cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Returning from the acidotic abyss: Mortality in trauma patients with a pH < 7.0.

Abstract Introduction We hypothesized that a pH of Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on a Level I trauma center registry from 2013 to 2014. Hospital mortality was the primary outcome, which was compared by pH cohort ( Results There were 593 patients included in the analysis: 66 in Conclusion This data indicates that while patients with severe acidosis are at increased risk for mortality, a pH
A Mission-Centric Visualization Tool for Cybersecurity Situation Awareness

Abstract : We present a novel visualization tool that provides high-level situation awareness for cybersecurity scenarios. Our visualization tool is tailored to intrinsically higher-level information presentation centered around cyberdefense missions. We applied our visualizations to data logs from the 2011 UCSB International Capture The Flag competition, which was designed to mirror general cybersecurity scenarios that would be encountered by the military. In this paper, we present our system and user interface design and discuss some anomalies in the data that are highlighted through the use of our visualization tool.
Sleep, physical activity, waist circumference and diet as factors that influence health for reproductive age women in northern Greenland:

Background:This study explored community and individual factors that influence the health of reproductive age women in a settlement in northern Greenland. This is important because Greenland has a ...
POLYPLACOPHORAN MOLLUSCS OF THE ESSEX FAUNA (MIDDLE PENNSYLVANIAN, ILLINOIS)

ABSTRACT Several hundred specimens of Pterochiton concinnus (Richardson) have now been collected from the Mazon Creek area. All are articulated, and most show all eight valves, held in place by a girdle, the margin of which is heavily spiculate. Most specimens preserve the radula, which is remarkably similar to that of living specimens.
Quantitative Visualization of Sub-Micron Deformations and Stresses at Sub-Microsecond Intervals in Soda-Lime Glass Plates

Full-field optical measurement of deformations and stresses on transparent brittle ceramics such as soda-lime glass is rather challenging due to the low toughness and high stiffness characteristics. Particularly, the surface topography and stress field evaluation from measured orthogonal surface slopes and stress gradients could be of considerable significance for visualizing and quantifying deformation of glass plates under dynamic impact loading. In this work, two full-field optical techniques, reflection Digital Gradient Sensing (or r-DGS) and a new DGS method, called transmission-reflection Digital Gradient Sensing (or tr-DGS) are employed to quantify surface slopes and stress gradients, respectively, as glass specimens are subjected dynamic impact loading using a modified Hopkinson pressure bar. These two methods can measure extremely small angular deflections of light rays caused by surface deformations and local stresses in specimens. The tr-DGS methodology is especially more sensitive than r-DGS. Using such optical methods, sub-micron surface deflections and the corresponding stress field, (σxx + σyy), can be quantified using a Higher-order Finite-difference-based Least-squares Integration (HFLI) scheme. When used in conjunction with ultrahigh-speed photography, microsecond or sub-microsecond temporal resolution is possible.
Macrophage biology in the peripheral nervous system after injury

Neuroinflammation has positive and negative effects. This review focuses on the roles of macrophage in the PNS. Transection of PNS axons leads to degeneration and clearance of the distal nerve and to changes in the region of the axotomized cell bodies. In both locations, resident and infiltrating macrophages are found. Macrophages enter these areas in response to expression of the chemokine CCL2 acting on the macrophage receptor CCR2. In the distal nerve, macrophages and other phagocytes are involved in clearance of axonal debris, which removes molecules that inhibit nerve regeneration. In the cell body region, macrophage trigger the conditioning lesion response, a process in which neurons increase their regeneration after a prior lesion. In mice in which the genes for CCL2 or CCR2 are deleted, neither macrophage infiltration nor the conditioning lesion response occurs in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Macrophages exist in different phenotypes depending on their environment. These phenotypes have different effects on axonal clearance and neurite outgrowth. The mechanism by which macrophages affect neuronal cell bodies is still under study. Overexpression of CCL2 in DRG in uninjured animals leads to macrophage accumulation in the ganglia and to an increase in the growth potential of DRG neurons. This increased growth requires activation of neuronal STAT3. In contrast, in acute demyelinating neuropathies, macrophages are involved in stripping myelin from peripheral axons. The molecular mechanisms that trigger macrophage action after trauma and in autoimmune disease are receiving increased attention and should lead to avenues to promote regeneration and protect axonal integrity.
A Meta-Analytic Review of Mental Health Interventions Targeting Youth with Internalizing Disorders in Juvenile Justice Facilities

There is general agreement in the research literature that youth in juvenile justice facilities are more likely to experience mental health disorders than their general population peers. The purpos...
Performance of Square-Range Least Squares and Square-Range Least Absolute Deviations for the Self-Localization of Sensor Nodes Using Convex Relaxations

