cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monogenic diabetes in overweight and obese youth diagnosed with type 2 diabetes: the TODAY clinical trial

PurposeMonogenic diabetes accounts for 1-2% of diabetes cases. It is often undiagnosed, which may lead to inappropriate treatment. This study was performed to estimate the prevalence of monogenic diabetes in a cohort of overweight/obese adolescents diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D).MethodsSequencing using a custom monogenic diabetes gene panel was performed on a racially/ethnically diverse cohort of 488 overweight/obese adolescents with T2D in the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) clinical trial. Associations between having a monogenic diabetes variant and clinical characteristics and time to treatment failure were analyzed.ResultsMore than 4% (22/488) had genetic variants causing monogenic diabetes (seven GCK, seven HNF4A, five HNF1A, two INS, and one KLF11). Patients with monogenic diabetes had a statistically, but not clinically, significant lower body mass index (BMI) z-score, lower fasting insulin, and higher fasting glucose. Most (6/7) patients with HNF4A variants rapidly failed TODAY treatment across study arms (hazard ratio = 5.03, P = 0.0002), while none with GCK variants failed treatment.ConclusionThe finding of 4.5% of patients with monogenic diabetes in an overweight/obese cohort of children and adolescents with T2D suggests that monogenic diabetes diagnosis should be considered in children and adolescents without diabetes-associated autoantibodies and maintained C-peptide, regardless of BMI, as it may direct appropriate clinical management.
PHY906 as a broad-spectrum enhancer in cancer therapy: Clinical and preclinical results in hepatocellular carcinoma

2145 PHY906, a traditional Chinese botanical formulation, was first described 1800 years ago for common gastrointestinal distress. Currently, PHY906 is being developed for FDA approval as a botanical prescription medicine offering a new approach to cancer supportive care. The preclinical data indicates that PHY906 can reduce chemo-induced gastrointestinal toxicity while simultaneously enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of a broad-spectrum of common anticancer agents, including CPT-11, 5-FU, capecitabine, oxaliplatin, VP-16, taxol, and gemcitabine in a variety of tumor-implanted in vivo animal models. The mechanism of PHY906 antitumor activity is multifarious, including inhibitory activities of NF-κB, matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), multi-drug resistant protein (MDR), and CYP450 and modulation of numerous cytokines. Possible mechanisms of action for the reduction of gastrointestinal toxicity are the inhibition of Tachykinin NK-1 and Opiate δ receptors and modulation of inflammatory cytokines. A phase I/II, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation, safety and efficacy study of PHY906 plus capecitabine in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma is presently underway. The main objective of phase I is to define the safety, tolerability, and effective dose of PHY906 when co-administered with capecitabine. Three doses have been studied. Cohort I: PHY906 (1000mg, bid, D1-4 and 8-11) plus capecitabine (1000 mg/m2,bid, D1-14); cohort II: PHY906 (600mg, bid, D1-4 and 8-11) plus capecitabine (750 mg/m2, bid, D1-14); and cohort III: PHY906 (800mg, bid, D1-4 and 8-11) plus capecitabine (750 mg/m2, bid, D1-14). The cohort I dose regimen has resulted in unacceptable dose-limiting toxicities while the dosing in cohorts II and III were both well tolerated. Stable disease after two cycles of study-drug treatment for cohorts II (N=4) and III (N=6) are 75% and 67%, respectively. The median time to disease progression (TTP) is 26.5 weeks and the median survival time is greater than 44.5 weeks for Cohort II. The majority of the patients in Cohort III remain on study. The primary objective for the current phase II is determining the objective antitumor response rate while the secondary objectives are determining TTP, overall survival time, and quality of life (QoL). While clinical trials address efficacy and safety of the drug, chemical and biological analytic methods have been developed to address drug consistency and quality control. Comprehensive molecular resolution chemical fingerprints utilizing a three-dimensional LC/MS profile and a sensitive cellular bioresponse genomic profile to generate a quantitative signature pattern for comparing and confirming batch-to-batch similarity of study drug. These studies offer a modern approach to the study of ancient botanicals that may represent novel regimens for cancer treatment.
Lorentz estimates for weak solutions of quasi-linear parabolic equations with singular divergence-free drifts

This paper investigates regularity in Lorentz spaces for weak solutions of a class of divergence form quasi-linear parabolic equations with singular divergence-free drifts. In this class of equations, the principal terms are vector field functions that are measurable in ()-variable, and nonlinearly dependent on both unknown solutions and their gradients. Interior, local boundary, and global regularity estimates in Lorentz spaces for gradients of weak solutions are established assuming that the solutions are in BMO space, the John–Nirenberg space. The results are even new when the drifts are identically zero, because they do not require solutions to be bounded as in the available literature. In the linear setting, the results of the paper also improve the standard Calderon–Zygmund regularity theory to the critical borderline case. When the principal term in the equation does not depend on the solution as its variable, our results recover and sharpen known available results. The approach is based on the perturbation technique introduced by Caffarelli and Peral together with a “double-scaling parameter” technique and the maximal function free approach introduced by Acerbi and Mingione.
Associations between Use of Specific Analgesics and Concentrations of Amyloid-β 42 or Phospho-Tau in Regions of Human Cerebral Cortex

