cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thoughts on Quorum Sensing and Fungal Dimorphism

Farnesol has been best studied for its role in regulating fungal dimorphism. However, farnesol is also a lipid and in this review we analyze data relevant to farnesol’s function and synthesis from the perspective of farnesol and bacterial endotoxins acting as membrane active compounds. This analysis implicates the possible roles of: (1) endotoxins in the regulation of farnesol production by C. albicans; (2) farnesol in the interactions between C. albicans and the host during disseminated infections; and (3) ubiquinones in the mechanisms for unusually high resistance to farnesol by some C. albicans cell types. Finally we discuss the implications that the use of farnesol as both a signaling molecule and to antagonize competing microbials species has for the regulation of HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that is the usual rate limiting step in sterol/lipid synthesis.
Superhydrophobicity at Micron and Submicron Scale

Over the last decade, continuing progress in nanofabrication techniques led to substantial advancement in our understanding of the physics and chemistry of the liquid–solid and liquid–gas interfaces at the mesoscopic scale and brought the advent of a new area that can be loosely called ‘nanoscale interface engineering’. The main goal of this new field is to employ the nano and microscale interfacial features, such as micro- and nano-topography, to obtain surfaces and materials with the radically new and previously unattainable properties. A classic example of such systems are superhydrophobic surfaces, where micro- and nanoscale surface topography gives rise to a slew of interesting and highly unusual properties. Further development in this area has led to superhydrophilic and superlyophobic surfaces, and, most recently, to dynamically tunable and environmentally responsive smart surfaces and interfaces. Potential applications of these systems span an exceptionally broad range, with areas as diverse as self-cleaning coatings, tunable membranes, bioactive substrates, and hydrodynamic drag reduction surfaces. In this article, we attempt to take a comprehensive view of a subset of superhydrophobic surfaces that comprise micron- and submicron-scale features. The main goal of this article is to illustrate the relationship between the basic properties of superhydrophobic surfaces, the methods of their manufacturing, and their potential applications.
Structure and performance of health maintenance organizations: A review

During the past decade, the number of and enrollment in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have grown dramatically. In 1980, 236 HMOs served 9 million members. By 1989, there were 591 HMOs with over 34 million enrollees. New HMOs are very different in organizational structure and arrangements than the HMOs that were operating in the 1970s, and the health care markets they serve also have changed substantially with the increasing supply of physicians and declining hospital admissions. Consequently, the accepted research findings on HMO performance in the 1970s may have only limited usefulness in understanding the role of HMOs and their effect on today's market for health services. This is of particular concern as the Health Care Financing Administration considers the further expansion of managed care options available to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. In this article, the author reviews evidence on the relationship between HMO organizational arrangements and performance, and the trends within the HMO industry toward new organizational structures. The implications for Medicare and Medicaid risk contracting are also examined.
Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor (PEDF) as a Regulator of Wound Angiogenesis.

Although the inflammatory and proliferative phases of wound healing have been well described, much less is known about how healing resolves. During the resolution phase, pruning of the capillary bed and maturation of capillaries occurs and influences the final strength and fidelity of the wound. PEDF, an endogenous anti-angiogenic factor, is produced in wounds and may contribute to the removal of capillaries during wound resolution. This study utilized PEDF−/− mice to examine how PEDF influences wound angiogenesis, particularly capillary density and permeability. The absence of PEDF led to transient changes in dermal wound closure and collagen content, but caused substantial changes in wound angiogenesis. Compared to wild type (WT) mice, wounds from PEDF−/− mice exhibited a significant increase in capillaries during the proangiogenic phase of repair, and a delay in capillary pruning. Conversely, the addition of rPEDF caused a reduction in capillary density within skin wounds in WT mice. In vitro studies showed that PEDF inhibited migration and tube formation by dermal microvascular endothelial cells, and caused a decrease in the expression of VEGFR2, VCAM-1, and other surface receptors. The results demonstrate that loss of PEDF causes a distinctive wound healing phenotype that is characterized by increased angiogenesis and delayed resolution. The findings suggest that PEDF most likely acts through multiple mechanisms to regulate proper capillary refinement in wounds.
Catalytic graphitization of kraft lignin to graphene-based structures with four different transitional metals