In the self-localization of sensor nodes using distance measurements, the nodes can be located by minimizing the cost function based on the sum of absolute errors or the sum of squared errors. We investigate the performance of these two cost functions solved by the commonly used SDP relaxation and compare their solution accuracy without and with local refinements. The focus is on the performance under additive and multiplicative TOA noise models, with different minimum number of node connections, and in the presence of measurement outliers.
Chapter 26 – An Introduction to Survival Analysis

Time-to-event data, frequently referred to as survival data, consist of two pieces of information for each subject: the time under observation and the ultimate outcome at the end of that time. Analysis of these data is complicated because the follow-up time often is different for each participant, and the event of interest, such as myocardial infarction, often is not observed in all the subjects by the end of the study. For those participants in whom the event of interest is not observed, what is known is that their survival times are longer than their time spent in the study, but their exact survival times are unknown. This chapter describes features of time-to-event data and introduces the Kaplan–Meier or product-limit estimator for the survival function. It also presents several approaches for comparing two survival curves, a summary of stratified analysis methods, and Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis.
Outcrops as guides to subsurface natural fractures: Example from the Nikanassin Formation tight-gas sandstone, Grande Cache, Alberta foothills, Canada

Abstract Outcrop studies are essential for understanding subsurface fractures, because some key attributes such as length and height distribution cannot be measured using wellbores. Discrepancies between outcrop and subsurface fracture attributes arise because loading paths due to burial, exhumation, and thermal paths differ. Consequently, even where rock type and structural setting are close matches, differences may exist in mechanical properties and fracture growth. Here we investigate petrologic criteria and disseminated arrays of quartz-filled microfractures as tools for comparing and contrasting fractures in outcrop with those as sampled by core for tight gas sandstones. Fracture cements are key diagnostic criteria for proving correspondence between outcrop and core. We offer guidelines on selecting suitable outcrop analogs that differ markedly from current practice. Our illustration uses outcrops and core samples of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Nikanassin Formation, a tight gas sandstone, but aspects of the outcrop vetting procedure can be applied to other rock types. In some core and outcrops, Nikanassin Formation fractures contain quartz and ankerite cement assemblages, crack-seal and rind textures, and aperture size distributions that show that the outcrop and subsurface localities we examined share the same fracture stratigraphy and similar diagenesis. These outcrops can thus be used to measure attributes including those that are unlikely to be captured in core, such as fracture height and length distributions, relative and absolute fracture intensity with structural position, and degree of fill by synkinematic cement. In our example, absolute fracture intensity and distribution of postkinematic carbonate cements are site specific and differ between outcrop and core, but in ways that can be quantified.
Review Article: Crystal alignment for high performance organic electronics devices

Organic electronics devices based on high-performance small-molecule organic semiconductors have gained substantial attention because of their unique advantages such as excellent charge transport, solution processability, and environmental stability. However, the intrinsic crystallization of small-molecule organic semiconductors is anisotropic, resulting in significant device performance variations of organic electronics devices. In this article, the authors review the various approaches and techniques developed to control and align the crystallization of some benchmark solution-processable, high-performance, small-molecule organic semiconductors, such as 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene, N,N′-1H,1H-perfluorobutyl dicyanoperylenecarboxydiimide, and 5,11-bis(triethylgermylethynyl)anthradithiophene. These alignment approaches are studied in the context of capillary force-based techniques, patterning-based techniques, solution-shearing-based techniques, and other miscellaneous techniques, including zone-casting, vertical flowing, air flow navigation, temperature gradient alignment, etc. The organic semiconductors and crystal alignment techniques reviewed in this article shed light on important relationship among crystallization, charge transport, and device performance and can be applied to various high-performance organic electronics devices, such as organic thin film transistors and solar cells.
Contemporary Female Entrepreneurship in Nicaragua

Women are important entrepreneurial actors within the Nicaraguan economic ecosystem. Majority female-owned firms comprise 32.7% of all urban Nicaraguan formal enterprises; these ownership rates far exceed the regional (21.8%) or global averages (14.5%). Within Nicaragua, self-employment rates for women (43.3%) surpass that of men (28.3%). This article describes the contemporary Nicaraguan entrepreneurial landscape for female-owned enterprises using the 2016 Nicaraguan Enterprise Survey of 333 formal sector urban-based firms conducted by the World Bank. Principal multivariate results include the concentration of female top management with majority female-ownership, the role of the informal sector in spawning formal female enterprises, and size constraints of female-owned enterprises.
The Pharmacology of Abstinence

The typical conception is that once the user of a drug ceases self-administration that the effects of the drug diminish and resolve within hours to days. However, there has been a growing body of clinical evidence and research data for some time that suggests that the effects of drugs (and alcohol) may persist months and years beyond the immediate effects of intoxication and acute withdrawal.
A Review of Tobacco Policies on University of California Campuses.

