cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Case Report of Cystic Fibrosis Plus Tuberous Sclerosis: A Cautionary Tale Regarding Lung Transplantation.

ABSTRACT Background Cystic fibrosis (CF) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are 2 rare genetic diseases that often affect the lungs. Pulmonary compromise in TSC or CF can be severe enough to require lung transplantation. In rare instances patients with CF undergo pneumonectomy to control recurrent lung infections and lung necrosis affecting one lung more than the other. Lung transplantation in these patients is exceedingly rare because preexistent pneumonectomy increases the risk of lung transplant–associated morbidity and mortality. Case Presentation We present the case of a young woman with co-occurrence of TSC and CF, who underwent left-sided pneumonectomy and, approximately 2 years later, right-sided single lung transplant. The posttransplant clinical course was complicated by phrenic nerve injury, ventilator dependency, Aspergillus endocarditis with embolic shower, and death. Pretransplant pneumonectomy, Aspergillus colonization, and posttransplant phrenic nerve injury contributed to the complex postoperative course, ventilatory dependence, and poor outcome. Conclusion This cautionary case should alert physicians on the challenges associated with single lung transplant in patients with preexistent pneumonectomy.
The Landscape of Care for Tracheostomies at a Quaternary Children’s Hospital

Background: The utilization of tracheostomies in pediatric patients for the management of chronic disease has increased in recent years. Little prevalence data exists to describe this population and the adverse events related to tracheostomy care. Methods: A retrospective observational trial was performed of all inpatient tracheostomy patients between January 1 and June 30, 2020. Patients remaining admitted were followed to discharge or to December 31, 2020, whichever came sooner. Descriptive statistics were conducted to describe trends in prevalence data. The IRB granted an exemption for the study. Results: A total of 241 tracheostomy patients were admitted, median age 5 y old (IQR 3–11). Number of admissions per patient averaged 1.44, while median length of stay was 7 d (IQR 3–62). Admission diagnoses were grouped as upper and lower respiratory, home medical emergency, sepsis/shock, cardiology, neurology, planned, or other (Table 1). 83.8% were discharged on home respiratory support, with 68.5% requiring positive pressure ventilation. 43.2% patients were discharged on either or both pharmacologic and/or mechanical airway clearance. The majority of patients received routine tracheostomy tube changes on a weekly basis (78.9%), while others received them every 2 weeks or 4 weeks, 11.7% and 8.6% respectively. Adverse events (Table 2) were characterized as skin breakdown (29.3%), granulation tissue (24.1%), tracheitis (4.1%), pneumonia (0.6%), cellulitis (0.6%), tracheostomy site bleeding (3.2%), and emergency tracheostomy change (5.8%). Unplanned decannulations (one event or more per patient) were tracked with an incidence of 10.4%. Conclusions: Pediatric tracheostomy patients are hospitalized for a broad range of chronic and acute conditions. Skin breakdown and granulation tissue were the most frequent adverse events associated with pediatric tracheostomy, while respiratory infections, cellulitis, bleeding, and need for emergency tracheostomy change were infrequent. Routine tracheostomy tube changes most often occur weekly.
Aging kinetics on silver-functionalized silica aerogel in off-gas streams including dry air, humid air, NO and NO2

Abstract Aging impact on silver-functionalized silica aerogel (Ag0-aerogel) in the off-gas streams including dry air, humid air, 1% NO/N2, and 2% NO2/dry air were studied. Aged Ag0-aerogel was prepared through a continuous-flow aging system by exposing Ag0-aerogel (unaged) to the off-gas streams at different aging temperatures and time. Iodine loading capacity on the aged Ag0-aerogel was obtained through a continuous-flow adsorption system. Iodine loading capacity losses were observed after the Ag0-aerogel was exposed to the off-gas streams. Characterization studies were conducted to observe the physical and chemical changes of the Ag0-aerogel after exposed to gas streams. According to iodine adsorption data and analyses, it was revealed that iodine loading capacity on the aged Ag0-aerogel in the off-gas streams decreases with increasing aging temperatures and time. The pseudo reaction model describes experimental data well and the oxidation of Ag0 is the rate determining step in the aging process.
A characterization of connecting maps as nonlinear roots of the identity