Catalytic graphitization of kraft lignin to nano-materials was investigated over four transitional metal catalysts (Ni, Cu, Fe, and Mo) through a thermal treatment process under an argon flow at 1000 °C. The catalytic thermal process was examined using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and temperature-programmed decomposition (TPD) experiments. The crystal structure and morphology of the thermal-treated metal-lignin samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Catalytic graphitization of kraft lignin to nano-materials was investigated over four transitional metal catalysts (Ni, Cu, Fe, and Mo) through a catalytic thermal treatment process. It was observed that multi-layer graphene-encapsulated metal nanoparticles were the main products, beside along with some graphene sheets/flakes. The particle sizes and graphene shell layers were significantly affected by the promoted metals. BET surface areas of samples obtained from different metal precursors were in the range of 88–115 m2/g within the order of Ni- > Fe- > Mo- > Cu-. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and temperature-programmed decomposition (TPD) experimental results showed that adding transitional metals could promote the decomposition and carbonization of kraft lignin. The catalytic activity increased with an order of Mo≅Cu < Ni≅Fe. XRD results show that face-centered cubic (fcc) Cu crystals is formed in the thermal-treated Cu-lignin sample, fcc nickel phase for the Ni-lignin sample, β-Mo2C hexagonal phase for the Mo-lignin sample and α-Fe, γ-iron, and cementite(Fe3C) for the Fe-lignin sample. Average particle sizes of these crystal phases calculated using the Scherrer formula are 52.4 nm, 56.2 nm, 21.0 nm, 23.3 nm, 11.3 nm, and 32.8 nm for Ni, Cu, β-Mo2C, α-Fe, γ-iron, and Fe3C, respectively. Raman results prove that the graphitization activity of these four metals is in the order of Cu < Mo < Ni < Fe. Metal properties such as catalytic activity, carbon solubility, and tendency of metal carbide formation were related to the graphene-based structure formation during catalytic graphitization of kraft lignin process.
Dietary potassium and available phosphorous on broiler growth performance, carcass characteristics, and wooden breast.

ABSTRACT Broiler dietary potassium (K) and available phosphorous (AvP) have decreased in recent years but both ions are intimately involved in the elimination of hydrogen ions that are produced during rapid growth. It was hypothesized that the decrease of these dietary electrolytes was related to the development of myopathies, and thus increased dietary K and/or AvP would reduce the occurrence of breast myopathies. A total of 320 Ross male broiler chicks were placed into 16 pens and fed 2 diet series containing either decreasing AvP levels of 0.45, 0.40, and 0.35% in the starter, grower, and finisher diets, respectively (Decline), or a fixed AvP of 0.45% in all dietary phases (Fixed). To complete a 2 × 2 design either normal basal dietary K (K-) (0.86, 0.77, 0.68%) or added dietary K (K+) (1.01, 0.93, 0.88%) were also applied to starter, grower, and finisher diets, respectively. Blood physiology was measured at 29 and 42 d. Carcass data, wooden breast and white striping scores were measured at 35 and 43 d. The K+ diets improved feed conversion ratio at 35 d (1.52 vs 1.57 g: g), reduced body weight at 42 d (3524 vs 3584 g), reduced hemoglobin (6.83 vs 7.58 g/dL), and packed cell volume (20.1 vs 22.3%) at 29 d, reduced ionized blood calcium (1.42 vs 1.47 mmol/L) at 42 d, and reduced partial pressure of blood CO2 (49.1 vs 54.7 mm/Hg) at 42 d relative to broilers fed basal K- diets (P
How to Have Self-Directed Attitudes

Self-directed and self-evaluative attitudes are often connected to one’s social position. Before investigating the dependence relations between individual self-evaluation and social positioning, however, we should ask—What is required to have self-directed attitudes in the first place? In order to be the subject of self-directed or self-evaluative attitudes, I shall argue, an individual must have linguistic and social relations. I’ll discuss the first-person perspective, self-concepts and their acquisition – all from a radically nonCartesian, externalist point of view. This paper will combine my work on first-person perspectives with my work on “content externalism” in the philosophy of mind in order to understand how someone can have self-directed attitudes at all.
College TV News Websites: Accessibility and Mobile Readiness:

College television newscasts serve as training grounds for future broadcast journalists and should help students understand emerging trends in the field, such as social media use and developing web...
A design for a Venus orbital imaging radar mission

A planetary exploration mission to map the surface of Venus is discussed. A review of the Venus exploration program provides a basis for determining the probable scientific requirements for resolution, planetary coverage, etc., for such a mission. From these requirements, the range of possible mission, radar, and spacecraft functional requirements is determined and a single 'point' design is investigated in some detail. This point design, which provides full planet mapping at resolutions better than 200 meters, is based on Mariner-class spacecraft technology, including a conventional bipropellant propulsion system, currently under development, capable of delivering the required payload into a 500-km circular Venus orbit.
A phase II trial of atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1) with carboplatin in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC).

