cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purpura Schönlein-Henoch

Die Purpura Schonlein-Henoch (PSH) ist die bei weitem haufigste Vaskulitis des Kindesalters. Ihre Atiopathogenese ist unbekannt. Vermutlich kommt es auf genetischer Basis zur immunpathologischen Antwort auf einen auseren Reiz, wie Infektionserreger, mit leukozytoklastischer Vaskulitis und Niederschlag IgA-haltiger Immunkomplexe. Die Erkrankung betrifft uberwiegend die Haut als Purpura, den Magen-Darm-Trakt mit Koliken, blutigem Stuhl und Invagination und die Niere mit Glomerulonephritis, selten auch andere Organe wie das Zentralnervensystem. Die uberwiegende Mehrzahl der Falle verlauft selbstbegrenzt. Bei Patienten mit Proteinurie kann es zu schweren Nierenschaden bis hin zum terminalen Nierenversagen kommen. Die Behandlung der abdominalen Koliken mit Steroiden ist umstritten. Die Behandlung der Glomerulonephritis sollte mit Steroiden, Immunsuppressiva, Angiotensin-converting-Enzym-Inhibitoren und evtl. weiteren Medikamenten erfolgen, doch sind die genaue Therapieindikation, die Auswahl der Medikamente und das Therapieschema umstritten. Bisher gibt es keine Prophylaxe gegen das Auftreten der Nierenbeteiligung. Kontrollierte Studien zum Management der Erkrankung sind uberfallig.
Z-Pinning approach for 3D printing mechanically isotropic materials

Abstract Conventional 3D printing approaches are restricted to building up material in a layer-by-layer format, which is more appropriately considered “2.5-D” printing. The layered structure inherently results in significant mechanical anisotropy in printed parts, causing the tensile strength in the build direction (z-axis) to be only a fraction of the in-plane strength – a decrease of 50–75% is common. In this study, a novel “z-pinning” approach is described that allows continuous material to be deposited across multiple layers within the volume of the part. The z-pinning process is demonstrated using a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printer for polylactic acid (PLA) and carbon fiber reinforced PLA. For both materials, z-pinning increased the tensile strength and toughness in the z-direction by more than a factor of 3.5. Direct comparisons to tensile strength in the x-axis showed a significant decrease in mechanical anisotropy as the volume of the pin was increased relative to the void in the rectilinear grid structure. In fact, the PLA sample with the largest pin volume demonstrated mechanically isotropic properties within the statistical uncertainty of the tests. Tensile test results were also analyzed relative to the functional area resisting deformation for each sample.
Development of novel macrocyclic small molecules that target CTG trinucleotide repeats.

Abstract We describe the molecular design, synthesis, and investigation of a series of acridine-triaminotriazine macrocycles that selectively bind to CTG trinucleotide repeats in DNA with minimal nonspecific binding. The limited conformational flexibility enforces the stacking of the triaminotriazine and acridine units. Isothermal titration calorimetry studies and Job plot analyses revealed that the ligands bound to d(CTG) mismatched sites. The acridine and triaminotriazine units were shown to intramolecularly π-stack in aqueous solutions. Compared to a noncyclic analog, the macrocycles showed an almost 10-fold lower cytotoxicity in HeLa cells and up to 4-fold higher transcription inhibition of d(CTG·CAG)74.
CO2 Conversion Performance of Perovskite Oxides Designed with Abundant Metals

With improved technology, CO2 could be the feedstock for production of renewable fuels. The reverse water–gas shift chemical looping (RWGS-CL) process performs at lower temperatures and higher ener...
The Impact of Step Recommendations on Body Composition and Physical Activity Patterns in College Freshman Women: A Randomized Trial.

Purpose. Transitioning from high school to college generally results in reduced physical activity and weight gain at a rate that is higher than the general population. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of three progressively higher step recommendations over 24 weeks on changes in body weight and body composition. Methods. Ninety-two freshmen college women wore a multifunction pedometer for 24 weeks after being randomly assigned to a daily step level: 10,000, 12,500, or 15,000. Pedometer data were downloaded every two weeks and participants were counseled on meeting their step recommendation. Body weight and body composition were assessed at baseline and 24 weeks. Body composition was assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Results. On average, women took 10,786 ± 1501, 12,650 ± 2001, and 13,762 ± 2098 steps per day for the 10,000-, 12,500-, and 15,000-step groups, respectively (F = 15.48, ). Participants gained 1.4 ± 2.6, 1.8 ± 2.1, and 1.4 ± 2.1 kg for the 10,000-, 12,500-, and 15,000-step groups, respectively (F = 37.74, ). Weight gain was not significantly different between groups (F = 0.18, ). There was also no difference in fat weight gain (F = 0.41, ). Discussion. A step recommendation beyond 10,000 does not prevent weight or fat gain over the first year of college. Future research should focus on either intensity of physical activity or the addition of dietary interventions to prevent weight gain during the first year of college.
Grid Value Propositions for Tidal based Generation Resources - a Temporal Analysis

