cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving Operating Room Efficiency, Part 1: General Managerial and Preoperative Strategies

Health-care expenditure in the United States was $1.2 trillion in 2012 and is projected to increase to $2.5 trillion per year by 20231,2. With the current trends of unsustainable growth and increasing cost, health-care facilities are faced with a crucial need to optimize productivity and decrease expenditure while continuing to provide patient-centered care3. The operating room is often considered the financial epicenter for many hospitals, accounting for about 35% to 40% of costs and 60% to 70% of revenue. With the cost of operating room time ranging between $22/min and $133/min (average, $62/min), substantial cost-saving measures are essential4-6. Surgical cost reduction is especially relevant in orthopaedic surgery as total joint arthroplasty procedures in the older population are among the highest of all health-care expenses7. …
Hierarchical Scale Curvelet Interpolation of Aliased Seismic Data

We propose a robust interpolation scheme for aliased regularly sampled seismic data that uses the curvelet transform. In a first pass, the curvelet transform is used to compute the curvelet coefficients of the aliased seismic data. The aforementioned coefficients are divided into two groups of scales: alias-free and alias-contaminated scales. The alias-free curvelet coefficients are upscaled to estimate a mask function that is used to constrain the inversion of the alias-contaminated scale coefficients. The mask function is incorporated into the inversion via a minimum norm least squares algorithm that determines the curvelet coefficients of the desired alias-free data. Once the alias-free coefficients are determined, the curvelet synthesis operator is used to reconstruct seismograms at new spatial positions. Synthetic and real data examples are used to illustrate the performance of the proposed curvelet interpolation method.
SLC Transporters: Structure, Function, and Drug Discovery.

The human solute carrier (SLC) transporters are important targets for drug development. Structure-based drug discovery for SLC transporters requires the description of their structure, dynamics, and mechanism of interaction with small molecule ligands and ions. The recent determination of atomic structures of human SLC transporters and their homologs, combined with improved computational power and prediction methods, has led to an increased applicability of structure-based drug design methods for human SLC members. In this review, we provide an overview of the SLC transporters' structures and transport mechanisms. We then describe computational techniques, such as homology modeling and virtual screening that are emerging as key tools to discover chemical probes for human SLC members. We illustrate the utility of these methods by presenting case studies in which rational integration of computation and experiment was used to characterize SLC members that transport key nutrients and metabolites, including the amino acid transporters LAT-1 and ASCT2, the SLC13 family of citric acid cycle intermediates transporters, and the glucose transporter GLUT1. We conclude with a brief discussion about future directions in structure-based drug discovery for the human SLC superfamily, one of the most structurally and functionally diverse protein families in human.
Microstimulation of the Lumbar DRG Recruits Primary Afferent Neurons in Localized Regions of Lower Limb

This study demonstrates the patterns of primary afferent activity that can be evoked by microstimulation of the lumbar dorsal root ganglia. We implemented an enhanced method for quantifying selecti...
Investigation on Behavior related Risk Factors for Non-communicable Chronic Diseases among Residents living in Wuhu City of Anhui Province

Objective To understand the distribution of the behavior related risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases among residents in Wuhu,To provide baseline data for developing measures for non-communicable chronic diseases control and prevention.Methods Stratified random sampling method was used.A total of 2 290 residents of 15~69 years old were investigated in september 2008.Selected residents were surveyed with questionnaire and body-measured by investigators.Results The rates of smoking,alcohol drinking,overweight,obesity and abdominal obesity were 28.2%,30.0%,26.3%,6.5% and 37.8% respectively.The prevalence rate of hypertension of 15~69 years old residents was 30.7%.The rates of hypertension awareness and hypertension under control were 57.5% and 41.2%.Conclusion Targeted health education measures should be adopted in the people having risk factors.Healthy lifestyle should be promoted for residents in order to reduce the occurrence and development of non-communicable chronic diseases.
Notes on the demonstration of the formation of a new "symbol"

This is a writeup of our group project, which was to demonstrate by means of a game, how two human actors can come to agreement on the semantic meanings of an arbitrary set of signs.
Adaptive divergence in transcriptome response to heat and acclimation in Arabidopsis thaliana plants from contrasting climates.

