cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dietary conjugated linoleic acid induces peroxisome-specific enzyme accumulation and ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse liver

Abstract Previous studies have shown that the dietary fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), inhibit carcinogenesis in the colon, mammary gland, forestomach, and skin. Several properties of this chemoprotective polyunsaturated fatty acid suggest it will act as an hepatic peroxisome proliferator. This study evaluated the effect of dietary CLA on the accumulation of enzymes associated with peroxisome proliferation in rodent liver. Female SENCAR mice were fed one of four semipurified diets containing 5% corn oil without CLA (“control diet”) or supplemented with incremental levels of CLA (0.5%, 1.0% or 1.5% by weight of diets) for 6 weeks. Hepatic mRNA levels of several enzymes known to be induced during peroxisome proliferation [i.e., acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO), cytochrome P4504A1 (CYP4A1), and liver fatty acid binding protein (FABP)] were measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Diets containing 0.5%, 1.0% or 1.5% CLA were associated with approximately 6-, 9-, and 9-fold increases in ACO mRNA, respectively, compared with mRNA levels in mice fed the control diet. The steady state levels of FABP and CYP4A1 mRNA accumulation were maximal in animals fed 1.0% CLA diets and less magnified in mice fed 1.5% CLA diets. Western blot analysis revealed that the relative abundance of ACO protein in livers of mice fed CLA-containing diet groups (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% CLA) were 2.5, 3.0, and 3.0 times the level ACO protein of mice fed the control diet (0.0% CLA). Because most peroxisome proliferators are considered nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens in rodents, the effect of dietary CLA on ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, a measure of cell proliferation and tumor promotion, was quantified. Activity on hepatic ODC was increased by approximately 10-fold for mice fed 1.0% and 1.5% diets, respectively, compared with those fed the control or 0.5% CLA diets. These data suggest that CLA displays the typical peroxisome proliferation response, i.e., induction of ACO, CYP4A1 and FABP accumulation and cell proliferation in rodent liver.
A networked mobile sensor test-bed for collaborative multi-target tracking applications

This paper presents the design, architecture, implementation, and experimental results from a networked mobile sensor test-bed developed for collaborative sensor tracking applications. The test-bed comprises a fleet of networked mobile sensors, an indoor localization system, a control, debugging and management infrastructure, and a tiered wireless ad hoc network for seamless integration of the above three components and the existing wireless infrastructure. First, the software and hardware architectural details of a swarm capable autonomous vehicle (SCAV) system for our collaborative applications are presented. Second, the details of an indoor self-localization and Kalman filter based navigation system design for the SCAV platform are presented. Third, as an example multi-sensor application, a collaborative multi-target tracking problem and a heuristics-based networked solution are formulated. Finally, the performance of the collaborative tracking framework is evaluated on the laboratory test-bed for characterizing the impacts of localization and navigation errors on the distributed tracking performance. The experimental study also characterizes the tradeoff between the tracking performance and the consumed wireless bandwidth. The experimental results demonstrate a number of counterintuitive results due to various errors in sensor localization and navigation.
Mathematical models to evaluate temperature abuse effects during distribution of refrigerated solid foods

Abstract The increasing consumption of refrigerated foods in the USA opens new opportunities for food processors to satisfy consumer demands for minimally processed foods. Previous work has shown the need to reduce the frequency of temperature abuse. The development of a personal computer-based tool to evaluate the consequences of temperature abuse shows that, even when the fraction of the total storage time at an undesirable room temperature is rather small (2–3%), the reduction in shelf-life can be highly significant (20–30%). The effect of package size and heat transfer properties was also significant. These types of evaluations, needed to help reduce product losses, are expensive and time consuming without the help of the tool here presented.
Safe Preparation and Purification of Sodium Tetrakis[(3,5-trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaBArF24): Reliable and Sensitive Analysis of Water in Solutions of Fluorinated Tetraarylborates

A safe, convenient preparation of the reagent sodium tetrakis[(3,5-trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaBArF24) has been devised by utilizing a magnesium−bromine exchange reaction in the absence of metallic magnesium. Purified material was then rigorously dried over P2O5 (NaBArF24 with <500 ppm H2O by mass) or recrystallized as a hydrate (NaBArF24·(2.6 ± 0.1)H2O). Accurate analysis of the water content of these samples by 1H NMR was accomplished by using dimethylzirconocene (Cp2Zr(CH3)2).
HIV envelope protein gp120 induces neuropeptide Y receptor-mediated proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells: relevance to AIDS cardiovascular pathogenesis

