cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust three-field finite element methods for Biot’s consolidation model in poroelasticity

We propose a new finite element method for a three-field formulation of Biot’s consolidation model in poroelasticity and prove the a priori error estimates. Uniform-in-time error estimates of all the unknowns are obtained for both semidiscrete solutions and fully discrete solutions with the backward Euler time discretization. In contrast to previous results, the implicit constants in our error estimates are uniformly bounded as the Lame coefficient indicating incompressiblity of poroelastic medium is arbitrarily large, and as the constrained specific storage coefficient is arbitrarily small. Therefore the method does not suffer from the volumetric locking of linear elasticity and provides robust error estimates without additional assumptions on the constrained specific storage coefficient.
Flipping the Script: Masculinity and Reintegration in a Parolee Mentoring Programme

This research presents the culmination of more than 80 hours of observation of a community-based reintegration programme known as Coalition, Leadership, Education, Advice, and Rehabilitation (CLEAR). Through a thematic analysis of discussions between returning and returned citizens, the research explores the role of masculinity in crime cessation and reintegration among a group of predominantly minority males. Our findings suggest that masculinity, although not always identified, is a salient factor in the subject's lives and routinely gives shape to their behaviour.
Vision and Vestibular System Dysfunction Predicts Prolonged Concussion Recovery in Children.

OBJECTIVE Up to one-third of children with concussion have prolonged symptoms lasting beyond 4 weeks. Vision and vestibular dysfunction is common after concussion. It is unknown whether such dysfunction predicts prolonged recovery. We sought to determine which vision or vestibular problems predict prolonged recovery in children. DESIGN A retrospective cohort of pediatric patients with concussion. SETTING A subspecialty pediatric concussion program. PATIENTS (OR PARTICIPANTS) Four hundred thirty-two patient records were abstracted. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS Presence of vision or vestibular dysfunction upon presentation to the subspecialty concussion program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome of interest was time to clinical recovery, defined by discharge from clinical follow-up, including resolution of acute symptoms, resumption of normal physical and cognitive activity, and normalization of physical examination findings to functional levels. RESULTS Study subjects were 5 to 18 years (median = 14). A total of 378 of 432 subjects (88%) presented with vision or vestibular problems. A history of motion sickness was associated with vestibular dysfunction. Younger age, public insurance, and presence of headache were associated with later presentation for subspecialty concussion care. Vision and vestibular problems were associated within distinct clusters. Provocable symptoms with vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and smooth pursuits and abnormal balance and accommodative amplitude (AA) predicted prolonged recovery time. CONCLUSIONS Vision and vestibular problems predict prolonged concussion recovery in children. A history of motion sickness may be an important premorbid factor. Public insurance status may represent problems with disparities in access to concussion care. Vision assessments in concussion must include smooth pursuits, saccades, near point of convergence (NPC), and accommodative amplitude (AA). A comprehensive, multidomain assessment is essential to predict prolonged recovery time and enable active intervention with specific school accommodations and targeted rehabilitation.
A Virtual Patient to Assess Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurses' Pain Assessment and Intervention Practices

Pediatric intensive care (PICU) nurses play a crucial role in managing children’s pain. While virtual patient (VP) technology has shown significant benefits in assisting with the practice of healthcare, there has been little research effort in this particular setting. This paper presents a pilot evaluation study to determine the validity of VP vignettes - including PICU nurses’ recognition of the facial expressions (smiling and grimacing) of VPs and nurses’ descriptions as to whether the VP vignettes are consistent with their professional experiences. The results of our initial study (n=20) confirm that nurses identified given expressions correctly (98.5%) and validated the similarity of the vignettes to their experiences with patients in the PICU (87%). A better understanding of nurses’ pain management practices will aid the development of future VP interventions.
Bertrand Russell's Characterization of Benevolent Love

·one of the most intriguing aspects of the writings of Bertrand Russell is his determination to somehow combine reverence for reason with a love of love. Be is convinced that faith in reason is best coupled with faith in love. Just as the old proverb tells us that butter is best with bread, Russell maintains that love is best with reason. It is this recognition, operating as a structural element, that gives his "proto-theory" its wisdom and genius. Russell writes that"ethical theories may be divided into two classes, according as they regard virtue as an end or a means" and that he agrees mainly, though not wholly, "with those who think the first business of ethics is to define the good, and that virtue is to be defined as actiori tending to produce the good" (HWP, p. 179). The fundamental principle of ethics should be the promotion of happiness. I He defines the morally good life as the life inspired by love and guided by knowledge. The end is happiness, the means are love and
TUMOR MARKERS IN TESTIS CANCER

Human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein are well established as serum markers for germ-cell tumors of the testis. Other protein markers of this disease are lactic acid dehydrogenase and placental alkaline phosphatase. There also are cytogenetic or chromosomal markers, particularly i(12p), and molecular markers in the form of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Markers are valuable in diagnosis, staging, predicting tumor behavior, and monitoring therapy and disease recurrence.
Calcium Channels in Vertebrate Skeletal Muscle