As the energy sector experiences a paradigm shift towards cleaner and greener generation sources, the need for evaluating the applicability of marine energy for grid-based applications has intensified. This is because marine energy (ocean, wave and tidal) may be utilized to provide unique benefits to electric grid operations, especially in conjunction with other established renewable technologies (such as wind and solar) or technologies like energy storage. In this work, we focus our attention on some specific characteristics of one type of marine energy resources i.e. tidal based resources. Specifically, we perform a comprehensive temporal analysis using a suite of metrics on resource data to characterize the inherent predictability of the resource across various time scales of interest. We also investigate the correlation of tidal power generation profiles with energy demand and comment on the effectiveness of having such resources in the overall generation portfolio.
New Metrics for Evaluating the Accuracy of Fundamental Frequency Estimation Approaches in Musical Signals

This paper demonstrates the importance of assessing the performance of fundamental frequency estimation algorithms with metrics that capture the temporal characteristics of f 0 traces, particularly those that are calculated at the note level. Capturing temporal characteristics is particularly important for tasks that model human engagement with music, such as the study of expressive music performance. Note-level descriptors provide a better description of the human experience of listening to music and thus a more perceptually-relevant evaluation of algorithms than frame-level metrics. This paper evaluates the magnitude of accuracy differences between a simple mean-based frame-level accuracy measurement and four metrics that capture more perceptually-relevant aspects of the evolution of f 0 traces over time (perceived pitch, vibrato rate, vibrato depth, and jitter) for two score-informed f 0 estimation algorithms. The algorithms' accuracies are compared on multi-track recordings of either four vocalists or four instrumentalists (violin, saxophone, clarinet, and bassoon) both on the original anechoic recordings and mixes with artificial reverberation added. The algorithms performed within the margin of error of each other for frame-level accuracy but had significantly different accuracies on all of perceptually-relevant metrics. This paper concludes by proposing new evaluation metrics that capture temporal characteristics of fundamental frequency traces.
Factors enabling the acceptance and use of a podcast aggregator in accounting education

The aims of the current study are to identify the behavioral factors enabling students’ acceptance and use of a podcast aggregator that provides tips about contents taught in the classroom, as well as to investigate its impact on knowledge formation among Accounting Sciences undergraduate students from a Federal University in Southern Brazil, based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and on Vygotsky’s Historical-Cultural Theory. Data were collected through the application of an on-site questionnaire comprising closed questions and through diagnostic evaluations based on Vygotsky’s theory. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) conducted in the SPSS v. 017 and SmartPLS v. 2.0 software, as well as the content analysis conducted in the NVivo software, were the data analysis techniques adopted in the current study. The current research is justified by the need of conducting studies based on education theories and on theoretical frameworks associated with technology acceptance in order to help better understanding to what extent technology contributes to cognitive development. According to the current results, it was possible concluding that students’ acceptance and use of the podcast aggregator in both investigated classes was motivated by aspects such as social influence and performance expectations.
Mental Health During COVID-19: Tam Giao and Vietnam's Response

COVID-19 is a novel infectious disease and global health crisis with major psychological implications. Of particular focus are the effects it will have on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as being under-resourced poses many challenges. Vietnam, a country with an estimated population of 97.33 million people, which until 30 July, 2020, had 459 confirmed COVID-19 cases with no fatalities but as of November 4th had 35 deaths, can be viewed as a model LMIC for other countries struggling with COVID-19. Employing key tactics such as transparency and effective communication, Vietnam was able to foster strong cooperation between government and citizens, contributing to its success during COVID-19. Moreover, Vietnamese resilience, attributable, in part, to "tam giao," a coexistence of religious and philosophical Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism through cultural additivity, provides a unique mindset that other countries can learn from to adapt and even build psychological resilience against COVID-19 pandemic's psychological outcomes. We suggest countries prioritize transparency and communication to mitigate stigmatization and psychological distress that can result from quarantine and other interventions while promoting resources that provide accurate scientific information and psychological aid to citizens. We believe that Tam giao could be repurposed to relieve inevitable contradictions between values and lifestyles in the context of this devastating global health crisis.
Managing anxiety and uncertainty: applying anxiety/uncertainty management theory to university health professionals and students’ communication

Previous research indicates that health centers on college and university campuses provide quality primary healthcare services to students; however, students are under-utilizing these campus health...
Platelet physiology and pharmacology—relevant considerations for patient care

Abstract Platelets have an important role in the formation of hemostatic thrombi that develop at the site of vascular injury. However, pathologic activation of platelets can lead to obstructive thrombi resulting in clinical manifestations such as acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and acute limb ischemia. Therefore antiplatelet therapy has a key role in the treatment of cardiovascular disease manifestations. However, antiplatelet agents are associated with an increased risk of bleeding. Thus the ideal antiplatelet agent should have an optimal balance between safety and efficacy. Most recent studies have suggested that alternative regimens without aspirin (defined as “aspirin free”) to be associated with a better safety profile while preserving efficacy. This chapter provides an overview on platelet physiology and its implications for the development and use of antiplatelet therapies in patients with atherothrombotic disease manifestations.
Poor perinatal outcome associated with maternal Brucella abortus infection.