In ordel' to define the smoothness of a piecewise polynomial surface, the domains of adjacent pieces lllllst be related to om~ another by cOllnecting maps; such maps reparametrize the HUlface pieces by mapping the domains of adjacent pieces to a joint domain. Vie charaderj~e the subclass of connecting maps that can be used to sUHOlmd a point hy three Ol" more pieces. The characterization of connecting maps for second order continuity suggests a lower hound on the degree of any curvature continuous snrface assemhlp.d £l"Om polynomial pieces. §l. Motivation A popular approach to modeling smooth parmnetrie !'mrfae(-~s is to assemble them from polynomial patches Pk : nk E rn? H IR . To determine the smoothness of transition from one patch to its neighbm, the domains of adjacent patches must locally be mapped to a joint domain so that clin~diolls of differentiation an~ well defined. Thus connecting maps tPk : nk 1--+ rn. play a central role in the construction of smooth parametric surfaees, affedillg for example the polynomial degree and the shape of the surfaces. Of particnlm interest for constnlctions is the subclass of connecting maps that ceUI be used to smootWy surrOlUlcl a point by thn~e m more patches. The paper charactel"izes this subclass. When thl"ec or more patches join smoothly at a comlllon point, the pairwise continuity constraints between the patches fmm a eircular system" Correspondingly, the eompositioll of all n cOl11wdillg nmps must map any initial domain to itself and must agree with th(~ identity map, id, at the preilllag(-~of the COIlllnOll point up to the given order of continuity (see (2, Thcol"Cm 7.1]). em"VeS and Surfaces II 1 P. .T. Laurent, A. Le Mehaute, ancl L. L" Schumakel" (eds.), pp. 1--4. Copyright
HIV-1 tat gene induces tumor necrosis factor-beta (lymphotoxin) in a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line.

The tat protein from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activates viral gene expression and is essential for HIV replication in vitro. It has also been shown that the tat gene product specifically inhibits antigen-induced proliferation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. In order to understand the growth and immunomodulatory roles of HIV-1 tat, we have examined the effect of the tat gene on the expression of tumor necrosis factors in a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line (Raji). We report here that the HIV-1 tat gene introduced into Raji cells by retroviral-mediated transformation induces production of tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-beta). The tat-mediated induction of TNF-beta seems to be both at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels because, concurrent with a 30-fold increase in the levels of TNF-beta protein, an approximate 8-fold increase in mRNA was observed in tat-transformed Raji cells. It is recently reported that tat protein of HIV-1 stimulates growth of cells derived from Kaposi's sarcoma lesions of AIDS patients (Ensoli, B., Barillari, G., Salahuddin, S.Z., Gallo, R.C., and Wong-Staal, F. (1990) Nature 345, 84-86). Since TNF has been shown to function as a growth factor for several cell types, our results showing induction of TNF-beta by tat indicate the possibility that a growth-stimulatory role of HIV-1 tat on Kaposi's sarcoma cells is mediated through TNF-beta.
“What Would My Life Look Like Under a Magnifying Glass?” Reading “Feminist Standpoint Epistemology” Into Substance Use and Misuse

In Sciences from Below, feminist philosopher Harding (2008) notes that different cultures have “distinctive ways of organizing the production of knowledge” that produce different repositories of kn...
Tracking Diurnal Variation in Photosynthetic Down-Regulation Using Low Cost Spectroscopic Instrumentation

Photosynthetic light-use efficiency (LUE) has gained wide interest as an input to modeling forest gross primary productivity (GPP). The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) has been identified as a principle means to inform LUE-based models, using airborne and satellite-based observations of canopy reflectance. More recently, low-cost electronics have become available with the potential to provide for dense in situ time-series measurements of PRI. A recent design makes use of interference filters to record light transmission within narrow wavebands. Uncertainty remains as to the dynamic range of these sensors and performance under low light conditions, the placement of the reference band, and methodology for reflectance calibration. This paper presents a low-cost sensor design and is tested in a laboratory set-up, as well in the field. The results demonstrate an excellent performance against a calibration standard (R2 = 0.9999) and at low light conditions. Radiance measurements over vegetation demonstrate a reversible reduction in green reflectance that was, however, seen in both the reference and signal wavebands. Time-series field measurements of PRI in a Douglas-fir canopy showed a weak correlation with eddy-covariance-derived LUE and a significant decline in PRI over the season. Effects of light quality, bidirectional scattering effects, and possible sensor artifacts on PRI are discussed.
Nested Array Processing for Distributed Sources

We consider the problem of using linear nested arrays to estimate the directions of arrival (DOAs) of distributed sources and to detect the source number, where we have more sources than actual physical sensors. Angular spread, caused by the multipath nature of the distributed sources, makes the commonly used point-source assumption challenging. We establish the signal model for distributed sources, using a nested array. Due to the characteristics of distributed sources, the regular spatial smoothing technique, which is used to exploit the increased degrees of freedom provided by the co-array, no longer works. We thus propose a novel spatial smoothing approach to circumvent this problem. Based on the analytical results, we construct the corresponding DOA estimation and source number detection methods. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is verified through numerical examples.
Recursions, formulas, and graph-theoretic interpretations of ramified coverings of the sphere by surfaces of genus 0 and 1

We derive a closed-form expression for all genus 1 Hurwitz numbers, and give a simple new graph-theoretic interpretation of Hurwitz numbers in genus 0 and 1. (Hurwitz numbers essentially count irreducible genus g covers of the sphere, with arbitrary specified branching over one point, simple branching over other specified points, and no other branching. The problem is equivalent to counting transitive factorisations of permutations into transpositions.) These results prove a conjecture of Goulden and Jackson, and extend results of Hurwitz and many others.
Anxiety in middle-aged men with obstructive sleep apnea: state of the science.