Abstract Hyperplasia of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) occurs during HIV infection, part of a spectrum of HIV-mediated cardiovascular and microvascular pathologies. These changes are not due to direct viral infection but may involve the receptor-mediated action of viral proteins, such as the envelope protein gp120. We sought to identify gp120 receptors which might mediate the vascular smooth muscle cell hyperplasia present in HIV infection. A homology between neuropeptide Y (NPY) and the previously identified receptor-active V2-region of gp120 defined by an octapeptide sequence (Peptide T) related to VIP was noted. Since NPY is mitogenic for VSMCs we therefore determined whether gp120 shares this activity. Rat aortic VSMCs were treated for 24 h with human (h)NPY and gp120 in the presence of 0.5% serum to measure [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation, an index of cell proliferation. NPY increased [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation by 80% after a 24-h treatment in a bimodal fashion, with peak effects at 10 −10 M and 10 −8 M. Gp120 was an even more potent mitogen for VSMCs with peak activity occurring at 10 −12 M. Peptide T was equipotent with gp120, and slightly less efficacious, suggesting that this domain may mediate gp120 effects on VSMCs. When combined, gp120 and NPY acted to antagonize one another, lowering DNA synthesis to basal levels. The profile of pharmacologic inhibition supports a role for NPY receptors since antagonists of Y1 and Y2 subtypes substantially or completely inhibited gp120-mediated VSMC proliferation. This is the first demonstration of the proliferative effects of HIV viral protein gp120 on VSMCs. The effect appears to be mediated via gp120 sequences related to VIP, peptide T, and NPY. These ligands may be competitive inhibitors of binding or gp120 processing. Novel treatments may emerge based upon VIP and NPY receptor antagonists if further work substantiates a role for gp120 in the vascular abnormalities of AIDS.
Barbed Sutures and Tendon Repair—a Review

Introduction Traumatic tendon lacerations are a common problem encountered by hand surgeons worldwide. Although the use of barbed suture to repair tendon lacerations has gained theoretical popularity in recent years, there is little information available regarding the safety, efficacy, longevity, or complications encountered when used in tenorraphy. In this study, we review the available literature on the use of barbed suture in tendon repair.
40Ar/39Ar age spectra of Apollo 15 impact melt rocks by laser step‐heating and their bearing on the history of lunar basin formation

Results are reported on 26 high-resolution (16-51 steps) Ar-40/Ar-39 age spectra obtained on 12 Apollo-15 melt rocks of different composition using a continuous laser system on submg fragments of recrystallized melt and single-crystal plagioclase clasts from impact melt rocks collected at the Apennine Front where the Imbrium and Serenitatis basins intersect. A table is presented with the summary of the Ar-40/Ar-39 spectrum data, which represent 891 individual temperature step analyses. Also presented are 20 of the 26 age spectra along with their respective K/Ca plots. Melt rock fragments and plagioclase clasts from seven of the 12 samples analyzed yielded reproducible, intermediate-T Ar-40/Ar-39 age spectrum plateaus, which were interpreted as crystallization ages that represent the times of impact of bolides onto the lunar surface.
Strategies to reverse melanoma-induced T-cell dysfunction

Patients with advanced melanoma can develop spontaneous cellular and humoral responses to tumor antigens. Understanding the failure of spontaneous or vaccine-induced tumor antigen-specific T-cell responses to promote the immunologic clearance of melanomas is critical. Multiple mechanisms of melanoma-induced immune escape, which are likely to cause the failure of the spontaneous or vaccine-induced immune responses to promote tumor regression in humans, have been elucidated. In addition, a number of negative factors in the tumor microenvironment dampen antitumor immune responses, including cytokines (like transforming growth factor-β or interleukin-10), suppressive cells (regulatory T cells and myelosuppressive dendritic cells), defective antigen presentation by tumor cells (human leukocyte antigen or T antigen expression loss, antigen processing machinery defects), amino acid catabolizing enzymes (indoleamine-2-3 dioxygenase, arginase), and immune inhibitory pathways (like cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4/cluster of differentiation 28, programmed death 1/programmed death 1 ligand 1). This information has been used to develop a number of therapies to specifically target these negative regulators of antimelanoma immune responses to enhance tumor antigen-specific immune responses and to increase the likelihood of clinical benefits in patients with advanced melanoma.
Improving a Counselor Education Web Site through Usability Testing: The Bibliotherapy Education Project.