Background Reports suggest that perinatal infection with Brucella abortus does not cause poor obstetric outcomes, because of protective mechanisms in the human, not seen in animal species. Case We report a case of maternal brucellosis resulting in preterm labor, chorioamnionitis, placental abruption, and delivery of a live-born infant at 25 weeks' gestational age. Both maternal blood cultures and amniotic fluid cultures were positive for B abortus species, and delivery occurred despite aggressive antibiotic and tocolytic therapy. Conclusion Maternal infection with B abortus during pregnancy can lead to significant perinatal morbidity, casting doubt on reports that human pregnancy is resistant to such infection.
Reasoning about fluids via molecular collections

Hayes has identified two distinct ontologies for reasoning about liquids. Most qualitative physics research has focused on applying and generalizing his contained-liquid ontology. This paper presents a technique for generating descriptions using the molecular collection (MC) ontology, a specialization of his alternate ontology which represents liquids in terms of little "pieces of stuff" traveling through a system. We claim that MC descriptions are parasitic on the Contained-Stuff ontology, and present rules for generating MC descriptions given a Qualitative Process theory model using contained stuffs. We illustrate these rules using several implemented examples and discuss how this representation can be used to draw complex conclusions.
Automated Camera Selection and Control for Better Training Support

Physical training ranges have been shown to be critical in helping trainees integrate previously-perfected skills. There is a growing need for streamlining the feedback participants receive after training. This need is being met by two related research efforts: approaches for automated camera selection and control, and computer vision-based approaches for automated extraction of relevant training feedback information.
Antitumor Activities of Interferons in Animals

In view of the pleiotypic alterations induced in cells by interferons and the multifaceted modulations of host defenses, it would really be surprising if interferon were inactive against tumors. This action could be mediated by its antiviral activity, its cell-multiplication-inhibitory activity or its immunomodulatory actions. But, in fact, the antitumor activities of interferon preparations were described several years before it became accepted that this represented more than merely a measure of its antiviral activity. And, again, when this argument was unconvincing, it was assumed that the impurities in the interferon preparations employed accounted for antitumor actions. Now it is clear that interferons are able to induce antitumor activities in many animals with many types of tumors (Table 17). In this Section these tumor system studies with interferons and its inducers are described and proposed mechanisms of antitumor activities are discussed.
Effect of the blood HbA1c level on surgical treatment outcomes of diabetics with ankle fractures.

Objective To investigate whether blood haemoglobin A 1c (HbA1c) levels was predicative of diabetic patients' responsiveness to surgical treatment of ankle fractures. Methods The relationship between blood HbA1c levels and surgical treatment outcomes of 21 diabetic patients undergoing open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) for ankle fractures was analyzed with Pearson correlation testing and t testing. All patients were treated with ORIF using standard surgical techniques. Treatment outcomes were defined using radiological outcome, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale score, surgical revision rate, and complication rate. Results HbA1c levels were found to have a statistically significant correlation with poor radiological outcomes (r = 0.547) and AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores (r = −0.592). Additionally, though rates of poor radiological outcome, revision, and complication were high in the diabetic population as a whole, these rates were considerably higher among individuals with elevated HbA1c (≥6.5%) and considerably lower among individuals with lower HbA1c (<6.5%) levels. Conclusion Blood HbA1c levels appear to be predictive of risk and complication rates in the surgical treatment outcomes of diabetic patients with ankle fractures.
Relative Timing and Spectra of Solar Flare Hard X-ray Sources

Hard X-ray lightcurves, spectrograms, images, and spectra of three medium-sized flares observed by the Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) are presented. Imaging spectroscopy of the 20 February 2002, 11:06 UT flare at 10″ spatial resolution, comparable to the best previous hard X-ray imaging from Yohkoh,shows two footpoints with an ~ 8 s delay of peak emission between footpoints. Subsequent imaging at ≤ 4″ shows three sources consistent with two separate loops and simultaneous brightening in connected footpoints. Imaging for the simple two footpoint flare of 2 June 2002 also shows simultaneous footpoint brightening. The more complex 17 March 2002 flare shows at least four different sources during the main peak of the event, and it is difficult to clearly demonstrate simultaneous brightening of connected footpoints. Non-thermal power laws are observed down to ~ 12–13 keV without flattening in all these events, indicating the energy content in energetic electrons may be significantly greater than previously estimated from assumed 25 keV low energy cutoff. Simultaneously brightening footpoints show similar spectra, at least in the three flares investigated. Double-power-law spectra with a relatively sharp break are often observed.
The Infrared Pleochroism of Lawsonite: The Orientation of the Water and Hydroxide Groups

Polarized infrared absorption spectra of thin single crystals of lawsonite, CaAI_2(OH)_2Si_2O_7H_2O_2, have been measured at room temperature and near 78 K. These data suggest a structural model in which the hydrogen atoms of both OH and H_2O lie in planes parallel to (001). The polanzat1on data demand that the order of the energies of the symmetric and antisymmetric stretch of the crystallographically ordered water in lawsonite be reversed from that of liquid water.
Effects of carboxyhemoglobin on hemoglobinometers.