AbstractPurpose:This article presents the state of the science of anxiety in middle-aged men with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA affects 10% of men in this population. Psychological outcomes, especially anxiety, have a significant impact on quality of life, yet are essentially ignored.Data sourc
A Framework for Policy in the Feed-Livestock Economy

M /ANY farm policy discussions have ignored the fact that programs which affect prices or production of feed grains also have important direct and indirect effects on all segments of the livestock industry utilizing these grains. Several empirical studies in recent years have examined certain relationships between the feed economy and selected segments of the livestock economy.' In the present study, a framework and mechanism were developed for analyzing interrelationships between the aggregate feed and livestock economies.2 The entire feed-livestock economy is large, complex, and highly interrelated. An ideal model might be a complete Walrasian framework which would include all demand, supply, and spatial components of the feed-livestock industry. A willingness to settle for something slightly less grandiose led to a model designed to estimate only some of the most important demand and supply relationships. The relationships were then used to examine probable aggregate effects of a policy which would maintain a substantial reduction in the U. S. production and consumption of feed grains. Hildreth and Jarrett [5] provided one of the earliest attempts to bring together in one model the entire feed-livestock sector of the agricultural economy. Their work was also somewhat of a pioneering effort in the application of econometrics. The model developed in this study bears resemblance to the model developed by Hildreth and Jarrett. An integral part of this study, in fact, involved bringing the Hildreth-Jarrett model up to date. Time is not spent here on the Hildreth-Jarrett model, except occasionally to point out similarities or differences between that model and the one developed in this study.
MEMORY IMPROVEMENT AMONG ADULT LEARNERS

An extensive body of research exists that examines the effects of interventions aimed at maintaining or improving memory function among older adults. Slowing the pace of learning, encouragement to organize learning materials, training in the use of imagery, loci mnemonics, and face‐name mnemonics, as well as supportive environments and information about normal age‐related memory changes, have resulted in improved memory performance. This paper reviews the findings of memory intervention research and explicates the ways in which findings of laboratory research can be incorporated into educational activities among older adults.
Force evaluation in the lattice Boltzmann method involving curved geometry

The present work investigates two approaches for force evaluation in the lattice Boltzmann equation: the momentum-exchange method and the stress-integration method on the surface of a body. The boundary condition for the particle distribution functions on curved geometries is handled with second-order accuracy based on our recent works [Mei et al., J. Comput. Phys. 155, 307 (1999); ibid. 161, 680 (2000)]. The stress-integration method is computationally laborious for two-dimensional flows and in general difficult to implement for three-dimensional flows, while the momentum-exchange method is reliable, accurate, and easy to implement for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional flows. Several test cases are selected to evaluate the present methods, including: (i) two-dimensional pressure-driven channel flow; (ii) two-dimensional uniform flow past a column of cylinders; (iii) two-dimensional flow past a cylinder asymmetrically placed in a channel (with vortex shedding); (iv) three-dimensional pressure-driven flow in a circular pipe; and (v) three-dimensional flow past a sphere. The drag evaluated by using the momentum-exchange method agrees well with the exact or other published results.
Stability Robustness Measures under Dependent Uncertainty

This paper addresses the aspect of stability robustness analysis for linear continuous time systems with structured parametric uncertainty. New results on upper bounds for robust stability are presented for two types of functional dependence of uncertain parameters in the perturbation matrix, namely i) linear dependence and ii) a special quadratic variation in a scalar parameter. The technique presented generalizes the available results into a unified framework and offers improved bounds over the existing ones by fully exploiting the structure (dependency among parameters) of the uncertainty.
Determination of the state and content of water in normal avian, fish, porcine, bovine, and human lenses as studied by differential scanning calorimetry.

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to measure the relative amounts of ‘bulk’ and ‘bound’ water in normal avian, bovine, fish, human, and porcine lenses. The amounts of bound water (mg bound wa
The synthesis, crystal growth, and characterization of nonstoichiometric magnetite

A review is provided concerning the thermodynamic and electrical characteristics of nonstoichiometric magnetite, Fe3(1-δ)O4. Great stress is placed on the need for careful preparation and appropriate annealing of single crystal specimens. Information needed to prepare material of a given δ value is provided. For δ≤0·0039 magnetite undergoes a first-order phase change at the Verwey transition; for δ>0·0039 the change is of second or higher order. Corresponding types of changes are encountered in resistivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements. Some aspects of the Verwey transition are discussed.
Androgen effects on body composition and muscle function: implications for the use of androgens as anabolic agents in sarcopenic states.

