cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroRNAs and immunity in periodontal health and disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of the host immune and inflammatory response against bacterial pathogens. In the present review, we discuss target genes, target gene functions, the potential regulatory role of miRNAs in periodontal tissues, and the potential role of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutics. In periodontal disease, miRNAs exert control over all aspects of innate and adaptive immunity, including the functions of neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells and T and B cells. Previous human studies have highlighted some key miRNAs that are dysregulated in periodontitis patients. In the present study, we mapped the major miRNAs that were altered in our reproducible periodontitis mouse model relative to control animals. The miRNAs that were upregulated as a result of periodontal disease in both human and mouse studies included miR-15a, miR-29b, miR-125a, miR-146a, miR-148/148a and miR-223, whereas miR-92 was downregulated. The association of individual miRNAs with unique aspects of periodontal disease and their stability in gingival crevicular fluid underscores their potential as markers for periodontal disease progression or healthy restitution. Moreover, miRNA therapeutics hold great promise for the future of periodontal therapy because of their ability to modulate the immune response to infection when applied in conjunction with synthetic antagomirs and/or relatively straightforward delivery strategies.
Megaloblastäre Anämie bei selektiver Störung der Vitamin B 12-Resorption mit Proteinurie und Antikörpermangelsyndrom — ein genetischer Defekt

Als Ursachen megaloblastarer Anamien im Kindes- oder Jugendalter werden nach Ausschlus nutritiver Faktoren und einer Wurmerkrankung drei Syndrome unterschieden: 1. Echte perniziose Anamie mit Atrophie der Magenschleimhaut und Intrinsic-Faktor (IF) -Mangel. 2. Kongenitaler Mangel an IF bei normaler Magenschleimhaut- und Magensekretion. 3. Kongenitale selektive Malabsorption von Vitamin B 12 bei normaler Sekretion von IF.
Disinfection effect in nurseries in a district of Guangzhou

Objective To understand the status of disinfection in nurseries in the district,and provide technical support and scientific evidence for relevant sectors to control the occurrence of communicable diseases,so as to keep children healthy.Methods Retrospective analysis were conducted based on the quality inspection data of disinfection work in nurseries in this district from 2008 to 2010.Frequency analysis and X2 test were mainly conducted.Results There were 8467 samples of disinfection quality test in nurseries in this district during 2008-2010,and 7790 were qualified,the total qualified rate was 92.00%.The highest rate was 93.14%in 2010,then 92.61%in 2008,90.53%in 2009.There Was statistical significan difference among the average qualified rate in the last three years (X2=16.32,P＜0.01). Among the tests of different projects,the qualified rates of table surface,indoor air,and toy sraface were respectively 95.05%.95.97%,and 96.52%.There were statistical significan difference among them(X2=440.62,P＜0.01).The teachers'hands had the lowest qualified rate:82.07%.Conclusion The quality of disinfection work in nurseries in the district during 2008-2010 is relatively good,but some aspects,such as quality hy~ene of the hands of teacher should be improved further.It is suggested that the health condition improved through training of disinfection knowledge,supervision,inspection,spot guidance and other measures,so as to provide a healthier study environment. Key words: Nursery; Disinfection; Analysis
Association between surgeon case volume and years of practice experience with open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair outcomes.

Abstract Background Widespread adoption of endovascular aneurysm repair has led to a consequential decline in the use of open aneurysm repair (OAR). This evolution has had significant ramifications on vascular surgery training paradigms and contemporary practice patterns among established surgeons. Despite being the subject of previous analyses, the surgical volume–outcome relationship has remained a focus of controversy. At present, little is known about the complex interaction of case volume and surgeon experience with patient selection, procedural characteristics, and postoperative complications of OAR. The purpose of the present analysis was to examine the association between surgeon annual case volume and years of practice experience with OAR. Methods All infrarenal OARs (n = 11,900; elective, 70%; nonelective, 30%) included in the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative from 2003 to 2019 were examined. Surgeon experience was defined as years in practice after training. The experience level at repair was categorized chronologically (≤5 years, n = 1667; 6-10 years, n = 1887; 11-15 years, n = 1806; ≥16 years, n = 6540). The annual case volume was determined by the number of OARs performed by the surgeon annually (median, five cases). Logistic regression was used to perform risk adjustment of the outcomes across surgeon experience and volume (five or fewer vs more than five cases annually) strata for in-hospital major complications and 30-day and 1-year mortality. Results Practice experience had no association with unadjusted mortality (30-day death: elective, P = .2; nonelective, P = .3; 1-year death: elective, P = .2; nonelective, P = .2). However, more experienced surgeons had fewer complications after elective OAR (25% with ≥16 years vs 29% with ≤5 years; P = .004). A significant linear correlation was identified between increasing surgeon experience and performance of a greater proportion of elective OAR (P-trend .1 for all pairwise comparisons). Early career surgeons (≤5 years) had operated on a greater proportion of elective patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists class ≥4 (35% vs 30% [≥16 years' experience]; P = .0003) and larger abdominal aortic aneurysm diameters (mean, 62 vs 59 mm [≥16 years' experience]; P Conclusions Annual case volume appeared to be more significantly associated with OAR outcomes compared with the cumulative years of practice experience. To ensure optimal OAR outcomes, mentorship strategies for “on-boarding” early career, as well as established, low-volume, aortic aneurysm repair surgeons should be considered. These findings have potential implications for widespread initiatives surrounding regulatory oversight and credentialing paradigms.
Producing Ignorance Through Regulatory Structure: The Case of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS):