Technology proficiency expectations have proliferated in counselor education; however, limited information in the counseling literature details how to effectively evaluate or refine online resources from a design/utility standpoint. This description of a small-scale usability study demonstrates a cost-effective strategy for improving counselor education Web sites. Counselor education students completed specific tasks related to the target Web site’s purpose and functionality. Error and completion rates were tracked and process comments were recorded. Combined qualitative and quantitative results clearly indicated what worked and what did not, allowing the Web site designers to prioritize needed changes in content organization, format/graphics, and workflow. Certification and accreditation guidelines in the counseling profession mandate the integration of technology into educational and practice settings (American Counseling Association, 2005; Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs [CACREP], 2008). As Internet use increases among the general population, counselors must be able to comfortably and competently incorporate Web-based resources as adjuncts to counseling and to effectively guide clients in the appropriate use of online mental health and career development information (Greene, Lawson, & Getz, 2005; Zalaquett & Osborn, 2007). Online counseling-related resources and services have proliferated, with many being created by university counseling centers, professional organizations, and individual practitioners (Gilles-Thomas, 2003; Kalb, 2001; Perez, 2005; Sampson et al., 2003). In counselor education, the growing use of distance approaches to professional preparation and development suggests that curriculum and other teaching resources logically be made available via the Internet. Clark and Stone (2002) pointed out that online assignments can provide pedagogical value at several levels for traditional (i.e., on
Gene cloning, purification, and characterization of α-methylserine aldolase from Bosea sp. AJ110407 and its applicability for the enzymatic synthesis of α-methyl-l-serine and α-ethyl-l-serine

Abstract The gene encoding α-methylserine aldolase was isolated from Bosea sp. AJ110407. Sequence analysis revealed that the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the 1320-bp open reading frame was 65.0% similar to the corresponding sequence of the enzyme isolated from Ralstonia sp. AJ110405. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli , and the recombinant enzyme was purified. Gel filtration revealed the molecular mass of the purified enzyme to be approximately 78 kDa, suggesting that the enzyme is a homodimer. The enzyme exhibited a specific peak at 429 nm in the spectrum and contained 1 mol pyridoxal 5′-phosphate per mole of the subunit. The V max value was 1.40 μmol min −1 mg −1 , and the K m value was 1.5 mM for the reaction wherein formaldehyde was released from α-methyl- l -serine. This enzyme could also catalyze the reverse reaction, i.e., the synthesis of α-methyl- l -serine from l -alanine and formaldehyde. This activity was inhibited in the excess of formaldehyde; however, α-methyl- l -serine was efficiently produced from l -alanine in the presence of formaldehyde. This method was also applicable for producing α-ethyl- l -serine from l -2-aminobutyric acid.
Viral decay kinetics in the highly active antiretroviral therapy-treated rhesus macaque model of AIDS

To prevent progression to AIDS, persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) must remain on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) indefinitely since this modality does not eradicate the virus. The mechanisms involved in viral persistence during HAART are poorly understood, but an animal model of HAART could help elucidate these mechanisms and enable studies of HIV-1 eradication strategies. Due to the specificity of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NNRTIs) for HIV-1, we have used RT-SHIV, a chimeric virus of simian immunodeficiency virus with RT from HIV-1. This virus is susceptible to NNRTIs and causes an AIDS-like disease in rhesus macaques. In this study, two groups of HAART-treated, RT-SHIV-infected macaques were analyzed to determine viral decay kinetics. In the first group, viral loads were monitored with a standard TaqMan RT-PCR assay with a limit of detection of 50 viral RNA copies per mL. Upon initiation of HAART, viremia decayed in a bi-phasic manner with half-lives of 1.7 and 8.5 days, respectively. A third phase was observed with little further decay. In the second group, the macaques were followed longitudinally with a more sensitive assay utilizing ultracentrifugation to concentrate virus from plasma. Bi-phasic decay of viral RNA was also observed in these animals with half-lives of 1.8 and 5.8 days. Viral loads in these animals during a third phase ranged from 2–58 RNA copies/mL, with little decay over time. The viral decay kinetics observed in these macaques are similar to those reported for HIV-1 infected humans. These results demonstrate that low-level viremia persists in RT-SHIV-infected macaques despite a HAART regimen commonly used in humans.
A new family of power transformations to improve normality or symmetry

SUMMARY We introduce a new power transformation family which is well defined on the whole real line and which is appropriate for reducing skewness and to approximate normality. It has properties similar to those of the Box-Cox transformation for positive variables. The large-sample properties of the transformation are investigated in the contect of a single random sample.
Direct comparative trials of the efficacy of proton pump inhibitors in the management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease.

Summary Background : Five proton pump inhibitors are now available for use in North America. Claims of differences in the clinical efficacy of different strengths and/or agents have been made. Aim : To identify any consistent evidence of differences in outcomes between agents or doses within this class of drugs. Methods : A search of the medical literature was performed in two electronic databases, and randomized controlled trials of higher quality were included in the assessment. Results and conclusions : Thirty-two trials met our criteria. No convincing data were found to indicate that low doses of proton pump inhibitors are as effective as standard doses of proton pump inhibitors in the healing of erosive oesophagitis or in the relief of symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; however, they may be as effective as maintenance therapy for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease. Differences were found between the standard doses of proton pump inhibitors with regard to the onset of symptom relief in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (lansoprazole was faster than omeprazole, and esomeprazole was faster than both lansoprazole and omeprazole) and the healing of oesophagitis (esomeprazole was superior to both omeprazole and lansoprazole). Despite these differences, there are as yet insufficient data to establish the superiority of any one agent over all others across all disease states treated with these agents.
Management of Wilms tumor: current standard of care.