During a recent comparison of two portable hemoglobinometers designed for near-patient testing, we noted disparate readings on a quality-control material derived from human hemoglobin (Level 1, Multi-4® CO-Oximeter Controls; Instrumentation Laboratory). The insert sheet listed an acceptable range of total hemoglobin readings of 159–185 g/L (15.9–18.5 g/dL) for the OSM3 co-oximeter (Radiometer A/S). Our results on the OSM3 were at the midpoint of this range, as were results with one of the hemoglobinometers, the Hb-Quick® hemoglobinometer from Avox Systems [mean (SD), 175 (0.5) g/L; n = 5]. By contrast, readings on a HemoCue hemoglobinometer (HemoCue AB) were 16 g/L higher than the mid-range value and averaged 188 ± 1.5 g/L. Both hemoglobinometers had recently been calibrated by factory-trained employees of the respective companies. Because Level 1 controls contained ∼60% carboxyhemoglobin, we made additional measurements on fresh whole blood from a nonsmoking donor and on …
Far-IR Measurements at Cerro Toco, Chile: FIRST, REFIR, and AERI

In mid-2009, the Radiative Heating in the Underexplored Bands Campaign II (RHUBC-II) was conducted from Cerro Toco, Chile, a high, dry, remote mountain plateau, 23°S , 67.8°W at 5.4km, in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. From this site, dominant IR water vapor absorption bands and continuum, saturated when viewed from the surface at lower altitudes, or in less dry locales, were investigated in detail, elucidating infrared (IR) absorption and emission in the atmosphere. Three Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) instruments were at the site, the Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of the Troposphere (FIRST), the Radiation Explorer in the Far Infrared (REFIR), and the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI). In a side-by-side comparison, these measured atmospheric downwelling radiation, with overlapping spectral coverage from 5 to 100μm (2000 to 100cm -1 ), and instrument spectral resolutions from 0.5 to 0.643cm -1 , unapodized. In addition to the FTIR and other ground-based IR and microwave instrumentation, pressure/temperature/relative humidity measuring sondes, for atmospheric profiles to 18km, were launched from the site several times a day. The derived water vapor profiles, determined at times matching the FTIR measurement times, were used to model atmospheric radiative transfer. Comparison of instrument data, all at the same spectral resolution, and model calculations, are presented along with a technique for determining adjustments to line-by-line calculation continuum models. This was a major objective of the campaign.
Abstract 1046: Molecular link between HER2 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Breast cancer is a second most lethal form of cancer. Metastasis is responsible for about 90% of cancer- related deaths. Metastasis is a multi-step process and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the initiating step. HER2 is overexpressed in about 25-30% of breast cancer patients and responsible for poor prognosis. Our results show a novel role of HER2 in inducing EMT in breast cancer cells. To delineate the mechanism of EMT and role of HER2, we used MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 breast cancer cells with their syngeneic variants having stable HER2 overexpression (referred to as high HER2 or HH cells) and 4T-1 cells. The Boyden's chamber assay showed that HH cells were more invasive than the parent cells. The higher invasive potential of cells was accompanied with increased expression of mesenchymal markers like N-cadherin, along with suppression of epithelial markers like Cytokeratin-18. HER2 overexpression was also associated with enhanced expression of transcription factors like SNAIL and ZEB-1 that orchestrate the process of EMT. It is known that TGFβ is a master regulator of EMT process in cancer cells. Interestingly, HH cells exhibited higher levels of TGFβ protein and mRNA levels along with increased expression of SMADs relative to the parent cell lines. SMADs are the classical downstream effector molecules for TGFβ. Hence these results indicate that HER2 overexpression modulates TGFβ signaling to promote the process of EMT. In addition, induction of SNAIL, TGFβ and SMAD4 by heregulin treatment further established the role of HER2 in EMT process. To confirm the requirement of HER2 in the maintenance of mesenchymal traits, we silenced HER2 in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231 (HH) cells. HER2 silencing suppressed the invasion and mesenchymal markers indicating a direct connection of EMT with HER2 in breast cancer cells. Taken together our results for the first time provides a molecular evidence for the regulation of EMT by HER2 through TGFβ signaling. Further mechanistic and pre-clinical in vivo studies are under progress. [Supported in part by R01 grant CA129038 (to S.K.S) awarded by the National Cancer Institute]. Citation Format: Parul Gupta, Sanjay K. Srivastava. Molecular link between HER2 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1046. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1046
Diagrammatic review and implications of the self-consistent field theory method