Testosterone-induced nitrogen retention in castrated male animals, eunuchoidal men, prepubertal boys and women, and the sex-related differences in the size of the muscles between male and female animals, have been cited as evidence that testosterone has anabolic effects. Recent studies have reported that replacement doses of testosterone in hypogonadal men and supraphysiological doses in eugonadal men increase fat-free mass, muscle size and strength. These effects have provided the rationale for exploring these anabolic applications in sarcopenic states. Although emerging data demonstrate modest gains in fat-free mass in HIV-infected men given replacement doses of testosterone, we do not know whether testosterone supplementation can produce clinically meaningful changes in muscle function and disease outcome in patients with wasting disorders.
Imazalil resistance linked to a unique insertion sequence in the PdCYP51 promoter region of Penicillium digitatum

Abstract Two mechanisms of resistance to the fungicide imazalil (IMZ) existed among California strains of Penicillium digitatum, cause of citrus green mold. Sensitive (S; n = 50) strains did not grow on IMZ above 0.1 μg mL−1, while those resistant (R; n = 59) grew ≥0.5 mg L−1. After amplification of the promoter region of the CYP51 gene, fragments 250, 450, and 750 bp in size were generated. All S strains had a 250 bp product, while among R strains, 47 had a 450 bp product and 12 had a 750 bp product. The 450 bp unit was common among R strains, while the 750 bp unit, reported previously by others, was not. The promoter region of all was identical; variations occurred in the region's transcriptional enhancer unit. S strains with a 250 bp product and R strains with a 750 bp product had one and five copies, respectively, of a 126 bp transcriptional enhancer unit. R strains with a 450 bp product had a unique 199 bp insert within the 126 bp transcriptional enhancer unit with no known sequence correlations (GenBank). Both types of R strains exhibited significantly elevated expression, approximately 10-fold, of the target site CYP51 gene, indicating its overexpression was the mechanism of resistance.
Developmental disabilities and behavioral problems among school children in the Western Cape of South Africa.

Abstract Aim This descriptive cross-sectional study estimates the frequencies and kinds of potential developmental disabilities (DD) and behavior problems (BP) among children in grades R and 1 who attend a primary public school in rural Western Cape Province, South Africa. Methods Data were collected on 174 children aged 5.1–8.8 years using the Ten Question Screener (10QS) and the Developmental Behaviors Checklist — Short form. Results For the entire sample, 42% ( n = 73) screened positive for 1 or more possible DD on the 10SQ. Twenty-one percent ( n = 36) screened positive for one or more possible DDs. Thirty-six percent ( n = 63) of the sample scored above the cutoff for a behavioral problem that may be clinically significant. For this group the proportion of females ( n = 36, 39%) was slightly higher than males ( n = 28, 35%). Conclusion The percent of possible DDs and BP among children in grades R and 1 is higher than the number of learners with special needs reported by the Principal for the entire school (18.7%). The findings from this study suggest that there may be more learners than formally designated who have special educational needs that may benefit from special educational programs (e.g. speech, occupational, language, etc.). There may be a need for expanded remedial educational and behavioral services in this school and elsewhere in the district.
MEPE’s Diverse Effects on Mineralization

Matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) is an inhibitor of mineralization in situ and in cell cultures where altered expression is associated with oncogenic osteomalacia and hypophosphatemic rickets. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the intact protein or the peptide(s) originating from this protein was responsible for the inhibition. The ability of the intact protein and the acidic, serine- and aspartate-rich MEPE-associated motif (ASARM) peptide to promote or inhibit de novo hydroxyapatite formation and growth of hydroxyapatite seed crystals, in both phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms, was assessed at room temperature in a dynamic gel diffusion system at 3.5 and 5 days. The most effective nucleator concentration was also examined when associated with fibrillar type I collagen. The phosphorylated intact protein was an effective promoter of mineralization in the gelatin gel diffusion system, while the ASARM peptide was an effective inhibitor. When dephosphorylated both the intact protein and the ASARM peptide had no effect on mineralization. Associated with collagen fibrils, some of the effect of the intact protein was lost. This study demonstrates the importance of posttranslational modification for the site-specific activity of MEPE and its ASARM peptide.
EFFECT OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR ON LUNG LIQUID PRODUCTION AND CATECHOLAMINE BLOOD LEVELS IN FETAL LAMBS

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to accelerate fetal lung maturation, and it also has an inhibitory effect on gastric HCl secretion. Fetal lung liquid (LL) production is associated with an active Cl-transport. The effect of EGF on lung liquid production(LLP) was examined in fetal lambs with the impermeable tracer (125I-albumin) technique. EGF given i.v. over a 4 hour period (½ injection, ½ infusion) in a total dose of 70 microg/kg to 6 fetal lambs at 0.6 to 0.95 of term resulted in a decreased LLP (6.1 ± 1.4 ml/hr vs 1.5 ± 1.1 ml/hr)*. During EGF, K+ concentrations decreased in LL and plasma and remained low in LL 2-4 hours after infusion when plasma levels had normalized. Na+ and Cl− concentrations in LL did not change significantly. Heart rate increased from 156 ± 3 to 212 ± 11* b.p.m. Mean plasma concentrations of epinephrine increased from 27 ± 5 to 67 ± 13 pg/ml and norepinephrine increased from 257 ± 31 to 544 ± 69 pg/ml* (5 determinations in 3 lambs). EGF infusions (20 microg/kg) during beta-adrenergic blockade with propranol (1 mg/kg + 0.2 mg/kg/hr) reduced LLP in 5 lambs from 7.5 ± 1.8 to 3.3 ± 1.2 ml/hr* without associated tachycardia. Onset of EGF effect on LLP was within 1 hour. Liquid absorption was seen on 3 occasions. It is concluded that EGF given to fetal lambs will stimulate catecholamine secretion, and that EGF exerts an inhibitory effect on fetal lung liquid production which appears to be independent of a possible indirect catecholamine effect. *p <0.05. Values are Mean ± SEM
Stem/Precursor Cell-Based CNS Therapy: The Importance of Circumventing Immune Suppression by Transplanting Autologous Cells