Wilms tumor is the most common malignancy in children, but current survival rates are high. A new aim for treatment is to reduce the morbidity associated with therapy. In this Review, Sonn and Shortliffe look at various management guidelines for the disorder, as well as the typical and unusual clinical presentations of Wilms tumor. Wilms tumor is the most common renal malignancy in children. In the 1930s, overall survival for children with Wilms tumor was approximately 30%. Use of multidisciplinary therapy, guided by results from multi-institutional, randomized trials, has substantially improved overall survival to about 90%. Management of Wilms tumor differs substantially between Europe and the US. In Europe, the International Society of Pediatric Oncology protocols call for management of patients with presumptive Wilms tumor with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by nephrectomy and further chemotherapy. In the US, protocols developed by the National Wilms Tumor Study Group advise primary nephrectomy followed by a chemotherapy regimen tailored to the pathologic tumor stage. Despite these disparate strategies, overall survival is similar in patients managed according to European and US protocols. Patients with Wilms tumor now have excellent survival. Therefore, current goals aim to reduce the morbidity associated with therapy. Important complications of treatment for Wilms tumor include cardiomyopathy, renal failure, and increased risk of a secondary malignancy. Currently, the role of laparoscopic surgery in management of Wilms tumor remains extremely limited.
Problems Experienced By Administrators in Conducting Systematic Planning for Social Service Agencies

At a time in the history of social services where demands for accountability place increasing pressure on agency administrators and planners, a discussion of problems in organizing and conducting effective planning activities may create awareness of typical errors in logical and relevant decision making in establishing goals and objectives for agency programs.This discussion will focus on frequently observed difficulties in seleeting and utilizing planning teams, discovering and properly assessing agency data, and using creative and open-minded perspectives in defining tasks and arenas for flexible program planning. Along with this outline of problem areas, the author will also suggest some simple methods to avoid common roadblocks, and to more effectively utilize staff input, agency information and logical decision making processes to engineer sound programs as a result of good planning.
Teaching Web Making As a Guided Planning Tool to Improve Student Narrative Writing

In a multiple-baseline aba design across three groups, 13 intermediate-level elementary students with learning disabilities and poor writing ability were taught during a 4-month study how to use a prestructured story web as a technique to improve their narrative story writing ability. performance was measured by 12 target behaviors. Students showed improvement in the two primary target behaviors of planning time and holistic (quality) score following instruction in the web technique, but showed inconsistent results for the other target behaviors of number of words, thoughtunits, density factor, sentence types (fragments, simple, compound, compound/complex), and mechanics (spelling, capitalization, and punctuation). analysis of data included both visual-graphic and mean-to-mean comparisons across phases and individuals. Research to further develop and define the effectiveness of the story web technique as well as other writing instruction strategies is recommended.
Psychological Separation of Older Adolescents and Young Adults from Their Parents: An Investigation of Gender Differences.

Gender differences were examined in 182 freshman college students who had completed a packet of questionnaires and inventories to address the impact of separation from their parents and to test the relevance of self-in-relation theory. Instruments administered included the Social Support Questionnaire-Short Form (SSQ-6); the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-Revised (FACES-R); and the Separation-Individuation Inventory. A multivariate analysis of variance performed on each instrument administered revealed significant differences between men and women on the SSQ-6 and the FACES-R. Differences indicated that, as expected, women reported establishing more of all kinds of support, were better satisfied with its quality, and viewed their families as more cohesive than did men. Unexpectedly, men and women viewed their families as equally socially desirable, and both men and women reported few disturbances in the separation-individuation process.
Hormone receptor status influences the locoregional benefit of trastuzumab in patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status influence the outcome of locoregional treatments. However, the interrelationship of these factors with trastuzumab is unclear. In this study, the role of HR and HER2 status on the locoregional benefit of trastuzumab treatment was investigated in patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer. METHODS: Locoregional outcomes of 5683 women treated at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2000 to 2008 for invasive breast cancer were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods to compare 6 subgroups: HR-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative (HER2−), HR−/HER2− (triple-negative), HR+/HER2+ with or without trastuzumab, and HR−/HER2+ with or without trastuzumab. RESULTS: Overall, locoregional recurrence (LRR) was 5% at 5 years among patients with HER2+ disease. Patients with HR+/HER2+ disease treated with trastuzumab had half the rate of LRR as patients who did not receive trastuzumab, whereas patients with HR−/HER2+ disease had similar rates of LRR regardless of trastuzumab treatment. On Cox regression analysis comparing LRR risk to the cohort with HR+/HER2− disease, only the HR+/HER2+ cohort treated with trastuzumab had similar LRR risk (hazard ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval = 0.56-2.73, P = .591). All other subgroups, including the HR+/HER2+ cohort who did not receive trastuzumab, had significantly worse outcomes. LRR risk was highest among patients with triple-negative disease (hazard ratio = 4.73, 95% confidence interval = 3.42-6.54, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with HR+/HER2+ disease, treatment with trastuzumab reduces LRR risk to the more favorable outcome of patients with HR+/HER2− disease. In contrast, the increased LRR risk among patients with HR−/HER2+ disease remains despite treatment with trastuzumab. Additional locoregional strategies are needed in this subgroup of patients. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Integration of simulation and emulation with graphical design for the development of cell control programs