Author(s): Huey, Jocelyn; Apollonio, Dorie E | Abstract: Background and purposeCollege and university tobacco control programs have historically neglected cessation. In 2012, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) released a Smoke and Tobacco Free policy that became effective in January 2014. The policy provided for a comprehensive education and outreach campaign that included resources and referrals for cessation. We sought to determine whether all University of California (UC) campuses met UCOP standards.MethodsWe reviewed the Smoke a Tobacco Free policies created by UCOP and posted at ten UC campuses, searched the tobacco free websites of each campus for cessation resources, and contacted tobacco-free task forces.ResultsWe found that all UC campuses met the UCOP standard by addressing tobacco cessation in their campus policies. The provision of cessation services and resources was limited and varied substantially by campus, and no campuses reported collecting data on the use of cessation programs.ConclusionConsistent with concerns that college and university tobacco policies neglect cessation, UC campuses mentioned tobacco cessation resources and programs but did not provide consistent services. These campuses also did not report on the use of tobacco cessation resources, making it difficult to assess the effects of offering different types of cessation programs.
Use of Levosimendan as a Strategy to Wean off Veno-Arterial ECMO in Cardiogenic Shock; A Systematic Review and Metanalysis

Background VA ECMO is commonly used to support patients suffering profound cardiogenic shock. However, the ideal strategy to wean patients of VA ECMO remains unknown. Methods A systematic search including Pubmed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE was performed to evaluate studies comparing Levosimendan vs. other weaning strategies in patients with cardiogenic shock on VA-ECMO. Evaluated end-point was successful discontinuation on VA-ECMO support. Results Four studies met inclusion criteria for a total of 471 patients, . Mean age was 61, 292 (70%) of the patients were male. Hypertension, CAD and Diabetes were present in 282 patients (60%), 216 (46%) and 136 (29%) respectively, with no significant difference in between groups. The majority of patients required ECMO due to acute myocardial infarction or post cardiotomy shock (up to 50%). 262 received Levosimendan and 209 recieved other interventions. Out of the group who received the calcium sensitizer 215 patients (82%) were successfully weaned vs 135 patients (65%) on the control group, OR 1.27 (CI 95% 1.13-1.4) P Conclusions This metanalysis suggests that the use of Levosimendan on patients while on VA ECMO support for cardiogenic shock improves weaning success
Homogeneous Einstein metrics on SU(n)

Abstract It is known that every compact simple Lie group admits a bi-invariant homogeneous Einstein metric. In this paper we use two ansatz to probe the existence of additional inequivalent Einstein metrics on the Lie group S U ( n ) for arbitrary n . We provide an explicit construction of ( 2 k + 1 ) inequivalent Einstein metrics on S U ( 2 k ) and 2 k inequivalent Einstein metrics on S U ( 2 k + 1 ) .
Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Lowering on Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review Prepared for the 2020 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/U.S. Department of Defense Guidelines.

Background Recent clinical trials suggest that treating patients with hypertension to lower blood pressure (BP) targets improves cardiovascular outcomes. Purpose To summarize the effects of intensive (or targeted) systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) lowering with pharmacologic treatment on cardiovascular outcomes and harms in adults with hypertension. Data sources Multiple databases, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, were searched for relevant systematic reviews (SRs) published in English from 15 December 2013 through 25 March 2019, with updated targeted searches through 8 January 2020. Study selection 8 SRs of randomized controlled trials examining either a standardized SBP target of -10 mm Hg (1 SR) or BP lowering below a target threshold (7 SRs). Data extraction One investigator abstracted data, assessed study quality, and performed GRADE assessments; a second investigator checked abstractions and assessments. Data synthesis The main outcome of interest was reduction in composite cardiovascular outcomes. High-strength evidence showed benefit of a 10-mm Hg reduction in SBP for cardiovascular outcomes among patients with hypertension in the general population, patients with chronic kidney disease, and patients with heart failure. Evidence on reducing SBP for cardiovascular outcomes in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease (moderate strength) or diabetes mellitus (high strength) to a lower SBP target was mixed. Low-strength evidence supported intensive lowering to a 10-mm Hg reduction in SBP for cardiovascular outcomes in patients with a history of stroke. All reported harms were considered, including general adverse events, serious adverse events, cognitive impairment, fractures, falls, syncope, hypotension, withdrawals due to adverse events, and acute kidney injury. Safety results were mixed or inconclusive. Limitations This was a qualitative synthesis of new evidence with existing meta-analyses. Data were sparse for outcomes related to treating DBP to a lower target or for patients older than 60 years. Conclusion Overall, current clinical literature supports intensive BP lowering in patients with hypertension for improving cardiovascular outcomes. In most subpopulations, intensive lowering was favored over less-intensive lowering, but the data were less clear for patients with diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disease. Primary funding source U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.
A 2–24-GHz 360° Full-Span Differential Vector Modulator Phase Rotator With Transformer-Based Poly-Phase Quadrature Network