TPS1112Background: Patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (mTNBC) have limited treatment options. Recent studies with a PD-L1 inhibitor and taxane based chemotherapy have demonstrat...
Discourse and Resistance in the Kennewick Man Story

Discourse surrounding the 20-year-old battle over the remains of the Kennewick Man skeleton illuminates the ideological stances of local Native American tribes and the scientists who fought to examine the skeleton. Indigenous values concerning moral choices, traditional knowledges and spiritual practices held little sway over the scientists’ desire for evidence and data. The scientists argued that scientific and social progress would be halted if they were not accorded the freedom to examine Kennewick Man. Despite receiving short-shrift in media coverage, local tribes resisted attempts by outsiders to re-frame their arguments, noting that their principle concern is sovereignty: having the choice to make their own decisions about their ancestors.
Learning and interpreting the gene regulatory grammar in a deep learning framework

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved state-of-the-art performance in identifying gene regulatory sequences, but they have provided limited insight into the biology of regulatory elements due to the difficulty of interpreting the complex features they learn. Several models of how combinatorial binding of transcription factors, i.e. the regulatory grammar, drives enhancer activity have been proposed, ranging from the flexible TF billboard model to the stringent enhanceosome model. However, there is limited knowledge of the prevalence of these (or other) sequence architectures across enhancers. Here we perform several hypothesis-driven analyses to explore the ability of DNNs to learn the regulatory grammar of enhancers. We created synthetic datasets based on existing hypotheses about combinatorial transcription factor binding site (TFBS) patterns, including homotypic clusters, heterotypic clusters, and enhanceosomes, from real TF binding motifs from diverse TF families. We then trained deep residual neural networks (ResNets) to model the sequences under a range of scenarios that reflect real-world multi-label regulatory sequence prediction tasks. We developed a gradient-based unsupervised clustering method to extract the patterns learned by the ResNet models. We demonstrated that simulated regulatory grammars are best learned in the penultimate layer of the ResNets, and the proposed method can accurately retrieve the regulatory grammar even when there is heterogeneity in the enhancer categories and a large fraction of TFBS outside of the regulatory grammar. However, we also identify common scenarios where ResNets fail to learn simulated regulatory grammars. Finally, we applied the proposed method to mouse developmental enhancers and were able to identify the components of a known heterotypic TF cluster. Our results provide a framework for interpreting the regulatory rules learned by ResNets, and they demonstrate that the ability and efficiency of ResNets in learning the regulatory grammar depends on the nature of the prediction task.
The impact of adjunctive tomosynthesis on screening mammography outcomes in two widely diverse radiology practices.

To determine the effect of adjunctive digital breast tomosynthesis screening on dissimilar mammography practices. We compared the outcomes of breast cancer screening with digital mammography versus digital mammography combined with tomosynthesis in two independent breast imaging practices from June 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016. Institution one was a hospital-based academic practice of breast imaging specialists and institution two was a community-based practice with academic affiliation served by general radiologists. Screening mammography was linked to subsequent diagnostic imaging and pathology. Subject characteristics and performance metrics were compared via t test for continuous variables and the chi-square test for categorical variables. A two-sided z test was performed to test modality differences for assessment and pathology subtype. Of the 54 638 women, 54% (n = 29 295) were from institution one and 55% (n = 30 013) underwent digital mammography alone. Women undergoing mammography with tomosynthesis were older (60.8 years vs 56.9 years, P < .001) and had slightly less dense breast composition (P = .001). Performance metrics varied substantially between institutions. At both institutions the biopsy rate, positive predictive value of screening (PPV1 ), and invasive cancer detection rate increased significantly with adjunctive tomosynthesis. At institution one, the biopsy rate increased from 1.4% to 1.9%, the PPV1 from 6.0% to 8.2%, and the invasive cancer detection rate from 3.4 to 4.9/1000 women screened. At institution two, the respective increases were from 0.7% to 1.0%, 5.5% to 11.0%, and 2.3% to 4.1/1000. Tomosynthesis recalled asymmetry less and mass more and resulted in fewer BI-RADS 1 and 2 assessments than screening with mammography alone. Adjunctive tomosynthesis appears to have a consistent impact on breast cancer screening performance metrics despite marked variation in breast imaging practice. Combined tomosynthesis screening has a significantly higher PPV1 , leads to a greater number of biopsies, and detects more invasive cancer than screening with digital mammography.
Preoperative Frailty Assessment, Operative Severity Score, and Early Postoperative Loss of Independence in Surgical Patients Age 65 Years or Older.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative discussions around postoperative discharge planning have been amplified by the COVID pandemic. We wished to determine whether our preoperative frailty screen would predict postoperative loss of independence (LOI). STUDY DESIGN: This single-institutional study included demographic, procedural, and outcomes data from patients 65 years or older who underwent frailty screening before a surgical procedure. Frailty was assessed using the Edmonton Frail Scale. The Operative Severity Score was used to categorize procedures. The Hierarchical Condition Category risk-adjustment score, as calculated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was included. LOI was defined as an increase in support outside of the home after discharge. Univariable, multivariable logistic regressions, and adjusted postestimation analyses for predictive probabilities of best fit were performed. RESULTS: Five hundred and thirty-five patients met inclusion criteria and LOI was seen in 38 patients (7%). Patients with LOI were older, had a lower BMI, a higher Edmonton Frail Scale score (7 vs 3.0; p < 0.001), and a higher Hierarchical Condition Category score than patients without LOI. Being frail and undergoing a procedure with an Operative Severity Score of 3 or higher was independently associated with an increased risk of LOI. In addition, social dependency, depression, and limited mobility were associated with an increased risk for LOI. On multivariable modeling, frailty status, undergoing an operation with an Operative Severity Score of 3 or higher, and having a Hierarchical Condition Category score ≥1 were the most predictive of LOI (odds ratio 12.72; 95% CI, 12.04 to 13.44; p < 0.001). In addition, self-reported depression, weight loss, and limited mobility were associated with a nearly 11-fold increased risk of postoperative LOI. CONCLUSIONS: This study was novel, as it identified clear, generalizable risk factors for LOI. In addition, our findings support the implementation of preoperative assessments to aid in care coordination and provide specific targets for intervention.
Probabilistic Sizing of Virtual Energy Storage Devices for Transient Stability Enhancement

