cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety of infliximab in Crohn's disease: a large single-center experience

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term safety experience of infliximab treatment in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) in clinical practice. Methods: The medical records of 297 consecutive patients with CD treated with infliximab at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center were reviewed for demographic features and adverse events. Results: The 297 patients received a total of 1794 infusions. Patients received a median of four infusions and had a median follow-up of 14.3 months. Forty-four patients (15%) experienced a serious adverse event, requiring the infusion to be stopped in 33 patients (11%). Acute infusion reactions occurred in 18 patients (6%) including respiratory problems in 10 patients (3%) and an anaphylactoid reaction in 1 patient (0.3%). Serum sickness-like disease occurred in one patient (0.3%) and three patients (1%) developed drug-induced lupus. One patient developed a probable new demyelination disorder. Eight patients (2.7%), all of whom were on concurrent immunosuppressants, developed a serious infection, one resulting in fatal sepsis. Six patients (2%) developed malignancies including two lymphomas and two skin cancers. A total of four (1.3%) deaths were observed (median age 72.5 years); two due to gastrointestinal bleeding, one due to sepsis, and one due to malignancy. Conclusions: While short- and long-term infliximab therapy was generally well tolerated, serious adverse events occurred in 15% of patients including drug-induced lupus, fatal sepsis, and malignancy. Concomitant immunosuppressants were significantly associated with infections and deaths, particularly among elderly patients. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010)
An analytical framework for vehicular traffic signal control integrated with dynamic traffic assignment using cell transmission model

This work presents two analytical models for the traffic signal control problem within dynamic traffic assignment framework. The bi-level formulation is based on a Stackelberg Duopoly game where the upper level objective is to determine optimal signal timing plans with the lower level representing a dynamic user equilibrium conditions. In addition, a single level system optimal model is proposed. Cell transmission model is adapted as the embedded traffic flow model in the form of a mathematical program. The single level program is solved and tested on a network containing multiple signalized intersections. It is found that the proposed model performs better than pre-timed signal timing plans.
A case study in embedded-system design: The VuMan 2 wearable computer

The development of an embedded-computer system with a visual interface is described. The authors detail the use of a target system simulator and a prototype printed circuit board (PCB), which facilitated a concurrent approach to the design of the hardware, software, and housing. They outline this codesign process and illustrate its effects with comparative data from the earlier VuMan 1 project. >
Generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus type 2 mutation W1204R alters voltage-dependent gating of Nav1.1 sodium channels

Nine mutations that cause generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus have been identified in the SCN1A gene encoding the α subunit of the Nav1.1 voltage-gated sodium channel. The functional properties of two of these mutations (T875M and R1648H) have previously been described. T875M was shown to enhance slow inactivation, while R1648H dramatically accelerated recovery from inactivation. In this report, we have cloned, expressed and characterized the functional effects of a third generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus mutation, W1204R (Am J Hum Genet 68 (2001) 866). The mutation was cloned into the orthologous rat channel, rNav1.1, and at the same time a single base pair insertion at base 120 in the original rNav1.1 clone was corrected. The level of expression of the corrected wild-type rNav1.1 was approximately 1000-fold higher than that of the original clone and comparable to that achieved with other neuronal sodium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The properties of the W1204R mutant in the corrected rNav1.1 were determined in the absence and presence of the β1 subunit in Xenopus oocytes. The W1204R mutation resulted in approximately 11 mV hyperpolarized shifts in the voltage-dependence of activation and steady-state inactivation when expressed as an α subunit alone. When the channels were coexpressed with the β1 subunit, the hyperpolarized shifts were still present but smaller, approximately 5 mV in magnitude. All other properties that we examined were comparable for the mutant and wild-type channels. The negative shift in activation would increase channel excitability, whereas the negative shift in inactivation would decrease excitability. The negative shifts in both properties also shifted the window current, which is the voltage region in which sodium channels can continue to open because some percentage of channels are activated and not all of the channels are inactivated. The shift in window current for the W1204R mutation could result in hyperexcitability because the neuron’s potential is more likely to reach the more negative range. These results demonstrate that a third SCN1A mutation that causes generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus 2 alters the properties of the sodium channel in a different manner than the previous two mutations that were studied. The diversity in functional effects for these three mutations indicates that a similar clinical phenotype can result from very different underlying sodium channel abnormalities.
Preparation of poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(isoprene) by nitroxide‐mediated free radical polymerization from PEO macroinitiators

Amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(isoprene) (PEO-b-PI) diblock copolymers were prepared by nitroxide-mediated polymerization of isoprene from alkoxyamine-terminal poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). PEO monomethyl ether (Mn ≈ 5200 g/mol) was functionalized by esterification with 2-bromopropionyl bromide with subsequent copper-mediated replacement of the terminal bromine with 2,2,5-trimethyl-4-phenyl-3-azahexane-3-nitroxide. The resulting PEO-alkoxyamine macroinitiator was used to initiate polymerization of isoprene in bulk and in solution at 125 °C to yield PEO-b-PI block copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn ≤ 1.1). Polymerizations were first order in isoprene through 35% conversion. Micellar aggregates of PEO-b-PI in aqueous solution were crosslinked by treatment with a water-soluble redox initiating system, and persistent micellar structures were observed in the dry state by AFM. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2977–2984, 2005
The Constitution in the Process of Denationalization

The normative constitution came into being in 1776 on what was then the periphery of the western world, in North America. Thirteen years later, in 1789, it reached Europe. Unlike in France, in America the revolution was not preceded by state-building in the continental sense. Denationalization means that ruling authority is detached from the state and transferred to non-state bearers. International courts relativize the constitution to the extent that they do not stay within the traditional framework of international law and may only administer justice if parties submit themselves to judgment in a concrete case in advance. An important question is whether the constitution can be transferred to the international level. A constitutionalization of the EU was ascertained early on, and in the meantime a constitutionalization of international organizations like the WTO and the UN has been perceived as well. The need for juridification develops where political rule is exercised.Keywords: American revolution; constitutionalized EU; denationalization; international court; juridification; normative constitution; political rule; state-building
The hemichromogen form of the isolated subunits of hemoglobin

Abstract When the iron atom of the isolated α chains of human hemoglobin is oxidized a conformational change occurs which is produced by the binding to the ferric heme of a second nitrogen base present in the globin. The conformational change is irreversible and immunological tests reveal that the interaction of the ferric α chains with ferrous β chains is impaired. The physicochemical characteristics of this compound and the comparison of its absorption spectrum in the visible and Soret region with that of ferric hemoglobin in the presence of imidazole suggest that in the ferric α chains the “distal” histidine might be the nitrogen base which binds to the heme.
Linear polarization discrimination for in situ infrared spectroscopy at electrode surfaces

Abstract Linear polarization absorption ratios are determined from data fro carbon monoxide and bisulfate anion adsorbed on Pt single crystal electrodes and are compared to the extinction coefficient for the wire grid polarizer utilized. The two adsorbates are at sub-monolayer coverages and have dipole moments, for the IR modes observed, which are normal to the electrode surface. Thus their intensities provide a direct measure of the available parallel polarized light intensity regardless of the actual linear polarization state selected. From the relative absorption ratios it is apparent that the linear polarization discrimination is much less than the predicted values from the polarizer extinction coefficients. The decrease in extinction efficiency for the in situ measurement as compared to the polarizer response is explained in terms of the polarization rotation at the window/solution/electrode interface and the relative linear polarization throughput for the spectrometer.
Analysis of the FEL-RF interaction in recirculating, energy-recovering linacs with an FEL

Abstract Recirculating, energy-recovering linacs can be used as driver accelerators for high power FELs. Instabilities which arise from fluctuations of the cavity fields are investigated. Energy changes can cause beam loss on apertures, phase oscillations and optical cavity detuning. These effects in turn cause changes in the laser output power through a time-varying FEL gain function. All three effects change the beam-induced voltage in the cavities and can lead to unstable variations of the accelerating field and output laser power. We have developed a model of the coupled system and solved it both analytically and numerically. It includes the beam-cavity interaction, low level RF feedback, and the electron–photon interaction. The latter includes the FEL gain function in terms of cavity detuning, energy offset, and is valid both in the small signal gain and in the saturated regimes. We have demonstrated that in the limit of small perturbations, the linear theory agrees with the numerical solutions and have performed numerical simulations for the IR FEL presently being commissioned at Jefferson Lab.
ALTERATIONS IN THE O-LINKED GLYCOSYLATION OF IgA1 IN CHILDREN WITH HENOCH-SCHONLEIN PURPURA. • 1848

IgA plays a central role in the immunopathogenesis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). Although there are two subclasses of IgA, HSP is associated with abnormalities involving only IgA1, but not IgA2. The reasons for the exclusive involvement of IgA1 in the pathogenesis of HSP remain unclear. One important difference between IgA1 and IgA2 is that IgA1 contains a heavily glycosylated hinge region between the CH1 and CH2 domains of the heavy chain. The hinge region oligosaccharides of IgA1 consist of galactose (Gal) plus N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) which is O-linked to serine or threonine. Approximately 75% of the Gal residues are sialylated. Thus, the typical glycosylation pattern is Serine - GalNAc - Gal - Sialic acid. IgA2 contains no heavy chain hinge region, and therefore no O-linked glycosylation sites. The present study was performed to examine the O-linked glycosylation of IgA1 in 28 children with HSP and 26 control children. Plant lectins with the following binding specifities were used: Table The binding of each lectin to serum IgA1 was measured by enzyme immunoassay. There was no difference in the binding of Jacalin to IgA1 from HSP patients compared to controls (P = 0.5). The binding of Peanut lectin to IgA1 was significantly greater in HSP patients compared to controls (P = 0.007). Since sialic acid inhibits the binding of Peanut lectin to GalNAc - Gal, these results suggest there was less sialic acid in the O-linked oligosaccharides of IgA1 from patients with HSP compared to controls. Indeed, the binding of the sialic acid specific Elderberry lectin to IgA1 was significantly lower in HSP patients compared to controls (P = 0.004). The results of this study indicate that the O-linked oligosaccharides of IgA1 from patients with HSP are deficient in sialic acid. This alteration in the glycosylation of IgA1 may explain the exclusive involvement of IgA1 in HSP, and account for many of the immunologic and histologic features of the syndrome.
Scheduling tree-structured tasks on two processors to minimize schedule length