This article examines how ignorance can be produced by regulatory systems. Using the case of contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), we identify patterns of institutionalized...
Repeated video head impulse testing in patients is a stable measure of the passive vestibulo-ocular reflex.

Objectives The video head impulse test (vHIT) is used as a measure of compensation yet it's stability in patients with vestibular pathology is unknown. Methods 144 patients (n = 72 female, mean 54.46 ± 15.8 years) were grouped into one of three primary diagnoses (Peripheral, Central, or Mixed). Subjects were further categorized based on sex (male versus female), ear (left versus right; ipsilesional versus contralesional), age (six groups ranging from 19 to 84 years), and duration between visits (five groups, mean 191.46 ± SE 29.42 days, median 55.5 days). The gain of the VOR during passive head rotation was measured for each semicircular canal (horizontal, anterior, posterior). Results There was no difference in the VOR gain within any semicircular canal between the two visits (horizontal: p = 0.179; anterior: p = 0.628; posterior: p = 0.613). However, the VOR gain from the horizontal canals was higher than the vertical canals for each visit (p < 0.001). Patients diagnosed with peripheral vestibular pathology had significantly lower (p ≤ 0.001) horizontal semicircular canal gains at each visit. There was no difference in VOR gain between sex (p = 0.215) or age groupings (p = 0.331). Test-retest reliability of vHIT in patient subjects is good (ICC = 0.801) and the VOR gain values across two separate visits were significant and positively correlated (r = 0.67) regardless of sex, ear, age, or duration between visits. Conclusion The vHIT is a stable measure of VOR gain over two different times across a variety of vestibular patients with no influence of age or sex.
Are There Skills Payoffs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries? Empirical Evidence Using Step Data

Most research on the economic payoffs of skills has used individuals' level of schooling attained -- typically years or level of education or training received?as a key proxy for skills. Such research has consistently found that individual returns to schooling are positive and that returns tend to be higher in low- and middle-income countries than in higher-income countries. However, years in school is only one proxy for skills -- are these returns still observed using other measures as proxies? This study uses data from the STEP Skills Measurement Survey to examine the extent to which there is an independent association between cognitive and noncognitive skills and earnings in low- and middle-income countries. The study uses measures of reading proficiency and complexity of on-the-job computer tasks to proxy cognitive skills, and personality and behavioral measures to proxy noncognitive skills. The results demonstrate that even when controlling for schooling and background factors, these skills pay off in the labor market. This is particularly the case for the measures of cognitive skills, while noncognitive skills show some significant, but small, effects on earnings. The findings also suggest that there is significant heterogeneity across countries in how skills are valued in the labor market.
Real Exchange Rates and Currency Risk Premiums

Standard finite horizon tests uncover only weak evidence of the predictive power of the real exchange rate for excess currency returns. On the other hand, in long-horizon tests, the real exchange rate strongly and negatively predicts future excess currency returns. Conversely, we can attribute most of the variability in real exchange rates to changes in currency risk premiums. The â€œhabitâ€ and â€œlong-run risksâ€ models replicate the predictive power of the real exchange rate for excess currency returns, but substantially overstate the fraction of the volatility of the real exchange rate due to risk premiums. Received December 14, 2017; Editorial decision October 14, 2018 by Editor: Raman Uppal. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
Emergency Permits for Counselors-in-Training: A Qualitative Inquiry of the School Counselor Coordinator Perspective

In Texas, counselors-in-training can gain employment as a school counselor before they have completed a degree in school counseling through a provision for emergency permits in the Texas Administra...
Re-conceiving territory in Eastern Crimea: the impact of the Italian community on Kerch's urban and rural transformation

This article deals with the impact that Italian migrants, both individually and as a community, had on the rural and urban environment of Kerch, in Eastern Crimea (Russian Empire), during the1820s and 1920s. Occupying a strategic position in the Black Sea for Russia's geopolitics and for the whole European commercial system, this territory's transformation was activated by Russia's imperial re-visioning of the Crimea and by spontaneous foreign immigration. Within this context, the Italian community's contribution to the transformation of the local environment had an important economic impact, relevant also on a wider scale. Some of these changes would have a long-lasting effect but none of them would ever be officially recognised. The aim of this article is to shed light on these processes.
Development of CAR-T Therapies: Case Histories of Significant Medical Advances

In 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an immunotherapeutic treatment, called CAR-T therapy, for two kinds of blood cancers — acute leukemia (ALL) and a lymphoma. We describe: 1) how CAR-T therapies (are believed to) work; 2) foundational advances and discoveries (through the 1980s); 3) the development of CAR-T therapy (during and after the 1990s); and 4) prospects for the 2020s.
Mitochondrial DNA Mutagenesis: Feature of and Biomarker for Environmental Exposures and Aging.

