cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel clustering technique using backscattering side channel for counterfeit IC detection

Over the past few years, globalization of the semiconductor supply chain has led companies to outsource much of the production cycle for integrated circuits (ICs). While outsourcing helps companies significantly reduce their cost and time-to-market, it also introduces concerns about the trustworthiness of an IC. One of the most serious problems is counterfeiting of ICs, which not only negatively impacts innovation and economic growth of the IC industry, but also creates serious threats and risks for systems that incorporate those counterfeit ICs. This paper proposes a novel method that uses the backscattering side-channel to cluster ICs such that counterfeits are separated from legitimate ICs. The backscattering side-channel, which has been introduced only recently, has been proven to outperform other side-channels in detecting hardware Trojan horses (HTs), i.e. ICs where additional logic gates (and connections to existing logic gates) have been added. In this work we use it to robustly separate ICs into legitimate and counterfeit ones, even when only layout or placement of the IC has changed, without any added logic or connections. We evalute our technique on a set of ten boards over six different counterfeit IC designs, and find that our technique tolerates manufacturing variations among different hardware instances, detecting counterfeit ICs with 100% accuracy and 0% false positives.
Using implantable biosensors and wearable scanners to monitor dairy cattle's core body temperature in real-time

Abstract A minimally invasive method that involves using implantable biosensors with radio-frequency identification (RFID) capabilities was tested in regard to its ability to continuously measure the ear base subdermal temperature of a dairy cow. An increase in subdermal temperature, reflective of vasodilation, could, we surmised, potentially detect the level of heat stress. This could provide a better way to control dairy-barn cooling systems, which are commonly controlled solely on the basis of either air temperature or some other such non-ideal environmental parameters. Concurrent with the development of new technologies, the Long-Range (LoRa) wireless communication technology and a concept known as the “Internet of Things” (IoT) were utilized to extract temperature data from the base of a cow’s ear every 30 s in real-time. To test the method, an implant temperature sensor was injected, at the base of the ear, into three Holstein cows, and each was equipped with a wearable RFID scanner (mounted on an existing collar) for five days during a summer season in Wisconsin. The primary objective was to determine the efficacy of using implantable biosensors and wireless communication technology to monitor the heat-stress levels experienced by these dairy cows, in real-time, over the five days. Overall, the recorded subdermal temperature data obtained from implantable biosensors closely corresponded to the changes that occurred in core (vaginal) body temperature, and the developed wireless communication nodes successfully measured and monitored the temperature readings in real-time. Each cow showed different heat stress responses despite the fact that all three were in virtually the same location and subject to the same temperature-humidity index (THI) throughout the study. The study also found that the temperature readings obtained by the implantable biosensor began to more closely match in value the corresponding core body temperature (CBT) readings as the THI increased. Furthermore, the CBT of a cow could be reasonably predicted by applying a machine-learning (ML) algorithm to measured subdermal-temperature and THI data. The present study also found that the dairy cows tested displayed no obvious adverse effects that could have resulted from the biosensor implanted at the base of the ear. This study’s findings should serve as the first step toward any future research and development that may take place in the field of precision agriculture, especially research that considers even smaller and more practical electronics.
(Un)doing Spatially Fixed Inequality: Critical Reflections on Urban School District-Community Partnerships

Utilizing critical geography, critical history, and critical educational studies as guideposts, this article examines community organizing and school district partnerships as relevant to improving urban public education reform efforts and schooling practices within the United States. Proceeding in four parts, part one discusses the kinds of external multi-sector entities working with school districts in a continued era of accountability-driven educational reform. Understanding community activism as a lever to address urban geospatial obstacles to equity-oriented educational practices, this is followed by a historical overview of community-based organizations (CBOs) as tied to sociopolitical, economic, and schooling transformation throughout the U.S. Part three helps to illustrate this position through discussion of the Buffalo-Niagara Region and the case of one urban school district context—Buffalo Public Schools (BPS). Specifically, it considers how regional history, demographic shifts, urban development, racial spatialization, and CBOs affect district practices. It concludes with a discussion of the significance of CBO partnerships with urban schools toward the end of improving educational opportunities for traditionally underserved, low income, and minoritized student populations.
A Synergistic Approach to Unraveling the Thermodynamic Stability of Binary and Ternary Chevrel Phase Sulfides

State-of-the-art high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry and density functional theory were employed to produce the first systematic study of thermodynamic stability in a series of binary ...
Duodenal complications in necrotizing pancreatitis: Challenges of an overlooked complication