Consider a set of n tasks with a tree-structured precedence relation and execution time of 1 or 3 units. We give an $O(n^2 \log n)$-time algorithm to find a minimum length schedule for these tasks on two identical processors. Possible generalization to the case of 1 or k units is also given.
Validation of a brief Opioid Compliance Checklist for patients with chronic pain

Abstract There has been a need for a brief assessment tool to determine compliance with use of prescribed opioids for pain. The purpose of this study was to develop and begin the validation of a brief and simple compliance checklist (Opioid Compliance Checklist [OCC]) for chronic pain patients prescribed long-term opioid therapy. A review of the literature of opioid therapy agreements led to a 12-item OCC that was repeatedly administered to 157 patients who were taking opioids for chronic pain and followed for 6 months. Validation of the OCC was conducted by identifying those patients exhibiting aberrant drug-related behavior as determined by any of the following: positive urine toxicology screen, a positive score on the Prescription Drug Use Questionnaire interview or Current Opioid Misuse Measure, and/or ratings by staff on the Addiction Behavior Checklist. Of the original 12 items, 5 OCC items appeared to best predict subsequent aberrant behaviors based on multivariate logistic regression analyses (cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = .67). Although further testing is needed, these results suggest that the OCC is an easy-to-use, promising measure in monitoring opioid adherence among persons with chronic pain. Perspective This study presents validation of a brief 5-item compliance checklist for use with chronic pain patients prescribed long-term opioid therapy. This measure asks patients about aberrant drug-related behavior over the past month, and any positive response indicates problems with adherence with opioids. Further cross-validation testing is needed.
DEVELOPMENT OF A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A FISH PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH REHYDRATION AND EMULSIFYING CAPACITIES

A hot-solvent extraction process for preparing fish protein concentrate (FPC) with rehydration and emulsifying capacities is described. The process employed extraction at pH 2.5 in order to prevent protein-protein interaction. Equal volumes of ethanol and hexane at reflux temperatures were employed as the extracting medium. Gel formation was controlled by the addition of NaCl. The FPC produced by this method had an amino acid spectrum similar to that of the fish, formed gels when added to water and emulsions when the rehydrated material was blended with vegetable oils. Both emulsification and rehydration capacities of the FPC were pH dependent with minimum uptake of water and oil in the range of pH 5–8.
UCB and atmospheric noise.

In this issue of Blood, Gutman and colleagues demonstrate that single-unit engraftment after double UCB transplantation is not random.
Are there unconscious perceptual processes

Blindsight and vision for action seem to be exemplars of unconscious visual processes. However, researchers have recently argued that blindsight is not really a kind of unconscious vision but is rather severely degraded conscious vision. Morten Overgaard and colleagues have recently developed new methods for measuring the visibility of visual stimuli. Studies using these methods show that reported clarity of visual stimuli correlates with accuracy in both normal individuals and blindsight patients. Vision for action has also come under scrutiny. Recent findings seem to show that information processed by the dorsal stream for online action contributes to visual awareness. Some interpret these results as showing that some dorsal stream processes are conscious visual processes (e.g., Gallese, 2007; Jacob & Jeannerod, 2003). The aim of this paper is to provide new support for the more traditional view that blindsight and vision for action are genuinely unconscious perceptual processes. I argue that individuals with blindsight do not have access to the kind of purely qualitative color and size information which normal individuals do. So, even though people with blindsight have a kind of cognitive consciousness, visual information processing in blindsight patients is not associated with a distinctly visual phenomenology. I argue further that while dorsal stream processing seems to contribute to visual awareness, only information processed by the early dorsal stream (V1, V2, and V3) is broadcast to working memory. Information processed by later parts of the dorsal stream (the parietal lobe) never reaches working memory and hence does not correlate with phenomenal awareness. I conclude that both blindsight and vision for action are genuinely unconscious visual processes.
Relay backhaul subframe allocation in LTE-Advanced for TDD

