component of the Mi-2/nucleosome remodeling and deacetylating (NURD) complex that contains both histone deacetylase and nucleosome remodeling activity. The data reported here demonstrate that endogenous c-MYC binds to the genomic MTA1 locus and recruits transcriptional coactivators. Most importantly, short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of MTA1 blocks the ability of c-MYC to transform mammalian cells. These data implicate MTA1 and the Mi-2/NURD complex as one of the first downstream targets of c-MYC function that are essential for the transformation potential of c-MYC.
Aryl sulfonamides containing tetralin allylic amines as potent and selective bradykinin B1 receptor antagonists.

Abstract The bradykinin B1 receptor has been shown to mediate pain response and is rapidly induced upon injury. Blocking this receptor may provide a promising treatment for inflammation and pain. We previously reported tetralin benzyl amines as potent B1 antagonists. Here we describe the synthesis and SAR of B1 receptor antagonists with homobenzylic amines. The SAR of different linkers led to the discovery of tetralin allylic amines as potent and selective B1 receptor antagonists (hB1 IC 50 = 1.3 nM for compound 16 ). Some of these compounds showed modest oral bioavailability in rats.
Photopatternable NdFeB polymer micromagnets for microfluidics and microrobotics applications

Microscale sensors and transducers based on magnetic forces can be used to provide wireless, contamination-free interaction with micro- and nanoenvironments. However, integration of magnetic components with typical microfabrication processes can be challenging. Here we show the creation and characterization of polymer micromagnets that can be utilized in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microfluidics, microassembly and microrobotics applications. These magnets can be patterned using standard UV lithography, are inexpensive to manufacture, and require limited equipment to produce. We demonstrate the creation of polymer micromagnets with 3 µm feature resolution and greater than 10:1 aspect ratio, the controlled movement of freestanding structures using contact-free applied magnetic fields, and the fabrication of novel ‘hybrid’ magnetic microstructures with controlled heterogeneity of magnetic properties.
A viable method and configuration for fermenting biomass sugars to ethanol using native Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A system that incorporates a packed bed reactor for isomerization of xylose and a hollow fiber membrane fermentor (HFMF) for sugar fermentation by yeast was developed for facile recovery of the xylose isomerase enzyme pellets and reuse of the cartridge loaded with yeast. Fermentation of pre-isomerized poplar hydrolysate produced using ionic liquid pretreatment in HFMF resulted in ethanol yields equivalent to that of model sugar mixtures of xylose and glucose. By recirculating model sugar mixtures containing partially isomerized xylose through the packed bed and the HFMF connected in series, 39 g/l ethanol was produced within 10h with 86.4% xylose utilization. The modular nature of this configuration has the potential for easy scale-up of the simultaneous isomerization and fermentation process without significant capital costs.
Analysis of Randomized Protocols for Conflict-Free Distributed Access

We study the following distributed access problem which arises naturally in many settings: given a set of n data items shared among n nodes in a distributed network, all nodes want to access all (or a subset of) the items residing on different nodes in a conflict-free manner. In addition, items may move from one node to the other during access. Our goal is to design distributed protocols so that all nodes access all the desired items as quickly as possible, while at the same time not overloading the storage space of any one node. Using centralized coordination among the nodes it is easy to design an optimal scheme in which all nodes can access all the items in n−1 steps storing only one item at any time. We show that a simple randomized distributed protocol performs almost as well as the optimal (centralized) scheme but with no coordination overhead. Our protocol takes O(n) time with high probability to access all n items which is asymptotically as good as the optimal centralized scheme. The protocol guarantees that the maximum load (the maximum number of items stored in any node) at any time is at most O(log n/log log n) with high probability which is only slightly larger compared to the Ω(1) load of the optimal scheme. Our analysis involves a stochastic analysis of a “balls into bins” problem in a dynamic setting where balls (data items) move into bins (nodes) on request and we study the time and load requirements to move all the balls to the requested bins.
Optical fiber calcium ion sensor: development and testing

ABSTRACT An optical fiber calcium ion sensor is developed throug h the exploitation of the natural selectivity of the Ca +2 binding properties of the fluorescent probe Calcium Orange (Mol ecular Probes, Eugene, OR). A multi-mode optical fiber is used to detect calcium in so lution. There is a two and a half fold increase observed between a 1 mM EGTA + buffer solution and a 1 mM Ca 2+ solution. A variety of different methods of attaching the molecular probe to the end of the fiber are explored. Keywords: optical fiber, calcium ion, sens or, Calcium Orange, Molecular Probes, fluorescence, EGTA 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Significance of calciumCalcium plays an important role in the body. It is the most abundan t mineral found in the body. Making up about 1.5% - 2.0% of the body weight, its homeostasis must be balance d. Calcium has several roles in biochemical reactions such as hormones, blood clotting, and enzyme cofactor. Calcium is involved in building and maintaining bones and teeth. It is also integral to muscle contraction, and it has several important roles in skeletal system integrity
Oligoribonucleotide-based gene-specific transcription inhibitors that target the open complex.

We have demonstrated that oligoribonucleotides that lack a 3'-OH group and cannot be extended by RNA polymerase can hybridize to the single-stranded DNA formed inside the transcription initiation bubble (or open complex) and inhibit transcription. Using the lacUV5/Escherichia coli RNA polymerase or trpEDCBA/E. coli RNA polymerase transcription system as a model, we have found that effective inhibitors are five nucleotides in length and must be complementary to the DNA template strand in the region from -5 to +2 about the transcription start site (designated +1). We have used the DNA cleavage activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-copper to confirm that the mechanism of inhibition is via oligoribonucleotide hybridization to the open complex and have used this cleavage chemistry to demonstrate that these oligonucleotide inhibitors hybridize in an antiparallel orientation to their DNA target. Systematic modification of the parent phosphodiester oligoribonucleotide pentamer revealed that the phosphorothioate backbone-containing analogs have increased open complex binding affinity and are more effective transcription inhibitors than their phosphodiester counterparts.
Randomized clinical trials of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation: Update 2003

Abstract Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent risk marker for preventable stroke. To date, 20 randomized clinical trials involving 13,843 participants have assessed antithrombotic therapies for prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Here, these trials are considered, along with 8 additional randomized trials involving an additional 20,000 patients that are underway. These trials provide a wealth of solid evidence on which to individualize patient management to prevent stroke. A formerly neglected cause of major stroke, atrial fibrillation is now the focus of intensive clinical research aimed at stroke prevention.
Statistical design and analysis for a three-step surface initiated polymerisation process

Many nanomanufacturing processes are conducted over a series of stages. Additionally, some of the process variables in some of the stages might be difficult or hard to change in terms of time, limited resources, or – in many cases – money. Specifically, a polymerisation process for the fabrication of nano-films is investigated, where the fabrication is carried out over three stages. To execute efficient experimentation and fully understand the intricacies at the nano-scale, split-plot designs that can be applied effectively over multiple stages are proposed with the aim of reducing the cost of experimentation, and their characteristics examined. Criteria for assessing designs are proposed and are used to evaluate catalogues of split-plot designs for three and four stages.