Analgesics are commonly used by older adults, raising the question of whether their use might contribute to dementia risk and neuropathologic changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study is a population-based study of brain aging and incident dementia among people 65 years or older who are community dwelling and not demented at entry. Amyloid-β (Aβ)42 and phospho-tau were quantified using Histelide in regions of cerebral cortex from 420 brain autopsies. Total standard daily doses of prescription opioid and non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) exposure during a defined 10-year exposure window were identified using automated pharmacy dispensing data and used to classify people as having no/low, intermediate, or high exposure. People with high NSAID exposure had significantly greater Aβ42 concentration in middle frontal gyrus and superior and middle temporal gyri, but not inferior parietal lobule; no Aβ42 regional concentration was associated with prescription opioid usage. People with high opioid usage had significantly greater concentration of phospho-tau in middle frontal gyrus than people with little-to-no opioid usage. Consistent with our previous studies, findings suggest that high levels of NSAID use in older individuals may promote Aβ42 accumulation in cerebral cortex.
Comparison of the Na+ Pump and the Ouabain-Resistant K+ Transport System with Other Metal Ion Transport ATPases

Digitalis has long been of medical importance and was mentioned in herbal treatment as early as 1250 (Schery, 1972). This drug entered into accepted medical practice in 1785 following the experimental observations of William Withering (Withering, 1785). Today it is commonly used as a cardiac drug to strengthen heart muscle contraction. In the 1950s the receptor for this drug was shown to be the plasma membrane ATPase, which actively pumps Na+ out of the cell and K+ into the cell to maintain cytoplasmic ion concentrations (Skou, 1965). The ability of ouabain, a member of the digitalis family of cardiac glycosides, to inhibit the Na+-K+ ATPase has been widely used to characterize this important enzyme. Recently, a gene was cloned that, when transfected into green monkey fibroblasts, rescued cells from ouabain toxicity (Levenson, 1984). Characterization of the resistant cells indicated the presence of a new ouabain-resistant potassium transport system with characteristics similar to but distinct from the native Na+-K+ ATPase (English et al., 1985a,b). In this chapter we discuss some of the structural and kinetic properties of the Na+-K+ ATPase and a family of related cation transport systems. The nature of the transport system induced by the ouabain resistance gene is discussed in relation to this family of proteins.
A Summary and Conclusions

After the Second World War, many colonized territories worldwide began to gain independence. International institutions were established along with a body of Western scholarship concerned with “development”. Internalized were theories on how national progress may be fostered. Through schemes of monetary aid, loans, technical assistance, and education, the concept of development was promoted among various institutions and governments. Extraordinary funding and effort have been expended since development efforts were begun in the newly emerging low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While some progress is evident, large numbers in many of these countries have remained illiterate, entrenched in abject poverty vulnerable to disasters, debilitating disease, hunger, and untimely death. This chapter is a summary of the book and its conclusions. The book broadly concerns the LMICs with particular and specific reference to the countries of South Asia. It is focused on identifying more scientific and alternative approaches to the needed process of development and to the specific challenges confronting these countries.
The Influence of Edge Boundary Conditions and Cracks on Vibrational Modes of Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors

Electrical failure of layered capacitors is often a limiting factor in the design of many important electronic devices. Manufacturing processes, soldering, and service conditions have been shown to induce cracks in the dielectric material of the capacitor, providing conductive pathways that result in electrical leakage. In addition to the crack itself, edge boundary conditions can cause modal stress concentrations in a particular region of the capacitor that can initiate new cracks or propagate existing ones. Small but potentially damaging cracks can be very difficult to detect, and their presence may only become evident when they grow large enough to impact the capacitor’s performance. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated that cracks in layered capacitors can be detected nondestructively by measuring a shift in the resonant frequency of the structure via ferroelectric transduction. This study seeks to extend these recent findings by developing finite element models of layered capacitors in order to determine the level of influence that cracks and edge boundary conditions have on their frequency spectrum and their localized stress fields. Of particular interest is determining if ferroelectrically excited modes will be sensitive to cracks that can commonly appear near either restrained or traction-free corners. Computational investigation is intended to supplement future experiments on these structures, with the eventual goal of merging and analyzing the results from theoretical predictions and physical measurements. Specifically, three different crack types were simulated (endcap crack, inner crack, corner crack) along with three boundary conditions (free-free, fixed surface, and soldered). Results indicated that a fractured capacitor yielded lower natural frequency values in comparable modes to an uncracked capacitor, and that this shift in natural frequency values could be magnified depending on the applied boundary conditions. This finding is an important contribution toward the effort of non-destructively detecting cracks in the MLCCs and for future research to confidently utilize MLCCs in future applications.
Freddie Mac: Managing in Conservatorship