This article presents a differential vector modulator-based phase rotator (PR) performing 360° full-span phase interpolation over a first-ever decade-wide instantaneous bandwidth from 2 to 24 GHz. The proposed PR employs a three-stage transformer poly-phase network with high-precision and ultra-wide-bandwidth, two highly linear 5-bit variable gain amplifiers (VGAs), a differential series–shunt–series inductor peaking load network for bandwidth extension and an open-drain buffer. It is implemented in a standard 65-nm bulk CMOS process with a chip area of 1.2 mm $\times1.8$ mm. The measurement results demonstrate the maximum rms quantization phase error of 1.22° within a 1.5-dB output magnitude variation for full 360° interpolations from 2 to 24 GHz and the −3-dB magnitude bandwidth is up to 19 GHz, respectively. Moreover, due to the wideband high-quality in-phase/quadrature ( $I/Q$ ) signal generation and high-precision $I/Q$ interpolation of the VGAs, the PR can perform full-span phase synthesis with a constant set of phase shift code settings for all the operating frequencies. For interpolating 22.5°/15° phase step over the 360° full-span, the “one-code” setting operation achieves an rms phase error of 1.56°/1.42° from 3.5 to 22.5 GHz without any frequency-dependent code/look-up table (LUT), tunable element, or band-selection switch. Furthermore, with the “one-code” setting operation, the modulation tests demonstrate measured rms error-vector-magnitude (EVM) values below 5% for a 50-kSym/s QPSK signal from 3.3 to 22.3 GHz and for a 16-quadratic-amplitude modulation (QAM) signal from 2.7 to 22 GHz.
Support networks among college enrolled Latinas/os: Using ego networks to examine gender differences in network language use and experiences of discrimination

Abstract The growth of the Latina/o population has been met with a backlash that has increased experiences of discrimination. Differences in gender, education, and acculturation often result in experiences of discrimination. Despite the importance of acculturation, few attempts have been made to understand the structural environment surrounding those experiences (i.e., social networks). Using ego network data, the current study examines the relationship between enculturation (a traditional indicator of acculturation), network language use, acculturative pressures, structural social support characteristics, and experiences of discrimination among a college-enrolled sample of Latinas/os (N = 139). Over half of respondents were female (61 %) with ages ranging from 18 to 63 and reported largely first (43 %) and second generational status (27 %). Findings indicate that pressure to acculturate was the strongest variable associated with experiences of discrimination. Network language use moderated by gender emerged over enculturation as more closely related to experiences of discrimination. The interaction term between gender and network language use revealed potentially different risk and protective factors for Latinas/os related to experiences of discrimination. Structural support variables associated with respondents’ social networks appear to provide some protective value but do not attenuate the relationship between pressure to acculturate and experiences of discrimination. In the current study, ego networks proved useful in identifying factors related to experiences of discrimination. Future research should continue to explore the importance of a person’s immediate social structure (i.e., ego networks) in protecting and exposing Latinas/os to harmful and health benefiting experiences.
NEK1 Phosphorylation of YAP Promotes Its Stabilization and Transcriptional Output

Most prostate cancer (PCa) deaths result from progressive failure in standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), leading to metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC); however, the mechanism and key players leading to this are not fully understood. While studying the role of tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1) and never in mitosis gene A (NIMA)-related kinase 1 (NEK1) in a DNA damage response (DDR)-mediated cell cycle arrest in LNCaP cells treated with bicalutamide, we uncovered that overexpression of wt-NEK1 resulted in a rapid conversion to androgen-independent (AI) growth, analogous to what has been observed when YAP1 is overexpressed. We now report that overexpression of wt-NEK1 results in accumulation of YAP1, suggesting the existence of a TLK1>NEK1>YAP1 axis that leads to adaptation to AI growth. Further, YAP1 is co-immunoprecipitated with NEK1. Importantly, NEK1 was able to phosphorylate YAP1 on six residues in vitro, which we believe are important for stabilization of the protein, possibly by increasing its interaction with transcriptional partners. In fact, knockout (KO) of NEK1 in NT1 PCa cells resulted in a parallel decrease of YAP1 level and reduced expression of typical YAP-regulated target genes. In terms of cancer potential implications, the expression of NEK1 and YAP1 proteins was found to be increased and correlated in several cancers. These include PCa stages according to Gleason score, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and glioblastoma, suggesting that this co-regulation is imparted by increased YAP1 stability when NEK1 is overexpressed or activated by TLK1, and not through transcriptional co-expression. We propose that the TLK1>NEK1>YAP1 axis is a key determinant for cancer progression, particularly during the process of androgen-sensitive to -independent conversion during progression to mCRPC.
Newborn antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 detected in cord blood after maternal vaccination