Abstract Background Duodenal complications of necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) are challenging and understudied. We sought to characterize the demographics and clinical course of NP patients with duodenal complications. Methods Single institution retrospective review of 687 NP patients treated from 2005 to 2018. Results Duodenal complications developed in 40 (6%) patients including fistula in 11 (2%) and stricture in 29 (4%) patients. Patients with duodenal complications had increased computed tomography severity index (CTSI), degree of glandular necrosis, organ failure, infected necrosis, and disease duration. Mortality from NP was increased in patients with duodenal fistula (36%) compared to patients with duodenal stricture (7%) and patients without duodenal complications (9%). Surgical management of duodenal complications was required in 9/11 (82%) patients with fistula and 17/29 (59%) patients with stricture. Conclusions Duodenal complications occurred in 6% of necrotizing pancreatitis patients. Sixty five percent of patients with duodenal complications required surgical correction. Duodenal fistula was associated with increased mortality.
Reusable software components

Publisher Summary The chapter focuses on consolidating important recent technical advances that help in making reusable software components more feasible. It describes a general model of software structure and then uses that model to clarify several key ideas, including software component. The model leads to a natural vision of the likely scope of a mature software-components industry and highlights the technical issues such as software specification, parameterization of behavior, and certification of correctness of component implementations. The chapter emphasizes that the 3C reference model has the potential to become the accepted basis for discourse on reusable software components among members of the reuse community. The 3C model defines and distinguishes three ideas: concept, content, and context. The 3C model of software structure makes no commitment as to whether any component is reused. It also makes no commitment as to the source of the components, i.e., whether they are purchased piece-parts or leftovers from a past company project or developed as custom components for the current project. The model thus provides a framework in which reusable components can be studied but it does not mandate reuse. The chapter describes both general and specific guidelines to direct designers of reusable software components toward superior abstract designs that have efficient implementations. It also discusses the influences of programming-language mechanisms on component reuse and the influences of component reuse on programming-language design.
Menstrual disorders associated with sirolimus treatment

Introduction Sirolimus has become a pillar in the treatment of vascular anomalies due to its inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Adverse effects include metabolic and hematologic disorders among others, although menstrual disorders have not been well described. Materials and methods Retrospective review of patients with vascular anomalies on sirolimus treatment was performed. Patients presenting menstrual alterations were included. Main results One hundred and thirty-six patients with vascular anomalies on treatment with sirolimus were reviewed, finding seven women out of 74 (9.4%) who presented menstrual alterations attributable to the treatment. These seven patients presented with different vascular malformations and three showed pathogenic variants in phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) in affected tissue. Partial response in six and stability in one patient was obtained after treatment, administered for an average of 27.5 months (6-48). Five patients have completed treatment and two patients continue on after 12 and 15 months, respectively. All patients reported regular menstrual cycles prior to sirolimus treatment. One patient presented with amenorrhea for 4 months after treatment initiation that later spontaneously resolved. The other six patients presented with hypermenorrhea, four of them associating metrorrhagia. Most patients presented with mild menstrual alterations, without needing dose reduction or withdrawal, although one discontinued sirolimus due to hypermenorrhea, metrorrhagia, and hematuria. After sirolimus withdrawal, regular menstrual cycles were restored in five patients. Conclusion Sirolimus treatment can produce menstrual disorders as adverse effects. Although mild and reversible upon dose reduction or cessation of treatment, patients and physicians should be aware on this potential side effect.
Postbuckling behavior and imperfection sensitivity of elastic-plastic periodic plate-lattice materials

Abstract Advances in additive manufacturing have enabled a new generation of materials with advantageous properties inherent to their architecture. Recently, architected materials with periodic arrangements of plates, called plate-lattice materials, have been developed to reach theoretical least upper bounds for stiffness and strength of isotropic materials. This work investigates the buckling behavior of several plate-lattice architectures with relative densities between 0.5% to 25% when subjected to uniaxial compression. Finite element unit cell models with shell elements and periodic boundary conditions are used to simulate the buckling and post-buckling behavior of plate-lattices made from an elastic-perfectly plastic parent material. Five plate-lattice architectures with cubic symmetry are investigated– three anisotropic architectures (simple cubic, body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic) and two isotropic architectures (simple cubic and body-centered cubic combination, simple cubic and face-centered cubic combination). Geometric imperfections of varying amplitude are applied to determine the imperfection sensitivity of these plate-lattice materials, and to calculate their buckling knockdown factors. Consistent with the behavior of the elastic–plastic plate building blocks that comprise the lattice, this investigation reveals that plate-lattice materials are generally imperfection insensitive when their constituent plates become thinner and first bifurcation occurs in the elastic range away from the yield stress. When this occurs, the initial post-buckling behavior is stable and the ultimate strength can be many times higher than the initial buckling stress.
Impact of a simple intervention that improves colon cancer lymph node yield and assessement

e15058 Background: The National Quality Forum has endorsed the 12 lymph node (LN) benchmark as a quality metric. Currently, less than 40% of institutions meet this requirement. The purpose of this ...
Magnetoelastic Properties of Jahn-Teller Crystals with Colossal Magnetoresistance