Phenotypic variation in stress response has been widely observed within species. This variation is an adaptive response to local climates and is controlled by gene sequence variation and especially by variation in expression at the transcriptome level. Plants from contrasting climates are thus expected to have different patterns in gene expression. Acclimation, a pre-exposure to sub-lethal temperature before exposing to extreme high temperature, is an important adaptive mechanism of plant survival. We are interested to evaluate the gene expression difference to heat stress for plants from contrasting climates and the role of acclimation in altering their gene expression pattern. Natural Arabidopsis thaliana plants from low elevation mediterranean and high elevation montane climates were exposed to two heat treatments at the bolting stage: a) 45 oC: a direct exposure to 45oC heat; b) 38/45 oC: an exposure to 45oC heat after a 38oC acclimation treatment. Variation in overall gene expression patterns was investigated. We also explored gene expression patterns for Hsp/Hsf pathway and reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway. In both heat treatments, high elevation plants had more differentially expressed (DE) genes than low elevation plants. In 45 oC, only Hsp/Hsf pathway was activated in low elevation plants; both Hsp/Hsf and ROS pathways were activated in high elevation plants. Small Hsps had the highest magnitude of change in low elevation plants while Hsp70 and Hsp90 showed the largest magnitude of fold in high elevation plants. In 38/45 oC, Hsp/Hsf and ROS pathways were activated in both low and high elevation plants. Low elevation plants showed up-regulation in all Hsps, especially small Hsps; high elevation plants showed down-regulation in all Hsps. Low elevation and high elevation also adopted different genes in the ROS pathway. We also observed genes that shifted expression in both low and high elevation plants but with opposite directions of change. This study indicates that low and high elevation plants have evolved adaptive divergence in heat stress response. The contrasting patterns of temperature variation in low and high elevation sites appears to have played a strong role in the evolution of divergent patterns to high temperature stress, both pre-acclimation and direct exposure gene expression responses.
Management of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a unique subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Although PCNSL is both chemosensitive and radiosensitive, it is very difficult to treat and outcomes are substantially inferior when compared with similar extranodal NHL. Furthermore, as a subtype of brain tumors and NHL, the overall incidence has been increasing over the past several decades. This review summarizes the salient clinical features and approach to management of the immunocompetent patient with PCNSL.
Chemical genetics: Unraveling cell death mysteries.

Non-apoptotic regulated cell death is not fully characterized, particularly for ferroptosis, the iron- and ROS-dependent form of regulated cell death. A systematic approach using modulatory profiling and cell line sensitivity analysis has unraveled the association of lipid metabolism with ferroptosis and enabled the discovery of a novel specific ferroptosis inducer.
Active-site structure of a β-hydroxylase in antibiotic biosynthesis

X-ray absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopies show that CmlA, the β-hydroxylase of the chloramphenicol biosynthetic pathway, contains a (μ-oxo)-(μ-1,3-carboxylato)diiron(III) cluster with 6-coordinate iron centers and 3 – 4 His ligands. This active site is found within a unique β-lactamase fold and is distinct from those of soluble methane monooxygenase and related enzymes that utilize a highly conserved diiron cluster with a 2-His-4-carboxylate ligand set within a 4-helix bundle motif. These structural differences may have an impact on the nature of the activated oxygen species of the reaction cycle.
Diagnostics and Ancillary Tests of Neurologic Dysfunction in the Ruminant

A variety of diagnostic tests can be used to help further characterize and diagnose neurologic disease in ruminant species. Cerebrospinal fluid is easily collected, and analysis can help in defining the broad category of disease. Diagnostic imaging, including radiography, myelography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and MRI, have all been used to varying degrees in ruminants. Advanced cross-sectional imaging techniques have the capacity to aid greatly in diagnosis, but their cost can often be prohibitive. Currently, electrodiagnostic tests are not well evaluated or used in the diagnosis of neurologic disease in ruminants.
CRT-800.05 Comparison of Outcomes of Transaortic Valve Replacement with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement with Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A review of the National Impatient Sample

Transaortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is less invasive option for high risk patients with aortic stenosis (AS) with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of our study is to compare outcomes and length of stay of TAVR with PCI and Surgical Aortic valve
Skin and Composite Grafting Techniques in Facial Reconstruction for Skin Cancer

Skin and composite grafting provide effective resurfacing and reconstruction for cutaneous defects after excision of the malignancy. The goal is to restore a natural appearance and function while preventing distortion of the eyelid, nose, or lips. With careful planning and attention to aesthetic subunits, the surgeon can camouflage incisions and avoid blunting aesthetically sensitive sulci. The surgical plan is also informed by the pathology, as basal or squamous cell carcinomas removed by Mohs micrographic excision have different prognostic and logistical considerations from melanoma. Skin and composite grafting are useful as stand-alone procedures or may complement local flaps and other soft tissue reconstructions.
Hämodialyse bei chronischer Niereninsuffizienz

Die Therapie der chronischen Niereninsuffizienz ist trotz Einfuhrung moderner Behandlungsmethoden, wie z. B. der extracorporalen Hamodialyse, z. Zt. immer noch in vieler Hinsicht ein ungelostes Problem. Ein groser Teil der Patienten, die uns mit einer schweren Azotamie uber 100 mg% Rest-N oder mit einer manifesten Uramie eingewiesen wurden, konnte mit einer gezielten Flussigkeits- und Elektrolyttherapie bei strenger Bilanzkontrolle entweder mit vollig normalen Serumwerten oder im Stadium der kompensierten Retention in ambulante Kontrolle entlassen werden. Ein wesentlich kleinerer Anteil der Patienten muste, da es mit konservativen Masnahmen nicht mehr gelang, die Uramie zu beeinflussen, einer Hamo- bzw. Peritonealdialysebehandlung unterzogen werden. Jedoch sind bisher der Dialysebehandlung in allen Landern gewisse Grenzen gesetzt, die von den technischen, personellen und dadurch also von den finanziellen Voraussetzungen abhangig sind.
The Penner Model and D = 1 String Theory