Relay is a key technology in LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) for both FDD and TDD. A major aspect of relay technology is the backhaul subframe allocation. In this paper, we discuss backhaul subframe allocation for TDD-LTE and analyze all seven downlink-uplink configurations for completeness. The discussion is put in context of latest development in 3GPP physical layer and centered on specifications impact and various design constraints. With the subframe allocation as an example, the article provides insights from wireless industry point of view on how to design TDD-LTE relay system to balance the backward compatibility, the operation cost/complexity and technology advancement.
Formation and Behavior of Fluorescent Lewis Acid−Base Exciplexes and Triplexes between 3-Aminostilbenes and Aliphatic Amines

The excited singlet states of trans-3-aminostilbene and its N-methyl derivatives are strongly fluorescent in cyclohexane solution and have large singlet state dipole moments. Addition of low concen...
Can Anticoagulation be Reduced After Mechanical Valve Replacement? Interim Results From the Proact Study

cardiac surgery. Methods: The study included 28,422 cardiac surgery patients who had no pre-operative renal dialysis between June 2001 and June 2009 in 18 hospitals, from the ANZSCTS database. Logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify the best combination of risk factors for predicting AKI. Two models were developed, one including pre-operative risk factors and another including pre-, periand early post-operative risk factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, AUC, was calculated, using splitsample internal validation, to assess model discrimination. Results: The incidence of acute kidney injury, AKI, was 5.8% (1642 patients). Mortality for patients who experienced AKI was 17.4% vs. 1.6% for patients who did not have AKI. Upon validation, the AUC for the pre-operative model was 0.77, and the Hosmer–Lemeshow, H–L, goodness-of-fit pvalue was 0.06. For the preand post-operative model the AUC = 0.81 and H–L p-value = 0.6. Both models had good discrimination and satisfactory calibration. Conclusion: AKI following cardiac surgery can be predicted using only pre-operative risk factors or, more accurately, using a combination of pre-, peri-, and early postoperative risk factors. The ability to identify high-risk individuals can be useful in pre-operative patient management/ selection for surgery, and for recruitment of appropriate patients to clinical trials. Prediction in the early stages of post-operative care can be used to guide intensive care and also as a retrospective performance audit tool.
NOSTOCACEAN MACRO‐MORPHOGENESIS

A poorly understood feature of nostocacean growth and development is the formation of ordered macroscopic structures from microscopic cells, trichomes, and filaments. Using macro-photography, time-lapse micro-cinematography, light and electron microscopy of Nostoc species in pure culture, it has been possible to demonstrate how motility, adhesion and aggregation of photo-induced hormogonia result in macro-morphogenesis of dendroid forms. Red-light induced hormogonia from synchronized cultures aggregate rapidly on agar as tight flowing streams, in patterns responsive to the direction and quality of incident light. Unlike the even textured cell surfaces of heterocystous filaments, the cell walls of swarming hormogonia are covered with a striate mucoid layer containing pili attached to cells of adjacent hormogonia. During differentiation to an aseriate phase, cell wall fusions occur and a gelatinous matrix forms around the enlarging sub-globose cells. Liquid suspensions of hormogonia aggregate in a solid mass following the net centripetal movement of interlaced loops of curved hormogonia attached by adhesive pili. In darkness or dim white light, compressed hormogonial aggregates form erect tree-like (dendroid) macro-structures by photo-tactic reversal of streaming motility. Hormogonia within the aggregates re-organize into streams that push upward into the light, forming structured, positively phototropic protuberances, several millimeters in length. Under weak illumination, the structures become branched with crowns of waving hormogonia. The dendroid morphology is stabilized by deposit of gelatinous material derived from successive cycles of cell-filament development, liberation of heterocysts and formation of dormant cells and trichomes.
DNA prime/protein boost vaccine strategy in neonatal macaques against simian human immunodeficiency virus

Newborn macaques were vaccinated against a chimeric simian human immunodeficiency (SHIV) virus, SHIV-vpu+, by DNA priming and boosting with homologous HIV-1 gp160. Following SHIV-vpu+ challenge, containment of infection was observed in 4 of 15 animals given DNA priming/protein boost vaccination and in three of four animals given gp160 boosts only. Rechallenge with homologous virus of six animals that contained the first challenge virus resulted in rapid viral clearance or low viral loads. Upon additional rechallenge with heterologous, pathogenic SHIV89.6P, four of these six animals maintained normal CD4+ T-cell counts with no or limited SHIV89.6P infection. Our data suggest that humoral and cellular immune mechanisms may have contributed to the containment of SHIV89.6P; however, viral interference with SHIV-vpu+ could also have played a role. Our results indicate that immunogenicity and efficacy of candidate AIDS vaccines are not affected when vaccination is initiated during infancy as compared with later in life.
Angular CCT Uniformity of Phosphor Converted White LEDs: Effects of Phosphor Materials and Packaging Structures