SUMMARY A major problem in conventional and virtual manufacturing has been the lack of integrated tools for the off-line development and testing of cell control programs. Control device programs are typically created and evaluated using stand-alone computer simulations or actual production hardware. In contrast, graphic simulation/emulation workstations have provided a powerful virtual environment for robotic cell layout, device selection, path planning, programming, and testing. The resulting off-line task programs may then be translated to native robot languages and downloaded to production hardware. In this research, methods and functions have been introduced to permit modelling of cell control programs on the same graphical design platform, integrating logical and physical design. The control models are structurally and logically equivalent to device programs, allowing designers to use common information for control development and testing. Furthermore, the interactions of cell control with other desi...
Synthesis of optimal serial reactor structures for homogeneous reactions. Part II: Nonisothermal reactors

In Part I of this paper a methodology for the synthesis of optimal isothermal serial reactor structures for complex reactions was presented. This has been extended to nonisothermal systems in this paper. A complete review of the relevant background has been included in this paper. A graphical procedure has been presented for Type II complex reactions and a computer program has been described for Type III complex reactions. Two cases for the Van de Vusse reaction scheme and a naphthalene oxidation example have been used to illustrate the synthesis approach.
Robust hepatic shear modulus reconstruction using acoustic radiation force and RANSAC

Liver stiffness may be useful for the staging and management of hepatic fibrosis. Liver shear modulus can be quantified by measuring the shear wave speed (SWS) in the liver using time-of-flight (TOF) methods. In in vivo patient data, this approach is susceptible to gross outliers in the measured shear wave arrival times due to inhomogeneities in the liver and physiological motion. Linear regression and averaging are not suitable for dealing with this type of error, which can lead to skewed SWS reconstructions. Therefore, the use of random sample consensus (RANSAC), an iterative fitting approach robust to outliers, was investigated for estimating SWS from patient livers. Shear waves were generated in the livers of 105 patients immediately before biopsy using acoustic radiation force and were tracked by ultrasound. 6–12 shear wave acquisitions were performed on each patient. RANSAC was able to reconstruct the shear modulus in 86 patients (82%). Unsuccessful reconstructions were typically associated with shear wave displacements of low amplitude. The biopsy results for 79 patients with at least one valid stiffness measurement were available. The stiffness for healthy to mildly fibrotic (F0-F2) livers (N=64) was 3.03±1.1kPa (mean ± standard deviation), for severely fibrotic (F3) livers (N=12) was 6.3 ± 2.8kPa, and for cirrhotic (F4) livers (N=3) was 17.8 ± 7.8kPa. This trend of increasing liver stiffness with fibrosis stage has also been observed by other groups using alternative modalities of shear wave imaging. These results show that RANSAC is a suitable method for SWS estimation from in vivo ultrasonically tracked shear wave displacements.
Minimum payments and induced effort in moral hazard problems

Abstract Consider a moral hazard problem in which there is a constraint to pay the agent no less than some amount m . This paper studies the effect of changes in m on the effort that the principal chooses to induce from the agent. We present sufficient conditions on the informativeness of the signal observed by the principal and on the agentʼs utility under which when m increases, induced effort (and hence productivity) falls. We also study how the cost minimizing contract for any given effort level varies in m . We present an efficient algorithm for numerically calculating optimal contracts for given parameters and show that induced effort falls when m is increased in many cases even when our sufficient conditions fail.
Toward the use of gesture in traditional user interfaces

This work describes the design of a functioning user interface based on visual recognition of hand gestures, and details its performance. In the interface, gesture replaces the mouse for many actions including selecting, moving and resizing windows. A camera below the screen observes the user. The hand is segmented from the background using color. Features of the hand's motion are extracted from the sequence of segmented images, and when needed the hand's pose is classified using a neural net. This information is parsed by a task specific grammar. The system runs in real time on standard PC hardware. It has demonstrated its abilities with various users in several different office environments. Having experimented with a functioning gestural interface, the authors discuss the practicality and best applications of this technology.
Analysis of monophasic and biphasic electrical stimulation of nerve

