cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of dynaCleft® on presurgical orthopedics in bilateral cleft lip and palate patients

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the effects DynaCleft® has on patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate. Subjects and Methods: Comparative data were collected from a total of 46 infants diagnosed with bilateral cleft lip and palate between 1981 and 2017. Twenty-three infants were treated with DynaCleft® and an obturator and 23 infants received an obturator only. Maxillary impressions were taken at each infant's initial clinic visit and again on the day of his/her surgical cleft lip repair. Differences in maxillary retraction, sagittal repositioning, and cleft widths were compared between the two groups. Statistical Analysis Used: Paired t-tests were used to determine if there was significant change before and after DynaCleft® therapy, and two-sample t-tests were used to compare the data between the two study groups. Results: Clinically, DynaCleft® averaged more maxillary retraction and cleft size reduction on both the right and left sides compared to the control group. Within the DynaCleft® group, a statistically significant difference was found for premaxillary retraction on both the right and left sides. However, all the other comparisons between the two groups were not found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: DynaCleft® as a presurgical orthopedic therapy may help to limit uncontrolled physiological changes and reposition the premaxillary segment, while reducing cleft widths prior to definitive lip surgery.
Prehospital Care of Combat Eye Injuries

The eye is notoriously intolerant of injury—and error in treatment. Because of this, eye injuries must be evaluated and treated by ophthalmologists, who will probably be deployed as a scarce theater-level asset. Pre-ophthalmic treatment—that is, treatment by combat buddies, medics, and non-ophthalmic providers forward of the first ophthalmic facility—is therefore largely limited to mitigation of the injury. These first steps, however, are critically important in setting the foundation for subsequent repair and can make the difference in the eye’s eventual outcome, and whether the eye “arrives alive” to the ophthalmologist or is “KIA”. This chapter focuses on the prehospital/preophthalmic care that should be undertaken for most significant eye injury types.
Compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in pediatric palliative care (PC) providers in the U.S.

Purpose: Compassion fatigue (CF) is emotional distress experienced by providers from ongoing contact with patients’ suffering. Burnout (BO) is personal distress due to uncontrollable workplace factors that manifest in career dissatisfaction. CF and BO can each lead to emotional exhaustion, depression, frustration, depersonalization, and sense of loss in one’s achievements; in healthcare providers, this can adversely affect patient care. Compassion satisfaction (CS) is professional fulfillment derived from caring for others. Pediatric palliative care (PC) providers are continuously exposed to clinical experiences that are physically and emotionally demanding and draining. Therefore, we aimed to determine the …
Digital mucous cyst: Altered epidermal mucin as a clue to diagnosis.

Background Digital mucous cyst (DMC) is histopathologically characterized by accumulation of mucin in the dermis. Some cases of DMC also show epidermal mucin, the histopathologic appearance and staining properties of which have not been described in detail. Methods A total of 24 cases of DMC were investigated by routine hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Alcian blue stains in addition to AE1/AE3 immunohistochemistry. Results Nine out of the 24 cases of DMC showed epidermal mucin. As the epidermal mucin migrates upward within the epidermis, it transforms from a flocculent granular substance into one or several solid horizontal plugs with a more homogeneous appearance and incorporates cytoplasmic fragments of keratinocytes/corneocytes. The homogeneous mucin plugs stain eosinophilic or amphophilic with an H&E formulation using hematoxylin 7212 and basophilic with Gill 3 or Harris's hematoxylin. The eosinophilic staining is enhanced when the eosin solution contains phloxine. Conclusions The variably eosinophilic, amphophilic, or basophilic staining of epidermal mucin can be explained by its composition of basophilic mucin and eosinophilic debris from cytoplasmic fragments. The eosinophilic staining of mucin has not been reported before and can be diagnostically important because it may be mistaken for serum exudate.
Technology-Rich Teacher Education: Meeting the NCATE Challenge.

Training teachers to provide instruction in computer applications and programming is necessary, but no longer sufficient. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the...
Chapter Four – The Role of Proteomics in the Study of Kidney Diseases and in the Development of Diagnostic Tools

Proteins are the functional output of genes. The proteome is defined as the expressed protein and peptide complement of a cell, organ, or organism, including all isoforms and posttranslational variants. While an organism possesses a single genome, it possesses multiple proteomes depending on the cell compartment, the type of cell, type of tissue, and organ which undergo constant temporal changes. The term proteomics summarizes all of the procedures required for analysis of a proteome. Clinical proteomics in nephrology aims at providing the clinician with tools to accurately diagnose and monitor patients as well as predict treatment effects, thus, enabling individualized patient management. Protein-marker based strategies hold the promise of being sensitive, specific, predictive, and able to outperform the currently established clinical diagnostic tests overall. Proteomics research in nephrology has primarily focused on kidney tissues and urine. Urine is attractive since it is considered a “proximal” matrix, meaning it is a biofluid that is in direct contact with the site of disease. Proximal matrices are local sinks for metabolites, proteins, or peptides secreted, shed or leaked from the tissue of interest. Thus urine protein patterns often reflect disease processes of and drug effects on the kidney. Proteomics commonly involves sample fractionation, separation, mass spectrometry, and biostatistical analysis. The technologies required to enable implementation of truly nonbiased proteome analysis in clinical practice are not available yet. Proteomics is a hypothesis-generating technology that plays an important role in nephrology research today regarding molecular marker discovery and qualification of molecular markers during their development into potential clinical diagnostic tools. As evidenced by the regulatory approval of protein kidney injury markers in rats for preclinical drug toxicity studies, proteins in urine as diagnostic markers are starting to have an impact in clinical medicine. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect that proteins and the analysis of combinatorial protein patterns, especially in urine, will play an increasingly important role as clinical diagnostic tools in nephrology in the near future.
Counternarratives of English learners with disabilities