In this work, we studied the effect of different packaging parameters on the angular homogeneity of correlated color temperature (CCT) in phosphor-in-cup light-emitting diode (LED) packages, including phosphor particle concentration, phosphor-layer surface curvature, and lens surface curvature, using a Monte Carlo ray tracing simulation tool. An optimized packaging geometry with convex phosphor layer was achieved with good CCT uniformity and highest lumen efficiency. Moreover, an approach was developed for the prediction of color uniformity and lumen efficiency when varying the surface curvature of either phosphor layer or clear lens, since the inconsistency of phosphor layer or lens cap happened commonly to the fabricated phosphor conversion white LEDs (pc-WLEDs).
Learning to Link Research, Practice, and Disciplinary Literacies: An Interview With Darin Stockdill

Darin Stockdill was a secondary school English and social studies teacher in Detroit. His early research with classroom instruction and professional development motivated him to begin doctoral study to explore how schools serving as research sites can become sites for professional development and collaboration. He finds an epistemic perspective on disciplinary literacies—a view of how scholars in different disciplines interpret and produce knowledge through their reading and writing—helps him think about how teaching and learning can be transformed for classrooms.
Polybutadiene grafting and crosslinking in high-impact polystyrene bulk thermal process

The grafting and the crosslinking of polybutadiene during the bulk thermal polymerization of high-impact polystyrene were studied. The kinetic equations for these two reactions were derived by the use of the moments of the distribution functions. This kinetic model indicates that both the density of grafting and the degree of crosslinking increase with the increasing temperature of polymerization and, most significantly, with the increasing conversion of styrene.
Vitamin B12Co60 distribution in dog tissues during many months; red cell stroma with labeled B12 in hemolytic anemia.

Experiments dealing with the distribution of B12Co60 in the dog indicate that with time (9 months after administration) there is a shift in the distribution of the vitamin as compared to the short term experiments, as well as prolonged retention of the vitamin within various dog tissues. The heart, gastric mucosa, liver, spleen, and brain show high concentrations of the isotope in long term experiments. This distribution, in the heart for example, does not fit with an hypothetical breakdown of B12Co60 complex and storage of a physiologically inactive fraction. Repeated periods of anemia produced by phenylhydrazine make it possible to demonstrate radioactive material in red cell stroma of dogs that have previously received vitamin B12Co60. This radioactive material must have come from other body stores, such as liver and stomach. The high concentration of B12Co60 in the gastric mucosa suggests a relationship between it and the intrinsic factor as described by Castle.
Crystal Structure of a β-Catenin/APC Complex Reveals a Critical Role for APC Phosphorylation in APC Function

The tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) plays a critical role in the turnover of cytosolic β-catenin, the key effector of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. APC contains seven 20 amino acid (20 aa) β-catenin binding repeats that are required for β-catenin turnover. We have determined the crystal structure of β-catenin in complex with a phosphorylated APC fragment containing two 20 aa repeats. Surprisingly, one single phosphorylated 20 aa repeat, together with its flanking regions, covers the entire structural groove of β-catenin and may thus compete for β-catenin binding with all other β-catenin armadillo repeat partners. Our biochemical studies show that phosphorylation of the APC 20 aa repeats increases the affinity of the repeats for β-catenin by 300- to 500-fold and the phosphorylated 20 aa repeats prevent β-catenin binding to Tcf. Our work suggests that the phosphorylation of the APC 20 aa repeats could be a critical switch for APC function.
New tunes from Corti's organ: the outer hair cell boogie rules.

Abstract The amplification of acoustic stimuli is a feature of hair cells that evolved early on in vertebrates. Though standard stereocilia mechanisms to promote such amplification may persist in the mammal, an additional mechanism evolved to enhance high frequency sensation. Only in mammals, a special cell type, the outer hair cell, arose that possesses a remarkably fast somatic mechanical response, which probably endows the passive cochlea with a boost in sensitivity by a factor of 100 (40 dB), at least. Experiments conducted over the past few years have shed light on many aspects of outer hair cell electromotility, including the molecular identification of the motor, the effects of a knockout, and underlying mechanisms of action. A review of this remarkable progress is attempted.
Diversification of a Salmonella Virulence Protein Function by Ubiquitin-Dependent Differential Localization

SUMMARY Many bacterial pathogens and symbionts utilize type III secretion systems to deliver bacterial effector proteins into host cells. These effector proteins have the capacity to modulate a large variety of cellular functions in a highly regulated manner. Here, we report that the phosphoinositide phosphatase SopB, a Salmonella Typhimurium type III secreted effector protein, diversifies its function by localizing to different cellular compartments in a ubiquitin-dependent manner. We show that SopB utilizes the same enzymatic activity to modulate actin-mediated bacterial internalization and Akt activation at the plasma membrane and vesicular trafficking and intracellular bacterial replication at the phagosome. Thus, by exploiting the host cellular machinery, Salmonella Typhimurium has evolved the capacity to broaden the functional repertoire of a virulence factor to maximize its ability to modulate cellular functions.
Different thermodynamic signatures for DNA minor groove binding with changes in salt concentration and temperature.