In an earlier study, biphasic and monophasic electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve was performed in cats with a cochlear implant. Single-unit recordings demonstrated that spikes resulting from monophasic and biphasic stimuli have different thresholds and latencies. Monophasic thresholds are lower and latencies are shorter under cathodic stimulation. Results from stochastic simulations of a biophysical model of electrical stimulation are similar. A simple analysis of a linear, "integrate to threshold" membrane model accounts for the threshold and latency differences observed experimentally and computationally. Since biphasic stimuli are used extensively in functional electrical stimulation, this analysis greatly simplifies the biophysical interpretation of responses to clinically relevant stimuli by relating them to the responses obtained with monophasic stimuli.
Point dose verification for intensity modulated radiosurgery using Clarkson's method

In clinical radiation physics chart checking, the dose calculation results generated by computer treatment planning software are usually verified by an independent computerized monitor unit calculation routine, or by "hand calculation" using percent depth dose (PDD), tissue phantom ratio (TPR), scatter factors, and the machine calibration factors. For intensity-modulated radiosurgery (IMRS) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the "hand calculation" becomes not feasible due to the sophisticated multileaf collimator (MLC) segments created for intensity-modulated dose delivery. Therefore, an independent computerized dose calculation routine is needed for fast and reliable dose verification. In this work, a point dose calculation routine for IMRS/IMRT plan verification is developed by directly applying Clarkson's method. The method includes preparing data table by measuring TPRs for circular fields with diameters ranging 6 to 98 mm, extrapolating TPR for the zero field size (TPR0) from measured data and generating scatter phantom ratio (SPR) for each individual circular field. The segmented MLC sequences created by IMRS/IMRT inverse planning are converted into irregular fields for Clarkson's calculation. This method has been tested using 29 IMRS/IMRT cases. The results indicate that it is reliable, fast, and accurate. The average time to calculate one field is about 2 s with a 300 Mhz CPU.
Metabolism of Butyrate-3-14C in the Ruminant Under Various Metabolic States

Abstract The metabolism of butyrate-3- 14 C administered intraruminally to goats either fasted and phlorizinized, fasted, or fasted and pregnant was studied under conditions of butyric acid loading. In addition, tracer amounts of butyrate-3- 14 C were infused intraruminally to a fed goat. The specific activity of the plasma and urine ketones compared to rumen butyrate indicated that butyrate contributed at least 20–40% to the production of both β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate plus acetone, in both the fed and fasted ruminant. When ketone body accumulation from butyrate was minimal, as in the fed and fasted nonpregnant ruminant, the total incorporation of the label from butyrate-3- 14 C into plasma glucose and liver glycogen increased relative to that found in the ketotic ruminants, but in no animals were major amounts of butyrate- 14 C incorporated into glucose or glycogen. The contribution of rumen butyrate or its metabolites to carbon dioxide production in the fasting ruminant under butyrate loading amounted to 15–20%.
Effects of external trunk loads on lumbar spine stability

Stability of the lumbar spine is an important factor in determining spinal response to sudden loading. Using two different methods, this study evaluated how various trunk load magnitudes and directions affect lumbar spine stability. The first method was a quick release procedure in which effective trunk stiffness and stability were calculated from trunk kinematic response to a resisted-force release. The second method combined trunk muscle EMG data with a biomechanical model to calculate lumbar spine stability. Twelve subjects were tested in trunk flexion, extension, and lateral bending under nine permutations of vertical and horizontal trunk loading. The vertical load values were set at 0, 20, and 40% of the subject's body weight (BW). The horizontal loads were 0, 10, and 20% of BW. Effective spine stability as obtained from quick release experimentation increased significantly (p<0.01) with increased vertical and horizontal loading. It ranged from 785 (S.D.=580) Nm/rad under no-load conditions to 2200 (S.D.=1015) Nm/rad when the maximum horizontal and vertical loads were applied to the trunk simultaneously. Stability of the lumbar spine achieved prior to force release and estimated from the biomechanical model explained approximately 50% of variance in the effective spine stability obtained from quick release trials in extension and lateral bending (0.53<R(2)<0.63). There was no such correlation in flexion trials. It was concluded that lumbar spine stability increased with increased trunk load magnitude to the extent that this load brought about an increase in trunk muscle activation. Indirectly, our data suggest that muscle reflex response to sudden loading can augment the lumbar spine stability level achieved immediately prior to the sudden loading event.
Cutting planes and constant depth Frege proofs

The cutting planes refutation system for propositional logic is an extension of resolution and is based on showing the nonexistence of solutions for families of integer linear inequalities. The author defines a modified system of cutting planes with limited extension and shows that this system can polynomially simulate constant-depth Frege proof systems. The principal tool to establish this result is an effective version of cut elimination for modified cutting planes with limited extension. Thus, within a polynomial factor, one can simulate classical propositional logic proofs using modus ponens by refutation-style proofs, provided the formula depth is bounded by a constant. Propositional versions of the Paris-Harrington theorem, Kanamori-McAloon theorem, and variants are proposed as possible candidates for combinatorial tautologies that may require exponential-size cutting planes and Frege proofs. >
Direct nonlinear Q-compensation of seismic primaries reflecting from a stratified, two-parameter absorptive medium