Some of the most intriguing and important phenomena in modern many-body physics are explainable in terms of self-consistent quantum mechanical field theory. This is the powerful theory developed by Umezawa and co-workers and modified by Benson and Hatch in applications to ferromagnetism. It is usually lengthy and involved mathematically. Thus, it is very helpful and meaningful to see its overall step-by-step progress in simple, diagrammatic flow starting from basic principles, with a ferromagnetic model as an example. As one immediately notes, there are two paths leading to very powerful physical conclusions and implications, and something most interesting is that each path implies the other. Many useful examples of applications of these methods are noted and some future possible applications are cited.
Breastfeeding and active bonding protects against children's internalizing behavior problems.

Breastfeeding is associated with numerous health benefits to offspring and mothers and may improve maternal-infant bonding. Ample evidence suggests breastfeeding can improve child neurodevelopment, but more research is needed to establish whether breastfeeding is linked to the development of child psychopathology. This paper aims to explore the effects of both breastfeeding and mother-child interactions on child behavioral outcomes at a later age. Children from the China Jintan Child Cohort Study (N = 1267), at age six years old were assessed, along with their parents. Children who were breastfed exclusively for a period of time in the presence of active bonding were compared to those who were breastfed in the absence of active bonding as well as to children who were not exclusively breastfed, with or without active bonding. Results from ANOVA and GLM, using SPSS20, indicate that children who were breastfed and whose mothers actively engaged with them displayed the lowest risk of internalizing problems (mean = 10.01, SD = 7.21), while those who were neither exclusively breastfed nor exposed to active bonding had the least protection against later internalizing problems (mean = 12.79, SD = 8.14). The effect of breastfeeding on internalizing pathology likely represents a biosocial and holistic effect of physiological, and nutritive, and maternal-infant bonding benefits.
Chromosomal assignment of the endogenous proto-oncogene C-abl

Abelson murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV) is a replication-defective retrovirus that transforms lymphocytes of the B-cell lineage. This virus is a recombinant between the parental Moloney murine leukemia virus and a cellular gene termed C-abl. By analysis of a series of mouse x Chinese hamster hybrid celllines containing various mouse chromosomes, we have mapped the C-abl gene to mouse chromosome 2.
Thermal history of the moon.

I HAVE already used1 the creep behaviour of the mascons in my model of their origin and morphology2 to set limits on the internal temperature of the Moon at present, former and primordial epochs. Results for the present are consistent with the upper limit obtained by Ness3 from the electrical conductivity of the Moon implied by magnetometry in space. The purpose of this article is to use the approximation to the central temperature set by the result of Ness in order to correct previous solutions4–7 of the heat-conduction equation, to infer possible thermal histories consistent with the present thermal regime.
Endocannabinoid-mediated rescue of striatal LTD and motor deficits in Parkinson's disease models

The striatum is a major forebrain nucleus that integrates cortical and thalamic afferents and forms the input nucleus of the basal ganglia. Striatal projection neurons target the substantia nigra pars reticulata (direct pathway) or the lateral globus pallidus (indirect pathway). Imbalances between neural activity in these two pathways have been proposed to underlie the profound motor deficits observed in Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. However, little is known about differences in cellular and synaptic properties in these circuits. Indeed, current hypotheses suggest that these cells express similar forms of synaptic plasticity. Here we show that excitatory synapses onto indirect-pathway medium spiny neurons (MSNs) exhibit higher release probability and larger N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor currents than direct-pathway synapses. Moreover, indirect-pathway MSNs selectively express endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression (eCB-LTD), which requires dopamine D2 receptor activation. In models of Parkinson's disease, indirect-pathway eCB-LTD is absent but is rescued by a D2 receptor agonist or inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation. Administration of these drugs together in vivo reduces parkinsonian motor deficits, suggesting that endocannabinoid-mediated depression of indirect-pathway synapses has a critical role in the control of movement. These findings have implications for understanding the normal functions of the basal ganglia, and also suggest approaches for the development of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of striatal-based brain disorders.
Population and the environment: a parable of firewood and other tales.

The author analyzes the relationship between population and the environment, with a focus on "the role which environmental degradation and natural resources depletion may play in producing the...population pressure which lies behind such degradation and depletion especially in developing countries.... The principal conclusion of this analysis is that the possibilities for a stable equilibrium between human population and its environment are quite limited....I show that parental altruism toward their children can only make matters worse, if socially unchecked, by leading to an increase of the birthrate in every environmental state in comparison with that which would occur in its absence."
Gonadal dysfunction in diabetic men with organic impotence.