The cooperative Jahn-Teller effect in the low doped La1−xSr(Ba)xMnO3 crystals with colossal magnetoresistance is considered. Experimentally observed magnetoelastic properties like metamagnetoelasticity and magnetic field induced structural phase transitions are explained on the basis of the developed microscopic approach. It is proposed that the presence of an excited electronic orbital triplet, located relatively close to the ground Mn3+-electronic state, is fundamentally important for the understanding the experimental magnetic and magnetoelastic data. The existence of the excited triplet state separated by a small energy gap from the ground doublet is in agreement with the Tanabe —Sugano theoretical energy diagrams and is supported by the infrared absorption and Raman scattering measurements. Numerous calculations of the temperature and external magnetic field dependence of different crystal characteristics are made. Those calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimental results.
Studies of distal colonic motility in children. I. Non-propulsive patterns in normal children.

A suitable technic for measuring gastrointestinal pressures and motility in children is described and critically evaluated. Data from 40 normal children are presented. These data show characteristic and different patterns in closely related segments of the distal colon, with a tendency to broader wave forms in the lower rectum. The possible physiologic implications are reviewed. Comparison of the data is made with data available from adults and, although the findings agree, differences in classification and interpretation are made. The potential usefulness of the technic for pharmacologic studies is discussed.
A simplification of Rosay's theorem on global solvability of tangential Cauchy-Riemann equations

On donne une nouvelle demonstration directe du theoreme de J. Rosay sur la resolubilite globale des equations de Cauchy-Riemann tangentielles
Hydrodynamic Analysis of Journal Bearings with Structural Inertia and Elasticity by a Modal Finite Element Method

An elastohydrodynamic lubrication model is presented for the coupled problem of a hydrodynamic lubricating fluid in an elastic structure that includes structural inertia. The problem is formulated and the governing equations solved with the finite element method for a realistic journal bearing subject to dynamic loading. Comparisons with an existing model that neglects structural inertia agree excellently for the realistic bearing considered, showing that structural inertia can often be neglected without significant loss of accuracy. However, the new model presented can capture important effects of structural inertia for special problems, is conceptually simple, and exhibits significant improvements over existing methods with respect to numerical stability and speed.
Closed Form Solutions for Reconstruction Via Complex Analysis

We address the problem of control-based recovery of robot pose and environmental lay-out. Panoramic sensors provide a 1D projection of characteristic features of a 2D operation map. Trajectories of these projections contain information about the position of a priori unknown landmarks in the environment. We introduce the notion of spatiotemporal signatures of projection trajectories. These signatures are global measures, characterized by considerably higher robustness with respect to noise and outliers than the commonly applied point correspondence. By modeling the 2D motion plane as the complex plane we show that by means of complex analysis the reconstruction problem can be reduced to a quadratic—or even linear in some cases—equation. The algorithm is tested in simulations and in a real experiment.
Cloning and characterization of a thermal hysteresis (antifreeze) protein with DNA-binding activity from winter bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara.

The gene for a thermal hysteresis (antifreeze) protein (sthp-64) from the bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara, was cloned and characterized. An expression cDNA library prepared from November S. dulcamara was screened using a polyclonal antibody generated against a previously purified 67 kDa thermal hysteresis protein, and positive clones were identified and sequenced. The full-length thermal hysteresis protein gene was cloned into an Escherichia coli expression vector and expressed as a fusion protein. The putative thermal hysteresis protein (STHP-64) contains two conserved regions 56 and 57 amino acids in length which have the C-X4-C-X22−23-H-X1-H zinc finger motif which is present in WRKY proteins, a family of transcription factors which play a role in regulating expression of pathogenesis-related proteins in plants. Additional features of transcription factors, such as an acidic domain between the two zinc-fingers and a glutamine-rich region upstream of the first zinc-finger are also present in STHP-64. A DNA binding assay showed that the expressed STHP-64 fusion protein has specific DNA-binding ability. A unique feature of STHP-64 is that the C-terminus contains 10 consecutive 13-mer repeats. Such repeats are a common feature of animal antifreeze proteins. The expressed STHP-64 fusion protein had low levels of thermal hysteresis activity, but this activity was considerably increased by addition of citrate, which is known as an enhancer of certain insect antifreeze proteins. Northern blots demonstrated that the STHP-64 transcript was not present in leaves until November and December, suggesting that cold acclimation induces STHP-64 production.
Following the Man on the Clapham Omnibus: Social Science Evidence in Malpractice Litigation