Q -compensation of seismic primaries that have reflected from a stratified, absorptive-dispersive medium may be posed as a direct, nonlinear inverse scattering problem. If the reference medium is chosen to be nonattenuating and homogeneous, an inverse-scattering Q -compensation procedure may be derived that is highly nonlinear in the data, but which operates in the absence of prior knowledge of the properties of the subsurface, including its Q structure. It is arrived at by (1) performing an order-by-order inversion of a subset of the Born series, (2) isolating and extracting a component of the resulting nonlinear inversion equations argued to enact Q - compensation, and (3) mapping the result back to data space. Once derived, the procedure can be understood in terms of nonlinear interaction of the input primary reflection data: the attenuation of deeper primaries is corrected by an operator built (automatically) using the angle- and frequency variations of all shallower primaries. A simple synthetic exam...
Arthroscopic Release of the Long Head of the Biceps Tendon Functional Outcome and Clinical Results

BackgroundTreatment of chronic, refractory biceps tendinitis remains controversial. The authors sought to evaluate clinical and functional outcomes of arthroscopic release of the long head of the biceps tendon.HypothesisIn specific cases of refractory biceps tendinitis, site-specific release of the long head of the biceps tendon may yield relief of pain and symptoms.Study DesignCase series; Level of evidence, 4.MethodsFifty-four patients diagnosed with biceps tendinitis underwent arthroscopic release of the long head of the biceps tendon as an isolated procedure or as part of a concomitant shoulder procedure over a 2-year period. Patients were not excluded for concomitant shoulder abnormality, including degenerative joint disease, rotator cuff tears, Bankart lesions, or instability. Nine of 40 patients had an isolated arthroscopic release of the biceps tendon. At a minimum of 2 years, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons; the University of California, Los Angeles; and the L'Insalata shoulder questionn...
Bulk multicast transport protocol

The bulk multicast transport protocol (BMTP) offers rate controlled multicast with reliability, high throughput, and support for large numbers of receivers. A multicast sender needs feedback from receivers to recover from errors and to choose an appropriate send rate, but must avoid being overwhelmed as the number of receivers grows. The BMTP does this by keeping the rate at which each receiver sends feedback inversely proportional to a running estimate of the number of receivers. The BMTP bases its send rate on the minimum of the receive rates observed by the receivers, causing the sender to slow down in the face of packet loss or competing traffic, and to speed up when there is spare network capacity. The BMTP's NAK-based retransmission rarely sends any data more than twice, a substantial improvement over iterated unicast. Rabin's (1989) information dispersal algorithm can reduce this re-send rate as close as desired to the underlying loss rate of the network. Simulations with 1000 receivers substantiate these claims.
Modeling hysteresis phenomena in nanotube field-effect transistors

A model is developed to explain a hysteresis observed experimentally in nanotube field-effect transistors. The model explains the hysteresis through trapping of electrons in an oxide layer. The Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism is held responsible for the electron injection. The influence of different parameters such as the sweeping rate or the range of the gate voltage on the hysteresis is studied and compared with experimental results.
Effects of long-term flutamide treatment during development in zebra finches.

Abstract The molecular mechanisms responsible for the sexual differentiation of the zebra finch song system remain mysterious. Androgen receptors are expressed in a sexually dimorphic fashion in the zebra finch song system: males have more cells expressing androgen receptors, and this sex difference appears very early in development (day 9 posthatch). Estrogen administration to hatchling females up-regulates androgen receptor expression in their song system and profoundly masculinizes their song system's morphology. Co-administering flutamide, an androgen receptor blocker, with estrogen impedes estrogen's masculinizing effects on the song system, suggesting that androgens are required for masculine development. Accordingly, to investigate further the role of androgens in the sexual differentiation of the zebra finch song system, we sought to block androgen activity in males by administering large, sustained doses of flutamide from just before androgen receptors are expressed in the song system (day 7) through to the day of sacrifice (days 61–63). Flutamide profoundly reduced the size of the testes, demonstrating that this drug and mode of administration could have a large impact on tissues. In contrast, flutamide had only a minor impact on the song system: the number of RA neurons was slightly reduced, and the corrected HVC volume showed a trend toward demasculinization. Other brain measures (uncorrected HVC, and corrected and uncorrected volumes of Area X, lMAN, RA, and Rotundus; neuron size in lMAN, HVC, and RA; and number of HVC and LMAN neurons) were not significantly affected. The present results do not support an important role for androgen in masculinizing the song circuit after posthatch day 7.
Solution of the matrix equation AX+XB = C