The effects of salt concentration and temperature on the thermodynamics of DNA minor groove binding have quite different signatures: binding enthalpy is salt concentration independent but temperature dependent. Conversely, binding free energy is salt dependent but essentially temperature independent through enthalpy–entropy compensation.
Role of sonography in pancreatic transplantation.

Despite recent advancements in surgical technique and immunosuppressive therapy, postoperative complications of pancreatic transplantation are still common. A complex spectrum of such adverse events includes graft rejection, peripancreatic fluid collections, pancreatitis, exocrine leaks, vascular thrombosis, and hemorrhage. Sonography plays a key role in the initial evaluation of the transplanted pancreas. Gray-scale sonography, duplex Doppler imaging, and sonographic guidance for percutaneous biopsy all contribute to posttransplantation evaluation and detection of sequelae. Color and power Doppler imaging offer valuable information regarding the regional vasculature and potential vascular complications. Because gray-scale sonographic findings alone are often nonspecific, several clinical criteria, including those from biochemical analysis of the urine and serum, must be reviewed with the sonographic findings to provide a thorough evaluation of the transplanted pancreas. When used in conjunction with serologic and urinary markers, the findings from sonography can help direct management options or suggest the need for further examination. Therefore, an understanding of the spectrum of complications combined with knowledge concerning the limitations of this imaging modality are essential for proper diagnosis and effective treatment.
Determination of the urethral dose in prostate brachytherapy when the urethra cannot be visualized in the postimplant CT scan.

This study investigates the feasibility of locating the urethra at the geometric center of peripherally loaded 125 I prostate implant when a urinary catheter is not utilized for the postimplant CT scan. Twenty postimplant CT scans utilizing a urinary catheter were randomly selected. The urethra was localized in each study and, in addition, a surrogate urethra was localized at the geometric center of the prostate. Dose-volume histograms of the urethra and surrogate urethra were compiled and compared. The values obtained for the urethra D 10 , D 25 , and D 50 were in good agreement and demonstrate that the urethral dose can be determined reliably by locating a surrogate urethra at the geometric center of the prostate in a peripherally loaded implant when the urethra cannot be visualized.
Robust controller design for the benchmark problem using mixed L ∞ /H ∞ optimization

A successful controller design paradigm must take into account both model uncertainty and performance specifications. Model uncertainty can be addresed using the H∞ robust control framework. However, this framework cannot accommodate the realistic case where in addition to robustness considerations, the system is subject to time domain specifications although some progress has been recently made in this direction [1-2]. We recently proposed a design procedure to explicitly incorporate time-domain specifications into the H∞ framework [3]. In this paper we apply this design procedure to the simple flexible structure used as a benchmark in the 1990-1992 ACC, with the goal of minimizing the peak control effort due to disturbances while satisfying settling time and robustness specifications. The results show that there exist a severe trade-off between peak control action, settling time and robustness to model uncertainty.
Variation in efficiency of aphid transmission of southern cucumber mosaic virus and potato virus Y in pepper.

Abstract Considerable differences in the ability of several clones of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, to transmit southern cucumber mosaic virus (SCMV) in pepper were demonstrated. The same differences were not demonstrable when these clones were used as vectors of potato virus Y (PVY) in pepper. Each clone and species of aphid tested proved to have a definite and constant level of efficiency for each virus tested. Attempts were made to change the vector-efficiency of some of the aphid clones. Changing the species of aphid host plant only slightly affected the efficiency of transmission. Transmission was not consistently affected by changing the species of plants providing virus inoculum. Selection of subclones from aphids that had histories as vectors did not change the efficiency of a clone. Selection of inoculum plants that had histories of transmission by the same clone of aphid also failed to change the vector efficiency of a given clone of aphid.
Introduction to a Special Issue Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Evolution and Adaptations in the 21st Century

Born from the randomized controlled trial by Linehan and colleagues in 1991, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has become the gold standard for treatment of individuals who are suicidal and have borderline personality disorder. In this special issue, we begin with a historical review of DBT provided by the treatment developer herself. We then introduce readers to new, 21(st) century adaptations developed of this treatment modality. In this issue we explore the use of DBT for suicidal adolescents with one paper focusing on Latina teens and their parents, and one focused on the more recently developed walking the middle path skills module. Other papers in this issue include unique adaptations of DBT for eating disorders, and disorders of over-control, as well as trauma in incarcerated male adolescents. We also look at transdiagnostic applications of DBT and finally a comparison of DBT with mentalization-based treatment.
Deliberation, Recognition and the Aspiration for Liberal Self-Government