Ed Haldeman has recently become Chief Executive Officer of Freddie Mac, one of three major government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) charged with supporting U.S. residential mortgage finance. The company was placed into conservatorship by the US treasury on September 7, 2008. Conservatorship places various restrictions on Haldeman and the organization in terms of management. Haldeman's challenge is to lead Freddie Mac, build its culture, upgrade its operations and generally prepare the organization for re-emerging from conservatorship. In the background, housing prices continue to deteriorate and the company continues to lose money. In addition, political views continue to shift regarding the future regulatory and equity ownership frameworks for Freddie Mac as it emerges from this difficult period. Learning Objective: To analyze a complex set of contingencies facing a company in uncertain times.
Effect of Nasal Spray, Positional Therapy, and the Combination Thereof in the Asymptomatic Snorer

The benefits of using a nasal decongestant, sleeping on one's side and the combination thereof were studied in 20 asymptomatic male snorers. Both the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and snoring were evaluated. Four consecutive nocturnal polysomnographic studies were done. Night 1 was a control; the other 3 nights were randomly assigned to nasal decongestant, best sleeping position and a combination of the two. Results were calculated based on sleep period time. The mean control AHI +/- the standard error of the mean (SEM) was 17.5 +/- 6.5. AHI improved to 14.1 +/- 6.3 with sleep in the best position (p = 0.03). The AHI also improved to 13.2 +/- 6.04 with both nasal decongestant and position (p = 0.0012). Using nasal decongestant alone, the mean AHI was 18.1 +/- 6.3 (p = 0.765). During the control night, the mean number of snores/hour +/- SEM was 356 +/- 46.0. Using nasal decongestant alone, the mean number of snores was 381 +/- 50.4 (p = 0.50). With position alone, the mean number of snores was 356 +/- 46.0 (p = 0.8). Using the combination of nasal decongestant and position, mean snores were 352 +/- 48.9 (p = 0.91). In conclusion, a statistically significant improvement in AHI was produced using the general measures of altering the position of the body during sleep and by the combination of nasal decongestant and positional change. There was no significant change in snoring using any of these general measures.
Invited talk: PRISM --- practical RL

When scaling up RL to large continuous domains with imperfect representations and hierarchical structure, we often try applying algorithms that are proven to converge in small finite domains, and then just hope for the best. This talk will advocate instead designing algorithms that adhere to the constraints, and indeed take advantage of the opportunities, that might come with the problem at hand. Drawing on several different research threads within the Learning Agents Research Group at UT Austin, I will discuss four types of issues that arise from these contraints and opportunities: 1) Representation --- choosing the algorithm for the problem's representation and adapating the representation to fit the algorithm; 2) Interaction --- with other agents and with human trainers; 3) Synthesis --- of different algorithms for the same problem and of different concepts in the same algorithm; and 4) Mortality --- the opportunity to improve learning based on past experience and the constraint that one can't explore exhaustively.
Variabilitat und Reaktivitat des Blutdruckes im Alltag

Laborversuche haben gezeigt, das Personen mit milder Hypertonie sich von normotensi-ven Personen hinsichtlich der Variabilitat (variability) und der Reaktivitat (reactivity), definiert als Veranderung des Blutdruckes auf bestimmte Reize (psychische und physische Stresfaktoren), unterscheiden. Basierend auf der Annahme, das eine milde Hypertonie ein Zwischenstadium bei der Ausbildung einer manifesten Hypertension ist, haben diese Untersuchungen zu der Vermutung gefuhrt, das eine erhohte Blutdruckvariabilitat und/oder Reaktivitat eine atiologische Rolle bei der Ausbildung einer manifesten Hypertonie (9, 10, 12) spielt. Diese Untersuchungen wurden jedoch nicht unter naturlichen, alltaglichen Bedingungen vorgenommen. In der vorliegenden Studie untersuchten wir die Blutdruckvariabilitat und Reaktivitat uber einen Zeitraum von 24 Stunden bei drei verschiedenen Personengruppen: (a) normotensive Kontrollpersonen mit einem klinischen Blutdruck von 160/104 mmHg (n = 66). Es gibt keine allgemein akzeptierte Methode, die Blutdruckvariabilitat und -reaktivitat in naturlicher Umgebung zu messen (11). Aus diesem Grund haben wir in dieser Studie Variabilitat auf drei verschiedene Weisen definiert: (a) der Blutdruck basierend auf dem Ort bzw. der Aktivitat, an dem bzw. wahrend der die Messung erhalten wurde, (b) die gesamte Variabilitat des Blutdruckes und (c) der Umfang des Blutdruckes.
Opioid-Induced Esophageal Dysfunction: An Emerging Entity with Sweeping Consequences

Adverse effects of opioids on the gastrointestinal tract are well known. However, with the rising epidemic of opioids, its detrimental effects on esophageal physiology are now being increasingly recognized. In this commentary, we briefly review the current evidence behind opioid-induced esophageal dysfunction with potential pathophysiology and treatment options.
Ultrafast magnetization switching in nanoscale magnetic dots