Purpose of review Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of aging. Mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) instability contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction, and mtDNA mutagenesis may contribute to aging. However, the origin of mtDNA mutations remains somewhat controversial. The goals of this review are to introduce and review recent literature on mtDNA mutagenesis and aging, address recent animal and epidemiological evidence for the effects of chemicals on mtDNA damage and mutagenesis, propose hypotheses regarding the contribution of environmental toxicant exposure to mtDNA mutagenesis in the context of aging, and suggest future directions and approaches for environmental health researchers. Recent findings Stressors such as pollutants, pharmaceuticals, and ultraviolet radiation can damage the mitochondrial genome or disrupt mtDNA replication, repair, and organelle homeostatic processes, potentially influencing the rate of accumulation of mtDNA mutations. Accelerated mtDNA mutagenesis could contribute to aging, diseases of aging, and sensitize individuals with pathogenic mtDNA variants to stressors. We propose three potential mechanisms of toxicant-induced effects on mtDNA mutagenesis over lifespan: (1) increased de novo mtDNA mutations, (2) altered frequencies of mtDNA mutations, or (3) both. There are remarkably few studies that have investigated the impact of environmental chemical exposures on mtDNA instability and mutagenesis, and even fewer in the context of aging. More studies are warranted because people are exposed to tens of thousands of chemicals, and are living longer. Finally, we suggest that toxicant-induced mtDNA damage and mutational signatures may be a sensitive biomarker for some exposures.
Alanine-EPR High-Dose Radiation Metrology

A comprehensive guide to the calibration, use, and maintenance of the alanine-EPR metrology system for high-dose radiation dosimetry is presented. Alanine dosimetry is the system of choice for calibration services for all major primary and secondary calibration laboratories worldwide. Over the past 50 years alanine dosimetry has been transformed from an art to a state-of-the-art technology that serves the metrology specialist as well as the industrial technician. This guide outlines the critical elements that must be addressed to operate an EPR measurement service at the highest levels of accuracy and precision. The nuances of EPR, the harsh environment of high-dose high energy radiation processing, and the complexities of free radical chemistry combine to present many challenges. The success of alanine-EPR metrology has led many to search for new EPR dosimeters, it is hoped that the information presented here may serve as a template for the development of new systems that will improve or expand current metrology services.
VARIABILITY OF HEAD INJURY CRITERIA WITH THE HYBRID III DUMMY

In this study, drop testing of the Hybrid Ill dummy head was conducted to determine variations in Head Injury Criteria (HIC) values with the point of head impact, and how the variations relate to actual head injuries. Head drop tests indicated that impacts to the temple and lower forehead posed the greatest injury risks. The application of chamois or chalk over the head, a common practice among safety researchers to detect facial lacerations and head contacts, was found to significantly lower HIC values for all impact locations. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD E201376.
The presentation and management of mandibular tumors in the pediatric population.

Objectives/Hypothesis To review the presentation and management of malignant tumors of the mandible in children. Study Design Case series. Methods Children 0 to 21 years old presenting to a tertiary pediatric hospital with a diagnosis of a malignant tumor involving the mandible were included. Comparison groups included children from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database with malignant mandible tumors as well as a group of children with benign mandibular lesions from the same institution. Main outcome measures for the institutional malignant group included presentation, tumor characteristics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcome. Results Sixteen patients with malignant and 183 patients with benign lesions were identified at the primary institution. The most common presentation in both groups was mandibular swelling or mass. Malignant tumors included sarcoma (n = 11), leukemia/lymphoma (n = 2), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 1), malignant spindle cell tumor (n = 1), and yolk sac tumor (n = 1). The national database identified 56 malignant cases, of which 71% were sarcomas. Thirteen patients at our institution (81%) underwent mandibulectomy and 12 were reconstructed using free tissue transfer. Eleven of the 13 (85%) were treated with adjuvant therapy. After an average follow-up of 32.8 months, seven (44%) had no evidence of disease, three (19%) were deceased, three (19%) were alive with disease, and three (19%) were lost to follow-up. Conclusions Malignant mandibular tumors in children are most often sarcomas but can include other rare lesions. Free flap reconstruction is a reasonable option for even very young children requiring extensive mandibular surgery. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 123:2035–2042, 2013
Subject Access to Archival and Manuscript Material