One of the affordances of the Every Student Succeeds Act (Every Student Succeeds Act. Pub. L. No. 114-95. 161 Stat. 1177(ESSA), 2015) was that it mandated U.S. districts and schools to take a close...
Abstract A26: Humanized mouse model: A model to understand mechanisms of immune non-responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 antibodies) is rapidly emerging as a front-line treatment option for many solid tumors. However, only a third of melanoma patients respond to immune checkpoint blockade. Currently available mouse xenograft and transgenic models have many shortcomings and are unable to address the basis of therapy resistance and immune nonresponsiveness that are observed in patients. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish an in vivo model with a human immune microenvironment that can address issues of therapy resistance. Our laboratory has developed a novel humanized mouse melanoma model. Immunodeficient NSG mice were reconstituted with human CD34+ cells and after 8-12 weeks, mice are fully reconstituted with human innate (monocyte/myeloid lineage cells, dendritic cells and NK cells) and adaptive (T and B cells) immune cells. Humanized mice were then challenged with HLA-matched melanoma cells, and the functional ability of human immune cells to restrict tumor growth was monitored. Delayed tumor growth was observed in humanized mice, indicating in vivo sensitization of human immune cells to melanoma. This was confirmed by in vitro demonstration of human lymphocytes from tumor-bearing mice showing enhanced cytokine expression after stimulation with melanoma antigen peptides. In therapy studies, tumor-bearing humanized mice treated with anti-PD-1 showed restricted tumor growth. Anti-PD-1 therapy resulted in enhanced infiltration of T cells that correlated with tumor response. MassCyTOF studies were performed using a panel of immune markers to understand the mechanism of therapy nonresponsiveness in some tumors. Downmodulation of HLA-class I molecules and increased presence of FOXP3+ cells in the tumor region were seen. Our results suggest that humanized mouse melanoma model can be explored further to understand the causes of therapy resistance and immune nonresponsiveness. Citation Format: Rajasekharan Somasundaram, Anastasia Samarkina, Thomas Connelly, Robin Choi, Hedy Choi, Kar Muthumani, Xiaowei Xu, Klaus Kaestner, Meenhard Herlyn. Humanized mouse model: A model to understand mechanisms of immune non-responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Melanoma: From Biology to Target; 2019 Jan 15-18; Houston, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(19 Suppl):Abstract nr A26.
Optimal Control on Disconnected Sets using Extreme Point Relaxations and Normality Approximations

This paper presents new mathematical results for exact and approximate relaxations of non-convex optimal control problems defined on disconnected control sets. The exact relaxations are based upon extreme point relaxations wherein the relaxed control set is constructed so that its extreme points belong to the original set. A system property required for exactness is normality. In the absence of normality, control set approximations and system dynamic perturbations are introduced so that normality holds. The results hold for linear dynamical systems and nonlinear systems affine in the control. It is shown that the convex relaxations enable the efficient solution of problems in aerospace engineering, sparsity-promoting optimization, over-actuated systems, and multiplexing systems. The computational guarantees associated with convex optimization make the relaxation techniques suitable for real-time control.
Acute venous thromboembolism occuring many months following acute COVID-19