Ultrafast magnetization switching at picosecond and sub-picosecond time scales has tremendous technological potential but still poses numerous questions regarding the underlying quantum mechanical phenomena, including the roles of and interactions between the electrons, spins, and phonons (lattice). At the nanometer-scale dimensions relevant for modern applications, these phenomena become increasingly more pronounced. Until now, helicity-independent all-optical switching (HI-AOS) has been largely limited to amorphous Gd-Fe-Co alloys, for which scaling was challenging due to their relatively low anisotropies. In this work, we demonstrate HI-AOS in amorphous GdCo and scale it to nanometer dimensions while still maintaining uniform out-of-plane magnetization. Single shot HI-AOS is demonstrated in these patterned samples down to a minimum optically detectable magnetic dot size of 200 nm. The ultrafast switching behavior was also confirmed using time-resolved magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements and found to settle to its opposite magnetization state at faster rates for smaller dot diameters, passing a threshold of 75% magnetization reversal within approximately 2 ps for a 200 nm dot compared to approximately 40 ps for a 15 μm pattern. The size dependence of the ultrafast switching is explained in terms of the electron-phonon and spin-lattice interactions.
Everyday Discrimination Typologies Among Older African Americans: Gender and Socioeconomic Status.

Objectives Discrimination is associated with several negative social, economic, and health consequences. Past research focuses on the impact of discrimination while less is known about both the type and correlates of discrimination, particularly among older adults. Methods Using the National Survey of American Life, we used latent class analysis to identify discrimination typologies (frequency and type) among African Americans aged 55 and older. We then used multinomial logistic regression to identify demographic correlates of discrimination types, including a statistical interaction between gender and educational attainment. Results We identified three discrimination typologies. Increasing age was associated with lower probability of belonging to the high discrimination and disrespect and condescension subtypes. Men and non-Southern residents were most likely to belong in the high discrimination subtype. Higher levels of education increased the probability of belonging in the high discrimination and disrespect and condescension subtypes for older men, but not women. Discussion Older African American men, particularly those with more education, are vulnerable to both high-frequency discrimination and discrimination characterized by disrespect and condescension. This finding suggests that, for men with more years of education, increased exposure to discrimination reflects efforts to maintain social hierarchies (male target hypothesis).
CO2 storage in the Paluxy formation at the Kemper County CO2 storage complex: Pore network properties and simulated reactive permeability evolution

Abstract The Paluxy formation is being considered as a prospective CO2 reservoir at the Kemper County CO2 Storage Complex. Here, the pore and pore-throat size distributions and connectivity of the Paluxy formation is evaluated through analysis of 3D X-ray Computed Tomography images. In spite of resolution limitations that constrain the pore-throat sizes detectable by imaging, the permeability contributing pore-throats are successfully characterized through 3D imaging analysis. Image-obtained pore and pore-throat size distributions and pore connectivity are then utilized to construct pore network models and simulate permeability. After CO2 is injected, it will dissolve into formation brine and create conditions favorable for dissolution of primary minerals and precipitation of secondary minerals. These reactions will alter the porosity and permeability of the system to varying degrees depending on the spatial location of reactions. Here, the possible porosity-permeability evolution is simulated using pore network models considering mineral reactions occurring uniformly and non-uniformly throughout the network. For a given change in porosity, there is a large range of possible permeability outcomes. Depending on the extent and spatial location of mineral reactions, permeability may decrease by more than one order of magnitude as minerals precipitate. During dissolution, simulated permeability increases as much as 500%.
Functional optical coherence tomography for investigation of embryonic development in vivo in mice (Conference Presentation)

Toward improved management of developmental defects and reproductive disorders, we recently established a set of unique in vivo methods for investigation of early embryonic development and reproduction in mouse models. Using functional optical coherence tomography (OCT), we investigate female mouse reproductive tract in vivo through an implantable intravital window. Our approach allows for live, dynamic volumetric imaging of the mouse Fallopian tube (oviduct) with micro-scale spatial resolution. Recently, we established a tomographic imaging technique capable of mapping both the cilia location and the cilia beat frequency in the intact mouse oviduct in vivo. We utilize both the amplitude and the frequency position of the major peak from the ciliary motion spectrum, and reconstruct, for the first time, high-resolution mapping of both cilia location and CBF through tissue layers in vivo. We established a method of sperm activity measurement, which relies on analysis of unique tortious sperm trajectories. We introduced standard deviation (SD) of the direction variation (SDofDV) as a measure of activity. This method was used in vivo to directly track multiple motile sperm inside the mouse oviduct, revealing new biological findings. Potentially this study will provide new insight on the process of mammalian fertilization in its native state and lead to a better understanding of pathologies resulting in infertility.
Design of a laser control system with continuously variable power and its application in additive manufacturing