In crustacean skeletal muscle [33] as well as in vertebrate cardiac muscle [e. g., 19], cell membrane depolarization opens voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Influx of Ca2+ through these channels contributes to both cell membrane depolarization and the Ca2+ supply to the contractile filaments. In vertebrate skeletal muscle, however, activity appears to be independent of the influx (or presence) of extracellular Ca2+ [14]. Instead, as in nerve axons, cell membrane excitation is mediated by voltage-dependent Na+ and K+ channels [2,13,61] and the Ca2+ needed to activate contractile proteins comes entirely from an intracellular store, the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Thus, there appeared to be no physiological reason why the cell membrane of vertebrate skeletal muscle should possess Ca2+ channels, and this may explain why their existence was not discovered until recently [18,63,66]. In this review, we will discuss the properties of Ca2+ channels in vertebrate skeletal muscle, and will speculate about their physiologic role.
Can the compressive strength of concrete be estimated from knowledge of the mixture proportions?: New insights from statistical analysis and machine learning methods

Abstract The use of statistical and machine learning approaches to predict the compressive strength of concrete based on mixture proportions, on account of its industrial importance, has received significant attention. However, previous studies have been limited to small, laboratory-produced data sets. This study presents the first analysis of a large data set (>10,000 observations) of measured compressive strengths from actual (job-site) mixtures and their corresponding actual mixture proportions. Predictive models are applied to examine relationships between the mixture design variables and strength, and to thereby develop an estimate of the (28-day) strength. These models are also applied to a laboratory-based data set of strength measurements published by Yeh et al. (1998) and the performance of the models across both data sets is compared. Furthermore, to illustrate the value of such models beyond simply strength prediction, they are used to design optimal concrete mixtures that minimize cost and embodied CO2 impact while satisfying imposed target strengths.
Work-life policies and female faculty representation in US doctoral‐granting economics departments

"This article examines the relationships between work–life policies and female faculty representation and promotion at US doctoral‐granting economics departments. The data were collected in 2012 on tenure‐track and tenured full‐time faculty from 125 departments and updated in 2018 to include promotion status. Variables include individuals and their educational backgrounds, professional experience and publications. Only publications and experience are statistically significant for predicting academic rank for the female subsample, and the impact of publications is much larger for women compared with men. Work–life policies differ in explaining the representation of women across academic ranks. Dual‐career policies have a positive effect on female representation at the assistant and associate levels but do not have a statistically significant impact at the full professor level. National Science Foundation ADVANCE grantee universities have increased female representation across all ranks, but the effect is the smallest at the full professor level. Work–life policies are insignificant in predicting promotion."
Wave tank and bench-top control testing of a wave energy converter

Abstract An increasing number of experiments are being conducted to study the design and performance of wave energy converters. Often in these tests, a real-time realization of prospective control algorithms is applied in order to assess and optimize energy absorption as well as other factors. This paper details the design and execution of an experiment for evaluating the capability of a model-scale WEC to execute basic control algorithms. Model-scale hardware, system, and experimental design are considered, with a focus on providing an experimental setup capable of meeting the dynamic requirements of a control system. To more efficiently execute such tests, a dry bench testing method is proposed and utilized to allow for controller tuning and to give an initial assessment of controller performance; this is followed by wave tank testing. The trends from the dry bench test and wave tank test results show good agreement with theory and confirm the ability of a relatively simple feedback controller to substantially improve energy absorption. Additionally, the dry bench testing approach is shown to be an effective and efficient means of designing and testing both controllers and actuator systems for wave energy converters.
Ratiometric Multiplexed PCR Assay on a Portable Platform for Bacterial Identification from Urine

We present a fully integrated, portable, and multiplexed real-time PCR droplet magnetofluidic platform capable of identifying up to 6 bacterial species directly from urine samples. Rapid identification of pathogens at the point-of-care (POC) with our platform can inform targeted treatments to combat the emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Our platform provides a solution to the need of multiplexed detection capacity for diagnosis of infectious diseases, especially in which a broad range of bacteria may be present. The multiplexed capacity is achieved by a ratiometric real-time PCR assay that contains universal primers and species-specific TaqMan probes targeting variable region of 16S ribosomal RNA of each bacterium. The detection capacity is demonstrated with the analysis of six common bacteria in urogenital infections with input concentrations from 104 to 107 copies/mL to show the potential diagnostic value.
Current knowledge on drug resistance and therapeutic approaches to eliminate pancreatic cancer stem cells