After the beautiful contribution by Claude Itzvkson to this volume, I’m a little embarrassed to add my own comments on the matrix model of Penner. Nevertheless. I am going to try to convince you that Penner’s matrix model can in fact he interpreted as D = 1 string theory [1] (perhaps in a topological phase). Even if I fail in convincing you of this. I hope that you will agree that the Penner model is a useful laboratory for exploring some of the issues that arise in D = 1 string theory (such as the origin of the logarithmic scaling violation at low genus [1][2]) in a much simpler context.
Solitary mastocytoma in the eyelid of an adult.

Abstract Purpose To describe the ophthalmic symptoms and histopathological findings in a rare case of an eyelid mastocytoma in an adult. Observations A man in his early 60s developed a painless, non-tender, non-pruritic, mobile nodule on the right lower eyelid beneath the inferior orbital rim. The lesion grew to 15 × 9 mm over eleven months. Biopsy revealed a diffuse infiltrate of histiocytoid and spindle-shaped mast cells forming cords and small nests between collagen fibers in the superficial and deep dermis. Mast cell lineage was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Physical examination revealed no other cutaneous lesions and no evidence of systemic disease. Serum tryptase level was normal. Annual full-body examination by a dermatologist for 4.5 years has revealed neither recurrence in the eyelid nor cutaneous involvement at other sites. Conclusions and importance Mast cell tumors limited to the human eyelid are extremely uncommon with only four previously reported cases, including one in an adult. This case highlights the rare possibility of a solitary mastocytoma presenting in the eyelid of an adult.
Digital Nomads Beyond the Buzzword: Defining Digital Nomadic Work and Use of Digital Technologies

Digital nomadicity has gained popularity in recent years as a fashionable lifestyle and as a way of challenging traditional work contexts, but there has been very little incisive empirical research on the lifestyle’s characteristics, its implications for the future of work, or on the technology, which supports it. This paper describes the four key elements that constitute the work of digital nomads: (1) digital work, (2) gig work, (3) nomadic work, and (4) adventure and global travel. We present digital nomads as a community of workers situated at the confluence of these four elements and define how each of these are enabled by the use of digital technologies. This research serves as a foundation for information studies concerned with the dynamic and changing relationships between future of work, new population of workers (digital natives) and emerging digital platforms.
Pyogenic brain abscess, ventriculitis and diffuse meningitis with fatal outcome in an adult: Radiologic-pathologic correlation ☆,

Rupture of brain abscesses with evolution into ventriculitis with meningitis may result in sudden and dramatic worsening of the clinical situation. We present a 57-year-old man with such an event and fatal outcome. Multiple imaging modalities including computed tomography and advanced magnetic resonance imaging were correlated with gross specimen and histologic images. The differential diagnosis of multiple lesions with ring enhancement and prominent perifocal edema includes mainly infectious and neoplastic processes, such as brain abscess, metastasis, and multicentric glioblastoma. Pyogenic ventriculitis is an uncommon manifestation of severe intracranial infection that might be clinically obscure. We discuss the characteristic magnetic resonance findings of brain abscess and its complications, including meningitis and ventriculitis with emphasis on the role of diffusion-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging.
Kohn-Luttinger superconductivity on two orbital honeycomb lattice

Motivated by experiments on twisted bilayer graphene, we study the emergence of superconductivity from weak repulsive interactions in the Hubbard model on a honeycomb lattice, with both spin and orbital degeneracies, and with the filling treated as a tunable control parameter. The attraction is generated through the Kohn-Luttinger mechanism. We find, similar to old studies of single layer graphene, that the leading superconducting instability is in a $d$-wave pairing channel close to Van Hove filling and is in an $f$-wave pairing channel away from Van Hove filling. The $d$-wave pairing instability further has a twelvefold degeneracy while the $f$-wave pairing instability has a tenfold degeneracy. We analyze the symmetry breaking perturbations to this model. Combining this with a Ginzburg-Landau analysis, we conclude that close to Van Hove filling, a spin singlet $d+id$ pairing state should form (consistent with several other investigations of twisted bilayer graphene), whereas away from Van Hove filling we propose an unusual spin and orbital singlet $f$-wave pairing state.
Beyond Control: Accessioning Practices for Extensible Archival Management

AbstractAccessioning has long been one of our profession’s least visible, discussed, and critically examined activities. This article analyzes our scholarly literature on the subject, revealing an ...
Dry potato extracts improve water holding capacity, shelf life, and sensory characteristics of fresh and precooked beef patties