This article responds to proposals to admit statistical evidence from empirical studies of actual health care practices to prove prevailing health practice standards in malpractice litigation by arguing that the case for doing so has numerous weaknesses that advocates of admitting such data commonly ignore. A fundamental concern is that the standard of practice defense co-evolved with prevailing modes of proof and might have been different had proof through experts not allowed for an aspirational as well as an empirical element to reach the jury. The article also argues that generating reliable statistical evidence of standard medical practice can be extraordinarily difficult, is likely to disguise expert subjectivity rather than eliminate it and can be expected to replace one kind of expert battle with another. Recognizing the weaknesses of current systems of expert proof, the article suggests a second best solution which would allow a limited role for statistical evidence and argues that the first best solution is to change the prevailing health practice standard defense to a competent physician defense that accommodates both empirical and other expert testimony.
How gender affects number: cue-based retrieval in agreement production

This study presents a re-analysis of data from Foote and Bock, aimed at determining how cue-based retrieval works in agreement production by focusing on the role of grammatical gender in number agreement. By examining previously collected production data on number agreement in Mexican and Dominican Spanish with both overt subjects (Experiment 1) and null subjects (Experiment 2), we show that errors in number agreement are more likely in both varieties of Spanish when the subject head noun and local noun match in grammatical gender, but only when the subject is pronounced (Experiment 1). We interpret this effect of grammatical gender using models of cue-based retrieval and show how this effect exists in addition to, and not in place of, other mechanisms that affect agreement, such as agreement attraction (via feature percolation) and notional number.
Selection of Extranuclear Mutants of NEUROSPORA CRASSA

A procedure is described that produces primarily extranuclear mutants of Neurospora crassa. An analysis of five mutants, [ cni-3], [cni-4], [rsp-2], [rsp-3], [rsp-4 ] is presented. All five mutants segregate in an extranuclear manner. They can be assorted into two classes based on their respiratory properties: (1) those with cyanide-insensitive respiration (cni); (2) those with slow respiration (rsp). All of the mutants are female sterile. The respiratory trait can be placed in different nuclear backgrounds by heterokaryotic transfer. The abnormal respiratory traits are observed in mitochondria isolated from the mutants and it is likely that the mutations are in mitochondrial DNA.
Experimentally generating any desired partially coherent Schell-model source using phase-only control

A technique is presented to produce any desired partially coherent Schell-model source using a single phase-only liquid-crystal spatial light modulator (SLM). Existing methods use SLMs in combination with amplitude filters to manipulate the phase and amplitude of an initially coherent source. The technique presented here controls both the phase and amplitude using a single SLM, thereby making the amplitude filters unnecessary. This simplifies the optical setup and significantly increases the utility and flexibility of the resulting system. The analytical development of the technique is presented and discussed. To validate the proposed approach, experimental results of three partially coherent Schell-model sources are presented and analyzed. A brief discussion of possible applications is provided in closing.
Experiencing versus contemplating: Language use during descriptions of awe and wonder.

Awe and wonder are theorised to be distinct from other positive emotions, such as happiness. Yet little empirical or theoretical work has focused on these emotions. This investigation explored differences in language used to describe experiences of awe and wonder. Such analyses can provide insight into how people conceptualise these emotional experiences, and whether they conceptualise these emotions to be distinct from other positive emotions, and each other. Participants wrote narratives about experiences of awe, wonder and happiness. There were differences in the language used to describe these positive emotional states, consistent with the theorised functions of each emotion. Awe was related to observing the world, reflected in greater use of perception words. Wonder was related to trying to understand the world, reflected in greater use of cognitive complexity and tentative words. Language use for both emotions reflected an environmental focus, whereas language use for happiness reflected a social/re...
Implementing flexible tenure clock policies

A professor who uses a stop-the-clock policy cannot be certain that his or her total work output will be evaluated as if he or she had a normal probationary period.
Use of iron lenses for the transport of muon beams

Abstract It is shown that axial current lenses made of iron can be used efficiently for focusing and transporting high energy muon beams. A model lens was constructed and its focal properties as obtained by measuring the deflection of high energy muons, are presented.
Integrated Pest Management Practices in Southern Pine Nurseries

Integrated Pest Management is a system that combines cultural, biological and chemical technologies to reduce insect, fungal and weed populations to levels below those that result in economic damage. Nursery managers in the southern United States currently use many practices to control pests of southern pine seedlings. Over the last three decades, improvements in chemical, cultural, and biological pest control practices have increased seed efficiency (defined as the number of plantable seedlings produced divided by the number of pure live seed sown) and reduced the percentage of production costs associated with pest control. As crop values increase, the economic thresholds for applying control measures decrease. However, since the statistical power of most trials in bareroot nurseries is low, the likelihood of experiments that detect “real” treatment difference (e.g. those that consistently increase seed efficiency to the point where economic returns are affected) will be low. This paper describes some current practices in southern pine nurseries and provides some economic injury levels for various pest control treatments.
Pharmacokinetic study of netilmicin.