Previous studies of the relationship of gonadal function to impotence in men with diabetes mellitus have yielded conflicting results. Pituitary-testicular function was studied in 28 impotent diabetic men and 15 normal men. Impotence was documented by clinical history and subdivided into categories of primary organic (n = 16), primary psychogenic (n = 7), and unclassified (n = 5) on the basis of nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) testing, psychological testing, and penile vascular studies. All NPT parameters were diminished (P ≤ 0.001) in the impotent diabetic men compared to values in the normal men. Endocrine studies revealed increased urinary LH (P ≤ 0.05) and diminished serum free testosterone levels in the diabetic men with primary organic impotence. These changes were not found in normal men or diabetic men with primary psychogenic impotence. Six months of treatment in a home blood glucose-monitoring program resulted in significant improvement in metabolic control but no improvement in pituitary-testi...
Early diagenetic alteration of chlorophyll-a and bacteriochlorophyll-a in a contemporaneous marl ecosystem; Florida Bay

Abstract This report covers the analyses of tetrapyrrole pigments in sediments and numerous source biota from northern central Florida Bay. Sediment cores were all carbonate marls and ‘bedrock’ (Pleistocene limestones) was typically at 0.6–1.2 m bsf. (below sea floor). Extraction of the sediments was performed using tetrahydrofuran, shown to be 3–7 times as effective as more common solvents. Surficial sediments were found to contain a pigment distribution indicating a diatomaceous-cyanobacterial biofilm/mat underlain with purple sulfur bacteria as the microphytobenthos. Downhole trends in pigment diagenesis revealed differences due to paleoenvironment. That is, when bacteriochlorophyll-a (BCHLa) plus derivatives were elevated, indicating strong syn-depositional anoxia, the pheophytins-a (PTINsa) were the major chlorophyll-a (CHLa) derivatives. Conversely, when BCHL-a plus derivatives were low, indicating oxic to dys-oxic syn-depositional conditions, then pyropheophorbide-a (pPBIDa) and 132, 172-cyclopheophorbide-a (CYCLO) were strongly dominant. The generation of cyclopheophorbide in carbonate marls with weakly anoxic to dysoxic syn-depositional conditions may yield an oil-source paleoenvironmental marker for bitumen containing compounds such as bicycloalkanoporphyrins (BiCAPs). Downhole conversions were observed for the following diagenetic steps; CHLa to pheophytin-a (PTINa), PTINa to pyropheophytin-a (pPTINa), pPBIDa to CYCLO, BCHLa to bacteriopheophytin-a (BPTINa), and BPTINa to bacteriopyropheophytin-a (BpPTINa).
Direct Optimal Design for Component Swapping Modularity in Control Systems

This paper presents a new method for the design of distributed controllers that achieves component swapping modularity (CSM) in control systems. Our approach, referred to as the direct method, is based on solving a bilevel optimization problem to obtain the distributed controller gains directly. In the previously proposed three-step method, the distributed controllers were obtained by matching with a precomputed centralized controller. To illustrate our approach, we consider an engine idle speed control problem, where CSM is achieved with respect to the throttle actuator. The results indicate that the direct method can significantly improve the CSM metric compared to the three-step method. In addition, for a certain distributed control structure, the direct method enables the designer to tradeoff between desired system performance and CSM.
Moving from Cognition to Action: A Control Theory Perspective

Cet article rapproche des reflexions recentes tirees des sciences de la cognition, du controle de l'action et de la theorie du controle pour montrer que des mecanismes connectionnistes relies a l'activation et a l'inhibition participent a la selection de l'information indispensable a l'orientation des comportements et a la continuite de la pensee. Nous rapprochons la notion de controle de processus dans l'architecture cognitive humaine de la volition et des differences individuelles dans les capacites d'attention selective. Nous montrons egalement qu'un tel systeme est reliea la motivation, aux theories de l'action, a l'apprentissage, a l'affectivite et a diverses donnees relevant des applications. Cette conceptualisation de la theorie du controle permet de reduire le hiatus entre la cognition et l'action grâce a des boucles de controle hierarchisees. Nous notons cependant que le controle hierarchique de sommet a la base doit etre associea un controle reversible et divergent pour que les systemes puissent survivre ou s'adapter a des environnements changeants. This paper integrates recent thinking from cognitive science, action control, and control theory to show that connectionist level mechanisms related to activation and inhibition help select the information needed to guide actions and provide continuity in thoughts. We integrate the notion of process control in the human cognitive architecture with issues of volition and individual differences in selective attention capacities. We also show how such a system relates to motivation, action theories, learning, affect, and several applied issues. This conceptualisation of control theory helps bridge the gap between cognition and action through hierarchically organised control loops. However, we note that top-down hierarchical control must be coupled with discrepancy-based bottom-up control for systems to survive or adjust to changing environments.
Continuous fetal tissue pH monitoring. A preliminary experience.