Abstract Pancreatic cancer has the worst 5-year overall survival among the most common cancers, at just 7%. Late diagnosis and the paucity of effective treatment strategies result in poor outcomes. In consequence, understanding of pancreatic cancer biology and the development of novel therapeutic strategies are fundamental. In this context, cancer stem cells (CSC) have gained considerable attention. They comprise a subpopulation of cancer cells that have a key role in tumorigenesis, tumor maintenance, invasion, and metastasis as a result of their stem cell–like properties. Their intrinsic chemoresistance is thought to be responsible for treatment failures and recurrences. The presence of CSC is well-documented in pancreatic cancer and the realization of their treatment implications has stimulated great interest in developing strategies to eliminate pancreatic CSC. Part of the research has aimed to find therapies that hinder the normal functioning of CSC signaling pathways such as Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog. Other studies have directed efforts to discover molecules that target specific pancreatic CSC surface markers such as CD44, CD24, and CD133, among others. This review focuses on pertinent mechanisms of chemoresistance identified in pancreatic CSC, current strategies proposed by researchers to eradicate them, and important results in the clinical arena.
Challenges of targeting BRAF V600E mutations in adult primary brain tumor patients: a report of two cases.

Aim: Therapeutic targeting of BRAF alterations in primary brain tumor patients has demonstrated clinical activity in case reports and early trials; however, there is limited high-level evidence of the efficacy. Patients & results: Targeting BRAF V600E mutations with concurrent dabrafenib and trametinib in anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma resulted in a transient radiographic and clinical response and no therapeutic benefit in a patient with an epithelioid glioblastoma. Conclusion: BRAF/MEK inhibition did not produce a durable treatment effect in glioblastoma or pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma with BRAF V600E alterations. Heterogenicity of related cases in the literature makes an evaluation of efficacy BRAF targeting therapies in gliomas difficult and requires additional investigation.
Peripheral blood immune correlates associated with TGF-β inhibition (galunisertib) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

4575Background: TGF-β is a pleiotropic cytokine with immunosuppressive activity. In mouse models, blockade of TGF-β signaling enhances the activity of radiation and invokes T cell dependent anti-tu...
Remateable and Deformable Area-Array Interconnects in 3D Smart Wireless Sensor Packages

The goal of this research is to demonstrate areaarray remateable interconnects in 3D flex or rigid-flex packages. Remateability is achieved with clamped connections between two area-array interconnect terminations using compressible z-interconnects in an elastomer insert. Silver-elastomer adhesives are used to form the remateable contacts. Uniform load distribution is achieved with metal film inserts on either side for compressible metal contacts of low interfacial resistance. The remateable approach is demonstrated with interconnect diameter of 200 microns and can be scaled down further. This novel approach can be applied to interconnect the distributed electronics in wearable, textile and implantable smart systems.
The Population Genetic Signature of Polygenic Local Adaptation \xF0\x9D\x9B\xBE

Adaptation in response to selection on polygenic phenotypes occurs via subtle allele frequencies shifts at many loci. Current population genomic techniques are not well posed to identify such signals. In the past decade, detailed knowledge about the specific loci underlying polygenic traits has begun to emerge from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Here we combine this knowledge from GWAS with robust population genetic modeling to identify traits that have undergone local adaptation. Using GWAS data, we estimate the mean additive genetic value for a give phenotype across many populations as simple weighted sums of allele frequencies. We model the expected differentiation of GWAS loci among populations under neutrality to develop simple tests of selection across an arbitrary number of populations with arbitrary population structure. To find support for the role of specific environmental variables in local adaptation we test for correlations with the estimated genetic values. We also develop a general test of local adaptation to identify overdispersion of the estimated genetic values values among populations. This test is a natural generalization of QST /FST comparisons based on GWAS predictions. Finally we lay out a framework to identify the individual populations or groups of populations that contribute to the signal of overdispersion. These tests have considerably greater power than their single locus equivalents due to the fact that they look for positive covariance between like effect alleles. We apply our tests to the human genome diversity panel dataset using GWAS data for six different traits. This analysis uncovers a number of putative signals of local adaptation, and we discuss the biological interpretation and caveats of these results.
Alzheimer's neuropathology in Down syndrome: From gestation to old age

Abstract The brains of people with Down syndrome (DS) are structurally and biochemically unique both pre and postnatally. Fetal cortical sulcal development is delayed, cholinergic basal forebrain is compromised, the cerebellar cortex displays phosphorylated tau, synaptic integrity is disrupted, and AD pathology is virtually absent. The adult cortical poles appear blunted, the cerebellum is shrunken and displays diffuse amyloid accumulation, the ventricles are enlarged, neocortex and limbic regions are reduced in size. Striatal cholinergic interneurons display normal morphology despite containing neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), amyloid plaque deposition occurs prior to NFT pathology, cholinergic neurons within the nucleus basalis degenerate and contain globose NFT pathology, cortical amyloid plaque load is similar in demented and nondemented DS but NFT pathology is greater and more advanced in cases with dementia. Transcript profiling of brain homogenates and single frontal cortex layer V–VI neuron gene array analysis reveals dysregulated classes of transcripts between DS vs control and demented vs nondemented DS cases, respectively, suggesting distinctive genetic signatures that may contribute to dementia in DS.
FamilyID: A Hybrid Approach to Identify Family Information from Microblogs