Abstract The objective was to examine shelf stability, cooked product yield, and sensory characteristics of beef patties that had no binder (Control), incorporated soy flour (Textured Vegetable Protein; TVP) or one of three dry potato extracts: X-TRATOS™ (potato extract), X-TRATOS™ O (potato extract with mustard), or X-TRATOS™ W (potato extract with sodium acid pyrophosphate). In retail display patties, all binders decreased discoloration and lipid oxidation compared to Control, and X-TRATOS™ O was superior (P
Texture feature analysis of neighboring colon wall for colorectal polyp classification

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths today. Since precancerous colorectal polyps slowly progress into cancer, screening methods are highly effective in reducing the overall mortality rate of CRC by removing them before developing into later stages. Virtual colonoscopy has been shown to be a practical screening method and provide a high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis between hyperplastic polyps and precancerous adenomas or adenocarcinomas through the use of texture feature analysis. We hypothesize that effects from nonhyperplastic polyps, such as angiogenesis from adenocarcinomas, may result in changes to the texture of the colon wall that could help with computer aided diagnosis of the colorectal polyps. Here we present the preliminary results of incorporating the texture features of neighboring colon wall tissue into the diagnostic classification. We use gray level co-occurrence matrices to calculate the established Haralick features and a set of supplemental features for colorectal polyp regions of interest, as well as for the neighboring colon wall environment of the polyp. A random forest package was then used to perform the classification tests on different sets of features, with and without the inclusion of the environment to obtain an area under the curve (AUC) value of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Experiments show approximately a 1% increase in overall classification performance with the inclusion of the environment features.
Pupil coding for increased measurement diversity in 3D Fourier ptychography

3D imaging methods are limited in accuracy, depth, and resolution when ap plied to thick, multiply-scattering biological samples. We introduce pupil coding in conjunction with illumination coding for 3D Fourier ptychography, resulting in improved reconstruction of large clusters of cells.
Identifying psychological resistances to using logic in cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) that limit successful outcomes for patients

The small to modest effect sizes of cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) invite the question, do some treatments not succeed because patients mobilize psychological resistances to trea...
Decentralized cloud manufacturing-as-a-service (CMaaS) platform architecture with configurable digital assets

Abstract Contemporary Cloud Manufacturing-as-a-Service (CMaaS) platforms now promise customers instant pricing and access to a large capacity of manufacturing nodes. However, many of the CMaaS platforms are centralized with data flowing through an intermediary agent connecting clients with service providers. This paper reports the design, implementation and validation of middleware software architectures which aim to directly connect client users with manufacturing service providers while improving transparency, data integrity, data provenance and retaining data ownership to its creators. In the first middleware, clients have the ability to directly customize and configure parts parametrically, leading to an instant generation of downstream manufacturing process plan codes. In the second middleware, clients can track the data provenance generated in a blockchain based decentralized architecture across a manufacturing system. The design of digital assets across a distributed manufacturing system infrastructure controlled by autonomous smart contracts through Ethereum based ERC-721 non-fungible tokens is proposed to enable communication and collaboration across decentralized CMaaS platform architectures. The performance of the smart contracts was evaluated on three different global Ethereum blockchain test networks with the centrality and dispersion statistics on their performance provided as a reference benchmark for future smart contract implementations.
'French Amulets', Expelling Poisons, and Contagion in The Changeling

When Beatrice-Joanna decides to use De Flores to murder her fiance, Alonso de Piracquo, in Middleton’s and Rowley’s The Changeling , she compares herself to “men of art”: medical authorities who use poison to “expel” other poisons. Both Middleton and Rowley draw upon the powers and properties of this spreading and corrupting substance in their respective scenes, finding either a pharmakon of poison and cure or a totally-pernicious force that must be fully expelled. Critics have explored these mixed pharmacies and occult attractions within this play of “secrets” that is filled with scientific and magical books, tests, and potions. Yet the medical use of poison and its connection to contagion long fascinated Middleton, from his first collaborative plague satires on through his city comedies and tragedies. In exploring Middleton’s preoccupation with poison as a protective “amulet” throughout his prolific career, this essay unpacks his satirical and deeply troubled views on corrupted female sexuality and male-executed punishment in The Changeling . Middleton and Rowley restage the “French amulet” dynamic of feminine venereal poisons and masculine collective plagues, yet subversively reveal the uncanny resemblances between Beatrice-Joanna’s poison and other seemingly pure measures and substances. The poisonous exchanges of The Changeling finally reveal the limits of language and the hidden motives guiding courtship, attraction, and sex.
Comparative Risk of Nonvertebral Fractures Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated With Biologic or Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs.