Measurement of fetal scalp pH can aid in the detection of fetal acidosis. In order to evaluate fetal status, further and possibly reduce fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, as well as reduce unnecessary cesarean section, continuous assessment of fetal pH is being investigated. Discussion of a six-month experience with a continuous + pH scalp electrode and monitor is presented, together with results of the limited study, as well as special nursing actions appropriate to an invasive method of research.
Exact learning of read-k disjoint DNF and not-so-disjoint DNF

A polynomial-time algorithm is presented for exactly learning the class of read-k disjoint DNF formulas—boolean formulas in disjunctive normal form where each variable appears at most k) and every assignment to the variables satisfies at most one term of F. The (standard) protocol used allows the learning algorithm to query whether a given assignment of boolean variables satisfies the DNF formula to be learned (membership queries), as well as to obtain counterexamples to the correctness of its current hypothesis which can be any arbitrary DNF formula (equivalence queries). The formula output by the learning algorithm is logically equivalent to the formula to be learned. We show that this result also applies for a generalization of read-k disjoint DNF which we call read-k sat-j DNF; these are DNF formulas in which every variable appears at most k times and every assignment satisfies at most j terms.
A randomized prospective trial of amphotericin B lipid emulsion versus dextrose colloidal solution in critically ill patients.

Background: Amphotericin B is the agent of choice for most invasive fungal infections in critically ill patients. It is associated with at least a 50% incidence of nephrotoxicity, despite prophylactic measures such as sodium loading. Newer formulations of amphotericin B are available but are costly and have unknown bioavailability in critically ill patients. Previous trials in neutropenic and critically ill patients have demonstrated that mixing amphotericin B with 20% lipid solution (Intralipid; Clintec Nutrition, Deerfield, Ill) may decrease nephrotoxicity. Methods: In this randomized, prospective clinical trial, patients with positive fungal blood cultures, tracheal/sputum cultures or peritoneal cavity cultures were randomized to receive either 0.5 mg/kg per day of amphotericin B dextrose or 1.0 mg/kg per day of amphotericin B lipid emulsion. Duration of therapy was determined by the primary care team. Weekly 24-hour creatinine clearance was measured until 2 weeks after amphotericin B therapy was completed. Results: The two groups were similar based on age, white blood cell count, serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance at the beginning of therapy. The group receiving amphotericin B lipid emulsion had significantly less decrease in creatinine clearance compared with controls, despite receiving significantly more amphotericin B. Conclusion: Amphotericin B lipid emulsion can be given at a higher total cumulative dose than amphotericin B dextrose with less nephrotoxicity.
The effects of exogenous glucose, uracil, and inorganic phosphate on differentiation in dictyostelium discoideum

Abstract The cellular slime mold was exposed to exogenous glucose, uracil, and inorganic phosphate for either 900 or 90 min to determine their effects on the cellular levels of glucose 6-phosphate (glucose-6-P), UDP-glucose, glycogen, trehalose, and cellulose. Glucose, and phosphate to a lesser extent, increase the levels of glucose-6-P and trehalose, whereas glycogen levels are increased only by glucose. Uracil inhibits glucose-6-P and trehalose accumulation, and this inhibition is reversed by glucose or phosphate. Uracil, especially in the presence of glucose, stimulates the accumulation of UDP-glucose and cellulose. In an attempt to understand the dynamics of the biochemical mechanisms underlying these experimental observations, fluxes of the same metabolites were imposed on a kinetic model of this system. The effects of glucose, uracil, and phosphate either singly or in various combinations on the accumulation of glycogen and trehalose can be predicted quantitatively by applying the appropriate external flux(es) of these additives to the model; the predicted effects on glucose-6-P levels are qualitatively consistent with the observations, but are greater in magnitude, suggesting compartmentation of glucose-6-P. Matching the observed and simulated results requires a lower level of additive in the simulated system than in the actual experiment, which is consistent with earlier studies on the cellular permeability of these metabolites. It is concluded that the complex of flux changes induced in the model by the perturbing metabolites may also occur in vivo , and that endogenous glucose availability is a critical variable controlling the rate and cessation of differentiation as well as the relative amounts of the saccharide end products of differentiation.
Buffering decisions under MRP environment: A review

Abstract This paper reviews the buffering issues in materials requirements planning (MRP) systems, issues whose combined effects have not been adequately dealt with in the literature. Though some factors, such as part commonality and lot sizing, have been dealt with individually, their interactions, for example, have so far not been ascertained.
Health care utilization and expenditures for privately and publicly insured children with sickle cell disease in the United States