Abstract Selective laser sintering (SLS) is one of the most popular industrial polymer additive manufacturing processes with applications in aerospace, biomedical, tooling, prototyping, and beyond. SLS is capable of creating unique, functional parts with little waste and no tooling by using a high-powered laser to selectively melt powdered polymer into desired shapes. This process relies heavily on understanding and controlling the thermodynamics of the polymer melt process. One of the biggest challenges SLS faces is lack of adequate process control, which leads to comparatively high component variations. It has been shown that implementing more advanced laser control techniques enable a higher level of control over the processing temperatures and lead to more uniform components. Currently, there are no commercial options for a laser power controller that allows continuously variable power to be used as a galvanometer system adjusts the laser position. This paper will also discuss the development and implementation of a galvanometer controller solution that works in conjunction with an off-the-shelf unit to enable this crucial functionality and will present results showing that, when applied to the SLS process, a 33 % reduction in thermal variation was achieved.
Contribution of structural and intronic mutations to RPGRIP1-mediated inherited retinal dystrophies

With the completion of the first phase 3 human gene therapy randomized clinical trial, in the form of voretigene neparvovec for RPE65-mediated inherited retinal dystrophy, as well as the advent of more than 20 other gene therapy trials for inherited retinal disorders, accurate genetic diagnostics will have an increasingly important role in clinical decision-making. Current genetic diagnostic testing panels primarily focus on coding sequences. However, we find that structural and intronic variations are crucial in solving ambiguous cases. We present four families in whom more in depth sequencing and bioinformatic analyses led to the identification of non-coding and structural variations in RPGRIP1 as the cause of disease. In the process we describe ten novel RPGRIP1 mutations. We suggest an expansion of both sequencing and bioinformatics tools in the diagnostics of inherited retinal degenerations to increase sensitivity and to make confident calls before enrolling patients in specific gene therapy clinical trials.
Opsonization but not pretreatment of equine macrophages with hyperimmune plasma nonspecifically enhances phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Rhodococcus equi.

BACKGROUND Evidence regarding the efficacy of equine hyperimmune plasma to prevent pneumonia in foals caused by Rhodococcus equi is limited and conflicting. HYPOTHESIS Opsonization with R. equi-specific hyperimmune plasma (HIP) will significantly increase phagocytosis and decrease intracellular replication of R. equi by alveolar macrophages (AMs) compared to normal plasma (NP). ANIMALS Fifteen adult Quarter Horses were used to collect bronchoalveolar lavage cells. METHODS In the first experiment, AMs from 9 horses were pretreated (incubated) with either HIP, NP, or media only (control) and then infected with nonopsonized R. equi. In a second experiment, AMs from 6 horses were infected with R. equi either opsonized with HIP or opsonized with NP. For both experiments, AMs were lysed at 0 and 48 hours and the number of viable R. equi quantified by culture were compared among groups using linear mixed-effects modeling with significance set at P < .05. RESULTS Opsonization with either HIP or NP increased phagocytosis by AMs (P < .0001) and decreased intracellular survival of organisms in AMs (P < .0001). Pretreating AMs with either HIP or NP without opsonizing R. equi had no effects on phagocytosis or intracellular replication. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Opsonizing R. equi with either NP or HIP decreases intracellular survival of organisms in AMs, but the effect does not appear to be enhanced by using HIP. Mechanisms other than effects on AMs must explain any clinical benefits of using HIP over NP to decrease the incidence of R. equi pneumonia in foals.
The Ancient Mesopotamian Mīs Pî Ritual: An Application of the Ecological Anthropology of Roy Rappaport:

This article presents the ancient Mesopotamian Mīs Pi ceremony as a case study in the relationship between ritual and the natural world using Roy Rappaport’s framework of Ecological Anthropology as...
Outcomes of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement in patients with obese body mass indices.

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive heart valve surgery has previously been shown to be safe and feasible in obese patients. Within this population, we investigated the effect of obesity class on the patient outcomes of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mini-AVR). METHODS A single-center retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with obese body mass indices (BMIs) who underwent mini-AVR between 2012 and 2020. Patients were stratified into three groups according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adult obesity classifications: Class I (BMI: 30.0-<35.0), Class II (BMI: 35.0-<40.0), and Class III (BMI ≥ 40.0). The primary outcomes were postoperative length of stay (LOS), 30-day mortality, and direct cost. RESULTS Among 206 obese patients who underwent mini-AVR, LOS (Class I 5 [3-7] vs. Class II 6 [5-7] vs. Class III 6 [5-7] days; p = .056), postoperative 30-day mortality (Class I 2.44% [n = 3] vs. Class II 4.44% [n = 2] vs. Class III 7.89% [n = 3]; p = .200), and costs (Class I $24,118 [$20,237-$29.591] vs. Class II $22,215 [$18,492-$28,975] vs. Class III $24,810 [$20,245-$32,942] USD; p = .683) did not differ between obesity class cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Mini-AVR is safe and feasible to perform for obese patients regardless of their obesity class. Patients with obesity should be afforded the option of minimally invasive aortic valve surgery regardless of their obesity class.
Generation of Bright, Spatially Coherent Soft X-Ray High Harmonics in a Hollow Waveguide Using Two-Color Synthesized Laser Pulses