The penetration level of renewable energy sources and distributed generators (DGs) has been rapidly increasing, which severely impacts power system dynamic performance. Such sources usually have very small or no rotating inertia, thus resulting in a significant reduction in the overall system inertia. Low inertia can lead to loss of synchronism even for small disturbances, cascading failures, and blackouts. Virtual Synchronous Generators (VSG) have the potential to compensate for the reduced inertia due to the high penetration of renewable energy sources and DGs. However, determining the minimum sizes of VSG to maintain power system stability is a challenging task. In this paper, a probabilistic approach is proposed to determine the sizes of VSG to enhance the dynamic performance of power systems under various loading and failure conditions. In the proposed approach, Monte Carlo simulations are performed to emulate the variability of system loads and uncertainties of fault clearing times. The time domain simulation approach for multi-machine systems is performed to determine the required sizes of VSG. The proposed method is demonstrated on the reduced Western Electricity Coordinating Council 9-bus transmission system. The results show that the determined sizes of VSG are sufficient to maintain the stability of low-inertia power systems.
Ink on the move: tattoo pigment resembling axillary lymph node calcifications.

Abstract High-density foci within axillary lymph nodes are associated with a number of potential diagnoses. In this case series, we present four tattooed patients who had mammographic findings that demonstrated high-density material in axillary lymph nodes, indicative of tattoo pigment migration. The aim of presenting these cases is to highlight the importance of recognizing such pigment migration in order to help breast radiologists form an appropriate differential diagnosis that might include this entity.
GPU-FPtuner: Mixed-precision Auto-tuning for Floating-point Applications on GPU

GPUs have been extensively used to accelerate scientific applications from a variety of domains: computational fluid dynamics, astronomy and astrophysics, climate modeling, numerical analysis, to name a few. Many of these applications rely on floating-point arithmetic, which is approximate in nature. High-precision libraries have been proposed to mitigate accuracy issues due to the use of floating-point arithmetic. However, these libraries offer increased accuracy at a significant performance cost. Previous work, primarily focusing on CPU code and on standard IEEE floating-point data types, has explored mixed precision as a compromise between performance and accuracy. In this work, we propose a mixed precision autotuner for GPU applications that rely on floating-point arithmetic. Our tool supports standard 32- and 64-bit floating-point arithmetic, as well as high precision through the QD library. Our autotuner relies on compiler analysis to reduce the size of the tuning space. In particular, our tuning strategy takes into account code patterns prone to error propagation and GPU-specific considerations to generate a tuning plan that balances performance and accuracy. Our autotuner pipeline, implemented using the ROSE compiler and Python scripts, is fully automated and the code is available in open source. Our experimental results collected on benchmark applications with various code complexities show performance-accuracy tradeoffs for these applications and the effectiveness of our tool in identifying representative tuning points.
Emergency Department Access During COVID-19: Disparities in Utilization by Race/Ethnicity, Insurance, and Income.