The numerous vocabulary lists that are available for use in cataloging often present difficulties when applied in the cataloging of archival and manuscript material, sometimes because archivists have had little to do with the creation, maintenance, and revision of the lists, and at times due to the lack of sufficient application guidelines for otherwise appropriate vocabularies. The author discusses these problems and proposes possible solutions by examining subject access tools used for USMARC fields 072 (subject category code), 600-654 (subject added entries), 655/755 (index term—genre/form and added entry—physical characteristics), and 656 (index term—occupations).
Pierce Butler’s An Introduction to Library Science: a tract for our times?: A review aricle

Considers the historic and contemporary import of Pierce Butler’s An Introduction to Library Science. Characterizes the content of each chapter and critically analyses the central theses. Relates Butler’s positivistic premises, assumptions and conclusions to the congeries of competing epistemological and ideological standpoints that defines current thinking in library and information science research.
Immigration to Tikal, Guatemala: Evidence from stable strontium and oxygen isotopes

Abstract This paper presents strontium and oxygen isotopic measurements on archaeological human teeth from the ancient Maya city of Tikal, Guatemala, that illuminate the role that migration played in the history of the state. Stable strontium isotope ratios of human teeth parallel the bedrock geology of the location where foods were grown, while stable oxygen isotope ratios reflect the sources of water imbibed, and track geographic variation in the isotopic composition of rain water. Because tooth enamel forms during childhood and is not remodeled during life, we can identify foreign-born individuals at Tikal by their outlying strontium and oxygen isotope ratios. These data indicate that approximately 11–16% of the sampled Tikal skeletons spent their childhood at distant sites. Most of the migrant burials date from the Early Classic period and are high status contexts. Several royal burials demonstrate long distance movement of both males and females, and shed light on the identification of epigraphically-known individuals. Yet, both Early and Late Classic migrants are found in lower status domestic burials. Interaction with distant peers was important in the rise of the Tikal polity, however, immigration from all social tiers contributed to the city’s rapid population growth.
Global Images of the Earth's Interior

The three-dimensional maps of the earth's interior now span regions from the bottom of the crust to the inner core of the earth. Although a wealth of new information on the dynamics of the earth has been discovered, the inner core offers the greatest surprise: it appears to be anisotropic with the axis of symmetry aligned with the axis of rotation.
Cholestatic Liver Disease Overlap Syndromes

Primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis share some clinical features with autoimmune hepatitis, but when features of autoimmune hepatitis are present, prognosis can be affected and immunosuppressive treatment warranted. The presence of severe interface hepatitis in primary biliary cirrhosis portends a worse prognosis and should prompt evaluation for possible autoimmune hepatitis overlap and treatment with immunosuppression. Specific models to identify which subjects benefit most from the addition of immunosuppression need to be developed. Drug-induced liver injury and IgG4 disease may masquerade as autoimmune hepatitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis and are important to consider in the differential diagnosis of the overlap or variant syndromes.
An autonomic framework for user-centric communication services

The diversity of communication media now available on IP networks presents opportunities to create elaborate collaborative communication applications. However, developing collaborative communication applications can be challenging when using the traditional stovepiped development approach with lengthy development cycle as well as limited utility. One proposed solution to this problem is the Communication Virtual Machine (CVM). CVM uses a user-centric communication (UCC) approach to reduce the complexity while offering operating simplicity to developers and users of collaborative communication services. CVM currently utilizes only one communication framework which limits the number, quality and types of services available. We extend the CVM to support multiple communication frameworks with a policy-driven approach for the selection and configuration of communication services. Users define policies that, through automation, can maintain high level goals by influencing the selection and configuration decisions. In this paper we provide a policy definition for UCC and a technique to evaluate these UCC policies. We also present our autonomic framework for UCC and experimental evaluation of the implementation.
Anomalous temperature dependence of the energy gap of AgGaS2

Abstract The lowest energy gap Eg of AgGaS2 in the temperature range from 4.2 to 300° K was determined from the reflectivity, photoluminescence and absorption measurements. Below ∼ 80° K the temperature coefficient of the energy gap is +6 × 10-5 eV/°K. Above ∼80° K the sign of the coefficient reverses and the value is -1.8 × 10-4 eV/°K. The positive value is explained with the lattice dilation effect being the dominant mechanism for the energy gap variation at lower temperatures than ∼80°K.
Neuroendocrine hepatic metastases: does aggressive management improve survival?

Objective:The aim of this study was to determine whether aggressive management of neuroendocrine hepatic metastases improves survival.Summary Background Data:Survival in patients with carcinoid and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is significantly better than adenocarcinomas arising from the same or
Alterations of surfactant pools in fetal and newborn rat lungs.