Objective The objective of this study was to compare the incidence rate of nonvertebral osteoporotic fractures (NVFs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) initiating one of the nine biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs). Methods We analyzed claims data from Optum (2008 to March 2019), Medicare, and MarketScan (2008-2017) to identify adults with RA who newly initiated b/tsDMARDs. Adalimumab was the most frequently used and was thus selected as a reference. The primary outcome was a composite of incident NVFs, including hip, humerus, pelvis, and wrist fractures, based on validated algorithms. We adjusted for greater than 70 potential confounders in each database through propensity score-based inverse probability treatment weighting. Follow-up time started the day after cohort entry until the first occurrence of one of the following: outcome, treatment discontinuation, switching, nursing home admission, death, disenrollment, or end of study period. For each drug comparison, weighted Cox proportional hazards models estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Secondary analyses were conducted in patients switching from a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor to a different b/tsDMARD. Results A total of 134,693 b/tsDMARD initiators were identified across three databases. The adjusted HRs showed similar risk of composite NVFs in all b/tsDMARD exposures compared with adalimumab: abatacept, HR 1.03 (95% CI 0.82-1.30); certolizumab, HR 1.08 (95% CI 0.79-1.49); etanercept, HR 1.12 (95% CI 0.89-1.40); golimumab, HR 0.91 (95% CI 0.59-1.39); infliximab, HR 1.03 (95% CI 0.84-1.28); rituximab, HR 1.07 (95% CI 0.74-1.55); tocilizumab, HR 1.24 (95% CI 0.71-2.17); and tofacitinib, HR 1.07 (95% CI 0.69-1.64). Secondary analyses showed similar results. Conclusion This multidatabase cohort study found no differences in the risk of NVFs across individual b/tsDMARDs for RA, which provides reassurance to physicians prescribing b/tsDMARDs, especially to patients at high risk of developing NVFs.
Polymerization of Deoxyribonucleoside Diphosphates with an Enzyme from an Escherichia coli Mutant Lacking Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase Activity

In Escherichia coli W3110 polA1, an enzyme possessing the following catalytic properties has been found: (a) The enzyme catalyzes the formation of polydeoxyadenylate, polydeoxycytidylate, polydeoxyguanylate, and polydeoxythymidylate from corresponding deoxyribonucleoside diphosphates. The rate of formation of the polydeoxyribonucleotide containing deoxyadenylate, deoxycytidylate, deoxyguanylate, and deoxythymidylate is relatively slow. (b) The phosphorolysis of deoxyribonucleic acid and the exchange between inorganic phosphate and the terminal phosphate of deoxyribonucleoside diphosphates in the presence of the enzyme proceed at an extremely slow rate. (c) Polymerization of deoxyribonucleoside diphosphates requires the presence of manganous ion; magnesium ion is almost without effect on the reaction.
Effects of 17β-estradiol replacement in a model of renal ischemia in the ovariectomized female apolipoprotein E knockout mouse (1135.2)

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women. 17s-estradiol (E2) replacement in ovarian hormone deficient rodents inhibits renal and vascular damage in...
Purification of the bacteriophage SP01 transcription factor 1.

Abstract The repressor-like protein, transcription factor 1 (TF1), has been isolated from SP01-infected Bacillus subtilis. A purification method is described which yields homogeneous protein as judged by gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate or urea and Sephadex G-75 gel chromatography. The amino acid analysis of TF1 allows one to estimate a minimum molecular weight of approximately 11,500. Sedimentation equilibrium molecular weight measurements in 0.25 m KCl, 0.01 m Tris cacodylate, pH 6, at 20°, suggest that TF1 is a dimer under these conditions. The amino acid composition of TF1 is characterized by a high content of basic and acidic (or, potentially acidic) amino acids, and by the absence of cysteine, histidine, and tryptophan. The isoelectric point of TF1 is 9.8. The conformation of TF1 in solution is strongly temperature-dependent. The circular dichroism spectrum suggests an α helix content of 20 to 30% at room temperature, but reversible denaturation occurs between 30 and 60°. TF1 is synthesized after phage infection, yet more than 105 molecules of TF1 are present in an infected cell 20 min after infection at 37°.
Identification of Modules in Protein-Protein Interaction Networks

In biological systems, most processes are carried out through orchestration of multiple interacting molecules. These interactions are often abstracted using network models. A key feature of cellular networks is their modularity, which contributes significantly to the robustness, as well as adaptability of biological systems. Therefore, modularization of cellular networks is likely to be useful in obtaining insights into the working principles of cellular systems, as well as building tractable models of cellular organization and dynamics. A common, high-throughput source of data on molecular interactions is in the form of physical interactions between proteins, which are organized into protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. This chapter provides an overview on identification and analysis of functional modules in PPI networks, which has been an active area of research in the last decade.
Secrecy and anonymity in interactive systems