Introduction In March 2020, shelter-in-place orders were enacted to attenuate the spread of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Emergency departments (EDs) experienced unexpected and dramatic decreases in patient volume, raising concerns about exacerbating health disparities. Methods We queried our electronic health record to describe the overall change in visits to a two-ED healthcare system in Northern California from March-June 2020 compared to 2019. We compared weekly absolute numbers and proportional change in visits focusing on race/ethnicity, insurance, household income, and acuity. We calculated the z-score to identify whether there was a statistically significant difference in proportions between 2020 and 2019. Results Overall ED volume declined 28% during the study period. The nadir of volume was 52% of 2019 levels and occurred five weeks after a shelter-in-place order was enacted. Patient demographics also shifted. By week 4 (April 5), the proportion of Hispanic patients decreased by 3.3 percentage points (pp) (P = 0.0053) compared to a 6.2 pp increase in White patients (P = 0.000005). The proportion of patients with commercial insurance increased by 11.6 pp, while Medicaid visits decreased by 9.5 pp (P 400% FPL the week of the shelter-in-place order. Overall, 2020 evidenced a consistently elevated proportion of high-acuity Emergency Severity Index (ESI) level 1 patients compared to 2019. Increased acuity was also demonstrated by an increase in the admission rate, with a 10.8 pp increase from 2019. Although there was an increased proportion of high-acuity patients, the overall census was decreased. Conclusion Our results demonstrate changing ED utilization patterns circa the shelter-in-place orders. Those from historically vulnerable populations such as Hispanics, those from lower socioeconomic areas, and Medicaid users presented at disproportionately lower rates and numbers than other groups. As the pandemic continues, hospitals should use operations data to monitor utilization patterns by demographic, in addition to clinical indicators. Messaging about availability of emergency care and other services should include vulnerable populations to avoid exacerbating healthcare disparities.
Complicit Bias: Sex Offender Registration as a Penalty for Obstructing Sex-Trafficking Prosecutions (Preliminary Draft)

As a matter of statutory interpretation, it is unclear whether criminal defendants who obstruct federal sex-trafficking prosecutions must register as sexual deviants on the national sex offender registry when the defendants do not directly engage in sex trafficking. This unresolved legal question presents a tangled web of statutory construction. At best, the anomaly results from a congressional drafting oversight in the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). At worst, requiring defendants to register as sex offenders where they have solely engaged in obstruction may reflect a legislative and prosecutorial overzealousness emblematic of the War on Crime and the War on Drugs, which have made the United States the most carceral nation in history and which may undermine the very purposes of SORNA. Moreover, sex trafficking victims who refuse to cooperate against their assailants risk exposure to mandatory registration if they are convicted of obstruction, an outcome completely incongruous with the purposes of SORNA or the federal sex trafficking statute. The overuse and abuse of SORNA, embodied in mandating obstructionist registration, unmoors SORNA from its legitimate concerns, purposes, and justifications. No court has addressed the issue. Ultimately, congressional intervention is fundamentally necessary to make clear that pure obstructionists are not required to register under SORNA.
Herbs and Spices Modulate Gut Microbiota Composition: A Randomized, Crossover, Controlled-Feeding Study

Objectives The effect of culinary doses of herbs and spices, consumed as part of a well-defined dietary pattern, on gut microbiota composition has not been previously studied. The aim of this study was to examine gut microbial composition following an average American diet (carbohydrate: 50% kcal; protein: 17%; total fat: 33%; saturated fat: 11%; sodium: 3000 mg/d) containing herbs and spices at 0.5 (Low Spice Diet; LSD), 3.3 (Moderate Spice Diet; MSD) and 6.6 (High Spice Diet; HSD) g/day/2100 kcal in adults at-risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
A statistical review: why average weighted accuracy, not accuracy or AUC?

Sensitivity and specificity are key aspects in evaluating the performance of diagnostic tests. Accuracy and AUC are commonly used composite measures that incorporate sensitivity and specificity. Av...
Numerical-based non-dimensional analysis of critical flow of R-12, R-22, and R-134a through horizontal capillary tubes

Abstract Development of correlations predicting critical mass flow rate and critical pressure distribution through capillary tubes is presented. In order to accomplish such a work, the critical mass flow rate and pressure distribution for nearly 500 operational conditions for R-12, R-22, and R-134a are evaluated. Operational conditions include inlet pressure varying from 800 to 1500 kPa, inlet subcold temperature between 0 and 10 °C, length varying from 1 to 2 m, and inner diameter between 0.5 and 1.5 mm. By performing non-dimensional analysis on numerical data, general correlations are presented to predict the critical mass flow rate through capillary tubes. In addition, by utilizing numerical data for down-stream pressure, non-dimensional analysis is performed to present correlations to predict critical down-stream pressure and pressure distribution through capillary tubes.
Integration and Gauss’s Theorem

In this chapter, we pursue two goals. First, we discuss integration from a geometric point of view and establish the tensor calculus way of representing invariant integrals in arbitrary coordinates. Second, we prove a rather general form of Gauss’s theorem. The starting point for the derivation is Gauss’s theorem over flat domains referred to as Cartesian coordinates. Our task is to extend that result to arbitrary curved patches.
Linking climate change and health outcomes: Examining the relationship between temperature, precipitation and birth weight in Africa