Stem/precursor cell (SPC) therapy for neurodegeneration and neurotrauma has enormous therapeutic potential, but despite ongoing research efforts the success of clinical trials remains limited. Therapies that utilize immune suppression in combination with SPC transplantation have thus far failed to consider the beneficial role of the immune system in central nervous system (CNS) recovery. Systemic immune suppression may prevent neural repair, and in some cases exacerbate the underlying disorder. Until about a decade ago, immunosuppression for CNS disorders was viewed as a therapeutic target, based on the perception that all immune activity in the CNS was destructive. However, recent studies show that the infiltration of blood-borne immune cells into the CNS following neurotrauma and during chronic neurodegeneration promote CNS protection and regeneration. In the context of SPC therapies, although immune suppression prevents rejection of non-autologous cell grafts, it also prevents the restorative immune response by eliminating the immune mediated guidance cues that are required for SPCs to migrate to the location they are needed, and preventing SPC-mediated immunomodulation. This article argues in favor of transplanting autologous SPCs, particularly bone marrow derived cells. The therapeutic use of autologous SPCs for neural repair circumvents the need for concomitant immune suppression, exploits the immunomodulatory capacity of these cells, and maintains the immune niche that supports neural repair and is required to guide these cells to their appropriate locations. Overall, such an approach accommodates the requirements for translational therapeutics, and provides a standardized platform for reconciling the inherent controversies in the science.
Rheumatic manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus.

Since July 1983, various rheumatic, musculoskeletal, or other immune disorders characterized by dysregulation have been associated with HIV and AIDS. Infections occur, but with a lower frequency than expected in a patient population with a disorder primarily characterized by significant cellular immune deficiencies. Reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, acute nonspecific arthritis, Sjogren syndrome, and inflammatory myositis have been reported. The initial reports of "acute painful joints," however, have not maintained prominence in the literature. A review of the literature over the past several years has reinforced the perception that the initial excitement over a possible association between HIV and AIDS and rheumatic or definable autoimmune disorders remains limited to a small segment of illnesses dominated by the reactive arthritidies.
Iridoschisis and bilateral lens subluxation associated with periocular eczema

We present a 53-year-old man with bilateral lens subluxation, unilateral iridoschisis, and a long-standing history of periocular eczema. Although a case of unilateral lens subluxation and ipsilateral iridoschisis has been described recently, the pathogenesis of this simultaneous occurrence remains unclear. Our case raises questions about the relationship among these clinical observations and suggests that these findings may exist as part of an unrecognized oculodermal syndrome.
Reactions of Electrophilic Reagents That Target the Thiolate Groups of Metallothionein Clusters: Preferential Reaction of the α-Domain with 5,5‘-Dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoate) (DTNB) and Aurothiomalate (AuSTm)

Kinetic studies of the reactions of isolated α- and β-domains of rabbit liver MT-II with DTNB (5,5‘-dithio-2,2‘-dinitrobenzoic acid) and AuSTm (aurothiomalate, Myochrysine) were carried out in 5 mM Tris·HCl/0.1 M KCl at pH 7.4 and 25 °C. These results demonstrate that the kinetics of the DTNB reaction with the β-domain are monophasic, with observed rates similar to those of the slow step of the reaction of the holo-protein, Cd7MT, which confirms previous findings that the α-domain is the site of the kinetically fast step. DTNB concentration dependence studies resulted in the following rate law, rate = {k1s + k2s[DTNB]}[MT], that corresponds to two of the four terms in the holoprotein rate law, those of the slow step. The reaction of aurothiomalate with the β-domain is independent of the AuSTm concentration and described by a rate function with a single rate constant, rate = k1s[MT]. The α-domain reaction with AuSTm, also AuSTm-concentration independent, involves slow and fast phases with rate = {k1s + k1f...
Combined PSK/ASK modulation format for the STARNET WDM local-area network

STARNET is a coherent optical wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) local area network. In STARNET, the use of low level amplitude modulation of phase modulated light has been proposed to implement a packet-switched ring network in addition to a high speed circuit- switched network. To verify the feasibility and characterize the effects of amplitude shift- keyed (ASK) modulation on a phase shift-keyed (PSK) receiver, we have measured the sensitivity of a 1.244 Gb/s PSK synchronous heterodyne receiver in the presence of 125 Mb/s ASK modulation. The experiments show that the unmodified (i.e., designed for no ASK modulation) PSK receiver successfully operates with a bit error ratio less than 10-9 and maintains phase-lock in the presence of ASK modulation for ASK modulation indexes less than 0.5.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A New Method for Measuring Cortisol Metabolites