Netilmicin at a dose of 2 mg/kg was infused intravenously into 10 healthy volunteers. A peak serum concentration of 16.56 μg/ml was obtained at the end of the infusion. Thirty-nine percent of the infused dose was excreted in the urine during the first 8 h after infusion. The pharmacokinetic parameters of netilmicin were derived by analyzing the elimination data according to a two-compartment model.
Addendum to "a note on the zeros of solutions of w″+P(z)w=0 where P is a polynomial

In the original paper [1], it was shown that the zeros of solutions of w″ + P(z)w = 0, where P(z) is a polynomial of degree n ≥ 1, must approach certain rays. This was proved by first obtaining asymptotic formulas for a fundamental set of solutions in sectors, and then using them to derive estimates on the rate at which the nearby zeros approach the ray. The estimates derived in [1] for the rate of approach were rough estimates which were sufficient to prove the main result but simple enough to avoid unnecessary complications in the proof. The present note is intended to give the best estimate which can be derived from the asymptotic formulas for the rate of approach of the zeros. The main reason for deriving these estimates is that they show that for many equations (e.g., the Titchmarsh equation) the rate of approach is actually much faster than that indicated by the rough estimate in [1]. In fact, we show that the estimate dramatically improves whenever P(z) has the property that the translate P(z − c) ...
Compounds that induce isoforms of glutathione S-transferase with properties of a critical enzyme in defense against oxidative stress.

Abstract Compounds that upregulate enzymes that play critical roles in protection against free radical damage might be useful in treating diseases in which free radicals are pathological. To identify critical enzymes and their upregulators, compounds that were not free radical scavengers were screened for the ability to increase the IC 50 of the human neuronal cell line IMR-32 for hydrogen peroxide. Subsequently, enzymes upregulated by compounds that increased the IC 50 were identified. All of the compounds identified that increased the IC 50 also increased the specific activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST). In addition, compound-caused increases in the specific activity of GST correlated with compound-caused increases in the IC 50 , the expected behaviour if GST was a critical enzyme. The GST isoform composition changed on upregulation, suggesting the upregulation of isoforms with anti-free radical activities. Structural features of compounds concurrently increasing the IC 50 and upregulating GST were identified.
Neuropeptides differentially effect various forms of morphine tolerance

Two different forms of tolerance to morphine were shown to develop. One form, environment dependent (ED), was associated with cues paired with the arrival of the drug. The second form of tolerance, environment independent (EI), was not dependent on any cues. ED tolerance was induced using a multiple injection model in which a cue (orange scent) preceeded each morphine injection (ip). After 12 days the animals were tolerant to the i.p. injection. However if morphine was injected i.c.v. tolerance was no longer evident. EI tolerance was induced by a pellet implant method. These animals were tolerant to morphine regardless of the route of administration. Peptides arginine vasopressin (AVP) and cyclo (Leu-Gly) (cLG) were tested for their ability to alter tolerance. AVP was found to facilitate the development of ED tolerance but had no effect on EI tolerance. On the other hand cLG blocked the development of EI tolerance without affecting ED tolerance. The determination of brain morphine levels indicated that the ED tolerance produced by this method is dispositional while EI tolerance is functional.
Hospitalization for inflammatory bowel disease in the United States between 1970 and 2004.

Aim: The aim of the study was to use hospitalization data for the analysis of inflammatory bowel disease time trends in the United States. Methods: US hospital utilization data were available for individual years from 1970 to 2004 through the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Age-specific rates of hospitalization were calculated for consecutive 5-year periods. Results: An increase in the rates of hospitalization for Crohn's disease was most pronounced in the age group 65 + followed by the age group 45 to 64. By contradistinction, the rates in the youngest age group 0 to 44 stayed largely unchanged. In ulcerative colitis, a significant increase in hospitalization rates was limited to the oldest age group, whereas the rates in the middle and young age group remained unchanged. Conclusions: Extrapolation of the current trends suggests that in the future the hospitalization for inflammatory bowel disease may start to level off. This may occur earlier and be more pronounced in younger age groups and patients with ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease.
Using liquid lens in wavefront coded imaging system

A novel design of a wavefront coded compact camera system with liquid lens is presented. The point spread function must remain practically constant over a wide range of defocus in order to create an image which is sharp over a large depth of field. Therefore, the trade-off between the effect of extended depth of field and reduction in the signal to noise ratio of the restored image become critical. By combining liquid lens and wavefront coding, the system can deliver much greater depth of field without the restoration problems caused by the similarity of point spread function. This could improve the overall image performance.
Changes in plant medium composition after a spaceflight experiment: Potassium levels are of special interest