In standard liberal accounts this is described as the question of political legitimacy. My claim in this paper is that the typical understanding of legitimacy often runs together two related but distinct political goods, legitimacy and an aspiration for self-government. Moreover, in doing so, prominent contemporary liberal political theorists have over-committed to a justification-based conception of deliberation that offer only mere legitimacy. By exploring a phenomena I call the “burdens of justice” I show that, on its own terms, this justification-focused account of deliberation cannot generate a sustained sense of self-government; indeed, it will fail exactly when needed most. However, another aspect of the ongoing efforts of deliberation does show promise as a source for a meaningful sense of self-government. For political deliberation is also an opportunity to generate mutual recognition between citizens. This mutual recognition has the potential to become the foundation for polity through which all citizens can participate in a meaningful and sustained sense of self-government.
Filter Performance Degradation of Electrostatic N95 and P100 Filtering Facepiece Respirators by Dioctyl Phthalate Aerosol Loading

Polydisperse dioctyl phthalate (DOP) aerosols are employed for testing filter penetration with loading of R- and P-series particulate filters for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Heal...
The use of fixed, sensitized, lyophilized erythrocytes for the Middlebrook-Dubos tuberculin test.

Summary1. A method has been presented adapting ethyl alcohol-formalin fixed, sensitized erythrocytes to the Middlebrook-Dubos hemagglutination test for detecting antibodies against tuberculin. 2. The results using fixed cells with a number of sera were similar or more sensitive than those in which fresh cells were used. 3. Fixed tuberculin coated erythrocytes were successfully stored in the lyophilized state or in the frozen state for a period of 2 months without significant lowering of their sensitivity.
Woven Hierarchical Aerospace Composite Laminates with Aligned Carbon Nanotube Bulk Reinforcement

We demonstrate a method for growing aligned carbon nanotubes (A-CNTs) on carbon fiber (CF) fabrics to create advanced hierarchical aerospace composites with integrated through-thickness reinforcements. To circumvent the in-plane strength reductions that have hitherto compromised mechanical enhancements, we employ non-covalent functionalization of CFs to enable catalyst adhesion, and low temperature chemical vapor deposition. Radially aligned CNTs were observed to grow around individual fibers with lengths ranging from 1-2 microns, and covering across fabric tows. Additionally, successful scale-up to “fuzzy” CFRP laminates was shown through a vacuum assisted epoxy resin infusion technique. Laminates with 50% microfiber and < 1% CNT volume fraction were fabricated. Short-beam shear (SBS) testing was conducted on both baseline and CNT-reinforced laminates. The SBS strength is found to be higher for the baseline laminates on average, with the CNTreinforced laminates having a lower initial failure that sets the SBS strength. However, all fuzzy CFRP cases display significantly enhanced toughness. These opposing results are attributed principally to inhomogeneities in the produced laminates with regard to CNT coverage, which will be the focus of future work.
Polistes Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) as Control Agents for Lepidopterous Cabbage Pests

We obtained a significant gain of weight and quality of cabbage in plots exposed to foraging Polistes wasps compared with cabbage in control plots. This reflects the significant reduction in numbers of large Pieris rapae larvae due to wasp predation. In 1980 the reduction in larvae did not show a corresponding reduction in damage and loss of yield. One average nest of wasps (5.6 wasps) was sufficient to reduce Pieris populations by up to five larvae (44%) on each of ca. 20 cabbage plants during the season. A major reason levels of control achieved by Polistes in this study were not higher was the availability of alternate prey.
Association between responsible pet ownership and glycemic control in youths with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) a chronic characterized by an absolute insulin deficiency requires conscientious patient self-management to maintain glucose control within a normal range. Family cohesion and adaptability, positive coping strategies, social support and adequate self-regulatory behavior are found to favorably influence glycemic control. Our hypothesis was that the responsible care of a companion animal is associated with these positive attributes and correlated with the successful management of a chronic illness such as type 1 diabetes. We recruited 223 youths between 9 and 19 years of age from the Pediatric Diabetes clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, reviewed the status of their glycemic control (using three consecutive A1c values) and asked them questions about the presence of a pet at home, and their level of involvement with its care. Multivariate analyses show that children who care actively for one or more pets at home are 2.5 times more likely to have control over their glycemic levels than children who do not care for a pet, adjusting for duration of disease, socio-economic status, age and self-management [1.1 to 5.8], pWald = 0.032. A separate model involving the care of a petdog only yielded comparable results (ORa = 2.6 [1.1 to 5.9], pWald = 0.023).
Fontan Operation and 1½ Ventricular Repair