ABSTRACT. A new technique is reported for the determination of cortisol metabolites. This technique measures a higher percentage of the metabolites of cortisol than the acid phenyl hydrazine (Porter-Silber) procedure and determines them with greater specificity than the 17-ketogenic (Norymberski) method. The cortisol metabolites—tetrahydrocortisone, tetrahydrocortisol, the 20-epimeric cortolones, the 20-epimeric cortols, and their 5α-isomers are extracted after hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase and converted to the corresponding cortols, which are subsequently oxidized to a mixture of 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone and small amounts of 11β-hydroxyandrosterone. This final product is then measured by the Zimmermann reaction. The application of this method to the determination of urinary cortisol metabolites of normal subjects and of adrenalectomized patients is described. Metabolites of other steroids that might contribute to the values obtained by this technique have also been investigated.
Finding Interferences Between Rectangular Paths

The paper examines the problem of counting all interferences between a set of rectangular paths. Tight upper bounds on the number of overlaps and intersections between two or more rectangular paths are derived both for the general case and the special cases where the backtracking is not allowed in one or both directions. An optimal algorithm for counting all interferences for both the special and general cases is presented.
In Vivo MAPK Reporting Reveals the Heterogeneity in Tumoral Selection of Resistance to RAF Inhibitors

Activation of the ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) confers resistance to the RAF inhibitors vemurafenib and dabrafenib in mutant BRAF-driven melanomas. Methods to understand how resistance develops are important to optimize the clinical utility of RAF inhibitors in patients. Here we report the development of a novel ERK1/2 reporter system that provides a non-invasive, quantitative and temporal analysis of RAF inhibitor efficacy in vivo. Use of this system revealed heterogeneity in the level of ERK1/2 reactivation associated with acquired resistance to RAF inhibition. We identified several distinct novel and known molecular changes in resistant tumors emerging from treatment-naive cell populations including BRAF V600E variants and HRAS mutation, both of which were required and sufficient for ERK1/2 reactivation and drug resistance. Our work offers an advance in understanding RAF inhibitor resistance and the heterogeneity in resistance mechanisms, which emerge from a malignant cell population.
Estimating the Effect of Palliative Care Interventions and Advance Care Planning on ICU Utilization: A Systematic Review*

Objective:We conducted a systematic review to answer three questions: 1) Do advance care planning and palliative care interventions lead to a reduction in ICU admissions for adult patients with life-limiting illnesses? 2) Do these interventions reduce ICU length of stay? and 3) Is it possible to pro
Clinical Practice of Dual-Certified Music Therapists/Child Life Specialists: A Phenomenological Study

The discipline of child life enjoys a strong presence in many medical settings within the current pediatric healthcare environment. Due to the widespread establishment of child life programs, music therapists often find themselves negotiating their role and contributions to pediatric healthcare in relation to the field of child life. There is increasing interest among music therapy interns and clinicians in pursuing certification in child life to increase clinical knowledge and enhance marketability. A small, but strong, cohort of dual-certified music therapists/child life specialists is currently practicing in the field, but the nuances of their clinical practice have not been systematically examined. The current study used an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of eight dual-certified clinicians, and to interpret how clinicians make sense of those lived experiences. Two overarching themes of identity and flexibility arose from the analysis: issues relating to establishing, challenging, and modifying professional identity; and flexibility manifested within areas of theoretical orientation, professional role, and clinical approach. Dual-certified clinicians vary in the degree to which they integrate the fields of music therapy and child life in practice, from complete and seamless integration of the two, to exclusive practice of only one field, depending upon the bounds of their positions. Participants reported that child life training is beneficial, but not necessary for achieving advanced practice in pediatric medical music therapy. Implications for the continuing advancement of music therapy in pediatric healthcare are discussed.
Resonant-Switched Capacitor Converters for Chip-Scale Power Delivery: Design and Implementation

There is an increasing need for power management systems that can be fully integrated in silicon to reduce cost and form factor in mobile applications, and provide point-of-load voltage regulation for high-performance digital systems. Switched-capacitor (SC) converters have shown promise in this regard due to relatively high energy-density of capacitors and favorable device utilization figures of merit. Resonant switched-capacitor (ReSC) converters show similar promise as they benefit from many of the same architectures and scaling trends, but also from ongoing improvements in mm-scale magnetic devices. In this study, we explore the design and optimization of 2:1 step-down topologies, based on representative capacitor technologies, CMOS device parameters, and air-core inductor models. We compare the SC approach to the ReSC approach in terms of efficiency and power density. Finally, a chip-scale ReSC converter is presented that can deliver over 4 W at 0.6 W/mm2 with 85% efficiency. The two-phase, nominally 2:1 converter supports input voltages from 3.6–6.0 V, and is implemented in 180-nm bulk CMOS with die-attached air-core solenoid inductors.
Leukopak PBMC sample processing for preparing quality control material to support proficiency testing programs