When building systems that guarantee confidentiality, system designers must first define confidentiality appropriately. Although researchers have proposed definitions of properties such as secrecy, anonymity, and privacy for a wide variety of system models, general definitions that are intuitive, widely applicable, and sufficiently formal have proven surprisingly elusive. The goal of this dissertation is to provide such a framework for systems that interact with multiple agents, emphazising definitions of secrecy (to rule out unwanted information flows) and anonymity (to prevent observers from learning the identity of an agent who performs some action). The definitions of secrecy extend earlier definitions of secrecy and nondeducibility given by Shannon and Sutherland. Roughly speaking, one agent maintains secrecy with respect to another if the second agent cannot rule out any possibilities for the behavior or state of the first agent. These definitions are characterized syntactically, using a modal logic of knowledge. Definitions of anonymity are given, with respect to agents, actions, and observers, and are also stated in terms of a modal logic of knowledge. The general framework is shown to handle probability and nondeterminism cleanly, and to be useful for reasoning about asynchronous systems as well as synchronous systems. It also suggests generalizations of secrecy and anonymity that may be useful for dealing with issues such as resource-bounded reasoning. Finally, the dissertation leverages these definitions of secrecy and formulates new strategy-based information-flow conditions for a simple imperative programming language that includes input and output operators. A soundness theorem demonstrates the feasibility of statically enforcing the security conditions via a simple type system.
Evidence for ditopic coordination of phosphate diesters to [Mg(15-crown-5)]2+. Implications for magnesium biocoordination chemistry

The interaction of a series of phosphate diesters and triesters (1=diphenyl phosphate, 2=dimethyl phosphate, 3=bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, 4=trimethyl phosphate, 5=methyldiphenyl phosphate, 6=triphenyl phosphate) with [Mg(15-crown-5)]2+ (15-crown-5=1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxocyclopentadecane) was studied as a simplified model for the interaction of aqueous Mg2+ ion with phosphate-containing biomolecules such as RNA. Using electrospray mass spectrometry, we confirm the formation of 1:1 adducts in the gas phase. Proton and 31P NMR titration data were used to construct binding isotherms, and a 1:1 binding equilibrium was fit to the isotherms at room temperature to estimate the binding affinities. The binding affinity data are consistent with ditopic coordination of neutral dialkyl phosphate ligands to the [Mg(15-crown-5)]2+ unit. This involves inner-sphere coordination to the Mg2+ via an oxygen atom, which is complemented by a weak hydrogen-bonding interaction with the crown ether ligand. Ditopic interaction is consistent with low-temperature NMR spectra showing four different configurations for 1 coordinated to [Mg(15-crown-5)]2+, which are interpreted in terms of hindered rotation around the Mg–Ophos bond. Thermochemical analysis of the binding affinity data suggests that the second-shell interaction contributes only about 1 kcal/mol to the binding free energy, so additional factors, such as steric constraints, must be operative to give a preferred phosphate orientation in this system. However, the experimental data do suggest that second-shell interactions contribute as much as 40% of the total binding energy, consistent with the pronounced ability of aqueous Mg2+ to form salt-bridges linking secondary and tertiary elements of RNA structure.
A comparison of curricular effects on the integration of arithmetic and algebraic schemata in pre-algebra students

This research examines students’ ability to integrate algebraic variables with arithmetic operations and symbols as a result of the type of instruction they received, and places their work on scales that illustrate its location on the continuum from arithmetic to algebraic reasoning. It presents data from pre and post instruction clinical interviews administered to a sample of middle school students experiencing their first exposure to formal pre-algebra. Roughly half of the sample (n = 15) was taught with a standards-based curriculum emphasizing representation skills, while a comparable group (n = 12) of students received traditional instruction. Analysis of the pre and post interviews indicated that participants receiving a standards-based curriculum demonstrated more frequent and sophisticated usage of variables when writing equations to model word problems of varying complexity. This advantage was attenuated on problems that provided more representational support in which a diagram with a variable was presented with the request that an expression be written to represent the perimeter and area. Differences in strategies used by the two groups suggest that the traditional curriculum encouraged students to continue using arithmetic conventions, such as focusing on finding specific values, when asked to model relations with algebraic notation.
Profiling and online system-level performance and power estimation for dynamically adaptable embedded systems

Significant research has demonstrated the performance and power benefits of runtime dynamic reconfiguration of FPGAs and microprocessor/FPGA devices. For dynamically reconfigurable systems, in which the selection of hardware coprocessors to implement within the FPGA is determined at runtime, online estimation methods are needed to evaluate the performance and power consumption impact of the hardware coprocessor selection. In this paper, we present a profile assisted online system-level performance and power estimation framework for estimating the speedup and power consumption of dynamically reconfigurable embedded systems. We evaluate the accuracy and fidelity of our online estimation framework for dynamic hardware kernel selection to maximize performance or minimize the system power consumption.
Impact of Nrf2 on UVB‐induced skin inflammation/photoprotection and photoprotective effect of sulforaphane