Abstract We present results on the analysis of 100 mL medium samples extracted from sterilized foam (Smithers-Oasis, Kent OH) used to support the growth of a representative dicotyledon (Haplopappus gracilis) and a representative monocotyledon (Hemerocallis cv Autumn Blaze) in NASA’s Plant Growth Unit (PGU) during a 5-day Space Shuttle flight and ground experiments. At recovery, the media remaining within replicate (n = 5) foam blocks (for both the spaceflight and ground experiments) were extracted under vacuum, filtered and subjected to elemental analyses. A unique aspect of this experiment was that all plants were either aseptically-generated tissue culture propagated plantlets or aseptic seedling clones. The design of the PGU facilitated the maintenance of asepsis throughout the mission (confirmed by post-flight microbial sampling) and thus any possible impact of microorganisms on medium composition was eliminated. Concentration levels of some elements remained the same, while some decreased and others increased. There was a significant two-fold difference between the final concentrations of potassium when the Earth-based and microgravity experiments were contrasted.
Profile of ligand specificity of the vitamin D binding protein for 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin d3 and its analogs

The profile of structural preference for the ligand binding domain of the human vitamin D binding protein (DBP) was determined by steroid competition assay of 71 analogs of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1 alpha,25(OH)2D3]. The following categories of structural modification were evaluated [values represent fold change; R = reduction, I = increase in binding to the DBP from the reference 1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3]: (1) deletion in the A ring of the 1 alpha-hydroxyl-(20-1600I); (2) conversion of the triene system to the previtamin form (6-40R); (3) addition of substituents to carbon 11 of the C ring (4-14R); (4) inversion of the C/D ring junction (8-20R); (5) unsaturation of the D ring (16-ene; 4-140R); (6) replacement of hydrogen with deuterium atoms (no effect); alteration of the side chain by (7) adding or deleting carbon atoms (5-12R); (8) addition of fluorines (0.2-10R); (9) presence of unsaturation (22-ene, 0-5R; 23-ene, 3R-10I; 23-yne, 5-20R); (10) addition of hydroxyls (2-100R); and (11) addition of an aromatic ring (0-20I). Thus the DBP ligand binding domain could tolerate only modest changes to the structure of 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 without a reduction in binding of the analog. The increases in binding seen in the aromatic side chain and with a triple bond at carbon-23 may be indicative of a preferred conformation of the flexible 1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3 side chain. In addition, a comparison was made of the DBP ligand binding domain with that of the human HL-60 cell 1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3 nuclear receptor. Both ligand binding domains could equivalently accommodate to the presence of (1) a side-chain cyclopropyl group, (2) 22-ene or 23-yne, (3) lengthening the side chain by two carbons, (4) presence of four to six fluorine atoms, (5) substitution of an oxygen for carbon 22, and (6) presence of a 22-[m-(dimethylhydroxymethyl)phenyl] aromatic group in the side chain. The DPB could tolerate better than the HL-60 cell receptor the presence of a 22-(p-hydroxyphenyl) aromatic group in the side chain and the absence of the 1 alpha-hydroxyl. In contrast, the HL-60 cell receptor could tolerate better than the DBP the following structural modifications: presence of a 16-ene, or 16-ene plus 23-yne unsaturation, and presence of an 11 beta-hydroxyl.
Renal biopsy is necessary for the diagnosis of HIV-associated renal diseases.

Here, Cohen and Kimmel attempt to counter the arguments presented by Lynda Szczech in the preceding Viewpoint. They point out that HIV-associated kidney disease exists in various forms that have different treatment requirements and that renal biopsy is necessary to establish the exact diagnosis. They argue, furthermore, that the efficacy and safety of highly active antiretroviral therapy against HIV-associated nephropathy is questionable and that such treatment should not, therefore, be initiated empirically.
Inhibition of the electrically induced release of [3H]dopamine by serotonin from superfused rat striatal slices☆

The effect of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) on the electrically induced release of [3H]dopamine from superfused slices of the rat striatum has been studied. It was observed that serotonin produced a concentration dependent decrease in the field stimulation-induced release of [3H]dopamine with the threshold concentration being 10−6 M or lower. Methysergide, in a concentration which did not alter the evoked release, antagonized the inhibitory effect of serotonin. The present results suggest that serotonin striatum.
Noninvasive Diagnosis of Renovascular Disease