Introduction: Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) develop a coagulopathy associated with elevated D-dimer levels, venous thromboembolism (VTE), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and bleeding. Autopsy studies of COVID-19 patients have demonstrated fibrin thrombi in small vessels and capillaries. Increase in proinflammatory cytokines secondary to COVID-19 may play a direct role in creating a prothrombotic state. VTE rates have been described in greater than 20-30% despite prophylactic anticoagulation. There is a paucity of literature describing VTE after hospital discharge in patients with COVID-19. Recommending extended thromboprophylaxis post discharge has been considered in COVID-19 patients at low bleeding risk. We hypothesized that the hypercoagulable state conferred by COVID-19 may last many months following discharge. Methods: We analyzed data from 9 consecutive patients, post diagnosis COVID-19, admitted with acute VTE to two hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System, New York City. Results: COVID-19: 55.5% patients had COVID-19 that did not require hospitalization. No patients developed VTE. The mean age was 63 years, and 33.3% were female. Risk factors for VTE in addition to recent COVID-19 included obesity (44%), prior VTE (22.2%), active malignancy (11.1%), sickle cell disease (11.1%). Patients hospitalized for the index diagnosis COVID-19 had elevated mean D-dimer (75%) and CRP. Two (50%) patients received corticosteroid therapy. Two patients were discharged on therapeutic anticoagulation for a pre-existing condition. VTE Admission: The mean time of the last positive PCR swab COVID-19 test and admission for VTE was 88 days (SE: 32 days). All patients presented with SOB, 33.3% had a cough. Mean D-dimer level was 6.8 ug/mL (SE: 2.8), of which two had levels above the standard reference range of 20 ug/mL. Five (55.5%), and four (44.4%) patients were classified as Intermediaterisk, and low-risk for mortality, respectively as per ESC guidelines. Two (22.3%) had lower extremity DVT. All were treated with systemic anticoagulation, one patient received catheter directed thrombolysis, and none developed major bleeding during hospitalization. Discharge treatment included DOAC (77.7%), Low Molecular Weight Heparin (11.1%), and coumadin (11.1%). All patients survived to discharge, and there were no major bleeding events. Conclusion: VTE can occur after a significant time following acute COVID-19 in patients hospitalized and those treated as outpatients. The hypercoaguable state conferred by COVID-19 may last many months after the acute illness. Extended VTE prophylaxis should be considered for patients following COVID-19 if the bleeding risk is low, and there are additional independent risk factors for VTE.
Practice patterns in the administration of late preterm antenatal corticosteroids

BACKGROUND Given the unpredictable nature of preterm birth and the short-term impact of antenatal corticosteroids on neonatal outcomes, optimal timing of antenatal corticosteroid administration (2–7 days from expected birth) remains challenging. OBJECTIVE We set out to evaluate the likelihood of delivery between 2 and 7 days after antenatal corticosteroid administration in the late preterm period and whether this differs based on the indication for corticosteroid administration. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort of all singletons that received antenatal corticosteroids in the late preterm period (34 0/7 to 36 6/7 weeks’ gestation) and delivered within a large health system between November 2017 and March 2020. Women who received antenatal corticosteroids before the late preterm period, major fetal structural malformations, and cases with missing data were excluded. Cases were stratified on the basis of the indication for antenatal corticosteroid administration, that is, anticipated spontaneous late preterm birth or medically indicated late preterm birth. The primary outcome was delivery between 2 and 7 days after the administration of the first dose of antenatal corticosteroids. Secondary outcomes included time interval from antenatal corticosteroid administration to delivery and delivery during the first 2 days or later than 7 days after antenatal corticosteroid administration. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate factors associated with optimal timing while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS Of the 1238 patients included in the study, 656 (53%) delivered within the first day after antenatal corticosteroid administration and thus received only the first of 2 doses. Regardless of the indication for late preterm antenatal corticosteroid administration, the likelihood of delivery between 2 and 7 days later was 13.3% (165 of 1238). Moreover, it was more common (23.4% vs 5.0%; P≤.001) (Table 2) and more likely (adjusted odds ratio, 5.88; 95% confidence interval, 4.00–9.09) in women at risk of medically indicated preterm birth than in those with anticipated spontaneous preterm birth. Furthermore, women with anticipated spontaneous preterm birth had a shorter time interval from antenatal corticosteroid administration to delivery (10.7 vs 49.71 hour; P≤.001). CONCLUSION Regardless of the indication for late preterm antenatal corticosteroid administration, the likelihood of delivery between 2 and 7 days later was low. Nevertheless, our data suggested that delivery within the desired time interval of antenatal corticosteroid administration is more common in women at risk of medically indicated late preterm birth compared with those at risk of spontaneous late preterm birth.
Spatiotemporal variability in the oxidative potential of ambient fine particulate matter in the Midwestern United States

Abstract. We assessed the oxidative potential (OP) of both water-soluble and methanol-soluble fractions of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in the Midwestern United States. A large set of PM 2.5 samples ( N=241 ) was collected from five sites set up in different environments, i.e., urban, rural, and roadside, in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri during May 2018–May 2019. Five acellular OP endpoints, including the consumption rate of ascorbic acid and glutathione in a surrogate lung fluid (SLF) (OP AA and OP GSH , respectively), dithiothreitol (DTT) depletion rate (OP DTT ), and ⚫ OH generation rate in SLF and DTT (OP OH−SLF and OP OH−DTT , respectively), were measured for all PM 2.5 samples. PM 2.5 mass concentrations in the Midwestern US as obtained from these samples were spatially homogeneously distributed, while most OP endpoints showed significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Seasonally, higher activities occurred in summer for most OP endpoints for both water- and methanol-soluble extracts. Spatially, the roadside site showed the highest activities for most OP endpoints in the water-soluble extracts, while only occasional peaks were observed at urban sites in the methanol-soluble OP. Most OP endpoints showed similar spatiotemporal trends between mass- and volume-normalized activities across different sites and seasons. Comparisons between two solvents (i.e., water and methanol) showed that methanol-soluble OP generally had higher activity levels than corresponding water-soluble OP. Site-to-site comparisons of OP showed stronger correlations for methanol-soluble OP compared to water-soluble OP, indicating a better extraction of water-insoluble redox-active compounds from various emission sources into methanol. We found a weak correlation and inconsistent slope values between PM 2.5 mass and most OP endpoints. Moreover, the poor to moderate intercorrelations among different OP endpoints indicate different mechanisms of OP represented by these endpoints and thus demonstrate the rationale for analyzing multiple acellular endpoints for a better and more comprehensive assessment of OP.
Decreased Sleep and Subjective Well-Being as Independent Predictors of Injury in Female Collegiate Volleyball Players.