Background There are no current national estimates on health care utilization and expenditures for US children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Procedure We used the MarketScan® Medicaid Database and the MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters Database for 2005 to estimate health services use and expenditures. The final samples consisted of 2,428 Medicaid-enrolled and 621 privately insured children with SCD. Results The percentage of children with SCD enrolled in Medicaid with an inpatient admission was higher compared to those privately insured (43% vs. 38%), yet mean expenditures per admission were 35% lower ($6,469 vs. $10,013). The mean number of emergency department (ED) visits was 49% higher for Medicaid-enrolled children compared to those with private insurance (1.36 vs. 0.91), but mean expenditures per ED visit were 28% lower. The mean number of non-ED outpatient visits was similar (12.6 vs. 11.5) but mean expenditures were 40% lower for the Medicaid-enrolled children ($3,557 vs. $5,908). The mean expenditures on drug claims were higher among those with Medicaid than private insurance ($1,049 vs. $531). Mean total expenditures for children with SCD enrolled in Medicaid were 25% lower than for privately insured children ($11,075 vs. $14,722). The samples were comparable with respect to SCD-related inpatient discharge diagnoses and use of outpatient blood transfusions. Conclusions Children with SCD enrolled in Medicaid had lower expenditures than privately insured children, despite higher utilization of medical care, which indicates lower average reimbursements. Research is needed to assess the quality of care delivered to Medicaid-enrolled children with SCD and its relation to health outcomes. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:642–646. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anisotropy of the inner core from differential travel-times of the phases PKP and PKIKP

The difference between the travel times of com-pressional waves that turn in the Earth's liquid outer core (PKP-BC) and those that run in the solid inner core (PKIKP-DF) is primarily sensitive to structure near the inner-core boundary. Such differential travel times measured from short-period waveforms are consistent with small-amplitude deviations from radial symmetry except when ray paths are nearly parallel to the Earth's spin axis. These near-axial paths consistently produce large travel-time anomalies, providing compelling evidence for large-amplitude, axisymmetric aniso-tropy in the outermost portions of the inner core.
Exotic Physics at ATLAS

A number of proposed explanations to observed phenomena predict new physics that will be directly observable at the LHC. Each new theory is manifested in the experiments as an experimental signature that sets it apart from the many well understood Standard Model processes. Presented here is a summary of a selection of such searches performed using 8 TeV center of mass energy data produced by the LHC and collected with the ATLAS detector. As no significant deviations from the standard model are observed in any search channel presented here, the results are interpreted in terms of constraints on new physics in a number of scenarios including dark matter, sequential standard model extensions, and model independent interpretations depending on the given search channel.
External craniofacial osteodistraction in complex craniosynostoses

The use of distraction osteogenesis is the first option in the treatment of craniofacial hypoplasia. Both internal craniofacial distractor devices (ICDD) and external craniofacial distractor devices (ECDD) can improve visual and respiratory functions in patients with craniofacial synostosis significantly. They also improve the cosmetic outcome. We reviewed the pertinent literature concerning the use of ECDD in complex craniostenosis. Surgical data as well as quality of life notes were analyzed and compared with those reported for ICDD. The advantage of ECDD compared with ICDD is the easier application and postoperative management as compared with ICDD, with comparable results for extent and quality of distraction osteogenesis. The disadvantage is the quality of life which most authors report is worse if compared to ICDD during the distraction osteogenesis period.
Characterization of collector optic material samples exposed to a discharge-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet light source

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources with efficient emission at 13.5 nm are needed for next-generation lithography. A critical consideration in the development of such a source is the lifetime of collector optics. These experiments expose optics to a large flux of energetic particles coming from the expansion of the pulsed-plasma EUV source to investigate mirror damage due to erosion, layer mixing, and ion implantation. The debris ion spectra are analyzed using a spherical sector energy analyzer (ESA) showing ion energies of 2 to 13 keV, including Xe+-Xe+4, Ar+, W+, Mo+, Fe+, Ni+, and Si+. Microanalysis is performed on samples exposed to 10 million pulses, including atomic force microscopy (AFM), showing increased roughness for most exposed samples. Notably, a Mo-Au Gibbsean segregated alloy showed surface smoothing over this time frame, suggesting that the segregation worked in situ. TRIM predictions for ion implantation are consistent with ion debris measurements from the ESA. Finally, time exposures of samples from 2, 20, and 40 million pulses show an initial roughening with smoothing of the exposed samples at longer time frames. Constant erosion is demonstrated with the SEM. These analyses give an experimental account of the effects of the ion debris field on optic samples exposed to the EUV source.
Spatially offset Raman microspectroscopy of highly scattering tissue: theory and experiment

Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) has seen considerable interest in recent years as a tool for noninvasively acquiring Raman spectra from beneath the surface of a sample. One of the major limitations of the SORS technique is that accurate knowledge of the optical properties of the medium is required to translate an offset into a sample depth. We report on the benefits of preforming SORS using micron offset distances as opposed to the more typical millimeter offsets used. Monte Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate that at these small offsets, the results depend less on the scattering coefficient of the material. These results provide new insights into the SORS technique and will improve the practical application of SORS in the future.
Vapor axial deposition single-mode fibers with ultimate low-core eccentricity

Introduction of single-mode fibers into subscriber loops is being studied from the viewpoint of technical feasibility.1 The technique of low-loss mass splicing is a major problem, and core eccentricity seems to limit the reduction of splice loss. We describe newly developed VAD single-mode fibers with ultimate tow-core eccentricity. Using the VAD process a core and a whole cladding have been synthesized with a high deposition rate.