Objectives To present the epidemiologic and clinical features of renovascular disease and discuss various diagnostic approaches. Design We describe the findings in patients with fibromuscular dysplasia or atherosclerotic disease of the renal arteries and review pertinent studies from the literature. Results Renovascular disease is an important cause of resistant hypertension and progressive renal insufficiency, particularly in the elderly population. Improved blood pressure control and renal function after revascularization have generated intense interest in identifying those patients likely to benefit from this intervention. Fibromuscular dysplasia and atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis account for most cases of renovascular disease. Both entities produce resistant hypertension; the latter is the more common cause of progressive renal insufficiency—occasionally leading to end-stage renal disease. Angiotensin-Converting enzyme inhibitor-related renal dysfunction, otherwise unexplained renal insufficiency, and recurrent pulmonary edema are increasingly recognized clinical manifestations of renovascular disease. Traditional screening tests such as intravenous pyelography, intravenous digital subtraction angiography, radionuclide scintirenography, and measurement of the peripheral venous plasma renin activity have limited accuracy for diagnosing renal artery stenosis and do not accurately predict the blood pressure response to revascularization. In comparison, recently developed noninvasive tests such as Captopril renography, renal artery duplex sonography, and magnetic resonance angiography seem to be more accurate and, in the case of Captopril renography, may be more predictive of the blood pressure response to revascularization. Conclusion Future directions in the area of renovascular disease should include a direct comparison among these new noninvasive diagnostic techniques, with a particular focus on the identification of those patients most likely to benefit from revascularization in terms of both blood pressure control and improved renal function.
Tribological characteristics and surface interaction between piston ring coatings and a blend of energy-conserving oils and ethanol fuels

The friction and wear performance of coatings on nitrided stainless steel (NSS) piston rings and chrome plated stainless steel rings sliding against cast iron cylinder liner segments in fully-formulated engine oils were investigated by using a high frequency reciprocating tribometer. The ring coatings include thermal-sprayed CrN and physical vapor deposited (PVD) diamond-like-carbon (DLC). The tribological characteristics of piston ring coatings were determined by applying several advanced piston ring coatings and energy-conserving lubricants containing friction modifiers. The impacts of E85 ethanol fuel (a fuel blend of 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline) on scuffing of the chrome-coated piston ring and cast iron cylinder liner segment were studied with different fuels varying in their degree of acidity. The tribological characteristics due to surface interactions between piston ring coatings and energy-conserving engine oils containing molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC) or an organic friction modifier were compared and analyzed. The test results show that the DLC coating produces the lowest wear on the cylinder liner segment and has a similar ring wear to nitrided and CrN coated piston rings. With MoDTC present in the engine oil, friction and wear are effectively reduced. The acidic fuel promotes the occurrence of scuffing.
Two-point time-series measurements of hydroxyl concentration in a turbulent nonpremixed flame

Quantitative two-point hydroxyl time-series measurements have been performed in a turbulent nonpremixed flame by using two-point picosecond time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence. The current diagnostic system has been improved from its preliminary version to address optical aberrations and fluorescence lifetime fluctuations. In particular, with a newly designed collection system, the aberration-limited blur spot is reduced from 6 mm to 180 microm. Additional photon-counting channels enable the recovery of absolute OH concentrations through a triple-bin integration method. The present research represents what we believe to be the first application of this two-point technique to turbulent flames. Two independent schemes have been applied to remove uncorrelated noise in the derived two-point statistics. We show that optical aberrations can have a significant effect on space-time correlations. However, the sampling rate and fluctuations in the fluorescence lifetime barely affect the spatial autocorrelation function and thus the integral length scale. Such length scales for hydroxyl are found to rise linearly with increasing axial distance at peak [OH] locations. Along the jet centerline, the integral length scale varies slightly below the flame tip but increases rapidly above the flame tip. In addition, the OH length scale demonstrates the same trend as the OH time scale along the jet centerline, but the opposite trend at peak [OH] locations.
Writing for Publication: How the Pieces of the Puzzle Fit

Strahan, Robert. More on JCP publication: Single versus multiple authorship. Atkinson, Donald; Furlong, Michael; and Wampold, Bruce. Statistical significance, reviewer evaluations, and the scientific process: Is there a (statistically) significant relationship?
Tweet for health: using an online social network to examine temporal trends in weight loss-related posts.