Background:The relationship among sleep duration, subjective well-being, and injury risk in athletes is poorly defined.Purpose:To evaluate the independent effects of sleep duration, sleep quality, ...
Vulnerable Road Users in Structured Environments with Responsibility-Sensitive Safety

Assuring the safety of automated vehicles (AVs) is a major challenge which must be resolved before their widespread adoption is possible. The Responsibility-Sensitive Safety (RSS) model is a step towards this goal. RSS differentiates between structured cases considering vehicles on normal roads and unstructured cases for unmarked roads and vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians. While much of the current research in RSS addresses the first group, an analysis of the unstructured cases, especially for VRUs is still missing. Therefore, in this paper the unstructured case calculation with RSS and its usage in structured environments is analyzed with a focus on VRUs. The different kinematic behavior models are described and their parameter value ranges are discussed. Finally, by analyzing the application in common real-world scenarios, we show what is required to assure Responsibility-Sensitive Safety for VRUs.
Urban Youth and School Pushout: Gateways, Get-aways, and the GED

Introduction * Re-valuing the GED * Repatriating the GED * Humiliating ironies * Dangerous dignities * Re-purposing schooling * Renewing schooling
Design of a Learner-Centered Seminar-/Studio-Based Polytechnic Institute

This design case describes an early design of a new, learner-centered university program for Technology students that combines Seminar and Studio experiences. The design is based on a set of values and understandings about how contemporary students learn best and how to address the needs of a twenty-first century workforce. Challenges encountered by the cross-disciplinary group of faculty designing the curriculum and pedagogical aspects of the program will be discussed.
An Overview of Taxes and Trading as Environmental Control Policies

As the environmental movement has gradually accepted the use of economic incentives as a means of accomplishing environmental goals, the question of which incentives should be employed is arising more frequently. In recent years, we have witnessed controversies — often counterproductive from an environmental perspective —— concerning which economic instruments constitute correct environmental policy. There is a need for environmentalists to take stock, in a rational and dispassionate manner, of the alternative economic instruments which are available. The intent here is to outline the pluses and minuses of these instruments as regards their ability to deliver environmental protection. The following charts summarize the assets and liabilities of each policy as discussed in the paper.
Adenosine-insensitive focal atrial tachycardia: evidence for de novo micro-re-entry in the human atrium.

Objectives The purpose of this work was to describe the entity and mechanism of adenosine-insensitive focal atrial tachycardia (AT). Background The majority of regular focal ATs demonstrate properties consistent with triggered activity, including termination by adenosine. Less commonly, AT may be due to enhanced automaticity, which is transiently suppressed by adenosine. Small re-entrant circuits may also give rise to focal AT, but limited data exist regarding this entity as a de novo arrhythmia in the human atrium. Methods Eighty cases of focal AT were mapped in the electrophysiology laboratory and challenged with adenosine. Adenosine-sensitive and -insensitive groups were compared with regard to demographics, anatomical distribution, and electrogram characteristics at the tachycardia origin. Results In response to adenosine, termination occurred in 67 cases (84%), transient suppression in 5 (6%), 6 were insensitive (8%), and 2 exhibited nonspecific responses. Adenosine-insensitive AT arose near the pulmonary vein ostia (4) and from the right atrium (2), whereas adenosine-sensitive AT arose from a wide distribution in both atria. Electrograms at the site of origin for adenosine-insensitive AT were highly fractionated, with longer durations and lower amplitudes compared with AT that terminated or was transiently suppressed. The electrograms at the origin of adenosine-insensitive ATs comprised 22% to 69% of the tachycardia cycle length, compared with 4% to 21% for adenosine-sensitive ATs. In 3 adenosine-insensitive ATs, entrainment was demonstrated with post-pacing intervals equivalent to the tachycardia cycle length. Conclusions The characteristics of adenosine-insensitive focal AT differ from adenosine-sensitive AT and are consistent with small re-entrant circuits. These data provide evidence that focal re-entry is a mechanism of AT and has an electropharmacologic profile that differs from AT due to automaticity and triggered activity.
Evaluation of a biodegradable microparticulate polymer as a carrier for Burkholderia pseudomallei subunit vaccines in a mouse model of melioidosis