We investigate the efficient generation of low-divergence high-order harmonics driven by waveform-optimized laser pulses in a gas-filled hollow waveguide. The drive waveform is obtained by synthesizing two-color laser pulses, optimized such that highest harmonic yields are emitted from each atom. Optimization of the gas pressure and waveguide configuration has enabled us to produce bright and spatially coherent harmonics extending from the extreme ultraviolet to soft x rays. Our study on the interplay among waveguide mode, atomic dispersion, and plasma effect uncovers how dynamic phase matching is accomplished and how an optimized waveform is maintained when optimal waveguide parameters (radius and length) and gas pressure are identified. Our analysis should help laboratory development in the generation of high-flux bright coherent soft x rays as tabletop light sources for applications.
Syntactic Government in Nigerian Newspaper Headlines

Several studies on Nigerian newspaper headlines have focused heavily on issues of style, language use, ideology and meaning but little has been done from a syntactic perspective. This study, therefore, examines government operates in the headlines from a generative grammar approach. The data for this study comprises newspaper headlines randomly collected from national Nigerian newspapers and are subjected to syntactic analysis with a view to describing the nature of syntactic government in Nigerian newspaper headlines. It is discovered that while all forms of government operate in the headlines, head-government and theta-government are not always visible at S-structure of the headlines. Also, lexical and Antecedent-government operate only in headlines where A I movement has taken place.
Constraint Propagation in Model Generation

Model generation refers to the automatic construction of models of a given logical theory. It can be regarded as a special case of constraint satisfaction where the constraints are a set of clauses with equality and functions. In this paper, we study various constraint propagation rules for finite model generation. We implemented these rules in a prototype system called SEM (a System for Enumerating Models). By experimenting with SEM, we try to identify a set of transformation rules that are both efficient and easy to implement. We also compare several existing model generation systems that are based on different logics and strategies.
The Calibration Index and the Role of Input Noise in Robot Calibration

This paper addresses two topics in robot calibration: the formulation of a calibration index and the presence of input noise. The calibration index is introduced to succinctly capture the essence of a kinematic calibration method and allow insightful comparison between that method and other methods. Input noise, e.g., joint angle errors, is a potential source of error that is usually ignored, but is known to lead to bias errors in the estimates (Norton 1986). The two topics also will be seen to have a relationship.
Magnesium Starvation of Aerobacter aerogenes I. Changes in Nucleic Acid Composition

Aerobacter aerogenes incubated in a medium containing all factors necessary for exponential growth except Mg++ continued to synthesize nucleic acids and proteins for more than 70 hr, provided the major carbon source was in excess at all times. After 24 hr of Mg++ starvation, deoxyribonucleic acid content in the culture had increased 10-fold. In contrast, the viable-cell count increased only about threefold during the first few hours and then remained approximately constant for the subsequent 70 hr. After specified intervals of Mg++ starvation, extracts of the bacteria, or ribonucleic acid (RNA) purified from them, was centrifuged through gradients of sucrose to separate transfer RNA from ribosomal components. After correcting for losses, we obtained the following results. (i) There was a progressive rise in the content of transfer RNA competent to accept amino acids and during starvation it remained completely stable. (ii) In contrast, the contents of normally sedimenting ribosomal RNA and ribosomal subunits (30 and 50S) remained approximately constant for more than 24 hr. This did not result from stability of ribosomes made prior to starvation together with an inhibition of synthesis of new particles. Rather, ribosomes were continually breaking down and being replaced by an equivalent number of new ones. (iii) The breakdown of ribosomes appeared to be sequentially ordered; polysomes yielded 70S monomers, which then gave 30 and 50S particles, and these disintegrated to smaller units and finally to acid-soluble products. (iv) Furthermore, the particles derived from breakdown do not appear to exchange with subparticles on the path of assembly. Thus, ribosome decay was age-dependent and ribosomal RNA molecules had a minimal life expectancy of 90 min; however, some survived much longer.
The Zip Calculus

Many have recognized the need for genericity in programming and program transformation. Genericity over data types has been achieved with polymorphism. Genericity over type constructors, often called polytypism, is an area of active research. This paper proposes that another kind of genericity is needed: genericity over the length of tuples. Untyped languages allow for such genericity but typed languages do not (except for languages allowing dependent types). The contribution of this paper is to present the “zip calculus,” a typed lambda calculus that provides genericity over the length of tuples and yet does not require the full generality of dependent types.
Fading resistant multiuser detection over CDMA fading channels

The authors consider the limitations imposed by interfering fading on detector performance over asynchronous, memoryless, nondispersive, Rician faded CDMA (code division multiple access) channels, as well as mechanisms to alleviate these limitations. They introduce fading resistance and fading susceptance measures that are asymptotic performance characterizations capturing the ability or inability of detectors to withstand fading interference. It is found that the optimum single-user or conventional detection strategy, when employed over the CDMA Rician fading channel, is limited in performance by fading interference in a manner akin to specular or multiple-access interference. Even the multiuser detectors designed for the CDMA AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) channel, which are known to be able to withstand specular interference, are found to be unable to combat fading interference. The detectors optimized for the Rician fading channel, the optimal faded detector, and the faded decorrelator are found, however, unlike the previous classes of detectors, to be resistant to such interference. >
An Investigation of Oddity Concept Learning by Rats