With the growing popularity of social networks, extremely large amount of users routinely post messages about their daily life to online social networking services. In particular, we have observed that family related information, including some very sensitive information, are freely available and easily extracted from Twitter. In this paper, we present a hybrid information retrieval mechanism, namely FamilyID, to identify and extract family related information of a user from his/her microblogs (tweets). The proposed model takes into account part-of-speech tagging, pattern matching, lexical similarity, and semantic similarity of the tweets. Experiment results show that FamilyID provides both high precision and recall. We expect the project to serve as a warning to users that they may have accidentally revealed too much personal/family information to the public. It could also help microblog users to evaluate the amount of information that they have already revealed.
Code Generation Using GEODE: A CASE Study

Publisher Summary Reduction of the overall product development cycle time while maintaining quality is one of the key initiatives and challenges facing today's software development community. While generation of code using CASE tools is not new to the software industry, the need for incorporation of such tools into software development community has never been as imperative as it is today because of the pressures of cycle time reduction. Generating code using CASE tools needs to be re-evaluated and given serious consideration in terms of reducing cycle time. The chapter discusses how code generation is possible using Specification and Description Language (SDL) and GEODE. SDL is a standard developed by ITU-T for the development of real-time and message-based telecommunications software. The GEODE toolset includes SDL, message sequence charts (MSCs), and object modeling technique editors, a simulator, a code generator that can be customized for different target platforms, and a Tree and Tabular Combined Notation test case generator. The chapter also discusses evaluation criteria for code generation tools, some of the pros and cons of code generation, and some hurdles to overcome.
Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilizer Placement for Corn and Soybeans Managed with No-Till and Chisel-Disk Tillage

Introduction Iowa research has provided much information about P and K management for corn and soybeans, but it has been mostly based on broadcast fertilization for tilled soils. No-till management results in little or no incorporation of residues and fertilizers with soil. Subsurface banding of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers with planter attachments or before planting could be more effective because both nutrients accumulate at or near the soil surface. A long-term study was initiated in 1994 at this farm and at other farms to evaluate P and K fertilizer placement for corn and soybeans managed with no-till and chisel-plow tillage.
The use of mmCIF architecture for PDB data management

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) has grown from an archive of seven entries in 1973 to a large and rapidly growing collection of more than 30 000 structures as of May 2005. The PDB now provides a key information resource for the structural biology community. A software framework has been developed that supports automation and scalability, and that can adapt to changes in data content and delivery technology, to permit future development. The mmCIF data dictionary and an accompanying extended dictionary of local data items provide the core ontology which is the basis for software development. The associated software tools exchange and validate data, create and load databases, translate data formats, and serve application program interfaces. They are made available to the scientific community through an open-source licence.
Loss of tau rescues inflammation-mediated neurodegeneration.

Neuroinflammation is one of the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Activated microglia spatially coexist with microtubule-associated protein tau (Mapt or tau)-burdened neurons in the brains of human AD and non-AD tauopathies. Numerous studies have suggested that neuroinflammation precedes tau pathology and that induction or blockage of neuroinflammation via lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or anti-inflammatory compounds (such as FK506) accelerate or block tau pathology, respectively in several animal models of tauopathy. We have previously demonstrated that microglia-mediated neuroinflammation via deficiency of the microglia-specific chemokine (fractalkine) receptor, CX3CR1, promotes tau pathology and neurodegeneration in a mouse model of LPS-induced systemic inflammation. Here, we demonstrate that tau mediates the neurotoxic effects of LPS in Cx3cr1-/- mice. First, Mapt+/+ neurons displayed elevated levels of Annexin V (A5) and TUNEL (markers of neurodegeneration) when co-cultured with LPS-treated Cx3cr1-/-microglia, which is rescued in Mapt-/- neurons. Second, a neuronal population positive for phospho-S199 (AT8) tau in the dentate gyrus is also positive for activated or cleaved caspase (CC3) in the LPS-treated Cx3cr1-/- mice. Third, genetic deficiency for tau in Cx3cr1-/- mice resulted in reduced microglial activation, altered expression of inflammatory genes and a significant reduction in the number of neurons positive for CC3 compared to Cx3cr1-/- mice. Finally, Cx3cr1-/- mice exposed to LPS displayed a lack of inhibition in an open field exploratory behavioral test, which is rescued by tau deficiency. Taken together, our results suggest that pathological alterations in tau mediate inflammation-induced neurotoxicity and that deficiency of Mapt is neuroprotective. Thus, therapeutic approaches towards either reducing tau levels or blocking neuroinflammatory pathways may serve as a potential strategy in treating tauopathies.
Crystallization of Nucleic Acids