External proficiency testing programs designed to evaluate the performance of end-point laboratories involved in vaccine and therapeutic clinical trials form an important part of clinical trial quality assurance. Good clinical laboratory practice (GCLP) guidelines recommend both assay validation and proficiency testing for assays being used in clinical trials, and such testing is facilitated by the availability of large numbers of well-characterized test samples. These samples can be distributed to laboratories participating in these programs and allow monitoring of laboratory performance over time and among participating sites when results are obtained with samples derived from a large master set. The leukapheresis procedure provides an ideal way to collect samples from participants that can meet the required number of cells to support these activities. The collection and processing of leukapheresis samples require tight coordination between the clinical and laboratory teams to collect, process, and cryopreserve large number of samples within the established ideal time of ≤8 hours. Here, we describe our experience with a leukapheresis cryopreseration program that has been able to preserve the functionality of cellular subsets and that provides the sample numbers necessary to run an external proficiency testing program.
Lyapunov Stability of Spatially-Dependent Nonlinear Reactor System including an External Primary Heat Exchanger

In the study of reactor system stability, the past work is mainly concentrated in two areas: the study of reactor core stability using either the point model or distributed model, and the study of plant dynamics using a lumped parameter model with time delay. The former study assumed no interaction between the core dynamics and the rest of the components in the system whereas the latter neglected the distributed effect, thus some salient features in the system may be lost. The work presented in this paper analyzes the stability of a distributed reactor system which consists of the core dynamics with nonlinear temperature feedbacks, the external primary heat exchanger, and the coolant loop interconnecting these two major components. The coupled set of nonlinear partial differential equations is treated directly without recourse to the usual lumped parameter approximation. An extension of Lyapunov's theory, which has been successfully used in the study of distributed core dynamics, is employed to obtain stability criteria for this coupled system.
Hypnosis as an altered and regressed state

The paper deals with four main topics, (a) A general characterization of hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness. (b) A more specific characterization of this altered state as a regressive on...
Absence of radius and ulna in mice lacking hoxa-11 and hoxd-11.

MICE with targeted disruptions1 in Hoxgenes have been generated to evaluate the role of the Hox complex in determining the mammalian body plan. This complex of 38 genes encodes transcription factors that specify regional information along the embryonic axes. Early in vertebrate evolution an ancestral complex shared with invertebrates was duplicated twice to give rise to the four linkage groups (Hox A, B, C and D)2,3. As a consequence, corresponding genes on the separate linkage groups, called paralogues, are most closely related to each other. Based on sequence similarities, the Hox genes have been subdivided into 13 paralogous groups. The five most 5′ groups (Hox9–13) pattern the posterior region of the vertebrate embryo and the appendicular skeleton4–18. Mice with individual mutations in the paralogous genes hoxa-11 and hoxd-11 have been described15–18. By breeding these two strains together we have generated double mutants which have dramatic phenotypes not apparent in mice homozygous for the individual mutations. The radius and the ulna of the forelimb are almost entirely eliminated, the axial skeleton shows homeotic transformations, and there are severe kidney defects not present in either single mutant. The limb and axial phenotypes are quantitative: as more mutant alleles are added to the genotype, the phenotype becomes progressively more severe. The appendicular skeleton defects suggest that paralogous Hoxgenes function together to specify limb outgrowth and patterning along the proximodistal axis.
LEED observations of oxygen ordering on Cu(110)

LEED observations were used to study oxygen adsorbed on Cu(110) and to follow changes in surface structure produced by 5 min anneals at up to 880 K. Factors determining the surface structure include the surface temperature Ts at exposure, the amount of exposure, and the maximum Ts after exposure. For surfaces exposed at Ts = 83 ± 1 K to between 0.3 and 100 langmuir (L) of room-temperature molecular oxygen, the LEED patterns upon exposure and after anneals are described for the first time in a detailed and systematic way. Upon exposure the surface exhibits a (1 × 1) pattern, although diffuse third-order reflections corresponding to an increase in the [110] dimension of the unit mesh are visible for coverages θ ≳ 0.50. A (3 × 1) pattern, which may be due to a molecular configuration, is seen after annealing at 180 K. After annealing at 330 K or higher, a simple relationship exists between oxygen coverage and surface structure, as inferred from LEED patterns; if θ ≲ 0.50, a (2 × 1) pattern is seen; if 0.50 ≲ θ ≲ 0.67, a superposition of a (2 × 1) and c(6 × 2) pattern is seen; if θ ≅ 0.67, a c(6 × 2) pattern is seen; and if θ ≳ 0.67, a c(6 × 2) pattern with additional reflections is seen. For surfaces exposed at 300 ≲ Ts ≲ 320 K to up to 105 L oxygen, the LEED patterns are similar to those reported by others; here too, however, previously unreported behavior is presented. The observations are interpreted in light of UPS and recent XPS data, which give information regarding the chemical state (atomic or molecular) and amount of the adsorbate.
The real issues in fuzzy logic applications