Four male rats (Rattus norvegicus, Long-Evans) 114 days old at pretraining were tested using ping pong balls with foodflavoring odors as discriminanda. Two same-odor and one different-odor balls were presented on each trial, and 60 different problems were administered each to an 80% correct criterion or 100 trials. To assess conceptual use of oddity the first trial of each problem was used; Trials 2 and 3 were used to assess learning set performance. One rat had two significant runs of correct first trials, but he did not sustain it. All rats showed rapid improvement on Trials 2 and 3 affirming their excellent learning set formation. The need and means for continued investigation of oddity concept learning by rats are discussed.
Certiorari and the Local Board

T HAS long been established by decisions of the California Supreme Court that the writ of certiorari lies in proper cases to review determinations made by local administrative boards and officers. This contrasts with the recent holding that the same writ cannot be used to obtain judicial review of the determinations of state-wide administrative agencies.' Dicta in recent opinions indicate that the court does not intend its new rule with respect to state-wide agencies to affect its old rule as to local agencies,' but the opinions offer little or nothing to rationalize the distinction. They merely make two contrasting assertions: (1) Boards and officers having state-wide jurisdiction cannot, without explicit constitutional sanction, be given judicial functions; therefore their proceedings cannot be reviewed on certiorari. (2) Local boards and officers can be vested with judicial power and the writ of certiorari is available to review and, if need be, to annul their judicial acts. Why this differentiation between the local and the state-wide board? Certain cases are referred to by the court as "not in point" as to state-wide agencies because such cases "involved the scope or validity of judicial powers exercised by local tribunals, boards, or officers whose jurisdiction was limited to incorporated cities, towns, townships, counties, or cities and counties ... .."3 Is the judicial power something to be parcelled out by the legislature in geographical segments? Must a judicial function, if it is to be exercised by an administrative officer, be fenced in by a city or a county boundary line? Occasional references by the court to article VI, section 1, of the state constitution4 are not particularly helpful in supplying the an-
Emergency Department Nurses' Experiences of Violent Acts in the Workplace

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT NURSE’S EXPERENCIES OF VIOLENT ACTS IN THE WORKPLACE May 2009 PAUL MACKINNON, BS., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST MS., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST PhD., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS WORCESTER Directed by Dr. Carol Bova Emergency department nurses are at high risk for violence in the workplace (Keely, 2002; Fernandez et al., 1998; Nachreiner et al., 2005; Mayer et al., 1999). It is estimated that between 52% and 82% of emergency nurses will experience physical violence and 100% of emergency department nurses will experience non-physical violence in their careers. Despite this fact, there are limited studies examining workplace violence among this vulnerable group (Fernandez et al., 1998; Levin et al., 1998). Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine the experiences of emergency department nurses with workplace violence. Levin et al.’s (2003) Ecological Occupational Model (EOHM) was used to guide this study. Four focus groups were conducted with 27 nurses who represented different types of emergency departments (rural community facility to large urban Level 1 trauma center). Results of the study suggested that the majority of participants (96%) experienced some form of work-related violence and 75% had attended at least one violence education class. The major themes of frustration and powerlessness emerged from the data. Sub themes included professional conflict while caring for violent
Regulation of bFGF expression and ANG II secretion in cardiac myocytes and microvascular endothelial cells

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; fibroblast growth factor-2) and angiotensin II (ANG II), among other peptide signaling autacoids (cytokines), are known to regulate the phenotypic adaptation of cardiac muscle to physiological stress. The cell type(s) in cardiac muscle responsible for ANG II synthesis and secretion and the role of endogenous cytokines in the regulation of bFGF induction remain unclear. With the use of confluent, serum-starved, low-passage cultures of cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMEC), ANG II could be detected in cellular lysates and in medium conditioned by these cells with the use of high-performance liquid chromatography followed by radioimmunoassay. The secretion of angiotensins by individual CMEC could be detected with a cell-blot assay technique. ANG II secretion was decreased by brefeldin A, an agent that interrupts constitutive and regulated secretory pathways for peptide autacoid/ hormone synthesis, suggesting de novo synthesis, activation, and secretion of angiotensins by CMEC. In primary isolates of adult rat ventricular myocytes (ARVM) and CMEC, ANG II, acting at ANG II type 1 receptors in both cell types, was found to increase bFGF mRNA levels measured by ribonuclease protection assay. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), which is known to be synthesized by CMEC, and bFGF itself, which has been detected in both ARVM and CMEC, increased bFGF transcript levels in both cell types. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), which like ANG II and ET-1 is known to activate mitogen-activated protein kinases in both ARVM and CMEC, increased bFGF mRNA levels only in cardiac myocytes. Thus cytokines such as ANG II, ET-1, bFGF, and IL-1beta locally generated by cellular constituents of cardiac muscle, including CMEC, regulate bFGF mRNA levels in a cell type-specific manner.
Epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix complicating pregnancy