Abstract Background Maternal vaccination for Influenza and TDaP have been well studied in terms of safety and efficacy for protection of the newborn by placental passage of antibodies. Similar newborn protection would be expected after maternal vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID-19). There is a significant and urgent need for research regarding safety and efficacy of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. Here, we report the first known case of an infant with SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies detectable in cord blood after maternal vaccination. Case presentation A vigorous, healthy, full-term female was born to a COVID-19 naive mother who had received a single dose of mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 three weeks prior to delivery. Cord blood antibodies (IgG) were detected to the S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 at time of delivery. Conclusion Here, we report the first known case of an infant with SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies detectable in cord blood after maternal vaccination.
Taxonomy and Theory of Behaviors

The goal of this chapter is to provide a unified notational framework for the book, and to introduce key elements of a theory for functional synthesis of FSMs. First we define some useful classes of finite state machines (FSMs) and finite automata (FAs), and investigate their inter-relationship. We will show that a non-deterministic FSM (NDFSM) can be used to specify a set of behaviors. Then we will describe how different behaviors can be explored within an NDFSM specification. These concepts are central to exact algorithms for state minimization for FSMs. At the end of the chapter, the correctness of our state minimization algorithms will be proved for a class of FSMs called pseudo non-deterministic FSMs.
The Pricing of Corporate Foreign Trade Risk

We test the pricing of foreign sales exposure risk using the ratio of the firm foreign sales to total sales (FSratio). Whereas foreign-exchange exposure is not priced, foreign sales exposure is priced both as a characteristic and as systematic risk. Across stocks, return increases in FSratio and the risk-adjusted excess return (alpha) on high-minus-low-FSratio stocks (HMLFS) is positive. The HMLFS systematic risk – βHMLFS – captures firms’ direct and indirect exposures to foreign sales, even for firms that have no direct foreign sales. Expected stock returns increase in βHMLFS in a Fama-Macbeth analysis after controlling for other factors’ beta risk.
Chapter 2 Cytoskeletal Alterations and Nuclear Architectural Changes During Mammalian Fertilization

Publisher Summary This chapter considers the structural organization of the egg cytoskeletal and nuclear architectural changes during mammalian, especially mouse, fertilization. Because much of the evidence regarding fertilization has been derived from investigations on invertebrate and lower vertebrate systems, this information is also considered as the paradigm against which the mammalian work is compared. The state of the knowledge regarding mammalian fertilization is considered, with the inclusion of some of the remaining questions. The chapter kindles further interest in the application of cellular and molecular structural investigations for solving fundamental problems in developmental biology and highlights the importance of studying cells during development in order to generate a fuller appreciation for cell and molecular biology. Fertilization bridges the discontinuity in generations and is considered successful if one, and only one, sperm nucleus unites with the egg nucleus within an activated egg cytoplasm. In addition, the fertilized egg must also be primed to prepare for its next challenges: the cell divisions leading to embryogenesis. The egg affects several motions as well as numerous alterations in cytoplasmic and nuclear structure. The physical incorporation of the sperm, the elicitation of polar bodies in systems inseminated as oocytes, and the formation of the fertilization or incorporation cone are changes in cell shape mediated by the egg cortex. The microfilament inhibitors cytochalasin and latrunculin have remarkable effects on unfertilized mouse oocytes.
Franz Rosenzweig and the Systematic Task of Philosophy

Introduction: The Star of Redemption as 'system of philosophy' 1. System as task of philosophy: 'the oldest system-program of German idealism' 2. 'A twofold relation to the absolute': the genesis of Rosenzweig's concept of system 3. Alls or nothings: the starting-point of Rosenzweig's system 4. 'The genuine notion of revelation': relations, reversals, and the human being in the middle of the system 5. Seeing stars: the vision of the all and the completion of the system Conclusion: the all and the everyday.
Food Stamp Program Participation of Refugees and Immigrants

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) dramatically changed the availability of food stamps to immigrants, but not to refugees. However, refugee usage of food stamps in the post-reform era has declined more than usage of either other immigrants or native citizens. We investigate food stamp program participation of immigrants and refugees to ascertain if the resulting decline was an unintended effect of the reform or is due to some other phenomena. We use data from the Immigration and Naturalization Service to construct an instrument for refugees. We find that refugees are more likely than other immigrants to use food stamps. While PRWORA clearly reduced non-refugee immigrant food stamp participation, the post-reform era decline in refugee usage is fully attributable to a strong refugee response to changing labor market conditions. We also find that refugees' use of food stamps declines rapidly with time in the United States, unlike that of other immigrants.
Hilus cell tumors of ovary

Abstract The report of a hilus cell tumor of the ovary occurring during pregnancy is added to the literature.
Cause of death in clinical research: Time for a reassessment?