Melioidosis, a potentially lethal disease of humans and animals, is caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Due to B. pseudomallei's classification as a Tier 1 Select Agent, there is substantial interest in the development of an effective vaccine. Yet, despite decades of research, no effective target, adjuvant or delivery vehicle capable of inducing protective immunity against B. pseudomallei infection has been identified. We propose a microparticulate delivery vehicle comprised of the novel polymer acetalated dextran (Ac-DEX). Ac-DEX is an acid-sensitive biodegradable carrier that can be fabricated into microparticles (MPs) that are relatively stable at pH 7.4, but rapidly degrade after phagocytosis by antigen presenting cells where the pH can drop to 5.0. As compared to other biomaterials, this acid sensitivity has been shown to enhance cross presentation of subunit antigens. To evaluate this platform as a delivery system for a melioidosis vaccine, BALB/c mice were vaccinated with Ac-DEX MPs separately encapsulating B. pseudomallei whole cell lysate and the toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 agonist resiquimod. This vaccine elicited a robust antibody response that included both Th1 and Th2 immunity. Following lethal intraperitoneal challenge with B. pseudomallei 1026b, vaccinated mice demonstrated a significant delay to time of death compared to untreated mice. The formulation, however, demonstrated incomplete protection indicating that lysate protein offers limited value as an antigen. Nevertheless, our Ac-DEX MPs may offer an effective delivery vehicle for a subunit B. psuedomallei vaccine.
Co-rotating interaction regions in 2D hot-star wind models with line-driven instability

I review simulations of Co-rotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) in line-driven stellar winds. Previous CIR models have been based on a local, Sobolev treatment of the line-force, which effectively suppresses the strong, small-scale instability intrinsic to line-driving. Here I describe a new “3-ray-aligned-grid” method for computing the nonlocal, smooth-source-function line-force in 2D models that do include this line-driven instability. Preliminary results indicate that key overall features of large-scale CIRs can be quite similar in both Sobolev and non-Sobolev treatments, if the level of instability-generated wind structure is not too great. However, in certain models wherein the unstable self-excitation of wind variability penetrates back to the wind base, the stochastic, small-scale structure can become so dominant that it effectively disrupts any large-scale, CIR pattern.
Models and Solution for On-Demand Data Delivery Problems

Supporting on-demand access to large, widely shared data such as popular video objects and internet web sites requires effective use of caching at regional (proxy) servers. This caching problem is very complex because of the need to consider bandwidth as well as storage constraints at the regional servers, and because of the bandwidth sharing possibilities provided by recently proposed delivery techniques.
Laser Produced Plasmas with Fissionable Material

The compression of a pellet consisting of fissionable material, such as U233, U235 or Pu239, to high densities by a laser (or possibly relativistic electron-) beam induced implosion, will lead to very small critical masses. The critical mass can be furthermore substantially reduced by simultaneously compressing the pellet together with a neutron reflector. By this method microfission-explosions can be triggered which can be used for controlled power production as for a safe fast breeder reactor or for rocket propulsion. In addition, if the neutron reflector consists of thermonuclear material, such as T-D, the controlled release of thermonuclear energy becomes possible. In this case the fission chain reaction not only will assist in the ignition of the thermonuclear reaction but in turn the neutrons released in the fusion process will accelerate the fission chain reaction to a very fast pace. Both processes, the fission chain reaction and the fusion process are thus coupled in a bootstrap mode greatly increasing the energy output.
Identification of a Packaged Cellular mRNA in Virions of Rous Sarcoma Virus

Abstract A novel messenger activity has been identified by in vitro translation of the 70S virion RNAs of a variety of avian leukosis and avian sarcoma viruses. When the 70S virion RNA complex was heat dissociated and the polyadenylated RNA was fractionated on neutral sucrose gradients, a polypeptide of 34,000 daltons (34K) was observed in the translation products of 18S polyadenylic acid-containing virion RNA. Aside from the p60src-related subgenomic messenger activities, this was the only prominent messenger activity that sedimented at <20S. It was determined that the 34K protein was not virally coded because (i) messenger activity for the 34K protein was not generated by mild alkaline hydrolysis of 35S genomic RNA, (ii) the 34K proteins synthesized in response to different virion RNAs had identical tryptic peptide maps, and (iii) the tryptic peptide map of the 34K protein coded for by virion RNA was identical to that of a major in vitro translation product of 34,000 daltons made from 18S uninfected chick cell polyadenylated RNA. The 18S RNA was shown to be contained within virion particles, rather than part of a cellular structure copurifying with virus preparations, by demonstrating the presence of 34K messenger activity in virion cores made from detergent-disrupted virus. This cellular mRNA, however, was not observed in the virion RNAs of Rous-associated virus types 0 and 2 avian leukosis viruses and therefore is not packaged by all avian retroviruses. Since no other cellular message has been detected by this assay, it seems likely that the 34K mRNA found in 70S virion RNA is the result of selective packaging of an abundant host cell mRNA by certain avian retroviruses.
Ruth Wodak: The Discourse of Politics in Action: Politics as Usual