ABSTRACT: Preparation by the developing alveolar epithelium for the transition to air breathing and surfactant secretion at birth are critical components of neonatal survival. We combined morphometric analysis and biochemical assays of lung phospholipids to measure the amount and redistribution of lung surfactant during the perinatal period of rats. Within 10 min of the start of air breathing, there was a small increase in type II cell lamellar body content by morphometric and biochemical estimates. By 24 h, the whole lung and alveolar extracellular pool surfactant lipid had substantially increased. Subfractionation of the alveolar surfactant pool obtained at four times, from birth to 24 h of life, demonstrated a 20-fold increase in the ratio of phospholipid in a tubular myelin-rich fraction compared to a unilamellar vesicle-rich fraction. We conclude that packaging of surfactant may be very active immediately postbirth. Our results also indicate a major shift in the physical forms of extracellular surfactant during the first hours of air breathing.
Common Pharmacophore of Structurally Distinct Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Intracellular Retrograde Trafficking of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins

Common Pharmacophore of Structurally Distinct Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Intracellular Retrograde Trafficking of Ribosome Inactivating Proteins
Spiritual beliefs, world assumptions, and HIV risk behavior among heroin and cocaine users.

The relationship between spirituality and HIV risk behavior in a sample of 34 inner-city cocaine-using methadone-maintained patients was examined. Spirituality was operationally defined in terms of "life meaningfulness" and included the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith (T. G. Plante & M. T. Boccaccini, 1997b) and the World Assumptions Scale (R. Janoff-Bulman, 1989; assessing benevolence, meaningfulness, and worthiness of the self). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses of self-reported drug- and sex-related risk behavior were conducted with sex and race entered as control variables. The full models accounted for 23% and 42% of the variance in drug- and sex-related risk behavior, respectively. Strength of spiritual/religious faith (B = .37) and belief in a benevolent (beta = .50) and meaningful (beta = .46) world were independent predictors of sex-related, but not drug-related, HIV preventive behavior.
100 km transmission of a 640 Gbit/s OTDM signal using femtosecond pulses

A 640 Gbit/s OTDM (Optical Time Division Multiplexed) signal using femtosecond optical pulses was successfully transmitted over a distance of 101 km. As a signal light source, a regenerative mode-locked fiber laser that generates 10-GHz pulses with a small jitter was used. The transmission path consists of a zero-dispersion dispersion-flattened transmission line 101 km long made of a combination of a 1.3-µm zero-dispersion single-mode fiber, a dispersion-shifted fiber, and a reverse dispersion fiber. The 640 Gbit/s OTDM signal after transmission was demultiplexed by means of an ultra-high-speed nonlinear optical loop mirror with a fiber length of 450 m in which walk-off between the signal light and the control light was reduced. The reverse dispersion fiber in the transmission path had smaller polarization dispersion than both the dispersion slope compensation fiber previously used for compensation of the dispersion slope compensation and the 1.3-µm zero-dispersion single-mode fiber. In addition, the wavelength dependence of its dispersion is small. © 2002 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(5): 48–56, 2002
Absolute total one- and two-electron-transfer cross sections of O 3 + and O 2 + with CO at kilo-electron-volt energies

Absolute total one- and two-electron-transfer cross sections for ${\mathrm{O}}^{q+}$ $(q=3,2)$ with CO were measured at $\ensuremath{\sim}1.5q$ keV energies. The measurement was carried out by a technique that combines a laser ablation ion source and a reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The single- and double-electron capture cross sections for ${\mathrm{O}}^{3+}$ with CO are $(1.26\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.18)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15}$ and $(0.72\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.11)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2},$ respectively. The single-electron capture cross section for ${\mathrm{O}}^{2+}$ with CO is $(0.76\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.11)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}15}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.$
A new look at observers for systems with measurement uncertainty

The work that follows is a continuation of the investigation of metric based nonlinear state transformations, but with applications to observers for plants with measurement uncertainty. In particular, these transformations are shown to be useful for linear systems, and appear to be highly effective when bounded sensor measurement uncertainty is present. It turns out that a nonlinear observer can be constructed based upon the existing Luenberger linear structure, i.e., Kalman filter. This nonlinear structure enables the estimated state reconstruction to become less sensitive to sensor uncertainty due to the transformation itself.
Design and analysis of a 32nm PVT tolerant CMOS SRAM cell for low leakage and high stability