Because coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the industrialized world [(1)][1], many clinical investigations of purported cardiac risk factors and new treatments focus on death as a primary end point. It is intuitively appealing to attempt to better understand the association
Detecting and Segmenting Motions by Matching Flows

The motion of an articulated object can be very complex but the motions of its rigid parts are usually simple. Here a method is proposed to classify and segment the motion of an articulated object into simple motions in temporal and spatial domains. Simple motions are represented by the corresponding motion flow patterns. Both the motion detection and segmentation are accomplished by matching the flow patterns of known simple motions with image flow. Matching is done by comparing the parametric flows of motion patterns with the normal flows of a target image. The approach is demonstrated on several image sequences of moving arms
Current developments in NASA cryogenic cooler technology

NASA’s two main areas of observational scientific endeavor, astrophysics and earth science, have scientific requirements that dictate the use of sensors with more energy resolution than the sensors used in earlier space flight instruments. With present sensor technology these scientific goals can often only be met with the use of sensors and instruments operating at cryogenic temperatures. In response to this need, NASA is developing a broad range of cryogenic coolers and supporting technology. These coolers will be capable of providing sensors and instruments with stable operating temperatures from room temperature down to 0.1 K or less. In addition to providing the desired operating temperature and cooling power, these coolers must have working lifetimes commensurate with the 10 to 15 year lifetime expected for major future NASA facilities. To meet this lifetime requirement NASA is developing long lifetime mechanical coolers and the capability to service stored cryogen coolers on-orbit. The types of coolers currently being developed by NASA include radiative coolers, solid cryogen coolers, surface tension confined liquid cryogen coolers, mechanical coolers, liquid helium dewars, He3 adsorption coolers, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators and dilution refrigerators.
Presence of mitochondrial D-loop DNA in scrapie-infected brain preparations enriched for the prion protein.

The prion preparation has, in recent years, been the focal point of scrapie research. The inability to identify agent-specific nucleic acids in this sample has led to the formulation of the infectious protein or prion hypothesis. In this study, we analyzed three different prion protein-enriched preparations and found all to contain significant amounts of mitochondrial nucleic acid. Southern blot analyses indicated that they are enriched for a specific component of the mitochondrial genome, the single-stranded displacement loop fragment. Our results suggest that if mitochondrial nucleic acids are involved in scrapie infection, it is the displacement loop fragment that is specifically responsible. Images
Performance analysis of moment-based estimators for the K parameter of the Rice fading distribution

In mobile communications the strength of a line of sight component measured by the K factor of the Ricean received envelope distribution has significant impact on system performance analysis and link budget calculations. In this paper, we study the performance of moment-based estimators for the Ricean K-factor as less complex alternatives to the maximum likelihood estimator. Our asymptotic analysis reveals that the estimators that rely on lower-order moments have a better asymptotic performance for moderate/large values of K. We also illustrate, by Monte Carlo simulations, that the fading correlation among the envelope samples deteriorates the estimator performance. The simplest estimator, which can be expressed in closed form in terms of the second- and fourth-order sample moments offers a good compromise between statistical performance and computational simplicity.
Oesophageal intrasquamous IgG4 deposits: an adjunctive marker to distinguish eosinophilic oesophagitis from reflux oesophagitis.

Aims To explore the utility of an IgG4 immunohistochemical stain to help distinguish eosinophilic oesophagitis from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Methods and results We examined 21 cases of eosinophilic oesophagitis and 25 cases of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The diagnosis of eosinophilic oesophagitis was based on the presence of oesophageal dysfunction, >15 eosinophils per high-power field, and a lack of response to proton pump inhibitors. Gastroesophageal reflux disease showed intraepithelial eosinophils, but a clinical and/or histological response to proton pump inhibitor therapy. We also evaluated an additional cohort of 22 cases with intraepithelial eosinophils. Immunohistochemical staining for IgG4 was performed. Sixteen of 21 (76%) eosinophilic oesophagitis cases showed intrasquamous extracellular IgG4 deposits, whereas all 25 gastroesophageal reflux disease cases were negative. Mucosal IgG4-positive plasma cells were identified in eosinophilic oesophagitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease cases in 58% and 40% of cases, respectively. Eosinophilic oesophagitis patients receiving treatment were less likely to be positive for intraepithelial IgG4 deposits (88% versus 53%). In the validation cohort, the sensitivity and specificity for eosinophilic oesophagitis were 88% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions The presence of intrasquamous IgG4 deposits is a useful adjunctive marker in the distinction between eosinophilic oesophagitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Use of different PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to investigate the epidemiology of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex is an important nosocomial pathogen for which optimal typing methods in epidemiologic investigations have not been defined. We compared DNA macrorestriction analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with different PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques, including enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR), repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) PCR, arbitrary-primed PCR with primer M13, and multiplex PCR with primers REP-1, REP-2 and M13, for characterization of 98 clinical isolates (including 10 apparent outbreak-related isolates and 68 presumed epidemiologically unrelated isolates) in a tertiary-care hospital over a 4-year period. The PFGE patterns after Smal restriction of the bacterial DNA were analyzed by computer software (Gelcompar) using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages clustering and the Dice coefficient. A cluster of 48 isolates (cluster A), including 9 outbreak isolates, linked at a level of 83.4% similarity was observed. This epidemic strain and its variants were also found among the 68 presumed epidemiologically unrelated isolates, and this may represent ongoing endemic infection in this institution. The discrimination index for the PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques was 0.75 for enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus 1, 0.71 for M13, 0.77 for REP-1, 0.77 for REP-2, and 0.87 for multiplex PCR. The discriminatory power of PFGE was found to be higher than those of PCR-based techniques. It was concluded that both PFGE and PCR-based fingerprinting are useful for typing of A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex. However, PFGE can detect minor mutations among outbreak strains, and this is important for epidemiological study of this species in a complex endemic setting.
Finite element solution of conjugate heat transfer problems with and without the use of gap elements