Politics and media have become intertwined in unprecedented ways in recent years. Well-known politicians are often treated as celebrities in the media with their private lives subjected to the same prurient scrutiny as rock stars or actors; fictionalized versions of political life such as The West Wing or Yes Minister 1 often generate more public interest than real-life politics. Alongside this ‘‘fictionalization of politics,’’ disenchantment with the democratic process has steadily increased in Europe and elsewhere. Recent elections to the 736-seat European Parliament, for example, generated the lowest turnout in its electoral history. In her powerful new book about the discourse of politics, Ruth Wodak uses an interdisciplinary theoretical framework to address some of these issues. She explores the discursive and social practices of members of the European Parliament (EP) and contrasts their everyday lives with sensationalized representations of politicians in the media. Her purpose in writing the book, which draws from 15 years of ethnographic, policy, and discourse analysis of EU institutions, is to ‘‘throw light on the discursive construction and representation of politics in action’’ (p. 23). She sees this demystification as potentially serving as a first step in reducing the so-called ‘democratic deficit’ in Europe. In her first chapter, Wodak explains key theoretical constructs that guide her research. She uses Goffman (1959) to articulate how politicians construct and are constructed by backstage and frontstage identities. In other words, politicians need to transition frequently from a very carefully orchestrated use of setting, appearance, and discourse that realizes a particular dramatic and consistent effect in public
A comparison of modeled, remotely sensed, and measured snow water equivalent in the northern Great Plains

[1] Various methods are available to measure or estimate the quantity of water present in a snowpack. Historically, the National Weather Service has relied on direct measurements taken at first order and cooperative weather stations. Because of the great spatial variability in snow cover density, point measurements are often of limited utility in identifying snow water equivalent (SWE) values over a given area or watershed. Increasingly, remote sensing techniques and physical models have been used to supplement point measurements of SWE and to improve areal estimates of snow water equivalent. This paper compares daily first-order SWE observations from five stations across the northern Great Plains with those estimated from passive microwave remotely sensed data and from an energy and mass balance model (SNTHERM). A commonly utilized SWE algorithm is applied to Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data across the northern Great Plains during the 1990s. Various filtering algorithms are applied to eliminate those situations in which the SSM/I SWE algorithms are known to be ineffectual. Airborne gamma estimates are also included in the comparison but are limited to only a few observations a year. Although the modeled SWE is generally in good agreement with the observed SWE, there is a tendency for the SNTHERM model to underestimate SWE, but it is typically within the margin of error of the observations. The microwave SWE algorithm apparently overestimates SWE significantly late in the season, compared to in situ observations, likely a result of snow grain growth during snow metamorphism.
Effects of prolonged low-frequency whole-body vibration on rats

Two cages of rats (N = 10) were subjected to continuous low-frequency vibration for 92 days. The vibrated Ss weighed less than control Ss in the later stages of vibration and were more active in an open-field test given 3 days after the vibration period. Necropsies of both groups did not reveal any permanent damage to the heart, kidneys, spleen, lungs, brain, testes, adrenals, thymus~ and liver as a consequence of the prolonged vibration. H~man Ss exposed to low-frequency whole-body vibration in buildings, vehicles, and aircraft often report discomfort. The experimental research regarding the effects of vibration upon animals has been reviewed by Schaefer & Ulmer (1959) and Nadel (1963). Schaefer, Link, Farrar, & Weins (1959) showed that lethality in confined rats was directly related to the frequency (10 to 45 Hz) of whole-body vibration when the amplitude was held constant at 0.25 in. In further studies, Schaefer, Ulmer, & Link (1959) found that vibrated rats weighted less, were less active in an open field, and that some . Ss had testicular atrophy and myocardial hemorrhages. The authors jrter~reted these findings as " ... demonstrating a general decrement or debility in both behavioral and physiological functioning, similar to the usual stress pattern [po 25]." Hunt & Quay ( 1961) and Soskin (1963) employed whole-body vibration to test Hebb's discrepancy-arousal theory of motivation. While their results generally did not confirm Hebb's theory, vibration was shown to be an effective aversive stimulus-Hunt and Quay demonstrated that naive rats woul d leverpress to terminate vibration, and Soskin observed that rats preferred a nonvibrating goalbox to a vibrating one in U-maze tests. It may be noted that the Ss were vibrated for 53 and 21 days, respectively, in the two studies prior to tests. More recently, in a series of seven experiments, Wike & Wike (1972) in v est igated barpressing that
Modeling Heat Flow Interaction With Defects in Composite Materials Using Virtual Heat Sources in Pulsed Thermography

Quantitative defect detection in composite structures is an important problem as the aerospace and wind energy industries are increasingly using composites due to their attractive properties. Newer aircraft contain over 50% composites, while the wind turbine blades contain over 95% composites. Quantitative estimation of defect parameters is relevant to perform repairs and assess the integrity of these structures. Previous studies are based on simple 1D heat conduction models, which are inadequate in predicting heat flow around defects, especially in composites where the ratio of longitudinal to transverse thermal conductivity is about 100. In this study, a novel heat conduction model is proposed to model heat flow around defects accounting for 3D heat conduction in quasi-isotropic composites. The validity of the proposed methodology is established using experiments performed on a CFRP panel containing defects of different dimensions at different depths. The inverse problem could be used to quantitatively determine the defect depth and size.© 2013 ASME
Felbamate Levels in Patients with Epilepsy