Crystal structure analysis by X-ray diffraction requires large, well-ordered, single crystals. The crystallization of nucleic acids has become the limiting step in their structural analysis by X-ray crystallography. Approaches to crystallization have included batch methods, dialysis, evaporation, interface diffusion and vapour diffusion. The most widely and successfully used technique is hanging-drop vapour diffusion. Keywords: crystallization; DNA; RNA; X-ray crystallography; structure
Comparison of chemotherapeutic drug resistance in cells transfected with canine ABCG2 or feline ABCG2

ABCG2 (ATP binding cassette subfamily G, member 2) mediates resistance to a variety of cytotoxic agents. Although human ABCG2 is well characterized, the function of canine ABCG2 has not been studied previously. Feline ABCG2 has an amino acid substitution in the adenosine triphosphate-binding domain that decreases its transport capacity relative to human ABCG2. Our goal was to compare canine ABCG2-mediated chemotherapeutic drug resistance to feline ABCG2-mediated chemotherapeutic drug resistance. HEK-293 cells stably transfected with plasmid containing canine ABCG2, feline ABCG2 or no ABCG2 were exposed to carboplatin, doxorubicin, mitoxantrone, toceranib or vincristine, and cell survival was subsequently determined. Canine ABCG2 conferred a greater degree of chemotherapy resistance than feline ABCG2 for mitoxantrone. Neither canine nor feline ABCG2 conferred resistance to doxorubicin, vincristine or toceranib. Canine, but not feline, ABCG2 conferred resistance to carboplatin, a drug that is not reported to be a substrate for ABCG2 in other species.
An analysis of intralist similarity in verbal learning with experiments on conceptual similarity

An analysis was made of four subprocesses of verbal learning which may be expected to vary as intralist similarity (meaningful, formal, or conceptual) is manipulated in a PA list. Expectations were stated as to the role of each subprocess in over-all PA learning when similarity is manipulated among stimulus terms and among response terms independently. In the initial experiments, lists were constructed to eliminate two of the four subprocesses, leaving response learning and associative interference as the primary factors varying with conceptual similarity. The experiments showed that similarity among all stimulus terms was deleterious to learning while similarity among response terms had no effect on learning. These effects were independent of word frequency. Further experiments, devised to study response learning and associative learning independently, gave plausibility to the notion that with similarity obtaining among response terms, the positive effects of response learning balance the negative effects of associative interference for these materials. A final experiment varied the number of concepts within a list to examine the influence of a further hypothesized factor, S-R limitation. The overt-error data indicated the presence of this subprocess varying in extent as the number of concepts varied. However, the manner in which it contributed to over-all PA learning could not be ascertained.
High-Density Through-Wafer Electrical Interconnects in Pyrex Substrate Integrated With Micromirror Array

A method for the construction of high density (2.4 mm−2 ) vertical leads through a pyrex substrate is presented. The pyrex substrate behaves as a TCE (Thermal Coefficient of Expansion) matched interposer that permits anodic bonding of silicon micromirrors on one side and flip-chip bumping of multiplexing electronic chips on its opposite side. Electrical leads consist of 250±25 μm-diameter holes formed by AJM machining and coated with evaporated Au yielding via resistances of 0.5–0.7 Ω. The via holes are sealed with a new spin-cast polyimide tenting process that enables the subsequent patterning of multiple levels of metal using conventional lithographic techniques.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Resistance to parathion in the Phytoseiid mite Amblyseius hibisci.

A study to evaluate the potential for biological control of the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), on citrus in the San Joaquin Valley, Calif., was initiated early in 1968. Earlier observations led to the conclusion that the native phytoseiid Amblyseius hibisci (Chant) is the only persistent, commonly encountered natural enemy of P. citri in the San Joaquin Valley. This predaceous mite also inhabits citrus and avocado in southern California, where it has been studied extensively by McMurtry (1969) and McMurtry and Johnson (1965, 1966).
Motion-compensated wavelet video coding using adaptive mode selection

A motion-compensated wavelet video coder is presented that uses adaptive mode selection (AMS) for each macroblock (MB). The block-based motion estimation is performed in the spatial domain, and an embedded zerotree wavelet coder (EZW) is employed to encode the residue frame. In contrast to other motion-compensated wavelet video coders, where all the MBs are forced to be in INTER mode, we construct the residue frame by combining the prediction residual of the INTER MBs with the coding residual of the INTRA and INTER_ENCODE MBs. Different from INTER MBs that are not coded, the INTRA and INTER_ENCODE MBs are encoded separately by a DCT coder. By adaptively selecting the quantizers of the INTRA and INTER_ENCODE coded MBs, our goal is to equalize the characteristics of the residue frame in order to improve the overall coding efficiency of the wavelet coder. The mode selection is based on the variance of the MB, the variance of the prediction error, and the variance of the neighboring MBs' residual. Simulations show that the proposed motion-compensated wavelet video coder achieves a gain of around 0.7-0.8dB PSNR over MPEG-2 TM5, and a comparable PSNR to other 2D motion-compensated wavelet-based video codecs. It also provides potential visual quality improvement.
CCL2 and CCR2 polymorphisms are associated with markers of exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage

Novel eccentric (lengthening contraction) exercise typically results in muscle damage, which manifests as prolonged muscle dysfunction, delayed onset muscle soreness, and leakage of muscle proteins...
Bringing design dialog to HCI education

This research examines design dialog as a technique for helping HCI students learn through design activities. An undergraduate class using this technique with an experienced professor is studied. The students and the professor differ in the techniques they use in asking questions about other students' design projects. Results suggest that students will need help focussing on what they are learning from their design projects.
Ultradrawing of amorphous polymers by coextrusion illustrated with atactic polystyrene

Films of pure and high-impact atactic polystyrene were prepared by the recently developed technique of solid-state coextrusion. The films were produced at extrusion rates ≥4 cm/min at 126°C with a maximum extrusion draw ratio (EDR) of 11.6. These ultradrawn films are fibrous, have a high birefringence of −2.24 × 10−2, and exhibit a 72% elastic recovery. The material has a tensile modulus of ∼4–5 GPa and a tensile strength to break of 85 MPa. Thermal analysis suggests a constant Tg.
Abrupt vessel closure: Changing importance, management, and consequences

Percutaneous coronary interventions have been performed for 20 years. Despite the success and progress of these interventions, abrupt vessel closure has been a dramatic adverse event of coronary interventions. Closure has frequently led to the major complications of death, myocardial infarction, and emergency coronary artery bypass. Because of the fear of this adverse event and its subsequent complications, the applicability of coronary interventions is sometimes limited. The pathologic characteristics of abrupt vessel closure have been recognized as predominantly caused by dissection, with vessel recoil and thrombus formation playing important secondary roles. The recognition of the lesions at risk for abrupt vessel closure has led to a strategy of lesion-specific device therapy to reduce complications. Similarly the role of antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapies have reduced complications. The earliest methods of dealing with abrupt closure was emergency coronary artery bypass surgery with significant rates of morbidity and mortality. With the advent of second-generation devices and techniques, particularly stents, the management of abrupt vessel closure has been simplified and alternatives to emergency coronary bypass are more available. This article will review the history and current status of the prevention and management of abrupt vessel closure and demonstrate that anticipation and management of this complication have been facilitated with reduction of subsequent complications and increased applicability of coronary interventions.
Pseudohypohyperparathyroidism: a case study of differential resistance to parathyroid hormone.

ABSTRACT Objective To present a rare case of a combination of hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism in a 30-year-old woman. Methods We review the laboratory, radiographic, and pathologic findings in a healthy-appearing woman who sustained a patellar fracture after a simple fall at home. Results Our patient had features of hypoparathyroidism—that is, tetanic crises and hypocalcemia—and also hyperparathyroidism—fracture of the patella, multiple bone cysts, and confirmed osteitis fibrosa cystica on bone biopsy specimens. These features were associated with a high serum level of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) and parathyroid hyperplasia. A lack of response of nephrogenic cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) to PTH stimulation was observed along with subnormal serum cAMP responses. In contrast, urine phosphate excretion increased after administration of PTH. Conclusion These results demonstrate a state of renal PTH resistance in a patient with osteitis fibrosa cystica. (Endocr Pract. 1997; 3:85-91)
Dose-Response Relationship between Reach Repetition and Indicators of Inflammation and Movement Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a high or low repetition reaching and grasping task on serum levels of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and IL-1β and on reach performance in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). Forty-seven rats reached repetitively for 2 hours/day, 3 days/week for 6–8 weeks at a high or low rate. Reach rate and abnormal movement patterns were recorded. Serum was collected at 6 and 8 weeks for ELISA assay of IL-1α and IL-1β. High repetition animals experienced a 2-fold decline in reach rate, strong emergence of a raking movement, and increased IL-1α. IL-1α decreased in the low repetition group. IL-1β decreased in both groups. This model provides evidence that inflammation increases with repetition. At the higher reach rate, persistent IL-1α serum levels indicate chronic inflammation that is attenuated at the lower reach rate. These findings support the use of risk reduction in MSD prevention.
Statistical properties of the simulated time horizon in conservative parallel discrete-event simulations

We investigate the universal characteristics of the simulated time horizon of the basic conservative parallel algorithm when implemented on regular lattices. This technique [1, 2] is generically applicable to various physical, biological, or chemical systems where the underlying dynamics is asynchronous. Employing direct simulations, and using standard tools and the concept of dynamic scaling from non-equilibrium surface/interface physics, we identify the universality class of the time horizon and determine its implications for the asymptotic scalability of the basic conservative scheme. Our main finding is that while the simulation converges to an asymptotic nonzero rate of progress, the statistical width of the time horizon diverges with the number of PEs in a power law fashion. This is in contrast with the findings of Ref. [3]. This information can be very useful, e.g., we utilize it to understand optimizing the size of a moving "time window" to enforce memory constraints.
The wages of sin