A novel nine transistor (9T) CMOS SRAM cell design at 32nm feature size is presented to improve the stability, power dissipation, and delay of the conventional SRAM cell along with detailed comparisons with other designs. An optimal transistor sizing is established for the proposed 9T SRAM cell by considering stability, energy consumption, and write-ability. As a complementary hardware solution at array-level, a novel write bitline balancing technique is proposed to reduce the leakage current. By optimizing its size and employing the proposed write circuit technique, 33% power dissipation saving is achieved in memory array operation compared with the conventional 6T SRAM based design. A new metric that comprehensively captures all of these figures of merit (and denoted to as SPR) is also proposed; under this metric, the proposed 9T SRAM cell is shown to be superior to all other cell configurations found in the technical literatures. The impact of the process variations on the cell design is investigated in detail. HSPICE simulation shows that the 9T SRAM cell demonstrates an excellent tolerance to process variations comparing with the conventional SRAM cells.
Mucoadhesive drug carriers based on complexes of poly(acrylic acid) and PEGylated drugs having hydrolysable PEG–anhydride–drug linkages

We have designed a new mucoadhesive drug delivery formulation based on H-bonded complexes of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) with the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), of a (PEG)-drug conjugate. The PEGylated prodrugs are synthesized with degradable PEG-anhydride-drug bonds for eventual delivery of free drug from the formulation. In this work we have used indomethacin as the model drug which is PEGylated via anhydride bonds to the PEG. The complexes are designed first to dissociate as the formulation swells in contact with mucosal surfaces at pH 7.4, releasing PEG-indomethacin, which then hydrolyses to release free drug and free PEG. We found that as MW of PAA increases, the dissociation rate of the complex decreases, which results in decreased rate of release of the drug. On the other hand, the drug release from PEG-indomethacin alone and from solid mixture of PEG-indomethacin+PAA was much faster than that from the H-bonded complexes. Due to the differences in the thermal stability, PMAA complex exhibited slightly faster drug release than that of the PAA complex of comparable MW. These H-bonded complexes of degradable PEGylated drugs with bioadhesive polymers should be useful for mucosal drug delivery.
REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE KINEMATICS AND KINETICS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY DURING NORMAL STAIR-CLIMBING

The purpose of this study was to examine the intrasubject reproducibility of the kinematic and kinetic measures of the lower extremity during normal stair-climbing. Three-dimensional video and force-plate data were collected for three trials per subject during each of three conditions: ascending, descending, and level walking. Three-dimensional angles and moments of the ankle, knee, and hip joints were calculated. The coefficient of multiple correlation was used to determine the intrasubject reproducibility of joint angles and resultant moments. Analysis of variance with repeated measures was conducted to compare the magnitudes of the coefficients between different steps, different joints, and different joint functions. The results showed that (a) generally, the kinematic and kinetic measures of normal subjects climbing stairs were reproducible; (b) the kinetic measures during the transition steps from level walking to ascending and from descending to level walking were significantly less reproducible than those during the other steps; (c) the data from the sagittal plane were more reproducible than those from the other two planes; and (d) the kinetic measures were more reproducible than the kinematic measures, especially for abduction-adduction and internal-external rotation.
Climate impacts of an ice sheet in East Siberia during the last glacial maximum

Abstract Recent evaluations of geomorphological evidence in East Siberia strongly suggest that no ice sheet existed on the East Siberian Arctic Shelf during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), contrary to the hypothesis of some authors. Because most general circulation model (GCM) simulations of the LGM have included such an ice sheet, the impact of an East Siberian ice sheet is crucial for understanding previous model simulations of the LGM. The experiments in this study use the Global Environmental and Ecological Simulation of Interactive Systems (GENESIS) 2.0 GCM and the Equilibrium Vegetation Ecology (EVE) vegetation model to simulate the LGM climate with (previously published simulation) and without (new simulation) an East Siberian ice sheet. Most LGM simulations have shown increased southerly advection into Beringia resulting from the dynamics of the continental ice sheets, which acts to alleviate the hemispheric-glacial cooling in Beringia. The East Siberian ice sheet provides a secondary source of warm-air advection into Beringia. In the simulation with an East Siberian ice sheet a glacial anticyclone develops over the ice sheet during winter, resulting in subsidence of air flowing off the ice sheet, increased southerly advection along the western margin of the ice sheet, and warming to the south of the ice sheet. During summer the ice sheet blocks northerly flow from the arctic, also resulting in warming south of the ice sheet. The primary vegetation difference is in the ratio of tundra to polar desert. The more mild climate with the ice sheet present produces more tundra and less polar desert.
Biosynthesis of wax in the honeybee, Apis mellifera L.