The usefulness of felbamate (FBM) levels in managing epilepsy patients has not been determined. The purpose of the present study was to determine if FBM levels obtained at routine office visits correlated with side effects reported by patients. We determined FBM levels by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) of 46 epilepsy patient plasma specimens (41 patients) and assessed medication toxicity and seizure frequency by a questionnaire. Thirty-six patients were treated with other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs); concomitant AED levels not in ranges believed to cause toxicity. FBM levels ranged from 9 to 134 microgram/ml, and were divided into three groups for analysis, resulting in low-range (9-36 microgram/ml), midrange (37-54 microgram/ml), and high-level (44-134 microgram/ml) groups. Anorexia and complaints of severe side effects were reported significantly more often in the high-level group as compared with the low- and midrange groups. Significantly more patients in the high-level group (10/13) reported decreased seizure frequency, as compared with 12 of 30 patients in the low- and midrange groups combined. FBM levels correlated linearly with doses overall, but most closely in FBM monotherapy patients.
Analyses of the genomes of bluetongue viruses recovered in the United States. I. Oligonucleotide fingerprint studies that indicate the existence of naturally occurring reassortant BTV isolates.

Abstract The 10 double-stranded RNA segments of the original U.S. isolates of two serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV-10 and BTV-11), and another BTV-11 isolate obtained in 1973 from Idaho, were compared by oligonucleotide fingerprinting. The results indicate that these viruses represent naturally occurring reassortant viruses.
Process safety management within Dupont

This paper presents and discusses the principles and essential features of a process safety management system which if practiced and implemented will prevent industrial catastrophes. The importance of the corporate mission/philosophy and of establishing that sense of operating discipline are also discussed. The corporate mission/philosophy provides the leadership and foundation for a process safety management system. Operating discipline is what takes a process safety management effort from a “paper” program to an “action” program!
Design of high performance planar Bragg reflective Optical Add Drop Multiplexer

A model to improve the design of a planar Bragg reflective Optical Add Drop Multiplexer is presented. Beam propagation method and numerical solvers for coupled mode equations are used to find conditions for optimum performance. Tolerances in fabrication are estimated for different penalties in the signal to noise ratio.
The utilization of micromechanical devices in a power circuit breaker

Abstract This article relates to the investigation of innovative power distribution components based on microelectromechanical technologies integrated with advanced optimization methods to improve the performance of electric power distribution systems. A novel medium voltage class circuit breaker using two switching string assemblies has been designed and implemented in a laboratory prototype. The building block is a switching unit, which includes microelectromechanical switch shunted by a diode. Several switching units are connected in series to form the switching string, and several strings are connected in parallel to form the switching string assembly. A magnetic coil activates the switches. A circuit breaker is comprised of two switching string assemblies connected in series. One string interrupts the current in the positive half cycle, and the other interrupts current in the negative half cycle. The opening of the mechanical switches transfers the current to the diodes, without arcing. In this way, ...
Some global properties of a pair of coupled maps: quasi-symmetry, periodicity, and synchronicity

Abstract We analyze some global, generic properties of a pair of coupled maps. These generic properties are then utilized to investigate how the extent of coupling affects the behavior of the coupled system. Quasi-symmtery of the global behavior is discussed. Numerical validation of the analytical results is provided.
Post-Miocene Faunas of Northwestern Baja California and Adjacent Alta California: ABSTRACT

Clearly defined and persistent coastal terraces characterize the Pacific slope topography of northern Baja California. The post-Miocene stratal record, generally expressed as thin terrace cappings of shallow marine deposits, occurs on the lowest 2 or 3 terraces at elevations of approximately 200 m. or less. Thicker stratigraphic sections, including slightly deeper marine deposits, occur just north of the international boundary in the San Diego embayment and, presumably, offshore. Terrace deposits, as well as Late Cretaceous and younger strata into which the terraces were cut, appear to be undisturbed or exhibit only minor and local deformation. Numerous littoral and inner sub-littoral communities can be recognized in post-Miocene faunules of the terrace deposits. Those on the oldest (highest) terraces are repeated, with modifications, on younger (lower) terraces. Discrepant associations of species and genera, with latitude and bathymetric ranges which are not known to overlap in the modern eastern Pacific, characterize the older post-Miocene faunules. Occurrences of species and genera associated in the younger faunules are more nearly compatible with extant associations along the adjacent coast. Critical evaluations of field and taxonomic relationships suggest that depositional contamination and misleading comparison are responsible for seemingly discrepant fossil associations. Other anomalies may reflect post-Miocene distributional shifts imposed by factors other than those of the physical environment. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1078------------
Relationship Between Time of Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Emergence from Winter Habitat and Response to Grandlure-baited Pheromone Traps