Ultraviolet (UV) of sunlight is a complete carcinogen that can burn skin, enhance inflammation, and drive skin carcinogenesis. Previously, we have shown that sulforaphane (SFN) inhibited chemically induced skin carcinogenesis via nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and others have shown that broccoli sprout extracts containing high SFN protected against UV-induced skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice. A recent study showed that there was no difference between Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2 KO) and Nrf2 wild-type (WT) BALB/C mice after exposing to high dose of UVB. Since Nrf2 plays critical roles in the anti-oxidative stress/anti-inflammatory responses, it is relevant to assess the role of Nrf2 for photoprotection against UV. In this context, the role of Nrf2 in UVB-induced skin inflammation in Nrf2 WT and Nrf2 KO C57BL/6 mice was studied. A single dose of UVB (300 mJ/cm 2 ) resulted in skin inflammation in both WT and Nrf2 KO (� /� ) mice (KO mice) at 8 h and 8 d following UVB irradiation. In the WT mice inflammation returned to the basal level to a greater extent when compared to the KO mice. SFN treatment of Nrf2 WT but not Nrf2 KO mice restored the number of sunburn cells back to their basal level by 8 d after UVB irradiation. Additionally, UVB-induced short-term inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-1b and interleukin-6) were increased in the KO mice and UVB-induced apoptotic cells in the KO mice were significantly higher as compared to that in the WT. Taken together, our results show that functional Nrf2 confers a protective effect against UVB-induced inflammation, sunburn reaction, and SFN-mediated photoprotective effects in the skin. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Galanin inhibition of enterochromaffin-like cell function

Abstract Background & Aims: Galanin, a 29–amino acid neuropeptide found in the gastric mucosa, inhibits basal and pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion. Its cellular target is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether galanin inhibits Ca 2+ signaling and histamine release in enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells. Methods: Isolated rat ECL cells were purified to 85% homogeneity by a combination of elutriation, density gradient centrifugation, and 48-hour culture. Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) was determined using video imaging with Fura-2 in a 37°C superfusion chamber. Histamine was measured by radioimmunoassay. Results: Reverse-transciption polymerase chain reaction of the ECL cell RNA showed a galanin type I receptor subtype. Galanin inhibited gastrin, Bay K8644, and K + depolarization–induced calcium mobilization and entry as well as reduced basal calcium levels. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin decreased the effect of galanin. Galanin inhibited basal and gastrin-stimulated histamine release by approximately 60% with a median effective concentration of 1.10 −10 mol/L. The inhibitory actions of galanin on histamine release and Ca 2+ influx could be reduced by a galanin antagonist, galantide. Conclusions: Galanin's inhibition of acid secretion can be explained in part by inhibition of calcium signaling and histamine release from the ECL cells due to activation of a G i,o protein–coupled receptor. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1998;115:330-339
The Ups and Downs of Emerging Infectious Diseases at Your Fingertips

Review of : E merging Infectious Diseases: A Guide to Diseases, Causative Agents, and Surveillance ; Lisa A Beltz; (2011). Jossey-Bass, John Wiley & Sons, San Francisco, CA. 734 pages.
Fiber and Synaptic Connections between Embryonic Retinal Transplants and Host Retina

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate (a) whether embryonic retinal transplants can sprout fibers into a lesioned adult host retina and (b) if these fibers established synaptic connections with the host. Embryonic rat (E16-22) or human (9-13 weeks) retinal cells were transplanted to adult rats. Normal Long-Evans rats received rat transplants. The hosts for human transplants were athymic nude rats. After varying survival times (3 to 11 months), animals were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde (sometimes with added 0.1% glutaraldehyde). Glass microneedles, coated with DiI (a carbocyanine dye) were placed into the transplants which were then stored at room temperature in 2% paraformaldehyde for 3-15 months. This filled the cells that had processes in the area where the needle had been placed. Gelatin-embedded eyecups were cut on a vibratome. DiI-labeled transplant cells exhibited fiber outgrowth into the host retina. After photoconversion of the dye to an electron-dense precipitate, these neuronal processes could be followed with better resolution than with fluorescence. Occasionally, host cells could also be labeled by DiI placed into the graft, indicating fiber ingrowth of host fibers into the transplants. Selected photoconverted sections were embedded for electron microscopy. Synapses could be found along transplant processes that had grown into the lost inner plexiform layer. These results indicate that neuronal fibers originating from embryonic retinal transplants form synapses in the host retina.
Multiple Radiological Interventions for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Study

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma is a primary malignancy of the liver. Nurses working in the interventional radiology department often come across patients with hepatocellular carcinoma since several different radiologic interventions are used to treat this disease. The radiology nurse should be aware of the disease risk factors, types of treatment options, and complications of the various treatments. Radiofrequency ablation, chemoembolization, and Yttrium-90 radiation therapy are three possible therapies used in the interventional radiology suite for HCC. These radiologic treatments are discussed in this case study.
Natural Mortality Rates of Freshwater Drum Larvae in the Missouri River