Abstract The composition of the cuticular wax of the honeybee is quantitatively different from that of the comb wax. The major component of the cuticular lipids is hydrocarbon, which comprises 58% of this wax. In contrast, hydrocarbon comprises only 13–17% of the comb wax, and monoester is the largest component ( Tulloch 1971). The major fractions of the cuticular wax were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography, and were shown to be qualitatively similar to those of the comb wax. The incorporation of injected radio-labelled acetate into hexane extractable wax by worker honeybees not actively producing comb wax resulted in the recovery of much of the radioactivity in the hydrocarbon fraction. In insects actively producing comb wax, a higher percentage of radioactivity was recovered in the monoester fraction. A dramatic effect of age on the distribution of radioactivity from acetate into the various wax fractions from honeybees studied in the summer months was observed. In insects from eleven to eighteen days following emergence to adults, the major wax component synthesized was monoester, whereas in younger and older insects, hydrocarbon was the major wax component formed. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments using insects actively producing comb wax showed that the abdomen produced significant amounts of monoester, hydrocarbon, and other esters, whereas the thorax synthesized mostly hydrocarbon. These data show that the epidermal cells and wax glands each produce a wax with a distinct composition, and that the age and seasonal differences observed in wax synthesis are due to the presence or absence of active wax glands.
After the storm - Health care infrastructure in post-Katrina New Orleans

Drs. Ruth Berggren and Tyler Curiel write that when patients and staff were evacuated from Charity Hospital in New Orleans, they could not fully comprehend the devastation of the health care infrastructure. Seven months after Katrina, health care in New Orleans remains unacceptably primitive. New Orleans had 7000 HIV-infected citizens before Katrina. Dr. Ruth Berggren writes that the reconstitution of the HIV outpatient clinic was driven by the urgent need to restore antiviral treatment in order to avert virologic resistance and disease progression.
Effect of solid boundaries on swimming dynamics of microorganisms in a viscoelastic fluid

We numerically study the effect of solid boundaries on the swimming behavior of a motile microorganism in viscoelastic media. Understanding the swimmer-wall hydrodynamic interactions is crucial to elucidate the adhesion of bacterial cells to nearby substrates which is precursor to the formation of the microbial biofilms. The microorganism is simulated using a squirmer model that captures the major swimming mechanisms of potential, extensile, and contractile types of swimmers, while neglecting the biological complexities. A Giesekus constitutive equation is utilized to describe both viscoelasticity and shear-thinning behavior of the background fluid. We found that the viscoelasticity strongly affects the near-wall motion of a squirmer by generating an opposing polymeric torque which impedes the rotation of the swimmer away from the wall. In particular, the time a neutral squirmer spends at the close proximity of the wall is shown to increase with polymer relaxation time and reaches a maximum at Weissenberg number of unity. The shear-thinning effect is found to weaken the solvent stress and therefore, increases the swimmer-wall contact time. For a puller swimmer, the polymer stretching mainly occurs around its lateral sides, leading to reduced elastic resistance against its locomotion. The neutral and puller swimmers eventually escape the wall attraction effect due to a releasing force generated by the Newtonian viscous stress. In contrast, the pusher is found to be perpetually trapped near the wall as a result of the formation of a highly stretched region behind its body. It is shown that the shear-thinning property of the fluid weakens the wall-trapping effect for the pusher squirmer.
Quantitative End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide Monitoring in the Delivery Room: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives To investigate the utility of continuous quantitative end-tidal CO 2 (Etco 2 ) monitoring for managing assisted ventilation in the delivery room (DR). Study design This is a prospective randomized controlled trial. Infants who received positive pressure ventilation (PPV) were randomized to a control versus a monitored arm. In the monitored arm, the resuscitating team adjusted PPV based on Etco 2 values. In the control arm, the team provided PPV based on clinical assessment. Etco 2 levels after resuscitation and admission Pco 2 levels were compared between groups. Results Fifty infants were enrolled, and 48 subjects had primary outcome data. Of those, 7 infants were intubated in the DR, 41 infants received PPV via mask until respiratory support could be maintained on continuous positive airway pressure alone. The median Etco 2 levels at the end of resuscitation were 44 mm Hg (16-66 mm Hg) in the control arm and 43 mm Hg (29-59 mm Hg) in the monitored arm. The proportion of Etco 2 levels outside of the prespecified range was 52.6% (control) and 33.3% (monitored) ( P = .236). The median admission Pco 2 levels were 57 mm Hg (36-110 mm Hg) in the control arm and 55 mm Hg (40-93 mm Hg) in the monitored arm. The proportion of admission Pco 2 levels outside of the prespecified range was 33.3% (control) versus 37.5% (monitored) ( P = .763). Conclusions Etco 2 monitoring in the DR did not reduce the proportion of admission Pco 2 levels outside of the prespecified range in a population of infants supported mostly with noninvasive ventilation.
Using action classification for human-pose estimation

This paper presents a 3D-point-cloud system that extracts a 3D-point-cloud feature (VISH) from the observation of a depth sensor to reduce feature/depth ambiguity and estimates human poses using the result of action classification and a kinematic model. Based on the concept of distributed representation, a non-parametric action-mixture model is proposed in the system to represent high-dimensional human-pose space using low-dimensional manifolds in searching human poses. In each manifold, the probability distribution is estimated by the similarity of features. The distributions in the manifolds are then redistributed according to the stationary distribution of a Markov chain that models the frequency of actions. After the redistribution, the manifolds are combined according to the distribution determined by the action classification. In addition, the spatial relationship between human-body parts is explicitly modeled by a kinematic chain. Computer-simulation results showed that multiple low-dimensional manifolds can represent human-pose space. The 3D-point-cloud system showed reduction of the overall error and standard deviation compared with other approaches without using action classification.
Distribution of three psocid species (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) in different moisture gradients in wheat