This article recounts the history of syphilis--its origin whether it is imported or an already existing infection that mutated over time its different kinds of treatment or remedy and the attitudes of the people toward the disease. The disease was first found among French soldiers and city folks in Naples. From there travelers accounted for spreading of the disease across social geographical or cultural borders. In the context of mutation syphilis is caused by the same organism that produces the much milder symptoms of endemic or non-venereal syphilis in some parts of Africa and Asia. In the past physicians treated the disease with bleeding and purging. The most popular specific remedy was mercury which had long been used by Arabic physicians for the treatment of skin diseases. In 1910 Paul Ehrlich ushered in a new era of treatment with arsphenamines and later penicillin and other antibiotics were developed. Debates on treatment were sometimes tempered by the idea that sufferers from venereal diseases had earned their fate. Attitudes toward venereal diseases were also reflected. Moreover the disease was viewed as a consequence of sin as a divine punishment for sexual and social deviance.
Multiple fracturing of boreholes by using tailored-pulse loading

A laboratory experiment was developed to study the effects of pressurizing boreholes of rock samples with tailored pulses at intermediate loading rates. The experiment focused on ascertaining the loading conditions needed to initiate multiple-fracture growth from a borehole. Experiments were performed under controlled loading conditions with borehole pressures ranging from 10 to 100 MPa, loading rates from 1 to 100 MPa/ms, and pulse durations on the order of from 1 to 50 ms. The initial conditions of samples were varied to include dry, quasidry, and fully saturated states along with pressure confinement of the samples up to 50 MPa. Observations on samples of a medium-porosity sandstone showed that the degree of multiple fracturing is quite sensitive to the condition of the borehole as well as to the loading rate and appears strongly influenced by transient pore-pressure effects. The loading rate for the onset of multiple fracturing decreased with an increase in sample water content. The influence of water was much more marked at loading rates below 30 MPa/ms than at higher rates. For loading rates above the onset, the number of fractures initiated increased with an increase in loading rate, with about 10 to 12 at a loading rate ofmore » 100 MPa/ms. The fracture threshold-breakdown pressure increased proportionately with loading rate, a dependence that is attributed to transient water-intrusion effects around the borehole. The effect of sample confinement caused the threshold-breakdown pressure to increase and noticeably lowered the loading rate for multiple-fracture onset. Only two fractures (e.g., a typical hydrofracture) occurred when water was prevented from invading the borehole region. The tailored-pulse loading tests demonstrated their viability to determine the susceptibility of various rock types to multiple fracturing at intermediate loading rates.« less
Carbonatite metasomatized peridotite xenoliths from southern Patagonia: implications for lithospheric processes and Neogene plateau magmatism

The mineral chemistry, major and trace element, and Sr–Nd isotopic composition of Cr-diopside, spinel peridotite xenoliths from the Estancia Lote 17 locality in southern Patagonia document a strong carbonatitic metasomatism of the backarc continental lithosphere. The Lote 17 peridotite xenolith suite consists of hydrous spinel lherzolite, wehrlite, and olivine websterite, and anhydrous harzburgite and lherzolite. Two-pyroxene thermometry indicates equilibration temperatures ranging from 870 to 1015 °C and the lack of plagioclase or garnet suggests the xenoliths originated from between ˜40 and 60 km depth. All of the xenoliths are LILE- and LREE-enriched, but have relatively low 87Sr/86Sr (0.70294 to 0.70342) and high ɛNd (+3.0 to +6.6), indicating recent trace element enrichment (∼25 Ma, based on the low 87Sr/86Sr and high Rb concentrations of phlogopite separates) in the long-term, melt-depleted Patagonian lithosphere. Lote 17 peridotite xenoliths are divided into two basic groups. Group 1 xenoliths consist of fertile peridotites that contain hydrous phases (amphibole ± phlogopite ± apatite). Group 1 xenoliths are further subdivided into three groups (a, b, and c) based on distinctive textures and whole-rock chemistry. Group 1 xenolith mineralogy and chemistry are consistent with a complex metasomatic history involving variable extents of recent carbonatite metasomatism (high Ca/Al, Nb/La, Zr/Hf, low Ti/Eu) that has overprinted earlier metasomatic events. Group 2 xenoliths consist of infertile, anhydrous harzburgites and record cryptic metasomatism that is attributed to CO2-rich fluids liberated from Group 1 carbonatite metasomatic reactions. Extremely variable incompatible trace element ratios and depleted Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of Lote 17 peridotite xenoliths indicate that the continental lithosphere was neither the primary source nor an enriched lithospheric contaminant for Neogene Patagonian plateau lavas. Neogene plateau magmatism associated with formation of asthenospheric slab windows may have triggered this occurrence of “intraplate-type” carbonatite metasomatism in an active continental backarc setting.
The Effect of Magnetization Defects on DW Motion in Ferromagnetic Nanowires