A 4-year study indicated a strong correlation between time of emergence of boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, from overwintering cages and response of native overwintered weevils to grandlure-baited pheromone traps. These results indicated that the response of overwintered weevils to pheromone traps is an accurate reflection of the emergence profile of boll weevils from overwintering habitat. The positive correlation between overwintered weevil response to pheromone traps and very recent overwintered weevil emergence greatly enhances the previously established value of pheromone traps as sampling tools for use in overwintered boll weevil management.
Enantioselective Separation on Chiral Au Nanoparticles

The surfaces of chemically synthesized Au nanoparticles have been modified with d- or l-cysteine to render them chiral and enantioselective for adsorption of chiral molecules. Their enantioselective interaction with chiral compounds has been probed by optical rotation measurements during exposure to enantiomerically pure and racemic propylene oxide. The ability of optical rotation to detect enantiospecific adsorption arises from the fact that the specific rotation of polarized light by (R)- and (S)-propylene oxide is enhanced by interaction with Au nanoparticles. This effect is related to previous observations of enhanced circular dichroism by Au nanoparticles modified by chiral adsorbates. More importantly, chiral Au nanoparticles modified with either d- or l-cysteine selectively adsorb one enantiomer of propylene oxide from a solution of racemic propylene oxide, thus leaving an enantiomeric excess in the solution phase. Au nanoparticles modified with l-cysteine (d-cysteine) selectively adsorb the (R)-pr...
Spermatogenesis of Succinea ovalis , Say

AN investigation of the Spermatogenesis of Succinea ovalis, Say., a small terrestrial pulmonate of North America, has revealed the following: 1. Forty chromosomes are found in the spermatogonial divisions, and twenty in the maturation divisions. 2. Typically of all pulmonates so far studied, there are two centrioles, proximal and distal. Early in spermogenesis the proximal centriole penetrates through the nucleus of the spermatid, and with the surrounding intranuclear canal, forms an intranuclear rod in very much the same way as has been reported for certain prosobranchs. 3. Both the head and tail of the spermatozoon have a spiral twist. These spirals go in either a clock-wise or counter clock-wise direction, one type being about as common as the other.
Erratum: hyperhomocysteinemia and neurologic disorders: a review.

J Clin Neurol 2014;10(4):281-288 http://dx.doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2014.10.4.281 At the request of all of the authors, the corresponding author of this paper was changed to Dr. Jin Jun Luo. So the corrected information of the corresponding author should be as follows: Correspondence: Jin Jun Luo, MD, PhD, FAAN, FAANEM. Departments of Neurology and Pharmacology, Director, EMG/Neuromuscular Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, 3401 North Broad Street, Suite C525, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. Tel: +1-215-707-3915, Fax: +1-215-707-8235, ude.elpmet@oulj
Conformational studies on guanosine nucleotides and polynucleotides. The effect of the base on the glycosyl and backbone conformations

Potential energy calculations have been carried out on guanosine 5'-monophosphate and guanosine 3',5'-diphosphate by simultaneous variation of the rotation angles X and Ψ to assess the influence of the base on the glycosyl and the sugar-phosphate backbone conformations and their possible interdependence. The results obtained predict that guanine containing nucleotides tend to favor the syn glycosyl conformation in sharp contrast to the anti conformation found for adenine and the common pyrimidine nucleotides. This characteristic behavior of guanine nucleotides is largely a result of increased non-bonded van der Waals' and electrostatic attractive interactions between the 5'-phosphate and the amino group of the base. As seen previously [N. Yathindra and M. Sundaralingam, Biopolymers, 12, 297 (1973)] changes in the glycosyl conformation mainly affects the C(4')-C(5') bond rotations of the backbone. The most favored (χ ,ψ ) conformer corresponding to the global minimum both in 5'-GMP and 3',5'-GDP is syn-gg, (190°,80°) for C(2')-endo rings and (180°,50°) for C(3')-endo rings. It is noteworthy that the syn angle is different from the usually observed range of 210-260°. The next significant minimum in the (χ ,ψ ) energy surface corresponds to the syn-gt conformational combination (the syn angle now in the normal range), indicating that the occurrence of the normal syn conformer induces a distortion in the backbone c(4')-c(5') bond conformation from the preferred gg. These studies reveal the significant influence of the base not only on the glycosyl conformation but also on the backbone conformations of polynucleotides.
Development of an aerosol shock tube for kinetic studies of low-vapor-pressure fuels

A new experimental flow facility, an aerosol shock tube, has been developed to enable studies of shock wave interactions with liquid aerosols, including droplet evaporation kinetics and subsequent chemical reaction of the vapor. This technique provides a uniform spatial distribution of aerosol in the shock tube, which ensures well-behaved shock-induced flows, and a narrow micrometer-sized aerosol size distribution that rapidly evaporates. These two features enable quantitative shock tube investigation of the chemistry of high-concentration vapor mixtures of low-vapor-pressure practical fuels and fuel surrogates. In the present experiments, the incident shock wave is used to vaporize the fuel droplets, and the reflected shock wave is used to induce ignition. We report here the first aerosol shock tube ignition delay time measurements of n-dodecane/O2/argon and JP-7/O2/argon mixtures. The measurements are found to be consistent with those made in our heated shock tube facility.