Abstract Psocids can cause considerable economic losses to stored products by direct feeding, and they have become global pests during the last two decades. We studied the distribution of Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae), Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein), and Liposcelis brunnea Motschulsky in different moisture gradients (11–12–13%, 11–13–15%, and 13–14–15%) and a control (13–13–13%) in wheat using a circular metal arena, which has a removable metal divider that partitioned it into three rings (outer, middle and inner). Lipsocelis bostrychophila and L. entomophila preferred grain with the highest moisture content in the different gradients evaluated. In general, populations of Liposcelis brunnea equally preferred grain with moisture contents greater than or equal to 13%. These results showed the moisture contents preferred for three of the main psocid pests of stored grains, and this could help in making better pest management decisions.
Non-shivering thermogenesis in the American badger

Abstract 1. 1. It has been reported that the non-shivering thermogenic (NST) response in mammals decreases with an increase in weight and should not occur in animals weighing greater than 10 kg. 2. 2. Badgers weighing an average of 10 kg or more exhibited an NST response elicited by intramuscular injections of isoproteronol. 3. 3. As in many small mammal hibernators, this response by badgers demonstrated a seasonal change, with a 46% elevation of oxygen consumption above resting values in October and 64% elevation in December. 4. 4. Isoproteronol is a β agonist which has little effect on stimulating muscle thermogenesis. Therefore, we believe that the response elicited by badgers is a result of brown fat metabolism which may be important in aiding the temperature rise of various tissues as this animal arouses from torpor.
Vision of the U.S. Biofuel Future: A Case for Hydrogen-Enriched Biomass Gasification

Researchers at the Forest Product Laboratory (FPL) and the University of Wisconsin−Madison (UW) envision a future for biofuels based on biomass gasification with hydrogen enrichment. Synergisms between hydrogen production and biomass gasification technologies will be necessary to avoid being marginalized in the biofuel marketplace. Five feasible engineering solutions have been suggested for this synergism. We are researching one solution to investigate cleaner and more-efficient wood gasification via high-temperature liquid metal as a carrier fluid and making use of hydrogen, power, and waste heat from future nuclear reactors. The enrichment of syngas with nuclear, windmill, or solar hydrogen permits full conversion of all carbon from biomass to produce competitive synthetic gasoline, diesel, or other liquid hydrocarbon or alcohol fuels.
Aggregate dynamics for dense crowd simulation

Large dense crowds show aggregate behavior with reduced individual freedom of movement. We present a novel, scalable approach for simulating such crowds, using a dual representation both as discrete agents and as a single continuous system. In the continuous setting, we introduce a novel variational constraint called unilateral incompressibility, to model the large-scale behavior of the crowd, and accelerate inter-agent collision avoidance in dense scenarios. This approach makes it possible to simulate very large, dense crowds composed of up to a hundred thousand agents at near-interactive rates on desktop computers.
A randomized trial of the sleeved cytobrush and the endocervical curette.

OBJECTIVE: To compare endocervical specimens obtained with the endocervical curette to those obtained with the sleeved cytobrush. METHODS: All nonpregnant women undergoing either cervical conization or hysterectomy were eligible for this randomized, split-sample trial. Both endocervical curette and cytobrush sampling were performed on all 62 participants before surgery, with randomization designating the order of the sampling procedures. A pathologist blinded to sampling order reviewed study specimens. The endocervical canals of the surgical specimens were evaluated against endocervical curette and brush samples. Odds ratios (ORs), relative risks (RRs), and risk differences were used to compare the sensitivity and specificity of each procedure in unmatched and matched analyses. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher rate of inadequate specimens in the endocervical curette group (22% versus 2% in the brush group; 95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference: 9%, 31%). Unmatched analysis showed the two tests to be comparable in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Whereas the specificities of both tests were high (100% for the endocervical curette, 88% for the brush; RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.00, 1.28), the sensitivities were poor (44% for the sleeved brush and 32% for the endocervical curette; RR 1.38, 95% CI 0.65, 2.94). Matched analysis showed the sleeved endocervical brush to be a more sensitive sampling method compared with the curette (OR 2.04, 95% CI 0.98, 4.22). Sparse data prevented a matched analysis on the specificity of the two tests. CONCLUSION: Endocervical sampling with the sleeved cytobrush achieves similar sensitivity and specificity to that of traditional endocervical curettage. Given the much greater rate of inadequate specimens when using the endocervical curette, the sleeved cytobrush is a reasonable alternative to this technique.