Few studies have used social networking sites to track temporal trends in health-related posts, particularly around weight loss. To examine the temporal relationship of Twitter messages about weight loss over 1 year (2012). Temporal trends in #weightloss mentions and #fitness, #diet, and #health tweets which also had the word “weight” in them were examined using three a priori time periods: (1) holidays: pre-winter holidays, holidays, and post-holidays; (2) Season: winter and summer; and (3) New Year’s: pre-New Year’s and post-New Year’s. Regarding #weightloss, there were 145 (95 % CI 79, 211) more posts/day during holidays and 143 (95 % CI 76, 209) more posts/day after holidays as compared to 480 pre-holiday posts/day; 232 (95 % CI 178, 286) more posts/day during the winter versus summer (441 posts/day); there was no difference in posts around New Year’s. Examining social networks for trends in health-related posts may aid in timing interventions when individuals are more likely to be discussing weight loss.
On the Definition and Evaluation of Telemedicine

Issues related to the definition and evaluation of telemedicine are articulated as a basis for conducting theoretically based, empirically sound, and policy-relevant evaluation. This paper includes a proposed operational definition of telemedicine, a discussion of the role of telemedicine in the healthcare system and economic analysis of telemedicine, an analysis of the basic approaches and requirements for telemedicine evaluation, and an identification of basic issues for evaluation. Telemedicine is conceived of as an integrated system of health-care delivery that employs telecommunications and computer technology as a substitute for face-to-face contact between provider and client. It has the potential for ameliorating seemingly intractable problems in healthcare such as limited access to care among segments in the population--especially the geographically disadvantaged--uneven quality of care, and cost inflation. Its true merit has yet to be determined by systematic empirical study. Such study should include a clear and precise identification of inputs and output and the nature of the relations between them, an assessment of the changes that might occur in the process of care as a consequence to telemedicine, and, ultimately, an evaluation of the effects of telemedicine on the healthcare system in terms of cost, quality, and accessibility. Several basic questions regarding the effects of telemedicine are posed as potential hypotheses for future research.
Induction of Albendazole Resistance in Giardia lamblia

ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that Giardia lamblia resistance to metronidazole can be induced in the laboratory, and treatment failures with this drug have also been documented. As replacement therapies, anthelmintic benzimidazoles have antigiardial activity with few clinical side effects. Albendazole has the greatest antigiardial activity3 of anthelmintic benzimidazoles tested and is effective in vivo.5 Although Chavez et al.1 failed to subculture albendazole-exposed G. lamblia, some patient isolates have shown decreased in vitro sensitivity to this drug.6 In this study, in vitro resistance to albendazole was induced in G. lamblia by a method similar to that reported by Townson et al.8
Synthesis and bacterial biofilm inhibition studies of ethyl N-(2-phenethyl) carbamate derivatives

An 88 member library based upon the marine bacterial metabolite ethyl N-(2-phenethyl) carbamate was evaluated for bacterial biofilm inhibition against a panel of medically relevant strains. These studies culminated in the discovery of a new class of molecules capable of inhibiting the formation of S. aureus biofilms with low micromolar IC50 values.
Analysis of variance with Fourier analysis of coherent data

Like orthogonal polynomials, the sine and cosine components used in Fourier analysis are orthogonal under summation over equally spaced points. Therefore, they can be used in the same way as orthogonal polynomials are used with analysis of variance. They are usually used on records consisting of sequences of observations taken equally spaced in time. Analysis of variance can be performed on replicated records. The most straightforward cases occur under the following conditions: (1) The phenomenon is periodic, (2) the phenomenon is coherent (synchronized) over the various replicates, (3) the record length is an integral multiple of the fundamental period, and (4) the phenomenon is not buried too deeply in noise. Two numerical examples are examined that satisfy these conditions. Planning is illustrated for a case that violates Conditions 3 and 4.
A Lie group formulation of Kane’s equations for multibody systems

We propose a Lie group approach to formulate the Kane’s equations of motion for multibody systems. This approach regards the set of rigid body transformations as the special Euclidean group SE(3). By expressing rigid body displacements as exponential maps generated from the Lie algebra se(3), it subsequently manipulates rigid body kinematics as convenient matrix operations. With this approach, all the individual quantities involved in Kane’s equations can be computed explicitly in an intrinsic manner, and the motion equations can be obtained systematically and efficiently. An example is presented to illustrate its use and effectiveness.
Temperature and Light-Induced Structural Changes in Photosynthetic Reaction Center Proteins Probed by X-ray Absorption Fine Structure

Structures of the Fe2+ binding site in photosynthetic reaction center (RC) proteins from Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26 were obtained by Fe K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Measurements were taken at cryogenic and room temperatures, in the dark as well as in the light-induced charge-separated state P+QAQB-. Evidence for protein matrix expansion near the Fe2+ site because of lowering the temperature from 290 to 15 K was observed as elongation of Fe2+ to neighboring atom distances. Upon formation of the charge-separated state P+QAQB-, the distances between the Fe2+ and neighboring atoms were reduced slightly. Replacing the native Fe2+ with either Mn2+ or Zn2+ resulted in distinct differences in local structural responses to both temperature and charge separation, suggesting that the conformation changes caused by these factors may follow different paths in the potential energy landscape of the protein. The XAFS measurements of Fe2+ site structure revealed a more symmetrically oriente...