The propagation of domain walls in ferromagnetic nanowires offers the possibility of ultrafast logic devices and high density data storage. The understanding and control of domain wall motion has become more desirable recently as these devices come closer to realization. Domain walls can only be propagated by small magnetic fields or their movement becomes hindered by the precessional motion of the magnetic dipoles, also called the Walker breakdown effect1. Through the use of Landau-Lifshitz Gilbert Simulation, we report a method of eliminating the Walker breakdown. This investigation also offers some insight into how these proposed devices might perform in the high energy radiation of space for extended periods of time.
Solution of Eddy Current Problems Using Three Dimensional Finite Element Complex Magnetic Vector Potential

The three dimensional finite element formulation of eddy current problems with ac sinusoidally time varying excitations is given using magnetic vector potential and complex phasor representation. First order tetrahedral elements are utilized. In this formulation, magnetic saturation is neglected. Three values of magnetic reluctivity, vx, vy and vz, are defined within each tetrahedral element, while it is assumed that in tetrahedrals laying in conducting material one value of electrical conductivity,?, is valied in the x, y and z directions. The method was applied to the calculation of the eddy current losses at 60 Hz in a finite length aluminum bar of square cross-section, which was excited by a surrounding coil with considerable three dimensional end effects. These losses under identical conditions were determined in the laboratory, and the results of calculation and measurement are in substantial agreement. This confirms the validity of use of this method for more complex applications including calculation of induced eddy current losses in metalic structures surrounded by three dimensional fields, such as in structures near power transformer windings, and similar situations.
Biologic significance of false-positive magnetic resonance imaging enhancement in the setting of ductal carcinoma in situ

Background Imaging patterns of benign proliferative processes often complicate the assessment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We investigated the pathologic and biologic characteristics of false positive enhancement by breast MRI.
Effects of yeast extract on the production and the quality of the exopolysaccharide, zooglan, produced by Zoogloea ramigera 115SLR

Although many studies have examined the influence of culture conditions on the production and composition of polysaccharides, little is known about the factors influencing the quality of exopolysaccharides (EPS). In this work we studied the effect of yeast extract on the production, composition and molecular weight of the EPS zooglan produced by Zoogloea ramigera 115SLR. This bacterium was grown on a new completely defined synthetic medium and on a medium containing yeast extract. Growth and polysaccharide production performances were comparable on the two media with a glucose to exopolysaccharide conversion yield of 35% (g/g). The polysaccharides produced on these two media have an identical composition but a different molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. The yeast extract medium leads to a more homogeneous polysaccharide solution.
Modified percolation process in dilute-acid hydrolysis of biphasic hemicellulose

To improve the performance of a percolation reactor in dilute-acid pretreatment of biomass containing biphasic hemicellulose, a reactor simulation study was conducted focusing on the refinement of operating strategies and conditions. The optimum temperature difference in step-change operation was determined to be 30‡C for a wide range of reaction temperature. Application of temperature step change along with flow-rate step change brought about a 0.6% improvement in product yield over the case with temperature step change alone. The most significant improvement, however, was seen with the application of the two-stage reverse-flow reactor arrangement with temperature change (a design concept originally developed at NREL). Use of this reactor has given an additional 5% improvement in product yield over that of the best-case percolation reactor employing temperature step change. In addition, the effect of intraparticle diffusion on product yield was investigated. The critical chip size (above which the effect of diffusion becomes significant) was determined to be 0.40 cm for 140–170‡C operation and 0.29 cm for 150–180‡C operation.
Antitumorigenic Effect of Wnt 7a and Fzd 9 in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Is Mediated through ERK-5-dependent Activation of Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ

The Wnt pathway is critical for normal development, and mutation of specific components is seen in carcinomas of diverse origins. The role of this pathway in lung tumorigenesis has not been clearly established. Recent studies from our laboratory indicate that combined expression of the combination of Wnt 7a and Frizzled 9 (Fzd 9) in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) cell lines inhibits transformed growth. We have also shown that increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) inhibits transformed growth of NSCLC and promotes epithelial differentiation of these cells. The goal of this study was to determine whether the effects of Wnt 7a/Fzd 9 were mediated through PPARγ. We found that Wnt 7a and Fzd 9 expression led to increased PPARγ activity. This effect was not mediated by altered expression of the protein. Wnt 7a and Fzd 9 expression resulted in activation of ERK5, which was required for PPARγ activation in NSCLC. SR 202, a known PPARγ inhibitor, blocked the increase in PPARγ activity and restored anchorage-independent growth in NSCLC expressing Wnt 7a and Fzd 9. SR 202 also reversed the increase in E-cadherin expression mediated by Wnt 7a and Fzd 9. These data suggest that ERK5-dependent activation of PPARγ represents a major effector pathway mediating the anti-tumorigenic effects of Wnt 7a and Fzd 9 in NSCLC.