Abstract During the past three years Hirst, 1 Sadugor and associates, 2 and Johnson and associates 3 have called our attention strikingly to their observations that carcinoma of the cervix occurs more frequently during pregnancy than most obstetricians believe. Our purpose in presenting this paper is to further confirm their contention with the hope of stimulating greater interest in this grave complication of pregnancy. We are well aware of the difficulties encountered in differentiating intraepithelial carcinoma of the cervix from benign histopathological changes seen in the pregnant cervix as most recently described by Nesbitt and Hellman. 4 This presentation does not include intraepithelial carcinomas. Cytological screening methods during pregnancy have not been available to us and the diagnosis in each instance was made upon biopsy of suspicious or obvious lesions. We have not hesitated to biopsy any pregnant cervix, nor have we seen any ill effects from this procedure. It is our firm conviction that some sereening method must be employed if one hopes to discover the asymptomatic malignancies in the pregnant cervix. Many cervices during pregnancy appear abnormal on visualization and it is difficult to establish criteria for biopsy.
Derivation of chondrocyte and osteoblast reporter mouse embryonic stem cell lines

With the establishment of methods that provide evidence for the generation of chondrocyte and osteoblast cell types from ESCs, there is a need for reagents that will enable their further characterization. Here we report on the derivation of chondrocyte and osteoblast reporter ESCs from previously generated and characterized transgenic mouse lines, Collagen type 2 alpha 1(Col2a1)-ECFP, Bone Sialoprotein (BSP)-Topaz, and BSP-Topaz/Dentin Matrix Protein 1 (DMP1)-Cherry dual reporter mice. Col2a1-ECFP is highly expressed in chondrocytes, while BSP-Topaz and DMP1-Cherry are highly expressed in osteoblasts and osteocytes, respectively. These new skeletal reporter mouse ESC lines will serve as valuable reagents to investigate the functionality of ESC derived chondrocyte and osteoblast cell types.
Photodegradation versus hot-electron impact for electrical tree inception at low electric fields

A mechanism of degradation in polymeric insulation at fields lower than required for hot-electron transport is shown. Cable grade low-density polyethylene was aged under divergent and uniform fields, using needle-plane and dimple-plane geometries, respectively. It is shown that, at points of electric stress enhancement in the polymer, the light emitted during the initiation phase of electrical treeing is not due to hot-electron impact but is due to the recombination of electrons and holes injected into the material. The spectra of the emitted light are in the visible and ultraviolet ranges. The ultraviolet light can photodegrade the polymer and lead to electrical treeing. Long-term aging of polyethylene, under divergent and uniform fields, indicates that treeing does not occur at fields below the light inception level. However, above this level an electrical tree always develops and the time to treeing depends on the voltage applied to the polymer. >
Improving evolutionary algorithm performance on maximizing functional test coverage of ASICs using adaptation of the fitness criteria

Adaptation of the fitness criteria can be a very powerful tool, enhancing the feedback scheme employed in standard evolutionary algorithms. When the problem the evolutionary algorithm (EA) is trying to solve is changing over time, the fitness criteria need to change to adapt to the new problem. Significant performance improvements are possible with feedback based adaptation schemes. This work outlines the results of an adaptation scheme applied to maximization of the functional test coverage problem.
DNA methylation provides insight into intergenerational risk for preterm birth in African Americans

African Americans are at increased risk for spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). Though PTB is heritable, genetic studies have not identified variants that account for its intergenerational risk, prompting the hypothesis that epigenetic factors may also contribute. The objective of this study was to evaluate DNA methylation from maternal leukocytes to identify patterns specific to PTB and its intergenerational risk. DNA from peripheral leukocytes from African American women that delivered preterm (24–34 weeks; N = 16) or at term (39–41 weeks; N = 24) was assessed for DNA methylation using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. In maternal samples, 17,829 CpG sites associated with PTB, but no CpG site remained associated after correction for multiple comparisons. Examination of paired maternal-fetal samples identified 5,171 CpG sites in which methylation of maternal samples correlated with methylation of her respective fetus (FDR < 0.05). These correlated sites were enriched for association with PTB in maternal leu...
Mechanism of action of trazodone: a multifunctional drug.

Multifunctional drugs are those with more than one therapeutic mechanism. Trazodone is a multifunctional drug with dose-dependent pharmacologic actions. That is, it has hypnotic actions at low doses due to blockade of 5-HT2A receptors, as well as H1 histamine receptors and α1 adrenergic receptors. Higher doses recruit the blockade of the serotonin transporter (SERT) and turn trazodone into an antidepressant. Although trazodone has traditionally been used as a low dose hypnotic, a new controlled release formulation that has the potential to improve the tolerability of high doses may provide an opportunity to revisit this multifunctional drug as an antidepressant as well.