This paper describes the finite element solution of conjugate heat transfer problems with and without the use of gap elements. Direct and iterative methods to incorporate gap elements into a general finite element program are presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages of the two gap element treatments in the framework of finite elements. The numerical performance of the iterative gap element treatment is discussed in detail in comparison with analytical solutions for both 2‐ and 3‐D gap conductance problems. Numerical tests show that the number of iterations depends on the non‐dimensional number Bi = hL/k, and it increases approximately linearly with Bi for Bi≥0.6. Here, for gap heat transfer problems, h is taken to be the inverse of the contact resistance. This conclusion holds true for both 2‐ and 3‐D problems, for both linear and quadratic elements and for both transient and steady state calculations. Further numerical results for conjugate heat transfer problems encountered in heat exchanger and micro chemical reactors are computed using the gap element approach, the direct numerical simulations and analytical solutions whenever solvable. The results reveal that for the standard heat exchanger designs, an accurate prediction of temperature distribution in the moving streams must take into consideration the radial temperature distribution and the accuracy of the calculations depends on the non‐dimensional number Bi = hR/2k. From gap element calculations, it is found that classical analytical solutions are valid for a heat transfer analysis of an exchanger system, only when Bi<0.1. This important point so far has been neglected in virtually all the textbooks on heat transfer and must be included to complete the heat transfer theory for heat exchanger designs. Results also suggest that for thermal fluids systems with chemical reactions such as micro fuel cells, the gap element approach yields accurate results only when the heat transfer coefficient that accounts for the chemical reactions is used. However, when these heat transfer coefficients are not available, direct numerical simulations should be used for an accurate prediction of the thermal performance of these systems.
Interaction between Cdc42Hs and RhoGDI is mediated through the Rho insert region.

Members of the Rho subfamily of GTP-binding proteins contain a region of amino acid sequence (residues 122–134) that is absent from other Ras-like proteins and is termed the Rho insert region. To address the functional role of this domain, we have constructed a Cdc42Hs/Ras chimera in which loop 8 from Ha-Ras was substituted for the region in Cdc42Hs that contains the 13-amino acid insert region. Our data indicate that the insert region of Cdc42Hs is not essential for its interactions with various target/effector molecules or for interactions with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Dbl, or the Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein (GAP). However, the regulation of GDP dissociation and GTP hydrolysis on Cdc42Hs by the Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor (GDI) is extremely sensitive to changes in the insert region, such that a Cdc42Hs/Ha-Ras chimera that lacks this insert is no longer susceptible to a GDI-induced inhibition of GDP dissociation and GTP hydrolysis. The insensitivity to GDI activity is not due to the inability of the GDI molecule to bind to the Cdc42Hs/Ha-Ras chimera, and in fact, the GDI is fully capable of stimulating the release of this chimera from membranes.
Safety and efficacy of sodium ferric gluconate complex in iron-deficient pediatric hemodialysis patients

Safety and efficacy of sodium ferric gluconate complex in iron-deficient pediatric hemodialysis patients
"New view" of protein folding reconciled with the old through multiple unfolding simulations

Twenty-four molecular dynamics trajectories of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 provide a direct demonstration of the diversity of unfolding pathways. Comparison with experiments suggests that the transition state region for folding and unfolding occurs early with only 25 percent of the native contacts and that the root-mean-square deviations between contributing structures can be as large as 15 angstroms. Nevertheless, a statistically preferred unfolding pathway emerges from the simulations; disruption of tertiary interactions between the helix and a two-stranded portion of the beta sheet is the primary unfolding event. The results suggest a synthesis of the "new" and the classical view of protein folding with a preferred pathway on a funnel-like average energy surface.
Optical properties of liquid mercury