Abstract The transition from Boolean Logic to Fuzzy Logic is shown by modifying a ladder diagram consisting of discrete variables with values of 0 and 1 to include intermediate values. Properties of membership functions are discussed as they influence the control output. The concept of compromise and output blending is shown. Important observations regarding the presence of rules are presented. The notions of “gain” and “time” are introduced, and a PID controller using Fuzzy Mechanisms is shown. In one example, the level and temperature of a tank are controlled; in another example the engine power and the turning of the wheels of an automobile are controlled as a function of the gas pedal and the steering wheel excitation.
Microbiota-liberated host sugars facilitate post-antibiotic expansion of enteric pathogens

The human intestine, colonized by a dense community of resident microbes, is a frequent target of bacterial pathogens. Undisturbed, this intestinal microbiota provides protection from bacterial infections. Conversely, disruption of the microbiota with oral antibiotics often precedes the emergence of several enteric pathogens. How pathogens capitalize upon the failure of microbiota-afforded protection is largely unknown. Here we show that two antibiotic-associated pathogens, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) and Clostridium difficile, use a common strategy of catabolizing microbiota-liberated mucosal carbohydrates during their expansion within the gut. S. typhimurium accesses fucose and sialic acid within the lumen of the gut in a microbiota-dependent manner, and genetic ablation of the respective catabolic pathways reduces its competitiveness in vivo. Similarly, C. difficile expansion is aided by microbiota-induced elevation of sialic acid levels in vivo. Colonization of gnotobiotic mice with a sialidase-deficient mutant of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a model gut symbiont, reduces free sialic acid levels resulting in C. difficile downregulating its sialic acid catabolic pathway and exhibiting impaired expansion. These effects are reversed by exogenous dietary administration of free sialic acid. Furthermore, antibiotic treatment of conventional mice induces a spike in free sialic acid and mutants of both Salmonella and C. difficile that are unable to catabolize sialic acid exhibit impaired expansion. These data show that antibiotic-induced disruption of the resident microbiota and subsequent alteration in mucosal carbohydrate availability are exploited by these two distantly related enteric pathogens in a similar manner. This insight suggests new therapeutic approaches for preventing diseases caused by antibiotic-associated pathogens.
Effect of Litter Condition on Microbiological Quality of Freshly Killed and Processed Broilers

Abstract Two similar trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of litter condition on microbiological quality of freshly killed (feathers intact) and processed broilers. Commercial broilers were reared to 49 days of age on new or previously used litter. Birds in half of the replicate pens were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium via the drinking water on Days 2, 7, 14, and 21. Broilers were sampled at the following processing locations: postkill, postpick, prechill, and postchill. Postchill carcasses from birds raised on previously used litter did not have significantly different aerobic plate counts, levels of coliforms, or numbers of salmonellae as compared with carcasses from birds raised on new litter. Live bird inoculation did significantly increase levels of salmonellae on the fully processed carcass.
A novel anti-HIV macrocyclic peptide from Palicourea condensata.

A 37 amino acid cyclic polypeptide has been isolated from the organic extract of the tropical tree Palicourea condensata. Palicourein (1) is the largest of a growing family of plant peptides that contain a cyclized amino acid backbone cross-linked via three internal disulfide bridges. Palicourein inhibits the in vitro cytopathic effects of HIV-1RF infection of CEM-SS cells with an EC50 value of 0.1 μM and an IC50 value of 1.5 μM.
Temporal disaggregation of stationary bivariate time series

Abstract We propose a procedure generalizing the Wei and Stram univariate disaggregation process for the disaggregation of stationary bivariate time series. We discuss the autocovariance and cross-covariance functions needed to produce the disaggregate series. We show how to derive the order of the bivariate disaggregate model. We illustrate the procedure with an example and present the results of a simulation study.
Formation of a shelfbreak front by freshwater discharge

Abstract The circulation and transport of freshwater generated by an idealized buoyant source is studied using a three-dimensional primitive equation model. Freshwater enters the continental shelf, turns anticyclonically and moves downstream in the direction of Kelvin wave propagation. In the region close to the source, the flow reaches an equilibrium in the bottom boundary layer so that freshwater does not spread offshore any further. This offshore equilibrium distance increases as we move downstream until the freshwater is able to feel the presence of the shelfbreak. A shelfbreak front forms and the shelfbreak prevents any further offshore spreading of freshwater in the bottom boundary layer. Two complimentary mechanisms are responsible for the slow cross-shelf migration of freshwater and subsequent trapping of shelfbreak fronts: bottom stress and topographic changes. The shelfbreak creates an active, dynamic process preventing leakage from the continental shelf region to the slope region. However, the dynamical process that traps the front to the shelfbreak is still unclear. The location of the shelfbreak front depends on four dimensionless parameters: scaled inlet volume transport, scaled breadth, scaled “diffusivity” and scaled shelf width. We develop empirical relations for predicting the location of the frontal bottom intersection, given these parameters.