Abstract This paper examined the relationship between birth weight, precipitation, and temperature in 19 African countries. We matched recorded birth weights from Demographic and Health Surveys covering 1986 through 2010 with gridded monthly precipitation and temperature data derived from satellite and ground-based weather stations. Observed weather patterns during various stages of pregnancy were also used to examine the effect of temperature and precipitation on birth weight outcomes. In our empirical model we allowed the effect of weather factors to vary by the dominant food production strategy (livelihood zone) in a given region as well as by household wealth, mother's education and birth season. This allowed us to determine if certain populations are more or less vulnerable to unexpected weather changes after adjusting for known covariates. Finally we measured effect size by observing differences in birth weight outcomes in women who have one low birth weight experience and at least one healthy birth weight baby. The results indicated that climate does indeed impact birth weight and at a level comparable, in some cases, to the impact of increasing women's education or household electricity status.
Legal aspects of dementia.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses methods used to evaluate patient capacity in a variety of decision-making areas. The chapter presents two models of medical decision-making in incapacitated patients: advance directives and health care proxies. The legal aspects of guardianship and conservatorship and the implications of cognitive impairment on testamentary capacity are also discussed. The chapter provides an overview of elder abuse law, which is discussed in detail. It concludes that all of the legal issues in dementia are centered in the concept of parens patriae. It is translated as “parent of his or her country.” This concept reflects the government's capacity to be a provider of protection to those unable to care for or protect them. While patient autonomy remains an important aim for the elderly, advanced directives, health care proxies, guardians, conservators, and elder abuse reporting, laws share the common goal of preventing the exploitation and harm of elderly citizens. The chapter reviews that these measures partly rely on physicians and other health care professionals for their implementation. As the percentage of elderly as a total of the world population continues to increase, physicians should familiarize themselves with these legal issues in an effort to provide better care for the demented patient.
Optical rotatory dispersion of cytochrome c. 3. Effect of ionic strength on the conformation of horse heart ferricytochrome c and its fully esterified derivative.

Abstract Decrease in the ionic strength of a solution of horse heart ferricytochrome c at pH 1.5 results in changes in optical rotatory dispersion similar to those observed upon helix-random coil transition in model polypeptide systems. These changes are accompanied by modification of the dispersion pattern in the Soret region and parallel alterations in the absorption spectrum indicative of transition from a partially low spin system to a predominantly high spin one. A corresponding ionic strength effect is not observed with the unmodified protein at pH 7 but can be obtained at neutral pH with a derivative in which all the carboxyl groups are esterified. Such an esterified preparation, even under conditions where the dispersion pattern in the region from 200 to 250 mµ remains essentially that of the unmodified protein, exhibits rotations which, at longer wave lengths, approximate more nearly those recorded for the nonesterified molecule in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride or urea. The possibility is considered that the propionate side chains of the porphyrin play an important role in the binding between the protein and its prosthetic group.
Drum Centrifuge Studies of Over Consolidated Slopes

A method is presented for predicting the shear strength mobilized during undrained failure of model slopes in overconsolidated clay. Also long-term failure of model slopes in overconsolidated clay is described. A drum centrifuge was used to conduct these model studies of both short-term and long-term stability. To produce overconsolidated conditions, a kaolin slurry was consolidated in the centrifuge at an acceleration between 150 g and 420 g. After consolidation, the clay deposit was allowed to rebound and a 2-in. (50.8-mm) high, 60° slope was cut around the entire circumference of the drum. Short-term failure was produced by rapidly increasing the speed of the centrifuge until failure occurred. Long-term stability was investigated by maintaining an acceleration lower than that required to cause an undrained failure. In five long-term tests failure occurred after 1 to 8 hours of continous operation.
Take-home lab kits for system dynamics and controls courses

Laboratories are an essential component of system dynamics and controls education yet traditional laboratories are costly and require considerable space. In this project, we are piloting the concept of distributed laboratories in the form of kits that students take home and work on much like a problem set. Two kits have been developed, a mass-spring-damper system and an analog filter system. The home PC provides the needed computational horsepower for experiment control, data collection and analysis while an inexpensive microcontroller handles real-time control tasks. Twenty-five kits were constructed and piloted in an undergraduate systems course.
High levels of human herpesvirus 8 viral load, human interleukin-6, interleukin-10, and C reactive protein correlate with exacerbation of multicentric Castleman disease in HIV-infected patients.

Multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) is a distinct type of lymphoproliferative disorder associated with inflammatory symptoms and interleukin-6 (IL-6) dysregulation. In the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, MCD is associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infection. In a prospective study of 23 HIV-infected patients with MCD, clinical symptoms of MCD were present at 45 visits, whereas patients were in chemotherapy-induced clinical remission at 50 visits. Symptoms were associated with a high level of serum C reactive protein, high HHV8 viral load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and high plasma human IL-6 and IL-10 levels. Strong correlations between plasma IL-6 and plasma IL-10 with the HHV8 viral load suggest that both cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of this virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorder.
Insecure attachment and depressive symptoms: Forgiveness of self and others as moderators

Most of the research on forgiveness has examined forgiveness of others, but not forgiveness of self even though researchers have argued that the latter deserves more attention. To fill this gap in the literature, and based on attachment theory's internal working models of self and others, this study examined forgiveness of self and others as moderators in the association between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms. A total of 403 undergraduate students participated in the study. Results supported the moderator role of forgiveness of self. Specifically, at high levels of forgiveness of self, the association between insecure attachment (i.e., anxiety and avoidant attachment) and depressive symptoms was not significant. The results did not support forgiveness of others as a moderator.
Career prevalence and correlates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among firefighters

Abstract Background Firefighters experience high-risk occupational hazards that may confer increased risk for suicide; however, prevalence rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among firefighters are unknown. The purpose of this study is to describe the career prevalence of suicide ideation, plans, attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury among firefighters, in addition to sociodemographic, physical health, and occupational correlates. Methods Data were obtained from a cross-sectional convenience sample of 1027 current and retired firefighters who completed a nationwide web-based survey on mental health (mean age=38.49, SD=11.70; 91.2% male; 87.3% White). Sociodemographic, physical health, and occupational correlates were assessed via a structured questionnaire. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors were assessed using a modified version of the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Short Form (SITBI-SF). Results The career prevalence estimates of suicide ideation, plans, attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury were found to be 46.8%, 19.2%, 15.5%, and 16.4%, respectively. Key factors associated with increased risk for reporting suicidal thoughts and behaviors included lower firefighter rank, fewer years of firefighter service, membership in an all-volunteer department, a history of professionally responding to a suicide attempt or death, and active duty military status. Limitations The current study utilized a cross-sectional convenience sample of firefighters. Conclusions Firefighters report an alarmingly high career prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Our preliminary data are compelling, indicating the need for additional research as well as increased prevention and treatment efforts among firefighters to decrease suicide risk.
Applications of the ITS Codes

The structure and operation of the ITS system was discussed in an earlier lecture. Supporting documentation cited in that discussion contains even more information on the subject. Here, we will concentrate on applications of the member codes.
Chiral forces organize left-right patterning in C. elegans by uncoupling midline and anteroposterior axis

Left-right (LR) patterning is an intriguing but poorly understood process of bilaterian embryogenesis. We report a mechanism for LR patterning in C. elegans in which the embryo uncouples its midline from the anteroposterior (AP) axis. Specifically, the eight-cell embryo establishes a midline that is tilted rightward from the AP axis and positions more cells on the left, allowing subsequent differential LR fate inductions. To establish the tilted midline, cells exhibit LR asymmetric protrusions and a handed collective movement. This process, termed chiral morphogenesis, involves differential regulation of cortical contractility between a pair of sister cells that are bilateral counterparts fate-wise and is activated by noncanonical Wnt signaling. Chiral morphogenesis is timed by the cytokinetic furrow of a neighbor of the sister pair, providing a developmental clock and an unexpected signaling interaction between the contractile ring and the adjacent cells.
Immunoregulation of a CB2 Receptor Agonist in a Murine Model of NeuroAIDS

Chronic HIV-1 infection commonly affects behavioral, cognitive, and motor functions in the infected human host and is commonly referred to as HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). This occurs, in measure, as a consequence of ingress of leukocytes into brain perivascular regions. Such cells facilitate viral infection and disease by eliciting blood–brain barrier and neuronal network dysfunctions. Previous works demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system modulates neuroimmunity and as such neuronal and glial functions. Herein, we investigated CB2R receptor expression in murine HIV-1 encephalitis (HIVE) and the abilities of a highly selective CB2R agonist, Gp1a, to modulate disease. HIV-1-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages were injected into the caudate and putamen of immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (hu-PBL/HIVE). Brains of hu-PBL/HIVE mice showed microglial activation and increased expression of CB2R, but not CB1R or GPR55. Gp1a substantively reduced infiltration of human cells into the mouse brain and reduced HLA DQ activation. Gp1a down modulated CCR5 expression on human cells in the spleen with an increase in Fas ligand expression. Our results support the notion that CB2 receptor agonists may be a viable therapeutic candidate for HAND.
Silicon nano-membranes for efficient large angle optical beam steering

In this paper, we present a silicon nano-membrane-based phased array structure for large angle optical beam steering. The new array structure allows for over ±60° optical beam scanning with minimal degradation in the side-lobe-level and diffraction efficiency.
Astrophysical effects of planets

La presence d'un systeme planetaire autour d'une etoile peut jouer un role important lors des phases avancees de son evolution. Le modele propose par Struck-Marcell (1988) pour etudier l'influence des planetes sur l'evolution des geantes rouges est discute
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sen1 as a model for the study of mutations in human Senataxin that elicit cerebellar ataxia.