Abstract Instantaneous total mortality rates for planktonic larval freshwater drums (Aplodinotus grunniens) in a channelized stretch of the Missouri River were estimated from analyses of cumulative catch curves. Mortality rates, which ranged from 0.11 to 0.21 per day, were significantly greater in 1976 than in 1974. Basing our interpretation on the underrepresentation of eggs and early larvae in the channelized river samples, we hypothesize that favorable environments upstream represent a more significant source of recruitment of larvae to the freshwater drum population than the channelized river.
Information Technology and Productivity Growth in the 2000s

. US productivity growth experienced continued productivity growth after 2000 even as investment, particularly in information technology (IT), slowed. This paper uses industry-level data to examine the link between average labor productivity (ALP) growth and IT in the post-2000 period. We use difference-in-difference and cross-sectional regressions to show that the link between ALP growth and IT-intensity is weaker after 2000 than before. These results are robust to alternative measures of IT-intensity such as the IT share of capital services, the level of IT capital depth, and the share of IT capital services in total output. We conclude that the post-2000 productivity gains in the United States do not appear to have been driven directly by IT.
Team-Oriented Load Sharing in Parallel DC–DC Converters

A distributed networked method for load sharing of parallel converters is proposed. Using consensus-voting protocols, the need for a master converter or a central controller is eliminated. The proposed modular structure does not require a priori knowledge of the number of active converters, which makes it a viable option for a plug-and-play operation. The voltage regulation at the desired set point and the consensus of the per-unit currents are analytically proven for the steady-state conditions. Moreover, in the absence of a centralized controller, measuring output voltages of each converter individually can lead to a measurement mismatch. The effect of this voltage mismatch on the controller performance is analyzed, and a solution is provided. Experimental results verify the proposed distributed control method using a parallel four-converter system and show its efficacy in response to changes in operational conditions and its resiliency against the loss of converters or communication links.
Seizures and antiepileptic drugs in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages

Abstract Purpose Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are often initiated on antiepileptic drugs without a clear indication. We compared the percentage of patients with spontaneous ICH who had seizures at onset or during hospitalization, and examined empiric use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in these patients in 2 cohorts 10 years apart. Methods Using a clinical data registry at a tertiary care adult hospital, we retrospectively selected admissions for spontaneous ICH between 1/1/99–12/31/00 (Cohort A, n =30) and 1/1/09–12/31/10 (Cohort B, n =108). Clinical, neurophysiological and radiological data were collected in both cohorts. Results In Cohorts A and B respectively, AEDs were started in 53.3% and 50.0%, and continued on discharge in 50.0% and 20.4% of patients; 86.6% and 59.1% of patients discharged on AEDs did not have a clinical/electrographic seizure or epileptiform EEG findings. Seizures occurred in 6.6% and 13.0% in Cohorts A and B respectively. The presence of a seizure at presentation ( p =0.01) and during hospitalization ( p =0.02) were predictors for continuing AED on discharge. Conclusion In both cohorts, a significant number of patients were discharged on AEDs without a clear indication, though there is a change in practice between the two cohorts.
Successful cyclosporin A treatment of aplastic anaemia in Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.

We present a 17-year-old mentally retarded female diagnosed with SDS. Cyclosporin A (CsA) was initiated at a dose of 10 mg/kg/d p.o. CsA was ajusted according to serum creatinine, bilirubin and plasma CsA levels
Repin-induced neurotoxicity in rodents.

Russian knapweed is a perennial weed found in many parts of the world, including southern California. Chronic ingestion of this plant by horses has been reported to cause equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia (ENE), which is associated with a movement disorder simulating Parkinson's disease (PD). Repin, a principal ingredient purified from Russian knapweed, is a sesquiterpene lactone containing an alpha-methylenebutyrolactone moiety and epoxides and is a highly reactive electrophile that can readily undergo conjugation with various biological nucleophiles, such as proteins, DNA, and glutathione (GSH). We show in this study that repin is highly toxic to C57BL/6J mice and Sprague-Dawley rats and acutely induces uncoordinated locomotion associated with postural tremors, hypothermia, and inability to respond to sonic and tactile stimuli. We also show that repin intoxication reduces striatal and hippocampal GSH and increases total striatal dopamine (DA) levels in mice. Striatal microdialysis in rats, however, has demonstrated a significant reduction of extracellular DA levels. These findings, coupled with the absence of any demonstrable change in striatal DOPAC levels, suggest that repin acts by inhibiting DA release, a hypothesis that is further supported by our demonstration that, in cultured PC12 cells, repin inhibits the release of DA without affecting its uptake. We believe, therefore, that inhibition of DA release represents one of the earliest pathogenetic events in ENE, leading eventually to striatal extracellular DA denervation, oxidative stress, and degeneration of nigrostriatal pathways. Since the neurotoxic effects of repin appear to be mediated via oxidative stress, and since repin is a natural product isolated from a plant in our environment that can cause a movement disorder associated with degeneration of nigrostriatal pathways, clarification of the mechanism of repin neurotoxicity may provide new insights into our understanding of the pathogenesis of PD.