The Fontan operation has undergone many revisions since its introduction by Francis Fontan and Guillermo Kreutzer in 1968. Gone are the venous pathway valves, the right atrial connections to small subpulmonic ventricles, and atriopulmonary connections. The standard therapy for orthoterminal (Fontan) correction is determined by three distinct time periods: The first is the neonatal management of pulmonary artery flow (by systemic to pulmonary artery shunt, pulmonary artery band, or observation). The second stage takes place at about 6 months of age; it includes systemic to pulmonary artery shunt takedown or pulmonary artery band takedown and a bidirectional Glenn shunt. This procedure prepares the single ventricle by volume unloading, resulting in favorable ventricular remodeling. At about 2 years of age, the Fontan operation is usually performed. Since the introduction of atrial fenestration, some surgeons have used this obligatory right-to-left shunt in all cases, but some use it selectively and others, not at all. Most surgeons now use the fenestration selectively, especially in cases with borderline ventricular function, small pulmonary arteries, abundant aortopulmonary artery collaterals, and single-lung physiology. The fenestration can be performed easily in the lateral tunnel Fontan operation, but not so easily in the extracardiac Fontan operation.
A Flexible Open-Source Toolbox for Scalable Complex Graph Analysis.

The Knowledge Discovery Toolbox (KDT) enables domain experts to perform complex analyses of huge datasets on supercomputers using a high-level language without grappling with the difficulties of writing parallel code, calling parallel libraries, or becoming a graph expert. KDT provides a flexible Python interface to a small set of high-level graph operations; composing a few of these operations is often sufficient for a specific analysis. Scalability and performance are delivered by linking to a state-of-the-art back-end compute engine that scales from laptops to large HPC clusters. KDT delivers very competitive performance from a generalpurpose, reusable library for graphs on the order of 10 billion edges and greater. We demonstrate speedup of 1 and 2 orders of magnitude over PBGL and Pegasus, respectively, on some tasks. Examples from simple use cases and key graphanalytic benchmarks illustrate the productivity and performance realized by KDT users. Semantic graph abstractions provide both flexibility and high performance for real-world use cases. Graph-algorithm researchers benefit from the ability to develop algorithms quickly using KDT’s graph and underlying matrix abstractions for distributed memory. KDT is available as open-source code to foster experimentation.
Role of conization in the treatment of cervical carcinoma in situ

A series of one hundred cone biopsy specimens diagnosed as carcinoma in situ followed by hysterectomy were reviewed and classified according to four criteria: the degrees of cellular anaplasia and linear, circumferential, and glandular extensions in order to determine whether a predictable correlation exists between the finding of residual tumor in the hysterectomy specimen and the severity of the lesion in the cone biopsy according to this system of evaluation. The purpose of the study was to determine when the cone biopsy in itself may constitute the final therapy for carcinoma in situ. The data, although statistically insignificant, suggest that such a predictable relationship does exist and that hysterectomy can be bypassed in certain patients provided that a close follow-up is assured.
The case for hyposensitization: its rationale and justification.

If physicians who give primary medical care to children will become familiar with the appropriate applications of hyposensitization therapy, huge prophylactic, as well as therapeutic, rewards will ensue.
Documentation of Ovoid Cap Size

The need for precise documentation in radiation oncology is paramount; assurance of the quality of therapy delivered is the responsibility of everyone engaged in the treatment of cancer patients. Although all aspects of quality assurance require meticulous attention to detail, the documentation of brachytherapy procedures, both written dose prescription and film verification, is particularly important as no single method of dose reporting is universally accepted and used. The size of ovoid caps used in brachytherapy applications for gynecologic malignancies cannot be verified on treatment planning films, as the caps are not radio-opaque. If the cap size is improperly reported by the physician, resulting surface dose calculations used to determine source loading and implant duration could cause over- or underdosing. In an effort to improve and refine gynecologic brachytherapy record-keeping, we have devised a method to verify and document cap size. Narrow stainless steel bands have been embedded into grooves cut circumferentially on the surface of the ovoid caps. These bands are readily visible on localization films, producing documentation of the cap diameter, reducing the risk of error in dose reporting, and providing a permanent record of ovoid size. We will review the nature of possible dose errors affecting clinical decisions.
BENEVOLENT GOVERNMENT NOW

Mencian benevolent government intervenes dramatically in many ways in the marketplace in order to secure the material well-being of the population, especially the poor and disadvantaged. Mencius considers this sort of intervention to be appropriate not just occasionally when dealing with natural disasters, but regularly. Furthermore, Mencius recommends shifting from regressive to progressive taxes. He favors reduction of inequality so as to reduce corruption of government by the wealthy, and opposes punishment for people driven to crime by destitution. Mencius thinks government should try to improve the character of the population by preventing or relieving poverty, by setting a good example, and by teaching people to respect and care for each other. He considers a government to be legitimate only if it has the support of the people. His recommended foreign policy is approximately the same as his recommended domestic policy: set a good example and enhance the material wellbeing and moral values of one's own people so that they will enthusiastically support their country, while foreigners will long to immigrate. These are policies of today's left. Mencius was a radical reformer in his own day. His description of benevolent government shows that he is an extreme liberal by contemporary standards, too.