Interest in the optical properties of liquid Hg has resulted in numerous studies over the past quarter of a century. Consistent differences have been observed between the optical properties of liquid Hg deduced from reflectance and from ellipsometric spectra, and several models have been proposed which have attempted to explain these differences by the introduction of an inhomogeneous and/or anisotropic surface region. However, a systematic analysis of the previously existing and new ellipsometric data for liquid Hg fails to demonstrate the existence of a surface transition zone having inhomogeneous and/or anisotropic properties. It is further shown that the contradiction between the optical constants obtained from ellipsometric and from reflectance measurements is not real and that the former are representative of liquid Hg while the latter contain large uncertainties because of insufficient sensitivity. The observed deviations of the optical constants of liquid Hg from "Drude" behavior still require theoretical explanation.
Dipole and Quadrupole Phase Transitions in Spin-1 Models

A spin-1 Hamiltonian with arbitrary bilinear and biquadratic pair interactions has been studied in the molecular-field approximation by using one- and two-sublattice models. Various types of orderings and transitions are found for the Hamiltonians with different symmetries. For a system described by a one-sublattice Hamiltonian with Ising, isotropic, or cubic symmetry, only one phase transition is found; either from the paramagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic or to a ferroquadrupolar phase. (Parallel alignment of quadrupoles is denoted ferroquadrupolar.) For the one-sublattice Hamiltonian with axial symmetry, we find two separate phase transitions; first from the paramagnetic phase to a ferroquadrupolar phase and then to a ferromagnetic phase. A two-sublattice system described by an Ising or isotropic Hamiltonian can have a transition either from the paramagnetic phase to a ferromagnetic phase, or to a ferriquadrupolar phase. Additional transitions are also found from the ferromagnetic to a ferrimagnetic phase and then back to the ferromagnetic phase. The system can have as many as three successive transitions. For a two-sublattice Hamiltonian with cubic symmetry, besides the transitions found in Ising systems, there are "reorientation" phase transitions; i.e., transitions from a quadrupole ordering along the cube edge to an ordering along the cube diagonal. This system can have more than three successive phase transitions.
A post-fault modulation strategy to control the matrix converter under an open-switch failure

In this paper, a new post-fault modulation strategy is proposed to operate the direct matrix converter (MC) as close as possible to its desired normal operating under an open-switch fault condition. The proposed strategy determines the switching states of the eight, out of the nine, remaining healthy switches of the converter, to generate the reference voltage. The corresponding duty cycles of the determined switching states are calculated by formulating a nonlinear optimization problem that aims at minimization of the error between the desired reference voltage and the voltage generated by the switching states. The solution to the nonlinear optimization problem is obtained based on the Karush-Khun-Tucker (KKT) conditions. Performance of the proposed modulation strategy, based on time-domain simulation studies in the MATLAB/Simulink software environment, is evaluated and experimentally verified. Compared to the existing strategies, the proposed strategy provides a superior performance in terms of the output power quality for the MC operating under an open-circuit switch fault condition.
Social skills and antisocial conduct of delinquents

A revised and abbreviated version of the Adolescent Problems Inventory (API) was used to examine the relationship between social skills deficits and antisocial behavior. A factor analysis of the revised API yielded three factors (Immediate Response Demand, Deferred Response Demand, and Antisocial Peer Influence) which were differentially related to specific measures of antisocial responding. Results are discussed in the context of a multifactorial model of juvenile delinquency.
A rapid sodium-dependent block to polyspermy in sea urchin eggs.

The rapid electrical depolarization of the egg's plasma membrane which protects sea urchin ova against polyspermy in the interval between stimulation by the fertilizing spermatozoon and completion of the cortical reaction is believed to be mediated by the influx of sodium (Na+) ions. This hypothesis was tested in Arbacia punctulata and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus by inhibiting the rapid block to polyspermy with low-Na+ (choline-substituted) seawater, and the cortical granule secretion-mediated block with soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI). Eggs inseminated in low-Na+ seawater or SBTI became heavily polyspermic. Polyspermy elicited by low Na+ or SBTI was increased in dejellied Strongylocentrotus eggs. However, the severity of polyspermy was not enhanced in low Na+ plus SBTI because the fertilizing capacity of sperm and gamete binding were reduced in low-Na+ media. Since SBTI completely suppresses the cortical granule secretion-mediated block to polyspermy in Arbacia for about 3 min postinsemination, the rate at which SBTI-treated eggs became polyspermic was used to measure the duration and efficacy of the rapid block. The half-time for SBTI-treated Arbacia eggs to become polyspermic in natural (425 mM Na+) seawater was 89.9 ± 4.7 sec (N = 4). The plot of incidence of polyspermy vs time was essentially an inverse mirror image of electrophysiologic data on repolarization of the oolemma during fertilization. The rapid block is also Na+ dependent, since SBTI-treated eggs became polyspermic more rapidly in 26 mM Na+ seawater (half-time, 15.8 ± 1.6 sec; N = 3, P < 0.01).