A new way of solving the matrix equation AX + XB = C is presented in the form (Vec X) = f(A, B).(Vec C). The solution makes use of the properties of the Kronecker products and is particularly suitable for finding X in terms of a fixed set of A and B and a varying C.
Does the Order of Partner Selection Matter? Evidence from the Bio-Pharmaceutical Industry - Dissertation Executive Summary

I investigate how entrepreneurs’ choice of first partner influences the likelihood and type second partner and the effect of partner order on outcomes for new ventures in the bio-pharmaceutical industry. Ventures match up with generic resource firms as their first choice partners, while specialized resource partners prefer to wait till the underlying technology matures. Generic resource first partners enable selection of specialized second partners while specialized first partners inhibit the likelihood of a second partner. Identifying the right order in partner selection helps entrepreneurs access capabilities from multiple and diverse sets of partners improving their performance and financial growth.
Market, Policy and Environmental Influences on the Creation and Adoption of Solar Power in California, 1900-2010

Throughout its brief history, California has established itself as a national or international leader in key industries — such as aerospace, computing and entertainment — through early mover pre-emption and strong clustering effects. California was also an early leader in the three key technologies of solar energy generation, but has failed to sustain a lead in any of them. Here I review the factors leading to the creation and of the California solar industry, and discuss both the problems faced by pioneer firms and the limited clustering effects contributed to the transient nature of their competitive advantage.
Uncertainty in the Surface Area of Crushed Glass in Rate Calculations

Series of 7-day Product Consistency Tests (PCTs) were conducted with ARM-1 glass using the -100+200 mesh size fraction and several sub-fractions to measure the sensitivity of the test response to the distribution of particle sizes. Separate samples were prepared for testing by dry sieving and wet sieving, and the particle size distributions and PCT responses were measured for each fraction. Triplicate tests were conducted at 90 °C using a water/glass mass ratio of 10.0 with each size fraction. Test results are evaluated regarding the sensitivity of the test response to the particle size distributions and, conversely, the uncertainty due to calculating the surface areas (and dissolution rates) by modeling the particles as spheres. These analyses show the solution feedback effects of dissolved glass constituents (i.e., the reaction affinity) counteract the effects of the glass surface areas provided by different particle size distributions on the test response. The opposing effects of the surface area on the amount of glass dissolved and on the glass dissolution rate moderate the sensitivity of the PCT response to the particle size distribution.
Impact of logo wear on provider perception of patient

Patient’s appearance affects provider perception of patients and subsequent provider behavior. Based on anecdotal information, it was hypothesized that wearing a health organization’s brand would result in a more positive perception of a patient by providers and subsequently a better patient experience. A study of 121 individuals with patient contact was conducted. Using photos of patients with and without a health care brand on their shirts, study subjects rated the attractiveness and willingness to engage with photos of patients. Patients with a Mayo brand and UK HealthCare brand showed some significant positive attractiveness over the same patient without the brand. Wearing a health organization brand may increase a patient’s attractiveness. However, no differences in provider behavior were noted. Unexpectedly providers as a group viewed some patients significantly less desirable than others and indicated it would affect the amount of time they would spend and information they would share with a patient. Health care organizations need to regularly reinforce to their providers and front line staff, the human tendency to provide lower quality service and of care to less attractive or desirable patients.
Psychological Stress that Chinese International Students Experience in the United States and Its Causes as well as Leading Consequences

Psychological stress is always a concerned problem among a number of Chinese international students in the United States.Undoubtedly,elements such as language barrier,academic inadaptability and social acculturative problems are the three major causes leading to the pressure,and comprehensive preparation is required for them to really overcome acculturative stress.
Nuclear migration events throughout development

Moving the nucleus to a specific position within the cell is an important event during many cell and developmental processes. Several different molecular mechanisms exist to position nuclei in various cell types. In this Commentary, we review the recent progress made in elucidating mechanisms of nuclear migration in a variety of important developmental models. Genetic approaches to identify mutations that disrupt nuclear migration in yeast, filamentous fungi, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and plants led to the identification of microtubule motors, as well as Sad1p, UNC-84 (SUN) domain and Klarsicht, ANC-1, Syne homology (KASH) domain proteins (LINC complex) that function to connect nuclei to the cytoskeleton. We focus on how these proteins and various mechanisms move nuclei during vertebrate development, including processes related to wound healing of fibroblasts, fertilization, developing myotubes and the developing central nervous system. We also describe how nuclear migration is involved in cells that migrate through constricted spaces. On the basis of these findings, it is becoming increasingly clear that defects in nuclear positioning are associated with human diseases, syndromes and disorders.
Appendix 4—Surgical Procedures’ Classification

This section provides helpful, easily accessible supplemental reading materials, tables, and forms on a variety of subjects, such as history, physical exam, preprocedural coagulation parameters, antithrombotic medications, procedural risk for bleeding, antibiotic prophylaxis, and preprocedural and immediate documentation and notes.