The nuclear RNA and DNA helicase Sen1 is essential in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is required for efficient termination of RNA polymerase II transcription of many short noncoding RNA genes. However, the mechanism of Sen1 function is not understood. We created a plasmid-based genetic system to study yeast Sen1 in vivo. Using this system, we show that (1) the minimal essential region of Sen1 corresponds to the helicase domain and one of two flanking nuclear localization sequences; (2) a previously isolated terminator readthrough mutation in the Sen1 helicase domain, E1597K, is rescued by a second mutation designed to restore a salt bridge within the first RecA domain; and (3) the human ortholog of yeast Sen1, Senataxin, cannot functionally replace Sen1 in yeast. Guided by sequence homology between the conserved helicase domains of Sen1 and Senataxin, we tested the effects of 13 missense mutations that cosegregate with the inherited disorder ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 2 on Sen1 function. Ten of the disease mutations resulted in transcription readthrough of at least one of three Sen1-dependent termination elements tested. Our genetic system will facilitate the further investigation of structure–function relationships in yeast Sen1 and its orthologs.
Occlusal stability following occlusal adjustment.

Abstract An investigation of occlusal stability of teeth after occlusal adjustment was conducted. The eight patients who participated in this study presented occlusal prematurities and interferences (interceptive and deflective contacts) which were eliminated by selective grinding according to the principle of obtaining and maintaining occlusal stability. To measure changes in occlusal stability, reference points were scribed on the teeth; base-line, 45 day, and 90 day serial stone casts were obtained. Each cast had one point on each tooth involved in the occlusal adjustment (tooth point) and one or two different teeth not involved in the grinding procedure (reference points). Each cast was photographed from two camera positions. The stereopairs thus obtained were placed on the stage of a Mann comparator to determine X and Y coordinates. The Z coordinates were mathematically computed. Likewise, the measurements of the distances from reference points to tooth points were determined by means of analytical photogrammetry. The statistical analysis disclosed that the mean differences between the base-line and 45 day measurements and between the base-line and 90 day measurements were not statistically significant.
Modeling synthetic infrared data for classifier development

In an effort to improve the usefulness of computer classifiers for military applications, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory has begun to develop a database of synthetic infrared target chips. Once created, this database will aid in the training and testing of both human and computer classifiers, and will provide a way to train classifiers on targets and clutter environments with little real data available. Results presented below will show that classifier performance trained on synthetic data is improving but is, in general, poorer than when trained on real data, that individual synthetic target models perform much better than other models, providing evidence that better overall performance may yet be achievable, that synthetic data thus far created is highly self-similar and/or to some unknown extent represents real data not included in our database, and that enhanced performance of classifiers trained on small amounts of real data can be achieved by adding limited amounts of synthetic data.
Upcoming communications satellites

A new series of international and business communications satellites will be launched by ‘workhorse’ rocket systems, including updated Delta and Atlas/Centaur rockets, over the next few years. There is, of course, a ‘long-shot’ option that the space shuttle, as originally conceived, will be used to place the satellites in orbit, but no one is willing to bet right now that the shuttle will be functional and operational in time. Instead, the U.S. will employ updated versions of 15–20-year-old rockets to launch a series of satellites with names like ‘INTELSAT,’ ‘INSAT,’ ‘Palapa,’ and ‘SBS’ into geosynchronous orbits. INTELSAT V is the first of a new generation of international telecommunications satellites sponsored by the 105-nation International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT), headquartered in Washington, D.C. The satellite, which weighs 1,928 kg at launch, has almost double the communications capability of early satellites in the INTELSAT series. It is positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean so as to provide communications between North America and Europe.
Tucker1 model algorithms for fast solutions to large PARAFAC problems

We describe a method of performing trilinear analysis on large data sets using a modification of the PARAFAC-ALS algorithm. Our method iteratively decomposes the data matrix into a core matrix and three loading matrices based on the Tucker1 model. The algorithm is particularly useful for data sets that are too large to upload into a computer's main memory. While the performance advantage in utilizing our algorithm is dependent on the number of data elements and dimensions of the data array, we have seen a significant performance improvement over operating PARAFAC-ALS on the full data set. In one case of data comprising hyperspectral images from a confocal microscope, our method of analysis was approximately 60 times faster than operating on the full data set, while obtaining essentially equivalent results. Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Generalised optimal active control algorithm for seismic-resistant structures with active and hybrid control

The paper presents several optimal control algorithms including Riccati and instantaneous algorithms (ROAC and IOAC), generalised optimal control algorithm (GOAC), along with state control and state-slope control gain matrices. The strength and weaknesses of these algorithms are assessed and illustrated with numerical examples. It is concluded that GOAC is better than ROAC and IOAC in performance and that hybrid control is more effective in reducing structural response than active or passive devices only. Selection of state control or state-slope control gain matrix depends on the characteristics of the passive device.